Trails and Expo

Bambi killing at the park for this week ended at noon today. It was about 39 degrees at noon and Amy was not able to make it to the park for our run. So, I ran the 6.8 mile outer loop alone. Curtis got there at noon also and was going to run 16+. Hans, John, Natali and Andrew and Karen got there at 1 p.m. and I am not sure what course they ran. I did see them on the west perimeter trail. After running, I went down the Houston Marathon Expo, bought 3 pair of running shorts and visited with a lot of friends. At 7 p.m., Marilynn, Ben and his girlfriend met up with Jon Walk and a bunch of others at the Spagetti Warehouse for dinner.

Club Meeting

We had a nice crowd for the quarterly Seven Hills Running Club meeting tonight. It was a potluck dinner at the new fire station and the food was great. Norman did a good job of setting it all up; however, he would not let us slide down the pole (actually, they don't have one). I ran my 2.7 mile course in town this afternoon. Just after starting, I ran into Norman and his daughter, Chantel, and ran with them about 2 miles. Chantel and I did real well and Norman was able to keep up with us.

Extra Time on my Hands

I took my computer to the shop this morning and got it back this afternoon. It works so much faster now, I will have all this extra time on my hands. Norton is gone forever. A group met at 4:30 this evening at the track to run the hills in the avenues. I ran some of the same course they ran, but then looped around the campus. I ended up running 3.6 and then went to Nautilus. I met Amy (barefooted) at the track and we are going to meet at the park to run trails at noon on Friday.

Busy Day

For being retired, I was busy today. I did make it to Nautilus and to the track to run laps. My computer has really gotten slow. It's clogged up with something. Norton is lousy. I'm taking the computer in to the shop tomorrow and get it cleaned out. So, I'm not sure when I will be back online. Hopefully, it will be later tomorrow.

New Shoes

When I find a pair of shoes that I like at the right price, I go ahead and buy two or three pair. Since I usually go through five pair a year, my stock does not last that long. I took my last pair of Asics Fortitudes off the closet shelf this afternoon and met up with the group to run the hills in the Avenues. It was Hans, Chris, Karen, John, Ron and Lavonne. I ended up running 3.4 miles. The new shoes should get me through March, so I need to look for a good shoe deal.

Jake's Grave

Hans, Chris, John, Phillip and I ran trails this afternoon. We did an odd course, which as about 7 miles. When we were near the spillway, Phillip took us out in the woods about 50 yards to show us a grave in a nice spot overlooking the lake. His dog had found it earlier. It was small and covered with a mound of rocks. There was a homemade grave marker with the name, Jake. We assume that it is a dog grave, but who knows?

Saturday Trail Run

Couldn't ask for better trail running weather today. I met up with Misty, Robin and Najat from The Woodlands and Spring and Natali and Rachel from Huntsville at the park this morning. We ran 12.5 miles. There was no wildlife in sight, but we did see a lot of bikers and hikers.

Back on the Trails

I met up with the group at the park this afternoon. Since I am doing 12.5 tomorrow, I ran 3.5 miles alone. The rest of the group did the outer loop. There was a young couple hiking the trail. They heard me coming and stepped to the side of the trail to let me pass. As I went by, the girl starting clapping and saying "Way to go." Maybe she thought I was racing and was way ahead of everyone else.

Road Run

I ran my 2.7 mile road course around the campus this evening. Adrienne was driving by and we stopped and visited for a while. I am really excited about her prospects at the Houston Marathon later this month. She will really do well.

Gimpy Three

After working out at Nautilus this evening, I ran two gimpy miles on the roads and one at the track. The left knee continues to improve and should be fine for a trail run on Saturday.

Easing Back

I met the group at 4:30 and ran 1.6 miles on the road and another half mile on the track. My left knee is still painful, but I figure I will be back to my normal knee pain by the end of the week.

A New Streak of Sorts

When I checked in at the Texas Marathon last Thursday, I ran into an old friend. He mentioned that he had been reading my blog and insinuated that I was regularly reporting injuries. I did report in my blog entry after completing the marathon that day that I took a hard fall on the concrete early in the race. I was able to finish okay and felt fine for the rest of the day. When I woke up on Friday, my left knee was swollen, stiff and painful. Since then, I have talken much Aleeve and iced it frequently. Since I did not want to sound like a wimp, I have not blogged for the last couple days. Anyway, my new streak is four straight days of painfully running one mile to keep the big streak alive. It seemed to be better today and should be okay in a couple days. I plan on doing 12.5 on the trails Saturday morning at 10 a.m. with Misty and others from The Woodlands and some from here.
I was pleased to see some of my almost-as-old-as-I neighbors out getting some excercise a couple days ago. He rode by my house on an ATV and his wife was following on her bicycle - tied to the ATV with a rope. For some reason, I don't think I will be able to get them to join our running club anytime soon.

Relaxing Day

I slept in this morning (well, I do that most days, anyway) and didn't do much today. I did go run laps at the track this evening and then workout at Nautilus.

Texas Marathon

I went to bed at midnight last night, but found it difficult getting to sleep. Then at 2:30, the people across the street started setting off fireworks for an hour. After that, I finally got a little sleep, but woke up at 4:30. I never went back to bed and left at 5:40 to meet Norman and drive down to Kingwood for the Texas Marathon. Perfect marathon weather! About a quarter mile into the race, I somehow tripped on the sidewalk and took a hard fall. I shook it off and never fell again. Early in the first of four loops, I started running with a Kingwood school teacher, Amy Hitchcock. She was doing the half marathon and we ran together for two loops. We had a nice visit and the time passed by quickly. My third loop was miserable and slow. I felt much better in the fourth and final loop and had a good strong finish. I never walked during the entire race, except through the aid stations. My finish time was 6:06:47 (compared to 6:30:24 in this same race last year and 5:48:07 in San Antonio in November). A photo of the finisher medal (2.2 pounds) is shown above, along with last year's medal. Other SHRC members running were Norman Langwell, Jon Walk, Curtis Barton and Edwin Quarles. Bill Dwyer was there to provide support and Waverly Walk sang the National Anthem and worked as a volunteer. Soon-to-be SHRC member, Misty Baugh, was also there providing support.

