Hi All,

Sunday, December 23rd to Saturday, December 29th: 19 miles

I ran 7 miles around my neighborhood on the day before Christmas in 58:36, a 8:22 pace. It was 30F and windy. I ran the usual 6 mile zoo run around the pond on Wednesday and Friday. Both days were relatively mild, 35F and 40F, respectively.

Bad news on the job front. My last day at ITT was on Friday. After 6 years, ITT decided to let go all its contractors who had been there more than 18 months. My contract house, TCN, does not have a new job for me. Oh, well. I am trying to find another job. I have had an interview at Ultralife in Newark and a phone screen with Bosch Security in Fairport.

I have finished the stairwell. I found that flat white does not cover very well. I needed three coats ... each coat only took three hours. Now I need to figure out which room to tackle next ... David's room, the bathroom or the kitchen. Plus I really need to start dejunking in earnest.

Keep running, Doug

Hi All,

Sunday, December 16th to Saturday, December 22th: 20.15 miles

I ran two lunchtime zoo runs around the pond of 6 miles each on Wednesday and Friday. The river trail was snowy covered so I ran on some streets also.

I ran 8.15 miles around my neighborhood on Saturday morning. Instead of looping back on Wood Lane I continued on Filkins Road down to Route 31, then down Whitbeck Road to West Shore Blvd and back into Newark. I kind of ran out of energy and stopped twice. My time was 1:10:48 for a 8:41 mile pace.

I finished Michael's room before he came home. I just had to pick up my tools and put some Pledge on his dresser and shelves. I helped him put his piano back in his room. Next up is the stairwell.

I have watched a couple of good movies lately with Michael. I rented Spiderman 3 and Bourne Ultimatum from the Red Box at Wegmans. It's a great deal, a one day rental for $1 plus tax. I have also converted some of my old VHS tapes to DVD using my Samsung DVD-VR330 DVD Recorder. It's really quite easy once you get the hang of it.

I used the warm weather to finally rake the leaves in my backyard. Over the course of three days I took 24 barrels of wet leaves to the backwoods.

Keep running, Doug

Hi All,

Sunday, December 9th to Saturday, December 15th: 12.5 miles

Just two runs this week. A 6 mile lunch-time zoo run around the pond on Tuesday. Then I ran 6.5 miles from B601 on Friday, my first time from this building. I just ran down Lee Road (the dangerous part) to the canal trail, then ran south to Chili Ave and back. The trail was snow covered, I ran slowly in foot prints mostly. The weather both times was in the mid 30s. I saw an interesting running quote: "There is not such thing as bad weather, just soft people".

I was painting Michael's room this week. First a coat of primer on the entire room, then two coats of flat white on the ceiling, two coats of enamel white on the trim, two coats of 'casual blue' on the walls. Plus I pulled the rug, staples and tack strips. I am a bit tired.

We got a north-easter on Sunday. Initially, the forecast was 1 to 2 feet of snow. But Newark only got 4 inches of snow and sleet by 10AM, then 4 more inches by 5PM. I got some exercise shoveling and walking down to the corner store to get the Sunday papers.

The Buffalo Bills lost to the Cleveland Browns in a snow storm down in Cleveland, 8-0. The Bills are now 7-7 and out of the playoff hunt. The Bills never really had a chance, all 7 wins were against opponents with losing records. I listened to the game while I was painting upstairs, then watched the last part of the 4th quarter.

Well, winter has really started early in upstate NY. We are well on the way to a record setting snow total for December. The average for December is 9.3 inches, we already have 27 inches ... without what we got today.

Keep running, Doug

Update: Another 6 inches of snow to shovel on Monday morning, plus uncovering the car. What fun it is to live in upstate NY in the winter!

Hi All,

Sunday, December 2nd to Saturday, December 8th: 12.75 miles

December came in snowy. It snowed the first five days with 14 inches in Newark on Tuesday. I got my exercise by shoveling out my driveway twice plus prepping and painting primer on the ceiling of Michael's bedroom.

Thursday, I ran the usual 6 mile zoo run around the pond in my Pearl Izumi trail shoes with the closed toe box. They did well in the snow. Saturday, I ran the usual 6.75 mile run around the neighborhood in 57:27, a 8:30 mile pace. Slow but steady with just one stop for a couple of dogs.

I made three trips down to Ithaca College this week to see Michael in concerts. Tuesday - Brass Choir, Wednesday - Wind Ensemble and Sunday - Madrigals and College Chorus. A long trip and long day on Tuesday and Wednesday. Plus I painted primer on the walls and two coats of ceiling white in Michael's bedroom. I need to pick out a medium blue for the walls to cover the choo-choo train wallpaper that I am sure that he has not liked for several years. I should be done with his bedroom by the end of this week.

Keep running, Doug

Hi All,

Month of November: 53.9 miles, I ran 13 out of 30 days
Sunday, November 25th to Saturday, December 1st: 12 miles

I just did two zoo runs around the pond of 6 miles each this week. It was cold (28F) and misty on Tuesday and slightly warmer (36F) and windy on Thursday.

I didn't get as much done around the house as I wanted to. I just couldn't get motivated. I did put together a computer desk for my youngest son and filled the garbage bin with junk. I did figure out how to back up a VCR tape to DVD. I kind of watched the Buffalo Bills beat the Washington Redskins, 17-16, on a last-second field goal. It's about time that the Bills win one at the end instead of lose two at the end.

