Walked about 1 1/4 miles round trip to church

This walk wasn't related to running. I like to walk to church when I can to get some exercise, although I'm a slow walker and the walking doesn't raise my heart rate much. The temperature going to church was in the mid 20s (F) and about 31 on the way home. It was nice to be outside for a time, and I enjoyed the walk! The sky was a mixture of clouds and sunshine.

Ran 3 miles, ending just as it started to snow

We had rain during the night, but it had stopped before I started my run about 11 am. The low temperature last night was 35 (F), so the melting of snow continued during the night. The ground is mostly bare, but there are still patches of snow on the ground. My wakeup heart rate was 60 this morning, and I felt pretty good.

I went south from 100th South for 1.5 miles and then returned. During the first and third miles, I ran for 1/4 mile before taking a walking break of about 45-60 seconds. During the second mile, I reduced the distance running to about 1/8 mile with walking breaks of about the same amount of time. I forgot my two-phase timer and just ran until the next half-mile marker. I felt good during the run and enjoyed it.

During my run, the sky was cloudy with just a slight breeze. When I had about half a mile left, it started to rain and before I finished the run it was rain mixed with snow. By the time I reached home, it was all snow, and it has been heavily snowing for about an hour.

Ran for 2 miles in a stiff head-wind

I forgot to check my wakeup heart rate, but I felt pretty good. The air temperature was about 40 (F). There was a 15-20 mph south wind blowing, and I ran for a mile with that head-wind. At that point I turned around and headed back to my car, because I was getting tired from that head-wind and probably from not being fully rested since my run on Saturday. Having a tail-wind on the way back helped, but I was still tired and ran for shorter phases than I had on my way out. My running phase is normally 2 minutes and my walking phase is normally 1 minute.

Ran on an indoor track for 50 minutes

My wakeup heart rate was 57, and I felt pretty good. We had 6-7 inches of snow last night, and it has been snowing lightly during the day. The daytime air temperature is above freezing, and the streets are clear of snow.

I wasn't sure if the cities would have the Jordan River Parkway path cleared of snow, so I went to the local community rec center and ran on the indoor track. I ran for 2 minutes and walked for 1 minute. There were quite a few people using the rec center: swimming, basketball, soccer, weights, various aerobic machines, and runners and walkers on the indoor track. I don't use the rec center very often, but it is nice when the streets are icy and snowy.

Ran/walked for 3 miles

I didn't run much last week because my wakeup heart rate was 64-65. Today, however, it was down to 60, and I went running. The temperature was 40 (F) when I left home about 4:30 pm. The sun was still up when I started running, but by the time I had completed the first mile, the sun was behind the Oquirrh Mountains. The run took me about 55 minutes. Due to the height of the mountains we have an early sunset but a longer dusk before darkness. I completed my workout before darkness. During the first half I had a head-wind of about 10 mph, and the chill factor made it colder than I had expected. I had my usual three layers, but I felt cold. However, my body warmed up as I continued my workout, and I felt fine on the way back. The wind was now a tail-wind, and that helped me to be warmer, too. The path was free of snow, but there were wet spots due to melting snow. I waited until late afternoon to go out so the sun could melt the snow and dry the path, and the wet spots weren't frozen and presented no problems.

I forgot my GPS and timer again, so I ran for 1/4 mile and then walked about 45-60 seconds. I've been running this part of the Parkway for several years, and I know where the quarter-mile points are, so it was easy to change my pace every quarter mile. I felt fine during my workout, but I was glad to go home after I had completed three miles. This is the second time I've run longer before I walked, and I'm going to have to set my timer for a longer run-phase.

Ran & Walked 2 Miles

My heart rate was 60 this morning, still high but low enough for a short run. I ran 2 miles. I'd left my GPS and timer home, so I ran until I was tired and then walked for a short time. During the first mile, I only took two walking breaks. On the way back, I took three walking breaks. Because I ran for more seconds than I've been doing, and because my heart rate was relatively high, I stopped after two miles. I felt good during the two miles, but I was starting to get tired, and I'm glad I didn't go farther.

We had rain during the night and early morning, and it was sprinkling during my run. The temperature was in the high 40s (F), and it was another good day for being outside. I wore my long running pants and my usual three layers.

Resting today

I got dressed to go running this morning, but I decided to wait until tomorrow. I only got 2 hours sleep Saturday night, and I'm still recovering from that. I slept well Sunday and Monday nights and will, hopefully, sleep well tonight.

Walked about 2 miles

I'm not doing any running this week due to special activities with my grandchildren. I walked about 2 miles today but was on my feet for about 6 hours. Needless to say, my legs were pretty tired by the end of the day. Fortunately, it was a relatively cool day (low 70s (F)), and I didn't suffer from heat. I will be walking a couple of miles each day during the rest of the week.

A longer run/walk of 70 minutes

My wakeup heart rate was 58. The temperature during my run was in the low 60s (F), the sky was cloudy, and a light wind of about 15 mph. Another great day for running. I went south from 100th South. The standing water in the tunnel under 106th South was only an inch deep, and I waded through it (about 10 feet of distance) and continued south for not quite a mile (going past the East Pavilion). I did 3.8 miles in the 70 minutes. The run/walk was uneventful, so this will be a short post.

Another good 60-minute run/walk

The temperature during my run/walk was in the low 50s (F). Lots of sunshine and a 8-10 mph south wind. Another great day for running. I went north from 100th South, through the Sandy city golf course and up Riverside Drive to 50 yards before the light at 7th West and 90th South. I felt fine during the runs and took no rest breaks. I completed 3.2 miles during the hour. I wore my running shorts and a T-shirt and enjoyed the warm day, although I hope we get lots of snow in the mountains this winter. I wore my wind breaker during the first half-hour, and then after my body was warmed up, I took the jacket off and tied it around my waist.

Running and walking for 60 seconds is working fine for me. In a couple of weeks, if I still feel fine, I'll add another 5 seconds to the times.

I saw lots of geese in the field that had them on Saturday.  The field also had 2 horses, and the geese and horses seemed to not be bothered by the other animals in the field.

A great 65-minute run/walk

I didn't measure my wakeup heart rate this morning, but I felt pretty good, thanks to several nights of good sleep. I added 5 seconds to both my running and walking (60 seconds each phase) and covered 3.33 miles in 65 minutes. I went north from 100th South. When I got to the golf course, instead of following the yellow line through the golf course to the temporary end of the trail at Riverside Drive, I went north past the west side of the golf pro shop on a straight line to 90th South. Then I followed the path in a loop through the golf course and back to the pro shop and a mile back to my car. The temperature was in the high 40s (F) when I started and in the low 50s when I finished. The sky was mostly cloudy, and it was a great day for running.


Google maps gives a good view of the path I followed this morning. Find the intersection of 100th South in South Jordan City and the Jordan River and zoom in until you see the Parkway trail going through a tunnel under 100th South (I do my stretches in that tunnel at the end of my runs). The picture to the right shows the tunnel. The small white car that is at the bottom-center of the picture is my car (The picture was taken a few years ago). Since my car is in the picture, I thought I might be seen on the path. I searched the path from the new bridge across 11400 South, which was just being built, to the temporary end of the path about 3/4 mile north of the parking lot, but I didn't see me. I did see several walkers or runners, but I wasn't one of them because their shorts were the wrong color.


Click a picture for a larger view.



Follow the path north until it crosses a bridge across the river to the golf course. You'll see the golf course pro shop, which is a large building on the other side of the river, and the trail is marked going past the south side of the building to Riverside Drive in Sandy City. Instead of taking that path in my run this morning, I took a path that goes past the west side of the building north to just before 90th South. The picture to the left shows the pro shop and the paths going past the pro shop.

I approached 90th South on an asphalt path that is shown in the picture to the right. I crossed a bridge back across the river and followed the path as it wound through the golf course back to the pro shop, crossing the river on a narrow bridge that isn't shown in any of the pictures.

As a side note, the only safe way to cross 90th South is to take the Parkway path past the pro shop to Riverside Drive and follow that street to the intersection of 700 West and 90th South. About 3/4 mile north of 90th South on 700 West, an entrance to the Parkway trail is marked, and the trail goes north past Salt Lake City to Davis County. So far, I've gone on the trail to 3900 South, which is about 5 miles south of Salt Lake City.





I've noticed that Canadian geese like fields instead of the river. Ducks are always in the river, and the geese are always in fields. Today, I saw a huge flock of geese in a field. I guess  geese forage in the field for food, while ducks forage in the river for food, although with winter coming, the ducks are spending more time on the asphalt path and nearby dirt looking for food. The following picture of geese in a field is from the web. That picture shows approximately 30 geese. The flock I saw had 100-200 geese.

Another 3.2 miles, mostly walking

My wakeup heart was 56, and I looked forward to a great run. However, while waiting for the temperature to get above freezing, I ate a heavy breakfast. I knew it would take a while for my stomach to adjust to the breakfast, so I planned on going out in early afternoon. I felt fine when I left for my run, but as soon as I started running, my stomach acted like it had the flu or something. After about 20 feet, I decreased my pace to a fast walk. I felt fine while walking, but I couldn't run very far. So, I walked most of the first mile. I could tell, though, that my spurts of running were getting longer. After about a mile and a half, my stomach felt fine, and I resumed my normal alternating of 55 seconds running and 55 seconds walking. The temperature during my run was in the low 40s (F), and it was a beautiful, sunny day. The snow on the ground is melting, and in a couple of days it will be gone. Today was another lesson that my breakfasts must be lighter and more easily digested. I thought 4 hours would be enough time between breakfast and my run, but it wasn't.

