Sunday, October 7th to Saturday, October 13th

1 ran 5 times this week,  15.99 miles

Sunday, 10/7/12: 2 runs of 3.4 and 3.5 miles

Christine and I slept in until 10AM. It felt pretty good to just sleep with no set time on the alarm clock. My right achilles ached but I limped out and back to get the Sunday Democrat and Chronicle.

I thought my exertion was done for the day. But ... Russell, our auto mechanic, called and said that he could take our car for him to look at. It needed a new muffler and an oil change.

Garmin Connect Activity for Russell's House to Home

3.4 miles, 29:45, 8:45 pace, 52F, cloudy, calm, no stops, a bit of right achilles pain.

I drove up to Russell's house to drop off the car. I stretched out and set off. My right achilles ached and I ran with a limp for a 1/4 mile before I settled into a really nice and easy pace. I felt my right achilles complain but I controlled my run and didn't let my body argue with me.

I watched a bit of the Buffalo Bills - San Francisco 49er's game. I just knew that game was over when the 49er's went up 3-17 with a TD just 0:20 before half. The final carnage was 3-42, link here. The Bills fell to 2-3 while allowing the 49er's a franchise record of 621 yards. Plus the Bills were the first teame ever in NFL history to give up over 300 yards rushing and over 300 yards passing in the same game. Again, ouch!!

Garmin Connect Activity for Home to Russell's House.
3.5 miles, 28:37, 8:10 pace, 45F, cloudy, light sprinkle, calm, no stops, slight right achilles pain.

Russell called to tell us that our car was done. I headed back out in a light sprinkle up to Russell's house. I ran at a slightly fast pace since it was a slight downhill. My right achilles reminded me a bit but kept quiet. But, a run is a run ... I enjoyed it.

Monday, 10/8/12: Rest day.

Just your normal rest day. I was quite tired since I went to bed at 2:30AM. I only got 4.5 hours of sleep before I got up at 7AM. But a full day of work ensued, of course.

Tuesday, 10/9/12: Another rest day.

I felt like my day at work worked me out enough so I declared another rest day. My right achilles stiffens up when I sit down ... so I limp quite noticeably when I start to walk. If I walk long enough I stop limping. Then when I sit down I stiffen back up. Rinse and repeat all day ... exciting stuff.

Wednesday, 10/10/12: Yet another rest day.

I walk at least 5000 to 9000 steps a day. When I get up from sitting down, my right achilles is stiff ... so I limp. When I walk far enough I walk without limping but I can still feel an ache. So do I run or don't I?? I have races that I really, really, really want to run coming up!!

Thursday, 10/11/12: Trails at Lucien Morin Park, 5.44 miles, 12:40 pace, 55F, dusk, calm.

I had a good session at my PT (physical therapy) session. Chris showed me how I cheated on my calf raises. I did 50 of them plus 10 minutes of cardiac before and after. My right achilles ached but in a good way. He did say that I could stay at 3-5 miles/run but I can pick up the pace. Well ... progress!

Garmin Connect Activity for Trails at Lucien Morin Park

I took my running gear to work so I was more than ready to go for a run with the Trails & Ales gang at Lucien Morin Park. We set out around 6:15PM for a nice out and back on the white trail. I went nice and slow. I tripped and almost fell in a hole ... but it was with my left foot so it was all good! By the time I finished my right achilles was complaining ... but what was a runner to do? Afterward, I bypassed the Ales at Applebee's and went straight home for a nice recovery supper of pizza ... yummy!

Friday, 10/12/12: Rest day

I did pull the trigger on Saturday's Safe Journey 5K in Fairport and the Pumpkins in the Park 5K in two weeks by registering at Fleet Feet Brighton. How I have missed going to the store ... where everyone knows your name! I will run tomorrow without a time goal ... but if I feel good I may just put the hammer down! But if I don't, I will just enjoy the run and try not to beat myself up. I looked high and low for my cold weather tights ... Christine found them in 30 seconds! My defense is that she had washed them inside out so I was not looking for an all black pair of tights which is what they are if they are inside out.

Saturday, 10/13/12: 2 runs of 0.55 and 3.1 miles

I was up early and got ready for the Safe Journey 5K. It was cold, 28F and sunny with a slight breeze. I wore my tights, my Brooks Racing Team short sleeve shirt and arm warmers along with light gloves and my lucky Fleet Feet orange hat.

I thought Christine dawdled while getting ready ... somehow she kicked in the afterburners and was ready 5 minutes before I was. Anyway we got down to Fairport at 8:22AM with plenty of time to spare before the 9AM race start.

Garmin Connect Activity for Warmup before the Safe Journey 5K
28F, sunny, calm, no stops, just a warmup. I felt a bit off and sluggish.



I met up with some members of the Brooks Racing Team, Jim M and Jennica, before the race. I lined up towards the front as per my norm. I started fast and enjoyed the downhill start and then a gentle climb to the 31F bridge over the Erie canal. My first mile sped by at 6:27 pace as we eased onto the Erie canal path. I was keeping pace until the turnaround at 1.65 miles, the half way point! I could feel my right achilles start to complain and knew I couldn't hold my pace. I eased up just after the 2 mile at 6:58 pace. I almost stopped but instead soldiered onward. I just coasted in, mile 3 was still a 6.59 pace. The last tenth was a 6:27 pace, for a total time of 21:08. I heard Christine yelling, "Go, Doug!" as I ran by. I guess not too bad for my first race in a month and first race as a 55 year old.

I did OK, I was 45th out of 575, link here. I placed 1st out of 18 in my M55-59 age group, link here. I won a $15 gift certificate to Fleet Feet so the race only cost $5, sweet! Afterward, Christine and I exchanged pleasantries with Congresswoman Louise Slaughter who had stopped by to congratulate all of us on our efforts. My right achilles did stiffen up after the race. All in all, it was quite the beautiful morning along the canal. We saw several rowing boats on the canal: 3 eight woman rowing boats and 1 four man rowing boat.

I limped back to the car, drove straight home, took a hot shower and bath. My right achilles was painful to touch. I spent the rest of the day icing it and limping around the apartment when I did have to get up. I guess it can't take the pounding of a fast 5K. It does seem to handle a gentle pace though.

Later, I received word around midnight that my youngest son, David, was lost in Rochester after a Flow and Glow concert at the Main Street Armory with no wallet and a dead cell phone. Christine and I headed out to look for him in the dark for a hour with no luck. The next morning we received word that he did make it home that night. I am quite sure that there is a story here somewhere ... and one of these days I might hear it.