I wanted to get out running around the neighborhood on Saturday and Sunday. But it snowed both days and I wanted to be safe rather than run over. In fact, it is snowing right now. We might get a foot overnight in persistent lake effect bands.

Keep running, Doug

Hi All,

Sunday, November 18th to Saturday, November 24th: 17.75 miles

I ran the usual 6 mile zoo run around the pond on Tuesday. I do this run but I really don't like the route ... it just seems uphill all the way back.

I ran my third Newark Turkey Day 5 Mile Race on Thanksgiving. It was a raw day, around 40F with a misty rain that got heavier around mile 3. I finished in 38:57, a 7:47 mile pace. I was 65th out of 151, 5th in my age group, M 50-59. Oh, I won a $5 gift card from Dunkin Donuts as a door prize.

I ate Thanksgiving dinner at a JK's house. We had turkey and stuffing (of course), sweet potato souffle, cranberry sauce, leeks and a parsnips, celery, bacon and maple syrup dish whose name escapes me. Dessert was two helpings of homemade chocolate cheesecake and coffee mocha. We also watched "License to Wed" with Robin Williams and Mandy Moore. We had a nice talk. I value her friendship. The rain during the day had turned to a light snow which I had to scrape before I went home.

I ran 6.75 miles around the neighborhood on Saturday in 55:47, a 8:16 pace. It was a beautiful sunny crisp morning. I had painted the baseboard and used my run as a reward.

I am 95% done with my bedroom. The only thing left is pull the blue tape on the floor and move the small stuff back. Next is painting the trim in the upstairs bedroom. Initially I painted the walls and baseboard the same color, antique white. Now that I see how much better white baseboards and trim look I will repaint. It shouldn't take too much effort. Next is Michael's room. I have to be done by December 21st which is when he will be home next.

Speaking of Michael, I took him back to Ithaca College today. I ran over something that looked like aluminum foil just as I got there ... well, I think it put a hole in one of my radiator hoses. I had to buy two gallons of anti-freeze to limp back home ... stopping to cool the car down every so often. It looks like a trip to the auto repair shop is in my future. Oh well.

Update: I needed a new radiator reservoir cap which only cost $12.96! Thanks, Big Mike's Auto Repair, links here and here!

Keep running, Doug

Hi All,

Sunday, November 11th to Saturday, November 17th: 12.75 miles

I only ran two times this week. Work prevented me from running on Tuesday and Wednesday so I ran after work on Wednesday. It was warm (57F) and dark so I ran 6.75 miles around the neighborhood with my reflective vest. I ran a little hard in 56:07, a 8:18 mile pace. I ran the usual 6 mile zoo run around the pond on Friday. It has turned colder.

I am painting my bedroom. I painted the ceiling and trim during the week and the walls during the weekend. I decided to try the expensive Kilz Casual Color in Airy Blue with Kilz as an undercoat. It worked very well. I almost covered the walls in one coat. I need to do one more coat, pull the rug and do the bottom trim. So I should be done by the end of next weekend. I am not taping except to do the ceiling so it is going faster.

I am watching the Bills get pounded by the Patriots 28-7 ... now, it's 56-10 with 11 minutes to go in the 4th quarter.

Keep running, Doug

Hi All,

Sunday, November 4th to Saturday, November 10th: 17.4 miles

I ran the usual 6 mile zoo run around the pond on Tuesday and Thursday. It was cold, windy and rainy on the Tuesday run. But I perserved and trudged on. I ran 5.4 miles around the neighborhood on Saturday morning. I am not really pushing on my runs, maybe 8:30 mile pace. I only wear my Forerunner on the Saturday run.

I learned that the company that I am contracted to will be getting rid of all contractors on December 28th. So besides fixing up the house I also have to find another job. After six years with this company ... what can you do?

I finished painting the right dining room hutch. I am letting it dry before I move stuff back in. I just started painting my bedroom. I put down one coat on the ceiling. It's not bad painting ... the pain in the ass is moving the furniture (bed, dresser and drawers) from one side of the room to the other. I will be working all week on painting besides working on an outside website and computer job. I plan on getting done in a couple of weeks.

Keep running, Doug

P.S. I changed the weather widget from www.wunderground.com to www.blogskinny.com/ which uses www.weatherbug.com.

Hi all,

Sunday, October 28th through Saturday, November 3rd: 17 miles

I ran 6 miles on both Tuesday and Thursday, the usual zoo run around the pond. I ran a nice 5 miles around the neighborhood on Saturday morning. It was nice, frosty and crisp ... just begging me outside to run!

I didn't do as much as I could have to the house last weekend. I lazed on Saturday. I painted the first coat of the right dining room hutch on Sunday ... in between watching the Buffalo Bills pull off an improbable three game winnning streak against the Cincinnati Bengals to get to 4-4. The next game is against the winless Miami Dolphins. Then I watched some of the "first Super Bowl in November", the undefeated New England Patriots against the undefeated Indy Colts. New England won 24-20 with a pair of late TDs.

Keep running, Doug

Happy Halloween, October 31, 2007

Hi All,

Month of October: 50.1 miles, I ran 10 out of 31 days

I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween! I sat in front on my house in a Scream mask and handed out candy to 202 kids of all ages.

Keep running, Doug