I wish I were running fast and free

It may be the cold, but more likely my age (but I know I mustn't let my age dictate my actions) but I do often find running hard work. I tend to limit myself to c. 5 miles during the winter (ok so I'm soft) and that is not enough to get runner's high. But I can dream.

Not me! But it reminded me of my dream

Last night and the night before I dreamt I was running fast and free. Free from aches and pains, free from loss of breath, free from tiredness, able to speed along without growing weary. I don't know where I was running: it hardly matters - suffice it to say I was not familiar with the route but it was beautiful. Amazing how the brain can supply 3D landscape imagery - where does it get its data from? It took me along a rough footpath on one occasion, along a track in another. At one point I stopped abruptly with a fast flowing river ahead, too fast and too deep to ford. There were a couple of other runners there contemplating what to do next. But the path opened up on the left, alongside the river - and then I woke up.

May blossom

The may blossom (it's late this year) is beautiful this year - it always reminds me of my father, whose birthday was in May.

On my (barefoot) run this morning I went down to the lake hoping to swim but had to abort because the crack under my left big toe was hurting. It's always the left big toe that develops the crack in spite of care I give it. So I have duly administered pink Germolene and Elastoplast.

Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Still trying for the perfect selfie...

Catching your dog?

Today, whilst running (barefoot) with Meg, it happened again. Maybe three times now an oncoming car has stopped and the driver rolled down his window to ask "are you trying to catch your dog?". On replying in the negative the driver went on to explain "because you were running in your bare feet..."

Is there some mysterious connection that has hitherto alluded me between loosing one's dog and running barefoot?

And why this "running in your bare feet" as if I were putting them on like shoes? Maybe I run on bare feet (who doesn't?) but I certainly do not run in them. Why not "running barefoot" or even, since shoes are the exception, simply "running"?