Dunes 4 Miler

(Tuesday before SOB)

I’ve still been feeling sick enough that a dark, foggy cloud has settled over many things in my life, especially running.  Every run this week has felt forced.  As a result, I hardly ran this week.

Tuesday afternoon at 5pm, Matt and I set out for a run on the dunes.  The trail travels up and down through marshy areas and tall, mossy Douglas Fir.  I stopped to retie my shoe and was swarmed by an ambush of mosquitoes.  If you ever want motivation to run faster, run through a swampy forest.  The bugs will take care of the rest.

 

Eventually, the trail gives way to a grand vista.  The forest opens to sand and small dune vegetation.  Beyond that there’s nothing but ocean.  The water blends with the sky and filters through beyond the horizon. 

Soft sand filled my shoes as I bounded down the first dune.  For the first time in a few weeks, I forgot about my sinus headache.  Sometimes all I need is an effortless childlike day in the sand and some fresh ocean air.   

We ran a bit on the beach examining the debris before the tide came in.  With each wave growing higher up in the sand, we moved closer to shore, dodging the waves as they splashed near our shoes. 

I’m really lucky to live in such a beautiful place.  The diverse micro-climates all meet near my home.  I can run on the dunes, under the Redwoods, up and down mountains, and along the beach in a single day if I feel like it.  How many people can say that?