Maine Workouts Part 2: Eastport, Hope

 Eastport: I did basically the same workout as Thursday except I went up County Road instead of going up Adams Street. I also went up Redoubt Hill and Estes Head hill and out to the Sipayik sign and back coming through the cemetery and down past Capen’s Avenue back to Todd House. I did 9.36 miles in 2:36:35 for a 16:44 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 85 bpm with an elevation gain of 431 feet at an average cadence of 125 spm at 37 stormy degrees.

Hope: I did a version of my new route heading out the Pastor’s road and back then up the hill towards Appleton and back to the Barnestown loop and down Howe Hill road to the road stand house and back to the loop and back home. I did 8.69 miles for a 16:22 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 106 bpm with an elevation gain of 679 feet at an average cadence of 127 spm at a temp of 36 degrees.

Lord willing I’m heading home a bit later. This was a good visit that involved some nice visits and exercise in my home state of Maine. I love the pace of life here. I’m so blessed to have healthy parents. I may put some thoughts together later. Have a blessed day and new year!

Maine Workouts in Hope & Eastport

 On Wednesday I did my new loop going out and back on the pastor’s road and then the combined loop of Barnestown and Howe Hill for 8.68 miles in 2:26:34 for a 16:53 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 115 bpm with an elevation gain of 507 feet at a cadence of 126 spm at 36 degrees.

 On Thursday I did Adam’s Street out High, County,190 + Estes Head, Redoubt Hill, Down High , and down Caden Avenue to Todd’s House for 9.81 miles at a 16:29 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 114 bpm with an elevation gain of 434 feet at an average cadence of 125 spm at 39 cloudy degrees.  I have been very comfortable in the mornings, but am glad when I finally hit the road. I didn’t go fast, but I am grateful for my Maine workouts. Thank you Lord!

Kicking it Off

 I have to say that today has been a low energy affair. My walking workout was slow and my knees were feeling sore. Thankfully, I could start later and not be rushed. I did the Ridge loop with 3 x the hill on Woodlot. I did 9.02 miles in 2:34:31 at a 17:07 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 89 bpm with an elevation gain of 250 feet at an average cadence of 124 spm at 39 degrees. My brother in law Jonathan has been staying with us since Thursday. It has been a good visit. We’ve enjoyed a lot of good family time. Lord willing, heading to Maine for a visit with my parents and my daughters and their family. I’m attempting 2 workouts in Eastport and 2 in Hope.  God bless you!

A Saturday Hike

   My beautiful wife filled in for her friend this morning at WW so I decided to get in a hike so that I could sleep in on Christmas morning. I actually had a decent pace by my recent non workout standard walks. It was a quiet peaceful walk for most of the time, but I did see a few people out on the trails— most of them with their dogs. I have a little more energy than I anticipated. I love this walk in n Brookhaven as it is a chance to be alone in pretty surroundings. Here are the stats: 8.65 miles in 2:50:32 at a 19:43 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 70 bpm with an elevation gain of 330 feet at an average cadence of 112 spm at a starting temp of 24 degrees. Got my strength work in , thankfully. Kind of a quiet morning. Have a blessed Christmas. God gave His best!!

Thankful

 Every week presents challenges of scheduling, aches and pains, potential injuries, and responsibilities. Each week brings a thought of “Can I make it?”.  With the weight of the holidays and with Christmas just around the corner there is a lot of stress. The ways that my wife and I deal with stress are very different which in itself can cause some conflicts. Thankfully, despite all of the challenges of the week I have made it this far by the grace of God.

   This morning I got out there in good season, but I was a bit slower, probably due to fatigue. I did the modified out and back and 2 loops doing 8.48 miles in 2:18:09 for a 16:17 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 102 bpm with an elevated gain of 240 feet at a cadence of 128 spm at 27 degrees. I have just tried to get through each day and my focus has been quite narrow. All said, I am very grateful. Have a blessed day! Ps. Picked up my brother in law Jonathan from JFK just before 6 o’clock.

A Change of Scenery

  Today things went fairly smoothly. I took a risk and went a slightly longer route because I was tired of the monotony of my route. I did Apple Court, Ryan, Kastal, Woodlot, and Raynor doing 8.72 miles in 2:20:26 for a 16:06 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 107 bpm with an elevation gain of 218 feet at an average cadence of 128 spm. I hardly saw any out there. Lots on my mind but too tired and not enough time to write it down. Thank you Lord for sending Jesus!

