Last Run... (for a while)

I was thinking that yesterday's run would be my last before tomorrow's surgery. I met up with an old friend, Dave Gajewski, and we had a chance to catch up on a lot of things. Surprisingly, when I awoke this morning, I felt like I was ready to run again. Now, this would be my last run before submitting to the knife.

Besides the usual joy of running and getting outside to enjoy nature and getting myself into some kind of shape (better to say keeping myself from getting into worse shape), I had another incentive to get out today. The Moon was full, and it was a blood-orange supermoon, and it was about to be eclipsed by the Earth's shadow. I was aware that it may be obscured by clouds, and even if not, most of the eclipse wouldn't occur until after the Moon had set in these parts.

But it was worth a shot. I could indeed see the Moon, low in the Southwest, as I began my run at 5:00 AM. For the best viewing of the setting moon, I ran to the highest place with the best visibility I could think of: St. Ambrose Church and School. It's adjacent to Brunswick's two water towers, a clue as to its relative elevation. Clouds came and went at times, obscuring the view. But every time I thought it may be gone for good, it would reappear. Each time I saw it, it was more orange. And of course closer to the horizon.

It was pretty cool to watch it set. I couldn't really tell whether the eclipse was visible or not because of the dancing clouds. But it was cool, nonetheless.

After the show, it was back to running. I could just run the two miles back home, but instead, I explored some of the city streets to the East of the church. I'd been on some of those roads before, but not often and definitely not recently.

Eventually, I wound up on Hadcock, and then headed back to the West via Keller-Hanna. By the time I got home, it was time to get ready for my MRI. I was happy to get these slow and easy six and a half in. I hope I'll be able to run again, and the sooner the better.

I can't accept credit for this photo; I found it on the internet. But it IS the way the Moon looked today.