7/10/2015
I ran from Leon’s house through the city and into the country. The roads had become relatively flat so thirty plus miles didn’t sound like a daunting task. As I took to the streets I ran into some construction. When I reached the west end of town the air quality seemed a bit gray. As I ran past a pond I got stopped by a guy on a bike named Demitirus. He saw me running and turned to ask me a few questions. He was interested in fitness but I was pretty surprised that someone would go out of their way to talk to me. I had happened several times on the road and I wondered if I gave off a vibe that welcomed people to converse with me. If so I was happy to be approachable.
The day continued to be gloomy but the air was warm and humid. Sweat dripped off my body the entire day. The water in the air made breathing a chore. I struggled to find my rhythm. It became easier once I got out of the city. Every so often I’d pass houses with unchained dogs. The canines always protected their homes yet never ventured too close to me. I had learned to just slow my stride and face the creatures.
Although most of the day passed without much climbing, it was too much to expect a completely challenge free day. As I made my way to the Wooster Inn, the last few miles proved to be a steep, steady, uphill climb. My exhausted body was glad to reach the boutique hotel by the Wooster College campus. The establishment provided me with a large bed, sticks of minty chocolate upon arrival, and a complimentary breakfast. The only thing on my mind was rest. I needed to make sure I got enough rest because the next day was to be another thirty mile day.
The next morning was once again gloomy. When I looked around, I noticed grape vines no longer surrounded me. Stalks of corn were everywhere. They surrounded me for miles and miles. The sound of my feet and a couple birds kept me company in between stops. I took my time to be with my thoughts until it began to sprinkle. At that point my legs took off. My clothes remained damp until Mifflin. I had chosen to continue into Mansfield but the plan was thwarted by pounding rain. I ran under a tree and called Crystal. As I did so, a swarm of mosquitoes attacked my steaming body. They could sense the heat and smell my blood. I ran in circles as I waited for the beast to pull up. We found a parking lot that allowed us to camp out.
Ending before the target destination meant that it was necessary to tack the miles on to the next day. I needed to reach Bucyrus to stay on track. It was thirty four miles away. Sleep was necessary.
Many deer kept me company while I ran through the nature preserve by Mifflin. It led me into Mansfield; home of the Mansfield Reformatory. I passed through the place on my first run four years ago. I reminisced about that creepy experience. If I had ever encountered a real haunted building, the reformatory was it. The city of Mansfield felt a little creepy. Old rusted factories and strange cops were everywhere. The abandoned buildings continued for a couple miles. I ran until I reached a racetrack on the outskirts of town. Ontario was about to begin and Crystal gave me news that I would run a couple more miles to Red Lobster. Crystal had talked to the manager Scott and he had told us to run into the place for lunch.
I took a few moments outside of the Red Lobster to dry off and cool down. We were waited on by Sarah who happened to be a runner. I guzzled several mango iced teas before I began consuming my pasta with plenty of Broccoli. It was excellent fuel for the remaining twenty miles.
I ran hard to reach Bucyrus. We had a campground in the area and we wanted to check in early. The Foxfire RV Park had a pool, game room, and plenty of space. Most importantly the water was nice and hot. After an hour at the campground the skies turned grey once again. I couldn’t help but feel lucky. We were safe from the rain, my clothes were dry, and Crystal put some food on the stove. It was great to survive one more day.
The long days had begun to take a toll on my body and my psyche. The last thing I wanted was to get rained on. I couldn’t will myself to run. All I could do was walk through the dropping mist. I lifted the heavy appendages one step at a time. The legs took me to a truck stop twenty miles away and I had to call it the day. I was twenty miles closer to my destination: twenty miles closer to home.
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