Ran an OK 3.2 miles

I went out running about 1 pm. The shade temperature during my runs and walks was 35 (F), with no wind. I ran south from the 100th South trail head. The tunnel under 10600 South was flooded from recent rain and melting snow, so I went back to the trail head and went north another 0.6 miles. I felt pretty good during the run and didn't take any rest breaks. My run lasted about an hour.

Much of the snow on the ground has melted, and the Parkway path is clear and dry. There is about 3-4 inches of snow on the ground.

Ran 2 miles, about 38 minutes

We have about 6 inches of snow of the ground. Winter has finally come to Utah. I did a short run of 2 miles in the late afternoon. I had considered going to a local recreation center and using an indoor track, but I decided that our daytime temperature of slightly above freezing was enough to melt the snow on the Parkway path, and I ran on that path. Except for a few shady spots, the path was free of snow, but it was wet from melting snow. Because I ran in late afternoon, there was a danger of the water freezing, making the path slick, and I reduced my run to be sure I would be finished before the sun set behind the Oquirrh Mountains. In addition, I hadn't eaten much since last night, and my body wasn't developing much heat -- I barely had enough energy to do the short run. I felt the cold more than I had expected, likely due to my lack of food during the day and to this being my first experience this winter with cold (it takes a few runs for my body to adapt to the colder temperatures). The shade temperature during my run was slightly above freezing, and I wore my usual three layers. There was no wind during my run.

Still tired but managed another 60-minute run

My wakeup heart rate was 57, so I went running. However, I was still tired and took several short rest breaks on the way back. Yesterday, I spent a good part of the day doing yard work, including mowing my lawns, and that caused my body to be tired today. Not only was there grass to be cut but lots of leaves to  be sucked up by the mower. The leaves meant that I had to empty the bag more often, and a full bag weighed more. I have to do the Fall rototilling of my vegetable gardens tomorrow and/or Friday, so I'll probably be tired on Saturday.

Today was another great Fall day with temperatures in the mod 60s during my run. However, it will start to cool tomorrow and Saturday with snow likely in the higher elevations.

A tired 60-minute run

I ran for 60 minutes today (3.2 miles), but I was tired during most of the run. I felt fine during the first mile, but became tired as the run/walk progressed. My wakeup heart rate was 57, indicating my attempts to get more sleep are paying off. However, my body hasn't responded to the sleep as fast as my heart rate. It was a beautiful day with temperature in the mid 60s during my run. I wore a long sleeved t-shirt but would have been better off with a short sleeved shirt.

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Today was a tired 60-minute run

My wakeup pulse rate was 66. That is high enough that I didn't plan on running today. I read emails and made some comments in blogs, and then I took a nap for about half an hour. After my nap, my pulse rate was 56, so I went running and completed 3.1 miles in my allotment of 60 minutes. I didn't have a lot of energy and knew from the beginning that the run wouldn't be very good. I felt OK and went slower during the first half of the run, but I was tired during the second half and took two two or three short rest breaks. I was glad to get back to my car. I saw a couple of runners on the path, several walkers, and several cyclists. It's nice to have a few great days before the dreary winter sets in.

Unlike the East coast that is bracing for hurricane Sandy to hit the New Jersey coast in a few hours, the weather in Utah was a beautiful day for running. The temperature was in the low 60s (F), partially cloudy sky, and wind gusts of 10-15 mph. I lived in Massachusetts for 17 years and know what it is like to be in the path of a hurricane: stores shelves empty, tree limbs falling on power lines, schools and businesses closed, and fear. Power outages happened every year in New England. The longest time we were without power was a week. We had a wood stove and had heat, but we had no water for culinary and sanitary use. We were able to melt snow and get small amounts of water for drinking and cooking. The back roads in Massachusetts are narrow, and tree limbs arch over the road. When we had a heavy snow or high winds, the limbs came down and took the power lines with them. I remember one snow storm in late May. The trees had new leaves, and a heavy-snow storm brought down many limbs. I remember walking outside and hearing pops all throughout the forest. Each pop was a limb breaking and crashing to the ground.


The following pictures, taken from the web, show New England winter storms.

I had a really good 80 minute run/walk

I left home about 5:30 for my second run/walk this week. The temperature was in the high 30s (F) when I left. I didn't check the temperature when I returned home, but it was snowing quite hard. I increased both the run and walk segments of my run from 50 seconds to 55 seconds, a 10% increase. I ran south from 100th South on the Jordan River Parkway, and I felt great during the run -- a relatively good energy level, and I didn't feel tired during the run and took no rest breaks. I completed 4.5 miles. The sky was cloudy, although there were patches of blue sky here and there. There was a scattering of snow falling when I started my run, but the rest of the run was without snow and with times of sun and times of shade. The sun was setting behind the Oquirrh Mountains when I reached my turn-around, and I finished the run a few minutes before it became dark. After I completed the run, I spent a few minutes stretching and then walked a short distance to my car. It was just starting to snow as I approached the car, and by the time I reached home, it was a heavy snow. It apparently didn't snow for very long, because the sidewalks outside have just a very light covering of snow.

I wore long pants and my normal 3 layers during the run, but I had no gloves and no hat. Except for my hands, I felt fine while I was outside. When I first start to run, my body diverts blood from my limbs to my body-core to keep my internal organs warm. When I was younger (my 40s and 50s), my hands would warm up after about a mile of running, but I've noticed during recent years, that my hands remain cold during the run, one of the trials of getting older, I suppose.

I've been running in the iZUMI shoes that I received for testing a couple of years ago. Today, though, I wore my LOCO shoes, because I wanted to try a pair of OrothoLite insoles. I put one in the right shoe and left the original insole in the left shoe. See my runninginjuryfree.org blog for my report on the OrthoLite insoles. I didn't use the iZUMI shoes because they already have OrthoLite insoles in them.

Another nice 60-minute Run

I ran for an hour again, using the same route I used last week.  I did go further, though, due to doing more running and less walking. I forgot both my GPS and two-phase timer, and I just ran until my body said it needed to walk. During the first 1.7 miles, I ran for 1/4 mile and then walked for about 40-50 seconds. During the return 1.6 miles, I took short walking breaks more often. I completed 3.3 miles in the hour.

My wakeup heart rate was 59. For the past couple of weeks, I've only run once a week because my heart rate was high and I took extra rest days. Except for one night last week, I've been doing pretty good in getting 7 hours of sleep each night. During the one night last week, I only got 3 1/2 hours of sleep. I went to bed at a reasonable time, but I woke up earlier and couldn't go back to sleep. We had company staying with us that night, and I may have been suffering from anxiety. Also, I knew the next few days would be busy, and that may have increased my anxiety. Last night was a good 7 hours of sleep. Hopefully, I'll continue getting 7 hours this week.

Today was a cloudy day (rain showers are predicted), and the temperature was in the mid 60s (F). A 5 mph wind was blowing from the south, with gusts up to 10 mph or so. All in all, it was a nice day for running and walking. I felt cool at the beginning of my run, but after half-an-hour, I was comfortable and was actually sweating a bit under the brim of my hat.

I like the Fall with its yellow leaves falling to the ground and temperatures in the 50s and 60s. It's a great time to be alive and outside!

A nice 60 minute run/walk

I just returned from a nice 60 minute run/walk in which I covered 3.27 miles. Today was almost a perfect day. The temperature was in the high 50s to low 60s, not much wind, and beautiful clouds in the sky. I only ran once last week, because my wakeup pulse rate went up to 63. Today, it was 58. I felt fine during the first 2 miles, but I got a bit tired during the last mile. Not so tired that I would take a rest-break or abort the run, just a bit lower in my energy level.

When I parked my car, I saw other cars coming into the parking lot. People walked from the cars to the path, and I realized that cadets from the Police Academy were coming to take their qualifying run. They have to run 1.5 miles in 15 minutes. The officials at the Academy have marked 0.75 miles with a green line across the path and the word POST next to the line. That is the turn-around point for the qualifying test. I started my run before the cadets, and I was about 1/8 mile from the green line when the first two cadets passed me. I was past the green line before other cadets arrived, and I never saw them. I went to the tunnel under 106th South and saw that the path was flooded by rain water, so I turned around. By the time I reached the green line, the three officials (wearing red T-shirts) were gone, and when I reached the parking lot, all of the cars that brought the cadets were gone, too. I finished my run by going north about 0.5 miles and back.

South Jordan City has turned off the water fountains, so during the winter if I need water during my workouts, I'll have to carry it. If I have a good drink of water before I leave home, I shouldn't need any water during my workout.

My wakeup heart rate is still going down

Today is a rest day, but I measured my wakeup heart rate to see if my 7 1/2 hours sleep last night affected the heart rate. The HR was 58. Last week it was 61-62, so it is down a significant amount. I hope it keeps going down, because I not only run better with a lower HR, I do better in my other activities. My "normal" wakeup heart rate is 50-53.

Nice 62 minute run/walk

Today was a great Fall day to be outside running. The temperature during my run was in the low 60s (F). There was no wind, and I ran in the late afternoon and had lots of shade as well as sun. I did 3.4 miles. I didn't carry any water, but I had a nice drink in the parking lot at the beginning and end of my run, and that was sufficient. I forgot both my two-phase timer and my GPS, so I just ran and walked as my body needed a change. I think I ran a little longer than 50 seconds and walked a little less than 50 seconds.

Fall is my favorite time of the year. I don't know how soon we'll get snow, we've had a light frost for the past few nights, but I'm enjoying the crisp Fall days. I didn't run last week, because my wakeup heart rate was above 60, but I did run today because my heart rate was 59. If I continue to get  a good 7 hours sleep each night, my heart rate should keep going down. I hope so. The days are too nice to stay cooped up in my house.

