To the Treadmill

Cold today, with wind chill in the single digits. Which necessitated my first run of the season on the treadmill. I went 6 miles, 3 of it in tempo form. I had the iPad to distract myself tried watching a Nick Offerman comedy show. There was some funny stuff at the beginning but then he veered into mockery and downright blasphemy at God's Word, and I couldn't take it any more. Then I moved to Anchorman 2, which was just not funny at all. Next time I need to find something a lot better than either of those two if I'm going to keep sweating indoors.

Boxing Day Letdown

Today I just didn't feel right, and by the time I stopped my knees weren't feeling great. Not that they were in a lot of pain, but they just felt weak, like if I kept going I could hurt myself. I was going to go 8 miles but stopped at 5. I think it was the consequences of running two days in a row at this point in the plan. I can't run again tomorrow, but maybe I will on Sunday if I'm up to it and the weather is nice. Doubtful.

Christmas, A Nice Day for a Run

Today was the warmest day in quite a few, above 50 degrees. And it was also Christmas. Which never stops me from taking a run, and even actually makes it easier to do since everybody else is occupied. I got up with the family, we opened presents and ate breakfast, and then I took a 2.5 hour nap. The only thing not great about the run was the wind, about 20 mph from the southwest. I walked up the hill by the golf course since I didn't want to run uphill against the wind. Then I walked up it again from the other side just because I'm planning on running again tomorrow due to commitments on Saturday and I didn't want to be totally worn out. I felt a little less than nominal on today's outing, but that points back to my recent gluttony. About time to tone it down, I think.

No Sun Run

The sun made a three-hour appearance this morning, but by the late afternoon it was long gone. The temperature was in the low 40s, but it felt colder because of a nice breeze. Daughter #2 ran the first mile with me again, and in fact a little more than that, but not by much. I carried on for another 5 miles. This is the first week of the training plan for the March run. Guess I was supposed to run yesterday but it was rainy and cold. Plus I had other stuff going on and though it would have been nice to get in a run it just wasn't to be. Thursday is Christmas, and I should be able to find time for a run while everyone's occupied with all their new stuff.

Still Cloudy

It's been cloudy for about three weeks now with only one day that I can remember was sunny, and another day where it came out for a few hours. Today was no different. Daughter #2 ran the first mile with me, and after I dropped her off at the end of the street I ran 6 more. I'm working toward the March run, and that means I need to be running 8 miles for my long run by next Saturday. I missed this Thursday's run due to a few late afternoon phone calls. Today I felt pretty good about the run, even though I walked up the hill by the golf course. The temperature was a balmy 40 degrees with the aforementioned clouds. I keep waiting for the greenhouse effect to take hold and the temperatures to warm, but so far I've experienced nothing but disappointment.

Five for Tuesday

It was one of those brisk days, temperature at 30 degrees with wind chill down to 20, but all in all not really too bad. I decided to make this a 5-6-7 week, which seems logical since Saturday was a 4. I put together a plan for the March race, and I'll have to get back into the swing of things pretty soon. No time to slack off and skip a bunch of running. And besides, I don't want to anyway. I anticipate lots of treadmill running, though, if I'm going to do a race in that timeframe.

Today's run was much better, probably due in part to a good night's sleep, but also because I'm over three weeks past the last race now. I ran easy, and kept it throttled back. No major pains, and really no minor ones either. It's good to be back, and I can tell it's already changed my diet, which has improved over the last few days. As opposed to the gluttony of the previous three weeks. I shouldn't do that again.

After 20 Days

It's been almost three weeks since the race, and today was the first day of running since then. I was going to wait a few more days, but it was nice out, at least temperature-wise, and it would have been a waste to not run. Daughter #2 ran with me for a mile, and then I completed three more. My calf muscles produced no objections, but my knees felt a little stiff. I also felt every bite of food and non-water drink I've had in the past twenty days. It's amazing how quickly those things multiply and make you feel crappy.

Looking ahead, I'm seriously considering the Bataan Memorial Death March in New Mexico in late March. This is a race I've wanted to do for a while, more for the experience than trying to run it fast. The Virtual Running Partner seems agreeable, but only if we run it together and don't try to set a PR. I'm okay with that, since the research I've done suggests there is some substantial elevation change on the course as well as a section called the "sand pit." Plus it's also at a much higher elevation than KC, so running it with an eye on finishing between five and six hours seems prudent. I need to put a little more thought into it but that's the way I'm leaning right now.

Two Weeks Later

Another week of rest, and this one went much better than the first week. It's still a little weird not having a schedule right now that includes running. I've been doing my weights and core workouts, but skipping anything that involves the legs other than squats.

My calves felt better this past week. A couple of times I've felt a twinge, but nothing that lasts very long. The relaxation is good, but I'm on the verge of really wanting to get out for a run. I'm thinking of either next Saturday or the following Tuesday.

I'm also thinking of the next race. This wasn't my last marathon, and I'm certainly not going out on a note like that. I'm going to look at the Bataan race at WSMR and see if I can work it out schedule-wise. I've wanted to run that one for a few years. If I'm looking for a race that I can run slow and just finish without trying for a PR, this is the one. The biggest difficulty will be in training during the winter and then racing in very early spring, but it has to happen sometime. In the meantime, I will rest.

One Week Later

This has been the worst recovery time from a race that I can remember. The car ride home on Monday afternoon certainly didn't help any. It was Wednesday afternoon before I could walk down the stairs without calf pains. Since then it's been a slow return to normal. Most of the pain is gone from my legs, although once in a while I feel a twinge, like in the left hip. I'm going to stick to my plan to sit out for three weeks and let the muscles heal. It might be tough if the weather is nice like it was yesterday, but since we're a day short of December I don't see that being too much of a temptation. I did see plenty of runners out yesterday when the temperature was in the 60s, and felt that twinge of jealousy. After the last six miles of last week's race I think patience is in order.

Two Races in One

It's been over 72 hours since the finish of the Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa and I'm just now sitting down to write about it. For me it was two separate races, one good and one horrible. But let's start at the beginning.

The morning was mild, with starting temperature around 50 degrees. The wind wasn't as bad as we'd feared, and it was overcast with the sun peaking through at times. Our hotel was a few blocks away from the start, and we made it over to the corrals about ten minutes before pistol. The key condition that wasn't readily apparent was that the humidity was over 90%. I felt in pretty good shape and thought a four-hour finish seemed possible. I lined up between the 4 and 4:10 pace groups. If I kept the 4-hour pacer in sight I could run a consistent time and hopefully meet or beat my goal.

The first few miles are always a blur and go by quickly. Between miles 3-4 the Virtual Running Buddy decided we were going too fast for his plan, and he dropped back. That's what I should have done, too, but I let several of the downhills carry me fast and I left him behind. Looking back on this race I can see that I never felt truly loosened up, which usually happens at that point in the run. The first half went okay, though, and I finished the initial 13.1 in 1:59:11, right on the pace I was looking for. The GPS, which I'd fixed and thought would be a good help, died right before mile 9. That was unfortunate because I was unable to keep track of my pace by myself from then on, although I was able to do so by staying with the appropriate pacers.

The second half I kept the pace group in sight, and even passed them a couple of times. They would pass me back at water stops, but it seemed to be going just fine. I reached mile 20 in 3:03:24, setting me up for a sub-four hour finish. Then the wheels came off.

Right before mile 20 I stepped in a crack in the asphalt with my right foot, and when I corrected my stride I felt a twinge in my left calf. It was weird, but that was the first sign of trouble. I wore my compression socks for this race, which was the first time, and I can now say they probably kept me from having trouble before this point in the race. Unfortunately they couldn't keep all the cramps away and I quickly found myself having to walk and then run for a short distance. As the course took us through the University of Tulsa campus I walked a couple of times and was then able to start running again. When I got to mile 22 I found that it was impossible to run at all any more. I could run about a hundred yards and then the calf cramps would overwhelm me. At one point I felt a cramp in my right calf like an ostrich egg in the muscle ,and I had to pull over to the sidewalk and spend a minute stretching it. At that point I had to decide if I was going to walk the rest of the way or quit. I'm not a quitter and I wasn't willing to give up after all the training of the past several months, so I set out to walk. And that's what I did.

There was a banner at mile 25.9 and I thought hey, I can run the last little bit. Except I couldn't. The same thing happened after about a hundred yards. When I finally got in sight of the finish line I jogged very, very slowly so that I wouldn't have to walk down the chute past all the spectators. And then I was done with my PW (personal worst) time, but I'd completed my eighth marathon.

I still don't know the long-term effects of the damage done to my calf muscles, but it's taken three days for them to not be in constant pain. I wore the compression sleeves all day yesterday and today and that's seemed to help. The stairs are still painful to descend, and I've been taking it easy. Monday evening was horrible after the drive back to KC. At this point I don't plan on running for at least three weeks.

The similarities to the marathon I ran in Columbia are startling. The humidity was high that day, too, and I went out too fast and suffered immensely in the last part. I felt like I was hydrated enough this time around, but the salty residue on my temples afterward indicated otherwise. I think if I'd kept at a 10-minute pace I would have finished marginally quicker, maybe at 4:20 or so, but I might not have been in so much pain. Lesson learned. I just wish I'd learned it after the Columbia race and applied it this time around.

Other than that the race itself was fine, although the course was hillier than I expected. The organization was good, and really it would have been enjoyable without all the calf cramps. My one complaint was the food at the end. Unless you liked spaghetti right after the race you were kind of out of luck. It didn't look appetizing at all to me. I can't say I'm glad I ran this race, but that's not the organizers' fault. I'm glad it's over and I'll have to determine if I ever run another full marathon or stick with the half from now on.

Final Speedwork

Another cold day, although about 18 degrees warmer than yesterday. This was actually my first tempo run with the GPS working again, and most of the time I was below 8 minutes/mile, even dipping into the low 7's at times. Of course I only had to do that for three miles. This makes me think most of my speedwork has been in the 8-8:30 range, so targeting a 4-hour marathon seems realistic at this point.

