Short Road Run

I spent some time today polishing up my 74 VW bug convertible for the Christmas Parade on Saturday. The club is putting on the 1.23-mile Downhill Dash, which will start at 6 p.m., down the Christmas Parade route just before the parade begins. The male and female winners get trophies and then are taken back to the parade starting point and ride in the parade in my bug. I will be doing the 50K at the park that morning, so I hope I cab handle the clutch and brakes. After a workout at Nautilus this afternoon, I went to the track and then ran a 2-mile loop around town. Ben and I went to the Sam basketball game tonight.

Outer Loop

I had planned on going down to The Woodlands this evening for the Sunday Night 5K. However, the traffic on I-45 would be at a standstill on Sunday evening after a holiday. Instead, I went out to the park late this morning and ran the 6.8-mile outer loop.

Leftover Turkey 10K

I ran the club's Leftover Turkey 10K this morning, out and back on hilly Veterans Memorial Parkway. My time was 1:10:39. It was my 104th 10K race since I started racing in 1983. We had 41 runners running the 10K, 5K or 1-mile race this morning. This was one of the largest crowds we have ever had for a club run. Darren Grant did a great job as the race director and got accurate times on everyone.

Easy Day

After doing yard work this afternoon, I went over to the track this evening and ran a mile.

Run Thru the Woods 5-Miler

Ben and I got up early this morning and went down to The Woodlands to run the Run Thru the Woods 5-Miler. This was my 8th straight year to run this race. I ran the distance in 53:32, which was my best time in this race since 2004. Ben ran it in 52:33. It was nice visiting with so many friends at the race. We had a nice Thanksgiving with our family this afternoon and evening and hope you did also.
My times in the Run Thru the Woods:
2009 - 53:32
2008 - 58:47
2007 - 56:12
2006 - 58:56
2005 - 57:28
2004 - 53:14
2003 - 54:03
2002 - 51:10

4.6 with Leslie

Leslie McKinney, a high school teacher from Baton Rouge, was in Huntsville for Thanksgiving and we got together this afternoon for a trail run at the park. We did 4.6 miles Of course, I made sure I was hydrated. This evening, I met with the new club officers to plan club events for 2010. I will get it on the web site soon.

Feeling Good

I feel like I have fully recovered from the marathon on Sunday and the subseqent dehydration. I mowed the grass this afternoon, worked out at Nautilus and then ran 3 miles on the roads at the park this evening.

Route 66 Marathon

Marilynn and I drove up to Wylie (just east of Dallas) Friday and spent the night with George and Shannon and their family. On Saturday, we drove up to Tulsa, OK for the Route 66 Marathon on Sunday. I had never been to Tulsa and somehow thought the place was flat. The first half of the marathon criss-crossed the city and was up and down hills. At the 13.1-mile point, we got to street along the Arkansas River. Then, it up just past the 20-mile marker and then back to the finish line at 26.2. The temperature at the start of the marathon was 43 and at the finish it was in the 60's. My goal was to break 6 hours. Except for walking through the aid stations every two miles, I ran the entire distance. I expect the hills slowed me down some and the "up the river" segment was into a headwind. The last 6 miles was downwind and it got rather warm. I ended up finishing in 6:00:20. I had really expected to finish in about 5:45, but I'll take any marathon finish. After the race, we drove back to Wylie and then drove back to Huntsville this afternoon.

I went to Nautilus and worked out this evening. Then, on the way to the track to get in a run, I stopped to gas up my truck. I got dizzy and almost fell. I drove over to the track, but was too dizzy to run and drove home, instead. My blood pressure was high, so I called my doctor. He said to go to the emergency room. I spent a couple hours there. They did a catscan and ran a lot of other tests and gave me an IV. All the tests came back negative and they concluded that I was dehydrated. I felt better after the IV and went to the track on the way home and ran a mile. No problem, I could have done more.

Marathon Ready

I ran 4+ miles on the trails at the park this evening with the group. I'll do short runs tomorrow and Saturday. I feel good about the marathon on Sunday, since I got in a 50K three weeks ago, I've lost 15 pounds, the course is flat and the weather is suppose to be in the mid-40's at the start, with a high of 64.

One Month

Today marked one month on my new streak. Better still, I have only missed 17 days of running since December 1997. I ran a 2+ mile loop around town this evening.

Tapering

With a marathon in Tulsa on Sunday, I am tapering this week and trying to get the pain out of my left knee. I did an easy 3 miles on the roads at the park this evening, while the others ran trails. I am considering adding another marathon to my list, the Miracle Match Marathon in Waco on January 31. That would be two weeks after Houston and two weeks before my two marathons in one weekend on February 13 and 14. Waco is billed as the toughest marathon in Texas. I ran it once before; nothing but steep hills from mile 14 to 24.

Kneeded the Day Off

After doing 9 yesterday, I had some knee pain today. So, I went to the track after working out at Nautilus and ran a mile. Tonight, Ben and I went to the Sam Houston basketball game with Texas College.

Sunday Morning Run

I had to attend a funeral this afternoon, so I ran trails at the park this morning. I did 9 miles around the outer perimeter of the park and luckily, did not get shot by a deer hunter. Robert Duncan ran with me for about 5 miles. I would like to say that I ran at his speed, but that was not so. Congratulations to club members, Mark Robinson and Jerry Flanagan, for completing the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon San Antonio this morning and to Roger and Patsy Collins for completing the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon.

