Training Log Archive: NadimIn the 31 days ending Aug 31, 2018:
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| We | Th | Fr | Sa | Su | Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | Su | Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | Su | Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | Su | Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Friday Aug 31, 2018 #
8 AM
Running warm up/down (Street and Trail) 13:26 [2] 0.73 mi (18:24 / mi) +12m 17:30 / mi
slept:7.0 (injured)
Rocky Mountain Orienteering Festival. Medicine Bow, WY; near Laramie; Day 3, Middle, on the Granite Planite map — This was part of my warmup for the National Ranking Event. I started to walk to the start with Max and Peggy; but I’d left my camera. I jogged back to get it and then jogged to catch-up. Max was a first starter and ran Yellow. The terrain looked great! I would have taken pictures of him finishing but he came back so fast that I only had time to watch it. Max won his course.
Running warm up/down (Street and Trail) 6:18 [2] 0.49 mi (12:51 / mi)
(injured)
Rocky Mountain Orienteering Festival. Medicine Bow, WY; near Laramie; Day 3, Middle, on the Granite Planite map — This was the second part of my warmup for the National Ranking Event. I’d started walking and realized that I’d forgotten my control description holder. I jogged back to get it and to get to the start.
10 AM
Orienteering 37:02 [3] 2.61 mi (14:11 / mi) +136m 12:13 / mi
(injured)
Rocky Mountain Orienteering Festival. Medicine Bow, WY; near Laramie; Day 3, Middle, on the Granite Planite map — This was fun. I started pretty well spiking everything through 8. I may have started reading the wrong line going to #9 since I turned and went down a reentrant instead of moving straight to it as I had been. I figured it out going too far, after next turning the wrong way, and then slogging uphill to the right place--probably around a 2 minute error. I was doing well again after that but started to get tired or excited. I was right on at #17 and knew the control on the boulder in front of #17 wasn't mine. I went behind the boulder expecting to see the cliff but I didn't venture into the trees where the cliff was. Instead I cut right to 2 more boulders before coming back. I definitely was tired near the end as I was trying to catch-up to Greg Lennon about 10 seconds ahead--I read my own way but was hesitant. The depression was much deeper than expected. I sprinted in passing Greg and unfortunately, in the process, Greg re-aggravated a hamstring injury.
4 PM
Hiking (Foot) 1:41:23 [3] 2.95 mi (34:22 / mi) +97m 31:12 / mi
Medicine Bow Wilderness, WY. Starting at the parking lot on the West Lake Marie Trailhead, Peggy, Max, Samantha and I went past Lake Marie, Mirror Lake, and up to Lookout Lake. This was a very nice hike against the backdrop of Medicine Bow Peak in the Snowy Range. I'd been tempted to hike the circuit, an +11 mile hike with much more climb. That would have been too much for everyone after all the orienteering we'd been doing. We enjoyed the boulders and the lakes, snapping a lot of pictures along the way.
Thursday Aug 30, 2018 #
10 AM
Orienteering (Foot) 1:21:35 [3] 6.6 km (12:22 / km) +312m 10:00 / km
slept:7.0 (injured)
Rocky Mountain Orienteering Festival. Medicine Bow, WY; near Laramie; on the Rattlesnake Hill map. Day 2 — One-Cowboy Relay. Peggy, Max, and I each ran our own races today. There were 5 loops, Motala style. This format was done with a mass start which further encourages racing. My first 3 loops were all 1.3k. The 4th was just 300m and the last was 2.5k. The altitude was between 8,000ft ant 8,250ft. so all the climbing seemed hard. The courses were much more technical today. The last loop required the most skill. I saw Max a few times on my first loop. As I was going out on my 3rd he has going out on his 2nd. When I’d finished and had gotten some water, Max had just finished his 4th loop. He was resolved to finish and did so, mostly alone; few people were behind him. I never saw Peggy who’d started with the short fist loop. On my last loop there was a lot of exchanging of leads. Glen Tryson had started that loop ahead of me about 150m. Some RMOC people were near as was Charlie Shabazian. I finished in the midst of these people. I was most happy about never blowing a control today. Just 2 or 3 times I could have been a little more efficient with my routes. It was a fun and sunny day with temperatures in the 70 F range. After the race I could feel pain in my left heel area, like I had a couple of nights ago, but less severe.
Loop A Video
Loop A Video
Wednesday Aug 29, 2018 #
4 PM
Orienteering (Foot) 1:25:35 [3] 7.7 km (11:07 / km) +191m 9:53 / km
slept:8.0 (injured)
Rocky Mountain Orienteering Festival Medicine Bow, WY; near Laramie. Day 1 on the Lights of Cheyenne map. Max and I did the Red course together. The gentle climb at the start of this mass start race was hard. Max and I were out of breath. The altitude was between 8,000ft ant 8,250ft. We later walked almost all of the uphills throughout the course. There was a line of people leading us into controls up to #5. People such as Gary Smith, Kathleen Lennon, Sharon Crawford, Kean Williams, Chris Beecroft and more were near us a lot. Max had gotten a side cramp earlier which prompted more walking. It went away later. He did pretty well getting through the distance—though he’s gone farther, I don’t think he’s done this distance as quickly before. I went his pace and waited sometimes but my own condition is not that strong. I did the navigating but pointed out features along the way to help him learn. The few places I may have lost us time were probably at #4 and perhaps at #5. Everything else was spiked. I needed a bathroom early on, and Max needed water earlier than control #10. It was fun being in this open terrain again and to be able to run and finish. My back held up well. Both of my feet were tingling and sort of numb, more than has been the case.
