Reservoir Deja Vu

I needed to come back to NJ on a business trip this week.  I'm not quite sure how or why I stayed in NJ as long as I did, almost 27 years.  NJ hardens you and makes immune to the harsh treatment of individuals.  They even take pride in it.  I'm not saying that all NJ is like this.  I've met some very nice folks, most south of I-195.  I don't quite understand why people have to be mean or intolerant of people.  One place that I didn't find this true was at Manasquan Reservoir.  I have written some other blogs posts about Manasquan Reservoir.  Some were related to the niceness of the people, which I found to be refreshing in NJ, some related to the beauty, especially the sunrises.  I did a few posts about observations from the trail.  The ones related to observations where mostly about the people I encountered on the trail.  I ran there most every day and many times on weekends.  Its a 5 mile loop around a beautiful reservoir on a crushed cinder path at the water's edge.  It just doesn't get better than than from a running perspective.  I used to think it had some hills until I started running in NC.  Today when I was running, it almost seemed flat to me and what I used to call hills are more inclines.  It was bright sunshine and a perfect 60 degrees today.  As I started my journey, I started recognizing people.  Its been two years since I have run at the reservoir and here are the same folks that have been friendly in the past.  I literally recognized 8 people along the way and since I ran 2 loops, I passed a few a second time.  I don't know if any recognized me, maybe a few, but the greeting was a short hi as I ran by.  Not all of these folks are runners, some are walkers and there was a fair share of dogs too.  I wondered as I ran, how the lives of these people have changed, if at all.  Mine certainly has.  I ran at the reservoir for 2 years but have been gone for 2 years. Although, it hasn't been great being back in NJ, I liked being in the area of the reservoir and the farm.  The farm is another topic but where Cindy and I really brought our relationship together.  When I was in the Princeton area yesterday, I just didn't like the feelings but the farm and reservoir brought back better memories as to where my life is now.  I liked seeing the people at the reservoir.  There was a warm familiarity to it and like I said, it is also a fine running venue.  Here are some pictures.

Today Days 98-99: 10 miles: 2014: 530 miles

Running every day is much better than missing a day.  I have learned that this year, but travel days are just extremely hard to get in a run so I have missed 4 days this year and always feel worse for it.