Steve, Cathy, and Nicholas -- Steve's running log for 2012 (created 2012-01-02)

This is a log of my runs for 2012. I have a GPS app for my iPhone that tells me how fast and how far I have run. It also produces a map of the route, which I have embellished with a bit of R code.

I also have a log for 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016.You can find general information about my running activities on my main log page.

Total monthly run amounts
--> December 2012, 45.0K in 14 outdoor runs, 2.8 miles in two runs on the treadmill
--> November 2012, 36.0K in 11 runs
--> October 2012, 42.7K in 12 runs
--> September 2012, 35.5K in 12 runs
--> August 2012, 38.6K in 13 runs
--> July 2012, 43.7K in 13 runs
--> June 2012, 30.9K in 9 runs
--> May 2012, 41.1K in 12 runs
--> April 2012, 28.1K in 10 runs
--> March 2012, 30.8K in 11 runs
--> February 2012, 7.5K in 3 runs
--> January 2012, 17.0K in 8 runs

Totals for 2012: 397 kilometers (246 miles) in 126 runs. Average run length: 3.2 kilometers (2.0 miles). I also put in 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles) on two runs on the indoor treadmill.
Totals for 2011: 163.kilometers (101 miles) in 48 runs. Average run length: 3.4 kilometers (2.1 miles).

Monday, December 31, 2012 , 1.7K in 12 minutes

Map of December 31, 2012 run

There was significant snow in the forecast, and it might hamper my ability to run outside for a few days or maybe even a few weeks, so I thought I'd better get in a quick run before all the snow hit the ground. It was actually quite pretty with big puffy flakes coming down. The snow was starting to stick, making the running a bit slippery. So I abandoned my plan to run down "no brake" hill and back up again, and opted instead for the relatively flat stretch of Mission Road. I was able to keep up a pretty good pace. I finished a total of 1.7 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 12 minutes. This was one minute slower than my best time on this flat route and translates to a 35 minute 5K.

It was just above freezing (34F or 1C) and I felt pretty good in my new running outfit. I didn't have any serious muscle aches or joint pains.

Sunday, December 30, 2012, 1.5 miles on the treadmill in 23 minutes

Bar chart of treadmill paces

I thought I'd put in a bit of time on treadmill again and see what it felt like to run at 6mph. I warmed up with five minutes at a brisk walking pace (3 mph) and then cycled up and down each minute between 4, 5, and 6 mph (4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4). Then I cooled down with five more minutes at 3 mph. I put in a total of 1.5 miles in 23 minutes.

I ran barefoot again on the treadmill and it wasn't too bad. I like not having to hassle with shoes, and as long as I don't overdo it, it should be too hard on the soles of my feet.

Saturday, December 29, 2012 , 2.8K in 20 minutes

Map of December 29, 2012 run

We had yet another cold day (19F or -7C) but my new running outfit worked fairly well. There was a bit of wind today and that makes things a lot harder. The icy patches are still here, mostly along 148th Street, where I do my warm-up jog and the first stretch of most runs. When there's a patch of ice, I run along the grassy strip between the sidewalk and street, where traction is much better. But halfway down the hill on the way to Mission Road is a stretch that you can't get around easily, so I have to hop into the street.

I set a decent pace, finishing each of the first two kilometers in seven minutes. This is along a stretch of Mission Road with two pretty big hills, so it's quite an accomplishment. I even had a bit of a kick at the end of my run. I finished a total of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 20 minutes. This is a half minute slower than my best time on the 143rd Street route and translates to a 36 minute 5K.

I didn't have any serious muscle aches or joint pains.

Thursday, December 27, 2012 , 1.2K in 9 minutes

Map of December 27, 2012 run

It was cold again (19F or -7C), but not quite as cold as yesterday, so I headed out for a short run. I just bought some special clothes for running in the cold and they worked pretty well. There's still a lot of ice on the sidewalk on 148th Street, and I have to hop out into the street for a short stretch to avoid a bad patch of ice.

I set a reasonable pace, given the cold and ice, and finished the first kilometer in 7 minutes, and the entire route (1.2 kilometers or 0.7 miles) in 9 minutes. This was 1 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 37.5 minute 5K.

It breaks an unofficial rule of mine to run two consecutive days, but the time I put in on the treadmill doesn't really count.

Wednesday, December 26, 2012, 1.3 miles on the treadmill in 22 minutes

Bar chart of treadmill paces

It was very cold this morning, close to 0F (-18C) if you count the wind chill factor. So I put some time in on the treadmill. The treadmill doesn't do metric, so all my computations are in miles per hour (mph). I warmed up for five minutes at a 3mph pace, and then alternated every other minute at a 5mph or 4mph pace for a total of 12 minutes. Then I cooled down for five minutes at a 3mph pace. I didn't watch very carefully, but I think the total distance (including warm-up and cool down) was about 1.3 miles.

There's no map, of course, when I run on the treadmill.

I went barefoot on the treadmill and it seemed just fine. I didn't have any particular problems, either with aching muscles or joint pains. I did feel a bit dizzy afterwards, as if my body wanted to keep moving forward.

In general, I want to keep the treadmill times relatively short. When I get more comfortable with it, I will definitely work on speed. It goes up to 12 mph, which is far faster than I would ever need or want to go. Being able to run at 6 mph for sustained periods of time would be good. Such a speed translates to a 31 minute 5K race.

Monday, December 24, 2012 , 7.6K in 60.5 minutes

Map of December 24, 2012 run

It was cold again (18F or -8C) but with sweatpants, a hoodie, and gloves, I was okay for the most part. I wanted to work on distance, as I had more time than normal. There were a few spots where a strong wind chilled me, though. I ran a longer route, starting out as the church route, but extending it down Nall to 150th Terrace and across 150th Terrace to Linden Avenue. Cinnamon was full of energy the whole run, but she stopped for a poop break before the second kilometer. I lost at least a minute and I had to carry the poop bag for the duration of the run. She also had to stop and pee three other times. So clearly today was not a day for speed. After a fairly fast start, I averaged about an 8 minute kilometer, just barely finished the first 5 kilometers in 40 minutes. I actually sped up a bit after that and finished the next two kilometers in 15 more minutes. I ended up finishing a total of 7.6 kilometers (4.7 miles) in 60 1/2 minutes, which would extrapolate to a 120 minute 10K. This was my longest run in 2012 and the fourth longest ever.

I had very few muscle aches and almost no joint pains. This is a bit surprising for such a long run.

Saturday, December 22, 2012 , 1.8K in 13 minutes

Map of December 22, 2012 run

We had a snowstorm on Thursday, and there was still a lot of snow and ice on the ground on Saturday morning. It was also very cold (25F or -4C). But I bundled up (sweatpants, hoodie, and gloves) and headed out for a morning run. I wasn't going to try for any great distance or speed records today. Today (and perhaps most of my runs for the next couple of months) will just be an effort to keep in good enough shape that my body doesn't forget how to run.

The sidewalk on 148th Street was in terrible shape. This is a nice shady street, and for most seasons that's great. But in wintertime, the snow and ice sticks to the sidewalk much longer than anyplace else. Some people will run in the street in these conditions, but I only run in the street as a last resort. Most of the time, I ran on the grassy strip between the sidewalk and the street.Cinnamon seemed a bit confused by all this, and most of the time she ran on the icy sidewalk. She has better traction because of two extra legs. On Mission Road, the sidewalk was more open and got enough sun that the snow and ice were already gone for the most part.

I had to stop for a gingerly walk at a couple points, but otherwise set a reasonable pace during the run, about a 7 1/2 minute kilometer. I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles). This is two minutes slower than my best time on this flat route and translates to a 36 minute 5K. Surprisingly, I had many of the same issues as when I run this route at closer to a six minute kilometer pace. I was breathing hard throughout, I had my typical dull pain in my right heel, and my muscles ached at the end of the run. This tells me that running at any pace is a workout for me.

Cinnamon didn't mind the cold or ice at all. She's a winter dog, that's for sure.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012 , 2.3K in 15.5 minutes

Map of December 19, 2012 run

I had a lot of trouble with crossing Mission Road in my last run because it was during a time that many parents are driving their kids to Praire Star Middle School. When I needed to head out at about the same time today, I decided to keep the run short enough so that I didn't have to cross Mission Road. I wanted to set a good pace, and I finished the first kilometer around 6 1/2 minutes. This is pretty good considering that the last part of the kilometer is up "no brake" hill. This hill is always agony and it does not matter if it comes early in the run, as it does on this "no brake" hill route or later in the run, as it does on most other routes. I decided, though, that I was going to do whatever it took to get back to a normal pace once I reached the top of the hill. I don't know how I did it, but I managed to finish the second kilometer in around 6 1/2 minutes as well. And that last little bit after the second kilometer was just a bit slower, but not too much. I finished a total of 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 15 1/2 minutes. This is better than my previous best time on this "no brake" hill route by a half minute and translates to a 34 minute 5K.

This was a very tough run from the cardiovascular perspective. My muscles did not start aching until the very end of the run. I didn't have any serious joint pain.

Monday, December 17, 2012 , 2.8K in 21 minutes

Map of December 17, 2012 run

I checked the weather on my iPad and it said 49F (9C), but when I headed outside in just shorts and a t-shirt, it seemed a lot colder. My iPhone told me it was 35F (2C). Obviously, what I saw on the iPad was the projected high temperature at the time. So I shivered before, during, and after the run. No big deal, though. I had lots of slowdowns again on this run. I had a bit of trouble crossing 148th Street, but what really slowed me down was crossing to the other side of Mission at the bottom of "no brake" hill. That's where the crosswalk is. I looked and saw lots of traffic in both directions, so I continued on the grass on the "wrong" side of Mission Road, waiting for things to open up. I ended up running for more than an extra minute in the grass, always checking both sides of the traffic, before I could cut over. On the way back, I had just as much trouble, and ended up travelling up "no brake" hill on the "wrong" side. It gets tricky to cross here, so I waited until I got to the crest of the hill, so I could see a fair distance in both directions before crossing. Even then I had to wait a bit for an opening to cross. And after all this, Cinnamon decided to take a poop break again in the middle of the run. So I probably lost a minute or so with all of this confusion. That's okay. I'm still getting the exercise, even if the time I record is not an accurate reflection of how fast I was running.

I finished a total of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 21 minutes. This was 1 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on this 143rd Street route. Without all the hassles, I might have done a bit better, but I don't think that today was the day to set a new personal best. This translates to a 38 minute 5K.

I had the normal pain in my right heel, but I also felt some twinges in my ankle (both feet at the same time). This, like most of the joint pains I report, was minor and lasted only a few seconds. I'm fortunate not to have more serious problems.

Saturday, December 15, 2012 , 2.3K in 17 minutes

Map of December 15, 2012 run

I only had time for a short run, but I wanted something a bit challenging, so I ran the "no brake" hill route. I thought that running back up "no brake" hill early in the run would make it easier, but it was still agony. I lost some time waiting for traffic to clear on 148th Street and running into an old friend (I had to stop long enough for a few brief comments) and having to take care of a poop break for Cinnamon. The last stop was the toughest, and my leg muscles complained very loudly about the sudden stop and restart. I finished a total of 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 17 minutes. This was a very good time, considering the three short stops. It was a minute shy of my best time on the no brake hill route and translates to a 37 minute 5K.

It was warm (50F or 10C) so I could wear my shorts and t-shirt easily. It was a hard run and I had some minor pains in both heels.

Thursday, December 13, 2012 , 1.3K in 8 minutes

Map of December 13, 2012 run

It was chilly (35F or 2C) but I wore sweatpants and a sweatshirt and kept myself fairly warm. I only had time for a very short run, but I decided to work on speed. I wanted to alternate between two minutes running full out and one minute running at a normal pace. It was exhausting, but I did run the first couple of minutes at about a 5 1/2 minute kilometer pace. The rest of the run wasn't quite so fast, but I did finish the first kilometer in only six minutes. I need to start getting comfortable with a 5 1/2 to 6 minute kilometer pace if I ever hope to finish a 5K in less than 30 minutes. That is still a long way off, but I can still work towards that goal, especially on my shorter runs.

I finished a total of 1.3 kilometers in 8 minutes. That's 1/2 minute shy of my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 31 minute 5K. The run was pretty tough, but I didn't have any problems with muscle aches or joint pains.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012 , 1.8K in 12 minutes

Map of December 11, 2012 run

35F or 2 C

Saturday, December 8, 2012 , 5.4K in 40 minutes

Map of December 8, 2012 run

Thursday, December 6, 2012 , 3.9K in 28 minutes

Map of December 6, 2012 run

I wanted to get a run in today, but I had a research grant that I had to complete writing first. I finished up at 3:30, which gave me enough time for a longer run. I wanted to set at least a seven minute kilometer pace for the first three minutes, and I actually did it. The last kilometer, starting near the bottom of "no brake" hill was agony, but I was determined to keep up a strong pace. I did slow down a bit but then I had a enough reserve to speed back up again at the top of the hill. I somehow managed to get that last kilometer in at a seven minute pace as well. I'm not sure how I did it, but it goes a long way towards cementing a seven minute kilometer as my new normal pace. I finished a total of 4.0 kilometers (2.5 miles) in 28 minutes. This is a half minute shy of my best time, but still a very good accomplishment because I kept the same pace throughout the run.

It was warm (52F or 11C) and I was fine in shorts and a t-shirt. I had some transient pain in my right heel, but it is hardly worth mentioning. My leg muscles started hurting in the second kilometer, but the first three kilometers were not that hard. The last kilometer was agony, and I was breathing hard all the way through my five minute cool down.

You might ask why I keep doing something that I frequently describe as agony. I don't really like the runs themselves, but I feel very good afterwards. There's a certain tiredness in my muscles that makes it easy for me to slip back into my relatively sedentary job commitments. I also run because it helps me keep up with Nicholas when we play together. He used to be able to tire me out in five minutes, but now I have the endurance to go for a half hour easily.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012 , 3.5K in 25.5 minutes

Map of December 4, 2012 run

I had time for the short loop. I wanted to keep up a seven minute kilometer pace, but I fell a bit short at the end of the third kilometer. Since the third kilometer ended at the top of "no brake" hill, that's not too suprising. I couldn't quite get back to my normal pace for the last half kilometer. I finished a total of 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 25.5 minutes.

Sunday, December 2, 2012 , 6.5K in 48 minutes

Map of December 2, 2012 run

I did get a chance this time to run the church route. I didn't try so hard to get the first kilometer completed in six minutes, but settled for a seven minute pace instead. My goal was to finish all of the first six kilometers in seven minutes each, but I seemed to lose a half minute on every kilometer. It was still a pretty good pace, and I finished the first 5K in 36 1/2 minutes. I completed a total of 6.5 kilometers (4.0 miles) in 48 minutes. This tied my best time on the church route and translates to a 74 minute 10K.

The weather was cooler (45F or 7C) and I felt a bit chilly during most of the run. I was also sweating quite a bit on the run. Go figure.

I had some pain in my right heel early in the run, but it went away quickly. My lungs were complaining early and my leg muscles late.

Friday, November 30, 2012 , 2.8K in 19.5 minutes

Map of November 30, 2012 run

I was originally planning on a long run, like the church route. In my effort to set a strong pace in the first kilometer (a six minute kilometer ending in the middle of a steep hill), I almost died. I decided to turn around at 143rd Street, which is still a reasonable run. I was in agony, but I took only seven minutes for the second kilometer. The last segment of the run, up "no brake" hill was a bit slower, but I still kept up a strong pace. I finished a total of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 19 1/2 minutes. This matches my best time on the 143rd Street route and translates to a 35 minute 5K.

When I use the word "agony" it means that I'm breathless, cursing silently at myself, and every fiber of my body is screaming for me to stop. There's no serious pain though. It surprises me sometimes that I don't stop, but my primary motivation is to finish the route so I can compare to how I did on previous runs.

The weather was warm (57F or 14C) and I was fine in shorts and a t-shirt. I didn't have any serious joint pains.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012 , 3.8K in 27.5 minutes

Map of November 28, 2012 run

I didn't have time for a extra long run, but I did take the medium loop in Ironwoods Park, which provides close to a four kilometer run. I wanted to finish the first two kilometers in 13 minutes, which I did, just barely, and the first three kilometers in 20 minutes, which I could not do. I still finished it in under 21 minutes, which is a pretty good pace. The last section of the run was up "no brake" hill and I actually made pretty good time, all things considered. I didn't feel totally spent at the top either. Sure, I was tired, but not as much as most runs. I finished a total of 3.8 kilometers (2.4 miles) in 27 1/2 minutes. This matched my best time on this medium loop and translates to a 36 minute 5K.

It was a hard run, but not agony. My leg muscles started aching after the second kilometer, but I had no serious joint pains.

The chilly weather continued (27F or -3C), so I put on a hoodie. My hands were a bit cold at first, but otherwise the cold did not bother me. I'm fortunate that it was sunny with relatively little wind.

Saturday, November 24, 2012 , 2.8K in 19.5 minutes

Map of November 24, 2012 run

The cold weather has finally caught up with November. I needed to get my run in early in the morning and it was much colder than any of my other recent runs (22F or -6C). I put a hoodie on, but stayed in shorts. My legs didn't mind the cold weather, but my hands were a problem and I really could have used some gloves. About halfway through the run, I stopped noticing the cold though. It's pretty amazing how a vigorous run will warm you up. It might have been worse if there was a strong wind, of course.

I set a bit better than a 7 minute kilometer pace throughout the run. With two big hills in such a short stretch, that's a pretty good accomplishment. I'm also happy that this pace didn't seem to have the agony of most of my recent runs. It was hard work, and I was huffing and puffing at the end, but I've felt a lot worse. I finished a total of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 19 1/2 minutes. This matches my best time on the 143rd Street route and translates to a 35 minute 5K.

I don't have any joint pains other than my left hip, which feels like something is not in the right place where my thigh bone meets my pelvis bone. This is a rather new pain that has been bothering me on a few of the earlier runs as well. I'll have to keep a close eye on it.

