A Good Reason to Get Up Early and Run

On Sunday, September 24, our planned long run was threatened by weather. A strong cold front pushing in from the west had dropped tornados and torn up towns throughout the midwest. In addition to some anticipated soreness during and after such a run, we'd likely encounter heavy rain, winds, and maybe thunder and lightning. Instead, we ran in high humidity as the front neared and by 7 AM and a quick break at around 4.5 miles, we were treated to a double rainbow and the beauty of the landscape around us.

By 1 PM that day, long after we were back from our run, the winds and clouds combined to give my wife Jean and me and visiting friends our best back porch hawk-watching since the day after 09/11, five years ago. Tree swallows, gone from our certified Backyard Habitat for over three weeks, returned as late passers-through from Canada or perhaps Maine and briefly joined 6 broad-winged hawks headed to Argentina.