First Run

Sunday, August 7th

Early morning runs are not my thing when the alarm screams at me, but as soon as I’m out the door and moving I love them! This morning I hit the road for my first run in South Africa. It is still winter here, so the temperature was a bit chilly. I dressed in a long sleeve and my running capris (which allowed me to see just how badly I need my shipment to arrive so I can finally shave my legs!! (I’m too cheap to buy a new razor when I know one is coming!)) and met a woman named Tanya who was my tour guide for the morning. Tanya is the Literacy Coach at AISJ and lives in the same complex as me. It sounds cheesy, but as we began running I felt so happy to be back on track! I haven’t run in over two and a half weeks! I worried about the effect of the elevation, but was ready to feel my lungs scream.

We ran through an adjacent complex beginning with a steep downhill. This meant only one thing – there would be a steep uphill in my near future! Well, I was right – there were a few steep uphills, and by steep…I mean STEEP! In addition to climbing these “mountains,” we ran alongside a pretty little river, some incredibly gorgeous homes (which are insanely large), and many crazy squawking birds.

I wish my bird-loving grandmother had been with me – the calls were like nothing I’d ever heard!  There were cute little black and white ones which walked along the grass chatting with each other in a peaceful call, and then there were these ugly, brown ones with long beaks and wide tails. Apparently these birds are called Lories (which is a name I don’t want to associate with annoying brown birds) and their call reminds me very much of a mix between a crow and an owl. Unfortunately, Lories can be found hanging out in the cutaway space between my two bathrooms (this is outdoors – not inside my apartment). Every morning, their obnoxious cackling hoots can be heard loud and clear.

On the way back to my apartment after my run, I heard a new bird call. I almost thought it was a parrot because it’s call mimicked a baby’s cry almost perfectly! I never saw the actual owner of this cry, but I am going to assume it wasn’t a parrot! J Either way, as I opened my door to the apartment with the sun shining brightly above me, I was smiling because my first run reminded me that I’m in a whole new world. I’m looking forward to exploring this world in my sneakers! (don’t worry mum & dad – I’ll be safe; I promise!)