7.25 miles @ 9:10/mi
This was a solo run from the cabin where we were staying in Mountain View, Alberta, Canada. It was earlier in the day than my last run, and much cooler...sunny with a nice cool breeze.
I ran north of Highway 5 this time. I learned that the roads are really just very long driveways. I followed one fork, and then another, that both ended at farm houses with barns and other outbuildings. The third road also led to a farm but also looped to the west and connected with a highway that I followed south back to Highway 5 and home.
I had about 1.5 miles to go when I left the gravel road and got on the highway going south. I climbed a steady hill for about 3/4 mile then was rewarded with about another 3/4 mile of steady downhill. I decided to push the pace downhill to the stop sign at the junction with Highway 5. I averaged 7:52/mi.
As I approached the junction I noticed a cow on the shoulder on my side of the highway, on the wrong side of the fence. I had seen another juvenile cow on the road near the beginning of my run. Since the shoulder was small, I decided to yell and make some noise as I approached, hoping it would walk off the road before I got there. As I approached I realized this wasn't a small cow. In fact, it was pretty big and musculuar. As I got nearer, and it heard me and turned to face me, I realized it also had horn. I suddenly stopped maybe 30-40 yards away. It stared unwaveringly at me, lowered its head a bit, and raised its right hoof slightly. I recognized the stance from movies I've seen and the bull fight I attended in Spain. I quickly decided my best option was to climb the barbed wire fence into the empty field next to me. I then walked slowly past the bull, who turned to follow me with his gaze. Once I passed he returned to his grazing. I climbed the fence onto Highway 5 then finished the last 3/4 miles back to the cabin at about 7:30/mi pace. I think the adrenalin helped.
Our family + Wendy hiked Red Rock and to Blackiston Falls then skipped rocks on the north shore of Waterton Lake and ate pizza. In the evening we invited others to the large fire pit at our cabin for s'mores. Some of us played a little soccer with my sons portable goal in the large grass field next to the cabin. We later played Catch Phrase around the fire in the darkness. Very enjoyable.
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