A Little More

Pushed it a little bit today with a 5-miler. Same pattern as last Saturday and temperature was only 90 degrees. Overall I felt it went well, no soreness afterward. If tomorrow goes okay then on Saturday I'd like to try six miles. I miss the standard runs on the weekdays and longer on the weekends. I'll get there.

Hotter Yet Cooler

The temp was 97 degrees when I headed out this afternoon for the 4-miler with intervals. It was also quite windy, which drove the humidity down and actually made the run feel cooler - or at least not has hot - as some of the more recent runs. I felt good throughout. The right knee has felt slightly sore over the weekend, about a 1 on a 10 scale, but no issues during the run and none as I cool down and write this.

Once More Into Summer

Yesterday morning I headed out a little after 9 a.m. The sun was out, temperature was in the 80s already, and it was huuuuuuumid. I buckled down and went 5 miles. Overall it went pretty well. By my estimate I probably ran about 3 3/4 of that distance, or close to it. The thermometer got into the mid-90s in the afternoon. By all appearances summer is here in Texas.

Slow Study

I was running today and feeling pretty good - in the upper body, which was somewhat new. And then I thought back over the last 20 months or so. Quiz. What have I dealt with over that timeframe?

• Abdominal strain
• Bruised ribs
• Lower back spasms
• All of the above

Yes, the last one would be correct. It's been issue after issue.

I've been doing leg exercises recently, and upper body sporadically. The past couple of weeks I've been more consistent with arms and shoulders, etc. And I felt that today. It took being on today's 4-miler to realize it's actually paying off. Maybe that's been part of the problem, causing my legs and hips, especially knees, to adjust, and not in the correct way. I'm hoping this sudden revelation will influence me to exercise all areas, not just the legs. You'd think I would know better by now. Guess I'm a slow study.

Rising Steam

I did my 4-mile interval run again today, with a short walk in the last interval. And with a twist. As I was walking out of the neighborhood I was splattered with big fat raindrops. I walked under the trees on Lake Forest and as I crossed the rain picked up. I walked over to the high school and stood in the doorway for about 7-8 minutes as a storm passed over. It was pretty nice but brief. Then I continued on my way, trying to avoid vehicles splashing the puddles onto the sidewalk.

On my way back from the turnaround point the sun came out. As I ran my third interval the steam rose off the sidewalk on the high bank around the pond. It was actually pretty interesting to see. When I ran through the steam I could certainly feel the humidity, which actually I felt the whole run after the rain. Kind of a unique run, at least so far.

Staying the Course

I got up early - well, 7:30, which is kind of early for a Saturday - to run before the Youngest Daughter's graduation party this afternoon. I kept to 4 miles with the same intervals I did on Thursday. I considered going another half-mile or mile, but decided that this was a chance to hold back a little and keep on the same trajectory toward recovery. The temperature was nice and mild that early in the day and I felt good with the four intervals I ran. Let's build on that over the next couple of weeks.

A Bit More Running

I'm now trying to run a little more every time, and today I took out four walk breaks, meaning I had four intervals instead of eight. By my GPS I ran 3.1 miles total out of 4. Felt pretty good, even with the temperature in the low 80s. A nice breeze was a big help.

Post-Holiday

Didn't run on Saturday because I walked 3 miles with The Wife and then had activities that mainly involved smoking brisket and ribs for the rest of the day. Today was nice - low 70s and overcast. It comes after a full day of rain on Memorial Day yesterday, and some showers on Sunday as well. I did my 4 miles with intervals, and it felt good. I think it's supposed to stay cool a few more days so I might increase the running this week.

Warm and Sunny

Another nice day for an outing. I once again did the 4-miler with intervals, and I think it went pretty well. A little humid but not horrible. I'm liking this warm weather as always. Looking forward to a long weekend since our company gave us Friday off to go along with the Memorial Day holiday on Monday. Hope the rain stays away so I can get in some more exercise.

On the Way Up

The temperature was a wonderful 89 degrees today, and it looks like our thermometer is on the way up toward summer. I did my 4 miles with the intervals and it went okay. I felt more conscious of my stride, like it wasn't quite right some of the time. My last two intervals became one when a woman was walking in the same direction right where I would have stopped. That one was probably a good half-mile, the longest distance I've run so far, which is fine. I cross-trained yesterday with weights and ankle weights, and wow did it feel creaky, especially the legs and hips. Which means it was past due.

Post-Vacation Run

Ended up not running last week due to work commitments on Monday and Tuesday and then vacation starting on Wednesday. Yesterday was our first full day back at home. I went out for the now-usual 4-miler to kick start my exercise. It included intervals, sunshine, and lots of wind. My plan is to get back to every other day for walking/running as I build mileage, and cross-training exercises on the other days. Like I used to do. Time to really get back into shape this summer so I can do a half in the fall with my sister and nieces. No excuses!

Saturday's All Right for Running

Beautiful day with sun and moderate temperatures. I continued my pattern of running/walking and went 5 miles today. I figure about 3 of those miles were running. During and after I felt good, and still do seven hours later. Saw plenty of people out on the trail. Glad that people are getting out in the midst of all this shelter-in-place stuff.

