Endurance Running

Running – Base Training Week 5, Day 2

16 December 2014

After yesterday’s Medium Pace Run, I decided that today’s training run should be closer to an easy pace than yesterday’s. Besides, the schedule called for a 5 mile, mid-week run. Once again, that first hill (~10.5% grade) drained my strength!

Endurance Running – Base Building, Week 5 of 13 Weeks, Day 2 of 4 Days

The route that I’ve run, yesterday and today, is fairly heavily wooded. Today’s run must have spooked the local deer population because there were several sets of does and one set of two stags (bucks) racing across the roadway within a couple of hundred feet in front of me. The first set of does crossed less than one hundred feet in front of me just as I was cresting that initial hill; I was so focused upon just struggling up the hill that the appearance of those does really startled me (somewhat of an understatement!!!). Maybe, I should consider taking a camera with me the next time that I go for an easy pace run so that I can document those encounters?

Although the weather was moderate and Continue reading Running – Base Training Week 5, Day 2 →

Endurance Running, RV Travels

Resuming Endurance Running Training

15 December 2014

On 07 December 2014, I ran the San Antonio Half Marathon; and, I performed pretty well for an old guy [Official time: 2:02:08]. But, during this past week–between the foot race and today–I simply ran two short recovery workouts and one 10-miler recovery workout.

But, beginning today, I’ve resumed training at Week 5 of a 16 13 week schedule. BTW, I’m planning to follow (more or less) the training schedule from The Non-Runners’ Marathon Trainer, by David Whitsett et al. (It’s the same training plan that I used in 2011 to, successfully, prepare for the Marine Corps Marathon, Official time: 4:34:51). However, one modification that I’ve made to the plan is that I’ve added a one mile WU (warm up) at the beginning of the scheduled workout; also, I, usually, include three, 20 second strides in each WU, but not if there is a steep (8% or greater) grade within the WU mile. [Twenty second strides, as I use the term, are brief, running intervals during which I build my speed, within about 5 seconds, to a 5k race pace (currently, 8:18/mile – 8:26/mile pace) or faster; I hold that race pace for about 10 seconds; and then, I reduce my speed to the workout pace, within about 5 seconds. Other duration strides; e.g., 30 second strides, 60 second strides, etc., use the same buildup and slowdown timing but use the appropriate “hold” pace duration to make the total stride time to equal the duration required. Each stride is separated from the next stride by easy pace running (currently, 11:07/mile – 11:15/mile pace) for 20-to-120 seconds, depending upon my fitness at the time of the workout.]

Endurance Running – Base Building, Week 5 of 13 Weeks, Day 1 of 4 Days

I’m not yet training for a marathon; I’m just building my Continue reading Resuming Endurance Running Training →

Alaska Adventure, RV Travels, Travels

Alaska Trip Wrap-up…After My Absense of Many Months

Okay, I admit that I’ve been negligent in updating my Alaska Adventure posts…sorry.

A clear view of Mount McKinley (aka, Mount Denali)
A Clear View of Mount McKinley (aka, Mount Denali) — Only about 30% of the visitors get to see the mountain due to cloud cover. The mountain is so large and tall that it creates its own weather patterns.

With this posting, I’m adding three PDF files (…Pt 1.pdf, …Pt 2.pdf, and …Pt 3.pdf) of a presentation that I made to the 2014 National HDT Rally in Hutchinson, KS.

The first part contains a summary of the entire trip followed by the first few legs of our Adventure; the other two PDF files, follow, in sequence, the remaining legs of our journey. The photos are actual photos that we took along the way and are indicative of our Adventure.

 

[Note that these files are 18+ to 22+ MB, in size.]

ALASKA ADVENTURE – 2014_Pt 1
ALASKA ADVENTURE – 2014_Pt 2
ALASKA ADVENTURE – 2014_Pt 3

Hopefully, you’ll find the presentation informative, especially if you’re planning a journey to Alaska yourself. Don’t hesitate to post questions.

RV Travels

2014 East Coast Rally (ECR) – Crossville, Tennessee

The ECR kicked off with most of the attendees arriving on Saturday 05 April. It was exciting to watch a nearly continual stream of “Heavy Haulers,” toterhomes, and pickups pulling, mostly, 5ver (fifth-wheel trailers) and pull trailers arriving during the day. Actually, we had some attendees rent the cabins that are immediately adjacent to the camping area where Kim (owner of Deer Run RV Resort) had assigned to our group.

