Back from Wylie

I went up to Wylie (northeast of Dallas) on Monday and got back to Huntsville this afternoon.  The knee really hurt this week and I ran 1-mile+ all three days in Wylie.  I started wrapping the knee for every run and that seem to help.  I ran laps at the track when I got back to Huntsville.  Steve Bickford and I drove down to The Woodlands this evening to pick up our awards for the Texas 10 Series.  I picked up my 1st place age group award for the Conroe race a couple weeks ago, my 1st place Armadillo Cup and $200 for winning my age group for the 2013 series and got fitted for a pull-over for completing all three 10-mile races in the series.

Knee recovery continues

I ran a 2-mile loop around the nearly empty campus this morning.  The knee still hurts, but I will continue to take it easy for the next few days.

In search of a water pump

After church this morning and lunch at the Pita Pit, I went to every auto parts store in Huntsville looking for a water pump for my son's car.  A friend of his was suppose to install it when my son got off of work at 2 this afternoon.  No had one, so I called all the stores in New Waverly and Conroe.  The O'Reilly Store in Conroe said that they had one at their store in Spring.  So, I drove 50 miles down to Spring, bought the pump and got back to Huntsville by 2:30.  Then, I had a running club officer meeting from 4 to 6:30.  After that, I went to the track and ran laps.  Gosh, I missed all the football games.

Willis Wildkat 5K

For the 8th straight year, I ran the Willis Wildkat 5K in Willis this morning.  Relatively speaking, the temperature was rather warm.  The race starts and finishes at the club house and runs through the lake-side sub-division.  I finished in 37:22, which was good enough for 1st place in the 60 and over age group.  After the race, I went on down to Conroe to visit the Academy store.  Even though my knee was not bad during the race, it hurt like heck during the drive back home.  I think that might be my last race until my 100th marathon on January 1, so I have time to take it easy.

Back to College Station

My son had a doctor's appointment this morning in College Station.  I drove him over there and while there, I picked up my 2nd place in age group award from the BCS Marathon office.  We had breakfast at IHOP and stopped at a couple other places.
After I got back to Huntsville, I went to the track and ran laps - in the rain.  5K tomorrow.

Waterway Jingle Bell Run

For the 7th straight year, I went down to The Woodlands to run the Waterway Jingle Bell Run.  This a a non-competitive 3.4-mile run along the lit-up waterway, starting and finishing at Luke's Locker.  My son, Ben, went down with me and ran.  I ran with my good friend, Debbie Tripp.  Ben and I had dinner at Berryhills after the run.  Great visiting with many good friends before and after the run.
My knee was really sore and swollen today and I had ice on it a couple times.  I guess I need to wrap it every day before I run.  It hurt like heck for the first couple of miles tonight and then all the way back to Huntsville.  I am just thankful that I got through that marathon on Sunday.  Next is the Texas Marathon on January 1.

Night run

After working out at Iron Works tonight, I met up with the Wednesday night group and ran their 5K course around the campus.

Armadillo Cup Results

At least it did not rain today.  I went out to the state park this evening and ran 2 miles on the park roads.  No one else from the group showed up and there did not seem to be anyone else in the park.  So, I had it all to myself.  Worked out at Iron Works afterwards.
The Texas 10 Series announced the Armadillo Cup winners today.  They recognize the top three overall winners in each age group for the three 10-mile races in the 2013.  Pretty much by default, I won first place in the 70 and over age group.  For that, I get $200, an armadillo cup and free entry into the same 3 races next year.  The 2014 series starts in College Station on February 2, 2014.  I'll be there.

Easy day

I woke up at 6:30 this morning, but finally got back to sleep.  Finally got up at 9.  This week, I have to start working on Christmas.  I was going to the track this evening and run laps, but it was cold and raining.  I did not feel like putting up with the experience, so I worked out at Iron Works and ran the treadmill there (only do that about once a year).  If I had to run on a treadmill every day, I would quit running.

BCS Marathon

I woke up at 3:30 this morning and could not go back to sleep for another hour.  My knee was aching, but I had to go to the BCS Marathon in College Station, one way or another.  I had picked up a race packet for my friend, Vince, from The Woodlands.  I  wrapped up my knee tightly and met up with Vince in College Station about 6 a.m.  I sat in my truck, debating with myself about running.  I got out and walked around a bit and then decided to at least start the race.  Of course, in just under 700 races, I have never dropped out of a race that I started.  The race started in the cold at 7 a.m.  My knee hurt for about the first 8 miles.  After that, it did not seem to bother me much.  I hit a wall at around mile 23 and walked a little of the last 3 miles.  I normally don't walk at all during a marathon, but I think the 10-miler yesterday caught up with me.  Anyway, I finished in 6:13:45 and got 2nd in my age group (yes, there was only two of us).  Marathon 99 done.