Missed One

Walked Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday, but missed my walk/run on Tuesday because of work. Today I went 4 miles on the usual walk/run route and it went okay. My knees and right hip felt...not strong. I think I need to do some strengthening exercises. The somewhat faster pace seemed to help like it did last week. For whatever reason it works out the kinks quicker, but I also feel like it's not sustainable. I also thought more of my posture. Shoulders back, more upright, use the glutes, etc. If I can do this a little more I think it will pay off.

Longer

Today I went 5 miles, just like last week. And just like on Thursday, I ran the intervals at a faster pace. For now that seems to be working. The pace was between 8:00-8:30/mile during those intervals. It was a really nice day, with sunshine and a good breeze out of the south. Storms threatened earlier in the morning but nothing came of them before 11 a.m. when I headed out. And now, later in the day, I'm dealing with all the allergies from the wind.

Minor Setback

My right knee felt mildly tweaked the other day after my walk/run - on a scale of 10 it was about a 1.5 - but felt good on yesterday's walk and for the first couple of intervals on today's outing. At the end of the second one, though, it felt weird again. I walked the next couple of miles with a few short attempts to run some more. And then in the last mile I had a thought. Every time I try to run these days it's the same slow pace. What if I ran faster? It's a different sort of stride, although it probably shouldn't be. So I ran two intervals at an accelerated pace. It seemed to work fine. No pain, but as usual the proof will be how it feels later tonight and tomorrow. Overall I went 4 miles and enjoyed the nice 80 degree weather.

Tougher Day

This was one of those mildly sluggish days, enhanced by the strong winds. I did the 4-mile route and ran the parts I've done over the last week+. For some reason it was a little tougher but I persevered. I think part of it was the humidity and temperature in the upper 80s. Or maybe that was most of it. Whatever the case, I'm still making progress. And for that I'm thankful.

Missed Logging These

As of today I have three outings that I didn't log yet. Let's get to it.

On Saturday I went for a walk/run. This time I went 5 miles, extending my previous session by a mile. It was a nice day for it. I probably ran a little over 3 miles of that, and afterward felt pretty good. I felt like it was a good milestone.

Yesterday (Sunday) I figured I should get out and walk, so I went 3 miles. Again, a nice day with lots of sunshine.

Today I did 3 miles again, same route, and a lot more wind. At least the sun was shining and the big thunderheads scooted by to the south.

I'm thinking another week of walk/run and then I can start working on continuous running for short distances. It's going to be awhile still before I get back up to six-milers on a regular basis.

More Progress

Yesterday I walked 3 miles as thunder clouds rolled past with no rain for us. It was a nice warm day and great for walking.

Today the temperature was about 83 degrees and I did the same routine as Tuesday. I ran just a tad more, but if so it ended up being 2.7 miles out of 4. Maybe. Regardless, I'm still feeling like I'm making progress. I felt inflammation in my knees when I got up yesterday morning but I just generally felt like hell anyway, probably from allergies. And getting older. Nevertheless, I still have no pain when I run and that's the goal.

Ran More Than Half

Today I kept track of the segments I ran to see how much of the 4 miles I was actually running. Altogether I ran 2.6 of that in eight different intervals. I wasn't sure if the GPS would work right since it's so windy, but it did better than the last few times and it's good to know how far I actually ran versus walked. I'm building back up slowly, which is according to plan.

A Good Walk Unspoiled

This weekend I did not get out for a walk or a run due to storms in the area and laziness, but mainly laziness. However, today was much nicer and after I finished working I went for a brisk 3-mile walk. The sun was out and temperature was in the mid-70s. Then when I got home The Wife wanted to walk, so we went out and I got in 2 more miles for a total of 5. That's exactly what I needed after all the rain and storms this weekend. And oh yeah, the laziness.

More Running

Yesterday I walked 3 miles, and today I did the walk/run thing again for 4 miles. I ran more in this outing than last time. It seems to be alternating every other day on whether my knees feel up to running or not since yesterday I tried and they were not feeling it. Tomorrow I will probably do neither and then see how it goes on Saturday.

A Walk, A Run/Walk

Yesterday I walked 3 miles. At one point, about a half-mile in, I tried to run but felt my right knee popping, so I quickly resumed walking and did so the rest of the way. It didn't hurt but I could also tell it didn't feel quite right.

Today was better, although a little bit cooler in the low 50s. I followed the same pattern as on Sunday, extending the run portions a little more. I think today I probably ran about 1.5 miles, and it felt fine. No knee problems. Once again, the true test will be tomorrow when I go out for another walk.

Good News

The real good news is that today is Easter. Hard to top that for a world-changing event. In day-to-day life I've still been walking regularly. Yesterday I was on a 4-miler and in the last mile I ran a couple of times for about 60-90 seconds. No pain. That was good news for sure.

Today I went 4 miles again, but this time I ran a couple of times every mile for about two minutes. Nothing real prescribed other than just running to a tree or a crack in the sidewalk or the end of the bridge, etc. Overall I probably ran 1 1/4-1/2 miles, but I'm not worried about the distance. I just wanted to test out my knees over a greater distance with low stress, and I'm pleased that it's working out. This week I'll probably keep doing the same thing and ramping up slowly over the next few weeks to running normally. Here's hoping...

