Hiking

The one where I’m REALLY lost: Runfessions September 2021

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 31 Comments

When people tell me I can’t get lost going somewhere, my usual response is don’t challenge me. It’s amazing how lost you can get in a short amount of time! You’ll see in a bit.

I runfess . . .
Lately the universe seems to be fighting me. When I took my mom to the orthopedist, I noticed where some of the parking for the rail trail not too far from her was. I made a mental note and thought maybe next time I was there I would drive over there to run. The very hilly, narrow country road she lives on is not great to run on — people really zoom through there.

Then the car trouble started

I runfess . . .
Speaking of the car trouble, I also had plans on that trip to stop at Olana on the way back to stretch my legs. I’d stopped on the way there, but couldn’t spend much time because I had food with me. I’d finished anything that needed to be kept cold.

Except I couldn’t stop at all because we weren’t even sure the car was going to make the trip. Was the transmission just going to stop? I had that happen to me once in a parking lot — but this would’ve been on a highway. Would the brakes fail? Yeah, it was a fun trip. Not.

Not the worst drive I’ve had — that belongs to the time I had to stop every 2 hours on the way home from my parents to my apartment in MD to let the radiator cool down. Or maybe it was that white knuckle drive through a snowstorm in VT, until Mr. Judy started to drive & then decided we should really stop somewhere to stay overnight. We are grateful none of this happened on our trip to ME, anyway!

I runfess . . .
It seems as though every time I fix something, something else breaks. My Achilles is pretty good, and so is that high hamstring tendinosis (if that’s what it was). Why I thought it was a good idea to run a 6 mile long run when I’d only run about 5 miles the previous week (hello, vacation!) — despite plenty of walking and hiking — I don’t know.

I should have known better

The foot feels relatively normal again, although there’s still a slight twinge occasionally.

Were the views worth getting THAT lost? Maybe?

I hikefess . . .
Speaking of hiking, I have a whopper to confess. I told my sister and a couple of friends about it so far. It’s no secret that I am directionally challenged, and often lose my way, although I always find my way home eventually. Except . . .

I decided to go back by myself after sitting a while on the rocks with one of the friends that had invited us to ME. As I started back, though, it just didn’t look like the right way. So I thought maybe I’d head the other way, where the other friend and Mr. Judy were.

Somehow I got off the trail and completely lost in the very narrow woods. It was very frustrating (and embarrassing) because I had a fairly good idea of where I was, I just couldn’t backtrack and find my way out of there! 

I knew I was very close to the road, actually, even located it on a map at one point (thank goodness I had signal back there), but it was just a bit too steep and rocky for me to scramble up there (remember, I was completely in the woods!). 

Just as I was finally realizing I was going to need some help, Mr. Judy called. I tried to explain approximately where I was. They got close, and asked me to yell. Even more embarrassing but I did! The host husband finally found me, and helped me out. He led me out the way I knew led to the road, but even then I needed a hand from him at one point. The ground back there was very springy (and all sorts of weird fungus and no, I didn’t take any photos!) and there was some big rocks/ledges to climb over.

I imagine if I hadn’t been able to get signal and talk with them, eventually I would have crawled my way out, but they would have been a lot more worried because it would have taken more time! I got lucky. I also got lost there really fast! It was just bizarre.

For those who wondered why I didn’t just share my location — I couldn’t. At least not as far as I know. My phone no longer can update the OS and that’s one of the apps that no longer works.

Yes, I’m in the market for a new phone

My Garmin does have a feature to get you back to the start — except you have to start it before you’re lost, which I didn’t.

Not a difficult walk but not completely easy either

I hikefess . . .
Our hosts also suggested a short walk/hike on the way home. It was a walk along a breakwater to a small lighthouse. Mr. Judy wasn’t feeling it, but I joked, as I did after my spectacular hikefail above, that I couldn’t get lost on that walk. I could fall in the water, of course (but I didn’t).

It took a long time because you had to pick your way over all the cracks!

So I walked out the mile or so on the uneven rocks, as Mr. Judy stayed behind (and got some really great photos!). I don’t think he was happy with me because due to that little side trip, he had to drive through some pouring rain. Oh well, I enjoyed it — and I didn’t get lost.

Fresh off the boat. Photo by Lloyd Litt.

There were plenty of birds hanging out on the breakwater. Photo courtesy Lloyd Litt.

Any great getting lost stories to share? 

I am considering the iphone 12 mini. Anyone have one?

What do you have to runfess from September? Come join us

Runfessions

I am also linking up with:

bfitfivefriday

5 Ways to Plan Your Next Hike

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 14 Comments

bplanyourhikes

Planning your hikes is part of the fun, although being spontaneous can be fun, too. There are so many resources out there to plan hikes these days!

bfitfivefriday

I’m linking up with My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Runs with Pugs, Zenaida and Run Laugh Eat Pie for Fit Five Friday. Today I’m sharing 5 ways (and things to think about) when planning your hike.

1: AllTrails App
AllTrails may not be perfect, but it’s a great help in planning your hike. I like to look at the most recent comments. Is it buggy? Muddy? I always look at the elevation gain, too, because I’m usually hiking with Mr. Judy and Bandit. If you have the Pro version (which I suggest), you can do things like print out trail maps, look to see where nearby rest stops might be, and create lists.

2: Bring Fido
I like to check out Bring Fido if we’re hiking with Bandit. There’s not usually a wealth of information there, but you might find a hike you didn’t know about or a caution about a certain hike if you’re bringing your dog.

