Sunday, 8/19/2018 to Saturday, 8/25/2018

I ran 3 times this week, 35.45 miles.
I took 74,377 steps this week according to my Pebble 2 HR smart watch.
Common abbreviation: OMEP is Orange Mud Endurance Pack

Sunday, 8/19/2018: 2424 steps during the day, rest day.

It was a bit painful going down the stairs in the morning but I loosened up in the afternoon. I made it to BJs to pick a double rack of spare ribs (a $5 off coupon helped). My lovely wife, Christine, cooked both racks up. She put on a dry rub of Penzey's Galena Street Rib and Chicken Rub, cooked 1 side for 1.5 hours, flipped them, put on more rub and cooked them for another 1 hour along with some potatoes. OMG ... were they good! Mmm! The perfect meal before settling in to watch Sharknado 5: Global Swarming and the premiere of Sharknado 6: It's About Time. Fin, April, Nova, Skye and Bryan save the world from Sharknados!

Monday, 8/20/2018: 6327 steps during the day, rest day.

Spare ribs yesterday ... so leftover ribs, leftover mac'n'cheese, potatoes and salad ... mmm!

Tuesday, 8/21/2018: 17253 steps during the day; 8.05 miles, 1:08:22. 8:29 pace, 75F, 83% RH, 11 mph wind, overcast.

I headed out to Greece Arcadia High School for yet another GAHS run. How long? 5 or 7.5 or 8? I opted for the longest, 8 miles. I had on my OMEP with 1200 ml of ice and water. A bit over of overkill but I have gotten used to having my hands free. The wind was from the south so I was hot when I headed north to Lake Ontario and fought a head wind coming back on Island Cottage. I just put it into "get it done" pace and got it done. My splits were: 13, 28, 26, 18, 26, 44, 46 and 41. Boom ... done. I was dripping with sweat when I got done.

Wednesday, 8/22/2018: 8275 steps during the day, rest day.

The usual rest day. Leftover chicken, mac'n'cheese and salad for supper. I thing my darling wife, Christine, is upping my protein since I always complain that I'm hungry. I'm cutting my running down to 3 days a week but keeping the same mileage more or less. I need that extra rest day on Sunday to recover from 18 miles (or more) on Saturday. Another 18 (or 20) miles is on tap for Saturday.

Thursday, 8/23/2018: 17990 steps during the day; 9.25 miles, 1:18:44, 8:25 pace, 77F, 47% RH, 13 mph wind, sunny.

A Thursday run ... but how long? 5, 7.55, 8.05 or longer? I wanted longer so I went home and ran my 15K route from the townhouse. I filled my OMEP with 1 liter of ice and water and set up a nice and steady pace. I saw that woman runner with her husband or boyfriend tailing her twice plus a couple of bicycles. My splits were: 8:22, 8:28, 8:28, 8:26, 8:22, 8:23, 8:16, 8:34, 8:34 and 8:04 over the last 0.35 mile. Boom ... done.

Friday, 8/24/2018: 8255 steps during the day, rest day.

The usual rest day before a long run on an early Saturday morning.

Saturday, 8/25/2018: 13853 steps during the day; 18.05 miles, 2:37:00, 8:42 pace, 63F, 83% RH, 3 mph wind, mostly cloudy.

I got up when my alarm went off at 5 AM. It was dark'o'clock but I wanted another 18 or 20 mile long run. I puttered for a bit. It was still dark at 6 AM so I puttered a bit more. I got outside around 6:30 AM. I had a bit of trouble when I put on my OMEP (filled with 1600 ml of ice cubes and water). I put my arm in the left side first and then tried to shrug it on through the right side. Well ... the right side slid against my Pebble 2 HR smartwatch and torqued a side of the watchband off ... $%&#! I tried to put the bandpin back in its tiny hole but I couldn't. Well ... no matter. I stuffed it into my Nathan Zipster and got going around 6:45 AM. I set up a nice and easy pace and settled in. I saw Phil Alesio on Old Edgemere Drive between Long Pond Rd and Lowden Point Rd. I saw a couple of lady runners on East Manitou Rd. I took Hammer Gel at miles 6, 10 and 14 like usual. I did encounter an asshole driver on Edgemere Drive just west of Long Pond Rd at mile 12. I was running about 3 feet of the shoulder when the driver of a gold(?) car took a swerve for a second onto the shoulder before he got back in his lane. It wasn't accidental ... it was on purpose. I gave him a yell and probably a few curse words but I'm sure that they were unheard. Well ... I kept running. I kind of fell apart at mile 15 like I usually do ... just not as bad as last week. It's damn difficult to get it out of my mind that I need to keep running when my legs start just getting sore and tired. I would have 10 more miles to go in a marathon with the clock ticking against me! Whatever ... my splits were: 8:18, 8:16, 8:22, 8:17, 8:37, 8:21, 8:54, 8:30, 8:36, 8:53, 8:43, 8:32, 8:44, 9:04, 8:47, 9:07 and 9:32. I wasn't as sore as I had been after 18 mile so I guess there is that. Oh, I am very sure that my Pebble 2 HR smartwatch steps were off since there were only 13K steps instead of 27K steps like last week. I guess it didn't like being stuffed in my Nathan Zipster.

I saw on Facebook that the 2nd Midsummer Night's Madness was held down in Mendon Ponds Park. There were 78 finishers in the solo 13 mile run, link here. There were also relay teams with some really interesting names and with their names listed, link here.

All in all, a pretty relaxing day after a long run. I had a nice and big cinnamon bun after the run. I lost weight down to 161.2 after the run but I gained it back to 165 by Monday morning.