Anxious about tomorrow

It has been nearly 4 weeks since my last marathon and with the knee problem, I lost of lot of training miles.  The knee seems okay now.  Tomorrow, I will be running a 100th marathon and I am anxious.  I went to the track this afternoon and ran laps and will try to get to sleep earlier than usual tonight.  The fireworks at the house across the street will not help.

Back to the gym

After being out of town for a week and having a lot of family in for a week, I finally got back to Iron Works this evening for a workout.  It was dark when I finished, so I went over to the track and ran laps.  The weather forecast for the Texas Marathon in Kingwood this Wednesday is looking better.  The chance of rain has gone from 70 percent to 10 percent, high temperature of 56.

Not so often morning run

If you are one of the few people who read my blog, you will know that except for races, I seldom run in the morning.  Early this afternoon, I am driving up to Dallas for the Cowboy game this evening, so I ran the streets this morning.  My unplanned route turned out to be 5.1 miles.

Nice weather

We have had good running weather for a few days, but the forecast for the marathon in Kingwood on January 1st, calls for a 70 percent chance of rain.  Ugh.  I put on some new shoes out of the box today and ran 2 miles around the campus.

Christmas dinner

More family came in last night, so we had Christmas dinner today.  We have people sleeping everywhere, except the kitchen.  It's great to have so much family here.  I slipped away late this morning and ran 3 miles on the streets in town.

Day trip

We took the grand kids to the Blue Bell Creamery in Brenham this morning and then had lunch in downtown Brenham.  On the way back, we visited Washington on the Brazos (birthplace of Texas).  This evening, I ran 2 miles on the roads in town.  Nice running with little traffic and cool and clear weather.

Quiet streets

We took kids and grand kids to the duck pond at the museum this afternoon.  While they were chasing ducks, I slipped off and ran 2.8 miles on the streets around town.  Being Christmas day and no students in town, the streets were virtually deserted.  I did not wrap the knee and had no problem with it.

Squeezed in a run

I have a lot of family visiting this week, but I slipped away this afternoon and went to the track and ran laps.

Five miles

I went out to the park this afternoon and ran 5 miles on the park roads.  Beautiful weather and little knee pain.

Wrap and run

After the Cowboys beat up the Redskins this afternoon, I wrapped my knee and went out to the park and ran 3 miles on the roads.  The knee still hurts, but is much better.  I have tickets for the Cowboy-Eagle game next Sunday.  Go Cowboys.

It's better

The knee felt much better today.  I meant to wrap it before I ran this afternoon, but forgot.  I ran 2 miles around town and it seems to be okay tonight.  I have no more races planned until my 100th marathon in Kingwood on January 1.

Back from Wylie

I went up to Wylie (northeast of Dallas) on Monday and got back to Huntsville this afternoon.  The knee really hurt this week and I ran 1-mile+ all three days in Wylie.  I started wrapping the knee for every run and that seem to help.  I ran laps at the track when I got back to Huntsville.  Steve Bickford and I drove down to The Woodlands this evening to pick up our awards for the Texas 10 Series.  I picked up my 1st place age group award for the Conroe race a couple weeks ago, my 1st place Armadillo Cup and $200 for winning my age group for the 2013 series and got fitted for a pull-over for completing all three 10-mile races in the series.

Knee recovery continues

I ran a 2-mile loop around the nearly empty campus this morning.  The knee still hurts, but I will continue to take it easy for the next few days.

In search of a water pump

After church this morning and lunch at the Pita Pit, I went to every auto parts store in Huntsville looking for a water pump for my son's car.  A friend of his was suppose to install it when my son got off of work at 2 this afternoon.  No had one, so I called all the stores in New Waverly and Conroe.  The O'Reilly Store in Conroe said that they had one at their store in Spring.  So, I drove 50 miles down to Spring, bought the pump and got back to Huntsville by 2:30.  Then, I had a running club officer meeting from 4 to 6:30.  After that, I went to the track and ran laps.  Gosh, I missed all the football games.

Willis Wildkat 5K

For the 8th straight year, I ran the Willis Wildkat 5K in Willis this morning.  Relatively speaking, the temperature was rather warm.  The race starts and finishes at the club house and runs through the lake-side sub-division.  I finished in 37:22, which was good enough for 1st place in the 60 and over age group.  After the race, I went on down to Conroe to visit the Academy store.  Even though my knee was not bad during the race, it hurt like heck during the drive back home.  I think that might be my last race until my 100th marathon on January 1, so I have time to take it easy.

Back to College Station

My son had a doctor's appointment this morning in College Station.  I drove him over there and while there, I picked up my 2nd place in age group award from the BCS Marathon office.  We had breakfast at IHOP and stopped at a couple other places.
After I got back to Huntsville, I went to the track and ran laps - in the rain.  5K tomorrow.

Waterway Jingle Bell Run

For the 7th straight year, I went down to The Woodlands to run the Waterway Jingle Bell Run.  This a a non-competitive 3.4-mile run along the lit-up waterway, starting and finishing at Luke's Locker.  My son, Ben, went down with me and ran.  I ran with my good friend, Debbie Tripp.  Ben and I had dinner at Berryhills after the run.  Great visiting with many good friends before and after the run.
My knee was really sore and swollen today and I had ice on it a couple times.  I guess I need to wrap it every day before I run.  It hurt like heck for the first couple of miles tonight and then all the way back to Huntsville.  I am just thankful that I got through that marathon on Sunday.  Next is the Texas Marathon on January 1.

Night run

After working out at Iron Works tonight, I met up with the Wednesday night group and ran their 5K course around the campus.

Armadillo Cup Results

At least it did not rain today.  I went out to the state park this evening and ran 2 miles on the park roads.  No one else from the group showed up and there did not seem to be anyone else in the park.  So, I had it all to myself.  Worked out at Iron Works afterwards.
The Texas 10 Series announced the Armadillo Cup winners today.  They recognize the top three overall winners in each age group for the three 10-mile races in the 2013.  Pretty much by default, I won first place in the 70 and over age group.  For that, I get $200, an armadillo cup and free entry into the same 3 races next year.  The 2014 series starts in College Station on February 2, 2014.  I'll be there.

Easy day

I woke up at 6:30 this morning, but finally got back to sleep.  Finally got up at 9.  This week, I have to start working on Christmas.  I was going to the track this evening and run laps, but it was cold and raining.  I did not feel like putting up with the experience, so I worked out at Iron Works and ran the treadmill there (only do that about once a year).  If I had to run on a treadmill every day, I would quit running.

BCS Marathon

I woke up at 3:30 this morning and could not go back to sleep for another hour.  My knee was aching, but I had to go to the BCS Marathon in College Station, one way or another.  I had picked up a race packet for my friend, Vince, from The Woodlands.  I  wrapped up my knee tightly and met up with Vince in College Station about 6 a.m.  I sat in my truck, debating with myself about running.  I got out and walked around a bit and then decided to at least start the race.  Of course, in just under 700 races, I have never dropped out of a race that I started.  The race started in the cold at 7 a.m.  My knee hurt for about the first 8 miles.  After that, it did not seem to bother me much.  I hit a wall at around mile 23 and walked a little of the last 3 miles.  I normally don't walk at all during a marathon, but I think the 10-miler yesterday caught up with me.  Anyway, I finished in 6:13:45 and got 2nd in my age group (yes, there was only two of us).  Marathon 99 done.

Texas 10 Series Conroe

I ran the Texas 10 Series Conroe 10 miler this morning.  Very cold, but dry.  I finished in 2:09:32, which was good for 1st in my age group (I was the only one over 70).  That gives 1st place in the 70 and over age group for the Texas 10 Series for 2013.  That's good for $200 and free entry for the same races in 2014.
The bad news is that I did something to my left knee.  At about 8 miles, it started burning and hurting.  After the race, it was swollen and very sore.  After the race, I drove to College Station to pick up my packet for the marathon tomorrow.  After getting home, I have iced it several times.  My plan is to wrap it tomorrow morning and drive over to College Station.  I will see how it feels tomorrow before making a decision on whether to attempt to run.

About to break a race streak

The Texas Trail Endurance 50K Run will be held at Huntsville State Park tomorrow.  I ran it for the last 13 years when it was called the Sunmart Texas Trail Endurance Run and for all 4 years under it's new name; 17 consecutive years.  I will not make it this year.  I am trying to complete the entire Texas 10 Series 10 Milers and Conroe is tomorrow.  Then, my 99th marathon will be at College Station on Sunday.
This afternoon, I ran laps at the track.  The high today was 38 and it will be really be cold for the start in Conroe at 7 a.m. tomorrow.

Weekend weather

I just checked for forecast for the weekend.  The weather for the 10-miler in Conroe on Saturday is 33 up to 39 degrees and a 30 percent chance of rain (freezing rain).  For the marathon in College Station on Sunday, its 37 to 45 degrees, with a 30 percent chance of rain.  Sounds okay.
It was 39 degrees with a light mist when I went out to the park this evening and I ran 2 miles on the park roads.  No one else showed up.

Night run

I met up with the group tonight after working out at Iron Works and ran 2.6 miles around the campus.

Crazy weather

It got up to 80 in Huntsville today, but a cold front is due in this weekend.  The forecast for the 10-miler in Conroe on Saturday is 40 percent chance of rain and temperature in the 30's.  The forecast for the marathon in College Station on Sunday is 10 percent chance of rain and a temperature in the 30's and 40's.  Sunday sounds okay for a marathon.
The park is closed for controlled hunting from 5 p.m. today until noon on Thursday.  I went out there after 4 p.m. this afternoon and ran 2 miles on the park roads.  I was reminded 3 times for park officials that I had to be out by 5.

Rest time

After 4 races in 4 days (5-Miler, 10K, Half Marathon and a 5K), I rested up today.  However, I mowed the grass this afternoon and cut down a huge dead pine tree, without the house or anyone being injured.  This evening, I worked out at Iron Works and ran laps at the track.  This Saturday, I am running the Texas 10 Series Conroe 10-miler and then the BCS Marathon in College Station on Sunday.  The weather forecast for the weekend is cold, rainy and windy.