3: Actual Books!
Yes, I bought an honest to good, real life book for the vacation that didn’t happen. It has plenty of hikes that are within driving distance of us, so it will be useful and hopefully someday we’ll actually get back to that vacation (or somewhere similar). The book I bought was about hiking with your dog, and it rates hikes by difficulty and also dangers for dogs (among many other features) so very useful.

4: Facebook Hiking Groups
I also got on a local Facebook Hiking Group I’m a member of (and often get ideas for hikes from) and asked for any suggestions on where to eat, parking, and hikes that might meet our requirements. They were very helpful!

5: Yelp
You gotta refuel before or after your hike, right? I use Yelp (and sometimes TripAdvisor) to search out nearby restaurants, and whether or not they’re dog friendly — or at the very least have an outdoor patio. Not all restaurants with outdoor dining are also dog friendly. The one we ate at before our most recent hike was a real winner and even brought water for Bandit.

Bonus Tip: Blogs
One thing AllTrails isn’t always very good at is giving you an address for the Trailhead. We’ve usually had good luck finding something when we search for blog posts on hikes we want to do. Some hikers write really detailed posts that are so helpful!

Final Thoughts
Mr. Judy and I have been hiking, on and off, since before we were married. It all started with a visit to Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks when my brother graduated from law school. I remember when we went to Great Smoky Mountains in the 90s, we had a lot more trouble trying to plan and pick our hikes. There’s so much information readily available now!

Do you plan your hikes?

What resources or tips would you add?

Daytripping & Running: 6/21 – 27 WRD

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 32 Comments

Looking ahead I could tell next week wasn’t going to be a good time for us to be daytripping and hiking. Wednesday was really picture perfect so we headed out to Lenox, Ma for some good food and walking and a short hike. Sandwiched in between I completed four runs and some strength training.

bwrd

I’m joining Kim @ Kimrunsonthefly and Deborah @ Confessionsofamotherrunner, and running into Summer.

Workouts update

  • Monday: Yoga (50 min), 3 miles easy, Cardio Core Toning, Yoga (20 min)
  • Tuesday: Yoga (30 min), 2 mile recovery run, Dogwalk, Yoga (20 min)
  • Wednesday: Yoga (30 min), Dogwalk, Daytrip with a couple of short hikes
  • Thursday: Yoga (30 min), Dogwalk, PB ST (25 min), Yoga (10 minutes)
  • Friday: Yoga (30 min), 8 mile LSD, Yoga (20 min)
  • Saturday: Yoga (20 min), Dogwalk, 2 mile recovery run, PB Walking with Weights (25 min), Friend Yoga (45 min)
  • Sunday: Yoga (20 min), Dogwalk, REST DAY!!!

Running Mileage: 15 (NC)


PB = Killer B
TM = Treadmill
WU = warmup
CD = cooldown
SB = Stationary Bike

Running Update

Pine needles all over driveway.

Monday Intention: hot, sweaty, easy
Our weather has just been bonkers the latter part of the Spring, the temps are all over the place. Knowing that it would be hot and humid today (then cooling down supposedly as the week goes on), I got my butt out the door relatively early and just ran by feel. 

It was what I call a bell curve run: started out slow and easy, slowed down from there, then on the last mile speeded up a tiny bit faster than the first mile. There was a really nice breeze going, and that helped tremendously.

One of the newer fountains. Also posted a video of the backyard to FB this week. And yup, I sweat. A lot!

Tuesday Intention: recover
Easy two mile recovery run. Ran in a cool-ish drizzle. Yes, we have everyone’s rain, apparently. Yes, it was significantly faster than the previous day. It was only about 10 degrees cooler when I started — much later than the previous day — but so much cooler. It was also forecast to basically stay at those temps the rest of the day — 30 degrees cooler than the previous day’s high temperature. Weather Whiplash, indeed.

A while back someone had painted a frowning face on the bike path. At the time I thought why? Just why? Then someone else painted over it. Still a little creepy . . .

Friday Intention: stay the course
I didn’t really have a plan, but with another heatwave headed towards us, I decided to take advantage of still cool-ish weather and see what my body wanted to do. Not quite sure it really wanted to run 8 miles, and the pace was all over the place, but I got it done. No desire to go longer, and probably will be dropping back down with heat and humidity dropping in.

Neighbors prepping for the 4th. How did that sneak up on us?

Saturday Intention: recover
The thermostat’s going up. Out for a short walk with Bandit, who is really feeling any heat these days — so lovely, breezy, and cloudy. Then a snack, quick change, and out for my nice & slow recovery run. Thank goodness I had to the foresight to bring water, which I normally don’t do because it’s only 2 miles. The sun was out, and while it certainly wasn’t unbearable, I needed that water — and probably more!

A nice walk in the woods in Lenox, MA. Yes, it was actually a tad chilly this day!

Favorites of the week
We had a really nice daytrip to Lenox, Ma this week. We stopped at a small preserve first, which truly was a walk in the woods. There are more difficult paths there, but it’s always a tradeoff finding the right length/difficulty for us all. Then an al fresco lunch, at an area we’ve been to a few times before — but for the first time we discovered there’s trails from the back of there, too!

Guess that Yoga is paying off. It was a little hard getting down the short (but very steep) path with few handholds. In the end I deleted those photos.

So we took a steeper, but shorter hike, before I went to buy chocolate. I have now got some more trails bookmarked to explore in Lenox for a return trip someday. I also found some gardens that look amazing — but suspect that Bandit might not be welcome there. I’ll find out though!

