A Run with Karen

Recovery runs are meant to be slow. They are meant to be relaxed. They are meant to be a fun mental recharge in between hard training days. I don't time them, sometimes not even planning a route beforehand. When one of this week's recovery runs left me running solo, I decided it would be fun to take the camera along so I could share it with you.

It didn't feel lonely at all with my iPod, some kitty snuggles, and thinking about what cool things I'd be able to share here.

Springtime flowers are everywhere!

I had a goal distance, but today's run didn't have a specific route. If I came to a crosswalk and the way I had been traveling had the red "Don't Walk" hand up, I turned. It was liberating being able to change direction on a whim.

Fire hydrants make nice tripods.

It was getting a little warm in the full sunshine, so I dashed into the park. Most of our city parks around here look like this and some people have redwoods in their yard (there's one in my backyard).

Isn't that amazing? Every time I visit this park, I wonder why I don't do it more often. When I started to get chilly, I climbed out of the steep ravine and back into the sunshine of town. 

Shooting timer selfies is a bit tricky in the forest.

It feels super awkward to take these, but a person in the shot best conveys how huge the trees feel.

The next mile was spent following a shimmering trail of fake coins down the sidewalk. There were also broken tubes of art paint, so I think someone's school backpack has a hole in it. Either that, or it's my lucky day and I should rush out and grab a lottery ticket.

I counted twenty two kitties throughout my run. They seemed to enjoy the warm sun as much as I did.

Wait! That's not a kitty! Go back to sleep, buddy.

Since I didn't have an agenda or buddies to keep me moving, I stopped to pet a couple of kitties. I have a huge weakness for giant, fluffy kitties, so I gave this guy a little extra love.

With all the photos and stops, the eleven miles netted me almost two hours of sunshine. I returned home with a blissful content smile on my face. I find myself looking forward to the off season after Boston so I can have more runs just like this one.