Texas 10 Series Conroe

I ran the Texas 10 Series Conroe 10 miler this morning.  Very cold, but dry.  I finished in 2:09:32, which was good for 1st in my age group (I was the only one over 70).  That gives 1st place in the 70 and over age group for the Texas 10 Series for 2013.  That's good for $200 and free entry for the same races in 2014.
The bad news is that I did something to my left knee.  At about 8 miles, it started burning and hurting.  After the race, it was swollen and very sore.  After the race, I drove to College Station to pick up my packet for the marathon tomorrow.  After getting home, I have iced it several times.  My plan is to wrap it tomorrow morning and drive over to College Station.  I will see how it feels tomorrow before making a decision on whether to attempt to run.

About to break a race streak

The Texas Trail Endurance 50K Run will be held at Huntsville State Park tomorrow.  I ran it for the last 13 years when it was called the Sunmart Texas Trail Endurance Run and for all 4 years under it's new name; 17 consecutive years.  I will not make it this year.  I am trying to complete the entire Texas 10 Series 10 Milers and Conroe is tomorrow.  Then, my 99th marathon will be at College Station on Sunday.
This afternoon, I ran laps at the track.  The high today was 38 and it will be really be cold for the start in Conroe at 7 a.m. tomorrow.

Weekend weather

I just checked for forecast for the weekend.  The weather for the 10-miler in Conroe on Saturday is 33 up to 39 degrees and a 30 percent chance of rain (freezing rain).  For the marathon in College Station on Sunday, its 37 to 45 degrees, with a 30 percent chance of rain.  Sounds okay.
It was 39 degrees with a light mist when I went out to the park this evening and I ran 2 miles on the park roads.  No one else showed up.

Night run

I met up with the group tonight after working out at Iron Works and ran 2.6 miles around the campus.

Crazy weather

It got up to 80 in Huntsville today, but a cold front is due in this weekend.  The forecast for the 10-miler in Conroe on Saturday is 40 percent chance of rain and temperature in the 30's.  The forecast for the marathon in College Station on Sunday is 10 percent chance of rain and a temperature in the 30's and 40's.  Sunday sounds okay for a marathon.
The park is closed for controlled hunting from 5 p.m. today until noon on Thursday.  I went out there after 4 p.m. this afternoon and ran 2 miles on the park roads.  I was reminded 3 times for park officials that I had to be out by 5.

Rest time

After 4 races in 4 days (5-Miler, 10K, Half Marathon and a 5K), I rested up today.  However, I mowed the grass this afternoon and cut down a huge dead pine tree, without the house or anyone being injured.  This evening, I worked out at Iron Works and ran laps at the track.  This Saturday, I am running the Texas 10 Series Conroe 10-miler and then the BCS Marathon in College Station on Sunday.  The weather forecast for the weekend is cold, rainy and windy.

First Responder Half Marathon & Sunday Night 5K

I ran the First Responder Half Marathon in Waco this morning.  It was a two-loop course with a lot of bridge crossings and a run through a fire station.  However, we did not get to slide down the pole.  Nice weather, overcast and mostly in the 60's.  I finished in 2:56:53 (4th of 5 in the 60 & over age group.  At 72, I was the oldest of 169 finishers.  I got back to Huntsville about 2 p.m., showered, took a 30-minute nap, and then drove down to The Woodlands to run the Sunday Night 5K.  The traffic on I-45 on Sunday of the Thanksgiving weekend is always bad, so I took the back roads to The Woodlands.  I finished the race in 40:10, about my slowest 5K ever.  I came back on I-45 and the northbound traffic was terrible.

Leftover Turkey 10K

I ran our club's annual Leftover Turkey 10K this morning.  The course is out and back on Veterans Memorial Parkway.  No part of it is flat, either up or down.  I finished in 1:22:58.  Off to Waco now for a half marathon tomorrow.

Short road run

Since I have 3 races in the next two days, I only ran a 1.3-mile loop on the roads this afternoon.  However, with school out for the holidays, there was very little traffic.  It would have been a nice day for a long training run - if I needed one.

Run Thru the Woods 5-Miler

I got up early this morning, picked up Jill and Kelly and we all went down to The Woodlands to run the Run Thru the Woods 5 miler.  It was my 12th straight year for running this race and it was by far the coldest.  The temperature was in the high 20's or low 30's.  I finished in 1:02:07, a couple minutes slower than last year.  Now, Friday off and then three races this weekend.

Track

I had a doctor's appointment in Conroe this morning and then spent much of the day running errands in Conroe and back in Huntsville.  Traffic was terrible.  I went to Iron Works later this afternoon, but they were closed.  So, I ran laps at the track and someone told me that the other Iron Works was open.  I went there for the first time and worked out.  Off to The Woodlands for a cold 5 miler tomorrow.

