Hills Again

Once more I thought this would be a good day to run hills. Maybe a mistake. I realized after 4 pm that it was late, and hurried to get out. Wind was blowing out of the NW, which was fine on the way out but not so much as a few weeks ago when I ran uphill against the wind when it was against me from the S.

In the end it turned out to be all good. I ran 6 miles and never stopped, even though I wanted to on the steep hills. The weight continues to peal off and that seems to be good motivation to persevere. Plus it also seems to help in the running itself. If I was carrying that extra 18 or so pounds I probably would have walked at some point, and maybe more than one. Without it I was able to carry on. Maybe one of these runs I should strap on a belt with extra weight and see how it feels.

Or not.

In the Morning

Rain was in the forecast for later in the morning and overnight, which as of this writing at 6:30 p.m. has not occurred. Still, basing my decision on what the interwebs told me, I ran this morning at about 9 a.m. The temperature was in the upper 50s, and very good for my 6-mile run. The breeze was nice, and I wore long sleeves just to avoid the cool day. Overall my pace was a well under 10 minutes/mile and I considered it a good run. I even ran up the big hill, which as the casual reader will notice, usually happens on cooler days.

A Long One

Meant to post this yesterday but the computer was acting the fool when it came to Internet connections. I ran 10 miles, with a couple of walks toward the end, but all in all a good run on a nice day. I thought it might be a little bit cool outside when I left, but that was not the case, and in fact it warmed up nicely. That gradual warming contributed to the walking in the last couple of miles.

It turned out to be a good thing that I ran so far since we went out for dinner with friends and  I ate too much, in addition to the dessert that we had afterward. It all came out even though since I weighed the same this morning that I did yesterday before the run. I tried to not eat too much, but let's just say that chips and salsa are a dangerous thing.

Blown Away

Made it back from Austin about midday and out for a run by 4:30. The temperature was in the 80 degree range and wind was in the 25-30 mph range, with some stronger gusts. It came out of the southeast and did a decent job of keeping me from overheating, but even so I still walked several times. Especially up the big hill since there was no way I was running uphill against that. Even though it was very warm and windy I still felt like it was a good run. I wasn't able to get out for a run in Austin due to after work commitments and early meetings.

I found a half marathon here in McKinney in late April that I'm hoping will work with my schedule. The funny thing is that it starts out at the end of my long run route near Towne Lake and comes up to Boyd where you turn around for the trip back. This race should look familiar, just in reverse.

Texas Spring

Looks like spring is here for the foreseeable future, which in Texas means it's going to be in the 80s. I got up early (for a Saturday) and ran 9 miles. It was overcast and very humid, but building on my most recent runs I went the whole way without walking. All in all a good week of running, I would say. The pace was right at 10 minutes/mile, which was perfect since humidity and running too fast have often been my downfall. Afterward I shaved off the beard in anticipation of the warmer weather ahead.

Hills

A little before my run this afternoon I decided it would be a hill day. Not only would it vary my normal route, but it's also one of the last days with moderate temperatures before we start living in the 80s next week. I ran out of the neighborhood to Virginia Parkway and west to Ridge, where I headed downhill and met up with the path behind some houses that led to Stonebridge. Good hills all around, with the biggest on the way south on Ridge up to Virginia. Even though the wind blowing out of the south was a pain, at least it cooled me off and I ran all the way up that big hill, plus the one going east on Virginia. Both are longer and steeper than the one in front of the school that I sometimes walk, and running it all gave me a nice bit of satisfaction. It was a good, tough run and one with a sense of accomplishment.

Low Side of Warm

Today the temperature hit about 61 degrees. I started out slow on my 6-mile run, but as happened on Saturday my pace kept increasing. Fortunately this time it wasn't so warm. It was close to being too warm, but just barely cool enough to keep me from overheating and having to walk. In fact, I even ran up the big hill and kicked up the pace at the end in the neighborhood. With warmer weather in the forecast and a business trip next week this might be the end of quicker pacing on these weekday runs. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

Brain Overruled

I ran 8 miles today with the last 1.5 or so a little difficult. That was because my stupid body overruled my brain, which kept trying to slow down my pace. After a couple of outings at a 9-minute-ish pace, my brain was smart enough to know that those runs were at a lower temperature. Today when I started it was about 60 degrees, and rose to about 70 by the time I finished. Walked a couple of times in the 7th mile, and then up the hill before finishing in the neighborhood. Even with those bits of walking I finished under ten minutes/mile. It's nice to be back home but my body needs to listen to my brain.

Less Kansas Wind

Today was much calmer than Tuesday. The temperature was supposed to be hotter as well, but I think it peaked around noon and then cooled to the upper 50s by the time I ran late in the afternoon. I went my 6 miles, winding through the neighborhood and parks, at a pace just a hair under 9 minutes/mile. My last mile was at 8:18, which actually felt good. I tried to keep it loose the whole time and a few times even had to rein it in. That's what running in cooler weather will do for you. I know that won't last, though, as it's already getting warmer back home and summer isn't far behind. I enjoyed running the past few days. My Garmin told me I had my fastest 5k time (since I've had this one), at (I think) 27:01. Not blazing fast, but still not bad for a normal training run.

Kansas Wind

This week I'm in Kansas at my parents' house, and wow, has it been windy. The wind has been constant the past couple of days, 20+ mph with higher gusts, but I decided I was going to run today regardless. And in spite of the wind I had a really good run. There was no way I could plan my route to get in 6 miles beforehand, so I ran the streets north/south and east/west to get in all the distance I wanted. At one point the wind pushed me from behind, giving me a nice boost in pace. When all was said and done I'd finished at a 9:25 pace, which I feel is pretty good for a regular run with a lot of it against the wind. Hopefully it won't be that bad for the next run, but if it is at least I'm prepared.

A Difference of 20 Degrees

Today I ran the same route as a couple of days ago, this time with a difference of 20 degrees in the temperature. It was much cooler and it showed in the results. I ran the 6 miles without stopping (except for one annoying traffic light), even up the hills. One weird thing was that as I ran through the park a drone kept flying back and forth overhead. I figure it probably wasn't directed at me, and even if it was the operator had to be pretty darn bored. At the end I felt good about the run and the pace. A nice outing in Austin.