3 miles Saturday morning. Had breakfast and then got some more painting in, prepped a couple of other areas and then finished welding and sanding the second security door. Now I have to prep both doors, couple coats of primer and then some paint. Hopefully next weekend.
11 miles this morning in beautiful weather. It was 60 degrees when I left the house at 6:30. Felt wonderful. Took a short break while I had breakfast and then finished painting the garden walls in the corners and close to the ground and sidewalk where the roller couldn't go. Then painted the areas of the house (different color) where I repaired some cracks in the stucco and then filled in the three sections in the garden I emptied earlier after fixing those cracks and painting. Didn't get time to plant any seed but plan on doing that during the week.
Ray - Compared to your BIL getting in those 90-100 miles/week I'm a slacker. At those miles running a 10K would be like taking a walk.
Rich - Your improving if your time is dropping. I saw on the weather where they were predicting warm temperatures coming in your area. Using the bike can be a good idea.
AZ - Nice you were able to get a race in on your way back to Flagstaff. But you couldn't catch a break with the weather. Let's see there was wind, rain, snow, thunder and lightning with intermittent dry times. And running in high altitude. Way to go. And a high position finish. The weather here has been nice the past couple of days as this low front passes through. But never fear, the temps are going back up to the mid/upper 90s later this week.
Art in AZ
Mesa, AZ
Monday, 9/25... 6 mile road run this morning. Couldn't get out early enough to beat the heat and humidity and didn't wear the compression shorts I usually wear under running shorts because of it. Forgot how tech shorts can 'hike' up when they get wet from sweat and right after mile 5 decided people driving on the road had probably seen enough of that and took the path that leads to the local railtrail for the final mile home. The run through the local covered bridge and hill that followed made for a nice run just the same...
Art... you're getting a good handle on the painting already, good for you. And congrats. on the nice weather and 11 miler, 60 degrees sure beats what you've been dealing with this summer, eh?
Quick 4 miles this morning. Then a couple of things outside while still nice out and then work.
Rich - The weather has been nice the past couple of days. But starting to warm back up again. Have the leaves changed color a lot yet?
Runs in the rain
After the 20 mile run Monday last week I did almost 4 Wednesday, just took it easy, then Thursday and Friday 4 and 5 mile runs at a faster (about 9:50) pace. Ended week with 10 1/2 miles on Saturday with a slow 12:30 pace. All week it was sunny with hot temperatures from 75 degrees to almost 90! Typically it should be in the 60's this time of year. Luckily, my pool is still up so I was able to cool off after the runs. Almost 43 1/2 miles for the week, not much of a taper, but most of the milage came from the 20 miler at the beginning of the week. Yesterday I did an easy 5 miles and it was still hot and sunny, 88 during my run and the TV said it got up to 91 degrees, one short of the record! Similar weather is expected today and Wednesday until the cold front drops temps into the 60's or lower. Plan to run another 5 miles today and then do my 8 mile "water tower" run on Thursday as my last run before my race. Will have to check, but I think it may be in the low 40's at the start of my race.
My vegetable garden is just about done. Still eating a lot of cucumbers, zucchinis and yellow squash, but the vines don't seem to be producing anymore. I have lots of green tomatoes, some have started to turn orange and I hope for a few more ripe ones. Bell peppers did poorly this year for some reason. Lots of cayenne peppers! Got a few ghost peppers, which I chopped up yesterday to dry and save. Swiss chard should be good through the fall.
Squirrels may have been the invaders of my garden this summer, but the rabbit and groundhog are also suspects. I was looking forward to the first big ripe tomato and found it partly eaten on the ground! Now my garden has been surrounded by a 7 foot deer fence made of a tough plastic. Apparently the sharp teeth were able to cut some holes. I fixed some with wire only to find new holes and more partly eaten tomatoes. After several repairs and the loss of a dozen ripe tomatoes I purchased some chicken wire and put it all around my garden up to 6 feet of height. I guess they could climb that and still chew a hole, but so far it seems to have discouraged them. Note that the squirrels learned last year to climb the garden posts over the fence and I had to cover the whole top with a plastic mesh.I still got a good crop and was able to make tomato sandwiches and sauce, I froze 14 containers of sauce to use over the winter. I was also able to share with neighbors and people at work, just resented sharing with those squirrels! I grew 6 heirloom Brandy Wines plants and a beefsteak tomato. Very sweet and flavorful, store tomatoes are basically tasteless. Plants are now over 6 feet tall. I am considering using bent PVC piping and more wire fencing to completely enclose my garden and then be able to cover it with plastic like a greenhouse to extend my growing season.