Ran/walked a nice 60 minutes

The temperature was in the mid 70s (F) when I ran this morning, and it was a beautiful Fall day to be outside. There was a slight breeze blowing, but I didn't notice it as I ran and walked. I started my hour run about 11:30 am, so most of the morning shade was gone, but there were periods of shade, and I enjoyed them; I completed 3.2 miles. Because of the Fall temperature, the periods of sun weren't bad.  I only took 2 bottles (2 cups) of water with me, and I had a drink from a fountain just before I started the run and when I ended the run. I still had half a bottle of water when I finished the run, and I poured it out before I took a drink from the fountain. My wakeup heart rate was 59 this morning, still high because I stayed up late for two nights last week and didn't get enough sleep.

I've been running three times per week for 60 minutes, 100 minutes, and 140 minutes. I've decided to reduce the length of the last two runs, giving me 60, 80, and 100 minutes, respectively. Since I don't do much racing and run for enjoyment, I'm more interested in reducing the stress on my old body than I am of increasing my distance to the half-marathon distance. I'll eventually get to the half-marathon distance, but it will take me longer to get there than I had originally planned.

My 60 minute run/walk became a 63 minute run/walk

I had a great hour run and did 3.32 miles again. I went north from 100th South and reached the traffic light at 7th West and 90th South a few seconds past 30 minutes. While going out, I ran a little bit faster than I've been doing, but I went a bit slower on the way back. It's amazing what some extra rest (and cooler weather) will do for my run.

We had rain during the night, and it sprinkled on me during most of the run. The temperature was in the mid 50s (F), and the cooler temperature felt nice. I saw one cyclist and a few walkers but no runners.

My 140 minute run/walk became a tired 72 minute walk/jog

I could tell as soon as I started running that my energy level was low. I should have aborted the run, but I continued on, hoping I would feel better after my body warmed up. I did feel better, but not enough to continue my run, and I aborted and returned to my car. My total distance for the run was 3.3 miles. Even though I had a good seven hours sleep last night, my wakeup heart rate was 59. This high heart rate was probably due to my mowing my lawns last evening. I usually mow the lawns on Thursday to avoid a conflict with my Saturday run, but, due to circumstances beyond my control, I mowed them Friday evening and only had a few hours for recovery before my Saturday run.

I didn't check the temperature during my run, but when I was in shade, the temperature felt fine. When I was in sun, the temperature was hot. Fortunately, due to the lateness of my run, there ware lots of shady spots on the trail. I went south from 100th South.

A tired 100 minute run/walk

Today was the day for for my medium run of 100 minutes. Before I left to go running, I had a small bowl of sliced peaches and several handfuls of Cheeros. Apparently, the peaches weren't a good thing to eat, because my stomach felt upset during the first two miles. I felt nauseated, and I wondered if I should abort the run. I took one rest break at the half-mile marker, and I felt a bit better after that. I continued running, and by two miles, I felt pretty good. My energy level, though, wasn't very good. I took several rest breaks on the way back, and they helped. I didn't check the temperature when I left or when I returned, but it was hotter than it has been for the past couple of days. The forecast for tomorrow is 89 (F). My wakeup heart rate was 57, down from the 59-60 I've been having. I'm hoping it will continue to drop, since I'm getting to bed earlier and am getting more sleep than I've been getting. I took an hour-long nap when I got home, and I've felt pretty good since then.

On the way out, I saw two deer on a sand bar in the river. I've seen deer in the river before, but it's been quite a while since I last saw them.

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I just received an email notice that this blog made the front page of Fun Running Blogs.

My wife and I did a 60-minute run/walk today

I ran/walked the time, using my usual 50-second phases at each pace, and I did 3 miles. My wife walked the time and did 2.7 miles. She walks faster than me but is a bit slower than me when I run, and we were together for much of the distance. I'm glad that she came so we could enjoy being outside together.

Today was a really beautiful day. Sunshine, almost no wind, and temperatures in the mid 70s (F). A perfect day for walking and for alternating walking and running. Well, actually, it wasn't a good day to exercise outside, due to fires in Idaho and smoke from those fires filling the air in the Salt Lake valley. I couldn't see the mountains very well, due to the smoke, but the air seemed nice as I ran, and it seemed like a great day for running. Great for running but not for breathing :(

I saw and talked briefly with a friend who is in a motorized chair. Rather than keep his small dog on a lease, he lets the dog run free, but when another person approaches, the dog runs to the chair and hops aboard.

My wakeup heart rate was 59, one count less than yesterday. I'm focusing on getting to bed earlier, but it takes several days of sufficient sleep to cause my HR to come down.

Completed a 100-minute run/walk

I forgot to measure my wakeup heart rate this morning, but I felt energetic when I started my workout today. I ran south from 100th South for 50 minutes and then returned. I did 5 miles. There were a lot of cyclists and a few skaters but not many runners or walkers. The temperature was in the low 70s (F), and I actually felt cold during the first mile while my body warmed up. It was a beautiful sunny day. I carried 5 bottles (cups) of water and refilled two of them at a fountain at the East Pavilion on the way back.

As I mentioned above, I felt energetic during the first mile, and then I slowly became tired as I ran. I started with my timer set for 1 minute running and 1 minute walking, but after two miles I changed it back to my old standby of 50 seconds each.

I saw two families of quail. The first family had about a dozen quail. They were sticking together, and they looked like a family which in the Spring would have been chicks but now are fully grown, although they still stick together as a family. The second family looked to be about the same size.

I saw a guy walking with a really small dog on a lease. The dog was about a foot long and six inches high. The man was tall, I would guess maybe 6 feet 2 inches, and it looked funny to have a big guy and a small dog. It's nice, though, to have the Jordan River Parkway so people can walk their dogs, ride bikes, skate, run, or walk.

After I returned home, I took a half  hour nap. It's past 7 pm, and I haven't had much to eat all day, so I'm off to cook some oatmeal.

Ran/walked my 60-minute run

I ran for 30 minutes going south from 100th South and then returned. I changed my timer to beep after 1 minute of running and again after 1 minute of walking. I felt fine during the first 1.8 miles and then started to get tired. By the time I was back to the parking lot, having completed 3 miles, I was pretty tired. Even after 2 days of no running, I'm still not recovered from the 200 minutes I did on Friday.

There was a light sprinkle during my first mile, and then the rain stopped and the sun came out. It got warmer due to the sun, but it was still cooler than last week.

I didn't accurately check my wakeup heart rate, but it was close to 57.

Completed a 200 minute long run

My wakeup heart rate was 58, lower than the 62 in the middle of the week but still much higher than I would like. I'm focusing on getting to bed earlier, because that is the only way my wakeup heart rate will come down.

My 140 minute run/walk turned into a 200 minute run/walk (8.3 miles). I started at my stopping point two weeks ago (about 5800 North) on my trek to the Great Salt Lake. I had planned to go north for 70 minutes and then return to my car. However, when the 70 minute time arrived, I was in the middle of nowhere. Trees everywhere. No buildings in sight.

I was concerned about finding a parking lot for my next segment leading to the GSL. I knew I could either go back about a mile to a parking lot, or I could continue going north until I came to a parking lot. During my trek through Murray City, I became spoiled because Murray has parking lots every mile. After I left Murray City, I went through Taylorsville City and was now in West Valley City. I decided to continue going north, and I finally came to a city park with a nice parking lot (it was about 2 miles from this parking lot to the last one I had passed through on my way north). I asked a lady what city I was in, and she said West Valley City, although the South Salt Lake police service the area. There was a four-lane busy street which the lady said was 3900 South. So, I went out (and back) about 19 blocks as the crow flies for a distance of about 4.15 miles as the path went. Nineteen blocks translates to 3.12 miles, so the meandering of the path amounted to about an extra 1 mile.

I had plenty of water, because I passed several water fountains and filled my water bottles, both going out and coming back. Even though the temperature was in the mid 80s (F) and there was a lot of shade from tall trees lining the west side of the path, I was glad for the water. I did extra walking during the last mile going out, and even more walking on the way back. I felt great during the first hour, began getting tired during the second hour, and I was pretty tired during the third hour and 20 minutes. I took a couple of rest stops for several minutes each on the way back.

I only saw a few runners and walkers, but I saw a lot of cyclists. The phases I do on my next several run/walks north will be in an area with a relatively high crime rate. I'm thinking I will carry with me a spray can of Pepper spray. I will be out in the middle of the day, and that may discourage muggers. Much of the path is in remote areas, and there aren't many people to help me if I should be attacked. As long as I pass cyclists, I'll probably be OK since the cyclists know the area and would (I hope) stay away from the path if it were really dangerous.

Had a nice 60 minute run/walk

I ran & walked for 60 minutes, alternating 50 seconds of each. The temperature was 80 (F) when I left home, but the sun felt hot. I did 3.0 miles during my run. I took a two-minute rest-break, on the way back with a mile left to go. That bench is the only one on my route. It is in the sun, but that's OK. I went a little faster on the way out and got a bit closer to the light at 700 West and 9000 South. I drank my customary one bottle (1 cup) of water per mile, taking a swallow every walking phase.

My wakeup heart rate was 57 this morning. Slightly lower than last week. I haven't been doing very well on getting to sleep earlier. I love night-time (up to about 3 am), and I have a hard time stopping things and going to bed. But, sleep deprivation means a higher wakeup heart rate and less endurance during my run.

One of the Fitness Guru fitness blogs

I just received an email telling me that this blog is one of the fitness blogs at healthguru.com It's an honor to be listed by that site.

Now, back to running....

Last week, and the week before, was consumed by weddings. My wife did flowers for two weddings, and I did a video of the first wedding. On the day of the second wedding, I spent much of the day mowing and edging my lawns so my yard would look nice to visitors to the wedding reception (across the street from my house). I bought a new Troy edger because my old electric edger didn't have enough power to cut through the grass and dirt. The new edger made edging a quick and enjoyable thing. The new edger has a wheel that moves up and down to account for differences in height at a curb, but I couldn't get the wheel to move. There are two bolts that hold the wheel in place, and I couldn't turn the nuts on the bolts. So, I just ran the edger on the grass instead of on the street.

