Back to the park

It was back to the park this evening.  Some ran on the wet and muddy trails, but James and I ran on the park roads.  The course we ran was about 2 1/4 miles.

Memorial Day 5K at my house

When I went to bed last night, the chance of thunderstorms at 8 a.m. this morning was 30%.  I got up at 6 a.m. this morning and immediately checked the weather - sunny with 0% chance of rain for the morning.  What a relief.  Our club's annual Memorial Day 5K has been at my house for years.  Nothing like having an inflatable start/finish arch over your driveway.  Anyway, I drove the course, putting out all the signs and cones.  Then, worked on the arch, race clock and other things.  The race is open to the public, so you never know how many people are going to show up.  We ended up with 131 runners, plus a lot of family members.  In the nearly 30-year history of our club, it was the largest number of runners we ever had for a monthly club run.  All went well, but it was a relief to have the race completed and everything put away.  I was working on posting photos from the race this afternoon, when Julia emailed me and suggested that I go get my run in, because a storm was headed this way.  I drove to the track and ran on the roads from there.  I intended to run 3 miles, but the storm was blowing in and I cut it to 2 miles.

Getting ready for tomorrow

We have our club's annual Memorial Day 5K at our house every year.  Depending on the weather, we should have over 100 runners and others here.  So, I spent most of the day getting everything ready.  My wife and 3 other ladies were fixing breakfast to be served after the race.  My truck is all loaded with signs and cones for the course. The inflatable arch will go over my driveway tomorrow morning, after I put out all the signs.  I did take a break this afternoon and ran 2 miles on the roads in town.

Birthday

Today was my 74th birthday.  I celebrated by running three races.  I got up early and drove down to The Woodlands and ran the Run the Woodlands 5K at 8 a.m.  I finished in 38:50.  Then, I drove down to Houston and ran the Buffalo Bayou Brewery Run at 11:20.  It was suppose to be 4 miles, but according to my GPS, it was 4.3 miles.  In any case, it was non-competitive and I hung back with my niece from Houston.  We had to stop several times and wait for lights to cross major streets and I stopped once to hug Rachel, a member of our club who graduated from Sam Houston State and moved to Houston.  She happened to be out for a training run.  I also stopped briefly at the Gary Price Memorial Park Bench in Memorial Park.  Gary was a 45 year old Houston Police Officer, who died of a heart attack while running the Huntsville Half Marathon in 1997, while I was serving as the Race Director.  I finished the Buffalo Brewery Run in 59:20 and then enjoyed some good beer.  Then, I went to my niece's apartment in Houston and got a shower.  Then, I drove up to Cypress and had dinner with my son, Kenny.  That was followed by the Light Up the Lake 5K in Cypress at 7:30 p.m.  I finished in 38:50, which was the same time as the first race this morning.  I was the only runner in the 65 and over age group, so I received a nice plague for first place.  I finally got home about 10:30 tonight.  It was nice visiting with so many friends at all three races.

No rain today

I took advantage of no rain today and mowed and trimmed my yard.  Tomorrow is my 74th birthday and I plan to celebrate by running three races, a 5K in The Woodlands, 4-Miler in Houston and a 5K in Cypress.  Long day tomorrow and a lot of driving.  To rest up, I ran 1.3 miles on the streets in town this morning.

Rain must be here to stay

It rained again today.  My yard is completely saturated, with standing water in low spots.  To avoid the mud at the park, I ran 2 miles on the roads at the park this evening.

PTA 5K course

After Iron Works this evening, I went to Physical Therapy Associates and ran the 5K course, starting and finishing in front of their building.

Measured a course this morning

We are having our club's annual Memorial Day 5K at my house next Monday.  I tweaked the course a bit, so I re-measured it this morning with an engineer wheel and marked the miles and turnaround point.  I am not use to walking 5K's, but I survived.  After working out a Iron Works this evening, I went out to the hot and steamy park and ran 2.5 miles on the trails.

