Running Like An Old Man While Looking Like An Old Lady At Mallard Cove Park

I know, I said I was done with the selfie thing, but I found this cool setting on the phone that makes the selfie taker look like an old lady. So, I had to try that and must say I was impressed with how well the "Look Like An Old Lady" scene setting works.

This selfie was taken under the shade of a big oak tree in Mallard Cove Park.

I was at Mallard Cove Park to participate in my new running pastime.

The recent return to hill hiking on the Tandy Hills has had me surprised at how much easier the hill hiking has become. I think this is due to the post morning swim habit I have had for months now of doing a lot of slow deep knee bends, as in 100, give or take a bend or two.

I first realized I had developed an extra spring in my step last  week when running up and down the stairs at Oakland Lake Park.

Years ago I was a regular jogger. I would run for miles. It took me awhile  to get to the point where I could go for miles. But, that all ended in early 1985. I was pretty much off the exercise wagon til I took up mountain biking in 1994.

I have not fallen off the wagon ever since.

Recently I have been impressed with this guy named Mr. Spiffy. Mr. Spiffy is a runner and a biker. Mr. Spiffy posts his run and biking info on Facebook. Last weekend Mr. Spiffy successfully completed the Wichita Falls Hotter Than  Hell One Hundred. As in Mr. Spiffy rolled his bike's wheel's for 100 miles in the HOT Texas August heat.

Now, Mr. Spiffy is younger than me. He looks to be, at the oldest, 39, so I don't think it realistic for me to aspire to a Mr. Spiffy level of running or biking, but I think it is realistic to try to return to enjoying running.

My first return to running attempt happened on Wednesday, running with the Indian Ghosts who haunt Village Creek in Arlington.

It did not go well.

I felt like a plodding walrus.

If I remember right the only person I mentioned this to was Elsie Hotpepper, who did not seem too sympathetic to my plodding walrus plight, simply asking me why I felt like a plodding walrus.

How does one explain why one felt like a plodding walrus? This seemed to require no explanation.

So, remembering my long ago experience with getting in running mode, I knew it got better with each subsequent attempt.

Which is why I went to Mallard Cove Park today.

Where I did not feel like a plodding walrus. I ran twice around the paved trail. Running in bursts, then walking, which, from past experience, for me, is the fastest way to get in shape for running a longer distance.

With today's running I can see where this is far more aerobic than riding my bike usually is, unless I'm going up a steep hill or a challenging section of mountain bike trail. Running is way more aerobic than I ever manage whilst swimming.

So, I was rather pleased with how good I felt after running today, as opposed to how I felt on Wednesday.

Running River Legacy Park Mountain Bike Trails With An Armadillo

Shall I Bike? Or Shall I Hike? Neither. I'll Run.

Today my means of acquiring endorphins from aerobic stimulation was to go running on the mountain bike trails in River Legacy Park.

I am being a bit surprised at how easily and quickly I've transitioned into running after years of only running when circumstances warranted that behavior, circumstances like being chased by a dog, running for cover in a downpour, that type thing.

I have biked the River Legacy Park mountain bike trails dozens of times. I have walked the River Legacy Park mountain bike trails a couple times. Walking these trails seemed to take a long time, likely it seemed that way because my locomotive means on these trails had usually been bi-pedaling.

Well.

Today I was surprised by how quickly I was covering the River Legacy Park mountain bike trails in running mode. It was being fun, but I think I may have overdone it, a bit. So far nothing seems to be sore.

At one point one of my favorite type critters quickly crossed my path. I stopped and grabbed my camera.

The Armadillo is the Official State of Texas Small Mammal. I don't know what the Official State of Texas Large Mammal is. I know I could quickly find out. My guess is that it is the Longhorn.

Just a sec, I'll see....

Yes, the Longhorn is the Official State of Texas Large Mammal.

I don't remember if my old home state had official this that or the other things. If Washington did have an Official State of Washington Large Mammal I would guess it would be the Orca.