14 & 24

Although I am sure I have said this every year Sam's birthday has rolled around, time flies, and it is crazy that we now have a 14 year old! We are incredibly lucky to have this kind-hearted, loving, funny, smart, caring, sarcastic, level-headed daughter as part of our family. We love you to the moon and back, kiddo! 💖

She also lucked out this year and Monday, her official birthday, was a day off from school for Indigenous Peoples' Day. Hurary!

After a quiet morning and presents for Sam, I headed out for a run on the powerlines. Pretty morning. Cool and bright out. Did a lot of stretching and rolling and the back was feeling ok. Phew. Still kept it pretty chill. Ran across the street and on the Foreside trail along the Androscoggin. The cut-through trail back up to the road below the pond was flooded and flowing like a stream, but otherwise other than the regular big puddles on the powerlines, things were in reasonable shape, and although it seems we lost some leaves on Saturday, the foliage is looking nice. (10.0 miles)

Mom and Dad somehow ended up with Covid (again) the other week, but luckily only had mild symptoms. Still, we didn't want to miss out on seeing them for Sam's birthday and they are 9 days out, so we decided to take our celebration outside today. So, after a quick lunch, we headed over to their place for presents and cake on the patio in the sunshine to celebrate the birthday girl! 💗🎂

Vinyl is back in! 🌟

Then we took a nice walk down to the swinging bridge and back to further enjoy the sunshine and time together before heading home. (1.1 miles walked)

Tuesday was Ryan and my 24th anniversary. It truly is hard to imagine that we have been married for so long, but I wouldn't want to spend this crazy life with anyone else. Love you, Ryan 💖Sadly, it really truly was just a regular, and busy, day for all of us with work and swim, so we did not do anything to celebrate, although at least we had had our dinner out the other weekend as an early anniversary date!  

Wednesday, I was working from home so snuck out at 10:00 for a run down to the river and back. A bit overcast and humid out, but still nice to get out. (6.0 miles)

Got out for a late afternoon walk on Thursday around the school block after work and errands, and before making dinner. (1.7 miles walked)

Then on Friday, I headed over to Bradbury after dropping Sam at school and stopping to pick up veggies at the farmer's market. Nice, cool, crisp morning. Took one fall - hit a root hidden under all the leaves, had a rather unhappy stomach 🤦🏼‍♀️, and later in the run, there were just so many people out that the trails seemed quite crowded! Looped around on the mountainside for some hillwork. Pretty out in the woods. (8.0 miles)

Ryan had headed over to Chalk Pond for the weekend so I picked Sam up at school and after getting a birthday present for Anne, we stopped for blizzards at DQ. Gotta get one last one in before they close for the season! And then it was off to swim. It always seems like such a waste to sit inside all practice, especially on a nice day, so I took a walk and then caught the last 30 minutes of practice. (2.0 miles walked)

Saturday morning, I headed out a little after 7:00 and ran the cart paths before doing a loop out on the powerlines. A nice cool bright morning! (12.0 miles)

Sam celebrated her birthday this year by taking Rohan, Anne and Lauren to the Taylor Swift Eras Tour movie. 💃💃 I dropped them off at little before noon, they had lunch in the theater and then went to the arcade after. A fun afternoon with friends! 😎😍 and then we had dinner and cupcakes to celebrate Anne and Sam. A good day all around!

💗💗

Only 39 degrees when I got downstairs this morning - brrr! - so the heat went on! Also wore tights and a long sleeve shirt for the long run, and honestly was pretty comfortable until the final few miles when it had truly warmed up. Did another classic Danielle meander on the roads and trails around town. Hit the cart paths, Cathance, Highland Trail, Town Landing trail and then out on the powerlines. The singletrack in the Cathance and on the Highland Trail was slow going with all the downed leaves, but beautiful bright morning to be out wandering around in the woods! Only one more long run left before Rim to River. It's getting closer!😶Definitely excited but also anxious as I do feel like I've left a little on the table this time around in terms of getting in the longer runs past 20 miles, but I also know I've put in some good, consistent mileage this year with at a half dozen solid three-day blocks of 40 miles, so hopefully that all counts for something! (20.0 miles)

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! 🍰🎂