I walked 5 times for 8.7 miles this week.
I biked once for 17.6 miles this week.
I took 31,257 steps this week according to my Garmin Vivoactive HR (VA-HR) smartwatch.
My VA-HR gives me steps, heart rate, hours slept and floors climbed (take those last 2 data points with a grain of salt).
My Withings WS-50 Smart Body Analyzer scale gives my weight.
RUNNING: I will be putting a hold on my running for the time being. My left knee has issues with running. I can walk and bike so that's what I will be doing. The biking is a bit of an issue since my left knee doesn't like me putting a lot of weight on it if I twist it like I want to throw my right leg over the bike seat ... so I cheat and lean the bike down so I can sort of "step" in or out of it.
My darling but not so athletic wife, Christine, and I had signed up for The Big Run. It was a Fleet Feet virtual race for the National Running Day on June 3rd. The distance choices were 1 Mile, 5K, 10K, Half Marathon and Full Marathon. She insisted that I sign us up for the 5K and not the 1 Mile. So I did ... against my better judgment. She had wanted to get out early. Well ... that didn't happen. I was up early like usual. I finally got her out at 11 AM. I had a Redbox DVD to take back so we headed to the 7-11. She walked very slow and was winded past the first mile. She and her knees pooped out at 2.69 miles by the Greenleaf Meadows recycling bins (that we finally found after 5 years). I walked back to our townhouse (and a bit more to complete the 5K) and got the Trax to take her home. She groaned with good reason the rest of the day. She is like me ... able to bite off more than you can chew! I've done it ... first two Sehgahundas (broken rib and 2 day hospital stay), Many on the Genny (walked half) and the last Rochester marathon (hot and ran/walked the last loop). There are others ... lol! I have slowed down a bit.
I got out for a slightly slower walk after I came home from doing some Ricoh printer stuff for L3Harris SAS (and a bit of grocery shopping at BJs). A warm front had gone through around 8 AM so it was warmer and more sultry than yesterday. The high for Rochester tied the record of 94F. The heat and humidity was rinsed away overnight by a cold front.
I got out after my work-from-home day at Ricoh. I walked again and decided to put in a speed walk. So ... I did. 13:23 pace is about the fastest I can walk without really swinging my hips.
Another walk after my work-from-home day at Ricoh. I had to go in on 4 of the 5 days for a while for various reasons. I don't just sit home with my feet up on the couch ... though I do a lot of that. I decided to go out a bit farther and put in about a 1/2 mile of really slow run too. My left knee felt meh so I decided not to push it. My splits were different of course: 14:38 and 12:52.
It was definitely colder and windy so I wore my pants, long sleeve tech, Brooks jacket, Brooks beanie for this ride. All of it was definitely needed. The wind plus my left knee slowed me down so I took it nice and easy. There were a lot of runners and bicyclists out.
My darling wife, Christine, had a fever that spiked to 101.7 F overnight and stayed around 100 F all day. It 's not COVID-19 thankfully. She has a swollen area down in her privates. That is probably TMI but I was concerned when she woke me during the night. I could be more explicit but I think the reader gets the general idea. I fed her tea, toast and chicken soup during the morning and afternoon. We had Little Caesar's Pizza for supper.
I walked twice for 2.15 miles this week.
I ran once for 1.65 miles this week.
I biked 4 times for 57.89 miles this week.
I took 21,136 steps this week according to my Garmin Vivoactive HR (VA-HR) smartwatch.
My VA-HR gives me steps, heart rate, hours slept and floors climbed (take those last 2 data points with a grain of salt).
My Withings WS-50 Smart Body Analyzer scale gives my weight.
RUNNING: I will be putting a hold on my running for the time being. My left knee has issues with running. I can walk and bike without pain (OK ... a bit on the bike) so that's what I will be doing. The biking is a bit of an issue since my left knee doesn't like me putting a lot of weight on it if I twist it like I want to throw my right leg over the bike seat ... so I cheat and lean the bike down so I can sort of "step" in or out of it.
I got out early at 8AM to get a slightly longer bike ride in. I looked around a bit to see the trees budding, the flowers blooming and the swans on Buck Pond.
The two closest swans on Buck Pond. There were about 20 of them.
Well ... the rioting in Rochester overnight hit close to home. The Fleet Feet Armory location was hit. The windows were busted and the store was looted. It was a long night for Boots, Ellen and others. I read some of the Facebook comments. The window guy was there by 5 AM and they had plywood up by the afternoon. So wrong. The peaceful protests in so many cities has been hijacked after dark by rioters and extreme groups.
I had to take back a Netflix Fifty Shades: Freed DVD back to the Post Office and a Redbox The Invisible Man back to 7-11. So ... I decided to see if my left run was up for a little run. Well ... it wasn't up to running from the moment I set out. I stuck into a really slow run ... but my left knee hurt constantly. I would rate the pain about 5 out of 10. But ... I kept it up all the way out to both places and all the way back. It probably be my last run for a while.
But ... Christine and I signed up for the Fleet Feet The Big Run 5K for Wednesday (We realistically had a choice of 1 mile or 5K but there was also a 10K, Half and Full option). I also signed up for the Fleet Feet Summer Around the Finger Lakes 11 Lakes. I plan on walking/biking the necessary 408.2 virtual miles over the next 4 months.
I limped a bit when I got home ... but I am used to it by now. Whatever.
Well ... it's the end of May so it's stat time. Whoppee!
I ran 10 times for 54.68 miles, 5.47 miles/run. And ... then I couldn't run without pain.
So ... I walked twice for 4.55 miles.
I ran 5 virtual races during May
5/2 FLRC COVID-19 19K - 1:43:21, 8:46 pace
5/8 I Run With Ahmaud - 2.29 miles, 19:46, 8:47 pace
5/9 Fleet Feet Virtual Mile - 7:18 pace
5/10 Bigfoot Virtual Half - 13.15 miles, 1:58:00, 8:58 pace (I think I injured my left knee during this race after 3 virtual races in 3 days). Will I go to the doctor? Probably not.
5/22 Power Hour - 5.52 miles, 1:00:00, 10:32 pace (a run/limp pace)
I walked one virtual race
5/17 Spring Clean 5K, 3.1 miles, 54:57, 17:04 pace
I biked 4 times for 53.44 miles, 13.36 miles/bike.
