Muddy Shoes

Yesterday, my run resulted in:

Muddy shoes and tights!!

Mud covered shoes

Trying to scrape some mud off before getting in the car!

I ran my favorite 4.5 mile route which includes a 3/4 mile jaunt through the woods!!  As is usual in the early spring, the woods were super muddy!! What is it about running in the mud and getting ones shoes all muddy?  I love muddy shoes!  I had a pretty good run.  I ran from Bandemer Park along Argo Pond and over the dam and along the headrace.  They have been cutting a lot of trees along the river; I wonder why.  I saw something that I haven't seen in a long time.  Along the river along the headrace trail I could see tents on the other side of the river.  The tents are where homeless people sleep.  A few years ago there were always tents along the river but you could barely see them because there used to be a lot more trees.  It's been some time since I've seen tents along there.  I also saw an old couch on the other side of the headrace which is kind of funny!  There were people sitting on it enjoying the new "rapids" they made in the headrace.  They were definitely not homeless people.  I continued on to Maiden Lane, crossed to Island Drive and down and back and on the way back to Bandemer, I took Argo Bluffs trail which is through the woods and that is where I got my shoes all muddy!!  It's my favorite stretch of that run! I saw several people in the river along Island Dr. and in Bandemer under the M14 overpass and it looked like they were taking samples or testing or something. 

My next event coming up is a week from today, Monday, April 1st, AKA April Fools Day.  I will be running the annual Twinkie run which is always run on April 1st regardless of the day of the week.  The race supports the ALS Foundation.  My Grandfather had ALS so I consider it a worthy cause.  I looked up Twinkies nutrition info and I am going to have to count 4 weight watcher points for each Twinkie I eat; good thing I'm running a race!!  I usually run a few more miles afterward since the race is in Gallup Park, another of my favorite places to run!

I am only 2.5 pounds away from my pre-college weight!!!!!!!  Last year I wore my running skirt to the Twinkie run and about fell over when I saw a picture that my friend took; I looked soooooooo huge.  It was awful.  This year isn't looking like it will be running skirt weather but if it does happen to be warm enough, I can wear my first running skirt again!!  It's not the one I wore last year; I wasn't able to fit in this one last year.  It would be so awesome to be able to wear it in the run!  If not the Twinkie run then hopefully the Detroit Race for the Cure in May. 

Runner Nerd
has muddy shoes and wants to wear blue Nike running skirt again

Muddy Shoes

Muddy shoes after a night cross country race

Muddy shoes are the result of a successful run!!  Last night was a run which produced many muddy shoes!  It was a night cross country race which I have run before.  Usually, this race is run in knee-deep snow (well, almost knee-deep!).  This year there was no snow and the temperature was mid 30s! 
It is an 8 miler run as 4 loops of 2 miles each.  Most of the loop is on part of the high school's cross country course; it even includes a short jaunt into the woods!  Soooooo, most of each loop was also very MUDDY!!!!  In fact, each time around the loop it was muddier than the time before! 
I ran as part of a 2 person relay so I only had to run 2 loops, or 4 miles.   I haven't run more than 5 miles since the Thanksgiving 10K and most of my runs have been 3 or 4 miles so it would have been tough to run 8 miles but I was going to do it.  One of my fellow Tuesday night running group members decided yesterday afternoon that he would like to be on a relay team since he took advantage of the unseasonable temperatures and absence of snow to go for a 50 mile bike ride!!  I was really really happy to get the text asking if I'd relay!!! 
After the race there is food in the school cafeteria.  The floor of the cafeteria was completely mud covered from everyone walking around in their muddy shoes!! 
My relay partner and I placed 2nd in the over 90 years age group!!!  (ages added together)  Everyone from our Tuesday night running group who participated went home with a medal, just like we did last year! 
I thought that I would be wearing my new miracle shirt at this race but it still wasn't cold enough for the miracle shirt.  I have yet to wear it!!  What I said in my blog post the day I bought it may come true!! (Now that I have this miracle shirt we will have a mild winter in which it will not get cold enough to wear it!)

