Marathon Training...What Am I THINKING??!! ....Literally.

(Please ignore the gazillion grammatical errors that I am certain are in this post.  I typed it quickly as I thought of the words.  Lots of room for errors here.)

I am in the midst of training for my first marathon.  The December 8th date is quickly approaching.  I have been following a training schedule that I found online so that I could be prepared for the LONG 26.2 mile race.  Completing a marathon has forever been a personal goal of mine, but haven't been able to figure out how to squeeze in the time for training until my boys (now ages 13, 9, and 8) got a little older and less demanding.  My current training schedule is to complete my long runs on Sunday mornings before anyone starts stirring.  The rest of my shorter runs are crammed between school and football practices, during practices, and sometimes after dark.  I fit them in whenever I can manage. 

 

Today is Sunday....it is my long running day.  It is now afternoon, and the sweat from my run has long ago dried, but the run was just this morning, so I remember almost every step of it. I remember what I was thingking and feeling. Before I became the distance runner myself, I always wondered what the runners must be thinking and feeling as they pounded out mile after mile after mile. I wondered how in the world they talked themself into running so far. So, I decided that I would record it.  Record MY thoughts during my run today.  My thoughts today while running were exactly typical of ANY other long run I have ever done.  I have noticed that I kind of "zone out" and think the same things over and over.

 

  My day started at 6 am this morning.  I awoke sluggish, but ready to complete a 13 mile training run before time to get ready for church.  I put some biscuits in the oven and started the timer so that when the boys began to stir, the could help themselves to breakfast. I grabbed a protein bar for myself, drank some water, laced up my shoes, grabbed my cell phone and ipod and headed out the door.

Now.....pretend you can actually READ my thoughts during my run.

Prerun:
Brrrr.  It's freezing out here.  And it's drizzling. Crap.  2 hours of this is gonna be miserable.  Maybe I should just NOT run.  No.  I gotta run.  If I don't I will be behind schedule.  Dang.  I hate the cold weather.  I better get going.  I am starting later than I should've.

To Mile One:
Good heavens it is cold!  I should've gotten my hat to keep this rain off my face.  I hope it stops raining.  I hope it doesnt rain during the real marathon.  Cold rain stinks.  Sheesh. I wonder where the dog is?  He always runs with me.  I hope he isn't dead.  Oh my goodness, if Davy is dead, then the boys are goona be devastated.  I wonder why he didn't come running?  Maybe he is sleeping.  Maybe he will join me later.  I hope Davy is ok.  First mile always seems so hard!  Why can't I breathe?  Hmmm...should I just keep running on my regular path to the tree and back over and over?  I get so sick of running that same mile and back over and over.  If I go farther to the cemetery down the road, then I won't get so bored.  But there are hills that way.  And it is farther from the boys.  But I like the run there...maybe I should go to the cemetery today.  But what if the dogs are out of their pens on the way.  I hate dogs.  I hate hills. I like the cemetery.  I think I will do it.

To Mile Two:
I am so glad I headed toward the cemetery.  I love this downhill part.  This is gonna make the run seem better because the scenery is different.  This was a good choice.  I hope I don't have to stop to go to the bathroom today. Is that a dog?  Oh my gosh, I hope these people didnt let their dogs out to pee early this morning.  If the dogs come to attack me, then I can climb up on that fence.  Or that tree.  I can call for help.  I will call Daddy.  Please....please....please let the dogs NOT be out.  No dogs. No dogs. No dogs.  Daddy will hurry if a dog attacks me.

To Mile Three:
Thank goodness there were no dogs in that section.  This road is so beautiful.  I love how the trees kind of hang over on both sides.  These downhills are so nice.  running around this cemetery is really neat.  I wonder if PawPaw Curt sees me running?  His headstone is really pretty.  Mama did a good job picking it out.  Hey, PawPaw!  I miss you.  Man, this hill running out of the cemetery is harsh. 

