Hilly hill repeats...

I set out this morning to run 10 miles. That was all the planning I did before I hit start on my Garmin. What more did my legs need to know?

I ran south on Howard to Third Street and turned east. I ran one block. I heard loud barking. I turned and saw a big black furry thing charging me. I turned around and ran back toward Howard. I took a few steps and heard a slightly different bark coming from my left. I looked left. A black and gray and white thing was charging from that direction. I hate dogs! I turned around so I could see where to aim my kicks and screamed obscenities at the canines nipping at my heels. Okay, well, I didn't really curse at them. I yelled, in my best I'm-not-really-scared-of-you voice, "Go home!" Of course, these dogs didn't speak English so their behavior didn't change one bit. Grrrrr!

I finally got back to Howard where I escaped my nipping nemeses. (I had to look up the plural for nemesis. I guess I've never had to deal with two before.) I ran down to Sixth Street, went east to Country Club Road, and turned south onto it. I ran up the hill to Lake Road and turned west. The climb continued up and over a little hump and then I was going downhill.

It was at the bottom of the hill that a new plan took over. A car was coming toward me, so I decided to turn around and run back up the hill rather than continue toward the car hoping that it would actually move over and not run me into the ditch. As I turned, I thought, It's been a long time since I've done hill repeats. So began the pain. I ran up and down that hill, turning around at my friends' house at the top of the hill and at the street light at the bottom. Over and over I did it.

I completed five repeats and then ran into town to the Ampride for a necessary stop. As I was coming out of the facilities, I met up with a Sherrif's deputy. "You can talk with the city police, can't you," I said. "Yes," said he. "There are two big aggressive dogs loose at the corner of Third and Grove," I report. "I'll let them know," he said as he picked up his radio transmitter. Take that stinking furballs!

I resumed my run feeling better. I ran back to my hill and did three more repeats before I really had to get moving toward home or miss breakfast. I ran back down Country Club, but did not turn on Sixth. I ran straight up to Highway 54. I did NOT want to go see if my nemeses were still on the lam. I ran up the hill on 54, turned on Belmont and zigged and zagged my way home. I walked in the door. Breakfast! (garmin data)

My private marathon...

I finally got my long run in! I set out this morning just after 5:00 headed from Pratt to Haviland along basically the same route that I will take at the end of my 100-miler next month.

I ran from my house along School Street to Main and headed north to the first country road that leaves town headed west. I ran out into the dark along the sandy road, enjoying the sound of each footfall as I cruised along. I ran three miles on this road, then turned south on 40th for a mile. It was on this stretch that I took my first roadside pit stop, a first for me. Not fun! I did feel better afterward, but yuck!

I ran down to 1st Street then headed west again. I followed 1st Street all the way through the rest of Pratt County. I had to take a second pit stop a few miles down the road. I encountered a couple of dogs. They barked, but didn't charge. I'm always happy when barking is all that happens! I also heard hunters firing their rifles in the distance when I ran past the Texas Lake Wildlife Area. Glad they weren't shooting at me!

1st Street turned into G Street when it crossed into Kiowa County. I continued on west and picked up a running partner about a mile into the county. A friendly pup ran along with me for the next five or six miles, disappearing only after I crossed over the asphalt of 51st. 51st goes south to Haviland, but I wanted to complete 26.2 miles so I ran a mile west, one south and another back east to get the extra miles I needed.

At the cemetery, I turned south onto 51st and ran into town. When I entered the city limits, I ran on to my wife's uncle and aunt's house where I had left clothes to change into. I thought I needed more distance, so I ran around their block before stopping. It turned out that I could have quit earlier. Oh, well! I finished my first solo marathon distance run ever!

Am I ready to run 100 miles? Not quite yet. I need a few more of these kind of runs to gain confidence and to build stamina. Watch for them later this month!

Running around town...

I got out the door earlier than usual this morning. It wasn't even 5:00! I stepped out into the darkness and found the atmosphere to be a bit hostile to humans on foot. With winds in the 20mph range, it felt a lot colder than the 55 degrees the thermometer read. Brrrrr!

I started running and quickly decided on a run around the outskirts of Pratt. I hadn't done that since the dog "attack" the last time I tried it, so I was due for a big loop. I ran out to Highway 61 and then ran out and around the edge of the community college campus. That's where I spotted my first police cruiser. I guess they must patrol the campus from time to time.

I ran off campus and back onto the highway, running down the middle as I did yesterday. I'm such a rebel! I ran up to the cemetery road and turned west on it. I ran up and around the cemetery and then made my way over to the other side of the railroad tracks. I was running along there when I encountered my second cop car. I hardly ever see any officers out when I'm running and now I'd seen two!

I ran across the railroad tracks again and ran directly to the Kwik Shop where I made a much needed pit stop. Ugh! Sometimes running is such a pain!

I left the Kwik Shop and ran out to the western edge of town and ran down to Tenth Street. I was running along Tenth approaching the power plant when, what do you know, another police car passed me. Three in one day! What's up with that?