I took 157,864 steps during May and 1,165,062 steps so far in 2020.
I got out for a mile walk after my work-from-home day with Ricoh. I wanted to start off my Summer Around the Finger Lakes 11 Lakes. A quick walk made me feel a bit better. I can walk at least ...
I got out on the bike after my work-from-home day for Ricoh. It was warmer and windy so I wore shorts and a long sleeve tech. I went by the Eagans on Cranberry Rd. They had just pulled up and were getting out of their truck so I stopped and talked to them for a few minutes. I had seen them three times now on my rides but the first two times were while they were driving on Edgemere Drive. The ride went fine. My bite sized rides of 13 miles are just long enough for my bony ass .... even it is cushioned by padded bike shorts.
One thing I did notice was how the air temperature fell by at least 10F when I got within 100 yards of Lake Ontario. The temperature change was quite striking just before I headed onto Edgemere Drive and how it warmed up when I turned onto Island Cottage.
I got out for a bike after my work-from-home day with Ricoh. I did go in to my usual 4 buildings during the morning. Sometimes the printers and plotters need to be touched and fed. I biked my usual route ... same distance, same speed as Tuesday.
Some of the fireworks at BJs
I found out where some people are getting their fireworks. BJs had 2 different sizes. I think $60 and $100 were the price points. Here is what NY says about legal fireworks, link here. Basically ... ground based fireworks or sparklers are legal. All the "shooting up" fireworks that we see all the time leading up to July 4th are illegal.
I got out for a quick walk after my work-from-home day at Ricoh. It is amazing that my long legs can walk fast but not run .. :-(. I hope that they are healing!
I was awake just before 5 AM since I had gone to bed early. I puttered around for a long while but I got out around 9 AM for a nice bike. There were a lot of people out ... walkers, runners and bikers!
I walked once for 1.45 miles this week.
I ran 0 times for 0 miles this week ... unfortunately.
I biked 3 times for 37.93 miles this week.
I took 13,571 steps this week according to my Garmin Vivoactive HR (VA-HR) smartwatch.
My VA-HR gives me steps, heart rate, hours slept and floors climbed (take those last 2 data points with a grain of salt).
My Withings WS-50 Smart Body Analyzer scale gives my weight.
There was a #runforkara event that I found on Facebook for Kara Hall, the runner who was killed in Bergen on 5/18. I couldn't run so I walked while I thought of her ... a fellow runner who I will never know. Yes ... I couldn't run. I walked and had to be careful when I placed my left foot. I felt a twinge of pain when I didn't. A mild aarrgghh ... on my #runwithkara. My splits were: 18:18 and 17:08 over the last 0.45 mile.
Monday, 5/25/2020
1730 steps, 48/107 resting/peak HR, 8:59 hrs sleep, 175.3 lbs, 9 floors climbed
bike: 11.01 miles, 54:59, 12.2 avg mph, 20.4 max mph, 56 feet elevation gain, 77F, 65% RH, 4 mph SSW wind with gusts to 21 mph, sunny
I can't run, I can walk with a bit of pain if I misplace my left foot. But can I bike? Well ... I set out to find out on Black Beauty ... my nickname for the Trek bike that Christine bought for me from the Bike Zone seven (I think) years ago.
"Black Beauty"
I had a bit of trouble mounting the bike because of my left knee issue but I was up so I went. Well ... I can bike. I chose a simple :Out to Lowden Point Rd" route out and back. It was nice ... sunny and a bit windy. I saw Eric and Sheila Eagan on a walk by Old Edgemere Drive and Long Pond Rd and Tom Butler on a run by the LOSP trail on Island Cottage. There were a lot of people out ... bicyclists, runners (5) and walkers. My avg speed was 12.2 mph and max speed was 20.4 mph. I dismounted the bike gently and just let it fall to my right so I wouldn't hurt my left knee.
The new form of litter just 30 feet from our townhouse door
A 46 year old black man named Eric Floyd was killed on Monday by a white police officer who knelt on his neck for almost 9 minutes while 3 other white police officers helped or watched. It was caught on cell phone video and surveillance cameras. So sad ... link here. The news out of Minneapolis overnight was protests that descended into looting and violence.
Weather ... so changeable in Rochester during May.
13 days between a record low of 27F and a record high of 92F
I was awake at 4:52 AM ... I tried to get back to sleep to no avail. So ... I looked at email and Facebook while the day got a bit brighter. I dressed and got out on my bike for a bit farther ride. I disturbed more than a few birds and almost ran over a squirrel. I also ran out of energy on the way back since I only had a small peach before I headed out.
Governor Cuomo has signed an executive order allows stores to not allow entry to anyone who doesn't wear a mask, link here. Almost everyone in Rochester did before that I could see when I was out and about.
I made sure that I had more to eat before I headed out for my morning ride. I put out a little effort but also made an effort to look around at the trees and listened to the birds.
I felt blah all day. It wasn't until it was almost evening when I realized why. I hadn't gone for a run, walk or bike. Also ... the Pandemic 5 is real. I have gained 5 pounds.
I ran 2 times for 8.67 miles this week.
I took 32,226 steps this week according to my Garmin Vivoactive HR (VA-HR) smartwatch.
My VA-HR gives me steps, heart rate, hours slept and floors climbed (take those last 2 data points with a grain of salt).
My Withings WS-50 Smart Body Analyzer scale gives my weight.
UPDATE: My darling wife, Christine, is in her 7th week of a suspected COVID-19 illness (or the flu ... who knows). She has recovered and this will be the last week I report on this. She has returned to cooking for us ... thankfully.
COVID-19: I work for Ricoh as an essential employee. I support the 169 Ricoh printers in the four L3Harris SAS buildings. I am required to wear a cloth mask when I enter any L3Harris building. I also do this whenever I enter any public building ... like Wegmans or BJs. I realize that a cloth mask isn't a N95 mask but it's better than nothing. I don't have disposable gloves so I wear light running gloves, news links about gloves and clothing here, here and here. I don't want to spread COVID-19 if I am asymptotic (heaven forbid). I have read all the COVID-19 news and have seen the confirmed cases and death toll rise daily in the world, Europe and the US. I think there will be just virtual races and no public running races during the rest of 2020, link here.