Runner Nerd
hoping for a mild winter

Muddy Shoes!



The sign of a successful run!

My running shoes are a muddy mess and I couldn't be happier!!!!  I love muddy running shoes! 
After work I ran my very most favoritest route.  I haven't been to this trail in forever.  Most of it is not cleared in the winter and with all the snow we've had I knew it would be impossible to run on.  Now that most of the snow is melted I decided it's time to get back there.  I knew the woods would be muddy.  The trail along the headrace still had a lot of slushy snow but other than that it felt great to run with good footing.  I ran really good (for me lately) other than the trail with snow and through the muddy woods.  I almost fell in the woods, I started sliding in the mud going downhill.  I stepped off the side of the trail and grabbed a tree branch to stop!  I saw a lot of other people out running!  I saw several people in shorts but with long sleeve shirts and one dude was wearing long pants but a short sleeve shirt but nobody in shorts and short sleeves.  I guess it's not quite that warm yet!!!  (just an observation I made!)  As I ran along the river I was thinking ahead to when all the baby duckies will be there!!  I can't wait; I love the baby duckies in the spring when they are still tiny and following their mommies around. 

I wish I was that excited about the test I have on Monday.  I had to work today and was not too happy about it.  Some of my classmates were getting together in the library to study this afternoon and I was not able to go because of work.  I really would have liked to have studied with others because there is so much confusing material in this unit.  It's so complicated.  BUT....if I hadn't have worked I wouldn't have been in Ann Arbor and would not have went running in Bandemer Park, I probably wouldn't have went running at all so I guess my run is one good thing that came from having to work.

I saw this today:


motorcycle in February

 A motorcycle!  I didn't think it was that warm but I guess if we runners are silly enough to go running when the temperature is below zero in deep snow then motorcycle riders can ride in the 40s! 

Well, I guess I better get back to homework.  I got to do it all today: work, run and homework!

Runner Nerd


Muddy Shoes!!

I am finally getting rid of that brand new look with my new trail shoes!!  I went running after work this afternoon and managed to find plenty of MUD!! (Mud = melting snow!)  It was beautiful today; the sun shone all day.  I had to wear my sunglasses to drive.  I FINALLY got out at 5pm, headed to the park, changed in the back seat and set out at 5:30.  Most of Ann Arbor must have left work early today, the drive over to the park should have taken me way longer than it did at 5pm.  I considered going to Gallup Park because it is easier to get to at 5 but decided to go to Bandemer since it's in the direction of home and not the opposite direction.  I ran my favorite route.  The wooded trail portions and the little loop though island park are still snow covered and hard to run on but the rest of it was pretty good.  I only wore ONE LAYER and no gloves!!!  It was in the high 30s.  I scared a duck!!  When I was on my way back on the trail through Riverside Park the ducks were on the banks of the river and as I was approaching some of them crossed the path.  One duck started to cross then turned around to go back toward the river then turned back toward the other ducks again then took off running down the trail ahead of me and then took off flying and landed out in the middle of the river!!  It was so funny to see the duck running as fast as it could away from me!!  I looked out into the river and apologized to the duck for scaring it!!  (what? doesn't everyone do that?)
I finished my run, walked around a little bit then got my "fake" key out of the little pouch on my shirt and got in the car then I discovered that I had left my "real" key in the ignition.  I suppose that's not a very good thing to do!  The keys for my car are the kind with the remote attached to the key so they are quite large.  I remember asking the car salesman what I was supposed to do with a key that large when I go running so he made me a "fake" key.  It will open the door but I can't start the car with it.  I call it the fake key.  I carry that when I run and usually put the real one beside the seat under the parking break lever but every once in a while I leave it right there in the ignition.  I lock the doors but if someone really wanted to get in there and start my car and drive off I'm sure they could find a way.
When I was putting my new running shirt in the washing machine I noticed that it said on the tag not to iron over the reflective pieces.  HUH???  WHO is going to iron running clothes????? I want to know.
Well, I guess I am going to look at my homework for a little while.

Happy weekend running!!

Runner Nerd
(with muddy shoes!)