Sunday Night 5K

I went down to The Woodlands this evening for the Sunday Night 5K. Even though the temperature was still very hot, I should have run faster than the 35:41 that I turned in. Maybe it was the big Mexican dinner that I had for lunch.

Polish Pickle 5K and Wedding

Got up at 5 this morning to go to the Polish Pickle 5K in Bremond. Mary Sweeten rode up with Marilynn, Ben and I. Other club members there included Phillip Clark, Adrienne Langelier, Jennifer Johnston, Charles Walker, Jerry Flanagan, John Cook, Karen Fowler, J. C. Guzman. I ran the race with Debbie Tripp of The Woodlands. I probably slowed us down. The heat was terrible and I had to stop once to get a big rock out of my shoe. We finished in 35:38. However, the beer was good. We stopped to eat in Centerville on the way home. I took a brief nap and then went to Melissa's Broussard's wedding in Crockett. She should have been at the Polish Pickle, because the wedding was not until 4 p.m. I can't stand excuses. She married fellow Seven Hills Running Club member, William Ashley Biscamp. They had a nice wedding and I really wish them the best. They are living in Alba, north of Tyler. He works in Mineola and Melissa teaches at John Tyler High (my alma mater). Today was also a minor streak milestone. My streak reached 6 years and 6 months. We'll party at 10 years.

Tapering for the Polish Pickle

Tomorrow is the Polish Pickle 5K in Bremond, so I did a 2-mile taper run around town this evening. Weather.com said it was 103 degrees and I believe it.

Thursday Park Run

We started our run at the park at 6:30 this evening, an hour later than usual. I suppose it was still about 100 degrees. In keeping with my doctor's orders, I stayed off the trail and ran on the park roads. The group did the 4.2 mile trail course and I did 4 miles.

Club Meeting Tonight

We had a meeting of the Seven Hills Running Club officers at my house this evening. We are finalizing plans for the club's Huntsville Half Marathon on October 17. I got in a workout at Nautilus before the meeting, but not a run. After the meeting, I went into town and ran a couple miles. It was totally dark when I finished. In the old days (before people drove around talking on cell phones), I routinely ran the streets after dark. It's a different ball game now.

Worked on the Bug

I spent most of today working on my 74 VW bug convertible. My seat was falling apart. I bought a used one yesterday and put it in. Of course, I had to remove the uphostery from the old seat and intall it on the new one. Anyway, the new seat is much more confortable - and no springs sticking me in the butt. I met up the group at the park tonight and ran roads while they ran trails. Congratulations to Mary Sweeten for starting a new running blog. Click here. Katy Lampson is correct, publishing a blog helps make you accountable for your training runs. Click here for Katy's column.

Second Shot

I did a one-mile run at the track this morning and then went to the doctor to get the second shot in my knees. Number three is next week.

Sunday Night 5K - Not

I left Huntsville at 6 p.m. today to go run the Sunday Night 5K in The Woodlands at 7 p.m. The traffic came to a virtual standstill north of Willis and inched along all the way to south Conroe. It was nearly 7 p.m. when I reached the southside of Conroe. Knowing for sure I will not make it to the race in time, I turned around and went back to Huntsville. I ran the hilly Avenues 5K course. With the sun setting, the heat was tolerable.

June Bug Run

I directed the club's June Bug 5K and 1-Mile Run/Walk this morning. That means I had to get up early and put the signs out. We had 15 runners and walkers. True Cousins was there, but was not able to run due to a hamstring pull. I know how those hurt and how long it takes for them to heal. After the race and retrieving the signs, I joined Casey Spencer, Mariah Reynolds and new club members, Charles Walker and Jennifer Johnston for breakfast at the Cafe Texan. After working in the yard this afternoon, I ran a 2.7 mile loop around town.

OKC

My daughter, Mary, and her husband and two kids, who live in Yuma, AZ were on a vacation trip to Kansas and decided to spend a day at the zoo in Oklahoma City on their way home. So, Marilynn, Ben, Kenny and I drove up to OKC on Wednesday. My son, George, and his wife and three kids drove up from Wylie (near Dallas). We all went to the zoo yesterday and then spent hours at the hotel pool. We had a great time and got back this evening. I ran in OKC on Wednesday and Thursday, in between family activities. No relief from the heat up there. After a workout at Nautilus, I did a 2.9 mile loop in Huntsville about 7:30 this evening.

Quarter Marathon

Mary and I went down to Kingwood this evening and ran the 6.55-mile (quarter marathon) course used for the Texas Marathon each January. I could not have run it four times today in the heat. January is better. This will be Mary's first marathon and she now knows the course.

Movin on up

The new national streak list is out. As of June 1, I am number 146, up from 148 on March 1, 2009. I am number 6 in Texas. Of course, my friend, Vincent Attanucci, of The Woodlands is 147 and 7, respectively. And, it will stay that way. The entire list is on the U.S. Running Streak Association web site at http://www.runeveryday.com.
I ran a couple miles on the road this evening just before dark.

Sunday Night 5K

As you may be aware, The Woodlands Running Club, started a new race series, the Sunday Night 5K every Sunday in June, July and August at 7 p.m. Tonight was the innaguaral race. The crowd was light, but I had a nice visit with Jon and Waverly Walk, Bill Dwyer and Karen Felicidario (all are also members of the Seven Hills Running Club). I prefer to run in the evening, so the timing was great for me. I ran the course in 34:41. Click here for a link to the race.