New arrivals to my yard are a half dozen turkeys. They appeared about a month ago and strut around pecking at the ground, eating grasshoppers I guess. I don't eat meat, so they are safe from me at Thanksgiving time!
Long distance runner, what you standin' there for?Get up, get out, get out of the door!
az - congratulations on your great finish in the Hermit Pass HM! I calculate that you averaged over 300 feet elevation increase each mile until the turn around and if the first few were a gradual slope then it must have been very steep indeed for almost 5 miles! Impressive that you were able to hike/jog up it and still end with a good time. Some cool light rain sounds good, glad that you avoided the distant lightning! How come you did not temporarily just get a cheap strap for your garmin or just carry it in your pocket?
Ray - I guess not everyone realizes that if they click on the graph icon next to your name they can see all your running statistics, including your weekly millages! They can also check out Dan and myself, but I don't see anyone else with posted reports here. I see that you are like a hundred miles ahead of me for 2017 totals, but I have like 80 hours more running time being a slower runner. I found it too hard to maintain a 60 mile week schedule myself, mostly because I work full time and have things to do around the home and yard.
8.4 miles on the canal route again. Started cloudy out but cleared by the end of my run. Still nice out though.
Altair - I'm sure you are hoping for that cooler air to arrive. It's harder running when it's hot out. Good luck with the race. Like I mentioned to Rich, the animals can be a pain keeping out of the garden. They just see it as easily accessible food and a better variety than what they can get otherwise. Unless they are raiding someone else garden. I've done similar with covering things to keep the birds out.
justrundan Congratulations on your race! Sounds like you may have needed a drink. Some challenging elevation changes on that map.
rmcj001 You have another good streak going. I think you are right about the higher mileage. My best year (2009) was a 3,000+ kms with double workouts once a week or so. I had a PB in the 10 Km, HM, FM that year.
NH Runner You seem to be improving your distance without a lot of pain flaring up. Plus the bike and tryke. Are you making any fall pies? I made some coffee/chocolate chip cookies.
Art in AZ Some nice lengthy runs for you in the cooler weather. Painting is good cross training. Did you decide on a fall race?
az2mntrail Congratulations on your trail HM! Sounds tough. Nice AG win! I'll be in Albq a couple of days prior to the race. The Las Cruces race is not run by www.mainlymarathons anymore and I was a bit concerned about that.
Altair5 Nice 20 miler. Good training for your FM. You seem to have thought of everything to keep the critters away from your garden.
DSS: did something stupid: I fell down the stairs with the laundry basket almost 2 weeks ago and fractured a rib. After a few days of rest, I did some store walking, but today I walked on the track at a good pace for 50 minutes. My MT worked on the sore/stiff back areas and it feels improved. I am all booked in to Duke City. Lucky they don't have a time limit, so if needed I can walk most of it.
"dancing on the path and singing, now you got away,
you can reach the goals you set from now on, every day"
Sonata Arctica
Walked 66 minutes this am on the track.
Massage this afternoon.
Thursday, 9/28... took Tuesday completely off, ran an easy 5 mile trail run Wednesday morning and an easy 8 mile trail run today. Surprised a couple of wild turkeys when I rounded a bend on the trail and thought as they ran off, if I could run like they do, I wouldn't have to do all this training...lol The 90 degree temps and high humidity have finally been replaced today with temps in the 60's and a cool breeze. Nice!
Altair5... you've worked hard getting ready for your marathon, good luck this weekend!
Art... you asked earlier about the leaves and yes, they're turning color and coming down as well. Not a lot of 'pretty' colors yet, just brown, then they hit the ground... lol Nice to get the 8.4 miler in during the better weather...
Chantilly... that's quite a fall you took, eh? Yikes! I'm betting your injuries would have been worse if not for the shape you're in, there's advantages to being tough... At any rate, good to hear you're on the mend. And yes, my mileage is getting better, all things considered I'm happy to be where I'm at. I grew 'sugar' or 'pie' pumpkins in the garden this summer, roasted them in the oven, removed the skins and ran 'em through a food mill. The pureed finished product makes pumpkin pie that's much better than the canned stuff. Nice for you to get out for a walk to bump up the circulation and speed up recovery, hope the massage helped as well...
justrundan
AZ- nice race for still recovering! Way to go! I bet it's nice to have the travel behind you now. Good to stay in one place most of the time and get settled. Enjoy your trails!
Ray- 100 km/wk huh? Well, I've got a way to go.
