Today I completed my fourth 5K run/walk event in four weeks. It was the first time that I have ever done back-to-back 5K events. This 5K started at 8:00 a.m. and is about 5 miles away. I concede that I’m getting older when I have to hustle to get out the door to be prompt instead of just going at my own pace!
“A happy soul may come from happy soles.“
I wish I could take credit for this subheading, but it was The News-Herald reporter Colin Maloney’s recent headline in a story promoting the 10th Annual Happy Soles 5K at Taylor’s Heritage Park. This is just one of many fundraisers held to benefit the Fish & Loaves Community Food Pantry, which supplies about 1.6 million pounds of food to hungry people in the Downriver communities of Southeast Michigan every year.
Just as in the past, today’s event was held at lovely Heritage Park in Taylor and you know it is one of my favorite places to walk and take pictures. You’ll recall the venue as the quaint and historic village with its little red schoolhouse, old mill, beautiful Coan Lake and lots of ducks.
The morning was quite overcast, warm and humid, and I even took a backpack where I stuffed my umbrella and a poncho inside because rain was predicted for early afternoon. The gloomy sky suggested rain was imminent. When I walked in this same event last June 10th, I kept saying to other walkers that it would rain before we finished. I just passed under the finish line hoop when the first rain splats landed on my glasses and it began pouring in earnest in a matter of minutes.
The event began at 8:00 a.m. and I was there by 7:35 to pick up my packet. There was much consternation amongst all the registered runners/walkers as they ran out of shirts in most sizes and so you were offered one of last year’s shirts or a different size shirt. The race organizers realized this was a big faux pas and will mail out the correctly sized shirts. So, instead of a sea of rust-colored shirts meandering along the course, there are many powder blue shirts in the scenes as well.
The event organizers had everything else together though, including a huge pre-and-post race snack table. Volunteers bustled around stacking the bottled water into coolers.
I don’t know how many people attended today’s event. The course began at Sheridan Center’s Open Air Pavilion, then the walking path that encircles the park, through two residential districts, then a heavily wooded area on the outskirts of the park, and finally through the historical village and to our starting point. Let me take you along with me.
On your mark, get set … go!
We began to assemble at the starting point, which doubles as the finish line. Captain America, (a moniker he has chosen for himself), and whom I’m sure you’ll recognize wearing the patriotic shorts and hat, shouted to ask if anyone wanted to race alongside him. I don’t know if there were any volunteers, but it looked like the guy standing next to him in the second picture might have been up for the challenge to step off with the ol’ Captain.
After the National Anthem, a horn blared and we were off by 8:01; the contingent of runners were far ahead of us walkers in just a few minute’s time.
We headed along the outer part of the perimeter path and passed a series of signs. These signs each represent winning countries in the Junior League World Series held at Heritage Park for one week every August. You’ll see, for example, that Puerto Rico won the championship back in 1999.
We chugged up the hill, then down again into the first residential neighborhood. Unlike yesterday, where dogs barked and homeowners waved and cheered us on, not a single person or dog heralded our arrival all the way down Katherine Street.
By now all the runners were out of view and it was just the walkers and we chattered about the weather and would the rain hold off and shot occasional glances to the gray sky. We turned onto busy Goddard Road …
… then made a right-hand turn onto William Street and at Mile Marker #1, we found ourselves in another residential neighborhood.
Aretha would be proud of this baby.
As we continued through the ‘hood, our little group all stopped to check out this pink Cadillac that was sitting in a homeowner’s driveway. I speculated that there must have been a classic cruise of some sort, as this beauty with the classic fins and pale pink paint job was parked in front of an AMC Gremlin, a popular compact car from the ‘70s. Our area has classic car cruises nearly every weekend in the nicer weather … our City will participate in one on June 29th.