To Mile Four:
Good grief!  Why did I come this way!  These hills are ridiculous!  Them don't seem big at all when I am in my car.  That is so weird.  Oh, dear heavens!  I am gonna die!  I don't know if I can make it.  I might have to walk some.  No.....keep running. Power through the uphills so that I can relish in the downhills. Power through. Power through. Argh.  I need to walk.  No...don't do it. No....No...just jog slowly.  (Hearing Dory's voice off of Nemo)......Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming...LaLa..lala....just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. Just keep swimming...lala.  Why does that stupid song help me?  I am not even swimming.  It's insane when that song pops into my brain. Who could find support from a memory deficient cartoon fish besides me?  I'm a weirdo.  I hope there are no dogs when I pass by these houses again.  They weren't out before, maybe they will still be put up.  Thank goodness I made it back past all those darn hills!  Why did I even go that way?! What was I thinking?  I knew there were hills.  Hills are hard.  I wont come this way again today. I am happy to be almost back in front of my house.

To Mile Five:
I gotta use the bathroom.  Dang.  Why do I always have to use the bathroom on my run?  This is so annoying.  What if I have to use the bathroom during the marathon and there isnt a portapotty?  I guess I would start walking.  That would stink.  Then I wouldn't make my goal.  Oh, geez.  I hope I make it back home.  I really gotta go.  I am gonna go really fast inside and leave my ipod running.  Its gonna add wasted time to my run, but I gotta go. Hurry. Hurry. I am NOT going that far to the cemetery again.

To Mile Six:
Hey Davy Dog!  You musta been sleeping earlier.  Glad you aren't dead.  You sure do get excited to go for a run.  You are a weird little dog. Let's go, Davy!  I am in a good rhythm.  I feel like I could run forever.  My breathing isn't hard.  My legs feel good.  I'm glad it stopped raining.  When did it even stop?  I didn't notice.  It's getting hot.  It was so cold just a little bit ago.  I'm glad it warmed up.  I wonder if it will be warm on marathon day?  Probably not.  December might be really cold.  Man, I hate the cold weather.  This weather is perfect.  Man, I feel so great. I love running.  I am so glad I am a runner. I am halfway finished.  Maybe I should run back to the cemetery again.

To Mile Seven:
I think I will run back to the cemetery.  It's really pretty there.  I hate just running back and forth to that dang tree.  The same two miles over and over.  But, if I run to the cemetery, I will have to do the hills.  They weren't THAT bad, though.  Plus, I will get to see the pretty trees.  The run is much nicer that way.  Yes.  I will go back to the cememtery.

To Mile Eight:
I hope the dogs aren't out this time.  Why do people even have big dogs?  What is the point?  I hate dogs.  I have my cell phone.  If I see one coming I will dial Daddy while I am running to climb that tree.  I wonder if the dog could reach my legs up on that tree?  Maybe another tree would be better.. Oh, there is a tree I could climb in!  Please  be no dogs. No dogs. No dogs.  Hey....where is MY dog?  Davy must've stopped back at the church.  I didnt even notice he wasnt with me.  I don't see any dogs out.  Thank goodness.  This road is really nice.  It's prettiest in the Fall.  When the leaves start changing.  My Sunday morning runs will be even better when the leaves start changing.  I love fall leaves.  This downhill is awesome.  I wonder if Mom knows I run around the cememtery sometimes and 'visit' with PawPaw?  That headstone is ridiculously pretty. When I die, I hope I have a pretty headstone. Hey, PawPaw!   


To Mile Nine:
These hills are horrible!  Horrible!  Why in the world do I choose to run up these hills??  .....Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming....just keep swimming...LaLalala.  I am so weird.  I am seriously weird.  I am not even swimming! 

To Mile Ten:
So glad to be back closer to home.   We have a really pretty church.  I hope I can get finished and cleaned up in time to not be late to church. I kind of like the familiarity of this route.  Maybe I should've just kept running this same mile over and over.  At least it is flatter.  But, no....I am happy that I ran to the cemetery.  It passed the miles more quickly. I like it there. I am so glad to be back to my starting point to get some Gatorade and a GU packet.  Yuck!  This GU tastes terrible.  Like flavored molasses.  *gag* ....Oh, now THAT was attractive.  *gag* I hope I don't do that on race day in front of people. That would be embarrasing.  I have three miles to go.  I can handle that.  I can't believe I am running a half marathon today and I am not even getting a stupid shirt.  Who cares?  It's just a shirt.  But I really wish I could have one.  I also wish that I was crossing a real finish line in 3 miles....not just running up my driveway.  I wish people would be cheering for me when I finish this half marathon distance.  That's dumb, though.  I am gonna be running farther than this every week until December.  I won't have a finish line and a tshirt every week.  I still wish I had a tshirt. Oh, my gosh!  I can't even believe that I signed up to run 26 miles!  My feet are hurting.  How does this dog keep running so far?  His legs are sooo short!  My little teensy dog is traing for a marathon with me.  I wonder if that is normal for a dog? It seems pretty weird.  How does this dog run so far?

