Running Before Coffee

I got up early enough this fine Saturday morning to run before it gets too hot. That also means running before having any coffee, which is good because now that I'm home I can sit on the patio and enjoy several cups without having to rush. The temperature was in the upper 70s but as usual, the humidity percentage was about the same number. I took the easterly route today, with the variety of going on the north side of the neighborhood around the pond to remain longer in the shade of the trees along the path. This is how today's run went: ran first mile, walked a minute. Ran the second mile, walked to the end of the bridge and back to add another quarter-mile or so to the total. Ran the third mile, walked about three minutes. Ran to the bottom of the big hill, walked up it. Ran the final third of a mile or so and walked the couple of blocks home to cool off. All told, about 4.5 miles, including the walking. Thought about going longer but decided a little over an hour of exercise would be enough without adding an extra half-mile. I'd say overall it's been a good week in the running department. Not outstanding, but pretty good given the heat and humidity.

A Brief History of Time

Just kidding, this is NOT a brief history of time. Sometimes thinking of a title for a post is hard work and you just end up going with whatever pops into your head. Instead, this is a brief history of today's 4-mile run. I took the westerly route, the one with bigger hills. I ran the first half and then walked for a couple of minutes before resuming the third mile, the end of which included walking a quarter mile up a humongous hill before running the last mile without stopping. The first mile of this route is mostly uphill, meaning a gentle incline that keeps you from really ever catching your breath. I went during the late morning when the sun was shining and temperature only about 80 degrees. One thing about going that direction is that there are a lot less people than on my usual route through the park. Go figure. A nice breeze from the southeast helped when I ran that direction. Overall, a good outing and nice chance to get my run in early for the day.

Opportunity

When the opportunity arises, run before it gets hot. That opportunity presented itself today, and so I did. Temperature was mid-80s and about ten degrees higher when adding in heat index, all on its way to a high of 93 today. A breeze from the south felt really good when I hit the straightaway for the last mile and I audibly sighed in contentment. I went 3 miles, trying to keep it somewhat short due to work. I didn't see anyone else walking or running, but I did see several cyclists. Maybe they saw the same opportunity I did. We're definitely in the summer pattern now. No rain in the forecast, lots of sunlight, and a breeze that soon enough will feel like opening an oven. Hey, this is what I signed up for. No complaints here, just heat management.

Smoky Saturday and Running Sunday

Yesterday, Saturday, I should have gone for a run. The sky was overcast and temperature not too bad, although humid as usual. Instead, I smoked a pork shoulder, ribs, sausage, and cheesy corn dip. Yes, it turned out great and the family was happy. It's hard to mess up pork on the smoker. This morning, Sunday, I decided that I really shouldn't pass up another opportunity for some exercise, and so I ran 3 miles. A little more sunshine today and plenty of humidity. The run involved a bit of walking, but not as bad as earlier this week. I kept it at that distance to make sure I didn't end up in the same boat, as well as at a very slow pace to keep the heart rate down. It all worked just fine and I still have the stamina left over to mow the lawn this afternoon. Today's run was a fitting end to a week off work before resuming the normal schedule tomorrow.

More Humidity

Missed Tuesday's run due to a road trip and got out this morning. Oh, the humidity! The first couple of miles went well. Then it devolved into about as much walking as running. There's a section running by the lake in the neighborhood to the north where the air gets kind of dead. That was rough. It reminds me of Happy Rock Park in Gladstone (see how they named it?) where the trail ran around the perimeter of an area in kind of a bowl. I could probably go back a dozen years or so to look at posts about how un-breezy it was in that park. I went 4 miles total today and felt like a wrung-out sponge by the time I got home. Still, I needed to sweat and get in some exercise. We haven't hit 100 degrees yet in north Texas and the forecast looks to be in the mid-90s for the foreseeable future. As usual, I won't let the heat stop me but there will be walking when needed.