1,500

Today, marked 1,500 consecutive days of running on my current streak.  In another 983 days, I will be back to where I left off when I broke my last streak on October 14, 2009.
It has been cold and rainy all day.  It snowed for a couple hours this afternoon and then rained some more.  It looks like it will be cold and dry for a few days.  No one else showed up at the park this evening, so I ran 2 miles on the park roads.

Building up immunity

I am convinced that running every day in the heat and cold or whatever the weather, you build up immunity to illness.  I have not had the flu since I started streaking.
It was windy this afternoon, in the 30's and raining.  I ran south on Veterans Parkway this afternoon.  Frankly, I had to go to the restroom and there was no place.  I turned around at one mile and headed back into the north wind, heavy rain and cold.  Some lady stopped and offered me a ride.  I told her I was out having fun.  So, I got in 2 miles - and more immunity.

Cold and rainy, again

The temperature was in the 40's this afternoon, but it seemed colder with the wind and light rain.  I ran 3 miles around the campus, before watching the Cowboys beat the Giants.

Run the Woodlands 5K

It was cold and rainy when I went down to The Woodlands this morning to run their second and fourth Saturday of every month 5K.  The rain let up during the race and the cold (40's) felt good during the race.  I finished in 38:13, about my normal lately for that course.  After the race, I stopped at The Woodlands YMCA to pick up my race packet for the 5-miler on Thanksgiving.

Cold and rainy

We had very heavy storms early this morning and light rain and cold all day.  Since I never made it to Iron Works yesterday, I went this afternoon and then ran 2 miles around the campus.  Just as I was finishing, I ran into my friend, Dana, and we had a nice visit.  I'm glad I was not the only one out in the cold, wet weather.

Race plans

I stopped at Schlotzsky's for lunch and ran into Sara McCullough, one of our running buddies when she was a student at Sam Houston.  She is teaching in Lovelady and was here for a class for the day.  Had a nice visit with her.  This afternoon, I attended a planning meeting at the Chamber of Commerce for a 5K they are putting on December 7.  Then, I went straight to the park to run.  No one else showed up, so I ran 2 miles on the park roads.  My race plans for the rest of this year:

Nov. 23 - 5K in The Woodlands
Nov. 28 - 5 Miler in The Woodlands
Nov. 30 - 10K in Huntsville
Dec. 1 - Half Marathon in Waco
Dec. 1 - 5K in The Woodlands
Dec. 7 - 10 Miler in Conroe
Dec. 8 - Marathon in College Station
Dec. 14 - 5K in Willis

I may add another one when it is scheduled, but so far, it will be 67 races for 2013.

Night 5K

Our group met up at 6 p.m. this evening and ran a 5K course around the university.  After running and then going home to take a shower, I made it to the Sam Houston State basketball game by 7:30, 30 minutes late.

3 at the park

I ran 3 miles on the roads at the park this evening.

Ran short of daylight

By the time I got out of Iron Works this evening, it was nearly dark.  I did manage to get in a 1.9-mile loop in the avenues before it got too dark.

Bad morning

A couple days ago, I signed up to run today's Great Strides 5K in College Station.  One site said the race would start at 8 a.m. and another said 9:30 a.m.  I sent them an email and never heard back.  The way races go on the A&M campus, I assumed that the 9:30 start time was correct.  I set my alarm for 7:30 this morning.  I woke up about that time and turned off the alarm before it went off.  I got up, took a shower and got dressed and was about to leave for College Station.  Then, I realized that I had gotten up at 5:30.  So, I went back to bed and got up at 7:30.  I made the 50-mile drive to College Station and arrived at the race at 9 a.m..  Unfortunately, it was over; started at 8.  They gave me my packet and agreed to let me run the course (which I knew) and time myself.  At about mile 2.5, I tripped on a curb, fell on the concrete and cut my knee pretty bad.  I finished with a bloody knee, with blood running down my leg. My time was 36:58. They documented my time.  I have no idea whether or not they had age group competition, but I doubt it.

No Saturday race today

No race today, but am doing a 5K in College Station tomorrow morning.  I spent some time today re-measuring a 5K course on campus.  It will be used for a race in December.  Afterwards, I ran a 2-mile loop around the campus.  It is really getting warm again, after a week or so of cold weather.

Two days of laps

We had a running club business meeting and potluck dinner last night, so I ran laps at the track yesterday afternoon.  After the meeting last night, I left at 8 p.m. and drove up to Tyler, arriving about 10:30 p.m.  I spent most of today at the hospital in support of my niece, who was having serious surgery.  I drove back to Huntsville tonight and run laps at the track about 9:30 p.m.

2-Miles and 5K

I ran 2 miles on the roads at the park yesterday.  This evening, I met up with the Wednesday evening group and ran a 5K on the streets at 6 p.m. with a flashlight.  This cold weather feels great.  It is suppose to freeze again tonight.