Thursday, November 22, 2012 , timed 5K race in 36:20

Map of November 22, 2012 run

I ran in the Sprint Thanksgiving Day 5K run. It was a huge event. My race number was 4581 and I saw even higher numbers on other runners (as well as race numbers below 1000), which indicates a total turnout of perhaps 5,000 runners. They had us line up according to pace, with walkers in the very back. I positioned myself near the "11 mile" marker, which I took to mean that I could run average a mile every 11 minutes. That placed me several hundred yards behind the starting line. It took about seven minutes from the start of the race for me to reach the starting line and then I had to dodge and weave my way around some of the walkers who didn't line up in the back like they should have. So I missed my chance to get the first kilometer run in six minutes. I still kept up a good pace for the most part, averaging close to a seven minute kilometer throughout the run. I did try to speed up a bit at the end, though not that much.

My GPS app had me crossing the finish line in 36 minutes, but I forgot to turn it off for a minute or so afterwards. The official results show me finishing in 36:20.0, which is 72 out of 131 in my age group and 2,958 out of 4,980 overall. It's two and one half minutes slower than my best timed 5K race. The crowded conditions at the start probably cost me a minute, and I've been a bit off on my times recently. It's still a pretty good time.

I seem to start out all of my runs feeling exhausted, and this was no exception. The first three minutes always seem the hardest. After my body gets over the initial shock and realizes that I'm serious about this, it seems to settle down. My leg muscles started hurting around the second kilometer, mostly my calf muscles. I didn't have too many joint problems. My right heel complained a bit and I had some transient twinges in my left foot.

I didn't stop to check the temperature, but it was unusually warm for November, maybe in the mid 60s (Fahrenheit).

Monday, November 19, 2012 , 5.2K in 38.5 minutes

Map of November 19, 2012 run

I wanted to put in another long run, and I had the time. I noticed that I had not run the Steeplechase route all that often, and it's a fun route that takes you past Prairie Star Elementary, through a quiet neighborhood and into Ironwoods Park. I wanted to run at a seven minute kilometer or better pace, and I was successful in this for the first three kilometers. My calf muscles were complaining from about the second kilometer and my thigh muscles also started complaining shortly afterwards. I slowed down a bit for the rest of the run, and the long slog back up "no brake" hill was agony. I ran the first five kilometers in 36 1/2 minutes, which is a good time for a run with three big hills. The total run was 5.2 kilometers (3.2 miles). This is a half minute slower than my best time on the Steeplechase route, and translates to 74 minute 10K.

I didn't have many problems with joint pains during the run, but my left hip is bothering me a lot 24 hours afterwards.

The weather was reasonable for November (46F or 8F), especially with the sunshine. I felt fine in shorts and a t-shirt.

Saturday, November 17, 4.7K in 35 minutes

Map of November 17, 2012 run

I had the time for a longer run. I was thinking about running the church route, but at the bottom of "no brake" hill, I noticed some dog walkers who would slow down my progress up ahead, so I turned into Ironwoods Park instead. I finished the first kilometer in six minutes and the first two kilometers in 13 minutes. At that point, I was staring up a hill in the southwest corner of the park that is twice as tough as "no brake" hill. It slowed me down to an eight minute kilometer pace, but that still meant that I finished the first three kilometers in 21 minutes. There's another big uphill out of Ironwoods Park, but maintaining that eight minute kilometer pace put me at 29 minutes for the first four kilometers. I wasn't out of the woods yet, as the last stretch was back up "no brake" hill. It's always tempting to quit here, but I knew that I was going to end up with an impressive total time if I persisted. I finished a total of 4.7 kilometers (2.9 miles) in 35 minutes. This is 1/2 minute faster than my best time on the long loop route, and translates to a 37 minute 5K.

It was a cold morning (36F or 2C), but not too bad because the sun was shining brightly. In shorts and a t-shirt, the weather didn't bother me, once I started my warm-up. I was sweating at the end of the run.

The pace I set was very good considering the three big and two small hills in the run. I was laboring almost from the start. I've mentioned that I need to make a seven minute kilometer my new normal pace and even though I did slow down on the hills, I was very happy with this result. It's still agony to run at this pace (more on my cardiovascular system than my leg muscles), so I have a ways to go yet. There were no notable joint pains, which is surprising on a run of this length. Even my right heel, which always seems to complain, was quiet on this run.

Wednesday, November 14, 1.2K in 7 1/2 minutes

Map of November 14, 2012 run

Again, I only had time for a short run. I had intended to run the flat route, which is the second shortest run, but the pace I set tired me out, so I truncated the run to just 151st Street and back. I finished the first kilometer in six minutes, but it was agony. Somehow, I still kept my pace going, and finished a total of 1.2 kilometers (0.7 miles) in 7 1/2 minutes. This matches my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 31 minute 5K.

The weather was warm for November (54F or 12C). I had tired lungs and tired muscles, but no joint pains.

Monday, November 12, 1.3K in 8 minutes

Map of November 12, 2012 run

I only had time for a short run, so I took the route along Mission Road to 151st Street and back. I tried for speed, running every other minute flat out. I didn't quite make the first kilometer in six minutes, but I still did fairly well, running a total of 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 8 minutes. This is a half minute slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 31 minute 5K.

It was late afternoon, but still quite chilly (45F or 7C). I felt cold in my shorts and t-shirt, but only until I started my warm-up jog.

Running at a flat out pace, even for such a short distance, is agony. I had a brief pain in my right heel which was a bit disappointing for two reasons. First, I usually don't get any joint pains on a short run like this. Second, I have not had problems with my right heel for the past couple of weeks. It seems to be transient, though, and I did not have any heel problems after the run was over.

Saturday, November 10, 2.5K in 16 1/2 minutes

Map of November 10, 2012 run

It continues to be difficult to get runs in. I had to get up at 6am on Saturday morning and even then only had time for a short run. I ran the "no brake" hill route. My recent runs on this route have involved an early sprint at a six minute kilometer pace that ends up with a panting dash back up "no brake" hill. This is followed by an exhausted effort to hold on at an eight minute kilometer pace for the rest of the run. Today, I didn't quite make the first kilometer in six minutes, but I was still able to maintain a strong pace, finishing the first two kilometers in only thirteen minutes. I think I was aided by some inaccurate swings in the GPS location that unfairly padded my distance. Notice the sharp zigs and zags in the route. I finished a total of 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) in 16 1/2 minutes which translates to a 33 minute 5K. My distance normally on the "no brake" hill route is normally 2.3 kilometers, so take this result with a grain of salt. Even so, it is only 1/2 minute shy of my best time, so I have to be happy with the result.

The run stressed my cardiovascular system more than my leg muscles, and there were almost no joint pains.

For an early morning in mid-November, the weather was surprisingly warm (63F or 17C). I'll have to start getting ready for the freezing temperatures that are sure to come in the next few months.

Wednesday, November 7, 3.5K in 25 1/2 minutes

Map of November 7, 2012 run

Several events conspired to keep me from running for almost a week. I finally had the time, and decided on an intermediate distance, the medium loop through Ironwoods Park. My goal was to try to get the first three kilometers in with as fast a pace as I could, possibly within 19 minutes. That was a bit naive, perhaps, but I did set a pretty good pace. It was such an effort, though, that I decided to switch to the short loop instead. I finished each of the first two kilometers at a bit under seven minutes each. The run back up "no brake" hill slowed me down quite a bit. Cinnamon decided to take a poop break at the top of "no brake" hill, but that didn't slow me down too much more than the hill itself did. I finished a total of 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 25 1/2 minutes. This is a minute shy of my best time on the short loop route, and translates to a 36 minute 5K.

Everything ached, but mostly my leg muscles. I had numerous small joint pains mostly in my lower feet, ankle, and heel areas.

The weather was warm for November (53F or 12C) and I felt quite comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt.

Thursday, November 1, 2.9K in 20 minutes

Map of November 1, 2012 run

It was warm (63F or 17C) and I decided to try the new fancy athletic shirts that they have that are supposed to keep you dry by wicking away any moisture. I didn't notice any difference. I decided to run along Mission Road to 143rd Street and back. It's a short run but it has two pretty big hills in it. The first kilometer was in the middle of the first hill and I did finish in 6 minutes (just barely). Like the previous run, that took everything out of me, but I was still able to finish the second kilometer (which is well short of the second hill) in another 7 minutes. I finished a total of 2.9 kilometers (1.8 miles) in 20 minutes. This is 1/2 minute shy of my best time on the 143rd Street route and translates to 34 minute 5K.

I was breathless throughout the entire run but had no sore muscles and no joint pains.

Tuesday, October 30, 2.3K in 16 minutes

Map of October 30, 2012 run

It was chilly again, but I had the option of waiting a bit for things to warm up. I started out around 8:30 and it was warm enough (37F or 3C) that I could get by with a t-shirt and shorts. I ran the "no brake" hill route, which is nice in that I face the big hill in the middle of my run and not at the end. I set a six minute kilometer pace downhill and back uphill, but it was agony. I just barely finished the first kilometer in six minutes, and I had to settle for a much slower pace for the rest of the run. I'll know that I'm capable of running a 30 minute 5K when I get to the top of a hill at a six minute kilometer pace and I have enough reserve to continue running at that pace. Alas, that is still off in the distant future.

I finished a total of 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 16 minutes. This matches my best time on the "no brake" hill route and translates to a 35 minute 5K.

My lungs were straining which is not too surprising, but my leg muscles were also straining, which is a bit unusual for the relatively short distance I ran today. it may be the cooler weather, or it may just be a tough stretch for me. I've not felt quite right for the past couple of weeks, though I shouldn't complain when I match the best time on a route like this.

Saturday, October 27, 6.5K in 48 minutes

Map of October 27, 2012 run

We had a nice stretch of warm weather through most of October, but it ended today. The temperature was below freezing (28F or -2C) so I put on a hoodie. But I stayed with my shorts, for now. It was a good combination. I wanted to do a longer run and toyed with the idea of extending my church route to Lamar. But with my recent slow times, I didn't want to overdo things. So my goal was to try to put a bunch of seven minute kilometers together, which would have me running the first six kilometers in 42 minutes. I fell a bit short of this, taking eight minutes for the third and fifth kilometer, but still stayed pretty close to this pace. I hit the five kilometer mark at 37 minutes, which is a good, but not great result. I finished a total of 6.5 kilometers (4.0 miles) in 48 minutes. This ties my best time on this church route, and translates to a 74 minute 10K. It's also one of my best average paces for runs longer than six kilometers.

I worry about joint problems during these longer runs, but other than minor discomfort in my right heel and a quick twinge of pain in my right knee, my joints survived just fine. My leg muscles feel quite rubbery two hours after the run. My hope is that getting my muscles comfortable with runs longer than 5K will give me a reserve of energy when I'm running "only" five kilometers in a timed race.

Thursday, October 25, 1.8K in 14 minutes

Map of October 25, 2012 run

I had to get up early to have time to squeeze in a short run. It was a bit before dawn, but already quite warm (70F or 21C). I tried to pick up the pace a bit from my earlier runs without overdoing it. I could not quite get the first kilometer done in 7 minutes, but I was close. I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 14 minutes. This is three minutes shy of my best time on this flat route, and translates to a 39 minute 5K.

There was a light rain during the run, and it started to rain harder at the end. I had the same minor pain in my right heel, but no other problems.

Tuesday, October 23, 2.3K in 18 minutes

Map of October 23, 2012 run

I started out today's run a bit slowly, and then I was stuck for a half minute at 148th Street because of traffic. I cross 148th Street on almost every local run I do, and I almost never have to wait for traffic there. With the slow start, it didn't seem like a good day to try for a record time, so I ended up averaging close to an 8 minute kilometer pace. It's been a bit slow for me for the past few runs, but that's okay. I finished 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 18 minutes. That's two minutes slower than my best time on the "no brake" hill route and translates to a 39 minute 5K.

The weather was unusually warm again (72F or 22F) and a bit muggy. I didn't have any sore muscles or serious joint pain.

Sunday, October 21, 1.6K in 16 minutes

Map of October 21, 2012 run

I was out on a camping trip with Nicholas. It was the Trailhead District Camporee in Louisburg, KS. During the afternoon break on Saturday, some of the kids played touch football and I joined in. It was fun, and great exercise, but I was quite sore on Sunday morning. I decided to take a short run anyway. Partly it was to stretch my muscles and keep my joints loose. The worst thing you can do, in my opinion, is to follow up a stint of vigorous activity with a long stretch of inactivity. The other reason I decided to run is that it's fun to see the maps from my GPS when I am away from home. The locale was not as exotic as Paris, San Diego, or Portland, OR. Still, it's fun to see the maps of the runs.

Because I was so sore, I could barely get warmed up and then when I started my run, I set a glacial 10 minute kilometer pace. I ran a complete loop and when that fell short of a full mile, I kept going a bit further. The final stretch looped through a gravel parking lot. I completed 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) in 16 minutes. This translates to a 50 minute 5K.

I considered this to be a successful run, even at such a slow pace, because it keeps my momentum going. The only bad runs are runs that are not done or runs that end in injury.

The weather was warm for an early morning in late October (52F or 11C). I ran with shorts and a t-shirt. I felt quite creaky at the start of the run, but better as the run progressed. There were no joint pains afterwards, even though I forgot to do my post-run stretching exercises.

Thursday, October 18, 1.8K in 13 minutes

Map of october 18, 2012 run

I wanted to run to 143rd Street and back, but as soon as I started my run, I knew I didn't have a lot in me. I had been dancing the night before with the Back Porch Cloggers and was playing ultimate frisbee and kickball two days ago with Nicholas and his Cub Scout den. In fact, I strained a muscle pretty badly that afternoon. So I cut the run short at the top of "no brake" hill. I set a good pace, but not as fast as I normally run on these short routes. I finished 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 13 minutes. This was two minutes shy of my best pace on this flat route, and translates to a 36 minute 5K.

The weather was cool (55F or 13C) and cloudy. Rain was threatening the whole run, but never materialized. It was about ideal weather for running. It felt good to get a brief run in, though my strained muscle and my right heel did bother me afterwards.

Tuesday, October 16, 2.4K in 16 1/2 minutes

Map of October 16, 2012 run

It was warm and sunny and I was thinking about running down to 143rd Street and back. Back halfway into the run, I decided to shorten it to the "no brake" hill route, which takes me to the bottom of that hill (just a bit past the entrance to Ironwoods Park) and then back uphill and down to 151st Street before returning to home base. I reached the bottom of "no brake" hill and turned around with a good pace--good enough that I could envision finishing the first kilometer (near the top of "no brake" hill) in only six minutes. I made it, but just barely. It's not too unusual these days to get the first kilometer in at six minutes, but this had a pretty big uphill in it, so it was still a notable accomplishment. I was making pretty good progress on the rest of the run when Cinnamon decided to take a poop break. I mentioned earlier that Cinnamon had some GI problems, so it was actually good news that she had a nice poop during the run. I lost a half minute, and maybe more, but was still able to finish the second kilometer at the 14 minute mark. I completed a total of 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) in 16 1/2 minutes. This was a half minute shy of my best time on the "no brake" hill route, which is pretty amazing when you toss in the poop break. It translates to a 34 minute 5K.

My leg muscles complained a lot at the sudden stop for the poop break, but that was temporary. I was winded at the end of the run, but had no serious joint pains and no sore muscles. I actually strained a muscle playing kickball in the afternoon, but that was probably unrelated to the run.

Saturday, October 13, timed 5K race in 34 1/2 minutes

Map of October 13, 2012 run

I ran in the 2012 Mustache Dash, a timed 5K race. The "gimmick" of this race was that everybody was supposed to sport a mustache, and they provided fake ones to those who did not have enough testosterone to produce one naturally. It was kind of cute, especially the parents pushing strollers who put fake mustaches on their children.

It was a last minute decision to register. I asked Nicholas Friday night if he wanted to run in the race as well and he told me that he needed "at least three days to prepare." To be honest, the cool weather and threat of rain probably would have dissuaded him on Saturday morning anyway. It was 64F (18C) and there was a light rain at the start of the run.

I started part of the way back from the pack and maybe I started a bit too far back. The group I was running with was a bit slower than the pace I wanted to set. Things thinned out enough in first half kilometer that I was able to finish the first kilometer in six minutes (just barely, though). It was a terrible exertion right from the start and I was huffing and puffing and cursing under my breath throughout the entire race. I finished the first three kilometers in 20 minutes, and kept up close to that pace for the rest of the run. I finished the entire race in 34:20, which is a half minute shy of my best result in a timed 5K race. This run had a few gentle hills, which seemed to go on forever, but there was nothing like "no brake" hill.

My GPS showed 5.1 kilometers, which is typical, as I sometimes stay on the outside edge of the race course. I did not see any of those dreaded "power walkers" so either they weren't there, or I'm setting a fast enough pace now to always keep ahead of them.

It still quite an exertion to maintain more or less a seven kilometer pace throughout a long run like this. I need to do some longer runs (6 to 8 kilometers) at a seven minute kilometer pace before I start feeling like this is my new normal pace.

I had the same ache in my right heel and some occasional twinges of pain in my left ankle. Normally, the pain in my right heel returns after these longer runs, but it is fine right now (three hours after the run).

Update: the racing results are now posted online. I finished sixth out of ten in my age group. As a frame of reference, the times better than me were 23, 23, 24, 26, and 30 minutes. In my dreams, I could imagine a 30 minute 5K, but probably not much better than that. I also finished 511th overall out of 881 runners.

Thursday, October 11, 3.9K in 27.5 minutes

Map of October 11, 2012 run

I had time to take the medium loop through Ironwoods Park. I started out with long strides as before, and I was able to run the first kilometer in six minutes, though just barely, and with much more effort than on Tuesday. I persisted and finished the first three kilometers in 21 minutes, and again this was quite strenuous. The remainder of the run was up "no brake" hill and I didn't quite keep up my seven minute kilometer pace. I was still able to finish 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles) in 28 minutes. This was one minute better than any other time on the medium loop and translates to a 36 minute 5K.

I forgot to note the temperature, but it was cool and cloudy. It's ideal running weather. My right heel felt funny for most of the run, but not really painful. Our dog Cinnamon came along on the run (she had to skip Tuesday's run because of some GI problems). She is still not 100%, but she ran along with me with effortlessly.