Mud Maxx

My son, Ben, and I went down to Humble this morning for the Mud Maxx 5K. Seven Hills Running Club members, Mary Sweeten, Mariah Reynolds, Keelie Hughes and Jacob Gautreaux and his daughter, Megan, were there also. The race was not timed and I did not wear my watch, so I have no idea of my finish time. Steve and Paula Boone put on the race and they had about 350 runners. Obviously, we got muddy. They had a couple fire trucks there providing post race showers. It was a fun race. Most of us went to the Potatoe Patch on FM 1960 for lunch before heading back to Huntsville.

Kneeded to Run

The tree guys arrived at my house early this morning to cut down two large dead oak trees in my back yard. They did a good job and my house was not hit or threatened. I periodically had some sharp pains in my right knee all day. I am not sure where that came from, maybe from the shot a couple days ago. Anyway, I kneeded to run, so I went to the track this evening and did a mile. I did not get the sharp pains while running, so I guess its okay. Gotta get up early tomorrow for the mud run in Humble.

Hot in the Park

I heard on the news tonight that this was the hottest day so far this year. I believe it. The group ran trails this evening while I ran 3 miles on the park roads. Hans was back from his trip to South Dakota for the Deadwood Marathon. My calf felt okay after Mariah worked on it yesterday.

Treatment Day

I got in a short 2-mile run on the roads late this morning and then went to the doc for the first of a series of three injections of SYNVISC in my knees. It is a lubricant and is suppose to start working in about three weeks after the last injection. Then, it works up to 18 months. Later this afternoon, Mariah came over and worked on the pulled muscle in my calf. She is really good. The club officers were suppose to have a meeting at my house tonight to discuss the Huntsville Half Marathon coming up in October, but Norman had to delay the meeting for a couple weeks.

Park Roads

We jad a large group at the park this evening. Mariah was there and she took a look at my calf. She could not find a knot and thinks I pulled a muscle. She noted that it was swollen and will work on it tomorrow. In the meantime, while everyone else was running trails this evening, I ran two miles on the park roads.

Calf Still Acting Up

My left calf muscle is still acting up. Maybe I have a knot in it. Help, Mariah. I did an easy 1.6 mile run on the roads this evening. It did not get any worse.

Course Measurement

I borrowed the engineer wheel from the city to measure a course this weekend. It's the old Bowers Stadium 5K course. The markings on the curb have worn away. I met Norman at 5 p.m. this evening and just as soon as we got started, he got a call to go put out a fire. I measured and marked the course and Norman's wife, Millie, picked me up at the turn around point and gave me a ride back to the stadium. I think walking a 5K is harder than running. Afterwards, I went over to the track and run a mile, plus. My calf started acting up at the end of yesterday's run, so I took it easy.

After 7 p.m. Run

I waited until after 7 p.m. today and ran a 3-mile loop around town. I received an email from Hans Jaeger today. He is in Deadwood, South Dakota for marathon tomorrow. He said that the weather forecast is for 40 degrees and rain. For someone born in Switzerland, he really hates running in cold weather. If I had known that it would be that cold up there, I would have gone.

Darn Bug

I worked on the electrical problem in my 1974 VW Bug Convertible today. I got the headlights to work; now the tail lights went out. I have tried everything. Guess I will have to take it to the VW repair place in Bryan next week. Congratulations to SHRC members, Colton Langwell and Colleen Cook, who graduated from high school this week. Gosh, I remember when Colleen was born. I ran my 2.9 mile loop around town this evening, just before dark. It was relatively cool and my knees did not feel too bad.

Short Road Run

I spent most of the day trying to get my VW bug through the state safety inspection and preparing garden beds for Marilynn. She has been taking the Master Gardener course since January and it has caused me a lot of work. My break lights would not work, so my VW failed the inspection. I worked on the VW this afternoon and got the break lights to work; now one of the headlights won't work. I bought a new seal beam this evening, but it still won't work. Back to the wiring tomorrow. I went to Nautilus late this evening and then ran a 2-mile loop in town.

Huntsville 5K Course

For a retiree, I had a busy day. Got up at 9:30, bought some landscaping stuff at Home Depot, got a flat fixed on my new truck, worked on my 74 VW convertible, went to a funeral and worked out at Nautilus. Then, Mary, Juan and I ran the hilly Huntsville 5K course this evening.

Lisa's New Web Site

My daughter, Lisa, lives in Chicago and is a singer and song writer. In her spare time, she is Senior Accountant for a large manufactoring company. Click here to visit her new music web site.
In keeping with the doctor's orders, I stayed off the trails today. I met up with the group at the park and ran 3 miles on the park roads while they had fun on the trails.

No More Trails

I went to the doctor this afternoon about my knees. He diagnosed the problem about 3 years ago as Chondromalacia. Basically, it is where the outside leg muscles, which are attached to the knee caps, start pulling the knee caps outward. The knee caps are suppose to move up and down at the knee joint. This outward pulling creates bone on bone pressure and a lot of pain, especially when sitting for a long time with the legs bent. There is also some arthritus under the knee caps. The surgical fix is to scope the joints to get rid of the arthritus and then loosen the outside leg muscles. To avoid surgery (a streak breaker), I am suppose to be doing exercises to strengthen the inside leg muscles, which are also attached to the knee caps. The braces, which I have worn occasionally, help keep the knee caps centered. Anyway, I have to intensify the exercises. The doctor will also give me a series of three shots of SYNVISC to lubricate the knee joints. The other thing I have to do is STAY OFF THE TRAILS. That will be the hard part.

