A Nice Saturday

It was another great day for running. I didn't get out the door until almost 11 a.m. and went 5.5 miles before swinging back to pick up a couple of kids for another 2.5 (for those of you counting at home, that's a total of 8 miles). I signed us up for a 5k next Saturday so I wanted to make sure they're in good shape. My littlest one went to a sleepover the night prior and she was a wee bit tired. I know the feeling so we had a couple of walking intervals, which was fine. I'm loving this weather and my allergies seem to be leveling out.

Running with Kids

I can only imagine what people thought when they saw four kids and me running this afternoon. What kind of crazy person has that many kids? Maybe. I've been called worse. I "made" them run two miles since the 5k is just over a week away. They all did pretty well except the oldest, who is still having leg problems. Once I dropped them off I ran another four miles to get to my usual total of 6 miles. The day was overcast and the temperature mild - in other words, a perfect day for a run. Autumn brings some nasty allergies along with the good weather, but the past few days I've been okay. We'll see if that lasts into the weekend or not.

Lethargy

I felt just plain tired today when I got home from work. It was one of those I-could-take-a-nap kinds of tired. Even as I started my run I considered how well - or not - it was going to go. That soon passed as a I ran the first couple of miles. When I passed by the neighborhood again at the two-mile mark I had a brief flash of stopping and calling it a day, but I resisted. The temperature was a little warmer today than in the past week, probably in the low 80s, but I ran it all. Just like I was tempted to cut the run short I was also tempted to walk a few times. I just couldn't see any reason to do it, so I kept going. When all was said and done I felt pretty good, much better than when I started. That's not a surprise since what I needed was a little endorphin therapy. Today the treatment worked.

First Day of Fall

As The Boy told me today it certainly feels like the first day of Fall. Yesterday I was really looking forward to this run. I knew it was going to be good weather just like it was yesterday. In fact I thought more than once about running after work yesterday but decided a day of weights would be better. This morning I took off for a 6-miler and ended up with an overall 9:15 per mile pace. It was a lot cooler than I expected with the temperature under 60 degrees. When I was walking to "warm up" I briefly considered going back and getting a long-sleeved shirt but quickly determined I'd be just fine once I started running. Once again I saw several people out but not as many as I thought. A cool breeze was blowing from the north. Maybe that kept some people indoors.

Once I got home I took three of the kids for a run. I was planning on going two miles with them but both girls said they were experiencing pain, one in the knees and the other on the side of the leg above the ankle. We got all of a mile before they had to walk. The Boy and I decided to get in some more running and made it to almost two miles, 1.84 to be exact. For the week that makes my total mileage as 19.84. So close to 20 that I'm going to round up, especially since I more than made up the extra distance in walking. It's two weeks until the 5k at church, so these kids better pick up their game!

That Was a Good Run

Today was another great day for running. I'm feeling like I'm really getting back into stride as far as running goes, and as I've said before the cooler temperatures certainly help. My overall pace today was 9:30/mile, which doesn't seem terribly fast. But consider the fact that for the past five months or so I've been running about a minute slower because of the heat. Or because I've been on and off with my schedule. I ran 6 miles today and if it was a race I would have run a negative split. I felt stronger toward the end when I was running at a pace in the eights. Another telltale sign that I'm feeling better is the hills. In the past I've always attacked hills and stayed strong on the ascent, if not actually running faster. Lately I've slowed down on the uphills and tried to keep it slow to the point of walking them depending on the temperature. Now that the weather is back to a decent range I'm back to enjoying hills again. Watch out! I'm not the fastest person in the world but I certainly feel faster this week.

Back in Stride

Today was so nice. Really nice. Perfect running weather with a temperature about 68 degrees, sunny, and a light breeze. I ran 6 miles and loved every minute of it. My complaint about drivers and crosswalks still stands, though.

Running on Friday?

Today's not my normal day for a run. That would have been yesterday. Thursday was cool and rainy, and to be perfectly honest, I didn't feel like running in it. It was one of those rains that makes you feel like you can get sick from it, even though that's probably not what would happen. Still, it was quite a climate change after another hot day on Tuesday, so I decided to pass. And I'm glad I did.

Today it was 72 degrees outside, sunny, and just plain gorgeous. I got off work an hour early and laced up my running shoes when I got home. I ran 6 miles with no walking, more testament to running in cooler temperatures. I've mentioned before that running four miles in 95 degree weather is probably the same effort as running longer when it's 20 degrees cooler out. I think today's run proves that. My pace was closer to the 9:30 range, and it felt pretty easy. Yep, it's called level of effort. You read it here first. Or maybe not.

I Thought I Was Done

After Saturday's run I had a horrible allergy attack, the worst I've had in a long time. It probably didn't help that I also mowed the lawn, spent several hours painting downstairs, and sitting on my neighbor's driveway hanging out for a couple of hours. Fortunately I rested a bit on Sunday and although the attack was past I still felt drugged for a couple of days. I thought we were done with summer but today proved the weathermen don't know their hole from an ass in the ground. It was right at 90 degrees when I headed out with the littlest daughter. She ran a mile with me and I returned her back to the house before heading out for another 4 miles. It was fun because we talked about competition and nutrition and being in shape. She's a sharp kid. Yes, I'm biased.