Another thing I’ve never seen in our neighborhood before (an actual truck from Amazon). Nothing on there for us. But the Prime Day packages are supposed to start arriving today.

While there were no big deals on Amazon Prime for us, there were plenty of smaller deals, and the packages are slowly rolling in. I often take the longer delivery to get digital credits when they’re offered — and then have a hard time deciding which kindle book of my very long wish list I want to apply them to!

I also had a friend come over for a chat in the backyard yesterday, and we did some Yoga together, too. Fun!

Bandit. Cause it’s been a hot minute (literally) since he’s appeared on the blog. Always looking for food.

Are you planning any escapes this Summer? 

Any great deals on Amazon Prime Day?

How’s your fitness going?

gwy root chakra meditation

ICYMI: Feeling spacey?  Try this guided Root Chakra meditation (won’t be live until 12:30) here.

Coming up on Tuesday: I’m wrapping up June — wow, halfway through 2021! On Friday it’s already July and time to gather over the hot beverage of your choice.

Enjoying all the light: 6/14 – 20 WRD

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 32 Comments

The Summer Solstice, which starts tonight, is a little bittersweet — because from here on out the days get shorter. Even knowing that we can still enjoy the long days of Summer and extra sunshine while we have it!

bwrd

I’m joining Kim @ Kimrunsonthefly and Deborah @ Confessionsofamotherrunner, and sharing my week in activity — and my Solstice Yoga video for you to enjoy.

Workouts update

  • Monday: Yoga (50 min), 3 miles TM, Dogwalk, PB ST (25 min), Yoga (20 min)
  • Tuesday: Yoga (30 min), 2 mile recovery run, Dogwalk, Yoga (20 min)
  • Wednesday: Yoga (30 min), Dogwalk, Filmed Yoga video (60 minutes)
  • Thursday: Yoga (20 min), 8 mile LSD, Yoga (15 minutes)
  • Friday: Yoga (20 min), Dogwalk, 2 mile recovery run, Filmed Yoga Video (60 min)
  • Saturday: Yoga (20 min), Dogwalk, Short Hike
  • Sunday: Yoga (20 min), Dogwalk

Running Mileage: 15 (NC)


PB = Killer B
TM = Treadmill
WU = warmup
CD = cooldown
SB = Stationary Bike

Running Update

Monday Intention: much slower intervals
I woke up to pouring rain and thunder & lightning. It looked like there might be a break around 8 am — nope. I had planned a treadmill run, and then I had hopes I could squeeze my run in outside — but it wasn’t worth risking it. I’ve been caught in a thunderstorms on the run. 3 times.

Of course it was fine the whole time I was running on the treadmill

I did a 45 Peloton Rock Run, but I made sure I wasn’t pushing as hard as my last Intervals run. I’ve been pushing a few weeks now, and it’s time to cut it back just a bit. I was still doing intervals, but not as fast. All was well until the last 10 minutes when my Ipad lost Wifi apparently — I just did a steady pace until I hit 3 miles and called it good.

After I showered and it was still clear, so I walked Bandit. We had already turned around but were still at least half a mile from home when I heard more thunder. Luckily he seemed to sense the need to get home, and by the time we got there, of course the thunder has stopped — for a while.

This is what I see before most runs

Tuesday Intention: recover
Easy two mile recovery run. Really not much to say (or apparently remember) from this one.

Not much to see on the runs this week. A sketch of 3 ladies chatting as I cooled down

Thursday Intention: increase distance
I really feel for those of you out in the west & midwest! Meanwhile we have been enjoying some damn nice weather this week (don’t worry, our luck ran out on Saturday, the day we were hiking). I took advantage of that to run 8 miles. 8 very slow miles. At some point I saw either a groundhog or a beaver — I was too far away to tell which. Still nothing terribly exciting on the run!

There are fewer rabbits this year but they’re BIG!

Friday Intention: recover
Another cool, dry morning. It’s heating up, but not quickly. I know it’s almost Summer, but this is the Spring weather we skipped and I love it! We walked Bandit first, because although not super hot, no cloud cover. The  running pace was quicker than the long run pace again — but far shorter.

Photo credit Lloyd Litt. Not long after I got up on Saturday, I looked out my kitchen window and this is what we saw. I shouted to Mr. Judy. I’d heard there was one in our area, but we’d never seen an albino squirrel before. Mr. Judy got some great shots! Apparently not all white squirrels are ablinos, but we think this one was.

Favorites of the week
Seriously? The weather! Except for Monday we had great weather this week. I wrote that before Saturday dawned really hot & humid! Well, most of the days were great.

Short hike at Falling Waters Preserve. At least there was still some water falling!

A nice day hiking, eating outside, and time with family yesterday. It’s so nice to get together with people without masking. And hugging them!

If you’re caught in the heatwave, how are you coping? 

If you do a recovery run, ever have it be faster than the long run?

Did you know the Summer Solstice and the longest day of the year is Monday?

GWY Summer Solstice Flow 2021

ICYMI: I’ve got a great Summer Solstice flow that will tone you from top to bottom. It’s Beginner-friendly but that doesn’t mean it’s easy! You’ll find the video here. Keep your eyes peeled on my FB pages on Monday — I’m hoping to have Yin Yoga practice for the Solstice up tomorrow (if that’s your thing).

Coming up on Tuesday: I’m wrapping up June — wow, halfway through 2021! On Friday I’ve got a few things to get off my chest. It’s Runfession time!

