Penance

Penance can be defined as voluntary self-punishment inflicted as an outward expression of repentance for having done wrong.

It wasn't wrong to walk yesterday's planned run, But I decided I needed to try again today.

Since yesterday's planned run was on the Valley Forge loop I decided to use the Media 5 Mile course. It's the closest thing I have to the hills of Valley Forge without having to drive anywhere. I'm pleased to say I finished but it was anything but pretty.

The Media 5 mile course is 2 - 2.5 mile circuits. I have a hard time calling them loops since they are made up of turns on town streets. My plan was to walk from my house to 8th and Jackson and begin my timer. 1 minute walk then continue down Jackson; left on 6th; right on Edegmont; left on 2nd; right on Haldeman; right on Front to Media Elementary is one mile. Another minute walk then left on Monroe; right on State; right on West; right on Front; left on Olive to mile 2 at 2nd and Olive; 1 minute walk then continue on Olive to right on 8th to Jackson. (Repeat).

I walked again at 8th and Jackson partly because I didn't want to calculate and remember where mile 3 and 4 where AND (probably more so) it was a reward for conquering 8th street. I have a love/hate relationship going on with that hill. It loves to torment me and I hate it. I do it because "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger"? And I'm not dead................yet :)

I'm happy and proud to say I finished the miles, but as I mentioned earlier it was not pretty. Very quickly into the run I felt like I was being choked by my base layer. I've been wearing it all winter and it's been fine. Why today? The temperature was warmer than yesterday but still cold enough to need it. I spent most of the first mile being annoyed by it. I finally decided it was because I signed up for the race on Friday. It wasn't the shirt that was bothering me it was the realization that I'm really doing this. The 'pressure' to actually do it is real now. The shirt collar bothered me a little less after I self talked myself out of being bothered by it. The self talk went along the lines of "I do not want to fail at this event but it's ok if I do and oh by the way at 5 miles you are more than 1/3 of the way to race day total".

Other self talk today included "No one expects you to be fast except you sometimes, so knock it off". This while I was trudging up one of the hills and wondering if I should even bother trying to run up the hill.

I have to admit to cheating on the walk breaks a today. After the first one they were more like 1.5 minutes. And I did bail on the second attempt up the hill on Front Street between West and the Bar Association building. But, and this is a HUGE but, --- I nailed 8th Street ---- twice!! And for that I thank anyone who is reading this. I really wanted to be able to tell you that I did.

Keep smiling and keep moving
-Paula

When Mother Nature Hurts .... You Walk

Not my footprints. 

Or at least I do. When I left the house this morning it was 12 degrees. When I arrived at Valley Forge it was 13 and the hourly forecast predicted 20 by the time I completed my (planned) 5 mile run around the loop. I had 4 layers on top; 2 on the bottom; and 2 on my hands and head. I forgot to goop up my face or bring a scarf. Either one would have made a difference.

I set out planning to stick to 1 minute walk and finish the mile running. It became evident very quickly that that was not going to work. I switched to 1 minute walk; 2 minute run. Still it was too cold. As slow as I am, the running portion put just enough breeze on my face that it hurt. It really hurt. I tried shrugging my face into the collar of my outer layer. I tried covering my face with my gloved hands. Neither was conducive to successful running (especially on top of the snow). The gloved hands on my face also fogged up my sunglasses.

I thought about turning around and going home. I was less than a half mile into the distance. Instead I decided to walk the loop. I know that sounds like an even worse idea, right? Walking would leave me out doors longer. But the sun was shining and while walking I could keep my face covered by my hands or collar as needed.

I can not begin to describe how beautiful it was. I took some photos but truly they do not do the views justice. At one point the sun was at just the right angle and brightness that the snow sparkled. It looked like someone had dropped little diamonds across my path.

And did I mention it was cold? I found myself looking out across the fields wondering how cold was

Mt Joy in the distance with Wayne's Woods at my back

it in that Winter of 1777. It was cold enough in 2019 to keep most (sane) people off the trail that early. I had the loop to myself for the first hour. It was so quiet I could hear the train whistle in the distance in between the squishing of the snow under my feet.

I'm sorry that I didn't run as planned. Yet I would have missed all the details if I had been concentrating on running. The "slow-build-up-the-miles-plan" I'm on leaves plenty of wiggle room for days like this and I'm especially grateful for that today.

Hot Air Balloons, Pygmy Goats, and Ice -- lots of ice

Today Sara M. and I completed Map 2 of the Horse Shoe Trail. Put another way, we have now completed 28 of the 140 miles that stretch from Valley Forge in Chester County, PA to the Stony Mountain on the Appalachian Trail in Dauphin County, PA. We started in March 2018. In sections we completed 23 miles from Valley Forge to French Creek Elementary. Illness and vacations set in then and we just got back on track this weekend.

