Don't want to be a fat man

 Today I put in 9.3 and averaged 13:38 per mile.  My longest single effort by far in over a year.  It's like a toy was pulled out of a box of cereal and I've been put in charge of it.  I don't think I jogged a total of 25 miles last year.  Not that it was missed, but 17 pounds were added to the frame.  Even a walk-run format helps burn higher calories.  I jogged 36% of the effort.  I almost had to learn how to jog again.

 Again, my tendency is to overdo things and today was probably a hair more than I should of done.  This whole experiment is to find a way not to trash my back, hip, and pelvis on the left side.  I was pleased with today and it's a first step towards 2/14.  For now I am trying to stick to 2 days a week of adding jogging.  Probably stick with Wednesday and Saturday.   The other days I'll canoe, bike, and walk.  These aren't anything more than comfortable efforts, but I get in around 2 hours a day of activity. Physically I'm in decent shape, but fat and stupid mostly.  Any improvement will primarily be from losing weight.

 Like most lifetime endurance enthusiasts, it just makes sense to have something on the docket to work towards.  I have some large canoe goals.  I'm looking at a big loop of 2-3 days travel and roughing it.  Not always easy when you're part of a two person tag team.  I feel ready to jump in and go, but not an easy sale.  I'm making two weekly trips to MN this year.  Ice fishing in a couple weeks at Red Lake and the Boundary Waters in August.  Good or bad I'd leave on an adventure every month before the sands of time expire, but you gotta dance with the one who brung ya. 

TV Party Tonight

 Kind of tired today.  Achieved 20,000 and 21,000 steps the past couple days which is a lot for me.  Did 4.5 on the canoe at O dark 30.  I was even sub par for that.   That's okay as trying to learn rest is still an enigma.  

 Tomorrow is going to be a mostly walk and some trotting around at the park trails.  I'd like to achieve 8-10 and see what pace that works out to.  If I can stay out of the pelvic pain zone there is a good chance I'll keep working towards my goal adventure on 2/14.

 Tonight is Black Flag night.  It's a modification that mainly involves me, a fire, wings, green onions, and possibly a refreshment.  This takes place about 2 out of 3 weeks.  I burn all the tree fodder, landscape refuge and petroleum based packing material that shows up in these packages to the house everyday.  

 If someone were to ask me what I thought the best path was between weekly miles or the long run once a week phenomena I'd pick weekly miles.  I'm not discounting the weekly long run ideology for ultras...heck I used it myself...successfully.  With the need to be acquainted with electronic devices as it is today, it seems the time required for weekly miles is probably unprobable.

Someone just advised me there is a burn ban.  "A possible $1,000 dollar fine or even jail time." Look out momma there's a white boat coming up the river.

The Citgo sign

 While out on a 5.5 mile walk this morning I was breaking down what was needed to achieve a goal I'm looking at on 2/14.  More later, but having something on the radar helps stay in the zone of analysis, learning, and edge rushing of sorts.  It brought back memories of training for a marathon time.

 One could go on for hours, but for me it all came down to what exact pace per mile could I potentially carry to the finish.  All workouts and trials were geared towards knowing this exact pace within about 5 seconds.  It is possible to train this way and remove any doubt on race day.  It is probably one of the most effective ways to distribute your resources and if done correctly may even result in a negative split.

 Here's an example.  Four other friends and myself decided to run Boston 2016 together as just a fun run.  First we had to get a bit under our qualifier time.  I needed a 3:20 and went out and ran a 3:15:58 off general conditioning and man I paid the price.  I decided I would train specifically for a marathon in the fall at Lakefront to improve my chances of getting in.

 I set a goal of sub 3:10.  That's 7:14 pace.  I went out to the South track and did a long effort and was right near this pace, but it was freaking work with perfect conditions.  From there everything was tailored to achieve this pace and project it over the whole distance.  As I continued to train and improve it seemed possible to run a 3:07.  At Al's Run 8k that year I punched in what a 3:07 time converts to an 8k time and it was just over 32 minutes.  I used the hillrunner.com calculator.  I ran the 8k in 31:55 which was a good marker.

 I ran Lakefront a few weeks later in 3:06:15 with a negative split effort at 54 years old.  This demonstrates to me that this type of training works at any age and if calculators are used properly can be a useful resource. 

