I had minor reservations about the safety of this run due to the rising outdoor temperature (picture shown below), but I felt confident that I could avoid certain hospitalization by strategic pace regulation. For me this is fortunately not a challenging obstacle in the least.
I started the run fearing little interaction from fellow outdoor enthusiasts as myself due to torrid conditions and I joyfully embarked on my journey with great enthusiasm and a slowness of gait.
As I reached the conclusion of mile 1, I looked behind me and to my surprise was a gentleman running not 12 paces behind me. Startled, I immediately moved to the side of the trail to display a courteous demeanor to allow this fellow outdoorsman to pass by so that he would not be held up by my lagging effort. For he appeared to be a kindly fit gentleman who was enjoying the ecstatic views the sporting life provides when one exercises in the splendidness of nature. To my surprise the nice fellow stopped as well and asked me to continue my run and if I would be so kind to allow him to follow me since he had never ran on this particular trail before. I saw that this propitious gentleman had no means of hydration upon him! Hark! To engage in physicalities In this heat, the gentleman must be remarkably fit and full of potent energy! Sensing an opportunity to display my lacking skills and poor stamina, I gave him my permission to follow and continued my undertaking.
After 3 minutes of me robustly bounding through the path, I looked behind and the gentleman was still trailing behind my posterior, but his breathing was hampered and of a heavy nature.
Then a thought entered my consciousness that changed my perspective on this gentleman's motives. Perhaps gaining fitness and being an advocate of the sporting life was not this gentleman's objective and thought it quite feasible that he had other intentions on his mind. Intentions that were perhaps more consistent with the reputations that this park, in some underground circles, has been known for. Especially those intentions one would often find in back page advertisements in such certain publications as Craigslist, the Dallas Observer or The Voice. All fine publications in their own right, but tend to cater to a select group of the population of which my social network rarely frequents with great regularity.
After a brief moment of indecision, I determined that I had but one choice that could facilitate me any means of safe passage. Despite my continual insistence of running slow, I picked the pace up considerably to see if the gentleman's intentions were rabid or peaceful. My efforts increased and soon I was cresting the elevations powerfully and appeared as a manic pinball ricocheting off the trails edges on the descents. Rarely have I displayed such technical skills or energy! After burning through 1 mile and a half more, I peered behind me and the poor gentleman was near no more. He had either failed to keep my pace or vanished mystically into the thick air! At this time I can not discern with any confidence the motives of this man, if in fact he was a man at all. It very well could have been an apparition of my heat infected mind. Whether I was being followed for pure or scandalous reason by a gentleman or a banshee, it matters not. I finished the trail completely and felt that I was reasonably safe upon my return to my means of transport. But Alas! What of that mysterious man... Will I be haunted by his image or will these strange events become forgotten like a feverous, malarious dream....
My Plan was to achieve 4.5 miles this day and though I certainly felt I could have continued further, I ceased my exercise at the trailhead after completing 3.1 miles (pictured below) and rapidly evacuated the premises. I will leave the contemplation of today's events for another time for too many potential scenarios create fear and confusion.
I feel it would behoove me to end on a brighter note. After a brief text conversation with my brother David who resides in the heated burg of Amarillo, it has come to my attention that tourism in that high desert has risen nominally since my mention of it in this blog. I would encourage all who are considering a visit to that municipality to do so with great enthusiasm, especially to watch their talented Frugelhorn players display great marching precision with their famous Winged T formation in the fall marching season. It is an uniquely blessed event that shan't be forgotten.
I bid you great tidings and hope that you look forward to my training session on the morrow as much I do not.
But what of that man... What does this mean?
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