Monday Monday, so good to me

Met up with someone I worked with years ago in the parking lot.  I was so happy when she didn't say "Ugh, it is Monday." She simply said "A brand new week, what sort of trouble are YOU up to Beth?"  I replied that I hadn't quite decided but she looked like she had something planned.  The answer was something along the lines of "Muwahaaaaaaa".  Atta girl!!

Yesterday I did a little experimental run, then went back with the elder pup to do some exploratory hiking.  I was poking around on AllTrails a few months back, and found that there was a way to get to a local wildlife management area that wouldn't require a slightly scary section of road or a down right nerve wracking section of road.  I figured I'd log about 9 miles, out and back. Pretty darn close, figuring the GPS gets a little lost under cover of trees.

It was nice to see some of the same drivers and I was SO grateful NorthWest marina was open, and despite the members only sign on the rest rooms (real ones, NOT a porta potty) I used them and cursed the antibiotics I was taking for this blasted inner-ear infection causing my vertigo.  Which, by the way, I did not wake up with on Sunday morning (or this morning, whoop!).  So maybe I should just be glad all that is over.  The guy in the gray truck giving me the thumbs up, the dirty looks by other drivers, the bikers nodding or speaking greetings of good morning.  What a freaking beautiful morning.  

There were a bazillion swans along the Pawcatuck River, ok maybe more like 30.  I was happy they were down a steep hill and across the road.  They are so beautiful and so mean...

The white specs are the swans - a nice distance away and still observable!

A deviation from my normal Mechanic/River/Greenhaven/Mary Hall short loop and a right on Mary Hall, couple more walkers, a runner, and the guy that lifts weights and walks.  Across Greenhaven to see what this road, Stewart, held in store.  Would I actually be able to get to Barn Island?  

Passed some nice houses a big farm with a huge steer in the front yard, munching grass, doing his steer thing. This made me think of a friend back where I grew up, and her sons steer, Ernesto.  I wondered about Ernesto, but, well, he met his purpose.  Then the road narrowed and a couple out in their front garden waving hello.  Awww, nice!  Then there it was the end of the road, and a little trail. Whoop!

Ernesto and his duck friends!

I ran down about a half mile and there were three men running towards me, oh this is good they must be coming from where my ultimate destination is...  After passing through a really nice gate and finding the graveyard I remembered from other ventures out to Barn Island years ago I turned around.  Sort of expecting to run into these three men again.  When I got to the trail head, there they were, trying to figure out how far it was back to the dock.  I figured it was about 2 miles and they agreed, they'd been running not quite a half an hour.  We chit chatted about the trail, one commented on the mud, I just grinned and said, "That is the best part." One of the guys grinned too.  Some people love mud some people don't, to each their own!

Gate of some sort (and Gizzy) 

And back out the way I came.  By the time I got back across the RI border I was in the usual debate with myself about running up, ok slogging, the pace was slow even for me! So slogging the three blocks up the hill to home.  If there was a "WALK" sign at the cross walk I'd walk it.   If there wasn't I'd run it.  That light rarely ever shows WALK unless someone presses the damn button....  I got a nice breather and slogged up the hill, with just a bit more kick in my step because I knew it was less than a 1/2 mile to home.

Did the usual Sunday lunch with Hubb, he was wiped from riding Arcadia but still packed up and went out to the RC plane field to hang out with the guys.  I took a little nap and then packed up the elder pup to explore down this trail a little more.

Arriving at the trail a car pulled up behind me.  I did see the "No Parking" sign and thought, oh crap.  The man didn't seem to think anything of it and didn't want to block me in.  I assured him I'd be fine and Gizmo and I took off down the trail.  As I'm telling Hubb this tale, over dinner, he asks if I carry pepper spray.  I look at him quizzically and say, no, should I?  He says, well you've just told me you've run into 4 men you don't know in a desolate area, don't you think there could be a problem?  Huh.... Actually, I hadn't considered that....  Anyone else get the heebegeebes?  Do you carry pepper spray?  Is that even legal to purchase?

