Sunday, 12/13/2020 to Saturday, 12/19/2020

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 walked once this week for 2.45 miles.

I ran 5 times this week for 22.08 miles
I biked 1 times this week for 13.34 miles.
I took 58,351 steps this week according to my Garmin Venu smartwatch.
My Venu 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/BIKING: My left knee has had issues with running. I can walk, bike ... and run. Let's say that I run ... carefully. I wear a Buff when I am out so I can slip it up when I approach someone. BTW, I am on a 172 day streak of either a walk, run or bike (as of Saturday night, 12/12).

Sunday, 12/13/2020

1107 steps, 46/105 resting/peak HR, (no sleep data since the Venu was charging downstairs), 173.9 lbs, 2 floors climbed

bike: 13.34 miles, 1:12:04, 11.1 avg mph, 20.4 max mph, 161 feet elevation gain, 93 avg HR, 113 max HR, 56 avg cadence, 86 max cadence, 37F, 13 to 25 SSW wind, wind chll 28F, overcast

Brr! I went out on another December bike ... and froze! I wore what I usually wear except for another pair of socks but the wind as I headed out seemed to just cut through me. The wind seemingly slowed me down to a crawl on the way out ... and I froze. It was a bit better as I headed back with a tailwind. It took me a couple of hours with my toes until the blankets to warm up. A hot shower might have helped but we got involved in watching "Olympus Has Fallen".

Later I watched most of the Steeler - Bills Sunday Night Football game. The Steelers came in 11-1 (lost last game) and the Bills came in 9-3. The Bills were favored by 2. Well .. the game started slowly with a 0-0 tie after the 1st quarter. The Steelers scored first and led 7-0. Then the Bills scored 23 straight points to lead 7-23. The Bills won 15-26, link here. The Bills QB, Josh Allen, went 24/43 for 238 yards with 2 TDs and 1 INT. Stefon Diggs (quickest to 100 receptions in the NFL) continued his tear with 10 receptions for 130 yards and 1 TD.

Monday, 12/14/2020

14964 steps, 41/139 resting/peak HR, 5:39 hrs sleep, 174.4lbs, 24 floors climbed

run: 6.67 miles, 57:25, 8:37 pace, 184 feet elevation gain, 132 avg HR, 146 max HR, 160 avg cadence, 1.16 meter avg stride, 35F, 83% RH, 7 mph W wind, cloudy

My latest week of Ricoh vacation was over so it was back to my before sunrise runs and bikes (if anymore in December). I ran my "A Dewey Ave loop" route. It was dark and it felt like I was running slower than I was. I remember looking down after mile 1 and thinking "I'm not running 8:32". I kept on running ... a metaphor for life perhaps. My splits were: 8:32,  8:32, 8:27, 8:25, 8:24, 8:36 and 9:32 over the last 0.67 mile. I forgot to turn off my Garmin while I was on my cool-down walk.

Tuesday, 12/15/2020

11681 steps, 42/151 resting/peak HR, 9:43 hrs sleep, 174.5 lbs, 14 floors climbed

run: 4.75 miles, 42:58, 9:02 pace, 115 feet elevation gain, 132 avg HR, 168 max HR, 161 avg cadence, 1.11 meter stride (shorter because of the snow), 27F, 83% RH, 6 to 29 mph W wind, wind chill 20F, overcast with light snow

I went to bed last night at 7 PM and was asleep by 8 PM. Why? Well ... I only got about 5 hours of sleep the night before and was really tired. So .. I got up at 5:30 AM and got out for a run. The temp was in the high 20s so I wore my CW-X tights, long sleeve tech, Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover, Brooks beanie and heavy running gloves. There was a light snow falling and it was accumulating so I took it nice and easy. The reflection of the snow was pretty in my headlamp. I chose my "Out to Stutson St Overlook" route and added a bit more to it. I tried to keep off the streets as much as I could ... no need to add a runner to the eyes of the before sunrise drivers. I didn't see a single soul out ... what's up with that? LOL! My splits were: 9:01, 8:53, 9:19, 8:56 and 9:01 over the last 0.75 mile.

