" Peeshwank Rouge's " Running Blog

Start of 100 mile training program...

2011-02-16T10:04:00.003-06:00

Monday, Feb 15th 2011. Ok, so today marks the first official training day of the 10 week 100 mile training program. I am starting from scratch as I wanna go back and build onto my base some more. The foundation is where everything is at. I know I have a good one, but I want to have an even better one. So, today's run called for just a 2 miler. Ok, I can do that. I kept the pace fast around 7:45 and completed it. Tomorrow calls for a 4 miler. I am gonna stick with this plan no matter how simple and slow it is. Thanks for stopping by.

10 miles of trails...

2011-02-16T10:01:00.003-06:00

Saturday, Feb 12th 2011. Ok, so today I got up and decided I needed to at least put in a good medium sized run and wanted to hit some trails anyway. So, Ace and I headed out to Claiborne park and I ran the trails. It was nice out, not too cold and not too hot. Everyone was out enjoying the weekend and I had fun on the trails. Kept a really good pace of around 8:30 and was surprised considering how I have been dogging it lately. But, with running you just never know. Thanks for stopping by.

4 miler for lunch.

2011-02-16T10:00:00.002-06:00

Wednesday, Feb 9th 2011....Well, I had plans to put in a 4 miler during the lunch hour and then another 4 miler in the evening. My running plans had to be adapted to my girl's being sick. Poor Bella, she felt terrible and I needed to be there to nurse her back to health. But, 4 miles is better than no miles. Thanks for stopping by.

8 miles

2011-02-16T09:58:00.002-06:00

Sunday, Feb 6th 2010. Ok, so I have been off of running for a week at least, just needed a little bit of down time to re-think about my running goals and where I wanna be and go. So, I put in a nice little 8 miler and thought I was going to be dying. Everything turned out swell! Thanks for stopping by.

5 miles before the rain

2011-02-01T10:31:00.003-06:00

Monday, January 31st 2011. So, this evening is one of my last chances to get in a good small run before the very cold temps get here later this week. With all this rain and very cold weather I have had to run when I see a chance too. Got in a good nice 5 miler this evening and the pace was nice, legs are still recovering some from that last 50K so this is one of the reasons I don't really want to push to soon, it always leads to injuries for me. Ease back into it, gonna keep the mileage low until this cool weather goes by and then start ramping it up for a few weeks and be ready for a nice Gusher marathon run. Ok, thanks for stopping by.

5 mile lunch run

2011-02-01T10:28:00.003-06:00

Friday, January 28th 2011....Ok, so I know my running has drastically decreased and I am the only one to blame for that. I need to start getting motivated again and kick it into gear. So, today during the lunch hour I ran a nice little 5 miler, and half way thru I stopped and let Ace out and he ran the other half with me....he was wore out! Off to a great weekend with my beautiful babies!! Thanks for stopping by.

8 miles to get back at it....

2011-01-27T09:48:00.003-06:00

Wednesday, January 26th 2011. Ok, so I have been off techinically since last week. I ran a little 2 miles on the dreadmill on Monday night but I don't count those runs. So, tonight I knew I needed to drop the pace down and put in at the least a 8 miler. It was a good run, my legs did well thru most of the run and started to actually hurt some toward the end. I managed to keep the pace around 8:30 min/mile and I am actually happy considering I have been off for so long...my cardio was as strong as ever and I could tell my legs took a slight hit, but mostly my hamstrings. Stiffness was not too bad and I am looking forward to getting in another 8 to 10 tonight as well. Gotta get the mileage back up with the Gusher coming in March. Should be a very good race. Anyway, thanks for stopping by.

2 miles and the treadmill blues

2011-01-24T20:00:00.003-06:00

Monday, January 24th 2011. I f###ing hate running on the treadmill. I think I would rather not run at all than have to get on that thing. Going nowhere. It is just horrible, but I needed to get something in tonight so I put in a crappy 2 miles and then got off the thing. Glad I complimented it with Ab ripper X. I hope this rain clears out of here soon. So, tired of it and I really would like the 90 degree temps back please!! Thanks for stopping by.

7 miles

2011-01-24T19:57:00.002-06:00

Wednesday, January 19th 2011. Ok, so for some reason ever since that 31 miler last Sunday I am having trouble getting motivated to run....plus the crappy rainy weather and the fact that I hate the treadmill. I got in a 7 miler tonight and was glad to do that. Off to a wedding this weekend so no running for sure, gotta get motivated again somehow. Thanks for stopping by.

Keep on Truckin 50K trail run

2011-01-17T15:43:00.004-06:00

Sunday, January 16th 2011. Ok, so I know I was on the fence about running in this 50K race but I did manage to roll myself out of bed at 3am and drive all the way to the park in the pouring rain and run on this. It was cold, wet, and very muddy. The trails were laid out nice and there was no confusion. Just a really nice trail system minus the 54 degrees and continuous rain that fell the entire 5 and a half hours. I forgot my Garmin and looking back I don't think that was a bad thing. I didn't ever feel rushed and just ran. After the first 15.5 mile loop I was a little down mentally, I think it was the elements mostly. My mind threw that little thought of the nice warm car waiting just a few hundred yards away when I came in to the race starting area. I had to take off that hooded sweatshirt as it was soaked and the weight was starting to get to me, then I headed back out. My favorite aid station snack of the day was the pretzels filled with peanut butter. I was losing a lot of salt and they seemed to be replacing it pretty well. I can say that my legs are a lot stronger than previously. I usually had a bad habit of stopping to rest a little around mile 25 or so but this time I pretty much ran the entire 31 miles. So, that is either because I ran only 10 miles before the race or my legs are finally starting to come around. I finished the race strong and with no cramps, or blisters. This was especially pleasing to me because my feet were wet the entire 5 hours. All in all a good race and I was happy that I did decide to run even though the conditions were horrible. Thanks for stopping by.

Cold run

2011-01-13T15:06:00.003-06:00

Wednesday, January 12th 2010. Holy cow! It was so cold tonight on my run. I thought I brought enough layers, but you just never know. About the only good thing about the cold weather is I tend to haul butt to get the mileage over with. Headed out and went all the way passed Vidor to the next underpass and looped under and came all the way back to old 90 and then back to the community center. So, at this point I am about 3 miles short of the 10, so I finished up around the community center. It felt good and I was relieved at the same time to have gotten it over with. I was starving for some reason too. Anyway, good cold 10 miles and I needed it. I am ready for the warm weather already. Thanks for stopping by.

10 miles and the rain stopped.

2011-01-10T10:08:00.003-06:00

Sunday, January 9th 2010. I woke up this morning and realized that it was not only really cold, but that there was a pretty hard rain coming down. I got ready for church and got Ace settled ( BTW, he is doing great, and I think he is getting used to me and my routine.) then I headed out. After church it was still raining some so I just hung out inside and I really didn't even think about the possibility of getting to run today and figured the rain had set in for all day. It stopped around 230 or so and I finished up some things inside and then by 430 decided to give it a try. I headed out and it was actually not too bad. I overestimated how cold it was and put on way too many layers and was sweating like crazy thru the middle of the run. I changed up my route a little this afternoon. I went passed Vidor and all the way down to the next overpass passed my mom's office and looped under I-10 and came all the way back. That was a good 6 mile loop, I will have to try that one again as it kills off the mileage quick without all the boring loops. I kept a good pace and when I made the turn back to finish the last 4 miles, Laura joined me and she ran with me until she had her mileage done as well. We kept a good pace and I finished the 10 miles at around a 8:39 min/mile pace. I was really happy with that. So, all in all it turned out to be a good running day. Thanks for stopping by.

Friday night lights 8 miler

2011-01-10T10:03:00.003-06:00

Friday, January 7th 2010. So, I hear tell that there is some pretty cold stuff with lots of rain on the way so I needed to get in this 8 miler this evening. Went well, was a little overcast and a little humid. The run overall was good, I got my new Brooks in Friday during lunch and I was excited to test them out as required. So, they fit well, and I am looking forward to trying them on a long trail run or two. I am still on the fence about running the 50K in Needville, just more money to spend. I was thinking about getting up really early and driving over there, but then I remembered that packet pick-up is at like 6 to 645. It takes a good 2 and a half hours to get there so I would have to leave around 330 or so. Wow! I really don't think that would be possible, so another solution is drive over and maybe sleep in the car, if I can find somewhere with a restroom etc. Well, we will see. Anyway, the run stayed under 9 min/mile and I think ended up at like 8:35 or so per mile. I was happy. Ok, thanks for stopping by.

