The Walking Thread

[TiggerTrigger]

How long did you wait before event started... I did several on the Cold Spring Hudson River 10k and don't remember waiting long nor the one in Texas I ran... cold spring was in the forest so that was interesting

None had beautiful photo opportunity

I arrived early because these are decent sized events and parking can become a nightmare if you arrive too late. Everything started right on time but on Saturday, I arrived at 6:30 for a 7:30 start. Today we arrived around 6:15 for my 7:15 start. There are also photo ops, stretch sessions, performed national anthem, and all kinds of booths. After the races, there’s food, drinks (including green beer), awards and more photo ops. So, you always add in extra time.

This one is a 3 day race event with over 1,000 participants. Friday was a kid race and 5k. Saturday was the full marathon and the first of the two half marathons. Today was the second half marathon, a quarter marathon and a 5k.

This race series has beautiful coastal and marsh scenery but it’s a mixed surface. I was on pavement, crushed granite, boardwalk, dirt and grass.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Happy Monday! Man, I did not want to roll out of bed today. I'm feeling the effects of the weekend. We also had a cold front go through overnight and staying bundled up in bed sounded much better than bundling up outside. Still, consistency is key and more gentle walking aids in recovery. Of course, I'm now learning that my gentle walk is still pretty brisk. In any event, put in 6.24 miles this morning. No pics...just enjoying the peace of my normal walking conditions...well, minus the wind. I didn't notice we were under wind advisory until I got out there. I had to hurdle a few big limbs that had come down overnight.

 

[citruscurtis]

What is the highest price you will pay for an avocado ..our border the size of a.... Hmmm... large pear or Baker potatoes...$1.25 is the most I will pay....one of two border grocery stores sell lime size. 4/1.00...been eat a large one half cut a day

 

[TiggerTrigger]

What is the highest price you will pay for an avocado ..our border the size of a.... Hmmm... large pear or Baker potatoes...$1.25 is the most I will pay....one of two border grocery stores sell lime size. 4/1.00...been eat a large one half cut a day

I suspect you and I pay less for avocados than other parts of the country, simply due to our respective locations. We usually have large and medium as our options. The large are pretty sizeable. The mediums are usually around the size of a peach. I go out of my way to search the bin for the largest underripe mediums most weeks. The large, if compared to a pear, would be the really huge pears. Like almost the size of a big papaya. I have large in the fridge right now and I'd say 1/2 large = 1 whole medium. Although, that's luck of the draw. Sometimes you get one with a tiny pit and the yield is much higher.

As for pricing. The mediums are currently $0.89 each. The larges are $2.50 at the moment, but I paid $1 each for the ones in the drawer. I will not pay much more than current price on the mediums and not likely more than $1.50 for a large. Every now and then, they have bags of large ones go on sale. About a month ago, I got a 5-count bag of those big ones for a little over $4. So, I guess what I buy, or if I buy, all hinges on pricing...unless I'm craving avocado or making something where it's a must.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Today was a reverse day. DD17 had softball tonight, so I hit the gym this morning and walked 6.30 miles to the school for her game. It looks like it was a pretty sunrise… at least from my drive home but it was cold and I was happy to be warm. I did take some pictures on my walk to the school as well as sunrise on my way home from the gym.

 

[cayennews]

Still waiting for the warm weather to return to MA. Spring needs to start already so I can walk!

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Still waiting for the warm weather to return to MA. Spring needs to start already so I can walk!

Hopefully, it'll warm up soon. I guess it also is dependent on what you consider warm. I remember when I was in Syracuse, people would start acting like it was spring when temps went into the 30s. I was more of a 50s+ in terms of my springy classification. Before long, we'll be griping about heat. I have some friends in MA who consider mid 80s+ as surface of the sun hot. By the time we're in summer here, I'll be lucky to have a morning walk where it isn't in the low 80s.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Hello! Normal walking day here...aside from the fact that it was chilly and I had to bundle. I know our chilly is mild compared to others but this roller coaster weather is making me nuts. Seriously, we hit mid to upper 80s this past weekend, it was 32 yesterday morning, low 40s this morning, I froze my tail off at DDs game last night, and we'll be around 90 by the weekend.

I went 6.25 miles this morning. I messed up with my watch. Around 4.5 miles in, I saw one of my regular walking ladies who wanted to know how this weekend went. I didn't remember stopping my watch...but I did. It wasn't until just after hitting 6 miles that I realized. Oh well. It was nice seeing her and her husband. I did get a few pics at the lake. First pic was taken before going up the big hill and the others were after I came back down.

 

[citruscurtis]

Well.. it's before long here...108 by Sunday

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Well.. it's before long here...108 by Sunday

I see you guys are under an extreme heat warning. I think it's that same dome of high pressure that will be making us warm by the weekend...although, there's now conflicting opinions on whether we'll go beyond mid 80s vs low 90s. I think they said we'd at least be on the arid side, which is nice, because I was not a fan of this past weekend's humidity...even if it is our norm. I'd like to say that at least you're a dry heat, but I've been in the desert in peak summer and it's hotter than having a hair drying blowing on your face. Not to mention that it's March. 108 in July or August might feel like a cold front for you, but it's different in March.

