Sunday, January 31st to Saturday, February 6th

I ran 4 (yuck!) times last month: 15.4 miles. I will be amping up my exercise this month for sure.

Mon: Planet Fitness workout, 107 calories on the Stair Climber, 450 calories on the Elliptical.

CJ and I went out to Planet Fitness for a good Monday night workout. CJ worked out on the reclining bicycle. I got a good workout at work: 22 flights of stairs, 7405 steps.

Tue: 5 miles, 44:53, 8:59 pace, Fleet Feet Cobb's Hill run, easy, 24F, night, calm, 2 stops, no pain.

I made it down to my first Cobb's Hill run of 2010 ... just nice and easy, 2 Y's. Just a bit harder to run on sidewalks with a bit of slush. Caught up with some friends down at FF. A workout at work: 18 flights of stairs, 7000ish steps (pedometer reset itself midday).

Wed: Rest night, A workout at work: 7767 steps, 1 building.

Thu: Another rest night, a workout at work: 10 flights, 8223 steps, 4 different buildings. CJ made an excellent dinner of gingered apple pork tenderloin.

Fri: 6 miles, 52:32, 8:45 pace, FF Friday Hour run, hard and easy, 24F, night, calm, 1 stop for traffic, some pain afterward. A workout at work: 12 flights, 10270 steps.

I went down to my first Happy Hour run of 2010, hard and then easy. I went out with HD for a first mile of 7:30. This was a quite a bit fast ... I slowed down and let her go. I added a slow twist and a loop at Cobb's hill. I felt a bit funny on the way back on Monroe Ave, a bit tender around my surgery site. CJ met me at the door when I got home. I iced down and ate an excellent dinner of marinated tilapia, pilerogies and Brussels spouts. 8400 more steps during my run. CJ thinks I overdid it ... she is probably right.

Sat: rest day with a lazy morning then out to see my father at the Wayne County Nursing Home", get my hair cut at my usual barbershop in Newark, then out to see and the kids and do some taxes. I gave my son his diploma from Ithaca College. FYI, he graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Music in Music Theory and Music Performance. He framed it in the frame that his girlfriend gave him. A slight workout during the day: 1375 steps.

All in all, a busy week of work, running and leisure.

Keeping active, Doug

Sunday, January 24th to Saturday, January 30th

Sun: CJ and I cocooned most of the day. We did make it out to my ex's apartment to work on my youngest son's laptop. He had managed to lose the screw that holds one side of the LCD to the laptop body. I managed to reattach it after much trouble using one of the other laptop screws. I also tried to fix some of his software issues, AVG version 7.5 and his explorer crashing without any success. We left very hungry and went immediately to Wendy's.

Tue: Happy birthday, CJ! We woke up early and celebrated! She is just as old as I am now!

Mon-Fri: Work has definitely been hard work lately. I get enough of a workout walking around 5 miles at work, going up and down stairs and deploying printers.

Sat: 4 miles, 7:00 pace, worked out with CJ at Planet Fitness", 70F inside, 8F outside. Getting out to PF was a major achievement at 5PM after noting that it was below 10F all day!

My kudos to all the Freezeroo #4 runners who ran this morning at Powder Mill Park in 2F weather, results here.

Trying to keep active, Doug

Sunday, January 17th to Saturday, January 23th

I ran 2 times this week: 13.2 miles

Wed: 3.5 miles, 30:30-ish, 8:45 pace, back from Russell's house, 25F, night, calm, real easy, no stops, no pain (yea!).

I have been having a lot of trouble getting my running mojo back. CJ is back in Cleveland, lots of walking and stress at work, etc. One way is to be forced to get my car fixed. My Low Coolant light keeps coming on. It did come on once a month ... now I have to add antifreeze daily. Hopefully it wouldn't be too expensive.

Wed: 3.5 miles, 29:37, 8:28 pace, to Russell's house, 25F, night, calm, easy, no stops, no pain.

Well ... it was a sweet run back from Russell's house. My car needs an intake manifold. Basically, my antifreeze is leaking into my crankcase. So the gallon of antifreeze that I put in last night and today ended up mixed up with my oil. I will get it fixed on Saturday.

Thu: Just some minor knee pain today. Yahoo!

Sat: 6.2 miles, 55:23, 8:56 pace, back from Russell's house plus a loop around the zoo pond, 20F, sunny, calm, real easy, 6 stops, no pain.

Well, not such a great run back from Russell's house. I just wasn't feeling it and bonked. Maybe I was too hot, maybe the hard work Greg and I did all week deploying about a dozen printers caught up to me. But ... I was out there trying to bring it.

