Changing It Up

  I got out a bit later for a variety of reasons, so I decided to do the 9 x .3 mile hill running repeats with the warm-up and recovery I speed walked.  I know that this workout taxes my knees a bit, but with two scheduled off days I assumed the risk.  I did the repeats on my usual Raynor Road hill--running the repeats at a brisk pace but under control .  Here are the stats on the workout--7.43 miles in 1:28:57 for an 11:58 minute per mile pace and 284 feet of elevation gained.  It was a cloudy and breezy 61 degrees.  Off to Maine tomorrow after work Lord willing to my parents.  I will attempt to blog on my phone in Maine.  God Bless!

Better Day

  I woke up with a little bit more positive attitude this morning, with the help of a positive day on Tuesday.  I have decided to stay away from the Longwood Loop as I am seeking the solitude of the north of 25 routes.  I did the Ridge Road Loop doing 8.92 miles in 1:57:02 for a 13:07 minute per mile pace.  I was able to get in a couple  of sets of bench presses before heading to work.  I am trying to get what I can of strength work before my trip, since I will be away from the weights while in Eastport.  I have open house tonight for my step-son.  Oh well, on to the job! Praying for God to do a great work in me and in my family!

I'm Walking in the Rain

  I was feeling tired and down--but I knew that I had to get out there on this rainy morning.  I did the Ridge/Woodlot Loop doing 8.92 miles in 2:04:43 for a 13:59 minute per mile pace.  I had a possum run across my path on Apple Court--gave me a little chill.  Ridge was very dark this morning.  One foot ahead of the other.  God Bless!

Dog House Boogie

  I managed to get in the dog house before the crack of dawn.  Oh well, woof woof.  I decided to do the Medford/Randall Loop as I was in need of a less than two hour workout with a late start.  The temp was a cooler 45 degrees on this clear beautiful fall morning.  I did 8.64 miles in 1:57:38 for a 13:37 minute per mile pace.  I am glad to have my wife home again as she came home around 11:30 last night.  Lord willing, next Monday I will be in Eastport, Maine.  Thank You Lord for your many blessings!

Shot in the Dark

 I woke up at 3:30 as my wife had to leave at 4:30 for a Weight Watcher in Chicago. I had to be back in time to make sure that I had time to take my step-son to school as his knee is injured.  I did the Ridge/Woodlot Loop doing 8.92 miles in 2:02:03 for a 13:41 minute per mile walking pace.  At this early hour I could pretty much walk on any part of the road that I wanted--even here on Long Island.  I saw a bunch of deer moving about as the temp was a cooler 54 degrees.  I wore my long sleeve shirt this morning.  I will miss my wife this weekend and next weekend I will Lord willing be up in Maine.  Off to a great start--have a blessed weekend.

I Might Be Tired But...

  I took my daughter last night to emergency care(nothing serious) and didn't get back until after 11.  I knew that the morning would be a challenge getting up at 4...but I am a creature of habit and made it out the door.  I did the Medford/Randall Loop in 1:57:12 covering 8.65 miles at a 13:33 minute per mile walking pace.  I went past some sort or domestic dispute at Strathmore(a low income housing project) with a lady screaming about her keys to her boyfriend.  I was glad to get past the commotion.  It was a comfortable 61 degrees.  My knees are feeling a bit better today--yay!  Off to the races--day off to a good start as my brother always calls me on my way to work on Thursdays. God Bless!

Finding My Way through the Fog

  I got out at 4:26 and thankfully it was a cooler 64 degrees.  Even though it was foggy I was clear minded and kept a 13:54 minutes per mile walking pace.  The issue of the outer knees being tender is the issue that I have been dealing with lately.  I have dealt with this on and off for many years, but the fact that I am walking on cement at work and up and down stairs all the time means that I have been more aware of the situation.  It is not something that prevents me from doing things, but I feel that I need to deal with it to prevent an injury that will affect my movement.  I am wearing a knee support on my left knee to help support the knee and help the soreness subside.  I did 8.71 miles in 2:01:11 on the Longwood/Medford Loop.
  My age and work schedule are grinding and taxing this body.  I have the stamina , but my muscles and joints are letting me down.  I may have to take a rest or a decreased workload, but I am trying to avoid that.  I am doing little things now to try to get the left knee back in shape again.  Well, off to the grind.  God is always good:)

