Running Journal - 2024-12-08 (~27-mile Long Run)

Fall foliage blankets the sunrise-lit path; on South Grimmer Boulevard near the Warm Springs / South Fremont BART station

Alviso Marina County Park, Pond A9 mirroring the mid-day sky & the ridge of the Mission Peak Regional Preserve (part of the Diablo Range) - San Jose, California

Time: 4:25-10:43 a.m. (6 hours 18 minutes)
Resting heart rate (wake-up): 52 bpm
Weight (running clothes): 83.82 kg (184.80 lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 24.4 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 2,018 cal/day
Distance (running): 42.78 km (26.58 mi)
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 1,581.00 km (982.39 mi)
Calories burned: 2,427 kcal
Average heart rate: 129 bpm
Max heart rate: 161 bpm
Weather at start: Overcast ☁️ 🌓 8° C (46.4 F), Humidity 93% Wind: 0 km/h
Terrain: 361 ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: 14'14" /mile
Best pace: 13'17" /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 0/10 (not stinky)
Comments: Wrapped training week #45 with a ~27-mile, easy-pace long run. ✅ Almost 1,000 running miles year-to-date. 👀 Woke at 3:30 a.m., followed by a simple breakfast of a Clif Bar & a cold-brew coffee. Dressed in a long-sleeve technical shirt & shorts. Did 5 things I should always do for night long runs: 1) Garmin HRM-Pro Plus Heart Rate Monitor; 2) Anti-chafing; 3) NipEaze; 4) Headband; and 5) Petzl E49 TacTikka Plus LED Headlamp (c. 2012) ✅ Fed our cats. The previous evening I had prepped by downloading an extra audiobook, replacing the batteries of the headlamp, and partially filling & burping the bladder of my Nathan - QuickStart 2.0 6 L Hydration Pack. Packed a Clif Bar in its right-front vest pocket for easy access. In the back zippered storage, packed another Clif Bar and the "Petzl Poche Carry Case for Tikka Series Headlamps". My left-front vest pocket stored my Skullcandy Sesh Evo earbuds charging case. Routed the drinking tube down the left vest, then across my chest, and then finally back up along the right vest, securing the locking bite valve to the hose clip. ✅ To-date this represents the best solution I've used to wrangle the hose. In my back zippered shorts pocket I stashed an ID & credit card for emergencies, as well as a house key. Wore my Petzl headlamp over my Suntory ALL-FREE swag headband from the San Francisco Marathon 2024 expo. I felt relatively OK with ~3-4 hours sleep--not great, but better than the ~1 hour of sleep on my October 27 long run when I had trouble focusing on the ground as I ran. 😵‍💫

The start at ~4:30 a.m. was chilly. To my northeast in the Central Valley near Folsom, runners were perhaps just opening their eyes--if they managed to sleep at all--and beginning to prepare for the California International Marathon (CIM). The humid air around me was hazily lit by street lamps and the odd passing car. Exhaled breaths of water vapor quickly condensed and turned white in my headlamp's beam. Listened to an audiobook and began running slow, building trust with the light of the headlamp. The Petzl helped immensely with navigating obstacles. Not one stumble today, aside from bumping a lightweight fallen branch. I still ran relatively slowly though. 

Fueling--I ate as I felt hungry, instead of by time/mileage. This really helped. I think I nibbled my way through one bar by mile 12, and about 3/4 of the 2nd bar by mile 20. So ~1.75 bars after ~5 hours. Next time a 3rd bar might help further.

I followed a familiar route, noting the usual hazards. 

Copper wire theft has darkened a long section of street lights along my route 🏴‍☠️ Coincidentally, this represents where I fell and scraped my knuckles in October 🤬 Copper thieves also leave dangerous and invisible sidewalk holes when they remove, damage, or only partially-replace the covers of streetlight electrical vaults. 😰 In several spots they also have littered the sidewalk with long strands of thick heavyweight electrical cable. 😝

Dark outlines of barely-visible trees next to sidewalks also represent a visual hint to take extra care, as their hidden roots may raise the concrete sidewalk slabs unevenly, creating a trip hazard. One solution is to smooth the concrete by grinding it down.

