Maine 2006

July 1
We arrived at camp around 10:30 am. I was surprised at how little traffic there was. It took us about five hours with one stop for breakfast and bathrooms.

July 2
I ran 4 miles before lunch today. I wanted to do more, but I was not prepared for the hills. We don't have hills like this at home. The hills in Maine go on for miles. The first two miles were a steady incline and just when you thought the road would flatten out, another hill appeared around the corner.


(View from the top of the hill!)


(Round the corner and still going up!)

The down hills were not any better.

(Getting ready to head down)

July 3
Rest from training, more beach and fun with the kids.

July 4
Happy 4th of July! This was my first day swimming and I'm a little disappointed. Everything started out good in the beginning, but then I started to have trouble catching my breath. I physically felt fine, but for some reason I just couldn't catch my breath. I don't know if it was just my nerves or poor conditioning. A little of both I think!


(Looking out for boats and jet skis)

July 5
Went swimming again today before lunch. I was hoping todays swim would be better than the previous day and I was right. I wasn't as nervous to be in the open water and I was able to slow my breathing down. I made it to the light house and back. I'm not sure of the distance, but it felt good!

July 6
This is the fist day I've had time to sit down alone and write for my Blog. So I got my laptop and decided to sit in my favorite place and look out at the lake.

I wasn't long before my friend decided to come up and join me, the kids named him Donald. He always seams to come around during cocktail hour... smart duck! There are signs all around warning not to feed the ducks, something called "Duck-Itch". He didn't look itchy to me, but I resisted anyway.



We went to the New Balance factory outlet tent sale in Oxford Maine. I bought a pair on running sneakers and some running cloths.

July 7
I planned out a 6-mile route for today in the car. I know I can't avoid that 2-mile hill so I tried to find some roads that had flat stretches. I wasn't successful at finding them. It was either uphill or down hill I can't win! I laced up my new sneakers and headed out on my new route.

A funny thing happened on my way out to the main road. A fellow camper who I've seen here for many years stopped me on my way out. He looked down at my feet as said.

"Going running"

I replied, "Yes"

"They look new", he said

I replied proudly "They are new, I just got them at the New Balance outlet in Oxford".

He replied "My son always wears his sneakers for a couple of days to break them in before running in them"

I replied, "Well I just wanted to try them out, I'm only going for a short run"

"Good luck" he replies.

And off I go.

Now I do know better than to wear new sneakers without socks, but for some reason I was just so excided to head out and they felt so good on my feet that I didn't stop and listen to that little voice in my head that kept yelling... Hay idiot!. Wear the socks!

I guess I'll listen next time... Ouch!


(You can't see the band-aid on my Achilles tendon, that one hurt! Check out the tan line)

July 8
Went swimming today and played at the beach with the kids. My feet still hurt like crazy!

July 9
I wanted to go running today but my feet still hurt. Maybe later tonight I'll give it a try.

We packed some snacks and water and took the canoe out this morning around the lake. It was great, the thin clouds kept the sun off our backs and the lake was very calm. It was great way to spend the morning with the kids and good exercise for the shoulders and back.

Its time to get serious about training. I bought this book several years ago when I first thought about training for a triathlon "The Triathlete's Training Bible" by Joe Friel but for one reason or another I never cracked it open... until now!

More to come.....