Catch-Up

We had a great time volunteering at Ryan's aid station last Sunday afternoon! Sam slept until almost 10am (!!!), exhausted from her Friday sleepover and Saturday XC meet, so we didn't get there as early as I had originally anticipated, but we still spent a solid 6 hours there, cheering on runners, manning the aid station, enjoying time chatting with friends and taking a short walk up into the field to check out the view. With so many friends both on course running and volunteering, it is always a great day at Big Brad!

Bumblebee on a late season aster

Heading up the hill

Love the brilliant colors of fall

Such a good aid station volunteer 💗

Monday morning I headed out into the darkness for a run on the cart paths with a loop of the Heath thrown into the middle. It was a dark and cool run, cold enough for tights, with only the hint of light in the horizon at the end of the run and one deer seen. (7.0 miles)

Didn't manage to get out of bed Tuesday morning, so hit the indoor track during swim practice in the afternoon instead. 65 laps and a Ginger Runner podcast to keep me sane. (5.0 miles)

Thursday was another headlamp run on the cart paths. Dark, cold and windy, with one deer and one porcupine seen. Pretty glow in sky in the final half mile. (6.0 miles)

This morning I got out in the daylight 🙌 for a run through the Cathance. Most of the brilliant foliage is no longer on the trees after all the wind and rain we had on Wednesday and there was a fair amount of swearing as the leaf covered trails made for a few ankle turns 😬 but there is still some nice color out there between the golds on the oaks and birch trees, the white cotton sedge set against the greens and golds in the Heath, and some bright red mushrooms. Felt fairly solid today but kept things nice and easy. Two deer seen. (11.0 miles)

A sea of cotton sedge out in the Heath

Golds along the river's edge

So pretty

Loved the contrasting colors!

Some type of Hygrocybe sp., I suspect

After my run, I had to head up to Augusta for a training for work, which is a bummer as if I'd been free I would have been able to be out on this boat with Sam and her classmates as they learned about Merrymeeting Bay from a guide from the Maine Maritime Museum! They also got to see two seals and an eagle! But instead, I was staring at a power point and talking about data 😂 Ah the joys!

Taking in the bay

Looking forward to a long run on the roads with Emily tomorrow. It's youth deer hunting day, so we are staying the heck away from the woods!! 😆 Should be a good day for it!