Early October

Another busy week but we are getting it done! Or at least trying 😜😝

But first a few more photos of the Homecoming Dance. Love seeing Sam and her friends looking so lovely and happy! 😍😎

Back to bit of summertime temps earlier this week. Ran out on the powerlines on Tuesday afternoon and it was warm out! Just loving all the aster everywhere this year, and that early autumn scent along the powerlines. Legs felt a bit clunky. (8.0 miles)

Wednesday, swim practice meant my time to run. Ran on the roads up to the lookout at Thorne Head. Lovely afternoon to be out, even if I felt a bit sluggish and not at all peppy. (8.0 miles)

Thursday, after work and running around getting a bunch of errands done, I headed out for a late afternoon walk around the school block. Stayed in my work clothes, which probably looked a bit funny.😆 (1.7 miles walked)

I had to be at work for a 9:30 call on Friday morning, and didn't quite get out as early as I had hoped, so I worked with the time I had. Ran out on the powerlines and enjoyed the colorful maples leaves, which have definitely become more prominent the past few days. (8.0 miles)

Then in the late afternoon, the three of us headed to Walgreens for the latest Covid booster and our flu shots and then headed to Brickyard Hollow for dinner. Those bacon cheese fries are delish!

Cool and rainy most of the day on Saturday. On the running front, I headed out around 8:00 for some hill work. Did 9 1-mile loops up and around Mt. A., with 1 1/2 miles to and fro. Two deer, one garter snake, several slugs and me 😂 So very humid. Or maybe it was raining slightly? Not sure 🤪 but so very soaked. (12.0 miles)

On the home front, Sam and Ryan put together her new desk, chair and shelves - part of her birthday present - and took the subsequent trip to the dump with all the old stuff, while I was on clean-up duty 😂 so many styrofoam bits! The new furniture looks great and the room looks a bit bigger with things moved around and the smaller, white desk. 

I had had plans to head out for a long run before Sam and I went over to Bradbury to volunteer at Ryan's aid station in the afternoon on Sunday for the Big Brad Ultras. However, my back was so not happy when I woke up. So much tightness. Did some extra stretching and rolling, but the long run was just not happening. In the end, a shorter shuffle down to the river it was. Things loosened up a bit as I went along, which was good, and at least with the extra time before we left, I was able to get Sam's birthday cake baked, which needed to happen anyway! (6.0 miles)

It is always fun to volunteer at our Trail Monster races, to cheer on runners, laugh with friends and be able to support this wonderful and crazy community 😊 Sam and I had a blast, although we both agreed it was tiring standing on our feet all afternoon! 

Then it was home to shower, have dinner and frost the birthday donut cake in advance of tomorrow's birthday celebration! 🍰🎂

End of September

This was a busy week. Swim practice started back up for the season, Ryan was away Monday through Wednesday, our Annual Meeting was on Tuesday evening for work, it was Homecoming weekend at the high school, and I was trying to put in a big training week. I think we managed to come through mostly unscathed but whew! 

I took a walk around the Bath block on Monday during swim practice. Cool and bright out at 4:30 pm. Back to the swim walk! (2.0 miles walked)

Tuesday was a 12 hour work day, with the Annual Meeting starting at 5:00 pm. It was a great event, but those things are just always tiring, at least for me. I am not an extrovert so it takes a lot of energy to be social for 2+ hours with donors and partners! Very grateful to Mom and Dad for taking Sam to swim, feeding her dinner and then packing up some leftovers for me to eat at 7:45 pm when we got home. I was pooped. 

I did have to go to a doctor's appointment early on Wednesday morning but thankfully was working from home for the day, and after 21+ hours worked over the past two days, I was grateful to be to able to take a bit of extra time to breathe and get in a nice run late morning on the powerlines. Beautiful out. 

Listened to the latest "Nobody Asked Us" podcast on the run and the quote of the day from Des was “it’s just fucking running.” Just what I needed to hear as I head into the final three weeks of training for Rim to River feeling slightly stressed over if I’ve done enough and if I’ll get in enough miles. It’s just fucking running, so chill, Danielle, just chill.😜😜 (10.0 miles)

Friendly kitty on the run!

Needed the extra sleep so an afternoon run on Thursday it was! Nice out. Kept it mellow. Just ran on the roads around Highland Green. (8.0 miles)

Friday morning, Ryan had an 8:00 car appointment so he took Sam to school, and I headed out around 7:00 am for a run. Ran on the cart paths and out into the Cathance. Foggy (or is it smoky? Or both?), cool morning. 10 deer and the start of foliage changing. Legs felt a bit clunky. (10.0 miles)

Then it was into town to get some veggies and bread from the farmer's market, and to pick up some pumpkin glazed donuts from Frosty's. It's the most wonderful time of the year! These donuts are the best. Seriously. They are. 😋😊🍩🎃

From there, I headed over to Pineland to meet up with the ladies for a walk and lunch. It was so good to see everyone! It has been way too long. Got in a nice mellow walk with Keri, Val and Mindy and then later Anne joined us for lunch outside. Can't believe I didn't take any photos, but I guess we were having too much fun catching up! Such a treat!💗😊(2.1 miles walked)

Headed out reasonably early on Saturday with plans for a long run, but the body was just not thrilled with the smokiness and weird cool but damp humidity, so cut things short. Ran a rather random meander of roads and trails. Two deers in the woods and one belted kingfisher seen flitting above the Androscoggin when I ran the Town Landing Trail, and still some good mushrooms out there. With today's choice, this means that, surprise surprise, the long run is going to have to be Sunday. The long run procrastination queen strikes again! 😆😐😜I feel sort of badly as that means I'm going to miss the "very early but still being call the end of the season" TMR run, but hopefully everyone will understand that my season is not done, and I still need to get in my miles. (10.1 miles)

It was Homecoming weekend, so Sam went to the noon football game with a few of her friends, and I drove them all to Lauren's house to get ready for the dance. While they were getting there, Ryan and I headed downtown to Athena Enoteca for a date night dinner. Delicious as always!

Sounds like the girls had a good time at the dance. Always fun to see them laughing and having fun together 😍😎

The girls went back to Lauren's house for a sleepover, and with 1:00 pick up and 22 miles to run, I headed out right around 7:00 to have enough time to get the miles in. Cool and still smoky at the start, but warmed up once the smoke cleared a bit and the sun came out a few hours in. Looped around on some of the cart paths before heading out through the Cathance to Head of Tides. 

Came back via the roads, did a short loop through the Highlands and then finished up out on the powerlines and a bit on the Gone Fishing trails. So much lovely aster out there this year! And so many bumblebees resting atop the flowers. 😍🌸🐝Felt pretty good throughout, although as always stopped to take too many photos! Happy to get the miles done and finish up with a 60 mile week. (22.0 miles)