Sunday, 8/8/2021 to Saturday, 8/14/2021

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, 4.4 miles.

I didn't run this week.

I biked 4 times this week, 50.66 miles.
I took 29,484 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 have done a bit of research. 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 slowly and bike. Yes, I know I should go to see the doctor. I bought a new pair of Kuru Atom walking shoes from www.kurufootwear.com on 8/1. Their claim that they help anyone with foot problems spoke to me since my feet really hurts after a day of walking. I also bought 2 Solemenders to help ice my right heel.

BTW, I am on a 410 day streak of either a walk, run or bike of greater than 1 mile (as of Saturday night, 8/7). There were a few days when a mile was all I could walk or limp.

COVID-19: I have a L3Harris Vaccinated badge to put on my L3Harris badge when I work for Ricoh on -site but I still wear a mask. L3Harris went back to all mask policy despite vaccination status on 8/3. 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. I know the drill. I listen to CNN, Fauci and science. Yes, I voted for Biden (just throwing that out there). No, I don't believe in the Big Lie or any of the Republican nonsense about anything (believe me, I could use stronger words).

Sunday, 8/8/2021

798 steps, 47/126 resting/max HR, 8:24 hrs sleep, 3 floors climbed

bike: 15.54 miles, 1:08:09, 13.7/22.9 avg/max mph, 101 feet elevation gain, 57/82 avg/max cadence, 74F, 67% RH, 2 to 8 mph W wind, sunny

I got out for a bike on my slightly longer "Out to East Manitou Rd and around" route. I saw a solitary blue heron on Buck Pond. I passed within 20 feet of it and knew that it would fly off if I braked to a stop (I tried that twice last month) so I rode onward. I saw at 15 bicycle riders coming toward me at 9:13 AM as I headed up LOSP Trail to Greenleaf Rd.

We watched a lot of US gold medal Summer Olympics coverage on Sunday afternoon. The Summer Olympics were already over by Sunday morning at 9 AM and I already knew the scores on all the games (Women's beach volleyball, Women's basketball, Women's soccer for the bronze, Men's basketball and Women's Water Polo) but it was still enjoyable. But ... I watched a LOT of Summer Olympics and I'm kind of glad it's over.

Then ... we lucked into a TCM run of Ester Williams movies (her 100th birthday was today). We saw half of 1949's Take Me Out to the Ball Game (with Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly and Betsy Garrett), then 1952's Million Dollar Mermaid (with Victor Mature, Walter Pidgeon and David Brian) and  and the hilarious 1945 Thrill of a Romance (with Van Johnson and opera singer Lauritz Melchoir). We set up a DVR of 1946's Easy to Wed (with Van Johnson and Lucille Ball) and went to bed.

Monday, 8/9/2021

6233 steps, 47/108 resting/max HR, 6:53 hrs sleep, 181.6 lbs, 7 floors climbed

walk: 1.65 miles, 25:23, 15:24 pace, 15 feet elevation gain, 88/127 avg/max HR, 112/155 avg/max cadence, 75F, 84% RH, 1 to 7 mph SW wind, mostly cloudy

shoe: Kuru Atom 10.55 miles

I got out for a walk on my "Out to Ling Rd" route. I stretched before and after. I felt a bit better so I threw in a 0.2 mile of an easy run. But ... my right heel hurt like hell by the time I got home around 1 PM. My 2 Solemender that I bought last week for my right heel came in the mail today. I unboxed it and put the 2 rollers in the freezer right away. I rolled my right heel after one of them had gotten cold enough ... it did help. Stretching helped too.

Tuesday, 8/10/2021

2863 steps, 44/116 resting/max HR, 7:46 hrs sleep, 180.2 lbs, 3 floors climbed

bike: 13.31 miles, 1:02:05, 12.9/18.0 avg/max mph, 50 feet elevation gain, 53/70 avg/max cadence, 77F, 77% RH, 1 to 7 mph W wind, mostly cloudy

10X on my cell helped bring this blue heron a lot closer

My lovely wife, Christine, says this is a hibiscus

I woke up a lot during the night plus I had set my alarm for 5:35 AM instead of 5:50 AM so I was a bit tired when I woke up. But ... a streak doesn't continue on its own ... so I got up, got dressed and got it done. I considered cutting my ride a bit short but did my usual "Out to East Manitou Rd" route. I was glad I did. 

My new Livall bike helmet

Today was my trial run with my Livall bike helmet that I bought off of Indiegogo on May 13th. It took a long time to get to me, Easy Post link here. It was shipped via boat on 6/28 and didn't get into USPS's tracking system until 7/30. I received it on 8/7. It's a smart helmet that has lights, turn signals controlled on the handlebars, an intercom with other Livall helmets (that I will never use) and can even play music off my cellphone (haven't tried it yet). I have it hooked up to the Garmin HR strap. I think it will come in handy for early morning rides.

It's amazing the things you see when you look around. I saw that the town of Greece had built a sidewalk in that tiny playground at the end of Long Pond Rd. I had wondered what they had been doing all spring and most of the summer. I saw a line of seagulls on top on one house on Edgemere Drive. I looked around for Hitch, Tippi, Rod and Jessica from The Birds but all was quiet ... for now. I stopped to take a picture of a hibiscus and a blue heron on Long Pond. I tried for a closer picture of another blue heron on Buck Pond but it was camera shy.

Wednesday, 8/11/2021

3935 steps, 46/123 resting/max HR, 181.7 lbs, 8 floors climbed

walk: 1.65 miles, 24:33, 14:54, 7 feet elevation gain, 91/128 avg/max HR, 113/160 avg/max cadence, 75F, 100% RH, calm, partly cloudy

shoe: Kuru Atom 12.20 miles

An overnight rain almost washed out the latest art from Instagram's chalk.mom

I got out on my slightly longer "Out to Ling Rd" route. I threw in a 0.4 mile run in the middle. I stretched before, after and during the day. I didn't much walking during the day and my right heel did hurt. I believe it would have been gotten worse if I had. But ... I am being aggressive in stretching and icing my right heel ... so I am hopeful.

Thursday, 8/12/2021

5000 steps, 46/127 resting/max HR, 8:33 hrs sleep, 180.4 lbs ,7 floors climbed

bike: 8.50 miles, 41:54, 12.2/29.2 avg/max mph, 115 feet elevation gain, 54/86 avg/max cadence, 77F, 77% RH, 6 to 18 SSW wind, mostly cloudy

I got out on a shorter "Out on the pier and around" route for two reasons: the sunrise and my right knee. When I got to a rise on River St I could see the sunrise was imminent and that a boat was leaving so I hurried to a good vantage point. I got a few good pictures. A photographer with a camera and lot more expensive lens showed me his shots. Nice! I got up to 28 mph at the Edgemere Drive and Dewey Ave hill according the Greece PD radar trailer ... speedy! I do like the rush of the wind! So ... a good start to the day!

