My training starts with visualizing the workouts for the coming days and ends with always trying to get 30 miles for the week. For almost 3 months, I have been successful, and this week started out with a foothills hike with my daughter’s dog Maggie. What made the start to this week particularly special was having a deer jump into our path and then stay close enough to take pictures.
Monday August 3rd, 2026
We parked at the foothills Albertsons Market and then headed north and east. I couldn’t get a picture of the deer as it popped into our path, but it stayed close enough to get these pictures as we started on our hike east toward the Sandias.
Tuesday August 4th, 2026
We have a heat dome over the Southwest, and I couldn’t start to run until 8:30. Instead of running, I walked Maggie, my daughter’s dog, at sunrise and then walked again in the evening at sunset.
Wednesday August 4th, 2026
To celebrate my 40th anniversary wearing Polar heart rate monitors, I did a run in the Rio Grande Bosque north from the Alameda Open Space parking lot on one of my favorite trails and then in the bosque on the way back.
Thursday August 6th, 2026
Some road miles close to sunrise, but no shade, and thankful to get the workout done. In the evening, I did a 95-degree walk…
Friday August 7th, 2026
Friday hike with my older daughter and our 3 dogs. Just over an hour, and it was 83 when we finished. Still no monsoon rain, and the Rio Grande River level is dropping again.
Saturday August 8th, 2026
A warm-up walk finding places for the dogs to swim and then an hour of running along the river and in the Corrales Bosque.
Sunday August 9th, 2026
Morning Maggie the Dog walk with views of the smoky Sandias and to the smoky west.
