One Week

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

Perfect Spring Day, New Route

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

Stealing Miles

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

Another Cool One

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

Spring Cool Run

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

I'm Counting It

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

Pleasant Run

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

In the Groove

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

7 Up

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

Easy Thursday

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

Return to Running

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

Race Recap

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

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

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

Final Speedwork

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

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

Mustang Run

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

Final Long Run

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

One of My Favorite Runs

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

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

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

Windy, in Tempo

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

Two-Thirds of a Six-Mile Run

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

Collateral Damage

Cold day, wind from the north, but I had to get in my 10 miles since the race is only two weeks away. I struggled through it, ending with a pace of 9:48 or so. Which was just fine. After the first six I stopped by the house and had some gel and a few swallows of sport drink. Then I went back out and made it through the final four.

But let's talk about something runners don't address very often. Since the day was cold I wore a pair of what could be termed long underwear under my running pants. The bottom layer really isn't very thick, and the problem with it is that it has seams. I've had experience with this in the past where those seams rubbed high up on my inner thighs and left some sore spots from the chafing. Not a very pleasant feeling, I have to say. And I'm sure it's not pleasant to think about for the one or two other people in the world who might read this. But, continuing on, today I used a nice thick coat of the non-chafing stick stuff (whose name I can't remember but you can find it at all the sports stores) and those spots that used to end up sore were just fine. Yeah, victory for me. Except I missed a spot. There's a place down under, which I call the taint 'cause it taint in front and it taint in back, and a seam down there rubbed a little. I didn't discover this until after the run, and it's not horribly uncomfortable. But in the interest of full disclosure, which is definitely what this is, I should have covered that area, too. The human body is a wonderful thing, but there are times when you realize there are just some areas you don't think about. Unfortunately.

The Start

Maybe this is the start of something new - running outside again. I know that running outside is tougher than doing it on a treadmill, and that was apparent today. The weather was gorgeous, temperature in the 50s and the sun shining. I ran 6 miles and the plan called for a 7:30 pace for four of those miles. Not happening. I was able to maintain at an 8:00 pace and faster than that on the downhills, but going as fast as the plan just wasn't possible. The hills kicked my but a little bit, especially right before the 5-mile mark. I'm hopeful that I can run outside again on Saturday, but we'll see. My left knee is barking a little again, but nothing too serious.

Marathon Pace In Place

Snow on the sidewalks again today, remaining from the weekend. Which meant another treadmill session. I ran 4x1 mile marathon pace intervals, with a 1-minute cooldown between each, for a total of 6 miles overall. I am so ready to run outside again. The weather forecast looks like no further hard freezes in the single digits or below, and if the snow will just melt then I can resume my outdoor sessions before the race. I can only hope.

Monday Run

Got my 6 miler done today on the treadmill. Back to single digits today. Spent a lot of time this afternoon with the insurance adjuster who was looking at my truck after the daughter's crash on Saturday night. She's okay and yeah, it's totaled. I get to look for a new truck. Woo hoo. Gotta stay focused on getting in the miles, though, even if they're indoor miles.

Treadmill Torture

The race is only three weeks away, and missing this week's long run was not an option. I had to do 12 miles - inside. Definitely not my preference. But sometimes you just have to man up and do it. I waited until the Cardinals' Spring Training game came on at noon and started the run. Two hours later the game was in the 6th inning and I was one. I'm not sure I actually went 12 miles because the treadmill isn't calibrated, but I went the time I would've normally spent running that distance. That's what I figure this is about, putting in the time.

It's supposed to snow tonight. I might get only one or two more outdoor runs before the race if this continues. That would make for an...interesting...race.

Back Inside (Repeat)

Cold wind and cold temperatures in the 20s today conspired to put me back on the treadmill. I went 6 miles with 4 miles being at tempo speed, or 8 minute miles. I kept wanting to slow down but told myself I'd be missing a run this week and I needed to get in a good speedwork session. So I did.

Interrupted by Dog

Even though it was only 35 degrees or so when I got home from work I decided I'd prefer to run outside rather than on the treadmill. I bundled up appropriately and set out for an easy 6-miler. I was about two blocks into it when a big black dog ran up beside me. I stopped and pet him (or her, I didn't check), and the dog jumped up on me, very friendly-like. I set out again and the dog ran beside me, through the yards, across the street, and so on. As we neared the busy main road I stopped and tried to coax the collarless dog back the way we'd come. The poor thing wasn't fooled. I hid once and ran around the corner, thinking I'd lost him, when sure enough he came running up behind me. I walked him back into the neighborhood and ran back toward home. Strangely enough that's where he disappeared. I ran all the way north and on an alternate route. I left my Garmin at home so have no idea if I actually went 6 miles or not, but hey, close enough, especially for an easy run.

Distance Again

Got back up to a 10-miler today, and it was only mildly painful. The first five miles were too fast, and I knew it, and kept trying to dial it down, but it didn't work. The last four miles were painful but I slogged through them. The temperature was actually pretty nice today, in the 50s while I was out, but a north wind made it feel colder. At one point as I ran near the football fields on 96th Street I had to walk for about a minute because my left knee acting the fool. Once I started back up it seemed okay. I also misjudged the distance and got to the 10-mile mark with about a half-mile left to walk home. Oh well. I kept telling myself this was more about spending the time on my feet than about the distance. When I finished my overall pace was at 9:05, which was definitely way too fast. Next time I'll do a better job of keeping it slow on the front half.

Modifying on the Run

Today was even warmer than yesterday, but also windier. The plan called for a tempo run, which I did for one mile. But after that I slowed it down and ended up walking about four times, mostly against the wind and up hills. The entire 6 miles was not one of my better runs, particularly after the excessive food intake the past several days. Still, it was one of those days where it was so nice I would have run even if not scheduled.

Running Out

Finally made it back outside for a run today with the Virtual Running Partner. It was cold, windy, but sunny. We went 6 miles easy with a lot of walks since he's not used to hills. And heck, neither am I after several weeks indoors.

Speeding Inside

Today was another indoor speedwork day, same as last Tuesday. I have high hopes that the snow will melt off the sidewalks by Saturday for my 10-miler, since I don't think I can do that on the treadmill. I ran my 6 miles today with 4 miles at the 8:00/mile pace. It was annoying and I look forward to running in the sunlight again someday.

