Montaña de Oro, July 21, 2021

It had been too long since I’d gotten to run at Montaña de Oro, and this day in July was one of the most beautiful runs I’ve had anywhere. 

The morning gloom was thick at the outset, and getting to run up from the beach, through the clouds, and into as expansive a view of the sunrise as I could ask for was a very moving experience, more so than many other similar runs I’ve had here and elsewhere. 

Alone under the unhindered radiance of the sun, my legs and heart finding a rhythm in tandem, my spirits alight with that sweet, nourishing energy that comes with trail running, all of it came to me without pain or complaints in beautiful San Luis Obispo, a spot I can never get enough of, leaving me brimming over with gratitude among the brilliant views of the beach and flora and peaks surrounding me as I scaled up to Hazard Peak, explored around a bit, breathed deep, then headed home.