Last Day of School

  I had a long hard day yesterday filled with lawn mowing, trimming the hedges, and my father in laws birthday. I did the Randall Route. This will most likely be my last official walk workout for around 10 days. When I headed out the door there was a sense of fatigue and dread as another long day was beginning. Fortunately, things worked out okay. I quickly was reminded that this was my last day of the school year. The grinding routine is over for awhile. Camp will be a challenge, but it isn’t a hectic schedule— just a steady schedule. Here are the stats: 7.58 miles in 2:07:39 for a 16:50 per mile pace with an average heart rate of 83 bpm with an elevation gain of 129 feet at an average cadence of 121 spm at an average power of 127w at a moderate effort of 6 at 61 comfortable degrees. Today felt alright. I’m trusting the Lord with what should be a challenging summer. God bless.

Perspective Breeds Positivity

 Today I was feeling kind of tired and discouraged. I just couldn’t seem to get my feet moving very quickly. I kept drifting behind schedule. My legs were feeling sore from all of the stairs yesterday. I made the decision to double up on my board pushups and to skip my leg workout. This helped brighten my mood. I made it to school in plenty of time as well. Just thinking that I only have one more day of school helped me to feel positively about the day. Everything after that moment of enlightenment seemed better. It was a matter of perspective. Here are my stats— 7.13 miles in 2:01:08 for a 16:59 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 86 bpm at an average cadence of 121 spm at an average power of 126w at a moderate effort of 5 at a breezy 75 degrees. I had flies fly I around my head on Woodlot. Oh yeah, I had an elevation gain of 265 feet. I forgot my glow in the dark hat. Off to another day of work. God bless!

Planning

 I often do my workouts by how I feel. This week my plan is to do the 2 x Raynor/Ridge with 2 x short out and backs every day.I just want to be a bit mindless this week as I’m tired and it’s the last week of school . I don’t want to do my hardest workouts as I have to be at camp on Saturday. I did 7.00 miles in 1:56:29 for a 16:37 minute per mile pace with an elevation gain of 145 feet with an average heart rate of 86 bpm with an average cadence of 121 spm at an average power of 129w at a moderate effort of 5 at 73 degrees. Thankfully with there early start the temperature is bearable. My pace wasn’t as good today, but I felt better. Have a blessed day!

Feeling Beat in the Heat

 My goal this week is to cut back just a tad to insure that I have enough energy to finish school and to go into camp. The reality of the surgery is beginning to hit. I’ve never had surgery other than having my colonoscopy, so I am a little bit nervous even though I know that it will benefit me. My loop for the week is 2 x Raynor/Ridge with 2 x short out and backs for 6.91 miles in 1:53:55 for a 16:29 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 137 bpm with an elevation gain of 149 feet at an average cadence of 122 spm at an average power of 131w at an all out effort of 9 at a humid 74 degrees. I have been awake for quite some time. Lord give me strength and direction!

Down a Notch

 Last night my left thumb was aching again. Thankfully, I did fall back asleep. I was able to sleep in later than usual, but I had to get out in decent season to beat the heat. I was definitely not energetic as I started out in a funk. As I traipsed along I started to feel a bit more optimistic. I started at my usual spot just below Starbucks in Rocky Point. I went in a westerly direction. My brother called me a bit past mile 3 . We had a good talk and I felt encouraged. I did 8.4 miles in 2:34:55 for an 18:25 minute per mile pace with an elevation gain of 139 feet with an average cadence of 116 spm at an average power of 111w at a moderate effort of 4 at 69 degrees. I am talking advantage of the relaxed pace of the day. We’ll see how the day goes. 🙏🏻

Not Feeling It

 This morning I woke up from a sound night’s sleep still a bit tired. I definitely am looking forward to not having school the rest of the week. I had in mind to do the 8 x Raynor Hill and that is what I ended up doing. I just needed to do the shortest workout in my repertoire to preserve my sanity. Throughout the workout, I just wanted to stop. Thankfully I persevered. I did 6.74 miles in 1:51:21 for a 16:31 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 128 bpm with an elevation gain of 269 feet at an average cadence of 122 spm at an average power of 136w at an all out effort of 9 at 64 degrees. I have enough strength to keep going and just enough enthusiasm to keep it going. Thank you Lord!

