dead end in my neighborhood at night

Once again I’m nursing an injury…I mean two injuries.  My left calf is very tender and tight.  My right hip at the joint has been hurting for the past week.  Whenever my right leg rises up and my left foot is pushing off the ground the front of my right hip aches deeply.  It’s very annoying.  The pain pretty much disappears when I stop running.  I thought a weekend rest would fix me up but nope, it didn’t work out that way.  So last night after walking Gypsy I decided to give it a shot and run a few miles.  It felt good to be outside sucking in air and moving but I’m not so sure it was the best idea to have run after all.

Last night I felt so run down that by 9:00pm I was in bed.  I woke up feeling good this morning but I had a pretty big fever blister on my lower lip.  All day long people stared at my mouth as I talked with them.  I guess that blister looks like a third eye.

This evening I’m going to crash early again and will not exercise because I’m again feeling a little under the weather.  My wolverine powers are not working like they used to.  Sleep, hopefully, will get me feeling better for absolute run tomorrow (Wednesday(.

Yesterday’s run was an easy 3.51 mile in the dark, in my neighborhood.  Don’t worry, I didn’t get shot.  I was wearing my kevlar and ran with a police riot shield.  No, not really.

My neighborhood is not so bad.  We haven’t had a shooting here all year…so far.

here's a picture i took of my Nathan vest about a week ago. I totally dig the vest. Seriously.

I did run with my killer yellow light reflective Nathan vest.  You should get one of these.  It’s really nice and lightweight and, has a nice-sized pocket in the front of it for storing keys, iphone and whatever.  I paid $25 for it at Fleet Feet in Savannah.  I like to throw my iphone in the front pocket of it and attach head phones to the phone and run as I’m listening to music or hearing the news on npr.  Yesterday’s run was an npr news listening type of run.  The nice thing about that front pocket and having the phone inside it is that 1.  I don’t have to hold the phone and 2.  the headphones do not get in my way when I run.  I don’t know about you but one of the things that bothers me about headphones is that they tend to get in the way of my swing arms when I run.  It’s an annoyance to me but with the headphones hanging in the front of my chest in that Nathan pocket I don’t have that problem.  Some people may not like that the phone will bounce and slap your chest as you run but that doesn’t bother me.  It makes me feel very manly like a silver back gorilla pounding my chest when I see a pretty girl.

Truly, it doesn’t even feel like I’m wearing the vest when I run with it.  And, drivers can see me from miles away.  So they have enough time to get off their cell phones and avoid hitting me.  So, you are saving lives when you get this Nathan vest.  Get a Nathan yellow reflective vest and you will be a good samaritan.  Nathan Sports should pay me for this free advertising, eh?

the starbucks near my house, about a mile away

I ran up Wessels, taking a detour here and there to take in the nightly sights until I reached  43rd street.  I then ran around Starbucks which is on victory and Skidaway and then worked my way back home slowly taking each road I came across in switchback manner.  I finally reached Bonaventure Road via Herbed ave and took Bonaventure to Georgia Ave and then my home.  Nothing very exciting.

Wildlife inventory:

• 7 dogs
• 3 cats

Tomorrow, I will see how these leg problems are.  I wish I had a hot tub to soak in.  I refuse to go into the hot tub at the Y.  I cannot deal with old, naked, fat men in a hot tub.  That’s not for me.  So, I guess I will just suffer through my pain.

• run log
• mapped run
• total miles on red bikilas: 681.22
• total real miles for 2012: 47.86
• total treadmill miles for 2012: 12.72

So what’s new?  Aside from the fact that I need a hair cut, nothing much.  Please pray that my legs get healed.  I really need them to cooperate with me right now.  I’m dealing with a tremendous amount of stress and running helps dissolve that stress.

Thank you so much for stopping by.

All the very best to you and yours.

peace,

dh

01/24/2012

this is my mapped 4.22 mile run stats from runtastic. i love this app

Tonight’s run was a light-paced 4.22 miles in Whitemarsh Island.  I ran with my trusty yellow reflective Nathan vest and red bikilas.  I started the run with my running buddy, Nelson, but soon I pulled ahead and the rest of the run felt like I was running by myself.  Nelson and I did talk a little bit about my Kilimanjaro climb last year but that quickly ended and I just found a comfortable pace and kept that until the end.

