Wrapping up the month

 I ran 4 miles on the roads at the park this afternoon, partly in a heavy rain.  That gives me 105.9 miles for the month of April, an average of 3.53 miles per day.  While my running streak is nearing 4 years, I have run at least 3.1 miles (5K) every day for 9 months.

On the roads again

 I got back on the roads at the park this evening.  Got in 3.4 miles.  A lady at one of the camp sites called me by my first name.  I stopped to visit with her for a few minutes.  She said that she ran the Love Run Marathon at Huntsville State Park when I ran my last marathon (over 11 years ago).  She remembered my running gait.  I'm not sure what to think about that.

Another afternoon on the trails

 I went to the park this afternoon with the intention of running roads.  Somehow, I was drawn to the trails, instead.  I ran 3.3 miles, but tripped on a root and fell.  It knocked off the band aids I had from yesterday's fall.  Maybe I need to stick to the roads for a while.

Late Sunday afternoon at the park

 I did not make it out to the park until late this afternoon.  I ran 4.4 miles on the trails, but tripped and fell - 50 feet into the run.  There was no one around to see me fall or hear me say, Oh, darn, so maybe it did not happen.  I will probably wake up tomorrow with something hurting.

Spring Fling 5K

 I ran our club's Spring Fling 5K in the Elkins Lake Sub-division here in Huntsville this morning.  Very hilly course.  And, the course is 3.25, according to my GPS.  Last year, my time in this race was just over an hour.  Finished in 57:11 this year.

Warm and humid

 After all the rain late yesterday, it was rather humid today, with the temperature in the 80's.  I went to the park this afternoon and ran 3.3 miles on the trails.  I expected biting flies, but did not encounter any wildlife.  However, I did have to stop a twice to visit with old friends I ran into on the trails.

Back issue and dreaded treadmill

 I have not mentioned my back issue for a while.  The pain has been getting worse the last couple of months.  I had an appointment this morning with another pain management doctor.  He wants to try another injection and that is scheduled for May 9.  Maybe it will help.  This evening, I headed down to Conroe for the Fass Brewery 5K social run.  After driving down I-45 in extremely heavy rain and lightning, I exited in New Waverly (about half way to Conroe) and returned to Huntsville on a backroad.  Hated to miss the run, but in heavy rain on I-45, some people drive 45 mph while others are doing 80.  Accidents about to happen.  After getting back to Huntsville, it was still raining.  I went to Iron Works and ran 3.1 miles on the dreaded treadmill.  I would end my streak if I had to run on one of those things every day.

Roads at the park

 With the rain last night, I decided to stay on the roads today at the state park.  Got in 3.6 miles early this afternoon.  Hardly any traffic.

Mostly trails

 Being Tuesday, I met up with the group at the park this evening and ran 3.7 miles, mostly on the trails.

Back to the smoky park

 After some heavy yard work this afternoon, I went to the state park and ran 3.6 miles on the trails.  I thought yesterday's rain would have put out the smoldering fires from the prescribed burn at the park for the last week or so.  Not so.  It is still smoky from burning dead trees in the park.

Easter 5K

 After spending Easter Sunday with family, I went down to Magnolia this evening to run the Easter 5K on the same course as the Spindle Tree Park Run.  The weather was threatening, with some light rain, wind and lightning in the area.  Maybe it made me run faster.  I finished in 51:23, almost 4 minutes faster on the same course as yesterday.  Just as soon as I left the race and started to drive home, the heavy rain started.

Spindle Tree 5K Park Run

 I ran the Spindle Tree 5K Park Run in Magnolia this morning and finished in a slow 55:09.  Today marks 17 years of maintaining this blog.  It is part of my system of motivation to keep running.  And, hopefully, it has encouraged others to run to stay healthy.  During this 17 years, I have made 5,849 entries and the blog has had a total of 527,375 visits.

Park is getting crowded for Easter weekend

 I went out to the park this morning and ran 3.7 miles on the trails.  Since it is the beginning of Easter weekend, there were a lot of people on the trails, even a few other runners.

Fass Brewery 5K

 Nice cool weather for running the Fass Brewery 5K in Conroe tonight.  The crowd there has really grown since I started running there.  A good mix of experienced runners and newbys.

Still burning

 They are still burning at the state park.  Today, it was in the back side, so the smoke was not bad.  I stayed on the trails this afternoon and got in 3.7 miles.

Trails open again at the park

 The trails were open today at the park, even though there were a lot of fallen trees still smoldering from the prescribed burn in the last few days.  I ran 3.5 miles, mostly on the trails and the rest on the roads.

Busy day

 I had a busy day, mostly working on my taxes (I know I am starting early).  They are not due until tomorrow.  To save time, I ran in town this evening.  Got in 3.6 miles.

Back to the smoky park

 I ran 3.2 miles on the trails at the park late this afternoon.  The trails I usually run were closed due to the prescribed burn,  so I had to run on trails I have not been on for a while.  A lot more roots to trip on, but I managed to stay upright.

B52 Brewing 5K

 I ran the B52 Brewing 5K in Conroe this morning.  Nice clear and cool weather.  I finished in 54:25 and was first of one in the 80 and over age group.  This was my 1,450th race.  Got to visit with a lot of good friends.

Smoky roads

 The state park reopened today after being closed this week to get rid of some of the alligators.  However, they were in the middle of a prescribed burn today.  They were still burning early this afternoon when I went there to run trails.  All the trails were closed, so I ran 3.3 miles on the smoky roads.

Fass Brewery 5K

 As usual for Thursday, I ran the Fass Brewery 5K in Conroe tonight.  The crowd at Fass keeps growing.

Another run in town

 With the back issue, I am still running slower than my normal slow, but I got in 3.5 miles in town this Wednesday afternoon.

Stayed in town

 With the state park still closed, I ran in town this afternoon.  Did 4 miles.

Park closed until Friday

 Huntsville State Park is closed for "natural resource management" (getting rid of some of the alligators) until Friday.  So, I ran 3.6 miles in town this afternoon.  I was suppose to have an appointment at the chiropractor's office, but I received a letter from my insurance company declining to pay.   In the meantime, my allergies hit today and I was sneezing and draining all day.  Not a fun run this afternoon.

Art Car 5K and Sunday Night 5K

 I got up at 5 this morning and got to the Art Car 5K in Houston at 6:30, two hours before race time. There were over 4,000 runners for the race, so I managed to get a parking place about a block away.  The was my first time running the Art Car 5K, which is connected to the big Art Car parade.  Finished the race in 55:36 was first of one in the 80 and over age group.  I drove back to Huntsville and then drove down to The Woodlands this evening for the Sunday Night 5K.  I finished in 55:37.  While I was slow today, I was consistent.

Spindle Tree 5K Park Run

 I ran the Spindle Tree 5K Park Run in Magnolia this morning.  Finished in 54:28.

Friday at the park

 I stayed on the roads at the state park early this afternoon.  Got in 3.4 miles.

Fass Brewery 5K

 I ran the Fass Brewery 5K in Conroe tonight - for the 70th time.  On the way back to Huntsville, the odometer on my 2016 Ford F-150 truck, which I bought new, passed 200,000 miles.  That's a lot of races.

Wet trail run

 No rain at the house, but when I started running trails at the park this afternoon, it started raining.  Rained for 3.7 miles.  Went home and still no  rain.

Second chiropractor appointment

 I had my second chiropractor appointment late this afternoon.  So far, no improvement in my back.  I ran earlier this afternoon.  Ran 3.2 miles in town.