Ready to Go

I ran laps this afternoon to rest up for the marathon tomorrow. Gotta get up at 0-dark thirty, as we use to say in the Army. For me, that's almost as hard as running the marathon.

Counting Down

It's almost marathon time in Kingwood! No late night partying for me tomorrow night. Norman and I will drive down for the marathon early Thursday morning. I am looking forward to it being over with. For me, marathons are never easy. I hope the weather is okay. Right now, the forecast is a high of 62 degrees, with a 30% chance of rain. I received an email tonight from the race director for the Surfside Beach Marathon on February 14 (my next). The beach is in good shape, but the building at Stahlman Park that they used for the race headquarters was fatally damaged by Ike. They are considering moving the start/finish to a place west of the 80-foot bridge to Surfside Beach. That means that you would run over the bridge at the start and finish. If they do that, they can no longer claim to be the only marathon in the U.S. run entirely on the beach. I met up with the group this evening at ran 1.6 miles up and down the hills in the Avenues and then ran 1 mile on the track.

Empty Streets

My inclination was to go run trails this afternoon, until I remembered that the park is closed for Bambi killing. So, I ran a 2.7 mile loop around town this evening. The streets are relatively empty, which makes it nice.

Six Years in Wylie

I just got home from visiting family in Wylie (northeast of Dallas). While there, I completed 6 years on my streak and started on number 7 today. Only three more days until the Texas Marathon on January 1. I don't look forward to the all-concrete course, but few things in life are easy.

Christmas in the Park

I went out to the park this afternoon and ran the 6.8 mile outer loop. I passed four hikers and saw two bikers in the first mile, but only one armadillo after that. The trails are in good shape, but it was rather warm for late December.

Christmas Eve

I had family visiting most of the day, but I did get in a 4-mile run on the streets this morning. I had intended to do more, but got started late and then ran out of time. Merry Christmas to everyone.

Avenue Hills

I met up with Hans and Chris this evening and we ran the hills in the Avenues. I am not sure what they ran, but I did 2.5 miles. With SHSU on Christmas break, the traffic was relatively light. After the run, I went to Nautilus and there were not too many people there either.

Daily Decision

As a streaker, I have to make a decision everyday of when, where and how far to run. I was on the machines at Nautilus this afternoon trying to make that decision. I really don't like to run, so matter what I decide, I won't enjoy the run. I do it for health. Generally, the options are the treadmill at Nautilus, the track, trails at the park or somewhere on the roads in town. Of course, races help break up the training run routine. I did a personal record of 39 this year. I am amazed by Robert Raven Kraft of South Miami Beach, FL. He is fellow member of the United States Running Streak Association and has run the same 8-mile course on the beach at the same time of the day for over 33 years. I don't see how he does it. He has really become a prisoner of his routine. He told me on the phone that he once had a girlfriend, but she wanted him to take her out of state for something. All this, and he is number 11 on the national streak list. Anyway, since I ran 15 miles yesterday, I ran 2 miles around town today. The Texas Marathon in Kingwood is in 10 days, so I am going to take it easy between now and then. Curtis Barton was on the waiting list to register for the Texas Marathon and got word today that he is in. Other Seven Hills Running Club members running are Jon Walk and Norman Langwell.

Ideal Trail Running Weather

Low 40's and windy. I felt very comfortable in shorts, long-sleeve shirt, gloves and a sweat band over my ears. I went to the park this morning and ran 15 miles.

Laps

I had to go to a wedding in College Station at 4 p.m. today, so I ran laps at the track in the light rain.

Inside Loop

I ran the 6.9 mile inside loop at the park this afternoon. It was so warm that I expected to see snakes.

3.5 on the Trails

I went out to the park this afternoon and ran a 3.5 mile loop. No trips, falls or sprained ankles. The park has been closed for the last day and a half for squirrel hunting. Ironically, the only animal I saw during my run was a squirrel. Lucky guy.

Road Run

I ran 4.7 miles on the roads this afternoon and then went to Nautilus. The annual Christmas party was in progress (snack spread) and I signed up for a door prize when I got there. A few minutes later, they paged me and told me that I won a door prize. A Nautilus T-shirt - just what I needed. I gave it to a friend before I left.

Cold and Wet - Good Running Weather

I intended to run the roads this afternoon, but I had to stay home and wait for a phone call until 5 p.m. By that time, it was getting dark. So, I went to the track and ran one mile by myself, then a mile with Norman and Curtis and then another mile with Norman. I am running the Texas Marathon in Kingwood on January 1, so I will need to get in a long run this weekend. The race director, Steve Boone, told me that the finisher medals weigh over 2 pounds. I may need someone to help me carry mine to the car.

I Got Reprimanded

I was out running the roads this afternoon. It was in the high 30's and I was comfortable and working up a sweat. An elderly lady crossed the street and stopped me. She started chewing me out for running in the cold. She started feeling my cheeks (the ones on my face) and confirmed that it was too cold to be out running. It reminded me of a very hot summer afternoon several years ago when I got stopped by an elderly lady and reprimanded for running in the heat. I assured her that I was okay and then she said, "I hope you find Jesus, so he will teach you not to run in the heat." Now, I am wondering if it was the same lady. Anyway, I avoided hypothermia today and got in 2.6 miles.