The mileage ratcheted down to 5 total today, and I'm undecided on whether or not to run my final 4-miler tomorrow, Thursday, or not at all. The idea of running Sunday on very fresh legs is appealing, and the cold outside isn't. But I might have an outbreak of cabin fever that forces me outside one more time. We'll see.

95%

Around here over the past week we went from pleasant autumn temperatures straight to the depths of mid-winter hell. Today I seriously considered not even running, even though it's only six days until the race. The wind was blowing nicely from the north and the thermometer read 20 degrees. The wind chill was 7. And it's only mid-November. I'm thinking the treadmill is going to get a good workout this year.

The plan for the last week of the taper called for a 6-mile easy run today. I completed 95% of that, or 5.7 miles. I was trying to be creative in running up and down the side streets on 96th and the part where it turned into Flintlock. And really, once I warmed up, which was right away because I started running at the end of the driveway, it wasn't horrible because I dressed in layers. The weirdest part of the run was when I put my iPod on shuffle and it played about three songs that I'd just added when I copied over my marathon playlist the other day, and then started playing The Bangles greatest hits album in sequence. I was okay with that. More than okay, as a matter of fact.

The other good news is that the GPS seems to be working again. I asked The Boy yesterday if his watch worked so I could use it as a timer for the race. He said it didn't, which caused me to take another look at the Garmin. I discovered one of the contacts had a piece that had broken off, so I bent it forward. That caused it to make contact with the other piece, and lo and behold it now works. My run today was at a 9:30 pace, the first time I've been able to track that in a long time. I'm hopeful it will work for the race on Sunday. Otherwise I'll be toting a dead weight on my wrist for many miles. I'm excited, though, because that means I was actually able to repair it for under fifteen bucks, as opposed to spending a few hundred dollars on a new accessory. Yeah me!

So That's Done

This was the last long run of the plan, a 10-miler, and it seemed easy compared to the rest of the schedule. I ran one circuit of the neighborhood, and it was nice to think that was the last. Then the regular 6-mile route to close it out at what was probably a little more than 10 miles, but in this case I'll round down. It took a while to warm up since the temperature was below freezing, but the last half of the run or so I tried to run it at a pace I thought I could sustain during a race. I don't know if that's true or not. Certainly the last four miles were at a good clip. In eight days we'll see how all this training pans out. Until then I hope it gets a little bit warmer, but not too much.

No Puking Tonight

As long-time readers remember (not that there are any readers, long-time or otherwise - I'm just talking to myself), tonight's run is one of my favorites. Warm up for 1.5 miles, run 800m at a sprint, run easy for 15 minutes, run another 800m at a sprint, and then go easy for what's left of the 6-mile outing. By the end of the second interval you should feel like you're going to puke. I love this run, and I don't know why.

Since I don't have my GPS I have no idea of how fast (or slow) I sprinted. The first one felt tight, but it was definitely fast. I was looser on the second one, but I never felt like I was going to puke on either. I estimate my pace as somewhere in the 6:30-7:00 range, but that's just a wild guess. I felt better on the second, and the reason I came up with was that the planks and squats I do have firmed up my core compared to years past. Again, that's just a working theory. It could be that I was fooling myself and running 30 or 45 seconds slower, but I don't think so. I've run an 8-minute pace before and it wasn't as close to a sprint as I was going. For now I feel like the exercises I do have paid off. Guess we'll find out more in ten days.

Seriously Colder

Yeah, that cold front or polar vortex or whatever arrived overnight. Today was cloudy, windy, and cold. Below-freezing cold. Since I had the day off I would have run in the morning, but there were crystals on the deck of some form of precipitation, and I decided to wait a little. This afternoon the mercury had risen to 36 degrees, and even though the wind chill was still below freezing I went for it. I thought about running on the treadmill, but this close to a race I don't really want to.

The plan called for a tempo run, which I did over the course of my 6 miles. As I've done a few other times, I walked up the hill by the golf course since the wind was blowing fiercely in my face. Other than that I got in the four miles of tempo, cutting the recovery portion of the run a little short. But that was fine, because even that felt like a big effort because of the wind. I'm looking forward to next week when the outings are shortened and I can rest my legs for the race.

Last Warm Run?

I wouldn't call today especially warm, but compared to what's coming up, it was warm. This morning the sun was out and the temperature in the 50s. I wore shorts but had to settle for a long-sleeved technical T. A strong wind blew out of the south. I ran the alternate 6-mile route, taking me west to 435 and then up that road, the name of which I can never remember. Eastern? Anyway, by the time I had to run south I was almost 5 miles in and mostly running downhill. My left calf down near the Achilles Tendon was really tight. I used The Stick on it when I got home, but tried to stretch it out as much as possible while on the road. It's now less than two weeks to the race. I had a dream last night that I ran it really fast. Since it's been three years or so since my last marathon I have a feeling that's going to remain a dream.

Thursday and Saturday

On Thursday I did another set of Yasso 800s. Since I was off work I ran in the morning, which was quite windy. Maybe I should have waited until later in the day since the wind actually died down the later it got. I ran the usual 6 mile route, finishing against the wind. Ugh. The first few intervals went fine, mainly because I was going with the wind and downhill. The final one was coming back up Shoal Creek and my stamina was flagging against the stiff breeze. The last interval wasn't very fast, but it took a lot of effort. And so I walked up the big hill because I'll be darned if I was going to run uphill against the wind.

Today was the last last long run over half-marathon distance in the training plan, a 15-miler. Once again it was quite windy. Last night I looked at the forecast and half-considered running in the dark until after midnight, but I knew that wouldn't go well after a long day. I ran the neighborhood circuit twice with a little extra to get to 8.8 miles, and then ventured out on the normal route to get the remaining 6.2. It wasn't my best run, but I finished without any major issues. The temperature rose a little during the run, and I did the first lap with my ear warmer and stocking cap, the second time around with just the cap, and the third portion without headgear or mittens. Looks like in the next week I'll be wishing for "warm" weather like this.

Good Tempo Run

I have to admit I was feeling pretty bleh and not really up for today's tempo run. About a quarter-mile in I even thought about shelving it and just taking the day off. But that's not the way I roll. Once I'd run a mile I was feeling okay, but still not great. Then I started running faster and pretty quickly hit my stride. I wanted to go for something sustainable, a pace that I could conceivably carry for a full race. I think I ended up a little faster than that, but it felt good the whole way. I exceeded the distance for the tempo portion since I was feeling okay and went and extra quarter past the 5-mile mark. Overall I ran 7 miles, on a weekday no less, and felt maybe for the first time during this training plan that I can have a decent marathon. In only 19 days.

Monday Post-Time Change

I really don't like the time change, especially when it makes it dark when I got to work and almost dark when I get home, and certainly dark when I'm running. Fortunately it's less than three weeks before the race. Sigh.

I was a little worried about today's run since my calf muscles have been hurting since Saturday. My take on the compression sleeves is that they kept my calves from cramping while running, but at least this time around didn't keep them from aching aftetrward. I'll take it. Today's 6 mile run was nice and easy, and I felt good the whole way. It was cloudy and spit rain a few times. It felt like a normal autumn run. After the stupid time change.

Did It

First time to run 20 miles in several years, and I made it. Parts of it were tough but overall it wasn't horrible. The worst run so far was the 18-miler at the end of September. That one took a long time for recovery, but here it is evening of the same day and I feel pretty good.

The compression socks seemed to help. My calf muscles are sore, but not hurting like they have in the past. Down at the bottom of the muscles near the Achilles tendons are both achy. I didn't have any calf cramps, either during or after the run. So there's that. I'll mark that down as progress.

The temperature was 30 degrees when I started, and up to 40 by the time I stopped about three hours and twenty minutes later. I had a nice "breakfast" of eggs, sausage, hash browns, and English muffin. Plus some chocolate milk. It was a nice way to celebrate the longest run and to start the taper to the race - three weeks from tomorrow. With 20 under my belt I feel good about making it to the finish line. The only remaining question is what the final time will be.

Compression Sleeves

Yesterday was my first run using compression sleeves. I thought a 6-miler was better than trying them on this weekend's long run and finding a problem there. I actually tried them on on Wednesday and they felt really nice. Then when I wore them on the run I kind of noticed them at first but as the run went on they were no big deal. And afterward my calves felt just fine. My knees hurt a little, but that's normal at this point in training. I'm looking forward to wearing them on tomorrow's 20 mile long run and seeing how my legs feel after that. My hope is that this puts an end to the calf cramping that has marred several of my races, and also helps with the recovery time afterward. To keep things kosher, though, I plan to wear them under long pants rather than inflicting the world with the sight of me in shorts and compression sleeves. Nobody wants to see that.

Two More Days

Ran an easy 6 yesterday and actually felt pretty good. It was a nice day and I went in the morning since I had the day off. After the 18 on Saturday I recovered pretty well, I thought, and the Monday recovery run confirmed that.

Today was also nice, with a little more of a breeze than yesterday. I ran 7 miles with 5/7 of that as a tempo run. I'm still not sure of my pace without the Garmin, but I would estimate a sub-8:30 pace during the tempo portion. I'm still not sure I could keep that up for 26.2 miles, but we'll see in less than four weeks. Most of it felt good and I had a good rhythm. But it was nice to slow down and run the last mile at a snail's pace.

18 Better

This 18 miles went better than the last, at least in my estimation. Not that the previous one was bad, but I paced myself a little better and feel better afterwards. Although the jury's still out on that and we'll get the final verdict tomorrow. I ran three laps of the neighborhood, and then the last 5.75 or so out on the open road. I planned to start at 8 o'clock like the race next month, but I was ready a little after 7:30 and saw no reason to wait. The first lap was in the fog. That was kind of cool since the hilly route took me down into the "valleys" and their coolness to the tops of the hills through the layer which brought me into a warmer state

I felt a couple of times like I was running slow but didn't care much. My goal was to finish without killing myself, and that's what I did. As of tonight I feel okay. Tomorrow will be interesting, and the easy run on Monday will be the real test. In the meantime, I'll take a few naps.

