3.5 miles

Run/walk to work this morning.

It's way to early in the week to be this tired, but I managed to get my butt out the door at 5am. Non-eventful run/walk. A lot more traffic than usual, which is likely due to school being in session.

Walk:
3.03 miles
53:05
17:31 pace

Run:
3.5 miles
40:06
11:27 pace

Double Park

Started the morning with a family hike at Lake Houston Park. The girls rode their mountain bike, while Andrea and I pushed Preston in the jogging stroller. We've never taken our stroller "off road", but it worked just fine. Of course it wasn't easy, but we managed, and Preston was safe. Before we left the park we let the girls hang out at the Nature Center, which they always enjoy.

Hike:
5.90 miles
1:39:37
16:53 pace

Met three other Kingwood FIT runners at East End Park for a great 2-mile recovery run. It seemed a little warm in the beginning, but otherwise enjoyable weather conditons. The two miles went by really fast... probably because I was mindlessly talking the entire time. I felt itchy to drop the pace near the end, but I kept reminding myself, "this is a RECOVERY run".

I'm hopeful the "alternate running" schedule becomes popular with more runners, because I greatly enjoy the social aspect of our group runs.

Walk (warm-up/cool-down):
0.68 mile
11:06
16:19 pace

Run:
2.0 miles
22:23
11:15 pace

Any Day....

Wonderful temperature this morning when compared to the last two months. We're knocking on the door of Fall temperatures and I cannot wait!

I took off work early this morning to run with my Kingwood FIT gang. Another great run. I get so excited for those runners that have distance PR's every time we run. Small adjustment to our pace to ensure a solid finish, which we did with negative splits.

The route was well known by me... we ran from the church to Kingwood Lakes, which is half a mile from my house.

Run:
5.12 miles
1:01:01
11:55 pace

Took the family for a leisure bike ride once I returned from the run. Preston rode with me, but I wish I still had the bike trailer so I could get a better workout.

Trail Bike:
5.54 miles
37:26
8.88 mph

New School & Old School Routes

Met Steve this morning for a bike ride. Started at the gas station at West Lake Houston Parkway, biked to Duessin Park, then four loops inside Eisenhower park, and finally back to our trucks. Great ride. This route has quickly become a new favorite. Minimal vehicle traffic and a couple nice hills to get the ole' heart rate up.

Road Bike:
22.33 miles
1:22:31
16.24 mph

This evening I only needed to run a couple miles. I ran an old route I use to run all the time a few years ago. The route consist of the outer perimeter of Trailwood Village, which is an EXACT 3-mile loop from my mail box. Half mile warm up, a speedy 2-mile jaunt, and half mile cool down. Great run. I haven't ran at night in a long time, which was pleasant. I'm really starting to feel like a "runner" again.

Walk:
1.03 miles
17:35
16:54 pace

Run:
2 miles
21:09
10:34 pace

Bike, Bike, Bike, Run/Walk

Biked home from work this morning.

At 11am Preston and I tried to bike to lunch. A mile from the house we ran into an isolated rain storm , so we hurried back home. I was drenched and exhausted from trying to get home as fast as possible, yet Preston had a good time. He kept saying, "it's raining, it's raining...", while kicking me from his car seat. Another enjoyable moment I hope to recall for years!

After lunch the skies cleared and we biked around Kingwood. Preston had a good time, but was upset when I took him out of his car seat. This time he kept saying, "I bike, I bike...", so I had to put him on the bike seat and push him up and down the driveway. It was too cute.

Trail Bike:
13.1 miles
1:06:12
11.87 mph

Once Andrea got home we loaded Preston in the jogging stroller, put Taylor on her bike, and went for a run. The workout; 6 x 0.50/0.25 intervals with warm up and cool down. Impressive walk pace, especially when it didn't feel like we were walking fast. I should have pushed the intervals harder. I was lacking motivation and sand-bagged the mileage.

Walk:
2.29 miles
37:38
16:26

Run:
3.0 miles
34:13
11:24 pace

Recumbent Bike

Biked to work this morning.

Trail Bike:
6.53 miles
31:00
12.64 mph

Ninety minutes on the recumbent bike, without any scenery other than the fire deparment gym is B-O-R-I-N-G!