To Mile Eleven:
I am hungry.  That protein bar was good.  I wish I had some more of it.  When I finish running, I think I will put some Nutella on one of those biscuits.  I hope the boys didnt eat all of the biscuits.  A Nutella biscuit sounds so good.  I hope the boys aren't worried about me.  I hope they don't ever get irritated that I go for runs.  They don't act like they mind.  I am hungry.  My toes hurt.  I am gonna have a blister.  I can feel my toes rubbing.  Why do my toes always rub?  I'm glad nothing else hurts.  Two miles to go.  I am hungry.

To Mile Twelve:
Just two miles to go. That is nothing.  Back and forth to the tree.  ......Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming...just keep swimming...Lalalala.  I wish I had a cooler mantra.  I should search for a new mantra.  Mine is weird.  Ow.  My toes hurt. Ow. Ow. Ow.  I could eat an egg and cheese biscuit when I get back.  Oh, I know!  I can make my peanut butter and banana smoothie icecream stuff.  Oh, that sounds soooo good!  I wish I had some right now.  I want to take a warm bath, too.  My toes hurt.  I hope they aren't bleeding.  I need some new socks.  Maybe mine are worn out.  I need new shoes, too.  Man, I wore out these shoes quick!  Or maybe, not?  When did I get these shoes?  It's  been a while since I got them.  I need new ones.  My toes hurt.  Its already past 9:00.  I didnt start early enough.  I hope the boys aren't worried.  Ow.  My toes hurt.  I am hungry.  I wish I had a finish line.  I want a tshirt. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming.

To Mile Thirteen:
This is my last mile.  I am running a half marathon today.  Before church!  It seems weird.  I shouldve started earlier.  I am running a great pace, though.  I should be able to make my running goal if I keep running at this pace.  I wonder if I can beat Daddy's marathon time?  That would be cool.  I wonder if he would be upset if I beat him? Nah.  He would be proud.  My toes are hurting.  Ouch. Ouch. Ouch.  I wish I didnt have toenails.  If they would go ahead and all fall off, then they wouldn't hurt when I ran.  I am hungry.  I'm thirsty, too.  I am almost finished.  Almost there.  How in the world is this dog still running? Almost there. 

To Mile Thirteen Point Five:
I'm almost finished.  I can see the driveway.  I see my Gatorade bottle.  Almost there.  ....Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming....Just keep swimming...Lalalala.  When I get home, I can eat some Nutella on a tortilla shell.  I might eat my peanut butter banana smoothie.  I can eat anything.  How many calories does this muc running burn?  I think it's like 1500 or something.  I can't wait to eat something.  Taking a warm bath is gonna feel nice.  I hope the boys are ok.  They wouldve texted if anything went wrong.  My toes hurt. Ow. Ow. Ow. ......just keep swimming, swimming, swimming, just keep swimming Lalalala.  Oh, my gosh!  I am there! It's right there!  Almost!  Almost!  This is the farthest I have ever ran before.  I did good.  I am proud.  I can't believe I have to double this distance eventually.  How will I ever do it?  I did it today.  I am finished.  Yes!  Good job.

 

The Benefits of Running

  My afternoon didn't go as planned and I was super grouchy.  I was irritated that the evening I had planned didn't come to be and I felt the daggers coming out of my eyes.  I was just daring somebody to say something to me because I was ready to pounce. My responses to others were short and my blood was boiling inside. It was just one of those afternoons. 

 

  I texted Bradley, my hubs, and let him know how frustrated I was with a lengthy text explaining my woes.  Then, I texted him.....

 

I need to go run.

 

  If you are not a runner, then you may not understand this need.  The need for me to run at that moment came from the depths of my soul.  I physically yearned to go for a run.  I was aching for it.  I knew that a run would instantly improve my spirits and set me back on the path of happiness.  Thankfully, my husband understood.  He agreed to take over at football practice so that I could come back home and run.

 

I cannot describe to you how theraputic a run is for me.  Of course, I have days where running feels like a chore.  I have lots of those.  But, then there are days when I can't get my shoes tied quickly enough.  I am so eager to get out there and hit the road.  Today was one of those eager days.  And the run today was fantastic! 

