Sunday, 9/10/2017 to Saturday, 9/16/2017

I ran 4 times this week, 40.0 miles.
I took 90,009 steps during the week according to my Pebble 2 HR smart watch.

Sunday, 9/10/2017: 29066 steps during the day, 19.35 miles, 2:57:18, 54F, 88% RH, 4 mph SW wind, sunny

I wanted to try another 20 mile run so I set my alarm for 6:45 AM. I tried to talk myself out of it but I had my pre-run bowl of cereal and banana, dressed (shorts and an orange Charlie's Old Goat Run short sleeve tech, filled my Hammer Gel flask with (what else?) Hammer Gel, filled 2 20 ounce water bottles, put Body Glide on my nipples and groin (I know TMI), forgot to put on sunscreen and got outside before I could change my mind.



I fired off an eCrumb so my wife (still asleep) and kids (probably still asleep) could track me, fired up my TuneIn Radio app and headed out. My plan was to try my LOSP trail, Island Cottage and Janes route to see if a third 20 mile run attempt was the charm. I stashed one of my 20 ounce water bottles at the intersection of the LOSP trail and Island Cottage as I passed by. The first 10 miles went pretty smoothly, I took a couple squirts of water every 2 miles plus a swig of Hammer Gel at miles 6 and 10. I had set up a nice and steady pace. I think it was initially around 8:30 or so but did slow to around 9:00. Anytime I felt the urge to speed up I ignored it. I refilled my 20 ounce water bottle at mile 10. Just once more up and down Island Cottage,  then up and down Janes, and then back on the LOSP trail ... piece of cake, right?. Well, no ... my right hip pain started to ease its way into my head around mile 11. I tried to ignore it ... one foot in front of the other. I took Hammer Gel at mile 14 and kept on hydrating every 2 miles. It was a bit too painful to ignore by mile 18 ... plus I could tell that my left nipple was starting to bleed (joy). I did fall to a painful run/walk and gave it all I had. My splits were: 8:21, 8:18, 8:45, 8:29, 8:30, 8:24, 8:41, 8:53, 8:56, 9:53, 9:01, 9:04, 9:06, 8:54, 9:30, 8:59, 10:05, 10:44, 11:27 and 9:19 over the last 0.35 mile.

I tried to think of all the other athletes out there today. I knew about the Erie Marathon out in Erie PA, the Finger Lakes Tri down in Canandaigua and the Iron Man Lake Placid out in Lake Placid. Another guy was running the Crescent Trail out towards Victor from end to end and back for 36 miles. We all do what we can ... when we can.

I have given my left ankle some thought. It has been bothering me for months now but it has slowly got worse. It aches when I walk now most of the time ... not a sharp ache but rather a dull ache. It does loosen up the more I walk on it but it's stiff initially. I can run on it but I think it eventually throws off my gait and causes my right hip pain. I will not go to the doctor unless I absolutely have to so I am going to try some OTC medicine. I ordered a bottle of Hammer Nutrition Tissue Rejuvenator. It's basically designed for joint health. The 196(!) reviews are positive. I have taken something like this in the past from BJs, the usual glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM sort of tablets, but I stopped taking it several months ago. I will ramp up to the full dosage and not try to extend its life like I usually try to do. I need to have a healthy left ankle if I am to do well at the Empire State Marathon in 4 weeks.

I went downstairs and stripped right in front of the washer when I got home. I knew the drill ... spray liberal amounts of Oxi Clean Max Force on the blood of my tech shirt and then wash a couple of days later. I know my left nipple would have smarted if I took a shower right away ... so I didn't. UPDATE: It came clean.

Anyway ... I had my usual mug of coffee and 2 donuts (for nutrition, lol) as I sat down to watch the Jets play the Bills. It was the first game of the NFL season. I've been a downtrodden Bills for a long time and the glory days of Jim Kelly, Andre Reed and Thurman Thomas of the early 90s were a long time ago. But ... the Bills did win 21-12, links here and here.  Yes, the Bills are in first place in the AFC East since the New England Patriots lost on Thursday night 42-27 and the Miami Dolphins didn't play because of Hurricane Irma. The Bills ALWAYS have a hot September ... lol! Then reality sets in ...

Monday, 9/11/2017: 6938 steps during the day, rest day.

I watched Part 2 of the first night of the American Ninja Warrior (ANW) finals out in Las Vegas. Jesse Graff didn't make it, link here! She was almost all the way to end and couldn't catch the cargo net to climb up the hit the buzzer! I do love watching ANW! I wish I had the willpower to work on strength training ... though my 60th birthday is coming up and I could make a resolution. Hmm ...

