Clear sight.

Sunday I did my "short" long run of 12 miles and it was not great.  Compared to the 20 miler from the week before...it seems like a different person ran it.  Whatever, though, it's in the past.

I woke up this morning yet again with thoughts of forgetting it all.  Sleep and laziness sounded nice.  But you know me.  I got up and, eventually, out.

It was a decent morning for running even though the high today is 102.  The humidity is low-ish for August in Arkansas and there was a bit of a breeze blowing.  I don't remember my calves feeling like they were filling up with concrete, which is great because that's how it's been for weeks.  I was a little tired but overall pretty good.

I was in Sherwood this morning so I ran out of the neighborhood and onto Kiehl.  Down the hill on Kiehl and left onto 107: at this point I was at about 3.5 miles and planning to turn around at 4.  The next half mile would be uphill.

As I made the slow turn and started up the incline, I looked up at the ridge and the dying grasses and something was beautiful about it and I felt the need to pray.  I held that thought in my mind as I looked up at the sight, trying to put into words what my heart was seeing.  The trees were crisply set against the blue morning sky, the sun falling across the ridge with "a certain slant of light," a gentle morning slant.  The grasses sloped down towards me and I realized what I was praying for: clear sight.

I pushed up the hill and also up the hill heading towards home.  I spent a delightful minute in some misty sprinklers.  I finished.  But I have that ridge with me still.