For Whom the Dogs Bark

74F, 100% and calm.  Temperatures have dropped just a little.  Got out a little late and my back was hurting, plus I was planning to meet Wade at the gym, so I figured I would stop at 6 today, even though the original plan was to see how I did at 12.  Ran to the gym, about 2.7 miles, then did treadmill for .65 miles while Wade finished up.  I gave him the download my son had given me on the weight machines, then we ran back to his house.  I left him there and went back to my neighborhood.  Even though my back still hurt to some extent, I was feeling pretty good from an aerobic standpoint at 6 (9:30 per mile might explain some of it), so I decided to do 8 and one thing led to another.  Finished up the full 12 according to plan, although I didn't feel quite so good as I had felt back at 6, to put it mildly.  Including the treadmill, 12.07 miles at 9:28 per mile, 150 bpm, 170 max. 

76F, 95% and calm.  As of last night I had general tightness in my lower back and was planning to skip running entirely today.  But I woke up at the normal time and headed out from force of habit.  Everything seemed normal when I started, some early back pain which subsides after about a minute.  But I only had time for 6 so I ran it at a harder effort than yesterday, 6.05 miles in 50:30, 8:21 per mile, 159 bpm, 179 bpm max.  More than anything, the heat plays with my head, I keep worrying that my old speed won't be there when cooler weather comes.  Won't know until then, though.

72F, 100% and calm.  A little bit cooler again.  Full moon out for the entire run, and an audible and visible hoot owl on top of a roof.  He was talking to another one that had a higher voice.  For the longest time I thought it was a mourning dove, their cries are very similar.  Not sure what owls eat in this neighborhood though, maybe frogs.  We have good birds here.

I started at 4:25.  My back hurt a fair amount to start, then a little bit more at about mile 4, but made it through OK.  One water stop at mile 4.7.  Total 12.10 miles in 1:52:54, 9:20 per mile, 149 bpm, 162 max, so this was a slightly better run than Monday, even though Monday was a day off.

Then out the door at 7 with my daughter for cooking duties at the ward 4th of July breakfast.  Me and 3 other men cooked a million pancakes and eggs to match.  Sausage and bacon were pre-cooked.  Also set up and cleaned up.  But by the time the Scouts got through the line the pancakes and juice were all gone, so no carbs.  Resisted the urge to stop by IHOP on the way home.  Next time the cook eats first.

73F, 100%, calm and almost full moon, a little higher in the sky this morning.  Looking forward to 6 mph breeze and 95% humidity.

Ran 12.00 miles in 1:52:00, 9:20 per mile, 146 bpm, 157 bpm max.  Incremental improvement in heart rate over yesterday.  I calibrated this one to come in right at 1:52:00, just something different to occupy my mind.  Maybe pacing is in my future -- I think I'm going to start practicing holding a flag up when I run, that should get the neighbors chattering.  It is hard right now -- hot, out of shape, still 2 or 3 pounds heavy, and my back hurts every step.  But there will be better times.

77F, 95% and calm.  Met Wade down at the Y, it was the first Saturday for the running group.  Wade has been doing a lot of gym work recovering from an abdominal injury, so the goal this morning was to go slow and a reasonable distance.  The group we started with was the intermediate group and the first mile came in at 11:00.  We soon found ourselves forging ahead, even though we were intentionally keeping it slow.  Every mile was faster, though, and we ended up with a 9:55 average.  8.20 miles in 1:21:26, 9:55 per mile, 139 bpm, 151 max.  When we got back the "green" group was there, looks like we will have some pretty good runners in it this year, including a woman who completed a full Ironman in Cozumel and a guy who can run a quarter in 60.5.  Fun morning, back didn't have the sharp pains to start, although it still bothered me.  Very gradual improvement, but I think it is going to get there.

So yesterday was a big day.  My daughter called at 2 a.m. and cheerfully announced she was on her way to the hospital, and that things were moving "very rapidly".  Trever Scott was born at about 3:30, third grandchild, first grandson.  So no running yesterday.  Mother and son are fine. We are very grateful and happy.  Everybody says he looks like his dad.  I think he looks more like a baby, albeit a very fast one.

77F, 100%, NNW 1 mph.  Thank goodness we got a stiff north wind blowing in today.  Ran 12.17 miles in 1:53:28, 9:21 per mile, 150 bpm, 166 max.  So much for the concept of progress.  Actually, I think the extra 4 degrees makes a big difference.

