5K with Stephanie

I worked out at Nautilus this evening and then Stephanie and I met up at the track and ran the hilly Avenues 5K course.

Back from Mississippi

I got up early yesterday morning and drove 8 hours to Brandon, Mississippi for a family gathering. There was not a good place to run from the hotel at night, so I resorted to running a mile+ on the treadmill at the hotel at 10 last night. I left Mississippit at noon today and drove back to Huntsville and ran laps at the track at 9:30 tonight. Back to normal tomorrow.

2 x 3.5

We had our annual club trail run at Huntsville State Park this afternoon. It is a 3.5 mile non-competitive trail run/walk to introduce club members and others to the trails at the park. We had 24 runners and walkers and perfect weather. Phillip Clark and I went out ahead of the race and marked the trails with signs and streamers. I suppose you would call that a working run. Then, I ran the event and finished in 43:32. Darren Grant did a great job in directing the event.

RTW

I did the Run the Woodlands 5K this morning for the 41st time since 2004. The race is held on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of every month in The Woodlands. My time was 32:50, one second slower than two weeks ago. This afternoon, I went to the German Festival in Tomball and then on to Bryan to visit by brother-in-law in the hospital, and then back to Huntsville. Long day.

Stuffed

I spent part of the day over in Bryan. Anytime I am in that city, I always stop and eat at the Coco Loco Mexican Restuarant on Texas Avenue. I have eaten at a lot of Mexican Restaurants, but that is the best. I left there stuffed. It was hard to get excited about running today after eating that big meal. I went to the track and ran a little over a mile on the roads and then visited with J. C. Guzman and Randy Woodward at the track. I need to update my race schedule (bottom of this page). There are lots of races coming up.

Small Group at the Park

Only two of us showed up at the park for a trail run this evening. It was John and I. Since he ran the Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon in New Mexico on Sunday, we only did a 3-mile loop. Nice weather and the trails are in good shape.

Trail Run

I did not feel like running the roads today, so after working out at Nautilus, I went out to the park and did a 3.5-mile loop on the trails by myself.

Recovered

I felt fully recovered from the marathon on Sunday and ran a 3-mile loop on the roads in town. Nice weather.

Resting the Knees

After working out at Nautilus this evening, I went over to the track and then ran a 2-mile loop on the roads around town. When I got back to the track, there was a group doing excercises on the grass. It was a group starting a 4-week boot camp. I should have brought some running club applications.
Congratulations to my trail running buddies, John, Chris and Hans for completing the Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon in White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico yesterday.

Completion of Marathon Challenges

I completed the Seabrook Trail Marathon today in Seabrook, Texas. With that, I completed all three marathon challenges in Texas. I became the fourth and oldest runner ever to do that. The first of the three challenges was the Marathons of Texas (White Rock in Dallas in December, Houston in January and Austin in February). The second challenge was the Texas Marathon Triple (Kingwood in January, Surfside Beach in February and Seabrook in March). The third challenge was the Texas Marathon Challenge (any five Texas marathons in one season). The real challenge in completing all three in one season is running Surfside Beach and Austin the same weekend. For the season, I ended up with a 50K in California, marathons in Oklahoma, Arizona and Arkansas and a 50K in Texas and 8 marathons in Texas (total of 13).
It was cold and very windy in Seabrook today. The headwind gusts would almost stop you in your tracks. And, it was really tough on the volunteers. I especially appreciated them today. My knees really hurt today. I never walked between aid stations, but my pace was slow. I finished in 6:09:11.

Track Run

We had a good time at the Laff Spot in Spring last night. I did not get to bed until about 2 this morning. Got up at 9 and went to the track and ran one mile, just before the heavy rain and storm came through. Will leave for Seabrook this afternoon for the marathon tomorrow. The weather is suppose to be nice, except for wind.

Three

Did three miles on the roads in town this afternoon. Tonight, I'm going down to the Laff Spot in Spring to see Leif Skyving from Utah perform. He is funny - and a good runner. I met him several years ago through my friend, Loren Sheffer.

