A great 4-mile run/walk

My wakeup heart rate finally dropped below 60 (57), and I had a great run. I was out about noon. We'd had a few snow flakes fall, but the snow had stopped by the time I went out. The temperature was in the low 40s (F).

During the last mile, I used a walker to pace myself. He walked faster than I walked, but I ran faster than he walked, and I slowly gained on him. When I began the last mile, he was about 100 yards in front of me. When we finished, he was about 10 yards in front of me. My legs were tired when I finished, but it was fun to push myself a little to see if I could pass him. Now, if I can get a good rest tomorrow and sleep well tonight and tomorrow night, I'll be ready for another good run on Saturday. I'm in no hurry to increase my distance. I want to become comfortable with 4 miles before I increase it to 4.5 miles.

I took a longer look at the place I mentioned where rocks were being placed in the bank of the river. The water is about one foot below the tops of the rocks, and I think the water will soon cover the rocks. The big shovel that I thought would be picked up yesterday was still there, but a semi tractor pulling a flat-bed trailer pulled up to get the shovel. The semi had 22 wheels instead of the "normal" 18 wheels.

The tunnel under 106th South is covered with water that has drained from the dirt above the tunnel and has entered the tunnel via several water pipes along the west wall of the tunnel. An electric pump is removing water from the tunnel, but the pump isn't keeping up with the incoming water, and the water is deeper than it was yesterday.The water in the tunnel is about 3 inches deep, and I waded through it. My socks are synthetic (technical socks??), and they didn't absorb water. When I left the tunnel, the water was drained from my socks and shoes, and I couldn't tell the socks and shoes were wet. When I got home, I took my shoes and socks off so my feet could dry and get warm. The water was cold.

This video of the water was taken yesterday. If you look carefully at the bottom of the wall at the right of the tunnel, you can see the ports that bring water into the tunnel. The pump that is removing water from the tunnel is submerged at the left side of the tunnel, not too far from the beginning of the water as shown in the video. Most runners walk on the concrete wall that separates the tunnel from the river, but I don't have good balance and either wade through the water or take a short detour to a traffic semaphore. If I were to walk on the wall, I would need a long stick to act as a third leg.