Getting Better & Better!

Schedule called for a 2-4 mile easy recovery run, so I did four miles around Houston Lake and added a one mile walk back home.  Stayed pretty consistent with my pace. 

A little over a month ago I was walking .3-.5 then jogging (I no longer use that term) .5-.7 EVERY mile.  As of today, I'm only walking .1 miles every 2 miles and holding on to a 11:00 to 13:00 mile pace for the length of the run depending on the hills. 

I'm still trying to nail down a goal finish time for my half-marathon in Oct.  My heart wants to run it around 2 hours, but my mind is telling me that, if I'm in shape and running good, I can break 2:30.  So, I feel that's a reasonable goal to train for.  I'm also ready to adjust it either up or down over the next three months.  I'll really know more by the end of Sept.

Of course, just finishing the race is something I should be grateful for!

Falling into a routine, finally!

Headed out the door for a nice slow 3.5 mile recovery run.  FYI, all my runs and cross training (biking) will be categorized as recovery  days this week.  As I finished my run, it began to sprinkle and then a nice rain, but just to short.  The temp was 72 and little or no humidity.  Very comfortable run.  I'm really hoping the speed will pick up, but I have another four months to train before my race on Oct. 22 in Fayetteville, NC.

I beat the rain - got to work mostly dry

I rode my bicycle to work today.  It's 12.5 miles. I try to ride 1/week.  But my schedule does not always work out.  It takes me a little over an hour.  Today was 1:11.

I have a pretty good route,mostly thru neighborhoods. I'm on busy streets for maybe 0.25 to 0.5 miles at a time.  And only 4 of these. So it's pretty safe. And I'm careful.

It started getting dark around mile 7, especially west where I was headed.  Drizzle then rain started about 5 minutes from work. So I didn't quite beat the rain. But it was a light rain and I barely got wet. The temperature was great and should be good on my way home.

Making my comeback!

Well, as of my 8 miler yesterday, I've now either ran or biked every day, except Friday, for the last three weeks.  I've lost 8-10 pounds and the confidence is returning, big time!  Yesterday's run began with some humidity and the temp was right at 80 degrees.  Not a problem, I just decided to take it real easy.  However, at around 5 miles the sun was beating me down a little, but I continued on at a slow 12:00-13:00 mile pace.  Not concerned about the pace, just wanted to get the mileage in.  By mile 8 it got to me (heat & humidity)!  I was moving along at a 15:00 pace (uphill) and was only looking forward to my protein shake (chocolate, what else).  Finished the run and practically collapsed in my recliner while Chris made my shake.  Caught hell for getting the throw pillow wet with sweat, even though I covered the entire recliner with a huge beach towel.  I whimpered a bit and Chris got off my case.

I'm really looking forward to the half marathon in Fayetteville, NC where my grandson will be stationed (Ft. Bragg).  I challenged him to run with me, so we'll see how that goes.  BTW, the winning time in my age group (70+) last year was 3:19, a 15:00 mile pace.  Crap, if I can't beat that, I'll hang up my running shoes and grab a walker with tennis balls!  My realistic goal for that race is to run UNDER 2:30, which I think is reasonable.  BTW, the finish medals are in the shape of a parachute (Airborne school).  Cool, huh?  The shirts have parachutes on them as well.

Looking forward to running another day!

Welcoming In 2015 in Style!

Who would have thought -- over the last 3 years -- that we would welcome in 2015 with a morning run with Mike DeGhelder?  What a special joy it was for Rob and I to gather 75 or more of our closest running buddies (most of whom we don't know) to run 4 miles with Mike yesterday in the annual KC Track Club's New Year's Day Run.  We all set out at the sensible time of 10:00 am which also gave us sunshine and moderate 35 degree temps for the run, hot cider, and glazed donuts.  They posted the pictures below, which I am very proud of -- setting aside the minor details that the other runners around me in my pictures all appear to be walking, Rob is about to be run down by a baby stroller (baby stroller runners are such speed demons!), and Mike seems to be taking his dressing cues from ISIS these days.  Afterwards, we joined Mitchell, Susan, and Elliot Krasnopoler for breakfast where we got updated on the amazing progress Susan has been making with their senior driving safety foundation.  All in all, we had a ball and got our New Year's launched in style.  From here, it's on to our training for our November 22nd Philiadelphia Marathon!

Wow! Am I Happy!!

After a successful four miler with Dan and Bill Wednesday, I decided to forgo the run on Christmas Day and hit it again this morning.

Was kind of wondering how far I should run and decided to run to 9 highway and back.  I remember it as being around a six mile trip.  As it turned out, it was 6.6 from my house to 9 and back.  I had a goal of walking/running the first mile and then trying to just keep from walking during the last five.

There is hardly any flat areas at all on the trail to 9 highway.  You are either going long up hills or long down hills.  I'm beginning to be more comfortable running the down hills albeit slowly and the up hills are still somewhat of a challenge.  However, I averaged a little over a 12:00 pace and ran the last 1.5 miles in the mid nines.  Very, very happy!

A Christmas Eve Morning Run

Mike, Dan, and I met at the east gate of Cliff Drive for a 7:30 am run on Christmas Eve morning.  It was raining, and we wondered what ever posessed us to plan the run.  But we had a ball anyway!  Ran 4 miles at an 11:22 pace inclusive of several walk breaks.  This was my first real day back running and it felt great.  We were running 10:12's on our return miles running sections which is a push for me.  As always, I ran faster with the group than on my own.  We finished wiht a fabulous breakfast at Corner Cafe in Riverside which was jammed packed with patrons picking up their pre-ordered holiday pies. 

We thought of Ken during our run as he was on a plane to San Jose to meet his new grandson Mick.  So in honor of this special holiday gift, we'll close with our favorite picture from the day: