More Walking and Running

The temperatures remain around 100 degrees and I'm still getting my butt out the door. Yesterday I walked again, same route, which turned out to be about 2.15 miles.

Today the breeze was lighter, which made the heat feel...hotter. I only went 2 miles, mainly because I forgot my hat. Since I had a couple of spots frozen off my head a few weeks ago I'm trying to be careful, at least until they heal. Also, I caught my toe on an uneven section of sidewalk right outside the neighborhood and almost went down. I kept upright, but even that little bit of jarring feels less good the older I get.

Kicking Butt

Yesterday I felt like it was better to get out and sweat than to sit on the back patio and drink a cold beer. So I walked about 45 minutes in 100 degree heat. At least it was very breezy. I figure I probably went over 2 miles but I didn't wear my GPS so we'll just go with that estimate.

Then tonight, with similar temperatures, I ran/walked 3 miles. I walked a minute every half-mile and then the last third of a mile or so. Even with the heat it wasn't too bad. At least I got to sweat as planned. Trying to kickstart some activity and get rid of that lazy butt. Tomorrow I'm planning on walking again. It's a good motivator to get through otherwise long days of work.

Lazy Butt

Work kicked my butt this week. I was worn out every afternoon by the time I finished, and even worse by Thursday. It probably would have helped relieve stress if I'd gone out and run, but my developing sense of laziness did not help. Today I finally got my act together and headed out for 3 miles. I ended up running about half of it, due to my old friend humidity. When I started out the temp was 77 degrees and was up to 84 by the time I made it home. As I write this in the afternoon it's 100 degrees with heat index of 111. Summer has arrived!

Let's Run

Last night and early this morning it rained, a nice thunderstorm that woke us up a few times. That made it a little humid but also knocked down the temperature. When I ran 3 miles today it was only 82 degrees. Not bad for the beginning of June in Texas. I only saw three other people out on the trail, all three on bicycles. The stream cutting under Lake Forest was the fullest I've seen it so far this year, I think. Not a bad thing.

Memorial Day Outing

This morning I walked with The Wife and then followed up with my own run/walk. The temperature had climbed into the 80s by the time I ran so I added in the usual walking. My "run" was 3 miles, a little rough with the heat and humidity. Not too much to complain about, though, since we haven't hit the 100-degree days yet. I also figured it was good to get in a run today since I have a work outing tomorrow and it would be tough to fit in the time to run and then clean up. Among other activities for the day I fixed the toilet in the master bath (replaced the valve), made green chile salsa, and went to the store. It's been a busy day and I think I'll chill for the rest of it.

68 and Running

No, 68 is not my age. It was the temperature this morning, a day I had off from work. It was sunny and almost no wind. Very nice. BTW, I was right about the rain on Tuesday. It didn't hit until evening when we were at a restaurant with my sister and nephew. I watched the forecast all day and the chance of rain kept getting later and later. What was 100% at noon became a lower percentage later. Seriously, I don't know how those people keep their jobs.

Anyway, today I ran another 4 miles. Felt good, and then I came home and mowed the lawn. I think tomorrow will be a good day for smoking some pork. At least, that's how it looks from here.

Planning Ahead

It's supposed to rain starting in the early morning hours and all day tomorrow. Sure. We've heard this song and dance before and ended up with nothing. If you believe the potato heads who predict the weather we'll get over two inches before it's all said and done. I don't believe them. Regardless, because I have a dinner commitment tomorrow evening I decided I should go ahead and run today.

It was in the mid-70s, unseasonably cool for Texas. Almost no wind. After all the strong gusts we've had over the last week who thought I'd be wishing for a breeze? Also, I ran 4 miles. Without walking (except for the hill, of course). Felt good all the way and enjoyed a really nice day. It would have been a shame to waste it.

Super Humid

This morning a non-rainstorm came through. What I mean is that weather radar showed a green patch over us for about a half-hour but no rain actually made it to the ground. What it did cause was a nice spike in humidity. When I went out to run before lunch it was super-humid. Along with a little sun it was not my favorite condition for running. I went 3 miles with a few walking breaks, which seemed reasonable given the day. I sweat a lot, which was the main goal anyway. Now as I sit and type this on the back patio it's still warm and humid and I'm sweating after I took a shower. Oh well. I'll have to take one tomorrow anyway.

Too Much Vacation, Not Enough Running

Went to the beach last week and into this week, which meant vacation and no running. Actually, I did run briefly but it was to chase some punks who stole stuff from under our canopy on the beach. Didn't catch up to them, unfortunately.

Today at home was very nice, and since I'm still off work I got to run in the morning instead of late in the day. I only went 3 miles and kept a slow pace as I start working off the vacation gluttony. No more vacations in the foreseeable future.

Walk and Run and Walk and Run

Another warm day, and humid as well, plus the sun was out. I ran/walked 3 miles total. I have to say I wasn't feeling that great at the beginning but it was a good choice to get out and sweat a little. Really, that's the only reason I went. More than exercise itself I just felt like a good sweat was in order. And as always, glad I did it.

Summer on the Way

Been another lazy week with no excuse for not running. Also a couple of late nights, with a concert Thursday night and men's conference last night. And this evening a playoff hockey game. I'm getting too old for so many late nights in a row.

Anyway, got out for 3 miles today. Spring, what we had of it, is over and today's high is around 90. I walked at the mile markers and the last bit up the hill and into the neighborhood. I felt okay and got in some good sweating. No complaints here.

Let's Go 3

The wind kicked up this afternoon, but it was fine since the temperature made it into the low 80s. I thought about going a little bit more but settled on 3 miles without walking. That was a good choice since I felt good all the way through. I sprinted the last bit and even made it to a 7:30 pace. On the downhill, of course. I'm not a speedster. Overall, though, a good day and I enjoyed the outing.

What a Day

The temperature was only about 73 degrees this afternoon, and even better, barely any wind. A nice change from the past week and beyond. I ran 3 miles and enjoyed it. Plenty of people out and about, as they should be. Today was also The Boy's birthday, and we went out for a Baker's burger for lunch. That slowed me down on the run, I'm sure, but it was worth. As was the birthday cigar after the burger. Not a bad day, all in all.

