Memorial Day 5K

The Seven Hills Running Club's annual Memorial Day 5K started and finished in front of my house this morning. I got up early to put out the signs and contacted some people on the course and asked them to lock up their dogs (they were cooperative). I directed the race and we had a cookout at my house after the race. We had 44 official runners and a few unofficial runners. The race started at 10 a.m. and it was already pretty hot. Hopefully, everyone had a good time.
I was beat this afternoon, so I went into town and ran 2 miles on the roads.

Tour de Huntsville

The rain this afternoon cooled things off a bit. I went into town at 7 p.m. and ran the 5-mile Tour de Huntsville course on the roads. It was also nice that there was not much traffic in town.

Another 3

I spent most of my day working around the house, but did do a 3-mile run on the roads in town this evening.

Different Course

Late this evening, I drove to the track and ran a new course on the roads around town. I checked the distance on the USATF route finder when I got home and the course turned out to be exactly 3 miles. I seem to really be stuck on that distance.

Seem to be in a 3-Mile Rut

With hot weather here, I seem to be in a 3-mile rut. It will probably stay that way for a while. However, later in the summer I have to start increasing my distance to train for the Tyler Rose Marathon on October 10 and others after that. Since I run every day, it is physically easier to build up my distance. The mental part, though, is a different story.
After working out at Nautilus this evening, I met up with the group at the park and we ran 3 miles.

Squeezed in a Run

I got busy doing yardwork this afternoon and had to go to a friend's house for dinner this evening. I never made it to Nautilus, but I squeezed in a 3-mile run on the roads this evening.

Trail Three Miler

I met up with the group at the park this evening and ran a 3-mile loop. It is hot and humid and the flying critters were out. However, I have not seen a snake so far this year. Maybe I'm just running too fast.

Avenues 5K

After working out at Nautilus this evening, I went to the track and ran the Avenues 5K course from there. One of our trail running buddies, Annie, was finishing up her run from the track when I finished and we visited for a while.

Sunday Activities

I ran 3 miles on the roads in town this morning. I was running by one of the student dorms on campus and ran into Willie Fritz, the new head football coach for SHSU. He was getting ready to go in the dorm. I have visited with him a couple times before, so I stopped and visited for a few minutes. He is living in the dorm pending his family moving to Huntsville. He said that the students in the dorm think he is a narcotics agent.
After church, eating out, picking beans from the garden and taking a nap, Marilynn, Ben and I went down to the BFE Rock Club in Houston. They were having a fund raiser for a guy that my son, Kenny, works with in Tomball. He is having a tumor removed from his brain next week. Rock music and smoke is not really my thing, but it was all for a good cause.

Run the Woodlands 5K

I ran the Run the Woodlands 5K this morning in 33:35. I did not realize it until I arrived, that they were using this twice a month race as a fund raiser for Sue Van Natta, who has cancer. There were about 160 runners. My prayers for Sue.

Plans Went Awry

Mariah and I were suppose to run the roads at 6:45 this evening after she got off work. My son Ben called me late this afternoon and wanted to go out for Mexican food this evening; I told him that it would have to be about 8 p.m. I went to the track to meet Mariah, but she got off work late and was still in her work clothes. We put off our road run until next week. I ran laps at the track and then went home for a shower. I called Ben and he had an upset stomach. Marilynn had a long day and did not want Mexican food, so I went out to eat by myself.

Signed up for Tyler Rose Marathon

I signed up today for the Tyler Rose Marathon on October 10, 2010 and I am looking at the Marathon 2 Marathon (Alpine to Marathon) on October 16. Tyler is my hometown and the Tyler Marathon is new. One of my classmates of Tyler High Class of 59 agreed to be at the finish line with beer. Since Smith County is dry, he may get arrested. I am also thinking about doing the Texas Trail 50K on December 11 and the White Rock Marathon the next day. And, maybe the Rocky Raccoon 50-miler in February. Or, maybe 3 marathons in 3 days if I can find them.
The group met up at the park this evening and we did 3 miles on the trails. Hot and humid and lots of flying insects.

