Love Sunday long runs, so much so that anytime I'm down and out, all I have to do is think of heading out with Mira on a Sunday morning for our long run and my spirits immediately lift. In my head I can hear our steps on the hard packed trail, I can taste the sweat on my lip and smell the pines on a breeze. I've been especially looking forward to this week's run just to help ease an unidentified restless spirit I've had this week.
The bleak weather and rain settled in the end of this week and our yard is gooshing when you walk across the back of it toward the parking pad for the RV. Thankfully the rain broke yesterday afternoon. We were supposed to have wind later in the day which would have helped dry the trails some. Instead I awoke this morning to 53 degrees and a soaking wet patio proving it had just rained, yet again. With a very sulky attitude I went back to sleep on the sofa, with a dog next to me on the floor and one curled up at my feet.
About 8:30 I drug myself to the patio door to let Mira out again and stuck my head out. To my delight it was chilly. Not heavy, humid like it had been yesterday morning, but actually chilly :) SCORE! It would be really muddy at the mountain and it was pretty late in the morning, so I decided staying on the asphalt in the neighborhood would have to soothe my soul today. Dave normally takes Maddie out in the neighborhood after I leave with Mira, so this morning we decided we were headed out together and I'd finish with a couple additional miles after the four of us finished our long loop.
Dave and I scrambled into our running/walking/jogging attire (not sure what you'd call us at this point, we're not runners because well we don't "run"; jogging has the sound of a runner wanna be and I'm never in the mood to be a wanna be and walking doesn't justify the exertion we put into this, so I've settled on runner or jog/walking). We were off and jogging/walking having a grand time with a cool breeze on our faces, but amazingly the humidity was not kicking out butts. We took the long loop together and Mira and I separated from them when we got back to the house. She and I headed down Inlet to Shallowford, back over to Reef and on and on. We managed to get in close to two more miles.
Mira and I were on the road 52 minutes this morning. I had her out yesterday for 50. The back to back days showed on her toward the end this morning. She began giving me lots of loose lead and I actually passed her up a couple of times. It wasn't difficult for me to slow down to a recovery walk the last 3 or 4 10ths in order to honor what she was obviously needing. Although, I remain uncertain if she needed the slow down emotionally, I made the decision to give up pace and begin recovery.
I'm not sure how much of her slowing down today was the fact that we went out back to back days for an extended time, or the fact we were on asphalt for two longer periods back to back, or it could simply be the neighborhood. She doesn't focus in the neighborhood as much as she does on the trail. I think there's too many scents in an area of territory that she shares with so many other animals, that she's not as interested in being my partner here as she is on trails. I have a sneaking suspicion my dog was bored and if she's bored, she'd rather check out the new grass and all the smells than trot next to my side.
She's not showing any signs of fatigue, lameness, soreness or discomfort, so I'm leaning toward the neighborhood doesn't hold her interest in much the same way it doesn't hold mine. Just another way she and I are so well matched for this adventure we're in. That being said, about boredom and all, I'm really grateful we had an option today to pick asphalt over a muddy mountain.
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