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 4 times this week, 8.01 miles
I ran 3 times this week for 21.43 miles.
I didn't bike this week.
I took 42.719 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: I am running shorter now (about 2 to 5 miles) at a nice and easy pace. I am happy to be able to run. I no longer push to get to 100 miles/month. I wear a Buff when I am out so I can slip it up when I approach someone. BTW, I am on a 312 day streak of either a walk, run or bike of greater than 1 mile (as of Saturday night, 5/1). There were a few days when a mile was all I could walk or limp.
I took 42.719 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: I am running shorter now (about 2 to 5 miles) at a nice and easy pace. I am happy to be able to run. I no longer push to get to 100 miles/month. I wear a Buff when I am out so I can slip it up when I approach someone. BTW, I am on a 312 day streak of either a walk, run or bike of greater than 1 mile (as of Saturday night, 5/1). There were a few days when a mile was all I could walk or limp.
COVID-19: Well ... 14 months without an in-person race. My first one post-COVID-19 was the Medved Madness on 5/2. I almost exclusively just run or bike from home. I wear or carry a Buff when I run. I wear a mask and running gloves when I go to work or go into a grocery store like Wegmans or BJs. I socially distance. Christine and I have had both shots of the vaccine (hers is Pfizer and mine is Moderna). All my kids have had the COVID-19 vaccine or have had COVID-19. I know the drill. I listen to CNN, Fauci, Cuomo and science. Yes, I voted for Biden (just throwing that out there).
Sunday, 5/2/2021
25906 steps, 44/132 resting/max HR, 8:42 hrs sleep, 176.0 lbs, 142 floors climbed
run: 13.73 miles, 3:10:09, 13:51 pace, 1365 feet elevation gain, 114/137 avg/max HR, 126 avg cadence, 60F, 80% RH, mild winds, cloudy
shoes: blue Salomon SpeedCross 4 trail shoes, 152.07 miles
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| A picture from the Medved Madness socially distant start |
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| The time to wear the tech shirt is after you earned it |
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| The blister on my right heel that I found on Monday morning ... Ouch! |
Well ... today's running (mis)adventure was the Medved Madness Trail Race. I started to get my gear together around 9:35 AM ... a bit late. I filled my Orange Mud hydration vest with water, stashed 4 old Gus or HammerGels, took my wallet, 2 towels, socks and a complete change of clothes. The forecast was for rain in the afternoon but it about 60F so I wore shorts and an old Medved Madness tech shirt. I put my new heel cushions in my Salomon SpeedCross 4 trail shoes. I got down to the race start in Mendon Ponds Park around 10:35 AM in plenty of time for my start in wave 5 at 11:04 AM. I saw some old running friends: Prem, Andy, Steve and Wilt. The start was masks required, socially distant with 6 feet between all runners and a wave of maybe 10 runners heading out every minute.
And ... I was off! I settled into a nice and easy trail pace. I went through a few mud pits and felt the heel of my shoes almost come out and thought to myself "I really should stop and tighten up my shoes". Well ... my left shoe came off and my right shoe almost did in the very next mud pit! So ... I had to put them back on while some runners chuckled as I put them back on. My hands were muddy when I got done for sure! Well ... onward! I was around mile 3 or 4 when my right heel started hurting. I thought to myself "I will drop when I get done with loop 1". So I started to run when I could and walk the hills and rooty sections. It hurt less to run than it did to walk. I asked another runner about when will this loop be over and was told that this was a single loop race. I complained of my right heel pain to a few of the road crossing guards but never decided to wait for a car to take me back to the start/finish. I just decided to suck it up and get the race done. So ... I ambled onward ... running the flats and downs ... walking the hills. The course did take me into some sections of Mendon Ponds Park that I had never run before. Yes ... the course did lead me into the water just before the finish ... the tradition was observed!
I achieved my race goal ... I survived. I had NO training on trail or over 5 miles so I was severely undertrained. The race results were up the next morning, link here. I was 120th out of 141, 4th out of 6 in my M 60-69 age group. My splits were: 10:47, 11:08, 12:34, 14:11, 13:49, 17:01, 11:15, 11:47, 14:30, 17:37, 14:15, 15:22, 14:28 and 12:07 over the last 0.73 mile. The Medved Madness Race - Short Course held at 8 AM had 102 finishers, link here.
I was pretty beat when I got done. Everything hurt but especially my right heel. The rain held off until after I got done. I got home and limped inside. My darling wife, Christine, was cooking ribs. Somehow she had sensed that I needed ribs after a long trail race. Mmm ... rib goodness!
Update: I found out the next morning that I had a dime sized blister on the back of right hell. Ouch!!!
