February 26, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Another frigid winter run. Borderline uncomfortable. 20 degrees at dawn (-7 Celsius) with a 25 mph North wind that made it feel like 10 degrees (-12). Layered up to the hilt and hit the road as planned. Heading South was cold, but nothing over the top. The three-mile return leg to the shack was extremely cold and mind-numbing. Pace was very slow. Finished the 6.03 mile campus loop in 1:00:31 for a 10:02 min/mile pace. Old Favorites on the box. Winter weather returning to these parts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Will attempt to get a Saturday run in the books before things turn ugly. As things stand today, I completed another 20-mile week. Mahalo.

February 24, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Winter Conditions. Out the door to a snow-laden landscape and ice-covered sidewalks and side streets. Temp before dawn was 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 Celsius) with a calm breeze from the North. Layered up and hit the trail. Took it super slow and careful due to the ice and darkness. Completed the deserted 6.12 miles in 1:04:04 for a frozen 10:28 min/mile pace. Good times. Went with a nice 21st century mix this morning, including this gem from Bloc Party. Mahalo.

February 22, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Sunday morning. Out the door a bit later in a futile attempt to enjoy what overcast sun there was. Frigid, overbearing conditions with the temperature and will chill combining for an uncomfortable 29 degrees Fahrenheit or -2 Celsius. The wind was out of the North at a resounding 20 mph at times. Extended the route to Robinson and the Legacy Trail South to the Highway 9 boundary and then returned home via the South Greek and Western edge of the campus. Found a decent groove on the way back to the shack in spite of the wind and cold. Focused on stride, cadence and keeping it slow. Completed the 8.27 mile loop in 1:26:23 for a 10:27 min/mile pace. Hip Hop Explosion on the box. Finished the week with 20.50 miles. Mahalo.

February 19, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Awoke to a frigid 23 degrees Fahrenheit (-5 Celsius) with a windchill of 17 degrees (-8).  The wind was out of the east and made for some uncomfortable minutes at the onset. Layered up to the proverbial hilt and hit the trail. Streets were deserted. Completed the 6.04 mile campus loop in an icy 57:59 for a 9:36 min/mile pace. Splits were relatively consistent throughout. In fact, completed last Thursday's 6.03 miles in the same time. Blink 182 back on the box after a hiatus. Other than freezing my ass off, the run was pretty uneventful. Mahalo.

February 17, 2015

Dawn Patrol. As anticipated, I was forced to scrap yesterday's planned run due to ice on the trail after a winter storm pushed through during the overnight hours. Hit the pavement this morning with 27 degrees registering on the thermometer (-3 Celsius) and a negligible South breeze. It was a beautiful, frigid morning run. Layered up with the works for this one. Kept the earbuds at the casa and enjoyed the sights and sounds au naturel. Completed the 6.18 mile campus loop in 59:11 for a 9:35 min/mile pace. Mahalo.

February 14, 2015

Dawn Patrol. A perfect Saturday morning: temps in the mid-30s with a slight south wind. Out the door a bit later than usual, so I was able to run with the sun for a nice change.  Extended the route north to Robinson Ave. and the Legacy Trail, headed south to the Highway 9 boundary and then returned home through the South Greek and the west side of the campus. Tried mightily to keep the pace as slow as possible. Finished the 8.03 miles in 1:23:05 for a 10:21 min/mile pace. More 80s music on the box for shits and giggles. 19 miles for the week. Monday could be interesting if the weather forecasts are accurate, as ice looks possible. Developing. Mahalo.

February 12, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Sat out yesterday's planned six-miler, as I was winding down day four of the controlled fast/cleanse. Not pleasant on any level and will most likely wait a bit before attempting it again. No food for 96-hours is a super bummer. Anyhow, awoke to temps in the low-20s this morning and a slight north wind. Bundled up and hit the road at the appointed hour for a solid 10k through familiar streets. Finished the 6.03 mile campus loop in 57:49 for a leisurely 9:36 min/mile pace. An eclectic collection of 80's tunes on the box. Winter weather looms. Snow and ice in the forecast. Always pleasant. Aloha.

February 9, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Absolutely perfect running conditions to inaugurate the week: temps in the mid-40s with calm winds out of the South. Long-sleeves and shorts. Currently in the second day of a controlled fast/juice detox, so I shortened the route a bit this morning. I've never attempted to subsist on lemon juice, cayenne pepper and maple syrup before, and can't say that it's been enjoyable to date. Finished the 4.94 mile campus loop in a slow 52:00 for a 10:32 min/mile pace. I attribute the slow pace to not eating. Anything. For two days. Bowel-related issues caused near panic and intense fear. No need to go into detail. Suffice to say that I survived a very traumatic experience. On a brighter note, I enjoyed the Smashing Pumpkins this morning. Seemed fitting. Mahalo.

