beware of the cougar

saturday morning was a late start. didn't start running until 7:45 and had to put in a two hour run at a 6:54 pace. which actually ended up being a good thing because even that late it was still really cold. i could have used my thicker fleece gloves.

i decided to hit up a route that i hadn't done in some time. starts out in my neighborhood to a dead end street. from here a real nice (though short) trail starts. i lived in this house for a couple years without knowing that it existed even though it is half a mile from my house. at the beginning of the trail, a sign catches my eye posted to a tree. i stop my watch and walk back. it warns that a cougar has been sighted in the area and lists what to do if you come across it. i took note and followed the trail.

i have to admit i was scared. ever since that bear episode of last summer, i've had a slight fright in the woods. but i wasn't going to stop. my heart leapt at every noise and movement. i wasn't even worried about my pace.

that was the only exciting thing that happened on this run. but now that i say that i realize nothing even happened. no cougar that i could see.

while going through minto brown i saw several running groups. one lady who works at a local running store. another guy i see at the coffee shop all the time. several others i only recognize from other times i've seen them running.

at bush park they were setting up for a cross country meet. busses lined up, parrallel parked, from all over the state, washington, and california. i often wonder what it would have been like to run in college.

all in all it was a great run. pace felt really easy and most of the times slow. i'm getting use to this 6:54 pace. hung out at 6:51 much of the time.

after next week, we go faster.