Steve, Cathy, and Nicholas -- Steve's running log for 2014 (created 2014-01-01)

This is a log of my runs for 2014. 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 runs in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016. You can find general information about my running activities on my main log page.

Total monthly run amounts
--> December 2014, 31.7K in 11 outdoor runs
--> November 2014, 31.1K in 9 outdoor runs and 1.7 miles in 2 treadmill runs.
--> October 2014, 28.1K in 10 outdoor runs.
--> September 2014, 57.9K in 13 outdoor runs.
--> August 2014, 23.2K in 9 outdoor runs.
--> July 2014, 38.0K in 13 outdoor runs.
--> June 2014, 26.8K in 12 outdoor runs.
--> May 2014, 39.4K in 14 outdoor runs.
--> April 2014, 38.7K in 10 outdoor runs.
--> March 2014, 39.0K in 11 outdoor runs.
--> February 2014, 10.8K in 5 outdoor runs.
--> January 2014, 16.5K in 6 outdoor runs, 5.1 miles in 4 treadmill runs.

Totals for 2014: 393 kilometers (244 miles) in 127 runs. Average run length: 3.1 kilometers (1.9 miles). I also put in 14 kilometers (9 miles) on 8 runs on the indoor 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 29, 2014 , 1.8K in 13.5 minutes

It was a late afternoon run, and I wanted to get this one while the weather was relatively warm (36F or 2C). I only had time for a short run. I tried to run it at an overall fast pace, but really didn't get up to the speed I wanted. I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 13.5 minutes. This is 2.5 minutes slower than my best time on the flat route and translates to a 37 minute 5K. I had no joint pains or sore muscles.

Saturday, December 27, 2014 , 2.2K in 17.5 minutes

It was a bit chilly (28F or -2C) and I added a second layer of a long sleeved shirt to my short sleeved shirt, running jacket, and running pants. I had a slight left ankle twinge during the warmup and decided to run at a slow and steady pace. I was even able to keep this pace during the uphill segment on "no brake" hill. The ankle twinge disappeared, but I also had a couple of twinges in the right knee during the run itself. I finished a total of 2.2 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 17.5 minutes. This is 2 minutes slower than my best time on the No brake hill (double leg) route and translates to a 39 minute 5K.

Thursday, December 25, 2014 , 3.3K in 25.5 minutes

It was warm for December (43F or 6C). I was running for speed and the first minute was really fast, but then I slowed down a lot. It seems like my body has forgotten how to run at a six minute kilometer pace. I still did reasonably well compared to recent runs and had no joint pains or sore muscles. I finished a total of 3.3 kilometers (2 miles) in 25.5 minutes. This is two minutes slower than my best time on the short loop route and translates to a 39 minute 5K. I had no sore muscles or joint pain.

Monday, December 22, 2014 , 3K in 25 minutes

It was warm again (43F or 6C), but there was a light rain during the run that made things pretty miserable. I wore a hat to keep the rain off my glasses and out of my eyes. I don't mind getting the rest of me wet, but rain on my glasses and in my eyes makes me feel pretty rotten. I took off the hat halfway through the run, though, because the top of my head was getting sweat covered. You can't win in weather like this.

I had time for a long run, but made a sensible choice just to make the mini loop in Ironwoods Park. I decided not to work on speed and just set a cruising speed at an eight minute kilometer pace. Even this was a bit of challenge to maintain, but I kept at it until the long hill out of Ironwoods Park. I finished a total of 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) in 25 minutes. This is 1 minutes slower than my best time on the mini loop route and translates to a 41 minute 5K.

Saturday, December 20, 2014 , 3.7K in 29 minutes

It was a bit warmer (43F or 6C) but still cold enough that I needed a running jacket and running pants. I had a twinge in my left ankle during the warmup that affected my gait. It disappeared, thankfully, before I started my run, but I'll have to keep an eye on this. Any pain that is recurrent or is sharp enough to affect my gait is a cause for concern. I alternated between fast and slow minutes for this run. I need to run my fast minutes at about a 6 minute kilometer pace, but that is pretty hard for me to do consistently. What I did do, though, is to keep up the fast minutes, even after my exhausting return up "no brake" hill. I finished a total of 3.7 kilometers (2.3 miles) in 29 minutes. This is 2.5 minutes slower than my best time on the medium loop route and translates to a 39 minute 5K.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014 , 1.2K in 10 minutes

It was cold (30F or -1C) and windy, and I only had time for a short run. I was going to run the flat route, which is one of the shorter runs, but around the fourth minute, I got a phone call from Nick. He needed money for an after school bake and craft sale. This was AN EMERGENCY, so I shortened my run to the 151st Street route. I finished a total of 1.2 kilometers (0.7 miles) in 10 minutes. This is 2.5 minutes slower than my best time on the r151 route and translates to a 39 minute 5K.

Saturday, December 13, 2014 , 4.6K in 38 minutes

It was warm for December (48F or 9C) so I ran in just shorts and a t-shirt. I was a bit chilly at times, but still much happier than when I am all bundled up. I decided to tackle the monster hill in the big loop and it did slow me down considerably and really stressed all my leg muscles. I was alternating between fast and slow minutes until about the 2.5K mark. There I encountered a couple of dog walkers and I decided to run as fast as I could to keep a "safe" distance between Cinnamon and these other doges. Cinnamon will sometimes go a bit nuts when she sees other dogs, especially dogs that are following behind us. I also lost a fair amount of time at the 3.5K makr when Cinnamon decided to take a poop break. I finished a total of 4.6 kilometers (2.9 miles) in 38 minutes. This is 3.5 minutes slower than my best time on the big route and translates to a 41 minute 5K.

Thursday, December 11, 2014 , 3.4K in 25.5 minutes

It was just above freezing (34F or 1C) and dreary, but still nice enough for a run. I alternated between fast and slow minutes and my pace, like normal, declined steadily during the run for both the fast and the slow minutes. My back calf muscles started complaining at 1K, which is early for me, and by the 2K mark, all the other muscles joined in the chorus. I didn't have any joint pains, though. I finished a total of 3.4 kilometers (2.1 miles) in 25.5 minutes. This is 2 minutes slower than my best time on the short loop route and translates to a 38 minute 5K.

Monday, December 8, 2014 , 1.3K in 8.5 minutes

I was tight for time, but wanted to get a run in while it was warm (52F or 11C). I ran as fast as I could for the whole run, and did not do too badly. I still seem to be unable to finish my first kilometer in 6 minutes, even on a short and relatively flat route. I finished a total of 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 8.5 minutes. This is 1 minute slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 35 minute 5K.

Saturday, December 6, 2014 , 3.8K in 29 minutes

I didn't have as much time as I usually do on Saturday mornings, but I still wanted to run a reasonably long distance. I alternated between fast and slow minutes and except for a minute near the 2.5 kilometer mark where I had to tie my shoe and a minute going back up "no brake" hill, I did pretty well. I even finished the last segment (from the top of "no brake" hill to the finish) at a very fast pace. I finished a total of 3.8 kilometers (2.4 miles) in 29 minutes. This is 2.5 minutes slower than my best time on the medium loop route and translates to a 38 minute 5K.

Wednesday, December 3, 2014 , 3.3K in 26 minutes

It has been cold, but today was not too bad (36F or 2C). The dog loves this type of weather and was running ahead of me for much of the run. I wore a running jacket, running pants, and gloves. I took off the gloves around the sixth minute, but really did need them earlier.

I tried alternating one fast minute with one recovery minute, but lost track a couple of times. My speed was not that great, but I did have enough reserve to tackle the uphill segments near the end of the run at an aggressive pace. Well, aggressive considering my normal pace and my usual state of total exhaustion near the end of most runs. I finished a total of 3.3 kilometers (2 miles) in 26 minutes. This is 2.5 minutes slower than my best time on the short loop route and translates to a 39 minute 5K.

I had a lot of muscle aches during the run, but no joint pain or dizziness. I was pretty stiff for most of the rest of the day.

Saturday, November 29, 2014 , 3.1K in 24 minutes

It has been a seesaw recently with temperatures and today it was very warm for December (61F or 16C). I wanted to run a longer route, but I started late in the morning and did not have that much time. I did run into Ironwoods Park along the mini loop, and I tried to run very fast at every even minute with a recovery pace at every odd minute. I did fairly well and even tried to pick up the pace running up "no brake" hill. My leg muscles were pretty tired, partly because of the 5K race a couple of days earlier. I didn't have any joint pains. I was a bit dizzy at the end of the run.

I finished a total of 3.1 kilometers (1.9 miles) in 24 minutes. This is 2 minutes faster than my best time on the mini loop route, though a change in the location of the crosswalk on Mission Road has shortened this and other routes into Ironwoods Park by about 0.2 kilometers. This run would translate to a 39 minute 5K.

Thursday, November 27, 2014 , 5.1K in 36 minutes

It was a chilly morning (25F or -4C), but I had already signed up for the Sprint 5K, so I just bundled up and drove to the Sprint campus. I was wearing a running jacket, running pants, gloves, and a headband to keep my ears warm. I peeled off the gloves before the start of the race, and pulled off the headband about midway through the race.

The Sprint 5K draws around five thousand runners and walkers every year. They split the race into two lanes, a lane for runners with a pace of a 10 minute mile or faster and a lane for those with a 12 minute mile pace and all the walkers. I decided to start from the back of the first lane, even though I have never run a 5K at anything close to a 10 minute mile pace. I wanted to be surrounded by runners who would be faster than me so I could run my best possible race. It turns out that a lot of walkers started in this lane, so the first three minutes were spent weaving my way around them. I thought I was running too slowly, but I actually finished the first kilometer in well under seven minutes. I slowed down a bit for the second kilometer which was mostly uphill, but sped up again for the third kilometer which was mostly downhill. At this point, I had run the first three kilometers in exactly 21 minutes, which would have set me up for a 35 minute 5K. I was a bit too tired to finish at this pace, and did have a couple more small uphills to content with, but I still did pretty well. The last kilometer, in particular, was all downhill and I ran it at a seven minute kilometer pace.

I finished in 36 minutes. The official time was 36:00.8. My GPS logged my distance at 5.1 kilometers (3.2 miles) but it's normal for my GPS to record a slightly longer run. It might be because I take some turns wide and it might be that I weave in and around the walkers and it might be because the GPS has accuracy limitations. In any case, this is 1 minute faster than my best time on the Sprint5K route. My best time for any 5K was 34 minutes, but that was on a couple of very flat routes. This route had two medium sized hills and several other small hills, so a 36 minute time is very good. My ultimate goal is to run a 5K in under 30 minutes, and that is still quite a way in the future. But today's run is a sign that I'm still improving, in spite of my age.

I had no joint pains and only a few minor muscle aches. That's also a good sign because my progress on the goal of a 30 minute 5K depends on staying free of any major injuries.

Saturday, November 22, 2014 , 3.3K in 25.5 minutes

The weather turned warm for November (54F or 12C) and I was perfectly comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt. I continued my effort to alternate between one fast minute and one minute at a slow recovery speed. I actually did fairly well, even on the return trip up "no brake" hill. I finished a total of 3.3 kilometers (2 miles) in 25.5 minutes. This is 2 minutes slower than my best time on the short route and translates to a 39 minute 5K.

I had no joint pains, and just a few minor muscle aches.

Thursday, November 20, 2014 , 3.7K in 28.5 minutes

The weather was actually warmer than most days (34F or 1C), but still bhilly emough that I needed to wear a running jacket, running pants, and gloves. I decided to go back to one minute fast and one minute slow rather than two minutes fast/slow. I never seemed to be able to keep the fast pace up for the second of the two fast minutes as the first. I actually did quite well, at least until the climb back up "No brake" hill (just past the 3 kilometer mark). I was very tired, but had no serious aches or muscle pains.