Continuing the Plan

Even though I felt a little lazy today I still ran 5 miles on the treadmill. Or approximately 5 miles. I've decided running on the treadmill is more about the time than any precise measurement, mainly because I don't trust the pace, distance, or even the calories burned displayed on the screen. So I ran 45 minutes, which equates to approximately 5 miles. And that's what we're going with.

More

Spent more time on the treadmill today, to the tune of 8 miles' worth. I was driving home after lunch and picking up one of the kids from an activity, and we saw a woman running outside. The sidewalk on that side of the street was plowed, but closer to home, not so much. I suppose if I really applied myself I could have found a way to run outside, but it just seemed like too much work. Still, I need an outside run soon. Doubtful that the snow is going to melt anytime in the next week, though.

Even More Speed...Inside

More snow on the ground and cold temperatures means more speedwork inside. I did Yasso 800s today - 800m at a 7:30 pace (supposed to be 7:00 but I'm easing into it) followed by 400m at a slower recovery pace. Ran five of the 800s and it actually went pretty well, until the end of the second one when I realized I hadn't adjusted the incline on the treadmill. I hiked it up for the next three.

Overall I have to say I felt pretty good, especially since this run and the one two days ago were the first speed sessions I've done in awhile. Along with warmup and cooldown I went the standard 6 miles today. Maybe someday I can run outside again.

Speeding It Up

First speedwork session was today, and due to about 8 inches of snow it took place on the treadmill. I ran the usual 6 miles which included 4 miles of 8:00/mile pace. I haven't done speedwork on the treadmill a whole lot in the past, and I can't say I'm a big fan of it. One benefit it offers is a consistent pace. The downside is that it offers a consistent pace. I'm a slow starter and when it comes to speeding up it usually takes me a few minutes to ramp up. Plus the variations in terrain also dictate changes in pace, and that's missing on the 'mill.

The temperature is due to remain cold. No telling when I'll be able to run outside again, but I'm pretty sure it won't be this week.

Start

Today I began the training program for the half in March. And at least for the near future it's all going to take place on the treadmill. I ran 4 miles today, an easy run before tomorrow's speedwork. This should be interesting.

Back In

Snow yesterday and this morning means I ran inside again today. It would be nice if there was a better alternative to running outside. Other than living someplace warm, since that's apparently not going to happen anytime soon. I went 6 miles and with the Breaking Bad episodes I was watching, it went fast.

Made It Out

Today did not present the best of running conditions, but they marginally good enough. The temperature was about 40 degrees or so, but the wind out of the west was pretty steady at 12-15 mph. I decided it was worth the pain to run outside, and so I did my 6 miles. The run itself went pretty well with an 8:59 pace. My left knee is bugging me a little, probably because of the constant back and forth between treadmill and concrete.

And tonight I signed up for a race, finally. I'll be running the Rock and Roll Half Marathon in Dallas next month. I know, I keep saying I'm not going to run another race in Dallas, but when your Virtual Running Partner lives there you just have to suck it up and chance that the wind won't be so bad. At least the course doesn't go around White Rock Lake, which should help. Next week I'll start the real training plan, including speed work and maybe another run on Mondays.

Marginally Better

The day started at 0 degrees, which was the temperature on my way to work. It was in the 20s on my way home, and even though I saw a lady out running I didn't get the urge to do so myself. I stayed indoors and ran 6 on the treadmill. I'm going to register for a half in Dallas in late March and I have a feeling I'll be doing a lot of my training on the 'mill. I hope I'm wrong.

Surprise Outside Run

When I got up this Saturday morning it was cold and windy. Guys outside were installing Google Fiber down our street, and I felt bad for them. A little after noon I stepped outside and it was still way too cloudy, windy and cold for an outdoor run. I fell down on the couch and took a little bit of a nap, and when I got up a little after 2 p.m. the sun was out and the wind was much calmer. I decided it was good enough to run outdoors and sure enough, it was. I ran my 6-mile route at an 8:55 pace. On the way back by the golf course I was very tempted to walk up the hill against the wind but talked myself into slowing down and taking it easy. It turned out just fine, since any time I can run outside in January is a good time.

Need. Warm. Weather.

Another day of subfreezing temperatures. When I ran it was 14 degrees out with a wind chill close to zero. Which means...treadmill. Making my way again through the third season of Breaking Bad, which to me is where the series amped up the intensity. Almost every scene is pivotal and the stress on the characters is high. Today's run went really fast just because of that. I suppose as long as I can watch that show then running inside isn't as bad as it could be.

Cold Doesn't Really Describe It

When it's 21 degrees outside and the wind chill is 10 degrees lower than that, you know it's a day for running inside. 6 miles on the treadmill. Can we move someplace warm yet?

Another Treadmill Run

Another day where the temperature wasn't horrible, but the wind was. Seriously, the sustained wind was between 15-20 mph with gusts almost twice that. After my 6-mile treadmill run I went to the store and saw a couple just starting on a run. I wonder how long they lasted...

Back Inside

The temperature today wasn't actually too bad, in the mid 40s, but the wind was horrific. It knocked the wind chill down below freezing. Which meant I ran on the treadmill. Last time and this I used the golf course program to run "hills." The program only lasts about 40 minutes, and then I had to continue on just a straight run without the frills. Since I finished my second viewing of House of Cards yesterday I went back to Breaking Bad for today's run. I definitely couldn't run more than ten minutes on a treadmill without the distraction of some good TV shows.

In and Out

I forgot to post about Saturday's run, mainly because I probably should have run outside. It was nice enough, albeit a little breezy, but I was in that mode where I just didn't care anything at all about being cold. Yes, I passed up a chance to run in the outdoors. In retrospect, it was lame. But at least I stayed warm.

Today was another story. I don't normally run on Mondays unless I'm training for a race, but I couldn't pass up the the chance today. It was sunny and in the upper 40s. Tomorrow it's supposed to be "noticeably colder," according to the language on one weather site I look at daily. Which meant today was the day. I can adjust my routine in the interest of enjoying a run on a nice day as opposed to rigidly sticking to my schedule and having to hit the treadmill again. My actions on Saturday are beside the point. Leave me alone!

