Hi All,

Sunday, 4/1 to Saturday, 4/7: 31.2 miles

An uptick in my weekly mileage due to the Spring Forward 15K last Sunday and today's CATS Leo Austin Memorial Half Marathon.

I ran two zoo runs up at work this week. Tuesday's run was excellent; it was about 40F, I was dressed exactly right and I ran a 7:40 pace. Thursday's run was OK, it was about 22F with a headwind coming back and I ran a 8:01 pace.

Today the conditions for the half marathon was definitely chilly, around 25F with no wind at the start. I dressed for the cold with two T-shirts and my wind jacket and pants. I definitely appreciated my hat and mittens. Somehow, the Mendon hills didn't seem as steep the second time around. I kept a steady pace and didn't really walk very much, just a little on some hills after the 8 mile mark. I didn't have any kick at the end, the finish just popped up all of a sudden. I finished 38th in 1:50:45, a 8:27 mile pace. I bettered my previous PR by 9:06. Right now, my legs are quite beat and I could use a nap.

Results are at: http://grtconline.org/2007Results/2007CatsHalf.html

But stuff needs to get done. I have to go see my father at the nursing home. Plus my youngest son, David, is in the hospital recovering from a severe case of mono. So I have been bouncing around for the past few days.

I stopped to give a friend a happy 50th birthday hug. I would never give anyone black balloons for their birthday. A birthday is not a negative event, but a positive one.

Keep running, Doug

Happy April Fool's Day, 2007!

Hi All,

I just got back from the Spring Forward 15K down in Mendon Ponds. It was nice and cool, cloudy around 45F plus the monsoon held off until I was heading back to Newark.

I ran a 1:14:29, a 8:00 mile pace, which was my goal. I was 117th out of 328. The hills of Mendon did me in I guess, I did walk about 100 feet on five of them. I ran a 7:32 first mile, 23:02 5K, 39:14 5 mile, 49:14 10K and gutted out the last 5K.

Results are at: www.yellowjacketracing.com/
Spring%20Forward%20Overall%20Results%202007.htm . I finished 20th out 38 in my age group.

Fleet Feet, www.fleetfeetrochester.com, sure knows how to host a race. The volunteers did a great job and the after race spread (bananas, veggies, hot dogs and pasta along with plenty of water and pop) was excellent. Thanks to Boots, Ellen and all the volunteers! Thanks for the Running keychain!

I had a flyer on my windshield about the Leo Austin Memorial 26th Annual Half Marathon next Saturday at Mendon Ponds. It sounds interesting ... if I want to try the Mendon hills again.

My sister, Diane, just got in from Kentucky around noon. My brother, Don, from Syracuse, Diane and I will converge on the Wayne County Nursing Home to see Dad this afternoon. A lot of catching up will ensue!

Keep running, Doug

Hi All,

Sunday, 3/25 - Saturday, 3/31: 24.3 miles
Month of March: 86.7 miles, I ran 17 out of 31 days

I ran about 9 miles on Sunday around Newark. I finished by going down the Route 88 south hill then back towards home. I carried water and I did have to stop four times. But a good first long run.

I ran 5 miles during lunch on Tuesday and Thursday at work. The big difference was the temperature. It was 60F on Tuesday and I had no endurance, stopping six times. It was 40F on Thursday and I didn't stop once. I think the difference was that I sweat a whole lot more when it's hotter. So I will have to remember to tank up with water before, during and after a warm or hot run. I have gotten used to running during the cold weather when that is not so important.

I cross-trained by taking a 2 mile walk during lunch. I ran the 4.3 mile Happy Hour Run at Fleet Feet on Monroe Ave in Rochester when I picked up my packet for the Spring Forward 15K on Sunday. I ran with the lead pack then broke away when I turned the corner onto Monroe Ave. I think I ran around 31 minutes which is around a 7:20 mile pace. Not bad for a fun run.

