Summing up 2016

I managed to get through 2016 without any serious illnesses or injury.  The streak will continue into 2017 with a half marathon tomorrow.  I ran laps this afternoon to rest up..

During 2016, I ran 79 races, down from 88 last year.  That's a total of 928 races since I started racing in 1983.  I hope to reach my goal of 1,000 in 2017.  Races completed in 2016:

Half Marathons - 17
10 Milers - 6
10K - 7
5-Milers - 2
5K - 47

Six days in a row on the trails

Tomorrow is Saturday and I do not have a race until Sunday.  So, I went out to the park this afternoon and ran 4 miles on the trails.  The temperature was in the 50's.  Except for the race on Sunday, it would have been a good day for a longer run.

A little cooler

The temperature was down a little today.  It was 58 when I went to the park this evening.  I ran 2.5 miles on the trails.

Crowded park

After Iron Works this afternoon, I went out to the park and ran 3 miles on the trails.  Passed a lot of people hiking.  When I meet families hiking the opposite direction, I always tell them to watch out for the alligator laying across the trail up ahead.

Still have visiting family

I still have visiting family.  This morning, I had to make a trip to the Houston Airport, but this afternoon I made it to Iron Works and the park.  I ran 2.5 miles on the trails.

Trails again with Amie

My niece, Amie, and I ran again at the park this afternoon.  We ran 2.4 miles on the trails and roads, mostly on the trails.  Can't believe this nearly 80-degree weather in late December.

Christmas day

Merry Christmas.  I had a lot of family in today, but this afternoon, I went out to the park with my visiting niece, Amie, and we ran 3.5 miles on the trails.

Run the Woodlands 5K

I went down to The Woodlands this morning and ran the Run the Woodlands 5K.  I finished in 36:54 and got to visit with some good friends.  This was my 79th and last race in 2016.

Short trail run

Being that it is Friday and I have a 5K tomorrow morning, I went to the park this afternoon and ran 2 miles on the trails.

More nice weather

After the cold weekend, it has been short-sleeve weather this week.  The trails at the park are in good shape.  I ran 2.5 miles this evening - and then started my Christmas shopping tonight.

Early trail run

I went out to the park earlier than normal this afternoon and ran 4 miles on the trails.  Nice running weather.

Last column

I have been writing a column on running twice a month for the Huntsville Item.  Today's column was my final after 10 years.  The column is on the paper's web site, but here is a link to the column and all previous ones on the Seven Hills Running Club web site http://7hills.us/RunningShorts.htm
It has been an honor to promote the sport of running in our county.  It has helped motivate me and hopefully, it has done the same for others.  When I started, there were few race results to report.  Now, they take up most of every column.  My friend, Darren Grant, will take over the column, but I will still compile the race results section.  Just don't know what I am going to do with all the spare time.
In the meanwhile, this afternoon, I worked out at Iron Works and then ran 2 miles on the park roads.

Back to the park

After working out at Iron Works this afternoon, I went back out to the park and ran 2.5 miles on the trails.  It was 41 degrees, but no wind like yesterday.

Santa Hustle Half Marathon

I drove down to Galveston yesterday for the Santa Hustle Half Marathon this morning.  This was my 3rd consecutive year for running this race.  I am still trying to thaw out.  The temperature was 41 degrees during the race with a constant 30 mph north wind.  The course was basically down and back on Seawall Blvd.  The first half was going south, but coming back was brutal.  At times, I felt like I was going to blow over and during gusts, I almost came to a halt.  After the race, the long walk back to my car was worse.  I finished in 2:52:19 and was 3rd of 5 in the 70 and over age group.  This was my 78th race in 2016.

Saturday laps

This is one of the few Saturdays of the year that I do not have a race.  I went to the track this morning and ran laps.  Windy, but it is suppose to be windier tomorrow - and colder.

Back to the park

With no race tomorrow morning, I went to the park this afternoon and ran 2.5 miles on the trails - mostly in a light rain.

The Nelsons

Ten years ago, I met Dave Nelson and his high school daughter, Heather, at the Willis Wildkat 5K in Willis.  Dave was wearing an old Huntsville Half Marathon T-shirt, a race I was then directing.  We struck up a conversation, which eventually led to my talking about my running streak.  A year later, Dave contacted me by email and said that on the way home from Willis, he and Heather talked about my streak.  They decided to start one that day.  He wanted to let me know that they just completed their first year.  Since then, we have kept in touch and I have run into them at a couple races.  Heather went on to graduate from high school and college.  She is now married and working as s school teacher.  I missed 4 days in October 2009 and had to start a new streak, which is now over 7 years.  Today, Dave and Heather reached the 10-year mark on their streak.  Congratulations to them.  I am proud to had a small part of their motivation to start streaking.  I say a small part, because, as we streakers know, the motivation to run every single day has to come within.  I am borrowing their photo from FB and am including it with this post.
After working out at Iron Works this afternoon, I went to the park and ran 3 miles on the trails.  Beautiful weather.