Tuesday Aug 28, 2018 #
10 AM
Hiking (Trail) 30:18 [3] 0.86 mi (35:14 / mi) +166m 22:03 / mi
slept:7.5 (injured)
Rocky Mountain National Park, CO. From the Old Trail Ridge Road, Peggy, Max, and I hiked up to Marmot Point. The dirt road up had lots of great views. In several places the road had been blasted out of sheer cliffs. There were many sharp drop offs right next to a gravel edge. The hike started steeply but didn’t seem too hard. Samantha made a fuss right at the start so we let her wait in the car. It was windy and cold enough to need a jacket. I wore pants too. We heard a siren and saw a helicopter while climbing. There were some marmots to be seen too. At the very top the wind was stronger but the 360 views were wonderful. We could see the Apline Visitor Center slightly below our elevation (somewhere around 12,000ft.). I was convinced that the view we got was much nicer than the one we’d have gotten from the high point next to the Visitor Center up the paved stairs.
After getting back to the car we saw a second helicopter go over to the Visitor Center and land. We had to wait in line 20 minutes just shy of it because they were using the parking lot for a landing pad. At the Visitor Center finally, we relaxed and got to some things. We never found out the reason for the emergency aircraft.
After getting back to the car we saw a second helicopter go over to the Visitor Center and land. We had to wait in line 20 minutes just shy of it because they were using the parking lot for a landing pad. At the Visitor Center finally, we relaxed and got to some things. We never found out the reason for the emergency aircraft.
Hiking (Trail) 32:42 [3] 1.23 mi (26:36 / mi) +188m 18:02 / mi
(injured)
Rocky Mountain National Park. From the Trail Ridge Road, Max and I hiked to Mushroom Rocks and a little further. Peggy stayed with Samantha who was feeling sick. This was nice, but still very windy. We both felt the altitude climbing but not so much on the way down. Max, Peggy, and I had hiked this 4 years ago, just before we’d gotten Samantha from China.
On the drive down we saw 2 elk. 4 years before we’d seen a herd. We learned to find out that it was becoming more common to see the elk in Estes Park than the National Park. We ate lunch in Estes and Samantha felt much better. Of course w did more shopping. Samantha bought a stuffed dog.
On the drive down we saw 2 elk. 4 years before we’d seen a herd. We learned to find out that it was becoming more common to see the elk in Estes Park than the National Park. We ate lunch in Estes and Samantha felt much better. Of course w did more shopping. Samantha bought a stuffed dog.
Monday Aug 27, 2018 #
2 PM
Hiking (Trail) 2:06:57 [3] 3.94 mi (32:13 / mi) +223m 27:25 / mi
(injured)
Rocky Mountain National Park. From the Wild Basin Ranger Station to Calypso Falls and back. Earlier this morning we’d caught a flight to Denver I hadn’t slept much the night before at home but made up for it on the airplane. The hike was chosen since it was fairly easy and on our way in. Max and Peggy were strong but Samantha was seemingly tired right from the start. We figured it to be because she too didn’t sleep well enough. The dots shown in the GPS track represent most but not all the times we stopped to let her rest. She got belligerent sometimes and stomped off energetically up some hills. I was leaning towards thinking that she was just being obstinate instead of it being altitude related. An earlier comment about a headache was just a normal seeming comment from her, said without much emphasis. She ended up refusing to go further as Peggy and Max were already heading back—she was just 30m from being able to see the falls when she turned around with them. I stayed at the falls a long time before turning around. The way down seemed to be more vertical than it seemed on the way up. Still it was only about 600ft. I started feeling more pain from my back at the surgery incision area so I tried to walk softly. I was hiking in soft running shoes. The motion made it seem like I was getting a blister between my toes. I caught up to the rest of the family and made it to the car okay. The trail was nice though not spectacular. There were lots of smaller waterfalls and interesting rocks. It was popular.
In Estes Park for the night, Max and I played table tennis on on outdoor table. It was hard since even slightl winds affected the ball. The bending over to pickup dropped/missed balls was a little wearing on my back but it was nice being able to play this sport that I learned from my uncles, with Max.
At night after this, I woke up a lot. A couple of times it hurt a lot to put weight on my left heel. That largely subsided by morning.
In Estes Park for the night, Max and I played table tennis on on outdoor table. It was hard since even slightl winds affected the ball. The bending over to pickup dropped/missed balls was a little wearing on my back but it was nice being able to play this sport that I learned from my uncles, with Max.
At night after this, I woke up a lot. A couple of times it hurt a lot to put weight on my left heel. That largely subsided by morning.
