Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 38:57
Pace: 9:44 min/mi

Comments: Last run of 2015. This was a really terrible year in terms of my running productivity; long periods of idleness, mediocre pace at best, almost no true long runs. The suck-it-up-and-finish style run today was a fitting conclusion to the year.

I'm wanting to get back into the groove in 2016. I'd like to keep times off to a minimum, have regular runs longer than 15 miles and see if I can get the pace under 8 min/mi regularly. I might even do a race if I pull it off.

Conditions
Hour: 1:00 p.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: partly cloudy
Temperature: 51 degrees
Humidity: 61 percent
Wind: 5 mph
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: nada

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 39:45
Pace: 9:55 min/mi

Comments: Well that was a delight. I got started extra early for a Saturday in an effort to beat the rain. I got done before the heavy stuff but didn't avoid getting rained on for about half of this effort. Not fun.

I started off pretty good given how creaky I felt. The second mile was very solid. It went to hell after that. My conditioning is completely kaput. The second half was a complete slog that got worse every stride. Still, I finished it. That was the goal.

Conditions
Hour: 5:45 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: overcast/rain
Temperature: 70 degrees
Humidity: 92 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: Just sore.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 38:34
Pace: 9:38 min/mi

Comments: Merry Christmas! To celebrate I finally laced up the running shoes and got out the door. It's been unseasonably warm this month and today was not an exception. I am a little disappointed in myself for passing up the ideal running conditions of the past several weeks.

This run was exactly what I expected. I'm out of shape and in woeful condition. But I held it together and got the four miles in I wanted. I honestly expected my pace to be hovering in the 10 min/mi range so I actually did better than I expected. Now to keep it up and get the routine started again.

Conditions
Hour: 11:20 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 69 degrees
Humidity: 50 percemt
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: nada

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 36:49
Pace: 9:12 min/mi

Comments: The rain finally passed through mid-afternoon so I was able to get out for the run. It was still pretty chilly and definitely damp. I was a bit slower than yesterday but still doing pretty good.

The highlight of the run was the douchebag in the charger who thought it would be funny to splash me with water. Newsflash moron; I'm already cold, wet and miserable -- you're not really doing much to change that.

When some clown does this the proper response is to let it hit you full on and act like it was nothing at all. You have to deprive the mouth-breather the satisfaction of seeing you react. Given their driving habits, they'll wrap that car around a stationary object soon enough.

Conditions
Hour: 3:00 p.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: overcast
Temperature: 42 degrees
Humidity: 95 percent
Wind: 7 mph
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: nada

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 35:48
Pace: 8:56 min/mi

Comments: After two days of nonstop rain the weather cleared up enough to get a run in. Of course now it's quite chilly and humid. Not pleasant but certainly more amenable to physical activity than the sweltering heat.

And due to the chill I cranked this one out a bit quicker than I have been, under the nine minute mark for the first time in forever. It wasn't really the intention, just the way things happened. Anyhow, run's done. Time for football.

Conditions
Hour: 12:45 p.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: overcast
Temperature: 39 degrees
Humidity: 92 percent
Wind: 6 mph
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: nada

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 38:42
Pace: 9:39 min/mi

Comments: I was able to squeeze in a Thanksgiving morning run before the rains arrive. I've been really inconsistent with my running so I'm hoping to take advantage of breaks in the rain forecast over the next few days to get back on track.

This was pretty much as I expected. Kinda slow and sloppy. Soreness in my legs at different stages. The constant breeze was not appreciated but not nearly as bad as it could have been. A good run overall though.

Conditions
Hour: 6:30 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: overcast
Temperature: 65 degrees
Humidity: 90 percent
Wind:10 mph
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: Right shin sore toward the start.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 37:32
Pace: 9:22 min/mi

Comments: Got busy yesterday morning so skipped the run. But that's OK since three runs the first week back is a pretty good target. I'll aim for four this week.

This run went really well. Sloppy and my conditioning still blows, but overall a nice run. This mid-50s/overcast conditions are pretty much my perfect running weather as well. Started fine. Had a few moments that weren't too fun but held on and hit a nice stride for the last mile-and-a-half.

Conditions
Hour: 8:10 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: overcast
Temperature: 56 degrees
Humidity: 76 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: nada

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 38:04
Pace: 9:31

Comments: Chilly this morning but not so much that it nipped back. The walk to where I start my runs was a bit uncomfortable but I warmed up fast enough once I got started.

