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4th of July Fun!

Had a really great 4th of July with family, we started our day with the new annual 5K run. Everyone did a great job on the run and finished. The best part is all of the cousins drifted together to run with someone and finished together as well. Which I guess left me running alone and in hindsight I should have brought my headphones to pass the time in the heat.

After the run we stayed around the festivities and found a spot to watch the Delano parade. Once that got done, we headed to my brother and sister-in-laws house to enjoy their backyard pool while eating and hanging out. Once the sun started to go behind trees to give us some shade from the heat we decided to get a little friend game of Kubb going! We brought our set but come to find out after we played it with them last time they have now picked up their own set and are playing it.

Overall, it was a great day and had fun just hanging out with everyone.

Three smiling individuals stand behind a kitchen counter, displaying a dessert decorated like an American flag using various candies. Some great creativity making a Candy themed American Flag

A group of eight people seated around a dining table, enjoying a meal. The wall in the background features a decorative “family” sign. The table has plates with food and various drinks. The room has a cozy and welcoming atmosphere. All the kids sitting around together

Runners nearing the finish line of a race on a sunny day, with spectators and event staff watching. A finish banner and orange cones are visible, along with a parked police car on the side. First kid finishers the oldest boys

Runners participating in a road race, surrounded by orange cones, on a sunny day. The scene is lively with people wearing various sports attire, some displaying race numbers. Tall trees and a school sign are visible in the background. Next phase is these two surrounding some other runner.

Two people wearing race attire and bibs stand on a sunny street. One holds a water bottle. A crowd is visible in the background, with people milling around and sitting on the grass. Last two finishers were these two.

Three people are enjoying a sunny day in a clear, blue swimming pool. One person is sitting on the edge, while the other two are submerged up to their shoulders. A grassy lawn and trees are visible in the background. Swimming! Everyone wants to race the “professional swimmer” of the family Gretchen

A group of people is gathered on a spacious, well-manicured lawn playing a yard game. Wooden blocks are scattered on the grass. The setting is bright and sunny, bordered by trees and shrubs in the background. Friendly game of Kubb where our team won 3-2 in games.

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Great start to the 4th of July again this year by doing a little 5K with my kids, niece, and nephews. I tried to keep up with the older kids which meant I never saw them until .5 miles left when the heat/lack of training overtook them and I could pass them on these old legs.

A group of people in running gear, wearing “Delano 5K Run” shirts with race bibs, pose together outdoors. A man stands in the middle, surrounded by several children and teenagers. The setting is a sunny park with other participants visible in the background.

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I am not sure why but I have just been continuously tinkering with scripts, websites, and what not. My most recent workflow change didn’t quite hit the mark with my morning run post as I thought so I am going to give this a go and see what happens in hopes I know now the answer.

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Decided to wait a little bit to get outside this morning so I didn’t wake the rest of the house and it gave me time to wrap something up for work. Both of those things were good but I regretted it when I actually started running and realized how warm it was (yes I am a baby about the heat).

A scenic path curves through a lush, green park. A large, twisted tree with bare branches stands prominently among leafy trees under a clear blue sky.

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On my run the other day I forgot I captured this photo of a deer that could have cared less that I not only ran right by it (6 ft away at most) but then stopped to take a picture of it. 🦌 📷

A deer stands amidst tall green grass and reeds, attentively looking towards the camera in a lush, natural setting.

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After my run tonight came home to play some Pickleball in the driveway. Starting getting dark so we had to use the Jeep for some extra lighting. The kids seem to be getting into it again so we might have to hit up the new courts at Miller Park.

A group of four people stand together outdoors at dusk, each holding a pickleball paddle. They are smiling, and the scene is illuminated by a car’s headlights in the background.

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Was tired after work today and then ate dinner and could have probably fallen asleep then. However, a friend asked if I wanted to run so how could I pass that up. It was warm but had a great time catching up.

A scenic view of a highway surrounded by lush green trees under a clear blue sky. The road curves gently through the landscape, flanked by vibrant grass and occasional traffic cones. A bare tree stands to the right, contrasting with the greenery.

