Sunday 26 July 2009

62°F, clear, sunny, calm. Today will be a hot one, it already was by the end of this run. I was on the trail at 0725.

Keating4 in something like 50 minutes but I don't know because I fumbled the watch at the beginning of the run. When I clicked it to end it said 0830, because I hadn't turned the stopwatch on apparently. So I know that I stopped running at 0830, and it takes me about ten minutes to walk to the start line from the parking lot. 0735 to 0830 would be 55 minutes, but I don't think I was going that slow. So...

Whatever the time, it was good to get another run in, now 5 days in a row if I'm not mistaken. I saw the Every-Day Bicycle Man again, who definitely recognized me. I saw him twice. He pedals standing up, almost constantly I think. I was thinking about that, what a workout it would be. When I try that it's really awkward, my knees don't like it, I feel like I'm going to lose control of the bike. I think it might be good for upper body as well as legs.

The dogs at True Creekbend came out to greet me today. I haven't seen them in a long time.

Saturday 25 July 2009

62°F, clear, sunny, calm. 83° predicted today. I was on the trail at about 0730 and it was already warm, and became warmer. I drank a quart of water before leaving, and I was not sorry.

Picnic 1:04:02.25. I felt OK but started to run out of gas in part 7. The last hill after the Bar King, and the last part of the run was very difficult, but I made it to the finish.

Lots of folks on the trail, several other runners, cyclists and walkers.

Friday 24 July 2009

55°F, overcast, calm. Another lovely cool and cloudy morning, predicted to be 79 and partly cloudy later. Yesterday was very nice, with a beautiful cool evening.

Keating4 in 51:22.50. Unaccountably today I feel much better, and the run felt very good all the way through.

In part 4, near True Creekbend, I saw a little rabbit. He/she hopped out into the trail but beat it back into the brush when my big feet arrived. At that point I noticed another runner coming from the Arline road direction, which turned out to be a remarkably pretty young woman I don't think I've seen on the trail before.

Ah, nature.

Thursday 23 July 2009

58°F, overcast, light fog in spots, calm. We're having a little respite from the heat but that is supposed to end soon. The weekend is predicted to be very hot.

Keating 51:55.36 and a wonder that I completed it. I feel very fat today, my thighs rub together, my abdomen flops up and down. My ass weighs 100 lbs. I could barely lift my fat leg to get back into the truck

Familiar walkers spotted on the way back, a couple of cyclists without a clue, and one runner at the very beginning, on his way back to SP as I walked toward the start.

Wednesday 22 July 2009

58°F, overcast, calm. A nice relief from yesterday's heat. On trail at 0640.

Keating 51:35.15. I didn't feel my best. An ill-advised Mexican dinner last night has me in digestive distress. Very hot yesterday, and up too late.

I saw the Dr Monday about my sinuses, and having no sense of smell. He sent me to have a CT scan. I haven't heard anything about that so far.

There were a couple of walkers, the friendly biker I often see with an orange jacket, and the bald-headed big fellow on the recumbent trike was out.

Sunday 19 July 2009

55°F and going up fast. Predicted high 70s today, into the 80s tomorrow. Calm, clear, sunny. I was on the trail at about 0830.

County 59:05.01. The whole run felt pretty difficult, I was still pretty sore from yesterday, but I was fairly confident of completing OK, and did. My right hip and thigh were complaining while walking to the start, but that disappeared, although I did feel a slight pain right in the middle front of my right leg/hip area -- a new one, I think. All smoothed out OK.

Many cyclists, not one with the courtesy to warn before passing. Very few with the understanding of how to pass, how to ride single file, etc., but I restrained myself and didn't yell or bitch at anyone. A few other runners, including a Mom with 2 cute little girls on bikes. A beautiful day, all in all.

Saturday 18 July 2009

58°F, some haze and clouds, calm, humid. On trail at 0610.

Snagnotch bench in 1:23:34.70. Rather slow, and difficult, but I did do it, and before the heat of the day gets going. It is, however, only supposed to go to 79 today, instead of into the 80s like yesterday.

I saw the edb man again, actually twice, so I guess he is on an early schedule. That's probably why I haven't seen him during the week, he's out there at 5 with the ymg. I also saw Gary, the guy who ran with me a while ago, but only in passing.

Friday 17 July 2009

84°F, clear and calm. Very hot.

I took the bicycle out from the house, since the truck's in the shop and I'm working at home today (again). Rode down to SP, got on the trail and rode into Orting. I went down the gravel road along the river to its end, and took back streets up to the main part of town, where I stopped at a store and got some fig newtons and orange mango juice. After a short rest I headed back, and when I reached SP, took another short rest before riding home. That is one hell of a hill. I almost made it all the way up, and might have, but in 1-1 gear the chain was slipping, so I got off the bike limped along for a while, but got back on and rode to the house in triumph from near the top.

I was out from about 1245-1415.

Thursday 16 July 2009

62°F, clear, some slight random breezes. Predicted to be hot today, 88°.

