Slept in

After getting up early 4 days in a row for races, I slept in this morning.  Had a lot of things to do today and did not get to Iron Works and running until it was late.  I managed to get in 2 miles on Veterans Memorial Parkway before it was totally dark.  I have a 5K and a 10-mile race coming up this weekend.

Wellness 5K Katy

I got up early this morning and drove 92 miles down to Katy to run the Wellness 5K.  My friend, John Slate, was there and also Jon Walk.  Jon and I ran it together and he probably pushed me.  We solved a lot of world problems while we were running.  I finished in 37:07, which is probably my fastest 5K in several months.  This was my 80th race for 2015.

Leftover Turkey 5K

We had our club's annual Leftover Turkey Run this morning.  I had visiting family, so I opted for the 5K, instead of the 10K.  All this holiday eating really shows.  It is a hilly course, but I still finished in 40:10.  Too slow.  After the race, I met the family down at the Cafe Texan for breakfast.  Then, most of the family left early this afternoon, so I went to the Sam Houston State - Southern Utah football game in the cold, rain and wind.  I made it until half time and then left.

Friends of the Running Community 5K

My friends, Jon Walk and Bill Dwyer, put on a special 5K in The Woodlands this morning to complete the Montgomery County Triple Series.  They called the Friends of the Running Community 5K.  The first in the series was the Run Thru the Woods 5-Miler yesterday and the last is the Run the Woodlands 5K tomorrow.  After eating so much yesterday, I really felt sluggish and my time showed it.  I finished in 40:48.  It was non-competitive and I had a great time visiting some good friends.  They gave me bib number 78 to mark my 78th race this year.  This afternoon, I drove 75 miles over to Somerville for another family get-together with my daughter-in-law's family.  More food and we have a club run at 9 a.m. tomorrow in the cold and rain.

Run Thru the Woods 5-Miler

For the 14th straight year, I went to The Woodlands this morning to run the Run Thru the Woods 5-Miler.  There were thousands of runners and it seems to grow every year.  It was relatively warm and humid compared to lately, but tolerable.  I finished in 1:04:56.  This evening, I went back to look at my time last year and found that I never logged the race.  However, I found my time online and it was 1:00:47 last year.  I was a little slower this year, but for the first time in 14 years running this race, I placed.  Got 3rd in the 70-74.  I think the fast guys moved up to the 75-79 age group.  I would have been 4th in that age group.  I got to visit with a lot of friends and that always makes for a good race.  This was my 77th race this year, 840th since I started racing and it was my 2,230th consecutive day of running.

Friday routine on Wednesday

Friday is my usual rest day, with laps at the track.  Since I have a 5-mile race tomorrow (Thursday), a 5K on Friday, 10K on Saturday and a 5K on Sunday, I went to the track this afternoon and 1.3 miles on the streets from the track.  Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Rocky Raccoon and Hog's Hunt

I received an email today from my friend, Paul Stone of Tyler, who has directed the Rocky Raccoon 50K/25K (late Fall) and Hog's Hunt 50K/25K (Spring) at Huntsville State Park for many years.  I have either run or volunteered at both every year.  He told me that he will no longer be putting on these races.  However, he is trying to get someone to take over.  Hope he is successful.  I have enjoyed running and working with Paul over the years.  He is a first class act.  (This does not have anything to do with the Rocky Raccoon 100 and 50-Mile races in February, which are put on by someone else.)
In the meantime, it was me, Jason and Glenn at the park tonight.  I ran 3 miles on the trails.

Started new shoes

I took a new pair of shoes out of the box and ran 2 miles on the roads around the campus this evening.  The last pair lasted for 47 days, but were really worn out.  During that 47 days, I ran 178 miles.

Slept in

My wife woke me up at 10 this morning with just enough time to get ready for church.  After watching football early this afternoon, I went out to the park and ran 2 miles on the trails.  I ran into a large doe on the trail.  She stood there until I got about 15 feet from her and then she ran up the trail aways and waited on me.  As I approached her again, she took off again up the trail.  After doing that four times, she finally left the trail.  Years ago, we frequently encountered deer on the trails, but now, it is seldom.