First Responder Half Marathon & Sunday Night 5K

I ran the First Responder Half Marathon in Waco this morning.  It was a two-loop course with a lot of bridge crossings and a run through a fire station.  However, we did not get to slide down the pole.  Nice weather, overcast and mostly in the 60's.  I finished in 2:56:53 (4th of 5 in the 60 & over age group.  At 72, I was the oldest of 169 finishers.  I got back to Huntsville about 2 p.m., showered, took a 30-minute nap, and then drove down to The Woodlands to run the Sunday Night 5K.  The traffic on I-45 on Sunday of the Thanksgiving weekend is always bad, so I took the back roads to The Woodlands.  I finished the race in 40:10, about my slowest 5K ever.  I came back on I-45 and the northbound traffic was terrible.

Leftover Turkey 10K

I ran our club's annual Leftover Turkey 10K this morning.  The course is out and back on Veterans Memorial Parkway.  No part of it is flat, either up or down.  I finished in 1:22:58.  Off to Waco now for a half marathon tomorrow.

Short road run

Since I have 3 races in the next two days, I only ran a 1.3-mile loop on the roads this afternoon.  However, with school out for the holidays, there was very little traffic.  It would have been a nice day for a long training run - if I needed one.

Run Thru the Woods 5-Miler

I got up early this morning, picked up Jill and Kelly and we all went down to The Woodlands to run the Run Thru the Woods 5 miler.  It was my 12th straight year for running this race and it was by far the coldest.  The temperature was in the high 20's or low 30's.  I finished in 1:02:07, a couple minutes slower than last year.  Now, Friday off and then three races this weekend.

Track

I had a doctor's appointment in Conroe this morning and then spent much of the day running errands in Conroe and back in Huntsville.  Traffic was terrible.  I went to Iron Works later this afternoon, but they were closed.  So, I ran laps at the track and someone told me that the other Iron Works was open.  I went there for the first time and worked out.  Off to The Woodlands for a cold 5 miler tomorrow.

1,500

Today, marked 1,500 consecutive days of running on my current streak.  In another 983 days, I will be back to where I left off when I broke my last streak on October 14, 2009.
It has been cold and rainy all day.  It snowed for a couple hours this afternoon and then rained some more.  It looks like it will be cold and dry for a few days.  No one else showed up at the park this evening, so I ran 2 miles on the park roads.

Building up immunity

I am convinced that running every day in the heat and cold or whatever the weather, you build up immunity to illness.  I have not had the flu since I started streaking.
It was windy this afternoon, in the 30's and raining.  I ran south on Veterans Parkway this afternoon.  Frankly, I had to go to the restroom and there was no place.  I turned around at one mile and headed back into the north wind, heavy rain and cold.  Some lady stopped and offered me a ride.  I told her I was out having fun.  So, I got in 2 miles - and more immunity.

Cold and rainy, again

The temperature was in the 40's this afternoon, but it seemed colder with the wind and light rain.  I ran 3 miles around the campus, before watching the Cowboys beat the Giants.

Run the Woodlands 5K

It was cold and rainy when I went down to The Woodlands this morning to run their second and fourth Saturday of every month 5K.  The rain let up during the race and the cold (40's) felt good during the race.  I finished in 38:13, about my normal lately for that course.  After the race, I stopped at The Woodlands YMCA to pick up my race packet for the 5-miler on Thanksgiving.

Cold and rainy

We had very heavy storms early this morning and light rain and cold all day.  Since I never made it to Iron Works yesterday, I went this afternoon and then ran 2 miles around the campus.  Just as I was finishing, I ran into my friend, Dana, and we had a nice visit.  I'm glad I was not the only one out in the cold, wet weather.

Race plans

I stopped at Schlotzsky's for lunch and ran into Sara McCullough, one of our running buddies when she was a student at Sam Houston.  She is teaching in Lovelady and was here for a class for the day.  Had a nice visit with her.  This afternoon, I attended a planning meeting at the Chamber of Commerce for a 5K they are putting on December 7.  Then, I went straight to the park to run.  No one else showed up, so I ran 2 miles on the park roads.  My race plans for the rest of this year:

Nov. 23 - 5K in The Woodlands
Nov. 28 - 5 Miler in The Woodlands
Nov. 30 - 10K in Huntsville
Dec. 1 - Half Marathon in Waco
Dec. 1 - 5K in The Woodlands
Dec. 7 - 10 Miler in Conroe
Dec. 8 - Marathon in College Station
Dec. 14 - 5K in Willis

I may add another one when it is scheduled, but so far, it will be 67 races for 2013.

Night 5K

Our group met up at 6 p.m. this evening and ran a 5K course around the university.  After running and then going home to take a shower, I made it to the Sam Houston State basketball game by 7:30, 30 minutes late.

3 at the park

I ran 3 miles on the roads at the park this evening.

Ran short of daylight

By the time I got out of Iron Works this evening, it was nearly dark.  I did manage to get in a 1.9-mile loop in the avenues before it got too dark.

Bad morning

A couple days ago, I signed up to run today's Great Strides 5K in College Station.  One site said the race would start at 8 a.m. and another said 9:30 a.m.  I sent them an email and never heard back.  The way races go on the A&M campus, I assumed that the 9:30 start time was correct.  I set my alarm for 7:30 this morning.  I woke up about that time and turned off the alarm before it went off.  I got up, took a shower and got dressed and was about to leave for College Station.  Then, I realized that I had gotten up at 5:30.  So, I went back to bed and got up at 7:30.  I made the 50-mile drive to College Station and arrived at the race at 9 a.m..  Unfortunately, it was over; started at 8.  They gave me my packet and agreed to let me run the course (which I knew) and time myself.  At about mile 2.5, I tripped on a curb, fell on the concrete and cut my knee pretty bad.  I finished with a bloody knee, with blood running down my leg. My time was 36:58. They documented my time.  I have no idea whether or not they had age group competition, but I doubt it.

No Saturday race today

No race today, but am doing a 5K in College Station tomorrow morning.  I spent some time today re-measuring a 5K course on campus.  It will be used for a race in December.  Afterwards, I ran a 2-mile loop around the campus.  It is really getting warm again, after a week or so of cold weather.

Two days of laps

We had a running club business meeting and potluck dinner last night, so I ran laps at the track yesterday afternoon.  After the meeting last night, I left at 8 p.m. and drove up to Tyler, arriving about 10:30 p.m.  I spent most of today at the hospital in support of my niece, who was having serious surgery.  I drove back to Huntsville tonight and run laps at the track about 9:30 p.m.

2-Miles and 5K

I ran 2 miles on the roads at the park yesterday.  This evening, I met up with the Wednesday evening group and ran a 5K on the streets at 6 p.m. with a flashlight.  This cold weather feels great.  It is suppose to freeze again tonight.

Soldier Marathon

We spent Thursday night in Mobile, Alabama.  I got up early Friday morning and ran laps around the hotel parking lot before driving up to Columbus, Georgia for the Soldier Marathon on Saturday.  We had perfect weather for the marathon (50's and 60's).  There were 700+ running the full marathon and many more running the half and 5K.  I think about 2,500 total.  I finished in a slow 6:34:09, which placed me 4th of 5 in the 70 to 74 age group.  They changed the course somewhat from last year.  This year, it crossed the river and went into Alabama for a short distance.  My wife had lived on post at Fort Benning in the late 50's, so we spent some time finding her house and some other haunts.  We spent Saturday night in Phenix City, Alabama (across the river from Columbus) and then drove down to Hammond, Louisiana on Monday.  We stopped in Mobile and found the church where my parents were married in 1921.  It is still an active church, but in a bad part of downtown Mobile.  It is so bad and there is a chain link fence with locked gates surrounding the church.  Then, we detoured from I-10 and visited the Mississippi beaches near Biloxi.  I ran some highway from the hotel in Hammond yesterday evening and survived the traffic.  After driving back from Hammond today, I ran laps at the track and then worked out at Iron Works.

Mobile

After a long drive to Mobile, AL today, I arrived at the hotel just as it was getting dark.  The hotel is in the middle of a very busy area, so there is no access to a good place to run.  So, I ran loops around the outer perimeter of the hotel parking lot until I ran for 15-minutes +

Short road run

In keeping with my plan to rest up for this Saturday's marathon, I ran 1.5 miles on streets in Huntsville this evening.

Forgot to blog yesterday

Not that I had anything important to say yesterday, but I forgot to blog last night.  All those falls at the 25K trail run seem to catch up with me yesterday.  I felt very tired and my back was sore.  After working out at Iron Works, I ran laps at the track.
Then, I received an email from Paul, who lives in Tyler and is the race director for the Rocky Raccoon 25K.  He asked me to go to the park and remove the flagging on part of the course.  So, this morning, I went out and walked about 2 miles and removed the flagging and gel packages that the litter bug runners left on the trail.  Then, I ran back to my truck.  I did not see another person on the trails.

Sunday Night 5K

As I do every first Sunday of the month, I went down to The Woodlands to run the Sunday Night 5K.  I finished in 38:39.  Gosh, 38 something is getting to be my regular 5K time.  I need to do better.

Rocky Raccoon 25K

I got up at 4:30 this morning and went out to Huntsville State Park.  I started working traffic control at 5:30 and then ran the 25K (15.5 miles) at 8 a.m.  My intention was to finish the race and not screw up my sore ankle.  I managed to do that, but I tripped on roots several times and fell.  My ankle is not any worse tonight, but my body is sore from falling.  I finished in 4:34:30, a little off my 25K PR of 2:31:00, set in 1995.  This was my 13th consecutive year for running the Rocky Raccoon 50K or 25K.