My legs felt a little bit better today but there was still some soreness. I felt I actually had spurts where I was actually running but I've got a long way to go before I'm doing that for the whole workout.

My GPS screwed up at the end of the run so I really have no idea how fast I did this one. Not that it really matters at this point. EDIT: Got the numbers manually.

Conditions
Hour: 6:15 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 43 degrees
Humidity: 86 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: Left hip and right heel a little sore at the start.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 39:28
Pace: 9:51 min/mi

Comments: It took a bit of determination to get going this morning. Finally got started at the last possible window. That's good but not promising. I've got to get better motivated.

I knew this would be an unpleasant effort and it was. I was achy at the start and sloppy the whole way. The cool temperatures kind of counters that pesky impulse to cut things short though. I finished a bit quicker than the run on Sunday so that counts as progress.

Conditions
Hour: 6:30 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 53 degrees
Humidity: 98 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: nada

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 20:52
Pace: 10:13 min/mi

Comments: After a very strong summer I stopped running altogether in mid-September. Lotta reasons but none of them really good enough to justify the six-plus weeks off. So I finally shamed myself out the door this morning and it was about as bad as I had thought it would be.

I was slow, sloppy and not an iota of my conditioning remains.

The worst thing about this layoff is I've missed some of the absolute best running weather of the year. But things are still very nice and I was able to have pretty good temperatures even though I didn't run till 11 p.m. Well, time to take advantage of what's left.

Conditions
Hour: 11:00 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 65 degrees
Humidity: 41 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: nada

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 35:15
Pace: 8:48 min/mi

Comments: Damn strong run. And that was despite pretty brutal heat and humidity. I know I should only be focusing on completing the distance and ignoring the pace but it felt good to finally go out and get that sub-9 min/mi run in.

I knew getting started that hitting that mark was possible so, instead of trying to push the pace, I really worked on concentrating on the run itself. Keeping idle thoughts at a minimum and being hyper aware of my form, my stride and my breathing.

As a result, every mile was under the 9 min/mi mark (although the first mile made it by just two seconds) and the last mile was 20 seconds faster than the first. Since I'd like to get a bit longer run in tomorrow, I'm going to have to throw speed completely out the window for that one.

Conditions
Hour: 6:20 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 77 degrees
Humidity: 82 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: right heel was sore at one point.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 36:16
Pace: 9:04 min/mi

Comments: Ugh. Back to the sweltering hell runs. After a week of almost crisp mornings, the heat and humidity have returned in full force. After feeling almost human when I'm done, I'm back to the miserable sweat monster.

Still, my legs felt very strong today. I was a little worried getting started that I was going to slog this the whole way but, after about a half mile, I got warmed up and it went pretty smooth.

Very smooth, to be honest. My splits varied by just three seconds over the whole run. That's a crazy level of consistency for me.

Conditions
Hour: 6 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 75 degrees
Humidity: 85 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: nada

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 36:23
Pace: 9:05 min/mi

Comments: Strongest run I've had in awhile. The time doesn't really reflect it because I played it very conservative given this is my third day straight out there. I was pretty wary getting started due to that but warmed up well and held a pretty constant pace the whole way. As much as I'd love to have a run like this again tomorrow, I best give myself some rest before I screw something up.

Conditions
Hour: 5:50 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: partly cloudy
Temperature: 67 degrees
Humidity: 75 percent
Wind: 5 mph
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: nada

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 38:38
Pace: 9:39 min/mi

Comments: I'm starting the week with some consistency, if nothing else. This was an unremarkable four miles. The biggest plus was that I didn't have to suffer through it due to the continued cooler conditions.

I knew I'd be a bit achy from Sunday's run and I was but it didn't last longer than the first mile or so. I slowed down each mile of the run until the last one which was about the same speed as the first one.

I don't know if I am going to try for a run tomorrow or take a day off. It really depends on how my legs feel for the rest of today, I think.

Conditions
Hour: 5:45 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 68 degrees
Humidity: 69 percent
Wind: 5 mph
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: Tight everywhere getting started but warmed up. Still a bit of an issue with the right calf.

Fitness Run

Distance: 6 miles
Time: 56:29
Pace: 9:24 min/mi

Comments: While not an earth-shattering performance, this was the least uncomfortable run I've had in awhile. After the maximum-mileage week I ended up doing just one run in the last seven days. That's probably a good thing given the little aches that had surfaced but it's not doing my conditioning any favors.

