Steve, Cathy, and Nicholas -- Steve's running log for 2013 (created 2013-01-01)

This is a log of my runs for 2013. 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, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016. You can find general information about my running activities on my main log page.

Total monthly run amounts
--> December 2013, 17.6K in 5 outdoor runs, 16.9 miles in 12 runs on the treadmill
--> November 2013, 19.9K in 7 outdoor runs, no runs on the treadmill
--> October 2013, 34.8K in 11 outdoor runs, 1.9 miles in 1 run on the treadmill
--> September 2013, 35.5K in 10 outdoor runs, 5.3 miles in 6 runs on the treadmill
--> Auugst 2013, 27.0K in 12 outdoor runs, 7.0 miles in 5 runs on the treadmill
--> July 2013, 27.2K in 9 outdoor runs, 1.8 miles in 2 runs on the treadmill
--> June 2013, 22.5K in 8 outdoor runs, 4.4 miles in 5 runs on the treadmill
--> May 2013, 16.8K in 8 outdoor runs, 4.8 miles in 3 runs on the treadmill
--> April 2013, 50.2K in 13 outdoor runs, no runs on the treadmill
--> March 2013, 21.1K in 9 outdoor runs, 3.2 miles in 2 runs on the treadmill
--> February 2013, 22.3K in 8 outdoor runs, 4.8 miles in 3 runs on the treadmill
--> January 2013, 29.6K in 10 outdoor runs, 10.6 miles in 7 runs on the treadmill

Totals for 2013: 324 kilometers (201 miles) in 110 runs. Average run length: 2.9 kilometers (1.8 miles). I also put in 98 kilometers (61 miles) on 46 runs on the indoor treadmill.
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 30, 2013, 1.2 miles in 20 minutes

I checked a few things on the treadmill and it looked fine. So I decided to try running on the treadmill again, but nothing too extreme. It took a slight push of the foot to get it started, but then it worked just fine. I didn't have too much trouble with this run. My calf muscles were a bit tired, perhaps, but I had no joint pain.

Saturday, December 28, 2013, 1.3 miles in 22 minutes

I wanted to try a longer run at the 5 mph pace. My goal was to do 20 minutes, which (after including my warm-up and cool-down periods) would add up to 2.2 miles. If I didn't feel too bad, I might even extend that to 26 minutes at 5 mph, whic would add up to 2.7 miles. A 5 mph pace translates roughly to a 37 minute 5K.

This run was not meant to be. I wasn't paying too close attention at the beginning and did the second AND the third mimute at 2 mph. I could get this to average out upping the fifth minute from 3 mph to 4 mph. I started the 5 mph pace just fine. My muscles were aching a bit, but not terribly. But all of a suddent, just after the 17th minute of the run, the treadmill decided to stop completely.

I always wondered what would happen if the treadmill stopped suddenly. Would my momentun cause me to lunge forward and smash into the console. It turns out that nothing happened. The treadmill stopped and I stopped with it.

At first, I thought the safety key had come loose and I jiggled it and tried to restart the run at 5 mph. It wouldn't work. I tried several times. Finally, I restarted at 1 mph and nudged the tread backwards with one foot. It restarted just fine. I decided to call it quits and just cooled down with a few minutes at 1 mph. I ended up running a total of 1.3 miles in more or less 22 minutes (21 if you ignore the time it took me to get restarted).

I sort of felt cheated and wanted to run longer, but I should look carefully at the treadmill to see if there is something wrong that caused it to stop suddenly. I think that the belt may have gotten slightly out of alignment.

Friday, December 27, 2013, 0.4 miles in 10 minutes

I took a bit of my morning to stretch my legs. They always feel sore in the morning, and this persisted through the ten minutes at a walking pace. But I think it does help later on in the day to have that early morning opportunity to walk out my aches.

Thursday, December 26, 2013, 2.6 miles in 34 minutes

I decided to lengthen my 7 mph stretches to two minutes again. I've done two and even three minute stretches before, but not quite this many. This first time I sped up to 7 mph, I thought I was going to die. But I persisted and I didn't die. It seems like my body complains at the start of many of my runs, both on the treadmill and outside. Once it realizes that I won't stop, it gives up complaining. Of course, I would stop if there was any serious pain, because I want to avoid an injury. But the general agony that I feel at the start of a run is perhaps a sign that I need longer warmups. The nice thing about the treadmill is that even for these longer runs, I don't have any joint pains.

Monday, December 23, 2013, 2.3 miles in 31 minutes

I ran the same grueling pace as on December 15, with 12 one minute stretches at 7 mph sandwiched between 13 one minute stretches at 4 mph. It was tough on my leg muscles and my lungs, but I had no joint pain.

Saturday, December 21, 2013 , 4.4K in 32.5 minutes

It was very cold (21F or -6C), but with the threat of freezing rain and snow later in the day, I thought it would be good to try to get a run in. Once the ice and snow hits the ground, I pretty much avoid outdoor runs until it is entirely melted. I dressed as warmly as I could including a running sweatshirt with a hood, long running pants, and gloves. Everything felt fine, except possibly for my hands, as the gloves are rather thin. Cinnamon loves this weather. Partway through the run, I dropped the hood and later still I peeled off the gloves.

I had the time and energy for a longer run, so I decided to try the 145th Street route. It starts with an early uphill (the 145th Street hill, "no brake" hill's northern counterpart), and I wanted to get that stretch done at a seven minute kilometer pace. Then I would try to maintain the same pace on the mostly flat and downhill sections of the next two kilometers. It took a big push after the second kilometer to avoid falling off the pace, but I did it. I also completed the fourth kilometer, with the tough stretch back up "no brake" hill. I almost stopped on that hill and it took quite an effort to keep going. One thing that helped was the realization that I was potentially going to finish the first four kilometers in only 29 minutes. This is pretty rare for me, especially recently, and is all the more impressive because there were three pretty big hills in that stretch. If you round to the nearest half minute, I fell one second short of that goal. I finished a total of 4.4 kilometers (2.7 miles) in 32 1/2 minutes. This is only 1/2 minute slower than my best time on the 145th Street route and translates to a 37 minute 5K.

My knees felt a bit funny. It wasn't like there was any pain, but they felt a bit stressed. My joint pains are almost always lower (in the ankle or the heel), and I do want to watch this closely as knee problems might be important. I also had muscle aches, but this time it was in my thighs. I did feel a bit of an ache in the back of my right calf near the third kilometer. Both calves felt sore and tired during the post-run stretches.

It was mild (48F or 9C) but there was a lot of moisture in the air and it seemed colder. I was still okay in shorts and a t-shirt. My muscles started aching a lot, even before the first half kilometer. I think that running outside must use different muscles than running on the treadmill. I felt it the most in my calves (both legs). I couldn't quite make a six minute kilometer at the start, and each successive kilometer got a bit slower. I really hit the wall on the way back up "no brake" hill. I was out of breath and my legs were aching and I was running at about a nine minute kilometer pace. Cinnamon was not tired, though, and she led the way back up the hill. I had no joint pains during or after the run.

I finished a total of 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles) in 30 minutes. This is 3 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the medium loop route and translates to a 38 minute 5K.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013, 0.4 miles in 10 minutes

After all the muscle aches from yesterday's run, I thought it would be important to put in some time on the treadmill to keep my muscles loose. I set a walking pace of 3 mph for six minutes, with a brief warmup and cooldown on either side. I actually felt quite good aftewards. I think that a bit of effort is better than total rest when I have sore muscles.

Monday, December 16, 2013 , 1.8K in 13.5 minutes

My legs were tired, partly because of a longer run on the treadmill the previous day and partly because Nicholas and some of the neighbor kids talked me into playing football for most of the afternoon. The weather was very mild for December (50F or 10C) I had originally planned to run the medium loop through Ironwoods Park, but I quickly scaled back the run. I just didn't feel quite right. I noticed a lot of muscle fatigue at about the one kilometer mark. This is unusual, as I normally find myself out of breath before I find myself with aching muscles. I normally take a few aches as a sign of progress, but for this run, it was probably an indication that I need to ease up a bit on my running. I didn't have too many joint pains. The achilles tendon area, which has always been a concern for me, had a feeling like everything was being mashed and squished together.

Anyway, I did finished in a reasonable time, 13 1/2 minutes for 1.8 kilometers. This is 2 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the flat route and translates to a 39 minute 5K.

Sunday, December 15, 2013, 2.3 miles in 31 minutes

I decided that I need more endurance because I keep slowing down after the first two kilometers. So I alternated between one minute at 7mph and one minute at 4 mph for across 21 minutes.

Friday, December 13, 2013 , 3.5K in 27 minutes

It has been a while since I have been able to run outside, mostly because of very cold weather and slippery conditions. Today is got up above freezing (36F or 2C) for long enough to melt anything icy. So I took the dog out on a quick run before the weather turns cold again. I was not used to the outdoor running and set a slower pace than I would have liked. I seem to always slow down a lot after the first two kilometers.

I finished a total of 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 27 minutes. This is 3 1/2 minute slowe than my best time on the short route and translates to a 39 minute 5K.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013, 1.5 miles in 22 minutes

It seems to be getting harder rather than easier to run a 7 mph. It's the first time that I speed up to 7 mph that seems the hardest.

Monday, December 9, 2013, 1.5 miles in 22 minutes

It is still far too cold to be running outside, but I am putting in a strong effort on the treadmill. This workout is still quite exhausting.

Saturday, December 7, 2013, 1.5 miles in 22 minutes

I ran the same workout as two days earlier and I had a rough time. My body doesn't seem to want to run at 7 mph. I'll keep at it. The good news is that I don't have any joint pains when running on the treadmill .

Thursday, December 5, 2013, 1.5 miles in 22 minutes

I need to get back to working on speed, so I tried to see what 7 mph felt like on the treadmill. It's been a while since I've ventured up to that speed. It was a hard workout, but if I persist, then I might be able to move my outdoor runs back to closer to a six minute kilometer pace. It turns out that 7 mph is actually closer to a 5 1/2 minute kilometer pace. The treadmill is a bit easier, so it would be unreasonable for me to expect to match the same speeds in the outdoors.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013 , 3.9K in 30 minutes

It was warm for early December (55F or 13C) and I had time for a longer run. I started out a bit slower than normal, but was still able to finish the first two kilometers in a bit more than 14 minutes. After that I slowed down to about an eight minute kilometer pace for the rest of the run, but I did speed up a bit after reaching the top of "no brake" hill. I finished a total of 4.0 kilometers (2.5 miles) in 30 minutes. This is 3 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the medium loop route and translates to a 38 minute 5K.

My right calf was sore at the start of the run, probably because I had strained it while playing touch football with Nicholas and his frieds. Normally a run like this helps work out those muscle sorenesses, but today, the run seems to aggravate the muscle aches.

Sunday, December 1, 2013, 0.4 miles in 10 minutes

I bot up a bit early and decided to stretch my leg muscles a bit on the treadmill. I just went at a brisk walk (3 mph) and had no problems with joint pains or muscle aches. With 6 minutes at 3 mph plus a very brief warm-up and cool-down, I walked a total of 0.4 miles.

Saturday, November 30, 2013 , 2.8K in 20.5 minutes

It was mild for late November (39F or 4C), sunny, and no wind, so I went out in shorts and a t-shirt. I was a bit chilly during the warm-up, but it was worth it. I was still being a bit cautious not to overdo things, but I did finish the first two kilometers in 14 minutes. This included the steep uphil on the 145th Street hill, but not the steep uphill on "no brake" hill on the way back. That hill always slows me down, but I was still making pretty good time. What I need is the ability to pick the pace back up after a steep hill, and I'm not quite there yet.

I felt a bit light headed as I turned the corner from Mission Road back towards 148th Street. It was minor and it seems to occur when I don't drink enough water prior to the run. I had no joint pains during or after the run.

I finished a totla of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 20 1/2 minutes. This is one minute slower than my best time on the 143rd Street route and translates to a 37 minute 5K.

Thursday, November 28, 2013 , timed 5K race in 38:26

I was not quite 100%, but good enough to try the Sprint 5K race. I ran this same race last year, and although the route was slightly different, it had about the same amount of uphills in the middle of the run. This is a very popular race and there were over 7,000 participants. It was a cold morning 26F or -3C at the start, though it did warm up a bit by the end of the run (30F or -1C). I dressed in my Kaui Chicken sweatshirt and long running pants. I had my gloves but did not use them during the run.

The route change actually made things a bit easier. They asked the runners to take the inside lanes of Sprint Parkway and the walkers were supposed to take the outside lanes. People followed the directions pretty well, so I didn't have to weave and bob around walkers during the first kilometer.

Given the time taken off in mid-November, I did not want to set a very fast pace. I actually averaged just a touch slower than a 7 1/2 minute kilometer pace throughout most of the race, even in the uphill segments. The uphills weren't very steep, actually, but it wasn't a flat route either. The last kilometer was mostly downhill, and I tried to speed up a bit for that segment. I wanted to finish in under 40 minutes, and although the official times were not posted, my GPS has me finishing in about 38 1/2 minutes. I forgot to turn the GPS off right at the finish line, so it recorded 39 minutes for 5.1 kilometers.

The official results are now posted and I finished in 38:26. This would be two minutes slower than my previous time for the Sprint 5K race. This is also 4 1/2 minutes slower than my best result in any timed 5K race. I finished 89 out of 128 in my age bracket and 2,869 out of 4,424 timed results. The best times were 14:38 overall and 20:27 in my age bracket.

I felt pretty good during the run in spite of missing so much running time recently. I had no joint pain. Although I felt exhausted pretty much all the way through the run, I did have enough in me to speed up for the last kilometer. I wasn't out to set any records today, and I would have been content with any result under 45 minutes. So I was very pleased when the result came in well under 40 minutes.

I made sure to cool down and then stretch after the run was over, and I then walked very slowly back to my car. I was passed by a bunch of people on the way back, but I didn't care. I earned the right to walk slowly.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013 , 2.3K in 17 minutes

I had one more chance to get in a practice run prior to the Thanksgiving Day 5K race. I wanted to run into Ironwoods Park for a short loop, but I did not have time, so I settled for a shorter run than I would have liked. I was cold (36F or 2C) and I dressed in a short sleeve shirt and running jacket, short covered by running pants, and gloves. I didn't really need or use the gloves, but it is better to have them. I was a bit chilly before and during the run, and even a bit chilly after the run, but it was not too bad. The dog loves this weather and was running ahead of me most of the time.

I am still quite out of shape and almost quit early. But I did persist and set a reasonable pace (about 7 1/2 minutes per kilometer) in spite of the big hill in the middle of the run. I finished a total of 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 17 minutes. This is two minutes slower than my best time on the "no brake" hill route and translates to a 37 minute 5K. I was really tired after the run, but had no joint pains.

Sunday, November 24, 2013 , 1.8K in 13 minutes

I took a couple of weeks off from running. The first week, it was just way too cold and I was way too busy. The second week, I had a bad cold. Normally a cold itself wouldn't keep me from running, but whatever I had, it just sapped all my energy away. Any minor exertion would cause problems. So I just took it easy for a while. I'm not a slave to running. I decided, though, that I had to get a run in on Sunday morning. It was four days prior to Thanksgiving, and I have run a couple of times in races on Thanksgiving morning. I had to see if I was up for a 5K run on Thanksgiving, and that meant testing out a short run on Sunday and a longer run on Tuesday. I did this in spite of the return of cold weather. I only had time in the morning, and the temperature was 12F (or -11C). I normally try to avoid running outside when it is this cold, but today I decided to brave the weather. I wore a long sleeve shirt and a light running jacket, shorts and a pair of long running pants to cover my legs. I also had gloves, but no hat.

The wind whipped through my jacket and even with the long sleeved shirt underneath I felt cold. This persisted during the run, but afterwards, I hardly noticed the cold. I did keep my gloves on the whole time. Normally I peel them off during the run, but not today.

My pace was slow, but not terribly slow. With all the time off, I wasn't going to try to set any speed records, but I did want to push myself a bit to see how well I could handle a 5K race. I did pretty well. I was panting quite a bit during the run, but didn't have any joint pains during or after the run.

Cinnamon, by the way, loved the run. She is definitely a cold weather dog. I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 13 minutes. This is two minutes slower than my best time on the flat route and translates to a 36 minute 5K.