My home office setup in the basement

My home office setup ... my L3Harris laptop on the left is tied to the left 2 LCDs and my personal Dell E6430 laptop is tied to the right (and largest) LCD.

Friday, 8/13/2021

6771 steps, 50/100 avg/max HR, 6:36 hrs sleep, 7 floors climbed

walk: 1.1 miles, 19:04, 17:22 pace, 5 feet elevation gain, 82/92 avg/max HR, 105 avg cadence, 77F, 80% RH, 1 to 10 mph S wind, partly cloudy

shoe: Kuru Atom 13.30 miles

I slept in a bit for another  45 minutes when my alarm went off at 5:35 AM and was feeling a bit lethargic so I just did my "Another mile" route. I got it done. Walking instead of running kind of sucks but I am trying to stretch. It's a pain!!!

The roses have bloomed!

The knockout roses that we got at the Garden Factory have taken off and bloomed quite nicely.

Saturday, 8/14/2021

3884 steps, 50/136 resting/max HR, 6:08 hrs sleep, 180.9 lbs, 10 floors climbed

bike: 13.31 miles, 56:26, 14.2/18.3 avg/max mph, 53 feet elevation gain,  55/78 avg/max cadence, 70F, 62% RH, 4 to 10 mph W wind, mostly sunny

I was up at 5:45 AM but puttered around on email and Facebook until I finally thought ... "well, a ____ doesn't get done by itself" where the blank is filled with a walk, run, or bike (or maybe two or all three). So I got up, got dressed and got out there. I decided on a nice and easy bike on my usual "Out to East Manitou Rd" route. I saw the usual sights with more people out since I was out a bit later than usual. A nice and easy bike to  start a Saturday!

Seeing eye to eye with a sunflower ...

I went to see my daughter, Karen, in Palmyra. I did the usual for her ... take out her trash and recycling. She told me what had been going on and we watched some Steve Colbert monologues from her laptop.

Sunday, December 28th to Saturday, January 3rd

Sunday, December 28th to Saturday, January 3rd: 23.7 miles

Flights (24 steps/flight)
Sun: -, Mon: 10, Tue: 9, Wed: 10, Thu: -, Fri: 8, Sat: -

Steps
Sun: -, Mon: -, Tue: 4045 (not on run), Wed: -, Thu: -, Fri: 13450, Sat: 3739

I ran 4 times this week.

Sun: Our 60F weather disappeared ... chased away by winds of 50 to 60 mph! I sat inside the apartment listening to the wind howl! I watch the Buffalo Bills finish out their season in typical fashion ... with a loss. They started out in grand fashion at 5-1. Then went 2-8, (0 for the AFC East), the rest of the way to finish at 7-9 for the third straight season.

Mon: 5.3 miles, 41:55, 7:55 pace, 40F, night, calm, no pain, no stops. I went out for the Seneca-Titus-Saint Paul-Zoo route plus a bit. The conditions were ideal! I pushed it, 7:55 pace.

After work I went to Medved to buy a pair of Yaktrax Pros for $30. Maybe during the next Snow Cheap I won't be slipping and sliding!

Tue: 6.8 miles, 54:25, 8:00 pace, 28F, Cobbs Hill run, 4 loops, night, calm. I think I held a 8:00 pace. I didn't start my Garmin until I got to Cobbs Hill. I was slowing on the third and fourth loops. A good workout!

Wed: More snow, more cold. By nightfall, the temp was around 15F plus windy. I stayed in for New Year's Eve ... in bed by midnight.

Thu: 7.5 miles, 62:33, 8:20 pace, 10F, Freezeroo #2, sunny, calm, 4 stops, nice! It was 8F and I was on the fence but I went down to Mendon Ponds Park and ran. I am glad I did along with 287 other runners! It was 10F, sunny, calm. The roads inside the park were snow covered and the road outside were a bit better. You usually could find bare pavement. I did a little run/walk trick at the end ... walking a bit to catch my breath then catching up to where I was before. I finished 107th in 1:02:33, results here.



Fri: 4.1 miles, 33:26, 8:09 pace, 32F, FF Happy Hour, night, calm, slushy. I took it easy, the snow was slushy making it hard to run ... but I didn't stop except for traffic. I wore my new Yaktrax ... I was not impressed. I don't know if they helped.

Sat: rest day from running. I changed my oil, checked my air pressure and then went on a road trip.

Keeping active, Doug

Happy New Year, 2009!

Time to look back ... lots of changes this past year. Let's see ... my divorce was finialized, living in a one bedroom apartment up in Rochester close to work and play, new job (twice), more stuff that I just can't think of.

A good year in the running department. I ran 1144.8 miles during the year, high of 145.7 in August, low of 57.3 in November, average of 95.4 miles per month. I ran 163 out of 365 days with an average of 7 miles per run. I ran 15 races, set lifetime PRs in the 5K, 5 Mile, 10K, 15K and 20K. I ran my first marathon, the hot and humid Rochester, two days before my 51st birthday. I have a nagging injury in my right knee that I seem to have thwarted with my IT band wrap. I ran some trail races during the year. Trail races are a challenge ... my long legs seem to be built for road races.

I need to start working out my upper body. I need to unpack my apartment and toss the stuff that I don't need.

I am the lookout for a woman who shares my desire to be in the best shape of their life. I know she is out there ... somewhere.

I have my faults ... procrastination being one of them. I need to start doing stuff, making decisions of the way I want to live life instead of accepting whatever comes my way.

Keeping active, Doug

Sunday, December 21st to Saturday, December 27th: 15.5 miles

Flights (24 steps/flight)
Sun: -, Mon: 10, Tue: 8, Wed: 12, Thu: -, Fri: 14, Sat: -

Steps
Sun: 2304, Mon: 4144, Tue: 4367, Wed: 7682, Thu: 10411, Fri: 10219, Sat: 14198

I ran three times this week.

Sun: Caught up on my sleep ... 11 hours. Lazed around ... sick with a head cold and sore throat. I listened to the wind howl around the apartment. Outside it was 15F (or lower) with 10 to 30 mph winds sending the wind chill below zero. I do know someone who snowshoed in the AM. I haven't tried snowshoeing yet ... but that will have to wait until I am better.

