A Nice Day

It's definitely winter in Texas, with a high around 70 degrees today. And tomorrow is supposed to be even warmer. I waited until late afternoon and it paid off. I ran 5 miles in almost-perfect weather. I felt a little bark in my left hip, which means I need to keep at the exercises. I also walked for about 30 seconds in the last half-mile because of a catch in my right knee. Hopefully with a better diet and more self-control in the next few months, after the excesses of the holidays, some of these aches and pains will recede.

Christmas Eve Run

I missed Thursday, mainly due to laziness, but I knew today I needed to get out and run. I went 5 miles, with a couple of walks. I'm going to chalk those up to higher humidity since it was foggy and overcast most of the day, with a little run earlier. The temperature was nice, though. Christmas tomorrow in Texas is forecast to be in the low 70s. I love it!

Holiday Run

I'm off work all this week and went out today with a friend from church for a nice 3.5 (approx.) miler. He hasn't run in a few weeks so we took it nice and easy. The temperature was right at the freezing mark, but the sun was shining and the wind was almost nonexistent, making for a nice morning to run. The rest of the day is to be followed by a Lord of the Rings movie marathon, which is the only kind of marathon I've trained for this winter. I think I can make it to the finish line on this one without calf cramps. At least I hope I can.

Hobbled

Since my last run I've been paying closer attention to my left hip. I haven't run since the Thursday before last, but starting on Sunday I added my ankle weight routines into my workouts and the hip pain has departed. I tend to skip that piece of my workout when I don't have time, and it always comes back to bite me in the rear, or at least close to it. Today is Saturday and I did the ankle weights five times this past week, skipping only Thursday when I was traveling to Austin. By mid-week the pain was pretty much gone. Just goes to show I shouldn't skip those routines.

Today I got in 5 miles, with a couple of walking intervals, but not too bad. I also stopped for a minute or so on the big hill when I spotted a $5 bill in the leaves, and when I turned around it took a minute to find because the wind had blown it to the other side of the sidewalk. I've seen plenty of pennies on the ground, but this was a new one for me. Beyond that, the lack of hip pain was even better.

Coldness

The temperature here in north Texas has plummeted into the 30s, and today's run took place at about 36 degrees. I never had any doubt about running in it since I've run in much worse. In fact, I keep thinking about how a day like today would seem balmy back during my KC winters. There were times I would have been thrilled for the temperature to get above the freezing mark. Plus it's a good chance to keep the pace up. I ran for 6 miles and much the same as Tuesday made it into a tempo run after a mile of warmup. I didn't plug in the GPS to get my pace, but I would guess a little slower than the last one.

My left hip is sore this evening. Not sure what that's about, and I've done a little stretching and took some ibuprofen. We'll see how it feels tomorrow.

Getting Faster

Today's 5-miler in 49 degree weather went very well. I wore my new shoes, shorts, and long-sleeved technical t-shirt. I kicked up the pace from miles 2-4, which carried over some into the last mile as well. My overall pace was 9:19/mile, which apparently is the fastest I've run that distance since I got the new GPS. That tells me how long it's been since I've done any real speed work since I should have much faster times than that. With the cooler temperatures hopefully I can improve on that.

Slipped One In

I didn't think I was going to get in a run today. I woke up to rain and it stayed cloudy and misty/drizzling all day long. Finally in mid-afternoon the radar showed a break in the storm, so I ducked out of decorating for Christmas and managed a nice 6-miler. Apparently not many other people took advantage of the break as I saw one guy walking in the first half, a lady trailing behind about six or seven kids in the second half (they clearly weren't hers, but she was no doubt helping them with cabin fever), and a guy riding his bike with a mile to go. Otherwise the paths were clear of people but not necessarily water. I finished once again with a pace under ten minutes/mile. Nice.

Better Run

I think I had a slight muscle pull in my left quad last week, as mentioned before, but taking off Sunday and Monday before running later in the day Tuesday seems to have done the trick. I also slept better last night, and today's speed work felt more powerful and less restrained. I ran the 4-mile course again. Even though I'm not getting in the mileage as in times past, at least I'm getting in the intervals. I listened to the Man Cave Movie Podcast, which is usually pretty entertaining. This one was on Caddyshack, and I found myself smiling and even laughing out loud a couple of times. Hopefully anyone who noticed thought I was just having a good time.

A Little Tired

Several nights of not sleeping well seemed to catch up to me today toward the end of my run. I ran 4 miles with four fartleks in miles 2 and 3, but by the time I reached the big hill heading up to the neighborhood I ran out of gas. I've always considered sleep an important piece of the overall training picture. This week (post-Thanksgiving) I'm trying to get back into my exercise routine. No travel upcoming for several weeks, and normal days and weekends at home. Hopefully I can also get some good sleep and shed some of the extra poundage picked up over the last several months.

Post-Turkey Trot

Today warmed up into the low 60s, but even so it still felt cooler because of the breeze out of the southeast. After the holidays I knew I needed to get out for a run. I ran in mid-afternoon, and I don't know if it was because of that or not, but very few people were out. I saw one person on the way out and probably five on the return journey. Regardless, I ran 6 miles without stopping and overall felt good about it. Early on I had a big twinge in my left quad, but nothing beyond that. It's a little sore tonight but only if I concentrate on it. Weird. Both of the knees are fine and I think the speedwork of the last week has really helped with that.

More Speed

Daughter #1 is in town for the holiday and we decided to take everyone to the gun range for some fun this afternoon. Unfortunately their wait time was too long and we couldn't get a lane. I had planned on that taking a good chunk of time, but instead we arrived home earlier than planned, which meant I had time for a run. Once again it was a beautiful sunny day with great temps. I ran the 4-mile route with fartleks again, this time with an extra one in the last mile but no sprint at the end. Once again everything felt good and it's nice to get some variation in the running.

We haven't found a Turkey Trot in the area for the family this year, but then again we didn't look very hard. Maybe next year we can revive that tradition.

A Little Faster, Please

After last Thursday's run, and missing Saturday to give the knee a rest (or was it just plain laziness?), I decided to run on a Monday afternoon. First, it was perfect weather outside and tomorrow there's a chance of rain. Second, I needed to do something physical and working out inside didn't appeal. And third - did I mention how nice it was outside?

I decided to run only 4 miles today and up the pace a little. My first mile clocked in at 9:50, and then I ran some fartleks over the next two miles. I sped up four times, running down the path to a spot I picked out beforehand. I felt the difference in my stride and strangely enough my left hip gave me a little more grief than the knee. Neither felt really bad, though, and the change seemed to help. I also sprinted at the end into the neighborhood. All in all, a nice pre-holiday outing that felt good.

Pause for the Knee

Today was blustery, but in a Texas fall way. The temperature was still nice, and the wind actually helped cool the sweat. I ran 6 miles total, although the last one was probably half-walking. About mile 4.5 I felt out of kilter with my right knee, so I stopped and walked about twenty yards. It felt fine until I made it onto Lake Forest after mile 5, and so I walked a little more. After another attempt at jogging I decided it was best to walk the rest of the way.

One thing I noticed was that I was trying to slow my pace, and that seemed to contribute to the pain. When I made it to the top of the big hill I decided to try a sprint to the finish to see how the knee would respond. It felt fine. Maybe my problem is running too slow, or thinking about it too much. Either way apparently I need to pick up the pace when I feel like something is out of whack.

Office Day

Today was an in-office day, but I was able to escape early enough to run before dusk. The day was really nice, sunny and upper 70s. Daughter #3 wanted to run with me, which was a nice treat. We ran 1 1/3 miles together before I dropped her off at the house, and then I ran the rest of the 5 miles on my own. It was fun to run with one of my kids since they're better companions than the FVRP.

Back Home

Was out of town this week for work, and didn't get in any runs due to schedule and early darkness. This morning was perfect weather and a great 5-miler. I saw more people out on bikes than running, but as usual that didn't stop me. I probably could have gone another mile, but really the distance I did was just fine. I've spent the last several hours pruning the bushes in front of the house, which turned out to be a bigger chore than I expected. Time to relax.

Wamego Run Part 2

Yesterday I got out again in the afternoon, after some storms rolled through in the morning, and ran a nice 5-miler. Rather than going around the baseball and soccer fields the whole time, I went down to the park and ran around it a couple of times first. The humidity wasn't too bad, certainly not as horrible as this past summer. I felt good the whole way. The only other person I saw on the paths was a guy who was walking and switching directions each time around like I was. About the fourth time we passed each other he said that at least we're persistent. Probably, but I was also getting dizzy from going in circles.