I am not running today, resting up for the 15K on Sunday. I want to run 8 minute miles to finish under 75 minutes but the course down at Mendon Ponds is hilly so we will see. The temperature should be relatively cool so that is good.

Keep running, Doug

Hi All,

Sunday, 3/18 to Saturday, 3/24: 14 miles

I only ran three times this week, all up at work during lunch. Monday, 4.6 miles, a zoo run on the streets. Wednesday, 4.4 miles, a zoo run on the trail. Friday, 5 miles, a zoo run to the bottom of the hill. The snow has almost all melted! I didn't run on Saturday to rest up for a long run on Sunday. The Spring Forward 15K is coming up on April 1st!

Lots of other stuff happened this week. My father entered the Wayne County Nursing Home in Lyons on Thursday. Hopefully he will respond well to therapy and come back home before summer.

My last dance class was Tuesday. Now I need to find someone to practice my limited dance knowledge with ... if I can.

I attended an 80th birthday party for my Aunt Eleanor on Saturday night. It was nice to get out of blue jeans for once! It was also nice seeing some of my late mother's relatives that I haven't seen for a while. I told enough people that I will be running the Rochester Marathon on my 50th birthday on September 16th that I have to do it. I will sign up soon.

Keep running, Doug

Donate Blood!

Hi all,

I donated blood for the 58th time on Tuesday. My blood pressure was 108/80, my pulse was 50. Only 4% of eligible people donate blood from what I read. It really doesn't hurt except for the needle stick plus you get cookies and juice at the end! Plus sometimes you get stuff ... this time I got a free ticket to a Rochester Knighthawks game during March and April!

So go to http://www.donatebloodnow.org and schedule your blood draw today!

Keep running, Doug

Happy St. Patrick's Day, 2007!

Hi all,

Sunday 3/10 - Saturday 3/17, 19.3 miles.

Rochester weather went from one extreme to another this week. Sunday was around freezing with a 5.3 mile run on the short usual route around my house. Tuesday was around 55F with a 4.6 mile run out to Rochester zoo on the streets since the trail run was still icy. Thursday was around 40F with a run out to the Rochester zoo on the trail, the snow was practically all melted due to the warm weather. Then Friday night and all of Saturday it snowed about 8 inches of the wet, heavy snow that March can bring.

But now the good part. I ran the Johnny Runnin' of the Green 5 mile up in Rochester along with 760 runners crazy enough to run in 20F, snowy weather on St. Patrick's Day. I didn't rabbit and ran a nice 7:38 first mile. I could have sworn that I slowed down after that but when I turned the last corner and got close enough I was amazed to see I was going to beat my PR of 38 minutes. I crossed the line at 37:34 in a 7:31 mile pace ... bettering my PR by 26 seconds! I seem to set all my PRs in cold weather ... maybe I just want to get in out of the cold!

The race results are at: http://grtconline.org/2007Results/JOHNNYGREENORD.HTML

I am the third runner (with the green sweatshirt tied around the neck) in the picture just crossing the line.

I placed 169th out of 760. There was other people that I knew that ran, though I didn't see them: Mike, Eileen and Sara. I stayed for a while to sample some of the usual beverages consumed on St. Patrick's Day and to watch some of the parade. I got more exercise when I got home shoveling the six inches of snow that was in my driveway to greet me. Then more fell after I got done. The snow won't last. The forecast is for 50s and 60s by the end of the week.

I will really need my running in the future to deal with the mounting pressures in my life: work, trying to get divorced, my father in the hospital and other things. It would be nice if someone special could share my PRs. Running helps ... I enjoy it and it's good for me, though while I am doing it I have my doubts!

Keep running, Doug

Hi All,

Sunday 3/4 - Saturday 3/10: 19 miles.

The cold weather did indeed come on Monday with bone chilling cold and wind and Tuesday. I had to cancel out on going down to Ithaca College to see my son's concert on Monday night. It was just too dangerous. It has warmed up. This afternoon it was 40F. I think spring is just around the corner.