Navigated all the hazards without major stumbles this time, thanks to experience & the headlamp. 😮‍💨

The four stages of sunrise began, barely perceptively at first: 1) Astronomical Twilight, at 5:38 a.m. (my ~5-6 mile mark); 2) Nautical Twilight at 6:08 a.m. (~7-8 mile mark); Civil Twilight at 6:41 a.m. (~9.75 mile mark); and 4) Sunrise at 7:10 a.m. (~12.5 mile mark). The sky was visibly brightening by 6:40 a.m., when I reached a Walmart Supercenter along my route (it opens at 6:00 a.m.). After 2 hours of very little human activity, I found myself dodging shoppers and carts as I ran by the entrance. The rest of the McCarthy Ranch Shopping Center seemed closed. 

Leaving the shopping center behind, the sky had brightened enough to allow for stowing the headlamp in my back zippered storage. For the first time, I decided to skip returning home and retrace my route, finishing with ~20-21 miles completed instead of 14-15 miles. 🙂 I had not stumbled & injured myself. Fueling seemed to have gone better--eating Clif Bars somewhat more frequently and as I felt hungry seemed to keep my energy and mood elevated. I was only sipping water. Though I was sweating, the chilly conditions and slower pace kept me from losing too much. My earbuds began reporting "Battery Low" as they did on past long runs, so I began quick-charging them one at a time. Per the Skullcandy web site, "10 Minutes of charge for the earbuds will provide 2+ hours of playtime". 👀 

It was so lovely to run with full visibility. I'd like to say at this point that my pace rapidly accelerated, but sadly, no--it did not, as my upper leg & butt muscles felt sore. However, I did find I could run slightly faster and certainly with more confidence. Anecdotally, I want to say I had a negative split--my run intervals seemed faster. I finished one audiobook and began another I had prepped the night before. 

The fall foliage was lovely, though with recent wind & rain, the trees have dropped much of their leaves.

At home, I rested and recharged. Hydrated with an electrolyte disc. Dawn was up and had breakfast. We drove to the Alviso Marina County Park and continued our run along the trail next to the ponds. We went slow, continuing the 1:00/1:00 run/walk intervals. A woman was walking quickly ahead of us and we kept pace with her, finally losing sight of her after we turned back at the 3.5-mile mark. One person was wearily carrying heavy weights on their back. An unleashed dog barked toward them as it passed and they told the couple walking with the dog to leash it. Apparently not only was the dog unleashed, but the park prohibits dogs on the trail. This was not the only dog we saw, for what it is worth. We like seeing dogs, but can understand having them potentially running after wildlife in a wildlife sanctuary does not represent the best outcome. The wind was calmer, so the ponds looked like mirrors. No rustling tule grasses or lapping waves. I reached 26.22 miles on the return to the car. We ran a bit farther, then walked the last mile. The weather was perfect--high 50's F and sunny. After we visited Teaspoon for the first time in several years, treating ourselves to dessert drinks. At home we showered and relaxed for the rest of the day. For supper I had the strongest craving for tavern-style pizza (ala Chicago or Milwaukee), but already had my pj's on, so we ended up ordering-in Filipino food. 😋

Overall the run went better than I expected. I attribute this to fueling during the run, as well as slightly better sleep/rest the day before. Lots of room to keep improving. My shoes now have 79.6 miles (of 400) used up (19.9%). Overall--my legs feel moderately sore, but I did it 💪🏼
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Legs moderately sore, bit tired
Foods eaten today: Kirkland Signature Colombian Cold Brew Coffee - 11 fl oz, Clif Bar - Chocolate Chip (x2) & Chocolate Brownie (x1), Vöost Hydrate supplement - Black Cherry, Nature's Bakery Fig Bar - 2 oz twin pack (Raspberry), Kalesa Restaurant - Pancit Miki Bihon (Rice noodles with thick egg noddles, shrimp, chicken & veggies wok fried in soy sauce and spices; x0.25), Nyåkers original gingersnap cookies (x2), La Croix sparkling water (12 oz), Two Bite Pumpkin Spice Madeleine (8 oz, x2), Safeway Signature Select Ice Cream Alaskan Classics Premium Mint Moose Tracks, Teaspoon - Dirty Ube (Coconut infused Ube with organic coffee and organic milk) & brownie (x0.25)

Running Journal - 2024-10-27 (28-mile Long Run)

