Keep pushing on? Nope. Time to rethink the current mission.

I made it through the week off!

Not running all week was tough and not going to the gym was even tougher than I thought, more physically than mentally.  I never realized how much my weeknight trips to Fitness Renegades was really part of my life now, until I couldn't go! Granted, I had my strength exercises from PT that I needed to do, but that's just not the same as a dose of Joe's daily intense lifting and challenging missions or Ty's fierce weekend warrior insanity adventures.  I may make light of these workouts but they are intense, often fierce and push me to my limits and I wouldn't have it any other way.  Thanks guys!

On Thursday when I met with Lisa, while she was really working my IT Band we were discussing my painful weekend, how things were going this week and where we were headed from here.

From the way my run and workout last weekend went. I knew what was coming...

We were only 4 weeks out from the marathon.  My longest run to date was 14 miles, over a month ago.
As of right now, I couldn't make 10 miles without being in extreme pain.  I think deep down I knew what I needed to do, it was just really hard to admit it.

I was NOT going to be running this Full Marathon.

I will be honest, it was tough to finally admit what I think I knew deep down a few weeks ago already.  My body was just not ready for the challenge yet.  Last summer when I was just running a lot of miles and spending minimal time with strength training, I was doing ok.  Then over the winter, I switched gears and was doing a heavier amount of strength training and minimal running (thanks to mother nature and the "lovely" winter we had here) that too was ok.  Come spring when I upped the mileage and kept up with the strength training, but body put up the stop sign.  Ok, it was probably just a caution flag at first but since I didn't pay attention to it right away, it turned into a red flag.  I needed to stop and pay attention to what was going on.

I did get the ok from my PT to run the half marathon and thankfully I was able to find someone that had a Half Marathon registration that they were no longer able to use.  Unfortunate that they were not able to run, but in the end it was a blessing for me, as the half marathon was at capacity and I could not just "switch" events.  It cost me $10 to process the transfer, but that was $10 well spent!

I am taking these next few weeks before the half marathon to work on the strength training prescribed by my PT to get me moving in the right direction and on May 18th, I will head out for my 1st Half Marathon on 2014.

Yes I am disappointed that I will not be able to make Cellcom 2014 my first Full Marathon, but I know that with some hard work over the next few months, I will only come out a stronger runner in the end.  I am not calling it quits on a Full Marathon, just delaying it until my body is ready for the challenge!

The rest of 2014 is still ahead of me, several 5k's, 10k's, color runs and Half Marathons, so the distances might be shorter, but the miles will still me there!  We are not stopping, just changing gears and taking a detour!

Pushing through vs listening to your body

As I have posted about before, change is inevitable.  Plans change all the time and we need to be able to adapt.  Many of these changes can be tough, both physically and mentally.  Doing what you know is right vs what you WANT to do can be tough. When do you push through the pain and when do you stop and listen to your body and slow down?

I know it's been a few weeks since I have posted and I apologize.  Some days it was enough just to keep my head above water!  My blog was one of those things that I just was not able to get to!  Trust me - it's not because I didn't want to.  But something had to give and time was not on my side.  Many nights, I opted for sleep instead of blogging... yup, I had to figure out some priorities!  I am going to work on a few posts to get you caught up on the marathon training

After a positive 8 mile run that I mentioned in my last post, I was given the ok to do 10 the following weekend. For the first time since Thanksgiving I was actually able to get out and run with my running partner Matt!  It was going to be a great morning!

Matt and I set out at a comfortable pace and were ready to enjoy the morning, but determined to make it back before the rain.  We crossed the bridge and hit the trail with a few hundred of our closest friends.  We kept a good pace and when we turned around at mile 5 (keeping my word to my PT that I would do no more than 10 miles).  I was feeling good and it was great to be running with Matt again.

At about mile 9, I started to feel my knee creeping up on me and knew that I didn't have much left.  The stubborn side of me came though and I pushed it through to the end.    Overall when I finished, I felt great and really was not in any pain.  I talked to the crew from myTEAM TRIUMPH for a few minutes and then Matt and I headed home.    I met up with Sir Felix (my foam roller that has become one of my new best friends) for some quality rolling time and followed it up with some ice.  Overall, I was sore, but nothing that I really was worried about.

Sunday morning rolled around and it was time for one of Ty's awesome Sunday Circuits at the gym.  Overall it should not have been a tough workout, compared to some of the adventures he puts us through.  Unfortunately, the burpees got the best of my by round 2.  The impact from the burpees was too much for my knee and I struggled to get through the 35 minutes.  I walked several of the laps and took it slow.  In the end I was proud of myself for finishing it and knowing that I made the adjustments that I needed to keep myself going.  I spent some time rolling and stretching at the gym before I left and was on my way.  Once I got into my car, the pain caught up to me.  I was nearly in tears by the time I got home.  My husband banned me to the couch with a bag of ice for the afternoon.  IT HURT!  I officially over did it and my body was voicing it's opinion.  If I can't even get through 10 miles without all this pain, how was I going to do 26.2 in just over a month?  I had some serious thinking about what was the reality of all of this.  My body was starting to rebel.  Was I biting off more than I can chew at this point?