Yes, I'm sensitive about that decision, and we shall not speak of it again.

Treadmill Time

Another cold day, another run on the treadmill. Snow still on the ground outside and not an end in sight yet to get rid of it. I was feeling pretty blah after work today and thought maybe I was coming down with something. I almost blew off the run but wanted to get back to three runs a week, and you can't do that if you skip days. Plus that would have put four days between Tuesday's run and the next one scheduled on Saturday. I can't say I felt a ton better after the run, but I also didn't feel any worse. Lots of people were gone from work today because of the flu going around, and I'm hoping I'm not the next casualty.

Hope

I was kind of hoping to run outside today. It was a long shot since the snow is still on the ground from the weekend and yesterday the high temperature was 3. Yes, that's right. Three whole degrees. Today the mercury soared to about 35 degrees, a difference of over 40 degrees from the -8 I experienced on the drive to work yesterday.

Anyway, I was hoping the sun coming out today might have had an effect on the sidewalks. Strangely enough, someone had plowed some of the sidewalks along the main roads, but not all of them. Certainly not in the neighborhood itself. And the plowing left a skin of snow on the concrete. In other words, it still looked hazardous.

I ran inside again, a 6-miler on the treadmill. And so it goes.

Winter Cold

It was an easy decision to run inside today. Snow still covered the sidewalks and the wind blew pretty stiff. We're at the front end of a major cold spell. I guess I should be grateful we got to the freezing point since the high on Monday is predicted to be 1 degree. Yes, that will be the high. Anyway, I ran for an hour on the treadmill. I'm rewatching House of Cards since the second season is due out next month. It made the time go by very quickly, which is all I can ask for when I'm running place.

Final Run of the Year

I did get out for one final run in 2013, and it was a good one. Once again the temperature was nice enough (53 degrees) and the sun was out. The breeze from the southwest was pretty stiff but not horrible enough to cause me to stay inside. My pace for the 6 miles ended up being 8:55/minute. It didn't feel like I was going that fast, fast being a relative term. It was great to run outside and to finish up the year on a strong note.

I didn't race any in 2013, and I need to change that in the coming year. I stayed healthy all year, at least as far as running goes, so maybe I can translate that into a few races. It's been several years since I did a full marathon and I'm going to set that as my goal this year.

Another December Run Outside

I just might have to start believing in this global warming stuff, and I like it! Today the temperature rocketed into the mid-50s, although it felt cooler than that due to the stiff breeze. Nevertheless it was prime running weather in this season we call Winter. I ran 6 miles and saw a few others out as well. I started off with ear warmers an mittens but warmed up enough to remove both. The snow is pretty much gone and I was able to wash the winter off my truck, also a slightly cool experience due to the wind. I'm not complaining, though, since tomorrow's high is expected to be 17 degrees. Yes, that's right, that's the high temperature. At least I got in my kicks today.

Winter Run Outside

Today, the day after Christmas, the temperature soared into the mid-40s. Even though there was still residual amounts of snow on the sidewalks I went for an outside run. When I stepped out the door I almost took off down the street, but felt there was just enough chill in the air that I should grab my stocking cap. I'm glad I did since there was just the whisper of a breeze from the south that would have been on the chilly side of...well, chilly. I was sick on Monday and Tuesday, but recovered in time for Christmas. Therefore I took a mile off my usual session and only went 5 miles today. I'm hoping the forecast for Saturday comes true since it's supposed to get into the 50s.

No running gear for Christmas this year. Guess I'll have to see what I need and ask for it for my birthday.

Sleet

Nasty outside today, with sleet and as of this evening, sleet turning into snow. Ran 6 miles on the treadmill and watched three episodes of Scrubs. As with most treadmill runs, that's really all there is to say about it.

Expecting Ice

All the talk the past two days has been about the possibility of an ice storm tomorrow, and several of my employees are making plans to not come in to work. I thought it was getting cold, and since I have an office in the back of the building where we have no windows to the outdoors I was surprised when I walked outside and it was actually pleasant. My truck display read 62 degrees, which surprised me even more. I realized I would actually be able to run outside, and so I did. I took along some knit gloves but never even came close to needing them. I missed Tuesday's run due to a family birthday celebration, but today I ran 6 miles - in nice weather. It was cloudy and slightly breezy from the south, but not bad at all. My overall pace was 9:06/mile, probably a little fast, but I never felt like I was straining. I enjoy these runs outdoors in Winter - each one is like a gift.

Tripping Breakers

Back inside for today's run due to another dusting of snow last night. And wind. And temperatures below freezing. I set up the treadmill and the iPad to "enjoy" an indoor run. About three minutes into the run the circuit tripped and power disappeared. I told Daughter #1 to not run her heater and reset the breaker. Twelve minutes later it happened again. She said she'd turned off a couple of other things when the power was off and didn't realize her heater was still on. After I reset the breaker - again - I ran for the next 41 minutes without incident.

Sometimes running 6 miles outside is a lot easier.

Unexpected Outdoor Run

I wasn't expecting the temperature to get as far above freezing as it did today. But I'm glad it did. When I checked before my run it was 46 degrees, and any thoughts of running inside went right out the front door. I layered up and started running right away instead of doing my usual walk to the end of the street. I ran 6 miles and my overall pace was 9:15. I missed my run on Tuesday due to truck problems (it's now at the mechanic) and because the temperature was in the low teens. Today I went without music or podcast and just enjoyed being outside. I know this was short-lived, but any time I can run outside in winter is a treat.

Chicken

I probably could have run outside yesterday when the temperature was 9 degrees, but I chickened out. So I ran on the treadmill. It went quickly due to three episodes of Scrubs. It's supposed to be cold for a while, so no telling when I'll get back outside again.

One More Nice Day

The cold front is supposed to come through tomorrow, but in the meantime it was about 60 degrees outside when I started my run. I wore shorts and a long-sleeved technical T. And that's probably the last time I'll get to do that for a while. My pace for the 6 miles was right at 9 minutes. I saw lots of other runners out today, no doubt getting in their last run before the cold hits. I felt loose and easy and left the iPod at home. While running along the fence line on 96th Street I kept hearing scurrying in the tall grass by the sidewalk. I figure the mice were not happy with the little earthquakes caused by my footfalls. As long as they stay away from my house I won't bother them.

