Park Usage

I know I sound a bit like a broken record, but I do almost all of my running around a park in my neighborhood. This is the park where George W. Bush played softball when he made a campaign stop in Carlisle, making my life downright odd as I passed through multiple security checkpoints just to get home. Around the park is a .7 mile trail – partly packed gravel, partly asphalt, and the trail is far from flat — running around it multiple times provides for a really good workout.

Because the park is nice, I’m rarely alone during my morning runs. While I seldom run across another runner, people walking for fitness, people walking their dogs, parents & children playing catch, kite flyers, you name it. This morning, though, was a bit different.

I crested the first hill right around 5:30 & saw a woman, maybe in her mid-40’s, maybe a bit older, sitting on a yoga mat in one of the grassy areas. “Cool”, I thought, “she’s meditating”. Yet, as I passed her, I couldn’t help but notice the pervasive aroma of marijuana. She looked up, we made eye contact, & she coughed & exhaled. I laughed, continued my run . . . when I made my way back around, she was no longer there.

For anybody actually keeping track of my workouts, I managed 12 laps around the park, or 8.4 miles, just under an 1:10. My legs feel great (honestly, they do).