Feeling pretty good

 I've been running every day for the last couple of weeks rather than 3 days a week. I'm running every day because I think I eat better (and less) if I know I'm running the next morning. My left hip flexor is much improved and there are no pain issues to deal with while running. My legs get a little stiff later in the day after morning runs and my Baker cysts might be a limiting factor for future mileage increases because they seem to swell in proportion to the time spent running. I am hoping this will change if I ever lose any weight. I am still 189 pounds so it's like I'm running with a 40 pound pack on - amazing I can run at all. Today's run was 15 minutes at about 12:00/mile with the last 20 seconds at 9:00/mile. My heart rate averaged 123.  I'm surprisingly content with a workout like that but know I could be a "real" runner again if I lost 40 pounds.

Breakthrough?

 I have had hip flexor issues on the left side for 4-5 years during which I did some all day hikes at the Grand Canyon but have had no luck running. I started running again last month (I've had many starts this year) and was doing slow 10 minute jogs until hip pain shut me down 2 minutes into a jog on September 2.  After a week of hiking and gym workouts, I decided to try running again but with slightly different running style. I tried adjusting my foot plant so that I was landing a little farther back on my feet - the dreaded jogger form.  It seems to have worked - maybe due to less impact with my new (old) shuffling style. My feet are barely getting off the ground - I'd probably trip over a twig.  But I'm able to jog longer with less pain during and after. This week I was able to do jogs of 18, 20, and 25 minutes at about 13 minutes per mile. I'm happy with that and will try to continue with 3 jogs a week.  I might even get a little faster (and call it running rather than jogging) if I ever get under ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY POUNDS.

Scaling back

 Last week I did a 4 mile hike with a little climbing. The next day my hip hurt too much for any workout. After recovering for a couple of days, I've switched to 20-25 minute workouts (total time) on my gym's treadmill, Stairmaster, and stationary bike. It seems to be sustainable in that I've done these workouts for each of the last 4 days. I'm also doing a little quad strengthening and hip flexor stretching. So far, so good - my hip feels improved. Today's workout included 2 x 60 second run at 5 mph (12:00/mile pace).

mid-May update

 Today is the 100th anniversary of my dad's birth. I will never be as cool as him. Oh well.

So, I had my last run 4 weeks ago due to a strained calf/Achilles. I switched back to hikes on Cowle's Mountain but gave that up after a week or two on the principle that I was doing all the same stuff but hoping for better results. I have been concentrating on strength and mobility exercises with some stationary bike sprints for cardio. This is the first time I've put some serious effort into leg strength improvement. I am being careful to try to progress slowly without straining.

This morning I decided to try a little running and plan to continue with that just once a week unless my left hip flexor improves. I ran 6 x 50 yards with slow walks back between them. My fastest one (the last one) was at 7:23/mile pace.

I sometimes wonder if my dad would think I'm an idiot for trying to run at 74 years old. He never had the luxury because he only lived to be 66.

April report: This is harder than I thought it would be

 April started with a few weeks of running 3 days a week, culminating with a 24 minute 2 mile jog and a sore calf/Achilles the next morning. So, I'm back to walking/hiking on Cowles Mountain. I'm still at 188 pounds and probably shouldn't try running again until I'm down to 170. That's the hard part. 

March madness

March madness: same old workouts but hoping for better results. So, last week I switched from Cowle's Mountain "hikes" to jogging. I did three 15 minute SLOW jogs last week along with some strength work and a little hip mobility stuff. My limiting factor for running is still my left hip flexor (or something related). Today's "run" - 16 minutes at 12:19/mile. 

February summary - I'm back to 190 pounds but my legs feel better

I'm making some progress with my sore hip flexor on the left side and my legs feel a little stronger in general. The only running I'm doing are a few short uphill "sprints" during or after my 1 mile hikes on Cowle's Mountain 3 times a week. I've also been doing strength work for my lower and upper body. 

Not on track yet.

 I managed to lose 5 pounds in January, but a month of very short runs and leg exercises have left my legs completely shot. I ran about half the days in January and never over 6 minutes. I also did knee bends, partial lunges, and hip flexor exercises. After all that, my legs feel worse than a month ago. I'm going to let them rest, get some swimming in for cardio and try to get my weight lower before I try running again.

Last chance

 I think this is my last chance to be a runner again before "something happens".  By "be a runner" I mean jog for 20 or 30 minutes and not hate it. This month is the 60th anniversary of January 1964 when I started running after watching a track meet on TV. My first run this month was actually 2 weeks ago when I slogged 1 minute. I'm at 5 minutes now and plan to keep it there for a while. I've got various joint issues undoubtedly compounded by weighing 190 pounds and my legs are chronically weak. I think the key to progress toward my modest goal will be weight loss and very gradual increases to running time along with some strength work for my legs. Here we go ....

Today: 5 minutes, 13:27 pace, flat pavement in my neighborhood 

Officially middle-aged

I was going to run a “birthday mile” in honor of my 70th birthday today, but the gate to my local track was locked. So I did a SLOW 3 mile trail run. I’m definitely not getting any faster.

2 weeks since hernia repaired

I jogged an uphill half mile today and then did some light lifting at the gym. I felt good, nothing hurt, and it was great to run without a hernia support belt.

Repairs scheduled

Hernia surgery scheduled for November 15. Doing a little running to maintain some fitness - only a mile or two at a time, with a sturdy hernia support belt. See blog post of March 3, 2009 for video of a hernia support belt. It’s not pretty but it’s familiar now.

Nope

No Grand Canyon hike on October 20. I’ve developed a left side inguinal hernia. Seeing a surgeon for a consultation next week.

Eight weeks til Grand Canyon hike. Eight mile hike today.

I did the same hilly 8 mile hike as last week. Seemed harder this time. Not sure how to proceed with training from this point. My body is not as responsive to training as it used to be. Probably need more pie.

Feeling rested

Did a mostly flat 8 mile hike today. I’ll try something longer or more hilly next week.

Back to the drawing board. (I’m used to it.)

No exercise has ever been invented that I can’t overdo. Barely made it up and down Cowle’s Mountain yesterday because my legs were so tired. Gotta dial back on the dumbbell deadlifts, I think. I’m going to take three days of rest and then hike on Saturday morning.

