Go, you chicken fat, go away!

I thought I would feel pretty good today after all the outdoor activities we did on our trip.  But I felt awful today.  I'm really going to stick to my diet this time.

I felt a little better today.  But I was wheezing slightly for the first three quarters of a mile.  And my lower back is aching.  But I got out the door before 6am.  It was still 87º out and humid.

This morning was an interesting run.  We got some summer monsoon last night.  There was water in the Floodway.  When I got to it, I heard a clear sharp noise.  I honestly thought it was my wife calling my name.  I hope she doesn't read this.  I stopped and looked around but couldn't see anyone.  I heard it again, but since I was stopped I was able to distinguish that it sounded more like a duck.  Now, I don't speak duck, but it sounded like it was saying, "Somebody help my babies!"  Since I have saved baby ducks before, I knew I was the man for the job.  It sounded like it was coming from the Floodway as I kept hearing the quack over and over.  Like every 7 seconds.  I couldn't see it.  I wondered if it was coming from the culverts.  I didn't want to get my shoes/feet wet, but I decided I had to.  I couldn't let the baby ducks die.  When I got in the water, I couldn't hear it anymore.  I waded away looking in each culvert box.  Nothing.  Maybe I scared it and it flew out the other side.  I decided to enter one of the boxes.  It's about 7' tall and maybe 6' wide.  There's an 18" pipe that discharges through the sidewall.  I turned my flashlight and looked in.  Just cobwebs.  Well, maybe it wasn't a mother duck in distress.  Maybe it was a daddy duck in heat.  I decided to get out of there before I became the object of some lecherous duck's affection.

After about a mile it started to sprinkle.  It sprinkled the rest of the way.  I stopped to take a picture of the Canal.  That was the second time I stopped.  I think I stopped about 5 times.  Actually it was 7 times.  I just counted.  The third and fifth time was trying to cross University.  Lots of traffic.  After crossing University and heading towards Main St. I heard the duck sound again.  So I stopped and creeped up to the edge of the Floodway.  I couldn't see any ducks.  I could hear at least three quack noises, but no ducks.  I should be able to see ducks!  They're fairly large creatures!  Then it started to remind me of the noise I heard the time I did the Rangnar Chase the Moon.  I posted it on Facebook and somebody told me it was frogs.  I recorded it again, and now I'm convinced that it was frogs.  So I guess my wife sounds like a frog.

Anyway I continued running, stopped to cross University again and stopped shortly after that because I actually did see some ducks.  I wanted to take a picture, but my phone and finger was too wet, so it wouldn't unlock.  I started running again and was looking for the hobo.  I thought I could see a tent set up from a distance.  The closer I got, I could see something laying on the side of the Floodway path.  Was it the hobo?  Why wasn't he in the tent?  Was it really a tent?  Nope, it was something haning in a tree.  And it was the hobo laying down underneath another tree on the pavement.  Was he dead?  How did he survive the night without a tent.  No.  He's moving.  I got to him and he asked if I knew what time it was.  7th stop.  I pulled my phone out and told him it was 7:15am; meaning it was exactly 25 hours since I told him what time it was yesterday.  I then asked him where his tent was.   He said, "Oh, I don't have one."  I said, "I thought you did."  He said, "No.  What're you gonna do?"  I said, "How was it last night?  Did it rain all night?"  He said, "Yeah.  I was about as wet as you are."  I was soaked.  He looked real dejected.  We told each other to have a nice day and I finished up my run.
 

It was so warm today!!  I didn't get out until 7:30am and already it was in the mid 80's.  I ran so slow and I sweated like a pig.  Looks like there might be two hobos now.  I'll have to see if the other one takes up residence.

I felt a little better today.  My pace was over 20 seconds per mile faster.  I think I've lost about 10 lbs so far.  Gotta be careful, because I can gain that back in a day!  The other hobo appears to have moved on.