Simpson's Point and Back

I guess I started out the week on the right foot with my run with Valerie and Mindy, as today I didn't have any hesitation about setting out on my planned 16 miler. I wish I could run with those two for all my long runs - Sunday's run was so nice - but I will certainly appreciate any chance I do get to run with them! :-) Anyway, I decided I would do a road run today, which I know isn't the same as getting in 16 miles on trails, but hey, I'll take what I can get. I took a look at some already mapped out routes from home last night, and figured I would head out to Simpson's Point. I wasn't sure of the exact mileage of the route I was planning to follow, but in the end, it worked out perfectly. My route was like a slightly wacky figure 8, so I only ended up repeating one small stretch on Maine Street, and I didn't have to tack on any mileage at the end of the run. Success!

The sun was shining and the day was warming up as I headed out around 9am, but a pretty stiff breeze was blowing. I lucked out most of the way out to the point, only hitting the headwind a few times here and there, but I knew I was in for it on the return trip! The views of the bay along Rossmore and down at the point were beautiful. No photos (sorry Xar!), but honestly, I've found the camera to never do justice (at least in my hands) to this area - the sweeping vistas out to the mud flats and the bay along the winding back roads, the sun shimmering off the water, the deep greens and greys of the shoreline at low tide, the flocks of ducks floating in the distance, and the small islands standing sentinel out in the deep waters. The stretch through Pennelville was beautiful as always too, the big barn on the hillside set against the blue sky, the bare branches of the old tree and the golden grasses in the now barren fields waving in the wind.

I reached the tip of Simpson's Point at 8.5 miles, and for the rest of the way, I was running into the wind. It was wicked, literally stopping me in my tracks a few times as I ran through the Pennelville fields, and pushing against me as I ran through town and over the bridge into Topsham. The final 8 miles were quite a bit slower than the first 8 as a result, but I still managed to finish off the 16 in 2:18:15, which ironically meant I was out for less time today than I was for our 10 on Sunday. Ha. In any event, I was glad to finish feeling mentally strong, if a bit creaky and tired physically from battling the wind and pounding the pavement for so many miles. I was also glad to come home and remember that there was a left-over brownie from the other night just waiting to be eaten :-) Perfect!