Ran approximately 2.8 miles

The weather wasn't very good so my wife and I went to the rec center. During the winter, we'll probably go to the rec center more often due to weather inversions causing high pollution outside. While at the rec center, I don't count laps but run by time (1 hour including two or three rest stops). My wife does count laps and stops after 30 laps or 3 miles.

Busy day but did a mile

Today was busy, and the weather wasn't good, so we just did a mile walking around our neighborhood -- no running.

Another uneventful 2.8 miles

I enjoy doing our workouts with my wife. She is faster than I, but she waits for me at our turnaround and at a couple of benches on the way back.

Ran 2.8 miles again

My wife and I ran and walked 2.8 miles again. I'm slowly getting used to the distance and didn't take as many rest stops as I've been taking. Today was a beautiful day, lots of sun.

Ran/walked 2.8 miles, going south from the East Pavilion

My wife and I drove to the East Pavilion in South Jordan and went south for our run. We haven't been on that route for several months, and it was nice to visit that part of the Jordan River Parkway again. It was a beautiful day, great temperature, and quite a few other folks were on the path. My wife walks faster than I jog/walk, so while she was waiting for me to reach our turnaround, she walked into a neighborhood that we've never visited and look as the nice (expensive) houses. When I reached the turnaround point, she was't there, and I began to worry that something had happened to her. After about two minutes, I saw her walking down a hill.

Ran 2.7 miles again

My wife and I went running in the late morning. There weren't many on the path when we started, but by the time we finished, there were more using the path. The temperature was in the mid 50s (F), and it was a nice day to be outside. We didn't see many birds in the trees that border the path.

Extended my jog/walk to 2.7 miles

My wife was out with our two grandkids who live nearby, so I went running by myself. I left in the early afternoon. The temperature was in the lower 50s (F), and it was a great day to be out. The sun was shinning, and there were beautiful cumulus clouds in the sky. Instead of turning around at our usual bench, I extended my run to the next bench, a total of 2.7 miles. I took extra rest stops to compensate for the longer distance. An increase of 0.2 miles isn't much for younger runners, but for an old guy like me, it is a significant increase.

Ran another 2.5 miles in mid-day

My wife and I walked and jog/walked our usual route today. There were a few people on the path, but not many. After another week or so of this distance, I may add some distance and go to the next bench on the path. We're currently stopping at a bench about 1/4 mile south of the 106th South tunnel. The following picture, taken from the web, shows how I feel sometimes.

Ran 2.5 miles against a headwind that died out

I went running and walking in the late afternoon and finished about half an hour or so before it got dark. I did more walking than I have in past runs and probably ran about 1/3 of the distance and 2/3 walking. When I was younger, if I didn't run for a week, it would take me about a week to return to my previous condition. Now it takes me two or three weeks. I used to run 5 days per week. Now, my goal is to run three days per week, but some weeks I only get out once or twice. I call myself a runner, but I've really become a jogger. I run and walk pretty slow. But, that's OK. At least I'm out and moving about.

The first half of my run was against a 10-15 mph headwind, and I looked forward to having that as a tail wind on the way back. However, the wind stopped, and my return was with no wind. I've been thinking that I should go north instead of south for the first half of my workouts.... 

Ran 2 miles in late afternoon

My wife and I drove to the Jordan River Parkway in the late afternoon and went south from 100th South to 106th South and back. The temperature was in the high 30s (F) and there was only a slight breeze blowing. We had planned on going 2.5 miles, but I was tired, and we turned back after reaching the tunnel under 106th South. The trail was mostly devoid of others, and we only saw four walkers. One person was pushing a walker; that is the first time in 41 years of running that I've seen a person pushing a walker; good for him! The sky was cloudy with spots of sun. The following picture was taken from the web.

Ran 2.5 miles just before dark

My wife and I went out in the late afternoon. The sun and clouds were in the sky when we left, but the sun went down while we were out. We had no problems seeing the path, though, because it was the dusk that occurs after the sun goes down and before it gets dark.  I too a one-minute rest at the turn-around bench but no other rest stops. I felt pretty good when we turned around, and I was tempted to go a bit further. However, when I reached my car, I was tired and glad I hadn't gone further. I didn't check my thermometer when I got back, but the temperature was probably in the high 30s (F).

Went to rec hall

It was cold and likely to rain, so we went to the rec hall. My wife walked 2.5 miles, and I ran a mile and then rode the bike for 4 miles. My foot slipped off the pedal and scraped my leg. As I get older, my skin is more susceptible to injury, and there were three places were the skin was scraped. One area was about the size of a quarter; the other were smaller. There was only a little blood and some minor pain.

New Discussion Forum

For almost two decades I hung out on a particular running forum and made a lot of new friends. We shared our experiences and learned from each other. That forum was truly a “home away from home”. However, the powers that controlled that forum decided to abandon the interaction between visitors and to make the site a traditional running site, albeit an excellent site. So, to continue the interaction that has proven valuable and interesting to me, I’ve created a new forum. Enjoy!

http://oldmanrunningforum.blogspot.com

A good way to end the week

I left to go running about 1 pm. I drove to the Jordan River Parkway and went south again. I wore long pants, because it was cold last night and I expected to go out in the morning. I should have changed to my running shorts when I realized I would be running later in the day, but I kept my long pants on. After I warmed up and started to sweat, I took my jacket off, and that helped. The temperature was in the mid 60s (F).

I ran 2.5 miles again. I started with a run/walk ratio of 30 seconds/30 seconds, but changed to a ratio of 20 seconds/40 seconds to give myself a little more rest between running phases. There were quite a few folks on the trail. Three guys flew by me on their bikes, and the lead one yelled back at me "You motivate me, you motivate me, you motivate me". I replied, "But I'm not as fast as you", although he likely didn't hear me because he was going much faster than I was. I took two rest stops of about a minute each on the way down and three stops on the way back. On my last stop, I heard a man talking loud. He was off the trail in some trees, and I couldn't tell what he was saying. After I completed my run, I was sitting in my car eating a protein bar, and two police cars came into the parking lot. One policeman came to my car and asked if I had heard somebody yelling. I told him about the loud voice I heard from the trees. He asked me if I was the one who had called the police, and I said, "no". He walked down to the trail and talked with a couple of people who were walking.

The following picture, taken from the web, shows a police car from South Jordan, Utah.

Ran a mile and rested during the rest of the day

Yesterday I had a wisdom tooth pulled. I felt pretty good today as I ran/walked, but I only went a mile so I could rest more during the day. We're having a lot of sunshine during this week, and it is a beautiful time to be outside. My wife was with me, and she only walked the mile.

2.5 miles again

Judy wasn't feeling well, so I went by myself to the Jordan River Parkway and ran south from 100th South, following the route I usually use when going south. I took no rest stops on the way down and only two stops on the way back. I felt a bit stronger than I've felt in the past couple of weeks. I go slow, but I'm still huffing and puffing when I finish. Today was cloudy and cool, but the sky started to clear in the afternoon and there was sunshine during the afternoon.

And, another 2.5 miles

My wife wasn't feeling well this morning, so I went running by myself. It was a nice morning for running, temperature being in the mid 60s (F). However, in the afternoon it clouded over, and forecasts were for rain.

I felt fine during the first half of my run and didn't take any rest stops. On the way back, though, I took three rest stops for about a minute each. I felt stronger during my run, and I think I'm slowly getting used to this distance.

Ran/walked another 2.5 miles

My wife and I went to the South Jordan 100th South trailhead and headed south. We repeated the course we usually use and did 2.5 miles. I felt stronger and took no rest stops on the way out but took three short stops on the way back. I will keep my distance to 2.5 miles for a while while I get used to that distance. There are several benches along the trail in the vicinity of the East Pavilion, and it is easy to tell my wife (who walks faster than I do) to wait at such and such a bench. We were out about 9 am, and the temperature was in the mid 50s (F). I wore my long pants for the first time this fall.

Walked a mile

My wife and I have a busy schedule today and the rest of the week. I didn't do any running today, but I did walk for a mile. Not great, but the best I can do under my schedule.

2.5 miles again

My wife and I were out in mid morning. Temperature was in the high 50s (F), but the expected high for the day was in the low to mid 60s. Nothing unusual happened on my run today. My timer was set for 20 seconds running and 20 seconds walking, but I fudged it a bit and ended up with 15 or so running and 25 seconds or so walking.

Another 2.5 miles

My wife and I drove to the South Jordan trail head at 100th South and then went north, using the same route that we used earlier in the week. I had planned to have us go south, but the South Jordan Marathon was in progress, and we didn't want to get mixed in with those runners. I felt good for the first mile, but became tired during the last mile. The temperature was in the 60s (F), and it was another great Fall day. I went the full 2.5 miles, but my wife only went 2 miles, because she was tired. It's important in running to avoid pushing yourself beyond your capabilities for that day. If you're tired, reduce the length and/or the speed of the run or walk.

