Training specifically for TIR

I ran 12 this morning. The first two miles were an out and back. On the way back in from the out I remembered I told Andrea I would go to Shipley’s to get the kids some kolaches for breakfast. So when I finished my second mile I stopped at the house, got my keys and drove to Shipley’s, went through the drive-through, drove back home, dropped the koloches on the kitchen table and went back out the front door to resume my run.

Next weekend at TIR I will run for a while and ride in a car for a while and run again. So this morning I was training specifically for the relay. Run 2 miles ride for 20 minutes and run 10 more miles. Although the running distances and times riding in a car will be a bit different.

My first two miles passed in 15:36 (too fast). I hit the seven-mile mark in 58:17 cumulative time for approximately an 8:18 pace. I turned my watch off and took it easy for the last five which I ran mostly on trails.

Tomorrow Jakeb is supposed to run eight. I think I’ll run the whole thing with him depending how I feel.

Maybe not as nice as you thought

I registered the whole family for the Bayou City Classic yesterday. Jakeb and I are going to run it. Andrea and Anna are going to walk it. Tori and her boyfriend Peter are going to finish it but I am not sure if the plan is for them to run it or walk it or a combination of both. They may not be planning to finish together I do not know.

There is nothing interesting about registering for a race except for the way the race numbers fell out.

Peter – 671
Tori – 670
Jakeb – 669
Anna – 668
Andrea – 667
Tommy – 666

Yeah that’s right folks. Some people know me as a preacher; some as a generally moral guy, but according to the Bayou City Classic numbering system I am Satan.

Healing in a cabin

During my 10 mile run on Friday I had some pain on the outside of my left foot on the bone beside my toe. It was not painful enough to stop, just painful enough to be annoying. So for the weekend I decided not to run.

I had other reasons for not running. Andrea and I had reservations for a cabin at North Toledo Bend State Park in Louisiana. The cabin was a two-bedroom loft with a kitchen, fireplace and screened-in front porch. We brought a computer, DVDs, and some good food. We cooked, watched movies and sat on the front porch and watched it rain on the lake. I didn’t run a step. It was good to get away with Andrea and it was good to take two days off from running. (The picture above is the view from the front porch.)

This morning I ran five with Jakeb. We pushed it at tempo pace and my foot didn’t hurt at all.

Running with U2

I ran 10 miles Friday morning listening to my U2 playlist to get ready for U23D. Jakeb and I went to the IMAX on I-10 and the loop and saw it Friday night after his basket ballgame. If you are a fan of U2 it is well worth it. The movie was good but the sound should have been about 10 decibels louder. U2 has got to be one of the best bands ever, especially live.

On Saturday morning I ran 8 and I left the iPod at home because I ran the first 5 with Jakeb. The internal playlist in my brain was playing U2. “God – Part II” was repeating itself … “Don’t believe the devil, don’t believe his book, but the truth is not the same without the lies he made up …”

Sunday morning I ran 3 with Jakeb and stopped at home and got the iPod and ran 5 more with U2 playing for real in my head. It is so good I can’t turn it off. I will eventually move on but I always end up coming back.

Monday and this morning I ran 5 miles and I am still feeling the effects of the marathon. I don’t think I have done what it takes to sufficiently recover so it is my fault. My runs are not the most wonderful thing in my life right now but I am covering the miles and feel good about it.

If the stars and planets align in perfect harmony I will run the Surfside half-marathon this weekend.

BTW – I don’t really prescribe in that “stars and planets” stuff.