I know I speak for both of us when I say although we are determined to finish the trail together, it never has to be just the two of us. We welcome company anytime. Our H-ST hikes as well as other hiking, biking and running adventures are posted in a Facebook group called Perkis People. Feel free to join the group to stay on top of the events. If you are not a Facebook user, message me with your email address and I'll find a way to let you know what we are up to.

Now onto this week's hike. After the flash freezing of the last weekend the temps in our area came close to 60 on Wednesday and we had plummeted back to the 20s for Saturday morning. It's all about the layers. We met at St. Peter's Village and carpooled back to French Creek Elementary School.

Before leaving St. Peter's though we spotted this hot air balloon. It was impossible to miss. It came so

close to us I could hear and see the flames. I can't imagine how cold the balloonist must have been. Later that day I saw posts from others, miles away, who saw this as well. It was quite the colorful spectacle against the clear blue early morning skies.

This was a short(ish) hike only 5 miles. We (I) need to work back some hiking strength and endurance. Plus the cold - I wasn't sure how comfortable or uncomfortable it was going to be. It took my hands the longest time to warm up but once we got moving it wasn't too bad.

We took a detour around the French creek Crossing. The crossing is significant and beautiful. However, I've never made it across completely dry. In this weather - and with a rain swollen creek rushing to get by - it was smarter to go around. The detour is all road walking but pleasant enough with the scenery. Sara and I hadn't been out together in 2 weeks so we spent the time catching up as well.

Back on dirt the dirt trail, most of today's hike was spent in Warwick County Park. We had a few small water crossings, most of them with ice formations like these. Some of them looked as if they were frozen in mid jump. This photo will give you a taste of what we saw but the real life view was much more spectacular.

As the trail approached the picnic area of the park, we took a detour to the park rest rooms and then returned to the woods to continue the hike. After signing the trail register, we climbed the hill and re-entered the park picnic area from above where we stopped at the rest rooms. We went over the Bridge to Nowhere - a transplanted Fink Truss pedestrian bridge - and on through the park. Just before crossing Rt 23 (for the third time this morning because of the creek detour) there is a road section down the aptly - and perhaps lazily - named "Hill Road". It was here that we met a family of goats. The 'kids' had no interest

in us. Mom, Dad and Uncle Howard however - just to the right of the photo - watch us closely.

From here it was just a half mile to the trail that would lead us away from the Horse Shoe Trail and back to the parking lot where we left one car. We put on jackets, stowed our gear, and wandered into town to the bakery for hot drinks.

We had hoped to play some pinball in the arcade there but it wasn't opening until noon. I didn't want to hang around for an hour and a half and Sara was ok with that.

I posted some of our photos to the Horse-Shoe Trail Facebook group. Another group members shared that 'back in the day' at the end of the school year 3rd graders would hike the trail to what would be their school for 4th grade. The 4th grade school building is not the school district maintenance building. What a great share. Social Media has it's benefits. :)

Keep Smiling Keep Moving
-Paula

First Five Mile - on Forbidden Drive

Today I made my first attempt at 5 miles. Spoiler alert --- I did it and it went very well. If you've been following ---- thank you by the way --- you know that my goal when starting the adventure toward the 2019 Ocean City NJ Half Marathon was to get to 3 miles comfortably before February 1st. I'm so there! Mile number 3 was my best and most comfortable today. :)

As you can see by the photo, I took Perki and my hydration backpack today. I was able to get the air out of the bladder to avoid sloshing and really didn't even notice the pack on my back. I was able to drink at each walk break. This eliminates the hydration belt worries I mentioned last week. Woo hoo!

The snow on the trail gave me a brief pause before starting out this morning. I should have expected it. I was fooled by the paved surfaces being clear so I didn't bring trax for my shoes. The voices in my head reminded me that I run slow and would not be light enough on my feet to have issues. The voices were right although I was careful and aware of my footing just the same. There were only a few slick spots were more water than snow had gotten on the trail and iced over.

I probably ran more of each mile than in previous runs since my walking pace/stride was affected by the ground conditions too. This, I realized was a good thing since on race day there will be miles on the boardwalk were pace and stride will be affected by people. The race, as I recall, tries to establish a path for runners but it is not always respected especially by young children on bikes. It's all good, though.