Still Walking

Was supposed to be in St. Louis today for the home opener, but the pandemic has put a stop to that, both from a baseball standpoint as well as travel. In the meantime, I've been walking almost every day. Last week I walked 20 miles, and so far this week I've done 15 and it's only Thursday. However, rain is supposed to move in tonight. Guess I'll be trying to dodge raindrops if I'm going to get any walks in. My knee is feeling much better. Tonight I had to run across one of the main streets on my way back and didn't feel any pain. That's a good sign. Hoping I can get back to real running soon.

Let's Walk Four

The right knee has been sore for the last week. I decided it was best to let it rest. This morning was the first time it hasn't been been noticeably painful. Even though we're under coronavirus lockdown around the world it doesn't mean I can't go outside. Plus it was cloudy and a little breezy. I still went 4 miles and the knee felt good all the way. Strangely enough, my left knee is barking a little, but that's probably because of compensating the last few weeks for the other one. I'm hopeful that maybe by end of the week I can test it out on a run.

Bracing the Knee

It wasn't exactly a knee brace, but I did get a compression sleeve for my right knee and wore it on today's walk. I feel like it helped during the 3 mile outing. When I walked on Tuesday I had to turn around earlier than planned because of pain. Today I went the whole way with just the dull ache. Of course, I'm not sure if that's the two days of rest or the sleeve. Either way I was glad to get out and walk for almost 50 minutes.

Walk, Don't Run

Spent the last five days in New Mexico (didn't run but ate a lot of good food) and today was my first day to exercise. I tweaked my right knee on my last jump off a dune at White Sands on Saturday. Yesterday it stiffened up on the 11-hour car ride home. So today I thought I would give it a try but quickly determined it would be a walk and not a run. I managed a little over 2 miles. It felt bad a couple of times, which is why I turned around before getting to a mile away. The last mile or so felt okay. Until it feels better it seems I need to walk before I run.

Strong but Slow

I felt good today, kind of strong, but it was funny because my pace numbers were around the 10-minute mark. I guess feeling doesn't always translate into performance. That's okay, though. I wore my old shoes on Sunday's run, and then the newer ones today. I was trying to make sure I was striding correctly and staying sensitive to how my knees felt. Not sure yet that the feeling is good, and if that's the case then I'm going to ditch this pair of shoes. I stayed at 4 miles today, and that seemed to be the right distance as I come back from a couple of weeks off.

Back from Pain

The past several weeks were a bust. After my last run in mid-February my right knee has been sore. I kept thinking about running but waited it out. Got back this afternoon from my brother's memorial service in Georgia and immediately went out for a 4-miler. Honestly the pain was probably also from bad eating and drinking habits. Now that I'm back it's time to get back to being healthy and getting in the exercise. My sis-in-law and I were taking a picture with my sisters last night and both of us realized our guts didn't look good so we retook it. Even with sucking in my stomach I can see the marginal weight gain of the last couple of months. Today was the first step in that direction.

7 Again

Yesterday morning was cool and a little breezy, but at least the sun was out. When I ran at about 8:30 the temperature was about 40 degrees. It got warmer later in the day, but I went to Ft. Worth for a basketball game with some friends. I went 7 miles again and overall did pretty well, although my right knee felt a little "puffy." It feels okay today but it did cause me to walk for about 45 seconds when I was near mile six. A couple of days off before the next run will help.

Worst Day Ever

It rained for about four days straight and I didn't even try to run on Tuesday. And then came the day I'd been dreading. The day my little brother died. He fought stomach cancer for six months and early yesterday it won. I won't go into all my thoughts and memories here, but in summary, it's been tough.

I had a bad night on Wednesday, clearly, and went down for a nap early afternoon on Thursday. When I woke up the sun was shining, surprisingly, and even though it was cold I went out for a 6-mile run. There was no catharsis, clarity, closure, or anything close to that. It was just a few moments to get out and burn off some energy. That was enough.

Enjoyable

Today it was in the upper 50s when I ran before lunch and breezy from the southwest-ish. I went 7 miles and felt good all the way, including up the big hill. Plenty of people were out but not as many as I would have thought, especially around the lake by the dog park. Nevertheless it was nice and I feel good, including the knees. I think it was the weighted blanket that caused the issues over the past couple of months. I wore my newer shoes all three runs this week and with no knee soreness I think I can eliminate them as the problem.

This Is How I Roll Now

Yes, it was another cold and breezy day. True to my word I went out for a 6-miler and remembered why it's not necessarily a bad thing to run in the cold. As before I was trying to find patches of sunlight to get that incremental bit of warmth, but it was late in the day and those patches disappeared into shadow. By the time I got home the sun was almost down. The hot shower felt pretty darn good.

Back to the Cold

Again, it's all relative when it comes to cold. But 45 degrees and a blustery north wind certainly does qualify here in Texas. I decided to wear my newer shoes again since I've come up with a theory on why my knees have been sore the past few weeks/months - I think maybe it's the weighted blanket we use during winter. For some reason I've noticed that soreness more when I get up in the morning and at times during the evening, so the past few nights I've been sleeping under regular covers. We'll see if my theory is true or not.

