Last Run of 2015

The FVRP and I ran hills today in a wind that seemed to shift to blow out of whatever direction we ran. He felt good, and I felt decent, and all in all it was a good way to end the year. We ran 6 miles, most of it up and down Stonebridge to 380. We ran past a kid whose car was crashed into the median apparently less than a couple of minutes before we got there. By the time we ran by again the police had arrived and were talking to the driver of the car that must have hit him.

Reviewing the whole year, it's pretty apparent my running was sporadic, but I still kept at it even in the midst of the preparing our KC house to sell and moving to Texas. I'm glad to be here and still running, and I'm looking forward to regaining some consistency in 2016. That starts with the Bataan Memorial race in March, and maybe something later in the spring and certainly a race in the fall. Goodbye 2015 - unlike my running pace, you went by fast.

Speeding Up Slowly

Ran by myself today at lunch, in the coldness of North Texas. And that is much better than the coldness of KC. The temperature was in the mid-30s and brings to mind how many times I ran when the coldness dipped into the teens. So I can't complain, and I won't.

I ran 6 miles and it was the first speed workout on the plan. Now that I'm done with it, speedwork at this point is probably too early. I did three miles at a tempo pace, which for me right now is nine-minute miles. I did okay for the first mile, and then walked at the 1.5-mile mark, and then again at 2.5, and finally walked up the big hill. My legs felt heavy by the time I reached that hill. I was happy that I kept up that pace when actually running, especially since I don't have a watch and just go by what the Nike app lady says. I might actually have to get a cheap watch or a new Garmin.

Post-Christmas Run

It was a run for the day after Christmas, the overstuffing of ourselves yesterday made a lot more difficult with 85% humidity. As I remarked on the run, humidity is my running kryptonite. We walked at least five times, but in the end we made it through our 7 miles. We ran a route along the Craig Ranch golf course and north past Stacy. I would count it as a so-so run that counts as an accomplishment that we made it.

Jingle Bell Run

Made it out on Christmas Eve today for a 6-miler with the FVRP. We ran my normal route and he complained about the distance but did fine with the exception of a couple of walks. The weather was great once again, with enough breeze to cool us off somewhat from the temperature in the upper 50s. I felt pretty good and my right knee seems to be doing better.

For the family, our Christmas Eve tradition of making tamales remains intact. And man, were they good. So glad to have leftovers.

Now I have to go to bed so Santa will come.

Onward and Upward

Last week's progression was 4-5-6, and this week we're going for 5-6-7. Today's 5-miler went pretty well, although the FVRP complained about the "heat." Yeah, it was all of 70 degrees today, and it was pretty darn nice. Another beautiful Texas day with mostly blue skies and a few high clouds.

At the moment I still have some runner's knee, but it's not as bad as I've experienced in the past. I'm hoping the problem is because of the different shoes I keep wearing, but I probably also need to get a new pair of running shoes. Pretty sure I'll need them before the training cycle is through.

New Route

Rather than run the normal route for 6 miles, today we went over to the dog park and started from there. Normally the dog park is the turnaround point. I figured it was time to do a little exploring and the route was pretty nice, through some woods, past soccer fields, under the highway, and around Towne Lake. The temperature was cool, around 40 degrees or so with a slight breeze, but the sun was shining and it was really a good day for running.

The last tenth of a mile we kicked it in for a sprint to the finish. Hadn't run fast in a while and that was kind of fun. That was a 15-mile week. Not great, but it's a build-up to the beginning of the training plan, which starts...tomorrow. With a rest day. Now that's my kind of training plan.

Frosty Morning

Once again I went over to the FVRP's homestead and we ran 5 miles together. The temperature was in the upper 30s and plenty of frost had settled on the grass in the neighborhood. The FVRP mocked me briefly for wearing shorts and long-sleeved t, telling me I was going to freeze. About two miles into the run he had to shed some layers and wasn't mocking me any more. Of all that I was glad to be wearing mittens and a stocking cap. If I hadn't brought those along I certainly would have resembled a popsicle a lot more closely.

Late DayRun

The FVRP and I ran after work on Tuesday, a nice 4-miler around his neighborhood. It's part of the loop he used to run when doing his first marathons. The loop took him by his house so he could refuel, bail out if he was a wuss, and generally get dizzy running in circles. It was interesting to see the various parts of the neighborhood - the "smaller" homes from the first phase compared to the huge homes that were built later. It was a beautiful mid-December day. Ah, it's nice to be in Texas.

At The Boy's karate last night one of the adults in his class asked  me when I was going to join. I laughed and said that wasn't going to happen since I don't need to injure myself when I'm training. The other fact is that The Boy won't run with me, so I'm not going to do karate with him. Seriously, though, I've been doing this long enough to know that bringing in different movements is going to likely mess up my knees, hips, or something else. I know I need to do something different to take care of problems like my cramping calf muscles, but I don't think karate is the answer.

Texas in Mid-December

Today was gray but not cool, and plenty humid. Rain is supposed to be on the way but this morning when I ran with the FVRP it was just a little on the humid side. We ran 6 miles through the Craig Ranch area. The breeze was up quite nicely, which helped a little with the humidity but also made it a challenge at times. We walked a few times as we gear up for the beginning of the training plan. Once again, I can't complain about the weather here in Texas. This is nice, especially for this time of year.

Midday Run

The FVRP came over early this afternoon and we ran 4 miles together. For almost mid-December it was a gorgeous day. Heck, it was a beautiful day for any time of the year. Low 70s and sunny, with just a little breeze from the south. It almost seemed hot at this time of year, but no complaints here. We realized that if we want to run at White Sands in March then it's only a little over three months away and we need to get our butts in gear. That means getting back into the groove and running regularly. Today was the first step to New Mexico.

Sister Run

First Sister was in town this weekend, and we were able to run together yesterday. She's training for a 10k, and of all things a half-marathon. She can hardly believe she's going to run that far, but it's cool to hear how much she's enjoying running. With knee problems behind her she's in it for the long haul. I'm still getting over my head cold and stuffiness, and she asked a couple of times early on if I was all right since I had a bunch of phlegm in my throat. We made it 4 miles, with a couple of walks. It was fun to run with her and hopefully we can do it again in the near future. It's especially cool to run with someone who never thought they would be a runner, and experience the joy of it through their eyes.

Through the Debris

Wish I'd had time to run while I was in Austin this week, but our office and hotel were both out on the northwest side of the city. Yesterday (Saturday) I felt like crap - stuffy head, stuffy nose, sore throat, all a result of something I probably picked up in Austin or on the plane. I thought going for a run would be a good opportunity to...expectorate. Yes, I've done this before where my discomfiture was above the neck line and it was a good idea to get out and clear the system.

It went well for the first half, although I walked at 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, and up the hill. Not the best of runs, but I'm glad I did the whole 6 miles.

A lot of the debris from earlier in the week was gone from the paths, with traces left behind from the bobcat or whatever they used to clear the mud and twigs and stuff. In a few spots there was still a layer of dirt, but at least by this time it's dried. It's amazing how high the water rose.