Tapering

I suppose it is time to taper for the Seabrook Marathon this Sunday. John and I met up at the park this evening and ran a 3-mile loop. Of course, he and Chris and Hans are running the Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon in New Mexico on Sunday. I did that one last year.
I also mowed my grass for the first time this year and Marilynn wants me to roto-tiller her garden tomorrow. That may be toooo much work with the marathon on Sunday.

No Rain Today

Nice weather today. Sunny and cool. After doing yard work most of the day, I worked out at Nautilus this evening and then ran a 3-mile loop around town.

Where was everybody?

The group was suppose to meet up at the park this evening to run trails. I was the only one that showed up. What's a little rain? So, I ran 2 miles on the park roads and got soaking wet.

Different subject - I write a column on running twice a month in the Huntsville Item. I submitted a column yesterday for publication today. I had a lot of race results to report, so I had to keep my narrative short. I wrote about three trail running buddies going to New Mexico next Sunday to run the Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon. I included a photo of the three, but the paper left the photo out when they published the column. Click here for the column. Since the photo did not make the paper, I will include it here. Left to right: Chris Wilson, John Cook and Hans Jaeger.

Rest Day

My left knee was hurting today. Since I have a marathon next Sunday, I thought it best to take it easy. I worked out at Nautilus this evening and then ran a 2-mile loop on the streets around town. With the university on spring break, there was not much traffic. Nice.

Sunday Trails

After church this morning, I met up with the group at the park and we ran a 6-mile loop on the trails.

Run the Woodlands 5K

I went down to The Woodlands this morning for the Run the Woodlands 5K. Club members, Brian and Chris Zemlicka and John and Courtney Dunphy, were also there. I finished in 32:49. After getting back to Huntsville, I took a nap and then drove down to Katy with Ben for the Southland Conference basketball championship game between our Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin. Sam won easily.

Ditto

I ran trails again with the group this evening. Same 4.1-mile course as yesterday. I need to go somewhere tomorrow and run a race.

Trails

I ran 4.1 miles on the trails with the group this evening. Just over a week to go to the Seabrook Marathon on March 21. John, Hans and Chris are doing the Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon in New Mexico on the same day.

Avenues 5K Course

After working out at Nautilus this evening, I ran the hilly Avenues 5K course.

First Warm Day

It was up to nearly 80 degrees today. I met up with the group at the park and ran 4.1 miles on the trails.

Back in Huntsville

Marilynn and I drove back from Little Rock today. After getting back, I worked out at Nautilus and then ran at the track in a light rain. I was tired, but I am not sure if it was from the marathon yesterday or from the drive home.

Little Rock Marathon

I ran the Little Rock Marathon today. My time was 5:49:08, less than a minutes faster than my time at the Cowtown Marathon last Saturday. Nice weather and some tough hills. I was surprized to see a bunch of the Duggars working an aid station. That's the family on TV with 19 kids. As we ran past the governor's mansion, he was out in front cheering the runners on. Of course, in Texas, the governor would have been running. It was good to visit with friends, Steve and Paula Boone and Ron and Karen Berglund, this morning before the race. Next is the Seabrook Marathon in two weeks.

Here in Little Rock

I ran in Huntsville yesterday and then went to Tyler to spend the night with family. Today, I drove up to Little Rock for the marathon tomorrow. I went to the expo this afternoon and picked up my packet. Just as I was finishing up a big dinner at the Olive Garden this evening, I realized that I had not run today. So, I went back to the hotel, put on my shorts and ran a mile+ in the area on a full stomach, just as it was it was getting dark.

Same Three

I had to go somewhere this evening, so this afternoon, I ran the same 3-mile loop that I ran yesterday.

Three in Town

After a workout at Nautilus this evening, I ran a 3-mile loop on the roads in town. Nice weather. As of now, the weather forecast looks good for the Little Rock Marathon this Sunday.

Trails

I had a doctors appointment in The Woodlands this afternoon, but got back in time to get in a 3-mile trail run at the park before it got dark.

Rainy and Cold

I had some sinus problems all day and did not feel like running. However, I worked out at Nautilus this evening and then ran a 2-mile loop on the roads in a light and cold rain. Now, I feel better.