I headed out to Palmyra to see my daughter, Karen, for a few hours. I hadn't seen her about 3 months. I broke down all her boxes, took her recycling out and put in her bedroom A/C before I headed back up to Rochester.
I broke down and bought a Mueller knee brace from Walmart. Why? I have no idea. My knee doesn't really hurt. I can mostly walk fine. It only twinged if I really do something like stretch it weird.
A sad day. A young 25 year old runner, Kara Hall, was killed while running on Rt 262 in Bergen, link here.
I hadn't run in 9 days and I have been crabby ... just ask Christine. So ... I decided to throw caution to the wind and try to run after I put in another day of work-from-home for Ricoh. It still cool so I wore shorts, a long sleeve tech and light running gloves. I wore my left knee brace but I took it off before I left the parking lot. My left and right knee felt weird but there was no pain so I slowly hobbled onward. I almost turned back at Greenleaf Rd but I wanted to see how I felt after one mile. I felt OK so I continued onward to Dewey Ave on the LOSP trail or 1.5 miles. I had sped up a bit so I just turned around and headed back. I got back and felt somewhat OK. So .. success, I guess. My splits were: 10:17, 9:32, 8:54 and 8:03 over the last 0.15 mile. Negative splits ... big whoop.
I think I will change to my new pair of Brooks Adrenaline GTS20 shoes. My current pair of Brooks Adrenaline GTS19 running shoes have 462.1 miles. Maybe my knee problem is shoe related.
Another sad day. A young 13 year old bicyclist, Liam Ronan, was killed on West Henrietta Rd at Martin Rd, link here. This is just past Covered Wagon Trail where I lived for 4 years what seemed to be a lifetime ago.
Today's run was the Power Hour, a Fleet Feet virtual run. I was going to do this on Sunday ... but I got out on Friday night after I was done with my Ricoh work-from-home day and just decided to stretch my planned 5K into a hour run on the spur of the moment. Well ... my left knee made me regret it before I had gone one mile. I don't know what the fuck is wrong but there is something wrong with it ... AARRGGHH!! Anyway ... my splits were: 9:44, 9:23, 11:17, 14:29, 10:08 and 9:34 over the last 0.52 mile. My "run" was actually more of a fast limp/run ... AARRGGHH!!
My darling wife, Christine, and I made it out early (for us) to the Garden Factory in Gates. What a huge place! We bought a flat of salvia, marigolds, purple petunias and begonias for our itty-bitty patch of dirt outside our townhouse. We also bought some fertilizer, potting soil, 25 foot hose and a nozzle. Well ... we bought too much. I made peace with my left knee long enough to plant the salvia and marigolds. Christine planted one row of petunias. The soil isn't all that good so but still ... hope springs enteral that our planting will be fruitful.
Before and after
I got the tires of our bicycles pumped up ... I think I will be biking more than running this summer. A bit disappointing since I like to run ... but true.
This blog post is saved as I write it to avoid the Blogger "Auto Save" feature. I have found (as have others) that if you accidentally delete your entire blog post before you publish it that "Auto Save" will kick in within seconds to take you to a blank page. I have done this more than once! This feature is turned off once you publish the blog post. Then if you accidentally delete your entire post it is not final until you click Update (so you have a chance to realize that you are about to do something stupid).
I ran 1 times for 13.15 miles this week.
1 walked (couldn't run) for 3.1 miles this week.
I took 40,205 steps this week according to my Garmin Vivoactive HR (VA-HR) smartwatch.
My VA-HR gives me steps, heart rate, hours slept and floors climbed (take those last 2 data points with a grain of salt).
My Withings WS-50 Smart Body Analyzer scale gives my weight.
UPDATE: My darling wife, Christine, is in her 6th week of a suspected COVID-19 illness (or the flu ... who knows). Her symptoms have been mild thankfully. She had a low grade fever that spiked to 103.8 on Monday night, March 30th, She called URMC on Tuesday, March 31st, and was told to self-quarantine. I got her Tylenol which lowered her fever during the rest of that week. She has had a bit of trouble breathing from time to time but it had been taken care of with an inhaler. She is just now starting to get back her strength. We don't know how she got it since she had not been out for 2 weeks prior. I probably brought it home. I am asymptomatic as of right now. I take care of her while I work from home for Ricoh taking care of the L3Harris printers.
COVID-19: I work for Ricoh as an essential employee. I support the 169 Ricoh printers in the four L3Harris SAS buildings. I am required to wear a cloth mask when I enter any L3Harris building and I also wear my light running gloves, news links here, here and here. I also do this whenever I enter any public building ... like Wegmans or BJs. I realize that a cloth mask isn't a N95 mask but it's better than nothing. I don't have disposable gloves so I wear light running gloves. I don't want to spread COVID-19 if I am asymptotic (heaven forbid). I have read all the COVID-19 news and have seen the case and death toll rise daily in the world, Europe and the US. I am definitely looking forward to the 11/3/2020 elections. I think there will be just virtual races and no public running races during the rest of 2020, link here.
Today's race was the Bigfoot Virtual Half. Yes, a virtual race that I found last month. I chose not the 5K, not the 10K, but the Half because I like to go big or go home. I didn't choose the full because full marathons and I do not get along (and for good reason as it turned out afterward).
I had run the Fleet Feet Virtual Mile the day before in 7:18 but I had only ran 2.05 miles in total so I figured I was all good. Yes ... it was my 4th day in a row of running but I figured I was made of stern stuff.