Recumbent Bike:
23.03 miles
1:30:00
15.35 mph

Motivation

Left the house at 5:30am to walk Alison to school. That was a lot of driving for a 10-minute walk to Alison's classroom. Erin allowed Preston to home with me for an extended stay (7-days!). Preston and I arrived home at 10:20, so my mini-trip took nearly five hours. URG, I miss them living two miles away!

Preston and I had so much fun playing around the house that I forgot I needed to get my cardio fix. As soon as I realized I needed to get out the door I had a total loss of motivation. Not sure why, but I didn't want to workout. Probably has a little to do with my weight. I was struggling mentally with the lack of weight loss a week ago, then I had a couple good days. Now, I've had a 5-day run of minimal weight loss. I expect so much more with two hours of cardio, six days a week.

After Andrea go home I talked myself into running. I ran 6 x .50/.50 intervals. It rained on me the entire time, but I didn't mind. I was happy to trade the cool rain for blistering heat. The workout felt easy, almost too easy. The recovery intervals were too long, yet that is what got me out the door.... I knew it would be easy.

Walk:
3.17 miles
53:47
16:58 pace

Run:
3.0 miles
32:38
10:52 pace

Finished the cardio workout on the bike trainer. It wasn't a vigorous workout either, but I suppose it's better than sitting on the couch.

Bike Trainer:
9.7 miles
35:04
16.6 mph

Hike-a-Roo

Eight mile hike through Lake Houston Park. Started and ended the hike with a mile run. Our noon start time made for a warm workout. And for some reason it seemed like we walked for a lot longer than two-hours. All-in-all, I still had a good hike.

The lateral aspect of my right foot has been hurting since the end of the hike. The pain feels like a bruise. I iced both feet, but it still hurts. Hopefully the pain will disappear before tomorrows 3-mile run.

Walk:
5.92 miles
1:47:46
18:12 pace

Run:
2.0 miles
23:28
11:44 pace

Tomorrow is Alison's first day of second grade at her new school in Trinity. I want to be there, so that means I'm waking up at 5am, to be in Trinity by 7:30am. Driving nearly one hour and forty-five minutes to be with Alison for 10-15 minutes. Hope to spend some time with Preston as well.

I miss my kids more than they will ever know. Now that my kids are living nearly two hours away from Kingwood I have an unrelenting pain deep inside of me, which I don't like to talk about. I'll be the first to admit I'm living a good life, but it will ever be complete without them by my side. As a daily occurrence I have to remind myself this is something I have to live with and I have minimal control to enact change. Somehow I hope they know how much I love & miss them. I also hope they know they're not in my daily life because of any choices or decisions I made. These are the cards I was dealt.

Slippery When Wet

Where do I start with this day?!?!?

At the crack of dawn I took my Kingwood Fit peeps on their second 4-mile run. The early morning start enables us to beat the heat and log some decent miles. The pace was faster this week and my pod of 5-8 runners finished the mileage without stopping. Another successful run!

Kingwood has been getting isolated rain storms everyday for a week, so there are areas that are wet. With my running mileage complete and no one to join me on the road bike I decided to take my trail bike out for an easy one-hour ride. Two miles into my ride I was crossing a wood bridge and making a right hand turn at the same time. The moisture apparently coated the wood with a small layer of algae, which made the surface slick. As I turned to the right, my bike slid out from under me and I went flying over the handlebars. Believe it or not, but I landed on my feet, but I had too much momentum and couldn't stop from hitting the ground. I braced my fall onto the concrete with my hands, which took the blunt of the fall. It all happened really fast. The first thing I noticed was my shattered Garmin running watch. When I landed the faceof the watch must have hit the concrete. Either way, it's destroyed.

While surveying my injuries I noticed abrasions on all the knuckles of my left hand, missing layer of skin on my palm, scratches on my left elbow, and abrasions/scratches on my right forearm. The most alarming injury was a moderately sized deformity on my forearm near the abrasions. It looked like someone had showed a golf ball under my skin. I had full range of motion and minimal pain to the area, but I was worried I might have broken my arm.