I finished a total of 3.7 kilometers (2.3 miles) in 28.5 minutes. This is 2 minutes slower than my best time on the medium loop route and translates to a 38 minute 5K.

Monday, November 17, 2014 , 1.2 miles in 20 minutes

It was still cold, so I ran on the treadmill again. I tried for a slightly longer run, but nothing too fast or too long. I didn't have any muscle aches or joint pains.

Saturday, November 15, 2014 , 2.8K in 22 minutes

It has been quite cold for November, and I've been too wary of the cold weither to try a run at all. Saturday morning was no different, but with snow forecast for later in the day, I felt I had to try to get a run in. I dressed in sweat pants and a running jacket and gloves. I could have used an extra layer under my running jacket, but otherwise I was fine. I did not try to alternate speeds, but wanted to see how well I could handle a fast pace throughout the run. I didn't really run all that fast, but under the circumstances, I was pretty hapy with my pace. I finished a total of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 22 minutes. This is 2.5 minutes slower than my best time on the 143rd Street route and translates to a 39 minute 5K. Thankfully, there were no joint pains and no dizziness.

Friday, November 14, 2014 , 0.7 miles in 14 minutes

It's been so cold for so long that I decided to brush the dust off the treadmill. The belt needed some lubrication, and it took me a while to figure out how to do this. I just wanted to test it out today, so I gradually worked up to 5 mph and then backed down again. I didn't have any aches or joint pains.

Monday, November 10, 2014 , 2.2K in 17.5 minutes

We had a brief warm spell (66F or 19C), and I started this run right about when the sun set. I needed a flashlight for visibility. I got a minor side stitch during the run, which is unusual for me. I also had a brief problem with my left ankle (pretty high up). I finished a total of 2.2 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 17.5 minutes. This is the same speed as my best time on the nobrake hill route and translates to a 41 minute 5K.

Saturday, November 8, 2014 , 6.5K in 53 minutes

It was a bit chilly again (45F or 7C). I wanted to alternate two fast and two slow minutes over a longer route. I had enough energy in me for the church route (about 6.5 kilometers) but I would not have been able to do much more than that. I had a sore left thigh at 2.5K and a very sore left calf at 5K, which almost felt like a cramp. I also felt dizzy about halfway through. I drank some water, but that didn't help much. I usually take dizziness as an early sign of dehydration, but this recent trend is a bit worrisome. I finished a total of 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) in 53 minutes. This is 6.5 minutes slower than my best time on the church route and translates to a 41 minute 5K.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014 , 3.3K in 25 minutes

It was chilly again (39F or 4C). I tried to alternate between two fast minutes and two slow minutes and did reasonably well through the first two kilometers. My calf muscles complained a lot during the run and I feth a bit dizzy near the end of the run. I finished a total of 3.3 kilometers (2 miles) in 25 minutes. This is 1.5 minutes slower than my best time on the short route and translates to a 38 minute 5K.

Sunday, November 2, 2014 , 1.2K in 8.5 minutes

The temperature was not too bad for November (48F or 9C), but the wind made it feel quite chilly. I also had a left ankle pain during the warmup and that combined with the chill made me opt for a short run. I did try to run fast, and did reasonably well. I finished a total of 1.2 kilometers (0.7 miles) in 8.5 minutes. This is 1 minute slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 35 minute 5K. My ache disappeared during the run, which is always a good sign.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014 , 5.1K in 40 minutes

It was chilly (43F or 6C) but I felt a bit warm in my running jacket. I tried to alternate between two fast minutes and two slow minutes, but it's tricky with all the hills. I had a burst of speed around the third kilometer, which was a downhill stretch after a long uphill. I felt a bit dizzy after the run, which is usually a sign of dehydration. I completed the first 5K in 39 minutes which is pretty good for a run with all these hills in it. I finished a total of 5.1 kilometers (3.2 miles) in 40 minutes. This is 2 minutes faster than my best time on the double loop route, but this run is slightly shorter than the others because they moved the crosswalk on Mission a further south. It's not much but since I double back twice at the crosswalk, it adds up. My run translates to a 78 minute 10K.

Monday, October 27, 2014 , 1.8K in 13 minutes

It was fairly warm for an early morning run (66F or 19C). My schedule was a bit tight so I opted for a shorter run. I had a brief pain in my left anlkle at the start of the warmup, but this disappeared quickly. I tried to return to alternating every two minutes at a fast pace, but except for the first two minutes, my two fast minutes were really one fast minute followed by one average minute. I still need a bit more work before I can reliably run a series of two consecutive minutes at a fast pace, even with a two minute recovery. I finished a total of 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.

Friday, October 24, 2014 , 4.6K in 36 minutes

Our family rented a house on Table Rock Lake for an extended weekend. I went out early in the morning along some of the nearby roads. This is in the Ozarks, and had small rolling hills. It was cool (50F or 10C) and foggy. I just went at a reasonable pace for more of the run and slowed down a bit at some of the uphills. I had a minor pain in my left heel early in the run, but it went away quickly. I was also a bit dizzy during the last few minutes of my run. I finished a total of 4.6 kilometers (2.9 miles) in 36 minutes. This translates to a 40 minute 5K.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014 , 3.3K in 25 minutes

It was a nice morning (54F or 12C) and for once I actually felt good during my warm-up run. Usually my body complains through the warm-up and the first couple of minutes of the run itself, and once my body realizes that I'm not going to quite early, it stops complaining. I had wanted to do an extra long run, but my schedule was tight and I opted instead for a short run inside Ironwoods Park. They are working on the crosswalk on Mission at the bottom of "no brake" hill and it is not quite done yet. This makes it a challenge to find a good spot to cross. I continued my effort to run two minutes at a fast pace followed by two minutes at a slower recovery pace. This time I was pretty good at my fast minutes, running at or near a 6 minute kilometer pace. I did take it easy around the 22 minute, as I was returning up "no brake" hill. I finished a total of 3.3 kilometers (2 miles) in 25 minutes. This is 1.5 minutes slower than my best time on the short loop route and translates to a 38 minute 5K.

Monday, October 20, 2014 , 2.3K in 17 minutes

It was pretty warm for October (72F or 22C) and this is close to the limit of what I would feel safe letting Cinnamon run with me. But there was no problem today and Cinnamon was an enthusiastic runner for the whole route. I continued my effort to run two minutes fast and two minutes slow and did pretty well, even on the return up "no brake" hill. I finished a total of 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 17 minutes. This is 1.5 minutes slower than my best time on the No brake hill (double leg) route and translates to a 38 minute 5K.

Saturday, October 18, 2014 , 3.7K in 28 minutes

I had the time for a longer run and wanted to continue alternating between two fast and two slow minutes. I got off to an unusally slow start, but did fairly well after that until the long climb out of Ironwoods Park. I finished a total of 3.7 kilometers (2.3 miles) in 28 minutes. This is 1.5 minutes slower than my best time on the medium route and translates to a 38 minute 5K.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014 , 1.4K in 10 minutes

I normally don't run the same route twice, but I had a long amount of time off since my previous run and didn't notice that I had chosen the same route. I tried to alternate two minutes fast and two minutes slow, but with two of the slow minutes on the downhill side of "no brake" hill, I actually ran at a very fast overall pace. I finished a total of 1.4 kilometers (0.9 miles) in 10 minutes. This is 0.5 minutes faster than my best time on the No brake hill (single leg) route and translates to a 36 minute 5K.

Thursday, October 9, 2014 , 1.6K in 11.5 minutes

I wanted to run into Ironwoods Park, but the light rain turned into a major storm, so I turned around at the bottom of "no brake" hill. I finished a total of 1.6 kilometers (1 miles) in 11.5 minutes. This is 1 minutes slower than my best time on the No brake hill (single leg) route and translates to a 37 minute 5K.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014 , 1.8K in 13 minutes

The weather was nice, but I wanted to run a short route to avoid overexertion. I had run quite a race on Sunday and just wanted to do enough today to keep my muscles loose. I did try to run alternately two minutes at a fast pace and two minutes at a recovery pace, but with only limited success. I finished a total of 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. My leg muscles were just a bit sore, but nothing like after Sunday's race.

Sunday, October 5, 2014 , 6.5K in 47.5 minutes

I ran again in the Kansas City Zoo 4 mile run. This is a rather fun route that takes you through most of the zoo. I started out quite strong, partly becuase the first three kilometers were mostly downhill. The last half was a mix of uphills and downhills but I still managed to keep up a reasonable pace. The results at the 5 kilometer mark, 35:17 represents a very good time for me and is only 1.5 minutes slower than my best timed 5K race. I finished a total of 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) in 47.5 minutes. This is 1.5 minutes faster than my first time on the KCZoo 4M race. It is also my best time among any timed 4 mile races.

My leg muscles (especially my calves) hurt a lot during and after the run, but I had no joint pains. I would much rather have muscle pains than joint pains to be quite honest, though I want to be cautious with anything painful. My goal is to avoid any overexertion that might lead to injury.

Thursday, October 2, 2014 , 1.2K in 9 minutes

It was an early morning run and the rain was done with for the morning, or so I thought. It did seem a bit muggy but otherwise quite nice. During my warmup, it started to rain lightly, but it got a lot worse during the run itself. I was only planning on a short run, but I was still soaked through and through. I did work a bit on speed, alternating two minutes at a fast pace and two minutes at a recovery pace. I finished a total of 1.2 kilometers (0.7 miles) in 9 minutes. This is 1.5 minutes slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 37 minute 5K.

Tuesday, September 30, 2014 , 2.8K in 23.5 minutes

The weather was a bit warmer for the past few days, so I had to start my run early in the morning. At that time, it was a tolerable 61F or 16C. After all my muscle aches on Saturday, I thought it would be best to do an easy run. I ran at a bit slower than an eight minute kilometer pace, but it still felt like an effort. I had a brief twinge in my left ankle up high. My muscles ached quite a bit, but I didn't have any cramps. I finished a total of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 23.5 minutes. This is 4 minutes slower than my best time on the 143rd Street route and translates to a 42 minute 5K.

I ended up the month with 57.9 kilometers (36.9 miles) in 13 outdoor runs. This is more distance than any previous month, and the average (4.5K or 2.8 miles) is far higher than any previous month. It included two 5K races, one 10K race (my first 10K) and a couple of longer practice runs.

Saturday, September 27, 2014 , 6.5K in 55 minutes

The weather was nice (59F or 15C) but I wish I had started the run earlier in the morning, as the sun was beating down on me. I had time for a longer run and I wanted to alternate between one minute at a fast pace and one minute at a relaxed pace. Normally when I do this, my fast pace is close to a 6 minute kilometer pace, at least at the start, but today I was lucky to get up to a 7 minute kilometer pace. I got a leg cramp in my rightcalf around the 3.5 kilometer mark. This is rare for me. I do get muscle cramps from time to time, but never during a run. The cramp disappeared quickly, but I still felt sore in that leg for the rest of the run. Around the 4 kilometer mark, I got a cramp in the muscles on the bottom of my right foot. It's a rather strange place to get a cramp, and this bothered me for the rest of the run also. Finally, Cinnamon decided to take a poop break shortly after the 5 kilometer mark. I lost a full minute pulling out the poop bags and I didn't get back to running fast minutes until the 6 kilometer mark.

