5K on Veterans Memorial Parkway

Several of us met up this evening and ran the 5K course on hilly Veterans Memorial Parkway.

Medical day

I had my annual physical this morning here in Huntsville and then went down to Conroe for surgery to have a spot of cancer removed from my neck/jaw.  I survived both and made it back to Huntsville in time to work out at Iron Works and go to the park and run 2 miles on the park roads.  Now, I do not have to shave for a couple weeks.

Most of the day in bed

I woke up this morning with a bad sinus blockage and vertigo.  It must be the change in weather.  We had a light rain most of the day.  All in all, just over 1 inch.  I took medication and felt better later this afternoon.  I drove to the track and ran 1.3 mile on the roads from there.  Then, I went to Iron Works, but did not stay long.  I have my annual physical tomorrow morning, followed by some minor surgery in Conroe tomorrow afternoon.

Texas 10 Series Huntsville

For the second race in a row, I did not have to leave town.  I ran the Texas 10 Series Huntsville 10-Miler this morning.  As you would expect, it is the hilliest of the 7 races in the series.  The temperature was nice, about 70 degrees at the start.  However, the humidity was around 90 percent.  I finished this race last year in 2:12:44.  Today, my time was 2:27:24 (3rd of 3 in the 70 and over age group).  I was disappointed in my time, but there was an announcement by the race director this evening that the turnaround point was at the wrong place and the course was actually 10.4 miles.  That is of some relief, but I was still slower than last year.

Fall Fun Run 5K

I ran our club's annual Fall Fun Run 5K this morning.  I finished in a slow 40:52.  Not to make excuses, but the course is very hilly.  Race 61 for the year done.

Easy Friday

With a 5K tomorrow and a 10-mile race on Sunday, I took it easy today; ran laps at the track this afternoon.

Early trail run

We had a running club meeting this evening, so I went out to the park earlier this afternoon and ran 3 miles on the trails.

Afternoon in Conroe

My wife and I both had doctor appointments in Conroe this afternoon, so we spent much of the day there.  I went in for my quarterly skin cancer check.  He froze a couple spots on my neck and found another spot that will need to be cut out.  That surgery is scheduled for September 29, the same day as my annual physical.  Guess I should have stayed out of the sun when I was a kid.  Anyway, I got back to Huntsville in time to work out at Iron Works and run 2 miles on Veterans Memorial Parkway.

Stretching it out

I stretched it out a bit this evening by running 7 miles on the trails at the park  Guess that is my long training run for the 10-miler on Sunday.

Back to Monday

With three races and other things, the weekend went fast.  Now, it's back to Monday.  This afternoon, I mowed what little rain-starved grass growth there was, worked out at Iron Works and ran 2 miles around the campus.  Two races this coming weekend, a 5K and a 10 miler.

Running of the Bulls 5K

I got up early this morning and drove down to NRG Stadium on the southside of Houston to run the Texan's Running of the Bulls 5K.  They had about 5,000 runners.  I finished in 39:35, about 2 minutes slower than last year.  I was 6th of 8 in the 70 and over age group.  This was my 60th race this year and 822nd lifetime race.  Today was my 2,163rd consecutive day of running.

Dye for Dogs Run and Buffalo Bayou Brewery Run

I drove down to New Waverly this morning and ran the Dye for Dogs Run.  It was suppose to be a 5K, but was actually 3.75 miles.  I finished in 46:17 and managed to avoid all the color stuff being thrown around.  I went from there to Houston to run the Buffalo Bayou Brewery Run at 11:20 a.m.  It was 3.7 miles and I finished in 47:39.  It was hot and humid for both races.  I stopped for lunch on the way home.  I took a nap and then went to the Sam Houston State and Lamar football game at 6 this evening.  It was televised, so it lasted a full 4 hours.  Back to Houston for another race tomorrow morning.

Restful Friday

Since I have two races tomorrow morning and another one on Sunday, I went to the track and ran laps this afternoon.

Running Injury Prevention Clinic

This evening, I attended a Running Injury Prevention Clinic put on by Physical Therapy Associates here in Huntsville.  They did a great job.  Earlier, I worked out at Iron Works and ran 2 miles on the streets around the campus.

Early run at the park

I had to go to a visitation in west Houston this evening, so I went out to the park this afternoon and ran 4 miles on the trails.  After visitation, I drove up to northwestern Houston and picked up my packet for Sunday's Running of the Bull 5K (Houston Texans' race).  Since it was fairly close to where my son lives, I had dinner with him.  I made it back to Huntsville at 9:30 tonight.  I am debating on whether I should wear a Dallas Cowboy shirt at the race on Sunday.  I grew up in East Texas, so my team has always been the Cowboys.

