Monday, July 9, 2012

Chased By A Cat and Saved By Coke

"Runners can get through the weary and lonely hours only if they are at peace in themselves." ~ Ayers

Monday, July 2nd 2012: 3 miles @ 8:40 minutes per mile. I tried to push toward the end and finished the last mile in 7:53. Generally my pace is similar to an obese rhinoceros so I was very happy to see that 7:53.

Tuesday, July 3rd 2012: 20 miles @ 12:15 minutes per mile. Tuesday night was the only time I could squeeze in a long run this week. When I headed out, it was a positively miserable 99 degrees. I did the Sand Hollow loop which includes some great scenery along the way.

After a few miles I noticed that I was running with my shadow:

I had plenty of time to myself on the long, lonely roads. For the first couple hours I only saw a handful of cars:

Out of the blue I saw a car up ahead with flashing lights and a honking horn. As it got closer I could hear cheering. And then I realized that it was my family! They were on their way home from Walmart and drove out to find me. I thought that was so thoughtful. I refilled my water, grabbed some Oreos, then started running again as the kids cheered “Go Dad! Go Dad!” Best. Aid. Station. Ever.

I was kind of in the zone running along oblivious to what was going on around me. But I happened to look over and see this incredible scene of the sun setting across a field. It was just beautiful. I stayed there for about 10 minutes taking pictures.

Around midnight I arrived at a gas station. I was tired and burning hot. I didn’t have any money with me, so I decided I would stop at the gas station and ask if I could fill my water bottle with Coke, then I would come back later to pay. The girl looked at me sweating my guts out in the middle of the night, laughed, and said “Go fill up your bottle. Don’t worry about it.” I was so thankful I could have hugged her.

I finally made it to the home stretch. Thanks to my shot of Coke, I was ready to run for another four hours. Not.

Lucky for me, it was downright chilly 88 degrees when I finished the run. By then it was July 4th. I loved the fireworks we went to that night.

Friday, July 6th 2012: 7 miles @ 10:49 minutes per mile. Early morning run, chased by two dogs and later got chased by A CAT! For a few minutes I was chased by a cat! I wish I had my camera with me. Hilarious. That was a first. Unlike the dogs, it didn't try to bite me.

That night I ran another 6 miles @ 10:55 minutes per mile on the Jem Trail. The storm clouds I saw were incredible. I took lots of pictures worth a separate post in the next few days.

Saturday, July 7th 2012: Hurricane Trails River Run. The review is HERE.

My primary goal was to get in 40 miles for the week. My secondary goal was to get chased by a cat. Everything went perfectly and I achieved both goals.

13 comments:

  1. What a fantastic week, awesome! And a mobile aid station for a long run - that's the best kind EVER! Will your family drive to Colorado and be my aid station for my long runs, too?

    LOVE the pictures, as always. The one of the field with the water sprinkler reminds me a lot of when I was a kid living in Iowa and used to run the country roads along the corn fields. I'm going to be in a happy place all day remembering those "good ol' days" :) Thanks!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. bahahaha. i wish i could go through and cut/paste every moment i laughed out loud during this post. but then i might as well just copy the entire thing;) it sounds like your LR was incredibly rewarding...seeing your family, the amazingly nice gas station lady, the beautiful scenery and of course...the chilly ending temps;) you rock Cory! and continue to inspire me! fantastic job. and ummmm 7:53!?! incredible! glad you ran faster than a rhino and hope you beat that cat...an eventful week for sure:)

    ReplyDelete
  3. HAHAHHA, you got chased by a cat!? That's the craziest thing I've ever heard. Ok, maybe not the craziest BUT I'm trying to imagine it in my head. It's probably a cat that lives with dogs :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. You are my hero for doing a 20 mile run mid week after working all day.

    Maybe the cat wasn't chasing you, but trying to join you for a jog? :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I LOVE the rolling aid stations! How very cool.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ahhh....what a cute family you have, even if they are pulling faces at you. All the better:)
    Just curious what that white sword looking thing is coming out of the top of your head?
    The picture with the sprinkler is so cool. I love how the water looks like it is just floating in the air.
    It would be very nice if our cat would go chase something. I think she just gets more and more lazy as the days go by. Maybe I should put a leash on her and make her run with me.
    I just don't know how you people that run at night do it. I guess it's good training though for your ultras to run at all hours of the night and day.
    Great week or running Cory!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha ha. That light sword is my head lamp. I wondered that too when I first saw the picture. I would pay good money to see you running with your cat on a leash.

      Delete
  7. What an unbelievable mobile aid station that FINDS YOU!!! So cool... Great job with all the running this week. That's awesome about scoring some coke from the gas station. People feel for ya when you're sweating so much! :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. How weird...I too was chased by cat on my run yesterday. It was the weirdest thing. They usually either just completely ignore me, or silently glare at me. Must be something in the air. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I've never been chased by a cat...only small ankle-biting dogs. The cat sounds more fun by far (unless it were a mountain lion kind of cat....)

    I'm glad the Coke worked for you. I'd be sullying ditches all over the place if I tried to pull a stunt like that. :^)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I've been chased by a squirrel, Mama Goose and a number of dogs, but never a cat. Maybe I should add it to my list?

    It seems like you had an awesome week of running! Susette and I were talking the other day about our aspirations to run like you. We want to do a 50 miler some day. Maybe next year?

    Keep it up!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Next year would be a great time for you guys to shoot for a 50! The Buffalo Run on Antelope Island would be a good first-timers 50.

      Delete