Thursday Morning Run

Ran in the morning instead of the afternoon since we have plans today. It was a 6-mile run with four miles of tempo. I can tell I'm not in the best of shape yet, at least not compared to previous marathons. Since the Garmin isn't working I have no way of telling my tempo pace for sure, but I'd guess it's in the 8:30 range, or maybe a little faster at times. That's going to make it tough to complete 26.2 miles at a pace near that, and it's a good thing I have several more weeks of training to go. At least the weather cooperated. It was in the high 50s and sprinkled a little while I was out. Just a a tad humid but not horribly so. Now it's time to rest before Saturday's long run.

Long Weekday Run

This was a tempo run, an 8-miler, which I wouldn't normally do on a weekday. But I did because I got off work an hour early and I was working from home, which meant I had no commute time. Getting out and running that far was certainly in the realm of possibility. The tempo part was supposed to be marathon pace, and maybe it was if my pace was fairly slow. I knew it wasn't going to be a fast run with the sun out and temperature at 76 degrees. I told myself I'd go at a pace that I would be able to sustain for 26.2 miles, and I think for the most part I did just that. I walked up the hill by the golf course, and my cooldown was painfully slow at times. I guess the lesson I can learn from all this is that it's part of the overall training and will help in the end.

Really Easy

Absotively a perfect day today! The temperature was 75 degrees, the sun was shining, and maybe the birds were singing. I don't know because I was listening to a podcast. Nevertheless I took it real easy on my 6-miler and it was great. No real residual soreness from Saturday's run, which was nice. Tomorrow is supposed to be nice as well, although with wind. As I've said before, perfect days like today are rare around here. I enjoyed it to the fullest.

Skipping the KC Marathon

Today was the Kansas City Marathon, which I did not run. It was a gorgeous day for a race, and that made it a nice day for a training run, too. It was 45 degrees when I headed out in shorts and long-sleeved t, with mittens to keep my hands from freezing off. I did three laps around the neighborhood plus a run up 96th to the pond and back. That accounted for the full 15 miles called for on the schedule.

The first lap was easy, although I left my sunglasses at home because the sun wasn't up. That was a mistake. The sun was blinding on the eastward running streets. There was a crew putting down asphalt on some new streets in the neighborhood, and running through the cloud of burning tar was a joy. Anyway, the rest of the run was uneventful. The last lap was pretty slow, as was the trek up to the pond. I was thinking to myself there was no way I would have been ready to run a marathon today, but maybe I should have run the half. But even that I'm not ready to race at this point. A long slow run was plenty. Wish I could get a nap in today but we have relatives in town. Hopefully that means I'll sleep well tonight.

The Value of Sleep

The last two nights I have not slept well. Not sure why, but I've woken up several times each night, and when I fall asleep and wake up I feel like I haven't slept at all. I think that influenced today's run, which was advertised as Yasso 800s x 5. I did them all over the course of 6 miles, but I walked a couple of times and the last two were not as fast as they should have been. In fact, the last one really wasn't much faster than normal. The first three went okay, although the last of those was kind of painful. Today was also warmer than normal for the last few weeks, almost 80 degrees and full sun. I still blame the lack of sleep more than the temperature, though.

Wind and More Wind

Since the other day was a rare and elusive Friday run, we can point out that today was a rare and elusive weekday 7-miler. I usually don't push to that length on a weekday, mainly because it's normally been a long day at work. Today I was off work, and I went a little earlier than usual, so I went for the perfect number. It was pretty windy, probably in the mid-teens mph, out of the northwest. It didn't really affect my run until the route up Shoal Creek for the last couple of miles. Giving in to common sense I walked up the hill by the golf course rather than trying to run uphill against the wind. I ran a tempo (untimed) for five of the miles. It all felt pretty good, even with the wind. See, I am getting serious about this marathon training.

Back to the Treadmill

Rain moved into the area overnight and stalled over us all day. Plus it was quite breezy and cool. That meant a return to the treadmill for my easy 6-miler. I thought about skipping it entirely but got myself motivated to do some weights and then a run. Plus I needed to shower and working up a sweat forced the issue. It was a fun weekend at the Irish Festival in Weston, but now it's time to bear down and get ready for next month's race. In other words, the fun is over. Well, most of it, anyway.

Friday Run

This was a rare and elusive Friday run, and a long one at that. I went 12 miles in the mist and sometimes sprinkles, with a breeze from the northeast that wasn't really too bad. My legs felt fresh and I navigated the twisting and turning route without any major issues. I even ran the big hills on Flintlock and Shoal Creek without walking. This gets my running out of the way and now allows me to enjoy Irish Fest in Weston this weekend. Beware the weekend Irish!

Three in a Row

Today was the third day in a row for running. Not my usual schedule, but the upcoming weekend of Irish Fest necessitated a change. I'll do my long run on Friday and then be off until Monday. I pondered doing a Thursday run followed by a Friday long run, but the chance of rain on Thursday made the decision for me.

Since I did a tempo run yesterday I didn't want to do another session of speedwork, so I opted for hills. I ran 6 miles taking the route over to 435 and then up whatever road that is to the elementary school and down through the Kellybrook division. At the boundary of housing developments it looks like they're finally putting in a second pool for our neighborhood. I don't frequent the pool that often, but it's been overcrowded for several years. About time they put in another.

Running and Baseball

Today's NLDS game came on at 4 p.m., which is the time I get off work. I listened to it on the way home and then found a radio The Wife gave me several years ago that clips to your belt, and so was able to listen to the game on the run. The Cards gave up two runs while I was out and then came back later to win with a 3-run blast from Matt Adams. Today's 6-miler included four miles of tempo, and it went pretty quick with the distraction of the game. The weather was gorgeous. I don't know what my pace was but I figure it was probably in the 8:15-8:30 range. Not as fast as I'd like but I tried to keep it realistic. Plus I was enjoying some baseball while having a nice run.

Monday, Easy Style

The fact that today's 6-mile run was easy was impressed upon me in the last half-mile when I got "chicked." Oh well, I bet she didn't run 18 miles on Saturday.

Nice Saturday, Mostly

I went for 18 miles today and made it. I ran four laps through the three neighborhoods in this area, and I'm sure some people were tired of seeing me. One of them was having a neighborhood garage sale but it wasn't as bad as ours last week. The first two laps went okay, but on the third and fourth I know I slowed down. My calves were tired out by the end, but I kept going. It was especially difficult against the wind from the northwest that kept getting stronger, but I put it out of my mind since I wasn't running against any time goal. I fueled at the house three times.

One trick I've learned is how to motivate myself when tired. I ran without headphones the first three laps and decided I would add music for the last one, and it certainly helped.

I'm also amazed at the appalling lack of courtesy and how drivers handle themselves in neighborhoods. I saw too many people driving way too fast, and I wonder how there aren't more people hit by cars in housing developments. At least three times a car turned right in front of me as I got to a corner, basically because they were in a hurry and didn't want to wait on me to cross the street. The rudeness and danger of it all is sad and scary. I learned long ago to drive slow through neighborhoods - not because of any bad experiences, but because of respect for others. And I don't want to be the guy who ran over somebody's kid because I was in a hurry. Obviously a lot of other drivers don't feel the same way.

First Yassos

Today was the first round of Yasso 800s during this training phase. With the Garmin still out of commission they turned out to be 800ishs. I know the distances fairly well for my 6-mile standard route and tried to stay close, probably erring on the side of going longer than 800 on several of the intervals. The plan called to run those at a 7-minute pace, and I'd estimate I was between 7:30-8 on them. I certainly felt worn out by the fifth one and shuffled a little in my last recovery before easy running the rest of the way home. It rained all day until a break in the storm this afternoon, but it was still cloudy and very windy. That made things a little more interesting but overall I can't complain since the temperature helped facilitate a fast run.

Tulsa Run and Hills

Yesterday I ran in Tulsa along the new and improved Riverparks path. Wow, I wish it had been that nice when we lived there. The city has vastly improved the park. There are two paths, one for bikes and the other for foot traffic. In some narrow spots the paths merge briefly, but they're clearly marked and it's nice to be away from the bike crowd. It was 90 degrees and Daughter #1 ran the first mile with me before she wussed out. I ran the section from 21st Street down to 51st and back. The park has a lot of wide spots with benches, a play area for kids, and several sculptures. Along several stretches there was also a single-wide dirt path alongside the running track, and that was way cool. It allowed me to get off the asphalt for a little bit. What a great idea.

Today it was back to KC and a hill run. I went west on 96th Street all the way to 435, and then up the road to the elementary school and then around through the neighborhood. I felt really tight when I first started and it took about a mile to loosen up. I got in my 6 miles, though. The temperature was up from last week, but with the sun headed to the horizon earlier in the evening it wasn't too bad. Plus the humidity is down and that helps as well.

Better Long Run

Last week's long run was tough. It was the first time in several years I'd run that far. This week was a little longer, and it was actually a little easier, if that's possible. I ran 16 today, getting out about 7 o'clock this morning. It was a different type of run, looping around the neighborhood twice before concluding the final 9.25 out and about. With the Garmin still in the repair shop I mapped out a way to run the distance. I haven't run that circuit in a while, maybe as long as running this far. The neighborhood has built up and today was also a garage sale day. I hate those. I considered just running five loops since it was a nice way to get in the miles, but decided I didn't want to deal with the garage salers. After the first loop I stopped by the house for my sunglasses, and after the second I stopped by to refuel. That was my only gel and sports drink for the run, which probably wasn't smart. I felt good the entire run, and maybe could have run some more. With Wednesday's extended run in DC I had enough weekly mileage without going crazy, and stopped when prudent.After last week's tough run I feel much better after getting through today's without much trouble.

