The week of October 26th was full of stress revolving around moving on Friday, but I still managed to get in my runs. On Monday, I had no idea where I was going to move to. By Friday, I had moved, making four trips to my new home, and between one of those trips, I stopped and did a run in the valley. I think that the theme for this week is the amount of water in the Rio Grande River and the ditches, laterals, and acequias.
Monday October 26th, 2026
Monday morning started the way that it always does with a Maggie the Dog walk (under a full Hunter Moon) and then dropping her off with my daughter as she gets home from her shift at the hospital. With an evening ruck, seeing the Three Sisters Volcanoes at sunset, I got in 4.06 miles for the day.
Tuesday October 27th, 2026
Today, I did a trail out and back from the Shining River Bosque Access in the Rio Grande Valley. It is one of my favorite summertime places to go because of the shade, but this time it was for stress relief. I was amazed at how much water was in the Albuquerque Main Ditch and how muddy the water was. In almost 31 years here, I had never seen it like that. In the evening, I went to Academy Hills Park and did some “park therapy” and got a total of 5.56 miles for the day.
Wednesday October 28th, 2026
This morning I started at the Gabaldon Place parking lot and headed north on the Duranes Trail, eventually getting up onto the Bosque Trail to enter the Rio Grande Nature Center. I headed back along the Duranes Drain, making for a 4.08-mile loop.
Thursday October 29th, 2026
This morning, I parked at the Rio Grande Nature Center to pick up from the turnaround from yesterday. I headed north, briefly on the Bosque Trail, and then on the single track along the Albuquerque Main Ditch. Today’s total was 4.3 miles.
Friday October 30th, 2026
I drove all the way to the Shining River parking area in the hope of running south and connecting to the spot where I turned around yesterday. It wasn’t meant to be, though, because I started having blood pressure issues right at the beginning of the run. I fast walked to a spot that I felt was enough for today and then ran and fast walked all the way back. I only got in 3 miles.
Saturday October 31st, 2026
Today was valley exploring from my new home. Just three-tenths of a mile from where I live is the Campbell Drain path, and I took that to just past Candelaria, which is the street that the Rio Grande Nature Center is on. On the way back, I encountered a sign for the Alameda Drain, which I had never heard of, and it was built in the 1600s by Native Americans for irrigation. My total for today is 3.19.
Sunday November 1st, 2026
The Gabaldon Place parking area is now 2 miles away from where I live, so I drove there to run. There was also a marathon and half marathon passing through there and it was great to see all of the runners. I ran south under the I-40 overpass to Central Ave, which was part of historic Route 66, and then ran north to get in enough miles to make it to 30+ for the week. My total for today is 4.85.
Total for the Week of October 26th, 2006
