Today was a great day -- completed my long run & got a nap, too

I completed my long run (140 minutes) and felt pretty good. The shade temperature was in the high 80s (F), and there was a slight breeze that helped keep me cool. I felt stronger during this run than I have for the past several weeks, and that is a good sign. Last night, the temperature was in the high 50s, and it took the morning to get the temperature back into the 80s. It was 1 pm when I started my run, and I missed the morning shade. However, the temperature was down from the hot days we had in August, and running in the sun wasn't too bad.

I saw a few walkers, quite a few cyclists, a couple of skaters, a few runners, and a cub scout group on bicycles. It was really a pleasant day to be outside.

I passed a big field with a herd of cows and a pond of water in the field (the water is rain water that has drained to a low area of the field). I saw a flock of black water birds in the water. They are smaller than a Mallard duck, and they are black everywhere. They don't have webbed feet. They look like miniature herons. I've seen them in the water in the past.