A cold front finally broke the sweltering conditions, though. The temperatures were somewhat cooler but the humidity was dramatically less. And that made the effort that much more productive on this run. I kept pretty close to 9:20 pace except for the last mile when I lagged significantly. Overall, a very promising performance.

Conditions
Hour: 7 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: partly cloudy
Temperature: 70 degrees
Humidity: 57 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: Still getting the stiffness in the right calf.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 39:44
Pace: 9:55 min/mi

Comments: I gave myself two days off following the eight-miler on Saturday. Partly this was because my legs were pretty sore both Sunday and Monday. Given the little aches that have been adding up over the last week I felt caution was advisable. But it was also because I felt like being a lazy slob for a couple of days.

That came back to haunt me this morning. It was hot, humid and unpleasant the whole way. My legs felt rubbery getting started and at the point I finally warmed up, I was so uncomfortable I couldn't do more than slog my way through the thing. It was such a mess I was actually surprised I finished it in under a 10 min/mi pace.

Conditions
Hour: 6 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 80 degrees
Humidity: 77 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: nada

Fitness Run

Distance: 8 miles
Time: 1:19:01
Pace: 9:52 min/mi

Comments: My intention was to do six miles today. Got started and it was so hot and humid and uncomfortable I thought it was likely I'd have to settle for four. But I warmed up well and decided to stay on track for six. Then, somewhere after mile five I realized I was doing very well and said, "what the heck" and went for eight.

Overall the run went well. It was very humid and I had to survive a swarm of gnats at one point. While 10 minute miles aren't earth shattering, my consistency over the course of the run was rather good, particularly the second half.

The last time I did eight miles was more than a year ago. The last time I did more than 25 miles in a week was April of 2013. I certainly am not setting any speed records but the fact is my strength is coming back. Soon I'll have to focus on stamina. That means speed work.

Conditions
Hour: 5:45 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 78 degrees
Humidity: 83 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: The stiffness in the right calf continues and the ball of my left foot was sore for a couple miles.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 38:23
Pace: 9:35 min/mi

Comments: My first two miles were as consistent as my last two miles, the problem being my pace over the second half of the run was a half minute slower per mile than the first. My legs feel significantly stronger and I'm definitely past the "just hold on and finish the damn thing" phase. But the heat and humidity are conspiring against my uneven conditioning. Still, that's 18 miles this week, the most since January.

Conditions
Hour: 6:00 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 74 degrees
Humidity: 81 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: Slight but persistent soreness in my left calf.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 37:18
Pace: 9:19 min/mi

Comments: With the professional haymakers being tossed my way this week my head really wasn't into any kind of run this morning. But I still got the shoes on and out the door.

The temperature and humidity eased up slightly so the effort wasn't as brutal but my time really didn't reflect it. Not surprising since my focus was understandably shot to hell. I still sweat a pretty good deal, though.

So I got my four miles. If everything continues to go to hell in a handbasket, this is my victory for today.

Conditions
Hour: 6:15 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 73 degrees
Humidity: 68 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: Got an ache in my left calf at one point but it passed.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 36:34
Pace: 9:08 min/mi

Comments: Not a bad effort. I slowed down a bit more than I would have liked on mile three but, overall, this was a solid run after a rough day.

Probably more importantly I finished August with a total of 16 runs -- basically one every other day. There were a couple of overlong days off, the longest being five days, but in terms of consistency, this is the best I've done in a long while.

Overall, I ran for ten hours and fifty minutes over the course of the last 31 days. That's the most in a months over the last year by far. In fact, I'd have to go back to January 2014 for the last month I ran more. Or, more to the point, back when I didn't have a regular job.

Conditions
Hour: 6:00 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 75 degrees
Humidity: 67 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: nada

Fitness Run

Distance: 6 miles
Time: 58:28
Pace: 9:44 min/mi

Comments: That was an interesting effort. I started off with a slowish warm-up mile and then hit a very nice pace for the second. The run felt very good at this point and that proved to be the high point. It pretty much got tougher every step after that.

Which is to say the last mile was pretty brutal but for a nice chunk up to about the 4.5 mile mark, I felt reasonably good. Certainly not speedy but pretty solid given the heat and the humidity. And, as I need to keep reminding myself, the speed doesn't matter -- it's the amount of time out there.

Conditions
Hour: 6:40 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: partly cloudy
Temperature: 78 degrees
Humidity: 72 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: A bit achy at the end including my right knee.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 35:47
Pace: 8:56 min/mi

Comments: I've been pretty inconsistent this week. Lotta factors contributing to that but I really have to prioritize my running more. I'll be cutting things close with my schedule this morning but I was able to carve out the time.