Working and Running

I got up early this morning, put out road signs for the Kats for the Cause 5K on the SHSU campus and then set up and operated the finish line. They also had a 1-mile race, but we only timed the 82 runners finishing the 5K. Thanks to club member, Glen Carter, and several student volunteers, we accurate race results for everybody. Congratulations to club member, Robert Duncan, for his first place overall win with a time of 20:14 on the hilly course. Other club members running were Darren Grant, Lavonne Zaiontz, Karen Fowler, John Slate and a new member, Courtney West from Willis. After I retrieved the signs and equipment and put it in storage, I ran a 4.4-mile loop around town. Then, I went to the Sam Houston-Central Arkansas football game. I finished up the race results tonight.

Short Road Run

I ran a 2-mile loop around town this afternoon.

Trails

I know the doc told me to stay off the trails, but cooler weather and nice trails at the park are hard to resist. I run more cautiously, because I know that I have to keep from tearing the remaining 20 percent of my quadriceps. I met up with the group this evening and ran 4+ miles.

Happy Veterans Day

Happy Veterans Day to all you veterans. I spent 22 and a half years in the Army and have five brothers who also served in the Armed Forces. Two of my kids also served. Lisa spent four years in the Army and Tim is currently a Marine somewhere on the other side of the world. I celebrated by running 4.4 miles on the roads in town this afternoon.

Diversion from the Topic of Running

I don't know if anyone else has this problem, but I tend to accumulate email messages. I was up to over 5,200 incoming and over 5,500 outgoing message still on my computer. I spent a lot of time today deleting many of them, one by one. I often go back and refer to old messages, so I am being careful as to which ones I delete. I still have a long way to go. Does anyone else have this problem?
I did meet up with the group at the park this evening and ran 4 miles on the trails. Nice weather. Before going into the park, I did have a nice visit with with Jesse Parker, XC Coach at SHSU and a Seven Hills Running Club member, who was out there with his team.

Cell Phones Scare Me

While running a 2.9-mile loop on the streets in town this evening, I almost got hit by a girl talking on a cell phone. I had to dodge her to keep from getting hit. It was a good thing that she was walking across the street and not driving a car. It was scary. She was so engrossed in her telephone conversation, she had no idea I was running by.

Easy Day

After 18.6 miles yesterday, I went to the track this afternoon, visited with club member, Len Hill, for a while and then ran a mile on the track.

Two Streak Races in One Day

There are several races that I run every year and I call them my streak races. Two of them are the Ramp Romp and the Rocky Raccoon Trail Run and both were scheduled for today. The Ramp Romp 5K in College Station did not start until 10 a.m. and the Rocky Raccoon 25K at the Huntsville State Park started at 7 a.m. Thanks to Paul Stone, the Rocky Raccoon race director, I was able to run the Ramp Romp and then come back to Huntsville and start the Rocky Raccoon about noon. The Ramp Romp starts at Kyle Field on the Texas A&M campus, runs one-mile around campus and then 2.1 miles up and down all three sets of ramps at the stadium. Even if you are use to running hills in Huntsville, the ramps are a challenge. It is something different and I always find it fun. I finished in 32:11. I left the finish chute, grabbed two bottles of water and headed back to Huntsville. When I got to the park about noon, when most of the 25K and 50K runners had already finished. Paul let me start and keep my own time. I finished the 25K course in 3:57:11, which is proof that I did not take any shortcuts. It was the first ime that I had ever run a race all alone. No aid station, other runners to run with and no one at the finish line. I carried a water bottle and some GU and Marilynn left me a bottle of water at the aid station on the back side of the park. It was relatively hot this afternoon and I don't think I would have made it without the bottle that she left for me. I was really dehydrated by the time I finished. I headed straight for a vending machine in the park for a large diet Coke. Then, I drove out to the aid station in the back of the park and took down the club's pop-up canopy and then went back to the lodge and pick up the race clock.

Day Off

Since I am running two races tomorrow, I only ran a mile at the track this afternoon. This evening, I picked up my packet for the Rocky Raccoon 25K at Huntsville State Park and then Marilynn and I drove to the back of the park to set up the aid station. She and others will be going out there very early tomorrow to operate the aid station.

Exploratory Run

The group met at the park this evening. Since I am driving out to the back side of the park tomorrow to set up the Seven Hills Running Club's aid station for the Rocky Raccoon Trail Run on Saturday, I ran to certain parts of the road to see if they are drivable. At one point, I stopped and filled in some deep holes in the road with nearby cut logs. I ended up running about 3 miles. Then, I went to the club meeting, where we elected the rest of the new officers for the year. It was a good meeting and many decisions were made. I think the club is off to a good start for the year.

2.9 in Town

After working out at Nautilus this evening, I ran a 2.9 mile loop around town. Felt good.

Trails at the Park

I met up with the group this evening and ran 4.2 miles on the trails. Nothing was sore from the 50K on Saturday and my quadriceps are still intact.

Easy Monday

After returning to Huntsville last night and having a Mexican dinner with Marilynn, I went to the track and ran one mile at 10 p.m. Actually, I felt okay. After a workout at Nautilus this evening, I went to the track and ran a 2-mile loop around town. I felt like I could have run much further, but I know that I needed the rest after the 50K on Saturday.

Helen Klein Classic 50K

I ran the Helen Klein Classic 50K (31 miles) in Sacramento, CA yesterday. The race is directed by Norman Klein, who directed the Western States 100-miler in California for 14 years and Sunmart Texas Trail Endurance Run at Huntsville State Park for 10 years. That is where I got to know Norman and his wife Helen. Helen started running at age 55 and holds about 75 world and U. S. records for long distance running. They are both very inspiring people and it was good to visit with both of them.

The first and last two miles were on a single-file rocky dirt trail. The rest of the course was out and back on a asphalt bike trail along the American River. It was a beautiful course and the trees were in full color. There were a few flat stretches, but mostly it was up or down hills. I felt good until I hit the wall at about 21 miles. (my lack of multiple long traing runs caught up with me). During the last 10 miles, I did more walking than running. My finish time was 8:17:25.