I ran 4 miles on the treadmill on Sunday,Thursday and Friday. The treadmill needs some work. It slipped a lot, especially on Friday. I think I have a lot of time to fix it since the weather has turned for the better.

I ran about 7 miles on Saturday morning, adding on some mileage to my regular route. I think that running just 14 hours after running on the treadmill did affect my performance, I had to stop and walk four times. Also I think my mind was playing tricks on me. I was running a new route so I didn't know the mileage.

Keep running, Doug

P.S. The Runnin' of the Green 5 mile is coming up on St. Patrick's Day!

Hi All,

Sunday, 2/25 - Saturday 3/3: 29.1 miles. February: 83.3 miles, I ran 19 out of 28 days.

The weather broke a little bit this week ... it got above freezing for a couple of days. So I ran outside 4 out of 5 days. I ran 5.3 on Sunday, 6.3 on Wednesday and 5.3 on Friday out at home and 4.6 on Thursday at work. I ran 4 miles on the treadmill on Monday.

The weather is turning back towards winter plus real life is intruding so my mileage will be down next week.

Keep running, Doug

Hi All,

Sunday 2/18 - Saturday 2/24: 24.1 miles.

I have become somewhat obsessed with running of late. I have run 9 out of the past 10 days. This week was another bookend with outside runs on Sunday (Polar Cat #6 5K) and Saturday (5 miles) along with four treadmills runs of 4 miles each during the week after work.

I have a new routine on the 4.0 incline treadmill. It's 2 miles at 7 mph, 1.625 miles at 7.5 mph, 0.25 mile at 8 mph and 0.125 at 9 mph. It's over in 34 minutes plus a cool down of 5 minutes at 3 mph.

February has been a snowy month. I saw a weather report that said that Rochester has gotten 39.9 inches of snow this month which makes it the 4th snowiest February on record. Well, the couple of inches that we got last night will make it the 3rd snowiest ... which is why my treadmill has seen so much use this month.

One thing about running is that I can occasionally eat the "bad" foods without any effect. Over the past couple of years I have gone from 182 pounds down to around 168 pounds. This also means that I have gone from wearing a 36-36 jean on my 6' 3" frame to a loose 34-36 jean. Now if I could convince myself to work out my upper body. All the running magazines say that I should cross-train.

I like running because I can go out and think about nothing at all or "run away from my problems" as one woman put it. Non-runners find excuses, runners run. It doesn't matter how fast or how far, just run. Well, there are worse things I could do with my spare time I guess.

Keep running, Doug

P.S. I have signed up for the Runnin' of the Green 5 Mile on St. Patrick's Day, http://www.johnnysirishpub.com/greenreg.htm, and the Spring Forward 15K, http://www.yellowjacketracing.com/Spring%20Forward.htm, on April Fool's Day. I had better get out for some long runs!

Hi All,

Sunday 2/11 - Saturday 2/17: 18 miles.

The weather relented so I could run two 5 milers on Sunday and Saturday and two 4 mile runs on the treadmill on Wednesday and Friday. I have a new routine: 3.75 miles at 7 mph and a 0.25 mile at 8 mph. It's a good workout.

Plus I got three workouts outside shoveling my driveway. I am not like some people who either have a plow come do it or just drive over it. I like a clean driveway.

Today, the Polar Cat #6 5K was held in Newark. So I braved the elements: 20F, a little snow, a little wind. I ran a 23:32 and placed 7th out of 25. I was third in my age group. The male 45-49 age group is a tough one. The results are at: http://www.grtconline.org/2007Results/2007PolarCat-6.html

I picked up an application for Johnny's Runnin' of the Green on St. Patrick's Day. It's a 5 miler up in Rochester. It will be my next race hopefully. I am also thinking of the Spring Forward 15K on April 1st.

Keep running, Doug