Sunday Aug 26, 2018 #
5 PM
Running (Trail) 14:54 [2] 1.51 mi (9:52 / mi)
slept:7.5 weight:195lbs (injured)
Montgomery County, MD. From Cedar Ln. on the Rock Creek Trail, I went northward to the next point that the trail crosses Beach Dr., and then back. I'd taken Samantha with me; she rode her bicycle while I ran. Even with me taking it easy, she rides slower than I run. I helped her get up the one small little rise in the trail on the way out, but she did it on her own on the way back. Samantha remarked that this was fun not long after we got started. I enjoyed it too. It was in the upper 80s F. I felt a little better than when I tried running 2 days ago, but I also felt things to let me know I'm still recovering. It was also nice to be able to have the time to run--with work and other things going on when I'm not on vacation, it gets hard to do even simple things like this.
Saturday Aug 25, 2018 #
Note
slept:5.0 (injured)
This was a traveling day, getting from Cape Cod to Bethesda. Traffic was frequent in Connecticut but good elsewhere. Near the end of the trip, we stopped at Ted Good's house for the annual Squirrel themed party that happens after a Summer Short Series event. It was good to see folks.
Friday Aug 24, 2018 #
6 PM
Running (Street & Trail) 10:33 [2] 1.04 mi (10:09 / mi) +9m 9:53 / mi
slept:8.0 (injured)
Cape Cod, MA. From Tanager La. Blue Jay Dr. to Peacock Dr. to Rabbit Ln. to Goat Field Ln. to Rudder Rd. to Dolphin Ln. to Old Town Rd. to Keel Way, to Rudder Rd. to Dolphin Rd. to Blue Jay Dr. to Tanager Rd. With it having been 2 weeks since surgery, I thought I’d try a light run. I kept the pace easy. The paved roads I ran on were mostly flat. I was a bit full from a late lunch (after a visit to Craigville Beach) but I felt okay. I felt odd; a little like being off balance but with my right leg a little weaker than my left. My left toes continue to tingle.
Thursday Aug 23, 2018 #
3 PM
Bicycling (Road) 1:39:11 [3] 22.8 mi (4:21 / mi) +118m 4:17 / mi
slept:6.0 (injured)
Cape Cod, MA. From Rte 134 in South Dennis, Peggy and I rode east about a mile to the current end of the Cape Cod Rail Trail, and the turned around for more. We rode west and north following the trail. Peggy turned around in Brewster at Rte. 137, Long Pond Rd. I turned around at Nickerson State Park where we’d ridden northward yesterday. I picked up the pace a lot when riding alone. I was usually hitting 20 mph in between the road crossings. At one crossing there were 3 police cars talking to a woman sitting on the ground. I surmised from their questions that someone had bumped her and then left the scene. The trail was basically flat with nice grading. It was mostly shady and that kep the significant winds from being significant. There were nice marshes and lakes as well as some fallow farmlands along the way. I was about 2 minutes behind Peggy finishing up. It was a nice ride and a nice physical effort too. I did get stung by something over my stomach that was perhaps attracted to my fluorescent yellow-green shirt.
Early this morning Max and I went out fishing in the Cape Cod Bay. We left on a small trawling boat from Rock Harbor near Orleans MA. The seas were rough. It had been windy or rainy since we’d been on Cape Cod. I’d gotten a little nauseous a couple of days earlier on the way back from our whale watching outing on a 100ft. boat. This one was around 30 ft. I’d guess the seas were around 3-4 ft. waves. Some were bigger. As a precaution I had not eaten breakfast and I took Dramamine. We started off of a shoal and were catching fish quickly. It was usually the case that one line would get a strike followed by another within 10 seconds. One time we had 3 lines going at the same time. The strikes seemed to me to happen in the same place, judging by another boat which was anchored, and a view of some sandy cliffs at Wellfleet where we’d seen a drive-in movie Tuesday night. We shared the boat with two other paying customers, another father-son team in which the son was younger than Max. At least half the time when pulling in a line, there were 2 fish to the line. The jigs were setup with about 6 lures each. My outrigger line as well as the other father’s outrigger, hardly hooked anything. We lost count of how many fish the boys hooked but the younger kid at one time counted 19. All were sea bass. Unfortunately for us, all that was caught was just under the 28” minimum length. Most were from 22” to 26” long. Max gave me a turn in his seat and I haul in 2 on my first try. The second time I’d gotten a 26” fish. I was happy and done after that. I was mostly happy that I didn’t get sick. Max was disappointed that we didn’t get to keep any fish and wanted to buy some to cook. At $26 per pound at a store next to our lunch spot in Brewster I declined but we had a seafood dinner. Max ate Swordfish.