Tuesday, October 9, 3.6K in 24 1/2 minutes

Map of October 9, 2012 run

It was a cool morning (45F or 7C) and I had time for a decent run. I didn't feel all the great at the start, but I told myself to take long easy strides. I was surprised to almost effortlessly finish the first kilometer in six minutes. My body caught up with me, but I still finished the next two kilometers in seven minutes apiece. That's only 20 minutes for the first three kilometers, which is a very good result. The third kilometer ended near the start up "no brake hill." I had to work quite a bit here, but still kept up a strong pace. I finished a total of 3.6 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 24 1/2 minutes. This is a half minute better than any other time on the short loop and it translates to a 34 minute 5K.

This run is part of my effort to make a seven minute kilometer my new normal pace. Eventually, I'd like to start mixing a few six minute kilometers in there, but that is off in the distant future. With one exception, I have never been able to run a six minute kilometer other than at the very start.

My right heel started complaining right from the start, but I did not experience any other joint pains. It is fine right now, three hours after the run.

Saturday, October 6, 6.5K in 48 minutes

Map of October 6, 2012 run

I had the time to put in a longer run, more than six kilometers. My goal was to run each of the first six kilometers at a seven minute pace. That would mean a total of 42 minutes for the six kilometers. I did pretty well, but put in eight minutes for the second and fourth kilometer. So my total for the first six kilometers was 44 minutes, not 42. It shows that I haven't quite gotten to the point where a seven minute kilometer is my "normal" pace, but I'm getting there. The total run was 6.5 kilometers (4.0 miles) in 48 minutes. If you extrapolate, that would mean a total of 74 minutes for a 10K race. It's fun to extrapolate, but I don't want to run a 10K race until I can finish closer to 60 minutes.

It was cold (41F or 5C) but I went out in just a shorts and a t-shirt. I was cold during the five minute warm-up and the five minute cool down afterwards, but did not notice the weather when I was running. In a few months, of course, 41F will seem like a heat wave.

My right heel started complaining from the very beginning of the run. It's fine now, three hours after the run, but it may come back and bother me later today. My leg muscles started to get tired around the second kilometer and persisted through the rest of the run. I started breathing really hard at the end of the run. It was a good workout.

By the way, I don't get that "runners high" during the run. It is sometimes agony, sometimes just hard, but never really all that much fun. I do it because of the sense of accomplishment that you get when you finish. I also like the fact that running puts you outside in the fresh air. Back in 2011, I looked at one of those exercise clubs, but everything seemed so claustrophobic.

This tied for my best time on the church route, though today's run registered at 6.5 kilometers and the earlier one was only 6.3 kilometers. It was also notable because I finished the first five kilometers in 37 minutes, and it represents my fastest pace on runs of six kilometers or longer.

Wednesday, October 3, 4.8K in 35 1/2 minutes

Map of October 3, 2012 run

It was a nice morning and I wanted to try a longer run, so ran the long loop in Ironwoods Park. This is a very scenic run, but you pay for it by having to climb up a very long and very steep hill near the southeast corner of the park. I set a very fast pace: the first kilometer in 6 minutes, two kilometers in 13 minutes, and three kilometers in 21 minutes. The last mark is particularly amazing because the third kilometer includes that monster hill. I finished a total of 4.8 kilometers (3.0 miles) in 35 1/2 minutes. This translates to a 37 minute 5K. It's not quite a seven minute kilometer through out the run. But with two very big hills and a couple more moderate sized hills throughout the run, it is just as impressive.

I was exhausted right from the start, but was able to persist. My right heel started complaining a lot after the run. That's disappointing, because I had been noticing a decline in problems with this recently.

Sunday, September 30, 2.6K in 21 minutes

Map of September 30, 2012 run

It took some effort to get my GPS app working again. I had to delete and re-install the program. I was ready to test it out at 6:30am on a Sunday morning on an overnight campout for the Cub Scouts. It was a pretty location by a small man-made lake. I also ran on a Sunday morning about a year ago at the same Cub Scout campout, and that was the first time that I ran for four miles. I toyed with the idea of doing another four mile run (which is still quite a long distance for me), but decided that I deserved an easier and shorter run. I ran a route that recreated the previous nighttime hike. The roads were gravel, and the unsure footing kept me from running too fast. Also keeping me from running a good pace was the fact that all my default options were reset and I needed to get them to what I wanted while I was running. The fact that I could actually set the options while running was a pretty good testament for ease of use for this GPS program.

I kept up an eight minute kilometer pace throughout the entire run. I finished a total of 2.6 kilometers (1.6 miles) in 21 minutes, which translates to a 40 minute 5K. It was a chilly morning (55K or 13C) but I still went out in shorts and a t-shirt. It was a good choice as I quickly got used to the temperature.

It was odd because I had more aches and pains before the run than after. I think that sleeping on an air mattress in a tent caused me to stiffen up. It reinforces my belief that running short distances without overdoing it is actually better for my joints than not running at all.

I should also note that while I'm never going to be a morning person, there is a special feeling to start your run in the dark and watch as the sky gradually lightens up during the dawn.

Thursday, September 27, about 3.9K in 29 1/2 minutes

My GPS app stopped working, and I still haven't found a fix for it. It can tell me how much time has elapsed, but it can't tell me the distance travelled and it can't produce a pretty map afterwards. I changed my plan to run a well known route, the medium loop in Ironwoods Park. I sort of know where the kilometer marks are on this run. I think I was running pretty close to a seven minute pace throughout the first three kilometers, but I can't be sure. I did slow down a lot on "no brake" hill. I finished the entire route in 29 1/2 minutes. This route is anywhere from 3.9 to 4.0 kilometers (2.4 to 2.5 miles), and would extrapolate to about 37 or 38 minute 5K race.

It was cool (63F or 17C). It had rained earlier in the morning and was threatening, but did not rain during the run. I felt pretty good during the run until I reach "no brake" hill, but then it was very tough. It took all I had to keep going, but I knew I was close to a personal record on this route. Alas, I was 1/2 minute shy of my best time on the medium loop, but without any pacing information during the run, that's still a very good result.

Tuesday, September 25, 3.5K in 27 minutes

Map of September 25, 2012 run

I missed a few days of running, but had some free time in the morning for a longer run. So I headed for the short loop in Ironwoods Park. I started out at a seven minute kilometer pace, but that didn't quite last through the second kilometer. I finished a total of 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 27 minutes, which is two minutes shy of my best time on the short loop and extrapolates to a 39 minute 5K. It's not a great time, but I'm still happy with it. There will be plenty of time to push to a new record on this route, but just keeping my running program going is a major victory.

It was cool (68F or 20C) and Cinnamon was enjoying the run quite a bit. I have nothing unusual to report on the joint pain.

Thursday, September 20, 2.8K in 20 minutes

Map of September 20, 2012 run

I wanted to run a longer distance than Tuesday, and try to alternate between fast and slow minutes. That didn't last past the fourth minute, but I was able to finish the first kilometer in seven minutes and the first two kilometers in 13 minutes. The last stretch was slower, partly because of "no brake" hill, but I finished 2.8 kilometers (1.8 miles) in 20 minutes. This is 1/2 minute shy of my best time on this 143rd Street route and translates to a 35 minute 5K. This is a very good pace on a run that has two steep hills in such a short stretch. I'm continuing to make a seven minute kilometer my "normal" pace, even on the hilly runs.

It was perfect running weather (63F or 17C) and Cinnamon did just fine, except when there were other dogs nearby. Then she strained and pulled at her leash. The worst is when there is a dog behind us. She constantly turns around to keep an eye on her competition and it is difficult to get her back on track. The good news is that the run seems to have tired her out.

I was straining my muscles and my cardiovascular system about equally. It was a tiring run, but not agony. I did not notice any serious joint pain. The usual suspect, my right heel, was hardly worth mentioning.

Tuesday, September 18, 1.3K in 8 minutes

Map of September 18, 2012 run

I could not get a run in during the morning and only had time to squeeze in a short run in the afternoon. Thankfully, it was not too warm (70F or 21C) so I could take Cinnamon along. I ran the short route to 151st Street and back. I again tried to alternate between fast and slow minutes. I finished the first kilometer in 6 minutes, but couldn't quite keep that pace back up the short hill on 148th Street. I did complete 1.3 kilometers in 8 minutes. This is only 1/2 minute shy of my best time on the 151st Street route and extrapolates to a 31 minute 5K.

The fast pace was hard on my lungs, but not too bad. I had the same old problems with my right heel, but nothing so terrible to mention. I also had some brief twinges on the sides of my feet, but they did not last. I did suffer from some leg cramps later on. In general, I am doing pretty well.

Saturday, September 15, timed 4 mile race in 48 1/2 minutes

Map of September 15, 2012 run

Nicholas and I ran in the KC Zoo Run for the Sumatran Tiger. This is a four mile timed race that goes throughout most of the Kansas City Zoo. We actually started outside the zoo near Starlight Theater. I knew there would be a lot of hills, so I didn't try for a superfast pace. I did finish the first three kilometers in seven minutes apiece. The fourth kilometer was uphill out of the Africa section of the zoo, and while I did slow down to an eight minute kilometer pace, the big hill didn't wear me out. I finished the first five kilometers in 37 minutes. There were a couple more hills in the Australia and Asia sections of the zoo, but I kept up my eight minute kilometer pace throughout the rest of the run. The run did take us right by the new tiger exhibit, which looks very nice.

I had good energy throughout the run and was able to accelerate at times to avoid traffic jams. I also sped up a bit at the end. By my GPS, I finished a total of 6.5 kilometers (4.0 miles) in 49 minutes. The official timed result was a bit better 48 1/2 minutes. This would extrapolate up to a 75 minute 10K race. This result was one minute faster than my only other four mile race, and on a route with many more hills. It is also my best pace for any run longer than 6 kilometers.

Nicholas finished in 43 minutes, about five minutes ahead of me. He used to be ten minutes faster than me, but I train regularly and he doesn't train except for running around at recess.

I had some joint pains, mostly in my right heel, though my left heel is starting to bother me a bit too. I had a short twinge of pain in my left knee. My feet felt sore. I felt the effects of a muscle strain in my right calf from two weeks ago. None of this is very serious. I expect to be sore for a couple of days afterwards.

The official results are posted at
--> https://enter2run.com/results/default.aspx?event=14671
It was a big race, with 1,323 participants. Nicholas came in seventh out of eighteen in his age group (1-10 year old males) and 624th overall. I came in 17th in my age group (out of 28) and 861st overall. The fastest time in my age group was 25:19, which is almost twice as fast as my time.

Thursday, September 13, 3.5K in 25 1/2 minutes

Map of September 13, 2012 run

It was cloudy and a bit chilly at 62F (17C). I wanted to do a bit longer run than some of my more recent runs to see if the problem with muscle soreness was really gone for good. I set a strong pace, finishing each of the first two kilometers in seven minutes. I couldn't quite get the third kilometer in at that pace, but still finished fairly strongly. I ran a total of 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) which extrapolates out to a 36 minute 5K. This result is 1/2 minute shy of my best time on this short loop.

I had the usual ache in my right heel, but it is very slight. I'm starting to feel a bit of an ache in my left heel these days. It's not as severe, but I've expanded my stretching routine to the left leg just to be safe. I also noticed a momentary twinge in my left knee, which disappeared as quickly as it arose. I had no muscle soreness during the run or afterwards, which is very good.

Tuesday, September 11, 1.3K in 8 minutes

Map of September 11, 2012 run

I didn't get a chance to run until mid afternoon, and it was too hot to take the dog (82F or 28C). I ran a very short route again, and tried to speed up to a six minute kilometer or better pace on every other minute. It's hard and I didn't do quite as well as my September 5 run. But I did finish 1.3 kilometers in 8 minutes which is a very good time, even if it is a half minute shy of my best time on the 151st Street route. This extrapolates to a 31 minute 5K.

I had been having muscle aches for the past week, possibly a leftover from exerting myself too much on the Leawood Labor Day 5K. But today, I felt very good.

Sunday, September 9, 1.8K in 12 minutes

Map of September 9, 2012 run

I tried to run the same route as Friday, but at a faster pace. I also tried speeding up to a six minute kilometer or better pace during every other minute. It was not easy and I don't think I was too successful. Still, I finished 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 12 minutes, which is only one minute shy of my best time on this flat route. This translates to a 33 minute 5K.

Friday, September 7, 1.8K in 14 1/2 minutes

Map of September 7, 2012 run

I only had time for a short run, and I decided that I deserved an easy run for a change, so I didn't work on speed either. Yeah, yeah, I know that I should just take a break entirely from running, but I think it is important to stretch my legs every other day. I trotted at an eight minute kilometer pace along the flat route that stops on Mission Road right before you go down "no brake" hill. I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 14 1/2 minutes, which translates to a 40 minute 5K. I started before 6am, but the weather was still warm (73F or 23C). It wasn't that bad, though because the sun hadn't risen yet. The sky was just starting to get light when I wrapped up my run, which is one of the fun things to experience when you run early in the morning.

My right heel had its normal complaints, but I'm starting to feel a bit of pain in my left heel also. I'm also still battling a bit of muscle soreness from my 5K run. There was a minor twinge in my right upper thigh at the start of the run. It's worth noting that even at an easy eight minute kilometer pace, I felt like I was exerting myself quite a bit.

This is my fourteenth time on the flat route. My time was 3 1/2 minutes slower than my best time.

Wednesday, September 5, 1.3K in 7 1/2 minutes

Map of September 5, 2012 run

My muscles were still sore from the Labor Day run, and I had a lingering twinge of pain in my right heel. So I decided to keep the run short and work on speed instead. My goal was to alternate between fast and slow minutes. My fast minutes were what felt like an all out sprint and averaged a bit faster than a six minute kilometer pace. It was tough. Every time I ended a fast minute, I thought, this is it. But I persisted and sped back up every time that my slow minute ended. I finished 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 7 1/2 minutes which translates to a 29 minute 5K. Extrapolations are dangerous for such short runs, as I always note in this running log. Even so, this is a big deal, as I have never had any projected 5K times before at less than 31 minutes.

It was a tough run, more for my cardiovascular system, but my muscles were sore also. I didn't have any joint pains, which is typical for the short runs like this.

This is the eleventh time that I've run this 151st Street route. My time was 1/2 minute faster than any previous time.

Monday, September 3, timed 5K race in 34 minutes

Map of September 3, 2012 run

I ran in the 22nd annual Leawood Labor Day Race. Nicholas was not interested, but he said he might run again when the weather turns cooler. It was warm (72F or 22C) even for an early morning start (7:30am) and it was also very humid. This is a flat course, so I thought I'd shoot for a time close to my previous best timed 5K race (34 minutes).

I started out at a very fast pace for me, finishing the first kilometer in six minutes, the first two kilometers in thirteen minutes, and the first three kilometers in nineteen minutes. It didn't seem like such a fast pace because everyone around me was running just as fast.

My other goal was to finish faster than the power walkers. I usually pass the power walkers on the early part of the run, but like the proverbial turtle, they keep grinding at their same pace while I'm fading. There's one power walker in particular who is probably in his eighties, who has passed me near the end of several races. I swept by him shortly after the second kilometer and tried to put as much distance as I could between him and me. I looked around at the third kilometer and he was nowhere in sight.

The last two kilometers were tough. There were fewer people around to help pace me and every part of my body just seemed tired. I reached the four kilometer mark in 26 minutes, which matched one of my runs in San Diego, and was a minute faster than my four kilometer mark in my 34 minute 5K race in June. My GPS announced that I had completed five kilometers quite a bit short of the finish line, and it had me running that distance in only 33 minutes. Either I was taking the outside perimeter during much of the run, or there was a measurement error in my GPS.

I was ready to coast to a very good result. But when I looked over my shoulder, I saw that power walker that I had passed at the second kilometer. He was about to catch and pass me. Oh no, you don't, I said to myself and broke into a sprint. The last minute sprint strained a muscle in my right calf, but I finished well ahead of him. The official time was 33:46.5. This rounds to 34 minutes. This was the eighth time that I've finished five kilometers in under 37 minutes.

I accidentally left my GPS on for an extra half minute, so it recorded a total of 5.2 kilometers in 34 1/2 minutes. This would extrapolate to a 66 minute 10K race.

My goal for the rest of 2012 is to consolidate the great result I had in June, and this run continued that goal. It's very difficult to run long distances at a seven minute kilometer pace or better. But the more I do it, the better I'll get.

The best times among male runners in my age group were around 20 minutes. It's good that I'm competing mostly against myself because I'm still much slower than other runners of my age and even older.

I had a bit of heel pain in the early part of the run, but that went away. I already mentioned my calf sprain at the end of the run. I think I need to work on my long runs (six kilometers and more) so that my muscles are better able to handle the load I put on them in these 5K races.

There's relatively little else to complain about except a general overall tiredness.

Update: the results of this race are now posted online. My official time was 33:46.5, and places me 21st out of 24 runners in my age group. Just for reference, the top finisher in my age group was under 19 minutes, the top finishers in 60-64, 65-69, and 70-74 were under 20 minutes, 22, and 23 minutes. If I was 75 years old, however, I would have taken first, as the best time in that age group was 34:32.0. So I just need to keep in the same shape for the next 20 years.

Saturday, September 1, 3.9K in 30 1/2 minutes

Map of September 1, 2012 run

We had a steady rain, thanks to the remnants of Hurricane Isaac. I decided to go running anyway and took Cinnamon along. She's not too happy to get wet, but she does like to run, and I certainly didn't have to worry about her suffering from heat exhaustion. I wore a hat because if my head is dry, I don't mind the rain so much. I also put my iPhone with the GPS software in a plastic sandwich bag to keep it dry. It was warm (72F or 22C) but I actually got chilled at a couple spots when the wind blew strongly. I'll have to remember that as things cool down. A rain shower in warm weather poses fewer problems than a rain shower in cold weather.

I was determined to run the medium loop through Ironwoods Park to make up for the wrong turn that I had made earlier in the week. I also wanted to keep up a good pace, though today was no day for setting records. I was a bit slower than I wanted, but was close to a seven minute kilometer pace throughout the first two kilometers. Then Cinnamon did it to me again, taking a poop break in mid-run. I'm still not sure how she does this. I lost a little bit of time, and finished the third kilometer in eight minutes. I slowed down quite a bit on "no brake" hill, but was able to finish a total of 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles) in 30 1/2 minutes. That translates into a 39 minute 5K.