Next thing I did was look over my bike for damage. I was happy to see the bike survived with only a little road rash and the chain popping off. My left hand was hurting, so it took a bit of effort to get the chain back on and bike home with one arm. Within the first 30 minutes the swelling was already going away, so I skipped a visit to the ER (to get an x-ray of my arm).

I was covered in dirt and debris from the fall. As I was cleaning the injuries at home I dug out a quarter-inch torn near the swelling. I assume it nicked a small vessel in the area, resulting in the swelling. All was well, but I was outwardly upset looking at the mess I made of my new garmin. VERY seldom do I ride my bike with the garmin, but this morning I wanted to monitor my heart rate, so I wore it on this particular ride. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that garmin's repair center tells me they can repair the unit at a reasonable price.

In an attempt to relax my nerves I went for an hour walk. Nothing eventful, but I took my phone and was texting people the entire time. I should have left the phone at home, because I didn't have an opportunity to de-stress from the incident. I was too engulfed with talking to my friends to enjoy the serenity of a nice walk.

I'm not lifting weights for about a week or until my hands feel better.

Run:
4.13 miles
46:45
11:19 pace

Walk:
3.72 miles
1:06:07
17:46 pace

Trail Bike:
4.36 miles
24:24
10.72 mph

Solo Ride

The plan was to meet up with a few local riders this morning, but something must of happened, because I was the only one that showed up. I waited an extra ten minutes for the other riders, then decided to go solo.

Peaceful 24 mile ride starting at the Flying J Fuel Station. Cycled Northwest on Loop 242 from HWY 59 and turned around a mile past FM 1314. Completely flat route with a wide shoulder, which helped me maintain a constant speed throughout the ride.

I always marvel at the beauty of early morning rides. On the trip out, the sun was behind me and I was amused at the different shadows I was projecting on the roadway. I posted a few pictures below.

Road Bike:
24.07 miles
1:29:32
16.13 mph

Nice 1.5 mile tempo run this evening. The schedule called for an "easy day", but I noticed I was gliding along a lot faster than usual and I couldn't resist the urge to push the pace. Feels good to move a little quicker, even if it was only 1.5 miles.

Andrea joined me for the run. We both have a lot on our mind and didn't say much while exercising. We received some despairing news today about her child custody court case. It seems they decided at the last minute that Taylor should have her our attorney. It's amazing they couldn't have determined this MONTHS ago. I think there's a little more to the story than we really know, but since this is a public blog, I'll keep those thoughts to myself.

Walk:
1.03 miles
17:18
16:47 pace

Run:
1.51 miles
15:34
10:19 pace
16.13 mph

Massive Workout

Started the day with a 9.5 mile stroll through the greenbelts on my trail bike. Nice ride and fair weather, what more can you ask for?

Trail Bike:
9.53
45:03
12.69 mph

I finally convinced myself to get in the gym. I've been posting some big weight loss numbers this week and I want to maintain the weight loss pattern. Nearly two full hours in the gym. This workout was not for the light hearted. I was throwing around some heavy iron. At one point I was standing in one place while drinking water and when I looked down I noticed a massive amount of water beneath me. It took a second to realize it was sweat dripping off me at a CRAZY rate. As I looked around I could see the same puddles of sweat at various other areas where I had been exercising.

It felt good in the gym, but I must confess... I was GLAD to be done.

Weight Training:
Upper, Mid, and Lower body

At 7pm Andrea and I ran 3 miles at East End Park while it was raining! Actually it wasn't "raining", but of a constant drizzle.

My legs are starting to feel heavy. This is my seventh straight day of exercising and I still have one more day till my official rest day. The run went well. We ran intervals; 3 x 1mile/0.25 mile, plus quarter mile warm up and quarter mile cool down. The last interval was tough. Thankfully I had my sexy running partner to keep me moving.

Run:
3.0 miles
35:42
11:54 pace

Walk:
1.06
18:34
17:31 pace

Cardio was 20-minutes short, so we went on a bike ride through Trailwood. Nothing eventful about the ride. A little more traffic than I expected, but we turned on our flashing lights and steamed ahead.

Trail Bike:
4.96 miles
24:43
12.04 mph

As soon as I got home I treated myself to a 20-minute cold soak. I have a group bike ride in the morning and a small run tomorrow evening... then RECOVERY DAY!

Bring. it. on.

