I rescued a turtle.
Another fun week of running/walking miles at the virtual Tip to Tip Great Florida Traverse 128 miler. I'm also running to raise money for my GoFundMe - Ultra Care for Cancer Caregivers to provide them with some respite and joy.
Here goes Week Two.
WEEK TWO
DAY 6
It's Monday, June 8. Before I set out to run 12 miles at about 8:30 am, I fueled on an egg, bacon, and avocado wrap I made.
That was followed by a delicious piece of the pie Jon and I made Sunday night. It was made with homemade dough, strawberries from the garden, mulberries from the mulberry tree, and apples from Produce Junction.
It was a cool Monday morning with temps in the high 60s and 7 mph breezes. I ran mostly on noisy roads.
At about mile 3.5 on a busy two lane road, I came across this beautiful pink petunia adorning the cement and rock curb, and asphalt bike lane.
I have a collection of pictures of flowers blooming beauty, joy, and hope amidst the hard concrete. Life can hard and difficult at times but this bright petunia is a reminder that no matter what harshness, obstacles, or adversity we face in life, hope always blooms bright. There is a light at the end of that very dark tunnel. I know this to be true.
I ran an out and back course from my home to the roads and a trail six miles out and then back.
I listened to acoustic folk rock, jazz, salsa, Miranda Lambert, Snow Patrol, and Public Enemy's Fight The Power. Anything to keep my feet moving.
At about mile 10, I came across two turkey vultures on the road flying to the roof of a house.
With two miles to go, I started to slow down. An elderly resident on the street working on his yard says, "You're slowing down." "I know. I'm at mile 9.8. I'm doing 12. Almost home."
His jaw dropped. "Wow! Keep it going."
It was such a good day. No rush to get to 12. I was enjoying the great weather and the start of another week of miles at Tip to Tip 128 miler.
And I was happy. Before I went out for my run, I got two alerts from GoFundMe. Two donors had donated a total of $75.
I finished in
When I got home, I had another piece of that pie.
I posted on the Tip to Tip Facebook page:
Yesterday was a running rest day so, I picked some strawberries from the garden & a few mulberries from the tree. Then, Jon made the dough & cored a few apples. Then, I mixed the apples, strawberries, and mulberries in all kinds apple pie spices. Then, I rolled the dough into pie shells & made a pretty pie. The kitchen smelled so good. The End. This morning I had a piece of delicious pie before my 12 mile run! Only 84.8 miles to go! Have a piece of pie on me while you read my blog about week 1 of my fun Tip2Tip miles. 🥧🏃♀️😊https://bit.ly/2zcuoTr
DAY 7
The wonderful thing about being part of this virtual ultra is that I have a lot of days, weeks, and months to log my miles. I'm running the Just the Tip of Florida - 128 miler - and have until August 31.
Having all this time means I have plenty of time to do other things that I enjoy or that need to be done.
On Tuesday June 9, I began painting the inside of the fence at about 11 am.
A short while later I headed out for a 5.2 mile walk. I walked 3 minutes; ran 3 minutes.
This was the first day of my miles that I went out in the afternoon. I'd rather start my run at 1 in the afternoon in 84 heat and 6 mph gentle breezes under sunny blue skies than paint a fence in the heat.
I stopped at 5.2 miles but forgot to stop my FitBit. The .11 does not count toward my miles.
It was another beautiful day and I had the last piece of pie.
DAY 8
Wednesday, June 10 was another beautiful hot day. It was 84 degrees when I went out in the afternoon after painting the front side of the picket fence.
I set out to log 8.2 miles while listening to music on Spotify. I listened to John Prine, Ramito, Marc Anthony, Natalie Merchant, John Mellencamp, Harold Melvin the Blue Notes, and Marvin Gaye to to name a few.
Along the way I rescued a turtle. I picked it up to take it to the lake down the road. As I was walking it midair with my hand, I felt a bite and dropped it on its shell, belly up.
I picked it up and continued walking as fast as I could. When I got to the grassy part by the lake, it bit me again. I let go. The turtle took another tumble, this time on its belly. I picked it up one last time and placed it closer to the water.
I posted on the Tip to Tip Facebook page:
Day #8 for me - 8.2 miles ✅Only 71.6 miles to go! Hot day today & rescued a cute turtle. Walked with it for about .3 miles to a lake. Placed it near the edge of the where it splashed underwater. My good deed for the day!
Happy to have rescued the turtle and running out of my Nuun hydration, I ran/walked in the heat to the Dollar Store about a mile up the road and got myself a nice cold 20 oz Pepsi. Then I walked the last three miles home.
As I was walking home while listening to Spotify, I got an alert from GoFundMe. Another donor had made a donation to Ultra Care for Cancer Caregivers.
I was filled with gratitude and meditated on the goodness and generous hearts of people.
