January 26, 2016

Dawn Patrol. Frigid campus loop. Hit the proverbial trail with temps well below freezing (27 Fahrenheit, -3 Celsius) and a slight breeze out of the West. Started a bit "faster" than normal and somehow managed to maintain a sub-10 min/mile pace for the duration. Felt good about the pace until Runkeeper informed me it was my 206th fastest five-mile run. Proud. Completed the 5:02 mile loop in a frozen 49:18 for a blistering 9:50 min/mile pace. Mahalo.

January 24, 2016

Daybreak. Windy campus loop around familiar territory. Headed South to the Highway 9 boundary, over to Jenkins and then back to the shack through campus environs. The South wind was absolutely brutal: 25 mph (40 kph) which made the 33 degrees Fahrenheit (1 Celsius) feel like 22 (-6 Celsius). Layered up for the elements with the Lithium playlist on the box. Finished the 5.80 miles in a wind-blown 58:55 for a 10:09 min/mile average pace. Mahalo.

January 21, 2016

Dawn Patrol. Campus Loop. Frozen Fog. Temp was below freezing yet again this morning. Hit the road to frozen fog and a slight breeze from the South. Completed the 5.00 miles in 50:06 for an average pace of 10:01 min/mile. Headed back to the Reverse Loop and may keep the Eastern approach going for the near term. Inaugurated a new pair of New Balance 1260V5s. Mahalo.

January 19, 2016

Dawn Patrol. Campus Loop. Frigid wind out of the south (20 mph, 32 kph) made the 30 degrees Fahrenheit feel like 13 degrees (-10 Celsius). Layered up and hit the trail after taking a couple of days off to recuperate. Finished the 5.01 miles in a chilly 49:49 for a 9:57 average min/mile pace. No issues or complaints. Solid run: sub-10:00 min/mile pace. Reversed the loop for a change of pace. Mahalo.

January 16, 2016

Early Morning Campus Loop. Hit the trail to frigid conditions: 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius) with a strong North wind (20 mph, 32 kph) that made it feel much colder. Extended the default campus loop to the Southern boundary, past the Municipal Works Facility and North to Legacy Trail. Finished the 8.85 miles in a deliberate 1:34:49 for a 10:43 min/mile average pace. Week Summary: 19 miles and two gym days. Solid. More of the same looms for next week. Sunday off to recuperate and recharge. Mahalo.

January 14, 2016

Dawn Patrol. Campus Loop. Completed a 5.01 mile early morning run in 52:39 for a super-slow 10:31 min/mile pace. "Could have been the Willie Nelson, could have been the wine," regardless, I was very slow and sluggish from the first steps onward. Temps hovered around freezing (32 degrees Fahrenheit, 0 degrees Celsius) with a very manageable breeze from the South. Friday to the gym. Saturday precipitation imminent. Undeterred, a long-run is planned. Mahalo.

January 11, 2016

Dawn Patrol. Campus Loop. Another frigid morning (22 degrees Fahrenheit, -6 degrees Celsius) to begin the week. Finished the 5.02 miles in a sub-sonic 51:29 for a slow 10:16 min/mile pace. Poached a nice, clean, heated bathroom on the University of Oklahoma campus due to an inescapable bowel-related issue (BRI). It was, quite simply, a life-saver. Goals for the week: three runs, including a 10-mile long run and two gym days for shits and giggles. Winter precipitation looms. Mahalo.

January 8, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Campus Loop. Another cold morning: temp hovering at freezing with a negligible wind. Out the door at the appointed hour for another go-to maintenance run. Completed the 5.30 miles in 53:57 for an average pace of 10:11 miles/min. Completed three runs for the week (14 miles) and two gym workouts. Mahalo.

January 6, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Campus Loop. Frozen. Shaved a mile off the go-to maintenance run, as I hit the trail a bit later than usual. Temps below freezing with a slight South breeze to keep things interesting at the onset. Finished the 4.18 mile campus loop in 41:12 for a slowish 9:51 min/mile pace. Solid. Mahalo.