Another tired 2.5 miles

We drove to the 100th South trailhead and went north using the same route we used last week. I was tired for the whole time, due, I think, to lack of sleep. I've been getting about 5 - 5 1/2 hours each night. I'm trying to get more sleep, but something always comes up to wake me up before I've had my seven hours.

My wife has been complaining that the last half-mile of our route is longer that the rest of the route. I decided to check my distances, and I will bring my GPS with us next week to check the mileage. The GPS is supposed to be accurate to about 4 meters (4 satellites) or about 13 feet.

I have a Garmin 110, as shown in the above picture taken from the web.

Did another 2.5 miles

We've had a busy week with visits of a granddaughter, and we ran today instead of yesterday because of those visits. We drove to 100th South and went south to the bench and trees that are north of the East Pavilion. I didn't have a lot of energy during my run and took two rest stops on the way out and three stops on the way back. Each stop was about 40 seconds in length. The stops were short, but they helped a lot. All of the stops were on benches scattered along the path. There was a slight head wind on our way out, and I was looking forward to a tail wind on the way back, but, as often happens, the wind died down while we were coming back to the parking lot.

Ran/walked 2.5 miles again

My wife and I drove to the South Jordan East Pavilion and went south for 1.25 miles and then came back. It was another nice day for running and walking. On our way back, we passed two cyclists going south. They said "Hello" and called us by our names (Judy and Allen). We couldn't tell who they were, but they obviously knew us. Since they knew both of us, we assumed they were from our neighborhood. The temperature was in the low 70s (F).

Ran 2.5 miles again

My wife and I started our workout about 10 am this morning. We parked at the 100th South parking lot and went north, taking the old route through the golf course and towards the light at 90th South and 7th West. We didn't quite get to the light, and that will be our target the next time we increase our distance. I took one short rest break on the way out and one on the way back, at the bench in the Sandy City golf course. There were quite a few people using the path, but they were on bikes, skates, scooters, or walking and pushing baby carriages. I only remember one other person running. Of course, since today was a work-day for many people, most of the people we saw were stay-at-home moms, young kids, and older persons. I forgot to bring my run/walk timer, so I estimated each phase.

Today was a beautiful day for running

My wife and I left home about 9:30 am and drove to the 100th South parking lot. We went south and returned, for a total distance of 2.5 miles. There were a few cyclists, walkers, and one skater on the path. I don't remember seeing other runners.

Fall is the time I enjoy most during the year. The leaves are starting to turn. Nights are cool but daytimes are great! There are still quite a few ducks in the river and geese in nearby fields. I didn't see any quail this morning, though.

The following view of the Jordan River trail, taken from the web, is in West Jordan City, the next town north of where I run. The picture doesn't show any leaves turning, but it is typical of where I run.

Most of the trees along the river are Russian Olive trees. They aren't native to the area but are everywhere. The next picture, taken from the web, shows a closeup of the trees and the small green berries that grow on the trees.

Did another 2.25 miles

My wife and I were out early this morning. We went north from 100th South, following the old path through the Sandy City golf course and the first part of the detour. I did the same as on my previous run and took no rest stops on the way out but took two stops on my way back. I'm getting stronger and was able to go about 1 1/2 miles, at a faster pace, before I started to feel tired. We saw a lot of cyclists on the path, and a few walkers with their dogs but only one other runner. We enjoyed my rest stops, looking at the ducks in the river. It is nice to get away from our problems for an hour or so.

Ran 2.25 miles again

My wife, Judy, and I ran south from 100th South. I did 2.25 miles, and she did about 2.5 miles. I changed my run/walk ratio to 30 seconds each, and that seemed to work fine. We were on the trail about 10 am, and there were a lot of runners and cyclists on the trail. It's nice to be out, not only for the exercise but to enjoy being away from the city. Because of the cool temperature, I wore my nylon wind breaker during the first half of the run, and I took it off for the last half.

Ran/walked 2.25 miles in the rain

I was on the trail about 7:45 this morning. When I left home, it was sprinkling, and that continued during the first half of the run. Then it started raining, and I finished my run in the rain. As soon as I got home, I headed for a hot shower, and it felt good!

There were a lot of runners on the trail, but not many walkers or cyclists. I saw my dentist and stopped to talk with him. He said this is his last run before he goes to St. George next week for his annual marathon. He has been running marathons for 24 years. I didn't ask him what time he hoped for his marathon this year.

When I first started, going south from 100th South, I saw a lot of quail. The younguns were smaller than the parents and were probably born in the late Spring. The following picture is from the web.

Walked about 1 mile

My wife and I have a busy schedule this week, so we didn't go running and walking for a longer time, but we did do some walking around our neighborhood. We were out in the late evening, during dusk.

Ran 2.2 miles on the Jordan River Parkway

Judy and I went north from 100th South. Instead of going to the bench at the south end of the Sandy golf course, we went north for our customary 2 miles, and I then added about 10% to up my distance a bit. We left in the late morning and returned to our car about noon. I didn't take any rest breaks going out and only one coming back. This was not because I didn't need the breaks but because there aren't any benches on the northern route.

Ran/walked 2 miles

I ran my southern route this morning on the Jordan River Parkway again. Nothing outstanding occurred, although I did see a lot of quail.

Ran another 2 miles, grateful for the shade

Today has been a hot day. The afternoon temperature was in the low 90s (F). I ran my 2-mile route, going south from 100th South. Because I ran in the late afternoon (around 5:30 pm), there was a lot of shade on the path, and I was grateful for all of it. When I ran in the sun, the sun felt burning, but when I ran in the shade, the temperature was noticeably lower. I took quite a few short (about 40 seconds) rest stops to avoid getting overly tired as I ran. I kept my running/walking schedule during my run, doing 20 seconds each.

After I finished my run, I sat in my car for a few minutes eating a protein bar, and people from the police academy showed up for their timed run. They started their run shortly before I drove away.

Ran/walked 2 miles and walked another 1/2 mile

I was curious about the new tunnel under 90th South that was constructed by West Jordan City, so my wife and I drove down 90th South to look the situation over. We didn't see anything obvious, so we parked at the Sandy golf course and went north on our run/walk. We found the tunnel, next to a canal that goes north. The closest parking to the tunnel is the driving range on 90th South. We continued running and walking through the tunnel and went north on the Jordan River Parkway until we reached the one-mile mark, and then we returned to our car at the golf course. I didn't start my GPS until we had gone about 1/4 mile, and that accounts for the extra 1/2 mile that I show in the title to this post. The portion of the Jordan River Parkway that we traversed today is sorta dreary -- not much greenery and right next to a big electrical setup on 90th South next to the golf driving range.

I only had 6 hours sleep last night, and that was interrupted every hour when I woke up and drank water. I didn't have much energy today and was glad to get back to my car.

Ran/walked 2 miles, walked another 0.6 mile

My wife (Judy) and I parked at the 100th Street trail head and went north. Judy wanted to look at some new houses that were being built, so we took a small detour to see the houses. We then continued going north, stopping at the old apple tree to pick some apples. The apples are small this year, so we each took 3 of them. When we reached the Sandy golf course, we went north instead of east.  West Jordan has built a new tunnel under 90th South, but we turned around before we reached it. In order to reach the tunnel, we need to get our distance up to 3-4 miles.

I felt stronger today and did better in my running and walking. When I returned (2.6 miles), I felt about the same as I did last week after 1.8 or 1.9 miles. I'm doing well in getting 7 hours of sleep each night, and that extra sleep helps me increase my distance.

The following map of the trail, showing the routes I usually run, is from the web. The map is old and shows the detour at the Sandy  (River Oaks) golf course to the light at 7th West and 90th South and then along 7th West until it goes back to the Jordan River. The trailhead, where I usually park, at 100th South, is slightly above the head of the bird and about 1.3 inches to the right of the head of the bird. It is marked Shields Lane Trailhead, although that is hard to read because of the small size of the map. Click the image for a larger and more readable view. If I go south, I'll reach the tunnel under 106th South (shown on the map as the South Jordan Parkway). The exchange between 106th South and I15 is shown about 3/4 inch above the triangle notice about dumping.

Ran two miles but was tired

I woke up Wednesday morning and felt pretty good. I dressed for running and hoped my body was recovered from mowing my lawns yesterday. Last week I changed my running/walking ratio from 20 seconds each to 15 seconds each. The reason for the change was to prevent my body from getting quite so tired while I mowed my lawn.