After a workout at Nautilus this evening, to include my leg exercises, Mary Sweeten and I ran the 5-mile Tour de Huntsville course. The course includes some busy streets, but it traverses all four quandrants of the city. Mary just signed up for the Texas Marathon in Kingwood on January 1. This will be her first. I have no doubt that she will run it and finish.

Did Not Feel Like Running

I just did not feel like running today, so I went to the track this evening and ran one mile.

Afternoon in Conroe

Marilynn and I went down to Hans and Linda's house this afternoon to help celebrate Linda's 60th birthday. The BBQ was good and I ate too much. I took a nap when I got home and then went out for a run - only because I am a streaker. It was hard to get going, but I ended up doing a 2.7 mile loop around town.

Short Road Run

Ben and I went down to the Sam Houston-Rice U. baseball game in Houston this evening, so I did a 2-mile run on the road in town in the middle of the afternoon. Rice upset Sam 5-2.

Five Miles at the Park

We had 20 in our group at the park this evening, which we think was a record. I took off on my own and ran five miles on the park roads while the others were on the trails. I took it easy, so as not to re-injure my pulled calf muscle (I assume that is what the problem was). It was a little sore by the time I finished, but no sharp pains during the run.

Recovery Run at the Track

Kenny

Raven

Artic Fox

Tundra

My calf was still sore, so I did another recovery run today. This time at the track. I'll try a longer trail run tomorrow. I just got off the phone with my son Kenny, who is working for a few weeks on the north slope of Alaska. I am including four of the photos that he took the other day near the camp.

Recovery Run on the Trails

I met up with the group at the park this evening. I ran 1.4 miles on the trail. It started hurting (but not the sharp pain that stopped me yesterday), so when I got to the park road, I walked about a mile back to the Nature Center. I had ice in my beverage cooler, so I iced it until the rest of the group finished.

Oops

At about the two and a half mile point in the Run the Woodlands 5K on Saturday, I suddenly felt like my left calf knotted up. It was sore for the rest of the race, but tolerable. I had no problem with it during my run yesterday. This evening, I was running a loop around town and at about a mile and a half, I started getting sharp pains in the same calf. I walked back and that was painful. I iced it when I got home, but it is still very sore. Hopefully, it will be okay tomorrow. I may do "recovery runs" for the next couple days.
We had the Seven Hills Running Club's Memorial Day 5K in my sub-division at 10 a.m. this morning, followed by a cookout at my house. We had 28 runners for the race and more than that for the cookout. We had a great time. A special thanks to my old friends, Pete Cahill from Baytown and Loren Sheffer from Houston for coming up. Also, thanks to my wife, Marilynn, for all her work with the cookout.

Family in Town

We had family in today from Tyler and Wylie, so before anyone arrived, I did one of my rare morning training runs. I did a 3.2 mile loop around town.

RTW

I went down to The Woodlands this morning with Mary, Mariah, Sarah and Lori for the Run the Woodlands 5K. Curtis met us there. I ran the course in 33:34. I had a visit with Lou Wilson, who at 73 just completed his 100th marathon. He only has 5 more states to complete a marathon in all 50 states. Congratulations, Lou. Sarah and Laura rode back with Curtis and Mary, Mariah and I had breakfast at Skeeters.

Went Fishing Again

I ran five laps at the track this afternoon and then went fishing with Ben again at the park. I am beginning to think they removed the fish from the lake. No one else was getting a bite either.

Three Straight at the Park

Ben and I went fishing at the park this afternoon. We tried every bait possible, but could not get a bite. Maybe it was too hot and windy. We will try again tomorrow. I did go back to the park this evening to run trails. We had a large group, including Lavonne and several runners new to the park. We did a 4.7 mile loop. I ran most of it with Mary Turner and Lottoya Manderson, who had never run at the park. They seemed to enjoy it.

Bounce Sheets

Phillip was at the park yesterday with a Bounce sheet (the things you put in your clothes dryer) hanging out from the back of his cap. It is suppose to keep the biting horse flies and other pesky critters away. It must be my body chemistry, but I tend to get attacked and bitten by horse flies more than most. The group met at the park this evening and Phillip brought me a sheet. It emits a strong odor, but I wore it during the 4.2 mile loop and nothing got close to me, including other runners.

Trails for a Change

After a workout at Nautilus, I met up with the group this evening and ran 4.2 miles on the trails at the park. The cooler temperature felt nice.

Empty Roads

The traffic around town is much lighter, now that the spring semester at Sam Houston State has ended. It makes road running in Huntsville more pleasant. After a workout at Nautilus this evening, I ran a 3.4 mile loop around town. Less than a block into my run, Mariah and Mary honked and stopped and we had a nice visit. We are all going down to the Run the Woodlands 5K this Saturday. Anybody else want to go?