Early this morning Max and I went out fishing in the Cape Cod Bay. We left on a small trawling boat from Rock Harbor near Orleans MA. The seas were rough. It had been windy or rainy since we’d been on Cape Cod. I’d gotten a little nauseous a couple of days earlier on the way back from our whale watching outing on a 100ft. boat. This one was around 30 ft. I’d guess the seas were around 3-4 ft. waves. Some were bigger. As a precaution I had not eaten breakfast and I took Dramamine. We started off of a shoal and were catching fish quickly. It was usually the case that one line would get a strike followed by another within 10 seconds. One time we had 3 lines going at the same time. The strikes seemed to me to happen in the same place, judging by another boat which was anchored, and a view of some sandy cliffs at Wellfleet where we’d seen a drive-in movie Tuesday night. We shared the boat with two other paying customers, another father-son team in which the son was younger than Max. At least half the time when pulling in a line, there were 2 fish to the line. The jigs were setup with about 6 lures each. My outrigger line as well as the other father’s outrigger, hardly hooked anything. We lost count of how many fish the boys hooked but the younger kid at one time counted 19. All were sea bass. Unfortunately for us, all that was caught was just under the 28” minimum length. Most were from 22” to 26” long. Max gave me a turn in his seat and I haul in 2 on my first try. The second time I’d gotten a 26” fish. I was happy and done after that. I was mostly happy that I didn’t get sick. Max was disappointed that we didn’t get to keep any fish and wanted to buy some to cook. At $26 per pound at a store next to our lunch spot in Brewster I declined but we had a seafood dinner. Max ate Swordfish.
Wednesday Aug 22, 2018 #
2 PM
Bicycling (Road) 1:02:38 [1] 6.67 mi (9:23 / mi) +40m 9:13 / mi
(injured)
From Nickerson State Park, MA, east on the Cape Cod rail trail to the next parking area, then back. Peggy and Max got moving right away while Samantha struggled to get over her fears. Samantha did fall as she tried to get started the first time. Her shorts with a skirt got hooked on her seat as she tried to get going. With coaxing we got her going again. She did well after that. After a little more than halfway, we stopped for ice cream. The ride was nicely graded and had few turns. There was lots of shade. This turned out to be the longest Samantha had ever ridden. She was faster returning than going out.
Later on, we visited Nickerson State Park. While Peggy did some orienteering on a 1:15,000 map, Max , Samantha, and I hung out at the smaller of the Cliff Ponds. There was sand and an area to swim inside a roped area. We took Samantha’s beach ball and played a long time before Max got into the water. I had to stay out since I’m still recovering.
Later on, we visited Nickerson State Park. While Peggy did some orienteering on a 1:15,000 map, Max , Samantha, and I hung out at the smaller of the Cliff Ponds. There was sand and an area to swim inside a roped area. We took Samantha’s beach ball and played a long time before Max got into the water. I had to stay out since I’m still recovering.
Tuesday Aug 21, 2018 #
5 PM
Hiking 2:43 [3] 0.09 mi (29:45 / mi) +11m 21:52 / mi
Hiking (Street and Trail) 5:48 [1] 0.21 mi (27:37 / mi) +7m 25:01 / mi
slept:4.0 (injured)
From the Nauset Beach parking lot, to the Nauset Lighthouse, then walking along the cliff line and back to the car. This lighthouse is the one used for the Cape Cod Potato Chip company logo. We walked up 48 steps to the top. It was explained to us that the lighthouse had been moved twice earlier. The cliffs have been eroding as much as 9 ft a year. We saw roughl surf with just a few people in the water. They were outnumbered by seal. Had we stayed longer we’d have seen
Monday Aug 20, 2018 #
4 PM
Hiking (Trail) 34:25 [3] 1.11 mi (31:01 / mi) +46m 27:31 / mi
slept:7.0 (injured)
From the parking lot off of Race Point Rd, and southwest of the National Seashore Visitor Center, Peggy, Max, Samantha, and I hiked around Blackwater Pond. We did the longer loop and detoured up a hill for a view of a sandy plateau. At the start of the hike people were feeding birds and a squirrel—they gave Max some seeds and he got some birds to land on his hand to snatch them.
We’d planned to go on a boat ride to see whales earlier. However, the ocean was too rough and our trip got canceled.
We’d planned to go on a boat ride to see whales earlier. However, the ocean was too rough and our trip got canceled.
Sunday Aug 19, 2018 #
4 PM
Bicycling (Road ) 42:21 [1] 3.3 mi (12:50 / mi) +27m 12:31 / mi
slept:7.5 (injured)
Hyannisport, MA. We took a morning cruise from Hyannis Port. It explained some of the history of the area including things about the Kennedy compound. They pointed out public and private beaches, and lots of famous houses. Besides the Kennedy’s and Shriver’s, the former Gap CEO, and houses of the inventor of the machine that made pantyhose were pointed out. We lunched on sandwiches in Barnstable and rested at home for a while.
In the late afternoon we all rode bicycles to Covells Beach. It had started to rain lightly but mostly it was dry. We knew the ride would be challenging for Samantha since the way there was mostly on a trail along a busy road. She did pretty well. There were some ups and downs on the path—more of a sidewalk crossed by driveways. That made it harder for Samantha. At one point on a downgrade we came to a crossroad and Samantha, who was behind Max and I, had trouble applying brakes. A car emerged on our right—though it stopped normally, it was distracting and Samantha went down. It was her first fall. There was hardly a scratch but it was scary for a new rider. With several halting starts, and fits, Samantha made it to the beach. The water was warm according to Peggy who took her shoes off for a dip. The wind was blowing and the air was about 67 F. Going back took some time to get through a few more of Samantha‘s fits. Once we got off the path and onto roads all was smooth.