Green teeth

 Not usually a New Year resolution participant, but whatever it takes to get a little fire going.  I weighed in at 187 today.  That's about 5 pounds under where I started.  Logged 4.2 miles this morning at 13:53 pace with a higher walk load.  I'd like to get in an effort like this 2-3 times a week.  It was 32 degrees this morning, so it was easier than getting out on the water or biking.  The goal is to lose weight so I can potentially jog without discomfort all day.  We shall see.  I tend to over do things.  

 Yesterday was a good day.  Managed to walk 3.1, canoe 3.0 and walk another 3.2.  If I can stick to my goal of 2200 daily calories on most days the weight will slowly come off.  I miss hot fudge and mashed potatoes. 

 Leaving in about three weeks to drive to Wisconsin and then go up to Red Lake, Minnesota for 4 days of ice fishing there hey.  Six days of driving for 4 days of fishing.  The company has to be top shelf...which it is.  I don't even have a garage, you can ask my wife.

 

Ten Beers

 Ahhh…it has been a while.  I essentially stopped running a year ago.  I tried a few times, but the same pains crept back.  I spent the year exercising through walking, cycling and canoeing.  I’ll total around 900 walking, 2800 cycling and 500 canoeing.  

 Often, the prospect of doing a bit of jogging comes up.  I really didn’t miss it, but as a weight control exercise it is ideal.  So, today I put a watch on my walk and immediately the other Double D side of the brain kicks in.  Automatically I need to improve upon the effort, go longer and plan some type of timed effort.

 The past year I didn’t time walks.  It was the old school method.  A mile to a certain road sign, or a half-mile to the lady with the ugly house color.  You guys get it.  If I ran into a neighbor we walked it in.  Not the same with the bike and canoe.  I measured distance on the watch with those.  Those spit out a time and I have to work on not paying attention to much attention to that detail.

 Looking forward to some personal challenges with the canoe in 2026.  I did have time to canoe with a few folks in the same canoe this year.  Here are the results.

Ten Beers - 33.5 miles

Spider Lammers - 3.0 miles

State Champ - 1.5 miles

 Hopefully I can blog a bit more in 2026.  Yes…I am still working full time.  This is probably the year to go out as I turn 65 in September.  Big guys in twos, little guys in bunches.

Pack a lunch.

Where I could lay my head

 Happy Resurrection Day! 

 I have been canoeing, biking and walking for my exercise.  I try and get 1.5 - 2 hours a day in at casual effort.  It is that time of year when I start setting up camp at home.  Sleep outside, make a few meals, go fishing in the canoe.  Sorta eschew main avenues of entertainment.  Work outside more on stuff, like at camp.  Get stuff for a fire.  Sleep like a baby.  Pretend I’m not totally crippled as I make coffee outside my tent at the crack of stupid.

Boundary Waters trip in 4 months.  Each year I have more of a desire not to comeback to reality.  “You goin’ hunting’?”  Only if en I lose something’.”

General Burkhalter

 Friday I paddled the canoe from the house to a friends house.  Davis Lake I faced high incoming winds that actually took me into the bull rushes.  I fought my way out and at 1.2 you go right and down a canal until the dam at 1.9.  I portaged the canoe and gear over fairly easily and had an enjoyable next 3.5 for the most part.  I crossed under Gobbler road and entered Clark Lake for the final 2.42 miles.  At one point you go about a half mile around a peninsula and straight into the high winds.  It blew me around a bit, but once getting thru that there is a cowabunga tail wind.

 I set up camp in the yard.  My wife was there to check on me.  After she left I made a dehydrated meal, sipped a beer and called it about 8pm.  I left the next morning for home at 6:09am.  The water was much calmer.  I didn’t want it to end!  I made a cup of coffee on the canoe which was a first.  I will definitely be doing some bigger adventures.

 Sunday morning I road out to the Withlacoochee paved trail and headed 16 miles south and then came back.  The trail is 46 miles long.  I was 13 miles shy of the South terminus.  So to get to there and back will be a 58 miles long adventure.  I’ll need to get the butt in better shape.

 I haven’t been able to power jog at all.  Walking…maybe 10 miles a week.  Honestly I don’t miss it.  It’s like the show Hogan’s Heroes.  Eventually it had to end.

Hogan!!