The Other Windy City

Kayenta, AZ is one of the two towns where I started out for a run and did not finish. Arlington, VA is the other. In Arlington I stopped short due to plantar fasciitis pain. That was excruciating. I often feel like I gave up too soon in Kayenta. As per usual, I hit the road while most folks remained snug in bed. This small town in the Navajo Nation was not well lit. In fact, it was not lit at all, pre-dawn equated total darkness.

Lack of light did not create the problem that halted a nice morning jog. A touch of altitude, driving sand and the harshest winds I have ever encountered made running nearly impossible. After crossing only two parking lots from the hotel I surrendered to the forces of nature. I considered running with the wind, which would also alleviate most of the sand issue, but sooner or later I'd have to turn around and return. I had run in a sandstorm in Cairo, Egypt, but the winds were not nearly as strong as these. As much as it pained me, and let me tell you it did, I gave in and decided to run that evening in Moab, UT.

In the cool of evening in Moab I enjoyed a hearty stroll by a beautiful river. To my dismay, I did not manage to escape the driving winds. They blew so strong that during my run I passed a construction sign on a spring post which bent over parallel to the ground due to the force of gusting winds.

This all popped into my mind as we drove through a sand storm into Kayenta, AZ, seven years later. Yep, you guessed it. Another missed opportunity. I gave a short run some thought, but never even mentioned the notion to Shannan. We drove on into the whirling desert sands and I assured myself, the day will come for Kayenta and me.

Run safely.

Tom