Sweets for sweat?

I've seen some odd things on my runs, but this may be the one that has me the most curious.  I'm tooling along, and on the sidewalk, I see this pan of hard candy.  I don't know why.  There was no one around (it was 6:15 am).  I seriously doubt that someone set it out there in case I needed some quick energy on my run - although if they've seen me run, I suppose that could be the case.  Probably not, though.  It tops my list of strange things I've come across on my runs.



This morning's run went quite well.  Speed is improved, but I am having my doubts about Sunday's run...  At some point, my iPhone app switched from using the GPS to using the accelerometor on Sunday and I think it thought I ran a bit further than I did.  Not that it wasn't a really good run, but I'm thinking it wasn't quite as great as I thought.  Regardless, today's run went very well, despite the temp of almost 80 degrees and super-high humidity.


I signed up for the Lansing Half Marathon taking place in April 2012! Decided that it would be helpful in keeping me focused over the winder, so that I'm 13-mile-ready in the spring.  And, as a bonus, when I'm done with the run I'll be able to go hang out at Eagle Monk Pub and Brewery! Ha ha!I haven't even gotten to my First half-marathon yet, and I'm already planning my 2nd one... including where I'm going to go afterward! I've always been one to plan ahead!


I'll be running a little longer on Thursday, than I did today, but I have the day off from work, so that will be good.  Tootles til then!

Trash day always makes for an interesting run...

I learn so much about my neighbors!  More on that in a moment, first I'll tell you about my run.  It was actually more of a walk, because I had stomach cramps.  That was the reason I cut it short the other day, too.  Today I was determined to finish the whole distance, even if it took longer because I had to walk!  It added 10 minutes to my time.  All in all, I'm glad that I completed it, but I either need to not eat so late or change what I'm eating the night before or something.  I believe some investigation is in order.

Remember the flamingo picture that I posted last week?  Sadly, the beautiful Charger that was parked at that house wasn't there this morning.  I suppose they may have left already for work, but it wasn't even 6am yet.  Hope it wasn't a visitor...  But I digress (not unusual) because I was talking about the flamingos.  I had another flamingo sighting this morning but they were clearly U of M flamingos (or would that be fanmingos?)  Anyway I took a picture because they were cool and I certainly haven't seen any Michigan State ones around! Sorry Liz.  (No I'm not!)

Based on the neighborhood trash that I passed this morning, someone has a new microwave, there are a couple of new lawn mowers, a kids 4-wheeler and 4 big new flat screen TVs!  The trash in front of MY house was just that... trash!  Plus some yard waste.  There was also a LOT of yard waste on the curbs!  Tons!  A couple of houses had at least 10 bags of yard waste each out and I'm still trying to figure out just how anyone with a small yard, like ours, could possibly have that much to dispose of.  Tis the season, and I don't think it's going away again until November, this time.

Well, no running tomorrow (although I may do a really short one since I have the day off from work and don't have to be anywhere until noon) then I have a short one Saturday (plus a bike ride) and a longer run on Sunday.  It's gonna be a great weekend!

Two for One Blogging

I didn't get a chance to write on Saturday after my run so I'm rolling it into today's post.  I was supposed to go again yesterday, but we were out of town and up really late on Saturday so I didn't push it and try to run before Mother's Day brunch, and put it off until today.  That said, I did run this morning... 50% further than I did on Saturday!  I really do need to speed it up a little, though.

I made note of some interesting and unusual things that I saw on the roads on Saturday's run that I wanted to share.  Most of them were still present this morning. Number three was not:

1. Someone on the other side of the neighborhood has a pretty new deep red Dodge Charger. I was hoping that it wasn't some visitor and that it would be there again, and it was.  I didn't linger because I didn't think they probably wanted me drooling on their new car and didn't want to get arrested, since I had someplace to be in a couple of hours.  Remember the flamingos?  It was in front of that house - neighbors with excellent taste!
2. Used condom - Just assuming it's used... It's unrolled and that's already more than I need to know!  I had to see it, so you get to hear about it, too!
3. Huge tree root that someone dug out and thought that they could put in their yard waste. Nope!  It was tagged, to dispose of it some other way (and get it off the sidewalk)!
4. 1979 Chevrolet El Camino.  I used to hate El Caminos (this weird old man that my dad knew used to come over for breakfast on Saturdays when I was a kid and he had a yellow and white one).  This one is actually pretty cool.  It's in pristine condition. I guess it was kind of an auto-centric run.

Saturday, after my run, we did a bike tour of various historical brewing sites in Detroit.  It was great fun (and the reason for not lingering around the Charger) and we had really nice weather for it.  I'm posting a picture of some of the group, including our awesome tour guide, Steve.  It was a small group and he does a couple of different tours through his company Motor City Bike and Brew Tours.  I highly recommend checking them out!  The tours are a leisurely ride of 10-15 miles and generally include lunch (and beer).

Today I hit the road early to accommodate the additional distance.  It felt great to start my week out with a run.  I'll be out again tomorrow, doing my shorter distance again, then longer again on Thursday.  I had a huge squad of starlings in a tree cheering me on this morning.  A LOT!  I hope they're around again tomorrow - I can always use cheering!

So I did a really uneventful run this morning.  It was cool out... only 43 degrees with a wind chill of just 38.  Humidity was 75% with a slight breeze but the sun was coming up and it was a beautiful morning.  I'm really enjoying the lovely flowers that I see on my runs these days.  So much nicer that the early spring months before anything was blooming or greening up.  Of course my very favorites are the miniature lilacs that are blooming in my own front yard, and sharing their wonderful scent with the neighborhood.  Many of the other lilacs have already come and gone, but this miniature variety seems to bloom just a bit later.  Twelve years ago I was traveling for 3 weeks in May and completely missed my lilacs.  I was so sad about that, but in late June, one lilac bloomed at the top of the bush, just for me.  I was thrilled to have that single bloom when there were certainly no lilacs to be found, and it's done that pretty much every year since.

Today's run was pretty slow, despite some great music.  I heard Kid Rock, Fun., Chickenfoot, The Dollyrots, the Ramones and Joan Jett!  It was a great lineup of entertainment this morning and it kept me moving even though I wasn't feel all that great.  The strangest thing happened, too.  I've heard of this, but have never experienced it.  I zoned out for a part of my run.  I don't remember a good share of my first mile.  I wasn't thinking about anything and was just running.  When I think back on my run, there are places that I really only remember being once - but I did the loop twice.

My next run is Saturday morning.  Then I'm supposed to be in Detroit for a bicycle tour at 9:45 am.  I also will be running on Sunday, which will be different because I'll be in a different city, so I'll have a whole new route that I've never done before.  Should be interesting.