Woke up to more rain

I woke to more rain this morning.  The ground is so saturated, I have standing water in places in my yard.  After working out at Iron Works this evening, I ran 2 miles around the campus.  About a half mile into my run, Lucio from the Sam Houston State Track and Cross Country Team started running with me.  I have never met him before, but we had a nice visit.  He ran with me until the end of my 2-mile course.  I appreciate him running slow to keep up with me and I am sure I ran faster than normal to stay with him.

More rain

Our visiting family went home this morning and it rained most of the day.  I finally got out at 6 p.m. and ran 3 miles on the roads around the campus.

2 Miles and then off to Tyler

I just ran 2 miles on Veterans Memorial Parkway.  Now, off to Tyler for a family get-together for the rest of the day.

Back from Wylie

I drove up to Wylie (NW of Dallas) Wednesday afternoon.  My windshield wipers were on for the whole trip.  I ran 3.2 miles on a concrete trail (partly under water) in Plano yesterday.  My right knee felt better during the run, but went back to its usual hurting afterwards.  I'm just not sure the cortizone shot is helping.  I drove back to Huntsville this afternoon, mostly in the rain and especially heavy rain in the Dallas area. I worked out a Iron Works this afternoon and tried to get in a couple miles between thunderstorms.  I ended up running 1.3 miles before the storm hit again.  Now, I have family coming in tonight and we will be in Tyler tomorrow.

Post cortizone shot run

In keeping with the doc's instructions, I did another short run this morning (1.3 miles on the road).  Although it was not painless, my right knee felt better.  Hopefully, that is a good sign.

Doctor visit today

Just in case the doctor would do something and tell me not to run today, I ran laps at the track late this morning and went to see the doctor about my knees at 1 p.m.  He said that there were two possibilities.  One, the Synvisc injections for the arthritis under the knee caps was no longer working.  Or, second, there was inflammation in the muscles that attach to the top of the knee caps.  Since my right knee is worse, he injected cortizone under the knee cap to supplement the Synvisc.  He said that if the arthritis under the knee cap is the problem, it will feel better soon.  In 3 weeks, I go back.  If my right knee is okay by then, he will inject cortizone in the left knee.  If it is not better, it is inflammation in the muscles above the knee caps.
I have to do a short run (1-mile) tomorrow and then I can get my mileage back up.  I have family visiting this weekend, so no race.  I have 2-5K's on May 23 (my 74th birthday) and a 10K night trail run on May 30.

Heavy storm this morning

A heavy storm came through Huntsville this morning and it rained much of the day.  My rain gauge said 1.5 inches, but someone at Iron Works told me that they got 6 inches.  Anyway, by the time I went out to run this evening, it was clear.  I ran an unplanned route on the streets in town.  It turned out to be 2.8 miles.

Empty campus

Sam Houston's graduation was yesterday, so the campus was empty today.  This afternoon, I ran a 2-mile loop around the campus.  My knees were sore and unstable, especially for the first mile.  They loosened up somewhat for the second mile.  My doctor's appointment is only two days away.  I hope he has a solution.

Run the Woodlands 5K

For the 68th time, I ran the Run the Woodlands 5K this morning.  It was very humid and I felt very sluggish the entire race.  I finished in 38:41, my slowest on this course in almost 2 years.  In any case, it was my 25th race this year and my 2,029th consecutive day of running.

Friday workout

I normally skip Iron Works on Friday, but since I have been out-of-town, I worked out there this afternoon before running laps at the track.

Back from North Carolina

I just got home from a trip to Hickory, NC to visit my daughter and her family.  Flew up last Thursday and back this evening.  I could not find a race there during my visit, but it was just as much fun spending time with family.  Some days, I ran in her neighborhood and other days at the YMCA half mile asphalt track.  I never got in over 3 miles on any day.  I did not realize how pleasant the weather was in NC, until I stepped outside in the heat and humidity at the airport in Houston tonight.  I am looking forward to my doctor's appointment here on May 12 to see what he might be able to do about my sore knees.