January 4, 2016

Dawn Patrol. Inaugural run of 2016--the first of 160-175 planned runs for the year. Cold and calm. Temp (32 degrees Fahrenheit, 0 degrees Celsius) with a slight breeze from the North. Hit the pavement before the dawn. Completed the 5.63 go-to maintenance run in a sub-sonic 56:07 for a 9:58 min/mile pace. Solid out there out on the trail. Layered up to the hilt. Gym on Tuesday: Chest and Tri workout. Mahalo.

December 31, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Campus Loop. Back out on the trail after a ten-day respite for the last run of 2015. Temp was a balmy 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 Celsius) with a slight North breeze. Started and finished slow-ish. No issues or complaints. Completed the 6.28 miles in 1:04:10 for a sub-sonic 10:13 min/mile pace. Mahalo.

December 21, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Campus Loop. Solid start to another week of running. Temp (37 degrees Fahrenheit, 3 Celsius) was super-manageable, even with a steady North breeze. Extended the route a bit for S and Gs. Finished the 6.47 mile loop in 1:05:42 for a super-sluggish 10:10 min/mile pace. Felt depleted and slow from about mile four onward. New shoes are on the horizon. Looming. Mahalo.

December 19, 2015

Daybreak. Campus Loop. Long Run. Per recent custom, I waited for the sunlight to hit the olive oil prior to hitting the trail. Temp was a manageable 30 degrees Fahrenheit (-1 Celsius) with a slight breeze out of the West. Layered up and set out from the Boyd Street Portal to the Southern Boundary, over to Jenkins and the Legacy Trail, and then back to the shack via Campus Corner and campus environs. Spartacus Redux Master Recordings on the box for this one: Grunge Masters in heavy 90's rotation. Poached a Port-a-Potty on the Southern Perimeter (super proud moment), as the Bowel-Related Issues (BRIs) were on the verge of becoming unmanageable. 19.90 miles for the week, plus two quality workouts at the gym. A solid week. Mahalo.

December 14 and December 17, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Campus Loop. Very windy out on the trail; not quite cold with 38 degrees Fahrenheit (3 Celsius).  Completed the 5.20 mile campus loop in a slowish 51:49 for a 9:57 min/mile pace.

Dawn Patrol. Cold Campus Loop. Layered up and hit the road in the pre-dawn hour. Temp was 28 degrees Fahrenheit (-2 Celsius) with a negligible wind out of the East. A pure mid-week maintenance run. Completed the 5.25 mile campus loop in 52:36 for a sub-sonic 10:01 min/mile pace. Mahalo.

December 12, 2015

Daybreak. Campus Loop. Unseasonably warm and humid conditions: temps (61 degrees Fahrenheit, 16 Celsius) and the 100% humidity made it feel like an early September morning. Left the house a few minutes before the sun hit the olive oil for a nice and easy maintenance run. Headed South to the Highway 9 boundary and then returned home through Little China and surrounding environs. Completed the 6.40 miles in 1:03:06 for a sub-sonic 9:52 min/mile pace. Ended the week with three runs (16 miles) and two solid gym workouts: back and bi, chest and tri. A solid week. Off Sunday to recuperate. Monday it begins again. Mahalo.

December 9, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Cold Campus Loop. Back on the trail after a nice AM workout at the gym on Tuesday. Temps were hovering around freezing (32 degrees Fahrenheit, 0 Celsius) with a negligible South breeze. Started and finished slow and constrained. No issues, just a slow day at the office. Finished the 5.15 mile campus loop in a pedestrian 52:57 for a 10:17 min/mile pace. Layered up for this one and left the ear buds at the casita. Mahalo.

December 7, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Campus Loop. Back in the game after a ten-day respite: ice and an upper respiratory infection combined to sideline me for a bit. Hit the trail in the pre-dawn hours. Cold (34 degrees Fahrenheit, 1 degree Celsius) and windless to start the day. Completed the 4.91 miles in 50:22 for a pedestrian 10:16 min/mile pace. Spartacus Redux Mix on the box. Felt good to be back at it. Tuesday to the gym; a six-miler planned for Wednesday. Mahalo.