Overcast Tuesday

 Not putting quite as much thought into my blogs lately as it just seems as I am busy doing something or having something upcoming.  This morning I did the Longwood/Medford Loop again doing it in 2:02:07 for a 13:55 minute per mile walking pace.  It just has been so dark with cloudy skies int he early morning meaning that there is no starlight.  I had a good time of fellowship and prayer with my good friend Lenny from church.  We picked Bobby's Burger Palace at the Smithtown Mall.  On Saturday I did a 7.25 mile(before my watch went dead) walk from Port Jeff to East Setauket on a nice paved trail.  My wife and I did it together stopping at Starbucks before heading back to our vehicle.  Off to my next class, have a wonderful blessed day!

Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get Me Down

  I got out this morning and the temp was a humid 72 degrees.  It was very dark with rain on it's way.   I was a bit down--sometimes life just weighs heavy on you-- but one foot step after another and keep moving on is the strategy.  I did the Longwood/Medford Loop and did 8.8 miles in 2:03:54 for a 14:05 minute per mile walking pace.  My goal is to get my knees back so that don't ache so much. I am wearing knee supports during my workout.  My knees are feeling much better today so I am grateful.  Have a blessed day!

Friday Finish

 I finished off the week by doing the Ridge/Woodlot Loop.  It was a nice cool 48 degrees as I did 8.94 miles in 1:59:09 for a 13:20 minute per mile pace.  I felt like this has been a decent week of training with both the walking and the weight training.  My recovery has just taken longer as I have been feeling more sore during the day.  For now I will just endure it, but if it persist I will try to cut a couple of pounds and perhaps incorporate an easy day on the five days of training that I do. Have a blessed weekend!

Not as Fleet on My Feet

I was surprised that the warm night turned into a comfortable morning.  I had a mediocre performance of 8.68 miles in 1:59:26 for a 13:46 minute per mile pace. This workout was done on the Longwood/Medford Loop.  The mornings are so dark this time of year. I can see animals moving and crossing the road, and I am in hopes that they see me as well.   My workouts are going well, just feel sore the rest of the day--working on a cement floor all day does not help. This week has flown by.  God is good!

Powered by Sleep

This morning I woke up powered by a full night's sleep.  My mood and energy were better--even though I got out the door a little later, my quicker pace made up the difference.  I did the Logwood/Medford Loop doing 8.79 miles in 1:53:52 for a 12:50 minute per mile walking pace.  It was much warmer this morning at 70 degrees, but the humidity was ok so I did fine.  Things went smoothly on the home front last night so that led into a good night of rest.  My commute to work went better.  Still looking to the Lord as I need His help in all things.  Have a blessed day!

Swift on Ridge

I had another lousy night's sleep. My mind was racing , feeling conflicted so many fronts.  The blended family is a work in progress.  The attempt is to be unified, but with two families trying to be one family there are often conflicts of interest that cause factions within the family unit.  Many times things are done with a feeling of ambivalence.  The key is trying to do the right thing in all aspects of the family realizing that not everyone will be happy with the decision or outcome.  At the end of the day you have to live with yourself and answer to God.  Grace is basically the major tenant  because you need a lot of it.

I did the Ridge/Woodlot Loop trying to hit the road before I realized how tired I was.  Thankfully, I had a good effort doing 8.87 miles in 1:55:11 for a 12:59 minute per mile walking pace.  It was a good thing I had a quick pace because my daughter Kim overslept and I had to wake her up.  She made it to school on time thankfully. Lunch almost over, with a busy afternoon to come. God Bless You!

Solemn Monday

 My birthday started out awesome on Friday, but it didn't end well and continued into a bad weekend.  I won't get into the why's, but I am looking for a good week with the help of the Lord.My wife put an enormous amount of effort into making the day. Sometimes things with the best intentions don't turn out the way we think. I am so thankful for her efforts.  I did the Longwood/Medford Loop doing 8.77 miles in 2:00:25 for a 13:44 minute per mile pace in a comfortable 57 degree temperature.  Looking forward to a week with a good weather outlook. It was a quiet morning and like most Mondays it was a mediocre effort. Have a blessed day!

