We're being watched...

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Savannah and I were watching the movie ‘Shutter Island’ last night, which is pretty good, but kind of creepy when I had the sense that someone was watching me from outside our family room window. It was dark, but there is enough light coming from the neighbor’s to see the silhouette of a creature pressing its nose to the screen of the window.

“Savannah…look out the right side of the window. It’s ninja deer stalking Dakota,” I said.

She turned to look and it gave her a start since the it’s head was only about 6 feet from where she was sitting on the couch. “Holy cow…that’s kind of creepy.”

“Pause the movie…I’m going to go have a talk with it,” I said.

She did and I headed for the door. When I flipped on the light out back, it beat a retreat to the neighbor’s. Kind of wondering about the behavior of this critter. Ever since it attacked Dakota, it’s been hanging around and getting closer and more comfortable. Some of the neighbors are feeding it, but I think it’s looking for Dakota. I mean, the damned thing had its nose on the screen of my back window!

I still haven’t had a chance to fix my flat tire so I had to run again today. I’m really trying to mix it up, but the running thing is so convenient and I never blow out a shoe or anything. Running is so addictive, though. I’ve gotten to the point…and I’ve been here before…that no matter what I do or how long or hard I do it…if I haven’t run I feel like I haven’t worked out. It’s a head thing…a runner thing.

I was changing at the Ranger Station when another runner, just completing his night, walked slowly past my car. He was looking pretty toasted.

“It’s really, really hot,” he said.

“Yeah…I’m headed for the trees,” I responded.

“That’s where I was. It’s really, really hot…”

So…I’m thinking…it’s hot. Really hot. Of course, that poor sucker doesn’t know about taking a dip in a stream in the middle of a run as a way to combat ‘really, really hot’. Nope. He’s not as smart as me…but then…well…you know.

I began the run knowing I’d go slower and not as long. Very good decision since it was hot…and muggy. I sweat like I always do…grossly. I also decided I wasn’t going down the hill for that dip because that was my one-hour course and it also meant I’d have to come back up. I plodded along for 50 minutes and decided that was enough sweating for one day. I was completely soaked and not feeling like driving home in that state so I stopped back at the Ranger Station and went into the bathroom to rinse out my shirt, shorts, socks and cap. I toweled off and headed for home, happy to have survived a really, really hot run.

Run duration: 50 minutes.

Training Heart Rate: 140.

Calories burned during workout: 850.