On Monday, I shot off an email to my physical therapist and the other trainer that was covering stuff for her while she was on vacation.  I filled them in on what happened over the weekend and I was given strict orders to take the week off.  No running until after I saw Lisa again (not until Thursday) and no going to the gym.  They didn't want me to do anything that could potentially cause a flare up.

OMG!  It's bad enough to tell me that I can't run, but to tell me no gym either?

Like I told Nate, telling me not to run or go to the gym is like telling a 4 year old not to eat the bowl of candy that you left on the table.  Nate's response?  "eventually, you are going to take the candy away if the 4 year old does not listen"... Ok Nate, you got me there.    No running, no gym  UGH!

 Here's to a long week of trying to keep my mind off everything that I want to be doing...

Come on legs, butt and feet, lets get everything working together!!!  The adventure continues...

Life is a Roller Coaster! Hop on and enjoy the ride

Yes, there are ups and down - and sometimes a lot of them, in a short amount of time, but that is what makes the adventure all the more interesting! 

Welcome to this week's Fireside Chat!  It's Sunday night and time to sit back and reflect on the last week.  I am sure that I am like most people - you go into a week with grand plans of what needs to get done, what you wish to accomplish and how you see the week going. 

This past week was no different.  I had plans on actually getting caught up on some of blog post, starting some spring cleaning (my craft/costume/project room is a disaster and I can't find anything!) and try out a few new recipes.  I was signed up for classes at the gym (I was determined to get there 4 times this week) and had several training runs planned.

Having to face the reality that I needed to slow down on my training runs and work on getting my body healthy and injury free has been tough.  Telling a runner that they can't run is hard to deal with.  Granted, I have been told that I can still run, just have to keep the miles low (like less than 5 miles).  The fact that I have my marathon in less than 6 weeks is kinda freaking me out.  At this point, my longest run has been 14 miles.  This past weekend was supposed to be 18 miles but after my PT appointment on Thursday, I was told that was not going to happen.  She gave me the ok to do the 10 mile run, but only if I promised that I would cut it short if my knee started bothering me.  

Figures, the weather is finally starting cooperate and I am limited on who much I can get out and run.  Getting out on Saturday for a run (even though it was shorter than I would have wanted to do) was awesome!  The Fox River trail was finally mostly clear and the sun was shining.  I ended up turning around at the 4 mile marker for the run instead of the 5, just because I didn't want to push the knee too far.  When I finished, I was feeling good, a little sore, but much better than I did after the 6 miles I did 2 weeks ago!  The most frustrating part of the run was the fact that I still felt like I could have run another 10 miles.  There is still fuel in the tank, the body and mind are still wanting to go further... with the exception of my beloved IT band and knee.  It give me that much more motivation to work on correcting the IT band issues and continue with the strength training and PT.  I want to get out there and really so how far I can run!

On a more exciting note - I think I need to go out and buy a lottery ticket! On Thursday I found out that I won a Twitter contest and now had 4 tickets plus a bunch of other goodies for the Monster Jam event at the Resch Center on Sunday!  Perfect timing for my son's 16th birthday!  It was a fun (but LOUD) afternoon!

The Prize Pack

The Birthday Bay and the trucks

 Then, I also found out that I won not one, but two of the gift baskets at the Comedy City Comedy Against Cancer Event last weekend!  The first basket was a wine and cheese assortment from 2 local venues.  THe second was a basket compliments of Badger State Brewing and the Green Bay Distillery.  With all this beer, wine and cheese, I think I've got the start of a good party!

Overall, it's been a great week and I am determined not to let me injury get me down.  I have to keep reminding myself that even tho my knee is not hurting when I run, that is not the ok to keep going.  Keeping the miles down is my best course of action to letting myself heal, no matter how many miles I really want to run.  I have an awesome supportive family and group of friends that are looking out for me and continue to remind me to SLOW DOWN.  I may grumble and try to be tough and push on, but I know what I need to do and I really grateful to have them looking out for me!

The Roller Coaster is ever changing and keeps us from getting bored.  Sometimes the climb to the top is slow and long but the view from the top is always worth the effort.  We just need to learn to enjoy the view from the top, look forward to the next adventure and the triumph at the end of the next hill!

Until next time, get out there and enjoy spring weather - now that it finally is here!

Plans never go through without change!

Another Sunday night, crackling fire and, relaxing, Watching a movie with my family.

I don't know about you, but some days I really wish time would slow down so that I could feel like I really enjoy these days.  No matter how well you think you have things planned out, we have to be ready for the unexpected.  There will always be changes that need to be made to the plan.  Having viable options in a pinch is always important.  This is true for workouts, family dinners, shuttling kids to and from events, or even rest days.

This week was no different.  Thankfully it was a "normal" week (and I only worked minimal overtime hours), but when it starts out with a snowstorm on Monday that closed schools early, I should have known that the week was going to be another crazy one. I headed home from work a early to get Darrin from school and was really glad that I did!  I had to deal with some snow on the roads, but from stories I heard from others that were traveling later in the day, I consider myself lucky that I was home as early as I was!