Day Off

My ankle felt better today, but I needed a day off. I went to the track this afternoon and ran laps. Texans and Cowboys won!

400 Done

I taped up my ankle this morning and headed for the Willis Wildkat 5K. It was painful for the first mile, but after that it was not bad. I finished in 33:57 and was first in my age group (yes, I was the only one in the age group). Jon Walk and True Cousins from the Seven Hills Running Club were there, as well as many other friends. This was my 400th race. Number 1 was in the Spring of 1983, when I was 42.
After getting home, showering and retaping my ankle, I headed for Livingston for their Jingle Bell 5K, which started at 1 p.m. Jon Walk was also there, along with Don Ortloff and Jan Parks (Jan's first race since her foot surgery). I finished in 34:15.
Tonight, Ben and I went to the Sam basketball game against Jarvis Christian College in Hawkins, Texas. Sam won.

Darn Ankle Sprain

I went out to the park this afternoon to run the roads. The trails looked too inviting, so I decided to run Marisa's Course (3.5 miles). I got about a mile out and my left foot went into a hole, causing an ankle sprain. Even though it hurt, I kept on running and cut my course to about two and a half miles. I came home and iced it. There is not much swelling, but it is sore when I walk on it. My plan was to run the Willis 5K at 8 a.m. tomorrow and the Livingston 5K at 1 p.m. The injury is not a streak breaker and I plan on being in Willis. I'll have to decide then as to whether to run the 5K. If it seems to be too much, I'll run a mile at the track tomorrow evening.

Waterway Jingle Bell Run

I went down to The Woodlands tonight for the Waterway Jingle Bell Run, sponsored by WoodlandsFit. This is a 3.5 mile non-competitive run along the waterway behind The Woodlands Mall. It started and finished at Lukes Locker. The course is well-lit with waterway lights and Christmas trees. Very scenic. They had a larger crowd this year, probably a 100. I finished in about 41 minutes. Other SHRC club members running were Karen Felicidario, Colleen, James and Crystal Spencer and Norman, Millie, Colton and Deanna Langwell. I visited with many friends from that area and several runners who had run Sunmart last Saturday.

Snow Day

Marilynn, Ben and I spent all day in Houston at Kenny's new house. He bought a repo off of FM 1960 West and it needs a lot of fixing up. We puddy'd, sanded and painted all day. It was aftert 8 p.m. when he left his place, ate at Jason's Deli and then drove back to Huntsville in the snow. It was especially heavy down on 1960. It was nearly 10 p.m. when we got back home. I went to the track and ran laps. No big deal with the snow, but the track was muddy. There were several college students playing in the snow on the field. I also noticed a number of people outside taking photos of their house, with the 1/2 inch or so accumulation in the yard. We have been in Huntsville since over 23 years and it is the most snow since then.

Hill Run

A group of us met at the track tonight to run the hills in the Avenues. I ended up modifying the latter part of the course for myself and running alone. I did 3.2 miles. Nice and cool weather after heavy rains this afternoon. Then, after dinner, Ben and I went to the Sam Houston basketball game with Texas College (Sam won).

Run Around Town

I spent most of the day in Conroe and The Woodlands trying to finish my Christmas shopping. After Nautilus this evening, I drove to the track and then ran the streets around town. I passed by the downtown square and then through the campus, where I ran into Andrew and Karen Husband, who I had not seen in a while. We visited for a few minutes. Of course, they have been busy with finals. It's been a while, but I think they come around in December. My run ended up being 2.7 miles.

Resting Up

I was really sore this morning when I got out of bed. I had Aleeve for breakfast and felt better this afternoon. In between football games, I went to the track and ran laps. The first lap was tough, but after that it was okay. I could have done a few miles, but I know that I have to rest.

Sunmart 50K Report

I was disappointed with my run at the Sunmart 50K this morning. I thought with two recent marathons under my belt and ideal weather, I would do well. I finished in 8:39:32, my worst of 13 straight Sunmart 50K's. During the first 12 mile+ loop, my knees began to burn. Debbie Tripp gave me a couple Tylenols and that helped for most of the second loop (Thanks, Debbie). I walked very little during the race, but my knees held me to a very slow running pace. I did take a hard fall on the first 12 mile+ loop, but that was the only one. I had run the Hogs Hunt 50K last Spring in 7:47:36, so I was certainly hoping to get in under 8 hours. Thanks to SHRC members, Jon Walk, Bill Dwyer, Adrienne Langelier, Marilynn and my son, Ben, and Curtis Barton and his good looking girl friend for being in the finish area and supporting the runners. Rather than an afghan or Tyvec jacket, finishers this year got a nice black jacket with a hood, plus the normal finishers medal. When I got home, I took a long hot shower and then iced my knees and drank cold beer. I feel better.

My Sunmart 50K history:
1996 6:54:00
1997 7:06:55

1998 6:40:16

1999 6:33:25 (PR)

2000 6:59:28

2001 7:20:07

2002 7:22:09

2003 7:16:46

2004 7:54:49

2005 8:22:12

2006 8:17:42

2007 8:33:55

2008 8:39:32

Restful Friday

With Sunmart tomorrow, I went to the track this morning and ran laps. Marilynn and I left at 3 p.m. to go down to the pre-race dinner at the Sheradon at Bush Airport. Norman Langwell rode down with us. Other Seven Hills Running Club members who we visited with were J. C. Guzman, Jon Walk, Bill Dwyer, Robert Duncan and John and Julie Loftus. Of course, we ran into a lot of other friends, including Ken Reed and Steve and Paula Boone.

