Easter Sunday

It is Easter Sunday and we had family at the house all day. And, I ate too much. I did take time this afternoon to run 2 miles on the nearly empty streets in town.

Spring Fling 5K

I had signed up for the CASA 5K in Lufkin today and looked forwarded to visiting with friends there. My Marine son is in town for pre-deployment leave and we planned trips to Dallas and Tyler today to visit family. Our travel plans were up in the air most of the day. So, instead of driving to Lufkin early this morning, I ran the Spring Fling 5K here in Huntsville. After the race, we drove to Tyler and got back tonight. The Dallas part of the trip did not work out. The Spring Fling 5K course was out and back on hilly Veterans Memorial Parkway. I finished in 34:59.

Yard Work and Run

I spent most of the day doing yard work. Finally, I got over to the track this evening and ran laps. We need rain bad; hardly any rain for 2 months. Maybe I need to cover my yard with gravel and cactus plants. Even the track is dusty.

Tour de Bayou, Stage 3

Hans, John, Jocelyn and I went down to Houston this evening to run the cross country Tour de Bayou, Stage 3. I never heard what the official distance was suppose to be, but Hans' GPS said 4.24 miles. One section was a single lane trail through some woods. A large corral snake (red touch yellow kill a fellow) crossed the trail in front of me. Anyway, I survived the heat, humidity and the snake and finished in 52:02.

Flash Light Dash 5K

I ran the Flash Light Dash 5K on the Sam Houston State University campus tonight. I finished in 30:18. Don't worry; I'm not getting faster. The course was a little short. One of the sororities on campus put on the race, and, except for course accuracy, they did a good job. Night runs are different and represent a break from the routine.

Signed Up for Some Marathons for Next Season

I have not decided how I will challenge myself during the next marathon season, but I have already signed up for four marathons: Tyler Rose Marathon, October 9, 2011; Texas Marathon, January 1, 2012; The Woodlands Marathon, March 3, 2012; and, Seabrook Marathon, March 18, 2012. There are 25 marathons in Texas, plus a bunch of ultras. So, I have plenty of choices. In the meantime, I went to the park this evening and ran 4.2 miles with the group on the trails.

Late Run

My Marine son came home this evening from Yuma, AZ for pre-deployment leave. I did not get a chance to go workout at Nautilus and run until after dark. So, I went to the track and ran laps.

Sunday at the Park

I met up with Hans, John and Chris at the park this morning to run trails. They ran 4 miles+ and I kept going and finished with 9 miles.

Hog's Hunt Trail Run

I was at my course monitor post in the park from 6 a.m. to noon today. I enjoyed seeing and briefly visiting with friends running the Hog's Hunt 50K, 25K and 10K Trail Run. All of us runners need to volunteer at races, you know. It was suppose to get down to 39 last night, but it was 51 when I got up at 4:45 a.m. It warmed up quick during the race, but it turned out to be a nice day for trailing running. I took a nap this afternoon and then and ran laps at the track.

Volunteering Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the Hog's Hunt 50K/25K/10K at Huntsville State Park. I am volunteering and will be a course monitor at a key intersection. I have to be at my post in the park at 6:15 a.m. That's early for a late night person. I went out to the park this afternoon to check in. While there, I ran a 2.3-mile loop on the trails. It is suppose to get down to 39 degrees tonight and up in the 80's tomorrow. I suppose I will be shedding clothes during the race.

Tour de Bayou, Stage 2

I met up with Hans and Jocelyn in Conroe this evening and we drove down to Houston to run Stage 2 of the Tour de Bayou. This is a 5-race series along the bayous near downtown Houston each Spring. The course is mostly cross-country. This time, Stage 2 was 3.9 miles. I finished in 46:01.

Unplanned Road Route

I drove to the track this evening and started running an unplanned route on the roads. It turned out to be 2.5 miles.

Running as a Relief from Tax Preparation Frustration

I spent much of the day continuing to work on my income taxes. That meant another trip to the library to get forms, talking to IRS on the phone and getting information from their web site. My financial life is relatively simple, yet the preparation of tax forms and worksheets is still complicated. It is frustrating. Hopefully, I can finish up tomorrow. I put it away this evening, worked out at Nautilus and then ran 4.2 miles with the group on the trails at the park. Then, I went to the baseball game between Sam Houston State and University of Houston (Sam won 9-0).

Short Road Run

Even with the marathon in the heat yesterday, I felt normal today. After working out at Nautilus this evening, I opted for a short road run. I started at the track and took a different route around the city. My course ended up being 1.7 miles.

Big D Texas Marathon

I ran the Big D Texas Marathon in Dallas today. One short word to describe it - HOT. The temperature was about 90 degrees and sunny. My knee was acting up again and I had to take it easy. Also, I was careful about taking on extra fluids at the aid stations. I ended up finishing in 6:03:15 (3rd in age group). With the completion of this marathon, I have achieved my goal of running 20 marathons or longer this season (October 10 - April 10). Whew!