Tuesday, 9/12/2017: 16865 steps during the day, 9.75 miles, 1:20:17, 8:14 pace, 73F, 57% RH, 7 mph NE wind, partly cloudy.


Yes, my left ankle was a wee bit cranky but it was Tuesday so I had my running gear in the Cruze. I had a choice ... either run my regular 7.55 mile route from Greece Arcadia High School or run my Bridges route from Herrema's. I didn't want to run the slightly longer Bridges route from Maplewood Drive (more driving). I hadn't run the Bridge route and the Rochester Half is only 5 days away so ... I drove to Herrema's. I took a swig of water, geared up and headed out. The Thomas Ave hill was a good wake up for my left ankle and legs but I powered up it and settled in. I don't like to do nice and easy so I didn't. I let the legs run on the second half as I ran down Lake Ave and the Genesee River Trail through Turning Point Park, link here. My splits were: 8:47, 8:02, 8:10, 8:22, 8:34, 8:05, 8:06, 7:58, 8:24 and 7:44 over the last 0.75 mile. I hydrated like usual every 2 miles. Boom. Done. I was drenched with sweat when I got done ... it felt good.

Wednesday, 9/13/2017: 4289 steps during the day, rest day.

My darling wife, Christine, called me up during the day and asked what I wanted her to make for supper. I had an one word reply ... "Ribs". Yeah, baby! I knew we had a package of Lloyd's Ribs in the refrigerator. Mmm!

Thursday, 9/14/2017: 18159 steps during the day, 9.75 miles, 1:20:01, 8:13 pace, 79F,



I had my running gear in the Cruze so ... where to go after work? I decided to not play it safe and do the 7.55 mile flat IC & Janes route out in Greece but to revisit the 9.75 mile Tuesday's bridges from Herrema's route. You gotta practice the Rochester Half route if you want to do well. I tried to go slow but ended up at my usual not so slow and steady pace. My splits were: 8:40, 7:48, 8:10, 8:03, 8:24, 8:19, 8:14, 7:49, 8:35, 8:00 over the last 0.75 mile. I was dripping with sweat after I got done. I had forgotten to put on Body Glide but didn't have an issue with my nipples ... this time.

Friday, 9/15/2017: 8009 steps during the day, rest day.

I picked up my bib and Rochester Half short sleeve tech shirt at Fleet Feet Armory. I looked through most of the deals at the Rochester Marathon Expo. I decided on 4 Belega Enduro socks (Buy 4 get 1 Free ... the cashier screwed this up so I will have to go back), a Nathan Zipster (10% off) and a red Rochester Marathon short sleeve tech shirt for $5.

Then it was off to BJ's after work and got plenty use of my coupon book. I bought 10 items and 8 of them with coupons. I saved $13.74 ... nice!

Saturday, 9/16/2017: 60th birthday, 6683 steps during the day, 3.15 miles, 26:47, 8:30 pace, 72F, 73% RH, 4 mph SSW wind, sunny.


The Nathan Zipster has 4 pockets and comes in sizes S, M, L and XL. I tried my L on and it felt a bit loose. I normally don't run the day before a race but I felt a little shakeout run with the Zipster was warranted. So I went for a short and easy run to find out. I guess I will be exchanging the L for a M. Anyway ... my splits were: 8:25, 8:26, 8:34, and 8:54 over the last 0.15 mile.

Yes, today was my sixtieth birthday. I could go into a chronology of my life to present but that would be boring. Suffice to say ... I've done stuff. Some of it was smart, some of it was so so ... some of it was stupid. I prefer to look forward and not backward. You can't change the past ... just learn from it and strive to not make the same mistake twice and do better. One of the best decisions I have made was to start running back in 2005. I have been keeping a running spreadsheet since 9/14/2006. I have run 2167 times (1512 - road, 641 - trail and 14 - snow shoe) for 13459 miles. run 424 races (237 road, 184, 3 Du) and gone through 20 pairs of running shoes. So ... I have aged up from the M 45-49 when I started, to the M 50-54, to the M 55-59 and now to the M 60-64 age group. I'm still running so let's see what I can do in the M 60-64 age group. Let's hope I can slow slower than I get older ... lol!

Presents? My boss at Ricoh gave me a cake. My darling wife, Christine, gave me three presents: a small gear bag (supposedly for my clothes when I need it but I'll put towels in it), a rechargeable hand warmer and a dry bag/phone holder (I don't know how I will use it yet). Then ... she made Lloyd's ribs along with mac'n'cheese for supper ... mmm!

I gave Christine the morning off tomorrow. I will run the point-to-point Rochester Half solo tomorrow morning. I'll drive to the finish at Frontier Field first and catch a bus to the start at the tennis courts on Maplewood Drive so she can stay home and sleep ... zzz. So ... my alarm was set for 4:55 AM.