Runs in the rain
Az - Some forms of cancer grow so slowly that the risks of surgery are greater than just letting it be. I also saw on TV they are testing a vaccine against skin cancer, one of the most aggressive types. I expect they will have one for the cancer cells I have within ten years. Anyway, I see the urologist in a month and will ask questions.
Even if there were no health benefits I'd still run! I love being outside and exercising. There is a risk factor in exerting yourself, but I am prepared to accept it. Those who don't understand why we run are missing out.
It was in the mid 30's this morning but warmed to 40 by 1 pm. I drove to Papermill Park to start my run. The park is a half mile from the end of the road, so I first walked to the end and there was very strong winds and overcast skies. I had on a flannel shirt and a fleece lined vest, but the wind seemed to blow right through the shirt. Luckly I had turned around, the wind was at my back and I was walking back the other way. I got back to the park and I took a jacket out of my car, put it on and the vest over that. No more wind chill! Now I walked to the other end of the road plus the length of another road and then back. About the last half mile there was a bit of drizzle and graupel. I did 6.38 miles total. My legs felt a little sore after the long brisk walk, but today is the 16th day of a walking streak, I've haven't taken any rest days!Here is a small waterfall in Papermill Park.
The bridge where Papermill road crosses the stream
Cows out grazing the grass
Clouds over plowed field
Just about my turnaround point I saw and heard construction, looks like a new solar farm.
Long distance runner, what you standin' there for?Get up, get out, get out of the door!
Trails
Had my kidney doc appt today. I passed the kt/V with a 2.26 (have to get 1.7 or better); it shows how well dialysis is or is not working-the higher the better. Also ALL of my labs were perfect, that has never happened since I started tracking in 2015. Not sure what I did but I hope it continues. Next labs on May 3rd.
I also was shown how to place my order for supplies so no more mix ups I hope. Working on the packing list for the trip. Come to find out we are traveling the week before my trip to Wichita for an audit. So May 9-12 in Wichita, my flight leaves at 6 am the 13th. In MS til the 20th, come back and audit the Wyandotte casino the next week.
Good thing I've been feeling great
Monday morning did 1.2 miles with wife and then 3.9 with exercises. So total of 5.1 miles.
Tuesday morning started with the 1.2 mile walk with wife. I call that my warm-up now. Al least until she changes her mind. Then I did 3.2 miles mostly running with a couple of walks in there. so 4.4 miles.
Wednesday morning after our warm-up i did 5 miles walking with exercises. Total of 6.2. So far she is enjoying being out when it is cool. Let's see how see feels in a couple of months.
AZ - What! No race report.
Altair - I forgot where I read it but walking does use some different muscles than when running. Then there is that less impact on our joints when walking. And walking at a quick pace does elevate our heartbeat. It just takes us longer to go from start to finish when walking. Then there is the side benefit of finding money along the way. Found 11 cents today. I like the picture of the small waterfall.
Di - That's great news on the latest lab report. Hopefully all the traveling will have no effect on the numbers.
Art in AZ
Mesa, AZ
Di: great news!! Work still finds its way into our fun plans. Wishing you a wonderful trip. You got this dear friend.
Altair: nice photos. Love the waterfalls. Power walking as walkbreaks really helps in my long runs. But just walking is difficult for me, ‘power walks’ are more beneficial IMO. DH is a fast paced walker on his hikes especially, he is not a runner. But whatever one needs to do, I leave it up to them. As the saying goes in trail running, “it’s not bad weather, it’s bad clothing” LOL! Kudos to getting in some walking miles against the wind.
Art: nice consistency as usual. Electric bike? Hmmmm if that gets DW out to join you …. RR next. LOL!
