Oh for a spot of shade

I got up early and had coffee outside in the backyard because if I drank it inside I broke into a sweat. Drove over to WVC and met up with Tom (staring wistfully out at the track) and Danny who showed up fifteen minutes in arrears. We ran 58 minutes and walked another six.

Team volleyball was bikinied up and playing in the soft white beach they have created next to the track.

It was their weather (HOT) not ours. We ran while feeling our way along from shaded spot to shaded stretch. I told Danny later that maybe we should have run much earlier or not at all. But we did get our run in.

Sound of one hand clapping...

Bob and I walked three miles at lunch to and from Tom's Cafe in Loyola Corners. It had to be in the 90's.

Chock up a weak 9 mile day.

I was pretty wiped out by the time I got home in the early afternoon. Guzzled water and napped.

Cupertino, CA

Tuesday 4:00 PM

Clear

90

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Humidity: 40%

Wind: 3 mph

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Sweating our way to the park

Another warm day. I walked Lucy early so she could avoid the heat but by the time of my run it was out there waiting for me. Dimitri and I did a run up to Foothill-Palo Alto Park again. Luckily much of the road and trail were shaded and there was water waiting for us up by the entrance to the park. We came back and hit the college in 75 minutes. I had an extra five minute shakedown at the house so 80 minutes altogether. It took me a long time to stop sweating. My running kit was soaked.

We ended up sitting inside Starbucks and sucked in the air-conditioning.

At the next table was a woman with five kids. All very young. They were swarming the section where we were seated. I had to admit, they all looked like her. Our very own cinco-mom.  Where the heck was the father? Probably out playing golf.

Jogged

Jogged 33 minutes this morning with Tom (back from Iceland, Denmark and Norway). and Brian who is having knee problems.

It is HOT outside. This is the first big heat wave of the summer and it looks like it'll stick around until mid next week. It's not Arizona or the Mojave Desert but it's still a blast furnace by Bay Area standards.

Mature Running

Heat wave began....Ugh!

Danny and I hit the roads early and ran ( and walked ) 65 minutes. My legs felt great. Danny struggled.  We both laughed about it. The life of the mature runner.

The volleyball players are beginning to notice us. One of the guys came over and introduced himself while "hot" bikini girl stood nearby smiling at the two old men.

"We always see you walking...." He said.

Walking!

That was running!

Makes me think about goals. Maybe a sub-six on the Danny Downhill.

The Usual

60 minute run with Danny in the morning. Overcast and humid. Went to see Big Bad Billy. Had a late breakfast and then walked Lucy for several miles.

The Summit

Dimitri and I ran from Foothill College to Palo Alto Park (The Summit) and back. Long uphills and equally long downhills. Despite still being a bit beat up from Tuesday's fall, I actually felt stronger as the run progressed. In a way this was a progression workout beginning very slowly and gradually increasing the effort until we were both strongest over the last part of Moody Road as it blended back into the campus.

The run lasted 75 minutes but including a short pre-run and walking we went over 80. It all counts these days.

Perfect weather. Overcast and cool. Very little wind.

Dreadmill

Walked Lucy in the morning. Out to Blackberry Farm ( hereafter simply known as the farm) and back home.

Mid afternoon. Drove over to Shawsu and did a progression run on the dreadmill. 35 minutes starting at a ten pace and ending up at an 8:30 pace. My knee was sore. The one I banged when I went splat on Tuesday. It felt like the wound on my knee was very sensitive. That's what I was feeling. I ran through it though and after a time it numbed up.

I'll be glad when things heal up. It just ain't right now.

After

In the before and after scenario, I definitely feel like "the after".  My body feels pretty beat up and scraped up from Tuesday's tumble. I played it low key on Wednesday keeping activity to a dog walk with Lucy. On Thursday I got over to WVC early and ran for about ten minutes before Danny showed up. I felt okay. The next sixty minutes with Danny went normal.

So I can run and that's good enough.

WHAM!

Ran an easy sixty minutes with Danny. We added in Valle Vista. Coming back down the hill near the college my right toe hit a curb and....