So my overall time was pretty slow, but there's nothing terrible about that. I finished a total of 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) in 55 minutes. This is 8.5 minutes slower than my best time on the church route and translates to a 84 minute 10K.

With all the muscle cramps, I really needed the post run stretching. This run was a lot more effort than I expected and perhaps a sign that I need to cut back a bit on my mileage. I've run in two 5K races, my first 10K race, and several long practice runs. I like the races and the longer practice runs, but I do need to be careful not to get a running injury that would take all that away.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014 , 4.5K in 34 minutes

I was willing to try a longer run today and settled on the 145th Street route. I had not run that route in quite a while and it has a nice stretch in Ironwoods Park. I also decided to alternate one minute as fast as I could go and one minute recovering at a gentler pace. I did my fast minutes around 9 kilometers per hour, which is a very good pace. On the uphills, of course, my fast minutes were not nearly this good. The nice thing is that I was able to complete every one of my fast minutes, though it was quite an effort at the end. I finished a total of 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles) in 34 minutes. This is 2 minutes slower than my best time on the 145th Street route and translates to a 37 minute 5K.

Like most of my recent runs, the weather has been cool. This run was at 52F or 11C. It seems like ideal running weather to me.

Monday, September 22, 2014 , 1.2K in 9 minutes

I was still trying to be cautious, having finished two 5K races and one 10K in the past few weeks, so I decided on a short route at a slow rate of speed. I was tired enough that I decided during the run to cut it even more, to the 151st Street route, the shortest route that I run regularly. For someone not trying to set a fast pace, I actually did pretty well, at least for the way out. I finished a total of 1.2 kilometers (0.7 miles) in 9 minutes. This is 1.5 minutes slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 36 minute 5K.

Saturday, September 20, 2014 , 5.1K in 36.5 minutes

It was probably a mistake to run another timed race within a week of my first 10K race, but there was a race at the Church of the Resurrection that has been held for several years and I always wanted to run in it, mostly because it is for a nice cause (better water supplies for remote African villages) and because it is so close to home. In fact, my church route (so named because it passes by this church and Saint Michael's) paralled part of the 5K route. So I signed up at the last minute. I was energized by being in the midst of so many runners. Many of them able to run seemingly efortlessly at my pace or faster, so it is easy to set a very strong pace. I finished the first kilometers in under 7 minutes, the first two in under 14 minutes, the first three in under 21 minutes and the first four in under 28 minutes. That's obviously a pace that would extrapolate to a 35 minute 5K, but it took a lot out of me. I tried my hardest to keep up the pace in last kilometer and almost did. It was quite an effort, as I was totally exhausted. My office time was 35:44.4, which is by far my best recent 5K run. It doesn't quite match my record of 34 minutes, but it is far better than I expected.

I needed a lot of time to cool down, but didn't have any serious joint pains. I did feel a bit dizzy at times, which I take as an early sign of dehydration, but the dizziness never lasted for long. I had a bottle of water with me, and took a few small sips here and there, which probably helped.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014 , 3.2K in 26 minutes

I was a bit cautious after the 10K run on Sunday, so I rested a few extra days. I decided on Wednesday to run a longer distance, but not at a terribly fast pace. When I got to Ironwoods Park, I noticed that most of the trees were dripping water from their leaves because of an earlier thunderstorm. I felt the best thing would be to avoid as many of these trees as possible (not too easy in a park, of course). The mini loop actually worked well and I liked the shorter distance compared to the other loops in Ironwoods. Except for the first kilometer, my pace was very slow, but I have not run this route very often, so I ended up setting a record time. I finished a total of 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) in 26 minutes. This is 0.5 minutes faster than my best time on the mini loop route and translates to a 40 minute 5K.

Sunday, September 14, 2014 , 10.3K in 77 minutes

I got an email on Thusday putting in a plug for the Plaza 10K race coming up. The field was limited to 5000 participants, but there was still room. It sounded kind of cool to run with thousands of other people, and the route was very interesting. It starts on the south side of the Plaza. It goes along Ward Parkway, a beautiful divided boulevard and turns around (thankfully) just before the curve south and uphill. Then it heads east and skirts the north side of the plaza. It passes the Nelson Atkins Museum and the famous shuttlecocks. It continues along Emanuel Cleaver Bouldevard and the famous Gates statue. If you think this is Bill Gates that I'm talking about, then you obviously know nothing about Kansas City culinary traditions. It turns just before Highway 71 and returns along Brush Creek Boulevard. It passes the Stowers Institute and takes a short jog up to 51st Street before returning to the Plaza. The start and finish are both at the replica statues of the Xian warriors.

I had never run a 10K race before and I was worried that I was being overly ambitious. My longest previous race was 4 miles (about 6.5 kilometers) and the longest practice run was still far short at 8 kilometers. My goal before the race was fairly modest. I'd be happy with anything where I finished without any debilitating injuries. 90 minutes would be fine, but 80 minutes would be better. A 70 minute run would be ideal, but that would be very unusual given my recent efforts. My most recent longer run was 6.5 kilometers in 53 minutes which would translate to about a 80 minute 5K.

I decided not to try too hard at first, but everyone around me was running at about a 7 minute kilometer pace (a bit better than a 12 minute mile). So I didn't really notice how fast I was going. I gradually slowed down, of course, but still kept a very strong pace through the first six kilometers. In fact, the 36:21 time for the first five kilometers would have been one of my best 5K paces. I had a brief twinge in my left ankle around the second kilometer and a bit of pain in my left heel around the seventh kilometer, but both were minor and transient. I was relieved, because my big worry about longer runs is that the repetitive pounds will cause serious probles in my heels, ankles, or knees. Then I finished a total of 10.3 kilometers (6.4 miles) in 77 minutes. The official time was 1:16:31, which I was very happy with.

I was glad the race was over, but I felt that if I had to, I could have added several more kilometers to the run. Let's see how my body recovers over the next several days, but for now, I feel pretty good. The best thing about running is that for the rest of the day, you can put up your feet and relax and when you do walk, you can walk very slowly, and it's not being lazy. It's "recovering."

I'm not ready to make a habit of 10K races, but I won't shy away from them either. The next two steps are 15K race and a half marathon. It took me four years to get from running my first 5K race to running my first 10K race, so I won't be in too much of a hurry for either one. But for the record, if I had been able to maintain my 10K pace for a full 13.1 miles (about 21.2 kilometers), I'd finish in 2 hours and 42 minutes.

Mt sister-in-law, Elizabeth was running in this race also, but I didn't notice her. She's done a bunch of 10K races, and was even training for a half marathon! She tells me I passed her on the first stretch along Ward Parkway. Like all my runs the first few minutes are the hardest, so in all the effort to get my body in gear, I didn't notice her. I did run into a fellow statistician from KUMC, Jonathan after the race who looked so composed it was like he was ready to run another race. Both Elizabeth and Jonathan are more than a decade younger than me, so I don't worry that they handle these races far better than I do. There was a guy who finished a minute behind me and when the announcer called his name (they can tell who is passing the finish line because of the computer timing chip on your shoe), he mentioned that this fellow was 80 years old. I want to be that guy and more. I'm 58 right now, and my goal is to keep running past 70, past 80, past 90 and until I'm 100 years old. On my 101st birthday, I'll start slowing down.

Friday, September 12, 2014 , 1.8K in 12.5 minutes

There was a change in the weather, and in middle of the afternoon, it was cloudy and cool (54F or 12C). This is about ideal weather from my perspective. Not cold enough that you have to worry about what you wear, but still cool enough to make overheating a non-issue. I took the dog along, of course, and decided to run a short distance, but to continue my effort to run every other mile at a very fast pace. I actually did quite well, although it does not look that way from these numbers. What happens is that my slow minutes became very slow minutes, and washed out the effect of the fast minutes. Most of my fast minutes, though, were at a 6 minute kilometer pace, equivalent to a 30 minute 5K. The effort was exhausting, but I did persist throughout all of the run. I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 12.5 minutes. This is 1.5 minutes slower than my best time on the flat route and translates to a 35 minute 5K.

I had a few stiff joints the following day, but otherwise felt pretty good.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014 , 3.9K in 31 minutes

It was early in the morning, but the temperature was already warm (72F or 22C) and quite humid. It was cloudy, though, and the dog did pretty well on the run, even running ahead of me on the way back. I had the time for a longer run, but just barely. I decided to take the medium loop in Ironwoods Park and to try to run every other minute at a fast speed. I actually did quite well and was averaging close to a 6 minute kilometer pace for most of my fast minutes. I was barely able to finish the 18th minute (around the 2.5 kilometer mark) and decided to just cruise slowly for the rest of the run. It was mostly uphill anyway at this point, so there was no way I could have produced anything fast. I did try to speed up a bit at the very end. I finished a total of 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles) in 31 minutes. This is 4.5 minutes slower than my best time on the medium loop route and translates to a 40 minute 5K.

I had a transient pain during the run in my left ankle, but it left as soon as it appeared.

Monday, September 8, 2014 , 3.5K in 27 minutes

It was a cool morning again and safe to take Cinnamon along. I was not feeling so good, but I had time for a longer run, so I decided to do the short loop in Ironwoods Park. I started out fast and gradually faded, especially on the uphills near the end of the run. I finished a total of 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 27 minutes. This is 3.5 minutes slower than my best time on the short loop route and translates to a 39 minute 5K. I had no joint pains during or after the run.

Saturday, September 6, 2014 , 6.5K in 53 minutes

I've been wanting to do some longer runs, but something always seems to get in the way. I had the time on Saturday morning and it wasn't too hot, so I ran the church route. I got totally winded after the first kilometer, which ends on the 145th Street hill. It took quite an effort to keep close to an eight minute kilometer pace during the rest of the run. Cinnamon actually got a fresh set of running legs near the 2.5 kilometer mark and was running well ahead of me. I finished a total of 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) in 53 minutes. This is 6.5 minutes slower than my best time on the church route and translates to a 40 minute 5K. I had no joint pains, either before or during the run.

Thursday, September 4, 2014 , 3.3K in 27 minutes

It was early in the morning, but still fairly warm (75F or 24C) and humid. It was borderline, but I decided to take the dog along. She seemed just fine. I didn't want to run too long after the 5K race, but I was tired of all the short routes, so I compromised on the mini loop through Ironwoods Park. I was pretty slow, especially after the second kilometer. I finished a total of 3.3 kilometers (2 miles) in 27 minutes. This is 0.5 minutes slower than my best time on the mini loop route and translates to a 41 minute 5K.

My right heel and my right knee both were troubling me during the warm-up, but they did not complain during the run itself. I actually only had a few aches in my left heel during the run.

Monday, September 1, 2014 , 5.2K in 37 minutes

I signed up for the Leawood Labor Day run for the fourth consecutive year. It was pretty nice weather for a run. I did not check the temperature, but overnight showers had taken much of the moisture out of the air, and the clouds kept the sun away. I was hoping to do better than 38 minutes. My previous best time on this route was 34.5 minutes. I haven't been able to maintain the pace needed to run at time in any of my recent practice runs, so it was best not to try to match or beat my best time. I started out strong, finishing the first two kilometers in 13.5 minutes. I could not maintain this pace, though, for the rest of the race.

My "nemesis" on the Labor Day 5K has always been a group of power walkers. There's one in particular who seems to be about 85 years old, but he seems to walk at a determined clip that I can't seem to match (at least over the whole 5K route). I did pass him early, but he passed me around the 2K mark. I did try to keep close to him for the rest of the race, so that I could sprint by him at the end, but it was all I could do to keep him in sight. I ended up finishing in 37 minutes. The official time was 37:01.6 (I registered late, so I am "Unknown Partic. 308" on the top of page 6). This is 2 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the Leawood5K route, but still a bit better than I had expected. The GPS recorded a slightly longer distance than 5K, which is typical on these courses. I probably weave a bit and take some of the turns too wide, and that seems to add about 0.2 kilometers to my total distance.