Something interesting did occur during the run, though.  After the one mile mark music from my iphone suddenly started to play.  I don’t know what was up with that but I think it was related to runtastic, the iphone app I use for mapping my runs.  As soon as the sexy lady’s voice came on to tell me that I ran a mile “The World I Know”  by Collective Soul began playing.  I was like, okay and just listened away as I ran.  Normally, I do not listen to music when I run.  It was nice to hear some music while running today, though.  I have a really nice music selection on my iphone.  So, it was fun.  Would you like to know what songs I heard while I was running?  Okay.

this was the last song I heard during my run

Music during tonight’s run:

1. “the world i know” by collective soul
2. “sea of love” by the twilights
3. “country song” by seether
4. “the scientist” by coldplay
5. “45” by shinedown
6. “the scientist” by willie nelson
7. “the haunted ocean 5” by max richter
8. “so far away” by avenged” sevenfold

stretching in the y after my run

Wildlife inventory:

• 2 turkey ducks: 1 male, 1 female
• 7 domestic cats

The run this evening started and ended at the Island’s Y.  Nelson and I took off on the Y loop and exited it behind the water tower where the police department parking lot is at.  I hit Whitemarsh blvd to highway 80 and then dropped down Dolphin ln and then into the MapMaker neighborhood.  I worked my way across the neighborhood until Bryan Woods and then caught the Whitemarsh trail which took me back to the Y.

When I finished the run I looked behind me but there was no Nelson around.  I don’t know what happened to him.  I didn’t realize he was so far behind me.  I scanned the parking lot of the Y and didn’t see him.  So, I went inside the Y and stretched for about thirty minutes.

runtastic stats

• run log
• mapped run
• total miles on red bikilas: 677.71
• total real miles for 2012: 44.35
• total treadmill miles for 2012: 12.72

After I finished stretching I thought, “wow, I wonder what happened to Nelson?”  I went into the locker room to use the bathroom and there was Nelson!  I said to him, “hey man, where were you?”   He replied, “I was wondering the same thing about you”.  I said, you snooze you lose, man.  That’s how I roll, man.  We agreed to run this Saturday.

It was a nice, casual, relaxing run today.  I need more of those.

Thank you so much for stopping by.

All the very best to you and yours.

peace,

dh

01/19/2012

tonight's sunset on whitemarsh island behind the police station

I had an interesting run this evening on Whitemarsh Island.  I know that I said that I would run the rails to trails today but things change.  I just wasn’t in the mood to run the rtt today.  So, I went to the Island’s Ymca and stretched for about 15 minutes and even contemplated taking a nap on the big red mat that I usually stretch on.  As I seriously thought of taking a nap on that red mat I thought, you know this wouldn’t look very good to have a grown man sleeping and snoring away at the gym while people are working out all around me.  It seemed a very unprofessional thing to do.  So, I made myself run.

I started the run on the Ymca trail and ran it until there was an opening to the police station parking lot behind the water tower.  That parking lot took me to Whitemarsh Island Drive which I followed until MapMaker Lane.  I worked my way through most of the roads in that neighborhood that MapMaker wound through and then exited on the other side of it on Bryan Woods.  I was on Bryan Woods for about 12 seconds and then I vanished into the thick canopy of trees that hides the WhiteMarsh trail that eventually took me back to the Island’s Ymca.  The run turned out to be 5.37 fun-filled miles.

my light reflective nathan vest, running camera, headlamp and 1 blue bikila before tonight's run

My body was pretty stiff.  So, the first mile was a slow 9:07.  The second mile was about 8 minutes and then I pulled over on the side of MapMaker Ln by a pond to take a picture of a duck and a cormorant.  I lost about 30 seconds photographing those critters but it was worth it.

