Nike Vomero 11 – After 20 Runs

On By Harold L. ShawIn Aging2 Comments

Events have overtaken the finishing of my Vomero 11 review, I am now up to 30 runs in them and while everything is pretty much the same as I would have written at the 20 run mark, there are some minor updates.

KIMG0633

Let’s get back to it.

The Nike Vomero 11 in EE width, yet another last year’s model. The way it is going I have a feeling that I won’t be doing too many of the newest and greatest current running shoes. However, that is okay with me, it means that I am getting great shoes for a lot less than the price they were when they first come out.

I purchased the Vomero 11’s from Running Warehouse on closeout for a decent price at the end of April, since then I have done 20 runs and over 13 hours of running in them

vomero stats

This has been updated to:

screenshot-docs.google.com-2017-06-14-07-36-02

plus a lot of walking and wearing them to work.

Continue reading “Nike Vomero 11 – After 20 Runs” →

Staying Safe – RunLog 6-13-17

On By Harold L. ShawIn runlog, Running1 Comment

Sometimes I do have a brain and do use it.

Yesterday, I ran outside in 85* to 90* temps, it wasn’t bad because I didn’t attempt to do anything stoopid. I ran comfortably to start and then purposely slowed down a little more after getting up by Taco Bell. I could tell that it was not going to be about speed, but running easy. Once I got that through my thick skull, I had a really nice run despite the heat and finished feeling stronger than I thought I would.

Today the temp on my phone told me it was 87*, so when I stepped outside and walked to the car, I decided that running two days in a row outside in that kind of heat might not be the smartest thing. So I drove over to Planet Fitness and headed for the treadmill.

When I got there there were only two others on the treadmill, which surprised me, but hey it gave me a lot of choices of which one to run on. 🙂

Continue reading “Staying Safe – RunLog 6-13-17” →

And So “It” Begins

On By Harold L. ShawIn Aging, reflection6 Comments

Today the first step was taken.

After talking a LOT with Mary, we decided that it was time for me to go back to being retired. We have worked hard, been frugal and are in a position where I don’t have to work unless I want to.

While I like where I work and believe that what I do there is important and how I do it make me an asset, not an arse.

However, since Phil’s death, we have done a lot of thinking and talking about what is important in our lives. There is a LOT of stuff that we will have to take care of moving forward and my continuing to work will get in the way of what we need to do.

This morning I talked with my supervisor and submitted my resignation effective June 30th. She is a great boss and understood completely why I was getting done, but it didn’t make it any easier for me to actually do it. That guilt that is felt when you are a member of a team and then decide to leave is tough.

In spite of those feelings, I know that it is what needed to be done.

On July 1st, I go back to taking the road less traveled.

A Tough Week – Week Ending 6/11/17

On By Harold L. ShawIn Aging, reflection, Running1 Comment

Last week I attended the funeral of my brother-in-law Phil on Thursday – it was not something that I expected to do for many more years.

 

Since Mary’s brother Phil died unexpectedly of natural causes on June 1st, there has been a lot of grieving, pain and yes, more than a little hard work. Phil’s sudden loss has also been an eye-opening experience for me.

Since his death I have repeatedly asked myself:

  • What is important?
  • What are my priorities?
  • How do I want to live my life with whatever time I have left?
  • How do I want to leave things for others when I do pass (hopefully many years from now)?

The three plus hour one way drive to Phil’s house, has given me a lot of time think about those questions and a multitude of others that we ask ourselves after someone close to you dies unexpectedly.

Books are written on this subject so a weekly summary blog post is not going to do it justice, but needless to say the wheels have been set in motion for changes for me/us going forward.

Now it will be interesting to see where it leads.

Running

Getting back to more mundane things and even some running. Continue reading “A Tough Week – Week Ending 6/11/17” →

Lancaster Flip Flop – RunLog

On By Harold L. ShawIn Aging, RunningLeave a comment

This was a LONG day.

I got on the road at 6:20 AM and got home at just about 5:00 PM. In between I made a trip to Waterville, then flipped 4.0 hours to Lancaster, NH (Vermont border) to meet Mary, her sister, SD1 & SD2 at her brother’s.

Since Mary’s brother Phil died last Thursday, things have been a blur of figuring out what to do next. All the planning, setting things in motion, seeing all the people who need to be seen and getting ready for the service on Thursday @1:00 PM.