Run with Mariah

Mariah and I met up at the track this evening and ran an unplanned course on the roads around town. I checked the distance later and it turned out to be 2.3 miles. I spent some time this afternoon planning a 10-mile trail run course at Huntsville State Park. The 10-mile course is done, but now I have to work out a 5K course. The race will be put on by a group from Houston and is tentatively scheduled for January 16.

Hot and Muggy on the Trails

I had a late afternoon telephone meeting with the race director of a new race in Diboll and never made it to Nautilus. I did meet up with the group at the park, but it was so hot and muggy that the consensus was to do only 3 mile. That worked out okay, because I had a Huntsville Half Marathon meeting at my house at 8 p.m.

Routine Monday

My Mondays seem to be routine. Yard work, workout at Nautilus, 3-mile run on the roads and dinner at the Farmhouse. It was a little different today. With classes over at Sam Houston, there was not much traffic on the roads and my run was a little safer.

Gold at Boogie Down 5K

I just got home from Wylie (northeast of Dallas). I ran the Boogie Down 5K while there on Saturday. Finished in 32:39, which was good enough for 1st place in my age group (no, I was not the only one in the age group). It was overcast and relatively cool and the course was flat compared to Huntsville. It was an inagural race put on by the Baptist Youth Group and they did a great job. My son, Ben, also ran and placed 2nd in his age group. This afternoon, I ran the roads again before heading back to Huntsville.

Day Off

I did not feel like running today, so I went to the track and ran a mile. Nice to have a rest day once in a while. With all that rest, I may be the overall winner in the Boogie Down 5K tomorrow.

New Race

I met with a lady at the Huntsville State Park this afternoon to help plan a new trail race there in January. Tentatively, it will be a 10-Miler and 5K on January 16. We finished up an hour before before I was suppose to meet the group to run trails. Curtis happened to be there, so we ran a 2.8 mile loop.

Three on the Roads

I worked on projects around the house most of the day and then worked out at Nautilus before running a 3-mile loop on the roads around town.

Nice Crowd at the Park

We had a nice crowd for trail running at the park this evening. Me, John, Ron, Chris, Annie, Stephanie, Mary, Liz, Jason and Lara. Most of us did the 4.1-mile "weekday loop." Jason did his own course and saw a bobcat on the trail. All I saw was some flying insects.

Back from Yuma (via Los Angeles)

Last Tuesday, I drove out to Yuma, Arizona with my Marine son, who had to return to his duty station. My daughter is married to a Marine and they are also stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma. Tuesday evening, I ran in Van Horn (middle of nowhere in west Texas) on the way to Arizona. During the rest of the trip, I ran on the Air Station. The temperature was in the high 90's and yesterday there was high wind with dust. The nice thing about running on the Air Station is that cell phones are not allowed while you are driving and the highest speed limit is 25 mph. People are actually paying attention to their driving. I had a nice visit with my family (including two grand kids). This morning, I flew west from Yuma to Los Angeles and then got a flight to Houston. After driving back to Huntsville, I worked out at Nautilus and then ran 3-miles on the roads in town.

Roads

This is Timothy's last day in Huntsville; he leaves for Yuma, AZ tomorrow morning. We took him out to dinner tonight at the Outback in Conroe. This afternoon, I worked out at Nautilus for the first time in a few days and then ran 3 miles on the roads around town.

Sunday Trails

Robert, Hans and I met up this morning at the park and ran 5 miles on the trails. We did not see any snakes or other critters, except for bikers.

Great Strides Run

I went over to College Station this morning for the Great Strides 5K on the Texas A&M campus. Robert Duncan was also there from Huntsville. Nice flat course, but it was 3.3 miles, not 5K, according to Robert's GPS. I cannot understand why race directors cannot lay out an accurate course. I am convinced that some do not care; they are more focused on raising money for their cause than worrying about what runners expect. In any case, I ran the course in 34:30. Yes, I kept my own time.