Soldier Marathon

We spent Thursday night in Mobile, Alabama.  I got up early Friday morning and ran laps around the hotel parking lot before driving up to Columbus, Georgia for the Soldier Marathon on Saturday.  We had perfect weather for the marathon (50's and 60's).  There were 700+ running the full marathon and many more running the half and 5K.  I think about 2,500 total.  I finished in a slow 6:34:09, which placed me 4th of 5 in the 70 to 74 age group.  They changed the course somewhat from last year.  This year, it crossed the river and went into Alabama for a short distance.  My wife had lived on post at Fort Benning in the late 50's, so we spent some time finding her house and some other haunts.  We spent Saturday night in Phenix City, Alabama (across the river from Columbus) and then drove down to Hammond, Louisiana on Monday.  We stopped in Mobile and found the church where my parents were married in 1921.  It is still an active church, but in a bad part of downtown Mobile.  It is so bad and there is a chain link fence with locked gates surrounding the church.  Then, we detoured from I-10 and visited the Mississippi beaches near Biloxi.  I ran some highway from the hotel in Hammond yesterday evening and survived the traffic.  After driving back from Hammond today, I ran laps at the track and then worked out at Iron Works.

Mobile

After a long drive to Mobile, AL today, I arrived at the hotel just as it was getting dark.  The hotel is in the middle of a very busy area, so there is no access to a good place to run.  So, I ran loops around the outer perimeter of the hotel parking lot until I ran for 15-minutes +

Short road run

In keeping with my plan to rest up for this Saturday's marathon, I ran 1.5 miles on streets in Huntsville this evening.

Forgot to blog yesterday

Not that I had anything important to say yesterday, but I forgot to blog last night.  All those falls at the 25K trail run seem to catch up with me yesterday.  I felt very tired and my back was sore.  After working out at Iron Works, I ran laps at the track.
Then, I received an email from Paul, who lives in Tyler and is the race director for the Rocky Raccoon 25K.  He asked me to go to the park and remove the flagging on part of the course.  So, this morning, I went out and walked about 2 miles and removed the flagging and gel packages that the litter bug runners left on the trail.  Then, I ran back to my truck.  I did not see another person on the trails.

Sunday Night 5K

As I do every first Sunday of the month, I went down to The Woodlands to run the Sunday Night 5K.  I finished in 38:39.  Gosh, 38 something is getting to be my regular 5K time.  I need to do better.

Rocky Raccoon 25K

I got up at 4:30 this morning and went out to Huntsville State Park.  I started working traffic control at 5:30 and then ran the 25K (15.5 miles) at 8 a.m.  My intention was to finish the race and not screw up my sore ankle.  I managed to do that, but I tripped on roots several times and fell.  My ankle is not any worse tonight, but my body is sore from falling.  I finished in 4:34:30, a little off my 25K PR of 2:31:00, set in 1995.  This was my 13th consecutive year for running the Rocky Raccoon 50K or 25K.

Friday routine

Since I have a 25K tomorrow at Huntsville State Park, I ran 1 mile+ this afternoon on the roads.  This evening, I went out to the park, met up with Jacob and Jan and we drove to the back of the park to set up the aid station for the race tomorrow.  I have to be there at 5:30 in the morning to direct traffic and the 25K does not start until 8.

Ankle, again

My ankle was hurting again this evening, so I limited my run this evening to 2 miles on the park roads.  The 25K on the trails Saturday will be a test.  My goal will be to survive without making my ankle worse or otherwise injuring myself with 4 more marathons on the schedule.

New Wednesday evening group

Steve started a new training group for Wednesday evening runs.  Four of us showed up this evening; we started at the Baptist Church on Sycamore and ran the Huntsville 5K course.  It rained most of the day and rained during most of our run this evening.

Darned Ankle

The darned ankle I sprained 4 weeks ago is still hurting and I have a 25K trail run this Saturday and a marathon the next Saturday.  I ran 2 miles on the park roads this evening.  I wish it would freeze, so the mosquitoes would go away or whatever they do when it gets cold.

Back to Monday

As usual on Monday, I worked out at Iron Works and then ran the roads around town.  The route turned out to be 2.8 miles.  Today was our 46th anniversary, so my wife and I went out to dinner tonight.  I went to Vietnam a few weeks after we got married in 1967; it is hard to believe it has been that long since Vietnam.

Sunday at the park

After watching the disappointing Cowboy - Detroit game this afternoon, I went out to the park and ran 3.5 miles on the trails.  We had a heavy rain last night and it really cleaned off the trails.  My next race is a 25K at the park next Saturday.

Run the Woodlands 5K

There were a lot of race choices this morning, but I went down to The Woodlands and ran the Run the Woodlands 5K.  Because of road constructions, they have not held this race for a while.  Normally, it is on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of every month.  In any case, I got to visit with a few friends.  I finished the race in 38:17.  While down there, I visited some stores and had breakfast at IHOP before heading back to Huntsville.  This afternoon, I attended the Sam Houston - Northwestern State football game.