Wamego Run

Hanging with the parents this week in Wamego, and today was an odd day. It started off cool, maybe even sub-50s, and stayed pretty cool until about 2 p.m. The sun finally came out and the temperature soared to 80 degrees. I went for my 4-mile run about 4 o'clock and it wasn't too bad out with a breeze and not much humidity. There's a park near here that I ran around 3 1/2 times before heading back to the house. The park is interesting, a couple of nicely manicured baseball parks and some soccer fields, all with signs that say practice on these fields is forbidden. At least they look nice.

Weekly Run

Today was likely my only run of the week, due to work on Tuesday and driving to Kansas on Saturday. The temperature was a lovely 85 degrees this afternoon, and I ran my 4 miles without stopping. It was a nice run and the humidity was relatively low, making the temp not seem as bad as it could have. I'll be taking my running gear to KS and hope to get in three runs next week.

Evening McKinney Run

Today The Wife and I took a LTC class and then spent some time on the range. When we exited the building it was a beautiful day. I quickly changed when we reached home and headed out the door. We have new neighbors moving in across the street and I stopped by to say hello, then headed out for 6 miles. The neighborhood by the path was holding a gathering complete with bouncy houses and a train, which required a little dodging around on the way out as well as the return trip. At the dog park a stage was set up by the pond and some semi-annoying music blasted over the water. A few families were out riding bikes, as well as an older couple walking their dog, but for the most part the path was clear.

I ran the whole way, and felt a little better than the run a couple of days ago. Hopefully it's a good week before I head north to Kansas for a few days.

Evening Austin Run

Spent the week in Austin. I should have run last Saturday or Sunday but just didn't, and then was busy all week with work. I finally caught a break on Thursday evening and got out for 4 miles. My legs felt pretty dead at points, but I made it through. I hadn't run in that part of town before, and I had to dodge cars coming out of side streets and almost had to pause for a train crossing the road. By the time I got back it was getting dark and the wind had picked up. Regardless, it was good to get out and do something healthy, which doesn't always happen on a work trip.

Pleasant Outing

I took time out of the day this morning to run 5 miles, and it was a really nice day. The weather was cool, about 60 degrees, with a nice breeze from the north. Almost perfect weather for running. I kept a pace around 10 minutes/mile, with a nice sprint at the end. Too bad not every day is like this, but if it was then everyone would want to live here.

Tuesday Afternoon

My schedule was so packed on Tuesday even though I worked from home, and I didn't get to run until after 4:30 p.m. The temperature was just above 80 degrees, and humid of course. I ran 4 miles and only walked briefly up the hill. It was a good follow-up to Sunday's race and I was glad to find the time to at least get out and sweat a little bit.

Impromptu 5k

One of my friends from church told me about a 5k scheduled for Sunday. Since the registration was only $25 I thought I would go for it and help support a worthy cause - 100% of the fees go to families who are battling cancer. Plus the start was at the high school right across from our neighborhood, and the route was along my usual path.

The temperature was right at 50 degrees when I left the house to walk over to the school. It was a pretty good sized crowd of several hundred, a high percentage of them being students. I registered and then waited with my friends for the start. I left the line pretty slow, which wasn't surprising since I've been running ten-minute-plus miles for the greater part of the year. The bad thing was I felt like I was running fast, which is never a good sign. Nevertheless I kept the pace in the mid-nines.

After the turnaround I added on to my pace and felt good about it. I passed my friend and did my usual negative split, picking off people all the way to the finish line. When I turned the last corner in the school parking I cranked into a higher gear and left the people around me in the dust. It was a good feeling.

By my watch I finished in 27:15. Not blazing fast, but not bad for a guy pushing 50 and who hasn't done any serious speed work in a long time. The results haven't been posted yet so no idea how I fared in my age group. Still, it was fun to run a race pretty much on a whim.

Saturday Route

Yesterday morning I ran a different route than usual, looking to break things up and try a run I've only done a couple of times. I ran south on Lake Forest to Eldorado ,then west to Ridge, and up Ridge to the golf course, where I cut back over to Lake Forest. I don't like all the traffic and noise that came along with it, but it was good to try something different. The final tally was 6.23 miles. It was a beautiful morning and perfect for a nice outing. Plenty of people were out walking, running, and cycling. I guess I wasn't the only one who enjoyed the nice weather.

Late Morning Run

Once again I chose to sleep longer and run more toward the middle of the day - one of the benefits of working from home. I ran my 4 miles in pretty humid conditions, cloudy and breezy. The wind out of the south helped, and I learned something along the way. If I run up to the high school parking lot at the bottom of the big hill, and then cut through the left turn lane, I tend to run the whole hill rather than walking. Probably because by the time I get to the sidewalk on the west side of the street I've already run half the hill. I even did it today against the wind.

On another note, my sister was diagnosed today with a stress fracture in her hip. She's taken up running in the past year and talked about doing a marathon next year. Instead she's going to be laid up for 4-6 weeks. She's bummed that this will reset her training base back to ground zero, but also says she'll be able to someday say she ran a marathon after suffering a stress fracture. That will be an awesome day!

Evening Run

Because of my averseness to getting up early these days, I ran after going into the office. It was about 80 degrees and a little humid, but not as bad as the mornings even a month ago. I ran 4 miles with a stiff breeze out of the south, which actually felt good. I walked up the big hill since it was going into the wind.

Been feeling fat lately, and when I weighed on Monday morning I was at 175 lbs. That's too much on my frame, and I need to trim down. I've been feeling that way for several weeks (okay, months). I feel like I've been doing pretty good at eating less, although there are meals where I'm not doing so well. Hopefully the return to running as well as the added punching bag workouts will help.

Just Nice

The weather is absolutely perfect, and today's run was close to it. I ran 6 miles in lower temperatures and humidity, in Texas terms, and it was nice. The knee felt good still. The only time I had to walk was when I came off the path in the neighborhood north of here, and just for a couple of blocks. I attribute that more to the week off than anything else. A lot of people out walking dogs, running and pushing strollers, biking, etc. A day that restores your faith in...well, nice days.

Cooler Weather

This morning's run took place in temperatures around 60 degrees. My overall pace was 9:57/mile, which has to be the first time in about six months that I've been under 10. It's amazing what a 35 point drop in both temperature and humidity will do. It was a good 4 miles, and the knee feels just fine. I'm looking forward to running over the next few months.

Also, on Monday and Wednesday I tried out the punching bag and enjoyed it, working up a good sweat both times. I also found that The Clash is good workout music, which I already knew for running but it's also great for cross-training.

The Rare Sunday Run

The knee was feeling better today, although not 100%, but I decided to test it out after a rainy Sunday. If I looked back and compiled statistics on which day of the week I've run the least, Friday is probably #1 and Sunday a close second. And that's only because many races are on Sunday, giving Friday the edge. I ran 4 miles without stopping and sweat like crazy because of the humidity. At five o'clock on a Sunday afternoon I didn't see anyone else out, except Daughter #2 walking the dogs when I walked back onto our block. I guess the rain, end of the weekend, or Sunday football kept people inside.

Afterward my knee feels fine. There were a couple of times I felt out of kilter, but I concentrated and tried to get my stride back in line. We'll see how it feels tomorrow.

On another note, we hung a punching bag in the garage, mostly for the kids, but I tried it out on Saturday and actually enjoyed the change of pace. Planning on trying it again tomorrow. This method was waaaaaaay cheaper than trying a month at one of the trendy boxing workout places.

Sitting Out

On Saturday morning I started out my run pretty well, the right knee not giving me any immediate problems. By the half-mile point it was starting to bark at me, and I decided right there to turn around and not risk further aggravation. If you're doing the math at home, that means I ran 1 mile. Since then the knee has that feel that makes me know it's there, but it's not really that sore or anything. Not really even an ache, just a tenderness of some kind. Since I'm traveling this week for work I plan on sitting out the week and taking it easy. Hopefully by next Saturday I'll be good to go.

Run with a Tweak

This morning's 4-miler went okay for the most part, but a couple of times I felt a little wonky in my right knee. Nothing too bad, but I think it relates to the strength of the muscles around it. I used to do ankle weight exercises that would help out with hamstrings and hips. I apparently need to get back to those. I walked a couple of times and tried to relax, and that seemed to help. At one point, though, I felt like I was limping and that caused me to walk. Not good, but at least I caught it before hurting myself.

