Greening

Everything is just popping around here, tree leaves that neon green of early spring and so much in bloom. It is a lovely time of year to be outside enjoying it all. This week was a slow return to running. The hamstring is feeling much better but there is still some discomfort and tightness up near the sit bone and into my glutes, so not completely back to normal but I was able to run a few days so I am taking that as a win! And for that, I am grateful. It was good to get to some of my favorite haunts and enjoy all the flora emerging int he woods 💗

Monday was a walk around the Bath block during swim practice. A nice afternoon to be out. (2.25 miles walked)

It is light so early now! I headed out on Tuesday at 5:30 am for a run to test things out and sunrise was already long over and done with. I did an extended run around the block, adding on holes 1 & 2 as I ran through Highland Green so I could check out the one spot where the hobblebush is always in bloom. It did not disappoint. Saw one turkey, one deer and blooming rhodora down in the dip in the powerlines. Love that magenta. 🤩 Overcast and spitting rain but I really didn’t care. Just happy to be able to get out for some miles although there is still some discomfort so I am going to have to be careful for a bit. Also the bleeding heart in the garden is looking lovely. (4.0 miles)

Wednesday was late start, so I didn't head out until around 6:20. Headed down the powerlines. Blueberry bells in bloom, fringed polygala, rhodora, wood anenome, shadbush, some trailing arbutus still hanging on and so many jack in the pulpits along one of the wooded stretches. Always fun to see. Leg felt so so. (5.1 miles)

Meanwhile, the garden out back is in full swing wih the bleeding heart looking amazing this year, foam flower in bloom and some buds on the columbine. 😍

Ryan headed over to Chalk Pond with Nate on Friday afternoon, and Dad dropped off some soup for us (yum!), which we enjoyed while watching Survivor. 

Knew I couldn't push it too much this week with the running, but after Thursday and Friday off, I was back to it on Saturday morning. Decided to run from the dump parking lot and hit some of the Gone Fishing trails as well as the powerlines. Overcast, muggy and spitting rain. Very green and lots of good flora - first blooming starflower of the season! Hamstring better for sure, still a bit of discomfort near the sit bone. Going very easy. Bobolinks chattering in the dump fields 🤩🤩🤩🤩 (5.1 miles)

After lunch, Sam and I headed out to do some summer shorts shopping for her and then I picked up thai for dinner. Yum! Meanwhile, Ryan was having fun over at Chalk Pond with the boys and the dogs 😊

Another rather damp morning today with a lot of moisture in the air but no rain. Did my stretches plus some weights, and headed out a little before 8:00 am. The Heath is aglow with magenta from all the rhodora in bloom, bunchberries are emerging, and even saw some mushrooms, plus a lot of slugs! Was hoping I might have some red eft sightings but not today. (6.0 miles)

Wishing I could say the hamstring is 100% but that would be a lie. Still, it is much improved. I am grateful I was able to get back to running this week, and will continue to work towards getting back to full strength. 

In Bloom

I have always said I like fall the best - the crisp, cool air, the turning leaves - but honestly, these past few weeks, not being able to run and be out on the trails watching as the world becomes alive in the spring - flora growing and flowering, leaves greening - I think I might like this time of year the most, and I am missing it. Yes, I've gotten in a few nice walks this week, don't get me wrong, but it is not quite the same. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the upper hamstring allows me to run next week. We shall see.

On Tuesday, I got out for a late afternoon walk around the school block. Nice afternoon. (1.7 miles walked)

Wednesday, I was working from home so after I dropped Sam off at school, I decided to get out for a walk before the rain started. A bit of road and some trail. Always fun to see things starting to bloom. Bluebeard Lily emerging and wild oats in flower. Leg improving but not 100% yet. (2.38 miles walked)

Friday, I headed over to the Cathance after I dropped Sam at school and did a nice looping along the edge of the Heath, out to hole 6 to see if the fringed polygala was in bloom (it was!), and then down to the river. Lovely morning in the woods with so much flora to see and enjoy. Calla lily, skunk cabbage, wood anemone, false hellebore, trailing arbutus, ferns unfurling and first fringed polygala of the season ❤️🌸 I really want to be running and threw in a few steps but that high hamstring area is not quite ready. (2.45 miles walked)

Saturday was Riverlands 100, and so I headed over early for my day shift as the Start/Finish aid station captain. Always a fun day, hanging out in a dirt parking lot in the middle of nowhere, catching up with friends, cheering on and helping runners, and just enjoying the great atmosphere of this awesome 100 mile race 💗Came home tired but happy. And Ryan, of course, having come over much earlier than his shift needed to start, stayed on through the night captaining the aid station until the race finish. Thank goodness he is a night owl! 

Had a nice, quiet start to Mother's Day on Sunday, sitting on the couch with my coffee and relaxing a bit before getting the house and computer chores done before lunch, after which we joined Dad for a walk and gelato 😊🍨 Unfortunately, Mom wasn’t feeling great so she stayed home to rest, and of course Ryan was still up at Riverlands. But Dad, Sam and I had a nice walk and well, gelato is always good! (2.5 miles walked)

 

 

Waiting...

Waiting on the hamstring to heal is frustrating and maddening. Such a silly freak thing, and while I know I've been incredibly lucky with injuries in my running career, I can't believe it's a stupid little fall that's taken me out! Ugh. Trying to not be too grouchy or depressed about it, but I am definitely not feeling the most cheery right now.

It was a busy week work-wise, which kept me occupied as the leg was in no shape to do anything early in the week.

On Thursday evening, Sam had her spring chorus concert. There were some fun songs and the high school choir sounded great!

By Friday, my leg was feeling improved and I was starting to go a bit nuts. Sam wanted to go to the track meet after school to cheer on Lauren and Rohan in their events, and it was such a nice day, I told her I'd walk over there with her. First tracked movement all week. HA! 

From what I could tell, the meet was definitely not the most efficient. By the time we left, three hours later, Lauren had still not had the chance to throw the javelin, and apparently the meet went on until 9:00 pm. I mean, seriously! But we had a nice time hanging out, cheering on the runners, chatting with Laurent's parents and Rohan's mom, and I ran into a few other parent friends too. 

We finally felt at 6:30 to walk back home for dinner, and I actually think the leg felt better after a bit of movement. (1.28 miles walked)

Saturday morning, I headed downtown to pick up some donuts, do a few errands and for a short walk in the Commons. Nice, bright and sunny morning and good to be out in the woods. I'd rather have been running, but alas... first gold thread of the season, a few ladysipper leaves starting to emerge, bluebells beginning to show in the sunny spots and willow catkins looking pretty. (2.0 miles walked)

Had a mellow afternoon getting some stuff done around the house, and of course, watching the Star Wars marathon going on for the May 4th holiday 😉 before heading over to Mom and Dad's for dinner. 

Sunday morning, I headed out for a walk around the school block. Another nice morning. (2.0 miles walked)

 

Then mid-morning, we headed out to pick up Lauren, as the girls were going to see the noon showing of Kung Foo Panda, and Ryan and I decided to see the Phantom Menace, which was showing in theaters for the 25th anniversary. A good thing to do on a rather dreary afternoon.

April wrap-up:
165.79 run miles
13.85 walk miles
0.0 XC miles

YTD:
635.3 run miles
62.2 walk miles
0.0 XC miles