Bona Dea Park Trail Run...

This morning I drove down the hill to a local park area called Bona Dea to check out its trails. In the many times I have been down here I had yet to make it down there. Oddly enough we drive past it every time we come to visit. This time would be different.

I decided to take the long route and just take it easy throughout as I knew it would be a short easy run. I ended up running 3.526 miles for the route. If you look at the map, the parking lot is on the far right and I ran along the top side essentially taking right turns at every intersection. The trail was well maintained and included a few bridges to cross over some marshy areas. I was half expecting to see some wildlife as I strolled through, but alas, it wasn't meant to be. It may have been because of the number of people on the trail. Most were walkers, but there were at least three other people running. The actual trail looked to be made of concrete with rocks pushed into the top, in parts, and it other parts looked to be some derivation of asphalt. In most places it was about 5 to 6 feet wide with plenty of room and throughout the course was as flat as a pancake. There were even dirt trails jutting off to lookout areas overlooking ponds where I am guessing you could see some sort of water fowl.

The run, over all, felt good. I did not push too

hard, as, I am looking to hit the same hill route that I took on Sunday. Now that I have a hand-strapped water bottle, things should go quite a bit more smoothly even though the high is supposed to be around 97. As you can tell in this picture, it is very humid and I started sweating as soon as I got out of the car. By the end of the run my shirt was soaked and my shorts barely had dry spots on them. This heat and humidity is insane, but I am loving every minute of it (on my runs). I can hardly wait for Friday when I get to attack that monster hill again. Grrrrr...

Saying Hello...

Yesterday morning I had a chance to say hello, not ello govna, but a nice warm welcome to my big hill route while down in Arkansas. Damn. It said hello, chewed me up, spit me out, and kicked my @$$ to the curb. The combination of running in the heat, humidity, lack of water fountains, and one big hill really shot me down. So much so that on the way back from the turn-around point I had to stop and walk periodically so that I would not be literally kicked to the curb somewhere. Today, however, we went to Little Rock and I took the time to visit Easy Runner (they have moved to: 11525 Cantrell Rd) to get a hand-held water bottle, and some Gu and Hammer Gel. So later in the week when I run the same route I will politely hand that hill a hand-full of smack-down (or so I think...we'll see).

In other news B-Town seems to be faring well away from home and is getting so much attention I am guessing he will soon go in to overload, especially, after tonight and the baby shower.

I went to bed early last night to try to catch up on sleep, and at this point I feel I should have taken a nap this afternoon. My goal is to not have a crapitude tonight or at later this week. I definitely did not realize how much our family would want to see B-Town after he was born. I think it is my tiredness talking, but I could really use some down/me time. I think tomorrow will be one of those days because nothing is planned, but without and plan anything is possible. My mother-inlaw has scheduled a massage for me on Wednesday afternoon/evening, which, I am so looking forward to and I am sure it will help hinder my crapitude as well.

Okay, I'm done...

Tree Maintenance...

This is a post directed toward the guy who lives along the sidewalk I use to access the trail and the B/N Town Maintenance crew. Thank you. Thank you for trimming back your trees so that there is more room for people passing on that section of the sidewalk. I really appreciate it that you took the time over the weekend to get outside and tend to your trees. As far as the B/N Maintenance crew, thank you for cutting back the brush/trees on the side of the trail, it gives the feel of more room as is esthetically pleasing to me if no one else. I really appreciate it that in this time of recession that taking care of our trail is still seen as a priority and benefit for the community.

So heres to you...Hooaaahhhh

Sleepy repercussions...

I was able to go on a long run this morning (just under 8 miles). Not because I had an over abundance of sleep last night, rather, I was able to use some of the extra "residual" sleep I gained over the weekend. B-Town isn't sleeping too bad, but this lack of sleep is definitely putting a dent in the glamorous attitude I have during the day. It seems a little odd to me, but I actually do and feel better if I get a workout in, in the morning. Some how it readjusts/fine-tunes my attitude and actually gives me more energy throughout the day.

From the very beginning I have been helping G by changing diapers before she feeds. I see this as me helping out while still allowing me to be a productive employee. I understand that G carries the greater burden by staying up and feeding, but her being at home during the day really helps her handle this better (I believe). Finding a balance between the two is sometimes hard for me as being awoken in the middle of the night can lead me to be an insta-grouch. So, as soon as I wake I in a foul mood and am thinking why hasn't G gotten up yet to take care of B-Town. I know, and I hope G knows, that this is only because it is in the middle of the night and I am not fully awake. If it is during the day, or closer to time to wake-up, I am in a much more amiable mood.

Working out in the morning allows me take whatever happened overnight and take out that potential frustration into something productive. If I did not do this I am sure I would not be nearly as nice of a person that I would like to be. It all boils down to attitude, and for me apparently, what time during the day or night I interact with you.