WHAM!

Nice skin job on my right knee and right arm above the elbow.

Bloody!!!!!

I still ran on in. Danny had a great first aide kit in the trunk of hid car and I was able to clean things up nicely. Went to breakfast anyway. Lucky that I didn't break anything.

Walked another thirty minutes with Lucy when I got home.

Near the summit

I took Saturday off. The only thing I did was walk Lucy for about a half hour.

On Sunday I warmed up for 15 minutes and then ran 75 minutes with D from Foothill College via Moody Rd. and trails to Page Mill Road and back. So very close to the summit which is the entrance to Palo Alto Park.

Progression run on the Dreadmill.

30 minutes walk with Lucy in the morning. Blackberry Farm was nice, quiet and kid-free. Mostly women with dogs.

In the afternoon I dropped by Shawsu and did a progressive 30 minute run on the t(D)readmill starting off at a 10 pace and working my way down to 8:30. In age graded terms that's going from a 7:24 pace to a 6:19.

Bikini season

An easy 60 minute jog with Danny (DANNY...DANNY...). We ran short and long loops around campus including several run-bys of the volleyball area where bikini season is in full swing.

Okay, a bit over the top but you get the idea.

The Long(est) Day

I walked 90 minutes today. 30-35 with Lucy and at least 60 with Bob during our round trip to Tom's ( for lunch ) and back. That was close to five miles. I also ground out 60 minutes of running with Danny. Another 5-6 miles. Who knows for sure?

11 miles as near as I can figure. Maybe a bit less, certainly not more.

The long(est) day.

Weekend runs

Saturday

30 minute easy jog around campus. Really lazy. Joined a couple of the fast runners for their warm down. Talked with Dino. Pace was robust.

Sunday

80 minutes of easy running with Dimitri up Moody and into the hills and back again. Getting close to the summit. Actually 70 minutes was with D plus I sneaked in 10 minutes ahead of time.

Off Campus

Danny bailed so Tom and I decided to run off campus throwing in a number of long uphill sections. Tom is still taking walking breaks so we started out at 5-1 but later on dropped it to 4-1. Tom is still coming back from months of not running so he is wise to take it easy. It was an incredible morning. Cool with sunshine breaking through. All told I got in 70 minutes. My HR stayed mostly in the 120's which is very low for me. But it feels great when I can get away with it.

No dreadmill this week. Saturday will be my big day and Sunday a shorter easier run or walk.

Low Heart Rate

65 minutes of low HR running mostly around the WVC campus and on the Valle Vista course. Tom and Danny were my pardners. 

The WV track was close for resurfacing.

Moody Road

Lousy nights sleep. Woke up early, had coffee ( big cup ) and took Lucy out on a long walk. Then I drove up to Foothill and Dimitri and I ran up and down Moody Rd. and feeder trails. Beautiful day. I kept my HR low and tried not to stress. Went to Starbucks later for coffee, a power bar and a bran muffin. All told, 70 minutes of running.

Danny Z Run

Easy 35 minutes of running and walking with Danielle while the club did the short six.

Dreadmill again

30 minute Lucy walk in the morning.

In the afternoon I drove to the gym and ran 3.5 miles on the dreadmill at an 8:53 pace. The run could have been easier but the turkey sandwich I had for lunch kept trying to come back up.

I gutted it out.

off campus

67 minutes of easy running in the hills (with some walking) at WVC and off campus.  Ran with Danny and Tom.

Double Day

Another Double Day 60 plus style. I ran 66 minutes this morning with Tom and Danny (some walking thrown in there...I admit it but mostly running).

The recovery zone was a visit to Big Bad Billy's for a chiro adjustment followed by an American Breakfast Burrito two doors down.

Then returning home, I walked Lucy for a half hour.

D O U B L E !!!

Lotsa minutes on the legs

Foothill College....

I got out in the morning and ran ten minutes before hooking up with Dimitri for another 65 minutes. 75 altogether. My legs were tired heading up Moody to the trail but loosened up coming back down. Later on I walked Lucy for another half hour ( or more ).  

