Vacation report: Week #1 - Beaches and more beaches

Week #1 of our vacation is over and I have to say it's been good so far. There's been plenty of good food and wine, a reasonable amount of exercise, lots of reading and relaxing and even a bit of painting. The best part has been hanging out on the beach of course. The weather's been nothing short of perfect almost every day.

Of course, I'm happy to be on a beach, whatever the weather. Frankly, people who only like beaches when the weather's warm and sunny aren't serious beach people in my books. Sure, beaches are nice in the sunshine but that's something truly magical about them when the weather's less than ideal and you have them mostly to yourself.

We definitely didn't have them to ourselves this week. The weather's been stunning. We spent the first couple of days at Risser's (have I mentioned lately that it's my favourite place in the world?)...

Then sauntered half an hour down the other side of the Lahave River to spend a day on Hirtle's Beach...

Before making a somewhat longer trek to Summerville Beach just outside Liverpool...

And returned to Risser's for several hours today - until a thunderstorm chased us home.

All three are fabulous for different reasons. Hirtle's has the most spectacular waves...

... and is located near the entrance of a terrific hiking trail that circles Gaff Point. In fact, it was the opportunity to go for a hike that drew us to Hirtle's this week. We were feeling the need for more exercise after a couple of days lounging at Risser's.

Summerville has welcomed American tourists for generations - and for good reason. It's over a mile long with soft, white sand that sparkles in the sunshine. Seriously. It sparkles! Plus, it has a decent restaurant at one end. Husband and I really enjoyed sitting outside on the deck listening to waves crash against the rocks below as we sipped local beer and wine.

Clouds arrived later in the afternoon but that was fine too since we needed a break from all the sunshine and they offered some interesting photo opportunities.

Risser's is...well...Risser's. It's an excellent beach with good waves and lovely walks behind the dunes and across the marsh, as well as down the beach...

But it's true appeal is hard to articulate. I just love being there! And, apparently, I'm not alone in that.

For those who may be wondering how marathon training's gone this week - well, pretty well, all things considered. The fall I took last Sunday exacted a bigger toll than I realized at first. I was quite sore all over for three or four days and my arms are still feeling cranky. Nevertheless, I completed a couple of decent training sessions this week (including hill and interval training), as well as an energetic hike around Gaff Point, some "swimming" (aka playing in the waves) and a couple of good yoga sessions.

Truth be told, I may have overdone the yoga a bit yesterday. In my defence, it was hard not to. My yoga spot on the back deck is lovely - shaded by the house with a ideal view of the garden and bird feeder. It was wonderfully mellow watching the birds come and go while I did my thing. Honestly, I was tempted to stay there all day! My body felt terrific when I'd finished, but a little less so when I woke up this morning. It turns out all the downward dogs made my calves and hamstrings grumpy. I'll have to be a tad more sensible tomorrow.

The workout I enjoyed the most this week was the one I did this morning. I read about it in a NY Times blog a year ago but forgot about it until it popped up in my Facebook newsfeed yesterday. Like many people, I find it hard to do speed work consistently. In theory, the workout described in the blog - called "10-20-30" - minimizes the duration of the pain while improving overall running performance. The idea is to run 30 seconds at an easy pace, 20 seconds at a moderate pace and 10 seconds all out repeatedly for a total of 12-18 minutes. The good thing is that it's fun and the hard bits don't last long. The bad thing is that it's quite a bit tougher than I expected so I can't honestly say I'm looking forward to doing it again - though it's certainly less daunting than a 6k tempo run in 30C temperatures!

That's it for week #1 of our vacation. Looking forward to an easy run tomorrow morning and a long run on Sunday before we head over the mountain for a visit with friends in the Annapolis Valley. Next week, we plan to spend more time at the beach and visit with a few more friends and family - though we're determined to keep our program light so we get plenty of rest too. Of course, I'll be continuing to train as well.

Hope you're enjoying these last weeks of summer as much as we are!

Happy running!!

Vacation!