Fall foliage: red, orange, and green

All done ✅ 👍🏼

Time: 1:20 a.m.-2:35 p.m. (running time: 7:07:16)
Resting heart rate (wake-up): 71 bpm
Weight (running clothes): 84.64 kg (186.60 lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 24.6 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 2,030 cal/day
Distance (running): 45.09 km (28.02 mi)
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 1,397.09 km (868.11 mi)
Calories burned: 3,397 kcal
Average heart rate: 117 bpm
Max heart rate: 156 bpm
Weather at start: Clear 🌘 16° C (60.8° F), Humidity 94% Wind: 7 km/h
Terrain: 623 ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: 15'15" /mile
Best pace: 14'07" /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 0/10 (slightly stinky)
Comments: Wrapping the 39th week of the year with an easy-pace 28.0-mile long run. Finished just shy of mileage marker 1,400 km for the calendar year. Temperatures were moderate (60-70 F). Started my run during the night hours; i.e., at the coolest part of the day. The downside was the lack of sleep. I put my head on my pillow around 11:00 p.m. Awoke around 12:15 a.m. from a dream. Got dressed. Did 4 things I should always do: 1) Garmin HRM-Pro Plus Heart Rate Monitor; 2) Anti-chafing; 3) NipEaze; and 4) Headband ✅ No sunblock needed. Fed the cats, had some cold brew coffee. Realized I was short on Clif Bars. Had cereal instead. Filled & put on the Nathan - QuickStart 2.0 6 L Hydration Pack. The pack has a 1.5 L bladder in the back, and the 6 L moniker seems to mean it has 6 L total storage. In the back zippered storage I put 1 Clif bar, 2 GU gel packs (which I ended up not using) and my mask. In the front-left zippered pouch I put my house key and my Skullcandy Sesh Evo earbuds charging case. In the front-right un-zippered pouch I stored the partially-eaten Clif Bar as I ran. I had forgotten how to manage my drinking hose, so initially stashed the tube tip in my right vest mesh pocket 😛 Saw the hose clip later in the morning. Watching a video on how to clean the pack, I now see an optional way: feed the tube down the left vest, across the chest, and up through the hose clip, so the hose is closer to the mouth 🤔 Sounds good. Turned the bladder upside-down and sucked the air out (they called it burping it, I think), so I did this as well in an attempt to stop sloshing noises. Headed outside. My muscles felt relatively OK. Traffic was minimal. Listened to an audiobook and ran. Ran slow. The early miles were mostly devoid of traffic. I did not pass homeless persons today. Unlike last time, I mostly obeyed stop lights at minor intersections. Early on, a cyclist yelled something, and a mini SUV pulled into a storage building cut-out in front of me. I was not sure what had happened, so I kept running (maybe the driver narrowly missed the cyclist?). The darkness continued to pose some challenges. At the 7-mile mark, I tripped on a raised asphalt patch in the bike lane. 😝 Scraped my left knuckles. Otherwise just minor scrapes, thankfully. About a mile later, I was running on the sidewalk, and stumbled on a raised sidewalk seam. I caught myself, but felt a strain in my left hamstring. 😓 It was not a sharp pain, but it did limit my range of movement, further slowing the run. I had 20 miles to go, and felt flustered and disquiet. I thought I was taking care, first on the bike lane (i.e., avoiding sidewalk seams), and then on the sidewalk (i.e., avoiding oncoming traffic). However, in both cases I was unable to avoid injuring myself. The lack of sleep seemed to play a role--I had trouble focusing on the ground as I ran, and I was shuffling due to running slow, which caused issues with lifting my feet over the uneven paths. Made a note to myself to equip the Petzl