Sunday, November 10, 2013 , 1.7K in 12 minutes

I wanted to get a run in early in the morning, and to my delight, it was already dawn at 6:45am. That's just about the only good thing about the end of daylight savings time. The weather was cool (41F or 5C) so I wore a light running jacket. I actually felt a bit too warm at the end of the run. Cinnamon loves this weather and was running out ahead of me much of the time.

With only a limited amount of time and a desire to work on speed, I decided to run the flat route. I could not get the first kilometer finished in six minutes, but I am getting close to running the first kilometer in 6 1/2 minutes. I tried really hard to maintain a strong pace throughout the run, with only partial success. I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers in 12 minutes. This is one minute slower than my best time on the flat route and translates to a 32 minute 5K.

Thursday, November 7, 2013 , 1.2K in 8 minutes

It was very nice weather for November, sunny and 54F (or 12C). It's perfect running weather. There is just enough of a chill in the air to encourage you to run fast. I only had time for a short run, and was originally thinking about the flat route. I started out so fast, though, that I recognized that I would be totally drained before I could complete the flat route. So I shortened my run to the 151st Street route. I made good time, and was running at a 6 minute kilometer pace for the first few minutes. I did slow down a bit, but tried to run as hard as I could. I finished a total of 1.2 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 8 minutes. This is 1/2 minute slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 33 minute 5K.

I was thoroughly winded at the end of the run, but had no joint pain. Cinnamon was ready for more running. She loves this weather even more than I do.

Saturday, November 2, 2013 , 4.9K in 36 minutes

It was early in morning, just before sunrise, and it was chilly (43F or 6C). I wore a t-shirt, a light running jacket, and shorts. I varied between feeling too hot and too cold. My hands could have used some gloves, perhaps. Cinnamon loves this weathe and was running ahead of me much of the time. I finished the first kilometer, which includes a tough uphill segment in a bit under 7 minutes. I slowed down a bit after that, but somehow was able to get another kilometer in at seven minutes between the 3 and 4 kilometer mark. Just after the 4 kilometer mark, I had the agonizing uphill on "no brake" hill, but I kept a reasonable pace, and (better still) was able to get almost back to speed after reaching the top. I finished a total of 4.9 kilometers in 36 minutes. This is six minutes faster than my only other run on the 138th Street route. This translates to a 37 minute 5K.

My leg muscles ached a lot throughout the run, but I did not have any joint pain. I felt a bit dizzy at the top of "no brake" hill. This is usually a sign of dehydration, and I had forgotten to drink some water prior to the run.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013 , 3.5K in 26 minutes

It was cool (55F or 12C) with a light rain, so I decided to wear a long-sleeved shirt on my run with my running shorts. I could have probably been fine in a short-sleeved shirt. I ran the short loop in Ironwoods Park, and tried to run fast for the first half, which is mostly downhill. I could only make a seven minute kilometer pace across the first two kilometers, and then I settled in for an eight minute kilometer pace for the rest of the run. I need to figure out how to get back to a six minute kilometer pace at the start of my runs, which used to be a fairly normal event. I was slowed down a bit by slippery conditions (wet fallen leaves), but that wasn't a major concern. I did feel reasonably strong on the uphills, and keeping them at an eight minute kilometer pace is actually quite good.

I had no major joint pain or muscle aches, though I was thoroughly exhausted at the end of the run. I completed 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 26 minutes. This is two minutes slower than my best time on the short loop route and translates to a 37 minute 5K.

Sunday, October 27, 2013 , 5.4K in 45 minutes

I was in Manhattan for four days, but did not run on any of the first three days. I wanted to sleep in and my muscles were a bit sore from the run on October 22. That was a 4.8 kilometer run, and it had some extreme hills which really wore out my leg muscles. I had aches mostly in my right calf, both near the ankle and near the knee. I should have taken the time to run, even a short bit. I think that a long period of inactivity following a strenuous run is not good for me. I should try harder to get even a short run in a couple of days after a tough run.

The last day in Manhattan, I decided that I had to do something, just so I could get a Manhattan map on my running log. The weather was quite cool (46F or 8C), but I still went out in a short sleeve t-shirt and shorts. The GPS does not work so well around tall buildings, so the route looks quite jagged. I started in front of the New York Public Library (the famous one with the two lion statues in front). I ran along 42nd Street and turned on Broadway towards Central Park. I had to stop a few times at lights, but it wasn't too bad.

When I reached Central Park, I saw some runners with bib numbers. Apparently, there was a timed race that morning that went through Central Park. That's too bad. If I had known there was a timed race, I would have gotten up early and registered for it.

I wandered around the southern edge of the park, but couldn't find an easy way out. I finally ended up getting out around 67th Street, and then ran down the eastern edge of the park along Fifth Avenue. At the end of the park (Fifth Avenue and 59th Street/Central Park South), I was really close to finishing five full kilometers and I didn't want to get caught at more red lights. So I ran along 59th/Central Park South to Sixth Avenue. The light was with me, so I crossed Central Park South and ran past some expensive hotels towards Fifth Avenue. I stopped when I reached Fifth Avenue again.

On runs outside Kansas City, I am more interested in just doing the run than in doing the run fast. The times are probably a bit slower even than what's reported here because all the zigs and zags caused by inaccuracies in the GPS among the tall buildings just padded the distance I ran. I finished the first five kilometers in 42 minutes, and a total of 5.4 kilometers in 45 minutes. This translates to an 83 minute 10K.

I had no aches and pains during the run, either in my muscles or my joints. In fact, the run seems to have helped end the muscle aches from the October 22 run.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013 , 4.8K in 38 minutes

I had the morning to myself, and decided to take a longer run. It was cool (45F or 8C), dry, and cloudy. I felt a bit stiff as I started my run and questioned whether I should bail out and select one of the shorter routes. I decided that I had to at least go into Ironwoods Park, and when I checked the clock, I realized that I had plenty of time for a longer run, even if I ran it at a slower pace. My goal in the runs into Ironwoods Park is to finish the first two kilometers in 13 minutes. It is mostly downhill, so this is not an outrageous goal. Today, though, I was closer to 15 minutes at the 2 kilometer mark. That's okay.

The big loop in Ironwoods Park has an uphill segment in the southeast corner of the park that is steeper than "no brake" hill and twice as long. That slowed me down even further. It's worth the effort because you end up running through the prettiest and most remote section of Ironwoods Park. I did finish the third kilometer in 23 minutes, which was a bit of an accomplishment considering the previous pace. At the end of the fourth kilometer, I was held up for a half minute by traffic along Mission Road. So finishing the first four kilometers in under 32 minutes was again a bit of an accomplishment. I finished a total of 4.8 kilometers (3.0 miles) in 38 minutes. This is 3 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the big loop route and translates to a 40 minute 5K.

My leg muscles (especially my calves) have been getting a workout in this and the previous couple of runs, which is good. Usually, I poop out because I'm out of breath. Feeling tiredness in my legs is a sign that I'm making progress. I didn't have any joint pains once the original stiffness passed.

Sunday, October 20, 2013 , 2.8K in 20 minutes

I got up early on Sunday morning and it was cool, but not too cold (46F or 8C). I ran the 143rd Street route which has two big hills in it. The challenge for this run is to keep the pace at a seven minute kilometer in spite of the hills. I actually did that this time for both the first and the second kilometer, which is a rarity for me. The last section was a bit slower, but I still kept up a fairly strong pace, overall. I finished a total of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles). This is only 1/2 minute slower than my best time on the 143rd Street route and translates to a 36 minute 5K.

Friday, October 18, 2013 , 2.3K in 17 minutes

It was cold (39F or 4C) and rainy, but not so bad as to keep me and the dog from running. I dressed in shorts and a short sleeved t-shirt and a hat to keep the rain out of my eyes. I would have been better off with a long sleeved shirt, but otherwise, I was okay. I ran the longer "no brake" hill route, and I was able to finish the first kilometer in a bit over seven minutes, which is pretty good considering that this ends on the uphill segment of "no brake" hill. I couldn't quite maintain this pace, though, for the rest of the run. The hardest part of hills is not the hills themselves but the difficulty in recovering and getting back to your normal pace once you've reached the top. I finished a total of 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 17 minutes. This is 1 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the longer "no brake" hill route and translates to a 37 minute 5K.

Thursday, October 17, 2013, 1.9 miles in 26 minutes

I was ready to work on speed on the treadmill. I originally planned to do 5 two minute stretches at 7 mph with two minute breaks at 4 mph in between. The bottoms of my feet were getting worn down (I run barefoot on the treadmill), so I called it off after the fourth two minute stretch at 7 mph and cooled down. I might have been able to put in that fifth stretch, but I didn't want to push things too hard. It was my first time back on the treadmill in several weeks. I was sweating and tired, but had no joint pains during the run. The treadmill is a lot easier on my joints, it seems. I finished a total of 1.9 miles in 26 minutes, which is the longest I've run on the treadmill, both in terms of distance and time.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013 , 1.8K in 12.5 minutes

It was cool (55F or 13C) and Cinnamon was eager to run. I had been too busy the previous two days, and today I needed to wrap the run up quicky. So I opted for the flat route, which is one of the shorter runs, but still more than a mile total. I also wanted to work on speed, and that's easier to do on a shorter run without any big hills. I started out as fast as I could, but could not maintain a six minute kilometer pace. I actually ran closer to a seven minute kilometer pace, and this is not too bad. I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 12 1/2 minutes. This is 1 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the flat route and translates to a 35 minute 5K.

It was really tough, but I didn't have any joint pains during or after the run.

Saturday, October 12, 2013 , 3.9K in 29.5 minutes

It was a cool morning (52F or 11C) and I was back from my trip and ready to run with Cinnamon again. She loves the cooler weather and was running ahead of me at times. I was worried about my right ankle, which had been bothering me for the past several runs. Today it was not an issue. It feels a bit strange back there, like everything has been compressed together, but there was no pain at all.

My goal was to return to the time when my normal pace was seven minutes or better per kilometer. I actually did maintain that pace for the first two kilometers, and the third kilometer, which was the uphill out of Ironwoods Park, wasn't too much worse. The last stretch along "no brake" hill was not so good, of course, and I couldn't return to a faster pace once I reached the top. All the runs to the west that I had been doing for the past month or so have smaller hills, at worst, so it will take me a while to get used to something like "no brake" hill again. I finished a total of 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles) in 29 1/2 minutes. This was 3 minutes slower than my best time on the medium loop route and translates to a 38 minute 5K.

Thursday, October 10, 2013 , 1.9K in 13.5 minutes

I flew into Minneapolis to give a talk and decided to get a run in while I was there. I was staying in a hotel at the University of Minnesota, which is on the banks of the Mississippi River. There was a nice path along the river, not too far away. I didn't check the weather, but it was warm and sunny. Too warm, perhaps, to take Cinnamon along, but she was in Kansas City and I was in Minneapolis. I finished the first kilometer in under seven minutes and kept up close to that pace for the rest of the run.I was toying with the idea of running out and back, but when I saw a staircase leading up and out near my turn-around point, I decided to complete the run and walk back to the U Minn campus from the opposite side. I finished a total of 1.9 kilometers (1.2 miles) in 13 1/2 minutes. This translates to a 35 minute 5K.

My right ankle hurt again during the start of the run and again the pain disappeared within the first kilometer.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013 , 3.5K in 27.5 minutes

It was time to switch back to my normal runs which head to the east and Mission Road rather than west and Nall Road. I like the former a bit more because there are fewer streets to cross and many of the runs head into Ironwoods Park. It was warm (72F or 22C), but not too warm to take Cinnamon along. She recognized the way and darted out ahead at the start of the run. She did hold back a bit for part of the run, but not as much as recently with the runs to the west.

I tried to set a strong pace, and finished the first kilometer in 6 1/2 minutes. The remaining kilometers were slower, though, especially the segment going uphill for "no brake" hill. I finished a total of 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 27 1/2 minutes. This is four minutes slower than my best time on the short loop route and translates to a 38 minute 5K.

Friday, October 4, 2013 , 4.1K in 31.5 minutes

The construction west of my house is getting worse, but I wanted to get one more run in going west before returning to my more easterly routes. The weather was mild (70F or 26C) so I took Cinnamon along. She was lagging behind the whole time and it was tough trying to maintain a strong running pace because she was holding me back. I had some odd twinges in my right ankle at the start of the run. They were a bit higher than the location of the heel pain that I commonly have and more on the sides than the back. The twinges disappeared by the first kilometer.

I was running at a slow pace (7 1/2 to 8 minutes per kilometer) and although I tried repeatedly to pick up the pace, I just couldn't do it. I did match the times of my previous two runs on this route though, until the end. Near the end of the run, Cinnamon put on the brakes and slipped out of her harness. She didn't run off, but it took me a half minute to re-attach her leash. I completed a total of 4.1 kilometers (2.5 miles) in 31 1/2 minutes. This is 1/2 minute slower than my best time on the Dearborn route and translates to a 38 minute 5K.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013 , 1K in 7 minutes

It was warm (79F or 26C) and the sun was high in the sky. I normally don't like to take Cinnamon running with me when the temperature is abov 75F, but she seened eager to go out and get some exercise. I only had time for a short run, so I ran a short loop down Nall, over on 147 Street to Juniper and back up to 148th street to the starting point.

I set a moderately fast pace and completed 1.0 kilometers (0.6 miles) in 7 minutes. This extrapolates to a 35 minute 5K. I didn't have any joint pains or sore muscles.

Saturday, September 28, 2013 , 4K in 31 minutes

It was a rainy morning, and I was about to head down to the treadmill when I looked outside and thought "This isn't too dbad." So I got the dog leash and a hat and headed out in a light gentle rain. The sky was cloudy and it was cool (66F or 19C). Cinnamon liked this weather and was racing ahead of me at times. Other times she was lagging behind me and needed some encouragement. I finished the first kilometer in seven minutes and then took about eight minutes for each of the next three kilometers. I took off my hat in the middle of the run because I was getting a bit hot underneath it. That was a mistake, though. The rain started dripping on my glasses and in my eyes and made me feel miserable. I think Cinnamon recognized the last stretch along Nall Avenue, which matches the church route that I have run quite often. She seemed to pick up the pace there because she knew the run would be ending soon.

I finished a toal of 4.0 kilometers (2.5 miles) in 31 minutes. This matched my previous time on this route and translates to a 39 minute 5K. I had no joint pains, but did experience some odd muscle aches. My right calf felt a bit strained before the run. While the run did tend to help, I still had some issues with that area. I also had some odd pains in the muscles just below and just above the left knee that cropped up during the run, but these went away quickly.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013 , 5.8K in 45 minutes

It was cool (61F or 16C) and the sun was not yet high in the sky, so I thought it was safe to take Cinnamon on a longer run. I had originally planed to re-run the Dearborn route, but I missed the turn onto Dearborn off of Edgewater. When I realized my mistake, I continued plodding along with the hope of taking a loop around Regency Lake, but I mistakenly thought that Regency Lake would be just up ahead on Edgewater Drive. It wasn't. I needed to turn on Lamar to get to Regency Lake. Once I realized that mistake, I had already reached Metcalf Avenue. I turned noth on Metcalf, making a short loop and returned the way I came. It ended up being quite a bit longer than I had planned, but I did not have any serious joint pains during or after the run. My pace was slow, but reasonably steady at about 7 1/2 minutes per kilometer. I finished the first 5 kilometers in 38 minutes and a total of 5.8 kilometers in 45 minutes. This extrapolates to a 76 minute 10K.

Cinnamon was a bit gun shy, in spite of the cool weather. She doesn't know these routes well that head out west rather than east (obviously I don't either with all my wrong turns). Anyway, I think she holds back until she's sure that we've turned around and are heading back home.

Sunday, September 22, 2013 , 2.8K in 24.5 minutes

I was on a Boy Scout campout near the Katy Trail. Troop 10 did a bike ride on Saturday, and on Sunday morning, I decided to get up before sunrise and get a quick run in around the fam that we were camping on. I wanted to stretch all the sore muscles from the biking of the previous day. The run was along some grassy paths and gravel roads. Even with a flashlight, I felt a bit unsure of my footing and ran at a very slow pace. I finished a total of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 24 1/2 minutes. This translates to a 44 minute 5K.

It was chilly (48F or 9C), but I still ran with shorts and a t-shirt.