Because of the temperature I took my water bottle with me and did the walking thing when I needed to. As I was walking up the hill just after finishing Daughter #1 came driving back from the grocery and tooted her horn at me. I jumped in and got an air conditioned ride the last few hundred yards back to the house. It wasn't my normal cooldown, but it was a nice treat.

The bottom of my right foot has been hurting for several weeks, and I'm hoping it's not plantar fasciitis. I think the pain is due to the lower profile of my running shoes and the inserts I've been wearing in my dress shoes. The past couple of days I've been wearing my dress shoes at work without the inserts but I haven't noticed a difference yet. In fact, today I felt a little bit of pain in that area during my run, which was new. Usually it only aches when wearing my dress shoes or first thing in the morning. I have to figure out what to do to figure out the cause without ending up causing pain in my knees. More to come on this late-breaking story.

One More for Summer and Another

Never got around to posting Thursday's run, so here we go. It was another day in the mid-90's. Frankly I was so worn out from work that day that it would have been justifiable to stay in and avoid the heat, but those are the kinds of days I really need to run, so I did. A nice breeze helped keep me from a heat stroke, as well as walking regularly. I actually saw about a half dozen people out for a run, which was surprising. I don't remember seeing that many on previous runs where the day was so hot. I went 4 miles and spent a little bit of time cooling off when I got home.

Today was absolutely beautiful outside. I ramped up to 6 miles and made it without walking, other than having to stop for the idiots in cars who can't figure out that a person on foot should have the right of way at a crosswalk. It was in the 60's for the run, sunny, and breezy - refreshing! Plenty of other people were out enjoying the day as well. The forecast calls for temperatures to remain below 90 degrees from here on out, so I guess this is the end of summer weather. I enjoy running in the cooler temperatures of autumn, but I will certainly miss summer.

More Walking

Another hot one in KC today. With the downstairs in disarray while we paint I knew I needed to get outside if I was going to run since the treadmill is indisposed. Once again I told myself that it was okay to walk if needed. Somebody also amped up the humidity, and boy, did that make a difference. Before I'd reached the end of my first mile I knew I'd be walking more than last week before we had a few days of rain.

The funny thing was that I walked four times by the time I returned to the traffic circle at Shoal Creek. I crossed over 96th and resumed running, planning on going to the neighborhood and then walking the rest of the way home. But when I started running again I quickly started feeling bad, as though my systems were having to work too hard to maintain even the slowest of paces. Using some common sense I called it quits after about a tenth of a mile. It made the walk home a little bit longer, but that's okay. Today my goal was to get out and sweat a little. Mission accomplished.

Running in a Hurricane

So it wasn't really a hurricane, at least not any more. Isaac petered out after it made landfall in Louisiana and became a big tropical depression again. It hit the KC area on Friday and lasted through a lot of Saturday. I stood briefly on the front porch and pondered whether or not I should run. It was windy, almost thirty degrees cooler than Thursday's run, and raining. But there was no thunder or lightning, so I went out and ran 6 miles. The last couple were the toughest since I was running against the western edge of the storm, which rotated counterclockwise and from the north. I did walk once by the golf course on the way back, and that was because I didn't want to waste all my energy running uphill against the wind. Once again I left the iPod at home and just enjoyed the run and the weather.

Uncool Runnings

It was 100 degrees today when I started my run. I planned on a lot of walking, just like I did on Tuesday. And once again it worked. Fortunately it hasn't been humid like it normally is during the summer. Plus we had a slight breeze. I walked one time more than on Tuesday, on the hill approaching the traffic circle on the way back. All in all it was a good, slow run. I think I actually sweated more a couple of days ago, but that's because I pushed a little harder. It was another 4-miler and a fitting run for the end of August.

95

I guess you could say I'm as used to high temperatures as one can get. Today the thermometer read 95 degrees when I set out for my 4-mile run. As before, I planned ahead and took a bottle of solid ice, which mostly thawed during the run, and took a walk break every mile. I also kept my pace closer to 11 minutes than to 9. It worked wonderfully. Not that I didn't sweat. Not that at the end I was breathing hard. No, it was definitely a taxing run, even with all that, because of the heat. A month or so ago there's no way I would have run on a day like this. Now that I've done it several times it's manageable. I believe this is called acclimating to the weather. Lower temps would be nice, but I'm not going to complain. I'll save that for winter.

Rain!

Last night I was up late so I stayed in bed later than usual. Or maybe it's better described as staying in bed as long as I wanted. Then I had orchestra practice, which ended early. I decided to run right away when I got home since the day was overcast and rain was threatening. It actually did more than threaten - for one of the few times in the last six months it actually rained! Not enough to really even get the dirt wet, but enough to make me adapt a little bit. I took my iPod with me when I headed out but the sprinkles made me think it would be a good idea to ditch the music in case the rain picked up. I ran out a mile and then looped back through the neighborhood to drop off the iPod and my sunglasses. That turned out to be a good decision as I actually got to hear the raindrops on the road, on the leaves of trees, and even sizzling on the overhead power lines on my way back. It was a great experience, one where I was almost in that runner's high. In fact, I might have been for the last two miles or so. I went 6 miles total and even though I was rained on it was worth every drop.