Mon & Tue & Wed: Getting better. Tuesday was the first day I actually felt close to 100%. I put up some Christmas decorations, strung some Christmas lights and played some Christmas music. I made me feel in the spirit of things. I could have gone running down at the Fleet Feet Cobb's Hill run but decided to play it safe. Wednesday I was all ready to head out in the 50F weather after work but it started raining! So I played it safe ... again!

Thu: 4.4 miles, 36:28, 8:17 pace, 32F, easy, sunny, a little windy, nice and easy, icy, mild left knee pain, no stops. I took a nice and easy Christmas morning run. It was a bit icy so I made sure of my footing. I wore my neck warmer ... I looked like a running robber when I wore it over my nose! I went out to see my kids, my father, then back to a cousin's house for Christmas dinner. A nice Christmas day but sort of empty in a certain sort of way.

Fri: 4.1 miles, 32:07, 7:50 pace, 36F, a little hard, mild left knee pain, no stops. Your usual Friday night Fleet Feet happy hours run. Just letting it loose, no stops ... a good run!

Sat: 7 miles, 58:16, 8:19 pace, 53F, easy, mild left knee pain, no stops. A nice Saturday morning run that I squeezed in between rain showers. I went out easy, kept it going, a bit overdressed. I felt a mild left knee pain early but it went away. I wore the IT band wrap on my right knee. I had to be careful of the odd icy patch plus puddles.

I took my 36-36 dress pants to Mens Warehouse to have the waist taken in. I think my waist is around 34 now. I also got three 50% off 15.5 / 34-35 dress shirts at Sear's. Then I headed out to Newark to work on my youngest son's laptop that had a corrupt config/system file. It turned out the config folder had issues. I ran chkdsk which fixed the problem. I also got my haircut and had a couple of beers with my best friend from high school who was home from KY for the holidays. The weather is really balmy tonight. Right now at 11:30PM it is 61F!

Keeping active, Doug

Sunday, December 14th to Saturday, December 20th: 18.7 miles

Flights (24 steps/flight)
Mon: 29, Tue: 9, Wed: 29, Thu: 10, Fri: 16

Steps
Mon: 11360, Tue: 19595, Wed: 15321, Thu: 7669, Fri: 7899, Sat: 7687

I ran 3 times this week.

Sun: 9 miles, Seneca-Titus-St Paul-Zoo-Pond + Seneca-Titus-St Paul, easy, 40F, morning, 4 stops, it band, 8:12 pace. I didn't eat anything before heading out so I bonked to four stops, no energy. Lesson learned ... have a little something to eat before a long run. It's been a while since I have run long.

Tue: 6.7 miles, FF Cobbs Hill Run, easy, 25F, night, calm, no stops, 4.24 miles in 8:14 pace. I went out for 3.5 loops: 4 right side, 3 left side. I wore exactly the right stuff for the conditions but I forgot to wear my IT band wrap. Not too much pain, a little on my left side instead of the right.

Wed: 2.7, Snow Cheap #1, 29:55, 11:04 pace, easy, 30F, night, calm, some stops. We had about 3 inches of wet snow in the morning so there was snow. I ran an easy 29:55, walked some hills, good for 50th out of 124, results here. I was slipping and sliding! I walked some hills. Trail races just hammer my legs. I need to buy some Yaktraks (so I won't slip and kill myself) and leg gaiters (so I won't nick up my ankles).

Thu, Fri & Sat: Real life gets in the way of running as it will do on occasion. I am not feeling 100%. I have a head cold that came on after the Snow Cheap race ... a running nose, headache and cough. Joy ... not.

Fri: I drove down to Ithaca College to pick up my oldest son, Michael. The conditions were not good. The Rochester area got about 10 inches of snow. It took about 3.5 hours to get down there and 2.5 hours to get back. Michael stayed at his grandparents for the night while I ended up heading back up to Rochester.

Sat: I lended a helping hand to my kids and ex and helped them move. It was not the best day to move: 20F and falling, a light snow to make the ramp slippery. I ended up falling and hurting my right knee when I fell while pulling up the appliance dolly with a portable dishwasher on it. That's not to mention the usual cuts, aches and pains. All in all, a long day.

I am finding out living up near Irondequoit has its disadvantages in the winter ... almost a daily occurrence of lake effect snow.

Keeping active, Doug

Sunday, December 7th to Saturday, December 13th: 21.6 miles

Flights (24 steps/flight)
Mon: 16, Tue: 30, Wed: 15, Thu: 19, Fri: 29

Steps
Sun: 6241, Mon: 11249, Tue: 18282, Wed: 9950, Thu: 21239, Fri: 12129, Sat: 2081

I ran 4 times this week.

Sun: 3.1 miles, Polar Cat #1, 24:14, 7:49 pace, 15F, very windy, too cold to feel any pain! I ran the first Polar Cat #1 5K down in Honeoye Falls. It was a little sunny and very windy with wind chills probably sub-zero. I didn't warm up ... too cold. We turned the corner at mile 1 so the wind was in our face and then turned another corner so the wind was on our left ... brutal! I had to stop twice ... my face almost froze off plus I was almost blown over! Anyway, I finished 16th out of 44, 4th in my age group, results here. The free hot chocolate provided by the Brewery Resturant was much appreciated.

Mon: I baked some bake-n-stick cookies and an apple pie. I also pounded some nails in my bookcase ... the shelves needed more support for my books and magazines. I posted it on Facebook so I was urged to bring the cookies into work. The apple pie was mine ... all mine!

Tue: 6.1 miles, FF Cobbs Hill run, 4.81 miles in 41:14, 8:32 pace, 48F, slushy, calm, no stops. I wore my trail shoes and headlamp. I ran 3 loops before heading back. I forgot to wear my IT band wrap.

Thu: 8.3 miles, 2 x Seneca-Titus-St Paul + Seneca, 69:53, 8:25 pace, 25F, easy, icy, no stops, it band. I needed some major endorphins so I just put on the IT band wrap and ran. Perhaps I shouldn't have added the extra up and back on Seneca. But the extra pain was worth it.

Fri: 4.1 miles, FF Happy Hour run, 34:29, 8:25 pace, 25F, a little hard, light snow, no stops. The FF Happy Hour run was light snowy goodness. I like to just go out and run. I tend to leave the pack behind ... I can't run slow. There are people who run faster (mostly young whippersnappers) but most don't.

Sat: I needed sleep so I didn't do the first Freezeroo out in Spencerport. I heard that the conditions were great ... 20F, sunny and calm. I went down to Lyons in the afternoon to see my father at the Wayne County Nursing Home in Lyons and also took more of my empty boxes to my ex. That's one way to get rid of all my empty boxes in my apartment! I will be helping her and the kids move from a 2 bedroom apartment to a 3 bedroom house next Saturday. I will be driving the 14 foot Uhaul truck she is renting. She will have plenty of help from what she tells me. So it should be an easy move.

