What a ride the past two and a half months have been! Lent was powerful, Easter Sunday was joyful (Easter week included daily celebrations!), my birthday was amusingly momentous, all the while I trained for my first big race, the Lehigh Valley Half-Marathon in Allentown, PA. If you would have told me a year ago that I would run a successful Half-Marathon, I would have denied it to the ends of the earth. Just goes to show that one can never underestimate oneself. We are often capable of much more than we imagine! Anyhow, the course was really fun - we meandered through a beautiful tree-filled park (~6 mi), then ran through 2 covered bridges (quintessentially PA) and finished in a large stadium with hundreds of people lining the last leg of the run. What a memorable experience! I finished 7 minutes earlier than I thought I would - my time: 2h 3min. Not too bad for a first try... Thinking about registering for another Half in late June!
Honestly, training for the run was just as enjoyable as the race itself. The scheduled long-runs gave me an excuse to check out some of the beautiful State forests and parks near Worcester, MA.
1. Moore State Park
2. Wells State Park
3. Blackstone Heritage Park
4. Douglas State Forest
I visited this historical park in the winter, so the dirt trails were too snowy to enjoy, but the old buildings and trees seemed more idyllic covered in snow. This 400 acre park used to be the site of a grist and saw mill from 1747 to the early 1900s. That said, there are two beautiful waterfalls that long ago moved a wooden wheel and saw blades, now spills into a rushing stream. I can't wait to visit this park again in the Spring. Supposedly, the rhododenrons and azaleas are a sight to behold!
ps. thanks to Elizabeth G. for the photos.
Way to go Maddie! I'm super proud of you! And I LOVE and miss the covered bridges of the East. We miss you!
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