50th High School Class Reunion

I went up to Tyler this weekend to attend my 50th high school class reunion, Tyler High School Class of 1959. I got in a run in Huntsville Friday before leaving, a run in Tyler on Saturday and a run in Huntsville when I got back this evening. Actually, it was a joint Robert E. Lee/Tyler High School Reunion. Back in those days, Tyler High was the only white high school in Tyler. Robert E. Lee first opened in 1959, so those who lived on the north side of Tyler stayed at Tyler High and those on the south side went to Robert E. Lee for their senior year. They built a new high school on the north side of Tyler, which opened in 1960. It is called John Tyler High School. Tyler High was closed after the 1959, but the building is still there and is being used as a daycare center. In any case, we had a good time at the reunion. There were several, including two good friends who I was in the Cub Scouts with, who had not previously attended a reunion and I got to see them for the first time in 50 years. One kept raving about my Mother's cookies and described them in detail. How can somebody remember cookies after 50 years? The weekend events started with a reception on Friday night. On Saturday morning, we had a guys only breakfast. The dinner and dance was on Saturday night. It was really good visiting and reminicsing with old friends. Bill Allen, who recently retired as the Editor of National Geographic Magazine, and I spent some time together. I did not realize that he was suppose to be on the plane that crashed into the Pentagon on 9/11 with some other National Geographic employees. At the last minute, he had to cancel his trip to resolve a problem with an article for the next issue. I also visited with Kenneth Crone. He was the real life DPS trooper held hostage in the incident portrayed in the 1974 movie, "Sugar Land Express," starring Goldie Hawn. My old girl friend, Peggy Sue, didn't make it to the reunion. Neither did my good friend, Dr. Robert Peters. Bob and went to school together from Kindergarden all the way through high school. He became totally blind in about the 9th grade. When we graduated from high school, he received his diploma and then walked off the stage into the orchestra pit. He was not hurt and we laughed about it since.
I tried to recruit some of my classmates for my Saturday run, but could not find any takers.

Busy Day

I had a busy day, but squeezed in a workout at Nautilus and a 2-mile loop around town before going to the Sam Houston-Corpus Christi baseball game with my son, Ben.

Ditto

I ran the same 3 mile course as yesterday, but did not witness any wrecks.

Knees Feel Better

My knees felt better today. I was able to work them a little at Nautilus before doing a 3 mile loop around town this evening. I witnessed a car wreck on Sam Houston Avenue. It was a fairly serious wreck, but everyone told me they were okay (thanks to air bags). I interrupted by run and provided some assistance to one of the drivers.

Back from Wylie

I went up to Wylie (northeast of Dallas) Saturday afternoon and returned to Huntsville this evening. I did a 2.3 mile road run in Wylie Sunday evening and a 2 mile road run in Huntsville this evening. My knees are very sore, but that is a long story.

YMCA Trail Run

I went down to Conroe this morning for the YMCA 5K Trail Run. As expected this time of the year, it was hot and humid and the trail was muddy in spots. I was surprized that no one else from the Seven Hills Running Club was there, except Jon Walk, who was spectating and acting like the sports reporter he is. They had nearly 300 runners, so the race is growing. I ran 34:45, a whole 10 seconds faster than last year. I was the only one in the 65 and over age group, so I got first in my age group.

Resting Up

Since I am doing the Conroe YMCA 5K Trail Run tomorrow morning and my knees were aching, I went to the track this evening and ran one mile +.

Calorie Replacement

After working out at Nautilus this evening, I ran a 3.2 mile loop around town. Marilynn and I then went to the Farmhouse Restuarant, where I had a chicken fried steak dinner. I think I more than replaced the calories I burned while exercising.

Bandera Grill 5K

Mariah and I ran the Bandera Grill 5K course in the Forest Hills Subdivision this evening. Darren Grant ran most of the course with us.

Three Around Town

I ran a 3-mile loop around town this afternoon and then went to the Sam-Texas A&M baseball game in College Station tonight (A&M upset Sam).

Short Road Run

For a retiree, I was busy today. I managed to get in a 2-mile road run late this afternoon. We met my son, Kenny, and his friend, Jenny, at the Olive Garden in The Woodlands this evening for dinner. Kenny is leaving for the north shore of Alaska on Wednesday and will be up there a few weeks.

Deep Water

I checked the forecast on weather.com early this morning and it looked like our 9:30 a.m. run would be inbetween thunderstorms. Phillip and I were the only ones to show up at the park. We did the 6.8-mile outer loop and I misinterpreted the forecast. It rained virtually the entire run and for a while, the lightning got pretty close. There was deep standing water in many places and we had to go through it. Amy's crossing was covered with water. The bridge south of the Nature Center was entirely covered with about one foot of water. In crossing, I had to aim for the other end of the bridge and try to stay on the bridge as I crossed. Phillip was up ahead of me on the west perimeter trail and ran across 4 wild hogs on the trail. They had taken off by the time I got to that point. We ran into several runners from The Woodlands and Felix was there also. Except for the lightning, it was a fun.

GRACE 5K

I went over to the A&M campus in College Station this morning to run the 1st Annual GRACE 5K, which supports the local Salvation Army. Nice race with less than 100 runners. The course was flat. I finished in 32:54, which gave me 2nd place in the 60 and over age group (yes, there was only two of us).

Day Off

My right knee was really hurting today, so I took today off. That is, I went to the track and ran laps this afternoon. Besides, I am doing at 5K in College Station tomorrow morning.

Muddy Down in Da Bayou

John Cook and I drove down to Houston this evening for Stage 5 of the Tour de Bayou. We met up with Leslee Cade and Brian Zemlica. After all the rain and flooding in Houston this week, the Ho Chi Minh Trail (near Memorial Park) was what we expected - muddy. In some spots, we had to run through mud and water over our ankles. Obviously, the above photo was taken before the race. They announced that the race was 4 miles, however, Leslee's GPS said 3.84. In any case, my time was 43:53.

Road Run

I parked at the track this evening and then ran 3 miles on the roads around town. My loop included Montgomery Road, where I ran into Adrienne Langelier. We had a nice visit.