Right now I am watching It's a Wonderful Life. I have never watched it from the beginning before. Even with all the commercials that NBC is throwing in I will be sniffling by the end.

Oh, gas prices are great! I filled up at the Deltasonic on Ridge Rd E by Hudson for $1.79 after I passed gas stations at $1.99 on the way back ... sweet!

Keeping active, Doug

P.S. I like to think that I am active ... but there are people that I have met that make me look like a slug! They inspire me sometimes or discourage me other times ... but not enough to go back out after a 5K with sub-zero wind chills! I definitely need to get more and/or better cold weather gear! Today I got a Drylete Neck Warmer from Dick's Sporting Goods. It should help next time there are subzero wind chills!

Sunday, November 30th to Saturday, December 6th: 15 miles

Flights (24 steps/stair)
Mon: 15, Tue: 5, Wed: 8, Thu: 27, Fri: 26

Steps
Mon: -, Tue: 18291, Wed: 6061, Thu: 18241, Fri: 12145

I ran 3 times this week.

Sun: 5 miles, Seneca-Titus-Paul-Zoo Run, sucked, 32F, cloudy, calm, right knee pain. The pain really sucked.

Mon: The IT Band Wrap from Ithacasports.com came today. It's really made by www.injurybegone.com. I had to hold myself back from running but today is an off day.

Tue: 5 miles, FF Winter Warrior Cobbs Hill run, 34F, night, calm, really mild right knee pain. Fleet Feet Hill Winter Warrior initial meeting. I ran three round trips of Cobbs Hill (wanted to see the whole thing), walked one and then ran the right way once (up the right side, down, up the left side, down). I am guessing that I ran 5 miles. I wore the IT Band Wrap ... my knee didn't hurt as much.

Wed: Yes, I watched the Victoria's Secret Runway Show with Heidi Klum and all the other angels. I am a guy, I do like lingerie and I have a pulse ... and intend to for a long time to come. Though if I saw a woman in lingerie and huge wings coming my way I might run the other way!

Thu: 5 miles, Seneca-Titus-Paul-Zoo Run, 39:50, 7:58 pace, easy, 30F, dusk, calm, it band, no stops. The IT Band Wrap seems to help. Maybe I will get one for the other knee.

Fri: I was late coming home from work so I couldn't make the FF Happy Hour run. A friend and I tried to go out ballroom dancing at a place in Webster but it had just closed its doors forever. After walking over to Starbucks for some get acquainted coffee, we ended up dancing to Gap Mangione up at the Woodcliffe Hotel in Bushnells Basin. Lesson learned ... I shouldn't drink regular coffee after dark ... much less two! I couldn't sleep the rest of the night!

Sat: I couldn't make it down to see my father at the Wayne County Nursing Home in Lyons but did make it down to Ithaca College to see Michael in the Symphony Orchestra. I was pretty tired on the way back up to Rochester.

Keeping active, Doug

Sunday, November 23rd to Saturday, November 29th: 10 miles
Month of November: 57.3 miles, I ran 14 out of 30 days

Flights (24 steps/stair)
Mon: 18, Tue: 15, Wed: 18

Steps
Mon: -, Tue: -, Wed: 8261

Post 100!!

I ran twice this week plus a run/mostly walk.

Sun: 5 miles, Seneca-Titus-St Paul run plus over to the Seneca Zoo and down the hill, easy, 20F, calm, icy, mild right knee pain, no stops, 8:28 pace. A weird thing happened. My left kneecap popped in and out about a mile in. A very strange feeling! I continued on cautiously plus it was a bit icy in spots. Then when I was lightly stretching out afterward I pulled a muscle in the back of my left knee. I iced it right away. It seemed better. Then when I felt a twinge in it during work on Tuesday. So I did not run on Tuesday and applied heat all night until I went to bed.

Wed: I was out window-shopping at the Marketplace Mall. I bought a Princeton Tec Fuel LED Headlamp at Dick's Sporting Goods. It was on sale for $19.99, regularly $24.99. It will be useful for night runs.

Thu: 5 miles, Newark Turkey Trot, 37:28, 7:30 pace, 40F, cloudy, calm, mild right knee pain. I told myself I was just going to run slow, don't hurt myself. Well ... the gun sounds and off I go. I felt the usual right knee pain after a mile, ignored it and ran on. No pain in my left knee, so I ran on. I didn't have my Garmin or my stopwatch and there was no shout out at the 1 mile mark. So I had no idea about my time. I was 53rd out of 172 and 3rd in my age group. So much for running slow, I guess ... only 10 seconds off my 7:20 mile PR pace for 5 miles. There were a lot of runners in the Rochester area today ... 1096 at the 4.4 Webster Turkey Trot, 531 at the 2.5 Mile Webster Turkey Trot, 886 at the Race With Grace 10K and 172 at my race.

The bling and sweatshirt!
I went to my ex's apartment in Newark to see my daughter. My youngest son was not home. My ex is going to rent a 3 bedroom house in Newark next month. So ... since she helped me move ... I will help her move. Quid pro quo, you know. Plus I will give her all my empty boxes! It should be a relatively easy move ... all my kids should be able to help, plus she is only moving a mile or so.

Then I went out to my cousin's house in Penfield for Thanksgiving dinner. Many thanks to them for inviting me. I enjoyed myself.

Fri: 3 miles, FF Black Friday run, 36F, 10% run/90% walk. I attempted to run the Fleet Feet Black Friday morning run but could only manage a very short run of a couple hundred yards before I was forced to a walk. Oh, I tried to run but I could tell it wasn't worth it. The pain was not something I could ignore. I did some Google research and I think it is time to face the fact that I have a IT band injury on my right knee. I definitely need to attend to this injury ... ignoring it will not work. I ordered an Iliotibial Band Compression Wrap from nearby Ithaca Sports for $19.99 with free shipping. I hope it will help.

A thought: Is there privacy on the internet? If you Google me, Doug DeWeaver, you will find all sorts of stuff ... this blog, my LinkedIn page, my NHS alumni page, my Classmates page and lots of race results. In fact, the first two pages are all about me. If you Google most anybody (unless it is a common name), you will find something about them if you are willing to look and sort through the chaff. Is this good or bad? That answer depends, I guess. I am comfortable with my results.

Oh, I listed my blog on the Complete Running Blog Network.

Keeping active, Doug

P.S. Gas prices are great! I got gas for $1.96 at the cheapest place in Rochester, the 7-11 in Henrietta, according to www.rochestergasprices.com.

