40

Days like this are the ones I really wish I didn't have to work Saturdays. Today is Mindy's 40 for 40 run at Bradbury. Ryan and Sam went over for a bit this morning, and took a hike out onto the trails to cheer everyone on. Sam had lots of fun seeing all our friends, spending time with Pete ("More Pete!") back at the "aid station" and running around getting muddy :-) I'm glad they had the chance to get out and enjoy some of the fun, but what I really wish is that I had been able to be there too! Oh well. Such is life. In any event, I've been virtually cheering Mindy on all morning, and can't wait to hear how it all turned out!!

I got in my own 40 this morning, although it was a 6 miler to cap off a 40 mile week :-) Ha. Not quite as impressive as Mindy's 40 for 40, but pretty good for me. Right after Ryan and Sam left for Bradbury, I headed out onto the powerlines to run the extended Homeplace loop. Looks like I might not be able to cut through from the powerlines to the snowmobile trail extension off Homeplace for too much longer. The property owner has tilled the field you can cut through and is working on putting up a fence. Oh well. It made for a nice little lollypop option, but I'm sure another route will come to light if that one is blocked.

As I headed back through the trail running through the woods along Homeplace, I came across a few kids with a huge bassett hound. They wondered if I knew who his owner was. Unfortunately, I did not. Also unfortunately, the hound decided it was far more fun to run with me than to continue on with the kids. He must have run with me for over a 1/2 mile before I got to the bottom of the hill leading up to Rt. 24. I really didn't want to be responsible for him, especially near a major road, so I got down on his level and firmly told him to go home. It took a few tries, but eventually he wandered off, back toward the powerlines. I felt a little badly leaving him out there, but he's a hound - he found his way home, right?! I hope so, anyway! That was pretty much the excitement from the run. That, and the fact that I managed to get home, get showered and dressed and back out the door to work in 11 minutes so as to get there on time. Good thing I am a keep it simple kind of girl!