Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Sunday, June 27th to Saturday, July 3rd

Month of June: 61.8 miles, 12 runs out of 30 days, 5.2 miles/run
Year to end of June: 403.6 miles, 68 runs, 5.9 miles/run
I ran 4 times this week, 21.5 miles.

Sun, 7/27 & Mon, 7/28: Rest days.

On Monday we took Chris's excess stuff to a 5x10 storage unit in Penfield then turned in the Budget truck. We drove it 300 miles at 12.8 mpg. Chris went back to Cleveland to box up more stuff and clean the apartment before returning her keys and coming back to live with me lock, stock and barrel in Rochester.

Tue, 6/29: 6.2 miles, 49:36, 8:00 pace, 64F, sunny, windy, dry, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for Out to Cooper Rd via Winona Blvd

My first run in 5 days. It felt good to get out. The weather turned cooler and drier ... a very comfortable run as a result. I barely got my shirt wet!

Thu, 7/1: 6.2 miles: 48:29, 7:49 pace, 65F, sunny, a bit windy, dry, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for Out to Cooper Rd via Winona Blvd

A nice, harder run than Tuesday. I concentrated on my stride and pushed it a bit more. Sweet!

Fri, 7/2: 4.1 miles, 32:24, 7:54 pace, 74F, sunny, calm, a bit more humid, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for FF Happy Hour run

I headed down to Fleet Feet for the usual Happy Hour run and also pick up my packet for the Firecracker 5 Mile tomorrow. I tried to go slow but my natural pace is around 8 for short distances. A bright side, Chris is coming home from Cleveland. Her apartment is empty. Now we have to somehow go through our respective boxes.

Sat, 7/3: 5 miles, 38:06, 7:37 pace, 78F, sunny, a bit more humid, 3 walking mini stops, no pain.


I headed down to Fairport to run the FireCracker 5 mile. It's always a tough course but I ran a 38:06, 7:37 pace. I was 154th out of 666, overall results are here. I was 10th out of 53 in my age group, age group results here. You will have to take my word for it ... the results go from 9th to 11th but I was 10th.

Rounding the corner before the uphill finish

CJ and I after the race

The rest of the day was a lazy day with CJ and I just lazing around.

Keeping active, Doug

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Sunday, June 20th to Saturday, June 26th

I ran 2 times this week, 10.7 miles

Sun: 7.6 miles, 63:41, 8:23 pace, 72F; sunny, humid, 2 hydration stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for Run out to Thatcher Rd via Winona Blvd

I got out for a nice Father's Day run around 9:30AM almost before it got really humid. I went out a bit hard and came back easy. It got really humid once the sun came out. But it's all good!

Wed: 6.2 miles, 51:51, 8:22 pace, 80F, sunny then rainy, humid, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for Out to Cooper Rd via Winona Blvd

I went out a run on a hot and humid evening ... then it rained on the way back on St Paul, then I saw a rainbow on Ridge ... sweet!

Thu: 3.1 miles (actually 3.3 miles), 26:52, 8:08 pace, Aqua Cheap #1, 70F, no stops, no pain.



The Aqua Cheap #1 swim was cancelled so everyone did a 5K. I had signed up for the Open 5K anyway. We started out in the sand in Durand Eastman Park and finished there. Running in the sand is quite hard even if you run at the water edge. But ... any run is sweet! Actually, I was 3rd in overall in the open 5K, 1st male, results here.

Fri: A drive out to Cleveland with my youngest son, David, to meet up with CJ.

Sat: Moving ... what can you say? A very long day, loading a 10 foot Budget truck to the brim and driving from Cleveland to Rochester. I discovered that this truck could tip as I came into a corner too fast ... a bit of terror for a few seconds. Sweat on both ends. We unloaded just enough to get through the night, rearranging just enough to get to bed after an exhausted supper of frozen pizza.

Keeping active, Doug

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Sunday, June 13th to Saturday, June 19th

I ran 2 times this week, 8 miles.

Mon: 4 miles on the treadmill at Planet Fitness.

I actually went to Planet Fitness after 113 days! I did 2 miles at 7:30 pace, did a circuit on the machines, then finished with another 2 miles at 8:00 pace. I discovered that my left knee is weaker than my right. I didn't push.