Taking Monday off except for a Lucy walk.

Easy jogging

I took it very easy today. 15 minute quick jog around campus with Danielle and Phil post workout (I didn't do the workout).

Danny and gang came flying by...

Danny looked tuckered. I asked him later if he had done the workout and he told me that the campus warm down run was his workout.

Treadmill

Walked 30 minutes with Lucy at noontime.

Later on I went to the Shawsu studio in the early afternoon and did 30 minutes on the treadmill at 6.7 mph with a 1% incline. It's equal to an 8:53 pace outdoors. Age graded it's down around a 6:32 pace at age 30.

Fastest yet.

Forbes Mill

I did a return showing at Forbes Mill. Jake joined me and we ran a very easy loop together in 28:30.
I did a second circuit alone keeping the pace moderate but on the edge of what the hell are you doing.
This time it was 24:23. I would classify it as a steady pace run. I held back from picking it up in any way. It was. 9:17 pace which these days is 1-2 minutes faster than my sludge runs. With some slow jogging before, in between and after I covered 61 minutes.



Note to myself: 9:17 age graded is 6:50 when I was 30.

Steven Creek Reservoir Run

Joined Brian Low for a 68 minute run up to Stevens Creek Reservoir and back. Brian kept up a steady continuous pace. Good thing I have been running those treadmill workouts. It wasn't too much of a shock plus something tells me that my slow ambling pace has trained me to be slow and ambling.

B2B

Got up very early and drove with Shel up to GG Park to watch leaders in B2B. Beautiful day. 30 minutes of easy jogging. Watched leaders and then headed back to Burlingame for breakfast.

Note to self: My fastest pace on the old slightly longer course would have put me 32nd today.

40-40

Did an easy 40 minutes this morning at WVC.  I watched Danielle run her 1600 meter negative split time trial.  She ran 3:21-2:56 for a 6:17. A few months ago that was an all out race.

At noon I walked a long forty ( minutes ) with Lucy for this too is now training.

30 minutes on the "dreadmill"

Walked 30 minutes with Lucy this morning. I guess walking is now a workout!

In the afternoon I drove over to Shawsu and ran 30 minutes on the treadmill keeping to a nine minute pace. I have to keep reminding myself that this is equal to a 6:37 pace at age 30. I tried to use the same running posture that I use on the roads to minimize back issues. We'll see if it works.

I wore my HRM. It didn't go past 70% until around 18-19 minutes. From then on it slowly creeped up into the 75-77% range and stayed there.

Napping

Ran the college today ( with some walking thrown in at the end ). 65 minutes, most of it with Danny.

At noon I walked for around 40 minutes with Lucy. I was planning to run on the treadmill too but I ended up falling asleep and napping for about an hour. Decided to put off the treadmill until Friday.

Not sure that the treadmill and elliptical aren't hurting my back. Have had persistent problems the last month.

Big hat, no cattle day

60 minutes of running with Danny over at WVC. Threw Valle Vista into the mix. Got in a ten minute  walk-cool down.

At lunch I walked to Tom's and back with Bob. Another hour. Then drove home and picked up Lucy ( the wonder dog ) and walked some more.

So...maybe 60 minutes of running and 80-90 minutes of walking.

Exhausted....gasp...

200-200

30 minute walk with Lucy. Then I drove over to Foothill College and ran an easy twenty minutes followed by 32 x 200 with a constant 58-60 second 200 followed by an easy 200 jog.

Memory run....

Opted for three quality days this week versus four days of slogging.

Another shock

It was just Danny and I this morning. Tom was off to the lake house in upper Wisconsin (think cheese). We ran a very easy 60 minutes around the college as usual.

In the afternoon I went to Shawsu and cranked up the pace to 8:30 and ran it for 13 minutes (1.5 miles). A short sharp workout at the pace I hope to be running soon. No question it was a shock just like three weeks ago when I got on the treadmill and started running a 9 pace. But after around 5 minutes I settled in and began to feel comfortable. Just decided not to push it for too long.