Missed a Post

I didn't run last week while on vacation, shame on me, but I did run Tuesday and forgot to post about it. I would say the day was summer-like, but since it's actually summer I don't need to say it. The temperature was about 90 degrees and I took my bottle of water with me. I kept it slow and went two miles before turning around. I walked a little up the hill by the golf course and then again up another hill a half mile later. Once I got to the crosswalks I walked again. When I finally reached the neighborhood I walked the last quarter mile. All in all I went about four miles but probably ran about 3.5. It wasn't too bad for my first day running in a week, and in hot weather at that, but the heat definitely did me in by the end.

Today the weather was about the same with a little bit more of a southwesterly breeze. When I turned on the Garmin it told me it had a low battery. I plugged it into the computer, instantly causing a dreaded BSOD, which is a lot less common than it used to be. Apparently there's a conflict with the Garmin driver and Win 7. Won't do that again. Especially when The Wife is reading email. Anyway, today I determined to run a mile and then walk a short distance, which turned out to be three light poles. It worked out pretty well since today's run went a lot better than on Tuesday. I actually ran up a couple of hills I've been walking and count this as a 4-mile run. It's supposed to rain on Saturday but I won't believe it until I see it.

Two in a Row

When was the last time I ran two days in a row? I'm too lazy to go back and look. Today I went 6 miles and had a good run, although at times I felt kind of tight. In fact, a couple of times I felt like an old man running. What the heck?

The last two days I've worn my RoadID all day on my right wrist to keep from bending it. I seriously thought about going to the doctor, but my self-diagnosis and treatment seems to have worked. Tonight it feels about as normal as possible. I decided that if I went to a doctor all he would do is give me a brace to immobilize it for several days. Seems like I was right.

Monday Running

Today was too nice to not run. Plus I've been nursing my right wrist, which I think I sprained last week. The sad thing is that I'm not sure how I did so. Nevertheless it's put me in a spot where I can't do my usual weights. With that in mind and combined with the weather it seemed like running was the right thing to do. I think this was probably the coolest weather I've run in outside in months, with a temp around 74 degrees. I ran 5 miles right at a 10 minute/mile pace. Today I also transferred to another section at work, which brought some added stress. I worked in this area for 3.5 years and as I was running today it came to me that the reason I probably ran so much during that time was as a stress release. Seems like I'm picking right back up where I left off.

Six Plus One

The heat's broken for a few days. This morning it was sunny but the temperature had not yet risen to today's high of 84. I thought about running eight miles or so, but my youngest wanted to run some, too, so I went out for 6 miles and came home to get her to run another mile with me.

She's inspired by the Olympics, no doubt, but this is also the girl who beat all her older siblings and cousins in the Turkey Trot 5k in 2009. Last week at church they announced a 5k at the beginning of October, and she's interested in running that one. It's cool to see her so interested in running at such a young age, and it's up to me to keep her interest level in it. She needs bigger shoes and said at the end of the run that she's not running again until she gets new shoes. I don't blame her. She ran the whole mile without stopping. Once we get those new shoes we can spend the next couple of months building up 3.1 miles.

I saw several people running this morning with their dogs and was a little bit jealous. But then I got to run with my youngest daughter, which was way better.

Out There

Today the temperature seemed reasonable enough to run outside. The wind was blowing and a few scattered clouds made it bearable. Even with temperatures in the mid-80's it was still hot. I made it 4 miles at a pretty slow pace, but it was still better than running inside.

And what is it with drivers not stopping for pedestrians who are ready to cross the street in a marked crosswalk? Is it because they're in a traffic circle and therefore the drivers feel like they don't have to stop? I had another one today who was in the circle and of course I couldn't tell if they were going to stay in the circle or come my way, so I stopped. I don't trust people, especially people I don't know. As usual, it's a good thing I stopped because the guy accelerated out of the circle with no hesitation and no regard for the pedestrian (me). If I didn't think I'd get maimed I'd start running out into the street to make them slam on their brakes. Once in a while I come across a person who slows and stops so I can cross. The only explanation I can find for such drivers is that they must be fellow runners.

Back Inside Part III

I had that blah feeling this afternoon and seriously considered not running. But I didn't something yesterday that I don't normally do - I weighed myself. With all of this inconsistent running it seems I've put on 7-8 pounds, which is not surprising since my pants have been a little...tighter around the waist lately. That thought spurred me to jump on the treadmill (it was 104 this afternoon - not conducive to an outdoors run) and run 5 miles.

I don't run to control my weight, but I will admit it's a nice byproduct. It's been well over a year since my last race and I can tell in my general fitness level. This weekend I put together a training plan for the KC Half Marathon in October. If I can get in the training during the heat of summer I think I can run the race. Maybe not my fastest ever, but at least it'll get me back in the game. Time to kick it up a notch.

Update: After I published this I realized this is the third time I've titled a post "Back Inside." Sometimes my unoriginality can be inspiring.