I hate wearing pants. Not all the time mind you. Just when I’m running. I actually LIKE wearing pants otherwise. I hate my chicken legs. But when I’m trying to cover distances at a running pace, well, pants-less is the way to go. Shorts, yes. But pants? No.
And yet, when the weather is cold and the wind is a blowin’, pants are sometimes the way to go. Such was the case this morning in Bucks County, PA. It wasn’t as windy as it was in Center City yesterday… and there wasn’t any rain… but, man, was it cold.
The saving grace of the marathon this morning was that it didn’t start until 9 AM. I had hoped it’d warm up more by then, but while the temps were still in the low 40s, at least the sun was shining and the wind was virtually nonexistent. I was reminded of dogs lying in sunbeams… in direct sunlight, there was a warmth that could only be appreciated. I kinda wish I could’ve just curled up and gone back to sleep.
But there were miles to go before that could happen — 26.2 to be exact. Construction in New Hope meant the course was reconfigured in the past few weeks such that we were going to do two loops of an out and back course along the tow path of the Delaware River. Washington crossed here way back in the mid 1770s, hence the moniker of Washington’s Crossing for the area. I get why Valley Forge kinda sucked for our forefathers — man, was it chilly.
On the plus side, the leaves were a dazzling autumnal color scheme, and the canal itself was lovely to run alongside. It was an exceedingly flat course to boot… albeit there was one minor incline that due to its anomalous nature felt much more difficult than it should have been.
I had a weird pain in my hamstring and ball-and-socket hip such that I felt unstable in my gait in the middle miles. It never entirely went away but did settle down on the second loop at some stage… that or the pain got to be so oppressive I just ignored it. It may not have been a Ceasarian feat — I wouldn’t say I conquered by any stretch of the imagination — but I will say I came, I ran, and I finished. And that’s not nothing.
Best of all, I capped the evening with drinks and dinner with Ben and Jess, two of my favorite people in PA… and in the world. And that is assuredly something indeed!
In the meantime, I’m at my AirBNB and settling in under the covers. It’s not a sunbeam (daylight savings robbed me of that possibility long ago) but it’s at least a little touch of warmth in the night.
Tomorrow I’ll fly home but for now, once more unto the sleep, dear friends. Once more!