RR Vail Scramble, 4-16-23; Vail, AZ:
It was a memorable day ….. left early Saturday to avoid the heat of Phx, but I-17 through Phx was closed so had to take detour, ugh!! Arrived in Tucson before noon. Drove straight to local running store to pick up race bib which included AZT hat and race socks, no race shirt but it was for sale for only $10, bought one, it’s colorful and tech running material. Picked up my niece who just got off work. Drove to Colossal Cave Park. Set up tent at campground. Had dinner and walked the AZT up the hills nearby. Beautiful night. Warm night in the 40s. Nice. Sunday: woke at 4:30. Ate and hydrated. Left for shuttle bus. Niece dropped me off. Goal for me was between 2:30-2:45 ….. 7 am start time. Predicted 70-80 degrees. Yikes!! From the start, very rocky and rough dirt road uphill so I’m mostly looking down. After about almost 2 miles, front runner is running back! WHAT?!? He missed the sharp turn. So half of us had to run back about a mile, the back pack are already on the right trail so have to pass them. A runner slowed down in front of me because the runner in front of him stopped …. I misstep and fell …. on a rocky area …., but I got up … left knee and palm of left hand has cuts, starts bleeding …. I continued. I think I should have taken a few seconds to gather myself but I felt ok. Despite the inflammation and swelling taking place,
I kept moving. Next aid station is 6.5 miles to treat my cuts. The medic guy was so slow; fumbling with opening band-aids with gloved hands …. I left after one band-aid on my knee. IT’S SCORCHING HOT!! Need to keep moving. I’m surprised I’m passing others …. they are feeling the heat too. I’m shocked the few aid stations along the trail do not have any ice. But I pour water on my head each time. It helps. I’m staying hydrated between water and electrolytes. Finally I see the finish. About 1/2 mile around the bend. Then I got dizzy!! And a huge cramp on my left calf. OMG! What’s happening? I slow down. But I misstep and fell again, REALLY?!? Same areas are cut and bruised. But I get up and run to the finish. I’m more than 40 minutes behind my goal time. Stayed out much longer than I expected. I had the start of heat exhaustion. Scary!! But I finished, over 14 miles.
Time 3:05. OV 69/96. AG 5/11. Considering the conditions, I’m satisfied with my results. Went to medical tent to clean my cuts. Stayed and hydrated, and cheered on the other runners. Returned to camp. Washed up. Roommate of niece came by and we had dinner. Niece went back with her. I stayed another night in my tent. Quiet. Incredible starry night. Warm in the low 50s. Monday: up at 5 am. Took down tent. Had breakfast and hot tea. I’m feeling no soreness. Just the bruises. Arrived home around 2 pm.
Rest days Monday and Tuesday. Very windy here. Wed (today): short 4.1 miler run at wellness center. Step class was amazing. I’m feeling good. Bruises are more pronounced but no soreness.
Next: May 6 - Shiprock (NM) HM. Road race, ouch!!
Di - Great news on your lab reports! Were you surprised how well the dialysis is working? I'm glad you are feeling better and will really be able to enjoy your upcoming trip.
Art - Nice you are doing more running now and your wife continues to join you in walks and bike rides, for part of the distance anyway! Walking is different than running. A lot of effort in running is often a push off with the ankles and toes, while walking is mostly leg motion, at least that's how it seems to me! You do see more around you when walking. The faster you go the more terittory you can cover, but often you go by too fast to notice details. I did find some coins during my recent walks, maybe 15 cents total! I did find a socket, I think to remove tire bolts, the other day, which I saved to add to my tools, you never know what might come in handy!
Az - Interesting race report, you really had a tough time! I'm always surprised that runners take the wrong route during the race, I think all the races I have ever done have people at the turns to direct the runners. Too bad you can't have a GPS watch give dirrections- "get ready to turn right in 20 feet!" Falling twice and reinjuring the same areas is bad, but good you just have minor cuts and bruises. Near 80 degrees is hot for a challenging trail, good you did not get full heat exhaustion. Although with all the setbacks you did not meet your goal, you still finished better than half the runners in your age group. Despite the difficulties and scares I think you still had fun! Nice you spent time with your niece and did some camping. I'm not sure if my walks count as "powerwalking" although I do try for a brisk pace, generally under 20 minute miles and I did a 4 mile walk at a 17:51 pace. I suppose I could go faster if I wanted to racewalk.
Wednesday I had planned to try an easy, short jog, but then just felt like doing another walk. It was near freezing and overcast in the morning, but later in the afternoon there was sun and it warmed to 45 degrees when I did my walk. I chose to pick up where I left off on the Greenway trail, so after I parked my car I walked south for a mile and then back to my car. By this time I felt warm so I put my jacket in the car and then walked North to where the trail intersected the next road. Stupid me, I forgot to turn off the Garmin and it recorded me driving away for several miles! I had to adjust the time and distances. So the walk was really 3 3/4 miles. I often have seen areas with these blue cylinders and looking close I see young trees planted inside! I guess they are restoring part of this woods.
