Syringes and Sultry Weather

I'm writing this shortly after jabbing myself with a hypodermic needle. I wanted to get my thoughts written down before the drugs kick in....

OK, people! Really?!? The above statement is half true. I did just jab myself with a hypodermic needle, but it was empty. I was on my way to filling it with a feline insulin product of some sort, while entertaining the cat destined to be the injectee with a finger loaded with a soy butter as a treat (I was trying to distract it). Somehow I missed the bottle of medicine and pushed the needle into my finger instead. It didn't hurt much, but I did feel a slight pinch (lol).

Anyway, it all turned out fine. Basically, I'm hanging out at Marisa and Chris Ford's house in the country while they are on vacation. They have a lovely place on an idyllic little lake. Several kitties are also in residence. One, Mika, needs injections a couple of times each day, so it is a little involved.

Being in the country is a nice change of pace for me as well, though. I have gotten a bit of reading done, a bit of writing, and have watched a lot of the second season of the tv show, Shameless, on Hulu. I've also knocked out some running.

In the ridiculous heat and humidity, I kicked out some trail miles at Clinton yesterday. Before the run, I bumped into Coleen, Indi, and one of their other friends (who I have run with, but crappily, can't remember her name). They were heading off for 10-15 miles, and I was planning on 7 ish (in order not to overdo it after last weekend). Dang it was sweaty. I kept thinking of the Chevy Chase line about hitting a water buffalo. But all in all, it was a lovely run. On the way back from Land's End, I ran into Indi who was heading back to the trail head in order to change shoes. It was great to run together and talk for a bit. She's getting ready for a 50 mi, and then the 100 mi, Rocky Raccoon race in Feb. I'm just looking at a wimpy ol' 50k at some point in the next month or two.

So, after a night spent in a massively windowed bedroom, awakening every now and then in order to watch fireflies flashing beneath the thick canopy, I woke up this morning and decided to hit the river trails for another jaunt in the sultry weather. After giving Mika a hit of go-go juice, I made it to the trail head by 8. Coincidentally, I saw Coleen's Element parked at the entrance. She was nowhere in sight. I figured I wasn't going to see her on the run.

I set my watch and headed off into the woods. It turned out to be one of the best and strongest runs I have done in a couple of weeks. I wasn't feeling it at the beginning, but that's not unusual. About mile 3 I really warmed up into the run. I was listening to a great radio show about a woman who feigned an Irish accent in order to get a job. She had to keep it up for the next 2 years while she held the position. I love doing accents, so I was particularly intrigued by the story. At one point in the run, I also had deer on both sides of me. Normally they are off in the distance.

For the second day in a row, I finished a run looking as though I'd come straight out of a pool in my running clothes. But I felt great. Tomorrow, I'll hit the same trail again in the a.m. Then I'l do some lawn work before heading to my parents' place for a Memorial Day lunch. I've thought about the holiday more this year than in years previous. I never really write down my full thoughts and feelings in this blog, preferring to stick to running and things that connect me to the sport and to others who love it. I write my other thoughts on paper. It is a more personal experience.

Enough of that. I'm going to put a bit of alcohol on the little stick and call it a day.