Attack of the Allergies

Last Sunday, Easter, I went out and sat on the back patio for about 15 minutes. Apparently that was not a wise choice. The rest of that day and all of Monday I had a horrible allergy attack. The Wife says it was one of the worst, if not the worst, she's ever seen me with. People who don't have allergies have no idea how it feels. I was blowing my nose every couple of minutes and sneezing every sixty seconds. On Monday evening I tried something new. I took a slug of Nyquil at 6:30, managed to stay up another couple of hours before going to bed, woke up at 11:30 and took another shot of the stuff, and then slept the rest of the night. I woke up in much better shape. I took some Dayquil on Tuesday and felt a lot better. I should have tried this approach years ago. The rest of the week was a slow climb back toward normalcy, although today I have a touch of it again after running 3 miles and then mowing the lawn. Plus it's ultra-windy still, and that never helps with the allergies. More medicine might be in store for today. 

Hat Day

I ordered a hat to provide some extra coverage for my mostly-bald dome and today was my first day to run with it on. Not sure I like it. It felt a little hot even though the day wasn't that warm and the sun wasn't even shining. I think a lot of body heat is released through my head, and without that I felt warmer than usual. Or it could be that it was also humid. I'll try it again and we'll see if it's going to work.

I went 4 miles today just before lunchtime. I thought there would be more people out but turned out to be not as much as I expected. Regardless, I'm just glad to get out and enjoy a nice run.

Top-Notch Day

Thunderstorms and laziness rolled through the area on Tuesday, but today was a red-letter day in Harper Valley. Temps in the low 70s, sunshine, only a slight breeze - it was a gorgeous day. If I hadn't run today I would have had to do some sort of penance in foot-deep snow for a month. I gazed longingly out the window all day and finally made it out for 3 miles after work. You'd think the paths would have been thick with people but ended up being not nearly as many as I expected. Maybe people were surprised by the nice weather. Who knows. Regardless, it was a day to remember.

First April Run

Here it is the 10th of April and today was my first run. Well, kind of. I went 3 miles total, running the first half and walking back against the wind for the last half.

A couple of weeks ago I did a couple of afternoons of yard work, some of which involved digging up a circle around the tree in the back yard and moving a bunch of bricks into a level position. I'm not sure if that's what caused the problem, but I felt a pain on the outside of my left knee a few days afterward, and ever since, although it's feeling better. I iced it a couple of times and obviously didn't run or do much else. I felt it just a little in the first mile of today's run, which is why I walked the latter part. I do need to get back into shape before beach time this summer.

Saturday Five

It was another beautiful spring day. I slept in a bit, had breakfast and coffee, worked on my new book, and then went out for a 5-miler. It was nice and relaxing. Strangely, I barely saw anyone else out the first two miles. After that, though, the floodgates opened up near Hardin and I found a lot of people out and about. It was a little breezy from the south but overall not bad. I was glad to get in three runs this week and enjoy the great weather.

Two in a Row

Today was a day much like yesterday in the weather department. I was feeling like another run was in order so I went for it. Plus, in Texas you have to take advantage of the decent days since the 100-degree days are on the horizon.

I ran 4 miles again. It felt good, even two days in a row. Tomorrow I'll take a break and enjoy a Friday. I'm guessing if I went back and tallied up which days I run on the most and least over the years, Friday would far and away be the winner for least. It just seems wrong to burden Friday with a run.

Delayed Run

It got cool again here yesterday. Well, actually Monday night when a storm blew through with high winds and rain. It was only in the upper 40s yesterday with a very stiff breeze from the north. I stayed inside.

Today was much better. Even though there was still a strong breeze from the north the temperature was about 15 degrees warmer. The sun was shining, which was nice. I went 4 miles, even against the wind. I really wanted to go yesterday and was feeling that call to run, but waiting a day turned out to be the right choice.

Outstanding Day

I don't think it could be much nicer than it was today. It started off cool this morning when The Wife and I were at the flea market up on 380. We were looking for bird baths but apparently we'll have to find a statuary place if we want one. Anyway, it warmed up to about 70 degrees this afternoon. Spent some time writing and then went for a 5-miler. There was a light breeze from the south to keep things from feeling over-warm. I know that seems weird since we're nowhere near 100 degrees, but it's all relative to how the weather has been up and down the past several weeks. In a couple of months 70 will be absolutely chilly. Until then I'll enjoy the great weather and go spend some time doing yard work.

Walking in the Wind

It's a bit...breezy today. And by breezy I mean the wind is over 20 mph with gusts up to 45. I ran 4 miles today, or most of it. There were a couple of walks thrown in there when the wind was blowing against me too much. Other than that the day was just fine. Sunny, over 70 degrees, and I felt decent. I felt like I struggled a little with the wind, maybe rushed somewhat when I started and then battling against it at times. I tried to relax as much as I could, knowing I wasn't in a race.

Spring Forward

I hate the time change. But I covered that in the last installment. The only good thing is that the sunlight lasts longer into the evening. It was a nice day on top of that, and I'm sitting on the back patio as I write this. I went 3 miles today, which I figured was a good start to the running week. The temperature was 70 degrees at run time. To be honest it felt a little warm in the sun. That's probably because of the swinging pendulum on the thermometer. The long-range forecast says we won't get to freezing again. I'll believe it when I see it.

Seriously, Winter

Another cold front with freezing precipitation came through this week. I thought we were done with that already, but apparently not. Maybe this is the end.

Yesterday it was bitterly cold here. The wind was brutal and temperature actually fell during the day. I woke up this morning to sunlight and milder weather. I went 4 miles and it felt very good. It was slow and I got passed by a woman at the first mile marker, but that's okay. I'm not trying to win a race, just trying to get back in shape. I didn't sleep well last night so today's good run was a little surprising. I'll take it, though. Tonight it's off to a hockey game and then the clocks jump forward an hour. I hate these stupid time changes. I've said it before and I'll say it again - if a politician of either major party will do away with this nonsense they'll get my vote.

Third for the Week

I had every intention of running on Thursday but Youngest Daughter came over and I'll be darned if I'll miss the chance to hang out with her. It was a beautiful day, too. Oh well. I'd rather spend time with one of my kids than run any day of the week. Sorry, running.