None of these paces sound very daunting but if you age grade them, you'll get the idea.

A 9 minute mile is the equivalent to 6:37 at age 30  and 8:30 is equivalent to 6:15.

It's a shock because I have been running 10-11 minute miles which is roughly 7:30 to 8:00 pace.

Big Day

Big day.

60 minutes of run walk (3-1) in the morning with Danny and Tom. Then 25 minutes walking Lucy followed by 3 miles (27 minutes) on the dread-mill. 9 pace seems to be getting easier. Haven't put a HRM on it yet.

North of 9 miles total.

100 minutes

20 minute dog walk followed by 80 minutes around Foothill and up Moody Road and back. Pretty much like last week. Finished up on the track with 4 x 100 with Dimitri. Windy, cooler, cloudy day. Temps really dropped.

Playing around at WVC

Really played around today. I got in an hour of forward movement with 45 minutes of mostly running and about 15 minutes of walking. I did this over at West Valley College.

I had Danielle run a 3K simulator. The plan was to do it on the track but the track was closed for reseeding so we decided to have her run the tennis court loop instead. It's .66 a loop. She cruised two loops in 9:01, jogged for two minutes and then dropped the hammer for another .66 in 3:57.

So she ran 1.98 miles in 12:58.  The course is challenging (hills) so she did very well. It indicates a 12:13 3000 meter run.

Run, walk, hammer

I ran and walked with Tom (2-1) for 63 minutes in the morning. Even Danny got tired of it and went on ahead.

In the early afternoon I hit Shawsu and hammered out 25 minutes at around a 9 pace. I took 60-90 seconds to warm up so it was easier. I could have gone further but decided not to press my luck. If I age grade my pace it's roughly a 6:40 when I was thirty.

Big calorie burning day

80 minutes of walking proceeded by 60 minutes of Tom-Style running (1 minute run, 30 seconds walking). A big calorie burning day. I decided not to go to the gym. I plan to go once this week and go further at a 9 pace. At this stage of the game it is more important that I feel good than doing stuff that beats me up.

New workout buddy

Walked Lucy this morning for thirty minutes. Nice and cool. Up the RR tracks and back.

In the afternoon I dropped by the gym several hours after lunch and ran 20 minutes on the treadmill at a 9 pace. Pretty slow (@6:40 age grade) but tough because I tend to run 11-12 minutes a mile on the roads. So it's a bit of a shock when the belt starts moving. I generally settle down after several minutes and then I am jus' fine. Ramping up slowly though.  Need to add in a warmup to the workout.

The treadmill is my new workout buddy. If I survive, then it'll help me get more comfortable running at faster paces.

The Smell of the Lambs

The usual. 60 minute run with Danny and Tom over at WVC this morning with some walking thrown in. At midday I went back out for a walk with Lucy (the blond golden retriever). We traipsed down to Blackberry Farm and visited the goats and lambs (you can smell them before you can see them) at McClellan Ranch.

Note to self: I decided to put off the treadmill run until Friday since I will be on the road Saturday and will not have much time to run.

Dreadmill Run

80 minutes today. Whoopee!

I ran and walked 60 minutes this morning with Danny and Tom. I mostly ran but I have to admit, I like those walking breaks especially the day after getting deep tissue massage. My legs were sore.

In the afternoon I finally returned to the gym and did 20 minutes on the treadmill. First treadmill run in years. I think the last time was during a stress test. Hmmmm. 18 years ago. I was 50.

It was a strange feeling. The belt moves and you either stay up or fall off.  I set the speed for around a 9 pace which is faster than I run on the roads. It was ( sad to say ) challenging but not too tough. For now it's the dreadmill or nothing because the elliptical seems to hurt my back.

68

75 minutes around Foothill up and down Moody Road. The last section at threshold pace. It was warm and HR climbed quickly but we covered the tough part in around 11 minutes. 80 seconds faster than last week.

Ran into Jimmy who was back from Ireland. He ran a tough half in 1:50. I am impressed.  Tough course and conditions plus he is packing, by own omission, about two stone more than he should be to run his potential. Still though.....

