A bit of a crazy busy week this week! Thankfully Ryan was able to work from home yesterday and Monday so that Sam could hang out with him while I tried to cram in as much work as possible, including a board meeting Tuesday night. Sam was able to play with Emma most of the day on Monday and then yesterday, she and Ryan went out to lunch for wings and he took her up to the Y for swim practice in the afternoon, so she's been plenty occupied!
Lunch date with Daddy 💗
Yesterday, I got out for a short run around the block with a quick trip to the bottom of the Heath thrown in. Legs felt a bit heavy. Nothing like tapering to make you feel a bit crazy and wonder if it's all going to come together in time! 😁😂 (4.0 miles)
Today I'll be running around finishing packing, getting chores done and getting everything set for the trip. Sam has a playdate with Mazie in the afternoon, so we're certainly staying good and busy! 😂
This morning, I headed out for a short run around the block. A misty, muggy, mellow morning run with the sheep laurel shining brightly against the summer greenery on the powerlines and the resident towhee chirping loudly. I'll do one last taper run in Squaw on Friday, and then it's a wrap! (3.0 miles)
Friday was the last day of school. Crazy that Sam will be a 5th grader next year. How time flies! Truly.
Ryan joined me on a short run down to the river and back after I dropped Sam off at beforecare. It was raining and soggy and heavy and the bog bridges were covered in green ice (don't slip! 😱) but the company was good 😀 And I realized once I got back and downloaded my run that I hit 1,100 miles for the year on this run! Woohoo. I'll take it!! (5.2 miles)
After the run, I ran around for a few hours getting chores done while Ryan worked at home and then we picked Sam up at school and headed out for a celebratory lunch, joined by Anne, Thistle, Kristen and Phil this year, for a fun hibachi experience! The kids had a blast and the food was delish! The perfect way to wrap up a school year and celebrate the start of summer! 💛
I laughed when I saw this post later in the afternoon. So true 😂😂
And I was so touched when I picked up the mail and found a pre-race care package from sweet Annie 💗💗 Such a good friend and such a wonderful gift! Thank you, Ann!! The believe bunny will go into my pack with my other good luck charm and I put the bracelet on right away to enjoy and try out 😀
The cats got me up early on Saturday but I didn't rush to get out for my run and finally headed out the door around 7:00 am. A nice morning for a run along the river. So much water - on the trails, in the river, in my shoes! 😂 Three deer and one snowshoe hare seen, plus some lovely cow vetch, sheep laurel and morning glories blooming alongside the sweet smelling hay scented ferns out on the powerlines. (10.0 miles)
Run Happy 💖
Sunday was a swim meet day! We've missed this meet the past two years because we've traditionally gone up to Acadia the weekend after school gets out. With our Western States trip this year we, rather sadly, decided that staying around this weekend would be a bit more practical, but we did book our trip for the end of the summer up to the island so we won't be missing out entirely on the island magic, and of course we've got some CA magic coming right up!💗
After dropping Sam off for warm-ups and getting our chairs situated, I realized I had forgotten to grab cash from my wallet before we left, which we needed to buy an event program and for concession snacks, of course 😜 So, I took the debit card and ran to the ATM for cash, ran it back to Ryan at the Y, and then set off again, this time for a run down to the road to a view of Whiskeag Creek and back. Not quite what I had intended but it worked out fine 😀 (5.0 miles)
Whiskeag view
After watching Sam's first event, the 50 back, I got into the sauna for a bit before her second event. Unfortunately, the sauna heater had been turned off overnight and no one had been in before me, so it wasn't super hot - only 100 degrees and warming up to 120 while I was in there. Honestly, those temps didn't feel all that bad 😂 so I'll take it as a good sign! And with that, heat training and all real training is a wrap! Just a few short runs next week to keep the legs moving, and then it is go time!! #seeyouinsquaw
Sam posted some great times in all three of her events, and after the meet was over we headed into Bath to Bath Brewing for a yummy lunch. Grilled cheese with swiss, Raye's mustard and candied bacon, oh my! 😋😋
And now it is off to start packing... I just hope I can fit it all 😁😆😜
Things are starting to get real here. June 29 is in the 15 day forecast. Auburn isn't looking terrible, but I'll take it with a grain of salt since no doubt the canyons are going to be quite a bit hotter!
I haven't had much of a chance to run in anything resembling close to hot weather, with the exception of the few miles we ran down in Disney last month, and I know heat training has been proven to be a useful training addition.
Last Tuesday, swim practice was cancelled so I didn't get a chance to go into the sauna at the Y, and then on Wednesday when I did try, I felt incredibly anxious and claustrophobic and only lasted about a minute before saying F*this! and jumping out of there as quickly as I possibly could.