On the trail I found a railroad spike. This trail was first a canal and then was sold to the railroad before it was converted to a trail.
I made sure I had reached where I left off on my last walk. Here is one of the mile markers.
Going North now, tall trees on either side of the trail.
This flowering tree was near the North end of my walk. I'm not sure what type of flowers these are, I looked on the internet, but plum, cherry, apple, dogwood and hawthorne trees can have very similar flowers. From the look of the branches I'd guess cherry. The unfocused grey structures in the background are another solar energy farm and there was Valley Sand and Gravel, with pits filled with water, on the other side of the trail.
Enlarged section showing a closeup of the flowers.
Warmer, 57 degrees, and sunny today. I walked six miles with a gradual 225 foot climb to turnaround point. I turned around when I reached an overpass for the 390 Expressway.
This shows one of the lanes with a car blured by it's speed.
High altitude cirrus
Busy day, I washed clothes and hung them outside on the line. Good day for it, it was sunny and in the mid 80s. After that I did some weeding in a flower bed. I went on a long walk at 2:36 pm. It was 84 degrees (86 by my car thermometer) and mostly sunny at the start of my walk. A steady breeze and ocassional cloud keep it comfortable. By the 4th mile a darker cloud mass started moving in and there was a short sprinkle of rain in my last mile. I was worried that the clothes on the line would get wet if it started to pour! Temperature had now dropped to 74 degrees! I had walked a bit over 7 miles, Strava said it was my longest walk, but I have done walks over 12 miles in the past before I became a runner!This was after I had walked several miles. Some nice looking clouds and still a lot of blue sky. Note just right of center peeking over the trees is a distant cell tower
Here is where some darker clouds began to move in.
Here is that cell tower again, I'm on a pararael street that goes not too far from it.
Thursday morning was a total of 5.1 miles. 1.2 for my warm up and then 3.9 mostly running miles.
Friday was Multiple outings. 4.9 miles,then later 7.5 mile bike ride and then another 1.6 mile walk. Really nice day out. Sunny with a slight breeze.
Saturday did 1.4 mile warm up and the 4.8 mile mostly run. Will do a bike ride to the store later.
AZ - Nice job with the trail race. A good finish taking the weather into account. This time of the year it warms up fast. Feels great at the start but you feel the temps increasing as you go. Thankfully there were just small cuts and scrapes. Just more marks of a trail runner. At least on a road race it's less likely you will trip over something.
Altair - It never hurts to have spare tools. Finding change along the routes is nice but I doubt we ever find more than a couple of dollars over a year. That looks like a tree farm to me. Similar to what they do here. The sleeves protect from the sun, weather, bugs and animals. When the trees get to a certain size they dig them up and go in a 5-gallon and off to the nurseries. Leaving room for the rest to grow some more. Then after growing some again, they go into 15-gallon bucket. Thinning the line some more. And so on until all the trees are removed and they start with something else. That would have been disappointing to have the clothes get washed again with the rain.
Art - Good to take advantage of nice weather and do the outside runs, walks and bike rides. A breeze helps keep it cool. I pick up change I find because maybe it will bring good luck! Never thought the sleeves could be for a tree farm, but maybe!
My muscles felt a little sore from all my long walks, so I cut back today and just did a walk around the block with an added excursion into the park. It was mostly cloudy and 61 degrees. Afterwards I went and did more flower bed weeding. The Bee Balm patch spreads out each spring by half a foot and so I did pull out more grass around it. In the summer the flowers attract hummingbirds so I'm glad to let the patch expand. It began to lightly drizzle so I stpped and went inside.Halfway around the block I saw the Fire House was having an open house and the firetrucks were out for people to see.
This stone basin often has flowers growing in it in the summer, but I learned it originally was a horse water trough.
I went for a 9:30 am walk. It was 45 degrees and overcast, slightly chilly. I had a good 15:20 time for my first mile! A fast walking pace for me. But I was slower for the rest of the walk of nearly 5 miles. Upon return I finished the weeding of the bee balm bed. I was going to do more flower beds, but it was too cold and damp. I saw some trees with purple flowers and took this closeup. I did a search and this is an Eastern Redbud. There were some dried pods on another branch and internet said the plant is in the pea family and when green the pods are edible!