Pain

 I had a forecast of pain this very early morning. It seems if you just treat the ridiculous as normal that it is normal. And so after waking up with thumb pain that wouldn’t go away— I was awake for a long time. I have learned to keep going pretty much unless it’s a severe circumstance. All I could think about was setting up a doctor’s appointment for my thumb. Right now I think that I can forego an appointment, but who knows. I did the figure eight with 3 x Ryan and 4 x Woodlot hill for 7.39 miles in 2:02:15 for a 16:32 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 118bpm with an elevation gain of 214 bpm at an average cadence of 121 spm at an average power of 129w at an all out effort of 9 at 62 degrees. 

 Right now there are a lot of little things going on in our family. I hope that these little things don’t divide our focus. God bless!

True to Monday

 Today I woke up to my alarm and remembered that I hadn’t prepared my water and breakfast bag or my lunch bag. So I got out of bed a couple of minutes early. It didn’t take me long to get things done and to start on my normal routine. I decided on the figure 8 with two short out and backs and 6 x Woodlot Hill. I did 7.17 miles in 1:58:24 for a 16:30 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 117 bpm with an elevation gain of 237 feet at an average cadence of 122 spm at an average power of 130w at an all out effort of 9 at 60 degrees. I have felt out of sorts for a while. Each day it kind of grows. Looking forward to the summer. God bless you!

Better

 Once again, I am grateful that my knees were feeling a bit better today. I was worried because the end of yesterday, my knees were hurting quite a bit. My goal was to do the hill workout since it is the shortest workout. I also made it a point to slow my cadence so as to take stress off from my stride and my inner knee. I have been relying on naproxen to deal with inflammation in a way that doesn’t elevate my blood pressure. I did 8 x Raynor Hill for 6.72 in 1:50:16 for a 16:23 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 122 bpm at an average cadence of 123 spm with an elevation gain of 245 feet at an average power of 138w at an all out effort of 9 at 65 cloudy degrees. I have strength for the day, but at night I am so tired. I truly look forward to the weekends and the lack of push to get through the day! Have a blessed day!

Early Start on Sore Knees

   I headed out early, but not as early as I had wanted for a possible 8.2 miler. I did the figure eight with 3 x Ryan and 4 x Woodlot Hill for 7.30 miles in 2:03:25 for a 16:53 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 115 bpm with an elevation gain of 235 feet at an average cadence of 121 spm at an average power of 126w at an all out effort of 9 at 63 degrees.I’ m praying that my knees feel better tomorrow. Have a blessed day friends. On a closing note: the air in the morning has smelled beautiful with the fragrance of flowers. The deer have been feeding in the field- beautiful!

Surprised

 This morning I was extremely tired upon awakening. I know that if I just keep going and put one foot in front of the other that I will make it. I did the Randall Loop doing 7.62 miles in 2:06:19 for a 16:34 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 106 bpm with an average cadence of 122 spm with an average power of 128w with an elevation gain of 110 feet at an all out effort of 9 at 61 degrees. I am surprised today at how persevering van win the day! 

Tuesday Blues

 I started out singing the blues, now I am wearing my blue suede shoes. I am tired and hating all of the adjustments that I have to make. I admit it, I am a routine person and I don’t do so well when my routine is messed with. I did the 2 x Ridge/Raynor, 2 x short out and back, and 3 x Ryan hill. I did 7.18 miles in 1:59:20 for a 16:36 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 83 bpm with an elevation gain of 200 feet at an average cadence of 121 spm at an average power 129w at a moderate effort of 6 at a foggy 61 degrees. I’m doing okay on this crazy day!

Saturday/Monday

 Saturday: 2 x Ridge/Kastal/Raynor with my daughter Katie from Blue Hill, Maine. 6.23 miles in 2:08:21 for a 20:35 minute per mile pace with an average heartbeat of 69 bpm with an elevation gain of 150 feet at an easy effort of 3 at a comfortable 68 degrees. Katie and I had a nice conversation and enjoyed the time together.