November 26, 2015

Early AM campus loop. Thanksgiving Day and deserted streets. Misty Mountain Hop. Cool temps (50 degrees Fahrenheit, 10 Celsius) with a slight Southern breeze and a constant, relentless drizzle. Finished the 6.42 miles in 1:03:33 for a 9:54 min/mile average pace. Slow and Low that is the tempo. Spartacus Redux Mix on the box, like disco lemonade. Substantial winter storm is quickly approaching and could place Saturday's long-run in jeopardy. Mahalo.

November 24, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Campus Loop. Awoke to perfect Autumn conditions: cool and windy with temps in the low-40s (42 degrees Fahrenheit, 6 Celsius) with a 12 mph (19 kmh) South wind. Shorts, long-sleeves, gloves and a beanie for attire. Started relatively slow and finished strong enough to get a sub-10 minute per mile pace. Finished the 5.01 mile campus loop in 49:39 for a pedestrian 9:54 min/mile pace. Spartacus Redux Mix on the box. Winter storms on the horizon for later in the week. Cold rain, sleet and winter mix all possible. Mahalo.

November 21, 2015

Game Day. Long Run. Did not get a Dawn Patrol in this morning. Headed out on the frozen trail well after the sunlight hit the olive oil in a futile attempt to let it warm up a bit. Temp (40 degrees Fahrenheit, 6 Celsius) was bearable, but the 25 mph North wind (40 kph) made it seem a lot colder. Layered up like a fiend and headed South via the Boyd Portal to the Municipal Works Complex. Turned North and endured five-miles of the aforementioned Arctic wind hitting me in the face for 50 minutes. Weaved back through Campus Corner environs to the shack. Overall, it was pretty much a textbook long run: slow and low with no desire to break any land speed records. Completed the 10.02 mile extended loop in 1:44:43 for a sub-sonic 10:27 min/mile average pace. Spartacus Redux Mix on the box. 90s Alt classics receiving heavy rotation. Sunday to recuperate. Monday it begins again. Mahalo.

November 17, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Tuesday Morning Love Dance. Campus Loop. In the rain. Took this past weekend off due to early AM soccer for the boy both Saturday and Sunday. No excuses mind you, simply Modern Life at its finest. Hit the trail this morning and was promptly met by a steady stream of drizzle and marine layer fog in the lowlands. Managed to get a drenched 5.02 miles in the book in 50:20 for a sub-sonic 10:02 min/mile pace. Run Keeper reminded me that this was my 254th fastest five-mile run to date. Proud. No worries though. Another six planned for Thursday and an extended ten-miles for Saturday: the last home game of the season with TCU coming to town. Cold temps coming to town, as well: tomorrow's run will be a manageable 38 degrees, while early morning temps for Saturday's run are expected to be in the low 20s. Bring the noise. Mahalo.

November 12, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Campus Loop. Cold start to the day. 39 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius) with a slight North breeze. This was the first morning in the 30s since last Winter. Bowel-related issues (BRIs) began around mile two and plagued this author for 30 minutes. So uncomfortable and disheartening. So difficult to concentrate under such brutal, barbaric conditions. Anyway, to make matters worse I was short-changed by the GPS today, as my go-to five-miler was somehow reduced to 4.88 miles by the unseen powers-that-be. Finished in 48:54 for a slowish 10:02 min/mile average pace. Mahalo.

Novemeber 10, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Campus loop. Cool temps (50 degrees Fahrenheit, 10 degrees Celsius) with a slight Southern breeze. Layered to the hilt with the requisite long-sleeves, shorts, gloves and beanie. Campus loop, maintenance run. 5.02 miles in 50:29 for a super-slow 10:04 min/mile pace. Double digits on the pace is rarely a positive thing. Sans music. Sluggish from start to finish. Helsinki-style. Mahalo.