On Monday, August 20, I visited with the blood-clot specialist at Intermountain Health Clinic, and he agreed that I could go off of Warfarin (genetic Coumadin). I had swelling in both legs, and he told me to go to the Lymphedema Clinic (in the building next door). On the following Friday, I went to the clinic and came home with a compression stocking on one foot and a big bandage (foam rubber covered with Ace-type bandages) on the other foot. I wasn't able to do my Saturday run because of the big bandage on my foot and leg. I returned to the clinic on Monday and Tuesday of this week. The swelling is mostly gone, my right leg has stopped "weeping", and I'll be wearing compression stockings for the rest of my life. I don't have to return to the clinic.

I ran for about 45 minutes today and did about two slow miles. I was pretty tired and aborted the run instead of going the full 60 minutes. I had plenty of water during the run, but I didn't get enough sleep during the past two weeks, and my wakeup heart rate is high.

The daytime temperature is still hot (maximum is about 95 (F)), and the night lows are in the 60s. September will be here very soon, and that means the temperatures will drop and running will be more fun. I've always maintained that I run for improvement in the Spring and Fall, and I run to survive in the Winter and Summer.

Ran/walked a tired 60 minutes

I did my short run/walk (still doing 50 seconds of each) of 60 minutes, but I was tired during the whole workout. I did 2.8 miles during the run. I didn't take any rest breaks during the first half, but I took two breaks of about 2 minutes each on the way back. The temperature was in the high 80s, but the sky became cloudy and the wind picked up while I was out. Thunderstorms are expected this evening. My wakeup pulse was 59 this morning, two points higher than last week. I've had two days rest since my long run on Saturday, but they weren't really rest days. Well, Sunday was a rest day, but yesterday was a busy day, and I was on my feet a lot and didn't get an afternoon nap. As I get older, I need more time for recovery.

I did it! The doctor did it! We did it!

I've been on Warfarin for 3 1/2 years, ever since I had  blood clots in January 2009. I've been concerned about being on the drug for so long and for side effects of the drug (my legs turning brown, one leg is weeping yellowish water, the brown skin is very dry and scaly. I requested through my PCP that I be revaluated to see if I could stop taking the Warfarin. Yesterday morning I met with the Intermountain Health Care specialist for blood clots, and he agreed that I could stop taking Warfarin. He had both of my legs scanned for blood clots (none seen). He did ask me to wear compression socks to reduce some swelling in my legs, and I have an appointment for that this Friday. It was a happy experience last night to go to bed without taking a pill. Now, I'm not taking any prescribed drugs!

Ran/walked 140 minutes again

For my long run this week, I repeated the time (140 minutes) done last week but on a different route. I only did 6.2 miles because I did more walking on the way back. Last week I ended at a parking lot on 78th South. Today I started at that parking lot and went north for 3.5 miles, about 1/4 mile north (about 57th South) of a parking lot and entrance to the Jordan River Parkway in Murray City at Bullion Street. Next week, if I feel up to it, I'll start at the parking lot at Bullion Street and go north for 3.5 miles; that distance should put me in South Salt Lake City. My wakeup heart rate was 57.

Last week, I only had one bottle (1 cup) of water for the 3.5 miles back, and I had to ration the water during the return distance. This week, I started rationing the water at the beginning of my run, taking a swallow every other walking phase instead of every walking phase. I was pleasantly surprised when I got into Murray City to find an entrance to the Parkway Path that was a nice Park. There was a water fountain, rest rooms, large Pavilion, and a playground for kids. I didn't think about replenishing my water on my way out, and I continued to ration my water. On the way back, however, I filled three water bottles and had plenty of water for that last 2.5 miles. It was hot today, and I was glad for the extra water, especially since I had lost one of my bottles of water and was expecting to only have four bottles for the round trip. Murray didn't have many benches along the trail, and those that were there were in the afternoon sun, and I didn't take a rest-break. I did find a bench in Murray that was in the shade, and I took a long (5 minutes) break. West Jordan City had quite a few benches along the trail, but most of them were in the sun. I took a two-minute break at one of the benches, only to find that a short distance later there was a bench in shade.

There were a lot of cyclists on the trail and a few runners and walkers. 

I still had about a quarter mile back to my car when the 140 minutes ended, and I turned off my GPS and walked to the car. Just before I got to my car, I found my water bottle in the middle of the trail. Earlier, a cyclist had told me he had seen my water bottle on the trail back at 78th South, so I was looking for the bottle as I neared the car, and I was glad to get the bottle. I dumped out the water in the bottle, because it was hot, as in a hot shower, from being in the sun for two hours 20 minutes. All in all, it was a nice run/walk on a beautiful but hot day.

This was a bad week for running. On Tuesday, my wife and I attended a wedding reception at the south end of the valley, almost in the Oquirrh Mountains. On Wednesday my wife and several friends were busy all day doing flowers for a wedding on Thursday morning. We were busy on Thursday from 6 am until midnight with the wedding. My wife did all of the flowers for the wedding, and I shot video of the events. There was a morning wedding, a noon-time luncheon, and the wedding reception that evening. On top of all of this, we had four grandchildren staying with us for the week, and they expected me to play games with them. I got my old Atari 800 out of a closet and set it up so they could play Atari games. On Friday I was too tired to do anything but mope around. I had 7 hours sleep each night during the week, and I felt fine this morning before I left for my run/walk. In addition to my 7 hours sleep last night, I took a one-hour nap before the run and a one-hour nap after I returned home from my run/walk. I feel fine now and am ready to go outside and finish mowing my lawn.

Names of Utah Streets

I've been giving the names of streets in my blog, and I thought I'd explain the names. Utah has a unique way of naming streets, and the names are confusing to people who don't know the "system" of naming streets.

Consider the address of 1986 South 2700 East in Salt Lake City. The address tells how far the house or business is from the Mormon temple in downtown Salt Lake City. Specifically, the address is relative to the intersection of South Temple street and Main Street, which corresponds to the southeast corner of the temple. The house or business having the address given above is 19.88 blocks south and 27.00 blocks east of the temple. Each block is divided into 100 sections, so the building number of 1988 represents 19.88 blocks. The first number and the first direction (1988 South) give the position of the building within the block. The direction could be North, South, East, or West. This use of a direction number/name is common to probably all addresses throughout the US. However, the second direction number/name (2700 East) is also relative to the distance from the temple but is also the NAME of the street. Thus, 1986 South 2700 East means the building is located 19.86 blocks south of the temple on a street named 2700 East, and that street is 27 blocks east of the temple.

To help people avoid confusion about street addresses, I usually write an address with the first direction abbreviated and the second direction spelled out (1986 S. 2700 East in this example). This converts the address to the more common "style" of a location on a street. Newer addresses, though, usually have a name of the street that is not a number and direction, such as 2305 North Valley View Way. The first number still tells the distance from the temple (23.05 blocks north of the temple) and the second part of the address is the street containing the building. In order to use the address, one needs to know the location of the street (Valley View Way). I prefer the traditional system of addresses (2305 North 5600 West) because I understand the system and know the building is 23.05 blocks north and 36.00 blocks west of the temple).

In my blog posts, I'm referring to streets name that don't look like street names: 100th South (10000 South), 11400 South, 123rd South (12300 South). These streets are named after the traditional Utah system. 100th South is 100 blocks south of the temple.

With the advent of GPS, one can just enter the address, what ever it might be, and the GPS gives exact directions to reach the building. I used my automobile GPS last evening to find a wedding reception of a relative.

If this post isn't clear, please leave a comment, and I'll try to explain it more clearly.

Another great run/walk - 140 minutes

I started at 100th South in South Jordan City and ran to 78th South in Midvale City. My wakeup heart rate was 57, higher than the 54 I had yesterday. The difference was likely due to my mowing my lawns yesterday. When I finished with the lawns, my heart was pumping fast, and I was tired. Apparently, my body hadn't fully recovered by this morning when I measured my pulse rate. I wasn't sure if I should run today or not, because when I woke up I didn't have a lot of energy. However, when I left home, I felt pretty good. I hoped to do at least 5 miles like I did on Wednesday, and maybe 6 miles. But, once I started, I just kept on going and did 7 miles! As I neared 78th South, I knew I should turn around, but the temptation to get to 78th South was great, and I kept on going.

The Midvale City section of the Jordan River Parkway path ends at 78th South. However, I stood in the parking lot next to the road for a few minutes and watched walkers and cyclists come and go, and I realized there is a path under the road that continued north. I discovered that that there is a foot bridge across the river about 100 yards south of 78th, and a path from that bridge goes down and to the right, and then it goes under the street and continues northward. This is the way people are getting across 78th. I think that for my next long run, I'll drive to 78th South and park my car in the parking lot where I was standing, and then I'll backtrack to the bridge and go under the street. This will allow me to run 1.5 to 3.5 miles north on the path before I turn around. That distance will put me close to the border of Kearns City. If I can find additional parking lots along the path, I might be able to run clear to Davis County, which is north of Salt Lake City, and maybe get to the point where the Jordan River empties into the Great Salt Lake.

I ran today in the mid-day heat (the high in Salt Lake City was expected to be 89 (F), but it was much hotter than that in the direct sun. There wasn't much shade on the path, and I got really hot. In addition, I was very low on water and had to ration my water on the way back. I used four bottles (cups) of water on the 3.5 miles out, and 1 bottle on the way back.  To ration my water, I took smaller sips and took them every other walking phase. I ran out of water about 1/4 mile from my car, and I walked that last quarter mile and got a big drink at a fountain before I drove home.