The temperatures have eased up somewhat in the morning and the difference is remarkable. It's still pretty warm and plenty humid but not exactly sauna-like as it has been.

The upshot is I am struggling less and able to focus on the run itself more. This was a nice solid effort with very consistent splits.

Conditions
Hour: 6:25 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 72 degrees
Humidity: 76 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: nada

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 36:35
Pace: 9:08 min/mi

Comments: The humidity is trying to kill me. Describing the conditions out there this morning suggests a rouges gallery of adjectives: swealtering, oppressive, inhumane.

I was a little stiff at the start as expected but warmed up rather quickly, I'm happy to say. As rough a slog as the weather made the run, I felt pretty strong most of the way. The spread on my splits was about 15 seconds which is probably the most encouraging sign yet.

The last four days have been rough but I needed them to get back into my routine. One day off and back at it on Wednesday.

Conditions
Hour: 6:15 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 76 degrees
Humidity: 85 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: nada

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 39:13
Pace: 9:47 min/mi

Comments: First run in the sunlight in quite awhile. That was a mistake with the current balmy conditions. I was slogging as hard as yesterday's run in half the time. At the end, my shirt was completely soaked with sweat. I mean completely.

The good news is that my legs felt strong enough to get me through the worst of it and my energy levels were sufficient to enable them to make it. The problem area was pretty clearly conditioning. The one bright spot there is my splits didn't range quite as far and my last mile wasn't my slowest.

Conditions
Hour: 7:20 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 82 degrees
Humidity: 77 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: Tightness in left calf.

Fitness Run

Distance: 6 miles
Time: 59:04
Pace: 9:50 min/mi

Comments: This one was pretty much completely awful. I was slow, sweaty and sloppy. I wasn't particularly motivated at the start and pretty much just held on through the whole unpleasant slog by willpower alone. My pace on the last mile was 1:43 slower than the first.

Still, I got it done. I didn't need to set a land speed record, I just needed the miles and an hour-long effort. And not giving up and walking it in was more than I've been able to accomplish on this particular route in some time.

Conditions
Hour: 7:00 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: partly cloudy
Temperature: 73 degrees
Humidity: 83 percent
Wind: 5 mph
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update:

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 37:03
Pace: 9:15 min/mi

Comments: I should have taken advantage of the cooler temperatures yesterday morning but I didn't. So I wasn't going to let today's slightly warmer temperature get by since it was still cooler than recent weeks. The run went OK. I've been really inconsistent this week and it is showing in my performance.

Conditions
Hour: 6:15 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: overcast
Temperature: 71 degrees
Humidity: 92 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: Stiffness in my right Achilles tendon.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 37:53
Pace: 9:27 min/mi

Comments: Took a few days off from running and felt properly guilty about it. But I was having soreness in my right hip last week just walking around so it probably was a good call to have the hiatus.

Unsurprisingly, today's effort wasn't particularly pleasant. I started pretty good and just got slower and slower and slower. the last mile was one minute slower than the first. But, most importantly, I got in my four miles.

Conditions
Hour: 6:25 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 79 degrees
Humidity: 75 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: nada

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 35:05
Pace: 8:46 min/mi

Comments: It's amazing how much even a slight change in temperature will affect performance. While it was just five degrees cooler, my run went much much better. Of course a much needed day off probably helped as well.

This was a solid effort. The first mile was a bit uneven as I warmed up but it smoothed out and went extremely well after that. I was at almost exactly 8:46 pace the middle two miles and ran the last mile a half-minute faster than the first.

I'm hoping I'm finally over the hump and actually running again. I expect tomorrow's effort will be a pretty good barometer of that.

Conditions
Hour: 6:00 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 78 degrees
Humidity: 71 percent
Wind: 5 mph
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: Slight shin pain in my right leg in mile two.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 38:17
Pace: 9:34 min/mi

Comments: I was more worn out after yesterday's run than I expected. Achy quads and calves and a power nap, drool and all. I fell asleep earlier than I wanted and, as a result, woke up way to damn early.

The run was the slog I expected. This was a recovery run in every way. While my conditioning felt like garbage I felt pretty strong the whole way. The consistency in the last two miles seem to bear that out as well.

Tomorrow is my off day. I'm hoping all this effort and a slight cool spell results in more productive runs later this week.

Conditions
Hour: 5:45 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 80 degrees
Humidity: 67 percent
Wind: nada
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: Sore quads.