Today was nice but very breezy, about 20 mph. I ran 3 miles and it wasn't great. The main goal was to get out and sweat a little bit, and that's what I did. Now on to grilling steaks and a relaxing evening at home.

Two in a Row

Yeah! Two days in a row. Of course I didn't feel up to running today and kept telling myself that I ran yesterday and it's okay, no need to do it again today. That's the type of laziness that's kept me from developing a routine. Plus, it was a beautiful day with temperature of 70 degrees and sunshine and no wind. I took the hill route and went 4 miles. It felt good and as usual, I'm glad I ran.

More Winter

I thought we were done with winter but no such luck. Last week another storm rolled in with sub-freezing temperatures and precipitation. In fact, we got sleet/freezing rain that made the roads and surfaces slick until late in the week. I keep thinking that's gotta be the last of it. Maybe I'm right this time.

In spite of that, I did better last week with less food and drink. Today's 3-mile run didn't feel nearly as much of a struggle as last week's. My plan is to run again tomorrow and keep up the routine. As we all know, that hasn't been the actual execution of the plan lately, but I'm going to keep trying until it sticks.

Slug

I've been a slug lately. Most of it was the run-up to my birthday and just generally not doing much beyond work. That's over and now it's time for some colder weather again. I got out today for 3 miles, and it was not a good 3 miles. My lack of doing anything really paid off in a crappy run. Tim to stop being a slug.

Another Texas Beauty

It was another beautiful Texas day. Sunny, temperature in the 70s, a light breeze - it was all great. I ran 4 miles, as I've been doing lately. A hot air balloon was out and gradually receded to the northeast as I made my way along the usual path. If every day was like this then everyone would live here. Good thing it gets hot in a few months to keep away the riffraff.

Winter Storm 2022

If I'm counting correctly, this is our seventh winter in Texas. In the first five it snowed exactly one time that I recall, and that was only a dusting that melted right away. Last year, of course, was Snowpocalypse 2021, which knocked out our electricity for several days and where temperatures reached zero. By last year's standards, this year was almost a nothingburger. Last Wednesday it rained and turned into freezing rain overnight. We didn't actually get snow until mid-morning on Thursday, and that ended about 1 p.m. after dumping a few inches. Power stayed on the whole time and the only bad thing was a big limb off the tree in our front yard that collapsed. I got out the chainsaw and took care of that on Saturday after things warmed back up and the sun came out.

Today the sun is out and the temperature in the mid-60s, a far cry from late last week. I ran 4 miles, part of it against a stiff breeze out of the south. No complaints, though. Felt pretty good and hopefully last week was all the winter we have to deal with this year.

Before the Storm

The usual accurate weathermen (that was sarcasm) are predicting rain starting tomorrow evening and then snow overnight into Thursday, with several days of freezing temperatures to follow. I'll believe it when I see it. In the meantime, today was 70 degrees and mild. I made sure to get out for one more run before the weather turns cold and went 4 miles. It was a little more of a slog than I expected, mainly because I felt like I was running against the wind for the entire first half. I also stopped along the way to examine the bloody tracks I saw last weekend, figuring they'll be gone after the upcoming storm. I'm not a tracker by any means, but pretty sure the victim didn't survive that episode.

Even Nicer

It's getting better before it gets worse, weather-wise. Snow is in the forecast for later next week. In the meantime, today it's 66 degrees. I ran at mid-day, sun shining and a nice breeze from the north. Felt good and ran all 5 miles, except for the big hill, of course. Several families out pushing strollers, and plenty of dog walkers, too. I hadn't been on the other side of Hardin for a few weeks, at least that I remember, and was sad to see one of the trees along the path had been cut down. There was another also down in Creekview, but that one had been damaged in a storm and blown over, so it made sense. Maybe that's what happened to the other one. In another interesting twist, a splash of blood on the sidewalk past the bridge caught my eye. On the way back, I saw it again and then bloody footprints leading up to it. Looked like a raccoon. My thought is it was attacked on the near side, ran across the bridge, and then met its final end where the bigger amount of blood ended up. And so it goes.

49 Degrees

I remember a time when we lived in KC that a 49-degree day in January would have been outstanding. Here in Texas, it's still a bit on the cold side. In reality, it's actually a good temperature for running, no matter where you are.

I ran 4 miles and tried to follow a path in the sunlight. I ran on the north side of the Creekside neighborhood. In the last mile on my way back the sun was blocked by a cloud bank. In the heat of August the shade would have been welcome. On a day like today, not so much. 

Monday Outing

It was a busy weekend, and today I really felt the need to get out for a run. I was unsure of how far to go, thinking three miles would be okay, but ended up going 4. Mainly because at my turnaround for three I would have seemed like a creeper to the lady who just ran by me going the opposite direction, as well as the couple with the dog. Another mile didn't kill me, and actually was a good choice. The weather looks to be mild over the next week or so. I need to keep reminding myself to get out regularly before it heats up again in a couple of months, not that I mind running in the hot Texas sun that much. I certainly sweat more in that part of the year.

Overcoming Laziness

Maybe I've used that title before. Regardless, I felt lazy today. Yesterday the wind blew hard and the temperature was cold. Late afternoon the temp was about 26 degrees and wind chill about 15. Today was much nicer. The sun is shining and it got up to 51 degrees with only a slight breeze. I sat out in the hammock for quite awhile, enjoying the sunshine. I'd put on my running clothes earlier, which turned out to be a good motivation since I seriously considered not going. I guess I can't smoke cigars and drink beer all day every day. By the time I was in about a mile I was glad I went. I went the regular 4-mile route and overall felt fine. The Wife has been sick the last few days but looks like I avoided it. I needed the exercise and the fresh air.

Beautiful Spring Day...in January

72 degrees was the high today, and it was really nice out. Work threatened to carry over late but I made it a priority to get out the door for a run. It was worth it. I went 4 miles with a sprint at the end. Lots of bicycles out today, and a handful of runners. Many more bikes than people on foot, including a couple of families. Nice to see people enjoying the beautiful day.

