October 4, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Awoke to temps in the low 40s (6 Celsius), so I broke out the long-sleeves, cap and gloves for a beautiful Autumn run. Extended the route to get to double digits: North to Robinson and the Legacy Trail junction, South through campus and past Highway 9, then headed back North to the house. It was a slow, methodical 10.32 miles (16 km) through familiar territory. Finished the loop in 1:48:52 for a 10:33 min/mile pace. Strong finish. Multi-Cultural Love Muffin Mix on the box. Lifted on Friday: chest and tricep. Finished the week with four quality runs (26 miles) and two solid workouts. Sunday rest. Monday it starts yet again. Mahalo.

October 2, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Another mid-week back-to-back. Hot and humid, post-thunderstorm run. The streets were still slick and there were puddles in the low-lying areas. Hit the trail at six bells for an uneventful 4.90 miles around the campus. Finished the loop in 47:24 for a slowish 9:41 min/mile pace. Eight-seconds per mile slower than yesterday's run over the same territory. Spartacus Redux Mix on the box to get me through the rough patches. Lifting on Friday. Ten-miles planned for Saturday. Temps may be in the low-40s. Mahalo.

October 1, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Ushered in a new month and a new week of running with temps in the low 70s and a humidity percentage that was off the chart. The streets were deserted this morning. Sweated through a pedestrian 4.86 miles in a subsonic 46:27 for a 9:33 min/mile pace. No complaints. Masters of Hip Hop on the box for S and G's. Will lace up the sneakers for another run tomorrow. Mid-week back-to-backs make for manageable long-runs on the weekend. Aloha.

September 29, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Closed out the month of September with a super suave 10k campus loop. Weather was absolutely beautiful: temps in the low 60s and a slight breeze out of the south. Ran a bit slower than previous loops, but finished strong. 6.05 miles in 59:39 for a 9:51 min/mile average pace. Spartacus Redux Mix back on the box. Heavy on the Grunge Masters Collection. September proved to be a good month of runs: logged 90 miles on 15 days of running. Both mileage and number of runs were up from August. Will undoubtedly break 100 miles in October. Tuesday lift. Mahalo.

September 27, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Saturday morning bliss. Out the door to cool temps and low humidity. Slow, methodical extended run. Back to short-sleeves with temps in the mid-60s. Started super laid back, fighting the urge to speed up, and finished right where I needed to be. Clocked the 8.72 mile campus loop in 1:31:45 for a leisurely 10:31 min/mile pace. North to Robinson and the comfort of the Legacy Trail, down Jenkins to the far Southern boundary and then back North through the South Greek to the shack. Rage Against the Machine on the box to get me through. Sunday off. It begins again on Monday.

September 25, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Had an impromptu day off on Wednesday. Simply depleted. Weights, running, alcohol, etc. Deferred until this morning and a super cool (55 degrees Fahrenheit or 13 degrees Celsius) start to the morning. Autumn looms (official start to autumn in the Northern Hemisphere was September 22nd.) The most desirable running conditions in this part of the world will occur over the next month and change. Absolutely beautiful. Long-sleeves and shorts rule the day. Out the door at the appointed hour for a super tranquilo almost-six-mile campus loop. Finished the 5.94 mile loop in 58:01 for a subsonic 9:48 min/mile pace. It was a great run. Spartacus Redux Mix on the box. Chest and Tri Friday AM. A ten-mile long run planned for Saturday. Salud.

September 22, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Solid early AM campus loop. Stepped out to an ultra-cool 53 degrees Fahrenheit. Autumn commenced today in the Northern Hemisphere and it definitely showed. Long-sleeves and shorts with Spartacus Redux Mix on the box. Finished the 4.90 run in 48:05 for a subsonic 9:49 min/mile average pace. Started slowly and finished with purpose. Weight is down below 200 lb. (199 lb.) for the first time since March, 2014. Clean living, Holmes. Clean living. Tuesday lift; Wednesday six miles on the trail. Aloha.

