Still Not Sunny & 70 (Week 6)
Vol. 4, No. 9
Sometimes a run is simply that, just a run. No deeper meaning or purpose other than to do something you said you would. To have integrity with yourself. Other times I run to keep a social life, to see my friends and to build a community and camaraderie with others. When I’m traveling, I find running fulfills my desire for adventure and exploration. There is something special about exploring a town, city or historical site on foot, during a run.
This week my runs took me through old ruins of a former factory, around a golf course and into a historical harbor on Puget Sound. I ran around an airfield and was fortunately distracted from the cold wind by the military Helicopters overhead. Only twice was I forced indoors to the treadmill as I was improperly suited for the conditions outdoors.
You’ll read some insider tips I take when running in a new location and how I almost lost my socks in a rather unexpected place. This has been an interesting week starting in Washington State and wrapping up being back home in North Carolina.
Monday: 2.3.2025 (Day 34 of 90): New Route, Big Hill.
Never miss a Monday is the mantra I had to keep reminding myself. The last time I had an outdoor run that was comfortable was January 15th where the temperature was 57F and I was in shorts and a t-shirt. For the past three weeks, I’ve been cold! After leaving the freezing, cold front of Georgia I was home in North Carolina for our first snowfall in five years, and I ran. I knew coming back to Seattle the weather would be absolute shit at 42F and raining. I was surprised to arrive in the PNW and I had an clear, crisp view of Mount Rainier, too bad it was 25F outside! I’m sick of being cold.
My project site for work has a faulty HVAC system, so we’re working in a 34F building. So when I was done with work, I had absolutely zero desire to go outside and be cold again. Hell, after work I downed two cans of chicken noodle soup just to warm up and get some sodium in me.
Unfortunately, I’m not comfortable with being a little bitch. It just doesn’t sit well with me.
So I grabbed my gear, laced up and headed to a new park and trail in the hopes the rain would hold out.
This new trail was an approximatley 2.97 mile loop, with a steep hill climb in the first 1.5 miles. With a whopping 341ft of elevation gain in the first 15min of running, this route was a ball buster. I’m proud to say, I only walked twice for less than 15seconds per instance.
On the back side of this route, the trail dropped another 230ft in less than half a mile. Needless to say, it was pretty damn steep.
I’m not sure what was worse, the uphill climb in the beginning, or the steep drop at the end!
3.51 miles | Avg Pace: 10’05” | Avg HR: 126 | Best Mile: 9’22” | EL: ⬆️ 341ft
Tuesday: 2.4.2025 (Day 35 of 90): Seeking Shelter
It’s this simple. I don’t have the gear nor the proper attitude to deal with the ongoing snow, ice and rain that Puget Sound is throwing at me. I’m not suited for this bullshit.
Comfort is a lie! However, I’ve learned that avoiding discomfort doesn’t mean you’re falling prey to the warm embrace of a soft bed. No, I simply avoided getting pneumonia and opted for an intense workout on the treadmill in shorts and a t-shirt.
The dreaded treadmill. It’s mentally maddening, to put for that much effort and movement to simply go nowhere! The treadmill helps me build mental strength and emotional fortitude.
I’ve learned that on a treadmill, I need variation. The concept of staying at the same speed for more than two miles is ridiculous. I always change things up to keep it somewhat interesting. So for this run I did a 1-mile warmup at 10’00” pace and then did 1/2 mile efforts at Marathon Race pace (7’20”) followed by a 1/4 mile walk.
In all honesty, the Race Pace wasn’t too demanding and I felt I could have kept that pace for at least two miles. Now to build that up to 26 miles in less than 365 days.
The only good thing of running on a treadmill, is the availability of nearby restrooms and water.
*No Picture Today. It was just one of those days.
3.25 miles | Avg Pace: 10’58” | Avg HR: 156 | Best Mile: 8’22”
Wednesday: 2.5.2025 (Day 36 of 90): Fuck that noise.
