Old Man Running

Ran/walked 2 miles & felt pretty good

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:23:00 +0000

I invited my wife to come with me while I ran and walked along the Jordan River Parkway. She is a fast walker, and she walked almost as fast as my combination of running and walking. I was delayed getting started, because I had to sync my GPS with the satellites, and this allowed my wife to get about 1/8 mile in front of me. I slowly gained on her, and I caught up with her just before our turn-around point at 1 mile. On the way back, I slowed my running just a bit so we would be together during the mile back to our car. It was late afternoon when we went out, and the sun was low enough in the sky that it was behind clouds. The temperature was in the high 40s (F) during the workout, and once we were warmed up, we felt fine.

I only had 4 1/2 hours of sleep Saturday night (7 hours last night), so my energy level was low during our workout today. I taught a class in church yesterday morning, and when I teach I often wake up early and don't get a full night's sleep due to anxiety about the class. My wake up heart rate was 58 this morning, but it will take me at least a week of good sleep to get my energy level back to normal levels. I'll be teaching this class (marriage and family relations) every other week for another month, so my running will be probably be reduced during the coming month. By mid March we'll be through with the sequence of 8 classes, and my wife and I won't teach again until new people are invited to attend the class.

While driving to the Parkway, my wife looked in her bird-book and identified the black birds with white beaks as American Coots. The picture in the book was exactly like the birds I see in the Jordan River. The book described how the Coots walk on the water until they get enough speed to be airborne, and we saw some of them doing that today.

Did a tired 2.5 miles

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:53:00 +0000

I could tell as soon as I started running that my energy level was low. I kept on going, though, so I could see how I felt after I had warmed up. After I reached 1.3 miles, I turned around and headed back to my car. When I got to my car, I knew I had made the right decision about reducing the length of my run. I began the run using my 3 minute running and 40 seconds walking, but as I got tired I did more walking and less running. On the way back, I probably did about 1.5 minutes each.

The temperature was in the low 50s (F), a sunny sky with beautiful clouds, and quite a few people using the Parkway. During the first part of my run, while going South, I had a 3-5 mph head wind. The wind didn't slow me down much, but it did help to keep me cool, because when I turned around and headed back, I immediately became warm and took off my wind breaker. I still wore long pants even though the temperature was in the 50s.

My wakeup heart rate this morning and also yesterday morning was 56. I haven't been recording my HR for the past several weeks because it was above 60. I was glad yesterday and today to see the HR below 60. I've been sleeping well during the past several weeks, and that contributes a lot to a lower HR.

A nice 4.6 mile run in a light rain

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:18:00 +0000

A light rain started just as I got out of my car. The rain was very light, and I didn't notice it. However, the path did get wet, so I know a mist was falling. I ran/walked 4.6 miles in 84 minutes. During the last half I got tired and did more walking. I did, though, use my 3 minutes running and 40 seconds walking for most of the distance. The sky was overcast, and the shade temperature was in the mid 40s (F) when I left home and in the high 30s when I finished my run.

I parked at the South Jordan East Pavilion and went south for 2.45 miles and then returned. This meant that I went under the new bridge at 11400 South, and that gave me a better view of the Jordan River. The river has increased its level since December. In fact, the water level today was only about 8-10 inches below the peak level last summer. The water level in the river is controlled by pumps at the north end of Utah Lake, and for some reason they are releasing more water into the river than they have in the past (extra water was released last year, too, in February. My guess is that the powers-that-be are lowering the level in the lake to make room for extra water that will flow into the lake during our Spring floods.

A good start for the week with a strong 3.3 miles

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:31:00 +0000

Today I had my strongest run since my skin-cancer surgery three weeks ago. I ran 3.3 miles in 65 minutes, and I felt strong during the run. I used my 3-minutes running and 40 seconds walking during the run. I was out about 4 pm and the sun was just setting when I finished. The shade temperature was 38 (F) when I left home. Most of my run was in direct sun, and the warmth from the sun felt good. I remembered to take my gloves (cotton), and my hands felt fine during the run.

The doctor said no running for a week after the surgery, and I observed his advice. I've been conservative in getting back into running. I did some walking with my wife, and I did short 2-mile runs. Then last week, I did my first 3-mile run, and I repeated that today. I think that for Wednesday I'll aim for 4.5 miles, an increase in distance of one mile.

I saw several cyclists, several walkers with dogs, and two runners. Most people are exercising earlier in the day. The weather forecast looks good for the rest of the week with highs in the mid 40s. I've been sleeping good for the past few weeks, and that really helps a lot.