Peace on the Streets

  The Lord has been teaching me to be content with my circumstances and to let myself experience joy in my present circumstances. Around Christmas time there is a quiet in the early morning hours. It’s a time when my mind is quiet as I think and pray. I did the standard out and back plus two loops doing 8.56 miles in 2:18:58 for a 16:14 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 83 bpm with an elevation gain of 240 feet at an average cadence of 128 spm at 31 degrees. It was a beautiful morning! Have a blessed day!

Providence

 Today I could feel myself struggling a bit. I’ve been pushing myself a bit in my social output (which trust me isn’t saying much for most folks) which definitely fatigues me. So when I go out in the morning it has been a bit on the tired side.This morning I was back on my usual routine doing the modified two loop with short out and back. I did 8.47 in 2:16:53 for a 16:09 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 142 bpm with an elevation gain of 203 feet at an average cadence of 128 spm at 36 degrees. It was a fairly quiet day out on the streets of Ridge. Thankfully, made it to work on time. God bless you friends.

To the Hills in the Storm

 Today was another stormy morning with high winds and rain. My workout stopped short of the completion of my workout (which it often does in wet weather), so I looked at my distance totals in my activity and movement rings. The bonus is that I made it to work on time as well. I’m grateful as I’ve been dealing with some minor issues, which the Lord has been giving me wisdom in dealing with. I did the 9 x the Raynor Hill with three out and backs before the beginning of the intervals. I did 8.57 in approximately 2:20 ish with an average heart rate of 88 bpm with an elevation gain of 721 feet at an average cadence of 126  spm at an average pace of 16:11 minutes per mile. Sometimes grace falls your way and today was one of those days.Thank you Lord !

The Silent Sermon

  This morning my wife Charlotte preached an effective sermon on joy. Her best sermons are always those with a personal meaning to herself. Charlotte is an inspirational speaker. She is blessed with good humor, charisma, and good speaking ability. The Lord truly uses her. The silent sermon is that Jesus is the secret to life and the only way to Heaven. We might invite people to church, but really the only reason for the existence of the church is Jesus. It’s the blood of Jesus that covers our sins. Because Jesus suffered on the cross we can experience eternity with Him. But we have to make the choice to choose Him and repent of our sin. May you experience the salvation that only Jesus can give so that you can experience His peace and joy! God bless you!

Falling Stars

 This time of year the sky seems to drop a bit lower. The dark morning skies seem to be so close that you could reach up and grab a star. This morning I continued a fortunate pattern of getting out in good season and maintaining a decent pace. I was able to get in both super sets of weights before leaving to work, once again making it on time. I did another version of the modified two loops with a short out and back. I keep playing with variations and directions on my route while keeping the overall route the same. If you don’t change it up, you start becoming overly conscious of when you arrive at certain parts of the route. If you change your route up your focus tends to remain on your workout in the present. This morning I saw a falling star drop out of the sky as I hiked up Woodlot. For some reason I usually see a lot of falling stars this time of year before Christmas. I did 8.42 miles in 2:16:12 for a 16:10 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 129 bpm with an elevation gain of 279 feet at a cadence of 129 spm. Fortunately my tight right hamstring and calf have seemed to loosen up a bit. I am grateful for that especially since I’ve had injuries in this area. 

A random thought. God uses hardship to draw you to Himself. When you’re hurting or angry, look up and praise the Lord. Faith opens our eyes to what the Lord is doing supernaturally in our lives. Our God weaves His supernatural into our ordinary natural lives. Praise His Name!

Adapting

 Life is a constant cycle of adapting to change. For this school, the change is constant. I now have to get here at school even earlier due to the time clock demands. Right now I am riding a wave of adrenaline and good traffic conditions that have me arriving in time to work. Last night I woke up in the middle of the night and I couldn’t help but think of trying to clock in on time. I lay awake for a little while , but next thing I knew was that I was waking up to my alarm. I heard the song Jirah on my way to work. It reminded me of God’s constant presence, love, and meeting of our needs. I needed that song. I did the reverse version of the modified two loops plus a short out and back. I did 9.46 in 2:15:40 for a 16:02 minute per mile pace with an average cadence of 129 spm with an average heart rate of 108 bpm with an elevation gain of 222 feet at 31 degrees. Have a blessed day!

