False Start

I ran 3 miles in the new shoes this morning, but it wasn't a good outing. It was a little cooler than it has been lately, but I just felt out of sorts. Within the first half-mile I felt a twinge on the left side of my left quad, and thought for a moment I would have to turn around and go home. It went away but still felt "there" for most of the run. My calves also tightened up big time, and it made me wonder if the problem all along with that issue has been my shoes. They haven't felt that bad the whole time I've been running with the Nimbus, but as soon as I put on the Cumulus they went bad. I'm thinking about using a shoe insert to elevate my heels in these new shoes to see how it goes.

New Route

This morning I went 5 miles and decided to head south on Lake Forest Drive. The nice thing is that the trip back had plenty of downslopes, and really they weren't that bad on the way out. The route is scenic enough, but too many side streets and too many cars. In the future I might stick with the trail since there's only one street to cross. That'll depend on how bad traffic is once school starts, though.

I also took a trip to the local running store at lunch. My most recent set of shoes are too narrow and pinch my feet about mid-foot on the outer edges. Plus I needed some anti-chafing stuff. The guy at the store said he likes 2Toms sport shield, and I figured I'd give it a try. They didn't have any shoes on sale, so I ended up with a new pair of Gel Cumulus in the wider variety. He also brought out a New Balance, which I tried on one foot, but I'm going to stick with what works. The new shoes were $120, and when I got home I checked them on Amazon. They were only three bucks cheaper there. At least I don't feel like I was ripped off.

Tuesday Morning Finisher

I was looking forward to Tuesday's run but it turned out to be kind of a not-so-good run. I ran 4 miles, but that included a little walking at the halfway point and back up the hill toward the neighborhood. I think the problem was that on Monday I ran, exercised, and then washed my truck (in the evening but still the temp was around 100). Those combined to wear me out a little more than normal. On Thursday my plan is to go for five and take a different route. Hoping it goes better.

Monday Morning Starter

Time to start a new week, a hot one if you believe the forecasts, with a run. I was out the door by 6:45 and ran a mostly easy 3 miles. On the way out I saw only one person, a lady with her dog. On the way back probably a half dozen. Some of the people are beginning to look familiar, like the lady with the big sunglasses or the guy with his three Huskies. The morning was nice and humid, as usual. I was glad to get it finished before the heat of the day descended.

Five for Running

This morning, a Saturday, I got up early and went over to the (formerly Virtual) Running Partner's house. We headed out to avoid the heat and weren't entirely successful, but still better than later in the morning. Our route took us 5 miles, the first time since moving that I've run that far. Felt good, and I should be able to continue adding miles. Afterward we went to Central Market in south Plano and enjoyed the Hatch green chile fest that was going on. I bought several green chile items, including bacon, which I'll be trying tomorrow. The rich harvest and month-long celebration might make August my favorite month.

Oops

Ran yesterday and thought about posting several times but never did. So yes, I ran 4 miles. Daughter #2 joined me and did the run-walk-run-walk-run thing. She probably got in 1.5 miles or so. Once again we went early before it heated up. Coming back I barely got ahead of a group of girl campers (or something) who were headed to the pond from up by the elementary school. Don't know if they were going fishing or what but fortunately I didn't have to wade through the crowd.

I've also done my barbell and leg exercises three times this week, so I've got that going for me. Which is nice.

Two in a Row

Ran both yesterday and today, with varying results. Yesterday was with Daughter #3 (#2 backed out because her ankle hurt). I ran 3 miles and she ran probably about half that. We ran to the trail in the neighborhood north of her, she started walking and I kept running, I turned around and so did she, and then I caught up to her where the trail intersected with the neighborhood sidewalk. Then we ran back with a little walk up the big hill. It was fun at the end when she started sprinting for the stopping point and we raced to the line. Looks like she's a little bit of her competitor like her dad.

This morning I ran 4 miles, and it was actually quite pleasant out, relatively speaking. The sky was cloudy and temperature in the low 70s. Lots of people out. On the trail a young shirtless guy went breezing past me, and then he passed me going the opposite way before my turnaround. When I came back out across the bridge he was off the path with hands on his knees, obviously pretty winded. I kept going and on Lake Forest he passed me again. Just a thought, dude - you might be going too fast and need to take it easier, no matter how young you are. In my plodding way I made it to my goal without walking. Just sayin'.

Boys Run

The (formerly Virtual) Running Partner came over early on Saturday and we ran 4 miles. It was a good start to a day that involved smoking three pork butts and three racks of ribs. Plus a game of penny can, which included three rounds in a row of someone draining all three (him twice, me once). It was epic. What a great day of running, food, music, and just general hanging out. As an added bonus one of the local markets got in a shipment of Hatch green chile and yes, I went crazy. They roast them out front of the store and it smelled like home.

Girls Run

Two of my girls ran with me this morning. It was their first run in Texas and the first step to getting them going. Even though they ran a 5k a few weeks back they were hitting the pavement for the first time in a while. I had them run about .8 miles, and then walk while I continue on to the end of the path and turned around, and then they ran back with me the rest of the way, walking up the big hill on Lake Forest. Overall I ran 4 miles and they probably ran 1.5 or so. The Wife and The Boy walked through the neighborhood instead of running. Weenies.

Another Tuesday

Ran with the (formerly Virtual) Running Partner on Tuesday morning, a nice 3-miler. We kept it slow since it was his first day back from vacation. I felt pretty good, in spite of the humidity and dead air about halfway along the path. On the way out we saw the coolest bug sitting on top of one of the concrete posts atop a bridge. It was white with black spots and the most impressive of antennae. When we came back the bug was gone but a whole line of cars was queued up for the Liberty HS parking lot - it was a bunch of teachers coming in for some summer work, I guess. Sorry, teachers, but the bug was more fascinating.