I noticed after the race that I kept sinking into a slow pace and then kicking it back up again. If I could find a way to avoid slipping on my pace, I could probably finish this route in 35 minutes or less.

I felt pretty good during the run. I had done a few short sprints during my warm-up and that seems to help. I was totally exhausted, of course, but did not have any joint pains either during or after the run.

That's I finished a total of 5.2 kilometers (3.2 miles) in 37 minutes. This is 2.5 minutes slower than my best time on the Leawood5K route and translates to a 36 minute 5K.

Saturday, August 30, 2014 , 3.9K in 32 minutes

It was cool (66F or 19C) and early in the morning, so the setting was perfect for a good run. I didn't want an extra long run, as I might be running in a 5K race on Monday. But I did want something a bit longer than my recent runs. So I decided to try the medium loop in Ironwoods Park. I had a couple of obstacles to dodge. There were sprinklers running on 148th Street near the start of my run, and just had to switch to the opposite side and run in the street for a short stretch. There was also some construction at the bottom of "no brake" hill and I needed to cross Mission Road a bit earlier than the crosswalk. I still tried to keep the route as close as possible to what I normally run, so that I can assess my relative performance.

I started out fairly well, finishing the first kilometer in seven minutes, but then Cinnamon decided to take a poop break right before the 1.5K mark. I didn't lose too much time, but I did lose some of my momentum. I really slowed down on the uphill out of Ironwoods Park and back up "no brake" hill. I tried ro regain some speed at the top, but didn't have enough in me to get back to even a normal pace.

I've stopped mentioning aches and pains on this webpage, but only because they haven't been an issue. I think that including a short sprint in my warm-up run has helped a bit. Also, I think that my relatively slow pace has helped avoid aggravating any problems. I still want to run fast, and my long term goal is to finish a timed 5K race in 30 minutes. But that's a far off goal at this point. As long as I keep running at any pace, I'll be happy.

I finished a total of 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles) in 32 minutes. This is 5.5 minutes slower than my best time on the medium loop route and translates to a 41 minute 5K.

Thursday, August 28, 2014 , 1.8K in 14 minutes

It was hot (88F or 31C) and humid and the midday sun was beating down on me. But it was my only chance to run. I took Cinnamon out for a very brief warm-up stretch, but put her back inside quickly. She doesn't like the heat, and I would be nervous about missing the signs of exhaustion, dehydration, and/or overheating. I made sure to take a big bottle of water along for my run, but I was pretty well hydrated right from the start. With the heat and my not feeling 100%, I decided on a short run, but I did not want to repeat the 151st Street route, as that is a bit too short. I decided not to worry at all about speed, and my pace on this route was much slower than normal. I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 14 minutes. This is 3 minutes slower than my best time on the flat route and translates to a 39 minute 5K.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014 , 1.3K in 9 minutes

It was warm (79F or 26C) but early enough in the morning that I felt it was okay to take the dog along. I normally leave her behind after the warm-up run whenever it is above 75F (24C). I started out my official run, turning north on Mission Road. It seemed odd that the GPS had not said anything before I turned onto Mission. So I pulled out the iPhone and it had paused only 14 seconds into the run. Apparently, I had forgotten to hit the power down button after starting the run, so the GPS app was live and in the foreground. And some jostling while the iPhone was in my pocket caused the pause button to get pushed. I'll have to remember to power down, as the music keeps playing and the GPS keeps working, but it eliminates the chance of an accidental button push. For the record, the first fourteen seconds were pretty fast.

Anyway, I decided to stop and return to my starting location (I start almost all my local runs from the pool). Given the lost time, I decided to just run a short route, but I worked on speed, alternating between fast and slow minutes. My first few fast minutes were very fast, and I faded, as normal for later in the run. But my overall time was not too bad compared to recent efforts. It helped that Cinnamon refrained from pooping during the run.

I finished a total of 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 9 minutes. This is 1.5 minutes slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 35 minute 5K.

Saturday, August 23, 2014 , 2.8K in 23 minutes

I had been battling a cold for a week and didn't have the energy to run. On a Saturday, I normally try for a longer run, but I still wasn't quite 100% plus being a bit out of practice. So I started out on Mission Road intending to run the church route, but decided during the run to cut it short and return after reaching 143rd Street. My pace was pretty slow, but if I'm out there running under less than optimal conditions, I'm pretty happy with any pace. I finished a total of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 23 minutes. This is 3.5 minutes slower than my best time on the 143rd Street route and translates to a 41 minute 5K.

Thursday, August 21, 2014 , 2.3K in 19.5 minutes

I was pretty tired, so I just ran a short route. I did pretty well at the start, finishing the first kilometer including the return up "no brake" hill in seven minutes. But that took everything out of me, and I could not keep up the pace for the rest of the run. Cinnamon took another poop break during the run, and about at the same spot. I finished a total of 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 19.5 minutes. This is 4 minutes slower than my best time on the No Brake hill route and translates to a 42 minute 5K.

Saturday, August 16, 2014 , 1.8K in 15 minutes

Immediately after the Boston trip, I came down with an annoying cold that sapped all my energy. Today was the first day that I felt I had enough in me to run again. The weather was cooperating, with a cool morning (63F or 17C) and an early morning rain had taken most of the humidity out of the air. Originally, I was hoping for a run with Ironwoods Park, but I thought it would be better to keep the run short and the pace slow. I did try something different during my warmup. I normal feel most of my aches and twinges of pain right when I start up my run. I thought that a quick sprint for a half minute during the warm-up might reduce this problem. I wasn't totally twinge free at the start of the run, but the warmup sprint did seem to help. Cinnamon decided to take a poop break during the run, which slowed me down substantially from an already slow pace. I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 15 minutes. This is 4 minutes slower than my best time on the flat route and translates to a 43 minute 5K.

Saturday, August 9, 2014 , 3.4K in 28 minutes

I had one last chance to run in Boston before heading home. I finally figured out a route that would take me along the waterfront, and it was pretty nice. I stumbled and fell while running up a flight a stairs about halfway through the run, only the third time that I've fallen during all of my runs. I'm pretty lucky. When I am tired, my feet drag the ground, which is a perfect recipe for catching any bumps or cracks in the path. The fall caused only a very minor scrape. The waterfront had quite a few twists and turns, so I thought I'd take a path along the street on the way back. It looks like those tall buidings caused some inaccuracies, though.I finished a total of 3.4 kilometers (2.1 miles) in 28 minutes. This translates to a 41 minute 5K.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014 , 3.2K in 24 minutes

I decided to run through downtown to the Boston Commons. The GPS has problems with accuracy around tall buildings, as it needs a clear line of sight to at least three satellites (six is better). Normally this just leads to a few incorrect zigs and zags, but on this run there was a huge glitch near the end of the first kilometer. I'll see if I can adjust out the glitch, but for now it probably overestimated the length of my run by at least a quarter of a kilometer. Using the unadjusted data, I finished a total of 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) in 24 minutes. This translates to a 37 minute 5K.

Sunday, August 3, 2014 , 2.6K in 23 minutes

I had just arrived in Boston a few hours earlier for a research conference, and I wanted to get a quick run before all the long sessions and all of the sitting that you have to do. I didn't know the layout of Boston so well, so I tried to head for the water and run along the harbor. The route I choose didn't work so well. It had a brief peek at the water between two piers, but then passed mostly through a dull gray industrial area. The scenery got better near the end of the run.

My pace was very slow, partly because of a glitch, I think, at the start up of the GPS program. Part of it, also, is that I don't try to run at a record pace during my runs outside the Kansas City. I finished a total of 2.6 kilometers (1.6 miles) in 23 minutes. This translates to a 43 minute 5K.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014 , 2.3K in 18.5 minutes

I was still a bit sore and stiff from my previous runs, and it was pretty hot out, so I decided not to work on the alternating fast and slow minutes. I did want to run at a 7 minute kilometer pace downhill and try to keep up a reasonable pace back up "no brake" hill. The hill did me in, though, and I was only able to run the rest of the route at an 8 minute kilometer pace. That's okay, but when I am able to tackle a tough uphill at a reasonable pace and then return to a fast pace at the top of the hill, I will be a much better runner. I finished a total of 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 18.5 minutes. This is 3 minutes slower than my best time on the No brake hill route and translates to a 39 minute 5K.

Monday, July 28, 2014 , 1.8K in 13 minutes

The temperature was right at the borderline for running with Cinnamon (75F or 24C), but it was the middle of the day and the sun was beating down from overhead, so I left Cinnamon behind after I finished my warm-up run. I wanted to continue running fast minutes alternating with slow minutes. The first four of the fast minutes were at a pace of a six minute kilometer, which was very good. My remaining fast minutes weren't quite as good, but I'm very happy with these results. It was really hard to keep going, especially in the heat, but I didn't give up. I finished a total of 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 35 minute 5K.

My left ankle bothered me just a bit at the start, but this went away after a minute. I was quite a bit stiff and sore everywhere after the run.

Saturday, July 26, 2014 , 3.4K in 27.5 minutes

I knew that it was going to be a hot day, so I got up extra early for my run. It was already quite warm (79F or 26C) and quite humid, but the sun was just rising, so I thought it would be okay to take the dog along. She does enjoy these runs, but doesn't seem to handle running in hot weather very well. I stumbled and fell during the warm-up, but I had enough control over my fall that I could land on the grass rather than the sidewalk. There was an uneven spot in the sidewalk, and my toe hit it at just the wrong spot. There was no damage, except to my ego, so I kept going.

I normally try for a longer run on Saturdays, but as I started running, I realized that both Cinnamon and I would be better off with a moderate length run instead. I decided to repeat the mini loop in Ironwoods Park and I again alternated between fast and slow minutes. I didn't get anywhere near a 6 minute kilometer pace, but I did keep getting back up to a fast speed on every even minute until minute 18 (just shy of the 2.4 kilometer mark). I was totally exhausted at this point with a hard slog up "no brake" hill facing me. That's one problem with running into Ironwoods Park. It's almost all downhil to get into the park, so you can set a fast time initially. But eventually, you have to climb out of Ironwoods Park and then back up "no brake" hill. In spite of my total exhaustion, I was still able to complete the run. I felt a bit dizzy at the crest of "no brake" hill which I usually take as a sign of dehydration. I had a water bottle with me, so a couple swigs of water solved that problem. I even sped up a bit (not too much) after that.

I had a pretty bad muscle ache at the back of my right calf right at the start, but after a while, it was replaced by a general muscle soreness and tiredness. I didn't have any specific joint pains during the run, but did have a bit of an issue with my left heel afterwards. It wasn't a pain as much as a sensation that everything back there was compressed from all that pounding.

I finished a total of 3.4 kilometers (2.1 miles) in 27.5 minutes. This is 1 minutes slower than my best time on the mini route and translates to a 41 minute 5K.

Thursday, July 24, 2014 , 1.3K in 8.5 minutes

It was early in the morning, and cool enough that I could take the dog on the run. I only had time for a short run. I also wanted to continue my speed work, but on a run that would only last about eight or nine minutes, it made sense to alternate every minute rather than every two minutes. I actually ran faster than I have for a long time and finished most of my fast minutes at a six minute kilometer pace. My left ankle hurt a bit, but not for very long. I finished a total of 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 8.5 minutes. This is 1 minute slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 34 minute 5K.