Again, if there are people reading this who aren't sure how to get from Sandy to Midvale, take the Parkway path through the golf course. When the path ends, ignore the sign that says end of the path, and go left up to 7th West. Cross 90th at the light and go north on 7th West to about 8300 South. There are several industrial buildings along the west side of 7th West. There are two big silos immediately north of the last building, and the Parkway path begins at that point. There is a locked gate that blocks the path, but there is a narrow opening in the fence to let people go to-from the parkway path to 7th West. The opening is wide enough for bicycles to get through, but I doubt that baby strollers (at least wide ones) could get through. Narrow strollers might make it.

Rest is bringing my wakeup heart rate downI

I mentioned in my post yesterday that I had a great 100 minute run. I didn't check my wakeup heart rate before I ran, but I felt good before, during, and after the run. I checked my wakeup heart rate this morning, and it was 54. It has been close to 60, so 54 is a big drop. This illustrates the effect of good sleep at night and the use of wakeup heart rate as a check on ones physical condition.

Today had a great run/walk for 100 minutes

I started my workout a few minutes before 9 am. Yesterday, the temperature in Salt Lake City was 103 (F), and today was expected to be almost that hot. So, I made sure I started my workout early in the morning. During most of the workout, the sky was cloudy, and I didn't have direct sun. Although, during the last mile, the sky cleared and I had the heat from direct sun. I did 4.8 miles during my workout, with no rest stops. I felt good, had a good energy level, and really enjoyed myself. I think the big difference between this run and previous runs is sleep. I've been getting a good 7 hours sleep each night during the past week, and my body is starting to respond to the sleep. Our bodies don't respond quickly to sleep or the lack of sleep. It takes a few days for the effect of sleep or the lack of sleep to hit me. I carried 5 bottles (cups) of water in my Fuel Belt, and took a swallow each time I walked. I sweated a lot and was glad I had the water.

I didn't check the temperature when I left home and when I returned, but the news broadcast said the max temperature in Salt Lake was 95. I run along the Jordan River, about 15 or so miles from Salt Lake, and the temperature is usually a few degrees cooler than the city.

I took a half hour nap when I got home and then sat around for two or three hours resting. When the sun was getting low in the sky, I went outside and replaced three sprinkler popups. The popups being replaced are old ones with the filter in the bottom. The replacements are new popups with the filter in the top. I'm replacing the old ones because the filter is much easier to replace in the new ones. I have to dig a hole about 5 inches in diameter and as deep as the popup so I can replace the popup without getting dirt in the pipe while I make the change.

Ran/walked for 60 minutes and did 3 miles

It was about 10:30 am when I started running. I didn't look at my thermometer before I left, but it felt hot during my workout. There were a few places where there was some shade, but most of the path was in direct sun. I went north from 100th South to the golf course and then back to the parking lot at 100th South. Then I finished my workout with a south-bound run/walk 3/8 mile and back. During my workout today I took two breaks for a few minutes each. The first break was at 2 miles, and the second break was probably at 2.8 miles or so. It really felt nice to sit on a bench for a few minutes and rest. I weighed myself before and after the workout, and I was the same weight both times. Apparently, I drank just enough water to replace the water I lost through sweating. Each cup of water weighs about 0.5 pound.

In the past I was able to get 1 mile per 8 ounces (1 cup) of water during my workout. I would take a sip each time I walked. This year, however, I'm running for shorter segments, and my walking segments come up more often. If I took a sip each walking segment, I would get less than 1 mile per cup of water. So, to reach my mile per cup, I skipped a couple of sips and took smaller sips. I did get 1 mile per cup of water.

When I got home, I took a half-hour nap and then cooked oatmeal for breakfast. Now, I'm ready to go out in the yard and work on my sprinkler system some more.

Later: I didn't get a lot of work done on the sprinklers. I adjusted six of them and was soaked when I finished. I went into the house and changed into dry clothes and stayed inside. In the past, up into my early 60s, I could run and do yard work in the same day. I can't do that anymore. I don't know if it's because I'm not used to the distance, or perhaps because I'm getting old. Now, on days that I run, I'm pretty tired for the rest of the day.

This week was a "no run" week instead of a rest week :)

I've been doing a lot of work on my sprinkler system, having to replace a lot of old popups with new popups. I also have replaced 64 filters in newer popups. I used to be able to do a full days work in my yard and still run a 15-mile long run, but I can't do that anymore. I think that probably the biggest factor in my getting older is that I don't have the energy level that I used to have. Now, I can do a lot of yard work OR I can go running. I would like to forget the yard work and go running, but life isn't that way. I can ignore yard work for a time, but eventually the work has to be done, and procrastination usually makes the work harder on me than it would have been if I did the work sooner.

Best 25 Blogs for a Healthy Lifestyle

I received an email from masterofgoodhealth.org that this blog is listed on its list of the 25 best blogs for good health. Here is the list.

This week is a "rest" week of shorter runs

I ran for 47 minutes and ran/walked 2.25 miles. This was in lieu of 60 minutes and 3+ miles. I had intended to make next week a rest week, but I felt tired today and needed to cut my run short, and I decided to give myself the full week for reduced running. I've been running and walking 1 minute each, but I decided last week to reduce it to 50 seconds running and walking, and that is the sequence I used today.

I forgot to mention that about 10 days ago I saw a small garter snake on the path. It was about 8:30 in the morning, and the snake seemed to be sleeping in the sun. I stepped over the snake and it didn't move. I then tapped the snake lightly on its tail, and it slithered off into the bushes. Being cold blooded, the snake needed exposure to the sun to get warm, and I hated to disturb its sleep. I was worried that a cyclist would run over the snake, and I woke it up so it would "escape" to the safety of the bushes.

A great day but not a great run

I ran/walked for 68 minutes and did 3.2 miles. I had hoped to do 100 minutes, but I could tell as soon as I started that I didn't have a lot of energy. My problem is, I think, that I mowed my lawns in the heat of yesterday and didn't have enough rest for recovery from the lawns. I only had 6 hours sleep last night which compounded the problem. I started running about 9 am, but it was hot during the run. There is almost no shade when I go south from the South Jordan East Pavilion, and the temperature in the direct sun was probably over 100 (F). The shade temperature as I write this is 89.

I'm using my Fuel Belt with 5 bottles of water. Each bottle holds 8 oz and lasts about a mile. I'm alternating running and walking, and I take a swallow of water each time I walk.

There were quite a few walkers, runners, cyclists, and skaters on the path. There was a 5-7 mph head breeze when I went out, and that helped keep me a little cooler. However, on the way back, the breeze was a tail wind and did nothing to cool me. But, regardless of the heat, it was a nice day to be outside.

Ran/walked for 112 minutes and did 5 miles

I ran north from 100th South so I could see where the connection is to get back to the Jordan River Parkway. Google maps showed the connection to be about 8300 South. The person I talked with a few days ago said the connection wasn't far from 90th South and that I should look for a break in the fence. He said there were commercial buildings, and that the connector was immediately after the buildings. When I got to the connector, a mailbox exactly across the street said 8310. There is a locked gate that blocks the connection, but there is an opening next to the gate so people and bikes can get on or off of the connector. There is a big sign about 100 yards from the street welcoming people to the Midvale portion of the Jordan River Parkway. I went toward the river until I reached 50 minutes, and then I turned around and headed back. My goal was a medium run of 100 minutes. This was my first time to run in Midvale. I started in South Jordan City, ran through sections of West Jordan and Sandy and then into Midvale.

I had noticed that after I'd gone about 30 minutes, my head started to hurt, especially around my mouth. As I continued towards the connector near 8300 South, the stiffness in my jaw got worse; it felt like my whole head was swollen and that my jaw and cheeks were in the center of the problem. After I turned around, I got back to 700 West, but I walked most of the mile back to 9000 South, because my head/jaw hurt too much for me to run. I felt weak and hungry, and I began to wonder if I would have to call my wife and have her pick me up and take me to the emergency room at a local hospital. I thought to myself that in 40 years of running, nothing like this had ever happened to me. Today was the first time this summer that I used my Fuel Belt, and I wondered if there were bacteria of some kind in the bottles. As I walked towards 9000 South, I passed a commercial building that had big rocks in front for landscaping, and I stopped for a couple of minutes and sat on one of the rocks to rest.

I continued walking, and a little jogging, to 9000 South and then down 700 West to the Sandy golf course. I sat on a bench for several minutes, realizing I still had a mile to go, and I wondered how I would make it. My jaw was stiff, and I couldn't hold my head up and look ahead of me. I hung my head and looked at my feet. I left the bench and continued walking south. I don't know why, but for some reason I took my sun glasses off, and presto, the pain in my head started decreasing. Within a couple of minutes, the pain was gone, and I felt fine.  I looked at the glasses and noticed they weren't my regular glasses. They were sun glasses I got at a running Expo several years ago when I ran the Salt Lake City Half-marathon. I realized the glasses were too small for me and were putting pressure on my head. The glasses fit me when I got them and wore them during the half marathon, but they either had shrunk or my head had gotten larger, because they didn't fit me this morning. I held the glasses in my hand and ran/walked the last 3/4 mile to my car. It was a big relief to know that I wasn't getting lock jaw or something, and I enjoyed that last 3/4 mile.

Note: I took 12 minutes longer than I had planned to complete the 5 miles because of the walking I did.

Ran for 60 minutes and did 3 miles

I started running about 8 pm. I went north from the parking lot at 100th South to see how far I would get in 30 minutes. I followed the yellow dashed line through the Sandy City golf course to Riverside Drive. I turned left, as I did two weeks ago, but I stayed on Riverside instead of taking a side road. When I turned around 30 minutes later, Riverside had become 7th West, and I could see the light at 90th South. On my way back, I talked with a guy and a woman who have ridden their bicycles in this area, and they said the connection back to the Jordan River Parkway isn't far from 90th South. They said to look for a break in the wire fence and a paved path going west. I didn't ask if "not far"  could be 7/8 mile, which is about where Google maps showed a connection. Thus, I'm not sure if the connection described by the two people this evening is the same as the connection shown on Google maps.