Can't believe how much faster my computer works

My computer is running so much faster.  Where can I go to get a new human browser to make me run faster?  Since I have a 5K in the morning, I went to the track this afternoon and ran laps.

At the computer shop

For months, I have been having computer problems.  It takes forever to do anything.  Even when I post on this blog, I cannot go back and edit the narrative.  I assumed that I needed memory and I had more memory added.  I took it in to the shop today and stayed with them while they worked on it.  It turned out that my Internet Explorer browser was messed up.  They switched me to Google Chrome and now the computer is super fast.  Now, I can even edit the narrative in this blog.  I cannot imagine how much time and frustration the slowness has cost me for months.
I met up with the group at the park this evening and ran 3 miles on the park roads.  The ankle felt a little better.

Unplanned route in the avenues

After working out at Iron Works, I went to the track and ran an unplanned route in the avenues.  Even ran down a couple streets I had never been on before.  The route turned out to be 3.3 miles.

Half roads, half trails

James and I were the only runners who showed up at the park this evening.  We started out running on the park roads and ended up running on the trails.  I had this fear of screwing up my ankle, with a marathon on the roads coming up in a week and a half.  I am not sure how far we ran, but it was probably about two and a half miles.  This cool weather feels great.

Texas 10 Series Waco cancelled

I received an email this afternoon notifying me that the Texas 10 Series race in Waco on November 3 has been cancelled.  Apparently, they did not have a sufficient number of entries.  That's disappointing.  I was looking forward to the challenge of running 10 miles the day after the Rocky Raccoon 25K  On the other hand, now I get to attend my son's birthday party Saturday evening.
After working out at Iron Works this evening, I ran an unplanned route on the streets around town.  The route turned out to be 2.6 miles.

Darn ankle

The darn ankle was still sore today.  I took plenty of Ibupropen today and ran laps at the track this evening.  Feels better this evening.  My plan is to run a 5K this weekend and the next weekend a 25K,10-Miler and a 5K.  Surely it will be okay by then.

Huntsville Half Marathon

I got up early this morning, loaded up boxes of trophies, the race clock and inflatable arch and drove to the campus for the Huntsville Half & Quarter Marathon & 5K.  I set up the clock and arch and ran the half marathon.  The weather was perfect, temperature in the 50's and 60's and dry.  I finished in 2:58:52, about a minute faster than last year.  I was the only one in the 70 & Over age group, so I won 1st in my age group.  The ankle I sprained a couple weeks ago really hurt.  It's funny, it did not bother me in the marathon last Sunday.  I only have a 5K next weekend, so maybe it will be okay before I start running long the following weekend.

4 Years

For the third time in my 4 running streaks, I have reached the 4-year mark.  I am still mad as heck about breaking my last streak four years ago on the knee issue.  The doctor misdiagnosed the injury and talked me into not running for four days.  I could have run.  If the future, I will run if I physically can.
Since I am running a half marathon tomorrow, I ran laps at the track this afternoon.  This cool weather feels great.

Packet labels

Our club is putting on the 35th Annual Huntsville Half & Quarter Marathon & 5K this Saturday.  I was to print the packet labels this evening in time for packet stuffing at 6 p.m.  I had all sorts of problems getting them printed.  Then, after taking them 10 miles to the packet stuffing, I realized that I was missing some of the labels.  I had to go back home and print the two missing pages and take them back to the stuffing.  I missed my run at the park and ended up running laps at the track about 8:30 p.m.  I sure hope this cooler weather holds up for the race on Saturday.

Cool, again

We finally got some cooler weather, again.  With the marathon on Sunday and the Huntsville Half Marathon this Saturday, I am really taking it easy this week.  No long runs.  This evening, I worked out at Iron Works and then ran 2 miles around the campus.

Getting back to normal

I feel like I am fully recovered from the marathon on Sunday.  I worked out at Iron Works this evening and then ran 2 miles on the roads at the park.

Tyler Rose Marathon

We drove up to Tyler Saturday afternoon to run the Tyler Rose Marathon for the third time.  At packet pickup, I had a nice visit with my good friend, Loren Sheffer, publisher of the Texas Runner Triathlete.  He was there promoting his great magazine.  I also visited with my friend, Parvaneh Moayedi from San Antonio, who was there to run the marathon.  It would be her 153rd marathon in the last 12 months, setting a new world record.  She is an amazing athlete, so inspiring.  As expected, it was hot and humid on race day, temperature in the 80's and about as humid as it can get.  I usually do not wear a cap, but did so to keep the expected rain out of my eyes.  There was no rain during the race, except for a few sprinkles here and there.  I felt pretty good the entire race and ran a very steady pace.  I hit the halfway point at 3:06 and finished in 6:25:10.  Even though the course is up or down hills virtually the entire 26.2 miles, I never walked, except through the aid stations.  My slightly sprained ankle from the week before hurt, but was no worse than the regular hurts encountered during a marathon.  As it came out, I was the only runner in the 70 and over age group, so I won a nice age group winner medal.  We attended Mass Sunday evening at the Cathedral in Tyler and then my nephew's birthday dinner.  We drove back to Huntsville this morning.  I finally got back to Iron Works this evening for a workout and then ran 1.3 miles on the roads.  Next up is the Huntsville Half Marathon this Saturday.