First of the Year

I'm going to stop talking about how I have to get consistent. Every time I mention it I go a length of time without running. Today was actually my first run of the year, ten days into 2022. I should feel bad, and I kind of do. Plenty of excuses, bad weather, truck issues that I worked on all weekend, etc. The truth of it is that I finally got my butt out the door today and ran 3 miles. Temperature was in the low 50s, but sunny and not windy. A nice day, and a good first one to kick off the running season again.

The 5k I was supposed to run on New Year's Day in Kansas was postponed due to extremely cold temps (single digits, wind chill in the negative numbers). My nephew and I did our packet pick-up anyway, and ended up with coffee mugs. I called it the most expensive mug I've ever bought. It was disappointing to not get to run it with him, but at least we had one outing at the park a few days before the end of the year. Next time we'll have to pick a race with less chance of bad weather, if that's even possible.

Canceled Race

The Nephew and I ran 1.5 miles today, our shot at training before Saturday's race. The problem is that snow and freezing cold is landing here Friday night, and after our training run I got an email saying the 5k race was pushed out to the following Saturday. So much for starting out 2022 with a race. At least we got in a run today, and maybe another tomorrow before the weather goes bad. After lunch I took him driving since he has his permit and needs some instruction to get going. He didn't hit anything other than imaginary parked cars in the high school parking lot. No harm done.

'Twas the Day After Christmas

Thought about running yesterday on Christmas but never got around to it. The Christmas Day temperature was 81 degrees. Gotta love holidays in Texas.

Today is a few degrees cooler, but not by much. There's a breeze and the sun is covered by clouds, but it still wasn't horrible. I ran 4 miles. Trying to keep up enough endurance for next Saturday's 5k. This morning I looked at the forecast for Kansas and it's supposed to snow an inch on race day. We'll see about that. I figure it goes one of two ways: 1) the chance of snow completely disappears, or 2) we get a blizzard. I vote for the first.

Solstice Day Run

Today is the "shortest" day of the year, and it turned out to be pretty nice. Especially for a day in December. 62 degrees, sunny, and just a hint of a breeze. I ran 4 miles, once again without the GPS. I saw a hot air balloon a little to the south as I was re-entering the neighborhood, and a few minutes later it flew low over our house. Yes, I'm still a kid and enjoy that kind of thing.

One thing I forgot to mention the other day: I was having somewhat achy knees for several weeks, or maybe more. I kept trying to figure out what was wrong: too much salt the night before, too much beer the night before, bad shoes, not enough exercise, etc. It finally hit me. As I've said before, sometimes it takes awhile for me to figure out something that should be obvious. I realized the problem started after I got a standing desk, at which I stand from time to time. Sometimes too long. Once I made the connection I started sitting more. They say sitting is worse for you, but not at the expense of my knees. So, I'm going to work standing back into my routine, but for short bursts of time. We'll see how it goes. 

Events

Events conspired against me this past week for running. On Monday I ended up planning a last-minute trip to Austin for a holiday party on Tuesday. So I drove down I-35 (my favorite, not) on Tuesday and back on Wednesday. On Thursday Honorable Daughter #1 stopped on her way through town for a grand total of six hours, in which we celebrated her birthday (which was Friday) and Christmas. Plus, I smoked ribs that afternoon for dinner. Friday was Friday, yesterday was cool and extremely windy, and today I finally made it out for a run.

The temperature was 47 degrees, with a slight breeze out of the north. It was actually a good day to run, mostly sunny with a few high clouds. I ran 4 miles and strangely enough, didn't see anybody else out at all. Guess everybody's doing their final Christmas shopping. I need to keep up the routine since I'm running a 5k on New Year's Day. Don't want to lose what little fitness I have going these days.

A Chill Wind

Yesterday the temperature was in the mid-70s, but today was only in the mid-40s. What a difference. The wind blew out of the north and chilled things quite nicely, and at least the sun was out. I ran 5 miles total, with a stop of about 15 minutes in there as I ran into a guy I know from the pub. Hadn't seen him in a couple of months so we caught up and then I continued on my way. Overall it was a good run, with a pick-up at the end to round out the session. I'm running a 5k on New Year's Day with my nephew, so gotta keep in shape for that.

Pleasantness

Today's 4-miler was a late morning outing, mainly because I had a gap of several hours in my work schedule. It's been cooler this week until today, which is supposed to end up in the 80s. It was really nice out. I have a holiday dinner for work later on, so it was nice to get out earlier and make sure I ran. Have been feeling lazy again this week but as before, I noticed my energy level dropping. That's a sure sign it's time to get out and exercise.

Walk + Run

Today's total was 6 miles, which included a mile of walking with The Wife before I went out on my own for a 5-mile run. The temperature was nice and the sky was cloudy. The humidity was up a bit since it felt like maybe it should be misting, but there's no precipitation in the forecast until tomorrow. Regardless, it wasn't bad at all compared to the summertime humidity. I made it out for three runs this week, and even though one was abbreviated due to allergies I still count it as a victory to get back into my regular schedule.

That's Better

That allergy attack lasted through yesterday. Tuesday was horrible, Wednesday was mildly better, and today was the first day I didn't feel like hammered sh!t. In fact, I was feeling so much better I ran 4 miles. The weather was great, 74 degrees in December, and I wasn't a sneezing wheezing loon. Seems like my allergy attacks this year have been more intense, and that's not a trend I enjoy. At least I felt well enough to run today.

Run 1, Walk 1

Yesterday about 3 p.m. I started sneezing and my nose started running. A severe allergy attack. I was miserable, with horrible headache and body ache to go along. Today was more of the same, and I came *this close* to not running, even after I had on all my gear. I decided I was going to be miserable either way, and hit the pavement. I got about a half-mile in and decided to give at least a mile. At the mile mark I felt achy and crappy, and decided to walk it back. So if you're counting along at home, that's 2 miles total, 1 running and 1 walking. Not my best day, but my gosh, these allergies.

Mild Sunday

I'm going to blame missing Thursday's run on Thanksgiving. Time was when I would do a turkey trot every year, but for now those days are past. I smoked a turkey on Wednesday, knowing that Thursday would be cooler and windier. It was a good choice, and made for a mostly lazy Thanksgiving.