Anyway ... I was up early around 6 AM, puttered around a bit with catching up on email, Facebook and having some cereal. I got out there after 8 AM. It was cold on May 10th ... yet again ... so I dressed in my usual winter running gear: CW-X tights, Darn Tough socks, Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover, Brooks beanie and heavy running gloves. Runners who know me can probably know who I am for a distance since I wear basically the same gear all winter (I know what works and stay with it). I used my Nathan Zipster to carry a Hammer Gel flask. I had my MP3 player and new eBay (and cheap) bone conduction earphones along with the run along with my Nathan water bottle. I got everything set (RoadID eCrumb and music) and set out. My left knee and joints (everywhere) hurt a bit but I got up to a nice and easy pace on my Half Marathon route. I felt OK for the first six or seven miles. My earphones died at mile 2.4 (weird ... I had fully charged them the night before). Onward. I saw Eric and Shelia Eagan in their truck as I turned onto Edgemere Drive from Island Cottage ... I waved and they beeped. I had some gulps of Hammer Gel at mile 5 along with some water. My left knee nagged me but I kept running. I had some more gulps of Hammer Gel at mile 10 and more water. Just a 5K but my left knee insisted that I walk a bit more. I was around 1:32 at mile 10. I tried to ignore it as much as I could. I had looked at my Garmin and knew that I would be tight on breaking 2 hours if I did much walking. Onward ... keep going. I turned into Greenleaf Meadows with only 0.2 miles to go ... and ... done with 13.15 miles in 1:58:00. My 40th road half marathon in the books. I did my usual stretches but noted that my left knee really hurt. My splits were: 8:50, 8:44, 8:43, 8:52, 9:03 (Hammer Gel), 9:33, 8:38, 8:33, 9:11, 8:44, 10:18 (Hammer Gel), 8:43, 8:57 and 8:01 over the last 0.15 mile.
I think this shirt is on backwards ...
I got my coffee and sat down for a long while. I did put on my Bigfoot shirt that I had received earlier in the week. You can't put it on until you earn the shirt you know!. I limped the rest of the day when I did get up. It hurt to even balance on my left foot when I took a shower before supper. Oh well ... I will heal. My darling wife, Christine, does worry about me ... but knows that I do stupid stuff sometimes when I run. Monday will be a rest day for sure.
Well ... I limped painfully all day. I had to go into 3 of the 4 L3Harris buildings to look after some of the Ricoh printers. I had to be careful not to overstep ... else I felt a really painful twinge from my left knee. Oh ... the joys of running a half marathon when your left knee told you to quit after 4 miles or so. I guess I told it who's in charge ... lol!
I signed up for Medved's Spring Spirit 5K virtual run ... but it turned into a walk. I got up at 5:42 AM, puttered around for a while with email and Facebook, had some cereal, got dressed (shorts, long sleeve tech, buff, light running gloves) and got out there. My left knee was cranky but it had be getting slowly better all week. I walked without pain on Friday. So ... I tried to run ... but both knees (mainly the left though) told me "Not today buddy" ... so I walked to the 7-11 to take back my Redbox DVDs (The Current War and Jumanji: The Next Level) and make a loop until I got to 3.1 miles. I did walk faster the last mile. My splits were: 16:52, 18:40, 15:37 and 17:45 over the last 0.1 mile.
I have been enjoying watching some old NBA games: the 2010 NBA Finals Game 7 Lakers game (Kobe's 5th NBA championship) full YouTube link here and ESPN summary here. The 2016 NBA Finals Game 7 Cleveland Cavs vs Golden State Warriors (with Warriors only scoring 13 in the 4th quarter, the Lebron Block and the Kryrie dagger 3) highlights here, last 3:39 here. Kobe's last game with 60 points, scoring 17 straight points in the 4th, then an assist on the last 2 for the win by 5, link here.
I ran 5 times for 19.43 miles this week.
I took 47,793 steps this week according to my Garmin Vivoactive HR (VA-HR) smartwatch.
My VA-HR gives me steps, heart rate, hours slept and floors climbed (take those last 2 data points with a grain of salt).
My Withings WS-50 Smart Body Analyzer scale gives my weight.
UPDATE: My darling wife, Christine, is in her 5th week of a suspected COVID-19 illness (or the flu ... who knows). Her symptoms have been mild thankfully. She had a low grade fever that spiked to 103.8 on Monday night, March 30th, She called URMC on Tuesday, March 31st, and was told to self-quarantine. I got her Tylenol which lowered her fever during the rest of that week. She has had a bit of trouble breathing from time to time but it had been taken care of with an inhaler. She is just now starting to get back her strength. We don't know how she got it since she had not been out for 2 weeks prior. I probably brought it home. I am asymptomatic as of right now. I take care of her while I work from home for Ricoh taking care of the L3Harris printers.
I got up and out for an achy Out on the pier run. The first 100 yards of the run tried to convince me to stop but I kept on going. It was warmer so I wore shorts and Brooks 1/4 long sleeve pullover. I was a bit overdressed on top by the time I got done. I stopped on Beach Ave and the Secret Sidewalk to take a couple pictures of the blooming trees. My splits were:
My darling wife, Christine, felt a bit stronger today. She made Mediterranean baked cod with lemon and garlic along french fries. Meanwhile I was keeping busy with 3 loads of laundry. Well ... when I went down to tend to the second load in the washer I saw water on the basement floor. I was worried about a leaky hose or drain but I found that the sink that the washer drains into was clogged. I mopped up the 2 inches of water on the floor by the drain ... which took a while. Meanwhile ... my supper was waiting for me. The french fries were a bit crispy but the supper did taste good. I went down in the middle of the third washer load and was glad I did. The sink was still clogged and needed to be unclogged. I really need to get a better plunger.
It got way warmer during the afternoon. It got up to 73F at the airport but maybe the mid 60s up by Lake Ontario.
I woke up early a bit after 5 AM and knew that I wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. I had to get to work a bit early because I had to pull out a jammed Ricoh printer from the L3Harris B101 SCIF for a Ricoh tech to fix. So ... I got out early for a Tuesday morning run. It was less than 2 days after it was 73F on Sunday afternoon ... it was 34! So it was back to my winter running gear: CW-X tights, Darn Tough socks, Brooks 1/4 long sleeve pullover, Brooks beanie and heavy running gloves. I did have to find most of this since I put them in my winter running box. I set up an achy and slow pace when I started out ... my body really wanted me not to got out ... trust me. There was a north breeze and 1 to 2 feet waves on Lake Ontario when I got to the pier so I didn't go out.
My pace was abysmally slow because my knees didn't want to run this morning. My splits were: 9:16, 10:00, 8:46, 8:34 and 8:30 over the last 0.45 mile. I think the 2 mile 10:00 was because I forgot to shut off my Garmin when I took a picture of the sunrise.