Fitness Run

Distance: 6 miles
Time: 55:55
Pace: 9:19 min/mi

Comments: The intention was to get six miles in yesterday. Didn't happen. Then, when I got started today, I decided to try and get eight miles. Settled for six. I'm feeling a bit guilty about missing these goals but I know that's the wrong attitude.

Last week was a good consistent effort and two days off wasn't a bad idea. The final distance today wasn't as important as getting the hour-long workout. Bottom line, if I want to keep inching up the mileage without injury, I've got to make these concessions.

Overall, a very good run. I did well through the first four miles but miles five and six dropped off considerably. Gonna have to keep working on the conditioning.

Conditions
Hour: 6 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 81 degrees
Humidity: 72 percent
Wind: 5 mph
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: Little tweaks in my right ankle.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 35:45
Pace: 8:56 min/mi

Comments: This one started off very sloggy. To get through it I focused on my footfalls; keeping my feet close to the pavement but quicker turnover -- shorter steps, basically. That got me through the first mile and I was able to concentrate on the run after that.

I ran a very consistent middle two miles and tried to work on my concentration a bit more. That has lagged almost as much as my conditioning so as I get back into things that's something I've got to work on.

The last mile was very solid. I picked it up quite a bit on the last quarter but didn't venture into the full-on stride territory. With almost a month of solid work, I don't want to throw it away on a cheap injury.

Conditions
Hour: 6:30 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 82 degrees
Humidity: 72 percent
Wind: 5 mph
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: Stiff.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 36:03
Pace: 9 min/mi

Comments: Finally executing a run like I planned. After my day off I woke up feeling decent and got out the door when I intended. The start of the run wasn't a lot of fun. The heat and humidity have rebounded and my legs are still in recovery mode. But I put in a decent first mile and focused on pace the rest of the way to turn in a very solid effort.

Conditions
Hour: 6:00 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: partly cloudy
Temperature: 82 degrees
Humidity: 70 percent
Wind: 5 mph
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: Tightness in my right ankle around the inside ankle bone.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 35:43
Pace: 8:55 min/mi

Comments: For the first time in a loooooong time I ended up going out to run on a whim. With two consecutive days behind me I initially planned to lay off today and get four miles in tomorrow. After dragging all yesterday afternoon I felt really good this morning and just went for it.

I felt like I was in control of the run the whole way, which is a very pleasant development. That my splits were pretty well grouped -- only a spread of 13 seconds between the slowest and fastest -- certainly bore that out. Moreover, while I approached this whole run as an extra, there was really no temptation to cut it short.

And the sunrise was pretty damn impressive as well.

Conditions:
Hour: 6:25 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 79 degrees
Humidity: 60 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: Little jab in the left quad at one point.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 38:05
Pace: 9:30 min/mi

Comments: This was a bit of a challenge but I wasn't really surprised. I had enough soreness in my quads yesterday that I knew back-to-back days of running would be difficult.

I started unusually strong with a 9:02 min/mi pace. That probably wasn't wise. The last mile topped 10 min/mi and I was glad the thing was over.

Yet I got through it and rather capably so even given the challenge of the effort. Importantly I got a good run in the new shoes. They are definitely softer and a bit more bouncy than the old pair. That'll actually take a little getting used to.

Conditions:
Hour: 6:45 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 80 degrees
Humidity: 73 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

Injury update: nada

New Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

I have had a soreness in my hips the last couple of runs and, on one occasion, it persisted for more than a day. I haven't been doing anything extreme in these runs so the most likely culprit are my shoes.

I'm not sure how long I've been using that pair of Brooks Adrenalines but it's more than a year and possibly pushing up on two. Way too long.

So I went to the RunOn over in Flower Mound and got a new pair of wheels. I tried a number of different brands and styles but went with the latest version of the Asics Kayano. I trained in a pair of these for my first marathon and they are a solid shoe. Back then, there was an issue with the stitching that would give me blisters on the base of my big toe when mileage got up there. But they've changed that and I sure ain't looking at 40 mile weeks any time soon.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 34:55
Pace: 8:43 min/mi

Comments: The humidity this morning was about 20% less than it's been over the past two weeks and the difference was astonishing. While it was not  cool it was not stifling and I was able to actually run this workout.

I started a little cautiously but clearly moving at a quicker pace than I have been recently then held it steady for the second mile. On the third mile I made a conscious effort to push things; setting shorter goals every quarter mile or so to keep myself focused.

