Between a hamstring strain
and the kids being off of school I’ve only run an average of once a week;
typically on a Saturday. Last Saturday I ran with one of my usual running
partners and was delighted (really can’t think of a better word) when we came
upon a deer crossing a bluff road.
This morning it was
unseasonably chilly, mid 50’s, it was breezy and although I was excited to be
getting another 5 mile run in with the same friend two weeks in a row I was
dragging my feet a bit. After putting my mind in check by remembering the
frigid, snowy weather I ran through this winter I tossed my sweatshirt aside
and met her at the door. I was getting bored with my usual route and with the
wind out of the north I suggested we run south with the wind at our back to
start and head for the ski hill 2 miles away. I warmed up quickly and as we
approached the hill I heard a chorus of mooing coming from the farm just before
Mt. La Crosse. It brought a smile to my face, thinking back to the time I ran
this same route only to come upon a calf in the middle of the road. A
true “running in Wisconsin” moment.
Feeling great we pushed
ourselves into the parking lot of the ski hill (farther than I usually run up
there) and was awestruck by the site before me. The cows were grazing on the
ski hill! I heard about this agreement between the farmer and ski hill, but had
never witnessed it firsthand. It was a beautiful sight and it was at the moment
I smiled ear to ear that I thought about how happy I was that I ran this
morning and how the best runs usually happen after I drag my feet to the door.
Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better I saw a cow and calf halfway up
the double black diamond known as “Damnation”.
I wished I had my digital
camera with a great zoom rather than my iPhone and even considered driving back
after my run was complete, but reconsidered after thinking about how magical it
was to run upon it.