Friday routine

Since I have a 25K tomorrow at Huntsville State Park, I ran 1 mile+ this afternoon on the roads.  This evening, I went out to the park, met up with Jacob and Jan and we drove to the back of the park to set up the aid station for the race tomorrow.  I have to be there at 5:30 in the morning to direct traffic and the 25K does not start until 8.

Ankle, again

My ankle was hurting again this evening, so I limited my run this evening to 2 miles on the park roads.  The 25K on the trails Saturday will be a test.  My goal will be to survive without making my ankle worse or otherwise injuring myself with 4 more marathons on the schedule.

New Wednesday evening group

Steve started a new training group for Wednesday evening runs.  Four of us showed up this evening; we started at the Baptist Church on Sycamore and ran the Huntsville 5K course.  It rained most of the day and rained during most of our run this evening.

Darned Ankle

The darned ankle I sprained 4 weeks ago is still hurting and I have a 25K trail run this Saturday and a marathon the next Saturday.  I ran 2 miles on the park roads this evening.  I wish it would freeze, so the mosquitoes would go away or whatever they do when it gets cold.

Back to Monday

As usual on Monday, I worked out at Iron Works and then ran the roads around town.  The route turned out to be 2.8 miles.  Today was our 46th anniversary, so my wife and I went out to dinner tonight.  I went to Vietnam a few weeks after we got married in 1967; it is hard to believe it has been that long since Vietnam.

Sunday at the park

After watching the disappointing Cowboy - Detroit game this afternoon, I went out to the park and ran 3.5 miles on the trails.  We had a heavy rain last night and it really cleaned off the trails.  My next race is a 25K at the park next Saturday.

Run the Woodlands 5K

There were a lot of race choices this morning, but I went down to The Woodlands and ran the Run the Woodlands 5K.  Because of road constructions, they have not held this race for a while.  Normally, it is on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of every month.  In any case, I got to visit with a few friends.  I finished the race in 38:17.  While down there, I visited some stores and had breakfast at IHOP before heading back to Huntsville.  This afternoon, I attended the Sam Houston - Northwestern State football game.

Can't believe how much faster my computer works

My computer is running so much faster.  Where can I go to get a new human browser to make me run faster?  Since I have a 5K in the morning, I went to the track this afternoon and ran laps.

At the computer shop

For months, I have been having computer problems.  It takes forever to do anything.  Even when I post on this blog, I cannot go back and edit the narrative.  I assumed that I needed memory and I had more memory added.  I took it in to the shop today and stayed with them while they worked on it.  It turned out that my Internet Explorer browser was messed up.  They switched me to Google Chrome and now the computer is super fast.  Now, I can even edit the narrative in this blog.  I cannot imagine how much time and frustration the slowness has cost me for months.
I met up with the group at the park this evening and ran 3 miles on the park roads.  The ankle felt a little better.

Unplanned route in the avenues

After working out at Iron Works, I went to the track and ran an unplanned route in the avenues.  Even ran down a couple streets I had never been on before.  The route turned out to be 3.3 miles.

Half roads, half trails

James and I were the only runners who showed up at the park this evening.  We started out running on the park roads and ended up running on the trails.  I had this fear of screwing up my ankle, with a marathon on the roads coming up in a week and a half.  I am not sure how far we ran, but it was probably about two and a half miles.  This cool weather feels great.

Texas 10 Series Waco cancelled

I received an email this afternoon notifying me that the Texas 10 Series race in Waco on November 3 has been cancelled.  Apparently, they did not have a sufficient number of entries.  That's disappointing.  I was looking forward to the challenge of running 10 miles the day after the Rocky Raccoon 25K  On the other hand, now I get to attend my son's birthday party Saturday evening.
After working out at Iron Works this evening, I ran an unplanned route on the streets around town.  The route turned out to be 2.6 miles.

Darn ankle

The darn ankle was still sore today.  I took plenty of Ibupropen today and ran laps at the track this evening.  Feels better this evening.  My plan is to run a 5K this weekend and the next weekend a 25K,10-Miler and a 5K.  Surely it will be okay by then.

Huntsville Half Marathon

I got up early this morning, loaded up boxes of trophies, the race clock and inflatable arch and drove to the campus for the Huntsville Half & Quarter Marathon & 5K.  I set up the clock and arch and ran the half marathon.  The weather was perfect, temperature in the 50's and 60's and dry.  I finished in 2:58:52, about a minute faster than last year.  I was the only one in the 70 & Over age group, so I won 1st in my age group.  The ankle I sprained a couple weeks ago really hurt.  It's funny, it did not bother me in the marathon last Sunday.  I only have a 5K next weekend, so maybe it will be okay before I start running long the following weekend.

4 Years

For the third time in my 4 running streaks, I have reached the 4-year mark.  I am still mad as heck about breaking my last streak four years ago on the knee issue.  The doctor misdiagnosed the injury and talked me into not running for four days.  I could have run.  If the future, I will run if I physically can.
Since I am running a half marathon tomorrow, I ran laps at the track this afternoon.  This cool weather feels great.

Packet labels

Our club is putting on the 35th Annual Huntsville Half & Quarter Marathon & 5K this Saturday.  I was to print the packet labels this evening in time for packet stuffing at 6 p.m.  I had all sorts of problems getting them printed.  Then, after taking them 10 miles to the packet stuffing, I realized that I was missing some of the labels.  I had to go back home and print the two missing pages and take them back to the stuffing.  I missed my run at the park and ended up running laps at the track about 8:30 p.m.  I sure hope this cooler weather holds up for the race on Saturday.

Cool, again

We finally got some cooler weather, again.  With the marathon on Sunday and the Huntsville Half Marathon this Saturday, I am really taking it easy this week.  No long runs.  This evening, I worked out at Iron Works and then ran 2 miles around the campus.

Getting back to normal

I feel like I am fully recovered from the marathon on Sunday.  I worked out at Iron Works this evening and then ran 2 miles on the roads at the park.

Tyler Rose Marathon

We drove up to Tyler Saturday afternoon to run the Tyler Rose Marathon for the third time.  At packet pickup, I had a nice visit with my good friend, Loren Sheffer, publisher of the Texas Runner Triathlete.  He was there promoting his great magazine.  I also visited with my friend, Parvaneh Moayedi from San Antonio, who was there to run the marathon.  It would be her 153rd marathon in the last 12 months, setting a new world record.  She is an amazing athlete, so inspiring.  As expected, it was hot and humid on race day, temperature in the 80's and about as humid as it can get.  I usually do not wear a cap, but did so to keep the expected rain out of my eyes.  There was no rain during the race, except for a few sprinkles here and there.  I felt pretty good the entire race and ran a very steady pace.  I hit the halfway point at 3:06 and finished in 6:25:10.  Even though the course is up or down hills virtually the entire 26.2 miles, I never walked, except through the aid stations.  My slightly sprained ankle from the week before hurt, but was no worse than the regular hurts encountered during a marathon.  As it came out, I was the only runner in the 70 and over age group, so I won a nice age group winner medal.  We attended Mass Sunday evening at the Cathedral in Tyler and then my nephew's birthday dinner.  We drove back to Huntsville this morning.  I finally got back to Iron Works this evening for a workout and then ran 1.3 miles on the roads.  Next up is the Huntsville Half Marathon this Saturday.

Shiitake Mushroom 5K

On Saturday, Darren Grant rode up to Madisonville with me to run the Shiitake Mushroom 5K, which is held each year in conjunctions with the Shiitake Mushroom Festival.  This was my first time running this race in several years.  It is usually held on the same day as our Huntsville Half Marathon.  They issued homemade paper numbers, which fell off once you started to sweat.  With different places to get free race numbers, there is no excuse for homemade numbers.  The age groups were unusual and they announced that the course was 3.2 miles (a 5K is suppose to be 3.1 miles).  3.2 seemed to be correct; my finish time was 39:57. 

Resting up

I did a lot of work around the house today, but as far as running goes, I am resting up for the 5K tomorrow and the marathon on Sunday.  I took a break from work at the house this afternoon and ran laps at the track.

Busy day

For being retired, I was busy today with a lot of errands.  This included taking my computer into the shop to add RAM.  This evening, I attended a running club meeting at the library from 5:30 to 7 p.m.  I left a few minutes early to pick up my computer from the computer store, which closed at 7 p.m.  However, I could not get to the store.  The Sam Houston State Homecoming Parade was going down Sam Houston Ave., where the computer store is located.  I parked a block away on the other side of Sam Houston Ave.  With the permission of a police officer, I cut through the parade to get to the store.  I picked up the computer and cut through the parade again to get to my truck.  Then, I went to the track and ran laps.  My plan is to run a mile tomorrow, a 5K race on Saturday and the marathon on Sunday.  The latest weather forecast is for 79 degrees and a 50 percent chance of rain.

Back in Huntsville

I got back to Huntsville this afternoon and spent a couple hours updating the running club web site.  Worked out at Iron Works and then ran an short unplanned route in the the avenues.  It turned out to be 1.8 miles.

Another city park run

I went down to the same city park this afternoon and ran about 3 miles on the concrete trails.  Back to Huntsville in the morning.

Park Run

I went to a city park (not in Huntsville) and ran 3 miles on a concrete trail.  Nice clear and cool weather, but I much prefer running on asphalt.  I read once that asphalt is 10 times softer than concrete.  Most of the marathon in Tyler next Sunday will be on asphalt, however, some of it is on red brick streets.

Cool and clear

It was cool and clear this evening.  Perfect running weather.  I ran 2.8 miles on the roads.

St. Anthony's Fall Fest 5K

After driving to Wylie (northeast of Dallas) yesterday, I attended a local high school football game last night.  After the game, we walked across a field to get to where the car was parked.  I stepped in a hole and twisted my ankle.  It was sore this morning, but I ran the St. Anthony's Fall Fest 5K in Wylie at 8 this morning  It was hot and sunny and I finished in just over 39 minutes (2nd in the 65 and over age group).  My time was slower than usual, but the ankle did not seeem to bother me while running. At 10:30 a.m., I attended my granddaughter's soccer game in Wylie.  It was in the mid-50's, raining and windy.  What a contrast to the weather a couple hours earlier!  Tonight, the ankle is still sore.  I always worry about injuries in the days before a marathon.