That got me a very nice 8:30 min/pace for the split and then I just tried to ride out the final mile. It was significantly slower than the first three miles but well under my 9:00 min/mile benchmark. I know all I need to be aiming at with my runs right now is getting the miles in with regularity but it was nice revisiting my training routines for one morning.

Conditions:
Hour: 6:45 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 80 degrees
Humidity: 63 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: Soreness in my right hip at the three-mile mark.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 38:02
Pace: 9:30 min/mi

Comments: Another struggle but at least this time I felt like I could survive it. This run was my slowest in awhile. And although the temperature and humidity were supposedly on par with my other recent runs, it felt significantly more uncomfortable out there from the start. I was drenched in sweat by the halfway mark.

On a positive note, I never really wavered in my commitment to complete the run and felt reasonably in control of it despite the plodding pace. And while I've been unhappy with my ability to keep to my planned runs, looking back at these past two weeks, I've been remarkably consistent. Hoping to keep that up.


Conditions
Hour: 6:00 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 80 degrees
Humidity: 67 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: nada

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 38:03
Pace: 9:30 min/mi

Comments: For every step forward, take two steps back. This run was everything the last one was not. Slow, arduous, unpleasant and unsatisfying. I was apprehensive at the start and it pretty much delivered on every negative point I was concerned about.

The one upshot is that I got the full four miles in without just saying "fuck it" and walking the rest of the way. I'm not completely sure how I managed to accomplish that so I'll take that as the single encouraging sign from this pathetic effort.

Conditions:
Hour: 6:15 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 80 degrees
Humidity: 75 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: My left hip was still a little sore this morning and my right lower calf was a bit during the run as well.

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 37:08
Pace: 9:16 min/mi

Comments: I was kind of dreading this run when I got up this morning. I really didn't feel I was ready for it and didn't want to slog through another one. I started very very slow and let myself warm up and then was happily surprised to feel good.

It was slightly cooler this morning, which helped and maybe the fact my route turned out to be the course for a race did as well. I didn't set any speed records but felt strong the whole way and didn't feel wiped out when it was over. A very good run.

Conditions:
Hour: 6:25 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 79 degrees
Humidity: 74 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: My left hip was sore all yesterday and still a bit this morning. It didn't give me any problems during the run, though. I think I might need to get a new pair of shoes.

Fitness Run

Distance: 3 miles
Time: 27:35
Pace: 9:11 min/mi

Comments: This one was a bit more unpleasant than I expected. I found myself slogging it out the whole way and I really didn't have a reason for it. I slept well, ate decently and should have been on top of it.

The upside is that I got the whole run in. Three miles were what I had originally intended to do (to even out the shortened run on Monday). I was really concerned early on that the temptation to cut it short might be too much.

Conditions:
Hour: 6:15 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 80 degrees
Humidity: 70 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: nada

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 37:06
Pace: 9:16 min/mi

Comments: Surprised myself and got out the door despite feeling less than enthusiastic about this run. It turned out to be the right move. While this was no holiday in Aspen, it was a solid workmanlike effort and more satisfying than pretty much any of my other recent efforts.

I started off a little slow and then went a little fast on mile two. The second half of the run was very steady though. There wasn't a real temptation to cut the effort short either, which is a nice change as well.

Conditions:
Hour: 6:20 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: partly cloudy
Temperature: 81 degrees
Humidity: 73 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: nada

Fitness Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 36:28
Pace: 9:06 min/mi

Comments: I've been categorizing my runs under "fitness" in the Garmin interface for awhile now since it's clear I'm not training to do a race any time soon. My goal at the moment is getting better regularity with my runs, not competition. So my target is to try and get 18 miles a week with at least four runs.

This one went well enough. I got the four miles and, since the sun wasn't blazing down on me, it wasn't nearly as brutal as yesterday. The relatively quick pace was a nice surprise but, as I just mentioned, not the point of the effort.

Conditions:
Hour: 6:20 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 80 degrees
Humidity: 76 percent
Wind:
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: nada

Easy Run

Distance: 3 miles
Time: 27:58
Pace: 9:18 min/mi

Comments: Every single thing about this run was not pleasant. It was overhot, overhumid and completely miserable. I started sweating before the end of the first quarter mile and was struggling by the end of the first mile and a half.

That became my halfway mark as I went to walking pace with two miles and about two thirds done. I got to the part were there was some shade and took care of the final third of a mile and walked the rest. Honestly, I was surprised I got three miles in.

Conditions:
Hour: 7:40 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 85 degrees
Humidity: 70 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: Had aches in my left hip and left knee at moments of the run.