 

I am sitting here typing this all drenched in sweat.  Feeling happy.  Feeling rejuvenated.  Feeling all better.  The stars are now back in line as they should be because of my run. 

 

The benefits of running are endless....so I created this little photo to show my love for the sport......

 

My Turn for 26.2

Many, MANY years ago.....I stood along the side of the road in Hunstville, Alabama. It was 17 degrees and our family huddled together on the sidewalk craning our necks to see.  We were staring down the road looking at the runners....Trying to catch a glimpse of him coming.

"There he is!  He is coming!

Go Daddy!  You can do it!

Run, Daddy, Run!"

My heart swelled with pride as my Daddy ran past us, giving us a smile and a wave.

He was running a marathon.....A feat I viewed as completely superhuman.

Impossible for a "normal" person.

I figured he and the other marathoners must have been born with some sort of genetic abnormality that allowed them to accomplish such an insane achievement.

Run for 26.2 miles? 

Ha! 

Over 4 hours of running without a break?

What??!

How can a human body physically hold up to that?

All these years of wonder and amazement at the grand accomplishment of my Daddy and the other marathoners I watched that day.....and I am now ready to add my name to the list of people who have achieved the goal.

My miles of running has been building over the years after Daddy ran his marathon.  I started with 5K's, then moved to a couple of 10K's, to a 10 miler, to ...most recently a couple of half-marathons. 

I have learned over the years of pounding out the miles...that neither Daddy...nor any other marathoner....was born with a genetic abnormality.....they just got out there and RAN.

....and ran.

.....and ran.

....and ran.

And so did I.

And during all those miles of running....my body began to YEARN to run a full marathon. 

So.....last night....I registered for one. 

I registered for a full...26.2 mile marathon....coming up this December.

The very same marathon in Huntsville that I stood on the sidewalk and watched my Daddy run all those years ago.

Except now....it is MY turn to be on the street running. My family...and my Daddy....will be standing on the sidewalk watching for me to run past.

Hiking The Walls of Jericho

I was able to rack up some really awesome Mommy Miles hiking yesterday with my favorite guys in the whole world!  We heard about a place to hike about an hour and a half north of our home a while back called "The Walls of Jericho".  After some research, we knew that we needed to be able to set aside a full day to do the hike because of the drive to it and the length of the hike.  Yesterday was the day.

We packed up plenty of snacks, lunches and Powerade for our hike and hit the road.  Each of the boys got a new "Camelback" backpack this Spring so they could carry their own hydration and lunch on our hikes.  This was their first time to try them out and they worked beautifully!

We searched and searched for good directions to The Walls of Jericho trailhead and never really found them online.  The only directions we found were to go 25 miles past Scottsboro on Alabama Highway 79.  Luckily, these directions worked out just fine for us.  We drove straight to it without any problem.  A better description, though, is that the trailhead is just a mile or two North of the town of Hytop, Alabama on Highway 79.  As a matter of fact, the town of Hytop boasts that it is "The Gateway to The Walls of Jericho".

We entered the trail in perfect hiking weather.  June 1st in Alabama is typically hot and balmy, but as luck would have it, it rained the night before our hike and cooled the air to a comfortbale 75 degrees.  The weather was perfect throughout the hike.  If it had been warmer, staying hydrated for our hike would have been a bigger issue. 

We hiked at a comfortable pace for the boys.  We generally like to stop often when we see something that fascinates the boys....and pretty much everything is fascinating to kids.  We stopped to walk on logs, to look at bugs, to look into sinkholes, and just to rest. 

We stopped and meandered off the trail several times, but our favorite stops along the trail were at the footbridges and the cemetery.

The cememtery was grown up and had only this one grave marker that had an inscription.  The other markers were just plain rock markers.  The little cemetery so far from current civilization, really made us curious about the Clark family that obviously once called this area their home.

During the hike down to The Walls of Jericho, we crossed over two of these log footbridges.  The bridges are simply made from a fallen log with a hand crafted railing.  The bridge is certainly sturdy enough, but with our entire family on it walking together, it gave enough of a shake that it added to the excitement.  The first footbridge crossed over Hurricane Creek, which was flowing with water on the day we crossed.  We stopped just across the creek, where a bench had been placed for a refueling snack.  The boys also spent some time looking for fish and critters off the bridge.