February 7, 2015

Early AM. Out the door right about the time the sunlight hit the olive oil. Splendid weather: awoke to temps in the mid-30s with a manageable South wind. Shorts and long-sleeves. Extended the route South to Highway 9 and North to Andrews Park. Everything was right with the world until mile three and then my bowels began to churn. Sushi and Asahi from Friday evening, perhaps? Luckily, I knew there was a porta-potty within reach. I endured the fear of exploding for about 5 minutes, although at the time it seemed like an eternity. I ducked in the porta-potty only to find an unbelievable sight: toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Hell, there was even a spare roll of toilet paper! Finished the 7.14 mile extended campus loop in 1:11:22 for a subsonic 9:59 min/mile pace. Assorted 90s Grunge Master mix on the box. Finished the week with 19.24 miles. Mahalo.

February 5, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Frozen Face. 20 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill of 10 degrees (-12 degrees Celsius). If there was ever a day to stay in bed and not run, today was that day. I, however, managed to crawl out of bed and hit the trail at the appointed hour in spite of the cold and wind and dread. Layered to the hilt, including a full-mask and heavyweight, Arctic-rated oil field gloves. Completed the 6.07 mile campus loop in a frigid 1:01:23 for a slowish 10:07 min/mile pace. Really took a beating when I turned back North for the return leg home. Splits slowed significantly, as I valiantly tried not to cry while keeping my legs churning. Strangely there were no other runners on the trail this morning. Tried and true Spartacus Redux Mix on the box. Friday off with nice weather rumored for the weekend. Ver para creer. Mahalo.

February 3, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Frozen. Opted not to run Monday morning in order to recuperate from the senseless debauchery that was Super Bowl Sunday. Awoke today, Tuesday, to 22 degrees Fahrenheit ( -5.5 Celsius) and a steady south wind. Layered up and hit the trail for February's first run. Even worked the tights for this one. Damn. The streets were deserted, as the smart money waited until daybreak and the promise of higher temps. Or ran on a treadmill at the YMCA. Completed the 6.03 miles in 58:11 for a 9:39 min/mile average pace. Splits were fairly consistent throughout. 80s punk on the box. More winter weather in the forecast. The words "winter mix" have been uttered in hushed tones around these parts. I am not afraid. Mahalo.

January 31, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Cold rain. Temps in the low 40s with a strong south breeze. Out the door a bit later than usual, as I waited to see if the rain might let up a bit. No chance. Layered up with long-sleeves and shorts. Headed south to the Highway 9 boundary and then back to the shack through the campus. A nice, wet, chilly, end-of-the-month run. Completed the 6.40 mile campus loop in 1:02:40 for a pedestrian 9:47 min/mile pace. Splits were fairly consistent from start to finish. Seemed appropriate to put Kula Shaker on the box with the dreary cold and rain. Missed 10-days of running in the month, but finished January on a strong note. 24 miles for the week. Back at it on Monday. Mahalo.

January 29, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Out the door at the appointed hour and met with an unbelievable 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 Celsius), along with a pretty strong north wind. Left the gloves at home, but worked the long-sleeves and shorts. Times were slow; I attribute the slowness to the copious amount of red wine consumed last evening, but it could be age or the thousands of miles on the odometer. I digress. Hit the eastern approach to begin things and finished up strong on the western side of the loop.  Completed the 6.01 campus loop in a leisurely 59:25 for a subsonic 9:53 min/mile pace. Really took a hit on the way home being pounded by that brutal north wind for three miles. More 90s music on the box.  Generation X, for the uninitiated. Weather changes on the way. Could be wet and cold on Saturday. A lethal combination. Aloha.

January 27, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Out the door to an almost warm 41 degrees (5 Celsius) and a slight breeze. Layered up with long-sleeves and shorts. Reversed the route for an uneventful 6.03 mile campus loop. Completed the run in 59:14 for a 9:49 min/mile average pace. A bit slower than recent times. 90s Rock seeping back into the rotation on the box.  Legs and lungs are getting back to normal after ten days off. Plan on another 12 miles before the end of the month. Less talk, more rock. Mahalo.

January 25, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Back in the game after a 10-day stint on the IR. The Flu came to town and it was not pretty. Lungs are still not 100% clear, but I felt today was a good day to get back out on the trail. Temps in the mid-40s (7 degrees Celsius) with a pretty strong wind out of the northwest. Long-sleeves and shorts. Started and finished slow. Legs felt heavy. Completed the 5.65 mile campus loop in 55:23 for a 9:48 min/mile pace. First sub-six mile run in a month and change. Seattle-Infused musical selections on the box. Inaugurated another pair of New Balance 1260 V4's this morning. Feels good to be back in the game. Mahalo.