head lamp I have stored somewhere, and use it on future runs. The overall run was to be broken into two parts: 1) 14 miles (or longer); and 2) 14 miles. Now I was slightly injured. I resolved to at least finish out the first 14 miles. Hitting the 10-mile mark and getting into double-digits helped mentally. Ran past an Amazon warehouse, then through the empty parking lot of a shopping complex. No security guard sitting at an outdoor patio table this time. The Walmart parking lot was partially full with people sleeping in vehicles, so I ran instead past the front doors. Walmart allows individual store managers to determine if they want to let people park overnight in their parking lots, and I did not want to disturb them by running close to them. At roughly the 12.5-mile mark, I reached a point where I had to determine whether to go home or do another 8-mile loop. I decided to go home and take care of my scrapes, rest, and refuel. This decision was bolstered by my Sesh Evo earbuds reporting "Battery Low" a few minutes later. Looking back I can see how I thought it might make sense to keep pushing through, but I am glad to have decided to rest. Finished mile 14 around 4:45 a.m., at home. Showered, hydrated, bandaged my scrapes, took ibuprofen, and slept for a few hours. The sun was visible when I woke. Overall, felt sore. Had another bowl of cereal & cup of coffee. Decided to go on a run with Dawn around the neighborhood and see if my left leg would let me continue/finish the long run. Applied sunblock and changed into fresh exercise clothes. At first, it was slow going, but after about a mile, I felt warmed up and relatively OK. We stopped and said hello to the cats near one house, and said hello to the woman who came out to check on us interacting with them. One white cat had vivid blue eyes. Big thanks to Dawn for helping me get back out there and through the feelings of discouragement and caution. Finished this exploratory run after about 4-5 miles, which left about 10 miles to go. Leaving home solo, I headed on a repeat 10-mile loop. Traffic was moderate, but no problems (in fact drivers seemed considerate on several occasions). At a light-rail underpass, observed a man sitting under it with their bicycle parked below them along the path. Gave them as much distance as I could so they might not feel alarmed at getting their bicycle taken. The barriers have been removed on the street leading to the light rail station. Ate a honey striker for energy. These miles went by like a blur. I looked for where I had stumbled. There were a few spots in the bike lane that had blisters of asphalt, so not 100% sure of the exact spot. The audiobook was engaging and helped take my mind off the run. Ran faster mile splits on this 2nd half, but nothing close to the pace I'd hope for during a marathon 😛 Finished near home, and walked for about 0.5 miles before showering, hydration, etc. This was my first 28-mile run since July 7, 2024 (about 16 weeks ago), in the run-up to the San Francisco 2024 Marathon on July 28 (~13 weeks ago). My shoes now have 365 miles (of 400) used up (91%). Overall--my ankles hurt, my legs hurt, but I did it.  
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Bit tired
Foods eaten today: Kashi GO Toasted Berry Crisp Cereal with nonfat milk, Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew Coffee from concentrate (16 oz), Tailwind Nutrition Recovery Drink Mix - Chocolate - 8 oz, Aidells Smoked Chicken Sausage & sauerkraut & Trader Joe's dill mustard & brioche bun (x2), Vicini's Pizza - slice of The Vodka Pie & garlic knot, K on the Go - Ube Flan Frappe with Puff Cream & lemon cheesecake (x0.5), Clif Bar - peanut butter crunch (x2), Vöost Hydrate supplement - Black Cherry,

