48 Degrees, sunny, 5-10 mph breeze.
Three days in and Buddy has caught on to the routine. He woke me up at 4:38. I didn’t even bother setting an alarm. I let him out but it was too early. I went back to my marital bed to cuddle a bit in the warm sheets. It’s Saturday. The sun isn’t officially up until 5:09.
I could have gotten up. I wasn’t tired. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to let that dog shave ten minutes off my day every day.
I finally got up after 6:00 and went down to put my Mizuno on. They were still full of mud from two days ago. I went out to the front porch to knock the dried muck off and Buddy shouldered his way out with me. My hands were full so I didn’t leash him. I figured he knows I’m putting on my shoes and he knows he’s going running and for crying out loud he’s an octogenarian. He won’t wander off.
As I’m knocking the mud off and tugging at the lace knots I look up and he is gone. Once he gets round the bushes and out of sight he skirts around the house and heads out into the neighborhood to see his old friends. I give chase but I’m still in my bare feet and the tarmac really hurts on morning feet with those little pointy rocks.
He’s either deaf or pretending to be deaf these days. And I’m not going to be shouting at him in my neighbors’ yards at the crack of dawn. He sees me following him and stays just ahead checking out the neighbors’ bushes and trees. Apparently he has decided we are going for a walk around the neighborhood.
If I had my shoes on I could catch him. I find some nice lawn spots and throw in a burst of running to corner him. He is not contrite. This is fun…for him. I don’t think he realizes that all his friends have moved on to that great dog park in the sky. He’s the only one left.
I managed to get my shoes on and head out into the trails. As per my routine I take Buddy the Old Wonder Dog for the first 2.2 miles. When we get back he wants to go back out with me for the second half. That dog is a true runner. Three days and he already thinks he’s fit enough to go the distance.
The trails have dried up nicely and there are no mud holes that cannot be avoided. Sometime between yesterday’s morning amble and today’s they have mowed the trails in the meadow. No more long, wet grass to navigate.
I saw my friend the white tailed deer at the end of the meadow. She was doing that thing they do where they stand very still and pretend they are invisible. Big, tawny animal in the middle of a green field of grass. Yeah, I can’t see you…
I felt a bit tired today. My back/chest is still tight from face planting in the 50k two weeks ago. This new routine is different. I find I’m getting a ton of work done because I don’t have to worry about the workout in the middle of the day or in the afternoon. But, because it is not there to break up my day I’m not moving as much. I need to find a way to work some yoga and core in. I fele a bit fat.
I made a lovely tuna steak last night. Tastefully marinated with a lime and mustard sauce and artfully garnished with green onion. I arranged it with romaine hearts, Roma tomato wedges and assorted cherry tomato halves. Very nice.
Ryan sent me a text that he wants to run a 30k trail race tomorrow. He is nuts. But, so am I.
See you tomorrow.