Park roads

Despite rain in the area, it was not raining at the park when the group met up at 5:30.  While the others ran trails, I ran 3 miles on the park roads.  It did rain some at my house, but when I got home from the park, I found the rain gauge tipped over.  Hopefully, it was too full to stay upright.

Bastrop State Park

Five years ago this month, we had a tremendous drought in Texas and there were brush and forest fires in many parts of the state.  One of the heaviest hit places was the Bastrop area, including Bastrop State Park.  I recall driving to the Gruene 10K in New Braunfels five years ago and having to take a different route to avoid the Bastrop area because of the raging fire.  On the way home from the Gruene 10K this year, I drove through Bastrop State Park.  The photo is what most of it looks like now.
This evening, I ran 2 miles in the hilly avenues.

Almost Fall

Beautiful sunny Sunday, with low humidity.  I went out to the park between football games and ran 3.5 miles on the trails.

Gruene 10K

Yesterday, I ran laps at the track and then left for New Braunfels to run the Gruene 10K this morning (for the 5th straight year).  Beautiful weather, 70's and low humidity.  For a change, I was not drenched in sweat when I finished.  I finished in 1:21:31, about 3 minutes slower than last year.  There was 2 of us in the 70-74 age group and I was second.

Back from Wylie

I got up early this morning and ran a mile+ on Veterans Memorial Parkway.  Then, I drove 3 hours up to Wylie for a family get-together.  Got home tonight at 10.  The first thing I did was get a flashlight and check the rain gauge.  We were suppose to get a lot of rain today.  One quarter inch in my gauge.

New Wednesday group

Dana organized a new running group for Wednesday evenings.  We met behind the mall and ran the Veterans Memorial Parkway 5K course.  It was less than 3 miles from my house and when I got home, it was RAINING.  I checked the gauge and found that we got one inch.  So now, that's 2 inches since June 30.

Just Jacob, Jason and me

Only three of us showed up at the park to run this evening, speedy Jacob and Jason and slow me.  I'm not sure how far they ran, but I ran 2.5 miles and they were finished when I got back.

Sluggish

I went to town this evening to work out and run.  Iron Works was closed and just after a heavy rain in town, I ran 2 sluggish miles on the streets.  I felt like I was running the last two miles of a marathon.  Maybe it was mental.  I went home to find that we had not gotten a drop of rain.

Wellness 5K and Sunday Night 5K

I got up early and drove to downtown Houston to run the Wellness 5K.  The temperature was in the high 80's with very high humidity.  I finished in 38:35, first in the 70 and over age group, because I was the only one.  My wife walked the course.  This evening, I drove down to The Woodlands to run the Sunday Night 5K.  Because of construction, the course was modified.  The race director said that it was 3.25.  I finished in 39:52.  This was my 56th race in 2015 and 818th race since I began racing in 1983.  Today was my 2,149th consecutive day of running.

CapRock 5K

I went over to College Station this morning to run the 1st Annual CapRock 5K at College Station High School.  I was surprised about the crowd; they had 369 finishers.  It was well organized, with nice finisher medals for a 5K.  I was the only male in the 70 and over age group, so I won first.  The prize was a $130 Garmin Activity Tracker for all age group winners.  My time was 39:15, a minute or two slower than normal.  It was probably due to the very high humidity.  After the race, I drove to the neighboring city, Bryan, and had breakfast at my favorite Mexican restaurant, CoCoLoCo.  Then, I stopped by a store to get some stuff for my wife.  After that, I drove to a drug store in Conroe to pick up my wife's prescription.  It was after lunch before I got home.

Laps

With 3 races this weekend, I ran laps at the track this afternoon.  My wife and had lunch in town today.  When we came out of the restaurant, it was raining.  Of course, none at my house.  We have had on two 1/2 inch rains since June 30.  And, I am sure all that rain just went down into the cracks in my yard.

Back to the park

It was back to the park this evening for our normal Thursday trail run.  I ran 3 miles on the trails, while the others ran 3.5 and finished before I did.  Oh, the benefits of being a senior citizen.

Finished measuring the new trails at the park

I went out to the park late this morning and finished measuring the new trails on the Federal land adjacent to the park.  I walked about 6.5 miles with an engineer wheel.  If I was smart, I would have waited for the weekend when the bikers were on the trail to break the spider webs across the trail.  I must have run into 100's.  I also got bitten by a tick and several deer flies and walked passed a snake.  I never saw another person on the trails.  However, I got it done and hopefully my measurements will benefit race directors and runners who use the trails in the future.  I am not use to walking and was tired this evening.  After Iron Works, I went over to the track and ran laps.  It was my 2,145th consecutive day of running.

Park roads

It rained all around Huntsville this afternoon, but none at my house.  So, that's two 1/2 inch rains since June 30.  I got to the park this evening and decided, instead of trails, to run 3 miles on the park roads.