11 weeks til Grand Canyon hike

Did 6 hilly miles on Cowles Mountain this morning. Not too wasted afterward.

Twelve weeks until Mark and Justin and I leave for a 20 mile hike into and out of the Grand Canyon on October 20. I have only been hiking a flat 5 miles every Sunday for the last 2 months but have been doing 3 treadmill workouts per week - 20 minutes on a 15 percent grade. Very boring. I have been concentrating on strength workouts - pushups, pullups, seated rows, overhead press, and most importantly, dumbbell deadlifts. I did my last treadmill workout 2 days ago and today I hiked up and down Cowles. Big surprise - it was harder than the treadmill. The good news - my legs were stronger on the downhills because of the deadlifts. Going forward I will be hiking more often, forgetting the treadmill and gradually phasing out the lifting.

Back to the drawing board

My legs have been continuously worn out and I’ve concluded I need to get my legs stronger and my weight lower before I try running again. I’ve got a Grand Canyon hike coming up at the end of May and will concentrate on getting ready for that - and maybe some running in June.

Still slogging

Did 6 x 1 minute on slight uphill. Average pace was 9:30 per Garmin GPS watch. Still feel awkward and legs feel weak but it’s still fun.

Only uphill for now

After work tonight, I did a 1.5 mile hike on Cowle's Mountain including a 4.5 minute stretch of slow jogging uphill on a rough trail of varying steepness. It's been 11 weeks since I got my new hip and I received the go-ahead to run after only 5 weeks but my legs are not very strong. I decided to start out running only uphill because it's less jarring on my new hip and the surrounding cut-up area. I'll run some flat stuff when my legs feel stronger AND my weight is lower. I'm currently 171 pounds.

Baby steps

Tonight (in the rain): 4 x 1/12 mile on slight uphill, average pace was 11:43/ mile. Four minutes running altogether. Happy as the proverbial clam.

It's good to be "running" again

During a short hike on Cowles Mountain today, I did 4 slow jogs of 30 seconds each on a slight uphill. I was satisfied with that - it doesn't take much these days.

Attempting to run again

Until today, I haven't run in almost 2 years. I got a new left hip on October 27 and today I ran a total of about one minute during a 5 mile hike. Tomorrow I'll find out what hurts, if anything and then I'll hopefully try running a little more in a couple of days. I'm planning on only running uphill to reduce impact until I lose some more weight - I'm currently 173 pounds.

Winter hike in the Grand Canyon

On New Years Day, I drove to Williams, Arizona with Sue, Molly, Justin, Sue's sister Karyn, and Sue's dad, Bob. We did some sightseeing in Williams and spent the night there. On Friday we drove to the Grand Canyon for some more sightseeing after a stop in Tusayan to see the Grand Canyon movie at the IMAX theater. I've been to the Grand Canyon several times but have never seen it with snow. There was about a foot of new snow and we were all treated to absolutely amazing views. After a night at the Maswik Lodge near the Canyon rim, Molly and her husband Justin and I were dropped off by Sue, Karyn, and Bob at the South Kaibab Trailhead. It was pretty cold but we dressed for it and were happy to be there. We adjusted our gear, took a bunch of photos, and started down the trail around 8 o'clock. I'm accustomed to semi-gingerly lowering myself down the endless steps of the South Kaibab Trail, but this time we were treated to the spaces between the steps being filled in with packed snow, so it was just like a hard-packed ramp rather than steps for the first couple of miles. We wore Kahtoola Microspikes over our shoes - they gave us great traction on the hard-packed snow and were even more helpful on the icy spots at lower elevations where there had been some melting and re-freezing. My jaws hurt a little for the first couple of miles because I couldn't stop grinning - partly because I'm always happy to be starting down the South Kaibab Trail, partly because of the incredible views enhanced by the new snow, and partly because I felt so lucky to be able to accompany Molly and Justin on their first hike into the Grand Canyon. After a few miles, we were able to remove a couple layers of clothes and the Microspikes from our shoes. We had a snack, gawked at the views, saw a Bighorn Sheep, and made our way down to the Colorado River and then Phantom Ranch. It was strangely quiet at Phantom Ranch compared to previous trips there in the Spring and Fall. The only person there when we arrived was the counter clerk inside the dining room. We eventually saw a few other hikers, had lunch, and then headed back toward the river. We crossed the Silver Bridge and fell into a good pace on the River Trail. After we turned onto the Bright Angel Trail, we only went about 30 minutes before there was a little snow in spots along the trail. When we got to the rest stop at Indian Garden, the snow was a little more evident, it was getting colder, and we put more clothes back on. We had a snack, filled our water bottles, and started up the trail out of Indian Garden at 4:15 with four and a half miles to go. Justin led with the same brisk pace that we'd used since crossing back over the river. I was still feeling good, but by the time we reached the rest stop 3 miles from the top at 5:00, the last few hours of brisk uphill hiking had taken their toll and I needed to slow down. A little while later, we needed to put the Microspikes back on our shoes, some more clothes on our bodies, and some more calories in our bellies. We did all of that pretty quickly because it was getting to be too cold to sit around relaxing. The last few miles were just a matter of putting one foot in front of the other for 2 hours and 15 minutes with our headlamps lighting the way. It would have been nice to take some rest breaks but it was too cold for that and best to keep moving. Justin and Molly led the way, turning around frequently to look my way and wisely never once saying "Are you okay?" Eventually their patience was rewarded with the end of the trail, a hot dinner with Sue, Karyn, Bob, and lots of laughs, a hot shower, and a warm bed just a stone's throw from edge of the Grand Canyon. It was a good day.

Lunch the day before the hike: Karyn, Dad (Bob), Sue, Molly, Justin, and me



Cellphone screenshot before heading down the trail on January 3, 2015

Sunrise view at the South Kaibab Trailhead (you gotta click on this one!)

Me, Molly, Justin at the top of the South Kaibab Trail

Molly and Justin on the South Kaibab Trail

Molly and Justin on the South Kaibab Trail

We saw this guy as we were getting close to the Colorado River



Entering the tunnel just before crossing the Colorado River



Molly and Justin at Phantom Ranch

Me with Molly and Justin at Phantom Ranch

Winter view from Phantom Ranch

One of the resident deer at Phantom Ranch

A short way up the Bright Angel Trail - the first stream crossing

Taking a break at Indian Garden

At Indian Garden: "Please leave faucet dripping to prevent freezing."

