Sunday, 10/24/2021 to Saturday, 10/30/2021 - Run Our River 5K - October

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 3 times this week, 4.05 miles.

I ran 4 times this week, 10.36 miles.

I didn't bike this week.

I took 55,546 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.

WALKING/RUNNING/BIKING: I think I have plantar fasciitis in my right heel. So ... I will be walking for a while or running a mile every so often. I can still walk and bike. Yes, I know I should go to see the doctor. I have been referred to PT but I haven't set up an appointment. I bought a new pair of Kuru Atom walking shoes from www.kurufootwear.com on 8/1. Kuru claims that they help anyone with foot problems spoke to me since my feet really hurt after a day of walking. I also stretch my right heel ... a lot.

BTW, I am on a 487 day streak of either a walk, run or bike of greater than 1 mile (as of Saturday night, 10/23). There were more than a few days when a mile was all I could walk or limp.

COVID-19: I have a L3Harris Vaccinated medal to put on my L3Harris badge when I work for Ricoh on -site. L3Harris went back to all mask policy despite vaccination status on 8/3 and will implement a full vaccine mandate on 12/8 (with an allowance for religious exemption). I still wear a mask when I go into a grocery store like Wegmans or BJs. I still socially distance. Why? Because of the Delta variant that's why. Christine and I have had both shots of the vaccine (hers was Pfizer and mine was Moderna). All my kids have had the COVID-19 vaccine or have had COVID-19 (and got the vaccine).

Sunday, 10/23/2021

5759 steps, 49/143 resting/max HR, 8:32 hrs sleep, 182.7 lbs, 11 floors climbed

run: 3.1 miles, 28:18, 9:07 pace, 35 feet elevation gain, 134/146 resting/max HR, 153/166 resting/max cadence, 48F, 72% RH, 4 to 9 mph SW wind, mostly sunny

shoes: Kuru Atom 61.21 miles

It was 40F when I asked Alexa what the temperature was outside. My right heel felt OK so I went on a run ... my second in a row.  I concentrated on running with good mechanics (midsole and pushing off). I went slow and just did my out and back "Out to Dewey Ave" route. My splits were: 9:06, 8:58, 9:18 and 9:06 over the last 0.1 mile. My right heel felt OK. I stretched out a few time during the day.

Monday, 10/25/2021

4029 steps, 46/94 resting/max HR, 7:26 hrs sleep, 182.5 lbs, 12 floors climbed

walk: 1.1 miles, 18:27, 16:46 pace, 3 feet elevation gain, 80/89 avg/max HR, 109/120 avg/max cadence, 49F, 100% RH, 10 mph E wind, overcast with drizzle

shoes: Kuru Atom 62.31 miles

It was drizzling when I woke so I knew I wasn't going for a bike. I had run 2 days (2.06 and 3.1) in a row so I knew I wasn't going to run. So ... I went for a walk. It was a steady drizzle. I wore my usual reflective gear: Brooks pants, long sleeve tech, Brooks jacket, Brooks hat, Noxgear Tracer360 lighted vest and eBay headlamp. I added my Brooks Adrealine GTS20 shoe and light gloves. Hey ... I have a lot of Brooks gear! My right heel felt OK with just a mild discomfort. Regular stretching with heel drops seems to be working. 

Tuesday, 10/26/2021

11682 steps, 52/149 avg/max HR, 7:37 hrs sleep, 183.9 lbs, 16 floors climbed

run: 3.16 miles, 27:42, 8:46 pace, 12 feet elevation gain, 142/156 avg/max HR, 156/157 avg/max cadence, 50F, 100% RH, 10 to 22 mph NE wind, rain

shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GTS20 black: 214.56

I looked dry but I was really soaked from head to toe!

Well ... it rained all day due to a nor'easter but the final race of the 6 race Run Our River 5K series was tonight. What to do? Well ... run the race of course! There were some who stayed home or went to the race and bailed ... those that I know of ... will remain nameless, lol!

My darling wife, Christine, knew I was crazy (and had known since she met me (again) back in 2009 so she didn't say a word. She just gave me ideas of what to bring ... just in case I needed it. I'm no rookie so I brought a change of tech t-shirts and packed warm running clothes to choose from when I got to the race venue.

I was going to run the early start of 5:30 PM so I would finish before sunset at 6:09 PM (not that I would set it). I got down to the race venue at 700 Exchange St around 4:40 PM in plenty of time. I stayed in the Trax until 5:05 PM. It was a steady rain and windy. The girl at the Rochester Running Company tent told me that the race start was 5:30 PM. I had thought it was 5:15 PM. She handed me that pre-race goodie that RRC handed out. It was 2 (not 1) ... a nice and big towel (very handy tonight) and a small insulated lunch bag. I went back to the Trax and thought about what I was going to wear. I chose shorts, knee-high compression socks, long sleeve tech, Brooks jacket and Brooks beanie. I got out 5 minutes early and stretched my right heel.

