Good Running Day

I lucked out today. Temperatures stayed in the mid 80's but when I went out for a run this afternoon it was cloudy, and stayed that way. A thunderstorm passed to the north and then when got home it rained briefly. I ran 6 miles on my usual route. Today I switched things up and listened to a podcast instead of music, which made the run go rather quickly. For a Tuesday in mid-June I certainly can't complain. Plus I worked from home today and headed out the door before I would have made it home from the office. Another reason to not complain.

Temperature Matters

I did not sleep well last night. I blame that on food and drink. So when I woke up at 7 a.m. I was not happy. I also realized it would be a 50/50 shot at having a good run if I got up and went for it. Since at that point I wasn't going back to sleep I decided to run before it got hot and humid outside. For the most part I made it.

I decided early on to run 7 miles, mainly because I had to decide early on. Plus, it was nice and tidy to run 5-6-7 this week, even if the 5 was more like an 8 or 9 in effort. And to tell the truth, I actually felt pretty good through the whole run and never walked. The temperature was in the low 70s and the sun didn't come out and when it did start to shine it was still shrouded by thin clouds. If I'd waited another hour I would have paid. When I got home I mowed and trimmed the lawn, and yeah, that was hotter but not as bad as running.

I also learned that if my iPod is on shuffle and 'Sabotage' or 'Blue on Black' pops up then I am required to turn up the volume as well as to play the song twice. Rules to live by.

Cloudy and Humid

This morning it rained quite a bit, and by the time I left work it had stopped. Clouds covered the sky and the temperature was only about 80 degrees. The humidity was up though because of the rain and so the air was sweating. A breeze came out of the south and helped when running that direction, but not so much in other ways. I kept it slow and made the 6 miles with only one walk, up the hill by the golf course. Not many people out today, which was not a surprise given the different conditions. I thought about cutting it short but again, I didn't really have anything else to do and going the whole distance seemed like the right thing to do.

The Heat Is On

Today was my first day of teleworking, which meant I got out for my evening run a little earlier than usual. I'm not so sure that was a good thing at this time of year because the temperature was about 90 degrees. I planned to run/walk this one as I get acclimatized to the hot weather again, but man, that ended up being more walking than I planned. I also took my water bottle with me, which had sat in the freezer since last fall. It didn't take long for it to thaw. I went 5 miles, and even with the walking it was one of those outings where the effort felt like a lot more mileage than that. Thursday is also supposed to be hot, and it looks like we're in that pattern. It'll be okay once I get more used to it.

Regular + 1

Weird dreams last night, and then I ran later this morning than planned. I ran the route to do 7 miles and seriously considered knocking off at 6. But then I realized I really didn't have anything else planned for today other than some stuff on my list for the house and went for it. I walked a couple of times when I felt like I was heating up too much, but other than that it was a steady slow run. The guys from the youth group TP'd our house last night and I spent an extra half-hour or so cleaning that up before the run, which probably didn't help much. This afternoon I defrosted the freezer, cleaned stuff off the driveway from the youth group guys, and cleaned out the garage floor. By mid-afternoon I was pretty much done. Fortunately the rest of the day was pretty much stress-free and I made it through okay. Tomorrow will be a day of rest.

Keeping it Slow

On yesterday's 6-miler I kept it slow. It was another day where it had rained during the night and most of the morning, and when I went out it was partly sunny and humid. The heat stayed away, though, and that helped some. I was able to run the whole way, except when I had to stop because people in cars don't understand that people in the crosswalk have the right of way. It ended up being a pretty nice day for a run.

One thing I've found out is how good squats are for you. I can tell their effect when I'm out running. On my off running days I usually do at least 30 of them. I've heard before how they help your core and some other muscles that don't necessarily get a workout during a run. And at this point I guess I can say that's true. And now I'm off to do some more as I do strength-building exercises on this Friday.

Much Rain

It seemed iffy for getting a run in today due to the fact it rained yesterday and most of today up until mid-afternoon. But it turned out great since the skies stayed cloudy and the temperature was mild, perfect for a run. Especially a run in almost mid-June. I'm certainly not going to complain. I ran the whole 6 miles, including the hill by the golf course. I left the GPS and iPod at home and just enjoyed a nice easy run.

I also put together the training plan for the Tulsa Run full marathon in November. The plan officially starts in August, so between now and then I'm going to work on getting a good base with some occasional speedwork.