Wedding Day

Our youngest is getting married today and what better time to go for a run? After all, the ceremony's not until later. I was going to the store this morning to get some last-minute items, but The Wife beat me to it, freeing me up to get out right away for a run. About 74 degrees when I set out with humidity in the 80% range. I took it nice and slow and enjoyed the breeze, which helped quite a bit with the moisture in the air. I ran 4 miles with a walk break at each mile marker. I thought there'd be more people out, and there were some, but I guess most folks didn't want to be up and about that early on a Saturday. It was a nice morning for a run and now it's a nice morning for coffee. And let's throw in a wedding to make it a day to remember.

Good Intentions and Wet Blankets

My intent today was to run five miles. Did I? Not even close. We've had more rain the last couple of days and that sent the humidity soaring. This morning it was 95% and dropped to 75% this afternoon. I started my run as usual and by the end of the first mile I felt like I could barely breathe. It was like someone had taken a hot, wet blanket and thrown it over my head and body. Not exactly the recipe for a successful run. Rather than push onward, I decided to walk back home. So I went 2 miles but only ran the first half. Not quite the outcome I wanted when I set out, but sometimes life doesn't always cooperate. Anyway, lots of family coming into town starting tonight for the wedding on Saturday and hoping to get in a run that morning before the blessed event. Not that I have to do much other than walk the bride down the aisle. And wear a suit and tie. I think I can handle it. 

Hills and Sweat

I ran the westerly route today, which is quite a bit hillier than the regular one to the east. The sky was overcast and a nice breeze came out of the south, plus it was not nearly as humid today as on Saturday. I ran 4 miles with the only walking being up the big hill at the corner of Ridge and Virgina Parkway. Other than that, I ran at a nice, easy pace. Nothing out of the ordinary on today's run. I mowed the lawn when I got home since rain is in the forecast over the next several days and the combination of sun and rain has the grass growing fast lately. Who knew? We have a wedding coming up on Saturday for our youngest, but it's later in the day and I'm hoping to get in a run that morning. Shouldn't be a problem unless it's raining. My sister is running a half in San Antonio, which sadly, I won't be able to join. Not that I'm in half-marathon shape right now anyway. Maybe later in the year.

In the Sauna

It must have sprinkled right before I left the house this morning since the streets and sidewalks were darker than normal, but not slick. They dried quickly and the air felt like soup. As I write this, at mid-afternoon, the humidity is 56% and adding ten degrees to the air temperature. When I ran, the humidity had to be at least 10% higher. The first couple of miles went okay and when I reached my turnaround point at 2.5 miles I was sweating like crazy. I saw a friend and walked with him for a half-mile before resuming my run. I went over 5.5 miles total, and I have to say that last mile I walked and ran as the spirit took me at any particular moment. The heart rate was up a little bit at that point and I decided I wasn't out to set any records, so pushing to the point of exhaustion seemed like a bad idea. Let's just say I felt like a bucket of sweat by the time I arrived home and a nap in the hammock seemed like the right thing to do. So, I did. Glad I went for a run, as usual, but it certainly felt like spending a bunch of time in a sauna.

Running Up That Hill

Have I used that title for a post before? If I have, it's been a few years and apologies for recycling it. If not, then disregard the apology. At least it's relevant. And yes, I get the Kate Bush reference in that particular title. I was a fan back in the '80s when that song first came out, several decades before Stranger Things made it a hit again. But I digress.

I ran this morning since there's rain in the forecast. Plus, it was only 70 degrees. And cloudy. With a bit of a breeze. Honestly, what better weather could you ask for on the fifth day of June? I clocked 4 miles without stopping. Yes, I even ran the big hill on Lake Forest. Slowly, but it felt all right. Cooler weather will do that to you. I thought above a five-miler, but decided I didn't want to be away from my laptop that long, so I traded the extra mile for a hill ascent. Nice day, good run.

Four in the Breeze

 Temperature this afternoon was 90 degrees with heat index of 98. At least there was a nice breeze from the south to cool me off when I ran that direction. Otherwise, I walked at each mile marker, as usual, and took it slower than normal. We had some partial clouds, maybe the harbinger of a storm later this evening. 4 miles and for the most part felt good. Tried to not push it too hard in the heat and I think I was successful in that effort. Humidity has definitely arrived and it looks like heat won't be far behind.