Unlazy

It was a Monday morning, and I actually got up and went for a run. The temperature was down, and even the humidity was a little lower than usual. I could tell because I didn't start sweating profusely until almost the mile mark. All in all it was a pleasant morning. Saw the usual people out walking their dogs. It was a nice 4 miles. Let's see if that holds.

Lower Temperature, Higher Humidity

Rain was forecast for this morning, and I decided since it was going to be cloudy I would sleep in a bit and then run. The rainfall wasn't much, but I was right about the clouds sticking around. It was 69 degrees when I headed out, the lowest temperature I've run in since...what, April? March? I enjoyed that part of the run, but the humidity had to be in the 90s. My sunglasses were so fogged by the first mile that I decided to forego them before I stumbled into someone or something.

Not a whole bunch of people out on the 6-mile route, but at one point two guys pushing strollers passed in front of me. I felt left out, but not *that* left out. Reminded me of riding a bike 15+ years ago in Tulsa with Daughter #1 in the seat on back, and some wag pulls up beside me and says, "Faster!" I thought to myself, dude, you put a 30 lb. sack of flour on the back of your bike and then we'll talk. Anyway, it was a good run, no walking, and I enjoyed it, even with wiping sweat off my head the whole way. I started off listening to "Comfortably Numb", followed by the whole of Momentary Lapse of Reason, and then "Comfortably Numb" again. It seemed fitting. Plus it was the cut from Delicate Sound of Thunder, the best live version of the song in my opinion. Gilmour shreds the solo at the end and the distortion and feedback must have been something to hear live.

Continuing My Lazy Streak

Monday was a holiday, Tuesday was an early call and a day in the office, and Wednesday was just plain lazy. I think to some degree trying to wake up early and run now that it's dark later every morning. Today I was going to get up early, but once again went back to bed, knowing my meeting schedule was light and I could get out later. Since the temperature is still in the mid-90s I didn't want to run too late, so I headed out at 10 a.m. The sun was shining brightly, and I ran my 4 miles, with walks at each mile, progressively longer. By the time I hit mile 3 my heart rate was up and it was a struggle. I walked about 3 1/2 minutes there and then up the big hill. Once again, not one of the best runs ever but at least I got out there.

Back to 6

It's been four weeks since I ran 6 miles, and that time it involved hills. I was a little less aggressive this time and just ran my regular route. It went well, with a walk break at the 4- and 5-mile marks, but that was just in acknowledgment of the continued high humidity. Even though the temperature was lower the humidity was still up. Fortunately this morning there was a nice breeze, and it really helped on the first half and the last mile. The middle part was with the wind and I struggled a little through that section. When I turned the corner onto Lake Forest and felt the breeze in my face I sighed out loud because it was such a relief.

A Little Better

I hoped the difference in temperature of about 7-8 degrees from yesterday to today would prove helpful, but...not so much. It was still sunny and humid, but this time I was a little smarter. I ran my 4 miles but didn't feel so beat up afterward. After the first mile I walked a minute, even though I felt fine, and at the halfway point walked two minutes. I also did the same after the third mile and then walked up the big hill. Probably a similar amount of walking as yesterday but spaced out better. Once again I learn little lessons along this journey that will hopefully keep me running for decades to come.

Another Gap

Busyness and laziness took their toll on my running schedule this past week. I ran last Thursday and all of a sudden I look up and it's the next Wednesday. I set the alarm Monday morning to get up early and run, but I went back to bed instead. Not one of my finer moments. Today I decided I would run at lunch instead of trying to get up early since my work schedule was actually open. I went out a little before 11 a.m. and the temperature was already in the upper 80s, and very humid. As usual, the first half went okay, and then the last half of my 4 miles ended up with several bouts of walking. At least I sweated a lot. Tomorrow should be more of the same.

Followed by a Thursday Run

School started again on Monday, which I forgot to mention. The early-morning zombies clog the sidewalks out of the neighborhood, starting at their cell phones as they shuffle along the sidewalk. On Thursday morning I got out 15 minutes earlier than normal, which allowed me to avoid the horde. I ran the 4 miles, pretty much the same was Wednesday. Not as strong on the second day in a row, but still managed to get through it in good shape.

A Wednesday Run

Because of early meetings and having to get kids where they needed to be on Tuesday, I ended up running on Wednesday instead. It was a good run, the usual 4 miles, and the usual run up the hill followed by a sprint at the end. I ran both days this week without headphones so far, and it's been kind of a nice break.

Vacation

I didn't intend to take a week off from running, but between rain in Austin and a vacation in Oklahoma it just worked out that way. I'm glad to be back to it this morning, even though the alarm seemed like it rang awful early. I ran my 4 miles in a nice temperature, even though the humidity was still up due to the rains of the last few weeks. I feel like it's time to start getting back up to 6 miles each time out, and I'll be easing back into that routine. It was a good start to the week.

A Little Rain

I was surprised when I stepped out the door this morning and it was sprinkling. I paused a few moments to see if it was going to intensify, but it trailed off and I set out for my Monday morning 4-mile run. About 1.5 miles in it started sprinkling again and kept that up for the rest of my run. It wasn't too bad at any point, though, and even more important, there was not any lightning. That would have sent me back inside quickly. When the alarm went off I thought several times about staying put, but I'm glad I got out the door. All in all it was another good run, with the ending run up the hill followed by a sprint. This is becoming a tradition. Or something.

Quality over Quantity

My plan was to run 6 miles on Saturday morning. About two hundred yards into the run I was sweating from the humidity already, due to rain on Friday. I quickly pondered my options, since I usually don't get the humidity sweats for at least a half-mile. Option 1 was to go ahead and try to kick out 6 miles, knowing that I would probably have to walk several times. Option B was to run 4 miles and run it the whole way, including up the hill with the sprint at the end. I chose Option II and I think it was the wiser choice.

Friday was the last hundred degree day of the season, although we'll still have temperatures in the 90s for several more weeks. Hopefully the humidity will also start a decline and I can do some more speed work and pick a fall race.

Thursday's Run

It was another good run on Thursday morning. Either I've finally become accustomed to the humidity here at the end of summer, or the humidity is lower. It's not, so I'm going to have to go with the first option. I ran my 4 miles a little faster than normal, by only 30 seconds or so for the first few miles, but I still had enough gas to run up the big hill and sprint the last bit in the neighborhood. Today (Friday) is actually supposed to be the last day of hundred degree weather. Sad. Even though the next week looks like more rain and cooler temperatures, I'm sure summer isn't ready to give up the ghost yet.

Back to Normal

This morning I ran my 4-mile route and it went well. I was a little worried since I started sweating from the humidity at the half-mile mark, well before it usually hits. Beyond that it really wasn't much worse than all the other runs lately. I also ran up the big hill and sprinted the last fifth of a mile. Not bad for a run on a day where the temperature later spiked up to 101 degrees.

Saturday Hill Run

It's been awhile since I ran hills, and decided Saturday was the day. I also wanted to run 6 miles, which counts as a "long" run during the dog days of summer. The first three miles went okay, but out of the second half I probably walked more than a mile. It was sooooo humid, and barely any breeze at all. In fact, I don't remember a breeze other than from passing cars. Still, I needed to get out and sweat a little before going to a Frampton concert that night. Which by the way, was really really good.

Another Good One

Today was just as good as, if not better than, Tuesday's run. Same course, same running all the way, and even better sprint at the end. The 4 miles went by without incident, which is all you can ask sometimes. The sun is rising a little bit later every day. In a few months I suppose I'll have to think about running at lunch, if my work schedule will allow. It wouldn't have worked very well this week.

Ran Yesterday

It was another 4-miler on a Tuesday morning, and believe it or not I ran the whole way. Including up the big hill. And a kick at the end. Not sure if the humidity was down slightly or what else happened, but it felt good. The temperatures this week are in the upper 90s and around 100, which means any morning cooldowns are still in the future. My weight, which I usually ignore, is up higher than normal, and think I need to run more hills since that always helped in the past. That's my plan for Saturday morning's longer run.

Still Trying

My Saturday run went the way of many other recent runs - I skipped it. I kept feeling more and more congested after my delayed plane flight on Wednesday, no doubt from sitting on the plane for over three hours because of delays instead of the hour it should have taken. My sinuses dried out and the I'm sure I caught a little something from all the recirculated air. Instead of getting up to run on Saturday morning I turned off the alarm and slept another three hours. By the time the alarm went off this morning I felt much better. I ran my 4 miles and felt pretty good the whole way, much better than the last outing. Hoping to get in all my planned runs this week.