In the late afternoon we all rode bicycles to Covells Beach. It had started to rain lightly but mostly it was dry. We knew the ride would be challenging for Samantha since the way there was mostly on a trail along a busy road. She did pretty well. There were some ups and downs on the path—more of a sidewalk crossed by driveways. That made it harder for Samantha. At one point on a downgrade we came to a crossroad and Samantha, who was behind Max and I, had trouble applying brakes. A car emerged on our right—though it stopped normally, it was distracting and Samantha went down. It was her first fall. There was hardly a scratch but it was scary for a new rider. With several halting starts, and fits, Samantha made it to the beach. The water was warm according to Peggy who took her shoes off for a dip. The wind was blowing and the air was about 67 F. Going back took some time to get through a few more of Samantha‘s fits. Once we got off the path and onto roads all was smooth.
Saturday Aug 18, 2018 #
4 PM
Bicycling (Road) 16:29 [1] 1.22 mi (13:31 / mi) +9m 13:12 / mi
slept:8.0 (injured)
Hyannisport, MA. From Tanager Rd. Peggy, Max, Samantha, and I rode on Blue Jay Dr., Keel Way., Rudder Rd., Goat Rd., and Peackock Dr. this was our opportunity to shake out our legs and practice for Samantha to gain confidence to be able to ride elsewhere later on. The roads were pretty flat but the slight grade was a challenge for Samantha.
Earlier in the day we went to a glass factory in Sandwich. The factory had made blown glass but was more famous for it’s blown glass. We saw a demonstration of glass blowing. However, the pressed glass was much more impressive than I thought it’d be. The word/name “Sandwich” became synonymous for its pressing glass—it was done between 2 wood cut blocks. We had a nice lunch in Sandwich.
We checked into the house we’re renting after lunch. Samantha was pretty excited and getting an new room for a week. It was hot and humid but it was after we’d unpacked and got the A/C turned on inside that we assembled our bikes outside and got riding.
Earlier in the day we went to a glass factory in Sandwich. The factory had made blown glass but was more famous for it’s blown glass. We saw a demonstration of glass blowing. However, the pressed glass was much more impressive than I thought it’d be. The word/name “Sandwich” became synonymous for its pressing glass—it was done between 2 wood cut blocks. We had a nice lunch in Sandwich.
We checked into the house we’re renting after lunch. Samantha was pretty excited and getting an new room for a week. It was hot and humid but it was after we’d unpacked and got the A/C turned on inside that we assembled our bikes outside and got riding.
Friday Aug 17, 2018 #
2 PM
Hiking (Street and Trail) 1:03:03 [3] 2.23 mi (28:16 / mi) +32m 27:04 / mi
slept:8.0 (injured)
Boston, MA. Peggy, Max, Samantha, and I started the day late with seeing the USS Constitution, the more modern USD Caison, and the old dry dock. The sailors on the USD Constitution told Greg stories bringing to life the way the sailors lived. We next walked the Freedom Trail to the Paul Revere House. We went past the old church where the warning lanterns were hind to signify the method that the British traveled to return control of the old city. We also wandered an old graveyard before getting to Paul Revere’s house. After this we walked back. We thought we’d see the Maparrium, but it had closed. We saw the Halls, enjoying a nice dinner and ice cream with them too!
Thursday Aug 16, 2018 #
4 PM
Bicycling (Other ) 46:10 [3] 5.29 mi (8:44 / mi) +6m 8:42 / mi
slept:8.0 (injured)
North of Newport, Rhode Island. Peggy, Max, Samantha, and I pedaled our way along Mount Hope Bay on railroad tracks with the help of Rail Explorers Rhode Island. We pedaled a 4 person, single speed , heavy metal car. It was surprisingly easy to move and even more surprisingly easy to stop, with a single bicycle style hand break. It was about 90F but we had a breeze coming off the water. Much of the ride seemed downhill but the GPS track shows a 6m climb. We had to keep our pace so that we wouldn’t bump into another car and stay about 50m apart. Our speed thus varied between 5 and 12mph. I’d been worried about doing this so soon after surgery but it wasn’t bad. The worst for the ride was my butt getting sore. I didn’t sweat a lot
Earlier in the day we drove across Connecticut with a stop in Mystic for lunch. After the rail experience we drove the 10mile Ocean Drive around Newport. Fabulous old and new mansions were to be seen. Some had iron gates around them and others had rock gardens with ocean views. We didn’t take any tours. We stopped in Bretton Point State Park where Portuguese sailors discovered the area and later helped establish the town. It was all very beautiful.