I forgot to mention last week that I saw a Crane on a sand bank in the Jordan River. The bird was about 3/4 mile south of the tunnel under 100th South while the one I've seen in the past was about 1/4 mile north of the tunnel. In either case, it was nice to see the bird.

Ran for 95 minutes and did 4.2 miles

I started running at 10:51, later than I had wanted and thus hotter. The shade temperature during my run was in the low 90s (F). The direct-sun temperature was probably about 105. I did fine for the first half, but after I turned around and headed north to my car at 100th South, I suffered from the heat and thus took several two-minute sitting breaks on benches that were in shade. The path south of 100th South doesn't have much mid-day shade.

Just before I started running, I talked with a man who wanted to canoe the river, and he was using his bicycle to scout for places to launch his canoe. He was using his phone to look at a map of the area, and I answered several questions about the area. He went south (same direction as me), and I didn't see him again until I was at the South Jordan East Pavilion, still going south, and he passed going north. As he passed, I asked him how it went, and he yelled back that he found some good places.

I passed a man on a bicycle who was pulling a small trailer that carried his water and other things he thought he would need. Most cyclists only carry one bottle of water, but he had several bottles on his trailer. I passed him again as I was going north to my car and he was going south. He must have gone a long way north before he turned around.

There are water fountains at 100th South and at the East Pavilion, and I had good drinks at both places, thus not having to carry water. However, if I continue to run at mid-day I will do better if I carry water in addition to using the fountains.

After I got home, I ate some food (I run on an empty stomach, eating before I leave only a couple of handfuls of dry Cheerios and an energy bar) and took a half-hour nap. I was really tired when I got home, and I felt better after the nap.

Ran for 60 minutes and did 3.02 miles

We're having some rain and cloudy skies, and as a result the daytime peak in temperature has been in the mid to high 80s (F). I waited until evening to go running, and the temperature was 65 when I left home about 8 pm. The sun was low in the sky but was still visible. By the time I finished, it was almost dark, and by the time I got home, it was dark. My wife worries when I'm running after dark, and I promised her I would be finished before it got dark.

I made a mistake and ate supper about 1 1/2 hours before I ran. I thought that would be enough time for my stomach to get used to the food, but it wasn't. For the first mile, I felt weak and nauseated, but then I started to feel better, and when I turned around after 30 minutes of running, I felt fine. I had meatloaf and a cheese sandwich, and those things take more time to be digested.  I would have been better off eating a bowl of dry cereal. I think I'll take some digestive enzymes tonight to help my digestion tomorrow.

Ran for 90 minutes and did 4.2 miles for my long run

I've been studying the online maps about the Jordan River in West Jordan City. The city has a trails map that shows two trails following close to the river. I decided to follow the river and see how it went under 90th South (a major street going west from I15). The river went under the street but the trail didn't. I waited until there was no traffic coming either way and then ran across 90th. I found a dirt trail following the river, so I followed that trail for not quite a mile. I was hoping the trail would take me to 83rd West or so, where there is a connector between the Jordan River Parkway and 7th West. I think the trail might have gone that far, but I turned back because the trail was getting pretty rough. I followed a sidewalk along 90th South to the golf driving range that I've seen while driving on 90th. I found the canal maintenance road that goes north, but that road stopped at 90th South and didn't follow the canal under 90th. So, my conclusion is as follows: follow the dashed yellow lines, like I did on Monday, to Riverside Drive. Go north on Riverside until it becomes 7th West. Follow 7th West north to the light at 90th. Cross 90th and continue north on 7th West. According to Google Maps, there is a connector from 7th West back to the Jordan River Parkway at about 8300 South. This is the only safe way to cross 90th South and continue North on the Parkway.

Today was cooler than previous days last week. The temperature was 69 (F) when I left home and 77 when I returned. I was out earlier in the morning that I've done in previous days, and that made running a more enjoyable activity. I was back home before 11 am, and the trail had quite a lot of shade.

Ran/Walked for 60 minutes again

I ran/walked the same route I used on Monday and got to the north end of the golf course, although I was east of the course. Instead of turning back, as I did on Monday, I continued following the cement path around the golf course. The path went south until I came to an intersection. The right-path goes, I think, to the driving range that is visible from 90th South. I took the left-path to take me back to the path that goes just west of the Sandy City Pro Shop, using a narrow bridge that is just north of the Pro Shop. I then followed the Parkway path back to my car at 100th South. On my Saturday run I will take the narrow bridge and the path that goes to the driving range to see if there is a connection to the Parkway path going north towards Salt Lake City.

This evening I checked Google maps to see if it showed the Parkway path going past 90th South. The Google map is several years old and doesn't show recent changes. Based on the map, I would have to follow the dashed yellow line, as I did last week, to Riverside Drive which becomes 700 West. I would follow 7000 West north to about 8300 South where the maps show a connection with the Parkway. That is a detour of almost a mile, and I'm hoping a more recent connection to the Parkway occurs in the vicinity of 90th South.

I also checked the Trails map provided online by West Jordan City. That map, that is likely more recent than Google maps, shows two paths that are close to the river when they go under 90th South and continue northward. One path is an urban path, and the other path is a equestrian path. Another possibility shown by the trails map is the maintenance road that follows a canal. At about 7800 South, it is just a short distance from the maintenance road to the Jordan River Parkway.

The temperature was 89 (F) when I left home and in the 70s when I returned. I started running about 8:30 PM to avoid the daytime heat. By the time I finished, the sun was down but it was still dusk. A wind came up during my last half-mile, but the wind died down about an hour after I got home. It was a head wind, which made running more difficult, but the wind helped cool me off.

We had a touch of rain this morning, and the clouds kept the temperature in the mid 70s (F). However, after the storm was over and the clouds thinned out, the temperature went up to 95 at my house (probably 100 or more at the Salt Lake Airport).

Did another 3 miles this evening

The temperature at the Salt Lake Airport peaked at 101 (F) today. The highest temperature I saw at my house was 98. My wife and I left for her walk and my run/walk about 6:30 pm. The temperature when we left was 89, and it was 81 when we returned home. This was cooler than the peak but still hot. The temperature is projected to peak in triple digits on Wednesday, and I need to get out early in the morning or wait until 7:30 to 8:00 pm to go running. Leaving at 6:30 like we did this evening meant the temperature was still high. When we got home, I noticed my hat and my t-shirt were soaked with sweat.

I followed the Jordan River Parkway north to 90th South, but I couldn't find the parking lot for the trail head. I'm guessing the path goes west to the parking lot for the golf driving range that borders 90th. I'm going to check Google Maps today to see if I can find the parkway at 90th. There is a short (about 100 feet) dirt path to 90th from the point where we stopped, but that isn't the official path. While we were stopped near the dirt path, we saw three cyclists who were going east on 90th take the dirt path to the Parkway and then go south. I need to find the parking lot, so I find the point where the Parkway path crosses under 90th South and continues north.

On our way back, we saw two big brown horses grazing in the pasture that borders the Parkway. Both were all brown with a white spot on their forehead, and I couldn't tell if one of them was the horse that I "rescued" yesterday. It's likely that one was.

I got pretty tired on the way back to our car. I had about 1/4 mile left to go, and we stopped at a bench while I took a brief rest. I didn't eat much yesterday, and that likely contributed to my being tired. Also, even though I had a good drink before we left home and another drink in the parking lot at 100th South, I got pretty thirsty. I need to carry water on these hot days. I did a lot of walking during the last half-mile. Rather than run ahead of my wife, I walked with her during that last part. Usually, she walks as fast as I  run/walk, but she had decided before we left home to go slower and enjoy being outside. I'm a slow walker, and her going slower allowed me to walk with her. Her fast walk is faster than my pace for running and walking. This is true for most of the walkers - faster than me.

The Sandy City golf course goes about half a mile north and south of the Pro Shop. On Saturday, when I ended up in a residential area, I noticed the golf course behind the Townhouses that were near the Pro Shop. Tonight, we were on the other side of the golf course, on the Parkway path, and the path went next to the golf course up to 90th.

Ran/walked (I think) for about 70 minutes

The temperature peaked this afternoon at 92 (F), so I waited until late afternoon to run. It was 82 when I left home, and about 72 when I returned. I didn't have my GPS with me, but I would guess that I went about 3.5 miles or so.

I went north and found the new gate open, so I ran/walked the new path hoping to get to the parkway-head at 90th South. The asphalt in the new part of the trail had (ugly) a dashed yellow line down the middle of the path. The dashed line took me into the Sandy City Golf Course, where the line became a solid line. I followed the solid line through the golf course to a city street. The yellow line stopped at the street, and I couldn't see a continuation of the line. So, I followed the city street north until it came to a dead end at about 9100 South. A block wall separated me from the vehicles driving on 90th South. I had made a wrong turn somewhere and was not on the Parkway path. I backtracked to the golf course and decided to take a road that went west of the Pro shop instead of east of the shop, as I had done going out. This road went past the Pro shop to the path I had followed going out. I did see, though, a sign about the Parkway trail, and I realized where I had made the wrong turn. When I came across the bridge over the Jordan River, I should have made an immediate turn and gone west of the Pro Shop instead of following the solid line that went south of the Pro Shop to the city street.