Short Friday run

Since it is Friday and I have a 5K in the morning, I went to the track this morning and ran 1.3 miles on the roads from there.  I ran in new shoes out of the box, which I hope to get broken in for the marathon on October 13.

Got it

I drove down to Conroe to meet the salesman from Tomball Ford to exhange my old truck for the new one.  They put the wrong running board on it, so I had to drive on down to Tomball to get the right one put on.  I ended up waiting at the dealership for about 3 hours.  When I finally got back to Huntsville, I went out to the park and ran 7 miles on the trails.  It was humid as heck and I was completely soaked in sweat when I finished.  It is 10 days away from my first marathon of the season.  Looks like the temperature in Tyler, Texas for that day is going to be around 80.

Still no truck

Still no new truck, however, they are going to meet me in Conroe tomorrow morning at 9:30 to trade the new truck for my old one.  I did yard work all day and went to Iron Works this evening and then for a 2-mile run on the roads around town.  Long run planned for tomorrow.

No new truck today

I sorta waited around today for delivery of my new truck.  They called this afternoon and were still waiting for it to be delivered from a different dealer.  Hopefully, I will get it tomorrow.  After working out at Iron Works this evening, I met up with the group at the park.  Everyone was doing a short run, so I ran 2 miles on the park roads.

In Tomball most of the day

I spent most of the day at Tomball Ford trying to buy a new truck.  We finally made a deal late this evening and they are suppose to deliver the truck to me in Huntsville tomorrow afternoon.  I made it to the track about 10 tonight and ran laps.  I felt like I was fully recovered from the 10-mile race yesterday, but I was not mentally ready for a long run tonight.

Texas 10 Series, Katy

I was so sleepy last night, I forgot to post.  I left at 5 a.m. yesterday to drive down to Katy (west of Houston) for the Texas 10 Series, Katy 10-mile race.  It was a 2-loop 5-mile course, all on concrete streets.  As expected, it was well-organized and a first class race.  However, the humidity was brutal and I ran slower than expected.  The last 10-mile race in the same series was in Huntsville.  I finished that in 2:05 something.  Yesterday, my time was 2:21:24.  In any case, it was good for 2nd place in the 70 and over.  I got beat by a young 70 year old.  The next race in the series is in Waco on November 3.

Bulldog Dash 5K

I drove about 40 miles over to Iola, Texas this morning to run the Bulldog Dash 5K.  Had a great time.  Got to visit with Sara, who use to run with us years ago when she was a college student at Sam Houston.  The course was flat and looped the small town.  I think they had about 50 runners and there was no age group competition.  I finished in 37:43.  After I got back to Huntsville, I took a nap and then went to the Sam Houston State - Eastern Washington football game.  Eastern Washington is ranked number 2 in the FCS and Sam Houston State is ranked number 4.  Just as I got to the stadium for the 2 p.m. start, it heavy storm came through, with plenty of lightning.  They delayed the start of the game until nearly 3:30.  There was flash flooding on the street below the stadium and at least two cars got wiped out.  I moved my truck to higher ground and waited until the game was getting ready to start.  Sam won 49 to 34.

Friday

Since it is Friday, I skipped working out at Iron Works.  Late this morning, I ran laps at the track.  Two races this weekend, 5K tomorrow and 10-Miler on Sunday.

Signed up for the Soldier Marathon

I signed up for the Soldier Marathon at Fort Benning, Georgia, to be held on November 9.  I ran this last year and enjoyed the beautiful course along the river.  I went to jump school at Fort Benning in 1967 and my wife lived there while her father was stationed there when she was young.  She has not been back since, so we will drive there and enjoy the visit.  That completes the schedule of my final marathons.
Number 97 - Tyler Rose Marathon, Oct. 13
98 - Soldier Marathon, Fort Benning, Nov. 9
99 - BCS Marathon, College Station, Dec. 8
100 - Texas Marathon, Kingwood, Jan. 1
101 - Love.Run.Marathon, Huntsville State Park, Feb. 15
In the meantime, I went out to the park this evening and ran 3 miles on the park roads.

Shorter run

After running 16 miles yesterday, I ran 1.7 miles in the avenues this evening.  The humidity was low and that felt great.

Stretching out the distance

There are two weekends before my marathon on October 13 and I am running other races or have other plans.  So, I have to do my long runs during the week.  It was 90 something this afternoon, but I went out to the park and ran 2 miles on the park roads and 14 miles on the trails, for a total of 16.  Luckily, my knee held up okay.  I found 2 lost and dehydrated ladies in the back of the park.  I gave them directions and part of my water.  I barely had enough to get back to my truck and replenish before running another loop.  I assume that they made it back okay.

Knee

My left knee was sore again today, so I ran 1.9 miles on the roads in town this evening.

Running of the Bulls 5K

I got up early this morning and drove down to Houston for the Running of the Bulls 5K at Reliant Stadium.  This is the Houston Texans annual race.  I am not sure how many runners they had, but there must have been a couple thousand.  The race started outside of the stadium and finished on the field inside the stadium.  I finished in 37:23 and was 5th of 9 in my age group.

Tyler

I ran laps this morning before driving up to Tyler for a family affair.  I ate too much and got back to Huntsville about 10 tonight.

Wet run

I thought I found a break in the rain this afternoon and went out for a run on the roads in town.  I ended up running 5.2 miles, some of it in heavy rain.  No lightning, so it was not bad.

Back to normal

With the trial over yesterday, it is good to get back to normal today.  I went to Iron Works this evening to workout, but ran into an attorney friend of mine.  We ended up talking about the trial and I only had a short workout before meeting the group at the park.  I ran 3 miles on the park roads.

Finished in court

We finished the trial a day sooner than expected.  The jury came back with their verdict after 5 this evening.  My son and I did very well and it is a relief that the 7 1/2 year old case is over with.  It was close to dark when I got a chance to run, but I got in 2 miles on the roads in town.

Long day

I was at the courthouse today from 8 a.m. until after 5 p.m.  I am not use to sitting all day, so it seemed like a long day.  I managed to get home, change clothes and get out to the park to meet the group at 6 p.m.  I ran 2 miles on the park roads.

Temporary change of focus

My son had a minor wreck while driving my truck 7 1/2 years ago and he and I got sued.  It is finally going to trial tomorrow.  I spent most of the day preparing for the trial, which is expected to last 3 days.  So, for the next few days, I will focus on the trial and not do a lot of running.  I did manage to get in a 2-mile run on the roads this evening.

Darn bikers

Darn bikers.  I went out to the park this afternoon to run trails.  I got there in the middle of a big mountain bike race.  I drove to another trailhead and ran trails that avoided most of the bike course.  I am not sure of the distance, but I ran somewhere between 4 and 5 miles.

Gruene Hall 10K

I got up yesterday and ran a quick mile on the roads in town.  Then, I drove 50 miles over to College Station with my son for a meeting.  We got back about 2:30 p.m. and then I left with my wife for a 3-hour drive to New Braunfels for the Gruene Hall 10K this morning.  Of course, I had to drive back through College Sation to get to New Braunfels.  I ran the race for the third straight year, but finished in 1:22:42.  Both previous years, I finished in 1:16.  I am not sure why my time was slower this year; I felt okay.  The course was new this year and there were probably more hills.  I think the humidity was higher than normal for that part of Texas.  In any case, I was the only one in the 70-74 age group and picked up a first place win.  We drove back to Huntsville this afternoon.

Attended a presentation

I skipped the park run this evening and attended a presentation on running by Dr. Matt Wagner at the hospital.  He is an old friend, former owner of Nautilus and a Kinesiology Professor at Sam Houston State University.  Great presentation and a lot of my friends there.  It was over about 7:30 p.m. and I had my running shorts on under my walking shorts.  So, I ran 2 miles on the sidewalk along Veterans Parkway.  No lights out there and when I finished, it was totally dark.

Back to the park

After lunch today, I went back out to the park and ran 5 miles on the park roads.  Hot.

Copperhead

I ran 3 miles on the park roads this evening.  James came up behind me and said that I just ran past a Copperhead in the road.  I never saw it.  Thank goodness I am so fast that it did not have a chance to strike.

Rain, finally

We finally got about 15 minutes of rain this evening.  It was the first rain in weeks.  After working out at Iron Works after the rain, I ran 2 miles on the streets in town.

10 Miles

Although the distance is modest, I finally got some miles in on my sore knees.  I went out to the park this afternoon when the temperature was about 95 and ran 3 miles on the park roads and then 7 miles on the trails.  No trips or falls and my knees held up okay.  They are stiff tonight, but no swelling.

No race this weekend

This is one of the few weekends of the year when I do not have a race.  My knees were really sore today, so I went over to the track this afternoon and ran laps.  There were dark cloulds, wind and lightning and it seemed like it was going to hit any minute.  Must have been a mirage.  No rain.

Between the heat and darkness

The temperature was up to 96 degrees this afternoon, so I waited until evening to run.  It was still hot and humid, but I managed to get in 4.9 miles on the roads in town before it got dark.

Cut to Two

My knee was hurting again today, so I cut my run to 2 miles at the park this evening.

Stretching out the distance

I stretched out the distance on my sore knee this evening.  I ran 3.1 miles on the roads in town without much pain.  Gosh, I need to get my distance up quick; marathon on October 13.

Good day

My knee was much better today and I ran 2 miles on the park roads with this evening without sharp pain.  This morning, I went into town to get an expensive replacement key made for my truck.  Last week, someone took my key from the fence while I was running.  I decided to check with the Huntsville PD first, but no one had turned it in there.  I checked with the University PD and they had the key!  Whoopee.  Somebody turned it in and saved me 40 or 50 bucks.