I had no major aches and pains from this run. In fact, it seemed to lessen the previous aches and pains from the bike ride.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013 , 3.3K in 27.5 minutes

It was warm out (79F or 26C) but I was hoping that I could still take Cinnamon on the run. She needed to burn off some energy. Unfortunately, it was a bit too hot for her and she was lagging behind from the first kilometer. I decided to switch to a shorter route. She did fine, but did slow me down quite a bit. She also decided to take a poop break on the way back, and I lost more than a full minute. So my time was very slow. That's okay. I still got out and got some exercise. I finished a total of 3.3 kilometers (2.0 miles) in 27 1/2 minutes. This is 3 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the second lake loop and translates to a 42 minute 5K.

My right heel was a bit touchy after the run and the muscles in my right calf (but not my left) were a bit sore. I had a cramp in that area a couple of days ago, which is probably related.

Monday, September 16, 2013 , 3.3K in 24 minutes

It was delightfully cool (61F or 16C) and cloudy, so even a mid-afternoon run was fine for both me and Cinnamon. I wanted to run the longer route along Edgewater to Dearborn, but I didn't have time. I did have time for the loop around the second lake along Edgewater, though, and I tried to keep up a strong pace. I finished the first two kilometers in roughly 7 minutes apiece, but then slowed down substantially for the rest of the run. I finished a total of 3.3 kilometers (2.0 miles) in 24 minutes. This translates to a 36 minute 5K (37 minute if you don't round). It is 2 1/2 minutes faster than my previous two runs along this second lake loop route.

The rest seemed to help because I did not have any joint pains during the run or immediately afterwards. The next morning, I had a few minor problem with the heels of both feet, but it was barely worth mentioning.

Saturday, September 14, 2013, 0.3 miles in 10 minutes

Just to keep the stiffness away, I did a short walk on the treadmill, but I wanted to avoid even the brisk pace of a 3 mph walk. So after a one minute warmup at 1 mph, I put in eight minutes at 2 mph and then a final minute a 1 mph. It hardly seems worth reporting, but here it is. The ten minutes provided a total of 0.3 miles in distance and did seem to help.

Friday, September 13, 2013, 0.5 miles in 12 minutes

I was pretty stiff and sore from the combination of the last outdoor run and the last treadmill run, so I decided I needed a brisk walk to reduce the stiffness. Almost immediately when I got up to 3 mph, I had some pain in my right foot, and it took several minutes to clear up. Once it disappeared, I was fine, but I was worried that the walk may have made things worse. Maybe, or maybe not. It's hard to tell, but I plan to take it easy for a while to be safe.

Thursday, September 12, 2013 , 2.4K in 17.5 minutes

I had a bit of time after Nicholas got on the bus, but before any of the other day's commitments. It was still cool enough (73F or 19C) to take the dog along. I ran a small loop along Juniper Road, 143rd Terrace and 144th Terrace. I started out the first half kilometer at a fast pace, but then slowed down a bit for the rest of the run. I finished a total of 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) in 17 1/2 minutes. This is a half minute faster than my earlier time on this route and translates to a 36 minute 5K.

I did not have any aches or pains during the run, but my right heel got very sore afterwards. I'm not sure how serious this is, but I think I will take it easy for a bit.

Tuseday, September 10, 2013, 1.8 miles in 24 minutes

I repeated the 3-2-3 stint tand each start to the 7 mph streches went well and each one ended in agony. But I did it, and it should help with my endurance. The bottoms of my feet hurt after the run. I run barefoot while on the treadmill, mainly because it is easier to skip putting on the running shoes. With time, the soles of my feet should toghen up. I was also very stiff and sore after this run. I think that the speed, more than the distance, is hard on my joints.

Monday, September 9, 2013 , 3.3K in 26.5 minutes

My GPS system is off by a day, for some reason. It was an evening run, and almost all of my other runs were in the early morning through the mid-afternoon. I think I am pulling off the date at Greenwich Mean Time. I'll have to fix that. Anyway, I do not normally have the time or the incliniation to run in the evening, but the dog Cinnamon was really hyper and she needed a run pretty badly to burn off her excess energy. The outside temperature was hot (91F or 33C) but the sun was setting, so it didn't seem all that hot. Cinnamon did her normal lag behind on the way out and run faster on the way back, and I think that the hot weather did not really bother her. I did finish the run a few minutes after sunset, and although it felt a lot cooler, the temperature only went down to 89F (32C).

I ran a slight variation on the previous run, circling the lake counter-clockwise and staying closer to the street on the west edge of the loop. But it was pretty close to the same distance, and I ran it at pretty close to the same speed, about eight minutes for each kilometer. I finished a total of 3.3 kilometers (2.0 miles) in 26 1/2 minutes. This matched my previous time on this route and translates to a 40 minute 5K.

I had some minor pains in both calf muscles during the warm-up, but those disappeared quickly.

Sunday, September 8, 2013, 0.5 miles in 12 minutes

I was doing some math in my head, partly because it bothered me that so many of my runs weren't rounding off nicely. They were 0.433 miles or 0.567 miles or something like that. I don't mind rounding, I guess, but I do appreciate a bit of order in my life. So I did a few calculations in my head. Each minute at 2 mph was 0.033 miles, so three of them combined would be 0.1 miles. That's my problem, I realized. I always had two warmup minutes at the front at 2 mph and the same at the end, which gave me 0.133 miles. Or I'd have one warmup minute at the front at 2 mph and another at the end at 2 mph which gave me 0.067 miles. If I would just do the 2 mph warmups longer, in three minute blocks, then I'd have 0.1 mile at the beginning and 0.1 mile at the end. The 3 mph segments were a bit easier. Each minute at 3 mph is 0.05 miles. So as long as I had an even number of them, it would work out nicely. So three minutes at 2 mph (0.1 miles) plus six minutes at 3 mph (0.3 miles) followed by three more minutes at 3 mph (0.1 miles again) would work out to exactly 0.5 miles.

So that's what I did. I wasn't going to do anything faster than 3 mph today, because I needed a break and didn't want to overdo things. When I do faster runs, at 4 mph, 5 mph, and/or 7 mph, I'll have to do some more calculations.

Anyway, I tried to take long strides as I walked, and I felt a variety of twinges in different parts of my ankles and feet. Nothing lasted more than a few seconds, so I think that the treadmill walk helped reduce my stiffness. I remember seeing a t-shirt that read "Pain is the sensation of weakness leaving the body." It sounds pretty macho and a literal belief in this would put you on the fast track for injury. But I do think that a bit of transient pain, if it doesn't persist, and if it doesn't focus on a single body area, is probably a good thing.

Saturday, September 7, 2013 , 3.3K in 26.5 minutes

I got up before the sun, and it was nice weather (64F or 18C). I was stiff and sore, as I always am in the early morning, but it seemed a bit worse than usual. Maybe the extended run on the treadmill the day before had caught up with me. In any case, I took an easy pace. I also had problems with traffic, with a wrong turn, and an unanticipated stop, so my time was not so great. I was averaging just a bit better than an eight minute kilometer pace throughout the run. It will take a while to get back to the form where a seven minute kilometer was normal for me. No big deal. As long as I am running regularly, the pace isn't quite so critical. I finished a total of 3.3 kilometers (2.0 miles) in 26 1/2 minutes. This is my first time on this route. This pace translates to a 40 minute 5K.

I wasn't sore during the run, but later in the day, I started feeling stiff and sore again. Part of it may have had to do with the awkward postures that I had while weeding in the backyard later that day.

Thursday, September 5, 2013, 1.8 miles in 24 minutes

I wanted to finally run the 3-2-3 stint that I've fallen just short on in my previous attempts. The 3-2-3 stint has (after the warm-up) a 3 minute stretch, 2 minute stretch, and another 3 minute stretch at 7 mph. Each of these is separated by a 2 minute stretch at 4 mph. Each 7 mph stretch started off easy, but was a struggle to complete. But I did it. I was a bit worried at the start because I had several odd twinges of pain in my right foot as I was warming up. These disappeared, though, as soon as I started the first 7 mph stretch. I had no joint pains during the rest of the run or afterwards.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013 , 2.3K in 18 minutes

It was hot (86F or 29C) and sunny, so I left the dog behind. It was probably too hot for me also, but I took along a big bottle of water to keep well hydrated. The curb construction along my normal running routes was still a problem, so I went to the west again. Starting at Juniper, I ran north, took a small loop around 144th Terrace and 143th Terrace. and then returned. I started out fast, but faded slowly throughout the run. The last 0.3 kilometers were on a slight uphill, and I ran it slower than "no brake" hill. That's okay. When it's so hot out, I really don't worry too much about time. Any run at any speed in this weather will be a good workout.

I ran a total of 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 18 minutes. This is my first time on this route, so it is both my best time and worst time so far. It translates to a 39 minute 5K.

I did not have any joint pains during or after the run. I was in a rush and did not stretch after the run.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013, 0.4 miles in 10 minutes

I wanted to stretch my legs a bit on the day after the 5K race to try to minimize any soreness. I kept the treadmill at no more than 3 mph, but tried to take long strides at a fast walking pace. I think it helped.

Monday, September 2, 2013 , timed 5K race in 36 minutes

For the third consecutive year, I ran in the Leawood Labor Day 5K run. It was perfect weather for a run (64F or 18C and not too humid). I didn't feel all that good, surprisingly, during my warmup. During the first minutes of the run, I felt like I was totally exhausted. That's okay, I thought. My body normally rebels early in the run, but then it realizes that I'm not giving up and settles down. That wasn't the case today, and I felt tired throughout the entire run.

There's a power walker who normally drives me nuts. I know it shouldn't bother me, but I feel in my heart of hearts that someone who runs should finish ahead of someone who walks. But this guy, about 20 years older than me, by the way, has a determined stride and keeps up a consistent pace. I was behind him early in the run, but figured it was only because he started further in front of the pack than me. I closed the gap and then shot past him after about a half kilometer. But at the kilometer mark, he whizzed right by me. I'm not sure how he did that, as I was running at about a 6 1/2 minute kilometer pace at that point. But darn it all, he was setting a walking pace that I just couldn't keep up with. He gradually pulled ahead, and I lost sight of him around the second kilometer. Last year I beat him, but this year, he was a bit faster and I was a bit slower.

I tried my best to keep up a strong pace, but each kilometer was just a bit slower than the one before. My muscles ached a lot. This is probably becuase I don't have a lot of recent runs longer than 6 kilometers. It is those longer runs that give a workout to my leg muscles. I've been cutting back a bit on longer distances because of problems with my left heel.

I finished the race officially at 36:00.6. My GPS had my time at 35 1/2 minutes for the first five kilometers or 36 minutes for a total 5.1 kilometers. Either way, it is pretty close to the official time. This is 2 minutes slower than my 2012 time, but 5 minutes faster than my 2011 time (also see this page). It's also 2 minutes slower than my best time in any 5K race (which I achieved most recently on April 20 of this year). Given that most of my recent runs were extrapolating closer to 39 minutes, this is still a pretty good result. I think I run a bit faster without the dog and it also helps to have faster runners around me. They make a faster pace seem normal.

I had a lot of minor joint pains during the run, but they were hardly worth mentioning. My right leg still felt a bit funny during the post-run stretches, but it was also hardly worth mentioning. Three hours afterwards, my right heel feels a bit stiff. My leg muscles feel rubbery though and I think I'll take things slowly for a few days afterwards.

The official results are in and my time was not near the top of any list. I was 272 out of 321 racers overall and 27 out of 27 in my age group. That's okay. I'm competing against myself.

Saturday, August 31, 2013 , 4K in 31 minutes

The construction on 148th Street is only getting worse, so I headed to the west, away from the construction for today's run. I wasn't quite sure where to start, but I decided that Juniper and 148th Street would be as good as anything. It would allow for some short runs north on Juniper or south on Rosewood, but most of my runs would probably continue west into the Lionsgate subdivisions. I ran along Edgewood, and noticed several nice paths around the lakes in the subdivisions. These might be worth exploring in future runs. I turned north on Dearborn Street and returned along 143rd Street and Nall Avenue. It was a pretty flat run, except for the uphill on Nall near 148th Street.

I wanted to set a fast pace, faster than a 7 minute kilometer, anyway, but I got off to a slow start. I did finish the first kilometer in less than seven minutes, but the remaining kilometers were closer to an 8 minute pace. I finished a total of 4.0 kilometers (2.5 miles) in 31 minutes. This is my first time on this route, and the time would extrapolate to a 39 minute 5K.

The temperature was warm (73F or 23 C) but it was early enough in the morning that the sun wasn't a problem. I didn't have any joint pains, but my legs were tired during and after the run. I had a bit of a problem with my stretches again. It was just my right leg and it wasn't as bad as last time.

Thursday, August 29, 2013 , 1.8K in 13.5 minutes

I woke up early to avoid the very hot weather. It was still quite warm (73F or 23C) and muggy, but with the sun just on the horizon, it was still fine for running both for me and Cinnamon. The run was a bit of an obstacle course, though, with a variety of poles and ropes along the curb as part of preparation for a curb replacement project. I also had to dodge some sprinkler systems. All of this slowed me down quite a bit, though I'm sure I wasn't going to set any speed records this morning anyway. I couldn't finish the first kilometer in seven minutes, and my goal for a short flat run like this ought to be a six minute kilometer anyway. That doesn't matter too much. Any day that I run is a successful day. I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 13 1/2 minutes. This is 2 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the flat route and translates to a 39 minute 5K.

I felt very stiff at the start of the run and never really got loose. After the run, I had quite a few muscle aches, which is unlikely from such a short run at such a slow pace. I think it was some leftover soreness from yesterday's treadmill run. It actually affected some of my stretching. My right leg didn't want to co-operate with the stretch where I stand on a step and lower the heel. This is intended to stretch my Achilles tendon. I just felt too weak on that side to safely lower the heel. I took it slowly and carefully and got through the stretches just fine.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013, 1.8 miles in 25 minutes

I didn't get a chance to run in the morning, and the afternoon temperatures were projected to be around 95F (35C). After my Monday run, I decided that it didn't make much sense to run outside. I love running outside, but I wouldn't make any serious progress in heat like this. So I decided to work on the treadmill for a second consecutive day. I was determined to run 3-2-3 minute stretches at 7 mph. with two minute "rest" periods at 4 mph in between. I actually started my first 7 mph in pretty good shape, but about a minute into this first 7 mph stretch, I noticed that the safety clip had come loose from my shirt. In the process of trying to fix this, I knocked the other end loose from the treadmill which brought the treadmill to a sudden stop. I was always worried that a sudden stop would end up with my momentum causing a crash into the front of the treadmill, but I was able to stop with no problem. I quickly hooked the safety clip back on and started again. I took a few seconds at 2 mph, a few more at 3 mph, and then the rest of the minute at 4 mph just to avoid a sudden restrart at 7 mph. I did another couple of minutes at 7 mph and thought to myself "This is easy!" During the first 4 mph stretch, the safety clip came loose again, but I was able to reattach it just fine. The second stretch at 7 mph went well, but the third stretch was a real struggle. It wasn't so easy, after all. I came within a few seconds of finishing a full 3 minutes, and then started my cool down. I was adjusting the volume of music on my iPhone when I knocked out the safety cord a third time. I was able to fix things, though, and wrapped up the rest of the cool down with no further incidents.

My muscles ached a bit afterwards, but I had no joint pain.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013, 1.1 miles in 18 minutes

I toyed with idea of trying some 7 mph stretches, but my muscles ached a bit during the warm-up, so I decided just to run long enough to stretch them out, and avoid anything too extreme. I did want to run more than a mile, just for the psychological satisfaction of it. I had no aches or pains, other than the small aches during the warm-up, so I think the run helped. I did make sure to do my post-run stretches to make up for skipping them yesterday.

Monday, August 26, 2013 , 1.2K in 9.5 minutes

It was very hot (91F or 33C) and the sun was blazing. I did take Cinnamon for part of my warm-up run, but I felt best keeping her out only for part of the warm-up. I started the run and realized pretty quickly that the sun was sapping all my energy. So I ran the shortest regular route, down to 151st Street and back. I did the first leg at a reasonable pace, but slowed down quite a bit on the return. There were some landscapers working at the corner of 148th and Mission and I'm sure they thought I was nuts for running in such weather.

I finished a total of 1.2 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 9 1/2 minutes. This is 2 minutes slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and corresponds to a 40 minute 5K. I had no joint problems during or after the run. I skipped the post run stretches, which probably wasn't too terrible after such a short run.

