Stompin Grounds

The grass is usually pretty green here, but I think there working on the sprinkler system the past couple weeks.

Huron lightship museum

The other side of the boardwalk

This is on the other side of the bridge. That is lake Huron entering the St. Clair river. On the other side of the river is Canada land

Taken underneath the Bluewater Bridge

An Aerial photo of the route I've

    I took a couple shots on my run today of the Boardwalk in Port Huron Michigan which is a portion one of my running routes. I can't tell you how grateful I am to live in the Great Lakes state. When its about 85 degrees and up in summer it really nice to run by the water because it usually takes about 5-10 degrees off the temp around the area. Also the smell and the feel of the cool fresh air coming into your lungs can give you a bit of a boost during the run. I've seriously considered jumping in mid run shoes on and all. Especially the past 10 days or so with the temperature going  upwards of about 95 degrees. Some time this summer I think I actually will, even if only to freak some tourists out.( There always getting in the damn way)
    I live less than a mile north of where these shots were taken. I'm about 100ft or so down the road of the beach which I generally go to after my runs to cool off. Sometimes I'll even skip the bathing suit, tear off my shirt and shoes and dive right into the water with my running shorts on.
    I basically have two different routes that I take when I go running. One that goes South from my house, which is the one I have shown above, and the other goes North. I've been pretty much using these two routes  for the past couple of  years. When I to up my mileage I just simply just push the turn around point a bit further. I have land marks measured out so I know when I've run a 1 mile, 1.5 miles, 2.0 miles and so on which helps me keep an eye on my pace. Whats nice about doing turn around routes is that you can't really chicken out and cut back home unless you do it on the first half, but usually I'm pretty good energy wise up to and a little past the half. Its when you start hitting the 3/4 mark when I start doggin it, but since I have to get home I really don't have a choice in the matter and I half to tuff it out. Where as if you made a route that did kind of a loop you would leave opportunities to take short cuts and cut out early. Unless it was around an inland lake then I don't think it would be worth it. You would be retarded to try and take a short cut through a lake. Don't swim across the lake dumbass.
   I will also from time to time head out to the high school track just to get an accurate measurement of lap times and pace. Also if I'm doing intervals Its good to have measured out markers on the track  to know when to give it the gas and lay off it. The upside of running on a track is that its completely neutral when it comes to elevation, terrain, and scenery. The down side is its boring as hell. I've had to to stop running after 6 mile (24 laps) not because I was tired, but because I was so damn board of only looking at the same background every two minutes. Also, the whole time I'm running on the track I'm constantly thinking about times, distances and doing all kinds of math in my head figuring out my pace and how much I need to pick up in order to meet my goal. There is nothing really to distract you from the hell your putting your body through. And God forbid someone else gets on the track, well then you start sub-consciously raceing the asshole which you won't realize until you look at your watch. Now you might think that is a good thing, but when your trying to conserve energy to make it through the next 10 miles it really fucks you up. It become even worse when its a chick that hops on with you. So now not only do you have to not let her pass you, but even then it doesn't matter if shes running a 12:30(per mile) pace you have to be running at least an 8:00 because she might some how magically notice you because you've lapped her 3 times in the past half hour. Which then she'll end up leaving when your on the other side of the damn track and she'll leave wondering why you couldn't slow down and talk to her yada yada yada... Damn you cute girls in your sports bras and pony tails...But I digress.

Temptation come in many forms