Nice Morning

Today's 4-miler went well. A nice day the last of May, with abundant sunshine and a bit of a breeze. I drank plenty of coffee to start off the day and had to wait until it made it through my system before heading out. The temperature was right about 80 degrees, which means I walked at each mile marker. I ran into one of my pub friends at three miles and talked with him for about ten minutes before finishing the last mile. Now it's on to some yard work and other chores on a lovely Saturday.

Second Serving

Another serving of soup today in the form of high humidity. The temperature was in the mid-80s but with lots of moisture in the air. I thought about running longer but ended up at 3 miles. The will to go farther was there at the beginning, but I felt like I was running in slow-motion. I walked at the mile markers as well as the midpoint, so not my strongest run ever. Still, as always it was good to get out and sweat. We also got some intermittent clouds along the way, which helped. I also enjoyed watching the big cranes moving air handling units on and off the roof at the high school as I passed by. It's amazing how tall those lifts are. If I was a kid I'd probably beg my mom to go sit where I could watch them for hours. As an adult, that option's still on the table.

Soupy Run

Storms came through over the weekend and left everything humid and soupy. I decided to run mid-morning rather than letting it get steamy this afternoon. 3 miles with a walk at the two-mile point, but otherwise pretty good. It felt slow, probably because I was. I certainly wasn't going to do any speedwork in these conditions. I know the rain will end soon and we'll be in the throes of summer, but I'm okay with that. At least I can count on Texas to make things interesting.

Sprinting

Well, I missed Thursday due to family obligations. Today was super-humid and I knew a run wasn't going to go well. So, I walked 2 miles, but with a wrinkle thrown in. I sprinted twice, going and coming back over the bridge on Lake Forest. It's about 250 yards and I thought, hey, let's do something different. On the second sprint I got under a 6-minute pace, which is still pretty fast for this guy. Yeah, I probably should have sucked it up for a run, but this was a nice change. At a certain point in life we stop sprinting for anything, unless it's an emergency. This was just for fun and I enjoyed it. A+, would highly recommend.

The Return

I'm back from traveling and ready to run. Gosh, I miss it when the schedule goes haywire. Went to Las Vegas and Atlanta last week. Very tiring, but mostly good. Now that I'm back in Texas, the weather cooperated and I got out for 3 miles today to get back into the swing of things. Sunny, breezy from the north, and 81 degrees. You know what that means. Walking at the mile markers. Good thing since this was a get-back-into-it type of run. Felt good and happy to be out on the paths. No future travel plans, at least for now. Which means there's no excuse for not running unless there's lightning out there. Let's see what I can do to keep going as we enter the summer months.

Managing the Days

Yep, I was able to get in a 3-mile run today before the rest of the week goes down the tubes. It's one of the rare Monday runs these days and nice weather certainly helped. Sun shining, breeze from the north, and temperature in the low 70s. Can't ask for much more than that. I mean, I could ask, but that's probably not going to get me anywhere. I'll take it, though. Over the next several days I won't be running but I'll get in plenty of walking, I'm sure. Next week I can hopefully get back on track with the running thing.

Sick

The best-laid plans and all that. Tuesday I got sick for the first time in a long while, which involved a fever and chills. It coincided with an extremely rainy day, so I probably wouldn't have gotten out anyway. Still, I'm not a fan of being sick, but then, who is? I even went to bed at 7 pm that night. The fever finally broke a few hours after midnight, but I didn't feel back to normal until a short nap Wednesday afternoon seemed to set things right. Thursday I still felt like I was in recovery, so it wasn't until today that I ran again. What a nice day! Sunny, a nice breeze, and temperature around 70 degrees. I went west for a change of pace, 4 miles total, which included walking up the big hill where the route comes up Ridge and then east on Virginia. I felt pretty good overall after the bout of sickness. Unfortunately, I know this next week's schedule is not going to be conducive to running. Hoping I can at least get out Monday.

