Feeling Good

I was determined to get in 20 miles this week, just so I could say that at 19 weeks I was still running more miles than weeks I was pregnant :-) (I am not sure this will last for many more weeks, but I'll take it for now.) This meant I needed to get out for a 6 mile run this morning. I knew it all depended on how I felt, but as luck would have it, I had a great run and was feeling good the whole time.

It was a bit overcast as I pulled into the field house parking lot. Despite Bowdoin graduation later today, all was quiet this morning as I ran across the field. Not even any dog walkers out there... A few miles into the run, Nate and Kevin came running in the other direction, but other than that, I didn't see anyone else out there. At the end of the Commons, I headed out onto the road to add on another mile. I figured I was more likely to do the extra mile if I put it in the middle of the run than at the end. Going out toward Pennelville also afforded me two other pluses. The first was the use of the port-a-potty and the other was that I would hopefully be able to see some good birds in the fields. This turned out to be a good decision all around. Although I really enjoy running through the Commons, I miss the other routes I would normally run in the summer, and always find the Pennelville area so peaceful to run through. It was nice to be out there, even if just for a 1/2 mile or so.

Ladyslipper count: 144! The ladyslippers are now in full bloom, and they are everywhere. Beautiful.

Flora and fauna notes: The highlight of the run was the three Bobolinks I saw in the Pennelville fields. I know there were more out hidden in the high grasses, as I could hear them chattering up a storm as I ran by. Also saw several red winged Blackbirds and Goldfinch. Other than that, I was mostly focused on finding the ladyslippers along the trail, so I wasn't paying too much attention to birdsong. Aside from the abundance of ladyslippers, the forest floor was alive with starflowers, false lily of the valley, blooming rhodora, strawberry plants and blueberry bushes, bunchberry, several nice patches of pink fringed polygala (thanks to Jeff for helping me figure out what this plant was!) and a few painted Trillium.