2019 in Review

As far as my running goes, 2019 was not a good year.  I started the year with my right arm in a sling from rotator cuff surgery in December.  Running in the sling screwed up my left hip and had to get cortisone shots to fix that.   In March, I got my first ride in ambulance to ER due to dehydration from a 10-mile race.  In the spring, I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthristis and then Afib. I had a heart monitor device implanted in my chest and was ultimately diagnosed with sleep apnea, which caused the Afib.  Now, I have to sleep with a CPAC machine with cold air blowing up my nose all night.  Then, I tore the rotator cuff in my other shoulder and got a cortisone shot for that.  Then, a bone spur in my right heel caused two bouts of inflammation; cortisone fixed that too.  Right now, I have inflammation in  my big toe joint.  I still have not decided on running the Half Marathon in Kingwood tomorrow morning.  The good news is that I kept my streak alive in 2019.  I reached 10 years on October 18.  My race count was down from an average of 67 per year for the last few years.  I only ran 49 races in 2019 (3-10 milers, 1 Quarter Marathon, 4-10K's, 4-5 Milers, 1-8K, 35-5K's and 1-1 Miler).  2020 will be better.  Happy New Year.

Monday trails

After Iron Works early this afternoon, I ran 2.4 miles on the trails at the park.

Late run

After church this morning, outing at the ice skating rink in The Woodlands and dinner in Huntsville with visiting family, I finally got to run at 8:30 tonight.  I went to the track and ran laps.

Park instead of 5K

I got up early this morning, but decided not to drive down to The Woodlands for the 5K.  Instead, I went to the park and ran 3 miles on the trails.  I iced my heel when I got home.

Mechanical work

I replaced the front brakes on my wife's car this afternoon.  This was my first time a a while doing mechanical work.  I ended up plenty tired and dirty, but saved a few bucks.  After a good shower, I went to the track and ran laps.

Group run

As usual, Thursday is group run day at the park.  The group today was just me and Glen.  I ran 2 miles on the roads.

Merry Christmas

I had a house full of visiting family today, but I slipped out this afternoon and ran 2 miles on the roads at the park.  The heel is much better, but I still iced it when I got home.

Another mile day

Even though the inflammation in my right heel is much better, I ran another mile at the track this afternoon and then iced it.

Day 2

This was my 2nd day of icing my heel, taking Ibuprohen and running a mile at the track.  The treatment seems to be working.  My plan is to run a 5K on Saturday and a half marathon on January 1.

Darn

Last month, I had inflammation in the back of my right heel.  An xray revealed a bone spur and a floating bone causing the inflammation.  The podiatrist gave me a cortisone shot and within a few days the inflammation went away - until late last night.  Guess the trail run yesterday was too much.  I have been icing it today, taking Ibuprohen, and inserted a gel pad in the heel of my running shoe.  I ran an easy mile at the track this afternoon.  I will continue the treatment for a few days and see how it goes.

Around the lake

I went to the state park this morning for a 7 a.m. run with a group, mostly from the Houston area.  I ran around the lake, which is 6.9 miles.

Friday

Normally, I run laps on Friday with a race on Saturday.  No race tomorrow, but I plan to run trails with a large group.  So, late this morning, I went to the park and ran 2.4 miles on the trails.

Another 2.2

At the group run at the park this evening, I ran 1.1 miles on the trails and another 1.1 on the roads.

10 years and 2 months

It is hard to believe that it has been 2 months since I hit 10 years on my streak.  Even though I run slow, time goes by fast.  I got out to the park late this afternoon and ran 2 miles on the roads.

Group run at the park

As we have done every Tuesday and Thursday for over 30 years, the group met up at the state park this evening to run.  I ran 2 miles, half on the trails and half on the roads.

30 degrees cooler

After Iron Works this afternoon, I went to the park and ran 2 miles on the roads.  It was 30 degrees cooler than yesterday.

Hot Sunday afternoon

It was 78 degrees this afternoon when I arrived at the park to run.  Got in 6 miles on the trails.

St. Nick's 5K

I drove over to College Station this morning and ran the St. Nick's 5K.  Did not realize that it was changed to non-timed and non-competitive.  According to my watch, I finished in 41:34.  HEALTH UPDATE:  I have not mentioned my Rhuematoid Arthritis (RA) and Afib for a while and I only bring it up as it affects my running.  The only thing I am now taking for the Afib is a blood thinner.  After a number of tests, they determined that my Afib is caused by sleep apnea.  Yesterday, I picked up a machine for the sleep apnea.  I think they refer to it as a CPAP.  I started using it last night and was awake off and on all night.  I am not sure I can use to wearing a thing over my head and cold air blowing non-stop into my nostrils all night.  Maybe, if I keep wearing it, the Afib will go away.  I'm also not sure about the RA.  I am taking a pill for that.  Either the pill is working or my sore and swollen hands and body soreness has just gone away.  I just wonder if the sleep apnea is related to the RA diagnosis.  For now, I just have to get use to the CPAC.  Maybe it will make me run faster.

Short Friday trail run

With a race in the morning, I ran a 1.2-mile loop on the trails at the park.

Jingle Jog

I went down to The Woodlands tonight to run the annual non-competitive Jingle Jog, put on by Fleet Feet.  It was suppose to be a 3-mile course from the Fleet Feet store.  I missed a turn somewhere and ended up running 3.5 miles in 48:29.  This included waiting for traffic at a couple busy intersections.  Had a good time, anyway.  Some of my family participated and got to visit with a lot of friends.

Trails and roads

After Iron Works this evening, I ran 3 miles at the park, 1.1 on the trails and the rest on the roads.

Cold and rainy

It rained most of today and the temp was in the 40's.  No one else showed up at the park this evening for our 4:30 run, so I ran 2 miles on the roads and added another day to my streak.

Trails

After working out at Iron Works this afternoon, I ran 2.4 miles on the trails at the park.

Visiting family

I had visiting family today, but I broke away this afternoon and ran 3.5 miles on the trails at the state park.

Reindeer 5K

For the 6th straight year, I ran the Reindeer 5K in Lufkin this morning.  After being run on courses of various distances at the zoo, it was moved to the convention center in downtown this year.  According to my GPS, the course was accurate and I ran 39:27.  I was the only one in the 71 and over age group.  Nice running weather and I got a chance to visit with a lot of good friends from Lufkin.  Also got to meet Krystal Riley (inaskirt.com).  She interviewed me several weeks ago and included it on her website (Episode 34).

Laps

With a race tomorrow, I ran laps at the track this morning.

Trails/roads

I met up with the group this evening at the park and ran 1.1 miles on the trails and another 1.1 on the roads.

Avenues 5K course

With the state park closed today for squirrel hunting, I ran the very hilly Avenues 5K course in town.

Park closed this evening

The state park closed at 5 pm today for squirrel hunting and will reopen at noon this Thursday.  So, I went out to the park late this morning and ran 2.2 miles, half on the trails and half on the roads.  I warned all the squirrels I could.

Back on the trails

It was a little late before I got to the state park this evening, but I got in 2.2 miles on the trails before it go dark.

Texas 10 Series Conroe 10 Miler

I ran the Texas 10 Series Conroe 10 Miler this morning.  Beautiful sunny skies and low 50's.  Could not ask for better weather.  I finished in 2:29:45, about 3 minutes slower than last year.  I had to make a pit stop, so that cost me a few minutes.  I was 5th of 5 in the 70 and over age group.