Tue: Rest night.

Wed: 4 miles, 41:55, Dirt Cheap #3, 76F, sunny, windy, no pain.


It was sunny, windy and humid at the start. I wore my sunglasses with the clear shades so I could see the roots. I stuck with people at my pace. I slipped on my butt, on my right side in the deceptively slippery mud. No bees this time. I did pretty well. I finished 86th out of 222, results here. I was 5th out of 15 in my age group, results here. All in all, a bunch of fun in the mud. Nothing a good shower won't wash off.

Thu: Rest night. CJ came back from Cleveland! Plus the Lakers beat the Celtics in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals, link here. So ... it was a sweet day all the way around!

Fri: Rest day. Not much sleep (coffee helped), did make it to work.

Sat: CJ and I made it out to Lyons to see my father at the Wayne County Nursing Home. I saw my brother, Don, out there too.

Keeping active, Doug

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Sunday, June 6th to Saturday, June 12th

I ran 5 times this week, 24.1 miles.

Sun: 6.2 miles, 50:41, 8:10 pace, Run to bank, then to Russell's, 54F, 1 stop, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for Run to Bank, then out to Russell's

Hopefully, early spring made a brief return ... 54F today with a brisk north wind. I ran to the bank to get money so I could get my car back from Russell's. He fixed a broken fan cowling and fixed a water leak.

Tue: 5.7 miles, 46:12, 8:06 pace, FF Cobbs Hill run, 70F, sunny, calm, 1 water stop, 3 traffic stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for FF Cobb's Hill run, 2 Y's, back on Highland

The last Cobbs Hill run before speed workouts begin next week. A very nice run, perfect temperature. I had a very mild ache in my rib afterward. Once I got home, I had an urge to cook. So I made a couple turkey burgers, sweet potatoes and salad with cucumbers and tomatoes. Well, the turkey burgers were preformed and I just warmed the package of sweet potatoes. But still, it tasted pretty good.

I learned that CJ will be staying Cleveland until she is done going through her stuff. She wants to get it completely done. Now all we have to do is decide whether to fill a pod or fill a 10 foot truck.

Thu: 5 miles, 39:21, 7:52 pace, Remington's Run, 66F, sunny, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for Remington's Run

I headed down to Remington's for my first Remington's Run. I started out slow around 9:00 pace and finished fast around 7:00 pace. I am glad I went ... a run is never regretted!

Fri: 4.1 miles, 31:12, 7:37 pace, FF Happy Hour run, 72F, sunny, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for FF Happy Hour run

I put in a fast Happy Hour run, just cranked it out! Laps of 7:21, 7:52, 7:49, 7:29. Sweet!

Sat: 3.1 miles, 22:02, 7:06 pace, Newark Running for the Red 5K, 64F, cloudy, calm, humid, no stops, no pain.

Forgot to turn off my Garmin

I ran pretty well ... up the hill out of Newark in 7:12, 2nd mile in 7:14, 3rd mile in 6:52, nipped at the line by the 1st woman in 22:02, my fastest 5K time of 2010 ... so far. I was 18th overall, 5th in my 50-59 age group. Oh, I won a door prize ... 2 9 hole gift certificates at Erie Falcon in Newark. I plan on giving them away since I don't golf.


The 1st woman seen in the pic above was the 25 year old daughter of a girl I went to high school with. We spent some time catching up on what has happened in our lives. She thought it was so romantic how CJ 'friended' me on Facebook after 32 years. CJ told me that she will be coming back from Cleveland on Tue or Wed. Sweet! I guess I will have to do the laundry and pick up the apartment.

The rest of the day was uneventful. I walked around Newarkfest for a while, ate a half chicken lunch from the Park Presbyterian Church, saw my father at the Wayne County Nursing Home, saw my kids at my ex's, and just relaxed. CJ is still out in Cleveland sorting and boxing up her stuff ... I miss her.

Keeping active, Doug

Saturday, June 5, 2010

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

Sunday, May 30, 2010

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 23, 2010

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 16, 2010

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

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

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.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

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