Unfortunately, the weather also brought the cancellation of all classes at the gym for Monday night.  So much for my Double Up Monday!    My son had a meeting scheduled downtown from 5-8, so my workout plan for the week was going to start out with a bang!  A regular Renegade Mission at 5:30, followed by a Cardio Circuit class at 6:30, allowing me to get downtown to pick him up by 8pm.  However, Snowstorm Carol had other ideas.  Everything was cancelled for Monday night... no driving downtown for Darrin's meeting, no going to the gym for me and nothing planned for dinner!  So, after rearranging the evening menu, getting dinner finished and driveways cleared, this was one tired chick!  I really should have spend the evening in the basement on the treadmill or getting in a few Renegade workout videos but that didn't happen.  By the time we finished dinner, I was ready for bed!

Even though I didn't get in my planned workout on Monday, I didn't let it ruin the rest of the week.  I knew that I didn't have any "free" time to get in an extra workout or run, but I made sure that each and every one of the workouts that I did get to was completed with maximum effort.

In the end, I can say that the week was a success.  Everyone got where they needed to be.  I was at the gym for each and every workout that I signed up for, I survived another cold, icy marathon training run (gotta love glare ice streets in Wisconsin, which will probably be here until May at this rate!).  Plus, still made time for dinner out on Saturday with some friends.  It all took some shuffling around and revised planning, but we did it!

Oh yeah!  My new running shoes finally arrived on Friday!  After what seemed like forever (in reality it was only a week) they finally got to meet my feet!  For the first time in 2 years, I bought somethign besides Sauconey's, so we will see how this goes!   Now, time to decide which are going to be taking the trip to Arizona with me in a few weeks...  decisions, decisions, decisions!

So when life throws a wrinkle in your plan, just pick up where you left off and keep moving forward!

Cheesehead Half Marathon and camping - the perfect weekend

After weeks of training and anticipation, the weekend of the next Half Marathon was finally here!  We made a weekend adventure out of it.

On Friday, we all took off from work early, packed up the cars and headed to Matt and Molly's camper!   After getting everything hauled into the camper and unpacked, we headed to Chilton to grab a few things from Walmart and the local Farmers Market with Molly.  We also were waiting for Matt to get to the campground since he had to work later than the rest of us, so why not get some errand done.

John's Jolly Yellow Banana, as Matt and I relax by the fire

For those of you that might have seen John's Facebook post last week about the "What is your color run name", you will appreciate this!  After Molly heard what John's Color Run name was (Jolly Yellow Banana), she had to have fun with it!  When we were at Walmart Molly had to pick up the special gift just for John, which she then properly labeled before giving it to him!

After grilling some awesome steak and potatoes, we spent Friday evening relaxing around the campfire, having a few beers and watching the Packers Pre-season game.  It was the perfect relaxing evening to get ready for our big run tomorrow.  It was really comforting knowing that we only had a 15 minute drive to get to the starting line for run tomorrow!  Since Molly and John were volunteering with registration and the 5k on Saturday, they had to be there for 6am!  The Half Marathon didn't start until 7:30 so Matt and I didn't have to be there quite that early... extra sleep would be a fabulous option!  It's didn't take us long to decide that we were taking 2 cars to the run!

After a goodnights sleep, Molly and John headed out around 5:30am to be in Hilbert before 6am, while Matt and I got at least a little more sleep!  Before long tho it was time for us to get up, find breakfast and head to the start line!

Once we got to Hilbert parked the car a few blocks from the start line, we found Molly and John, then made our way to the truck where they had left our race bibs for us before they went to work.  Time was drawing near for the start so we made a trip to the beloved port-a-pots before heading to the start line.  That in itself was an adventure!  After waiting in the long lines we were still there when they did the national anthem... good thing this run was chip timed so it didn't matter that we were a few minutes late starting.  We finally made our way to the start, stopping to drop off Matt's bag with his sandals in with with Molly and John.

We were on our way.  We missed the mass start, so the first mile was spent much less stressful than most other runs - we didn't end up spending time dodging our way around other runners. It also didn't take me long long to realize that I was glad that I didn't change my mind and wear my running capri's and a t-shirt.  This was going to be a warm run - there was no clouds in the sky to protect us from the bright, hot sun.  According to my phone it was only 65 degrees outside, but with the lack of cloud cover, it felt much warmer.  I was feeling good and ready to run!

The sun was going to be the biggest obstacle.  We cruised through the first few miles without any problems but after about mile 3, Matt's calves started bothering him.  We walked for a bit and he was determined to push through it.  Shortly after mile 4 we had to slow down and walk again for a bit.  Matt told me to just go and run.  I told him we would finish this together and that I was not going to leave him behind.  We pushed through another mile or so and again he told me to just run.  He was going walk for a bit.  I really didn't want to leave him behind but he would not take no for an answer.  He insisted that he would be ok and wanted me to just run.  Reluctantly, I did get back to my run.  I told him I would see him at the finish line.