The trail leaving Indian Garden

A look back toward Indian Garden as we run out of daylight

At the top of the Bright Angel Trail!

We made it across the Grand Canyon

My buddy Mark and I finally got our chance to hike from one side of the Grand Canyon to the other.
Yesterday we took the TransCanyon Shuttle from the south side of the Grand Canyon to the north side. We spent the night in a cabin on the North Rim and started our hike at 6 a.m. down the North Kaibab Trail. It was 101 degrees when we got to Phantom Ranch for lunch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, but the clouds came in and the temperature dropped to 92 degrees by the time we started hiking again. We got lucky - it stayed cloudy for the rest of the day. We made sure to stay well hydrated and went slow and easy to the top of the Bright Angel Trail.

Start of the hike - North Kaibab Trailhead

Lunch at Phantom Ranch



Mark hiking up the Bright Angel Trail

Done!  The top of the Bright Angel Trail

11 days til my next Grand Canyon hike

 

Getting in a little heat training 11 days before a 23-mile North-to-South hike in the Grand Canyon.

10 mile prep hike

10 mile hike including 1 mile run in 11:14, 190 pounds, 2 pull-ups. Six weeks til the Grand Canyon hike.

The wake-up call

Did a total of 8 miles this morning- mostly hiking, one mile run in 11:07.  Got dehydrated, tired, hungry. Better start doing a "long" hike once a week - the Grand Canyon hike will be 23 miles and it's only 7 weeks away.  I weighed 189 pounds when I got up. Only 2 chin-ups after the hike.

blah, blah, blah

189 pounds. Five mile walk with 7 minute run. Three chin-ups. The "running", by the way, is slow - 11 minutes per mile pace.

Uh-oh.

I decided I should probably weigh myself when I get up in the morning - BEFORE  working out instead of afterwards. Working out, by the way, consists mostly of just walking/hiking these days. Anyhow, I was 190 pounds this morning instead of the 185 pounds I weighed last week. Admittedly, the past seven days wasn't a great diet week. Yesterday featured a wedding reception - you know how that goes. The day before, there was an unfortunate incident with a sale on Breyer's ice cream. It was only $2.99 but you had to buy two boxes - not my fault. The day before featured an unseemly altercation with a large portion of carrot cake that found its way to my desk via one of my lesser known enterprises, San Diego Dessert Disposal. My best customer found himself with more dessert than he could safely handle and as the only dessert disposal technician on duty at the time, it fell upon me to neutralize the threat assisted only by a large quantity of Coke. Maybe this will be a better week. I managed to run 6 minutes during a 5 mile hike this morning and did two and a half chin-ups afterwards. I should be skinny after a few more workouts like that.

Feeling a little better

Another 5 minute run during a 5 mile trail walk. 185 lb., 2 chin-ups

Not skinny yet

185 lb., 5 minute run, one and a half chin-ups

Yikes - only 9 weeks til the next Grand Canyon hike!

I'm definitely not ready. Legs are weak, back is stiff, belly is large. Fortunately I've still got time to lose a little blubber. With that in mind, I ran a little today for the first time in months - I have better luck losing weight if I'm in a running mode. Today I slowly jogged a whole 3 minutes. I weighed in at 185 pounds this morning and I could only do one chin-up - I've never only been able to do one. It could be worse, I guess.

Back from the Grand Canyon

My son Danny, friend Mark, and I made it out of the Grand Canyon at 9 o'clock Saturday night. We had a great hike on a perfect day.

Danny and Herb before heading down the South Kaibab Trail



Danny and Mark - on the way down to the Colorado River

Lunch at Phantom Ranch

Video of the hike: http://tinyurl.com/l4vk3zr

One week til the Grand Canyon hike

It's going to be interesting.  My right leg is still weak and now I've got some sort of pain in my left outside hip/gluteus area - can barely put weight on it sometimes.  My secret weapon will be four days of rest before the hike. That should fix everything (he says hopefully).

Taper time

It's time to taper for the Grand Canyon hike in 13 days. I know, I know - "taper from WHAT?!" I only hiked 24 miles (no running) last week but half of it was on Cowles Mountain - with my leg getting better all week.  Now it's time to shorten the hikes and throw in more rest days. I'm looking forward to the hike with Mark and Danny (Danny's first time hiking the Grand Canyon) - and I don't want to mess it up by being injured or not rested enough.

Healing up in the nick of time

My leg is much improved in the past week. One week ago I could barely do a 20 minute neighborhood walk. Today I did 3 miles on Cowles Mountain with almost no pain. I am now confident that I will be able to do the Grand Canyon Hike with Danny and Mark three weeks from today.  I will continue to monitor my leg injury while working out judiciously (no running or weight-vest mountain hikes) and icing my leg frequently.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda

I had planned to be hiking the Grand Canyon with Danny today.  I had to settle for a walk around the neighborhood.  I wanted to walk 30 minutes but had to turn around early and settle for 20 minutes.  I've had lots of overuse injuries in my life, but this one is really strange.

Gimpy

Got up this morning and my leg felt fine.  Sat down on the couch for 30 seconds, got up and could barely put weight on my leg.  Must be going nuts.

Birthday Non-mile

Decades ago, some of the guys I ran with liked to run a timed mile on their birthday ("The Birthday Mile") - to help document the ravages of ageing, I guess. It always looked pretty unpleasant.  Not being in shape to push myself hard for a whole mile, and not wanting to prove that I couldn't even run a seven minute mile, I decided to see how fast I could run for a short distance - like 50 to 100 yards.  I jogged over to my local community college track, mostly because I knew I could attempt to run fast there without any witnesses like I might have on a road or sidewalk - the track is almost always deserted. When I got there, I did a few laps of jogging with some semi-"fast" running thrown in to get warmed up. Then I ran a few near-sprints (not wanting to shred anything in my legs), timed and measured with my GPS watch.  I ran 50-100 yards 5 times, with plenty of rest between. I felt like I was going at least 15 mph in the short sprints even though I don't have anything even resembling some spring in my legs. It was getting dark so I jogged home to get enough light to check the results on my watch.  The watch said (and I've been told "The watch don't lie") that my top speed was only 12.2 mph - I think that's about half of what fast guys can do. The good news is that it's the fastest I've ever run as a 64 year old and I've got LOTS of room for improvement. Time for pie.