Knee treatment

My left knee was still very sore this morning.  I spent much of today icing it and treating it with Topricin.  It was improved enough this evening that I was able to get in an easy, but painful, mile at the track this evening.  Gotta keep the streak going!

Westfest Challenge 5K

My wife and I and our friend, Leah, left my house at 5 a.m. this morning for the long drive over to West (north of Waco) for the Westfest Challenge 5K.  The race starts and finishes in the middle of the Westfest.  West is the small town that had the fertilizer plant explosion last April that killed 15 people.  It is a community of Chech people.  I finished in 38:42 and was third of six in the 70 and over age group.  Leah was second in her age group.  After the race, we attended a Polka Mass in a pavillion at the festival.  It is a regular Catholic Mass, except the music is provided by a polka band.  We have never been to a Polka Mass before and the music was most enjoyable.  During the last mile of the race, I developed pain and swelling in my left knee.  When I got home, I took a nap with an ice pack around the knee.  I intended to drive down to The Woodlands this evening for the Sunday Night 5K.  I had to go down and meet my son to give him something, so I went down to the race.  There was no way I could run, but I was there to support two other club members running the race, including Leah.  Hopefully, a good night's sleep tonight will help the knee.

No Saturday race

 This was one of the few Saturdays this year without running a race somewhere.  I ran 2.9 miles on the roads late this morning and then we had a family get-together at my house this afternoon.  Then, we all went to the Sam Houston - Houston Baptist football game here in Huntsville tonight.  Sam won 74-0.  Gotta get up at 4:30 in the morning for a race in West.

Hot

The temperature got up to 99 about 5 p.m. today, about the same time I ran 2 miles on the roads.  It is so dry and no rain in the forecast.

Shots

This afternoon, I went to the doctor and got shots of the stuff from a rooster's cone under both knee caps.  I forgot that I was suppose to run before the shots.  So, I went to the track at 10:30 tonight and ran an easy mile.  Hopefully, my knees will start feeling better tomorrow and I can get on with my distance training.

Ran out of time

I ran short of time this evening and cut my run short.  Leah and I arrived at the track at the same time and we ran a 1.9-mile loop in the avenues.

Three Bucks

We see a lot of deer in our neighborhood, but only occasionally see a buck.  I looked out in my backyard this afternoon and there were three bucks.  Guess they know that it is not hunting season.
My knees ache and I am looking forward to getting the shots this Thursday.  It rained everywhere in the area this evening, except at my house.  The rain made it very humid at the park this evening.  I ran three miles on the roads.  Phillip ran trails and almost got bitten by a Copperhead.  It struck at his leg and barely missed.  My marathon in October is on the roads, so I will do most of my running on the roads until then.

No key

My wife and I went over to the track this morning to look for the key to my truck.  After an hour and a half thorough search, we gave up.  Then, I checked with both the University PD and Huntsville PD.  No one turned in the key, but they have my name and number.  This evening, I went back to the track and ran an unplanned course on the roads.  It turned out to be 3.1 miles.

Heat Wave 5K and Dallas

On Saturday, I put out the signs and then ran the club's Heat Wave 5K.  I finished in 39:28.  It is a little slow, but it was hot and the course very hilly.  After the race, I posted the results on the club web site and then headed for Dallas.  My wife and I went to the Cowboy - Bengal game at Cowboy Stadium.  It was my first time at the stadium and we had club-level seats at the 45-yard line.  Great seats, except that we were in the first row behind the camera pit and had to look around the camera guys.  After the game, we made the one-hour drive across Dallas to Wylie and spent the night with my son and his family.  We got back to Huntsville this evening.
I went over to the track and ran 1.5 miles on the roads from there.  All the students are in town and I almost got hit by one running a stop sign.  When I returned to the track, my key (which I always hang on the fence) was gone.  I looked for it until it got too dark.  My wife brought me the other key.  Why anyone would take a key without taking the truck is beyond me.  In any case, I will go back over there tomorrow morning and look for it.

Easy Friday

With sore knees and a 5K tomorrow morning, I ran a 1.3-mile loop in the avenues this afternoon.  I have an appointment next Friday to get shots of the stuff from a rooster's cone under my knee caps.  This lubricates the arthritis under the knee caps and eases the pain for about a year.

Calendar is busy

For being retired, my calendar seems to be busy.  Right now, I am in the middle of ordering trophies and other stuff for the upcoming Huntsville Half Marathon.  I am also in the process of selling most of my season tickets to the home games of the Dallas Cowboys (I won them).  We have a club run Saturday and then I am headed to Dallas for the Cowboys - Bengals game.  Appointments next week and a Saturday football game here and two races on Sunday, one in West, TX.  Lots of races coming up and the first marathon of the season on October 13.
This evening, I ran 2 miles on the park roads and finished at the same time as Jacob, who ran 3.  It was my 1,404th consecutive day of running.

Still hot

Even though the temperatures have been down somewhat, it was still hot today.  We had hopes for rain, but it passed us over.  After working out at Iron Works this evening, I ran an unplanned route on the roads.  The students are back, so the main streets are busy again.  I stayed in the avenues.  My course was 5.6 miles.

New Shoes

I took a new pair of shoes out of the box today and ran 2 miles on the roads in town.  I suppose that I should consider them broken in now.  I need to start running longer; my first marathon of the season is on October 13.

Back to the park

It seems like a long time since I was at the state park.  I went out there in the middle of the afternoon and ran 3 miles on the park roads.  Came home and then drove down to The Woodlands to have dinner with my son at the Olive Garden.  When I got home, I realized that my credit card was missing.  Left it at OG and they are holding it for me, so back to The Woodlands tomorrow.

Watermelon Run for the Fallen 5K

Jill and I drove over to Hempstead early this morning to run the Watermelon Run for the Fallen 5K.  It is a tribute to all military members who gave their lives in recent wars.  The race was preceeded by a 30-minute ceremony, including a 6-plane flyover and parachutists landing on the football field.  Several hundred participated in the race, which was non-competitive and not timed.  Everyone is required to walk two laps around the track and then leave the stadium for the rest of the race.  It ends downtown with plenty of food and live music.  I have no idea what my finish time was.

Back from North Carolina

I got back from North Carolina this evening.  I drove up to Tyler in east Texas on August 5, spent the night with my sister and then took two days to drive up to North Carolina to visit my daughter and her family in Wilkesboro (northwest part of North Carolina).  I took the northern route up, across Arkansas and the length of Tennessee.  Ran into very heavy rains in the mountains of Tennessee.  During the rain, I hit a big bird.  I thought it would break my windshield.  Instead, it knocked the driver-side windshield wiper off my car.  I limped into the next town and got a new one.
On Saturday, we all went down to Valdese, NC and ran The Great Waldensian Footrace.  My son-in-law and I ran the 10K and my wife, daughter and two grandkids did the 1-mile race.  My son-in-law got a trophy for 4th place in his age group and I ran 1:20:20 and got 3rd place in my age group.  My grandson was 2nd overall in the 1-mile.  We hung around in Valdese after the race for lunch and the local festival.
This Wednesday, we spent most of the day hiking up and down Stone Mountain, about 45 minutes north of Wilkesboro. 
The first day in Wilkesboro, I ran in my daughter's neighborhood..  This is in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, so there was a steep hill in every direction.  For the rest of the visit, I ran a trail along the Yadkin River, which runs between Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro.  Beautiful place and great place to run.
Took the southern route back to Texas.  Yesterday, we drove 600+ miles through North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and part of Mississippi.  Today, we drove 500+ miles on through Mississippi, Louisiana and on into Texas.

Sunday Night 5K

I went down to The Woodlands tonight to run the Sunday Night 5K.  I have run this course nearly 100 times, but tonight they had to alter the course due to some utility construction.  The race director thought the improvised course was a little long.  I am not sure, but my time was 38:11, compared to 36:49 in the 5K yesterday.

Outriggers 5K

I got up at 4:15 this morning and drove nearly 2 hours down to Seabrook to run the Outriggers 5K at 7:30.  It is amazing how much traffic is on I-45 and 610 around Houston that early in the morning.  I arrived plenty early, got a close by parking spot and watched the sun rise over the bay.  The course is completely flat.  I finished in 36:49, which placed me 4 of 5 in the 70-79 age group.  Outriggers is a club overlooking the bay.  Had beer and pizza for breakfast.  After the race, I  drove all Houston and points north of Houston to leave Huntsville Half Marathon entry forms at running stores.  Got home about 1 p.m. and took a good nap.

Nausiated

I felt nausiated most of the day.  That's unusual for me, but I suspect that it has something to do with the very hot run yesterday - or maybe it was something I ate at IHOP this morning.  I went to the track this evening and ran laps.  I seem to be okay now.

Spring Lake 5K Course

I met up with three other runners at 6 p.m. this evening and ran the Spring Lake course.  This is a new course which our club will use for our August club run on the 24th.  It was close to a 100 degrees when we ran.  I am sure the heat index was well over 100.  And, the course did not seem to be so hilly when I drove it.  It was pretty much up or down.

Ran out of time

After working out at Iron Works this evening, I ran 2 miles on the roads in town.  I would have gone longer, but I had to be somewhere this evening and ran out of time.

Three at the Park

It was hot and humid this evening, but I ran 3 miles on the park roads.

Dog Days 5K

I ran our club's Dog Days 5K here in Huntsville on Saturday.  Finished in 38:59; I am really getting slow.  After the race, I went home and posted the results on our club web site and then headed 192 miles up to Wylie to spend the weekend with my son and his family.  I ran in Wylie on Sunday and then got back to Huntsville this afternoon.  I developed soreness in my right foot, so I ran 2 miles on the roads in Huntsville this evening.

Usual

I have a 5K tomorrow, so I did as I usally do on Friday.  I ran laps at the track this afternoon.

Measured a course this morning.

Emily Garner and I met up this morning at the Spring Lake Sub-division  to measure a new 5K course for the club.  I think it will end up being our favorite course.  It loops around a lake and has lot of shade.
This evening, I went out to the park and ran a solo 2-mile course on the park roads.

