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.

Run 145 - Hills in the Heights

December 16, 2023

It’s a solo run for me today so I went to the Heights and worked on the map I’d actually made for last week but didn’t use.  The route takes in the streets west of Main Street from Milton down to the south end of Lake Elmo and then a bunch of streets to the west of there.

It was about 30°F so a bit brisk with the light breeze.

I parked at Bench Elementary School and went from there.

On Hilltop, crossing over Lake Elmo Drive.

This is a community of townhomes.  I didn’t see No Tresspassing sings so I ran it.  Lots of little rectangles.

This is looking west on Emerald from Lake ELmo.

It’s private property at the end of Emerald.

Looking back east from the west end of Emerald.

There are some hills to run.

The empty BBWA canal.

Morning greeters.

These folks are truly in the Heights.  The house in the background between them I’ll get to in a bit.

Another “private” enclave but it doesn’t say to keep out so I’m in.

I made it to the top for a good view of the sunrise.

Another hill.

Two deer ran past before I could take a photo and then this strangler came along.

Not all streets are paved in this area.  This is on Agate.

Looking east from the north end of Agate, near Shamrock.

It was a very pleasant run and not too bad after I warmed.  Here are the stats:

Run 144 - East side of 48th north of Central

December 15, 2023

As we do on Friday mornings, Shelley and I met at 5:30am to do another 5 miles on the project.  We met at her house and worked on the streets in a new housing development on the east side of 48th Street.  The was no moon and with nothing other than Christmas lights and our headlamps, it was plenty dark.  However, this neighborhood is new so, except for our out and back on Wyoming, it was all freshly paved streets.  Oh, and it was a bit cold out: 32°F with a real feel of 27°F.

I did take some photos along the way even though it was dark.  My iPhone 14 does a pretty nice job of it.

This is the pump house and the mailbox center for this subdivision.

It was a good run and a great way to start the day.

Run 143 - Cloverleaf Meadows

December 8, 2023

It’s back to the project of running all the streets of Billings after a bit of a break that I mentioned in my last posting.  It’s a Friday so it’s another run with Shelley at 5:30am.  We met at her house and worked on the streets just east of there.

The run started by going north on 48th Street and that was the dangerous part of the run.  There is no shoulder and it is pitch black out with only a sliver of moonlight.  We had our headlamps but mine had a problem so I had to hold it in my hand.  Every time a car came by we’d had to get off the road and try not to fall into the nearby ditch.

We got to Grand and turned around and started all those short streets before heading into the big loop of Bluegrass.  Since it was so dark I didn’t take many photos but here’s a few.

It was cold out but after a couple miles it started feeling OK.  It was a good 5 miles.