Shiitake Mushroom 5K

On Saturday, Darren Grant rode up to Madisonville with me to run the Shiitake Mushroom 5K, which is held each year in conjunctions with the Shiitake Mushroom Festival.  This was my first time running this race in several years.  It is usually held on the same day as our Huntsville Half Marathon.  They issued homemade paper numbers, which fell off once you started to sweat.  With different places to get free race numbers, there is no excuse for homemade numbers.  The age groups were unusual and they announced that the course was 3.2 miles (a 5K is suppose to be 3.1 miles).  3.2 seemed to be correct; my finish time was 39:57. 

Resting up

I did a lot of work around the house today, but as far as running goes, I am resting up for the 5K tomorrow and the marathon on Sunday.  I took a break from work at the house this afternoon and ran laps at the track.

Busy day

For being retired, I was busy today with a lot of errands.  This included taking my computer into the shop to add RAM.  This evening, I attended a running club meeting at the library from 5:30 to 7 p.m.  I left a few minutes early to pick up my computer from the computer store, which closed at 7 p.m.  However, I could not get to the store.  The Sam Houston State Homecoming Parade was going down Sam Houston Ave., where the computer store is located.  I parked a block away on the other side of Sam Houston Ave.  With the permission of a police officer, I cut through the parade to get to the store.  I picked up the computer and cut through the parade again to get to my truck.  Then, I went to the track and ran laps.  My plan is to run a mile tomorrow, a 5K race on Saturday and the marathon on Sunday.  The latest weather forecast is for 79 degrees and a 50 percent chance of rain.

Back in Huntsville

I got back to Huntsville this afternoon and spent a couple hours updating the running club web site.  Worked out at Iron Works and then ran an short unplanned route in the the avenues.  It turned out to be 1.8 miles.

Another city park run

I went down to the same city park this afternoon and ran about 3 miles on the concrete trails.  Back to Huntsville in the morning.

Park Run

I went to a city park (not in Huntsville) and ran 3 miles on a concrete trail.  Nice clear and cool weather, but I much prefer running on asphalt.  I read once that asphalt is 10 times softer than concrete.  Most of the marathon in Tyler next Sunday will be on asphalt, however, some of it is on red brick streets.

Cool and clear

It was cool and clear this evening.  Perfect running weather.  I ran 2.8 miles on the roads.

St. Anthony's Fall Fest 5K

After driving to Wylie (northeast of Dallas) yesterday, I attended a local high school football game last night.  After the game, we walked across a field to get to where the car was parked.  I stepped in a hole and twisted my ankle.  It was sore this morning, but I ran the St. Anthony's Fall Fest 5K in Wylie at 8 this morning  It was hot and sunny and I finished in just over 39 minutes (2nd in the 65 and over age group).  My time was slower than usual, but the ankle did not seeem to bother me while running. At 10:30 a.m., I attended my granddaughter's soccer game in Wylie.  It was in the mid-50's, raining and windy.  What a contrast to the weather a couple hours earlier!  Tonight, the ankle is still sore.  I always worry about injuries in the days before a marathon.

Short Friday run

Since it is Friday and I have a 5K in the morning, I went to the track this morning and ran 1.3 miles on the roads from there.  I ran in new shoes out of the box, which I hope to get broken in for the marathon on October 13.

Got it

I drove down to Conroe to meet the salesman from Tomball Ford to exhange my old truck for the new one.  They put the wrong running board on it, so I had to drive on down to Tomball to get the right one put on.  I ended up waiting at the dealership for about 3 hours.  When I finally got back to Huntsville, I went out to the park and ran 7 miles on the trails.  It was humid as heck and I was completely soaked in sweat when I finished.  It is 10 days away from my first marathon of the season.  Looks like the temperature in Tyler, Texas for that day is going to be around 80.

Still no truck

Still no new truck, however, they are going to meet me in Conroe tomorrow morning at 9:30 to trade the new truck for my old one.  I did yard work all day and went to Iron Works this evening and then for a 2-mile run on the roads around town.  Long run planned for tomorrow.

No new truck today

I sorta waited around today for delivery of my new truck.  They called this afternoon and were still waiting for it to be delivered from a different dealer.  Hopefully, I will get it tomorrow.  After working out at Iron Works this evening, I met up with the group at the park.  Everyone was doing a short run, so I ran 2 miles on the park roads.