This run had definitely turned into a mental challenge for me.  Pushing through the blazing sun was only part of it.  Knowing that Matt was behind me somewhere, kept me wondering if he was doing ok. At the halfway point, I was on track to hitting that 2 1/2 hour goal that I had for myself.  The best part about the second half of the course was that a good portion of it was right along the Fox River Trail, which meant a large amount of tree cover!  YAY!!  Granted it was only 3 miles, but that was 3 miles that I was away from the blazing sun out there in that cloudless sky!  Unfortunately  the tree cover had to come to an end. I had 3 miles left and they were all right back in the sun - the last 3 miles of the course were the same 3 miles that we ran when we started this course.  These last 3 miles were the toughest 3 miles I have run all summer!  The sun was trying to get the best of me.  I actually ended up walking a large portion of these miles, but I was still moving!  Finally, I made the turn just after mile 12 that would take me back into town!

I can honestly say that I truly had to push myself both physically and mentally to get through those last 3 miles.  When I came around that last corner and saw the finish line just two blocks ahead of me, I would have to say that was one of the best things I had seen all day!  I crossed that finish line with a smile on my face, knowing I had just run my new PR.  Official time - 2:35:23  Not quite the 2:30:00 that I was shooting for, but with the sun today, I was not going to complain one bit.  This was almost 7 minutes faster than my time from the Journey's Half Marathon in May! After collecting a bottle of water and my Cheesehead Medal, John and Molly came and found me right away.  I grabbed a spot in the shade to do a little stretching and cool off a bit.  Molly asked what happened to Matt and when I told her, they both said that made sense then as to why Matt and I's apps on our phones were giving such different results!

Matt and I approaching the finish line

I asked Molly about where Matt was at on the course.  She said he was at about mile 12.6.  He was back to running 11-12 minute miles so he was not too far behind me! My rest in the shade was done.  I had one thing I needed to do.  A few months ago, when Matt mentioned that he was considering finding another half marathon to run and mentioned this one, I told him that if he wanted company, I would run it with him.  I told him that we would run this event and finish together.  I was not going back on my word.  We were going to cross the finish line together.  I unpinned my bib number and gave it, along with my medal to John, grabbed my bottle of water and started heading back out on the course.   I headed back to the last corners coming back into town to wait for Matt.  Before long, he was coming around the final corners.  I joined him on the road and reminded him that I told him we would finish this run together.  That was just what we were going to do.  We ran the last stretch of the course together.  Molly was cheering at the next corner and John was taking a few pictures.   He finished about 15 minutes behind me, but this was also over 10 minutes faster than is time from the Cellcom Half Marathon back in May.  So proud of him for pushing through, finishing strong and giving this race his all!

It was a tough run but we are still smiling

We came, we ran, we conquered.  This has become the tag line for so many of our races this summer. We have faced many challenges along the way,  we have run many miles together, and pushed each other to do our best each and every time.  I am proud of everything that we have accomplished over the last 6 months!  I look forward to many more races and miles together!  

Now that the run was over, it was time to get back to relaxing and enjoying the rest of the weekend... next mission was to find something to eat.  For the first time after any event, we actually hit the food tent and found a few things to eat to begin  the refueling process!  Since this is the Cheesehead Run, the post race buffet that was available for runners and volunteer was cheese themed!  I was not up for eating much at this point, but I knew that I needed to eat something.  They had some awesome breakfast burritos, filled with eggs, cheese and potatoes that hit the spot!  Those combined with the cheese curd on top mini sliders, 2 bottles of water and a beer, I was good to go!  Time to head back for a shower and relaxing.

The rest of the weekend was spent laughing and having a great time, relaxing with great friends.  It doesn't get much better than a few challenging board games outside with a campfire crackling 10 feet away, half a case of water, a few beers, the Brewers game on the radio and NASCAR on TV!    Before long, it was Sunday morning and it was time to pack up and head back to reality.  In the end, it was another amazing weekend in this summers adventures.  I can't wait for the next adventures and where they will take me!

Munising Vacation winds to a close

The final day of our weekend in Michigan had to come to a close. Today we would be on a mission to visit a few more places, find a few geocaches and head for home.   But before I get to today, I want to back track to last night and the phenomenon in the sky.  Last night was one of the best nights for local viewing of the Perseid meteor shower.  We spent at least an hour out on the front lawn of the motel, enjoying the meteor shower, listening to the soft waves crashing on the shore.  Darrin decided to get nice and comfortable and grabbed his hoodie and fuzzy pants and laid down right on the shuffle board to watch the spectacle in the sky.  Unfortunately I was not able to get any pictures, but I can assure you that it was really cool thing to see.  Apparently from what we were told, Sunday night was going to be the best night to view it even better, but since we were not going to be here, we would just have to enjoy it while we could!