Humid

Darn, it was humid today. I had to go to a dinner with Marilynn this evening, so I was not able to run trails with the group this evening. Instead, I ran the Avenues 5K course this afternoon.

The Nice Thing About Being Retired

It sure has been easier to maintain my running streak after I retired in 2005. Before that, I had to face whatever weather was available after 5 p.m. and had to run in towns all over the state. In fact, I have run in 103 Texas cities and 76 counties. I also made a few out-of-state and overseas trips (Germany, Okinawa, Japan and Korea) while working for the state, but somehow always got my run in. Heavy rain was correctly predicted for later this afternoon. So, I went out at midday in a pair of new shoes and did a 3.2 mile loop around town. Today makes 6 years and 4 months on my current streak.

Sunday at the Park

Hans, Chris, John, Phillip, Jason and I ran the outer loop at the park this morning. There were lots of runners, bikers and hikers at the park this morning. This included Seven Hills Running Club member, Karen Felicidario, and a group from The Woodlands. We ran into Karen when we finished our loop and she had already done 16 miles with breaking a sweat. It was good to visit with her a while. And, congratulations to Misty Baugh for finishing the OKC Marathon today in 5:08:36 (PR).

Spring Fling 5K

We had a nice crowd for the Seven Hills Running Club's Spring Fling 5K this morning. I got there early and put out the signs, ran the race and then took down the signs. It is a tough course and it was particularly humid this morning. I ran a 35:02, almost a minute slower than I ran the same course a couple months ago. Jerry Flanagan won my age group. I'll sure be glad when he hits 70 next year and gets out of my age group. After the race, some of us had breakfast at the Cafe Texan on the downtown square. It is suppose to be the oldest continually operated restaurant in Texas. The group included Brian Zemlicka, Leslee Cade, Andie Ho, Darren Grant and my son, Ben.

Late Day Run

I had to go up to Tyler today for a funeral and did not get back until late this evening. My knees were killing me from kneeling 30 minutes for a Rosary, a one-hour Mass and having to stand up seven times during Mass. When I got home, I went over to the track and ran a mile.

Change of Routine

When you run everyday, you have to change the routine sometimes. So, I went out to the park this evening and ran 3 miles on the park roads. When I got down to the loop by the lodge, I ran into Mariah, who was spending time at the park with her 4-year old neice. We had a nice visit. Tonight, we had our quarterly Seven Hills Running Club meeting at the Rodeo Mexican Restaurant. It was good seeing and visiting with everyone. Congratulations to Curtis Barton, who was elected Treasurer to replace True Cousins. True had to resign due to work reasons.

Felt Like Summer on the Trails

I went out to the park this afternoon and ran Marisa's Course, which is 3.5 miles. It was in the 80's and humid and felt like summer. I had to get back to the house for a 5:30 meeting this evening.

Two in Town

I had a busy day and sandwiched in a 2-mile run around town this afternoon. Ben and I went to the Sam Houston - Baylor baseball game tonight (Sam won). I did not eat dinner until nearly 10 p.m.

Trails, Again

We ran trails again at the park this evening. It was Curtis, Phillip, Andrew and Karen, Mariah, Mary, Ron and Mary Ann, Josh, Jason and myself. We did the 4.2 mile loop. Nice weather - not too hot, yet.

Sunday Trail Run

The group met this morning to run trails at the park. There was standing water in spots, but for the most part, the trails were in good shape. The water was running over the first bridge south of the Nature Center and I had no choice but to get wet. The rest of the group took a different way back and stayed dry. I ended up running the regular outer loop, which is 6.8 miles.

I Wimped Out

I got out of bed at 5:30 this morning to head for Brenham for the Blue Bell 10K. I checked the weather forecast on the Internet and it showed severe thunderstorms for the start time and for the duration of the race. They even had a red border around the forecase. So, with the heavy storms there and enroute to Brenham, I decided not to go. I later checked the race web site and they said they were delaying the race one hour. Then, I thought about going until I checked the forecast again and they extended the severe thunderstorm warning through the new starting time. So, I wimped out and did not go. I was assuming that the race would be cancelled or rescheduled. However, later in the day, they posted the race results. Adrienne was the female winner and my fellow streaker from The Woodlands, Vince Attanucci, was there. Also, Karen Fowler from the Seven Hills Running Club was there. Then, I was really upset with myself for not going. Addrienne sent me an email this evening saying they changed the course to an out and back and it rained during the whole race. Just as she was finishing, a new storm came through and there was more lightning. Of course, I would have still been running a long time after she finished and would have been caught in the new storm. Oh well, there is next year. I did go out and run around Huntsville this afternoon after the rain stopped. The course ended up being 3.7 miles. After I got home, I ate some Blue Bell.

Pre-Rain Run

I needed a day off today, so I went over to the track this morning just before it started raining and ran one mile+. Tomorrow is the Blue Bell 10K in Brenham. As of now, the forecast is for 100 percent chance of rain at the starting time. I don't mind the rain as long as there is no lightning. I guess if it starts lightning, I'll just run next to a tall person.

Tour de Bayou

I went down to Houston this evening with Hans, John and Karen to run the Tour de Bayou #3. The tour is run on 5 consecutive Thursdays in the fall and in the spring along the bayou east of downtown Houston. Even though Hans has been running it for 13 years and John at least a couple years, this was a first for me and Karen. The entry fee is cheap (free). Number 3 was somewhere between 4.5 and 4.7 miles on grass and asphalt trail with some short steep hills. I forgot to keep track of my time, but I am sure it was fast. They will adventually publish the finish times. I ran into several friends, including Scott Bounds, former SHRC member and Huntsville City Attorney and Ben Harvie, current SHRC member. The Tour de Bayou was a new experience. And, when you run every day like I do, it is important to find new experiences.