When I started the run today the sun was just setting.  By the time I finished the run it was dark.  That was ok, though, because I had my light reflective Nathan vest and my head lamp strapped around my big coconut head.

the cormorant i saw during my run. yeah, the light was low that's why the picture sucks so much

Wildlife inventory:

• 1 cormorant
• 2 black turkey ducks: 1 male, 1 female
• 2 dogs
• 4 cats

the island's ymca trail

When I finished my run I went back into the gym and checked my email and just leaned back on a bench and relaxed some.  I then went into the locker room and changed clothes.  As I was leaving the Y I ran into Johanna, a strong, beautiful and kind woman.  I haven’t seen Johanna in perhaps two months.  I’ve known that her husband has been quite ill with not much prospect of recovery.  Before I even asked her I knew the answer.  She nodded before I could ask.  Eleven days ago her husband passed away.  Even though, I did not know her husband I have felt a great deal of sadness since learning that he passed away.  That news really put things quickly into perspective in my world.  When I got home this evening I apologized to God for being so narrow-minded and self-centered.  I then asked for forgiveness and then thanked God that I still have my parents, my brothers, my nieces and nephew and Gypsy with me.

This evening I spoke with my younger brother, David, on the phone and I cherished that conversation more than I think I ever had.  I also hugged Gypsy longer and harder than I probably ever had and he just kind of went “oomph!” and I then gave him a dog bisquit and that got him really happy.

My biggest sin is getting caught up in my world and closing everybody else off.  I am alone because I like my world my way.  I need to change that about me.  It is not good to live this way.  It’s actually a very lonely way to live.

• run log
• mapped run
• total miles on blue bikilas: 149.71
• total real miles for 2012: 33.78
• total treadmill miles for 2012: 12.72

My thoughts and prayers are with Johanna and her family.  May God’s peace be with them.

Thank you so much for stopping by.

All the very best to you and yours.

peace,

01/16/2012

dh

This is the Bonaventure Cemetery Portal. I ran through it and then took a left on the path you see on the other side of it. For the first time since like forever it was not magical. The other side of the portal was simply the other side of the portal. bummer.

Yesterday’s run was 6.93 miles through Greenwich and Bonaventure cemeteries.  I love running these cemeteries.  They are so beautiful and peaceful.  For about the first 20 minutes I did feel a bit of a chill even, though, it was not really cold outside.  The temperature at the end of the run was 57 degrees but it was windy.  Maybe, that’s why I was chilled for those first 20 minutes.  Also, during the run the bottom of  my left calf felt tight and uncomfortable.  It wasn’t until about the third mile that the pain dissipated.

I started the run from my house and ran up Wessels to 37th and then up Raskins and then Bonaventure road.  Bonaventure took me into the cemeteries where I worked my way through both extensively but not thoroughly.  I ran through the Portal in Bonaventure cemetery as usual but nothing spectacular occurred this time.  I had too much on my mind, I guess.  Normally, the Portal takes me to other world’s.  Yesterday, I remained in ours.  It’s been a rough week for me.  I haven’t felt my jolly self as of late.  Maybe, it’s the new year’s blues?  I don’t know.

When I exited Bonaventure Cemetery I followed Bonaventure road to Whatley and then Victory and then, worked my way back home.

this was the mapped out course of yesterday's 6.93 mile run

Yesterday’s run achieved it’s purpose…it helped sort my thoughts out and put things back into perspective.  I felt much better at the end of the run even as I walked back into my lonely home.  It was a spectacularly beautiful day for a run, I must admit.  That too, helped in cheering me up.

Wildlife inventory:

• 7 squirrels
• 4 mocking birds
• 4 doves
• 1 flock of black birds in a tree
• 1 red tail hawk on Herbed and 37th ave.  Seeing a hawk is always so cool – especially, in the neighborhood.

some spooky statue in bonaventure cemetery

It’s after midnight right now but after a good night’s sleep I will run later today.  Today’s run will be at the rails to trails not so much because I want to run there but because I have some prayer flags that I want to hang at the end of the rtt.  So, I will park in the mid-section parking area of the rtt and run West on the trail until it dead ends at the Shrine.  At the Shrine I’ll hang the prayer flags and run a bit more.  I’m going to shoot for ten miles.  That will be doable.