My wife and I drove to the 100th South trail head of the Jordan River Parkway and went north. I felt pretty good when I started, but by the time I reached my turnaround point (1 mile) I was starting to get tired. I walked the last half mile and visited with my wife as we talked. I guess my body wasn't as recovered as I thought. But, running or walking, When I mowed my lawn on Tuesday, my body got really tired, and I had to take several rest stops to finish the mowing, But, when I ran on Wednesday, it was my feet that got tired rather than my body. Sometimes when I run, it's my feet that limit my distance. Other times it's my body, and sometimes it's both. I'm just glad I went out Wednesday and moved my body. Walking is actually safer than running, because the jolts to ones body are smaller, and the resulting injury rate for walking is less than for running. There is a tendency for runners to look down on walkers, when it really should be the other way around. I view walkers as my brothers and sisters in exercise, and I recommend that people do what they really enjoy, whether it's running, walking, cycling, skating, swimming, hiking, chasing grand kids, dancing, or what ever. Keep that body moving and enjoy it!

The following cartoon of a guy mowing his lawn was taken from the web.

Ran 1 mile this time

My wife and I went south from the 100th South trailhead. She walked her 2 miles, but I only did 1 mile. It was around 7 pm when we start our workout, and I was tired. I could have forced myself to go an additional mile, but that would have made my recovery longer with the danger that I would still be tired on Monday.

Ran another 2 miles, different route

About 6:30 pm, my wife and I drove to the South Jordan East Pavilion and then ran/walked north instead of south. There were a lot of people on the path, and we enjoyed being out in relatively cool weather. The temperature was in the mid to high 70s (F). The sun was still above the Oquirrh Mountains when we began, but it was below the mountains when we finished. Even though the sun was down, we had plenty of light to see the trail. It was nice to run a route that we haven't used very much. I'm considering driving about 5 or 6 miles to the city of Murray and running that section of the Parkway path. I've run it before, but my wife hasn't.

Another 2 miles

I was on the trail at 7:30 this morning. The temperature was 56 (F) when I left home and 61 when I returned. I noticed, in the parking lot, a SUV that was pulling a large trailer.  There was a four-wheel hand wagon parked next to the trailer. As soon as I got on the Parkway path, I saw a film crew shooting film of a runner. The runner would run about 100 feet and then the shooting would stop. I heard the director's voice say something, and the runner repeated his run for another shot. This happened several times before I continued my run. When I returned from my 2 miles, the file crew and their SUV and its trailer were gone.

I felt pretty good during my run, although I did take three brief rest stops (one on the way out and two on the way back). It's amazing how one feels after a 45-second rest stop. I've been using a run/walk ratio of 40 seconds each. I thought I'd try a shorter ratio and changed my timer for 15 seconds each. I'll use that ratio for several runs to get a good idea of the effect on my body of shorter runs and walks. My initial impression, though, is positive. After 15 seconds of running, my body still feels fine, and I take a 15 second walk to help my body recover. Thus, I never felt tired during my run.

There were quite a few cyclists, walkers, and runners using the trail. Before my run, I started my stretches, and the sun hadn't come over the Wasatch Mountains, but by the time I finished my stretches and backed my car out of my garage, the sun was up. I love the Fall time of year. Cooler temperatures, dry air, and very pleasant being outside.

On my way back, I saw two deer go across the path and disappear into the trees. Neither deer had antlers. One deer was larger than the other deer, so they may have been a doe and her faun. The Jordan River is shallow, and the deer had crossed the river to see if the "grass" is greener on the other side of the river. It's been a couple of years since I last saw deer in this vicinity. The last time I saw a deer in the river, he was just standing there looking at me. The river looked to be about 2 feet deep at that point. During the winter, a lot of deer come down from the mountains looking for food

My wife didn't come with me this morning, because she wanted to be home when our granddaughter came to spend the day with us. My granddaughter was there when I returned, so it was good that my wife was there to greet her.

The following picture was taken from the web.

Ran/walked 2 miles this afternoon

My wife and I finally did some running and walking today. We just got back from that workout. With a headwind of about 5-7 mph and a cloudy sky, it was a great day for running. The temperature was in the mid 70s (F), and the headwind  kept my body relatively cool. However, when I reached the one-mile marker and turned around, the wind had died down, and I began to heat up. I decided it wasn't quite so nice, after all. My body felt fine, but my legs got a bit tired. I felt, however, much better than I did the last time I ran 2 miles. The big test will be on Monday. It's common for my first run to be good after I've been off for a while, but the second or third run usually isn't so good.

I found three golf balls along the path. One ball belonged to the golf course, and I threw it back onto the nearby green (golf course balls have a particular marking that privately owned balls don't have). The other two balls were privately owned, and I kept them, washing the dirt from them in the water fountain when I returned to the parking lot. I don't know why I'm collecting the balls. Originally, I thought my grandson would be interested in selling the balls, but he didn't show any interest in them. I continued collecting them and am still doing it, although I'm not putting in much effort to getting them. If I see one as I run, I'll pick it up. Other wise, I leave the balls that are away from the path for others to get.

I saw a few quail along the path. These were individual birds and not in a flock with their mother. I couldn't tell if they were a parent of a spring-flock or a member of the flock. The babies in the spring are now almost fully grown and are as big as their parents.

Review of the past 10 days

Last week, my wife and I were in Provo attending a non-credit Education Week at Brigham Young University. We left home about 7 am and returned around 10:30 pm. I did no running during the week, but I did walk about 3 miles. It was a stressful week, but the classes were nice. My favorite classes were on archeology and the life of Christ. Archeologists are learning about the architecture of the Temple Block in Jerusalem and the lives of typical Jewish people in Galilee and Judah that likely applies to Christ. For example, the Jewish temple was built on Mt. Moriah, and the wall around the temple was built with a taper to compensate for the decline of the hill, giving level ground around the temple. This area was known as the Temple Mount. Many of the activities of Christ, such as the cleansing of the temple were in the Temple Mount not in the Temple itself. Money changers were at the Temple Mount to exchange the coins used by common folk into the special gold coins used in the Temple Mount. The Temple priests, who were wealthy, were involved with the money changers, and Christ was upset with them, because they charged extra for the exchange of coins and used that money to pay for their expensive homes in the "upper" part of Jerusalem. Another class that I enjoyed was on the writing of personal histories, making the stories seem real-life to the readers so they want to keep reading, so the readers react as if they were there. I'm currently writing my personal history, and I need to review what I've written and see if I can fine-tune the stories.

Two of our grandchildren attended Education Week with us.

This week has been mostly a no-running week. My daughter and her family are in Germany and France for a year doing research for two books, and my wife and I spent significant time at her house doing a few things that weren't done to make the house ready for new renters who will move in at the end of this month. We didn't do any running, but we walked around the block (0.67 mile) on Tuesday. I'm hoping to go running on Saturday (tomorrow).

We've had rain almost every day with lightning strikes. More of that forecast for tomorrow. Not great weather for running. Life is stressful sometimes, and one does whatever is necessary. One day at a time.

The following picture was taken from the web and shows the type of environment I was in last week.

Walked 0.6 miles yesterday and about 1.2 miles today

My wife and I were pretty tired yesterday when evening came, and we decided not to go to the Jordan River. Instead, we did a short walk around our neighborhood. Today, I walked (about 1.2 miles round trip) to an early morning church meeting. It was nice walking to the meeting but was hot walking home.

Second run this week for another 2 miles

My wife and I did 2 miles, going south from the 100th South trail head. I felt stronger than I have in the past few runs, thanks to my getting a bit more sleep. I only took one rest stop each way. The temperature during our run/walk was in the mid 70s (F).

I ran/walked 2 miles again

My wife and I went to the South Jordan East Pavilion and went 2 miles using the same route I used on Saturday of last week. I felt slightly stronger than I did on Saturday, and I got a bit more sleep than I've been getting. We went in the early evening while the sun was still above the Oquirrh Mountains. I didn't check the temperature, but it was probably in the low 80s (F) and had been in the low 90s earlier in the day. The sky was cloudy, and the sun would have been just above the pavilion that is shown in the picture shown below. I like going to the Pavilion, because it has a water fountain, and that water is great to begin and end my run.

The picture shown below was taken from the web, and the camera was located just east of where I usually park my car.

Just finished my run/walk of another 2 miles

I started my run about 10 am and ran 2 miles, going south from the South Jordan East Pavilion (about 108th South). The shade temperature was in the high 70s (F) when I started, but the direct-sun temperature was probably in the high 80s to mid 90s. That route doesn't have much shade, especially that late in the morning. I only had about 5 hours sleep last night, and I was tired during the run and took several rest stops on the way back. My wife, Judy, didn't go with me, because she and a friend will be taking the Salt Lake Valley Home Show tour and will be on her feet for most of the afternoon and evening.

