Saturday race cancelled

This morning's 5K in Willis was cancelled due to storms.  I was sort of relieved because I was not sure how my pulled hamstring would react to trails.  I went over to Veterans Memorial Parkway this afternoon and ran one mile on the concrete sidewalk.  No sharp pains from the hamstring, but I am apprehensive about tomorrow's 10 miler.

Weekend in question

I ran laps at the track today and was disappointed that the hamstring hurt while running.  I am suppose to run a 5K trail run in Willis tomorrow morning, but there is a 95% chance of heavy thunderstorms at race time and for the next 2 or 3 hours.  They will decide whether to cancel it at 6:30 tomorrow morning.  Then, I have the 10-mile Texas 10 Series in Katy Sunday morning.  Now, I am wondering about the hamstring holding up for that distance.

Another 2

While the hamstring is healing, I ran another 2 miles on the park roads this evening.  Three-race weekend coming up, one 10-miler and 2-5K's.

Being careful

I have been cautious the last couple of days, hoping not to re-pull or tear the hamstring.  After Iron Works, I met up with the group (me and Steve) behind the Mall.  I ran 2 miles out and back along Veterans Memorial Parkway.  I have been trying to burn out a tree stump in my backyard for 2 days.  Now, my wife is ill from the smoke.  Today was our 48th anniversary, but she did not feel well enough to eat out.  She really puts up a lot with me, but she supports my running streak - at least she tolerates it.

Nursing the hamstring pull

Depending on how I moved today, the hamstring hurt.  I skipped Iron Works this evening and went directly to the park.  I ran 2 miles on the smooth park roads without pain.  A trip on a root on the trail would probably be extremely painful and cause more hamstring damage.  In any case, today was my 2,200th consecutive day of running.

Injury

Looks like I pulled a hamstring.  I was getting out of my truck this evening and stepped down wrong.  I felt a pull in my right hamstring where is connects to the hip.  It really hurts, depending on which way I move.  So, after working out at Iron Works, I went to the track and managed to get in a slow and steady mile without too much pain.  Depending on how it feels tomorrow, I may go to the doctor and start therapy treatments.  I have three races this weekend, one of which is the Texas 10 Series 10 Miler in Katy on Sunday.  Sure can't miss that one.

Rained most of the day

No complaining, but it rained most of today.  Tomorrow, I will have to check and see if those big cracks in my yard have closed up.  I still felt a little beat up after the half marathon yesterday, so I ran 1.3 on the streets in town this afternoon - in the rain.

Race for Success Half Marathon

I drove an hour and a half over to Lufkin this morning to run the Race for Success Half Marathon at 8 a.m.  I expected to cut some time off last Saturday's Huntsville Half Marathon, but it did not happen.  The rain held off until after the race, but the humidity was virtually at 100%.  I ran every step of the race and tried to take on 2 cups of water at every aid station, but in the end I was dehydrated.  I really got dizzy after the race and drank 4 bottles of water.  I eventually felt okay to drive home.  My time was around 3:12 and I was last in the race.  I'm not sure how many finishers there were, but they 59 registered runners before the race.  The last couple miles, the high school cross country team jumped in and ran to the finish with me.  I enjoyed visiting with them.  It was great seeing a lot of my Lufkin friends and thanks to Cindy Sosa Springs, Sara Neal and Steve Allen for "watering me down" after the race and making sure I was okay.  I really feel drained this evening and have a blister on my toe, too.  Glad I do not have another race tomorrow.  The good news is that it rained all the way home and has been raining in Huntsville ever since.  My rain gauge says 4 inches and it is suppose to rain all night tonight and all day tomorrow.  I hate that the people in Mexico had to under Hurricane Patricia, but we appreciate the rain that it brought.

Laps

As I normally do on Friday, I ran laps at the track this afternoon.  Tomorrow's half marathon should be interesting with storms coming through the area.  We had a whopping quarter inch of rain this morning.

Unfulfilled promises of rain

It was suppose to rain today.  In fact, earlier today the forecast was for 100% at 5 p.m.  None at my house.  Maybe tomorrow.  I got up early this morning for an 8 a.m. consultation appointment at Physical Therapy Associate.  My left knee is giving me problems and I needed some advice on how to stabilize the knee cap.  I bought a strap and started wearing it for my run today.  In anticipation of rain, I went to the park early today and ran 2 miles on the park roads, followed by a workout at Iron Works, where it rained hard for about 1 minute.

Dehyrdration

For some reason, I became dehyrdrated late this morning.  I started losing my vision, so I drank 3 bottles of water and felt somewhat better.  I laid around much of the day and then ran 2 miles on Veterans Memorial Parkway and worked out at Iron Works.

It is finally suppose to rain

After weeks on no rain, we are suppose to get some this week.  I am running a half marathon in Lufkin on Saturday and the chances of rain are 90%.  It is so dry, I would even welcome running in the rain.  After Iron Works this evening, I ran 3 miles on the state park roads.

Day 1 of my 7th year

I had a busy day getting information together for the running column I write for the local paper and a bunch of followup treasurer work for our club's half marathon on Saturday.  I finally got to Iron Works and then a 2-mile run on the campus streets.  It was day 1 of my 7th year of streaking.

6 Years

Today marked completion of 6 years without missing a day of running.  I had family visiting today.  After Mass this morning, I spent some time at our church bazaar and then went to Houston to attend a birthday party.  I got back late this evening and then went to the track to run laps.  My last streak and my longest was 6 years, 9 months and 18 days.  I look forward to going beyond that point.