Friday was gorgeous, and yesterday was cooler and partly rainy, especially later in the day. I opted to wait for today to run and it was another good choice. 4 miles, ran it all except for the big hill.

Temperature was in the mid-60s, with a nice breeze from the north, and clear, sunny sky. For an early afternoon run there were more people out running than I expected. Must be the turkey hangover. This next week is supposed to be nice as well, with highs in the 70s. Looking forward to it, and gotta love December in Texas.

Variation on a Theme

Made it out again today for a 4-miler. It was nice, mild but sunny, and the breeze wasn't too cool. For variety I threw in some intervals/strides/fartleks, whatever they're called. All these years of running and I'm not sure what the appropriate term is. I went without my Garmin and so it was more of a relaxed, do-whatever-I-want run,.

Lethargy

I was thinking to myself yesterday that the past couple of weeks I feel like my energy level has been low. And rocket scientist that I am, I realized the problem was lack of exercise. I always feel better when I'm running regularly, and that has not been the case for several months. It's been two weeks since my last run, so today I got back to it. I ran 4 miles, and surprised myself by going the whole way without walking. It helped that the weather was mild and the breeze from the south cooled off what little heat there was. I keep saying this but I mean to run regularly again.

A Little Lame

This morning was great running weather. The temperature was about 50 degrees, clear, and even with a little breeze. I planned on going further but ended up only going 4 miles. My left knee barked at me a couple of times, a sign that I need to get back to regular leg exercises with my ankle weights. I did it a couple of times this week but apparently need to do more. I used to do them upstairs after work but moved the weights to my office so I can do them when I'm in meetings or have a few free minutes. I think I need to do more than just the knee bends and return to hamstring and hip exercises as well.

Stupid

I have no excuse for not running last week other than stupidity. You could probably throw laziness in there as well, but really it was willful stupidity. The weather was nice, I had time, and I just decided to do other things. Today I realized it was time to put that behind me, so I went and ran 4 miles. It felt surprisingly good and the temp was mild enough to where I didn't have to walk any other than the big hill. Tomorrow I'm going to see the Rolling Stones and won't be running on my normal day, so I really needed to get out and do it today.

Running Saturday

I felt better starting today's run than I did on Thursday. The weather was great, starting out at about 65 degrees and cloudy with a nice cool breeze from the south. I ran 6 miles, with a walk at the fourth and fifth markers. The humidity was a bit high, as usual. Plenty of people out walking their dogs this morning, and the lacrosse fields were busy over by the lake. Now it's time to mow the lawn.

Never Go by How You Feel

I felt kinda rundown and crappy this afternoon and considered not running. It was too nice out, though, and I'm glad I ignored how I felt. It took a good mile or so before the crappy feeling went away and I felt better. I went 5 miles total, and by the end I sprinted the last quarter mile at a 7:25 pace. How's that for ignoring how you feel at the beginning of a run?

How About Some Hills?

I was feeling pretty worn down and tired this afternoon, but knew I really needed to go for a run even though I didn't want to. So, I decided to challenge myself a little and run the hill route. I cut it down to 4 miles, which turned out to be plenty. The temperature was just shy of 80 degrees and shaded for most of the route. The only time I walked was up the big hill east of Ridge. Other than that I toughed it out. It wasn't a great run but it was necessary.

Yes

This was a tough week, and particularly on Thursday. I was going to run yesterday as a make-up for that day but smoked a port butt instead. I ran today, 5 miles, and it was a really nice morning. The run went well with no walking other than the big hill. No regrets other than missing Thursday

Doing It

A nice squall line came through last night and knocked down the temperature a little bit. The side effect is that it was humid today. Oh well, you can't win them all. I ran 4 miles and since the temperature is still above 80 degrees I walked every mile. It's supposed to be in the 70s this weekend, I think, and maybe I can get back to no-walk running just in time for the fall and winter months.

Sunday Fun Run

I got hit by allergies, this week. Hard. I was completely out of it Wednesday, Thursday, and started feeling human again on Friday. It was like having a head cold or even worse, a head flu. I haven't felt that bad since, well, last time I had bad allergies. Then yesterday was James Bond Marathon day with our youngest and then finally ,the new one at the theater.

So today I went out for a run after church. It was very breezy and cloudy, but humidity was up a little. I went 5 miles and walked the last. I probably could have and should have run the last bit, but I felt like it was a good choice. Hopefully the cool front that's coming through will level out the ragweed this week.

I Suck

Last week I didn't run at all. I suck. Too many reasons to not run and I didn't focus on the ones I had to actually run. Today I was back at it, going 4 miles. It was a beautiful day with temperature in the mid-80s. Not bad as we head toward fall. We'll still be warm for at least another week, but hopefully I can keep the excuses to a minimum.

Let's Do Hills

There was a race again today along my usual running path, but I knew about it beforehand and took an alternate route. My plan was to go 6 miles today, which I did, and that included plenty of hills along my path. This is the run to the west and to Stonebridge heading north before turning around. It was a nice morning for a run with temperatures in the upper 60s. No breeze to speak of, so I won't. I walked at miles two and four, as well as up the big hill on Virginia Parkway east of Ridge. Overall I would count this as a good, solid run.

Mild Again

And by mild again I mean this is Texas and it was only 82 degrees outside this afternoon. The breeze was very slight and overall the day was nice for running. I kicked the distance up to 5 miles and even threw in a little faster pace the last couple. I realized I've been running during the week and thinking to myself that I shouldn't run too fast so I can run again later in the week and have some energy left in the tank. That's more appropriate for 100 degree weather, maybe, so I changed that and ran about a 9:40 pace in the "cooler" weather today. It felt fine and who knows? I might even try it again someday.

Windy and Not Quite Mild

The temperature ended up being a few degrees higher than predicted, although still only in the mid-80s. It was breeze, though, and kept me a little cooler than usual. We're getting into that time of year when the heat starts breaking. This weekend it's supposed to be back up around 90, which means it'll probably be closer to 95. Regardless, I got in my 4 miles today. It wasn't a great run but it also wasn't bad. I've said this a few times recently but it's time to get back to regular runs and increasing the mileage with the decrease in temperature.