Sitting on the deck sipping coffee and watching birds at the feeder while I write this. After a couple of hot days, this morning's air is fresh and cool - like early fall. It's day #3 and I still haven't fully relaxed into vacation mode - despite plenty of good food and wine. It's hard when there's so much I could/should be doing, but I'm determined to rest as much as possible - when I'm not marathon training, that is.

My training goals for the next few weeks are to run 5 times per week and do yoga daily in an effort to kick my marathon preparation up a notch. So far, the running's going okay but I haven't started the yoga routine yet and I'm not sure I will today either because I took a fall while running with my buddy David yesterday. I went down relatively gently but still managed to scrape one elbow rather badly and my shoulders, arms, and hands are sore from the impact. I don't think they'll be up to doing downward dogs for a few days. I'm luck to have gotten off so lightly since it really could have been much worse. I know people who've broken arms and gotten concussions as a result of similar falls.

David and I were nearly18k into our run yesterday when I fell. We'd planned to do 22-24k but it was 28C in the shade and humid by the time we hit 20k and my arm hurt so we called it a day. Despite everything, I enjoyed the run. David's good company and the route was gorgeous - from his house in Prince's Inlet, along a shaded trail to Lunenburg, around a loop that took us to Carter's Beach and back.  We didn't stop to take many photos so you'll have to take my word for it, but here's a sample.

Husband and I plan to stay close to the country house for much of our vacation but hope to make quick trips to the Annapolis Valley and Cape Breton to see a few friends as well. Once I've a little more energy, I'd also like to spend time with my camera. I'm determined to get a few decent shots of the birds at our feeder. They're fun to watch but move so quickly it's hard to capture crisp images. So far this summer, we've spotted woodpeckers, jays, sparrows, nuthatches, chickadees, doves, and goldfinches - in addition to the robins, ravens and eagles that visit our yard regularly. 

My other major project for this vacation is to start planning my (semi-) retirement. Husband and I have been batting around options for awhile and the time has come to make some decisions so we can start moving in our chosen direction. More on that when we've concluded negotiations. :-)

Hope you and yours are enjoying these last few weeks of summer!

Beautiful summer days!

Summer's here! And so far, we're really enjoying it. This was a long weekend in Nova Scotia, and the weather was hot and sunny for the most part, so Husband and I spent all day Saturday and Sunday camped out on Risser's Beach. We even went swimming a few times since the water was 18C and there were some lovely big waves on Sunday. The crowds were as large as I've seen them in awhile but it was still lovely and quiet at "our" end of the beach.

The weather made my weekend runs a bit challenging though. I slept later than planned Saturday morning and it was so stinky hot by the time I awoke that I opted to run 8k after we got home from the beach. Running on a stomach full of beer and chips after 6 hours in the sun wasn't easy but it was easier than the alternative.

This morning's long run was more comfortable. Once again, I slept later than intended but still managed to get on the road shortly after nine. By sticking to the Centennial Trail, I was able to remain in the shade for much of my 20k and there was a slight breeze so I arrived home feeling a good deal better than I did at the end of last week's 17k.

The rest of my training week was good. I checked off a hill training session on Tuesday and speed training on Thursday. Marathon training is going well so far but, of course, the toughest weeks are ahead.

Other activities this weekend included gardening, photography, retirement planning, cooking and reading. In short, I was "vacation hardening". Just four more days of work and I'm off for three weeks. Three weeks! Needless to say, I'm excited. It's been far too long since I had a proper break.

After two solid days on the beach, we were ready for a change of pace today so spent the afternoon in Lunenburg. After a lazy lunch on the deck of the Salt Shaker Deli, we wandered through town stopping at several local galleries and Ironworks Distillery to pick up a bottle of their award-winning Bluenose Rum.

We also caught a glimpse of the Bluenose, in port to pick up passengers for her next tour.

Back in the car, we explored the roads outside town, and stopped to take a few photos. Lunenburg is a UNESCO Heritage Site for good reason. It's ridiculously picturesque.

We'll likely make it back to Lunenburg for the folk festival next weekend - always a highlight of summer on Nova Scotia's South Shore.

Hope you and yours are enjoying a sunny, warm summer as well!

Happy running and writing!

It was too hot to run, and yet...