Alone

Daughter #3 was supposed to get up and run with me this morning, but when I went to her room the second time to see if she was awake she was still asleep. So I ran alone, a whole 3 miles. That turned out to be the perfect distance. I thought about running another mile, but since I'm adding another running day this week I decided keeping it short was better than trying to get in one more mile. And this week I'm definitely going to start back with the weights. That never happened last week due to getting the rest of our stuff out of the storage unit. That's done now, which means I can get back even more into the regular routine.

Exploring

Today I planned on a 4-mile run, just like Thursday. When I got close to the turnaround point I decided on the spur of the moment to change it up. I kept going and ran a circuit instead of an out-and-back. I went down Hardin to Virginia Parkway and then back to Lake Forest. The overall total was 4.5, but that extra quarter mile was due to a wrong turn in my new neighborhood, which I'm still learning. Otherwise it would have been 4.25.

I ran out of sidewalk a couple of times on the second half of the run, but that doesn't bother me. I also ran by the McKinney water tower, which is huge. Just sayin'. I probably should have caked on some sunblock but most of the time I ran in the shade. It was enjoyable and a good outing. The adventure continues.

A Little More

Today I added a mile and made it 4, again along the same path as Monday's run. The morning was overcast but not much cooler. I don't mind. Lots of sweat. It was a good day to be out and exploring. I'm looking forward to being able to run all winter without dealing in the single-digit temperatures. For now, though, I'm enjoying the newness of the area and getting back into fighting shape.

Back on Track

Well, now that the gettingthehousereadytoselllistingthehousegettinganewjobsellingthehousemovingtotexasbuyinganewhousemovingintothenewhouse business is all done, it's time to get in shape. I even stepped on the scale this morning, which is a rare occurrence, but I wanted to know the starting point. I'm up to 172 lbs., which is a bit much on this frame. I could tell the weight has added on, especially in the belly area. Time to get rid of it.

Here in Texas you either run in the morning before it gets hot, or you don't. I ran 3 miles today, my first time on a path that goes all the way from the neighborhood north of here east to Towne Lake and slightly beyond. Not many people out on a Monday morning, but maybe everyone's not as motivated as me. Even though the temperature was only about 80 degrees and I had sporadic shade, I still sweated like crazy. Which is to be expected, given my current condition.

I had the brief thought this afternoon that I should run every day this week as a crash re-intro to exercise, and then sanity took hold and I realized that's an invitation to injury. So I'll take it easy and run three times, and then maybe add a fourth day next week. I also need to get back to strength training. That seems to be a good discipline for being in shape, too. Tomorrow I'll get out the weights.

Better

Today's run was a ton better than Monday's. I wasn't even planning to run today but the Virtual Running Partner harangued me into it. We went 3 miles again, under clouds and humidity, and I felt like a totally different person. We gradually got faster as we went along, with the last mile under the ten-minute mark. Amazing what you can do with a few days of eating better and none to minimal drinking. Our plan is to run a few more times this week, maybe adding an extra mile to the run on Saturday.

Running in Texas

This was my first run as an actual Texas resident, and it was horrible. The weather and 3-mile distance weren't so bad, although it was way humid. The horrible part came because of the self-inflicted food and drink over the Independence Day weekend. Let's not do that again. Seriously, between the humidity and the crappy way I felt it was a tough run. As I've said before, it's time to get back in shape.

It Doesn't End Here

What with the move and my aching knee, it's been ten days since my last run. I was bound and determined to run my regular route one more time before we move, and I got it in this morning. The day was sunny and humid, like so many others I've weathered. Went the full 6 miles, with a few walks to balance the humidity and lack of running recently. Along the way I thought of a few memorable things that happened over the years, things like thinking too much about work and idiot people, running intervals on 96th Street, my footprints in the concrete in front of our neighborhood, the 2x800 runs where I felt like I was going to puke, the stick-thin girl who blew by me on mile 18 of my 20-miler, seeing Miss Soni and talking with her about her races (inspiring!), and the way this part of town has changed in the past ten years. No tears here, but lots of memories.

This is where I trained for eight marathons and probably an equal number of halfs. Thousands of hours of running, music, podcasts, sports drinks, and gel packs. But it doesn't end here. The story will continue in Texas on new routes yet to be mapped. This is the end of an era (kind of) and the beginning of getting back into shape and into some new races. Thanks KC - it's been fun and sweaty.

Clouds and Ice

Yesterday rain was in the morning forecast, so I set the alarm for later rather than getting up and not being able to run. My left knee had been aching for the past few days and it seemed like a good time to rest it anyway. By afternoon I was ready for some physical activity and decided to test out the knee. It was cloudy and humid, just like most of the weather the past few weeks. As I ran east on 96th Street there was a small river running down one portion of the sidewalk. Have I mentioned we've had a lot of rain. Due to humidity and not wanting to push the knee too far, I reined it in at 4 miles.

The ice came later when I was sitting and watching TV with The Wife. My knee ached and so I put an ice pack on it. That helped, and today it's mildly achy but not as bad as the past few days. Another ice pack might be in order. We'll see how it feels later today and I'll decide whether or not to run tomorrow.

