Santa Cruz Here I Come

My last week of training is behind me. The week ahead is taper week -- easier workouts preceding the big run (try as I might, I cannot call it a race).

Today I was scheduled for 3-mile run for the beginner 10K schedule, but I decided to see how I felt at 3 miles to see if I could go for 4 miles. At the 3-mile mark (I love my Garmin!), I asked my body to complete 4-miles, which it did, albeit grudgingly. Toward the last quarter-mile I had a nice chat with myself--to remind myself that in November I was officially a non-runner. In December I started with C25K again (I started with week 5), and just kept running. Until my lazy spell last month.

Now that I'm back on a pretty regular running schedule, I again feel that sense of well-being again. Why oh why do I keep forgetting about that feeling?

I timed my 4 miles to end at a house where a particularly nice yellow lab lives. He's just a goofy dog who comes barreling out with a bit of an intimidating woof, but I've learned to ignore that. We've had a couple of generous belly and ear rubbin' sessions, so now he kind of knows me. Well, today he fell in love with me. Even though I didn't even know his name.

After our scritchin' session, I guess he decided it was a Day for An Adventure. So, he followed me as I walked back home, about 3/4 mile away. He's followed me before, but I always thought he was kind of scared to leave his home turf (not that there are a lot of loose dogs around here), because he always stopped after about 100 yards and turned around. Not today!

Today he just kept following me. I was joking with him that he wanted to find out where I lived--a dog stalker, if you will. We passed by a beekeeper tending his hives (bee veil and all) and he was slightly tormented by the bees, but I don't think he was stung . (No yelping.) When that happened, I just figured he'd follow me home, I'd stick him in the car and drive him back. Even though he could probably find his way home, I didn't want that burden on my heart.

So, he trotted a hundred feet ahead of me, looking back to make sure I was still there, wandering off into the orchards every now and then. When we got to my house, I opened the back of the Jeep, but he didn't jump in. So I had to put his front legs up, then hoisted his hind legs up and then closed the hatch. Then I ran into the house and got the car keys and drove him back home.

When I got back to his house, his person, Marie, told me his name was Duke (is that a cute name or what??). Anyway, I explained what happened and let Duke out. She held onto his collar, and I drove off. BUT, he tore away from her and ran into the street. It's a good thing I was driving slowly, because he ran across the street. I'll be darned if he didn't run alongside my slow-moving Jeep. Well, seeing this, I figured I'd just speed up and see if I could leave him behind so he'd turn around and go home. No go! He turned into a yellow-lab greyhound, for goodness' sakes! He did that full leg extension run that you see on the side of a Greyhound bus!

So I stopped the Jeep in the middle of the road and hauled him into the back of the Jeep...again. I had to hoist him again, too, because I don't think he was too keen on going back to boring, safe old home. Today was his Big Adventure, you see.

Anyway, we went back home, where Marie was waiting for him. We tried to lead him out to his kennel, but he started doing these Gandhi passive resistance moves on me. When I tried to lead him to the back of their property, he just laid down in protest! Marie tried to tempt him with the call of treats, but since she didn't actually produce the goods, he literally didn't take the bait. Anyway, we finally got him into the garage. I told Marie to keep him in there for a while so he could mellow out a bit. When I got home I told Daniel to be on the lookout for a yellow lab named Duke who was looking for adventure.

Duke knows where we live. And I'm sure he'll be back.