Trails and Road

I ran 2.7 miles at the park this evening (1.5 on the trails and 1.2 on the roads). Earlier in the day, I killed a snake while mowing my yard, so I expect that we will be seeing them at the park soon.

Avenues

I ran the hilly Avenues 5K course this evening. Even though it was sore, my knee held up okay. Now, I have to mentally prepare for the marathon on Sunday. The latest weather forecast is a high of 84 and 40% chance of rain.

Knee Issue

I had a "knee issue" at Sunday's marathon in Athens, so I took it easy today. I had an interview with Lindsey, a reporter for the local Sam Houston State University TV station, this morning. She interviewed me at the track about the Seven Hills Running Club. She did a great job. Click HERE for her blog. Then, I went home and wrote and turned in my running column for tomorrow's newspaper. I met up with the group at the park this evening, but cut my run to 2.7 miles due to my knee problem. With another marathon next Sunday, I am concerned about the knee. I felt that it almost collasped on me several times in the Athens Marathon. It must have something to do with the 80% tear in my quadraceps where they connect to the knee. I will probably get my knee brace out of the closet and wear it on Sunday. Hopefully, it will provide some stability. With 19 marathons or longer since last October 10, I am only one away from completing my goal of 20 this season (October 10 - April 10). This Sunday is the Big D Marathon in Dallas. The forecast is for heat and rain. I guess that is why the Texas marathon season ends in April.

Athens Marathon

I got up very early Saturday morning and ran laps at the track in Huntsville before flying to Columbus, Ohio and driving to Athens for the 44th Athens Marathon on Sunday. Athens is home to Ohio University and extremely hilly. The entry fee was only $40 and that came with a long sleeve tech shirt. Another nice thing about the race was a 9 a.m. start. When I got up Sunday morning, I had to scrape the ice off my windshield. I parked at the Ohio University track where the race was to finish and walked nearly a mile up hill to the start line in downtown Athens. The first mile of the course was all downhill until we reached an 8-foot wide asphalt paved bike trail. From then on, the course was flat. We ran out on that trail to the turnaround point at 13.1 miles. The trail followed a canal most of the way. When we got back to the city, we took another bike trail to the track and we finished with 1 and a half loops around the track. While the race started with a temperature in the 30's, it warmed up to the 50's during the race. Perfect running weather. I finished in 5:36:51, which was my best time this season. There were five in my 65-69 age group and I took 2nd. There were 201 finishers in the marathon and five were from Texas. Of the five in my age group, 3 were from Texas. I spent Sunday night in Athens and then drove back to Columbus this morning. My wife was born there and I spent most of today locating and visiting her ancestor's graves in two cemeteries and taking photographs. Because of the bad weather today, my flight back to Houston was late and I did not get back to Huntsville until about 11 p.m. tonight. So, I went to the track and ran laps tonight before midnight.

Squeezed in a Run

I ran errands all day, but wore my running shorts under my pants. When passing the track, I stopped and ran laps to get in my run. The weather for the marathon in Athens, Ohio on Sunday is starting to look rainy.

Only Three at the Park

We had a small group at the park this evening. Just Jacob, Jan and I. They did 4+ miles on the trails and since I am running a marathon this weekend, I cut my distance to 2.7 miles.

Avenues

After a workout at Nautilus, I drove over to the track and from there ran a course through the hilly avenues. It turned out to be 3.3 miles. Nice cool running weather. After my run, I went to the Sam Houston State - Rice University baseball game here in Huntsville. Good game, but Sam lost.

Tuesday Trails

I met up with the group at the state park this evening and ran 4.2 miles on the trails.

Short of Time

I spent most of the day working in my yard and tilling up my garden. I made it to Nautilus a little later than usual and was late getting out for a run. And, I had to be somewhere at 7 p.m. Anyway, I ran on the roads and had to cut the run to 2 miles. The weather for my marathon in Athens, Ohio next Sunday is looking good, 34 degrees or so at the start, high of 54 and 10% chance of rain. Can't ask for better weather than that. My only concern is finding good Mexican food in Ohio for a pre-race dinner.

Two Races Today

I went over to College Station this morning and ran the Race to Educate 5K on the Texas A&M campus. Nice small race. It was rather cool this morning and the course was flat. I finished in 31:45, which is my fastest 5K in nearly 2 years. The race was put on my Aggie Engineers, so I'm sure the course was accurate. This afternoon, I ran a non-competitive 3.5-mile trail run at Huntsville State Park. This is an annual event of our running club to introduce people to trail running and our park. We had 31 runners. I finished in 42:25.

Tyler Azalea 10K

I ran laps at the track in Huntsville Friday morning and then drove up to Tyler, Texas for the Azalea 10K this morning. It was rather hot and humid, but after running full marathons the last five weekends, the 10K did not seem to be much of a challenge. I finished in 1:10:24. I have two races tomorrow, but I am looking forward to running the Athens Marathon in Ohio next weekend.

