Hills like white elephants
I went for a run in the greenbelt today after work. I started a little late, but I wasn’t going to let something like low light stop me. I started off along the powerline loop, but when I started, my knees felt achy. I ran down the checklist, and figured that I wasn’t taking long enough strides, made the correction and voila, all was better.
I was still a bit sore from my double run on Sunday, but I pushed through it. I’m glad I did, cuz I had a great run today again. The dam was mostly dry, so I ran over it and didn’t even get my feet wet. I powered up the trails on the side of the hill on the other side of the dam, the one with the little wood foot bridge. I felt great, my legs were tired, but it felt great to be out there. Once on the top, I ran to try to get away from the stupid horseflies and whatever other bugs kept buzzing near me. When I got to the big downhill, I ran down it, at almost full throttle yeehawing all the way down. I wasn’t actually yeehawing, I was doing that in my head, but the thought is what counts, right?
Then, on my way up the hill of life, I kept thinking of that Hemingway story. I thought “this is a white hill” and I kept thinking of the repeating line “all they do, is let the air in”. I kept telling myself that as I ran up the hill, breathing heavily. I also thought about if it was possible for a hill to be your nemesis. I mean, I consider the hill of life to be my nemesis. But does the hill care? I doubt the hill considers me to be its nemesis.
It may very well be a wimpy little hill when compared to others, but this is my white whale, or elephant if you will allow me to mix references. Then I kept thinking, the hill doesn’t care. I can beat it and run up it and yell “in your face Flanders!” to it, and it won’t care.
It’ll just sit there and wait until next time.
It’ll sit there thinking “I’ll get you next time, you’ll see.” Well, it would, if a hill could think. At least, I think it would.
I think about some weird stuff when I run.
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The Hill of Life is the toughest hill in Austin, it’s a great nemesis. People mention Jester and a few other places, but generally those are road bikers and tri dorks who don’t like to get dirty.
Even if the hill does not care I think it is appropriate to yell obscenities at it.
I love and hate that hill! I think it is actually fun after a few repeats when I am too tired to care about falling anymore…
So, I take it you’ve got the Powerline loop down?
I have a hill nemesis. It’s only about 20 feet long, but damn steep. It’s along the River Path, which is a flllaaattt urban trail in Tucson. That hill kills me. I hate that hill. That hill gave me the worst cramps last winter, I had to hobble the final mile home.
Not quite down, but getting there. I’m glad to see I’m not the only one with a hill nemesis
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