Checking the Tank

Don't run very many Sunday's but I know I am leaving early Monday so I wanted to get some miles in. 

On the road, in eastern Ohio, nice cool evening to run. Used map my run to plot the roads around the hotel. Feel good. 

AM- Cool morning, felt nice, up very early ran 5 miles in youngstown on the roads. 

PM- After work and travelling west a few hours, found a pretty nice bike path just 2 miles away from the hotel. 6 miles, some hills 7:17 pace. Nice evening run, saw a deer and some turtles! No geese yet, but I will keep you posted :) 

PM- nice weather again, ran the metropark near the hotel. So the first 6 miles had plenty of people, bikes, dogs etc on it, but none of the cool wild life like yesterday. I kept the base fairly easy but steady for the first 6 and then picked up the pace a bit for the last 6.

So mile 6 is where the trail ends so I headed back to where I parked... and things got very cool. Miles 6-7 rounded the bend and a deer is on the trail.  Cool. I got about 2 feet from her, she jumps and then for maybe 1/8 a mile she runs with me- I thought she wanted to pace me or race at first then she darted off into the woods. Miles 7-8, 2 more deer, right off the path- bucks this time, pretty close. Miles 8-9 A skunk... yes skunk crossed the path in front of me. I was like WOAH. luckily it ran off the other way. Miles 9-10, tons of birds for some reason and then a bright blue hummingbird is hovering by a flower right next to the path, slow motion - matrix like. Kinda cool. That was the closest I got to anything in the geese family (ahem). Miles 10-11 yet another deer, but this time there were other people around on the bike path and loud kids yelling DEER and bang bang bang.... Miles 11-12... nadda but I could smell skunk! Good run. Total avg 7:55/mile. No idea of splits. I should have a new Garmin waiting for me when I get home. That will be nice. 

AM- Alarm set for 5 to get my morning run in around the hotel before work. Woke up and felt like I must be late. It was only 4am so I was like 'cool' another hour. Put my head down and my alarm goes off. I swear that was the fastest hour in history. I hit snooze 3 times and went out. My legs were tired and feet were sore. 3.6 easy. 

After work, drove home, took about 4 hours. PM- 7 easy miles. Back to the old routes! Change is nice, but so is running where you know all the turns and mile marks.  My Garmin arrived while I was gone, so I will break it out tomorrow. 

back home as is the high (98%) humidity - 6 Miles early- Decent day today, picked up the youngest at horse camp. She really likes the activity and the horses. 

PM- 86- 5 Relaxed miles. Too warm for me, but since my mind was elsewhere it went fairly quick.  

AM- So we had an am wedding to go to. It is the first time I went to wedding in the morning. So another early Saturday run.  It was the 2nd day I used my new Garmin. Amazon had one of those one day specials and I had a gift card so I went from my dead 305 to a new 405cx. It is to early to say, but so far I certainly like the 405 better. It picks up the satellite much faster, the band is more comfortable and I love being able to program the runs from the computer and import them to the Garmin. The bezel is harder to use, but I like locking it during the run. Honestly I am just happy to be able to see my splits again instead of just knowing the overall run. 15 Miles, 2MWU and then every other mile @ MGP (7:15), 3 mile cooldown. Temps 70/100% - I am telling you that just saps me. By the end I was soaked (no it was not raining!) and out of energy. Quick to the wedding.... 

PM- after the wedding, which was long, but my girls just love having a reason to dress up! They grow so fast. 3.67 miles nice and easy. The humidity dropped to... 97%. Made dinner- Spicy Chicken Stir Fry, Scratch Mashed Taters (add a cup or two of warm  heavy cream with the butter when you mash them!)  and baked plantains, yum, love those.