The Rowe Family Blog

I haven’t been posting much about my training runs (or my “choo choo” runs as my daughter calls them). For one thing I run about 4 times per week and that would be tedious. For another thing it’s boring for even me to read. I do post about them once in a while so that I can look back and see what things were like. I’ve looked back at my posts when I was first becoming a runner and I really enjoy getting back into that mindset. I’d be doing a disservice to myself if I didn’t at least post about the highlights and lowlights (if that’s a word). Read the rest of this entry »

Again this year I participated in the 2009 Buffalo Shamrock Run. I’m not calling it a race because the race is just something they do out there in Buffalo to start the party! In Buffalo they really have a good time. I think that running is secondary for Buffalonians!

I had a great race. In the weeks leading up to the race my legs were hurting and I wasn’t very happy with my running. I cut back a bit and rested a lot the week prior to the race. Read the rest of this entry »

Yesterday I got outside for my first run in a few days. I took a bunch of days off in an attempt to heal. I beat myself up too much by putting in too much mileage, having a poor diet, and not getting enough sleep. I paid the price. I’m still paying the price because I’m not running as much as I want to and the weather is getting nicer (but I wouldn’t exactly call it nice yet)!

Yesterday I allowed myself to run a few miles. I put in about 6.5 miles but I really wanted to do 8-10. It was sunny and warm enough to not be uncomfortable. I ran along the canal, where I run the vast majority of my miles. I was able to get back on the canal path because the snow has finally melted. I wasn’t the only back out! There are three or four people that I regularly see on the path at the same time each day. Indiana Jones was there, so was Nameless Girl, even (rh)^2 was back out. It was oddly comforting to see their faces again. I feel like I know them even if most conversations consist of “Hi.”

Spring is on the way and I can’t wait.

After being sick for more than a week I jumped back into running. My first week back I ran more than 50 miles and I felt pretty good. The following week I ran more than 40 miles and wasn’t feeling so hot. The week after that things went very badly. My pace was far slower than normal and I had pretty bad pain in my legs. I tried to cut back on my miles but things kept getting worse. I tried to do a tempo run and the pace of my tempo run was about what my easy pace had been last fall! It really should be faster than that but I couldn’t muster it. The last straw was my Thursday easy run. My legs hurt a lot and I had to go very slowly. I also had to turn around early and take a walking break. That run was my signal to take a break. I decided to take nearly a week off. What that really means was that I’d skip most of my normal runs and do just one or two short runs (5-7 miles). Read the rest of this entry »

Normally when I write about companies I have a a bone to pick with them. That is not the case this time. I had a very great experience with Advance Furniture.

Last year Mary and I decided it was time to shop around for a new bedroom set. We found a set we really liked at a store in the Rochester area. I googled the name of the manufacturer and was surprised at what I found. First I found that the local store quoted us prices higher than what they advertised on their own website! I was also surprised to find an online furniture store out of Buffalo that delivered for free to Rochester that carried the same product. Read the rest of this entry »