Sunday, May 30th to Saturday, June 5th

Month of May: I ran 12 times, 94.5 miles, 7.9 miles/run
2010 through May: I ran 56 times, 341.8 miles, 6.1 miles/run

Sun & Mon: Definitely rest days due to a broken rib.

Tue: 3.7 miles, walk with CJ, Fleet Feet Cobbs Hill run.

I walked with CJ up to Cobbs Hill then back on Highland Ave. I didn't have any pain in my ribs.

Wed & Thu: More rest days but I did go to work. I got plenty of exercise unboxing and setting up printers.

Fri: After some lengthy kisses goodbye CJ left for Cleveland. She will be out there until Wednesday boxing up her stuff. The next trip out there will be with a truck.

Sat: 6.6 miles, 56:24, 8:33 pace, Run from Russell's with a loop around Trout Pond, 74F, sunny, a bit windy, no stops, no pain.

Russell's to Apt with a Trout Pond loop

I vacuumed out and changed the oil in my car. My car was having a minor issue so I took it to Russell's. The fan for the AC vibrates very loudly. I ran back to the apartment with a minor detour around Trout Pond below the Seneca Park Zoo.

Healing and keeping active, Doug

Sehgahunda Trail Marathon, 5/29/10

Sat: 15 miles, 65 to 80F, sunny, calm, fell around mile 8, lots of pain.

The Sehgahunda Trail Marathon and Relay did not go as I had hoped. Everything started out OK. I made Check Point #1, 6.1 miles, OK. About 1.5 miles out of CP #1 . it all went south.

I tripped on a root as I went down a hill and took a tumble. I bloodied up my right arm as I skidded to a stop. I dusted myself off and continued on. I made it to CP #2, 8.6 miles. I was running down from CP #2 when I made a foolish mistake. I felt a sharp pain in my upper right side and continued on ... thinking it would go away. A very wrong decision since CP #3 was 6.8 miles away. Some runners at the bottom of CP #2 tried to talk me into going back up to CP #2 to be checked out ... which I should have done. I tried to slowly trot ... it worked for a while until the pain made it a bad idea. Then I tried to walk while I held my right side ... same thing. By now I had decided to quit when I got to CP #3. Time passed while I was passed by runner after runner. I told some fellow runners who passed me to tell CP #3 that I was having some problems. I continued on the best I could. I did have some time to enjoy the scenery. Yes, I walked 7 miles on trail with a broken rib ... luckily I didn't fall and do more trauma. Finally, Jim on his trail bike found me and evaluated me. He let me call CJ so she could head down from CP #6 where she volunteered to CP #3 to meet me. He started to walk me onward to CP #3. Along the way we met up with a Park Policeman and two EMTs. I got some oxygen and some bandages for my right arm and ribs. I met up with a worried CJ and a Gator at the bottom of CP #3 which transported me up to CP #3 and an ambulance. I got a ride to the Dansville ER while a nice EMT named Ed took my vitals: BP was 118/73, pulse was 60, O2 level was 98 or better. Eventually, after some wait at the ER for some painful chest X-rays I was told that I had a broken right 5th rib. I was given a prescription for Vicodin and sent home with instructions to take it easy. CJ and I filled the prescription and headed back to the Country Inn hotel in Mount Morris where we had wanted to celebrate a successful Sehgahunda.


Too bad I wasn't as tough as Jack Bauer!

Before the race with my trusty gym bag.

Lining up before the start ... game face on.

Another shot of the start

Just after the start

Coming up to CP #1 while I was still running

Showing off my trail rash at the Dansville ER

Close up of my trail rash.

Another closeup of my trail rash.
Meanwhile, back to Sehgahunda. The overall results are here, the relay results are here.

After all this, I was really tired probably due to the Vicodin I was given at the hospital ... I took some naps. But I do remember that CJ went out for some supper from McDonald's and that the Lakers won game 6 versus the Suns. Next up is the NBA Finals versus their old nemesis, the Boston Celtics.

Lessons learned today ... there are many more than I know who care about me, pick my feet up when I run trail and don't wear my dark shades when I run trail ... better to wear amber or clear shades. Maybe I bit off more than I could chew at Sehgahunda ... hopefully next year will turn out better.

