After two months of not running regularly (unless once per month in winter counts as a routine pattern), I officially began a running routine – again. How do I know it’s “official?” My body tells me so. The robins who have made their annual spring visit to the “match.oaktree” in our front yard tell me it’s time get moving. Yesterday’s warm sunshine and bright blue sky spoke to me loud and clear, not to mention that I knew I’d hear from Running Master and I had already “run” out of excuses to him on not running. 

With no excuses left, I took off, planning a mere 15-20 minutes, just to the corner and back. But when I got to the corner, I remembered how flat it was further down the hill, where a bridge crossed a wide stream. In my mind, I heard that stream calling. I turned right and headed in that direction. 

As I crossed the bridge, two girls and their dogs were wading and splashing in the creek to my right. On the left, sheep grazed intently in the fenced pasture, sparsely patched in green. The road ahead, wide open, I picked up speed. I’m running with all senses wide open. No cell phone, no iPod, no hat, or gloves, just the sounds and warmth of the out of doors surrounding me. 

My run was combination walk and run that lasted just over 30 minutes. Now that is what I consider a perfect Day 1.