Inconsistency

If there's one word to describe my running this year, it's this one: inconsistency. I didn't plan on taking a week between runs, but last weekend I helped the FVRP put up a pergola on successive days with temperatures almost to the century mark. Then I was in Austin for three days and chose to leave my gear behind since I knew my chances to get out were basically none. Finally, this morning I slept in to recover from the trip and the delayed flights.

At about 10 I decided I could get out at lunch rather than skipping a couple more days. The temperature wasn't too bad, mid-80s, and the sky a little overcast. The first two miles were okay, a little faster than they should have been, but after the turn I walked a few times. That's okay, I wasn't going for speed, I was going for sweat. I certainly achieved that. This 4 miles was the start, I hope, of some renewed consistency in my running schedule.

Slog

When I woke up this morning my first, second, and third thoughts were that I should go back to bed. As I walked out the door I was thinking I should turn around and go back inside. Ten steps into my run I thought this was going to be a bad run and I should just loop around the block and go home.

I was wrong.

The run didn't feel that great, and a couple of times I felt like walking. When the 4 miles were done, though, I had run it all and conquered the part that kept telling me to stop. Not a huge victory and I don't want to overplay it, but even after all these years of running I still get those thoughts and have to overcome them. I'm glad I did. That breakfast of bacon and eggs tasted much sweeter after all that.

Better Tuesday

I conquered the hill today, fighting the mental battle the whole way. I did the same 4 miles and tried to keep myself in the right frame of mind the whole way. My right calf felt tight once, as opposed to yesterday, and probably because I used the foam roller yesterday afternoon.

The FVRP and I were talking yesterday about how much I love the hot weather. I really do. Summer is my favorite time of year, and for the most part the heat doesn't bother me. It's the humidity that gets me on these runs. It takes a good half hour to cool off once I'm done, and that's after only 4 miles. I don't know that I could sweat any more at that distance, but I certainly can't sweat any less.

Monday Outing

It was another humid morning, and my right calf seemed pretty tight. I did my 4 miles without seeing many people out at the first of the week. I don't know what it is about these shorter runs, but I walked up the big hill, which I didn't do on the longer run Saturday. I think it's just the humidity, which was maybe a little lower on the previous run but it's rained since then. I don't know. Maybe it's mental. We'll see how it goes tomorrow.

Four in a Week

Finally met my goal of four runs in a week, which I've been wanting to do because of the heat and corresponding decreased mileage on my normal outings. This morning was plenty humid again, but I lucked out. I got out about 7 a.m. and the sun stayed behind the clouds, which kept me from overheating. I ran my normal 6-mile route and did it without walking. I was able to get in four runs in spite of traveling this week, but this next week should be easier if I can avoid laziness.

Early in Austin

Tuesday morning I was in Austin and went out early for a 4-mile run. My hotel was downtown by Town Lake, the Colorado River, Lady Bird Lake, Lake Austin...whatever you want to call it. I went out about 6:15 to avoid the heat, and there were plenty of people out already. I ran west a couple of miles, or almost, until I hit a dead end. There are some parts of the path that terminate at various points, and if you're not familiar with the paths you'll find those spurs. I ran east and then wasn't paying attention to my turnoff and ended up running an extra quarter-mile or so, but that wasn't too big a deal. Overall it was a good run and one of my favorite places to enjoy the local scenery.

Back to Normal

This morning was a non-eventful 4 miles. No armadillo, and not even any people until almost the halfway point. Seems like the regulars slept in today. This was my third run of the week, and I'm gunning for #4 on Saturday. Not a big fan of getting up early, but it needs to be done in order for me to get these in before the day gets too hot.

The Running Armadillo

Strange that we've lived in Texas over a year now and Monday was the first time I've seen an armadillo on one of my outings. I was running my 4-miler down the path by the pond, and I saw a little animal chugging along to the right. I did a double-take because I've seen lots of rabbits and squirrels, but sure enough, this time it was an armadillo. He ran along in the grass for about ten yards and then ducked into the shrubbery. At least I was going faster than he - or she. Couldn't tell for sure and I respect its privacy.

Three for the Week

Saturday morning, which was yesterday, started with the alarm going off at 6 a.m. Yes, on a Saturday. I wanted to get in my third run of the week, and I was willing to get up early to do it. The start to the day was typically muggy and trending toward warm, but I ran my 6 miles with only two walks - one at 4.5 miles and the other up the big hill. It was nice and quiet out, and it wasn't until I got over by the dog park that I started seeing people.

I'd planned on the early rise being coupled with a nap at some point later in the morning, but I took The Boy to a demo day at McKinney airport. We talked to some people about aviation school and then took a ride in a Cessna. To my memory I don't recall ever flying in a single-engine plane, and it was kind of cool. There were only a few times where I was really conscious of being in a smaller plane, but overall it wasn't bad. The Boy loved it, of course, and if he started college tomorrow instead of in a couple of years he'd be going for aviation. He still might, but we'll see what happens between now and graduation.

Two in a Row

Today's run was identical to yesterday - 4 miles, high humidity, same route, same podcast, walked up the big hill...oh wait, there was one difference. The sprinklers were going off at the trail head, so I had to jump over a very low wall to avoid them, and then run in the street on the way back since they were still running. Other than that it was like the movie Groundhog Day. I felt the effects of running two days in a row, but I needed to do it to kickstart my need to get back to at least three sessions a week, if not four shorter runs to make up for being used to longer runs.

The Usual

I didn't run on Saturday, making today my first run in July. On a Wednesday, no less. I smoked ribs on Saturday and basically took the whole holiday weekend off from exercising and trying to be healthy. Plus the upstairs a/c broke down on Saturday as well and it's been typical Texas summertime hot. Anyway, I slept downstairs last night, which felt much better than the previous three nights, and got up this morning to run my 4 miles. Looking back, it's been awhile since I ran three times in one week and I'm hoping to change that this week by running today, tomorrow, and Saturday. Even though it's hot and humid it's time to get my act together.

Lower Humidity

I could tell when I walked out the door this morning that the humidity was lower. I was initially taken aback by the holes in the front bed where some creature apparently dug for food overnight, and then in the neighbor's yard where you could see tracks of the critter in the dew-covered grass. Still, the drop in humidity from 90% to about 85% was noticeable, and made the run that much more enjoyable. I went my 4 miles and felt good. Ran up the big hill and think I'm going to add a little more distance on Saturday. Plus within a couple of weeks I'm going to have to get up earlier to beat the sun, but that's a good problem to have.

Moist

As is the standard lately, the morning was humid. I ran my 4 miles and was drenched in sweat by the end. I walked up the big hill because my heart rate was up even though I kept the run slow. I'd planned on running yesterday (Monday) morning but when my alarm went off an extra 1.5 hours of sleep seemed like the better option. One of these weeks I'm going to get back to running four times.

Building Up

The humidity remains high, especially in the early morning, but I still got my 4 miles in today. Ran the same route as Tuesday and hoping to build up the mileage in the coming weeks. Not sure if the humidity will go down much, but hopefully my tolerance will go up.

Good Tuesday Run

It was a good Tuesday run even though the humidity was high and the breeze was next to nonexistent. I ran my (lately) usual 4 miles, but this time on the way back I took a right at the pond and stuck to the treeline and the shade. The distance worked out exactly the same and I think that might be my new route, especially during summer. For the first time in forever I listened to a podcast, and I think the change-up made the run go better, at least in my mind. I ran the whole way once again.

More of the Same

This morning was eerily similar to Thursday morning's run, except with less of a breeze. I got up early - on a Saturday! - and ran my 4 miles in the high humidity. This time, though, I was able to run the whole way without walking. I'd like to get back to a point of running six every time, but the humidity's going to have to drop for that to happen, especially on weekday runs.

Off the Couch

First time to run in a week, and it sure felt like it. I read the latest issue of Runner's World this past week and that had me itching to get outside. As I said in my last post, I certainly spent a lot of time on the couch and finally figured that one week out from cyst removal it was time to get off the couch.

I went 4 miles, which seems to be the standard lately with all the humidity. And yes, it was over 90% humidity at 6:15 this morning. I was sweating profusely by the time I'd gone a quarter-mile, although at the time I figured that just because of my recent inactivity. Not true. I walked the distance of three telephone poles just after mile three, and then up the big hill. I wanted to go the whole way but know  when my heart starts beating that fast that it's time to back off. At least there was a breeze, but it wasn't enough to offset the humidity.

