Laurelhurst Loop

This isn't exactly one "place," but where I really feel connected and aligned with my surroundings is on my running route. I usually run from SE 45th and Hawthorne down 45th to Oak, then down Oak to Cesar Chavez (39th), which brings me to Laurelhurst park, in which I do a loop or two and then head back home the same route. The entire run is really comforting and familiar to me, and I have developed what I might call little "relationships" with different spots along the way. The loop in Laurelhurst is the most intimate relationship, probably because it represents the halfway point, which is a crucial marker in any run. I often stop and do some yoga in one of the meadows in the park before continuing on. There is a long hill at the end of the loop that has become my best friend/worst enemy...that hill has had such an impact on me as a runner, since I have trained myself to not slow down when I reach the hill, and to keep the pace up even after it evens out at the top. I also feel a connection with other people walking or running through the park...it's like we all have a common goal and use the park as a vehicle to reach that goal. I feel a sense of community with these people; even though we don't speak, smiles and nods are exchanged as we pass each other. Even though these human interactions comfort me, I also really enjoy rainy days when no one is out walking their dogs or picnic-ing or rehearsing Shakespeare in the Park, and it seems like I have the whole place to myself. When I first moved here, this was the first park I ever ran to, so it really represents my entire time in Portland, which has become my new home. I will continue to run in Laurelhurst for as long as I live here.