Thursday, January 22, 2009

Starry Night

With a some late nights organizing my auction activities and other mentoring tasks, I skipped training Wednesday, which should have been a seven mile jaunt. I unrealistically told myself that I would just do it Thursday morning. But after getting to bed last night well past 11 after wrapping up a our silent auction, getting up at 4:30 was not in the cards for me.

So instead, I went out tonight for a four miler, after we got off work and visited a friend who is in the hospital. It was nearly 6:45 when I started the run / walk, roughly running half and walking half. It was cold and clear but not frigid. The stars were beautiful and so bright, made all the brighter by a small moon tonight. Venus shown like an oncoming airplane, Orion lit up the southern sky, and Cassiopeia dominated the north.

About a half mile of my route went through dark woods along a narrow path. I had to walk this section because without moonlight, it is very difficult to see in this area and there is the risk of turning an ankle in the dark, or tripping over something. I only saw a few people during the whole four miles, but did see a dog chasing a terrified cottontail rabbit shortly after I came out of the woods. The dog was slowly gaining on the sprinting bunny, but I think the latter was able to reach the woods because I could see the dog racing back and forth like he was searching for it. I wish people would keep their dogs under control.

It felt good to get a little training in again – my first miles since Monday and badly needed with 10 miles coming up Saturday.

1 comment:

Katie said...

Sounds like a neat run -- it's nice to experience something different every once in awhile!

Good luck with your 10 miles tomorrow!!