My girlfriend, CJ, is coming back from Cleveland sometime today. I guess I really should clean up the apartment. She will take me to get my car after it is fixed. My 1999 Grand Am just turned 235K ... the trunk lid is rusted, it needs a new exhaust pipe, but it runs. I want to keep it running until it needs to get inspected in April. It gets me from point A to point B.

I am seriously thinking about entering an easy race either tomorrow or next week. My 2010 race calendar is empty.

Keeping active, Doug

Sunday, January 10th to Saturday, January 16th

Mon: CJ and I went over to the new Planet Fitness with CJ. It was quite crowded. I got on an elliptical machine for a 30 minute, 310 calorie workout. CJ was on a workout bicycle.

Tue: Pasta night with CJ. Too tired to work out with FF. Also laundry night.

Wed: Gave blood today for the 71st time. Stats were BP: 120/64, pulse: 58.

Sat: Cocooned with CJ, let the world go on without us. She will be going back to Cleveland tomorrow morning. Her daughter has a Michebag party. She also has to go through more stuff at her apartment. Life will be different without her temporarily. CJ promises to return pronto!

I am having trouble getting my running mojo back. I want to make sure my area around my hernia surgery is healed. Luckily I have a job where I do a lot of walking ... probably 5 miles or so plus I go up and down probably 20 flights of stairs daily. I walk right past the people who press the 'up' or 'down' button.

Trying to keep active, Doug

Friday, January 1st to Saturday, January 9th

I ran once, 4.4 miles

Fri: I didn't do the Resolution Run this year, link here. CJ made a beautiful New Year's Day feast ... horseradish encrusted top round with cheddar cheese potatoes.

Sat: No, I didn't even know about the Frozen Assets 5K (a snowshoe race), link here. I feel for DS who broke his patella (kneecap) ... he finished.

Winter has come to western NY with a vengeance. The lake effect snow machine was in full throttle from Sat to Wed. Some areas east of Rochester got over two feet of snow coupled with wind and cold. Another batch of snow and cold is due in for the weekend. At one point it snowed 116 hours in a row at the Rochester airport ... dropping 12.3 inches of snow, link here.

Thu: 4.4 miles, 41:21, 9:24, Seneca-Collingwood-Zoo-Pond & back, really easy, 27F, night, calm, 3 stops (2 water, 1 traffic), some moderate pain.

I really had to get out and try to run. I went really easy ... snow on the side roads that the city of Rochester doesn't plow does that. I was quite a bit sore in my abs (and lower) when I came in and requested ibuprofen and ice from CJ when I got in. I guess work takes a lot out of me.

I got CJ's car into my auto mechanic, Russ. I got her power steering, trunk release and right wheel bearing fixed for less than she was quoted in Cleveland (Power steering: $245 vs $60, trunk release: $130 vs $20, wheel bearing: $237 vs $155).

CJ and I have a tendency to "cocoon" and just stay inside. It didn't help that she broke her toe walking around the apartment in the dark. CJ joined Planet Fitness at their new location at 1850 East Ridge Rd just past the Medley Center. I transferred my membership there.

Sat: CJ and I took my daughter on a road to Owego to see a friend. While she was visiting CJ and I ate lunch at Beer Belly's, then saw Sherlock Holmes at the Tioga Theater. It was a bright, sunny and cold day to walk around Owego, trust me!

Trying to keep active, Doug

Happy New Year, 2010!

New Year's Eve Reflection Run!

Stats for December: 22.2 miles, 5 runs, 4.4 miles/run
Stats for 2009: 1140.1 miles, 186 runs, 6.1 miles/run
I ran in 26 races in 11 months, 17 trail and 9 road.

A list of my races:

1/1/09 Freezeroo #2 Resolution Run - 7.5 miles 62:33 8:20
107th out of 287, 12th out 33 in age group

1/7/09 Snow Cheap #2 Trail Race - 2.7 miles 31:55 11:49

1/21/09 Snow Cheap #3 Trail Race – 2.5 miles 44:34
(got lost)

2/4/09 Snow Cheap #4 Trail Race – 2.5 miles 31.34 12:37

2/18/09 Snow Cheap #5 Trail Race – 2.5 miles 30:51 11:20

3/4/09 Snow Cheap #6 Trail Race – 3.3 miles 34:15 10:23

4/5/09 Spring Forward 15K 72:49 7:49
141st out of 378, 15th out of 26 in age group

