Great Long Run at Farmdale

This really is my favorite place to run. Right now it is absolutely gorgeous and smells like Fall, that smell that makes you forget all your stress and appreciate every step of that run you're taking.

I ran almost 11 miles, which is the farthest trail run I've done.

I ran by myself, but want to bring Jennifer to this tree I found which will be perfect for our systematic desensitization heights training!

I used to be afraid to run alone in this park, but as I get more familiar with it, I'm getting more comfortable. In fact, I'm realizing that to some people I am the scary one. One day I came up behind a guy poised on a mountain bike at the top of a hill and about scared him right down the hill before he was ready. Yesterday I shared the joy and mystery of the blue Chevy with a couple strangers. I think they questioned my sanity and perhaps their safety as I lured them off the trail. "You have to come a little closer to see it. Really, you have to walk toward the edge of the hill there. A little farther off the trail. Keep coming. You'll see it if you come a few steps closer." I didn't even tell them I had just peed by it. Luckily they trusted me enough to leave the trail (at this point I had run 8 miles and probably looked like I could be knocked over with a leaf, to be honest) and see this amazing spectacle!

I also tried taking a picture of the blue Chevy from below, but it's so high up, I'm not sure you can see it. You really just have to go see it in person. maybe Jennifer and I can start conducting guided tours to earn money for Hawaii. 

New Improved Goal: WALK the Honolulu Marathon with My BEST FRIEND

One thing I love about my best friend, Jennifer, is her sense of fun and adventure. She was really my inspiration for starting to run when she invited me (pressured me) to do a midnight trail run with her 18 months ago. She kept me running after that. We have fun together no matter what we are doing and love adventures. When I was in Hawaii this spring and got to do some hikes, even though I was having the time of my life, I felt immense sadness that Jennifer was not there beside me. I am over the moon with excitement that she is going to come back to Hawaii with me, and we are going to walk the marathon together!

Jennifer was training to do the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon last weekend, but she got injured and couldn't run it. It would have been her first marathon. We have now decided to walk Honolulu together. I cannot think of anything that would make me happier than to do that course with her. I still plan to continue my running training plan, and I will consider walking Honolulu a training step and find a January marathon to run.

I am so excited that we can do the hikes together that I have been dreaming about for months. She has a bit of a fear of heights to overcome but I we are going to have the trip of our dreams going to Honolulu together. We have been friends for 34 years! We've had some rocking adventures, but this will take the cake. I can't wait!

Yesterday we walked the Farmdale Half- Marathon together.

It was cold at first. The first creek crossing at mile 2.5 gave us an idea of what an ice water bath is like. It actually felt good.

We are looking for height and balance exercises to use systematic desensitization to overcome fear of heights and balancing practice to improve balance. I had found this awesome felled tree that was the perfect height for both goals on a previous run, but when we got to it, someone had sawed it up and it was lying on the ground! Jennifer tackled her fear of low heights anyway!

There is a huge hill on this course. The race included a contest for carrying the heaviest rock up Cougar Hill. 

My rock being weighed at the top-

Jennifer also participated, hoping to carry the smallest rock. Even though her rock didn't register on the scale, another person had already brought up a smaller one. 

The winning rock was 90-some pounds. The rock weigher was building this rock scupture among the poison ivy.

When we arrived at our finish line, it was already taken down, but we finished at 4 hours and 32 minutes! It was such a fun time and I am super psyched about walking a whole marathon together!

I hope Jennifer will write posts for this bog too. It is now OUR journey.