Ken Napier RIF 1932-2012

Took it really easy today. Ran 38 minutes over at WVC while the club ran Valle Vista and celebrated and mourned Ken Napier's passing. The celebration part were stories about Ken. He certainly was one of my mentors and targets back in the 1970's. I chased him for five years (1972-77) before I finally beat him in a race. Of course he was the first to congratulate me. Madelyn made black ribbons which we all wore. Mourning...but while I'll miss him, I didn't feel too sad. Death freed him from his life, not a life, that he was living. In this case freedom was more important than life. RIF Rest in freedom

Blondes and brunettes

I know that this log is often repetitive. But that is what running is. Constant repetition and hammering day after day or in my case every other day to stay in some sort of shape. The only logs that contain my racing accomplishments reside in hand written log books and calendars that are in a box in the garage. At some future date someone will toss them out because they are really of little value to anyone but me and I rarely if ever read them. With that in mind, I take pen in hand.... Right.....cough...cough... Okay, keyboard in hand and share with whomever reads this, that I ran 70 minutes in the fog this morning, an hour of it with my buddy Danny. The tall blond was back tattooing her own pattern on the track. There was also a tall brunette running in lane five who almost ran us down (we were in her lane after all).

Another....

Another 70 minute run followed by five minutes of walking. Very slow. Danny ran most of the way with me. We circled interior loops on WVC. Pathetic and repetitive course but we like it. Tom was back walking pain free. Tall blond girl with long legs running on the track over striding big time.

107 minutes

Big minutes today. 30 minutes walking Lucy our 16 week old Golden followed by 77 minutes of running with 14 x 200 strides at an 8 pace with a 100 meter jog in between each 200. D kept the time of each 200. I was leg weary during the early stages of the run but got stronger as things progressed.

Lucy and I walked the path next to the track. First time doing this since Amber and I tread this same route in January of 2010. It was deja vous.

52 minutes

I took two days off after running Tuesday and Wednesday. This morning I ran the college for 52 minutes while the club did its workout which was half tennis court loops or .33 miles. I did a campus loop warm down with Danielle to cap off the run. The inside of right knee has been bothering me walking around but not when I run. It seems to be some sore of tendon or ligament issue.

Ice, ibuprofen and massage.

Lost and Found

A rare back to back during the week. I ran 72 minutes with 63 up in Edgewood Park and the Redwood City Hills. Rick, my running buddy got us good and lost but also got us found again as we finally ended up back at where we started right on time. He has a knack for doing both. This run had plenty of long hills both going up and coming back down.

72 minutes

72 incredibly slow minutes in the morning including an hour with Danny.

More striders

Ran an hour in the morning including 12 x 200 striders at Foothill with Dimitri.

Rogue Runner

I did an easy 45 minutes over at the college. The club was doing campus loops. Typical run. Not a great deal of pep. Slogged through and went to breakfast afterward. I have to change my approach. Recovery really stinks. Going to think this out. Time to go "rogue" again.

72 minutes

Ran 72 minutes around the neighborhood and then over at WVC with my buddy Danny. With Tom gone we stuck to loops on the campus. Pretty boring but it seems to suit us. Tom sent us an email. He's on the Yangtze River. It took him an hour to get on line. Slow boat. Slow connection. First day since having Xiaflex manipulation that my right pinky finger felt decent. The swelling was down ( not gone ) and I had a fair amount of flexibility.

Circle The Wagons!

Tom's in China and Danny locked his stuff in his other car. But we got in a run anyway. 70 minutes circling the wagons at WVC.

Dimitri Returns

Dimitri returned from two weeks in Toronto. We ran out and back on Moody Road  and then hit the track for 10 x 200 striders (100 jog).  Averaged around 55-56 with a few faster ones at the end. My total including a neighborhood dump run came to around 75 minutes. I generally felt pretty good. Better once we got to the striders. Dimitri's foot, while better, still is giving him issues. Now I am beginning to imagine using an Elliptigo to do the Moody Road part and then going to the track to do the strides. Less pounding.

I ain't quite there yet but I'll have to go test ride one.



Elliptigo

Is green my color?

65 minutes of running and walking

45 minute easy run around the neighborhood and DeAnza College. The football field is in but the track is not. Still looks like a war zone. Right after my run I walked with Lucy for 20 minutes. It all counts. Lucy had her head up and tail out. She seemed happy.

 

Last ride and 70 minutes

Got back to 70 minutes this morning with Tom (on the bike) and Danny. Tom's last ride for a couple of weeks because he and his wife are headed to China on vacation. Beijing, Shanghai and up the Yangtze river on a cruise. My running continues to be slow and slower. "There is no bottom'" as my friend John once said so eloquently when bottoming out at 18 minutes and change for a 5k. But we're out there. Maybe that counts for something or maybe we should be walking.

59 minutes and Xiaflex

I ran 59 minutes this morning. Danny, Tom and I met early so we could run and get in breakfast before I had to drive up to Stanford Hospital (Redwood City Campus) to get treatment for my retracted pinky on my right hand. Xiaflex is what it's called and while the treatment has had good success it is still a roll of the dice. If it works I'll get full mobility and useage of the little finger again. I'll know in a week. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xifddtvuy0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

60 minutes solo

I did a 60 minute solo run in the morning with most of it over at the usual place (WVC). Threw in 10 x 200 strides in 55 avg with 100 meter jog after each one. Felt stronger than last week. I definitely felt like I could have run more but decided to be smart about it. 7:20 pace isn't very fast compared to what I used to do but these days it's faster than I normally run so who am I joking. Age graded it's a 5:30 pace (gulp).

Thursday and Saturday

I ran 70 minutes on Thursday morning with Danny and a still injured Tom (on his bike). On Saturday, I did another 67 minutes mostly running with Walt and later Danielle. Both runs were primarily over at WVC (b-o-r-i-n-g). The club was doing tennis court loops. I stayed away as usual even though Mike Krey, one of our club members was trying to tell me (between gasps) how much fun the workout was. My right foot was taped and I had the compression sleeve on my left calf. The sleeve was strictly for caution's sake because I felt a slight tightness warming up around the neighborhood. My knee felt slightly tweeked but it loosened up as I ran. Finally took some ibuprofen when I got home. Was really creaky.