Earlier in the day we drove across Connecticut with a stop in Mystic for lunch. After the rail experience we drove the 10mile Ocean Drive around Newport. Fabulous old and new mansions were to be seen. Some had iron gates around them and others had rock gardens with ocean views. We didn’t take any tours. We stopped in Bretton Point State Park where Portuguese sailors discovered the area and later helped establish the town. It was all very beautiful.
Wednesday Aug 15, 2018 #
2 PM
Hiking (Street and Trail) 1:00:00 [1] 1.5 mi (40:00 / mi)
slept:3.0 weight:194lbs (injured)
I had an early morning trip to my orthopedist. He seemed to think things were progressing but kept warning about changing dressings and keeping dry to keep infection from happening. Stitches are to come off on Monday and Peggy is to do that! We had a second doctor stop to x-ray Max’s finger. Lifting with his back to the basement floor 2 nights earlier, he’d dropped hand weights onto his fingers and was still having trouble. Max check ed out okay. With his trip to the doctors we fulfilled our quota of Max trips to visit doctors while on vacation.
Peggy drove us to Jersey City. We walked to the pier and got ferries to Ellis Island and to the Statue of Liberty. The exhibits at Ellis Island were moving and so relevant to today. It showed one of the greatest things this country had done and why we had such a good world reputation. There were sad stories about the fear and hopes of people reaching US land and not being sure if they’d be admitted—2% were sent back after medical and mental tests (Do you start washing stair floors from the top or the bottom?—one answer was I didn’t come to America to wash stairs). Some were sick from diseased homelands or transport ship; Ship fares covered the cost of housing and feeding them; possibly the medical care given too. Striking also were the descriptions of the poverty that people were fleeing from. That made me think about what lead to that in thier many home countries. Finally, reading the stories of elation from those who looked back on their emigration—“I work”, or paraphrased “making a dollar a day here I am living better than a lord in my country”.
I was again dragging as we were seeing the Statue. It was more than the sunny heat. I took the elevator and was okay walking the last flight to the pedestal level. The wind there and impressive views over the water to NY city was nice. An actor playing the statue designer Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, talked with us and was happy that people added their association of “welcoming” to his original design intent of “illumination” and colossal freedom fo the world.
Peggy drove us to Jersey City. We walked to the pier and got ferries to Ellis Island and to the Statue of Liberty. The exhibits at Ellis Island were moving and so relevant to today. It showed one of the greatest things this country had done and why we had such a good world reputation. There were sad stories about the fear and hopes of people reaching US land and not being sure if they’d be admitted—2% were sent back after medical and mental tests (Do you start washing stair floors from the top or the bottom?—one answer was I didn’t come to America to wash stairs). Some were sick from diseased homelands or transport ship; Ship fares covered the cost of housing and feeding them; possibly the medical care given too. Striking also were the descriptions of the poverty that people were fleeing from. That made me think about what lead to that in thier many home countries. Finally, reading the stories of elation from those who looked back on their emigration—“I work”, or paraphrased “making a dollar a day here I am living better than a lord in my country”.
I was again dragging as we were seeing the Statue. It was more than the sunny heat. I took the elevator and was okay walking the last flight to the pedestal level. The wind there and impressive views over the water to NY city was nice. An actor playing the statue designer Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, talked with us and was happy that people added their association of “welcoming” to his original design intent of “illumination” and colossal freedom fo the world.
Tuesday Aug 14, 2018 #
Note
slept:6.0 weight:193lbs (injured)
Better again as far as moving around, but worn out by the evening.
Note
(injured)
Got a bit worn out teleworking late and finishing up to get ready for two weeks of R&R. After final packing Max helped load up the car. We never were able to remove the hitch bicycle rack from Peggy’s car and put it onto the van. Using more than one YouTube how-to-do it instruction, I had even tied the rack to a tree and tried to drive it off, but stayed stuck. We got all 4 bikes and our luggage in.
Monday Aug 13, 2018 #
Note
slept:8.0 weight:195.5lbs (injured)
My mobility continues to get better. I sat in my desk chair most of the day again, but this time it was for telework. By the end of the day, I was getting up and down with little trouble. I could lean forward for a good while without pain.
Sunday Aug 12, 2018 #
Note
weight:197lbs (injured)
I started feeling better just before midnight on Saturday. I had to wake up every 60-90 minutes to pee. The constipation abated and I made it to dinner out with family and friends Bob and Ben.
Saturday Aug 11, 2018 #
Note
weight:200.5lbs (injured)
The pain whenever I moved was worse this day. It was rather difficult to get up and walking was only done very slowly. I've not been eating so much but constipation from the pain killers bumped my weight up unexpectedly. It's hard to believe in retrospect that I was able to get in Peggy's car the day before, but I guess that was the pain killers. I did it again this day to see my mom and to stop at a place to try to get the bike rack off of Peggy's car--it's rusted into place in the hitch.
Friday Aug 10, 2018 #
Note
weight:199.5lbs (injured)
On pain killers, I didn't feel so bad Thursday night and most of Friday. It did feel more difficult than leaving surgery 3 years back. I remember some of that night, but not much--slept mostly on my sides. Peggy said I was out of it. On Thursday, I managed to get in Peggy's car so we could go pickup Samantha and Max from their respective camps. All the small bumps in the road hurt.
