These are some of the asters in my yard. I grew them for the first time this year. I'm really enjoying them. :-)
Another plant in beautiful bloom ... the Peegee hydrangeas in the front.

They're at the perfect stage to pick for drying, but I never seem to do anything with them after I dry them so I guess I'll just leave them on the plant to dry up and blow away.

Good luck tomorrow Trevor and Dan!! It's the Square Lake Square Off (half Ironman tri). I could say something like "may the best man win" but they're both great guys. I hope they both come home feeling like they gave their best effort and we'll just have to see who crosses the finish line first. It'd be fun to drive up to watch, but I just don't have the time.

I guess I'll start with the day's workouts, and there were several. First up was a trip to the Y to lift. When I opened the garage door, this is what I saw:

Three wild turkeys at the end of the driveway. So I dashed in and got the camera. They live in the woods to the west and I frequently see them on 23rd (?) Avenue. Well, before I got in the car to drive away, I decided to do a test run. I've been really nervous about trying to run because I don't want to halt any forward progress or cause pain. But guess what? I ran a mile with no issues. The compulsive side of me wanted to keep going but the reasonable side of me said no, leave well enough alone and try again another day. So that's what I did. But first, I followed the MD/PT instructions and went inside to stretch and ice. Finally, it was off to the Y to lift. I also used the leg curl machine. I did one leg at a time so my right leg couldn't compensate for the left. I'm glad I didn't decide to invest in any ankle weights as I had to put 20 pounds on the left (bad) leg before there was any resistance at all. Lifting went fine. Chatted with Randy and Brian and Mike. When I got home, I stretched and iced again like a good girl.

Then I got on the Stairmaster for two hours. Like I said, this is one heck of a sweat-producing, calorie-torching workout when I max out the machine. Here's one pool of sweat ...

And that's what wasn't absorbed by my towel. There was another pool on the other side. My favorite program is the Speed Interval program. The intensity goes way up and then eases off for the whole cycle. Just like running the track but with no impact. When I was done, I stretched and iced again like a good girl. I'm feeling much better already, actually. There's hope ...

One thing I've noticed ... my everpresent leg cramps have disappeared. It was great to ride 100 miles last Saturday with no cramps! Today, my workouts were primarily strength. Tomorrow I plan to do a long bike ride. I think I'll swing by Pine Island and see how Treadman is going.

I have my running PRs sitting next to my computer monitor. Even if this running season is done, I still had a good year. Seven PRs: mile (5:56), 4 miles (27:11), 8K (33:05), 15K (1:06:06), 11 miles (1:19:55), half marathon (1:35:32), marathon (3:33:30). And so it goes ...

Then I mowed the lawn. Decided I didn't need to stretch and ice after that. Then I went for a bike ride. I decided to turn around after riding into the wind for about 11 miles. Sick of fighting the wind, and feeling like I'd spent enough time working out out already. And ... you got it. I stretched and iced when I got home. Like a good girl. :-)

I saw in the paper earlier in the week that P-B columnist Greg Sellnow mentioned that he and editor Jay Furst had been asked by someone to submit "celebrity" recipes for a cookbook. That'd be me. :-) The ALS walk was today. I hope it was a success. I still have to pick up my cookbook from Georgia.

I think I'll wrap this one up and call it a day.

God kveld (Good evening, in Norwegian).