Sunday, November 16th to Saturday, November 22nd: 15.4 miles

Flights (24 steps/stair)
Mon: 10, Tue: 15, Wed: 18, Thu: 16, Fri: 31 flights

DM gave me a pedmeter on Wednesday. I will try to wear it during my workday. I didn't think I walked that much at work!
Steps
Thu: 8852, Fri: 9820

Winter came early to Rochester but I ran 4 times this week.

Sun: 5 miles, Upstate XC Series #5, 42:39, 8:32 pace, 37F, easy, very windy, mild right knee pain, multiple stops. The day dawned very windy and snowy. The women raced their 6K first at 11AM. I cheered on KK when she finished. The men raced at 11:45AM. It was still very windy, a little snowy and a little sunny. It was a long run with the usual right knee pain. I talked with CR afterward. He suggested that I rest my knee for two weeks while exercising on a bike. I ran a 42:39, good for 138th out of 147, results here. I saw KK at the race on Sunday and talked a bit.

Monday ... our family (ex and I) dog, Blackie, died unexpectedly. We got the dog on Halloween nine years ago. He was a cocker spaniel and black labrador mix, tall like a lab with the fur of a cocker. He was a nice dog, friendly. When my ex moved out in September 2005, I inherited the dog and an old cat named Inkie. I took care of Blackie until March 2008 when I persuaded my ex to take him. I adjusted to just having Inkie. When I moved up to Rochester I had to give Inkie to my ex. I do miss him, he is 21 years old, "older than dirt", and absolutely adores me. Well, Blackie was having some issues and my ex was going to take him to the vet tomorrow. He became worse and she was taking him tonight. Well, she was stopped at the stoplight by BurgerKing in Newark when Blackie started howling. She was petting and reassuring him when he died right there. She continued on the vet who said that there was nothing she could have done ... that he must have had a heart attack. My ex called me with the news ... crying her eyes out. My daughter, Karen, is heart-broken. My ex is going to pick up Karen tomorrow from Houghton so she can see Blackie before he is cremated. A sad ending to a Monday.

RIP Blackie
Tue: 3.1 miles, Seneca Zoo run, 25:17, 8:10 pace, easy, 25F, night, light snow, calm, real mild right knee pain, no stops, excellent. A short 5K in real light snow, 25F, calm winds ... just a nice run. Thursday's Seneca-Titus-Paul run was excellent. Another great winter run. Friday's Fleet Feet Happy Hour run was good. The roads were icy for the first mile or so. But a run is all good when it's done.

A friend and I went to the Cracker Barrel in Henrietta for a leisurely dinner then to see Quantum of Solace. I didn't particularly like this Bond movie ... too much cold-blooded vengeance, no chemistry between Bond and his leading lady. We both rightfully took issue with the bad science behind the finale.

Thu: 3.3 miles, Seneca-Titus-Paul run, 25:52, 7:50 pace, a little hard, 30F, dusk, calm, no right knee pain, no stops.

Fri: 4.4 miles, FF Happy Hour run, 34:00, 7:44 pace, easy, 20F, night, calm, mild right knee pain, no stops.

Saturday, I headed down to Ithaca College to pick up Michael and take him to stay with my ex in Newark, then I headed to see my father at the Wayne County Nursing Home in Lyons.

Well, I really should unbox, sort, put away and/or throw out my junk.

Oh, I signed up for the 33rd Annual Newark Turkey Day 5 Mile Race.

Keeping active, Doug

Sunday, November 9th to Saturday, 15th: 13.2 miles

Since I climb a lot of stairs at work I am going to include my daily stair flight count. I don't take the elevator unless I am carrying something heavy.

Flights (24 steps/stair)
Mon: 15, Tue: 17, Wed:17, Thu: 20, Fri: 22

I ran three times this week:

Tue: 5.3 miles, 43:00, easy, 40F, cloudy, calm, right knee pain, no stops, 8:07 pace
Thu: about 3.5 miles, 27:21, Seneca-Titus-Paul run, 55F, easy, dusk, calm, little right knee pain
Fri: 4.4 miles, Fleet Feet Fun Run, 60F, a little hard, night, calm, really mild right knee pain

Tuesday, I ran out to the zoo plus two loops around the pond. By the time I got back my right knee pain had worsened from mild to moderate which slowed me quite a bit. I did climb up and down 17 flights of stairs at work so that may have had something to do with it. This pain that only comes on when I run is really beginning to piss me off. I want to run longer but can't.

Thursday's night run was nice and easy as I discovered a new run route up Seneca Ave to Titus and back down St. Paul St. The aftermath was not. I had my apartment and door key on a key ring in my left shorts pocket wearing shorts and a ss tech shirt. I heard them jingling all the way up Seneca Ave. Well, by the time I got back to my apartment ... they had bounced out somewhere. I retraced my steps all the way back to Seneca Ave but could not see them in the gathering gloom and cold. It got a bit cold and windy during the time I was out hunting for my keys. I had to buzz the nice woman in C so I could get in. I must have looked like a sight! I was cold and shivering when I stopped concentrating on looking for my keys. She let me call maintenance for an emergency key which cost me $20. I need to get some extra keys made for sure. Next time I will run with my keys knotted in my sneakers! I walked my running route up and back on St. Paul Street and Titus Ave during the daylight on Friday with no results.

I ventured out to Newark on Saturday to fix my youngest son's laptop. He said that the LCD was gone. I had a similar laptop that wouldn't boot so I thought it was just a LCD transplant. Well ... it turned out that his video cable between the LCD and mainboard was severed so I had to replace the video cable. How did it get severed? Well, let's just say that he is rough on his stuff. I updated all the usual stuff and he was all set. I also headed out to the Wayne County Nursing Home to see my father. We watched the end of the last Nationwide race on ESPN2, link here.

I really need to unpack my apartment ... but I am procrastinating. That is one of my weaknesses.

Oh, I have started drinking coffee after all these years. Just at work and not straight black ... but if you add enough half and half it just tastes like bitter hot chocolate.

Keeping active, Doug

Sunday, November 2nd to Saturday, November 8th: 13.4 miles

I ran three times this week:

Sun: 6.2 miles, 48:42, Turkey Trot + 1.2, a little hard, 28F, sunny, calm, mild right knee pain, no stops, 7:51 pace
Fri: 4.4 miles, Fleet Happy Hour, a little hard, 55F, calm, mild right knee pain, no stops
Sat: 2.8 miles, Seneca Zoo run, easy, 55F, dusk, calm, mild right knee pain, no stops, 8:07 pace

The Sunday morning run was beautiful. It was shortly after 7AM just after the time change back to EST. The ground was frosty, the sun was coming up, it was calm and peaceful. The run just came out of me. I was thinking that this would be my last run from my house.