Happy Start to a Good Day

  I woke up technically at 51 years old.  I started the workout this morning at 51 and ended it at 52.  I did the Medford/Randall Loop doing 8.69 miles in 1:56:29 for a 13:25 minute per mile pace.  It was very humid this morning, but a shot of 5 hour energy and water and out the door is how it went down.
  Last year on this day I found out that my daughter attempted to kill herself by swallowing pills.  She was hospitalized and then taken to an institution for 8 days.  3 days after being released she went missing so that I had to take an emergency trip to Maine to pick her up and bring her down with me. That was the beginning to a difficult 6 months.  Praise be to Jesus, my daughter is doing excellent. There are certainly many challenges, but this is a much better day.  Have a blessed day!

The Day Before I get Older

 I was not filled with quite as much pep as the first 3 days this week, but with the help of ultra-caffeinated coffee I hit the road on the move.  I decided to do the Ridge/Woodlot Loop doing 8.91 miles in 1:58:53 for a 13:20 minute per mile walking pace.  Ridge road was totally blacked out most of the way.  If it weren't for the white lines on the side of the road I would not have been able to make it down the road.  Wildlife was on the DL so it was quiet minus one songbird singing away.  In the early morning hour the roads here are empty, that's why I love that early time on the road.  Tomorrow I hit the next digit up after 51.  I am grateful to be training.  I have many good memories of my training in Eastport, but the weather here is nice and the scenery is pleasant.  I am trying to be appreciative of the present, because today's experiences are tomorrows memories. It was nice to talk with my brother as I headed to work. Off to lunch duty, have a blessed day!

New School Year -- Tuesday/Wednesday

 I did 9.19 miles doing the Ridge Loop on Tuesday.  It was a windy morning with some light rain doing the workout in 2:04:27 for a 13:32 minute per mile.  Today I did the Longwood/Medford Loop doing 8.81 miles in 1:59:25 for a 13;34 minute per mile pace.  Today  is my daughter Kimberly's first day of school at Bellport Academic Center.  This morning was breezy and overcast at 70 degrees.  Busy day ahead--God bless you!

Early Start on Memorial Day

I got out at 4:50 am, I didn't have the best night of sleep but I decided to head out the door anyway while the streets were still quiet.  There was a suspicious car(as usual across the road). Either a drug or late night business.  The streets of Ridge were quiet, as I ambled along Longwood Loop. I did 9.05 miles in 2:05:53 for a 14:01 minute per mile walking pace. We have a tropical storm warning,
but it really wasn't that bad. Relaxing this last day before having students. Have a blessed day!

Hello September--Thursday, Friday

  I must have slept on my watch alarm as I woke up at 5:45.  I was thinking at first that I would just have a leisurely morning, but as I collected my wits I got out of bed and had my high-test 7/11 Coffee.  I knew that I couldn't do my standard workout so I decided to run the Raynor/Ridge Loop.  DOing something is always better than doing nothing.  I ended up doing 3.41 miles in 30:49 for a 9:02 minute per mile pace.  It was a very humid 72 degrees so I felt like this was a decent effort.  I just find that after I run my knees ache for the rest of the day.  It's too bad because I do enjoy running, but the walking is keeping me fit with less aches and pains.
  Today, Friday September 2 I did 9.08 miles in 1:59:45 for a decent 13:11 minute per mile walking pace on the Ridge Loop.  The Ridge loop is so quiet and peaceful that I can just get lost in my thoughts.  The temp was a comfortable 64 degrees.  It was just a beautiful morning with the sun peeping through large puffy clouds tinged with gray.  Tonight Lord willing my wife and I head for Tewksbury where we will spend the night before picking my daughter Kim up tomorrow in Kittery, Maine.  Looking to the Lord for better things this year--although I know that He uses those valleys to teach us invaluable lessons. Have a blessed Labor day weekend.  Ps.--I had a great time last night with my wife, daughter, and three granddaughters.  I saw channel 2 weather man Lonnie Quinn at Chuck E. Cheese.