Settling into a Groove: 6/7 – 13 WRD

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 36 Comments

I find it’s easier to get in more fitness during the Summer — how about you? I seem to have settled into a groove of running 4 x week, even though that wasn’t a goal. I told myself I was only going to run 3 x this week, but oops.

After a very hot and humid start to the week, it finally cooled off and I just knew I had to take advantage of that!

bwrd

I’m joining Kim @ Kimrunsonthefly and Deborah @ Confessionsofamotherrunner, and my most weekly miles in a long time. Not that it’s much, but hey, I did one of my best halfs with just 19 miles a week.

Workouts update

  • Monday: Yoga (30 min), 3 miles easy, Dogwalk, PB ST (25 min), Yoga (20 min)
  • Tuesday: Yoga (30 min), Dogwalk, Yoga (20 min)
  • Wednesday: Yoga (30 min), Dogwalk, 3.5 miles of Intervals, PB ST (25 min)
  • Thursday: Yoga (20 min), Dogwalk, Shortish hike
  • Friday: Yoga (30 min), 7 mile LSD, Yoga (20 min)
  • Saturday: Yoga (30 min), Dogwalk, 1.5 miles recovery, Cardio Toning (25 min)
  • Sunday: Yoga (30 min), Dogwalk, Yoga (45 min)

Running Mileage: 15 (+2)


PB = Killer B
TM = Treadmill
WU = warmup
CD = cooldown
SB = Stationary Bike

Running Update

Thankfully they did not go out the side the sewer was on; I haven’t seen them again

Monday Intention: beat the heat & keep it easy
I didn’t get out quite as early as I’d planned — what’s new? — but this is the earliest I’ve started my run so far. Thank goodness, because there was not a cloud in the sky and even at 6:30 it was hot. It probably didn’t help that I stopped to take some photos of the Mama duck and her ducklings. Yup, she was going walkabout again. 7 ducklings! Poor mama!

Wednesday Intention: I feel the need for speed
It has been about 70 and very humid when I’ve been walking Bandit for the last few days at about 6:30 am — I finally cried Uncle and decided to take it to the mill today. Which meant I could push myself a little harder than I have been lately.

I chose a 45 minute interval run. They were intervals of 4 minutes (2 at marathon pace, 2 at half pace) and 6 minutes (3 at half pace, and 3 at 5k pace) — something like that anyway. The instructor challenged you not to walk in the recovery interval but nope, I did. #sorrynotsorry.

Mr. Judy came in as I practically melted onto the mill at the end, wondering if I was okay. I was but it was not an easy workout!

Again not sure what these wildflowers are. They actually look a bit like petunias.

Friday Intention: increase distance
A dew point of 44 degrees! I took advantage of that to relax longer in the morning than usual lately, and even though it got a bit humid towards the end. even with a late start this run was fine. I thought my legs would feel heavy after the previous day’s hike, but they were fine, too. I know I said this would be a cutback week, but I took advantage of the cooler weather at the end of the week to go longer. Who knows how long that will stick around?

Saturday Intention: recover
Again a cool morning, so I walked Bandit before my run, instead of after. The heat earlier in the week definitely took something out of me and I was still recovering. Although my pace was slow, still not as slow as a recovery run should be (about the same as my long run pace!). Garmin said my V02 Max nudged up to 40 afterward, which is a number I haven’t seen in a long time, so I guess I’m doing something right.

Bandit doesn’t like water. We really weren’t sure he’d cross the stream. He did. Twice. No problem. Where we crossed wasn’t as wide as the photo above, but a little too wide to just jump across.

Favorites of the week
Thursday was finally a really lovely day. Mr. Judy actually suggested we hike. He wanted to go somewhere that was relatively close to home (within 30 minutes). The small park I chose wasn’t exciting, but I think we both had a good time. I know Bandit did.

We also ran into an older gentleman who used to be a runner as we were finishing up our hike. He had all sorts of stories to share with me; I’ll be sharing more of that when we meet for coffee/tea in a couple of weeks.

I had plans to go on another hike yesterday with a friend, but a long to-do list, a rainy morning, and already having tackled mud with Bandit on my last hike and my friend and I agreed neither of us really wanted to go. Today I bookmarked some hikes in MA & VT for the future.

Do you feel it’s easier to fit in more activity during Summer? 

Getting out earlier to beat the heat or just enduring it?

Training or just running?

GWY Yin Yoga at the Wall

ICYMI: We are switching it up and using the wall as a prop in this hip opening Yin Yoga practice. You’ll find the video here.

Coming up on Tuesday: Why it can be good to unplug. On Friday if you’re looking to shake up your runs just a little bit, I’ve got some ideas for you.

The one with animals & easy hiking: 5/31 – 6/6 WRD

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 47 Comments

It was a somewhat busy week with a trip to my mom and an early long run. Very glad I got that done before Summer started to come back again! I used to run very early all the time, but over the years I’ve found that can feel tiring after a while — even though I’m up early naturally (and doing my Yoga then).

There are really only two ways for me to beat the heat though: run on the treadmill or get my butt out there early. I haven’t run on the treadmill recently . . .

bwrd

I’m joining Kim @ Kimrunsonthefly and Deborah @ Confessionsofamotherrunner, and slowly building up a base again.

