Stacey Sixlets

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

NY State Parks Summer Run Series

I signed up for a run series that goes through 8 of the state parks on Long Island. They range from a 4k to a 10k. Unfortunately, I arrived late to the first two which were some of the longer runs, a 5 miler and the 10K. I just jumped in with the runners. There were so many people!! So, I don't know what my exact distance was. On June 11, I ran between 3.5 -4 miles of the first race, a 5 mile run (around 35 minutes). The family was playing at a playground during this race. I met them afterwards.

I believe Cliffton took the first two pictures.

One June 18, I ran between 5.2 and 5.5 miles of the 10K (about 53 minutes). Again, I just jumped in with the runners. This one was a really hilly, cross country course that was tough but I felt great that day and ran up most or all of the hills.

You can see we just wear the same bib # and chip timer on our shoe for each race.

On my 3rd run I FINALLY got there on time and ran a 5K in about 29 min. 11 sec. No pictures of that one. This one I felt really weird during the run. I had drank the last little bit of a 5 hour energy drink leftover from my trip with Susie to Niagara and Palmyra. I think it made me alternate too quick between feeling really energetic and feeling drained. I felt kinda bizarre later on during the raffles and awards. I'm not drinking that again for an event. It was good for helping me stay awake while driving though.
My fastest 5k times ever (in a race) were each about 27min. I'd like to get to 8 min. miles this year. So, 3 down, 5 to go! I still have a 4K, 3 5ks and a 5 mile left.

Monday, July 2, 2012

The Ninas, June 17

We had a lot of fun visiting with Susie, my favorite twin sister, and my little niece, Aria. They came June 16 and then left June 18. Susie's husband Oliver needed to go to Rhode Island for some workshops in his field of research (computer vision, or something similar). Susie and Aria left with him but then came back later for about a week. We love the Ninas! Violet seemed particularly happy to be around Aria and would say stuff like, "Come on Cousin" or "here cousin" to Aria. I loved it.

Niagara Falls June 22, 2012

Susie, Aria, Azure and I went to Niagara Falls. Awesome! I want to go back with my husband and the rest of the kiddos one day. The girls were great on this trip and that was partly due to the fact that we left Freeport around 3am and got to the Falls around 2pm. It was supposed to be about an 8 hour trip if you don't have any stops. I figured we would have around 9 hours since the girls would sleep for most of it. I didn't think Susie and I would be the reason we'd get there much later. We went, seriously, about 90 minutes either going in circles or getting on the wrong road which of course would happen to be a toll road which of course would happen to NOT have any exits for several miles going in completely the wrong direction. Yeah. This was all centered around an area that Susie and I 'affectionately' refer to as the 'Summit-which-shall-not-be-named.'
I actually don't remember the real name.

I got a shot glass with Niagara Falls, NY on it and a Niagara Falls State Park t shirt. It is the oldest state park and there is a lot offered there/around the town. We rode the trolley. We snapped pics of American Falls and Horseshoe Falls. We didn't have passports so we stayed on the U.S. side. FYI: It looks like you can get better pictures, and cheaper hotels, in Canada. It was still great.

There is soooo much water flowing toward the falls. And this is just one section. I think this is the 'point of no return'.

Susie and I posing with the babies. The stroller was given to Richard and I by a stranger at church conference. It has been a great blessing to have a double stroller that folds really flat. Again, the girls were great overall.