8/18/2025.

Well I run through it. This prompt feels weird to me, probably cause Kansas. Open spaces, farms, open skies. Even living in a mobile home, in an urban environment - I never felt more exposed to nature. Seriously. Every gust of wind was felt to the point where I often wondered if I'd be safer outside in a ditch during a thunderstorm, clinging onto a tree branch or something. I thought of these things.

I respect nature. There's a balance though. It's all fun until you lose control or get lost.

I made some stupid mistakes the other day while running. There was a lot of overgrowth from all the rains and I was testing new paths, while also trying to fit a specific distance calculated by the running program. It seemed like a good idea, the moment I decided to keep going forward through weeds taller than me vs simply turning around and going back the same path. I was approximately about halfway through the suggested run. I had already decided I was only going to run on the concrete that day - when I found myself running through trees, mud and grass. I don't know how to describe my thinking. I don't even know how I got to that situation where I made the brilliant decision to run through poison leaves. I just wound up there.

Yet I do know. I am someone who spent a lot of time outdoors. I am motivated by reaching certain points that catch my attention. Like being able to climb a rock bridge. Or seeing a waterfall. I see/hear something odd, I go check it out. All kinds of things motivate me while outside.

I'm so tired from a long day, I quickly re-read this and did not have enough energy to edit.