This morning we didn't have a lot of plans before leaving town so we decided to so some exploring and find a few geocaches along the way.  Darrin and my dad have been on a mission this summer to see how many consecutive days they can log a cache find.  So, Darrin said we had to find a few today!  There were still a few in the area that we didn't find last year, as well as a few new ones so we had our work cut out for us.  We finished off the stuff we had in the motel for breakfast, packed everything up and go ready to head out.

Before I get into today though, I want tell you more about this awesome little motel that we have grown to love.  Sunset Motel on the Bay in my eye, the original waterfront motel in Munising (I guess it probably is, as I only know of one other waterfront property in town and that just recently opened).  A friend of mine recommended this property to me before Darrin and I made our first trip up here.  Ever since that first visit, we don't even look for other places to stay for this trip.  Sunset is our home away from home.  The staff always going out of their way to make sure that you have everything that you need, offer suggestions on places to go or see.  It was at their suggestion that we discovered Johnny Dogs on our first trip here and you all know how that turned out for us!  Each room has a perfect view of Munising Bay, one even has a balcony overlooking the shoreline!  There is a private beach with a fabulous sand beach which makes a perfect way to unwind after a day of hiking, biking or whatever you find to do in this fabulous area.  If you are traveling with kids, there is  a playground and plenty of room to run!  One of our favorite things that they offer to guests is that they have grills, charcoal and everything that you need for a cookout!  When Darrin was grilling last night, he stopped in the office to ask if they had paper plates, he came back with paper plates, plastic silverware, napkins and even a bag with salt, pepper and a few other grill seasoning!  Bags of ice are also readily available so you don't have to run to the gas station to buy ice for you cooler before you leave on you daily adventures!

Ok, back to our Sunday Funday (or at least morning)...

After breakfast, we headed out towards Christmas to do some geocaching.  The first stop brought us to the Range Lights just outside of town, where it didn't take Darrin long to grab 3 cache finds.  In one of them, he even found a Minion!  He decided to leave the Minion to hang out in his lakefront cache to enjoy the view a little longer.  As we were walking back toward the car, I noticed that there were some wild blueberry bushes along the treeline, with a few berries just waiting to be picked and eaten!    Once we got back to the range light and started heading towards the car, I noticed that there were several more blueberry bushes long the trail, with even more berries on them! We started picking some for an light after breakfast snack.  However, I was thinking that these would be a great snack for the road trip home... but I would need to find something to put them in! 

Darrin and I headed back to the car and I did find a single ziploc bag to collect my snack for later!  in a matter of about a half hour, we had half of the bag filled - and we didn't even make a dent in the number of berries that were out there! We will definitely be coming back there next year for a quick blueberry fix!  

After a few more quick geocache finds, it was off to find lunch,  Since we couldn't get our lunch time Johnny Dog's Fix yesterday, we decided to head there for our last meal before we headed home.  When we pulled into the parking lot, it was exactly as we found it yesterday... empty.  It was at this time that Darrin noticed the sign that they were closed both yesterday and today for private functions...  guess we are finding a new place for lunch!

Chicken Pecan Cherry Wrap

As we drove around the block, we happened to notice a small welcoming front porch with a sign indicating we had stumbled across the Rock River Lunch Bag.  We have never been here before, it's not a chain restaurant and we were hungry!  Guess we found our lunch stop for today!!

This wonderful little place was exactly what we were looking for! This was a quiet little cafe that was cozy and warm. We were greeted by a very welcoming staff that was ready to answer any questions that we had about the menu.  When I asked about what they were most known for or what some of the best / favorite options were on the menu, we were told about 2 different options...  The first was the Fresh Whitefish dip and the second was the Chicken Pecan Cherry Wrap.

Fresh Whitefish Wrap

That was a decision maker for us.  Darrin ordered the Whitefish Wrap and I ordered the other!  The Whitefish dip is made fresh and tasted phenomenal!  The lettuce, tomato and onion in the wrap were the perfect accompaniments to the fresh fish!   I think I was lucky to get a single bite of Darrin's wrap before it was GONE!  He literally inhaled it, as well as the chips!  My Chicken Pecan Cherry wrap was amazing!  The combination of the cherry and pecan in the tortilla was awesome! We will definitely have to come back and check out a few more of the options on their menu!

After an amazing lunch, it was time to hit the road for home.  We have already started out list of places we still need to check out when we make our trip next summer.  Reservations at the Sunset are already made, just like each and every year.  There is one exception for out trip next year... we are tentatively planning on coming up one week later.  Each year we see the signs as we come through Escanaba for the fair, which always starts the day AFTER we have to be home.  Next year we are planning one week later so that we can stop at the fair on the way up on Friday!  I don't even remember when I was last at the UP state Fair, but I can pretty much guarantee it's been over 25 years!