Back to Biking

As I looked over my schedule I see an obvious trend of weight loss when I combine running and cycling. The trend also shows a direct relationship of small gains and even some weight gain when I walked rather than cycled. I've only tracked this over the last 3-4 weeks, so it might be coincidence. Either way, I plan to start riding more.

Set up the bike trainer and watched the Track and Field World Championship on television for about one hour.

Bike Trainer:
17.28 miles
1:00:03
17.27 mph

Later this evening I joined the Kingwood Cyclist group for a ride out of Duessin Park. Met a new rider, his name was Eric. He showed up with an older MTB and I was wondering if he was going to do his own thing or TRY to keep up with us. To my surprise he stayed right beside us! He was a bike-riding-machine! We rode from Duessin Park to Eisenhower Park and did three of the big loops. On the final loop I told Eric I wanted to push hard over the hill and to the park exit. Eric joined me and shocked the shit out me, again. I beat him by a small margin up the hill, but as soon as we crested he rode right past me. It took me nearly a quarter-mile to catch back up to him.

It was a great ride. Our mph was a lot faster than the computer revealed because we kept turning around to meet up with the other two riders, which involved some idle pedaling.

Road Bike:
16.66 miles
1:05:33
15.25 mph

Still not in the mode to lift weights. Eventually I have to start again.

Intervals

Biked home from work this morning.

Trail Bike:
6.02 miles
28:31
12.67 mph

Ran; 3 x 1-mile/half-mile intervals along the greenbelt. Half mile warm up and 0.75 mile cool down. Ran in the heat of the day. Despite the weather, I had a good run. Made a small adjustment to my pace to accommodate the temperature.

I haven't run with Gatorade in my bottle in a long time. Urg... just give me water unless I'm running double digits, I'd much rather chew my calories than drink them!!!

Walk:
2.23 miles
37:37

Run:
3.02 miles
36:22
12:03 pace

Small bike ride to complete 2-hours of cardio.

Trail Bike:
3.49 miles
18:03
11.6 mph

Haven't felt like lifting weights for the last two days. I suppose I'll play "catch-up" tomorrow, which is sure to leave me exhausted.

Bad Math

Biked to work, then rode a few extra miles around town.

Trail Bike:
9.01 miles
46:40
11.58 mph

Treadmill walk and run.

Walk:
3.61 miles
1:00:38
16:48 pace

Run:
1.5 miles
19:32
13:01 pace

Frustrated with the lack of weight loss this week. I posted great numbers (12.5 hours of cardio which included; run 12 miles, bike 36 miles, walk 24 miles. Also 5 weight lifting sessions). All the math added up, but a decrease in body weight didn't happen. I feel good, but I like to see it validated on the scale. I'm hoping to see some big numbers this week.

It's probably a result of being frustrated, but I'm hungry and struggling with food today. It's nearly 8pm and I'm about to get in bed, which means I'll be able to easily survive the night.

Lake Houston Park #2 visit

The morning started with a great 4-mile run with the KW Fit peeps. Our half marathon group quickly divided into smaller, similar pace groups. I lead a group of 6-8 strong runners. Conservative and consistent pace the entire time. No walk breaks, just running bliss. We could have easily gone farther, but that will happen soon enough...

Run:
4.01 miles
47:17
11:47 pace

Lunch, my "free meal" was at Los Cucos. Tasty entree and completely outside my normal ordering history.

Andrea, Taylor, and I went to Lake Houston Park for a 4.5 mile hike. We purchased a year long pass, so this should save us money after three more visits. The park is bike friendly, so Taylor rode her MTB while we walked. The hike ended in time for Taylor to attend an "American Alligator" speech at the nature center. Informative presentation and they had a live baby alligator as well! After the nature center stop we walked down to Peach Creek and sat in the rock bottom creek for 30-minutes. The cool water felt really good on our fatigued legs.

Walk:
4.71 miles
1:18:06
1:34 pace

Now it's time to hit the gym for an upper body workout and stretches.

Weight Training:
Upper Body + Stretches

Long walk

Walked home from work this morning.