Crowd at the Park

We had a big crowd for our trail run at the park this evening. As I recall, it was Hans, John, Chris, Marisa, Mary, Andrew and Karen, Jason, Ron and Mary Ann, Phillip, Curtis and Mike. I ran 6.5 miles and I think most did about the same.

Four at the Park

I had a busy day and ended up with enough time to run 4 miles at the park this evening before going to the Sam Houston baseball game with U. of Houston (Sam won 11-2) tonight. The trails are in good shape after the recent rain.

Avenues with Mary

Mary Sweeten and I ran the Avenues 5K course this evening, followed by a couple laps at the track. Mary's goal is to run the Texas Marathon in Kingwood next January. I have no doubt that she will.

Happy Easter

The group was suppose to run trails this morning at 9:30 a.m. I'm not sure if anyone showed up. If they did, they got wet. At least the rain surely put out the remaining fires from the controlled burn and settled down the ashes. I ran a 2-mile loop around town this afternoon. Tomorrow is the 13th. I suppose it is time to start doing my taxes.

Back to the Smoky Park

Lavonne and I went out to the park this afternoon and ran 11.9 miles. The park is still smoking from the controlled burn a few days ago. Since there is nothing for the animals to eat in the ashes, they must have all left the park. We sure did not see any. Lavonne is training for the Hog's Hunt 25K on May 16 and I guess I am training for the Polish Pickle 5K on June 27.

Smoky Run at the Park

A bunch of us met at the park this afternoon to run trails. The group included Hans, John, Curtis, Phillip, Ron, Sarah from Germany, and Marisa. About 12 feet into the run, I tripped on something and took a hard fall on my already-sore knees. No falls after that. They just completed a controlled burn of most of the park and some trees were still smoldering. There was still plenty of smoke. We ran 6.2 miles.

Sluggish

After my first workout at Nautilus in about 2 weeks, I ran a 2.9 mile loop around town. I felt sluggish. I suppose it was due to the humidity after running in dry New Mexico and Arizona.

Bataan and Beyond

Marilynn and I just returned this evening from our trip to New Mexico and Arizona. We also made a side trip to California, just across the state line from Yuma, Arizona. We left on March 27 and drove to Van Horn, TX, where we spent the night. The next day, we drove up to Las Cruces, New Mexico. We met up with Hans and Linda Jaeger and John Cook. We visited the veterans memorial park in Las Cruces, which includes a statue to honor those soldiers who died during the Bataan Death March during WWII. We then drove to White Sands Missile Range, east of Las Cruces, to pick up my packet for the Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon. Hans, John and I ran the marathon the next day, along with 5,000 + others. It was the most difficult marathon I have run. The elevation (nearly a mile) contributed to the difficulty (I even got a nose bleed during the race). The rest of the difficulty was due to deep sand, wind and the trek up and around the mountain. Luckily, the temperature was relatively cool. I finished in 6:26:42 and placed 347 of 952 in the civilian males (light) category. Light means that we did not carry heavy backpacks. Hans, Linda, John and I had a good time hanging out in Las Cruces and checking out the local eateries.
On Monday morning, Marilynn and I drove out to Yuma, Arizona. Our daughter, Mary, and her Marine husband, Eric, and their chidren, Phillip and Emma, live in government quarters at the Yuma Marine Air Station. We stayed with them. Our youngest, son, Timothy, is a Marine and is stationed at the same base. He lives in the barracks. We spent a great week with our family there. All my runs were on the base. The temperatures got up into the 90's during the day, but cooled quickly in the evenings.
We left for the drive home yesterday. We stayed in Van Horn last night and drove back from there to Huntsville today.

Almost Tapered

With the Bataan Marathon on Sunday, I am almost tapered. My long training run was the Seabrook Marathon almost two weeks ago. I did 2.8 miles around town this afternoon. The next couple days, I will do even shorter runs. I have to be rested for the sand - and wind. I received an email from the race today and they warned of strong winds during the race, with gusts up to 51 mph. This should be fun.

Avenues Before the Storm

The group met this evening to run the hilly avenues. The group included our friend, Mihaela Mullin from Kingwood, who is training for Boston next month. She drove up to Huntsville just for the hill training. I'm glad she made it today before the storm came through. Curtis, Jason, Ron, John, Colleen and Andie were also running. Since I am cooling it for the marathon on Sunday, I did just 2.8 miles. I ended up going to Nautilus late tonight.

Rainy Day

I spent most of the morning clearing brush and burning it. Got it done before the rain. I had a working lunch with Meagan Lee of the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority to complete the race results from the Ronald Run for a Reason 5K last Saturday. I got to the park a little late this evening and the group was already on the trails. I was not sure which course they were running, so I improvised and ended up doing 3 miles. There was an off and on light rain during my run, but the trails were in good shape. When I got back, Phillip, Curtis, Andie Ho and the new guy, Jason, were waiting at my truck. They had done the 4.2 mile course. After a shower and dinner, I went to Nautilus to do my thing there. I am getting a little apprehensive about the marathon in New Mexico next Sunday. I have run marathons on concrete, asphalt, beach, trails and crushed rock, but never in the desert. However, if Hans, John and Chris can do it, I sure can too.

