What's Next?: Variable

Sunday, February 12, 2023

Variable

The weather has been extremely variable this winter with big shifts in temperature. From -40 with windchill last Friday to 48 this Friday. Wow! That is a serious swing.

Had two back to back late afternoon/early evening meetings on Monday so didn't even get in a walk for the day. Then Tuesday was an afternoon run on the Highland Green roads. Legs felt a bit heavy after Sunday's long run but a nice afternoon to be out. (6.2 miles)

Then it was Ryan's turn for an evening meeting, so I took Sam to swim and walked on the track. (2.1 miles walked)

Wednedsay I was working from home, so headed out mid-morning. We had gotten an inch or so of snow overnight, so the roads were a snowy/slushy mix, the back road was a bad idea with snow on ice and the short stretch of powerlines that I ran featured some decent sticky snow, but with no traction, it wasn't ideal. I just couldn't resist trying it out. Ha! 5 telephone pole strides in the final mile, as I really would like to feel less plodding on my road runs. Guess I had better work some speed or hill work into my routine! 😉😂 (6.4 miles)

Friday morning, I had really hoped to get out on the trails but with warm temps overnight and predicted to get near 50 during the day, I knew it wasn't the day for it. So, I settled for the next best thing, a road run out on the roads around Pennelville and out to Simpson's Point. My favorite road running spot. Balmy, damp, foggy, calm morning with two bluebirds seen and a neat foggy view out at the point. (8.0 miles)

Ryan headed over to NH so he could ski on Saturday with Peyron so it was just Sam and I for the weekend. We kicked things off with supermarket sushi and Wild Oats treats for dinner on Friday night - veggie brown rice sushi rolls, edamame on the side for some extra protein, wine (because why not!) and a delicious cream puff for me - yum! 😋🍣🍪

Temps dropped enough overnight that I thought I had a chance at a trail run on Saturday morning. It was right around freezing when I headed out at 8:00 am, with bright sunshine and a stiff wind. The early stretches of the powerlines were riddled with postholes from people getting out on the trails yesterday when it was warm - grrr! So annoying, and ankle-busting too! But once I got beyond Topsham Crossing, the trail was in fairly decent shape overall and it was good solid running. I added on a short stretch of the Gone Fishing singletrack, which were in OK shape except for the big dog and the deer prints on the trail. Definitely not completely ideal conditions but nice to be out on the trails. (8.3 miles)

We had dinner over at Mom and Dad's and had some fun decorating heart-shaped cookies too 😊

Had plans for a longish road run this morning, but didn't quite manage to get out as early as I had intended, and so made a slight pivot and decided on a shorter trail run so that I'd be back in time for Anne to come over and hang out with Sam as planned for the day. Conditions were much firmer than yesterday and I got further out on the Gone Fishing trails on some of the lesser used sections which were nice and smooth. Still a lot of deers using the trails, as evidenced by all the tracks! A bright sunny and calm morning, and by not trying to cram in the miles, I ended up being much happier and feeling less stressed because of it, so all in all, a good change of plans. (10.1 miles)

Later in the morning, Anne and Sam made some lovely pink heart-shaped rice krispie treats, and may have gotten sprinkles all over the floor in the process 😂😉