Back to the trails

After Iron Works this evening, I met up with the group at the park and ran 2.4 miles on the trails.

Another dental appointment

I finally got my new dental bridge installed late this morning.  Sure feels different than the temporaries and now I do not have to be so careful eating.  Worked out at Iron Works this afternoon and ran 2 miles on the park roads.  Then, I had to make the hour-long drive down to Cleveland (TX) this evening to drop off my grandson, then back to Huntsville.

Got wet

It rained virtually all day today.  It was not suppose to stop, so I went out to the park this afternoon and ran in the rain.  I ran 1.3 miles, almost all in water covering the trails.  Some of it over my socks.   Then, later this evening, it stopped raining.  Oh well.

Jail Break Half Marathon

I got up at 4 a.m. this morning to make the drive down to Baytown for the Jail Break Half Marathon.  No rain, but high humidity and a temperature in the high 70's.  I finished in 3:19:03 and was 3rd of 4 in the 70 and over age group.  Half marathon number 100 done.

Broke the park streak

With half marathon number 100 tomorrow, I opted for a short run today.  So, I ran a little over a mile on Veterans Memorial Parkway, breaking my 11-day running streak at the park.

11 Days in a row

I ran 2.5 miles on the trails this evening.  This was 11 days in a row at the park.

Rain all day

As forecasted, it rained virtually all day.  It was heavy at times, but I managed to find a window of light rain this afternoon and got in a 3-mile road run at Huntsville State Park.

Stormy run

It was lightning and raining when I left Iron Works this evening.  After making the 9-mile or so drive south to the park, it was a little calmer.  Glen and I were the only ones who showed up to run.  I decided to do a short 1.3-mile trail run.  By the time I finished, it was raining like crazy and lightning striking close by.  I was relieved to get in my truck.  Glen made it back in one piece too.

Dental problems

I ordered a BLT at a place downtown at lunch.  Two bites into the sandwich, and my temporary bridge broke in half.  I found half of it in my sandwich and the other half was still in my mouth.  I managed to get a dental appointment at 2 p.m.  I arrived at the appointment with my running shorts on under my jeans.  They made me a new temporary and then I went Iron Works for a workout and to the park for a 3-mile trail run.  When, I left for the dental appointment, I accidentally locked my wife out of the house while she was working in the yard.  Not a good day, except that she got a lot of yard work done.

Back to the park

It was sunny and nearly 80 this afternoon.  So, I went back out to the park and ran 2.4 miles on the trails.  Half marathon number 100 coming up this Saturday.

Love.Run Half Marathon

I ran the Love.Run Half Marathon this morning on the trails at Huntsville State Park.  It was cloudy and 60 degrees.  Nice running weather, but as expected, the trails were muddy in places.  My shoes got a little muddy, but I managed to get around the standing water spots.  Took two falls - not from sliding, but for tripping over roots.  I finished in 3:42:02, a whopping 41 seconds faster than the same race last year.  I was 2nd of 3 in the 70 and over age group.  Half marathon number 99 done.  Me and the best race committee around in the photo.  Click on the photo to enlarge.

Morning run

With a half marathon on the trails at Huntsville State Park in the morning, I went to the park late this morning and ran 1.3 miles on the trails.  Parts of the course tomorrow will be muddy and there is a possibility of rain during the race.

Hotter

Here it is the middle of February and my truck thermometer said 85 degrees when I got to the park to run this evening.  I had to be back at my house by 6 p.m. for a running club officers meeting, so I ran 2.3 miles on the trails and left before everyone else finished.

Hot

I worked out at Iron Works and then ran 3 miles on the trails at the park.  The temperature was 75 degrees.  I expected to see snakes.

Late for trail run

I had a dental appointment at 4 this afternoon and was late for meeting the group at the park.  They were already running when I got there.  So, I just ran 1.3 miles on the trails and finished about the same time as they did.  My next race is the Love.Run Half Marathon at Huntsville State Park this coming Saturday.  The trails are already muddy or under standing water and more rain is expected. Half marathon number 99 is going to be fun.