Monday, July 21, 2014 , 1.8K in 13.5 minutes

The weather was cool (70F or 21C) because it was still early enough in the morning. I wanted to work on speed again, and the way to build up speed is to alternate fast stretches with slower stretches. For this run, which I planned to be a shorter one, I decided to "graduate" from alternating every minute to alternating every other minute. I started out strong and finished the first two minutes at about a 6 minute kilometer pace. The next fast couple of minutes was quite a bit slower as was the third fast stretch. I also noticed that while I started out these two minute stretches at a fast pace, I didn't really maintain that pace for the full two minutes. That will come with more practice, of course. My left ankle hurt at the start of the run, but disappeared after two minutes. It returned near the end when I hit my left foot hard and almost lost my balance. It may be that the faster pace is more likely to produce joint pains, so I need to watch this. There was no enduring joint pain after I finished the run, which is reassuring. I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 13.5 minutes. This is 2.5 minutes slower than my best time on the flat route and translates to a 36 minute 5K.

Saturday, July 19, 2014 , 4.9K in 40.5 minutes

I got up early in the morning to beat the heat (61F or 17C) and tried for a longer run. I also wanted to alternate one minute at a fast pace and one minute at a slow pace to recover. I started out with every even minute being fast, but halfway through I lost track and switched to every odd minute being fast. I even tried to run fast on the return leg up "no brake" hill, but for an uphill, "fast" means something different than on a flat stretch. As expected, my fast minutes gradually slowed over time and my slow minutes turned into something close to a walking speed. I was originally going to run the church route, but near 138th Street, Cinnamon started holding back. She probably knows better than I do not to overdo things. I turned around at 138th Street, which still represents a fairly long run. I finished a total of 4.9 kilometers (3 miles) in 40.5 minutes. This is 4.5 minutes slower than my best time on the 138th Street route and translates to a 41 minute 5K.

Thursday, July 17, 2014 , 2.8K in 25 minutes

It was hotter for today's run, partly because I had to run in the middle of the day rather than in the early morning. The temperature was borderline (75F or 24 C), but I decided to take Cinnamon along for the run. She has a tendency to hold back at certain points in the run, most notably at the bottom of "no brake" hill. I think she has figured out that most of the runs that continue beyond this point are much longer than the runs that turn around. Today, she was holding back pretty much everywhere and I had to keep coaxing her onward. After the run, she seemed to want to walk home at an even slower pace than I did. So maybe I should have left her behind. She also took a poop break during the run, just before the 2 kilometer mark. All of this probably slowed me down, but it's not as if my runs without Cinnamon were super-fast.

I tried again to alternate between one minute at a fast pace and one minute at a slower pace, but it's tricky in practice. If your mind wanders a bit, you forget whether you are in the middle of a slow minute or a fast minute. Also, after a while, the fast minutes aren't that much faster than the slow minutes. Still, when I looked at the speed graph at the end of the run, it showed definite spikes in speed every other minute.

I finished a total of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 25 minutes. This is 5.5 minutes slower than my best time on the 143rd Street route and translates to a 44 minute 5K. My leg muscles were sore, but I had no joint pains.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014 , 3.3K in 26.5 minutes

It was downright chilly for a July morning (55F or 13C) which is perfect running weather for me and the dog. I had to modify my route a bit from the short loop route because part of the trail was blocked off in preparation for some showings of "Hello Dolly" in the park later this week. I decided to try again to run very fast for every other minute of the run. This time I was more successful at it. My leg muscles got very tired during each fast minute and but seemed to recover during each slow minute. I even ran relatively fast during most of the uphills, though I did skip one of the fast minutes on the uphill stretch on "no brake" hill just shy of the 3 kilometer mark. I finished a total of 3.3 kilometers (2 miles) in 26.5 minutes. This is my first time on the mini loop route and translates to a 40 minute 5K.

I was out of breath for most of the run and all my leg muscles ached badly, but I did not have any joint pains.

Saturday, July 12, 2014 , 3.9K in 34.5 minutes

It was very hot and I was not in the best form, but I did want to run a longer route. I also tried to run every odd minute at a fast pace with a slower resting pace on even minutes, but wasn't too successful for this. I was at close to a walking pace after the 2.5 kilometer mark and the long slog up "no brake" hill was especially slow. But I never stopped. I finished a total of 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles) in 34.5 minutes. This is 8 minutes slower than my best time on the medium loop route and translates to a 45 minute 5K. I was very tired but had no joint pains.

Thursday, July 10, 2014 , 1.3K in 10 minutes

It was a hot afternoon and I had only a short amount of time to run. I ran pretty slowly for such a short route, but it is important to keep running regularly, no matter what the pace. I finished a total of 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 10 minutes. This is 2.5 minutes slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 39 minute 5K.

Tuesday, July 8, 2014 , 2.8K in 22.5 minutes

It was early enough and cool enough that I could take the dog running with me. I started out strongly, finishing the first kilometer in a bit over seven minutes. This included an uphill stretch so that's even more impressive. The remainder of the run, especially the stretch back up "no brake" hill was much slower. Overall, my time was pretty good. I finished a total of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 22.5 minutes. This is 3 minutes slower than my best time on the 143rd Street route and translates to a 40 minute 5K.

Sunday, July 6, 2014 , 1.8K in 14 minutes

My leg muscles were still quite sore from the four mile race two days ago, but I thought that a short run would help keep my muscles stretched. I started very early in the morning. Although the temperature was warm (72F or 22C), there was a strong breeze. The overcast sky also helped keep things cool. The dog loved this weather and was running at my side or in front of me most of the way. I ran at a pretty slow pace the whole run, but the whole point was just to keep my muscles loose and active. I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 14 minutes. This is 3 minutes slower than my best time on the flat route and translates to a 39 minute 5K.

My left ankle bothered me again, but just for the early part of the run. My muscles ached a lot during the run, but they feel fine afterwards.

Friday, July 4, 2014 , 6.6K in 51.5 minutes

I ran in the "Four on the Fourth" race, which is a four mile timed race along Ward Parkway. This is the second time I've competed in this race. I did not check the temperature, but it was early in morning and not too warm. I started out fairly fast, partly because I did not have to dodge around too many walkers at the start. The walkers, of course, should start way in the back, but in most races there are enough walkers near the front to really slow you down. I made very good time on the first two kilometers, but (as with most of my runs) slowed down a bit after that. My right heel bother me a bit near the third kilometer, but it went away. My leg muscles got very tired around this time as well.

The stretch from the third to the fourth kilometer was a long gradual uphill and it slowed me down a lot. I couldn't really get back up to speed, but I still kept running the whole race. The time for the first five kilometers was a respectable 38 1/2 minutes. I finished a total of 6.6 kilometers (4.1 miles) in 51.5 minutes. My official time was 51:22. This is 2 minutes slower than my best time on the Ward Parkway 4 mile race and translates to a 78 minute 10K.

There were photographers at the race and I found three pictures of myself. It may not look like it, but I am running as fast as my legs can take me.

This picture and the one below were taken right around the six kilometer mark.

The picture below was taken at the finish line. I started a bit back of the pack, so the time on the clock is about a minute slower than the actual run time.

You can find these pictures on the web at

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--> http://00673d3.netsolhost.com/photoalbum_index.htm/07-04-14four_course/pages/IMG_0893_s_jpg_jpg.htm
--> http://00673d3.netsolhost.com/photoalbum_index.htm/07-04-14four_fin/pages/IMG_3325_s_jpg_jpg.htm

I'll see if I can find the other one.

Sunday, June 29, 2014 , 2.8K in 23.5 minutes

I was in the mood to try some steep hills so I ran to the top of Bell Hill. This is a hill that is even steeper than "no brake" hill, but I almost never run it because it involves crossing 151st Street at Mission Road, a fairly busy intersection. I've only run this route once before, and as before, I was pretty fast on the downhills and pretty slow on the uphills. I finished a total of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 23.5 minutes. This is one minute slower than my best time on the Bell Hill route and translates to a 41 minute 5K.

Friday, June 27, 2014 , 3.9K in 34.5 minutes

I'm not sure what it was, but I started this run slow and got even slower as the run went on. I did persist, though, and even my very slow pace on "no brake" hill still qualified as running. I finished a total of 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles) in 34.5 minutes. This is 8 minutes slower than my best time on the medium loop route and translates to a 44 minute 5K.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014 , 2.3K in 18 minutes

It was the middle of the day and hotter than I've been used to (82F or 28C). I took the dog on a short warm-up run but then put her back inside before heading out on my "official" run. My left ankle felt a bit weak again, but this sensation disappeared after the first half kilometer. My pace was slow and I really wanted to quite early. But I persisted. Having a set number of routes that I run regularly offers me an incentive to complete what I started so that I can track my progress (or regress) over time. I finished a total of 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 18 minutes. This is 3 minutes slower than my best time on the no brake hill (double leg) route and translates to a 40 minute 5K.

Saturday, June 21, 2014 , 2.5K in 19.5 minutes

I was in a northern suburb of Baltimore (Timonium) and had time for an early morning run. Like most of my runs outside the Kansas City area, I included the warm-up segment of the run. It was also an unusual run in that it started with an immediate uphill. Normally I hate hills, but this one at the very beginning was a nice change of pace. It wasn't too steep, though it did last for about half a kilometer. It was also nice to end the run on a downhill (as opposed to my mortal enemy, "no brake" hill, a grueling uphill segment that comes near the end of most of my runs in the Kansas City area). I finished a total of 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) in 19.5 minutes. This translates to a 40 minute 5K. I had no joint problems. In particular, the left ankle that has been troubling me recently was not an issue at all.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014 , 1.5K in 11.5 minutes

It was starting to get warm, but it was still early enough in the day that I could take the dog with me on the run. My left ankle didn't hurt, but instead it just felt a bit unstable. It's sort of like when you twist your ankle and it's healing up, but while it is still healing, there is a feeling of weakness, like the ankle is about to twist again. The sensation wasn't terrible, and I was able to run at a reasonable fast pace, at least at the beginning. I finished a total of 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) in 11.5 minutes. This is 1 minute slower than my best time on the nobrake hill (single leg) route and translates to a 39 minute 5K.

Monday, June 16, 2014 , 1.2K in 9.5 minutes

I started the run early in the morning. The temperature had already climbed to 70F (21C) but it was still pretty good for me and the dog because the sun wasn't beating down from directly overhead. I'm always a bit stiff in the morning, and some of that may have caught up with me. I was fine during the warm-up jog, but as soon as I started my official run, I noticed a twinge in my left ankle. Almost always when I talk about aches and twinges, they are brief, but this one persisted. Also, it was affecting my stride. So I decided before I even reached Mission Road to keep the pace slow and the distance to a minimum. About halfway to 151st Street, the twinge disappeared for the most part, but reappeared transiently. When it did reappear, it still affected my stride. So my pace was uneven, but I did finish. The pain did not last beyond the run itself, but my muscles were very tired for such a short run. We'll have to watch this during my next run.

I finished a total of 1.2 kilometers (0.7 miles) in 9.5 minutes. This is 2 minutes slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 38 minute 5K.

Saturday, June 14, 2014 , 4.9K in 41 minutes

I had the time for a longer run and it was cool enough (64F or 18C) that I could take the dog along as well. I had a very brief twinge of pain in my left ankle near the start of the run and another brief twinge in my right knee a bit later. Neither lasted for more than a couple of seconds. Around the two kilometer mark, the bottom of my right foot felt sore and swollen. This lasted throughout the rest of the run, but disappeared as soon as I stopped running.

