Checking the Tank

Another cool morning and another good run. I feel like a am getting stronger on my base runs which is nice. I do have a nagging next to the pinky toe on my left foot. The nail is black and it is tender. Its not a runners toe so I am not sure why it is acting up. 

The good Lord is spoiling me with the cool morning weather. My running has been much more enjoyable like that!

The wife rode her bike while I ran today which is always nice. Gives us a chance to talk while the kids rest. Good run today, felt strong at the end! 

Very humid race today, but set my PR anyway! It was a much bigger 5K than the last few I ran, over 1100 people ran. I took some advice and ran against some stiffer competition. 

Recovery run today. I ran early but we are in another heat wave and it makes it rough. 

I went on run today and found something I lost yesterday.... my legs! Ok it was hot and humid which is not fun, but I felt strong and that was nice. 

Holy cow it was hot and humid. I am sure there are others of you in hotter areas, but wow I was drained during my morning run today. I was 'trudging' through. I didn't quit, I ran what I was suppose too, but it was tough miles. 

Still hot and humid :/ but I did feel pretty good anyway. It did rain for the first 3 miles of my run and I certainly liked that. Nice long run and spent some time in good deep thought. 

Today was something new. Fog. Lots of fog. So for the first 3 miles I had to keep wiping my glasses off as they would steam up all the time! So a bit annoying but that's ok. I was trying to practice proper hydration and using gu. When I run daily I just wait till I get back, but when I run more than 10 miles I need water and a boost. The problem is I do not have a running partner which is okay if wife rides her bike with me because she can attach the water bottles to the bike. Our youngest went to granny's today (we call it granny camp) so she did not ride while I ran. So i set up my water bottle in the driveway on the car and put some gu in my pockets. The draw back with that is when I run I have to come back by the house to get the water and there is always temptation of saying 'that's enough'.I kept strong today and fought that urge :)

Anyway, good run, two quick gu/drinks (at 5 and 10) and despite the humidity I felt pretty good!

I don't usually run on Sunday since we are involved at church and our day is pretty full. Today however is our last day before we take the youth group to camp in Tennessee. I doubt I will post while at camp, but will still run of course. It will be early early mornings to run on top of the mountains! It will take a lot of discipline since I will also be a camp counselor with the youth. 

My run today was a little rushed since I didn't wake up as early as I wanted to! That is a bummer and since we are driving to camp tomorrow it will be my rest day. 

At camp this week with the youth! Ran on top of the mountain in Tennessee! 

This is a race almost straight UP the mountain (bluff)- there are a few parts where I had to push my hands on my thighs to keep moving. Its BURNS- so you cannot actually run all of it because you need to grab trees to pull yourself up! About 35 people race this and most are teenagers since it is a Christian Youth Camp (that also does Christian Athletics- NACA) so I was happy to beat almost all kids half my age, but not in a mean way. It was a good time in fellowship :)

At camp this week with the youth! Ran on top of the mountain in

Tennessee! It was humid this day, but felt good!

At camp this week with the youth! Ran on top of the mountain in

Tennessee! Hot and humid this morning. I am home now so I could enter all this. What a great week with great speakers at camp. 

Back home from a great camp week, getting back in the home groove.

Hot and humid... sounds like a broken record. Felt good to get out today all the same, good soild run. 

Decent day, I felt like my legs didn't wake up until mile 3. Overall though felt pretty good! 

Felt pretty good this morning. The humidity is very draining, but plugging away on those base miles. I am pretty sure I will use the half marathon in September as a test. I want to see if I can get under the bq time so I can plan the full one and go for my goal. 

I think it was a whole 2 degrees cooler this morning :) I may just making it up, but I felt very good running today and thought maybe that was it! 

Today was brutal with the heat and humidity. I mean I was dripping with sweat when I came in the house. I had to hang my shirt and shorts outside right away so I did not get the kitchen floor all wet! I was happy to just run today, I had to drink more than usual from that heat, but all is well. 

So my wife just checked and our area is under and 'excessive heat warning'. It would bother me if I did not already run :) 

This had to be the most humid week I have ran this year. All in all pretty decent morning running, lots of hydration needed. I am sooo looking forward to even a 10 degree weather break and some drop in the humidity. 

Ahhh it was cooler today. Only mid 60's for my run, talk about feeling nice. My ankles felt a bit sore as I ran. I stopped after 3 miles to re-tie my shoes and rub my ankles and then they felt fine. Very weird. Overall some nice base miles :) 

Another cooler morning - felt strong at the end... love that!

My shoulder has been sore the last few days. I actually hurt it taking off my running shirt! It was so stuck to me from being so hot that I yanked it. It was bugging me today and the humid air was back so I just did some slow base miles today.

Nice morning run today, just a tad cooler but 100% humidity. 

Ah it was nicer today. Yeah it gets old saying some things, but when it is cooler it is so much easier to finish strong!! 

So today was a good day to run, but then again, isn't every day? I realized last night I had no gu and although it is not a must I like to have it on Saturday when I run longer. I decided to start my run around 8:30 instead of my normal 6-6:30. That was I could run my normal area but break off and head to the Dick's Sporting Goods. I arrived there a few minutes after they opened. Running, hot, sweat - oh yes. So I pause my Garmin and walk briskly to the counter to grab a few packets of gu. I remembered to stuff my bank card in my running shorts pocket and was able to get out of the store in less than one minute to resume running. I was laughing to myself though because the 3 girls at the counter gave me the look of 'this guy is crazy'. I started to attempt to explain, but quickly gave that up since it appeared futile! I'm still laughing haha. They should hire some runners and then maybe they could expand their shoe line to shoes I actually wear. 

After that I was able to run my area again and ran into a few people that I had never seen out running. One younger guy was running 8 miles today as we spend 2.2 seconds talking as we passed one another. I could use a running partner, but didn't think that would sound good in the middle of a run 'Hey want to run with me some days - see it doesn't sound to smooth. Oh well.

 Overall pretty happy with my run since I still feel pretty strong. Last summer when I did NOT understand proper training and had no real good advice I ran 18 one Saturday and felt like I couldn't walk for days.

Now the big question... what to cook for dinner :)