Spring

I found a small snake in my back yard yesterday and when running trails (2.7 miles) at the park this evening, I noticed that various flying insects are out again. It must be Spring.

Day Off

I took the day off and ran laps at the track. Nice weather. Speaking of weather, I looked at the forecast for my next marathon in Athens, Ohio on April 3. Low of 32 and high of 61. What a contrast to the 80+ at my marathon last week in Seabrook, Texas. Frankly, I prefer the cold. Then, on April 10, I will run the Big D Marathon in Dallas. There is no way that it will be cold in Dallas on April 10.

Ankle Issues

I met up with a large group at the park this evening to run trails. Most ran a 4.6-mile loop, but I was having some problems with my left ankle. So, I ran a 3-mile loop, instead.

Recovery Monday

Since I ran the marathon yesterday, I went out to the state park this afternoon and ran 3 miles on the trails. There are still logs burning and it has been 4 weeks since the control burn. Of course, we have had virtually no rain since the burn.

Seabrook Trail Marathon

I ran laps at the track in Huntsville yesterday, before leaving for Seabrook, on the coast east of Houston. Got up early this morning for a 7:15 marathon start. This was my 4th straight year for running this race. The course was four loops on a 6.55-mile course. The course was flat with a crushed gravel surface. I had lots of friends running and you see them many times on the out and back parts of the course. The problem was the heat. The forecast was for 80 degrees and I'm sure that it was at least 80. I had to take on a lot of fluids to stay hydrated. I finished in 6:14:58, about 5 minutes slower than last year. This was my 18th marathon or longer this season, starting last October 10. Two more to go to reach my goal. Seabrook was the third leg of the Texas Marathon Triple, which I have completed for four straight years.

Had to Run to Rest Up

I did a lot of strenuous work around the house today and my back was hurting and I was very tired. So, I went to the track and ran laps to rest up.

Looking Ahead to Sunday

I will run the Seabrook Marathon on Sunday. The temperature is suppose to get up to 78, but there is only a slight chance of rain. It will be my 18th marathon or longer since last October 10. I suppose I am ready as I will ever be.
In the meantime, I ran a 3-mile loop on the trails at the park this evening.

3 Miles with J.C.

J. C. and I met up on the roads in town this evening and finished up 3 miles. Of course, I had to speed up a little to run with J. C. and he had to slow down a lot to run with me.

More Daylight

Now that we have more daylight in the evenings, we moved our group trail run at the park to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursday. This will accommodate those who have to work (whatever that is). The group was larger this evening and I expect it will be for a while. We ran 4.2 miles on the trails.

Unplanned Course

After working out at Nautilus this evening, I went to the track and ran around town from there. The university students are on spring break, so the streets are relatively empty. I ran an unplanned course. I measured it on the USAT&F Running Routes web site tonight and it turned out to be 2.6 miles. That web site saves a lot of gas. Before, I always drove a new course to check the distance.

Felt Recovered

After each marathon, I seem to recover more quickly. Today, I felt fully recovered from the marathon yesterday. I went out to the state park early this afternoon and ran 3 miles on the trails. Since it was Sunday afternoon, the weather was nice and spring break is on, the park was packed. Lots of hikers on the trails.

Gusher Marathon

I ran laps at the track in Huntsville before driving down to Beaumont for today's Gusher Marathon. It was a double loop course, starting and finishing on the Lamar University campus. We ran through the campus, two+ miles to downtown Beaumont, around the downtown area and then back to the campus. Except for highway underpasses, it was a very flat course. The temperature during the race ranged from the 50's to the 70's. However, it was very windy. I finished in 5:53:37, a few minutes slower than Litle Rock last Sunday. There were 3 of us in the 65-69 age group and I took second.

Time to Taper

I met up with the group at the park this evening and ran 3+ miles on the trails. Now, it is time to taper for the marathon on Saturday. One of the guys running with us sprained his ankle on the trails. He limped back and we sacrificed our ice to aid in his recovery.

Late Run

I was working in my yard this afternoon and was late getting to Nautilus and then out for a run. Since it was getting dark and I hesitate running the streets at night, I ran laps at the track.

Finisher Medal Comparison

I was watching the local news in my hotel room in Little Rock, Arkansas last Saturday night and they were covering Sunday's Little Rock Marathon. They mentioned that Runners World Magazine had declared the Little Rock Marathon finisher medal to be the largest in the world. Whoa! We know things are bigger in Texas. So, I compared the 2011 Texas Marathon and Little Rock Marathon medals. Here are the results:

Texas

Height - 8 inches

Width - 8 1/4 inches

Thickness - 1/2 inch

Weight - 3 pounds, 6 ounces

Little Rock

Height - 7 5/8 inches

Width - 5 1/8 inches

Thickness - 1/4 inch

Weight - 1 pound, 1 ounce

So, any way you look at it, the Texas medal is bigger (and better looking). To Little Rock's credit, their ribbon is nice and the globe thing in the middle spins around.

