6:08 am and out the door-july 10

wanted to get this down while i still had it fresh on my mind and the washing machine is still churning anyway. went out to run after i walked gail up to the london bus and so i got an early start on a very pretty morning. about 54 degrees and going up to 68 later in the day. no rain until 7pm they say-will see.

from the bus station i ran back to the oxford canal and headed north. i had no real plan for today other than to stay out as long as i felt like running and to keep an eye on how the right leg was doing. i know i need some rest and will get it i promised myself. not today though. i have golf tomorrow and will skip the run and see how it feels.

so north i went and since it was so early there were not even many bikes out yet and no dog walkers. the canal was beautiful and the punters were still sleeping though you have to watch out for their little boat ramps they leave on the canal path. the leg was tight but no pain yet. i just put it into third gear and stayed there. a few miles up i came to the Trap Reed wetlands area and i took a quick peek in and saw the swans in the little pond there. trap is a 3 acre wetlands area that is small, but gorgeous and attached to the canal path by a 20 second walk. they say they have 30 different bird species living there, but besides the swans i saw only two cardinals.

back up the trail towards woodstock. two women runners passed me and even said good morning and asked how far i was going. dukes lock was the answer and they said they were also. see you on the way back. i went on at my slug pace. two miles up the canal was closed for repairs to the overhead bridge, but they had made a nice detour through the woods and that kept me going north and at dukes lock i went north a little more and turned back. 6-7 miles in now and would get my minimum of two hours in. the right quad was tighter now as the hip flexors failed, but no pain yet. need that rest for sure.

down the canal i went and decided to stop at the grocery for some water in wolvercote. then i could take the thames river trail back south. they were opening up the store but wouldn't sell me water until 8am when they were actually open. i went on. who owns a store and turns down a cash sale from a regular customer?

ran through wolvercote looking at the gardens and carefully crossing the three one lane bridges back to the river and the nunnery came in sight. crossed the road and headed south. decided that as the hip and flexor was acting up i would just head home. still about 2.5 miles to go no matter what. a group of young fast runners came north and we waved as we passed each other. a mile down i was just pass tree cemetery and near the perch pub gate and ran into a herd of cattle-literally. they had the trail covered and the gate blocked. gingerly i stopped and walked through gently, very gently, guiding them aside and mooing as i went in a comforting way. i make a good cow and they parted and let me through, though the two guarding the gate were very slow in letting me by. they snorted at me and i backed around them. everyday an adventure while running here.

back on the path and over the rainbow bridge. the crews were working on the trail here and it was very, very muddy. i slid through it and kept going and was actually running faster. i noticed lately on the runs where i am just not tired i pick up speed around 80-90 minutes. i was finally running well though i could feel the piriformis now like a pin prick. but the speed was good and i just kept going. thought very briefly about cutting over to the trail trail but decided to let it go. would have almost 12 miles in and that was enough. time to let the legs rest and then work on some speed.

had 2855 miles before today's run for the year so far. not very quality like, but enough in to get some endurance back and a little speed. only one race all year so hard to tell, but i have hopes that when i get back and the chiro works on the leg and i can run with faster friends i can at least enjoy racing again despite being old and slow. time will tell.

all the way down the river and across swan bridge and over to botley road. up onto the street and across the thames bridge and headed home. slowed down and just moved on past the walkers headed towards town and work. one nice thing about starting early is that you finish early of course and seems like there is a lot of day left. want to go to the public market and trade books in and buy some new towels. first i need to wash the clothes i will give to the salvation army. little by little it gets closer and closer. get the airplane ready.

20 days to go.