It's nice to be back in the game. No idea when the humidity will let up after all the rain from the past couple of months. Maybe November.

Fogged Sunglasses

I remember seeing Fogged Sunglasses open for Simple Minds back in '87...

Seriously though, folks, I ran in the early morning hours again but as has been standard lately the humidity was very high. Before I'd reached the end of my warmup walk my sunglasses started fogging, and by the time I reached the halfway point of the run there was no point in wearing them any more. I ran 4 miles and was glad to get it in before having some bumps removed from my back this morning, which means I can't run until next week. Guess I'll have to practice my couch potato skills for a few days.

A Little More Humidity

On Tuesday morning I was hoping it would be less humid, but I was wrong. It actually wasn't as horrible as it has been, and I went 4 miles. A good run, ran all the way, and it was good. Let's do it again on Thursday.

The Whole Way

For some reason it felt like I hadn't run in weeks, even though it's only been since Tuesday. I laid around in bed for longer than I should have, but I figured it was going to be cloudy and humid all morning. Imagine my surprise at being correct.

I decided that today's run would be limited to 4 miles, and if I needed to walk I would. The difference between today and my last run was that there was a slight breeze. That made me realize I could go the shorter distance but without walking. My 10:30 or so pace was perfect, and I did indeed run the whole way, including the big hill. At one point I thought about going an extra mile but realized that might take me out of my ability to run without walking, so I settled for the four. Looks like the rain is moving out for at least the next week. I don't expect the humidity to go down much, but at least I won't have to worry about dodging storms.

A Good Half Run

This morning was my first time to run since last Tuesday's horrible run in Austin. I got up early, hoping to beat the sunshine. I did. But I didn't beat the humidity. Apparently it followed me north. I ran 2.5 miles with mostly no issues, but at the turn I walked and then three more times in the last half. Not one of my better runs, but man, that humidity just kills me. One thing I've learned over the years is to not push it if I don't need to, and today I didn't. Once again it was like being out in a sauna. With rain forecast for the next several days I have no idea when the humidity will decrease. At some point I guess the heat will take over and the rain will move away, but for now it's going to be tough going. Glad I'm not training for a race.

Even Humider

I ran Tuesday in Austin and that might be the humidest weather I've ever run in. About five steps into the run downtown I was ready to turn around. I made it through 4 miles, with plenty of walking and lots of sweating. Humidity usually kicks my butt, and this time was no different. Austin is one of my favorite places to run, but wow, that was brutal.

I was so worn out when I got back on Wednesday that when my alarm went off on Thursday morning I decided I needed the extra 1.5 hours of sleep as opposed to a run. I think it was a good choice.

Extra Humidity

I should have taken a towel with me on today's run. I was wiping sweat off my face and head from the beginning. We've had humidity the past few weeks, but this is by far the worst. I know right away I would be walking some, and I did so at mile 2 and 3, and then every half mile from that point. I kept my pace slow and easy. I wanted to go 7 miles but quickly downgraded to 6 miles once I realized the humidity level. It wasn't the best of runs, but at least I sweated a lot.

Probably the Last Afternoon Run for a While

I knew it would be raining this morning so I slept in til the usual 7:30 with a couple of taps on the snooze button. The rain moved off to the east and even though it remained cloudy I figured there was a chance to run in the afternoon. I went out at 3:30 and ran my 6 miles through the lovely humidity. Once again I ran without a break, including the big hill. This could be the start of a nice trend. Anyway, I was glad to run while the temperature was in the low 60s. I think the weather pattern is about to change and it will probably be a long time before I can run in the afternoon again.

Almost Raining

I got up early to run this morning, and it wasn't until I made it downstairs that I realized it was raining. Fortunately it wasn't too bad, and the weather map showed it was moving away. Even though I was strongly tempted to go back to bed for an hour, I went ahead and ran and I'm glad I did. Of course it was humid, but once again I ran the whole 6 miles without stopping. With my timing I missed the rush around the school, which was nice. I only saw three other people out on the path, two regulars and some other gal. Usually I see about four or five times as many people, but I guess they gave into that temptation and stayed in bed.

Saturday Six

Slept in on Saturday morning and then took the dogs for a walk before my run. I could tell it was a little humid, but not as bad as in weeks past. I did 6 miles and ran the whole way, even though a couple of times I felt like walking. Even ran up the big hill on Lake Forest. It's nice to be back home and running the usual paths.

Oakland Runs

Apparently one of the major pastimes in Oakland is graffiti. We're staying downtown and ran over to Lake Merritt, where we ran once around the lake and back. Plenty of nice building art along the way. Both Monday and today it was a 4.7 mile run, and not bad. Got up early both days, although in Central Time it wasn't as early as local. Lots of people out running and walking, great weather, and a little exercise. It was a good start to the day both times.

Sweaty Run

I went 8 miles today, the first five of which was good. The last three, not so much. It was very humid today, and I could tell early on I was sweating nicely. By the time I turned around at the midpoint I knew I would probably have to do some walking. The other problem was that on the return part of the route the breeze was at my back, which didn't help in cooling me off. By the time I was in the last mile and heading south into the breeze it felt really nice. All in all I probably walked over half a mile combined, but I figured that was fine since I live to run another day.

Another Nice Day

This morning was much like Tuesday, just a few degrees warmer, and humidity was low again. It was a nice 6-miler. Very few people out, which was somewhat surprising. I ran up the big hill again. I guess it's a little easier when the temperature cooperates. I'm enjoying these mild days while I can.

Tuesday Morning Run

Got up at 6:30 this morning and out the door by 6:45 for a 6-mile run. The temperature was in the 40s and nice and cool, still with a little humidity. It was a good time. My pace kept picking up and I finished at 59:30, which isn't too bad for as little running I've done lately. The sun is also coming up earlier and I'm going to have to start getting up earlier soon.

Family 5k

Saturday morning was great for a run - overcast, cool temperature, and hardly any wind. We all ran the Run Baby Run 2016 5k, and had a good time. I ran with The Wife and she did a great job walking even less than the week before. The kids ran on their own, and Daughter #3 actually got second place in her age group. We left before the awards, unfortunately, but she was still proud when she found out about it the next day at church. Speaking of which, we had a large contingent from Genesis, and they even announced it before the race.

It was a very well-organized event, with several tents for exhibitors, and some good snacks afterward, including a donut for yours truly. Several groups of kids were out with signs along the trail, which was pretty cool. The signs read like a 'best of' from other races I've been in. For me it wasn't the most strenuous of outings but it was good to have fun with the family. Looks like something we can do again next year.

Cool but Still Humid

This morning's run was almost too cool at the start, just as the sun was rising. A couple of miles into it the temperature leveled out in the 60s and the humidity rate stayed high. The coolness helped but I still sweated a lot because of the moisture in the air. 'Tis the rainy season and we pay for it with high humidity. I ran the whole 6 miles except for the big hill on the way back.

We picked up our packets last night for Saturday's 5k. At this point I think I'll run it for fun. I haven't had the opportunity as I wanted to for speed work. This Tuesday was The Boy's birthday, and between taking him out for breakfast and making dinner I just didn't have the time for a run. That leads me to the conclusion that I'll take it easy on Saturday instead of trying to run fast and causing myself an injury. I wouldn't do well in the humidity anyway. Maybe I can find another 5k in the near future where I can get in some better training.

Lunch Run

Today I did a little speed work and more walking than I intended. When I first woke up it looked rainy outside, but once I put in my contacts and walked downstairs it appeared I was mistaken. Even so, I waited until lunch time to run, by which time it was sunny and approaching the warmer range. I ran a two-mile warmup and then a mile at 8:50 pace. Then a walk. Then finished out the next mile and picked it up for another half-mile. Then a walk. Then a slower run. And another walk. Then more runing. And another walk up the hill. And finally a slow run to close it out.

Not my best outing, but I concentrated on the speed part of the 6 miles. Walking was necessary. Still unsure how the 5k will pan out in nine days, but at least I got in the work.

Is It Humid Out Here or Is It Just Me?

Went out this morning for my run since there was a possibility of rain later in the day, and as I expected it was plenty humid. I ran my 6 miles, and it went way better than Saturday's run. Miles 2-4 included a pickup, although I walked briefly at the turnaround. My pace got down to the 9:00 range, and a few times a little under that. For the most part it hovered between 9:15-9:35, though. I'm trying to get a little speedwork in before the 5k, but I'm also thinking the conditions might be this humid then, too. If that's the case my hopes for a fast race will go right out the window.

