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Had a great time exploring Sunfish Lake Park after getting something checked on my vehicle. Wasn’t really the plan but glad I had some running gear to go check out this out of the way park. Honestly, when on the trails I felt like I was no where near anything as I was all alone.

A serene pond surrounded by lush greenery and trees, with a clear blue sky and fluffy white clouds reflected in the water.

A narrow dirt path winds through a lush, green forest with tall trees and dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves.

A scenic view of a lush green meadow bordered by dense trees, with power lines stretching into the distance under a bright blue sky filled with fluffy white clouds.

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A quick nap

I found myself struggling to focus this afternoon as I was just really tired from all of the meetings today as well as just tired from the week so far. Sitting in the shed working away it was warm and I was getting sleepy. So what did I do, took an 8 min break with my eyes closed and felt as good as new and pushed on though the rest of the day.

To be clear, I don’t like to take naps as people would think of naps. However, a short timed amount like today is perfect for me. I always set a timer because I can’t have it be more than 15 min so today I set it for 10 but woke up before then.

Reflecting back, this is something I should do more when I feel tired in the afternoon and out of sorts. I used to do this all of the time when studying for the CPA (Certified Public Accounting) exam at the library in college. I was fortunate (or unfortunate), to have been able to sit for the two day exam right before we graduated from college so my whole last semester of school was spent taking classes in order to make sure I could graduate and then studying for the exam in my “free time”.

I am glad I had such a drive at the time but I knew that I wouldn’t want to try to study for this once I left school and started a real job. I figured I had to give it my all this first shot to jsut get it done. So I spent my whole last semester of school (or what felt like it) in the Library. I only left for classes, 30 hrs of work, and sleeping at night (when the libray was closed). Since I was there for countless hours I had developed this little trick of just taking a quick nap for 10-15 min and that was long enough for me that I could be back to normal and push on into the evening.

My girlfriend (wife now) was always intreged by this but also wildly frustrated when I would do this as she tried it a couple of times and would either not be able to nap and have wasted 10-15 min or would actually fall asleep and then when waking up would feel 100x worse.

So it probably isn’t for everyone but for me it did the trick and hoenstly got me though that semester and I skated by passing the exam thankfully and hopefully never going to have to take it again.

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Decided to try to squeeze this run in after dinner (mistake) and before picking the youngest up from swim and dropping off the oldest at hockey. However, with the weather it was worth it! ☀️

A grassy marshland with tall, dry reeds under a bright blue sky filled with scattered white clouds. Lush green trees line the horizon, and a small tree is visible to the left.

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Someone is ready to call it a day from the shed office… 🐶

A black and gray, fluffy dog resting on a light green, quilted mat indoors, looking directly at the camera.

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Just running in the rain today. Couldn’t avoid it as it rained all day today like yesterday so I decided to get out there and really it wasn’t to bad.

A narrow, paved path winds through a lush, green forest, surrounded by tall trees with dense foliage. The ground is damp, and leaves are scattered across the path.

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I probably should have done a really long run today but I wasn’t really feeling it so I set out for shorter. However, the cool overcast weather allowed me to go a little further than I was thinking I would which hopefully should set me up for some good millage this week (weather dependent).

A narrow, paved path leads to a wooden bridge surrounded by lush green trees and vegetation in a forested area.

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I really do like Flighty hands down it has been great on my travel trips lately. However, I don’t really like what I am seeing here. 😵‍💫

Flight connection alert showing a tight 29-minute layover at DTW, which is 1 minute less than the suggested minimum. The progress bar indicates a risky connection.

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Foggy morning today but still a great day for a run around Back Cove. I probably should have started earlier in the morning because by the time I got back I didn’t leave myself a lot of time to get ready and jump on a call. Thankfully I made it with a min to spare.

A sailboat sits on a calm, foggy body of water, with minimal visibility of the shoreline and distant trees. The foreground features a rocky, pebbled area leading to the water’s edge.

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Thanks to the dog in the hotel this morning I had a 5:15 wake up vs when my alarm was set for a little later. However, since I was fully up I guess it helped me get this run in before work.

Calm harbor scene with several docked boats along wooden piers, a red brick building in the distance, and a clear blue sky.

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Long day at work today so I decided to shake the legs out while the sun was setting.

A serene sunset over a coastal landscape, with the sun setting near the horizon and casting a warm glow on the calm water. A road and grassy area with trees are on the left, and rocky shoreline on the right.

