Sunday, April 13, 2014

Something new and different!

 

Taz and I had a new experience today:  the Canine Classic 5k for people and dogs.  The starting corral was quite interesting.  For one thing, it was, without a doubt, the noisiest race start I have ever been involved with - dogs do not quiet down when start time approaches!  And little Taz was a bit unsure of himself, being hemmed in with humans and dogs - most bigger than he - with no room to do his jump-up-and-spin-around move when other dogs started getting up close and personal. 



Once the run started we got the full effect of this morning's driving snow pellets.  Yow!  My cheeks are still burning, five hours later.  To add to the entertainment, there was the whole weaving around moving dogs, people, and leashes challenge coupled with a running surface that was primarily two-track mud.  Most folks chose to run off to the side - which gave me and Taz clear sailing right through the mud.  It was, indeed, muddy, but not too slippery so seemed a good choice until my left shoe was sucked halfway off my foot.  Oops!  But mostly it was fun.  Driving ice bits, shoe-sucking mud, dogs everywhere.  Who could ask for more?




At the turnaround point, it really, truly, became enjoyable.  The wind (and ice pellets) were primarily at our back, the crowd had thinned out, and Taz decided that this was mighty good fun. Rather than the flush at my side or slightly behind me position he had held during the into-the-wind portion of the course, he strutted out in front and got his big ol' cattle dog grin on his face.  Both of us picked up speed - and picked off dogs (and humans) - as we cruised to the finish.  A classic 5k indeed!





More fun was in store for Taz after the race.  Ya' know that mud we charged through? Well a whole lot of it ended up on Taz's legs and belly.  Into the bath the pup went (poor li'l fella, he really does not like water - even with Kendall feeding him ham bits continuously while I was scrubbing him down).  He did, however, like the post-bath towel rub and nap.  And we sure think this sparkly clean beee-a-U-tiful cattle dog is just about the finest pup - and running buddy - on the planet!








Sunday, April 06, 2014

Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning: not just my house, the yard, and my desk and the pile of tax stuff, but the air, the town, the hills, the prairie.  All is sprucing up and coming alive!


We had a spring snowstorm to start off the week.  It also added a bit of character to the land as well as a jolt to start greening things up.



  
As the week and training progressed, I realized that my body also seemed to be taking part in the reawakening going on around us. Hills were successfully tackled on Wednesday, tempo was enthusiastically thrown into the midst of a 12 mile run Saturday (yesterday), and today....ahhhhh....today.... 
Looking toward the flatirons from Enchanted Mesa Trail
The plan was for a long run, easy pace, and to be back in time to go to Captain America with Kendall and Paul.  Two out of three ain't bad!  I meandered and found myself up on the trails....soul cleansing, mind freeing and oh-so-peaceful.  When I realized how long I had been out, and that I'd have to find the shortest, fastest way down to get to the house in time for the movie, I pulled out my phone and called Kendall to tell him I was having a wonderful morning on the trails, was thoroughly enjoying the peace and quiet - something that Captain American was just not going to offer - and to go on ahead without me.  I then tucked the phone away, and headed higher up on the trails.  Fabulous!
Spring flowers peeking out along the trail