Gizzy and I hiked about 3 miles, in for 1.5 and back out the way we came.  I figured this would give me enough information on Strava and a Boy Scout Trail map to see where I was and what other trails I could get to.  I see plenty of options to add in this nice shady (other than the stretch along the marsh) out and back loop!  There are lots of un-marked trails in there, I was cautioned by Mike C.  So I better stick to the two track trails and possibly the fire road.



My at run work was thwarted by forgetting a sports bra.  Damn it.  I've done this more than a couple times and thought I had a process, apparently I do not...  I did have 5 pair of socks and the gal I ran into in the locker room said we could probably fashion something, but we both agreed that would be not such a good idea. Um yeah...

Tonight's TRX was cancelled.  Funeral for someone taken far to young with brain cancer... RIP Dan condolences. I did take the opportunity to hook up my rig.  Took quite a few tries in different doors to find the right spot. Ended up in the basement using a door for Hubbs shop.   The youngest member of the pack, Jax, thought all of this was great fun and wanted to lick my face or bite at the straps.  First, I know what you've most likely been licking and ewww.  Second, stop, please....  he eventually just decided to start barking at me, silly boy!!!  Ah well, he had fun and I got done what I needed to.

Sincerely,
Beth, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

Motivation

I was lying (or is it laying, lying, I was right, whoop) on the couch this morning,  Gizzy at my feet,  catching up on WWF and Scramble.  Scrolled through Facebook.  Connie did her longest run ever 4.5 miles, GO CONNIE!!!  Kudos to you!!  The Endorphin Dude (I'd love to meet him some day) is running his 99th marathon.  The 5th member of the Fab 5, Erwin, is running the San Diego R&R half 6th on his quest for 13 in '13.  The girls and I roped him into doing Marine Corps with us in October (more on that later). Team Tuez kicked off their 90 miles in 60 days + 1,000 conditioning exercises today and the miles are rolling in.  Marie (who gave up updating her blog, woman get back to it, you have stuff to say!!) finished her run looking fresh as a daisy, how does she do it!?!? Nicole's awesome pic from her 5 miles along the Charles yesterday.  Poked over to Strava to see what the guys were up to.  Boy did I feel like a freaking slug.  It isn't the times, it is the miles.  Damn...  here I am sitting at a big fat zero for the month of June.  Still dizzy when I stand up, sit up, roll over, or open my eyes to fast.  Hubb thinks my childhood blonde hair is taking over, ever the supportive smart ass is he.  Big puffy hearts.

I got off my lazy bum before 10 and went out for my "around the house loop" and added in a lap around the Westerly HS Track.  Figure that works nicely with my remembrance loop around Wilcox Park?  Wow the track is nice and squishy too, weird.  I didn't really think of anyone in particular on my Wilcox loop, what was I thinking of? who knows, probably just to not twist my ankle on the uneven slabs around the fountain. When my MCM training starts the loop in the park is dedicated in support of or in memory of someone with lung cancer.

Fountain in Wilcox park, and the granite is uneven, although really doesn't  look it... hmmm

So there you have it, proof I'm really not a total slug run...  3.5 (hilly) miles / 37:03 min / 10:35 pace. Thanks all for the motivation!  OK bringing out my competitive streak...

What motivates you? What keeps you motivated?  Are you competitive with yourself?  With others?

I felt pretty good after my run and a shower, and the humidity sees to be waning, yipiee!!  Hubb decided we needed to rekindle the Sunday lunch tradition (tragically ending when 10 Sandwiches burned in March) he agreed with my suggestion to go to The Malted Barley for Pretzel Sandwiches, and a beer.  Heck if I'm going to feel dizzy anyhow...   After that I packed up the elder dog, Gizmo, for a hike at Bluff Point to explore some trails.  We were out there 104 minutes, I did something or something happened to the Strava App and it cut a nice straight point A to point B line and point D to point C line when I knew we twirled around on trails for the missing 54 minutes (Stravagate anyone?) We go at under a 20 min/mile pace, I'd say we went 5.2 miles.



That old pup is going to sleep like the dead tonight.  He is going strong for a 12 and 1/2 year old boxer boy.