4 from 6

I set out this morning with the intent of running 6 miles nice and easy. From the start I felt out of whack, and in less than half a mile felt the humidity. By the time I reached the 1-mile mark I'd decided 4 miles would be enough. I walked at that point and a couple more times. I was right - 4 miles was definitely enough.

Lost in California

I spent the week in the Bay Area, which was not too bad. The food was good, and the weather mild but pleasant. I stayed in Redwood City, south of SF and north of Palo Alto. I went out for a 6-miler on Tuesday after work, which unfortunately turned into 8.5 miles.

Since I have the Garmin now to track my run I left my phone at the hotel. All was good along the first three miles, and I made the turn feeling strong. My pace was also excellent, around the 9:15 mark or so. As I headed south and then back to the west along my return route I came upon a sort of traffic jam: a guy running ahead of me who I'd been chasing for a quarter-mile or so, a couple walking a dog, and a lady who just kind of wandered. This was the point where I was supposed to bear right, but instead I got caught up in the mix and didn't pay attention to the street signs. By the time I recognized several blocks later that I was on the wrong street, I made another bad move. I turned left instead of right, thinking I'd stayed right at the previous miscue and my return route was still to the left. It wasn't.

I realized as I encountered some steep hills that I was way off track. This is the point where having my phone would have come in handy. I made some turns, did some walking, and after about 15 minutes or so finally found a street where I could see the bay. Now I knew which way to go. I made it back to the hotel as darkness was falling.

I also quickly decided this was going to be my long run for the week. And my only run while away from home. I still finished pretty strong but knew I didn't need to push it with another run. I enjoyed the scenery, but next time I think I'll take my phone.

7 on Saturday

I didn't know there was supposed to be any rain today, but indeed, I was sprinkled on a couple of times. Rather than an actual distance goal I planned to go my regular route plus a side trip up to the middle school where our 5k starts in a few weeks as well as going beyond the dog park to the circle turnaround. All of that added up to almost 7 miles, which I actually achieved in my cooldown walk. 

My new(ish) Garmin informed me I set personal records for both the 5k and 10k, neither of which were very impressive. I'm hoping to do quite a bit better in the 5k race on April 30th. I'm shooting for 8-minute miles, which might get me close to placing in my age group. The next several weeks will see an emphasis on speed work.

A Fall in Spring

This morning I got out early(ish) for my 6-miler run. It was a great morning, temperature in the low 50s with sunshine. Everything was going well until...the fall.

I was almost 2.5 miles in when one shoe caught in the shoelace loop of the other, and down I went. Fortunately I know how to fall, and I rolled and came back up pretty quickly. All I suffered was a scrape on my right knee and a left shoulder that's a little sore where I impacted, but other than that it could have been worse.

Naturally there was a lady walking toward me, and as I recovered and ran past her she asked if I was okay. I told her thank you and yes, and that I've done this several times before by catching my shoe in a loop. On the return route I saw her again and she wished me a nice day, while she stared at my shoes, no doubt to see how bad they were laced.

Just another day in the ongoing embarrassment I bring upon myself.

Back in the Game

Opening Day was yesterday with the follow-up today (and should be a national holiday, I believe), and I'm also back in the game running-wise. I got new shoes last week and hoped to get out earlier in the day, but work kept interfering. I finally made it out the door about 4:30 p.m. when the temperature was 80 degrees. A little warm for running, clear skies and sunshine, but not as bad as it'll be in a few months. I ran 5 miles and sweated a lot.

I was thinking about running a half in early May and an attempt at a PR, but I just don't have the time to train properly for it. On Saturday I thought a 5k or 10k would be a good idea, and I would have the chance to train for running a 5k fast. On Sunday at church a new friend gave me a card about a 5k/10k that will take place on my regular running trails on April 30th. Talk about perfect timing. I registered for it, and the whole family was interested as well, so they're going to be running with me. Looks to be fun before it gets really hot.

Bataan Memorial Death March

It's a few days after the race, and I'm back in Texas after spending a week in New Mexico. It was so much fun to be back in NM to enjoy the scenery, food, and friends, and not necessarily in that order. I was able to spend time with people I hadn't seen in over a decade. It never ceases to amaze me how easy it is to reconnect with old friends, almost as if we hadn't been apart for more than a week.

We started out the visit with a 4-mile run on Thursday, kind of an altitude test/acclimitazation. It was interesting because this run was at 4300 feet above sea level, as opposed to the 700 foot plane we experience in Texas. After running on the south end of Scenic Drive we found a trail that snaked into the foothills to give us some off-road exposure. It wasn't the best of easy runs, but it helped.

On Saturday we headed for the Missile Range, not knowing what to expect. We planned on spending the night in a tent if there was room. When we arrived on the access road, the line was at least fifty cars deep. We spend some time in that line until the left lane started filling up with cars moving past us a lot quicker. I finally got tired of waiting, figuring that maybe I should have moved into the other line earlier. That didn't work out as planned. That lane was for people who'd already been through the initial screening, so we had to turn around and get back in the other line. All in all it took us two hours to get into the facility.

I was surprised by the number of people camping. I thought there might be a couple dozen tents and a few RVs, but instead a few thousand people were spread out all over the south end of the base. We staked our claim to a piece of ground and drove over to pick up our packets. That was uneventful other than the line, but it moved quickly. Once back at the tent we unloaded and sat around until dinner. The pasta dinner was also uneventful, and then we went back to the truck and enjoyed some down time with music and an early bedtime.

During the night the wind picked up and at times it seemed someone was standing outside, grabbing the tent, and shaking it as hard as they could. We woke up about 4:30 a.m. and started the process of getting ready. Fortunately the wind died down to a breeze.

We made the starting area by 6:15 and stood around in the cold. I brought trash bags as a shield from the wind, but they didn't do much for insulation. The opening ceremony was touching, including the reading of the names of the Bataan survivors who had passed since last year's march. The three attending survivors were introduced by roll call, and the American and Filipino generals welcomed us. A chaplain offered a great prayer, and then a medical Blackhawk performed a flyover. After the survivors moved to the starting line we exited the corrals. As we approached the start a race official told us we could shake hands with the survivors but to be careful and not squeeze their hands too hard because they're fragile. I shook hands with all of them and told them what an honor it was for me. I meant it. Then the march itself began.

The first couple of miles were crowded and went pretty quick, with a stop at mile 2 to use a relatively uncrowded restroom. We also walked at the subsequent two-mile intervals, as planned, and then began the journey toward the great uphill. After we crossed under the highway before mile 9 a lady in front of us fell. She was walking and her shoe caught on a crack and she went down pretty hard. I would guess her to be over 60 years old, but we helped her up and she insisted on continuing. Her knees and elbows were a little bloodied, and it must have all turned out right because she passed us in the last couple of miles of the race.

After mile 9 the big uphill began and we started our odyssey of walking quite a bit. The route took us around Mineral Hill, a mountain just barely detached from the Organ Mountain chain. The back side took us up and down through the ridges, and we finally arrived back on the pavement uphill of mile 19. It was downhill for a while until we reached the infamous Sand Pit. This stretch of ankle-deep sand went on seemingly forever. By the time we exited that area and ran a little more we were almost too tired to run any more. We walked most of the last two miles along the perimeter wall, with a final run to finish in fine form.

Once again I got to shake the survivors' hands since they were also at the finish. I read a book a couple of weeks ago on the Bataan Death March and I honestly don't know how anyone survived it or the hard labor that followed. We had drinks and food every two miles, but those men marched all day without water, food, or rest, and then slept where they stopped. All with the constant threat of being bayoneted or beheaded. What remarkable men.

To conclude the race we received a surprisingly decent meal and drinks. After eating we headed back to Alamogordo. As we drove by the course we could see several thousand people still walking. This was the toughest course I've ever run, but was easily the most rewarding experience of any marathon. Even though I don't plan on doing it again (once was enough) I'd recommend this race to every runner or walker. The only complaint I had was getting through the gate, but that was a minor irritant. Everything else was first class. I've been wanting to do this march for several years and glad I finally got the chance. Now it's time to rest for a few weeks and then decide what's next.

Last Texas Run

Today was the last run in Texas before we head to New Mexico tomorrow for the race. It was an easy 5-miler, although it wasn't as easy as I'd hoped. The temperature was around 80 degrees and sunny, and I felt a little tight in the legs. I also ran a little faster pace than I wanted during the first half and kept trying to rein it in. My problem is that both the wind and hills cause me to kick it in, to my detriment.

