relaxed

i don't usually relax. i can't. too much shit on my mind. too much stuff to do, take care of, line up, prepare for, and finish up. and right now is not exacly a relaxing time in my life.

but i managed to relax today.

i intended to take the palm desert dog poop trail at a running pace this morning. it's about 2 miles with about 1000 feet of elevation gain. i'd done it at a 3-3.5mph walk (33 minutes total from bottom to top) on sunday (thus keeping intact my hike-a-week record) and felt like i could take it at a run.

i wasn't exactly correct.

got there about 9:45 and it wasn't too hot yet, only 85 or 90. i set off at a run with only my 1liter water bottle, car key, and clif bar. i didn't last long.

i couldn't run the whole thing. i ended up sprinting and walking until i got to the top. i probably took the same time to the top as when i walked it, but i had a couple of scary i-might-just-die-up-here moments on the way.

my sunscreen burns the skin on my face but it works. i had only taken one sip of water before i got to the top. but once i was there -- legs and face burning, panting, parched -- i located the only shade available at the top: a couple of sharp boulders perched on a hillside. there was just enough shade to keep me covered if i sat just right and kept my knees up.

i checked for snakes and spiders and then laid my head against the granite and drank my cold water. it had been icewater when i left the bottom no more than 30 minutes before. now it was just chilled water.

but it was good. behind me was a panoramic view of palm desert, rancho mirage, and the other desert cities. behind me. i was looking at the snow-capped san jacinto mountains, enjoying a refreshing breeze, watching horny hummingbirds and dragonflies chase one another, and trying to ignore the faint but distinctly depressing grumble of distant SUVs.

i was relaxing.

i can't relax at my parents house because they keep it around 79F and it's too hot.

here i was at 90+F (overheated internally) and more relaxed than i'd ever been.

i stayed as long as the shade lasted and made my way down. i ran back down pretty much the whole way. my joints will cry tonight, but it was worth it.