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Couldn’t pass up the nice weather today so decided to go for a run on the trails north of my house. I was shocked to find the boardwalk mostly covered and I had to turn around as I came across another flooded out area.

Wooden boardwalk meanders through overgrown grass and dense foliage beneath a vibrant blue sky, suggesting a nature trail or forest path. Surrounding plants create a wild, lush environment.

A dirt path partially submerged in water extends through tall reeds and grass, surrounded by lush green trees under a clear blue sky.

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Last week before kids have school next week with our youngest having to catch a bus before 7am 😳. So I figured I would take advantage again of a not so early but still early morning run before I figure out a new routine next week.

A fallen tree hangs across a dirt path within a dense, green forest.

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GOTOES for Strava

I was doing some blog gardening today and stumbled across a picture I took when hiking to Estes Cone back in 2017 with my wife. We were out there for a wedding, and my good friend was telling us it was a “casual” walk, to which my wife didn’t agree after we got back that night. Anyway, as I was doing my usual cleanup, I realized it would be great to find my Strava activity from that day, as I was almost 100% certain I had it from back then, which I did, using a Fitbit Surge. 😱

The problem was that the hike got split into two files: a 4 mile section and a 2 mile section, either due to user or watch error, as I can’t remember now. So, wanting to clean things up, I figured it would be great if I could combine these files and make one entry to link to on my blog from this post.

Enter GOTOES, the web based app that can track repair, merge, and edit GPS files. Honestly, it was as simple as that. I downloaded both of my original GPS files from Strava, deleted those Strava activities (if you don’t do that, when you try to upload the new file, it will say it’s a duplicate), used the Combine / Repair FIT, GPX, or TCX Files app from GOTOES to export a file that combined both of those activities, then uploaded it back to Strava to have a nice new combined activity that I could link to in my post to check out years down the road.

This is the second time I’ve really used these tools. Another time, my GPS got all out of sorts, and somehow these tools made sense of the corrupted data so it would show up in Strava with the correct map and data. Even after that first time, I saw the value here, so even though it’s only a couple of times a year that I use it, I donated to the cause. I really enjoy finding these tools that people spent time creating, even though it’s free, and I probably don’t need the enhanced features. But I want to see it stick around, and obviously, the person took time in building them for my benefit.

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Granted it has been over 24 hrs since the storm but I figured I would make a run around and see some of it.

A large tree lies fallen across a dirt path, surrounded by dense, green forest, with sunlight filtering through the trees. Trail obstacles

Fallen tree blocks a narrow dirt path in a dense forest, secured by yellow caution tape tied to surrounding trees. More Trail obstacles that are not helping with my pace

A large tree has fallen over a sidewalk, blocking it next to a slanted wooden fence and an orange traffic cone; a residential road lies adjacent. Sidewalk out guess I will take to the road

A fallen streetlight lies on a grassy roadside near a beige house with a white fence. Caution tape surrounds the scene, indicating recent damage or construction activity. This is likely the reason we have not had power 😱

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The new day has not brought any change to the weather but I wanted to get this run done early. Not sure it mattered too much as it was like swimming through the humid air and was soaked however the sun wasn’t beating down on me so that is probably a positive.

Railway tracks extend into the distance, flanked by dense green trees on both sides under a dusky purple-pink sky. White and orange posts line the gravel beside the tracks.

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Despite the stifling weather I had to go out and test the new shoes on a short run. There is a road closed in the neighborhood that I can never really run on so took advantage of that to see what was on the other side of the street.

A small stream flows through a forested area surrounded by dense green foliage, with a partially visible house or building in the background.

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New Running Shoe Day = Great Day 😃🏃‍♂️👟

Colorful sneakers featuring rainbow patterns, “PRIDE” text, and a frog graphic; worn by a person with bare legs and black socks, standing on a gray asphalt surface.

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Long run before the weekend. Probably should have bailed before I started.. Didn’t get great sleep, iPods only half worked, and after the first mile it down poured for 10 min. Then stopped until about the last 10 min just to make sure I was soaked the whole way.

A pond covered in green algae sits still, framed by overhanging tree branches, with dense forest in the background under a cloudy sky.

Large “I ♥ EP” sign resting on a grassy area, with trees and a paved road in the background, under a cloudy sky.

