Where's the Donuts?

Gray, cloudy day and perfect for a few easy morning miles. Warren-Manette Bridges loop. No problems, just relaxed throughout and enjoyed the quiet morning. I thought about the Olympic Trials. I talked to Paul this morning, he sounded pleased with the experience and his time. I'll let him blog about that though. When we were talking he got word that Ryan Shay had died at mile 5 of a heart attack, I'm sure that put a damper on things in NYC today. 

YMCA hills loop. No problems. Real mild morning, 55 and overcast, having the extra hour was nice. 

There's a group of raccoons that hang around my neighborhood, they've been a little more bold lately in coming up to my back porch. But they aren't a big problem or anything, I don't have chickens or cats for them to kill and they're much less annoying than dogs (not that James wouldn't try to kick one of these suckers). Anyway, heading down Jacobson the past two days a raccoon has crossed in front of me at exactly the same place. I'd say I'm interfering with his schedule, but I ran at different times the two days. It means nothing, but it's kind of weird.

Early morning run through lower Manette switchbacks (11th Street, 10th, upper and lower Shore Drive), thank goodness for daylight savings time. A few less hills on this stretch, sad to say but my legs needed an easy day. I hadn't run three consecutive days in a month. 8 min. miles. 

Easy run on Manette switchbacks, same as Monday. A little sluggish to start but no problems, I can feel that I'm working to get back in shape. Not that I'm way out of shape, but I can't really turnover like I should be able to. Today I stopped at the beach and watched sea lions feeding on chum salmon for awhile. The were just a hundred feet or so off shore, pretty close. Loud suckers when they bark though.

Reading James' post on the First Dam Run reminded me that I've been healthy for an entire year. I came back from IT band syndrome last year at the First Dam 5k (and didn't think it was that poorly run, sounds like they got someone new in charge this year). I haven't gone without an injury for a whole season in a few years, so I'm thankful for that.

Same loop as I've been on all week. I'm just trying to get back into a routine, so it's boring but consistent and that's fine for right now. It's foggy enough in the early morning that scenery wouldn't matter anyway. No sea lions this morning, but a family of raccoons visited me while I was stretching the backyard. Same pace, about 8 min./miles, and my fitness feels like it's coming back. 

In Seattle. Three miles from Laurelhurst neighborhood out 25th to 65th Ave. NE, then east straight to Green Lake. I ran a little faster than I have been easing out in the past week, I was pushing a bit so as not to be late meeting Aaron (we missed each other anyway) and because I was a little jazzed running in the city. We crossed wires on the meeting spot, so we each took off individually and ended up meeting one the trail, luckily we ran in opposite directions. I went about 1.5 miles around the loop when we ran into each other, then turned around and ran the loop the other direction for about 2.5, then Aaron took off toward his place and I ran back a mile or so to get to Ravenna/65th. A construction worker saw the race t-shirt I was wearing and yelled at me because he was in the same race last spring. Then I ran back 3 miles to Laurelhurst. It was my longest run in awhile, and at a pretty decent pace most of the time. I slowed down the last two miles or so, my legs reminded me that they weren't told about any 11 mile runs on the schedule (which, to tell the truth, this wasn't. I didn't expect to go quite this far). But a good feeling to be a little wiped out after exerting myself, those quick morning runs lately aren't doing that at all. I helped my uncle and cousins move boxes the rest of the day so I was pretty tired by evening.  

Back in Bremerton, woke up with some stiff legs from yesterday. Nice morning though, very quiet and mild. Warren Ave-Evergreen Park-Manette Bridge loop, an easy pace but stronger than I felt on the same run a week ago. My legs warmed up pretty soon into the race and I didn't feel yesterday much, though I stayed conservative because it was a recovery run and it was pretty blustery crossing the bridges. Solid start to the week, hopefully the rain keeps trickling down in short burst this week, as it did over the weekend, instead of soaking us for days. 

Easy around the 11th Ave. to Shore Drive switchbacks. Yesterday was a brutal windstorm and it poured all morning, but today the sky cleared up and it was a ideal for a run.

Another morning, another 3 miles on the 11th Ave. to Shore Dr. switchback loop. It's starting to click on this run and feel repetative and easy, but that was the point. I've had trouble establishing a consistent routine in the past few months, so I want to get to where those 3 miles are automatic, then structure some more work around them. But not hurry to do so. I flew through it today, good start to the morning. 

Same run, with a steady rain added to the mix. It felt good though. 

Spur of the moment entry in a 5k. A woman I work with who is also a runner told me last night she was headed there, and since she has base access she'd let me in to run the race. I figured the base access requirement would mean I could place highly, and I wasn't doing anything else this morning (and, I heard you could win a turkey, which is always worth $10). Turns out a lot of people have connections with access (Bangor is a nuclear submarine base outside of my town) and it was a decent field. Two high school X-C teams showed up, good timing for them since they all peaked last weekend. High school kids took a number of top-10 spots. 

There were a few sprinkles on the drive in, I was hoping the rain would hold. Then a mist started during my 1-mile warm-up, then as we waited (and waited, and waited) for the start it turned into a downpour that only got worse during the next hour. (Of course, the sun's coming out now, great timing.) Not too cold, but it was unpleasant.