Taking it easy

I do not have any long races coming up in the next few weeks, so hopefully I can reduce the pain in my knees.  I am looking forward to seeing what the doctor says on May 12.  So, for the second consecutive day, I ran a 2-mile loop around the campus.  It seems strange not to be running at the park on a Thursday evening.

Trail cleanup

This afternoon, Dana and I went out to the state park and cleaned 1-mile of trail.  We cleaned the small trees, limbs and other debris from the trail and mapped the location of the large trees that had fallen across the trail (like the one in the photo).  We will leave those to the park crews.  On the way home, I stopped at the track and ran a 2-mile loop on the roads from there.  My knees continue to hurt, but I have an appointment with the doctor on May 12.  Then, I worked out at Iron-Works.

Park is closed

I went out to the park this evening to do a solo trail run.  A police officer stopped me in the park and said that the park was closed.  A tornado touched down early this morning and knocked over a lot of trees and power lines.  It will open up this Wednesday at the earliest.  So, I went to the track and ran laps.  When I got home, I posted the news about the park being closed on the club FB page and immediately got offers from runners to go out and help clean it up.  I think runners appreciate the park more than anyone else.

Sore and stiff knees

I have gotten the Synvisc (stuff from a rooster's cone) shots under my knee caps for 4 years now.  They lubricate the arthritis and ease the pain.  They have worked well for several years, but now seem to have no effect.  My knees are sore and stiff, even after only running a 10K yesterday.  I need to back to the doctor and see what the alternatives are that do not include breaking my running streak.  This afternoon, I ran 2 miles on the streets around the campus and took Ibuprofen tablets with my dinner.

Superhero 10K

I drove a little over an hour this morning to the Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation to run the Superhero 10K  The weather forecast was for a small chance of rain.  It was raining when I left Huntsville and at race time, there was heavy rain and lightning.  It rained hard for the first mile and then let up after that.  Even so, there was water and mud on the roads for most of the course.  It slowed me down some.  I finished in 1:18:38, about 2 minutes slower than the same race last year.  There were two of us in the 60 and over age group and I finished first.  Despite the weather, it was nice to see and visit with a lot of friends.

Wet track

It rained this morning.  I went over to the track this afternoon and ran laps, trying to dodge the puddles of water and mud on the track.  10K tomorrow.

Hot and humid trails

It was hot and humid at the park this evening.  I ran a different course than usual to check for any remaining flagging from the Hog's Hunt Trail Run last Saturday.  I am not sure how far I ran, but I ran for just over an hour and found a couple flags.  I suppose 4+ miles.

Regular 2-mile loop

After working out at Iron Works, I ran my "regular" 2-mile loop around the campus.

Five of us at the park

Five of us showed up at the park to run trails this evening.  It was me, Jason, Sara, Samantha and Dana.  I ran 3 miles on the trails and removed 7 flags that someone did not remove after the race last Saturday.  The snakes are out, but I have not seen one.

Texas 10 Series Plano

Saturday afternoon, I drove up to the Dallas area to run the Texas 10 Series 10-miler in Plano Sunday morning.  It stormed Saturday night, but the weather was clear and in the 60's for the race.  I finished in 2:07:32, about 4 minutes faster than the same race last year.  I was 3rd of 3 in the 70 and over age group.  I drove back to Huntsville this afternoon and then went out to the state park to remove flagging from a section of the Hog's Hunt Trail Run last Saturday.  I ran 1.1 miles on the roads to the trail head and then ran/walked 2.8 miles, while removing flags.

Hog's Hunt and Spring Fling

I got up early this morning and hiked out to my post as a course monitor for the Hog's Hunt 50K & 25K at Huntsville State Park.  The 50K started at 6 a.m., so I was there well before daylight.  My wife relieved me at 7:30 and I went back into town and ran the club's Spring Fling 5K.  I finished in 36 something.  I went back to the park and finished up my duties about noon time.

Busy weekend coming up

I have two races to run this weekend and am volunteering for another.  I ran laps at the track this afternoon and then there was more rain tonight.

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.