The Sled Dogs

On Saturday morning I got up for my typical long run and headed out to start out at Edward's Ferry.  It was crisp, cold, but clear skies, as the sun was just beginning to rise.  I ventured north on the towpath to do a 20 mile run that consisted of 2 loops.  As I headed out towards Whites Ferry, it was silent.  The way I liked it.  I could only hear and feel my body moving over the ground circa 6:15 pace.  It seems low 6's are becoming more often my normal long run/easy run pace.  It's really all about the effort.  My breathing was controlled, and the only thing I could feel was the miles I had been putting in my legs the past several weeks.  I was on my way to another 90-100 mile week.

Then as I approached mile 4 into the run(about a mile from White's Ferry), I then heard a noise.  What is that? I thought.  Though faint, it sounded like a sort of singing.  I looked ahead, and as I got closer to White's Ferry I could make out what the noises were.  They were dozens of dogs, howling and barking.  But what kind of dogs? Were they just barking from an owner's house/farm nearby?  I arrived at White's Ferry out of the woods where the trail opened up and the sunlight came through.  I could see some people with dozens of Siberian Huskies barking and howling, attached to sleds.  It looked like they had just gotten the dogs out and were getting the sleds ready.  The Huskies were beautiful, and stared at me as I ran by.  I looked at them in awe.  They looked ready to run.  I zipped by to turn onto Old River Road(a dirt road that goes back out to Edwards Ferry).  Then, about 7 miles into the run, a couple of foxes ran by.  I covered the first loop in 64:00, and did a second loop in 60:00, hoping I would see the sled dogs again, but they were gone.

96 miles for the week. 

Past 6 weeks mileage:

96, 86, 106, 100, 90, 96.