Sincerely,
Beth, thanking you ALL for the motivation to get some miles in, and feeling better (just in time for work on Monday phttt)

Runnercicle

After giving a friend new to running in the winter, he is training for his first 1/2 marathon happening in April,  some advice on dressing for the weather, my current predicament is rather funny!  It was semi solicited advice, his question was how to deal with the cold air and getting his lungs acclimated.  Something I never really thought about, or if I did it is a distant memory.   A friend of his and I pelted him with advice and what we wear and what works.  I am a girl, I wear skirts, I like skirts, I used skirts in an example of when I switch to tights, when the temperature is consistently below 32F I switch to tights.  His friend suggested he reconsider skirts.  Perhaps you had to be there for the exchange?

Anyhoodles as I got dressed this a.m. for my 19 miles I checked the weather it said the temperature was with in my skirt range, what I neglected to check was the wind chill, NOT in the skirt range.  As you can see in this history of the weather, it was above 32F at around 8 a.m. and due to climb, however the 10MPH wind was dragging that down to 29F holding it pretty steady and the sun that was out, went under cover of clouds.  Blargh...  whaddyagonnado?

Temp History

The usual suspects were out this Sunday a.m.  I asked the stoop sitting smokers if they ordered this weather, they said they did not and we vowed to figure out who did and have them return it!  Many of the dog walkers had Santa suit dog coats on their dogs, so cute!  It really was cold, and it really was a beautiful day, until it wasn't.

The wind was bearable, just before the second hour started there were enough trees to break the wind.  After that, not so much, and I was running into the wind.  Absolutely nothing breaking it.  Lovely. This made me think about Phoenix in January and the Rock n' Roll marathon, hmmm maybe I'd be too warm, I should check the weather for that time of year.  At one point Katy Perry California Gurls came on and I tried to take myself to sunny warm SO CA. Feh, sort of worked, at least singing took my mind off my cold and getting colder legs, is that really possible, how can they be getting colder?

I pushed through, knowing that I had posted I was doing this 19 for a couple of fellow runners experiencing some running challenges.  I knew where I could short cut my route and get in just about 16, I landed at 15.78 at my front door.  I entered the house, and Hubb said, "You look cold. Really cold. Your face and legs are beet red."  I said "I am" and pulled up my shirt to show him my even more beet red belly, yeah that was under cover of a shirt, long sleeved, those come out at temps below 40/45F, it was beet red.   As I warmed my legs by the fire and as they started to thaw - Ok, yes, a bit dramatic, they weren't actually frozen, just REALLY cold - the pain then started.  I commented "Wow my legs hurt."  Hubb chuckled and said, "It is going to get worse, jump in the shower and warm up those muscles."  His years of skiing and swimming taught him that lesson, I suppose, I never did ask how he knew of this torture. It was painful. I'd rather have shin splints.

The water warmed me up quite nicely and I got fairly well stretched out.  My right knee is tight from my tight IT band.  I'll roll tonight and that should help break up that scar tissue.  I really need to focus on not letting the IT band get worse...

As I still 'owed' 3.25 Miles, on the 19 commitment, and Gizmo hadn't been out of the house in a week, I took him on a hike in the woods to more than make up for the mileage shortage.  Taking a leaf colored dog to the forest covered in leaves does present some challenges, fortunately he does have a handsome gray muzzle making him easier to spot.  Plus he 'checks in' regularly in the event someone is handing out a treat.  He loved romping through the woods, he loves going somewhere and doing something and not having the other dogs around.  I took him on a slightly different path at Bluff Point, so there were new things to explore and he could get off leash more as there are less people who venture down those particular trails. Yes I was dressed appropriately and did not freeze!

Sometimes a leaf colored dog is hard to spot among the leaves!

All in all the run really wasn't bad.  I started out a little fast, walked a little between some discomfort in the knees and just plain having cold legs. Guess it is time to put away the skirts and dig out the tights or at least pay attention to wind chill. Live and learn, right?

Stats:

Sincerely,
Beth, who will be packing tights for tomorrows run and remembering that thing called wind chill!