Month: May 2015

One Week to Departure!

Ok, we have only one week to departure. Crazy! We’ve finished most of the big things, but still have a few last minute logistics to do.

Completed

  • Completed prior to April
  • Use gift cards – we have used up seven different gift cards/store credit we had laying around.
  • Have garage sale – huge success!
  • Cancel EZ Pass
  • Reserve moving truck and hire loaders
  • Plan Peru itinerary – this is about as complete as we want. We booked flights through and some of our hostels.
  • Get vaccinated – we are invincible!
  • Buy computer –  bought a MacBook Air 11-inch. So tiny!
  • Sell car – we dropped it off right after picking up the moving truck.
  • Cancel cable
  • Change address
  • Move from New York to Colorado

In Progress

  • Buy health and travel insurance – submitted our application for health insurance. Still need to complete travel insurance.

 Not Started

  • Get extra passport photos
  • Scan/copy important documents
  • Cancel phone plan
  • Suspend Netflix

CADENCE 5/18 – 5/24

Run – 11 miles

Altitude is rough.

This was our first week in Colorado. We got into Denver on Monday after a long day of driving. I was a little bit tired so I decided to forgo a run till we got to Glenwood Springs. Well, apparently all the driving combined with the altitude was too much for me, I slept 12 hours on Tuesday night.

It wasn’t till Thursday that I felt good enough to go on a short run. I got to try out my new watch on the treadmill. It has the ability to estimate your pace based on your outdoor running data. I would say it did a pretty good job.  It was my first run since the previous Saturday and I was at 8000ish vertical feet, but I think the watch did a good job. It uses the internal accelerometer, so when ever I looked at my watch the pace dropped.  But after the fact looking at my data I think this is a neat tool.

After the Thursday run, feeling rested and acclimatized, I got in two more runs. Since I wasn’t familiar with the area I looked on Strava to find popular running spots – something I plan to do before every run while abroad. I found a Strava segment at a park near the house we were staying and went out to test myself.  It was about a mile long and I was able to hold 6min/mile. Pretty good for 4 weeks after surgery. Feeling good and ready for the trip.

Later.

CADENCE 5/11 – 5/17

Run – 15 mi

Busy, busy, busy.

I got four good days of running in this week. This was our moving week, so running times were hard to come by. Early this week we had time to run and rest, but we were driving from Albany to Glenwood Springs for the back half of the week. But I got in two days of running on the road!

Our first night in Ashtabula, Ohio we stayed near a great running trail. It was a converted rail line. There were some cool old bridges on the trail and it was nice and shaded. I also got in a short run around Naperville. There were some nice trails there as well, but we were on a schedule, so Lindsey and I stayed near my Aunt and Uncles house.

After Naperville we had much longer drives each day, so I was not able to get outside or on a treadmill.  Once we got to Denver all the driving had caught up to me and I crashed. I slept twelve hours on Sunday night and had little to no energy. I am recovering well, but I think the long days in the car along with the altitude of Denver wore me out.

Peru will be similar altitudes so I want to get out on hikes or runs as much as possible this next week. Got to get ready for all the backpacking.

Later.

CADENCE 5/4 – 5/10

Run – 9 mi

Back at it and feeling good.

At the end of this week I got the ok from my doctor to start running. I went out that same day and did a short run/walk. It was great to be doing something active again. I am allowed to do any cardio I want, as long as I stop if there is any discomfort. I hadn’t been running, even before the surgery, so I’m starting very slow and short. My first two days were run/walks with Lindsey, running for 3-5min and walking for 5-8min.  I’ll keep doing that kind of stuff for the next week.

I’m focusing on running for the future. Running will be the activity I can do with the most constancy on the trip so I want to be in decent running shape. Plus with the move to Colorado coming next week I need to do an activity that is short and uses little in the way of gear. Here’s hoping I run 6 days next week.

Later.