Weekly Run-Cap: That Damn Dog

Run 31.6: 55 degrees, sunny, absolutely gorgeous! If all runs were like this one I would be running multiple times a day, every single day! I don't know what it was, but I just got in the zone and this was the single best run I've had in my new neighborhood. Each mile was faster than they normally are on the neighborhood route. I wasn't deliberately going faster, but it just seemed to happen. At the time I didn't even realize it, but when I hit the end and checked my Garmin - well let's just say some of my neighbors are fully aware now that I was happy with what I saw! It concerns me that the hills that used to bug me are hardly even a blip on my radar now. I guess it's time to graduate and move on to the next mountain on the path!

*My next scheduled run didn't happen. Instead I found myself on a brisk 2+ mile walk with some dogs in the park. I may not have run, but boy did I work up a sweat nonetheless!

Run 31.7:  50 degrees. With the warm, misty air, I found myself happy to be out running. The "rain" stopped before I even had a chance to work up a sweat (which kind of disappointed me). As far as running, I did good, tried to push my pace a bit to help get back to my old normal. The hiccup with this run was the damn dog near the turnaround. I had already passed its house, continued along to where I like to turn and was heading back ... and then it spotted me. This dog is the very definition of ankle biter. That little bastard came flying down the hill from its house and made a beeline for me. And again, as per usual, went right for my feet. Last time it almost tripped me, so this time I was prepared. I LOVE all animals. This dog is an asshole! The one good thing about that little brat is it makes me pick up my pace even more just so I can get away from its bark and dive bombs at my feet!

Run 31.8:  57 degrees, cloudy. I was so tired. I wanted to run longer and leave my neighborhood, but I always really wanted to vacuum and test out my new Swiffer Wet Jet. (Housewife hours after all, sometimes I have to earn my keep around here!) So I stuck to what I know and hit the 'hood. I heard the neighborhood turkeys today but never could find them. Dang it. The squirrel carcass was finally gone, but the banana peel I've been watching for a couple weeks is still there and taking forever to decompose. This time I thought I might make it to my turn around without that dog .... and I was wrong. That pipsqueak came flying down and I decided to immediately turn around. It still chased me, even though I told it to go away. Ugh. To make up the distance difference I turned on the road I keep only looking at. I am happy to say I made it a good way up this hill that I dread. My goal is to actually get up and down the full loop, but this thing is a bitch and I'm gonna ease on into it! I felt pretty awesome when I hit my goal point before I turned ... and after that the rest of the run was a piece of cake. This picture is very deceiving. This is the hill that I even had a hard time walking just past the view of the photo. ... and I am awesome at walking up hills passing people trying to run them!

And now I'm writing about my last run feeling disappointed and annoyed -- because it didn't happen. I was dressed to run, had my plan set for a nice, long run in absolutely perfect weather .... and then a Meniere's attack hit me out of the blue and pretty much ruined all of those plans.  Here I sit, typing in full running clothes and just longingly looking outside. I had such a good week going, too. I can only hope tomorrow I will be steady on my feet and able to take advantage of my day off with the long run I missed!