Closing in on Sunmart

Sunmart is just a couple days away. The trails are in good shape and the weather is suppose to be dry and cold. What more could you ask for? I remember one year the course was in such bad shape, that you were frequently running through water and mud up over your socks. I slipped once and slid down a hill in the black mud on my back. Then, last year it was so hot. I need to do at least two more Sunmarts. The first year I ran the race, they gave the finishers a leather running bag. The next year, I took the jacket. Next, the afghan. For my next nine, I opted for the afghan. I gave one to each of my six kids and three to my grand kids. I have two more grand kids.
After Nautilus this evening, I went over to the track and ran laps. Norman stopped by after I finished. We visited for a while and solved a lot of world problems.

No More Ramp Romps

I found out this evening that one of my favorite races has been cancelled, maybe for good. The Ramp Romp 5K is held at Kyle Field in College Station every February. You start on the track, run a mile around the campus, come back to Kyle Field and run up and down all three sets of ramps and then finish on the track. I have run the race 8 times, including the last 6. From what I was told by Rec Sports at Texas A&M, the race was not drawing enough students. Well, darn.
I went back to the park this afternoon and ran 3 miles, some on the roads and some on the tracks. Except for all the construction in the start/finish area for Sunmart on Saturday, the park was relatively quiet.

Transformation of the Park

I went out to the park this evening and ran two miles on the road. Curtis and Phillip showed up about the same time to run trails. My course took me down to the lodge area. There is major construction underway for the Sunmart Texas Trail Endurance Run this Saturday. They were building the frame for the kitchen and they had already built the huge archway for the finish line. A guy was there from Aggieland delivering maroon portapotties. Adrienne may spend extra time in those. I hope she does not miss the race start.

Back to the Track

I ran laps at the track this evening. Josh Holden was also running and we visited for a few minutes.

Careful Park Run

Norman and I met up at the park this afternoon to run trails. I was extra careful not to trip and repull my hamstring with Sunmart next Saturday and four marathons in the three months. I made it around the 6.8 mile outer loop with no falls or trips. Whew! Norman did an extra 1.3 miles for good measure. We ran into Robert Duncan on the trails, acting like one of those wimpy bikers.

Leftover Turkey 10K

I ran the Seven Hills Running Club's Leftover Turkey 10K this morning in Huntsville. It is a tough course, out and back on Veterans Memorial Parkway, nothing but up and down hills. I finished in 1:14:23, slower than I run on a flat 10K course. We had 25 runners and walkers doing the 10K, 5K or 1-mile race. Ben Harvie (62) and Robert Duncan (48) ran the 10K together and both finished in 47:58. Ben came back and met me at the 5 mile mark and ran in with me.

Feeling Better

I felt better today, even though I am still congested. No fever tonight, though. I ran an easy 3 miles (not that I don't run any other way) at the park this afternoon. There were a few hikers on the trails and one armadillo, but I did not see any other runners.

Run Thru The Woods 5 Miler

I didn't get much sleep last night and I got up early to go down to The Woodlands for the Run Thru the Woods 5 Miler. I don't know how many runners they had, but it seemed to be over 2,000 and the largest crowd I've seen at the race. It was warm and humid, but the course is very flat, except for the overpass over I-45. My time was 58:47. My history in this race is below. Met with many friends and several SHRC members at the race. Club members were Sara Lange, James, Josh and Crystal Spencer, Karen Felicidario and Robert Duncan. Jon Walk was there as the race announcer and he did a good job, I suppose. Since I was running the course, all I know is that he remembered my name as I crossed the finish line. We had family over for Thanksgiving this afternoon and evening and all is quiet for now. My fever is back up, but I get to sleep in tomorrow.
Run Thru The Woods
2002 - 51:10
2003 - 54:03
2004 - 53:14
2005 - 57:28
2006 - 58:56
2007 - 56:12
2008 - 58:47

Darn Fever

I felt lousy all day and am running a fever tonight. Usually, I get a sinus infection every two years and now this is my second this year. I went over to the track this evening and walked a mile with a friend and then ran a mile. Gotta get up early tomorrow for the 5-miler in the Woodlands. Ugh.

Allergies

I am not sure what it is blowing around this time of year, but my sinuses are killing me. I felt ill and sleepy all day. I skipped going to Nautilus this evening and went out to the State Park to run the roads. It was relatively quiet out there this evening. There was no wind and the lake water was glassy still. You could see the reflection of the colorful trees on shoreline in the water and it was quite picturesque. I should have brought my camera. In any case, I ran 3 miles. The cool air seemed to open up my sinuses and I felt a little better. Ben and I went to the Sam basketball game with Western Michigan (Sam lost).

Two on the Road

After 12.5 on the trails yesterday, I did 2 miles on the road in town this afternoon. I suppose it's part of my tapering plan for the Sunmart 50K on December 6. I'll figure out the rest of it before then.

Warm on the Trails

For late November, it was rather warm on the trails at the park this afternoon. I met up with Megan Williams from the SHRC and Even Stein and James and Rochelle Cabe from Houston at 1 p.m. We ran 12.5 miles, starting and finishing at the lodge. I was surprized that we did not see any wildlife. I guess it was too warm, even for the armadillos. Evan, James and Rochelle are running Sunmart in a couple weeks and this was their first trail run at the park. We had a good run and nice visit.

Cannonball 5K

I ran the Cannonball 5K on the Texas A&M campus this morning. It didn't start until 9:30 - my kind of race. Finished in 31:30, which was my best 5K time in two years. I guess the secret is to run a marathon to train for a 5K. Is that right, Coach Bill? It was a nice race, about 100 runners, flat course, longsleeve T-shirt and lots of door prizes. The male and female winners won a GPS and the age group winners got watches. They only went one deep in the 40 and over category, but I won a minor door prize. I came back to Huntsville to shower and change clothes and then went back to College Station with Marilynn for a wedding shower.

