Do you know what the gazelle does when it first spots a fierce tiger lurking in the bush? It jumps up and down several times, reaching lofty heights. Why does it do that? Why doesn't it just start running? On this morning's run Ivan explained to me that the gazelle wants to impress the tiger: look at me, look at all this energy I've got to spare! I'm jumping up and down! You think I'm worried about you? (After a few more bounces, I think the gazelle takes off.)
Fascinating! Definitely worth waking up early on Saturday for! Unlike the gazelle, we did not show off with displays of excess energy before the run this morning... Just dressed up (hats and gloves for all) and headed out. Last week I was mildly annoyed about how stiff and slow I felt on this easy weekend trot around Greenlake. This time I was prepared for it, and prepared to talk about gazelles, look for the regatta action (none yet at 8:30, rowers were still gathered in their snack-tents), and bid the UW cross country girls a cheery good morning. Six conversational miles - funfun, the only run like it this week. I wish I could have enjoyed a relaxed oatmeal after, but had to go straight to work... full day at the running store, where every second person seems to be getting ready for a half marathon. And now they have the shoes to do it.
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By the way, I found out that the gazelle behaviour is called Stotting:
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stotting
i love the description of stotting! it reminds me of your pump-up routines, noonie... hitting your noggin, and then you're off! (do you think eve's trick with the boiled egg to the head counts as stotting? certainly would scare off the lions!)
ReplyDeletei love your writing style. :-)