Running Journal - 2024-07-07 (28-mile Long Run)

"Jerry Garcia's hand" crossing light signal

Time: 5:17-2:17 p.m. (~9 hours; 6 hours 50 minutes of which was active exercise) 
Resting heart rate: 126 (15 minutes after exercise)
Weight (running clothes): 81.47 kg (179.60 lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 23.7 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 1,982 cal/day
Distance (running): 45.09 km (28.02 mi)
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 876.06 km (544.36 mi)
Calories burned: 3,504 kcal
Average heart rate: 118 bpm
Max heart rate: 166 bpm
Weather at start: mostly sunny, then sunny 🌤️ ☀️ 18-31° C (64-88° F), Humidity 85 to 40% Wind: 2-10 km/h
Terrain: 663 ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: 14'38" /mile
Best pace: 13'45" /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 0/10 (not stinky)
Comments: 28 mile day 💪🏼 Week 23 done (of 26) ✅ This represents my 3rd 28-mile run! The others: 1) May 29, 2006; and 2) April 7, 2007. Re-reading those posts brings back so many details I had forgotten 💜 On both previous 28-mile runs, it took about the same amount of time as it did today 😅 Remembered the 5 things I should always do: 1) Garmin HRM-Pro Plus Heart Rate Monitor; 2) Anti-chafing; 3) Moleskin on feet; 4) Sunblock; and 5) NipEaze ✅ Awoke at 4:45 a.m. Ate, cared for cats, had a bit of coffee. Goal was to begin at first light and I tink I did pretty good. Traffic was very light. Listened to audiobooks. Passed 2 men sitting on a bus-stop bench and smoking weed. Stopped at a convenience store at mile 5 and drank Gatorade. The most extreme temperature days of the heat wave last week has passed. However, this morning was still warm--65 F to start, well above the preferred 60 F. Very humid also until after 9:00 a.m.. The Coyote Creek Lagoon Trail was mostly empty. Passed a gaggle of geese. Watched large-eared jackrabbits bounding in the tall golden grasses. A possum (!) sighting, my first in recent memory. It wandered about and eventually crawled under a fence. Gnats were a nuisance on the gravel path, but avoided most by staying on the right-hand side. The sun had crested the foothills. I think a fisherman was seated in the "Angry Chair" but I am not 100% sure. Back on the sidewalk I passed a few early-morning runners. The sparrows were feasting on bugs near the abandoned bridge. At home, Dawn and I got ready for a 5-mile run. This worked out pretty good--it breaks up the 8-mile remainder after 2 x 10-mile loops. I washed the dust and gnats off my face & calves, re-applied all the sunblock, changed clothes, and off we went. It was really nice to have company. It still felt humid, but it was slowly burning off. It was 68 F I think when we started. Warm, but not overly so (yet). We ran to Warm Springs Community Center & Park, stopping for water at the ballpark fountain. One person was practicing tennis serves. Lots of people setting-up for church, or walking dogs, or just talking. We cut a bit of distance off the run so Dawn could get to a celebration with friends. During this changeover, I took a quick shower, washing my hair & shaving, re-applying sunblock, changing shirt. At this point I had roughly 12 miles left. I re-ran the 10-mile loop. It was getting noticeably hot--stepping out the door and feeling the heat was a warning. It is tempting to run faster in order to finish sooner--but it is easier to slow down and avoid injury. My legs started to feel less responsive. The sun had risen higher. Shade becomes more difficult to find. When possible, I detoured a bit to run in parking lots as shade was present. It was so much more pleasant! Accidentally beaned my head on a branch which turned out to be more sturdy than anticipated. 😝 It bruised slightly, but not so bad. Passed a student driver practicing parking and reversing. After ~2 miles, I stopped and bought a banana and a Gatorade. This was helpful, given how much I was sweating. About halfway to the next convenience store, I realized I had forgotten to resume my smart watch after waiting at a stoplight. 🤬 I think it was only 0.1-0.2 miles, but it was frustrating. Passed a man who was illegally affixing a vinyl sign advertising his business on a chain-link fence. Got a 28-ounce Gatorade & a cheese stick (should have gotten two to better fuel). I thought at first 28 ounces was overkill, but I downed it all and was grateful. Passed a stand of large fennel plants which smelled like anise candies my mom when I was a child. 😊 Saw two pelicans on the Coyote Creek Lagoon Trail 💜 No gnats on the 2nd time through. Saw one person on a side-trail observing something, and one person fishing on one side of an inlet-outlet gate, and a snowy egret on the other 😅 Both looking for fish. In the distance the areas toward the bay looked white--unclear to me why. This was a tough stretch to get through--it felt hot, and my body was not responding as I preferred. I love running through this trail though, which helped. The rest of the run home was uneventful. I had debated tacking-on another 2 miles before getting home, but I decided to play it safe and take a break, then finish the remainder. This worked out well. I refueled, cleaned up, re-applied sunblock, changed clothing, cooled down, then headed out again. The last 2.5 miles was local; about 1.5 out and 1 back, then walked home to cool down. I found my morale rallying and was able to pick up the pace a bit, but then relaxed and finished at a slower pace. Several times I had felt a bit light-headed on the last 5 or so miles, while waiting. When I got home I had more Gatorade, then sat on the stairs and just rested for a few minutes. Took a shower, then a cool-water bath. Then relaxed in bed. To celebrate, we ordered-in Mexican-American 😋 🌯 Overall, it went OK--I think I might have fueled better. Hydration was great; food needed improvement. Clothing changes was great. Breaking up the runs was great. Audiobooks were great. The worst part was heat & humidity. Health & hills were not an issue. Shoes worked great (3 weeks ago was very painful), though my left foot felt a bit chafed on top, and the usual issue with toes hurting a bit. My right knee was a bit sore, but overall OK. The total time lasted about nine freaking hours. 🙃 The total running time was less--6 hours, 50 minutes. Which was acceptable for an "easy" paced long run. This extended my previous long run by 2 miles. Dawn mentioned the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run was last weekend during the heat wave 😭 🌡️ I have not read the reviews but hoping everyone stayed healthy.
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Toes sore, right knee slightly sore, exhausted overall
Foods eaten today: Kashi GO Toasted Berry Crisp Cereal with nonfat milk, Trader Joe's Organic French Roast Cold Brew Coffee (8 oz), Tailwind Nutrition Recovery Drink Mix - Chocolate - 16 oz (x3), banana (x2.5), Gatorade Thirst Quencher - Cool Blue (20 oz) & Glacier Freeze (28 oz), Gatorade Gatorlyte Electrolyte Beverage - Glacier Cherry & Mixed Berry (20 Oz), Sargento Pepper Jack Natural Cheese Snack Stick, De Los Altos Taqueria - Veggie Burrito & Carne Asada French Fries (x0.2), River City Root Beer (12 oz)

