Sniff Run

Here's the sniffer when it is resting on the couch.

Some runners have a name for a run that doesn't really count or is kinda not much more than miles in a running log book.  They call it a "junk" run or "junk" miles. I have no such thing in my vocabulary as all runs count for something and fill more than just miles to put in a log book.  One word I do have in my running lexicon, however,  is the "sniff" run.

Today was a sniff run day.  Kevin is out of town and wasn't here to take her to chase the ball.  My long run day is booked for tomorrow and  I had no real hurry or desire to get some miles in...but Winnie did!  She needed to run and her sniffer was ready to research the world.

At about 9 AM we set out with no particular goal for pace or place.  For some reason Winnie caught on early in the run that I was in no hurry.  She ran fast to get to her favorite sniff spots and her nose sucked and wiggled for nice long breaks until we found a new place to sniff.  The run even took us to Peabody School twice for drinks and sniffs.  On our second round at the school, I happened to look at my watch and realize that we had been running and stopping to sniff  for about 55 minutes and it was time to head home.

The only part of the run that belongs to me really on a sniff run is the last little bit of the run heading up Sunset Drive.  Winnie knows to not even think to ask to slow or stop for that last .20 or so.  Just as we hit our driveway, I hit the watch and saw our sniff run had been 6.2 exactly.  Our nice little pick me up at the end wasn't so slow either.  It counted for sure and it had a purpose.

Tomorrow I have 20 miles on the agenda with 8 of those at a nice tempo pace.  So, I think I will leave my sniffer buddy at home and call it a marathon weekend!