Exercise is a community

It's been a while since our last post (sorry!) but we've been running, though there has been a little less of it.  Reasons???  Well I can't think of any good ones...just the motivation bug wasn't biting me.  We did a nice run 2 weekends ago at Minto Brown Park in Salem, Oregon.  We absolutely love running here because you can easily put some miles in without repeating the same loop too many times, plus there's pavement for when we want to run with Chloe in the jogging stroller, and it's beautiful!!

Our running friends with Zao Fit were out of town for a race, so it was just Chris and me.  We tried to stay mostly on the dirt trails so we can get more practice with uneven surfaces for our upcoming trail races.  It was going to be a hot day, so we started earlier around 7:30am and it was perfect.  We saw many other fellow runners enjoying the beautiful Oregon weather.  I always enjoy seeing others out exercising and enjoying what nature has to offer.  We ran a total of 12 miles this day.  

Afterwards, we met up with our niece and nephew for the Awesome 3000.  Chris ran the 300 meter with our 4 year old nephew Vlad, while our 6 year old niece Vella ran the mile.  It's a huge event in town with a few thousand people. I just love seeing all of the kids out there running and the huge amount of support from everyone in the community.  We can't wait to have Chloe run in it in a couple years!

We did a mid-week 11.5 miler in the hills of West Salem.  I have a loop I call Gibson loop that has a road that is literally 2 miles straight uphill.  I usually expect that on the trails, but not so much on country roads.  That being said, I've ran this loop many times in my day and it never gets easier!  It was also a really hot afternoon (for us Oregonians, hot is anything above 70 degrees, lol).  It was in the mid to high 80's and bright and sunny.  I think we both had some heat exhaustion, so we didn't rush anything.  I did some 60/60's up the long hill and took a couple GU's to stay energized, while of course drinking water.  We finished the route, even if it wasn't pretty.  We really need to up our game with hill training and routes, and this training day really confirmed that!!

To continue with the need for more hill training, this last weekend, Chris and I decided last minute we would venture to Silver Falls State Park.  This weekend was a vast difference in weather...it was now in the high 40's and rain (the weather is bi-polar here sometimes).  But did the showers/heavy drizzle stop us?  NO!!  We still went on and enjoyed a beautiful 10 mile trail loop while embracing the beauty of Silver Falls!  We braved through the rain and the overgrown trees and were muddy and soaked to the bone, but it was all worth it!  

We ran past 7 beautiful falls, and were greeted by many fellow nature enthusiasts braving the weather to enjoy one of natures wonders.   I just love running out here and we are so lucky to have such a beautiful state park less than an hour away.  I can't wait to take Chloe hiking here when she's old enough. (Side note, I didn't fall on a bridge this time!!! YAY! I literally walked across each bridge to make sure)

These past couple of weeks of training really show the power or community and how we all come together when we are out there exercising.  One of the things I love about getting out and running with my husband and Chloe is seeing other families or groups exercising together.  I feel that we all motivate and boost each other when we see what others are doing, and continue to encourage one another through our subtle nods and waves as we pass each other.