Running on the Road

I learned something this week-end.  Runners do not take vacations from running. We might take a break to recuperate from a race or recover from an injury.  However, we or at least I do not take vacations from running. 

Take this Thanksgiving, for instance.  My husband, daughter, and I drove 13 hours to Beaumont, Texas to visit my family.  Over the river and through the woods, to Grandmother's house we go...

We arrived Wednesday evening, ate dinner, took a walk.  Thursday morning, I go for a run with my mom on her bike to keep me from getting lost.  Friday morning, we drove out to see some property my late-grandfather had purchased when I was a child.  What do I do?  I go for a run.  My reasoning is, well I HAVE to, I have a race in a week!  

Running in a new location was a lot of fun.  Watching the scenery go by made the miles seem to fly by and, as a bonus, I ran faster. For once, I didn't use my headphones and I was able to hear the birds chirping loudly in the trees. At times it was deafening and absolutely amazing.  Did you know the squirrels in the woods here are twice the size as Florida squirrels? Family and running, it's in my blood and I don't ever want to forget that trip. My grandmother is well over 90 years old and you know what, I would have run all the way to Texas just to  see her!  Now I am home, tired and....it's time to go run.  

Arthur and Verna Weishampel