My Ugly Run

I had an ugly run yesterday. I didn't want to get out of bed. I was tired and it all seemed too hard. My legs felt heavy when I finally got going and they never really kicked into gear. I just did a 12k, even though my last few Thursday runs have been 15 and even 12k seemed like such a long way.

But despite it being a physical trial there were some lovely moments which made it all worthwhile. It was cloudy and dark when I left home but I could see a pink glow emerging from behind the clouds. When I reached the top of the hill (I live down the bottom in a little dead-end street) the pink glow had become an orange blaze. Beautiful!

The track around the uni runs past the colleges and in front of the colleges there's a hedge of mock orange busheds and they were all in flower. The scent was magnificent. And on the track I met my two favourite walkers - both men in their 60s/70s who walk by themselves and always have a big smile and hello for me.

Then finally through the park close to home I noticed the lovely sound of running water. The creek there has been almost dry for such a long time but, thanks to a significant rainfall earlier this week it was back flowing again. This is why I have to run outdoors. Being cooped up in a gym just doesn't inspire me like being out in nature.

Earlier this week I had a cougar moment. Tuesdays I train at the UQ athletics track and so do the Broncos (Brisbane's premier Rugby League team. Rugby League is a form of football.) I was showering after the session when I realised I had a companion in the locker-room - a male companion. One of the Bronco's had needed to use the toilets and had decided that mine were the most convenient. There are no doors or screens on the shower cubicles so he got a full-on view. That's probably why he disappeared with such haste (a haste that I found somewhat insulting) muttering apologies. I hope he hasn't been permanently scarred by the incident.