For Whom the Dogs Bark

April 2010

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Location:

Cypress,TX,

Member Since:

Oct 10, 2009

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

5K: 24:22 (March 2010); 22:33 (October 2010); 20:47 (May 2011); 21:05 (May 2012); 21:33 (September 2012); 21:23 (November, 2013); 22:31 (September 2014)

5M:  39:22 (November, 2012); 35:54 (November, 2013); 36:03 (March, 2015)

10K: 44:08 (November, 2010); 49:20 (July, 2013); 44:07 (April, 2015)

12K:  56:03 (December, 2013); 58:58 (December, 2014)

10M:  1:11:58 (October, 2012); 1:15:24 (October, 2014)

Half Marathon:  1:53:xx (London's Run 2010); 2:05:21 (Cowtown 2010); 1:37:04 (Gusher 2011); 1:42:19 (Huntsville 2011); 1:33:47 (Baytown Jailbreak 2012); 1:33:50 (The Woodlands 2012); 1:42:52 (Texas 2015); 1:49:17 (Jailbreak 2015); 1:38:34 (The Woodlands 2015)

25K: 2:01:47 (Fifth Third River Bank, May 2014)

Marathon: 5:51:35 (Texas Marathon 2009); 6:21:36 (Ogden 2009); 4:58:29 (St. George 2009); 4:13:45 (Texas Marathon 2010); 4:04:12 (Utah Valley Marathon, 2010); 5:11:14 (Hartford ING, 2010); 3:41:43 (Richmond SunTrust, 2010); 3:39:27 (Texas Marathon 2011); 3:41:46 (Utah Valley Marathon, 2011); 3:30:35 (St. George 2011); 3:41:51 (Richmond 2012); 3:49:15 (Texas 2013); 3:46:59 (Paavo Nurmi, 2013); 3:34:04 (St. George 2013); 3:49:51 (Texas 2014); 3:31:59 (Richmond 2014); 3:28:34 (Boston 2015)

Short-Term Running Goals:

3:20, 1:30, 0:20

Long-Term Running Goals:

I'm 60, there is no long term.

Personal:

I live, work and run in Houston, Texas.  I have run 17 marathons, some good ones and some others.  I prefer straight, flat, cold, sea-level marathons, still waiting for my first one.  I feel like there are more PRs out there.  When I have them, I am told it is time to dial it back, run for healthy reasons.  I'm sure that's right, and I'm sure it won't happen.

My wife and I are from the mountains of the west.  We have five kids, three granddaughters and three grandsons.  The kids and grandkids are native Texans but we are not -- you have to be born here.

As for my blog title: I run most of my miles before sunrise, sometimes hours before. On the back road of my neighborhood two hours before daylight, I can depend on a pack of mutts behind the boundary fence lighting up when they hear my footsteps. I have wondered what they wanted; but according to Hemingway I needn't ask.

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
209.685.5516.002.51233.74
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
7.640.000.002.5010.14

60F, cloudy with wind S 13 mph, good morning to run.  Felt comfortable at first then hot.  Ran 10.14 miles in 1:44:00, average pace 10:15, regular shoes.  First three at low heart rate, average pace low 11s, then 10x400 with equal recovery intervals in between.  400 splits, corrected to mile pace, were 7:17 (155 bpm), 6:49 (160), 6:22 (168), 7:00 (167), 6:29 (167), 6:31 (169), 6:50 (171), 7:04 (172), 6:59 (170), 7:15 (172), then cool down for 2.25 miles at about 10:30s.  Progress, liked the 6:22 but not the 7:15.  On the last lap I tried to run butter smooth and it turned out smooth and slow, lots to work on form-wise.  I was happy to be able to run a second hard workout this week.

Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.090.000.000.0110.10

67F, wind SSE 10 mph, gusts to 21 mph, cloudy and getting ready to rain.  A great morning for running.  Ran 10.09 in 1:49:40, average pace 10:52 per mile, low heart rate and flat shoes.  Best low heart rate pace so far if my memory is correct. 