Chantilly- a broken rib-OUCH! I did that once and thought I'd collapsed a lung! lol You are tough to get back out there. Gotta keep moving!
Altair- good luck on Saturday!
Rich- yes, nice that temps have gone down again. It was 42 early this morning when I went out for my run. That's what I like!
Tried to run a few days after the half and my body didn't like that. So I walked the next few days, then work and a trip to Nashville got in the way, and suddenly a week with no running. Finally got out for 4.9 this morning. 42 degrees, cloudless sky, all the stars shining down! It was amazing. And so quiet early in the morning.
Dan
NH Runner Those turkeys took off fast, eh? Nice workouts... and it sounds like you have very tasty pumpkin. Will you make pies, muffins, cake? I always make pumpkin/pecan cake in the fall, but, alas, I only have canned pumpkin.
justrundan Good recovery after your race for you with the walking.
78 minute walk in the morning.
40 minute walk in the afternoon.
Friday, 9/29... 8 mile mtn bike ride on the trail this morning, waited for the sun to warm things up to 50 degrees...lol I'm hoping to run again tomorrow, but rain's in the forecast. With a little luck, maybe it'll hold off long enough for me to get in a short run. We're hoping to make a trip to Vermont this weekend as well, the apples are ready to pick...
Dan... it seems like I've read you should take a day off for every mile you've run in a race. It seems a little unreasonable when you consider taking 2 weeks off after running a half, and I know the mind's the first thing to go, but I'm pretty sure that's correct. At any rate, that was a tough course and a week off seems more than reasonable to me... 42 degrees, eh? You're not one of those guys who runs in shorts when it's that cold, right?
Chantilly... the only plans I have for the sweet pumpkins is pies, I've got enough for 3. They work great for holiday gatherings. Do you see sweet pumpkins for sale in the produce section of your grocery stores? If so and you want to try making a pie, I'll send you the recipe. I think you can get by with just mashing the filling if you don't have a way to puree it. You're smart to keep moving, nice walks today...
Since everybody loves a happy ending, I thought I'd share this. When I was out riding the bike on the trail today, I thought I got a glimpse of the dog that had gotten away from his owner a few weeks ago and became lost, so called the number on a poster to contact the people looking for him. Turns out the dog's been found, but not before being mauled by a coyote. The organization has a Facebook page and that's where I went today to get updated. Here's the story... hthttps://www.facebook.com/150417228410579/photos/pcb.1436921596426796/1436921486426807/?type=3tps://www.facebook.com/150417228410579/photos/pcb.1436921596426796/1436921486426807/?type=3
Altair - Good luck tomorrow!
Chantilly - Streak stopped at 24 days 175+ miles. New streak is 3 days...Sorry to hear about your fall! Good that you're moving and walking again!
Dan - Ain't know shame in taking a few days off. I like that you were walking during the layoff, moving is important.
Art - Compared to any elite runner, we're all slackers! BIL now does a lot of biking and competes at the senior level - he's intense. You're doing fine and it will be fun to see how your races go when it cools down.
Rich - Your pumpkin preparation is impressive. DS1 and DW would approve, sorry but I'm not a fan of pumpkin Some good runs, looking forward to hearing about a couple races.
Az - Nice RR and Congrats! Winning a free entry to any race is nice! You would think running in VFFs I would prefer softer surfaces, but it is actually easier (read less tiring) to run on asphalt and flat smooth surfaces. Good to hear your back in the SW.
Monday wasn't feeling it so URD. Tuesday 8.8 miles at a slower pace. Wednesday 8.3 hat a medium moderate pace. Yesterday 9 at hard moderate pace. Second 200+ mile month this year, been awhile now, so, that feels good.
Ray
Thanks for those who wished me luck today, but my race is actually on Sunday. Did a few taper down runs this week. Five mile runs on both Monday and Tuesday. Temperatures were hot, reaching 90 on Tuesday. Deliberately I jogged slowly. Took cooling dips in the pool after each run. Pool water was hotter than it had been all summer! Took Wednesday off and enjoyed several more swims in the pool before the clouds came in with the cold front. I started draining the pool that night, don't expect more swimming weather. Thursday I took my traditional run to the water tower as my last run before the race. A much cooler overcast and 61 degrees. Here is a photo of the tower:
and on the same course is the dog that sometimes runs the length of his yard as I run by. The water tower is on a small spur off the main road and I usually don't run down it.
Friday I went to corning to pick up my bib and swag bag at the Corning Museum of Glass. These are some of the glass works displayed in the gift shop, I did not go into the museum exhibit area itself.