I had this evening what I can only describe as an immersive running experience. Immersive! That's a word they use to describe other worldly experiences like 3D TV, or video games. Like for real! Chris almost ran me over as I passed his drive. I was looking across in the fields. He was on his way to runclub. He stopped, we chatted. I didn't want to run at all this evening. Certainly not runclub. I was all for the sofa. But it's hard to explain why I did run.
A greater force made me go...and it was a winner. Chris pointed to the fields. 'Look at the mist coming down' he said. That's also what caught my eye. I figured if I hurried, I'd be back in the fields coming the other way just before dark. And so I set off. It had rained all day, but was now a bright but cold evening. Golden leaves and seed pods littered the pavement as I crunched my way along the cycle path. As I turned off the road and down the farm track, it was clear the light was fading fast.
Through the farm and into the fields, the moon to my left was bright and full, illuminating the the scattered implements left casually around the field. To the right, the sun had already set. Finally to the river and a right turn as I head for home. Now the moon behind and the ghostly orange glow of the day fading ahead. Finally I made it. Back to the field we were both pointing at earlier. A thick carpet of mist hung still over the meandering river and collected in the dips and hollows around.
As I got closer to the gate, I could feel I'd entered this pillowy mist, thick and enveloping. It was hard to focus, making me almost dizzy. The moon behind with its halo emitting a light that was brighter than the evening sun ahead. I stood there 'immersed' in this zone of hazy light, cocooned by thick mist with a cold chill on my chest. Surreal. Eventually I found the steps back up onto the road. My first thought was that of streetlights. When last had I run at night lit by streetlights? Autumn is well and truly here. Whereas this time last week...