I was awake at 5:22 AM ... so why not go out for a run before I did my work-from-home for Ricoh? So ... it was 36F. Back to the usual winter running gear (see Tuesday). My knees felt a bit achy so I took 2 ibuprofen before I headed out. My knees barked for the first 100 yards ... I ignored them ... and continued onward. I was rewarded with another nice sunrise. My pace was a bit better. My splits were: 8:54, 8:48, 8:41, 8:36, 8:27 and 8:29 over the last 0.35 mile. Almost a negative split, baby!
.I ordinarily would not have run today but I chose to run 2.23 miles instead for Ahmanud Arbery. He was a black 25 year old black runner who will murdered on 2/23 in Georgia. A video surfaced this week taken just before he was allegedly murdered by a father/son duo. The father worked in law enforcement for almost 30 years ... which probably explains the 2 months and 3 prosecutors it took for him and his son to be charged with Ahmaud's murder. News links here and here along with a GoFundMe link here, #IRunWithMaud.
Today's race was the Fleet Feet Virtual Mile. Some runners don't want to run virtual race. This runner misses races so I will run virtual races. It's not the same but it is what it is. There are a lot to choose from so I pick ones that speak to me. I really don't see any road or trail races in the foreseeable future until there is a COVID-19 vaccine. Believe it or not, there are STUPID people that actually will not get it because they don't believe in vaccines!
Anyway ... it was a cold and windy Saturday morning to run a mile race. You still have to race it ... I wasn't going to mail it in. I may have gotten slower but it doesn't mean that I don't want to run the fastest I can on that particular day. It was May 9th ... It's supposed to be Spring ... but it was cold and windy. I wore my usual winter running gear: CW-X tights, Darn Tough socks, Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover, Brooks beanie and heavy running gloves. I started out fast ... and hung on as best I could. My breathing wasn't very good and I struggled past the 1/2 mile mark. I got it done ... 7:18 pace. My route was just out the Greenleaf Meadows, turn right on Greenleaf Rd. I turned around, walked a bit and then got into a slow run. I was 20th out of 89 runners, link here.
May snow showers ....
The 6th green of the Lake Shore Country Club (about 100 yards away)
I spent the rest of the morning and afternoon coughing. Racing a mile as hard as I could always does that. I remember coughing the same way during the McMullen Mile last year too and it was 40 F warmer too. My darling wife, Christine, made a turkey meatloaf and mashed potatoes for supper. Mmm!
This blog post is saved as I write it to avoid the Blogger "Auto Save" feature. I have found (as have others) that if you accidentally delete your entire blog post before you publish it that "Auto Save" will kick in within seconds to take you to a blank page. I have done this more than once! This feature is turned off once you publish the blog post. Then if you accidentally delete your entire post it is not final until you click Update (so you have a chance to realize that you are about to do something stupid).
I ran 4 times for 29.43 miles this week.
I took 59.278 steps this week according to my Garmin Vivoactive HR (VA-HR) smartwatch.
My VA-HR gives me steps, heart rate, hours slept and floors climbed (take those last 2 data points with a grain of salt).
My Withings WS-50 Smart Body Analyzer scale gives my weight.
UPDATE: My darling wife, Christine, is in her 4th week of a suspected COVID-19 illness (or the flu ... who knows). Her symptoms have been mild thankfully. She had a low grade fever that spiked to 103.8 on Monday night, March 30th, She called URMC on Tuesday, March 31st, and was told to self-quarantine. I got her Tylenol which lowered her fever during the rest of that week. She has had a bit of trouble breathing from time to time but it had been taken care of with an inhaler. She is slowly starting to feel better. She has an appetite for soup, toasted cheese sandwiches and whatever I can cook with the Instant Pot. We don' know how she got it since she had not been out for 2 weeks. I probably brought it home. I am asymptomatic as of right now. I take care of her while I work from home for Ricoh taking care of the L3Harris printers.
I looked outside in the early morning and saw that it was raining. I thought ... it will stop .... well, it didn't stop ALL day. Every time I looked outside it was still raining lightly. Not a downpour but enough to get any runner drenched before they get a mile. It was in the low 40s so it would have been a cold rain if I had gone out. I still wanted to but I didn't.
What did I do instead? Well ... I gave myself my first (and hopefully only) COVID-19 haircut. I used the beard and hair trimmer that I bought a couple months ago. I decided to cut my hair in the basement so my hair could fall to the floor. I put on the 1/2" guard and went to town. I did the best I could, went upstairs and inspected the damage. Well ... it was uneven at best. Some sections were less than 1/4" and some with about 1" (behind my left ear). The trimmer needed a recharge so I took a shower before I tried again. Christine took a look at my hair and told me where it was cut uneven. I went back to the basement for more trimming. This time I got it all. Christine gave me a neck trim with a razor. Then it was time for another shower. I think I will hug my barber at Sport Clips whenever I see her next for a proper haircut.
Christine and I didn't sleep well. A car alarm in the parking lot outside our townhouse went off multiple times last night. I remember getting up at 4:12 AM to check what car it was. I thought I would get up and get a run in if I couldn't get back to sleep. Well .. I did get back to sleep but I did invent a dream that had a car alarm in it ... lol! I did wake up on my side with my arm over my ear.
I wanted to get out for a run after my work-from-home day but I got back from grocery shopping after 5 PM and just decided to bag it to cook supper in the Instant Pot.
I got out for a run even though I didn't really feel like it. The result was a run ... but just that. I felt a bit off, a bit tired. I decided on the Around the block route for a change of pace. I did stop and took a couple of pictures. My splits were: 8:46, 8:17, 8:28, 8:20, 8:44 and 8:47.
A couple geese and 11(?) gooslings at the pond by the LOSP trail and Island Cottage
A sign of the COVID-19 times by the Original Charbroil Restaurant on Island Cottage
I continued to feel off the rest of the day. Christine is still feeling weak and I get lonely trying to stay safe at home. The news is that COVID-19 is going to be with us for a long time to come. Over 1 million people have it in the US and over 58,000 have died. I worry that as some states begin to open up that there will be more cases, more deaths and more lock downs. Trump (or 45 or dumbass) will continue to not take responsibility, blame the governors and try to skate his way to re-election in November. Remember ... VOTE BLUE ... the life you save may be your own!