Workouts update

  • Monday: Yoga (30 min), Short walks & hikes
  • Tuesday: Yoga (30 min), 6 mile LSD, PB ST (25 min), Yoga (20 min)
  • Wednesday: Yoga (30 min), 2 mile recovery run, Dogwalk, PB ST (25 min), Yoga (20 min)
  • Thursday: Yoga (30 min), Dogwalk
  • Friday: Yoga (30 min), 3 miles easy with surges, Dogwalk, PB ST (20 min), Yoga (20 min)
  • Saturday: Yoga (30 min), 2 miles recovery, Dogwalk, Filmed Yoga Video (60 minutes), Cardio Toning (25 min)
  • Sunday: Yoga (40 min), Dogwalk, Walk/ Easy Hike

Running Mileage: 13 (-1)


PB = Killer B
TM = Treadmill
WU = warmup
CD = cooldown
SB = Stationary Bike

Running Update

She must have been laying eggs although I didn’t see any

Tuesday Intention: keep it easy
Going to see my mom is always a long & tiring day, so normally I wouldn’t run the next day. I definitely don’t usually do my long runs on Tuesdays either. It looked like the best weather so I decided to roll with it and just keep it easy. No pickups/surges just easy miles. The weather was cool at the beginning, getting a touch humid (but not hot) at the end.

Thanks to Kim @ Kimrunsonthefly for the Global Running Day collage!

Wednesday Intention: recover
Of course normally I wouldn’t hike Monday, do a long run Tuesday, and then run again Wednesday. I’m trying to embrace the cooler mornings before the next heat wave and the recovery run at the same time. Even I have trouble running slowly enough for it to be a true recovery run, but it’s certainly not fast.

Thank you for your service

Friday Intention: easy — acclimate to warmer temps
That was the intention. Just like my intention for this week was a cutback week. No on both counts. I set out for an easy run, and it wasn’t a hard run, but I found myself putting in surges in the last couple of miles anyway.

Trying to hide in plain sight by our driveway

Saturday Intention: recover
I’m getting out there earlier and earlier to beat the heat. I definitely took this run easy.

Suddenly there’s a lot more bunnies

It was still somewhat cool, getting a touch humid, and for whatever reason my pace was slower. Which is not a bad thing for a recovery run.

The flowers at Olana are lovely; too bad it was a cold & nasty while we were there!

Favorites of the week
Will we or won’t we? My mom was super excited by the fact that we could join her for her Memorial Day picnic. Unfortunately Mother Nature didn’t get the memo, and while the rain held off, it was far too chilly to eat outside — we are still not allowed into the dining room. So a picnic at Olana it was.

We could bring Bandit into my mom’s apartment, finally! We joined her to chat after her BBQ. My sister and BIL came too. Everyone except my BIL was maskless (BIL won’t get vaccinated). Still inching back towards normal.

We saw more turtles & some deer crossing the river — quite a ways away from us though.

A maskless catchup walk with a friend today, too.

If you celebrated Memorial Day how did you celebrate? 

Have you had to adjust when you run due to the temps?

Training or just running?

GWY Strong Legs Yoga Flow

ICYMI: An hour Hatha Yoga practice. I believe that you need the Yin and Yang practices. This practice will help you get strong legs. You’ll find the video here.

Coming up on Tuesday: Since it’s heating up, let’s talk about ways to conquer that heat. On Friday I’m sharing tips if you want to hike with your dog/s.

Hello, Summer!: 5/17 – 23 WRD

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 37 Comments

Last week we kinda went from almost Winter to Spring, but I could see looking ahead that we were rapidly moving into Summer. Which we did. Suddenly I was running earlier and earlier and it was getting warmer and warmer.

bwrd

I’m joining Kim @ Kimrunsonthefly and Deborah @ Confessionsofamotherrunner, and trading pace for effort.

Workouts update

  • Monday: Yoga (30 min), 3 miles with long hill repeats, Dogwalk, Yoga (20 minutes)
  • Tuesday: Yoga (30 min), Short but steep hikes in Lake George
  • Wednesday: Yoga (30 min), Dogwalk
  • Thursday: Yoga (15 min), 3 miles easy Dogwalk
  • Friday: Yoga (30 min), Dogwalk, PB ST (25 min), Yoga (40 min)
  • Saturday: Yoga (60 min), Dogwalk, PB Toning Arms Walk (20 min), Yoga (30 min)
  • Sunday: Yoga (20 min), 6 miles LSD, maybe a walk with light weights later, Yoga (20 min)

Running Mileage: 12 (+1)

JY = Jasyoga
PB = Killer B
TM = Treadmill
YFR = Yoga for Runners*
WU = warmup
CD = cooldown
SB = Stationary Bike
YFPR = Yoga for Pain Relief
YTU = Yoga Tune Up Lower Body*

*Disclaimer: Amazon affiliate links; I will make a small amount of money if you buy through these links

Just another bunny

Running Update

Monday Intention: take it up a notch
Animals: 30 Robins, 1 Large Rabbit (who was still there when we walked Bandit)
I may often miss a Monday, but I also enjoy running on Monday because that leaves me options if the week goes sideways. I did have an early Webinar to catch, so I had to get out there early, so that Bandit could also be walked before the temps rose.

I wasn’t really feeling strides, so I did my hill repeats where I run up the short hill, over to the longer hill (which is also an incline), down the longer hill, and back over to the shorter hill — repeat as desired. Still riding the good running wave.

This house keeps us guessing. Last year they planted mini sunflowers & other flowers outside their fence. What are they up to now?

