My River.

We went to Tucson this weekend. For those of you that don't know, that is where we lived for several years while we both went to school. I was going to run my "long" run on Friday morning before we left but then I remembered, my river. We owned a condo in Tucson and the river ran in our back yard. Now, you must understand this river being in Arizona, there's actually no water in the river. But it's still a river, my river. I started running when Lizzy turned 1. I ran this river. I ran this river until we moved a year and half ago. So, I packed my running clothes excitedly thinking of the chance of running my river once more. Saturday morning I woke early and almost couldn't contain my excitement to see my river again. There were so many memories made on this river. As I started my run I ran past the Racquet Club that we were members at for years. I remembered Lizzy taking swimming lessons, and also the temper tantrums that would result when I would tell her it was time to go (she was 2.) I remember going to the club at 11 p.m., I would finish my homework then run down the street to run on the treadmill. I remember sweating, lunch at the cafe, and a stinky old man wanting to dance during the Latin dance class. I run past. As I run over the first bridge my memories take me to bike rides with my daughter, walks with my daughter and then I come to the stables. There are ranches backed up against the river and when we would take our walks or bike rides we would always see the horses running. This is where Lizzy got to pet her first horse. She was 2. I run past the horses and look to my right. There is our house. The house where both of my children were conceived. Mmmm, yes, now those are some good memories. But this is my blog and not my journal. On I go past the greenhouses and where I got asked out once while running. I wore my wedding ring from then on. Now I'm running past the playground they built. I remember running by before it was built. I remember running while Lizzy rode her bike to the playground. The 2 miles there were easy for her. However, after hours of play and being in the sun the 2 miles home were always very challenging. I stop and stretch. This is where I stretched, for years. Yes, the sun is coming up now and lighting the mountains. How beautiful. I start running again. I remember running this path before they paved it. I remember tripping once and getting some of the worst scars of my life (I really am very clumsy.) Now, I'm running alongside the mountains, I remember sprinting with my friend Edna, man her little legs can go fast! As I cross another bridge I see the spot where Lizzy saw her first coyote. We were taking a Sunday walk down the river and there he was, only a few feet away. She was stunned. I look to my right and see a bunch of creosote bushes. Yes! This is the spot where I tried to convince Liz to pee in the bushes. We had been on a long bike ride and she had to go BAD. In the end she decided to hold it because there were too many bees around and I'm afraid my phobia of bees has rubbed off on her. I'm on the homestretch now and the sun is my eyes. I'm listening to "I never can say goodbye" by the fabulous Gloria Gaynor. It's then when I realize I would travel 2 hours just to run this river, my river.

I snapped a few photos when I got back to my van...(can you see the coyote in the last photo?)