Monthly Archive for May, 2009

ouch! (10 miles)

Published
by
wiz
on May 23, 2009
in just me
. 0 Comments

As previously mentioned, all remaining training will be walking. Expecting it to be a warm day, I set out early, 6:50 a.m. However, I never warmed up! I was wet from sweat but was never warm. Wish I had had my gloves! And I met a biker on Burma Road so I knew all hopes of seeing elk were gone. That’s OK, he was getting out in the woods early just as I was.

Anyway, after about 2.5 miles I decided to pick up the pace. (I can walk fast when the mood strikes. Once did the Bridge Run with a walking pace of 12:30. Of course I was much younger.) I had not gone more than a dozen yards when my left calf balked, and it was not the spot that had been hurting this week. Whatever. I slowed down, concentrating on keeping my stride even and as comfortable as possible.

Obviously I walked the distance but, crikey!, this is troubling. Today has been full of RICE with some drugs thrown in for good measure. I have 15 training miles left but may skip some so the leg can rest/heal more. I’m not going to lose any fitness by doing that and I may be better for it.

In the meantime, ladies and gentlemen, we shall be giving you the ballet from Act Three of tonight’s opera.
Maestro–the ballet–now!

nerves are kicking in

Published
by
wiz
on May 20, 2009
in just me
. 0 Comments

With the marathon in the near future, my nerves are running on full steam. I try to remind myself it’s an event not a competition. Outwardly I may agree, however, inside I’m going nuts.

As I did my eight miler Monday, my left leg seized up and I had to walk the last two miles. Then said leg made it hard to even walk normally yesterday. I iced, drugged, and compressed it and it did feel better. I walked the four miles today with my leg wrapped. It doesn’t really hurt but I am doing the same TLC for it.

I made the decision to walk all remaining training miles, of which there are 33. Doing the marathon is now simply an endurance event; I figure at least five hours. If the leg feels good, it may be quicker but I don’t anticipate that happening. Regardless, I have seven hours from start to the finish line closing. I could realistically walk 26.2 miles in that time.

Nerves are also showing themselves in the way of mindless eating (anything!) and sores on my hands. Once these sores appear, it takes about a month for them to run their course, and it’s not comfortable! The sores aren’t open, merely red, swollen, tender spots which are very sensitive (painful) to the touch. Usually on my knuckles, the sores can appear on the palm-side of my fingers too. They don’t stop me from doing anything but they sure are a huge annoyance.

This morning I got out the medals from my four previous marathons. A visual that I really can do this? Who knows? OK, I’m rambling……

1996 - Mayor’s Midnight Sun Marathon - Anchorage, AK
5:28:06

1998 - Trail’s End Marathon - Warrenton, OR
4:44:12

1999 - Trail’s End Marathon - Warrenton, OR
4:15:00

2001 - Newport Marathon - Newport, OR
4:28:48

taught by The Master

Published
by
wiz
on May 18, 2009
in family
. 1 Comment

I like to think I am a good student.  When The Master speaks, I try very hard to comprehend and remember all he says.

Today I set to work building a computer work station for Jerry to use for his coaching endeavours.  Our desk CPU is seven years old, rather full, and slow.

Having recently acquired Daddy’s laptop, I utilized that unit.  I had to do some “tricky” stuff to get the monitor to work and get the laptop screen to be blank.  I knew there was a way to do it, however, I had to do a lot of trial and error to do it.  But I was able to get all aspects of the set-up working well and working properly.

Jerry can now do his work on a regular keyboard, use a mouse, view a nice flat-screen monitor, and have a printer at his beck and call.  I did have to load Office as the unit did not have the programs (Word, Excel, & Outlook) that I know Jerry will need and use.

All this reflects on The Master….my dear son Barney.  His positive influence is endless.  Thanks, Bud.

officially official

Published
by
wiz
on May 17, 2009
in family
. 0 Comments

Jerry has accepted the offer to be the Astoria High girls soccer coach.   He has a dynamic former college player as his assistant, something he felt necessary.  He picked up equipment from the past coach today and seemed quite pleased.  He said it will help him get back in shape.

