Beauty morning.

This morning we went running in the foothills of the Sandias - a whole bunch of us doing the Colorado Relay this Friday, including the BIRTHDAY BOY himself, on his first run since Leanhorse 2 weeks ago.

At dawn we headed out. Since I'm nursing my leg, I took it easy, heading out at the breakneck hiking pace of about 17 min/mi. I did the first 2 miles that way, then turned around the did a slow, loping jog back at about a 13 min/mile pace. On my iPod, I was listening to Winter, by Josh Radin, Keep Breathing by Ingrid Michaelson, and a host of other really nice, peaceful songs.

I wish I had pictures for you, but all I had with me was my crappy phone. So here's all I have.

You know, I've tried meditating before. Oh, I've heard all about how fabulous it is...the peace it instills, how it clears your head. Problem is, I have a problem with attention. Kinda hyper. So sitting still and just being is, well, not in my repertoire. Sweet Baboo says I remind him of a butterfly, flitting from one thing, or idea, to another. Meditating, for me, is hard. And, I've tried, believe me, and half the time I find myself checking my watch, and the half of the time I fall asleep. It's not for me.

But a run at dawn in the foothills? Or on the bosque? Baby, that is my meditation! When I'm done there's nothing, or nobody, that can piss me off.

I jogged past a man who was huffing and puffing, and called out, Beauty morning, ay? and he looked at me like I was insane. It just seemed like, in that moment, in this place, that Good morning was an inept salutation.

I was struck with how lucky I was to be moving on my two legs across this wonderful space, and how, if it weren't for Sweet Baboo, I might not have ever wound up here.

And then the sun came up and blinded me and I tripped over nearly every damned rock in my path. But it was still a great morning.

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