The Friday night run was pretty good. I broke away from the slow pack and just ran ... enjoying the night. I have found that I have to run my pace ... I can't run slow. My pace is usually 8 minute mile or a little better ... I guess it's because of my long legs. I met a woman afterward, we talked and exchanged contact info. I enjoyed the short drive back to my apartment.

I took a short run from my apartment to the Seneca Park Zoo and back on Saturday just to see how far it was. I must remember to take both my apartment key and door key next time ... having just my apartment key does not get into my door. Luckily, someone in my unit came ... after 30 minutes or so.

The past several days have been a blur of sorting, packing, moving and unpacking (more to do). I thought I had already gone through my stuff ... boy was I wrong! I ended up making several "Misc" boxes with who knows what in them! The move day was Wednesday with the help of a 24 foot U-Haul truck (I only rolled one curb), my ex, my youngest son and Pedro. It was a long day but I am 95% moved out of Newark and up to Rochester. All I did on Wednesday night was set up my bed, unpacked some clothes and crashed. Thursday, in typical guy fashion I set up the TV, electronics, stereo and internet first. The cable guy said he did that too ... it must be a guy thing. Then I watched a heart wrenching episode of Grey's Anatomy.

I am going to toss the stuff that I don't need ... which is quite a bit. Though talking about tossing stuff and actually tossing it are two different things.

Keeping active, Doug

Sunday, October 26th to Saturday, November 1st: 13.1 miles
Month of October: 73.8 miles, I ran 15 out of 31 days

I ran 3 times this week:

Sun: 3.7 miles, 30:58, Upstate XC Series #3, a little hard, 50F, sunny, calm, 8:20 pace
Wed: 5 miles, no time, zoo run, 40F, windy, easy, 40F, cloudy, windy, mild right knee pain
Fri: 4.4 miles, 31:52, FF Happy Hour run, a little hard, 55F, dusk, calm, mild right knee pain, 7:15 pace

I ran the Upstate XC Series #3 down at Ithaca College on Sunday morning. It was a beautiful fall day (50F, sunny, a little windy) after an all day rain on Saturday. The course was uphill for the first two miles (including up the local Mt. Everest) and then downhill back. The start was pretty congested ... someone fell behind me when we turned a corner. I finished in 30:58, 121st out of 131 males, results here. This XC Series attracts a fast group which was why I at the bottom of the group. Michael and her girlfriend, who go to Ithaca College were at the start and finish and invited me to a leisurely brunch before I headed back home. Oh, Michael's senior recital is Wednesday, April 9th at 9PM.


I gave blood for the 65th time on Wednesday after work. My pulse was 60, blood pressure was 120/70. If you want to give blood, go here to sign up.

I was busy all week looking for a one bedroom apartment up in Rochester. I looked at several and found one at Pine Ridge Crossing on Seneca Manor Drive in Rochester, website here. This apartment (with heat and water included) is the Taj Mahal compared to all the ones I have seen ... trust me. This will give me an opportunity to start over.

Those who know me know I have been living alone for a little over three years now, officially divorced for about four months ... afraid to make a decision about almost anything. I should have sold the house years ago. I have fixed it up as much as I could. Moving from this house will force me to downsize ... well, not unless I just start dumping stuff into boxes. So I will busy this weekend for sure.

Gas prices have continued to fall. I saw $2.79/gal in Palmyra and 2.88/gal in Newark on the way home on Friday from the FleetFeet Happy Hour run. According to www.rochestergasprices.com the cheapest is $2.52. I talked to my brother in Syracuse and he said that www.syracusegasprices.com says his cheapest gas price is $2.19/gal. Hey, anything under $3/gal is a bargain to me. My new apartment is 2 miles away from work. Newark is around 40 miles one way from work. If you crunch the numbers assuming that I will work 22 days/month, gas mileage of 25 miles/gal and gas price of $3/gal, I will save around $200/month. Now I will have to head out to Newark to see my children and out to Lyons to see my father but still I will be ahead. When gas goes back up to $4/gal (and you know it will) I will save even more.

Keeping active, Doug

Sunday, October 19th to Saturday, October 25th: 17.5 miles

I ran 3 times last week:

Mon: 5.5 miles, 41:58, a little hard, 55F, sunny, calm, mild right knee pain, no stops, 7:41 pace
Wed: 6 miles, 46:54, easy, 38F, light mist to sprinkle, windy, mild right knee pain, no stops, 7:49 pace
Fri: 6 miles, 46:28, easy, 55F, cloudy, windy, mild right knee pain, no stops, 7:45 pace

Lots of stuff going on. I will be moving up to Rochester shortly. I was busy apartment hunting this morning.

I had a coffee date at Tim Hornton's just as the all day rain was ending. She is an active woman but no spark on either end. There was a pretty rainbow as the sun set on the way home.

Gas prices continue to go down. It's $2.999 in Newark and more expensive in Palmyra at $3.099. Usually it is the other way around. But I am happy to see lower prices for sure!

Keeping active, Doug

Sunday, October 12th to Saturday, October 18th: 23.9 miles

I ran 4 times this week:

Sun: 5.5 miles, 42:31, easy, 50F, sunny, calm, mild right knee pain, no stops, 7:43 pace
Tue: 5.5 miles, 42:23, easy, 55F, sunny, calm, mild right knee pain, no stops, 7:42 pace
Thu: 5.5 miles, 42:51, easy, 55F, sunny, calm, mild right knee pain, no stops, 7:47 pace
Sat: 7.4 miles, 1:32:07, Jensen Stables 12K, hills, mud, water ... oh my!

I just got back from the Jensen Stables XC Challenge 12K. It was chilly when I got there but it warmed up to 45F by 10AM. I wore shorts, a ls and ss tech top, hat and gloves. There were hills, a creek crossing with water up to our knees, mud, then lots of hills, then a pond crossing where you had to either swim across a 50 foot pond or take a penalty lap (I pulled myself across on the rope), more hills, a mudslide, more mud, more hills, a haybale obstacle and the finish. I had the usual mild right knee pain but disregarded it and plodded onward. I finished 92nd out of 116 in 1:32:07. Overall results here, age group results here. I brought a complete change of clothes and certainly needed them! The swag was a nice ss tech top along with some beads at the finish. There was a good feed afterward with pulled pork sandwiches, salt potatoes, cookies and cider catered by Beale Street Cafe. I christened my new Asic Gel Trabuco 11 WP trail shoes that I bought Thursday from the good people at Fleet Feet with the help of their $25 off coupon. They are certainly muddy now!

