Eau Claire, WI

Running Time: 50:50 + 1-Lap Kick.

Happy to be back on the track after the road/trail run in Oconomowoc. I drove from the hotel in Chippewa Falls to North High School in Eau Claire. The track was empty and shaded – a perfect combination. It also had some unique features, like vegetation and slope. Lane 9 had an outward slope to it, especially at the south end, which felt significant enough to call it an elevation change.

Earlier in the day, I listened to Alan Alda interview Beronda Montgomery on his podcast Science Clear & Vivid, during which she talked about “pioneer plants,” which are the first plants to grow in an abandoned urban landscape, coming up through cracks in pavement or asphalt or… a rubber track. And then I found some examples a few hours later in a place I had never been.

The day started outside of Milwaukee, with a visit to L & M Cargo Control in rural Hortonville, where I met Linda, a 30-year veteran of the industry, who gave me several leads to follow up on. From there I circled around the Green Bay area for a few hours. I had a very pleasant visit with Randy at All-Lift Systems. A genuinely nice person – a delight to visit with. Later I replied to one of his emails and saw his email tagline was, “God Family Work.” I am not a religious person – I am an atheist. But I very much appreciate the gentle kindness of a Christian who truly emulates Jesus.

Headed west across the state, I hit a rainstorm so violent I almost had to pull over and stop. As I emerged into back into the sunlight, I received a tornado warning alert on my phone. Seek shelter, it said. I kept driving. I had to get to Neillsville to see DuWayne and Paul at Irish Iron Wrecker.

The run was a little late – almost 7:00 – but solid and replenishing. I thought about another podcast episode I listened to earlier in the day – How’s Work with Esther Perel, in which she talked about “ambiguous loss.” I run, which I consider “ambiguous gain.”