The second footbridge crossed over a dry creekbed.  I have read that during a thunderstorm or after a heavy rain, that this creek bed can become filled with a swift moving stream.  Until recently, the footbridges were not there, which made access to the Walls of Jericho dangerous during rainy season.

Besides being safer, I think the bridges add charm to the hike, without making it feel too "man made". 

  It took us just over 2 hours to get into the gorge area.  The hike down into the gorge was almost completely downhill and filled with switchbacks.  Throughout the downhill portions of the hike, we built up a sort of dread for the hike back out.  Although hiking downhill is always pleasurable, it causes some alarm when thinking about the inevitable hike back up. 

As we hiked the last bit of the trail into the gorge, we were able to hear the water falling and we knew we were close to the canyon.  The last bit of hiking was the most treacherous of the entire trip in, as it included rugged terrain and some fairly sheer drop offs.  We were driven to get to the end of the hike and were instantly rewarded with this sight.....

As we entered the Walls of Jericho area, this naturally formed pool was the first sight we saw.  We were immediately taken aback at how crystal clear the water was.  We were instantly saddened by the fact that we didn't bring our swim suits.  The water falling off the rocks and into the pool simply begged to be swam in.  We now have plans to hike back to The Walls of Jericho, if for no other reason than to swim in this water.

For a bit, we thought that this natural pool was the main attraction of The Walls of Jericho.  But after a few minutes of exploring, we hiked farther up the rocks and found this area.....

This natural amphitheatre area was a blast to explore and made the perfect setting for our picnic lunch.  We managed to keep the boys sitting still long enough to refuel with lunches and drinks before they were off again exploring the area.  We spent about 2 hours down in the Walls area.  The boys clambored over the rocks, caught tadpoles that were abundant in the shallow pools on the rocks, waded in the water, and explored the caves and alcoves.

At one point while we were down in the gorge, a young couple came clamoring over the rocks and walked up to us.  They asked....

"Excuse us, but is there any other way to get back out of here besides the way we came in?"

We explained that the only way to get back out was to hike the 3-4 miles back out......uphill.

They replied...."That's what we were afraid of.  We are dreading the hike out and was hoping there was a short cut to get out."

Our belief is that the most beautiful natural sights require some effort to see, so the strenuous hike back up didn't seem quite as horrific to us as it did to the young couple.

We kept a watch on our time inside the gorge, knowing that we needed to allot 3 hours to hike out.  We knew that it was time to begin our ascent back to the top. 

We gathered up all of our discarded gear.....

...and started our hike back up.

Although we feared that the hike back out would be too strenuous for our family, we quite enjoyed it!

The hike out was definitely uphill, but we took it slow and worked in several rest stops.

Even taking breaks, it took us only about 2 1/2 hours to hike back out of the gorge.  The hike out wasn't nearly as bad as we feared it would be.  Thankfully, the switchbacks are designed to give you some flat hiking interspersed with the uphills.  It made hiking out quite bearable.

If I were to give our day of hiking a ranking, I would give it a 9 out of 10.  The weather was perfect.  We had plenty of drinks and snacks, the scenery was lovely, the trail was well marked, and the conditions were perfect.  The only thing that would've pushed the hike up to a 10 would've been if we had carried our swimsuits. It also would have been nice if water had been running in the dry creek bed and out of the holes in the canyon walls.  But, those things are quite minor. They just make us want to go back to see it again after a rain.

I wore a Nike+ sensor throughout the hike to see how many miles it recorded.  Although the sign at the trailhead proclaims that the hike is 6 miles round trip, my sensor recorded it as 8.25 miles.  I have read other people reporting that the trail is actually farther than posted as well. So if you choose to hike....you are in for a treat....just keep in mind that the hike is fairly strenuous and is likely farther than 6 miles. Take plenty of fluids and allot plenty of time to stop and enjoy the beauty that surrounds you. 

I would highly recommend this hike to able bodied people who are at least fairly fit and who are looking for a great... free way to spend time together as a family.

We are already searching for our next hiking destination.

Magic City Mudder

Running in the mud and conquering obstacles with my friends may be my new favorite kind of running. 

This weekend, I joined a group of my running girlfriends at the Magic City Mudder in Springville, Alabama.  We had an absolute blast!  It was a different kind of running challange.  One that focuses on enjoying the experience and finishing together.  No one cared about the time it took to finish.  I actually have no idea how long it took us to get to the finish line.

