Roundup of runs

We went to N.J. this week, and I didn't do any blog postings about those runs because I didn't have time to run and blog. But if I had to give up one, it should be the blogging, right? The actual running is more important.

But it was an exciting few days of running. I met my goal of running five days in a row for the week, plus I also kept up to date on taking my medicine and my Metamucil. I didn't even eat the bacon that came on the chicken sandwiches at Perkins.

So, here's my round up.

42:05, Dog Interrupted

Wednesday morning we were heading to N.J., but I got up as usual for my run. It was a simple plan: run out for 28 minutes through the new Birdland route, turn around and come home. I ended up on Empire Drive, and just as I reached the 28 minute mark, a dog that was sleeping on the front yard there pops up and comes into the street after me.

"Oh no," I said to himself. "His collar batteries have run out, and he's coming out to defend his property."

Rusty

But it was a nice dog, and we quickly made friends. So, obviously, that was not his property he was sleeping on. The owner of the house opened her front door and asked if I knew whose dog he was. I suggested she call the animal shelter, but she worried that they wouldn't be open yet.

"I'll bet if you started running again, he would follow you."

She was right, and when he started following me, I knew it would get dangerous for him. I didn't want him following me into traffic. I stopped and petted him, and realized I needed to walk him to the animal shelter himself. So, I took a shoelace off one of my shoes and tied it to his collar and walked him there.

It turns out it is not easy to walk with one shoe missing its shoelace. But he was a very good dog, and a very good walker.  It took me a half hour to get him there, and the owners called me on my cell phone the next day, extremely grateful that I had found their dog.

His name is Rusty and he was about a half-mile from his house when I found him.

I ran about 2.1 miles before I met Rusty, then walked 1.2 miles without a shoelace to the Horseheads Animal Shelter, then jogged another mile to get home.

The Flemington, N.J., run.

4.4 miles in 1:02:35

On Thursday morning, we were staying at my sister's house in Flemington, N.J. and I got up at 6 a.m. and got started on my run around 6:30, close to my usual routine. I'd asked about  which direction I should go, and headed out on County Route 523, but that was very busy and I took the first left I could on what looked to be a quiet road.

That was Sutton Farm Road, which lead to Mason Farm Road. These were developments with wealthy homes, properties that apparently had been divided up out of former farmland. It was very hilly, and as it turned out, I was running downhill most of the time. So, it made the return trip tough. I kept running though.

The only thing that stopped me was the traffic when I got back on 523. Another jogger was running the same way I was, but on the wrong side of the road. She was running WITH the traffic, and not against it.    So, traffic would try to swerve a little to avoid her, and other traffic was trying to swerve to avoid me.

When things got tight like that, I just jumped off the road and stood in the culvert to the side until the danger passed.

I had run out for 28 minutes, and should have returned at 56, but I'll blame the hills and the traffic for the slow return. It was not the ideal situation, but if I run in Flemington again, I'll have some better ideas for a route.

4.4 miles in 59:27 

On Friday, we were at my mom's house, two blocks from the beach in Avon. This is where I grew up. I slept in this morning, got up at 7 and started running by 7:30.

The Jersey Shore run.

But I really enjoyed the run. The boardwalk is flat, safe and the boards give as you run. Much less stress from the impact. They've also upgraded the boardwalk and improved the area that connects Belmar to Spring Lake. They also extended the boardwalk in Spring Lake. All around, good news.

On the way back, I encountered what looked like a high school cross-country team. A few of them had T-shirts that said "Wall High School," so I guessed that was what team they were. When I tried to ask, none of them responded. "Pay no attention to the fat man jogging in the other direction."

After my run, I walked my mom's dog and later jogged/walked a mile with Liam for 18:47. All together, that may have been about six miles of exercise.

So, I made a run all five days to meet my goal. I didn't do anything Saturday, that was when we were heading home. This morning, Sunday, I would have rode my bike, but there was rain and the threat of thunderstorms. So, I gave it a miss this time. I'll try to ride the stationary bike later on.