I think I'll continue my 2-mile runs next week. Until I get my sleep under control, I don't want to push for longer distances. I'm getting to bed a bit earlier, but I'm waking up earlier and have problems going back to sleep. Hopefully, I'll get a good nap today.

Ran/walked 2 miles again

My wife and I started our run/walk at 8:01 am and went south from 100th South. Because of our being out early, there was a lot of shade on the path. There were a lot of people, too. I don't remember seeing many other runners, but there were a lot of walkers, cyclists, and two skaters. I felt pretty good during the workout, but I took several short rest breaks. There were a few times that I took an extra walking phase (40 seconds), but for most of the time I alternated running and walking.

My wife was waiting for me when I approached the last 1/8 mile, and we walked to the finish line. While waiting for me, she asked some people if they had seen an old man running. They said that I was sitting on a bench when they went by but was running when they passed me on their way back. I think they were walkers. I'm going pretty slow when walkers pass me.... On Monday (August 4), two women were walking and enjoying visiting with each other. I passed them and felt like I was in a race.

Aborted our run due to thunder and heavy rain

My wife and I left home about 6:30 pm with the intent to do 2 miles again. However, dark storm clouds were coming from the south, and we aborted our run/walk and returned to our car. It started to sprinkle as I got into the car, and a minute later it was raining heavily. I couldn't see very well, so we sat in our car until the rain slowed down enough that we could see the road. There was less thunder than we had expected, but we had very heavy rain for about 15 minutes.  I did about 0.9 miles and my wife did about 1.2 miles. The temperature through all of this was in the low 80s (F), and the wind was blowing quite hard.

Ran/walked 2 miles again

My wife and I just returned from our jaunt along the Jordan River. We started about 8 pm. The sun was down but it was still light, and we finished about 15 or 20 minutes before it got dark. There were quite a few people, mostly cyclists, on the trail. I ran and walked for 40 seconds each for the first 0.75 miles, and then I did two walks for one run (40 seconds each).

Another 2 miles

My wife and I just returned from doing another 2 miles, using the same route we used on Monday. The sky was completely overcast, and there were forecasts of thundershowers. We took the north route from 100th South again, because there are more trees than there are on the south route. If lightning should strike, we wanted tall trees to attract the lightning.

I felt and did a lot better than I did on Monday. When I reached our turnaround point (1 mile) I felt about the same as I had felt on Monday at the 0.5 mile marker. I did do some extra walking on the way back, but I continued to alternate running and walking instead of mostly walking as I had done on Monday. Also, I changed my timer back to 40 seconds running and 40 seconds walking instead of the 20 seconds that I had used on Monday.

I didn't see many runners on the trail, but I saw quite a few walkers and cyclists. My wife walked slower, and I was able to keep up with her on the way back. She was ahead of me, though, on the way out, because she went from our car straight to the trail instead of walking down to a different point on the trail that I normally start from.

I did get only 5 hours sleep last night. We were up until 2:30 am finishing a 500-piece puzzle. That was a hard puzzle and took quite a few hours to complete. My wife did most of the work, but I helped during the last two or so hours. My wife has been putting a lot of time in on our yard, and doing the puzzle was a nice change for her.

I did 2.0 miles with my wife

My wife and I were out about 9 am and went north from 100th South on the Parkway. I did fine for about 3/4 mile, and then I started to run out of energy. My legs felt fine, but my body was really tired. In fact, I walked most of the mile back to our car. The temperature during our run was in the high 70s (F) and low 80s, warmer than last Saturday but still better than the 90s during mid-day. I only had 6 hours sleep last night, better than the 5-5.5 hours I've been getting but not as good as the 7 hours I need. I'm hoping to take a nap later today.

The Early Bird Gets a Cooler Run

I started my run/walk about 8 am. The temperature when I left was in the high 60s, and when I returned it was only 4 degrees higher. An awfully lot of people were out on the path, and it was nice to have  cool run for a change. I ran 1.9 miles for the third time this week. My wife stayed home because our daughter and her family were visiting. I've changed to a run/walk ratio of 40 seconds each.

Ran/walked 1.9 miles again

My wife and I left rather late in the evening, and I ran/walked 1.9 miles going south from 100th South. There were a lot of people on the path, mostly cyclists. We finished about 15 minutes before it got dark. By running in the evening, we avoided the hot part of the day, when the shade temperature was in the mid 90s (F). I'll do 1.9 miles again on Saturday, and then do 2.0 miles next week (if all goes well). I'll be busy Saturday evening and will have to go running in the morning.

Added a bit for 1.9 miles in the neighborhood

My wife and I left home after dark, and we did 1.9 miles in our neighborhood. She stopped to talk with a friend but soon caught up with me. Before I started running on canal maintenance roads and the Jordan River Parkway, I did all my running on neighborhood streets. I found that by running all streets and cul-de-sacs, I could get about 5 miles. When my distance got bigger than 5 miles, I started running on canal maintenance roads and later on the Parkway. The sidewalks around here are bumpy due to frost heaves and ground settling, but the streets are pretty smooth. My goal is to add 5-10% each week to extend my distance. As my distance gets longer, the amount I add each week gets longer too. Even though daytime temperatures are in the 90s (F), the early morning and evening temperatures are in the 70s, and that helps.

The following picture was taken from the web.

Ran/walked 1.7 miles in neighborhood

My wife and I went out in the neighborhood, and I did 1.7 miles. I didn't do very well, because we had supper about an hour before we went out, and I don't run very well while digesting food. I need 3-4 hours between eating and running. The temperature during our workout was in the low to mid 80s (F). We ran in our neighborhood instead of going to the Jordan River Parkway because of the lateness of our going out. It was dark before I finished. Fortunately, nobody chased us while we were out.

Ran/walked 1.7 miles again.

My wife and I did another 1.7 miles this evening. The temperature had been 95 (F) during the afternoon, but when we went out, the temperature was down to 81.  We went late in the evening, just minutes before the sun set below the Oquirrh mountains. We could still see the path when we finished, but about 15 minutes later, it was dark. I didn't carry water with me, but we had good drinks from the fountain at the parking lot before and after our workout.

There were a lot of birds and animals out during our run. I frequently see swarms of starlings flying to trees during dusk, but I didn't see any during my workouts Monday or this evening. I did see a lot of birds flying around, but they weren't in swarms. Actually, I couldn't tell if they were birds or bats. What ever they were, I hope they ate a lot of insects, because there are a lot of small gnats flying into my face -- no bites, just the bother of the gnats flying into my face.

The following picture of bats flying in the trees was taken from the web.

Salt Lake City temperature in 3 digits -- 101 (F)

I went running in the late evening and ran 1.7 miles. I waited until late evening, because today was awfully hot and I hoped late evening would be cooler. It was. The temperature during my run was in the high 80s (F). The sky was cloudy, and  I finished my run/walk a few minutes before darkness set in (it was dark when I arrived back home). As to be expected, there weren't many people on the path. I carried two one-ounce bottles of water. In addition, I had a good drink before I left home, and another drink at the trail head, and I had a good drink when I finished my run. My Fuel Belt holds six bottles, and as my run/walk gets longer, I'll carry more water.

Ran 1.65 miles again, but it was hot

I really messed up my schedule today. I went running the hottest part of the day (mid-day). I drank extra water before I left home, and I took a good drink at the trail head before started south from 100th South. Because of the heat (temperature was about 95 (F), I stopped when ever I passed a bench and rested for a minute or so. I also walked more than I normally would. I had mowed my lawns earlier in the day, and my body was probably tired from doing that. During hot weather like today, I run to survive. Spring and Fall are times to improve performance.

The first sign of heat exhaustion that I usually get is a headache. I didn't have that symptom today. Another sign of heat exhaustion that can lead to heat stroke is a lack of sweating. Sweating is the way our bodies regulate temperature, and if we stop sweating our internal temperature starts to climb. I wasn't aware I was sweating less during my run, but at the end of the run I got a good drink of water, and sweat started pouring down my face.

Because of the shortness of my run, I didn't carry water, but I should carry water when ever the temperature goes above 90. I need about 1 cup of water per mile, so I should have carried two bottles of water (1 cup each) in my Fuel Belt. Hopefully, I'll get used to the heat (to a degree at least), but in the meantime it would be good for me to run earlier in the morning.

Ran/walked about 1.65 miles again

My wife and I drove to the trail head at 100th South and went north on the Jordan River trail. I did 1.65 miles again and she walked 2 miles. I felt pretty good. It was mid-day when we started our workouts, so we worked out in the hottest part of the day.