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This route, well more specifically Mackworth Island State Park has been on my list to run to for a while now. It was very interesting roaming around that little park as it had a nice trail all around the outside. In fact there was a Pet Cemetery for Governor Baxter Dog’s. 🤔

A serene view of a calm, reflective body of water under a cloudy sky, with a distant shoreline lined with trees. Rocks and dark sand are visible in the foreground. Mackworth Island from Portland about where I started.

A serene view of a wide expanse of water under a cloudy sky, with a distant tree-covered island on the horizon. Mackworth Island and the connecting causeway

A narrow path bordered by wooden fences leads to a small pier extending into a calm body of water. Sparse trees are on either side, and the sky is partly cloudy. Civil War-era granite pier

Calm sea under a partly cloudy sky with distant shoreline and a few scattered rocks in the water. From the Island looking back at Portland, the big ship in the background is where I started.

A small, secluded clearing in a wooded area surrounded by a low stone wall. In the foreground, there’s a large boulder with a plaque attached to it. Three small, weathered gravestones stand to the right of the boulder, partially covered in moss. Bare trees and sparse undergrowth are visible in the background. The ground is covered with dirt and fallen leaves. Governor Baxter Dog Memorial

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It was a real nice day outside today so I decided to add a little bit to this run. Even with my tired legs I just keep pushing on.

A serene landscape with a small stream reflecting the blue sky, surrounded by green trees and dry grass, under a clear, cloudless sky.

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Fun to finally be able to watch my oldest daughter run in her first track meet of the year. Glad to see her back out on the track as it has been years since she last ran. Even though she was nervous before the 400M run, she did amazing and dominated her heat and might have gotten 1st for her grade.

Athletes run on a track in a competitive race, with spectators and other participants watching from the sidelines. The background features lush green trees and a bright, sunny day. 400m Run

A person is performing a long jump on a sandpit track during a sunny day. Two individuals stand nearby, holding tools for maintaining the sand, with a fence and trees in the background. Long Jump

Three people smiling in a sunny outdoor setting, with a fence and crowd in the background. The person in the center is wearing an athletic jersey, flanked by individuals wearing casual clothes with sunglasses on their heads.

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The plan wasn’t to run today but seeing how my wider group at work is doing a step challenge I wanted to stay competitive. Looking at my watch I have been doing a lot of nothing today so I decided to get a couple thousand steps in in order to keep up. It was a beautiful night out so having that extra push was probably OK.

Sunset over a field with silhouetted trees in the background. The sky transitions from deep blue to warm hues of orange and yellow. Sparse branches frame the scene at the top and sides.

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A meeting got canceled today so then my plan was to go out for a short run today after the long one yesterday. However, getting pressure from a company step challenge I decided to go my usual distance which actually felt really good until about the last mile was a struggle. Probably should have stuck with my first plan.

A serene wetlands scene with fallen branches protruding into a grassy marsh. The background features a clear blue sky and dense green trees lining the horizon.

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Utilized the cooler morning to get a longer run in this week as looking at my weekend there will probably be no time for such a thing. After yesterday’s run, this one felt pretty good so glad that I didn’t try to push it yesterday.

A serene lakeside view with calm water reflecting the clear blue sky. Lush green trees line the banks, and sparse vegetation is visible in the foreground.

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Let’s just say this run I felt beat. Might have been working in the yard all morning before or the heat but either way I was glad to not have had a long run in my plan for today.

A narrow dirt trail winds through a forest with tall, slender trees under a clear blue sky. The sunlight filters through the branches, creating dappled patterns on the ground.

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Got out for a short run tonight after a very busy day even though I was going to have the afternoon off. However, with the busy weekend I wanted to get a run in today not knowing what the rest of the weekend will bring.

A tranquil pond surrounded by bare and budding trees reflects the overcast sky. Tall reeds and fresh grass grow at the water’s edge, with a small, weathered birdhouse standing at the shoreline.

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It was a nice day out today for a run. Based on the rest of the week I think overall it will be a down millage week so I might try to do some more shorter runs when I have some time but it is probably ok to have a rest week instead of continuing to build miles.

A serene lake with calm blue water, surrounded by dry reeds and patches of green foliage, under a clear blue sky. Sparse trees line the horizon in the background.

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Had a break in meetings this morning so I got this run in with the time I had. The only bummer when trying to squeeze it in like this I struggle to cool down quick enough before quickly jumping onto my next call. A small, winding stream flows through a marshy field with dry reeds and patches of green grass under a blue sky with scattered clouds. Trees and a few houses are visible in the background.