Anyway, I went 5 miles in the cold today and it was a pretty good run. Just like I said last week, I'm not going to let bad weather keep me from running.

This is the Type of Day I Expect in Texas

Today was so nice and sunny - 75 degrees. Yesterday would have been nice to run as well with a temperature about 10 degrees lower, but I was focused on smoking a brisket all day. The wait paid off and it was beautiful out there. This is typical Texas weather in February. I went 6 miles and enjoyed it all. I'm not foolish enough to believe that Spring is here to stay but I'll enjoy it whenever it shows its face.

Out for More

Followed up yesterday's outing with a 5-miler today. The temperature was 45 degrees but the breeze was a little lighter. I felt like my legs were a heavy about 1.5 miles in but was determined to tough it out. So I did, and the only concession was walking a mile up the big hill. Other than that I'm holding strong (two days' worth!) to my commitment. Actually, running in the cold is fine if you're dressed correctly. Especially after last winter when I couldn't run at all. It's nice to get some mileage in before the heat and humidity return. And they will.

Becoming a Wuss

The weather has been pretty cool, and for Texas, cold. However, I feel like I'm becoming a wuss. I finally got out and ran today, but it was far from optimal. The temperature was 44 degrees with a wind chill of 36. What I find sad is that when I lived in Kansas City there are many days, weeks, and even months where I would have killed for a day like this. It would have felt balmy. So enough blaming the weather. Time to get out and keep running. I went 4 miles today and even though the GPS messed up a little bit I know my markers. Hoping to run tomorrow as well to get back into the routine.

Running With a Nephew

Was in Georgia this week to see my brother, and on Monday I ran with my nephew. He's been doing cross country but hadn't run in a month. My dad had mapped out a course on their property, which is probably five acres or so. They said the route was a half-mile, but on my GPS it came out at .37 the first two times, .40 the third, and .39 the last. My nephew took off fast and later told me his motivation was to stay in front of me. Overall we ran a little over 1.5 miles, with a break after the first two laps. It was a cool day and I probably should have worn my mittens as it grew close to sundown. That was the only day we ran since he didn't want to on Tuesday. Something about being tired from the day before...

Sun and Breeze

There was a nice stiff breeze from the north today but at least the sun was shining. I ran my usual route and went 6 miles. It was a nice outing, and surprisingly not as many people out as I would have guessed. My pace was in the mid 9's, which is not bad for as inconsistent as my running has been lately.

Tuesday Outing

I went 5 miles on Tuesday and forgot to add an entry for it. I thought about going my usual distance but decided I'm still on the path to recovery. On Thursday it was raining and cold, so I skipped a day.

Missing the Snow

Yes, it actually snowed in Texas yesterday. Not enough to really matter other then inspiring a bunch of silly Facebook posts. However, it was still cold and windy throughout the day, and so I decided to wait until today for a run. I still exercised, though, doing strength and flexibility. Today was sunny and in the 50s with a breeze out of the southwest. I went 6 miles and felt good throughout. I did get passed twice in the first quarter of my run, but that doesn't bug me when I'm just trying to get out and do some recovery.

Better Than It Looks

The day was cloudy and looked breezy and cool, but in reality it was way better than that. The temperature was in the mid-60s and the wind wasn't that bad. Plus it was mildly humid - not summertime humid, but a little damp for this time of year. Probably because some scattered showers came through earlier. My right knee was a little sore yesterday, but I still did the strength and flexibility exercise. It felt fine today and so I went out and did a 5-miler. Overall it felt good, and as of this evening it's still okay. Plus I had Torchy's Tacos for dinner, and that doesn't suck.

Another Four

Hit the strength and core exercises pretty good yesterday, and even went for a walk with The Wife. It was nice outside, and today was even better. I blazed out at 4:20 (see what I did there) and ran 4 miles. Good sunshine, light breeze, and feeling up to it. Once again I wore my old shoes, and once again we'll see how everything feels tomorrow. So far, so good.

O.R.T. (Old Running Trick)

My knees have had that little bit of soreness that runners get. Over the last week I've tried some exercises for enhancing flexibility as well as muscle strength. I finally realized on Thursday night that I was missing an Old Running Trick that I've used before.

Pretty much anytime I've had knee issues it's because of shoes. My last couple of pairs from Asics have not been as consistent with what I've worn in the past. The previous pair has been too tight around the mid and fore foot, even with loosening several times, and the pair before that caused me some problems as well (too lazy to go back and look at older posts) So I used the O.R.T. and laced up this morning in an older pair. Muuuuch older. They've been my walking shoes whenever I need comfortable tennis shoes, and are probably 2-3 years old. The left one has a hole in the mesh just this side of the toes. My experience in the past has been that old shoes get me back into my natural gait. Today I went 3 miles and my knees felt just fine. The test will be in how they feel tomorrow.