Day Off

Mentally, I needed a day off, so I went to the track and ran one mile + this afternoon.

Life Expectancy

Someone sent me a link to a Life Expectancy web site. Click here. You have to answer 30+ questions and then you get your virtual age and life expectancy. I'm not sure how accurate it is, and I won't know for a long time. According to the site, I will live to 94. Marilynn will live to 93. I told her that I was getting remarried for that last year.
A bunch of ran trails this morning. I did 6.3 miles. Also running was John, Melissa Stelter, Curtis, Phillip, Ron Davis, J. C. and Felix. Brian Zemilca and Leslee Cade from the club were also at the park running and biking. Robert Duncan was there biking. Mary Ann Davis was also there hiking while we were running. Hans left this morning for a liesurely drive to New Mexico for the Bataan Marathon next Sunday. John is flying out there Friday and I'm driving out on Friday.

Long Day

I got up early this morning to set up the finish line for the Ronald Run for a Reason 5K on the SHSU campus. They ended up with well over 150 registered runners, which is good for their first year. It was good to see my friends at the race, to include Donna Crocker and Loren Sheffler from Houston and Leif Skyving, visiting from Idaho. I had a lot of other things to do today, however, I did get out to the park this afternoon and run a 3.5 mile loop. There were tons of hikers and bikers on the trails, on spring break, I suppose.

Getting Ready for the Race Tomorrow

I'm helping the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority put on their Ronald Run for a Reason 5K on campus tomorrow morning. We got the race equipment out and ready to go. Julie and I drove the course one more time this evening to make sure they know where to place the signs. It looks like they have done a great job in the putting the race together and they already have 150 signed up. I ran trails this evening with Hans, John, Lavonne and Jan Parks. We did 4.2 miles. Curtis and Phillip started earlier and finished up just before us. My son, Ben, went to the SHSU baseball game tonight and called me to tell me that Seven Hills Running Club member, Sara Seale from North Zulch, was there. Sara graduated a couple years ago and has maintained her club membership. I made it to the game for the last inning and visited with Sara. She is doing well and hopes to end up in Huntsville in another year. We will see her for sure at the Polish Pickle 5K in Bremond in June.

Sunmart Replacement Race

According to my contact with Roger Soler Sports in San Antonio, they were contacted by several companies wanting to sponsor a replacement race for Sunmart. The plan is that Roger Soler Sports will put on the replacement race, using a new sponsor. It will be on usual Sunmart date in early December and the usual 50K and 50-mile distances. A big meeting is planned next week and they will know more after that. Stayed tuned here for more details.
After a busy day of yard work, I went to Nautilus and then ran a 2.9 mile loop around town.

City Hills

Julie Fike of the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority and I met at 1 p.m. today to do the final measurements on their Ronald Run for a Reason 5K this Saturday. The course will be similar to the Huntsville 5K course, but different. They should have a good crowd. As of a few days ago, they had 89 signed up. I will help with the finish line on Saturday. Later this afternoon, I went to Nautilus and then ran "city hills" (the avenues) with the group. We had a large group today, including Mihaela Mullin, who came up from Kingwood to run hills to prepare for the Boston Marathon next month. She got her gas money's worth. Since I am recovering from the marathon on Sunday and tapering for the next one in a week and a half, I took it easy and did about 3.5 miles.

Tapering Time

It was back to the park this evening. After a quick workout at Nautilus, I went out to the park and ran 4.2 miles on the trails with Hans, John, Ron and a new guy, Jason. The trails are really in good shape after the recent rains. I suppose it is time to start tapering for the Bataan Death March Memorial Marathon in New Mexico on March 29. That's one thing about running another marathon in two weeks, it is not necessary to do a long boring training run.

Recovery Day

Except for a sore right knee, I felt okay by later today. I did a 2.5 mile loop on the trails at the park this evening. After my run, I ran into Curtis and Phillip. We visited for a while and talked about running and stuff.

Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon

I drove down to Seabrook yesterday afternoon for the Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon today. The starting time was 7:15 this morning (too early). The course is a flat crushed rock trail, mostly along the bayous in Seabrook. It is a 6.55-mile course and you run it 4 times for the full marathon. It was overcast for the whole marathon and the temperature I suppose in the low 50's. Not bad at all. Jon Walk from the Seven Hills Running Club was there as the race announcer and no one else from the club ran. I finished in 5:50:15. Lately, getting under 6 hours is always a goal. So, I'll take it. With the completion of this race, I also received the Texas Marathon Triple jacket for the second year in a row. It requires completion of the Texas Marathon in Kingwood in January, the Surfside Beach Marathon in February and Seabrook in March.

Resting Up

I am resting today and tomorrow for the Seabrook Marathon on Sunday. It was cold and raining late this afternoon, so I went to Nautilus and ran one mile + on the treadmill. That's the first time I've done that in over a year. I could not imagine running distance on a treadmill. I have to get out and dodge traffic and trip over roots on the trails

No More Sunmart

The Sunmart web site officially announces that the Sunmart Texas Trail Endurance Run at the Huntsville State Park will no longer be held. That's bad news. The race has been held for the last 19 years and I have done it for the last 13. Speaking of the park, Lavonne and I ran a 5-mile loop at the park this evening. Even with the recent rain, the trails were in good shape. Curtis and Phillip were finishing up their run when Lavonne and I arrived.

Avenues 5K

Thank goodness the rain today washed some of the pollen away. My head is still stopped up, but I did not do all the sneezing and coughing. Norman and I ran the Avenues 5K this evening.