Saturday, August 24, 2013 , 5.5K in 43 minutes

Intermediate times:
1.0K in  6:55, 8.7kph
2.0K in 14:36, 7.8kph
3.0K in 21:49, 8.3kph
4.0K in 29.33, 7.8kph
5.0K in 38:37, 6.7kph
5.5K in 42:55, 7.0kph

I started early again, but even at 6:30am, the temperature was already a bit warm (70F or 21C). But it is still not too bad if the sun is still low in the sky. I wanted to set a strong pace, but I had problems at the beginning again with an inaccurate GPS reading. It was not as bad as Monday's run, but I think I may have lost 15 seconds or so. The one way to tell this is that my speed increased as the run got longer, at least for the first couple of kilometers. Even with the mistart, I was able to finish the first kilometer in seven minutes. A six minute kilometer would be difficult in any case because the first kilometer ends at the top of the 145th Street hill. I did not quite run a seven minute pace for the second kilometer. I did run at a seven minute pace for the third kilometer, though, which was helped by the gentle downhill slope through the Steeplechase subdivision. The fourth kilometer, though, took eight minutes, and the fifth, sarting with the uphill out of Ironwoods park and ending up at the top of "no brake" hill was even slower than that. Still, a total time of 39 minutes for five kilometers is not bad for a run that has three pretty big hills in it. The last half kilometer took four minutes. My goal is to try harder to recover my pace after finishing a steep uphill, but today's run was no different than most of the others. Hills drain me.

I finished a total of 5.5 kilometers in 43 minutes, This is three minutes slower than my best time on the Steeplechase medium loop route, and translates to a 78 minute 10K. I ws thoroughly exhausted, but had no joint pains during or after the run. I'll have to wait until tomorrow morning to see if the longer run has exacerbated the plantar fasciitis in my left heel.

Friday, August 23, 2013, 1.3 miles in 20 minutes

I wanted to try the 3-2-3 pace again where I do stretches of 3, 2, and 3 minutes at 7 mph interspersed with 2 minute breaks at 4 mph. The first 3 minutes at 7 mph just about killed me. After the 2 minute break, I had enough in me to do another 2 minute stretch. But I realized I was totally spent at that point. I did another 2 minute break in the vain hope that I could recover some energy and put in at least another minute at 7 mph. But it was not meant to be. I cooled down and finished a total of 1.3 miles in 20 minutes. I'll try again on Sunday or Monday. The good news is that I had no joint pains. I did have a muscle ache in my right ankle as the run started, but it went aways during the warm-up.

Thursday, August 22, 2013 , 1.8K in 13 minutes

My GPS system had a hiccup at the start and recorded me as only running 0.04 kilometers in the first minute. I think that some of the trees on 148th Street must be blocking the GPS signal. The last time this happened, I just turned around, reset the GPS and started over again. Today, I wanted to see if the GPS system would catch up. It actually did, and my times later in the run were actually better than my first few minutes. It's all just practice for the official timed races anyway, so it's not a big deal. If my pace at the beginning of the run was consistent with my later pace, then you'd have to knock at least a half minute off of my time. Officially, I ran 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 13 minutes. This is 2 minutes slower than my best time on the flat route and translates to a 36 minute 5K.

I started early enough that the weather was cool (70F or 21C). That allowed me to take the dog with me on the run. She seemed to enjoy the run.

I had no joint pains during or after the run.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013, 1.1 miles in 18 minutes

I started running on the treadmill with the intention of finishing the pace that I had planned for two days ago. But shortly into the run, I felt a bit sore on the soles of my feet (I run barefoot on the treadmill). Obviously, my feet weren't quite tough enough yet, so I planned an easier and shorter run, fitting a stretch of six minutes in the middle at 5 mph. That was enough to get me slightly above one mile for the entire run.

I deserve an easy run once in a while, and other than getting hot and sweaty, there were no aches or pains.

Monday, August 19, 2013 , 1.5K in 10.5 minutes

It was relatively hot (82F or 28C) and sunny, so I took Cinnamon out just during my warmup. Even with a light jog on a mostly shady sidewalk she seemed tired. I didn't have a lot of time, and I wanted to run the "no brake" hill route at a fast pace. I slowed down a lot on the way back up "no brake" hill, which was to be expected, but what I failed to do is to return to a fast pace after I reached the top. This is why I hate hills. I'll be a good runner when I can get back up to pace at the end of a steep climb.

I did feel a bit light headed at the top of "no brake" hill, so I didn't really push it too much. In particular, I skipped the second leg of the run, down to 151st Street and back. I also had an odd twinge in my right ankle at the start of the run, but it went away quickly.

I finished a toal of 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) in 10 1/2 minutes. This matched my best time on the "no brake" hill single leg route, and translates to a 35 minute 5K.

Sunday, August 18, 2013, 1.7 miles in 24 minutes

It's been a while since I used the treadmill, but I thought I was ready to push my effort up a bit. Instead of running three two minute segments at 7 mph interspersed with two minute breaks at 4 mph, I wanted to expand the first and last segments to three minutes. I was surprised at how easy it was to keep up 7 mph for the first full segment, but the last segment was not meant to be. About a minute into it, I realized that I just didn't have it in me for another three minute stretch, but I did tough it out for two of the three minutes. I was also a bit confused about the warm-up periods. I should have had a second minute at 2 mph at the beginning or only one minute at 2 mph at the end, if I wanted to be consistent. No big deal. Next time, I'll get the two full three minutes in at 7 mph and will be consistent between the warm-up and cool-down segments so that the bar graph will be nice and symmetric.

I had no aches during the run, but the bottom of my feet were a bit scraped up. I run on the treadmill barefoot, which is probably not a great idea. The next morning, I had some problems with the plantar fasciitis in my left heel. It's an odd problem because you don't notice anything during or immediately after the runs.

Saturday, August 17, 2013 , 3.5K in 26 minutes

Intermediate times:
0.5K in  3:17, 9.1kph
1.0K in  6:31, 9.3kph
1.5K in 10:02, 8.5kph
2.0K in 13:50, 7.9kph
2.5K in 17:57, 7.3kph
3.0K in 22:10, 7.1kph
3.5K in 26:06, 7.6kph

It was a cool morning for August (57F or 14C) and I had enough time for a reasonable run. I wanted to set a strong pace, 6 minutes for the first kilometer, 13 minutes for the first two kilometers, and 20 minutes for the first three kilometers. I came close, and did finish the first two kilometers in under 14 minutes. The third kilometer was mostly uphill, but I tried hard not to slow down too much. I also tried hard to get back up to speed after the end of "no brake" hill, but wasn't quite so successful. Still, I did fairly well. I finished a total of 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 26 minutes. This is 2 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the short loop route and translates to a 37 minute 5K.

I had an aching muscle below my right knee. This was actually something that was bothering me before my run. Usually the aches and pains before my runs work themselves out during the run itself, which is one reason I like running.

I did not notice right away, but with this run, I passed the 200 kilometer mark for 2013. If you don't like metric, 200 kilometers is about 124 miles. That doesn't count the runs on the treadmill either. That 200 kilometers was across 71 different outdoor runs. Since 228 days have elapsed since the start of the year, that means I'm running about every third day. I try to run every other day, but various things keep me from doing that consistently. The average run is 2.8 kilometers or 1.7 miles.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013 , 1.8K in 12.5 minutes

I had to get up extra early again, but it was worth it. The temperature was cool (63F or 17C) and the sun was just starting to rise. I was on a tight schedule, but I did not want to repeat the 151st Street route, so I chose the second shortest among my common runs, the flat route. I want to run these short routes as fast as possible, but I have a hard time getting to a six minute kilometer on most of these runs. Today was no exception. I did try hard to keep up the pace, even near the end of the run. I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 12 1/2 minutes. This is 1 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the flat route and corresponds to a 35 minute 5K.

My legs were tired, but I had no joint pains.

Sunday, August 11, 2013 , 1.3K in 9 minutes

I took an extra day off because I was battling a cold that I caught while in Montreal. Saturday was the worst day, but I was still feeling the effects on Sunday. I got up early enough to keep things cool (68F or 20C). Cinnamon loves to run, and I hate to leave her behind when things are too hot. She was actually running ahead of me for a change.

I tried to run as fast as I could, but could only finish the first kilometer in seven minutes. It looks like I really slowed down after the 0.6 kilometer mark. I finished a total of 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 9 minutes. This is 1 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and corresponds to a 35 minute 5K.

I felt a slight twinge in my left knee near the end of the run, but no other joint pains.

Thursday, August 8, 2013 , 1.4K in 10 minutes

I did not have time again to run until Thursday morning and I had to get up extra early. The GPS system continued to prove unreliable. I think that the real reason is that there were too many tall buildings around. You need to have a clear line of view for 3-6 satellites, as I understand it, and this is tricky with tall buildings. I also noted problems with the GPS during runs in a tree covered area. Anyway, the route is slightly inaccurate and the times may not be too reliable. I finished a total of 1.4 kilometers (0.9 miles) in 10 minutes. This translates to a 36 minute 5K.

Running weather was ideal in Montreal. I did not note the temperature, but during the whole trip it was typically in the low 20s celsius or the low 70s fahrenheit. Again, I did not have any serious aches or pains.

Sunday, August 4, 2013 , 1.5K in 11 minutes

I was in Montreal for the Joint Statistical Meetings. On Sunday morning, I headed out for a run. The hotel was downtown, and there was no nearby park to run in. Fortunately, there were a couple of blocks of streets that were blocked off to vehicular traffic, the Place Des Arts, that made for a short running course. The GPS system on my iPhone was not working well for some reason. I think it did not understand the satellite coordinates because they were being transmitted in French. Anyway, the mapping was not too accurate, but you get a general idea, with me making a couple of different loops around. The timing results are also not too accurate. Note that the first 0.2K was done in just over a minute, which is a pace that I can't really run at yet. The second 0.2K in contrast, was way too slow at two minutes. If I had to guess, I'd guess that the overall pace of slightly slower than a seven minute kilometer was pretty close to accurate. I ran a total of 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) in 15 minutes. This would extrapolate to a 36 minute 5K.

I had no noticable aches and pains during or after the run.

Thursday, August 1, 2013 , 1.8K in 12.5 minutes

It was not too warm (70F or 21C) so I thought it would be okay to take the dog on the run. Cinnamon seemed excited during the warm-up and ran ahead pulling me along. When I started the fast running, though, she lagged behind a bit. I think she is unsure whether this is going to be a short run or a long run, so she is saving her strength, just in case. Thankfully, she did not take a poop break in the middle of the run. I had difficulty getting up to speed, and ran the whole route at closer to a seven minute kilometer pace. On a route that is short and more or less flat, this is not the best I can do. Still, any run that is completed and doesn't end in injury is a good run.

I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 12.5 minutes. This is 1 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the flat route and translates to a 35 minute 5K.

I had a similar twinge in my right ankle again today, but only at the start of the run.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013 , 1.2K in 9.5 minutes

It was warm (81F or 27C) and muggy, but I thought I'd see how Cinnamon would do on a short run. I was planning to run either of the two of the very short runs, the 151st Street route or the flat route. She was lagging behind right from the start. I wasn't doing so great myself, and had a strange twinge in my right ankle at the start of the run. It went away, but Cinnamon decided to take a poop break shortly after I turned onto Mission Road. It slowed me down and her continued lagging behind for the rest of the run didn't help either. I fihished a total of 1.2 kilometers (0.7 miles) in 9 1/2 minutes. This is two minutes slower than my best pace on the 151st Street route and extrapolates to a 40 minute 5K.

The twinge in my ankle was no big deal. It's the pains that occur late in run and after the run that are more likely to cause problems.

Sunday, July 28, 2013 , 1.5K in 10.5 minutes

I started early in the morning and the weather was cool enough to take the dog along (59F or 13C). I had to dodge a few sprinklers at the bottom of 148th Street, but this didn't delay me too much. I still was unable to run at a six minute kilometer pace, though. I did finish the first kilometer in seven minutes, and like the previous run, this was at the top of a steep hill, so that's not too bad. In the long run, I need to run hills at a six kilometer pace in order to lower my best 5K time from 34 minutes to something closer to 30 minutes, but there's no real rush here.

I skipped the second leg of the "no brake" hill route, and since this is the fourth time for this, I've designated two different versions of the "no brake" hill route. Thi single leg version is only 1.5 kilometers. That's just a touch shorter than a mile, and I like to run more than a mile, if I possibly can. But the hill makes up for the shortness. My time on this route matched my best time on any previous run on the "no brake" hill single leg route, and extrapolates to a 35 minute 5K.

Friday, July 26, 2013 , 2.8K in 22 minutes

It was hot (81 F or 27C) but not too humid. At first, I thought it might be okay to take Cinnamon along, but she started panting heavily during the warm-up, so I jogged back to the house with her and left her there before heading out on my run. It was probably for the best, because I was really worn out at the end of the run myself. I couldn't get a six minute kilometer in at the beginning. This is a harder route to do this, because the first kilometer ends on the 145th Street hill. Finishing the first kilometer in seven minutes was still a respectable result. I got a phone call during the run. and my wife got to hear me huffing and puffing as I ran back along Mission Road. The phone call slowed me down a bit more, so I could not complete the second kilometer in seven minutes. The remainder of the run, up "no brake" hill, was at a much slower pace than that. I finished a total of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 22 minutes. This is 2 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the 143rd Street route and translates to a 39 minute 5K.

I'm still having problems with both heels, but nothing too extreme.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013 , 1.8K in 11.5 minutes

I took off from running a while because things were busy and because the long run on July 13 had aggravated the plantar fasciitis in my left heel. But after a while I felt like too little activity might be just as bad as too much activity.

It was hot (77F or 25C) so I had to leave the dog behind after a short walk. It had been a while since I had run the flat route, and I needed a shorter distance to make up for the time off. I was determined to set a strong pace and started out as fast as I could. I finished the first kilometer in six minutes (just barely, thanks to rounding) and kept up close to that pace for the rest of the run. I was really tired at the end of the run, but glad that I was able to maintain a good pace. I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 11 1/2 minutes. This is 1/2 minute slower than my best time on the flat route and translates to a 32 minute 5K.

My short term goal is to get back into the habit of running at a six minute kilometer pace. I'll probably be conservative about the longer distance runs for now, to avoid aggravating my left heel.

Saturday, July 13, 2013 , 5.5K in 44 minutes

I got up early so the dog could run with me. It was already warm (70F or 22C), but the sun was still low on the horizon. It is the beating heat of the high sun as much as it is the temperature which makes the mid-afternoon runs so difficult. I had enough time for a longer run and decided to take the double loop route in Ironwoods Park. It's about as nice a run as the long loop and

The other thing that makes the run difficult is when Cinnamon decides to take a poop break. In spite of two breaks during my warm-up, she decided in the second minute of my run that she needed a third poop break. This threw me off my pace very early in the run. I was hoping to get the first kilometer done in six minutes but now I couldn't even get it done within the first seven minutes. I also couldn't get back up to a reasonable pace. I ended up running at about an eight minute kilometer pace, but with all the hills in this run, that's not so terrible. But when I can run the hilly routes at a seven minute kilometer pace, I'll be close to running the flat routes at a six minute kilometer pace. That may have to wait a while though.

I finished the first five kilometers in 39 1/2 minutes, and a total of 5.5 kilometers (3.4 miles) in 44 minutes. This is two minutes slower than my earlier run on the double loop route and extrapolates to an 80 minute 10K.

I did not have any joint pains. It was a hard run, but it wasn't agony, which is a pretty good sign for such a long run with so many hills. I did have a problem with my little toe on the left foot. The shoe seemed to grind against it, making it sore. These shoes have been broken in for quite a while, so I do not know why this is happening now. Perhaps it was a poorly fitting sock.

I also have an odd rash on the back of my left leg just above the ankle. I've had it for several days. It might be a heat rash.

Thursday, July 11, 2013, 1.5 miles in 22 minutes

I ran the 7 mph pace again, three sets of two minute spurts with two minute breaks at 4 mph. I've run this before, but I added a slight change by starting and ending with two minutes rather than one at 2 mph. The transition from 2 mph to 3 mph has always seemed a bit abrupt to me, which it shouldn't. The extra minute at 2 mph seemed to help.

I should be running longer stretches at 7 mph by now, but I didn't want to push too hard. I did seem to handle the pace pretty well.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013 , 2.3K in 17.5 minutes

It was very hot. I didn't note the temperature, but it was well above 90F (32C), so I had to leave the dog behind again. I had trouble getting a good pace right at the start again. It still seemed like agony. The heat definitely makes the runs much more tiring. My muscles ached, but I had no joint pains. I finished a total of 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 17 1/2 minutes. This is two minutes slower than my best time on the "no brake" hill route and extrapolates to a 38 minute 5K.

