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.