Today's favorite run

There are so many great running routes here in the North Carolina Triangle. Let's run on one... mentally!

Out the door, it's a perfect 50°, ideal for running in shorts and a tee shirt. The plan today is to run a hilly route with extra effort on the uphills.  Up the street of the subdivision and onto a secondary road with light traffic.  This first 0.7 miles is all uphill so the heart gets to work immediately and the blood starts pumping.  Running on the edge of the road facing traffic, periodic oncoming cars means hopping over to the grass shoulder with uneven footing.  That part is good because it strengthens the ankles! At a tee in the road, a right turn leads to a nice long downhill.  The feel of the pace getting faster and the duration of time airborne with no feet touching feels great.  Towards the bottom of the hill there is a radar "Your Speed" sign.  Will it "see" me? Cars go by and it reads 35, 40...  Then it happens as I get closer, no cars, a clear shot.  I run faster and see it read 10 mph then it shows 11 mph!  That's it, I pass the sign.  "wow 11 mph",  I think!  Sweet.  Just past the sign I turn right onto a paved nature trail winding along a creek. A canopy of trees, creek on the right, swamp on the left. A deeper part of the swamp, near the road is loaded with turtles basking in the sun on branches and logs sticking out of the water.  The trail opens up to a pond and a Great Blue Heron takes off in flight with quiet grace.  The path leads to a road with a very steep hill.  Focus!  The heart is pounding, the lungs are searing, the top is nearing!  Why do I always feel the worst at the crest of the hill after the hard part is over?  Always happens that way.  Now this desolate feeder road is rolling, just like a roller coaster.  If you run fast enough down can you coast up the next one?  No. But it feels like it. It's been a workout so far as the 2.5 mile point approaches of the 10 mile route.  Been here too many times to count.  It's going to get easier, not harder! (good thing to know about distance running). Another mile of rolling hills on roads and then the entrance trail to the Duke University "Al Buehler Cross Country Trail".  A wonderful wide dirt trail.  It's downhill from the connector trail to the main loop.  I set my watch time to time the 2.91 mile main loop run. Immediately there is a very steep uphill.  This one is so steep it makes more sense to run up it in a zig-zag pattern, rather than crawling!
At the crest the heart is pounding, the legs are burning. Time to recover on the steep downhill. Slowly with the brakes on until the slope begins to level. Then.. pow..  the legs start running like shot out of cannon.  Down and up the short uphill onto rolling winding terrain on the trail in the woods.  This is simply wonderful.  It's into the 5th mile and feels easier now... see, I promised!  Around a creek and pond and up a hard hill which led to an even harder hill.  This one seems to go on and on.  The top of the hill is at a road crossing for the entrance to the Country Club.  This trail circumnavigates the Duke Golf Course, but in the woods the whole way. This crossing is a "Rocky" moment.  I can hear the music. It's the top and there is a very nice, long downhill to follow.  Time to make up the pace.  The legs open up and fly down, faster and faster. Passing walkers like they are trees.  Feet are airborne alot but still landing with the foot planted right under the body, mid sole, ready to push off the hill to keep airborne.  It's an indescribable feeling.  I used to have dreams of running effortlessly and of being able to fly.  Dreams come true!  For awhile.  Actually more than a mile!  A long while!  Before the rolling hills hit again.  But these hills are short and very runnable so a good pace can be maintained. Powering up the hills and flying down the hills.  There's a guy running up ahead and I'm closing in.  Closer, closer.. I pass.  Really flying now.  I notice he's right behind me?  What?  He must have kicked it into gear too.  Faster, faster..  I'm timing the loop, remember?  The loop finishes just up ahead.  Record time! Thanks stranger!  Back out of the trails to the roads, the nature trail and the hill by the Radar Sign.  A mile and a bit to go.  This long hill takes alot of focus. Pace slows and finally the top is reached.  It's ALL DOWNHILL to home now!  Let's crank it.  Feeling great in the 10th mile running hard and feeling the pace quicken.  Bad news.... we're home!