A Golden Run

I could feel my heart racing; the rush of endorphins pulsating through my veins, the fear of weakness pushing me forward. We ran along the dirt path, our pace fluctuating as we attempted to reach a steady medium. We soon fell into a rhythmic pattern, our feet striking the earth evenly. The air was thin, and became harder to grasp as we made our way up the rocky hillside. My lungs screamed, a desperate cry for oxygen. I breathed heavy, but refused to allow my feet to slow down. He ran ahead of me, tossing small encouragements back to me every few feet. "Almost there," he stated, as we made our way over a patch of boulders.

The heat of the spring afternoon pressed down against my skin, forcing tiny droplets of sweat against my forehead. I noticed a group of people sitting at the edge of the cliff and knew we were close. We smiled and waved as we ran past them, until the path leveled. "Just over here," he said, pushing through the tall grass. 

Suddenly, I stopped. We had reached the plateau. There, stretched out as far as I could see, fading into the blur of the horizon, was all of the eastern slope. Golden rested at our feet, clear creek winding around the green fields and rocky cliffs, and Denver glistened, its tall towers clustered together in the middle of the golden valley. I turned around, stunned by the mountains that towered over us on the western side. The sky was clear and disappeared behind the tall peaks. I breathed deeply, trying to take it all in. My heart continued to race, but this time it was not due to the breathlessness of a run, but rather the breath-taking beauty of this reality. 

We continued our run, the plateau covered in rolling hills and tall, yellow grass. The level surface made running much easier, and allowed for us to absorb the world around us. As we made our way down the hill, our speed increased and the breeze cooled my skin. It was a perfect run, in a perfect place. 

I've run on South Table in Golden, Colorado since that perfect day. And with each experience, I am reminded of how fortunate I am to live in such close proximity to this perfect place!