Fun on the track

I went over to West Hills High School this morning and jogged a couple miles around the campus before doing a little track workout.  Most of the time I feel like I'm in my 30's or maybe 40's. The exceptions are when I see a photo of myself, take a good look in the mirror, or apply a stopwatch to what I now call running.  Such was the case this morning when I ran 4 x 200m with lots of rest between.  I haven't run any 200s in three or four decades but I ran LOTS of them when I was younger and I used to know what speed I was running before I even looked at my watch.  When I took off on my first 200 this morning I was running at an effort that would have produced a time in the low 30's back then.  Knowing I was a little "rusty", I supposed I was actually running close to 40 seconds.  The watch said 50 seconds. Huh?!  I ran a faster average pace for a whole marathon a mere 44 years ago!  I walked and jogged a 200 to recover and then tried again. This time I concentrated on trying  to run relaxed but fast.  Fifty seconds again - this can't be right.  On the third one I pushed harder - not all out, but close to it.  49 seconds. Good grief.  Okay, I'm going to run one more.  This time I was nearly sprinting and concentrated on trying not to slow down near the end. This should get me in the low 40's at least.  Nope.  47 seconds - a little faster than my best marathon pace. A victory of sorts, I guess.  Yippee.

Trying to get some spring back in my legs

I've been running again for several months now but am in a slow jogging rut.  My strides are short and I have no spring in my legs.  I'm thinking maybe some "fast" running might help.  So today I ran some intervals:  I drove over to Santee Lakes and jogged 2 miles to warm up.  Then I ran 4 x 1/4 mile on an asphalt road along one of the lakes:

I averaged 6:45 pace for the 4 quarter miles with 90 seconds rest (slow walking) between. They felt rough, choppy, and fast - very difficult toward the end of each.  Still - it sure is fun to be doing this stuff again - even badly.

Race Report: Waddle and Trot 5K

This might have been the first time I ran a race on Thanksgiving.  I got there about an hour early to get my number. I walked a bit and then ran a couple miles to warm up - including a little bit at faster than race pace.  The first half mile of the race was slightly downhill and I hit the first mile comfortably in 7:45. I started feeling my lack of mileage in the second mile as I had to push harder to run only 8:09. The last half mile was slightly uphill and I finished in 25:08. That's 8:05/mile - slower than I'd hoped for but my best since I started running again this year.  Two things would help me run faster - a lower body weight and more mileage to improve my stamina. I still weigh 171 lb. so there's lots of room for improvement there. I'm not planning on putting in a lot of training miles because I want to preserve my joints, so I'm probably never going to run a LOT faster than today.

Almost at the finish line - felt worse than it looks

How to use a GPS watch to measure how slow you are

I ran a total of 4 miles in Spring Canyon this morning.  After about 3 miles, I ran almost as fast as I could for 60 seconds and then walked until I was rested.  I did this five times.  I was running "fast" but not wildly so - almost as fast as I could run for one minute, but not sprinting.  In my head, I felt like I was running 5 minute pace or a little faster.  Imagine my shock, shock I say, when my Garmin Forerunner 310XT watch said I averaged 6:37 pace.  That, my friends, is how you document the ravages of ageing.

Night hike on Cowles Mountain

Mark and I went for a 5 mile hike on Cowles Mountain this evening. The weather has cooled to the point that rattlesnakes are no longer a concern. We encountered one mountain biker with lights like a 747, three hikers, and two runners.  We stopped several times to gawk at the city lights below.  Gotta do this more often.

Race report: Cuyamaca College 6k

This morning I ran a 6k race in 31:24.  The course was flat, about half paved and half dirt.  I ran the first mile in about 8 minutes - it's amazing how fast 8 minute pace feels to me.  I just tried to hang on after that - the effort felt the same, but the pace got slower.  My "official" pace was 8:25/mile, but my Garmin GPS watch said the course was a bit long and my pace was 8:16/mile. I'll have to take my watch for a run on a track someday. My weight this morning was 171 lb.

Race report: Good on You 5k

I ran a 5K this morning on a flat paved course.  I figured I might be ready to run faster than 8 minutes per mile for a 5K on a flat paved course.  I ran the first mile in 8 minutes but then started slowing down a little.  Apparently I don't have much stamina after a few years of no running.  My legs start feeling heavy after a while and it's hard to keep them moving at the same pace.  I ended up running 8:15 pace for most of the race.  Oh well, I got a "fast" workout compared to my regular runs.

Race report: Cougar Challenge 8k

I had a pretty good running week. Did 7-mile runs on Monday and Wednesday - longest runs in years. I couldn't leave well-enough alone, though - had to run another 8K race this morning.  I had it in my head that I should be able to average 8:30/mile - even though almost all my "training" is at 10-11 minutes per mile.  I ran the first mile in 8:05 and I was in last place! Let the record show that there were separate races for men and women today.  I got slower as the race progressed and my legs became more wooden - I ended up averaging 8:48/mile.  It would sure be nice to feel some spring in my legs again some day (being 174 lb. doesn't help). Anyway, the last mile felt like mile 22 of a marathon and I was very glad to get it over with.  I never seem to be able to catch those white haired guys way ahead of me. Who are those guys?

Race report: Bonita Stampede 8k

I ran an 8K cross country race (Bonita Stampede) this morning in 47:27.  I had to walk several hills which should have been runnable - resulting in an average pace of 9:33/mile.  I was pretty much bringing up the rear with the usual crowd. And then, after running most of 5 miles, I got a free sample of some horrible protein drink. I think I'll take a short nap and start the day over.




Clear the course!  There's a runner still coming!

Race report: Aztec Invitational 5k

I ran a 5k cross country race (the Aztec Invitational) in Balboa Park this morning. I thought I'd run under 27 minutes because I'm down to 176 pounds now, but I ran 28:04.  That's 9:02 pace and I'd hoped to run 8:30 pace.  My official excuse is that I'm worn out from all the 7-8 mile hikes that Terry and I have been doing on my non-running days. Oh well, I got a good workout, a T-shirt, and some Gatorade.