Afterward, as I walked along, I mused to myself as to whether the pink Caddy belonged to a Mary Kay saleswoman, or, if it once belonged to one of two famous singers who made millions singing about pink Caddies, the likes of Aretha Franklin or Bruce Springsteen. It didn’t belong to Elvis Presley; even though his Caddy was also pink and white; it was destroyed many years ago. When I was picking through my photos, I enlarged the license plate, but you can’t see the year on the plate, but on the trunk was the word “Aretha” so I’ll bet this was one of the cars in the Queen of Soul’s funeral procession last August. There were about 100 pink Cadillacs on that day.
We tooled along in the neighborhood, glad for the markers which signaled our progress. A few people cheered as we got to Mile Marker #2.
I was getting warm and wished I’d stuffed that too-small shirt into my backpack instead of layering it over my other shirt. Soon we were out of the ‘hood and headed back to Heritage Park’s perimeter path.
There was much police presence and all the officers waved at us or sometimes clapped at the various spots they were stationed along the event course. These officers were a little more subdued.
Next, into the deep dark forest.
There is a wooded area that veers off the perimeter path and in moments you are in a wooded area. I had walked past this woods many times before last year’s event, and never knew about this pathway. A sign directed us to head to the woods.
The ticks and mosquitoes are bad this year and the DNR advises to be mindful of ticks if you go into any wooded area. I had planned to wear pants and long sleeves, but it was too warm. So, I figured I’d just be diligent and check my clothes for ticks after the race was done.
However, I didn’t count on the mosquitoes being so bad – those little buggers were eating me alive and I spent most of my time in the woodsy area swatting at these blood sucking creatures. You know me – I operate with both hands as I’ll feed the squirrels and take photos simultaneously, so I snapped pictures of the woods with one hand and swatted those *&^% mosquitoes with the other.
No wonder there were mosquitoes because there were swampy areas in the woods and the trail was a little muddy, even though we’ve not had any rain since Wednesday.
Whew, I was glad to leave there and get back on the asphalt track, but a few mosquitoes followed me. Hmm – perhaps I am sweeter than I thought?!
There were wild daisies growing along the side of the perimeter path …
… and plenty of cottonwood fuzz.
Finally … over yonder was the historical village.
Across the field and around the bend was the village you’ve all come to know from previous posts.
By now I was really straggling behind the others after my mosquito-swatting-and-picture-taking-foray in the woods. A police officer asked if I was the last one and I smiled and said I usually am as I take pictures for my blog about walking. He gave me a big smile … perhaps he is a blogger too?
I scoped out the gosling family to check on their growth. No goslings or geese to be found, but I saw a heron perched on the Coan Lake seawall, so had to wander over to the water’s edge to check him out.
A few mallards were milling about. No ducklings – they’ve all grown up. When I returned to the course, there was Mile Marker #3.
A volunteer pointed and said “that-away” then added “only two more turns and you’ll be there” so I said that he would not believe that I had a walking regimen and didn’t usually poke along like I was now. (I thought maybe I looked too pooped to participate?) And, then I recognized that man behind the shades and said “I remember you – you feed the ducks the cracked corn every morning and you and I had a long conversation last Summer and I took some photos of you for that day’s blog post – do you remember me?” Yes he did and I asked how many ducklings I had missed and told him I was there a few weeks ago for a “duckling fix” and there were no ducks, let alone ducklings. He said there were a few families – one had 12 and another one 14 ducklings. I said I’d try again next year, then I said goodbye and was off again on the last leg of my journey.
I was not the last participant to walk under that “Finish Hoop” … I did get my time recorded; surprisingly not all that awful, considering all the swatting and picture-taking done along the way.
I had more steps to get done today to reach six miles, and the sky still looked iffy, so I headed back to the car which I parked at the other side of the park to get more steps. I finished off my six miles at the aisles of Meijer doing my grocery shopping, then scurried home before the rain, lest I might melt since the mosquitoes found me so darn sweet!
