Unplanned avenues route

After Iron Works this evening, I drove over to the track and ran an unplanned route through the hilly avenues.  It turned out to be 2.1 miles.

Wellness 5K Katy

I got up at 4:30 this morning and drove 92 miles down to Katy to run the Wellness 5K at 7 a.m.  I finished in 37:36, exactly 1 minute faster than the last time I ran this race.  I was 2nd in the 70 and over age group.

Forgot the wheel

I went out to the park this afternoon with the intention of measuring the last 5 miles or so of the new trail with an engineer wheel.  I got to the trail head and realized that I forgot to bring the wheel.  Rather than go all the way back home, I stayed at the park and ran 3.5 miles on the new trails.

Long day

I got a call this morning that my disabled brother-in-law fell at his house across town.  My wife was running errands so she and I met at his house and loaded him up for a trip to the doctor.  They admitted him to the hospital for 3 days to check him out.  Then, I went out to the park with an engineer wheel and made some adjustments to the Rocky Raccoon 50K/25K course.  While there, I measured about 3 miles of the new trails.  They are longer than what my GPS says, but that is always the case when measuring trails under a tree canopy.  So, I walked about 4 miles with the engineer wheel..  When I was finished, I put the wheel away and then ran a little over a mile on the trails.  This evening, I went to Houston to surprise my son, who was singing with his band at the Concert Pub.  Being 74 years old, I was really out of my element.

New trails, again

The group went in different directions at the park this evening.  James and I ran 3.4 miles on the new trails.  For the first time in months, I tripped on roots and fell - twice.

Better

I felt a little better today and did not take any more decongestants.  After Iron Works this evening, I ran an unplanned route in the avenues.  It turned out to be 2.25 miles.

Woke up dizzy

I woke up with dizzy (a touch of vertigo).  I took a decongestant this morning and felt better later this afternoon.  After working out at Iron Works, I ran 3 miles on the trails at the park.

Off day

I did not feel well all day;  due to sinus congestion, I think.  I napped much of the day.  However, this evening, I worked out at Iron Works and then ran 1.3 miles on the streets in town.

Rocky Raccoon Course

Lately, I have been working on a new Rocky Raccoon 50K & 25K course at Huntsville State Park and it is now finalized.  The race will be held on Nov. 7.  The course change is necessary because much of the park will be closed for 9 months for reconstruction, starting in September or October.  My friend, Paul Stone, who is the race director, came down from Tyler this morning and we walked over 5 miles of the new course.  Later today, I ran 2.6 miles on the streets in town.

Heatwave 5K

This morning, I ran our club's Heatwave 5K about 15 miles east of Huntsville in the Waterwood Sub-division.  White the temperature was in the mid-80's, the humidity must have been close to 100.  It rained for a few minutes right after the start and again as I was finishing.  My time was 38:52.  This was my 52nd race in 2015 and 814th lifetime race.  Today was my 2,134th consecutive day of running.

Woke up to rain

I woke up this morning to rain.  However, we only got an half inch.  It probably all went down into the deep cracks in my yard.  I went out to the park this afternoon and hiked to a turnaround point that I had lightly marked the other day.  I improved the marking with tape and flags.  Then, I ran a mile + on the trails; 5K in the morning.

It was suppose to storm this evening

The weather forecast was for heavy storms at trail running time this evening.  So, earlier this afternoon, I ran 2.9 miles on the roads around the campus.  This evening, Sara emailed me and asked why no one else was at the park.  She took off alone on the trails, so I went out to the park to make sure she got in okay.  Not a drop of rain all day.

Most of the day at the park

I went out to the park late this morning with an engineer wheel to measure trail distances for use in an upcoming race.  I walked with the wheel for about 7 miles.  My leg passed within 6 inches of the business end of a water moccasin.  Luckily, he was not too hungry.  As I reached the Nature Center, it started lightning.  I met Sibley Lovett from Houston, who just finished a training run for the Chicago Half Marathon.  We had a nice visit and she kindly gave me a ride to another trail head a mile away where my truck was parked.  I came back to the the park a couple hours later to measure a mile+ out and back part of the course.  After marking the turnaround point, I carried the wheel and ran back to the start.  So, I got in about 8 miles walking and a 1-mile+ run.  Still no rain at my house.

Park roads

For a change, I ran 3 miles on the park roads this evening, while everyone else ran trails.

A day it was suppose to rain

We had a good chance for rain today, but none at my house.  The only rain at my house since June 30 was the 1/2 inch or so on August 12.  I ran 2 miles on the streets around the campus this evening.  I ran into an old friend, Steve, who I have not seen in months and we had a nice visit.  He is a Texas Ranger, but not the baseball player type.

Sunday at the park

I went out to the state park at 2:30 this afternoon and ran 6.9 miles on the trails.  The temperature was down to about 95, so it was tolerable.