I went for a walk at 1:15 pm. I started in a park near Conesus Lake and walked East on Stone Hill road and then North on Bronson Hill. Despite the names the sections I walked were not very hilly. A bit of sun in the first mile, then increasing clouds threatened rain. On my way back, about 3/4 a mile from my car in the park, a mix of light rain and hail started. Luckly I had on a water resistant jacket, but did not have on a hat. The rain was not bad, but the hail stung my face and the acumulating ice on top of my hair made the top of my head cold! Just outside the park a flash of lighting was quickly followed by a crash of thunder! After that the rain died down and the hail stopped, so I went into the park and took some photos of the lake. Total distance was 4.7 miles. The bad weather made the walk more interesting!About a mile into the walk, still some blue sky!
Lakeville Grain Elevator
A spur where they can load the grain into railway cars
Some dark clouds moving in off to the right
In the park by the shores of Lake Conesus. You can see a spit of land, but the far side of the lake is not visable in the rain
Part of the park on the left. Some waves in the lake water.
Hope everyone had a wonderful Earth Day.
Thurs: rest day. Legs feels tired. Fri: another easy 4.3 miles, mostly short rolling hills. Sat: met with running group and a few from the Sedona group. Nice to NOT have to go to Sedona. Cool breezy morning. Sandy Seep TH, out and back to Little Eldon Springs, 8.1 miles. It’s one of my favorite trail to run on. Quiet and has flats and hills, followed the AZT north. Some snow in the shadow of the hills and dense trees. It was amazing how much water there was “seeping” in certain places along the trail. The Little Eldon Springs actually had a small waterfall, incredible! With the more sunny days, the water is flowing from the snow melts. Normally, Fridays are my rest days because I know I will be running with the running group. But as I mentioned, it was an ‘easy’ run ….. or I thought. But running with the group had more moments of feeling great, then feeling the fatigue of legs and less energized. But I took it easy the last 3 miles. Afterwards, 2 of us attended an Earth Day event at a park. The other 2 joined their organization to participate in the event. Music, food and informational booths and activities. Sun: rest day. Today (Mon): Took another rest day. It’s a cloudy cool breezy day. Dark ominous clouds over the San Francisco Peaks, teasing us with rain. They’re still snow on the Peaks. I think my body is still in recovery from the heat exhaustion…..my mastoid area (just behind the ears) is tender, usually a sign (for me) that body defenses are low. I’ve mentioned before that I tend to get earaches quite easily if I don’t have them covered (buff or beanie). Anyway, I’m not feeling all that great today. I’ve been eating vitamin C food, staying hydrated and easy stretching. Hope to feel better tomorrow and go for run. Oh, did I mention I joined a book club? It started in February by a runner so the readers are runners. We read and discussed the first book, Good for a Girl, by Lauren Fleshman. Finished it in 2 days, lots of notes, amazing thought provoking insights and information. We are reading the second one, Abdi’s World,by Abdi Abdirahman. Have one chapter left. Will be discussing it early May. In between, I read The Rise of Ultra Runners by Adharanand Finn. That was an excellent book! Finished in 3 days. It’s definitely one I will read again.
Altair: love the photo with the dirt road through the trees. I think you shared that one before but it’s still so scenic. Those are good long walks. You’re smart to listen to your body. Hail is not fun, glad it was brief. I watched the Boston Marathon. Great race for both elite men and women. One of the few road marathons I ran, about 12 years ago or so, I was off by 5 minutes for a BQ. It wasn’t my goal to get a BQ. I didn’t know anything about qualifying time then. I was actually training for a 50K and had a long run of 24 miles scheduled. Why not just run a marathon?? So that’s what I did. A road runner I met later is the one that mentioned it to me. She kept insisting I should go for it…..nah, it’s not my thing. But I really enjoy watching the road marathons, like Boston, London, etc just as much as ultra races in epic locations like the UTMB, Hardrock, etc.
Art: looks like you’re getting more running than walking in in your distances, plus those bike miles are pretty amazing. Yeah, it was a cool breezy race start but the temperature rose quickly. That extra mile took alot more effort in that heat, whew!! Night races in Phx sounds more tempting, LOL!