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
Hi Linda,
First since I am so familiar with mosquitoes, my two cents’- I think mosquitoes go by the blood group. For example I am B positive and they usually leave me alone. My husband and daughters are A positive and they enjoy taking bites off them. My father is AB positive and he gets bitten royally too.
The walk is gorgeous and I walked with my eyes alongside of all you walkers. The rust colored T shirts looked attractive. Glad it didn’t rain as predicted. Maybe you need to spray mosquito repellant when you go on your walks in the summer and after rain.
The heron was majestic and looked totally regal- a lonely king like look.
You made good time in spite of all the breaks.
Susie
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Hi Susie – I did not know that about mosquitoes – there goes my “I’m sweet theory” doesn’t it? I am A positive blood and used to donate blood all the time at a local church’s twice-yearly drive. I did it for several years until one morning I went and I had a novice doing the blood draw. My veins are not big/high and they always had trouble finding a vein to stick me and start the blood draw. I told her that (after five or six unsuccessful attempts). She continued on and I called over one of her supervisors as the needle kept falling out … the more-skilled phlebotomists were gathered in a group, drinking coffee and eating donuts and complaining about their significant others and the “newbies” were working on blood donors. One of the supervisors came over and yelled at the “newbie” when she saw the needle hanging out of my arm and set up the blood draw properly. She didn’t apologize and I went home with bruises and marks all over my arm … I told myself I’d just go to a Red Cross Donation Center but have not been given blood since that day. Anyway, I digressed. The shirts are polyester and heavier than most and you could see a mix of rust- and blue-colored participants along the way. The woodsy area –
I regretted not putting on pants and long-sleeves but it would have been warm. No sun, but quite humid. The heron was a treat to see and I didn’t include any ducks as there were plenty in the water and I had a photo of some on land but I thought I might have way too many pictures already. Thanks for the tip on the mosquitoes. I have a huge bite on my leg near my knee. I must have missed that one and he had a royal feast at my expense. I didn’t think my time was all that bad – I took a lot of photo and swatting breaks and chatted a good five minutes with the man who feeds the ducks – did you remember him from last year? https://lindaschaubblog.net/2018/07/08/oh-those-lucky-ducks/
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I do remember him, Linda. We are used to mosquitoes and flies in our parts.
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I thought you might – he was nice and we chatted quite a while. Up in northern Michigan we have lots of black flies. My parents rented a cottage for two weeks back in 1968. The black flies were so bad you could not sit outside without getting bitten. Why do we have such miserable insects. The one mosquito bite is very large and red – I don’t know how I missed him (or her) for that long – probably swatting other ones.
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How do you manage to run when you must keep stopping to take all those great photos?
Fred
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Glad you enjoyed the photos Fred. I am not running, just walking. When I go to the 5Ks I am there more for the ambiance and some photo-taking and giving to a worthy cause. During the week I walk faster through the neighborhoods but a little slower at the Park and I really take my time on the weekends in the bigger parks. I wasn’t going to include the pictures of the usual buildings in the historical village at first but I wanted to illustrate how gloomy looking the sky was.
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Miss Linda………………..congratulations again………………………you are THE energizer bunny!………………..way to go girl!……………………………and i love the close up of the daisies ……..and the GBH
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Hi Ann Marie – Well I was the Energizer Bunny all weekend, but last night after I did this post, I was responding to comments by fellow bloggers and kept nodding off around 9:00-ish. After typing a little, shutting my eyes a little, I returned to the comment and saw a trail of “rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr” so I went to bed and slept in more this morning. I’m done now with 5Ks although there is one in the Fall I may attend – no fee to attend as it is corporate sponsored but you can register ahead of time. That GBH was a treat to see. I’ve seen one there before, but only one other time. I took his picture first sitting on the top of the seawall, then went around the other side for a close-up. He didn’t budge like the GBH at Council Point Park – maybe he liked the attention he got?
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I admire your stamina and hope you’re getting some rest tonight!