Easy Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 37:38
Pace: 9:24 min/mi

Comments: That was a bit more difficult than I expected. I got up feeling pretty good and didn't have to battle myself to get out the door. I stepped outside and felt like I had walked into a sauna. Not good.

I got started OK and the first mile went well and the second quite well then it got difficult. I was very glad for choosing the out-and-back course because if I was on the loop, four miles probably wouldn't have happened.

Mile three was a slog and mile four straight up suuuuuuuucked. But I finished them both and I'm feeling pretty good about that.

Conditions:
Hour: 6 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 78 degrees
Humidity: 78 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: nada

Easy Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 36:36
Pace: 9:09 min/mi

Comments: Slightly less humid this morning and that makes all the difference in the world. Things were actually quite pleasant starting out and didn't get torpid until after the halfway mark.

Although this effort left a lot to be desired, I felt better in this run than I really had any right to. I haven't been out except for the short run early in the week and my eating schedule has been uneven. But despite my reservations starting out, I fell into a very reasonable groove and didn't have to struggle to finish the full four miles.

Conditions:
Hour: 7 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 78 degrees
Humidity: 77 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: nada

Easy Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 37:09
Pace: 9:17 min/mi

Comments: Overslept yesterday and missed the run. Then got shamed by my neighbor going out for her run under the sweltering sun at noon. So I got up early (a bit too early, probably) and out the door for four miles before the morning rains arrived.

As expected, it was hot and humid and uncomfortable. I never really got into a groove at all. But I pushed through the impulse to cut it short and got the full four miles.

Conditions:
Hour: 5 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: cloudy
Temperature: 80 degrees
Humidity: 80 percent
Wind: 10 mph
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: nada

Recovery Run

Distance: 2.5 miles
Time: 22:26
Pace: 8:52 min/mi

Comments: Even though its been a few days and I ate and slept well yesterday, I just wasn't into this run. In terms of the conditions, it was a bit warmer and more humid than I've been accustomed to but not brutally unpleasant. Still, I just wasn't in the groove at all.

I decided on the Railroad Park route partially because I was curious how much the waters have gone down since the last time I went that way. Quite a bit, actually. At two-and-a-half miles I decided not to push it and walked it back, once again, helping a few stranded turtles caught in the road constructions.

Conditions:
Hour: 6:30 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: partly cloudy
Temperature: 78 degrees
Humidity: 83 percent
Wind: 7 mph
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: My left hip has been slightly sore for the last day or so.

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 35:59
Pace: 8:59 min/mi

Comments: It's amazing how much one's performance will improve if one eats halfway decent and gets a solid night's sleep. Easily my best effort in quite awhile and the first under my "training" threshold of 9 min/mi average. And not only was there no nagging impulse to cut it short but I also was able to step up the pace on the last quarter mile.

Conditions:
Hour: 6:00 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 74 degrees
Humidity: 87 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: nada

Easy Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 37:47
Pace: 9:26 min/mi

Comments: The so-called "cold" front moved in yesterday bringing a bit of rain and some relief from the sweltering conditions. It was enough of a change that I decided to try this run even though it would be in the sun.

It was about as rough as I expected and my splits were all over the map. My second mile was sub-9 minutes and my last one was almost 10 minutes. Not exactly the kind of consistency that suggests reasonable conditioning.

Overall though it wasn't an abysmal effort. I got the miles I wanted and, even though I did the out-and-back course, I never really had that urge to cut it short.

Conditions:
Hour: 8:30 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 85 degrees
Humidity: 60 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: nada

Easy Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 38:15
Pace: 9:33

Comments: Another sweltering four miles. If nothing else, the runs this week clearly demonstrate that runs during the day in this weather are a really bad idea.

I got out the door about 15 minutes earlier than yesterday and hit that sweet spot where the temperatures are as low as they are gonna get and what sun I had to deal with was at my back.

But the effort clearly took its toll. I was a good fifteen seconds slower per mile. That had a bit to do with getting out of the way of a very young, very scared raccoon caught in between the sidewalk barriers.

Conditions:
Hour: 6:15 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 77 degrees
Humidity: 79 percent
Wind: nada
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: nada

Easy Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 37:08
Pace: 9:16 min/mi

Comments: The minute I stepped out the door, I knew this would be brutal. Temperatures touching 80 degrees by the end with the humidity even higher. I broke out in a sweat locking my door.

Again, the primary goal was getting the four miles. And doing the loop was clearly too much of a temptation to cut it short so I went the out-and-back route again. Another upside of this course is I can gain a little momentum on the decline.