73F, 100% and calm.  Lots of rain the last week and it appears that it will continue for the rest of this week.  Ran 12.04 miles in 1:52:54, 9:23 per mile, 146 bpm, 152 max.  The object today was to keep my heart rate at 150 or below for the entire run, even if it meant not making a 9:20 pace.  I'm pretty sure I am not getting much base-building, fat-burning benefit when my heart rate goes over that threshold.  \

It worked out better than I thought it would.  Miles 3, 4 and 5 my heart rate was already climbing, I was over a 9:20 pace and I figured it was going to be a slow, sweaty disaster.  Then miles 6, 7, and 8 came in nicely:  9:07, 9:00 and 9:10.  Mile 9 ballooned to 9:36 and I was just hanging on after that.  The heart rate bumped over 150 a few times, especially at the end, but I would always slow down.  Even though mile 12 was 9:52, I was under a 9:20 cumulative pace through mile 11.  I missed it overall by 31 seconds, so better than I anticipated, I figured I would go over at mile 6. 

Joe and I have discussed this before, I think, but if you are holding to a particular heart rate, there seems to be a sweet spot somewhere between miles 6 and 10 which usually lasts 20 minutes to a half hour.  Then I fall off the cliff, in heart rate terms.  I don't know the physiological explanation, but in practical terms it means don't get excited during a marathon just because I am feeling good at mile 8.

Near miss in the mud this morning.  With all the rain some of the construction sites in my neighborhood are shedding a thin layer of clay onto the street.  I stepped on some wet clay right before dawn and nearly went down.  Not sure of the consequences of a fall onto the concrete, possibly hitting the back of my head.  Last time that happened was a winter morning in Albuquerque -- I was partially cushioned by an inch of snow and a beanie.  There would have been no cushion this time, really felt lucky.

It was raining hard again this morning.  Yesterday's rain was heavy but didn't have lightning.  I didn't run anyway because I was in a hurry to get to work.  So this morning when I got up it was dry, but by the time I got ready there was a heavy, intense thunderstorm underway.  So I went to the gym and ran 10 on the treadmill.  Started out at about 6.0 mph but was at 6.5 mph within a few minutes and stayed there through about 7 miles, then started upping the pace, finishing at 9 mph.  It felt good, surprisingly.  The TVs all went out about halfway through and the place emptied out.  By the time I headed out all the roads were flooded and it rained steadily until early afternoon, so I never made it to work today.  But I got the most important thing done.

72F, 100% and calm after the storm.  Back out on the streets this morning, there was some lightning to the northwest but it never came any closer.  It was raining again shortly after I finished, but in the meantime I was able to run my usual 12 in the neighborhood, 1:54:18, 9:31 average, 144 bpm, 151 max.  Definitely had some fatigue left in my legs from running faster than normal yesterday.  Tuesday on the roads was 9:23 per mile at 146 bpm, 152 max, same temperature, so today was 8 seconds slower, probably 5 or 6 seconds slower adjusting for the difference in heart rate.  I left a little early for my chiro appointment and was still 20 minutes late.  Turns out with all the flooding there is only one route from my neighborhood to the rest of the world.  I was stranded and didn't even know it.  Apparently we are on TV and everything, the rest of Houston isn't that bad.  Kind of fun being the victim of a natural disaster.  I think I'll start a relief fund.

72F, 100%, calm and foggy.  Actually saw the moon this morning, what little is left of it in this cycle.  Started at 5:00 a.m., met Wade close to his house at 5:45 and ran until just before 7:00, dropping Wade off with about a mile to go.  Our pace was all over the map, 9:05 up 9:51.  Altogether 12.27 miles in 1:57:04, 9:33 per mile, 140 bpm, 149 max.  So better than yesterday.  The miles went by quickly this morning, as Wade and I were reminiscing about how fast we used to be, not only when we were in high school but 3 months ago.  It all started when a high school kid went sprinting by.  We laughed that he could hand us our rear ends on a paper plate for a 5K, but probably couldn't even finish a half marathon no matter the speed.  Sure enough, he was walking a couple of miles later.

I had designs on 20 today, but it was just as well, I was plenty tired.  I had to get back in time for my granddaughters to wake up, so it was a good excuse.  My wife brought them back with her, they are here for the week and I have the morning shift so my wife can sleep.  But they are sleeping in, so I have time to blog.  Traveling next week, so getting in a respectable running week probably isn't going to happen.  I'll do the best I can.

