Hallowing Point Park

On Thursday I decided to take Ty to a nearby park for a run/bike. Meaning, I run and he bikes. If all the roads were paved this would of been a bit more successful but we still had a good time! One reason I love this park is the old barns that have been restored and re purposed. They are used for storage, as well as concession stands. It's a beautiful park and I'm really looking forward to spending baseball season here.

Ty was such a trooper. He rode his bike for a little over a mile. After his first MD bike ride he said "Wow, the hills make my legs tired."

Now we just need to find a park with more paved roads. I think it's time to go the next size up on his bike and get rid of those training wheels. Then it'll be him waiting for me and helping me up the hills.

Pitiful Pilates

The figure on the left is me. The one on the right is how your body should be aligned.

In FL I was a pilates instructor. After a summer of slacking and no pilates for months, saying I am out of "pilates" shape is an understatement. I probably couldn't make it through one of my old pilates classes let alone teach it. You can't fake it in pilates. I was sweating bullets at the end of the 1hr class. I know that all the hill running is a legitimate excuse for super tight hips and a sore lower back but my lack of core strength is ridiculous.

I was able to hold the teaser and make it through a few plow series but roll-ups, shoulder stands and anything else that required lower back strength was almost impossible. I had very little control, which is crucial in pilates. Two days later....my abs are still achy! I'll definitely be back to class next week. The instructor was very nice, had a great personality and was very understanding of my inadequacy ;)

Running(Trespassing) the Vineyard

One of the most difficult challenges I've come across moving to MD is that I no longer have a neighborhood to run in. Or my fabulous friends to run with! There is a nice public park down the road from our house that I ran in last week. I plan to take my camera with me next time to take some pics of the beautifully restored historical barns that are throughout the park.

Near our house is a vineyard that I've heard has a gear Pinot Noir. Unfortunately, I haven't made it over there to try the wine yet but I did run through the vineyard twice last week. I ran into the owner and although he reminded me that I was in fact on private property he allowed me to still run on his beautiful property. Here are a few shots I took on what I can only assume was about a 3 mi run. (My Garmin is still out of order and I plan on getting a new one ASAP!)

These gravel hills are intense but I really love the challenge.

At the base of this hill is a lake with geese and turtles.

This is the tasting area. I can't wait to go when they're open and try the wine!

The grapes are so beautiful you forget you're running uphill.

This hill is my north face. I was about half way up when I took this pic. It's a monster!

I just love this picture.



This is the final hill leading up to the exit and the only paved road in the vineyard. Amazingly, I ran on the side of the road instead. After running on asphalt and sidewalks for the past two years in FL I'm really enjoying running on gravel and trail. It makes my legs super sore but I feel like I'm learning to love running after not truly appreciating it in the past. I took for granted how convenient it was to just meet my girls and head out on our perfectly plotted, paved, streetlight lined routes. Running allows me to still feel close to my friends even though I don't live close anymore. Having to run by myself in an unfamiliar place is a big adjustment but I'm deciding to embrace it, enjoy the scenery and run as often as I can!