STOMP and the zoo

Here is a photo of Abby and I before we started the 2008 edition of STOMP. This is a ride sponsored by the Summit County Metro Parks and this makes our 4th consecutive year of attending. We elected for the 25 mile option this year due to our lack of long rides.

After I changed the front inner tube, we started the ride. The valve core popped out as I removed the pump and I could not find it in the grass! I don't mind these things when they happen since they provide memories. Besides, it happened right beside the van, not 30 miles from the van!!

Denise and Gina met us at Howe Meadow after the ride where we shared birthday cookies. Monday was Abby's birthday and we started the celebration early.

We took our first ever trip to the Akron Zoo yesterday. It was a nice small zoo. What they did not have regarding the quantity of animals, they made up for in quality. The jellyfish room was amazing along with the bats. Denise, who is terrified of bats, even enjoyed seeing them with 1/2 inch of glass separating them from her!

We then celebrated with birthday brownies last night! Here is Forrest trying to help blow out the candles.
With all of the cookies and brownies and no more 50+mile run weeks, I had better start running again!

I completed few runs last week. My legs are quickly fatigued but feeling ok. Denise and I are going to run the Buckeye 1/2 marathon this weekend and it will be interesting for me to try to not walk the hills! I have gotten so used to running ultra-style that a race on asphalt will seem very very odd... I miss the trails and am looking forward to some nice short forays into the woods later this fall. I would like to keep running enough to maintain some modest fitness but still have time to catch up with the home projects that have been neglected.