Full Day

Today was a full day. Now, I realize that many other people no doubt had even fuller days than I. I also realize that today's schedule was pretty cushy compared to many people's days and that I am darn lucky to have been able to spend my day the way I did, but hey, this is my story and I'm stickin' to it. :)

The alarm went off at 5:00 am and I got myself suited up to run, padding downstairs in the darkness. I went through my normal pre-run routine and managed to get out the door at 6:00 am on the dot. I felt a bit conspicuous with my headlamp, flashing red light and neon vest, but I didn't want to take any chances. In the woods, it's no big deal but out on the road in the dark, it's another story. I ran down Maine Street to Rt. 24, dodging the ice on the sidewalks. Once I hit Foreside, things were a bit quieter and the shoulder was clear, so the running was naturally smoother. Not to mention, it was entirely flat :)

Foreside runs along a ridge above the Androscoggin, and there is one section of fields that spans down to the river's edge, allowing a nice view. Here, the horizon was aglow with golds and oranges. What a pretty sight.

For the next few miles, the sunrise was mostly hidden beyond the trees, but I caught several other glimpses as it became streaked with pink, and just before the halfway point of the run, as the road crosses the Muddy River, I stopped to take in the view of the pastel sky above the icy river. In the silence of the early morning, I could hear the ice creak and groan as the water swirled beneath. 

After the bridge, Foreside climbs to meet up with Rt. 24, and the return trip is a rolly, hilly one, albiet with a nice wide shoulder, which makes all the difference. I didn't mind the hills, but once I reached the "urban limit" of Topsham, the road was busier, the shoulder was smaller, there was that car/truck fume smell in the air and with three miles to go, it was necessary to get up onto the ice-covered sidewalk and cross main roads again, and well, by that point, I was kind of ready to be done :) I do so love my quiet woods! Ha.

I was glad to finish up the 14 miles in just a hair over 2:00 - 2:00:08 to be exact - but man, I can tell I haven't been doing any road running! Or, "fast" running either, for that matter. Ouch :)

I got home in time to take a quick shower and help with the final before school prep, giving kisses as Ryan and Sam headed out the door. Luckily, Ryan had scheduled himself to do a late shift today (10-7) so that he could get Sam into school for me and do a few snowshoe race errands too. If he hadn't, the morning would have been much busier! Instead, after they left, I made some breakfast, paid some bills, signed up for the short version of Wapack :), cleaned the bathrooms, made lunch and then headed out the door to get to work for 10:00. I stopped at Frosty's on the way in, hoping for a cup of coffee and donut, but they were closed. Jeez :) The nerve! Oh well.

I worked from 10:00 until 2:00 then headed over to Woodside for my afternoon volunteering. I had the chance to be in the classroom for a bit while the kids worked at different stations around the room, and then did a bunch of copying/stapling, you know, the glamorous stuff :)

Once school was out, Sam and I headed to the grocery store, and then over to Wicked Joe Coffee, where we were lucky enough to get a tour of the new facility before picking up the coffee for snowshoe race prizes. Very cool place, and really nice people! Then home to put the groceries away, make dinner, read to the kiddo, vacuum the house, and then upstairs for bathtime/bedtime, with Ryan arriving home just as Sam was getting into the tub.

And now that Sam is asleep, time for a (tiny) bit of relaxation on the couch with the computer before heading to bed so I can get up at 5:00 am again to run before Ryan heads off to the Brad for snowshoe course marking!