I set a pretty strong pace early, averaging just under a 7 minute kilometer pace until I reached the big hill in the southeast corner of Ironwoods Park. After that hill, I was pooped and could not return to my earlier speed. I finished a total of 4.9 kilometers (3 miles) in 41 minutes. This is 6 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the big loop route and translates to a 42 minute 5K.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014 , 1.3K in 9.5 minutes

It was cool enough to take the dog on the run (66F or 19C). I started very fast, at close to a six minute kilometer pace, but shortly after the turn onto Mission Road, Cinnamon decided to take a poop break. It's pretty amazing that she can do this. I'm running at full speed, and she briefly stops and poops and then starts running again. If I didn't turn around every time to see what was going on, I'd miss this. But I'm a good neighbor and always clean up after my dog. I did resume my 6 minute kilometer pace for a bit, but gradually slowed down to a seven minute kilometer pace. I finished a total of 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 9.5 minutes. This is 2 minutes slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 37 minute 5K.

Monday, June 9, 2014 , 1.8K in 12.5 minutes

I only had a bit of time, but I wanted to run something slightly longer than the 151st Street route. I ran the first kilometer very fast, but slowed down considerably after that. I need to work on being able to run the first full kilometer in six minutes, so that I can regain some of my former speed. This was still a pretty good pace overall. 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.

Saturday, June 7, 2014 , 2.9K in 23.5 minutes

I had the time for a longer run, but didn't want to overdo it. I took a slow pace at the start and really slowed down on the return up "no brake" hill. I finished a total of 2.9 kilometers (1.8 miles) in 23.5 minutes. This is 4 minutes slower than my best time on the 143rd Street route and translates to a 41 minute 5K.

Friday, June 6, 2014 , 0.4K in 3 minutes

Nicholas was at a track and field camp and I decided to test out my GPS on one loop around the track. It recorded the distance very accurately, though it did have me zigging and zagging between individual lanes of the track, even though I stayed in the inside lane. I finished a total of 0.4 kilometers (0.2 miles) in 3 minutes.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014 , 1.3K in 10 minutes

I've had some strange twinges in my right knee and both ankles in the past couple of days, not while I was running but just during normal activity. I decided that I needed to run because I feel that some of these aches come from too little activity and a short run might help. I'm not sure it did help, and I've now got a sore right calf muscle to go along with all the other aches. I didn't have any joint or muscle pains, though, during the run itself.

It was still hot and humid, so I left the dog at home again after the warm-up jog. I ran at a leisurely pace (the fast speed at the 0.2K mark appears to be a glitch). I finished a total of 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 10 minutes. This is 2 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 38 minute 5K.

Saturday, May 31, 2014 , 3.5K in 29 minutes

It was very warm and humid, so I left the dog at home after my warm up jog. I made very good time for the first two kilometers, but then slowed down a lot for the remainder of the run, which was mostly uphill. The return up "no brake" hill (ending around the 3 kilometer mark) was especially slow. I just felt totally exhausted. But I did still finish.

I finished a total of 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 29 minutes. This is 5 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the short loop route and translates to a 41 minute 5K.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014 , 1.2K in 9 minutes

I only had time for a short run. I started out strong, though I slowed down a bit on the slight uphill around the 0.8 kilometer mark. I finished a total of 1.2 kilometers (0.7 miles) in 9 minutes. This is 1 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 35 minute 5K.

Monday, May 26, 2014 , 3.9K in 31.5 minutes

It was a cool morning (66F or 19C), and cloudy, but also very humid. I started out slow, but I did keep up that pace, more or less, except on the hills. My legs were very tired at the start, but they didn't get worse as the run progressed. I was I finished a total of 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles) in 31.5 minutes. This is 5 minutes slower than my best time on the medium loop route and translates to a 40 minute 5K.

Saturday, May 24, 2014 , 2.3K in 17.5 minutes

It was cold and rainy again, so I decided again to keep the run close by. I started out slow, but didn't slow down that much as the run progressed. I finished a total of 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 17.5 minutes. This is 2 minutes slower than my best time on the nobrake hill route and translates to a 39 minute 5K. I was soaked through and through, but had no joint pains or sore muscles.

Thursday, May 22, 2014 , 1.3K in 9.5 minutes

It was cool and cloudy and I only had time for a short run. I started out faster than I normally do, but slowed down afterwards. I was not out to set any speed records today. I finished a total of 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 9.5 minutes. This is 2 minutes slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 37 minute 5K.

Monday, May 19, 2014 , 1.8K in 13.5 minutes

It was raining lightly so I wanted to stay close by in case things got a lot worse. I tried to run faster, alternating between a slow and a fast pace. You can't see that here because I alternated every other minute, but I was close to a 10 kilometer per hour pace during the first fast minute and I was not too much slower for the remaining minutes. I sort of pooped out near the end of the run, and ran the rest of the run at a slow pace. I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 13.5 minutes. This is 2 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the flat route and translates to a 37 minute 5K.

Saturday, May 17, 2014 , 5K in 40.5 minutes

It was chilly in Kansas City, but not quite as bad as Chicago. I had time for a longer run, and decided to tackle the big loop inside Ironwoods Park. This included a monster hill in the southeast corner of the park, just past the two kilometer mark. I started out slow and lost even more speed on all the hills, but that's okay. I finished a total of 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) in 40.5 minutes. This is 6 minutes slower than my best time on the big loop route. My leg muscles were quite tired but I had no joint pains.

Thursday, May 15, 2014 , 3K in 25.5 minutes

After my Miami talk, I flew to Chicago to give a second talk. I was shocked at the weather, which was well below 50F (10C) in mid-May. I was still okay, though, in shorts and a t-shirt. I ran around Millenium Park and circled a couple of times rather than run further afield. The rush hour traffic was pretty bad, so I wanted to avoid crossing any streets. Somewhere after the first kilometer mark, I ran around a sculpture known as "the Bean". My first half kilometer was pretty fast, but the rest was a slow steady slog. I finished a total of 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) in 25.5 minutes. This translates to a 43 minute 5K. I had no problems with joint pains or sore muscles.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014 , 2.5K in 21.5 minutes

I was in downtown Miami to give a talk and had time afterwards to take a short run along the Bay. It was warm and humid, but there was a nice breeze. I wasn't out to finish any speed records, but I did finish a total of 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) in 21.5 minutes. This translates to a 43 minute 5K. I did not have any joint pains or sore muscles.

Sunday, May 11, 2014 , 4.5K in 37.5 minutes

I had the time for a longer run, and I set a slow pace which just got slower as the run got longer. I finished a total of 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles) in 37.5 minutes. This is 5 minutes slower than my best time on the r145 route and translates to a 42 minute 5K. I didn't have any joint pains or sore muscles during this run.

Thursday, May 8, 2014 , 2.4K in 19 minutes

It was cool enough to take the dog with me (70F or 21F) and I actually made pretty good time compared to some of my other recent runs. Just before the second kilometer, Cinnamon decided to take a poop break. Sometimes the sudden stop causes my leg muscles to complain, but today it wasn't that big a deal.

I finished a total of 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) in 19 minutes. This is 3 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the "No brake" hill route and translates to a 40 minute 5K.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014 , 3.5K in 31 minutes

I didn't have a whole lot of energy, but still tried for a longer run. I was really exhausted running back up "no brake" hill, but I persisted, even if it was at a very slow rate. I finished a total of 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 31 minutes. This is 7 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the short loop route and translates to a 44 minute 5K.

Monday, May 5, 2014 , 2.8K in 25 minutes

There's a bug in my R program that calculates intermediate times. I think it is related to crossing the midnight value at Greenwich Mean Time. Anyway, the results aren't too difficult to follow. I was running in the early evening, and set a very slow pace. Part of this was because I am still feeling a bit weak from my cold, and part of it was due to the weather (84F or 29C and very humid). It was warm enough that I decided to have the dog with me only during my warm up. I took her back and let her stay in the house while I did my official run. I started out very slow and didn't really speed up. It's important for me to keep running, even at a slow rate like this. I'll get back up to speed faster if I do some sort of running even at a slow pace while I am waiting for my body to get better.

I finished a total of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 25 minutes. This is 5 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the r143 route and translates to a 45 minute 5K. For a short distance and a slow pace, I still had sore and tired muscles at the end, but no joint pain.

Friday, May 2, 2014 , 1.8K in 14 minutes

I was still not feeling 100%, so I decided to take another short run. Even a bit of running now will help me get back up to speed sooner when I feel better. I tend to have coughing fits if I exert myself too much and while the run on Tuesday was okay, today's run was not. I had a bottle of water with me, so a few swigs seemed to help. I didn't note the temperature but it was warm enough to run comfortably in shorts and a t-shirt. Soon enough it will get very hot.

I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 14 minutes. This is 3 minutes slower than my best time on the flat route and translates to a 39 minute 5K. The good news is that this length and this pace caused no problems at all with joint pains or sore muscles.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014 , 1.3K in 9.5 minutes

For the past week, I've been fighting a bad cold. It just didn't make sense to run because I was so weak and any exertion seemed to bring on a coughing fit. Today was the first day I felt good enough to run, but just barely. The weather was also subpar. It was chilly (43F or 6C) and drizzly. I felt, though, that I needed to get back in the habit of running. I decided to keep the run short and the pace slow. I actually didn't do too badly on the way out, finishing the first kilometer in seven minutes. The last bit was much

I finished a total of 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 9.5 minutes. This is 2 minutes slower than my best time on the r151 route and translates to a 37 minute 5K.

Saturday, April 19, 2014 , 7.6K in 66 minutes

I had the time for a longer run, but I didn't feel that good. It wasn't the weather (52F or 11C), but I just had a blah feeling. I started out slowly for me, finishing the first kilometer in eight minutes. I slowed down a bit more, but I never ran totally out of gas. I ran through Ironwoods Park, and wound my way around the Steeplechase neighborhood towards Kenneth Road. I thought I was lost several times, but I actually made all the proper turns. I was really exhausted from the fourth kilometer onwards, but kept plugging away. The hills didn't slow me down that much, but probably only because I was already running very slowly (about 9 minutes for each kilometer). I did not have any joint pains, though my muscles were sore.

I finished a total of 7.6 kilometers (4.7 miles) in 66 minutes. This translates to an 88 minute 10K. Only three runs have lasted longer than 66 minutes (my record is 76 1/2 minutes) and only five have had longer distances that 7.6 kilometers (my record is 8.5 kilometers). So even though I felt bad, and even though I started out very slowly, I still did very well.

Thursday, April 17, 2014 , 2.9K in 22 minutes

It was chilly for April (37F or 3C) but I was okay in shorts and a t-shirt. I wanted to practice running hills, and the biggest hill in the area is just south of 151st Street. I'll call it "Bell hill" because it peaks right around Bell Drive.

I almost never run south of 151st Street because it is a pretty busy intersection at Mission Road and because I wanted to avoid too many hills. But today I ventured out in that direction. I made very good time at first, mostly because it is a steep downhill at first. Bell hill is roughly between the 1.0 and 1.5 kilometer marks and I slowed down substantially, but the downhill return between the 1.5 and 2.0 kilometer marks) was fast again. The next stretch from 2.0 to 2.5 kilometers was another uphill--bad but not quite as bad as Bell Hill. Again, I was slow on this stretch. Overall, I did quite well. I finished a total of 2.9 kilometers (1.8 miles) in 22 minutes, which translates to a 37 minute 5K. This is my first time on this route. I had no serious aches or pains.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014 , 3.6K in 28.5 minutes

The morning was very cold (well below freezing), but by the afternoon, it had warmed up nicely (52F or 11C). My pace was typical--a seven minute kilometer for my first kilometer and eight minute kilometers for the remainder of the run, with an even slower stretch on "no brake" hill. I tried, without much success to speed back up at the top of "no brake" hill. I finished a total of 3.6 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 28.5 minutes. This is 5 minutes slower than my best time on the short route and translates to a 39 minute 5K.

