Suddenly I have family members, loved ones, and a dog in crisis. It is stressing me out! All I can think of to do about this is get out in the woods and run. Yesterday I drove to Vermont to help out my daughter the best I could, which wasn't a whole lot. I planned to stop on rte 302 on my drive back and run an out and back on the Davis Path. I soon figured out that I was running a little behind schedule and wasn't going to make it to the trail head before dusk. I ended up stopping outside of Bethlehem, NH and running snow mobile trails instead.
It actually turned out to be quite nice. It was my first run of the season that I ran on snow. This stuff was wet and slushy, the kind that wicks up your tights and soaks you up to your knees. I ran about seven or eight miles of it, the second half in the dark. Of course, I didn't have a light. Even if I do bring a light I rarely use it. I really don't need to see much in order to stay on the trail. There was a hazy full moon casting a tiny bit of light onto the snow last evening and it was fine running.
There is nothing like breathing that cold air out and in, while chanting "out with the bad, in with the good" to clear the head. By the time I got back to the car I was feeling pretty relaxed!
Then I got home and found my dog was in worse shape than when I had left and the stress came crashing back. Maybe I should have done 16 miles instead of eight. Anyway, I'm off for a nice run this morning and then I'll be ready to deal with more stuff. As always, I am very thankful for my love of running and my love of the outdoors.
Wow!! running on snow already I have conflicting feeling....looking forward to the season change and running on snow covered trails.....yet I am not ready to let go of fall.
ReplyDeleteSoon, my mind will be made up for me as the days are getting colder and the snow is surely coming.
Best of luck with your dog. My older Ridgeback (I have two) is definitely heading into his old age right now, and I'm already scared of the day he won't be around any more.
ReplyDeleteThanks Damon, I've been with Bart for 15 years. He was actually still running with me less than a year ago. He's on antibiotics for some sort of systemic infection and might come through it OK, we'll see. Dogs are part of the family and it's hard to see them decline in their old age.
ReplyDeleteBart's feeling better! He was running around like a puppy (for a few minutes) tonight when i got home. - KC
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