Clean the man cave

I have lots of catching up to do.  Last Friday afternoon I headed up to Bayfield for a long weekend.  I knew heading up it was going to be more work than vacation.  Spent all of Saturday and a good portion of Sunday and Monday going through 50 years of accumulation of Dad's stuff in the basement.  I miss him terribly with sometimes being worse than others.  This was the most I was affected by him not being here in a while.  This was Dad's "man cave".  The place where he spent untold hours doing god knows what.  He just liked it there.  As we went through the stuff, many of the items didn't mean anything to me, but each one I picked up I would wonder why dad kept that.  A particular tool I know he used to help me fix something, or his handwritten notes would trigger memories long forgotten and widen the loss.  I'm glad my brother Todd was there to help.  It would have been an unbearable job to tackle alone.  Part of the problem with everything still down there is you would always feel like he was just out and would be returning any minute.  I guess all of this is just part of the healing process that will likely continue the rest of my life.  We got a lot done.  The basement wouldn't even look the same to anyone who has ever been down there. 

Running:
Because of the chores over the weekend my running schedule got a little messed up.  I arrived in Bayfield late (for me) on Friday and didn't get up as early as usual.  Saturday I just couldn't justify taking time out knowing we had so much to do.  It wasn't a bad time to take off, but it was my first Saturday with no running this year.   Sunday I went first thing in the morning and got in a nice 10 mile run in 1:20:15.  Bayfield is a really hilly place for those that don't know.  There is no way to escape hills, but there are routes to take that are reasonably flat.  I ran up past a few of the orchards and berry farms.  So for the week I only managed 48 miles with no long runs.  Monday I wanted to gain some of the lost ground and headed out early for a 20 mile effort.  What a beautiful morning it was.  I headed south along highway 13 towards Washburn.  The wind on the way out was not bad and was from a easterly direction.  Without the leaves on the trees there was a good view of Lake Superior almost the whole way.  The sun was out and sparkling on the lake waves.  There is an artisan well a few miles from town as a first water stop.  For my second stop I grabbed a bottle I had planted Friday on my way in to town near my turn around point.  So almost to Washburn I turned around and headed back.  What I didn't notice running south was how much the wind had picked up and had switched to North East.  The whole way back I fought the increasing wind.  I believe it was in the 20-30 MPH range which is quite stiff when I finished.  I was swearing to myself as I headed up the huge hill into the wind in the last couple miles.   I made the whole run in 2:53:40 (1:25:39 out and 1:28:01 back).  Tuesday I took another rest day as I traveled back home.  Today was my first day back to work.  My run was my hill repeat workout again.  7.5 total miles with 8 hill repeats in 1:04:22.  So through today:
WTD 28
MTD 214
YTD 904
ODO 26070


Hunting:
My brother and I took a little break Sunday to go check some hunting areas.  I was shocked to see a turkey on the way out near the Bayfield ski hill.  First one I had ever seen there. There was lots of deer sign near my primary gun stand area.  We cleared some more trees and brush for a possible new stand position.  I had been eyeing up a different tree that has a better view of where a few deer had escaped me in the past.   We then went to a spot we had found last season and cleared a tree and shooting lanes for a new location next season.  This area had lots of sign last year and looks really promising.  Should be usable as a bow hunting stand also.  A bit of bad news is that the land I shot the big 8 point last year is up for sale.  I would consider buying it, but $68,000 for 10 acres is crazy.   There is no lake view and there is a wet ditch than runs all the way through the middle.  Not sure this land would even perk for a mound system.  I keep thinking how if the land sells at least my last year on it I got the biggest deer I ever saw there.  I just hope it doesn't sell yet this year until I can figure a few things out.
  
Gardening:
Didn't get much of my own stuff done, but I was able to get Mom's pond clean.  I drained all the old water out and power washed all the stones and rocks.  Same as I did to my pond a couple weeks ago.  It turned out great.  The water is now crystal clear again.  The power washer also worked good at cleaning off her deck and the lawn furniture.  Also helped turn over her small garden, spray the apple trees, fertilize the lawn, make sure the lawn mower works, and a few other little things I know a bit about.  I did get home in enough time Tuesday to get my own lawn mowed.   I guess we got near 2 inches of rain over the weekend.  This really greened things up.  I picked about 2 lbs of asparagus that also really took off with some moisture.  This morning we actually had a pretty hard frost.     

Fawns already?

