For Whom the Dogs Bark

47F, 97% and calm.  Picture perfect running weather.  Running in the dark and early dawn is more comfortable for me than running mid-day like I did on Saturday.  It fits my body rhythms better and I run better.  I ran 16.05 LHR miles in 2:37:52, average pace 9:50 per mile.  Not great but good enough for Monday.  I peeked ahead and it looks like we will have reasonable weather all week.  The biggest advantage to cooler weather is that I can hold the LHR pace a lot longer.  Other than the warmup miles, I didn't break the 10-minute barrier until the last mile this morning.  On the other hand, these paces need to get down into the low 9s, just have to be patient about that.  Fat-burning capacity takes a long time to develop.

46F, 100% and calm.  Great running weather, was supposed to heat back up to the low 60s this morning but it didn't happen.  Due to Halloween last night, I slept in until time for the seminary run, so got started running very late.  It was 9:00 by the time I finished but still comfortably cool.  I ran 16.13 LHR miles in 2:40:50, average pace 9:58 per mile.  My left calf is bothering me considerably, probably from running hills on Saturday, and I think that slowed me down.  But I think it is excessive soreness, not an injury.  It feels generally OK once I get going.  But the colder weather had a different effect.  I was making more detours to the facilities than a sailor coming off shore leave.

Halloween was interesting.  Our eclectic cul-de-sac got together (Peru/Argentina, England/France, some Arab guy who has replaced the Mexican/Irish couple, Flatlander/Mrs. Flatlander, plus one normal couple), set out tables and passed out candy from there instead of our front doors.  The Arab wasn't there (in fact, nobody has actually met him), and the French lady lit into him, her accent thickening after each glass of wine.  She thinks it is suspicious that he paid cash for his house, it is his second house, he is never there, he is single with weird facial hair, and his name is unpronounceable and sounds Middle Eastern.  She has "friends in the FBI" and intends to get to the bottom of it.  I was shaking with laughter -- no American could talk like that.  But I managed to get to the end of the night without offending her -- she is a wonderful cook and I want to stay on her good side.  After all, "cul-de-sac" is very French; and who knows, she might be right about my new neighbor.

60F, 99%, E 4 mph.  A lot warmer this morning but it was fine.  Woke up really early but I have been going to bed early so that was fine too.  Ran 11 then 5.  After 11 I had a 9:44 average, then it ballooned on the last 5 when I went back out after the seminary run, stiff and tired by that point.  16.01 LHR miles in 2:39:44, average pace 9:58.  I can tell it's going to take a while to get any better.

As I was stretching afterward*, I noticed that my shoes are not looking great.  I take unrighteous pride in wearing them until they are really ugly, but perhaps the big toe poking out is a little much?

  *Yes, it's a Danskin yoga mat.

51F, 55%, WNW 13-22 mph.  When I first went out it was windier than that.  Howling out there.  I ran 6 then went on the seminary run and afterwards checked the conditions before heading back out, but by then the wind felt more reasonable.  I was in short sleeves and doing fine, but I ran past a kid walking to the school bus.  He was bundled from head to toe, including a scarf that covered most of his face.  Only his eyes were poking out, and they were red.  He looked miserable, and he looked at me like I was crazy.  Really, it wasn't that bad, though it was hard to keep a steady heart rate, running with and then against the wind.  Overall I ran 16.14 LHR miles in 2:39:09, average pace 9:52 per mile, which I was happy with under the circumstances.  My legs are trashed, so I am not going to run today.  They never quite recovered from Saturday's hills.  My left calf is especially sore, it needs a day of rest.  I might not be quite ready for this much mileage yet, even LHR miles. 

I am writing this on Friday after taking my daughter and son-in-law to the airport this morning.  They came in last night.  We met up at a restaurant because I was driving straight from work.  Our granddaughters came running into the restaurant and parked on each side of me.  Grandma got stuck across the table.  I might have smirked.

37F, 99%, E 1 mph.  Very nice morning, wore gloves, long sleeves and a beanie but no long pants and that turned out about right.  Wade picked me up at 5:15 and we did 10 from the Y starting at 5:30.  Only one other guy showed up, Dave, who I hadn't met before.  He took off fast.  We took the first 5 at about an 8:00 to 8:15 pace, then Dave went a different direction and Wade and I immediately slowed down to a 9:00 pace.  After Wade left I ran home from the Y, with enough detours to make another 10 miles.  But my left calf had stiffened from the first 10 and it was painful the whole way, never really got back to normal.  I ran about 9:30s on the way home, some splits even slower.  I'm worried but it feels better today after a long "fall back" 9 hours of sleep. 

Altogether 20.47 miles in 3:10:25, average pace 9:18 per mile.  About 2 miles from the house I saw another runner staring at my shoes, which isn't unusual, because my shoes are unusual.  Then I saw he didn't have any shoes at all.  I have heard all about these guys, but this was my first actual sighting.  He appeared normal from the ankles up.