• run log
• mapped run
• total miles on blue bikilas: 144.34
• total real miles for 2012: 28.41
• total treadmill miles for 2012: 12.72

this is the statue of Julia Denise Backus Smith. She was a big deal in Savannah. She helped out a lot of people and was a big time runner. She's buried in Bonaventure cemetery

After yesterday’s run, Mr. Gypsy and I did our typical 1.something mile walk.  It was nice as usual.  Gypsy is such a happy and good dog.

Well, I do think that’s it for now.  I’m suddenly super sleepy.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

I wish you and yours the very best!

peace,

dh

01/16/2012

I came across this sign on a church that's on Georgia and New York Ave. I didn't realize that the neighborhood was so fond of me that they had pictures of me hung around it. Someone must of taken that picture of me at the Starbucks on Victory and Skidaway when I wasn't looking. I'm deeply touched.

This was a rough day for me but I managed to walk 2.4 miles with my dog and afterward, ran 3.34 miles.  That walk and run, despite the chilly conditions, made me feel so much better. An evening run helps me release the stress of the day and reminds me that there is more to life than just a few discomforts in the work day.  So, after my rough day at work, tonight’s run reminded me that life is grand and that the little struggles in life never outdo the bigger picture.

So what’s the bigger picture?  Everything else outside of work!

The walk with my silly boy, Gypsy, was as fun as ever.  The tug-of-war we had with his blanky later on in the evening was priceless.  My run through my neighborhood on a chilly evening with the backdrop of a beautiful Savannah sunset was breath-taking.  The news that my brother’s daughter, Lauren, made the American Honor Society made me happy and filled me with pride.  You see, life is good!

pausing for a second at starbucks on victory and skidaway during my run. actually, this starbucks was part of my running route. I ran right through it. I went in one entrance and exited through another. How many runners do you know that have run through a starbucks as part of their running route?

I some times allow my job to become the all encompassing and important thing in my world.  I like my job and I’m grateful for the job that I have but my job does not define who I am and is not the most important aspect of my life.  My job is something I must have but it is not the key to my existence and happiness.  My job is a means to an end.  The rest that occurs in my world is more of what defines who I am and what I aspire to be.

I had a rough day at work, – those are bound to happen again and again.  I need to remember that and not allow it to bring me down.  What I’m trying to say is that my happiness is not derived from a job but some times I allow it to.  A Run at the end of the day helps me put things back into perspective.  And, that’s why I make such a big deal about running and want it to be a part of my life for as long as my legs and lungs will allow.  I pray to God that I may have a long, happy relationship with running.  I pray to God that I may always remember to keep first in my life God, family, friends, running and red wine.  Everything else is just a side dish.

Okay, maybe an Parrot AR Drone 2.0 should be included in my list after red wine.  I really want one of those AR Drones!  They are so frigging cool!

Well, the run today started outside of my front door and quickly took me up Wessels, across Bonaventure Road, and all the way to the strip mall on Skidaway and Victory where my favorite Starbucks is located.  I actually ran through that Starbucks rather than run around it.  I stopped momentarily to say hello to the local baristas and sat down for a second to take a couple of pictures before continuing my run. It was fun and warm inside.

I jumped back onto Wessels and followed that until I decided to take a left somewhere.  Eventually, I ended up on Pennsylvania and then on Skidaway, where I had to be very careful of the heavy, crazy traffic, not to mention the big black dog that ran up to me and just about scared me right out of my skin.  I had to stop and walk for about 100 feet so that the dog would not chase me.  Eventually, the dog ran back to where he lives and I continued my run up Skidaway and then turned on Henry street, going around the round-about once before heading back down Henry to Pennsylvania.  I caught New York to Georgia Ave and then back to my street and then, home sweet home.

It was a good short run.  Tomorrow will be a longer run, I promise.

