Scary run

When I left Iron Works to go to the park to run, there was a tornado and hail warning out for the north side of Huntsville.  Since the park is 9 miles to the south, I figured it would be okay there.  Jason was the only  other runner to show up at the park.  It was raining, so we both decided to run on the roads.  About a tenth of a mile into the run, the sky opened up.  Extremely heavy rain and wind.  I decided to turn around at 6/10ths of a mile.  When nearing the turnaround point, the lightning got very heavy, frequent and close.  It got scary and dangerous.  I left the road and ran into the woods to get on a trail.  I figured that running through the trees would be better than the road..  The road and the trail both had deep water.  I was relieved to get back to the nature center and under cover.  Jason had made it a mile down to the lodge and took shelter until the lightning let up a bit.  While there, he saw a huge oak tree fall between two trucks in the parking lot.  There were two other large trees which had fallen on the road we were running.  Before going into the park, I parked at the outer parking lot and waited for other runners who wanted a ride into the park.  When I was leaving the park after running, I saw that a tree fell over in the parking lot in the same spot I had parked earlier.

5K with Jennifer

Jennifer and I met up at PTA this evening and ran the 5K course from there.

Three on the trails

Regular Tuesday.  Worked out at Iron Works and then ran 3 miles on the trails at the park.

Road run

After working out at Iron Works, I ran 2 miles on the roads in town.  Beside yard work, it was an easy day.

Sunday at the park

It was suppose to start raining about 3 p.m. today.  I bought fire ant killer to cover the lawn and it is suppose to be watered in after application.  So, after church and stopping to eat afterwards, my hope was to get the stuff on the lawn and get in a run at the park before the rain.  About 2 p.m., I was too bags short and asked my wife to go to Home Depot for more, while I went out to the park to run.  I ran 4 miles on the trails, with a light rain the last mile.  When I got home, there had been no rain and I put down 2 more bags.  Still no rain.  Hoping for some tomorrow.

Blue Bell 10K

I drove a little over an hour this morning to run the Blue Bell 10K in Brenham.  There were 1,129 finishers in the 10K and about twice that many in the 5K.  There was a threat of rain, but there was none.  Cool and very humid.  I finished in 1:17:28 and was 4th of 6 runners in the 70 to 79 age group.  No age group award, but I at plenty of free ice cream to make up for it.

Day 2,000

With a 10K tomorrow morning, I went to the track today and ran laps for my 2,000th consecutive day of running..  It would have been day 4,487 if that darn doctor had not misdiagnosed my knee injury in October 2009 and convinced me to not run for 4 days.

Let's hear a drum roll

Today was my 1,999th consecutive day of running.  Let's hear a drum roll for tomorrow.  I ran about 2.5 miles on the trails at the park this evening with Jennifer, Jacob and Jason.

Change of plans

I went to PTA this evening to run the 5K course from there.  No one else show up to run, except Jennifer, who I had not met before.  After a brief discussion, we decided to go to the park and run trails, instead of the concrete sidewalk.  It was her first time at the park and we ran 3 miles.

Big crowd at the park

We had a larger than usual group at the park this evening.  Ray Sarno ran with me and we did 3.5 miles.  Then, I went to the Sam Houston baseball game.

Sore knees

The shots of Synvisc I got in under my kneecaps for arthritis a couple months ago no longer seem to be working.  As I recall, it was the fourth year that I received the shots.  Both knees are sore and stiff, so maybe I need to ask the doctor for an alternative, besides not running everyday.  In the meantime, I ran 2 miles around the campus this evening.

Sunday Night 5K

For the 18th consecutive first Sunday of the month, I ran the Sunday Night 5K in The Woodlands this evening.  I ran with my friend, Jon Walk, and we had a nice visit.  I finished in 36:53.

Dogwood Dash 5K

I drove an hour and a half east this morning to run the Dogwood Dash 5K in Woodville.  It was a nice drive through the forests of East Texas.  This race has been held for many years, in conjunction with the local Dogwood Festival.  It was a good chance to visit with old friends to the east.  I finished in 36:02 and was 2nd of 4 runners in the 70 and over age group.

Two races this weekend

With a couple races this weekend, I went to the track late this morning and ran laps.

Park is really turning green

I ran 3 miles on the trails at the park this evening.  With the warmer weather here, the park is really turning green and the Dogwood trees are in full bloom.

Rain, again

After a week or so of sunny dry weather, we had rain again today.  I went over to PTA this evening to run the 5K course.  No one else show up and it was raining.  I cut it short.  Ran 2 miles.

