There's a hill. Coming back from the direction of Waterfall Woods, through the trails towards The Edge. The route drops right down, through the stream, then the climb begins. It ends just where the slammy gate is, leading to the Wizard Tea Rooms. It's always a challenge to run it all the way up. A technical climb, to use words that proper runners might say, but it's gnarly, difficult to get a rhythm going, change of surface, tree roots, rocks, mud...it has it all. Pretty amazing then. I was determined to make it to the top non stop.
Except there was Tom, doing hills reps, a couple of dog walkers and so on. Absolutely no question...I would make it to the top without failing, personally, or publicly. But I didn't. Because this morning was the most amazing morning I've been out in for a good long while. Foggy at first, but then the sun and blue skies...illuminating such a picturesque snowy scene. You had to be there...and I was, so I stopped to take it in. How could I run past this and not capture the moment.
I strolled for a while, struggling with my phone that seemed delicate in the morning cold, refusing to do anything but turn off when I wanted to take a photo. The few who were out were also wondering around taking it all in. Everyone chatting and gushing about the views when normally you'd be lucky to get a grunt of a 'good morning'. I missed some of the opportunities I'd have liked to photograph. It was frustrating and time consuming, so I just stood there and drank it in.
The first part of my run was in the low level foggy mist before the sun rose. But as I climbed, along with the sun, the scene changed. It could have been Austria, or wherever you see postcards like these. I usually run with my head up, looking for hidden beauty. It's there, if you're prepared to look. But this morning it was proper poke-in-the-eye amazing. Stunning. Seriously cold feet though. I got an alarmingly purple big toe as it thawed out in the shower! Perhaps a rapid defrost isn't ideal. Worth it, I think.