Slower but longer

I decided to run slower than usual today.  I ended up running pretty far (for me) and enjoyed it more.  I ran up Spring Canyon at about 11:00/mile for 3 miles and then back at about 10:30/mile - 6 miles in 64:24.  My hamstrings were slightly tight during the last mile, but nothing hurt.  Nice run.

Longest run since 2009

I ran/jogged/slogged 5 miles in Spring Canyon and a side canyon this morning in 50:42.  It's my longest run since 2009 - and my new hip installation in 2010.  My hamstrings got a little tight towards the end, but nothing hurt.  I'm still too heavy to actually enjoy running, but it's still satisfying.  I think I'm 10 to 15 pounds away from starting to enjoy my runs.

Race report: 4-mile cross country race

This morning I ran the San Diego Track Club's 4 mile cross country race in Balboa Park.  I started out at about 8:30/mile pace and it felt quite comfortable - unfortunately it might have been slightly downhill.  The rest of the course was hillier (and hotter) than what I am used to, and I actually had to walk several times. My watch said 42:40 at the finish - 10:40/mile!  However my watch also measured it as 4.08 miles, which comes out to "only" 10:27/mile. Either way - it was slower than my usual training runs (the longest of which is only 4 miles) which take much less effort. Must have been the hills.  My current weight is 179 pounds - still way too heavy for anything faster than jogging.

Race report: Wild Duck 5k

Did a 5K cross-country race today in 27:48, which is 8:57/mile.  Nothing hurt, so I was pleased. I finished last (of 5) in my age group - which is appropriate for someone who has averaged 8 miles per week over the last 2 months.  I hope to get my mileage up to 12 miles per week (don't want to over-use the artificial hip joint). If I can do that, and lose 30 pounds, and find a slightly downhill course with good footing and a tailwind, I might be able to get under 8:00/mile for a 5K.  Or not.

First race since 2009

Did a 3 mile race today (my Garmin GPS watch said it was 3.07 miles) in 26:45 - 8:43/mile.  I started slow and then tapered off.  The course was mostly flat but even the slightest uphill slowed me down to a crawl. It might have been the longest 3 miles of my life. I'll try another race if I ever get below my current 185 pounds.

A little running progress

Did a 3 mile trail run this morning in 28:51.  Not too bad for 30-40 pounds overweight.  The important thing is: nothing hurt.  Lots of jiggling, but no pains.

Back to running, I think

Two mile trail run today in 19:20.  Left gluteus felt a little iffy but seemed to be runable.  I'll wait a few days before running again.

63 might not be my best running age

Huffed and puffed for a two and a half mile trail run (with a couple of walks thrown in) with Molly and Justin this morning. I've gotta start running regularly so I can keep up with them on their visits to  San Diego.  They just started running so they'll be improving real quickly.  Me - not so much.

188 might not be my best running weight

I actually ran a few days this week.  All of the week's running was uphill to avoid pounding my hips with my 188 pound body weight. The longest run of the week was a 1.3 mile uphill run on Mesa Road two days ago averaging 10:44/mile.  So of course I decided it would be a good idea to try something longer and steeper. I went to Black Mountain this morning with the intention of running around 12:00/mile for the 2 mile climb of around 800 vertical feet.  It turns out that the dirt road up Black Mountain is WAY steeper than what I've been running lately (the last 20 years) and I soon found myself walking. It just kept getting steeper so the walks became more frequent. Eventually I reached the top, having averaged 13:57 per mile from the start - lots of room for improvement. To save time getting back to my car, I ran some of the downhill when it wasn't too steep.  I'll try it again if I lose a few pounds - and if I can still walk tomorrow.

Black Mountain, San Diego, CA 92129 - click photo to enlarge

Grand Canyon Hike - March 23, 2013

It had been 6 months, more or less, since our last Grand Canyon hike. Mark said this would be our 9th time down the Canyon.  This time we brought Mark's son Jon with us for his first hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

Jon, eager to get started down the South Kaibab Trail

Jon heading down

Me going down the South Kaibab Trail

Jon and Mark at Phantom Ranch

Jon, almost at the top of the Bright Angel Trail

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeIDH7wYbyE

Grand Canyon hike

We made it, but it took 12 hours.  I was kind of dragging in the middle but finished feeling good (willing to do it again in 6 months).  Slideshow:

Last "Half mile up, half mile down"

One mile on Cowle's Mountain this morning - 22 pound pack, 10:03 at the turn-around.  It was my last workout before Mark and I hike the Grand Canyon on Saturday - for the first time in 2 years.

Another "half mile up, half mile down"

More tapering - just one mile on Cowle's Mountain - 22 pound pack, 10:25 at the turn-around. The Grand Canyon hike is one week from today.

Night hike with Mark

I hiked up and down Cowles Mountain in the dark with Mark tonight so he could test his new pack before we hike the Grand Canyon in 10 days.

Half mile up, half mile down

One mile on Cowle's Mountain (I'm tapering!) after 4 mile flat hike with Terry - 22 pound pack, 10:44 at the turn-around. Eleven days til the Grand Canyon hike.

Taper time

For the next two weeks, I'll be easing off on what passes for workouts in an attempt to have some spring in my legs for the Grand Canyon hike on March 31. This will no doubt result in substantial weight gain to cancel out any increase in leg spring.

2 weeks til the Grand Canyon hike

"Fast" workout on Cowle's Mountain this morning - 18:36/mile with a 22 pound pack up and down the mountain. Felt good.

Huffin' and puffin' on Cowles

22 pound pack, 19:18/mile - had to push harder than last time. Great workout - LOTS of heavy breathing. Only 16 days til the Grand Canyon hike.

Cowle's again

Did a trip up and down Cowle's Mountain this morning with a 22 pound pack. Averaged 19:17 per mile - felt pretty good.

Up and down Cowles again

22 pound pack, total trail weight: 209 pounds, 20:04/mile average - LOTS of huffin' and puffin' on the steeper uphills - similar to 5K race pace effort, I think. I'll bet I could still run decent if I could lose 35 pounds.

SHORT hike on Cowle's Mountain

Did a late afternoon trip up and down Cowles with a 22 pound pack (total trail weight: 207 lb.), averaging 20:39/mile - felt good.