On the way back, I heard a clop clop and saw a big brown horse walking down the Parkway path. The horse went about 100 feet past me, and then it turned around and followed me south. There is a lot of construction going on just west of the path, but due to the late hour all of the workmen were gone. I decided to call the police and report the horse. There were several horses in a field just north of the construction, and somehow this horse had found a way to get out of the pasture and take a stroll on the Parkway path. About a minute after I finished my conversation with the police dispatcher, a white SUV drove up, and a man and a woman got out with halters to put on the horse. I decided they were the owners of the horse, and I left the horse in the care of those people and continued my run/walk back to the parking lot at 100th South. Hopefully, the horse is back in the pasture with its friends and the owners are glad to get the horse back.

Walked 2.85 miles for the 4th of July

For our 4th of July celebration, we took a family trip to the town of Brighton, Utah (about a 45 minute drive) and hiked around Silver Lake. When we finished the walk, we had a picnic lunch and then drove back home. Before the walk, we watched the town of Brighton's parade. The parade consisted of two police SUV, three fire trucks, a red square MG, a three-wheeled motorcycle, several pickup trucks full of kids, an original Mini Cooper, quite a few kids and adults on bicycles, and a lot of kids and adults walking. All of the motor vehicles in the parade were full of adults and kids who threw candy to the crowds along the street. It was fun to see an old fashioned parade in a small town. No gigantic floats that took hours and hours of time to build. Just kids with crape paper in their bike wheels, loud police and firetruck sirens, trucks and cars honking, and spectators along the road yelling and cheering the folks in the parade. The people in the parade had fun being there and throwing candy to the kids, and we had fun watching them celebrate the 4th of July.

Brighton is a small town of a couple hundred residents. It originally was a mining town in the late 1800s, but now it is home of the Brighton and Solitude ski resorts. Our elevation at Silver Lake was 8700 feet, and the mountains and trees were refreshingly beautiful. The air was cooler than it was in the Salt Lake valley, and that felt great!

Even though there were probably several hundred visitors to Brighton, we saw and spoke with two families we know in the valley: my wife's cousin who lives in a suburb that is next to Sale Lake City (we live further away from Salt Lake City in the south end of the valley)  and a neighbor who is a member of the same LDS congregation we attend. The cliché, its a small world, was certainly true today.

My feet were sore when I got home. Not only did I walk almost three miles, I was on my feet for a couple of hours waiting for the parade and then watching the parade. I just woke up from a long nap, and my feet feel fine now.

Another great 60 minute run/walk

I ran the same route that I ran Saturday evening. I left home about 7:20 am so I would have lower temperatures for my running. The temperature was 74 (F) when I left home and 94 when I returned. The heat wave is expected to continue this week. Many of the folks back east have been without power for a couple of days, and I really feel for them. No power means no air conditioning, and for many folks no cooking. For some, as was the case when I lived in Massachusetts, no power means no water (I had my own well with an electric pump to bring the water into the house.

There was quite a lot of shade this morning on my route, due to the low angle of the morning sun, and that was nice. I ran a comfortable LSD and completed 3.27 miles in the 60 minutes.

I've been thinking that I will run 60 minutes on Wednesday and 60 minutes on Saturday. Then next week I will begin bringing the Wednesday and Saturday runs up to 100 minutes by adding 5 minutes to each run each week. When the Wednesday run reaches 100 minutes, I'll stop it at that time and continue adding 5 minutes to the Saturday run until it reaches 140 minutes. Five minute increases are slightly less than 10%. This will give me a rest run, a medium run, and a long run.

The gate on the path is still locked (I expected it to be locked since it was locked Saturday evening, and workmen haven't had much time this morning to work on the path). When they closed the path, officials of West Jordan City estimated the path would open approximately on June 30. Today is July 2, so the path should be open any day now. While I was at the closed gate, a lady came up the path on her bike. She said her husband had gone to 90th South and followed the path south. I don't know how far south he came, but he told his wife the path went past the Pro shop at the golf course, which isn't far from the locked gate. So, it does look like the path is almost completed. I had guessed that the path would follow the maintenance road up to 90th South, but it looks like I'm wrong and that the path goes through the golf course.

A great 60 minute run/walk

I had a great run today. I alternated running and walking of 1 minute each. I went north from 100th South to check on the new gate (still closed) at the border of West Jordan City. I then went south to the turn around point of the Police Academy qualifying runs and then back to the parking lot. In the 60 minutes, I did 3.1 miles.

Our afternoon temperature is still in the high 90s (F) to low 100s, so I waited until 7 pm to go out. Because the sun was low in the sky I had lots of shade. I don't know if it is a lower humidity or me getting acclimated to the heat, but I felt pretty good during the run. I did a lazy LSD and made no effort to increase my speed. There was no wind, and that helped, too.

At the beginning, I talked with a lady for a few minutes who is with a group that sponsors a race of some kind. The race involved running, cycling, and kayaking. She said there were 4 hour, 8 hour, and 24 hour phases of the race, and she was waiting for the people to finish. When I finished the first 1.5 miles round trip to the new gate, she was still waiting, but when I returned from the last 1.5 miles, she, her husband, and another couple were putting things away.

My goals are to get my workouts back to 60 minutes, 100 minutes and 140 minutes. It will take me a few weeks to do that.

Today was the hottest day we've had this year

Today's high was 101 (F). I waited until almost 8 pm to run so the temperature would be lower. It was 90 when I left home. I had planned to run for an hour, but I only ran for half an hour and did 1.6 miles; it was just too hot to go any farther. I ran north for 0.75 miles hoping the new gate would be open, but it wasn't. I'll try again on Saturday evening.

Ran for 60 minutes

I ran for an hour and did 3 miles. I felt pretty good during the run, although I didn't have a high energy level. I ran north to the new gate (still locked, indicating West Jordan City is still working on the trail).

Ran a slow 1.5 miles

My wakeup heart rate was 54, but I didn't have a lot of energy during my run. I thus reduced the length of the run to 1.5 miles in about 35 minutes. We have a lot of visitors from Arizona staying with us, and it's hard to get to bed on time and to sleep in until 8 am or so. I didn't check the temperature at the starting and ending of the run, but it seemed hot. This week is a make-up week with shorter distances to get me back from last week's reduced runs and race.

Quick trip to Oregon

I didn't run yesterday due to spending Sunday and Monday on a quick trip to Corvallis, Oregon. I attended and spoke at a Memorial Service for my older sister. She lived a relatively long life (she is eight years older than me), was very busy, and died without becoming a vegetable. She and I spent countless hours putting our genealogy and family history on the web (http://www.welshleigh.org). She was our family historian and genealogist, and I was the family webmaster. In addition to years of genealogical research on our lines, she did research on the Slovakian lines of her husband.

Completed the South Jordan Utah Summer Fest 5K

I completed the 5K this morning. I had planned to be in bed by 10 pm, but I was seduced by the TV coverage of the guy walking across Niagara Falls, and I didn't get to bed until 11 pm. I didn't sleep very well due to anxiety (I'm always that way when I have to get up for something important), so I only had 5 1/2 hours of sleep last night. I wasn't in the best of shape for the race.

It was a beautiful morning for a race. The race started at 6:30 am, before the sun was up. I was cold while walking around, but as soon as the race started I warmed up and was fine. I alternated running and walking, running for 1:30 and walking for 0:20. After about half a mile I reduced my running to 1:10 and increased my walking to 0:50, and I kept that ratio for most of the race. There were a few times that I took more time for walking to give myself extra rest.

There were about 130 runners in the race. I started towards the end of the pack and quickly found myself last. There were two girls in front of me who were alternating running and walking, and I kept up with them for about half a mile, and then they were gone. I doubt that they went faster; it's likely that I went slower. There was a woman in front of me who was also alternating running and walking, and I kept up with her for another mile, and then she was gone, too. I finished the race in 52:46. My PB made 6 months ago was 47:28, and I missed that by 5:18. The good news is that I only missed my age grading score by 2:57. My age group for this race is 65-99, so I am approaching the middle of the range. There were several runners who were in their 60s, and they got medals for the first three places in our age range. No participation medals were given out.

I've been focusing on distance rather than speed, so I'm not surprised or sad that I was slower today than I was a year ago. As I get older, I'm finding it harder to be faster. Also, my problem with the in-vein filter that quit working in 2009 and caused blood clots has caused me to be slower. I'm just glad to be alive and able to run at my own speed. I will continue focusing on distance rather than speed, because distance is more important to me than speed.

I fertilized my lawns yesterday

This week is supposed to be a rest week in preparation for the 5K race on Saturday, but there are a few things I've had to do. One of them is fertilizing my lawns. We're expecting family from Arizona, and my wife wants the yard looking nice. The fertilizing task takes the same time as mowing does, since I have a drop spreader and have to walk the whole lawn, but the spreader is easier to push than my mower, even though the mower is self-propelled. Still, I was tired at the end of the task. I was glad to see that my wakeup heart rate was down this morning. It will be really nice in my heart rate is 52 on Saturday.

Ran 1.5 miles again

I ran north from 100th South to the locked gate and back as a rest run. I did, though, run a bit faster than I did on Monday. I had a good 7 hours sleep last night, and my wakeup heart rate was 55. If I can continue getting 7 hours sleep for the next three nights, I'll be in good condition for the 5K on Saturday. I'd like to set a PB if possible. My current PB (after blood clots) is 47:28. To break 47 minutes, I would need an average pace of 15:10 or better. To get that I'll have to run longer before a walking break, and take shorter walking breaks. So, we'll see what happens. I have to laugh at my self. When I was in my mid 40s, my LSD pace was 7 minutes. Now, I'm struggling to get a 15 minute pace....

My wife went with me this morning. She is a walker, and she walks pretty fast. She left several minutes before me. We passed each other at my 0.6 mile point (I was going out and she was coming back). I never did catch her.