73F, 100% and calm.  15.00 miles in 2:14:51, 8:59 per mile, 152 bpm, 164 max.  Did this before getting on the plane.  Back was starting to hurt a little during the run so I quit.  Back has been hurting all week, sitting in a plane seat for 13 hours doesn't help. 

10 km on the hotel treadmill at a pace of 11 km/hr, which is about 8:45 per mile.  I had the time on my business trip to do another session, but my back didn't feel good enough to do it.  Not sure when this is going to end.

Back in Houston, but no running today, back felt really bad last night.  It feels generally OK this morning but I'm going to wait one more day. 

81F, 94%, SSW 9 mph.  Hot and blow-ey.  Yesterday I helped my nephew and his family move, despite my back issues.  (He is just starting dental school here in Houston.)  I was worried about it, but went anyway and stayed away from heavy lifts.  The workout actually seemed to help my back, which felt better for the rest of the day.  So I was out the door at 4:55, dropped off a towell at Wade's house for the ride home in soaked running clothes, ran to the Y, got in another mile running around the Y and met Wade with 8.14 already under my belt.  We ran 3 together, then met the running group at 7:00 a.m. for 5 more.  I took Gatorade instead of water on the last 5, as an experiment.  Stomach didn't like it too much, not that I couldn't get used to it.  But I remember from early marathon experiences that I stop processing Gatorade sooner than I stop processing water. 

Wore my shirt backwards the whole way, nobody told me, kind of like going home from a party and seeing food on the face. (Just a hypothetical, of course.) 

Finished with 16:05 miles in 2:29:19, 9:18/mile, 154 bpm, 176 bpm max.  Interesting comparison to Monday, a 15-mile run, 8:59 per mile, 152 bpm.  The difference is the temperature, I think.  Anything over 60F is significant, but things deteriorate rapidly as the thermometer progresses through the 70s.  Hopefully I can up my mileage next week.

I got home to discover that my younger granddaughter had been loudly demanding my presence -- she has an agenda for the day and things were getting behind schedule.  She was pretty disgusted when they told her I was out running, because it makes me "sweaty and stinky".  So I partially redeemed myself by making waffles for the whole clan.

75F, 100%, NW 2 mph.  Got out early and ran 10.00 miles in 1:33:30, average pace exactly 9:21.  Trying to keep my heart rate under 150 for the entire run, but had to cheat a bit on the last mile.  145 bpm, 153 max.  Back problems seem almost gone, at least for now.  My neck has been painful, to the point sleeping is difficult.  But it didn't affect my running. I think it is related to some stretching I did on Saturday.  It is better today, and I am hoping for a good week.

72F, 100% and calm.  A little bit cooler and it made a difference.  My watch battery was dead so I left it inside.  I had planned to do 1K intervals today, for my one fast day of the week.  Decided to do them anyway despite the watch snafu.  I know where all the mile marks are on this run, so it isn't hard to approximate a kilometer.  Ran 4 warmup miles then 6 x approximately 1K, finishing off each mile at warmup pace.  I didn't feel like I was pushing things too hard, still trying to be conservative.  My cell phone said 4:59 when I started and 6:23 when I ended, so I am calling it 84 minutes, meaning an overall pace of about 8:25.  If I ran the slow parts at 8:50, which seems about right based on perceived effort, then I probably ran the intervals at about 7:45.  Whatever they were, they felt smooth and not too hard, so I am pleased.  A little back pain about halfway through, but it was mild and never got any worse. 

At the chiro this morning we decided I would come in once a month for a while.  It appears I am over this injury, but still rounding into shape.

77F, 97%, SE 4 mph.  Got in late from a party last night so I was almost an hour late getting out the door.  10.00 miles in 1:33:10, 9:19 per mile, 142 bpm, 152 max.  So 2 seconds faster than Monday, HR 3 bpm lower and temperature 2 degrees higher.  After today the daily wear and tear of the week's running will slow me down a little, so this morning was probably my best run of the week.

Speaking of parties, my daughter-in-law, Becky, is in charge of some teen-age girls at church.  She was texting on Friday with Quina, 13, from Liberia, and Tenneh, her sister, 16, discussing proper attire for a girls-only swim party.  These sisters live deep in the 'hood:

Quina:  Sis becky tenneh said if she cn wear bikeny.

Becky:  Nope sorry.  Modest is hottest!

Quina:  Tenneh said bikeny is hottiest.

