Friday, 1021... easy day today, 8.5 miles on the mtn bike. Damp and dreary weather with more of the same tonight and tomorrow. I made a beef stew today with snap peas out of the garden, carrots, pearl onions and stew meat from the store. Simple, but really good with garlic, a little red wine and beef broth for liquids.
Art... the picture of the critter in the coywolf article is typical of what they look like here, but the one that went by my house a while ago was considerably larger, smoky grey color and looked just like a wolf. Must have been the wolf gene was more dominant, really something to see. Your next half is coming right up, eh? Have to hand it to you, you're running and racing really well lately.
Dan... I got cold just thinking about running in 30 degree temps with the wind blowing...lol A good windbreaker is pretty handy 6 months out of the year, eh? lol Don't forget, you need to make an appt. for your next colo...
NH Runner You must get a good workout on the mtn bike in the fall. Your beef stew sounds delicious.
Art in AZ Some nice runs for you. Your grandchildren will appreciate the bagels. Your TV/internet setup sounds complicated and secure. I only have the cable people.
justrundan Nice early runs for you. I think all the hard work we did when young has helped us in our "older" age.
Yesterday spent time with the pension people. Didn't feel like running later in the day.
8 mile run this am.
1 hour walk in afternoon.
Back to work.
"dancing on the path and singing, now you got away,
you can reach the goals you set from now on, every day"
Sonata Arctica
Well yesterday's bike ride turned out short. After going 5 miles got a flat in the rear tire. Didn't have a repair kit so walked the final 2 miles to the bagel place. Got the bagels and went to the bike store a few doors down. That's convenient I'm thinking I'll get it fixed here. Nope. They don't open for a few hours. So call and got a ride home. Had a bagel while I waited. So it wasn't a total loss. Somehow a small sharp piece of plastic went through the tire and punctured the tube. Got new tubes and back in operation.
Did 10 miles this morning before going to an early showing of Jack Reacher. I enjoyed the movie and am a fan of Lee Child who pens the book series.
Rich - That kind of weather is a great way to enjoy food like that. Or a big bowl of fresh home made soup. Next half is this Saturday with the next one a week later on Sunday.
Chantilly - I had to laugh reading on not wanting to run after talking with the pension people. Was wondering if not wanting to run Was because of the pension people. They sure do love the bagels. Saturday breakfast and as a snack later and then again for breakfast today. That and my limeade. They tasted it and before I knew it it was all gone. TV setup isn't really complicated. It just takes some extra configuration to get it done. Most current wireless routers are able to do something like that.
Art in AZ
Mesa, AZ
Saturday, 10/22... off and on rain all day, no workout...
Sunday, 10/23... headed out on another 8 mile run on the railtrail today. Easy first mile, then consistent splits the rest of the way that turned out to be a bit much for my heel. Nothing serious, but I need to back off a bit.
Monday, 10/24... 8.5 mile mtn bike ride on the railtrail today. Tried raking leaves later in the day, but wind gusting to 20 mph put an end to that almost before it started...lol
Chantilly... that stew was delicious. Lately I've been riding the mtn bike the day after a run, so really don't push the pace much. It's more about getting circulation going in my legs to help with recovery. Pension people, eh? Are you eyeing retirement soon or just getting all your ducks in a row? Do your walks help with recovery after a run? An hour's staying out there for a while...
Art... my thoughts exactly when I made plans for the beef stew. It's what we call comfort food, eh? Another meal I've been wanting to try is roasting vegetables and a roaster chicken in the same pan and did that yesterday. Potatoes and carrots, chicken stuffed with fresh Thyme and Parsley, butter, Kosher salt and pepper on top of the bird. 90 minutes at 425 degrees might have been a tad long, but everything tasted great. What I like is the different possibilities for veggies, plus it's a quick and easy meal. Good luck with Saturday's race...
Art in AZ Nice 10 miler...No flat on that workout..LOL Good bagels help make up for the bike ride.
Late morning appointments are bad for me, because I can find too many excuses not to run in the afternoon.
NH Runner A longer run for your heel. Maybe a bit too speedy for it? Or was it the length? I was thinking that your bike would have to contend with rougher terrain in the fall. A roasted chicken with vegetables is a good supper, but 425F is probably a bit high.
2 miles today. Stained some baseboards and picked up more leaves. I'm looking at the options for taking the pension at various ages.
5 mile run this morning to get out there and wake up. Temp was OK considering the warm weather we've been having. Will be the same this weekend so have to see how it affects the run.
Rich - Yep, the possible combinations of vegetables fresh from the garden is really something. The roasted chicken and veggies is one of those simple and easy recipes that's also easy to clean up. I enjoy cooking in the cooler and colder weather. House smells good and the food is delicious. I made spaghetti sauce tonight and used onions, peppers and basil from the garden. Except I made ravioli instead of noodles. Priming my body for the run.
Tuesday, 10/25... 8 mile tryke ride on the railtrail today. Days like this when the wind's howling makes me appreciate having the railtrail as an alternative to being out in the open, the trees work great to break the wind. Temp was 38 when I left the house, Weatherman's saying possible snow on Thursday...