Theodore Roosevelt Island

Yesterday I flew into DC for a meeting this morning, and got in early enough for a run. I was staying in Crystal City, which usually means I run the Mt. Vernon Trail toward the 14th Street Bridge. I know it's probably called something else, but I'm too lazy to look it up. Regardless, I usually run across the bridge to the Jefferson Memorial. Yesterday I stayed on the trail and kept going toward the Key Bridge (see, that one I know). My goal was Theodore Roosevelt Island, even though it meant a longer run than would be normal for a weekday. In fact, I ended up at 9 miles but it was well worth it.

First of all, I passed the Merchant Marine Memorial, which is a beautiful sculpture on the south bank of the Potomac, and rarely visited. It sits right beside a busy road and is not close to any other monuments or memorials. Still, I found it a nice treasure hidden in plain sight.

Then I got to the Island. Having read the recent three-volume bio of the man who could be considered the first "modern" president, I was excited to see the memorial to a man who had a whole island named after him. Access to the island is across a foot bridge, and the area is completely covered by trees. A trail runs around the perimeter of the island, which I did not take since I already had enough mileage. I checked the sign at the foot of the bridge on the island side and discovered the quickest way to the memorial. Sure enough, a short walk later I emerged from the trees into the wide-open area where stood a definitively larger-than-life statue of the man who was the same. A brick plaza led the way to the statue, and it was flanked behind by four monuments with Teddy's sayings. The fountains were drained, which was disappointing. Not sure if they were prepped already for colder weather or if that's the natural state. It certainly didn't look like they'd held water any time recently. I was the only person there and enjoyed the solitude for a few minutes. Then I returned the way I came and beat the rain by a few minutes. I get the feeling the island isn't visited a whole lot, since people have to walk across the bridge and it's not right by the more popular attractions on the National Mall. I think I'll go back, though, as it already jumped up close to the top of my favorites.

Seven Hill Repeats

I ran hill repeats today up Lungdropper Hill. I originally thought about doing six, then realized eight would be optimal to match with mileage, and settled on seven as a happy medium. Since my GPS is on the fritz (the replacement battery came today!) I estimated the overall mileage and came up at 6 miles, or close enough. There was cloud cover while I was out, which helped immensely. I haven't run that hill in a long time and now there are houses and a sidewalk all the way up. It was pretty tough and I slowed my ascents as I went along, but I pumped it up for the last one and feel good about the run.

Recovery

It was a beautiful day, almost Autumn-like. And since today is the first day of Autumn, I guess that holds true. When I started my run it was slow and I could still feel the effects of Saturday's 14 miles. I took it easy all the way through my 6 miles, trying to stretch where I could. This is part of lengthening my weekend outings in preparation for the November marathon, but I have to admit it doesn't always feel good. That's why I do runs like these, though. It's a good thing to get in the weekly mileage, and it's also good to have recovery runs like this.

Deja Humidity

This morning I got up way earlier than I wanted, but had to out of necessity for the rest of the day's schedule. I guess I'd say this was a tale of two runs. They both covered my normal route. The first was 7.25 miles that brought me back to the house for a gel pack and a little bit of sports drink. Most of that part was in the dark since I started at 6 a.m. Even though the sun wasn't up yet the humidity still made its presence known. There was a slight breeze but it helped less than I hoped. For the first leg I ran without iPod since I enjoy the early morning quiet just fine.

The second part was 6.75 miles to get me to a total of 14 for the day. One reason I stopped by the house was because I know the distances just fine and my Garmin is out of commission until I get a new battery. I ordered one this week and it doesn't look too difficult to replace. Until then I'm stuck with my normal routes or mapping out things beforehand. My inherent laziness keeps me at the default. This part of the run was tougher. I listened to a couple of podcasts to keep me going and it helped. By the time I got to the 10-11 mile mark I was just going on autopilot. I wasn't hurting or anything but it was a reminder I haven't run this far in a while. I walked a little bit by the golf course but other than that it was a constant run, slow and easy. I stayed with a pace that was comfortable. Tonight I'm a little stiff, especially in the right hip, but not too bad, especially after spending the rest of the day helping spread mulch at church for a few hours and then fixing the garage door opener. I've taken it appropriately easy tonight.

Finally, Fartleks

Another overcast and cooler day today, and the plan called for hills. I've run enough hills in the past few months and decided to get in some of my missing speedwork. I went with fartleks of the 2-4-6-4-2 variety over the course of 6 miles. I felt a little slow when I first set out on my run, but once warmed up it went pretty well. I was at about an 8:30 pace on the speedy sections, a couple of which were uphill. I held the effort rather than trying to keep up a certain pace.

The Garmin has gotten to the point where it won't keep a charge for even 45 minutes, and it crapped out on me during the last fart (I'm going with that as the term for a subdivided fartlek). Guess I need to figure out how to get a new batter or something.

Finally, A Tempo Run

Yesterday I ran in the morning and it was nice. Still a little humid here in KC, but the temperature was a lovely 70 degrees and it was a good, easy 6 miles. It's nice to be home again.

Today was sunny, but of the autumnal version. And the temperature was mild, which allowed me to get in my first real speedwork in this round of training. The plan called for 4 miles of tempo at an 8-minute/mile pace. I was closer to 9 minutes for most of that, but I call that a victory, especially after all the starts and stops of running in the heat this summer. I went the full 6 miles without stopping and felt good about it. Now that the weather is cooling down I feel like I want to run every day and not waste any good days, but I also know better when it comes to sticking to the plan.

Fort Yargo Park

I had such great plans for this morning's long run. I got up at 6 a.m., ate a protein bar, hopped in my brother's truck, and headed for a lakeside park with a 7-mile trail. I had it all mapped out and everything looked good to go. I made all the right turns, stopped by a convenience store to grab a couple of sports drinks, and tooled down the road to the park. Some idiot was riding my tail in the pre-dawn approach and I missed the park entrance. I took the next left and found a turnout to change direction. Unbeknown to me, the spot was on a downhill slant and my brother's truck had little tread on the tires. I was barely off the road but the slant was too much for the truck, and let's just say it got worse the more I tried. I had to call him and between the two of us we finally got it back on the road. By that time I was an hour past when I wanted to start and the sun was coming up.

The trail itself wasn't too bad, although there were a few spots where it could have been better marked. I made one circuit around the lake, got something to drink and ate a gel pack, and went about another mile before turning back. I probably got in a 9-mile run (my GPS died after the break) and spent an hour and a half outside. I thought about running more but the humidity was just too much. The temperature wasn't too bad, probably in the low 70s, but the moisture was about 95%. Humidity - the silent killer. I didn't get in the mileage I wanted and there was a lot of walking, but the effort was more than the mileage shows. When I return home I'll see how I feel about the upcoming schedule and whether or not I need to modify it.

Counting It As 6

Today our class ended about 5 o'clock and some of us decided to meet at 7 p.m. to go out for a classmate's birthday. I had to walk back to the hotel and made it out the door by 5:30 for my hill run. This was my last run around Chastain Park and it was a pretty good one. I decided to run 27 minutes out and planned for 33 minutes back since the hills are worse in that direction. It worked out to 26 out and 25 back for a total of 5 miles. I'm counting it as 6 miles, though, since I walked a half-mile each way to the training site and back. Plus another half-mile to meet everyone for the evening outing. And another quarter-mile or so each way to lunch and back. That makes an easy 7 miles total for the day. With the heat around 90 degrees and humidity high I'm counting it all. I have the next few days off before the long run, and have to admit I'm looking forward to it. Three days in a row is a lot.

Occasional Speedwork

Today's run in Buckhead/Atlanta was not exactly what I planned, but as I've learned, you have to be flexible when it's hot outside. The thermometer was in the mid-80s and of course the humidity was up as well. I chose to run a route through a business area and then through a neighborhood, kind of along a route I ran last time I was here. The nice thing about it was that with lots of road crossings there were several stops at intersections that allowed me to catch my breath. The bad part was that it included a lot of hills, but I'm not sure how I can get away from that around here. Kind of like being at home. I ended up at 5 miles. That will impact my weekly total slightly, but I don't care since I'm running three days in a row and it seemed more prudent to cut it just a little short on the middle day. I was supposed to run 2-4-6-4-2 fartleks but that didn't happen. I did have three instances of speeding up on some downhills for about two minutes at a time, but that was all I could manage. Maybe next week when I'm back home it'll go better. Depending on the temperature, of course.

Back in Atlanta

Back in Atlanta this week for my final week of training, and it's warm and humid still. I ran to Chastain Park to get in my 6 miles. This time I ran up by the amphitheater just to see what it was all about. Looks like a nice place to see a concert. The rest of the run I did pretty well, especially with the hills. It's nice to see the difference between now and four weeks ago when I first ran here. That time I did a lot of walking, and today I walked only a little on the big hill coming up from the park. Not bad for a warm day. More running to come this week.

Stretching It Out

Yesterday (Saturday) I got up early and headed out before the dawn's early light. Not because it was going to be hot, but because I needed to get my run in before having to play taxi driver for the kids. I ran 11 miles and have to say I'm pretty proud of myself because I didn't walk at all. Which was kind of a big deal because I ran some big hills. The temperature was around 60 degrees and about as nice as you could want for a long run. There were a lot of people out and about after the sun came up, and it even looked like one neighborhood was doing a group run, kids and strollers included. This was a nice step on the road to ever-lengthening runs. Now it's time to go run in Atlanta for the week.

Final Hot Run?

This afternoon it was 94 degrees outside. I had a choice to make about whether or not to run today. Tomorrow is supposed to be markedly cooler and I could wait until tomorrow. However, I'm supposed to run 11 miles on Saturday, and I'd prefer to do that in the morning. Running on Friday afternoon and then again on Saturday morning is not a recipe for success. I can't put off the long run until Sunday because of church and flying out at noon. I could have skipped today's run altogether and just run the 11 on Saturday, but I'd like to keep the weekly mileage total up, and skipping a run doesn't help the total.

