run, run, run

This was my second time running this race and I was a bit slower than last year. I expected that because I'm not feeling like I'm in as good of shape as I was last year. I enjoyed it though. The weather was good. The rain stopped before the race began and temperature was around 40.

With a few hundred yards left I passed a guy (found out later that his name was Jose Lopez) as I sped up for the finish line. Then just before the finish line, Jose Lopez went flying past me. I was impressed with his kick at the end and told him so. But alas, when the times were posted I see that I did in fact beat Jose Lopez. He must have started a few seconds before me. Small victories.

 Good soup at the finish line.

Meridian, ID 10:00 am

Pace: 8.18

Been slacking off too much. Actually, too many family commitments. Everything is a choice. Sometimes you have to give up a good thing for a better thing. But then again, I probably could have gotten more runs in over the holidays if I had rolled my butt out of bet a little earlier. But that's what holidays are for, right?

I leave for Pittsburgh on Monday and I have no idea how much running I'm going to be able to do. I think if I stay committed and get a little creative with the hours I go out, I should be ok.

Pittsburgh, PA 5:30 am

6.05 miles

Pace: 8:48

It was cold and really early, but the reports predict some ugly weather coming up, so I can deal with cold and early. Pretty uneventful run. Just early. I staid up too late last night watching the stupid football game.

Pittsburgh, PA 6:00 pm

6 miles

Pace: 8:00 or so

I was looking online today for a new running route in Pittsburgh and ran across the web site of a running group that meets on Tuesday evenings. So after work I went and hooked up with them. I ran with a couple of guys that run a little faster than I do, so I had to push myself to keep up. It was a good workout for me.

The roads were slick and it was raining pretty hard the whole time. Afterward we ate dinner at the restaurant we started at. I had a good time and met some nice people.

Pittsburgh, PA 5:00pm

Pace: 8:27

I finished working early today so I went out on the same three  rivers run I'd been doing, but this time I went in reverse direction. I found a path that I should have been running on all along instead of the busy street. Now I know.

Pittsburgh, PA 3:00 pm

Pace: 8:41

Today I went up the Alegheny river along a greenbelt path then back down the south shore. It was pretty cold with light snow but really a pleasant run.

Pittsburgh, PA Noon

Pace: 8.31

Ice storm. I didn't realize what the weather was like until I walked outside. It was pretty ugly, but I had a great run. I went up a greenbelt path along the Manogahala up to the Hot Metal Bridge and then back down the other side. Rain, sleet, slush.

Pittsburgh, PA 9:00am

Pace: 8:51

I ran up the hill today. Last night I mapped out a course that goes across the river and up the hill that the incline trams go up. It was a nice run, lots of hill work, of course. The weather was cold but pleasant. Light snow. Not enough to matter. Google maps is cool, except that with a street view, you don't really get any surprises. You've seen it all before you run it.

It all worked out really well until I got to the bottom of the hill just before the West End Bridge. At that point there was no sidewalk and no real way I could see to get to the bridge. I went under the train bridge on a 1-foot curb and crossed onto a traffic island. There was a cop standing on the island with an amused look on his face, like he was wondering what on earth I was doing there. I told him I was just trying to get to the bridge. He said I had to go back and around somewhere -- I don't know. Then he said "you can go when the traffic breaks but you gotta run like hell." So I waited till he said go and I ran like hell down the street to the bridge and leaped over the baracade on to the sidewalk, turned to give the cop a little wave and continued on over the bridge. Nothing like a little boost of adrenaline to get you through the last mile of your run.

Pittsburgh, PA 8:30 am

Pace: 8:46

I tried to go on yesterday's course to see if there is a way to get across that road at the end of the bridge without police intervention. There isn't. So I turned and went on along the shoreline. It was a nice morning. I was able to finish up before the snow started falling.