Still. The humidity was like running through the surf. In effort, anyway. I didn't even come close to my usual 9 min/mi pace but was very surprised I kept it under 9:30.

Conditions:
Hour: 6:30 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 78 degrees
Humidity: 83%
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: nada

Easy Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 38:17
Pace: 9:38 min/mi

Comments: I have made an effort to eat a bit better in order to have the energy to run in the current sweltering conditions. It's clear my times are not going to be worth a damn but I'd like to be consistent on the mileage. The key to that, if I am not mistaken, is having the energy reserves to push through the fatigue.

I also did my there-and-back route today in an effort to ensure I got the full run in. The problem with the circuit course is the ease of cutting it short when I'm finishing each lap. This was a solid run. Nothing fancy. I wanted the miles and I got them.

Conditions:
Hour: 7:30 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: overcast
Temperature: 75 degrees
Humidity: 90%
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: nada

Easy Run

Distance: 2.5 miles
Time: 23:10
Pace: 9:16

Comments: Hot. Humid. Unpleasant. Slow.

Conditions:
Hour: 6:00 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: overcast
Temperature: 77 degrees
Humidity: 88 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: nada

Easy Run

Distance: 2.5 miles
Time: 22:33
Pace: 9:01 min/mi

Comments: It's probably time to admit to myself that my running is now a matter of occasional calisthenics and race training is a part of my past. Between the week-long delays and cutting runs short there's not a lot of conditioning being stored up to use in a competition.

So today I got out and ran a few mediocre miles and that was it. I'll try to do a few more tomorrow but it's not likely and my expectations aren't high if I do.

Conditions:
Hour: 6:30 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: clear
Temperature: 80 degrees
Humidity: 76%
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: nada

Training Run

Distance: 3 miles
Time: 26:23
Pace: 8:47 min/mi

Comments: The plan was to run six miles yesterday and that didn't happen. So I was going to try that distance again today and only got half of it. This isn't a huge surprise given my diet yesterday; MEAT. Add to that the heat and an all-star performance wasn't in the cards.

The water has receded a bit around here but is still ridiculously high. I stopped to help about five turtles stuck in a construction area. I passed two others that got run over on the road. No snakes, thank goodness.

Conditions:
Hour: 7:15 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: sunny
Temperature: 68 degrees
Humidity: 70 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: nada

Training Run

Distance: 5 miles
Time: 44:58
Pace: 8:59 min/mi

Comments: So, wonder of wonders, the sun came out in beautiful clear blue skies today. The temperatures were even rather pleasant. But, despite the bonnie weather, the high water remained a problem. It was actually higher than yesterday as the waters from further north are moving down the watershed.

So my shoes got soaked as I forded a couple of spots. Since I was stopping to take photos they dried enough to not act like lead weights. The pictures from this run are here: http://imgur.com/a/68X2m

Overall a very reasonable effort. I got five miles in which was a nice change. I might even try for six tomorrow depending on how my legs feel.

Conditions:
Hour: 7 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: sunny
Temperature: 68 degrees
Humidity: 75 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: nada

Easy Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 37:00
Pace: 9:15 min/mi

Comments: Yet another deluge arrived this morning but, by about 9 a.m., it had moved on. I waited a bit after and went out for the run. I decided to swing by the Elm Fork of the Trinity River up the road here to see how high the water had gotten. Quite a bit, it turns out.

I've posted a few more photos here: http://imgur.com/a/PbPj5

So the run was marked with lots of stops and pauses. And the route has noticeably more elevation changes than my usual loop. So I was understandably slower than normal but not excessively so. I also figured having a bit of caution would be wise since I'd like to get another one of these in tomorrow.

Conditions:
Hour: 9:45 a.m.
Surface: concrete
Weather: rain/overcast
Temperature: 70 degrees
Humidity: 95 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: nada

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 36:00
Pace: 9 min/mi

Comments: This was really the first run in the last week that I've felt halfway decent about. After the usual first mile creakiness I felt like I was actually running. I nailed the 9 minute pace threshold on the nose but, more importantly my splits were all within five seconds. That's the kind of consistency I've been looking for. Now, if I can keep that and work on conditioning I've got a plan going forward.

Conditions:
Hour:
Surface: concrete
Weather: overcast
Temperature: 64 degrees
Humidity: 98 percent
Wind: calm
Location: Lewisville, Texas
Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GT 14

Injury update: Slight soreness in my right hip.