Anyway, that's done and I'm all packed and ready to head west in the morning. One more short run in NM and then it's race day on Sunday. Woo hoo!

Last Long Run

Today was a 10-miler, the last of the long runs before the race. Eight days to go and then it'll be 26.2 miles in New Mexico. I suppose it's a good sign that 10 miles didn't seem like a long run, and almost like a day off from the longer runs we've been doing. That's where you want to be in your training and not trudging through the last of the Saturday runs. The day was cloudy and very humid, two conditions that will probably not be an issue on the 20th. Time to start packing and getting everything in order to go.

My Favorite Run

The 2x800 run is one of my favorites, as you my longtime reader knows. Today was the first time I've run this one with someone else. Not necessarily the best plan.

I wanted to run on level ground, so we ran on my normal route, which was a battle all by itself. Plus today it was cloudy, cool, and misty. Between the first and second interval the FVRP got a phone call from work, and I left him behind. Both of my intervals went pretty well, although I slowed down on the second to get past some flooding and mud on the path, but still logged a best time of 5:45/mile at one point.

My overall thought is that I need to run this more than once a cycle. For some reason I think it's a blast, even though that's not necessarily my first thought when I'm actually running it. However, the opportunity to run fast (although not compared to elite runners) is something I enjoy.

Post-Rain Run

This morning a big line of thunderstorms rolled through the area. It was supposed to break up by lunch time but finally died down about 1:30 p.m. I was beginning to think we wouldn't get in our run, but the sun actually came out and we hit the road for 6 miles. The plan called for speedwork but we decided that wasn't the best course given the post-rain humidity. When we finished up the humidity level was 70%. Could have been worse, I suppose.

A week from tomorrow we leave for NM and the race. Hard to believe it's almost finally here, but also glad to have the worst of the training behind us. We're expecting the worst for the race, weather-wise and the course. Regardless of how that goes, it'll be nice to be back home. Haven't been there for seven years, which hardly seems possible that I would be away for so long. Looking forward to some good food and spending time with old friends.

A Little Warm

When I looked at the forecast for today it said 72 degrees by noon. That was wrong. It was actually closer to 80 degrees, and if you believe the sign in front of the school at the finish it was actually 80. Fortunately the humidity was down, but so was the breeze. It was a tough slog, but we finished the 15 miles.

In actuality it was probably good practice for the race since there's a good chance the weather will be this warm there, too. I'm glad we're through with the long runs as we taper toward race day. Next Saturday is a 10-miler, but at this point that seems like a walk in the park.

Hills and Speed

The FVRP wasn't too happy about running hills this afternoon, but it had to be done. He suffered a little as we went out against the wind, walking a few times, but on the return route we had the wind at our backs. He misheard his Nike app and thought we had a half-mile to go when in reality we had a full mile. By that time he was feeling better and kicked it in. I made a remark about it and he asked how much more we had to go, which at the time was still over half a mile. We kept running faster and I thought my new Garmin was giving an incorrect pace, especially when we went sub-8. By the time we finished the 6 miles the pace showed as 7:20, and our last mile was done in 8:07. Not bad for a couple of older guys. The last part felt good.

My left calf was a little cramped today, the first time I've felt that since I started foam rolling. I did an extra-long rolling session this evening and I'm hoping that will help for the long run in a few days.

An Easy One

We're at the point in the training plan where a 6-mile run seems like a jog around the block. That's a good thing, because it means the training is working. We ran the Craig Ranch route on a nice sunny afternoon with some wind out of the north. Also, it was the second outing with the new Garmin. I need to get a little more used to some of the features but that'll come in time. Good day, good run.

20 Felt Better

Today's 20-mile long run felt way better than the previous weeks' runs of 14 and 18. For a couple of reasons, I think. First, it was not humid at all, which killed us last week. And second, maybe this whole training thing is starting to pay off.

After last Saturday's debacle with my iPhone, which continually keep prompting me as if I'd invoked Siri and didn't play  music for the last half of the run, I decided there's no way I'm going to put up with that again. I ordered a Garmin Forerunner 620, which came in Thursday afternoon (it was supposed to get here Wednesday - that's not a two-day delivery from Sunday either, but that's not the point of this story). I charged it and then played with it briefly on Friday, and then hoped it would go the whole 20 miles today without incident. I'm happy to say it worked great. It was nice to have the info on my wrist instead of contorting myself to look at my phone in it's holster on my upper arm. I put it back on the charger and it was only down to 65% after four-plus hours. I got it for a great price on Amazon, and other than the delayed delivery I'm happy with it. More to come on that.

We ran through the Craig Ranch area and then southeast, like we did a few weekends ago. We thought the trail went a lot longer than where we turned around last time, and we were wrong. Fortunately we made it up with a different path on one of the creeks, like we did previously so we didn't have to run the hills in Craig Ranch again. I'm a little stiff now, but that's to be expected after 20 miles.

Every day this past week I used the new foam roller Daughter #2 got me for my birthday last weekend. I rolled my calf muscles, hammies, and hips. None of those bugged me at all during the run. The only thing caused issues were my quads, which I rolled only once last week. Not sure if the rolling made that big a difference, but trust me, I'm going to keep rolling before the race.

As far as long runs go, this was by far the best we've had. Three weeks from tomorrow it's race day. This was a good step toward being ready.

Missed One

Tuesday was just a nasty day. Rain, high winds, and cool temperatures. After a full five seconds of internal debate I decided not to worry about running. So I didn't.

Today was a different story. Temperature in the 50s, sunshine, and just a little breeze from the north. We ran 6 miles. Since this Saturday is our 20-mile day I'm sure missing a day won't hurt too much, and today was a pretty easy run. I'm looking forward to being done with the long run in a couple of days and then the taper to the race. The FVRP said he was looking up some reviews and that it's going to be worse than we thought. Well, I wouldn't expect a race named after the Bataan Death March to be easy.

A Cake Walk

Today the humidity was up, and that spelled doom for our 14-miler. We walked a lot, and hydrated plenty, but it was still a cake walk. (for reference, check the television show Cougar Town for the usage of that phrase in the last sentence). It totally kicked ass. (also a Cougar Town reference)

I tried a new belt with larger bottles and did not like it, other than the fact I had enough to drink to get me to the end. I also wore my new boonie hat, which I will be wearing during the actual race. It was lightweight and breathable, for the most part, but I still took it off a half-mile from the end when we were running into the wind, mainly to cool off.

Not one of my favorite runs ever, but we finished. And that was the goal, after all.

Solo Hills

Today I ran by myself, and it had its moments, both up and down. I went out early to avoid the high winds that are predicted to intensify during the day. I probably went out too quick, and on the turn from Stonebridge onto Virginia I had to walk a couple of minutes after running uphill against the wind. My 9:24 pace for the 6 miles was the fastest for a run since I started using the Nike app, beating a November 3rd run by two whole seconds per mile. Overall I felt pretty good, and the fact that I'm running in shorts in mid-February makes me happy.

Unintentional Speedwork

Today's plan called for speedwork, but after our 18-miler on Tuesday and a crappy night of sleep for the FVRP, we decided to take it easy. Except he didn't. He was pushing and running at a faster pace than I wanted. For the first half I kept trying to rein him in, but he kept pushing. At the halfway point I decided that was enough of that. I started speeding up myself, bit by bit, until we were finally going at a pretty good clip. He mentioned that I was running faster, and I said I know, I'm going to run you into the ground. We finished the 6 miles at a pace just under 10 minutes/mile, and that includes a walk of a couple of minutes. Not bad. Maybe he should have a restless night before every speed workout.

Up to 18

Today's long slow run was an 18-miler, next to the longest we'll run during this plan. We tried out walking every two miles, starting at the two-mile mark. I think it worked okay, but we'll see tomorrow how the recovery feels. By the end of the run it certainly didn't feel much better, but my thought is that 18 miles is going to hurt no matter what. I can say this afternoon that I feel better than the same point in time after last week's 15 miles, but again the true test is when I wake up in the morning.

We ran southeast, along a trail that took us into Allen and almost to Hwy 75. We're thinking it might work for our 20-miler in a couple of weeks since we didn't reach the end of the trail, but that's going to require a little bit of research. My hips, knees, and feet were sore by the end, but again, that's expected. I was doing some looking at the Bataan race site, and let's just say I expect it to be...challenging. Not sure I can get in the kind of training around here that it requires. At least we'll be there four days early to try and get used to the altitude. Unless we go find a desert in this area with some big hills we're out of luck. All we can do is keep training on the local hills and get in the distance.