The rain was gentle but persistent throughout the run. I had a soggy hat, soggy shirt, soggy shorts, soggy socks, soggy shoes, and, of course, a soggy doggy. I was worried about running the dog through the rain, but she seemed to enjoy herself. I had a slight problem in my right heel, but it is getting less and less of an issue as time goes on. If I don't do anything stupid to aggravate it, I think that my heel will continue to get better.

This is my seventh run on the medium loop, and was one and a half minutes shy of my best time. With the rain and the poop break slowing me down, I have to be pretty happy with this result.

Thursday, August 30, 2.8K in 19 1/2 minutes

Map of August 30, 2012 run

It was heading towards a very warm day (forecasted high 99F or 37C), so I headed out at 6:30am when the temperature was still a manageable 69F (21C). I don't like to take Cinnamon along when the temperature rises much above that, and she does love running with me. I ran along Mission Road to 143rd Street and back. I had to dodge water sprinklers at several points along the run, which complicated things a bit. I stayed on the west side of Mission for a bit longer than normal rather than crossing at the bottom of "no brake" hill. I couldn't quite finish either of the first two kilometers in six minutes, but I was still slightly ahead of a seven minute kilometer pace. The second kilometer on this run ends with you staring up at "no brake" hill, but I was actually ready for it. I did slow down a bit, but then, unusual for me, was able to pick the pace back up when I reached the top. I finished a total of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 19 1/2 minutes, which projects out to a 35 minute 5K race.

I had talked about making a seven minute kilometer my new norm, and this race exemplified it. It has two big hills right in the middle and hardly any flat stretches. The run was even more difficult because I had to change my route several times to dodge the sprinkler systems. Even with all this, I was still able to average a seven minute kilometer pace across the entire run.

Looking ahead, it looks like a six minute kilometer pace is about my limit. I have never run a faster pace than a six minute kilometer, even on the short flat runs. That means that a 30 minute 5K is probably the best I'll ever be able to run, unless I radically change my running style. I'm in no rush to get to a 30 minute 5K, and maybe that will be the best I can ever run. Or maybe when I start running a 30 minute 5K, my body will find a way to start running at a five minute kilometer pace for short stretches. We'll see. My main goal, though, is to avoid any serious injuries that cut my running career short. If I can run 30 to 35 minute 5K races for many years to come that will be a very good outcome.

This was my tenth run along the 143rd Street route. My time was 1/2 minute better than my previous best time. The run was hard but not terribly hard. I felt a small ache in my right heel, but nothing serious.

Tuesday, August 28, 3.0K in 24 minutes

Map of August 29, 2012 run

I was feeling kind of blah. I was tired and had a headache and a bit of nausea. I thought that running would just make things worse, and I was right. It was a miserable run, and I missed a turn halfway through. I wanted to run the medium loop, but took the wrong direction and ended up on the short loop. That's okay. Even with the headache, I did well at first, finishing each of the first two kilometers in seven minutes. My body is still not totally comfortable with a seven minute kilometer pace, but it's getting a tiny bit less agonizing.

Cinnamon decided to take a poop break while I was crossing a small road in the park, just past the two kilometer mark. I'm still not sure how she did it, because I was running at a fair clip. For a moment, I was tempted to leave the poop in the middle of the street, but then I thought better of it. I stopped to let Cinnamon continue her duty and then pulled out the little bags that I carry with me. It probably took two minutes off my pace, but that's okay. I wasn't going to be setting any records today.

It took a full ten minutes to run the third kilometer, but with the break and with the last part being uphill on "no brake" hill, that wasn't too surprising. I was totally exhausted, but Cinnamon seemed even more tired than me. For her sake, I stopped short of my goal, but if I had continued, I probably would have been four minutes shy of my best run anyway. I ran a total of 3.0 kilometers (1.9 miles) in 24 minutes, which translates to a 40 minute 5K.

I have an informal rule about not taking Cinnamon with me on runs when it is above 70F (21C) and I bent it a bit today. It was warm (73F or 23C) and sunny. Maybe a bit too much, but for what it's worth, about a minute after I stopped, Cinnamon darted ahead on her leash, tugging at my arm. So I don't think there was any serious damage.

My heel complained a tiny bit at the beginning, but I had no other joint pains. For what it's worth, my headache stopped as soon as I stopped running. As a general rule, I don't enjoy running when I'm running. I don't get the "runners" high. But I do feel great when the run is over. There's a tiredness that is somehow satisfying because you know you've just accomplished something. The cool-down walk after the run is when I feel my best and that tired pleasant feeling lasts throughout most of the rest of the day.

Sunday, August 26, 1.3K in 8 minutes

Map of August 26, 2012 run

Cathy is working this weekend and that makes it harder to fit in a run. I also woke up on Saturday morning with leg cramps. So I waited until Sunday and ran a very short route to 151st Street and back along Mission Road. There was a light rain. As a sign of how dry it is, I mentioned rain earlier in the day on a run on June 21, 2012, but you have to go back to March 20, 2012 to find another run that was actually in the rain. Sure it rained once in a while, but it has been so dry that it was easy to avoid running in the rain for the most part. The weather was cool (64F or 18C), but still a bit humid.

Since the run was short, I tried again for a six minute kilometer pace. I actually wanted to run a bit faster (maybe a 5 1/2 minute kilometer pace), but I couldn't get close to that speed today. Give me some time and I'll be able to do it, but it's not happening anytime soon it seems. I did finish a six minute kilometer (just barely, thanks to rounding) and tried to keep up that pace for the remaining bit of the run. I finished 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 8 minutes, which translates to a 31 minute 5K. I should repeat all my previous comments about the dangers of extrapolating from such a short distance, but I do this because it is motivational for me.

This is my tenth run along this 151st Street route and matches my best time (which is pretty much every time since April 2012).

Cinnamon came along for the run and didn't mind the rain. I felt a bit of heel pain during the run, but nothing serious. My muscles are aching, which is a bit unusual for such a short run.

Thursday, August 23, 2.3K in 16 1/2 minutes

Map of August 23, 2012 run

I could not get my run in during the morning, so I ran in the late afternoon heat (91F or 33C). I took a bottle of water, but left Cinnamon behind. I ran along Mission Road to the bottom of "no brake" hill and was on pace for a six minute kilometer when I turned around and headed back up. Surprisingly, I kept that pace and finished the first kilometer in six minutes. It was agony, and not because of the heat. My lungs can't keep up when I'm running that fast. I was panting and my diaphragm muscles ached. That's part of getting in condition. To run a six minute kilometer with a long steep hill at the end is quite an accomplishment, and I was exhausted. I was barely able to keep up an eight minute kilometer pace for the rest of the run. That's okay. I finished 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 23 minutes. That translates to a 36 minute 5K.

I didn't have any joint pains during the run, though I did feel a minor twinge in my right knee as I was doing my stretching exercises at the end of the run. I report every tiny ache and pain, but other than my right heel, the pains are transient and not that strong. It's best to track everything, then if a problem looms large later, I can track down when I first started noticing it.

This is the seventh time that I've run this "no brake" hill route. My time was 1/2 minute shy of my best time on this route.

Tuesday, August 21, 3.5K in 26 minutes

Map of August 21, 2012 run

With Nicholas back in school, I have a bit more flexibility in running, especially on my work at home days. I decided to run the short loop in Ironwoods Park. My leg muscles complained right from the start. Maybe they were still remembering the 6.5K run on Saturday. I set a good pace, finishing the first two kilometers in 14 minutes. I couldn't quite get that third kilometer in in seven minutes, though, as part of it included the uphill climb out of Ironwoods Park and "no brake" hill. I finished 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 26 minutes. This translates to a 37 minute 5K. I've run this short loop many times. Today's time was one minute shy of my fastest time.

It's not my fastest pace, but I'm gradually getting used to the seven minute kilometer as my normal pace. In fact, the first two kilometers were not hard at all. Granted, it's mostly downhill, but it's a good sign.

My heel isn't hurting eight hours after the run and that's good news. I'm also feeling the strain in my leg muscles rather than my lungs and that's good as well.

The weather was a bit warm (73F or 23C). It's a bit above the threshold that I've set for taking the dog along, but I took her anyway. She did fine. She tends to run behind me on most of my runs now, which is probably to avoid tripping me. But she did surge ahead on "no brake" hill, which shows that she has more reserves that I do near the end of a run.

Saturday, August 18, 6.5K in 49 minutes

Map of August 18, 2012 run

I had the time for a longer run, and my goal was to put in as many 7 minute kilometers as I could. On the hill just past "no brake" hill, the sprinkler systems were going full blast. I don't like to get wet, especially with my iPhone in my pocket and Cinnamon doesn't like it either. So I was forced to run along a narrow patch of grass between Mission Road and a small drainage ditch. Halfway up the hill, I noticed a baseball lying in the grass. I reached down to pick it up and ended up tumbling into the drainage ditch. It's the first time I've ever stumbled while running, but it probably won't be the last. My right shoe got soaked but otherwise I was okay. I did utter a few curses at the sprinkler system.

Somehow even with the stumble I was able to finish the first kilometer in seven minutes, but I lost my momentum and took a full eight minutes for the next kilometer. I did speed up after that and finished every other kilometer in 7 1/2 minutes. That gave me a 37 minute time for the first five kilometers, which is still an accomplishment for me. The total run was 6.5 kilometers (4.1 miles) in 49 minutes. I might have had another kilometer or two in me, but I didn't want to press my luck after the bad tumble. If you extrapolate, this would be a 75 minute 10K run, though I have never run a full 10K even in a practice run.

The weather was cool (57F or 14C) which is ideal for running. I wanted to give my leg muscles a good workout, and my calves did start complaining at the second kilometer. My cardiovascular system coped well, though, and I didn't start huffing and puffing until after the fifth kilometer.

This is my fourth time running on this church route. I was one minute shy of my best time, but that run was actually 0.2 kilometers shorter. Slight variations in the route, like running along the side of Mission Road to avoid the sprinklers, probably accounts for this difference.

Wednesday, August 15, 2.3K in 16 minutes

Map of August 15, 2012 run

It's been a busy couple of weeks and the hot weather and other events have limited my weekday runs to very short routes. I did try to run a slightly longer route today, the route along Mission Road to the bottom of "no brake" hill and back up it again and down to 151st Street. It's a good run because the big hill comes almost halfway into the 2.3 kilometer course. I was working on speed, and alternated at the start between slow minutes (about an 8 minute kilometer pace) and fast minutes (about a six minute kilometer pace). I finished the first kilometer in seven minutes, not a bad time, but not a great time either, and I started slowing down as I worked my way back up "no brake" hill. Somehow I was able to recover from the hill and finish the second kilometer in seven minutes also. I finished the entire course (2.3 kilometers, or about 1.4 miles) in 16 minutes. That translates to a 35 minute 5K.

It was even cooler this morning than the last run (57F or 14C) which made for very pleasant running conditions. My right heel hurt a bit, but only at the start of the run. Although this was not a 6 minute kilometer pace, I was really breathing hard. I think that a 7 minute kilometer pace with a big hill in the middle is as good a workout as a 6 minute kilometer pace on a flat route. I'll be very happy if I can replicate this pace the next few times I run this route.

This is the sixth time I have run this "no brake" hill route. My time today was a new record, a full minute better than my previous best run.

Monday, August 13, 1.8K in 12 1/2 minutes

Map of August 13, 2012 run

I had to get up extra early to get a short run in, but the advantage was that it was quite cool (64F or 18C). I ran the flat route along Mission Road. I normally try to set a six minute kilometer pace, but today, I only had a seven minute kilometer in me. That's okay. I don't have to set a personal record on each and every run. I finished 1.8K in 12 1/2 minutes. This translates to a 35 minute 5K.

My right heel hurt a bit at the start of the run, but felt better as I went along. I really had no problems, though I was quite tired and sweaty after the run. On warmer runs, I have to worry about hydration, but at this temperature, it wasn't an issue.

This time is 1 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on this flat route.

Saturday, August 11, timed 5K race in 35 minutes

Map of August 11, 2012 run

I ran in the 2012 Overland Park Farmstead Stampede. Nicholas has seemed to lose interest in running, so he slept in. It was not too warm (70F or 21C), mostly because it was a 7am start time. My goal was to finish in under 37 minutes. If I came close to my best time of 34 minutes, I'd be very happy.

I was tired right from the start, but I still set a strong pace. I finished each of the first three kilometers at slightly better than a seven minute pace. It's still quite an accomplishment for me to finish the first three kilometers in under 21 minutes. The fourth kilometer was tough because of a few small hills, but I still finished it in seven and one half minutes. I saw the clock near the finish line ticking up to 35 minutes, and I sprinted to get to there before it went too much past 35 minutes. My official time was 35:14.8, which just barely rounds down to 35 minutes instead of up to 35 1/2 minutes. It is my second best timed race, and only a minute shy of my best time. Given that my best time was on a totally flat route, I have to be very happy with this result. I forgot to turn off the GPS right away when I finished this run, which is why it reports 36 minutes.

My left ankle hurt for a minute near the second kilometer, but I had no other joint pains during the run. My right heel will probably complain later (I'm writing this two hours post-run) as it always does on the longer runs. I did all my normal post-run stretches. I'll also try to get some short walks in later today.

I stopped in a bathroom after the run, and when I was washing my hands I noticed myself in the mirror. I looked like hell. My face was flushed red and I was dripping in sweat. But I felt pretty good. I don't get the so called "runner's high" while I'm running, but I do get a satisfied tired feeling afterwards. It's a good knowing that you've gone all out and pushed yourself to your limit.

I'm going to try to run a few more timed races this fall, and if I keep them all close to 35 minutes, I'll be very happy. I seem to have met my goal of setting up a 7 minute kilometer as my new normal pace. Eventually, I want to run at a 6 minute kilometer pace, but that's still a long way off.

By the way, my competition was quite strong. I came in 13th place in my age bracket. Looking forward to my "golden years" I noticed that the best runner in the 70-75 year old bracket finished in 23 minutes. If I'm able to shave a minute off my 5K time every year, then I'll be running a 20 minute 5K by then. Dream on!

Wednesday, August 8, 1.3K in 8 minutes

Map of August 8, 2012 run

I got up at 5:30am to be the heat and it was already 80F (or 27C). I still took Cinnamon with me because I figured the heat would be easier to tolerate before the sun came up. We only a bit of time and I didn't feel so great, so I settled for the shortest running route, down Mission Road to 151st Street and back. I tried to finish the first kilometer in 6 minutes, but fell just a bit short. That's okay, because I still kept up the same strong pace and finished the entire route (1.3 kilometers or 0.8 miles) in 8 minutes. That translates to a 31 minute 5K.

My heel hurt a bit in the middle of the run, but not afterwards. I was huffing and puffing at the end, much more so than usual. My body is not used to running at close to a six minute kilometer pace, even for short distances. I'll get used to this pace eventually, but not any time soon.

This is the ninth time that I've run this 151st Street route. I matched my best result. In fact, this is the fifth consecutive run along this route that I have finished in 8 minutes.

Monday, August 6, 2.8K in 20 1/2 minutes.

Map of August 6, 2012 run

I had to get up at 5:30am and only had time for a short run, but it was cool (66F or 19C) so I could easily take the dog along. I ran along Mission Road to 143rd Street and back. I wasn't at my fastest form because of the hills (there are two pretty big hills on this run), but I did set a seven minute kilometer pace for the first two kilometers. I slowed down a bit after that, but still finished 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 20 1/2 minutes. This translates to a 36 minute 5K.

The good news is that a seven minute kilometer is starting to feel more like my normal pace. It's still an effort, but it used to be agony to run consecutive seven minute kilometers.

I don't have any joint pains one hour after the run, but we'll have to wait and see. This is the ninth time that I have run this 143rd Street route, and today's time was 1/2 minute slower than my best time on this route.

Saturday, August 4, 1.8K in 12 minutes.

Map of August 4, 2012 run

Nicholas invited the cousins over for a sleep over Friday night, and everyone was up late. So that meant that I had a bit of time on Saturday morning for a quick run. I meant to get up at 6:15am so I'd have a longer run and in cooler weather, but I had gotten back from San Diego just before midnight on Thursday night and was still a bit jet lagged. It was almost too warm at 7am (78F or 26C), but I still took Cinnamon on the run. She did just fine, and had enough energy to almost yank my arm off when she saw a bird on the sidewalk after I was cooling down.

I ran the flat route, and could not quite get the first kilometer done in six minutes. I still held up a pretty good pace and finished the entire route (1.8 kilometers or 1.1 miles) in 12 minutes. It took all my energy to do this, and I was still a minute shy of my best time. My heel feels fine 12 hours afterwards, which is a nice change from my previous run.

Wednesday, August 1, 4.0K in 26 minutes

Map of August 1, 2012 run

I decided to repeat the same running route as Monday, but this time starting a little further from the hotel and going a bit past the U.S.S. Midway. Since the weather was nice (about 73F or 23C) and the route was flat, I tried to see if I could maintain a very fast pace for more than a couple of kilometers. I finished the first kilometer in six minutes, wasn't quite able to do the second in six minutes, but I got the third one in in six minutes, which is the first time I think I ever put two six minute kilometers together in a single run. I was able to keep the fourth kilometer in seven minutes, finishing a total of 4.0 kilometers in 26 minutes. I should have continued, because even with an eight minute kilometer, I would have matched my best previous time. Still, this is an excellent result.

It was a hard run, and my right heel bothered me for a couple of days afterwards. My muscles were also quite tired, but I didn't have any cramps.

Monday, July 30, 3.1K in 20 minutes

Map of JUly 31, 2012 run

I'm in San Diego, and even though I try to take my runs a bit less seriously when I am on the road, I couldn't resist trying to set some speed records. San Diego is a lot cooler than Kansas City right now, and my running route was quite flat. I could not quite finish the first kilometer in six minutes, but I came close. I kept up the pace and reached the two kilometer mark in about 13 minutes. I pushed myself onward, and almost reached the three kilometer mark in 19 minutes. I stopped shortly afterwards, putting in a total of 3.1 kilometers (1.9 miles) in 20 minutes. This projects to a 32 minute 5K.

My legs were tired, I was breathing hard, and my right heel hurt. I got a cramp in my left calf a few hours after the run. But it was worth it to run so fast.

