Green trees, brimming over with lush leaves, freshly trimmed grass, beautiful sunlight streaming down on sunbathing birds, women sitting on benches, glancing occasionally with smiles, at the playing children. Adoration on each face. A mat over here and a mat over there, some abandoned by playing families and others occupied by lovebird couples. Oh look, another couple, perched on a tree far ahead; they look younger.

Everyone is dressed in their bright, light summer clothes. They all look amazing while I am sweaty. I bend my head down, slightly towards my armpit, just to take a sniff… not bad I still smell of soap, good thing I took a bath first.

The mixed smell of hotdogs and bakes and vanilla fills the air. I draw a deep breath as I try to calm my still heavy breath. As I inhale, I smell the other things I hadn’t noticed previously. The smell of a warm summer morning, green grass and wet sand – soaked by rain from the previous night - still been dried up by the merciful sun. I inhale a little bit deeper, and I can almost taste them. I love the smell of summer, I thought to myself.

I look back up at the well-dressed smiling people. I can hear their laughter and their chatter. I can hear the flapping of their wings, the birds i mean, they get louder as the over-excited children run aimlessly after them, laughing and shouting. “Don’t run I’m not gonna hurt you, I promise!” but the birds do not listen, they just want to get away. They are gone now – flying towards the next old lady throwing bird seeds on the floor, with a ‘DO NOT FEED THE BIRDS’ sign right next to her bench -- and the children just turn around to chase each other. There is no disappointment on their faces, just smiles and laughter.

I am not the odd one out after all, another jogger jogs by and we exchange nods and smiles. I stand there for a few seconds just to let him get ahead, I do not want to jog beside him. He is fast and I am way too tired to start a race, so I wait behind. There’s no music playing, but my earphones are secure in my ears. I put one leg down off the rail, so I can stand on both legs. My breath is still heavy and the distinct metal taste is still there, at the root of my tongue. I pull out a water bottle from the strap on my waist where it was secure. I take a gulp that is intended to be a sip of my energy boost just to hydrate. I can feel the soothing coolness as it goes down smoothly. I feel I have stretched enough. I put the bottle back in its place, tightening the strap a little bit more just to secure it properly. I start again, moving slowly at first, then faster and faster and faster until I start jogging at a fast pace again, listening as the music of the park fades away. All I hear now is the light padding of my feet on the path, and the sound of my laboured breathing.