Many thanks to those who were concerned, worried and took care of me.

Trying to keep active, Doug

Sunday, May 23rd to Friday, May 28th

I ran 2 times, 11.9 miles.

Sun: 6.2 miles, 49:03, 7:55 pace, Lilac 10K, 75F, sunny, humid, 3 walking stops, no pain.

I ran the Lilac 10K along with lots of others. I last ran this race in 2007. The course has a slight downhill start but a slight uphill finish. I ran pretty hard out; 7:28, 7:22, 7:20. I couldn't hold it because of the heat and humidity. I also reminded myself that this is just a training run with the Sehgahunda next weekend. So I walked the couple of waterstops; 8:13, 8:40 and closed with a 7:51 last mile and a sprint across the finish line. The race did take a lot out of me ... running, humidity and me don't mix so well.

During the Lilac 10K - 5/23/2010
Finishing the Lilac 10K - 5/23/2010
I finished 281st out of 1258, results here. I finished 20th out of 74 in my 50-54 age group, results here. The earlier 5K race had 903 runners. Some runners did both of the races ... maybe next year!

Tue: 5.7 miles, 46:52, 8:13 pace, 80F, sunny, humid, 2 hydration stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for FF Cobbs Hill run - 2 Y's, then back on Highland

A hot and sweaty Cobbs Hill run with the usual 2 Ys and back on Highland. I took 2 tiny stops for hydration and 1 traffic stop when I crossed Elmwood on the way back. I tried to run easy but still ran 8:13 ... I guess I don't go slow. Afterward, CJ made her usual pasta ... gotta carboload for Seghahunda on Saturday, baby!

Wed, Thu & Fri: Taper days before Sehgahunda.

Fri: We drove down to the Parade Grounds for Packet Picket-up, then stayed at the Country Inn & Suites in Mount Morris for the night. That way we could just drive 5 minutes to the start the next morning ... which was nice.

Keeping active, Doug

Sunday, May 16th to Saturday, May 22nd

I ran 3 times this week, 20.5 miles.

Sun: 10.3 miles, Mendon Ponds, numerous stops, no pain until the end.

Bill B and I ran down at Mendon Ponds from the Beach parking lot with a 9:15AM start. It was sunny, calm, around the low 50s to start and the low 60s by the end. We went around the pond and quickly found some serious mud. We did get lost a bit but managed to run up the Cardiac Hill and the Devil's Bathtub stairs in both directions. My quads were sore by the time we did find our cars again. I forgot to turn my Garmin back on after two stops so Bill had the final mileage of 10.3. All in all, a great way to spend a morning! Later, I took a nice hot bath with some epsom salt to wash off the mud and relax.

Mon: Rest day. My quads were still sore. I got my Grand Am with 237K inspected at VanBortel Ford in Fairport, it runs like a top! Now CJ and I have separate cars again. Next is fixing the AC in CJ's car.

Tue: Rest day, did some vigourous stretching with excellent results, :-).

Wed: 6 miles, 52:48, Dirt Cheap #2, 70F, sunny, calm, walked a couple of hills, no pain.


CJ and I went over to Webster for Dirt Cheap #2. CJ manned the water stop. We found lots of water as we ran in a creek for 100 yards, lots of mud up over our ankles at points and lots of fun! All in all, a nice way to spend a Wednesday evening! Bringing a change of shoes, socks and shirt is a must! I finished 87th out of 234, results here. I finished 5th out of 15 in my age group, results here.

Before the race
Somewhere during DC #2
Heading down in the mud!
A muddy sneaker recovered from the mud!
Exhausted ... after the race
We saw a romantic sunset on Lake Ontario on the way back!
A swan in Lake Ontario
Sunset on Lake Ontario
Fri: 4.2 miles, 32:24, 7:42 pace, FF Happy Hour run, cloudy & humid, 75F, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for FF Happy Hour run

Your usual Fleet Feet Happy Hour run. I ran relatively easy. CJ walked the 3 mile. I bought some gel afterward, then went over to Medved to pick up my Lilac 10K race placket, then over to Park Ave Bike Shop to pick up some Hammer Nutrition products.

