Winnipeg barefoot Runners: Do drug dealers work on Sunday nights?

Weird title, I know, but please bare with me....

After last nights' 'adventure' there had been allot of talk on facebook about my getting lost (not unusual in itself). There were many jokes, and they were all funny. Thank you all as I do enjoy entertaining you along my journey, and thank you Bob for writing it so well.

One comment from my running partner, Gail, was "I'm gonna run the hill at midnight! Keep your phone on!" hmmmm, (this is foreshadowing...)

The day is interesting as I am working today by attending a hair show that is in town, catching up on all the latest and greatest things going on in my industry. I have no idea this frenzy about Bob's latest blog post is going on, or even that there was a blog post. After 'work' my hubby and kids pick me up and home for supper we go. Online I get to see the commotion and find it very amusing, I'm glad I can be a source of laughter today. Through this though Gail and I finally see an opportunity to do a run together today as well. We plan for some speed work.

It always impresses me when I get the chance to see how far we can push the limits of our bodies, and just what can be accomplished in a short amount of time. We learned a few things in a clinic last year (thanks to City Park Runners) but what we remember... well that could be a bit different. Tonights' work out was:

1 mile warm up
30 seconds fast    30seconds slow (recovery)
1 minute fast       1 minute slow
90 seconds fast    1 minute slow
2 minute fast        1 minute slow
3 minute fast        1 minute slow
3 minute fast        1 minute slow
2 minute fast       1 minute slow
90 seconds fast   1 minute slow
1 minute fast       1 minute slow
30 seconds fast
walk a while to recover then slow run to 1 mile as cool down

We left the house at 9:45pm, (because we have families, and sometimes this is the only time there is that we can run) and arrive at the track just before 10pm. I'm surprised that the track is so well lit, we don't need the headlamp that Gail brought- I love how prepared she is!After our fantastic work out, and we didn't even skip out on the cool down, yeaaaah us!We are tired and looking forward to our on the way home treat, a cup of tea or decaf coffee is our usual choice. We head to the car to get our treat and the comment is made that we should check out 'the hill'. Okay?! And off we go. To the hill. We live in Winnipeg, there is only one hill. We have run this hill in the later evening before, and we have a cell phone and headlamp, what else do we need? Oh yeah, our sanity! Our question as we proceed to the hill is "Do drug dealers Work on Sunday nights?"

Gail and I arriving at the hill

Gail in front of the hill

I would like to interrupt this storey right now to inform you all of the facts that Gail and I have not been previously aware of until our last excursion to this hill at a later point of evening. We had been curious on our last trip to the hill as to why there were so many cars driving up and down this hill at such an hour, we were really shocked as to how many people were 'hanging out', walking their dogs, enjoying the view.... Mentioning our late evening run to a few of our experienced running friends we were enlightened that this 'hill' we use as runners, is also used as a 'meeting place' for 'possible?" drug dealers. Ohhh, so that's why there were so many cars driving up that hill that particular night. Yes I am naive! And I don't like to make assumptions about people either!

It is now just after 11pm and we arrive at the hill. There are 3 cars parked at the bottom, so there's lots of parking for us. (I think I mentioned how naive I am?) Gail comments that the SUV probably isn't there as a drug sort of car... because you see it has a ski rack on the top! So that leaves 2 vehicles, and their people to make sure we are aware of. We park safely and as closely to the entrance as we can, which is locked. Yeah, this means that there are no other unexpected cars at the top, and there will be no traffic on the road!

Running up this hill is something I have forgotten about!!!!!! It has been a while, closing on a year I think. Now I realize that I will have to add this to my running schedule once a week for sure! We only run up , take some pictures and run down (my fave!), it's a half mile. We are done for the night and it's only 11:30pm! Woo hoo, we feel like we've pushed through fear once again! Because it was said... we had to try?! As we head to Timmies, we laugh about a car that is turning to go where we've just come from. We are wondering if they are looking for a run as well, or maybe ....? (There is really no other reason to be in this area at this time of night?)

A view from the top

It really is beautiful to see at night!

A neat thing we saw on the way home was a parking lot hockey game! Nice. It's comforting to know that we are Not the only crazy people out there getting some exercise and having fun this time of night!