Intervals on the Track--Multiple Paces in Life

Yesterday, I ran intervals on the treadmill.  I had expected originally to do all easy miles this week, but another seven miles on the treadmill at a constant pace was just not appealing.  Today, I may have to run the treadmill again as the rain is supposed to be nearly constant.  Yesterday's run was 2 miles warmup (8 min/mile), 3x1 mile (7 min/mile) with 1/4 mile rest between each (8 min/mile) and then 1.5 miles cool down (8 min/mile).  Loved it.  For my virtual pilgrimage this puts me still on US 54. This time in Osceola. MO.  Still headed west.

The intervals represent a change of speeds on the track or in this on the treadmill.  Life yesterday was a bit of a change-up from the several days before.  Although still illustrating the importance of little things and the importance of presence in the week that Sherry and I are spending together.

Afte rmy run, I made what has become the standard for breakfast this week--the yogurt parfait.  Although to try to make the yogurt last, I ate my granola and berry mixture with soy milk poured over it.  And to add some calories given my run (not that I needed them after dinner and desert the night before), I also ate some cherries and a banana.  We went to the same beach again (Brewster's).  It was cooler, less sunny, and less crowded.  I brought a Tom Clancy book to read.  We had the same lunch with one interesting differnece--Mr. Mallard was stalking us today.  The day before, with more children there were more choices for food. Yesterday, he came right over to (and even onto) the blanket we used and stood watching us eat.  Even tried to nip at Sherry's sandwich.  Odd.  We left just before it started to rain, although the rain was brief.

Back at the Windrifter, we had a not so busy afternoon.  Specifically, Sherry was a bit tired so she napped for a while.  That was fine as I tried to answer fewer emails and really treat it as a vacation day.  Ended up making it through more than 250 pages of the novel I started.  Will try to knock off as much as possible before I go back to work on Monday.

Then we went out to dinner.  This time to Jo Green's Upper Deck.  Fun.  It was a simpler meal.  Stuffed clams to start.  Just soda to drink.  Sherry got the a selection of fish.  I got whole belly fried clams which were really good.  The fritters they served were also excellent.  We were debating desert and I ordered a peanut butter s'more pizza.  It was about the size of a small tortilla with a combination of peanut butter, chocolate, marshmallow, and graham cracker crumbs spread on top.  Very yummy.  Divided into six sections.  I surprised our waitress by eating five of them (reason for a few extra miles planned for this morning.)

Then we came back and just chilled.  Sherry reading stuff mostly online.  Me making my way through the novel.  Watching a silly movie on cable.

A change up in terms of a less full day with more active and less active parts.  But still a good day, indeed.  

A Day at the Beach

Yesterday I hopped on the treadmill at the Windrifter where Sherry and I are staying.  I haven't used a treadmill for pure mileage (as opposed to gauging my time in a progression run) in quite some time, but I did yesterday.  And I did not push the speed.  I ran 7 miles in one hour.  Just accumulating more miles.  I am now at 1061 as I plan to hit 1082 by the time we return to Baltimore.  1061 puts me about 8 miles west of where County Route 240 meets US 54 in Collins, Missouri.  Another town with no Catholic churches but a Baptist church.  The world needs all the prayers it can get.   

The treadmill is something that some people find boring because there is often little variation as it is used and there is certainly no change in scenery.  So, maybe some people will find this entry a little boring as it repeats a theme I have been focusing on all week.  The simple things that a couple can do together to make their relationship go around and to keep it going in a very positive way.

Yesterday after I ran, I came back to the room and fixed breakfast.  Once again a yogurt parfait of vanilla yogurt, granola, and three types of berries.  All good and I had the same thing as Sherry this time.  My stomach did not react negatively which suggests to me more strongly than ever that what got to me in Ocean City (in the digestive week from hell the week before Father's Day and my slowest 5K race in a long time) was something in the water in OC or someting on a fresh fruit or vegetable that I was served.  

In any case, after that we were both online for a bit as we tried to decide what to do for the day.  In the end we decided to go to the beach.  Specifically Brewster Beach.  It was an interesting beach on Lake Winnepsaukee as there are two small docks with starting blocks for swinning on one end.  They use pool ropes to section off the area to run swimming lessong and they have a local pool team.  It is a pretty interesting way to run the local water sports.

The beach itself is small and seemed to attract everyone from us (first time on a beach all summer and fair-skinned enough to show it) and some others like us to those who were well tanned.  Moms with kids.  Young couples. And a pair of mallard who ruled the beach.  They were so comfortable around people that the male walked right up to and over our blanket twice--not paying any attention to us.  And he stole a Dunkin Donut hole right out of a little boy's hand.  The beach had two guards who were very good--directing away a boat that had pulled up too close to the area they were guarding and keeping kids and parents on the straight and narrow.

We spent about four hours there and left just in time.  While it did not start thunderstorming while we were on the 5-7 minute drive back to the Windrifter, it did rain really hard once we got back.  

While there?  We mostly just hung out.  No tension.  Just together.  Enjoying the sun but trying to avoid burning.  Did not bring a book to read but did check email on the iPhone occasionally.  Got in the water that was cool but refreshing.  I didn't swim but Sherry did.  Ate the lunch that I had made of peanut butter and honey on wheat. Sherry had also packed us each a banana.  I threw out the trash for us both.  On our way back from the beach we took a little detour just to see what is at the end of Clark Rd--a small park called Clark's Point.  It was a lot of fun.

Back at the Windrifter we showered and hung for a while mostly answering emails and doing other stuff online.  We then went to dinner at Wolfe's Tavern at the Wolfeboro Inn. It was a very nice place for dinner.  We had an Adelsheim Pinot Gris to go with an appetizer of mussels with veggies and then Sherry had a shrimp pot pie with lobster sauce and I had grilled chicken.  Dessert was a flan for me and a cobbler for Sherry.  Both were excellent.  Dinner was nice as aside from getting a text from our son, we carried on a conversation the entire time.  No electronics (after I got done looking up wine options).  Just us.

And that is how we have been spending vacation.  Just us.  Together and focused.  Day after day.  Maybe a theme that is as boring as a treadmill run to some.  But refreshing and renewing and affirming and strengthening for me and Sherry.  All good.