Another bad running decision

After I had a snack and walked the pooch after work, I headed out to the Monticello trail for my 45 minute tempo run. Of course I forgot my watch, but I know that the trail is just over 2 miles from the lower parking lot up to the Monticello Visitor's Center. Well, when I got to the top of the tree line and out onto Thomas Jefferson Parkway, the security guards had closed the gate 15 minutes early! There goes my distance calculation. I decided to keep running on the Parkway for a song or two (my iPod was the closest thing I had to a watch). BAD DECISION. This is a windy, curvy mountain road with a 45 mph speed limit, blind corners, and NO SHOULDER. I am seriously very lucky that I didn't get hit! I had to dive into the bushes once or twice to avoid a car, and I'm surprised that I don't have poison ivy right now.

Anyway, once I was back on the safety of the trail, I had a great run. Since the trail is all uphill to the Visitor's Center, it means that you get to run all downhill on the way back. I was doing a tempo run, so I sped it up even more than usual, and let me tell you, it was pretty fun to just fly down that mountain!

This evening I am going to go to spinning at my gym. There is a new instructor who I've never met before tonight. Should be interesting to see if the workout is harder or easier. The guy who normally teaches spinning on Tuesday nights is apparently the hardest spinning instructor at the place! Of course he would be the one I go to....

Today's lunch consisted of some more baba on a whole-wheat wrap with cucumber and tomato slices, a small romaine salad, and an orange. Jacob is going to make an Indian curry for dinner tonight. He puts chicken in his, but of course I will have him make mine with tofu. Or just with the veggies maybe. He makes really good curry. It's not greasy at all like restaurant curry because there is no coconut milk, just a little olive oil and a LOT of spices. This will be a good dinner because it's a little cool in Charlottesville today.

OK, so I realized to day that I have mentioned Monticello quite a bit. In case you don't know what Monticello is, it is Thomas Jefferson's house. It's a lovely historic site to visit, and it's usually pretty crowded. I have taken the tour several times. What I love about it is a the 2 + mile long trail that leads up the mountain. Actually, it leads to the saddle between Monticello (which means 'little mountain') and Montalto (which means 'big mountain'). There's also another ridge line coming off Monticello called Carter's Mountain, which is an apple orchard. I love going to Carter's Mountain in the summer for peaches and in the fall for apples. There's a little barn up there, and a small wine tasting room too. I will miss the delicious Albermarle pippin apples (Charlottesville is the only place in the world where they are grown) when I move to Richmond.

... and that's it for the Virginia lesson today. Yay VA!