Tired of long hikes on Cowle's Mountain

I did 10 miles on Cowle's Mountain this morning with a 16 pound pack (total weight, dressed - 200 pounds), averaging 21:57 per mile.  I was pretty worn out the last couple miles.  I am going to reconsider my plan to do two more long Sunday hikes before the Grand Canyon hike.  I am thinking that two more long hikes would be more likely to leave me tired for the Grand Canyon than to improve my fitness at this point.  I'll think about it some more and then instinctively make the wrong choice.

Feeling rested

I walked a flat 4 miles with Terry on Tuesday. Today we hiked up and down Cowle's Mountain (3 miles). I wore a 16 pound pack and we averaged 19:29/mile.  My legs felt much better than my last time on the mountain.  I'll rest the next 2 days and try to go long on Sunday. Mark and I leave for the Grand Canyon 4 weeks from tomorrow.

Cuttin' it short again

I had planned on doing 10 miles today but cut it short because my quads were shot.  Did 6 miles of Cowle's Mountain trails averaging 23:15 per mile. Still feeling the hike of 2 days ago - it doesn't take a lot to make my legs tired for days. I won't do any hills until Thursday and then try for another long hike next Sunday. At this point, I'll only do 3 days per week of exercise until the Grand Canyon hike on March 31.

6 miles of Cowle's Mountain trails

Nice cool morning. Six miles with a 15-pound pack averaging 20:09/mile. Five weeks til we leave for the Grand Canyon.

Cowle's Mountain again, 15 pound pack

Another 3 miles up and down Cowle's Mtn this morning, averaging 18:53/mile. My total trail weight was probably 200 pounds. I think my legs are getting stronger.

Another 12 pound pack day

I did 3 miles up and down Cowles Moutain with a 12 pound pack this morning. The pack is starting to feel less noticeable.

Strengthening the legs

Another trip up and down Cowle's Mountain today with a 12-pound pack.  I averaged 19:33/mile - a little quicker than yesterday and with no hiking poles today. It's pretty ironic that I'm carrying a pack to make hiking harder when I'm already 30 pounds overweight.

Trying to get the legs stronger

On yesterday's hike I carried a 9 pound pack and I felt it.  I could definitely feel the extra weight on the steeper uphills.  So today I did an up-and-back on Cowles Mountain (3 miles) with a 12 pound pack so that my pack for the Grand Canyon hike would seem light by comparison.  I also used my hiking poles today to see how much they help and to see if I'd have any sore muscles after using them.  The hiking poles definitely made the uphills easier.

A half hike

I'd planned to do 10 miles of Cowle's Mountain trails this morning but cut it short because my legs felt heavy from the start.  Maybe my legs are still tired from last Sunday's 9-miler or maybe I was feeling the extra weight of the small pack I was wearing to simulate what I'll have on my back during the Grand Canyon hike on March 31.  We'll see.

9 miles of Cowle's Mountain trails

Brisk hike this morning - averaged 18:40/mile.  The pace will be slower after today because I'm going to start carrying a pack so that I'm used to it before the Grand Canyon hike in 8 weeks.

8 miles of Cowle's Mountain trails

Hiked with Terry this morning. We averaged 18:45/mile, no running. Starting to feel a little fitter.

7 miles of Cowle's Mountain trails

7 miles on Cowle's Mountain this morning, 18:56/mile average (brisk hiking, no running).  Nine weeks til Mark and I hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back.

6 miles of Cowle's Mountain trails

18:59/mile, no running, felt pretty good

5 miles of Cowle's Mountain trails

Did 5 miles on Cowles Mountain again today. I'd planned on going farther but my legs were shot.
182 pounds

Grand Canyon Prep

Mark and I are going to do a Grand Canyon hike on March 31 - our first in 2 years.  I'm putting running and swimming on hold to concentrate on getting ready for the hike down to the bottom of the canyon and back.
Today I did a 5 mile hike on Cowle's Mountain. Did not push the pace.  182 pounds today

First good workout since November

5 mile run/walk on Cowles Mountain trails - 15:56/mile average. Didn't push it - right hamstring felt a little gimpy.

Cowle's Mountain - mostly waddling

Took a trip up and down Cowle's Mountain this morning, dragging a belly full of Christmas cheer and a month's worth of little exercise due to a chest cold.  I'm coughing up the last of the gunk, I think, and looking forward to some harder workouts.  185 pounds today

Cowle's Mountain again, not quite as slow

3 miles, 21:40/mile average, 183 pounds, lungs pretty much clear, still tired

Still draggin'

Another slow trip up and down Cowles Mountain.

3 miles SLOW

Now it's a chest cold.  I coughed my way to the top of Cowles and back in VERY slow motion.

5 mile run/walk on Cowle's Mountain

14:49/mile average. 181 pounds. My right hamstring is improving.

5 mile jog/walk on Cowle's Mountain

15:00/mile average.  Harder today due to a bit of a head cold and warmer weather. Waa, waa!

5 mile jog/walk on Cowle's Mountain

15:05/mile average. Felt pretty good. Cool morning.

5 miles on Cowle's Mountain trails

15:44/mile average.  Jogged most of the downhills and some of the easy uphills.  Nice cool morning with fast, damp surface from a rain last night.  185 lb.

A walk in the park

5 miles in Spring Canyon with Terry.  No running.  My legs and feet are a little sore from yesterday.

5 miles on Cowles Mountain trails

Nice, cool morning.  Averaged 17:03/mile.  Felt pretty good - ran a little.

Cowles Mountain again

Legs still tired. Stomach still hungry. Need pie.

Cowles Mountain - no running this time

Just a hike up & down - legs too tired for running.

16 minute run with Terry

We did our usual 4 mile route out and back in Spring Canyon, including a 16 minute run near the end. My hamstring was bothering me when we picked up the pace for the last 2 minutes. I'll run slower next time. Gotta try to not eat all the leftover Halloween candy today - it won't be easy.  I weigh 182 pounds now.

Less is more?

I'm experimenting with doing less exercise but with more intensity - trying to stay reasonably fit without staying exhausted.  I did a 30 minute swim workout this morning (half of the full workout) and then went over to Cowles Mountain for a 30 minute workout with a 44 pound weight vest.

Running again

Terry and I did 4 miles in Spring Canyon this morning, including a 15 minute run.  I've still got problems with my right hamstring even though I've been going to physical therapy and doing exercies to strengthen my legs.

