Not running for a few days

I've curtailed my running for a few days, due to a large "blister", or ulcer, on my left leg. The ulcer is, more or less, a square about 2 inches on a side in which the skin has been removed, leaving the bare skin underneath. It is quite painful when I walk, although the pain seems to be subsiding. I don't know why the skin has been removed on the ulcer. It might be due to the compression stockings I've been wearing, and I've temporarily removed them for a few days.

Completed my medium run

I completed my medium run, but the total run was 1 hour 65 minutes instead of 1 hour 50 minutes. I went to the bench that is 0.3 miles south of 106th South and was right on schedule for a 1 hour 50 minute run. However, I was slower going back, causing the total run to be 15 minutes longer than I had expected. I was getting tired when I reached the bench and turned around, and I walked a lot on the way back and took extra rest breaks. Each break was short, about 20 - 30 seconds, but they add up to increased time....

Bone cancer

Based on the scan last week, I do have what appears to be bone cancer, and I will undergo a biopsy for prostate cancer on  April 13, followed by treatment for the cancer. Also, my PSA is over 300 instead of the normal 6. Rather than give me radiation and chemo, the Urologist is going to block my testosterone in the hope of reducing the growth of the cancer. I've  felt no pain so far from the cancer, and I'm glad for that. The Urologist pressed on various parts of my skeleton, and I felt no pain. So, my goal to turn 100 and still be running is intact, so far.

Tomorrow and the day after will be warmer than today, and I'm looking forward to my medium run!

Did a rest run of 1 hour (2.0 miles)

I went out running about 2 pm. We had had a lot of sun during the morning, and I assumed there would be a lot of sun during my run. However, the sky became cloudy, and it looked like rain would occur. There was a gusty wind of 10-15 mph coming from the north, and I had my wind breaker on to help avoid the effect of the wind. Since this was a north wind, I had a tail wind on the way to 106th South (it was nice to have the wind "push" me, but it was a head wind on the way back, and, even though I wore 4 layers, I was cold. The temperature was in the mid 40s (F), but the wind chill was lower than that. However, during the last half-mile of my run, there was a lot of sun, for which I was grateful. I had left my gloves in my car, and my hands, during the last half of the run, were cold; I placed my hands in my jacket pockets during the walking phase of my run.

Did a medium run of 1.5 hours (2.2 miles)

I've decided I should change to time rather than distance for determining the length of my runs. I like to go by distance when the distance is small and by time when the distance gets longer. The advantage of going by time rather than distance is if I feel fine I might go faster and get more distance in the time allocated. If I feel tired, I might go slower and get less distance in the time allocated, but I do my allotted time in either case.

My goals now are as follows.

1. Monday/Tuesday: Rest run of 1 hour
2. Wednesday/Thursday: Medium run of 1.5 hours
3. Friday/Saturday: Long run of 2.0 hours

That will give me 4.5 hours of running weekly, corresponding to 6 or 7 miles of running. Instead of cycling between heavy and light runs, I am choosing and limiting the length of the runs on a weekly basis. I am still running 3 times per week.

The times listed above are are pretty close to the times I've been running, although in the past I've gone by distance and used the heavy/light rotation of runs.

I did my 1.5 hours, but I felt tired during the run. Not quite as tired as I was on Monday but still tired. I reached the bench which is 0.3 miles south of 106th South. There was a gusty headwind of 20-25 mph blowing from the south, and this wind made it difficult to go very fast on the way out. It was nice, though, to have the wind as a tailwind on the way back. Quite a few people were on the path today, especially cyclists. The temperature was in the mid 50s (F). I wore my nylon wind breaker (jacket) which protected me from the wind, although I took it off for the last quarter mile because I was getting too warm. After I got back home, I dozed in my car for half an hour before I went in the house.

Tomorrow and Friday I will be in the hospital in Riverton getting scanned for Prostate cancer. Then I will be back on the trail on Saturday, hopefully.

Did 3.5 miles for another heavy run

I was tired during my run and considered aborting the run at a shorter distance. However, I took more rest breaks during the return to my car and walked more during the return, and I finally made it back to my car. I only had three layers on because I expected the temperature to be in the mid 50s (F), and I left my gloves in the car. When the sun was out, it was nice, but when the sun was behind clouds, it was cold.

