Racing the Sun

Tonight I raced the sun to see who would get home first. I both won and lost. If we're talking about true sunset, which was at 7:41 today (according to wunderground.com), I lost. I didn't walk in the door until right at 8:00. But if we're talking civil twilight, which was at 8:12, I won, if only by a smidge and a bit of dim light still visible in the sky. Regardless, we are losing daylight fast here these days, and there aren't going to be too many more chance for an evening run done without a headlamp!

I headed out shortly after 7pm, my shadow long and straight in front of me as I ran down the powerlines away from the setting sun. There was a slight breeze, and while the air wasn't quite crisp, but it did hold hints of autumn. There were pockets in the dips along the trail that felt refreshingly cool. The brush along the trail hummed and buzzed with insects, and sparrows fluttered in and out. I noted the slim profile of a hawk, sitting on the powerlines, looking down intently into the grasses, hoping for a meal. The blackberries and blueberries, still abundant, were at peak sweetness, and despite the race against the sun, I couldn't help but stop for a few handfuls along the way. Out in the open, the evening light put forth a soft, golden glow, but the woods were darkening, the light flattening out the terrain ahead. On the return trip, with two miles to go, it was already night as I ran up the switchback through the woods to Rt. 24, but when I popped out atop the hill, I got a glimpse of the sunset ahead, ribbons of clouds backlit along the horizon, the sky shifting from blue to purple to pink and gold.

I finished up with 6 miles and a smile on my face. What a nice night to be out running!