Quiet at the Park

The park does not close this week for deer hunting until 5 p.m. tomorrow. So, I went out there alone this afternoon and ran a 7-mile loop. I only saw one hiker during the entire run and no animals. It was quiet and peaceful and a perfect day for trail running. I suppose I need to taper the rest of the week for the Houston Marathon on Sunday. This will be my 14th Houston Marathon, even though I have not run it the last two years.

It's What Streakers Do

We got up early this morning, drove to Tyler and spent the day visiting with family and eating too much. We got back late tonight and I was beat. It was about 10:30 and 29 degrees outside. I went to the track and ran a mile. It's what streakers do.

100 Degree Difference

I got up early this morning to go down and run the Run the Woodlands 5K. The temperature when I left Huntsville was 16 degrees. Last August, when I ran in Yuma, Arizona, the temperature was 116. I prefer colder temperatures for running, but this morning was a little extreme. I finished in 33:33.

Sinus Problems

It's that time of the year. My sinuses are stopped up. I woke up about 4 this morning and really never went back to sleep. I started to go over to the track this afternoon and run a mile. Since it was so cold, I ran a mile + on the treadmill at Nautilus.

Routine

Even though the stitches are still in my back, I have been able to get back to my routine at Nautilus. They seem to be holding well and they come out next Tuesday. After working out this afternoon, I did a 3-mile loop around town. It was cold, but I was dressed warmly.

Late Run

I did not get around to working out at Nautilus and running until late this afternoon. I ended up doing a 2-mile loop around town in a light rain, just as it was getting dark.

Avenues

I ran 1.6 miles in the avenues this afternoon and another mile on the track. Then, I went to Nautilus. Some machines pulled at my stitches and some not. So, it ended up as a half of a workout. I get the stitches out next Tuesday.

Cold

I don't remember when it has been so cold in Huntsville for such a long period. And, it is suppose to get down to 17 on Thursday. I much prefer to run in the cold, so I'm not complaining. I ran a couple miles in town this afternoon. Even though I still have stitches in my back, I am going back to Nautilus tomorrow and see if I can push some weights around without splitting anything.

7 at the Park

I met up with the group this morning and did a 7-mile loop on the trails. Andrew and Karen Husband were visiting from Lubbock and joined us. It was good to see them back on the trails again.

Rest Day

I went to the track this afternoon and ran a mile. The first quarter lap the day after a marathon is always rough, but once the joints are loosened up, its not bad.

Texas Marathon

Ben and I went down to Kingwood this morning for the Texas Marathon. I ran and he worked as a volunteer. Nice weather and I expected to do well after a 5:41:19 at the Dallas White Rock Marathon a couple weeks ago. The course is a 6.55-mile course through the greenbelt in Kingwood. All concrete and you run the loop 4 times. I timed my first loop at 1:20 and I was okay with that. Mentally, the 2nd and 3rd loop got to me and I ran slow. I took on plenty of fluids at the aid stations and never walked between the aid stations. I probably took on too much fluid and had to make several pit stops. Soon after starting the 4th loop, I realized that I was on a pace to go well beyond 6 hours. Then, I really picked up speed and started passing a lot of other runners. I finished in 6:08:21. My time in this race last year was 6:06 and the year before, 6:30. Houston is next.

Wrapping up the Year

To rest up for the marathon tomorrow, I went to the track and ran a mile this afternoon. I am suspending my workouts at Nautilus until I get those stitches out of my back. Except for breaking my streak for 4 days in October, this has been a good running year. I completed 45 races in 2009, up from 39 in 2008. Here are the distances:
50K (31 miles) - 2
Marathons - 6
18.2 miles -1
25K (15.5 miles) - 1
Half Marathon (13.1 miles) - 1
10K (6.2 miles) - 3
5 miles - 1
3.9 miles - 1
3.85 miles - 1
3.5 miles - 1
5K (3.1 miles) - 26
3.0 miles - 1

Streak Commemoration Run

John Wallace III of Seattle and his father, John Wallace, Jr. of Ishpeming, Michigan, both completed 20-year running streaks today. Also, Mark Washburne of Mendham, New Jersey completed 20 years today. I have gotten to know both John and his father through the U. S. Running Streak Assn. In 2004, John III completed a cross-country run of 3,800+ miles from Washington state to Georgia and he did it without a support vehicle. Click here for his web site. In 2007, John, Jr. and his wife, Karen, completed a run from Michigan to Mississippi. Click here for their web site. Karen has a current streak of 4+ years. I am in awe of these runners.
To commemorate their 20-year streak, John III set up a 4-mile run in Seattle and invited everyone to join him there or wherever they live. So, I ran 4 miles this afternoon on Veterans Memorial Parkway in Huntsville to commemorate their streak. Congratulations to all of them.

Last Surgery

I went down to The Woodlands today and got the stitches out of my face and had more surgery on my back to remove a spot (3 inch incision). Before heading back to Huntsville, I stopped by Luke's Locker and bought a couple pair of running shoes. After getting back, I made the mistake of working out at Nautilus. That was not good for my stitches. It was almost dark when I left Nautilus, so I ran a 2-mile loop on the roads. I'll do more tomorrow, then taper on Thursday for the marathon on Friday.

Would Have Been 7

It just dawned on me. As of yesterday, my streak would have been 7 years, if it had not been that doctor who did a bad diagnosis on my knee in October. Oh well, my new streak is over 2 months now and I'll reach 7 years when I get to be 75 years old. After working out at Nautilus this afternoon, I ran 3 miles on the roads in town. Tomorrow, more surgery.

Sunday Night 5K

I went down to The Woodlands this evening and ran The Woodlands Running Club's Sunday Night 5K (same course as the Run the Woodlands yesterday). J. C. Guzman was also there. I finished in 32:44, 3 seconds faster than yesterday.

RTW

I went down to The Woodlands this morning and ran the Run the Woodlands 5K in 32:47.

Empty Streets

Most of my family is coming in tomorrow afternoon, so we had a rather quiet Christmas Day. I went out and ran my 2.9 mile loop around town this afternoon. There was virtually no traffic.

Wet Trails

The group met up at the park at 11 a.m. today to run trails. With all the heavy rain last night, we figured parts of the outer loop would be flooded. So, we decided to run a 4.1-mile course instead. Parts of that course were flooded, but we were able to maneuver around the bad spots. Nice run. Merry Christmas to anyone reading this blog.

Stormy Night

It is stormy tonight, but I managed to get in a mile run at the track this afternoon after working out at Nautilus. Trails tomorrow.