Give us the Mountain Country

We don't relish the easy way out, even if it looks nice, and the saying you've got to work for everything you get, is just the same frame of mind "Living the Dream". We may be old but we've still got it in us to do great things. The easy thing is to doubt. This weekend running that 60K at Perdenales was tough, after not even thinking about quitting in the middle of things, every bad thing appeared to wrench it up a notch. The first 18miles was good, and just when your thinking you've got this, you get the trials. The stomach rolled out, then the caloric energy loss sets in, then after mentally telling myself to be agile I do a chest and face plant on some hard rock, didn't break anything, bruised the ribs, bounced my head hard, got up and got moving. Was glad to finish at 5am. Running Saturday 7pm. through the night gives the true test of dealing with the demons. Some may think its time to hang it up, but like any fall its time to get up and dust it off. I know how running through mountains got done, cause I was wondering. You do have to train the terrain, but you better be able to look the crap down, and somehow keep moving no matter how slow, because sleeping in the car may be easy but it is still for losers. You don't understand hurt till you live the mountain country. Yes that was a hurting proposition you've just been through but it didn't kill you so you're stronger. Now go get yourself a tough assignment.

Did You Miss Something

Sixty nine degrees on a summer morning, very cool. Boodini can enjoy the walk in the hood, there are no other dogs looming about to distract her complacency. It is hard to say what took place, it wasn't much different than most dog to Boodini confrontations to date. The other dog and it's owner calmly walked past without much incident, and Boodini did the normal lungeing motions, and as I demand a sit down as they pass, she lays on the ground with her legs in an awkward twist. For a brief few moments she doesn't move. Ok get up you clown, and there is hesitation, and no movement. As I reach down to grab her, she gets up. Puzzling, thoughts ran along the lines that the tugging on the collar and leash had left her  asphyxiated. The hot afternoon that Boodini doesn't do well with, and she pulls a Carradine erotica. Or maybe there was a pouting bout of not getting to go to blows with an innocent passing dog neighbor. It had me wonder, but there are other incidents in the past that have always made me wonder. After all she can climb trees, maybe a tsunami hurricane instinct.

Might as Well Go for a Soda

It is time for some loose time, come up with a plan and do it. It must be the bridge but it felt like the place to go where there are no expectations. Town Lake is the easiest place to run or walk, on a ten mile loop there is 200ft. up and 200ft. down, that's it, the rest is just flat out. There is no challenge, no rocks, no nothing. Put it on autopilot and maneuver the bikers, and the three deep'ers, and before you know it your somewhere. If you didn't push the distance and time, you are accumulating some wonderful junk miles. After a while you end up a junk runner, yep that's me, and I like the trees, the open sun areas, the people who remind you by their tattoos and body piercings that your outdated and are not keeping this place weird. Your probably going see a pal running in his magical blue shoes that have him believing there is no malady. Anyway, it is getting close to a national holiday, which means a three day weekend, but we want much more. Don't you?

When Boodini Lives the Dream

I am amazed when I read or am told that someone is so very happy, that life is just wonderful. The question always arises what is Boodini doing so terribly wrong that it's not quite as nice as all that? A lot of Boodini's heartaches end up in a song, sometimes she gets it right sometimes it goes so wrong. Usually it is never right or simply wrong, like a one night stand, maybe it's enriching, maybe you get tanned, that's why you can identify as the day is long. So this is for us, the hard driving beauty, we can dance in our minds, we can do the tutti-frutti. So when Boo is in one of those blue moods, she wants to have it her way, I want to have it mine, it's time to get back to that rock and roll duty. Create a buzz,buzz,buzz! It's better than slander, it's better than lies, nobody is hurt, nobody cries. Nobody drowns, and nobody dies. Do you ever feel that way?  Going to and fro,  all we really want is trust and piece of mind, and all we seem to get is seven days of rain. Boodini wants it candy coated, just to eat those treats, I'm driving south all day and she is running north. I will pick up all the pieces, I'll write your name in the sky, doing whatever pleases, chasing all the clouds away,  I'm bringing you back your rainbow. Now calm down. So when the statement living the dream is heard, the best thing to do is change the meaning. It could mean your working, you don't have any money, and then you die! Then you can say, that's right, the meaning is clear, Boodini is living the dream. Just remember to do your Rock and Roll duty, create a buzz, buzz, buzz.

Dog Race

Doesn't look likely the Donkey Dash will run ever again. Boodini had won that a few times, but since Hill Country took a dive, that may leave only the Blue Dog race, and they didn't run last year either. Nonetheless, out of the blocks this morning was the fastest 5K non race run for Boodini ever, it was  a humid 78 degrees, and I thought it was just a usual run for us.  Bam, out she goes and finishes in the 24 min slot, what the hell you been thinking about Boo? It's summer, a little early to peak, but we' ll take it!

Rick's Rainbow Bridge

With a hole in the water bottle, and the garmin couldn't find the satellite, so much for the now age of running. The first two miles there was a nice calm rain shower, that smelled nice. Then came Rick's Bridge ( ok so it's called The Boardwalk, just like Towne lake is called Lady Bird Lake, when I was the chef at the Erwin Center I did a luncheon for Lady Bird and Hillary Clinton and 20 of their closest friends, that was enough of my  service for them! Thank you). Back in 1972 running with hippie eyes from the Commander Cody show at Armadillo World Headquarters, among many other shows there, cutting thru Towne lake foot path to get to my West Lynn apt was a straight shot to and from. Then in 1979 my first 10K was the first Capitol 10k which ran from the Capitol footsteps down to Towne lake and did a loop around and then back, there was only 3000 runners. The next year 1980 and 1981 on Towne Lake I did my first and second marathon, the then called Texas Relays Marathon, which featured a card table water stop (that was it, at the time there was probably two water faucets on the path, hydration, what was that?, clueless then, clueless now) at the turn around at Pleasant Valley then back to 1st street, then turn around and do it again. The Austin Marathon didn't start till 1992. Fast Forward to 1999 and I did my first ultra, also on Towne Lake, a 50K called the Easter Seals hosted by Rick Lewis. Then began the MAMA debut. So today's half marathon fun run on yes sir, Towne Lake, was a blast through the past. I will call the board walk Ricks Rainbow Bridge, cause that's what I want to do. It is a cool deal, and see homey, I may be old, but Boodini can appreciate  things.

Happy Birthday

Boodini turns nine, it's June. This is the time when heat is our friend. So in the morning since Boodini doesn't have many friends, she stays away from the heat. Nevertheless, the heat and her don't mix, so if there is a cool wet grassy place that is where you'll find her after the run is done. Somehow summer always has a touch of holiday in it.