Vacationing on the Cape.

I spent most of my April break biking and running on Cape Cod. It's not everyone's idea to exercise madly while on vacation but it's definitely mine. The rain held off for the most part but it was quite cold and we wore lots of clothes! But if that's what it takes to bike in a beautiful setting so be it.

My rides were from 60 to 17 miles with a total of 222 miles. Oddly enough I ran 22 miles. I am not sure what it is with all the 2s. To me this was a great vacation. It could have been warmer but the scenery made up for it.  Riding along or near the ocean is so sweet in my world. A lot of our rides were on bike trails that were not next to the ocean but we often ended up there.  The ocean, beaches, and lighthouses were everywhere!  

This is the bike trail we rode the most.

Some of the cranberry bogs.

Look at the bikes on top of this trellis. One

of my favorite sites on the Shining Sea

Bike Trail. Some of this trail

went right along the ocean.

The bike trail coming back from the Coast Guard Beach in Nauset.

At the Nauset Lighthouse.

One of my morning runs on the beach. 

We used this to get back up.

I enjoyed my runs. The terrain was quite different than what I am used to.  I either ran along the road overlooking the ocean or on the beach.  Truthfully, the tide always seemed to be coming in no matter what the tide charts said and I wasn't totally comfortable with the small distance between the water and the dunes.  The dunes were steep with limited access to get up and down and I didn't want to be caught down there.  There was a lot of evidence of where houses used to be as the dunes have receded!  

My knee is doing quite well.  The chiropractor I am currently going to twice a week seems to be making a difference.  So far she has treated other things and hasn't even started on the knee itself yet but the neck bones connected to the............

I'm still slower than I can believe but I am very happy to be running. I still can't do my favorite breast stroke when swimming but biking is very possible and I can run quite well without repercussions.  It's not all better but it is so much closer.  When I can't run I miss it more than I would expect.

I have been doing lots of new routes with running which I love.  On the Cape of course. When I go to my chiro appts. I run after one of them in Middlebury. I've run around the college some and even on the track.  I throw the track into the middle and enjoy watching all that is going on.  I go in different directions out of town depending on how far I want to go. It will be even nicer now that the snow is gone. 

So that's my life now. I haven't been reading blogs and I apologize. I hope to get back to them this weekend.  

Running Favorites

Darlene tagged me to write about my running favorites and I'm doing it right away so I don't forget.

1. Location: trail, road or indoors

I am definitely a road person although many of my roads are dirt.  Is that like a hybrid?  I like bike paths too but I'm not a trails in the woods runner.

2. Time of day: morning, noon or evening.  

I prefer morning but work and life interfere and it is often evening.

This was taken the other day and it was around 5 PM.

3. Weather: mild or hot?

I prefer mild although really I most prefer crisp cool fall days.  I would never never say hot.

4. Fuel: before, after or sometimes during.

I prefer after.  

5. Accessories: music, watch or more?  I love my music when I am on the treadmill. In fact it is a necessity. Generally outdoors I listen to podcasts when I run.  When I am near the ocean I listen to the ocean.  I like a watch if I am not running  on a route that I know the mileage of. I am rather anal about this.  I need my phone to take pictures. The other day my phone died in the middle of my run and I changed my route!  I wanted to wait until I could take pictures on the route I had planned. I am still stewing over the missed pictures of the route I did take!

I have been running after my chiro appts. (for my knee) 

and really enjoying the new places.  

6. Rewards: food, wine or?? 

That's a tough one. I have no regular reward.  There is certainly no place to get anything near my home.  The other day after my run I did go to a favorite place to get sandwiches for dinner and while there got a Monument Farms chocolate milk which is often a reward especially while biking.

This is after the same chiro appointment and it was

an easy run that was delightful.

7. Type of runs: long, intervals, hill repeats, tempo, progression or recovery/easy.

I am the easy run lover for sure.  I like long runs too but most of my runs are easy ones.

Feel free to do this or let me know in the comments some of your preferences.  

Today I am happy to say I am heading out for a bike ride. It is finally going to warm up.  Yesterday was freezing and I wore multiple layers while running and still froze!  

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.