Wildlife inventory:

• 6 doves
• 6 seagulls
• 1 robin
• 4 dogs

I’m not sure where I’m going to run tomorrow but right now I’m leaning more on the Rails to Trails and possibly Fort Pulaski.  I’ll let you know for sure tomorrow.

If you really feel inclined to get me a late Christmas gift please feel free to get me one of those Parrot AR Drones.  I promise you that I will love that gift for a very long time.

• run log
• mapped run
• total miles on red bikilas: 673.49
• total real miles for 2012: 21.48
• total treadmill miles for 2012: 12.72

Thank you so much for stopping by.

I wish you and yours the very best.

peace,

dh

01/14/2012

my treadmill run stats

I walked a little over a mile today with Mr. Gypsy and then went to the Island’s Y and lifted weights.  Afterward, I ran 3.04 tough miles on the treadmill.  I say “tough” 3 mile run on the treadmill because my body was very stiff and my left ankle began to ache again and, I was just not enjoying the run.  I ran on one of the older, very loud treadmills that felt like it was falling apart as I ran on it.  And, to make it worse, the surface you land on seemed so hard.  There was no bounce to it.  It was just thud, thud, thud…for 26 minutes.

At the end of the run I was tired, soaked in sweat and felt uncomfortable and grouchy.

Later on this evening a friend posted on Twitter that he saw a bigfoot in Richmond Hill while he was running but he was struck with such sheer terror when he saw it that he could not move.  Thus, was unable to take a picture to prove he saw bigfoot.  Sheesh, apparently, Bigfoot walked right up to him and sniffed his ass like a dog would and then ran and dove into the swamp in disgust, using his feet like big paddles to swim away.

that's where it hurts. I probably should not have done seated calf raises. that just aggravated it more, I'm afraid.

This friend ended up running to his house screaming, leaving his water bottle behind.  When he finally went back to retrieve his water bottle with a shotgun in hand Bigfoot had taken the water bottle and pee’d inside it.  Bigfoot could be heard laughing loudly from the swamp with the full moon behind him making a silhouette of him.  That was pretty messed up, don’t you think?

Any way, the treadmill run is over and Bigfoot is back in the swamp where he belongs.

One day, I will enjoy a treadmill run.  One day, someone will get a worthy picture of Okefenokee Bigfoot…or catch him in an alligator trap.  Until then, I shall continue to run and blog about my experiences of running the Low Country in my vff’s.

this was my weight lifting. not very impressive, i know.

• run log
• total miles on red bikilas: 666.92
• total real miles for 2012: 18.14
• total treadmill miles for 2012: 9.49

I came across this fake flower during my run today on the thunderbolt bridge and decided to hang it for all the drivers to enjoy. So, enjoy!

This afternoon I ran 6.5 miles in the Thunderbolt area. It was an excellent day to run. At the end of my run the temperature was 73 with humidity at 47%. How is that for a run on the second week of January? I love this weather we’re having. We’ve only had two days this winter where temperatures dipped below freezing. That’s my kind of climate!

I started the run from my front door and headed down Wessels to Indiana.  Indiana took me to Altman and Altman to Raskin.  I followed Raskin for a little bit and then turned left on 43rd.  From there I caught Downing Street where the English prime minister and his wife live and followed that to Victory and then to some other road and then another and then, I found myself back on Victory and ran the Thunderbolt bridge stopping at the top to photograph some red fake flowers that were lying on ground of the bridge.  I took a picture of the flower intertwined in my vff’s and then jammed that flower into this squishy black stuff that’s between the bridge concrete rail segments.  Now, everyone who drives the Thunderbolt bridge gets to see these pretty red flowers atop the bridge.  I do nice things like that.

there's the fake flower as I found it atop of the thunderbolt bridge

At the other end of the Thunderbolt bridge I caught the first left that had me running parallel with the bridge momentarily and then I ran passed Desposito’s Seafood restaurant and ran to the waters edge on the Willimington River.  I turned around and ran part of Isle of Armstrong and then ran the Thunderbolt bridge again.  On the other side of the bridge I caught Dogwood ave to Mechanics and followed that until it ended at the pier on the Wilmington River.  I headed back up Mechanics to Fennel to Bonaventure and then turned right onto Georgia ave.  Finally, I turned on my street and made it home just in time to shower and then meet a friend at Starbucks.  There you have it.