Thursday Aug 9, 2018 #
Note
weight:194lbs (injured)
I had a second back surgery this day. It was said to go smoothly. It was to be the mirror image of the procedure I had 3 year back on my right side between L4 and L5. The piece of broken cartilage that had been causing pressure on my nerves and radiculopathy in my left leg, was said to be large. The surgeon used the previous incision and reached over from the right side to get at it. He said that over the coming days I'd be hurting, especially sitting in a car as is planned. The walking however is supposed to be good physical therapy.
Wednesday Aug 8, 2018 #
7 AM
Bicycling (Commute) 6:39 [3] 1.41 mi (4:43 / mi) +18m 4:32 / mi
(injured)
From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.
9 PM
Bicycling (Commute) 6:43 [3] 1.41 mi (4:46 / mi) +21m 4:33 / mi
(injured)
From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. I had visions of trying to do a run after work but for the 3rd day in a row, I worked late. At least I got in some kind of workout. I know it might be the last in a while.
Tuesday Aug 7, 2018 #
7 AM
Bicycling (Commute) 37:47 [3] 12.2 mi (3:06 / mi) +48m 3:04 / mi
slept:5.5 weight:194lbs (injured)
From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD, to 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. I felt like I was starting out more slowly than the day before. I was steadily passing people and as I got toward the bottom of the main hill before Fletcher's Boathouse, I closed in on another guy. He noticed me behind him when he looked back to pass someone else, then picked up the pace. I stayed with him for a while but he surged more. I kept a steady pace up and closed the gap by the time we were at Georgetown. We split as he went along the water at M St., and I stayed on Water Street. That got me ahead of him. There were some headwinds along the water on Ohio Dr. I hadn't realized that I was going as fast as I'd been--at the Lincoln Memorial I was just under 30 minutes. I saw the other guy I'd ridden with again while waiting to cross Main Ave. at 15th St. As the light changed, I pulled ahead going up the hill. This ride added miles surpassing my total for all of 2017. That's good since I've got virtually no chance of surpassing the total miles that I'd run in 2017.
6 PM
Bicycling (Commute) 43:42 [3] 12.1 mi (3:37 / mi) +135m 3:29 / mi
(injured)
From 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. Like the previous day, there had been an afternoon thunderstorm that had mostly dried-up. Clouds kept it cooler and there was a slight headwind getting to Old Georgetown Rd. My legs were feeling sore from the morning ride, plus the last couple of days. I got out of Georgetown in just under 14 minutes, faster than the previous day. I saw a few other riders but the trail was not getting a lot of use. A second storm front had been heading in but it never rained.
Monday Aug 6, 2018 #
7 AM
Bicycling (Commute) 39:04 12.2 mi (3:12 / mi) +19m 3:11 / mi
slept:5.0 weight:194lbs (injured)
From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD, to 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. I was thankful that getting out a little bit earlier, the air felt a little cooler than the previous day. I was carrying by laptop case as well as my usual backpack. I moved well passing 2 at intersections who later passed me back after River Rd. When a 3rd went past me half way across the flats to Georgetown, I stuck with him. I nearly lost him in the detour for the construction project but was just about right on him again as we split at the end of Georgetown. I kept an easier pace after that. There were no winds.
7 PM
Bicycling (Commute) 45:03 [3] 12.1 mi (3:43 / mi) +153m 3:35 / mi
(injured)
From 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. It had rained in the late afternoon and had dried-up mostly before I got going. I found some headwinds going north but mostly it wasn't bad. The air was cooler too. A mile out of Georgetown, it started raining, and kept up until I had gotten to River Rd. I kept thinking it would stop since I could see it being sunny across the river; several cyclists were stopping under trees or in the MacArthur Blvd. tunnel. I kept going and it felt pretty good. One guy who I see riding all winter in his maroon shorts passed me and I didn't push it much.
Sunday Aug 5, 2018 #
8 AM
Bicycling (Road) 38:16 [3] 11.59 mi (3:18 / mi) +15m 3:17 / mi
slept:6.0 weight:194.5lbs (injured)
From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD, to the Tidal Basin at Main Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. I got out just a little earlier that Peggy and Samantha who were driving downtown for the Summer Short Series (SSS) event which Gary Smith and Karla Hulett put on, on The Mall in Washington, D.C. The gathering place for this event was just along my regular bicycle commuting route to work. I rode without a backpack. There was a slight headwind but mainly it was already hot and sticky. There were lots of runners on the trail and fewer cyclists than I normally see commuting. I wasn't that energetic, and took it easier finishing-up. I had just pulled into the parking lot when I could see Peggy and Samantha pulling in right behind me. They had made a stop for drinks.