Nothing to Blog

If I was not so consistent in blogging everyday I'm not out of town, I would not blog today. I only ran one mile at the track this evening. It's Friday, you know.

At The Park

After Nautilus, I met up with the group at the park this evening. Hans and I ran 3 miles on the park roads and Phillip and Curtis did something longer on the trails. After that, Marilynn, Ben and I went to the Sam Houston State basketball game against North Texas. It was a close game, but Sam lost.

Back to Normal

I think I'm back to normal after the marathon on Sunday. Now, I just have my regular sore and stiff knees. I worked out at Nautilus this afternoon and then ran 3.4 miles on the roads in town.

Hill Work

After working out at Nautilus this afternoon, I met up with Lavonne, Hans, Chris and Jason Martinez at the track. From there, we ran a 1.5 mile course through the avenues with the steepest hills in Huntsville. Lavonne, Hans and Jason ran the course a second time. Since I am in the last day of my recovery from the marathon on Sunday, I stayed back and walked laps with a friend at the track.

5K, Marathon & Laps

Marilynn and I got back from San Antonio this evening. I ran the Kats for the Cause 5K in Huntsville Saturday morning and finished in 32:33. We then drove to San Antonio for the Inaugural Rock 'n' Roll San Antonio Marathon on Sunday. We visited some old Army friends, Jim and Diana Webb, who live in Cibolo, on the north side of San Antonio. They had us over for a very nice dinner and visit. Even though we have stayed in touch over the years, it has been too long since we have visited. Hopefully, we can get together more often. The logistics of the marathon with 30,000 runners was what I expected - a big hassle. By the time I got to the start line Sunday morning, I had already walked for miles and climbed so many steps. We got caught up in traffic in downtown San Antonio Saturday afternoon getting to the Expo in the Alamo Dome. I ended up parking on an upper floor of a parking garage and we walked a long way to the dome. It was wall to wall runners, but I managed to get my packet and visit with some friends, Jon Walk, Bill Dwyer, Debbie Tripp, Loren Sheffer and others. We got up at 5 a.m. Sunday and drove to the AT&T Center at 6 a.m. to get shuttle busses. I had a long walk to the bus there. I got on a bus to the start line in Breckenridge park, but they let us out blocks from the start line. Marilynn waited at the AT&T Center and caught a bus for the finish line (Alamo Dome) at 8 a.m. With all the walking and climbing stairs, I was tired at the start line. They started in waves of about 1,000 runners each, starting at 7:30 a.m. I was in the 24th waive, so it was nearly 8:30 before I started the race. The temperature was in the 40's at the start, but it warmed up quickly. At 2 miles, I threw away the headband over my ears and my gloves. Later, I wished that I had run in a short sleeve shirt, rather than long sleeve. I ran in a crowd for the whole 26.2 miles. The aid stations were great, there was a rock 'n' roll band every mile and plenty of high school cheerleaders along the way. The course was relatively flat. I finished in 5:48:07 (compared to 6:03:52 in Waco last month). I was okay with that. Marilynn and I stayed over in San Antonio Sunday night and drove back this afternoon. We stopped in Houston to visit Kenny and got home about 6:30 p.m. Later, I went to the track and ran a mile. As usual the day after a marathon, the first lap was bad, but after that it was okay.

Laps at the Track

Friday seems to be my normal day off and today was no exception. I ran laps at the track early this afternoon. I plan on doing the 5K race on campus tomorrow morning and then heading for San Antonio for the marathon on Sunday.

Park Run

I met the group at the park this evening and I did 2 miles on the park roads while they ran trails. When I did the outer loop on Tuesday, I stubbed my right toe on a root. Even though I did not fall, I felt a pull in my left hamstring (the one I have been trying to recover from). It has been sore since and I thought I should stay off the trails for a while longer. Running the quiet roads at the park isn't all that bad, anyway. We had a good group this evening, Hans, Chris, John, Ron Davis, Phillip and Curtis. Felix Montelongo had finished a run alone and he visited with us a while.

I must be getting old

I ran a 2.4 mile course around the Avenues this evening. There were two church missionaries walking up the street, wearing their white shirts, ties and backpacks. As I ran past them, I jokingly said, "Yall, should be running." They were very polite and friendly and after I passed, I heard one said to the other, "I wish my grandpa would do that."

Wet Trails

Lavonne, Norman and I ran the 6.8-mile outer loop at the park this morning. It was rather warm and very humid. I'm glad I carried water. We did not run into any critters on the trails, except for three other runners, including Curtis. With about a mile and a half to go, it started raining hard. I was drenched in sweat, so the rain felt good. Thanks, Lavonne and Norman.

Road Run

In anticipation of doing the outer loop at the park tomorrow morning with Lavonne, I did 2 miles on the roads in Huntsville. After that, I'll cool it until the San Antonio Marathon this weekend. I am apprehensive. Not about the marathon, but all the logistics involved. If I had known the race would have 30,000 people, I would have never signed up. I have learned to appreciate small marathons, where I can park near the start/finish and not have to run in a crowd.

Resting

While I felt fine today after running the Rocky Raccoon 25K yesterday, I rested. That means I ran laps at the track. I spent hours today working on a photo gallery for last month's Huntsville Half Marathon & 5K Run/Walk. Click here for a link.

