My current fave run in Oaxaca goes for close to 7 miles--it starts at my house, winds through a couple urban neighborhoods then begins a climb of some 500 feet above the city's richest neighborhood, San Felipe del Agua.
Crowded streets give way to quaint cobblestone avenues, then I pass Parque Colosio and begin the dirt road ascent up the big hill at about the 2.5 mile mark.
I'll tackle the hill with a quick rhythm if I'm feeling good, and I was this morning after a slow start. I cruised the abandoned ridge road at the top at a slow pace at first before settling into a nice rhythm for the run back to town.
The ridge road, at about 5500 ft. altitude skirts the mountain side, winding up and down thru some curves then dumps you at the top of the bus turnaround where San Felipe del Agua hits the mountainside. The view, running at dawn, is a breath taking -- the Mexican baroque city of Oaxaca.
I noted a bus headed down just before me so I ducked through a warren of side streets to avoid running in it's fumes.
Springing back out to the main street, I see I'm about 40 meters behind the darn bus and it's gagging fumes. It stops to let cars by on the narrow cobblestone streets and I ease by it.
Once in the clear I pick up the pace a bit, get a good rhythm going to keep ahead of this beast.
Oaxaca has a great public transport system, but great for riders, not great for runners in their proximity!
Soon enough I hear the driver roaring up behind me. These guys put the pedal to the metal every chance they get. Up ahead, I see a trash truck stopped in the narrow country road, people scrambling out with their garbage.
OK, so I may be past my middle distance glory days by a good 30 years, but those miler instincts rise to the fore. There is no thought, just a burst of acceleration--BEAT THE BUS TO THE GARBAGE TRUCK!
I know the driver will have to slow and inch by, ever so careful.
Once past the garbage truck, I slow just a tick, but with the slight downhill and only a mile and a half to go, I'm feeling my oats. All I have to do now is to beat the bus to the intersection of Colon and Jacaranda, and he'll have to turn right while I continue straight on non-bus roads.
I guess the driver noticed me chuggin' away, 'cause I hear a virtual roar of his engine coming up quick behind me. These guys are given to a somewhat macho approach to driving. I round the bend and see I'm only about 70 meters from the intersection in question. The bus is careening down the road, gaining REALLY quick!
Again, no thought, just BOOOOOOOOOOM! This time I really goosed it. I noted the school drop-off traffic to Colegio Teizcali, on the corner, had virtually stopped traffic in the intersection. Some unconscious part of me plotted a path through the frustrated motorists and I high stepped by them. Bye bye bus!
OK, so I had to slow down then. Paying for my injections of pace. Fun it was, but heck I'd just dusted a bus!