Kilgore to Longview Run

Friday afternoon, I drove up to Tyler and spent the night with family.  At 5:30 Saturday morning, I drove over to Longview, picked up my race packet, got bussed to Kilgore and at 8 a.m. ran 11 miles back to Longview.  This was an old race that they brought back last year.  It was a well-managed race and I got to visit with some old friends.  I finished in 2:35:06 and was 2nd of 2 in the 75 and over age group.  The temperature was in the 60's and virtually 100% humidity.
After the race, I drove to Wylie (NE of Dallas) and visited with family there for the rest of the weekend.  Between Longview and Wylie, the temperature dropped to below freezing.  Yesterday, I went with my son to the Wylie Recreation Center, where they have an indoor running track (10 laps equals 1 mile).  I lost track of my laps, but I ran for 25 minutes.  I drove back to Huntsville this morning and went to the park this afternoon and ran 2.4 miles on the trails.

Laps

With a race tomorrow morning, I went to the track this morning and ran laps.  Running streak day 3,036.

Diesel

As I entered the park this evening, I drove through what I thought was water over the road.  Then, all I could smell was diesel.  Apparently, a truck's fuel tank was leaking and it spilled onto the park road.  My truck was covered with the stuff.  I ran 2.4 miles on the trails.  As I was leaving the park, I had to drive around cleanup vehicles spraying powder over the road.  Of course, I headed for a car wash.

Muddy trails

It rained most of the day.  When I went out to the park this afternoon, it was 38 degrees and the trails were muddy in parts.  I only ran 1.5 miles, but did meet up with a couple of deer.  Years ago,running into deer on the trails was frequent.  Now, very seldom.  Am not sure why the population at the park is down; they are in my back yard almost every day.

Foggy and rainy

It was foggy and we had light rain off and on all day.  Ugh.  Obviously, the group still met at the park this evening.  I ran 2.4 miles on the trails, partly in the rain.

Long dental appointment

I got up early for a 9 a.m. dental appointment this morning and ended up in the chair for a long time.  Lots of needles, drilling and burning blue lights.  Went from there to a painless haircut appointment.  At mid-afternoon, I worked out and Iron Works and then ran 3 miles on the trails at the park.  The park was rather quiet after the 100-mile Rocky Raccoon there over the weekend.  I never saw anyone else on the trail.  Looking toward the 11-mile Kilgore to Longview Run this Saturday and the Love.Run Half on February 17.  It will be half number 99.  Then, the next weekend will be the Jail Break Half Marathon in Baytown - number 100.

Helping with the Love.Run Half Marathon/10K

The Love.Run Half Marathon & 10K will be held at Huntsville State Park on February 17.  I met with members of the race committee this afternoon to walk parts of the course to show them the turnaround points and other changes I made to the course.  Am not sure how far we walked, but by the time we finished, it was too late to drive to The Woodlands to run the Sunday Night 5K.  So, before going home, I went back on the trails and ran 1.3 miles.

Katy Half Marathon

Not much sleep last night.  Did not need the alarm clock this morning.  I was wide awake at 4 a.m., which I got up and drove down to Katy to run the Katy Half Marathon at 6:45.  The temperature was in the 40's and some light rain off and on.  Flat course, almost all on concrete.  Nearly 1,200 finishers.  I finished in 3:20:23 and was 8 of 8 in the 70 and over age group.  Not happy with my time, but half marathon 98 is done.  After the race, I went to my son's house in north Houston, took a shower, went to lunch with him and then took a nap.  Then, we went to the Texas 10 Series annual awards party at a brewery in Tomball.  I picked up an Armadillo Cup and check for $100 for 2nd place in the series competition for 70 and over.  I stayed around for a couple beers and a nice visit with a lot of friends.

Short Friday run

With a half marathon tomorrow morning, I went out to the park late this morning and ran 1.3 miles on the trails.  Running streak day 3,029.

Breaking in new shoes

I put on a new pair of Brook Dyads this week.  Two days on the trails and today 2 miles on the park roads.