Chantilly... yeah, it was the distance that bothered my heel, I'm not making any attempt to run fast...lol Time on my feet I suppose, but I've been doing so much cross training and so little running for so long, that my running fitness has taken a beating. Really frustrating, but overall, I'm still pretty fit. Plan is to try a shorter run tomorrow to see how that goes. Good luck with options for when to retire. In my case, it was forced on me by a supervisor unqualified for the job he held. Decided I was done dealing with an idiot...
Art... you didn't say how warm it was during yesterday's run, was it close to 38 degrees? lol It won't hurt to train in the same temp you'll face during the race this weekend, eh? And yeah, this is the time of year when I tend to do more cooking as well. Pretty neat how you use so many ingredients in your spaghetti sauce right from the garden...
4 miles this morning. Just getting out there and doing an easy run. They sent out the runner packet for the Saturday's race with the course info. As expected, course is on paved road and dirt road. And flat. Since it is all fields it should be a little cooler. Maybe.
Chantilly - Looks like we were on at the same time. I'll be doing some baseboard work soon. Wife's sewing room is going to get wood laminate floors. So out comes the carpet and baseboards after we get all the other stuff out.
Rich - I like how you might get snow on Thursday while here they are predicting record tying temp of 98 degrees. I believe they said on the news last night we have had a high of 90 or higher every day of October so far.
Art in AZ I hope you do well this w/e. You ran in such hot temps this summer, it should be ok for you, but not ideal. Are you going to put in the floor? or hire someone?
NH Runner Do you do walk breaks when coming back from an injury? Like run 10 minutes, walk 2 minutes, etc? That might help you wth the length. Hope you don't get the snow yet..makes the winter seem so much longer. It is around 32F here with a high of 50F, but windy and damp.
16 miles on the track. My same-age friend ran 3:58 in Scotland and is now going to Italy....
Wednesday, 10/26... 5 mile railtrail run today. Temp was mid 30's with a stiff wind. This is the first time in a while I've felt like a runner, I'm usually too busy being careful about aggravating an injury to just kick back and run, not so today. Really enjoyable...
Art... 98 degrees! lol It's probably been years since we've seen that temp! lol While I was picking up leaves yesterday, snowflakes were blowing in the wind. No accumulation, just a harbinger of things to come. Yep, stay loose for Saturday's race, I like the way you're easing up, your legs will be ready to go on race day.
Chantilly... yes, when you see me post a walk / jog mile, I'm throwing in walk breaks. I've felt right along if I could get my chronically tight hamstring to relax, the soreness in my right heel, knee and hip would take care of itself. Stretching took care of the knee and hip, but the inflammation in my heel was another story. I think I've finally got it behind me...lol Do you have a 3:58 marathon in you? That's a great run for your friend! 16 miles on the track ain't too shabby either, WTG!
NH Runner Good going in that wind. It was nice for you to feel good running, it's been awhile..Won't be long for the snow to really fly.
My friend hired a trainer this year and worked really hard. No 4 hour for me due to arthritis.
9 miles on the track.
10 minutes stationary bike.
3 miles this morning for the last run before Saturday. Tomorrow will be a walk and probably Friday also. Should be a good time.
Chantilly - Nice runs for you. Just finishing a marathon is an accomplishment in my book. I can imagine the preparation and practice you go through. I'll do the floor myself. Just waiting for the room to be cleaned out. It's just not the sewing table. There's another shelve unit full of stuff, the closet floor, another cabinet, the crates under the sewing table and the stuff under the desk. With all the stuff she could open her own sewing shop for a while.
Rich - Good for you on your run and feeling like a runner. Bet it felt great to not notice any issues. The weather people are torturing us. Now they say 99 degrees. Well why don't we just round it off to an even 100. If they are right about this weekend it will probably be upper 60s or lower 70s at the start (6:30 AM) of the race. Oh well. There's always hoping that next week will be cooler. The next half next Sunday will be run in downtown Phoenix all on paved streets. So the heat island effect might come into play. I just looked to compare last years race on the 31st. Low of 57 and a high of 83. At least it's a dry heat now.
Been awhile since I checked in. I've been reading, but not posting. I had a bit of a mishap in August that threw me off and didn't want to post until I was able to catch back up to the pace bunny (weird self motivational tool) and then, well it's been awhile...
Good to see everyone relatively active. Art great race (and the report) and good luck this weekend and with the floor installation! Az good to see your posts from the southwest. Dan getting the runs in an staying active is what it is all about at our age. Chantilly - another marathon! Awesome! Weather has been odd this year and I guess it will be for the foreseeable future. Retirement sounds so appealing these days! Rich good to hear that that recalcitrant heel is finally coming around! The tryke seems to have come in quite handy and all the food sounds delicious.