After considering all those things I went for it this afternoon in spite of the heat. I ran up the hills a little more than normal in such high temps, but trust me, there was plenty of walking. I took my water bottle and by the time I was done the little bit of water left was lukewarm. In spite of that I got in my 6 miles. According to the weather forecast this is the last day in the near future with the mercury passing the 90 degree mark. Maybe I'll be able to actually get in some speed work. I'll be in Atlanta next week and the weather there will be in the 80s all week. Guess I won't get to enjoy lower temperatures for a while yet.

Speed in the Heat

The temperature was lower today, in the upper 80s, and I resolved to do what speed work I could. The plan called for 3 miles of 8:30 tempo during the 6-miler. Because of the heat I ran nine minutes and walked one for the first three miles. After the first two I upped the pace, but I wasn't targeting 8:30, just faster than the 10+ minute pace I've been running this summer. I ended up most of the time being close to 9 minutes (when I wasn't walking) and that turned out okay. With fall weather on the way I'm hopeful I can start getting in some regular speedwork. I don't want it to all be in the last part of my training plan.

Pleasant

This morning it was 68 degrees outside, making it one of the most pleasant runs I've had in a while. Today is a holiday and I thought the streets would be empty, and for the most part they were. However a number of other runners were out and about, enjoying the same weather. It was a little bit humid, but a nice breeze from the south kept it from becoming too bad. I ran 6 easy miles and never had to walk. I haven't been able to do speed work yet because of the heat. Oh, and yesterday I registered for the marathon in November. Definitely committed now.

Moist

Thunderstorms rolled through last night, leaving lots of moisture behind in the air. The run this morning was sunny and dry, but the humidity was up there. I took it slow and walked a couple of times toward the end of the run. Today's plan called for 8 miles, which is what I did. Time out the door was a little after 7:30, and I went without putting in my contacts, which sometimes I do. Not much traffic on this holiday weekend, but about ten other people running that I saw.

On the more personal and embarrassing side, this was the second time in the past few weeks I experienced nipple chafing. I've been applying the stuff that I usually do, but I think the fact that my top gets soaked with sweat and therefore becomes heavier than normal is causing the issue. Today I felt it coming on and actually took off my short for the last mile-plus. I don't usually do that due to my blinding whiteness, but it definitely helped and today's pain wasn't as bad as last time. I guess maybe I should be wearing Band-Aids on days like today.

Routine Again

Flew back from DC to KC today and got in a hot afternoon run. I went 4 miles instead of 6 and kept it slow with a couple of walks. I ran down Shoal Creek to take full advantage of what shade existed. It was 95 degrees, which was another reason to curtail the run. Plus that was the third day in a row, and after getting up early and flying back I decided it was best to take it easy.

Rock Creek Park

Today I ran into Rock Creek Park without much of a plan, other than to run to the 3-mile point and then turn around. I did it and didn't even get lost. It was kind of fun to go on an exploratory run with no idea of what was around the next corner. I found myself running on blacktop poured along the side of the road with tree branches hanging low over it, down a sidewalk, striding on a thin dirt path perilously close to the road, through baseball/soccer fields on a hiking/bike path with a dotted dividing line, and finally to an equestrian center where a lady was riding her horse around some obstacles. There were times of shade and times of sun, but all the way was blanketed in humidity. This run was less hilly than yesterday, for which I was thankful. I could have continued past the horses to the highway, which I considered, to make a loop of it, but decided I'd rather run through the trees than alongside rush-hour traffic. It was a good 6 miles and maybe it was the fun of running someplace new, but I felt strong. My overall pace was 10:10, which was probably too fast considering the humidity and that several times I had to wait to cross a busy street. With an actual pace less than 10 minutes/mile I guess that makes it an even better run.

Silver Spring Run

In the D.C. area for a few days and got out for a run today. I was going to head out yesterday but I got up to catch a plane at 4 a.m. The rational move was to not run and avoid injury. Today was pretty warm and humid, and the run was hilly, a little more than expected. I ran 6 miles along 16th Street from downtown Silver Spring into the District. Maybe tomorrow I'll head into Rock Creek Park if I can figure out a way to do so without getting myself lost.

Hot Week

This week has been probably the hottest of the summer so far. I blew off running on Thursday because the heat index was about 105, plus I had green chile to roast. For my long run I got up about 5:30 a.m. and hit the pavement way before the sun was up. It paid off, even though the temperature was 80 degrees and the humidity was pretty high. I walked up a couple of big hills, but other than that I ran the 10 miles. Once again I was glad for a cloud bank to the east that obscured the sun for a little longer than usual after dawn would normally arrive. My pace minus the walking was probably about 10:20 a mile. That's going to have to change if I'm going to have a good race in November. Along, slow run is supposed to be just that, but sometimes you can be a little too slow. Today it was prudent based on the humidity. In the future I expect these runs to be closer to 9 minutes/mile.

Lucky

Boy, I really lucked out this morning. It was humid to the nth degree, and when I left the house it was cloudy. I looked up at the clouds and I couldn't tell which way they were moving. I thought if they were moving west to east, as usual, then I would have a half-hour or so where I'd have shade and then it would get sunny. Fortunately I was wrong. They were moving from north to south, and there was a huge cloud bank that just slid down the eastern sky in front of the sun. When I got home I came in to grab something for the smoker to get it started, and walked right back outside. The sun was out and the clouds had moved on. I couldn't have timed it better if I tried.

It was a 6-mile easy run, and that's what I did. It was definitely easy and that's the way I wanted it. I ran without my contacts since my right eye has been bugging me lately, and somehow suffered no ill effects. Tomorrow will be hot and humid, definitely a different story to be told.

Long Run on a Nice Atlanta Morning

Even though I'm traveling I didn't want to miss my long run for the week, so I went to Little Mulberry Park and ran four times around the 2.2-mile loop, along with a little walking, to make my 9 miles. The first couple of laps went well, but as the sun rose higher the humidity also went up. The last lap was tougher than I expected. I have an unwritten rule that I try to avoid walking in the last mile of a run or a race. Today I tried to make it through that last tough mile, but I was just too overheated and I had to walk with about 3/4 of a mile left. That was kind of a bummer but it was better to do that than to keep going and getting hurt. It was a beautiful morning for a run and I'm glad my brother loaned me his truck to get there and back so I could keep up with my plan. Tomorrow it's back to KC and the routine runs.

More Atlanta, Less Humidity

Wasn't planning on going for a run today. In fact, I was expecting to get up early tomorrow and run before the sun came up. But one of the guys in my class said he was going and showed me the route, so I figured what the heck. It was less humid and sunnier. The run was a little faster than my previous outings but it was good to get out of the same old rut. There were a few hills that were tough but not as bad as the ones near the park. I went just over 5.5 miles and along with the other walking I did today I think that was plenty.

More Atlanta, Same Humidity

Another run tonight of 6 miles around Chastain Park in Buckhead. The heat index got up to 100 degrees this afternoon even though the temperature was "only" 89. I waited until 6 p.m. and the heat was on the downward slope. It helped, marginally. The park is still hilly and all the vegetation helps hold in the humidity quite nicely. I did run up a hill that I walked yesterday since today was supposed to be a hill training day. Actually, I think it was supposed to consist of hill repeats, but there's no way I was doing that on a day like this. Lots of people out at the park, which has tennis courts, a golf course, and several ball fields. Plus there was a concert going on at the amphitheater up the hill, which I avoided. At least I think that's where the concert was taking place. Oh, the web site says it's David Gray. Whoever that is.

Atlanta and Humidity

I'm in Atlanta this week for training and of course brought all my running gear. Today's run was 6 miles, with a lot of walking in the last mile that I made up for by running some after the ending mark. I didn't expect that this part of the city (Buckhead) would have so many hills - and steep ones at that. I should be thankful the heat wasn't too bad, only in the mid-80s, but the humidity was off the charts. If you'd wrung out my shirt and shorts you would have had a gallon or so of sweat. My sunglasses kept fogging up due to the moisture. The plan called for today to be an easy run, which is why I walked when necessary. Plus if I'd tried to run up those hills I probably wouldn't have made it back to the hotel.

Morning and Knee

I awoke early this morning, especially for a Saturday, and did my 8 miles. It was actually another nice day for an August morning, overcast and cool. I was out the door by 5:45 a.m. As the run progressed I looked at the GPS a few times and was a little surprised to see my pace hovering around 10:30 per minute. That seems slow but the humidity was up and I didn't feel the need to run faster. Rather than going by numbers I stayed with what felt right.

Right at 7.3 miles as I was on a slight uphill slant my left knee started acting up, so I walked for about 30 seconds. I started running again and quickly shut it down. I crossed 96th Street and ran again, trying to go a little faster and extending my stride a little bit as the slope was slightly downhill. It worked and I ran the rest of the way to the end. That was a little disconcerting but I also recalled my first marathon and the training thereof. I remember some runs on the hills where my knees weren't happy but we made it. I'll keep an eye on it but I'm hoping this is just the effects of adding some weekly miles.

All in all not the worst first week of a training plan, but could have been better with the Tuesday run. The adventure continues next week in Atlanta.

The Rare Early Thursday Run

Since we have a trip planned today I got up almost as early as a normal workday and went for a hill run. It was nice out - overcast, 71 degrees, and humidity not horrible. I ran up to Pleasant Valley Baptist and then down Flintlock to get in the all the worst hills in the area, or most of them. I went the full 6 miles without walking, even up the worst hills. It's amazing the difference temperature and humidity make in the quality of a run. Seems elementary, but sometimes I think it doesn't matter so much if you get used to it. Maybe if I lived in a tropical climate I'd be more acclimated. I'd be willing to try.