For my "long run" for the week, I did 3.5 miles in 61 minutes

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:56:00 +0000

I was busy all day doing some graphics work to help my wife prepare visuals for her lesson tomorrow. I went out running just as the sun was setting behind the Oqirrer mountains. We have a long dusk here, so I finished most of my run/walk before it actually got dark. I did my 3 minutes/40 seconds phases of running/walking during most of the distance, but during the last half-mile, I was busy thinking about something and not paying attention to the beeps from my two-phase timer, and I ran through a walking phase. I didn't see many people on the Parkway path, although I did see one couple walking their dog and two runners. The temperature when I left home was in the high 30s (F). I forgot to check the temperature when I got home, but I would guess it was in the mid 30s. We had a lot of sun today, and almost all of the light snow we had a couple of nights ago is gone.

Ran another 2 miles

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:16:00 +0000

Today was a busy day, but I managed to squeeze in 2 miles, using the same route that I used on Tuesday. Also, I didn't run until late afternoon. I missed breakfast and lunch and only had a few handfuls of Cheeros and two energy bars before I ran. I had sufficient energy for two miles, and I was actually glad that my schedule didn't allow for a longer run, because I'm not sure how much energy I would have had for a longer run. Also, the temperature was in the mid to high 30s (F), but there was a 15-20 mph wind blowing, and my body had a hard time providing energy for both my running/walking and keeping me warm. Even though I ate the food just before I went running, I didn't have trouble breathing like I did on
Tuesday.

The Jordan River was higher than it was on Tuesday.

Ran 2 miles

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:32:00 +0000

I went out in late afternoon and ran 2 miles. I had a hard time breathing due to eating brunch about an hour or so before I ran. I do better when I run in the mornings before I eat breakfast or in the late afternoon with an earlier lunch. Our bodies need extra oxygen after we've eaten, and they also need extra oxygen when we run. Younger folks can likely provide enough oxygen for both activities, but we older runners need to space the two activities out such that we have enough oxygen for both activities.

The water in the Jordan River is higher than it has been. The same thing happened last year. Usually water is released from Utah Lake in April or May. Last year it was in February, and this year it was in January. This is a good sign, though. It means that Utah Lake has normal or above amounts of water, and that may imply that the reservoirs in the mountains have normal or above amounts of water.

My training site now in book form

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 02:39:00 +0000

My training site at http://runninginjuryfree.org goes into a lot of detail about techniques for running without injury. The site has been online for about 8 or 9 years and gets about 400 - 600 new visitors each day. The site is now available in book form from http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/allenleigh A pdf of the book can be downloaded for free.

Another great 60 minute run

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 02:17:00 +0000

I ran/walked for 60 minutes, using my 3-minute/40-second time for running and walking, and I felt fine during the workout. I ran at the same pace and distance that I did on Monday. I could have gone another mile or so, but it was late afternoon, and the temperature was starting to go down. The temperature was in the low 40s (F) during my run. During most of the run, the sun was behind clouds, but during the last mile the sun came out, and I could feel on my back the warmth of the sun. It felt good.

On Monday I saw a group of ducks on the path, about 100 feet away, and I saw them again today. At first I thought they were quail since they stayed together as a group, but I'd decided on Monday that they were too big for quail. I saw them in the river when I passed the spot where I'd seen them on the trail, and they were the black ducks with white beaks. I didn't get a good look at their feet to see if they were webbed like duck feet.

A great 60-minute run after skin cancer surgery

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:59:00 +0000

I ran/walked for 60 minutes this morning and completed 3.35 miles. I could tell that I was going a bit faster than I've been doing, and my mileage shows that. As I've explained before, I don't push for any particular pace; I just let my body control the pace. During the first 1.5 miles, I used my run/walk routine of 3 minutes running and 40 seconds walking. During the remainder of the run, I kept the 3 minutes of running and walked about a minute. It's now in the late afternoon, and my wife and I just returned from a fast walk around the block, about 0.6 miles, giving me not quite four miles for the day.

The sky was cloudy and there was a 5 or so mph wind with gusts up to about 10 mph during my run/walk. The temperature was in the high 30s (F), and it was a nice day to be outside.

Today is the two-week anniversary of my Basal Cell skin cancer surgery. When I went in for surgery, the cancer looked like a small pimple on my lip. However, the cancer had spread from my lip about an inch up my cheek, and four Mohs layers were required to remove all of the cancer. The good news is that the cancer had spread into my cheek but didn't go deep enough to get into the muscle of my face.

I didn't do any running during the first week after the surgery, and last week I only did small amounts of running. Today is the first day since the surgery of good running and walking.

Got in about a mile walking my grand daughter

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 02:14:00 +0000

We were back at Skyline High School for the remainder of the swim meet. It was raining (not a heavy rain) during the morning, so I took my grand daughter for walks around the building. We did go out to the track to walk, but the rain picked up and we decided to go back to the building having the pool.