 Wednesday, 12/16/2020

5769 steps, 43/133 resting/peak HR, 6:47 hrs sleep, 173.8 lbs, 12 floors climbed

run: 3.15 miles, 28:03, 8:54 pace, 102 feet elevation gain, 126 avg HR, 137 max HR, 159 avg cadence, 1.14 meter avg stride, 19F,58% RH, 6 to 20 mph SE wind, wind chill 11F, cloudy

It was cold so I broke out my Craft baselayer long sleeve and long sleeve tech along with my usual CW-X tights, balaclava and heavy running gloves. I set up a nice and steady pace. I have gotten used to not pushing. I want to continue to run ... I think pushing all the time injured me way back in June. I kept it short since it was my third run day in a row. I could feel the cold while I ran but the only parts that were really cold was my face and the area around my wrists that were uncovered. No worries ... just my "Out to Stutson St Overlook" route. My splits were: 8:58, 8:54, 8:49 and 8:51 over the last 0.15 mile.

Thursday, 12/17/2020

9633 steps, 42/123 resting/peak HR, 7:53 hrs sleep, 173.4 lbs, 24 floors climbed

walk: 2.45 miles, 36:19, 14:50 pace, 98 feet elevation gain, 108 avg HR, 126 max HR, 111 avg cadence, 22F, 99% RH, calm, cloudy

I walked today to rest my legs after 3 days of running. I chose my "Out to Stutson St Overlook" route to keep me off as many streets as possible since it had snowed overnight. There was only one inch of snow up by Lake Ontario. I wore my Salomon SpeedCross 4 trail shoes so I had no issue with traction. Another day ... another day out there! My splits were: 15:04, 14:38 and 14:39 over the last 0.45 mile.

A fast moving N'Easter had been forecast with more snow the farther south and east, CNN link here. The WHEC-10  weatherperson, Stacey, said that Newark Valley NY (NW of Binghamton NY) got 44.8 inches of snow! I saw a Facebook picture of a tape measure hidden by 20 inches of snow from Nate Baush, who moved to Binghamton a couple of years ago. Wow!

Friday, 12/18/2020

9971 steps, 42/136 resting/peak HR, 7:26 hrs sleep, 173.0 lbs, 17 floors climbed

run: 4.66 miles, 42:55, 9:13 pace, 102 feet elevation feet, 127 avg HR, 140 max HR, 158 avg cadence, 1.10 meter avg stride, 25F, 89% RH, 4 to 13 WNW wind, mostly cloudy

I was undecided on my route but I ended up on my "Out by the pier" route. The inch of snow on the LOSP Trail and sidewalks was crusty in spots so I aimed my feet at virgin snow as much as I could. My splits were: 8:09, 8:23, 8:25, 8:55 and 9:02 over the last 0.66 mile.

Saturday, 12/19/2020

5496 steps, 43/126 resting/peak HR, 8:51 hrs sleep, 171.9 lbs, 10 floors climbed

run: 2.85 miles, 33:40, 11:49 pace, 72 feet elevation gain, 119 avg HR, 130 max HR, 138 avg cadence, 0.98 meter avg stride, 24F, 84% RH, 3 to 14 mph S wind, cloudy

Well ... I had an idea. Why not put on my underused Salomon SpeedCross 4 trail shoes and do a wee trail run around the perimeter of the Lakeshore Country Club that just lies unused behind our Greenleaf Meadows townhouse? Well ... it turned out be a freaking stupid idea!!! I set up a really nice and easy trail pace. There was only one to two inches of snow so I took short steps and was just running along. Well ... I stepped my right foot into an uneven spot of ground and went farther down than I had planned. I felt an awkward twinge but thought nothing of it. I continued on. But ... soon I was limping with a severe ache behind my right hip. I stopped to read a new sign and then had trouble starting back up to a run pace. I limped for a bit before I found that a limping run hurt less than a limping walk so that's how I got home. JOY .... NOT!!!!! Anyway ... my splits were: 10:06, 11:04 and 14:36 over the last 0.85 mile.

My darling wife, Christine, heard my groans of pain when I came inside. She made up a homemade bag of rice and heated it in the microwave. I tried to make it lukewarm and placed it against my right hip as many times as I could remember the rest of the day. I plan on taking at least a mile walk tomorrow to keep my walk/run/bike streak alive.

Later, I watched the Bills - Denver game off the Yahoo! Sports app. Why off the app? The game was on the NFL Network on Saturday night as their first game at 5 PM. What was at stake? A Bills win and the Bills win the AFC East for the first time in 25 years. Well? The Bills kicked ass, chewed bubble gum and they were all out of bubble gum (reference to They Live)! The final score was 48-19, links here and here.