Made It - Somehow

This morning was cloudy, warm, and humid. Add those conditions to my sub-par night of sleep and I was looking at a bad run. Well, it was bad, but not the worst run ever. I thought between miles 1 and 2 that I might be best served by stopping at about mile 3 and calling it a day. I walked a little at mile 2 and still felt like I was slogging through thick mud. When I passed my possible cutoff point I kept going, mainly because I'd crossed the street earlier, a subconscious trick I've used before. Then for some reason when I turned south onto Shoal Creek I felt a jolt of sudden energy that kept me going, and going, and going. Yes, I ran the whole 6 miles, but I wouldn't have bet money on that anywhere in the first half.

On a finishing note, I finished up the Hardcore History series on Blueprint for Armageddon, which was the outstanding five-part podcast on WWI. I listened to the last episode my previous four outings after downloading it when I found it was available. Not only are all HH episodes great distractions, but I would have to say podcasts don't get any better than this one. The great thing is that they're very re-listenable, and I will go back and listen to previous episodes and series all the time. Blueprint is one series I plan on revisiting soon and going straight through now that there's no time lag between episodes. So good.

Summer Arrives

Too much going on last week, including rain on Thursday morning and then a trip to Manhattan (of the Kansas variety) for the weekend. Yesterday Dad was here in the morning and I had an 8:30 conference call, which means today was my first run in a week. Also, summer is here. It was warm, sunny, and humid. I went slow for 6 miles and produced a lot of sweat. That's okay, though, since I like the warm weather. Plus it felt good to get out for a run after being off for seven days and also knowing that running over the next few weeks will be sporadic during the move. If I can get through the next month without eating and drinking too much I'll be okay. We haven't even started packing in earnest and I'm ready to be done with it.

Another

It was another night where I woke up in the 4 a.m. range and then took a while to get back to sleep, and another 6-mile run. I felt about as sloggy as I did yesterday. I made it, again with the walk up the hill by the golf course. It was cool, cloudy, and breezy, but not horribly so. I finished up the day with a new house and a new truck. A mediocre run ended well.

New Shoes

I was a little excited about this morning's easy run since it was my first chance to run in my new Asics Gel Nimbus 17 shoes. I tried them on a few days ago when they arrived and it was like tying little cushiony clouds to the bottom of my feet. The run itself today was a little different story, though.

I went 4 miles on my nice easy day, and it was apparent from the early going that the shoes were a little tight at the midpoint on the outsides of both feet. I've had that pinched feeling before and it's not a good one. If my run was for a longer distance I would have turned around and returned home to change shoes. As it was I felt kind of slow and sloggy anyway, and having my feet hurt didn't help. I'll wear the shoes around in non-running situations to break them in better. Hopefully that will help because otherwise the shoes really were nice and soft. Tomorrow, though, I'll wear my old pair.

Cloudy with a Chance of Running

Yesterday we made a day trip to Wamego/Manhattan for Dad's birthday. We made it home by 10 o'clock. When I went to bed about 40 minutes later it forever to fall asleep and I was awake until after 1 a.m. I didn't think that bode well for today's run, but I slept past 8 a.m. Of course it was cloudy when I got up, so I looked at the weather online. A small storm was headed our way, from out of the northwest, of all things, and I waited awhile for it to pass by. I kept waiting and waiting, and finally once the green part of the storm (on radar) was at our position and nothing much happened I went out and got in my 7 miles.

Today is cooler than normal, and I think I probably went out too fast. But it worked out because of the coolness and the breeze. Overall it was humid, but the breeze helped. I went the whole way without walking, a testament to the milder temperature. It looks like we'll be closing on our house a month from today, which means a limited time left to run these routes that are so familiar from the last ten years.

Rain Today

More rain, which means we're probably way over our average for the month. They've been getting a lot in Texas, too, where we're moving. It's a strange season. The sky to the east was clear when I left this morning about 6:30, but to the west there was a big front moving in. You could see the definition in the upper reaches of the cloud cell (look at me, talking like a meteorologist and all). As I turned toward the golf course I decided I should cut my run short, even though I hate to do that. My mileage was in the 3.75 mile neighborhood, and my decision turned out to be the right one. Five minutes after I got home I heard thunder, and five minutes after that it started pouring. I don't mind running in the rain, but when there's lightning, no thanks.

Ran Yesterday

I thought I might have to cut yesterday morning's run short due to incoming storms, but they merely threatened and skipped by without incident. Even though I slept horribly, waking up at 4:30 and then dozing off and on for the next 105 minutes, my run went remarkably well. A nice breeze out of the south helped with the humidity until I turned around and ran with it. I chose to walk up the golf course hill to avoid any cramping issues. Overall a decent run and a good 6-miler.

Skipping

I skipped Saturday's run, although if I'd really tried I could have fit it in somewhere. We had two house showings in the morning and I didn't plan very well. Then I took a nap rather than running, and we got an offer on the house. Nevertheless I probably should have run.

This morning I was determined to get out, even though it's a holiday and very humid. I ran 4 miles, with a walk by the golf course due to the aforementioned humidity. It was a good day, with the offer from Saturday that was rejected being modified again. For now we're on the fence, but we'll see what happens. In the meantime I need to keep running whenever I can and avoid excuses.

Today is Thursday

I did not sleep well and therefore did not expect this morning's run to go well at all. As I woke a few times, or more than a few, during the night I thought about putting off my Thursday run until the afternoon . Fortunately I did not.

I went ahead and got out of bed when the alarm went off at 6:30, and was out the door by 6:45. Due to the low temperature I wore pants and a combo of long sleeves under a t-shirt. I even took a pair of knit gloves with me but never had to pull them out of my pockets. Once again I was pretty much alone out there, and went my 6 miles. I walked by the golf course on the way back, mainly because I didn't want to walk uphill against the wind.

