The MOOSE is loose!

Last Saturday Doran and I had another "fun" run!! We needed to get 12 miles in that day so we decided to go back to the TOU Half route. We like to end at a gas station so we can get a ride and a drink so in order to do this we went to the beginning of the race route and went 1.5 miles further on up the road. We started an hour earlier in order to beat the sun on Hollow Road. I also figured that if I couldn't make it the whole way Hollow Road was a good place to walk. So in order to do this we found a perfect place to ditch park the car 1.5 miles further up from the starting line.

We gathered up our gear and stepped outside the car to 46 degrees. Brr! We didn't take long to get going. I would rather have my snot freeze than to get caught in the heat while running.

We didn't even make it a half a mile before we ran into a BULL MOOSE!! Well actually we didn't run INTO him but he was on one side of the street and we were on the other. I asked Doran if we needed to turn back or become invisible. We kept running at a SILENT pace in hopes that we wouldn't startle him or make him mad. He looked up and took a couple of steps towards the mountain more and as we passed he turned toward us and then just stepped up on the road and watched us go on past. Doran kept running backwards and we both kept turning around just to make sure he wasn't running after us following us. That was SOOOO cool and a little frightening too. This was a day that I decided NOT to take my phone/camera. To be truthful though there was no way I was going to take time to fish out my phone and snap a picture. Bullwinkle was just a little TOO close. But did I say COOOOL???

Borrowed from Google

Well with that excitement over we continued on our way down this beautiful canyon. I really had a rough time getting into any kind of a rhythm until maybe mile 4. From then on I concentrated on enjoying the run. The weather was perfect again and the companionship was the greatest!

There were a few people that passed me (besides Doran going ahead and coming back and passing me again) but I DID pass one person. When people pass me I still have such a hard time not beating myself up. I really need to focus on my own journey and accomplishments! I sure hope I can do this in the race when it seems like EVERYONE is passing me. I don't want to get caught up in "the race". I would like to enjoy the "RUN" as much then as I have these past couple of weeks running with my favorite partner! During the race he won't be with me.

I actually made it to mile 10 before I had to walk. I was so surprise and proud of myself. Doran, well, he is just a stud to mostly stay with me but also go ahead a little ways and then come back for me and you should have seen him put himself between me and the moose. What a hero he is.

Mom and Stan picked us up again and gave us a ride to our car. That is such a HUGE help when they do that.

On our way home Doran decided to drive through Avon/Paradise area. We ended up going over the mountain in our NON off road vehicle.

It was another fantastic morning spent together!

This week is 9 miles.....where should we go?