Watermelon Run for the Fallen

For the fourth year in a row, I ran the Watermelon Run for the Fallen in Hempstead this morning.  It is a race honoring our fallen servicemen.  After several ceremonies, a 4-plane flyover and 3 parachutists jumping into the football stadium, everyone (probably 600+) participants walk two laps around the track.  Then, those who want to run, leave the stadium and run 2.8 miles downtown, where they have refreshments and more ceremonies.  I finished the 2.8-mile run in 36:34, according to my GPS.  The race is not timed and there are no awards.

Short Friday run

I ran laps at the track this afternoon.  The temperature was a cool 98.  Then, I worked on digging the large tree stump in my backyard.  Makes running seem easy.

Old trails

After working out at Iron Works this evening, I ran 3 miles on the old trails at the park.

Rain, finally

After not a drop of rain at my house since June 30, we got just over an half of an inch this evening.  Maybe more will come soon.  After working out at Iron Works this evening, I went over to the track.  There was lightning in the area, so I just ran laps.  Got soaking wet during the last lap.

Almost got a little rain

There was rain in the area this evening, but none at my house.  I ran 3.4 miles on the trails at the park this evening.  During our social hour after the run, it started raining at the park.  On the 10 mile drive home, there were wet streets until I got to mine.  No rain streak day 42.

Hand is better

My right hand is still sore, but I was able to go back to Iron Works and work out this evening.  It was 6 p.m. before I went for a 2-mile run around the campus.  The temperature was still 100.  And, this is no rain streak day 41.

Hot

I went out to the park at 2:30 this afternoon when it was 101 degrees and ran 5.4 miles on the new trails.  I started and finished at the trail head on the I-45 service road just north of the park and never saw anyone else on the trails.

Run the Woodlands 5K

I ran the Run the Woodlands 5K this morning for the 71st time.  Of course, it was hot and humid.  I finished in 39:28.  This was my 50th race this year and my 2,120th consecutive day of running.  Also, today was the 39th day of our no rain streak.

Warrior 5K

I went up to Madisonville (26 miles north of Huntsville) to run the Warrior 5K at 9 tonight.  It was a non-competitive  and un-timed run..  The course was not marked very well and I and others got off course.  My friends who stayed on course said it was 2.8 miles.  According to my GPS, my route was 2.98.  I finished in 38.55.  I ran into several old friends at the race, including Mary Kaplan, who lives out near Marble Falls in central Texas.  She is 76 years old and a retired Air Force full colonel.  She is a on a quest to run a 5K and win her age group in all 254 Texas counties.  Tonight was her 200th county.  I think it was the 4th time I have seen her at a race.  I also had a chance to visit with Dr. Jennifer Sullivan of Madisonville.  I met her at a race many years ago when she was in Vet school in College Station.

Another hot day

This was another hot day with no rain.  Backyard photo above.  My swollen hand felt better today and I was even able to tie my own shoes.  Icing it seems to be helping.  I skipped Iron Works again today, but ran 3.5 miles on the trails at the park this evening.

Swollen hand

Yesterday, I was drilling holes in a tree stump in my backyard.  The bit caught on something and the drill twisted my right hand.  It was swollen today and very sore.  Hopefully, nothing is broken.  My wife had to ties my shoes today and it is painful typing this post.  I iced it a couple of times this afternoon, skipped Iron Works and ran 2-miles on the streets in town.  This was No Rain Streak Day 36 and no rain in the forecast.  It is suppose to get up to 105 degrees on Monday.

Old trails

The whole group ran on the old trails at the park this evening.  I ran 3 miles.

No rain streak

I work to keep my running streak going, but I'm worried about this no rain streak;  34 days now without a drop of rain at my house.  After so much rain in May and June, nothing.  Now, the temperature forecast for later this week and next week is 103.  Ugh.  After working out at Iron Works this evening, I ran 2 miles on the streets around the campus.

Wellness 5K and Sunday Night 5K

I got up very early this morning and drove 74 miles to downtown Houston for the Wellness 5K at 7 a.m.  I finished in 37:46 and was 1st of 2 in the 70 and over age group.  This evening, I drove down to The Woodlands and ran the Sunday Night 5K.  I finished in 38:13.  This was my 48th race this year and 810th since I started racing in 1983.  It was my 2,114th consecutive day of running.

Southern Star Brewing Company 5K

I made the 30-minute drive down to Conroe this morning to run the inaugural Southern Star Brewing Company 5K.  There were several hundred runners at the race, so it was a good chance to visit with many old friends and meet some new ones.  I ran the whole race with my friend from The Woodlands, Debbie Tripp.  We finished in 37:46.  I was the only runner over 70, so I was first in my age group.  The age group award was nice and practical - a bottle opener.  Two races tomorrow, one at 7 a.m. and one at 7 p.m.