2 Miles with J.C.

After much heavy work around the house today, I worked out at Iron Works and then went to the track to run the roads from there.  Speedy J. C. was there and wanted to run two miles with me.  He slowed down to run with me and I sped up somewhat.  So, it was a good workout.  I received my re-covered custom orthotics in the mail today.  I have been running in some old ones for about a month.  Felt good to be back in my current ones with new covering.

Cooler

It was a little cooler today and a good chance to paint the ceiling of my front porch.  My right arm and shoulder really got a workout, plus a lot of leg exercise going up and down the ladder.  Got it done.  After working out at Iron Works this evening, I met up with the group at the park and ran 3 miles on the trails.

Did not feel like running today

This was just one of those days, I did not feel like running.  However, I went to the track to run laps.  There were too many people there, so I ran 1.5 miles on the roads.  That's day 1,653.

90 degrees

It was 90 degrees this afternoon when I went out to run in the avenues.  Ran 3.3 hilly miles.

Spring Fling 5K

I ran our club's Spring Fling 5K in Huntsville this morning.  I finished in 36:13.  When not running, I played race photographer.  Photos at http://7hills.us/SpringFling2014.htm

2,000th blog entry

This is one of those milestones I was talking about a few days ago.  Since I started blogging 6 years ago this month, this is my 2,000th blog entry.  I know I have not said much and the blog is not read by too many people, but it somehow keeps me accountable for my running.  I need all the motivation I can get.  It's Friday and I have a race tomorrow morning.  I ran a short 1.3-mile course on the roads in town this afternoon.

Copperhead

For the first time in a couple years, I encountered a snake on the trail at Huntsville State Park.  While running a 2.4-mile loop this evening, I met up with a 18-inch copperhead laying across the trail.  I have been running those trails for about 20 years and use to see a lot more snakes, mostly coral snakes and copperheads.  Maybe my eyesight is going and I just don't see them anymore.

Wednesday group

As usual for Wednesday, I met up with the group and ran the 5K course around the campus.  Summer is here.

Gardening

Now that it is past Easter, I planted my share of the family garden - melons and corn.  Now, we will see which comes up first, plants or weeds.  I ran 2 miles on the roads at the park this evening.

Knee pain

I am continuing to have pain just below the left knee cap.  After a mile or so, it eases up a bit.  So, I will take it easy this week.  After Iron Works this evening, I ran an unplanned route in the avenues.  It turned out to be 1.80 miles.

Town Creek Trail

I finally ran on the Town Creek Trail in Huntsville.  It has been there for years in a green area of the city.  It is basically one loop, with some side trails.  Including the side trails, the distance I ran was 1.8 miles.  I ran this afternoon after having family in today and eating way too much.

Super Hero 10K

I got up early this morning, picked up Jill and Kelly and drove over an hour east to the Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation east of Livingston to run the Super Hero 10K.  My niece, Amie, was visiting us and made the trip with us.  Even though it warmed up during the race, it was rather cool for the start.  Most of the course was on paved roads winding through a heavily wooded area.  I finished in 1:16:18, which placed me 2nd in the 60 and over age group.  After the race, they provided hamburgers with the fixings.  While there, I ran into several old friends and had a great time visiting with them.

Laps

It's Friday and I have a 10K in the morning.  So, I went to the track this afternoon and ran laps.

Running Milestones

As a runner, and especially as a streaker, I tend to keep track of milestones.  There are so many to track.  Such as, years since I started racing, number of marathons completed, number of races run, consecutive days of running, number of consecutive times completing certain races.  To me, it's all part of staying motivated to run and stay healthy.  The primary reason I blog is self motivation.  I probably have the most boring blog in existence, and I know from the counter, that only a few people read it.  However, I feel that it keeps me accountable.  I hate to run and many times I run farther than the 1-mile required to maintain my running streak, just because I have to account for my daily run.  In a week, I will reach a new milestone.  I make my 2,000th blog entry since starting my blog in April 2008.  Gosh, another milestone, 6 years of blogging.
Today, I worked out and ran 2.4 miles on the trails at the park.