Perfect Day

The temperature seemed a little warm for our run this morning, but this being mid-February I can't complain that it was about 60 degrees. The sun was shining, the wind was down, and it was just...nice. We ran the 6-mile hill route and it went okay. I felt like we were pushing some, but the FVRP had trouble with the "heat" and had to walk a few times. I didn't mind since that's what we'll be doing in the race. All that aside, I'm just thankful for a gorgeous day.

Change to Easy Run

The weather didn't cooperate for an outing yesterday - I mean, I probably could have gone out for a 4-miler, but the 30-mph winds kept me inside. I decided I needed the extra day off more than a run in those conditions.

Today was supposed to be a marathon-pace run, but I changed it to an easy run since both the FVRP and I still felt banged up from Saturday's long run. I think it was the right choice, and I know I felt better after the 6 miles than I would if I'd tried to get in some speed work. Plus there was very little wind compared to yesterday. Sometimes the wise choice is the easy one.

Painful 15

Today's run started with misty skies and a temperature around 40 degrees. We ran a couple of miles through the neighborhood and then stopped by the house to pick up our fuel belts. Then we ran an out and back route, past Towne Lake and into an older neighborhood. By the time we got to the lake I was in a little bit of pain, and that didn't really abate at all. Right before we hit 12 miles I had to stop and walk because my whole drive chain felt out of kilter. Walking for a couple hundred yards helped, and I made it the rest of the way without incident. The FVRP tweaked his hip as we made our last big turn 3/10ths of a mile from the finish and we had to walk a few minutes there.

I think I felt worse after a shower and short nap, but once I got up and started walking around I felt a little better. I'm a little surprised how bad I felt during and after the run. I'm inclined to run a short 4-miler or so on Monday to stretch out a bit and do something easy. Hopefully my work schedule will allow it.

Hill Run Again

It's nice to be able to break out midday for a run, and due to my schedule today I had to wait until mid-afternoon. The schedule called for hill running, and the FVRP had to run on his own since our schedules didn't sync. I ran the 6 miles in an overall 9:27 pace, which ain't bad. The temperature was about 50 degrees with a stiff breeze out of the NW, but overall it was pretty good for a run. I was able to wear shorts with a long-sleeved technical t-shirt. The sunshine was nice, too. Not a lot to complain about on this run, and it's one of the better outings I've had lately.

Back to Yasso 800s

Today we ran in the wonderful wind and did some modified Yasso 800s. With the lack of a good GPS watch I decided we would run half-mile intervals, which is pretty much the same as 800m, and then a half-mile recovery instead of the 400m that the plan prescribes. It was actually a pretty good reintroduction to speed work, and allowed us to walk a little for recovery. The Craig Ranch neighborhood gate was open and we were able to stay on relatively flat ground. My Nike app reported to me afterword that I set a personal 1k record somewhere in the 5-minute range, and that seems suspect to me. I don't think I was ever moving that fast. I think if I had I would have felt like puking at some point.

Somewhat Painful

Today was a 13-miler and it was a little bit painful. The first five miles was okay, but by the second route around the neighborhood I was tight in the hips, knees, and calfs. It was a gorgeous day, so that wasn't the problem. I think it's mainly a result of extending the distance for the first time in about 18 months or so. This is part of the training process. I've been here before and know that it will get better. At least that's the goal.

Alone on the Hills

Ran by myself today with no walking. I ran the same route as Tuesday, hills on Virginia and Stonebridge, and felt much better. Still not 100%, but close. I was tempted to walk a few times, but not too bad. I picked up the pace the last half-mile and finished with an average time of 9:36. Not too bad, with a pace of 9:01 the last mile.

According to my Nike app, that was my 10th run this month with a total of 72 miles. On Saturday we'll make that run #11 for a grand total of 85.1 miles for January. And that's after missing a couple of runs last week when I was in Austin and didn't feel good. At the moment I feel like I'm on track for the race in March.

Stupid Hills

The FVRP took out some workplace anger on the hills of Stonebridge and Virginia Parkway today. I'm still recovering from last week and could have used a slower pace, but at the finish of our 6 miles I told him that next time I go out like a rabbit and he complains to remember today. The problem for me is that I feel about 80% back to normal but my breathing wasn't quite up to snuff yet. My airway felt a little restricted but I stuck with it. Hoping a few more nights of good sleep will clear up this stuff.

Busted Week

A big missed opportunity this week to run in one of my favorite cities, Austin. I flew into town on Monday and out again on Wednesday, leaving a couple of evenings to run down by the river. On Sunday afternoon I was hit with a big allergy attack, and it continued even worse over the next couple of days in Austin. On Tuesday I got back to the hotel about 6 p.m. and went to bed, sleeping until 7 the next morning. So much for running in a great city this time, but I'll be back.

I haven't run at all since last Saturday, and today called for 11 miles. Fortunately I finally felt close to normal when I woke up this morning, which wasn't the case as late as yesterday. The FVRP and I did two circuits around his neighborhood to get in the mileage. I took a few more walk breaks than usual, but it was needed since I was trying to not push too hard after a lost week. We made it. My left hip felt tight during the run, and this afternoon my right calf has been hurting. Oh, well. All signs that I'm in the midst of ramping up the mileage.

Slog

Today's 10-miler kind of turned out to be a slog. Neither of us were looking forward to it, and a temperature around 40 degrees with a stinging wind out of the north didn't help. We walked a few times but slogged through. Our route took us past the dog park and into the loop south of Virginia Parkway, which turned out to be waterlogged in places. On the way back we skipped the loop.

Although it was cold, for Texas, I kept counting my blessings since the cold here is nowhere near the colder runs from my KC days. At one point I remarked that weather like this felt warm during all those sub-freezing outings in Missouri. There were times I would have killed for this kind of day. No complaints.

Blast

Ran 6 miles on a few hills today even though the plan called for an easy run. In addition I ran the last two-tenths at a sprint, which felt really good. The weather was warm, in the 60s, with a nice stiff breeze from the west. For me it was a good outing, not so much for the FVRP. After a trip to Vegas for work it was good to get out and enjoy a run and not feel like crap.

I looked at the plan for the next few months and it ramps up pretty darn quick. At least I'm not trying to train for this in ice and snow.

Another Cold One

It only made it to the upper 30s today in North Texas, with a stiff wind out of the WNW. We ran our 9 miles and again, it wasn't horrible. The FVRP had to get on a plane to Vegas this afternoon, and I'm doing the same tomorrow. I think it will probably be worse for him since at least I get a night of sleep in between my run and sitting on a plane for 3+ hours. So far our training plan is going well, and we're planning to run in Vegas, but we'll see how that goes. Lots of meetings and several late nights ahead, I'm sure.

More Hills

Today was another hilly run. From what the FVRP has said over the past several years he had trouble finding hills to run around here. Not so. It's probably just the part of the city we live in, but there are some hills that are a real pain in the butt. Not as steep as a few of the worst ones in KC, but still plenty good for training. There was a cold wind out of the south but by the time we were four miles in the sun came out and it started to warm up. I remarked that it was a tough run for planning how to dress. We got our 6 miles in, pre-Vegas, and we're taking our running gear. Whether or not we follow through is another question.

Frigid Run...for Texas

The temperature hiked up to around 40 degrees this afternoon, but there was a nice cool breeze to bring the temperature down. We ran from the FVRP's place, and he was kind enough to lend me a hat since I forgot mine. Our outing was after work and fortunately before the sun went down. We did a 6-miler, out and back, and I felt good. I used to run after work all the time and it was a good de-stresser, and it worked that way today, too. We had an announcement about our VP leaving and there are a lot of unanswered questions, but things will shake out. They always do.

First Run of 2016

We ran 8 miles today and it wasn't too bad. The weather was a little warmer than last Saturday. We ran the same route, except a little further at the end before the turnaround. I know in a few weeks I'll be thinking of how a run like this is a short run, comparatively speaking, but today didn't really feel like 8 miles. We kept the pace slow, knowing that we need to build up endurance rather than speed. And besides, the actual race is going to be for the experience, not for time. Not that we can't do our best to finish as quick as possible, but if we have to walk a lot that's okay. I guess the more we practice walking during a run the better, right?