Early Morning Run

I’ve been getting up at 5:30 the past couple of mornings to take my bigger dog out for a run in Central Park. The weather has been sticky and humid and my thought is that when it’s earlier, it’s a little more bearable. I’m not entirely convinced of my own thinking but it helps to psyche me into getting up that early.

It’s light out at that time and it’s very quiet in the city. A few cabs can be seen driving slowly in the street and a couple of other dog owners are out walking their dogs as well. Central Park is relatively desolate except for a few lonely runners getting in their workout for the day. The park is the epitome of peacefulness.

Except that there are squirrels running in insane zigzags around the park taunting my dog into a frolicking mania. She jets ahead of me on her leash and I am dragged behind her until it is safe enough for me to let her off leash. Once I do let her go, she tries to jump up trees to capture the fluffy-tailed rascals. Or she chases after the miscreants in the grass. This is all fine to me. Except that she’s fast and she hides in the bushes trying to eat those scoundrels. If she pops out of nowhere, she could seriously scare some passerby. So I need to keep up with her. This is where my running project comes in handy. In trying to keep up with her frantic pace, I need to run behind her or along side her.

Ultimately, these dawn designs are both to help my dog get out and walk, to aid her playful nature by getting her closer to consuming a squirrel and assisting me in getting my runs in.