Morning run, afternoon sail

Terry and I ran 3 miles in Spring Canyon this morning, averaging 10:08/mile.  Danny and I went catamaran sailing this afternoon - the first time in a catamaran for either of us.  Danny works at the Mission Bay Sports Center and gets to play with all the boats for free on his days off. We've sailed 3 different kinds of boats there so far.

5 mile trail run, 9:58/mile average

I decided to slow down a bit and go a little longer today. I ran 5 miles in Spring Canyon this morning.  My right hamstring was a little achy in the last mile but everything else was okay. My weight is still 181 pounds - I'll try to eat less pie and ice cream for the next week.

Perfect morning, crummy day

I ran with Terry in Spring Canyon, went rowing on Mission Bay in a racing shell, then sailed a Laser sailboat for the first time. I'll be at my desk for the rest of the day, but it was a great morning.
Commemorating a crummy day: http://tinyurl.com/3w3afok and http://tinyurl.com/3kg2rw7 and http://tinyurl.com/3qo5647

4 mile trail run

I ran 4 miles in Spring Canyon this morning, averaging 9:04/mile.  My right hamstring ached slightly during the last mile. 181 pounds today.

Runnin' in the rain

Terry and I ran 15 minutes down-canyon in Spring Canyon today, averaging 9:25/mile.  There was a drizzling rain most of the time - unusual for this time of year.

4 mile walk/run on Cowles Mountain

Up the road, over the top, 6/10 mile toward Pyles Peak, then turn around. Averaged 14:46/mile. Felt pretty good, all things considered.

2 mile trail run, 9:40/mile

Terry and I ran 2 miles in Spring Canyon this morning.  My legs felt just a little tired from yesterday.

4 mile trail run, 182 pounds

I ran out and back in Spring Canyon this morning, averaging 9:05/mile.  No hamstring problems.

A little hill running

Terry and I hiked Cowles Mountain this morning.  I ran some of the uphills - trying to run "fast".  I liked it a lot.

3 mile trail run, 9:23 average pace

I ran 3 miles in Spring Canyon this morning, concentrating on running easy and not aggravating my right hamstring.  It went pretty well.

15 minute run with Terry

Terry and I ran 15 minutes this morning in Spring Canyon. We averaged 10:00/mile.  My right hamstring did not bother me.

3 mile run, tight hamstring

I did 3 miles in Spring Canyon  this morning, averaging 9:12/mile.  My right hamstring is feeling tight again.

3 mile trail run, 9:20/mile average

I ran 3 miles in Spring Canyon this morning and then did a few short hill repeats afterwards.  My right hamstring felt almost normal today.

Cowles Mountain Morning

Did a quick trip up & down Cowles Mtn with Terry this morning. Ran some of the uphills in an attempt to get my quads stronger.  Started some rotator cuff exercises yesterday and my shoulder already feels a little better - I'm hoping to start swimming again in 2 weeks. I'm planning to run Saturday morning this week so I can go rowing on Sunday morning.

15 minute run, hamstring problems

Crummy run. Pain/tightness in the middle of my right hamstring - sciatica?  Terry thinks it might be a Piriformis problem. I'm gonna have to look that one up.

3.5 mile trail run, 180 pounds

Terry and I ran 3.5 miles in Spring Canyon this morning, averaging 9:44/mile.  My right hamstring didn't bother me as much as it did during my last run.  My last run was a week ago but I've hiked Cowles Mountain twice and rowed on Mission Bay twice since then.

3 mile trail run, 181 pounds

Terry and I did 3 miles in Spring Canyon this morning, averaging 10:17/mile.  My right hamstring feels a little knotted or something.

3 mile trail run, average 8:52/mile

1.5 mile up Spring Canyon, averaging 9:20 mile. Return trip at 8:24/mile. Felt pretty good. 181 pounds

3.4 mile trail run, 183 pounds

Terry and I ran 35 minutes in Spring Canyon this morning, averaging 10:13/mile. It felt a little better than Tuesday.

3 mile trail run

Ran 3 miles with Terry in Spring Canyon this morning.  If I'd been alone, I would have switched to walking after a few minutes.  It'll get better.

Back from Montana

photos from my camping trip with Tom:  http://tinyurl.com/3m8zbpe

Back in cell phone service area

Headed back to Missoula. No fish but great hikes.

Thursday 7 a.m.

Leaving for Placid Lake

Just off the plane in Missoula

First stop - ice cream. Still light out at 9:30.

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Semi-hard 3-mile trail run, no problems

I decided to squeeze in one more run before leaving on my trip to Montana this morning. I did a 3-mile out and back in Spring Canyon - 9:15/mile for the first half and 8:15/mile for the second (down-canyon) half.  It felt like it actually would have been enjoyable if I weighed 20 pounds less.

Easy 3-mile trail run, no problems

Terry and I ran an easy 3-miles out and back in Spring Canyon this morning - averaged about 10 minutes/mile.  My hamstring didn't bother me until about a minute from the end - a big improvement over my last run.  I'm leaving tomorrow for a camping trip with my brother in Montana and am not planning to run again until next week.

A little gimpy

I planned to run 3 miles after work this evening (I usually run in the morning) but cut it short after 1 mile because my hamstring was bothering me and I think I was limping slightly while running.  I'll try again on Tuesday morning.

3 mile trail run at 9:38/mile average, 183 pounds

My right hamstring was aching a little during the last mile - gotta be careful.

Longest run in a year and a half

I ran 3 miles in Spring Canyon this morning - up the canyon and back, averaging 9:57/mile.  Nothing hurt much, but there was lots of jiggling and heavy breathing.

Pavement jogging

This morning I ran 2 miles averaging 8:34/mile before my sculling class at the Mission Bay Aquatic Center. I could not have gone much farther at that pace.  185 pounds.

23 minute run at 9:36/mile

I averaged 9:36/mile for a 2.39 mile loop in Mission Trails this morning, including a little walking on a "steep" hill.

15 minute run at 9:20 pace

Terry and I ran 15 minutes down-canyon at an average pace of 9:20/mile during our 4 mile walk/run this morning in Spring Canyon.

Playground jogger

I ran 14 minutes averaging 8:53/mile on a local playground this morning - half artificial turf and half fine gravel. I didn't enjoy running there but wanted to get in some sort of quick workout - couldn't swim because of a sore shoulder.  187 pounds - I should probably get rid of a few of those.