I had a banana for breakfast and two boiled eggs for lunch, and I took a nap before I left about 2:00 pm for my run. I thought I was ready for the run, but my performance shows I was not ready. It would have been better to reduce my run to 1.5 or 2.0 miles and get more rest. Oh well, I did take a short nap when I reached my garage; I dozed off while I was sitting in my car. I had more to eat for supper to help me recover from the run. Today, I guess, was an example of me getting old and not having the strength and endurance that I had when I was younger.

The water under 106th South is mostly gone.

Did 2.6 miles for a light workout.

I went to the bench, in the midst of trees, that is 0.3 miles from 106th South. Not many people were on the path, since today is a work day. There were only two cars in the parking lot at 100th South when I entered the lot, but when I left the lot there were quite a few cars in the lot. There was a 10-15 MPH gusty wind blowing from the south that made it more difficult to go south, but it was nice on the way back to have a tail-wind. I felt pretty good during my run. I currently am going 3.5 miles on my heavy runs and 2.6 miles on my light runs. I need to repeat these distances a few times to get used to them. There was a lot of sun during my run, and the sun felt good.

There was a lot of water, from recent rains, under 106th South. I waded through the water. The water was deeper than previous water, and my feet got wet but quickly dried out when I was on the dry path again, although my socks were still wet when I took them off later in the day; I didn't have any abrasions from the wet socks. I've waded through large puddles before with no problems occurring. My socks are synthetic and don't absorb a lot of moisture. Cotton socks would soak in more water and probably would rub on my feet and cause blisters.

There is rain and snow forecast for tomorrow, so I went out today.

Added a bit and did 3.5 miles for my heavy run

I was on, about noon, the Jordan River Parkway path going south. I added a bit and reached and passed the parking lot and play ground at the East Pavilion, for a total distance of 3.5 miles. My next goal is the pedestrian bridge across the Jordan River at 114 South, about 3/4 mile south of the East Pavilion. There are several benches and two fishing ponds before the bridge, and these will make good turn-around points. I felt pretty good during my run, but I will need to do this heavy run several times before I am used to this distance.

Today was a warm day. The temperature today was in the low to mid 60s (F). There were quite a few people on the path, both runners/walkers and cyclists.

Another sunny and warm day

I spent a good part of the day cutting limbs off of a dying tree due to fire-blight infection, and I was too tired to go running. It was a great day, though, to be outside, even if I was doing difficult yard work.

Sunny and warm today

The temperature today is in the mid 50s (F). A nice, warm day that is melting the snow. Almost of the snow along the Parkway is melted.

Did a light run of 2.3 miles

I went to the Jordan River Parkway in the late afternoon and went on my usual south route for a light run of 2.3 miles. I was surprised to see the dry path under 106th South. That is a lot of water that evaporated. I saw a few others on the path, but there weren't many at this late hour. Most of my run was after the sun was down, and I was running in the dusk. It was almost dark when I reached my car. I felt good during my run. The temperature was in the low to mid 40s (F).

Did a heavy run of 2.9 miles

My wife and I went to the Jordan River Parkway in  the early afternoon, and I went 2.9 miles. I felt pretty good during the run.Today was a warm day, the temperature being in the low 40s (F). There was a lot of sun. The big puddle of water under 106th South has increased in size. I had to wade through about 20 feet of water. The path under 106th South is slightly slanted to the east, and I walked through the puddle on the west side of the path; hence the water was not very deep. I didn't see many runners and walkers on the path, and there were only a couple of cars, besides my own car, in the parking lot. On the way back, I saw two runners who looked to be of high school age. They were probably from the cross country team at Bingham High School. All in all, it was a nice day to be outside. On the way back, I stopped for a minute at the various benches, and it was nice to sit and soak in the sun.

In another week or so, I should be at the parking lot at the East Pavilion.

Did a light run of 2.3 miles

I jogged and walked my usual southern route, beginning at 100th South, for a total distance of 2.3 miles. There was gusty south wind of 10-15 mph, but the wind died down on my way back. The sky was cloudy for most of the time, but the temperature was in the mid to high 40s (F). The puddle of water under 106th South was smaller, but I still had about 10 feet of water to wade through, but the water was not as deep as it was last week. There were several walkers and runners on the path, but not many cars in the parking lot, indicting the people either lived close by or they parked at the East Pavilion or further south.