2 miles for Ace

2011-01-06T09:18:00.004-06:00

Wednesday, January 5th 2010. Ok, so today the weather was a little wet...it rained all last night and it was soaking wet on the ground. I decided to run with " Ace " today at lunch and then I would go at it alone this evening. He and I made it 2 miles and he was wore out....water anyone? He ran well though and I was surprised that he made the entire 2 miles. Then this evening I got out there and it was a little bit colder and I decided to end my evening run at 4 miles. I am still just not into it right now and I really feel like I am just going thru the motions and not getting a whole lot out of the daily runs...I mean that 12 mile run last weekend was great, so I really don't know what is going on with me right now. Hopefully my desire to run will return and I will see where I am at. I had hopes of running the 50K on the 15th, but I think I may not be able to make that run. I know that mentally it would probably be a really good thing for me....so if there is some way I can swing it I really want to run. Ok, enough belly aching and thanks for stopping by.

Tuesday blues

2011-01-06T09:16:00.002-06:00

Tuesday, January 4th 2010. Ok, this cold weather is starting to get to me, it is making me doubt wanting to run at all. I hate the cold weather with a passion and have no idea why anyone would want to live in any climate below the temp of 70 degrees. So, I managed to get in a terrible, mentally horrible 7 mile run this evening. I am mentally wore out I do believe. Thanks for stopping by.

12 mile resolution run

2011-01-03T16:34:00.003-06:00

Saturday, January 1st 2011. Wow! 2011 is upon us and I hope to make this year better than the last one. Some things hopefully get wrapped up and then onward and upward. Felt like getting in a nice medium distance trail run and went out to claiborne park and knocked out a 12 miler. Set a good pace and went well below it and was very happy, no achilles issues and things were clicking right along. Finished the 12 miles in 1 hour and 40 and that is pretty fast for me anyway. Nice weather outside and now that it is done time to go eat that superstitious food! Thanks for stopping by.

Big toe tendonitis

2010-12-31T09:25:00.003-06:00

Thursday, December 30th 2010. Ok, so it is time to start increasing the mileage again and I decided to put down a nice 10 miler and my goal pace was under 10 min/mile. It went well, but I started to notice an old injury besides the Achilles starting to flare up. My left big toe tendon is inflammed and tendinitis has set in. It hurts, but it is manageable and running on it is a little uncomfortable at first but soon calms down. When I stop and cool down I can really feel it. Oh well, just another over use injury...can't stop though. Ok, so all in all I am happy with my performance today. Thanks for stopping by.

Another 8

2010-12-28T10:00:00.003-06:00

Monday, December 27th 2010. Ok, so Christmas was great and now that I have taken two days off it is time to get back to it. So, tonight even though it was a little colder than I like I decided to set the Garmin for 8 miles and go. My legs and cardio are really getting use to this time off in between each run. My achilles is able to go a little longer without getting so sore. It made it to about mile 7 tonight before it let me know what was going on. I am trying to ease back into this stuff and I think splitting the runs up into 2 times a day is a good idea. My pace is still a little faster than I would like, but it is working I guess. Anyway, off again tomorrow then it all starts, and I really need to stay focused and work hard for this new year coming up. Thanks for stopping by!

Christmas Eve 8 miler

2010-12-28T09:55:00.003-06:00

Friday, December 24th 2010. Well, the girls went back over to their mom's to spend the night and open gifts in the morning. That is good for them and so I had time on my hands so I decided to put in a Christmas Eve run. Felt good. No worries....just running. I am excited for the girls to open their presents tomorrow. They are the best kids in the world and I love them more than anything....So, all in all a nice 8 miles. Merry Christmas everyone! Thanks for stopping by.

8 miles for a Achilles

2010-12-22T15:10:00.003-06:00

Tuesday, December 21st 2010. Ok, so I got my visit with Santa over with for the girls and it literally took all day long but was a blast. It really was so good. I got home close to 5 and thought briefly of taking a nap and then realized that I needed to get in a run. My achilles held up really well and so I went and got a nice 8 miler in. Not at the pace I wanted, but good enough to say I did it. I was concerned about my cardio lacking considering my drop in mileage recently, but it was not noticeable and my legs did well. Ok, thanks for stopping by. With the way my schedule is I am going to try and get another 8 to 10 miler in on Christmas Eve.

2 miles...nice!

2010-12-20T15:19:00.003-06:00

Sunday, December 19th 2010. Well, the girls wanted to go up to the high school track and mess around some and run. So, I figured it would be a good way to get in a few miles. Wrong! It was just too hard, trying to watch them, run, and I felt like a miserable cow trying to run. I was just not prepared mentally. So, I ran or slow jogged 2 miles and my achilles was acting like it wanted to start hurting just from that. I really hate to take a complete week off of running, I am soo scared that will kill my cardio. I will run tomorrow night and see where I end up, going to shoot for 8 miles but not going to push it too hard. Thanks for stopping by.

Achilles inflammed

2010-12-20T15:16:00.004-06:00

Friday, December 17th 2010. Ok, well I spoke too soon. I was thinking that my achilles was already back to normal and I lied. It was killing me at the 4 mile mark today and I had to stop for risk of seriously injuring it. Ugh! I hate that. I cannot believe my body has broken down again and in the same spot as last year and right after the same race as last year. I will say that it is not as bad, but I don't want to spend half of 2011 running less mileage because of it. So, going to take it easy for a week, and get back at it next week. Sucks! Thanks for stopping by.

10 miles..good to go still...

2010-12-16T09:57:00.003-06:00

Wednesday, December 15th 2010. Ok, so my legs are feeling much better, still a slight soreness in my left quad but I am not worried about that. I decided to split the 10 miles today into 5 miles each. So, at lunch I hurried off and knocked out a mediocre 5 miler and the weather was a little hot. Then after I left the office I went and ran another 5. I think that splitting it and getting more miles everyday helps my legs adjust to the constant force placed on them. We will see. I need to keep on track and slowly increase the mileage. Legs are rebounding a lot quicker than last year after running a 50K. So, this is a good sign that they are getting used to this stuff, only took a little over a year. Anyway, nothing to exciting to write about....Bandera is on the radar, but not 100% sure. Thanks for stopping by.

5 mile recovery...

2010-12-16T09:55:00.002-06:00

Tuesday, December 14th 2010. Ok, two days off is enough. I needed to get my stuff together and start back running. I was very sore today and was a little worried that my achilles was going to get caught up in that same routine that happened last year. It was also a little sore throughout the run today, but it held strong. Nice....5 miles. Thanks for stopping by.

Texas Trails 50K

2010-12-12T16:26:00.004-06:00

Saturday, December 11th 2010. Ok, today was Roger Soler's annual Texas trails 50K at Huntsville state park. Nice morning. It got a little warm as the day went on. I of course as usual went against everything I said I was going to do and spent myself at mile 20 after the first big turn around. The first loop was 6.7 miles and then you added that to a 12.5 and that made the first 1/2 or 3/4's of the run. I came in at like 2 hours and 43 min for that 19 miles....which essentially means I was flying and was going way to fast. My legs could not sustain that torture and I bonked at mile 28 completely....started walking and stopping to stretch to try anything to get the pain in my legs to stop. I was sitting in a great position for much of the race too. I have got to learn to just slow down and run a solid race throughout. Sub 8 min miles is not the way to do it for me right now, my mileage is still way to low. Anyway, I ended up finishing like 23rd place at like 5:27 and some change I think. Oh well, good experience and another 50K in my bag. During the race when I was hurting I remember telling myself that I am done with anything over 25K....I lied....I am ready for the next one. Thanks for stopping by.