I got no running in during the work week on account of a nasty summer cold that knocked me off my feet Wednesday and Thursday. It was a strangle little bug that started with a dry throat and slight cough, then moved directly to my lungs, causing deeper coughs that kept me from sleeping soundly for a few nights. By Friday, I felt well enough to return to the office but wasn't at all sure I'd be running this weekend.

Friday night, I headed to bed early and slept like the dead until nearly 9:00, which meant it was already hot by the time Husband and I headed out the door for a quick 5k into town and back. I didn't check the thermometer before we left but it was in around 25C by the time we got back, with the humidex making it feel closer to 30C.

The run was great, all things considered, but by suppertime my throat felt scratchy and I wondered whether it had been wise to run so soon. When I toddled off to bed last night - after spending a very pleasant evening hanging out in the gazebo with Husband eating a delicious supper (rotisseried lamb, lemon roasted potatoes and salad, in case you're wondering), sipping wine and playing guitars, I reckoned I'd have to lay low again today.

Fortunately, I slept soundly and awoke feeling ready to tackle a long run after all - though not the 20k I'd originally planned. Given the continuing high temperatures, I figured 16-17k would be more than enough - particularly since I hadn't got an early start and it was hot as hades. I set a moderate pace, stayed in the shade as much as possible, and drank gatorade at regular intervals but it still felt like a bit of a slog. The thermometer was reading over 30C when I got back to the house around noon and it felt warmer than that with the humidity so sweat poured off of me for at least an hour after I got home - even after I'd stretched, taken a cool shower, and gulped down a big glass of cold water. 

Despite the heat, I have to say I enjoyed the run. I love being on the road Sunday mornings because it's so quiet compared to the rest of the weekend, when it seems the whole county comes to town to shop and run errands. And today's route took me to one of my favourite places, Miller's Head Peace Park (pictured above and below), which I had almost entirely to myself.  I always enjoy the park but especially appreciated it after chatting with our friend Ruth last week about how few parks there are in the city she calls home (Portsmouth, UK), and how nervous she felt walking in them. Our conversation reminded me of how fortunate we are to have access to so many beautiful, safe trails nearby. Here's a photo from my first turnaround point today, looking down the LaHave River from the park.

The high point of my visit to the park was spotting what I think were a couple of juvenile eagles high in a pine tree. I'm no bird expert so can't be positive that's what they were but they certainly looked like small eagles and made sounds similar to those I associate with the full size birds that visit our country property. One of them was putting on quite a show, squawking loudly and puffing up the feathers on its chest to make it clear my presence wasn't appreciated. They were so entertaining, I stopped for several minutes to enjoy the show, hoping mama or papa might put in an appearance. I spotted another juvenile higher up in a nearby tree but saw no sign of an adult before I turned and headed for home. 

After a quick shower and a bowl of strawberries, we were out the door on our way to another of our favourite places, Risser's Beach. The main part of the beach was crowded but we set our sunbuster up in the usual spot away from the hordes and spent a couple of blissful hours sipping cold beer, munching sandwiches, reading and listening to the waves. To my mind, it's the waves that make Risser's so special. The sound of them crashing along 1.5kms of beach soothes my soul like little else. Here's a brief video to give you some sense of what it's like.

Unfortunately, thunder clouds rolled in later in the afternoon so we didn't get to spend quite as much time at the beach as we hoped but the time we had was lovely. You can tell by the contented smile on my face in this pic.

Just two more weeks until I start my vacation and I can hardly wait! The plan is to spend the time in the country - reading, writing, running, hiking, beaching, and spending time with family and friends. Fingers crossed nothing happens to prevent me from being off for 3 weeks.  I'm hoping to use the time to kick my marathon training up a notch. I'll need to do some serious hill work to be ready for the Valley Harvest Marathon in October. I finally sat down and drew up a rough training schedule this week but I still need to tweak it to take into account some work travel scheduled for September. I'll post it here once it's in final form.

Hope everyone's having a good summer so far. Are you training for a fall marathon? How do you deal with running in the heat? Where are your favourite beaches?

Happy running and writing, friends!