Keating4 52:25.19. Generally felt OK, but couldn't seem to get the speed to do better.

IHK was hunting on the low part of the trail before the duckpond. I was an hour late getting out today, about 0745, after taking Maureen to work. I'm working from home today.

Wednesday 15 July 2009

55°F, clear and calm.

Keating4 52:30.80.

IHK in part 1, crouched by the trail's edge. I told her to leave the birdies alone, as there seemed to be some distress amongst them.

Monday 13 July 2009

55°F, light rain on and off, wind from the SW fairly brisk at times. On trail at 0640.

Keating 52:48.69. Felt pretty tired and had some thoughts of not going out today but I'm glad I did.

IHK was on the trail, out near the crossroad. Nice to see her again.

Sunday 12 July 2009

57°F, calm, overcast, very humid. A light mist falling at times. On trail at 0840.

Picnic in 1:03:48.78, which is under 13 minutes per mile if I'm not mistaken? 64/5=12.8. Maybe my measurement of distance isn't all that accurate. There is some error with GPS I know. I'll have to try that again.

Lots of bicycles, and several walkers out this morning, enjoying the cooler weather.

Saturday 11 July 2009

68°F, sunny, calm -- it feels hot. Predicted high today is 85.

Keating4 in 55:02.21. Even after taking yesterday off I don't feel too well today. My legs were sore and stiff, and I was unable to do more than complete the run. My weight today is 233.4, not really coming down, no surprise considering all the ice cream I ate this week.

There was a large crowd in the trailhead when I returned, cars parked all over the drive, apparently preparing to assault the trail en masse.

Thursday 9 July 2009

48°F. cloudy, calm. On trail at 0555.

Keating4 52:49.20 Just not fast enough in the first half to break 50. I was at 26 plus at the turnaround, and tried to be fast on the way back. I feel good but hard to lift and move legs.

I saw the ymg again, and he said "Good morning, young man," almost as if he knew that's how I think of him.

Tuesday 7 July 2009

51°F, 87%rh, overcast, calm. On trail at 0610.

Keating 50:16.39. Didn't quite have the stuff to break 50 today, but I felt pretty good over all.

I saw the young-man guy for the first time in many weeks, was able to greet him. He asked me if I was OK. He must follow the sunrise, and just get up earlier toward the solstice. My schedule stays more toward being on the trail at 0630, plus or minus. I think he's getting down there at 5 am or so, of late.

Monday 6 July 2009

56°F, overcast, a brisk SW wind when I began walking to the start. Didn't feel much during the run, a few breezes from here and there. At one point, maybe part 5, I felt the slightest touch of rain, and thought I could see very tiny drops, mist really, but this only for a minute or two.

Keating 51:25.62. I felt generally OK but couldn't seem to get any speed, perhaps due to not getting enough sleep last night. Trying to get to work by 9 this week, Ivo's on vacation.

The gw2ulds was in evidence, otherwise no one familiar.

Sunday 5 July 2009

81°F, sunny but hazy. I rode my bike today, into Orting, down the gravel path along the river, into town and back. I generally took it easy, and rode for perhaps 1:30.

Saturday 4 July 2009

60°F clear and sunny, promising to be quite hot again today.

Snagnotch Bench 1:24:33.43. JogTracker says this is 6.37 miles, so that's about a 13.3 minute mile for six miles, and the old Snagger is about a 10K. The run felt difficult but it was very satisfying to complete. I haven't run that course in a long time, nearly a year I think.

I saw the every-day bicycle guy today, that's the first I've seen him in months. He must be getting on the trail at a far different time than I am, or maybe he's been away etc. but it was nice to see him.

My weight was 234.3 this morning! It just doesn't go down. I did weigh myself "unofficially" after running, and it went down to 230.1, so a lot of it is water, but I wish I could get back down in the 20s at least.

Thursday 2 July 2009

53°F, clear, calm. Here's a new statistic: humidity 90% (!) I imagine that decreases during the day as the sun warms up. But it certainly explains why I am so damp and cold these days. It is predicted to be 74°F today.

Keating4 in 52:45.74. Not bad, I think. I gave it a medium effort, but didn't push really hard, this being the 4th day in a row. I'm not sure if I'll run tomorrow; perhaps not. I do have the day off for the 4th falls on Saturday.

A lovely little flock of birds on the barbed wire in SP, Mommy's kitty, the night-worker returned home, a fat brown bird led me away from its nest hopping along the trail-curve before the SP gate. A few other folks on the trail, bikers and walkers. A missing dog poster on the twin cedars in SP will not be seen by many. Thea is not well and I worry about her.

Wednesday 1 July 2009

45&deg:F. Sheesh. Cold, clear, sunny. Beautiful, really. On trail at 0635.

Keating4 54:33.69. Took it easy. Not bad. Just a little tired and sore from yesterday's effort. Tomorrow perhaps I'll try to do the 4 miles in 52 or so.

I still have no sense of smell. I'm beginning to wonder if there's something I should or can do about it.