Running Journal, Monday, 2006-10-23

Running Journal, Monday, 2006-10-23
Resting heart rate: 64 bpm (60 second test)
Weather: sunny, 2 m/s wind
Temp: 24.4 C (76 F)
Time: 12:30-2:00
Terrain: mild hills
Comments: Dawn and I ran east from Bridge Street for 22 minutes then walked to the Nimbus Fish Hatchery. It was hot today in the early afternoon sun and we both felt it sap our energy. As we approached the hatchery, we met the man who maintains the cat food and water dishes near the fence. He looked like he weighed about 180 lbs., about 6'1", had a black goatee, maybe in his 50's. He had a bike with a plastic grocery bag over one handle and was listening to music through wrap-around headphones. We said hello and after confirming it was he who fed the cats, he pointed out that he feeds them every day. Two cats, one marmalade and the other a greyish-white, ate calmly in their dishes, looking up at us a few times before resuming their meal. He also mentioned he felt nervous that the cats might bolt as we approached, that he has also seen the black cat I have, and that the cats often run under the fence before they feel comfortable enough to eat. As we left we thanked him and he petted the marmalade cat a few times. At the hatchery, we saw three raceway ponds filled with tiny rainbow steelhead trout. The workers were cutting off the adipose fins of the anesthetized steelheads in the raceways so fishers might identify hatchery-raised trout. The law prohibits taking of non-hatchery fish by fishers. The sign we read claimed removal of the adipose fin does not hurt the survival rates of the fish. We noticed that for a nickel children might purchase fish food. A driver operating a motorized cart dispensed food to the raceways through a bucket and extended five-inch chute system. The fish ladder was not in operation during our visit, but at the base of the ladder we viewed the large adult chinook (king) salmon. Dawn and I enjoyed watching and learning how the salmon jump upriver (lots of rapid caudal-fin flapping combined with other muscles), although they could not pass through the metal weirs (removable fences) erected across the river. We walked to the western five raceways and noticed three workers with large brooms wading and sweeping the debris from the tanks. We left the raceways and continued our run back to Bridge Street. The return trip was downhill and a bit shadier than the ascent.
Time: 74 minutes (1:14)
Goal Time: n/a
Distance: 8.59 km (5.33 mi) http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=508452
Total Distance For Year: stopped counting after first marathon
Weight (after run): 82.0 kg (180.4 lbs)
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Legs felt a bit sore today after running 13 miles on Saturday and walking/standing for a few hours at the Crocker Art Museum on Sunday. Otherwise OK. I noticed I have a moderately-sized black-and-blue spot on my toe from the Whistlestop marathon. My left foot is about a quarter-size larger than my right so it tends to take more of a beating during endurance marathons. I'm hoping it holds up ok during the NYC marathon.
Foods eaten today: Powerbar, banana, Trader Joe's Middle East Feast, orange juice, Golden Delicious apple