the lunar eclipse

I made an attempt at photographing the lunar eclipse last night.  However, I have a really severe case of Raynaud’s Phenomenon in my fingers (especially my right hand) as a chemotherapy side effect.  Consequently, I couldn’t stand outside too long looking at the eclipse.  I did capture this interesting, blurred image of the rusty colored moon that almost looks like it was taken in time lapse.  I’m sure I couldn’t reproduce it if I tried.

My friend Ben gave me some night shooting tips (I obviously don’t shoot at night very often) — you can see his much better moon shot over in his 365 day photo blog.

(By the way if you looked at the eclipse, the two bright “stars” near the moon were Regulus and the planet Saturn.)

lunar eclipse run

I ran during the lunar eclipse this morning.  Although not one to get up early if I don’t absolutely have to (I admit I like sleep as much as the next person), I figured this might be the only time in my life I had the opportunity to run during a very visible lunar eclipse that happened to occur on the same “day” as the Indians executed one heck of a beautiful triple play.

Cleveland seems to usually get shut out of a lot of the “big” celestial happenings.  I suppose it is because it is so cloudy here so often.  But this eclipse was in full view.

I woke up around 5:00 and put on my shoes.  My dad bought me a new pair of Mizunos at Second Sole which I wore yesterday, but I’m not sure I like them.  My legs felt like bricks.  The shoes felt heavy.  Since I was coming off of chemo, though, I’m going to reserve judgment on the shoes.  I’ve liked previous versions of this shoe; maybe it is just the purple color that turned me off.  hahaha.  Always the tomboy.  Today I wore my trusty, very dirty, white-gray-aqua Sauconys.

In the summer, I sleep in my running clothes, so I can just roll out of bed and go running.  It’d be a lot easier to get up in the winter in the dark if I could do that.

I took off at an easy trot and immediately started to look for the moon.  I figured I’d go out whatever direction the moon was.  I have more running routes than the chipmunks in my backyard have holes to avoid the very large red-tail hawk that has taken up residence in my neighborhood.  Ah, there is the moon.  It was already “eclipsing.”  It was really neat to watch.  I don’t think I’ve ever watched a lunar eclipse before.  I had seen pictures, of course, but never actually seen it with my own eyes.  As you can imagine, basically the Earth gradually slid across the mooon.  As the Earth slide over the moon, more and more of the moon disappeared and it kind of made a halo.  What I did not expect, but was definitely the highlight, was everything took on this unearthly orangish gold glow.  I had never seen anything quite like it, so I was glad I got up early.  I enjoyed the run very much.  It was probably a once in a lifetime type of run.

I finished my run, as usual, by running through the Valley.  I’m used to how beautiful the valley is because I run there most days, but today it seemed especially lovely.  The sun came up and the strong sun beams filtered through the heavy leaves of the trees.  Where there are breaks in the forest, the sunlight makes it look like you’re running down the proverbial yellow brick road.  Even the river (which I think generally looks like chocolate milk with rocks sprinkled in it) today took on the appearence that someone had somehow filled it with gold coins that glimmered just below the surface.  I spotted many deer, including many youngs ones still covered with white spots.  I saw one of those stately great blue herons stalking.  It was a cool morning; you can tell fall is coming. Some of the trees are even already tinged with fall colors because of the drought.  I’m looking forward to fall.  I like how my favorite running trail turns bright gold in October.  Plus I like the cooler temperatures.  There’s something to be said for all the seasons.  But I think runningwise fall is my favorite.  Plus it will be the first season of 2007 where I am free from having to do evil chemo.  I may even go back out and run some local (and distant) races for fun.  (I have my eye on the half-marathon at Towpath or the 10-miler at the Chickamauga Marathon down in Georgia.)