September 20, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Saturday long run bliss. Extended the boundary once again this morning. North to Robinson, Legacy Trail south to Highway 9 and back home. Temps were hot and the humidity was brutal. Started and finished with a slow and methodical approach. 9.02 miles in 1:32:52 for a 10:18 min/mile pace. Great run. Felt like I could have done another five miles. Rock and Roll Explosion Mix on the box. Ten miles planned for next weekend's long run. Monday it starts up again. Mahalo.

September 18, 2014

Dawn Patrol. A 5k Fun Run for the third run of the week is good work if you can get it. Hit the trail a bit later than usual and hit it a bit faster, as well. Finished the 3.30 mile campus short loop in 29:48 for a blistering 9:02 min/mile average pace. Temps were back in the mid-70s with big humidity. Felt decent from start to finish. Started slowly and then picked up the pace to log mile three at 8:32 minutes. (Probably one of my fastest miles in years.) Generation X Grunge Master Mix on the box. Lift Friday. Nine miles for Saturday AM. Aloha.

September 16, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Although I was scheduled for a power lifting session this AM, I decided to get a run in rather than head to the gym. A rare Monday-Tuesday back-to-back. Temps returned to the low-70's with a brutal humidity. Low-lying fog at times. Picked up the pace a bit. Finished the 4.90 mile campus loop in 46:12 for a blistering 9:26 min/mile pace. Had a solid mix of the 80's and 90s (Fruit Salad Mix, Vol. IV) on the box. Definitely to the gym mañana for a Conan-esque weight lifting session. (Sarcasm is hard on this thing.) Thursday back out on the road. Aloha.

September 15, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Another week of running commences. Temps back up in the high-60s this morning. High humidity. Felt good getting on the road and sweating out this weekend's excess. Finished the 5.30 campus loop in 51:38 for a 9:45 min/mile average pace. RHCP on the box. Dropped 7 lbs in the last month due to healthy food choices and a solid exercise regimen. Gone are the days when I could eat whatever the hell I wanted just because I ran 25 miles a week. Feeling lighter out on the trail. Good times. And Mahalo.

September 13, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Game Day edition. Pulled out the long-sleeves for an Autumn-like eight-miler around campus. Temps in the mid-40s with a brisk North breeze. Coolest run since last Spring. Spent 1:21:20 covering 8.26 miles for a 9:50 min/mile pace. There was a lot of action around campus, as the Tennessee Volunteers were in town. A few dedicated tailgaters were setting up tents at 600 am. Overall, it was a solid run that included the Legacy Trail spur, as well as the South Campus boundary. Spartacus Redux Mix on the box. Sunday off. Monday kicks off another week: 6-lift-6-lift-4-8-rest. Mahalo.

September 11, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Cool running with temps in the mid-60s and a nice breeze out of the east. Out the door for a 5k fun run for S and Gs. Finished the 3.31 campus loop in 31:38 for a 9:34 min/mile pace. Grunge Master Gen X Mix on the box. Long live the 1990s tribute. Back and Bi on Wednesday; Chest and Tri Friday. Eight miles planned for Game Day Saturday. Will put me over 20 miles for the week. The gradual build continues. Mahalo. 

September 9, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Awoke ready to run! Switched run-lift days and hit the road for a rare mid-week back-to-back. Completed the 4.90 mile campus loop in 49:47 for another subsonic 10:10 min/mile pace. Slower than yesterday's run by a handful of seconds. Felt slow from the onset. Humidity was brutal, but temps were in the low 70s. A solid run considering how much bourbon was consumed the night before. Spartacus Redux Mix on the box, per custom. Hundreds of the best songs ever performed may get old one day, but we are nowhere near that at this stage of the game. Lift for sure on Wednesday. Aloha.

September 8, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Early AM Monday run through familiar territory. The cool and refreshing cold front temps from last Saturday have disappeared. 70 degrees at 530 am with 100% humidity. No wind. Tweaked the route a bit at the onset for a change of pace. It's interesting how one gets used to the landscape in the blackness of the witching hours, and any change in routine is met by uncertainty and clumsiness. Finished the amended 5.78 mile campus loop in a subsonic 57:28 for a 9:56 average min/mile pace. Spartacus Redux Mix on the box. One of these days I'll splurge for a pair of sports earbuds that won't drive me crazy. Lift on Tuesday. Six on Wednesday. Mahalo.