Added a bit and ran about 1.65 miles

My wife and I went to the South Jordan East pavilion and went south. She only walked 1.5 miles, and I ran about 1.7 miles.  I had been stopping just short of the narrow bridge across the river at 114 South. Today I ran to the far end of the bridge. We were busy with family activities all day, so we went out in the evening, around 7 pm. The temperature was in the mid 70s (F), and it was a nice time for running. Quite a few people were on the path. The Jordan River is still low. If we get a lot of snow this winter, the river should be higher next year.

Another run/walk in morning shade

My wife and I left home about 9:30, and we enjoyed the extra shade from being out in the morning. Leaving even earlier would give us even more shade. I ran/walked 1.5 miles and my wife walked 2 miles. We were back home an hour after we left.

A beautiful day and another 1.5 miles

My wife and I were on the Parkway path at 10 am. Even though it was late morning, there was quite a lot of shade (we went north from 100th South). I didn't have my two-phase counter with me, so I estimated my running and walking phases; pretty close to 35 seconds each phase. After a mile, my quads started to feel the effects of running, and I increased my walking to give my legs a bit more rest before I ran. That extra walking did help, and I completed my workout with only one rest-stop for a minute.

To end the week, I ran 1.5 miles

My wife and I left home about 9:30 this morning. We drove to the East Pavilion in South Jordan City and went north. The temperature during our workout was in the mid 80s (F), and it was humid. There were quite a few runners, walkers, skaters, cyclists, etc. on the path. I felt fine during the first mile, but then my legs started feeling tired, and I took several rest stops. I used a run:walk ratio of 35 seconds:35 seconds.

On the way back, we saw about 50 or so Canadian geese in the Jordan River. Usually, we see ducks in the river and geese in fields. The geese were under the bridge over 104th South where it is shady. Maybe the geese were seeking shade to avoid the heat of the day.

On the way home, I was thinking about my history of running. Five miles used to be a rest run; now it is a long run. 1.5 miles used to be my warmup distance; now it is my total distance. Such is life and getting old. My next birthday will be this fall, so I'm on the downhill side of becoming 79 years of age.

The following picture was taken from the web and shows a flock of geese in a river, although the geese I saw were under a bridge instead of next to the bridge.

Only ran about 0.25 mile

My wife and I had an appointment in the late afternoon, and I only had time to run about 1/4 mile. I dropped my wife off at the trail head of the Jordan River Parkway so she could do her 2 miles of walking, and I drove away to run errands. When I returned to the Parkway, my wife wasn't waiting for me, so I started running and walking until I met her, and then I walked back with her to the parking log. Hopefully, on Saturday I'll do my normal run/walk. We should have left home earlier, but I didn't manage my time very well today.

Walked/ran another 1.5 miles

I went running in the late evening, not too long before it got dark. I ran my usual route on the Jordan River Parkway, south from 100th South. I didn't have my two-phase counter, so I estimated each phase. I began running and walking for about 30 seconds, but I could tell my legs were tired, so I walked for about 60 seconds and ran for about 30 seconds. My legs felt fine doing it that way.

When I was younger and ran in Massachusetts, it would take me about a mile and a half to get warmed up. I could tell tonight that it was about the same now, even though I'm much older. During the last half of my run, my legs felt better, and I ran the last quarter mile doing approximately 30 seconds running and approximately 30 seconds walking.

Quite a few people were on the path, even though it was close to getting dark. The path isn't hard to follow in the dark, because the asphalt is a lighter shade of gray than the surrounding vegetation.  Also, there are lights from near-by buildings that help to lighten the night.

I didn't run last Saturday, because on Friday we played miniature golf with several grandchildren. I didn't do a lot of distance (maybe a quarter mile), but I was on my feet for two hours. Also, before we went golfing, we walked to the nearby canal and back to look at the ducks, a distance of about 0.6 miles. Saturday was thus a rest day.

Ran/walked another 1.5 miles

In the mid afternoon, my wife and I drove to the South Jordan East Pavilion and went south.  I did 1.5 miles running and walking and she did 2 miles walking. I'm still using a run:walk ratio of 30 seconds:30 seconds. I didn't look at a thermometer, but the temperature seemed higher than we've had the past few days. Also, there was a north wind of 5-10 mph, and that headwind on the way back helped cool me but made my running harder.

Walked/ran 1.5 miles

It was 8:30 pm when I started south from the trailhead at 100th South. The sun was set but it was still light. After going 1.5 miles, I returned to my car  a few minutes before it got dark. I didn't check the temperature, but I think it was in the 70s (F). Quite a few people were on the trail, even though it was late in the evening.

Walked 0.6 miles and ran/walked 1.5 miles

We've had two grandchildren with us for the past day, and this morning we walked about 0.6 miles to the nearby canal to see the ducks and the new ducklings. We fed the ducks some bread, but they weren't hungry and ignored most of the bread.

In the early evening, my wife and I went to the Jordan River Parkway and went south. I did 1.5 miles and she walked 2 miles. The sun was still above the Oquirrh mountains, but there was a lot of shade on the path. Quite a few people were out in the early evening getting their exercise.

Another 1.5 miles chalked up

My wife and her sister went to a class on herbs and essential oils, and I went running. I've been using a run:walk ratio of 20 seconds:20 seconds. During this run, I changed the ratio to be 30 seconds:30 seconds. I did fine with the new ratio. I changed, because 20 seconds seemed a bit short for my current condition. Running 30 seconds and then walking 30 seconds seemed "about right" for my current condition. Each person has to find out for himself or herself the ratio to be used. When I first started using walk-breaks, I walked for 1 minute each mile. Later, I changed to 30 seconds each half mile. As I got older, I found that I needed to walk more and run less, and I've experimented with various ratios. One ratio that I like a lot is 1 minute:1 minute.

The temperature during my workout was in the mid 70s. I was out in the early evening, and the temperature was going down as the sun went behind the Oquirrh mountains. During the past week, the temperature has been in the 90s (F). Today was cooler, but the temperature is supposed to climb back into the 90s. The following picture, taken from the web, shows snow on the Oquirrh mountains in the late Spring, with the south western part of the Salt Lake valley at the base of the mountains. Antennas for the local TV stations are on one of the peaks of the mountains.

Ran/walked 1.5 miles in the late afternoon

My workout was uneventful, except for the warm temperature. I didn't check the temperature when I left or when I returned home, but I was sweating when I finished the 1.5 miles. Quite a few people were out enjoying the evening outdoors. The Jordan River looked higher, but a dam was not far away, so the higher level of water may be due to the dam and not to more water in the river.

Quite a few ducks and ducklings are in the river. I saw a garter snake next to the path, and I saw one last week, too. The snakes aren't very large or long. They are harmless to humans, and they eat a lot of insects. I've seen a few adult quail but no young quail, so far.

Ran 1.5 miles again

The sky this morning was cool, dark and cloudy, and it looked like a storm might occur. However, by the time my wife and I went out, the sky was only partly cloudy and the temperature was nice and comfortable. I think I will do 1.5 miles again next week; I'm not ready for an increase.

I've been thinking about my abilities as a runner as I've gotten older. When I was in my mid 40s, I ran four marathons, the times ranging from 3:59 to about 4:12. I ran weekly long runs of 15 miles, at a 7 minutes/mile pace. I could work in my yard all day and then run 15 miles in the evening. After I stopped running marathons, I began a slow downward slide in my distance, but I maintained a long run of about 10 miles. In May 2004 (age 69) my wife and I were in a serious automobile accident. I was in intensive care for three weeks, much of the time in an induced coma. Twice my family was called in, because the doctors didn't think I would make it through the night. I did make it, though. The night before I left that hospital to go another hospital for physical therapy, the technicians got me on my feet, and I was able to support my body weight for about three seconds, and then I had to sit down. During 10 days of therapy, I learned to walk again, first using a wheel chair, then a walker, then a cane, and finally without any support, although I had to use a banister and pull myself upwards when going up stairs. During the first year after my accident, I had my gall bladder removed, surgery for a double hernia, and surgery for 10 skin cancers (one skin cancer required surgery 1/4 inch deep and about 1.5 inches in diameter.

I had good running for four years. In 2006 and 2007, I ran half marathons and had hopes of working up to a full marathon. However, in January, 2009, my running came to an abrupt end, literally. I finished a 22-mile week with a 7-mile run on Saturday. On Monday, I could only walk about 100 feet. I was in the hospital for 5 days, while doctors tried to find out what was wrong with me. It took several months for the doctors to discover that the problem was a vein-filter that had  been placed in me during the three weeks I was in intensive care but was not removed when I went into 10 days of therapy. The filter had quit working and blocked most of the blood returning from my two legs to my heart. I had blood clots during this time, but none of the clots reached my lungs, thankfully. During the months following my hospital stay, I ran short distances, and my strength and distance slowly came back as my body created new veins around the filter.

