Hi All,

Sunday, May 25th to Saturday, May 31st: 11.1 miles

I only ran once this week. I wanted to rest my right hamstring. I thought of running on Thursday night but I was dog tired and went to bed early ... gasp!

Saturday, 70F, humid, 11.1 miles, 89:56, 8:06 pace, slow and steady, 1 stop, no hamstring pain!

I was in some pain after my run. My left knee and hips were sore when I walked down to the post office to get my father's mail.

I did manage to get in some cross-training on Monday and Tuesday. Monday, I bicycled 15.3 miles, ~ 80:00, 5:14 pace, the canal trail out to Swifts Landing Park (almost all the way to Palmyra) and back. Tuesday, I tried to find out if the canal trip went east from Newark (it doesn't). You can see the canal trail map here. I could ride the canal trail all the way to Lockport if I wanted to but my butt would be awfully sore! I need to get a padded bicycle seat, I guess.

Karen is home from her Mayterm at Houghton College. She got an A in her math course ... she knuckled down and did well! Her mother's car needs another(!) fuel injector so she had to rent a van to go get her and her stuff.

Michael's girlfriend, Lisa, is visiting this weekend. I don't think she was impressed with my Saturday night supper of hamburgs ... considering that they had hamburgs for lunch. It could also be the bun ... there were four and the one she got had a spot of mold. Maybe I should have made spaghetti instead. I never said I was the world's greatest cook. I cook well enough to get by. I definitely could use some instruction. Oh well!

Keep running, Doug

Hi All,

Sunday, May 18th to Saturday, May 24th: 19.5 miles

I ran the usual three times last week:

Sun: 7 miles, 52:43, a little hard, 50F, cloudy, no stops, 7:32 pace
Tue: 7 miles, 51.55, hard, PR, 55F, sunny, calm, no stops, 7:25 pace, right handstring tight
Fri: 5.5 miles, 43:25, easy, 60F, sunny, calm, no stops, 7:54 pace, right handstring tight

My right hamstring has bothered me the past two times I have run. I am going to take it easy and do some bike riding on the Canal Trail for a week. I know that I need to rest it now before I hurt myself.

I have hit the online dating sites lately ... fitness-singles, singlesnet and plentyoffish. No dates yet. The type of woman that I am attracted is pretty, active, and slim (has to weigh less than I do) ... couch potatoes need not apply. Exercise is not a four letter word to her. However, it seems that the women are still in control. The ones who post pictures probably have lots of email and IMs. I am conversing with a woman down in DE from fitness-singles. She is a runner like me ... so she knows how crazed (in a good way I hope) I am!

My oldest son, Michael, got a 3.983 GPA for the spring semester at Ithaca College. He got all As except for an A- in a 1 credit course. He just started a summer job at Ultralife Batteries in Newark. Karen got 2 Bs and 2 B+s at Houghton College. She is down there taking a math course during their May-term. She is doing very well ... surprising herself. My youngest son, David, is doing well at his job at Wal-Mart.

I have decided to take down my 24 foot round pool in the backyard. I haven't opened it in going on three years ... ever since N and the two youngest kids moved out. I just didn't see the point. Any pool I ever have from now on will be a hot tub.

Keep running, Doug

Hi All,

Sunday, May 11th to May 17th: 20.2 miles

I ran the usual three times this week:

Sun: 7 miles, 53:12, 65F, sunny, no stops, 7:36 pace
Tue: 7 miles, 53:54, 70F, sunny, no stops, 7:42 pace
Fri: 6.2 miles, 44:04, 55F, cloudy, 2 stops, 7:06 pace

The runs were all different.

Sunday's run had a little extra. A blond walker passed when I was stretching after my run. I talked to a neighbor and he suggested that I run after her. So I did. I caught up to her after almost 2 miles. I walked with her for a while. She walks seven days a week, 27 miles total. I did find out that she is married but she is exactly the type of woman that I am looking for ... active and easy to talk to. Trying to meet someone is outside my comfort zone but I will try.

Tuesday's run was a tired run. I went out even though I was tired. My slower pace says it.

Friday's run was at the Williamson Appleblossom 10K ... race temp of 54F and cloudy. I forgot my Forerunner 305 and was a bit lost without it. I went out too fast with a 6:20 first mile. I passed all the water stops. I couldn't see all the mile markers so I was a bit nervous about my pace. Two people passed me on the run plus I walked a bit on two hills and two more youngsters passed me. I picked it back up and finished 9th overall (the joys of running a small local race). Results are here. I found out that I got first in my age group (50-59), then that I ran a PR (by 1:09) of 44:04, a pace of 7:06! Wow! Afterwards, I was quite tired, hungry and went to bed early at 10PM.

Today I was a bit sore but I am satisfied with the results of the week.

I did give my soon-to-be ex-wife, N, my signed divorce papers for her to give to her lawyer. Hopefully we will not have to go to court again. How long before it becomes official ... who knows? I am not the world's best dater and starting over at 50 will be a challenge but I will.

Keep running, Doug

Hi All,

Sunday, May 4th to Saturday, May 10th: 24 miles

I ran three times last week:

Mon: 7 miles, 52:11, 60F, cloudy, calm, no stops, 7:36 pace
Wed: 10 miles, 80:52, 70F, cloudy then misty rain, 1 stop, 8:05 pace
Fri: 7 miles, 53:54, 60F, cloudy, no stops, 7:27 pace, PR

I mixed up getting my car fixed with my run on Wednesday. I dropped my car off at RTR Enterprise in Palmyra for a right wheel bearing replacement and then ran the 10 miles home on the canal trial. Since it was warm, I carried water in my Camelbak Rogue.

N and I went down to Ithaca College to get Michael. We took separate cars and got down there at 10:30AM ... then had to wait while he packed. We didn't start back until around 2PM. I didn't do too much on Saturday night. I watched the Cavs beat the Celtics in Game 4 of the Eastern semifinals and the end of the Nascar race.

Keep running, Doug

Sunday, April 27th to Saturday, May 3rd: 21 miles

I ran 3 times this week:

Monday: 7 miles, 53:29, 65F, sunny, calm, no stops, 7:38 pace
Wednesday: 7 miles, 52:17, 50F, sunny, a little windy, no stops, 7:28 pace, PR
Saturday: 7 miles, 53:09, 60F, sunny, a little windy, no stops, 7:36 pace

I ran pretty hard on Wednesday and got a PR for my usual 7 mile route. I wanted to run longer on Saturday but just couldn't run any more after I hydrated at my house.

Oh, I got my new RoadID this week. I got the RoadID Interactive so I can keep my info current. I keep it in the back pocket of my running shorts that way I will always have it. Here is a RoadID coupon code worth $1 off any order of $10 or more: TAF5865, TAF5866 and TAF5867 (first come, first served).

Another Oh, I got an email that I have been rated a 8.0 out of 10 on www.blogged.com. You can read about it here.

I went down to Ithaca College on Friday to see Michael's last Wind Ensemble concert of this semester. I will have to head down to Houghton College tomorrow to pick up Karen since her mother's car is having troubles.

I took my youngest son, David, out to see Iron Man at the Newark Showplace 5. It was a good movie and it was good to get out for a change.

Keep running, Doug