This was a 5K Mud Run that included 20 obstacles in 3 miles.  Throughout the 5K, we trekked through several mud pits, jumped through tires, climbed over hay bales, scaled a wall, army crawled through sand, ran over hills, bear crawled through culverts, and crawled under muddy rope obstacles. 

The 5K was over before I knew it and we have talking about it nonstop since it ended.  Our group has already signed up for our next challenge coming up in a few weeks.  We are eager to chart more experiences together while being active at the same time.  I am so lucky to be surrounded by friends who value friendships, a healthy lifestyle, and a good dose of dirt.

And of course, I was still a Mommy during this race.  I carried my 3 little guys with me.  They were happily my race photographers. My two little ones were able to play in the Kids Mud Pit and Tucker is now itching for next year when he will be old enough to participate with me.  My goal is to model a healthy lifestyle for my boys and I get all giddy when they want to participate with me.

 

Snot Rockets and Loogie Spitters

  Before I was a runner, I had no idea what a Snot Rocket was.  And I had no idea that there was socially acceptable occassion in which loogie spitting was embraced.  I now consider myself well versed in the execution of the Snot Rocket and the expulsion of the loogie.

  Now, let me clarify....

 I, myself, am not a loogie spitter or a snot rocket blower.  I suppose that my body just doesn't produce an excess amount of these type fluids for me to feel the urge to expel them from my body during a run.  Although I am not a Snot Rocketeer or a Loogie Spitter, I realize than some people must take part in this exercise.....and I am not looking down on them for that.  Nay, nay.....we all have our issues to overcome while running. 

Throughout the last few years of running, I have learned that there are certain unwritten rules that runners follow when expelling the Snot Rocket or the Loogie.

1.  Check over your shoulder for a nearby runner before blasting

2.  Administer with force so that the remains aren't left on your face

3. Never lose stride

4.  Pretend you didn't do it. 

During my most recent half marathon...I was witness to all matter of Snot Rockets and loogie spittings.  It was going on ALL AROUND me.  At one point, I was even feeling like a bit of an underachiever since I had nothing to blast.  Oh, the joys of the distance run.

Yesterday, my email inbox pinged. The download link to the Nashville Half Marathon photos from the official race photographers had arrived.  I was giddy with excitement as I scrolled through the photos.

 I was happy to see this shot of me grinning like a possum and covered in sweat just across the finish line......

I loved this shot that shows my determination to power through those darned hills.

I loved this thumbs up one.  I was obviously thrilled here because I was finally running downhill.

And then in this one, I was looking a bit more weary, but still had the energy for a wave. 

But... wait a minute....what's that?

Upon closer inspection.....

I realized that the race photographer had successfully recorded a loogie spitter in the photo.....

Beautiful.

Now.....if only I had a photo of a Snot Rocket....

my life would be complete.

Rave Runs

  Back before I did all of my running and fitness reading on the web, I subscribed to Runner's World magazine.  It's a great magazine, but I no longer subscribe because I do so much reading on my Kindle these days.  My most favorite page in Runner's World was the page called Rave Run.  I miss that page.

  The Rave Run page wasn't an article, it was just a photograph.... with a caption.  The caption simply stated where the location was that the photograph was taken.  Each time my magazine came in the mail, I always flipped straight to that page.  The Rave Run was always some fabulously amazing destination in which a runner was running.  Real places and a real runner.   I dream of those places.

(I walked on this boardwalk, but didn't run there.)

  In the years that I have been running, when I see some breathtaking place, I imagine myself there as a Rave Runner.  Just getting out and going for a run in my usual neighborhood is always rejuvenating and is a great way to de-stress, but running somewhere new is always an even bigger treat.

This weekend, our family went camping.....not too far away from home, because we had to drive back and forth to baseball games.  During our camping trip, the boys were thrilled to get to spend time right outside our camper fishing with their Daddy.

And I was ecstatic to squeeze in a 6 mile run while they did so.

It was such a refreshing run to be able to run the entire 6 miles alongside the river.....with my little exercise buddy tagging along behind me on his bicycle.  Getting to complete a run in a new place with a change of scenery is the icing on the cake for a vacation.

Although the run wasn't in a magazine worthy location, it was my own version of a Rave Run.

Hopefully, I will be able to share more lovely running locations here on Mommy Miles as I encounter them.

Where are some of your favorite places to run?

I'd love to hear about them!