By this time, I was in my mid 70s, and I was beginning to suffer the effects of getting older. Now, I'm almost 79. My balance and coordination are going down. My mind and memory are still good, though. I'm running short distances at a slow pace, and I'm using Galloway's run-walk-run method of alternating running and walking. Am I sad that I'm running slow and short distances rather than the half and full marathons I would like to be running? No, I'm still alive and am enjoying my running. I take life as it comes and try to make the best of each day. I'm currently serving a service mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, giving 10 hours or more each week to my missionary calling, answering feedbacks from users of an app called Gospel Library (the app runs on iPod, iPhone, iPad, and Android, although I'm not involved with the Android version). I still have hopes of running and walking until I reach age 100, and if that happens, I'll keep running and walking as long as I can. My heart is strong, and my upper body is relatively strong. If I reach the point where I can't run or walk, I'll let a wheel chair be my legs and keep on going. Life has been good to me, and I'm trying to be good to it.

Rest week this week: did 1.5 miles again

I ran/walked the first half of the workout and part of the way back, and I walked the rest of the way back. Both my wife and I were tired and took it easy. We did our workout in the late afternoon when the temperature was nicer, and we finished just as the sun was going down.

Thursday is going to be a busy day, and I don't know if I will get my workout in. Hopefully, on Saturday I'll go out again.

Ran 1.5 miles in the late afternoon

I ran my 1.5 mile route in the late afternoon. The temperature was in the low 80s (F), and it was hot. On my way back, I had a slight head wind and that helped cool me a bit. Quite a few people were on the path, skating, cycling, walking, running.

I saw a BIG fish or something in the river. I heard the water splashing, and I looked through some bushes at the river and saw a big something in the water. The object was mostly submerged, but every couple of seconds or so it broke water and made a splashing sound. At first I thought it was a dog. I walked back about 20 feet so I could get a better view of the object, and I decided it was a big fish.  The river is only a couple of feet deep, so the object was having a hard time remaining submerged. I heard the splash again on my way back, but I didn't see anything.

I've had good running the past two weeks, and I thought I'd take a rest-week and do 1.5 miles again during the coming week.

Ran/walked another 1.5 miles

I ran my 1.5 mile course again. The late afternoon temperature was in the high 60s (F), with only a light breeze, and it was a great day for running. I'm still using the 20:20 second ratio of running to walking. I didn't have much energy and took two or three short rest stops on the way back, because I had no breakfast or lunch. I had an energy bar on my way to the Parkway, but that didn't help any during my workout.

I saw one quail on the path but no quailettes.

I ran/walked 1.5 miles

My wife and I drove to the Jordan River Parkway for our workout today. I went 1.5 miles and she went 2 miles. I used a run/walk ratio of 20 seconds: 20 seconds and felt pretty good. The temperature was in the low 50s (F), and there was lots of sunshine. I would have been more comfortable if I had worn my nylon windbreaker, because there was some wind blowing, but I felt OK after I warmed up. For younger runners, today would have been a "perfect" running day.

There weren't a lot of people on the path, but I did pass a few cyclists and walkers and one or two runners. Last week my wife saw some ducklings in the river, and we should soon see some young quail on the path. Spring is a great time. Not only do we see baby animals, but the trees are all leafed, and the earth is renewing itself. The river is still low, though, and will probably be that way during the coming year. Utah is beautiful this time of year, but it is still a desert.... The following picture, taken from the web, shows the playground at the East Pavilion in South Jordan. I've gotten a lot of drinks at that fountain.

Ran/walked 1 mile at the rec center

It was late afternoon (after 6 pm) when my wife and I left to running and walking. It was starting to sprinkle, and thundershowers were forecast for the evening. Because of this, we went to the local recreation center instead of going to the Jordan River Parkway. Our workout was uneventful, and during most of our workout we were the only persons on the indoor track (two guys came on the track when I had two laps left).

Ran another mile

My wife and I went out running and walking in the late afternoon. I did another mile, and I wasn't as tired as I was last time. We have a busy schedule on Saturday, but if I go out, I'll do another mile. My goal for next week is to do 1.25 miles each time. Last time when I ran, I ran 15:15, and today I ran 20:20, where the numbers are seconds.

The swelling in my left leg is going down! As I've explained in past posts, my swelling came right after I started taking a new OTC remedy for joint stiffness. I'm not completely sure if the OTC remedy was causal or not, but I don't think running was causal. What ever the reason, I'm glad to see the swelling go down.

The following picture (taken shows what my legs looked like, although my left leg wasn't swollen quite as much as the leg in the picture. Today, my left leg was slightly larger, but the shape of that leg was normal. My right leg hasn't swollen at all. Well, my right leg hasn't swollen, but both my feet get swollen during the day.

Ran 1 mile on Jordan River Parkway

About two months ago, my left leg swelled. My right leg was fine. It happened concurrently with my taking a new OTC remedy for joint-stiffness. I stopped the remedy, but the swelling didn't go away. I don't think the swelling was due to a running injury because there was no soreness or pain of any kind. My activities weren't limited. I decided to not run for a while to see if the swelling would go down. During this time while I wasn't running, I had a lot of activity walking around the yard and with my grand kids around the block, so I was getting aerobic activity of some kind. The swelling finally went down, although it isn't quite gone away, and I'm back to running. I'm limiting my distance today to give my body a chance to adjust to the running.

I'm glad I only went 1 mile today, because I was tired when I finished. When I was younger and stronger, it would take me about as long to come back from a layoff as I was off (a one-week layoff followed by a one-week recovery, for example). Now that I'm much older, and not nearly as strong, it is likely taking longer for a recovery than I was off. Being off a month probably means that I'll need two months for recovery. This means that May and June will be recovery months, and I can look forward to July as a continuation of my 3-mile long runs. This means that I can add 2 miles to my long run during the two-month recovery. This translates to about 1/4 mile per week. After one month of recovery, I'll freeze my Monday run at two miles, and this will be my rest-run. After two more weeks, I'll be up to 2.5 miles, and I'll freeze my medium run at that point. After another two weeks, my long run will be at 3 miles, my medium run at 2.5 miles, and my rest run at 2 miles. This looks good on paper; time will tell if it is good in real life. I make goals and form a plan, but often my body thinks differently than my brain, and my body always wins out.

I've been doing Galloway's run-walk-run method of alternating running and walking. I've been doing 1 minute of running and 1 minute of walking. I read via tweeter that Galloway and his wife had completed a marathon using a ratio of 15 seconds running and 15 seconds walking, and I thought I would try that ratio. I will need to use the new ratio for several workouts before I make a decision about it. It seemed OK today. I think I'll try 20 second cycles next week.

 

Experienced runners won't need to use run-walk-run, because they are likely used to running long distances, but the method is good for beginner runners and older runners, like me, who have bodies not as strong as the experienced runners.

Ran/walked a tired 2 miles

I had planned on running 2.5 miles ad a medium run, but after 1 mile I was tired, and I did a lot of walking during the second mile. My wife and I went north from 100th South to the bench at the edge of the Sandy gold course and then returned to our car. I think part of my problem was not eating lunch and then not going out until 5 pm. My body didn't have the calories it needs to cover the distance I planned to run. I did have a light breakfast, but that wasn't enough to fuel my body during the late afternoon.

Did my rest run of 2 miles

My wife and I went north on the Jordan River Parkway to the 1-mile marker and then turned around and came back to our car. She walks as fast as I run and faster than I walk, so she reached the turn-around point before me. There is a bench at that point (at the edge of the Sandy City Golf Course), and she waited until I reached the bench. I rested for about 30 seconds, and then we headed back. We got home about noon. The temperature was in the mid 50s (F). I wore running shorts with no jacket and was still cold as my body warmed up. When I was younger, I went faster, and my body warmed up faster, and I would have felt great, but since I'm older I was still cold when I got back to my car. Next time I'll wear my nylon jacket.

Ran/walked 3 early-morning miles

My wife and I wanted to be home by 10 am to listen to the Saturday sessions of the Mormon Conference, so we left home at 8:15 am. She did her 2 miles of walking, and I did 3 miles of running/walking. The temperature was 42 (F) when we left home. There were a lot of people using the Jordan River Parkway. I took no resting breaks going out, but I took two or three short breaks on the way back. Going out early was nice, because there were rain showers later in the day, although the showers were intermittent and light.