Turned 68 today. Getting old but I will never again be younger.

Kept a lid on it. Just another milepost.

Had dinner with Sue and Alex and Lucy. Opened some nice gifts.

Since Tuesday

I ran and walked 70 minutes on Thursday. Mostly running but the blurring line between the two is becoming less obvious.

On Saturday I jogged 45 minutes ( some walks ) and then walked with Lucy in the afternoon. So 75-80 minutes total.

I am finding that if I walk but insert one minute runs, the whole 17- 18 minute mile thing drops to the 15's. Tom, running the club workout yesterday, ran one minute and walked two for 4.68 miles. His pace was in the 12's. Not that far from the 10-11 minute pace we normally run.

As I age ( I am turning 68 on Sunday ) all of this makes me rethink my approach to running.

Cutting back

I am cutting back! Wham, bang, thank you ma'am.   I ran and walked (mostly ran) for 62 minutes this morning. I decided not to go to Shawsu and start the treadmill. At least not yet. Maybe next week. The delta between doing it and overdoing it, is as narrow as I can ever remember. I am that close to going off the edge.

Sort of a big day

I felt pretty good after limiting Saturday to walking. I ran around 15 minutes before hooking up with Dimitri over at Foothill College. We ran at an easy slog up Moody Road, cut off at the trail and kept running past the overhanging tree branch all the way up to the Vineyard. That was 35 minutes. Further than we traveled in the same time period last week. We took it easy coming back down the trail until we hit Moody and gradually picked it up. It took us 12 minutes to get back to the stop sign at Moody and the road into the campus. Most of it was at AT effort. Then we slow jogged back to the track.

62 more minutes for me added to the 15 I had already done. 77 total. So sort of a big day with some faster running.

The Foothill Track is below. In 1976 I ran a 10 flat 2 mile here. The next year I ran 9:58 in a solo effort at San Jose City Track and then a year later I blitzed a 9:44 at Los Gator Track.

The weekend goeth

I walked on Saturday. I joined Tom riding drag over Saratoga Douglas. 2.75 miles. We did some short 30 second running 4-5 x but the rest was just walking. All in all I got in an hour of moving along. Douglas was only too 42 minutes and change. A sub 16 minute pace. Wow wee! The rest of the hour came from my warm up walk beforehand.

 

Gallowayish

Thursday's workout was a recovery from just plain being tired. I ran and walked and hour. I used a 4-1 ratio which means four minutes of running to one minute of walking. Very Gallowayish. I ran over at WVC with Rick (now retired). Danny had a dental appointment and Tom is still walking (but feeling better),

I am thinking more and more about shifting to a three day running week.  I have been thinking about it for some time but now the time may have come. Between running, walking and elliptical, I wiped myself out.  No question that doing the elliptical on my supposed XT* days does not work. I simply don't recover. I am not sure the elliptical is in my future anyway because I am almost positive it is screwing up my back (go figure).

I have decided to try the treadmill (or the dread-mill as one colleague calls it). I'll do it on the afternoons that I run in the morning. We'll see how that works out. It'll be a chance to run a faster pace in a controlled environment. 7:42 on the dread mill is roughly an 8 pace on the roads.

These days walking is way too close to running not to have an effect. I am committed to walking Lucy. I can't not walk her. So I have to recognize that walking is a workout these days.




*XT   Cross Training

My back is back!

My back is back. Not sure exactly was is causing my back to go out but it is out. I can run and walk but the transition from bed or couch to standing is no fun. Popping ibuprofen. That's not good either.
I have a suspicion that the elliptical is causing the issue. I plan to stand down on doing it for a week or two and see hat happens.

In any case as I said, I am okay once I am walking or running. Today I ran for an hour on massaged legs and then went to lunch at Tom's with Bob which was another hour round trip. So two hours of action. By the time I got home I was tired enough so that I did not walk Lucy....guilt...guilt...

I'll make sure she gets a good walk on Wednesday. Early too. Supposed to be warm.

