Hi All,

Sunday, 3/25 - Saturday, 3/31: 24.3 miles
Month of March: 86.7 miles, I ran 17 out of 31 days

I ran about 9 miles on Sunday around Newark. I finished by going down the Route 88 south hill then back towards home. I carried water and I did have to stop four times. But a good first long run.

I ran 5 miles during lunch on Tuesday and Thursday at work. The big difference was the temperature. It was 60F on Tuesday and I had no endurance, stopping six times. It was 40F on Thursday and I didn't stop once. I think the difference was that I sweat a whole lot more when it's hotter. So I will have to remember to tank up with water before, during and after a warm or hot run. I have gotten used to running during the cold weather when that is not so important.

I cross-trained by taking a 2 mile walk during lunch. I ran the 4.3 mile Happy Hour Run at Fleet Feet on Monroe Ave in Rochester when I picked up my packet for the Spring Forward 15K on Sunday. I ran with the lead pack then broke away when I turned the corner onto Monroe Ave. I think I ran around 31 minutes which is around a 7:20 mile pace. Not bad for a fun run.

I am not running today, resting up for the 15K on Sunday. I want to run 8 minute miles to finish under 75 minutes but the course down at Mendon Ponds is hilly so we will see. The temperature should be relatively cool so that is good.

Keep running, Doug

Hi All,

Sunday, 3/18 to Saturday, 3/24: 14 miles

I only ran three times this week, all up at work during lunch. Monday, 4.6 miles, a zoo run on the streets. Wednesday, 4.4 miles, a zoo run on the trail. Friday, 5 miles, a zoo run to the bottom of the hill. The snow has almost all melted! I didn't run on Saturday to rest up for a long run on Sunday. The Spring Forward 15K is coming up on April 1st!

Lots of other stuff happened this week. My father entered the Wayne County Nursing Home in Lyons on Thursday. Hopefully he will respond well to therapy and come back home before summer.

My last dance class was Tuesday. Now I need to find someone to practice my limited dance knowledge with ... if I can.

I attended an 80th birthday party for my Aunt Eleanor on Saturday night. It was nice to get out of blue jeans for once! It was also nice seeing some of my late mother's relatives that I haven't seen for a while. I told enough people that I will be running the Rochester Marathon on my 50th birthday on September 16th that I have to do it. I will sign up soon.

Keep running, Doug

Donate Blood!

Hi all,

I donated blood for the 58th time on Tuesday. My blood pressure was 108/80, my pulse was 50. Only 4% of eligible people donate blood from what I read. It really doesn't hurt except for the needle stick plus you get cookies and juice at the end! Plus sometimes you get stuff ... this time I got a free ticket to a Rochester Knighthawks game during March and April!

So go to http://www.donatebloodnow.org and schedule your blood draw today!

Keep running, Doug

Happy St. Patrick's Day, 2007!

Hi all,

Sunday 3/10 - Saturday 3/17, 19.3 miles.

Rochester weather went from one extreme to another this week. Sunday was around freezing with a 5.3 mile run on the short usual route around my house. Tuesday was around 55F with a 4.6 mile run out to Rochester zoo on the streets since the trail run was still icy. Thursday was around 40F with a run out to the Rochester zoo on the trail, the snow was practically all melted due to the warm weather. Then Friday night and all of Saturday it snowed about 8 inches of the wet, heavy snow that March can bring.

But now the good part. I ran the Johnny Runnin' of the Green 5 mile up in Rochester along with 760 runners crazy enough to run in 20F, snowy weather on St. Patrick's Day. I didn't rabbit and ran a nice 7:38 first mile. I could have sworn that I slowed down after that but when I turned the last corner and got close enough I was amazed to see I was going to beat my PR of 38 minutes. I crossed the line at 37:34 in a 7:31 mile pace ... bettering my PR by 26 seconds! I seem to set all my PRs in cold weather ... maybe I just want to get in out of the cold!

The race results are at: http://grtconline.org/2007Results/JOHNNYGREENORD.HTML

I am the third runner (with the green sweatshirt tied around the neck) in the picture just crossing the line.

I placed 169th out of 760. There was other people that I knew that ran, though I didn't see them: Mike, Eileen and Sara. I stayed for a while to sample some of the usual beverages consumed on St. Patrick's Day and to watch some of the parade. I got more exercise when I got home shoveling the six inches of snow that was in my driveway to greet me. Then more fell after I got done. The snow won't last. The forecast is for 50s and 60s by the end of the week.

I will really need my running in the future to deal with the mounting pressures in my life: work, trying to get divorced, my father in the hospital and other things. It would be nice if someone special could share my PRs. Running helps ... I enjoy it and it's good for me, though while I am doing it I have my doubts!

Keep running, Doug

Hi All,

Sunday 3/4 - Saturday 3/10: 19 miles.

The cold weather did indeed come on Monday with bone chilling cold and wind and Tuesday. I had to cancel out on going down to Ithaca College to see my son's concert on Monday night. It was just too dangerous. It has warmed up. This afternoon it was 40F. I think spring is just around the corner.

I ran 4 miles on the treadmill on Sunday,Thursday and Friday. The treadmill needs some work. It slipped a lot, especially on Friday. I think I have a lot of time to fix it since the weather has turned for the better.

I ran about 7 miles on Saturday morning, adding on some mileage to my regular route. I think that running just 14 hours after running on the treadmill did affect my performance, I had to stop and walk four times. Also I think my mind was playing tricks on me. I was running a new route so I didn't know the mileage.

Keep running, Doug

P.S. The Runnin' of the Green 5 mile is coming up on St. Patrick's Day!

Hi All,

Sunday, 2/25 - Saturday 3/3: 29.1 miles. February: 83.3 miles, I ran 19 out of 28 days.

The weather broke a little bit this week ... it got above freezing for a couple of days. So I ran outside 4 out of 5 days. I ran 5.3 on Sunday, 6.3 on Wednesday and 5.3 on Friday out at home and 4.6 on Thursday at work. I ran 4 miles on the treadmill on Monday.

The weather is turning back towards winter plus real life is intruding so my mileage will be down next week.

Keep running, Doug