imperfections

The Hortin family recently returned home from a trip around southern Utah- stories and pictures to come.

Before you are delighted by our adventures, I thought you might enjoy a small teaser....

I have been trying to get back into exercising every day. It continues to be slow. Being stubborn, I decided that I was going to run on the treadmill in the fitness room of our hotel yesterday morning. No suprise that with my luck, the fitness room wasn't open until 8 am and this was 6:45 am. Maggie suggested we go running down Main Street instead.

Confession: I have never run outside as a source of exercise. I may run if I'm late for something. Heaven only knows the number of times I have run to catch a Trax train, but the distance is significantly small. I run on a treadmill. As such, I run alone with the option of slowing down and doing my own thing for however long I want.

I had high hopes for something like this: wind in my hair, music beating in my ears, being amazed at what my body can do....

Saturday wasn't like that. Maggie likes to run. Turns out, I don't. The combination of the two of us didn't help my mood that morning.
We headed out and started to run but were up before the sun and running in the cold. I forgot my good sneakers so I was running in my Old Navy blue shoes that have as much support as running barefoot.  I started out really excited and truly enjoying myself. Sadly, that only lasted for a few blocks. I made it back with a headache, pain in my right ear (what?), sore feet, sore muscles, and a defeated attitude. This is a better depiction of my experience that morning:

The best parts:

1) I was running alone to catch up to Maggie and passed a few people on the street. The man closest to me smiled as I passed and said, "Slow down. Nobody's chasing you!" Thanks to Mr. Stranger that made me smile through the pain!

2) The sun came up while we were running. Watching the colors change on the beautiful red bluffs of Kanab was breathtaking. Too bad I needed all the air I could get.... ;)