From gray and gloomy to rainy and muddy to sunny. Simultaneously, I went from tired and unmotivated to exhilarated and inspired. The weather in Phoenix on Sunday made running on Murphy’s Bridle Path a rewarding experience.
It has been difficult to get motivated to run in recent uncharacteristically stormy weather. Whatever pushed me out the door that day — mostly guilt from gorging on nachos, a pretzel with cheese and chocolate-covered pretzels the day before — I’m glad I ran.
The skies were mostly cloudy at first, but the sun’s rays managed to peek through.
I hit the 2.5-mile mark just north of Northern Avenue and felt the number of droplets start to increase. I decided to turn back, and soon I found myself running through a short-lived deluge.
I spied Graham riding his bicycle down the trail in my direction. He had come to check up on me and found I was having a swell time getting drenched. Runners going in the opposite direction would laugh and give me a look of understanding as if to ask, “Isn’t this fun?”
I entrusted him with my cellphone, which I carry in an armband as my music player, to protect it from the rain. But the instant he rode off, I noticed a vivid rainbow to the east, over Piestewa Peak. Then came the pangs of remorse.
I wish I could have captured the view. But I’d like to think of the rainbow as my reward for running.
On a related note, I wrote an article about how easy it is to keep a fitness resolution in Phoenix. Check it out!
Marette Flora is the founder of Floradise blog and personalized gift shop. Marette is a passionate storyteller and creator. She attended the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication.
She is passionate about creating helpful and meaningful things.