I feel like I’m living the real life movie of Groundhogs Day. I wake up, look out the hotel window and it’s 40F and Raining. Fuck that noise, I don’t have the patience for this bullshit today. I also don’t have the proper gear to run in the rain, especially cold rain.
So, once again I opted to be inside on the treadmill at the YMCA. At least the bathrooms are nearby.
Since it was Wednesday, I was going to knock out my standard 5K distance. It’s a habit I’ve built over the last 8 years and a weekly benchmark in how I feel while running. For this iteration of the 5K-Wednesday, I decided to increase the pace every mile until it was over.
Mile 1: 10’00” | Mile 2: 9’30” | Mile 3: 9’00” | Last 0.11 - 8’30”.
Now, you’ll see some variations from what I listed above and what my watch read. I set all my paces on the Treadmill and didn’t pay any mind to my watch until it was over.
This run went well, until it didn’t! Disaster Struck!
Hello? Hello!? Can you help me? I’m in a predicament.
The run on the treadmill went as well as a run could. I increased the speed every mile, worked up a good sweat and almost enjoyed the run. Almost. When I felt the lower abdominal pains, natures way of calling me to the closest restroom, I was grateful that today I would not lose my socks! I’m sick of buying socks.
Looking crazy as hell, I end the run, do an about face and sprint up the stairs to the 2nd Floor. Like an NFL Lineman in the Combine, I weave and dodge fellow YMCA members enroute to the Men’s room. I was literally praying that a stall would be open and just like that, my prayers were answered.
I bust into the stall like a swat agent and drop trowel. I made it! I made it to the toilet and this time, I wouldn’t be losing my socks!
Is it possible to even describe the feeling of relief after such an intense situation where everything is on the line? My YMCA membership, my reputation, my dignity? I made it onto Elvis’s thrown without any embarrassment.
Just as I was about to wrap things up, there’s no fucking toilet paper!
The stall next to me was empty. It crossed my mind to waddle out of my stall, go into the one next door but I didn’t want to risk that.
Fortunately, this isn’t the first time I’ve been in this situation. It happened once in an airport in Dubai. That’s another story for another time.
So I wait. I’m waiting to see someone walk past so I can ask for help. This is the YMCA after all and a man asking for help in a stall could mean all kinds of things. I better be very clear with my needs before asking for help.
Hello?, Excuse me. I’m all out of TP in here, can you help me out and hand me some paper towels from next to the sink?
No answer. I’m living in the future. Everyone is wearing headphones or earbuds.
Another set of feet. Another request for help.
No answer. Maybe I should just get out, waddle over to the stall next to me and go about my business.
Another set of feet. This time, someone left me a roll of toilet paper! God bless this man. Apparently he keeps a roll in his gym bag for situations like this. It’s good to know I’m not alone in this world.
When all was done and said, all I could think about was how I almost lost my damn socks in the YMCA. The running gods are out to get me.
Lesson Learned: Even when restrooms are nearby, you’re not in the clear.
3.11 miles | Avg Pace: 9’31” | Avg HR: 129 | Best Mile: 9’09”
Thursday: 2.6.2025 (Day 37 of 90): Headwind and Rotor Wash!
Too bad it’s illegal.
Running around the airfield is not illegal, but taking pictures of Gray Army Airfield is illegal and would raise suspicions. I decided to stay employed and paint a picture of my experience through the art of writing while showcasing a few stock photos from DVIDS.
I was more than thrilled when the weatherman indicated we would see blue sky today and the sun would shining on all of us yearning for some Vitamin D. I could feel weather-induced depression setting in and today would be the antidote! I’ve done this run before and enjoyed the relatively flat course that takes me around Gray Army Airfield. Today the airfield was busy with 160th SOAR helicopters making their rounds and other UH-60’s and Apache’s doing their training runs. It was really like your own private air-show of rotary wing aircraft!