In Tomball most of the day

I spent most of the day at Tomball Ford trying to buy a new truck.  We finally made a deal late this evening and they are suppose to deliver the truck to me in Huntsville tomorrow afternoon.  I made it to the track about 10 tonight and ran laps.  I felt like I was fully recovered from the 10-mile race yesterday, but I was not mentally ready for a long run tonight.

Texas 10 Series, Katy

I was so sleepy last night, I forgot to post.  I left at 5 a.m. yesterday to drive down to Katy (west of Houston) for the Texas 10 Series, Katy 10-mile race.  It was a 2-loop 5-mile course, all on concrete streets.  As expected, it was well-organized and a first class race.  However, the humidity was brutal and I ran slower than expected.  The last 10-mile race in the same series was in Huntsville.  I finished that in 2:05 something.  Yesterday, my time was 2:21:24.  In any case, it was good for 2nd place in the 70 and over.  I got beat by a young 70 year old.  The next race in the series is in Waco on November 3.

Bulldog Dash 5K

I drove about 40 miles over to Iola, Texas this morning to run the Bulldog Dash 5K.  Had a great time.  Got to visit with Sara, who use to run with us years ago when she was a college student at Sam Houston.  The course was flat and looped the small town.  I think they had about 50 runners and there was no age group competition.  I finished in 37:43.  After I got back to Huntsville, I took a nap and then went to the Sam Houston State - Eastern Washington football game.  Eastern Washington is ranked number 2 in the FCS and Sam Houston State is ranked number 4.  Just as I got to the stadium for the 2 p.m. start, it heavy storm came through, with plenty of lightning.  They delayed the start of the game until nearly 3:30.  There was flash flooding on the street below the stadium and at least two cars got wiped out.  I moved my truck to higher ground and waited until the game was getting ready to start.  Sam won 49 to 34.

Friday

Since it is Friday, I skipped working out at Iron Works.  Late this morning, I ran laps at the track.  Two races this weekend, 5K tomorrow and 10-Miler on Sunday.

Signed up for the Soldier Marathon

I signed up for the Soldier Marathon at Fort Benning, Georgia, to be held on November 9.  I ran this last year and enjoyed the beautiful course along the river.  I went to jump school at Fort Benning in 1967 and my wife lived there while her father was stationed there when she was young.  She has not been back since, so we will drive there and enjoy the visit.  That completes the schedule of my final marathons.
Number 97 - Tyler Rose Marathon, Oct. 13
98 - Soldier Marathon, Fort Benning, Nov. 9
99 - BCS Marathon, College Station, Dec. 8
100 - Texas Marathon, Kingwood, Jan. 1
101 - Love.Run.Marathon, Huntsville State Park, Feb. 15
In the meantime, I went out to the park this evening and ran 3 miles on the park roads.

Shorter run

After running 16 miles yesterday, I ran 1.7 miles in the avenues this evening.  The humidity was low and that felt great.

Stretching out the distance

There are two weekends before my marathon on October 13 and I am running other races or have other plans.  So, I have to do my long runs during the week.  It was 90 something this afternoon, but I went out to the park and ran 2 miles on the park roads and 14 miles on the trails, for a total of 16.  Luckily, my knee held up okay.  I found 2 lost and dehydrated ladies in the back of the park.  I gave them directions and part of my water.  I barely had enough to get back to my truck and replenish before running another loop.  I assume that they made it back okay.

Knee

My left knee was sore again today, so I ran 1.9 miles on the roads in town this evening.

Running of the Bulls 5K

I got up early this morning and drove down to Houston for the Running of the Bulls 5K at Reliant Stadium.  This is the Houston Texans annual race.  I am not sure how many runners they had, but there must have been a couple thousand.  The race started outside of the stadium and finished on the field inside the stadium.  I finished in 37:23 and was 5th of 9 in my age group.

Tyler

I ran laps this morning before driving up to Tyler for a family affair.  I ate too much and got back to Huntsville about 10 tonight.

Wet run

I thought I found a break in the rain this afternoon and went out for a run on the roads in town.  I ended up running 5.2 miles, some of it in heavy rain.  No lightning, so it was not bad.

Back to normal

With the trial over yesterday, it is good to get back to normal today.  I went to Iron Works this evening to workout, but ran into an attorney friend of mine.  We ended up talking about the trial and I only had a short workout before meeting the group at the park.  I ran 3 miles on the park roads.

Finished in court

We finished the trial a day sooner than expected.  The jury came back with their verdict after 5 this evening.  My son and I did very well and it is a relief that the 7 1/2 year old case is over with.  It was close to dark when I got a chance to run, but I got in 2 miles on the roads in town.

Long day

I was at the courthouse today from 8 a.m. until after 5 p.m.  I am not use to sitting all day, so it seemed like a long day.  I managed to get home, change clothes and get out to the park to meet the group at 6 p.m.  I ran 2 miles on the park roads.

