Prague

In a little over one week I will run the Chicago Marathon for Team In Training.  So it's time to register for my next event.  I just got the word that the Prague Marathon event is available for Team In Training registration.  So I'm registered!  I'm all ready for Team In Training event number #18. I set my usual goal of $10,000 which I have yet to reach on any of my previous events. I donated the minimum myself so have already reached that requirement.  Everything else will be towards my goal. Maybe I can make it this time.

Race 4 Cancer

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Mud Mud Mud!

You couldn't ask for a more beautiful day. Bright sunshine, no wind, a cool 35 degrees. But when I attempted to do my usual 5 mile run around the lake, I thought I might be swallowed up by the mud on the road.  We've had snow and rain for a few days and it looks like the grader has gone through and turned that dirt road to mush.  So once I reached the Dalton Highway at about 3/4 mile I turned down there because it is a much higher quality road.  It was really nice and dry.  After going around the end of the airport I found an access road that runs along the river bank, and ran there for about a mile.  My shoes are a muddy mess, especially since I still had to run back along that first muddy part.  But even a muddy run is better than no run at all!

It felt great!

Alaska Scenic Byway!

Beautiful Evening!

I woke up so late that I figured it would just be one more lazy day.  But after I ate my breakfast at 5 pm, then watched the evening news, I decided I really needed to get out of my dreary room.  I figured I would completely miss dinner, but I really didn't care.  I had a gorgeous and peaceful run around the lake up here in Deadhorse in calm weather and 50 degrees.  I've heard the saying "You're just one run away from a good mood!" Well that is sure true.  After that wonderful 5 mile outdoor run, I felt so much better.  I even got back with 5 minutes to spare and got to eat dinner.

Almost Sunset on Colleen Lake

3 On The Treadmill

I guess my outdoor runs for September may be coming to an end.  I woke up really late, it's very cold, and there are warnings about the grizzly bear that charged a man the other day, still posted all over the hotel.  So I decided that I have procrastinated enough so I'll resort to the treadmill.  I actually had a pretty good run even though I only had time for 3 miles.  I miss running around the lake. Maybe it will either get cold enough for the bear to decide to hibernate or it will finally get sunny and nice again.  Only two more weeks here then I can go back to my real life at home.

At least I got to watch Jeopardy while I was running!

Around The Lake

It was the most dreary looking day I've seen in a long time.  But at least it wasn't raining or snowing and was actually fairly warm, at 44 degrees.  So I did make myself go out and run around the lake for my usual 5 miles.  I was much slower than usual, and it took me a while to really get into the run. But it was surprisingly nice running conditions.  I saw a few small flocks of Sand Hill Cranes along the west side of the lake.  There were a couple of seagulls who were extremely unhappy with their presence and were circling around them and making a lot of noise.  The cranes were squawking back and it was quite entertaining to watch.

I'm getting bored with the same old 5 mile run every day but there really aren't a lot of other choices around here.  So I guess I'll just keep doing the same old run.

Snowing!

I woke up to snow falling outside my window.  So I decided today would be a run on the treadmill because no way was I going out there in that muddy windy and snowy mess.  So I washed all the dirt off my running shoe so they wouldn't get the treadmill dirty. But the thought of running on the treadmill just didn't excite me at all.  I procrastinated and procrastinated until almost 5 pm.  Then I noticed it has stopped snowing.  But it was only 33 degrees and windy.  I started to change into my running clothes then decided that a little snow isn't enough to keep me inside.  So I did my usual 5 miles around Colleen Lake.  It started snowing as soon as I stepped outside and continued for the first mile.  But then the storm passed on by and it was just kind of chilly and windy.  It was actually quite nice! There wasn't even much traffic.

The Lonely Road around Colleen Lake

Nice Run!

When I woke up and looked out the window I thought - no way I'm going out there!  It was rainy and windy and dreary and gray.  I procrastinated for at least an hour then decided that I really didn't have anything better to do.  Really, how bad could it be?  It really wasn't raining anymore.  So I begrudgingly got into my running clothes and dragged myself out the door.  I didn't have to go very far before I realized that it was really perfect conditions for running.  It never did actually rain during my usual 5 miles around the lake, but it was so misty that I had to take off my glasses because they were too wet to see where I was going.

I need to make a note to myself that even if it looks terrible outside, it is still probably just fine for an outdoor run.  If it turns out to be too awful, of course I can always turn around.  But today was really nice even if it looked like the end of the world!

I would like to see the sun again someday though!

5 Around The Lake

Another 5 miles around Colleen Lake.  Kind of chilly and overcast and dreary.  But still better by far than the treadmill. It is always refreshing to spend some time outdoors every day regardless of how nasty the weather might be!

Colleen Lake

I'm back in Deadhorse for the month of September.  I had to search a little for some ambition but finally got out for my typical 5 mile run around Colleen Lake.  It felt good to get outdoors even though it was kind of cloudy and nasty.  I see that now that I am done running, the sun has come out and it's lovely!  I did hit one section of mud that made my shoes weigh about 5 pounds each.  But once I knocked that off, it was a good run.  A little slow but better than parking on the bed in front of the TV like I did yesterday.