Yes I did it! I ran farther and faster tonight than I have run yet. I went all the way to the sunset spot in the south and the yellow mail box in the north and back to the same driveway with no short cuts. According to the odometer on the 4 wheeler (and confirmed in the car) this is exactly 3.1 miles. I did this in exactly 32 minutes.
I had made a new years resolution to be better each day than I was the day before. My best friend keeps saying that I can set myself up for failure by doing this. I can see his point that there is no level of super great that I may continue to attain. However, I know I will have backsliding days, therefore, I will make the next day better. Today, I did better than the last day. I was more productive at work, I ran farther and faster, and I had a better day than the day before.
I took both dogs tonight. Not only is my endurance increasing, but so are the dog’s endurance levels. Monte doesn’t have to do the country line dance anymore since my pace has increased. He stays steady the entire duration. Molly didn’t make me drag her at all. She was able to keep pace the whole way. In fact, when we got back to the house, she didn’t even collapse until she got all the way onto the porch.
We heard a few dogs tonight; the same normal dogs. As we approached the dreaded house with the Great Danes, I noticed something . . . something horrible . . . the gate was left open. The only noise we were making was the jingle of Molly’s tags on her collar. At that point, I prayed that Molly wouldn’t get tired and collapse. We really picked up speed to the fastest sustainable pace I could muster after almost 2 miles of non-stop jogging. We were about halfway past their house when I heard the dreaded sound of a dog bark. It wasn’t them; it was one of the dogs on the other side of the loop. Ok God, I need your protection. I have two dogs tied to my belt loops as if I am dragging a chum line for sharks. Unfortunately, I am using 400 test line with my bait. We made it all the way past and up that long hill before I would slow down long enough to see if they were coming. We were safe.
We made it back by the house which measures at the 2.75 mile mark. In order to hit my goal of a 5K, we have to go past to the yellow mailbox and back. I really debated as this was already a record speed trip for me. Going the extra distance could be my goal for tomorrow. No Ben, you are here now, do it! I kept going and the dogs didn’t mind that we just passed our house. As we got into the dark wooded trees, I heard a tree fall. It startled all three of us. We kept going. I got an email on my phone. I kept running. I got a FB message on my phone. I kept running. I thought I heard a wild animal just in the edge of the woods. Man, it sure seems like there are a lot distractions trying to keep me from finishing this tonight. I promised God and he will give me the strength and protection to endure this. Yes, I did it!
I got home and did my 40 sit ups. They were really hard since I was so tired. Just as I was finishing the most difficult last one . . . 40! Blake yelled out, “Yes, I did it!” He was playing a game . . . the timing couldn’t have been any better for both of us.
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