I got up and got out early for my Out on the pier route. I was back by 7:30 AM in plenty of time to clock in for my Ricoh work-from-home day at 8 AM. I felt better this morning and it showed in my pace. Lake Ontario was very calm. It was a bit windy and thus chilly for shorts so I may have run a bit faster just to keep warm. My splits were: 8:34, 8:26, 8:17, 8:15, 8:13 and 7:58. Wow! A negative split run without even knowing it!
I had signed up for an Un-Cancelled Running Project 10K from www.runtheedge.com the night before so I got up and got out. It was warm so I wore shorts and a long sleeve tech with no hat and no gloves. It had just started to lightly spit rain when I started. Well ... the rain continued and progressed to a light rain before I got done. So ... I was damp but not drenched when I got done just before 8 AM. No worries though. My splits were: 8:30, 8:17, 8:08, 8:30, 8:39, 8:31 and 8:25 over the last 0.25 mile. I was glad that I got my run in before work because it rained the rest of the day until just before nightfall.
It's the end of April ... so it's stat time!
I ran 18 times for 108.35 miles, 6.02 miles/run, in April (2nd month in a row over 100 miles)
I ran 2 virtual races in April:
4/4 - COVID-19 19K (for FF, Medved, RRC), 1:40:37, 11.79 miles, 8:32 pace
4/18 - Spring Clean Half, 1:55:36, 13.15 miles, 8:47 pace
I have run 71 times for 364.17 miles, 5.13 miles/run, so far in 2020.
230,934 steps during April and 1,007,198 steps so far in 2020
I took a rest day after running 3 days in row. Just your typical work-from-home work. I went in to look after my Ricoh printers three times during the week.
Today was my FLRC COVID-19 19K run. I got up, puttered a bit and got out. I chose an out and back 11.78 miles. I set up an easy pace. I gulped a few mouthfuls of Hammer Gel at the turn. I slowed down on the way back and took several tiny stops to catch my breath but I got it done.
A magnolia on Edgemere Drive
My splits were: 8:46, 8:37, 8:37, 8:38, 8:43, 8:31, 8:31, 8:40, 8:58, 8:49, 9:11 and 9:32 over the last 0.78 mile. I really did slow down after mile 9. I was tired the rest of the day and moaned when I moved for most of the afternoon. The joys of running ... I love when I run (mostly) ... but sometimes (OK, most of the time) I ache afterward.
I made it back out to pick up our supper at Little Caesar's. I ordered a his and hers pizza. My side was pepperoni, sausage and bacon. Christine's side was peppers, olives, onion, pineapple. I used their touchless Pizza Portal pickup and opened its door with my phone ... germ free!
I ran 4 times for 20.5 miles this week.
I took 49,271 steps this week according to my Garmin Vivoactive HR (VA-HR) smartwatch.
My VA-HR gives me steps, heart rate, hours slept and floors climbed (take those last 2 data points with a grain of salt).
My Withings WS-50 Smart Body Analyzer scale gives my weight.
UPDATE: My darling wife, Christine, is in her 3rd week of a suspected COVID-19 illness (or the flu ... who knows). Her symptoms have been mild thankfully. She had a low grade fever that spiked to 103.8 on Monday night, March 30th, She called URMC on Tuesday, March 31st, and was told to self-quarantine. I got her Tylenol which lowered her fever during the rest of that week. She has had a bit of trouble breathing from time to time but it had been taken care of with an inhaler. She is slowly starting to feel better. She has an appetite for soup, toasted cheese sandwiches and whatever I can cook with the Instant Pot. We don' know how she got it since she had not been out for 2 weeks. I probably brought it home. I am asymptomatic as of right now. I take care of her while I work from home for Ricoh taking care of the L3Harris printers.
The sunshine called me outside before 8 AM. My legs felt like crap so I put up a very sluggish pace and got it done. There was a stiff SW wind when I turned to come back from the end of the pier ... wasn't a fan. Not the best run ... but any run is a good run I guess. My splits were: 9:19, 9:07, 9:10, 9:08, 9:34 and 9:02 over the last 0.35 mile.
I did 4 loads of laundry before we had leftover ribs ... mmm!
The COVID-19 website that I follow, https://ncov2019.live/data, is updating again. Worldwide - 2,404,077 cases (up 85,680), 164,740 deaths (up 5,134); Europe - 872,831 cases (up 26,215), 64,545 (up 1,773), US - 759,134 cases (up 8,071), 40,265 deaths (up 375); NY - 241,712 cases, 17,671 deaths; Monroe County - 1, 016 cases, 71 deaths.
I went in to look at my Ricoh printers at the SAS side of L3Harris today. I try to do it on Mondays and Thursdays. A Security guy at L3Harris gave me a cloth mask. It fits a lot better than the dusk mask that Ricoh has give me (so far). Ricoh is in the process of sending 2 masks to every employee but so far they haven't arrived.
I washed all our sheets and blankets today. It took 5 loads: my sheets, mattress pads, Christine's sheets and 2 loads of blankets and pillow shams.
COVID-19 news: Worldwide - 2,489,144 cases, 170,850, Europe - 896,617 cases, 66,569 deaths; US - 793,505 cases, 42,604 deaths; NY - 253,060 cases, 18,929 deaths; Monroe County - 1035 cases, 81 deaths (up 10).
It's all kind of stupid to have "LIBERATE" protests to open up the economy when people are still dying. There was one held in Buffalo NY today. There is a rumor that one might be held in Rochester this week. Wow! Stay the fuck home as much as possible, save lives!
I could have ran today but there was a cold wind blowing so I let it talk me out of a run. Besides ... I wanted to watch Battlestar Galactica ... Stay In, Geek Out!
Oh ... I got a new personal cell today. I decided that my old Samsung Galaxy S5 needed to be retired. I decided to use my Verizon upgrade on a Samsung Galaxy A51 (which just came out 2 weeks ago). I used Samsung Smart Switch to transfer my data. Then I activated the new cell and made sure all my apps worked. It was a bit harder because I had to dig out all my passwords but I do try to keep them all in an app called Password Safe on my personal laptop. It took a while but it wasn't too difficult.