Monday: I made it out at my usual time. I had a good weekend, but I definitely was a bit tired. I knew that following my workout that I would have to say my goodbyes. I did the figure 8 with 2 short out and backs with 6 x Woodlot Hill for 7.14 miles in 1:59:52 for a 16:47 minute per mile pace at an average cadence of 121 spm at an average power of 131w at an all out effort of 9 at a misty 59 degrees. A comfortable breeze would hit my face as I headed north or east. I did say my goodbyes and made it to work. Now I am feeling kind of tired. Have a blessed day!

Field Day

  This time of year is a year when busy hits from every level . With Charlotte gone it changes the whole home dynamic. It’s all the busyness without the help. But there is some peace and quiet. My daughter is coming for a visit with her family. And while I am glad she is coming, I am tired and it is on Jace’s birthday. I was able to put the air conditioners in last night. It was hot and tiring. I had to bring one up and then back down since the venting was cracked. Thankfully it got done. I am going to make it my goal to enjoy my time with Katie and family without trying to make it outing focused. The weird thing is that Charlotte won’t even be at the house. Maybe do a walk with Katie tomorrow on the Rocky Point trail.

  This morning I did the 8 x Raynor Hill workout doing 6.69 miles in 1:50:33 for a 16:31 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 152 bpm with an elevation gain of 263 feet at an average cadence of 121 spm at an average power of 135w at an all out effort of 9 at a comfortable 65 degrees. 

Field day went pretty well. I had 5 sessions in a row of 3 and four classes each and then pick up and unload. It was a tiring day, but now I can relax a bit. Thank you Lord for giving me strength and helping me with everything!

Deer

  This morning I saw so many deer all around. They were on the move at every corner. Maybe the warmer weather means that the insects are irritating them and making them active. They are pretty to look at. I did the figure 8 with 3 x Ryan and 4 x Woodlot hill. My watch paused for awhile so some stats are a fairly accurate guess based on the watch always keeping track of overall distance and steps. I did 7.15 miles in approximately 1:55 minutes at a 16:27 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 124 bpm at an elevation gain of 215 feet at an average cadence of 122 spm at an average power of 132w at an all out effort of 9 at a warmer 62 degrees. I’ve been really tired. Trying to get my wet down a bit. God bless!

Just Do It

 This morning I was very tired, but I just kept going and ended up a bit ahead of schedule. This allowed me to do the longer Randall route. It was a beautiful morning and I was thinking at how my neighborhood changes from rural to busy as the day progresses. I did 7.59 in 2:04:49 for a 16:26 minute  permile pace , with an average heart rate of 118 bpm at an average cadence of 123 spm at an average power of 130w with an elevation gain of 121 feet at an all out effort of 9 at 59 degrees. I wish I had more time. GTG. Praise the Lord!

Resurrected

  This morning I was oh so tired. To make things worse, I left my coffee in the other room. I changed my routine around a bit as I really needed the infusion of coffee. I ended up okay. It was another beautiful cool and comforting spring morning. I did exactly the same route as yesterday. The only people I saw were a trio of ladies who always begin their walking in the spring and stop in the late fall. I listened to some really good Bible teaching. I did 7.10 miles in 1:55:52 for a 16:19 minute per mile pace with an average heart rate of 120 bpm with an elevation gain of 220 feet at an average cadence of 123 spm at a power of 133w at an all out effort of 9 at 52 clear degrees. I saw some deer feeding in a field on upper Ridge Road. Praying for my procedure.

Spirit Bright, Brain a few Cobwebs

 I woke up very early, and couldn’t muster up much of a sleep after that. I’ve learned, through the years, not to fret and just power through. I did my new loop of figure eight plus two short out and backs, plus 6 x Woodlot hill for 7.02 miles in 1:58:20 for a 16:51 minutes per mile pace with an average heart rate of 151 bpm with an elevation gain of 240 feet at an average cadence of 122 spm at an average power of 129w at an all out effort of 9 at 50 degrees.

 A few life comments. I am grateful for the Lord’s direction and strength. I do feel like I spend a lot of time alone at my house. Char has responsibilities and added responsibilities with her mother that take her away a lot. When we are together it is usually hectic. Regardless, she is a priceless mate to share God’s wonderful adventure with.