Saturday, July 28, 2.1K in 13 minutes

Map of July 28, 2012 run

It was late morning, I was short on time, and it was starting to get hot (81F or 27 C) so I decided to try a short loop in Ironwoods Park. I alternated between one slow minute and one fast minute, and the pace was good enough for me to finish the first kilometer in 6 minutes. If I had more energy or if it wasn't so hot, I might have finished the second kilometer in six minutes also, but at the 12 minute mark, I was only at 1.93 kilometers. Still, that is one of my best times and under less than optimal conditions. In cooler weather, I might have persisted, but I stopped after 13 minutes. The total distance was 2.1 kilometers and that translates into a 31 minute 5K. It's an unfair extrapolation because there were a lot more downhills than uphills. But eventually, I should be able to record times like this even with as many uphills as downhills.

It was a difficult run, but not the agony that I normally encounter with the really fast paced runs. My right heel hurt a bit, but there were no other problems.

Thursday, July 26, 1.8K in 11 1/2 minutes

Map of July 26, 2012 run

I didn't have a lot of time, but it was early in the morning. I ran the flat route again, and put in a much better time. I finished 1.8 kilometers in 11 1/2 minutes, which is a half minute shy of my best time. This translates to a 33 minute 5K. The dog ran with me and she had a good run also.

Tuesday, July 24, 1.75K in 12 minutes

Map of July 24, 2012 run

I got up early to get a quick run in. I ran the flat route. I couldn't quite get the first kilometer done in 6 minutes, but I finished the entire route (1.8K) in 12 minutes. This is one minute off from my best time and translates to a 35 minute 5K.

Saturday, July 21, 5.4K in 42 minutes

Map of July 21, 2012 run

I decided to try for a longer run and made two loops inside Ironwoods Park. I was able to keep up a seven minute kilometer for the first two kilometers, which is a very good pace for me, but could not keep up that same pace for the third kilometer, mostly because of a long uphill section at the start of the second loop. I was able to finish the fourth kilometer in seven minutes, but the fifth kilometer, which included two big uphills (climbing out of Ironwoods Park and climbing back up "no brake" hill) was much slower. Still, I finished 5 kilometers in 38 minutes, which is one of my better times. The total distance was 5.4 kilometers (3.3 miles) in 42 minutes. This translates to a 77 minute 10K race.

I left the dog behind because of the length of the run and the heat.

Thursday, July 19, 3.0K in 21 1/2 minutes

Map of July 19, 2012 run

I'm experimenting with a new format for the satellite images from my GPS. I'm able to show steep uphills (red), moderate uphills (orange), flat sections (yellow), It's distracted me a bit from the written description of the running log.

As I recall, this run was in the middle of the afternoon and it was very hot. I was able to finish the first kilometer in six minutes, and the second kilometer in seven minutes. I slowed down too much for the third kilometer, though, and could not quite make the 21 minute mark for the first three kilometers. I was really tired and did not think it wise to push myself too hard in the heat. So I stopped at 3.0 kilometers (1.9 miles) in 21 1/2 minutes, which translates to a 36 minute 5K.

Tuesday, July 17, 2.3K in 17 minutes

Map of July 17, 2012 run

I had to get up at 6am and I only had a short time to run, so I chose a shorter distance. I like the "no brake" hill route because I can get two full kilometers in, unlike the flat route and the 151st Street route. But I can still finish this run in less than 40 minutes (including the warm-up and cool down). It was cool enough to take Cinnamon along, but she was lagging behind my pace. Maybe she's out of shape and maybe she was worried that we were heading on another run of close to an hour. That's the problem with running with a dog. You can't tell the dog what's coming ahead.

I finished the first kilometer (all downhill) in seven minutes and the second kilometer in eight more minutes. In total, I completed 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 17 minutes. This translates to a 37 minute 5K. I think Cinnamon held me back a bit, but that's okay. She doesn't run in the timed races, and that's where I want to do my best.

I didn't have any joint or muscle pains and I didn't tax my cardiovascular system that much. I usually overdo things when I run, so having a run that isn't agony is probably good for the long term. The important thing is getting out and running on a regular basis, and I have been very successful at that recently. I have run this "no brake" hill route four times before, and today's time matches the best previous time.

Sunday, July 15, 6.7K in 56 minutes

Map of July 15, 2012 run

When looking at Google Maps of the area, I've noticed a small dotted line designating a hiking trail that runs north from Ironwoods Park through Stonebridge Estates almost all the way to 143rd Street. It's a bit different than the run that I make into Ironwoods Park through Steeplechase, a development just a bit closer to Mission Road. Today I thought I'd look for that hiking trail during my run. It starts out near the pool and winds between the backyards of many of the houses in Stonebridge Estates. With the longer stretch along 143rd Street, I thought this would be a nice way to get a longer run in (more than 6 kilometers).

It was early enough in the morning to avoid much of the heat. It was 69 F (21 C) so I thought it would be safe to take Cinnamon along. I offered her some water at the starting point, but she wasn't interested. I finished the first kilometer in seven minutes, but slowed down to an eight minute kilometer for my second kilometer. Here Cinnamon started lagging a bit. It seemed a whole lot warmer because the sun was getting higher in the sky (this was around 8am), so I stopped a bit short of the third kilometer to offer her some water. She wasn't interested, so I poured the water out of her dish and onto her fur. I figured if she didn't cool off by drinking the water, she would cool off by having the water evaporate off of her fur.

The water break cost me a minute, and allowing for this, I finished the fourth and fifth kilometer in eight minutes. My total time for the 5K so far was 40 minutes (39 minutes if you subtract off the water break). Unfortunately, the 5K ended right at the bottom of "no brake" hill. I labored on, but my pace was closer to a 9 or 10 minute kilometer now. I extended the run down Mission Road to 151st Street to make sure the run was long enough. If I had headed up on 148th Street instead, the run would have only been about 5.7 kilometers. I was pretty exhausted, but finished a total of 6.7 kilometers (4.2 miles) in 56 minutes. This translates to a 84 minute 10K. I'm not going to run in an "official" 10K race until I can get my time down closer to 60 minutes, so I have a long way to go.

This is my tenth long run (more than 6K). It wasn't my fastest pace and wasn't my longest distance, but I'm happy with the result.

At the end of the run, I tried twice to get Cinnamon to drink water and she wouldn't. Instead she just lay down in the grass. So I think she was just tired and not overheated. She hasn't been doing as much running (or walking for that matter) in the past several weeks, so I think that I am just in better shape than she is. That won't last long. Most of the time, she's pulling me along, even on the fast runs and even on the long runs. She's a dog so she's built for running much more so that I am.

I had a bit of pain the right heel, but it was very minor. Around the second kilometer, my calf muscles started screaming at me, but they settled down quickly. I also had some discomfort on the top of my right foot. Right now, about 12 hours after the run, my leg muscles are still very tired, but I don't have any other issues. That's pretty good for now.

Friday, July 13, 2.3K in 17 minutes

Map of July 13, 2012 run

I started my run at 6am and it was warm (73 F, 23 C), but not hot. I took Cinnamon with me. I ran the route that takes me to the bottom of "no brake" hill and back to 151st Street before returning to home base. It's a good route because it has a big hill, but closer to the middle of the run rather than the end. I can't run this as fast as some of the shorter and flatter routes, but it's good training to try to keep up my pace on the uphill sections.

I felt much better than my July 11 run, probably because of the large temperature difference. I finished the first kilometer in seven minutes and the first two kilometers in 15 minutes. The total distance was 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 17 minutes, which translates to a 37 minute 5K. I've run this "no brake" hill route three times before. Today's run was just a tiny bit faster, half a minute faster than the June 28 run and a full minute faster than the other two runs.

My heel did not bother me at all during the run, though it did complain a few hours later.

Cinnamon did just fine. I offered her some water before and after the run, but she did not need/want any. She was leading the way for most of the run, which is a good sign. I think I'll take her on my runs anytime the temperature is below 75 F, but be wary on anything warmer than that. She's fine for walking, even in hot weather, but I'm not so sure about running.

I'll also try to get my runs in early, because it feels better and I get better times.

Wednesday, July 11, 2.85K in 25 minutes

Map of July 11, 2012 run

I had to run during the middle of the day, which I have mostly avoided during the heat wave. It was not as hot as some of the days, but still very hot (92 F, 33 C). I left the dog behind of course. I decided to run a moderate length route along Mission Road to 143rd Street and back. At the very first minute, I knew it was going to be a tough run. I was able to finish the first kilometer in eight minutes (just barely) and lost a minute off that pace for the second kilometer. The remainder of the run started at the bottom of "no brake" hill, and I was barely faster than a walk for the rest of the run. I finished 2.85 kilometers (1.8 miles) in 25 minutes. that translates to a 45 minute 5K.

Slow yes, but no big deal. The only bad run is one that I don't do or one that leads to a debilitating injury. I'll try to avoid afternoon runs during the next couple of months, but if I have to and I lose a lot of speed, I'm not going to worry about it.

I thought I was done with my right heel problems but it seems to be flaring back up a bit. Not too serious yet, but worse on this run than on the previous few runs.

I've run this 143rd Street route seven times before. My best time, on June 7, is five minutes better than today's time.

Monday, July 9, 1.8K in 11 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/5f84d1192709c2c5329f4ecae7ef8a16

Map of July 9, 2012 run

I got up at 5:30am, gave the dog a short walk, and then set out on a short run by myself. It was only 74 F (23 C), but humid enough that I didn't want to subject the dog to the risks of exhaustion, dehydration, and heat stroke. As I mentioned earlier, I don't mind taking on those risks myself because I would get pretty fast feedback if I was overdoing it. I'm not a dog whisperer, so I might not notice when Cinnamon was having problems.

I wanted to work on speed, and see if I could remember what it feels like to run at a 6 minute kilometer pace. The memory came back pretty quickly. A six minute kilometer is pretty agonizing, and stresses my cardiovascular system a lot more than my joints or my leg muscles. I ran along the relatively flat stretch of Mission Road, a favorite short route of mine. I did finish the first kilometer in 6 minutes, but I wanted to try to keep that same pace for the remainder of the run as well. I didn't quite do that, but I did come close, finishing 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 11 minutes, which translates to a 31 minute 5K. This is only the third time (see April 12, 2012 and April 8, 2012) that I've had a projected 5K time of 31 minutes across any run and any route. Naturally, these three projected times are on very short routes, but give me a few months, and I'll be projecting a 31 minute 5K on some of my longer runs too.

My right heel didn't hurt, but it reminded me during the run that it isn't perfectly healed either.

I've run this flat route eight times before. Today's run was one minute faster than any of these times.

Saturday, July 7, 3.95K in 29 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/0b4624ec65f06a97fc9fd183c1c2da8f

Map of July 7, 2012 run

I didn't want to do an extra long run, even though it was Saturday. I had already run 6.6K on Thursday and 6.3K on the previous Saturday. So I decided to take the medium loop through Ironwoods Park. I finished each of the first three kilometers in seven minutes apiece, which was my goal. I want to consolidate my previous gains and make seven minute kilometers seem like the new norm. The last stretch, a bit under a kilometer was up "no brake" hill, and took 8 minutes which was not too much slower. As tired as I was after the first three kilometers, it's a miracle I finished at all. I finished 3.95 kilometers (2.4 miles) in 29 minutes. This translates to 37 minute 5K.

It was very warm (82 F, 28 C), and I decided to take Cinnamon only on a walk before the run and leave her behind during the run. I can monitor myself pretty well and can stop if I am overheating. I'm not sure I would be able to monitor Cinnamon as well. I think my rule is to leave Cinnamon behind anytime the temperature is 80F or higher. It's a shame. Cinnamon loves the runs more than I do, but it's best to be a bit cautious in the heat.

I took a bottle of water with me and repeatedly took small sips whenever my mouth felt dry. Even so, I felt a bit dehydrated halfway through the run. I should have had a large drink before I started.

I had a dull pain in my right heel at the start of the run, but it was fairly minor and went away halfway through the run.

I've run this medium loop five times before, and my time today matches the best time of any of the previous runs. In this heat, matching my previous best times is very good.

Wednesday, July 4, 6.6K in 49 1/2 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/0e674dbcda7c2cb375debf74bc6b3eee

Map of July 4, 2012 run

This map is on a different scale because of the length of the run. Nicholas and I ran in the Ward Parkway Four on the Fourth run. This is my seventh timed run. and my ninth long run (6K or longer). It is a four mile run along Ward Parkway between 92nd Street and 83rd Street. It starts and ends near the Ward Parkway shopping center, with the final leg through a tunnel underneath State Line Road into a overflow parking lot on the other side. I set a very strong pace at the start, finishing the first kilometer in 6 minutes, and the next two kilometers in seven minutes each. It was very hard, right from the start. Several times I was tempted to stop and walk, but I persisted. I finished the first five kilometers in 37 minutes, which wasn't quite as good as an earlier 5K run, but it was still a very good time for me. I finished a total of 6.6 kilometers in 49 1/2 minutes. Note that 6.6 kilometers is actually 4.1 miles, but that's probably because I was running on the outside of the route for the most part. This would extrapolate to a 77 minute 10K race. You can compare this to reuslts in later years at the Ward Parkway 4M route page.

I did catch up to Nicholas at the two mile mark, as he was dawdling at the water station. I yelled for him to pick it up and he darted off and out of sight in less than 30 seconds. It turns out that my official time never got recorded. It must have been a chip malfunction or something. Nicholas clocked in at 47:13, which is a bit slow for him. The time results are posted at
--> www.racedaytimingsolutions.com

My right heel bothered me a bit and it took a while for me to find a place to stretch it. My leg muscles are also very tired, but in general I feel pretty good two hours after the race. Note: that night and the next morning, my heel pain did flare up, but it went quickly back to normal.

Photographs of the run are at
--> www.seekcrun.com

Here are two pictures taken by photographers at the race:

Steve and Nicholas prior to the run
http://00673d3.netsolhost.com/photoalbum_index.htm/07-04-12four_fun/pages/IMG_6382_s_jpg.htm

This was 15 minutes prior to the start of the race.

NIcholas after the run
http://00673d3.netsolhost.com/photoalbum_index.htm/07-04-12four_finish/pages/DSC_0663_s_jpg.htm

If you're wondering, the tiger's name is Hobbes, and he ran the entire 4 mile race.

Saturday, June 30, 6.3K in 53 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/42dbaae4899e3a27e46a4dc616f3b220

Map of June 30, 2012 run

I wanted to do a longer run, as I normally try for on Saturdays. I also started at 7am to avoid the heat. It has been near or above 100 F (38 C) in Kansas City for the past week. I ran one of my favorite longer runs, along Mission Road until the sidewalk runs out (138th Street), behind the Church of the Ressurection, back up Nall Avenue past Saint Michael's, and ending at 148th Street. My goal was to try to run as many 7 minute kilometers as I could, but I could only do this for the first kilometer. I felt exhausted after the first kilometer, which was a bit surprising, but I plunged onward. The second and third kilometers both fell just a little bit short, but I was putting in 8 minute kilometers which is not terrible. I had decided to take a water break at around the halfway point (3.2 kilometers), and this takes a full minute for Cinnamon. I could not get anywhere close to a 7 minute kilometer after the break, and I felt light headed enough that I needed to taken another water break soon. I did finish the fifth kilometer in 40 minutes before I took another water break. Then I started up again. It was a struggle after the second break to even maintain an 8 minute kilometer pace. Ultimately, I finished 6.3 kilometers (3.9 miles) in 53 minutes. That would extrapolate to an 84 minute 10K, but if you take off both of the one minute water breaks, it extrapolates to 81 minutes.

I ran this church route two times before. I was five minutes slower than my May 12 run (three minutes slower if you take away the water breaks). My time without the water breaks does match the May 5 time though.

It was interesting how much momentum I lost with both one minute breaks. You would think that a brief rest would help, but for me it seems like my muscles tighten up and I lose a lot of willpower as well. This is a lot like what happens with hills. Once you let a hill slow you down, you can never get back to your original pace.

This is only my ninth long run (6K or longer). I think I could have easily run for another kilometer or two today, but the pace would have been pretty slow. The goal of running longer than 5K distances, however, is to condition your leg muscles so that you have a reserve left when you are running the last parts of "just" a 5K race. So my pace is not all that critical for these longer runs.

The weather was warm, even at 7am (77F or 25C), and I made sure that Cinnamon and I got water before, during, and after the run. My right heel hurt just a bit after the run, but not much. There were no other joint pains. I'm wondering if the warm weather has helped.

Thursday, June 28, 2.3K in 17 1/2 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/e491313640df8d9f40106e3da6d54c1e

Map of June 28, 2012 run

I wasn't sure how far I would run this morning, but I didn't have a lot of energy, so I ran to the bottom of "no brake" hill, and back to 151st Street. I ran the first kilometer in seven minutes, but could not keep up that pace for long. I completed 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 17 1/2 minutes. I want to round to the nearest half minute, especially for the shorter runs. This translates to a 38 minute 5K.

I started early (8am) to stay out of the heat, but it was still hot (80F or 27C). I took water for myself and Cinnamon, and we both drank up before and after the run. I was tired, but had no joint pain.

I've run this "no brake" hill route twice before, both times in 18 minutes.

Tuesday, June 26, 1.8K in 12 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/da77896cf165aabd511ef3b4668e6736

Map of June 26, 2012 run

I headed out for an early morning run, as I wanted to avoid the midday heat and also wasn't sure if I would have time to run later in the afternoon. I ran along the flat stretch of Mission Road, from 151st to just shy of "no brake" hill. I set a strong pace of 0.3 kilometers every two minutes, and finished 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 12 minutes.

This flat route is a frequent route for me. This time matches my best times on three previous runs. Eventually, I would like to step up the pace a bit, as I noted in my May 29 log entry, but for now I'm happy maintaining the pace of previous runs. These runs are quite an exertion, but the fact that I'm not using words like "agony" anymore is a sign that I am solidifying my previous gains.

Also good news is that my right heel seems to be bothering me a lot less in the past week. I think that if I keep exercising regularly, but don't overdo things, I might put this behind me.

The temperature was warm (70F or 21C) but not too humid. The sun wasn't high enough in the sky yet, so it was a very pleasant run.

