The Junco 5

I ran this standard 5 miler through the fields to top off the month with 105 miles. Got a brief glimpse of a Dark-eyed Junco which is an early sighting of this Winter bird. The run was autumn cool at 73 degrees at a time of 47:03 at 9:24 per mile.

toadshade


-- Post From My iPhone

The Heron Way Tempo

I ran this tempo in 55:15 at 9:12 per mile. It was 80 but not too humid. All of these hot weather runs paid off in this faster time. This is what you train for. All those runs that make you feel old and tired tone those muscles and build endurance. Today I felt 10 years younger and got 100 miles on the month.

Toadshade


-- Post From My iPhone

Fall Blooming Yellow Jessamine

Fall Blooming Yellow Jessamine
Originally uploaded by toadshade

Went on my 4 mile hike today with Ann-Marie and we did a nature walk and tried to study the plants and birds along the way. Ann-Marie was carefully taking pictures and notes along the way. It was misty at times but no real rain. The gem of the day was this fall blooming Yellow Jessamine that I mentioned a few posts ago. The one pictured is twining around a Red Oak Branch. Also saw some red Patridgeberries that also flower in the Spring. We had a great time just sharing and learning for about 2 hours or more. Ann-Marie is learning about Brown-headed Nuthatches and Catbirds and how they sound. Nature was just lush, wet and wonderful.

When I got home there was a first year male Red-breasted Grosbeak on my feeder. The wheel turns.

toadshade

The Mistflower 12 Miler

Mistflower
Originally uploaded by toadshade

I used my usual faulty logic to justify this 12 Mile run today. I figured since I was going hiking in the morning with Viv and Ann-Marie, I could do an 'easy' 12 after work. Saturday morning is when I usually do my long runs and since I've done a couple of 10s, it would not be too much of a stretch to do a 12 miler. The only snag was the 91 degree humid weather which depleted me completely and made for a real slow, sloggy run. Weighed 170 before the run, 166 afterwards. So if you want to lose weight, try running all the fluids out of your body on a hot day when you should be inside next to the AC with a good book risking heat stroke and heart attack, or drinking tons of alcohol and not eating for days on end until you require medical attention. I've done them both with equal insane intensity. My time was 2:04:52 at 10:24 per mile.

The only sane thing I did was take a picture of this beautiful Mistflower around Sunview Lake.

toadshade

Reed and Sunlight

Reed and Sunlight
Originally uploaded by toadshade

Went down the Southeast Park today to walk. I went my usual 4 miles and took this picture of a reed catching the evening sunlight. It was a nice walk even though it harkened back to the humid summer and I was sweating like a hog with the slightest effort. Saw some nice birds - a Great Egret hiding under the boardwalk, an Eastern Phoebe and a Wood Pewee, both Flycatchers. Ran into some guys playing soccer in the meadow. They posed for a picture that's on my Flickr account. Saw a real unusual small, orange spider. The big treat of the day was a fall blooming Yellow Jessamine. The hike took about one hour and sixteen minutes for 4 miles.

toadshade

The Fritillary Four

Variegated Fritillary on Heliotrope
Originally uploaded by toadshade

Took a quick tempo hilly run today to keep toning up. It was a little humid with 85 degrees but nothing stifling. Stopped to take this picture of a Variegated Fritillary on some Heliotrope. Lot of these flying around today. My time was good and 37:48 for a pace of 9:27 per mile. Will walk at Southeast Park tomorrow and, hopefully, start building up my marathon mileage with a 12 Mile on Friday after work. Hope the temperature drops by then!

toadshade

The Henbit Goldenrod 5 Mile Tempo

Ran my standard 5 flat miles in 47:46 minutes at a 9:34 pace. My pace is picking up in the cooler weather even though 86 wasn't exactly cool; but it was more of a Fall heat than a Summer heat. Took some pictures but they weren't up to the standard my readership expects so I'll be more careful next time. Did see a Cattle Egret and few Eastern Meadowlarks along with a few Doves and Crows. They were going after all the corn stubble and grain left in the field. Expect to see a lot of field birds down there this Fall and Winter. Better start taking my binocs.

Started getting a scratchy throat at work where the Flu bug is running rampart. Took some Airborne before the run and felt strong throughout. Hope I don't get sick since the only thing I can do when bedridden is watch reruns of Forensic Files and Charmed and I'm sure you all don't want updates on that!

toadshade