TALES FROM THE TRAIL (AND SOMETIMES THE ROAD TOO)

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Magical Birds

Day Four of 100 Mile Week Celebration/Challenge: 55.42 Miles Run

Today has been the most difficult to fit in a run for my 100 mile week.  Early morning (6AM), I scrambled to wash dishes, do laundry, make lunches.  My husband said that I was on a “mission” and didn’t need to do these other things.  I imagined an entire room full of dirty laundry after 4 days neglecting it. 

As soon as I could I drove straight to the harbor, and ran up to the minute that I needed to leave and pick up our youngest son (actually I left about 5 minutes to spare so that I could stretch).

Not only was today the most difficult to fit time-wise.  But today was the most difficult to start running period.  I was dragging with this nagging cold.  And as I set off running those first steps, I thought, “OH, MY, MY, MY what the hell am I doing???  I felt so sluggish I figured I’d be lucky to get in 6 miles today.  Glancing at the garmin I noticed my pace was thirteen minutes on a flat surface!  I simply wanted to fall to the ground.  I never thought, “I can’t”, but I sure FELT IT. 

After running the wharf, I ran over the bridge to the island.  And I stopped momentarily to take a picture of these two magnificent birds at the 2 mile mark:

CIMG9845

I think that they were magical birds because when I took off running, I FELT BRAND NEW.  My pace picked up, and I was no longer fatigued.  I enjoyed myself in the cool ocean breeze, wishing I had more hours to squeeze in more miles.  I felt so energized I could actually focus on form.

A happy, happy runner at about mile 5CIMG9849

Capo Beach – a few miles before I have to stop.  Total Miles today:  12.57

CIMG9852

4 comments:

  1. Ahem...Magical Birds? Canada Geese. I've got more in my backyard than I can shake a stick at. No, really, there are thousands of them here and several sometimes land in my back yard.
    Nice work!

    ReplyDelete
  2. They really are magical birds -- LOL. I've never seen them before, now they're everywhere! As a matter of fact, there were hundreds where I ran today, which was several miles from the ocean. Coincidence? I think not : )

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yes. Magical. (Although the once-scientist in me thinks that the month-late spring and frigid temperatures in most of Canada has kept these smart birds south of the border a little longer than usual...)

    ReplyDelete
  4. The never-scientist in me (I picked Geology for my "science with a lab" in college, not to mean I don't understand appreciate science) likes to see things as "magical." I suppose part of that is because I was never a child, even when I was a child. Now, at 46, I am finally a child. : )) Hoping Canada warms up quickly for you!! On the other side, I am so happy to see these geese. Sorry they are here because it's too cold for them there.

    ReplyDelete