Me posing before going out for my run today. Gorgeous day out.

Sadly I had to get a new camera. Had my old one for six years. Just stop working two weeks ago. Here are some test photos, all taken with the self timer . I think I'm going to like the new camera. Maybe I will take it to a race every now and then :) Happy running to all.

NYC

Not my worst not my best just got home. I am feeling great, had a great day and yes I will be putting in my application tomorrow for next year!! :)

Thank you all for your best wishes, have a great week.

Happy running :)

I slept in this morning, what a great morning to sleep in. I love it when I’m in bed sleeping and it is raining out, one of my secret pleasures. When I got out of bed, I knew I wanted to get a run in, so I started to dress for want I thought was dreadful weather. I put on tights, long sleeves and was searching desperately for my gloves. The thought behind this was because the rain I got stuck in last night at my son’s football game was cold and windy. I had to go out to my car to get my gloves, to my surprise it was wet out but the air was dry and warm I went back into the house changed into a short sleeve but kept the tights, wished I had change that as well.

All week I ran in Waveny Park on the trails, I really enjoyed running on the trails the whole week. I have never done this before. Waveny Park is usually reserved for when I do make up runs. I decided to extend my recovery for running the marathon by running pavement free the whole week. The week was gorgeous; I saw some familiar faces and accept for the occasional night or two that I got caught in the dark while still in the woods, I had a great week.

When I went for my run today, the air was warm; it was a weird feeling like I had just entered a sauna. I started my run feeling good, but wondered why I was not going faster; I felt I should after not running for a whole week on pavement. Then I thought again and decided my body knows what it wants and went with the flow. I did the first half of the Norwalk Marathon one of my favorite routes. The road was busy which is not unusual for this time of day. The rain came on and off during my whole run and it felt wonderful. I wanted to strip and run in the rain naked, honestly this is how I was feeling and kept thinking this was unusual tropical rain for this time of the year. My run did not feel difficult and I never got any faster but I felt wonderful and enjoyed my run.

A new week starts for me tomorrow, ending a very quiet and energizing week, I ran but I took it easy. Next weekend I may run two short races that I have not run in a couple of years because of conflict. I wanted to run one today but I decided not to and went to church instead. I am trying to understand, when do you give it your all? I read on someone’s blog the other day “I just have to decide to give it my all” Is it really that simple? I wonder and struggle with the answer. The closer I get the more nervous I am but I have to believe that I’m going out there to do the best I know how.

I left the office a little later than I had wanted to. I felt this need to do a run, a recovery run from my long run on Saturday that included a marathon. My last long run before NYC. I felt good this morning and all day I thought about this run. I knew it would only be a few miles and if I managed to get five in that would certainly make my day. I went to the park, when I go to the park I like to get at least two to three loops of the park. I was able to get one loop done, as I came up the grassy hill, I stop and ask the woman walking her dog, "do you think I have another twenty minutes before it get too dark to run through the woods? "Well I think we may have ten minutes before it gets dark” With that I knew I had to stay out of the woods. I did the rest of my run on the open fields of the park on the grass. The grass was a welcome cushion for my feet, exactly what I needed. The children were still practicing football and the field was lighted, this made my run even more enjoyable and I was able to get just a little over five miles in. I don’t know if I should feel this good only two days after running 27 miles but I’m glad I do, NYC here I come. I don’t think I’ll be disappointed this year.

Pamby Ridgefield Half Marathon 10/4

Me at the end!

Me at the "lightfoot Sam Elpern Half Marathon"

me at the "Westport Summer Series 10 Miler"