If anybody was wondering whether or not I have been running during my fabulous five-day weekend, I have. I did not run on Thursday, because we were not yet packed and anxious to get on the road, but Friday I was up and at ’em, as the saying goes.
Well, I wasn’t up very early. We slept in till after 7 a.m., an almost unheard of occurrence for us. Although I felt I had over-packed for the weekend, it soon became clear I had not packed enough, because I only had shorts and short sleeves for running in. No matter, I was determined to run.
I ran a route I have run before when visiting Arlington, VT. It took me out Ice Pond Road till it ends on Warm Brook Road. The former was more appropriate. Ooh, did a hot shower ever feel good afterwards!
We slept in even a little later today (Saturday) (goodness, is it Saturday? I get in such a time warp when I’m not at work!) (for anyone who thinks I’m rubbing it in that I’m not at work, don’t hate). It was slightly warmer out but still under the 45 degrees which is my usual cut off for shorts. Still, closer to 45 than yesterday. I set off.
I ran in the same direction as yesterday but did not turn where I had turned. I turned later on, up Buck Hill Road. I thought it might be a dead end or it might loop around and come out on the road I was on. In any case, it went uphill and I wanted to run more hills. Up, up, up… this was as steep as some of my best hills back in Herkimer. Was that the end? Did it end in a person’s driveway? No, it curved around. And kept going up! This was awesome!
The road got a little less road-y and more country-road-y, if you see what I mean. How long did it go on? It could go for MILES! And end up in the middle of NOWHERE! The longest I wanted to run was 36 minutes, which increased my time by the recommended 10 percent from what I ran last week (and what I had run on Friday). I decided I would look at my watch and turn around when it was 18 minutes.
After a while, I could see road to my left through the trees. That was no doubt the road I would have been on had I not turned onto Buck Hill. I felt more confident in my original plan to follow the road to the end.
It came out on the road I had been on but further down than I had hoped. No matter, I told myself. This was a good run. It would make a good blog post. Then I realized I could not remember the name of the road I had turned on. That would make a GREAT thing to write about! At last I passed it: Buck Hill Road. I could remember that, I thought. Just think of Buck Owens. Pickin’ and grinnin’. Anybody who didn’t get that reference, sorry you’re young and missed Hee Haw.
I ended up running for 37 minutes, picking up the pace at the end in hopes of making it 36. I even sprinted at the very end, which made for some not very pleasant breathing. I felt great about having two good runs in two days. I can only wonder what tomorrow will bring.
Mohawk Valley Girl 