13 minute run at 9:33/mile

Terry and I ran 13 minutes down-canyon at an average pace of 9:33/mile during our 4 mile walk/run this morning in Spring Canyon.

11 minute run at 9:35/mile

Terry and I ran 11 minutes down-canyon at an average pace of 9:35/mile during our 4 mile walk/run this morning in Spring Canyon.

1 mile run in 9:42

Terry and I ran a down-canyon mile in 9:42 as part of our mostly-walking 4-mile in Spring Canyon this morning. It felt good - no problems.

1 mile run in 10:08

Terry and I ran a down-canyon mile in 10:08 as part of our mostly-walking 4-mile in Spring Canyon this morning. It felt good - no problems.

Will the excitement NEVER end?

5 more minutes of jogging today - during a 4-mile walk

5 minutes of jogging

I did a total of 5 minutes of uphill jogging during a hike on Cowles Mountain this morning.

I ran a couple of minutes today

I ran a couple of minutes today while walking with Terry in Spring Canyon and it didn't feel terrible.

Just hiked today

I walked 4 miles in Spring Canyon this morning with Terry. My right leg (the one with the new hip joint) is aching a little. I'll try running again when the aching is gone and I've also lost at least 10 pounds.  I might also try running somewhere other than the rocky trails of Spring Canyon.

18 minute trail run at 8:40/mile, 184 pounds

My right hamstring started bothering me after about 10 minutes.  I'll skip my next scheduled run or two.

18 minute trail run at 8:51/mile, 184 pounds

Tired legs, slightly sore right hamstring.  If I'm not feeling better by my next run, I'll skip a run or two.

18 minute trail run at 9:08/mile, 184 pounds

I did the first half of my run up-canyon and then turned around. Lots of rock dancing - not the best terrain for a steady pace. My right hip felt a little sore - I'll probably switch back to my thicker shoes for my next run.

18 minute trail run at 8:44/mile, 184 pounds

I wore lighter shoes today, but 4 minutes of the run was up-canyon, so I welcomed the "cheat".

18 minute trail run at 8:55/mile, 185 pounds

It only took a minute or two of running this morning before it felt better than awful.  Terry's calf cramped up near the end of the run - that ain't good.  Note: distances/paces are being measured by my Garmin GPS watch - accuracy unknown.  Also - all of our "runs" have so far been in the downhill direction in Spring Canyon. Eventually we'll have to do some uphill too, and that will ruin our "speedy" pace.  We've been running around 10 minute pace at the start and then get faster.  The pace peaked at about 7:30/mile today.

17 minute trail run at 8:52/mile, 184 pounds

Once we'd been going for a few minutes, I felt a little better today.  I barely made it out of bed though - had a bit of a chocolate bunny hangover.  That was the end of it though - candy season (Halloween through Easter) is over now.  We were under 8 minute pace towards the end of the run today - musta looked like startled water buffalos.

17 minute trail run at 9:21/mile, 185 pounds

I still feel clumsy and heavy.  A big Easter dinner today should help.

16 minute trail run at 10:59/mile, 185 pounds

Tired - had to run slower than I'd like.

15 minute trail run at 9:25/mile, 185 pounds

Tired today - harder effort than last time, but slower pace.

15 minute trail run at 9:03/mile, 185 pounds

My foot pain went away quickly after my run on Thursday, so I decided to run today. I ran in different shoes this time and did not have any problems.

15 minute trail run at 9:06/mile, 185 pounds

The outside edge of my right foot hurt after the run.  I'll probably wait til Tuesday to run again.

11 minute trail run at 9:46/mile, 185 pounds

I'm still waiting for it to start feeling like fun.  So far, it's just work. I'll try again in 2 days.

12 minute trail run at 10:13/mile, 185 pounds

Since my plans to hike the Grand Canyon changed a couple of weeks ago, I decided to trying running again. I'll probably run just 2-3 times per week and "not much" - per the vague instructions of the doctor who installed my new hip joint last summer.  So far, I've done a few six minute runs, a 10 minute run last Tuesday, and today I ran 12 minutes at 10:13 pace.  Yeah, that's right - 12 minutes, not 12 miles.  And let's not quibble about the difference between running and jogging.  It's harder than seven minute pace was when I was younger, so I'll call it running if I want to.  By the way, I'm currently at 185 pounds - still trying to fine-tune the burrito and pie diet.

Missing Area Man Found Safe in La Mesa

Missing San Diego resident Herb Kimpel, 61 was found safe today, bewildered but apparently unharmed. He was located in a running shoe store on Lake Murray Boulevard after a half-hearted thirty minute search of the area between his home and Rosarito's Taco Shop.  The operators of the Movin' Shoes store in La Mesa said they spotted Kimpel wandering the area and inexplicably decided to offer him a job.  He accepted, and now they're not sure how they're going to get rid of him.  Kimpel was reported to be recovering at home with large amounts of baked goods.

This would trash your skis



Early spring - between Pyles Peak and Cowles Mountain



Cross country skiing in Montana

I visted my brother in Missoula, Montana this week.  We went cross country skiing Sunday through Wednesday.  For a good time, it's tough to beat skiing in the woods with lots of fresh snow.






















Click for video:  http://tinyurl.com/4pqw5sx

The hamstring's worse - time to rest it

I know a couple of guys with never-ending hamstring problems. I want to get this cleared up so I don't join them. No exercise til it's better because even swimming aggravates it (or maybe it was the 20 x 25 yd. kick sprints with fins yesterday). Anyway, time for rest.

Is there such a thing as too much pie?

I think I hurt my left foot and my right hamstring while jogging slowly last week. I should probably lighten the load before I try running again. Gotta find some "light" pie.

Another attempt at running

I managed to slog a mile in 8:40. Lots of huffing and puffing.

More fun on the water

I'm learning how to row. This was my first time in a training boat - though I've rowed fishing boats for more than 50 years. I'm hoping to work my way up to racing shells which are much narrower and harder to balance. 

Da bruddas on Cowles Mountain

Tom sailing a Capri 22

My brother and I went out in a smaller boat today:

Hike in the desert with Tom

We went to Anza Borrego State Park today:

Lower canyon - first palm trees