Of course our trip hope can't be without any pitstops... no road trip that Darrin and I make is a straight drive with no stops!  This time we made it to Escanaba before we had to stop!  We already knew that we had to stop for gas at some point soon, but before we did that, I spotted Sayklly's chocolates and gifts as we drove through Escanaba.  I had to stop to see what new and interesting treats that had in their chocolate case!  I found a few chocolates I had to bring home that included toffee chocolate covered pretzels and dark chocolate sea salt caramels.    As we were walking through the store, I stopped to check out their HUGE selection of gummy candies... bears, worms, footballs, you name it, they probably had it as a gummy - and this would include those AWESOME gummy frogs that I keep me going back to Orange Leaf!  This was the first time I ever saw these gummy frogs anywhere aside from OL so I had to get some!!  We have joked around that Matt has an Orange Leaf addiction, as he has to go there all the time, but I go with him just as often just so I can get my gummy frogs with my FroYo - it's a good thing we are doing a lot of running this summer to make up for the OL and gummy's that I have eaten!  Darrin was laughing at me as I was bagging some up to take home - until he found the gummy bullfrogs and decided that he needed one of those too.

Our final pitstop on trip home was at the Norway Spring - an artesian well, right along the highway.  This spring provides clean, crisp cold water constantly.  There is an awesome little park at the spring so you can get out and stretch your legs while you fill up your water bottles and can get right back on the road!  We always make a point to stop here whenever we drive through the area.  This time, Darrin had to do some digging in the car to find a few bottles to fill up. There is nothing that beats awesome fresh clean water.  Why would I pay for bottled water when I can stop here?  I just wish it wasn't a 2 hour drive from home to get my water!

As this weekend comes to a close, I really can appreciate everything that I have and the opportunities that I am able to enjoy.  I have an amazing family and awesome friends that make each day an adventure!

Munising weekend - Day 2

Munising, Day 2

There is nothing like waking up to the sounds of the waves just feet from your door and birds chirping outside your window!  No time to waste - there were bike trails calling and our friends Beth and Chad were going to be in town today!  We were on a mission to get in our bike ride before they arrived in town, so that we could spend time with them, sharing our adventures and favorite spots in the area!

After a quick breakfast in our motel room, it was off to the Valley Spur Bike trails, just south of town.  The Valley Spur trails include 4 loops, of varying distances and expertise levels. We opted for the longer loop (12 miles) that was calling our name.  According to the maps, aside from the hill at the beginning of the trail, this was a fairly level trial.  This sounded like just what we were looking for!

Ok, a hill at the beginning?  I knew we were in trouble when this "hill" was named "Stairway to Heaven"!!  This was no little hill!  The incline was steep, winding and decorated nicely with rocks, tree branches and other random features.  I was determined to make it to the top without having to stop and walk my bike!  After the first turn, I lost Darrin in the trees behind me... there was only one way up the hill so the sooner I got to the top, the longer break I could get while I waited for him!!  After what seemed like forever, the crest of the hill was finally in front of me - and I was ready for a short rest.  From a quick look at my phone, that first part of the trail was less that 3/4 of a mile.  I would swear that it was more like 2 miles - at least that is what it felt like! But I made it all the way to the top without having to walk! Once we got past that hill, the rest of the trail was a piece of cake.  At one point, where the ATV trail crossed the bike trail, which crossed the horse trail, I think we ended up getting turned around and found ourselves on a gravel road instead of the bike trail.  We knew which direction we were heading, so we kept going.  Eventually, if this road didn't bring us back to the trail (Which Darrin was pretty sure it would from when he was studying the map at the motel) we knew that eventually we would come back out to the main highway, which would get us back to the car.  Darrin was right, we made our way back to the trail right where he thought that we would.  Before long we were back at the car, completing our biking adventure.  As a result of our missed turn in the trail, we didn't hit the 12 miles that the loop should have been, but we did hit right about 10.5 miles.  Excellent morning ride!

Beth and Bill from Uncle Ducky's with her new kayak!

Perfect timing to finish our ride too.  Just after we arrived back at the car, Beth called to say they were about 30 miles from Munising.  Just enough time for us to head to the motel, take showers and meet them at Uncle Ducky's to pick up their kayak!  People say those goofy contests on facebook to like and share this post are just a scam to get you to a certain website or page... Beth will proudly tell you that they are not!  Thanks to Uncle Ducky and his contest, she is the proud owner of this new kayak!  Oh the places she and Chad will be going now!  So happy for you my friend!!

Muldoon's Pasty's

Once we had her kayak securely strapped to the top of her car, it was time to find lunch!  Where were we heading for lunch?  Why Johnny Dogs of course!  Unfortunately, we pulled into their parking lost to find that they were closed for the day!!!! Closed for private parties/events... What to do next?  So, second best... it was off to try Muldoon's Pasty shop.  Voted best pasties in the entire UP, they must be good.  The wonderful smell of fresh baked pasties really can wake up a person's senses!  The small pasty and gift shop is located in a small house right on the main highway heading out of town.  You can't miss the quaint little house with the huge sign out front advertising their award winning pasties. This was the first time that Beth was actually having a fresh pasty!  The few times she had them before was when we brought frozen ones home and shared with them.  Reheating them is ok, but nothing beats one fresh out of the oven!

Summer fun with old friends, sharing adventures!