September 6, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Saturday AM runs are my favorite. Awoke to a steady drizzle and a cool 64 degrees. Absolutely beautiful conditions. Headed North to meet up with the Legacy Trail at Robinson Ave. and then took a Southern tack to the edge of campus before turning back home. Solid. Took my time and enjoyed the rain and Spartacus Redux Mix. Finished the 7.57 mile campus loop in 1:16:06 for an average pace of 10:03 min/mile. A Sunday respite, followed by kicking off another week of fun on Monday. Mahalo.

September 4, 2014

Dawn Patrol. The "hot and humid" description of these early AM runs is becoming monotonous. As is sweating through them morning after morning. Thursday's almost five miles was no exception. High temps and high humidity ruled the run. Started a bit later than usual, so I had to shorten the route by a mile. Completed the 4.92 mile campus loop in 48:27 for a 9:50 min/mile average pace. Spartacus Redux Mix on the box, per recent custom. Planning on eight miles Saturday morning. An impending cold front could make the run quite enjoyable...and wet. Developing.

September 2, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Another week and another month kicked off this AM. Finished August averaging around 20-miles per week. Will increase some in September. Hot and humid, of course, with a strong thunderstorm brewing on the horizon that brought a bit of wind. Out the door before the dawn. Completed the standard 5.98 mile loop in 1:00:08 for a 10:03 min/mile average pace. Solid pace throughout, yet felt depleted around the fourth mile. Calorie and carb intake have been down these past couple of weeks in a concerted effort to shed a few (15) pounds as we move into Autumn. Spartacus Redux Mix on the box with a nice fruit salad mix of the good shit. Back and bi on Wednesday, with another six planned for Thursday. Mahalo.

August 30, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Another back-to-back to round out the week.  Awoke to a very comfortable 68 degrees as the sun hit the olive oil this AM. Hit the road an hour later than protocol generally demands, so I was able to wear my shades for better roadway vision. Sweet. Today marked the inauguration of my 7th season football here in Norman. I really enjoy game day runs, as the vibe is always proper. Completed the 5.75 mile campus loop in 56:11 for a 9:46 min/mile average pace. Spartacus Redux Mix on the box...RHCP receiving prominent placement.

August 29, 2014

Dawn Patrol. A relatively cool run this AM (66 degrees Fahrenheit), although the humidity was a sticky 100%, thanks to an early thunderstorm that passed through the area. Finished slow due to running stadium steps, but it was definitely worth it. Completed the 5.04 mile campus loop in 52:02 for a 10:19 min/mile pace. Will get out tomorrow AM for a game day run through the campus to inaugurate the 2014 Sooner Football season. Had the Spartacus Redux Mix on the box with a Nirvana-ladened set to get me through. Solid. Another seven or so mañana for S and Gs. Mahalo.

August 27, 2014

Dawn Patrol. 73 degrees Fahrenheit with relative humidity of 83%. Hot and humid goes without saying. Bonked at mile 3.5 due to an acute carbohydrate deficiency. Went from 9:40 minute miles to 11:00 minute miles. Managed to finish the 6.02 mile campus loop in 1:03:46 for an average pace of 10:36 min/mile. 

August 25, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Another week of running kicked off in the early morning hours. It's been a solid month of post-vacation runs. Extremely hot and humid once again. Felt depleted and drained around mile three. Bumped up the maintenance run from five to six miles and will visit bumping it up to seven miles in October. Finished the 6.02 mile campus loop in 1:02:37 for an average pace of 10:24. "Slow and low that is the tempo." Tuesday back and bi. Another six-miles on Wednesday. Mahalo.

