Avenues run

This afternoon, I ran an unplanned course through the hilly avenues.  It turned out to be 3.2 miles.

Catching up

Yesterday, my wife and I hosted our club's annual Memorial Day 5K & 1-Mile Run/Walk at my house.  It stormed Sunday night, but there was no rain Monday morning for the race.  I think the weather scared a lot of runners off.  We had 55 runners, compared to 90 last year.  With breakfast for everyone and the set up and take down of all the race stuff, it was a lot of work.  I was beat after taking everything down and putting it in storage.  I went to the track and ran 1.3 miles on the roads from there.  Today, I worked out at Iron Works and then met the group at the park.  I ran 2.5 miles on the trails and saw my first snake on the trails for this season.  I believe it was a rat snake.

Getting ready for tomorrow

Tomorrow, we are having our club's annual Memorial Day 5K & 1-Mile, starting and finishing in my driveway.  We usually have about 100 runners, plus family members and breakfast is served after the race.  So, there is a lot of work getting ready today and then a lot of work before the 8 a.m. start tomorrow.  There is a 60 percent chance of thunderstorms at 8. so that is a worry.
I took a break at 2 this afternoon and ran 2 miles on the roads around the campus.  Another hot and humid day.

Run the Woodlands 5K

For the 84th time, I ran the Run The Woodlands 5K.  Hot and humid and I finished in a slow 39:45.  It was the first time ever after about 175 or so races I ran in The Woodlands that I got attacked by biting horseflies.  I thought they were only at Huntsville State Park.  I got bit twice and they hurt.

New orthotics arrived

I picked up my new orthotics late this afternoon.  They feel much more comfortable than the old ones I have been wearing for the last 3 weeks or so.  I immediately went to the track and ran one mile to break them in for a 5K race tomorrow morning.

7-7-7

My running streak reached a minor milestone today.  With my 2.5-mile trail run at Huntsville State Park this evening, I have run every day for 7 years, 7 months and 7 days.  More importantly, I get my new orthotics tomorrow.  It has not been comfortable running in the real old ones I have been using the past few weeks.

Long day

I got up early this morning, picked up my son and drove down to Sugar Land for the first game of the Southland Conference Baseball Tournament between Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin.  They called the game after 7 and a half innings on the 10-run rule.  Sam won by a score of 13-1.  We stopped in Houston on the way back and had lunch with another son.  I finally got around to running this evening, but then I ran short of time due to a family dinner.  I managed to get in 2 miles on the park roads.

Trails in good shape

Even after the heavy rain yesterday, the trails at the park were in good shape.  The trails were so dry before the rain, it soaked in quickly.  Anyway, I ran 2.5 miles.

Heavy rain today

We had a much needed heavy rain this morning.  In fact, my 4-inch rain gauge was overflowing.  Later this afternoon, I worked out at Iron Works and then ran a completely unplanned course around town and the campus.  It turned out to be 2.8 miles.

Sunday morning run

My wife and I went to church yesterday evening, so I had my Sunday morning free.  I went out to the park and ran my normal 2.5-mile loop.  Usually, by this time of year the biting horse flies are out.  So far, they have not bothered me.  Maybe I am just running too fast.

Five-0 5K Color Run

I ran the Five-0 5K Color Run in Huntsville this morning.  I'm normally not into color runs, but it was put on by the Huntsville Police Department and I sure want to support them.  It was hot and humid and a hilly course and about 3.3 miles.  I finished in 42:15.  This was my 955th race and my 2,771st consecutive day of running.

Short Friday run

It's Friday and I have a race tomorrow.  I ran 1.3 miles on the roads in town this afternoon.

Back to the trails

I ran my 2.5-mile loop on the trails at the park this evening and carefully avoided the root (really a knot) that I tripped on day before yesterday.

Road run at the park

I was tired today from doing some plumbing work at the house.  All that up and down and back and forth to the tool box and to Home Depot.  So, I went to the park this afternoon and ran 2 miles on the park roads.

Took a fall

I ran my usual 2.5-mile loop on the trails at the park this evening.  I tripped on a root, took a fall and cut my left knee in the usual place.  After falling, I realized that I tripped on the same root that I tripped on about 3 weeks ago and cut my knee, which just finished healing.  I wonder how many times over the years that I cut that knee in the same place.  It keeps on healing.  I also wonder if some point it will not heal anymore and I have to get a skin replacement.

Late post

Here it is after midnight and I forgot to post.  After Iron Works this afternoon, I ran 2.5 miles on the trails at the park.  I did not see anyone else on the trails - nor any creatures.