Somewhere deep down, I’ll never lose the child-like awe of seeing a Helicopter fly overhead or a Fire Truck roll past. These great machines of innovation, technology and engineering are always intriguing. Especially Helicopters. Nature wants them to crash. Physics aren’t happy with their design. It is truly a flying machine of man’s will over nature and physics.
I was so wrapped up in the presence of non-stop HELO’s overhead that I almost stopped paying attention to the 41F weather and 8mph headwind bringing me closer and closer to losing my ears. Through blurry eyes, I was continually amazed at the ability of these pilots to maneuver these amazing machines.
At mile two I found myself at the end of the flight line, with a UH-60 Blackhawk hovering just 20ft off the ground. The pilots and I made eye contact, that’s how close they were to me. I felt the rotor was push against and I was grateful that the pilots kindly waited until I had past their line of flight before progressing forward and upwards on their training flight. I really didn’t want that rotor wash in 41F.
As miles 3, 4 and 5 ticked off there was a continued overhead presence of Apache, Blackhawks, and the famous 160th SOAR HELO’s with their fuel booms and all black paint job. It’s a great reminder that in the middle of the night, there are good men willing to do bad things to bad people on behalf of the United States of America.
Before I knew it this run was coming to an end and I felt great about it. The sun was out, albeit still cold, but the run was flat, fast and entertaining. This is one of the ancillary perks of working with our military, I get to run on some of America’s premier military installations amongst some of America’s best.
The only thing difficult about this run was the cold air and wind chill.
I’m looking forward to some April/May runs in North Carolina with warmer weather and good friends. I’m hoping by May I can once again attain the coveted 5-miles in under 40 minutes Ranger standard.
5.07 miles | Avg Pace: 8’36” | Avg HR: 136 | Best Mile: 8’16”
Friday: 2.7.2025 (Day 38 of 90): A Trip to Gig Harbor
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest (PNW), I’ve heard about Gig Harbor and how great it was, yet never visited in my youth. With work wrapped up, I acted upon the opportunity and beat feet out to this little harbor town and see what it was all about.
Exploring new towns on foot, during a run is one of the more precious things I love about this running life. I located the nearby YMCA located just two miles from the harbor and decided that’d be a great place to start and stop this run. It'd allow me to shower and change before grabbing some local cuisine before packing up to fly home.
The Tom Taylor Family YMCA in Gig Harbor, WA is possibly one of the best and most comprehensive Y facilities I’ve ever been. The facility appeared newer, clean and massive with giant indoor pool that included multiple lap lanes, then another area for “walking” lap lanes and yet another area for kids swimming and a massive jacuzzi. Then there was the massive gymnasiums, courts, weight area, indoor walking track and cardio equipment. It’s clear that the surrounding community has money to donate.
Running Tips: Before running in a new location, here’s a few things I do.
Look on Strava at the Global Heat Map and identify if it’s a common running route.
Do a Map Reconnaissance with Google Maps and Street View to see if there are Sidewalks, get a visual on the intersections, roundabouts and identify known land marks and gas stations / stores.
Create my route on Strava or COROS and synch with my watch. The COROS Pace Pro does a great job of displaying the map. Easy to follow.
Turn on Location Sharing to let my wife and coworkers know where I am.
Carry my ID and phone with me. (Pocket knife if at dusk, dark)
Ensure my phone is properly set up with all my emergency contacts, medications, medical considerations and blood type.
Take a change of clothes to be dry. This applies to both hot and cold weather.
Carry water and emergency gels for Hypoglycemia.
After checking out the facilities at the Y, I kit up, lace up and set out on my run. This run starts at a hill top and leads down to sea-level, before turning around and heading back.
The cold was ever present on this run but the discomfort was offset by great views and the sun making quick appearances up above. It was an enjoyable run and I even crossed paths with a few other runners getting it in.
During the run, I smelled something I hadn’t smelled since my grandparents were alive. They lived on the north side of Puget Sound in Everett, WA and I visited a few times as a very young child. I don’t know what it was, a plant, the sea-spray or what, but a smell I hadn’t smelled in nearly 40 years entered my nostrils and immediately triggered my brain to recall childhood memories of my Grandfather.