Huntsville Half Marathon

I ran the 37th Annual Huntsville Half Marathon this morning.  Beautiful clear weather in the 60's and 70's.  I finished in 2:59:59 and took 2nd in the 70 and over age group.  Yes, there was only 2 of us.  It's nice to have a prison in town to make license plate awards.  My time last year was 2:54:02, but I was about 10 pounds lighter then.  This was my 67th race this year, 829th lifetime race and 2,190th consecutive day of running.

Laps

After hauling two pallets of potting soil this morning, without breaking the springs on my truck, I ran laps at the track.  Guess I'm ready for the half tomorrow.  Gonna be hot.

Early park run

I had some time to spare mid-way through the afternoon, so I went out to the park and ran 3.5 miles on the trails.  Busy weekend coming up.  Family and friends coming in tomorrow night, half marathon Saturday morning and a birthday party in Houston Sunday afternoon.  My wife is in charge of the plant sale at the Church Bazaar on Sunday.  I have to get up early tomorrow and go to the Scott's Company and pick up two pallet loads of potting soil and deliver them to the church.  I have to make two trips and get them to the church for the inmates to unload before they leave at 9 a.m.  I sure do not want to unload them myself.

Veterans Memorial Parkway 5K

A bunch of us met up this evening and ran the 5K course out and back along Veterans Memorial Parkway.  My next race is the Huntsville Half Marathon this Saturday.

Just me and Jason at the park

Jason and I were the only ones who showed up at the park this evening.  I ran 2.5 miles on the trails and he ran farther and finished when I got back.  With no rain for weeks, the sand is deep on parts of the trail.

Tired Monday

I was tired today, but am not sure if it was from the races this weekend or all the travel.  Maybe, some of both.  I stayed busy all day with different projects.  This evening, I worked out at Iron Works and then ran 2 miles on the streets around the campus.

Texas 10 Series Fort Worth

After getting home from the 10 miler in The Woodlands yesterday, I took a nap and then drove 2 hours+ plus up to Tyler for a family get-together.  At 7 p.m., I left there for another 2-hour+ drive to Fort Worth to run the Texas 10 Series this morning.  It was suppose to be a 10-mile course on the gravel and concrete walkways along the Trinity River.  Somebody messed up the course and everyone ran a course that was 8.7 miles.  In any case, I was 2nd of 2 in the 70 and over age group, with a time of 2:00:45. I got beat by the young 71 year old guy in the photo. However, being over 70, we got exempted from climbing the high steps of the podium.

10 for Texas

I ran the 10 for Texas in The Woodlands this morning.  I finished in 2:20:11, compared to 2:07:12 last year.  It was probably warmer this year, but I am also 9 pounds heavier this year.  This was my 65th race this year.  I just found out that my two competitors for the most races in 2015 are at 52 and 49.

Friday mile

With a 10-mile race in the morning, I ran a little over a mile on the roads this afternoon.  Earlier, I drove down to The Woodlands to pick up my packet.  Nearly 3,000 runners are signed up, so I opted to avoid race-day packet pickup.  Besides, gas is relatively cheap now.

Park roads, again

After Iron Works this evening, I went out to the park and ran 5 miles up and down on the park road hills.  This Saturday, I will be running the 10 for Texas in The Woodlands.  I ran this race in the late 80's before it was discontinued and brought back in 2006.  I ran the race on October 15, 1988 in 1:25:16 (my PR for 10 miles).  I was 47 then, but still wonder how I ran that fast.

New shoes

I put on new running shoes this evening and ran 2 miles on Veterans Memorial Parkway.  My last pair lasted 51 days.  With all the long runs coming up, I doubt that my new pair will last that long.

2,500

Well, this is my 2,500th post since starting this blog on April 19, 2008.  I suppose blogging was popular back then and has since been replaced by Facebook for most people.  Jon Walk and Katy Lampson encouraged me to start a blog.  While it is probably the most boring blog in the system, it seems to help me be more accountable for my running.  So, it goes on.
I got the stitches out of my neck/jaw this afternoon.  Then, the doctor says that the pathology report indicates that the thing he removed was not cancer.  Instead, it was a enlarged oil gland.  I did not know that I have those.  In any case, I went out to the park this evening and ran 3 miles on the trails.

Around the campus

It seems like every Monday, I run 2 miles on the streets around the campus.  Today was no exception.  It is nice to have the cooler temperature.  Looking forward to two 10-milers this weekend.

Audie Murphy Hero 5K and Sunday Night 5K

Friday afternoon, I drove up to Wylie to spend the weekend with my my and his family.  We went to the high school football game that night.  I could not believe how cold it was (low 50's)  sitting in those stands.  It was a good thing I brought my jacket.  I got up early Saturday morning and drove 16 miles up to Farmersville to run the Audie Murphy Hero 5K.  For those who may not know who Audie Murphy was, he was the most decorated soldier in WWII.  After the war, he became a movie start.  He starred in his own biography, To Hell and Back, and many westerns.  Farmersville was his hometown.  It was a nice small 5K in the middle of a local festival.  Probably 30 to 40 runners.  The course was a single loop around the town and the temperature was perfect for running.  I finished in 37:57 and was first in the 70 and over age group (yes, I was the only one).  After the 3-hour drive back down to Huntsville this afternoon, I drove down to The Woodlands to run the Sunday Night 5K.  Because of construction, the course had to be modified.  It turned out to be 2.9 miles.  My friend, Jon Walk, and I ran together and we finished in 34:48.  This was my 64th race this year;  my 826 lifetime race and my 2,177th consecutive day of running.

Friday routine

With a 5K tomorrow morning, I ran laps this morning.  Nice cool weather.

Park roads, again

I am a little leery of running trails with 10 stitches on my jaw, so I ran 3 miles on the park roads this evening.