1990

I was checking the U. S. Running Streak Association web site to see how many consecutive days that I have run.  As of today, 1,990.  Obviously, I am getting close to the milestone of 2,000.  Been there once before, so it is not a big deal.  I met up with the group this evening and ran 3 miles on the trails at the park.

Monday night run

This afternoon, I drove my sister down to the south side of Houston for a doctor's appointment.  We did not get back until late this evening, so I went over to the track after dark and ran laps.  My knees are still sore from the runs this weekend, anyway.

Texas 10 Series Boerne

I drove 4 hours to Boerne (west of San Antonio) yesterday to run the Texas 10 Series 10-miler this morning.  Nice sunny weather and not too hot.  I felt sluggish the first 5-mile loop, but loosened up some the second loop.  Must be the 5-miler yesterday.  I finished in 2:11:32, about 1 minute and a half slower than the same race last year.  The race was much larger this year and for the first time 13 races that I have done in the series, I did not place.  The next race in the series will be in Plano next month.

Running of the Bears 5-Miler

I took the back roads 30 minutes down to Montgomery this morning to do the Running of the Bears 5-Miler.  Nice weather, sunny, but not too hot.  I finished in 59:41 (1st in age group), 10 seconds slower than the same race last year.  Got a chance to visit with my streaker friend, Vince, from The Woodlands.

Rest day

I spent most of the day roto-tillering my garden, hoeing and planting my garden.  I'm not use to all that work.  Since it is Friday and I have two races this weekend, it was a rest day as far as running goes.  I went to the track this morning and ran laps.

Four on the trails

It rained last night and was a little cooler today.  Great day for running at the park.  I ran 4 miles on the trails this evening.

5K with Sam

Samantha and I met up at PTA this evening and ran the PTA 5K course.

Outer Loop

After working out at Iron Works, I ran the 6.8-mile outer loop trail at the park this evening.  Beautiful sunny weather.

Routine Monday

After working out at Iron Works this evening, I ran 2 miles around the campus.  Nice sunny weather, for a change.

Run the Trails 3.5 Miler

We had our club's annual Run the Trails 3.5 Miler at Huntsville State Park this afternoon.  I went out to the park an hour early and ran the course, so I could take photos.  After the run, I coordinated a crew of volunteers to cleanup every trail in the park.  They picked up a lot of trash, so for right now, the trails look good. Then, I spent most of the evening updating the club web site with weekend race results and developing a photo gallery.  Just finish the gallery.  Click HERE to see it.

Bearathon Half Marathon

I drove to Waco yesterday for this morning's Bearathon Half Marathon, which started and finished on the Baylor University Campus.  The race started in the dark and rain at 7 a.m. this morning.  The temperature was nice, though, 50's, 60's.  It is billed as the toughest half marathon in Texas because of about 6 miles of very steep hills in Cameron Park.  I finished in 2:56:08, eight seconds slower than The Army Half Marathon three weeks ago.  I was determined not to walk any of the hills and I accomplished that..  There were 1,152 finishes in the Half Marathon event and I placed 5 of 5 in the 70 and over age group.  In any case, it was my 777th race since I started racing on May 1, 1983.  It was my 14th half marathon (including a 25K) this season.

Laps

I ran laps at the track this morning.  Race tomorrow morning.

Trails

After working out at Iron Works, I ran 3 miles on the trails at the park.

Wednesday evening 5K

Dana, Christopher and I met at PTA this evening and ran the PTA 5K course.  It is starting to feel like summer.  We complained about the cold and now the heat.

Back to the routine

After Iron Works, I met up with Jacob, Sara, Jason, Samantha, Dana and Ray Sarno at the park and ran 3 miles on the trails.

Back from Yuma

I ran at the track after midnight on Wednesday night to get my Thursday run in early.  I left early Thursday morning and drove 700+ miles to El Paso.  I spent the night there and then drove nearly 600 more miles Friday to Yuma, Arizona for my son's wedding.  I got in a run on the streets in Yuma after arriving on Friday and just made it to the the rehearsal Friday evening.  The temperature in Yuma was in the 90's and it was extremely dry.  It played havoc with my sinuses.  I ran the streets again on Saturday morning, got my truck washed and lost $25 at the casino.  It was a beautiful wedding at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and a very nice reception.  I got up early Sunday morning, went to church and then to the new in-law's house to say goodbye and to get citrus fruit from the trees in their yard.  Then, I headed back to El Paso.  It was dark when I arrived at the hotel and El Paso is not my favorite place to run after dark.  I managed to get in a run from the hotel and survived.  I drove back from El Paso today.  I stopped in Fredericksburg out in the Texas  hill country for an hour to visit the Admiral Chester Nimitz Pacific War Museum.  I had been by there a number of times, but never stopped until today.  Besides, the hour break got me through Austin after the rush hour.  I finally made it back to Huntsville at 10 p.m. tonight.  I went to the track and ran laps at 11 p.m.  Hopefully, tomorrow I can return to my routine.  Half Marathon coming up next Saturday.