Interview this afternoon

I had to go to the Texas Prison Museum this afternoon for an on-camera history interview.  Next April 20, the museum will celebrate its 25th anniversary.  I came up with the idea for the museum back in the 80's, chaired the planning group and the non-profit corporation that opened and operates the museum.  I have not been involved with the museum since 1990, but it has been very successful.  It is on I-45 in Huntsville and has plans to expand.  That's great.

This evening, I worked out at Iron Works and ran an unplanned route in the avenues.  Turned out to be 1.9 miles.

Congratulations to Mark Covert, 62, of California, who today voluntarily ended this running streak of 45 years.  He was Number 1 on the U. S. streak list.  Wow, what an amazing feat.  Me, I'm 10 years older than Mark and Number 279 on the list.  I would say that I am moving up to 278, but they are always adding people to the list ahead of me.

Back to the hot and dry weather

Looks like there is little chance of rain for the next 10 days and the temperature is getting back up to the high 90's.  I met up with the group this evening and ran 3 miles on the park roads.

No rain today

There was no rain today, so I mowed and trimmed the lawn.  We have a 1-acre lot, so that takes a couple hours.  This evening, I worked out at Iron Works and then ran 3 miles on the roads in town.

The rain is nice, but - - -

The rain in the last week is nice, but look what is growing in my yard.  I knocked over a 100 or so this weekend.
I ran 2 miles around the campus and the avenues this evening.  Hot and humid, again.

Rock Island 4-H Watermelon 5K

I got up at 4:45 this morning to get over to Hempstead for an 7 a.m. start at the Rock Island 4-H Watermelon 5K.  It was hot and humid, even for a 7 a.m. start.  There were less than 100 runners and 5 in my 60 and over age group.  The top three guys were all age 60.  I finished 4th in the age group, with a time of 38:04.  After the race, I drove up to College Station to pick up some running shoes and something for my wife at another store.  I have been napping this afternoon and inbetween naps, trying to fix the ice maker in the refrigerator.  Still working on it.

Laps

Since I have a 5K tomorrow morning, I went to the track this afternoon and ran laps. 

Back to the heat

No rain today and it was plenty hot and humid.  I ran 3 miles on the park roads this evening.  At least, there is some shade.

Yea, more rain

We had a nice rain this afternoon; maybe enough to fill the cracks in my lawn.  Now, I may have to mow again in a few days.  No complaints.
After working out at Iron Works this evening, I ran an unplanned route on the roads.  It turned out to be 2 miles.

Rainy run at the park

Wow.  My curser went straight to the narrative portion of my blog - and there is no error message at the bottom of the page.  What happened?  Did it fix itself?  Maybe it just had to heal.

Anyway, I went out to the park this evening.  It was raining and only Jason and I showed up.  He was already out on the trails when I got there.  I ran 2 miles on the park roads.  Nice having relatively cool running weather for a change.

Problem persists

I still cannot get the curser in the narrative of this blog.  My way around it is to copy part of the post title and then paste it in the narrative.  Then, I backspace over the title and then type the narrative.  Crazy, but it seems to work.  I cannot find anyway to contact the Blogger help desk.  Maybe no one actually works there.
In any case, I ran 2.2 miles on the roads in town, with a light rain in the last mile.

It was suppose to rain this evening

It was suppose to rain this evening, so I ran at 2 this afternoon.  It was overcast, so not too hot.  I ran 3.9 miles on the roads in town.  It is after 10 p.m. and still no rain today.  We need a couple inches just to fill up the cracks in my lawn.

666

I ran the Run the Woodlands 5K this morning.  It was my 666th race.  I was afraid that I was going to trip and fall or something else bad was going to happen.  Everything went okay, though, except that it was hot and humid and I ran slow (38:52).

I played around with my blog this afternoon and ended up with a curser in the narrative portion of the blog.  I will hit publish and see if this works.

Still can't post. Anyone know how to contact the blogger help desk?

Problem - Blog is only allowing me to post on subject line. Ran 2 miles yesterday on the roads; 2.5 miles tonight on trails.

Sunday Night 5K

I left Huntsville at 8:30 this morning for a drive up to my brother's place, northwest of Fort Worth.  He is very ill and my older brothers from Tyler were going to meet me to visit with him.  When I was 99 miles up I-45, my brother from Tyler called and said that it was necessary for the visit to be postponed.  I did a U-turn at the next exit and headed back to Huntsville.  I stopped in Teague for a late breakfast and got back home around noon.  This evening, I drove down to The Woodlands for the Sunday Night 5K.  Expecting that I-45 would be jammed because of people returning to Houston after the 4th of July weekend, I took the back roads.  It was a little farther, but I am sure I avoided stop and go traffic on I-45.  I think that this was my 41st time for running this race.  My time was 37:40.

Late evening run

After church this evening at about 7 p.m., I ran 3 miles on the quiet streets in town.

It's hard to tell what day of the week it is.

With a holiday and a race on Thursday, it seems more like Sunday today.  I usually do not work out at Iron Works on Friday, but I did this evening, since it was closed yesterday.  Afterwards, I went to the track and ran 2 miles on the roads from there.  Hot, but not like that 100 degree stuff a few days ago.

Stu's Country Mile 5K

For the 18th consecutive year, I ran Stu's Country Mile 5K in Centerville this morning.  The race is getting big, probably 75 runners now.  The race starts and finishes on the downtown square in the middle of the local 4th of July celebration.  We had a lot of club members there, plus I ran into a lot of old friends.  It is the only race I know that has a $10 entry free, T-shirts, refreshments and big trophies.  I ran a slow 38:44 and was 3rd of six in my age group.  They gave trophies only to the top two.  After the race, a bunch of us went to the Town Cafe for breakfast and then hung around for the parade.  My friend, Bill Moeller from Spring was there and so was Jennifer Sullivan of Madisonville.  I met Jennifer back in the 90's at some races in College Station.  She was in vet school.  She has long since graduated and has a vet clinic in Madisonville.

Short loop

I have a 5K tomorrow, so I ran a 1.2-mile loop in the avenues this afternoon.

Still no rain

It's beginning to look like the drought we had two years ago.  My yard is cracking and my water bill is going up.  Maybe we will get some rain in the next few days.  I went to the park this evening and ran 3 miles on the park roads with James.

Iron Works

Effective today, Nautilus was bought out and it is now Iron Works.  I worked out there this evening and then went to the track and ran 2.7 miles on the roads.  This included running up and down steps.

Cooler Today

The high temperature this afternoon was only 96.  I drove to the track this evening and ran a 2-mile loop around the university from there.

3 @ 100

I ran 3 miles on the roads in town this evening when it was 100 degrees.  Tolerable.  It almost seemed funny not having a race somewhere on Saturday morning.  There are no races anywhere near Huntsville this weekend.

Early run

We went out to dinner this evening, so I ran early in the heat.  After working out at Nautilus, I ran 1.3 miles on the roads in town.

Hot

It was up to 98 today and is suppose to be 103 tomorrow.  My yard is starting to crack.  Where is all the rain we got earlier?  I met up with the group at the park this evening.  Phillp and I ran 2 miles on the road.

Cleaned the garage floor

I spent the afternoon cleaning the garage floor.  That was a tough job on a very hot afternoon.  I felt like a workout at Nautilus and a run was a rest.  I ran 2.7 miles around the campus, including up and down steps several times between the ball fields.  My knees are so sore and stiff; I will work on them for the rest of the summer.

Signed up for my last marathon

I signed up for the Love.Run.Marathon at Huntsville State Park on February 15, 2014.  If all goes as planned, it will be my 101st and last marathon.  I have completed 96 so far.  The Tyler Rose Marathon in October will be 97; 98 is to be determined; BCS Marathon in College Station in December will be 99; and, the Texas Marathon in Kingwood on January 1will be 100.  My plan beyond 101 is to keep running everyday and running shorter races.  I have already signed up for The Woodlands Half Marathon in March.  I am even thinking about running the Houston Half Marathon on January 19.  I have done the full marathon there 15 times, but never the half.
At mid-afternoon today, I worked out at Nautilus and then ran laps at the track.  This evening, my wife and I went to a community presentation on snakes.  Interesting.

Computer Fixed

I was on the computer repair place doorstep when they opened this morning.  They had it fixed by 2 p.m.  It did not need more RAM; it was loaded with malware.  Running faster than I am now.  It was 94 degrees when I ran the roads this evening.  I ran an unplanned course, which turned out to be 4.6 miles.

I run faster than my computer

My computer has really gotten slow lately.  I think I have done everything possible to fix it.  One program tells me that I need to add RAM.  In any case, as slow as I run, I am faster than my computer.  Tomorrow, I am taking it into the shop.  If I do not blog for a while, you will know why.  This evening, I drove to the track, visited with a couple old friends for a while and then ran 2 miles on the roads.

Polish Pickle 5K

I got up at 5 this morning and make the nearly 100-mile drive up to Bremond, Texas for the Polish Picke 5K.  This was my 18th consecutive year for running this race.  They had about 800 runners, a new record, I think.  I finished in 36:47 and was 3rd of 5 in my age group.  We stayed around for the pickle parade and then stopped in Centerville for Mexican food on the way back to Huntsville.

95

I went over to the track this afternoon and ran laps - when it was 95 degrees.  5K tomorrow.

Bug to Bryan

I finished cleaning up my 1974 VW Bug Convertible and took it to a VW shop over in Bryan this afternoon.  They are going to sell it for me.  I've had it 15 years, but just don't drive it anymore.  Time for someone else to enjoy it.  This evening, we had an anuual group birthday party at the park.  A couple of us ran before the party, but most just came for the party.  I did 2 miles+ on the roads and then consumed a lot more calories than I burned while running.

Laps

I had to go somewhere this evening, so I went to Nautilus early and then to the track to run laps.

Trails, again

For the first time in awhile, I ran trails at the park this evening.  It rained earlier in the day, so it was very humid.  Only ran 2.2 miles.