This week is a good example of what I want to do for the next month: 2 miles as a rest run. 2.5 miles as a medium run, and 3 miles as a long run. Doing those distances will help my body get used to the longer distance of 3 miles. When I feel like my body has adjusted to those distances, I will increase by 5-10% the distances of all three runs. After each increase, I will run the new distance for at least a week or two. When my rest run gets up to 3 miles, I'll switch to using time instead of distance to report each workout. As my body gets stronger, I'll probably do about 3.3 miles in 60 minutes.

Ran/walked 2.5 miles

Today was a strange day. We had rain during the early morning. Snow flurries later in the day, and sometimes cloudy and sometimes sunny afternoon. My wife and I went south from 100th South, during a time of partial sun during the late afternoon.

My run was uneventful. I made two short rest stops on the way back. When I got back to the parking lot I saw a bunch of kids and adults with bicycles, and I asked one of the adults what group they were with. He said it was a middle school bike club. They planned on riding for about an hour.

Ran/walked 3 miles

My wife and I went south from 100th South on the Jordan River Parkway. She walked her two miles, and I ran/walked 3 miles. The temperature was in the 50s (F), and it was a nice day. Not much wind and no rain. The sky was cloudy, though. The run was uneventful, although I took several short rest breaks on the way back; I'm not used, yet, to the 3-mile distance. It's interesting how much recovery ones body makes with a short, 60 second, rest. I ran today, because of a bad day (running wise) tomorrow, my usual day to end the running-week.

Ran/walked 2.8 miles around my neighborhood

We had rain during the day, and we didn't go running and walking until just before sundown. I wanted to go to the Jordan River, like we've been doing, but my wife suggested we stay in our neighborhood, because she expected it would be dark before we finished. She was also worried about rain while we were out.

It wasn't raining when we left home, but it start to rain while we were out, and the rain lasted for about 15 minutes. There was no wind when we left home, but just before the rain came, the wind started to blow, and the wind lasted until the rain stopped, and then there was no wind. The wind signified that a low-pressure was passing through and was bringing rain. After the low-pressure passed, the rain and wind stopped. The air temperature was in the mid 40s (F), so the rain wasn't very cold. My body felt warm while I was out, but my arms were cold. I got home after the sun was down but it wasn't dark, yet. I need to spray my nylon jacket and pants with Silicone to make them resistant to water.

My left leg still felt tired when I did a running segment, compared with my right leg, but not as tired as it was last week.

Did another 2 miles

Today, my wife and I went north from 100th South and did 2 miles (she walking and me running and walking). My left leg did the same thing it did on Tuesday, needing the first mile to warm up. My energy level was low, and I did a lot of walking during the second mile. I only had five hours of sleep last night, and that might have caused my energy level to be low. I had hoped to go 2.5 miles, but I was glad to get the two miles in. One thing I like about out-back is that once you're "out" you have no choice but to go the same distance "back", One secret is to walk when you're having problems running.

Ran/walked 2 miles

I didn't run yesterday, because we had two grandchildren with us all day. Normally, I would run on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. This week I'm running on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

After my first minute of running, my left leg was really tired (no pain, just tired), and I thought to myself, "Oh Oh, I'm in trouble". However, after one minute of walking, my leg felt fine, so I did a second minute of running and my leg felt tired again. Again, after a minute of walking, my leg felt fine. Fortunately, my leg felt fine after one mile, and I finished my run/walk with no problems. Apparently, my leg needed to get warmed up, and that required a mile of run/walk.

I went south from 100th South to the tunnel under 106th South and back. My wife wasn't with me today.

Did a 3-mile run today

My wife and I drove to the Riverton playground, and she walked 1 mile south and returned, and I ran/walked 1.5 miles south and returned. I hadn't planned on going quite that far, but it has been over a year since I was on that part of the Jordan River Parkway, and I enjoyed the run so much that I kept going and going. I felt fine during the run, and I've felt fine since I returned home. Even though the temperature was a bit cooler than previous days (high 40s(F)), a lot of people were on the path. One couple had a giant-sized dog, and I stopped and asked them the type of a dog. They said a Labrador. It was only 1 1/2 years old, but it was big. The following picture, taken from the web, shows a labrador dog and a small child. The dog I saw today was black and very friendly.

Ran 2.1 miles again on a cooler but nice running day

I ran the same route I used on Monday. Uneventful run but nice day to be out with all the others who were using the Parkway. I ran in my LOCO Carumba shoes, and they felt nice. Haven't used them at all in the past 18 months, and it was nice to wear them again. They are now my regular running shoes for the next 900 miles.

Ran 2 miles plus a couple hundred yards extra

I ran the Jordan River Parkway today, going south from 100th South. I ran my 2-mile route plus a little bit extra before I turned around. My goal is to get back to 3 miles and then head to 5 miles. The sky was cloudy (expecting snow tonight), but the temperature was in the high 50s (F), and it was a nice running day. Lots of people were out enjoying themselves.

Today was my last run in my PI iZUMI shoes. They've served me well for 500 miles, and I'm retiring them to be my walking shoes, and for the next 400 miles I'll be running in my LOCO Carumba shoes. I have one more pair of Carumbas to use after my current ones reach 500 miles (they're currently at 112 miles). So, 900 miles from now, I'll be shopping for new shoes, since LOCO shoes aren't sold anymore. I used to run 900 miles in less than a year, but now, with my age, I'll probably take 3 years for that many miles.

Ran 1 mile and then walked for almost 3 hours

My wife and I did a short run/walk along the Jordan River (1 mile) and then drove to the Home and Garden Show and walked for almost 3 hours looking at various displays and talking with store reps. We were both tired when we got home, but we had a fun time. A great day to be outside, and a lot of people were using the Parkway.

Back into running with 2 miles today

I mentioned in my February 26 post that I was experimenting with a new supplement that is supposed to give me greater energy. The supplement contains two enzymes that are used by our bodies in the generation of energy. I began with the recommended dose of two capsules per day and discovered that my left leg swelled and I had some minor pain just above the knee. I discontinued the supplement for a few days while the swelling  subsided. Then, I tried one capsule per day and found that my left leg swelled again and was sore again. I discontinued the supplement and haven't run during the past week. This morning, the swelling and soreness were gone, and my wife and I went to the Jordan River Parkway and went south from the 100th South parking lot. We each did 2 miles.

There are showers forecast for this afternoon, after 3 pm, with a 40+% chance of rain. We left home about 1 pm so we would be back home before the showers. We just got back and had no rain during our workout. The temperature was in the low 50s (F), the sky was cloudy, and there was no wind. All in all, it was a nice day for running.

Yesterday I had some soreness in my left leg, and I put Arnica Gel on my leg, and the soreness was gone in about 30 seconds. However, the soreness came back about an hour later, and I put the Gel on again. Same results. Prior to going to bed, I put Arnica on again, and when I woke up this morning, I had no soreness or stiffness in my left leg. I've used Arnica for over 40 years, and it does wonders. It's the best thing I've found for muscle soreness or injury. Arnica is a flower, and the Gel is made from that. My leg feels fine after my 2-mile run today.

Should you do stressful workouts?

When I grew up in running in the 1970s and 1980s, the emphasis was on Long Slow Distance plus occasional intervals and hills. Today, however, there is more emphasis on shorter but intense workouts, as often as twice a week. This leads us to the question, should I do intense workouts more often?

I think the answer to that question depends on your goals for running or walking. If you are primarily interested in racing, then you should follow modern recommends for relatively short but intense workouts a couple of times per week. These workouts should continue through ones taper to a race. At least, the intensity should exist although the distance or time of the workouts might be tapered.

However, if your primary interest in running or walking is because you enjoy it, or because you're concerned about your health, forget about intense workouts; such workouts increase the risk of injury.  Run LSD and enjoy it. When I first started running in 1973, medical and sports doctors recommended 1/2 hour three times per week for physical health. I don't know what they recommend today, but doing more than 1/2 hour three times per week is fine, as long as you enjoy it.

So, going back to the question asked in the subject of this post, should you do stressful workouts? The answer is ... it depends on your goals. Do what is appropriate for your goals. Do what is appropriate for your body makeup and condition. Do what is appropriate for your age. But, what ever you do, do it because you enjoy it and because you really want to do it.

Took last week off from runnng; now, back into it

My wife and I did 2 miles around noon-time, going north on the Jordan River Parkway from the 100th South parking lot. Today was a beautiful day, and a lot of people were on the Parkway path, enjoying being outside. The temperature was in the low 50s (F), and there were beautiful clouds in the sky but lots of sun. The Midwest up through Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and New England are continuing to have freezing rain and snow. Those folks are really suffering this winter! Unless we get more snow in our mountains, Utah will suffer next summer with a scarcity of water. Northern Utah has a series of reservoirs that store rain and snow-melt water, and, so far, the reservoirs are below normal levels.I run along the Jordan River that connects Utah Lake and the Great Salt Lake, and I can see the water flowing in the river; that level has been low for over a year.

