I started the day leaving my truck at Mendenhall auto for a check up. Ran to Donnas for coffee to wake me up. I like the atmosphere and $1.50 gets you an bottomless cup of coffee. I talk to the owner as he asks me about my mystery pink poop bag (unused) hanging off my dog leach thats rapped around my waste. It looked like he hadn't seen something like this before. I explained I have a small business running dogs. He was relieved the to hear the bag wasnt for me. We laugh at the joke as I pay the bill.
First dog on the list is Gamby he is close by and the owner doesn't mind an early run. It helps to start early, running to my clients home and running their dogs with out a truck today I could easily estimate above 20 miles today. Gamby and I meet up with a friend and her dog at Brotherhood Bridge Trail around 9:30. Its nice to have company. Dogs don't carry a conversation very well unless you have a stick, then good luck trying to shut them up.
We make it a six mile run round and back.we ran some on the horse trail and some on trail I didnt know about with a decent climb. I feel my breath and my legs shift gears as we keep pace even with the incline. There is something about feeling the tread of your shoes biting into the terrain, allowing the coiled spring in your calf to release giving you that weightlessness feeling as your lead foot lunches forward and making contact with the ground. We finish the run and I thank her for the company and we depart.
I return Gamby home and head out the road to my next client. Its about three miles to Chesters home but Spaulding Meadows is close by. Im excited to see the trail condition up there. Chester (see first picture) and I made it up to the John Mier Cabin. The trail was clear of snow it was great and it was obvious Chester had a fun time too running through the meadows and on the board walks. But that was enough for him so I returned him home.
After leaving Chesters house I considering the location of my next two dogs. I could run the highway to their house or I can run higher up Spaulding meadows for some elevation and check out the conditions up there. Then us the University trail that kind of connects, to make it back to the road to my next dog. I texted the same friend who ran with me this morning "Im running through Spaulding to go to UAS, text you when I make it" she text back "ok". My Gezzer friends and I all have made it the norm to text one another if were about to do something...... with some risk involved. I got up to the top and found all those anti snow machine signs but couldn't find right exit to connect to UAS trail. Punched through snow bridges got really wet from the creek underneath. Roamed around more. Punched through more snow bridges. After an hour had passed feet got cold more then normal, felt like stubs. My battery on my phone was almost dead. Reluctantly I decided to trun around. I could be feet away from the trail connection, but the risk wasn't worth it. I followed my tracks back and took the long way home. With my poorly light screen on my phine, now in survival mode I tried to text my friend an update. I wrote "turning around hatt dead". I literally guess where the letters where because of the letter keys were not visible. She texted "ok" made me feel better she wasnt making any 911 calls due to my late arrival back to the road. An hour and half later retracting my steps using my GPS watch (this is the second time it has saved me) I make it down to the road. After 26 miles i have mud up to my knees, shines are bruised up and I'm soaked from the rain. I used a lot of energy physical and mental up there fetting lost and finding my way back. I was tired and I realize I have another four miles to the truck. Maybe I got it from my coaches teachings, maybe my experience "hitting the wall" or my past 100s that strengthen my confidence. I know i have gotten through worse, I told myself. This is just something that needs to get done.
I made it back to my truck. I keep a cooler in the back for just such occasion, I open a Coke and immediately suck it down. Feeling with it enough I drive home. The shower couldn't get hot enough but man did it feel good. I want to concluded this entry by thanking Oreo for such an amazing high calorie sugary goodness in a small package.
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