Thursday Intention: EASY
Animals: 50 Robins; a variety of squirrels, chipmunks, and other birds; 1 rabbit
Things are heating up quickly here (hence the subject of this post). With two harder workouts at the beginning of the week, I wanted to make sure I just spent some time running. I also got out much earlier as Mr. Judy wouldn’t be home, and Bandit needed to be walked before it heated up too much.

I was really shocked to see that this run was negative splits. Slow negative splits, but negative nonetheless. Hello, Summer Running!

These were all over the bike path

Sunday Intention: steady & easy
Animals seen: plenty, but I wasn’t counting today; although apparently this is where all the cool bunnies (and chipmunks) hang out
Thank God for cloud cover and starting early. It had warmed up considerably by the end of this run. I had 6 miles in mind, but I wasn’t married to it — but because I went steady and easy, 6 miles were totally doable.

At the beginning there was what seemed to be an entire family of both chipmunks and rabbits on the bike path, and yes, plenty of robins, too. What wasn’t there? A bear. One had been sighted recently on the bike path, but not really that close to us. I kept alert; you never know.

The really odd thing is that before I heard about that, I’d had a dream about bears, and one I saw somewhere I often run, although when I woke up I couldn’t quite remember where that had been. I told Mr. Judy about it, because I very rarely remember my dreams, so I have proof!

I think we all enjoyed this hike. I enjoyed the second, wish I could’ve gotten to the overlook though!

Favorites of the week
I was surprised when Mr. Judy agreed to an impromptu trip up to Lake George to hike on Tuesday — so also hadn’t had time to properly research it. The first hike went very well, and despite the fairly full parking lot, we only saw one person on the trails (and that was as we were heading back to the car). No doubt most people were tackling the longer hikes there. It was nice to have the views of the lake all to ourselves.

We had passed a preserve on the way, and decided to stop there and check out a trail on the way back. Even though that trail was relatively short, it was much steeper. Plus Mr. Judy was definitely getting a bit hangry (he also has a sometimes angry hip). We’d gone less than half a mile when I suggested maybe he should turn back with Bandit.

I went on about another quarter mile, but still couldn’t see the scenic overlook, and knowing they were waiting (although I ended up getting back to the car just a few minutes after they did), I decided to also turn around. Probably a good thing, my left calf was incredibly tight for a few days after despite lots of foam rolling! It’s fine now.

I’ve been doing quad stretches at the wall a few times a week for a while. Let’s just say those quads are incredibly tight! This morning they felt quite a bit looser. Not sure if the calf workout on the hike or the recent Yoga was responsible for that.

I think Mr. Judy was mollified when we finally stopped at a BBQ place he knows on the way home. Bandit got a lot of my turkey, too, so I’m sure he was happy.

Are you already acclimated to the heat, or struggling? 

Are you struggling to do the things that have to be done? Fitness is going well for me, but I seem to have lost my motivation to do some of the things that need to be done (cook, clean, even work up Yoga practices)

How’s your running/fitness going?

GWY Crown Chakra

ICYMI: We have arrived at your Crown Chakra. You guys, I personally loved this practice. I felt so opened up (in a good way) afterwards! I do have a warning though — I can’t see you to guide you through shoulderstand, and even though it’s modified, be careful if you choose to do it. A good alternative is plain ole legs up the wall. You’ll find the video here.

Coming up on Tuesday: I’m revealing one of my secret weapons that helps me choose whether or not it’s a good day to run. On Friday I’ll join you all to get a few things off my chest at the Runfessional.

Welcome Spring (for now): 5/10 – 16 WRD

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 36 Comments

Most of my family gathered for Mother’s Day, which made my mom kvell (happy & proud, essentially, in Yiddish). Then the next day we buried my Dad. We visited the graves of my brother (who died before I was born), and my Aunt & Uncle who are also buried in that cemetery.

The drive down, which I did, wasn’t too bad — until we got close to Long Island. It was raining, there was lots of traffic, and said traffic and its delays added quite a bit of time to the trip. But we made it.

Mr. Judy & I also spent a little tourist time on Long Island, even though it was mostly cloudy, windy, and quite chilly. My grandfather and two sets of aunts and uncles lived on Long Island — one quite close to where we stayed, so there was a lot of nostalgia.

Spring does seem to have finally arrived in Upstate NY this weekend, though, so we’re finally soaking up some sun.

bwrd

I’m joining Kim @ Kimrunsonthefly and Deborah @ Confessionsofamotherrunner, and enjoying some good running finally.

Workouts update

  • Monday: Yoga (20 min), Walking to buy baked goods, Walking the beach
  • Tuesday: Yoga (20 min), Walk to the beach, Short hike to a waterfall
  • Wednesday: Yoga (20 min), Dogwalk, 3 miles easy, Yoga (20 min)
  • Thursday: Yoga (20 min), Dogwalk
  • Friday: Yoga (30 min), 5 mile long-ish run, Yoga (20 min)
  • Saturday: Yoga (30 min), 3 miles easy, Dogwalk, Yoga (20 minutes)
  • Sunday: Yoga (30 min), Dogwalk, Some sort of ST at some point

Running Mileage: 11 (+.5)

JY = Jasyoga
PB = Killer B
TM = Treadmill
YFR = Yoga for Runners*
WU = warmup
CD = cooldown
SB = Stationary Bike
YFPR = Yoga for Pain Relief
YTU = Yoga Tune Up Lower Body*

*Disclaimer: Amazon affiliate links; I will make a small amount of money if you buy through these links

Running Update

Driveway tomato house is now apparently driveway strawberry house

Wednesday Intention: take it easy
Although our trip went well, I was feeling very tired by Wednesday. It was a long, intense drive down and we packed a lot into those few days. And oh, yes, my Dad’s burial. I didn’t feel alled to run while I was on Long Island, but there was lots of walking. This run was strong, though, and surprising negative splits.