My darling wife, Christine, got up to go to the bathroom ... and yelled "It snowed"! So ... I knew that I had to go out and play ... err ... run in it before it disappeared. So ... I got dressed in my usual winter running gear: CW-X tights, Darn Tough socks, long sleeve tech, Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover, Brooks beanie and heavy running gloves. I do tend to wear the same gear in the winter and early spring ... I know what works. So ... I got outside and noticed all the ice or sleet on the parking lot and sidewalk. I was so concerned with that (and feeling the cold wind) as I started up that I totally forgot to turn on my Garmin. I was concentrating on not falling for 95% of the run. The road shoulders were icy, the sidewalks were icy. My Brooks Adrenaline GTS19 shoes weren't much help.
The view outside the townhouse
The view on the Secret Sidewalk
The view from Ontario Beach Park. That is not white sand on the concrete but 1/2 inch of ice/sleet.
Mother Nature on Wednesday morning
I had to run flat footed because my feet slipped if I pushed off. I remembered to turn on my Garmin about halfway into the run. There were 1 to 2 foot waves crashing into the pier so I didn't go out on the pier. There were actually some people out for walks on a cold Wednesday morning. I cut the run short by heading through the hole in the fence on the LOSP trail. I was glad I went out. I bet Christine thought I was crazy ... I have done some stupid running stuff over the years, lol!
I could tell that I wouldn't get a chance to run after work so I run during lunch. I only get 1 hour so I chose my Out on the pier route. It was cold (like usual) so I wore my usual winter running gear (which I am SO getting tired of). I struck a nice pace and held it. There weren't too many people out. My splits were: 8:38, 8:41, 8:43, 8:32, 8:30 and 8:12 over the last 0.35 mile.
Just your usual work-from-home day. I had to go in (4 times this week) to look after the plotters and see if I had a shipment of face masks from Ricoh (I didn't). Christine came downstairs to make supper (tuna and tator tots) but got tired and went back upstairs. I took it out off the oven, plated it and her supper up to her. I stayed downstairs and watched more Battlestar Galactica episodes off of the DVR
I woke up with the sun ... but went back to sleep. I finally got out though. It was a bit warmer so I wore shorts, a long sleeve tech, neck gaiter, light running gloves and a Mind the Ducks hat. There weren't many people out so it was easy to maintain social distance. My splits were: 8:31, 8:31, 8:29, 8:41, 8:09 and 8:02 over the last 0.35 mile.
I cooked up hamburgers along with potato salad. The condiments were: mustard, ketchup, sweet relish and a tomato. Mmm! I am getting better at cooking but I have my up and down days.
I ran 4 times for 28.2 miles this week.
I took 55,038 steps this week according to my Garmin Vivoactive HR (VA-HR) smartwatch.
My VA-HR gives me steps, heart rate, hours slept and floors climbed (take those last 2 data points with a grain of salt).
My Withings WS-50 Smart Body Analyzer scale gives my weight.
UPDATE: My darling wife, Christine, is in her 2nd week of a suspected COVID-19 illness (or the flu, who knows). Her symptoms have been mild thankfully. She had a low grade fever that spiked to 103.8 on Monday night, March 30th, She called URMC on Tuesday, March 31st, and was told to self-quarantine. I got her Tylenol which lowered her fever during the rest of that week. She has had a bit of trouble breathing from time to time but it had been taken care of with an inhaler. She has been bedridden since. She has an appetite for soup, toasted cheese sandwiches and whatever I can cook with the Instant Pot. We don' know how she got it since she had not been out for 2 week. I probably brought it home. I am asymptomatic as of right now. I take care of her while I work from home for Ricoh taking care of the L3Harris printers.
Today was Easter. I felt a bit weak and tired all day so I just stayed in. Christine stepped in and did the cooking. She used the Instant Pot to slow cook a beef roast along with pasta. She does have more skills in the kitchen than I. She also baked 4 loaves of raisin bread. It did tucker her out. Anyway ... all this cooking did make a LOT of dishes. It ended up being 2 dishwasher loads plus washing the pots the next day.
COVID-19 news ... Worldwide - 1,853,752 cases, 72,147 deaths (up 114,195); Europe - 860,971 cases (up 25,672), 76,544 deaths (up 3114); US - 560,246 cases (up 27,367), 22,101 deaths (up 1,524); NY - 189,415 cases (up 27,367), 22,101 deaths (up 758); Monroe County - 768 cases, 50 deaths (up 1).
Meanwhile ... Christine's oldest brother, Bill, emailed a picture of their Easter dinner from Ravenna OH, a small town about 40 miles southeast of Cleveland. They were definitely not socially distant ... 3 generations with her brother Bill and wife Pattie, their 3 kids and multiple grandchildren. Here ... Christine is terrified and I am concerned about going out into public places. Just hunkered down in Rochester NY.
I was up early and felt a bit better so I got up, got dressed and out the door. It was warm and a bit windy so I wore shorts, a long sleeve tech and light running gloves. The forecast was for a strong cold front to move through in the afternoon and I wanted to get a run in and done. I set up a sluggish pace and got it done. There was hardly anyone out. My splits were: 9:14, 8:58, 9:06, 8:51, 8:51 and 8:42 over the last 0.35 mile.
Working from home ... a real short commute for sure! I did have to go into work in the afternoon to look after the L3Harris printers that are non-networked or on a secure network. I can't monitor all the Ricoh printers remotely.
