There is a short list of rules which I think would greatly improve the world as a whole but which seems to be going largely ignored. They are:
1) No girlfriends (or boyfriends) in the studio.
2) Do not engage in a major land war in Asia.
3) Leash your dog on the trail.
Let’s face it, the presence of a dog on the trail is not going to be such an interruption to my “training” that I won’t recover. The bigger problem is that when a dog sees me, 6′ 180lbs., lumbering toward her or his food source, I might be perceived as a threat. Your more perceptive dogs will write me off pretty quickly, but other less clued in curs will go in for the attack — or something meant to make me think an attack is coming. Ultimately, this is dangerous for the dog, because I will have to defend myself (although this has not yet been necessary.)
Since a few unleashed dogs have been the biggest of my running worries in the last several days, you know things have been good. Twice in the last two days I have found myself alone in cathedrals of white pines with the silence of winter adding to the reverence of the places. Today’s run also took me past the fully flowing Swannanoa, which glided by as if it were on rails. With the river bed clearly visible from the bank, the trail of the Suwaree transmitted a peaceful vibe.
Since I am not training for anything specific (although I am registered for a 10k in January) this time of running is reconnecting me with some of the basic reasons why I run. Some people joke that running is cheaper than therapy, and for me running definitely helps to calm my mind and soothe my soul. In a hectic time of year, when opportunities can be limited and excuses are easy to find, a good run is definitely something to be grateful for.