8 miles into a 50K

2010-12-10T09:39:00.003-06:00

Thursday, December 9th 2010. Ok, so I set my sights on the Texas Trails 50K this Saturday in Huntsville, Texas. This is my second time running this race and last year it was a bit chilly, I think and remember the temps being like around 24 degrees when we started. This Saturday.....ummmm...can we say 70+ degrees. Such a different animal this time. That is actually a little hot considering I have been running everyday in these cooler temps. Plus, today after my 8 miler, I really felt like my legs were just so drained of energy. It was that feeling of running with ankle weights on again. That disappoints me because here I am a year further down the line in running and I am still having issues with my legs. Geez. So, my conservative goal is 5 hours. We will see. Anyway, thanks for stopping by and I will post results ASAP.

12 miles for once...

2010-12-08T16:44:00.004-06:00

Tuesday, December 7th 2010. Well, I needed to up the mileage a little so I did just that. Got in a good 12 miler and at a descent pace as well. I need some longer miles for the legs to get that feeling of exhaustion. I was a little concerned about the soreness after, but there was none. I think my legs have really come a long way this past year. It was a little chilly out and I think I will take tomorrow off, if I run the 50K on Saturday then that will put me way over my usual weekly mileage right now. I really need this run though for training purposes for the Rocky 100 miler in Feb. Ok, so thanks for stopping by.

Monday...sloth

2010-12-07T14:29:00.003-06:00

Monday, December 6th 2010. Ok, when I say that I felt like I was running with 45 pound ankle weights on I really mean it. It was like I could not get my legs to move and I was just drained of energy. It was a total shock because I was thinking that my legs would be ready to go after two days off. I am beginning to think that I do myself more harm when I take more than a day off, I just always feel sluggish for some reason. I knew though that I had to stick with it and finish the run. Tomorrow I am going to do 12 miles, 6 at lunch and 6 when I get out of the office. Time to increase mileage for once. Anyway, thanks for stopping by.

Friday....8 miles again

2010-12-07T14:27:00.003-06:00

Friday, December 3rd, 2010. For some strange reason I have settled into the fact of running 8 miles at a time now. I think it is mostly because of my break and it really is all I have time to do right now. So, with a weekend with my girls coming up and I don't run on the weekends I have them, so I needed this one. It was good, the weather was ok, and it was a productive run. Looking forward to taking the weekend off, maybe my legs with thank me. Thanks for stopping by.

8 miles for lunch.

2010-12-01T14:41:00.002-06:00

Wednesday, December 1st 2010. Wow! Already the month of December and X-Mas is getting close quick and I am soo far behind on gifts and things. Pathetic! Anyway, I wanted to put down at least 8 miles this run because of the dismal unprepared mess last night. So, I decided to run during my lunch break and it was so nice outside. 66 degrees and sunny with a slight breeze. Felt great and I kept the pace under 8:30 the whole time. So, I am happy with that, this week will be runs during the day do to scheduling etc... Ok, so thanks for stopping by.

3 miles too cold

2010-12-01T14:39:00.002-06:00

Tuesday, November 30th 2010. Holy cow! It was really cold by the time I shut down the office and got changed and got to the community center to run. I didn't bring a heavy sweat top and was freezing, I couldn't finish all my miles....I stopped at 3. I have no insulation and freeze even while running. Oh well, always tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by.

10 miles again

2010-11-28T21:12:00.003-06:00

Sunday, November 28th 2010. Ok, so I knew I needed to double up a 10 back to back and was looking forward to it. Got out of church and went and immediately changed clothes and hit the pavement. I needed to run quick because the girls were having some singing concert at their church and was also excited to see it as well. Anyway, the run went good, I thought it was going to be a little chilly but after the first 3 miles I was sweating like crazy and had to shed the sweatshirt. Felt much better after that. Funny thing, yesterday when I was running I came across this yellow tennis ball and picked it up and ran with it for a while. On my final loop I put it down in a specific spot next to the road and thought, " Lets see if it is here tomorrow." Sure enough it was in the same spot when I came across it today, so I picked it up and carried it for the rest of my mileage and put it back in the same spot. I saw a homeless guy picking up cans close and thought, " I wonder if he will pick it up when he comes across it?" Maybe he will and he will carry it for a while and put it down and someone else will pick it up and so on. Just one of those silly little things I guess. Geez....the things that one thinks about when they are running. Anyway, a good ten miler. Thanks for stopping by.

10 miles

2010-11-28T08:22:00.003-06:00

Saturday, November 27th 2010. Whoops, I think I put the wrong date on the previous post. Oh well. It is what it is. So, I liked running in the evening so much yesterday that I decided to do the same thing today. I had put it into my mind that I needed to get 10 miles and that is what I did, I sort of took it easy with the pace and all and need to work on quality mileage and not speed. I have to face the fact that I am just not a super fast runner, I am a medium speed runner with good endurance. I know that if I go out too fast that I am going to blow it and end up suffering thru the whole thing. Anyway, a freaking German shepherd got after me today around mile 6 and I hate to drop it down and take off, he eventually gave up and I know where he is now. So, I will avoid that location if possible. What really pisses me off about the whole thing is the fact that his/her owner was out in the yard watching the whole thing. I almost said something, but I didn't want to get shot. With 4 miles left that would have been a long way to stagger after being capped. Anyway, a good run and another 10 tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by.

8 miler...recovery

2010-11-28T08:20:00.003-06:00

Friday, November 27th 2010. 8 mile post turkey trot recovery run. Felt good, I was a little disappointed in my turkey trot performance and this made me realize that I am just not running enough, especially now that the long ultra's are coming up. I really need to get my mileage in and start concentrating on this stuff. So, 8 tonight and 10 on Saturday and 10 on Sunday. Thanks for stopping by.

Turkey Trotter

2010-11-26T16:04:00.003-06:00

Thursday, November 26th 2010. Ok, so today is turkey day! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I got up and decided to run in the annual turkey trot and picked the 10K. I haven't run much this week so I was not looking for a real fast time. My goal was to be under 50 minutes and I came in at like 49:11 or something like that. So, goal achieved. I have been real lazy this week. I have got to get my mileage together. I was dogging it bad. It was very humid and a little hot considering it is the end of November. Go figure. All in all a good race and a huge turnout....something like 850 people total for both races. Awesome. Anyway, thanks for stopping by. Back to training.

8 miles into Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T20:58:00.003-06:00

Monday, November 22nd 2010. Ok, so I took Sunday off and wanted to start the week off right and so I put in a good 8 miler, slowed down and even walked a little bit. No worries, it was what I wanted to do. I plan on running either tomorrow or Wednesday depending on if I decide to race in the Turkey Trot Thursday morning. I am on the fence still, more than likely a yes. Gonna start out nice and easy and just build into a good pace and see where I end up. Thanks for stopping by.

Warda 10K

2010-11-22T09:21:00.003-06:00

Saturday, November 20th 2010. Warda Wild Hare 10K. Fun! I had a blast and didn't even worry about running hard and taking off. Cruised along with good company and enjoyed the scenery and it actually made for one of the best trail runs I have ever been apart of. It was a good turnout too. Way more than last year and this year it was nice and dry with no rain or mud or floating cow patties. There were more rocks than I remember, and a few roots as well. The best part of the actual trail was the descent into the valley as it winded along the hill. So cool. Everyone was of course nice as usual and the trail etiquette was great. No problems with anyone at anytime. Trail runners are just like that. The shirts were nice and the finisher medals were pretty cool too. All in all a great weekend and a great race. No stress or anxiety and that makes all the difference. Thanks for stopping by.

Last 8 miler before the race....

2010-11-19T09:30:00.003-06:00

Thursday, November 19th 2010. Ok, one last medium distance run before the trail race on Saturday morning in Warda, Texas. I am dropping down to the 10K this time and it should be lots of fun. Sometimes, running for other reasons than to compete are better. I am happy to do this and would not change it for anything. There is always another race where I can run and take off. So, I am keeping the mileage at a medium distance so I don't have so much work to do for Bandera and possibly the 100 at Rocky this coming year. We will see. I think I learned my lesson about going up so fast and quick in mileage and cannot afford another injury like I had last year. I mean I probably should not have even run Bandera last year with that tendonitis in my right achilles, but I am stubborn and hardheaded...there...I said it. Anyway, kept the 8 mile pace around 8:25 min/mile and I could have dropped it lower but I walked a little....geez....walking after all this time. Seems so strange. Anyway, thanks for stopping by and good luck to all the runners this coming weekend.