2019 in Review:
In a word: inconsistent. Too many injuries kept me from races. Abdominal strain left over from 2018 to start the year, bruised ribs in April, bad back late in the year, and finally knee soreness to close out the calendar. I'm hoping to be smarter and avoid doing things where I could hurt myself this year (like riding a scooter on a wet street), and that needs to include strength and flexibility exercises beyond running. As I get older those are areas to focus on that I hope will lead to a better 2020 and beyond.

Mildness

It's been a nice week in Texas. Today's high was in the mid-60s, with some high clouds rolling in this afternoon. I see rain in the forecast for the weekend, but for now it's good. I did some leg exercises yesterday, and today felt good with both knees. I went 4 miles, trying to ratchet the mileage up slowly. Plus I really needed to get out and exercise after the relative gluttony of the past several days. I didn't gorge on tamales yesterday - but I could have. I think they're some of the best we've ever made.

Knee Skip

Skipped the Saturday run since I had some pain on the outside of my right knee Friday and Saturday. I went out today since it felt better but stayed at 3 miles. It felt okay but not 100% during the first mile, and my left knee also felt weak. I think I'm at that point where I need to get back to the leg strengthening exercises. I iced the right one afterward as a preventative measure and as of this evening it's not barking at me.

We did our Christmas celebration today since Daughter #2 has to work tomorrow. Got a new pair of running shorts, socks, and two short-sleeve shirts. Most of my running shirts are dark. These are white and lime-green which will help keep me cooler, or at least as much as possible here in Texas when summer rolls around again. Also got a new pair of sunglasses, and they are feather-light, fit nicely, and worked great on a sunny Christmas Eve.

Account Blow-Up

Went out this afternoon to pound the pavement after a work call on an account that was blowing up. It was about 50 degrees or slightly above, but chilly with a south wind. I went my 6 miles and the quickest pace was about 9:30/mile. Felt pretty good, and it was nice to get the run in before coming back to a full inbox and more conference calls.

December Chill

The cold has definitely seeped its way south and into Texas. We've been below freezing the past couple of nights and this one will be no different. It was in the upper 40s when I ran this afternoon, and at least the sun was out. I ran my 6 miles, and stayed to the eastern path on the way back so I could catch a little more sunlight. A little bit of a breeze from the north kept it nice and chilly for this December run.

Kidnapped

My run yesterday was sabotaged. My daughter and friends kidnapped me, under the pretext of going to brunch, and we ended up in New Braunfels instead at a Todd Snider concert. Plus some barbecue in Lockhart beforehand. What a day! By the time we got back this afternoon at 3:30 or so I was thinking I wouldn't get in a run. Instead, I decided that it was a nice enough day and with all the food I've eaten recently, including breakfast at Denny's at 12:30 a.m. after the concert, I needed it. So I ran 6 miles and it was actually a good run. Probably due to the carb loading from the midnight pancakes.

Brisk

I could have and should have run on Tuesday. We had an evening outing for work, and it was rainy and cool in the morning. I skipped it, though, and probably shouldn't have. At least our water was back on so I could have showered afterward.

Today was sunny but brisk with a somewhat stiff south wind. I went 6 miles. Felt kind of off my game yesterday and today, but this run helped me feel better. Likely I need more sunlight, as well as the exercise. Especially as the holidays draw closer.

Aw Yeah

Back to 6 miles today. That's my long run for the week, which seems a little sad since that has been my normal distance on any day of the week. After all the ups and downs of the past year I'm just glad to be running. If this is my long run for this point in time then that's okay.

Getting Out

Flew back from Austin this morning and got out for another 5-miler this afternoon. Saw about a half-dozen people on bikes, including a couple on a tandem. The only downside is that we have a water leak and had to shut off the water this morning. The plumber won't be here until tomorrow, which means I have to take a sponge bath. But I wasn't going to let that stop me from exercising.

Monday's Run

I ran on Monday afternoon since I was going to be out of town for a couple of days. It was a nice 5-miler. The hip pain I'd experienced on Sunday was non-existent. Nice to be back in the rhythm of running more than once a week.

Sleeping Through Rain

When I got up this morning after 9 the sun was shining. Apparently it was raining when The Wife got up and had stopped, which worked out well for me. The past few days, including Thanksgiving, were colder and wetter, so I didn't run on Thursday as planned. Today was nice, though. I ran 6 miles and it was nice to get back to my regular distance. I'll modify my schedule in the coming week to try and get in three runs since I'll be traveling. We'll see how that goes.

Before the Gluttony

I didn't even take my running gear with me to Kansas this past weekend. I knew it was going to be cold and busy with family time, so no reason to really try and shoehorn in a run. Today was warm, around 70 degrees, and a nice day for a pre-Thanksgiving outing. I ran 5 miles, all good and felt strong. My Garmin beeped at me about two hundred yards shy of the two-mile mark, which was odd. By the time I made it back to the start/finish line it was only about twenty yards off. I guess I can blame it on the wind and clouds. Or sunspots. Or whatever.

One More

Ran a mile more than I did on Monday, getting in 5 miles today. Too many work calls meant I didn't get out until 5 p.m. When I got home it was getting dark, so that was fun. The temperature was quite mild today, about 70 degrees, but as I write this the rain clouds have moved in and look to be around all day tomorrow. My decision to run earlier in the week seems to have paid off.