Running Journal, Saturday, 2007-04-07

Running Journal, Saturday, 2007-04-07
Resting heart rate: 55 bpm (60-second test, early morning)
Body Mass Index (BMI): (kilograms/(meters^2)) 22.673
Weather: overcast
Temp: 11-21 C (51.8-69.8 F)
Time: 07:45-13:45
Terrain: mostly flat, some hills

Comments: 28 miles--a new personal best. I woke up around sunrise, ate breakfast, dressed, and arrived at the Parkway at 07:42. As I exited my car a deer bolted from the small hill adjacent to Bridge Street. It's springtime along the American River Parkway. Perfume fills the air, saturated purple and orange petals line the bike path for miles and miles. Fields full of wildflowers seem ripe for a lazy picnic (such as the field near the mile 16 marker). A cool breeze greeted my walk across the pedestrian bridge. I'd remembered everything--the new pair of shoes, the lip balm, sunblock. I left my sunglasses in the car since the weather looked overcast. I had about five hours of sleep, but I felt rested physically, due to taking Friday off. The Saturday morning Parkway crowd consisted of packs of running teams and bikers. Some of them wore shirts reading A.I.M.. I'm not sure what organization this was--it didn't seem to be the Greater Sacramento/Northern Nevada Leukemia & Lymphoma Society "Team In Training" folks. On the mile markers I noticed paper notices announcing the inaugural City of Sacramento Police Department's City of Trees Woman's Marathon on Sunday, April 29. I forced myself to run slowly, or at the very least, what I thought was slowly, from the very beginning. It turned out I wasn't running much slower than 5.0 mph. By my guesstimates, I was averaging about 12:00-12:30 minute miles. I kept my arms loose and straight, which helped reduce fatigue. After an hour or two, the overcast sky broke up, and sun began pouring through, brightening the landscape and (less pleasantly for me) heating the air. I noticed that the water fountains on the Parkway trail near miles 14 and 12 have been turned on again, and that they may be repairing the fountain near mile 15. I also noticed that the fountain under the Howe Avenue bridge has too little pressure to be useful, but another fountain near mile 7 works great. I must have missed the fountain near mile 7 on my last 28-mile run (almost 11 months ago now). I stopped at the half-way point (mile 6) at 10:53. They have a plaque there that reads, United States Constitution Grove\A living legacy of 213 California Valley Oaks planted by community volunteers April 9, 1988\Sacramento City/County Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution and the Sacramento Tree Foundation. Due to the mid-March catastrophic Sacramento railway trestle fire, I noticed signs closing down the Parkway beginning at mile 6. The signs read, S.C.O. 9.36.040\Area Closed for Public Safety\Do Not Enter. A kiosk there talks about the Bushy Lake Preservation Act, which includes Bushy Lake, a man-made lake in the California Expo flood plain. The Bushy Lake area contains: mixed woody riparian vegetation; elderberry savannah; sandbar vegetation; herbaceous vegetation; willows; cottonwoods; oaks (valley oaks are the tallest oaks in the Sacramento area); great blue herons; large mouth bass; red tailed hawks; and deer mice. The valley grasslands include wild oats (Avena fatua and A. barbata), creeping wild rye (Leymus triticoides), sweet fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), star thistle (Centaurea solstitialis), soft chess (Bromus hordeaceus), and other annuals. The map on the kiosk pointed out several things I had not noticed or known the names too--I had run underneath the J Street bridge; Glen Hall Park (apparently behind the golf course); Paradise Beach; Guy West Bridge at CSUS; the filtration plant; and Rio Americano High School. I began running back at 11:08. The greatest enemies on a long run are boredom and impatience, and I faced both on the return trip. The steady stream of morning runners had evaporated, leaving only the whirring rush of bikers or the occasional pedestrians. The sun heated the air, causing additional sweat and labor. The terrain was a repeat of the first half. I noticed at the CSUS Campus Commons golf course that a number of laborers were trenching and installing white two-inch PVC irrigation pipes on holes five and six. The bike dancer that I noticed on March 2 passed me near mile 9 and waved. I noticed him parking his bike to my left, on the levee trail, dismounting, and dancing. I wanted to know what he's listening to but he didn't pass me again. About a mile later, I began playing leapfrog