"Off Leash" for the New Year...

That's my new motto for the year. I thought of it when I decided to let my dog, Sadie, off leash and see what she would do. I knew the results would be scary, but I was thinking about how I leash up my dog every time we go out, and she walks where I walk, goes where I go, what's the worst that could happen? Well should also say I live on about 8 acres, and she was safe, but as it turns out a rabbit was spooked out of the weeds and my dog took off after the rabbit! Well, I didn't bother to yell her name, because I knew she wouldn't come! So I walked in the direction that she was going, and I see my neighbor Frank. And he says, "Sadie's over here in the back!". So I get her leashed back up. Okay off leash time is over! It looked very cool from my viewpoint. She just ran without a care in the world, and I was envious! I want to be like her.

So now I look at life when I can, off leash. I got to feel that way the day after Christmas. My friend and I signed up for a 20 mile trail run at Muir Beach in the Marin headlands. I knew it would be long, but didn't have too many worries. I was looking forward to it. There was a break in the weather, we actually got some sun and the views were spectacular. We could see Alcatraz Island, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Pacific Ocean all while we were running. Somewhere around mile 10, the both of us got a little lost. Two other guys were lost as well. We tried to help each other out, but we kept going the wrong way. So we finally got our way out of there and found the path back. This felt like an "off the leash" moment. A bit of thinking and survival mode was needed at this time. Since we missed an aid station, which had food and drinks, we only had left what we started. So between the both of us and a public restroom, we had enough to get through the last 10 miles. We wound up adding an almost extra 2 miles to the already long 20 miles = 22 miles. But it was so much fun, we laughed about our mistake and all was good. My quads and calves were on fire for the next 2 days, but life was good and wouldn't have changed it. So what will your "off leash" be like? Taking a hike on a frigid morning? Go places you never thought you could, do things you never thought you would, and be more than you ever thought you might...Happy New Year by the way, it's starting out to be pretty good so far!!