The reason I'm glad I didn't wait is because I had to go to the library whil e we had a house showing, and then I walked back the ~2 miles to the house because our cars were indisposed. At this point in the evening my feet hurt and Saturday's run is in jeopardy. We'll see how it feels in 36 hours or so.

Cool Tuesday

This morning it was nice and cool but the sun was shining. I ran my 6 miles and felt good the whole way, as opposed to last week's Tuesday run. Lots of activity outdoors today, from mowers at the entrance development and over by the golf course, as well as a cop sitting out on 96th Street and stopping speeders. As I passed him by I asked how business was and he said it was pretty good. Judging by my observations over the years I would guess he could knock out his monthly quota in a day or two if he sat up in the same spot.

Another Monday Run

Wow, two weeks in a row with a Monday morning run! This time it was sunny with quite a stiff breeze. That cooled things down a bit, but nothing as bad as the good ol' winter winds. I ran an easy 4 miles, backing off several times to make sure I kept the pace slow. It's funny but the only other people I saw out and about were coming into the neighborhood as I was leaving, which means they were likely finishing up their runs. It seems I run a little later than most others, at least in the morning. That might change once it gets hotter, but for the time being I'm pretty much out there by myself at that time of day. No complaints, though.

Twice More with Humidity

Somehow I didn't get to post on Thursday. I ran 6 miles amid the humidity of the Midwestern spring thunderstorms. I walked by the golf course but at this point I've learned the humidity makes me cramp up, and when I was on my run the calves were definitely on the way. At points I felt really tight, but I pushed through and made it. It was cloudy but not very cool, which as usual contributed to the tightness. I also ran in the afternoon, which made the humidity and moderate heat more direct. I was going to run in the morning but it was raining. The change to a run later in the day probably contributed as well to the mediocre run.

Today I went 7 miles and got in my fourth run of the week. There were a lot of people out today. I varied my route a little to avoid people and avoid feeling like a stalker. I walked three times due to the same tightness I felt on Thursday. Each walking spell did the trick. Once again I'll chalk that up to being older and wiser. Overall I went 23 miles this week. Not bad for some sessions where I'm not training for a race.

Decision Time

I've told people before that the time to decide when you're going for a run is not when your head is on your pillow. Today I almost made that mistake.

When the alarm went off I felt like I needed a lot more sleep and seriously considered resetting the alarm for an hour later. In my mind I thought about how horrible the run was going to be, that it was cool (in the 40s), and that I could just run tomorrow followed by another one on Thursday. I probably considered that for a good two or three minutes before telling myself to get out of bed. I don't know what motivated me to actually do it, but I'm glad I did.

Today's run was far better than yesterday. I ran 6 miles and even though it was cool it was actually nice and sunny. I even put on sunscreen. I felt good and ran the whole way, even by the golf course. It was pretty clear to me early on that it was going to be a good run and I felt justified in my decision. If I'd listened to my lazy self I would have missed out on a really good start to my day. Sometimes you can surprise yourself and my run today certainly surprised me.

A Monday Run

I think I mentioned it before, but I thought it might be a good idea to add another run each week to make up for the lack of cross-training I've been able to do while preparing to move. This morning - a Monday! - I took a nice, easy, 4-mile run. Although it didn't really feel that easy. Maybe it was my body screaming in protest at the odd outing. Whatever it was I still made it through okay, even though it was chillier than I expected and had to go back in and put on a long-sleeved t. I ran without headphones to enjoy a nice not-so-quiet morning populated with people driving like idiots, presumably on their way to work. Kudos to the person who stopped to let me use the crosswalk as intended. That was a nice surprise.

7 on Saturday

I had to wait for a small rain shower to pass by this morning before going out for today's run. I made it the whole 7 miles as planned. After the rain from earlier as well as the last week it was quite humid. I kept it slow and easy and even walked up the golf course hill on the way back. Saw a few people out, but not as many as normal given the clouds and storms in the area. As I said the other day, it's nice to be back on a regular schedule and getting in all my runs every week.

6 in the Morning

I ran a good 6-miler this morning. I was out the door before 7 a.m. and kept up a nice even pace. Hopefully my running streak continues through next week. It's nice to be back in the swing of it, and I can tell a difference in how I feel each day. Unfortunately this time there was no fox to run with me, but I did look for my new friend as I passed by the woods where I saw him the other day. It was cloudy and rained later in the morning, but as far as running goes it was just about perfect.

New Day

This morning it was humid, but not overly so. It's been rainy lately, and added to that later in the day. I decided to run 5 miles, in the hopes of doing a 5-6-7 week. When I made my turn on 96th Street and headed west I crossed the street by the pond up near the Hills of Montclair. Right after that I saw a fox come out of the woods, run down the sidewalk for a bit, and then duck back into the trees when a car buzzed by. It was kind of cool because I've seen foxes only a handful of times. I wonder what would have happened had I been on the other side of the street. I think we both would have been surprised.

Finishing the Week

Even though I ran yesterday I went ahead and got out this morning for a 6-miler. I didn't realize it had rained a little overnight but it was mostly gone by the time I left. It sprinkled on me about a half-mile from home, but not too bad. Because of the rain it was a little humid. I saw a few people out, but not the usual crowd on a weekend morning. Maybe they were put off by the clouds and threat of rain. I kept it pretty slow but felt about medium, probably due to running two days in a row. I was thinking since I can't do my weight training as usual due to trying to sell the house that I might add another day of running until we move. Not a bad idea. We'll see if it takes off or not.