I went out to the park this evening and ran 3 miles on the trails in the area where they did the controlled burn last week. Some dead trees were still smoldering, so there was a lot of smoke in the air. Apparently, the burn was not too controlled. Two bridges were destroyed in the burn.

Little Rock Marathon

I ran laps at the track last Friday morning before heading for Wylie, northest of Dallas. I spent the night with my son and ran the streets of Wylie Saturday morning in very cold and windy weather. Then, I made the 5-hour drive to Little Rock, Arkansas for the marathon on Sunday morning. The temperature was in the low 30's at race start. It warmed up as the day went on and ended up being very comfortable. When I ran this race last year, I was 2:40:46 at the half way point and finished in 2:49:08. This year, I was 2:44:18 at the half way point and finished in 2:46:59. In other words, I ran much better the second half this year. I felt very strong after mile 20 and passed a lot of other runners. Maybe it was the Mexican food I ate the evening before the race. No more pasta for me. I drove back to Wylie after the race and back to Huntsville today. I ran laps at the track this evening. Next is the Gusher Marathon in Beaumont this Saturday.

Easy Day

With another marathon this weekend, I took it easy today and ran laps at the track this afternoon.
I was saddened this morning to learn that my friend, Wendell Londeen of Huntsville, passed away at age 85. Wendell ran the Houston Half Marathon for several years. He was 82 when he ran it last. He tried to enter the next year, but he called them to get an entry form and found that the race had already filled up and the only way he could get in was to donate a lot of money to one of their charities. He did not have a computer and there was no such thing as a manual entry anymore. He thought the person he talked to at the marathon office would be pocketing the extra money. I called the marathon office in Houston and they agreed to let him sign up, but he was so upset he never ran it again. However, he continued to run at the track in Huntsville until only recently.

Smoldering Trails

They did a controlled burn of about half the state park yesterday. The trails were smoldering today and that area of the park was closed. I went out there this afternoon and ran 3 miles on trails outside the burn area.

Signed up for Tyler Rose Marathon

I just signed up for the Tyler Rose Marathon in Tyler, Texas on October 9, 2011. This will probably be my first marathon at age 70. I have not decided what my goals will be for the next marathon season, but surely I will do a few. I have three different knee problems, so it is important to offset the problems with strength.
I went out to the park this afternoon and did a solo 5-mile run on the trails. They were in the middle of a controlled burn in another part of the park, so it was a little smoky.

Back to Normal

Today, I felt fully recovered from Saturday's marathon. I worked out at Nautilus this evening and ran my 3-mile loop on the roads in town. With another marathon next Sunday, I will take it easy this week. That's one good thing about running a marathon every weekend, no long boring training runs are needed.

Club Run

Our club had its annual Sweetheart 5K club run this afternoon. I put out the signs and had intended to run. I felt a little dehyrated from the marathon yesterday and opted to take photos instead. Later, I went over to the track and ran laps.

Surfside Beach Marathon

I ran laps at the track with Leah Koester Friday morning before heading for Surfide Beach (south of Galveston) for the marathon today. This was my 6th straight year for running this race. This marathon is entirely on the beach. The sand was not as hard-packed as it usually is. However, the temperature was in the 70's with a nice breeze. Overcast skies. I felt like I ran well and never walked between aid stations, but my finish time of 6:30:47 is slower than I expected. My previous PR for this race was 6:04 and my PW (personal worst) was 6:27. In any case, Surfside was my 15th marathon or longer this season (Oct. 10 - Apr. 10), with 5 more to go to achieve my goal of 20.

Threatening Weather

I checked the forecast this morning and it was suppose to storm later this afternoon. So, I went out to the park late this morning and ran 3 miles on the trails. As it turned out, the storm never materialized

Cooling It

No long runs this week. After a lousy marathon last Sunday, I am cooling it and resting for the marathon this Saturday. I went out to the park this afternoon and ran the same 3-mile loop on the trails.

Easy Three on the Trails

I went out to the state park this afternoon and did a solo 3-mile run on the trails. Can't beat the weather right now. The weather also looks good for the Surfside Beach Marathon this Saturday. Low chance of rain and a high of 72.

Day After

Maybe I would have felt worse today if I had a faster marathon yesterday, but I felt okay today. No blisters or soreness. I did my routine workout at Nautilus and then ran laps at the track.

Austin Marathon

I ran the Austin Marathon today. I went into this race expecting a decent time. The 50 miler was two weeks ago and no marathon last weekend. I had a good night's sleep at the hotel in Austin last night and felt good at the start. For some reason I did not have the strength today. It was rather warm and humid in Austin, with very gusty winds. Of course, Austin is very hilly, too. Except for brief stops for fluids at the aid stations, I ran the entire distance. I finished in 6:21:09, which must be my slowest marathon ever. That's about 30 minutes slower than Houston just three weeks ago. I'm not sure what it was. My wife thinks it was the Philly Cheese-Steak, with fries, dinner that I had last night. I suppose that at age 69 any marathon finish is acceptable, so I'll take it. With the completion of Dallas White Rock in December, Houston in January and Austin today, I completed the Marathons of Texas series for the 2nd year in a row. With that comes a special medal. I'm taking it easy this week. I have marathons the next four weekends.