Bad Timing

Today I planned on running a little later in the evening, but that went by the wayside when I found out my schedule had already been planned for me. So I ran at about 4:30 p.m., when it was 92 degrees and a heat index of about 100. The first mile went okay but quickly deteriorated. I was supposed to do 1-2-3-2-1 fartleks but got nowhere near running faster than 10 minutes/mile. I ended up going 2.5 miles, an incredibly short outing, and a good half-mile of that was walked. I plan on getting up early Thursday before it gets hot. The first two days of the training plan have produced mixed results so far.

The Beginning

Today marks the start of the training plan for the November Route 66 Marathon. I was going to get up early and run this morning but slept in later than planned, which was nice. So I figured I would run much later in the day since the temperature was going to be in the low 90s. Instead it was overcast and still relatively cool when I walked out to the deck, so I went for it. I ran 6 miles nice and easy. That worked out pretty well since we then spent several hours buying a new car. Glad I got the running done first.

Early On a Saturday

Since I haven't been able to sleep late recently I decided to haul myself out of bed early this Saturday morning. It paid off with a nice cool run. The sun peeked over the horizon soon after I started but the pleasant temperature made for a nice 7-mile run. I saw lots of bunny rabbits along 96th Street as well as Shoal Creek. The humans didn't start showing up in number until the last twenty minutes or so. I was done by 8 o'clock and came home to fix up a tasty breakfast of eggs, bacon, hash browns, and English muffins. Simple and good.

Humidity Makes a Difference

Delayed my run today by an hour due to dealing with car troubles, but it worked out okay. I ran my usual 6 mile route today and didn't have to walk even one time. I attribute the good run to low humidity, which strangely enough makes a big difference. I moved at a decent enough pace, although I left the GPS at home and have no idea the actual numeric pace. That's okay, it was just a good day to enjoy a run in nice 84 degree sunny weather - with low humidity.

Baltimore to KC

I flew to Baltimore Sunday and it was a nice, sunny day for running. I stayed at a hotel right by the Inner Harbor, so it was a short hop and skip over to the area. I ran around the harbor on the north side and it soon became apparent the humidity was nice and high. I turned around and retraced my path and ended up a little over 5 miles, with a couple of bouts of walking mixed in. It was fun to run by the various ships docked there, including sailing, Coast Guard, and even a submarine. Across the harbor I saw saw big Navy ships, either under construction or in for repairs. Gigantic. I know it wasn't that big in comparison, but the Coast Guard ship I ran by seemed pretty darn big up close. As a desert rat who now lives in the middle of the country I find that stuff fascinating.

Today I flew home to KC and after some work on one of the vehicles I went out for my regular Tuesday run. Even though it was "only" mid-80s again the humidity was up the scale. I did the walk every mile or so thing and it turned out just fine. I went 5 miles with an eye to do more this coming weekend. I believe the marathon training plan starts next Monday - time to get with the program.

86 and Easy

Today was a fairly nice day, especially for mid-July. The temperature was in the mid-80s and there was a nice breeze from the south. I took my water bottle with me and walked every mile or so. It paid off in what turned out to be a good run. I kept it slow and just enjoyed the day and the podcast I was listening to, which was about WWI. I don't know much about that conflict but this Hardcore History series is really good. It's been a century since the war started and it's high time this guy learned more about it. WWII gets most of the press and the study time in school. What I've learned so far is that this one is where the world changed, and definitely not for the better.

7 on Saturday

Went 7 miles this morning after staying up late last night with The Boy. The girls held a slumber party for a bunch of younger girls last night and so The Boy and I went to BWW and a movie, not getting home until 12:30 a.m. or so. I didn't get a whole lot of sleep so today's run could have been bad, but it went very well due to the nice temperatures. It was a sunny day but mild enough to not be horrible. The only time I walked was up the hill by the golf course on the way back. I probably could have pushed and run it but my left knee has that slightly swollen feeling and I decided to not go crazy. Overall it was a good run and one of the better ones I've had recently.

Another Unseasonal Day

Today there was a little bit of cloud cover and the temperature only got up to 75 degrees. As far as mid-July goes, that is an AWESOME day. I ran a full 6 miles and threw in about 6-7 fartleks. I did walk up the hill by the golf course on the way back because I felt like I was laboring a little bit, but other than that the run was decent enough. I was hoping for a great run, but it was only average. Still, I'm not going to complain about that, especially since it's supposed to return to normal temps next week.

Pleasant Run

I ran 5 miles today on a different route through the neighborhood and north. Mainly I needed to get the address of a house where we like the paint scheme since we're having our house painted in a couple of weeks. Beyond that it was an unnaturally cool day, especially for mid-July. The temperature was in the mid-70s due to a large mass of cold air that descended from the northern latitudes. According to the forecast that won't last, though, since we're due for hotter temps next week. I also threw in about six fartleks to get some speedwork for a change. Each time I ran the distance of about three light poles at an 8:30 or faster pace. I figured I should do it while it's cooler out rather than later when it's scorching hot.

Brought to You by the Letter 'H'

Saturday's run was brought to you by the letter 'H', as in hot and humid. And really it wasn't all that hot, just in the low 80s when I ran in the morning, but the unhindered sunlight made it seem hotter. And the humidity. I had an overdue library book so I ran by the library and dropped it off. Then I switched over to the side of the street with a little bit of shade and also walked up the big hills as I started overheating. At the end I'd tallied 5.25 miles and that was plenty for a 'long' run. This week it's supposed to be cooler outside, which will be a nice change here in mid-July.

Yesterday

Worked from home yesterday and went running after getting off work, which was earlier than usual. I ran 6 miles in the mid-80s temperature. There was a nice breeze during part of it and a few clouds here and there, but I took it easy and it was a good outing. I walked up the hills by the golf course and again near the traffic circle. Pretty sweaty.

Van Run

We needed to pick up the van today from the shop and I volunteered to run there and drive it back. Today was hot and humid, as usual, but not as hot as it could be mid-July. I ran the "back way" to the shop - down Shoal Creek and then across whatever street that is that intersects with Flintlock by Penney's. The distance ended up being 4.25 miles, which was just fine with me on this summer day.

Another Tardy Post

I ran yesterday morning when the forecast was for cooler weather. It was cooler than normal for July, but it was still pretty warm. I opted out of the Thursday run for a Friday morning run because of a couple of factors. One being that it was hot on Thursday afternoon. I considered running later in the evening but that didn't work out. The second reason was knowing I wouldn't be running on Saturday due to the youngest child's birthday party, plus I always take the kids out to breakfast on their day. As I write this it's overcast and cool out, and I should probably go for a run. But I'll just settle for the 6 miles yesterday in my new running shoes and call it good for the week.

Three Times

I've been out three times in the last week and just now getting around to logging them. I guess I'm going for completeness instead of timeliness.

Last Thursday (June 26th) I ran in the morning with the Virtual Running Partner, who was in town for a few days. He went 4 miles and I went 6, and it wasn't too bad at that point in the day. It was humid, though, and I had to walk up the hill by the golf course on the way back because I overheated.

On Saturday (June 28th) we went out again in the morning and really felt the humidity. We ended up going 5 miles with a bit of walking. That one was a tough run and I didn't feel good at any point during the outing. I struggled to tough it out.

Yesterday (July 1st) I ran 6 miles. The day was cooler, only about 80 degrees, but again very humid. I ran slow and walked after each mile. Again, it wasn't a great run but it felt a little better than Saturday. In about a month I'll begin the marathon training plan and I'm hoping to get in a good foundation before then.

Good Running Day

I lucked out today. Temperatures stayed in the mid 80's but when I went out for a run this afternoon it was cloudy, and stayed that way. A thunderstorm passed to the north and then when got home it rained briefly. I ran 6 miles on my usual route. Today I switched things up and listened to a podcast instead of music, which made the run go rather quickly. For a Tuesday in mid-June I certainly can't complain. Plus I worked from home today and headed out the door before I would have made it home from the office. Another reason to not complain.

Temperature Matters

I did not sleep well last night. I blame that on food and drink. So when I woke up at 7 a.m. I was not happy. I also realized it would be a 50/50 shot at having a good run if I got up and went for it. Since at that point I wasn't going back to sleep I decided to run before it got hot and humid outside. For the most part I made it.

I decided early on to run 7 miles, mainly because I had to decide early on. Plus, it was nice and tidy to run 5-6-7 this week, even if the 5 was more like an 8 or 9 in effort. And to tell the truth, I actually felt pretty good through the whole run and never walked. The temperature was in the low 70s and the sun didn't come out and when it did start to shine it was still shrouded by thin clouds. If I'd waited another hour I would have paid. When I got home I mowed and trimmed the lawn, and yeah, that was hotter but not as bad as running.

I also learned that if my iPod is on shuffle and 'Sabotage' or 'Blue on Black' pops up then I am required to turn up the volume as well as to play the song twice. Rules to live by.

Cloudy and Humid

This morning it rained quite a bit, and by the time I left work it had stopped. Clouds covered the sky and the temperature was only about 80 degrees. The humidity was up though because of the rain and so the air was sweating. A breeze came out of the south and helped when running that direction, but not so much in other ways. I kept it slow and made the 6 miles with only one walk, up the hill by the golf course. Not many people out today, which was not a surprise given the different conditions. I thought about cutting it short but again, I didn't really have anything else to do and going the whole distance seemed like the right thing to do.

The Heat Is On

Today was my first day of teleworking, which meant I got out for my evening run a little earlier than usual. I'm not so sure that was a good thing at this time of year because the temperature was about 90 degrees. I planned to run/walk this one as I get acclimatized to the hot weather again, but man, that ended up being more walking than I planned. I also took my water bottle with me, which had sat in the freezer since last fall. It didn't take long for it to thaw. I went 5 miles, and even with the walking it was one of those outings where the effort felt like a lot more mileage than that. Thursday is also supposed to be hot, and it looks like we're in that pattern. It'll be okay once I get more used to it.