I couldn’t help but smile and think of my grandfather, Evan. He was the best.
Besides feeling physically strong with an average heart rate in Zone 1, this run was emotionally fulfilling. This run, with the sun shining was a great mental break from a week of cold wet weather.
After a shower and change of clothes, the kind woman at the Y recommended I go to Tides Tavern down on the Harbor. It was a great recommendation! I had a couple of sour-beers, a smoked Salmon appetizer followed up with a Salmon Burger that was really good. I’d recommend this on-the-water bar and grill to anyone visiting the area.
5.51 miles | Avg Pace: 10’46” | Avg HR: 118 | Best Mile: 9’52” | EL: ⬆️ 397ft
Saturday: 2.8.2025 (Day 39 of 90): Travel Day and Rest.
Today is a total rest day with no planned runs or workouts. With my day starting at 4:30am in Seattle under cold rain, I’ll be ending my day back in The South. It’s been a long, cold and wet two weeks and I’m ready for warm run with my friends on Sunday.
I only need 5 miles to reach my weekly goal of 25miles and I’ll easily accomplish that tomorrow.
Sunday: 2.9.2025 (Day 40 of 90): Free Association Running (FAR) with Friends.
Not everyday is sunny and 70. -Andy Frisella
**UPDATE**
That day was TODAY! Sunny and 70F!
It’s hard to express just how happy I was to get in this run with friends! The weather broke for the better, the clouds cleared out and the sun shined through. It did get a little warm for February and possibly we set a new Record High temperature, but I didn’t care. It was exactly what I’ve been needing for the past two weeks! Friends, warmth and running in shorts and a T-shirt.
It was an easy run of 5-miles for me and a core group of 5 or 6 of us hung together for the majority of it. It was great to catch up with Robert, I’d just assumed we wouldn’t cross paths again until well into March. Post run was followed up with a very informal social with a few cold beers and conversation.
The reality is, this run was for my mental and emotional fitness more than any physical fitness gained. I’m thankful and grateful so many showed up on a Sunday morning!
I doubt he’s the originator of that saying, but I’ve heard it many times on his RealAF podcast and well, it just stuck in my head.
So, what does Andy mean by that?
Sunny and 70 is almost ideal conditions for anything. It could be 70 it could be 78, but “Sunny and 70” means it’s about perfect outside. We all know that not every day is like that, in fact most days aren’t, unless you live in sunny California. “Not everyday is Sunny and 70” means you have to get outside and get after it, even on the days that suck.
That was how I felt for the majority of this week. Now, as you’re reading this, I’m probably drinking a beer with friends after an hour long run in the near-record setting warmth in North Carolina. A serious change for the better and I look forward to updating this post after the run.
T2DM | Nutrition | Weight
This week I decided to experiment a little and see how different foods affected by blood glucose levels. Since my diagnosis last December, I’ve done a great job at cutting out all sugars and reducing other carbohydrates to nearly zero. I say “nearly” as I’m not zero carb, just low carb.
My average blood glucose this week was 155, a whopping 55pts higher than my goal. Much of this is caused by what I’m eating, with some of it being the effectiveness of my medication. I will continue to work with my medical team to refine the medication type and potency while reducing carbs even further this week.
I’ve also decided to start intermittent fasting on Monday with the 8/16 plan. That’s an 8-hour window of eating followed by a 16-hour window of fasting. In that 8-hour window of eating I will continue to increase vegetables and lean proteins while decreasing carbohydrates.
My official weight this week is 208.2 lbs. I haven’t been this low since February 20th, 2015. It’s really hard to believe it’s been an entire decade! My next milestone will be 205lbs and then the next one is 199lbs. I haven’t been below 200lbs since 2012 and this weight loss journey will soon be entering regions I haven’t been to in a long time.
Great write up and I agree with you about watching the birds fly by--awesomeness.
Run, On and On!