Is This November?

For being the last day of a normally cold month it sure was nice today. I worked about five hours to replace some rotted-out wood on the railing in front of the house, and thought about not running since I'd been on my feet for so long. But it was just too beautiful outside and I couldn't resist. I ran 6 miles although I'd originally come into the weekend planning to run more. It was 55 degrees and not breezy at all, with the sun shining brightly. I thought I'd take it slow and easy but it didn't work out that way. I felt good and had more spring in my legs than expected. I finished with an 8:48 pace, a lot faster than I would have predicted. I felt good the whole way and even though I tried to throttle down a few times my body decided otherwise. I'm glad I didn't wait until tomorrow because you never know what will happen with the weather. Take advantage of it when you can!

Trotting

This morning four of us ran the Parkville Turkey Trot. I don't know how many times I've run this particular event but today might have been the slowest outing yet. The older girls ran on their own, although we caught up with the oldest a few hundred yards from the finish. I stayed with The Boy, who had problems and had to walk not even a mile into it. We were way back in the pack and not running fast to begin with, but that's okay. Even though it was tough for me to have to walk, it was more about spending time together than trying to set a PR. I think we accomplished that, and managed to have a good time together. Next year we'll try to have the kids trained better, but I have to hand it to The Boy. He ran the last 1.2 miles or so without stopping even though it was painful. That was a good accomplishment.

Short

I took The Boy out for a run again today, and when he was done so was I. It was absolutely nasty out with an awesome wind out of the north. We went 2.5 miles and that was enough. I had a tiny bit of desire to go back out and get in my six but none of the willpower to accompany the desire. The Turkey Trot is on Thursday and we'll be ready. And hopefully the weather won't be as bad.

Fall

Yesterday was an odd running day. The temperature was below freezing, with a nice little wind out of the north. The kids needed to run in order to be ready for the Turkey Trot this week, but they weren't ready to go when I was. I took off and ran 6 miles and then stopped by the house to pick them up. We started running right away due to the cold and made the turn south. The Boy was crowding us a little bit so I told him to back off. I told them the story of how their cousin did that to his mom (my sister) and caused her to fall and she ended up needing knee surgery. As I was telling the story my youngest tripped over a crack in the sidewalk and fell. She hurt her leg and knee a little bit, but she was done running for the day. We walked her back to the house, and The Boy and I finished up the rest of the 2 miles they were supposed to do. I went 8 miles total, a little disjointed to be sure. On Thursday I skipped the run since it was downright nasty outside and I didn't want to run on the treadmill. yet this winter. Not a good reason, really, but I think it's too early to start on the treadmill and get cabin fever.

Dark

It's getting dark early again, which is not my favorite time of the year. I took The Boy and the youngest daughter out with me for 1.5 miles, and it wasn't too bad starting off. The sun was still out and even though it was a bit breezy the temperature was still good enough for the kids to wear short sleeves. After dropping them off I ran the rest of my 6-miler. I kept a pretty good pace, mostly below 9 minutes/mile, at least when I checked. My overall time was under 10 minutes/mile, which means I must have been running at a pretty good pace by myself since the run with The Kids was more of the 12 minute pace variety. Regardless, I felt good even though I'm not a fan of early darkness. But what can you do? Another month or so and the days will start the cycle of getting longer again.

Oops, Forgot a Title for This One

Yesterday's Saturday run was definitely a windy one. The first 1.6 miles were with The Boy, who had a tough time and we had to walk twice because he was having pains in his side. Once I delivered him back to the house I went out to finish the remainder of an 8-miler. The wind didn't really bother me too much, although I got tired of it. It was coming out of the SSW at a steady pace of 18-20 mph or so, with gusts up to 40 mph. I kept it loose and relaxed, and walked up the hill by the golf course since there was no sense in killing myself running against the wind. I was certainly windblown by the time I arrived home and it was nice to spend the rest of the day out of the wind.

Complainers

I ran the first 1.1 of my 6 miles today with a couple of little complainers. They're young and made it clear they weren't happy to be running in the lead-up to the Turkey Trot in a couple of weeks. I made it clear I wasn't interested in hearing about their aches and pains and that complaining is not what our family does. They made it without walking, even ascending a hill to get back to the house, and they made it without any ill effects. The training will increase over the coming fourteen days, and there will be joy in our house. They may complain, but I know it's better for them than sitting in front of a computer or TV screen.

Mid-Afternoon

The weather here has turned markedly colder. Last night it got down to 16 degrees, a quick plummet to well below freezing. Today the high was 36 degrees, and since I had the day off I waited until it warmed up that far before running. The breeze was very slight and therefore it wasn't too bad. I don't usually run that time in the mid-afternoon, but the wait was worth it. I ran the usual 6 miles and kept it pretty free and easy. My overall pace was 9:12, which surprised me somewhat since I didn't think I was going that fast. One of the kids said something when I got home about running so early, but when I pointed out I was running when the sun was up they understood.

Disappointment

I had high hopes for today's run. I planned to run 9 miles and keep improving my fitness even though I don't have a race planned anytime soon. It was a beautiful morning with lots of sunshine and mild temperatures.

Instead, I had trouble sleeping and woke up about 5:30 a.m. I know from past experience that a bad night's sleep means a sub-par run, and that pattern held again. About 9:30 I went out for my run and struggled to make it 6 miles. The congestion I've had in my sinuses and throat the past few days didn't help, and I felt foggy brained the whole time. I was listening to a history podcast and there were a few times where I had trouble following the story. I probably should have listened to music instead. Even though it wasn't a good run I still did something. I hope by next weekend all this will be behind me and I can have that good run I planned.

Clear

Today the sky was totally clear, a marked difference from Tuesday when I ran in the rain. I wore pants and a long-sleeved technical t-shirt, which seemed not quite enough as I walked down the street. A little bit into the run it was fine, though. Overall I ran the 6 miles at a comfortable 9:20 pace. I was going to say that it was quite unremarkable, and then thought about how remarkable that is. No knee pain, no foot pain, nothing out of the ordinary. It was a just a plain ol' run, no frills and no bumps in the road. Considering some of the minor aches and pains of the past few years it actually feels good knowing that I went on a run and it was...regular.