Sat: Went down to Newark with CJ to take her to her nail appointment at Ella Nails, then over to the Newark Wayne Community Hospital to see my father who has a bowel obstruction. On the way back we stopped at the Macedon WalMart to back a fan ... the bedroom gets hot at night. Then we took CJ's car to my auto mechanic, Russell, to get her AC fixed.

Keeping active, Doug

Sunday, May 9th to Saturday, May 15th

I ran 2 times this week, 13 miles.

Sun & Mon: Rest days.

Tue: 6.8 miles, 54:03, 7:57 pace, Fleet Feet Cobbs Hill run, 48F, cloudy, calm, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for Fleet Feet Cobbs Hill run, 3 Ys and Highland back

Just your average Cobbs Hill run tonight. I ran easy to a bit hard, concentrated on my form as much as I could. Sweet!

Wed & Thu: Rest days. I could have run on Thu but decided against it since I was running a 10K on Fri.

The NBA playoffs are going somewhat true to form. The Lakers and the Suns are waiting to play in the West Conference finals. The Celtics just bounced King James and the one-dimensional Cavaliers out of the East semis and now face the 8-0 Magic in the East Conference finals. Should be interesting.

Fri: 6.2 miles, 46:22, 7:29 pace, Williamson Apple Blossom 10K, 62F, sunny, a bit windy, no stops, no pain.

CJ and I headed out to Williamson. I ran the 10K, CJ walked/ran the 5K. I did the first 5K in 22:34, the second 5K in 23:48. Basically, I ran behind the same guy the whole race. He pulled a bit away at the end. I finished 18th overall, results here and did not place in my age group ... tough crowd.

CJ walked/ran the 5K in 59:02, results here. She is out there doing it! She ran across the finish line ... someone else finished last this time!

The start
During the race
The after race exhaustion with bling!
Sat: A well deserved rest day after racing on Fri night. CJ and I went grocery shopping in the morning. Some of the people pushing those grocery carts make Nascar drivers look tame! Now I remember why I like shopping later in the evening. Later, I found that my Sharp DVD/VCR player won't play DVDs ... it just ejects them without even trying to play them.

Monday, May 3rd to Saturday, May 8th

I ran 3 times this week, 19.9 miles.

Mon: Rest day. I could hardly move today ... but to work I went. Grimacing and groaning at times.

Tue: 5.8 miles, FF Cobbs Hill run, no stops, no pain.

It is true that trail is easier on my body than road. Last week on Tuesday after the Flower City Half, I could not run ... actually hardly walk. Tonight on Tuesday after the Medved Madness 15 mile Trail Race I could run. I ran easy, just 2 Ys and took Highland Ave back.

Wed & Thu: Rest days. I could have run on Thu but I plan on running on Fri and Sat.

I learned that you don't really want to take a 99 Grand Am with 238K to Pep Boys for an overdue inspection. They went over it with a fine tooth comb and found: the license plate light was hanging (OK, I believe that), the right sideview mirror was not fastened correctly (???) and the serpentine belt was frayed. They wanted $306 to fix it all. By the time I calmed down and rescued my car (now without an inspection sticker), they had thought they had seen compression fittings on my brake lines (???). I will take the car to my mechanic, Russ, this weekend. I do believe he will charge me less. CJ is letting me use her car as she has for the past month ... thank goodness. In retrospect ... would it have been better to get another used car? I think not ... but it's a close call.

Fri: 4.1 miles, 30:54, 7:32 pace, FF Happy Hour run, 52F, cloudy, a bit windy, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for Fleet Feet Happy Hour run

A very quick run. I started out a bit slow but still a 7:36, then 7:50, 7:30 and a 7:17. I didn't slow in the hills past Highland ... just kept the pedal down all the way. CJ fixed the usual pasta dinner ... angel hair along with mild Italian sausage, ymmm!