It's All About Timing

I should have run one more time in Boston, but it rained on Thursday and I was too lazy to get out and do it on Friday morning before I left the hotel to catch my plane. Friday morning would have been perfect . What an idiot.

Today I waited until the rain passed through and went for a run. I probably should have waited until tonight when it was  perfect, but how was I to know? It actually wasn't too bad when I ran this afternoon. Mid-70s and clouds passing by, but it was certainly humid. I ran 6 miles and am setting my sights on a fall marathon. Time to do a full again. This week I'll hopefully get my training plan set up.

Slower Boston Run

Second day in a row for a run along the Charles River. The temperature was a little cooler, but not by much, and I took it slower this time. I found it interesting that the crowds along the paths today were a lot sparser than yesterday. I don't know what that means other than the people around consider Monday more of an exercise day than they do Tuesday.

Beyond that it was another beautiful day. Lots of water and green scenery. I felt a little tired after yesterday's run but kept up my pace today and came in about 9:40/mile. That's twenty seconds slower than yesterday but it's okay, because that was the pace that worked today. Tomorrow is an off day and then I'll run one more time in Boston on Thursday. It'd be nice to qualify for the marathon some day, but I doubt that'll happen. My training classmates and I talked about it at lunch today. One of the guys has run the Boston Marathon twice but it was a charity run, not because of his time. Cool for him because he's run it twice. For now I'll just settle for going on a few runs in a pretty part of the country.

Boston Run

In Boston this week for the some training and took the opportunity to go for a run along the Charles River. I ran 6 miles and enjoyed a nice view along the water. It was 83 degrees, a little warm for this part of the country, and probably ran a little fast. Overall I felt pretty good, and the humidity wasn't as bad as KC. Although I ran past a nice thick garden along Beacon Street that overhung the sidewalk and made me realize how humid that little patch was. I hope to go running a few more times this week even though there's a little rain in the forecast.

Early but Hot

I needed to get out early for today's run since Daughter #1 was having her graduation party in the afternoon. Plus I knew it would be warm later in the day, which provided a little extra motivation. I made it out by 8 o'clock and lo and behold I didn't beat the heat. I only walked once during the 6 miles, up the big hill by the golf course. When I got home I checked the temperature and it was 78 degrees with a heat index of 83. That seems about right since it was humid and I was sweating quite a bit. I was determined to make it with only the one walk and that's the way it worked out. My plan from Tuesday for a 4-5-6 week panned out. This week I'll be in Boston and I plan on running three times while I'm there. The weather there should be cooler and I'm looking forward to some nice runs along the Charles River.

Where'd the Clouds Go?

Came home from work and the sky was totally overcast. I changed, laid on my back on the bedroom floor, almost fell asleep, and went outside to a totally sunny day. And a hotter one than when I got home, too. I wanted to go 5 miles and that's what I did. I walked after every mile and up the big hills, which worked out just fine.

I took a Benadryl for allergies at work about 1 o'clock this afternoon and it leveled me the rest of the afternoon. That's probably why I came close to napping before the run. I was a little surprised at the effect this time since I was feeling pretty energetic before then. Guess that's the price you pay for trying to keep allergies at bay (gratuitous rhyme).

Post-Allergies

Well that was the worst allergy attack I've had in a while. Last Tuesday night after my run was pretty bad, and I hardly slept at all that night. Probably less than two hours. On Wednesday I lasted at work until after a conference call in the morning and then I came home and slept about four hours. I was still in bad shape Thursday and Friday, which was great because my brother flew into town and we went over to Manhattan for Dad's 70th birthday party. On Friday night I was going to go see my aunt and uncle but chose not to because their house is full of cats (ten!). It turned out to be a good judgment call. Saturday I felt better, and Sunday even more, until yesterday and today where I'm almost back to normal. My sinuses and ear tubes are still filled somewhat with phlegm (the nicer term for snot), but even that is fading away.

Today was therefore my first run in a week. It was 80 degrees and sunny for my late-morning outing, and it feels like summer is almost here. I ran a mile and walked a minute (or two) from the start, especially after being off like I was for a week. Also, I purposefully kept the mileage down and only went 4 miles. My plan this week is to go 4-5-6 on my three runs so that when I'm in Boston next week I can go six every time. I can only hope that the worst of the allergies is over.