Rain

Before I left work it looked like there would be a nice long break between storms. Actually, I didn't plan on running because I felt kind of crummy and thought maybe today would be a better day for weights than being outdoors. The temperature was about 60 degrees, though, and I talked myself into a run. A few drops fell on me as I walked to the end of the street and I thought about turning back but it wasn't bad enough to do so. I modified my route and ran by the golf course. On my way back it started sprinkling and then picked up into a full-on rain about 3/4 of a mile away from home.  By the time I got to the neighborhood I was soaked and feeling good. I ended up going 4.25 miles and I'm glad I did. It seemed like the rain gave me extra energy and made me feel a lot better than when I started. When I got back to the house The Boy was walking a friend home and he asked if I had a good run in the rain. I yelled and gave him a high-five. Yes, I did have a good run in the rain.

Breezy Autumn

Today the temperature was definitely autumnal, and the accompanying breeze made the day even more so. I ran 7 miles total at a 9:13 pace. The breeze came out of the west/northwest, making certain parts of the run nice and cool while the opposite was true when running with the wind. For the first time I dug out my stocking cap to combat the cooler temperature. Overall it was a good run. I originally planned to go a full 8 miles but adjusted when I decided I was not enjoying the coolness very much and besides, I'm not training for anything at the moment. Next week I should be able to get in all three of my planned runs and I might shoot for 9 miles next Saturday, depending on the weather of course.

Spooky Run

Actually it wasn't a spooky run because I ran while the sun was still up. I didn't run Tuesday, which was due mainly to laziness abetted by a little rain. When I put out the trash that night it was about 60 degrees and somewhat foggy. I was very tempted to go for a run even though it was 9 o'clock, but I went to bed instead. Oh, well. Today was about ten degrees cooler but the rain was gone and the sun was shining. I did the standard 6-mile run at a 9:20 pace. Now that the World Series is over I can concentrate more on staying fit than on eating and drinking poorly. It's time to get fit before the holidays hit. I didn't even intend to rhyme that, but it works.

A Little Extra

It was another gorgeous Autumn day, with the sun shining, cooler temperatures, and a nice breeze. I kicked in a little extra effort today and made it to 8 miles. Overall it was an easy run and I kept the pace a little slower and constant, finishing at about 9:20/mile. When I left the house it was 46 degrees, and by the time I returned it was about 54. Not a bad warm up. I wore knit mittens and took them off after the first three miles. Again, not a whole lot of people out today. I saw one woman twice, and two guys. That was it. Guess I can still attribute that to the KC Marathon last weekend. Or else there are a lot of fair-weather runners around here, which I don't believe.

Tally

The tally today was 5.7 miles, but I ran the fastest overall pace I've run in a long time, I think. I started out toward the back of the neighborhood, and other than along the front of the neighborhood I took a route I don't normally run. When I was dressing for today's outing I thought it might not go well since I felt a little run down, but it turned out to be a great run. It was hard to tell which direction the wind was blowing since it seemed to change with my location. At one point it felt like it was coming out of the northwest, but by the time I neared home it was out of the northeast. Oh well. My pace was under 9 minutes/mile, helped by several generous downhill portions. I extended the run to the bottom of Killer Hill and could have run another .15 miles and turned around to get to an even number, but what's the point? I felt good and had a good run in 50 degree temps. I'll take that as a win and look forward to Saturday's run.

Finding the Sun

The past several months, aka Summer, I've spent most of my runs in search of shade, looking for the brief respite it provided from the heat. Today was the opposite. The temperature was right around 50 degrees and a very stiff breeze blew from the northwest, making it feel very cool and close to cold. The whole 6 miles I tried to stay in the sunlight, growing annoyed when clouds intervened. I wore shorts and a T, which worked for most of the run once I warmed up. It's supposed to get even colder this week and I broke down and turned on the heater tonight. In fact I just checked and the low tonight is supposed to be 32 - freezing. I guess warm weather really is gone and Winter is on the way. Yuck.

Kansas City Marathon

Today was the Kansas City Marathon. I did not run it this year, nor did I run the half. I did run 6 miles on my usual neighborhood route after most of the half runners were probably done down at the race course, and about the time the people who run my pace would have been crossing the finish line. It was a beautiful day for it. The temperatures were below 40 degrees at the start of the race and only into the mid-40s when the sun came out. My run, personally speaking, went well and I just kind of coasted along listening to music, enjoying the sunshine, and grateful that my baseball team is going to the World Series again this year. My pace ended up about 9:12/mile, and considering I wasn't trying to run fast that seems like a pretty good time.

Change Up

I decided to change things up today and run a different route than normal. So instead of a left turn at the end of the street I took a right and ran through the neighborhood, over an unfinished dirt road that's in the process of being paved, and through another community to a main east-west street. For the most part of the 6 miles I ran roads I don't normally navigate, but at some point I crossed into the familiar for a little bit. My overall pace was 9:12, which again wasn't bad. The cooler temperatures are certainly helping. I like this weather and I'm just trying to enjoy it before real-life cold snaps hit us.

Windy and Cooler

Yesterday was a holiday and today was my normal bi-weekly day off. I spent the weekend at the Irish Festival in Weston, and running just didn't fit into the schedule. I was expecting an easy recovery run today, but the lower temperatures played into my hands. Or feet. Or whatever. My pace for the 6-miler ended up at 9:02/mile. I have to say I wasn't trying to run that fast, going with whatever felt right, but it ended up being pretty fast. Relatively speaking, of course. The breeze was quite stiff out of the northwest. The sun was shining the whole way and since I ran in the early afternoon I didn't see any other runners out and about, big surprise. It was a pretty good run although I probably could have done better or maybe even faster if not for the indulgences over the weekend. I'm not Irish but I can act like one.