Four More

Supposedly bad weather is supposed to arrive on Thursday, and I decided to move my regular running days forward. Today I went out for 4 miles and felt pretty good. I had a bit of a stomach...irregularity but I made it back in time and no incidents occurred. Fortunately.

Back Pain

The day after my last post I hurt my back. Not sure how. I cleaned up the garage on that Sunday, and moved the smoker back onto the patio. Maybe the the moment when I yanked that big piece of thick steel was it, but didn't feel like it at the time. That night my lower back went into horrible spasms and I kept waking up. This was new since I've never had back problems before. The next was even worse and on that Tuesday morning I went to urgent care and walked out with prescriptions for pain and muscle relaxers. That seemed to help somewhat but it still took several days before I slept without waking up multiple times. Three weeks later I'm finally to the point where I could go out for a run.

I wanted to go out on Thursday but that was the point where I thought I was okay but realized it was probably best to wait a few more days. This morning I ate breakfast and had my coffee, and then went for a 3 miler. Considered doing another mile and realized I'm not trying to get a medal and that extra mile might actually do more harm than good. I feel good with what I did and will ease back into it over the next week. I've thought about all the gaps in my running over the last year - saving that for a post later - but glad to be back on the road today.

Waiting to Warm Up

How the times have changed. I waited until 11:30 this morning so that it was warm enough to run. The temperature was a few degrees south of 60 degrees, which isn't bad, but it's quite a dropoff from even a couple of weeks ago. I ran my 6 miles and then spent the day smoking ribs and pork, changing the calipers on my truck, and helping with a birthday. I'm tired.

A Day Early

Rain is in the forecast starting tonight and all day tomorrow. Human beings are nothing if not flexible, and I decided to run today even though that's two days in a row. At least this way I get in my run and don't have to try and fit it in between storms, if that's even going to be possible. I went the 6 miles again, but today it was a lot windier from the south, and so I walked up the big hill. Other than that it was good. My legs weren't quite as fresh but that's to be expected. Tomorrow will be a workout I can do in the garage and then hopefully the rain clears out so I can run on Saturday as planned.

Wrong Address

It was a perfect Fall day with sunshine and no wind, temperature in the 70s. I ran my 6 miles without stopping, even going up the big hill. I did get passed twice, which is kind of rare because there usually aren't that many people out. First was by a young lady right before mile one, and then a guy later on after mile four. Oh well, I wasn't going for speed. At least then.

A UPS driver dropped off a package on our doorstep mid-afternoon. Right house number, wrong street. So when I got back from my run, I came inside, grabbed it off my desk, and ran it around the block. It probably added another third of a mile to my run overall. On the way back I cranked up the speed a little bit, and it felt good. It's been a while since I've run anything close to fast. It was nice to stretch out a little bit.

Fall Day

Back to the routine today with some punching of the bag and a 2-mile run to follow up. The sun is lower and the temperature was definitely fall like. That's after a couple of big fronts came through last night and spun up some tornadoes in Dallas. Nothing like life in the south/midwest.

Back to It

Took over a week off due to guys' weekend and other stuff. This morning I remembered that it's a half-marathon day on the path I normally run, and after being off so long I didn't want to do an alternate route with hills. So I waited until 11 a.m. and ran in some nice sunshine with temperature in the mid 70s. Nice outing, felt good, and walked up the big hill. It's nice to be back to it, and my plan is to work on getting back into shape after the short respite.

Up and Down

The weather has been up and down this past week temperature-wise, and today was a little odd. This morning we had a light rain, clouds through most of the morning, but sun breaking through to warm us up on its way to 90 degrees for a high. Then tomorrow's high will be 60 after a cold front passes through. I decided to run late morning in order to avoid the heat, settling for a little humidity from the rain. I think it was a good decision since I ran 6 miles without walking other than the big hill. A little more sweat than Tuesday's run but overall a good run.

Morning Outing

My schedule today allowed me to exercise and do my 2-mile run earlier in the day, which is goo because the Cardinals play at 4 this afternoon. It's the final of the five-game series and I plan to pay attention.

A Difference

80 degrees at run time today, and what a difference it made. No walking at every mile marker, and a lot less humidity as well. My shirt wasn't completely saturated when I got home, which seems like a foreign concept after the long summer. I went my 6 miles and it was all good. I did walk up the hill in front of the school, and it's supposed to get back up to 90 on Thursday before the temperature plummets over the weekend.

Last Hot Run?

Another October run in 90+ degree heat, plus the ever-present humidity. It looks like the summer wave finally breaks at the end of the weekend and we're into the 80s for highs next week. I ran 6 miles and did the usual walking every mile. As much as I love the hot weather I have to admit it will be nice to run without breaks, and hopefully this winter I can actually run, as opposed to last year when I had a strained abdomen that sidelined me for several months.

Nooner

I knew my parents were coming in late this afternoon when I would normally exercise and run, so I did my thing at noon today. It was still in the low 90s and of course the sun was directly overhead, but relatively speaking it wasn't as bad as say...July. A nice easy 2 miles.