Muldoon's Party's go into the oven weighing just over a pound each, filled with beef (or chicken if you so choose), potatoes, carrots and rutabaga, wrapped neatly into that beloved flaky crust!  These were definitely worth the stop for lunch!  We enjoyed our tasty treats outside in the perfect afternoon sun, planning our plan of attack for the rest of the day.  It would be an adventure, taking Beth and Chad to some of our favorite places that we have found over the last 2 years!

After a quick stop at the motel to drop off Beth's car and get some water, we were off!  First destination for the afternoon was Miners Falls and Miners Castle, just a short drive from our motel!  When we arrived at the parking are to Miners Falls, we were disappointed to see a sign that read no pets beyond this point... Beth and Chad were traveling with their dog today and she loves to hike!  She would not be able to join us on this one.  Beth offered to stay behind with Maya in the parking area while we make a quick run down to the falls so Chad could at least get some pictures.  A short time after hitting the trail, we saw at least 3 groups with their dogs... I guess the sign didn't pertain to them.  oh well, we were not the ones that were breaking the rules, we were just out to have a fun afternoon!

Miners Falls

Miners Falls never disappoints.  The viewing platforms at the top, as well as the bottom give you the complete feeling of the power behind this tall but fast moving wall of water!  This is one of those local hot spots that we have stopped at each and every summer we have been here - it is always just as remarkable as the times before.

From Miners Falls, it was on the Miners Castle, just down the road a little further!  Along the way to Miners Castle, you will also find the turn off to Miners Beach.  This is one of the most popular beaches in the area and you will always find a a crowd here!  It doesn't matter if you reason for heading there is relaxing on the beach, swimming orto launching a kayak, Miners Beach is truly a destination!

Miners Castle is probably one of the most recognized areas of the entire Pictured Rocks lakeshore and is visited by thousands of travels each year.  There was a second turret out on the point, but that was lost due to erosion back in 2006.  It is interesting to look at pictures from previous years just to see how things have changed over time, mainly due to the effects of mother nature!  The thing that always amazing me when we visit this area is how clear the water is down below!  One day I will travel this area via kayak so that I can get that unique up close perspective of this awesome area!

Now it's time to head to the other side of Munising for out next stop of today's adventure!  Scott Falls is just West of Christmas, about 15 minutes from Munising.  This waterfall is right along the side of the highway and I don't know how many years I drove right past it growing up before I even realized it was here!  It is a small waterfall that you can walk right up to, behind, under, through, whatever your choice for the day might be!  as you can see from the picture, Darrin opted for the INTO the waterfall option.  Yes, the water was cold, but it actually felt very refreshing after being out in the warm summer sun all afternoon!

One of the cool features of this falls is that you can easily walk from the base of the falls to the top via a short trail just to the left of the pool at the bottom.  Give you a totally different perspective of a waterfall when you can literally stand in the water right at the top, just before it makes it decent of the edge!  By the time we left Scott Falls, I thing each of us had somehow found our way into the water, even if it was just walking in the cool pool at the base of the falls... including Maya!  It is a good thing that we always have a tote filled with towels in the back of the car!  Darrin needed to sit on one and Beth needed to try and contain Maya's muddy paws so they didn't get the car covered in mud!

From Scott Falls is was a short drive to Bay Furnace.  A local gem that we found 2 years ago on our first trip through the area.  Bay furnace is the location of a huge stone blast furnace that was was used when iron ore was smelted in the forge and melted into pig iron.  The stone furnace is the only things that remains of the small town that once was in the area.  One of Darrin's favorite things to do when we visit Bay Furnace is to do a little "rock" picking.  If you look carefully you can find some awesome purple "rocks" that were created years ago when the melted iron was cooled in the cold waters of Lake Superior  Darrin has found several of these awesome purple treasures over the years and was having fun this year finding some for Beth.

Beth and I at Bay Furnace

While Darrin and Beth were carefully searching the waters for treasures, it gave Maya a chance to burn off some energy and tear up the beach.  Once again, good thing we had those towels in the car, she was really going to need it now as her white fur was now caked with wet sand from the beach

Our final stop on our adventures for the afternoon was at the Munising Lookout to get a true birdseye view of Munising Bay, all the way out Pictures Rocks.  This was a quick stop tho on our whirlwind tour as it was quickly approaching the dinner hour and we were very much looking forward to a cookout for dinner to complete this awesome day!

Once we made a run through the grocery store, it was back to the Sunset Motel to fire up the grill!  That is one of the best perks of the motel!  They have grills, charcoal, grill utensils and everything  that you need for a cookout without having to haul everything with you!  There is nothing better than a cookout, right on the lake to follow up an afternoon adventure with good friends!  Darrin got to work right away to get the coals just right for our feast of burgers and hot dogs, along with some cold beer and chips!  Everything was cooked to perfection and Darrin was now referred to by the hotel staff as the weekend grill master!  Pure perfections!

