I walked 3 times this week, 5.65 miles.
I ran 6 times this week, 25.84 miles.
I didn't bike this week.
I took 69,885 steps this week according to my
Garmin Venu smartwatch.
My Venu gives me steps, heart rate and floors climbed (take that last data point with a grain of salt). My
Withings WS-50 Smart Body Analyzer scale gives my weight (when it feels like connecting to our Wi-Fi).
WALKING/RUNNING/BIKING: I have gotten over a nagging ache in my left hip/hamstring through lots and LOTS of stretching. So ... I do short walks (1.65 miles), runs (< 6.2 miles) or bike rides (< 20 miles) and then stretch afterwards. A run is better than a walk or bike in my 66-year-old mind but any exercise is good in the end.
BTW, I am on a 1383 day steak (3 years, 9 months) of either a walk, run or bike of greater than 1 mile (as of Saturday night, 4/6). There were more than a few days when a mile was all I could walk or limp.
Sunday, 4/7/2024
10549 steps, 43/135 avg/max HR, 12 floors climbed
Run: 5.05 miles, 44:25, 8:47 pace, 72 feet total ascent, 124/139 avg/max HR, 156/167 avg/max cadence, 46F, 57% RH, 7 mph NE wind, wind chill 43F, sunny
Shoes: blue/yellow Brooks Glycerin GTS20 - 185.59 miles
I got a bit extra on my run when I didn't press the start on my Venu. I pressed Start after 1/2 mile and headed back to start over on my usual "Out by the pier and around" route. I set up a slow and steady pace until my legs got warm. Then I picked it up a bit. My splits were 9:15, 8:44, 8:56, 8:44 and 8:22.
I received my Hestia and a solar filter a couple weeks ago. What is a Hestia you ask, link
here? A Hestia is a 25X telescope that looks sort of like a book that can be somewhat hooked up to a cell phone camera. I bought it off of Kickstarter several months ago and it finally got it. I probably paid too much and it will probably end up as a expensive paperweight but whatever. Anyway ... I got it out on Sunday on a clear day to get it ready. I had found a Facebook post from a guy in OH that explained some of his tricks and tips. They did prove useful.
I took a picture of a nearby roof to get used to focusing it. Then I put on the solar filter and took a picture of the sun. I don't know if it was entirely in focus but it seemed OK.
Monday, 4/8/2024
5980 steps, 42/86 avg/max HR, 169.7 pounds, 9 floors climbed
Walk: 1.65 miles, 22:33, 13:39 pace, 13 feet total ascent, 82/90 avg/max HR, 120/130 avg/max cadence, 34F, 75% RH, 5 mph SW wind, partly cloudy
Shoes: blue Brooks Launch GTS8 - 413.80 miles
I opted for a brisk walk this morning after 5 consecutive run days. I know that I can't run every day but I wish I could! My splits were 13:44 and 13:32 over the last 0.65 mile.
Well ... today was the day ... a full solar eclipse going right overhead in Rochester NY for the first time since January 1925 ... and it was fully overcast!!! There were clouds all the way from Erie PA to Syracuse NY.
 |
| What I saw at 3:20 PM |
 |
| What Bill Wisniewski, Christine's oldest brother, saw in Ravenna OH. It's all about location, location and location! |
I stood outside and yes ... it got quickly (within 15 seconds) dark at 3:20 PM and just as quickly light at 3:23 PM. I did see light to the north over Lake Ontario during the eclipse. Oh well!!!
 |
| Gray, Darker Gray, Gray |
 |
| Perhaps it was the Death Star? |
 |
| A Buffalo themed meme (it should add 13 seconds too) |
The meme reaction to our "spectacular", "once in a lifetime" solar eclipse was swift, lol! Maybe I should travel to either western Iceland or northern Spain for the 2026 solar eclipse?
Tuesday, 4/9/2024
14727 steps, 42/151 avg/max HR, 169.6 pounds, 6 floors climbed
Walk: 1.65 miles, 21:49, 13:14 pace, 13 feet total ascent, 86/97 avg/max HR, 117 avg cadence, 45F, 70% RH, 5 mph SW wind, clear
Shoes: blue Brooks Launch GTS8 - 415.45 miles
I got out for another brisk walk on my usual "Out to Ling Rd" route to save my legs (a bit) for a race tonight. My splits were 13:19 and 13:05 over the last 0.65 mile.
Yes ... it was sunny today ... the day after a once in a lifetime solar eclipse here in Rochester NY!!!!