So take two again this week and I was determined to at least make another attempt. Yes, I realize that one week of sauna-ing is likely not going to work wonders, but I also figure it can't hurt!
Tuesday morning I got out for a run on the cart paths, minus holes 1 & 2. Nice and easy. (5.1 miles)
Then during swim practice in the afternoon, I gave the sauna another go. Of course, there I was in my swim suit, standing anxiously right in front of the glass door in an attempt to thwart the claustrophobia brought on by the dark, wooden paneled, incredibly hot room and so that I could see the clock on the wall across from the door to gauge time spent sweating in the 190 degree heat 😱 when two ladies in towels, stark naked underneath came in and started lounging on the benches. 😂😂
Thankfully, one of them was nice enough to chat with me for a few minutes, assuring me that I would get used to the stifling air and come to enjoy a meditative experience if I sauna-ed for long enough, like she did! I'm completely convinced that there is no way that this is the sort of thing I'd do for fun but hey, to each their own 😉 and I was more than thankful for her kind words and the distraction!
Lasted 10 minutes and called it good. Better than nothing!
No running for me on Wednesday but Sam had a fun day at school with Step-Up Day into her 5th grade classroom in the morning (5th grade! How is that even possible?!) and then a walking field trip to Dairy Queen in the afternoon. Sounds like a good day to me!
Sam with her Maine studies map
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! 🍦🍦
Today it was out for a misty overcast morning meander down to the river and back. A pair of Canada Geese and their three goslings were out on the Heath and the bullfrogs were croaking away. One deer seen. Very peaceful. (5.2 miles)
Then this afternoon, it was back into the sauna during swim practice. Lasted 12 minutes this time. 😆 And 12 minutes in the sauna is sure to prepare me for hours of running through the canyons, right?!
So speaking of that, in my nervous state, wondering if I've done enough, pondering my training, thinking about the course and all the unknowns, I've been re-reading my pre-race reports for other big races. The state of mind is the same no matter the race. This race just happens to be Western States, which makes it seem a bigger deal. And it is. The hype, the elites, the history, the prestige of running this course. It's all there. And it's real. And it's warranted, no doubt, and hard to believe that I'll be on this starting line in a little more than a week, most likely saying "this is nothing like those overpasses in Florida" and hopefully laughing to myself about it 💗
But as Ryan likes to say, it's just another gym... so bring it!
It's been a fun weekend but first... our Danielle-style cobb salad (no, none of that hard-boiled egg and blue cheese ridiculousness, add cucumber, goat cheese and sweet corn for yumminess instead) for dinner on Friday night was followed up by this even more delicious strawberry shortcake with farmer's market fresh strawberries and biscuits. So good! 😋💗🍓
Saturday morning, I got up and out early for a run out through the Commons and down to Simpson's Point. A beautiful day for a run out through the woods and fields to the ocean 😀 Fields of buttercups, daisies and cow vetch, a large swath of swamp iris, bobolinks, swallows and redwinged blackbirds flitting and calling and the sweet smell of honeysuckle in the air. Did a small loop through the farm section of Coleman Farm on the return trip to check out the blooming rhodies and then counted ladyslippers as I meandered back through the Commons. 197 seen, and I am sure there were more out of view as I ran along! (10.0 miles)
I was expecting rain this morning based on the forecast I saw last night before bed, so was pleasantly surprised to find cloudy bright skies when I woke up. A bit muggy out but much better than rain! Ran a road loop around Highland Green. One deer seen. (6.0 miles)
With the weather being much better than expected, we got ourselves organized quickly after my return and out the door to head up to Boothbay to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. Dads were free on Father's Day so that was an added plus! We arrived around 10:00 am and the gardens were fairly quiet, with the exception of the relentless mosquitos! 😁 Bzzzz! Lots of glorious blooms to be seen and smelled and photographed. The Gardens truly are a magnificent place and a fun place to explore on a Sunday morning! (3.1 miles walked)
Monarch in the Butterfly House
Allium
Beautiful flame-colored rhodie in the Rhododendron Garden
💖💖
Hellebore
Japanese Primrose - so pretty!
😀🐟🐟😀
Building a fairy house in the Fairy Village
Pinecone sculpture
Gorgeous lemon columbine
Bleeding heart
Big bullfrog tadpoles in the Children's Garden pond
Blueberries for Sal sculpture fun
Ribbit 🐸
Tree peony
Yellow ladyslipper 😍
Jack in the pulpit
So many tadpoles!
Rabbit sculpture
😂🐰
Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful dads in our life! 💗💗