There were maybe 30 people in the early start group. The asphalt ahead of us was rutted on both sides so we mostly lined up single file. And .. we were off! I knew my right heel would hurt and keep on hurting so I settled into a slow run and let faster runners just run on by. Splash, splash! The ashalt was rooty in spots along with being covered with leaves and twigs so I concentrated on not doing anything stupid. I stopped a few times in mile 2 and 3 for tiny walk breaks. I passed back the runners who passed me when I walked to catch my breath. The wind and rain did their best to convince me to just quit and walk to the fnish but I held on the best that I could. I was more than happy to stop when I got to the fnish. Done! My splits were: 8:35, 8:54, 8:53 and 8:24 over the last 0.16 mile.

I was cold and tired so I took a selfie, stuck around for a minute (maybe) and walked back to the Trax. It was a cold and wet walk. I could hear that the 6:15 PM start was getting ready. I don't know how many took it. I took off my cold and clammy gear from the waist up. I should have gone with just a long sleeve tech and with the Brooks hat instead of the Brooks beanie. The Brooks jacket clung to me and made me cold. The Brooks beanie let rain pelt me in the eyes. Oh well ... I did start and I did finish. The extra gear probably held me up a little bit. 

What a race! It has been a long time since I had run a race in the rain. I do seem to run faster in the rain. I didn't think I was running faster but I did even when three or four tiny walk breaks. I got it done. My splits were: 8:35, 8:54, 8:53 and 8:24 over the last 0.16 mile. Officially, I did OK. I ran a 27;32, 8:53 pace. I was 30th out of 46 and 3rd out of 4 in my M 60-69 age group, results here.

The drive home was a bit hairy. I think the rain and wind got worse right about then. The roads were wet, dark and nasty. My darling wife, Christine, had supper and hot ready ready but I told her that I would eat and drink later. I took off my wet gear as soon as I got home. I walked naked upstairs and took a warm shower. I put on warm clothes and put my running gear in the washer. Then it was time for hot chocolate and food.  My right heel REALLY complained about it the rest of the night.

Wednesday, 10/27/2021

10923, steps, 43/99 resting/max HR, 9:44 hrs sleep, 183.3 lbs, 10 floors climbed

I knew I needed sleep more than I need to exercise in the morning so I moved my alarm to 6:55 AM instead of 5:35 AM. My right heel felt OK most of the day. I even walked more than normal because I had to repost signs at B601. L3Harris had been deploying more desktops and laptops without the necessary software needed to print to the Ricoh printers so I have to update my more than 100 signs. I tested my new signs at every walkup desktop that I found at B601 so I was pretty sure that they are somewhat accurate.

walk: 1.75 miles, 25:23, 15:05 pace, 17 feet elevation gain, 84/98 avg/max HR, 111 avg cadence, 53F, 73% RH, 4 to 10 mph W wind, sunny

shoes: Kuru Atom 64.06 miles

A few of our knockout roses are still kicking!

So ... I need to get out after work to get my R/W/B streak alive. I thought the R but I struck with W and got out for a walk. My right heel felt OK so I got up to about 90% of a full "pedal to the medal" pace. Wow ... it's been a long time.

Thursday, 10/28/2021

8015 steps, 51/104 resting/max HR, 9:37 hrs sleep, 184.0 lbs, 8 floors climbed

walk: 1.2 mile, 21:08, 17:38 pace, 24 feet elevation gain, 83/114 avg/max HR, 104/115 avg/max cadence, 49F, 96% RH, 5 to 22 mph E wind, mostly cloudy

shoes: Kuru Atom 65.26 miles

I slept in again. I did a lot of walking during the day so my right heel hurt when I did get out after work. My pace was maybe 50% of full. Oh well.

Friday, 10/29/2021

9821 steps, 44/137 resting/max HR, 8:23 hrs sleep, 183.5 lbs, 7 floors climbed

run: 2.05 miles, 18;23, 8:58 pace, 30 feet elevation gain, 130/140 avg/max HR, 154/161 avg/max cadence, 48F, 86% RH, 4 to 12 mph ESE wind, overcast

shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GTS20 black: 216.61 miles

I slept in again. I thought that I would have to go into work earlier than usual to fix a printer that was jammed last night at 5 PM ... which wasn't the case when I checked the printer remotely from the basement in the morning. The wonder of getting on the L3Harris network remotely so I can check their printers!

 So ... I had to go out after work again as soon as I got home before it got dark. I did a 2 mile run back and forth on the LOSP Trail to get in my rain before it started to rain. My splits were: 9:10 and 8:49. It did rain a bit on me as I stretched out afterward.

Saturday, 10/30/2021

5317 steps, 41/140 resting/max HR, 7:42 hrs sleep, 183.1 lbs, 11 floors climbed

run: 2.05 miles, 18:09, 8:50 pace, 29 feet elevation gain, 129/144 avg/max HR, 155 avg cadence, 48F, 100% RH, 2 to 6 mph E wind, overcast

shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GTS20 black: 218.66 miles

I slept in again ... it's getting to be a thing now ... 5 days in a row now. I got out as soon as I got back from visiting my daughter Karen in Palmyra. I wanted to get done before it rained ... again so I did an out and back on the LOSP Trail for 2 miles. My right heel felt pretty good. My splits were: 8:56 and 8:46.