April 26, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Took a couple of days off this week to rest in preparation for The OKC Memorial Marathon. A beautiful cool and overcast day to get a 13.1 mile run in the books. As opposed to the previous three years, the weather cooperated and was absolutely perfect. Temps in the mid-50s and a nice breeze throughout the race. Great turnout, as usual. I actually ran a bit faster than last year's effort. Finished the weaving, rambling 13.50 miles in 2:06:56 for a 9:24 min/mile pace. (Actual race distance of 13.1 was completed in 2:04.10 for a 9:29 min/mile pace.) I was pleased with my results: I felt good from the onset; maintained a solid, steady pace; and finished strong. What else is there? Good times running solo in the midst of 15,000 other runners. Mahalo.

April 22, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Out the door in the pre-dawn hour to a cool 51 degrees (11 Celsius) and the threat of rain on the horizon. It was a cool, breezy morning. Started things off at the Boyd Street portal for a change of pace. Headed South and returned on the Eastern edge of campus. Had a Bowel-Related Issue (BRI) during the last quarter of the run and was forced to poach a bathroom at Kaufman Hall. Luckily, most campus buildings are open at 600 am and can save a brother when necessary. I loathe to contemplate the outcome had the building been closed. Finished the 5.29 miles in 51:33 for a slow 9:45 min/mile pace. Not bad for never feeling the "groove" this morning. Rain started to fall as I walked in the front door post-run. Mahalo.

April 19, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Sunday Long Run. Hit the trail later than usual so I could sleep in a bit. Out the door with the sun. Cool temps (51 F, 11 C) with 100% humidity. No rain this morning after an eventful late afternoon and early evening yesterday. A slow, solid 10.07 mile campus loop. Headed North to Robinson and the Legacy Trail, South past Highway 9 and then hooked up with Chautauqua and the South Greek to the house. A very mellow running environment. Finished in 1:42:23 for a 10:10 min/mile pace. Started faster and gradually slowed down as the miles added up. Ran with my go-to Espanish Mix, which prominently features Calle 13, Jarabe de Palo, Julietta Benegas, Manu Chao and others. A very eclectic mix of good tunes. It's been a while since I've run with earbuds, but I thought today it would be a good change of pace. 13-miler next Sunday looms. Mahalo.

April 17, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Awoke to temps in the low 60s (63 F, 17 C) with the humidity in the mid-90% range. A cool front came in from the North around mile three and definitely made things more enjoyable. Beat the rain by a couple of hours. A bottle of Merlot Thursday night made today's run a bit sluggish...and Thursday night more enjoyable. Finished the standard, go-to 6.02 mile maintenance run is a wine-soaked 59:03 for a 9:49 min/mile pace. Absolutely no complaints. Mahalo.

April 14, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Awoke to a beautiful, almost cold Spring morning. A light drizzle greeted me at the door and accompanied me throughout the run. Soft, passive rain. Hit the pavement to still, deserted streets. Broke out the winter gear for this one. Completed the 6.03 mile campus loop in a soggy 57:22 for a 9:31 min/mile pace. Felt good getting back out on the road after a day to recover from the heat and hills of the Redbud 10k run on Sunday. Would have loved to have run in these conditions instead of the heat and fear of last Sunday. Stoked for the impending half-marathon in a couple of weeks. Mahalo.

April 12, 2015

Redbud Classic 10K. 200 pm kickoff. Temps in the mid-70's, which, for someone who runs under cover of darkness in the pre-dawn hours, was like baking in an oven. Luckily, there was a nice breeze from time to time or I would have burned up like a meteorite on re-entry. Overall, the temps took it out of me; however, the doctor, a.k.a. Serpico, and I did manage to break the one-hour mark, albeit by a handful of seconds. Finished the 6.26 miles in 59:39 for a 9:32 min/mile pace. The course was, per custom, a bit crowded this afternoon. People were tapping out due to the heat, at times miles from the finish line. And that is never a good thing. Free beer at the finish line was a first, and should be mandatory for all runs. The amateurs at the OKC Memorial should take note, but they won't. A solid effort under different and difficult circumstances. Two weeks until the half at the OKC Memorial Marathon. Mahalo.

April 10, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Cold Front Blues Revisited. There was a 24 degrees drop between Tuesday's and Friday's runs. Hit the trail this AM with temps at 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 Celsius) and no wind.  Cold front moved through on Thursday night and kept temps low through Friday morning. No big deal. Broke out the lightweight gloves and long-sleeves and the hit the road.  Finished the 6.01 mile campus loop in 56:52 for a 9:28 min/mile average pace. Solid run. Saturday off. The Redbud 10K on Sunday with the Doctor. Good times await. Mahalo.

April 7, 2015

Dawn Patrol. The temperature at 530 am was a perfect 64 degrees Fahrenheit (18 Celsius) with 100% humidity and a gentle wind out of the South. "Humidity" now replaces "wind chill" as the variable to watch in addition to the temperature. Finished the standard 6.01 mile campus loop in 57:37 for an uninspired 9:35 min/mile pace. Will get two more runs in before the Redbud Classic 10K this Sunday. Mahalo.

April 5, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Overcast, periods of chilly rain and a somewhat uncomfortable South wind for this morning's campus loop. Awoke to temps in the mid-40s with a steady drizzle. Headed out to deserted streets and the prospect of a wet, cold Sunday morning run. Took the go-to route and extended it to the Highway 9 boundary. Completed the 6.39 mile campus loop in a wet 1:01:22 for a 9:36 min/mile pace. Managed 21 miles last week. Solid. Warmer weather on the radar. Mahalo.

April 2, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Temps in the low 60s to start the month of April. Given a super-generous spot of 6:05 minutes on the first mile due to an obvious GPS glitch. So instead of spending way too much time and effort trying to straighten it out on the the back end, I ditched the Runkeeper and used one of last week's times for today's loop. For the record, finished the 6.06 mile campus loop in 55:47 for a 9:12 min/mile pace. Sore right knee, although I'm almost sure I did not tweak it running and it does not seem to be a huge issue. Cold front on the way to lower temps substantially and bring 50 mph winds. Joy. Mahalo.