Regular + 1

Weird dreams last night, and then I ran later this morning than planned. I ran the route to do 7 miles and seriously considered knocking off at 6. But then I realized I really didn't have anything else planned for today other than some stuff on my list for the house and went for it. I walked a couple of times when I felt like I was heating up too much, but other than that it was a steady slow run. The guys from the youth group TP'd our house last night and I spent an extra half-hour or so cleaning that up before the run, which probably didn't help much. This afternoon I defrosted the freezer, cleaned stuff off the driveway from the youth group guys, and cleaned out the garage floor. By mid-afternoon I was pretty much done. Fortunately the rest of the day was pretty much stress-free and I made it through okay. Tomorrow will be a day of rest.

Keeping it Slow

On yesterday's 6-miler I kept it slow. It was another day where it had rained during the night and most of the morning, and when I went out it was partly sunny and humid. The heat stayed away, though, and that helped some. I was able to run the whole way, except when I had to stop because people in cars don't understand that people in the crosswalk have the right of way. It ended up being a pretty nice day for a run.

One thing I've found out is how good squats are for you. I can tell their effect when I'm out running. On my off running days I usually do at least 30 of them. I've heard before how they help your core and some other muscles that don't necessarily get a workout during a run. And at this point I guess I can say that's true. And now I'm off to do some more as I do strength-building exercises on this Friday.

Much Rain

It seemed iffy for getting a run in today due to the fact it rained yesterday and most of today up until mid-afternoon. But it turned out great since the skies stayed cloudy and the temperature was mild, perfect for a run. Especially a run in almost mid-June. I'm certainly not going to complain. I ran the whole 6 miles, including the hill by the golf course. I left the GPS and iPod at home and just enjoyed a nice easy run.

I also put together the training plan for the Tulsa Run full marathon in November. The plan officially starts in August, so between now and then I'm going to work on getting a good base with some occasional speedwork.

It's All About Timing

I should have run one more time in Boston, but it rained on Thursday and I was too lazy to get out and do it on Friday morning before I left the hotel to catch my plane. Friday morning would have been perfect . What an idiot.

Today I waited until the rain passed through and went for a run. I probably should have waited until tonight when it was  perfect, but how was I to know? It actually wasn't too bad when I ran this afternoon. Mid-70s and clouds passing by, but it was certainly humid. I ran 6 miles and am setting my sights on a fall marathon. Time to do a full again. This week I'll hopefully get my training plan set up.

Slower Boston Run

Second day in a row for a run along the Charles River. The temperature was a little cooler, but not by much, and I took it slower this time. I found it interesting that the crowds along the paths today were a lot sparser than yesterday. I don't know what that means other than the people around consider Monday more of an exercise day than they do Tuesday.

Beyond that it was another beautiful day. Lots of water and green scenery. I felt a little tired after yesterday's run but kept up my pace today and came in about 9:40/mile. That's twenty seconds slower than yesterday but it's okay, because that was the pace that worked today. Tomorrow is an off day and then I'll run one more time in Boston on Thursday. It'd be nice to qualify for the marathon some day, but I doubt that'll happen. My training classmates and I talked about it at lunch today. One of the guys has run the Boston Marathon twice but it was a charity run, not because of his time. Cool for him because he's run it twice. For now I'll just settle for going on a few runs in a pretty part of the country.

Boston Run

In Boston this week for the some training and took the opportunity to go for a run along the Charles River. I ran 6 miles and enjoyed a nice view along the water. It was 83 degrees, a little warm for this part of the country, and probably ran a little fast. Overall I felt pretty good, and the humidity wasn't as bad as KC. Although I ran past a nice thick garden along Beacon Street that overhung the sidewalk and made me realize how humid that little patch was. I hope to go running a few more times this week even though there's a little rain in the forecast.

Early but Hot

I needed to get out early for today's run since Daughter #1 was having her graduation party in the afternoon. Plus I knew it would be warm later in the day, which provided a little extra motivation. I made it out by 8 o'clock and lo and behold I didn't beat the heat. I only walked once during the 6 miles, up the big hill by the golf course. When I got home I checked the temperature and it was 78 degrees with a heat index of 83. That seems about right since it was humid and I was sweating quite a bit. I was determined to make it with only the one walk and that's the way it worked out. My plan from Tuesday for a 4-5-6 week panned out. This week I'll be in Boston and I plan on running three times while I'm there. The weather there should be cooler and I'm looking forward to some nice runs along the Charles River.

Where'd the Clouds Go?

Came home from work and the sky was totally overcast. I changed, laid on my back on the bedroom floor, almost fell asleep, and went outside to a totally sunny day. And a hotter one than when I got home, too. I wanted to go 5 miles and that's what I did. I walked after every mile and up the big hills, which worked out just fine.

I took a Benadryl for allergies at work about 1 o'clock this afternoon and it leveled me the rest of the afternoon. That's probably why I came close to napping before the run. I was a little surprised at the effect this time since I was feeling pretty energetic before then. Guess that's the price you pay for trying to keep allergies at bay (gratuitous rhyme).

Post-Allergies

Well that was the worst allergy attack I've had in a while. Last Tuesday night after my run was pretty bad, and I hardly slept at all that night. Probably less than two hours. On Wednesday I lasted at work until after a conference call in the morning and then I came home and slept about four hours. I was still in bad shape Thursday and Friday, which was great because my brother flew into town and we went over to Manhattan for Dad's 70th birthday party. On Friday night I was going to go see my aunt and uncle but chose not to because their house is full of cats (ten!). It turned out to be a good judgment call. Saturday I felt better, and Sunday even more, until yesterday and today where I'm almost back to normal. My sinuses and ear tubes are still filled somewhat with phlegm (the nicer term for snot), but even that is fading away.

Today was therefore my first run in a week. It was 80 degrees and sunny for my late-morning outing, and it feels like summer is almost here. I ran a mile and walked a minute (or two) from the start, especially after being off like I was for a week. Also, I purposefully kept the mileage down and only went 4 miles. My plan this week is to go 4-5-6 on my three runs so that when I'm in Boston next week I can go six every time. I can only hope that the worst of the allergies is over.

Allergy Run

Today I felt the effects of allergies all day long, and it certainly showed up in how my run went. Plus it was 87 degrees and sunny, something I'm not used to yet this early in the year. I ran and walked 6 miles, definitely with a lot of walking, especially up hills. I thought I was smart because I found a route through the park near here that offers shade. What I didn't anticipate was the humidity from all the vegetation in that area. Unfortunately that might not be as good a choice this summer as I'd hoped. My overall average was still less than 11 minutes/mile, even with all that walking. I wonder how much better my running would be if I didn't suffer from allergies.

A Tale of Two Runs

Really there's not much to tell about these two runs. I was out of town again this week, this time in Philadelphia, and didn't even take my running gear since I knew I wouldn't have time. Went to watch the Phillies on Tuesday night and the wind made it really cold. Maybe I should have run.

I should have run on Thursday after work but still felt like I was recovering from the trip. So I ran on Friday morning since I had the day off, one of my usual 6-milers. I took it nice and easy and the day was cool but not horribly so.

Today I ran another 6 miles, same route and same result. It was a little warmer but still pleasant. I avoided all the neighborhood garage salers and came away unscathed. I left the GPS at home for both runs since I didn't want to push it when running two days in a row.

Boston Run and then this

Spent the week in Boston for a training class. The Virtual Running Partner also showed up and we went for a run along the Charles River on Monday. He hadn't run more than 4 miles since our half-marathon, and for this one we ended up going 5. Our route was stymied by a bridge inaccessible from the running path. We walked a few times as we figured out where we were going and ended our run along Beacon Street on the way back to the hotel. The rest of the week we spent going to baseball games, eating fried food, and taking in more than the two recommended drinks each day.

Which led to today's run. In the annals of my runs, this one would go down as 'crappy'. I left the house feeling just fine. Two miles into it I was in trouble. I'm sometimes amazed at how quickly the human body can acclimatize itself to different zones, which is what mine did this week in Boston when the days were about 60 degrees and the evenings about 10 degrees cooler. The temperature today was 80 degrees when I was out running. That combined with a three-and-a-half hour plane ride and the bad eating and drinking on my trip made for a run where I walked six times. Certainly not one of my finest hours. Or in this case, 1:06:30. On my return trip to Boston next month I think I'll take care of myself a little better.

Thought About 8, Went 7

I considered going longer today but decided against it since I missed two runs last week. I felt pretty good for most of the 7 miles, but I can tell I need to do some speedwork. That'll probably be on the agenda for the week after next since I'll be on a business trip this week.

Another Cool One

I really didn't want to go on a run this afternoon. The ground is still damp from all the rain, the wind was blowing from the northwest, and it was cloudy. Basically the same weather as Tuesday. For some reason I just had that intense feeling of wanting to lie around and skip the run, but I went for it anyway - because I need to. I ran my 6 miles, yelled at a guy who made a right turn out of his neighborhood and almost hit me, and listened to the new Old 97's album 1 1/2 times. In the end I felt pretty darn good and now I'm glad I endured the elements to get it done. It sets me up for another nice run on Saturday when hopefully the weather has improved.

One Week

Yes, it's been a week since I last ran. On Thursday I flaked out. I should have run but the weather was just bad enough to convince my lazy self to blow it off. Saturday I was in Manhattan and had my running gear with me but again distracted myself with other things. Today it was back to running. In fact, the weather was probably worse today than last Thursday and yet I went for it. The big reason for the difference is that today the new album from Old 97's dropped and I wanted to run with it blasting in my earbuds. I listened to it last week about five times through streaming and I already knew it rocks. Today it kept me going 6 miles at a 9:12 pace. Good job guys.

Perfect Spring Day, New Route

About 70 degrees today, although it felt a little warmer. I've been thinking about trying a new route, and so I did. Instead of heading east I went west and into the Shoal Creek area. I was worried that this course wouldn't be 6 miles, but it actually ended up being a little more than that. Part of the run was on trails and gravel, which was kind of a nice change. There were a few big uphill portions, and that caught up to me in the last couple of miles, which was the same as my usual last two miles. I walked up the hill at the golf course, partly due to the hills and also because the temperature was higher than the latter days. The sun was shining the whole way, which also played a part. At least maybe I've found a route more shaded and a little easier during Summer.