4.2

2010-11-18T09:24:00.003-06:00

Tuesday, November 16th 2010.

4.2 miles......37 minutes.......8:38 min/mile pace.

I'm short on time today...thanks

8 miles at run/walk

2010-11-16T10:45:00.003-06:00

Monday, November 15th 2010. Ok, so I have been implementing this new run/walk thing recently and I like it. My legs are nowhere wore out and I am able to do the longer distances and I am not losing too much in time. Today I was hitting and staying at a 8 min/mile pace and I had no doubt that I could have stayed there the entire 8 miles, but decided to walk a bit. Mentally is the hardest part, but I am really working on convincing myself that it is ok, I ended up finishing the entire run at a 8:30 min/mile pace. So, not too bad. I'm gonna keep at it and see if I can build my mileage up without causing an overuse injury. It seems strange going back to a walk after all the running miles. But, if it works....it works. Thanks for stopping by.

10K after a friday off.

2010-11-14T19:37:00.003-06:00

Saturday, November 13th 2010. Ok, so yesterday I just took off because I was not happy with my Thursday performance and decided to let my brain have another chance to relax and un-wind and get some mojo back. So, I got up fairly early and got in a good 10K run, I actually even tried this whole run walk thing, which was really hard for me because I have never walked during a run in my entire life....except a 50 miler when I could not feel my legs. Anyway, the truth of the matter is the time was not that different. I was worried that it was going to be so demolished that I would be upset, but it wasn't and my legs were loving the little breaks. I really think that it is more of a mental thing than anything that I need to get over. 6.2 miles and I felt great. Thanks for stopping by.

4 miles....

2010-11-14T19:35:00.003-06:00

Thursday, November 11th 2010. Ok, so I had the best intentions to run 6 to 8 miles, but mentally I was beat. I mean the bs from the beginning of the week had gotten me down so far that by the time it was run time for Thursday, I was shot. I killed the run at 4 miles, it was not productive and I was not there....always tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by.

8 miles to go

2010-11-10T20:22:00.003-06:00

Tuesday, November 9th 2010. Ok, so I knew I wanted to go up a little today since I was off two days there and need this extra mileage to play catch up. It went well, my legs did what they were supposed to do and it was a fairly easy run. Kept a descent pace and never let it get over a 9:05 at anytime. I was trying to drop it below a 9 but I just could not muster up enough speed to get it there. I ran out of distance, I have no doubt that if I would have went another 2 miles I would have broken the 9 min/mile mark. I think I will take tomorrow off and then run another 8 on Thursday during lunch, if it is not raining. Thanks for stopping by.

Nice day for a run

2010-11-09T10:12:00.003-06:00

Monday, November 8th 2010. Today was a nice day outside for a run. I had something important to do this evening and so I needed to run during my lunch hour, which is ok. It is getting dark so soon now and that just completely screws up my evening running. I don't trust the drivers during the day, much less in the evening. Anyway, I am coming off a 2 day vacation from running and knew I needed to put in something longer than 5 miles to keep from losing anything. I ran a nice 10K at a high eight minute pace and it was good, my core was hurting a little because I threw in a Ab ripper X before taking off the run, but I think crossing exercise like that is beneficial. I am looking for a race for this weekend, and I have not decided what or where? I need to get busy looking. Ok, thanks for stopping by and sorry I am sort of dogging it on this blog.

Down to 3 miles today

2010-11-04T09:21:00.003-05:00

Wednesday, November 3rd 2010. Well, it is hump day and I am dragging for some reason. Here lately when the middle of the week comes I hit a drop in my energy level and usually come back up tomorrow and for sure by Friday. So, I just really didn't feel like running another 6 miles and stopped at mile 3. I really need to get my crap together and start putting in some long mileage. I am running out of daylight because of the impending time change coming so as of next week I will be moving all my runs to the lunch break. It will allow me more time to increase the mileage and I will be done with it. P90X is still going good, although I have sort of taken the workouts that I feel benefit me the most and I use them. I mostly use it for the core stuff and some upper body things. Ok, I could ramble on forever. Thanks for stopping by.

Rain running....

2010-11-03T10:20:00.003-05:00

Tuesday, November 2nd 2010. Ok, so I knew when I woke up that I was looking at a rainy evening run with overcast skies and cool temps. I changed into a long sleeve dry fit running shirt and I am so glad that I made that decision. I have literally no insulation on my body and anything below 60 degrees is considered freezing to me. So, I hit the road and immediately dropped down into a sub 8 min mile pace and the legs felt really good so I stayed there. Yeah! I can feel that I am a stronger runner, as I was running I couldn't help but think back to when I first started running and how different I have become. Running has gotten me thru a lot and and I owe a lot to it. Thanks for stopping by.

10K before the rain gets here....

2010-11-02T10:54:00.003-05:00

Monday, November 1st 2010. What? Is it already freaking November already?? Time is flying by, and I am going to be 35 years old soon. Crazy! But, hey I get to move into a new age group for races and stuff.....not that it gets any easier. Anyway, I have been off for two days and it felt good. So, this evening I put in a nice little 10K run. The pace was around 8:42 and it felt comfortable and there was no increased levels of stress anywhere so I stayed there and just went with it. The lottery for the Western States 100 miler opens for previous year entrants on November 13th and the drawing is in December. I am crossing my fingers that I get in. I really need to get in a 100 miler before that and I have set my mind on Rocky for Feb. I am not shooting for a specific time....my goal is to finish it and still be able to walk afterward. We will see, I really need to increase my mileage after November. Anyway, thanks for stopping by.

Easy 6

2010-11-01T11:28:00.002-05:00

Friday, October 29th 2010. Ok, I missed yesterday and wanted to get in at the minimum at least a 6 miler. Weather was good and the legs felt descent. I'm gonna miss the next two days and I don't really like to do that, but I feel like it is worth it and that my legs will thank me for it in the end. Ok, busy here at the office.

10 K a little easier....

2010-10-29T15:16:00.003-05:00

Wednesday October 27th 2010. Well, I needed to come back up above 4 miles today and that is exactly what I did. Right now I am just trying to stay in the 28 to 30 miles a week range with a little more intensity on each run. Then as I find a longer race that I want to do then I can just tweek my schedule as needed. I just feel as of right now I need to keep some sort of good base and stay with it. Garmin was set for a 10K and that is what I got in. Felt good and the legs are coming around better. I stayed under a 8 min/mile pace and that was ultimately my goal. Nothing too special and thanks for stopping by.

4 miler

2010-10-27T10:40:00.003-05:00

Tuesday, October 26th 2010. Ok, so I decided to see how the run was going to go for tonight. I didn't have a set goal in mind, just wanted to get out there and stretch the legs some and see how I felt. It was a little hotter than the last few days. Geez....what has happened to our nice little cold spell? Anyway, my legs were feeling ok and when I got to mile 3 I decided to put down one more mile. Finished 4 miles in around 33 minutes. Wasn't too bad, hip flexors were a little sore but I am making it. Thanks for stopping by.

Struggling 10K

2010-10-26T09:41:00.003-05:00

Monday, October 25th 2010. Ok, so this was my first run since the 10 miler trail race on Saturday. My legs were a little sore especially my Achilles and quads. I knew I needed to get in at least a 6 miler and to be honest with you I was not really looking forward to it. Just one of those days. So, I got a late start and it got dark on me and I really don't like that. Cars everywhere and the drivers cant even see in the daylight much less in the dark. So, by the time I hit mile 4 I was dogging it pretty bad and was so glad when the Garmin went off that I had completed the 6.2 miles. Yeah! For those of you that run you can relate to the fact that when you first start off you just have a feeling of how that particular run is going to go. Well, I knew this was going to be a tough recovery run. Maybe tomorrow's run will be better. Thanks for stopping by.