Rough Morning

While I was able to get out for a run this morning it was a little rougher than I expected. When I turned off Lake Forest into the Creekview neighborhood there was an ambulance where the path started. Turns out that it was just there for support since today was a race day. I decided not to be that guy who runs along the race route so I deviated into the neighborhood itself and ran down the other side of the greenbelt. I turned back once the routes converged and ran a longer loop through the neighborhood. All told I ran 4 miles but it was humid and a little bit rough. I persevered, though, and now it's time to relax for the rest of the day. Maybe.

Back on Schedule

The usual Thursday 4-mile run this week took place on...Thursday. As scheduled. The temperature is topping out at 90 degrees these days with an added 2-3 degrees for the heat index, but overall not bad. Plus a few clouds provided sporadic shade this afternoon. Strangely, though, nobody else was out walking or running. I saw four people on bikes but that was it. That was odd on a nice afternoon like this. Oh well, no complaints here. I enjoyed it.

McKinney in the Morning

Due to other stuff going on this week I thought it would be a good day to run in the morning. My work schedule cooperated and I was able to get out for a 4-miler. The temperature was in the 70s and humidity wasn't horrible. I felt good and even added a little kick at the end. Other than the big hill I didn't walk since the temp was below 80. It's nice to be back home and hopefully getting back into my routine.

Round and Round

Still in Kansas and still running in circles. I did another four laps around the sports complex and got in 4 miles. The heat is only about 89 degrees and humidity is not bad at all. I still walked every mile and that worked out well. I'm still working on Spanish lessons and up to Lesson 15. I have to listen to each one about three or four times to get it. Guess that's what happens as you get older. Maybe it'll click one of these days.

Back to KS

We drove up to Kansas on Saturday and spent the last couple of days hanging out with family. Today was a nice mild 93 degrees and I ran 4 miles around the sports complex. That was four times around with a little extra to get to an even number. I was going to go five times but figured the extra half-mile wouldn't really make any difference to my overall fitness. Such as it is.

Glad I Waited

My original plan was to run yesterday afternoon but I ended up working late and then making dinner. I decided to wait until this morning, a Friday off, to run. Once again I got distracted with a few other things and thought maybe I wouldn't be able to run, but I got it in and was glad I waited. The temperature was only about 80 degrees, a little humid, but still better than what I've been dealing with the last couple of weeks. I ran 4 miles with the usual walk breaks. Lots of sweat, of course, but all in all a good outing.

97 Again

It was 97 degrees with heat index of 107 again today. It should have gone better but my left knee felt a little off and I didn't want to do anything to hurt it. So I went 3 miles with a little bit of walking. Not great, but once again at least I got out to sweat a little bit. Especially since I missed Saturday due to smoking all day and then recovering from the glutton-fest on Sunday. At least the brisket, ribs, sausage, poppers, and tri-tip were all excellent. It's a good thing I don't do that every weekend. 

Strangely Good

97 temperature, 103 heat index. 4 miles and I only walked at the usual spots that I do on hot days. And strangely enough, it was a good run. Maybe because of the nice breeze from the south, but overall I felt strong. Could also be my low-mileage day on Tuesday and not pressing it then. Whatever the case, the heat didn't get to me today and in the aftermath I still feel fine, not beat up. That's nice heading into the weekend.

Just Getting Out

Heat index today was 105 with no clouds in the sky so I figured it would be an accomplishment just to get out the door. I did, and I pretty much went by feel instead of trying to accomplish a certain amount of distance or running. I went 3 miles total, and probably a little more than half of that was at a running pace. I walked the last mile. It seemed like the right thing to do.

On the Back Side

We're on the back side of summer, especially this one that's overall been pretty mild. Hard to believe we're in the latter days of August already. All the rain this past week jacked up the humidity and this morning was, in a word, moist. I was amazed, though, at how low the creeks were already. We had a couple of inches over several days, so maybe this is a sign that our drainage system through the creeks out to the big lakes is working correctly. I wouldn't bet on it. The parks have flooded several times since we moved here and I don't think there has been that much work on the system.

I ran 6 miles with an extra walk thrown in at about the 4.5-mile mark. That's still the tough part of the route with the breeze at your back. It's almost like the air is still since you don't get any cooling effect. I also walked the last block or so since The Wife was out walking and our paths intersected after I'd come back into the neighborhood. No complaints here on getting to spend a few unexpected minutes with her. Now we're off to the rest of the weekend.

A Little Rain

We've had a little rain here this week. And by a little, I mean a lot. It came down big time on Tuesday and finally moved out for good this morning. That creek that was low last weekend is not so low any more. Which means it was ultra-humid here today. Plus it felt like it had been forever since I ran, so I went 3 miles and called it good. Too much work and too much rain. Glad it's almost the weekend.

Nice Morning

It's been hot and humid here this week, as is normal in Texas. I missed a Thursday run due to a work commitment, so I was bound and determined to get out today. I went 6 miles on a nice sunny morning with a temperature around 80 degrees. The humidity was still present, but overall it was normal. Saw plenty of people out along the path. We have a chance of rain later on, which would be good since parts of the creek are almost dry. At one point I saw a drain in the creek bed that I didn't even know was there. We had plenty of rain earlier in the year but it's been few and far between, again as normal.

Three in the Summer

Today I knew I needed to get out, but it's 96 degrees with a 105 degree heat index. My solution was to only go 3 miles. It worked pretty well. I sweated a lot, got some exercise, and didn't collapse from heat stroke. Genius!

Pre-emptive Laziness

Maybe a run on Thursday would have gone well. I was out a little late on Wednesday night, had trouble getting to sleep, woke up several times after that, and awakened early to work on my book. History has taught me that's a sign that I'm going to be on the struggle bus if I try to run. I took the chicken's way out and decided to mow the lawn instead.

This morning, Saturday, was a decent outing. I went 6 miles with walks every mile. I seem to have a mental block on that penultimate mile that meanders northwest around the big pond. It's usually with the breeze at my back and therefore I don't get any cooling relief during that particular mile. Once I round the corner back onto Lake Forest and go south I get a full-on breeze and it feels great. So today I made a conscious effort to run that mile and not walk halfway through. I did it.