Monday, July 8, 2013 , 3.6K in 28.5 minutes

It was hot (84F or 29C) so I took the dog out just for a warmup. I ran to the pool and back (about 0.8 miles) in a light jog. I dropped off the dog, jogged back to the pool again, and started my run. I was hoping that the extra long warm-up would help, but I don't think it did. I could not finish the first kilometer in six minutes, which is key to getting a good time on this route, which is largely downhill for the first half. I did maintain a seven minute kilometer pace for the first two kilometers, but then I was gassed. I ran the remained of the run in agony at a barely faster than a walk pace. The heat was worse than I expected, and I needed every drop of water in my water bottle. I poured some of it on my arms and my back to help keep cool. I think the heat in July and August will keep my times a bit off from my best times, but that's okay. Any endurance that I build up under these adverse conditions will pay off double when the temperature cools.

My muscles ached a lot again, which I take as a good sign. I want to continue these longer runs as long as they don't aggravate my joint problems.

I finished a total of 3.6 kilometers in 28 1/2 minutes. This is four minutes slower than my best time on the medium loop route and translates to a 40 minute 5K.

Saturday, July 6, 2013 , 5.5K in 43 minutes

I got up early again, and it was not too hot yet (66F or 19C) so I could take the dog on the run. I started out slower than I wanted to, but finished the first kilometer in under 7 minutes. I could not quite keep up that pace for the remaining kilometers, and was running at closer to a 7 1/2 minute or 8 minute kilometer. The fifth kilometer, with big uphill stretches out of Ironwoods Park and back up "no brake" hill, was even slower still. The first five kilometers took 39 minutes, which is not great, even in a route with three big hills. But I never quit, which makes the run a success. I finished a total of 5.5 kilometers (3.4 miles) in 43 minutes. This is three minutes slower than my first run on the Steeple chase medium loop and translates to a 78 minute 10K.

I had muscle aches starting in the second kilometer and I was thoroughly exhasted by yhe fifth kilometer. I had no join pains during the run, but did feel a bit stiff afterwards.

Thursday, July 4, 2013 , 2.9K in 21.5 minutes

I was not sure how well I would be able to run. I had not been able to get any long runs in, and even my work on the treadmill was just short stints at a walking pace. Also, I had donated blood last Sunday, and didn't know how the loss of red blood cells would affect my stamina. I did run at a reasonably fast pace, finishing the first two kilometers in seven minutes apiece. The last stretch, up "no brake" hill was a bit slower. I finished a total of 2.9 kilometers (1.8 miles) in 21 1/2 minutes. That was 2 minutes slower than my fastest pace on the 143rd Street route and translates to a 37 minute 5K.

It was early enough in the day and cool enough (66F or 19C) that I could take the dog along. She seemed to enjoy the run.

I was very stiff during my warmup, but once I started running fast, the stiffness disappeared. I was pretty tired, but did not have any serious joint pains.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013, 0.3 miles in 8 minutes

I wanted to stretch my leg muscles again in the early morning, and gave myself a couple of minutes at 2 mph at the start, which seemed to help the transition. It takes a bit of effort to trust the treadmill, as it sets the pace rather than you. Getting an extra minute in at a very slow walking rate (2 mph) seemed to help. I felt good with no joint pains.

Sunday, June 30, 2013, 0.3 miles in 7 minutes

I got up early and thought about trying a fast pace on the treadmill, but my heart wasn't in it, so I just used a walking pace for long enough to stretch my leg muscles. They are always stiff in the morning, regardless of how much or how little I had run in the previous few days. I noticed that the transition from 2 mph to 3 mph was a bit abrupt, so I am thinking about going a couple of minutes at 2 mph in future warm-ups. I felt good after the brief time on the treadmill and had no serious aches or pains.

Saturday, June 29, 2013 , 3.9K in 30.5 minutes

I got up early, but not as early as I should. The temperature was warm (70F or 21C) and was rising rapidly. It was still okay to take Cinnamon along, but just barely. I made sure to drink a lot of water before I started.

I wanted to try to run the first kilometer in six minutes, but I fell a bit short. In the middle of the second kilometer, Cinnamon decided to take a poop break, which threw off my time a bit. After that, I struggled and could not maintain even a seven minute kilometer pace. That's okay, because this was my first longer run in a couple of weeks. I finished a total of 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles) in 30 1/2 minutes. This is four minutes slower than my best time on the medium loop route and translates to a 39 minute 5K.

My leg muscles felt a bit tired during the run, which is unusual. I take it as a good sign, that I am building endurance. I had no joint pains during or after the run.

Thursday, June 27, 2013 , 1.3K in 8.5 minutes

I was back from the last half of Boy Scout camp, but kept the run short again. It was way too hot for the dog (88F or 31C). Storm clouds threatened the sky, but only offered a sprinkling of rain during my run. I could not quite finish the first kilometer in six minutes. In fact, it has been several months since I have run a six minute kilometer at the start (April 17, to be precise). I also have not been finishing this and most of my other recent runs as strongly as I should. I'll have to start working on speed again, once I get back into a regular running cycle again. I finished a total of 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 8 1/2 minutes. This is 1 minute slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 33 minute 5K.

I did not have any serious joint pains during or after this run.

Saturday, June 22, 2013 , 1.5K in 10.5 minutes

I was at Boy Scout camp with Nicholas and could not find a chance to run until I took a one day break to go home. In the afternoon heat (86F or 30C), I had to leave Cinnamon behind, though I did give her a short walk prior to this run. I was fine myself, though I probably should have taken a water bottle with me. I kept the run short for a variety of reasons: the long time off from running, the heat, the need to get other things done. I ran down "no brake" hill and instead of going the other way down to 151st Street, I cut this short and turned back to my starting point on 148th Street. This is almost my shortest route, but it does have the big hill in it. I finished the first mile in under seven minutes and kept up that pace, more or less after climbing back up "no brake" hill.

I finished a total of 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) in 10 1/2 minutes. I've run this route once before and today's effort matched that earlier time.

I didn't have any joint pains during the run, but both my heels felt a bit funny afterwards.

Saturday, June 15, 2013 , 4.5K in 34 minutes

It was warm (73F or 23C) and humid, but the sun has barely risen, so I thought it would be okay to take the dog on a run. I hate to leave her behind, as she really enjoys the runs, but I worry about her overheating. Today she was just fine.

I decided to try a route I usually don't have time for that cuts through Steeplechase at 145th Street and Windsor and then into Ironwoods Park. I couldn't get the first kilometer finished in six minutes, which is what I really need to do if I want to match some of my earlier times. I did finish the first two kilometers in at a seven minute pace, but couldn't quite do so for the third kilometer. The fourth kilometer, which included the uphil out of Ironwoods Park and up "no brake" hill, was closer to a nine minute pace. I finished a total of 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles) in 34 minutes, which is two minutes slower than my best time on the 145th Street route and translates to a 38 minute 5K.

I had no joint pains, but I did forget the stretching exercises afterwards. Let's hope that doesn't cause problems later.

Thursday, June 13, 2013 , 3.6K in 26.5 minutes

I was able to get an early morning start to my run, which was good. It was cool (64F or 18C) and breezy, though a bit humid. It was good enough that I could take Cinnamon along. Into the second minute of the run, she decided to take a poop break. I tried to pick it up in a poop bag quickly, but probably lost a half minute in the process. I did finish the first two kilometers in seven minutes each, which was not bad. The third kilometer, ending in the middle of "no brake" hill was only a bit slower. I could not get back up to speed, though at the top of the hill. I still did fairly well, completing 3.6 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 26 1/2 minutes. This is three minutes shy of my best time on the short loop route and translates to a 36 minute 5K.

I didn't have any serious joint pains, which was good news.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013, 0.4 miles in 9 minutes and 1.6 miles in 22 minutes

I tried the 7 mph pace again. I was tempted to up the tempo by running in two blocks of three minutes, separated by four minutes at 4 mph, but decided to keep it at the same pace I had done earlier (three blocks of two minutes at 7 mph separated by two blocks of two minutes at 4 mph. The first 7 mph stretch went well, but the next two were exhausting. I noticed a twinge again in my right ankle. It appeared during the warmup, but gradually worked its way out.

Earlier in the morning, I had put in a short walk to stretch my legs. The transition from 2 mph to 3 mph always catches me a bit off guard, so I decided to add an extra minute at the beginning at 2 mph. I also decided to shorten the total run by one minute. This makes a total of 9 minutes which is long enough to stretch my muscles, which is all I need in the morning.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013 , 1.3K in 8.5 minutes

It was hot (91F or 33C) and humid, so I took the dog for a walk but left her at home for the run. It was way too hot for her to be exerting herself. I also only had a limited amount of time, so I took the shortest run on the menu. I started out strong, but could not keep up the pace on the return leg of the run. I finished a total of 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 8 1/2 minutes. This is only a half minute slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and extrapolates to a 33 minute 5K.

Monday, June 10, 2013, 0.5 miles in 10 minutes

I felt very stiff Sunday night and also Monday morning. A couple minutes into the run, I decided not to try for anything fast. So I kept going at a 3 mph pace at the 6th minute rather than upping the speed from a fast walk to a slow run. I tapered down to 2 mph at the tenth minute. I had no aches and pains and the brief walk and the stretching actually felt good. I think I will try to put a short walk in on most mornings before my shower.

Saturday, June 8, 2013 , 2.8K in 20 minutes

I had to start my run extra early (6am), but the sun was already up. The weather was very cool for June (53F or 12C) and was perfect for Cinnamon. I started out at a seven minute kilometer pace. It seems that I have forgotten how to run the first kilometer in six minutes, but this is not the best route for a fast first kilometer as it ends near the top of the 145th Street hill. The good news is that I still maintained a seven minute kilometer pace for the return. On this route, the second kilometer ends at the bottom of "no brake" hill. The last stretch up "no brake" hill was only a bit slower.

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 corresponds to a 36 minute 5K. I had no aches or pains in any of my joints.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013, 1.6 miles on the treadmill in 22 minutes

I tried the 7mph pace again. The first two minutes were not bad, but it was a struggle for return to that pace after two minutes at a slower pace. The third return to 7mph was agony. I did finish the plan, though. Soon I hope to run three solid minutes at 7mph, as I did back on February 18, 2013. I had no aches or pains in any of my joints.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013 , 3.6K in 27.5 minutes

I had time for a short run into Ironwoods Park. It was cool for June (61F or 16C) and Cinnamon seemed to love the weather. I started out at a seven minute kilometer pace, but slowed down a bit. On the runs to Ironwoods Park, I need to strive for very fast times in the first two kilometers (e.g., 13 or even 12 minutes) since it almost all downhill. Even with a slower pace, I'm happy with my run. The only bad runs are the ones not taken or the ones that lead to serious injury.

I finished a total of 3.6 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 27 1/2 minutes. This is four minutes slower than my best time on the short loop route and translates to a 38 minute 5K.

Friday, May 31, 2013 , 1.5K in 10.5 minutes

It was cool (61F or 16C) and was raining very hard earlier in the morning. I headed out after the threat of storms had gone, but it was still quite cloudy. The weather was good for Cinnamon, and she seemed to enjoy the run from beginning to end. I wanted to run a shorter route than Wednesday, so I opted for the "no brake" hill route, except that I forgot about the segment from 148th Street to 151st Street. So it was quite a bit shorter. I kept up a seven minute kilometer pace, for the most part, which is not quite as fast as some of my best runs on this route, where I averaged a 6 1/2 minute kilometer pace, even with the big hill in the middle. Still, it was a pretty good pace for me. I finished a total of 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) in 10 1/2 minutes. This translates to a 35 minute 5K.

I didn't have any joint pains from this run. That combined with the lack of any pains on the previous treadmill run on Thursday or the previous 4 kilometer run on Wednesday, has me hopeful that I am on the mend.

The totals for the month of May are quite a bit less than in April (16.8K in 8 outdoor runs versus 50.2K in 13 outdoor runs), but I did take a week off and decided to cut back on the very long runs for now.

Thursday, May 30, 2013, 1.6 miles on the treadmill in 22 minutes

I decided that some work on the treadmill would help me gradually build my speed back up to what it was before I took a break in early May. This means running at a 7mph pace. I wasn't quite up for doing three minute stretches at 7mph, like I had done on February 18, and even the two minute stretches at 7 mph were difficult. I thought about stopping early on the second and third times at 7mph, but somehow found the energy to persist.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013 , 4K in 31.5 minutes

I wanted to try a bit longer run to see if my left heel could handle it. I set a seven minute kilometer pace only for the first kilometer and slowed down after that. It's okay. I don't want to be working on setting new speed records until I'm sure my joints can handle the stress. I finished a total of 4.0 kilometers (2.5 miles) in 31 1/2 minutes. That is five minutes slower than my best time on the medium loop route and translates to a 39 minute 5K. My joints are feeling pretty good right now, but we'll have to wait a day and see.

It was warm (70F or 21C) and humid. It might have been a bit much for Cinnamon and she lagged behind me for most of the run. She did tackle "no brake" hill better than I could though. It is looking like anything more than 75F is bad for running with the dog. I'll just have to walk her instead and then leave her at home for the runs.

Monday, May 27, 2013 , 2.8K in 20.5 minutes

I started out early in the morning, but it was already warm (70F or 21C) and humid. A storm was brewing, so the clouds kept us from getting too warm. It is interesting, though, that Cinnamon has learned not to race ahead of me early in the run before she knows how long the run will be. She lagged a few feet behind me during most of the run, but when it was obvious that we were heading back, she charged on ahead.

I had time, but wanted to avoid the really long runs. I'm not sure my left heel is totally well yet. I had a twinge of pain Sunday morning. It was nothing serious, but it did serve as a reminder not to take things too aggressively for now. I ran one of my most common runs, down to 143rd Street and back. I set a seven minute kilometer pace for the run up the 145th Street hill and also on the way back. The second kilometer ends at the bottom of "no brake" hill, so I had to slow down a bit for the rest of the run. I did try to speed back up at the top of the hill, but it is hard to resume a fast pace after a hill like this. I finished a total of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 20 1/2 minutes. This is a minute slower than my best time on the 143rd Street route and corresponds to a 37 minute 5K.

I had no joint pains, though the achilles tendons both my left and right felt a bit tight at the start of the run. I did try to have a bit more vigorous of a warm-up to avoid the problems that I had with stiffness on the run last Friday.

Saturday, May 25, 2013, 1.6 miles on the treadmill in 24 minutes

The funny thing for me about being stiff and sore is that is seems to happen if I run too much or if I run too little. I decided that the latter was the reason I had problems with yesterday's run. So I took some time this morning to do a bit of time on the treadmill. I didn't want to tackle the 7 mph speeds, so I just warmed up to a 5 mph pace and kept it going for twelve minutes before cooling down. A 5 mph pace corresponds to a 37 minute 5K, and represents an easy "cruising" speed for me. Eventually I want to get back to alternating fast (7 mph) and slow (4 mph) times. If I could keep it up, a 7 mph pace would be equivalent to a 26 1/2 minute 5K.

I had no joint pains. The extra cushioning on the treadmill seems to help a lot.

Friday, May 24, 2013 , 1.8K in 14 minutes

I didn't really get warmed up to well on this run, and it showed right away. I could only keep up an eight minute kilometer pace throughout the run. I just felt stiff and tight the entire time. It's okay. I've had a fair amount of time off and it just takes a while for me to get back into top form. As long as I keep up a regular running routine, I'll be fine. I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 14 minutes. This is three minutes slower than my best time on the flat route and corresponds to a 39 minute 5K.

It was not as warm as earlier in the week (63F or 17C). The run tired me out, but I did not have any joint pains during or after the run. I think that my short bout with plantar fasciitis is over. I'll just avoid the longer runs for a bit more time, just to be safe.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 , 1.3K in 8.5 minutes

My left heel seems to be mostly mended. This morning, it was a bit stiff, but not at all painful. I'll still watch it closely, though. I had only a bit of time, so I ran towards 151st Street with the idea of taking either the 151st Street route or the flat route. I ran fast, but not with the goal of setting any speed records. I was still a bit out of shape, so I turned back at 148th Street rather than running the rest of the flat route along Mission Road. I finished the first kilometer in a bit under seven minutes, and a total of 1.2 kilometers (0.7 miles) in 8 1/2 minutes. This is a minute slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and corresponds to a 35 minute 5K.

