It’s National Running Day!

A global event “that encourages everyone to get moving. It doesn’t matter how fast you run or how far you go—what’s important is that you take part, and how you do it is up to you. Run a lap around your block, take your dog for a long walk, or call your friends for a pick-up game in the park. The important thing is that you have fun being active—and you inspire others to join you.”

I did my part and finished the Virtual Copper Bones Goonies 5K.

3.16 Miles @ 1:18:11

And, in the process, earned another shiny medal.

Inasmuch as we’ve had extensive heat warnings every single day since last Friday, I got up early this morning, and headed for the nice cool indoor mall, arriving a little after 8 a.m.

Would you believe the outdoor weather was perfectly cool for walking?

Go figure.

It was so nice out that I did the first two miles around the outside perimeters of the mall, finishing the last mile or so inside, still ahead of stores and kiosks opening. As I was leaving, everything was just beginning to open, and the weather outside did warm up quite a bit, so it was a matter of perfect timing.

As I began that last mile inside, I’m guessing around 9:30, a guy introducing himself as Director of Security walked up and handed me a flyer indicating “As a reminder, there is no public access for mall walking allowed before 7:30 a.m. for your protection. If you are found walking prior to that, you will be asked to leave the mall”.

No problem here. It took great determination to get me up and out and at the mall as early as I was this morning. But, I wonder if this flyer is because something bad happened.

It’s a nice mall, in a nice area, but I guess creeps are always looking for an opportunity to catch us off guard where creeps are least expected – like the pervert that cornered me at the mail box day after Thanksgiving.

It’s a sad commentary on life that one has to constantly be ready for the unexpected.

At any rate, inasmuch as I was on that side of town and I’m still having a problem getting nice sweet apples at the market in my area, I next headed for the market in the new shopping center I mentioned a few posts back, with first a pit stop by the Senior Center in that area.

It must have been around 10:00 by then and that senior center was popping.

The computer room was full of people, the craft room was full, a tap dance class was in progress, the breakfast café was full, there was a counter selling jewelry and china knickknacks, and there were people all over the place.

Such an active area – that’s inside the senior center and runners, walkers, bike riders in the surrounding area.

You don’t see much of being active around here. All my neighbors want to do is eat. They won't attend an event unless food is involved, and when I go out walking the neighborhood, there’s this one guy I see running in one direction and a woman who runs in the other direction.

That’s it.

I’d love to live in the area of that senior center, soak up all that active energy, but I've checked and it’s waaaay too pricey for my budget.

Looks like the Center's entryway statue has been moved, because I had my photo taken with the old folks when I first visited the center back in 2006 and there was a wall in the backdrop. Now there’s a window.