It was a great run.  I even stopped for about 2 minutes to give directions to a lady who was looking for Wilmington Island road.  Boy, was she way off course!  I never even stopped my watch nor runtastic app as I gave her directions.  Btw, she was a pretty lady about my age.

here's my left vff posing with the flower atop of the thunderbolt bridge

Wildlife inventory:

• 40-something grackles
• 3 squirrels: 1 was albino.  We have a lot of albino squirrels in Savannah.  That’s weird.
• 6 doves
• 11 dogs
• 4 seagulls
• 1 pigeon

left bikila after 663 miles. I tend to wear out my left vff more than my right.

I ran today in my red bikilas and finally I tore a hole on the bottom of one of them.  The toe just before the pinky toe on my left bikila has a hole in it.  That toe can now touch pavement during a run.  Wow, it only took 663 miles for that to happen!  So, am I going to retire them now?  Nope.  I want to log 700 miles on these vff’s before retiring them.  At 700 miles I will photograph them again and send the pictures to Vibram!  I’m curious how Vibram will react.  Will they throw me a big party?  Will they give me a million bucks?  Will they write a song about me?  Will they buy me a new washer machine?  They’ll probably ignore me.  Who knows!  Hopefully, though, I will get some response for them.  After all, I am their biggest fan.

right bikila after 663 miles

• run log
• mapped run
• total miles on red bikilas: 663.88
• total real miles for 2012: 13.44
• total treadmill miles for 2012: 6.45

heart rate at the start of the run: 64 bpm

When I started the run today my heart rate was 64 bpm.  My heart rate jumped as high as 155 while I was running the Thunderbolt bridge for the second time but stayed on average around 140 bpm’s.  At the end of the run my heart rate was 133 bpm.  And, after one minute recovery it was 91 bpm.

at the end of the run

after one minute recovery

on my return over the Thunderbolt bridge i took this picture of the fake flower I found on the other side. That's a pleasing site to everyone that drives and runs the thunderbolt bridge, is it not? Yeah.

run to the light!

Did some serious stair training this morning!  At 8:00am I met up with four other insane runners in downtown Savannah and we ran the very steep stairs between River Street and Williamson Street.  We had agreed to run the stairs and a small loop for 30 to 45 minutes knocking out as many loops as we could in that time frame.  After the third loop I think we all telepathically communicated with one another that 30 minutes would be enough.  It was a tough workout!

At the end of the 30 minutes I had completed 13 loops garnering 3.52 miles.  We started at the base of the stairs and ran to the top of them, then turned right and ran Williamson Street to MLK  drive.  We ran MLK shortly until it dead ended on River Street.  Followed River Street until turning right at the opening to the stairs just past Chuck’s Bar and repeated that until the 30 minutes were up.

pretty darn steep stairs

I kept glancing down at my watch to see what my heart rate was and was quite surprised that my highest bpm was 143 and I did not feel like I was in a red zone at all.  Just before starting the training my bpm was 64-65.  Maybe, I’m not in as bad of shape as I seem to think that I am.  Then again, here I am writing this blog at the same time eating a bag of very salty garlic parmesan pretzels.  Geez, I never learn.

This training was a lot more fun than I expected it to be.  I think adding that little loop to jog around before hitting the stairs again was just the kind of relief the body needed before hitting those hellacious steps again and again.  Doing that gave the heart some time to recover before hitting it again and I think it minimized the pain.  So, it was easier on us mentally.

At the end of the thirty minutes everyone was tired but enjoyed this kind of training and we all said that we would like to do it again soon.  Who all ran?  Victoria, Dimitris, Bren, and Charlotte.  Sarah, God bless her soul, was a bit under the weather and unfortunately, could not join us.  I think Sarah would of totally enjoyed this training.  Next time!

this is the loop we repeated for 30 minutes. 4 loops equaled one mile

Weirdly, I don’t feel like I really ran and I’m kind of itching for a run later today.  Probably will not happen because I have so much to do today.  Who know.

mapped run

run log

total miles on red bikilas: 657.38

total real miles for 2012: 6.94

total treadmill miles for 2012: 6.45

Thank you so very much for stopping by.