Chick-fil-A 5K

I ran the Chick-fil-A 5K in Spring, Texas this morning. Finished in 33:20 (1st in age group). Yep, I was the only one in the age group. Got a medal, some chicken coupons and a Lowe's gift card. Nice. I have not eaten chicken since I was a kid, so I gave the coupons to friends. Jon Walk did a great job putting on this race. Now, off to Austin for the marathon tomorrow.

Marathon Prep

My left foot was very sore and swollen today, so I ran a gimpy mile at the track this afternoon. Tomorrow, I am going down to Spring for a 5K race. Then, I will leave for Austin tomorrow afternoon for the marathon on Sunday. Tonight. I did my normal marathon preparation. Besides my running clothes, here is what I packed:

• 2 bandaids for my nipples
• Vaseline
• 3 Power Bars to have with my coffee on Sunday morning before the race
• 4 extra safety pins, in case I lose those in my packet
• MP3 player with a fresh battery. Player is loaded with Willie Nelson, Patsy Cline, Texas Tornadoes, Johnny Horton, Ray Price and polka music.
• Camera
• Ibuprofen tablets for after the race
• 1 Fanny pack to carry the following during the race: 4 packets of GU and 12 electrolyte capsules

Another 3-Mile Trail Run

Most of the group opted for a longer trail run this evening. Since I am tapering for the Austin Marathon on Sunday, I did a 3-mile loop. Nice weather.

Warmer Weather is Nice, However

This warmer weather is nice for short runs, but I was just checking the forecast for the Austin Marathon on Sunday. It is suppose to get up to 76 degrees. Even in Texas, that is a little warm for a marathon. In the meantime, I am taking it easy this week. This evening, I ran the hilly Avenues 5K course. It includes running up and down the highest hill between Dallas and Houston. Good training for Austin.

Solo Run at the Park

I went out to the park this evening an did a solo 3-mile run on the trails. The weather is such a contrast to the cold and wet weather of the past month. If it stays this warm for very long, the snakes and biting horse flies will be out soon.

Track

With a total of 16 miles on the trails Saturday and Sunday, I took the day off and ran laps at the track. J. C. and our old trail running buddy, Annie, were there. I visited with them a while and then ran a mile with J. C. I will run the Austin Marathon next Sunday, so I will take it easy this week.

Sunday in the Park

Today was another nice weather day in Huntsville. I went out to the park this morning and ran 9 miles on the trails.

Signed up for the Athens Marathon

My marathon schedule for the remainder of the season is now set. I wanted to run one in Athens, Greece, but the trip would be too expensive. I settled for Athens, Ohio on April 3. I thought about the Salt Lake City Marathon or one in Kansas City, but I have spent time in both of those places. I have never been to Athens, Ohio, so I will go there. That gives me 7 more marathons to run this season, with the last being the Big D Marathon in Dallas on April 10. Scroll to the bottom of this page for the schedule.
There were some good races around this morning, but I had to speak to a group of Boy Scouts in a classroom at the university this morning. My topic was military service. My co-speaker was an Army major from Sam Houston State ROTC. The question of the day: "What countries have ya'll occupied?"
The weather was beautiful today in Huntsville. I went out to the park this afternoon and did a 7-mile solo run on the trails. Lots of bikers and hikers.

Trails, Again

The temperature was a little warmer today, but still in the 30's this evening. John, Hans and I ran our normal 4.2-mile loop on the trails at the park this evening.

Just Me and Curtis, Again

I suppose it was too cold for the fair weather group. Curtis and I were the only ones who showed up at the park this evening to run trails. He ran earlier and had just finished when I arrived. So, I ran 3 miles alone.

Where is the Global Warming?

I went out to run this afternoon and it was in the mid-20's and a windchill of 13 degees. We are not use to consistently cold weather in southeast Texas. I ran laps at the track and then went to Nautilus for a workout.

Back to Trails

I met up with the group at the park to run trails this evening. They decided to run the 6+ mile outer loop. Instead, I ran a 3-mile loop on the trails alone. When I ran by the Park Superintendent's house, he was in the yard and I stopped and visited with him for a while. We talked about the Rocky Raccoon Trail Run over the weekend. He said that a female runner broke her leg when she slipped on one of the iced-over bridges. I had not heard that.

Laps

I made it back to Nautilus for a workout this afternoon and then went to the track and ran laps.

Sunday Night 5K

Since my Dallas Cowboys had the night off, I gave up the first half of the Super Bowl this evening and went down to The Woodlands to run the Sunday Night 5K. I finished in 35:39. It was not one of my best times, but my pace was much faster than yesterday.