After we got everything cleaned up from dinner, we had one last adventure for Beth and Chad before they headed home... the true hidden gem of Munising!  Tannery Falls is virtually just across the road from the motel, up a short trail.  This, in my mind is the coolest waterfall in the area. It is not well advertised so there is rarely anyone else at the falls when we have been there.  I have heard tho that you do need to make sure NOT to park on the main road near where the trail starts or you will be ticketed.  There are areas close to the trail where you can park, so that might be your best option!  :) The walk back to the falls takes you right along the end of a rock cliff through a narrow cavern.  The tree cover of the cavern always keeps the air temps a little cooler that what you leave from when you start the hike!  Just when you are really getting into enjoying the quiet hike, you round a bend and discover a breathtaking little waterfall (i say little, but it is in actuality 40 feet high).  This again, is one of those falls that you can really interact with!  Today, this was where Darrin took his 3rd shower of the day, as he had to walk into the water again!  This falls is right near one other waterfall (Memorial Falls) which we had not made it to yet so that was another adventure for later (later tonight as it would turn out...).

Tannery Falls

Darrin was actually not the only one that tried out the water at Tannery today.  Beth and I also had to show him that we were out to have just as much fun as him!  And I will tell you one thing - that water was cold.  Much colder than the water at Scott Falls earlier in the day, but we were not about to let a 15 year old have all the fun!!

This afternoon spent with Beth and Chad was an amazing afternoon.  It really makes you realize how much friends can make a difference!  This summer I have come to realize that I have some simply awesome friends and family that I have been able to share unforgettable memories with!  The summer may be winding down quickly but I am determined to make the most of the summer days that are left and start thinking out the next adventures and see where they take me!

the quiet evening sunset over Munising Bay, Sunset Motel

Tough week!

This past week (technically 5 days, but close enough) has been the toughest for me!  I never thought it would be so hard NOT to run!

Last week I noticed my right knee hurting a bit during my workout with my trainer.  I contributed it to my hardcore three days in a row.  It started out win a 30 mile bike ride on Sunday, then intense workout with Wendy and her trainer on Monday (thanks Christian for inviting me to join you and Wendy!). Finally Tuesday was my workout with my trainer.  By the time I was nearing the end of this workout, I noticed that my knee was bothering me when I was doing my single leg squat jumps as well as a few other things.  Per my trainers suggestions, I was taking the weekend off from running.  He did give me the ok to do my 5 mile training run that Matt and I had planned for the following evening.  However, there were conditions - if my knee started to bother me, I had to stop running.  Then once that run was complete, no running over the weekend.

Training run on Wednesday started out well! First 3 miles we maintained a 10 minute mile pace.  At about 3.8 miles, Matt slowed to wait for me to make sure all was ok.  I told him that I thought the knee felt a little tight but I was fine.  Not ok with him though... He made me stop and we walked the rest of the way together.  Apparently he could tell it was bothering me because I slowed down.  I had not even realized it! 4th mile I slowed to 12 minutes.  Once we walked the rest of the way back to the car we put in 5.18 miles in just a hair over an hour!  No complaints from me seeing as we walked about 1.2 miles.  Some ice on the knee when we got home just to be safe and I was good to go!

I was going to hit the "gym" in the basement for a quick upper body/arm workout on Thursday after we went out for dinner, but I was told that I needed to just go home and rest (thanks to those of you know how stubborn I can be and told me I needed to just take a night and rest!).  So I did just that - a glass of wine outside with my Women's Running Magazine compliments of Wendy (thanks again!).

I did get in the short workout at the gym after work on Friday to get in the upper body workout that I wanted to do on Thursday, but that was only after I promised to not do anything that would put pressure on my knee (I will have to make up for those squats Patty on another day!) and that I would not jump on the treadmill.

Over the next 4 days, not running was one of the hardest things I have done in a long time!  I managed to keep myself busy enough all weekend so that I didn't get bored.  I knew that if I got bored, I was going to want to run!

Last night I did hit the treadmill in the basement for a run.  Figured that, even though I hate running on the treadmill, that was my best option.  That way, if after a few miles my knee started hurting, I wouldn't have to worry about how I was going to get home.  I ran the first mile and was feeling good.  No knee pain, but after not running for 4+ days, my muscles were tight.  After the first mile, I slowed and walked for the next mile.  Still feeling good, muscles reacting well and feeling good!  I did a combination of running and walking for the next mile and ended up finishing my 3 miles in 30 minutes!  I will take it!

This morning, I saw this posted from Fellow Flowers and I realized how true this is!  I know that I want to keep running and pushing myself to achieve all of goals that I have for myself, but I also I need to make sure that I don't push myself that hard all the time!  I have a wonderful support team that keeps reminding me that I don't need to push it so hard all the time and I and forever grateful for that! Over the next month or so, I am doing a few 5k's, but the next Half Marathon isn't until Mid August.  I will keep myself on track for training for that, but I will also remember that I need to take some time to just float!

When I went to the gym tonight to meet with BJ, I received the ok to get back to running!  I just have to remember pay attention to my knee and walk for a while if it starts hurting.

Training run with Matt tomorrow (weather permitting) and I am ready!  Color Run in Madison on Saturday with Beth and Chad!  Let's get ready to have some fun!!