I went out conservatively because the group of teenagers bolted from the start. I went through 1-mile at 5:34 and felt great. I picked off a few runners after that point, chasing the women's leader (yes, I got chicked, and I have no problem with that). I tried to hold the pace but I think I let me mind wander and slowed a bit. I talked to some guys afterwards, a lot of people slowed on mile 2. I felt fine and kept everyone but the leader (went under 17) in sight, but was so cold and soaked that I didn't have much pick up for the last mile. I was right on the heels of two kids going into the final quarter or so and I tried to surge up a hill on them, but they have younger legs than I and just held me off. It was a good sprint down the stretch for 7th place though.

Then I cooled down for about 2 miles with a guy I know, we were sopping by that point and the rain just kept coming.

Then, the biggest part of the morning -- I won a turkey. The awards ceremony may have lasted 45 minutes (ugh, I wish James would have been there to write an angry blog post about their glacial pace), but it was worth it because I went home with a free bird and a medal for my place in the age group. Also, I met a bunch of people that could be potential running partners. The woman who invited me is loosely affliated with this running club, and they invited me to train with them some. That's probably the real best part of the run, but the free turkey dinner will taste good tonight as well.  

Medium-paced 7-mile out and back along Tracyton Beach Road. This one has a few hills to start out around my house, then mellows out for a nice stretch along the water. Once it levels out I like to stretch my legs and float a bit, get down below 7/min. miles. Silent morning, overcast day and there was almost no one else outside. My legs felt recovered from the race yesterday, I stopped and stretched once because I was a little tight but I felt pretty strong. 53 minutes. 

After getting back from the run, I put yesterday's winnings in the oven. That and a Bears game in Seattle make it a promising Sunday. Is 9:30 a.m. too early for a nap?

Three-miles between 11th and Shore Drive, same route I've been doing, then I added a little extra extension past my house at the end. I felt a little sluggish, but was running an easy pace anyway. Feels like winter is starting, so it'll be important to keep getting out every morning as the days get darker and colder. 

Same route as yesterday, felt fine and it's a really nice morning now. Just a touch under 8 min. miles, nothing special. It's getting simple to do this little run every day, which was the plan. I'll start adding a little mileage next week, I've identified my next race -- Jan. 12 Nookachamps 10k in Mount Vernon -- so I can focus on that now. It's a year to the day that I showed up here, so happy birthday to me. 

For anyone heading to Moab, I have one cabin at Pack Creek Ranch reserved, a six-person. I've heard from Paul, Stacy, Ben, Cody and his wife, and Aaron with interest, so we'll figure out how that all works and what fits. If others are interested in staying there they do still have some cabins open, so maybe we could get a little compound set up.

The first frosty morning of the season, but I worked late last night so I slept in a bit and got out once the sun was coming up. Beautiful, clear morning, took the Warren-Manette bridges route to get a look at the Olympics. I

I was in a bit of a hurry to catch a ferry, so I ran 5 miles starting easy and working up to a medium pace (7/min.). Felt really good up the hills for some reason, I was thinking about how much of a challenge they were when I started running here a year ago. Stretched out my legs a bit on the last flat portion in, I'll start adding striders to runs next week.   

No frost today, it was actually pretty mild (40 at 7 a.m.) and I felt a little overdressed. Went out Trenton Avenue, which is essentially one long hill, then a short downhill, then another longer uphill stretch. I went from there out to Illahee State Park and did a loop through the park and a neighborhood, then back on a portion of Trenton and home. Coming home I got a better pace going (hills were in my favor) but the pace was more difficult than it should have been. Two 12-hour+ days at work plus a day of running around to see family might have been catching up with me. I stretched out quite a bit and I'll relax the rest of today, then head to Seattle to run part of the marathon with Aaron tomorrow morning.

I got a little sick last night and didn't sleep much, then realized I had a noonish commitment I wouldn't have made if I tried to hit the Seattle marathon course. So, I got up and ran 5 miles at a 7:30ish pace around Husky Stadium (rather, around the trash left outside Husky Stadium from the UW-WSU game yesterday) and the arboretum nearby. My back froze up afterward (I didn't stretch enough, and slept on a floor the night before) and it's KILLING me right now. I can't really sit here and type anymore. 

I could hardly get out of bed Monday because my back was so stiff, so I skipped the run and stood in a hot shower for 30 minutes. Then stretched awhile and tried to keep it loose during the day at work. Today I feel better, just a little sore but I can tell it's only muscle tightness and working its way out. Didn't even feel it during the few miles this morning, and stretching for a sustained period again helped. Anyway, good easy run, the snow from last night stopped and the sun was out. 

Rain held off for another morning, and it wasn't really that cold out either. If this weather could hold on for most of December I may get in decent shape this winter. The 4-mile hilly loop around the YMCA today, tried to stay strong on the uphills and cruise down, so it was a pretty good pace overall. My back loosened up and feels fine now, weird how that happened. A dog I always run by was laying in the bushes waiting for me today and scared the crap out of me when I came around the corner. I was coming from the other direction than usual so I couldn't sneak up on him, clever little guy.

Took the day off from work and used the morning to get a few more miles in. The nasty winter weather seems to keep holding off, I'll take that as long as I can get it. 45 and cloudy this morning, really pleasant. 

Out and back on Tracyton Beach Road to Essex, through Lions Park on the return trip. I may have went out a bit strong the first half. I wasn't at Tinman Tempo, though I considered doing that for a few miles, but about mile 6.5 or 7 my stomach cramped and I stiffened up. I wouldn't call it a 'workout' but it was a good effort for the first 2/3 of the run, then I eased off and came back conservatively. About 68 minutes, so I had a good pace just a smidge above 7 minutes. I definitely need to get back in a groove for longer runs though, I can feel fatigue in my muscles as I approach 10 miles.