Temporary change of focus

My son had a minor wreck while driving my truck 7 1/2 years ago and he and I got sued.  It is finally going to trial tomorrow.  I spent most of the day preparing for the trial, which is expected to last 3 days.  So, for the next few days, I will focus on the trial and not do a lot of running.  I did manage to get in a 2-mile run on the roads this evening.

Darn bikers

Darn bikers.  I went out to the park this afternoon to run trails.  I got there in the middle of a big mountain bike race.  I drove to another trailhead and ran trails that avoided most of the bike course.  I am not sure of the distance, but I ran somewhere between 4 and 5 miles.

Gruene Hall 10K

I got up yesterday and ran a quick mile on the roads in town.  Then, I drove 50 miles over to College Station with my son for a meeting.  We got back about 2:30 p.m. and then I left with my wife for a 3-hour drive to New Braunfels for the Gruene Hall 10K this morning.  Of course, I had to drive back through College Sation to get to New Braunfels.  I ran the race for the third straight year, but finished in 1:22:42.  Both previous years, I finished in 1:16.  I am not sure why my time was slower this year; I felt okay.  The course was new this year and there were probably more hills.  I think the humidity was higher than normal for that part of Texas.  In any case, I was the only one in the 70-74 age group and picked up a first place win.  We drove back to Huntsville this afternoon.

Attended a presentation

I skipped the park run this evening and attended a presentation on running by Dr. Matt Wagner at the hospital.  He is an old friend, former owner of Nautilus and a Kinesiology Professor at Sam Houston State University.  Great presentation and a lot of my friends there.  It was over about 7:30 p.m. and I had my running shorts on under my walking shorts.  So, I ran 2 miles on the sidewalk along Veterans Parkway.  No lights out there and when I finished, it was totally dark.

Back to the park

After lunch today, I went back out to the park and ran 5 miles on the park roads.  Hot.

Copperhead

I ran 3 miles on the park roads this evening.  James came up behind me and said that I just ran past a Copperhead in the road.  I never saw it.  Thank goodness I am so fast that it did not have a chance to strike.

Rain, finally

We finally got about 15 minutes of rain this evening.  It was the first rain in weeks.  After working out at Iron Works after the rain, I ran 2 miles on the streets in town.

10 Miles

Although the distance is modest, I finally got some miles in on my sore knees.  I went out to the park this afternoon when the temperature was about 95 and ran 3 miles on the park roads and then 7 miles on the trails.  No trips or falls and my knees held up okay.  They are stiff tonight, but no swelling.

No race this weekend

This is one of the few weekends of the year when I do not have a race.  My knees were really sore today, so I went over to the track this afternoon and ran laps.  There were dark cloulds, wind and lightning and it seemed like it was going to hit any minute.  Must have been a mirage.  No rain.

Between the heat and darkness

The temperature was up to 96 degrees this afternoon, so I waited until evening to run.  It was still hot and humid, but I managed to get in 4.9 miles on the roads in town before it got dark.

Cut to Two

My knee was hurting again today, so I cut my run to 2 miles at the park this evening.

Stretching out the distance

I stretched out the distance on my sore knee this evening.  I ran 3.1 miles on the roads in town without much pain.  Gosh, I need to get my distance up quick; marathon on October 13.

Good day

My knee was much better today and I ran 2 miles on the park roads with this evening without sharp pain.  This morning, I went into town to get an expensive replacement key made for my truck.  Last week, someone took my key from the fence while I was running.  I decided to check with the Huntsville PD first, but no one had turned it in there.  I checked with the University PD and they had the key!  Whoopee.  Somebody turned it in and saved me 40 or 50 bucks.

Knee treatment

My left knee was still very sore this morning.  I spent much of today icing it and treating it with Topricin.  It was improved enough this evening that I was able to get in an easy, but painful, mile at the track this evening.  Gotta keep the streak going!

Westfest Challenge 5K

My wife and I and our friend, Leah, left my house at 5 a.m. this morning for the long drive over to West (north of Waco) for the Westfest Challenge 5K.  The race starts and finishes in the middle of the Westfest.  West is the small town that had the fertilizer plant explosion last April that killed 15 people.  It is a community of Chech people.  I finished in 38:42 and was third of six in the 70 and over age group.  Leah was second in her age group.  After the race, we attended a Polka Mass in a pavillion at the festival.  It is a regular Catholic Mass, except the music is provided by a polka band.  We have never been to a Polka Mass before and the music was most enjoyable.  During the last mile of the race, I developed pain and swelling in my left knee.  When I got home, I took a nap with an ice pack around the knee.  I intended to drive down to The Woodlands this evening for the Sunday Night 5K.  I had to go down and meet my son to give him something, so I went down to the race.  There was no way I could run, but I was there to support two other club members running the race, including Leah.  Hopefully, a good night's sleep tonight will help the knee.