Run x2

On Wednesday morning I ran in Frisco with The Virtual Running Partner. He's still recovering from some sort of lame injury, and we went about 3 miles. It was a nice morning with sunshine and no wind. I ate way too much on my trip to Texas, and it makes me think I need to run more so I don't put on weight from all the eating out. Of course it won't be like that when we move down there, but in the meantime...

This morning I ran 5 miles on my usual route. I felt stuffy from allergies and noticed a few times my breathing sounded like someone with asthma. No surprise there. It was a beautiful morning and I have to say it's nice to get out for a run first thing in the morning. As I've said before, it's too bad the weather can't be like this all the time. I think I'll run again tomorrow so I can get in my three runs for the week. I told the VRP that we need to pick a race later in the year so we have a goal.

Third Time is a Charm

I made it through the third run of the week, a 6-miler that seems like a small victory these days. Even thought it's kind of sad compared to the past mileage and workouts, but everyone goes through seasons of life and I'm in one right now where opportunities to run don't always pop up on a regular basis. I ate a big breakfast and then went to Target to get a shirt for work. When I went out a little more than an hour after eating The Wife commented on how soon I was going for my run. I responded that it was okay, it was more than an hour and I didn't expect any cramps.

The day was overcast and somewhat cool, but not too bad. As soon as I headed out the door I came back in and checked the weather to make sure a big storm wasn't imminent. Some foreboding clouds hovered low on the western horizon. The weather radar looked okay and I went out the door again. Between miles 2.5 and 3 it started to rain a little, never getting much more than a heavy mist or light drizzle, depending on your perspective. It was enough to cover the sidewalk and make me take off my sunglasses. That was the worst it got, though, and tapered off by the time I made the turn at mile 4. Fifteen minutes after I returned home it rained for real, what I would call a nice soaking rain that went on for over half an hour. That was nice, and really wouldn't have been too bad to run in since there was no accompanying thunder.

Five More

Running more than once in a week is almost a novelty these days. This morning I made it out for 5 miles on another cool start to the day. Wore the long pants and shirt again. I guess we're still on the journey to warmer weather, but I'm not going to complain since it's a nice day. Since The Boy broke his wrist a couple of days ago I also spent my lunchtime mowing the lawn. It made for an active day in spite of work, which is just fine with me. Work is almost done and it'll be time to grill in a bit. That's a good day as far as I'm concerned.

Back at It

Getting the house ready to sell last week after I got back in town knocked me off the running trail. It went on the market late Thursday night. I probably could have run Saturday but I was so worn out it would have been a horrible run and an invitation to injury. Plus I cracked my right knee really good (bad?) on the vacuum cleaner. I mean hard. I almost fell down. But enough of that.

This morning I got up and ran in low 40s temps. I went 4 miles and thought I might have problems with the knee but never felt a twinge. It was good running weather. I wore long sleeves and long pants, which was a good choice considering the breeze out of the west. We had to leave before dinner for a house showing and the day ended with The Boy breaking his wrist at karate this evening. Definitely more eventful than originally planned.

Pre-Move Run

Ran about 4.5 miles this morning in Dallas, which is where we'll be moving. Ran with the Virtual Running Partner, who will soon lose the Virtual part of that title. He's coming back from a shin injury and ran a couple while I continued for a little more. Nice cloudy morning with just a hint of mist. Fun seeing all the kids riding bikes to school down the path.

Fit Run

The company I work for gives every employee a fitbit. I got mine Friday and wore it all day yesterday (Saturday), which was a little enlightening. I ran 6 miles on a beautiful morning. Given that I've been running sporadically it felt good and I never had to walk. Lots of people out for runs and walks. The fitbit buzzed before I got back to the neighborhood that I'd reached the daily goal of 10,000 steps.  Then I came home and went to work on the house, which seems almost like a full-time job as we get ready to put it on the market.

At the end of the day I checked what the fitbit recorded and it said I'd gone over 25k steps and 12.59 miles, burning approximately 3,200 calories in the process. That all seems right except the calories. Normally I think these devices overestimate that measure, but in this case I think it was low. A lot of the steps I took in the afternoon involved carrying things, like boxes, bags of mulch, stones, etc.

All that to say at the end of the day I was wiped out.

Morning Runner

This was my second day on the new job, and since it starts a little later I've decided to become a morning runner. We'll see how this goes. I got up at 6:15 and was out the door by 6:30. I went 5 miles, saving the extra mile for next time around. It's been raining lightly the past day or so, and was still cloudy this morning, and therefore the humidity was up a little. Not too bad but noticeable.

On my way back through the traffic circle I saw a guy driving past. He was wearing a shirt and tie. Poor schmuck. I like my new commute a lot better. And I have a feeling I'll like morning running better, too, especially when the weather turns hotter. And even more so once we move to Texas.

Circumstances

Sad to say that circumstances rather than any physical issues have kept me from running for the past ten days or so. Of course we've been working on the house, and this past week was the Easter program. The only day I had off from rehearsals and performances was  Daughter #2's birthday. This morning was my first real chance to run in what seemed like forever.

It was a nice day, and cooler than it looked. The thermometer said 36 degrees when I was ready to go out at 9 a.m., but the sun was out and when I stepped onto the deck it seemed warmer. I went ahead and wore a long-sleeved t under my regular shirt over shorts, and that turned out to be a good decision. The wind out of the south cooled things off quite a bit, but I surprised myself by running a full 6 miles. On my iPod I listened to some excellent old Smothers Brothers albums, and LOL'd a few times. When I was a kid we had the 'Think Ethnic' album, which I now have in my record collection. It's still funny. I bought a few more from amazon a few weekends ago in digital format, and that's what made me laugh today. Amazing how stuff over 50 years old is so timeless and funny without being profane.