with four bikers--two men and their daughters. They were laboring to bike in the early afternoon heat, and the second pair fell behind. As I passed them, I overheard the man attempt to encourage his daughter by telling her that their destination was William B. Pond Park, and that it was only a couple miles farther (it was three miles away at this point). He followed up with, We're going one mile every four minutes or so, which either was a lie or ignorance, because the daughter wasn't buying it and looked like she wanted to stop and rest. I don't think they ever made it, because I passed the lead pair a few minutes later as they waited, and they didn't pass me again. As I recrossed the Harold M. Richey Memorial Bike Bridge between Goethe Park and William B. Pond Park, a biker tapped me on the arm as he passed. It was an old co-worker, Tom Haviland! I've run on the Parkway for 15 months and never met someone I knew until today. He and his partner are practicing for the Chico Velo Wildflower Century Bicycle Race. A few minutes later, a pair of bikes passed me--a father with a daughter in a child carrier and another daughter on a bike with training wheels. As I walked, the younger daughter turned and looked at me as her father slowly paced himself next to the daughter on training wheels. I smiled and waved at the daughter in the child carrier and she quickly turned away. A few moments later, she turned back and I smiled and waved again. This time she smiled and turned away again. It was an impromptu game of peek-a-boo. I can't even imagine how bored she might have been sitting there for such an extended period of time--I'm glad I helped provide some entertainment. This continued for a bit longer until I began running again. As I passed them going uphill, I noticed the daughter on the bike struggling to ascend a steep hill. Finally, she stopped, and the father (perhaps impatient or fearful of losing his balance) pushed her forward with his left hand and urged her to go. The daughter reacted negatively toward this (I can't imagine it felt so great to be pushed). After I passed I heard the daughter begin to get upset and the father exclaim, Sorry, sorry (I saw that coming a mile away) but then he got defensive and started to explain why he had to push her. The whole time I'm thinking, Man, that guy's clueless with how to encourage his daughter up the hill. Their mother was waiting for them at the water fountain a few meters up the trail. As I passed her, I heard her asking if her family wanted to rest. A few minutes later, I noticed the father zoom by me, alone, with the youngest daughter in the child carrier. So I'm guessing he felt impatience and frustration and wanted to get his exercise in. A few more minutes passed, and I saw him returning, so I guess he probably went about a mile and turned around. I wished him patience and continued. The last five miles are always the hardest. Miles 14-15.5, 17-18 and 19-19.5 are away from the river and can get hot without the cool breezes. My mind leaped ahead, savoring the finish when it still is maybe 30 minutes out. At mile 18, another extraordinary event happened. A biker passing me says, Hey, Kevin! It was John Blake, another old co-worker! We chatted for a few minutes and he said he also planned to bike in the upcoming Chico Velo Wildflower Century Bicycle Race. He planned to bike 70 miles that day and was feeling sore in his back from the headwind (which felt good to me ;). It was good to see both of them. After we parted, I finished the run without incident, feeling pretty good for having run 28 miles. As I walked toward the river to soak my legs, a man sitting on top of a picnic table with a can of beer in an insulated holder and a bike next to him said to me, It's gonna rain man (imagine Cheech and Chong inflection). We talked for a few moments and he shared that he had been homeless for 20 years (not presently) and that he could feel the rain coming and see it in the animals and the birds. I initially told him that the weather forecast predicted a few afternoon showers, and he replied, I don't need the weather report, man. He seemed harmless, a bit lonely. As it turned out, it didn't rain (to my knowledge). I soaked in the calm, cold waters of the American River next to the pedestrian bridge, and watched two fishers next to me cast and retrieve. Three kayakers passed by, as did some Mallard ducks and a white crane. It's wonderful to soak again after so many months. I walked back up to the pedestrian bridge and headed home.
Exercise Time: 07:48-14:24 (6:36 minutes, including downtime)