Then adding in attempting clean out a house that belongs to someone else is a tough thing. You are going through their most private things and seeing how they really lived, then trying to figure out what needs to be kept, what needs to be given away or thrown out is stressful as hell.

So many memories.

We did a bunch of cleaning, loaded up the truck/car, dropped stuff off at local church, loaded up other stuff for the return trip and flopped 3.5 hours back to the house.

Continue reading “Lancaster Flip Flop – RunLog” →

First Run Hoka Infinite – RunLog 6-5-17

On By Harold L. ShawIn runlog, Running, Running Shoe Review1 Comment

Another first run in a pair of running shoes, but this was one that I needed. I decided that while I will keep the Nike Vomero 11’s in my active rotation until they are done, that I wouldn’t re-order that style again, due to the toe box being right on the borderline of being too narrow.

After a bit of thinking and research this is the direction I decided to go.

KIMG0661

Back in 2015 I really liked everything about the Hoka Clifton 1’s, except the narrow toe box – I had three pair. Then with all the reports coming in that the Hoka Infinite’s had a great toe box, well they really piqued my interest, but I never got a chance to try a pair on and the price had never been at a point that I felt comfortable experimenting with Hoka’s again.

Running Warehouse had the Infinite’s on sale recently for $49.95 and the 10% off discount code from Road Trail Run worked. Which meant with Father’s Day coming up, well I had to get them a try. Continue reading “First Run Hoka Infinite – RunLog 6-5-17” →

Faster Than Usual – Runlog 6-1-17

On By Harold L. ShawIn runlogLeave a comment

After a long day of facilitator training, I needed to get out and do a good run. Yeah, I know my training plan said a rest day, but about an hour earlier a big thunderstorm went through, so when I stepped outside the air was crisp and there was a light breeze.

Great conditions for a good run.

It was actually nice to be able to breath normally – the pollen count was way down, so I started out figuring it would be a nice 3-4 miles at a comfortable pace.

Well that is what I initially thought.

I started running about 200 yards from Winthrop Street up the railroad bed parking area and ran down Rail Trail to the telephone pole before the little bump in Hallowell. I was running good and after the half mile marker, without a lot of effort on my part, I picked the pace up to catch up and eventually pass a couple of other runners.

You know something I was actually running and not worrying about my leg, Achilles or feet!!!

I simply ran!

First time in a long time, that I have been able to do that.

So I didn’t slow down and kept going. Now it is has been a while since I have done any kind of faster pacing for anything longer than one of Bennie’s vehicle intervals, so I was wondering how long I could maintain this wonderful feeling faster pace.

I got to the turn-around feeling good and continued to run comfortably hard all the way back to the mile remaining point and picked it up another notch and still felt good. However, with about 300 yards left, I lost my focus and started doing some serious wool gathering. As a result I slowed way down for about 100 yards. When I realized that I had slowed down so much, I quickly picked my pace back up and finished strong and then added on enough in cool-down to get an even 30:00 minutes.

It felt good to pick up the pace to a decent pace, after plodding and plodding and more plodding. The best part is that I wasn’t thinking about my foot and even after I stopped it didn’t bother.

As I am writing this a couple of hours later, I did my foot test, where attempt to I walk on my forefoot, not letting my heel touch down and see how much or how long I can do it before the pain become too much and I have to go back to walking heel first. Over the last few months, I can get 5 feet or so and have to stop. Tonight I walked 10 feet and then turned around and walked back, without the pain going over a 2.

First time in long that I have been able to do this.

Progress is being made.

May 2017 is Over and I am Still Running

On By Harold L. ShawIn Running, Technology4 Comments

My favorite photo from May 2017.

KIMG0582
Bennie warming up after a cold-rain soaked run

May is usually the month that I injure, re-injure, screw something up and all the words that I can and can’t use in polite company to describe me doing something stoopid and hurting some part of my body, so it is in recovery mode for the rest of the summer.

You know that time of year, when I get so caught up in the idea of running faster, after a fairly successful 5K race or two in April that delusions of grandeur start dancing around in my head – yet again.

Guess what!!!!

I survived May. Continue reading “May 2017 is Over and I am Still Running” →