Rocky Raccoon 50-Miler

It was in the 20's at start of this race at Huntsville State Park. The course was three 16.67-mile loops on the trails that I am very familiar with. We started at 7 a.m. and I took it easy on the first loop. There are many bridges on the course, some over water and some over low places. They were all iced over. I went around the bridges spanning low places, but slipped and fell on my butt twice on others. The ice on the bridges had melted after the first loop and the temperature got up into the 50's. My only other falls were trips on the third loop. Most of the third loop was in darkness. Luckily, no injuries from the falls. My previous longest run was 50K (31 miles), so I did not know what to expect for the third loop. I took GU and electrolyte capsules every hour of the race and my legs kept going (though slowly). I finished in 15:16:27. I was a little disappointed in my time, but it was a PR (personal record). I think part of it was having run a marathon six days earlier. I am 69 and it was my 69th race of a marathon or longer distance.

Cold Continues

It has been freezing all day and is suppose to get down to 20 degrees tonight. My 50-miler starts at 7 a.m. tomorrow and the high temperature is suppose to be 53. Of course, by the time I finish tomorrow night, it will be cold again. I ran a mile plus on the treadmill this afternoon and had dinner at the local Italian restaurant this evening.

Back to the Trails

I ran trails again at the state park this evening. The cold continues and the "group" was only me and Jacob. It was his first run since running the Houston Marathon on Sunday in 3:12. He ran the 4+ mile loop and I ran the same 3-mile loop I ran on Tuesday. I tripped on a root and took a hard fall and ended up with soreness in my big toe joint. Hopefully, it will be okay by Saturday. Crews have been out cleaning up fallen trees, limbs and debri off the trails for the Rocky Raccoon 100 & 50 mile race on Saturday. That will give me less stuff to trip on.

Still Cold

In my 25 years in Huntsville, I do not recall so much cold weather as we are having this year. It was in the high 20's again when I ran this evening. I ran 3 miles on the roads in town after working out at Nautilus. The weather for the 50-miler this weekend at Huntsville State Park is looking good. Zero percent chance of rain, start in the high 20's and getting up to 55 in the afternoon.

Just Me and Curtis

It was in the high 20's and windy this evening. Only me and Curtis Barton showed up for the trail run at the park. Curtis ran around the lake and I did a 3-mile loop. With the storm last night and winds today, there were a lot of trees and limbs on the trail. A huge tree fell on one of the bridges down by the lake and crushed it. In another place, I had to climb over a fallen tree that was 3 feet in diameter. That means there will be a lot of cleanup work on the trails before the Rocky Raccoon 100 and 50-mile races this weekend.

Sore Toes

A couple of my toes are still sore from the marathon yesterday, but otherwise I feel fine. I wrote my column for the paper tomorrow, worked out at Nautilus and ran laps at the track.

Houston Marathon

I intended to get up at 3:45 this morning, but I woke up at 3 and could not go back to sleep. I got down to Houston at 5:30 and hung out at the Four Seasons Hotel lobby until 6:30. Then, I made my way over to the start line for the 7 a.m. start. We had periodic light rain during the marathon, but no lightning. Even though my socks were wet, luckily, no new blisters. The temperature and humidity was relatively high and I had to work on staying hydrated. There seemed to be more spectators on the course than I had ever seen in Houston. With a lousy weather forecase, that surprized me. I finished in 5:47:26, a couple minutes faster than my last two marathons. That was my 15th Houston Marathon finish. Now, I have to mentally prepare for the 50 miler next Saturday.

Frost Your Fanny 5K

Our Frost Your Fanny 5K here in Huntsville this morning turned out not to be so frosty. I ran in shorts and a short sleeve shirt and was very comfortable. My time was on the very hilly course was 34:39. A bunch of us had breakfast afterwards at the Cafe Texan on the downtown square. I plan to get up at 3:50 tomorrow morning and make the drive to Houston in the rain. The marathon starts at 7 a.m. and it looks like we are going to get wet. I put some "New Skin" on my healing blister from the rainy marathon 2 weeks ago. In light of my 50-miler six days later, my goal tomorrow is not to get any new blisters.

Houston Marathon Expo

I ran laps at the track late this morning and then drove down to Houston for the Houston Marathon Expo. On the way, I had lunch in Conroe, ran some errands in Conroe and went to Luke's Locker in The Woodlands to buy more Electrolyte capusules. At the expo, I picked up my race packet for the marathon on Sunday and visited with Ed Thompson, Chip LeDuff, Loren Sheffer, June Harris, Lance Phegley, Jon Walk and some other friends that I ran into. I also bought three pair of running shorts. The latest forecast for Sunday is 30% chance of thunderstorms. Gosh, that's down from an earlier 60% forecast. High temperature 70 degrees. So, things are looking better.

Signed up for the Gusher Marathon

I signed up for the Gusher Marathon in Beaumont on March 12. That means that I have registered for 8 of my 9 remaining marathons (or longer) this season. Last year was the first year for the Gusher Marathon and I have read and heard of a lot of problems. Hopefully, they will be fixed this year.
I met up with the group at the park this evening and ran 4.2 miles. I still keep trying to imagine running 50 miles on the trails at Rocky Raccoon Trail Run 6 days after this Sunday's Houston Marathon. It's a challenge and we all need challenges.