My wife and I walked about 1 mile

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 04:08:00 +0000

My wife and I went to Skyline High School to watch a grandson compete in a swimming meet. There was a lot of waiting, and we took our grand daughter for walks around the highschool track. We also walked around the high school building. We got in about a mile of walking.

Ran/walked ro 60 minutes along a canal service road

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:05:00 +0000

I ran/walked 3.18 miles, using my normal sequence of 3 minutes running and 40 seconds walking. I ran along a canal service road instead of going to the Jordan River Parkway. The daytime temperature was in the low 50s (F), and it was a great day to be outside. The canal won't have water until mid-may, but the service road is a nice place for running. I ran here a lot a few years ago before I switched to the Jordan River Parkway.

Ran and walked for two miles

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 06:26:00 +0000

I ran/walked for about a mile this morning, and then walked one mile back to my car. The temperature was in the high 20s (F), and there was a 10 mph head wind with guest of about 20 mph. That head wind made it seem cold, especially on my face. I turned around after the first mile and walked back to my car. It was nice to have a tail-wind. I could feel the warmth of the sun on my back, and that felt great.

Did a fast walk for 60 minutes

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 06:18:00 +0000

There was a light snow falling, so my wife and I went to a mall and I walked while she browsed the stores and did some shopping. I didn't do any running, but I did a fast walk, significantly faster than I did last week. Last week I felt tired after 60 minutes of walking. Today I felt fine after 60 minutes of faster walking.

I had quite a few stitches after my skin cancer surgery last week. Most of the stitches have dissolved, and the sutures are healing. During the day I've been putting vitamin E oil on the sutures to help them heal. When I go to bed, I put Calendula ointment on the sutures to keep the sutures moist and to help them heal.

Another hour walk

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 01:59:00 +0000

My wife walked for 60 minutes. I walked at a faster pace than I've used during this week. We parked by the fishing ponds in South Jordan and walked south for half an hour and then returned. This took us across a foot-bridge next to the new bridge at 11400 South and down the Parkway path on the Draper City side of the Jordan River. My wife had never walked that part of the path, and this gave her a new experience.

I'll begin running again on Monday. I'll continue with my 3 minutes of running and 40 seconds of jogging. To help me regain my distance, on Monday I'll only do one mile. On Wednesday I'll do two miles, and on Saturday I'll do three miles. During the next week, I'll work up to five miles, and on the week after that I'll see if I can do my normal 3, 5, 7 (15) miles for the week. Younger folks would go right back to the 15-mile weeks their first week of running, but at my age I'm taking it slower so I don't abuse my body.

Had a nice 55 minute walk with my wife

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:52:00 +0000

My wife and I drove to the Jordan River Parkway, where I run, and we walked for 55 minutes. It was a slow walk, because the surgeon said to not increase my breathing-rate. The temperature was 32 (F) in the shade during our walk and probably about 40 in the sun. There was no wind, and we had a nice walk.

Today is the 3rd day since my surgery, and the swelling in my upper lip and cheek should start to decrease. When my grandkids came to visit yesterday and today, I called myself "scar-face". I'm putting vitamin E oil on the stitches, along with Clendula ointment, to try and not have permanent scars.

Never Give Up: The Miracle Behind the Miracle

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:33:00 +0000

I don't solicit donations, but I am in this case. Mel is my wife's nephew-in-law, and this story is truly a miracle. Whether you donate towards the film or not, please watch this short video, and then never give up in your life!

Small amounts of walking this week

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:52:00 +0000

On Tuesday morning, my blood pressure was normal, but it was slightly high Tuesday evening (132/68). On Tuesday afternoon, my wife and I walked around the block (20 minutes) and enjoyed the April weather. It is going to be colder for the rest of the week (right now it is 33 (F). We will be taking another short walk later this afternoon. My blood pressure was normal this morning (114/68).

Later: My wife and I walked in our neighborhood for 20 minutes. Temperature was 32, and a light wind was blowing. I'm walking pretty slow to avoid increasing my breathing rate.

No running this week

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:18:00 +0000

This morning I had surgery for a basal cell skin cancer on my lip. The cancer didn't go below the skin and get into the muscle, but it was wide and covered some of my cheek. The doctor said not to run this week but that I can walk slow such that my pulse rate doesn't go up much. He is worried about the stitches breaking through the skin, allowing bleeding to occur. My blood pressure before the surgery was 117/68 and after 168/92. Tonight my blood pressure was 132/73. If I do any walking this week, I'll report that in this blog. I feel pretty good, and I'm heading to bed.