PTA 5K Course

Clayton, Dana, Christopher and I ran the PTA 5K course this evening.  I have driving all day tomorrow, so my plan is to go run after midnight tonight in the rain.  Us streakers have to do that sometime.

No rain today

No sun today, but at least no rain.  It was me, Jacob and Jason at the park this evening.  I had to get back home, so I only ran 2.5 miles on the trails.

The rain continues

It rained all day again today.  After working out at Iron Works this evening, I ran 2 miles on the streets around the nearly empty campus (Spring Break).  I got soaking wet, but that's okay.

Wet trail run

I went out to the park this afternoon and ran 4 miles on the trails in the rain.  The temperature was in the high 40's, so it was rather comfortable.

Habitat for Humanity 5K

I drove 50 miles to the south of Livingston this morning to run the Habitat for Humanity 5K.  I believe it was their first year and they only had about 20 runners.  In any case, several of my friends were there and I met some of their local runners.  It was a double loop, mostly on a gravel road.  I finished in 36:40, but they did not have age group competition.  I spent the rest of the day with visiting family.

Different Thursday routine

I had family coming in this afternoon for a visit, so I ran earlier this afternoon, not the usual Thursday evening run at the park.  Squeezed in a 1.3-mile cold run on the streets in town.

Rare morning training run

As anyone that ever may read this blog knows, I hate running in the morning.  The forecast was for heavy rain and cold this evening, so I ran the out and back 5K course on Veterans Memorial Parkway at 10 this morning.  It was over 70 degrees and it is suppose to get down to about freezing tonight.

Heat Wave

After so much cold, the temperature was up in the 70's today.  However, the heat wave will be short-lived.  It is suppose to be in the 20's before the week is over.  After Iron Works this evening, I met up with the group at the park.  It was me, Jacob, Jason, Samantha and April.  We all ran 3 miles on the trails.

Easy running day

I spent most of the morning writing my running column for the Huntsville Item tomorrow.  There were so many race results for local runners, I only had space for a short narrative.  This evening, after working out at Iron Works, I ran 2 miles around the campus.  While running, I ran into Dana and we had a brief visit.  She told me something that made me realize that I had a serious error in my column.  After unsuccessfully trying to reach the sports desk by phone, I ended up banging on the back door of the Huntsville Item tonight to reach someone to fix it.

3-Race Weekend

                 The Woodlands Half                       The Army Half  
                       
Busy weekend and all having to do with running.  I got up at 4 something yesterday morning and drove down to The Woodlands to run The Woodlands Half Marathon.  The temperature was in the high 30's and it did not warm up much during the race.  it rained for a while at about mile 8 and 9, but otherwise the weather was comfortable.  I finished in 2:58:05 (6th in age group), compared to 2:59:24 (3rd in age group) last year.  When I got back to Huntsville, I showered and took a one-hour nap.  Then, I drove 2 1/2 hours west to Temple for The Army Half Marathon.  I went straight to the expo to pick up my packet, then went to Mass at a church across town and then to a restaurant near the hotel.  I worked on race results for local runners for my newspaper column until I went to bed at 10:30.  Then, I got up at 5:15 this morning to go run the race.  My GPS sent me all over Temple before finding the race parking lot.  Then, I realized that I forgot my drop bag in the hotel.  It was camouflage in color, so I suppose it hid from me.  So, when I left my truck in the parking lot, I had to wear what I was going to run in.  I had to stand outside for a long time in the rain waiting on the shuttle bus to the start line.  I ended up getting to the start line about 15 minutes before race start at 7 a.m.  It was an out and back course.  The temperature was around 40, but strong winds made it brutal.  I finished in 2:56:03 (4th of 7 in age group).  Then, I had to stand in a long line for a shuttle bus back to the parking lot.  By then, the temperature was in the low 30's.  I finally got back to the truck and drove back to Huntsville.  I took another shower, a 30-minute nap and then drove down to The Woodlands for the Sunday Night 5K.  My streaker buddy, Vince Attanucci, was there and ran with me.  Normally, he runs fast, but he is recovering from a knee injury and is reduced to my pace.  We finished in 38:31.  I appreciate him running and visiting.  It would have otherwise seemed like a long 5K.  I stopped to eat on the way back to Huntsville.  Then, I started working on race results for the club web site.

