May 29, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Beat the sun this AM for another back to back. Summer schedule in affect with Mon-Wed-Thu-Sat runs to become the norm. Tuesday and Friday are gym days. Started extremely slow and stiff, especially in the knees. Time for new shoes, if experience is worth anything. Revisited the Flood Route for giggles and a change of scenery: 5.24 miles in 51:06 for an average 9:45 min/mile pace. Finished relatively strong. A planned eight miles for Saturday AM. Mahalo.

May 28, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Out the door in the blue pre-dawn haze. A solid 6.05 miles around the campus in 57:30. Average pace 9:30 min/mile. Temps in the mid-60s with a spot of humidity. Started slowly and then picked up the pace towards the end. No worries. Summer is definitely on the brink. The humidity and temps will continue to increase moving forward. Another six on tap for Thursday. Aloha.

May 26, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Back on the home front after some time on the road. Out the door with the sunlight hitting the olive oil. Campus loop with a rare southern extension to Highway 9. Completed 6.14 miles in 1:00:24 for a 9:50 min/mile pace. Temps continue to be manageable: 67 degrees Fahrenheit with a slight breeze and some serious humidity. Good times.

May 23, 2014

Chicago. Early morning run along the shores of Lake Michigan. Amazing trail system that runs along the lake. Beautiful spring day: cool, no humidity and a steady breeze off the lake.  Headed south from Grant Park, past Soldier Field and the United Airlines Center and returned for a solid 7.12 miles.  Pace was slower than usual, as my head was on a swivel and I was geeking out at all of the amazing sights. Finished in 1:11:25 for a 10:02 min/mile pace. Good times.

May 20, 2014

Dawn Patrol. A week off to recuperate a sore and strained lower back. No worries, other than a chronically delicate back that dislikes heavy lifting, moving furniture and otherwise overextending my 45-year old frame. Out the door at the appointed time. 6.01 miles around the campus, per custom. Hot and humid from the onset. Consistent pace throughout. Overall, 57:12 minutes for a 9:31 min/mile pace. Wednesday off. Back in the game Thursday.

May 13, 2014

Dawn Patrol. A rare back-to-back. Cold Front in effect. North winds gusting to 20 mph with temps in the mid-40s. Took advantage of the weather because in a couple of months I will be yearning for mornings like this one. Broke out the long-sleeves, cap and gloves for this one. Tight and slow at the onset.  6.02 campus loop in 57:34 for a par-for-the-course 9:33 min/mile pace. Finished strong. Cheers.

May 12, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Blew off the planned weekend runs for no good reason at all. Sloth Master. Wine Master. Awoke re-energized and ready to hit the road this morning. Headed out into the pre-thunderstorm dawn for a 5.69 mile run around the campus. Light mist, temps in the mid-60s, high humidity and a brisk South wind. Slower than usual with stiff legs at the onset. Finished in 54:53 for a 9:39 min/mile pace. Altered the route at the end and came up a bit short of six miles. Will get out tomorrow for six, as a cold front arrived this morning and temps should be in the mid-40s. Mahalo.

May 9, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Cool breeze, temps in the low 60s, isolated pockets of fog and bouts of humidity. Shorts and short sleeves. Competed for the slowest run of the week. Out the door a bit earlier than usual. 48:22 for the five mile loop for a 9:35 min/mile pace around the campus. No complaints. Planning on an extended campus loop mañana. Have a nice weekend. Aloha.

May 7, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Out the door at the appointed hour for the go-to five-mile maintenance run. Campus-centric, reverse loop and sans headphones until further notice. Bread and butter. Finished the 5.05 miles in 47:27 for a 9:24 min/mile pace.  A mere ten seconds per mile faster than Monday's run covering the same territory.  Conditions are beautiful: mid-60s with bearable humidity and a trace of a breeze. More of the same planned for Friday. Cheers.

May 5, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Took a week off to rest and recharge. First run of the summer season. Reverse loop until winter for a change of pace and scenery. Sans headphones. Completed the 5.05 mile loop in 48:19 for a relatively slow 9:38 min/mile pace. Temps in the mid-60s with light and variable winds. Perfect running conditions.

April 27, 2014

OKC Memorial Marathon. Dawn Patrol. In the corral at 540 am, per custom. Rain, lightening, high winds, fear and locust. The race was postponed for almost three hours, finally kicking off at the crack of 830 am. Worked the long-sleeves for this one: temps started in the mid-60s and felt cooler with the constant rain; however, once the storms passed things heated up quickly. Total run activity per Runkeeper has the route at 13.46 miles completed in 2:11:12 for a 9:45 min/mile pace.  Official race results pending. Spartacus Redux Mix on the box. Ditched the earbuds at mile ten for a change of pace. Overall, it was a solid morning and yet another good running experience.