Before Easter

Next week it's going to be tough to get in a run due to the Easter rehearsals and performances. Today I cranked it up to 6 miles (seems sad to say that) and it felt good. I didn't even walk, even by the golf course. It was just one of those good runs where my brain was lost in thought most of the time. I seem to have lost my iPod case, which means my runs have been of the contemplative sort. Hopefully I can find it as we pick up stuff on the way to our move. I don't know if anyone sells stuff for that version any more. And as I sit here and type this I look up and see it falling off the back of the top shelf of the computer desk. Looks like I'm back in business. Talk about timing.

Spring Lull

Felt more like Fall or late Winter today. The temperature was in the 40s, and the sky was overcast with a little mist by the time I finished. I put on the stocking cap and knit gloves and stayed warm for the duration of 5 miles. I was thinking how weird it seems to be running such a "short" distance and feeling like it was a big deal. Makes me think I need to get back in race shape. Over the next few weeks (or months) we'll be selling our house and moving to Texas. Running outings are going to be at a premium and I need to make the best of each one. On the other hand, it will also be my outlet valve for stress. The outings need to be a priority.

Busy Saturday

Stayed up too late last night and slept late this morning. The quality of sleep was not good, which usually means a low-quality run. I knew if I was going to get in a run today it would have to be before I started working around the house. I ran 6 miles on a nice sunny morning that warmed up slowly. I walked a couple of times near the golf course because it seemed the right thing to do. Plenty of people out, including one guy on his bicycle wearing just a ridiculous outfit. It made my smile but I didn't laugh since I didn't want to hurt his feelings.

I stopped on the way out and back by a drainage area where I discovered some beavers had built quite a sizable dam. I'd seen the evidence previously of their presence from trees felled by their work along that stretch. I wonder if the landowner will let the dam stay since it backs up the creek into a nice big pool. I suppose we'll see how bad it gets when we experience a decent rain storm.

Misty

It rained yesterday and most of today, but by the time I got home from work it had mostly stopped with the exception of a little mist here and there. I missed my Tuesday run due to allergies, which pretty much knocked me for a loop for a couple of days. The rain took the pollen out of the air, and I was determined to get out for a run while I was in temporary remission. I ran 5 miles and felt pretty good afterward, although my right calf feels tight and has cramped a couple of times. No complaints, though. It was good to get out for a run.

Still Going

I thought it was going to be warmer this morning than it actually was. I stepped onto the deck in shorts and t-shirt, and it was cooooold. I checked the temperature online and found out it was 45 degrees. That would have seemed warm a month or so ago, but now it feels cold. I put on a long-sleeved technical shirt and kept the shorts. It still felt cool at times but not too bad. The wind was blowing from every direction, as usual, and I walked up the golf course hill. Sad that 6 miles seemed like a long run, but after the last several weeks I was glad to get it in and persevere. This was my first week in a long while where I was able to do all my strength and running. Even with all the stupid allergies.

Yes Again

Another gorgeous day, this one topping out at 76 degrees. I even had to get out the shorts after showering since it's already that warm. I ran 5 miles today, and felt pretty well. A couple of times it seemed to drag and my legs felt not-as-fresh, but other than those few moments I enjoyed it. Lots of people out running and walking, and four - count them, four - people riding bicycles on the sidewalk. Not my favorite thing.That's what the street is for. Anyway, I feel like I'm getting back into the swing of this running thing and look forward to Saturday's outing.

Yes

Today was darn near perfect for a run. Sunny, 70 degrees or so, and just a hint of a breeze. I would have run on a day like htis even if I had two broken legs. Fortunately that's not the case, and I got in a nice 4-miler. I felt no sign of wekness or swelling in my knee, which means my time off was apparently worth it. As any inhabitant of the Midwest U.S. knows, days as nice as this are few and far between. I enjoyed it appropriately.

Trying to Run

Twice this week I've tried to run. Tuesday I started on the treadmill, and very quickly it was apparent I had a problem with my right knee. After a couple of minutes I decided to stop since I didn't want to make it worse. It felt like my knee was weak, a weird feeling.

Today I tried again, except outside this time. It was a nice day, and I really wanted to get in at least 4 miles. Within the first 20 strides I felt the same pain. It went away after that for a short time, but after a quarter mile it reappeared. I felt like my knee was mildly swollen. I thought it would go away again but no dice. I turned around and once again cut the run short. This time I was really bummed since I wanted to run on a nice sunny, almost windless day. I will probably skip Saturday and try again next week. This is one of those times where the "injury" is nothing major, but the most prudent course of action is to keep from pressing so that I live to run again another day.

That Kind of Day

Thursday I intended to get home quickly and run on the treadmill before the realtor arrived. That didn't happen. I wasn't too thrilled with that but life is about being flexible, right?

Today I went 5 miles inside. Again, it involved being flexible. Watched the first episode of House of Cards Season 3. It was the Doug Stamper Show, at least for this one. Made the time go by quickly, anyway. Snow all day long. Still ready to move someplace warmer, and then whatever I watch on Netflix will be on my own time. Which will be totally okay with me.