I ran out onto Highway 281 for a block or so and then ran over to Lemon Park. I did a loop around the park and then ran up to Sixth Street Park, running along the sidewalk until I could jump over to Haskell and run out to Sixth Street.

I ran east on Sixth for awhile. Crossing over Country Club and running on to Fincham, I saw headlights approaching. You guessed it! Another police car! Crazy! Did they radio each other so they could keep the runner under surveillance? More likely it was the same car all four times.

I ran up and around Wal-Mart and out onto Highway 54 for a short time, then turned north on 61 to run back up to Maple and back around to home after climbing the hill up to Welton. I pushed stop on my Garmin at 11.11 miles because I liked the number and then walked a block to cool down. (garmin data)

A trip to the lake...

I am not sleeping well right now. The pain in my shoulder keeps waking me up. I was awake three or four times during the night. The last time I woke up, I put an ice pack on it and fell asleep only to be awakened by my alarm clock about an hour later.

It was a cool 46 degrees when I stumbled out the door at 5:00. I decided to run out and around the lake, so I headed east. I ran over to Terrace and then down Maple out to Highway 61. It was about that time that I finally felt alive. I ran out to the middle of the highway and ran all the way down to Highway 54 in the new center turn lane. It's amazing how little traffic there is at 5:00.

Turning east on 54, I ran out of town, then turned south on the little state highway that runs south to Lake Road. I met a couple of cars on that stretch of asphalt. Rather than make them figure out what I was, I ran over to the opposite side of the road.

When I got to Lake Road, I turned west and ran along the narrow way. I heard something crashing its way through the woods once. I hoped it wasn't a rabid Sasquatch and kept running, clapping my gloved hands as loudly as I could to scare the beast away.

I reached the lake about 40 minutes into my run and decided I had enough time to do a lap around it. It was nice to run through the shadows cast by the moonlight with not another person around. I was surprised that in several places gravel had been spread over the pavement. The run through the RV area was almost all sandy. Sand is nice for soft footfalls.

I left the lake and headed back toward town. Rather than turn back toward 54 when I got back to the state highway, I ran straight west on Lake Road to Country Club Road. I encountered a few cars along the way. One was the paper delivery van and they pulled over onto my shoulder right in front of me. I thought I was going to hit them, but they sped away without looking back.

Running down Country Club Road was a pleasant relief after climbing up the slow, shallow grade to it. I ran straight on up to 54 and then ran along the well-worn foot path next to the highway. I crossed over to the north side at Dollar General and then snaked my way back to the house. Glancing at my Garmin, I saw I need just under a quarter mile to get nine miles, so I ran across the street and through the Haskins school property on their sidewalks before doubling back on Manor to finish out my morning.

Compared to yesterday, this run did not feel all that great. I didn't have the same flow. Still, it wasn't a bad run and I didn't have any major emergencies. I just hope the ache in my shoulder is gone by November 9 when I start my 100-miler. It would be a mental burden to deal with it for 24 hours. (garmin data)

Biggest mileage yet...

At 42 degrees, it was a bit brisk this morning. The cooler temps made me want to run faster to stay warm. No sense in being cold if you don't have to be.

In the first mile and a half of my run, I encountered two skunks. The first was running parallel to me about twenty feet away. The second was much closer and running away from me. Both had their tails up, but did not perfume me. I ran away from them out into the country. All morning, I enjoyed the bright light of the near full moon as I shuffled along the dirt roads. It was beautiful.

I ran a route that I've never done before, running a mile north and then looping around to come back into town the same way I left it. I then crossed the highway and ran up past the cemetery to Stout to get back home.

My Garmin died before I finished, so this is a close approximation of my distance and time. I know I was right around 9 miles and 1:20. If my Garmin had still been working, I'd have run an extra .30 to get 15K. Even without that extra, this run put me over 826 miles for the year making 2012 my biggest mileage year ever. Of course, that's not saying much since I've only run for two years.

Pit stop at Wal-Mart...

I wanted to run a little longer this morning than I had since my bike accident. My shoulder has been feeling better, so I was pretty sure I could handle it.

I took off with no particular route in mind. I just wanted to run as long as I could before breakfast.

I ran out to Highway 54 and headed east. I didn't get very far when GI issues became very pressing. I stopped at the truck stop and it's one-holer was full, so I ran on to Wal-Mart and used their facilities.

Much relieved after my pit stop, I continued on east on the highway. It was a beautiful morning, cooler than it has been and nicely lit by the moon. I ran out two miles and then turned onto dirt.

I ran up a mile on the dirt road and then turned back toward town. This is the road I'll be coming into Pratt on during my 100-miler next month. (Yikes! Did I just say next month?!) I ran along the sandy surface enjoying myself.

When I got back to the pavement, I took Highway 61 south to Maple and then ran up the hill past my office and on to Oak before looping back around toward home. I passed 8 miles before the curves in School Street, so I ended up with 8.25 miles.

I still need some (a lot) longer runs for me to feel confident about my 100-miler, but I was really pleased with today's run. I felt like I could run at this pace for a long, long time. (garmin data)