Becky:  Tell her that's just because she's never seen me in a swimsuit!  Ha ha

Tenneh:  Lol.  Quina birthday is this sunday

Becky:  You better tell her that we expect to see her birthday dance tomorrow! Ha ha

Quina:  Tenneh want u to see her in a bikeny not a swimming suit. Lol.  She gonna do a butty dance on u

Becky:  She's going to have to fill out a permission slip first ha ha and my hubby will have to sign it.

Quina:  Ha ha. Okaii

Becky:  Ha ha butty dance.  You girls are cray cray.

Tenneh:  Lol  Awww dont u want a butty dane?  Ask ur man?

Becky:  I can't talk about bikinis and butty dances anymore. . . Haha.  See y'all tomorrow to par-Tay!

Quina:  Okaii

Btw, Becky and "her man" announced over the weekend that Becky will be delivering our fourth grandchild in January.  I told Clint that I'm feeling prosperous.

79F, 91%, S 6 mph to start, 77F at end.  Out the door at 4:45, so still had an hour or two of cooling before the sun came up, at which point I was done.  10.00 miles in 1:33:00, 9:18 per mile, 144 bpm, 152 max.  I was trying to hit 9:20 but did the math wrong.  First warmup mile was 9:59 so I was thinking I had to work off 59 seconds instead of 39.  I worked off exactly 59, which put me at exactly 9:18 instead of 9:20.  Math and running do not mix.  Heart rate started out high, but it didn't break 150 consistently until the last mile, so I am fine with today's run.  Probably not quite as good as yesterday's, even adjusting for the warmer temperature, but I didn't expect it.

74F, 100% and calm.  Slightly cooler today, and so my heart rate dropped a little.  10.00 miles in 1:33:26, 9:21 per mile, 142 bpm, 151 max.  Last mile was 9:26/149 bpm, compared to 9:25/151 yesterday (77F), 9:32/149 (77F) on Wednesday and 9:32/150 (75) on Monday.  Honestly, not much difference, but it is interesting to have some apples on apples numbers to compare.  Breaking all the rules, but it has been kind of fun this week running exactly the same thing every day except for the speed day. It has also been fun concentrating on running instead of injuries.

80F, 100%, SW 5 mph.  Out the door at 4:45, ran to the Y, did an extra mile and met Wade at mile 8 at 6 a.m.  We did 6, then met the regular group at 7 a.m.  Wade was only doing 10, so he turned back and I continued on to the church, where I had cleanup duty starting at 8 a.m., which is when I hit 20.00 miles, total of 3:10:30, 9:32 per mile, 145 bpm, 165 max.  The heat was bad, but there is no question I am still out of shape.  This is the worst part of a bad injury.  A small injury can sometimes actually be a benefit, because it forces you to rest and often you come back faster.  But a bad one destroys conditioning and it takes a long time to recover.  For someone my age, it can be the difference between getting another PR or not.  Anyway, I got it done, took a nap and didn't feel too bad the rest of the day.  Happy to get a day off.

77F, 91% SW 4 mph. Weather was a little better this morning. I ran 12.00 miles in 1:51:28, average pace 9:17, 144 bpm, 157 max. I guess what I like most about running right now is no pain at the start. The pain comes in at about mile 7, but it seems to be later every time, and it is not affecting my running in any discernable amount. The heart rate got away from me a little bit at the end, but it was further than last week so I'm not concerned. Mainly I was glad to have a good run after struggling so much on Saturday. The day off was certainly helpful.

77F, 99%, SSW 6 mph.  I think these are going to be "normal" conditions for the duration.  Today was advertised as a fast day.  I was skeptical about what I could do because I did leg weights last night, but at least my offering to the running gods was at max effort.  Started out with 2 warmup miles, 9:52 and 9.08, then the plan was to do 3 at GMP (7:30), then 3 x 1000 at 7:15 and then 3 more at GMP.  Here is what actually happened:  7:53 (152), 7:46 (158) and 7:33 (167), last one wasn't too bad.  Then launched right into the 1K repeats without a cooldown:  7:12 (177), 7:24 (178) and 7:36 (174), so the last one was actually slower than my best MP mile.  At this point I was nauseous and I was toast.  I ran the last 4 at 8:30 (166), 8:57 (164), 8:24 (168) and 8:59 (166), trying to alternate between fast and slow but no real difference, just a bad-form slog.  Total 12.00 at 8:28 per mile.  By the end I had disintegrated into a liquid state, but I was happy with the effort.  I have been telling myself I need to run to failure more often and today I failed spectacularly.