Back at Six

Yesterday was a really good 6-mile run along my normal course. Even though it was 94 degrees (on October 1st) and I walked every mile, I felt strong and maintained a consistent pace the whole time. Lots of sunlight but overall what I would consider one of my better outings in recent times.

Still Summer

Up to about 93 degrees today and it still feels like summer on the last day of September. Relatively speaking my 2-mile run wasn't unbearable. The sun is a little lower and there was more of a breeze once I turned around. Also wore brand-new shoes and they were a wee bit too tight. I couldn't have gone for a regular run without doing some loosening up and getting them to feel right.

Another Tardy Post

When I left the house on Saturday I heard a voice over a loudspeaker from the direction of the nearby high school and figured there was a race of some kind going on. I ran over there and was correct, so I decided to go the hill route instead. Not sure if that was the wise choice since it was so humid, but I did it anyway. There was plenty of walking up the big hills and a couple of other walk breaks, and I think I came in at around 5.7 miles. Not the usual tally for a long run but then again I wasn't expecting to do hill work.

Sucking at Posting These

Got back from Austin last Thursday afternoon and went for a run. It wasn't great but at least I got out and did my 6 miles. Still pretty warm here in Texas toward the end of September but I'll take it. Still way better than training in single digit temperatures.

Soupy with a Touch of Clouds

Mostly clouds during the 7 miles this morning, and lots of humidity. I didn't walk until mile markers 5 & 6 and then up the big hill, so overall it was a decent run. Lots of people out on bikes or walking their dogs. There were also several crews picking up trash for a community day, but looked like they were doing more exploring than picking up since the park is pretty clean.

Relative Coolness

Temperature dipped below 80 degrees for the high today, with clouds and threat of rain. In fact it sprinkled on me a little between miles 2 and 3, but not enough to make me turn around. I ran all 6 miles without any breaks, including up the big hill. Come to think of it, I ran up the hill on Tuesday as well even though it was a shorter run.

Another Two

Yesterday was a good outing, hot again but not as hot as it's been for 2 miles. On the way back a mom was standing in a driveway by a car with her son and daughter, he about 7 or 8 and she 3-4. As I ran past the little girl said, "Hi!" in a bright cheery voice. I responded in like manner, and she said, "What are you doing?" I replied, "Running and sweating!" The mom got a good laugh out of that one.

Four Late

Went to the office today and happy hour afterward, which means I got home late. I held myself to one beer so I could get out for a run, and even though it was tempting to chill I still got out for 4 miles a little after 7 p.m. It's already starting to get dark earlier each evening, so by the time I got home at 8 the sun was well down. Regardless, I got in some running in spite of the long day.

Last Hottest Day?

Today my 2-miler was in 94 degree weather, which didn't seem that bad. Could be that the temperature is coming down slowly, at least according to the forecast, and our upper 90s days could be behind us.

Hotter than It Says

On Saturday morning I thought it would be a nice day for a run. The weather app said it was 72 degrees and felt like 72 degrees.

It lied.

In the sunshine it was easily 80 degrees, and the humidity made it feel about 10 degrees warmer. Fortunately I believed how it felt outside as opposed to my lying eyes. I walked each mile marker and sought the shade during my 7 miles. Once again my strategy worked. We might be getting to the end of summer here in the last half of September, but I'll wait to see for myself.

Game Day

I listened to the Cardinals-Rockies game yesterday when running, first time with AirPods. The heat was back on with some decent humidity but also a nice breeze from the southeast. The Cards tried to lose the game but held them off in the 8th inning and then exploded for 4 insurance runs in the 9th. It was a nice change from the usual podcast or music, but also a little bit stressful. I went my usual 6 miles with the necessary walk breaks. In another couple of weeks it should start cooling down to where I can run without the interruptions.

Good Workout

Good workout today on the punching bag - worked up a really good sweat. I ran the 2 miles afterward and felt a little off in my hips when I first started, but that lessened as I got going. Still in the 90s for the temperature, the last gasp of summer.

Still in the 90s

With a temperature of 93 degrees at runtime it felt much cooler but not cool enough to run without walking. Plus there was a nice breeze out of the southeast that helped. I didn't give in to the temptation and again it paid off. I went 6 miles at a nice slow pace.

The other thing that I've noticed before and again today was how much the wind throws off the GPS. The first mile was way past the usual mark, and my run ended up being .06 miles off. Maybe I should research the effect of wind on GPS readings.

A Nice Fall Day

It was only 93 degrees when I went out for a 2-miler this evening. It felt absolutely fall-like with a nice breeze. Maybe it's that the sun is getting lower and into autumn mode. Whatever, that ten degrees of coolness makes a difference.

Run and Bathe and Shower

The weather app said it was 72 degrees when I left this morning at 8 a.m. It might have been right, but the humidity was off the charts. It felt like I was in an extremely warm bath. I ran 7 miles, and despite the supposed temperature knew early on that I should walk every mile. I didn't feel like I was straining at any point but it also wasn't the easiest run ever. The shower later on was quite the opposite, but that's because I cranked down the handle. Who knew that cold showers would feel that good?

