Hot, humid and horse flies

It was hot and humid running at the park this evening and I got bit 3 times by horse flies.  Plus, I had to climb over fallen trees a couple times. It was not comfortable, but I got in 2.5 miles on the trails.

Hosted our club run today

Our club's annual Memorial Day 5K & 1-Mile Run/Walk was at my house today.  We had about 100 runners and all seem to have a good time.  I got up early and put out the signs and cones and took photos during the race.  Then, after the race, I took all the equipment over to the club storage place and then worked on getting the photos and results posted.  I finally found time to run.  I ran my 2-mile loop around the campus this evening.

Run with my niece

My niece is here from Houston for the weekend and the annual club race at my house tomorrow.  She and I ran the 2-mile loop around the campus this evening.

Run the Woodlands 5K

While all my visiting family were still asleep this morning, I got up early and went down to The Woodlands to run the Run the Woodlands 5K.  It was my first race at age 75, even though they do not have age group competition at this race.  I finished in 36:38.  This was my 31st race in 2016.  Last year at this time, I was up to 28 and finished the year with 88.

Another rainy day

I rode down to Tomball with my youngest son and his wife and spent the day with them while they bought a new truck from Tomball Dodge.  There were heavy rains all afternoon and lots of flooding, especially on the service roads along I-45.  It took us nearly 3 hours to get back to Huntsville.  We got home about 6 p.m.  I went over to Veterans Memorial Parkway and ran 1-mile+; there was still some lightning in the area.  This was my 2,413th consecutive day of running.

Stormy day

It rained and stormed all day.  Lots of rain and lightning.  I gave up on running outside.  Instead, I ran the treadmill at Iron Works.  This was the first time in over a year that I ran on a treadmill.  Curtis posted on FB that he got in a run at the park.  While he was running a large tree fell over on the park road and he had to wait 2 hours for them to removed the tree so he could go home.

Trip to Conroe

I drove my wife down to Conroe for a late afternoon doctor's appointment.  So, I did not work out at Iron Works until later this evening.  Afterwards, I ran a 2-mile loop on the streets around the campus.  Busy weekend coming up.  I have relatives coming in for next few days and then I am hosting the club's annual Memorial Day 5K at my house on Monday.  We had 135 runners last year.

Horse flies are out

Usually, the biting horse flies are out at the park from May 1 through the end of July.  Here it is, late May, and they are finally out.  I ran 2.5 miles on the trails and managed not to get bit.  Maybe it was the deep woods OFF or I am too fast.

Moved the decimal point

Today was my 75th birthday.  If I was not such a wimp, I would have run 75 miles to celebrate.  Instead, I moved the decimal point and made it 7.5 miles.  With the temperature in the 80's and the nothing but hills on the Veterans Memorial Parkway course, the challenge was sufficient.

Last day on the old computer

I'm suppose to pick up my new computer tomorrow.  My old one has Windows XP and many of my programs will not work on a later operating system.  My new computer is being built from scratch and it will have two operating systems, Windows XP and Windows 10.  I can switch back and forth between the two.  So, I will not have to buy new programs.  We'll see how it works out.
      This afternoon, I ran a 2-mile loop on the roads around the empty campus.

Five-O 5K Color Run

I do not normally do color runs, but I did not want to pass up an opportunity to support our local Police Officer Association, which put on the run.  It was non-competitive and un-timed and the course was long.  Someone said that their GPS said 3.3 miles.  In any case, according to my watch, I finished in 40:53.  It was a good chance to visit with a lot of friends.

Short road run

When I have a race on Saturday, I usually run laps at the track on Friday.  There was plenty of standing water on the track this afternoon, so I ran a 1.3-mile loop on the roads.

Rainy day

It rained in Huntsville most of today.  Jason, Glen and I showed up to run trails at the park this evening.  Curtis had just finished.  After talking to him, we decided to run the park roads.  I ran 2.3 miles.
         The race results from my 5K in Plano on Sunday were finally posted today.  Immediately after the race, the timer said that I was 4th in the 70 and over age group, so I did not hang around for the awards ceremony.  The results posted today indicates that I was 1st of 5 in the age group.  It is not that I am getting fast; there was just a bunch old walkers.

Unplanned Avenue Course

After Iron Works this evening, I ran a completely unplanned loop course in the hilly avenues.  It turned out to be 2.8 miles.

