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.