Pittsburgh, PA 9:30 am

Pace: 8:35

Cold today. About 11 when I left. I couldn't bear the thought of crossing one of those bridges. It gets really cold over the river. So I ran along the North Shore for three and a half miles and then turned back. Cold is all there really is to say about today's run. Tomorrow is supposed to be even colder.

Pittsburgh, PA 9:15 am

Pace: 8:37

My last run in Pittsburgh was a rough one. It was even colder than yesterday -- single-digits, with more snow. I went down the North Shore of the Alegheny. When I was going up the bridge on to Washington Landing Island I made a turn on the ramp. My feet went one direction and the rest of me went the other and I went down on my knee. It hurt.

Being the idiot that I am, I just kept running. I crossed the 33rd street bridge and was heading back towards downtown. I planned on crossing over to the south side to get my miles up to 7 or 8, but by the time I got to the Roberto Clemente Bridge (Did a cooler person than Roberto Clemente ever live?) my knee was starting to throb and my face hurt -- did I mention it was really cold. So I whimped out and crossed the bridge back to the hotel.

I think my knee will be ok. Just bruised. And anyway, I'm done for this week. I fly home at 6am tomorrow and won't be running over the weekend.

Pittsburgh was a good trip. It is a great city for running in and would be even better if it weren't the dead of winter. The work part of the trip kind of stunk, but that's not what this blog is for. Now, back to Idaho where it's warm!

Boise, ID Noon

Pace: 8:43

A rough one today. I came down with a stomach bug on Sunday, so I took yesterday off too. I was feeling better today -- till I got about a mile and a half into my run. I was feeling pretty queezy most of the way. Thought about cutting it short a couple of times, but I gutted it out for the 7 miles I'd planned on running, so I guess that is a victory.

My knee isn't 100% yet. Good enough to run, I think, since it isn't an overuse injury, just banged from a fall. I'll give it another try tomorrow. See if I feel better.

Boise, ID Noon

Pace: 8:57

Slow, plodding along. Still not 100% Just feel like I'm going out there for the sake of going out there. I guess it's better than not going out there for the sake of going out there.

Meridian, ID Noon

Pace:8:46

Felt better than yesterday, but still wasn't a great run. Haven't really enjoyed a run all week. I'll give it another shot tomorrow. Maybe I'll be feeling better next week.

Boise, ID 9:15am

Pace: 8:42

It was about 38 degrees out this morning with a rain/snow mix falling. I felt better during this run than any of the others this week, but still not great. I think I was just cold and not thinking about whether I feel lousy or not. I'll take tomorrow off and hopefully I'll be feeling better next week.

Boise, ID 10:00 am

Pace: 8:27

I had to drop off my car at the shop to get the brakes looked at. So I left it there and ran to my sister's house to borrow her car. She's in Indonesia riding on rickshaws, or whatever they call those things there, so she won't need it.

It was cold, in the low 20s, but my best run since I got back from Pittsburgh. I felt good the whole way and wasn't really ready to stop when it ended. Haven't felt that way in a while. Tomorrow I'll go farther. Hopefully this thing is over and I can get back to normal.

Meridian, ID 10:00 am

Pace: ?

My iPod sensor died this morning. It had been telling me that the battery is low, but I wanted to see how far it would go after I got the warning. The answer: not far.

A cold run around Meridian this morning. It was less than 20 when I left, about 27 when I got back. It is nice to be feeling good again. I really enjoyed the run today.

Boise, ID Noon

Pace: 8:36

A good lunchtime run. Warmer today, in the mid 30s and sunny. Didn't really push myself at all, just kept it comfortable.

Boise, ID Noon

Pace: 8:19

Great weather today. 42 degrees by the time I finished. About a mile into it I had to stop and shed some clothes. Then, of course, I started running into the wind and got cold again.

I took a slightly different route today. Cloverdale to Executive to Mitchell to Ustick.

Meridian, ID 10:30am

Pace:  8:51

Finally got a 40 mile week in. First one since November. A nice run today, a little cold and I was dragging a bit from the mileage during the week, but overall a good way to end the week.