Came across this fellow on my cool down walk. They don’t bother me when I see them first.

Friday Intention: listen to my body and stop early if it said that’s what it wanted
Animals seen: 35 birds, including one cardinal; 5 chipmunks; a couple of squirrels; 1 rabbit; 1 snake
Thursday I was still very tired. I didn’t do much the first two days we got home. I wasn’t sure running was advisable, but I decided to go out & see. This run also went well, even though it had warmed up considerably. Pretty consistent. The tunnels under the overpasses stay so nice & cool!

Yet more red tulips

Saturday Intention: recover
Animals seen: 43 Robins, 1 Cardinal, 1 Chickadee?, A variety of UFOs; 3 squirrels; a duck & its ducklings
I have never seen a duck in this neighborhood — but that was on our walk with Bandit post run. The Chickadee I saw is a small bird that looks like the photos of Chickadees I looked up, but it’s a very neon yellow, so not sure.

This run was still a bit fast for a recovery run, but definitely not fast. Not that any of my runs have been fast lately. Still strong and consistent, despite it warming up even more.  

Vanderbilt Mansion grounds on the Hudson; Fire Island National Seashore & Lighthouse; High Falls

Favorites of the week
I’m not sure you could call my Dad’s burial a favorite, but it gives my mom closure finally. She was able to attend via her Amazon Echo. She also loved having the family together (mostly, anyway) for Mother’s Day, although we didn’t stay too long — there was still a long trip ahead of us.

We didn’t have a lot of time on Long Island, but we made the best of it. We didn’t have to eat inside at all, even though it was chilly for most of the trip.

The good news is we have booked an AirBnB that’s pet friendly outside of Lake Placid Village for July. So we’re taking Bandit. He didn’t do well in a hotel, but I’m hoping in a private house he’ll do better. There’s also a fenced in yard and that’s super helpful. We’re only staying three nights.

Poor mama definitely seemed distressed; don’t know if they saved her babies (photo courtesy of Mr. Judy)

In other animal news. when we came back to our street on Saturday a police car barely stopped at the stop sign. When we got up on the part our house is on, people were huddled on one side of the street and the police car was stopped in the middle of the road.

That’s when we saw the duck with her ducklings. Best we could figure is some of her ducklings fell down into one of the sewers. Hoping it worked out for the poor mama and her ducklings.

We have never seen ducks here. We don’t live by water. Best I could figure is maybe they came from the Town Offices, but that’s a good mile from here.

Duck Update: we heard from a neighbor this morning that the ducklings were rescued.

One of my favorite lunches

Any odd animals in your neighborhood recently? 

Are you ready to travel?

How’s your running/fitness going?

GWY Third eye Chakra

ICYMI: We’ll be concentrating on your third eye — where you can visualize your future (or a future race). We’ll also be opening up those hips, shoulders, and stretching out your low back. You’ll find the video here.

Coming up on Tuesday: Apparently I’m into the alphabet lately — we’re going over the ABCs of running. On Friday I’ll share five things it’s good to do post run/race. These posts are mainly reminders for me!

All the Seasons of Spring: Tea/coffee Date April 2021

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 36 Comments

Ultimate-Coffee-Date-1-300x300

Thanks,  Coco and Deborah, getting us altogether virtually for a coffee date. It may be Spring, with all that applies — swinging back & forth between Spring & Winter — so I’m still drinking hot chocolate. 🙂

bteaapril21

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you a couple of weeks ago I was having serious vaccine envy. It seemed as though everyone I know — aside from my sister & BIL — is vaccinated. I whined to everyone about it and I apologize! The next week they opened it up to 50+.

It says “Own Today”

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you the day I learned that I would be eligible to try to make a vaccine appointment the next day — (3/22) — was also the first day I was able to use the Yoga platform in 2021. I got a little goofy trying to take photos of my wrap after I wrapped that practice. It was a good day! My appointment is 5/29, although I’m hoping to move that closer.

ETA: the day after I made the 5/29 appointment (3/24), I made an appointment for 4/26. It was at a site a bit over an hour from me; the 5/29 appointment was much closer. Then I made one for 4/15 (same place, longer drive). This was all the morning of the 24th. Then Darlene told me there was a more local place that had a lot of appointments for that day (the 24th — are you following all this?).

Yup, I made an appointment for that afternoon and prayed I wouldn’t have a reaction so I could go visit my mom the next day as planned, which also happened to be my Dad’s birthday. My mom is pretty stoic, and rarely mentions those sort of anniversary dates. Still I thought it would help brighten her day to have a visit. I knew it would brighten her day to hear I’d had my first vaccine!

On top of all that, my brother is in the middle of getting his vaccinations, and planning a trip out to see my mom in June. He hasn’t seen her in over a year. Plus I also have to fill out a jury questionnaire by the beginning of April; I don’t know when/if I might be called, but the thought of jury duty was definitely freaking me out. As long as it’s not on the date for my second shot . . . 

 

This photo was less than a week before the photo above — Spring is nothing if not changeable!

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I’ve been doing my best to dragtake Mr. Judy out for hikes. Any day that is even reasonably warm and dry (and by warm I’m including windy, cloudy, and about 50 sometimes). Bandit doesn’t need any prodding.