Spooky Trails 10 miler trail run

2010-10-24T09:39:00.003-05:00

Saturday, October 23rd 2010. Wow! Such a good race and the trails were really good. Not too overly technical, and the weather was excellent. Based on my last two weeks of running and the pace that I had been hitting I knew for sure that I wanted to stay under an hour and 20 minutes on this one. I decided to just take off and see where it gets me. The first two miles we were avg a 6:10 min mile and I knew that there is no way I can sustain this for the entire 10 so I cut back and fell into a 7:30 min mile and held it pretty tight all the way to around mile marker 8. I started to fade some and the little inclines started to burn up my quads pretty good. Also, on my left second toe I could feel the hot spot starting to rub pretty good. I finished strong and I was really happy with my performance today. I think I came in around 7th or 8th maybe with a finishing time of 1 hour and 18 minutes. So, goal achieved. Ok, tomorrow I am taking the day off to work in the yard. Fun!! Thanks for stopping by and I highly recommend Sam Houston Jones State Park to people that ride mountain bikes or hike.

Easy 3

2010-10-20T20:41:00.004-05:00

Wednesday, October 20th 2010. Hump day! The 10 mile trail run race is fast approaching and I really need my legs to show up so today I decided to drop it down to an easy 3 miles and just coast a little. It felt good, I was maintaining an easy pace without much effort. Tomorrow back up to a 6 miler and then nothing on Friday and then hopefully ready for the race on Saturday morning. I'm not real sure of the technical aspect of the trails at Sam Houston Jones Park but I am willing to bet they are nothing like the hill country. All in all a good little run this evening. Thanks for stopping by.

Tuesday 10K

2010-10-19T19:56:00.003-05:00

Tuesday, October 19th 2010. Ok, so today I knew I needed to put more than 3 miles down if I wanted to maintain my speed as much as I have lately. I decided on a 10K. 6.2 miles just seems like a good mileage without completely wearing myself out. I set the Garmin and off I went. The weather was nice and there was a slight breeze. Around the community center and then up the I-10 feeder rd to Vidor, loop under the freeway and back all the way to Hwy 90 and loop around and then back to the community center. It is a good route, but there is always that danger of cars and some people cannot drive and when running on the shoulder you just have to pay attention. 99% of the cars get over into the other lane, but you have an occasional dumbo that isn't paying attention. Anyway, I kept a 8:41 pace and it felt good and I had a lot of gas left in the tank. I need my legs for Saturday. Ok, thanks for stopping by.

3 miles to start the week.

2010-10-18T20:19:00.003-05:00

Monday, October 18th 2010. Ok, so I really didn't have the mental capacity to go much further than 3 miles today. But, I did pick up the pace and run them at around 7:40 a mile. Coming off those medium runs last week and some other things I just didn't have the energy today and I want my legs to get a good rest. I have decided if everything goes well and I stay healthy then I am going to run in a 10 mile trail race this coming weekend in Lake Charles. They are having it at Sam Houston Jones state park. Should be pretty fun. Anyway, thanks for stopping by and nothing too exciting.

Nice 7 miler after my time off....

2010-10-17T08:44:00.003-05:00

Saturday, October 16th 2010. Ok, I knew for sure that I really needed to get some miles in after being sooo lazy the last two days. I needed a good medium range run and settled on 7 miles...I also put into my mind that I needed to keep it under 8 min a miles in order to get back anything that I may have loss from not running. Started out and felt a little winded at first but quickly settled back into my routine. Legs felt good and the weather was nice. So, it made for a good return run. Garmin came in at like 54:03 which is around 7:43 min/mile. I am happy with that. Longer run tomorrow at a slower pace. Thanks for stopping by.

2 days off again!

2010-10-15T16:36:00.003-05:00

Friday, October 15th 2010. Ok, so I am dropped into a lazy hole again. I took another two days off and I really need to run tomorrow for sure. But, I have been doing p90x still. Legs could really use the break though and I have learned to not fight it and run when I can. Thanks for stopping by.

2 5K's....one day..one night

2010-10-13T21:32:00.003-05:00

Wednesday, October 13th 2010. Ok, so today was different. I ran a 5K trail run that a friend had discovered in Beaumont and it turned out to be pretty good. After we ran it we decided to run again with some more people and meet at the same spot at 8 o'clock. It worked out well and turned into another nice run. All in all a nice little mix up and change. Thanks for stopping by.

7 miler

2010-10-12T20:11:00.003-05:00

Tuesday, October 12th 2010. Ok, after a lazy day off yesterday I needed to put some miles down today. Got to the community center a little after 6 and set the Garmin for 7 miles and took off. Felt good...never looked back and ran a 8:31 min/mile pace. The weather was awesome and it is getting darker a lot quicker. Felt good....mind was a little pre-occupied but other than that I am good to go today. Ok, hump day tomorrow and thanks for stopping by.

10K to end the week.

2010-10-10T18:46:00.003-05:00

Sunday, October 10th 2010. Well, I decided to end this run week with a nice slow 10K and I felt my legs were a little tired when I started out. My achilles is a little sore so I'm gonna go ahead and take tomorrow off. I have no desire to spend the next 6 months trying to get it to heal like last year. Anyway, nice weather and I hear tell that rain is on the way. Those wet nasty winter days are coming soon. I just cannot run on a treadmill. Anyway, worry about it when it happens. Thanks for stopping by.

10 miles and I am so tired.

2010-10-09T19:09:00.002-05:00

Saturday, October 9th 2010. Ok, I am physically exhausted. I was glad to get this 10 miler out of the way and get home and and relax. Tomorrow is another day and if my energy level is back up I will put down another 10. We will see. Anyway, the weather was nice and and I guess it could be a lot worse. Thanks for stopping by.

Another 10K after the two days off.

2010-10-09T10:19:00.003-05:00

Friday, October 8th 2010. Ok, so today I just knew I had to get in a run during my lunch hour and didn't think that it was going to be a big deal about taking the two days off. Well, it hurt. I don't think it was because of the days off as much as it was about the mid-day heat. It was pretty hot and I was not able to break the pace down below 8 min per mile like the other day. As I sit here writing this today on Saturday I am actually sore....which is a little odd given the fact that I run so much. Such a nice weekend and I know that I have to put in a long one....so sore or not it has to happen. All in all a good 6.2 miles at a good 8:34 min/mile pace. I am happy with that. Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend.

2nd day off

2010-10-08T09:24:00.003-05:00

Thursday, October 7th 2010. Ok, so I took another day off. I figured the legs could use the rest and I was a little concerned about my left hip flexor so I for sure do not want to irritate it anymore. Going to take a nice 6 miler tomorrow on the lunch break so that will be good, then this weekend I really need to put down a long slow run....I'm thinking 10 to 12 to 15. Ok, so I have been Mr. Lazy the last two days. Thanks for stopping by.

Off day...yeah!

2010-10-06T20:08:00.002-05:00

Wednesday, October 6th 2010. Well, today I decided to take completely off after that little bit of speed workout yesterday evening. But, I still have P90X shoulders and back and 15 minutes of complete hell with Ab Ripper X. I highly recommend the whole P90X system....it seems simple but it is very effective and does not require a huge investment. Thanks for stopping by.

10K speed today.

2010-10-05T21:02:00.004-05:00

Tuesday, October 5th 2010. Ok....needless to say the weather was freaking great. I got a little bit of a later start and it is getting darker and darker earlier. I set the Garmin for a 10K and took off. My legs were feeling pretty good and I hate a huge issue on my mind and before I knew it I was thinking and knocking down a 7:40 min/mile and so I just went with it. Turns out I not only held it for the entire 10K but I even increased toward the end and ended up running a 7:36 min/mile. I was happy with that. Hey? Maybe it is that PowerBalance bracelet that I started wearing huh? Who knows. Anyway, it felt good to get that speed in and at that distance. I'll take it. Thanks for stopping by. Oh yeah....David at edurancebuzz.com emailed me and informed me that I won a Cliff Bar prize pack....sweet! Thanks David.

Case of the Mondays

2010-10-05T10:30:00.003-05:00

Monday, October 4th 2010. Well, it was another Monday run day fun day and I didn't really have it in me to run any further than 3 miles. I got to the 3 mile point and my brain told me this will do for today....go home and rest and relax. So, I listened. As I have said many times before, the best training tip is to listen to what the body wants and needs. Oh well, there is always tomorrow to pound the pavement. Thanks for stopping by.

10K in the nice weather

2010-10-04T09:53:00.003-05:00

Sunday, October 3rd 2010. Already the third day of October. Geez. So, the weather was so great today that I decided to run a nice little 6.2 miler. I didn't want to push too hard so I slowed down a little and enjoyed the breeze. I was feeling good as I was coming off a great weekend and knew the run would be nice. It's that simple. Not much else to say. Thanks for stopping by.

6 mile lunch run

2010-10-01T16:04:00.006-05:00

Friday, October 1st 2010. Holy cow! It is already October....well I have to go get the girls this evening so I had to adjust my running schedule and put the miles in during the lunch break. No big deal. I am flexible like that. It was a little warm but no where near like it used to be. Got changed and hit the pavement. I decided to keep the pace a little slow and enjoy the sun and the light breeze. Put in a good 6 miler and when the Garmin beeped I was done. These pictures I have on here were taken by my cousin's wife Magda and she did an outstanding job so I gotta give her credit. I love them. So, gonna take tomorrow off and then a long slow run on Sunday evening. Cool weather coming...woohoo! Thanks for stopping by.

2.5 mile easy stroll

2010-09-29T20:20:00.002-05:00

Wednesday, September 29th 2010. Today was my easy day and I went and ran any easy 2.5 miles with some friends and it was so nice outside. Cool temps and a relaxing run. Not much else to say. Thanks for stopping by.

5 miler in the breeze.

2010-09-28T20:12:00.004-05:00

Tuesday, September 28th 2010. Another really nice day outside. By the time 6 o'clock rolled around it was down around 74 degrees and the wind was softly blowing. The perfect setting for a nice little run. The first 2.5 miles my legs were little tired and I could tell that the 12 miler on Sunday and then the 6 miler yesterday was starting to wear on them. By the time I started mile 4 though I hit sort of a groove and my legs pulled out of the deficit. Finished the last mile pretty strong and felt good about the whole 5 miles this evening. Man, I wish the weather could always be like this....makes you feel so good to be able to get out and move around. Tomorrow is a light day and I think I will take it easy and put in a 2 to 3 miler and then try to kick it up before the weekend. Anyway, I know that my blog has sort of become mundane and boring and I am sorry for that. For those of you that come and read it...thank you. Thanks for stopping by.

6 mile recovery speed run

2010-09-27T20:49:00.003-05:00

Monday, September 27th 2010. Ok, so no pic this time. A cool front has arrived and I was excited all day long to get to enjoy it this evening. Nice and cool and what a difference the pace is when the temps are cooler. I am coming off that 12 miler yesterday so I wasn't sure where I stood today with my legs. I decided to make it an even 6 miler and enjoy the weather. There were a lot of people out walking today as well. I put the 6 miler behind me with a time of 49 minutes, a little faster than I wanted but the legs are ok and now I got P90X tonight which includes the infamous ab ripper X. Those of you that are familiar with the ab ripper can relate...just like Tony says, " I hate it! But, I love it!!" Ok, not much else to talk about. Thanks for stopping by.

12 miles thru the woods

2010-09-26T20:25:00.004-05:00

Sunday, September 26th 2010. Well, I knew I eventually needed to put in a longer run than 5 or 6 miles and decided today was as good as any. I originally planned to run the I-10 feeder rd route but it was so hot at 4 o'clock that I decided to go out to Claiborne Park and run the trails and enjoy a little bit of nature for a change. The park was so empty, usually there are people everywhere but not today for some reason. Strapped on the water bottle, the Garmin and I was off. I knew I wanted to just let my legs sort of slide into a decent pace that they felt comfortable with and I settled on a 9:20 mile pace. Not real fast but not real slow either. The trails were good, few little hills on the backside before the pond and at least the grass was cut down this time. Not too many bugs, few ant piles and I got bitten a couple of times. The miles past pretty fast and I was happy with the solid 12 that I put in and I got them in under 2 hours. Ok, so a good weekend.....actually really good weekend and on to another work week! Yeah! Anyway, thanks for stopping by and get out there and run....a cool front is coming.

Sun Run

2010-09-25T12:29:00.003-05:00

Friday, September 24th 2010. Sorry for this being out of order but it happens. Today, I was low on time and needed to pick up the race packet in the evening so I decided that I was going to run during my lunch break. OMG! It was sooo freaking hot. I ran with my shirt off and I paid the price dearly. I got so freaking burnt. I guess I assumed that the sun would not be so bad as it is nothing as compared to July or August, but I was terribly mistaken. I put in a 5 miler and called it quits. I was going to shoot for 9 but that 5K is in the morning and I want to at least be able to complete the thing. Anyway, I'm burnt and paying for it. Lesson learned. Thanks for stopping by.

Livestrong 5K Beaumont

2010-09-25T12:21:00.003-05:00

Saturday, September 25th 2010. Livestrong 5K at Terrell Park in Beaumont. An amazing turnout. There were over 500 people that signed up and participated. I ran pretty well, the race was about 30 minutes behind but overall a good start. I went out the gates pretty fast and was maintaining a 5:51 all the way to mile 1...which put me way out of my league. I started to fall off and could not hold anywhere near that pace. By the time I hit the 2 mile marker I was toast....zapped so I slowed to around a 6:30 to 6:35 mile and coasted a little. Got to around 2.68 miles and was running a 6:59 mile and decided to speed up a little and crossed the line with a 6:53 mile for like 10th overall and 2nd in my AG. I was happy with that because a 5K is a speed race and I never work on my speed.....ultras are at a snails pace as compared to these 5Ks. Hey, it was fun and I also won a door prize....won a $ 25 dollar gift certificate to Buffalo Wild Wings. I'll take it and that in itself was worth going out and running today. Ok, so now it is nap time and then whole new adventure for me tonight! :)

Thanks for stopping by.

The easy button.

2010-09-23T09:20:00.004-05:00

Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010. Ok, so today was my easy day. Ben called me and asked if I wanted to run with them since it was my low mileage day and they are still beginners. So, I agreed and it was a nice little jog around the big block of our neighborhood. Worked out well, the weather was good and the dogs didn't mess with us too much. I didn't even bring my Garmin and Ben said we ended up doing like 2.2 miles I think. Every mile counts and my legs got a good rest. Nothing too exciting. Thanks for stopping by.

5 miles and three twinkies later.....

2010-09-21T19:32:00.003-05:00

Tuesday, September 21st 2010. Ok, for those of you who know me you know that I am a twinkie junkie. I can live off of them if I have to. This evening was a 5 mile run. It was nice outside, the sun goes down quicker and the temps drop and it feels good. Kept the pace under 9:00/mile and sort of cruised around. I wore a bright orange shirt so no one would run over me. Anyway, I figure I run so much and burn so many calories in a week that it is ok to scarf down a quick three twinkies after dinner. Go ahead....have one...or two...or three. Thanks for stopping by.

2010-09-21T09:49:00.003-05:00

Monday, September 20th 2010. Ok...so I am in a good groove now with the running and my legs are feeling pretty strong. I am going to stay around 30 miles a week with a couple 9 miles to keep me used to any long stuff that might come up. This evening was another 6 er. Felt good and I didn't push it, but I am finding that I have quite a bit left way out into the mileage to be able to kick it into gear if I have to. So, it was a productive day. Nothing too special....just a nice run. Thanks for stopping by and don't you just love those beautiful angels?

2 days off and it was nice.

2010-09-19T19:45:00.004-05:00

Sunday, September 19th 2010. Ok, it was a nice little 2 day vacation from running and my legs appreciated it. Felt good to get back into it, it was overcast and a little cooler and what a difference the temps make. I didn't really have a goal today but knew I wanted to at least get in a good 6 miler. Hit start on the Garmin and took off. I slowed the pace way down and just cruised.....had a lot on my mind and was trying to sort thru all of it. Anyway, nothing special...just a good 6 mile run. Thanks for stopping by.

Banana is the BEST!

2010-09-17T09:53:00.003-05:00

Thursday, September 16th 2010. Ok....I think everyone would agree that Laffy Taffy is the bomb. Especially the banana flavor. Had a funny conversation about this stuff and I put my favorite flavors in order as banana.....strawberry.....then grape. Sorry Apple.....you didn't make the list. I have heard that there is a fruit punch flavor and it sounds good, so if I ever run across it my top 3 flavor list may change. Ok, now to the running part. I decided to up the mileage and increase the pace some to see if I could maintain it. Set the Garmin for 9 miles and took off, it was a little after 6:30 when I started so the sun was not much of a factor. It was still a little warm, but as compared to this summer it was a joke. I was cruising along at around a 9:17 and at mile 2 I told myself that I was going to drop it down to the mid 8's. That is what I did, I was worried that I was going to fatigue off and slow down but I managed to hold that pace for the entire 9 miles. It felt good and I was happy with myself. Change of subject.....I am soooo excited! I get to see my beautiful angels tomorrow. I miss them so much and cannot wait to hear them talk, and laugh, and just be the kids I know and love. Tomorrow evening cannot come soon enough. Ok, thanks for stopping by and now go out there and get you some Laffy Taffy and RUN!