All the very best to you and yours.

peace,

dh

01/07/2012

interesting bus i saw during my walk and run yesterday. The picture looks a little funky because it's actually two pictures stitched together because the lens of my camera wasn't wide enough to get the whole bus in the frame from this angle.

Yesterday I ran 3.42 miles in my neighborhood with my heart rate monitor.  That was my first real run for 2012.  After two days of running on a treadmill it was good to go outside and run.  The scenery, the crunching of the leaves as I glided over them with the grace of a gazelle…a well fed gazelle…a well fed gazelle wearing blue vff’s.  And, the crisp air flowing through my hair like an American flag flying proudly on Mt. Rushmore.  It was good to run outdoors.

The run began and ended at the front steps of my house immediately after walking my dog, Mr. Gypsy.  Gypsy and I walked about a mile and a half.  The past month and a half  it’s become a normal routine for Mr. Gypsy and I to walk at least a mile a day.  We used to go every day to the dairy farm but ever since the prayer flags were taken down without any regard for people’s views and feelings or without explanation I just haven’t had the desire to go back there again.  In time maybe, that will change.  Now, though, I have no desire to visit that place.  So, instead, Gypowski and I walk the neighborhood taking pictures of anything interesting we come across.  It’s been loads of fun.  The running, though, is what this blog is about.  So, lets get back to that.

entrance to bonaventure cemetery

I ran up Wessels and took a left on Indiana.  Followed Indiana to Altman and then to Bonaventure Road.  I followed Bonaventure road to the Jewish entrance of Bonaventure Cemetery.  I touched one of the entrance columns and then hit Bonaventure Road for a split second before hopping a fence and running alongside that canal over there until I saw an opening to Downing Street.  Downing Street, isn’t that where the Prime Minister of England lives?  Yeah, I think I saw David Cameron walking his English bulldog there.  He had prayer flags in his hands but didn’t know where to hang them now that the prayer flags were taken down from the dairy farm without explanation.  His prayer flags were about saving the Euro zone or something.  I guess his prayers won’t be answered now.

I took Downing until Margaret and then connected with something or another that took me all the way to Raskin Ave.  I followed Raskin for a couple of blocks and then took a left on some other road and followed that to another road which eventually put me back on Bonaventure Road.  I then worked my way home in a very round-about way.  It was a good run.

Wildlife inventory:

• 3 squirrels
• 2 robins
• 7 dogs
• 3 cats
• 4 vultures

saw this big contraption by the canal i ran alongside of

• run log
• mapped run
• total miles on blue bikilas: 132.71
• total real miles for 2012: 3.42
• total treadmill runs for 2012: 6.45

front of that interesting bus

This Sunday I end the 30 day food inventory I’ve been doing.  That task has become quite interesting and informative.  That inventory has opened my eyes to how much I eat and how unhealthy my diet is.  I didn’t realize it was that bad.  So, this Sunday I’ll do a write up on the 30 day food inventory and list the majority of the stuff I’ve eaten the past 30 days.  It’s not going to be a pretty picture.  That’s for sure.

back of the interesting bus

I finished off 2011 with 1217 miles logged running. That breaks down to 101.41 miles per month and 25.35 miles per week.

I would have liked to have logged more mileage.

I will do better than that in 2012.

Every three months I’ll take another picture of my shoes and feet and the mileage logged on them.  The next picture will not include the sprint vff’s (the first on the left).  Those vff’s have officially been retired.  I don’t know how much more mileage the red bikilas can take but it’ll be fun finding out.  The blue bikilas definitely need more mileage…they are looking too new.  The more mileage a vff logs the more character it gets.

Happy New Year All!

I pray this is a great year for you all!

Pursue much and achieve much!

peace,

dh

01/01/2012