April 23, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Managed the rare back-to-back with this morning's run. Solid. Weather was nice: temps in the low 60s with almost no wind with which to contend. Finished the 5.04 campus loop in 47:59 for a slower than usual 9:31 min/mile pace. Retro-Fitted Spunk Mix for accompaniment, with the RHCPs getting prominent placement. Thursday will be an off day--no run, no weights. A planned six for Friday and a 13-miler scheduled for Sunday. Weather concerns loom for Sunday's festivities. Cheers.

April 22, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Marine Layer Fog. Actually saw a handful of runners out on the trail this AM. Most likely due to the warmer temps. Out the door with temps in the high 50s and the winds light and variable. Shorts and long-sleeves. A drug helmet. No gloves. Finished the 6.03 campus loop in 55:33 for a 9:13 min/mile pace. Shake and Bake Cake Mix on the box. Old favorites and new jams to get me through. Another fine Chicken Man Records release. Will attempt another maintenance run Wednesday. Back to backs are good for the soul. Mahalo.

April 18, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Skinny Lizard Mix on the box. Out the door at the customary time for a routine maintenance run. The weather was cooperative: temps in the low 40s with a bit of a breeze out of the South. Finished the 5.96 mile campus loop in 55:47 for a 9:22 min/mile pace.  Saturday off, with a ten-mile long run scheduled for Sunday.

April 16, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Another week of training commenced this morning at the appointed time. Felt stiff at the onset. Solid run with extremely favorable conditions: temps in the mid-40s with a slight breeze out of the South. I had to turn off the GPS due to Ms. Runkeeper spotting me two six-minute miles right out of the gate. Such is technology, I suppose. Finished the 5.03 mile campus loop in an estimated 47:22 for a 9:24 min/mile pace. Fruit Salad Mix on the box. No complaints. Tomorrow off and a planned six on Friday. Ten on Sunday. 21 miles for the week. Aloha.

April 13, 2014

Dawn Patrol. A rare Sunday morning run. Weather was beautifully mild--temps in the low 60s--with a strong South wind and 100% humidity. A soft drizzle helped cool things down. Ran in shorts and short-sleeves for the second time this week. Finished the planned eight miles and change (8.05) in 1:15:51 for a 9:40 min/mile pace. Purposefully slower per Higdon's training regiment. Mixed Fruit Mix on the box. The Ramones seemed to get prominent placement this morning. Monday and Tuesday off. Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday runs, with a ten mile long run planned for Saturday. OKC Memorial Marathon is two weeks out.

April 11, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Another beautiful Spring morning. Temps in the low 60s with no wind. Humid, yet bearable. Short-sleeves and shorts for the first time in a while. Coolio. Finished the 5.95 mile campus loop in 53:39 for a 9:01 min/mile average pace. Felt stronger and lighter than Wednesday's run. Fruit Salad Mix on the box. Will angle for eight miles tomorrow, Saturday. The OKC Memorial 13.1 is two-weeks out. Will get another double-digit run in the books prior. No complaints at this point. Cheers.

April 9, 2014

Dawn Patrol. The weather has changed once again. Cool temps with highs in the low 50s made for an excellent early morning campus loop. Long-sleeves and shorts. Changing phones has shaved .10 miles off the route for some reason: what had been a 6.05 loop now clocks in at 5.95. Finished the run in a slowish 56:19 for a 9:28 min/mile pace. Actually felt slow and stiff from the onset. Blink 182 on the box. Another six on Friday.

April 6, 2014

Red Bud Classic 10k. Drizzle throughout with temps in the high 40s. Solid run. Not as crowded as in past years, as the weather was dreary and overcast from the onset. The Doctor and I held our own. Finished in 56:05 for a 8:49 min/ mile pace. Spartacus Remix on the box. Remains a nice tune-up for the OKC Memorial Marathon in three weeks.

April 4, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Winter returned. Temp in the low 30's with a windchill in the upper 20's. North wind for the trip back home. Layered up for this one. Completed the 6.05 mile campus loop in 54.55 for a 9:05 min/mile pace. Felt thick and tight throughout the run, most likely due to last night's wine consumption. Captain Crab Bake Mix on the box. Shit be good for the soul. Saturday off. Hash Bud Classic 10k on Sunday afternoon. Weather looks cold and dreary. Cheers.

April 2, 2014

Dawn Patrol. April's inaugural run. Temps were in the low 60s with 100% humidity. Winds were calm, almost negligible. May have finally turned the corner on Winter. Feels nice to run in shorts and long-sleeves. Finished the standard 6.04 campus loop in 53:18 for a 8:49 min/mile pace. Two consecutive runs with a sub-9:00 min/mile pace has not been accomplished in a very long time. Masters of Mojo Covert Mix on the box. Aloha. 