I was a bit tired, but had no joint pains at all. It was warm, but not too warm (63F or 17C), and Cinnamon seemed to enjoy the run.

Monday, May 20, 2013 , 2.3K in 18 minutes

I had taken a lot of time off from running. Part of it was that I was busy, but most of it was because I wanted to avoid aggravating the problem with my left heel. There was residual pain even in the mornings. It would go away as soon as I walked around for a couple of minutes. It turns out that I had a canoe trip planned for this past weekend with Nicholas for Boy Scouts. It was fun, but also a painful experience. My arm muscles were tired from all the paddling, and my leg muscles were cramped from sitting in the same awkward position for most of the canoe trip. When I woke up on Monday morning, I realized that everything hurt...EXCEPT FOR MY LEFT AND RIGHT HEELS. Perhaps the other pains were distracting me, but I think it was a result of the extended time away from running.

I decided to get in a short run today. It was mid-afternoon and very warm (75F or 24C) and very humid. This is about the temperature level when I think about leaving Cinnamon behind. I really didn't want to, though, because she had not been getting any runs in the past ten days or even very many walks. She lagged behind me for most of the run and sat down in the shade after the run was over. I'll make a greater effort to run in the early morning as the weather gets even hotter.

I started out thinking that I'd run the flat route, and headed out to 151st Street. When I reached the top of "no brake" hill (my turn-around point for the flat route), I wanted to avoid the lawn mowing company, so I extended my run by going to the bottom of "no brake" hill. I kept up a seven minute kilometer pace until I started climbing back up again. At the top of "no brake" hill, Cinnamon decided to take a poop break. I probably lost a half minute with this.

I finished a total of 2.3 kilometers (1.8 miles) in 18 minutes. This is 2 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on this "no brake" hill route and translates to 39 minute 5K. Not my best time, but that's okay after a long break. The good news is there was no joint pain after the run. Sure my muscles ached and I was out of breath, but no joint pain is a rarity for me. We'll see how I feel in the morning tomorrow.

Friday, May 10, 2013 , 1.3K in 9 minutes

I've been taking it easy because of pain in my left heel in the mornings. It's not serious...yet. Today, I got out for a short run and did not try for anything close to my fastest speed. I was still able to set a seven minute kilometer pace which is still good. I finished a total of 1.3 kilometers in 9 minutes. This is 1 1/2 minutes shy of my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 35 minute 5K.

Saturday, May 4, 2013 , 1.8K in 12.5 minutes

It was cold (36F or 2C) and drizzly, but I did want to get a short run in. I was thinking about running to 143rd Street and back, but in the first couple of minutes, I decided to scale back to the flat route. It is an easy enough run, but it does exceed a mile, which seems like a bare minimum for a run to me. I was able to keep a seven minute kilometer pace for the run, which is good, but not great. I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 12 1/2 minutes. This is 1 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the flat route and translates to a 35 minute 5K.

There was a little pain in both heels, but nothing serious. I will see how it feels tomorrow morning, but the past several mornings have been much better, so I'm hoping that if I stay away from the 5K and longer runs for a while that my plantar fasciitis will gradually go away.

Thursday, May 02, 2013, 1.6 miles on the treadmill in 22 minutes

It was cold and snow was forecast for later in the day. Snow in May??? That plus the desire to cut back on mileage made me head for the treadmill. I did want to run parts of the run at 7mph, but wasn't sure if I could do three minute stretches at that pace, like I had on February 18. I couldn't do it, but I could run two minute stretches and it actually wasn't that bad. The two minutes at a slower pace (4mph) were enough of a break that I could get a total of three 7mph stretches, which is pretty good. Eventually, I want to run 3 minute stretches and then longer stretches. It tuns out that 7mph would translate to a 26 1/2 minute 5K if I could keep up that pace long enough. So I see working at 7 mph on the treadmill as eventually leading to me running a 5K in under 30 minutes.

The treadmill has a lot more cushioning, so there were no heel pains afterwards. With the warm-up and cool-down, I ran a total of 1.6 miles in 22 minutes.

Tuesday, April 30, 2013 , 3.5K in 27 minutes

My long run on Saturday left me with a painful left heel which seems to be a straightforward case of Plantar Fasciitis. It's a problem when I wake up, but goes away quickly when I stretch. I'm going to cut back on the long distance runs for now and see if I can get back to normal. I did want to get at least 3.3 kilometers in, because that would push me over 50 kilometers for the month of April. This is a record for total distance in a single month. My previous best month (November 2011) had 47.4 kilometers total across 14 runs.

I also wanted to take advantage of the warm weather, before a nasty stretch of cold weather forecast for the rest of the week. It was 66F (19C) at the start of the run and warmed to 73F (22C) by the end. Later in the week, it might even snow, so it was good to get a run in in the nice weather.

I didn't want to push to match my fastest time, but still wanted to keep up a strong pace. I finished the first two kilometers in an average of seven minutes apiece. The remainder of the run was slower. I finished a total of 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 27 minutes. This is 3 1/2 minutes slower than my best pace on the short loop route and translates to a 39 minute 5K. There was a little pain in both heels, but nothing that lasted long.

Saturday, April 27, 2013 , 7.8K in 58.5 minutes

I wanted to do a longer run for several reasons, the biggest one being that I had noticed that April was a very good month for running, and I was close to breaking a distance record for this month. In December of 2012, I had put in 45 kilometers (about 28 miles) in 14 runs. So far in April, I had put in 38.9 kilometers (about 24 miles) in 11 runs. I also wanted to run at slightly better than a seven minute kilometer pace. That didn't work out so well, but I was still running only slightly slower than a seven minute kilometer pace for the first three kilometers. Then Cinnamon decided to take a poop break again, just shy of the fourth kilometer. I only lost about half a minute, and I did seem to get back to a reasonable pace. I finished the fifth kilometer in 37 minutes, which is about 3 minutes shy of my best official and unofficial 5K times. I continued the rest of the run at about a 7 1/2 minute kilometer pace, which is not too bad. I finished a total of 7.8 kilometers (4.8 miles) in 58 1/2 minutes. This is only the second time that I have run this route, and I ran it two minutes faster than my first attempt. If you extrapolated, this would be equivalent to a 75 minute 5K. I suspect that I would have been able to complete the remaining 2.2 kilometers at about the same pace, actually. One of my 2013 goals is to run 10 full kilometers in a practice run, and I think I may be pretty close to that goal.

The weather was cool (46F or 8C) and drizzly. I decided to wear my running jacket and a hat. During the race, I had more problems with breathing than with my muscles, which is surprising on a run of this length. My left heel hurt more than my right, which is a change, though the pain was more on the bottom of the foot near the heel. I am still somewhat sore four hours afterwards, but it's not too bad.

Thursday, April 25, 2013 , 1.3K in 9.5 minutes

I only had time for a quick run, and I was originally planning to run the flat route. But shortly into the run, Cinnamon decided to take a poop break. I wasn't making such great time anyway, so I decided to just keep the run to 151st Street and back. I only lost about a half minute, but it's hard to start back up again and keep going at the pace you had before the poop break. I still did reasonably well. I completed 1.3 kilometers in 9 1/2 minutes. This is two minutes slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 36 minute 5K.

It was one of the warmest days so far this year (72F or 22C), but not so warm that I had to worry about dehydration. I had the normal aches and pains, but nothing serious.

Monday, April 22, 2013 , 2.8K in 19.5 minutes

The weather was nice for April (57F or 14C). It was cloudy, so the sun wouldn't be a problem. I ran along Mission Road to 143rd Street and back. This route has two big hills. My goal was to get up to the top of the 145th Street hill at a six minute kilometer pace and then try to run a seven minute kilometer pace for the remainder of the run. That's just a bit too ambitious. I reached the top of the 145th Street hill at a 6 1/2 minute kilometer pace and then ran the second kilometer in another 6 1/2 minutes, which is almost as good. This put me at the bottom of "no brake" hill, the second big hill on this route. I slowed down here, as always, and didn't find a way to speed back up enough afterwards. I still did very well overall. I ran a total of 2.8 kilometers in 19 1/2 minutes. This matches my best time on the 143rd Street route and translates to a 35 minute 5K.

I have a bit of pain in the right heel, but it's hardly worth mentioning.

Saturday, April 20, 2013 , timed 5K race in 34 minutes

I signed up for the Midnight Run, a timed 5K race in Leawood. The course started in the parking lot of the American Academy of Family Physicians and ran along Tomahawk Creek Parkway with a short extension along 117th Street then down to 119th Street, back up to College Boulevard, and returning along Tomahawk Creek Parkway to the starting point. It was cool (41F or 5C) so I wore my running pants and running jacket.

My rigth heel bothered me before the race started. It was enough that I considered skipping the run and just walking. But once I got going, the pain disappeared. I think that my warmup prior to the race must have caused the problem. After the race, the bottom of my feet felt quite sore.

My goal was to finish the first three kilometers in 19 minutes, and then run at a seven minute kilometer pace for the remaining two kilometers. This would give me a 33 minute 5K, a minute better than my previous best time.

Several things were working against me, though. First, there was a lot of jostling in the first half kilometer as runners were sorting themselves out into their relative speeds. I actually passed more than I got passed, so next time, I'll try to get a bit closer to the front. The second thing was that I had eaten a late dinner and I felt a bit bloated. I didn't vomit, but I had the sensation that if I pushed myself too hard that I might vomit. That might have slowed me down a bit too. Finally, the race organizers announced no headphones during the run. It kept me from listening to the pace information from my GPS app. I could still peak at the screen while I was running, but this was less efficient.

I did finish the the first kilometer in under seven minutes, and each successive kilometer was also run at or slightly below seven minutes. It took a constant effort to keep speeding back up whenever I started to slow down. I was out of breath during the entire race and my muscles ached as well. My GPS app was a bit off from the course distance markers, and I reached the first and second mile markers set up by the race organizers far too early. It was probably an error in the initial GPS in what seemed like it was way too soon. It was probably an accuracy error in the GPS system. When I crossed the finish line, my GPS showed 4.84 kilometers. That's a bit odd because usually the GPS shows more than 5 kilometers when I reach the finish line. My official time was 33 minutes and 56 seconds. This ties my previous record in a timed 5K.

The race organizers had a moment of silence before the race for the victims of the Boston marathon bombs and the West, Texas fertilizer plant explosions.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013 , 4K in 26.5 minutes

All tragedies are sad, but some hit you harder than others. The bombings at the Boston Marathon have really unsettled me, because I feel a special bond with those people who have been hurt and killed. I'm not a marathon runnner, but I am a runner. A runner is someone who competes in timed races. I have entered ten 5 kilometer races so far and two 4 mile races. I'm awkward and slow, even for my age, but I'm still a runner.

I'm also awkward at praying, but one prayer that I offer up after most of my practice runs is something along the lines of "Thank you, God, for giving me legs that can run fast." That prayer took on a special meaning after the recent bombing. Here were runners who were far faster than I, who could run far longer distances than I, and now they have lost their legs for some unexplainable reason. More than one doctor noted the spirit, though, of these runners, who were not bitter about the amputations but instead announced that they were glad to be alive.

It is a gift to be alive. The world is full of pain and tragedy, and sometimes something or someone you love is ripped away for no reason that you can comprehend. But life is still a great gift, and you need to cherish the things you love and the people you love while they are here with you.

I started running at the age of 54, and I plan to keep running as long as I can. I know that there will come a time where I am no longer able to run in 5K races, and when that day comes, I'll walk the 5K races. There will then come a time when I can't walk in a 5K race anymore. I don't know when those days will come, but I plan to enjoy my legs while I can. From now on when I say my little prayer of thanks after a practice run, I'll also be thinking about those runners and spectators at the Boston Marathon who lost their legs but who, like me, are grateful to be alive.

It was cool (46F or 8C) and cloudy, but the rain was holding back. I decided to take my favorite route, a medium loop through Ironwoods Park. I wanted to exceed my normal seven minute kilometer pace, at least for the early part of the run before the big push back up "no brake" hill. I finished the first kilometer in six minutes, the first two in thirteen minutes and the first three in just a bit over 19 minutes. These are all very good times for me. I slowed down a lot on "no brake" hill, but at the top I tried my best to return to a decent pace. I thought about the marathoners climbing Heartbreak Hill. If they could handle a big hill after 20 miles of a marathon, I could handle a smaller hill after two miles of a practice run.

I finished a total of 4.0 kilometers (2.5 miles) in 26 1/2 minutes. This ties my best time for the medium loop route and translates to a 33 minute 5K. I normally document my muscle and joint pains in this running log, but not today. Today let's just say that, in perspective, any pain that I experienced was trivial.

Monday, April 15, 2013 , 1.9K in 11.5 minutes

It was cool (46F or 8C) and it had rained earlier. It was still threatening to rain during my run, but the rain held off. I only had time for a short run, so I opted for the flat route. I wanted to run the first kilometer in 5 1/2 minutes, and I didn't really come close, but I did finish the 1.5 kilometers in 9 minutes, which is very good for me. I should have pushed a bit harder at the end, but I still did very well. I finished a total of 1.9 kilometers (1.2 miles) in 11 1/2 minutes. This is a half minute shy of my best time on this flat route and translates to a 30 minute 5K. I'm happy because I haven't forgotten how to run fast. It was an effort to run this long at this pace, but not total agony. It will only get easier over time.

I had a minor pain in my right heel, but no other joint or muscle problems. I'm also doing very well and running every other day (I never run on two consecutive days), and may set a record for the number of outdoor runs in a single month and/or the total distance run in a single month.

Saturday, April 13, 2013 , 6.6K in 46.5 minutes

It was cold (34F or 1C), but this time I switched and went with shorts but a running jacket. Halfway into the run, I really didn't need the jacket anymore, but it was easier to keep it on than to take it off and carry it. I wanted a longer run, and decided to try the church route. I normally have trouble running this route fast, even though it is mostly flat. I think it is because of the one big hill that comes very early in the run. Today, I wanted to run each kilometer in seven minutes or better. I started out well, finishing the first kilometer in six and one half minutes. Each successive kilometer came in at more or less seven minutes, but it took a lot of effort to avoid slowing down. I finished the first five kilometers in 34 1/2 minutes, which is a very good time, and was even able to get to the sixth kilometer before the 42 minute mark. I did slow down a bit after that, but it was a minor uphill near the end of a very long run, so that's okay. I finished a total of 6.6 kilometers (4.1 miles) in 46 1/2 minutes. This is 1 1/2 minutes faster than my best previous time and translates to a 70 minute 10K.

I actually had more aches when I started. I woke up with a sore left ankle, and it took a while for me to walk that off. The run itself was not hard, though I did have the typical pain in my right heel afterward and a fair amount of stiffness.

Thursday, April 11, 2013 , 2.2K in 15.5 minutes

It was cold (37F or 3C), so I wore my long running pants, but skipped the running jacket. I only had a limited amount of time, but I did want to put in a bit longer run, so I opted for the "no brake" hill route. I finished the first kilometer in 6 1/2 minutes, which is very good considering that the first kilometer ends during the uphill stretch of "no brake" hill. It was agony, but I kept up this pace, more or less. I finished a total of 2.2 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 15 1/2 minutes. This ties my best time on the "no brake" hill route and translates to a 35 minute 5K.

It's been a while since I've described a run as "agony" which means a pace that leaves you huffing and puffing and taking every bit of your will power to not stop in the middle. Surprisingly, I did not have any problems with joint pain afterwards.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013 , 4.8K in 36 minutes

It was warm (64F or 18C) and I had enough time for a longer run. I was thinking about either the church route or the long loop in Ironwoods Park, and settled for the long loop. I'm not sure if I am up for the very long distance in the church route and I also wanted to enjoy the scenery of Ironwoods Park again. I set a good pace at the start, finishing the first two kilometers in well under 14 minutes. The third kilometer included a very steep hill in the southeast corner of the park, and I did slow down a bit. I continued to slow down for the rest of the run as well. I finished a total of 4.8 kilometers (3 miles) in 36 minutes. This is a minute and a half slower than my best time on the long loop route and translates to a 38 minute 5K. I'm still lagging behind a bit, but this run was closer to my best form than the previous few runs. Give me a bit of time and I'll be running at or better than my best times soon enough. The good news is that except for Monday, April 1, I have been out and running every other day since March 28.

There was no serious aches or pains during or after the run.

