Potential, Llamas & Apple Picking

Mother Nature is bipolar.  I just know it.  30 degree nights followed by 75 degree days prove this point.  However currently she is smiling down on my little piece of Northern NY so I'm not going to ask questions & simply enjoy what's left of the warm weather before we don't see the sunshine again until April-ish.

Friday I was lucky enough to scoot out of work a bit early for a run by the river.  I was really hoping that the run would help me get rid of some of the frustration I'm feeling about this gallbladder surgery.  I mean, who wouldn't want to run with this scenery in the background? 

5K Out & Back on the St Lawrence River

Seriously, who wouldn't want to run here?

But the problem with running when you're frustrated is that sometimes you completely forget to pay any attention to your time and end up killing yourself 1.6 miles in to a 5K "fun" run.  I didn't wear the family Garmin, only my trusty little Timex stopwatch so I didn't feel compelled to look down constantly.  I'm usually about a 12 - 11 minute miler when training, 10 minutes on race day.  I realize that this pace is one that many would not consider running and to those people I say %@#%$@^@ and several other things that are not considered family friendly.  Obviously I'd like to run faster, by the way, and I'm working on it.  So imagine my surprise when at the turn around point I was running a 9:30 mile! I wish I hadn't looked down at that point because I was feeling really good but as soon as I knew what the time was I hit the wall hard.  Which led to walking for a bit followed by finishing the run at my normal snail-like pace.  Overall it averaged out to finishing about normal.  But it wasn't "normal" because it showed me what was possible, that there was potential in there I hadn't tapped yet.

I don't think many of us realize exactly what we're capable of as human beings. We second guess ourselves and make the mistake of listening to people who tell us we can't do things.  Running faster than I though I could was the ultimate ego boost.  It silenced my biggest critic...me.  There's always that little voice in the back of your head telling you that you can't do it, you can't finish, you aren't good enough, fast enough, strong enough.  And I told it to SHUT UP last night.  And it felt so good!  


Saturday I was lucky enough to spend the day doing my favorite fall thing, hanging at the apple orchard.  If you're in Northern NY anywhere and want to check out an awesome orchard, Banker Orchard in Plattsburgh, NY is the place to be!  

There's an apple orchard, pumpkin picking, petting zoo, pony rides, bounce house, games for the kids & an adorable little store filled with homemade apple cider, donuts, baked goods, canned goodies, crafty stuff & apples of course. 

It's so nice to have a place where you can just let your kids run free.  Sometimes I complain about living in the middle of nowhere but places like this are the reason that we live where we do.  
          

I even made a new friend.  This guy REALLY liked carrots, I really like carrots, what's not to love?


The best part about this fabulous weekend is that there are still 2 days left of it!  Thank you, Christopher Columbus!  Or to my neighbors to the north, Happy Thanksgiving!  


So I'm going to go enjoy it! :)

By the way, check out my Facebook page for some fun fitness tips, motivational moments & general silliness - PeakFit @ Peak Sport Solutions