A Run to Beat the Rain

Rain approaches, so I hear.  Don’t much like running in rain.  It’s like “been there, done that – now I’m done with that.”  Besides that, they close my trails when it rains .  With little time to spare between pick-ups and drop offs and grocery shopping and chatting with elementary school moms, I’m fortunate to have slated today as my lackadaisical run. 

With about 36 miles logged last week, I planned to bring it down a notch this week, mainly due to the final Big Baz WTRS this weekend.  Turns out, with the amount of rain we’re expecting, I’m going to bring it down more than a notch.

I dug around beneath the bed for a pair of road running shoes.  Funny thing, I have five.  Not five pairs, but five shoes of the same type – 3 left and 2 right.  Go figure.

I carried nothing on my back, nothing in my hands for today’s run down to the marina.  I wore a small running belt with my camera, lip balm and phone.  (Gotta carry that camera, I never know what I might see).  The sky was gray, the weather cool.  Pelicans swooped down on the marina waters like planes coming in for a landing.  Two sea lions lackadaisically swam the Pacific waters.  Squirrels ran rampant on the island on the other side of the marina.  They’re the scrawny type, overpopulated, scavenging for too little food, and no predators to take them out.  (In comparison to the plump furry squirrels on the trails that have to look for food and have plenty of predators seeking them out.)

I didn’t see many runners this morning.  I saw one woman that I recognized. She smiled wide like she recognized me, and I smiled back.  I didn’t see this area’s famous runner (among runners, that is, an Olympic qualifier from years ago).  He runs through the marina at top speed.  An amazing sight.  But he never smiles or even nods. 

Anyway, I find it nice to have a water fountain to drink from every 50 feet .  I also enjoy looking at all the different dogs walking their owners.  I didn’t much appreciate all the stop lights I needed to wait for. 

As I ran back home, I saw my husband driving to pick up our youngest son.  He yelled out the window that the back door was unlocked.  Thing was, I couldn’t get the back gate opened (I’m clumsy that way).  So, while talking on the phone with my mom, I climbed the gate and jumped down about five feet onto the cement.  And I think I heard a gasp from the other end of the phone that said, “yikes, women your age shouldn’t be doing that!” 

Here’s to hoping to no rain tomorrow so that I can fit in one more run before the weekend.  If not, off to the gym I go . . .

Dana Point Wharf, Rain Threatening

Have you ever seen a blonde squirrel?  I never had until a few years ago.  They scramble all about the marina island. 

And lastly, I was surprised to find that I ran beneath sea level at times.  What the heck?

Miles logged: 6.14