Rocky Raccoon

The Rocky Raccoon 25K is one of those races I do every year, for 8 years straight, anyway. Here are my times:
1998 - 3:01:17
1999 - 2:59:47
2001 - 3:04:18
2002 - 3:25:20 (age 61, start of bad knees)
2003 - 3:27:10
2004 - 3:34:49
2005 - 3:44:42
2006 - 3:52:40
2007 - 3:36:42
2008 - 3:43:18
The weather this morning was ideal for trail running. It was good to see so many other club members running. Since the 50K started at 7 a.m. and the 25K at 8 a.m., I never got to see everybody. However, I think this is a complete list.
50K
Norman Langwell
Phillip Clark
Gerald Peters
J. C. Guzman
25K
Holden Choi
Jon Walk
John Loftus
Andrew Husband
Karen Husband
Felix Montelongo
Ken Johnson

Thanks to those club members who got up real early and operated the Seven Hills Running Club aid station in the back of the park: Marilynn Johnson, Jan Parks, Ron and Mary Ann Davis and Millie and Deanna Langwell. They did a great job.

Twas the Night Before Rocky Raccoon

The Rocky Raccoon 25K is tomorrow morning and I guess I am ready. I ran laps at the track this morning and Norman and I went out to the park this evening to set up the club aid station in the back of the park. I went to the Huntsville Hornet football game in Willis tonight. It was the first Hornet game I've been to in several years. I sat with Norman and his family. Norman's son, Colton, played well tonight. I left early in the 4th quarter to beat the traffic and listened to the rest of the game on the radio. On the way home, they called Colton's name at least 8 times. Congratulations to the Hornets. They went undefeated in district and start the playoffs next week.

One More Day Before the Trails

I have one more day before I hit the trails for the first time in a couple months. The Rocky Raccoon 25K & 50K is this Saturday. The club is operating the "far side aid station" for the race. Norman and I are setting it up tomorrow evening and Marilynn, Millie Langwell, Jan Parks and Ron and Mary Ann Davis are operating the station on Saturday. Assuming my hamstrings survive Rocky Raccoon, Lavonne and I are doing a long run at the park on Tuesday morning. Then, it is rest time for the San Antonio Marathon the next Saturday.
I went to the track just before dark this evening. Kathy Cook was there and we walked for a mile and then I ran for a mile. Mairlynn and I took Ben out to dinner tonight to celebrate his 25th birthday, which was actually November 3.

Got my Gaiters

Maybe it is the way I run, but when on the trails, I accumulate a lot of trash in my shoes. During the Seabrook Trail (crushed gravel) Marathon last spring, I had to stop and empty my shoes about five times. All the stopping probably cost me a trophy. So, I ordered some gaiters online and received them this week. I'll probably wear them for the first time at the Sunmart 50K next month. In case you don't know what gaiters are, they are cloth thingies that fit around with ankle and over the top of the shoes. The elastic around the ankles keeps the trash from getting into the shoe. They come in some pretty wild colors, but I bought the more conservative camoflauge blue.
I went to the track this evening and took off running the roads from there. I ran some streets that I had never run before and got attacked by a couple small dogs. One got very close to my ankle, but then I got very aggressive and scared him off. Anyway, I check the distance of my run on USATF's America's Running Routes and it came out to be 2.0 miles.

Mid-Afternoon Run

I went to Nautilus at mid-afternoon, worked out and then ran 3.5 miles around town. There were not too many people at Nautilus, but the streets were busy for my run.

Adjusting to the Time Change

I ran out of daylight this evening and ran only 2 miles on the streets in Huntsville. I need to get a longer run in early this week and then taper for the Rocky Raccoon 25K on Saturday. I am looking forward to getting on the trails again after two months of road work.

Fallen Runner

Marilynn and I went up to Dallas Friday morning and got back this evening. After I got home, I soon learned that my good friend, John Burick, was struck and killed by a vehicle while running the roads in Huntsville on Friday morning. I am deeply saddened. We were neighbors for many years and attended the same church. And, he was a member of the Seven Hills Running Club for many years. He was one of the nicest guys you would ever want to meet. John, 75, was a veteran of many marathons. He ran the Huntsville 5K on October 11 (won 1st place in his age group). Last Saturday, John and several other club members ran the Shiitake Mushroom Festival 5K in Madisonville. He passed me and ended up winning the 70 and over age group. I will miss him. My condolences to Rosalie and to the rest of his family.

Planned Races

I met Chris and John at the park this evening. I ran two miles on the roads, while they did about the same on the trails. Phillip was already there and he had done a longer run. Here is my race plan for the next few months. I'll probably add some others, but these are for sure.

November 8 - Rocky Raccoon 25K
November 15 - Kats for the Cause 5K, Huntsville
November 16 - San Antonio Marathon
November 22 - Cannonball Run 5K, College Station
November 27 - Run the Woods 5 Miler, The Woodlands
November 29 - Leftover Turkey 10K, Huntsville
December 6 - Sunmart 50K
December 13 - Willis Wildkat 5K (400th race)
December 13 - Jingle Bell 5K, Livingston
January 1 - Texas Marathon, Kingwood
February 14 - Surfside Beach Marathon
Late February - Ramp Romp 5K, College Station
March 7-8 - Texas Independence Relay
March 14 - Seabrook Marathon
March 29 - Bataan Death March Memorial Marathon - New Mexico

Can't Beat the Weather

Great weather for running today. I went to Nautilus this evening and then on to the park for a 2 mile run on the roads. I was tempted to slip over to the trails, but I'll save it for Rocky Raccoon on November 8.

Voted Today

I voted today and I hope everyone else is smart as I am and vote the same way. I worked out at Nautilus this evening and then ran my 2.7 mile loop around town. Then, Marilynn and I went out to dinner tonight to commemorate a marriage streak of 41 years.

