My Run

My run this morning ranks right up there as one of my favorite runs ever. 

It started with this view from my driveway...

The temperature was perfect at 48 degrees.  The sun was shining.  It was warm enough for short sleeves.  Cool enough to be a bit crisp in the shade.  I planned on bringing my camera and ended up ditching it right before I left.  The following pictures were taken in the car this afternoon...

My run starts at the end of my driveway.  A little incline to get the heart going...

 Almost to the top...

And down the path to see these trees...

And these.  Taken from across the street...

 Could it be more beautiful?  It always makes me smile...

 Mile 1...

And where I go when I'm only doing 3.  To say "Hi!" to the cows...

Down the road...

 Mile 2.  Fun to run down.  Fun to run back up...

 The beauty keeps coming.,.

One of my favorite spots to stop and thank God for my blessings...

Mile 3...

 Mile 4...

 Turn around and head back home...

Mile 5...

 Mile 6...

 Mile 7...

Whenever I see this mighty oak I think of my sweet friends and their amazing boy, Luke.  I pray for them.  I thank God for Luke...

 Almost home.  I kick it up for this final stretch...

I felt like Jesus was running right beside me today.  We talked.  I thanked Him.  I laughed.  I smiled.  It was majestic!  I kept wishing that I had my camera with me.  The colors.  The sun.  It was glorious!  And then, there, right before mile 5 was a deer.  A little boy with the smallest of antlers.  As I stood smiling and talking to him, I saw another.  A smaller one, just a little baby deer coming across the street.  I was so close to them!  It was amazing!

This was my last "long" run before I begin training for the LA Marathon.  I was so tempted to do 10 today, but knew I should keep it relatively short and easy.  It was a run I will savor.  It was a run I will remember when I start to doubt myself.  I will remind myself of how far I've come - that today, a 9:00 minute pace felt easy.  That a year ago, I would not have thought that was "easy".  I will smile when I think of this run.  I will thank my friend, my Papa, my Savior for this gift. 

I sit here, tonight, still with a smile on my face, cozy in the quiet of my home, still glowing from my run.  My morning.  My blessings.

What does your run look like?