Once upon a time...
...two, nice, middle-aged women, who were friends and running partners -- Supermodel and Chris -- decided to avoid difficult, potentially muddy trails for their required 14-mile training run on a Saturday morning, and instead chose to run on flat, packed-dirt, canal paths. The two women were both battling sore muscles and on the verge of developing injuries that had the potential to sideline their goals... a story we'll save for another time. It's a very saaad story.
It was a lovely Saturday morning run. The temperatures were cool, the air was still, the sky was blue, and because the women were hopped-up on Advil, their potential injuries didn't hurt!
As the friends ran along the lovely path, admiring the backyards, gardens and properties of strangers [Yes, they were nosy.], they noticed a herd of goats across the canal. Cute, nice goats... thought the women.
Supermodel noticed one, young, spunky goat was outside the fenced area that contained it's herd-mates. Supermodel then noticed the little goat began trit, trot, tritting across a wooden bridge, over the canal, towards she and Chris.
"That little goat's following us," said Supermodel.
"Don't make eye contact," said Chris.
The two women continued running when Chris heard the sound of little hooves and rapid goat breathing. The little goat had happily joined Supermodel and Chris for their run.
"This goat's going to follow us. We have to take him home," said Chris.
Supermodel agreed, so the friends stopped, turned around and began walking towards the wooden bridge. The little goat licked Chris' legs, and she almost fainted. Chris is a little OCD and germophobic.
The two women searched and searched for an opening in the fence so they could communicate somehow to the goat, without touching it, that it should return to it's herd-mates. The women could find no opening. But a large white dog found them and barked and barked and barked at them while standing on the opposite side of the fence.
"I think you should pick up the goat and put him on the other side of the fence," Chris said to Supermodel.
"I think I'll watch you do that," replied Supermodel.
The women stood there and thought, while the little goat continued to lick Chris' legs, and the dog continued to bark.
"I'll pick up the front half of the goat and you pick up the... other half," said Chris.
Supermodel sighed and bent down to grab her half of the goat. Chris picked up the front half and once the goat was about three feet off the ground, Chris... accidentally... let go of her half of the goat.
Fortunately, Supermodel was very strong and calm. She gracefully lifted the goat over the top of the barbed-wire fence, and gently placed him on the ground, all while ignoring the big, white, barking dog... who was actually a friendly dog. Chris noticed his tail wagging while he barked. Chris thought how nice it was that Supermodel was able to give the goat a soft landing on the proper side of the fence. Chris thought had she been responsible for the final placement of the goat, she might have... accidentally... dropped the goat over the fence.
The two friends walked across the wooden bridge and returned to their side of the canal so they could finish their run. As Chris restarted her watch, she said, "I wish I had some Purell." Supermodel laughed, and she never once mentioned the fact that Chris let go of her half of the goat. And off they went...
The End.
Photo courtesy of Google Images.
For you, my friend...
Blue = completed workouts this week. Red = workouts awaiting me.
M - Tempo Run: 2 mi easy; 2 mi @ level 7; 2 mi easy
T - Cross train 40 minutes [bike]; lift weights
W - 5 miles with 6 x 20 sec strides
Th - Intervals: 1 mi warm-up; 6 x .5 mile repeats @ level 8 [.25 mi recovery]; 1 mi cool-down
F - Cross train 30 minutes [bike]; lift weights
Sa - 14 miles on canal bank
Su - Off
LOL! So sweet... I would have patted it and talked to it! This truly made me laugh loudly... especially the almost fainting part! HAHA!
Posted by: pam | 06/28/2009 at 10:09 AM
Wow that is quite a story! And how gracious of her not to mention you dropping the goat! (what a funny sentence that was!) How neat to be able to run near those gorgeous mountains, and around goats and mules (right - that was mules last week?)!
I'm also very impressed with your workouts this week. I seriously do think of you (and that guy Ryan of Ryan Runs Europe, and Amanda of the looking glass who just did the Wasatch run) when I'm doing my runs - though they're MUCH shorter than yours they are KICKING MY BUTT. Each and every time. Yesterday's 1.75 miles in 21 minutes was especially challenging...but I did it! HURRAH!
Glad you all are having a great weekend too. We're about to head to the pool!
Posted by: christy | 06/28/2009 at 10:27 AM
That is too funny! What fun on your run :) It is very nice of you two to take the little goat back to its home.
Posted by: Jamie | 06/28/2009 at 10:49 AM
I LOVE that you saved the goat and I LOVE all of the adventures we can have when we run. Great story.
Posted by: Beth | 06/28/2009 at 02:41 PM
Awww . . . you saved a goat.
Tune in next week for the continuing saga of . . .
Posted by: tysdaddy | 06/28/2009 at 03:45 PM
Chrisy....you crack me up. You must sweat when you run, but you're afraid of a little goat spit? LOL.
Posted by: Jane | 06/28/2009 at 03:51 PM
I wish I had a goat chasing me on my runs...instead of the gaggle of skinny Mormon girls and the guy in the orange hat.
hopped up on Advil.....
Posted by: Connie @ Fat2HotMommy | 06/28/2009 at 04:50 PM
A little OCD?
I am glad the goat got home safely, goat spit and all. It's a good thing you don't see me at the barn.
Posted by: Suzy VerMeer | 06/28/2009 at 05:02 PM
hahahahaha, hilarious that you dropped your half. And ewwwww... so gross that it licked you!!! yuck!
Posted by: Amy | 06/29/2009 at 10:13 AM
Great story! In spite of living in the same state, my running adventures have been limited to bugs in my eye. I'll just have to keep enjoying your adventures for now!
Posted by: Candice | 06/29/2009 at 02:36 PM
Hey Chris. Thanks for your comment on my blog about muscles needing more glycogen stores. It makes a lot of sense if you think about it; I think that I will definitely look it up! Thanks again. Keep running! Tara :)
Posted by: Tara | 06/30/2009 at 06:11 PM
Hey Chrisy, you run really fast!! BTW, I liked this post.
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You changes sound great! Good luck to everyone in the election(s).
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Posted by: Wireless dog fence | 07/29/2011 at 05:46 AM
I seriously do think of you (and that guy Ryan of Ryan Runs Europe, and Amanda of the looking glass who just did the Wasatch run) when I'm doing my runs - though they're MUCH shorter than yours they are KICKING MY BUTT.
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