Orienteering (Foot) 2:00:58 [3] 8.4 mi (14:24 / mi) +415m 12:29 / mi
26c (injured)
QOC Summer Short Series in Washington, DC. Gary Smith and Karla Hulett set a nice course starting/finishing from the from the Tidal Basin on Maine Ave., on an expanded map. There were multiple layers involved and some areas under construction that weren't always up to date, making it hard in the first part. Fortunately for me, this was in the area where I walk around at lunch time on work days! It helped me save distance, which was important given troubles I've been having. I was rather surprised that I did the whole thing; I figured I'd bail-out at some point. I was able to jog through a lot, often keeping up with others in the first, more technical part that I was familiar with. I made errors going up or down when I didn't need to, like others. The map scale was 1:6,250, and at that scale, the stairs were hard to see. Controls in the field were marked with small construction flags or chalk when on pavement or a wall. I knew I was in the correct location a few times but was unable to find the chalk markers--in one case, air condition moisture accumulation washed out the chalk markings. Peggy had started after I had but early on, I needed a toilet; I stopped at a Starbucks (off-the-clock) and then went on so I saw her and Tom Nolan a lot. As we got to the more open areas on the course runners had the advantage. I wasn't running so well so I fell behind. I almost caught the group near the WWII Memorial, despite stopping for water at a fountain. After the Einstein Memorial, I caught up to Peggy and we ran together for a while. Peggy was getting tired from the heat so we started walking together for the rest of the course. The 9.1K, 26 control course was a bit on the long side for us, on this sunny, warm, and humid day. I still had fun and look forward to next year.
Later on, Peggy, Samantha, and I ate in Pentagon City. After that we took Samantha off to her first 5-day overnight camp.
Later on, Peggy, Samantha, and I ate in Pentagon City. After that we took Samantha off to her first 5-day overnight camp.
Saturday Aug 4, 2018 #
Note
(injured)
I was traveling all day. The trip from Kansas City to home isn't so long and I was out the door by 7:30am, CT. Another co-worker and I dropped off the first of our group to the airport. When it was our turn to arrive, we found that our flight had gotten cancelled. This is the second time in a row coming back from Kansas City that my flight had been cancelled (the last was for high winds in the DC area). I didn't get into my house until just after 9pm, ET.
2 PM
Running (Street & Trail) 33:33 2.12 mi (15:49 / mi) +6m 15:41 / mi
slept:7.5 weight:195lbs (injured)
Bethesda, MD. With rain and being busy, it had been a while since I last got Samantha out for a bicycle ride. She'd just been getting her ability to ride and was being more confident back then. She eventually overcame the mental challenge of getting started again--I had to not let her give-up before she got started, and then again a few times on our first loop around a block--Madison St., Heampstead Ave., and Hartsdale Ave. She was nervous about getting started, using her brakes, and stopping on her own. Walking and jogging along side, I was there to catch her and I had to do a bit more than encourage her at times--waiting her out was needed. Fortunately for my back, I didn't have to catch her much. The second time around this block she was able to ride the whole thing without stopping. We branched out after that, covering McKinley St., Garfield St., a small paved trail between blocks, Folkstone St., and Irvington St., mostly without stopping. The few stops were for when a car or pedestrian was nearby/passing and Samantha had trouble keeping to the right. I told her to lean her head in the direction she needed to go and the rest would follow, and she improved! This was the farthest she'd ever gone on bicycle and something for her to be proud of--I think she was.
Bicycling (Road) 1:00:00 [3] 15.85 mi (3:47 / mi) +186m 3:39 / mi
(injured)
From Northfield Rd., Custer Rd./Park Ln. to Battery Ln., to Woodmont Ave., to Wisconsin Ave., to Jones Bridge Rd., to Jones Mill Rd., to Beach Dr., to the Rock Creek Trail, to Viers Mill Rd., to Twinbrook Pkwy., to Chapman Ave., to Bou Ave./Nebel St., to Old Georgetown Rd., to Executive Blvd./E. Jefferson St., to Panera Bread. Having been away all week for work, I needed to get some exercise. My legs were sore on hills; probably from trying to run. It was sunny and humid; there were prevailing headwinds and it was generally uphill. The Rock Creek Trail was damp, mossy, puddled, and muddy in places. I would have gone further but needed to meet Peggy and Samantha. I actually intended a more direct route but had it in my head from an earlier plan to meet them near Old Georgetown Rd.
Thursday Aug 2, 2018 #
7 PM
Running (Trail) 20:27 [3] 2.27 mi (9:01 / mi) +40m 8:32 / mi
(injured)
Kansas City, MO. In Mill Creek Park off J.C. Nichols Pkwy. at 46th St. (the Plaza). I did about 2 1/2 loops around the park. I wasn’t sure if I could do it. My left leg is week and my toes numb and tingling for over a month. I’d been feeling better lately; walking around isn’t nearly as hard as it was several weeks back. However I’ve also been getting used to the weakness and tingling in a way that I don’t think is good in the long run. This run was my first in a long while. An older guy passed by before I started and I watched him pull away when I got going. Getting going was good enough. I did the looping close to my hotel so that I could return if I had to. I felt okay but awkward. I got a little faster as I went. It was warm and sunny. I felt okay afterwards but walking I still felt my left knee on stairs.