Couple Miles

I went out for a run on the roads in town. Got a late start and had to go somewhere this evening and ended up running only 2 miles.

Missed Yesterday

I ran yesterday, but my computer crashed and I was not able to blog last night. I got my computer in and out of the shop today, but I am still having some problems with it. Hopefully, it will hang in there for a while.
The group returned to our Tuesday routine at the park this evening. We ran 4.2 miles on the trails.
The Houston Marathon is this Sunday and the weather forecast shows a 40% chance of scattered thunder storms. Ugh.

Sunday Park Run

I met up with the group at Huntsville State Park this morning and ran 7 miles. It was cold and dry and the trails are in good shape.

Run the Woodlands 5K

I ran the Run the Woodlands 5K this morning. This race is held twice a month in The Woodlands, about 45 miles south of Huntsville. I finished in 32:08, which makes it my fastest 5K in over a year. I guess the best way to train for a 5K is by running a bunch of marathons. The Houston Marathon is only a week away, followed by my first 50-miler 6 days later. I am getting a little apprehensive.

Track

I ran 1.5 miles at the track this evening before working out at Nautilus.

Sam Houston National Forest

I met Don Ortloff at a trailhead in the Sam Houston National Forest down near Coldspring this afternoon and we ran trails for two hours and 10 minutes. It was in a pretty remote and dense area, but the narrow trail was in good shape. This was an area where there have been bigfoot sightings, but I have to report that we did not see anything, not even a squirrel.

Ran the Avenues

To avoid the heavy traffic on my regular course, I ran a hilly 5K course in the "avenues" this afternoon. This is an older residential area of Huntsville. All the north/south streets in this area are named avenues.

Heavy Traffic Again

Just as I was getting use to easy running on the roads, the Sam Houston State students are back in town after the holidays and traffic is heavy again. After working out at Nautilus, I ran my normal 3-mile loop on the roads in town. Thank goodness, this is the last week the park will be closed for deer hunting this season. Back to trails next week.

Miscellany

Today, I signed up for the Texas Marathon in Kingwood on January 1, 2012. It always fills up early and it is one of my streak races (races that I do every year).
Also, I received an email from the Houston Marathon today providing my bib number and wave assignment. I'm number 555 (better than 666, I suppose) and I am in the first wave. The first wave is based on veteran status (10 or more Houston Marathons). It is sure not based on my speed.
I also turned in my column on running this afternoon for tomorrow's issue of the Huntsville Item. The subject is local runners who will be doing the Houston Marathon and Half Marathon.
This evening, I ran laps at the track and then worked out at Nautilus. Surprizingly, the large blister on my toe from the marathon yesterday did not bother me and thankfully, it is not broken.

USA Fit Marathon

I ran the USA Fit Marathon in Sugar Land (south of Houston) this morning. The race was suppose to start at 7 a.m., but was delayed 45 minutes. This was apparently due to a traffic jam and not all runners being able to get to the start area. The entire course was on concrete streets. I noticed that on the back of the finisher shirt, they had the phrase, "Kicking Asphalt." I wish it was asphalt we were kicking. It was cold, windy and rainy. We started in the rain, but it seem to let up during the mid-miles but then came down hard during the last 6 miles or so. As I feared, I ended up with a large blood blister on the side of one of my toes. I finished in 5:49:39, 20 seconds slower than my marathon last Saturday. After the race, I went to my truck and ran the heater at full blast for a long time. After I thawed out, I changed into some dry clothes in my truck. I do not have another marathon until January 30, so hopefully my blister will heal by then.

Tapered

I ran a mile in my neighborhood today before the rain began. I suppose that I am fully "tapered" for the marathon tomorrow. The latest forecast is for a temperature in the 50's during the race and 80% chance of rain from start to finish. Should be fun. The start time is 7 a.m., so I have to get up at 3:45 a.m. to get to Sugar Land in time. And, for me, it is impossible to get to sleep before midnight.

Warming Up and Wet

I had breakfast this morning with my son at the Cafe Texan on the downtown square in Huntsville. Then, I spent the entire day helping him find and buy a new car. Stressful day. We made 3 trips to Riverside and it was back and forth to the bank and the insurance office. Finally got it all done about 4 p.m. Hopefully, he got a good deal. Then, I ran my 3-mile course on the roads in town. The temperature is getting higher, but it looks like we are in for a rainy weekend. The forecast for Sunday in Sugar Land is now 80 percent chance of rain. While I'm glad they removed "thunderstorms" from the forecast, it looks like it will be a wet marathon. I really do not mind running in the rain, but wet socks really increases the chance of blisters.

Continued Cold

For several days, it has been in the upper 30's or low 40's when I ran in the afternoon. While that may seem like a heat wave if you live up north, the continued cold is a little unusual for here in southeast Texas. It is suppose to get warmer in the next few days and thunderstorms are still forecasted for the marathon in Sugar Land on Sunday.
I got out for my run a little late this afternoon and I had a running club dinner/meeting at 7 p.m., so I cut my run on the roads in town to 2 miles. I probably should have kept running, because I got elected as treasurer of the club.

