Monday, May 25, 2026
Sunday, May 24, 2026
Friday, May 22, 2026
AN EXHAUSTING MORNING OF FINAL EXAMS -
3.5 Miles of Walking
Friday, May 22, 2026
Ordinarily I wouldn't count walking around school during the workday toward my daily mileage, but final exams are a bit different. Most of my students are scattered all over the rink, and several are off in separate locations as per their test accommodations. So throughout the 3+ hr exam period, I walked all over the rink to each student mutliple times, and every 30-45 minutes walked from the rink to the classroom in the main building where my three "refugees" were to check in on them. By the time all of that was done, my various step trackers all agreed that I'd covered about 3.5 miles. Whew.
I was tired going into the exam, between all the work I've been doing to help my students get ready and lack of sleep (both the normal type and because I was up late last night putting exam packets together and then up early this morning doing final printing and assembly of the actual exams. The Workforce Challenge last night might have contributed a bit too...) By the time I was able to head home for some lunch I was totally exhausted, and ended up taking a nap for most of the rest of the afternoon. Even after doing that I was still pretty tired, so I ended up deciding to skip tonight's 5k in Middleburgh - I likely could have run the distance, albeit very slowly, but the 2 hr round trip drive felt risky.
Now all that's left is a different exhausting task (and one of mt least favorite) - grading. On the plus side, the science exams are about a week earlier this year, so I have a lot more time than usual and can spread that job out a bit over the next week and a half.
Thursday, May 21, 2026
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Monday, May 18, 2026
Sunday, May 17, 2026
Saturday, May 16, 2026
FIVE AFTER FIVE, Day 11
Saturday, May 16, 2026
3.4 miles walking
total mileage: 48.1 mi
Even back when I was averaging 5 mi or more a day on foot, I always found Five After Five to be a true challenge - ordinarily I would adjust my mileage on a particular day to reflect what I'd been doing recently and the state of my legs.
Today was a good example of that - after riding for 2 hrs, walking at least 5k was a challenge both physically and mentally. But that's part of why I'm doing this - to try and break myself free of some of the ruts I've been in recently.
Daily Challenge - Sunrise/Sunset Saturday: I wish I'd looked this up before this morning, I was awake before sunrise and could have easily gone for a short walk - which would have also made today's mileage easier, by splitting it into 2 smaller distances. At least I was out walking at sunset.
Friday, May 15, 2026
FIVE AFTER FIVE, Day 10
Friday, May 15, 2026
3.9 mi walking
total mileage: 44.7 mi
Daily Challenge - Fartlek Friday: I had hoped to go for a run after school but I was too tired so I settled for walking instead, though I did try to vary my pace a bit between brisk and slow-and-easy (there was a lot more of the latter than the former!)
Thursday, May 14, 2026
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
FIVE AFTER FIVE, Day 8
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
5.3 mile walking
total mileage: 35.7 mi
Daily Challenge - Wildflower Wednesday
Over halfway already?
One of the things I really enjoy about the transition to spring is all the wildflowers that start sprouting and blooming. Not as many as I would have thought along the canalway trail, maybe because the sides of the trail get mowed?
Hopefully next week I can make it out to the Dev Runs...
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
FIVE AFTER FIVE, Day 7
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
3.5 mi walking
total mileage: 30.4 mi
Daily Challenge: Taco Tuesday
I had hoped to pick up some quesadillas at Price Chopper but all they had were the buffalo chicken ones which are potentially too hot for me - ended up with a box of frozen taquitos instead and had a few after I got done with tonight's walk. (I really should have taken this as the opportunity to try something from the tacqueria on the corner near my apartment...)
Monday, May 11, 2026
Sunday, May 10, 2026
FIVE AFTER FIVE, Day 5
Sunday, May 10, 2026
4 mile walk
total mileage: 23.2 mi
Daily Challenge: Mother's Day Challenge
I am constantly impressed by the moms I know who somehow manage to do excellent work at their jobs and find time to run and workout or do other things thet enjoy, all while taking care of their families. I wouldn't do nearly as well in their shoes.
Saturday, May 09, 2026
FIVE AFTER FIVE, DAY 4
Saturday, May 9, 2026
5.1 mi running
total mileage: 19.2 mi
Turns out my sneaker post yesterday in the Five After Five Strava group brought me some unexpected recognition:
Daily Challenge - Scenic Saturday
While Schodack Island State Park isn't as remote as some other parks near here, and many of the trails are wide and smooth enough to drive a car down - it's still pretty scenic, between the views of the Hudson River and all the greenery that's coming in as spring proceeds toward summer. And the birds were singing like crazy - at one point my Merlin app ID'd six different types of birds calling in the trees and bushes around me.
Friday, May 08, 2026
FIVE AFTER FIVE, DAY 3
Friday, May 8, 2026
4.8 mi walking
total mileage: 14.1 mi
Daily Challenge - Flashy Footwear Friday
(I don't have any flashy footwear, but I do have Hokas for seemingly every terrain: walking, running on pavement, and trail running.) One of my sets of trail shoes also does a pretty good job walking in light snow, and with the addition of sheet metal screws in the outsoles, my pavement shoes work reasoably well on ice too.)
Thursday, May 07, 2026
FIVE AFTER FIVE, DAY 2
Thursday, May 7, 2026
3.1 mi running, 2.5 mi walking
total mileage: 9.3 mi
Daily Challenge - Through the City Thursday: while the Corning Preserve doesn't qualify as a true urban run, it is definitely urban-adjacent, so my I counted my time there before, during, and after the Law Day 5k as meeting today's challenge.
Wednesday, May 06, 2026
FIVE AFTER FIVE, DAY 1
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
3.7 Mile walk
total mileage: 3.7 mi
Daily Challenge - run one of today's Dev Runs or wear some Dev Run gear
Five After Five is an annual Utica Road Runners challenge that I've been doing since 2021. The challenge runs from May 6 through May 20 and has four options - run/walk 5k a day, 5 mi a day, 50k during the whole 15 days, or 50 mi during the whole 15 days.
The first year I chose to tackle 5 mi a day - and even though I'd been averaging at least that per day, I found the challenge really difficult. (What can I say, it's nice to have the option to only do a mile after a day of running/walking 15 miles...) Since then I've opted for the daily 5k, combined with covering 50 miles during the 15 days (which really only means doing an extra 3.5 miles.)
And truth be told, 5k a day is only a little less grueling than 5 mi a day.
This year I'm hoping to use the challenge to jump-start more regular running, as well as upping my weekly mileage a bit (instead of getting home after school and declaring myself too tired to do more than walk to the store or one of my handy 1 mile routes.)
Tonight I was definitely too fried to do the 3.5 hour round trip out to the Dev Runs and I don't have any Dev Run gear, so I had to settle for just starting my daily mileage.
One down, fourteen to go.
Monday, May 04, 2026
Sunday, May 03, 2026
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