Sunday, April 7, 2013 , 3.5K in 27.5 minutes

It was very warm (70F or 21C) but cloudy. There were even a few light sprinkles during the run. I wanted to run in Ironwoods Park again. My pace was not so great. I did finish the first kilometer in seven minutes, but the second kilometer took eight minutes and the third kilometer (which included the tough slog back up out of the park and back up no-brake hill) was even slower still. I finished a total of 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 27 1/2 minutes. This was four minutes slower than my best time on the short loop route and translates to a 39 minutes 5K. It's not a great result, but I'm out and running, so that's still a victory.

Like the previous run, I had no serious aches, but did have a lot of stiffness and soreness afterwards.

Friday, April 5, 2013 , 4K in 30.5 minutes

It was warm (64F or 18C) and I had enough time for a longer run through Ironwoods Park. I set a good pace, finishing each of the first two kilometers in seven minutes, but the early part of this run was mostly downhill, so I should have been running a bit faster. I started to drag a bit on the way out of Ironwoods Park. I struggled and did not quite keeo up the pace of even eight minutes for the next two kilometers. I finished a total of exactly 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) in 30 1/2 minutes. This is four minutes slower than my best time on the medium loop route and translates to a 38 minute 5K. Not my best run, but anytime I get out and run without giving myself a serious injury is a success in my book. If I want to get better, I need to remember how to run the first kilometer in six minutes and how to keep from slowing down so much after the first two kilometers.

I didn't have any serious problems during or after the run, other than a lot of general stiffness and soreness.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013 , 2.8K in 20 minutes

It was cold (34F or 1C) so I dressed warmly, except for gloves. A few minutes into the warmup, I missed having the gloves, but otherwise it was fine. I ws planning on a longer run, the church route, and my goal was to run each kilometer at a seven minute pace. Right from the start I felt dog tired. Often I am able to shake this off after the first couple of minutes, but by the time I reached 143rd Street, I felt ready to quit. I didn't quit, but I did turn around at this point, deciding it was best not to press my luck. I was able to keep up a strong pace, in spite of my tiredness, and finished the first two kilometers in under 14 minutes. The last stretch, up "no brake" hill was a bit slower, of course, but I tried hard not to lose too much momentum. 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.

My right heel complained a bit. It felt like it was being compressed back near the Achilles tendon by all the foot pounding. I was also gasping for breath at the end. I was lazy and skipped the post-run stretching. It's not a habit I want to get into, but this time it didn't seem to hurt me.

Saturday, March 30, 2013 , 4.5K in 32 minutes

It was warm (52C or 11C) but drizzly. I was worried that the rain would chill me, but I was fine in shorts and a t-shirt. I did bring a hat to keep my head dry. I'm still not quite used to running my regular routes with Cinnamon, but I did try for a slightly longer route. I ran down "no brake" hill, up on the 145th Street hill and turned on 145th Street into Steeplechase. Then I took the northern entrance into Ironwoods Park and ran the medium loop.

I set a strong pace and finished each of the first three kilometers in less than seven minutes apiece. The fourth kilometer was uphill on "no brake" hill, and this took eight minutes. I finished a total of 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles) in 32 minutes. This is the second time that I have run the 145th Street route and matches my previous time. This extrapolates to a 36 minute 5K.

I was tired, but didn't have any serious joint pains. Even my right heel felt okay.

Thursday, March 28, 2013 , 2.2K in 16.5 minutes

It was very warm for March (64F or 18C) and sunny. The snow finally melted enough to make it safe to run. I don't like to run if there are even a few patches of snow here and there because I worry about slipping and injuring myself. I was quite out of practice running with Cinnamon on our normal routes. I had enough time to run to the bottom of "no brake" hill and back. I set a strong pace. The first kilometer takes you down and back up "no brake" hill and I finished that in seven minutes. I couldn't really keep up that pace though. As usual, "no brake" hill sapped all of my reserve. I still did reasonably well for the rest of the run. I finished a total of 2.2 kilometers in 16 1/2 minutes. This is a minute slower than my best time on the "no brake" hill route and translates to a 37 minute 5K.

I had some pain in my right heel, not in the usual place but in the musches along the side. I think they were too much out of practice in uphill running. I had to skip my post run stretches because of other commitments, but it didn't seem to matter.

Sunday, March 24, 2013, 1.6 miles on the treadmill in 24 minutes

Within a few hours or returning from Hawaii, the snow started coming down. We got a total of 6 inches, ore or less, overnight. I decided to put in a bit of time on the treadmill and took a reasonable pace that never exceeded 5 miles per hour. It was an easy run with no joint pains or other problems. As long as winter refuses to leave Kansas City, I think it is perfectly fine just to do enough running to keep from losing my edge. Once it warms up, I'll start working on seriously improving my speed and distance.

Friday, March 22, 2013 , 2.5K in 23.5 minutes

We were leaving our wonderful beach on Friday, but I had time for one last early morning run. The weather was about the same again, warm and humid, but I did not nothe the official temperature. I tried to keep up the same pace as the last run, but could not, even staying in the firmer wet sand. I completed a total of 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) in 23 1/2 minutes. This translates to a 47 minute 5K.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013 , 2.4K in 19.5 minutes

Two more days in paradise and I could go running again. This was again an early morning run. I did not note the temperature, but it was about the same as the previous two runs. For this run, I tried to keep to the wet sand which allowed me to go a bit faster. I finished a total of 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) in 19 1/2 minutes. This translates to a 41 minute 5K.

Sunday, March 17, 2013 , 2.5K in 26 minutes

I waited a day (my rule is to never run two days in a row and headed out for another run in the early morning. The weather was about the same (72F or 22C and humid). This time I wanted to run back and forth twice along the beach, so as to get a bit longer run. My pace was very slow again. Without the little side trip on the south end of the beach, it was not quite twice the length of Friday's run. I finished a total of 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) in 26 minutes. This translates to a 52 minute 5K.

This run was a bit more of a workout, and I was quite tired and sore aftewards, but didn't have any particular or specific pains in any of my joints.

Friday, March 15, 2013 , 1.5K in 14 minutes

We travelled to Hawaii (the Big Island) and stayed at the Hapuna Prince Beach Hotel. It was a one minute walk from our room to the ocean, and I decided to wake up early on our first full day to run on the beach. The weather was warm (72F or 22C) and humid. I had suggested in an early web entry that beaches make me run faster make me run faster, but that's not really true. On a beach your feet shift a lot in the loose sand. You can run a bit faster in the wet sand near the waves, but then you end up dodging the errant wave that comes up too high too soon. It's still fun, so I should have said that beaches make running more interesting.

I set a slow pace, and it just got slower and slower. I ran from the rocks at the north end of the beach to the rocks at the south end, then turned towards to parking lot, back to the water and back along the beach to the north end. I ran a total of 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) in 14 minutes. This translates to a 47 minute 5K.

I had no aches or pains or any difficulty keeping up this pace.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013 , 1.8K in 11.5 minutes

The snow has been off of the sidewalks for a while, with just a few snowbanks left where the snow plows piled up snow extra high. But it had been too busy for me to run the past couple of days. I did squeeze in a short run today in the late afternoon.

It was warm enough (46F or 8C) that I could get by with shorts and a t-shirt. This is still a bit chilly,especially at first, but I don't seem to notice once I start running.

I ran along the flat route, and set a strong pace, finishing the first kilometer in six minutes. After that, I did slow down a bit, but not much. It was a difficult run, partly because I have not been running enough recently, but it wasn't agony. I completed a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 11 1/2 minutes. This is a half minute slower than my best time on the flat route and translates to a 32 minute 5K.

Saturday, March 9, 2013 , 2K in 13.5 minutes

The snow is almost gone from all the sidewalks, but there are still a few icy patches, so I went back to Geezer Park and ran along 133rd Street. It was warm (46F or 8C) so I wore just shorts and a t-shirt. I was chilly at first, but did just fine once I started running. I was able to complete the route to High Street and back without having to stop for a poop break with Cinnamon. I set a strong pace, finishing the first kilometer in 6 1/2 minutes, and keeping up close to that pace for the most part for the rest of the run. I finished a total of 2.0 kilometers (1.2 miles) in 13 1/2 minutes. This translates to a 34 minute 5K.

I had no joint pains, and even my right heel was fine. I also didn't seem to notice the effects of not running in the previous four days. By the next time I run, all the sidewalk snow should be melted, allowing me to run in my neighborhood again.

Monday, March 4, 2013 , 1.7K in 12 minutes

With all the snow on the ground, I thought it would be weeks before I (and Cinnamon) could run outside again. But driving to the grocery store on Sunday, I took a different route and noticed that the walking trails in Geezer Park (133rd Street and Mission) was cleared of snow. Better still, the walking trail along the north end of 133rd Street, pretty much halfway to State Line Road, was clean of snow and ice also. So on Monday, I put on my running gear and coaxed Cinnamon into the car. We parked at Geezer Park, warmed up on the walking trails in the park, and then started a run along 133rd Street towards the east. The run was pretty easy. It was flat and wide and devoid of ice or anything else I might slip on. There were lots of puddles of water, but most were shallow enough not to cause problems. It helped that it was relatively warm (39F or 4C). I think that an early morning run, with all those small puddles frozen overnight would be a problem, but a late afternoon run would probably be okay for the most part.

I just wanted to get about a mile in, so when I reached a half mile (0.8 kilometers) I planned to turn around. I reached the halfway point and was almost to High Drive, so I thought I'd make that my turning spot. On the way back, Cinnamon decided to take a poop break, so I cut the run a bit short. I still put in a total of 1.7 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 12 minutes. This corresponds to a 35 minute kilometer. Not a great pace, but still pretty good considering the amount of time that I was forced to give up outside running. The snow is gradually melting, but for the next week or so, this location should work pretty well. I hate the thought of driving somewhere just to run, but there is no other practical alternative--a thick blanket of snow covers just about everything in our neighborhood except the streets, and I won't be one of those suicidal runners out running with the cars.

My right heel complained a bit. Like almost all of my runs, it appears as a dull ache rather than an acute pain. Once in a while it bother me after the run, but most of the time it disappears after stretching. Even so, I do want to keep a close watch on this.

Saturday, March 2, 2013, 1.6 miles on the treadmill in 24 minutes

With more snow shoveling and possibly fighting a mild illness, I did not have enough energy to run, even on the treadmill. I finally got back into an exercise rhythm today, and decided it would be best to use the same easy pace as last Saturday. The 5 mph pace that I ran in the middle 12 minutes is a pace that I can run at for a fairly long time if needed. The warmup and cooldown periods are important. It takes a while to get used to the treadmill, because it control your pace, unlike when you running outside. The first minute at 2 mph always seems startlingly fast and each increase in speed seems to be huge during the warmup. During the cooldown, the same speeds seem glacially slow. But it is disorienting to get off the treadmill at the end, so it is important to do it at a low speed.

The nice thing about the treadmill is that I never seem to have any joint pains. I still stretch afterwards, just to be safe.

Saturday, February 23, 2013, 1.6 miles on the treadmill in 24 minutes

With the recent snowfall, I have been unable to run outside. Shoveling snow has also been exhausting. So I decided to run an easy pace just to insure that I didn't fall to far out of running shape. The maximum speed of 5 mph would correspond to a 37 minute 5K if I persisted at that speed. This was a nice pace that felt like a workout but didn't drain me totally.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013 , 4K in 26.5 minutes

It was cold out (25F or -5C) and the wind and dropping temperature made it seem either colder. But I wanted to get a run in because a big snowstorm is forecast for tonight and it might hamper my ability to run outside for several days. I dressed very warmly, of course. The weather bothered me at first, but halfway into the run, I peeled my gloves off and lowered my hood. At the end of the run, I hardly noticed the weather at all.

I set a very strong pace, and finished the first kilometer in under six minutes and the first two kilometers in 12 minutes. I don't think I've ever run two consecutive kilometers in under six minutes each, so this was quite an accomplishment. It's worth noting that the first two kilometers on this route are almost all downhill, but this is still a big deal. I was thoroughly exhausted at this point, but I persisted at a seven minute kilometer pace for the next two kilometers. This is even more amazing, as the last two kilometers on this route are mostly uphill. I finished a total of 4.0 kilometers in 26 1/2 minutes. This is better by a full minute than my previous best time on the medium loop route and translates to a 33 minute 5K.

The run was agony, mostly becuase I had trouble keeping my breath. My leg muscles also got tired quickly, but I had no serious joint pains. Even my right heel was fine.

Monday, February 18, 2013, 1.6 miles on the treadmill in 22 minutes.

I decided that I needed to up the effort on the treadmill. My previous short runs outside showed a very strong pace for the first two or three minutes, but then I slowed down for the rest of the run. So I toyed with the idea of running four minutes at 7 mph, slowing down for four minutes at 4 mph, and then speeding back up again to four more minutes at 7 mph. But I decided to be more sensible and just do a couple of three minute stretches at 7 mph separated by four minutes at 4 mph. After a three or four runs at this pace, then I'll tackle four minute stretches at 7 mph.

It was an effort to get that third minute in at 7 mph, but not too bad. This pace is just a rearrangement of the earlier pace, so the total distance (1.6 miles) and the total time (22 minutes) remains unchanged. I had a minor twinge of pain in my left foot near the back, but it disappeared as quickly as it came.

Sunday, February 17, 2013 , 1.2K in 8 minutes

Again, I was short on time, but I wanted to get a run in, because I was not sure if I would have time on Monday or Tuesday. I started early in the morning (6:30am) and the days are getting longer now, thankfully. The weather was cold (28F or -2C) so I bundled up with everything except gloves. I set a reasonable pace, but not as fast as I have run in past times on this route. I finished a total of 1.2K in 8 minutes. This is a half minute slower than my best time on this 151th Street route and translates to a 33 minute 5K.

It was a hard run, and sometimes I feel like Alice in the Looking Glass who exclaims that she is running just as fast as she can just to stay in the same place. I did not have any joint problems, though my muscles were tired again, which is unusual for such a short run.

Friday, February 15, 2013 , 1.3K in 8 minutes

I only had time for a short run, but I tried to run fast. I did well for the first three minutes, and was well ahead of a six minute kilometer pace. It was exhausting, though. I could barely breathe and my legs muscles were aching. It's rare for my leg muscles to complain on such a short run, so I really was running all out. The 151st Street route is fairly flat, but there is a slight uphill on the way back from 151st to 148th Street, and I did slow down on this stretch. I still ended up finishing the first kilometer in six minutes, but I couldn't keep up that pace for the last stretch, which again is a slight uphill on 148th Street. I finished a total of 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 8 minutes. This is a half minute shy of my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 31 minute 5K.

I was cold (37F or 3C) but I went out in shorts. I did compromise by putting on my light running jacket over my t-shirt and that did help a lot. I had the normal ache in my right heel, but no other joint pains.

Thursday, February 14, 2013, 1.6 miles on the treadmill in 22 minutes

I ran the same workout, with three streatches of two minute runs at 7 mph each separated by two minutes at a slower pace (4 mph). This is sandwiched by a warm-up and cool-down. It's a truggle to keep up 7 mph for two full minutes, but I'm starting to get accustomed to it. I had no serious joint pains during or after the run.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013 , 3.4K in 23.5 minutes

It was cold again (34F or 1C), but not too bad. I still dressed warmly, but unzipped my running jacket at the start of the run. I wanted to get the first kilometer in at six minutes and run seven minute kilometers for the rest of my run. I did pretty well at that, and was even ahead of my planned pace at the first and second kilometer. The third kilometer was uphill out of Ironwood Park and uphill on "no brake" hill, so I couldn't quite keep up the pace. But I still kept the first three kilometers at well under 21 minutes, which is a big accomplishment. I fhinised a total of 3.4 kilometers (2.1 miles) in 23 1/2 minutes. This is a full minute better than my previous best time on the short loop route and translates to a 34 minute 5K.

I had the normal pain in the back of my right heel, which wasn't too serious, but I also had brief flashes of pain on the side of the right heel during the run. My muscles got very tired at the start of the second kilometer, and this is good news. Normally, it is my cardiovascular system that is holding me back, but if I am stressing my muscles, that means that I'm showing improvements in my ability to breathe during the runs.