The only downside to today's run was the last .17 mile as I entered the neighborhood. I walked up the Big Hill, as usual, and then as I turned into the neighborhood I felt a little nauseous. Nothing major, but enough to say it's time to walk it in. Maybe it was all the coffee. Or the humidity. Or something else.

A Wee Bit Better

Today the heat index was only +3 degrees over the regular temperature, as opposed to +8 to +10 that we've been experiencing. That actually makes a difference. Plus we had a little bit of cooling yesterday down to the low 90s. I actually felt good on today's run, with the usual walks, but didn't feel like I needed extra ones. I went 5 miles. Still listening to Spanish and am making some progress. I usually listen to the previous one plus a new one, although the last few I've listened to about three times before finally making the move to a new one. Regardless, it's progress.

More Sogginess

The humidity is still high, especially...well, all day. This morning I got up and wrote for an hour or so, and then went for a 5-mile run. The temperature was in the mid-80s by then and heat index well into the 90s. At this point in the year my goal is to just get out and sweat. I certainly attained that goal today. After cooling off on the back patio I wrung out my shirt into the yard. The Wife said, "Yuck." I did plenty of walking, probably a mile total out of all that. With basically no breeze it was tough to cool down even in the shade.

Reining It In

I missed Tuesday due to a work commitment, and then today was, in a word, hot. 97 degrees with heat index of 106. So I reined it in today, running slow and only 4 miles. That seemed like the prudent thing to do. Strangely enough, I saw only one other person out running. It almost makes me think it wasn't a good day to run, but I don't need that kind of negativity in my life.

Tough Road

The road itself wasn't tough, but today's run was. I ran in the morning, as I tend to do on a Saturday. The temperature was in the mid 80s and so was the humidity. I went 7 miles total. The first half was pretty good, but the second was not as good. I walked plenty. Overall it wasn't horrible, and I got in plenty of sweating. We've had a mild summer so far in Texas, and that's over. The temperatures are ratcheting up and we're supposed be in the 100 degree vicinity for the foreseeable future. Can't complain too much, though, since this usually hits earlier in the summer. Walking whenever needed is the way to get through it.

Running in Spanish

I think the Spanish lessons I've been listening to are distracting me from the heat. Today it was 90 degrees with a heat index of 98, and I went through two Spanish lessons on my run. It seemed easier today, so either I'm getting used to the heat or the distraction is working. Whatever the case, I went 5 miles and it was a good, strong run. Oh, and another factor might have been the clouds shielding the sun for most of it. I guess it was just a confluence of helpful things resulting in a good day.

A Slight Dip

Today saw a slight dip in the temperature and head index - 88 and 91 respectively. Not bad considering we had a downpour yesterday afternoon that turned our street into a river for a while. A remnant of a puddle across the path paid a nice reminder to the storm. I went 5 miles once again and it did feel somewhat easier with the heat index a good 8-9 degrees lower than normal. I'm happy to be exercising regularly again and hope to keep it up for the foreseeable future with no interruptions planned due to vacation or work.

Toughing it Out

Ran this morning and it was nice and humid. It was kind of a tough run but I soldiered through and made it 5 miles. In fact, it was a little bit longer since I found The Wife out walking and I spent an extra .3 miles with her. It was actually a nice cooldown and of course I like spending time with her. I did tell her that I had seen her walking up the big hill in front of the school and I was going to run and catch up with her but I didn't feel that running the hill was in my best interests. She understood.

Hot with a Side of Walking

Pretty much the same temperature and conditions as yesterday, but I did walk a little less today. Amazing what a few nights of good sleep can do to help out a body. I went the usual 5 miles with the usual walk breaks. Yesterday I had a few extended walks and didn't run once I was near the neighborhood. I'm trying to get back into the exercise routine quickly, with no excuses. I probably sweated out a gallon but once again, that's a good thing.

Too Long

Went on a trip to Chicago late last week and ended up being too long since my last run. I intended to run yesterday but when we returned the RV my buddy's truck died. Like flames comin gout of the engine died. So I finally got out today when it was 92 degrees with heat index of 99. Yes, I went 5 miles. Yes, I walked probably a good half-mile out of all that. But it was good to get out and sweat. 

Holiday Weekend

It was a good four-day weekend and I should have run more. Instead, I frittered away the decent weather by sitting outside most of the time and relaxing. Our power went out Friday and didn't come on until the early morning hours of Saturday, which meant I wasn't in good shape to run that morning. And then yesterday I was just lazy.

Today was nice with a moderate temperature, especially for Texas in July. A little juicy outside (humidity-wise, I mean) but not horrible. I went 5 miles and did my walking bit starting at the two-mile mark. Time for a little more relaxation before the work week starts back up tomorrow.

Yes, It's Summer in Texas

Today's stats: 5 miles, 95 degrees, 103 heat index. As usual I walked every mile. There wasn't much of a breeze, which would have helped tremendously. Supposedly it was supposed to rain both yesterday and today, but so far not a drop. Oh well. It's the start of a long weekend and time for some relaxation.

Slow and Steady

Temperature in the mid-80s today but lots of humidity. I took it slow, listened to Spanish lessons, and went 5 miles with the pre-planned walks. A lot of sweat, but as always it's worth it to get out and enjoy a run.

Car Problems

A few days late posting this on my Saturday morning run, but first let's back up a little bit. I was planning on running Thursday, had my stuff out and intended on going during the morning since I had time. Unfortunately my daughter, who is on a road trip, had car problems. I ended up spending most of the day buying a car from a dealership in Wyoming. Fortunately we live in a world where I could talk to them from Texas, view options online, and sign documents over the internet. 

Which brings us to Saturday, when I ran 6 miles that morning. The temperature was in the low 80s but there was a very good breeze out of the south, as well as some cloud cover. Due to those conditions I broke my rule about walking every mile and ran continuously until the five-mile mark, at which point the sun started peeking out and making things a little uncomfortable. All in all a good run, though.

Hello, Bobcat

Nothing like getting up close and personal with a bobcat. I decided to do the hill run today. Even though it's mid-June, the temperature was only 85 degrees this afternoon. I took the opportunity to go west instead of east for my 5 miles.

