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.