Allergy Run

Today I felt the effects of allergies all day long, and it certainly showed up in how my run went. Plus it was 87 degrees and sunny, something I'm not used to yet this early in the year. I ran and walked 6 miles, definitely with a lot of walking, especially up hills. I thought I was smart because I found a route through the park near here that offers shade. What I didn't anticipate was the humidity from all the vegetation in that area. Unfortunately that might not be as good a choice this summer as I'd hoped. My overall average was still less than 11 minutes/mile, even with all that walking. I wonder how much better my running would be if I didn't suffer from allergies.

A Tale of Two Runs

Really there's not much to tell about these two runs. I was out of town again this week, this time in Philadelphia, and didn't even take my running gear since I knew I wouldn't have time. Went to watch the Phillies on Tuesday night and the wind made it really cold. Maybe I should have run.

I should have run on Thursday after work but still felt like I was recovering from the trip. So I ran on Friday morning since I had the day off, one of my usual 6-milers. I took it nice and easy and the day was cool but not horribly so.

Today I ran another 6 miles, same route and same result. It was a little warmer but still pleasant. I avoided all the neighborhood garage salers and came away unscathed. I left the GPS at home for both runs since I didn't want to push it when running two days in a row.

Boston Run and then this

Spent the week in Boston for a training class. The Virtual Running Partner also showed up and we went for a run along the Charles River on Monday. He hadn't run more than 4 miles since our half-marathon, and for this one we ended up going 5. Our route was stymied by a bridge inaccessible from the running path. We walked a few times as we figured out where we were going and ended our run along Beacon Street on the way back to the hotel. The rest of the week we spent going to baseball games, eating fried food, and taking in more than the two recommended drinks each day.

Which led to today's run. In the annals of my runs, this one would go down as 'crappy'. I left the house feeling just fine. Two miles into it I was in trouble. I'm sometimes amazed at how quickly the human body can acclimatize itself to different zones, which is what mine did this week in Boston when the days were about 60 degrees and the evenings about 10 degrees cooler. The temperature today was 80 degrees when I was out running. That combined with a three-and-a-half hour plane ride and the bad eating and drinking on my trip made for a run where I walked six times. Certainly not one of my finest hours. Or in this case, 1:06:30. On my return trip to Boston next month I think I'll take care of myself a little better.

Thought About 8, Went 7

I considered going longer today but decided against it since I missed two runs last week. I felt pretty good for most of the 7 miles, but I can tell I need to do some speedwork. That'll probably be on the agenda for the week after next since I'll be on a business trip this week.

Another Cool One

I really didn't want to go on a run this afternoon. The ground is still damp from all the rain, the wind was blowing from the northwest, and it was cloudy. Basically the same weather as Tuesday. For some reason I just had that intense feeling of wanting to lie around and skip the run, but I went for it anyway - because I need to. I ran my 6 miles, yelled at a guy who made a right turn out of his neighborhood and almost hit me, and listened to the new Old 97's album 1 1/2 times. In the end I felt pretty darn good and now I'm glad I endured the elements to get it done. It sets me up for another nice run on Saturday when hopefully the weather has improved.

One Week

Yes, it's been a week since I last ran. On Thursday I flaked out. I should have run but the weather was just bad enough to convince my lazy self to blow it off. Saturday I was in Manhattan and had my running gear with me but again distracted myself with other things. Today it was back to running. In fact, the weather was probably worse today than last Thursday and yet I went for it. The big reason for the difference is that today the new album from Old 97's dropped and I wanted to run with it blasting in my earbuds. I listened to it last week about five times through streaming and I already knew it rocks. Today it kept me going 6 miles at a 9:12 pace. Good job guys.

Perfect Spring Day, New Route

About 70 degrees today, although it felt a little warmer. I've been thinking about trying a new route, and so I did. Instead of heading east I went west and into the Shoal Creek area. I was worried that this course wouldn't be 6 miles, but it actually ended up being a little more than that. Part of the run was on trails and gravel, which was kind of a nice change. There were a few big uphill portions, and that caught up to me in the last couple of miles, which was the same as my usual last two miles. I walked up the hill at the golf course, partly due to the hills and also because the temperature was higher than the latter days. The sun was shining the whole way, which also played a part. At least maybe I've found a route more shaded and a little easier during Summer.