Local soccer camp is the week of August 10, then a week of conditioning, then two weeks of daily doubles, then school starts with practice or games every weekday.  This will continue until November.  Then we’ll start again next August……

Soccer ~ it’s a kick in the grass!

go the distance! (16 miles)

Published
by
wiz
on May 15, 2009
in just me
. 0 Comments

And that’s what I did, go the distance. I had no desire to go out today but obviously I did.

I walked my usual first two miles, then started running. After about 1/2 mile my left leg felt weird. With the marathon looming close on the horizon, I decided not to tempt fate and chose to walk. And walk I did….many miles. I tossed a bit of running into the mix but not enough keep track of. Let’s just say I walked well over half the distance.

I know I’ve been “off” lately, partly due to my trip to Seattle, which involved strange eating and sleeping habits. Fatigue is getting to me, though I am trying to stave it off. The coming two weeks will be focused on eating well, sleeping better, and easing my mind. Sounds like a tall order but one I must fervently try to fill.

change of scenery (20 miles scheduled, 16+ miles covered)

Published
by
wiz
on May 10, 2009
in family and just me
. 0 Comments

This may be long…..

Mom called Wednesday saying Daddy had taken a downturn in health: fluid in his lungs, unable to pick up his spoon at lunch, falling asleep at the lunch table. Mom was distraught, as she well should have been! I asked if she wanted me to come up to Seattle and she said yes.

I then packed, including all running gear, for an unknown period of time. I researched the mileage around Green Lake for Friday’s 20 miler - 7.14 times around.

I arrived at the Norse Home about 10:30 Thursday morning. I had lunch with M&D. Later that afternoon, Richard came by then Thomas. Richard visited for some time then left while Thomas stayed for dinner. As he departed, Robert arrived. He hung around for a bit then it was time to go to Sea-Tac to pick up Connie (from Spokane) and Dot (from Eugene). I drove to the airport with him. We had some time to talk things over concerning M&D. Oh, and when we were all at M&D’s, Daddy really perked up. After getting Dot and Connie, we went back to Norse Home to say hi to Mom.

Friday dawned with a run scheduled for me. I set out and walked to the lake for a warm up then the run. I was doing fine, though getting tired as expected, when I experienced something new. I had done 5 laps (14 miles) and was about 1/4 into the 6th when I started seeing “peripheral stars.” I felt fine but it was like sparklies around my iris, and it was most disconcerting. I made a conservative decision to turn around and head back to the house. (I had ID with me but nothing indicating where I “belonged” in Seattle.) I walked and the sparklies stopped about 10 minutes later. I mentioned it to Dot when I got to the house and she immediately gave me a name of the phenomenon–inner ocular migraine. So, no worries but it seemed prudent at the time to go home.

Obviously I did not do the proscribed miles for this week. Am I concerned? Not really. Had there been support along the rest of my route, I would have continued.

It’s Sunday and I am now home.  I may write about Daddy later, I may not; I don’t know. A brief note here in case I don’t. He really rallied with all of us visiting, coming down and eating meals, but we all know the end is imminent. It may be a day, a week, a month, six months but only God knows. Hospice will come when needed and I believe we have taken care of all eventualities.

pests!!! (16 miles)

Published
by
wiz
on May 1, 2009
in just me
. 0 Comments

Yesterday’s seasonably warm weather obviously enticed the insect population out of their shells, as it were. The flying bugs which I encountered in the forest were almost treacherous. My baseball cap was a perfect ‘trap’ for them; they’d get caught under the brim and wreak havoc with my face. I inhaled a number of them in my nose and mouth. If that wasn’t enough, they’d find their way under or between my glasses. (I wear my regular glasses and sunglasses on top of them.) Ugh, I sorely detest insects.

On a related note, the run was OK. No energy to speak of and leaden legs were hard to pick up so many times. I had HEED along the route and a water bottle stashed at mile 14; should have placed it sooner. I ran out of HEED about mile 10 and when I finally got some water, I felt much better. I’ll have to plan that better for my two remaining long runs.

I have a massage scheduled in a couple hours. This will be a deep tissue massage. I had one of those in the past and did not enjoy it at all. However, my masseuse wants to start there in hopes of loosening my tightness. It’s only 30 minutes and if it’s too much, I can always have her stop.

Getting close.

Totals:
walk - 4.0
run - 12.0