Lazy Day

Besides mowing my yard (on my riding lawn mower), I didn't do much today. This evening, I went to Nautilus and then ran laps at the track. I had no blisters from the marathon yesterday, so I felt fine. Back to the roads tomorrow.

Replacement Marathon

Since I wimped out and did not make it to the M2M last Saturday, I did the Miracle Match Marathon today in Waco. It is billed as the toughest marathon in Texas. The temperature was fairly cool for the first half and the hills were not so bad. Then, the hills strike and the temperature got into the 80's. These are really steep and some of the downhills were so steep there was no way to run down. It was up and down from about mile 14 to 24. I did the first half in 2:47, so I had ideas of finishing well under 6 hours. It didn't work out that way. I finished in 6:03:52, which was good enough for first place in my age group, hence two medals. My hamstring never bothered me during the race and I did not get the sharp pains in my right knee that knocked me out of the M2M. I had just the usual sore and stiff knees. I ran into fellow SHRC member, John Slate, at the start line. He ended up 2nd in his age group.

Shiitake 5K

Ben and I went up to Madisonville this morning to run the Shiitake Mushroom Festival 5K. Nice morning for running. I ran a 33:26. Several other Seven Hills Running Club members were there, Sara Seale, John Burick, Robert Duncan and Jerry Flanagan. Sara and Robert were the overall winners. They changed the course this year. Rather than an out and back on the roads, it was a single loop and most of it was on a dirt road through the woods.

Tapering for a 5K

I'm running the Shiitake Mushroom 5K in Madisonville tomorrow morning, so I ran a mile at the track this afternoon. The weather should be nice.

Club Meeting

I went to Nautilus and ran earlier than usual today, because of the Seven Hills Running Club meeting at the Junction Restaurant this evening. I did my 2.7 mile loop around town. Because of the cooler temperature and low humidity, I wanted to keep running. However, I had to get home, shower and then get to the meeting. We had a smaller than usual crowd at the meeting, but there was no shortage of quality people. News from the meeting is on the Latest News page of the club web site.

Back to the Park

I met Phillip, Hans and Chris at the park this evening (Wednesday). While they did their usual 4.5 mile trail run, I did 3 on the roads. SHRC member, Keelie Hughes, was biking on the road and I stopped and visited with her a few minutes. My plan is not to step foot on the trails again until the Rocky Raccoon 25K on November 8. This will be my 8th straight Rocky Raccoon 25K, so I will risk my hamstring for that. In any case, it will be a good training run for the San Antonio Marathon the next weekend. Marilynn and I are looking forward to a weekend in San Antonio. She lived at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio as a kid, when her dad, an Army colonel, was stationed there. I was also stationed at Fort Sam Houston as an Army private in 1961. San Antonio has always been one of our favorite places to visit.

Finished

The 10 x 12 storage building is finally finished. Tours available upon request.
I went to Nautilus this evening, but I was relunctant to work my knees. That was probably what caused my problem last week. My knee hurt less today and the antibiotics are working on my sore throat, so I feel somewhat better. I increased my running distance to 3 miles this evening.

Easing Back In

I was lucky and got an appointment with the doc this morning. He put me on decongestants and antibiotics. My knee seemed to be feeling better, so I did make an issue of that problem. I went to the track this evening and then ran 2 miles on the road from there. So far, no problem. I'll do more tomorrow.

Another Day Recovering

My knee felt better today, but I kept my run to a mile at the track this afternoon. My sinus problem also felt better today, but my fever did return tonight. Maybe I can see my doc tomorrow and get some antibiotics. I'm tired of laying around.

Idle Saturday

I kept thinking about M2M this morning and wishing I was there. Congratulations to Hans and Jon, who both finished. I had a fever all day from the sinus problem. It is in my throat and it is hard to talk or swallow. I ran laps at the track this afternoon and iced my knee tonight. I'm sure it will get better in a few days.

No M2M

I went to the track just after midnight last night to get in my Friday run. I felt a sharp pain in my knee a couple times, but it was tolerable. When I got home, I iced it and told Marilynn that we were good to go early this morning. I went to bed, but was awake most of the night with trobbing pain under my right knee cap. I took some Tylenol about 4 a.m. and was able to sleep a few hours. Then the pain woke me up again. There is no way I can do the Marathon 2 Marathon tomorrow. I was really looking forward to the experience. And, I have no idea what I did to cause the knee problem. Now, my challenge is to keep the streak going. Good luck to Hans and Jon at M2M.

Frustrated

A couple days ago, my allergies started acting up and my throat is sore and my sinuses stopped up. I get it every year and have learned to live (and run) with it. This evening, I went to Nautilus and did my normal workout and then went to run a mile at the track. After the run, I started getting sharp pains in my right knee (besides the normal pain in both knees). I have been icing it and wondering what the heck I did. I am suppose to leave early tomorrow morning for an all day drive to Alpine for the marathon. Now, I don't know. My thinking now is to go get my Friday run in after midnight tonight and then see what happens to the sharp pain in my right knee. I would sure hate to drive all the way to Alpine, start the marathon and then have to DNF. So, if I don't blog tomorrow, that means I went to Alpine.

Two at the Park

The group met at the park this evening. It was Hans, Phillip, Curtis, Marisa, Chris, Josh and I. We got started late, so they all did 3 miles on the trails and I did 2 miles. There was a light rain that tapered off during the run. The weather is looking good in west Texas for the Saturday marathon.

Tapering for Saturday

I went to Nautilus this evening and then did my 2.7 mile course in town. Since I have the Marathon to Marathon this Saturday, I will do about the same tomorrow and even shorter runs on Thursday and Friday. The forecast for Alpine (starting town) on Saturday is a low of 48 and a high of 71 and a 20 percent chance of rain. Sounds good.