Just exiting the knee high creek crossing!

There was a lot of running going on in Rochester on Saturday. The Run for Hospice 5K had 673 runners, the Run for Hospice 10 Mile had 245 runners, the Black Diamond Duathalon had 126 runners/bikers and the Jensen Stables 12K had 116 runners. You can't say that Rochester doesn't have active people!

A mild reminder: I take running safety seriously. I wear reflective gear when I run during dusk. Please, runners ... make sure you are seen and can hear! You don't need to listen to music so loud that you can't hear someone coming up from behind you!

I like that gas prices are coming down ... sometimes very fast. I was on the way home on Thursday night and filled up in Perinton for $3.499. I was irked when I got to Palmyra and saw that gas was $3.299 there ... costing me $2.40. Gas was $3.199 in Newark when I headed out this morning.

A minor peeve ... it would be nice if married women wore wedding rings. I tried to hit on a runner around my age who wasn't wearing a wedding ring ... then she started mentioning her husband! How am I supposed to know?

Dating is so not happening. I just ended my paid subscription to fitness-singles.com. I had been on this site as tallrunner57 for 6 months ... I have met one woman there in the flesh, no date. I "met" 3 other women that I can email or call, no dates. I still think that internet dating is great for the type of women that I want to date, not so much for me ... though I have been wrong before. I do not want to date a BBW, I want to date an active, fit woman around my age ... I know she is out there.

Keeping active, Doug

Sunday, October 6th to Saturday, October 12th: 16.2 miles

I ran 3 times this week:

Tue: 5.5 miles, 42:14, a little hard, 55F, sunny, calm, right knee pain, no stops, 7:41 pace
Thu: 6.3 miles, easy, 60F, sunny, calm, right knee pain, 1 stop, 7:53 pace
Fri: 4.4 miles, 33:10, Fleet Feet Happy Hour, 65F, sunny, calm, started slow, right knee pain

I am still struggling with a pain in my right knee that I first started to feel during the marathon. It starts after I run about 2 or 3 miles. Eventually it gets to the point where I can't take a full stride. So I have shortened my usual run from 7 to 5.5 miles. It could be getting better. I ran this 5.5 miles this morning ... it was only a mild ache. Non-runners would say "why not just stop running until it heals?" ... runners would say "Huh?" I think I will just shorten my runs until it heals.

Speaking of marathons ... I wish I had run the Wineglass Marathon instead. I heard from DS that the running conditions were ideal ... cool and misty, she ran a 3:38. My realistic goal at Rochester was 4:00 and my "must beat" goal was 4:30 ... which I met by 23 seconds.

I went down to Ithaca College for Michael's Symphony Orchestra concert. It was held at Cornell's Bailey Hall ... filled to the rafters. They played "The Planets" by Holst while pictures were shown of the planets. It was a long day. I didn't get back to Newark until midnight.

Keeping active, Doug

Sunday, September 28th to Saturday, October 4th: 15.6 miles run

I ran 3 times this week:

Sun: 7 miles, 56:22, run around neighborhood, easy, 60F, sunny, calm, no stops, 8:03 pace
Tue: 5.5 miles, 43:14, run around neighborhood, easy, 60F, misty, calm, no stops, 7:52 pace
Sat: 3.1 miles, 21:36, Safe Journey 5K, 45F, hard, sunny, calm, no stops, 6:58 pace

I ran the Safe Journey 5K in Fairport this morning. I have a good history in this race ... I either pull a hamstring or set a PR the two times I have run it. Anyway, it was a perfect fall morning, 40F when I headed out. I got there in plenty of time. I wore my new Brooks pants and a long sleeve tech shirt along with light mittens and a hat. Race conditions were 45F, sunny, not a cloud in the sky, calm. The start was good, first mile in 6:39. I latched onto a guy who was running the same pace and just kept up with him for the rest of the way before passing him in the final stretch. I was just starting to get a bit tired but then I saw the lift bridge in the distance and kept it in gear with a kick at the finish. Result ... no stops, a PR of 21:36, 6:58 pace!! My first 5K of sub 22 and sub 7 pace! I was 24th overall out of 225 and 4th in my highly competitive 50-54 age group (5th place was 1 second behind me). Oh, as usual ... an excellent race by Fleet Feet of Rochester. Overall results here, age group results here.

You would thing that everything is OK in my running world ... you would be wrong. I still am troubled by a slight hamstring ache that gets worse when I run long. I didn't notice it in this 5K.

As I posted last week I have a new job. I am working as a contractor through Burns at Synergy. Synergy won a Printer Fleet Management contract with ITT to take care of all their printers. I will be working as a Printer Concierge taking care of the consumable needs of all the printers (paper, toner, etc) in 4 buildings. I, along with the break/fix engineer, will also be upgrading all the old printers to the Lexmark brand. So I should be keeping out of trouble.

I watched the vice presidential debates between Palin and Biden on Thursday night. It was more of the same ... the Republicans trying to spread FUD to stay in power and the Democrats trying to give America hope for the future. My feeling ... Obama 08, 12. I must say though that Palin did hold her own for the most part ... though sometimes she seemed too much like a McCain cheerleader.

Oh, stop the presses! The Buffalo Bills are 4-0 with wins over Seattle, Jacksonville, Oakland and St. Louis. Three of the wins have been fourth quarter comebacks to boot. They play in Arizona tomorrow.

Update: the Bill are now 4-1 with a loss to Arizona. A complete nightmare of a game with their QB knocked out on the third play.

Keeping active, Doug

Sunday, September 21st to Saturday, September 27th: 15.6 miles run

I ran three time this week:

Sun: 3.1 miles, 24:03, Upstate XC Series #1, a little hard, 60F, misty, calm, no stops, 7:45 pace
Wed: 5.5 miles, 45:17, Run around neighborhood, easy, 50F, sunny, calm, 1s, 8:14 pace
Fri: 7 miles, 56:28, Turkey Trot + 2, easy, 55F, cloudy, calm, no stops, 8:04 pace

Sunday, I ran the 5K Upstate XC Series #1 sponsored by Genesee Valley Harriers. I ran a 24:03 at Mendon Ponds, good for 207th out of 289, result here. It was a great day for a race, mild and misty ... a lot of fast runners were there!

The finish line is in sight!
Eating a raisin bagel with my eyes closed, lol!
Wednesday and Friday, runs around Newark. I am still trying to recover from the marathon. I can't really run long yet. I develop an ache in my right hamstring, sometimes in my right hip ... just like during the marathon. I don't want to take a week off to see if it heals, so I just get out there and run.