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Thank you Joni, but my stamina ran out in the 9:00 o’clock hour. I was responding to a comment by fellow blogger Laurie and kept nodding off. I would type a little, shut my eyes a little, I returned to the comment and saw a trail of “rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr” so I went to bed. Set my alarm for later as we were having rain this morning. I have to look as I don’t hear any rain right now. The 9:00 a.m. start was not bad as I just walked down to Council Point Park, but yesterday, I had to get the car unhooked and out and drive there and I decided to park in my usual place and just trek over to the Open Air Pavillion. The parking is always congested outside the Pavilion. So I had a looooooooooong hike and back to the car afterward. That’s it for 5Ks unless I do one in the Fall – haven’t decided. Now I did a slew of posts and will return to just a few per week except special occasions, while I try to catch up with the rest of the things going on here, inside/outside the house and this new computers and software as well.
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It’s just started raining here. Yesterday I took my mom for a drive in the country, and there was hardly a field planted…..sad to see for June 10. Today’s project is trying to finish emptying the rest of the kitchen cupboards….it’s a good day to stay inside.
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The weather will be good for Tuesday and Wednesday then goes downhill again. Thursday rainy/stormy, Friday iffy and Saturday afternoon and Sunday rain/storms. I need to get things done inside so maybe next Sunday will be a day to hunker down and get it done. Hope you got all your unpacking done. Now you have to remember where everything is … not fun.
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It took me 5 more hours today but I did get it all emptied out, except for what I need the next two weeks, which I can pack up quick. It’s surprising how little you actually need. I remember reading somewhere that no one needs more than 100 items in their life! I am fairly organized in that I took it all down to the basement in boxes corresponding to the cupboard it was in…..but it will be a slower process putting it back. The electrician says he’s coming on Thurs to put in the extra circuits/panel so things are progressing. I’m not happy with my paint selection so going back to the store tomorrow to look again. The only good thing about the crappy forecast is that I don’t really feel like I’m inside missing my favorite months (May/June) as it’s either raining or cloudy. My peonies look like they are ready to bloom.
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That’s how I feel too Joni – yesterday I was ready for a little break. I had an eye doctor and yearly allergist appointment (once a year you see the PA or doctor to ensure the shots are working – the rest of the time you just get shots from the “shot girl”) so was scrambling for that Thursday morning, Friday was okay and I walked, but three out of four days to deal with appointments was more than I like – I’m more content to have nothing but walking going on … I was okay with it raining yesterday morning. Intended to walk after work and very gusty winds so did not. We have an “unsettled” (their words) weekend coming up. A blessing for the housework getting done, not good for yardwork getting done, but I do hope it is not a total washout or walking will take a hit. I have bites all over from the mosquitoes and it is a real tick issue here – they say it is from climate change. We lived out of boxes when we had the paint/papering job done for almost a month as the contractor I told you about was so slow and I ordered a new bedroom suite and we gave my bedroom suite to the neighbor’s son as she was to do the bedrooms first – that didn’t happen. I was still working and tried to organize what I needed … I am sad looking at what I no longer use.
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That’s great you got the race done and extra steps to boot! I’m already behind in mileage this month and it’s only the 9th:(
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I lost a walk today – it rained this morning and I intended to go tonight as it was to clear up, but the winds are gusting at 20 mph – not so great for walking and left work late on top of it, but I hate losing a day, though I did do 12 miles over the weekend, so can’t beat myself up too much.
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Oh that’s excellent and after 12 miles you probably deserve a rest day!
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Plus being there by 7:30 a.m. on top of it – I got 8 hours’ sleep last night. I was responding to comments and kept nodding off. 🙂 Tomorrow it is beautiful outside, but cool, but that’s okay by me. More miles to get done.
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I am just sitting here telling myself I need to get out for my daily run- but it’s so warm here right now!
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Yes I’m no fan of being out in the high heat and humidity – today we have low 50s (52F … 11C)!!! I have bug bites galore from that humid trip through the forest on Sunday – ugh!