Expo

I ran laps this morning at the track and then went down to The Woodlands to pick up my packet for The Woodlands Half Marathon tomorrow morning.  The temperature will be in the 30's and 40's during the race (40's and 50's would be preferred).  The expo gave me a chance to visit with a lot of friends, including Loren Sheffer, Jim Braden, Jon Walk, Parveneh Moayedi and Jennifer Forsberg.

Just me and Jacob

It was just me and Jacob who showed up at the park this evening.  I ran 2 miles on the park roads, while Jacob ran 3 on the trails.  We finished about the same time.

PTA 5K Course

After working out at Iron Works, Samantha and I met up at Physical Therapy Associates (PTA) this evening and ran the 5K course from there.

Seemed colder

I know that the temperature was up to about 40 this evening, but it seemed colder than yesterday.  At the park this evening, it was me, Jacob, Sara, Samantha and Dana.  I ran 3 miles on the trails.

Houston

I drove down to Houston this morning to attend a funeral.  I stopped in Conroe on the way back and had lunch at Cracker Barrel.  I happened to sit next to an old friend, who I had not seen in many years.  We had a nice visit.  It was in the low 30's this evening and I went out to the park and ran 2 miles on the trails.

Sunday at the Park

Nice afternoon for trails.  I went out to the park and ran 7 miles on the trails, the last mile or so in the rain.

Sweetheart 5K

Our club had it's annual Sweetheart 5K in Huntsville this morning.  I got up early and Steve and I put out all the signs.  Then, I ran the race and finished the hilly course in 37:54.  Now, I am looking forward to The Woodlands Half Marathon next Saturday, the Army Half Marathon in Temple on Sunday and the Sunday Night 5K in The Woodlands.

Course adjustment

We have our 5K club run tomorrow morning.  I went over a measured part of the course to determine the adjustment for the detour due to construction.  Got it done and ended up running a little over 1 mile.  Friday is a rest day, anyway.

Me and Sara

I went out to the park this evening and Sara and I were the only ones who showed up.  Speedy Sara ran the 4.6-mile loop, so I ran the opposite way and caught up with her on the south perimeter road.  Then, I turned around and followed her back in.  I ended up doing about 3.5 miles.  When we got back, Jason, April and James were there.  They got there late and did short runs.

New course

We have a club run this Saturday and are expecting the usual 60 to 90 runners.  I designed a new course and planned to measure it with an engineer wheel this afternoon.  I turned a corner and the whole street was block with a chained link fence for about a 10th of a mile.  I measured up to the fence, carried the wheel off to the side, measured the length of the blockage, carried the wheel back to the street and then continued to measure the 5K course.  Got it done, but that part of the street will be closed this Saturday.  So, this evening, I met the group at the church and ran down to that area to figure out a detour for the race.  Got that done and tomorrow, I will have to measure the additional distance of the detour and adjust the turnaround point.  My run this evening ended up being 3 miles.

Just Dana, Samantha and I

It was just Dana, Samantha and I who showed up at the park this evening.  Nice day for a run, clear and cold.  I ran 3 miles on the trails.

Cold, again

After working out at Iron Works this evening, I ran a 2-mile loop around the campus.  It was in the mid-30's and windy.  Darn, it was cold.

Rainy Sunday

After church and lunch today, I went to the Sam Houston State - Wichita State baseball game.  There was a light rain about the whole game, but Sam won 9 to 3.  Then I went to run and measure a new course on campus, which we will use for our club run this Saturday.  According to my GPS, it came out to be 5K, but safety may be an issue.  Well, I have a few days to work on an alternative.

Love.Run Half Marathon

I ran the Love.Run Half Marathon this morning at Huntsville State Park  Last year, I ran the full marathon at the same race and it was my 101st marathon (or longer) and my last.  Beautiful weather this morning, ideal for a half marathon.  The marathoners reported that it was too hot for the second loop.  I tripped on roots and took two hard falls. However, I survived and finished in 3:23:03.  That was good enough for 1st place in the 70 and over age group (yes, I was the only one).

Laps at the track

Even though it was in the 60's and sunny and a nice day for running, I went to the track this afternoon and ran laps.  Half marathon at the park tomorrow.

Running club meeting tonight

We had a club meeting at 6 this evening, so I went out to the park earlier than normal and ran 2 miles on the trails.  Another half marathon this Saturday.

