Runner's High (and Low)

I'm juggling a few projects right now so I am going to be lazy and just post photos from yesterday's cross country meet. You'll have to live with it.

Like I mentioned last night, it was a tough outing for Carter and team. Hot weather again (85 and sunny) and a wind that seemed more challenging than in their favor.

They had some hills, too. Little but tough. Here you can see the wind whipping their hair and jerseys.

We had a detour of sorts so we literally got to Stratford when the starting gun went off. We missed the big start but saw people lining up to cheer runners on. So we stood there and waited for #974. The first time by us, we could already tell he was hot.

The second time by, he looked like he was on a mission...

A mission to stay ahead of the "big guy." Carter has beat this guy in a previous meet already -- proving size does not matter, but speed and endurance do!

Crappy photograph but you can maybe see here where the wind was at his back for a change. That wasn't a very long stretch.

He still had to survive one more long, gradual hill against the wind to finish. You can see he's struggling.

But he's sprinting his heart out to finish strong. This was the first time he said afterwards that he really, really felt like puking.

But he didn't. It took him awhile last night to feel back to normal.

Speaking of feeling back to normal, my body -- legs really -- took a few days to recover from the massive hill run Sunday. I figured out what I can compare that trail running to -- it's like when my nephews raced dirt bikes and 4-wheelers on those up and down tracks. It felt like that... only longer and spread out over miles and miles.

And miles.

Today I got back at it and went for a run at lunch. Since it was pretty warm, I did walk a bit but managed to get 4 miles in. I decided to be brave (or stupid) and run on a new road that had some hills so I could start getting used to them. The hills didn't kill me but a dog -- probably named Satan -- almost did.

He comes roaring after me and I quick turn around and head back the way I came. I just kept a nice steady FAST pace, listening to him bark behind me and praying he wasn't going to take a bite out of me. I didn't want to look at him or talk to him or engage him in anyway. I just pretended I didn't see him and I was out for my normal run. My normal FAST run.

Nothing like Satan on your heels to give you your fastest running pace. Ever.

He didn't follow me far, so I live another day to run.

Both Carter and I do. Whew. What a hobby.