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Ugh bug bites are the worst! Your weather seems like a pendulum right now. We’re supposed to hit 30 tomorrow
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Yes it is – cooler this week not 30 (86F) for us this week, but an unsettled weekend unfortunately. At least it didn’t rain for last weekends 5Ks so I’m happy about that.
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Yes I’m glad for you as a wet 5km wouldn’t be fun!
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I lucked out bigtime considering this Spring!
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Thanks AJ – the fourth one in four weeks and back-to-back events … last night I was nodding off at 9:00 during a comment and went to bed. I don’t know how the runners like you do it as there is so much more energy expended in running than walking. But it was warm and humid out there too. I wonder what my time for these events would be if I didn’t stop along the way – when I first began walking, it was just in the neighborhood and rarely did I stop, except I got to know a few dog walkers and their pooches along the way.
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How much easier it must to do these when they are for a good cause and with such amazing scenery! WTG Linda…again!
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That’s Diane – glad you liked it and it is a good cause … helping to feed the hungry in SE Michigan.
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Congratulations on outsmarting the mosquitos in the end! I’m so impressed you did back to back 5k’s! And that you and your camera survived. Bummer on not being able to see the little ducklings, I hope the ones I found brightened your day. Your daisy photos brightened mine!!
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I loved your duckling photos Shelley! They made my day and were so cute. The last time I went here to this Park for the sole purpose of seeing them and not a single duck. I chatted it up with this guy last year – and told his story and had pictures in a post.
He goes there every day with a huge bag of cracked corn and the mallards see him and come paddling over and onto the grass to get some. I hoped to see him that day I went up and told him that. I was sorry I missed the ducklings as all the mallards are found in the man-made pond and easy to find (and photograph). Those wild daisies were a surprise. I got bitten badly there as well, the daisies were right after we exited the “forest” … I needed repellent the equivalent of Terro to zap them!
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I’m glad you enjoyed the pictures. I’m sad you missed seeing the ducklings and goslings. And, I’m happy you survived the mosquito attack! LOL – that’d be funny if Terro would work on them!
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Hopefully next year to glimpse those feather babies. I just looked at the latest pictures of the Sandhill Cranes and their own colt and adopted gosling. Those are the cutest pictures she has taken. Terro sure worked for me – Amazon hasn’t asked me for a review yet but I’ll give it a great rating. I should have ordered it the first day you told me about it and not waited to go personally to Walmart.
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Thankfully, there’s always more of those feather babies being born year after year!
OMG – yesterday, Mr. discovered a trail of ants in his office – it’s on the lower level of our home. He’s put out 6 of those Terro traps and the ant trails are still flooding to them. He may need to run and get more traps! It’s the ant trail time of year – the little rascals are crawling through the holes in the screens in the window! Sigh. I hope the Terro works well for us too.
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Yes, maybe before Summer’s end. I Googled and mallards may have two broods, lay eggs in late July, and they hatch 28 days later. So I’ll remember Labor Day for the next batch, if it happens.
Hopefully they don’t run out of Terro in the stores like happened here! I never saw a trail of ants going to the traps (which I put five on the side/area where I saw them the most) and one in the kitchen where I think they followed me down the hall. 🙂 Fingers crossed your ants are gone as quickly as mine! I can’t thank you enough for your recommendation and will be ready to zap ’em next year!
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Ooo…that’ll be great to catch the next brood! You’re welcome on the ants, it appears, according to Mr. that Terro worked for us again!
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Well I’m hopeful, and I monitor the Heritage Park Photo of the Day to see what is going on there so I don’t miss anything as well. Great – that didn’t take long for the Terro to work. That is amazing stuff!
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Linda, you are getting to be as bad as me, signing up for all the races. I love the atmosphere of a race. It’s kind of like a reward for the training I do. Congratulations on another successful 5K completion. 4 races in 4 weeks, no less!