Sunday, February 10, 2013 , 2.8K in 21 minutes

I run with my dog, Cinnamon, and sometimes she pulls me along to get me to run faster. But most of the time, she slows me down. On this run, I was heading along Mission Road and there were a couple of runners about a quarter of a mile behind me. Cinnamon did not like this, because every time she turned around, they would be a little bit closer. I had to repeatedly pull on her leash to get her to turn around and keep running with me. It lasted all the way down "no brake" hill and all the way up the 145th Street hill. The runners finally passed me and commented on how now, she would be pulling me forward. Actually, she lost interest after that. Cath says she was performing her watch dog role and keeping guard against strangers. In any case, it slowed me down a bit. It's no big deal, because these are practice runs and not a timed race. I was able to finish the first two kilometers in 14 minutes, which is a good pace, but then slowed down a bit on the way back up "no brake" hill. I completed a total of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles). This is 1 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the 143rd Street route and translates to a 37 minute 5K.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013 , 1.7K in 11.5 minutes

Again, I was tight on time. I ran the flat route, and couldn't quite get the first kilometer done in 6 minutes. I did keep up a decent pace though through the rest of the run. I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 11 1/2 minutes. This was a half minute slower than my best time on the flat route and translates to a 32 minute 5K.

The weather was a bit colder than Monday (39F or 4C) and a bit windy, so I put on a new light running jacket that I bought earlier in the week. I had a minor problem with my right heel again, but it was brief and mild.

Monday, February 4, 2013 , 1.3K in 8 minutes

It was warmer than normal (41F or 5C) but windy, so I felt a bit chilly in shorts and a t-shirt. I didn't have time for a long run, so I ran to 151st Street and back. At first, I set a very strong pace, finishing the first half of the run (0.6K) in only 3 1/2 minutes. That's equivalent to a 28 minute 5K, if you were foolish enough to extrapolate that far. Unfortunately, I slowed down a bit on the second half. I finished 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 extrapolates to a 31 minute 5K.

I have a new pair of running shoes and they seemed to help. I did have a bit of pain in my right heel, but not all that much, really.

Saturday, February 2, 2013 , 6.5K in 48 minutes

It's been a while since I've had time for a longer run, but this Saturday morning was quiet and I got an early start, so I thought I'd try for a longer run. My goal for these longer runs is to try to maintain a seven minute kilometer pace throughout the run. It's a pretty flat route, but you have to conquer the 145th Street hill near the start of the run, and that always seems to burn up all my reserve. Still, I would have probably finished the first two kilometers in 14 minutes, except that Cinnamon decided to take a poop break right after 143rd Street. I also was a half minute off my seven minute kilometer pace for the fourth and fifth kilometer. This meant that my five kilometer time was 37 minutes, respectable, but not as good as I am capable of. I did finish the sixth kilometer in seven minutes, but then slowed down a bit on the uphill section of Nall Avenue rising up towards 148th Street. I finished a total of 6.5 kilometers (4.0 miles) in 48 minutes. This matches my best time on the church route and translates to a 74 minute 10K race.

The weather was cold (27F or -3C) but I was fine. I've run in much colder conditions. My right heel hurt a bit at the start of the run, and it may be caused by the uneven wear on my running shoes. The back heel of my left shoe is worn down quite a bit more on the left than the right and that might be putting more stress on my Achilles tendon. I'll try to get new shoes before my next run.

Thursday, January 31, 2013 , 2.8K in 20 minutes

It was cold (21F or -6C) and a bit windy, but I was warm enough with my winter running clothes. It was the day after a small snowstorm, but there was only one patch of ice and it was easy to get around it. I set a bit faster than a seven minute kilometer pace, even climbing up the 145th Street hill. I was also a bit faster than a seven minute kilometer on the return leg, but slowed down a bit on "no brake" hill. It is VERY hard for me to pick back up my pace at the top of the hill, but after a bit of a struggle, I was running at close to da seven minute kilometer pace again. I finished a total of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 20 minutes. This was a half minute slower than my best time on the 143rd Street route and translates to a 36 minute 5K.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013, 1.5 miles on the treadmill in 22 minutes.

I had to realign the treadmill. It is on an uneven slate floor in our basement, so I have several flat pieces of wood to level things out. What I did not realize is that when I put pieces of wood at the front of the treadmill and not the back, it makes you run on a slight uphill incline. So I couldn't quite match the results of my earlier treadmill runs. I did okay during the five minute warm-up, the first two minutes at 7 mph, but after a two minute cool-down, I had to stop 15 seconds early. After a second two minute cool down, I tried yet again, and this time I lasted only a single minute. That's okay. I finished up the remaining time at my slower pace (4 mph) and then had a five minute cool down.

The only unsuccessful run is the run you didn't take, so I'm pretty happy with the treadmill results.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013 , 1.2K in 8 minutes

There was a forecast of snow for Wednesday, so I found time for a short run on Tuesday afternoon. The weather was warm (41F or 5C) so I did not need my winter running clothes. I tried to set a fast pace, but couldn't quite finish the first kilometer in six minutes. I still did fairly well overall. I finished a total of 1.2 kilometers (0.7 miles) in 8 minutes. This was a half minute shy of my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 33 minute 5K.

My right heel bothered me a bit again. My right shoe has been wearing down unevenly, so that might be an explanation for the heel pain problem. I added some "shoe goo" after the run to level it off. It was warm for January (41F or 5C).

Sunday, January 27, 2013 , 4.4K in 32 minutes

I decided to try a variation on the Steeplechase route. I ran up the hill towards 145th Street (this is the hill opposite "no brake" hill, and I think I'll start calling it the 145th Street hill). At 145th Street, I turn into the Steeplechase subdivision. I run into Ironwoods Park from the north and then complete the medium loop before heading back up "no brake" hill. It's a bit shorter than the Steeplechase route and a bit longer than the medium loop route. It also has an uphill early in the run (the 145th Street hill).

I set a strong pace, finishing the first three kilometers in 21 minutes. I slowed down a bit after that, but not too much. I completed a total of 4.4 kilometers (2.7 miles) in 32 minutes. This is the first time that I have run this route, so there are no other races to compare to.

Friday, January 25, 2013 , 1.7K in 11.5 minutes

Running on Thursday morning was out because the wind chill was 0F (-18C). But what a difference a day makes. Friday afternoon was very warm (46F or 8C) and I felt just fine in my shorts and t-shirt. I was a bit time limited, so I kept the run short. I finished a total of 1.7 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 11 1/2 minutes. This was a half minute off from my best time on the flat route and extrapolates to a 34 minute 5K.

My right heel bothered me again, but not too seriously.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013 , 2.3K in 16 minutes

It was very cold (12F or -11C) but not too windy, so I bundled up and went out for a short run. Usually I peel off my gloves halfway into the run, but in this temperature, I needed the gloves for almost the entire run. I had enough time to run a longer route, but I thought it would be best to stay fairly close by in case the cold got to me. I set a good pace in spite of the cold, and finished a total of 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 15 minutes. This is a half minute slower than my best time on the "no brake" hill route and translates to a 35 minute 5K. To so close to my best time in these very cold conditions was a very good sign. I'm hoping when the Spring arrives to be running at a very fast pace.

I had some problems with my right heel after the run, but nothing else.

Sunday, January 20, 2013 , 2.8K in 19.5 minutes

It's been hard to find the time to run outside, for a variety of reasons, so thank goodness for the treadmill, which kept me from losing my edge. I had time to squeeze in a run this morning and just barely had time for the 143rd Street route. I wanted to continue my recent effort to run at a seven minute kilometer pace in spite of the hills. The 143rd Street route has two big hills in a relatively short stretch. I did very well, actually running a bit faster than that pace for the first two kilometers. I slowed down a lot on the stretch back up "no brake" hill, but tried (and only partially succeeded) in picking my pace back up at the top of the hill. I need to get to the point where I'm not so totally exhausted at the top of "no brake" hill that I can return to a seven minute kilometer pace.

I finished a total of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 19 1/2 minutes. This tied my best time on the 143rd Street route and translates to a 35 minute 5K.

It was cold (25F or -4C), but with my new winter outfit, I wasn't too cold. I was a bit stiff after the run and had some minor pain in my right heel.

Saturday, January 19, 2013, 1.2 miles on the treadmill in 15.5 minutes

I ran the same pace as the previous time on the treadmill, but near the end of my last two minute stretch at 7 mph, the treadmill started wobbling badly. We have some pieces of wood that keep the treadmill even on our even slate floor in the basement, and they had worked their way out during the run. I stopped and paced back and forth in the basement a few times to cool down. That cool-down period wasn't measured on the treadmill, so I only put in 1.2 miles officially.

I had a strange twinge in my right ankle but that didn't last. Running two full minutes rather than one at 7 mph is still quite an exertion, and I'll build up my stamina at this before I go on to longer stretches at 7 mph.

The nice thing about the treadmill is that I could get my work in at 6:30am, when it was still too dark to run outside.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013 , 4.7K in 34.5 minutes

The weather was cold (16F or -9C), but I did have time for a longer run. I dressed warmly and headed out to Ironwoods Park. I set a very strong pace, finishing the first kilometer in 6 minutes, the first two kilometers in 13 minutes, the first three kilometers in 21 minutes, and the first four kilometers in 28 minutes. This was in spite of the very steep hill in the southeast corner of Ironwoods Park. To average a seven minute kilometer pace on a route with such a big hill was a major accomplishment for me. It helps solidify my goal of making a seven minute kilometer pace my new "normal" speed. I slowed down a bit on "no brake" hill, of course, but still did pretty well at the end. I finished a total of 4.7 kilometers (2.9 miles) in 34 1/2 minutes. This was a half minute faster than my best time on the long loop route and translates to a 36 minute 5K.

My left knee hurt for just a bit during the run and later I had a sharp but brief twinge of pain in my left ankle. The hardest part of the run was my breathing. There was also some general stiffness and soreness for the rest of the day after my run. The thing that keeps me from running faster and/or longer is that any serious exertion leaves me gasping for breath. If I can get my lungs in better shape, who knows what speed and distance records I could set.

Monday, January 14, 2013, 1.6 miles on the treadmill in 22 minutes.

I ran pretty much the same as last time, but I combined the 6 one minute stretches at 7 mph into 3 two minute stretches with two minutes of recovery in between at 4mph. Two minutes at 7 mph is a lot harder, but I survived. I'll try this for a couple more times before looking at three or four minutes at 7 mph. I was very tired at the end but had no serious muscle or joint pains.

Saturday, January 12, 2013 , 3.6K in 24.5 minutes

There was a threat of snow in the afternoon, and I thought I'd better get an early morning run in to avoid it all. Also, if there were significant accumulations, I'd lose my ability to run in Ironwoods Park, which has more issues with ice than some of my other running locations. For Saturdays, I like longer runs, so I was thinking about the long loop or even doing a couple of loops within the park. But I got a terrible headache during the early part of my run, so I decided not to press too hard. I took the short loop, which is still a pretty good length run. I finished the first two kilometers in 13 minutes, which is unusual, and the first three kilometers in 20 minutes, which is also unusual. The thing about the runs in Ironwoods Park, though, is that all the uphills come at the end. I tried my best to keep up a strong pace for the entire run, and actually did quite well. I finished a total of 3.6 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 24 1/2 minutes. This equals my best time on this short loop route and translates to a 34 minute 5K.

The weather reports varied on the outside temperature, but when I stepped outside in shorts and a t-shirt, I recognized right away that I was underdressed. I went back in for the gloves, hoodie, and sweat pants, and they were definitely needed. My iPhone reported the temperature at 26 F (-3C) and that was probably about right.

In addition to the headache, I had mild problems with my right heel, but that disappeared after a couple of minutes.

Thursday, January 10, 2013 , 3.9K in 28 minutes

The recent warm-up has melted all the ice, so I thought it would be safe to venture into Ironwoods Park for my run. The park has lots of shaded areas where ice would be the slowest to melt, so I've stayed out of there until today. It's no fun to be running all out and then have to slow down to step gingerly over or around the ice patches.

I tried to set a fast pace, and didn't do too badly, finishing the first two kilometers in 13 minutes. I couldn't keep that pace up though and slowed down a bit going uphill out of Ironwoods Park and uphill on "no brake" hill. I still did pretty well, and even sped back up a bit after reaching the top of "no brake" hill. I finished a total of 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles) in 28 minutes. This is a half minute slower than my best time on the medium loop route and translates to a 36 minute 5K.

The weather was warm for January (37F or 3C) but there was a light drizzle, so I felt a bit underdressed with just shorts and a t-shirt. Halfway into the run, though, I forgot about the temperature. At the end of the run, I was sweating heavily.

I felt problems in my right heel at the start of the run, but it went away after a couple of minutes. My muscles ached a bit but not in any one particular area.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013, 1.6 miles on the treadmill in 23 minutes.

I ran pretty much the same as last time, with a five minute warmup and alternating minutes between 4 mph and 7 mph for thirteen minutes followed by a five minute cool down. I've decided that 7 mph on the treadmill is a good pace for me and want to work on doing longer times at this speed once I get used to it. It was a hard run, but not agony. I did have a momentary twinge of pain in my right shin, but it disappeared pretty quickly. My thigh muscles ached a bit, but not as bad as last time.

Monday, January 7, 2013 , 2.2K in 15.5 minutes

I had taken off about a week from outdoor running because there was just too much ice around. It hasn't all melted yet, but it was good enough for me to try a run. There's a pretty nasty patch of ice on the downhill from 148th Street just before Mission, so I ran the initial stretch of 148th Street in the street itself.

I didn't have a lot of time, but I wanted to get a bit more than just the flat route in. So I ran to the bottom of "no brake" hill and back. In theory, putting the big uphil on "no brake" hill early in the run should make it easier, but it sure didn't seem that way. I couldn't quite get the first kilometer done in six minutes, and I slowed down a lot at the top of "no brake" hill as well. Still, something in me convinced me to keep pushing myself back to a faster pace, and I was able to average a seven minute kilometer across the first two kilometers. I finished a total of 2.2 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 15 1/2 minutes. This matches my best time on the "no brake" hill route and translates to a 35 minute 5K.

It was warm for January (46F or 8C), so I wore shorts and a t-shirt. It was a great change from all my below freezing runs at the end of 2012. My calves hurt a lot at the end of the run, especially in the back right below the knees. I think my legs forgot what running up a hill was like, as even most of my late December outdoor runs stopped short of "no brake" hill. I did have a few problems with my right heel after the run as well.

Saturday, January 5, 2013, 1.6 miles on the treadmill in 23 minutes

The snow and ice is gradually melting, but I still thought it best to wait a bit longer. So I repeated the same treadmill workout as Thursday, except I knew better than to fuss with the iPod features of the treadmill. I got a good workout with a slow five minute warmup, alternating individual minutes between 4 mph and 7 mph for thirteen minutes, and then a five minute cool down. I want to get comfortable with this routine once or twice more, and then I'll try two minute stretches at 4 mph and 7 mph.

I'm still running barefoot, and afterwards it feels like someone scraped the bottom of my foot with a piece of sandpaper. But I'm gradually getting used to it. I had no joint pains or muscle pains.

Thursday, January 3, 2013, 1.6 miles on the treadmill in 23 minutes

There was still too much snow and ice on the ground to allow for a safe run. I warmed up for five minutes at the same pace (one minute at 2 mph and four minutes at 3 mph), then alternated between 4 mph and 7 mph for 13 minutes. I'm getting used to the transitions in speed, so even a jump from 4 to 7 mph was not too difficult. The treadmill takes the first ten seconds to transition your speed. A 7 mph pace is good for me, as I wasn't really getting that much of a workout at 6 mph. At 7 mph, my lungs were working harder. If I can learn how to run long stretches at a 7 mph pace, without getting too winded, it would translate to a 26 1/2 minute 5K.

On the five minute cool down, I decided to experiment with the iPod features of the treadmill. I was at a brisk walk pace (3 mph), but I ended up dropping my earphones and yanking the safety pin out of the treadmill. Next time, I'll experiment with the treadmill running at 0 mph.

My thigh muscles hurt a bit after this run, but I didn't have any serious joint pains. The soles of my feet felt a bit worn down again, but nothing too serious.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013, 1.5 miles on the treadmill in 23 minutes

I warmed up with a minute at 2 mph, four minutes at 3 mph and then alternated minutes at 4 mph and 6 mph for thirteen minutes. Then I cooled down with four minutes at 3 mph and one minute at 2 mph. The jump between 4 mph and 6 mph was a bit abrupt, so I might go back to cycling between 4, 5, and 6 mph.

I ran barefoot again and the soles of my feet are a bit worn down. I didn't have any joint pain or muscle aches.

What now?

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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.