Vacation Week

Monday was a day off for me and the start of school vacation for Sam. Got out around 8:45 for a run on the slushy, snowy, messy roads and in the wind before we head north for Sam’s high school state swim meet. There is a lot of snow out there. Screw shoes worked well. (6.0 miles)

The swim meet was up in Bangor, and Sam's full cheer squad was in attendance. She is one lucky kid! 😍😊 She swam the 200 free, 500 free and the 50 free in one of the relays. Unfortunately, she'd been complaining of a sore throat and was feeling off, so she didn't have a great day personally, which is always hard, but overall it was a lot of fun to watch her and her team swim solidly and place 3rd overall! What a fun season, and so proud of Sam for reaching her goals of qualifying for the 200 and 500 free at States, working hard and having fun with her friends in and out of the water. It truly has been so great to watch 💗💗

Diving in for the 200 free (farthest lane)

These two 😍

500 free

3rd overall! Way to go ladies! 🎉🏊

Unfortunately, it became clear that Sam might have been sicker than we thought, and she was down and out the next few days. Silly germs! Man, she has had rough luck this year with sickness - poor kid! 

As for me, I took Tuesday off from running and then on Wednesday, didn't manage to get out into the "feels like -6 degree temps" before I headed into the office and then had a 4:00 meeting, so, you know... which meant that Thursday morning, I was up and out as the sky was lightening for a run in the single degree temps, but at least it wasn't windy! Cold and calm. Kept having to pick the ice chunks off my eyelashes and arrived home covered in frost 😂🥶(6.0 miles)

Sam rallied enough for me to take her, Lauren, Kylee and Rohan down to the mall for the day. It wasn't exactly what was on the top of my bucket list for my day off 😉😆 but it is always fun to see the girls together and they had a great time, so it was worth it! Of course, I spent a hour working in the car, joined them for lunch, took a full walk around the mall and then spent the rest of the day sitting on one of the couch's at the far ends of the mall 😂😂

Friday was yet another Highland Green run. Windy. (7.0 miles). 

Then it was off to get some errands crossed off the list before Ryan and I walked across the street for our booster concession volunteering shift at the wrestling state meet. Boy, did the gym smell bad 😜 A super busy two hours, and good thing we walked over as there was no parking to be found! (0.48 miles over; 0.45 miles back)

Saturday was a late morning wander from home. Bright, sunny and breezy. There had been some snowmobile traffic on the Powerlines so did a short stretch to test it out, but needed more traction and for things to firm up for it to really be worth it, so back to the roads for the rest of the run. (13.1 miles)

Sunday was Val's Fat Ass up at Riverlands. Emily picked me up, which was nice as it meant we had a chance to catch up en route! It was a nice morning, warmer and calm at the start. We all made our way down to the ice to set up our aid station and then headed out as a big group for the first few miles. The conditions on the snowmobile trail was not good at all - very soft - but once we got on the river it was definitely better. And really pretty out there on the ice! Still, when Emma decided to bail to the roads as the uneven surface was bothering her knee, I was more than happy to join her 😂 We did some extra miles on a nice, quiet back road. Emma kept going as she was getting in her long run, but I headed back to the ice after one out and back to hang out. As always, so fun to see everyone! (9.0 miles)

Dead things 😆

More Snow

Monday was an intentional day off from running, and Tuesday I did not get up and out early in the morning as I had planned and then had a full day in the office ending with a 5:30 meeting, so that was that. Gotta love a solid start to the running week 😂😂

Wednesday was late start, which meant I waited until 6:20 to head out the door. Beautiful sunrise. Cold, clear and calm. Put on the spikes and went out on the Powerlines which had been rolled and then ridden by maybe only one or two sleds so still pretty soft. Came back via the roads. (6.0 miles)

With a snowstorm headed our way overnight on Wednesday night, school was called off for Thursday. Always nice to know in advance! So it was at home day for all of us. I knew I wanted to get in a run so I headed out around 7:15 once it was light enough. A very fine snow was falling that felt more like pellets hitting the face 😬 Snowy and messy and soft on anything that was packed with a section of untracked snow on the back dirt road. Scared up a grouse heading down to the river. (6.2 miles)

We got a fair amount of snow, so I did even try to go out first thing on Friday. Did my errands, and then finally headed out around 11:30. Definitely not ideal out there - windy, icy, slushy, mucky. Screwshoes were necessary. But the bright sun was nice at least 🤷‍♀️ Then it was home for a quick shower and to eat lunch while I listened in on a HUD webinar - oh the joys! 🤪(6.0 miles)

Saturday, I met up with Emma for a run over at Bradbury. Nice, crisp, sunny morning. Trails were decent, if a bit soft in spots. So nice to catch up with Emma 😊 (8.1 miles)

Then later in the afternoon, as I hadn't gott out for a walk yet during the week, I went for a short walk around the school block. (2.0 miles)

More snow came in overnight on Saturday and it snowed all day on Sunday. I had intended to get out for a longer run on Sunday and of course, I could have, but I really did not feel like battling the weather, so instead it was a very lazy, stay on the couch and obsessively read Rebecca Yarrow's Fourth Wing kind of day instead 😂 Kind of disappointed with myself for not getting out, but on the other hand, it was nice to relax and just go live in a fantasy book world for a while!

