Winter running and baby Lucy!

Getting back on it after some whirlwind days caused by the arrival of Lucille Jean!



Yes, it's been very exciting and fascinating to watch her already change a little day by day.

I ran Sunday and again this morning. It's snowy out which makes the lake front path very pretty which takes off some of the misery of running in the cold. Only in the low 30's though so no big deal with the cold. I think the winter plan is to just let my body dictate the run. As long as I keep lacing 'em up 3-4 times a week and getting out there I'll be ready (and lighter?) to train when spring comes.

Lucy has a very nice running stroller so there should be some very fun runs in the spring with Lucy and coach Leah. Wheeeeee!!!

Stop coughing and run. . .

So I did. Always look forward to my Sunday run. Sometimes it's dissapointing (like last Sunday) but for some reason I always look forward to it. Strange. I'm not working and all my days are similar but the Sunday run still feels different.


View belmont north loop in a larger map

Today I tried to really warm up and stretch before running. I jogged about some, stretched my right instep a LOT, ran again, stretched again. This felt pretty good. I then ran 2 miles when I started to feel my right instep tighten up. So I stopped by the statue of Ben Franklin and stretched that instep again. A LOT. Then I ran another mile and change and thus pushed the stick a little for TOTAL run eventhough I stopped for a bit at the 2 mile mark. The rest of the 4 mile loop I interchanged walking with short sprints. Feels fun to really run FAST (for me) just to really get everything working.

Beautiful day for it too. 30 degees and sunny. There's ICE on the pond in the park! Yikes!

By the way, just as reported in the Trib today, there are some weird things in Googlemaps. Check out Fullerton St.. . . what? Dundee Rd? Ha!

two miler

OK, it's two miler Tuesday! Ran north to the mile mark and back. No problem. A little stiffness in the right instep again but not enough to slow me (which would be stop). Need another 2 on Thursday, and short run/walk on Saturday and Sunday I think it will be time to move the stick! 4 miles? 5???????

We'll see.

OK, laundry time!

sunday run

HEY, a good run! I ran a 3 mile course that I laid out on google maps.


View andrea 3 mile run in a larger map

Strangely, and yet not for the first time, I had the experience of feeling pretty crappy for the first 2 miles and then my breathing finally settled down and the last mile was easier than either of the first two. It seems like it takes forever for my body to settle into the run. Coach Leah says this is not unusual and she often had rottten first 2 miles on long runs of 15 or more. I have to run at LEAST 2 miles this coming week on my tuesday, thursday runs and then do another 3 or more on Sunday. It's really time to up the miles!

Friday run

OK, An easy mile and a walk/run back. Ran north past the tennis courts to the mile mark from Belmont Harbor. A little stiffness in my right instep again so I didn't press. Want to do a good 3 on Sunday.

On the way back I watched a mom teaching a very small little boy how to hit the tennis ball. She bounced the ball and then swung his racket by holding his hand which held the racket so he'd get the idea. After several of these he took the ball himself. Walked up to the net and dropped it over from his hand.

I mean really, if you want to deposit tennis balls in the other court this probably is the most sensible way! Another Agassi?

This is the very BEST Chicago running weather. Wish I was going farther (further?) but so it goes.

some title...

Haven't written in awhile. Running has sort of plateaued for now. I get out there 2-3 times a week and wheeze through a couple of miles. I need a goal. Coach Leah has some good ideas for short and long term goals which will require and actual training schedule. I'm looking forward to that!

As to today's run it was ok. I ran north to the end of Belmont Harbor and then just followed it around back south. You then come to the opening to the harbor and have to turn around. . . or swim. I turned around.

Some of the gaps in my running have been caused by dealing with elder Welty in Florida. That has been a very mentally diverting endeavour. For me, there's no way a son can look at his 93 year old dad and not wonder. . . what's in store for me? What do I do now to avert whatever.

At one point my dad said, "Where's everbody running too? What's with all the running?" On one hand he may be right. You're going to get there soon enough. What's the rush! On the other hand I feel like saying (but never would) that I'm running at 59 so that I'm walking at 93. Of course getting there is the first trick!

So, running out of time? Sure, we all are if you want to look at it that way. But what a beautiful day it was today. And today, nothing broke and nobody died *

* The official toast on Enee Marie after a safe passage.

Still at it!

Yes, still at it but I've fallen off of any kind of regular schedule. I need that AND I think I need a better goal . . . like maybe a 5k soon. Soon ish. . .

Coach Leah helped me buy some awesome running gear for the cooler Chicago weather. Nice and light but WARM.

So, I got a little busy for a bit and ignored my running and now I'm going to be on a better schedule. I'm going to run Tues, Thursday, Friday or Saturday with a short one, and long run on Sunday. I have a 5 mile course for Sunday and have the goal of completing the whole thing. I really like the route which actually helps a little I think. From Belmont to the chess tables at North Ave. on the outside, lake path and then return by taking the foot bridge to the inside path back to Belmont. I've run all the way to the chess tables and now I have to start bring the stick home!

Nice run/walk yesterday on that very route. When I was just starting at Belmont harbor there was a red hulled sailboat with it's mast down chugging out through the channel. I ran about a mile, walked a bit, ran some more, walked, and ran to the chess tables. Great view of the city there and look who's coming around the bend? The red sailboat! Man oh man, sailboats ARE slow if they can't beat me!

At the chess tables a couple started talking to me. They wanted to know all about the lake. They were from southern California. . . where ever THAT is. Anyway as happens often for people who have not seen our lake before they are surprised that they can't see across it. The word 'lake' produces a certain image in people's minds that doesn't include a 350 mile long, 85 mile across inland sea!