Tuesday, May 26, 2009

The Long Weekend and the Bunny


I felt fatigued on Friday, which seems to be a reoccurring Friday theme. My legs simply felt tired after a rough week of work. I shut it down after 7.5 miles, which I assume is okay, since my “official” start is June 1st (next Monday). My mind was elsewhere and I longed to get out of the city and into the woods for a few days of hiking/camping.

On Saturday morning, I ran 10 miles from the Georgetown Store with Dickson, Max and a Danish guy whose name I forget. For the first half of the run we were accompanied by Billy, Dylan, a tri-girl, Matt Ernst and another Dane…or was he from the Netherlands? I forget. I always enjoy running with new people, especially on these leisurely Saturday morning runs. Mid-way through Hains Point, the sun began to beat down. Our quartet pounded along the hot urban asphalt. My tongue dragged along the sidewalk. It was one of those days. Instead of running along the cool Potomac, Max took us inland and we trekked down the middle of Pennsylvania Ave. I looked and grinned at Dickson (was this a road race?). I made two stops to suck down water from different people with hoses but finished up feeling better than I had been feeling earlier in the run. The heat (not to mention humidity) is only going to get worse.

I then headed into the mountains for a few days of adventure (EPIC BLOG POST TO COME). I emerged a few days later...

By Monday, after 3 days of chugging up and down mountains with a 40lb pack on my back, my legs were killing me. I am soft. Actually, I've learned that I can be in beast running shape but still be humbled by a weekend of hiking/camping. This weekend was no exception. I struggled through a slow 6 miles on Monday night and called it a day. I didn't want to "make up" for a week of low mileage after getting in 17 "soft" miles over the preceding days. Last week was my second lowest week of the year - 48 miles. Time to get back on the wagon.



My legs still hurt on Tuesday - specifically my right "knee pit" and hips. None of my aches and pains affected my 9 mile run this evening, but I did my best to keep it very slow and void of any hills. Though, while lolly gagging down one such hill I was stopped by a woman who asked me where she could find a number for an animal rescue agency. She must have thought I had my rolodex hidden in my running shorts. On the ground was a lil bunny who had just been hit by a car. it was bleeding from its nose but appeared to be okay, though it wasn't moving. There were a bunch of kids hovering over the poor thing and eventually one of the neighbors plucked it off the street and put it in a cardboard box. I did my share by offering bunny guidance (whatever that is) before heading on my way. The good news is that someone from the wildlife center was coming to the rescue.

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