End Of The Weekend

Mowing:

So, here we are at the end of another "weekend". Thursday is my Sunday so today I again busied myself with the lawns. I did though have a helper today. Sam has a toy lawn mower that he pushed around in my wake and he generally helped out with both the mowing and the repair of a sprinkler.
Just for a laugh I wore my Garmin while I mowed. I walked 1.4 miles during the trimming and mowing. Who knew! We don't have a huge lot but I guess it really does all count.
I did damage the mower though. That resulted in a trip to the local home improvement store. I caught the blade on a strip of the aluminium edging that runs around the garden. The Craftsman mower put a hole in it at the expense of the blade. $19 & tax later I was back in business.

Not Mowing:
I decided to give myself a day off today so I did one of my short-course loops through The Valley. After the rattlesnake encounter yesterday I wanted to avoid that kind of surprise at all costs so I mostly kept to the paved trials. I am also now beginning to feel the value of stretching prior to heading out. I shudder to think that I used to just strap on the Asics, turn on the music and go.

I set off towards the open space and crossed the Dam. Once again I am tight, winded and breathless but this improves as I go. I have been doing some reading and I feel I should start with walking THEN transition to running. It's male pride that has me set out from the driveway running. By ramping up to running it is a warm up for the whole system, not just the legs.
I turned onto the trail that leads past the equestrian center and within a quarter of a mile had passed 4 very different dogs. A HUGE mastiff, a greyhound, a shitzu and a "Doodle" cross (might have been a labradoodle or a spaniel). All nice dogs with good and sensible owners. I turned up the trail that eventually takes me across The Parkway and up towards The Manor House.

Once I began to climb the hill into the next sub-division I realized that I was tired. It had been a long week and I had pushed myself over the previous three days. I silently cursed my schedule for being 3 on 4 off. I have to telescope my exercise into the four free days. Two days on the bike with Sam in tow and now two days on foot. I passed by the usual turn back into the open space and pressed on up the longer hill. The road turns south and as I hit the highest point I saw a house for sale to my left. It backs onto open space and it's above almost all of the properties in The Valley. The Sun was behind me about to disappear into the brush along the ridge from West Ranch. I could see through the Dakota Hog Back and over towards the area miles away at Arapahoe Road and I-25. To the North East I could see Downtown Denver in the distance. Damn, we are so fortunate to live in such an amazing place. That house location is nice too.
I turned to the East and descended toward the Parkway again. After turning South I headed towards the open space to the back of the road we live on and I cut short the trip.

Stats:
Well, not a great time, distance or anything really. I completed the 3.63 miles in 51:13 with an average pace of 14.05 per mile. The BGL after the run was 100 even. I really must try to make the effort to check my BGL before I set out. I usually think of it when I'm about a quarter of the way around.