A well-stocked snack table is one of the most important requirements for a good race! 🙂 Too bad about the mosquitos. I bet the runners got them all stirred up, then they were primed and ready to go by the time the walkers got there. Darn runners!
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Yes I’ve been hanging around with you too much Laurie – your enthusiasm for 5Ks is rubbing off on me. 🙂 You at least run at the speed of sound – I am meandering along and keep feeling the need to apologize for being so slow by saying “I really do walk many miles every morning, I’m not always this slow.” (The volunteers were probably ready to go home, but I was not the very last one.) Yes, the race atmosphere is exciting – everyone milling around, the runners straining at the bit to get going, the walkers, just going with the flow. I’ve not seen any race walkers there. Two women at Council Point Park race walk every morning during the Summer months – I visit with them at the beginning of the Summer (when they’re done with their administrative jobs at the school) and that is one morning walk to catch up on what they did since Labor Day and that’s it. They walk extremely fast.
I took pictures of the snack table as I had some extra time and they had a lot of food there and I thought it would be of interest for people who don’t attend these events to see what else transpires.
Well, the runners were going too fast to have the mosquitoes land on them – me, they liked a lot.
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My friend Nancy is a marathon runner, but she is a good race walker too. One time she was injured and wearing a boot when we were supposed to do a marathon together. I didn’t think she would do the race, but she insisted she could complete it walking. I thought I would walk with her, rather than running it. I couldn’t keep up with her? I had to run to keep up with her walking pace!
If you ever do a trail race, you will be amazed at the amount of food at the aid stations and after the race. Most trail races have tons of all types of food. Once, I did a trail race where someone even brought a propane burner and a big pot of oil and cooked fresh French fries in the middle of the woods for the runners. So salty and yummy!
Maybe the next time you do a race near standing water you can use some DEET? Bill and I did a run last night and I noticed a lot of standing water near the road we were on. Bill wanted to take a walk break because we were going up a steep hill, but I wanted to get past the puddles first. I know they were filled with mosquitos just waiting to chomp on me!
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That is amazing that Nancy was walking that fast! Maggie and Linda walk extremely fast and I’ll walk one loop with them as we catch up on our lives since Labor Day, then I just wave at them going forward the rest of the Summer. And I recall now that Linda is retired and ten years older than us Laurie. She goes to Florida all Winter and rides her bike for exercise until Maggie is done with her administrative job at the high school. Then they walk here daily, at this pace, even during the hot and humid August days. I am winded by the time I’ve done 1/2 a loop with them! That is a nice spread that they put out for the runners during the trail race. At our Memorial Day Race, I did not check out what they had as we were expecting storms late morning (they ended up not happening til evening) and I wanted to get off the island and home because they already had some flooding along the road that ran parallel to the River. One of the sponsors gave a postcard for the “breakfast special” at his restaurant to all participants. I thought that was nice.
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I even have to run to catch up to Bill when we take a walk break. I guess I am just not a fast walker. I often get distracted when we walk. There are too many interesting things to see that I miss when we run. I hope you take advantage of the breakfast! 🙂
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But Bill is taller than you isn’t he Laurie? I’m going by the pictures of you standing side by side – he has longer legs so no wonder he leaves you in the dust. 🙂 I am like you and want to look around too. If I am at the Park, if someone wants to walk with me, they might get bored pretty quickly. I stop to feed the squirrels, take pictures, look for photo ops and walk too. I’m like you, “stopping to smell the roses along the way” for sure.
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That looks like a lovely walk – good for you for signing up!. We don’t really have mosquitos around here (SoCal), which is a good thing since they LOVE me. Once I was visiting a friend in Austin, Texas. My friend, my husband, and I were talking in his front yard for about an hour. I ended up with over 50 bites on my face, arms, and legs. My friend and husband… nada. Not fair!