January 14, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Another very cold morning with temps in the mid-20s (25 degrees Fahrenheit or -4 Celsius) and a light (3 mph) wind out of the north. Nothing too heavy, as the lack of wind made the run very manageable. Layered up and hit the streets in the pre-dawn hours for an uneventful 6.30 mile campus loop. The streets were deserted. Traffic around campus has picked up a bit since the Spring semester commenced; however, the cold weather and wind have left the campus and environs devoid of runners and walkers for the most part. Finished the 10 K run in 57:51 for a relatively fast 9:09 min/mile average pace. Have not complete a six-miler this "fast" since April 11, 2014. Must have been the Metallica blaring through the earbuds (Solid Thin Lizzy cover) or the Albuterol hits pre-run. Mahalo.

January 12, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Wine-Soaked Recovery. Another week of running commenced this morning. Cold (22 F, -5 C) with a strong North wind. Layered up and hit the road in the pre-dawn hours, per custom. Calle 13 on the box for a serious change of pace. Deserted streets. Completed the 6.04 mile campus loop in a chilly 58:02 for a 9:36 min/mile pace. Finished strong in spite of the wind and wine from last night. Will endeavor to utilize a M-W-F-Sa schedule moving forward, with Friday's runs being a short 5 K fun run for shits and giggles. Mahalo.

January 10, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Saturday Edition. Frozen. Temps in the low 20s (-6 Celsius) with a brisk South wind that begs the age old question: is it better to start into the wind or finish into the wind? I am used to starting out with the wind, getting warm and then descending into the discomfort of heading home with the wind in my face. Today required a change of focus, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Anyhow, extended the run to Highway 9 and finished the deserted 6.43 mile campus loop in 1:01:08 for a cold 9:31 min/mile average pace. Good times. Pearl Jam on the box. Mahalo.

January 7, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Another brutal, frozen, miserable morning for running. Out the door in spite of it all. Frozen North wind sweeping down the plains from the Arctic Circle. Temps in the low 20s (-6 Celsius) with a wind chill of 5 degrees (-15 Celsius). Layered up: three dri-fit long-sleeve tops, two pairs of tights, winter-rated gloves, full face mask and a running jacket rated for 0 degrees. With the wind at my back, I actually felt hot on the Southern leg of the trip; however, once I turned back North three-miles from home I felt like weeping.  Nothing like a 20 mph Arctic-flavored wind kicking your ass for thirty minutes. At times it felt as though I was standing still. Completed the 6.04 miles in 59:04 for a frozen 9:47 min/mile pace. The Vapors on the box. "Youth is wasted on the young." Oscar Wilde. Mahalo.

January 5, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Another frozen morning. Temps in the 14 degree range (-10 Celsius) with, luckily, absolutely no wind with which to contend. Unfortunately, I underdressed for this morning's jaunt. Dressed for temps in the 30 degree range, which, for the unordained, may seem inconsequential. I was, however, actually cold for the majority of the run. This is rare, even in the depths of winter, as I usually dress accordingly. Triple-layer dri-fit tops, winter tights, no jacket, lightweight cap and gloves were simply no match for the elements. Completed the 6.03 campus loop in 57:13 for a shivering 9:30 min/mile pace. 80's rock on the box. Solid. Mahalo.

January 2, 2015

Dawn Patrol. Inaugurating yet another year of running. My goal for this year is to complete 1,000 miles, or a mere 19.23 miles a week for the year. Totally within the realm of possibilities. Anyhow, I am six-miles closer after this morning. Awoke to a cold, distorted 30 degrees Fahrenheit (-1 Celsius) with a calm North breeze and a thick layer of fog. It was, however, downright balmy compared to Wednesday's frozen run. Layered up and completed the 6.02 mile campus loop in 57:47 for a slowish 9:36 min/mile pace. Smashing Pumpkins' Siamese Dream on the box. Made perfect sense in the fog and distortion. Saturday off. Mahalo.

December 31, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Last run of 2014. Frozen Face. Frozen Package. Frigid. Miserable. Out the door to 17 degrees Fahrenheit (-8.3 Celsius) with a wind chill of 3 degrees Fahrenheit (-16 Celsius). Brutal north wind. Layered up with winter-rated tights, three long-sleeve dry-fit shirts, full-frontal face mask, a jacket, cold-rated gloves and smart wool socks. And still froze my ass off. Six miles. Campus loop. Deserted frozen streets with a slight dusting of snow. One other freak out on the trail; homeboy running with his dog. We passed in the pre-dawn haze and the dog looked up at me like, "What the fuck is wrong with you idiots?" Started strong and somewhat optimistic, only to decompensate into fear, sadness and regret. Should have driven to the YMCA and run on a treadmill with gas heat and CNN on in the foreground. Said I, never. Bring it, don't sing it. Finished the 6.04 miles in 1:00.31 for a sub-sonic 10:01 min/mile pace. Early Hip Hop on the box. Easy. Solid. New Year's Day off. 1,000 mile goal for 2015. Mileage starts on January 2, 2015. Mahalo.