In a mere 10-miles distance, the people are so different. When I'm in the Humble area, drivers buzz right by me at dangerous speeds with no regard to pedestrians. On the other hand, in Kingwood most of the drivers move to another lane, slow down, and a few even stop if there is traffic coming the opposite direction. I even get friendly waves from Kingwood drivers, which NEVER happens when I'm in Humble.

I forgot to mention... my elbow was nearly hit by a car mirror on my run to work yesterday. I'm partly to blame. For whatever reason, I had my head up my ass and was running WITH traffic instead of against the flow of traffic as I should have been. The near-miss was just inches from touching me. In fact, it stuck my shirt sleeve. What frustrated me even more... it was a little bitty Honda civic, which could have easily moved over and left both of use enough room in the same lane.

It's all very interesting to me.

Walk:
6.02 miles
1:42:36
17:02 pace

Later in the day I biked... and I put the hammer down! I needed 20 more minutes of cardio and I wanted to see how fast I could ride my 5.4 mile loop. It's been 4 days since I rode. My legs felt great and the ride was awesome.

Trail Bike:
5.46 miles
25:12
13.01 mph

As soon as I click PUBLISH, I'm walking out the door for my gym workout.

Weight Training:
Mid-Body

Looks like my sponsors are solid so I registered for the 2010 Houston Marathon. I'm a little behind where I'd like to be, but I have confidence I can ramp up in time for a successful run. There is a part of me that is saying, "what the hell are you thinking!?!?", but the majority of my being is super pumped!

Great Run

Hiked to work.

This morning was a WONDERFUL pre-work session! For once, I felt like I could have gone father. Arrived at work at 6-miles, but added another 1.75 miles before going into the fire station.

Walk:
5.26 miles
1:27:23
16:37 pace

Run:
3.02 miles
35:34
11:47 pace

Not many calls today, but we've been busy. I taught a "rope use in rescue applications" class. After lunch we worked on the ladder truck, which took most of the afternoon. After station duties I completed a 10-minute warm up walk, lower body workout, and stretches.

Weight training:
Lower Body + Stretches

Madness

It has been a CRAZY 24 hours and I'm apparently on the bad side of Karma.

Took part of the day off yesterday to be with family. I was at work by 5:30pm and within the first hour we had a house fire. Then we had a few more calls during the night and I didn't see my bed till 4:30am! As I was getting ready to get off work at 8:00am I was held over on mandatory over-time till 11:00am. Came home and went straight to bed. On Tuesday nights (today) I work for Wyatt so he can go to his Civil Air Patrol meeting, therefore I was BACK at work by 5:30pm. On the way there he called and said they were on an EMS call and asked me to relieve him at the hospital. I should have known this was a bad sign.

Started my walk-run workout on the treadmill. Made one EMS call during the run. Ironically, the call was to a local park where a jogger was dizzy. Anyways, when we got back to the station I started again, adding a little extra to my scheduled run. Seven minutes from the end of the final walk I got another call. Wyatt met me on scene and I went to the station to finish my walk and get my stuff.

I know it doesn't seem that hectic reading it on this blog, but it has been a crazy-ass day.

Walk:
4.51 miles
1:15:30
16:44 pace

Run:
3.24 miles
45:20
14:00 pace

As for the run, it seemed easy and fun. Wish I could have finished the workout continuously.

I'm attempting to raise money for Houston Marathon's "Run for a Reason" program. I've selected MARATHON KIDS as my official charity recipient. Need to raise a minimum of $350 ASAP. If you can help, even a few dollars... please call or email me.

Marathon Kids® is a free, endurance building running/walking/nutrition & gardening program for K-5th graders. Accepted into public, private and home schools as a free, innovative celebratory fitness program resonating with the child and with the child's family. The child develops the love and habit of moving through space and carries forward the power of muscular, nutritional and psychological well-being.

Bike Trainer

Early morning ride with Taylor. I rode a few more miles than she did, because she wasn't in the mood to ride.

Trail Bike:
10.12 miles
1:06:37
9.11 mph

Too off work till 6 pm for personal family business.

Before going back to work I rode the bike trainer and lifted weights.

Bike Trainer:
12:41 miles
54:24
13.69 mph

Weight Training:
Lower-body + Stretches

Jesse Jones Park

Happy 57th Birthday Mom!