COVID-19 news ... Worldwide - 1,926,860 cases (up 71,785), 119,678 deaths (up 5,415); Europe - 884,402 cases (up 23,330), 79,748 deaths (up 3,200); US - 586,813 cases (up 26,513), 23,697 deaths (up 1,514); NY - 195,655 case (up 6,387), 10,251 deaths (up 685), Monroe County - 791 case, 50 deaths
Trump had another off-the-rails COVID-19 press briefing ... what else is new? He asserted that he has "total authority", told a female reporter (Paula Reid of CBS News) that "you're so disgraceful", played a campaign style video that praised his handling of the pandemic and said "everything that we did was right", link here. I don't think Trump read the US Constitution. We do have a Constitution specifically the 10th amendment "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited y to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people". NY Governor Cuomo said on CNN that night, "The President doesn't have total authority. We don't have a king." Cuomo's daily press briefing are "must see" TV in these troubled times. Yet a lot of Republican upstate NYers hate him ... I guess you can figure out my view. I am so looking forward to VOTING BLUE all the way up and down the ticket on 11/3/2020! Tuesday, 4/14/2020: 1425 steps, 47/105 resting/peak HR, 9:00 hrs sleep, 172.9 lbs, 8 floors climbed Your typical work-from-home day for Ricoh ... if there is such a thing. I took care of Christine and monitored the Ricoh printers at L3Harris remotely. Her back hurt during the night and she feels "blah". COVID-19 news ... Worldwide - 1,993,727 cases (up 67,713), 126,167 deaths (up 6,658); Europe - 909,759 cases (up 25,693), 83,293 deaths (up 3,676); US - 609,614 cases (up 22,673), 25,794 deaths (up 2,154); NY - 202,208 cases (up 7,127), 10,834 (up 778); Monroe County - 834 cases (up 43), 56 deaths (up 6) Here is a CNN Politics opinion article about Trump's presser yesterday entitled "Trump rages at criticism while governors craft their own plans to reopen the economy", link here. Trump will want to open up the economy and blame the governors (some will and some won't). A total shit show for the entire spring, summer and fall heading into the 11/3/2020 election. Wednesday, 4/15/2020 9784 steps, 52/140 resting/peak HR, 8:46 hrs sleep, 172.1 lbs, 21 floors climbed run: 5.35 miles, 45:23, 8:29 pace, 131 feet elevation gain, 135 avg HR, 162 avg cadence, 40F, 47% RH, 21 mph W wind, wind chill 30F, overcast Another work-from-home day for Ricoh. I took care of Christine while I monitored printers. I mixed it up a bit by taking a lunch time run. It was cold again so I wore my CW-X tights, Brooks 1/4 zip, Brooks beanie and heavy running gloves. April weather can be so changeable. I only had a hour so I chose my Out on the pier route. I got my feet wet on the pier which slowed me down a bit. I was also running into the wind on the way back from the pier. I had to run in the road for a bit on Greenleaf Rd when I passed 3 walkers ... gotta maintain social distance you know.
NY Governor Cuomo signed an executive order advising essential workers to wear masks by 8 PM today. He also signed another one for the general public to wear masks or cover your face with a bandanna when less than 6 feet away. I have already seen Facebook posts about people upset that upstate NY is not NYC or about Cuomo overstepping his authority ... wow.
I was up early so ... I got dressed and out there for a run before work started at 8 AM. I read in NY Times that Florida was having record warmth for March (2nd warmest) and most of April. It was 80F down in Miami at 8 AM ... meanwhile it was 24F outside when I got out for my short Out by the pier run at 7 AM. It was quiet and I easily avoided any walkers and runners. I brought my buff which did double duty as a neck warmer and face covering whenever I got near anyone. I set up a steady pace. Boom ... done. My splits were: 8:38, 8:25, 8:17, 8:28 and 8:09 over the last 0.35 mile.
I worked from home in the morning with 2 meetings via Skype. I went in for a bit to look at the Epson plotters. Their printheads need to be tested and cleaned (if necessary) about every 3 to 4 days. I did a bit of grocery shopping at BJs. I like shopping there because the aisles are wide which helps with social distancing but the selection sometimes is not the best.
COVID-19 news ... Worldwide - 2,178,149 cases (up 91,817), 145,329 deaths (up 6,855); Europe - 1,007,797 cases (up 44,062), 92,048 deaths (up 3,896); US - 675,640 cases (up 27,637), 34,522 deaths (up 2,079); NY - 226,198 cases (up 7,636), 16,106 deaths (up 606), Monroe County - 932 cases, 62 deaths
The last day of a work-from-home week ... just monitored remotely. No worries. I didn't cook ... we had shrimp with cocktail sauce. Easy-peasy.
No COVID-19 news tonight ... the COVID-19 website, https://ncov2019.live/data, was not updated. I did learn the highest number of people in the US died of COVID-19 on Friday, 4591. The previous high was 2 days ago, 2565. Friday was also the day that Trump told the governors that "you are going to call your own shots" as to opening their economies. Then he also tweeted "LIBERATE MICHIGAN", "LIBERATE MINNESOTA" and "LIBERATE VIRGINIA, and save your great 2nd amendment. It's under siege!" These 3 states have Democratic governors that coincidentally are states that Trump needs to win to get re-elected. Coincidence? I just know that I will VOTE BLUE!
Saturday, 4/18/2020
21202 steps, 54/137resting/peak HR, 8:02 hrs sleep, 173.5 lbs, 5 floors climbed
run: 13.15 miles, 1:55:36, 8:47 pace, 200 feet elevation gain, 132 avg HR, 163 avg cadence, 34F at the start, 40F at the end, 8 mph N wind, wind chill 29F at the start and 35F at the end, sunny
I was up a bit early and tried to get back to sleep but I dozed off and on until 6:45 AM. I puttered around a bit before I got out. My plan was to run the Fleet Feet Spring Clean Half virtual run. It took me a bit because my over-the-ear earpiece died and I had to find a backup pair of wired earphones. I used to run without music for years but I have run with music for at least 2 years now. It was 34F so I wore my CW-X tights, short sleeve tech, Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover, Brooks beanie and heavy running gloves. It was cloudy at first but turned sunny later. I set up a "get it done" pace. The first 8 miles just clicked off. I stopped at 6.65 miles, had 2 gulps of Hammer Gel and took off my Brook 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover since I was a bit warm. The next 5 miles were a bit more of a struggle but I got it done. I was more than happy to stop when I got to 13.15 miles, trust me. My splits were: 8:30, 8:32, 8:32, 8:46, 8:49, 8:31, 8:42, 8:38, 8:55 , 9:43, 8:36, 8:53, 9:09 and 8:31 over the 0.15 mile.
Virtually ... I did OK. Virtually ... I was 30th out of 110, link here and 1st out ot 3 in my M 60-64 age group, link here. There were 265 finishers in the Virtual Clean 5K, link here. There were 142 finishers in the Virtual Clean 10K, link here.
My darling wife, Christine, is starting to feel a bit better. She came downstairs to start cooking the ribs that I had bought at BJs earlier in the week. I watched her and it did seem pretty easy. Well ... they certainly tasted great along with a baked potato when I pulled them out three hours later. We had apple pie with ice cream for dessert!