Another of those weekends

Another of those weekends. No matter how early I get to the Saturday workout, I still do NOT get in very much work. Saturday was 35 minutes of jogging around and socializing.

Sunday was better. Fewer distractions. After walking Lucy, I ended up running 70 minutes with most of it up and down Moody Road with Dimitri. Coming back we picked up the effort making the workout a modified progression run. Finished strong and actually felt like a runner again ( however briefly ).

Hammering home the simple truth

Monday and Wednesday were walks with Lucy. On Tuesday I did what is now a mammoth workout. 60 minutes running, 40 minutes walking Lucy and 30 minutes on the elliptical. 11 miles! On Thursday I ran 60 minutes and then went to the gym in the afternoon and added in another 30 minutes on the elliptical. 9 miles.

It seems easier to do the elliptical on the days I run rather than on the day I recover hammering home the simple truth. My 67 year old body ( soon to be 68 ) needs whole days off. Of course there are the Lucy walks but I take those pretty easy anyway.

Takeaways

Friday: Walked Lucy. Pretty tired out. Between walking, running and elliptical, I am not recovering.

Saturday: 45 minute club run around WVC. Achilles was sore. I mostly felt it on the uphills. Asic's may be too low in the heel for support. As a result I pulled out my last pair of Adidas Supernova's and immediately noticed the difference. Walked Lucy for 35 minutes.

Sunday: Ran 40 minutes up in SF with Shel. The run included some nice hills. NO PROBLEMO.

Takeaway: I need days off....walk Lucy that's it.

60-60...putting it in

60 minutes of solo running at WVC this morning. Was a bit on the tired side.

At noon Bob and I walked over to Tom's for lunch. We walked back afterward.

I guess this is a 60-60 day. Setting aside pace, I am just putting it in.

30-30

30 minutes on the elliptical followed by 30 minute walk with Lucy.

VOW WOW

I took Monday off. As in nada. No running, no elliptical and no walking Lucy (not proud of that but I vowed to make it up to her).  I did get a deep tissue massage (DTM). Michele worked me over good.

On Tuesday my legs were sore (from the DTM) but I got in 55 minutes of running with Danny. Tom is still walking. (((Sciatica!)))

In the afternoon Lucy and I went out on an extended walk. Including talk breaks with the locals we were out for close to an hour so I kept my vow (wow).

So you're "actually" running

Joined Dimitri over at Foothill. We ran our usual easy pace up Moody Road and back. We were close to the end of the run when I saw Bill and Bob hauling ass down the road so we stopped and chatted for a bit.

"So you're actually running," Bob jested. I have bailed on running with Bob since early last year. Mostly we walk to and from lunches together. Between being just plain beat up and having knee surgery last November, it has been a long road back. In the old days running with the Bob's and Bill's would have been critical to competitive in races. That's exactly what I did back in the mid 1970's.  These days I don't trust my body (or mind) to stand up to the stress I put it through for almost 25 years.

Run-walk double

I ran an easy pace over at WVC while Danielle ran her first AT test 3 miler. She did 20:40 which is a good effort. I got in a total of 40 minutes.

In the afternoon I walked with Lucy for 40 minutes over at Blackberry Farm.

Dog walking n' elliptical

Walked with Lucy for two miles in the late morning. In the mid afternoon I hightailed it over to Shawsu for a 32 minute elliptical "run". The place was very quiet. I tend to prefer it that way.

Lucy has a trainer

60 minutes of easy running with Danny at WVC. Did this in the morning. Regrettably did not get to join my friends for breakfast. Instead I opted for a half hour stuck on the freeway trying to get to an appointment.

In the afternoon Lucy, Mike (dog trainer) and myself walked for another two miles. Mike put Lucy through the paces.

XT

31 minutes on the elliptical. Getting easier to do. My plan was to do it on the afternoon of my running  days but that hasn't been in the cards this week.

The weekend

Saturday

45 minute easy run socializing with the club.

Sunday

60 minutes of running including 2 miles in 14:40 ( Moody Road two miler ). Doesn't seem that fast but age graded it's 10:50.