August 23, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Brought the week to an end with another Thursday respite, followed by a standard chest and tri workout on Friday. Out the door early Saturday morning for an extended campus loop. Heat and humidity continue to be powerful forces in these parts, with temps during the day over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius). Temp this morning was 78 degrees and the humidity a brutal 90%. Anyhow, enough meteorology. Extended the North segment to Robinson, then taking the Legacy Trail South to Lindsay. I headed South to the gravel and grass campus boundary at Highway 9. Finished the 7.47 mile loop in 1:16:52 for a 10:17 min/mile average pace. Spartacus Redux Mix on the box. Shuffling through the good stuff. I also started charting my diet and calorie consumption with myfitnesspal this week. Good times. Tentative schedule for next week: Mon-Wed-Thurs-Sat runs; Tues-Fri weights. Mahalo.

August 20, 2014

Dawn Patrol. August continues to prove to be a very warm and humid month for early AM runs. Temps consistently in the mid to high-70s with humidity running 80% and higher. Very little, if any, breeze. This morning's five and change was no exception. Started slow and finished relatively strong. Completed the 5.21 mile campus loop in 51:07 for a 9:49 min/mile average pace. Spartacus Redux Mix continues to provide musical diversion. A rare back-to-back scheduled for Thursday. Friday to the gym for the standard chest and tri workout if things go as planned. Eight miles scheduled for Saturday. Aloha.

August 18, 2014

Dawn Patrol. The heat and humidity continue to be a drag. Temps in the high 70s this morning, while the humidity was a brutal 90%. Started down the west boundary and returned north on the eastern perimeter for a bit of a change. (Technically known as the "reverse loop" in this author's parlance.) Finished the 4.94 mile campus loop in 48:15 for a 9:46 min/mile average pace. Started strong with a couple of sub-9:20 miles. The heat and humidity began to slow me down at mile three. Another run with the Spartacus Redux Mix on the box. Good times. Back and Bi mañana. Six on tap for Wednesday. Mahalo.

August 16, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Hot (76 degrees) and humid (85%) conditions to start the day. A solid Saturday AM run after weights on Friday and an impromptu Thursday off. Extended campus loop to the Highway 9 boundary for 6.39 miles in 1:03:25 and a 9:56 min/mile pace. Slow and methodical throughout. The strong finish up Elm Street was nice, as it reminded me that I still have another gear. Brought the ear buds out of retirement for a bit of musical entertainment: the tried and true Spartacus Redux Mix on the box to help get me through. Sunday off. Aloha.

August 13, 2014

Dawn Patrol. 68 degrees with 78% humidity to begin the day. Early morning run through familiar territory. Finished the rather predictable 5.26 mile campus loop in 52:11 for a 9:56 min/mile pace. Thinking about tweaking the loop for S and G's in the near future. The surface changes (grass, asphalt and concrete) are fine; however, it can become rather mundane after months and then years of basically the same scenery. Looping the campus is nice though...Lift tomorrow and then back on the road for a short run Friday and an early Saturday run to close out another week of workouts. Mahalo.

August 11, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Another warm and humid run which began before the sun crept over the Eastern horizon. Temps in the high 70s with humidity in the 80 percentile range. All the more reason to rock a long-sleeved Dri-Fit. Took it slow and low after last Friday's uncomfortable leg cramp/seize. Finished the standard 5.35 mile campus loop in a languid 54:03 for a 10:06 min/mile pace. No issues with the calf. Tuesday to the gym for another classic back and bi session. Six miles on Wednesday. Cheers.

August 8, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Out the door and met by the dynamic duo of 78 degrees and 100% humidity. Tough running. Right calf cramp hit around two miles into the thick of the run. Seized with no advanced warning. I stretched it out at the water stop; however, it was slow and painful going afterwards. Finished the 5.39 campus loop in 56.57 for a 10:34 min/mile average pace. Solid run in spite of the calf cramp. Saturday and Sunday off after a good week of running and lifting. Cheers.

August 6, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Another hot and brutally humid early morning run: 74 degrees Fahrenheit (23 degrees Celsius) with 90% relative humidity to start the day. Wine-soaked recovery. Hit the pavement with a slow, methodical cadence. Completed an abridged campus loop (4.70 miles) in 47:01 for a 10:01 min/mile pace. Completed the standard chest and tri workout on Tuesday. Return to the gym on Thursday, followed by back-to-back runs Friday and Saturday. Another full week is taking shape. Cheers.