My granddaughters are in town from Utah, and my wife left with their parents this morning to go look for a house in Temple, Texas, where they are moving in a couple of months.  They took the younger one with them, but Kate and I are duking it out here alone for a couple of days.  So far she is winning.  I have painted her nails (sad but true) and raced her grocery cart on the back porch.  I lost that race but was able to get 0.01 VO2 max miles in.  Here is the winner with her groceries.  I think she needs to work on her sportsmanship.

Comments(6)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
15.283.280.000.0018.56

66F, wind SW 3 mph and foggy.  Great morning for running.  Got up very early in order to get back before my granddaughter woke up.  Ran 18.56 miles in 3:05:07, average pace 9:58 per mile.  Did a 3-mile pickup at mile 12 at marathon pace, 8:48, 8:31 and 8:37, then 0.28 at the end at 8:25 pace, it was as fast as I could go at that point on wooden legs.

By the time I got back to the house my granddaughter was up, two hours ahead of schedule, eating cereal, ready with her to-do list.  That took the rest of the day, so I am late blogging.  She's gone now, not sure what I will do with myself today.

Comments(3)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.550.000.000.0010.55

69F, wind SSW 10 mph, hot and humid.  Felt great running out there, basically the first day of summer, though it should cool down by tomorrow.  Ran 10.55 miles in 1:55:50 (lots of 5s on April 5), average pace 10:59 per mile, low heart rate and flat shoes.  I am watching my right knee closely, it felt like it had some ITB in it, but it never got worse during the run and seems to be better now than yesterday.

I have made friends with a bike rider.  He is out spinning around every morning about the same time as me, for about 8 months now.  Finally six weeks ago he said "hi" when he went past me.  I said "hey".  This has happened three times now.  This may not seem like much to the lady bloggers, but for guys at 5:00 in the morning it makes us blood brothers.

Comments(6)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.760.000.000.0010.76

67F, wind SSE 6 mph, cloudy and humid.  Good running weather.  Ran 10.76 in 1:53:42, average pace 10:35 per mile, low heart rate and flat shoes.  This beat my previous low heart rate best by 17 seconds per mile.  One split was 10:16.  Not sure where all the "speed" came from this morning but no complaints.  I am still nursing my right ITB so I haven't done any speed work yet this week.

Two years ago yesterday I started training for a marathon.  I have run a lot of miles since then, but it is kind of funny to look at my first entry:

Star Date 04.05.08, Christian Saturday, GMT 13:30 and GMT 16:30 -- Day 1

            The alarm went off at 6:30.  Not so fast, buckaroo.  I turn over to catch a few more winks.  Next look at the clock shows 9:30.  Time for a new alarm clock.  Dang, here it is Day 1 and I didn’t answer the bell. 

            I roll out and start walking around.  Notice that the floor is a little cold.  Check the computer and it is low 50s outside.  Perfect running weather.  The gods are smiling.  I get dressed and head out.

            I need to run 4 miles this morning in order to start a fairly steep ramp-up to merge into the mileage buildup schedule.  4 miles may not sound like a lot, but it is twice any distance I have run since I was 22 years old.  I am apprehensive, but the weather is perfect. 

            There is a stiff head wind for part of the lap, then a tailwind.  (I'm running laps, get it?)  At lap two, I keep going instead of turning in.  Just that one little thing creates a tinge of excitement.  I am doing something new.  After lap three, I am still feeling OK, and I head around once more.  Lap four is a little iffy toward the end, but I stumble into the front door, and I am on my way, with a big assist from that Canadian cold front.  No immediate ill effects.  No dizziness, queasiness, pulled muscles or blisters.  No crawling on the floor trying to catch my breath.  Also no welcoming committee.

The crawling on the floor, dizziness, queasiness, blisters and pulled muscles came later.  But I have enjoyed perfect running weather every day since the first day.