I had no joint pains or sore muscles.

Saturday, April 12, 2014 , 6.8K in 55 minutes

It was a nice day (59F or 15C) and I had time for a longer run, so I tried a different route. I ran to 143rd Street and turned east and ran downhill to Kenneth Road. Then I ran a short stretch of Kenneth Road to 144th Street and turned into Camden Woods. I wanted to weave my way towards the north side of Ironwoods Park, but it's tricky, and I ended up back on 143rd Street again. I started out strong and gradually slowed down, especially after the third kilometer. I did finish the first five kilometers in 39 minutes, which is not a terrible time for a stretch that included a couple of big hills. I finished a total of 6.8 kilometers (4.2 miles) in 55 minutes. This is my first time on this route.

Surprisingly, I did not have any joint pains. I think that it may be more the faster pace than the greater distance that had caused many of my earlier joint problems.

Cinnamon seemed a bit reluctant at times to continue running. I think she's not used to the longer lengths, and she can't tell the difference between a run that is only halfway done and a run that is almost over.

Thursday, April 10, 2014 , 2.3K in 18.5 minutes

It was warm (66F or 19C) but the rain was threatening, so I kept the run short. I stared out slow and the uphill stretch on "no brake" hill slowed me down even more. I could not recover even my earlier speed. Cinnamon decided to take a poop break, in the middle of the return to 148th Street. That made a slow run even slower, but that's okay.

I had no joint pains or sore muscles.

I finished a total of 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 18.5 minutes. This is 3 minutes slower than my best time on the "nobrake hill" route and translates to a 40 minute 5K.

Monday, April 7, 2014 , 3.9K in 30.5 minutes

It was nice enough weather (44F or 7C) that I could start a run early in the morning. I started out strong, but slowed down after the first kilometer. The third kilometer, with uphills out of Ironwoods Park and the last uphill on "no brake" hill were especially slow. I didn't have any joint pains. I finished a total of 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles) in 30.5 minutes. This is 4 minutes slower than my best time on the medium route and translates to a 39 minute 5K.

Saturday, April 5, 2014 , 4.9K in 39.5 minutes

It was cold for April (37F or 3C) but not as blustery as some of the recent days, so I was okay with shorts and a t-shirt. I had time for a longer run, but didn't want to overdo it. I headed down Mission Road until the sidewalk runs out (138th Street). My leg muscles started hurting past the first kilometer, and my thigh muscles started hurting around the third kilometer. My knees ached a bit, which is unusual for me. I worry more about my knees than any other joint, but so far the knee pains have been mild and rare.

My pace was slow, a bit slower than a seven minute kilometer at the start, an eight minute kilometer during the flat stretch and around a nine minute kilometer at the end (the infamous "no brake" hill). This route crosses Mission Road twice on the way out and twice on the way back, and I had to wait a couple of times for traffic to clear. But the delays weren't serious.

I finished a total of 4.9 kilometers (3 miles) in 39.5 minutes. This is 3 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the 138th Street route and translates to a 40 minute 5K.

Thursday, April 3, 2014 , 1.8K in 13.5 minutes

It was very warm (73C or 23C) and quite humid. This is getting close to the type of weather where I worry about whether I should let Cinnamon run with me, but she did just fine. I started out slower than I wanted to and my pace got even slower. That's okay, because I'm still out running, and there will be plenty of time to build my speed back up. For now, just keeping up with running at all is important. I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 13.5 minutes. This is 2 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the flat route and translates to a 37 minute 5K. I was tired but had no joint pains.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014 , 3.5K in 28 minutes

It was a bit cool for April (50F or 10C), but not nearly as bad as some of my run earlier in the year. I was just a bit chilly in shorts and a t-shirt, but nothing to complain about. I started out reasonably fast, and finished my first kilometer in 7 minutes. That's mostly downhill, of course, but I'll take a fast result whenever I can get it. Like most of my other runs, I have been unable to sustain the seven minute kilometer pace, especially on the uphill out of Ironwood Park (near the 2.5K mark) and the dreaded "no brake" hill (near the 3K mark). What is a bit surprising is that run into the heart of Ironwoods Park, which goes from the 1K mark to the 1.5K mark was also slow. It's a mix of downhill and uphill, but still should be much faster. I seem to have lost the ability to run more than a single kilometer at a seven minute pace.

I finished a total of 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 28 minutes. This is 4 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the short loop route and translates to a 40 minute 5K. I had only very minor aches and sore muscles.

Saturday, March 29, 2014 , 6.7K in 52.5 minutes

I had the time and the energy to do a longer run, so I decided to try a run that I hadn't done for a while, the church route. This is one of my longest regular runs, and I had shied away from it recently because I felt that the longer runs tended to exacerbate my joint problems. With a bit of care, though, I felt I could handle this. The weather was cold (36F or 2C) and I was under dressed with just a t-shirt and running shorts. The cold bothered me a lot at first, but halfway through the run, I was fine.

I started out fast, and finished the first kilometer in under seven minutes. The first kilometer ends at the top of the 145th Street hill, so this was not easy. I didn't have any more in me, though, and ran the rest of the route, which was mostly flat, at an eight minute kilometer pace. My muscles ached a lot for the first three kilometers, but that seemed to go away. I had no joint pains at all, which is good news.

I finished a total of 6.7 kilometers (4.2 miles) in 52.5 minutes. This is 6 minutes slower than my best time on the church route and translates to a 78 minute 10K.

Thursday, March 27, 2014 , 1.3K in 9 minutes

I had not run earlier in the week because I was busy and it was too cold. My runs in Florida and the Bahamas had spoiled me, I guess. The temperatures were well above freezing, but a strong blustery wind made it seem a lot colder. Today the winds were still strong, but the temperature had warmed significantly (68F or 20C). I was on a tight schedule, so I kept the run short. I did try to run fast--at a six minute kilometer pace, and maintained something close to that for the first half of the run. I finished a total of 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in 9 minutes. This is xx minutes slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 35 minute 5K. I was tired, but had no joint pains.

Saturday, March 22, 2014 , 5K in 42 minutes

After our stay at DisneyWorld, we took a three day cruise to the Bahamas. On the second day, we landed at Castaway Cay, a small island that is pretty much owned by Disney. The cruise ship offered an informal 5K race that morning (no chip timing), and I signed up. The heat was even worse than in Orlando, and I got a bit dizzy, which is typically a sign of dehydration. I had drunk a lot of water prior to the race and drank some more during the race, and I finished without any problems. I should have worn my bathing suit so that I could have ended up my run with a plunge into the ocean, but I had to settle instead for a shower in our room.

The run effectively doubles up along the way, so the earlier kilometer markers on this map lie almost directly underneath the later markers (0.5 under 3.0, 1.0 under 3.5, 1.5 under 4.0, and 2.0 under 4.5).

My pace started out slow and gradually got slower over time. I could have tried to speed up, but with the dizziness, I didn't want to push my luck. I finished a total of 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) in 42 minutes. I had no serious joint pains, which was welcome after a run of this length.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014 , 4K in 34.5 minutes

I had another chance to run at DisneyWorld, and this time I knew where to turn to get from Epcot to Hollywood Studios. It was very hot and humid again and I again set a very slow (but consistent) pace.

I finished a total of 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) in 34.5 minutes. This translates to a 43 minute 5K.

Monday, March 17, 2014 , 2.3K in 19.5 minutes

We were in DisneyWorld at a the Beach Club, hotel within easy walking distance of Epcot Center. So I took a morning run with the warm up segment from the hotel to Epcot and then made a loop past a small lake to the Beach Club to the Swan and Dolphin Hotels before returning on the north side of the lake to Epcot. I had wanted to run further--to Hollywood Studios--but I missed the turnoff for that route and didn't want to go back searching for it.

My pace was very slow, which is normal for many of my runs out of town. I just want to add another exotic location to my list of mapped runs, and I don't care as much about setting speed records.

It was very hot and humid, though I did not notice the exact temperature. I can run in hot weather, but it takes some time to get used to it, and this was a very sudden transition from all my earlier runs. That was another reason to take this at a very slow pace.

I finished a total of 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 19.5 minutes. This translates to a 42 minute 5K.

Saturday, March 15, 2014 , 2.8K in 22 minutes

I had the time and wanted to run one of the longer routes, like the church route, which is over 6 kilometers. But my leg muscles ached quite a bit and I didn't want to risk an injury right before a big vacation. So I turned around at 143rd Street. My pace was not that great, even for a run with two big hills like this one. Still, any run is better than not running. 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.

Thursday, March 13, 2014 , 4.8K in 37.5 minutes

It was chilly (34F or 1C) but the sun was out and the temperature was rising all throughout the run. So the shorts and t-shrt that I wore were just fine. I've decided that I need to run longer distances when I can, so I took the big loop through Ironwoods Park. In addition to distance, it includes a very very steep hill right after the second kilometer. I started out at a seven minute kilometer pace, but slowed down substantially on the big hill mentioned earlier, the hill out of Ironwoods Park, and "No Brake" hill. I finished a total of 4.8 kilometers (3 miles) in 37.5 minutes. This is 3 minutes slower than my best time on the big route and translates to a 39 minute 5K. I had no joint pains during the run.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014 , 3.5K in 26.5 minutes

The temperature was reasonable for March, though I did not note the exact temperature. I had enough time to run into Ironwoods Park, but just barely. I started out at a 7 minute kilometer pace, but gradually slowed down over time. I finished a total of 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 26.5 minutes. This is 3 minutes slower than my best time on the short route and translates to a 38 minute 5K. I didn't have any joint pains worth mentioning.

Saturday, March 8, 2014 , 5.3K in 43.5 minutes

It was cold again (28F or -2C) but I dressed warmly and decided that I needed to do a longer run for a change. I finished the first kilometer in seven minutes, but slowed down from there. The big hill in Ironwoods Park (between the second and third kilometer), the hill out of Ironwoods Park and "No Brake" hill (between the fourth and fifth kilometer) were especially slow. I finished the first five kilometers in 41 minutes and a total of 5.3 kilometers (3.3 miles) in 43.5 minutes. This is 2 minutes slower than my best time on the double route and translates to a 82 minute 10K.

I felt desperately tired around the fourth kilometer, but had no joint pains. This was my longest run since October 2013. I had been shying away from longer runs because of joint problems, and I plan to continue to be cautious. But I do want to work on some longer runs once in a while. I think that getting my legs used to running the longer distances will help me run faster for the shorter distances.

Thursday, March 6, 2014 , 1.8K in 13 minutes

It was warm (44F or 7C) and most of the snow was melted, except for a stretch on 148th Street. I didn't have the time or the stamina for a long run, but I did want to run fast. I didn't set any records, but cam in close to a seven minute kilometer pace. Given my recent times, that's not too bad. I still have a long way to go to match my best times. In particular, it seems like it's been ages since I've been able to complete the first kilometer in six minutes.

I finished a total of 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 was tired but had no joint pains.

Saturday, March 1, 2014 , 1.5K in 11.5 minutes

It was very cold (23F or -5C), but this would be my last chance to run outside before the big snow storm. I dressed warmly, but the cold north wind was a problem on Mission Road. So I turned around at the bottom of "no brake" hill and returned to my starting point. I'd have to say that it is no fun to run when it is so cold out and that I really can't shut out the cold when it gets much below freezing. The dog didn't seem to mind though.