2 miles and I quit.

2010-09-16T14:53:00.003-05:00

Wednesday, September 15th 2010. Ugh. I just didn't feel it today. I took off running and was feeling pretty good when at mile 2 I just thought, " I really don't feel like running today." So, I stopped and went home. No big deal, I will make up for it tomorrow. Ok, nothing else to really say. Thanks for stopping by.

Single wide with a wooden bridge across my ditch.

2010-09-15T10:03:00.004-05:00

Tuesday, September 14th 2010. Ok...before anyone says anything about my picture for this post please be aware that it is a inside joke and that person is probably laughing right now. :) Anyway, I was only going to put in 5 miles but decided to go ahead and keep running and make the next underpass and come back and kill it at an even 6 miles. I sped up a little today and and ran around a 8:30/ mile pace and it felt good. The temps are really starting to come down, even though it feels hot is cools off pretty quick. I am enjoying the mileage now. I was talking to someone about running and they told me that running to them was fun and that they just enjoyed getting out there and moving.....that seemed foreign to me and I realized that sometimes we get so caught up in numbers and times for this and that and forget about just running. That person was so right.....I have sort of lost the true meaning of running. I need to get that back. Thank you for making me realize that. Ok, thanks for stopping by.

Cough...cough

2010-09-14T09:59:00.004-05:00

Monday, September 13th 2010. Ok, so I have not run since that 5k on Saturday and needed to get out and move some. I have not felt so great lately, first that stomach bug and now I have a chest cold. The fever is what is so annoying. So, I have been coughing off and on all day and decided to still run. I knew that I would not make 8 miles so I decided to kill it at 6. I couldn't get in a full breath without causing a coughing fit and paying for it for 20 minutes. At least it was not a 100 degrees outside and the sun is starting to go down sooner so it was nice as far as the weather goes. Anyway, not much to talk about. Thanks for stopping by.

BPOA 2nd annual 5K

2010-09-11T11:40:00.005-05:00

Saturday, September 11th 2010. Ok...pause for a second to remember all the innocent people that died that day. The Beaumont Police Officers Association hosted their second 5K run today and it was actually sort of hot by the time we kicked off at 8:30. I lined up behind the rabbits and everyone took off. I was not going to go out that fast and wanted to see where I was going to end up about 2 miles into it. Well, I looked down at my Garmin and we were pushing like a 6:04 per mile pace and I knew that I was going to be in deep trouble come mile 2. For sure! At mile 2 I started shutting down and my time slipped to like a 6:37 and I hovered there until close to the end. I ended up bringing in around a 21 min. So, slower than last year and I have no excuses because I have run more this year than last year. Just happens sometimes. I just relish in the fact that eventually if it would have been a 50K.....I would caught most people. :) It was for a good cause and I had fun, so that is all that matters. Thanks for stopping by.

6 miler to a 5K

2010-09-10T21:13:00.003-05:00

Friday, September 10th 2010. Ok, tomorrow is the BPA 2nd annual 5K and I ran this race last year and cannot believe it has been a year already but it has. I am excited to see where I end up this time as compared to last time. Should be a good race with lots of competition. I wasn't sure about how many miles to put down today so I killed it at 6 miles. Felt good, temps are down but it is still so humid. I am looking forward to cooler temps and nice fall days. Anyway, nothing to exciting but I was reading tonight and found a really good quote I like. " The reed that bends the most survives the windstorm." Take it for what it is worth. Thanks for stopping by.

Easing back into it

2010-09-09T10:36:00.003-05:00

Wednesday, September 8th 2010. Ok, so like I said before I knew I needed to get back to running. I was starting to get a little restless not being able to put my legs in motion since Saturday and was thinking the whole time how much it was probably going to hurt getting back into things. I was wrong. It went well for me today. The temps have started to lower slightly and it makes a difference. I had in my mind to put down a good 8 miler but then remembered that pushing it too soon too far right after a race is how I got injured last time. So, I put in a good little 5 mile run. The garmin came back at like 45:54 so I was avg around a 9:15 or so mile. Felt good, legs were not too wasted and my left hamstring felt a little tight. My achilles is staying where it needs to be. Run again on Friday and then going to go the the BPA 5k run on Saturday in downtown Beaumont, I ran this 5k last year and I want to see where I am as compared to then. Anyway, nothing too exciting and thanks for stopping by. Oh yeah..don't you just love the pic of me and Bella in the little Ferris wheel cage....great times!

Have I run lately?

2010-09-08T16:01:00.002-05:00

Wednesday, September 8th 2010. Ok....sorry about slacking again. I have nothing to post at this time. I have not run since Saturday.....stuff came up and life got real busy real quick....gonna pound some pavement this evening though so I will let you know how it goes. Thanks for stopping by.

3rd 30K of the Capt n Karls series

2010-09-06T11:10:00.004-05:00

Saturday, September 4th 2010. Wow! That seems so weird that it is already September. That is so crazy. Anyway, great weekend so far and I ran the last race of the three run Capt n Karl's trailruns. This one was held at Muleshoe Rec park right on Lake Travis and was supposed to be the least technical of all three races. Since having run quite a few trail runs in the Texas hillcountry I have come to realize that the word "technical" is very subjective. This was the slowest timed race of the three and it was to be the easiest. Not for me. I started out well...possibly too well. I started having stomach issues around mile 7 or 8 and just could not get rid of the bloated stomach feel the whole way. Not good. I completely bombed in this race. I was shooting to beat my last 30K time of 3:35:45, and I put up a pathetic time this time and I won't even mention it. I don't want to look at it. Oh well, I had fun and I guess that is what matters. I really need to start looking at these things as a good time and an experience instead of trying to be so competitive all the time. All in all I guess as I sit here and write about it I am happy with my run. Ok, I have decided that if my schedule works out right then I am going to run the Cactus Rose 50 miler on Halloween night.....maybe....maybe not. I need to check the calendar. Ok, thanks for stopping by and no use in looking for Garmin data. I forgot the thing at the house and run what I call " naked."

Around the block

2010-09-01T20:36:00.003-05:00

Wednesday, September 1, 2010. Ok, this is usually my rest day but a friend of mine and his wife or trying to get ready for a 5K next Saturday in Bmt and wanted me to come run with them some. So, I agreed and we did a nice little 3 mile run around our block, thought we would get attacked by dogs but there were none too vicious. It was a good little relaxing jog....they are not near as advanced as I am when it comes to running, but I have been at it for a lot longer and they have come a long way and it is good to see them out there running.
I was telling his wife that she was doing well and that 4 weeks ago when they first started this she could not even think about doing 3 miles. Ok, thanks for stopping by.

Legs---Back----Ab Ripper X

2010-09-01T16:48:00.004-05:00

August 31st 2010. Ok, I know I was supposed to put in a 8 miler but 3 miles into it I was not feeling it and felt like I was being hurried. Any of you runners out there ever feel like that when you are running? So, I knew I was not into this run mentally and decided to stop after 3 miles....oh well it happens. But, I remembered that I had the legs--back---ab ripper workout tonight on the p90x so it worked out well. I am usually sore from that anyhoo. Thursday I will hit a good 8 miler. That pic to the left is from a trail run in Grapevine, Texas. Those were some monster trails and I remember very vividly getting my ass kicked pretty good. Ok, thanks for stopping by.