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I am really surprised at how clear the pictures from my daughters GoPro are under the water. It is interesting seeing some of the videos she took to see her form as as she left the camera at the bottom of the pool and swam over it or dove over it. 🏊‍♀️

Person swimming underwater wearing pink goggles and a blue swim cap, taking an underwater selfie in a clear blue pool with lane lines visible.

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Getting darker in the morning hours makes it slightly harder to get up and move. However, mornings really are the best time for me to get a run in.

Sun is setting behind a row of silhouetted trees, casting an orange glow over the landscape. The foreground features dense vegetation, and the sky transitions from light blue to warm tones.

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Really feeling it in my legs today on this run after all that biking yesterday. However, it was good to start the day with this as it is back to work today.

Tall grasses stand still, shrouded in morning mist, with a line of trees in the background under a softly glowing dawn sky.

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New Coffee day! 🥳 ☕

Excited to try the second and last pack I got from Terminal.shop

A hand holds a black and yellow coffee bag labeled “Object” with “light roast whole coffee beans 12oz” in a kitchen with a coffee maker on a granite countertop.

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To continue with the shocked day my daughter wanted to ride back home after riding all the way out to my parents house this morning. We stayed there for some swimming and then had lunch. Even after that she still wanted to ride back home so we did. Honestly, I am super proud of her for wanting to do it and I really enjoyed our time together.

A man wearing sunglasses and a helmet smiles while biking on a paved path in a green, tree-lined park, with a young girl biking behind him.

A child wearing a blue helmet rides a pink bicycle down a paved, tree-lined path in a forested area with shadows cast by the sun.

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I am still in shock that my daughter really was game to ride her bike all the way from our house to my parents house. Put in 14 miles this morning and now she is swimming in their community pool. 😱

A child wearing a helmet stands with a bicycle in front of a graffiti-covered tunnel entrance with the words “Paisley Park” and “Prince”. A green, wooded area is visible through the tunnel.

A man wearing a helmet and sunglasses is riding a bicycle and smiling on a forested dirt trail, followed by two more cyclists. Green trees line the path closely on both sides.

Four people smiling, standing in front of a house: a man in a helmet and “Maine” shirt, a woman holding a helmet, a child holding a helmet, and a man with a bike. “5K RUN” on the child’s shirt.

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Thankful for the overcast skies today but it was still humid as can be out and I was drenched at the end. Glad to get these miles done even though I am still not sure what the build up of miles will be for yet.

A narrow dirt path descends through tall grassy terrain bordered by lush trees under a cloudy blue sky.

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Rainy miles this morning. I am glad I decided to not pull my long run in today and will wait till tomorrow.

Dense green vegetation fills the foreground, leading to a field of tall grasses, with a line of trees in the background under an overcast sky.

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After lots of walking and driving yesterday this run was needed I thought. However, my legs didn’t agree.

A dirt path extends forward, surrounded by dense, green foliage, and tall trees in a forested area. The pathway is empty, leading into a bright clearing in the distance.

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This was a fun unplanned exploring run today. We ended up on a road I had been meaning to find in Eden Prairie that is now closed for years and also we were around the Ghost town of Hennepin Village.

Dense green foliage and grass thrive under direct sunlight in a woodland clearing, with lush trees framing the scene against a clear blue sky.

A narrow, slightly overgrown path winds through a dense forest with lush green foliage and thick tree canopies, creating a serene, shaded environment.

A metal gate blocks a dirt path surrounded by dense, green forest. A sign reads, “Road/Trail Closed to the Public Pedestrians and Motor Vehicles. Guess I am glad we ran from the bottoms up to this sign as I can say I didn’t know.

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Long day but got some miles in before doing some other house projects tonight. I took to some trails and found some hills as well.

A narrow dirt trail winds through thick green foliage, with sunlight filtering through the dense canopy overhead, creating a serene and shaded woodland path.

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Really was a nice cool morning for a run. So I decided to get to what the original thought of miles were vs what I was setting as a bare minimum before I went to bed last night as it has been a busy last 36 hrs with the guests at our campsite.

Still water reflects the clear blue sky with some wispy clouds, surrounded by distant greenery along the horizon.