Three races today

I got up at 5 this morning and drove down to Bellaire on the south side of Houston to run the Fall Fever 5K.  The temperature was in the 60's and it rained off and on during the race.  I finished the very flat course in 38:38 and was 2nd of 4 in the 70 and over age group.  The age group award was a $15 gift certificate to Fleet Feet.  I also won a nice door prize, a $50 gift card to Fuddruckers.  After that race, I headed up to the west side of Houston and ran the Buffalo Brewery non-competitive 4.4-miler at 11 a.m.  I finished in 58:40.  There was no rain during the race, but it had obviously been raining hard before the race. I had a couple beers and a nice visit with some friends and a couple of officials from Houston Marathon, the course director and the pace group coordinator.  I did not get back to Huntsville until 3:30.this afternoon.  I picked up friends, Donna and Maddie, and we drove to Lufkin for the Twilight 5K, which started in total darkness at 6:30 p.m.  The weather was clear, but it was windy and the temperature in was in the low 40's.  Maddie, who is on the Sam Houston State Tennis Team, was the fastest female and Donna came in first in her age group and was the second fastest female.  I finished in 38:12 and was 3rd in the 60 and over age group.  After the race, we ate dinner at the Cotton Patch and then drove back to Huntsville.  I did not get home until about 11 p.m.  A long day.  Tonight was my 76th race in 2015.

Sleepless

With my sinus issue, a lot of coughing and some other issues, I hardly got any sleep last night.  Then, I had to attend an all-morning meeting in the Woodlands.  I tried to nap this afternoon, but could not.  With three races tomorrow, I ran laps at the track this afternoon.  I am going to try to go to bed early tonight.  Looks like the first two races will be in the rain and the third one in the cold.

Sinus Infection

I had a fever last night and was lucky to get a noon appointment with the doc today.  I told him that I was there for my annual sinus infection.  He prescribed antibiotics and other pills.  I slept most of the afternoon and then went out to the park this evening.  I ran 2 miles on the trails and feel much better tonight.  I have two races in Houston Saturday morning and one in Lufkin Saturday night.  It looks like a new front is coming through, so the weather may be a little funky.

2,222

Today was my 2,222nd consecutive day of running.  I suppose I could have run 22.22 miles to celebrate, but I have sinus problems and spent much of the day in bed.  I did go out on Veterans Memorial Parkway this evening and run 2.222 miles.  My GPS does not have the 4th digit, so I had to wing it.

The cracks in my yard are officially closed

This morning, we had the heaviest rainfall since I moved into my current home 10 years ago; maybe even the heaviest since I moved to Huntsville 30 years ago.  My 5 1/4-inch rain gauge was overflowing.  The cracks in my yard from the late summer drought are now officially closed.  It stopped raining this afternoon and I went out to the park and ran 2 miles on the park roads.

Running late

It was late before I got a chance to workout and run.  After Iron Works, I ran out and back on Veterans Memorial Parkway.  I managed to get in 1.5 miles before it was totally dark.

Texas Road Romp Half Marathon

I got up at 4:30 this morning and drove 130 miles to Waco to run the Texas Road Romp Half Marathon.  The temperature was in the 50's and 60's with no rain.  The course has about five miles of steep hills.  I was determined not to walk a step during the race and I accomplished that.  I finished in 2:57:50 and was 3rd in my age group.  After the race, I tried to take a nap in my truck, but could not doze off.  So, I went to a restaurant in Waco for lunch and then drove back to Huntsville.  This was my 73rd race in 2015.  If all goes as planned, I should end up with about 85 races.

Run the Woodlands 5K

There were a lot of races around this morning, but I opted to go down to The Woodlands for the $1 Run the Woodlands 5K.  Cool and clear weather and I finished in 38:43.  I am running in Waco tomorrow morning, but because of the Oklahoma/Baylor game tonight, there is not a room available anywhere in the area.  So, I have to get up real early in the morning and make the 2+ hour drive to Waco.