I finished in
Then I hopped in the car. I bought some annuals at Home Depot. I made a flower bed and hung it on the dry fence.
Day 9
I took a running rest day on Thursday. I'm glad I did. It rained all day.
Time was well spent creating the inaugural issue of the Ultra Care for Cancer Caregivers newsletter highlighting the inspiration for the GoFundMe campaign, its donors, the first recipients of the fund, how to donate, and how to nominate a cancer caregiver.
Take a look at it.
The next day, Friday June 12 was a beautiful day for an afternoon 5.5 mile walk under sunny blue skies. The temperature was in the low 80s.
Before I got on the trail, I took a picture of the only pretty yellow weed of a flower on the side of the road.
I like the trail because it's quiet and the trees provide shade.
I posted this Instagram boomerang on the Tip to Tip along with:
Day #9 for me. 5.5 mile walk this afternoon on another beautifully hot day ✅61.9 miles done, 66.1 to go in Just the Tip 128 miler! ICYMI: I'm running to raise money for cancer caregivers on GoFundMe. Check it out at https://gf.me/u/x6i84j & learn what inspired me to help give cancer caregivers a little respite and some joy! Please consider making a donation.🏃♀️🙏😀
I finished my walk in
Day 10
Mosquitoes are starting to attack. I needed to buy insect itch spray. I had a 20 percent coupon to use at CVS, a 2 mile walk from our home via a couple of streets and then through the trail. Jon joined me, and we headed out for a late Saturday afternoon to run, or should I say, walk an errand.
About .5 miles we heard Mr. Softee music. You can never pass up Mr. Softee. We stopped him and got two small vanilla cones dipped in chocolate sprinkles.
On the way back from CVS I remembered I needed to go to the Dollar Store near our home.
I needed more chili powder to sprinkle in my flower gardens to keep the deer from munching on their favorite flowers. I also sprinkle chili powder in my vegetable gardens to keep away other critters that love to feast on our lettuce and kale.
While walking through our neighborhood, we noticed a lot of items placed curbside and on the lawn of a house that has sold. I saw potential from afar.
We got to the Dollar Store, bought the chili powder and a Pepsi, and walked back to our neighborhood and the dead end street with the discarded items. I saw something I like.
I saw a set of three tables - a long coffee table and two end tables. They are in excellent condition. They look wooden.
They would look great in my shady garden. But I worry they'll get water logged when it rains.
To my delight, the tables are faux wood heavy metal tables. Jackpot!
We walked to our house about a mile. I stopped my Fitbit in the driveway. I walked 5.13 miles in 2:02:14. Super slow but with great results - trash treasure!
We hopped in my car and returned to the site of the treasure.
Jon made two trips.
I posted on the Tip to Tip FB page:
Jon joined me for 5.13 late afternoon walking miles on another beautiful day. Only 60.97 miles to go! But that's not the best part! You never know what treasure you'll find when you put one foot in front of the other. Along the way we rescued some nice metal tables that look like wooden tables from a neighbor's curbside trash. My shady garden writing sanctuary is now shabby chic complete! Happy! One person's trash is another person's treasure. Stay tuned for my week 2 blog of my miles.
My newly decorated shady garden a-la-shabby-chic.
Thank you for reading Week 2 of my miles at the Tip to Tip 128 miler. ICYMI here's the link to Week 1 blog.
I continue to run miles for cancer caregivers and for my GoFundMe campaign - Ultra Care for Cancer Caregivers.
I had fun logging miles this week while painting fences, eating homemade mulberry, strawberry, and apple pie, rescuing a turtle, and taking a rest day to create the first Ultra Care for Cancer Caregivers newsletter. Fundraising, like ultrarunning, is hard work. It requires endurance, patience, persistence, and pacing.
And a little treasure was put in my way. One person's trash is another person's treasure!
This week also brought me great joy.
I received thank you cards from recipients of the fund made possible by generous donors.
"When I opened up your letter, I cried...Thank you for nominating me to be a recipient of your wonderful fund...As you know, being a caregiver is one of the hardest things to do. We do a lot and we put up with a lot. Things that no one else would understand...." ~ D. K.
"What a lovely and unexpected surprise! I will use the money to have my gutters cleaned. Practical and necessary! Know how I appreciate the thoughtfulness behind the gift." ~ D.S.
Total miles logged by the end of week 2: 67.03
Donations week 2: 3 donors donated $135.00
Donations to date since May 9, 2020: $2,848 toward the $10, 000 goal
Please consider making a donation. Thank you.
"We cannot all do great things. But we can do small things with great love."
~ St. Teresa of Calcutta
Stay tuned for week 3 of my miles at Tip to Tip 128 miler.
#ultrarunner #runningforcancercaregivers #tiptotip #Florida #128miler #GoFundMe #ultracareforcancercaregivers