Thought I was a runner

Sidelined yet again. This time it's a fractured 5th metatarsal. Typical training run with the guys. Cold morning, probably overdressed, double layer for everything. In hindsight, this kept my knee from getting skinned up more. I was running behind the fast guys on the *&^%$ sidewalk. B was behind me. I stepped wrong on one of the driveway inlets. I hit the ground pretty hard. Ripped the palm side of the first glove layer. Rolled completely over on the outside of my right ankle. Got up to see if I could run it off. Wasn't going to happen. Hated to ruin the guys workout, so I told them to go on and I'd walk to my son's apartment. (luckily it was only about a block or so up the road)

Really helpful to have a wife who works for a Orthopedic Doctors group. We arrived around 7:30 am and I was out the door by 8:30. That has to be the quickest doctors' visit ever for me. Most time consuming part of the visit was filling out all of the paperwork. They took me straight to x-ray. Pretty short wait to get the x-ray's and then back out to one of the examination rooms. Finally got a sympathetic doctor who ran in college. That was a pleasant surprise. I'll be wearing a boot for 4-6 weeks. No surgery, doctor will try letting it heal as it lies, with the broken pieces overlapping. Stronger joint ? and no need to go back and remove a plate. 

Can't ride a bike. At least not for a week or so. The doctor did ok swimming. Perhaps I'll give pool running a try this go around, if I'm uncomfortable riding the bike on the trainer. I've ridden a bike trainer with other injuries. Also broke my running streak today, it was only 33 days this time around.

This isn't the first time to be sidelined with a injury. Ankle sprains. One of the reasons I don't run on the golf course any more is because I seem to sprain my ankle easily. I've done almost exact same thing on my other ankle. I stepped in a hole pacing a friend at CMM several years ago. It was the inside ankle sprained and a fractured 5th metatarsal on the left foot in 2002.

Supposedly I'm a grumpy old man. Who'd have guessed? Even worse when I'm hurt. Paula was worried I'd be rude/grumpy/mean to her co-workers. I thought I was pretty civil. I'll be worse in the coming weeks after not running. Hopefully, I don't take it out to much on those around me. I'll just kick the dog instead. What really pisses me off is the snide remarks about my "healthy lifestyle". I'd like to think most are just ribbing me in jest, but sometimes I wonder.

Comeback no.177.2

Here I go again. Week 3 of the latest running comeback. First week back, two runs for a total of 9.5 miles. Week two, three runs for a total of 15 miles. Longest run 6 miles. Did that again this morning, but wore the heart rate monitor for shits and giggles. Pushed the pace for a couple of miles but that's about all I had in me. Pace per mile: 8:43 and 8:47 at a maximum heart rate of 156. It's going to be another long slow process to get back to where that same 156 heart rate is good for a 7:00 mile. Hard to even fathom at this point.

Had to dig a bandanna out of the drawer for my run. Must be because I'm running so slow, but the sweat has been pouring into my eyes on the last several runs. Maybe when I'm running quicker it evaporates or is blown back? Plus, even though the heat wave has subsided, the rain over the last week or so has made it very humid at the crack of dawn. Still sleeping in until 4:30 am, not quite ready to get up at 3:30 am and run with the fellas. I wouldn't be able to keep up yet, anyway.

Hope to be ready to run with the fellas in another week or so. Won't make it back before we lose one of our regulars. One of the guys said he was the CEO of Optimism for our group. Fitting title, I'd always thought of him as Mr. Sunshine. He's the kinda guy who makes running in a pouring rain enjoyable. I'm gonna miss him. Seems like where ever I live the regular group of folks I run with build a strong core group. Always adding a new member, but also losing one as well. Running folks are the best.

16 year old shorts (before Verizon Wireless)(a)

Note (a). Took a picture of these before they go into the trash. Soft cotton shorts from when I lived in Atlanta. I worked in several different buildings over the years, but the best was the corporate campus that was built in Alpharetta. One of the nice perks was a onsite health center. This was all just before the Bell Atlantic merger with GTE and PrimeCo and the rebranding as Verizon Wireless.

out with the old

Needed 2.1 miles this morning to have even miles for the year of 2,579. Would have added a mile to get a more even number of 2,580 but this was my last run before the Fat Ass tomorrow. The taper this time wasn't kind. The combination of fewer runs, less miles and holiday food helped to add 6 pounds. All of that should be gone by this time next week. Really surprised at the number(pounds). I only gained 3 pounds on the taper for the Monkey marathon.

Weather has changed again. Yesterday was sunny and 60 degrees. Nice to have the windows down and the sun roof open. Went to the bank before the lunch time rush in Green Hills. Made a stop to check out Trader Joes in the old Wild Oats location on the way back to the office. Hate driving in that part of town, way to much traffic. Decent beer selection, but the main reason for stopping was to check out the "house" brand beers. They had 6 packs for $5.99 for most of the major beer types. I picked up three Stockyard Oatmeal Stouts and three Kennebunkport Porters. This store is about half the size of the old Wild Oats. I didn't browse any of the store, quick trip to check out the beers and back to work.

Very gusty winds this morning. Temperatures in the mid 30's and winds of 22 mph, gusting to 33 mph. Glad today was only 2 miles. Sure hope this wind is gone by tomorrow. Weather forecast calls for temperatures in the low 20's tonight and sunny skies and highs in the low 40's. The window for the 50k should be around 35-41 degrees, sunny skies and winds from the north around 5-10 mph. About the same weather as the last couple of years.

back

Dylan and his cousin, Ryan dock side in Cozumel
Lots to blog about the cruise. Running on the road/cruise ship, driving 10+ hours, food, ports of call, gambling, snorkeling, pictures, rum, pirates, cigars.............