Just finished mowing my lawns

It takes me about an hour and a quarter to mow my lawns. That weekly task is harder on me than my running. I can run for two hours and not be as tired as I am after finishing my lawns.Tomorrow I have to edge my lawns and spray for weeds. Then, the next day I have to fertilize my lawns, and that means my mowing next week will be even harder.

Unfortunately, mowing lawns can't be postponed very much, regardless of rest weeks :(

This is a rest week so just ran 1.5 miles

Next Saturday I'll be running a 5K in South Jordan. This week is thus a rest week so I'll have lots of energy on Saturday. I ran north from 100th South to the locked gate at the West Jordan City boundary to see if it is still locked (it is). I did an easy run with more walking than usual. The shade temperature was in the mid 70s (F), but the sun-temperature was in the high 90s. I started running a few minutes past noon, and there wasn't much shade on the Parkway path.

Ran for 90 minutes and did 5.03 miles

I had a great run today. My energy level wasn't quite as high as it was on Wednesday, but I ran for the same time that I did on Wednesday and did slightly more distance. I started running at the South Jordan East Pavilion a few minutes before 11:00 am, and the shade temperature was 81 (F) when I left home and 84 when I returned. There was no wind during most of the run, but a head-wind did start on my way back. The head-wind made it more difficult to run, but it also helped keep me cool. I got a big drink of water and a long rest stop at the Draper City playground on my way to the tunnel under 12300 South. On my way back, I got another drink at the playground, but I didn't take a rest stop. I took another rest stop at the bench that is 1.3 miles from the East Pavilion. That is the only bench between the new bridge at 11400 South and the Draper playground, and I often stop there for a short rest.

Today, I went under the bridge at 12300 South and continued going south for 1/8 mile before I turned around. The path under that bridge is flooded when the river is high, and I'm not able to go under the bridge. I enjoyed my short excursion today south of the bridge. It's been over a year since I last went under that bridge. A few years ago, when I did long runs of 15 miles, I would start at 100th South and go south into Bluffdale. That route took me under the 12300 bridge and a few miles into Bluffdale.

Now, I'm off for a nap and then will end the day by mowing my lawns.

My wakeup heart rate is lower

My wakeup heart rate this morning was 53. That is a good sign, because it illustrates the effect of sufficient sleep at night. When I get insufficient sleep, my wakeup heart rate is higher, typically 60 or above. In addition, with insufficient sleep, my heart skips a beat every so often. With sufficient sleep, my wakeup heart rate is lower and my heart doesn't skip beats. In addition, with sufficient sleep at night, I feel stronger, have more endurance, and really enjoy my running. In this mortal life, sleep rules!!

Ran/walked for 90 minutes

Today was one of my best running days in several months. I had a good 7 hours of sleep last night, the temperature was in the mid 70s (F), and there was only a slight breeze of about 2 mph. I ran faster and felt great, except for the last mile in which I became tired - not from my pace but from the distance. Alternating running and walking keeps me from getting tired from my pace, and as my body gets stronger and I get more sleep at night, I'm able to handle the distance better. At the end of 90 minutes, I had gone 4.85 miles. I forgot my timer and GPS, so I used my wrist watch to measure total time, and I got my distance from knowing the various distance markers on the path north of 106th South. I counted steps as explained in my report of my Monday run. I took my first rest break at 3.75 miles, and I took a couple more breaks during the latter part of the run. The time spent in breaks was not part of the 90 minutes.

Ran/walked for 49 minutes

There is one word that describers my run today: HOT. The temperature in the direct sun was in the mid 90s (F). I started running about 12:30, and there wasn't much shade. I first ran north from 100th South, hoping to try the new path that goes into West Jordan, but the new gate at the beginning of the new path was closed and padlocked. A note on the gate said the path was closed due to construction and that the new path should be available about June 30. They've already paved the new path going from the border of West Jordan to a path that crosses the river to the Sandy City golf course, and my guess is that they are paving the canal maintenance road that goes to 90th South. I turned around at the gate and finished my run by going south to the half-mile marker that is south of the trail head at 100th South. I did 2.5 miles today.

I forgot both my timer and my GPS, so I counted steps in the running and walking phases of my workout: 50 or so steps running and 30 or so steps walking. Those numbers are the times my left foot hit the ground not the actual steps from both feet. I used my wrist watch to measure the total time spent in the workout.

I'm really grateful for the new water fountain at 100th South. I'm using that source instead of carrying my own water. However, due to the heat, I'll probably start carrying my own water in addition to using that fountain and the fountain at the East Pavilion.

The Great Wall of China Marathon

Wendy, a guest author of this blog, recently completed The Great Wall of China Marathon. Click here for her race report and video. Very entertaining and inspiring!

Walked 1.3 miles with two grandkids

In lieu of my weekly long run, I did two short walks with two grandsons. The total distance was about 1.3 miles. The two boys have been visiting with us for the past few days.

My grandson and I did 56 minutes

My four-year-old grandson rode his bike, and I did my usual running/walking with 40 seconds each phase. We had one rule that he had to observe. As long as he could see me, he could go ahead of me. If, however, he lost sight of me due to a curve or a hill, he had to stop and wait for me, or turn around and come back to me. When ever he slowed a bit and I passed him, I would say, "Ha ha, I passed you", or something similar. With a burst of speed he would reply, "Not for long". We went a total of about 2.8 miles. In the meantime, my wife and our two-year-old grandson did about a mile, and then the grandson played in the playground at the East Pavilion until the other grandson and I returned.

It was a great day to be outside. Nice in the morning when we life home, but warmer in mid day.

I didn't run tidat but did some walking

My wife and I took our daughter, son-in-law, and their four children up the Big Cottonwood canyon to the Brighton ski resort. We had planned to hike to Lake Mary, but the snow from last night was still on the ground and the trail was muddy. We went back to the Salt Lake valley and hiked a trail that rings the valley. We only went about 1.25 miles, but the trail went up and down hills; we had a good aerobic workout during our hike. As I'm getting older, I'm not as limber as I was in my younger years, and I had a problem going up and down the hills on the rocky and steep path. Everybody went ahead of me, and I caught up with them on the level parts. It was really a nice day -- pleasant temperature and not much wind. After our hike, the kids played on slides in the recreational area that is at the trail head.

Ran 86 minutes again

I ran for 86 minutes and did 4.87 miles. I went north from 100th South and found that the new section of the path has been paved and fenced in. The workman was just finishing the fence. I didn't continue on the new path but turned around and went south, almost to the East Pavilion, to finish my run. The temperature was in the low 60s (F), and there was a pretty strong wind that made running against the wind kinda hard.  I ran today instead of tomorrow because my daughter and her children are coming for a Memorial Day visit, and I wanted to get my running in before they arrived.

Ran/walked 86 minutes again

I've been running 30 seconds and walking 30 seconds, but I changed that this morning so I was running 40 seconds and walking 40 seconds. I completed 4.8 miles. I had 7 hours of sleep last night, and I felt great during my workout this morning. I went north from 100th South, hoping to explore the new path that is being created. I ran the new path on Monday, and it joins a maintenance road for a canal, and I think (hope) the maintenance road will go to 90th South and connect with the Parkway path going north. I was disappointed this morning when I reached the 0.75 mile mark on the path and found that the new path that I ran on Monday is blocked off by a wire fence. There are horses that graze in a field on the other side of the wire fence. A new fence is being installed to separate the Parkway path from that field, and the Parkway path is blocked to keep the horses from "getting away" while the new fence is being built. Steel poles for the new fence were installed yesterday. Hopefully, the wire fencing will be installed in the next day or so. As I mentioned in my post on Monday, the new path is still dirt and needs asphalt. I'm guessing that everything will be completed and the new path opened to the public during the next two weeks.

Today was a great day for being outside. A cold front is passing through northern Utah, and the shade temperature was 59 (F) when I left home and 65 when I returned. There was a slight breeze that did not present a problem to my running. The sky was overcast due to rain during the night. I really enjoyed being outdoors for a couple of hours.

Ran/walked 86 minutes again for my weekly rest run

Today was a hot day. The afternoon temperature was in the high 80s (F). Because of the heat, I didn't go running until early evening. I started my run about 7 pm. The temperature was 86 when I left home and in the mid 70s when I returned. Because of the late time, the sun was low in the sky, and I found a lot of shade along the path. The sun went behind the Oquirrh Mountains about 10 minutes before I finished my run. I did  2.1 miles.

I had a nice run/walk. I didn't run last Saturday because of a grandson who stayed with us for several days and a visit by my daughter to get her son. Thus, I had three days of rest for my run today, and I felt pretty good. My wakeup heart rate is high, though, due to my only getting 6-6 1/2 hours sleep each night. If I could sleep in until 8 am, I would have plenty of sleep, but my body wakes up around 6:30 or 7:00, and I don't go back to sleep.

The Jordan River Parkway is being extended northward

I had planned to run 0.75 miles north to the point where the trail ended and then return to the parking lot at 100th South and go southward and back to finish my run. However, when I got to the "normal" turn-around point 3/4 mile from the parking lot, I discovered that the barrier across the path had been removed and that the path was being extended northward. The path has been graded and roadbase placed and compressed on the path. All that remains is to lay asphalt on the path.

The dirt path extends for about 100 yards north and dead ends at a path that connects tee #3 with the rest of the golf course that is on the Sandy City side of the river. I think that tee #3 is the only tee on the West Jordan side of the river. There are two bridges to be traversed before reaching the main golf course. The first bridge is across an irrigation canal that takes water from the river at a point that was about 50 yards from the place where the path used to dead end. The second bridge is across the Jordan River and the path goes into the golf course.

I went across the first bridge and started to go north on the maintenance road that follows the canal. I went about 100 yards and then turned around because I didn't have time to continue northward and still be back at the parking lot after a total of 46 minutes running. I went across the second bridge and looked at the golf course, and then I went south back to the parking lot.