Comments(9)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
3.220.007.000.0010.22

69F, cloudy with warm wind from S, 11 mph.  Nice morning to run.  Ran 10.22 in flat shoes, started out with 3 at low heart rate, 11:26, 10:16, 10:28.  Interesting times, it was tempting to finish out the run at that speed and see if I could beat yesterday's pace.  But I had bigger fish to fry.  I ran 7.00 at threshold pace, averaging 7:53 per mile.  I was hoping to make 8 but this was a difficult pace for me at warm temperature.  Plus my groin pulled right at the end of the 7th mile so I slowed down the last 50 yards.  Walked a while then jogged it in at molasses speed.  Last week I ran 6 at 7:54, so I might have expected a little more improvement, but the temperature for that run was 46F so this morning is probably real progress.  The one thing I have learned in my short running career is that temperature is the most significant variable, it trumps sleep, nerves, stress, diet, shoes, injuries, fatigue and teenagers; it is probably at least on par with altitude and hills, which don't play a huge role in most marathons I would be entered in.  So I have to be OK with the run today -- maybe next week I'll get 8 or 9.  I have to figure out one more speed workout this week but I ain't doing this one again.

Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
11.410.000.000.0011.41

51F, wind NNW 6 mph, clear and cooling.  Nice fresh wind to run in this morning.  Went 11.41 in 2:04:02, average pace 10:52 per mile, low heart rate and regular shoes.  Good pace for regular shoes, but not my fastest.  It was OK after running hard yesterday, though.  When I started I could barely move, but the longer I went the better I felt.  After 3 miles my groin loosened up and after 8 the right ITB pain quit.  Who knows what would have happened if I had gone 20.  Luckily I never found out, I have things to do today.

Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.140.000.000.0010.14

45F, wind calm, clear with setting moon.  Perfect morning for some speed work.  So I decided to go long and slow.  Ran 10.14 miles in 1:49:41, average pace 10:49 per mile, low heart rate and regular shoes.  A little bit faster than yesterday, but pretty much the same range. 

I regret missing the golden opportunity for a speedy run, I really do, but I was hurting everywhere when I went to bed last night.  A little worried in fact.  I woke up in the middle of the night thinking it was time to get up and go, couldn't make myself do it, which is a classical sign of overtraining, so I thought maybe I would just go out for 4 or 5 and see how I felt.  Then I looked at the clock.  1:10 a.m.  I relaxed and the next thing I knew it was 5:00, all my aches and pains were gone and I was ready to go.  But no speed today, it can wait.

If I still feel good tonight and if my schedule cooperates, I might go ahead and do my long run instead of waiting until tomorrow.

Comments(3)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
30.000.000.000.0030.00

71F at beginning, 55F at end, partly cloudy wind SSE 10 mph.  7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.  It was a perfect night for running.  Ran 30.00 very slowly, in 5:51:51, average pace 11:44 per mile, average heart rate 138 bpm, regular shoes.  My heart rate is naturally higher at night than in the morning.  I didn't really want to do this run, but SlowJoe said I had to.  I quit at 30.00, not one step further.  But at least I made 30, the furthest I have run and something I have failed twice to do in the last month.  I remember a year ago running the marathon distance on a Saturday long run and running the last mile in 14:30 at a 145 heart rate.  My last lap today was 12:52.  Older is definitely better, but I need to run this a little faster.

My heart rate got as high as 150, but was in the low 140s most of the run after 10 miles, then wend down to mid-130s for the last 5 or 6, partly because I slowed down, but also due to some other physiological factor which I don't really understand.  I am guessing my body switched over to burning fat after I finished digesting up a bowl of rice I ate just before the run.  It was like I ran through the bonk that happened at 22 miles and lasted through the marathon distance, maybe a little further, then at about mile 27 or 28 the nausea abated enough that it was no longer uncomfortable to run, my pace picked up naturally and my heart rate went down.  I waited too long to take a drink, about 13 miles, a bad personal habit which doesn't work at this distance.

At about mile 6 I ran into my friend, Wade, who ran the Texas marathon with me.  He is faster than me and has been improving despite not really focusing since the January 1 race.  He ran with me until about mile 18 and we had a good time, but then it was tough being on my own for the last 12.  We are thinking of joining a running group for Saturday morning runs down at the YMCA.  I was concerned that they might be doing only 10 for a long run, but then we figured out that we could run down there, do their run and run back, giving us 20 miles.  Wouldn't want to do that every week but I am looking for extra ideas for long runs (I can't do a progression run or a 30-miler every Saturday, that would get stale), so that might be a good alternative.  Also, we might do a 10K next Saturday in Brennam (home of famous Blue Bell ice cream, about an hour from here), but that is still up in the air.  Depends on whether they are serving rocky road.