Last night we watched Gran Torino with Clint Eastwood. Good flick. Work up this morning and rode our bikes to HEB Redbox to return the movie.

Trail Bike:
7.78 miles
44:01
10.61 mph

It was like Christmas this morning! We went to Lukes Locker to exchange a pair of running shoes that was giving Andrea blisters on both feet. For the first time in a long while, I had a really good experience with Luke's. John was informative, sincere, helpful, and an all-around great to work with. We were so impressed we ended up buying Andrea a 6-bottle fuel belt and I bought a two bottle Ultimate Direction Naviti belt.

I would have bought myself a new pair of shoes at Luke's Locker as well, but I had a $40 gift card from Fleet Feet Sports for helping coach Power in Motion. The people were nice there as well, but I couldn't find a shoe I loved and ended up settling on a cheap pair of Asics Gel-Pulse. Fleet Feet is smaller, which is a double-edged sword. Unfortunately, today there were times I found myself frustrated that the person helping me was also trying to multi-task... working the register, answering the phone etc.

Also stopped by Academy for a smaller 2-gallon water jug to keep in my truck. Hopefully our days of running out of water are behind us!

Spent a little more than an hour at Jesse Jones park. Great place and really close to the house. It's been raining off-and-on all day, so we ran around a 1.5-mile asphalt loop on the East side of the JJ park. There were quite a few rolling hills in that short distance and the humidity made for some of the toughest running I've done this year!!! Andrea and I were well prepared... new shoes, tons of water, healthy lunch, and well rested. Sometimes that's not enough when the weather isn't optimal. Some how we managed to finish the workout. We were so tired neither of us said much on the way home.

Walk:
3.60 miles
1:20:29
16:48 pace

Run:
2.0 miles
23:2011:40 pace

Dad's been falling a lot. He's on a lot of blood thinners, so he looks like shit. He has bruises all over his upper body in different stages of healing.

Late this afternoon Andrea and I both hit the gym. Good workout.

Weight Training:
Mid-Body + Stretches

Lake Houston Park

The day started in a disappointing fashion, but I'm happy with the week in general.

Busy day at work lead into a busy night as well. I had a buddy come in early so I could run with the KFIT peeps, but work didn't allow that to happen. By the time of got off duty my brain was mush.

The moment I walked in the house I went straight to bed and didn't wake up for 6-hours. All better now, but I like I said... I'm really disappointed I missed KFIT.

This afternoon Andrea and I drove to Lake Houston Park in New Caney, TX. It was really nice out there, even though the maps were a bit confusing and a few horse flies were pestering us. Tomorrow we're looking for a better hydration bottle(s). Half way into the run we both ran out of water. It was NOT a good feeling to be 4-miles into the woods without water. Sounds like I'm complaining a lot, but it was an enjoyable time. Glad to see new things we have never seen before and we highly recommend this park.

Walk:
5.44 miles
1:32:16
16:58 pace

Run:
2.5 miles
27:58
11:11 pace

As soon as I finish this post I'm going to the gym.

Weight Training:
Upper Body + Stretches

I've noticed my pace is getting better and that is exciting!!

Posted good numbers this week. Solid 12.5 hours of cardio in the last seven days. Grand total of 87-miles (run 11, cycle 57, and walk 19)

Hell ya!

Hike

Hiked to work today! Twenty minute warm-up walk, 3.5 mile run, and walked the remainder of the distance. Felt really good to cover the distance on foot. Both the running and walking pace was quicker than previous sessions as well.

Walk:
3.57 miles
1:00:40
17:00 pace

Run:
3.5 miles
39:37
11:19 pace

It's been non-stop all day at work. Equipment checks, EMS calls, training, cleaning... I haven't had a minute to take a breath. Four hours of sleep last night didn't help either. I'm ready for bed.

Two-hours of cardio quota was a short, so I jumped on the treadmill for 20-minutes. Finished the day with a lower body workout and stretches.

Walk:
1.15 miles
20:00
17:23 pace

Weight Training:
Lower Body + Stretches

The weight loss is slowing, but I'm happy with any day I cover more than 8-miles in one day!

Galveston Wedding and a Sunset

Biked home from work this morning. Felt like I was on auto-pilot for the ride home.