Snowy!

This has been a snowy week and a snowy month!

Took off Monday for my 50th (!!) birthday because who wants to be in the office on their birthday?! and met up with Val over at Brad for a run. It’s nice to have a friend who you know will likely be able to run with you on a random Monday and still be up for running even if conditions might be meh 💗😂 Actually it wasn’t as bad as it could have been as a few bikes had been out to pack things down a bit! Fun to catch up with Val, and the woods sure looked pretty! (6.0 miles)

Tuesday turned into a no-run day and then on Wednesday, I took the warm, less icy, less windy route this afternoon and walked inside on the track during swim practice in the afternoon. 🤷‍♀️ (2.2 miles walked)

With nasty weather in the forecast for Thursday, the school thankfully called a snow day in advance so I got up and headed out into the cold calm morning for a run before the snow started to fall. -7 degrees at 6:00 am with a beautiful sunrise and some seriously frosty eyelashes!! 😂🥶 (6.2 miles)

The rest of the day was spent inside, with me working and Sam relaxing, and no swim practice to get to. It was actually quite wonderful!

Friday, I decided to save my run until the afternoon in the hopes that the roads would be a bit clearer by then, so I spent the morning doing my typical errands and some work before picking Sam up at school and getting in my run during swim practice. Ran out to the Whiskeag view, which was pretty as always! A messy roads, windy, bright afternoon run. (6.0 miles)

Saturday was the high school KVAC meet up at the Y, with an early start, so I decided the best use of time was to run up to the Y from home. Roads were ok, although with a fair amount of icy slicks on the sidewalks and on the bike path and a 1/2 mile of slogging through untracked crap across the bridge and down the Brunswick side. Boo! Felt ok but not super energetic. Bright sunshine and not as cold as I thought it would be, which was nice. Then it was time to sit in the stands and cheer for 2 1/2 hours! 🤪😂 Sam's team ended up in second place, and it was fun to see everyone swim well! (11.0 miles)

As it was Ryan's birthday and his parents had come up for the meet, we headed to Brickyard Hollow for lunch and a beer before Irene and Dana drove back home. Can't quite believe we are both 50! Seriously, how is that possible?! Somehow 50 seems a bit crazier than 40...

Snow started late overnight and fell until late morning on Sunday, which meant another snowy, slushy, post-snow afternoon run. Seems to be the cycle we are in right now! Not terrible out, just messy. Just meandered along. (11.0 miles)

End of January

January was a long month in many ways, but also a bit of a blur. We're in the thick of swim season, winter and busy at school and work. I'd say I hope for a bit more calm in Feburary but not sure that is going to happen 😂😜Definitely happy to be seeing a bit more light as we move towards spring though.

Tuesday was an early morning run through Highland Green. Dark and quiet at 5:30 am. (6.1 miles)

It snowed overnight and through the morning hours on Wednesday. Got out for an afternoon walk on the slippy sloppy sidewalks. (2.0 miles walked)

Another 5:30 am Highland Green run on Thursday. Dark, cold and snowy with a nice glow on the horizon at the turnaround. (6.0 miles)

Friday morning, I hit the roads around town after dropping Sam at school. A mix of dry pavement, slushy ice and snow. (8.0 miles)

Then after errands and some work, we headed over to the Bowdoin pool to help set up for Senior Night at the swim meet. Sam even got to head up on the high diving board to hang up Ed the Eagle 😆😆 and had another solid night of swimming. 

Snow was falling heavily when we left the pool around 9:00 pm and was flakes were still drifting down lazily when I woke up on Saturday. Headed to the farmer's market, got Sam up to the Y for the bus for her away swim meet, had an early lunch and then headed out around 1:00 pm for a run. A cold wind was pushing through, and that wind was cold! Also very messy out there. But the snow was pretty against the blue sky, and saw six bluebirds in a tree. (11.0 miles)

Was supposed to meet up with Emma for our rescheduled run, but their dishwasher broke - not to mention it was -11 degrees at 7:30 am! Brrr! - so we have shifted to later in the month. With no one to meet up with, I decided to wait until temps warmed up and finally headed out around 10:00 am. I drove over to Pennelville for a nice road run out on the quiet Brunswick roads and down to the ocean at Simpson's Point. It was a beautiful morning, calm and quiet with no wind. Only the birds chirping and my feet hitting the pavement. Forgot my headphones so only had my own thoughts for company for 1 1/2 hrs 🤪😂 (9.0 miles)

Then after lunch, Ryan and I headed over to Mere Creek for a xc ski out on the Kate Furbish trails. First ski of the season and in like 2 years 😂 I was definitely feeling a bit awkward out there 🤪 but nice snow with some decent tracks, and it was good to get out on the snow with Ryan, even if it was like a walk to him 😉(3.3 miles XC skiied)

We headed home to quickly shower up and then headed over to Mom and Dad's for an early birthday dinner of Indian food and crazy cake. Yum! 😋🎂A nice way to wrap up the week and start the birthday celebrations! 🎉🎉

And as it's the end of the month, here's the January wrap-up:

January:
164.24 run miles
16.16 walk miles
3.34 XC miles 

5x weights

YTD:
164.24 run miles
16.16 walk miles
3.34 XC miles

5x weights