Comments(8)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
2.390.009.000.0011.39

53F, wind NE 1 mph, high thin cloud layer.  Best morning for running that we will have for a while.  I thought I would wait another day for this week's speed trial, since I did big miles over the weekend, but decided to go ahead with it this morning since it is going to be warm for the rest of the week.  Warmed up two miles then ran 9 miles at threshold pace in flat shoes, targeting 8:00 per mile.  Splits and heart rate were 7:57 (157), 7:54 (165), 7:52 (163), 7:44 (172), 7:53 (172), 8:03 (173), 7:53 (174), 8:04 (174) and 8:07 (174), then jogged it in since I had to take my youngest daughter to school.  Average pace for the threshold run was 7:56, I liked how my heart rate held steady in the low 170s, thought that was a good sign.  Was hoping for 10 miles, but this is good enough.  Next time I do this run I will target somewhere between 7:15 and 7:30, starting out short and building up.  Feels good to continue making progress.

My middle daughter, who has a very mixed academic career, stayed up all night doing a paper last night.  Had a couple of bad breaks, not her fault, that put her behind, but didn't complain, just decided on her own to take a Red Bull (OK, not the best choice) and push through to get it done.  She gets it, she is a regular adult now.  That feels pretty good, like I can let her go and she can diagnose her problems and figure them out.  Life is better since she dumped her toxic boyfriend.  Now if she could just get the whole church thing going.

Comments(7)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.230.000.000.0010.23

67F, wind SE 13 mph, 9:00 p.m.  Ran 9.32 miles at an average pace of about 10 per mile, regular shoes, no heart rate monitor.  Today was a mess work-wise and I needed the early morning hours to try and meet my deadlines for the day.  So it was late before I got out, I came pretty close to not getting out at all.  Even though it had been 36 hours since I last ran I still had a lot of aches and pains.  Running hard for 9 miles yesterday took a lot out of me, and my bad groin was making it hard to go very fast.  Plus I ate a full dinner before going out.  I was hungry, but also wanted to see what that was like.  Didn't cause problems but it definitely slowed me down.  Starvation is the best way to go.  The object tonight was to just get through the run.  Tried to pick it up a little at the end, but didn't do much, most of the splits were right at 10.  I came home and went right back to work, didn't get to bed until 1:00 and still didn't finish.

Comments(6)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
7.750.000.000.007.75

69F, wind ESE 7 mph, good morning for running until I got going hard.  I slept in a little, finished my leftover work then ran 7.75 miles in 1:13:30, average pace 9:29 per mile, average heart rate 158 bpm, regular shoes.  Had to quit early to take a phone call.  I tried to speed up throughout the run, got down to 8:27 for one split but couldn't go any faster in the heat and after running late last night.  My heart rate got up to 182 at one point, 10 bpm higher than Monday's much faster run.  A run like this isn't all that encouraging, but running hard on the hard days is what makes it all work.  My groin felt a little better from last night.  Every time it started to pull I paid more attention to my form and got through the run with minimal problems.

On a happier note, I ordered my first senior breakfast last Saturday morning.  Smaller portions but it seemed just right, so I am fitting into my new role quite nicely.  A bonus was this automobile parked out front.  So two classics at IHOP that morning.

Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
9.002.270.000.0011.27

59F, wind ESE 10 mph, light rain for about 4 miles, enough to soak everything.  A great morning for running, sloshy and messy, just like playing in puddles and mud.  Ran 9.00 at low heart rate, regular shoes, high 10s and low 11s.  Legs felt heavy, acidy and awkward the whole time, though my pace wasn't too bad.  At the end I decided to see what would happen when I sped up.  Amazingly, everything felt better as long as I was careful with my form.  By the last quarter I was sub-8 and all my aches and pains disappeared.  I was plenty tired but it was a good kind or tired instead of wanting to lay down and take a nap kind of tired.  Maybe going different speeds uses different muscles?

