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

4 miles - first attempt

Today I spent 4 miles on the Chester Valley Trail. I met up with Sara at the East Whiteland Township Trail Head. This access point is just off the 9 mile marker. We walked to the marker and each started out after our own goals for the day. I started my timer. 1 minute walk then run the rest of the mile. 2 miles out to 11 and back.

It had been raining all night but the precipitation had dwindled to misty wetness by 8 a.m. It was so light that I didn't even feel it until my return trip which was into a slight breeze. I did get my foot wet on one road crossing. I was focused on getting across quickly and misjudged the depth of one of the puddles. All in all though not a bad run as far as weather goes.

My intervals worked well. The mileage markers are .25 apart on this trail. I was in a upbeat mood so they served to encourage rather than discourage. Mostly. I faked myself out on the third mile. I was looking for the 10.25 marker and it felt like it was taking forever to get there. Turns out I missed it. Next thing I knew I was at 10. :)

My body was not entirely in tune with the run today. Left side was all fine. Right side not so much. My foot, hip flexor and side hurt at different times. The side stitch was easy to cure. I as going to fast. Once I took my pace down a notch I was fine. The hip pain was relieved mostly by correcting my posture. I need to be more consistent with stretching and rolling - especially that spot.

My foot bothered my most of the way. I'm pretty sure it's my shoes. I need new ones. I'd been waiting until I registered for the race before spending that money. However, I'm ahead of schedule on miles and the only thing keeping me from registering is that it isn't open yet. So I will try to find time to go out and get new shoes sooner rather than later.

Keep Smiling Keep Moving
-Paula
#OCNJHalf2019

Happy New Year

I am not a fan of New Year Resolutions. I made this promise to myself back at the end of September. It just happens that it is New Year's Day when I realize that I'm all in. Back in September, I told myself that if I could get to 3 miles by the time registration opens for the OCNJ Half (February 1st) that I would go for it. Well, I managed that milestone in December so (on February 1st) I'm in. :)

Now that I've made 3 miles, I'm continuing my training in threes. 3 times a month; 3 days a week. I'm in an off week right now so on Saturday January 5th, I'll start with 4 miles. My plan calls for two weeks at the same mileage; plus one mile on the third week; then a week off. Then the plus one mileage for the first two weeks of the next session followed by another plus one and so on. So 4-4-5-off; 5-5-6-off; and so on. Pleasantly enough that brings me to 13 miles on August 31st - one month before the race. So I either have wiggle room or will run maintenance miles in the weeks leading up to the race. Win-Win.👍

The off weeks give me a chance to spend a weekend hiking, biking or other activity to break things up. When I first thought about training for another half one of my first thoughts was that I don't want to give up my hikes. Plus, the week off running gives me something to look forward to if when the running weeks feel rough. And let's face it, there will be some rough keep smiling keep moving weeks.

If your are still reading this you may wonder what 3 times a week looks like. Well since you asked.... LOL....Tuesdays are half the distance run on Saturday. Tuesdays will be the only day I time my run. My new Gymboss has a nifty stopwatch feature so I'll hit it on at the start; hit it off at the end and then write it down. On Thursday of the first two weeks I want to do hills or pace workouts for the time that it took me to run Tuesday's distance. Since the third weekend running is a new long distance; the Tuesday and Thursday that week will be simple fun runs of half the weekend distance. For the visual learner in the group (that's usually me) the first session looks like this:

Wk 1: Sat 4 mi; Tue 2 mi timed; Thurs a pace workout for the time it took to run 2 mi on Tuesday

Wk 2: Sat 4 mi; Tue 2 mi timed; Thurs a hill workout for the time it took to run 2 mi on Tuesday

Wk 3: Sat 5 mi; Tue 2.5 mi; Thurs 2.5 mi

Wk 4: off running

And so on. Fridays is date night so Fridays will stay open as much as possible. Sundays and Wednesdays will be used for whatever I need that week; perhaps a flex day for running when immovable objects mess with Tues or Thurs; or when all goes well some body-weight training or additional non-running time on my feet.

If you are still reading, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to spell it out. It's been in my head for weeks. Writing it down makes me feel committed.

Will it work? Stay tuned and you'll find out. I'm in it to finish.

Keep smiling keep moving,
Paula