December 29, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Frozen Face. Super Frigid. Wind chill at 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-6 and change Celsius.) No escaping the cold on this day. Bone-chilling. Out the door at the appointed hour, layered up and focused. A North breeze to keep things interesting. Completed the 6.02 mile campus loop in 57:49 for a 9:36 min/mile average pace. Deserted streets remain the norm. Went all British on the box for a slight change. To the gym on Tuesday. Another six miles on Wednesday. A colder Arctic blast heading this way. Mahalo.

December 24, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Christmas Eve Edition. Frozen Face. 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-7 Celsius) with a brutal 15 mph North wind, which made the return trip back to the shack extremely uncomfortable. Layered up from head to toe, even sported tights for this one. Out the door before the sunrise for a standard campus loop. Completed the 5.88 miles in 57:30 for a 9:47 min/mile pace. Today's run was twelve-seconds per mile slower than Monday's run. Best of the 90's on the box. Awesome videos are an added bonus. Christmas off. Mahalo.

December 22, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Awoke to temps in the mid-40s (7 Celsius) and an almost negligible breeze. The streets were deserted and fog-laden from the onset. Layered up for a smooth 5.88 miles around the campus. Completed the loop in 56:30 for a slow, sluggish 9:37 min/mile pace. Started slowly and never felt my full mojo. Solid lap, nonetheless. Fruit Salad Mix on the box. Tuesday to the gym. Mahalo.

December 20, 2104

Dawn Patrol. Cool Runnings. 35 degrees Fahrenheit (1.6 Celsius) and calm. Layered up and headed out for a solid 5.63 miles around the campus. Started strong and kept it going all the way home. Finished the loop in 52:27 for a 9:19 min/mile average pace. "Fastest" average pace since a 9:13 min/mile pace in April, 2014. Maybe it was Blur on the box? Maybe it was the hits of Albuterol pre-run? Regardless, it was good times out there on the trail. Sunday off. Back at it on Monday. Mahalo.

December 17, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Early morning bliss. Awoke to a still, cool morning. Temps in the low 30s (34 degrees Fahrenheit or about 1 degree Celsius) with absolutely no wind with which to contend. The drizzle began to fall around the five-minute mark and never let up. I am on record as stating that there is nothing better than running in the rain. Absolutely lovely running conditions. Felt good from beginning to end. Finished strong. Layered up and completed the 5.64 mile (9.07 km) campus loop in 53:30 for a sub-sonic 9:30 min/mile average pace. Fastest average pace since September. Campus was deserted; no pedestrians on the trail this morning. Continuing to keep the 1990s in rotation on the box. Mahalo.

December 14, 2014

Daybreak. Out the door a bit later than usual for a rare Sunday run. Met with unseasonably warm temps in the mid-50s (12-13 degrees Celsius) and a nice breeze from the south. Hoped for a bit of rain, but it did not pan out. Extended the campus route to Highway 9 for a little change in scenery. Finished the 5.90 miles in 57:44 for a 9:47 min/mile pace. Continued with the 90s music theme this AM. Aloha.

December 11, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Second run of the week after a two-day respite. Cool (44 degrees Fahrenheit) with a slight breeze from the south. Super nice running conditions. Completed the uneventful 5.55 mile campus loop in 53:23 for a 9:37 min/mile average pace. The campus, due to the students being in the home stretch of finals week, was pretty much empty. Deserted road and environs. Blink on the box for that early 2000's feel. Started closer to nine-minute miles and finished slower. Much slower. Friday off; Saturday on the road again. Mahalo.

December 8, 2014

Dawn Patrol. Hit the road after a self-imposed exile this weekend. Marine Layer Fog. Temps in the low 40s with a slight breeze. Long-sleeves, shorts, gloves and a cap. Super running conditions. Another uneventful 5.70 mile campus loop. Down Elm Street to the Lloyd Noble, over to Jenkins and back North. Surreal at times with the blanket of fog. Finished in 55:32 for a 9:45 min/mile average pace. Started relatively slow and ended a bit faster, or not as slow. Back to the 90s Mix on the box. To the gym on Tuesday. Another 10K planned for Wednesday. Mahalo.