For some reason I had that old song "School Days" floating through my head, the one we used to sing in elementary school.  Not sure why, maybe it was overflow from a dream.  Anyway, looks like I'm all set with my own internal iPod for the next few runs.

Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
9.100.000.000.009.10

64F, wind ENE 5 mph, 93% humidity, getting ready to rain.  Perfect running weather.  Ran 9.10 miles in1:34:42, average pace 10:24 per mile, low heart rate and flat shoes.  This is 11 seconds better than my previous best 10 days ago.  My fantasy goal is to average 10:00 at low heart rate, which is now starting to look achievable.  (I am perfectly aware that most people fantasize about more interesting topics.)  I got a full 7 hours of sleep last night, and as heavy and weak as my legs felt yesterday they felt light and strong this morning.  head-Pod tune for this run was Stranger in Paradise.  Dunno why.  Never even saw the movie.

A serpent in paradise:  Had to quit early because of some pain in my left ankle, down low on the heel on the outside.  It was there at the beginning, subsided during the middle miles (I got one split at 10:03) then all of a sudden came back hard.  So I quit early and may have to skip the 10K race in the morning out in Brennam.  I have been thinking I could run 7:30 splits if the course isn't too hilly, but all that may have to wait depending on how things progress today.

Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
6.000.000.000.006.00

Inside workout this morning, no long run.  My ankle didn't loosen up after the run yesterday.  It felt like a bad sprain, to the point I was almost walking sideways at times to get around.  Felt kind of ridiculous at work.  I just told everybody I stepped in a hole on my lawn.  If you tell them you got hurt running it's like a gotcha.  It feels somewhat better this morning, so I did 6 miles on the elliptical, 3 forward and 3 backwards (that adds up to 6, not 0).  I have complete respect for anybody who does that machine on a regular basis, it takes a lot of mental stamina.  I was ready to quit after 1 mile, not sure how I made 6.

Good luck to all the Boston runners and anybody else who is racing this weekend.  I am definitely going to track my two sisters and brother-in-law as they pound the historic pavement on Monday, as well as some of the bloggers.  Looks like Ryan Hall and Meb are both entered so maybe the U.S. will get a win finally.  There appears to be only one U.S. woman entered in the elite field, Michelle Frey out of Iowa -- I have heard the name but don't know much about her.

Comments(3)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
6.000.000.000.006.00

Still working my sprained ankle, might be a couple of more days.  6.0 on the elliptical.

It is fun tracking family and friends running Boston this morning.  Looks like the Americans failed again to win it, though, taking 4th and 5th in men's and nada in women's.

Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
6.000.000.000.006.00

More elliptical this morning, one hour.  It will be that way for a few more days.  Ankle is improving but not there yet.  It is working different muscles, especially when I go backwards.  I wouldn't be surprised if my speed isn't actually improved by the time I hit the road again, and I don't think I'll take much of a hit in conditioning either.  That machine is hard.

I noticed that the top Boston finisher in my age group had a posted time of 2:42:27.  I'm sure that is a typo.

Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
6.000.000.000.006.00

56F, calm and clear.  Perfect morning for running, so off to the rec center.  6 miles (1 hour) on the elliptical, frontwards and backwards half and half.  I can walk without a limp this morning, but I am leary of starting back too fast.  I can jog a little bit, so maybe tomorrow I'll shuffle to the rec center and back instead of driving.  I should be almost back to normal about the time I leave on an overseas business trip next week.  Seems like everything is conspiring against my training in the last few days, but honestly I'm not frustrated yet, seems fine right now to take a small break, as long as it doesn't amount to more than that.

Comments(3)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
6.500.000.000.006.50

57F, calm and clear.  Another great day to be inside, one hour on the elliptical.  Actually, I ran a quarter mile to the rec center then back home after the workout, thus 6.5 today.  Also a round of weights after the elliptical.  Ankle is still somewhat sore, but it seems to loosen up somewhat if I push it just a little.  Easier to run a quarter mile than a hundred feet, but my stride feels shuffly and awkward.  And it feels more comfortable to land heels first, but from experience that leads to knee trouble. 