We left for Tampa at 1:30 am on Sunday morning. According to Mapquest, 682 miles in 10 hours. We drove the van and Paula's sister followed in their car. Starting early in the morning is my preferred way to travel long distance with the kids. Hopefully you're able to get lots of miles and time down the road before the kids wake up and start the how "long till we get there", "I've got to pee", or "I'm hungry". We only made three stops on the way down and were able to combine them into bathroom breaks, food breaks and gas fill-ups. Trip down went very well. We arrived in Tampa around 2:00 pm. (Darrell stayed home, he had class)

Trip home seemed to take forever. We got off the ship around 8:30 am, Saturday morning (yesterday) jumped in the car and started driving. Made it home just before 8:00 pm. That was a long day on the road.

What are the odds of Paula and her sister booking the same hotel I stayed in on one of my 2 trips to Tampa, over 7+ years ago? They were remodeling some of the upper floors. We were able to see the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stadium from our room. The picture I took of Paula and Dylan on the balcony, you can't really see the stadium. Boys were able to swim in the pool after we got back from a trip to the dock to see where everything was for our departure the next day.


Bryan and Dylan in the atrium of the hotel in Tampa
Got one treadmill run in on Monday morning a week ago. I hate the treadmill. But, didn't really feel good about trying to run outside from the hotel. One good thing about the treadmill is dialing into the pace you want to run. That's about the only good thing. Time stands still on the treadmill. I did 6 miles, one mile at a incline and another mile at faster pace and the rest just plodding along. This treadmill had fans, which helped a little bit. It's still hot and the sweat just slings everywhere.

This morning was my first run on the road since last Saturday. Started at 8 am, way later than usual. Usually done with my long runs by that time, because of the heat. Scheduled for a twenty miler. It was 60 degrees when I started but right at 80 degrees when I finished. Got my 20 miles, but with a 2 mile warmdown walk home. Hell it wasn't warm, it was downright hot. I was breathing just as hard walking as the miles I slogged from 16 to 18. The early miles were great, real marathon pace to monkey pace and felt great. Guess the cut back in runs/distance from the cruise with the lack of pre run hydration kicked by butt.


Best picture of the cruise was of Paula's sister family at sunrise

cool baby

Loving the cooler weather. Wore a long sleeve under armour shirt, short sleeve coolmax t-shirt and a long sleeve coolmax sweatshirt, plus hat and gloves for a 3 mile warm up before Speedy pulled me through 11 miles on the Spain Hill loop. Dropped the long sleeve sweatshirt before we started the 11 mile loop and the actual "work" in the work out. Speedy didn't hammer me to much. He'd slow down when he started gapping me and I was breathing like a freight train. Mostly when he pulled below about 7:00 mile pace. Slow enough for him to be an easy run and quick enough to be around marathon pace for me. Overall pace for the 14 miles was 7:44. The 3 mile warmup was pretty darn slow.

On the way out we saw a buck standing under a light beside the road and next to a barn. I thought it was fake, the kind you shoot arrows at or a yard decoration. But, Speedy said it was real, guess it's head was following us as we ran by. Pretty bizarre. Sun didn't rise until mile 10. Pretty dark this morning. Damn near rolled my ankle twice. Once, stepping off the side of the road and again after stepping on a boulder.

Last post on the blog for awhile, unless we have wireless on the cruise ship. Even then, I don't know that I want to bring the laptop. Just hope I'm able to get at least 2-3 decent runs in the next week. The saturday we get back I'm scheduled for 20 miles..................

Jeff Galloway, blogs, and rain

Jeff Galloway spoke at Fleet Feet Sports in Murfreesboro last night. Jeannie was able to pull that off to help out the Murfreesboro Pacers. Jeff is a entertaining speaker, former Olympian and best selling author. He spoke of his philosophy on a wide range of topics; stretching, walking, hydration, nutrition, role of the local running store and more. He also answered questions. Jeff's in town for the Tom King Half Marathon in Nashville on Saturday, guest speaker tonight for the Striders at the pasta dinner and then Sunday a training class at the Fleet Feet in Brentwood. Very busy man, his running must help keep him grounded.

Dylan went with me to Fleet Feet. He behaved like a little gentleman. We got there at around 5:15 and got home at 8:00. Long time for the little guy to not get to bored and cause a ruckus. He sure does act shy. Must get that from his dad.

Added a stat counter to the blog yesterday. Copied it from LS;) Amazing the capability of the internet. Conspiracy theory, yes I believe big brother is watching. Copied the labels from Boston Dreams. Googled running blogs one day, over 80,000.

Rain on the radar this morning. Drinking my coffee and surfing the net this morning. The rain moved through our area earlier, the streets were still wet. But, there was a gap before the next wave of rain would hit. I was able to finish one loop of the golf course before it started raining. Didn't rain to hard on the second loop, off and on, with varying degrees of intensity. No downpours. Sure hope those racing Tom King tomorrow have good weather. Looks like they may get wet. Lousy day for the volunteers.

Pictures

Weekend is here. Think I'll try to get some pictures posted to the page. Slept in this morning, that is until Lance woke me up a 5:30 am. Time to get going anyway. I'll take his picture, get one of Paula and find a current one of the boys.

Plan is to post old and new pictures. We've got boxes of pictures that need to be organized. I haven't found out how this page does pictures, size limits and such. This blog thing is all new to me.

Post script: Should any of the pictures on this blog belong to you and you do not want them posted, let me know via email. I google most every picture to add a little color to my blog.

Blogs

Ok, this thing is a work in progress. I'm slowly changing things, as I figure out how it works. The purpose of this site is a central place for pictures, thoughts and links for my family to use when we use the computer.

Time to head out the door for a run, I've been messing around with this thing to much already this morning.