First tempo effort in a long time. Felt weird. I kept my HRM in the 85-90% range. I need to do more of this. My body isn't use to tempo effort.

Was this better???

I missed doubling yesterday. The usual is 60 minutes of running and 30 minutes of elliptical but the elliptical wasn't happening on Thursday so I cruised by Shawsu after lunch and did a half hour on the machine. I guess I'll figure it out but I felt stronger today as  result.  The only other exercise was a half hour walk with Lucy before lunch.

The issue with the elliptical is boredom. Music or podcasts might fix that.

I'll see what I feel like on Saturday.

 

Slim Thursday

Limited myself to 60 minutes of running and 40 minutes of dog walking. A late lunch punched out my time for the elliptical. Between walking, running and elliptical I was well over eight hours of exercise last week. I felt tired this week ( age...age...age ).

Fat Tuesday

The usual 60 minutes at WVC with Danny in the morning. Tom walked. He seems to have been sent to the gulag of walking. I know. I have been there.

In the afternoon I drove over to Shawsu and did 30 minutes on the elliptical.

Sandwiched in there was a walk with Lucy.

The weekend

Saturday

Was feeling very lazy today. Didn't rush over the college to join the club. Showed up just as short six was getting underway. I decided to run easy around campus.

What's new?

Danielle was doing strides and Brian was doing a six lap trial effort. I just jogged around keeping the HRM in the 65-70% range.

In the end I did 50 minutes. Later in the day I walked Lucy for 30 minutes.

Sunday

Drove over to Foothill. Dimitri and I ran 65 minutes ( I did five beforehand ) up and back on Moody Road. We finished up with strides on the track. 19-19-17 ( too fast for now ).

60 minutes of easy running in the morning and then doubled back to do 25 minutes on the elliptical in the mid afternoon. Trainer showed me how to use the foam rollers to further torture myself. Pain was exquisite.

It helps to pray to the goddess of the foam rollers before embarking on any exercises.

Om mani padme hum

Piling it on

Ran 6 miles this morning with Danny (Tom still walking).

At lunch Bob and I walked over to the workout studio and I did 23 minutes on the elliptical. We then had lunch and we walked back.

11 mile day. 8 running and elliptical and 3 miles walking.

I'm really piling it on. 

The Weekend

Saturday:

Ran and walked 50 minutes in the morning.  Later on I walked 30 minutes with Lucy.

Sunday:

70 minutes of easy running up and back on Moody Road with Dimitri. I then did 2 x 100 meters on the track in 20 seconds. Surprised how easy they both were. No push at all. Strictly low key striding.

a new addition...

I ran at WVC this morning. Tom walked, Danny showed a bit late but joined up as did Rick, a new addition, who is retiring in a month and is practicing by using up his vacation ;-).

60 minutes running all told.

In the afternoon I did 22 minutes on the elliptical.

Big Day

Ran an hour over at WVC. Tom was still walking because of bad hamstring problem. Danny showed up about mid run and we jogged the loop and track. Same old stuff but frankly it is nice to viable to run again. The three of us drove up to see Bill Tarr and we all were aligned with our star so to speak. Had a late breakfast afterward. In the early afternoon I dropped in at Shawsu and did 20 minutes on the elliptical. Whoopee. An all time high. I also walked 30 minutes with Lucy.

Moody Run

I ran 65 minutes Sunday. Most of it with Dimitri. We jogged up Moody and cut off and took the trail for a while until we ran into some horses ( it is a horse trail after all ). Nice run. Clear sunny, cool.

Tues & Thurs

Tuesday and Thursday were both big days. Two hours plus of running, walking and elliptical. Up to 18 minutes on the latter. I won't run on Saturday. Planning on driving up to Santa Rosa ( visit my mother ) and return the same day. I always tell myself I'll stop in Golden Gate Park for a run but by that time I've got the bit in my teeth and just want to get home. Next run will be Sunday.

Valentines Relay (that I did not run)

My club ran its annual Valentine's Relay race this morning. I socialized a bit and jogged 52 minutes around campus. Later on in the early afternoon, I walked with Lucy for around a half hour. I had thoughts of heading down to the gym for a elliptical session but decided that rest was the high order bit.