4/11/09 Cat’s Half Marathon 1:51:49 8:32
38th out of 89, 3rd in Age Group

4/15/09 Dirt Cheap #1 – 4.5 miles 38:40 8:36
89th out of 198, 6th out of 13 in age group

5/3/09 Medved Madness 15 mile Trail Run 2:30:09 10:01
52nd out of 69

5/15/09 Williamson Appleblossom 10K 45:44 7:23
14th out of 68, 1st in Age Group

5/20/09 Dirt Cheap #2 – 6 miles 53:24 8:54
88th out of 184, 6th out of 10 in age group

6/6/09 Power Bar 9 Mile Trail Run 85:05 9:27
61st out of 92, 6th out of 7 in age group

6/13/09 Newark Run for the Red 5K 22:04 7:07
3rd in Age Group

6/17/09 Dirt Cheap #3 – 4 miles 54:23 13:36
Epic mudfest!
149th out of 210, 9th out of 10 in age group

7/4/09 Fairport Firecracker 5.1 Mile Race 40:12 7:53
172nd out of 588, 12th out of 44 in age group

7/15/09 Dirt Cheap #4 – 4.5 miles 40:12 8:54
113th out of 211, 8th out of 11 in age group

8/9/09 ‘Dam’ Good Trail Run – 13.6 miles 2:23:42 10:34
51st out of 104, 7th out of 14 in age group

8/19/09 Dirt Cheap #5 – 6 miles 55:13 9:12
95th out of 187, 7th out of 10 in age group

9/5/09 Summerfest 12K 62:42 8:26
66th out of 212, 5th out of 14 in age group

9/16/09 Dirt Cheap #6 – 4 miles 38:01 9:30
Happy Birthday!
77th out of 161, 5th out of 10 in age group

10/11/09 Towpath 10K 48:35 7:50
45th out of 418, 5th out of 16 in age group

11/14/09 Dirt Cheap Stage Race 1 – 3 miles DQed
Missed a turn

11/14/09 Dirt Cheap Stage Race 2 – 5.5 miles 45:04 8:12
45th out of 82, 11th out of 15 in age group

11/15/09 Dirt Cheap Stage Race 3 – 11 miles 2:05:52 11:26
49th out of 74, 9th out of 12 in age group

11/26/09 Newark Turkey Day 5 Mile Race 38:50 7:46
45th out of 144, 5th in Age Group

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Thu: 6.5 miles, 1:01:19, 9:25 pace, Seneca-Titus-Winona-St Paul-Norton-Seneca run, 32F, night, fine mist, 1 stop, some mild ab pain.

I just had to get out for the last run of the year. I had to run carefully, I didn't want to slip on any snow on the sidewalk or road. The run was sweet, just really easy, trying to see if I have healed enough to run harder. No, I have not is the short answer. But I am optimistic that I will fully heal ... just not as fast I would like. Perhaps I push too much ... but isn't that the nature of runners? My goal in 2010 is to run a sub 4 marathon.

I wish everyone who reads this blog a Happy New Year filled with everything that they wish for. 2009 was a great year which ended very well!

Keeping active, Doug

Sunday, December 20th to Saturday, December 26th

Sunday, December 20th to Saturday, December 26th

I ran 2 times, 10.1 miles

Sun: 5 miles, 42:53, 8:35 pace, easy, Seneca-Titus-Winona-St Paul-Ridge run, 27F, night, calm, no stops, no pain.

I had to get out there. So after I got back from wishing my oldest son a happy 24th birthday, I headed out in the night for a sweet, easy run around the neighborhood.

Tue: 5.1 miles, 44:09, 8:39 pace, easy, FF Cobb's Hill run, 18F, night, a bit windy, 2 stops, some ab pain.

I went to my postop appointment with my surgeon and got the OK to go back to work with no restrictions on Wednesday. I went back up to FF to run Cobb's Hill with fellow Winter Warriors. I was a bit underdressed since I forgot my windjacket so I compensenated with 1 ss and 2 ls tech tops. I was OK except for my face. I only did 2 Y's since I was having some pain. I did have some ab pain plus some upper thigh pain. But I was glad to get out there.

Wed: Went back to work. A long day of catching up, some ab pain in the evening.

Thu: The typical day before the holidays. My boss took me out to lunch at Kennan's on Ridge Road West. Afterward, I packed and headed east to give my kids their Christmas giftcards and then headed west to spend Christmas in Cleveland with CJ.

Trying to keep active, Doug

Sunday, December 13th to Saturday, December 19th

Sunday, December 13th to Saturday, December 19th

I ran 2 times, 4.5 miles

Baby steps on my road back from my hernia surgery. I feel pretty good most of the time.