Steps, again

I ran 2.5 miles on the roads in town this evening.  This included a bunch of trips up and down steps.

Steps

I ran a 2.3-mile loop on the roads in town late this afternoon.  Gosh, was it hot.  My run included running up and down steps between the football stadium parking lot and the lower fields.  Maybe steps will help my sore and stiff knees.

June Bug 5K

Steve Bickford and I put out the signs for the club's annual June Bug 5K on the university campus this morning.  It was hot and humid and the course is very hilly.  I felt sluggish and finished in 39:40, about a minute slower than the same race last year.

Interesting tour

My son works for a company that has a contract to work on construction of the new Exon-Mobil World Headquarters, just south of The Woodlands.  There are 3,500 workers at the site and it is the largest private construction project in the world; 20+ buildings, all connected by tunnels.  The centerpiece is a huge oak tree, which was transplanted from another location on the property (at a cost of $600,000).  The headquarters "campus" will be followed by a city, including 2,500 homes.  My son took my wife and I and his girlfriend on a driving tour of the site today.  Security was tight and no cameras were allowed.  The construction site is just off I-45.  Interestingly, at the next exit off I-45, there are Shell stations of 3 of the 4 corners of the exit.  Interesting tour.
This evening, I ran 1.3 miles on the roads; 5K here in Huntsville tomorrow.

Skipped the park

While I normally run at the park on Thursdays, I decided to run in town this evening.  I ran an unplanned route around town, which turned out to be 2.6 miles.

New shoes out of the box

I put on a new pair of Asic Oracles today and ran 1.5 miles on the streets in town.  I did not run too fast, but I looked good.

Surprize rain

I mowed the lawn late this morning and then it rained for about 30 minutes.  I checked the forecast yesterday and it was not suppose to rain today.  We have had plenty of rain this spring and summer, so much more than usual.  My lawn has never looked so good.  After working out at Nautilus, I met up with the group at the park this evening.  I ran 2 miles, most on the park roads, but some on trails.

Back in the mowing business

I drove down to Conroe this morning and bought a new belt for my riding lawnmover.  While down there, I went to a couple other stores for my wife.  After returning, I put the lawnmower back together, loaded it up in my pickup and took it over to the repair shop.  Surprizingly, they told me that they would install the new belt and that I could pick it up this evening.  So, I picked it up this evening and am back in the mowing business.  After getting it back home, I worked out at Nautilus and ran 2 miles on the roads in town.

Broken down

I'm almost broken down, but my lawn mower really is.  I was halfway through mowing the front yard on my riding lawn mower this afternoon, when it quit on me.  I pushed it in the garage and soon found out that I had a broken transmission drive belt.  I had to remove a lot of parts just to get the broken belt out.  According to the manual that came with the mower, I have to have a real mechanic install the new one.  So, tomorrow morning, I will drive down to the Western Auto store in Conroe and buy a new belt.  Then, I will have to load up the mower in my pickup (not an easy task) and take it to the local lawnmower repair place.  The real challenge will be getting them to install the belt before my grass gets too long to mow, or at least the half that did not get mowed today.
To work off my frustration, I went into town and ran an unplanned route on the streets.  It turned out to be 3.9 miles.

Greyhound 5K

I got up early this morning and drove 90 miles up to Kosse, Texas to run the Greyhound 5K.  I always enjoy visiting with my friend, Dennis Alston, who runs this race every year.  He is 69 and has always been fast.  He was hurting this morning.  Five weeks ago, his bull threw him over a fence and broke two of his ribs and a vertabre.  Well, he still beat me this morning.  He's a tough old Marine.  I finished in 36:24, which was good enough for 1st in my 70 and over age group.  I also enjoyed visiting with my friend, Jon Walk from Spring, Texas.  He had a longer drive than I did.  We ran the race together.  After the race, I stopped in Centerville and had breakfast at the Town Cafe, the same place we have eaten for the last 17 years after the 5K in Centerville on July 4.

Regular Friday

Like most Fridays, I did not work out at Nautilus and ran laps at the track.  5K race tomorrow.

Missed the rain

We had a storm pass through Huntsville this evening.  I went in to Nautilus to work out and then to the park to run.  There was rain in town and at the state park, but none at my house just west of the city.  I ran 2 miles on the roads at the park.

National Running Day

Today was National Running Day, but that does not mean much to streakers.  We run every day anyway.  I ran 3.1 miles in the hilly avenues this evening.

Had to skip the park

My wife and I had to go to a dinner at our church this evening, so I had to skip my normal run at the park.  After doing yard work most of the afternoon, I worked out at Nautilus and then ran laps at the track.

Knees

My knees have been sore and stiff lately.  They really feel unstable when I run and I cannot come close to doing a squat.  I have started working on them at Nautilus and maybe that will help.  After Nautilus this evening, I ran 2 miles on the roads around the campus.

Sunday Night 5K

For the 40th time, I ran the Sunday Night 5K in The Woodlands tonight.  The humidity was not as bad as in Houston yesterday morning.  I finished in 37:21, a little faster than the Heights 5K yesterday.  Both are on relatively flat courses.

Heights 5K

I went down to Houston this morning and ran the Heights 5K.  The course is down and back on Heights Blvd. and flat.  It was very hot and humid.  They ran out of water at the finish line.   When I finished, there was a guy who had collasped and it took a long for them to get medical help for him.  Hopefully, he is okay.  I finished in 38:00, which placed me 3rd in the 70 to 74 age group.  However, they only gave awards to the top two in each age group.

Friday at Nautilus

I normally skip Friday at Nautilus, but since I never made it there yesterday, I worked out there this evening.  They were just bought out by Iron Works, effective July 1, so it will no longer be Nautilus.  After working out this evening, I went to the track and ran 1.3 miles on the roads from there.  5K in Houston early tomorrow.  I hate getting up early.

Squeezed in a track run

I had a busy day, but managed to squeeze in a run at the track between other things.

Avenues 5K backwards

I ran the hilly as heck Avenues 5K course backwards this evening.  That means I started by running up the Avenue O hill to the 21st Street intersection, which is the highest point between Dallas and Houston.

Knees

As usual after a 3-day weekend, today feels like Monday.  I need to get back to a more regular schedule at Nautilus and work on the knees more.  They are always sore and stiff; I could not do a squat for anything.  Found out today that Nautilus was bought out by the local Iron Works, which is only a couple blocks from Nautilus.  I hear that they are going to operate in both locations.  We will see.  After working out at Nautilus this evening, I went out to the park and ran 2 miles on the park roads.

57 runners in my driveway

I got up early this morning to put out the signs and set up for the club's annual Memorial Day 5K at my house.  We had fewer than expected, but 57 was still a good crowd.  We had a great time and everyone hung around for breakfast, awards and visiting.  After we got everything put away, I took a good nap.  Then, I ran 2 miles on the roads in town and this evening, my wife and I attended a Memorial Day program at the Veterans Museum in Huntsville.  Nice day.

Getting ready for tomorrow

We spent most of today getting ready for the 5K starting and finishing at my house tomorrow.  My wife and two friends fixed breakfast for 125.  I slipped away and ran 2 miles on the streets in town this evening and then loaded up the signs to be put out early tomorrow morning.

Run the Woodlands 5K

For the 56th time, I went down to The Woodlands this morning and ran the Run the Woodlands 5K, which is held on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of every month.  My streaker friend, Vincent, ran it this morning for the 150th time.  Of course, he lives in The Woodlands and does not have so far to drive.  In any case, congratulations on reaching the milestone, Vincent.  It was hot and humid and I finished in a slow 38:07.  After the race, I had breakfast and then went to several stores in the area.

East week

It has been an easy week, as far as running goes.  I went to the track this afternoon with the intention of running the streets from there.  It started raining, so I ran laps instead.  5K tomorrow.

Traffic

I managed to get in a run at the track before leaving for Sugar Land (south of Houston) for the Southland Conference Baseball Tournament.  I left at 4:15 p.m., drove 94 miles and arrived at 6:30 p.m.  I hit the worst of the rush hour traffic around the Houston beltway and south on US 59.  The traffic were terrible.  I watched the Sam Houston State - Southeastern Louisiana game and Sam lost.  It is a double elimination tournament, so Sam will play again tomorrow - without me.  After the game, I was introduced to Coach Gary Kubiak (Houston Texans) at the game and we had a brief visit.

Getting ready for the Memorial Day 5K

We are hosting the club's Memorial Day 5K and breakfast at my house next Monday.  Nothing like having an inflatable arch over your driveway and a hundred or so runners in your yard.  Lots of fun.  I modified the course for this year.  This morning, my wife and I walked the course and measured it with an engineer wheel.  I'm not use to walking; it is more tiring than running.  I worked out at Nautilus this evening and then ran laps at the track.

Hilly park roads

I ran 2.1 miles on the hilliest park roads this evening.  Tough when it is hot and humid.

Back to the airport

We drove our son and his girl friend down to the airport in Houston today for their flight back to Yuma, AZ.  We had lunch with my other son in Houston on the way to the airport.  Got back this evening, worked out at Nautilus and ran 2.6 miles on the roads in town.  Things should be normal at my house for a few days until we host the Seven Hills Running Club's annual Memorial Day 5K run at my house on May 27.  Nothing like having an inflatable arch over your driveway and a hundred or so runners for breakfast after the race.

Posting late

For some reason, I had a tough time getting into my blog tonight.  Got some strange messages about being logged in somewhere else.  I contacted the chip timing company that timed the race last night.  For some reason, my chip was never read.  Luckily, I checked the clock when I finished and they worked me into the results with an official time of 1:35:15 (1st in the 60 and over age group).  Someone said that the age group winners got a pecan pie, but I doubt that they will mail me one.  I slipped away from visiting family this evening (Sunday) and ran 2 miles on the roads in town.