Lots of sightseeing...with a little running now and again

It's been a busy couple of weeks since my last post. The daughter of one of my oldest friends, Ruth, came for a visit from the UK, as did a couple of old friends from Calgary, Carolyn and George. We had a great time hanging out and sightseeing with them but there wasn't much time for running amidst all the other activities. 

Ruth arrived late on a Tuesday night and Carolyn and George arrived on the Thursday. Since Thursday was cool and rainy, we ate supper indoors and built a small fire to take the dampness out of the air, then spent the evening talking and making music by the fire.  

Friday, we headed to Risser's beach for a walk...

...then took the ferry to the east side of the LaHave and made our way to Lunenburg for lunch. If you look carefully, you can pick out the iconic Bluenose. She was pulling away from the dock just as we arrived. 

After lunch, it was on to Hirtle's Beach, where most of us completed a brisk 6k hike along the beach and around Gaff Point. Though the weather was cool and breezy, we older folks enjoyed the chance to get moving - not to mention the gorgeous views - while Ruth stayed in the car, which was parked next to the beach, to nap for a bit.  

After another great evening of good food and music, Carolyn and George hit the road Saturday morning, and Ruth, Husband and I headed back to the city, where we were hosting a neighbourhood BBQ. We managed to cook the meal and eat outdoors but the cool temperatures eventually forced the party inside, where we stayed up laughing and talking until nearly midnight. 

Ruth's dad is Scottish and we wanted to make sure she got a taste of Nova Scotia's celtic culture while she was with us so on Sunday we made a beeline for Antigonish to take in the last of this year's Highland Games. The Antigonish games are the oldest outside Scotland, having begun as a fund raiser for the local parish in 1863. We arrived in time to catch the challenge round of the Caber Toss, the men's and women's tug-of-war finals, and the last of the pipe and drum competition. Fortunately, the rain held off until the outdoor events were mostly finished and we were tucked inside the big tent enjoying some local music. 

Monday was low key since we were all tired from our busy weekend but I squeezed in a short run before supper and then we all wandered up the lake to grab icecream and watch the sun set.

  

Tuesday was Ruth's last day with us and the weather was spectacular so we jumped in the car after dinner (a fantastic Indian feast cooked by Husband) and drove the 45 minutes to Peggy's Cove. Husband and I hadn't been there in decades and, to be honest, we'd almost forgotten how special it is - particularly in ideal weather - so we all enjoyed spending an hour and a half or so clambering over the rocks, savouring the sultry air and spectacular views. 

Ruth and I both brought our cameras and spent much of our time snapping photos. The light was perfect! Unfortunately, I forgot to check my camera settings when we arrived so took mostly lousy pictures. Once I realized what I'd done, I adjusted the settings and managed to get a few images I like okay - but I'm itching to get back to Peggy's Cove soon so I can take another crack at it with my big lense. 

These two are my favourites from the outing. Though they're by  no means technically perfect, I like the mood they capture.

Ruth headed on to Montreal Wednesday morning and I spent the rest of the week getting back into my routines. Thursday evening, Husband and I did a quick 5k around the lake, then got cleaned up and headed out to a wonderful gallery and restaurant nearby to have supper and attend the opening of a new exhibit.

This weekend, I've managed two runs - a brisk 5k yesterday morning before we headed to the beach for the day, and a slow 17k this morning. Neither felt especially easy on account of the heat and humidity but I was glad to get them done. If I'm serious about running the Valley Harvest Marathon in mid-October, I need to start training a lot more consistently than I have been. From what I hear, VHM is a hilly course so my plan is to do my weekend runs on hilly routes whenever possible. Fortunately, the road to Risser's is perfect for that!

Speaking of Risser's, here are a couple of photos from yesterday. It was stinky hot in town so the beach was far more crowded than usual. Nevertheless, Husband and I spent a very pleasant few hours camped out at the far end of the beach reading and napping before making our way home for supper in the gazebo.

So, friends, that's the news from here. Sometime this week, I'll draw up a detailed marathon training plan and post it here to help keep me honest in the weeks and months ahead.

Until then, happy running and writing!