 

I really needed these brownies

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I have been jonesing for a cookie. I’ve also been busy and not baking. Then I spied a container in the freezer — lo and behold, it was brownies! I’m usually fairly good at mentally keeping track of what’s in there, but I had no clue they were there — and so happy they were!

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
We started to watch Upload (Amazon Prime). The first episode was silly, but mildly entertaining, and it’s definitely light fare, but it got better after the first episode. Although I’m beginning to think we should consider an HBO subscription. You’d think Netflix and Amazon Prime would be enough, wouldn’t you?

Does your beverage of choice change with the seasons? 

Have you been able to put away Winter running clothes? At least I’ve fairly certain I won’t need the stuff for 20 and below anymore, but I don’t want to jinx it!

What are you watching these days? Always looking for recommendations.

Also linking up with:

bfitfivefriday

How Lucky We Are: 12/14 – 20 WRD

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 29 Comments

I spent some quality time with my treadmill this week. As I type this, there were two treadmill runs. Will there be a third? You’ll have to read on to find out.

bwrd

But first I’m joining Kim @ Kimrunsonthefly and Deborah @ Confessionsofamotherrunner, and coasting towards the New Year.

Workouts update

  • Monday: Yoga (30 min),  Dogwalk/short hike through the woods
  • Tuesday: Yoga (30 min), 3 TM miles, Dogwalk, Yoga (20 min)
  • Wednesday: Yoga (40 min), PB ST (25 min)
  • Thursday: Yoga (60 min), 3 TM miles, Shoveling roughly 60 min, Yoga (20 min)
  • Friday: Yoga (30 min), Dogless Dogwalk (too cold & wet for Bandit), PB ST (25 min)
  • Saturday:  Yoga (40 min), Dogless Dogwalk (still — I’m pretty sure Bandit would’ve balked at 19F with some snow still on the road; we have been playing/training with him to help him from missing his walks too much)
  • Sunday: Yoga (30 min), 6 miles easy, Short, Snowy Dogwalk (Bandit says Yay!), Yoga (20 min)

Running Mileage: 12 (+1)

JY = Jasyoga
PB = Killer B
TM = Treadmill
YFR = Yoga for Runners*
WU = warmup
CD = cooldown
SB = Stationary Bike
YFPR = Yoga for Pain Relief
YTU = Yoga Tune Up Lower Body*

*Disclaimer: Amazon affiliate links; I will make a small amount of money if you buy through these links

Running Update

Tuesday intention: keep it steady
I did think about running outside, despite the crazy wind giving it a real feel of teens. In the end I chose the mill and Peloton Whitney Houston run + warmup due to time. So much faster not having to get into and out of all the layers.

As much as I love Whitney, I wasn’t in love with running to her. The playlist was good, but I don’t think I’d do this run again. I kept it relatively slow and steady, doing my own thing mainly because I knew that’s what I needed today. Arm still a little sore but almost back to normal.

Thursday intention: building up endurance
I thought I might do the Peloton Bon Jovi run today, but I settled on an endurance run — proud to say I ran about 35 minutes straight, no walking breaks. This was the second run I’ve done on Peloton that used only instrumental music, and I find I really like that. I took it nice and easy — as the snow was really coming down,  I knew I’d need to save something for the shoveling later in the day.

Never know what you’ll see outside

Sunday intention: stay upright
It actually wasn’t that hard to stay upright. I wore screw shoes, but they really weren’t needed. Better safe than sorry. It still felt really hard. Because . . . Winter and all the layers and heavy clothes. Pace was on the slow side and all over the place, but not terrible in the end. I found about halfway the chorus from several Hamilton songs, “How lucky I am to be alive right now” popped into my head and I felt better.

One last walk through the woods before they were buried in snow

Favorites of the week
We took Bandit to one of the nearby preserves for a quick walk through the woods — because winter is coming (and come it did).

Saved the last carrots before the snow

I pulled the last of the carrots before the snow, too. They needed a little more time but I wouldn’t be wading through two feet of snow to pull them. As Mr. Judy was dumping the soil from the grow bags, he discovered I had 2 other small potatoes growing. I have since learned that if I cooked them before they thawed, they would have been okay. I guess they’re compost now.

And cooked up the garden’s potatoes — they were tasty!

I could have had more if I’d known I could use my little frozen potatoes, but oh well, live and learn.

I’m going to have to research if you can get it to bloom at other times of the year; they really are lovely — and low maintenance. My kind of plant.

Our Christmas cactus — which we thought was a Thanksgiving cactus due to the shape of its leaves — is beginning to put on its show.

Any recent garden fails/saves?

Looking forward to the COVID vaccine?

What are you most looking forward to this week? Just a normal week for me!

GWY sleep 1

ICYMI: Last week it was all about short practices to change your energy (you can see them all at this playlist here); this week it’s all about better sleep! Today is the first two videos in a whole series of short practices to help you wind down for bed. You’ll find it here. The good news is that these Yin Yoga practices will also help quickly stretch you out after a run/workout. There are four short Yin Yoga practices, three meditations, a Savasana video, and a longer, deep relaxation video — yes, I’ve been working on this for a while! Keep an eye out on my Facebook page to see when new videos are released (or subscribe here to my YouTube channel).

Coming up on Tuesday: My opinion on the Peloton Beginner 5k Course. Friday it’s time for the last Runfessional of 2020 here! I’m sure we’ve all got something to get off our chest before 2021. If I don’t see you there, for everyone celebrating, I hope you have a great holiday.