Simon is a great running companion, but between his recent health issues and mine we have gotten off our game for the past few months. I could feel myself giving in the holiday excess and knew that a downward spiral could happen at any time. But no- that is not happening!
Simon and I are both feeling great and started our post holiday exercise with a fantastic, and easy, trail run in Acadia. I chose a trail that was relatively flat, a day that was warm and a running pal who was into tramping through the forest. We had to navigate some ice and some deeper than expected pools of water... and one of us had to take a break to swim in a couple of streams. By the end we were both smiling and I was thinking about our upcoming Canicros Race at Pineland in May.
Today we were heading out for another run and I chose a place where Simon could run leash free. He could do his thing while I tried out the first day on a Galloway plan to improve my 5k time. Next thing I knew Simon bolted for a patch of forest across the (quiet, no traffic) road from our running route. I called and called with no response and as my fears started to take hold I thought... he does not do this!.... but there have been 2 times when he acted in a similar way and both times he had discovered a deer carcass. So off I bounded into the trees and I found him close by with his prize. The deer had been picked pretty clean, but he was enjoying a bit of a chew on the skeleton. Simon was so in "dog mode" that I doubt he even heard me calling him. I clipped on his leash and finally got started on our run. I decided to keep him leashed knowing how close the temptation was to our running route. Let me tell you that Simon was jazzed and if I had had my canicross gear we would have flown!
Another day with my beloved fiend.... and another adventure!
