Usually I am done with my monthly goal with a few days to spare. Today, I woke up to realize that I had been slacking off. Needed 10 miles today to get to the 100 mile goal for this month.

Got it done finally. Ninth month done. Three more to go.

Now I am very very hungry!!!

Sharmila had signed up for this run and got me to sign up too. (BTW, she is also the person who got me into running in the first place back in 2005). Anyways, met a lot of friends who had come put in a run/walk and raise money for underprivileged children. One of the rare races where the three of us who used to run together – Amitesh, Samaresh and myself – almost ten years back showed up together again. Unfortunately, Amitesh had to get back to his tennis match after the 5K race. Never got a chance to take a picture with him. Samaresh and I – both put in 10K.

The course was very hilly. Over that distance of 10K, we climbed up about 50 floors according to my Fitbit. My time of around 53 minutes was good enough to get the second place in my age group.

10 miles in 90 degrees at 10:30 min/mile pace. Must have lost 4-5 pounds of water…

Great run on a historic trail that marks the terminal moraine (the edge of the glacier where it dumped all the rocks that it carried) before the glaciers withdrew in the last Ice Age. About 1,200 miles in length (of which I ran only one mile 🙂 to and fro – twice), it is incredibly beautiful. And quiet. And narrow. You have to step aside for another person to pass.

My friend Bob ran this portion earlier in the day and had reported a lot of turkeys and even more deer. I was keeping my ears open for animals, since I had to keep the eyes on the trail. Else, I would have surely stumbled on all those rocks and roots on it.

Suddenly I could hear a turkey near me (and they are not particularly pleasant noise). I was so focused on trying to fix in my mind how far the turkey was from me, that I was not watching out for anything else. The trail took a turn and right when I went around the bend, I came face to face with the scariest of all animals – another human being! Apparently, she was trying to locate the turkey too. We landed up scaring the heck out of each other.

Anyways, we had a good laugh and then went our own ways to take in some more of the beauty and the solitude of the trail…

Great run with Mrinalda, Seemitadi, Sharmila in the cool morning hours…

5.5 miles at 9:02 min/mile pace.

Should have finished my run in the morning. Instead started at 1:30 and the direct sun took its toll. It was not very hot and in fact there was a light breeze but the direct sun for 50 minutes was a bit too much today. Called it quits after 5.2 miles…

… 100 miles get completed for the eighth month this year. Two days of rest now.

Desperately hoping that Ram does not notice the obvious dissonance in the run today – the shirt and shoe colors did not match 🙂