November 7, 2015

Saturday Long Run. Game Day. Hit the pavement about the same time the sunlight hit the olive oil. Cool temps: loaded up with long-sleeves, shorts, gloves and a beanie. 42 degrees Fahrenheit (6 degrees Celsius) with a slight breeze. Extended South to the Municipal Water Works and then back North up the Legacy Trail. Looped around through Campus Corner to the shack. Slow and Low tempo with the Spartacus Redux Mix in full-effect on the box. Shuffled, for shits and giggles. I was giddy with fear and petulance. Finished the 10:03 mile campus loop in 1:45:30 for a sub-sonic 10:31 min/mile pace. Finished the week with 23 miles and change. Solid. Mahalo.

November 3, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Campus Loop. Awoke to temps in the mid-50s (53 degrees Fahrenheit, 12 degrees Celsius) with a brisk wind out of the South. After a week in the mid-40s, it actually felt warm out on the trail this morning. Out the door and headed East for a reversed loop: South to Highway 9 and West to the South Greek and Elm. Finished the 5.59 mile maintenance run in an underwhelming 55:08 for a 9:51 min/mile pace. Mahalo.

November 1, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Extended Campus Loop. A fairly rare Sunday morning run in the books to kick off November. It's tough to call eight-miles a "long-run," so I'll go with an extended maintenance run. Nice and chilly this morning: temps in the mid-40s (43 degrees Fahrenheit, 6 degrees Celsius) with negligible winds. Hit the Boyd Street Portal and headed South past the Highway 9 boundary, looped back North and finished up weaving through the campus environs. Completed the 8.03 miles in 1:25:11 for a 10:36 min/mile pace. 90s Grunge on the box. A solid, cool, Autumn run. 17 and change for the week. Planning on 5-5-5-10 for this week. Mahalo.

October 29, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Abridged Campus Loop. Awoke to a cool 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius) and a light North breeze. Long-sleeves, shorts, cap and gloves for this one. Once the wind starts cutting me in half I'll transition to tights, but we're not there yet. Completed the 4.47 mile campus loop in 44:08 for a 9:52 min/mile pace. Another low-key maintenance run without issue. Saturday morning's ten-miles looms. Mahalo.

October 27, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Campus Loop. Back on the trail after taking a couple of days off. Temp (50 degrees Fahrenheit, 10 Celsius) was perfect--even broke out the skull cap and gloves for shits and giggles, even if it was a bit premature. Super stoked for the arrival of true Autumn running weather. Headed through campus and to parts South before tacking back North through familiar environs. Per custom, the first mile was right at the ten-minute pace, while I finished in the mid-nines. Completed the 5.19 mile campus loop in 49:46 for a sub-sonic 9:36 min/mile pace. Planning on another 21 miles for this week. Mahalo.

October 24, 2015

Out the door in the pre-sunrise hour. Campus Loop. Game Day. Long Run. Extended the go-to maintenance route to the North and South for the required ten-miles. Entered through the Boyd Street portal and headed South to the Municipal Wastelands. From there, continued North to Robinson and then returned to the shack via Campus Corner and the unparalleled game day prep. Temp was 58 degrees Fahrenheit (14 degrees Celsius) with a slight North breeze. Finished the 10.01 mile campus loop in 1:43:28 for a 10:20 min/mile pace. Not my fasted work, but I'll take it. Spartacus Redux Mix on the box. Finished the week with 21.43 miles. Mahalo.

October 22, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Campus Loop. Out the door in the pre-dawn hours: temp was a comfortable 64 degrees Fahrenheit (18 Celsius) with a slight Southern breeze. Lovely running weather. Reversed the loop for a change of pace, heading East out of the gate instead of South. Solid effort after starting in the ten-minute per mile range and then settling into a nice groove. Completed the 5.74 mile loop in 55:35 for a 9:41min/mile average pace, which was my "fastest" five miles in five weeks (September 15, 2015). A day off prior to a planned ten-miles on Saturday, Game Day. Mahalo.