Saturday, I decided to get out and head down to the Naples Grape Festival, map here. It was a scenic drive down Route 21 from Canandaigua. There was a particularly beautiful spot in South Bristol with the south end of Canandaigua Lake on the left and cliffs on the right. I had never been down this way before. Anyway, the festival was pretty good. I just wandered around. There were loads of craft and food tents along with people having garage sales along the Main St in Naples. I bought a lot of grape things ... a pie, 2 turnovers, brownie, tart and several cookies (including a large grape chocolate chip). I also bought a loaf of zucchini bread, a bottle of maple syrup and some skin salve. It was a pleasant way to spend a Saturday morning and early afternoon ... I need to get out more, I don't need a woman to accompany me ... though one would be nice.

South Bristol - south end of Canandaigua Lake, just north of Naples
Meanwhile, I have been busy dejunking the house. I have been busy in my downstairs office.

Oh, my life of unemployment is over starting on Monday. More about this next week.

Keeping active, Doug

Sunday, September 14th to Saturday, September 20th: 34.3 miles run

I ran 3 times last week:

Sun: 26.2 miles, 4:29:37, slow, hot & humid, 70 to 85F, multiple stops, 10:17 pace
Wed: 3.5 miles, 37:56, easy, 70F, sunny, calm, multiple stops, 10:50 pace
Fri: 4.6 miles, 41:48, easy, 45F, sunny, calm, multiple stops, right knee problem, 9:05 pace

A tough week. Sunday was the Rochester Marathon. More about that in the previous blog entry.

Wednesday, I ran in the Dirt Cheap Trail Race #6. I was 60th out of 123, results here. I placed 7th out of 10 in my age group, age group results here. At the awards ceremony afterward I met a woman, KK, from f-s. She had run the Monster Marathon (a marathon run on trails) in Virgil a month earlier. Other women at her end of the table had run half an Ironman and a full Ironman ... I felt like I had entered the deep end of the women's running pool.

Friday, I tried to run my usual 7 miles. I had to cut it short. I developed a problem with my right knee. I could not raise my leg to take a long stride and was forced to trot/walk because of the pain. Recovering from the marathon is taking longer than I expected ... which is pretty frustrating since that is how I relieve my anxiety and frustration.

Karen is home from Houghton for the weekend. She has a bunch of work due next week but felt the need to be home for the weekend. I have not heard much from Michael since he has been at Ithaca except for a couple of emails and IMs. I am still taking David down to FLCC in the morning. It does give me a chance to talk to him ... when he is not doing his homework on the way there.

Keeping active, Doug

Rochester Marathon, 2009

Sunday, September 14th: 26.2 miles

I was on the road up to Rochester at 6:05AM, it was 72F, foggy and humid. I didn't sleep well, maybe 4 hours. The traffic around Frontier Field was dense but I knew a trick or two to bypass a bit of it.

The start was uneventful. The first 9.5 miles on the roads were OK ... however the sun came out about a mile before I made the turn onto the canal path for the next 14.5 miles. It rapidly got hotter and more humid ... by noon it was around 87F. A heat advisory was posted on the course and we were advised to slow down and hydrate. Any thought of a PR went out the window and all I thought about was finishing. I saw spots more than a couple of times so I was on the edge of keeling over. Everyone was having trouble with the heat and humidity ... plus I forgot my sunscreen. So ... I am a bit red in the face.

Well, besides the heat and humidity I was having my own problems. My right hamstring started hurting ... then my right hip started hurting ... then it became very painful to run. After about mile 12 or so I was starting to run a mile, walk a tenth. After about mile 18 or so I was starting to run a half mile, walk a quarter. After mile 22 or so, it was sheer willpower. By then trying to start up running after walking was sheer agony. But I wasn't going to quit, no way, no how. People have said that a marathon is an experience ... they are so right.

Note the gritted teeth and farmer's tan!
The finish line is in sight!
The bling!
I finished under 4:30:00 barely ... 4:29:37, 10:17 pace, 188th out of 556, overall results here, 10th out of 32 in my age group, age group results here, youtube video here. I needed a guiding hand at the finish ... I guess I didn't look so good. I really took my time drinking lots of water and getting some nutrition (mostly pizza) after the race. Not bad I guess for a 50 year old (51 in 2 days)! Everyone says that finishing in 4:30 under these conditions is an accomplishment so I guess I will take pride that I am part of the estimated 430,000 that complete a marathon every year!

After I got home I just collapsed on the bed. I texted a bunch of people my results and watched the Bills pull out a win over Jacksonville, 20-16. Later I went to see my father at the Wayne County Nursing Home. He likes that I visit him every Sunday. I was not going to let him down, though I did limp.

Keeping active, Doug

P.S. I watched the Channel 10 news and it reported that the marathon was shut down at 12:30pm at mile 20, news link here. I had been done for half an hour by then.

P.P.S. I had a fitful night of sleep. My right knee really hurt. I woke up around 4:30AM and iced it before going back to sleep. I will heal and I will run again.

Sunday, September 7th to Saturday, September 13th: 18.7 miles run

I ran 3 times this week as I tapered for the Rochester Marathon tomorrow morning:

Sun: 7 miles, 54:34, easy, 60F, sunny, perfect, no stops, 7:48 pace
Tue: 6.2 miles, 47:40, easy, 60F, cloudy, a little windy, no stops, 7:41 pace
Thu: 5.5 miles, 43:23, easy, 45F, sunny, calm, no stops, 7:53 pace

Looking back: who would have thought that I would be running a marathon as I took my first runs about 5 years ago? I started running as a stress reliever ... we all know why. I think I weighed 182 pounds. My first race was the Newark Turkey Day 5 Mile Run way back in November 2005. I don't remember my exact time but I think it was around 48 minutes and change. I started to keep a yearly list of my races in 2006. As of today, I weigh between 157 and 159 pounds. I have run 1 race in 2005, 15 races in 2006, 11 races in 2007 and 5 races in 2008 for a total of 32. I started to keep my running spreadsheet on 9/12/06. I started to keep this running blog in January 2007. I have run 11 5Ks, 6 5 miles, 5 10Ks, 2 9 Mile, 2 15Ks, 3 20Ks and 2 Halfs. Most of my PRs have been set this year ... I really should run a 5K and a Half this year just for PRs. I would really love to break 22 minutes in a 5K.

I picked up my packet this morning. Tonight I will set out my stuff. Tomorrow is my first marathon at 7:30AM. The weather forecast for tonight is low of 69F, 70% chance of showers. Tomorrow is high of 82F, 60% chance of showers. I am nervous and excited. The second half of the marathon will be the test of my endurance and will.

Keeping active, Doug