Half Way to Goal

My goal this year was to run 20 marathons for the Fall, Winter, Spring season. I have completed the first half and have finalized my plans for the second half. Here they are:

January 16 - USA Fit Marathon, Sugar Land
January 30 - Houston Marathon
February 5 - Rocky Raccoon 50-Miler, Huntsville State Park
February 20 - Austin Marathon
February 26 - Surfside Beach Marathon, Surfside Beach
March 6 - Little Rock Marathon
March 12 - Gusher Marathon, Beaumont
March 20 - Seabrook Trail Marathon, Seabrook
April 10 - Big D Texas Marathon, Dallas
April 16 - Hog's Hunt 50K, Huntsville State Park

I signed up for the Big D Texas Marathon today. I look forward to running it with my Fort Worth running buddy, Dee Difonzo.
The weather forecast for my marathon in Sugar Land (south of Houston) this Sunday is 60% chance of rain. I don't mind the rain, just hope there is no lightning. If there is, I will just run next to a tall person.
Today, I worked out at Nautilus and then went to the track and ran laps.

Just Cold

No rain today. Just cold. I worked out at Nautilus and then ran the same 3-mile course as yesterday.

Cold and Rainy

I ran 3 miles on the roads in town this evening in the cold and light rain. Felt good; no aches or pains from the marathon on Saturday. I'm ready for another one this weekend, which will put me over half way of my goal of 20 marathons this season.

Mississippi Blues Marathon

I ran the roads in Huntsville early Friday morning before driving to Jackson, MS for the Mississippi Blues Marathon on Saturday. I went straight to the race expo and immediately ran into Texas friends, Steve and Paula Boone from Humble and David Johnson from Odessa. All four of us were wearing our Texas Marathon T-shirt from last Saturday. The temperature in Jackson during the race on Saturday ranged from the high 30's to the high 40's. It was clear, but very windy and the course was very hilly. We started and finished in downtown Jackson, but most of the course seemed to be through various neighborhoods. I ran a fairly steady pace the entire race and never walked, except through the aid stations. I finished in 5:49:19. There were 665 finishers in the marathon and 914 in the half. The finisher medal was nice and the race packet included a blues music CD, a harmonica and Elvis sunglasses, complete with built-in sideburns. After the race, I drove to Alexandria, LA, spent the night and drove back to Huntsville today. It was cold and raining in Huntsville, so I wimped out and ran the treadmill at Nautilus this evening.

Tapering

Since I have a marathon this Saturday, I went to the track this evening and ran laps. J. C. was there and we ran the first lap together, then he could not stand my slow pace. That's what I like about running a marathon every weekend, no long training runs are required. I can goof off with short runs during the week. Long drive to Mississippi tomorrow.

Avenues 5K

I ran the hilly Avenues 5K course in town this evening after working out at Nautilus.

Wet Run

After working out at Nautilus this evening, I ran 3 miles in the rain on the roads in town. The park is closed for hunting during the week for this week and the next two, so no Tuesday and Thursday trail runs for a while.

Signed up for the Little Rock Marathon

Since the March 6, 2011 Collin County Marathon was cancelled, I signed up for the Little Rock Marathon for the same date. I ran Little Rock last year and enjoyed the experience, except for that uphill climb that seemed to go for miles.
I intended to run 3 miles on the roads this evening. After a half mile, a friend stopped me to talk about a race that she is going to put on in the Spring. We talked long enough for me to run out of daylight and I ended up running only 2 miles.

Sunday Night 5K

I went down to The Woodlands this evening for their monthly Sunday Night 5K. Ran it in 33:53. With the marathon yesterday, I felt a little stiff for the first quarter mile or so, but felt fine after that. After the race, I drove around for about 45 minutes or so to help look for a 14 year old girl who had gotten lost during the race. Thankfully, she made it back okay.

Texas Marathon

I ran the Texas Marathon in Kingwood this morning. I finished in 6:07:53, about 30 seconds faster than last year. The course is four 6.55-mile loops, all on a concrete sidewalk. There were over 317 runners doing the marathon and another 301 running the half marathon. The course is mostly out and back, so you get to see all the other runners. A lot of friends were running and others spectating, so it is a fun day. My friend, Debbie Tripp, was not in the race, but ran with me for a while on my third loop. Enjoyed visiting with her. The finisher medal was Texas-size. The medal for the last two years was 6 1/4 inch in diameter and weighed 2.2 pounds. It was the largest medal even given out at a marathon in the U.S. This year's medal was even larger and weighs 3.3 pounds. You have to be careful not to drop it on your foot. There were two runners running the marathon this morning, who just broke the world record for the most marathons run in a year. They ran 106 marathons in 2010, beating the old record of 105. I feel like a wimp and it was an honor to meet them.