Tender like I do

 I’ve decided to do the Ice Age 50 in 2025.  Not a surprise.  I feel like I could squeeze one more in.  Who knows, if I finish around 11 hours maybe I will leave future endeavors open.  One motivator is the simple fact of being a part time jogger has left me much heavier.  I’m 10-15 pounds of additional human and frankly it is harder to manage.

 There has been a good side.  I’ve learned to accept other forms of exercise and enjoy them.  My range is canoeing, biking, swimming, and kayaking.  Because of this I will look to make these a few supplemental workouts.

 It’s back to the fundamentals.  Lose the weight, add some faster runs, and get back to the long run.  I have this method to forecast my current 50 mile shape from the confines of Florida.  The current estimator shows a finish time of 13:46:22.  I also am going to create my own personal record list starting today over various distances.  Today’s new PR in the 2.0 mile was 23:05.6.  I have some work to do.

Until the mail train comes back

 The miles have been few and a lot of walking.  The weight is around 190.  I’ve decided I need a goal run so I have something to train for.  Maybe a 28 mile event in November.  It is hard for me to train.  The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.  More like beat up.  I crushed 5.5 miles today at 13:56 pace.  Typical nowadays.  Outside of a morning run I’ll try and walk bonus miles.  This helps me burn calories and try and cut weight.

Ride the king’s highway

 Every day the workout clock still thunders away.  Trying to step off the daily grind of exercise accomplishment is difficult.  Recently, arrangements were made with no one in particular that I no longer needed to average 50 miles a week on foot.  But like an old company policy that has been outdated for 10 years it is still the expectation.

 …the nations are regarded as a drop in the bucket and are regarded as a speck of dust on the balance.

 So what am I doing?  The compromise made was as long as the foot miles and canoe/kayak miles equal 50 a week then I’m where I need to be.  This works well until the mileage log book comes out.  Appears I may be unprogrammable.  That’s too bad because I’m finding other things are more important/rewarding in life.

Power shift here we go

 The work week yielded 30.6 miles of shuffling along. Also had a 4.3 mile canoe.

 Saturday was a 10 mile canoe with a lot of slogging through low and mucky water on the airboat trails.  4:47 is a long time out there, but I wanted to explore that end.  Bad idea when the water is low.  Would have been tough in a kayak as well.

 On the positive side it is remote.  I did kick out 2-3 deer.  Plenty of birds and some real cool cypress tree areas.

 I’ll stick to the bigger water for now.  I have an adventure for Donna and I to do.  When she’s up for 3-4 hours we will tackle some water about 5 miles from us.  There is another one I want to try.  About 4.5 miles to The Cove Pub & Restaurant.  Get there, break bread and head home.

 Sunday I hope to get in 5-6 jogging and back on the water for another 3-4 miles.  All this is taxing in the heat, but if you are going to be a bear be a grizzly.

The Dutchman

 I have re-evaluated my jogging efforts.  Though I will put in an effort most days, I will be foregoing these efforts with additional canoeing and kayaking.

 Put in a nice 4.6 mile canoe on Thursday.  You can easily go about 10-15% faster than kayaking with the same effort.  Of course we have the Hoyt Clagwell models.

 On Saturday, I portaged the kayak .45 miles into Flying Eagle Preserve and put into the airboat paths.  About 1 mile into it 4 passed me coming towards me.  Not a problem.  At about 2-3 miles the water was only a few inches high and I slogged through there for about a mile.  Didn’t pass any more airboats.  At 4 miles the water gets good and opens up.  By 5 miles you are in Church Lake which was busy with activity.  Soon you are back in less traveled waters.  It was noon and about 90F.  At about 9.8 miles I reached Sandpiper road.  I portaged over that no problem.  However because of the work going on there I had to try hard to get through the thick water growth.  Once over, I was in familiar water and was home with 11.4 miles covered in 5:03.  This would be easier in the cooler months.  Glad I stuck with the kayak.

 Finished the week with 40.3 miles of jogging and walking.  I catch up with Wayne several times a week.  He walks the same short block over and over and I enjoy our conversation.

Wake up Mama

 I’ve been over 200 miles per month thru May.  June may be a challenge.

 Did 6.5 in the canoe on Saturday morning and passed on a run.  Donna went with on the kayak.

 Finally at the end of 6 weeks the nerve pain from shingles is starting to lessen.

 Want to ramp up a bit on some BWCA training.  A bit of swimming, fishing, camping and basic strength work so I can portage the canoe with confidence.

 Leaving Friday for my 45th HS reunion up in Pittsburgh.  Lies, damn lies, and statistics.

Firing line

 Still covering 200 slow miles a month.

 Shingles gone, but the nerve pain still present.

 First canoe solo today of 3.6 miles.  Went well with the 260cm paddle.

 45th HS reunion in Pittsburgh, June 7-9.

 Looking for a fall ultra.  Something farther than 50k.

 Write when you can.