A Community of Runners
In case any of you don't know, I'm training to run the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco in October. Doing well enough to finish in 6 hours for me involves "hill training," which is a very complicated process that only serious runner types like myself can fully appreciate. It involves picking a hill, then running up and down it. A lot. Generally, you do this until you pass out or have to shower and go to work - whichever comes first.
This morning was hill training day for me, and since Casa Grande Mountain is only about 5 minutes away from our house, I drove over there as I have many times before, parked, and started up a nearby incline. I jogged about 300 meters up the hill, jogged back down to the car, mopped up some sweat with a towel, took a sip of water, tried to convince myself this was a good idea, then headed back up the hill. Later, rinse, repeat six times.
On my fourth downhill, I noticed a pickup truck parked next to my car; this was not entirely odd, as many folks use CG Mountain as a recreational spot, although not too many generally do at 5:30 in the morning on a Thursday. As I made it close to my car, my fellow nature lover said hello and introduced himself and his dog, Darcy, a sweet but nervous 16 month old border collie. Felix, my new buddy, took a look at my red, sweaty face and running attire and asked if I lived nearby. I said, yes, on Florence, behind the Sonic (everyone knows where the Sonic is in the CG). He then mentioned that when he was in high school in 1969, the cross country coach used CG Mountain as one of their regular practice runs. He pointed to a nearby depression in the topography and mentioned that the spot served as their halfway break point, before they turned around and ran all the way back to the southern tip of the mountain.
We said goodbye, wished each other good day, and went on our separate paths: me back down to the car, then up the Mountain and back two more times, he and Darcy on a 4x4 path that led slightly southwest. I'm not sure if I'll run into Felix and Darcy again, but I'd like to think they approve of my route.
This morning was hill training day for me, and since Casa Grande Mountain is only about 5 minutes away from our house, I drove over there as I have many times before, parked, and started up a nearby incline. I jogged about 300 meters up the hill, jogged back down to the car, mopped up some sweat with a towel, took a sip of water, tried to convince myself this was a good idea, then headed back up the hill. Later, rinse, repeat six times.
On my fourth downhill, I noticed a pickup truck parked next to my car; this was not entirely odd, as many folks use CG Mountain as a recreational spot, although not too many generally do at 5:30 in the morning on a Thursday. As I made it close to my car, my fellow nature lover said hello and introduced himself and his dog, Darcy, a sweet but nervous 16 month old border collie. Felix, my new buddy, took a look at my red, sweaty face and running attire and asked if I lived nearby. I said, yes, on Florence, behind the Sonic (everyone knows where the Sonic is in the CG). He then mentioned that when he was in high school in 1969, the cross country coach used CG Mountain as one of their regular practice runs. He pointed to a nearby depression in the topography and mentioned that the spot served as their halfway break point, before they turned around and ran all the way back to the southern tip of the mountain.
We said goodbye, wished each other good day, and went on our separate paths: me back down to the car, then up the Mountain and back two more times, he and Darcy on a 4x4 path that led slightly southwest. I'm not sure if I'll run into Felix and Darcy again, but I'd like to think they approve of my route.
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