Saturday, June 23, 5.2K in 40 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/306892eaed8282e578a84fdfb0b3147f

Map of June 23, 2012 run

I like to work on longer distances on Saturday morning, and a fun route is along Mission Road to 143rd Street, across 143rd Street, into Steeplechase and then into Ironwoods Park from the north side. I finished the first kilometer in seven minutes and then the next two kilometers in eight minutes each. Somehow I got the fourth kilometer done in seven minutes, but didn't quite get the fifth kilometer in by eight minutes. So officially, I finished 5K in 39 minutes, which is a good, but not a great pace. I ran a total of 5.2 kilometers (3.2 miles) in 40 minutes. If you could extrapolate, that would be 10K in 77 minutes. I don't want to run a 10K unless I could finish it in 60 minutes or less, so I have a long way to go.

I have run this Steeplechase route twice before. I was two minutes off my April time, but matched my December time. I don't have to set a new personal best every time I run, and I'm just trying to consolidate many of my recent gains.

I was really tired at the end of the third kilometer, but I did not have any serious joint pain.

It was warm (70F and 21C) and humid but cloudy. I brought water for me and for Cinnamon, which we both appreciated after the run.

Thursday, June 21, 2.3K in 18 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/f5d41cd2c1d8a951a3a23437a40ac559

Map of June 21, 2012 run

It's been a busy week, and I had to get up at 5:30am to get any run in at all today. I ran the route that goes all the way to the bottom of "no brake" hill and back up and over to 151st Street. It's a good route, because it includes one (but only one) big hill. It also places the uphill climb in the middle of the run rather than at the end. I was a bit out of shape, but still wanted to set a good pace. I finished the first kilometer in seven minutes, but then fell back to an eight minute kilometer pace for the rest of the run. That's hardly surprising because the second kilometer included the big uphill section. Still, I want to get to the point where I can run a seven minute kilometer even on the uphill stretches of my runs. I finished a total of 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 18 minutes, which translates to a 39 minute 5K. I did have one excuse for the slow time, as Cinnamon took a poop break near the end of the run. This is the same time as when I ran this "no brake" hill route on May 23.

I didn't have too many aches or pains during or after the run. The grass was very wet from a previous rain, so I stayed mostly on the sidewalk, but that didn't seem to bother my heel at all.

The weather was warm (70F or 21 C) but cloudy. I still was dripping with sweat, probably because of the humidity.

Cinnamon has picked up a minor respiratory infection, so I was worried how she would do on the run. She was just fine and seemed to enjoy the outing.

Sunday, June 17, 3.5K in 26 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/7bb741573557ffbe84216bbf5e70b758

Map of June 17, 2012 run

I was a bit jet-lagged from the Paris trip, but wanted to get a run in after all that sitting on airplanes in the previous day. I was shocked at how out of shape I felt as I was lightly jogging during my warm-up (I do about a 5-6 minute gentle run to stretch my muscles prior at the beginning of each run). The run itself well. I think the discomfort during the warm-up was left-over stiffness from the trip. I set a pretty strong pace, finishing each of the first two kilometers in 7 minutes. The third kilometer took 8 minutes, partly because it included the uphill on "no brake" hill. I finished 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 26 minutes, which translates to a 37 minute 5K. I've run this short loop seven times before. This pace is one minute slower than my best time on May 10, 2012, but still better than my other runs. Still, I'm very happy with these results. I'm starting to establish a seven minute kilometer in place of the eight minute kilometer as my new norm. It's quite an effort, but not the agony that I describe in some of my earlier runs. It's all part of my plans to consolidate the result of my June 2, 2012 race, where I put in a 34 minute 5K, four minutes better than any previous race.

I was breathing hard right from the start, and my muscles started complaining after the end of the second kilometer. My joints feel fine now (eight hours after the run), though sometimes the joint pain sneaks up on me later.

The weather was very warm (77F or 25C) and humid. Cinnamon was still being boarded so I didn't have to worry about dehydrating her. I made sure that I took a large drink of water before the run and I was just fine. The light headedness that I complain about during some runs is probably an early manifestation of dehydration, but thankfully, I did not have any trouble with this today. I do want to watch this during the rest of the summer.

Wednesday, June 13, 2.6K in 20 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/7bb741573557ffbe84216bbf5e726b41

My GPS was working just fine this time. I started at Pilier Sud (the South Pillar of the Eiffel Tower), and looped towards the Seine, with the thought of possibly running along that river. The traffic on Quai Branly, though, was very bad and I thought I'd be better off repeating my run around the Eiffel Tower and surrounding park (Champ de Mars). I circled clockwise this time and finished more or less where I started at Pilier Sud.

I wasn't trying for a fast pace, but was still able to finish each of the first two kilometers in eight minutes. I completed 2.6K (1.6 miles) in 20 minutes, which translates to a 38 minute 5K.

Monday, June 11, approximately 2.5 kilometers in 23 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/7bb741573557ffbe84216bbf5e72e0ab

Map of June 11, 2012 run

I wasn't sure if my GPS app would work in Paris, and it didn't for the first half of the run. I think the GPS satellites were blocked by all the trees and the tall surrounding buildings. The GPS did report a total of 1.6 kilometers, but from my run on June 13, I'm guessing that the total distance was 2.5 kilometers. I started and ended at Pilier Est (the East Pillar of the Eiffel Tower) and ran counterclockwise.

Thursday, June 7, 2.8 kilometers in 20 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/3ff59af2dceeb4810b124dc1c2f6ca1b

Map of June 7, 2012 run

It was a busy week and I only got a chance to do one run prior to our Paris trip. I ran along Mission Road to 143rd Street and back.

I have run this 143rd Street route six times before. Today's time was one minute better than any of these other runs.

Saturday, June 2, timed 5K race in 34 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/a3b43411b2b444f6a47422137729621e

Map of June 2, 2012 run

I ran in my sixth timed race this morning. Nicholas usually comes along, but he has a bit of a cold and wanted to sleep late. The course was twice around Heritage Lake in Heritage Park in Olathe, Kansas. My goals for 2012 were to finish a timed 5K race in 37 minutes by the middle of the year and in 35 minutes by the end of the year. I'd run a 5K in 37 minutes during a couple of my practice runs but not in a timed race. My fastest result in a timed race was 38 minutes, so it would be great if I could shave a minute off of that result.

I knew that I had to get a good start, so I finished the first kilometer in six minutes and the second kilometer in seven minutes. When I finished the third kilometer in seven minutes as well (a total of 20 minutes so far), I could see not only reaching my 37 minute goal, but possibly even my year-end 35 minute goal as well. I finished the fourth kilometer in seven minutes (27 minutes total) and I actually passed some walkers on the 5K route who were still working on their first loop. I crossed the finish line in 34 minutes and 10 seconds. That's not an official time, but it's safe to say that I made both my mid-year and year-end goals.

There were several things working to my advantage. The course was flat. For most of the run, I could run on the grass on the outside edge of the trail, which minimized the stress on my joints. And seeing the same route for a second loop made me more comfortable with the run. I also did not have Cinnamon with me. Sometimes Cinnamon pulls me along, but at other times, she pulls in the wrong direction. The field was also very uncrowded. Most of the serious runners were at the Hospital Hill run, the granddaddy of all Kansas City races. So I didn't have to contend with passing or being passed so much.

It will be hard to match this result on future runs in 2012, but if I come close I'll be happy. I've met my both of my 2012 goals, so I will just focus on maintaining these gains in speed. It's not too far fetched to think of a 32 minute or even 30 minute 5K run in 2013.

It was a difficult run starting with the third kilometer, but mostly because I felt out of breath. My muscles did not complain that much. My right heel was a bit of a problem, but it helped a lot to do long parts of my run in the soft grass. With the stretching afterwards and the icing of my heel when I came home, I think I have avoided any serious aches or pains.

It's a shame that Nicholas was not feeling well. He's been talking about doing longer distances and he could have easily finished a third loop (7.5K) or maybe even a fourth loop (10K) and finished ahead of most of the 5K walkers.

My other New Year's Resolution for 2012 was to cut back sharply on sugar in my diet. But today after besting my previous official 5K time by four minutes and my best unofficial 5K time by three minutes, I indulged in a Krispy Kreme donut with no guilt whatsoever.

Postscript: Nicholas was a bit disappointed when he heard about the 5K race, and he pestered me to go out on a practice run. I never run on two consecutive days, much less twice on the same day, but I was starting to get a bit stiff after the race, so I decided that a very light jog to stretch my muscles would be good. I encouraged Nicholas to run ahead. This was just after dusk, so we needed a flashlight. I set a glacial pace, 2.4 kilometers in 33 minutes, which translates to a 69 minute 5K.

Thursday, May 31, 1.3K in 8 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/011d6918534484353a4c543cf30a1999

Map of May 31, 2012 run

It was a busy day, but I did want to get a run in, so I got up early and did the short run to 151st and Mission and back. I finished the first kilometer in six minutes and the entire route (1.3K or 0.8 miles) in eight minutes. Actually it was 8 1/2 minutes, and I may decide to round to the half minute for future runs, especially the short runs.

I did not have any problems (even with my knees), which was good. I did not have time for ice, but I did stretch, which helped.

I've done this 151st Street route seven times before. This is the fourth time in a row that I've run this in 8 minutes.

Tuesday, May 29, 1.8K in 12 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/0ce7d5b88b8b7a25a39c372d17e8c8b1

Map of May 29, 2012 run

I was having trouble setting a strong pace on my last few runs, so I thought I'd run the short flat route along Mission Road and see if I could still do it at a fast speed. My goal was to finish the first kilometer in 6 minutes and the entire route in 12 minutes. I achieved both goals, though it was agony. For the record, the length of the route was 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) and this pace extrapolates out to a 33 minute 5K (though as I always note, extrapolations from these shorter distances is unrealistic).

The weather was warm (75 F, 24 C) and I brought water for myself and Cinnamon. Cinnamon didn't want any water, either before or after the run, but I found a quick drink very refreshing.

My knees complained again while I was warming up and I can't figure out what to make of this. Everything was fine during the run (other than sweating profusely and breathing like I was going die). My post run stretching and icing of my right heel seems to help a lot.

This route is one I run when I want to go fast, but also when I just need an easy run to stretch my legs, so my times are all over the place. I've run this flat route six times before and my time on this run is the third time I've finished this route in 12 minutes. I need to work a bit more on speed, so my goal is to finish 1.5 kilometers in 9 minutes and this entire route in 11 minutes. If I can do this, then the next step is to extend these results to longer distances, running two kilometers in 12 instead of 13 minutes and running three kilometers in 20 minutes rather than 21. That's not going to be easy, but I need to achieve these speeds if I have any hope of finishing a 5K in 35 minutes.

Sunday, May 27, 4.0K in 31 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/ab554d7963a4ff98299ed9281da7c534

Map of May 27, 2012 run

I ran the medium loop through Ironwoods Park. It was not a great day for me, as everything ached throughout my whole body. My knees started complaining at the start of the run, which is unusual. I want to be very careful with my knees as they are a very common reason why people stop running. I think they were just a bit stiff, though, because that didn't persist for long. My right heel also caused problems. I try to run on grass when I can rather than the concrete, as the softer surface is easier on my joints. I also developed an ache in the front of my left foot which is a new thing. My calf muscles were very sore during the run back up "no brake" hill. I felt a bit light headed at the top of "no brake" hill. The total run was 4.0 kilometers (2.5 miles) in 31 minutes, which translates to a 39 minute 5K.

In spite of all this, I finished the first kilometer in seven minutes, which is a pretty amazing result for such a bad day. I was able to finish the next two kilometers each in eight minutes. I was ready to quit on "no brake" hill, but the big advantage to mapping these runs is that I want to finish the whole run so I can compare my results to previous runs. I've run this medium loop four times before. Today's pace two minutes off from my best time, but still matched the best of my other times.

The weather was warm (72 F, 22 C) and humid. I brought some water for Cinnamon. She wasn't interested at the beginning of the run, but lapped up quite a bit of water at the end of the run. I also drank some of the water (not from the same bowl as Cinnamon, of course) and it helped.

Three hours after the run, my muscles are sore, but my joints feel just fine.

Thursday, May 24, 2.3K in 18 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/b99f95bc69908352e4da7c46b5b76ef3

Map of May 24, 2012 run

I wanted to run a new route. I wanted something just a bit longer than the flat portion of Mission Road, but not quite as long as the runs into Ironwoods Park or all the way to 143rd Street. So I headed to the bottom of "no brake" hill, back up again, then down to 151st Street and back to home base. It's nice distance, 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles), which I finished in a reasonable time, 18 minutes, which translates to a 39 minute 5K.

I didn't feel that good at the start of the run, but things were actually a bit better afterwards. I think that stretching my muscles and flexing my joints is good for me if I don't overdo things.

This is my first time on the "no brake" hill route.

Tuesday, May 22, 1.8K in 12 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/f0f7df48e6265b952f5bab98cdc36b9d

Map of May 22, 2012 run

I was short on time, so I ran the short flat route along Mission Road. I've run this flat route five times before. I worked on speed and finished 1.8K (1.1 miles) in 12 minutes. This matched my best time. If you extrapolate, which is dangerous for such a short run, you'd get a 33 minute 5K.

The weather was hot, so I took some water for me and Cinnamon. I forgot to do my stretching afterwards, and my muscles ached quite a bit.

Thursday, May 17, 2.0K in 16 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/c04d9bf3f8eebeb07c6ad7e554b154ec

Map of May 17, 2012 run

I took a hike on Wednesday that almost killed me, but I realized that a short run on the day afterwards would probably be good for keeping me loose and preventing too much soreness. I found out that the hike/bike trail had a counterpart on the other side of the Willamette River. I used my warm-up to cross the bridge at Madison Street, then started up north, crossed the bridge and came back down the opposite side. It was a short run, 2.0 kilometers (1.2 miles), but I was able to keep up a reasonable pace and finished in 16 minutes. That translates to a 40 minute 5K. My legs were quite stiff, afterwards, but I suspect it would have been worse had I skipped the run.

Monday, May 14, 4.4K in 39 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/4563726649d397e14567c72e5fe37261

Map of May 14, 2012 run

I arrived in Portland to give a talk. Fresh off the plane, on the afternoon before that talk, I decided to stretch my legs with a leisurely run along the Willamette River. There was a very nice riverside bike/hike trail near my hotel. I put on the GPS during my warm up, which might have been a mistake, because I never sped up much from my warm-up pace. I did put in a fairly long distance, though, 4.4 kilometers (2.7 miles). The total time was 39 minutes, which translates to a 45 minute 5K. My right heel complained a bit during the run, but with stretching and ice, it was fine afterwards.

Saturday, May 12, 6.3K in 48 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/f611bd82bd28a65a877bc3843eb5c434

Map of May 12, 2012 run

I decided to repeat the route I ran last Saturday, but try for a faster pace. I alternated between seven and eight minute kilometers, finishing the first four kilometers in 30 minutes. At this point, I could see another 37 minute 5K in sight, so I sped up and met that goal. I also persisted after that and finished the sixth kilometer in another eight minutes. The total distance was 6.3 kilometers (3.9 miles) in 48 minutes, three minutes faster than last week. It's dangerous to extrapolate to a 10K as I have never run anything even close to that distance, but at this pace, I would have finished a 10K in 76 minutes. I don't want to run in an official 10K race unless I could do it in less than 60 minutes, so I am a long, long way off. But it doesn't hurt to dream.

The previous shorter runs at an even faster pace have helped. It was a tough run, but I was not in agony at anytime. My right heel hurt a bit during the run, but it's doing just fine now (a couple of hours later). My leg muscles are also quite tired, but I think I could probably extend the run by a kilometer or so without undue problems.

Also worth noting is that this route requires that you cross Mission Road twice, 143rd Street twice and Roe Avenue once. I had to wait for traffic to clear at every single crossing, not long, but possibly accumulating to a full minute delay.

This also marks the third time I have finished 5K in 37 minutes, though it's not official until I do it in a timed race.

Thursday, May 10, 3.5K in 25 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/bad136598d5267add65e76d9eb3de4ec

Map of May 10, 2012 run

I wanted to do a medium length run, so I opted for the short loop through Ironwoods Park. I also tried to alternate between one slow minute (at about an eight minute kilometer pace) and two fast minutes (at about a six minute kilometer pace). I finished the first kilometer in 6 minutes, a rare event for me (see my list of runs with a six minute kilometer stretch). I was exhausted, but I persisted and finished the first two kilometers in 13 minutes. This was another rare event for me (see the links to the April 8 and January 11 runs above) and it just about killed me. But I still persisted and finished the third kilometer in eight more minutes, which replicated my recent efforts to finish 3 kilometers in 21 minutes. I really slowed down a lot then, but I had to persist because I was close to setting a new personal record on this route. I ended up with a total of 3.5 kilometers in 25 minutes, which translates to a 36 minute 5K. Realistically, I'm not capable of maintaining such a pace yet for the full 5K. I was ready to quit several times and I was totally spent at the end of the run. It's a good feeling to run flat out like this and the more I do this, the easier it will become. A year ago it was quite an effort to run at an eight minute kilometer pace, and now I'm starting to set a seven minute kilometer pace over longer distances. More importantly, I'm setting these paces on routes with both uphills and downhills.

My side was hurting from breathing so hard at the first kilometer, and my legs joined in the chorus at the end of the second kilometer. I was a bit light headed at the very end of the run, but this wasn't too bad. I'm not sure about my heel yet, as it tends to wait until half a day after my runs to complain, but right now (one hour after the run) it feels just fine.

I have run this short loop six times before. This pace is two minutes better than my May 3, 2012 run on this route and four minutes better than any of my earlier runs. April and May have been good months for me and I am busting record times on pretty much all of my running routes.

My long term goal is to finish a 5K in a timed race in 37 minutes by the middle of this year and in 35 minutes by the end of this year. Super long term, I'd like to get my 5K time below 30 minutes, but that will probably take years of effort. I don't want to tackle longer distances until I get my 5K time below 30 minutes and even then I'm not so sure. Longer distances increase the chances for debilitating injuries. If I just ran 5K races for the rest of my life, that would still be a very positive thing for me.

I wonder sometimes if these goals are too ambitious? Maybe so, but as long as I don't pursue these goals so zealously as to injure myself, I find setting these goals to be highly motivating. I also get a strong motivation out of mapping my runs. It's fun to compare times over the same route and to look at the maps of runs along beaches and other exotic locations when I travel.