Friday laps

With a couple races this weekend, I ran laps at the track this afternoon.

Winding down

With two races this weekend, I started winding down today.  We had a running club meeting this evening, so I went out to the park earlier this afternoon and ran 2 miles on the trails.

Veterans Day

In anticipation of rain this evening, I went out to the park late this morning to run trails.  As I was sitting at the park gate, I happened to look at my watch.  The time was 11 minutes and 11 seconds past 11 a.m. 11/11.  Since its Veterans Day, I will post my veteran photo from 31 years ago.  I suppose I should have run 11 miles today, but I only ran 4.

Run, only

I had some guys over late this afternoon to service my aerobic system (home sewer plant in my backyard).  So, I never made it to Iron Works.  I went straight to the park and ran 3 miles on the trails.  Two races coming up this weekend, a 5K and a half marathon.

Nice day for running

It was clear today and the temperature in the 60's.  Nice day for running.  After Iron Works, I ran a 2-mile loop around the campus.  If I was training for something, it would have been a good day for a long run.

Back to the park

With nice sunny weather this afternoon, I went back out to the park and ran 2.5 miles on the trails.

Rocky Raccoon 25K

For the 15th straight year, I ran the Rocky Raccoon Trail Run at Huntsville State Park this morning.  For some of those years, I ran the 50K, but for today and recent years, the 25K.  The temperature throughout the race was in the low 60's, but for most of the race it rained.  Lots of water and in some places, slippery mud.  My hamstring was fine, but I never tripped or fell.  That must a first for me at that distance on the trails.  I finished in 4:26:47, compared to 4:12 last year.  There was no age group competition, but I was the oldest runner at the event.

Busy day

I went down to Houston this morning to attend the funeral of a good friend's father.  Great family and I got to meet more of them.  On the way back, I stopped in Tomball and had lunch with my son.  Got back at 3 p.m. and went to the track and ran laps.  Then, I went to the rental store to rent tables for the Rocky Raccoon Trail Run tomorrow, picked up another table and the canopy from our club storage place and went to the State Park.  I drove to the back corner of the park and put up the canopy and left a table.  It was totally dark by the time I got out of the woods.  The forecast is for rain all morning tomorrow.  It's gonna be a fun race.

Tapering

I guess you can say that I am tapering for the 25K trail run on Saturday.  I went out to the park and ran 2 miles on the park roads.  I am still hesitant about running trails.  Saturday will be test.

Three on Veterans

After Iron Works this evening, I ran 3 miles on the sidewalk along Veterans Memorial Parkway.  Dana was the only other club member running there and I ran into her as I was going out and she was coming back in.  The hamstring seems to be improving.  I have a 25K trail race this Saturday and that will be a big test.

Two trips to the park

I made a couple trips to the state park this afternoon.  The first trip was with an engineer wheel to measure for a turnaround point for the Rocky Raccoon Trail Run this Saturday.  The second trip was to meet up with the group this evening.  I ran 2 miles on the park roads.  With my hamstring still tentative, I am hesitant about running the trails just yet.

Avenues

I was a little tired today from the weekend.  After Iron Works this evening, I ran an unplanned route in the hilly avenues.  It turned out to be 1.7 miles.

Texas 10 Series Katy and Sunday Night 5K

I made it an hour and a half down to Katy this morning for the Texas 10 Series 10-mile race.  An old friend ran the first 5-mile loop with me, but he was only doing the 5-mile race.  It rained for much of the race, especially the second loop.  My time was 2:23:12, 3rd place in the 70 and over age group.  The hamstring held up okay.  I got back to Huntsville just in time for church.  I then headed down to The Woodlands through heavy rain for the Sunday Night 5K, which I ran with my friend, Jon Walk.  We finished in 38:40.  This evening's race was my 70th race in 2015.