Let me show you LeRoy, New York

....or at least parts of it.


I woke up yesterday morning wondering if my still-somewhat-sore-legs from last week would carry me the full 16 (gasp) miles from home and back. As with all of my long runs, this distance would prove to be more of a mental game than a physical challenge (and that truly continues to amaze me!)


I didn't bring my camera, but I had my cell phone, sorry for the bad photos, but you'll get the picture!(a little local history, folks) - Jell-o was founded in my little town of LeRoy, New York. While it is no longer made in LeRoy, the building where it was manufactured still exists. It is now actually a paint-ball facility (local kids love it) but I'd be remiss if I didn't include this photo. (LeRoy's claim to fame, I guess.) Paris has the Tour d'Eiffel, and LeRoy has JELL-O.

Kari speaks so often of her cemetery run, so I thought it fitting to include this lovely picture. Truth be told, I love cemeteries. If this one weren't closed for the winter, I would have gone inside and run a few miles in there. It is gorgeous, truly. There is a place way way way in the back where my kids like to fish (Oatka Creek photos next) and, not to be morbid, but my mother-in-law and father are both buried here.

(ok, so my hand was in the way...) This is the now raging Oatka Creek. It is not usually a level V whitewater rafting site, but with all the snow that has turned into rain, the melt-off is having it's way with our Mighty Oatka. (lots of flooded basements this week in our area!- right Keb?) Our local festival carries the name of this creek and is held the teen-week of July (homecoming celebrations galore! Our band just got booked to play the local bar for the weekend of the Oatka Festival - stop on out if you are in the area.) For now, though, it is simply a landmark that I run past on my long runs.

Unlike my running partner, Kari, I run in a largely RURAL area - please note photo. This picture was taken moments after my water/orange break at HC's house (forgot to take a picture.) It was right about here (mile 10, I think) that I thought I'd be in trouble if anything happened to me. Much of my running path is so barren and wide-open that it could take quite some time for anyone to come across me. As a matter of fact, the only person that I saw outside during my entire 16-mile run was a man in a cowboy hat. I thought of asking him to pose for a picture, but he reminded me so much of Clint Eastwood that I was certain he wouldn't say "Go ahead, Punk, make my day" and I'd feel like a running idiot. Anyway, picture that in your mind and you're half way there! (I wasn't feeling like a 'lucky, punk")



So, as I continued to put one foot in front of the other I struggled to make my 16-miles an easy one. My time was nice (2hrs 27 minutes) but my body just wasn't strong. I find myself, again, looking forward to my step-back week - but I am also looking forward to my next big PR of 18 miles in two weeks.

Happy to have that run behind me.