A skunk of a good time...

I've run across a lot of animals during my running career.  Deer, horses, fox, squirrels (oh the squirrels), bunnies, fox and so on.  But never skunk.  In fact, I've never seen a skunk living outside a zoo or animal show.  That is until tonight. 

Tonight I decided to do my interval/circuitish type workout on the golf course cart path at Cole Park Commons on Fort Campbell.  I like the trail.  Early early morning or late evening it's deserted.  Just you and nature and lovely views.  It's a golf course made up of rolling hills...lots of hills. 

Anyway, I was just finishing my first of three circuits (1/4 mile jog, 15 reverse lunges, 1/4 mile jog, 30 crunches, 1/4 mile jog, 15 push-ups, 1/4 jog then repeat two more times for a total of 3 miles, 45 reverse lunges, 90 crunches and 45 push-ups) when I looked off to my right and there he was...or she...I can't tell the difference and I wasn't going to get close enough to take a real look.  That skunk looked at me like I ruined his solitary stroll through the golf course (I could say the same about him or her) then scooted across the cart path and kept on going.  I decided to wait until he was well across the path before continuing...just in case.

So yeah, check that one off the bucket list.

On a training note, I'm feeling pretty strong.  That said, I need to start being more mindful about overdoing it.  I've been pushing myself hard and not worrying about recovery and I think it's catching up with me.  Thursday's run was my seventh day in a row without a rest and my calves were locking up.  I took Friday off before my long run on Saturday and everything seemed to shake back out, but I'm in danger of running down that path again if I don't force myself to take a day off early this week to rest.  Today may look light, but I also did a 55 minute pure barre class this morning...so basically my glutes are screaming and my quads were shaking during those reverse lunges tonight.

Moving to a completely different topic, I went on a bit of a shopping spree recently to spruce up my tired running wardrobe. Lucy was having a great sale on tops, so I picked up three, and while I was at it, I grabbed a new running skirt at Lululemon....check it out.  I took it out for a spin on my 14.7 mile long run Saturday (which I normally wouldn't do for a first wearing on a long run, but oh well) and was pleasantly surprised that it didn't ride up, roll up or cause any chafing.  All around, A+ and the same to the Lucy top I paired with the skirt.

New clothes, new animal sitings and overworking aside, I'm starting to feel strong and consistent again and looking forward to the insane fall racing schedule I've set for myself.  Happy trails!!!

Stats:

Total miles:  427.47...starting to chip away at a more consistent and higher rate
Feeling:  Stronger, yet not treating my body well enough

 

Peace and quiet...

This morning I woke up in one of my favorite places - Fort Campell.  I really love this base (sorry Army folks...installation...you'll have to forgive this Marine spouse), I love the people and I love the mission.  Usually when I am staying out here for meetings I get up and head to one of the fitness centers.  Today the temperatures were nice (after that monster round of storms that I managed to drive through last night on the way up here) and the sun was up early, so I hit the trail, or rather the Cole Park golf cart path.

I have to tell you, any runs this week are purely about adding miles to the tally sheet because I am otherwise saving my legs for my marathon on Saturday.  I thought the quiet of the golf cart path the day after a nasty storm was a great place to stretch out and add to that tally.  If you are familiar with the golf course on Fort Campbell, you know that it has a lot of rolling hills that dip away from the road to the treeline.  It was slightly misty near the treeline today (I can only imagine thanks to the storms) and a meditative kind of peaceful.  It was the right environment to get into my own head, hit an easy pace and pound out a few miles up and down the golf cart path from Richardson Lodging to Cole Park Commons and back.  In fact it was so peaceful I only had to share the course with a large herd of deer...and a couple groundskeepers picking up branches felled by the winds (can't have those branches covering prime fairway now can we?...I could insert all sorts of military and the golf course stories here, but I'll refrain.)

Anyway, it was a perfect way to energize the body before a day of meetings with some of the country's finest members of the Army and Army Special Forces.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  3.54
Time:   31:00 (average pace of 8:45 per mile)
Location:  Cole Park Golf Course, Fort Campbell
Feeling:  Nice and relaxed, need to watch the hamstrings going into Saturday