Run 146 - Annafield Leftovers

December 18, 2023

Some days just don’t line up the way one would expect and today was one of those.  I’ve generally used Mondays for a long run, primarily when I was training for the Pittsburgh 10-miler, but got out of the practice after the race due to Covid, Thanksgiving, and a week in Arizona.  I didn’t feel like a long run today, in fact, I didn’t feel like running at all, so I made up a shorter map that would just clean up some leftover streets in the Annafield subdivision.  I thought I’d head out mid-morning but by mid-morning I lacked the motivations and was more interested in finishing a drawing I started the day before.  Then I thought after lunch but then we ended up shopping for a new mattress.  The gumption traps were enormous.

A bit after 2pm I got it together and headed down to Elysian School where the map marked the start.  When I got there I realized I’d left my watch on the charger.  Ugh.  Well, the backup plan is to use MapMyRun on my phone but my phone wouldn’t connect to the Internet.  Double ugh.  The thought went through my mind that I should just bag it and head back home but as long as I’m here….

Early in the run there is a loop thing on the map that I put there as a possibility but this area is under heavy residential construction and those roads, along with others, aren’t really there.  In fact, that whole field east of where I started is being developed so I’ll catch that when it’s done at a later date.

They’ve developed a sort of “Main Street” here with business below and apartments above.

Most of the homes are in keeping with the faux-Craftsman look.

Some of the places have a row-house look.

There are two parks in the area.  This is one.

The edge of civilization.

There is a gazebo in this field which must be a community center park.

The map showed this road going through but that was not the case.

A few yards to the south there is a road that does go through.  It appears to be part of this farm.

At the other end there are some signs.  I think the No Trespassing sign was for the house and its yard.

I arrived back at Elysian School but still needed to head north on East Lane.

Look south on East Lane.

Looking east on East Lane.

When I got the Frontage Road I was happy to see a wide shoulder as the cars going by are usually doing at least 60 MPH.  It was only a a block to West Lane.  Here’s a photo from there.

I arrived back at Elysian School unscathed and glad that I’d pushed through my resistance and done the run.  Running does shift my attitude and I was in a better place for having done it.

No GPS data today but since the map shows 3.55 miles and the route was flat and straight, I’ll go with that.