I got the rain for my birthday!

I woke up at 5 am with a weird sound. Something I didn't remember anymore, but the brain dug deep and let me know - it's pouring rain outside. What a wonderful sound it is...what a bliss. I made fresh coffee and sat down, listening to the sheets of falling water and looking outside the dark windows with glows of lightening. I contemplated whether or not to drive to the race start - and decided to go. Austin gets treacherous when it rains as the streets are covered in some funky soapy residue, and both driving and running is kind of not really fun. But what the heck, it is supposed to be a run "just because".

They did cancel the race, as I turned into the park where the start was to be. I was laughing. Thank God I wasn't gearing up for this one, many others were greatly disappointed. What a crazy development! What a mess! I met with Eman and we went to a Starbucks, sipping coffee and talking life. What can we do but smile when things get out of our control? So we did. And then I went for my free Bikram class - and they sang "Happy Birthday" song to me, twice, while in Trikanasana. That was silly and cute.

When I came home, and it was quiet. I love quietness lately, being alone. Stephen was still asleep, and Larry and Harrison went to clean up the old apartment to turn in the key. It's official. We are out of that. All week I thought I'd come by and say good bye, or something, and I never had an urge (was busy, too, but really, not even a twinge). And just like that, it was over. The house feels like we've been in it my whole life, comfy, cozy, home...

And so was my birthday, cozy and home. Larry made a gluten-free chocolate crust raspberry-lemon cheesecake from scratch - first time ever, mind you, but knowing him and his attention to details and a perfectionist's following of the recipe, it was awesome - the most delicious and beautiful cheesecake I ever ate. Seriously, no bull.

We also went out to our favorite Z-Tejas for Mojito's and seared tuna, and the boys at the bar took care of the drinks - nice to have a birthday and be a regular:)

And we just were. Being all there.All domestic:)

I am back to training, excited about my new goals and looking forward working hard. My foot hurts me, and by now I ran out of options what to do. So I just run. I drove to a trailhead this morning - the one that I used to walk a third of a mile, and then run for a mile to, but that's ok, only took me 7 minutes flat. Not bad all things considering. I had to wear a headlamp - haven't run with it since OD100 in June, 4 full months ago. Haven't trained on this loop in a dark since spring. It was awesome. The air is nice and relatively cool, wet ground still thankful for the Sunday's rain, navigating the rocks and all the technical stuff at this park was a blast. Made me re-live all my long training runs, looping for what seemed to be forever. I never went out of breath or pushed, but I was feeling free and careless, and bounding over the ledges. It boggles my mind how many people never get to experience it. How difficult it is to get up when your alarm gets off, put clothes on and make it outside the house. And how blissful it is a mere 20 minutes into the run, how elated, how wonderful, fulfilling, soul-clearing, re-charging and exhilarating...

Another year is around the corner. I want to make it count. I hope to make the best out of whatever it brings me.

Feels like my running comes in a spiral after making a full circle, and I am back to the roots, but at a level over. Not only WMGT got dismissed (basically), I let my membership at Hill Country Trail Runners laps and disconnected from PNW ultra list (I am still on the Listserve, but have to actually log in to see what's going on, and do it once a week to keep some connections alive). For the first time in a long time I am un-affiliated and feeling awesome about this aspect. Almost primal. Back to where it all began...solo and with eyes wide open.