Anniversary Run

Today is the 21st anniversary of marrying my bride, and she was nice enough to allow me enough time to run. When I got home she was out in back in her hammock, and she said it was such a nice day that it would be a waste if I didn't get to run. And so I did, a nice easy 6 miler. My average pace ended up being 9:20/mile even though it felt slower. And I tried to keep it that way since the temperature was about 80 degrees. I knew I needed to run since we were going out for dinner and that would be a nice big calorie bomb. Happy to get a run in today, but even happier to be married to a woman I not only love but also like.

Faster Than I Should Have

I was pumped for today's run since it was so gorgeous outside and I needed to relieve some work stress. Once again I went out faster than I should have, but similarly I went with what felt right. The temperature was 73 degrees, sunny, and slightly breezy. Right at the end of the work day I developed a horrible stiffness in my neck on the left side, and the run did a lot to alleviate that pain. Even though it wasn't my explicit goal setting out, I ended up beating the time for my last 6-mile run by about six seconds. I probably wouldn't have except when I passed by the neighborhood a woman ran out and then crossed the street to run in front of me. Since I don't want to be the weirdo who runs behind a female runner for several miles, I passed her within a quarter mile and kept going at about the same pace except for the big hills. When I reached my turnaround point and headed toward home she was nowhere in sight, but that didn't affect my pace. By the end it was kind of pushing it to stay at that pace, but overall it felt good. Even though I like summers the best climate for running are the seasons on either side.

Fall is Here

This morning the temperature was 54 degrees at run time. I set off too quick, although it ended up not being a problem. I repeatedly tried to throttle down but ended up going with a pace that felt good. At the end of my 6-mile run my overall pace was 9:07/minute. Not bad for the first real run under autumn weather. It was cloudy when I started since a front passed through last night, but the sun came out and helped keep me warm from the slight breeze. I felt really good afterward and especially in taking advantage of cooler temps.

I didn't run Thursday due to a playoff game that turned out to be worth it. The weather that day was pretty nice as well but the timing just wasn't right.

Old Socks

I didn't run this weekend. We were busy, but mainly I was just lazy. It rained Saturday morning and I could have run, and I should have. I was exhausted from work and it would have done me good to run, but I opted out. Bad Randy.

Today was a different story. I felt good and was glad to get out on a nice day. It was 86 degrees, kind of warm, but I forgot my Garmin and just went with whatever pace felt good. Several times I slowed myself down. A little over a mile from the end I switched sides of the road and ended up about twenty yards in front of a guy I hadn't seen until I crossed over. It was probably good for me since it felt almost race-like to stay in front of him. I actually noticed my posture improved and I didn't worry so much about my gait.

I did have an episode with the socks I wore. I should have left them at home, in the trash, but I tried to get one more run out of them, and that was a mistake. The sock on my right foot had a hole on my right instep, up toward the front, and I felt it developing into a hot spot about 2.5 miles into the 6-miler. At 4 miles I stopped and pulled off my right shoe, trying to adjust but it didn't really help. I have two small blisters and it kind of hurts a little still. Moral of the story: just throw away the old socks.

I Expected Better

I thought today would be a pretty good run, even though it was warmer than a few days ago. I was wrong. It was a struggle from the start and I walked three times. I probably could have run through the whole thing, but I also believe in not killing myself needlessly. Tuesday I thought the problem was the blood donation on Sunday, but today I was thinking it might be because I haven't done any weight work in two weeks. Since I hurt my shoulders at the rock climbing gym I've taken time off to recover before starting up again with the dumbbells. I think that's affected my upper-half form because it felt like it was falling apart today. I think I'll start up again on Monday with the weights and hopefully get back to normal.

Post-Donation

I gave blood on Sunday and haven't really noticed any effects until this afternoon. In fact, it felt the past few days like I hadn't donated at all. I was ready for a run today, but I quickly noticed a little fatigue and slowness. I'd planned on doing some speedwork for the first time in a while, and that's what I did. I threw in some fartleks during the course of my 6-miler, speeding up for 4-5 street light poles each time. I didn't run terribly fast, but enough to get down to an 8-minute pace for a few seconds. I also got chicked - twice by the same woman - who totally blew by me when I was shuffling along at 10 minutes/mile. That's okay. I bet she didn't give blood a couple of days ago.

Perfect

This morning the weather was perfect. I left the house around 9 o'clock and ran 6 miles under a clear sky. There was just the tiniest amount of a breeze, and the temperature was about 60 degrees. While I saw a few people out running and walking I expected to see more. Maybe there were out earlier. Whatever the case, I had a great run and felt outstanding. I could easily have gone another two miles or more, but this brought my weekly mileage to 21 and I saw no reason to push it. I hope next Saturday is nice and maybe a will add on a few more to the long run.

Short

Took off for run this afternoon that turned out to be only 3 miles. I planned on going more, but a big front was moving in and storms were on the way. In addition, I had a flat tire on the way to work this morning and struggled with it for way too long. I hate the jacks they put in modern vehicles. I cranked and cranked on it and it got to the point where it didn't move any higher. I finally called The Wife and had her bring the floor jack to me. Within thirty seconds I had the tire finally lifted high enough to remove it after struggling with it for half an hour. Nothing like trying to change a tire on the shoulder of an Interstate highway during rush hour traffic. Anyway, that wore me out and was no help to the shoulder I injured last Friday night. In fact, it set me back quite a bit, and no telling when I'll be able to exercise again. The run was a slog through 90 degree temps and a lot of humidity. In reality it was probably for the best since I'm running four times this week and cutting this run short keeps my overall mileage down.

Two Days in a Row

Another run out of the norm, but really only because I ran yesterday. Today is my normal running day (Tuesday) so it wasn't that far from normal. It rained off and on all morning and into the early afternoon, but by running time it was mostly sunny and humid. I started out with the same cadence as yesterday but by the end of the first mile my knees were hurting. I decided it might be better to ease into this thing so I settled back to my normal rhythm. That seemed to work although I felt a slight twinge at times. I ran the whole 6 miles with the last couple being with the wind at my back - which makes it sweatier since nothing evaporates off my face or front. Nevertheless I made it and felt pretty good. My shoulders are still hurting from the rock climbing last Friday so not sure yet what I'm going to do about my off-day exercises. I suppose I can still do the ankle weight routine, but anything involving the shoulders probably needs to wait.