Always something, this interruption came from nowhere, right at the end of my best run of the year, and totally unrelated to the other aches and pains that have been coming and going all year long.  I am pretty certain it relates to some of the work I have been doing with my form, which means I am doing something wrong.  I probably need a coach to work on my form with me, but it is hard to find the right combination of running and scientific credentials.

Comments(3)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
7.000.000.000.007.00

73F and raining, midsummer temperatures.  Perfect elliptical day, though I did run a mile outside in addition to my hour on the machine.  Still running with an awkward gait, but it is an improvement over yesterday.  I am undecided about what to do for the weekend, maybe do 10 miles combined elliptical and running.

This has been a strange week.  In addition to my gimpy ankle, my main client got sued, my brother got sued, my married son is in town trying to buy a house, my other son is going off the deep end (temporarily I hope, at least he can swim), clients still want their work done, and I am still not good looking.  It all feels disjointed, like the wheels came off in a week.  It will probably take a week to put them back on.

Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
11.020.000.000.0011.02

65F, blustery, high winds and threatening early, then clear and almost calm at the end.  By the time I finished the weather was perfect and I was happy to be outside.  I must have gone out at the end of a storm or something.  I ran 3.67 miles in the dark (about 12 minute pace), then pulled into the rec center for 1 hour on the elliptical followed by weights, then finished up with another 1.35 (about 10:45 pace) under clear skies and low humidity.  No heart rate monitor, regular shoes.  My ankle was hurting at a low level most of the time but never got worse.  I think my gait was getting a little smoother as well.  On the second run things definitely felt better.  So progress unless the ankle starts to feel bad today.  I don't expect it.

As I was lifting weights I noticed something interesting.  I have always had a small knot on my left leg down low on the outside, about 4 inches above the ankle but a little toward the front.  I had assumed it was overgrowth from some long-forgotten sprain or something.  Today while pushing weights with my legs I felt the knot and noticed it was contracting.  It is muscle.  I have the same muscle on the right side (duh), but it has little definition on that side.  Obviously I am not using my left leg the same as my right when I run.  Don't know what the difference is but there is no other explanation that I can think of.  I think it would be cool to study anatomy.

Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
7.400.000.000.007.40

56F, bright and calm morning.  Took my son and his wife to the airport, took my daughter to school, then ran 1 mile on the streets and 6.4 on the elliptical.  My ankle felt pretty good all weekend then didn't feel so good this morning.  I can get around but it is awkward and slow, definitely not making any training progress until it heals, though I am probably maintaining some reasonable level of fitness. 

So over the weekend my son bought a small house to live in during medical school.  Should be pretty nice for them and he might be able to turn a profit in 4 years when he is ready to sell.  The first-time homebuyer bonus from Uncle O was too hard to pass up.  Unfortunately I will have to co-sign, but he is good for it.  (Fingers crossed.)  Might not have done it so readily for a couple of other kids I know with the same last name.

Comments(6)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
6.200.000.000.006.20

6.2 miles on treadmill.

I traveled to Hong Kong from early Tuesday to Wednesday late, losing a day traveling east to west, amounting to two days lost workout time.  Hong Kong is a three-dimensional place, meaning two things:  it is very much up and down, and you can't just go to the street and walk across to the next building.  Buildings are connected at different levels and I couldn't find a place to run.  So I went to the hotel gym.  They had a big MMA rink there with lessons going on, and a couple of treadmills tucked away in the corner.  So I got on a treadmill.  My ankle still doesn't feel great, but I went 10K in about an hour, speeding up to an 8 minute per mile pace at the end, it felt good but mainly anything to drown out the martial arts sounds -- I would jump every time they yelled. 

Then walked around all day looking at the sights, including a trail that circles the mountain on top of the main island and has a spectacular view of the harbor, about a 2-mile walk.  Then drove into Shenzhen, just across the border in China, last night.  This hotel has elliptical machines, but I am getting ready for meetings today, so not sure when I will get to them.  I'll be here until Monday, will try to get in as much training as my ankle and schedule allow.

Still looking for flat spots.

Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
209.685.5516.002.51233.74
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