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Decided to get this run in early today as it is suppose to be warm later on. I would say after the rest over the weekend I felt great the first 3 miles and the last 3 was a struggle for sure. I guess new week time to get after it.

A serene landscape featuring lush green trees against a bright blue sky with scattered white clouds. The foreground shows tall grasses in a sunlit field.

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Tired today after an eventful last night getting woken up at 12:30 to sirens blearing outside as well as our phones going off alerting us to the Tornado Warning. So we all headed to the basement for a while. So I think today’s plans are going to change I think and it might just be a rest day.

Smartphone screen displaying an emergency alert from the National Weather Service for a tornado warning in effect until 1:00 AM CDT. It advises taking shelter in a basement or a sturdy building, highlighting the threat of flying debris and the difficulty of observing tornadoes at night.

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I figured I needed to start this long day off right with a run even though it didn’t feel as smooth as I would have liked it to. Might have to consider the rest of the weekends millage and see what makes sense as I have rain and heat to potentially deal with.

A serene, lush green landscape with a narrow stream flowing through dense trees and tall grasses under an overcast sky.

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Since I found myself in the right place today I was glad to have tossed in my running shoes so I could go exploring and start collecting some 612 POAPs. Hindsight, I should have looked closer at the map where they were (missed some) and been aware of road/bridge closures as I ended up adding more miles than planned.

Urban river scene with churning water in the foreground, a historic stone arch bridge spanning the river, and a city skyline of high-rise and industrial buildings under a partly cloudy sky.

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I can’t complain about my setup on the University of Minnesota today. An elegant library interior with ornate wooden ceilings, large windows, bookshelves, and a long wooden table with chairs. A laptop and coffee cup are placed on the table, illuminated by warm lights. 🏛 Walter Library, Minneapolis

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Just a girl and her favorite dog.. 🐶

A person with closed eyes is lying on a couch, cuddling a large fluffy black dog with a white patch on its chest. A smartphone is nearby on the armrest. The floor is wooden.

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Since my daughter had to get up really early for Hockey today I decided I would get my run in early as well before I started my day. Weather wise it was better than the weekend but still humid out. If did some trails and some road to keep the variety going and scenery.

A narrow dirt path winds through a large green meadow, leading to a line of dense trees. The sky is overcast with thick, textured clouds, creating a dramatic atmosphere.

A narrow dirt path winds through a lush, green forest with dense foliage on both sides, under a canopy of tall trees.

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It is going to be a hot one today and tomorrow so after procrastinating for a while I decided this was my time to run if it was going to happen at all this weekend. should get just a little bit more millage for the week to at least keep building on that even though I bailed on a long run.

Lush green wetland with tall grasses and a serene pond under a partly cloudy sky.

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Decided to use my time wisely this morning as my daughter was at hockey practice and I got a handful of miles in before I needed to pick her up.

Dense green foliage surrounds a lush, vibrant clearing with a fallen tree in the background under a blue sky.

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How can I pass up a game of Catan, when my oldest asked to play. 🌾🧱🐑🪵💎

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I lost thought… 😔

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Don’t be fooled by this shady part as the rest of my run felt like the opposite of cool but more close to melting in the sun. I don’t think I’m used to the heat yet as my body definitely would not have been ready for the long run and envisioned in my mind so I was happy to get done what I got done.

A straight, dirt path lined with lush, green trees creating a canopy overhead, casting dappled shadows on the trail.

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Warm out again today but glad to get some more miles in for…. Oh wait, I don’t have anything on my radar for running. Oh well, it is great me time so a win anyways.

No photo taken as it was hot and I kept telling myself to wait to stop as I feared if I did I would want to stop and then…. I was done 😔 🤷‍♂️

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It was a warm one out there tonight on this run. However, I did notice on this trail these signs look new almost like they might really be serious now. Well for another day as it makes no sense the other side of the tracks is the actual trail. 🛤️

A warning sign by active railroad tracks, cautioning against trespassing. Dense greenery is visible beyond the tracks.

Also found another looked like trail to this dead end. A peaceful, green meadow with lush grass and a dense tree line in the background under a clear, blue sky. Tree branches frame the top of the image.