Back to Normal

I was busy most of the day working on post-race stuff. A lot of it was sorting out the race results. Some runners ran without their chip, at least one lost their chip, some runners did not report their age or sex and the chip timing company keyed in two females as males. So, we are still trying to sort out everything and it will require some mailing of awards to some runners.
My body felt like it was back to normal today. I suppose that running everyday facilitates quicker recovery from long runs. I worked out at Nautilus this evening and then ran my 2.7 mile course around town. I felt good. When I got back to the track, I ran into Amy, who had just finished a run on the track - barefooted, of course.

Early Post

You may have noticed that virtually all my posts are late at night. This one is early. I have to leave at 9:45 p.m. to go down to the airport to pick up Ben. He has been out in Yuma, AZ the last few days visiting his sister Mary and her Marine husband, Eric, and his Marine brother, Tim. His flight gets in at 11:30, so it will be a late night.
Between football games, I went over to the track and ran laps this afternoon. Tomorrow, I have a lot of race stuff to pack up and haul over and put in our club storage building.

Hot Half

It was early to rise this morning to get everything loaded in my truck and be at the starting point for the Huntsville Half Marathon & 5K at 5:45 a.m. It was my first time running this race since 1996. I started directing the race in 1997. It was a hot and humid morning in Huntsville. I took on a lot of fluid and a couple electrolyte capsules during the race. I finished in 2:46:08 (4 of 6 in my age group). The heat really made it a tough race. I kept thinking about the marathon next Saturday in southwest Texas and trying to convince myself that the lower temperature and dry air would make it tolerable.
It was great that so many of our club members from the south (including Kemah, Spring, The Woodlands and Conroe) were up working as volunteers. A special thanks to Bill Dwyer and TWRC for loaning and delivering 250 traffic cones. This made the course much safer for the runners. Congratulations to our own Adrienne Langelier for repeating as the female winner in the half marathon and to Lavonne for finishing her first half marathon. When I turned the corner to head for the finish line, Norman, Lavonne and Kolton Allen were there to join me to the finish line. I appreciated that. Kolton is 9 years old and came over from Lexington to run the race. He, along with Norman, were the two selectees for the Fit Texan Award for 2008.

Tomorrow Will be Over Soon

Putting on races is a lot of fun, but it always a relief when the things over with. I have been handing details all day and then we did packet pickup this evening from 5 to 8. It was Niki, Robert Duncan, Lavonne and I. Since then, I have been entering entries into the data base, boxing up T-shirts and stacking up stuff to load on my truck early in the morning. I may be too tired to run the race tomorrow - but I'll do it.

Resting for the Half

I didn't get much sleep last night. I was awake thinking about all the stuff I had to do to get things ready for the Huntsville Half Marathon on Saturday. It would be easy if I just could only run it. I went through a long list of places I had to go, things I had to buy and things I had to do. Finally squeezed in a 2-mile run on the road. While running through the campus, I got stopped by a girl that worked on my hamstring at the doc's office. We had a short visit and I recruited her as a volunteer road guard on Curtis' committee. When I got back to the track, I also recruited a guy who use to work for me when I worked for a living. Then, I met Curtis and Phillip (now two less volunteers short) and we drove the half marathon course and checked and marked all the mile markers. After that, we had the packet stuffing party at my house. Thanks to Marilynn, Lavonne, Phillip, Kathy Cook and all the Langwells, we got it done in a couple hours. I have a lot more to do tomorrow. Looks like the weather will be nice on Saturday, but maybe a little on the warm side.

Back at the Park

I ran 3 miles on the roads at the park this evening, while Hans, Curtis, Marisa, Chris, Curtis and Phillip ran trails. Amy finished up a run on the trails by herself and we visited her for a while.

Last Nail

I put the last nail in my new storage building today and started puddying in preparation for painting. If I have to say so myself, it is looking good. Finish photo forthcoming. After going to Nautilus this evening, I ran 3.7 miles around town. Ran into Adrienne and we visited briefly.

Late Posting

I have been working on Huntsville Half Marathon stuff and did not realize that it was after midnight. I only ran laps at the track this evening, anyway.

15.6 Will Have to Do

I ran 15.6 miles on the roads at the state park, starting about 10:30 a.m. That will have to do for my long run before the marathon on October 18. I usually like to do 20 before a marathon, but with the heat and sore hamstring and knees, I had to settle for less. Hopefully, it will be cooler and less humid out in southwest Texas.

New Out of the Box

I took a new pair of running shoes out of the box and started breaking them in this evening. Obviously, they felt stiff and I only did two miles on the road. The Marathon 2 Marathon is two weeks away and I need to get them broken in by then. I'll probably do my long run tomorrow in the old shoes and then switch to the new ones entirely. Since Niki is directing the Huntsville Half on October 11, I plan on running it. I have not run it since I starting directing it in 1997.

Something Different and a PR

To do something different, I went down to The Woodlands for the 7 p.m. Nike South Cross Country 5K put on by The Woodlands Running Club. Since it was getting dark, they changed the course to the lighted area around the football field, which shortened the course. SHRC and TWRC member, Bill Dwyer, was in charge and we had a nice visit. He estimated the course to be a 4K. I ran a 24:41, so it was certainly not a 5K. Since I have never run a 4K, this would make it a PR.

Sorta Like Yesterday

Today was sorta like yesterday, except that I did my 2.7 mile loop in town.

Off Day

After working on my storage building most of the day, I worked out at Nautilus and then ran laps at the track. The cooler and dryer air is nice.