Tag: gratitude

Frosty Country Roads

On January 5, 2019

Photo by freestocks.org on Pexels.com

There was a thick frost settled on the roads this morning. It was one of those frosts where you could scrape it into small snowballs. This made the surface a bit slick of course, and the reduced traction always makes the run a challenge.

You’re trying to avoid slipping and falling, plus you are expending additional energy with each step. I usually change my running style to a shorter gait which slows me down but provides better footing.

It really was a beautiful morning though. The sky was clear and the sun was providing that “good morning” light. If you like to see the sunrise, you may understand, the winter sunrise is colorful and welcoming. It’s not a source of warmth yet, but it brings different hues and shadows before it gets higher in the sky. About 45 minutes into the run, the sun was starting to melt the frost on the east side of the north-south roads, and within the hour, the east-west roads were clearing wherever the sunlight could reach beyond the shadows. As a reminder of how fast the sun actually rises, objects like poles, signs, and trees leave their frosted shadow trails as the sun melts the frost around them.

My left knee was a complainer today, so I’ll give it some rest and see how it feels tomorrow, oh and the other annoyance was getting a small rock in the right shoe with about a mile and a half left. It’s too close to stop and spend the time to remove it, but annoying enough to make you want to. 🙂 It was a nice 8+ mile run overall.

It’s a great day to be alive!

2018 Running Summary Data

By ps401t3

On January 2, 2019

In Blog

This post simply contains the running data for 2018 from Garmin Connect.

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Southern Indiana: No straight roads

By ps401t3

On December 23, 2018

In Blog

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In Central Illinois the roads are grids, most of the property layout is in one-mile squares. Running in Southern Indiana, it’s hard to find a straight path! It begs the question: Did they just pave the old horse trails? Even US HWY 150 between Shoals and West Baden has so many twists you may need Dramamine. It could be fun on a motorcycle!

The map above is one of the routes I’ve established for my 8-9 mile daily run. It’s quiet and beautiful country through the woods, farms, cottages, and fields. Very little traffic and an occasional horse or Amish vehicle can be seen. Actually, the Amish wheels and horseshoes do make enough noise on the quiet country pavement to hear them coming about the same distance as a motorized vehicle.

If I have to identify a few obstacles, they would be dogs and hills, with dogs really being the obstacle, the hills are exercise-variety.

Being able to break from the daily routine routes is motivational. Regardless of straight grids, hills or country twists and turns, I am grateful to be able to experience the outdoors while running!

Cemetery Runs

By Jerry Schotz

On December 4, 2018

In Blog

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It may seem odd to some, but I like running through cemeteries. I find them peaceful and reflective.

I cannot read most of the headstones as I run past in the dim light of the early morn. Yet, the solitude is thought-provoking. No matter what my days have been of late, I’m reminded that I’m on this side of the sod with opportunities galore. I am grateful for the blessing of being able to run through the final resting place of so many.

I wonder about the lives once lived now represented by a stone marker. I see the flags on certain holidays and know someone served their country, I observe the flowers or solar-lights placed by someone who remembers “when.” Regardless of sons or daughters, mothers or fathers, farmers or factory workers, old or young, I am thankful for those who had gone before us and did their part in the world in their time.

As I exit the cemetery and enter back into the land of the living, I am grateful and blessed to run another day.

End of the Thanksgiving weekend 2018

By Jerry Schotz

On November 25, 2018

In Blog

It’s Sunday, and it’s back to work tomorrow. The Thanksgiving break was a nice time to binge on some Netflix (The Evolution of Us) and study a company structure (Perficient), but I was also able to maintain my running routine. The weather was mostly cooperative with some wintery stuff on the way the next few days.

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As I crested a hill this morning, the view struck me that the miles of farmland and grid of roads as far as the eye could see were organized by generations before me, who had dedicated time and money into their construction.

While these roads have seen plenty of farm machinery and rural traffic, they have also been my running tracks for the past 6 years. The majority of the over 10,000 miles and the few thousand days have been on these country roads. I supposed, in a way, I have some of the best-maintained running routes around.

I am grateful for well-maintained county roads and limited traffic.