Tired legs took me for a rest run

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:07:00 +0000

I could tell as soon as I started running that my legs were tired. I ran/walked for 30 minutes and then turned around, doing 3.15 miles in the 60 minutes. In the beginning I ran my 3 minute phase and walked my 40 second phase, but I soon started doing more walking and less running. I ended up running for a minute and walking for a minute. With 0.7 miles to go, I took a rest stop for a couple of minutes (stopping my GPS so that time wouldn't be included in my 60 minutes.

I've been thinking about this warm weather we're having. If it keeps up much longer, I'll have to stop telling people I'm from Utah and tell them I'm from Georgia or somewhere in the south. The temperature during my run today was in the low 50s (F), lots of sun, and no wind. Everything was perfect for a great run except my tired legs :(

Today I made my maiden voyage for 2012 for running

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:51:00 +0000

Today was another April-like day with temperatures peaking in the low 50s (F). When I ran in mid afternoon, the temperature was 49. A beautiful, blue sky with white clouds and lots of sun. In my 60-minute rest run I ran 3.25 miles, running for 3 minute at a time and walking for 40 seconds. During the first two cycles of running and walking, I ran about 20 seconds less and walked for 20 seconds more than the cycle given above. However, once my body was warmed up, I ran and walked as described above. After I finished my 60 minutes, I walked for about 1/4 mile to cool-down, and I did my usual stretches after a run.

I saw two horses on the Parkway path. I occasionally see horses, but not very often.

A good long run of 2 hours 20 minutes

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 04:58:00 +0000

I ran/walked for 2 hours 20 minutes and completed 7.6 miles. Utah is having a January thaw in December. The temperature was 49 (F) when I left for my run and the mid 50s when I returned. Even though it was quite warm when I ran, I still wore my long pants, because 50 degrees in the winter seems colder than 50 degrees feels in the summer. I ran south from 100th South for 1 hour 10 minutes and then returned. There was a brisk 10-15 mph head during my run out, and I looked forward to having the wind as a tail wind during my return. However, as often happens, the wind decreased in amplitude, and by the time I turned around, the wind was almost gone. During my return I had a few gusts pushing me, but not the steady wind that I experienced going out. The wind did pick up after I finished my run, and I was glad I had gotten out earlier than I usually do for my run.

For most of the run I ran for three minutes and walked for 40 seconds. For a couple of miles in the middle of my run, I ran for about 2 minutes 45 seconds and walked for about 55 seconds. My only rest stop was a couple of minutes at the 6 mile marker. I started my run at 10:55 am, and I was glad I was out early, because during my run I could see dark storm clouds gathering over the Wasatch Mountains. Unfortunately, the dark clouds didn't bring any rain or snow. We need snow in the mountains, because northern Utah currently has about 17% of the snow we usually have by the end of December.

Nice 60 minute rest run

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:16:00 +0000

I ran/walked 3.36 miles in 60 minutes, a new record for that time. I ran for 3 minutes and walked for 40 seconds, and that configuration worked OK for the hour run. The afternoon temperature was about 40 (F), but I was late going out, and the temp was 39 when I left home and 33 when I returned. There was no noticeable wind. I finished my run just as the sun was setting behind the Oquirrh Mountains.

A new record for 100+ minutes

noreply@blogger.com (Allen) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:18:00 +0000

I ran 6 miles in 108 minutes this afternoon. I've been running 1 minute 50 seconds and walking 40 seconds, but today I ran 3 minutes and walked 40 seconds. Because of doing more running compared to my walking, I did 6 miles. During the morning before my run there were a few snow flakes falling, but during the afternoon when I ran, the sky was partly cloudy. The temperature was in the low 30s (F) when I started and about 29 when I finished. There was a north wind of about 5-10 mph. This wind was a tailwind during the first half of my run and a headwind during the last half. The wind felt cold. The 10 mph gusts made the equivalent temperature be about 21. During the run, the sun was behind dark clouds as well as in open sky, and I felt the welcome heat when the sun was in the open. During the last two miles, my legs started getting tired, and I ran for shorter segments and walked for longer segments. It took me 50 minutes to run 3 miles going south and 58 minutes to run the same distance coming back. The time coming back was longer due to my doing more walking.

I wore my usual 3 layers and felt fine after I warmed up, although I didn't have gloves and my fingers were cold during the run. On the way back I put my hands in the pockets of my wind breaker while I ran and walked, and that helped my fingers a bit. I didn't have a hat, though, and that probably contributed to more heat-loss from my head.

All things considered, it was a nice run. I saw a couple of runners in shorts, and I wondered in their legs were cold. I wore my long pants as I usually do in cold weather.