Good Start

 This was the day that everything went smoothly. There are days like that, fortunately. The bad news is that I noticed that next week we start punching in at the staff lounge. This will cost me time, just when things started going well. I am feeling a bit anxious about this change already. I did the modified version of the 2 x the loop with a short out and back. I did 8.48 miles in 2:14:44 for a 15:53 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 122 bpm with an elevation gain of 241 feet at an average cadence of 128 spm at approximately 32 degrees. Have a blessed day!

The Quietness of the Season

 Things are always changing— change is always the constant. One thing that seems to remain constant around this time of year is the stillness and quietness of the early morning hours. Because of all the clothing that I put on this time of year, I can never get out early. Thankfully the traffic and rest of my morning has gone smoothly allowing me to make it to work in plenty of time. I did the two loop plus out and back again doing 8.55 miles in 2:20:01 for a 16:22 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 131 bpm with an elevation gain of 231 feet at an average cadence of 127 spm at around 32 degrees. Thank you Lord for good health!

Perseverance Pays Off

 I was not feeling it today. Even though I had a decent pace, I just felt like cutting my workout short. The forecast was for strong winds and torrential rain. I always get up no matter how bad the weather is and see how far that I can make it. Fortunately, the rain was steady but light and the wind was not too strong. I just had to watch out for huge mud puddles that sometimes covered the sidewalk. I got out late, but fortunately my pace was decent. I also did a superset of weights before heading to work. Thankfully, I made it on time. I definitely struggled mentally this morning, but thankfully the effort ended well. Hate are the stats: 8.57 in 2:16:53 for a 15:58 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 141 bpm with an elevation gain of 286 feet at an average cadence of 128 spm at approximately 50 degrees. I’m grateful for little blessings!

Bonus: Accessories, motivation, stupid talk

 A few random thoughts concerning working out over the long haul. Even though working out is a lifestyle for me, it still requires work. At this point in my life I have many minor aches and pains along with some overuse conditions.  My right shoulder has been bothering me for about 6 months. I also have arthritis and tight IT band in both knees. So I use the slingshot to help me bench, and I use compression knee sleeves with wraps to help in my speed walking workouts. I also take supplements to help with inflammation. I use Instaflex Advanced regularly. I tried to go cheap in the past, but this product definitely works for me. If it weren’t for the accessories and supplements then my workouts would not be possible. I would advise anyone to not be afraid to try something different to help with injuries and aches. Sometimes I stop and stretch if I feel an injury coming on. It’s better to take a moment of prevention rather than have to recover from injury. Sometimes I vary where on the crown of the road that I walk on to deal with body aches or tightness/aggravation. Small adjustments can be life savers.

 I also seek little things to motivate m or to elevate my spirits. I’m not talking about deep stuff here. Having faith and goals is already part of the picture. You also have to do things to lift your spirits— even if it’s minor or seemingly silly. Maybe the motivation is a new book to read. Maybe it’s a sports team or getting excited about a favorite player. Heck, I get excited about free agency acquisitions and trades. Maybe there is a news event that gets me excited. Maybe a family issue excites you or you need to focus on it for prayer. Maybe I get a new little gadget or am using a new app or technology. It’s these little things that make life interesting and can even serve as a major force in your day to day life.

  Lastly, I have to admit that I talk a lot to myself during my workouts( well, I talk to myself a lot period).  Usually it’s a random stupid phrase. As foolish as it may seem, this keeps me motivated. Sometimes I do a random Big Papi point to the sky motion. I sometimes am embarrassed to see a person witness me talking or gesturing to myself. 

 I wrote this piece to say that sometimes it’s a lot of little things that make the difference. It’s easy to ignore the little or seemingly foolish things— but I am finding that these little things are actually the difference makers. Have a blessed evening!

Weekend Hiking

  One of my favorite activities on earth is hiking in the woods. I had a blood draw at 9 o’clock for my upcoming physical. I grabbed a quick breakfast and then went for a hike with my daughter Rebekah at Brookhaven. I then did a leisurely hike a couple hours later at Randall game preserve. The weather was warm and beautiful. 

Brookhaven: 3.1 miles in 57:33 for a 18:33 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 75 bpm with an elevation gain of 238 feet at a cadence of 114 spm at around 58 degrees. 

Randall: 4.11 miles in 1:30:20 for a 21:59 minute per mile pace at an average heart rate of 66 bpm at a cadence of 103 spm at 62 degrees.

