Sunday, 1/27/2019 to Saturday, 2/2/2019

I ran 3 times: 15.9 miles.
I took 63,211 steps according to my Pebble 2 HR smart watch.

Common abbreviations: OMEP is my Orange Mud Endurance Pack, NT360 is my NoxGear 
Tracer360 vest, UWRG is my usual winter running gear: CW-X tights, Darn Tough socks, long sleeve tech, Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover, balaclava and Brooks beanie.

Sunday, 1/27/2019: 9288 steps during the day, 5.35 miles, 56:38, 10:35 pace, 152 avg cadence, 24F, 68% RH, 22 mph W wind, wind chill 9F, partly sunny

I slept in until just after 7 AM again. A lot of wind and a bit of snow blew through between 8 and 9 AM so I just waited. I really didn't want to run into a west wind that would almost blow me backwards. But ... I did get dress and I did get out around 10 AM. It was cold yet again so I wore my CW-X tights, GRTC shorts, Darn Tough socks, Craft long sleeve tech, Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover, Brooks beanie, balaclava, GRTC neck gaiter and sunglasses ... just my normal winter running attire when the wind chill is in the single digits.


I didn't want to run road so I dug out my black Salomon SpeedCross 3 trail shoes with the screws and ran the LOSP trail. The LOSP trail had about 2 to 3 inches of snow on 99% of it. There were a few bare patches and an icy section out by Island Cottage. It was a bit rutty also. It wasn't ankle busting rutty but I had to be careful that I didn't step in the deep ruts. I ran in an old fat tire track most of the time. I set up a really slow pace and got it done. My splits were: 10:34, 10:56, 10:10, 10:35, 10:12 and "something somthing" over the last 0.35 mile. My Garmin went totally screwy on this run with splits of 1.00, 0.08, 1.00, 0.06, 1.00, 0.09, 1.00, 0.10, 1.00 and 0.02 mile. Weird.

I relaxed with the usual couple mugs of coffee along with a cinnamon and raisin muffin. My darling wife, Christine, had a pie shell out and we did have 4 Granny Smith apples so we made an apple pie together. I was the ingredient man. My job was to measure out the sugar, brown sugar, flour, pumpkin spice (instead of cinnamon and nutmeg). Christine's job was to peel the apple, assemble the ingredients and bake the pie. I cut the pie after it cooled. We ate it after dinner ... mmm!

Monday, 1/28/2019: 7418 steps during the day, rest day.

Tuesday, 1/29/2019: 13464 steps during the day, 5.55 miles, 46:41, 8:24 pace, 156 avg cadence, 22F, 90% RH, 5 mph WNW wind, wind chill 15F, cloudy

I got out for my Tuesday run right after work. There is a definite difference in the amount of daylight at 5 PM now and last month. Last month it was dark at 5 PM. Now I didn't need to put my headlamp on until more than halfway into my run. I wore the usual running gear along with my GRTC neck gaiter and old ski mittens. I set up a nice and steady pace as I tried out a new route. I just run up Island Cottage to Dewey Ave and back. Easy peasy but a bit short at only 5.55 miles. My splits were: 8:20, 8:19, 8:22, 8:26, 8:29 and 8:32 over the last 0.55 mile. Boom ... done!

My darling wife, Christine, got out and about to take the 2018 Cruze down to Bob Johnson's Chevrolet for an oil change, tire rotation and inspection. I didn't know it needed an inspection but it makes sense since we got it for a 24 month lease in early January 2018.

My youngest son, David, fell in the Del Lago Resort & Casino parking lot where he works and broke his elbow. I don't which one, whether he has a cast or needed time off from work. I guess I am fortunate that he did text me about it and posted something to his Facebook wall. He is usually not forthcoming with details to his personal life. I did happen to meet his "friend who happens to a girl" twice.

Wednesday, 1/30/2019: 6190 steps during the day, rest day.

The "polar vortex" made a return visit to upstate NY. It was 3F (according to the nearest Weather Bug station) when I stepped outside to go to work. The thermometer in the 2014 Cruze read between 0F and 8F on my way to work. It was pretty calm so it was too bad if you dress for it. I did take some of my running gear: 2019 Winter Warrior hat, GRTC neck gaiter and ski mittens. It's supposed to get colder and windier. The cold is forecast to break on Saturday. Rochester NY, 8F with a wind chill of -8F, is balmy compared to Chicago IL, -18F with a wind chill of -46F (1/30/2109 at 11 AM).

Thursday, 1/31/2019: 14793 steps during the day, 5 treadmill miles, 46:00, 9:12 pace.

It was a solid 1F on the way to work. It didn't get above 8F all day and the wind was a constant slap in my face when I walked to and from the 2014 Cruze as I went to my usual Harris buildings. I had all my cold weather running gear but I opted in for a warm 5 miles on the treadmill at the Greenleaf Meadow exercise room instead of 5 really cold miles outside on the frozen tundra. I was sweating instead of frozen after I got done.

It's the end of January ... so it's stat time!

I ran 21 times for 107.58 miles (37 months greater than 100 miles), 5.12 miles/run (one was a 2.12 mile snowshoe walk)
I ran 4 races in January:
 1/1, Freezeroo #2, 7.57 miles, 1:00:00, 7:56 pace
 1/5, Winter Warrior Half, 13.11 miles, 1:49:15, 8:20 pace
 1/12, Freezeroo #3, 5.08 miles, 38:42 7:37 pace
 1/26, Freezeroo #4.9 miles, 37:53, 7:44 pace
I took 318,424 steps during January.

Friday, 2/1/2019: 6628 steps during the day, rest day.

It was still cold during the day ... 4F during the morning commute but had "warmed" up to 17F but the evening commute. I wanted to go for a snowshoe walk ... but my right knee acted up for some uneven reason (cough ... treadmill ... cough) and botched that idea.

Saturday, 2/2/2019: 5430 steps during the day, rest day.

I spent today taking my oldest son, Michael, and daughter, Karen, out for grocery shopping. Michael was first to the Macedon Walmart. Then Karen to the Newark Walmart and Newark Wegmans. Plus I looked at and fixed her Bissell carpet cleaner (all it needed was the dog hair removed from its beater bar). I ran out of energy a bit after all that and needed to close my eyes a bit at Karen's apartment. I also stopped for some coffee at the Perinton Wegmans on the way back. I should have gone out for a snowshoe walk when I got home but I just didn't have the gumption.