Nice and Mild

The temperature was 62 degrees this morning when I set out for a 4-miler, sunny with a nice breeze from the north. A nice run overall, with a break about 1.5 miles in when I ran into a friend and talked for a few minutes about his recent trip to Oklahoma. On the return leg I started thinking about how this ended up being a decent running week with three outings, but about half the mileage I used to run. I consoled myself with the realization that at least I'm still running and that's a good thing. I can increase the mileage, but getting out is the main goal. I suppose it was a chance to feel bad about setting the bar lower as far as mileage, but I decided to go with the fact I'm still running and still want to run. That's what I want.

After the Rain

We got rain yesterday. A lot of rain. I'm not sure we've had that much in such a short amount of time since we've lived here the past ten years. It was probably in the range of four inches or so, which is a lot for Texas. Yesterday was trash pickup day and the neighbors' bins seemed like they were about to float away with all the water rushing down the street. One of the parks was flooded when I drove by it yesterday after the rain stopped, and when I ran today I could see water lines well above the stream and neighborhood pond along my route. Anyway, that left it nice and humid for today. I ran 3 miles, well, all of it except a couple of minutes at the two-mile mark. I've been feeling kind of fatigued lately and that's a sure sign I'm not getting enough exercise. I plan to keep going and hopefully feeling less crummy. Regardless of the rain or humidity.

Over 80

It was over 80 degrees again today and you know what that means. Or maybe you don't. It means walking at every mile marker. This helps me ease into the summer temperatures. I went 3 miles and that included the walking at the beginning and end, so really only 2.7 miles of running. Minus the other minute-long walks at the mile marks. And the big hill into the neighborhood. So, maybe 2.4 miles? Anyway, I felt a little sluggish, maybe because I woke up three times last night. I blame that on one of the dogs having the scoots in their crate and my thinking I heard a dog barking. In protest. Turns out I wasn't dreaming it, but it still made for a not-so-good night of sleep. Let's hope the week improves from here, both for the dogs and me.

Early Run

We have some obligations today, so I got up and started my 3-mile run a little after seven a.m. Not a lot of people out, but a few walkers and cyclists. The mild temperature certainly helped offset the humidity from the rains of the past few days. I enjoyed getting out before the rest of the world woke up and got busy. When I came home I ate breakfast and sat on the patio drinking coffee, while the neighborhood birds sang their little hearts out. Nice and relaxing start to the day, including the run.

Spike

The temperature spiked to the mid-80s today and with that, I walked at every mile marker as is normal when the mercury surpasses 80 degrees. I ran 3 miles and really, it wasn't too bad. A breeze from the south helped keep things manageable. I felt a bit sluggish in the last mile, maybe due to age or heat, or both. I also have to mow the lawn today, so better get to it.

Rain? Not So Much

Supposedly, we were supposed to get rain all day. Instead, it's been overcast with a distinct lack of rain. Maybe later, says the forecast. In the meantime, I went out and did 3 miles right before lunch. Seems like my foot problems are in the past, which makes me happy. I don't like having to recover from an injury when the weather is a mild as it has been the past few weeks. Oh well, you don't always get to pick the timing of these things. I felt good and was glad to get a run in today since the forecast had made it look like that wouldn't happen.

A Nice 3

Lovely day here in north Texas and I got out at lunch for a 3-miler. Light breeze and sunshine plus mild temperatures all combined to make it a good run. I enjoy days like this, knowing what it's going to be like around here in a few months. My foot pain lingers like a phantom that won't leave, but it's not getting worse. I think using the shoe inserts in my normal-wear shoes has helped. Afterward, since I was already nice and sweaty, I ran the lawnmower over a patch in the back and most of the front yard where the shade grass is already growing nicely. Looks like rain all day Saturday and into Sunday, but we'll see how accurate the forecast is in affecting my upcoming weekend run.

Give Me Three

Skipped Thursday's run due to work and a little bit of foot pain, but got out today for 3 miles. The pain is still there on the underside of my right foot. Not as bad, though. I put inserts into my daily-wear sneakers and that seems to have helped. We'll see how it feels the next few days. My heart rate hit the theoretical maximum at the end of today's run (220 minus age). As I've stated before, I'm pretty that's not exactly correct. Feels like I should have a higher max, especially when I'm in good shape. I'm not out of shape right now, exactly, but I'm also not at the top of my game. The answer? Keep running.