First Run in Two Weeks

What a pain. In my neck, that is. Two weeks ago, the night after my last run, I woke up at 4 a.m. with excruciating pain running down the right side of the back of my neck. I couldn't get back to sleep. I endured a full day of meetings, mainly because I had to give a presentation. By the time 4:30 p.m. rolled around I couldn't move my head from side to side and one of my co-workers thought it was pretty funny. Which I guess it was. The pain had graciously extended itself down my right shoulder blade. I went home and tried to relax. The pain receded to just my neck. I tried to go to bed about 9 and laid awake for several hours. I got up at midnight and The Wife checked on me. She got on the computer to find out if urgent care was open (they weren't). She wanted me to go to the emergency room, which I declined since going and waiting until dawn for help wasn't what I wanted to do. After that she checked the emergency room and sure enough, they were backed up. Then she called a nurse's line where they told her to take me to my doctor or urgent care in the morning. I sat on a recliner in the living room and finally fell asleep between 2 and 3 a.m.

At urgent care we waited longer than normal since one of the doctors was out sick. The doctor who finally came in quickly determined I had a muscle spasm and diagnosed a wry neck. They gave me a shot for the pain and prescriptions for a muscle relaxer and painkillers. I went home and slept five hours. It took about a week to finally feel close to normal. During that time I determined it was best to take time off from running as well. You don't need your neck to run, but I certainly didn't want to do anything that would make the problem worse. Plus it snowed a couple of times.

Today I was excited to get back to it. The weather warmed up to 44 degrees and the sun was shining. I went 4 easy, slow miles, trying to stretch and not push too hard. That was exactly the right distance for my first run back. Snow is in the forecast again, and it seems my next couple of runs might be inside. Oh well, the new season of House of Cards comes out Friday. I guess that should keep me occupied while I'm on the treadmill.

Change of Plans

Lots of stuff going in life right now, which necessitated a change in plans regarding the March race. In other words I won't be running it this year, which is a pretty big bummer. I just can't afford to spend so much time training and then going to NM for a race when there's other stuff going on (cryptically speaking, obviously, until the plans are confirmed or otherwise). I was going to run Saturday, at a lesser distance, but I was painting downstairs while waiting for the day to warm up to a nice temperature. Then while still waiting I started sanding and painting baseboards in the hallway, and by the time I was done I was tired. I knew at that point a run would not go well. I postponed it until Sunday, but that didn't happen either since we went to the remodeling and garden show. All that to say I ended up not running this past weekend.

Today was one of those times where I went out for 6 miles and it felt like I'd been off for a couple of months. Seriously, I felt fat and slow. My legs felt fine, but the rest of me, not so much. The temperature was in the 40s and a little breezy, but I got by without gloves or a stocking cap. I listened to Kansas' Masque on my iPod - what a great album. Two singers whose voices blended perfectly (Walsh and Steinhardt), and fantastic violin melded in with the guitars and keys. It's one of my favorite Kansas albums, if not the absolute favorite. Those were the days of great and inventive musicians. I tell my kids the best decade of music was the 70s. They agree.

Snow and Truncation

I hate to say this, but I probably should have run inside today. The sun was out, but it snowed yesterday and the temperature was only up to the mid-20s with a lovely breeze from the southwest. The plan called for Yasso 800s, which are challenging enough without dodging icy patches on the sidewalks. Most of the route was ice and snow-free, but on the Shoal Creek leg there were plenty of spots to avoid. I ran four of five intervals and decided to stop at 5 miles. The extra mile didn't seem worth the effort or risk of injury. I don't know if I would have done the full 6 miles on the treadmill, but it might actually have been a little more enjoyable. The temperature goes back up for the weekend, which sounds really good right after today's outing.

Escape to the Outdoors

I was able to sneak outside for this afternoon's run between snowstorms. We had snow on Sunday, some of which still lingers in the grass and sidewalks. Tomorrow we're supposed to get more. It was warm enough today, about 50 degrees, to allow for a 6-mile run. The wind was blowing hard from the southwest, about 20 mph, so my tempo run was slowed a couple of times as I ran uphill against the wind. I finished without walking and kept my feet relatively dry. Any chance to run outside in winter is worth the effort. I attended meetings at the Fed today and could have gone out afterward for happy hour, but running outside was more important. Sorry folks.

Treadmill and Netflix

Not my favorite day of running ever. It was cold and raining outside this morning, and still is, which meant I had to do my long run on the treadmill. I set up and decided to watch something different on Netflix. I knew two hours of Friends would be okay but might not distract me enough. So I watched the first two episodes of Peaky Binders, which was new to me. Looks like it's originally a BBC show. That got me through most of my 13 miles. As I said, this wasn't my favorite run, but I made it through. Hoping for better weather next weekend as the mileage increases.

P.S. Just realized this is my 1,000th post, which means I've run at least that many times since I started documenting my runs here. I wonder how many miles that adds up to? I see some bloggers I follow make a big deal out of this milestone, but instead I think I'll just go take a nap.

The Return of Winter

Yesterday it was almost back to normal around here: cold, gray, and windy. It was a day almost built for running inside, but because it was just barely tolerable I went ahead and ran outside. I saw a few others out as well, which I take to mean that I wasn't totally crazy. The plan called for Yasso 800s, which is what I did. Without the GPS it's a little more difficult to follow the plan exactly. Some of my 800s were longer, and a few were probably shorter. Either way I did five intervals and made it through the entire 6 miles with only one walk. That was on the hill by the golf course, uphill and against the wind. I decided to not push it by trying to run that section.

Bad weather is moving in this weekend, and it could be a couple of hours on the treadmill Saturday. It's time once again to think about moving someplace warmer.

