May 15 can’t come soon enough…but will it be even longer??

Otherwise things are the same. All social activities still cancelled. Missing my friends!! But keeping in touch via ZOOM.

Trying to get outdoors often so I do not go stir crazy in my Office (aka a room in my house). Always looking for new and interesting places to run or walk and practice social distancing.

So happy to read this – https://www.businessinsider.com/you-can-still-go-outside-while-quarantining-sheltering-in-place-2020-4 

I know many of you do not agree and are staying close to home and even staying indoors (having groceries delivered, eating only take-out, etc).   Everyone has different levels of comfort.

I am not sure I even enjoy Virtual Races but I keep signing up for them!?

I’ve run the 5k and 10K and the 13.1 !!

It’s not too late.  You can still register the the Virtual FRW 5k until May 5 at  https://freihofersrun.com/virtual-5k/.  Use the code AMBSS5 and for $20, you will get:

• 42nd annual virtual Freihofer’s Run for Women t-shirt (you can even choose between two different colors) & bib
• A finisher’s certificate that can be printed out at home
• Commemorative finishers’ medal
• Coupons for Freihofer’s products
• Automatic entry into Virtual 5k Sweepstakes with great prizes!

The t-shirts, medals and coupons will be mailed to participants the first week in June.

Last Week –

• Monday – Another cold, windy rainy day. I was hoping to get out early for lunch but that didn’t happen (Darn work!) So instead of waiting until after work to do my run (in case it started raining harder), I squeezed one in at lunch instead of my walk.

yes, that’s a banana on the side of the road…it was raining but not too hard.

Then after work, it was still cold, windy and RAINING.  I planned to go for a walk but just couldn’t drag myself out the door. So unlike me 😦 Some days are like that.

• Tuesday – Hooray for a dry day. Still chilly and breezy but as I mentioned last week, I have a friend who is now only working 3 days a week and she has agreed to DRIVE to my house to walk with me on her off days.  So nice to have adult conversation with someone other than my hubby. (Now that is a good friend.)

The sun was shining and now near 60 degrees after work so I was anxious to get out there. I decided to actually run a 10k at the Corning Bike Path.

It felt hard…well all my runs feel hard these days… but at least it was skirt weather. Wearing purple to summon up the courage to finish this run.

• Wednesday – Ok, another dry day (before 3 days of predicted rain). I couldn’t wait to get outside for my lunch walk. I quickly drove to one of the closest preserves. (Where I go depends on my afternoon work schedule and how long I have for a break.) Although it was the same temps as yesterday, it was windy and cloudy so felt chilly.  Still enjoyed this time away from my desk immensely.

discovered some new flowers and that someone moved the painted rock

I didn’t really feel like running 3 days in a row but in the NE during April, if it’s not raining, you go for it. I decided to go to Washington Park to check the progress of the tulips. Guess what? I forgot my phone. Please believe me without photos that a 2.5 mile run took place and that the tulips are about a week away.

• Thursday – Yup, rain in the morning. Fingers crossed that it wouldn’t rain or rain hard all day long. Even on a rest day, I do like to go for a walk or two. It was pouring at lunchtime so walking was a no go. After work, it had stopped but was insanely windy. Still I needed to escape my house and continue on my quest to explore new places. The Stevens Farm Trail was different than the other preserves. It wasn’t really a well marked loop but it was very interesting. There were empty farm buildings dating back to the 1800’s, a K-9 training unit, a llama farm, a closed very old metal bridge and of course, a muddy trail along the creek.

Thursday nights are our weekly running group’s ZOOM night.  I’m not sure if we even talk about running lol.

• Friday – Day 4 this week with clouds.  Rain was predicted for the afternoon so I was hoping for a lunch walk (although my work schedule would make this one a tight squeeze.) Never believe your weather app, it was pouring around lunch time.  Since it wasn’t that cold or windy, I decided to take that walk in my neighborhood.  Wrong choice.  Even with an umbrella and raincoat, I got soaked!!!

It was still pouring when I finished work. Only water, right? So I grabbed my umbrella again and drove to Washington Park. The trails would be too muddy and I figured no one else would be there taking photos of the tulips in the rain. Well, I wasn’t alone (other crazy camera buffs like me) and eventually the rain did stop for a few minutes. Most of the tulips have not bloomed but I was treated to some early bloomers.  Definitely worth the trip.

• Saturday – Long Run Saturday. I was tired and tempted to sleep in but I like to get my LSD out of the way and enjoy the weekend.

12 miles was on my plan as prep for my Steel Rail Virtual Half Marathon. It’s always a challenge on where to go.  I don’t like to run in the same places. And of course, most runners abstain from running on crowded paths. This doesn’t bother me so I drove to Zim Smith. I ran the opposite way from what I normally do just for a change.

Of course on a nice day, there were walkers and bikers.  Everyone was cautious, polite and friendly. And for my post run I was hoping for a treat from Leah’s. They were closed so I had to settle for extra thick milkshake from Stewart’s.

I spent the rest of the afternoon pulling weeds until our our 3rd ZOOM Blogger Coffee Date. As with the others, it was so fun to connect with everyone.

• Sunday – Another dry day.  Not as sunny as yesterday but warm. I was excited to take a long walk on another preserve or two, do my weekly grocery shopping and even get in some more yard work.

Today my tennis friends and I would have been in Naples, Fla. We always get together one night during this trip to discuss a book that we have all read in advance.  So instead, we used ZOOM tonight for our book chat.  We all read the mystery The Turn of the Key.

This Coming Week – 

• Monday – run
• Tuesday –  run
• Wednesday – rest day, walk
• Thursday – run, ZOOM running group chat
• Friday – rest day, mah jongg walk
• Saturday – LONG RUN, MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!
• Sunday – rest day, walk, Mother’s Day

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I am linking up with Kim and Deborah for

I encourage you to do the same. Grab the graphic, drop your link on the host blogs and play along! Please be sure to always comment on the HOST’s blogs, as well as visit and comment on as many other blogs as you can.

Happy Running! How is your running going?  How is this virus affecting you and your family? Are you having  hard time finding safe places to run? Are you running in new places or are in a running route rut?  Are you having nice spring weather?  How many VIRTUAL races have you signed up for? Please share.