Tonight was the April edition of the 6 race Run Our River 5K series. I headed down to the venue in plenty of time for the 6:15 PM start. I got my series bib and settled in for a warm 5K. The usual temp in April was high 40s so it was 30F warmer.
Run: 1.05 miles, 9:28, 9:01 pace, 7 feet total ascent, 124/134 avg/max HR, 154/161 avg/max cadence]
Shoes: blue/yellow Brooks Glycerin GTS20 - 186.64 miles
Run: 3.14 miles, 25:06, 7:59 pace, 9 feet total ascent, 144/153 avg/max HR, 161/172 avg/max cadence, 79F, 17% RH, 10 mph S wind, partly cloudy
Shoes: blue/yellow Brooks Glycerin GTS20 - 189.78 miles
I got out a slow 1 mile warm up and had 10 minutes before the race started. And ... we were off! I went out too fast in mile 1. When I passed Wendy "Flash" Abbot just before mile 1 I knew that I had started out a bit too fast. She passed me back before mile 2. I was a bit gassed but I hung on. And ... the time was just past 25 minutes when I crossed the line. I walked a bit and drank some water. Done!!!
I did OK. My official chip time was 25:01, gun time 25:09. I was 48th out of 129, 4th out of 9 in my M 65-69 age group, results
here. My splits were 7:55, 8:09, 8:02 and 7:06 over the last 0.14 mile.
Wednesday, 4/10/2024
7083 steps, 42/98 avg/max HR, 9 floors climbed
Walk: 2.35 miles, 30:48, 13:07 pace, 66 feet total ascent, 86/103 avg/max HR, 120/194 avg/max cadence, 61F, 63% RH, 9 mph W wind, cloudy
Shoes: blue Brooks Launch GTS8 - 417.80 miles
I felt a bit tired this morning so I opted for a slight longer but still brisk walk on my "Out to Dewey Ave" route. It was warm, windy and cloudy. I still wore my Noxgear Tracer2 lighted vest and listened to the bird chirp up a storm. My splits were 12:54, 12:57 and 14:08 over the last 0.35 mile.
Thursday, 4/11/2024
9586 steps, 42/139 avg/max HR, 19 floors climbed
Run: 5.05 miles, 44:03, 8:43 pace, 43 feet total ascent, 128/141 avg/max HR, 160/171 avg/max cadence, 50F, 87% RH, 6 mph E wind, rain
Shoes: blue/yellow Brooks Glycerin GTS20 - 194.83 miles.
Yes ... it was dark, rainy and windy. Most people would have heard the rain at 5:20 AM, rolled over and went back to sleep. But ... I am a runner and a run was to done. So ... I got up, got dressed, grumbled a bit and got out there. I headed out at my usual pace on my "Out to Island Cottage" route which keeps me on the LOSP Trail and off the road. Just an out and back ... boom ... done. My splits were 57, 53, 37, 38 and 31. I was drenched when I came in. My Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover weighed a couple pounds more and my shorts were dripping. I was a bit cold so I went straight upstairs to take a warm shower.
Friday, 4/12/2024
10063 steps, 42/144 avg/max HR, 9 floors climbed
Run: 5.05 miles, 44:18, 8:46 pace, 36 feet total ascent, 130/148 avg/max HR, 160/165 avg/max cadence, 63F, 88 % RH, 10 mph SSW wind, light rain
Shoes: blue/yellow Brooks Glycerin GTS20 - 199.88 miles
It was warmer, a bit more windy and wasn't raining as hard as yesterday when I stepped outside for my run. So ... it was a bit of progress I guess. I kept to the "Out to Island Cottage" route to keep off the road again. My splits were 8:59, 9:04, 8:43, 8:34 and 8:32. It was as raining as hard but I think I was just as wet as yesterday though.
Saturday, 4/13/2024
11897 steps, 44/140 avg/max HR, 9 floors climbed
Run: 6.5 miles, 57:20, 8:41 pace, 39 feet total ascent, 129/143 avg/max HR, 159/169 avg/max cadence, 39F, 87% RH, 21 WNW wind, wind chill 30F, sprinkles
Shoes: blue/yellow Brooks Glycerin GTS20 - 206.38 miles
It was a colder, windier and yes ... still sprinkling a bit when I headed out for a run this morning. I wanted to avoid the cars like the 2 days so I headed out on the LOSP Trail. I wanted a longer run so I headed out on Island Cottage to the Char. It was a stiff run heading out for sure but I had a nice tailwind on the way back. My splits were 8:58, 8:57, 8:51, 8:39, 8:28, 8:29 and 8:14 over the last 0.5 mile.