Church 5K Course

We seem to have two groups meeting for 5K runs on Wednesday evenings, one group meets at the church and the other at Physical Therapy Associates on the other side of town.  I ran with the church group this evening; tougher course around the campus.

Normal Tuesday

My knee and my groin muscle pull were much better today and I got back to a normal Tuesday.  Worked out at Iron Works and met the group at the park.  I ran 3 miles on the park roads, while the others ran trails. Looks like the mosquitos are out of hibernation.

Okay

Between my knee and groin muscle, I felt a little beat up today.  Think I will be okay, though.  I worked out at Iron Works and then ran laps at the track.

Not so good day at the park

The weather was so nice today, sunny and mid-70's this afternoon.  Perfect day for a trail run at the park.  When I got out there, Sara and J.C. were just finishing a long run, so I visited with them a bit.  I did not feel tired at all after the half marathon yesterday, so I decided to run a 2.5-mile loop.  My left knee is sore and a little swollen.  I got about 1.5 miles from the start and tripped on a root.  I have always advised people to go ahead and fall, rather than stumbling around trying to stay upright.  Skinned up knees heal quicker than pulled muscles.  Anyway, I decided to try to stay upright and stumbled around and felt like I was pulling muscles throughout my body.  After managing not to fall, I took a roll call of all the muscles to see what was still intact.  Looks like I pulled a groin muscle.  I ran/walked the last mile and took plenty of Ibuprofen with my dinner.  Hopefully, I will be okay for my half marathon on Saturday.

Katy Half Marathon

I went to bed real early last night (10:30), but woke up about 2 a.m. and could never go back to sleep.  So, about 3:15, I got out of bed, showered and got dressed.  I left the house about 3:45 and drove 94 miles down to Katy to run the Katy Half Marathon.  I  got a parking place about 100 feet from the start/finish area at the Katy Mills Mall.  There were over 2,000 running the half and a bunch more doing the 5K.  The half was suppose to start at 6:30, but was 10 minutes late.  The temperature was in the 40's and 50's during the race.  It was foggy until the sun came out late in the race and cleared things out.  I finished in 2:54:05, a few minutes faster than my last half.  They said that the race results were messed up and that they would mail the age group awards out later.  According to what is posted online now, I was 3rd of 4 in the 70-74 age group.  They were also suppose to give out caps, but they did not arrive in time for the race.  They said they would mail those two.  That's going to be a big postage bill.  There was a long line for the beer and another long line for the food.  After driving back to Huntsville, I took a much needed nap.  This evening, I went out to the state park and visited friends at the Rocky Raccoon 50 Miler start/finish line.  I suppose that it was also good weather for running 50 miles.

Friday off

Since I have a race tomorrow, I went over to the track this afternoon and ran laps.  I am ready for tomorrow, but dread getting up at 3:30 a.m., driving to Katy, getting parked, etc and being ready to run at 6:30 a.m.  Ugh.

Tapering

With a half marathon on Saturday, I began "tapering" today.  After working out at Iron Works, I ran 2 miles on the roads at the park.  Jason and Sara were there and they ran trails.  When I finished, Curtis had just finished going around the lake and we all had a nice visit.  The temperature was in the mid-30's, but no rain.

Upcoming Katy Half Marathon

A long time ago, I signed up for the Katy Half Marathon, which is scheduled for this Saturday.  Last week, I received an email telling me that there is no race day packet pickup and that I have to pick up my packet in Houston Tuesday or Wednesday or in Katy on Friday.  I sure don't recall reading that there was no race day packet pickup when I signed up.  In any case, I emailed them about it last week and asked for a refund or an exception since I live up in Huntsville.  They (Onurmark Productions) refused.  So, this afternoon, I drove down to the west side of Houston (80 miles one way) to pick up my packet.  After finding a parking place in a parking garage, I had to stand in a long line to sign in at the Fitness Center.  Then, I went to the 3rd floor and waited in another line for packet pickup.  They assigned a bib number to me and hopefully it was correctly entered into their database.  No T-shirt; they said that you get that after you finish the race.  I had to drive 160 miles this afternoon to pick up a bib.  Why not a mail option?   I have no idea how this race will turn out.  I have a feeling that it will be screwed up.  The race starts at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday in Katy, 93 miles from Huntsville.  I think I might have to get up early.
I got back to Huntsville this evening just in time to meet Dana and Samantha at PTA to run the 5K course.