So, back in August was walking after a run when I hear "I'm sorry! I'm Sorry!" - so I step to the right a bit when the front wheel of a bike turns into me and a ~10yo girl knocks me down. Very slow motion accident and besides a nice gash on my knee and ground debris to dust off I don't think too much is wrong. That was on a Friday. Saturday I do a 4.1 mile run to verify everything is working and I'm fine. I was planning to do a race the following weekend and figured I needed to get some speed work in, so on Sunday I ran a hard 7.8 miles on the TM with last 3/4 mile at a sub 7 minute pace. I'm pleased with the workout. About an hour later my knee is getting stiff and starting to hurt. By Monday morning my knee is about twice its normal size and I'm limping badly. Go to urgent care and they x-ray it, other then the "bit of arthritis" they don't see anything major wrong with it. The evident bruising starting to peak through is most likely the result of the blood thinners I'm on. They tell me take it easy and RICE. By Wednesday, my leg from the knee down is pretty much black and blue, but the swelling is down and things are progressing. Took the complete week off with just a bit of walking, followed by some exploratory runs the following week. When I finally started running again I was a good 70 miles behind the pace bunny for the year. Needless to say didn't get to do my race in August and was lucky to reach 100 miles for the month.
Finally caught back up to the pace bunny last week and so I have permission to post again. Registered for Boston with DW mid-September. DW has wanted to do the Big Sur marathon "official" course (she did it about 6 years ago, but they had to reroute it after storm damage), so...we entered the lottery to get into the "Boston to Big Sur" challenge and got in. It wasn't as hard as they made it sound, 400 slots they hold open for it and there were 450 applications. So, I have at least 4 more marathons in my future now.
Should be doing a 1/2 this weekend as my final tune up for the Canyon City marathon on the 12th. I'm feeling a bit better about this then in August. Training runs have been going well and I've actually gotten some longer runs in for this cycle. I'll get a better handle on where I'm at after the 1/2 Saturday.
Oh, and my company is moving locations and I get to plan the IT move!
Ray
Rest day today with no runs or walks. Tied up most of the day. Also, I guessed it yesterday when I said to round off the temp to 100 degrees. Yes, we broke 100 degrees today. The normal high for this time of the year is 84 degrees. But the good news is that a cooling trend is suppose to start coming through the are starting Friday. I sure hope so because some of the winter seedlings didn't make it because of the heat. So I have to plant some of them again.
Ray - Good news that the accident wasn't more serious and was just inconvenient for a little while. Good luck this Saturday. Moving locations is so much fun. Did one last month and have another one to do next month. Hope yours goes well.
HAPPY LAST FRIDAY OF OCTOBER!! This year is a blur!!
I returned to northern MN last night. A LONG drive made LONGER b/c this trip was more difficult due to not wanting to leave AZ/NM. I'm missing home and family more after each trip. Stayed a week longer than planned. Was tired, had dinner w/ DH and was asleep by 9 pm!!
My last trail race, the 'Cave Creek Thriller' went ok .........I switched from the 24k to the 11k the morning of the race. I had a friend who cheered me on and took a couple of photos at a spectator site he hiked to. So I got to the race site about an hour early to make the switch and stretch and eat. Felt fine, injury area is not cooperating though even after giving it a 4 day rest. It's tight and stiff which never let up the whole race. I started in the back and stayed in the back. Took my hand-held water bottle w/ HEED. Temp at start of race, 9:15 8:15 am, was already 70 80 degrees!! Full sun exposure. Wore a light long sleeved tech shirt. I burn easily and it hurts. Wore my knee support. I took a few photos before the race and during the first half of the race. I jogged up the first hill, passing many runners. Going uphill doesn't bother me but the downhill really affected the injury area. So most of them passed me on the downside . Decided to take stretch breaks when I needed to to keep injury area happy. Took first stretch break around 2.5 miles, then at 3 miles, then at aid station, around 3.9 miles. Took a stretch break, back of knee is totally swollen. But I can finish. Poured cold ice water over my head, it was around 95 degrees!! The 'big hill' is looming ahead. The last time I ran this about 3 yrs ago, I ran all the hills. So I'm hoping to jog it without stopping. Was doing good but forced to stop TWICE due to mountain bikers!! I'm okay with it, walked the rocky portions. Didn't take a photo at the top, darn it!! I knew the runners I passed going up will be passing me on the descent so I tried to stay ahead. I seriously had a 'running dialogue' .......promising the injury area that this will be my last for the year so to please relax and pull me through ...........I don't think it believed me, LOL!! I kinda remembered the last 2 miles, up and down w/ technical areas but I gave it my final push. The last mile hurt but I actually passed 3 runners!! The last 25 yrds is UP a small hill, I ran that sucker w/ everything I had left, haha! I didn't feel tired or de-hydrated but knee was swollen and I can't bend my knee. Headed straight to Med tent, iced back of knee for about 20 mins, felt fine after, can bend it!! My garmin says it was 7.2 miles. Official time: 1:41:52. Overall 76/89. Female 37/47. Age (50-59) 6/9. Seriously, I was totally relieved I made the switch, I know I would have been miserable and hurting if I ran the 24k. So I have NOT run since. I decided to NOT run for rest of year. I will be working out at the university gym though. Depressing but I'm remaining optimistic.