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That historical park is really lovely Janis – so picturesque. I think those mosquitoes followed me from the swampy area inside the woods. I had a lot of bites but not as many as you. We are extraordinary sweet – that’s why the mosquitoes are chasing us. Fellow blogger Susie commented on this post to tell me that mosquitoes go after you based on your blood type. A positive and AB positve are favored by mosquitoes and persons who are B positive (like Susie) they leave alone. I used to give blood at local blood drives and I am A positive. That shot my “bitten because I’m sweet” theory.
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I have to say that I was extremely skeptical when I read that mosquitos preferred specific blood types but I googled it (and you know that everything on the internet is true) and that theory appears to have some validity. According to several articles, Type O, which I am, is the most desired mosquito feast. A is the least, and B is somewhere in the middle. Thank goodness we don’t have many mosquitos where we live!
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No wonder you got 50 bites and could play “connect the dots” Janis. I had never heard that theory before yesterday, but I wonder if the mosquitoes have to bite you first or do they have a sixth sense about your blood type? You’re right – stay in California, away from all the mosquitoes!
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you need to relax more Linda. Your like the preverbal gerbil running around and around,and remember its only the females that bite!
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Two in a row was too much and that’s the end now for this year. I had thought of one more in the Fall, but not sure about it. It is a corporate sponsored 5K so no payment up front, so if it rains, no angst for paying $$ and not going, even if it is a good cause. However, I did relax yesterday a.m. as it rained in the morning and last night I intended to walk and it was very gusty winds so did not. Except yesterday morning I was dealing with the new computer and frustrated as my existing mouse/keyboard were not compatible, so I left it alone. Two days of beautiful weather today and tomorrow but the weekend will be “unsettled” … their words, but maybe I’ll get things done here in the house but the yard not so much. I hope it does not ruin the walking, but maybe I try out the waterproof gear (shoes/boots) … I bought them, then been walking in the evenings if the morning was soggy. I am paying the price for that short trip in the “forest” … covered in mosquito bites and this morning I heard that there is a tick infestation all across the U.S. (we have it here as well in Michigan) and it is due to climate change. He said lots of mice and squirrels carrying ticks now. Well, I don’t pick up Parker and cuddle him, so I guess I am okay. I bend down to their level and lay down peanuts on the path … still going to try feeding them with heavy gloves on in the colder months. I need more than a weekend or a long weekend to just do nothing.
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your pushing yourself too much.You need to find your balance or you’ll burn out. Too much and too little are the same. You want the Goldi Loks zone.
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Yes you are right Wayne. It has intensified being busier with blogging and being much busier at work … I struggle to find my balance and have to work on that because I constantly feel like I am flying by the seat of my pants these days.
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you walking down “Burn Out” road. Be careful,you just may end up needing hip replacements!
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Well I hope that does not happen. My mom had a hip replacement in 1981 and due to her existing orthopedic issues and the fact that she had to walk with a gait due to fused feet that were done at an early age after her car accident at age 11, she required a hip revision in 1990. The cement used on the stem of her prosthesis had come loose and the hip had to be removed and replaced – it was a much more extensive operations than the first one. Most people, if they need a second hip replacement or revision have issues with the ball-and-socket portion of their prosthesis coming loose. In my mom’s case it was just the opposite. If I have pain of the magnitude she had, I would quit for sure. I hope not since it is something I enjoy. I was actually going to do a short post tonight with pics I took of Grady Saturday, but have decided to head to bed instead. I woke up yesterday morning with my right eye swollen and bloodshot – interesting since I was at the eye doctor’s for an annual eye exam just last Thursday and he said my eyes were in good shape. I am going to give my eyes a break and step away from the computer instead – maybe it will help. My eye is bloodshot like pinkeye and I sure hope that someone didn’t have pinkeye at one of these events last weekend. I never left the house yesterday and didn’t poke or scratch my eye to my knowledge. I am trying to get more sleep to be honest … I know 5-6 hours of sleep on an everyday basis is not good.