March 31, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Resuming my schedule after taking a couple of days off. Finished the month with a solid five mile loop around campus. Knocked it out in 46:15 for a 9:08 min/mile pace. Shorts and long-sleeves, no gloves or heavy thermals for the first time in months. Thunderstorm blew in at mile three: rain, lightening and a strong south wind to make things interesting on the way home. The Tragically Hip on the box. Weights Tuesday, six miles on Wednesday and weights on Thursday. Hash Bud Classic set for Sunday. 10k for S and G's with the Doctor. Should be fun if history is a reliable guide. Cheers.

March 26, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Temps were a bit warmer this AM; however, a brutal South wind made for a tough start.  Got out of the gate strong and felt good the entire six miles. Finished the six and change campus loop in 53:53 for a sub-nine 8:56 min/mile pace. Another Tragically Hip infused run. Solid. Thursday off.

March 24, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Initiating yet another week of training. Out the door at about the normal time. Six and change seems to be my baseline. A bit faster this AM. Layered up due to temps right at freezing and a mighty North wind with which to contend. Tragically Hip remains a mainstay on the box. 6.04 miles in 55:21 for a 9:10 min/mile pace. Started slow, as usual, but finished strong. Tuesday off and another  six planned for Wednesday. Cheers.

March 21, 2014

Ushered in the first day of Spring with a 6.04 mile run through familiar environs.  Temps in the mid-50s with a slight breeze. No gloves, long-sleeves and shorts. Absolutely beautiful running weather. Finished the loop in 54:59 for 9:06 min/mile pace.  Tragically Hip back on the box.  A planned nine or ten for Saturday morning.

March 19, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Layered up for yet another six-mile maintenance run around campus. Temps in the mid-30s with a bit of wind out of the North. Started slow, per custom, with a 9:43 first mile, but finished strong. Completed the 6.03 miles in 55.56 for a 9:17 min/mile average pace.  Blink 182 on the box.  Six planned for Friday with a ten-miler for Saturday. Will register for the Redbud Classic 10K in April and the Memorial Half Marathon for late May.  The full Marathon is not in the cards for this year.  Washed out by missing three weeks of training early in the game.  I'm not stoked, but remain a realist, which is the impetus for reevaluating expectations at this stage of the game. Aloha.

March 17, 2014

Dawn Patrol.  Out the door at the appointed hour. Met with cold temps--27 degrees Fahrenheit--and an almost eerie calm.  Completed the 6.02 mile loop in 56:49 for a 9:26 min/mile pace. Started slowly and finished strongly.  Tragically Hip Mix on the box.  Chest and Tri set for Tuesday, followed by another six-miler on Wednesday.  Still a bit sore and stiff. Cheers.

March 14, 2014

Dawn Patrol. A planned six and change went well. Temps in the mid-50s for a change of pace. A strong North wind was the only downer. Strapped on the drug helmet (my tried and true green bandana) for the first time in months! Overall, finished the 6.04 miles in 55:52 for a 9:15 min/mile pace. Grunge Masters Mix on the box. On the road with the family over the weekend, so I did not get a long run in the books. This week: 6-6-6-10 and two planned workouts at the gym. Mahalo. 

March 12, 2014

Dawn Patrol.  Took Monday off for S and Gs.  Felt sore and stiff after the impromptu face plant on Saturday, plus my brother showed up at the shack on Sunday with a couple or so bottles of wine. Yep. Debauchery. Anyhow, hit the road this AM for a steady 5.04 mile run through familiar territory.  Cold (35 degrees Fahrenheit) with a diabolical North wind that made it feel like 23 degrees.  The turn North once again made me just a bit disgruntled with the whole running addiction.  Finished the run in 47:22 for a 9:24 min/mile pace.  Cake on the box to get me through. I will try to get six miles done on Wednesday AM.

March 8, 2014

Dawn Patrol.  Early Saturday AM long run.  Weather was frigid with a brutal North wind and intermittent sprinkles for S and Gs.  Right foot soreness at the onset, probably due to the blistering pace of yesterday's five-mile maintenance run.  Sarcasm is very hard on this thing. Anyhow, today's run was pretty uneventful until the eleventh mile.  With Rage Against the Machine blasting through the headphones, I took my eye off the ball for a brief moment.  A sprinkler head on the edge of the sidewalk took advantage of my lapse and attacked.  I hit the grass, luckily.  Unbelievable. Other than a banged-up left knee and a right flank issue, I think I'll be OK.  Finished the 11.08 miles in 1:51:42 for a 10:05 min/mile pace.  Sunday off to rest and recuperate my sore body.  5-6-5-14 planned for next week.  Two workouts at the gym, as well. Cheers. Aloha.

Week Eleven:
21.19 miles (188.53 for the training period)
3 runs + 1 gym day
198.0 lbs.