A Bright Spot in the Nighttime

Before the breathin' air is gone
Before the sun is just a bright spot in the night-time
Out where the rivers like to run
I stand alone and take back somethin' worth rememberin'

Those are some of the lyrics to Out in the Country, by Three Dog Night. Here in Northeast Ohio, we're experiencing this bright spot in the nighttime phenomenon. The toxic smoke from Canadian wildfires has caused our air quality to be at its historical worst ever. This has a profound effect on any outdoor work or activities, including, of course, running. The air quality became progressively worse by the minute during yesterday morning's run, and I was forced to cancel today's. It was back to the mill for me.

The good news is that my injuries appear to be in the past, and all I need to do now is to regain my fitness. That's easier said than done, but it's better than being injured. 

Regaining fitness is beginning to become more important though. Besides the two half-marathons scheduled for August, and September's Akron Marathon, I've now added another challenging event: The Kauai Marathon. 

Egads. Challenging is right.