Normal Wednesday

After working out at Iron Works, I met up with the group at the church and ran 3.1 miles around the campus.  The high temperature today with in the 60's.  From the looks of the forecast, this may be the last cool day in the foreseeable future.

Team RWB

I was invited by Team RWB to participate in an information program for veterans this morning at the VA Hospital in Houston.  I left Huntsville at 8 this morning and made it to the hospital just in time for a 10 a.m. start.  I worked with Daniel Cowart and Justin Taylor.  Justin was one of the members who ran with me carrying a flag at the Love.Run.Marathon last February 15.  We saw and visited with a lot of heroes.  This evening, I worked out at Iron Works and then ran 2.4 miles on the trails at the park.

Now, it's cold again

Just when I thought it was spring, the temperature got into the 40's today.  And, I had stored all my long sleeve running T-shirts for the summer.  I took it easy today and ran 1.3 miles on the roads after working out at Iron Works.

Texas 10 Series Huntsville

I ran the Texas 10 Series Huntsville 10-mile race this morning.  Warm and humid, with a light rain for part of the race.  It is the hilliest of the 7-race series, but I am use to the hills.  I finished in 2:12:44, which was good for 2nd place in the 70 and over age group.  However, having run all three in the series so far, I have accumulated plenty of points to be comfortably in the lead for the Armadillo Cup in the 70 and over age group.  A win for the series includes a cash prize of $250.  The next race in the series will be in Plano on May 10.  Then, three more races in the fall, Fort Worth, Katy and Conroe.

Bunny Run 5K

I drove an hour down to Humble this morning to run the Bunny Run 5K.  My good friend and member of our running club, Kas Kramer, directed the race.  It started and finished at the Sports Complex in a very nice sub-division.  There were over 100 runners for the 5K.  Everyone got a finishers medal, but no age group awards.  I finished in 35:50.

Friday rest day

Since I have a 5K in the morning and a 10-mile race on Sunday, I went to the track this afternoon and ran laps.  Then, to the Sam Houston State baseball game tonight.

Skipped Iron Works

Someone came to my house to pick up the club race clock to use in Groveton this weekend.  He came at the same time I am usually at Iron Works.  Then, I went straight to the park to run trails with the group.  I ran 2.4 miles.

Church 5K

After working out at Iron Works, I met up with the group at the church this evening and ran the 5K course around the campus.

Seven

I worked out at Iron Works earlier this afternoon and then went out to the park and ran 7 miles on the trails alone.  The group started later and ran shorter distances and we all finished about the same time.  Nice cool weather, but windy.

Roads

After working out at Iron Works this evening, I ran an unplanned route on the roads in town.  It turned out to be 2.6 miles.

Sunday Night 5K

I forgot to post last night.  For the 48th time, I went down to The Woodlands and ran the Sunday Night 5K.  I finished in 36:41.

Dogwood Dash 5K

I drove and hour and a half east to Woodville to run the Dogwood Dash 5K this morning.  Nice cool and clear weather.  I finished in 34:25, but my GPS said that the course was exactly 3 miles.  My friends came up with the same distance.  I have never run this race before, but it has been around for many years.  Why can't race directors accurately measure their course?  In any case, I was first in the 70 and over age group - and there were three others in the age group.  I walked around the Dogwood Festival for a while and got back to Huntsville by 1 p.m.

Restful Friday

Since it is Friday and I have 5K in the morning, I went over to the track this evening and ran laps.

Skipped Iron Works

Just as I was leaving the house this evening to go to Iron Works, I received a phone call.  By the time the call was finished, I had enough time to get to the park to meet the group at 5:30.  I ran 3 miles on the trails.  It is really nice at the park now; dogwoods are in full bloom, as well as other flowers.

Had to run to rest up

I spent much of the day doing heavy yard work and was really tired this evening.  To rest up, I worked out at Iron Works and ran 2 miles around the campus.  I felt much better afterwards.

Photos at the Park

The Chamber of Commerce is publishing a new Newcomers Magazine and they scheduled a photographer to take photos of our running group at the park this evening.  So, we had a much larger group than normal and they all looked good.  After the setup photos, we ran 3 miles on the trails.