Stealing Miles

I have this little thing I do to steal a mile here and there. It's kind of a mental game, but it works out to some extra mileage and that's what matters. For instance, today (and several "long" runs recently), I run a block into a couple of neighborhoods and right back out. And then on my way back on the old out-and-back course I retrace the route. Those little forays into a neighborhood net me about .12 miles each. But when I do the out-and-back it comes out to a quarter-mile. And doing it twice adds up to a half-mile. I also add in a little extra to the "out" portion of the run and and suddenly I've tagged an extra mile onto my run. Today I ran 7 miles total and it was completely my 6-mile course plus these extras. I've done this before with brief sojourns into a neighborhood, and it works because it's barely noticeable on the run but it adds up in the end. Recommended.

Another Cool One

This week is the Easter program at church, so I'm taking off work a half-hour early each day in order to get in my exercise and not feel rushed to get to church on time. Today I ran my usual 6 miles, and once again it was cooler than normal. I wore long pants, a long-sleeved technical t-shirt, and a race cotton t-shirt over that. I took along mittens just in case but I ended up not needing them. Again it's one of those things that's relative. The temperature is about 50 degrees, yet it feels cold compared to the warmer temperatures we've already experienced. In winter this would have been absolutely balmy. Oh well, it helps me run a little faster than I would at this point in the spring, and I'm not complaining. Before too long it'll be in the 90s and I'll be searching for shade.

Spring Cool Run

Today was cool but it was almost perfect for running. A nice breeze blew from the south but not too bad. I ran my 6 miles today without the Garmin again, which means I can't tell exactly what my pace was. I slept really well last night which translated to a good run today. That seems timely given an article about the importance of sleep in that running magazine that all the runners read. I'm guessing my pace was in the 9-minute range. I felt good all the way through. It's amazing what a good night's sleep will do for a person.

I'm Counting It

Today my goal was 8 miles. I ran (with a couple of walks up the big hills) 7.6 in total. But with my pre-run walk and post-run cooldown I went over 8 miles, and that's what I'm counting so I get to 20 miles this week. I talked yesterday with a co-worker about the effort that goes into a run against the wind and that was definitely the case today The air blew from the south in a big way today and that affected my run up some big hills. Even though my GPS said 7.6 the actual effort was well over 8. And so it goes.

Pleasant Run

Another nice 6-miler, which was almost exactly the same as Tuesday's run. The wind blew out of the NE and I ran without GPS. And all of that was fine with me. Wore the previous set of shoes again and trying to figure out when to work in the new ones. I wore them a couple of times out and about to break them in and will probably do so a little more before running in them again.

In the Groove

Today was a normal run, on a normal day, and felt pretty normal. I'm back into the routine, and ran the usual 6 miles. The wind was blustery and made it a little cool given the temperature, but all in all it was a nice easy run. I went without the GPS this time and I'm guessing my pace was somewhere in the 9:30/mile range. My goal for now is to keep up the routine and log approximately 20 miles a week until I figure out a race to run.

7 Up

Today was one of those rare and gorgeous days in MO. Sunny, temperate, and very little wind. It's one of those days where I like to say even if I wasn't a runner I'd still run. Today's schedule kept me tied up until about 2 p.m. but that was okay. I ran 7 miles this afternoon, nice and easy, and enjoyed it. I ran my normal 6-mile route and added in some side streets and a quarter-mile extension early on that kept me from having to figure out any other math. I wore the shoes from my previous race and I think that helped. My right heel has been hurting the past couple of days and I don't know why, but after today's run it seems okay, for now. In the meantime the off-race training shall continue.

Easy Thursday

I swear the wind changed direction while I was out running today. Several times. Nevertheless, I ran 6 miles at a nice, easy pace and overall felt pretty good. When I returned home and went to put my shoes away I found that I had made a mistake with my shoes. I didn't want to wear the new pair again, so I grabbed what I thought was the pair I'd used for the race - in other words, the pair before my new ones. Instead I picked up the shoes previous to that one, which I actually wear sometimes as sneakers. Oh well, no harm I suppose. It was just funny that I didn't notice until the run was long over.

Return to Running

First run since the race, and hey, I got new shoes. I put them on and went out for a 5-miler. I probably should have broken them in a little first since they were kind of tight. It was nice to get out for a run after over a week. The weather was cooler than normal but not horrible, with a slight breeze from the northeast. My plan is to run 6 on Thursday and 7 on Saturday to get back into the swing of things without losing my modest level of training so far this year.

Race Recap

The Dallas Rock 'n' Roll Half-Marathon on Saturday was a decent run for me. The overall result was more like a training run and twenty minutes off my PR. My official time was 2:05:20. The weather wasn't as bad as expected, particularly the wind, and the temperature was a little cool at the start but not horrible. I lined up in Corral 7 (instead of 4) with my running partners, and we stayed together the first six miles or so. At one point I unconsciously ran faster up a hill and lost them both. My Virtual Running Buddy's friend Laurie caught up to me but the last time I saw her was about mile 10, I think. The last half was better than the first as my pace continued to get faster as the race went along. I finished pretty strong, especially with the crappy training I've done. Before doing another early Spring race I need to put some thought into how better train during the cold months.

This was a pretty fun race with bands scattered all along the course. The recovery by far had the best drinks and snacks of any race I've ever done. I could have walked away with a lot more but didn't have a way to carry more. My only complaint is the same for any race that ends at Fair Park - the long walk to the parking lot after the race is killer. Shuttles, trolleys, whatever...it would sure be nice. The shuttle from Fair Park to the starting line downtown actually went off without a hitch. The expo was also well done and I got a little bit of swag.

I'd like to use this race as a springboard to get back into better training mode, which also means eating better. Tough to do with summer approaching, but getting older all by itself means I'm not going to do well without changing a few other habits. I'll be taking off this week and plan on running again on April 1st. No joke.

Final Speedwork

Another windy day, but at least it was another day to run outside. I did not sleep well last night and we all know what that means. Today's 5-mile run included 3 miles of tempo run. When I was gearing up to go outside I discovered someone had turned on my GPS and the battery was almost dead. Oh, well. I went with a faster run but have no idea how fast. I'd guess it was probably in the 8:15-8:30 range, with a few slowdowns when going uphill against the wind.

All that's left before Sunday's race is a 3-miler on Thursday. I certainly don't look to set a PR with this race, and a finish in under two hours would be a really good result for this training cycle. As I mentioned before I just haven't ever hit a good rhythm. I need to sign up for another race in a couple of months in order to build on this foundation and hopefully feel like I'm in better shape.

Mustang Run

This was the my last Monday run before the race. I probably ran it too fast, but I had plans for the evening. The big thing was finishing so I could go buy a Mustang to "replace" the truck Daughter #1 wrecked a few weeks ago. The next thing after that was getting home in order to grill so we could have dinner before 9 p.m. Mission accomplished on both accounts. And now I'm up too late after my 6 mile run because I figured out how to work the various gizmos on the new car and put the plates on it. Tomorrow might be a somewhat relaxed day at work, all things considered.

Final Long Run

This was the last long run before the race and I even got to run it outside. Today was gorgeous, like a Spring day should be. I went 8 miles and had no issues. I won't say everything's clicked yet and that the race is going to be fine, but at least it was a decent run. Now for a few shorter tune-up runs this week and it's off to Texas.

One of My Favorite Runs

The long-time reader of this blog will already know that one of my favorite runs is the 2x800, which I usually do toward the end of a training program. Seeing as how I haven't been in sync so far with the plan I had low expectations for today's version. I kept the pace down for the 2-mile warmup, and then lowered the hammer for the first 800m. It was uphill and against the wind, yet I kept it at about a 7:30 pace. Granted, that's what my tempo runs are supposed to be, but I still felt pretty good about that. Then I ran slower for 15 minutes, and turned around with the wind at my back for the next 800m. For this one I was under 7:00, staying fairly close to a 6:30 pace.

And that about killed me. I walked for several minutes up the hill by the golf course and then jogged back the rest of the way with no issues. It's weird, though, this feeling that not everything is right. Maybe it's the long layoff between races. Or maybe (gasp) it's that I've lost a step with the ever-descending curtain of age.

No, that can't be it. Not yet. I'm getting older, but it's not time to get slower. Finishing this half under two hours seems like a monumental task at this point, but I still think it's possible. We'll see in ten days.

Windy, in Tempo

Fortunately it was warm enough to run outside today. On the flip side it was windy as anything. The wind blew from the north, which made the return trip up Shoal Creek quite the challenge. Especially up the hills. I chose the run of least resistance and walked up the big hills. Really, there was no reason to press through them. When I got home I checked the weather and it said the wind was blowing at 17 mph. That's a lie. I've run in wind like that and this was far worse, and not just gusty either. My guess is that wherever they were measuring was partially blocked, while I was out in the wide open. The plan called for 6 miles with four of it at a 7:30 temp pace. I ended up at with 6 miles and 3.5 at an 8:00-8:15 tempo pace. When I finished my overall pace was 9:30, and that's with a good 4-5 minutes of walking. I guess my tempo wasn't too bad, but still I don't feel like I've hit a rhythm yet in my training. And it's only 12 days to the race.

Two-Thirds of a Six-Mile Run

Today I decided to mix things up a bit and run my normal route in reverse. While that worked fine for the most part, the blood donation yesterday and recent lack of running outdoors conspired to make me call it a day at 4 miles. I seriously considered going the full distance but determined two extra miles wouldn't make that much of a difference in the long run (pun intended) and might actually make tomorrow's run tougher. I really do think this time on the treadmill has made it more of a struggle for an outdoor run. Although it's kept me in shape it still doesn't translate to road running on a one-to-one basis. I hope I can keep running outdoors until the race. I feel like I've not been able to get into a good training rhythm during this training plan, mostly due to the back and forth between inside and out.