Once you get up Ridge a bit there's a path that descends down to the creek and under the bridge before hugging the backend of a neighborhood. It's a nice path with good shade at this time of day. The grass along the path has grown up a bit and the trees need to be trimmed back, with some low branches haning particularly low and into the path. On my return route I came upon a bobcat that was jus toff the path and about four feet away from me. He stopped and looked at me. I looked at him and kept running, with a few glances over my shoulder. I guess he thought I wasn't worth the meat on my bones. Whatever the case, I'm glad he didn't react to me as a threat when I passed him. Kind of weird to see him so close to a neighborhood, but I've seen stories of them around this area. I'd be okay to not see another.

Back from Cabo

Spent the last week in Cabo san Lucas, and no, I did not run while I was there. I tried to keep a rein on the food intake but I wouldn't say I was entirely successful in that regard. We arrived home late last night, and I planned on running this morning to get back into the swing of things. Fortunately the humidity is down from the last time I ran. When I went out today it was not even 90 degrees yet, and heat index only added about three degrees to the total. I went 5 miles with a walk every mile. Felt pretty good to be out exercising again. It was really nice to do nothing all day, every day, on vacation, but real life is about to intrude. Gotta go make the money so we can go on vacations.

Plenty of the Humidity

The weather app said it was 90 degrees and felt like 102 when I went out for today's run. And I'll be honest, I thought about not going. Work has been super busy this week and kicked my butt, and being lazy would have gone right along with how I felt. Then I realized I need to get out and sweat a little bit, so that's what I did. With the humidity that high I walked plenty and often. Of the 5 miles, I probably walked at least 3/4 of a mile, and maybe a little bit more. Being that I'm still ramping up for summer since overall it's been unseasonably mild lately, that seemed to be the right choice.

Even Moister

More rain over the weekend, including a big thunderstorm yesterday. That meant today was humid plus a temperature around 90 degrees. The heat index was about 98. I ran the hill route and walked for a minute every mile, plus a few seconds extra. About .8 miles from home I walked an extra minute or so due to what I think was elevated heart rate. Huh, imagine that. Anyway, I got in my 5 miles and some badly needed exercise.

Enjoying the Humidity

It rained into this morning, but cleared enough for me to go run by 11. Unfortunately the sun started coming out in spurts, meaning that the humidity spiked. I went 6 miles, shortening the planned distance by a mile and then walking at the mile markers starting halfway through. The path was a little flooded in places, but that didn't seem to stop plenty of folks from being out. I missed Thursday's run due to a concert, which was really nice since it's been awhile. Today is also a music festival, and it sure is nice to see live music again.

Another Hill Outing

Once again I went for the hills. This was somewhat because of rain the past couple of days and there is probably flooding along the more level path. I had bad allergies again on Sunday, which then kind of knocked me out yesterday. I was still feeling the effects today, and of course thought about doing a really short run. But then I realized the temperature was only 70 degrees and I'm not going to get many more days like this. I went the full 5 miles I'd planned on running and overall felt good. It would be nice if the allergy attacks would go away. This is the worst year I've had in a long time.

Blazing Slow

I used to be, relatively speaking, blazing fast. Now I'm blazing slow. Since it's a three-day weekend I decided to spend yesterday smoking some pork and enjoying the day, which meant that today became my running day. It was a little bit cool when I first got up, and at running time in the late morning hours it was pleasant for a run with a nice breeze from the southeast. I ran 7 miles and overall felt good. The stiff breeze threw off the GPS a fraction, but I know my markers. What a nice day.

Sweating Profusely

This was the first real hint of summer today. Temperature near 90 degrees and enough humidity to make the heat index into the mid-90s. Accordingly, I instituted my walk-every-mile routine and it worked quite well. I went 5 miles and overall felt good, even with all the sweat. In fact, I can tell that running and exercising regularly is making a difference. After my first walk for a minute I took off again and had that feeling of wow, that feels...strong is maybe not the right word, but I could feel the benefits of the exercise. Hoping to keep that going as we truly get into summer.

More Hills in Texas

It rained this morning and into the afternoon, but by mid-afternoon the clouds cleared and the sun actually came out. This seemed like a good day for hill running, so I did. The temperature was pushing 80 but not quite there. I found enough shade and a bit of a breeze to keep from overheating. I ran 5 miles on my normal hill route, and for the most part felt pretty good. I concentrated on running with my butt - yes, it's a thing and focusing on it helps run with stronger muscles rather than knees and weaker parts of the mechanism. I remember reading about it a few years ago in that runner's magazine that I no longer care for, but the lesson remains with me. Lots of sweat today, which is good since I need to shed a few pounds.

Humid but Cool

The weather app told me that the humidity was 90% when I ran today. Not sure if that was correct since I feel like I didn't sweat as much as I have before at that level. Maybe the difference was that today the weather was cooler than on Thursday. I didn't walk, other than when I ran into someone I knew and talked to him for a few minutes. That little pause actually helped since it gave me the momentum to run a full 7 miles. That was my plan but I thought there might be some walking involved, but nope, it all went pretty well. I also thought there might be more water across some of the paths, but the creek was actually down and only one spot where I had to tip-toe. Well, in reality I walked on my heels through the water since they're thicker and my feet don't get wet. But you get the idea.

Hey Humidity

I didn't think we were actually expecting much rain today, but it lightly rained for several hours. When I went out for a run the humidity was nice and high. Due to that and the fact that I just felt fatigued all day, I decided to limit my run to 4 miles, with walks at the markers. That seems like it was a good choice since in the last mile I had tightness in my left calf, a sure sign that the humidity is getting to me. Fortunately I was able to get home without any cramping and go straight to the fruit bowl for a banana.

Shoulda Woulda

I should have run yesterday, and if so I would have actually avoided the rainstorms. See, thunderstorms passed through the area all day yesterday. At my normal running time it was between storms but tough to see if it was going to stay that way for long. Well, it did. And I should have gone out at that point. Oh, well. 

Today was more humid, of course, after all the rain. Plus the temperature was right at 80 degrees, my threshold for starting to walk every mile. I went 5 miles with those walks included. Even though it was plenty humid it was still all right. I was just glad to get out and not have to worry about an impending storm.