Last week my left leg swelled up and became sore when I bent the leg. The swelling was in the upper part of the leg, below the knee. I had started taking a new supplement that provides two enzymes that are used by my body to create energy, and I wondered if that supplement was causing the swelling. I stopped taking the supplement and also stopped running for the week. The swelling went down within a couple of days, and most of the soreness was gone. I don't know for sure if the supplement caused the swelling, because I also had been careless about stretching before and after my run. The recommended dose of the supplement is 2 capsules per day. I restarted the supplement today and will take only one capsule per day. It will take a week or two to see how my body reacts to the capsules. Earlier, I took the supplement for about 10 days before the swelling occurred.

Walked 3/4 mile with two grandkids

We had two of our grand kids visit us for about four hours, and during that time, I walked with them about 3/4 mile. My leg felt fine during that time. Last week I had a lot of swelling in my left leg, and I took most of that week off to give my leg some rest. The swelling was gone by the weekend, and the short walk this morning hasn't brought the swelling back.

Rain is coming, so ran 2 miles today

Normally, I would run tomorrow, but the forecast is for rain and lower temperatures. My wife asked if I would run today, and I said, "yes". We drove to the South Jordan East Pavilion and went south for a mile and then returned. I'm not used to running consecutive days, and I could tell my body was getting tired as I neared my car. I took a couple of short resting breaks on the way back.

A great day! We need the water, though, so I'm glad for it in any form. Lately, we've had rain in the valley and snow in the mountains. The best of both worlds! Our mountains and ski resorts have had a lot of snow during the past couple of weeks, and that is helping. We still need more, though.

Another great day and another 2 miles

I ran the Jordan River Parkway today for 2 miles, using the same route I used on Saturday. The air temperature was in the mid 50s (F). Quite a few people were out enjoying the above-average temperature. I had a good energy level, but 2 miles was long enough.

Ran/Walked the Jordan River Parkway for 2 Miles

Today was a nice day for running. Temperature in the 50s (F), cloudy, but no wind and no rain. I didn't see other runners today, but I did see a lot of walkers and skaters. I've been running 2 miles at the local rec center, and I ran that distance today. I felt good and had a relatively high energy level. The important thing to me is my energy level.

Ran/walked for 40 minutes at the rec hall (about 2 miles)

Today was a relatively cold, windy day with likely rain, so my wife and I went to the local rec center, and I ran/walked for 40 minutes. I'm using Galloway's run/walk/run method, and when I'm at the rec center I run or walk for 1/2 of a loop around the indoor track. It takes me about a minute to do each phase. The temperature outside was in the high 40s (F), so it wouldn't have been bad to go outside today. However, the conditions outside were ideal for hypothermia, and with the forecast of rain, we decided to stay inside and keep dry.

I had cooked oatmeal for breakfast about an hour before we left for the rec center. My body needs more time than an hour to handle heavy food like oatmeal, and my stomach didn't feel very good for most of my workout. I felt fine, though, towards the end of the workout and afterwards while we were shopping at Costco.

I cringe when I read the weather reports for the NE and southern portions of the US. Those people, especially in the south, are really suffering from storms. I used to live in Massachusetts, and I know what it is like to be without electricity for days at a time; we did burn wood, though, so we had heat in our house. Electrical outages occurred every year. After coming to Utah, I worked part time for three years doing outdoor telephone work, and I know what it is like to be working outside during cold, stormy weather.

I ran outdoors year around during my 17 years in Massachusetts, and I enjoyed running in the winter time. I was in my 40s and had a lot of energy. It was common to have sweatcycles hanging down the back of my hair during my runs. My PB for running in the cold was -18 (F). That temperature was measured at my house before I left to go running. It was early in the morning before daylight, and there was no wind blowing. I camped every month with my scout troop, and my coldest campout with measured temperature was -10 (F). However, there was one campout where the temperature was below zero (F), and the wind was blowing 40 or 50 mph. The ground was so hard that the scouts couldn't use stakes to keep their tents from blowing away, and they used granite rocks for that purpose. It was so cold that we packed our things the next morning and went to a place where trees provided protection from the wind. I slept in my hammock, and it was kinda fun to sway in the wind while I was sleeping. I'm in my late 70s now and don't go outside as much in the winter.

Ran 2 miles on the Jordan River Parkway

Today was a beautiful day for being outdoors. My wife and I went north from the 100th South trail head for 1 mile and then back. The temperature was 41 (F) with a slight breeze blowing. We passed a few walkers, but there were not many on the path. I went faster than normal going out, and I started getting tired and slowed down on the way back. I took a 2-minute rest break at the turn-around point and a 30-second break on the way back.

The water-level in the Jordan River is very low. There was one point where the water was going through a small channel, and the rest of the river-bed was a giant sand bar with weeds growing on it. Normally, that sand bar is under water.

We're supposed to have rain Wednesday and Thursday, so we'll probably go to the rec center for our mid-week workout. I'm not sure what the forecast is for Saturday, but that day is far enough in the future that the forecast might not be accurate, anyway.

Went to the rec center and ran/walked 2 miles

We've had good air during the past week, and the air is good today. However, my wife and I went to the rec center instead of the Jordan River Parkway, because we thought the path might be slick due to snow last night. Also, even though the sky was blue and the sun was shining, the wind was blowing about 30 mph, and the air temperature was below freezing (about 30 (F)), causing the chill factor to be in the 20s. We each did 2 miles. I took a one-minute break about half way through my run.

Another 2 miles in great weather!

Our air today was beautiful. I live in the western part of the Salt Lake valley and normally have a beautiful view of the Wasatch Mountains. However, lately the mountains haven't been very visible. Today, however, was a big relief. The mountains were beautiful, the sky blue with a few clouds, temperature in the high 30s to low 40s, My wife and I did the same route I did on Saturday, each doing 2 miles. She walks faster than I jog/walk, and she finished when I still had about 1/3 mile to go.

We're expecting snow tonight, and the temperature will be colder during the next several days. The rec center is a good place to run when I can't get outside, but I really enjoy the outside more than in the center.

The following picture, taken from the web, shows Sugarhouse park in Salt Lake City, further north of where I live but the same mountain range; the tall snow covered mountain at the right side of the picture is of Twin Peaks which is east and slightly north of where I live.

Ran 2 miles, about 40 minutes

The current storm cleared out our bad weather, so I went to the Jordan River Parkway and ran 2 miles. There were snow flurries during my run, but the ground temperature was slightly above freezing, and the snow didn't accumulate on the ground. I saw several other runners, including cadets from the Police Academy, and a couple of walkers. It was nice to go outside for my run. I'm still using 50 seconds of running and 60 seconds of walking.

My nose has almost stopped generating mucus. Another couple of days, and my cold will probably go away.

I ran for 1/2 mile and then rode the Expresso bike

My wife and I went to the rec center again, due to a continuation of our polluted air, and I ran half a mile and then rode the Expresso bike for 1 mile. My cold is going from the "thin" mucus stage to the "thick" mucus state, indicating my body is getting control of myself. After a couple of days of "thick" mucus, the cold will probably go away.

Used the Expresso bike for 1 mile and ran/walked 1/2 mile

I came down with a cold during the night, so I reduced my running and walking at the rec center. This is the first cold I've had in 2 or 3 years. I had been running for a few years when I realized one day that I didn't get colds anymore. Before I started running, I would get several colds during the year. There are two conditions that cause me to get colds -- over training and insufficient sleep. I haven't been over training, but I have been getting insufficient sleep for several months. In fact, I've been wondering why I didn't have a cold, since I was only getting 5-6 hours of sleep per night. Apparently my immune system was strong enough that the insufficient sleep didn't lower my immunity enough for me to get a cold. Well, my staying up late finally caught up with me. I've been trying to get to bed earlier, and this cold will help me have more motivation toward that end. Last night, for example, I did get to bed earlier last night, but I woke up earlier this morning and didn't go back to sleep. I did, however, take a one-hour nap in the afternoon. But, even with the nap, I only had 6 1/2 hours of sleep.

The running literature usually says that it is OK to run through colds. However, due to my age, I go by my body's energy-level, and I had a low level this afternoon, hence the reduction in my running. In fact, my energy-level is my primary metric for determining how hard to push during my training.

Our air is still bad. We're expecting a major storm in a couple of days, and that may help clear out our air. However, the Jordan River Parkway path will probably be slick with ice, and I'll likely keep going to the rec center for a few days until we have warmer weather.