Day 9–500 words

So why did he go for a run in the rain?

Having spent 3 whole days locked in his house while he completd his presentation and supporting documents, he was feeling like a caged animal at the zoo. Cranky, lethargic from all the sitting and typing, bloated from no exercise and the wrong food. He was ready for a nice long and slow run in the woods behind the house.

The weather had not been great over the past few days and he hoped for better today. Bad luck buddy, he thought, it was throwing it down outside and the forest looked grim to say the least. That said, any run in the forest no matter the weather, was always going to trump being sat indoors for another day.

The forest behind the house was amazing, huge Redwood trees, lower pines and deciduous trees filled the enormous space in his backyard. There were days when he saw no one. Not a soul would pass by and then, come Friday afternoon, some of the folks who occupied the lodges nearby, would arrive and decant a weekends worth of kit and food into their weekend homes.

He loved living here and the thought of a return to the city filled him with dread. As the light began to fade, he reasoned to put his running shoes by the front door, his running kit on the chair at the foot of the bed. Setting an early alarm to make the most of any sunrise, he began to make a light supper of salmon, eggs, crispbread and a nice dry white wine. Once it was all organised on the kitchen counter, he went for a shower and luxuriated in the nice warmth it provided. As he had done for the past 5 years and 9 months, he turned the tap to full cold and turned in circles to ensure his whole body was showered in the wonderfully cold mountain water. Making his skin tingle he recalled his why, for the showers. They made him feel alive and that it changed his physiology and his mood, were reason enough to do it. The discomfort brought with it genuine benefits which he would feel later as begun to sleep.

Sitting at the kitchen bar looking out across the darkness out to a nearby lodge and lights, a yellow glow in the dark, he reminded himself that whilst he really did enjoy the solitude, he would be sociable once he returned from his run.

A great night sleep, no doubt helped by a healthy and light supper, oh and the cold shower, meant he awoke ahead of the alarm and fully recharged and raring to go for the run he planned. He knew the route he’d take, hills aplenty, long downhill sections to really let go on and some wonderful lanes between the massive trees. 15 miles at a steady pace, he aimed to be back at th elodge in around 2 hours and 15 minutes, not a fast run, plenty fast enough to enjoy the discomfort and the views, smells and the general ambience of the forest.

As he drew near the lodge he became aware of a smell, the type of smell that typically meant trouble. Brown Bear trouble, after 15 miles he thought to himself, could I outrun the bear, should I even contemplate it. Actually where is the bear he thought. As the questioned finished in his head, something caught his right eye, off to the side and nearby the neighbours truck. Thankfully not the bear but his weekend neighbour, he motioned to his left and said , he went that way.

Thankfully, that way, was in th eopposite direction to the lodges and back deep into the forest. Safe and sound he thought. With that, he walked over and shook the neighbours hand. Pleased to see him, he was invited over for a hearty dinner and some fantastic red wine, something they’ discovered on a recent rip to California. He couldn’t wait and walked back to his lodge to shower, cold again, and get some minor chores completed.

Mid morning he sat with a fresh coffee on the porch and reflected on his time here. Nothing compares to it he thought and with that he drifted off for a nap. It was raining cats and dogs, the sound of it sent him to a slumber and before he knew it, it was early afternoon and the smells emanting form his neighbours lodge made him feel hungry. Turning his mind to lunch, he remonded himself of the words his neighbour used “a heart dinner”. That settled his lunch plans, some fruit and a coffee, and no more.

Heading over to his neighbours, he was pleased with this day and that despite the heavy rain, it was a fantastic run, it always was.