Leftover Turkey 5K and Holiday Showdown 5K

 Yesterday (Saturday), I ran our club's hilly Leftover Turkey 5K here in Huntsville.  I finished in 54:40 and was first of one in the 80 and over age group.  After the race, I drove up to Tyler for a visit with family and to run the Holiday Showdown 5K this morning.  Cold -35F.  I finished in 53:23 and was first of one in the 80 and over age group.  That's 68 races so far this year.  For the month of November, I ran 110.7 miles (average 3.69 per day).  November also marks 16 months of running at least 3.1 every day.

MC3 Hash Run

 I went back down to The Woodlands this morning to run the MC3 Hash Run.  It is a race designed to get you off course.  There are about 12 intersections with arrows pointing both ways.  If you go the  wrong way, there will be a sign telling you that you went the wrong way.  If you never make any wrong turns, the distance is less than 3 miles.  I made 3 wrong turns and finished in about 60 minutes.  My distance was 3.15 miles.  The MC3 stands for Montgomery County Triple.  The Hash Run was part of a 3-race series during Thanksgiving week.

Run Thru the Woods 5-Miler

 

I ran the Run Thru the Woods 5-Miler in The Woodlands this morning - for the 24th straight year.  I finished in 1:29:54, about a minute slower than last year.  My GPS shows the course to be 5.17 miles.  I was 2nd place of 2 in the 80 and over age group.

Resting up for Thanksgiving

Since tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I always run the 5-miler in The Woodlands, I rested up today.  I went to the park about noon and ran an easy 3.3 miles on the roads and trails.

Stayed on the roads

 I stayed on the roads at the park this evening.  Ran 3.8 miles.

Before the storm

 It was suppose to storm all afternoon, so I went into town this morning and ran 3.2 miles.  Most of the heavy storm this afternoon missed Huntsville, but we did get a little rain.

Crowded park

 The state park was very crowded this afternoon when I went there to run.  I guess that is expected for Thanksgiving week.  I got in 5 miles, mostly on the trails.

Spindle Tree 5K Park Run

 I ran the Spindle Tree 5K Park Run in Magnolia this morning and finished in a disappointing 52:58.  This was my 50th parkrun.  Parkruns are free 5K races put on by the British worldwide.  There are 3 in the Houston area.  My first parkrun was in The Woodlands along the waterway, just before COVID.  They were all suspended for COVID.  That particular parkrun was brought back at Spindle Tree.  So, today was Spindle Tree number 49.

Roads/trails

 I went to the park early this afternoon and ran 3.5 miles on the roads and trails.  What I have been doing for a month or so is parking in a certain spot and running one half mile to a trail head, running trails and then the half-mile on the road back to my parking spot.  So, if I post a road/trail run, it usually means one mile on the roads and the rest on the trails.  When you streak, you have to change up your routine once in a while.

Fass 5K

 After having a doctor's appointment in Conroe this morning, I went back down tonight and ran the Fass 5K.

Mostly trails

 I got in 4.7 miles at the park early this afternoon, 3.7 on the trails and 1.0 on the roads.

Group night at the park

 I met up with the group at the park this evening and ran 3.4 miles on the roads.

Monday at the park

 Being a Monday, the park was not so crowded today.  I ran 3.3 miles early this afternoon, mostly on  the trails.

Snake number 3

 I went out to the park this sunny afternoon and ran 4.2 miles, mostly on the trails.  I was going across one of the long bridges and saw a couple on bikes coming toward me.  They suddenly stopped.  Rather than looking down as I usually do, I looked up to watch them.  I assumed they stopped to let me pass.  As I got very near them, they said that there was a snake on the bridge.  I looked down and there was a water moccasin coiled with its mouth open about a foot from my leg.  Darn.  Why didn't they say something before I got that close?  It  was only the third snake I have seen this year while running at the park.

Back Pew 5K

 I ran the Back Pew Brewery 5K in Porter this morning.  Nice running weather, but the course is a little rough and hilly.  I finished in 50:15.  I need to get back below 50, but this was my fastest 5K time this year.  I was the only runner over 80, so I was first in my age group.

Late morning at the park

 A nice easy 3.4 miles on the roads and trails at the park this morning.

Fass Brewery 5K

 As usual for Thursday, I ran the Fass Brewery 5K in Conroe tonight.

Roads and trails

 Early this afternoon after working out at Iron Works, I went to the state park and ran 4 miles, 3 on the trails and 1 on the roads.  Nice weather, but we are so far behind in rain.

Veterans Day

 It is Tuesday and I usually meet up with the group at the park in the evening for a run.  I ran 3.8 miles on the roads and trails early this afternoon and then attended a Veterans Day dinner in Huntsville this evening.  Always good to visit with a lot of non-runner friends.

Split run

 Busy today.  Had to run twice.  The first run was 2.5 miles in town late this morning, before I had to leave town for appointment in Conroe.  After that appointment, I drove a little further south to Jones State Forest Park.  Ran another 2 miles on the trails.  That gave me 4.5 miles for the day.  By coincidence, today marked 4.5 years on my current running streak.

Five at the park

I ran 5 miles (4 on the trails) early this afternoon at the state park.  Sunny and cool (60's) and lots of people on the trails. 

CPT Rowdy Inman 5K

 I ran the CPT Rowdy Inman 5K at Sam Houston State University here in Huntsville this morning.  It is put on my the ROTC in memory of one of their graduates.  Very hill course around the campus.  I finished in 51:47, a minute or so faster than last year.  No age group competition.

Early afternoon

 With a race in the morning, I ran early this afternoon.  Got in 3.3 miles at the park, mostly on the trails.

Fass Brewery 5K

 As usual for Thursday, I ran the Fass Brewery 5K run in Conroe tonight.

Mostly trails

 After working out at Iron Works late this morning, I went to the state park and ran 4.3 miles, mostly on the trails.

Last PT appointment today

 I had my 22nd and last Physical Therapy appointment this morning.  It is taking longer than I expected to recover after back surgery on August 4.  With the treatment and prescribed exercises, hopefully I can get back to my normal slow running.  I went from my appointment this morning to Iron Works and then a run at the park later this afternoon.  Got in 4.2 miles on the park roads.

Noon run at the park

 It was relatively cool at noon today when I went to the park to run.   I started and finished a 4.6-mile run on the roads and trails.  While on the trails, I took a hard fall.  When I got back to the roads through the camping area, a lady (wearing a Salvation Army tag) stopped me and asked me if I wanted to kneel and pray with her.  Why didn't she ask me before I fell?

Sunday Night 5K

 I ran the Sunday Night 5K in The Woodlands tonight and finished in 51:49, my fastest finish in this race in one year.  Maybe it is the cooler weather, but I had less pain in my leg and ankle.

Alex's 5K

 I ran Alex's 5K in south Houston this morning.  Big crowd and a lot of old friends.  I finished in 50:40 and was 5th of 5 in the 80 and over age group.  I was less than 10 seconds behind the 3rd and 4th place finishers.  This was my 60th race in 2025.