  I am grateful to get the workouts in even when I’m not super motivated. I am truly blessed to get these opportunities to do extra hikes and complete my strength work. 

I Made It!

 Today is Friday, my favorite day of the week. It’s the last day of the grind of the week. Every day there are both an element of doubt and an element of hope. The doubt is that the workouts look ominous for the week. The hope is the excitement that comes with persevering and achieving your goals. Today I did the standard 2 loop workout with the out and back and it was the same distance as the modified loop. Here are the stats: 8.55 miles in 2:14:48 for a 15:45 minute per mile paces with an average heart rate of 124 bpm with an elevation gain of 206 feet with an average cadence of 129 spm at 31 degrees. Lord willing I am going on a hike with my daughter Rebekah on Shelter Island after my blood tomorrow— subject to change. Too tired to have many introspective thoughts. God bless you friends!

Comeback

 Today as I have all week, I have been on the late side of “on time”. Fatigue makes you slow movement personified even when you try hard. I got out later and had to take a pit stop during the workout— but thankfully I made it back in decent time and made it to work in time. I did my modified two loop workout, going the original direction. I did 8.56 in 2:16:19 for a 15:55 minute per mile pace with an elevation gain of 219 feet with an average heart rate of 116 bpm at an average cadence of 130 spm at around 28 degrees. I have another appointment at the dermatologist tonight. I in am tire, but I am grateful for the workouts— even with the struggles. Thank you Lord!

Getting it Done

 This morning I woke up out of a delightful sleep to start my day. This week I have thankfully reached my benchmarks, but I have been playing from behind because of fatigue. I did the reverse modified loop again this morning. It was so still out this morning, with only a slight breeze at times. I could tell I was behind by when and where I passed the school buses. I went to a dinner and a movie last night with my wife. When I do anything out of the norm, it definitely causes me to be a bit behind and fatigued the next day. I did 8.56 miles in 2:20:19 for a 16:24 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 89 bpm with an elevation gain of 212 feet at an average cadence of 127 spm at around 34 degrees. Just tired and feel like sitting. Have a blessed day!

Adapting

 It’s good to have goals. What I’m finding out, is that adapting is essential to accomplishing your goals. Right now, my strength work involves fewer sets, higher reps, on a more frequent basis. It’s a consistent grind which requires regular, but not arduous attention. My workout today was the reverse order or yesterday’s workout. I did 8.52 miles in 2:19:45 for a 16:24 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 121 bpm with an elevation gain of 222 feet at an average cadence of 128 spm at roughly 39 degrees. 

Fatigue and Irritation on Monday

 Today everything went smoothly from a routine point of view, but my fatigue got the best of me. I did 8.53 miles in 2:25:14 for a 17:01 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 84 bpm with an elevation gain of 202 feet at an average cadence of 126 spm at approximately 45 degrees. It irritated me that there were so many cars out and around this morning taking away from the peace and solitude aspect of the workout. My commute went fairly smoothly thankfully. 

  The weekend was not overly busy, but neither was it restful. Sunday was a good time with family, but it was not restful. I need some peace and quiet 🤫. Looking ahead to Christmas is a bit daunting. We have company and a lot of people coming to our house on Christmas Day. For me, the feeling of having to perform takes away from the enjoyment of the Christmas season. I realize that my wife as usual carries the weight of these things, but she also enjoys the rush of the Holliday which I do not. I’m struggling. Thank you Lord and help me to keep in mind the true meaning of this season which is Jesus!!!

New Month

 When you’re going through a time of fatigue and monotony it’s important to try to mark the day. Even in monotony there are blessings— so many good things that we take for granted. Today I was hoping to spring on the road earlier and do a slightly longer route, but even with the 5 hour energy I was a little slow and a little late to get out the door. Today I changed things up by going in the opposite direction on my loops. Changing things up ever so slightly can make all the difference. I look forward to Fridays since I know that on the weekend I don’t have to work or get up early. I did 8.56 miles in 2:17:28 for a 16:03 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 122 bpm with an elevation gain of 237 feet with an average cadence of 128 spm at 40 degrees. Tonight we decorate at the church. I am definitely the type of person that could care less about decorating. The joy to me is in the message and the meaning of Christmas. So decorating is just another job to do with folks that are way more excited about decorating than me. Fridays in general are a time of celebration extreme fatigue and grumpiness. 

God is good always!