Running:
Still no decision on my May 8th race.  I figure I'll know more after this weekend.  Right now my plan is to try and run 20 miles on Saturday or Sunday.  I'll be up north for a couple days so we'll see.  At least it's not supposed to rain up there.  Catching up on training runs since my last post:  Tuesday I ran my hill repeat workout (7.5 total miles) in 1:6:20.  I've only missed a couple weeks all year getting this run in.  It should help if I do the trail run.  Wednesday was a lunch time run of 7.5 miles in 1:1:58 and Thursday the same route, but in 59:43.  Today I had to take the car into the shop for repair (again).  Wheel Bearings this time.  I ran home after dropping the car off this morning and tacked on a little extra for 10 total miles in 1:19:55.

Hunting:
Today on my run home I noticed a doe with a couple spotted fawns.  Obviously just born within hours or days.  Looking up the facts on whitetails I see that their gestation period is roughly 200 days.  What this means is that there would have had to be some breeding going on in late September or early October.  I saw no sign of this while hunting last year.  The rut didn't seem to be on until November.  I missed something.
 
Gardening:
Finally got my tiller back from being repaired.  Was able to get the garden tilled last night.  This tilling was just to get the leaves I put on last fall really mixed in with the dirt for final breakdown.  I'll need to till once more in late May before planting.  The timing was good in that we are supposed to get a bit of rain over this weekend.  Also mowed the lawn for the first time this year.  Not all of it needed it yet having been so dry.  That will change if we get the predicted rain over the next few days.

Rolled 26,000 miles

Running:
First a congratulations to my friend Jerry Cameron who hit a milestone of 30,000 running miles this past week.  Also congrats to Dana Schulz (2:47:xx) and Don Fell (3:32:xx) who both completed the Boston marathon yesterday.  The weather looked to be perfect and both of these friends ran great.  I'm looking forward to seeing a race report.  

I did sign up for the Lakefront Marathon here in Milwaukee this next October 3rd.  I had to commit now because the race will likely fill up sometime this week.  I still haven't decided what my next spring race will be.  I'm thinking of one of two races May 8th right now.  The first is the IceAge Trail 50K and the next is the Lake Geneva Marathon.   I've had fun with the trail run before, but I've also wanted to also try this marathon.  I have until May 2nd to figure it out, which is the last day for IceAge sign up. 

Catching up on my own running activity:  Over the weekend I logged two longer runs.  On Saturday I ran 15 miles in the early morning.  This course was one I've done several times over this winter in that it's two longer loops of my favorite route.  This allows for a water dropoff about a mile in that I can hit on my second loop around.  I ran this in 2:3:20 which was my fastest time of the year looking back over my log.  Sunday I ran a little shorter route of 11.5 miles in 1:32:02.  On Mondays I had been taking off for most of this year, but when I saw my odometer was only 5 miles short of the next milestone I had to get out for a run.  I didn't even take the Garmin and ran a nice easy 5 miles to hit the 26,000 mile mark.  Doesn't compare to Jerry's, but I'm slowly catching him.  My total miles for last week were 61.

Through Monday:
MTD 144
YTD 834
ODO 26,000

Hunting:
Have had several turkeys running around in the back yard the last few days.  I really do have to see about getting the tags for hunting them down here.  Dad used to hunt turkeys and enjoyed it a lot.  I just haven't had the time with all the other hobbies/activities to take this one on too.  Someday.

Gardening:
Spent all day Sunday cleaning out the pond.  What a job!  I really took a good whack at the vegetation that was starting to take over.  I first drained the pond of almost all the water leaving just enough for the fish and frogs to live for a short time.  I had to get into the pond and cut and pull lots of the root systems to have any success.  I pulled about three full wheelbarrows full of plant material out.  Some went in the compost pile, the rest just in the woods out back.  What a difference it made.  The fish actually have lots more water in to swim and you can actualy see them because they don't have all the places to hide they used to have.  Now that many of these plants are established I really have to make this an annual event to keep up. 

Bunions and Blue Herons

Running:
Been a normal week back for the most part.  I have developed a pain at times in my right foot.  I've been terrible at self diagnosis before, but I'm quite certain I've developed a bunion on my right foot.  It's most noticable with my newest pair of shoes.  They fit OK, but there is a piece of overlay right over the bunion area that makes them feel tight when running.   Most of the time with other shoes with the exception of running fast or up a hill there is no pain at all.  I'll likely get in to have it checked out next week.  Nothing that has impacted the length of any run to this point.  Catching up on my runs since last Monday.  All my runs this week were during my lunch break at work.  Tuesday I did my hill repeat workout.  Eight repeats along with the trip out and back for 7.5 miles total.  The next three days I ran my 7.5 mile Springdale loop.  Each day successively faster.  Wednesday I ran it in 1:3:44, Thursday 1:0:55, and today 59:12.  My total for this week so far is 34 miles.  