Back At It

Back to running today after a trip to St. Louis for a few ball games. It's definitely still summer with a temperature of 97 degrees this afternoon. I went the usual 6 miles and walked at the markers. Humidity seemed to be down just slightly but still managed to sweat a lot. I felt good overall.

Back to 8

Yesterday morning was in the low 70s and cloudy. Low clouds off to the east and a couple of very distant lightning flashes gave me a little pause, but the storm stayed on that side of the metro area. I went a full 8 miles with no walking, which is pretty amazing considering the pattern I've been doing this summer. I felt good the whole way, and glad to be back up to this level of mileage. The Wife and I went to downtown in the afternoon to tour the art museum and we happened into some barbecue on the way back. A good day, indeed.

Walk Run

It was 96 degrees on Thursday, and actually didn't feel too bad with the breeze. I opted to walk at every mile marker along the 6-mile route, which was the wise choice. As I said about yesterday's run, it's not too bad to be in August and below 100 degrees.

Another Cool One

And by cool I mean it was only 93 degrees when I ran my 2 miles. End of August, can't complain about that.

A Difference

A band of thunderstorms moved through in the early morning hours and it stayed cloudy most of the day. That made a difference of about 20 degrees in temperature from yesterday's short outing. It was still humid, of course, so I walked each mile marker except the fifth, saving that one for the big hill. It was a good run, feeling pretty strong, and enjoying the somewhat cooler day even though the sun came out for my run. Hoping to stay healthy so I can run through the cooler weather in the next several months, not that I'm saying it's going to be cooler yet.

102 + 2

Monday's 2-miler was in 102 degree temperature. It might be the last 100+ day of the year, but we'll see. The breeze felt only mildly like a furnace.

Saturday Outing

Saturday morning was marginally cooler, only in the low 80s when I went out, but humidity was high as usual. I parlayed the temperature into running 7 miles and the first 4.5 without a walk. Then I walked again at 5.5 and 6 before doing the same up the big hill. I was pleased with the outing, especially since this was my only real run of distance during the week. This coming week should be better in that regard, and the temperature is supposed to drop a little.

Avoiding Bikes

Went for a 6-miler on Saturday and feels like I spent a lot of time avoiding bicyclists. It was a typical Texas morning with sunshine and humidity, but overall a good run. Especially since I missed running on Thursday due to a packed schedule. This coming week will also be messed up due to travel. Oh well, guess it gives me time to rejuvenate a little from the heat.

100 plus 5

Today I thought about going my regular route, but then decided 5 miles was good and the extra mile wasn't worth it. Especially since the temp was pegged at 100 degrees. I did my usual walk every mile, and then the sun went behind some clouds in the middle. That was good, but then it came back out for the last mile. Overall a good run in the dog days of summer.

101 plus 2

Worked out in the garage yesterday and then ran 2 miles. The temp was 101 degrees. Actually not a bad run since the humidity was somewhat lower. I'll take it.

Mental Walk

This morning the temperature wasn't horrible, and the breeze from the south was decent enough. I went 6 miles in total, but walked the last two. And it wasn't because I couldn't run, but my brain just decided I was done and a walk would be nice. It was a draining week at work and I think at mile four my brain said let's just stop running and relax. I kept considering that I should start up again, but for whatever reason I never did. Kind of weird, but in hindsight kind of good. I'm not going to beat myself up for walking instead of running on a hot day after a long week.

Longer Today and Hotter

Again a Texas summer day, 6 miles, and a breeze from the southeast. I walked a minute at each mile for the first four, then three minutes at mile five, then the big hill. The last mile wasn't great but overall it went okay.

Hotter but Better

Today's temperature at 6 p.m. was 99 degrees, but it actually felt better for today's 2 miles. That's because the humidity was slightly less than yesterday, and a breeze also blew out of the southeast. I know it wasn't as far and that's good all by itself, but the little bit of difference in the two factors other than heat worked in my favor.

The Heater is On

We're at 100 degree weather for the next week. I love the heat, but it does mean more walking when I'm on a run. Today it really wasn't that bad, or at least that's what the weather app said. We had some clouds in the afternoon and it was 93 and sunny when I went out. However, the humidity had spiked. I walked at each mile for the first three, and then as needed on the way back, which means a couple of walks per mile. I did the usual 6 miles and took advantage of the shade where I could.

Hot Run

The temperature was about 100 degrees when I went out for my 2 miles yesterday after a punching bag workout. That was at about 6 p.m. Gotta love Texas!

Rain and a Day of Rest

Yesterday was messed up with rain in the morning followed by family commitments. This morning started off the same way. About mid-day the rain moved out and I got to run. I went 7 miles Even though the mercury started to move up I managed it with a walk every mile. Plus the humidity was high with a couple of days of rain, but even so it was still a good run. I've had worse.

Help from Clouds

The temp was in the 90s again today, but it didn't feel that bad when I started since there were some high clouds. I went 6 miles total and 4.5 without walking before the sun started peeking out. Of course the humidity was high, and from that point I walked at 4.5, 5, and up the big hill. Lots of sweat but overall a good run.