Public Square

Cyclists.

Shortly after my trial run, my foot began to ache again. Not much, just a bit. So once again I found myself wonder what the best course of action should be. Do I have a stress fracture? I committed myself to contact the doctor, but also told the wife that I would refrain from running, at all, until I knew for sure what my condition was in.

That's good, she said. What will you do instead of running to keep yourself from getting depressed.

I said, I will ride my bike.

Bought this thing in the mid-90s. Had it tuned up two months ago. Haven't used it yet. ast week Mark had this crazy idea about cycling downtown during the Republican National Convention. I loved that idea. So today we actually did it.

Distance: 20.6 miles
Miles Per Hour: 9.7
Route: Public Square Loop

"Life Is Sharing The Same Park Bench" (1969)

My general practitioner, who is going on vacation today, agreed to see me at 7:30 am, bless her heart. They X-ray-ed my foot and sent it to a sports medicine doctor. At 9:30 Mark stopped by and we headed out.

The first half was familiar, practically the same route I take when I run to Lakewood for marathon training, down Mayfield to Little Italy, through the cultural gardens and onto the Shoreway. Once we got to Ninth Street we had to figure out the best way to get to Public Square.

Lakeshore was a Security Zone, and St. Clair. Passes only. Superior was clear, and we rode past the library to the square, which was bustling with protesters, onlookers, officers, and a ridiculous amount of media. The media were the sketchiest looking people, because everyone else was clearly identified as to who they were and what they were doing. Some reporters had stations ID'ed on their mics or cameras, but many did not, and any guy with a camera on a selfie stick and professional-grade mic attached could be broadcasting images to absolutely anywhere in real time.

We watched a few staged events. Many of the protesters were handing out water, sports drinks, fresh fruit and handmade breakfast burritos. Mark and I each had one of those, and though I would have asked for hot sauce had it been offered, they were really good, with a lot of egg, peppers and potato. They were also not poisoned or drugged. I know this because I am writing this blog post.

Playhouse Square

I needed to get back to take the boy to an event, and so Mark and I parted. He wanted to hang out a bit longer. He recommended I try Euclid to save time, and I did and it was great fun. The bike lanes that start around East 30th Street are very helpful and though I made a few errors in timing I felt entirely safe. We took about an hour to get downtown, and it took forty-five minutes to get back -- and much of the last part was uphill.

Climate: clear skies and hot
Weight: 165 lbs.
Goal: 160 lbs.
Mood: very good.

I had received a voice mail from the sports doctor on the trip and listened to it when I got home. There are no stress fractures or any other fractures or dislocations in my foot! My foot is not broken!

Love using that, bike though.

Don't need to walk around in circles.

Yep.

This morning the girl asked if I would ride bikes to school with her. Last week we did this, I borrowed her brother's bike because I thought, you know -- fun. I almost got a hernia.

So I swiftly dove into the basement and brought out my own bike. I pumped the tires and sprayed WD-40 into the gears and off we went. The gears kept slipping and there was nothing I could do about it, this poor, twenty year old machine was kept in a leaky garage for most of that time, neglected and dirty.

I'd like to take it in but I am afraid the bicycle guy will inform me that fixing it will be more expensive than buying a new one. Of course, I could always repair it myself ...

One thing I did realize on my way home after dropping the girl off at school is that cycling isn't a real sport. How can it be when you can just stop moving when you come to a decline? When I am running and I stop ... I have stopped.

Distance: 3 miles
Duration: 23:08
Avg Pace: 7:42
Route: Boulevard Loop

This morning we learned one of the girl's schoolmates had a migraine yesterday, and during our walk to catch the bus I explained to the boy what a migraine is, how to treat one, and what it feels like. Since then, I have had a headache.

The run was good. Strong, fast. But I do not believe I can run 8 minutes for the entire race. Not sure I should run any of the race at that speed. However, 8:30 would be good. I think. Maybe I can do that. So much depends on how my body feels on the day. Not much I can do about that except eat well and rest.

Temperature: 75°
Climate: okay
Weight: 157 lbs.
Intake: flavored almonds
Hydration: yes

What's That Lyric?
Circles - Soul Coughing

Montréal (two)

Piknic Electronik

Have we only been in Montreal for one day? Feels like a week. My birthday was chock a block with activity, every step of which involved walking. We are residing in the Le Plateau neighborhood and it is impossible to walk down the street without the wife and daughter wanting to step into a shop. The boy just complains about his legs hurting.

We dug some seriously deep beats at the Piknic Electronik and then an outdoor production of Twelfth Night courtesy of Repercussion Theatre. We were all very glad to get back to the apartment and to take off our shoes.

Distance: 3 miles
Avg Pace: 8:17
Route: Mount Royal

Because we are traveling internationally I have not been streaming music. This is a good thing, I wouldn't have been listening to music while running past the Niagara River anyhow. Usually it's only during races I go without music. I want to hear it all, not something I generally feel when taking my daily route.

I also become very aware of the sound of my breathing.

The wife was surprised that I would want to take a run this morning, after all the walking we did yesterday. That was exactly why I wanted to take a run this morning.

Temperature: 72°
Climate: shiny and humid
Intake: banana & yogurt
Hydration: yes
Water Stop: yes

 Good run, a little way up the mountain and back. Downhill all the way home. The five or so blocks from the apartment to the park, however, are treacherous. Québécois cyclists are just like those at home, traffic lights do not apply to them.