Still Humid...

These are the days when I question why I have signed myself up for another fall race! Trying to run through these hazy, hot and humid summer days can be a bit trying, to say the least! So much sweat💦 😂😏😝💦

Tuesday morning, I simply could not handle another 100% humidity, misty, heavy run where I finished soaked even though it wasn't raining, so I chose instead to run in the afternoon, which of course meant I finished soaked because it was 85 degrees and sunny 🤪😂😜Ran down to the river and back. (6.0 miles)

Wednesday, I got out for a walk around the block after work. Even though I wasn't even walking all that fast, I was still very sweaty when I finished! It was pretty toasty out. (1.7 miles walked)

I had taken Thursday off to get in a fun adventure before picking Sam up at camp on Saturday, so I decided to head up to Camden. Did a figure-eight type loop that featured Bald, Cameron, Zeke’s Lookout and Megunticook. I started at 8:00 am and it was already (or maybe more like still 😉) super humid and hazy, with no real air movement. It was nice to have a mix of the multi-use trail and the more technical hiking trails but honestly, I simply could not move fast even on the gravel with the conditions. It was a slow go with a lot of hiking. So sweaty. Even the rocks were slick with humidity. However, as always, it is so nice to get up into the hills, and aside from seeing some people briefly near Bald at the start and finish of my run, there was no one on the trails. Some good blueberries, plus three towhees, one northern flicker, one deer, loads of mushrooms, multiple toads and some hazy views seen. (10.0 miles)

Friday, I headed over to Wolfe's Neck, with the loose plan for a long run, but no guarantees as I really didn't know how I'd feel and how the weather would be. It was a nice but very humid morning. Felt fine but not energetic. And of course, because this is just how’s it’s been going, soooo sweaty! 💦🥵Trails sections were rather greasy and quite muddy. Blue bead lilies, ghost pipes, ocean views and so many mushrooms, plus of course the requisite ocean views. Always love it out there, even if I am not loving the weather. And so, with that run, I cemented the potentially bad decision to procrastinate my long run to Sunday because Saturday morning is camp pickup. What can I say? I seriously am a long run procrastinator. (10.5 miles)

Had to look these guys up. So funky! American Caesar Mushroom

Ryan would have been headed over to VT to be crewing Emily at the VT 100, but unfortunately they had to cancel the race due to extreme flooding which prompted a state of emergency and wiped out a lot of roads and caused serious damage. So sad all around 😓

We joined Mom and Dad for pizza at Nomad's on Friday night (yum!) and then headed out in the misty, foggy rain to pick up Sam from camp on Saturday morning. Although there were not a lot of photos from this second week of camp, it sounds like she had a blast! It was so good to see her and hear more about her time at camp! 💗She was exhausted but thankfully not sick like she had been the past two years at pick-up, and so we headed home to start in on the necessary loads of laundry 😉

As I hadn't gone out before we picked Sam up at camp, I headed out on the powerlines mid-afternoon for my run. So many wood lilies 🤩, and lots of milkweed and berries including the first trail side raspberry of the season! And of course, so sweaty! 💦(6.0 miles)

And so it was that this morning, I headed out at 7:00 am into the rainy, heavy, 72 degrees with dew point of 71 morning for my long run. Ran the cart paths, plagued by deer flies, and then down into the Cathance for a short wander, where there were a multitude of mushrooms, before heading onto the powerlines for the remainder of the miles. It rained on and off with thankfully a bit of a breeze out in the open areas, but not enough to lessen the intense heaviness out there. Saw three deer, many mushrooms and way too many deer flies, and made probably too many stops to eat blueberries and raspberries and to keep effort reasonable in not the most comfortable of conditions. Could have used an ice bandana, and a refill of water out there - ha! - but got it done. Seemed an appropriate end to a running week that included a whole lot of sweaty slogging 😝😩Maybe we could get some dry air sometime soon? That sure would be nice! (18.0 miles)

And to wrap up the post on a sweeter note, it might have been pouring out, but it was also National Ice Cream Day today, so yes, after lunch we did go through the Fielder's Choice drive through for some ice cream in celebration! 😂😂😋😋🍦🍦