Goal Time: 6:00 (12:51/mile pace)
Distance (running): 45.06 km (28.0 mi)
Total Running Distance For Year: 500.11 km (321.79 mi)
Weight (after exercise): 77.6 kg (171.11 lbs), 16% body fat
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?:
Foods eaten today: two bowls of Honey Bunches of Oats cereal with peaches and soy milk, banana

Running journal, Monday, 2006-05-29

Running journal, Monday, 2006-05-29
Resting heart rate: 61 bpm (60 second test)
Day: Thursday
Date: 2006-05-29
Weather: Mostly sunny, 2 m/s wind
Temp: 27.78 C (82 F)
Time: 12:47-20:48 (16:20 split)
Terrain: flat
Comments: Came back from vacation Sunday evening and decided to run a full marathon today. Then I decided to go five miles farther than I did previously to give myself more endurance. As I ran past the 17-mile marker, a trio of bikers passed me and asked, "Are you Russian?" I did not respond since they asked after I passed, but I thought about saying "Nyet." As I passed the 18-mile marker on the way out, I noticed lots of cheering people out on the American River on rafts. Three police vehicles were in the parking lot and a crowd had assembled on the banks of the river. Apparently people beached their rafts and were enjoying themselves with drinks and food. The cheers occurred as a motorized orange raft passed carrying several passengers, one with a video camera enclosed in a waterproof cover. Fun. At the 11-marker I noticed someone has used chalk to write "I *heart* U" using one of the numerals, and also added some flowers. I enjoy seeing clever, positive graffiti. As I approached the 10-mile marker, a father and son passed me on bikes, and I overheard the son ask the father how old he was. The father said he was 40, and the son replied, "I thought you were 39.99." I laughed, I love it. There is no water from the Watt Avenue bridge (around eight-mile marker) and the six-mile marker where I turned around. Those four miles were tough, in direct sunlight, no water. I realized at that point that the heat affected my distance, bringing the wall in closer. At the 13-mile marker, I stopped, and relaxed on the ground, exhausted, arms tingling a bit. A passing runner called out to a man standing behind me, "Is he all right?" The man behind me said yes, and the runner said, "When I see a runner on the ground I get nervous." I felt happy to hear this concern. I lay there for about 15 minutes, then I got up, dusted myself off, and began walking back the last seven miles. As I walked, I felt better and better. I noticed that my hands were swollen, not sure why. At the 14-mile marker, I heard a man to my left say "Please, please." I looked and an older man with a cane was on his knees on a trail in the tall grass. I walked over and helped him to his feet, and walked him up to the bike trail. He was covered in stickies from plants, and spoke little English (sounded Russian). He saw his nephew, and called out to him. They thanked me and I wished them a good evening. The parks were full of people enjoying Memorial Day. As I walked back along the mile 17-marker, I noticed a white bird of prey hovering in the air, then diving into the tall grass out of sight. As I approached, I heard a screeching sound like a hawk. While I've seen birds hover, I have not seen them dive. I noticed on the return that people have added graffiti of a tail to the "winding road" sign, and the words"Snake Xing." Cute. Along the 14-mile marker there is a downed branch that looks a lot like a dragon's head. As I walked, the sun set, and bugs and other animals came out to feed. I saw six deer, a rabbit, and felt many mosquitos. Passed an Asian family with fishing poles, a couple walking with arms around each other, and bikes with lights on. I have decided a number of things from today's run. First, new shoes. Second, run in the morning. Third, bring water. I think without the heat I might have made the full distance.
Time: 481 minutes (8:01)
Goal Time: n/a
Distance: 45.16 km (28 mi) http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=210093
Total Distance For Year: 646.0 km (386.5 mi)
Weight (after run): unknown
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: sore knee joints, sore muscles. Left big toe a bit sore but ok.
Foods eaten today: oatmeal with brown sugar, raisins, and soy milk, stuffing