 

[citruscurtis]

It's a very dry heat now..by June the humidity sets in.. don't know why because our rain comes late July _October...also the sun is not directly above us but still south that helps with the mental aspect for this record March...alas the only record I remember is 2017 Thanksgiving...100 ...102 at Disneyland and for years I was a Thanksgiving visitor

 

[TiggerTrigger]

It's a very dry heat now..by June the humidity sets in.. don't know why because our rain comes late July _October...also the sun is not directly above us but still south that helps with the mental aspect for this record March...alas the only record I remember is 2017 Thanksgiving...100 ...102 at Disneyland and for years I was a Thanksgiving visitor

Just out of curiosity, what %s are you looking at when you hit high humidity season?

 

[citruscurtis]

Good question... I have no recollection of the %...my yearly summer experience is that I sweat pulling weeds on my hands and knees or raking out leaf debris under other property citrus trees.... sunrise mornings and very slowly are the tasks...my first experience with humidity was summer New York sitting in my barracks with pools of water on the floor after running 3 miles.... never happened in spring or fall.... Oregon doesn't have humidity

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Good question... I have no recollection of the %...my yearly summer experience is that I sweat pulling weeds on my hands and knees or raking out leaf debris under other property citrus trees.... sunrise mornings and very slowly are the tasks...my first experience with humidity was summer New York sitting in my barracks with pools of water on the floor after running 3 miles.... never happened in spring or fall.... Oregon doesn't have humidity

I was just wondering because I was somewhere and someone was complaining about the humidity...which I think was around 40% at the time. People laugh when I complain about it getting cold here, but over the years, I've realized that just like there is dry heat vs. humid heat...the same holds true for cold conditions. It was 50 degrees when I went out this morning but the humidity was around 95%, which makes it feel so much colder.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Hello and happy Thursday

I believe my final tally was 6.05 miles this morning. I got down to the tunnels underneath the main road I pass to get to the tributary and lake just to see everything closed off. At least one of the bridges is having the planks replaced. So, I had to change course and think on the fly about where to go. I walked up the trail (glorified sidewalk) along the main road because it would at least give me something comparable to the uphill climb I end with. Then I walked to the big hill and went down then back up so that I didn't miss out on that good work. The sunrise had this gorgeous golden color, so I walked a bit farther before turning around for the uphill climb just so I could get up on the edge of the lake. I followed a portion of one of my old routes after this to get home. I was going to go a bit farther but decided to get home because I wanted to throw some things in the laundry. FUN!

I also messed up with my watch again today. When I got to the bottom of the big hill, I saw my favorite walking lady. I hit all the wrong buttons on my watch and lost the entire activity. User error but still frustrating. I should just let it run since I'm not really monitoring my pacing most days. She reminded me that I can cut through the lake neighborhood side streets to pick up the greenbelt farther up the lake. Mixed on it. I don't know the side streets as well and it's not as challenging but walking along a busy street like this one feels more dangerous. All it takes is one distracted driver!

Now some fun tidbits...
- I think I want to do another half marathon in the very near future. I want to see how I do with a standalone race on a true pavement surface. I found one in Galveston the end of next month that literally just follows the coastline the entire time. It's completely flat. Warm temps are the only thing that would be a pace killer BUT I'd be in much lighter gear to help compensate for that, temps are usually a little cooler at the coast, and I should have a sea breeze. It's also one of these "diva" races...so it should be all women and there will be lots of tutus and tiaras. I think there's even champagne at the end and the start/finish is near one of my favorite restaurants down there. I've already picked an outfit and have a 20% off coupon. It looks like pink and blue dragon scales. I also ordered some new shoes which happen to coordinate (also my current fave color option I'd been eyeing) because it's about time I start embracing the new version of my go-to...since they'll be what I'm wearing for the next year. Well, not this specific pair, but I keep about 4 pairs in rotation to help reduce injuries and I retire them between 300-400 miles. I am up to 50-55 miles a week...so I go through A LOT of shoes.
- I think I've picked what's going to be my first full marathon (assuming I don't self destruct in the meantime). I think I may have shared, but I'm really trying to build up to Dopey in 2028 and if I like this...maybe London in 2029. I want the first to be local because I want to be near home in case I get injured and need help. I also don't want to invest a ton of money in advance in case I decide I hate the distance. It's easier to kiss $100-250 goodbye vs. thousands with travel involved. The other musts...road surface, colder month (January, in this case), walker friendly on pacing, and a BQ (Boston Qualifier) because it means there will likely be better race support. It's not the most interesting looking course...so that's the only knock on it but I have time to drive down there and check it out.

And now...this morning's sunrise pics...

 

[citruscurtis]