So, I’ve been training physically for the race since I was accepted, and more dutifully since New Years. So today I get home from work and after a chapter of Pride and Prejudice I get ready (grumblingly) to go out to exercise along the beach. Today was a great one! I without a doubt ran more than a walked, which is a big barrier for me, the girl who hates to run did 2/3 running and 1/3 walking. So here is where I started:
This ALWAYS lifts my spirits and reminds me how lucky I am to get to live here and walk out my front door and see this and if I have to run, look at where I get to do it… so I go down the stairs and right at the bottom there is a family/group of about 8 men and boys all surfing and hanging out, they must have ranged from about 2 to 75 it was really cute, and one surfing looked just like my little brother, which also made me happy… so far this is of to a great SB start.
I get up the hill and begin running and it isn’t hard, it is nice and I run further that i typically do, i finally start to walk and quickly realize I’m headed for a large group of people next to the landslide:
This is a little odd, but the wierd thing is a sign… DOWN WITH THE SQUIRRELS and THE SQUIRRELS CAUSED THIS!!!!
Wow, so only, only in Santa Barbara would there be a squirrel protest. I walk by and see a local politician and the number one news guy covering it! (on my walk back I stopped to ask what was actually going on thinking, no way is there truly a squirrel protest, and found out that it was a city meeting to discuss what to do and people indeed used it as a forum “to voice their thoughts on the squirrels”… yup down with the squirrels, they caused this….)
So I continue on my run and go past a couple walking their dog, i passed many couples doing this, but this couple had a dog with a ponytail…
Keep going, and I am still running, and it is great. I get to the lookout point where i turn around and there is a breathtaking sunset, the kind in calendars with the dark rocks jetting out of a blue/pink ocean and into the orange/pink sky. It was beautiful. (I plan on bringing my camera this week and taking a picture of my own to post)
I keep going and find I am still running and I didn’t even realize it, this is the first time I have ever experienced this (people have told me it happened, but I never really believed them).
I see a family playing baseball in the park, photography students working on a project and countless people working out or taking walks or just enjoying the park.
The entire time I am listening to Christian music, it is the same stuff I’ve had forever and at this point I am in need of a few new albums so please send any ideas on to me, but today I hear the words, I am encouraged by the lyrics and know God is good and He loves me. He has a huge important plan for me, bigger than I can imagine, bigger than the World Race- “I want to be His hands, I want to be His feet, I’ll go where He sends me, goes where He sends me…” I can’t wait to see where that is.
I do this exact workout at least 3 times a week, and sometimes it sucks, but today it was great. God is good, and so is Santa Barbara. His creation is unique and flawed and perfect. I will miss this place, but I’m taking advantage of living here as long as I am here! DOWN WITH THE SQUIRRELS…???… I think I’ll just keep running.
