Training for next years Lewa Marathon is full of adventure. Here is todays episode. I tip toe out of the door at 6.10 am to avoid waking my house guests though my big rottweiler-cross-doberman Plutos enthusiasm about an early run defeat my attempts. He is happily jumping up and down and begging me to get going. We are heading up the drive way at my usual slow pace, and Puto suddenly takes off at his rapid speed - not 30 m away is a warthog running off in the opposite direction. It is not fleeing, its egging Pluto on... big warthogs can kill dogs with their sharp tusks, but I notice that this old bull is running with a very strange gait, kind of a haughty trot. As I get nearer it turns to look at me, and I suddenly realise that this is no warthog, he is a big old spotted hyena, and I am staring him in the face. My brain has already created the image of Paulas remains found weeks later scattered in the bushes and the drawn out investigation into who killed her.. I stop in my tracks and call Pluto back but he is determined to see this threat off with his intimidating deep barking and size. It works, the hyena ducks into the bush Pluto returns to me wagging his tail and grinning triumphantly. I give the hyena a minute to dive down his burrow then continue my run. More cautiously now Im alert to every sound and movement. At the end of my drive I heading up the road towards the Masai Lodge and the Park. My normal route is a 4 km circuit through the bush, but seeing the hyena put me off this and I stick to the road. Its safer right? About 300m up the road I come across an impala, she was just grazing, what a beauty, then theres a whole herd and a stag, They dont run way, Pluto behaves himself and keeps to my side, we run right by them, the bright pink sun is just over the horizon and the light on their bodies is stunning. A few meters further a herd of zebra grazing contentedly on the roadside, and then a giraffe, literally just 10 meters from me. She is feeding on a tree and like the zebras and the impalas, she does not run, she just watches, then starts to approach me. Shes curious. Im beginning to feel quite blessed. The air is cool and clear. It feels as if there is nobody but me and Pluto and the wildlife awake at this time. I start day dreaming about all kinds of things, multiverses, work, family, the Lewa Marathon and fantasizing about whether I could get into shape to do the full marathon, and, the wretched hyena. All in all this run is going extremely well, my knees are holding up and I feel strong. After Masai lodge the road is much rougher and takes a few turns and heads into the bush as it approaches the park gate. its a long down slope to the river and a bridge. That is where I turn around and my mind is already preparing for the long return up the slope. I pass more impala and then about 50 m away from the bridge two small things nip across the road. They are small like a rabbit, but they dont run, they seem to bound. The only animal that Ive ever seen hopping like this is a hyrax .. but this is not a hyrax area, this is an area where I always see dik dik. then I notice a bigger one of of these animals behind rock.. all I can see is a brownish head, its a funny looking dik dik. I dont see horns, I see ears, Im still running while looking at this strange dik dik when I hear a deep terrifying growl and out onto the road steps a beautiful huge leopard. It looks at me growls and leaps off in one bound across the road, the penny drops, the rabbit-hyraxes are her two tiny cubs, and she is mighty pissed off that Ive disturbed her. . A very rude four letter word starting with F occupies my mind at extreme volume, I cannot risk going any further. Pluto is a perfect sized meal for a leopard and her cubs, and I know what a leopard can do to a human! She has cubs and feels threatened. Luckily Pluto is way behind me and is blissfully unaware of the leopard - he is cheerfully coming down the road. I turn and start sprinting back and my goofy loyal dog turns without complaint and follows diligently. I dont think Ive ever run so fast up a steep and uneven incline. Adrenaline is such a wonderful drug! I run in this area a lot and I have always appreciated the sunrise, the dew on the grass and the clear morning air. But today I had the added gift of zebra, impala and giraffes, not in the distance, they were right up close, and to top it off, was the incredible thrill of seeing the hyena and then the leopard and her cubs. What a blessed Sunday! If this was a dream I would put so much meaning into it. I hope your day is equally breathtaking
Posted on: Sun, 26 Oct 2014 05:27:55 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015