The Rare Monday Run

I ran today because I didn't run Saturday. Friday was a really stupid day at work and then I spent the evening at a rock climbing place with The Boy. All that combined with a dose of ragweed conspired to give me a nice allergy attack Friday evening, and all day Saturday I felt like crap. I've been pretty fortunate so far this year but Saturday was not good. The body aches and general feeling of being drugged stayed with me all day. I meant to go for a run at various times but just couldn't drag myself to do it. I felt better yesterday and again thought about running but never made it out the door. This morning the sky was cloudy after some overnight rain and the air seemed clear. I went out for a 6-miler and felt great, and still do. I'm hoping this weekend was the worst of allergy season.

I finished Born to Run and did a little more research on barefoot running. I don't think it's for me, although I can see the potential benefits along with the possible side effects. The joy of running is what I'm focusing on from the book, and I think somewhere in there it also talked about cadence. I tried that on my run this morning and concentrated on 180 steps/minute. I checked several times with my Garmin and found that I was able to maintain that rate of footfalls for most of the run, even on the hills. When I started out I felt like I was running in place, but that was okay. I ran a little faster today, 9:17/mile, but I attribute that to the 61 degree temperature than I do the change in cadence. I'm going to keep trying and might have to find a metronome for the iPod or some mp3 that has a beat at that rate.

Lake Shore Running

Spent the first half of the week in Chicago and got up early on Tuesday for a run alongside Lake Michigan. It was sunny and humid, and promised to be a hot day. Still, I enjoy that route quite a bit and it ranks in my top five places that I've run so far. Runners and bikers were out in full force. The hotel was north of the Chicago River and a few blocks west of the lake. I ran south past the Navy Pier and around the backside of the aquarium and then the planetarium. Not many were on the part of the lake, and I ran until the concrete petered out. Funny, I forgot to start my GPS when I started and didn't get it going until over a half-mile into the run. I ended up running about 6.15 miles. When I returned to the hotel I was going up to my floor by myself, but then the car stopped on the second floor where the restaurant is located, and three people had to share my stink in the small car. I almost apologized but skipped it since they were enjoying breakfast while I was out sweating.

Today was a pretty hot run at home with the temperature in the upper 80s. It wasn't bad compared to some of the scorchers we've had lately, but I still took my water bottle with me. I ran 6 miles and only walked two minutes on the hill by the golf course. It was an enjoyable run and I only saw three other people out enjoying the day.

Yesterday at the airport I had to buy a new book since I'd finished the book I took with me as well as the new issue of Runner's World. I ended up buying Born to Run. I've heard about this book in the pages of the aforementioned magazine and probably should have borrowed it from the library rather than overpaying for a paperback version, but I was in Chicago and the library was in KC. Nevertheless I devoured the first half of the book by the time the plane landed. The adventure and the writing reminds of Into Thin Air, which I need to re-read. I won't be running barefoot, by any means. The message I've taken away so far is the joy of the ultrarunners in the book. That translated into a few attempts to smile on today's run, which was mildly successful. Guess it needs more work.

Still Humid, Too

This morning I woke up earlier than planned, but that's okay since it allowed me to get out for a run before the day heated up. There were quite a few other exercisers out in the 8 o'clock hour, apparently with the same thought I'd had. I ran 6 miles and ended up at a 9:37/mile pace. Even thought the temperature wasn't bad it was sunny and the humidity made its presence felt. Looks like summer is going to hang around for another week or so, and that's okay with me. I still haven't settled on a late fall/winter race other than wanting to do a couple of 5k races with the family.

Hot Still

I thought we were done with the hottest of the hot weather, but not quite. It's actually supposed to be in the upper 90s again this weekend. Today was about 90 degrees and I took the water bottle with me again. When I walked down to the end of the block I saw a helicopter hovering around the north part of the neighborhood. On my way home two police cars had sped past me with emergency lights and sirens going. So on my run I decided to head north and see if there was anything to see. There wasn't. I did discover a dirt road that will soon be paved, connecting to the next neighborhood up. I ran through there, back around the elementary school, and down the hills to the traffic circles. I walked a couple of times for two minutes each in order to cool down, and decided today was going to be a timed run rather than a distance run. I still went 5 miles and was outside for right about an hour. That seems the way to do it and hopefully I can remember that next year as well.

Noon Run

This morning I was going to get up at a decent time and run earlier in the day since I'm off work. That didn't pan out. Instead I got up about 9:30 and started my run at 11:15. Normally running in the middle of the day like that isn't the best idea, but the heat has broken and it was around 80 degrees. The killer was the constant sunlight, but it still wasn't too bad. I blew off my Saturday run due to extreme laziness. Today I was back to doing a 6-miler and it went okay. I walked up the golf course hill, where the city workers congregated to remove more dead roadside trees. If you take away the walking my pace was around 9:30/mile. I probably should have had more liquids before I left the house but I still made it. Lesson learned for next time, if I remember.

100

It was 100 degrees outside when I left work, and only marginally cooler on the outskirts of town where we live. I decided with that sort of temperature it was best to shoot for 4 miles and that seemed to be about right given that I'm also trying to keep the time outside shorter. I continued the 8/2 practice and ran the hillier part of my route because it also has more shade. This stuff is supposed to break on Monday. Don't know if I'll run or not on Saturday mainly because I don't feel like getting up early again. I saw a couple of cyclists today but no other runners. Weenies.

Another Delayed Post

Ran again yesterday with the temperature at about 95 degrees. I did the 8/2 running/walking thing again and once more it worked very well. I was shooting to be out for 60 minutes and that was about right if I included the walk at the beginning. My total ended up being 5 miles and that seems a good distance in the heat. At times it felt like I was trying to get in as little distance as possible but that's okay. It's supposed to stay hot through the weekend, which means more run/walk sessions.

I Ran Yesterday

Even though it was Saturday I got up early to run before the day got hot. And I'm glad I did. A bunch of other people were out as well. I ran 8 miles and felt pretty good afterward. That gets me up to 20 miles again for the week (or close to it if you're keeping track at home, but I'm going by effort to make up the quarter-mile that I didn't technically run). It's supposed to be hot again this week, and up to 98 degrees by next Saturday. This is like earlier this year, except it was Winter that kept appearing after Spring made an appearance for a few days. Last week it was almost Autumn-like, whereas this weekend and next week we're back to Summer. As I've said before, though, you won't catch me complaining about the heat. Bring it!