Sunday hot run

2010-08-30T10:42:00.007-05:00

August 29th 2010. Ahhh...I love this picture. Abby looking up at me as we walk to the starting line of the Rockledge Rumble 30K trail run. I'll never forget it as long as I live. So, today I knew I needed to get in a longer run than my usual 8 miles. I have to get my legs use to long runs and even if the pace has to suffer some. It was really hot today and I think I underestimated the heat. I finished the mileage but the heat did play a huge factor today. I started at the community center and went all the way to Vidor..looped under the underpass and came all the way up the feeder rd to cow bayou next to Claiborne park and then all the way back. It was a little over 13 miles total and was a good run. I have to admit around mile 11 or so the sun was just beating down so hard on me that I looked off to the left and there in the middle of this field was this lone tree with nice shade under it. So, I stopped the garmin and ran over and just sat there in the shade for a few minutes and relaxing...it felt so good. There was a slight breeze and for a moment I felt total peace. But, I knew that I had to wrap this up and so it was time to hit the asphalt again. Long....hot....run. 13 miles in the books. Thanks for stopping by.

My 3 Champions!

2010-08-30T10:32:00.006-05:00

August 27th, 2010. My 3 champions! Such great kids. Another hot 8 miler....my new route is from the community center up the I-10 feeder rd and loop under the Vidor main street underpass and back all the way to the Hwy 90 underpass....3 times gets you a little over 8 miles so I kill it right before getting back to the community center. It is a good route...safe because you can get right up next to the wall far away from traffic...thanks to the newly designed hwy we got. A good run and I decided to wear my Nikes which have over 500 miles on them today. They fit so good. The garmin came in at 1:15:22. Maintaining a descent pace considering the heat. Ok, thanks for stopping by.

Don't get me wrong.

2010-08-30T10:24:00.004-05:00

August 22nd 2010. 8 Miler today. It was hot and of course will remain this way until who knows when. I realize this post is out of order but this blog messed up and didn't save the original Aug. 22nd posting....so I am writing it again. Anyway, I was saying that when I tell people that I run 8 miles a day for my usual running days they seem to look at me like I am crazy....of course those people run the usual 1 to 2 miles a day so I can see where it would seem foreign to them. So, today when I was in the middle of this 8 miler I thought to myself that I remembered when 3 miles a day seemed so long and that I couldn't believe that I was doing 3 miles at a time. Now, don't get me wrong....I'm not taking anything away from all those people out there running in that range. I am just trying to say that I have come a long way and just now I am finally starting to get some sort of solid base established where I can afford to take days off without worrying about losing anything when it comes to mileage. Ok, I am rambling and thanks for stopping by.

Bella's peach tree

2010-08-30T10:13:00.007-05:00

August 25th 2010. So tired today. I am dragging mentally for some reason. I am going to listen to my body and not try to run the total 8 miles. If history has taught me anything when it comes to my body and how it is affected by too many miles I know what to do. So, today I killed the run at 3 miles. The ending times was slow and the Garmin came in at 26:34. Sometimes this is the way it is.....you know that your are capable of doing more miles and should be doing more miles, but rest is the best thing...so listen to your body....it tells you everything you need. Oh yeah....just look at my beautiful Bella. She is so proud of that peach tree.....ahhh man....I love my girls more than I love running.

Slacking

2010-08-27T10:22:00.002-05:00

Friday, August 27th 2010. Ok....I have been slacking off with the blog....I promise I will try and get caught up soon.....thanks and keep running!

p90x

2010-08-19T20:14:00.004-05:00

Good run tonight. I had it in my mind to put down another 8 miler and it was surprisingly a little easier.....I was doubting to do it as I have the p90x legs and back and ab ripper workout tonight as well. Oh well....I think it is helping..especially with my core. Garmin came in at 1:16:47 for the 8 miles, around 9:30 a mile....pretty good considering I wasn't pushing and just cruising. Anyway...tons of other stuff on my mind besides running and was glad to get the eight in. Thanks for stopping by. Also, if you get a chance....David at endurancebuzz.com gave me a good plug and I wanted to thank him....he runs an awesome site and is a really good ultrarunner as well. Please visit his site.

Raining again

2010-08-17T22:02:00.004-05:00

Tuesday, August 17th 2010. Rain was falling down pretty good and the temp went down to around 78. I changed at the office and headed out to run. I parked at the Community center and then did feeder rd loops to Vidor and then back up to where the underpass is at the Community center. I was going to stop at 6.2 miles, but then decided to make it a 8 miler. It felt good. I guess I can start kicking it up to 8's every time and then make the long runs around 15 or 20. I really got to get my legs use to long mileage. I really wanna run that MotherRoad 100 miler on November 13th in Oklahoma. Anyway, thanks for stopping by.

Pedernales 30K trail run

2010-08-15T20:17:00.002-05:00

Sunday, August 15th 2010. Well, yesterday evening at 7 PM I participated in the 30K trail run at Pedernales State Park. Capt n Karls series. This was the second of the three races. I think it is pretty pointless to say that it was very...very...HOT. I got there about an hour before and got my packet....cool shirt and I love the saying on the back. " Those who don't take a chance, wont get a chance." Capt n Karl. So, at about 6:45 we had our little pre-race briefing and it was stressed that it is hot and that in some spots of the trail the grass was pretty high so watch for snakes and watch your footing for your ankles. We lined up and I was speaking with a friend that runs a lot of these things and we were talking about the river and he said as hot as it is it would be great to just accidentally fall in. I agreed and we were off. I set out at a pretty good pace and held around a 8:30 min/mile pace all the way to about the 4 mile mark and that is when the hills really started to come one right after another. I got lost for a split second as I was following a girl and she made a wrong turn and we soon realized that this was not part of the trail. Running along the river was so cool. That place really is beautiful. After coming off the river trail there was a short climb and into the grassy trails. " A little high" was an understatement. This stuff was waist high and you could not see where your foot was landing....all I kept thinking was snakes and so I was literally high kneeing it thru that section. After we came out of that grassy area we hit a fence line that seemed to drag on forever....I was starting to slow some and was letting a couple of the faster people just go ahead and go by me. The aid stations were self aid and there was plenty of water and ice. Ohh..how I love ice on such a hot run. It was so awesome to have ice cold water no matter anyone says about it....it hits the spot. At this point it started to get a little dark and the other runners were pulling out their flashlights and so I stopped and changed from my sunglasses to my regular glasses and got my little mag light. By mile 11 it was pitch black and you could really hear stuff moving all around you, probably deer and hogs. At mile 15 after this long slow run up this winding hilly road I heard someone throwing up. As I made a turn around a small bend there was this girl runner bent over throwing everything up. I stopped and asked if she was ok and she gave me a thumbs up and I said, " Are you sure?" She told me to keep going. So, took off. The last 3 mile were relatively easy and I jogged them in real nice and slow, my legs were hurting and I was tired. I was worried my achilles would flare up from all the hills but it held strong. I made the last turn to the right and I could see the finish all lit up and I got that last bit of energy dump and brought it in. I was glad to be done, and I was happy with my time. I ran it in 3:35:( and some change). I wanted to beat my last 30K time at Inks Lake and did that so my goal was accomplished. I have no idea what place I finished in and really don't care. It was fun and I cannot wait until the next one in Sept. After speaking with some other runners today on Facebook....there were people dropping from the heat. Anyway, thanks for stopping by.

2010-08-13T18:35:00.003-05:00

Thursday, August 12th 2010. Last little jog before the trail run on Saturday. I am pumped! I am so excited to hit the trail again. I love it and I know that is where I belong. I feel so free when I run in these trail runs. It is another night run too, so cool. Anyway, it is another 30K and I am shooting to improve my time. We will see. Anyway, sorry it is short today and I will post again after the race. Thanks for stopping by.

2010-08-11T16:39:00.003-05:00

Tuesday, August 10th 2010. Taper week for the big race on Saturday. So, glad to be able to run. I am looking forward to it but not the drive. Seriously considered driving there...running and then driving back....but I think I will just crash at a cheap hotel. I am anxious to see how this off day in between my training runs plays out. Will it help? Who knows. Anyway, thanks for stopping by.

2010-08-09T16:50:00.003-05:00

Sunday, August 8th 2010. Well, it was a fairly lazy day and it was just too hot to run during the middle of the day. I decided to hit the trails at Claiborne Park and put in another 10K. Felt good...was still real hot but was glad to get it out of the way. This week is taper week. I will do some 10K's and then rest some....one giant loop this time at the 30K race. Looking forward to it. Anyway, thanks for stopping by and keep on running.