Monday, 5/3/2021
6968 steps, 47/92 resting/max HR, 6:18 hrs sleep, 175.0 lbs, 6 floors climbed
walk: 1.61 miles, 23:51, 14:51 pace, 49 feet elevation gain, 86/103 avg/max HR, 115 avg cadence, 44F, 97% RH, 10 to 19 ENE wind, wind chill 39F, cloudy
shoes: black Brooks Adrenaline GTS20, 85.86 miles
I found that I had a blister on my right heel. I washed it off and my darling wife, Christine, put a big bandage on it. My body definitely needed some rest so I waiting until evening for any exercise. My thighs hurt but I got out for a walk on my "Out to Lake Ave" route. My splits were: 14:56 and 14:42 over the last 0.61 mile.
Tuesday, 5/4/2021
4912 steps, 41/105 resting/max HR, 7:14 hrs sleep, 177.2 lbs, 10 floors climbed
walk: 1.6 miles, 23:53, 14:51 pace, 49 feet elevation gain, 86/103 avg/max HR, 115 avg cadence, 44F, 97% RH, 10 to 19 ENE wind, wind chill 39F, cloudy
shoes: black Brooks Adrenaline GTS20, 87.46 miles
My thighs still hurt when I headed down the stairs at 6:20 AM so it was another walk on my "Out to Ling Rd" route. They loosened up but tighten up when I sit for any length of time. My splits were: 14:55, 14:49 over the last 0.6 mile.
Wednesday, 5/5/2021
5907 steps, 46/97 avg.max HR, 7:43 hrs sleep, 177.2 lbs, 7 floors climbed
walk: 1.8 miles, 27:04, 15:00 pace, 36 feet elevation gain, 83/106 avg/max HR, 113 avg cadence, 49F, 97% RH, 6 to 21 W wind, wind chill 46F, cloudy
shoes: black Brooks Adrenaline GTS20, 89.26 miles
My thighs still hurt so I took a walk on my "Out to Ling Rd" route. I threw in a couple of 100 yard runs but my thighs quickly convinced me to walk. My splits were: 14:20 and 14:49 over the last 0.8 mile. It still hurt to go down stairs too. Joy.
Thursday, 5/6/2021
8482 steps, 44/115 resting/max HR, 6:47 hrs sleep, 8 floors climbed
walk: 2.0 miles, 30:27, 15:14 pace, 30 feet, 83/118 avg/max HR, 115 avg cadence, 42F, 92% RH, 3 mph NW wind, wind chill 41F, sunny
shoes: black Brooks Adrenaline GTS20, 91.26 miles
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| Brooks from head to toe. The Brooks Adrenaline GTS20, Brooks Run Merry long sleeve tech and Brooks light running gloves that Christine got me for Christmas 2020. Also the Brooks tights that I bought. |
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| And my ten year old (at least) Brooks beanie! |
My thighs were a bit tight and my right heel hurt a bit so I took a walk on my "Out to Ling Rd" route. I did kick in a slow run on LOSP Trail. It felt OK so ... progress! My splits were: 16:55 and 14:02.
Friday, 5/7/2021
6440 steps, 44/148 resting/max HR, 7:38 hrs sleep, 177.1 lbs, 13 floors climbed
run: 3.1 miles, 26:16, 8:28 pace, 49 feet elevation gain, 129/149 avg/max HR, 158 avg cadence, 43F, 92% RH, 5 to 11 mph W wind, wind chill 39F, cloudy with a light mist
shoes: black Brooks Adrenaline GTS20, 94.36 miles
I didn't feel much pain in my thighs when I went down stairs ... a good sign! I got dressed in shorts, Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover and light running gloves. I put my Garmin Venu in run mode and set up an easy running pace. I felt good so I kept running on my "Out to Dewey Ave" route. I eased up my pace and soon I was running at a good clip. My splits were: 8:37, 8:24, 8:08 and 7:36 over the last 0.1 mile.
Saturday, 5/8/2021
10009 steps, 47/145 resting/max HR, 9:21 hrs sleep, 177.3 lbs, 26 floors climbed
run: 4.6 miles, 39:21, 8;33 pace, 128 feet elevation gain, 133/148 avg/max HR, 156 avg cadence, 44F, 95% RH, 1 to 8 mph W wind, cloudy
shoes: black Brooks Adrenaline GTS20, 98.96 miles
I got out for a longer Saturday run on my "Out by the pier and around" route. 8:24, 8:16, 8:35, 8:23 and 8:03 over the last 0.6 mile.
I headed out to see my daughter, Karen, in Palmyra shortly after noon. I put together a desk chair and did a load of laundry (16 shirts - wash only, hanger dry). We were both COVID-19 vaccinated so no masks were necessary.