Tuesday, May 8, 3.9K in 29 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/9a6552408190668b7461aa2495f87295

Map of May 8, 2012 run

I decided to run the medium loop in Ironwoods Park. I started out a reasonably slow first minute (that seems to help a lot) and then sped up for minutes two and three. I forgot to slow down on the fourth minute (the plan was to alternate one slow and two fast minutes) and my body didn't seem to mind. I actually did slow down a bit, but it seemed like I was still running flat out. I was striving for finishing the first two kilometers in 13 minutes, and I didn't quite get there. But I was still in good shape and thought that maybe I could get the first three kilometers in at 20 minutes, which would be a new record for me. Alas that wasn't to be either, but I was able to finish the first three kilometers in 21 minutes, which ties my two previous efforts. The effort on the first three kilometers took a lot out of me, and my pace for the last bit was quite a bit slower. Still, I completed 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles) in 29 minutes. That translates to a 37 minute 5K. I've run this medium loop three times before, and today's pace was two minutes faster than any of my previous times.

My leg muscles complained more than my joints this time around and that's good news. I am working on my post-run stretches and icing, which seems to help a lot.

Saturday, May 5, 6.3K in 51 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/af8fa49043b661440d5843fa4da77fa4

Map of May 5, 2012 run

This is a longer run, so the map is drawn at a different scale. I hadn't run a longer distance in a while and I had the time, so I headed north on Mission Road, cut over where the sidewalk ends at 138th Street, weaved my way behind the Church of the Resurrection, and then back along Nall to 148th Street. I initially wanted to start off with my slow/fast tempo, but my body stayed in the slow tempo. That's okay. I was still making each of the first four kilometers in eight minutes apiece, though the last one was a struggle. I finished 5K in 41 minutes, and wrapped up a total of 6.3 kilometers (3.9 miles) in 51 minutes. This translates back to a 40 minute 5K, thanks to a fortunate rounding error.

I ran a somewhat similar route on December 9, 2011 (6.2K in 48 minutes) which is a slightly better pace than this run. This is my sixth time to run more than six kilometers, but my pace today is better than any of these previous long runs. Only the November 5, 2011 pace comes close to the pace of today's run.

The weather was warm (72 F, 22 C) and humid. My right heel started complaining during the cool down, but with a bit of stretching and some ice, I was able to quiet it down. Interestingly, my muscles weren't all that tired. If my joints could take it, I bet I could run a lot farther than 6.3K. I'll see if I can slowly increase the distance on future Saturday runs.

Thursday, May 3, 3.5K in 27 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/f72f69adf8d88ee5c8c1554c7d60614f

Map of May 3, 2012 run

It's been way too busy and things have popped up at the last minute that have prevented me from running for more than a week. That's okay. I'm not rabid about keeping a strict training schedule. I decided to take a short loop in Ironwoods Park. My plan was to alternate one minute at a normal pace and two minutes at a faster pace. I finished the first kilometer in seven minutes and was making good headway for a second seven minute kilometer when Cinnamon decided to take a poop break. I couldn't get back on time, but no big deal. I finished the second and third kilometers in eight minutes, including the grueling uphill on "no brake" hill. The total distance was 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 27 minutes. This is two minutes better than any earlier runs on this route and it translates to a 39 minute 5K.

The weather was warm (72 F, 22 C), but it seemed cooler because of some dark storm clouds brewing on the horizon. The humidity was high, and I was covered with sweat by the end of the run.

I had just a bit of heel pain, but it didn't last. The interesting thing was that I seemed to have more heel pain in the previous week of no running. There are several possible explanations, but I take this to mean that too little activity is just as bad for my joints as too much activity.

I have run this short loop five times before.

Tuesday, April 24, 3.9K in 31 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/9b9bdd02f30e094af38c09811a643175

Map of April 24, 2012 run

I started off with a slow minute, as I had for the last few runs, but I didn't have the energy to follow it with a fast minute. So I just plodded along at my 8 minute kilometer pace, more or less. I ran the medium loop through Ironwoods Park, and persisted at pretty much the same pace, even back up "no brake" hill. I finished 3.9K (2.4 miles) in 31 minutes, which translates to a 40 minute 5K. That's a bit slower than some of my earlier runs this month, but if my body gets used to an 8 minute kilometer pace as my slow run, then that's still progress.

This is one of my favorite routes, but I usually don't have the time to run it. I've run this medium loop two times before, running both of those at 32 minutes, one minute slower than today's pace.

The weather was nice (59 F, 15 C), and not so hot as to make running more strenuous. I'll have to get used to running in 90 degree weather soon enough.

My heel is complaining a bit a couple of hours after the run, but just a bit.

Saturday, April 21, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/5cc6e450ddd277594349fc1c38b50502

Map of April 21, 2012 bike ride

Nicholas sleeps late on Saturday mornings so I completed my run and was at home resting when he said, let's bike to Winstead's. Winstead's is a hamburger joint near 135th Street and Roe. It's an easy bike ride, but I wanted to turn on my GPS to track distances for when I want to run the longer (more than 5K runs). We biked north on Mission Road until the sidewalk ended (138th Street) and then turned right and wound our way through the side streets past the Church of the Resurrection to Winstead's. Along the way we passed a father and his son (a boy about 6 years old). The father was jogging and the son was on a bike with training wheels. They were headed to TCBY's, a frozen yogurt place near Winstead's. So Nicholas wanted to get dessert at TCBY's. Cathy met us by car at Winstead's and she was going to take Nicholas and the bike back home and then on some errands. Nick's bike didn't fit in the trunk of Cathy's car, though, so we had to ride home after the TCBY stop.

Map of April 21, 2012 bike ride

This map shows the ride home. We took a detour around St. Michael's. You'll have to ask Nicholas why we did this.

My upper leg muscles were really tired, but it is a different set of muscles than what I use for running, so that's okay.

Saturday, April 21, 5.1K in 38 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/8bd7656cf7d48f6fcb7e58bc956c18fe

Map of April 21, 2012 run

I decided to run a longer route this morning, a full 5K. I planned to use the same route that I ran on December 13, 2011, if I didn't make a wrong turn (as I had on April 10, 2012). It's been a while. I wanted to see if I could keep up my new faster pace at a much longer distance. I continued alternating slow and fast minutes, with a goal of finishing each kilometer in seven minutes. The first two kilometers went well. I fell behind the pace at the start of the third kilometer, but I was able to pick up the pace again and finished the third kilometer in seven minutes also. This is only the second time that I have finished the first three kilometers of a run in 21 minutes. I was pretty tired at this point, and I was heading downhill at this point into Ironwoods Park from the north end, so I tried to keep up a reasonable pace. I finished the fourth kilometer in eight minutes.

With a total time so far of 29 minutes, I thought I could get in a pretty good time, even if my pace slowed down considerably in the last kilometer. I was facing an uphill on "no brake" hill (my nemesis at the end of almost every run). I did slow down considerably, but when I reached the top, I was able to kick it back up to a faster pace and finish my last kilometer in eight minutes. That's a 37 minute 5K, which achieves my short term running goal, but it doesn't count until I run it in a timed race.

The actual route was slightly longer than a 5K, so I finished 5.1 kilometers (3.2 miles) in 38 minutes. This is two minutes better than my previous run along this route. Note that I had done a previous 37 minute 5K (actually 5.1K in 37 minutes!) on November 19, 2011, but it was on a different route that had more downhills than uphills in it.

I'm worried that my heel will pay the price for this speed and distance, but an hour after the run, it is feeling fine. I did the stretching and iced it down afterwards, which does seem to help. The temperature was cool (48 F, 9 C), but I was dripping with sweat after the run. The dog seemed just fine and was pulling me along even at the grueling uphill at the end of the run.

Thursday, April 19, 1.2K in 8 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/3032dc5b3baa358701d825fe4074e985

Map of April 19, 2012 run

I only had time for a short run, so ran my short route along Mission Road to 151st Street and back. I alternated one minute slow (comparable to an 8 minute kilometer) followed by one minute fast (comparable to a six minute kilometer). This averages out, of course, to a seven minute kilometer, more or less, which is still an exhausting pace for me. But the more I do it, the more my body gets used to it. I finished 1.2 kilometers (0.7 miles) in 8 minutes. Note that the GPS sometimes maps this route out at 1.3 kilometers instead. At this pace, I'd finish a 5K race in 33 minutes, but extrapolations are tricky.

The weather was cool, and I had no problems with joint pains. I have run this 151st Street route quite a few times now. This is the third time in a row that I've run this in 8 minutes.

Tuesday, April 17, 1.9K in 13 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/42f68fa4cdd204e189766611cc8bd990

Map of April 17, 2012 run

I wanted to run a short loop through Ironwoods Park. I had new shoes, so I wanted to break them in at a moderate running distance. I got a phone call two minutes into my run, so I reset my GPS and started again at the top of "No brake" hill. I set a strong pace, finishing the first kilometer in seven minutes. I was heading uphill out of the park and my feet were tingling a bit because the shoes were a bit tight. So I stopped a bit short and walked the rest of the way home. I did finish 1.9 kilometers (1.2 miles) in 13 minutes, which translates to a 34 minute 5K. I get really tired at this faster pace, and I'm not really ready to run at this pace for a full 5K. But I'll get there eventually.

The weather was warm, but I didn't note the exact temperature. Both the dog and I were a bit thirsty after the run.

My right heel bothered me a bit afterwards. I had gotten these shoes for the extra cushioning, but we'll see if they really help that much. I do try to switch from the paved sidewalks and trails to grass alongside when I can, and that seems to help as well.

Saturday, April 14, 1.8K in 12 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/818802a503e417b8793e01b0fc7be03a

Map of April 14, 2012 run

I didn't have time for a long run this morning, so I ran back and forth on the relatively flat stretch of Mission Road. I tried again to alternate between fast and slow but I started out the first minute slow by accident, and I actually think it helped. I finished the first kilometer in seven minutes, which is still quite an effort for me. The total run was 1.8K (1.1 miles) in 12 minutes. This translates to a 33 minute 5K. These extrapolations are unrealistic for short runs like this, but I do them anyway because they are motivational.

I've run this flat route four times before. My time today was a minute better than any previous times.

The temperature was warm (60 F, 16 C) and humid. It seems like ideal weather for running to me, because you don't risk getting chilled or overheating.

There's no serious joint pain two hours afterwards. The stretching exercises and the ice seem to help a lot.

Thursday, April 12, 1.3K in 8 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/4fc9927b770a26e9ffe8c14b8ce387af

Map of April 12, 2012 run

I only had a little time in the morning, so I ran the short route along Mission Road to 151st Street and back. I alternated minutes fast (about a 6 minute kilometer pace) and slow (about an 8 minute kilometer pace), and finished 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 8 minutes. This extrapolates to a 31 minute 5K, though as I always note, extrapolations are potentially misleading at this short a distance. This matches my best time for this short route.

It's still quite an effort to run at this pace, and today was no exception. My heart was pounding and I was panting and I felt pretty much beat when I finished. Even so, I'm hoping to gradually get used to this pace, as this will be the key to running a 5K at a 37 or 35 minute pace (my short term and long term goals this year).

The temperature was cold (45 F, 7 C), but I was still okay even in shorts and a t-shirt.

I ran this 151st Street route five times before. This run matches my best previous time.

Tuesday, April 10, 3.0K in 21 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/b3a815350e707d356cf2b8166ea4d0cb

Map of April 10, 2012 run

I was originally planning to run the same route that I ran on December 13, 2011, but I turned one block too early. I was also planning to run a series of three minute half kilometers with a slightly slower rate in between. The didn't work either. But I did run the first kilometer in seven minutes, then sped up near the end of the second kilometer to finish that in seven minutes as well. Then I was able to finish a third kilometer in seven minutes as well. I have never strung together three seven straight minute kilometers, so this was quite an accomplishment. I stopped early because there was nothing left in me. It's a bit of a cheat because it leaves you with one more downhill than uphill, but I'm still very happy with my result.

The distance was exactly 3.0 kilometers (1.9 miles) in 21 minutes, which extrapolates to a 35 minute 5K. It was agony, with my heart racing and with me gasping for breath. But I'm hoping that I can repeat this pattern and gradually get my body used to a seven minute kilometer pace. My right heel was complaining a lot during the cool down, but seems to be just fine now (12 hours after the run).

The temperature was cool (51 F, 11 C) but my t-shirt and shorts felt just fine.

Sunday, April 8, 1.3K in 8 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/7146267d9dac3067befa62ffca36fdc9

Map of April 8, 2012 run

I only had a short time, so I ran a popular short route, down Mission Road to 151st Street and then back. I finished the first kilometer in six minutes, which is a rare occurrence for me. I tried my best to keep up that pace and did finish 1.3K (0.8 miles) in 8 minutes, which is a minute better than any of my earlier times. This extrapolates to a 31 minute 5K, but extrapolation is especially perilous for runs this short. My goal is to get more comfortable running at this pace for short distances and then gradually increasing the lengths of these runs.

I ran this 151st Street route four times before. It's kind of an in-between run, so sometimes it rounds up to 1.3K and sometimes it rounds down to 1.2K. The wide variations in times results from my tendency to use the very short run either to work on my speed or to take it easy.

The temperature was cool (51F and 11C). I was chilly at first in a short sleeved t-shirt and shorts, but I warmed up pretty quickly.

My right heel complained a lot during the run, but (thankfully) not afterwards. My second toe on my left foot was also a bit sore.

Friday, April 6, 3.5K in 29 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/d0c3fabfef4ecac68248a3d483108128

Map of April 6, 2012 run

I was in Iowa City to give a talk, and before I left town I took a run around campus. I started out at the Danforth Chapel near the Iowa Memorial Union and headed north along the Iowa River. I took the bridge near Hancher Auditorium and headed back on the opposite bank. Then I took the pedestrian bridge across Riverside Drive to Hillcrest Dormitory. I lived at Hillcrest during my undergraduate days at Iowa. Then I took a different pedestrian bridge, crossed the Iowa River again and ran along the library back to my starting location. I lost a minute off my pace on the pedestrian bridge ramp and the uphill near Hillcrest, but still finished 3.5K (2.2 miles) in 29 minutes. This translates to a 41 minute 5K.

My calf muscles complained on the uphills, but otherwise it was a pretty smooth run. I was a bit worried about my right heel, which was a bit sore after Sunday's 5K race, but the stretching and some ice afterwards seemed to keep any problems at bay.

It was cold (40 F, 4 C), but I only had shorts and a t-shirt with me. I was pretty chilly, but halfway through the run, the cold didn't bother me anymore.

Sunday, April 1, timed 5K race in 39 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/b0a5091ca5330a35a60a1d89ea91b752

Map of April 1, 2012 run

Nicholas and I competed in the 3rd Annual Indian Creek 5K race. This is my fifth timed race. I had trouble with this map on my computer, and the very last tip of the run past Antioch Road got cut off, but I couldn't rescale the map. Click on the link if you are curious to see the whole run.

I finished the 5K race in 39 minutes and Nicholas finished in 29 minutes. He took second place in his age group, which was very impressive because he was competing with kids up to the age of 12. I came in third in my age group (50-59), but I never put much stock in these results. There were five men in their 60s who all had better times than I did.

Running is good because you can compete against yourself. My goal was to finish below 45 minutes and to strive for finishing below 40 minutes, so I was very happy with my result. My short term goal is to finish a timed 5K race in 37 minutes or less by mid-year and in 35 minutes or less by the end of the year. As long as I don't overdo things, I think these are still fine goals. There are a bunch of timed 5K races coming up, so I'll have lots of opportunities to improve.

There was a 92 year old man who finished this 5K race in just under an hour, and that's my long term goal: keep running at a reasonable pace until all my competition dies off. There was a story about a 100 year old man who completed a marathon,

--> http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/oct/19/secret-worlds-oldest-marathon-runner-100

and that's another goal, but I think the longer distances would be a lot harder on my joints. Seriously, though, I don't have the time for the longer distances and I wouldn't want to compete in a half marathon, for example, unless I was reasonably sure I could finish in under two hours. This 100 year old man took over eight hours to finish. His practice runs are 10 to 15 kilometers. Maybe when I retire, I'll have the luxury of running such long distances. Now, I have to reserve my 5 kilometer and longer runs to Saturday mornings.

The course started on Marty Street just south of 103rd Street in Overland Park. We headed south on Marty, turned west on 106th Street and then went onto the Indian Creek hike/bike trail. We turned around just a bit west of Antioch and returned, but stayed on the trail for the return, which paralleled Conser Street.

The course was uphill on the way out, which I was not used to. Almost all the runs near my house start with a steep downhill on "no brake" hill. My philosophy on hills is that you have to accelerate when you go up them, and then coast a bit when you reach the top. If you slow down going uphill, you never find a way to speed back up afterwards. I was able to finish the first kilometer in eight minutes, which was good considering that it was almost all uphill. It wasn't a steep uphill for the most part, but it did tire me out. I finished the second kilometer in seven minutes and then held on for eight minutes on the remaining kilometers. I did lose half a minute on the fourth kilometer when Nicholas called to tell me he had finished, but was able to make up that time with a sprint on the last tenth of a kilometer. My GPS reported 5.1 kilometers in 41 minutes, but I got an extra tenth of kilometer because I started near the back of the pack and and extra minute when I forgot to turn the GPS right away after I crossed the finish line.

The temperature was in the mid 70s F (mid 20s C), and not too humid.

Nicholas wanted to run a second 5K along the same route, but I took him home. My heel is aching a bit afterwards, and any additional running might have caused bigger problems. I didn't have any problems with light headedness, which was pretty amazing considering the hills that I charged up.

I forgot the camera, so there are no pictures. Just imagine a tired, sweaty, but happy old man. Nicholas looked like the run didn't faze him at all.

I have run four previous timed races, all in 2011. Today's result is one minute slower than my best timed race.

Friday, March 30, 2.8K in 22 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/503e7f05fca374cc24ff39806085667b

Map of March 30, 2012 run

I ran one of my favorite routes, out on Mission Road to 143rd Street and back. I finished the first kilometer in seven minutes and the second in eight more minutes. I tried not to slow down to much when I hit "no brake" hill, but even Cinnamon was tired. She got her wind back at the top of the hill when she saw some other dogs behind a fence, but I was pretty pooped. I did finish 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 22 minutes, which translates to a 39 minute 5K. It's a minute off my March 20 pace, but still at least a minute better than my other runs along this 143rd Street route.