Mid-40's and raining

It was in the mid-40's and raining when I went out to the park to run this evening.  Dana, Samantha and April were there too.  The rain eased up and I ran 3 miles on the park roads.  While I was running, a truck stopped and it was my friend, Joe Prusatis, who directed the Rocky Raccoon 100 last weekend and will direct the Rocky Raccoon 50 this Saturday.  We had a nice visit.

Easy trail run

I went out to the park this afternoon and ran 2 miles on the trails.  They were well beaten down from the Rocky Raccoon 100 over the weekend.

Texas 10 Series College Station and Sunday Night 5K

I ran two races today.  The first one was the Texas 10 Series 10-miler over in College Station.  The earlier forecast of rain did not pan out.  Instead, it was dry and the temperature was in the high 60's.  Last year at this race, it was raining, windy and the temperature was about 30.  I finished in 2:08:52.  Since I was the only runner over 70, I was first in my age group.  Besides a nice finisher medal, I received a glass mug for the age group award and a free entry into the Texas 10 Series Huntsville race next September.
This evening, I went down to The Woodlands and ran the Sunday Night 5K.  I finished in 37:37, a little slower than my recent normal on that course.  So, the total for both races was a half marathon.

Rest day

I spent some time today watching live coverage of the Rocky Raccoon 100 start/finish line at Huntsville State Park.  I had family coming in this afternoon, so late this morning I went to the track and ran laps.  Up early tomorrow for a 10-miler.

Third day in a row at the park

For the third day in a row, I went out to the park and ran trails.  Ran 3.5 miles.  The weather forecast for Sunday's 10-miler is looking a little better at this point.

Nice weather continues

It was a nice warm day again.  I ran 2.5 miles on the trails this evening.  The forecast for the 10-miler in College Station on Sunday is still 80 percent chance of rain, with the temperature in the 50's.  Not bad if there is no lightning.

Looking ahead to Sunday

I will be running the Texas 10 Series 10-Miler in College Station on Sunday.  The forecast is for a temperature in the 50's and 80 percent chance of rain.  Last year, at this race it was cold, rainy and windy.
Today in Huntsville it was near 80 degrees and clear.  I ran 2 miles around the campus this evening.  First time in a while I worked up a sweat.

Lots of time at the park today

I met 5 ladies of the Love.Run.Marathon race committee this morning at the park to review turn around points and critical turns for the race on February 14.  We all hiked 6.49 miles.  Then, I went back to the park this evening to meet up with the group.  I ran 2.5 miles on the trails.  Nice warm day and it is suppose to get up to 76 tomorrow.

Nice sunny weather again

It was a nice sunny day.  I worked out at Iron Works this evening and then ran 2 miles around the campus.  In the last mile, I ran into 3 friends and had short visits.

Knee

Last night, it was difficult and painful to walk with a sore and swollen left knee.  However, a few hours of rest made a difference.  This afternoon, I went out to the park with the intention of running 1 mile on the trails.  The knee felt much better and I stretched it out to 2.5 miles.  Beautiful weather today and the park was crowded.

Lake Benbrook Half Marathon

I drove up to Benbrook (southwest of Fort Worth) last night to run the Lake Benbrook Half Marathon this morning.  When I went out to my truck this morning, the temperature was 30 degrees and my window were iced.  However, the weather was clear and it warmed up quickly during the race.  Just after the race started, my friend, Jon Walk, from Spring caught up with me and we ran the entire race together.  I did not know he was going to be there.  I finished in 2:57:22, according to the published race results.  My watch said about 2:56:00.  In any case, my time in this race last year was 3:03:53, so I improved my time.  Besides a finisher medal, I received another medal for placing second in my age group (there was only 2 of us).  I drove back to Huntsville this afternoon.  My left knee hurt during the race and is really sore this evening.  I will have to take it easy for a few days.

Wimped out

It was in the 30's this afternoon and raining.  So, I went to Iron Works and ran a mile+ on the treadmill.  First time in a long time I have been on that thing.  Half marathon tomorrow.

Wet

It rained all day.  This evening, the temperature was close to 40 degrees when I went out to the park.  No one else showed up, so I ran 2 miles on the park roads in the rain.  A park police officer pulled up next to me while I was running.  I thought he was going to give me a speeding ticket, but instead he just wanted to say hello and tell me that I was dedicated.  After running, I turned the heater on full blast in the truck and drove to Iron Works to work out, half dried out.

