I would like to thank Rachel Keller for permission to print her article here. I really enjoyed it and believe you will too.
In addition to Rachel being a runner and writer; she also has a new web site that you should take a few minutes to check out. You won't be sorry you did.
You Like to Run Where?
I glanced at my watch--not yet seven o'clock, but I had run the two miles to the back entrance of my favorite place to run. (Although the front entrance is closer, I prefer entering the picturesque back entrance. During the warmer months, a crystal clear water fountain beckons me to enter.) Sometimes I take a longer round-about route to the park, but today I wanted to spend more time running in the park. On this particular autumn morning, I arrived in time to watch the glowing reddish orange sun creep over the horizon. I had observed the sky's hue brightening from a pale pink to a brighter, deeper, and more vibrant orange, and then fade again as the glowing sun emerged. I watched the magnificent display unfold: the sun's warm rays reflecting off the brightly colored autumn leaves in a breath-taking view.
Oh the pleasure of these early morning runs in the cool, crisp days of Autumn--a deeply satisfying experience! The hot humid days of summer are over, and the brilliant autumn foliage deepens and grows more beautiful each day. I wished for a camcorder to capture this beautiful scene, but all I had with me was the pepper spray I always carried. I focused the only camera I had--my mind--on the wonderful array of beauty unfolding before me.
Since resuming a regular running routine, I have discovered the fun of running through cemeteries. I have run in four different ones, but this burial park is my favorite place to run. It is well maintained and mourners leave flowers and other special mementos by the gravesides. In Autumn, the cemetery looked like a harvest festival with its pumpkins and other fall decorations. Christmas is very festive with wreathes and various holiday decorations. (One family placed a decorated Christmas tree by their loved one's grave site.)
I enjoy the park so much that I sometimes take a brief detour through it when returning from my longer runs. The park's perimeter is over a mile. It's many paved roads and trails make it easy to spend an hour running. I
