Great Pumpkin Fun Run

This post is a little overdue, but I've had lots of other things going on in my life the last couple of weeks. This will just be a quick post anyway.

For the first time in many months, I ran another fun run. I like these little 5K runs because it's casual, quick, and makes me feel like I've accomplished something so that I don't feel guilty for laying on the couch drinking beer and watching movies for the rest of the day. Not that I ever do that, of course.

My stats this time were:

• Time: 26:26; Pace: 8:30
• Overall position: unknown, out of probably 1,200
• Men's 40-44 position: 27 out of 74 (36.5%)

That's a good pace, especially compared to my last race. I know for sure that I run faster in colder weather (which I think is true for all runners).

Unfortunately, on the last little hill before the finish line, I did something funky to my right knee. Actually, I did it while running about a week before, but I had not felt it again until this race. For the most part, it doesn't really hurt when I'm walking or running. But from time to time, I'll get a sharp twinge that nearly takes my leg out. I'm hoping that a few days of rest will give it time to work itself out. Could it be I'm actually starting to get old!? Oh no!

Karen ran as well, but we split up right after crossing the starting line (which, frustratingly for me, was about 2:30 minutes after the starting gun because we were so far back). Usually, she has a friend she can run with at her slower pace, but we forgot to coordinate this time. On the way to the race, this really frustrated her. However, by the end of the race she was very happy about it. "I didn't have to chat or anything, I could just focus on running!" she said. Now maybe she'll understand my perspective a little and won't give me a hard time for running on ahead at my pace. Either way, we both had fun.

We're gearing up for the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving. In Houston, you never know whether it's going to be warm or cold for that one, but it should be fun either way.

Run Wild 5K

Whew! This may be my last one for a while. It's just too dang hot. By 7:30 in the morning in Houston, TX it is already 78 degrees with 90% humidity. We've had a lot of rain for the past week, so the humidity is slightly higher than normal. I was really expecting (and hoping, actually) that it would be raining during the race, but alas, no such luck. In fact, the course was designed in such a way that I felt like the sun was shining directly into my eyes no matter which direction I was running!

My stats degraded a bit from last time:

• Time: 27:25 Pace: 8:51/mile
• Overall position: 304 out of 807 (37.5%)
• Men's 40-44 position: 34 out of 63 (54%)

My pace slowed down a bit, but I mostly blame the heat. I also haven't run as much this week as the past several, but I really don't think that had much to do with it. I don't know why they can't organize these things to start around 5:30 in the morning. It might actually be cool then, and I could get back home to take a nap and feel like I haven't wasted the day.

There might be one or two more runs I would be interested in doing this summer, but after today I will really think about whether or not it's worth it. It's just so hot. I should just wait until September when the weather is better, but since I'm running almost every day in this heat, why should a 5K be any different?

Houston Heights 5K

Last Saturday, I ran another 5K. Just like last year, the Houston Heights Fun Run fell on the weekend after the Astros Race for the Pennant. I kinda like having two races on consecutive weekends. It's like having a second chance when you don't feel like you did well the first time.

My stats this time were a definite improvement over last week's run:

• Time: 26:18 Pace: 8:30/mile
• Overall position: 266 out of 858 (top 31%)
• Men's 40-44 position: 27 out of 53 (51%)

However, that time is only about 15 seconds better than last year's time. If I can get back to my habit of running five times a week, I think I'll have a better chance of improving my time.

When I hit the first mile marker, my pace was actually a minute faster than usual. But instead of continuing on like that, I decided to slow it down to make sure I didn't burn out too fast. It was really hot and humid (shocking for Houston, I know), but the course is very flat and shaded. It's a nice out-and-back route down the main street of one of the older neighborhoods. It's really a nice little run.
The big deal this year, however, was that for the first time ever my wife Karen joined me. We have a "couple" friends who have been trying to run for a while, and they encouraged her to join us. It made it a lot more fun. I was very proud of her for doing the race, and at a pretty decent pace as well.

Even though they all run at a much slower pace than me, it was great to be there to cheer them on when they made it to the end. It's also nice to have people to hang out with afterward. Usually, I'm by myself so I just grab a banana and head on back home.

Race for the Pennant 5K

This past weekend I ran my second 5K for this year, and I wasn't too pleased with the results. They're not bad, I know, but they weren't as good as I was expecting.

The Race for the Pennant is the laughable title of this run, since it is co-sponsored by the Houston Astros and finishes inside Minute Maid Park. Since the Astros seem to be already eliminated from the real pennant, I wasn't too worried about winning this one either.

My stats:

• Time: 27:36 Pace: 8:55/mile
• Overall position: 676 out of 2437
• Men's 40-44 position: 55 out of 123

Compared to my last run, my time is only one second different, but my placement is completely different. My overall position is about 100 spots higher than the total runners in that last one.

I'm also disappointed that my time this year is about 16 seconds slower than it was for the same race last year. That isn't a big difference by any means, but during the run I really felt like my time would be better.

I have another run coming up this weekend, so we'll see how I do on that one. It's a flat course in the shade, so that should help. I'm also planning to really push myself more training this week than I usually do.

Rise & Shine 5k

Well, I've completed my first 5k of the season. This is also the first one I've run since I injured my hip at the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot. The cold weather, the injury, and dealing with my father kept me from running in all of December and January, and I've only slowly gotten back into the habit over the last few months.

My pace and running ease aren't where they were before my running break, but I'm glad I'm finally getting the desire to run more frequently. Taking any time off from exercise can be brutal to your ability to get back into it. I realize that running 5k (3.1 miles) isn't much, but I don't think I'm cut out to be a distance runner.

Anyway, the Rise & Shine 5k was sponsored by some companies downtown, and a friend of ours works for one of those companies. In order to boost participation, his company paid the entry fees for employees, friends, and family. That was even better incentive.

So, here are my stats:

• Time: 27:37 Pace: 8:55
• Overall position: 182 out of 591
• Men's position: 135 out of 296
• Men 40-44 position: 12 out of 24

Just for comparison, the race leader won with 16:43.

Lately, my runs have been averaging around the 26-27 mark, so I'm not surprised or too disappointed in that time. However, my best 5k from last year was the Turkey Trot at 24:20! I was really hoping that the adrenaline of the race would kick me up to around 25, but I guess not.

I have two goals to achieve in a race this year, and reaching either of them would be great. I'd like to get my time back under 25:00 again, and/or I'd like to finish in the top 100 overall. The former is probably more likely than the latter, unless I can continue to find more small runs like this one. Usually, the total runners are about three times this amount.

Lastly, and I promise to complain about this only once, but get the walkers out of the way! I don't know why this bothers me so much, especially considering it happens at every single race. But seriously. If you know you're going to be walking the 5k, or even just barely jogging, that's absolutely fine. But please, please, please start at the back of the runners! Please keep to the right side of the course. Please don't line up four or five abreast and link arms. I don't feel confident or fast enough to deserve to be up at the very front of the starting line, but I am just sick of having to dodge so many people during the first mile. And yet, this happens at every single race, so you'd think I would have accepted it by now.