Armadillo Cup

I worked out at Iron Works this afternoon and then got in a 2.2-mile run on the roads in the Avenues.  This evening, I went down to The Woodlands for the 2014 Texas 10 Series Awards Dinner.  Our club tied with The Woodlands Running Club for 3rd place in the club competition and we picked up a $475 check.  I won 1st place in the 70 and Over age group competition.  That comes with an Armadillo Cup and a check for $250.  For completing all 7 races in 2014, I was given a nice backpack.  A first class race series all the way!

Airborne Beer

After running 3 miles at the park this evening, I shared an Airborne Beer with Hans Jaeger and John Cook.
In 1944, the 101st Airborne Division (the unit I served with in Vietnam) was in Bastogne, Belgium, surrounded by the Germans during the Battle of the Bulge.  Private Vince Speranza, who was in a foxhole on the perimeter, was sent into the city to find batteries for the radio.  While there, he went to visit his wounded friend who was in a church being used as a hospital.  His friend ask him to get him something to drink.  Speranza went down the street and found a bar, but it was bombed out.  Then, he found another bar, which had a working tap.  He filled up his helmet with beer and brought it back to the church.  Other wounded soldiers wanted beer too, so he had to make another trip.  The regimental surgeon at the hospital caught him and sent him back to his unit.  Sixty five years later, Vince Speranza revisited Bastogne.  He told someone what he did and they told him that he was famous in Europe.  After the war, the story about the beer in the helmet got out and a local Bastogne Brewery started making Airborne Beer.  They serve it in little ceramic helmets.
My friend, Hans Jaeger, served with the 82nd Airborne Division in Vietnam.  For Christmas, his sons bought him a 6-pack of Airborne Beer, which comes with the ceramic helmet.  They had it shipped from Batogne.  He brought one of the bottles to the park tonight and we shared it and he gave me the empty bottle.  Good stuff.  7.5% percent alcohol.  It costs about $70 a 6-pack, but shipping to the US costs a lot more.
Vince Speranza tells the story here.
https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=AhKGiACKtZTjyzJFwRe5NKebvZx4?fr=yfp-t-300-s&toggle=1&fp=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&p=youtube%20airborne%20beer%20bastogne

Looking ahead to Saturday

Next Saturday, I am running the Lake Benbrook Half Marathon, just south of Fort Worth.  I ran it last year and really enjoyed the course around the lake.  The weather forecast calls for no chance of rain and temps in the 40's and 50's.
This evening, I worked out at Iron Works and then ran 2 miles on the roads around the campus.

Houston Half Marathon

I got up real early this morning and drove down to Houston to run the half marathon.  My foot felt better this morning.  I taped it and wore heavier socks.  Surprisingly, it never bothered me during the run and even felt okay after the run.
This was my first time running the Houston Half Marathon.  I have run the full 15 times, but not in the last two years.  When arriving in Houston, I noticed more traffic and an obviously bigger race crowd.  However, I managed to park in the parking garage that I used for the last few years that I ran it.  It is next to the Four Seasons Hotel and I hung out in the hotel lobby until it was time to walk 4 blocks or so to the start line.  My friend, John Slate, happened to be there doing the same thing, so we had a nice visit.  I ran into so many people I knew, at the start line, running the race and others spectating.  I finished the race in 2:55:44, which placed me 31st of 47 in the 70-74 age group.  According to the results, there were 11,758 finishing the half marathon and 7,143 finishing the marathon.

Houston Expo

Later this morning, Marilynn and I drove down to the Houston Marathon Expo to pick up my packet for the half marathon this morning.  I made several stops at other places on the way down and on the way back  So, it was a multi-purpose trip.  We spent several hours at the expo, mostly shopping and visiting with friend.  The place was really packed.  We got home about 4 p.m. and I went to the track and ran laps about 5.  The cut on my foot is very sore and redder than yesterday.  I am sure that I can make the run tomorrow, but am equally sure that I will be shoe-less the rest of the day.

Ugh! Foot problem

All day, the ball of my left foot next to my little toe has been sore.  I figured it was the new shoes and a long trail run yesterday.  So, this afternoon, I ran 1.7 miles on the streets in the avenues.  Tonight, I started looking for something in the medicine cabinet to would reduce the soreness.  Then, after looking at my foot, the skin is split, probably from dryness.  My wife put something on it and then a band aid.  It will be an interesting weekend.  I am going down to Houston tomorrow to the Marathon Expo to pick up my packet for Sunday's half marathon.  Sometime tomorrow, I will get in a short run in.  Then, I will run the half marathon on Sunday.  I am not too concerned with running the half (soreness gets numb after a few miles); it will be the days afterwards that concern me.  Soreness can go away quickly, but cuts have to heal.