I didn't think I'd have to worry about the weather anymore, but it was an unusually warm afternoon (75 F, 24 C). I felt a bit dizzy after getting back to the top of "no brake" hill. Perhaps I was not yet used to the warm weather. Other than that, it was a pretty easy run, though my calves complained a lot during the last stretch of the run.

Tuesday, March 27, 1.8K in 13 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/b128ad9aa0d1e7b4389577f26ccc5719

Map of March 27, 2012 run

I only had a bit of time in the morning, so I ran along the flat stretch of Mission Road. I finished the first kilometer in seven minutes, and was on pace for eight minutes for my second kilometer when I finished. I completed 1.8 K (1.1 miles) in 13 minutes, which corresponds to a 36 minute 5K.

The weather was warm (65 F, 18 C), but a bit of a drizzle and threatening clouds. That was another reason to keep the run short and close to home.

I ran the flat route three times before. Today's run was one minute faster than any of my previous runs.

Saturday, March 24, 5.0K in 42 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/d39827b093c0863f7a362f88acbefa43

Map of March 24, 2012 run

This map uses a different scale because of the length of the run. I decided to work on distance today, but still tried to keep up a strong pace. I ran north on Mission Road from 148th Street until the sidewalk ran out (138th Street) and turned around. I finished the first kilometer in eight minutes, the second in nine minutes, the third in eight minutes and the fourth in eight minutes, and the fifth in nine minutes. I had to go a bit beyond my starting point to get the full five kilometers in. I finished exactly at 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) in 42 minutes.

I've been unsure until this day that I could get back to running a 5K, but this run pretty much says that I'm ready. There are several good 5K races coming up in April and May, and I'll see if I can sign up for one of them. I will also try to add a half kilometer every other week until I'm up to eight kilometers or maybe even ten. I'll save those long distance runs for Saturday mornings, when I have fewer pressing deadlines. During the weekdays, I'll keep the runs much shorter and work on speed instead.

I was surprised that my leg muscles did not complain that much. My knees had a small twinge, and I had a bit of pain in the right heel, but nothing serious or persistent.

The weather was a bit chilly (55 F or 13 C), but I was fine in shorts and a t-shirt.

Thursday, March 22, 1.2K in 9 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/57e208329b2de6fa00c86c40b85d539d

Map of March 22, 2012 run

I felt a bit of heel pain about 12 hours after my Tuesday run, so I thought I'd keep the next run much shorter. I did work on speed and finished the first half kilometer in three minutes and the first full kilometer in seven minutes. The total distance was 1.2 kilometers (0.7 miles) in nine minutes. It's dangerous to extrapolate from such a short distance, but if I were to keep that pace up, I'd finish a 5K in about 37 minutes. I have no joint pain yet (one hour afterwards). I did put ice on my heel for five minutes just to be safe.

I ran this 151st Street route three times before. Today's run matched my best previous time on this route.

The weather was just about perfect (68 F, 20 C), but I'm glad I kept the run short, because it started raining in the cool-down walk towards my house.

Tuesday, March 20, 2.8K in 21 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/2e14cd1da76a446839216b1da19ea21b

Map of March 20, 2012 run

There was a light rain out, but not enough to keep me from running. I actually like running in a light rain because it's a lot quieter and the air smells so fresh. I ran down Mission Road to 143rd Street and back., a fairly common run for me. I've run this 143rd Street route four times before. I started the first kilometer in seven minutes, and the second in eight minutes. At the end of two kilometers, I was staring up my nemesis, "no brake" hill, but I was determined to keep up the strong pace. My calves complained loudly, but I did not lose anytime off my pace and finished a total of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 21 minutes. This is two minutes better than any of my previous times on this route, though most of those earlier runs were in less optimal weather conditions. I did lose a bit of time because it's slower setting up my GPS in the rain and I had to retie my shoe laces. So this was a very good run. If you extrapolate, I would have completed a 5K in 38 minutes, which is exactly where I want to be right now.

I was okay during the run, but felt a bit light headed afterwards for a minute or two. It was a strenuous workout for my lungs, and the last stretch was also very tiring for my leg muscles. I didn't have any joint pain. I have been very religious about doing my post-run cool-down and stretching, which seems to help. One of the post-run exercises is bending down and stretching the back of the leg. I have never been good at this, even when I was young, and when I do this now, my fingertips just get a bit past my knees.

It was very warm (55 F, 13 C), so I wore shorts, but I also grabbed a hoodie. This kept my head dry but the rest of me was way too warm.

Cinnamon was with me for the first time in a week, and she was very good to keep on the trail and not get distracted.

Sunday, March 18, 3.9K in 32 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/bf302635d25ca33cf5e3531429652cf9

Map of March 18, 2012 run

I'm back in Kansas City, with nothing as exotic as a beach to run on. My goal was to up my distance to about 4 kilometers and at a decent pace (my long term goal is to get an extra half kilometer in every week or so, getting back up to 4.5K, 5K and so forth). I took the medium sized loop in Ironwoods Park, staying away from that very steep hill in the Southeast corner of the park. I finished each of the first three kilometers in eight minutes each, but then lost a bit of momentum on "no brake" hill on the way back. I still finished a total of 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles) in 32 minutes. That translates to a 41 minute 5K. My leg muscles ached from the very beginning, and it took a couple of kilometers before they realized that their complaints weren't getting them anywhere. I felt a little light headed at the end of my run. But there was no joint pain, not even in my right heel.

I ran this medium loop one time before and finished with the same time. I've also run this medium loop on a couple other occasions (November 17, 2011 and January 5, 2012) but did not quite get back to where I started. On those runs, I was trying to build up speed and typically ran full out so that I did not have enough reserves when I was looking back up at "no brake" hill.

The weather in Kansas City was almost hot (70 F, 21 C), which was actually quite a bit warmer than San Diego. But even a chilly San Diego beach trumps the best that a warm Kansas City could offer.

I also ran this run and the three runs in San Diego without our dog, Cinnamon. She was still being boarded this morning, and was unavailable for pickup prior to the afternoon. Cinnamon helps my pace sometimes by pulling me along and hurts it sometimes by yanking me off to one side or the other. I don't know whether one cancels out the other.

Friday, March 16: 3.2K in 25 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/007ca9bf8d177e0ee7f002f18121e51f

Map of March 16, 2012 run

The scale on this map is reduced because of the large east/west distance. I took my third run along the beach, this time repeating, more or less, the route I took on Monday, March 12, though my stopping point was a bit closer to my starting point than on the earlier run. The weather was consistent (mid 50s) even if it was a bit chilly from the normal mid-March San Diego temperatures.

I picked up the pace considerably, and finished 3.2K (2.0 miles) in 25 minutes. This corresponds to a 39 minute 5K. Breaking a pace of 40 minute 5Ks is a big psychological boost for me. I had been going easy because of the wintertime running conditions and to avoid stressing my right heel too much, so you'd have to go way back to early January to find a pace that was quite this fast.

Wednesday, March 14: 2.3K in 19 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/b5636d4e9fbbf13148ac3b240c345713

Map of March 14, 2012 run

I decided to run in the other direction on the beach and got about a kilometer down the beach when I was directed to turn around. I'm not sure if there was a problem with dangerous surf conditions, or I was venturing out another military base, or if that stretch of the beach was just closed to the public. So my run was a bit shorter than my earlier beach run, but I still was able to put in 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 19 minutes. This corresponds to a 41 minute 5K. I had a few aching muscles, but no joint pain afterwards. The weather was nice again (mid 50s).

Monday, March 12: 3.5K in 30 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/16b2f574b8c1700a79f30671b82cce4f

Map of March 12, 2012 run

The scale on this map is reduced because of the large east/west distance. We are in San Diego on Coronado Island (actually it is a peninsula, but only by the tiniest of strips of land). I ran along the beach on Monday morning. I tried to stay on the hard wet sand near the ocean. I started and finished near the Hotel Del Coronado and ran all the way up past Dog Beach to the fence that marks the boundary of the naval beach. There were lots of military personnel running on the beach as well, wearing the distinguished olive drab or the camo. They were also wearing, for the most part, those heavy combat boots. And they were a lot faster than me. But that's only because they were a lot younger than me.

I took a short break for pictures, but still finished 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 30 minutes, which translates to a 43 minute 5K. The weather was a bit chilly for San Diego (about 55F, 13 C), but I was fine in shorts and a t-shirt, of course. My body complained a lot when I started, as it usually does, but gave up complaining after a few minutes. My heel did not hurt afterwards. I did the stretching exercises, but no ice. I was in more pain because of sunburn from my previous day lounging on the beach.

Thursday, March 8: 2.8K in 23 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/e80ec2e2d97330c01a9565fd4ee70fb0

Map of March 8, 2012 run

I wanted to run a decent distance (about 3K) at a decent pace (7 minutes for the first kilometer and 8 minutes for the second kilometer, and 9 minutes for the last kilometer). It was a struggle, but I did make the first two goals. The last stretch included the uphill on no brake hill, so I was probably pacing a bit closer to a 10 minute kilometer. Even so, I completed 2.8K (1.7 miles) in 23 minutes. This translates into a 41 minute 5K. My muscles ached, my lungs ached, and my knees hurt, but my right heel was just fine.

The weather was a bit above freezing, but I didn't notice the exact temperature. I wore long pants and a hoodie, and coped just fine.

I ran this 143rd Street route three times before. Today's time matched my best previous time on this route.

Sunday, March 4: 1.3K in 12 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/ba0ce19e7ea174e986796bafe2726ca4

Map of March 4, 2012 run

It was early morning and just above freezing (34 F, 1C). I wore a hoodie and long pants, but could have used some gloves. I've run this 151st Street route twice before. I ran 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 12 minutes (three minutes slower than my best time on this route). This pace translates a 46 minute 5K. My right heel didn't hurt during the run, but it was talking all the time. The stretching afterwards quieted it down.

Monday, February 27, 3.6K in 31 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/8587a5ffcbf7ece21fa57978549c2d6d

Map of February 27, 2012 run

I ran the short loop through Ironwoods Park. The weather was warm for February, (46 F, 8 C), so I ran in shorts and a t-shirt. I finished the first two kilometers in eight minutes apiece which was pretty good considering all the time I took off. It also helped that the first two kilometers were mostly downhill. The remainder of the run was a bit slower, but I did finish 3.6 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 31 minutes, which translates to a 43 minute 5K. I was worried that my heel would pay the price for such a long run, but the stretching exercises and the ice afterwards worked perfectly.

I ran this short loop four times before. My time today is two minutes slower than my best previous time on this route.

Tuesday, February 21, 1.3K in 11 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/7cc0bb58f1fec8789028921f3d4a56b8

Map of February 21, 2012 run

I kept the run short and easy again and avoided the hills. I ran 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 11 minutes, which translates into a 44 minute 5K. Again, the post-run stretches and icing seem to be working. No heel pain!

I ran this 151st Street route once before. Today's time is two minutes slower.

Saturday, February 18, 2.6K in 25 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/80a1686be9eb972de7f63672ed204a65

Map of February 18, 2012 run

I took off for about a month because I wanted to get my heel pain examined carefully. It is a minor pain, but it was recurrent, and I was worried that it might get worse over time. An x-ray showed some calcification where the Achilles tendon attaches to the heel bone. I've been given some exercises to stretch the tendon and to build up the muscles around the tendon. I've also been putting the heel on ice after exercise.

My physical therapist gave me a green light to slowly get back into running. I did a short run while in Orlando at a Statistics conference. I ran at a very slow pace: 2.6 kilometers (1.6 miles) in 25 minutes. This translates into a 48 minute 5K. After all the stretching, my heel was fine. Orlando was 80 F (27 C) and humid.

Saturday, January 21, 2.8K in 23 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/8c0e839e6c8009db254de2c4437ef466

Map of January 21, 2012 run

It was a busy week and it was a cold week and I wanted to rest my joints a bit, so I didn't get any runs on the previous five days. I try to run every second or third day, so this was a bit too much time off. I wanted to set a reasonable pace and not push myself too hard on speed or distance. I ran towards 143rd Street along Mission and then turned around. I finished each of the first two kilometers in 8 minutes, but slowed down a bit after that. I was heading back up on "no brake" hill, and fell off my pace a bit. At the top of the hill, I pushed myself to make up for the lost time but still finished up the last segment at a slightly slower pace. In total, I ran 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 23 minutes, which translates into a 41 minute 5K.

It was a cold morning (17 F, -8 C) so I bundled up with long pants, a long sleeved shirt, a hoodie, a stocking cap, and gloves. I wore sweatpants rather than jeans, and they weren't quite as warm, but a lot easier to run in. About halfway through the run, I peeled off the gloves and stocking cap and lowered my hood. There was no wind, which probably helped a lot.

I was really winded at the end of the run, but no sore muscles or aching joints. I'm feeling a small twinge in my right Achilles tendon right now, about eight hours later, but nothing too serious.

I ran this 143rd Street route twice before. Today's run matches my best previous time on this route.

Sunday, January 15, 3.6K in 29 minutes, http://gps.motionx.com/maps/8105444da988a4b8db34e72b3524a926

Map of January 15, 2012 run

I took a few extra days off, and decided to have an easy run today. I did want to run into Ironwoods Park, but I took the extra short loop. In spite of taking a relaxed pace, I was still able to finish each of the first three kilometers in 8 minutes each. The third kilometer ended in the middle of "no brake" hill, and I did slow down a bit. Even so, I did well, finishing 3.6 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 29 minutes. That translates to a 40 minute 5K.

I didn't have too much trouble until that third kilometer was done, and then everything started aching at once. I also had some transitory right heel pain at the beginning of the run, but it went away. Afterwards, my muscles were tired and right heel was a bit sore, but nothing was too terrible.

The temperature was warm for January (41 F, 5 C) so I decided to run in shorts and a t-shirt. It was a big mistake, as the wind made things feel a lot colder. My legs were fine, so I might have been okay with a long sleeve t shirt. But in any case, I survived. The dog runs with a lot less on that I have, and she never complains. I think, though, that I'll wait until temperatures in the 50s before I try running in a short sleeve t-shirt again.

I ran this short loop three times before. Today's run was two minutes faster than any of those runs.

Wednesday, January 11, 2.1K in 14 minutes

Map of January 11, 2012 run

I didn't have a lot of time, so I did a short run back and forth along the relatively flat stretches of Mission Road. My goal was speed again, and I finished the first kilometer in 6 minutes, and the second in 7 minutes, which was one of my fastest runs ever. The total run was 2.1 kilometers (1.3 miles) in 14 minutes. I could not keep up this pace for a full 5K, but if you extrapolate, you would get a 33 minute 5K.

I had some heel pain during the run, but not afterwards. My calves ached a lot.

The temperature was warm for January (41 F, 5 C), but I still bundled up in long pants and a hoodie.

Monday, January 9, 2.1K in 15 minutes

Map of January 9, 2012 run

I skipped Saturday because I thought my joints needed some rest. Actually, I ended up walking through Ironwoods Park with the dog, and that's easily 3 kilometers. But I didn't run and I didn't put on my GPS.

Today, I wanted to work on speed and keep the distance short. I started out strong and finished the first half kilometer in three minutes. I didn't quite have it in me to finish any of the other half kilometers in three minutes, but I did keep up a pretty good pace anyway. I ran a total of 2.1 kilometers (1.3 miles) in 15 minutes. That translates into a 36 minute 5K. I did stop before ascending "no brake" hill, so it's a bit of a cheat to extrapolate from a run that has more downhills than uphills in it.

I think my short term goal will be to keep the distances around 2 kilometers or so, and to try to finish those 2 kilometers in 13 or even 12 minutes. Running for speed rather than distance seems to cause fewer joint problems. Also, there's no good reason to push longer distances in the middle of winter, even if it is a very mild winter so far.

The weather was warm (52 F, 11 C), but I bundled up anyway in a hoodie and long pants.

My muscles and lungs were aching during the run, but I didn't have any joint problems during the run or afterwards.

Thursday, January 5, 3.0K in 21 minutes,

Map of January 5, 2012 run

I was feeling much better, so I decided to work on speed. The plan was to take a medium loop in Ironwoods Park and to alternate 6 or 7 minute kilometers with 4 minute half kilometers. I didn't quite get the first kilometer done in 6 minutes, but when I finished 7 minutes, I was at 1.1 kilometers and I was not all that tired. So I kept up the same pace and put in a second kilometer in 7 minutes and even a third kilometer at 7 minutes. It took a last big kick to get the final kilometer in, and I was staring uphill at "no brake" hill, so I called it quits then and there. I ran a total of 3.0 kilometers (1.9 miles) in 21 minutes, which translates to a 35 minute 5K. This was my longest run since December 13 of the previous year.

It still an effort to run at this speed, but I'm getting more used to it. My muscles started complaining after the second kilometer, which is probably a reflection on the shorter distances I've been doing recently. Three hours after the run, I've got a bit of pain in my right Achilles tendon and some sore and tired muscles.

The temperature was nice (40 F, 4 C), so I ran in shorts and a t-shirt. It was a bit chilly during the warm-up, but it was worth it.

Monday, January 2, 3.5K in 31 minutes

Map of January 2, 2012 run

I have been battling a cold for the past couple of days, but I felt much better this morning, so I thought I'd try a gentle run. It's been a while since I ran through Ironwoods Park, so I did a short loop through there. I finished the first kilometer in eight minutes, and the next two each in nine minutes, and didn't really feel tired until after that third kilometer. It was partly because I was running back up "no brake" hill on Mission Road. My total run was 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 31 minutes. That translates to a 45 minute 5K.

I had been cutting back on distance recently, and this was the first time I have exceeded 3 kilometers since December 13. My joints feel pretty good right now (two hours after the run).

The weather was cold (30 F, -1 C). That doesn't seem that bad, but a brisk wind kept me cold during the run even with long pants, gloves, and a hoodie.

By the way, my running goals for 2012 are to finish a 5K race in a competitive (chip timed) setting in 37 minutes by the middle of the year and in 35 minutes by the end of the year. I also want to up my maximum distance during practice runs to 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), though I don't want to run in a 10K competition just yet.

What now?

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Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License. This page was written by Steve Simon and was last modified on 2017-06-15.