Darn It!

Alone, I effortlessly glide along the trail through the thick mist. I can taste the cloud and feel the dampness brush against my torso and legs. Oddly, although heavy snow intermittently changes to a soft drizzling rain, I am neither cold nor wet. That's hard to believe since I'm only wearing shorts and trail running shoes, but, the moisture lands on my skin and simply evaporates and I remain dry. My cadence remains strong as I nearly float along the ground, absorbing my favorite running conditions while on my #1 trail.


My heart pounds strong, but does not tire. My lungs fill and empty with clean mountain air, but never strain for oxygen. It's surreal since my pace is recordbreaking and my legs feel fresh and nimble.  Miles have passed and my reconstructed Achilles is 100% and concern does not even enter my mind as I charge through more antagonistic weather from Mother Nature. The shittier the better, I tell myself as I glissade across the rocky trail, enthralled with how my body is performing.

Flowers are in full bloom and fill the air with their strong fragrance while berries hang heavy with snow on sagging branches. Bull elk are bugling on the ridge as a young bears wrestle with one another in the distant meadow. A break in the foggy haze reveals the distant blades of windmills slowly rotating clockwise in the gentle breeze. Their spinning blades disappear behind a ridge, making it appear as though the windmill is a giant rototiller preparing earth for planting,

As I marvel at the scene, I am joined by 4-legged pacers (dogs) from the past. Badger thuds heavy on his feet while prissy Jax pitter-patters along avoiding all mud puddles. Tari's blocky body jars the trail as her long hair flows like seaweed in a current. Hugo's streamlined, athletic body strides like a miniature cheetah as he looks at me to jump up in my arms to be held. Then there's Rocky moving with such poise, power and grace...oh how I've missed you! Sierra thunders along with unshod hooves pounding the trail and then people show up from the past and present. We pick up on conversations like we were never apart and chatter like squirrels getting caught up. I smile and embrace all my pacers. My heart swells with delight and happiness and ...

BEEP BEEP BEEP

@#$%!!!  Why can't dreams last longer!  And why do really good ones always seem to be rudely interrupted by a nagging alarm clock? 

Darn it!