Another Recovery

It's been another ten days since I ran due to the foot pain. BTW, the meat I smoked on the 29th turned out very well to popular acclaim. Anyway, I thought about the foot issue and what had changed. I'm using the same running shoes I've always used and a pair that gave me no problems. What did change was the weather, and with that going back to casual sneakers with no arch support. They're what I've worn for years when getting out and about (non-running, of course), but I don't wear them over the course of winter. Resuming their usage must've caused problems with my feet and so I've discontinued using them for now. I bought a pair of another brand of casual shoe, this with a little more arch and cushioning in the heel. I've only worn them once so far, yesterday, and then today I ran 3 miles. I have a little bit of pain, but not too bad. I'll continue with the new casual shoes and hopefully that makes the difference.

Foot Pain

Yes, it's been eleven days since I ran. After the last outing, the bottom of my right foot between the middle and fourth toes swelled. I don't know why. It was weird, because I'd expect something like that on the ball of my foot, but not in the middle. I iced it and then took it easy for - well, the last eleven days. Today I felt the cabin fever and knew I needed to get in some exercise. Even though I'm smoking a pork butt today, I slipped out for a 3-miler. The run itself was good, but my foot is aching again in the same spot. Must be something with my shoes that apparently popped up unexpectedly, but I don't know what. More to come on that, I think. Now it's time to relax and smoke some meat and jalapeno poppers.

Spring Winds

The spring winds continue today, to the tune of 25 mph with gusts over 40. That made running southward a bit more difficult, but even more than that the temperature of 80 degrees slowed me. I walked a couple of times on the last half but managed to get in 4 miles. It was a nice, easy outing after the race on Saturday. I felt a few calf twinges in the first couple hundred yards but told myself if I couldn't run, at least I could walk. They went away and didn't come back, so running only came into play because of the heat. Yeah, it's going to get hotter, but this is the part of the year where I start to build tolerance. That way when the thermometer hits 100 degrees I can at least go out for a bit where there's shade.

Shamrock 5k 2025

This morning turned out to be nice, a far cry from the gusty day before. It seems a good part of west Texas blew into town yesterday and the sky was filled with dust. We caught a break for the 5k, which started at 9 a.m. Really, it only got a little breezy with the last half-mile or so, which circuited Towne Lake and put us going due east into the wind. Could've been worse. Anyway, I didn't run Thursday due to work issues, and felt like I had fresh legs today. It actually went way better than I would've hoped. The first mile is mostly uphill, kind of a kick in the pants to start a race. I felt good, and jumped ahead at a good 10-minute pace. Most of that was spent dodging around slow people and walkers, who for some reason all think they should be at the front when we start. That's my biggest pet peeve about people in these races. The second mile recovered the previous elevation gain and my pace increased slightly. My time was (unofficially) 29:42, a nice time for a guy of my age who hasn't been running fast at all. I feel good about coming in under the half-hour mark. I looked at my watch a couple of times and it said my heart rate was basically at the max, but I don't think that was right. I definitely felt the effort of the run, but at no point did I feel like I was overdoing it. It makes me think the watch is off in measuring my heart rate, or maybe adrenaline and the little bit of competition offset it. IDK but it was a great run and I'm happy with the results.

Double the Fun

I just realized I forgot to log last Thursday's 4-mile run. Probably because I was able to go earlier in the day than normal and got busy doing other stuff. If I remember right and my fitness app is correct, I ran the whole way and even sprinted at the end. Probably because I knew Saturday would be a rainout.

Today I went 4 miles again, this time in sunshine and a stiff breeze from the south. It was also 80 degrees. I walked at the 3-mile mark since I figured that was a good practice distance for the 5k upcoming this Saturday. My music also went out less than 2.5 miles in, meaning I ran in relative silence for most of the last half. A couple of groups of high school kids out along the path and a few other random strangers enjoying the nice day. Looks like the wind is supposed to pick up again later this week, but hopefully the St. Patrick's Day run will be decent.