57 and Hills

Nice day. Considering it's January, it was a *really* nice day. I even wore shorts and a short-sleeved t-shirt. It was right on the border of being warm enough, but I think that caused me to run a little faster and that kept me warm. I ran 6 miles since today was a hill day, going over to 435 and then north by the school. I kept up a pretty good pace and it was a blast to run without layers and long pants. I certainly won't get used to it, but I could.

Saturday Recap

I ran 10 miles on Saturday with the Virtual Running Buddy, who was here to celebrate The Wife's birthday. We got out before the party and did a loop of 4 miles around the neighborhood, and then 6 more on the normal route. It was a very nice morning weather-wise, and sunny, too. We kept the pace slow, at about 10:40/minute even though he wanted to go even slower we were just too blazing fast. It was a good run to set up the next several weeks of increasingly longer outings.

Wife's Birthday Run

Big milestone birthday for The Wife, which deserved a run, of course. I ran 6 miles under gray clouds and a temperature right at freezing. Four of the miles were at tempo pace, which felt pretty good until I was running up the hill by the golf course against the wind. Other than that short walk it was okay.

Run Up Hill (repeat)

Today was hill repeats day, and a nice day for it at that. If there is such a thing for this workout. I ran the first 1.25 miles with Daughter #2, then took off for a hill on Eastern Road. I ran up and down four times, which was a pretty darn good exercise. I extended the hill after the first run and made it a good distance for #s 3 and 4. Then I ran home. I'm pretty sure I didn't go the full 6 miles, so I'll call it 5. It's harder to gauge distance without mapping it first or using a GPS.

Catching Up

Even thought I didn't post I actually ran three times this past week. It's been busy around here, and the weather has been superb. Especially for January.

I ran 6 miles Tuesday and did four of them in a tempo run. Then Thursday was hill day, which is really what they all are. I ran the first mile with Daughter #2 and then did the other five on my own. I was going to go Saturday but actually I'm glad I waited since it turned out windy that particular day. In the meantime I was refinishing our kitchen floor, and I concentrated on that instead of running. To get my long run of 11 miles in I ran on Sunday instead. It was another beautiful day, with just a little wind. I had to get that one in between playing in the orchestra and then picking up Daughter #2 from church. Yes, I was a heathen, but I needed to run then so I could put down the gloss on the floor in the afternoon. Which looks okay, by the way, but man, that was a lot of work. It was almost more exhausting than running a marathon.

First Outside Run of the Year

Ten days into the new year and I was finally able to run outside. It was not warm, but the sun was shining. When I set out the wind chill was in the single digits, but by the time I finished it was about 16 degrees. I was going to go 11 miles but finished at 8, mainly because I thought my nose and lips were about to freeze off my face. That throws my training plan into some disarray, but I can adjust. It was nice to get back into the outside world again, even though it wasn't the best of weather.

Still Inside

I'm still waiting to run outside this year. The temperature got out of single digits today but the wind was still horrific. I ran another 6 miles on the treadmill and watched some more Friends. I have to admit that helps the time go quickly. Still, I'd rather run outside. We'll see how it looks for the weekend.

Single Digits

Today's run on the treadmill was 6 miles, which was the same as the temperature outside. Tonight it's supposed to get down to 1 degree. I was supposed to run yesterday but we went to a matinee. I thought about skipping it and doing my weight workouts, but I figured I needed the mileage more. That puts me in line for two days in a row of running, but that's okay. I'm just hoping it warms up enough to run outside on Saturday.

Going the Full Nine

I should have waited until this afternoon to run, and/or not believed the weather forecast. It was supposed to be a winter storm warning from last night at 9 p.m. until tonight at midnight. Instead we received a misting overnight and nothing today. Which is fine with me. But I decided I didn't want to be cold and so I stayed in this morning and ran 9 miles on the treadmill. Fortunately Friends is on Netflix now and I watched the first 4 1/2 episodes for distraction. I should be taking advantage of days like this, though, because it's quickly going to get to a point where I can't make myself do long distances inside like that as the mileage ratchets upward. Next time I'll certainly be less inclined to trust a forecast of 3-6" of snow.

Botched Outside Run

I was all geared up for a run in freezing weather, and then found my gear wasn't. My pants were in the laundry, but salvageable. My stocking hat and ear warmers were not. That sent me back to the treadmill. I watched an Aziz Ansari comedy show, which was not as bad as the Offerman show I tried the other day. Yes, there was some bad language, but he wasn't blasphemous and at times pretty darn funny. I guess it's hit or miss with the Parks and Rec gang. I got in my 6 miles and wish it had been outside. The forecast for Saturday isn't looking good either, with ice and snow on the horizon. It's winter. Gee, who could have seen this coming?

To the Treadmill

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

Boxing Day Letdown

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

Christmas, A Nice Day for a Run

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

No Sun Run

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

Still Cloudy

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

Five for Tuesday

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

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

After 20 Days

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

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

Two Weeks Later

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

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

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

One Week Later

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

Two Races in One

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Final Speedwork

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

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

95%

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

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

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

So That's Done

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

No Puking Tonight

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

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

Seriously Colder

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

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

Last Warm Run?

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

Thursday and Saturday

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

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

Good Tempo Run

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

Monday Post-Time Change

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

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

Did It

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

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

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

Compression Sleeves

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

Two More Days

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

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

18 Better

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

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

Thursday Morning Run

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

Long Weekday Run

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

Really Easy

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

Skipping the KC Marathon

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

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

The Value of Sleep

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

Wind and More Wind

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

Back to the Treadmill

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

Friday Run

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