Half marathon training run

Since I have not run over a 5K since my half marathon on January 1st and another half marathon coming up this Sunday, I decided to stretch my distance today.  I went out to the park ahead of the group run and ran 6.9 miles on the trails.  Nice sunny and cool weather today.  The trails are really in good shape.

PTA 5K Course

After working out at Iron Works this evening, I went over to Physical Therapy Associates (PTA) to run the 5K course with the group.  I was the group.  Guess 40 degrees is too cold for some.  Actually, it was a comfortable run.

Park run and club meeting

I met up with the group at the park at 4:30 this evening.  It was speedy Jacob, Jason and Becca and me.  They ran 3 miles on the trails and I ran 2.  They still finished ahead of me.  In any case, we had a quick hot chocolate and then rushed home to get changed for the club meeting at 6 p.m.  We elected new officers for 2015 and I remain the treasurer.  Here is our club officer photo.

Shots today

I got Synvisc shots in my knees today for the fourth time since 2009.  This is the stuff from a rooster's cone and it lubricates the arthritis under my knee caps.  It works great and there has been no side effects.  I ran laps at the tracks late this morning and will do a short run tomorrow.  Based on experience, my knees should feel a lot better in a couple weeks.  Am looking forward to the experience of running the Houston Half Marathon on Sunday.  I have run the Houston Marathon 15 times, but never the half.  I do not look forward to the logistics (getting there early, finding a parking place and a restroom and getting to my starting corral on time).

Escape to the park

After watching the Cowboy-Packer game, I escaped to the state park to run off my frustration.  I ran 2.5 miles on the trails and saw no one else on the trails.  It was in the mid-40's with a light mist.

Run the Woodlands 5K

For the 67th time of June, 2009, I ran the Run the Woodlands 5K this morning.  I finished in 35:34.  The temperature was in the 30's, but no wind or rain.  Nice running weather.

Short Friday run

After it rained this morning and before it rained later, I ran 1.3 miles on the road.  It was in the mid-30's, but comfortable, with no wind.

Getting injections on Monday

I am looking forward to injections in my knees on Monday and some relief of the aching.  In the meantime, I have a 5K on Saturday and then half marathons every weekend for a while, starting with Houston on January 18th.  It was about 40 degrees when I ran this evening.  Cold, but not as windy as yesterday.  I ran 3 miles on the streets around the campus.

Suppose to get cold tonight

No one else showed up for the group run at PTA at 5:30 this evening.  It was in the 40's and the wind was strong.  Am not sure what the wind chill was, but it had to be cold.  I took off on the out and back 5K course, but was so cold that I turned around at the one-mile mark and went back.  So, I got in 2 miles.  It is suppose to get down to 23 tonight.

Park is closed

The group normally meets and runs at the state park on Tuesdays and Thursday.  However, for the last time this season, it is closed this week for controlled hunting.  So, I ran an unplanned route around the campus.  It turned out to be 2.7 miles.

Finally felt like Monday

It is easy during the holidays to get confused on what day it is.  It finally felt like Monday today.  Now, back to a routine.  I wrote my running column for the paper this morning, worked out at Iron Works this evening and then ran 2 miles on the roads in the avenues.  My next long race is the Houston Half Marathon on January 18.  I have run the full there 15 times, but never the half.

Sunday Night 5K

Julia Buck and I drove down to The Woodlands this evening to run the Sunday Night 5K.  Nice clear and cold weather.  I ran the course with Jon Walk and we had a nice visit.  I finished in 34:14, which is my best time on that course in 3 years.

Said goodbye to a runner friend

I drove to Lufkin today to attend the funeral of Lynne Perkins.  She was a fellow member of the Lufkin Area Pace Setters (LAPS).  She passed away at age 52 from cancer.  Nice lady and a good runner and biker. She will be missed by so many.
After returning to Huntsville, I ran 3 miles on the streets around the campus.

Run in the rain, again

It rained all day in Huntsville.  I worked out at Iron Works this evening and then ran 2 miles on the roads in a new pair of shoes.

Texas Half Marathon

I have run the Texas Marathon in Kingwood for the last 7 years.  This morning, I ran the half marathon race.  It was cold with a light rain part of the time.  The course is a double loop on concrete sidewalks through the green belt of Kingwood.  I finished in 2:56:29.  There was no age group competition, but the finisher medal weighed 1.1 pounds.  I got back to Huntsville, got a shower and then went to our club run at 2 this afternoon.  I thought about running, but my knees were aching.  So, I took photos for the club web site.  We had a nice crowd considering the cold and rain.