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Looks like another fun 5K! Love the heron at the end! 😊
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He was a real treat to see Sabine, and unlike the resident heron at our park who always bolts at the sight of me, this guy just stood there, not affected by my presence at all. 🙂
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Perhaps he is used to people walking by? I like it when they stay still enough to get a good look at them and hopefully a great picture, like yours! 😊
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Me too Sabine – you are right, there are a lot of people at Heritage Park and perhaps he/she just goes with the flow and is used to people wanting to take pictures of him. Plus they stock that man-nade pond with fish. There is only catch-and-release fishing there, but if the heron hangs out there long enough, he is sure to find breakfast. :
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Four 5k run/walks in a month! Wow! I’m glad this one benefits those in need food-wise. We just donated a bunch of food, much organic, to a local food pantry the other day.
The pink Caddy is awesome! I’d stop to stare too! 🙂
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I was on a roll! I did two walks for education, one to benefit local animal shelters and this one for a local food pantry. I did this event last year too. They welcome donations on the spot and people brought pantry items to deposit where the registration was. Good for you donating mostly organic food to them.
We have so many classic cruses around here and I spotlighted the Downriver one that goes through our City last year, but yes, this pink Caddy was in pristine condition and definitely worth a second look. The Gremlin station wagon was also in good condition, but was a little boring looking compared to this beauty!
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congrats on completing those 5k events back to back!! Despite the crazy weather this year you are amazing me with how many miles you are putting in!
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Thanks Mackenzie – I was lucky with all this crummy weather, that I got all four 5Ks in without rainy weather. We had a beautiful day today and I got 5 1/2 miles in this morning … push, push, push … especially when it is projected to be a rainy weekend. Hopefully they are wrong, but I have lots to do in the house (I’ve been cutting corners lately).
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You’ve got this! 💪🏻 that’s some impressive mileage- hoping the weather holds out for you too! Rain rain go away!
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I’m still chuggiung along – going to look outside now as it is very overcast and we have 3-4 incidents of rain today … even though I got the rain boots and gear handy, I’d still prefer to go in dry weather. I’m going to do my best to meet this goal!
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hoping the day went well and you were able to make it out!
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Well yesterday was quite an ugly day from dawn to dusk – torrential rain the entire day. Saturday was not so great, but I did get a walk in at least.
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Oh no 😦 I talked to my grandparents today and they said a day the sun shines is a treat because it’s so rare right now. They are getting it bad way up north on the peninsula too !
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I didn’t know it was that bad up north too … we are expecting an all day rain and storms today. I thought I could squeak in a walk this morning, but according to online weather and what I just heard on the 7:00 a.m. news, a storm will be arriving by 7:45 so I will try later, after work, and you are right … the sun has been so scarce that we are almost giddy when it shows up.
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love 5Ks!
especially the free snacks given!
load up!
👍🙆🌼
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I was in one on Memorial Day where one of the sponsors owned a restaurant and gave everyone who participated a free postcard for one of his six “breakfast specials”. 🙂
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Completed another 5K and still had time to stop and smell the roses (or daisies) — check!
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And take pictures of them too. 🙂 (They are what done me for the mosquitoes … they followed me out of the woods and swarmed around those nice daisies.)
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Still not sure why God created mosquitos. 😩
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The jury is still out on that one Pam. 🙂
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😂
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The deep dark woods. hahaha Those are one of the trail systems that i’m doing the write up on. its’ still flooded and y ou can’t even make it back to the lake now. that park is amazing!!!
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And, as you saw, it was so soggy in that little bit of woodsy area, that there were little swamps inside and the mosquitoes were horrible. I got bitten up like crazy. I don’t like to wear mosquito repellent and I don’t usually get bitten as I’m not out at night, but they were bad. I really like Heritage Park. I follow that Facebook site for Heritage Park photo of the day as they tell upcoming events – I don’t want to go there for the events; I’d go to another park where it is quieter. 🙂 (I make the exception for 5Ks.)
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