7-31-07 Yay !! - longer feels better

It's late, and I just got back from my run (post shower, of course), and it was a pretty good run. We waited until a good bit later than last night to go for our run. Tonight we didn't go out until about 8:30pm because we wanted to avoid the heat we encountered last night. It worked, but it put my running pretty late through the wooded part of the park - not that I minded. I ran the first 2 miles with Steph ( we went a little longer together to avoid some park traffic), and I ran the remainder of my 6.4 miles at my own pace. Running later made it more interesting in a couple of ways:

First, at dusk, the animals start to come out. We ran right past a full grown whitetail doe, and were close enough to hear her breathing (probably less than 10 feet from us). She watched us as we ran past. She never took her eyes off of us, but she never ran either. We weren't making any effort to be quiet as we passed her, but I guess she figured we weren't any threat. Later on (less than a 1/4 mile), we saw 2 more very small dear, but we didn't get nearly as close, since they were crossing the road a good ways ahead of us. I also noticed a lot of bats pretty close overhead, but that was probably due to all of the bugs in the air (we both swallowed quite a few bugs)

Second, once the park starts to shut down, there is a little more auto traffic, but not as many other people out on the roadway. So I was free to sing as loud and run as fast as I wanted without worrying about disturbing anyone. It made for a much more liberating run.


The air was cool, and there was a firm breeze off the water, so it felt like fall, but my shirt was still drenched by the time I got back to the Jeep. As I came back across the dam at about 9:30, it was a surreal moment - no one on the water, not wind, the surface was like glass on the high side of the dam. The low side was calm, and I could see the bedrocks peeking above the surface down from the spillway. The day use area at the base of the dam was lit up with street lamps, and they were reflecting off of the surface of the kids fishing pond. I could see walking trails in the day use area and the road winding like a ribbon through the trees and around the pond, and along the shoreline of the river. Picture this tranquil scene under a cloudless sky with the stars twinkling above...Now picture me - bouncing along, singing along with Airborne Ranger Drill Instructor cadences like a madman, and shattering the tranquility of that moment!!! And loving every step of it!!!.

I had only planned on going 6 miles, but when I got to the 3 mile turnaround, the park entrance just seemed too close to let go - - I could see it, and the lights illuminating it calling me to turn around there, and add a little to the night.


I hate that I got back home so late from a run, but I enjoyed running in the cooler air. Tomorrow is a rest day, the Thurs, Fri, and Sat are 4, 6, and 8, respectively - - may still need to evaluate the prudence of the 8 miler on Sat (due to fitness level, and to a packed scheduled weekend).


It just hit me, I really enjoyed this night run, and I'm training for a night race!