We were blessed with a light snow last night. The kind that blankets the ground but doesn't require any shoveling or work. This was the greeting card for my run this morning at Eagle Creek.
Driving to the park brought the usual thoughts of clothing, miles to run, pace, and a hundred little things each of us catalogs prior to hitting the road. But as I opened the door a hint passed to me that today might be something a little different.
Only two other cars were in the lot at 7am. It was still dark but I thought I recognized the cars as some of the regulars. It is a group of people you know by sight as being there every week although you don't know their names or have been formally introduced. You share a bond of space and time although different running groups. My thoughts went to grabbing those miles and making that weekly goal. I expected the others here were after the same as the streets were not plowed and the sun was no where to be seen. Only someone with a definite need of miles would be here at this time and at this place. Yes, we do share a common bond of running madness.
I left the warmth of the car with thoughts of heading to the coffee shop and a delay of today's run but since I was already here, it was best to try a few steps and decide. As I headed out along the normal warm-up path on the road, I knew today was going to be different. I saw no footprints in the snow. I was loping along a path no other person had ran or walked. I was taken by this as we pass these roads almost every week and see no evidence of others running but today with the snow, I knew no others had gone before me and that others would see my prints and perhaps wonder. Even in the low light of the Midwest morning, I saw no tracks and smooth drifts on the road which seemed a road less traveled today.
I had a hard workout yesterday and the pace was less than aggressive but today was not about pace and miles but rather it was more about connecting with the park. Today I wanted to just run. As the steps added, I saw deer tracks crossing the road and looking around you could see the very same deer foraging the fields along the road. They took notice as I passed but were not in the least bit concerned. Rather, I would think they were puzzled by this two legged being moving along at what seems a strange gait looking for neither food nor running from a predator. Certainly a strange creature in their view of things. As much as the wildlife came to view me with little interest, I saw their beauty on a day of stillness. We each had a mission. They to find food and I to find a few steps to leave the week's events behind me.
As I moved along the road, I took notice of a few footprints. Other runners had come here and left their mark on the road. As I followed their lead, one can only wonder what it is about those footprints. Are they running from something or towards something? Do they notice the scenes unfolding around them or are they lost in the world of pace, miles and heart rate? Running alone certainly brings many different thoughts based on what you see.
As the light increased in intensity, it was time to move from roads to trails and today was a great day to connect to the earth. The trails were firm from the cold but soft with the snow. A near perfect condition for discovering the park on foot. My route took me along areas where no other runners had yet traveled today and just as quickly crossed paths where others had forged their own path. Was I far behind? Did they notice the wildlife? Can I catch them and share a few words? More thoughts passing the miles while dodging roots and leaping logs.
I kept at the trails for four glorious miles. The path was fresh and inviting. The few times I saw others footprints, I can only imagine their joy in discovering the same fresh trail. As I neared the end of the run my thoughts turned to the things I saw and I was struck by a single word - peace.
Today had been a day of hearing one's footfalls along the roads and trails and little else. Today was a day of little winds other than the mist of one's breath. Today was a day of communing with nature in the reflected light of the snow. Today was a day where running shows its true beauty. Not in speed or ribbons or medals, but rather in the connection with the runner to the path. Today was a day that the coursers flew and I was thankful to catch a glimpse of them even if but briefly.
As I entered the protective bubble of my car and left the park, I wondered if others thought the same of today or were they still counting miles, checking heart rates and altering paces immune to the images of the run as I do on most of my runs. No matter, I was glad that on this day the run offered me more than usual. It's these pleasant surprises that keep us coming back for more and I can't wait for the next surprise.