Sunday at the park

I had family coming in this afternoon for Mother's Day, so I went out to the park late this morning and ran 2.5 miles on the trails.  The trails were crowded with people taking their mother for a hike.

Run the Woodlands 5K

I ran the Run the Woodlands 5K this morning and finished in 38:38.

Laps

As usual for many Fridays, I went to the track and ran laps this afternoon.

Missed the group run

I had to make an unexpected trip to Houston this evening, so I missed the group run at the park.  However, I went out there about 3:30 p.m. and ran 2.5 miles on the trails.

Solo at the park

I went out to the park alone this afternoon and ran 2.5 miles on the trails.  I learned later that a lady from Houston drowned at Raven Lake at the park about 10 this morning.

New runner

Melissa joined the trail running group at the park this evening.  She recently changed shifts at work, so hopefully she will be a regular.  She and I ran 2.5 miles on the trails.

Ran short of time

I had to take the family out to dinner this evening and had a club meeting after that.  I got off to a late start and ended up working out at Iron Works and then running laps at the track.

Sunday Night 5K

I ran the monthly Sunday Night 5K in The Woodlands this evening.  I finished in 37:26.  It was my 25th race in 2017.  Last year, I was at 28 by this time.

Cinco de Mayo 5K

I got up at 5 this morning to drive down to Houston to run the Cinco de May 5K.  The course was out and back on a very flat asphalt street and the temperature was in the 50's.  I finished in 36:52 and was 6 of 7 in the 70 and over age group.
After getting a short nap in Huntsvlle, I drove up to Tyler for a family thing and got back to Huntsville late tonight.

Friday short run

As usual for most Fridays, I took it easy today.  I ran 1.3 miles on the streets in town late this morning.

Broken orthotics

I did not mention it before, but while in California, the hard plastic part of my orthotics broke in half.  In fact, I ran the 10-mile race on Monday with them broken.  I put on a very old pair when I got back to Huntsville and it is hard to run in them.  I went down to Conroe this afternoon to see a podiatrist to have new ones made.  I was amazed that he never examined my feet and had a substitute start casting.  I'm not sure what I am going to get in 5 weeks.
After Iron Works this evening, I ran 2.5 miles on the trails at the park.

It was suppose to rain

We were suppose to have thunderstorms all afternoon, so I ran this morning.  I ran a completely unplanned route through the hilly avenues.  It turned out to be 2.2 miles..  No thunderstorms, but a short heavy rain in town late this evening and a little rain at my house.

Late post

My computer konked out late tonight and I just now was able to get it restarted.  Other than that, it was back to normal after the trip to California.  I worked out at Iron Works this evening and then ran 2.5 miles on the trails at the park.

Back from California

I just got back from California tonight.  On Friday, my wife and I flew out to Palm Springs to attend the 3-day Stagecoach Country Music Festival in nearby Indio. We stayed in the Marriott Resort in Palm Desert.  The festival started at noon each day and was over at midnight.  There was a mix of old and new country singers, including Willie Nelson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Shania Twain, Kenny Chesney, Cody Johnson from Huntsville and a bunch of others.  I was really impressed with the Jerry Lee Lewis performance.  While watching, I look over and Prescilla Presley and Tom Jones were standing in the audience a few feet from me.  Anyway, the festival was quite an experience, but there were there was a lot of walking involved.  It was about a mile from the shuttle bus to the festival, which itself covered at least a square mile.  Someone said there were 80,000 attendees.  Incidently, I won the all expenses-paid trip.

More importantly, here is my running report:  The Texas 10 Series Sienna (Houston) was on Sunday.  It was the first one I missed in the series since I started the series in 2013.  That was a bummer.  However, I ran it virtually this morning in Palm Desert.  For some purposes, I will get credit for it.  The sidewalk around the perimeter of the Marriott Resort we stayed in was 3.8 miles, including the driveway to and from the front door.  I got in shorter runs on the sidewalk on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  This morning, I ran the 3.8-mile loop twice and an out and back to get in 10 miles.  The challenge was getting enough water for the dry and hot weather.  I carried water with me for the first loop and the doorman gave me a couple bottles of water for my second loop.  They were out of water at the door after my second loop.  I gutted it out for my out and back.  I finished in 2:23:56, about 10 minutes slower than usual for 10 miles.

After the 10 miles, we had a late breakfast in Palm Desert and then headed to Palm Springs for a 1:20 flight this afternoon.  It was an over-booked United flight and they were offering $1,000 for volunteers to get off the flight.  I was tempted.