Naked. Running. Man.

Now that I have your attention…

Hyde Park is a neighborhood just north of the University of Texas. Or more commonly referred to as, UT.  While UT still means Tennessee to me… This UT is nestled between Hyde Park and downtown Austin.  Hyde Park is one of the first established neighborhoods in Austin and is full of a mix of craftsman style homes, shotgun houses, college apartments, and new modern construction homes.  It is a bustling neighborhood of college kids, young families, and artists.  And one naked running man.

We are renting a small college like house until we decide where we want to live when we grow up.  While I often head downtown to run along Lake Austin (ahem, the Colorado River) on weekends, I tend to run closer to home in the early morning hours before work. 

I mix it up and run around Hyde Park after work or on weekends with my son when the weather is nice and we want to get out or my husband is traveling for work requiring any run to be better than no run. 

Stopped to capture the sunset much to his annoyance

Every run through Hyde Park is unique as this eclectic neighborhood likes to entertain.  Austin has truly kept true to its promise that  it is a laid back city with its liberal university. Auburn was more conservative so while the smell of pot or the sound of drums and electric guitars floating through the streets takes me back to a younger time, I can’t say it quite takes me back to MY younger time. I’m often sharing the streets with bikers whose yoga mats are tied to the backseat, other joggers, youth on their way to the bus stop, local coffee shop, or class.  Oh, and chickens.  Lots of chickens. 

 

Thankfully, I was warned before my first encounter.  I was running solo in the winter on one of the coldest mornings in Austin.  It was a balmy 30 degree morning right before sunrise when I saw a fair colored mass headed directly towards me.  I was honestly trying to figure out what I was seeing when I leaped from the sidewalk to the street and noticed the brown long hippie hair on a rather 70’s porn star physique turn sharply down a poorly lit side street.  As I continued on, I realized that I had indeed witnessed, the naked man.  Or at least, I hoped I had witnessed THE naked running man and there weren't others!  I was also relieved for the dark street he turned down as he was hidden by the night as I passed.

The reactions I received from this incident have been either shock or curiosity regarding his selection of running footwear.  I am able to report that he indeed does, wear shoes, as I saw him in the full light of the morning while running with a local running buddy.  He seemed a lot less shy the second time as he jogged past us without a care.  I can also confirm again that his appearance is more of that of a slightly heavier hippie than an athletic college student.  I have only seen him in the morning and I haven’t seen him since the weather warmed up for the summer.  I suppose he prefers cooler months.  Hook em’ Horns.