Large Group on the Trails

Seems like everybody showed up for a trail run this evening at the park. We did the 4.2 mile loop. Norman and I ran together. I felt fine, except for my sinus problem. Hopefully, the rain tomorrow will wash away the pollen. I sure want to clear up my sinuses before the marathon on Sunday.

Texas Independence Relay Report

My van-mates, Gary Kunkel of College Station, me, Natali Davis of Huntsville, Kori Estrada of Lufkin, Norman Langwell of Huntsville and Pat Morein of The Woodlands.

I got up at 2 a.m. on Saturday and drove down to Spring with Norman Langwell, Adrienne Langelier, Natali Davis and Melissa Stelter to meet up with our team leader, Jon Walk. We left his house in a van and drove down to Gonzales for the start of the Texas Independence Relay. I was on one of two 11-member Battling Bloggers of the Texas Republic teams. Our team started at 8:04 a.m. The whole team ran a 1.2 mile loop around Gonzales. This is called the "Prologue" run. After that, we divided up into two vans, six in ours and five in the other. Runners from our van ran the first six legs. We headed east for the 203 mile run to San Jacinto. My first leg was number 4 (4.66 miles) and most of it was on a rough gravel road with a strong wind in my face. It ended in Shiner, home of the Shiner Brewry. My next leg was number 16 (5.88 miles) at 7 p.m. on Saturday. It was on the shoulder of a highway and ended in Columbus. Of course, it was dark and I wore lights, blinkies and reflectors. While the other team van were running their five legs, we went to a hotel, took a shower and slept for one hour. Our van picked it up for the next six legs. My next leg, and my last, was number 27 (6.51 miles) and was on the shoulder of a highway. Including the prologue run, I did a total of 18.2 miles. I did not personally keep track of my time, but I think someone else did. I'm sure I ran fast. The two night runs were more pleasant, because it was cooler and the wind had died down. My van-mates were very supportive and appeared often during my legs to offer their encouragement, water or Gatorade. We finished up at the San Jacinto Monument Sunday evening. There were over 150 teams participating. I'm not sure where we placed, but who cares? We had a blast. Since you have to spend two days in van with sweaty runners and virtually no sleep, it is important to be with a good group. And, I did. We got back to Huntsville about 7 p.m. last night. Our team leader, Jon Walk, did a super job in organizing the team effort. I have headed relay teams in the past and I know how much work is involved. Thanks, Jon. After getting home, my first priority was to take a shower and sleep for an hour. I was too sleepy to blog last night, so this blog entry is for two days. The pollen is heavy now and my allergies have been acting up big time. Since my last run was at 4:30 a.m. yesterday, my legs were well-rested. So, I did a 2 mile loop on the streets around the campus this evening. It's back to trails tomorrow. Next Sunday, I will run the Seabrook Marathon, which will give me the Texas Marathon Triple. The others were the Texas Marathon in January and the Surfside Beach Marathon in February.

TIR Eve

Gotta get up at 2 a.m. tomorrow to head south for the Texas Independence Relay. Since I normally do not go to bed until 12:30 to 1 a.m., I will not get much sleep. I'll try for 10:30 p.m. and see what happens. My toe was better today, but I still only ran one mile at the track. I should be well-rested for the weekend. We lost one our team members, Edwin Quarles, so we will all have to take up some slack. Edwin's father is seriously ill and he needs to be with him. He will be in our thoughts and prayers as we run the relay.

Another Track Run

My big toe joint was still sore and stiff today, so I did another one mile run at the track this afternoon. It feels better tonight and I am confident that I will be okay for the Texas Independence Relay this weekend (Jon lets out a sigh).

I Need a Toe Truck

I am not sure what I did, but I woke up early this morning with pain in my big toe joint. It has been sore and stiff all day. I ran a limpy and painful mile at the track this evening. However, I've learned that pains that come on quickly seem to go away just as quickly. I'm doing 15.6 miles total this weekend at the Texas Independence Relay and am confident that I will be recovered by then. If not, I'll do a limpy and painful 15.6 miles.

Me and an Armadillo

I went out to the park this afternoon and ran a solo 7-mile loop. I never saw anyone else or anything else on the trail, except for one armadillo. I just can't waste this cool and dry weather hanging around the house. Before I started my run, I did run into Beth Caillouet, who just finished a trail run. She is a former club member and graduate student at SHSU, who moved to Mass. Beth was back here on business and had to revisit the trails at the park. Click here for a photo of her and I at the 2004 Austin Marathon. It was good to see her again. After the trail run, I went to the Sam Houston baseball game with Rice U. (Sam won) and then to Nautilus about 10 p.m.

Recovery Trail Run

Since it was the day after the Armadillo Dash Half Marathon, I ran 3+ miles on the trails with Mariah. Hans, John and Phillip finished up their longer run about the same time as we did. Mariah had to leave, but Hans, John, Phillip and I stayed around a while to get hydrated and solve some world problems.

Armadillo Dash

If I had not pre-registered for the Armadillo Dash Half Marathon in College Station, I probably would not have gotten out of bed at 4:30 this morning. It was cold and windy. The wind chill was 24 degrees at the 7 a.m. start. I dressed warm, but too warm when running with a tailwind. When running into the cold wind, I was glad to have on the extra clothing. I saw a lot of friends at the race. Natali Davis from the club was also running. Others from Huntsville were there, including Rachel Greene and Elaine Minton. I finished in 2:37:25, nearly a whole minute faster than last year.