Sat: 10 miles, 2:19:39, Ellison Park Wetlands, multiple stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for Ellison Park Wetlands - 10 miles

I met BB out at trailhead at 8AM. We were out there for around 3 hours. The first loop was just the white with the blue out and white back. I had trouble getting in the trail groove. But after a couple of gels I got my mojo. The second loop we did the white out, then the yellow, salmon, pink, red along with the white back.

Later, I went out to Newark to take CJ to her nail appointment, see my kids, pick up my father's mail. Then off to Lyons to see my father at the Wayne County Nursing Home. On the way back, we stopped at the Macedon Wal-Mart to do some shopping. We also picked up my Grand Am from my mechanic, Russ. I paid only $80 versus PepBoys estimate of $307. Now, to get it inspected.
Keeping active, Doug

Medved Madness 15 mile Trail Run, May 2nd

Sun: 14.2 miles (according to my Garmin), 2:28:32, 10:30 pace, Medved Madness 15 mile Trail Race, 65F, cloudy, a bit windy and humid, walking up some hills, some late pain in my left quad.

A gorgeous morning to test my trail conditioning and see some trail buddies! Lots of mud was found along with a forced water crossing on Loop 1. A bit easier Loop 2. I forgot to put on BodyGlide so I had to take my shirt off early in Loop 2. A bit longer Loop 3 along with Cardiac Hill (aptly named) just before the finish. It turns out that I ran about 90 seconds faster than last year! I finished in 2:28:18, overall results here. I finished 7th out of 13 in my 50-59 age group, overall age group results here.

Pre race
Exiting the woods on Loop 1
Heading around the lilly on loop 1
Exiting the water on loop 1
A bit sweaty and tired ... post race
The catered feast afterward was nice. I was a bit sore afterward. After we got back to the apartment I iced down where I had my hernia surgery in December and my left quad down by my knee. I definitely took it easier the rest of the day.

Thanks to Medved for putting on a great event. Many thanks to CJ for her support during the day.

All in all, a great day!

Keeping active, Doug

Monday, April 26th to Saturday, May 1st

Month of April: 87.2 miles, 13 runs in 30 days, 6.7 miles/run
I ran 2 times, 9.6 miles.

Mon & Tue: Rest days. I thought about running on Tuesday but my aching knees and ankles told me differently.

Wed: Went down to Fleet Feet to buy new trail shoes. I ended up buying a pair of size 12.5 Salomon XT Wings 2. Sweet!

Thu: 5.45 miles, Ellison Park Wetlands, 60F, sunny, calm, some walking up hills, no pain.

Ellison Park Wetlands - White trail

I tried out my new pair of Salomon XT Wings 2 with the Fleet Feet crew out at Ellison Park wetlands. We went out the white trail and back. Nice!

Fri: 4.15 miles, 33:01, 7:56 pace, FF Happy Hour run, 74F, sunny, calm, 1 traffic stop, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for Fleet Feet Happy Hour run - reverse

We did the run in reverse in honor of Becky, the cupcake girl, leaving for PA. A sweet run made a bit harder by the reverse and the heat! I signed up for my first trail marathon, the Sehgahunda on May 29th. It will definitely be a severe test of my body.

Sat: Rest day. A long, lazy day. I went to out to Newark to see my sons. My youngest needed my help trying to get his wireless working. Alas, my PCMCIA card wireless won't fit in his PC Express slot. He needs to buy an USB wireless dongle unless he can get his internal wireless card to work. The oldest was ensconced in his room with allergies.

I went down to Medved to pick up my packet for the Medved Madness 15 mile trail run tomorrow morning. I am locked and loaded!

Keeping active, Doug

Flower City Half Marathon, April 25th

Sun: 13.1 miles, 1:46:43, 8:09 pace, Flower City Half Marathon, 51F, cloudy, light sprinkles at the start, overcast, stops at the water stops and a couple hills, some right quad pain after mile 10.