I like running at Forbidden Drive for many reasons. The scenery of course is one and another is that I have a good feel for the location of the mile markers. I know that 1/2 is just past Bells Mills Road and 1 is just past the Covered Bridge. It's always good  to know when / where the final stretch of any long run is :) I know that 2 1/2 is just past Valley Green Inn, a frequent turn around spot. However, Mile 2 of my run was challenging because I wasn't sure where the mile 2 marker is. So I had to watch my footing and keep an eye out for the marker. I will now always remember that it is just after Maggie's dam. It turns out that is NOT the name of the dam. However, in my quick glance at the informational marker without my glasses I saw an M, an A and a couple of G's so it will forever be Maggie's dam for me now. The name of the dam is not important though. What matters is now I know that mile marker 2 is at the dam (whatever it is called). I can find it by the view. For the record, if you must know, the actual name is Magargee's Dam and marks the site of the last active mill on the Wissahickon. 

I was very proud of mile 5 today. Here is where the voices in my head formed teams for and against my finishing the mile running. Some of them wanted me to take an extra walk break at the 1/2 mile. The others reminded me that weekend long runs are all about building tolerance for the long runs. With their help I focused on my breathing. I focused on keeping it smooth and even and just letting my legs keep moving. I'm please to say the 'for' team won. I finished the final mile running.

That wraps up this set of three weekends. I'll run 2.5 on Tues and Thurs this week and go hiking next weekend!! :) Sweet rewards.

Keep Moving Keep Smiling
-Paula

Baby, It's Cold Outside!!

Today I ran on the Perkiomen Trail at Oaks. I was not the only one out there despite the frigid temperatures. Most, if not all, of the downside of running in the 20s was made better by the abundant sunshine.

This photo was taken after my run. I am not taking my camera on my runs so I can focus on my training and not be distracted by photo ops. Ok, I'm still distracted by them but without the camera I won't stop to take the photo.


It was beautiful today. If I had brought the camera with me I would have shared photos of:

• the shadows on along the trail. The bare trees make for long winding lines weaving in and out of sunshine on the path;
• the white, cracked ice that has formed where the water from days and days of rain collected along the sides of the trail;
• the fingers of ice trying to stretch away from the banks of the creek overflow. In the sunshine they sparkle; 
• the creek itself, defying the frozen air with it's rain swollen currents; and 
• the water falling over the dam

It was a gorgeous day for a run. I completed 4 miles using my 1 mile walk; run the rest of the mile strategy. Just south of where I parked along the trail is the 1 mile marker. I started and ended there. I went north to the 2 mile marker and back and then south to the 0 point and back. The zero mile marker is missing. It's been awhile since I ran here and it was missing the last time too. I chose this pattern to avoid the hill just after mile 2. I knew I wouldn't be up for it. I chose to go north first to avoid having to pass my car in the final mile. Hey, whatever gets it done!!

In addition to the views, I had lots of fun memories to keep me occupied during this run. It was here that I first met PhillyFit and began my training for the marathon. We ran 3 miles that day. It didn't kill me and no one was more surprised than I was. That was when I changed my plan from walking the marathon to trying to run it. In the 2 mile section that I ran today I recalled being there with different people at different times. I remember running that section at night one time with John T and Julius. Shadows forming in our headlamps. I remember trudging along this section one time with Maggi on a day not much warmer than today but with so much snow and ice we had no idea if we were even on the trail in some spots. Good times!!

And then there is that moment when you are about to enter Wawa on your way home for a much needed and well deserved coffee when you realize you are wearing your Dunkin Donuts cap that you got from being in the Thanksgiving Day Parade. Never mind that you are still wearing your running clothes. No one will even notice that. It's Wawa after all. People (present company included) have been known to go there in their PJs!! But the hat of the "OTHER" place? Hmmm.

It will surprise no one who knows me to learn that before I went in I turned the brim of the hat up to hide the front facing DD logo and turned the collar of my jacket up to hide the rear facing one. And yes, I know that didn't make it any less identifiable but it felt slightly less obnoxious. I also, worked on what I would say to anyone who might comment. I decided that I would apologize and then I would point out that at least I was AT the Wawa and not the other store and that if anyone wanted to give me a Wawa hat of similar warmth I would gladly wear it. No one said anything but I left my sunglasses on anyway. :)

I felt very good today. I think my pace was well managed. I never got the stitch in my side and I came into each walk break feeling like I could have kept going and had enough left at the end to sprint to the marker once it came into view. My hip flexor did niggle at me but not as much as before. Part of that could be the cold of course but I did work on it more this week so I'm giving myself some credit.

I brought a small water bottle today. One with a sleeve that wraps around your hand. I felt like I needed more water last week. I'm glad I had it. I'm not sure what I'm going to do when the miles get longer. One thing I didn't like about distance training before was the hydration belt. They always felt uncomfortable to me. I won't need more than the hand held during the race because of the water stops, but there are no water stops in training. Something to think about and plan for.

Keep Smiling Keep Moving
-Paula