Sirens

Woke up just after 5 this morning to thunder and lightning, and then a bunch of wind. Somehow managed to go back to sleep and then was awakened again at 5:45 by tornado sirens. I checked the radar and all seemed well, other than a line of storms going through, and the sirens stopped shortly after. All that to say, I wasn't sure how the weather would turn out today other than windy. However, I apparently hit a good spot late morning with a stiff breeze from the southwest, but not as bad as it's going to get later. I ran 4 miles with about 200 yards of waking in the last mile when my heart rate got a bit higher than I like. I don't know, I don't feel horrible when that happens, but if I'm going by the recommended heart rate, it's over 90% in those instances. Anyway, the walk helped bring it back down and I finished just fine.

Unexpected

I set out for this morning's run with high hopes, but ended up unexpectedly walking most of the last mile. My heart rate was up for the first three miles, and then my right calf felt tight. So, I ended up walking. I went 4 miles total but had expectations of going two more. I could have pushed it, but I also have a lot of yard work to do today and didn't want to make things worse. It was a nice morning, about 70 degrees with sun and a good, stiff breeze. Wish I could have run longer.

Shorts for Real

Today I got wise and wore shorts since it was 70 degrees out and sunny. That proved to be the right choice, although the people who had to endure my winter-induced paleness probably wouldn't agree. I planned on going 5 miles when I set out and really had to make myself not turn at the two-mile mark. I'm glad I went the full distance because I kept telling myself I'm not going to have many nice days like this and it'd be a shame to waste. I think I had the mental game going on because I'd rather sit around and enjoy a nice, cold beverage on the back patio. Another thing I told myself: I needed a run more than I needed a cigar. The cigars will be there tomorrow, but tomorrow might not be a good day for running.

Shorts

What a nice day! I went for a lunchtime run when the temperature hit 60 degrees and I probably should've worn shorts. The long pants seemed a bit much. I ran 4 miles in the sunshine and light southerly breeze. Felt good the whole way and no walking necessary. The cold is behind us and we're into mild temperatures now. I plan to take full advantage of the nice weather.

Consistency

The only consistency I've maintained this month is that I've run every Saturday. Beyond that, not much else. Once again, we had an extremely cold week. Several mornings I woke up to 10-13 degrees Fahrenheit, with wind chill of -5. The afternoon temperatures soared into the low 20s. Needless to say, I didn't want to run in that weather, so I didn't. Today turned out much better, 49 degrees and sunny. I only went 3 miles, kind of a get-back-into-it kind of run. This coming week is supposed to be nicer and hopefully that gets my will to run back into place.

Want

I didn't run Tuesday or Thursday, and let me be clear on why: I didn't want to. The weather was cold, raining or misty, and windy. In other words, nasty. To be fair, I thought about running, but decided both times to stay inside where it's warm. Today kind of looked the same, except the temperature rose above 50 degrees on its way to the upper 60s. In fact, it was still misting just a bit when I walked out the front door. I could've turned around at that point but I'd already taken the trouble to dress and all. I ran 4 miles, not nearly as tough as my tries last week. Maybe it was because of fresh legs, or maybe the fact it wasn't over 80 degrees. Whatever, it turned into a good day. Looks like we're in for freezing weather again by mid-week, so I might move my outings around to accommodate.

What a Week

It wasn't the greatest of weeks in my long running career. An aborted run on Tuesday, a tough one with walking on Thursday, and today one that seemed relatively better but not great. The temperature was once again about 80 degrees, my normal threshold for adding in walk breaks. I did that today at the two-mile mark and again at three. That got me through 4.25 miles. I planned to go longer but realized I should take what I can get. It was nice enough outside but that higher February temp stifled my plans a little. It's supposed to get colder tomorrow and for the next week so maybe that'll help. Glad to get in a run but wish it could've been better. Oh, well. Like I said, sometimes you just have to take what you can get.