Nighttime Trail Run

My wife and I drove 64 miles over to Caldwell tonight to run the 1st annual Nighttime Trail Run at Royalty Pecan Farms.  They had a 5K, 10K and 15K, with a total of 700 registered runners.  My wife walked the 5K and I ran the 10K.  The race started just before 9 p.m. and the course was through the pecan orchards.  The mosquitos and other bugs were annoying.  Other trail runs that I have done were during the winter and the bugs were not so bad.  So, I ate my share of protein tonight.  My results were not included in the chip-timed race, but my finish time was 1:35 something.  That should be good for 1st place in the 60 & over age group.

Hike in the park

I went out to the park this afternoon and hiked trails with my son and his girlfriend.  I took my new Nikon camera with expensive telephoto lens.  I was standing on a bridge and taking a photo of my son swinging on a vine.  I backed up to get a better shot and fell off the bridge.  Luckily, that section of the bridge was not over water and I survived the fall.  However, the zoom telephoto lens no longer zooms. 
Later this afternoon, I slipped away and went to the track and ran laps.  10K trail race tomorrow night..

Visiting family

With visiting family today, I never made it to Nautilus.  However, I did go to the park this evening and run 2 miles on the park roads.  Later, I joined the family at the Sam Houston State baseball game with U. of Central Arkansas.

More rain today

It rained much of today.  I had to go down to the airport to pick up my son and his girlfriend this afternoon.  I managed to get in a 1.3-mile road run between the rain and leaving for the airport.

Hard to get out of the hammock

I spent most of the day doing yard work and cleaning out the storage shed.  I was really beat, so I layed down in the hammock in the back yard.  There was a cool breeze and it was so comfortable.  It was hard to get out and go to Nautilus.  Finally did.  Worked out and then went to the park and ran 2 miles on the park roads.

Quiet streets

After working out at Nautilus this evening, I ran a 3.4-mile course around town.  With classes over at Sam Houston State, the streets were quiet and relatively empty.

Mother's Day

Since it was Mother's Day, I spent most of the day with family.  However, this evening, I went to the track and ran laps.

YMCA Trail Run

After so much rain in the past two days, I expected muddy trails at the YMCA Trail Run 5K in Conroe this morning.  It was not that the mud was so deep, it was very slippery.  I tried to run on the roots and grass as much as I could.  Luckily, I never slipped and fell.  I finished in 37:29.

Milestones

I ran my first race, a 10K at Fort Hood, Texas, on May 1, 1983.  That was 30 years ago.  During that 30 years, I ran 653 races.  Then, I have run 3 races during my second 30 years.  Today, I ran 2.1 miles around town, my 1,300th consecutive day of running on my current streak.

Heavy storm

I did yard and garden work most of the day.  This evening and night, we had a heavy storm.  I managed to get in a 1-mle run at the track before it started.  Luckily, no hail and we got plenty of rain.

Disconnected

My phone and Internet went out yesterday.  ATT said that a cable was cut somewhere and it may be Saturday before my service is restored.  Sometime during the night, service was restored.  I ran a 2.1-mile course in the avenues yesterday.

Park

For the first time in a week, I went out to the state park this evening.  I ran 2 miles on the park roads.

Getting back into the routine

After being out-of-town most of last week, I got back into my routine today.  This morning, I wrote my column for the paper and worked out at Nautilus this evening.  Then, I ran an unplanned course on the streets in town.  It turned out to be 2.6 miles.

Sunday Night 5K

I went down to The Woodlands tonight to run the Sunday Night 5K, held on the first Sunday of every month.  This was my 7th consecutive month and my 39th time for running the race.  Nice cool weather.  I finished in 36:35.

Run Forest Run 5K

Our club put on the Run Forest Run 5K & 1-Mile Run/Walk this morning at the Forest Glen Camp, in the deep woods east of Huntsville.  We had 80 runners and beautiful cool weather.  The course was almost all gravel road and forest trails.  Before running the 5K, I set up the inflatable arch and a race clock.  My finish time was 37:11.  Given the course, I expected a slower than usual 5K time.

Checking back in

On Tuesday, I ran laps at the track and then drove up to Fort Worth.  My brother had surgery on Wednesday morning and the family gathered there to support him.  Looks like all went well.  Wednesday afternoon, I drove across Fort Worth and Dallas to Wylie to visit my son and his family.  I ran 1-mile+ in Wylie Wednesday evening and then ran 2.3 miles in the cold and wind on Thursday.  I drove back to Huntsville this afternoon, ran laps at the track and then went to the Sam Houston State baseball game tonight.

Yard work Monday

After spending most of the day mowing the lawn and doing other yardwork, I went to Nautilus this evening and ran an unplanned route on the roads in town.  It turned out to be 3.0 miles.  I have two more 5K races this coming weekend and a lot of other races this summer.  No more marathons until next October.

Race to Educate 5K

I drove back over to College Station this afternoon for the Race to Educate 5K, put on by the Society of Professional Hispanic Engineer students at Texas A&M.  They rented our club's race clock and inflatable arch, so I took those over and set them up.  The course was a flat loop around the A&M campus.  The race did not get started until 2:20 p.m. and it was rather hot by that time.  I finished in 35:20 and was first place in the 30 and over age group.  I was the only one.  I thought the group photo was interesting.  Notice that the tree completely fills the space inside the arch and none of it extends outside the arch.  Looks like a doctored photo.

Teal Ribbon 5K

I drove over to College Station this morning to run the Teal Ribbon 5K.  It rained before the race, but at race time it was just hot and humid.  The course started and finished at Scott-White Hospital and ran through a residential area.  Relatively flat.  As I recall, I ran that same course many years ago.  I finished in 34:58.  There was no age group competition. 

Lucky day

I received a $100 Academy Sports gift card in the mail today from a business in Belton, Texas.  I won it a drawing at the Army Marathon Expo last Saturday.  Lucky day, I guess.
Since I am running a 5K tomorrow, I went to the track this afternoon and ran laps.

Adjusted

I was checking the final race results for last Sunday's Army Marathon and see that they have adjusted the results.  The guy in my age group that I met before the race, who I assumed dropped from the race, was added in and was ahead of me.  So, he got first and I got second.  Good for him.
It was relatively cool today for this time of the year.  No complaints from runners, I am sure.  I ran 2.5 miles on the trails at the park this evening and even managed to trip on a root and fall. 

"Tapering up"

After running the marathon on Sunday, I ran 1 mile on Monday and 2 miles on Tuesday.  Today, I ran a 2.9-mile route in the Avenues.  Nice cool weather, but probably the last until next Fall.

Back to normal

I felt back to normal today.  I finished the porch ceiling and made it up and down the step stool a hundred times.  After working out at Nautilus this evening, I went out to the park and ran 2 miles on the park roads.  Then, I made it to the last few innings of the Sam Houston State - UT Arlington baseball game.

Resting up

Surprizingly, I did not sleep well last night.  I need to continue painting my porch ceiling, but I did not feel like stepping up and down the step stool after running the marathon yesterday.  So, I did not get a lot done today.  This evening, I worked out at Nautilus and then ran laps at the track.

Army Marathon

I left Huntsville in a hurray yesterday to get over to Killeen for the Army Marathon this morning.  Just outside of Killeen, I realized that I had not packed my running shorts.  There was a vendor at the Expo, but they did not have my size.  So, I went to Academy in Killeen and bought a pair there.  My wife and I attended Mass at St. Joseph's Church in Killeen.  We attended that church when we were assigned to Fort Hood from 1982 to 1984.  As we were going into the church, we ran into Bill and Bridgett Moeller from Spring, Texas.  I have known them from races for many years.  They had a good friend down from Dallas to run the marathon and he was at the church.  After Mass, we all went to Olive Garden for dinner.  As we talked, Bill mentioned that he was assigned to the 2nd Armored Division at the same time I was there from 82 to 84.  We were the Army's night fighting division at the time and we had a 10K run at 3 a.m. on May 1, 1983.  It was my first race.  Bill and Bridgett ran the same race.  We all had a great time visiting at the dinner.  It was after 9 p.m. before I went to the hotel to check in.
The race started at 6:30 a.m. at the Killeen Convention Center and went east to a finish line in Temple.  Overall, the drop in elevation was 200+ feet, but there were so many hills that you would not notice a drop in elevation.  It was cool and overcast for the first half at my time at the 13.1 miles was 2:53.  Then, the temperature started warming and we had a wind in our face.  The course was on the streets in Killeen and then open highway to Temple.  No shade trees.  I really started to tire at about 18 miles and I walked occasionally, which I normally do not do in a marathon.  I was surprized that my finish time was 5:53:35, my best marathon time this year.  The race results show that there were exactly 600 finishers and I was the only one in the 70 and over age group.  I met a guy at the start line who was 78, but he must have dropped.  So, another age group win.  This was my 96th race of a marathon or longer and my 14th since the season started in Texas in October.  Five more next season and that is it.

Spring Fling 5K

I ran the Spring Fling 5K in the Elkins Lake Sub-division in Huntsville this morning.  Needless to say, the course was hilly.  I finished in 35:34.  Off to Killeen.

Busy Friday

Busy day, with yard work, painting and a baseball game tonight.  With 2 races this weekend, I went to the track this afternoon and ran laps.

Gearing up for the weekend

This weekend, I am running a 5K here in Huntsville and then heading for Killeen, Texas to run the Army Marathon on Sunday.  We had a lot of rain in Huntsville today and it was rather cool.  The latest forecast for Killeen on Sunday indicates a high of 79.  Not too bad.  The record high for April 21 is 97.  The course is point to point, Killeen to Temple.  I was in the Army and assigned to Fort Hood in Killeen when I ran my first race on May 1, 1983 (a few days short of 30 years ago).  I know there will be some hills, but overall, the elevation drops from start to finish.
This evening, I worked out at Nautilus and then ran 2 miles on the roads in the park.

Run for Boston

I helped organize one of several Run for Boston runs in Huntsville today.  Our group ran a untimed, non-competitive 5K at 7 p.m. to honor the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.