Doubling again

Tuesday Ran 40 minutes on the roads in the morning. Came back in the early afternoon and did my first elliptical workout of ten minutes. I also walked 80 minutes. Thursday AM: Ran 55 minutes with 1 minute of walking every ten minutes. PM: 12 minutes on the elliptical. Can feel it in my quads. Whew!

Fifty-Fifty

I ran 50 minutes and walked 50 minutes this morning and in the early afternoon. Most of the running was up Moody Road and back. Most of the walking was with Lucy (the blond one).

Continua currit

45 minute continuous run in the morning and another 35 minute dog walk in the afternoon. Total was right around 6.5miles. This was my longest continuous run since I started up again six weeks back.

More run-walk

Tuesday: 48 minutes running, 20 minutes walking. Thursday: Ran at WVC this morning with Danny for an hour with five minutes on and one minute walk. Walked to cool down afterward. 70 minutes today. 50 minutes running and 20 walking. Walked another hour with Bob Anderson. We walked over to Tom's for lunch and then walked back to Bob's house. Joined a gym. I am going to supplement my running with elliptical work out 2-3 x a week.

More semi continuous running

Ran and walked for 38 minutes. 30 was running done in five minute increments with a minute inbetween and several minutes cool down at the end.

Big Step

Drove over to the club workout and ran and walked for 72 minutes. The club did tennis court loops. The big step forward was running 17 and half minutes continually while warming up with Wally and crew. Afteer than I ran and walked. Mostly running but I still threw in recovery walks.

I guess I am back up

I had a monster "old man" runner day on Thursday. I went over to West Valley and ran and walked for 70 minutes with 56 of it resembling running. Yes, 200 meters running followed by 50 meters of walking. Tom was my running buddy again because we are both rehabbing from injuries. At lunch Bob Anderson and I walked to Burger Town from his house, ate and walked back. Another hour. Add in a short Lucy walk and I totaled 56 minutes running nd 85 minutes of walking for the day. Over (((ten))) frigging miles. This is the new long day.

The new way

Run-walking most days. 60-90 minutes. I plan to join a small local gym and add in elliptical workouts starting in February. My best guess is that I'll be running 3-4 days a week and doing at least 2 elliptical sessions weekly. Not pounding, recovery and specificity will be the goal. Recovery days will be walking. I won't be keeping a regular log until I am up and running.

Running coming to a track near you

It's almost 2013 but then you know that. I am walking 60-90 minutes 3-4 x a week. Most other days are around 30 minutes. My knee is on the mend. Still some residual stiffness but I mostly feel that after long periods of sitting even with my legs stretched out. My plan is to introduce some very short periods of running during my walks. When I say short, I mean (((short))). 5-10 seconds in each minute after a suitable warmup. Over January and February I'll extend the runs until they engulf the walks. Hopefully by the end of February I'll be good to go. If it takes longer, that'll be okay too. Go where (as in good to go)? I have no idea. Just being able to run again. It's been about three months since I last took a normal albeit slow jog.

Surgery

I had meniscus surgery a week ago. The surgeon took out about 10-15% of the meniscus cartilage in my right knee. I was up and walking right after the operation. My son and I drove to a Starbucks and I picked up a coffee and a scone. No pain until the painkillers wore off that evening but 3 Aleve and a shot of whiskey (call it the big NO NO) took the edge off the discomfort and by the next day I was fine. Knee was stiff, tight and swollen but I could hobble. The next day after that, I could walk around and two days later I was walking the dog.I am walking 60-70 minutes now. No running until January 2013. Doc said 3-4 weeks but I have decided to make sure I am totally healed up.

Meniscus Surgery

The MRI showed a tear in the white zone of the meniscus so no choice in the matter. I decided on arthroscopic surgery which will take place next Thursday. Doctor says I'll be running in 3-4 weeks. I'll probably just take the rest of 2012 off and start again in after new years. Until I start running, it'll be walking and rehab.