Looking ahead

This Sunday, I am running the Santa Hustle Half Marathon in Galveston.  The temperature is suppose to be in the 40's (that's fine), but a 27 mph north wind is in the forecast.  Most of the course is south and north on Seawall Blvd.  The south part sounds good.  This is going to be fun.
My sinuses felt better today.  Thank goodness they are not infected.  After Iron Works this evening, I went to the park and ran trails.  I did not wear my GPS and I ran a different course than usual.  My distance was at least 2.5 miles.

Sinus congestion continues

I still felt lousy today and napped on the couch.  However, I did workout at Iron Works and run 3 miles on the roads at the park.  It's funny how you seem to feel better after running.

Sinus problems

My annual sinus problems started a little late this year, but they have come on strong.  I picked up some stuff from the drug store and then slept for much of the afternoon.  Then, I went to work out at the new Iron Works (first day open at their new location) and went to the park and ran 2.5 mile on the trails.  The park was closed part of last week for squirrel hunting.  The lady at the gate said that they got a total of 28 squirrels.  When I started on the trail, I immediately saw two squirrels.

BCS Half Marathon

I ran the BCS Half Marathon in College Station this morning and finished in 3:00:16.  This was considerably slower than my last couple of halfs.  I felt tired to begin with.  Maybe it was from those two 5K's yesterday, lack of sleep, all the driving, or a combination of the above.  The temperature was up in the 60's, compared to the high 20's for the 5K in Lufkin yesterday.  In any case, I was 4th of 7 in the 70 and over age group.  This was my 80th half marathon.

Reindeer 5K and Jingle Bell 5K

I got up early and drove an hour and a half over to Lufkin to run the Reindeer 5K at the Lufkin Zoo.  I finished in 35:38 and was 5th of 7 in the 60 and over age group.  Had a nice visit with several good friends, including Leesha Stringer and Jimmie Jones.  From there, I drove an hour south to Livingston to run the Jingle Bell 5K at noon.  I finished in 36:15 and was 2nd in the 60 and over age group.  Then, I made the hour drive back to Huntsville for a shower before driving another hour west to College Station to pick up my packet for the half marathon tomorrow.

Laps

With 2 races tomorrow, I went to the track today and ran laps.

Waterway Jingle Bell Run

I took my daughter and granddaughter down to the airport in Houston for their trip back home to Chicago this afternoon.  On the way back, I stopped in The Woodlands to run the annual Waterway Jingle Bell Run at 6:30 p.m.  This is a non-competitive run along the well-lit waterway.  There were a couple course options, but I ran the 2.8-mile course in 35:25.  They had refreshments at Luke's Locker Running Store after the run and I got to visit with some good friends.  My visiting family are gone now; it is quiet for the first time in a week or so.  Three races coming up this weekend.

Visiting family

I still have visiting family.  More flew into the Huntsville airport this morning.  I drove them back to the airport this evening and then got in a 2-mile run on Veterans Memorial Parkway as it was getting dark.

Park closed

The state park is closed for 3 days this week for hunting, so I had to break my winter habit.  I ran a 2-mile loop around campus this evening just as it was getting dark.  The heavy traffic reminded me of why I have been running at the park when the students are in town.

Cold and rainy

It was cold and rainy most of the day.  After Iron Works, I went to the park and ran 2 miles on the park roads in the rain.

Sunday Night 5K

I was suppose to run the Texas 10 Series Katy 10-Miler this morning.  I got up at 4:30 a.m. and left the house at 5 for the hour and a half drive down to Katy.  While backing out of my driveway, I got a call telling me that the race was cancelled due to storms and possible flooding in the area.  I went back to bed, but it took a while to get back to sleep after having downed a cup of coffee.  I did drive down to The Woodlands this evening for the Sunday Night 5K.  The rain let up for the race, but the temperature was about 50.  Jon Walk and I ran together and I finished in 35:30.  It was my fastest Sunday Night 5K since October of last year.

Rain all day

It rained pretty much all day.  My house is full of family (24 at the moment), but I slipped out this morning for a rare 1-mile + run in my neighborhood.  I have a 10-mile race tomorrow morning and it will be cold and rainy, plus I have to get up real early.

Got in a run

I did not get back from the airport until 2 this morning.  After getting up late this morning, I slipped away and went to the park and ran 2.5 miles on the trails.  It is suppose to be a cold and rainy weekend and I have 2 races on Sunday.

Calm before the storm

Today is probably the calm before the storm.  I will have a lot of family at my house for the next few days.  In fact, I have to drive down to Houston tonight to meet an incoming flight at 11:30.  Routine day for running, though.  After Iron Works, I met up with the group and ran 2.5 miles on the trails.