Table of Marathons

11 MCM (not for time) 11 Wineglass (950/1442)
10 MCM (not for time) 09 MCM (348/1076)
09 Washington's Birthday Marathon (22/44) 08 MC Historic Half (51/210)
07 Frederick Marathon (32/60) 06 MCM (394/1076)
05 MCM (547/1047)

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Still Another

Its 4:22 AM - I slept in a bit. The coffee's brewing right now. When its done, I'll take a cup up to Denise to wake her. Then we'll go for a run. I'm concerned its already too late for me to fit in my hoped-for 10 miles.

Coffee to Denise; put Peanut in the bed; peanut butter bread for both of us, half a slice for Denise, whole one for me; shave; take Peedle out; get running gear; eat banana; take Peanut out; put on running gear with Denise.


On our first neighborhood lap at 5:20 this morning, I commented to Denise that the increased traffic on our normally deserted summertime streets was more like when school is in session. By my last lap, just a little over an hour later, a trickle of high school students appeared. Their reduced number and absence of book bags indicated to me that some sort of orientation was to occur. Then, sure enough, the season's first school bus arrived.

9.4 easy ones for me today.

Then back; take out Peedle; take out Peanut; stretch on the back porch (gratefully roofed and screened in); down a glass of chocolate soy milk and some cantaloupe; and now.....rush to shower.

Its 7:50. Where'd the last three and a half hours go?

Sunday, August 1, 2010

17

I took Denise for 17 today, her first at this distance. We crossed into Montgomery County before turning around. She was pleased at the thought of running from one county to another.

It was a good day for large animals. Just before the turnaround, a mature fox ran across the trail towards the stream, halted when it saw us, and retreated back into the woods higher up on a hill. It stood partially concealed in the woods watching us, and allowing us to watch back. We lingered for several minutes admiring the handsome animal before we continued along on our trot and allowed the fox to finally achieve his drink at the stream.

On the return, we were graced by a large, horned, buck leading two does to drink at the Anacostia. He was standing in a clearing checking the safety of the trail while his ladies lingered in the tree line. We came to a dead stop when we saw him. He stared back before retreating to the woods and leading his does around us.

The heat of August 1 is, perhaps, making the large suburban mammals bolder as the approach for a drink in the streams and rivers the trails follow. It was a treat to see them.

I noted to Denise that seeing fishing ospreys, large bucks, foxes, and pre-dawn bats and owls were a bonus to the rewards of long distance running.

Denise ran 35 miles this week, capping it off with a 17 mile long run. She, too, is about to achieve the moniker of "endurance athlete".