Early Morning 10

I'm talking really early morning here. I was out the door before the clock read 5:40 am. But I had 10 miles to run so there I was, out running as the sun rose through the sky. I headed out on the Mt. Ararat trails and linked up to the Highland Green cart paths. Since the plan is for 24 miles tomorrow, I wasn't necessarily intent on the toughest miles this morning, just to get them in, so I can get in a reverse back-to-back for the week. Gotta work with the hours you've got, so this seemed like the best option for this week.

The cart paths are really a nice place to run. Wide gravel/packed dirt paths, rolling along the golf course and through the woods. Came across two women running with two dogs around hole 8, but otherwise, no one else was out yet. After a short stretch of pavement along Highland Green Road, I continued the rest of my run out and back on the powerlines. Between the mellow terrain of the cart paths and powerlines, the pace for the morning was fairly decent, but comfortable, and given the early hour 10 miles in 1:33 seemed just about right.

Saw three hawks on the run - they didn't look like red tails; I'm thinking broad wing or red shoulder due to the tail bands. Also saw a Pileated Woodpecker fly over near the high school, followed up his haunting cackle eminating from the woods. A few more spring wildflowers this morning, although the star flower, wild oat and trout lilies I saw were still mostly just leaves. White violets, bluets, and trailing arbutus too.

Stopped for a coffee and a donut at Frosty's on the way into work - seemed like a good treat after some early morning miles, and was a good pick-me up before a full day of work ;)