I ran pretty well. My Garmin would not turn on before the race so I ran 'naked' without pace info. Sometimes I think I run faster when I don't wear my Garmin. The first 5 miles were uneventful. I bonked a bit out at 6 miles going up the hill into Highland Park. I picked up a gel but couldn't take it until mile 8 going into the Mt. Hope Cemetery. The miles in the cemetery included about 100 yards of cobblestone, then some up and down, twists and turns by many mausoleums. By mile 10, we were just about out of the cemetery. I had some right quad pain and just gutted out the 5K to the finish. The people yelling at the end were tonic to my legs as I sprinted across the finish line!

Flower City Half Marathon course

All in all, I ran very well, a PR by 4 minutes! My previous PR was the Cat's Half out in the rolling hills of Mendon way back in April 2007. I finished 278th out of 1290, overall results here. I finished 21th out of 75 in my age group, age group results here.

CJ took my chip off the finish and took some pics of me. She worked very hard at the finish taking chips off runners from both the 5K and half marathon.

Crossing the finish line
The bling!
The cool walk to the car!

Keeping active, Doug

Sunday, April 18th to Saturday, April 24th

I ran 4 times, 21.9 miles.

Sun: 6.2 miles, 50:40, 8:11 pace, Seneca-Titus-Winona-St Paul out to Cooper-Ridge run, 42F, sunny, a bit windy, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for Seneca-Titus-Winona-St Paul out to Cooper-Ridge run

I got out around 10:15AM for a sweet training run for the Flower City Half. A bit shorter than the run on Friday night. I am starting to get excited! A link to the course is here, today's Democrat and Chronicle article is here.

Mon: 2.57 miles, 49:47, 19:20 pace, Seneca up to Titus walk, 58F, sunny, calm, ns, np.

Garmin Connect Activity for Seneca up to Titus walk

CJ and I went out for a nice Monday evening walk before a nice supper of fish, rice, corn and salad.

Tue: 6.9 miles, 55:08, 7:59 pace, FF Cobbs Hill run, 60F, sunny, calm, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for FF Cobbs Hill run, 3 Ys, back on Highland

A very sweet run! I ran a little hard, concentrated on my running form, and did 3 Ys in under 8:00 pace! CJ walked her first complete Y, 4.5 miles, 16:40 pace! Yahoo! She's a keeper!

Wed: 4.55 miles, 43:09, 9:29 pace, FF Dirt Cheap #1, 65F, sunny, calm, walking on some hills, no pain until afterward.

Dirt Cheap #1 was held in the Devil's Bathtub of Mendon Ponds. We found gnarly roots and mud. I did OK but I must have pulled a groin muscle coming up the steps because it hurts. CJ and everyone is advising RICE, ibuprofen and bed. It got cool after the sun started going down.

I placed 73rd out of 206, overall results here. I placed 6th out of 18 in my age group, results here. Overall, a pretty good first trail run of the year. By the end, I was just in a tired zone of running, one foot in front of the other, just trying to keep up with the person in front of me, thinking that the trail would never end. Yet I knew it would end because I could hear Ellen on the PA urging us on at the finish. Thanks also to Boots for urging me to "dig to the finish". I surely wasn't going to walk into the finish. We surely needed the urging due to the uphill finish on the Devil's Bathtub stairs.

Thu: Rest day. CJ and I had a nice supper of rotisserie chicken, rice, peas and salad.

Fri: 4.2 miles, 32:20, 7:42 pace, FF Happy Hour run, 58F, sunny, calm, 1 tiny stop, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for FF Happy Hour run

I really tried to run easy ... yeah, right! I did start out easy but kept on going faster. My splits were: 7:41, 8:05, 7:56, 7:15, last 0.2 in 6:45. I was flying down Monroe Ave barely keeping pace with another guy who must have heard my footsteps. CJ walked the 3 mile loop. Afterward, CJ and I had our post-run usual pasta dinner and salad.

Sat: Rest day. CJ and I went out to Newark to get my haircut and get my father's mail, then off to Lyons to see my father at the Wayne County Nursing Home and his new single room. While I was getting my haircut at Mason's Barber Shop CJ was getting a French Manicure nailtips at Ellas Nail Salon & Spa. Her nails look great! She cured my headache when we got back up to Rochester. Early to bed, long day tomorrow at the Flower City Half Marathon.

Saturday's YNN article, link here.

Keeping active, Doug