Lord Have Mercy on a Country [Girl]

Today I went for a run.

Yes, I ran.  Yes, that is a miracle (kind of), and yes, I ran longer than I thought I could.  Still, running and I have a hard time liking each other.  My experience always goes something like this:

"Ready, set, RUN!"

"I'm not going to get very far.  This is going to be dreadful."

"No, you can do this.  I know you can."

"You're right. I can.  And I am! How coo--wait, somethings wrong.  Oh, yeah.  I have to breathe."

>gasp, cough, gasp<

"Yeah, don't forget that.  Breathe slower.  Control you're breathing."

"Okay, I can do this........>deep breathing<..........................  I'm tired."

"You can make it to that power pole."

>sigh of exasperation< "Okay, I'll do that."

"...Now the next one."

"Okay..."

"Keep going..."

"I'm going to have to take a break in a little while."

"If you do, you know you'll never get back running."

>With new gusto< "You're right.  No breaks."

....

>With great desperation< "Okay, at the next power-pole, I have to break."

(Abi breaks for 10 seconds, and then actually continues her run only to realize at the end that she didn't enjoy the weather or see the beautiful things she ran right by because she was busy fighting herself to run.)

It doesn't sound too appealing does it?  Naw...I didn't think so either. That's just MY experience running, though...

HOWEVER,

after work, I did go mountain biking with Dad and Max.  There's a ginchy little trail along the highway that lots of people ride their dirt-bikes on, and it just happens to be a pretty decent jaunt for a mountain bike.
Now, biking--that's my cup of tea.  You get further, you go faster, and you don't get all the impact on your joints--not to mention, when you're mountain biking, you're concentrating so hard on staying on your bike that you don't even notice how much you're working.  It's a win-win---win-win situation.  AND when you can go with your family, is there anything better?

Now, at this moment, I regret to announce that while I was mountain biking, I still had very little time to look about and see the beauties of the place I live in.  I was trying not to eat it... it happens to me a lot when I'm biking.  BUT after we got off the dirt path, Dad and Max kept going, and I took a little detour so I could have a think.

I took the paved road, and thought about home.  I got hit by some water from a wheel-line, and it smelled like river--fish, sand, sunscreen, whitewater rafting, and campfires.  I rode past a few houses and watched kids play in their yards.  I drove past fields of winter-wheat--all the same height.  The smooth grass made ocean waves as the breeze drove it about.  I passed a field of alfalfa that was almost ready to cut, and it had about as many happy, yellow dandelions in it as alfalfa.  I was, again, mesmerized watching the pivots water the fields.  I rode past a dairy.  Call me crazy, but I don't mind the smell.  Actually I rather like it.  There's a cliche here that says "It smells like money," and while I was not raised on a dairy, I have experienced feeding and milking.  I love the small-town, country reliance on livestock and land.  It's given me respect and gratitude for those who work so hard to provide for me, and it's taught me how to work hard too.

I could feel and hear the wind, and the air smelled chilly.  I kept going, and counted the cars I passed.  Four.  Four cars in 5 miles.  I saw so few people.  Oddly enough, I didn't know any one of them, and they all waved at me as they passed . . . and I waved back.  :)  I paused to look before I turned to start the home-stretch.  I could barely stand on my bike-accustomed legs.  I smelled the river, the dairy, dirt, coming rain, dozens of crops, horses, and water.  I kept going, and thought of how lucky I was to grow up here.  I love this place--everything about it--even the dead polecat on the road.  :) It wouldn't be home without it. :]

Josh Turner sings a song that I related to a lot when I was living in Provo.  Now, don't get me wrong, I love Provo, but now you know why this song makes so much sense:

Well, I grew up wild and free,
Walkin' these fields in my bare feet.
There wasn't no place I couldn't go,
With a .22 rifle and a fishin' pole.

Well, I live in the city, but don't fit in,
You know it's a pity the shape I'm in.
Well, I got no home and I got no choice.
Oh, Lord, have mercy on a country boy.

Josh Tuner holds a place in my heart :)
I finally rode home, and when I got there, we had dinner, and I convinced Madi and Max to do a little yoga with me.  Then we had herbal tea, and headed off to watch Kung Fu Panda.  All in all, it's been a grand day.

And I'm exhausted.

:]