Hamburger Revenge

No cramps today, which was nice. However, my tactical mistake at lunch came back to haunt me. I met with the local work team at a burger joint, where I ordered a cheeseburger with bacon and fried egg, plus onion rings on the side. That proved to be a bad decision come run time. I went 4 miles total, running the first three at a painfully slow pace. I decided walking the last mile was the best course of action. In addition to the food, the temperature soared to 82 degrees at run time, further sapping my energy. Hey, I'm just glad I got to be outside and running without calf cramps.

Cramp Again

I wanted to run hills today as part of getting into much better shape, but the calf muscles in both legs cramped. Maybe because the temperature was twenty degrees lower today and felt worse because of the wind. Maybe because the first part of my attempted run was uphill. Maybe because I stood too much today. Maybe because I didn't drink enough water. I don't know. It's highly annoying, but I will try again Thursday. Heck, I might try tomorrow between meetings. We'll see.

Clear Path

Today was nice for a run, almost 60 degrees and sunny. Plus, the path was clear. The spot where I had to turn back Thursday was no longer submerged. Lots of people out enjoying the day, which provided a nice breeze from the south. I went 6 miles and thought about walking a couple of times due to heart rate, but it stayed pretty even and I felt fine so I ran the whole way. Who would've thought I could run three times in one week in late January/early February and wear shorts and t-shirt each outing? Not me, but I'm glad for the opportunity. As usual when the weather's nice, no complaints here.

Foiled

My plan was to run five miles today, but those plans were foiled. We got a couple of inches of rain last night, which flooded the path about two-tenths of a mile into my third. I had to choose between getting my shoes soaking wet and having to run with that issue, or turning back. Guess what I chose. That made my total end up at 4.44 miles for the day. It started out sunny and 63 degrees but clouded up in my last mile or so. Still not bad, and actually pretty nice weather for a run. We're supposed to be in for nice weather this weekend and I'm okay with that.

Gray but Good

Today was overcast but the temperature was in the upper 50s, although it didn't feel that warm. A slight breeze from the south made it feel that much cooler, too. Nevertheless, I figured it was nice enough to get out for a 4-miler. It went well and my heart rate didn't ratchet up like it did a few days ago. A little more self-control in the eating and drinking department probably helped with that issue. I wore shorts and t-shirt, probably a bit optimistic given the relative coolness, but it worked out okay and turned out to be good running weather. I think we're due for a few days of rain before it turns warmer for the weekend.

Too Long

Wow, I didn't realize until now that it's been 18 days since I last ran. Too long. That definitely wasn't in my plans. Between snow, travel for work, having family in town, and a four-day long allergy attack, I suppose I can explain it without trying to make excuses. Today I finally made it back out, where I ran 3 miles. It was a nice run, although my heart rate was a little too high but understandable given my layoff. The temperature was in the low 40s with a good breeze from the south, but at least it was sunny. My iPod had died due to lack of use, so I left it on the charger and ran anyway. I know I keep saying it, but I need to get back in the groove. I have a vested interest in getting back to normal since I'm going to sign up for the Shamrock 5k in March. I'd like to do better than last year.

Brrrrrr

We're experiencing a bout of freezing weather here in Texas, and yes, we're a bunch of big babies when it comes to the cold. I know I didn't move here for that. Today it was 36 degrees and felt like 24 when I ran, which is due to a nice cold 15 mph wind. I went all of 3.5 miles, figuring that was enough. Snow is in the forecast for Thursday, with anywhere from 3 to 10 inches predicted. In other words, they don't know. If it does snow, I won't be running. I did enough of that when we lived in KC. I'm not training for anything right now, so I'll stay inside where it's warm, thank you very much.

First Run of 2025

Normally, the first run of the year would've been on Thursday, but we had a wedding to attend that afternoon. Plus, I worked. That means today ended up being the first run of 2025. I ran 5 miles under overcast skies with a stiff breeze from the southwest. We're due to get a massive cold front over the next couple of days, so I'm glad I got in a run today. Plenty of people out and about on the paths today. I wore long pants and a technical t-shirt, which helped me with the cold breeze when I ran against the wind. Overall, a good start to the year.