Hunting: 
I pulled down my hunting ladder from the back yard.  Just took it down to keep it out of the elements for a few months.  I still have a couple stands in the woods over on my bow hunting property.  I will get these out over the next couple weeks too.  The food plot I put in late last summer is growing like crazy now.  I thought all the plants would have died.  They are mostly turnip like plants or "brassica's".   I'll have to just till them all under I guess as I don't think they will be edible to the deer over the spring/summer.  On the other hand they might just keep the weeds down if I leave them there for a while.


Gardening:

So much to do, but not much time during the week to get anything done.   I really need to get into my pond and get the plants under control this year.  I might just do that this weekend.  This morning I saw a pair of Great Blue Heron's in the back yard.  They really have quite a unique call are are cool to see.  Just not in my yard.  I scared them away, but I suppose they found their way in to eat some frogs and fish while no one was home today.  

Frogs everywhere

Running:
Bib, finisher award, and age group placement certificate from the Trailbreaker a couple weeks ago.

Catching up from over the weekend.  Friday was a lunch time run.  I did a typical 7.5 mile run in 1:00:12.  Felt strange running in tights and long sleeve shirt again after last week.  Saturday I went out in the morning for 11 miles.  I had toyed with the idea of running the Badgerland Strider half marathon but decided I had better catch up on chores around here.  My run Saturday took me 1:27:17.   Sunday I ran the same exact route again in the morning in 1:26:46.  So through Sunday:
WTD 51
MTD 79
YTD 768
Today I was going to cross train and do some weights, but the bike was not working and the eliptical was in use.  I decided to jump on the treadmill and get a few miles in to warm up.  I ended up running 4 miles in 30 minutes.  Then lifted and stretched before hitting the showers.  

Hunting:
I haven't taken up Turkey hunting yet, but I keep thinking maybe I should.  There are several places on my runs where I have encounters with flocks of them frequently.  Sunday I had several Toms putting on a show for a hen that was passing by not more than 20 feet from the road edge.   Also saw five deer in the yard last Friday.  They all looked so shaggy, I had to look at them several times to figure out what was going on.  It appears they are shedding their winter coats.   

Gardening:
Spent at least 8 hours Saturday and 7 Sunday working in the yard.  Mostly cleanup, raking, and burning debris from the flower/perenial beds around the yard.  Also got the compost pile turned, lawn fertilized, leaves I put in the garden last fall turned over, and pulled the cover off the pool to clean and shock it.
Still lots to go but I feel good about catching up a bit.  A big surprise was seeing all the frogs sunning themselves in my pond.  They were sure enjoying the warmth on Sunday.  I got 13 of them in the
picture, but there were more before a few jumped to safety. 

  

Vacation catch up

Running:
Just got back from 9 days in Florida.  We flew into Fort Lauderdale and drove down to Key West for 6 nights.  Then returned to Fort Lauderdale for 3 nights until we returned. 

After running a marathon, the next week is really all about recovery.  It was nice to be able to recover in the warmth of the Florida sun.  My youngest daughter is in track this spring so she had some workouts to get in while on vacation.  I was able to do some of these workouts with her to keep her on track too.   The Garmin stayed at home, so all of my runs were just based on time.  I'll estimate the mileage to be able to put something in my run log. 

The day before we left 3/29 I ran/walked a couple miles just to get the legs loose.  3/30 was a travel day with no running.  3/31 I ran 40 minutes in the sand on Smather's beach in Key West or maybe about 4 miles.  That brought my March total to 205 miles.  A little low, but expected in a marathon month for me. 

The next seven days I ran about one hour each day.  Each day was a little different with intervals and shorter or longer warm up/cool down times, but I did manage close to an hour each day.  4/1 I ran a few 800 repeats with my daughter.  4/2, 4/3, 4/4  were runs on the road/boardwalk along the Key West beaches out and back.  There were lots of people out running in the morning.  There was always someone to chase down or who was trying to catch you it seemed.  Added a little incentive to pick things up at times.  On 4/5 we were in Fort Lauderdale so had to find a new route.  Ran up over bridges along the inland waterway and managed ten 400 meter repeats with my kid.  Challenging workout.  4/6 was over the inland waterway again and loops around a subdivision we found the day before.  4/7 the day we were leaving I ran up the road along the beach out and back.  So I got in about 53 miles over vacation which was pretty good.  4/8 the first day back I took a rest day.  The weather was nasty and cold anyway so it was a good time for a rest. 

Now back to normal and figuring what might be next on the racing calendar.  Also have to decide in the next few days if I will run the Lakefront marathon this October.  The race is filling fast.

WTD/MTD 49
YTD 739
ODO 25905