Here it is after midnight

I was just getting ready to go to bed and realized that I had not posted today.  Not much to post. I worked out at Iron Works and ran 2.5 miles on the trails at the park.  Very humid.

Road run

After doing yard work for much of the day, I worked out at Iron Works and then ran 2 miles on the roads around the campus.

Free to Breathe 5K

Friday afternoon, I drove up to Wylie to spend the weekend with family.  I got in a 1-mile+ run on the roads in Wylie Saturday morning.  Then, this morning, I drove over to Plano to run the Free to Breathe 5K.  I finished in 37:35.  I am not sure how many runners were in the 70 and over age group, but I was 4th.  In any case, it was my 880th race and 2,401st consecutive day of running.

Veterans Memorial Parkway 5K course

I ran the Veterans Memorial Parkway 5K course late this morning.  The temperature was in the 80's, but it seemed hotter.

Getting into the summer routine

It is officially getting hot in Texas.  I have no long races lined up for the summer, except for a 11.5K in July.  Lots of 5K's.  This evening, I met the group at the park and ran 2.5 miles on the trails.

Houston most of the day

I spent most of the day in Houston.  My son was having some tests run and they put him under general anesthesia.  I got back to Huntsville this evening in time for a workout at Iron Works and a road run around Huntsville.  My unplanned route turned out to be 2.8 miles.

Back to the park

I did a lot of physical labor around my house this afternoon, so I had to go run to rest up.  I ran 2.5 miles on the trails and felt a lot better.

Nearly empty streets

With most of the college students gone, the streets around the campus are nearly empty.  So, rather than running trails today, I ran a 2-mile loop on the streets around the campus.

Sunday at the park

I went out to the park this afternoon and ran 2.5 miles on the trails, most of it in a light rain.

Fredonia 10K

I got up at 4:45 this morning for the 100-mile drive to Nacogdoches to run the Fredonia 10K.  While it was dark for most of the drive there, it is a scenic drive through the piney woods of Texas.  I finished in 1:16:11 and was 2 of 2 in the 70 and over age group.  Before leaving Nacogdoches, I had to take my wife to a plant sale someone told her about.  I caught a few z's while she was shopping.  From there, we drove 75 miles to Tyler for a family thing this evening.  In the meantime, I got a shower and a nap at my sister's place.  We made the 135-mile drive back to Huntsville tonight and got home at 10 p.m.  Long day.  In any case, the race this morning was my 879th race and my 2,393rd consecutive day of running.

Laps at the track

With a 10K race in the morning, I went to the track this afternoon and ran laps.

Waiting for the horse flies

Usually, the biting horse flies (or deer flies) come out at the state park on May 1st and harass the runners for 3 months.  Here it is the 5th of May and they are not out yet.  Maybe their little calendar got washed away in one of the recent heavy rains.  In any case, I met up with the group this evening and ran 2.5 miles on the trails.

Dinner at Chili's

My wife was tied up with something this evening, so I went alone to eat at Chili's.  It was the first time in a long time that I have been there.  Anyway, I was seated and did not know anyone at the tables around me.  I finished up my dinner, but could not get the pay thing on the table to accept my credit card.  The waiter came over and said that someone at another table, who had left, had paid for my meal.  I had no idea why and the waiter did not know either.  The only thing I can figure is that I was wearing an Army Marathon T-shirt.  Maybe they assumed that I had served in the Army and wanted to show their appreciation.  I did serve for 22 1/2 years.  It was the first time anyone ever paid for my dinner for that reason.  In any case, it was sure nice of them.  I wish I knew who they were so I could thank them.
Earlier this afternoon, I went out to the park and ran 3 miles on the trails.  In the last mile, running friends, Dana and Samantha, came whizzing past me.  Beautiful day for running.

Normal Tuesday park run

As I have for almost every Tuesday evening for over 20 years, I met the group at the park.  I ran 2.5 miles on the trails.

Solo park run

After Iron Works this evening, I went out to the park and ran 2.5 miles on the trails.  Never saw anyone else on the trails.  Nice quiet run, except for a hard trip and fall.

Sunday Night 5K

For the 71st time, I went down to The Woodlands this evening to run the monthly Sunday Night 5K.  My friend, Jon Walk, and I ran it together and we finished in 36:52.  That was 1 second faster than last month.