Sunday: Tempe Town Lake 3-mile loop
Start Time: 8:30 am
Starting Temperature: 95 degrees
Post-run Fuel: English muffin and an egg
Notes: Craig joined me on this run. I write these notes one month later, so I remember not much at all. However, I recall that the main reason I wanted to run around the lake was to see the after effects of Independence Day activities. We ran over the Mill Ave bridge, where they set off the fireworks and we saw some remnants of that. Other than that, Tempe cleaned up quite well overnight.
Tuesday: Running for Brews 5-miler around Tempe Town Lake
Start Time: 7:00 pm
Starting Temperature: 105 degrees
Post-run Fuel: Fresh Squeezed IPA and potato chips
Notes: Blasted Barley has delicious potato chips.
This week's theme was "Shark Week". Some people get really creative with these themes. Evidence:
Wednesday: 3-mile run to Tempe Marketplace (with an Orbit bus ride home)
Start Time: 8:15 am
Starting Temperature: 95 degrees
Post-run Fuel: Fried tortilla with beans, cheese, and peppers
Notes: I love the Orbit. It's a free bus system that goes all around north Tempe. On this particular day, I ran to the shopping center, enjoyed some shopping, and then bused home.
Thursday: 5-mile out-and-back on the Crosscut canal
Start Time: 8:30 am
Starting Temperature: 88 degrees - Cool and cloudy, but the humidity more than made up for it
Post-run Fuel: Too gross to eat; jumped in the pool
Notes: The crosscut is my new favorite out-and-back. The path parallels a stream with some little waterfalls. It's a noticeable uphill on the way out, which makes the way back amazing. I was on such a high that I went into full lip-syncing-and-finger-dancing-while-running mode, even while passing several cars on the Mill Ave bridge. So if you find a picture floating around the internet of a woman who looks like she's simultaneously running and seizing, that might be me.
Friday: 11 miles to and from Belmont Lake on Long Island
Start Time: 3:00 pm - this is not my ideal running time, but at least on Long Island, 3 pm in July will not give me heat stroke.
Starting Temperature: 83 degrees
Post-run Fuel: Chocolate milk and dinner with childhood friend Danielle and her family and her adorable 3-month old (sausage and peppers)
Notes: I arrived on Long Island at around 6 am Long Island time, 3 am Tempe time. I planned to do my long run on Saturday, but ended up getting the energy to run on Friday. I also knew that getting it done on Friday meant I wouldn't need to be in a rush on the morning that I'd be starting a weekend trip with some of my very favorite ladies.
Energy or not, I still wasn't completely excited about starting a run so late. As I started my run, my mp3 started mid-song: "Miserable, and you're just getting started." (gold star if you can name the band who sings this WITHOUT internet assistance) I definitely yelled back at it, "I know!" But by the time I made it to the path to Belmont Lake, I had made up my own song:
Summer runnin' happened so fast.
Summer runnin' had me a blast.
Found a trail perfect for me.
The whole thing shaded by trees.
Summer run, I've just begun.
But, oh, those runner's highs.
Well oh well oh well oh...
On a separate note, I had some extra miles to kill so I let myself get lost around the park. I have run around this park many times, but never before saw this building (photograph courtesy of the internet):
Total marathon miles: 56
