Sunday, 3/16/2014 to Saturday, 3/22/2014

I ran 2 times this week, 20.6 miles.

Sunday, 3/16/2014: Rest day.

I had an appointment with Bill Beyerbach to run around the Bay at 8AM but I couldn't get out of bed. Bill ended up running the Spring Forward 15K course out in Mendon at 10AM instead. I just couldn't get motivated to go anything. My darling wife, Christine, and I just snuggled and stayed in the entire day.

Monday, 3/17/2014: Another rest day.

I really should have gone out but I just couldn't get my motivation again. Definitely tomorrow though.

Tuesday, 3/18/2014: 11.1 miles, 1:29:05, 8:02 pace, 46F, 34% RH, sunny, calm.

Garmin Connect Activity for 11.1 miles into the sunset of Irondequoit

I really, really needed to run. I had lots of mojo when I got home and almost lost it as I sat on the couch watching "Intelligience" off the DVR. But I did get up and out. I oscillated on what to wear. It was 46F but with a cold breeze. I started out wearing shorts but switched back to my usual CW-X tights. I also wore a yellow long sleeve tech and a vest. I wore a hat instead of a beanie which was the wrong move. But I went out long anyway. I struck up a good pace and enjoyed the run. My splits were: 7:49, 7:59, 7:59, 7:48, 8:20, 7:54, 8:05, 8:06, 8:06, 8:03 and 8:09.

Wednesday, 3/19/2014: Rest day, nothing special.

Thursday, 3/20/2014: Crappy day.

I took our 2000 Chevy Cavalier to Bob Johnson Chevy to get its Check Engine (on for over a year) and its ABS (on for a month) lights checked out. I rented a sweet Chevy Cruze with 2212 miles on it to use during the day. I joked with the rental agent that I wished my old car would morph into this one.

Sweet ride for 9 hours!

Later I got the bad news. The Check Engine light was due to a "gross" vapor leak in the filler tube to the gas tank along with a gas cap. Fixing that would cost $381 plus tax. However, there might more leaks once that was fixed. The ABS light was due to two rear wheel hubs. Replacing them would cost $641 plus tax. Ouch! I know a guy who could do the work for about $200 outside his garage but even he suggested that fixing it may open a bag of worms just to get the car so it passed inspection by the end of March.. Plus I had an appointment with Fetzer Collision to get the right rear taillight fixed. So all this would cost at least $1000 at the very cheapest or $2000 through the most expensive plus probably more. So we decided to just pay the diagnostic fees and pick up the car and use that money elsewhere. So ... we have until the end of March to get another car. Joy ... not!

This is a big thing for me since I have been known to keep a car way, way past the time it would have been best to get rid of it. I put thousands of dollars into my last car, a Grand Am, trying to keep it on the road. I got rid it only when the transmission was reluctant to engage when turning left in the winter.

Friday, 3/21/2014: 9.5 miles, 1:15:37, 7:58 pace, 37F, 52% RH, dusk, calm.

Garmin Connect Activity for 9.5 miles on the usual route in Irondequoit

I got out a bit late but I did get out. I struck up a nice and easy 8:00 pace on my usual 10K route. I felt a nagging pain in my thighs at mile 5 but I didn't make the turn onto Seneca Ave and continued onward for another 3 miles. My splits were: 8:05, 8:00, 7:55, 7:56, 7:40, 7:54, 7:55, 8:06, 8:02 and 8:01 over the last 0.5 mile. I used my roller as soon as I got back. My wife, Christine, laughed when I groaned in ecstasy when I found the knot in my left thigh.

Saturday, 3/22/2014: Rest day.

Just a normal rest day. I watched the second half of the NCAA Tournament Round 2 game between Syracuse and Dayton (which beat OSU in Round 1). SU couldn't shot a three to save their lives (0-10) and lost 53-55, link here.