For some folks, those RV (recreational vehicle) terms may be unfamiliar; so, let’s just define what I mean by those terms:

  1. Heavy Hauler – A class 7 or 8 semi-tractor (like those used to pull semi-trailers, aka 18-wheeler), usually equipped with an RV, fifth-wheel, air hitch;
  2. Toterhome – A super Class C RV, that is the front end of a semi-tractor, but with livingroom/lounge, kitchen, bathroom, shower and living quarters built onto the same frame;
  3. 5ver – An RV trailer having a pin attachment for hitching to the tow vehicle’s fifth-wheel hitch; and,
  4. Pull Trailer – An RV trailer having a coupling attachment (usually an extension of the trailer frame) for hitching to the tow vehicle’s ball hitch).

The ECR is developed and coordinated by our friends Carl and Donna, who have Continue reading 2014 East Coast Rally (ECR) – Crossville, Tennessee →

RV Travels, Travels

After our weekend vacation

Saturday 22 March 2014

We drove from Deer Run RV Resort to Friendsville, TN, about mid-morning for a “weekend vacation” and to stay with Carl and Donna. While vacationing on Saturday, Janet and I hiked, with our friends Carl and Donna, about 2 1/4 miles on the Tremont Trail in the Smokey Mountains. [See Hiking the Tremont Trail, TN in the “Gallery.”] The forecast for the day was 40% rain; but, as the hours advanced, the day became more beautiful–blue sky, moderate temperatures, and a light breeze. The dense tree growth along the trail was quite naked, since the Spring-time leaves haven’t yet begun to emerge; but, the lack of foliage does allow great views of the babbling stream paralleling the trail and of the massive boulders creating natural dams and boiling rapids as the stream makes its way down the mountain side.

About 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 miles up the trail we came upon  Continue reading After our weekend vacation →

RV Travels, Travels

Alaska Adventure – Leg #1 (part 2)

Monday 17 March 2014 – Visit with Carl and Donna

Janet and I awoke, ate breakfast, prepared the rig for travel, and departed Harvest Moon RV Park, heading to Tennessee, in between rain bands. We planned to meet with our dear friends, Carl and Donna, in Friendsville, TN, and to proceed to Maryville, where we were having the tires on the Volvo and on the Mobile Suites replaced with new, virgin rubber tires. [The tires on the Volvo were 7 years old and on the MS, almost, 7 y.o. For more, in-depth account of our on road “adventure” and tire purchase, click Travel or the “Travel” menu tab, above.]

Donna was waiting for us along the route to the tire store and led us Continue reading Alaska Adventure – Leg #1 (part 2) →

RV Travels

Alaska Adventure – Leg #1

Sunday 16 March 2014 – Good bye, Yukon, FL

It took Janet and I about 2 hours to prepare the Mobile Suites for travel. Not that there was so much to do, it was more that we haven’t gone through the preparation in such a long time–and, being methodical, we stopped after nearly each step to consider whether we have omitted anything prior to that step. We, also, were chatting quite a bit as we worked. [As we’ve been advised by more experienced travelers, we will develop a written checklist for “departures” and another written checklist for “arrivals.”]

It was such a beautiful day, temperature in the mid-70s (F) and sunny with a few clouds–a stark contrast to the forecast of 60% chance of rain. The forecast for our planned travel route Continue reading Alaska Adventure – Leg #1 →

RV Travels

Living in Yukon, FL – December 2013

Janet and I had planned to move to Yukon, FL, from Oak Hill, FL, during December 2013; well, it happened in November…we arrived on 30 November, about 14:30! We left sunny, but partly cloudy, Oak Hill and arrived to an overcast, foggy Yukon/Jacksonville. The temperature change was, probably, only about -10ºF, but a significantly higher humidity.

Second Amendment

Gun Control

Drove to a local firing range Monday evening; rented a Model m1911 pistol (.45 cal, semi-automatic); purchased a box of ammunition; and shot the heck out of a target. Controlled the gun (pistol, actually) quite well, especially, considering that I haven’t fired a pistol within the past 45 years.