Trail Bike:
6.13 miles
33:48
10.9 mph

Andrea and I drove to Galveston this morning to look at a stunningly beautiful reception hall. From the moment we pulled into the parking lot Andrea was gleaming with excitement. Needless to say we booked the facility for our wedding ceremony and reception! The facility is only a couple streets from the seawall and attached to a small breath-taking city park. We also have plans to book the park as well!

Walked the 5.4 mile greenbelt loop. Andrea joined me for a majority of the walk and she still managed to squeeze in a 3 mile run in the middle. Thought it would be a lot hotter, but it wasn't all that bad. Beautiful sunset over Kingwood Lakes this evening. Wish I had my camera to capture moments like those.

I have two new "hot spots" on my feet. Both on the ball of each foot. Must be my shoes to be in the same location, at the same time. I was proud of my pace. I didn't over-extend myself and maintained a 16:19/mile pace.

Walk:
5.41 miles
1:28:16
16:19 pace

Caught up on missed workouts. Felt good.

Weight Training:
Upper-body, Mid-body, + Stretches

Going through the motions

Biked to work today. Dead legs = slow ride.

Trail Bike:
6.41 miles
40:02
9.61 mph

Weather forecast says the next three days will be over 100+ degrees. That's all the reason I need for another dreadmill run.
Twenty minute warm-up walk, 3 mile run, twenty minute cool-down walk, and stretches.

Walk:
2.19 miles
40:02
18:16 pace

Run:
3.0 miles
41:29
13:50 pace

Stretches

Almost 30

As soon as I got home from the part-time job, I loaded up the road bike gear for a long ride with the Kingwoood group.

We had five people riding this morning. No cycling superstars in our group, so it is usually a nice social ride. We rode the grass farms around Dayton to the Shell station in Crosby. Nothing too interesting about the ride. I changed two flats, neither of which were mine. Even the wind was well behaved today. I wish we would have rode in a tighter peloton. We rode in a spread out pace line and had to do our own work.

Two-hours of cardio per day is wearing me down. On the way back I BONKED huge with only five miles left to ride. I simply ran out of gas. I went from riding 17 mph to 12 mph within minutes. Nothing I could do about bonking. I put my head down and maintained a few rpm's until I saw my truck.

I'm quite tired and deserve a nap!
Road Bike:
29.91 miles
2:02:49
14.61 mph

Bad News, I'm SLOW

Biked home this morning. Overcast skies kept most of the heat back, yet the humidity had a strong grip on me.

Trail Bike:
6.41 miles
35:52
10.73 mph

While Andrea was on her long run I hit the gym. Skipped the mid-body workout yesterday, so I added it onto today's lower body workout.

Weight Training:
Mid-body and Lower Body

The entire family biked to Schlotzsky's for lunch. Nice easy ride. I was very proud of the girls. Seven miles is a long way for their tiny legs. They were rewarded with a brief stop in the toy & candy store next to the sandwich shop.

Trail Bike:
7.38 miles
50:35
8.75 mph

Working my Part-time job at Jersey Village FD tonight. Since the last time I was here they purchased a new treadmill! I like the cardio room at JVFD, because it has a television to watch while running. At Humble FD, I just stare at a wall.

Now, to the bad news... I had a good run. Ten minute warm up walk, 2 mile run, and ten minute cool down walk. I ran by effort level, not time or speed and it is similar to the Humble FD treadmill. I had HOPED it was not correct, but it is. I'm simply slower, A LOT SLOWER on the treadmill. Of well, running is running.

I'll never win an age-group award, so no reason worrying about how fast I can run. Right?

Walk:
0.97 mile
20:00
20:37 pace

Run:
2.0 miles
29:11
14:36 pace

Afterwards I went through all my stretches.

YES!!! ...finally

Biked to work this morning.

Trail Bike:
6.71 miles
41:40
9.66 mph

Ran on the work treadmill. I don’t care if the calibration is accurate or not, because I had a GREAT run. It’s been a long time since I’ve ran 3 continuously miles. My legs felt smooth and fluid. No aches, no pains, just running bliss. Started the run with a one-mile warm up and a one mile cool down.

Run:
3.0 miles
44:55
14:48 pace

Walk:
2.11 mile
40:25
19:09 pace

Finished the session with Stretches