Mon: 1 mile, Washington Golf Course Park in Cleveland OH, 46F, really easy, night, calm, no stops, no pain.

I am still in Cleveland with CJ. I took a really, really easy 1 mile {I guess} run while CJ walked her dog. Nothing too strenuous.

Tue: CJ took me back to Rochester. Long drive. My side hurt a bit when we arrived.

Wed: Before CJ went back to Cleveland, she was kind enough to drop my car off at my auto mechanic's so I could get the heater fan and auto transmission shifting fixed.

Thu: 3.5 miles, 31:45, 9:04 pace, out to Russell's house, 12F, really easy, night, calm, no stops, no pain.

I dressed perfectly for the weather ... after I found all my cold weather gear. Just a nice run out to pick up my car. My auto mechanic replaced my heater fan and put some type of Lucas sealant conditioner in my transmission. I now have heat and the transmission shifts a lot better. However, the proof will be when it shifts after the transmission has sat all night.

Trying to keep active, Doug

Sunday, December 6th to Saturday, December 12th

Sunday, December 6th to Saturday, December 12th

Note: I am on the mend from hernia surgery on Thursday, December 3rd. So I am on short term disability for the time being until my doctor OKs my return to work.

Sun: A quarter mile hobble, 30F, dusk, calm, no stops, a stretchy pain on my left side.

I took my bandage off and took a much needed shower. I got outside around 4:30PM with CJ just in case. I hobbled off to the mailbox to mail some letters, then to the corner of Ridge and Seneca and back. Man, walking kind of hurts!

Tue: Drove out during the night to Cleveland to spend time with CJ while she went through the stuff in her apartment. Exhausted, crashed when we got there. I didn't find out until the next day that the only thing I had brought with me was the clothes on my back, my computer, my briefcase, and my pillow! Luckily I did bring a parka! Everything else that I wanted to bring ... like underwear, sock, shirts, sweatshirt and toiletries are back in Rochester. Well ... I have been told that you always leave something behind when you travel!

Thu: Man, has it gotten colder here in Cleveland! It went from 52F yesterday to 18F with wind chills near 0F! Sometimes I am feeling pretty good, sometimes I feel pretty tired. I did manage a bit of a run for about 1/10 of a mile at a very slow pace ... just trying to see if everything still works!

Sat: It has warmed up in Cleveland today! Perfectly sunny, above freezing! We are trying to find someone to take care of CJ's dog so CJ can take me back to Rochester. I really need a shave! Each day post surgery is different. Most of the time I feel pretty good and then all of a sudden I get tired. CJ says that I push myself too hard and am not resting like I should.

Trying to keep active, Doug

Sunday, November 29nd to Saturday, December 5th

Sunday, November 29nd to Saturday, December 5th

I ran once this week: 6.2 miles
Month of November, I ran 15 days of 30 (actually 18 times), 90.9 miles, 6.1 miles/run
2009 to end of November, I have run 182 days out of 334, 6.2 miles/run

Sun: A rest day for CJ and I after three days of exercise. We headed down to Geneva to see the Nutcracker performed by the Ithaca Ballet and the Finger Lakes Symphony Orchestra. We enjoyed the ballet very much, it was very well done.

Tue: 6.2 miles, 51:59, 8:23 pace, Fleet Feet Cobb's Hill run, 40F, easy, night, calm, no stops, no pain.


CJ and I made it down to Fleet Feet for the Cobbs's Hill run, also the first night of Winter Warrior ... a lot of people showed up! The weather was excellent! I love running when it's around 40F and calm!

Thu: I have had a left inguinal hernia for a couple of months. It has not really affected my running but I wanted to get it taken care of before it did.

So today I had it repaired at the Clifton Springs Hospital and Clinic. My surgeon could not do a laprascopic (too skinny I was told!) but did a straight cut. I was out of surgery by 11:15AM and on my way home by 2:30PM or so. Everything went well, I have nothing by good things to say about the whole experience. I was calm before I went in for surgery ... my BP was 115/70 and my pulse was 43. I was in a bit of pain whenever I moved. My girlfriend, CJ, is taking good care of me. Her cinnamon toast is awesome! Hopefully I will be back to running soon! I do want to run a race this month so I can run a race in every month of 2009!

Fri and Sat: Still on the mend with CJ's help. Pain when I get up, not much pain when I stay in bed. Kind of sucks ... it seems that the cure was worse than the bite.

Keeping active, Doug