I set a strong pace, at least until the uphill return. I finished a total of 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) in 11.5 minutes. This is 1 minute slower than my best time on the No brake hill route and translates to a 38 minute 5K.

It was so cold that I didn't notice any aches or sore muscles. My forehead was quite cold.

Thursday, February 27, 2014 , 1.2K in 9 minutes

It was cold (28F or -2C) and I only had time for a short run. I started out as fast as I could, but I couldn't sustain that pace for more than a minute. I have a lot of work to do to get back to running at some of the speeds from a year or two ago. I was about as tired at the end as I normally am after a 5K race, but I had no joint problems.

I finished a total of 1.2 kilometers (0.7 miles) in 9 minutes. This is 1 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 36 minute 5K.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 , 1.8K in 13 minutes

I finished a total of 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) in 13 minutes. This is xx minutes slower than my best time on the flat route and translates to a 37 minute 5K.

Saturday, February 22, 2014 , 3.9K in 32 minutes

I finished a total of 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles) in 32 minutes. This is xx minutes slower than my best time on the medium loop route and translates to a 41 minute 5K.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014 , 1.4K in 11 minutes

I finished a total of 1.4 kilometers (0.9 miles) in 11 minutes. This is xx minutes slower than my best time on the no brake hill (single leg) route and translates to a 39 minute 5K.

Sunday, February 2, 2014 , 2.4K in 19.5 minutes

I finished a total of 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) in 19.5 minutes. This translates to a 41 minute 5K.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014 , 1.2K in 9.5 minutes

It was cold (19F or -7C), but the ice and snow from the previous storm had mostly gone and there was a small window of safety before the next round of ice and snow. I only had time for a short run and I wasn't ready to set any speed records. Still, it is a successful run if I get out and run at all. I finished a total of 1.2 kilometers (0.7 miles) in 9.5 minutes. This is two minutes slower than my best time on the 151st Street route and translates to a 38 minute 5K.

Saturday, January 25, 2014 , 3.5K in 27.5 minutes

It was cool, not too cold, but I don't recall the exact temperature. I went out in shorts, but in a concession to the temperature, I put on a long sleeved shirt. My hands were a bit cold, but everything else was fine.

I started out at a 7 minute kilometer pace, but that gradually slowed down during the run. My leg muscles started complaining again a lot during the second kilometer. It was mostly my calf muscles. I think I need to do more runs of more than 5 kilometers to get my muscles used to the endurance needed for a longer run. I kept up a reasonable pace, with the usual slowdown on "no brake" hill. I finished a total of 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in 23 minutes. (This is 4 minutes slower than my best time on the short loop route and translates to a 39 minute 5K.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 , 2.3K in 19 minutes

I was cold (34F or 1C) but with the upcoming days even colder, I thought I better get an outdoor run going. I wore running pants and a running jacket, but no gloves. I probably should have brought the gloves along.

I ran pretty close to the same run as Monday, to the bottom of "no brake" hill and back, but added the second leg from 148th Street to 151st Street and back. I started out okay, but then I hit a wall on the way back up "no brake" hill. I always get tired on "no brake" hill but this was more extreme. I felt totally exhausted and wanted to quit early. I did persist, but then the dog decided to take a poop break causing me to lose a full minute of time digging out the poop bag and scooping up the mess.

These are just practice runs, so I shouldn't get too worried about losing time to poop breaks, but I did find myself cussing at the dog. It's harsh to have to stop so suddenly. The dog didn't seem to understand my foul language, so that's okay. I tried valiantly to return back to full speed after all this, but today wasn't my day to break any speed records.

I finished a total of 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) in 19 minutes. This is 3 1/2 minutes slower than my best time on the nobrake hill route and translates to a 41 minute 5K.

Monday, January 20, 2014 , 1.5K in 13.5 minutes

I was still sore two days after the 5K run. My achilles tendons felt tight and stiff, especially my left one. I have found that a gentle run will sometimes help reduce the soreness. So I took a short run, but at a very slow pace. I had an ulterior motive as well. Near the bottom of "no brake" hill is a smashed glass bottle with a few small glass fragments on the path itself. I've always gone gingerly around the glass, not as much for my sake (the glass fragments are far too small to penetrate my shoe deeply) but for Cinnamon's. Every run, I always notice the glass at the last minute and I always tell myself that I need to clear this up sometime. Today, I was going to stop when I found the glass fragments and then sweep them out of the way with my shoe. I was already going at a slow pace, so stopping for half a minute wouldn't really hurt anything.

I stopped on the way down, but I also noticed a few glass fragments on the return, so I stopped a second time. I was setting about a 9 minute per kilometer pace, which is very slow, but my muscles still complained. I actually felt better after the run than before, which is what I was hoping for.

It was a bit cold (39F or 4C) so I dressed in sweat pants (I couldn't find my normal running pants) and a running jacket. I didn't take gloves, and my hands were a bit chilly.

I finished a total of 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) in 13.5 minutes. This is 3 minutes slower than my best time on the no brake hill route and translates to a 45 minute 5K.

Saturday, January 18, 2014 , 5.1K in 37 minutes

I ran in the Battle of the Bean 5K. This race is sponsored by Foo's Fabulous Custard, an ice cream and coffee shop in Leawood Kansas. The "battle" is between the coffee bean and the cocoa bean (i.e., hot chocolate). I was running for Team Cocoa. It was a bit cold (39F or 4C), but not too windy.

I started out huffing and puffing. To be honest, I was huffing and puffing during my warm-up. The interesting thing about my huffing and puffing is that it encouraged several fellow runners to say "You can do it" and "Almost there." Apparently, I breathe so hard that everyone around me thinks that I'm about to collapse.

I actually set a pretty strong pace, at least for me. I finished the first three kilometers in under 21 minutes. The last bit was slower, but not by much. The race was officially listed at 3.24 miles, which is not quite regulation (5K=3.106 miles to be precise). My GPS has me finishing the first 5K in 36 1/2 minutes and the full race in 37 minutes. Interestingly, my GPS listed the total distance as 5.07 kilometers, which, at 3.14 miles is a bit between 3.106 and 3.24 miles. Perhaps I cut a few corners in the course or maybe the GPS was a bit inaccurate.

My official results was 36:50.6. This put me 643rd overall and 18th in my age class. This was 3 minutes slower than my best result in a timed 5K, but still a pretty good showing.

I had no major physical problems. As I mentioned, I was out of breath right from the start. My calf muscles started complaining about midway through the race. I had no joint pains during the run, but my left arch felt a bit sore right after the race. I was quite stiff and sore later in the day with an occasional leg cramp.

You can find the results for this race and a nice picture of me crossing the finish line. I'm on the left, not the runner pushing the stroller. I look like hell after most of these runs, but I actually felt quite good. It's sort of like the person who bangs their head against a wall repeatedly because it feels so good when you stop.

Thursday, January 16, 2014 , 3.9K in 29.5 minutes

It was warm (45F or 7C), but I still wore my running jacket and running pants. It was probably a good thing because there was a terrible wind that really cooled things down. There's still a bit of ice on 148th Street near Mission Road, so I ran this stretch of the run in the street instead of the sidewalk. The ice is in a very shady spot, but it is gradually melting and should be totally gone by the next time I run outside.

I set a very good pace for the first two kilometers, but then slowed down a lot for the rest of the run. The uphill return on "no brake" hill was especially slow. It seems like I am always slowing down after the first two kilometers, and that's something I need to work on. I had no joint pains during or after the run. My calf muscles felt tired, but only after the third kilometer.

I finished a total of 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles) in 29.5 minutes. This is 3 minutes slower than my best time on the medium route and translates to a 38 minute 5K.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014 , 1.8K in 13 minutes

The ice was still around in a few patches, even with the warmer weather, but I went our running again. It was warm for January (43F or 6C), but I still wore a running jacket and running pants. I was thinking about running through Ironwoods Park, which would have been a minimum of 3.5 kilometers, but my body didn't seem up for the workout, so truncated the run to one of my shorter routes. My pace was a lot slower than I wanted, but any run that is a successful run. I had no joint pains, but my calf muscles were very tired for such a short run.

I finished a total of 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.

Sunday, January 12, 2014 , 2.8K in 21.5 minutes

Most of January has been too cold and/or too icy to run outside. But when I woke up this morning, I noticed that the early morning temperature was warm (41F or 5C), which meant that the thaw was mostly complete and that there would be no chance of refreezing during the night. So I put on shorts and a short sleeved t-shirt and went out for a short run. There was considerable ice left on the sidewalk of 148th Street, where trees shade things during most of the day. But the path along Mission Road was almost totally ice-free.

I was a bit chilly at first, but my body got used to the temperature. I started out at close to a 7 minute kilometer pace for the first two kilometers, but slowed down a lot on the uphill return on "no brake" hill. I was barely running at all, but I did not stop. This was very good considering the length of time that I had been away from outdoor running. I finished a total of 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) in 21 1/2 minutes. This was 2 minutes slower than my best time on the 143rd Street route and translates to a 38 minute 5K.

The dog greatly enjoyed the run. I didn't have any joint pains during or after the run.

Thursday, January 9, 2014, 1.5 miles in 22 minutes

I decided that I had to try some time at 7 mph, and it was tough. The first two minute stretch at 7 mph was the worst, and it got a bit easier each time. I didn't have enough time to see what it would have been like to run more than three of these two minutes stretches at 7 mph. I had no serious joint pain during or after the run.

Monday, January 6, 2014, 1.2 miles in 20 minutes

I ran the same pace as the previous treadmill run. It's way too cold and icy to run outside. I should be running a faster or longer pace, but even this easy run helps keep me from falling too far out of shape during this patch of bad weather.

Saturday, January 4, 2014, 1.2 miles in 20 minutes

I found out at least part of the problem with the treadmill. There were a couple of nuts that had worked loose. Thankfully, the bolts still were in place. I need to make a quick inspection more frequently around and underneath the treadmill. I decided to test the treadmill with eight minutes at a 5 mph pace sandwiched between my standard warm-up and cool-down. It was an easy run with no joint pains.

Wednesday, January 1, 2014 , 1.4K in 11 minutes

Enough of the ice had disappeared that I felt it was safe to run outside again. There was one very bad patch on 148th Street on the downhill towards Mission Road, but I was able to run in the street for a small stretch to avoid this. Almost everyone I see runs in the street, but I try to avoid this, in part because I'm running with a dog.

It was cold (23F or -5C) and I went out in a running jacket, long running pants, and gloves. I listen to music while I run and the earphones, while not quite as good as earmuffs, kept my ears warm enough. But the cold north wind along Mission Road really bothered me. I felt it mostly in my forehead. I was originally intending to run all the way to 143rd Street and back, but the cold wind took all the fun out of the run, so I decided to turn around once I reached the bottom of "no brake" hill.

Once I was running south and out of the wind, I felt a lot better. Except for one thing. My arms got quite cold. I was wearing a short sleeved t-shirt under my running jacket, and the meant that the running jacket only provided a single layer of protection.

Next time it's so cold, I'll put on a hat to keep my forehead warm and I'll put a long-sleeved shirt under the running jacket.

I was also quite tired during the run and couldn't set a reasonable pace. I've been running a lot on the treadmill, but that's not the same as running outside. I still finished within 1/2 minute of my best time on the nobrake hill route. This was a total of 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) in 11 minutes and it translates to a 39 minute 5K.

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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.