91

It was 91 degrees when I went out for a run this afternoon and I changed up my strategy. Again, this is an idea I should have thought of long ago. I decided that rather than running the usual 6 miles I would run/walk for a set amount of time. I set out to run 8 minutes and walk for 2 of every 10 minutes. It kept me from heating up too much. I was aiming for 60 minutes total or just under, but this being my first time to try it I was off by 4 1/2 minutes. I ended up going 5.75 miles. Next time I'll adjust a little more and shave off that extra bit. Didn't see too many other people out in the sun today, but that was no surprise.

Evening Run

Today was an odd day. The air conditioner has frozen up a few times in the past few days, and I thought we had the problem solved with a new filter on Saturday. However, today it froze up again. The Wife texted me about it so I talked with someone at work who's an HVAC expert. He said it was probably the A-coil and told me I needed to get some evaporator cleaner. I spent two hours getting to the interior of the unit, spraying the coils, and putting it back together. Naturally The Wife also had a meeting here tonight. The temperature hasn't gone down much yet but I can't tell if that's because of the a/c or because we have a lot of people in the house.

That's the intro to why I ran at 7 p.m. tonight instead of a couple of hours earlier. That actually turned out to be okay since it was over 90 degrees today. It was still in the upper 80s when I was out but the sun was going down and there was a little bit of a breeze. Unfortunately I forgot to drink something between working on the a/c and running, or it probably would have gone better. In spite of that I still ran the 6 miles at a 9:30 pace. Needless to say, I've been pretty thirsty since getting home.

I Ran on Saturday

Today is Sunday, but I ran yesterday and didn't log it until now. It was a nice 6-miler, run without iPod or Garmin. Also without contact lenses, which I probably should have worn but thought if I was going all-natural I'd go all the way. There were probably a couple dozen other people out running on a nice, cool Saturday morning. No telling how fast I actually ran but it felt pretty good and unstrained. I should have run Thursday in St. Louis but the Virtual Running Partner had work calls and I wasn't particularly motivated to get up early. I keep thinking I need to pick a race to run this fall but haven't done it yet. I was talking with someone at church this morning about races this fall, which should serve as another reminder that I need to get it done.

Two 3-Milers

This morning the Virtual Running Partner was in physical presence instead of the usual virtual reality. He's been nursing an almost-sprained ankle and could only go 3 miles today. He ended up on a phone call for work so I headed out for a solo 3-miler and then came back to get him for the second part of my run and all of his. We kept the pace reasonably slow, clocking in at just about 10 minutes/mile. The sky was overcast and the temperature was in the mid-60s when I started. It was a very nice day for running, and of course it's always good to get together once in a while with my Virtual Buddy.

Neighborhood Run

This morning was mild and sunny. For a change of pace I headed north in the neighborhood, a way I haven't one in a long time. The developers are opening up a new phase and the big earth movers were out putting in sewer and water lines. I used to run this route back in the day when I would loop around the neighborhood several times. Apparently it's been a few years. The street at the north end of the development where I would turn east is now the third street from the end. A lot of homes and families now live in the area, and I had no idea. Before I knew it I'd run a mile and a half and I was still in the neighborhood.

I ran 6 miles all together and took another route through the development to the east of ours that I also used to run. It has a big hill up the middle and then I used to run down one side road or the other. It was nice to change things up so much and kept me from being on the main routes the whole time. By the time I made it home the temperature had risen to 76 degrees, but in August that's certainly nothing to complain about.

Give Me a Break

Today was another of the sporadic breaks in the heat, with plenty of cloud cover to boot. In other words, it was nice. I felt like I was running pretty fast, but that's relative since my overall pace turned out to be 9:37/mile. Not real speedy, but certainly faster than the recent runs during the heat. My pacing was also affected by a lack of sleep last night, I'm sure. Late goings on at work with a crappy computer system meant I had to stay up late on the phone, and then of course I woke up before the alarm went off. Not much fun, but at least tomorrow is Friday. Saw a few people out running today, but not as many as you would think with the cooler weather. I wore the old shoes again as part of my rotation to integrate the new pair, but also because there were some sprinkles on the way home and I didn't want to wear the new ones if it rained.

Wet Air

Thankfully there was plenty of cloud cover for this afternoon's run. In fact, the sun came out just as I finished, a great example of perfect timing. The temperature was 88 degrees and the heat index was 96. Due to the clouds I was able to run, slowly, almost the whole 6 miles. I walked about three minutes on the way back by the golf course. That was because what little wind there was blew from the south and at the time I was running north. Not only did the air feel wet, it felt like a still, smothering blanket. The walk cooled me down enough  to make it the rest of the way home. I saw about five other runners out today, a pretty low number but understandable on a warm, humid day.

Humidity is Tough

This was another day where the temperature was lower but the humidity was sky-high. When I left this morning about 8:30 the temperature was 73 degrees. Right before I started the sun came out and that steamed up things. I ran 6 miles at a decent enough pace, just under 10 minutes/mile, but at times it seemed like things were dragging. I ran over to the Interstate to change the route and came back uphill against the breeze, and I was fine with that. There's a serious lack of shade that way but the wind was definitely a part of my plans. Saw a few people out running, probably a dozen or so, but not nearly as many as when it was cool out. I wore the old shoes again and next week I will rotate in the new ones for two out of the three runs.

August Arrival

The first day of August arrived today with some heat and humidity, but not to the extremes they could be. In fact, this afternoon the high was 89 degrees. I probably should have taken a bottle of water with me, but I didn't. I walked three times from mile 4 on, and although I wasn't in desperate shape it was just me trying to be smart and manage the heat. 89 degrees obviously isn't the same as 100, but it's still pretty darn hot for a runner. The breeze was out of the south, meaning the last two miles were with the wind and therefore not as cool as running into the wind.

I wore the new shoes again and I can definitely tell they're different. I don't like that shoe companies make such major changes between models of the same shoe. If my knees start hurting then I'm going to be ticked.