After yesterday’s five mile run for Team in Training practice, I decided to run again today. I need to get into a regular workout habit instead of my two days one week, four the next, one the week after that, and so forth. So I took advantage of warmer weather in the late afternoon to get in a run that was also kind of a hike. It beats getting up at 4:30 AM to do it!
Echo Lake Park is a small park about two miles from my house. People come to walk, fish, use the playground with their kids, have a cookout, and feed the geese. There is a trail of about three quarters of a mile that circumnavigates the lake. It is a pretty little trail, and I often can see wildlife, although today, a kingfisher and the always present Canada geese was the sum total.
I did six laps for a total of about 4.25 to 4.5 miles. I would walk the first quarter mile of each lap and then run the rest. It took me 49 minutes, including stopping for a few photos. I enjoyed being out in shorts and a purple Team in Training tee after yesterday’s cold start to the run. The Monument Avenue 10K is only 20 days away, and I am not in shape for it. I can run that distance, but not in the time I had wanted. So I need to just enjoy the experience of it and not worry about the time. It is not like I would be winning the race.
I know at some point before the Seattle Half Marathon, a five or six mile run will seem easy, but I am not at that point right now. My legs were tired at the end of the run, and I took extra care to stretch out.
The lake is a popular attraction at this park:
I once saw a huge beaver along the shoreline of this stream which feeds Echo Lake, but not today:
The footpath is 3/4 mile long and loops around the lake. It is crushed gravel and easy on the feet, and has some small climbs and dips:
The goose is on the alert as his mate grazed nearby:
We frequently visited this lake when I was a kid, before it was a park and surrounded with homes. We would fish and shoot squirrels.
ReplyDeleteYa, plenty of homes now all around. Plenty of squirrels, too. There is a beautiful farm on one side of it, but even a good bit of that was sold off into homes about five years ago. Part of it is still farm land at least. I hate to see those farms get turned into houselots.
ReplyDeleteNo sign of spring flowers here yet though we have had some nice sunshine and warm temperatures so it won't be long now. :-)
ReplyDelete