June - it's hot out there!

June really is the hardest month to run in, in Houston. I know I have been really quiet this month and that is for good reason. I have been keeping my head down and my feet moving. The heat and humidity have seriously set in and the acclimation process is long and hard. My hottest run so far was on an afternoon where it was 91 with the heat index making feel like 99 with 53% humidity, and I still managed just under 5 miles. I finally managed to get back on my schedule and am settling back into 4 days running 2 days strength with cross and 1 full day of rest. 

I did manage to get out the USAFit Cypress orientation day run but since it was only 2 miles I bagged off my long run for the weekend (like a fool). Now I feel the pressure as I am now 3 weekends away from a half marathon trail run in Navasota. I know it's going to kick my ass. That's what I get for being lazy during the beginning of June. About Cyfit, I think I am a bit on the ropes about actually joining, only because the beginning mileage is so low. I don't have any long run targets after July so there is no reason why I can't lower my base and then ease back up to it but I also can't get over that feeling that I may lose something in the process. I have given myself until the 30th to decide.

Currently I have hit 77 miles for the month (same as the end of May) with a long run and a speed work out still to go. As strange as that sounds it will be my highest mileage month so far this year.

This is my summer race schedule, if you see me out at any of these, please give me a shout out:

July 4th Baytown Heatwave 5 miler
July 6th The Heights free 5k Downtwon H-town + hill workout
July 12th Magnolia Hills Half Marathon Navasota Tx.

August 9th Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer 5k Downtwon H-town
August 23rd Lake Houston 10k Kingwood Tx.
September 20th Toughest 10k Kemah Tx.

Also I am looking for another good run for September, if you know of one let me know.

1st Street 5k

How do you get more races to come to your town? You come out an support the ones that do come to your town, whatever the distance. When the guys over at Run In Texas announced that they, in conjunction with No Label Brewing Co. were putting on a new race in town I jumped on it! As more race directors move races to the west side of Houston I'm trying to do all of them I can. There are so many races to do downtown or in the NASA/Gulf area it's nice to have ones now popping up closer to home. FYI, I also hear that Onurmark Productions is getting geared up to run a half marathon in Katy in February 2015. There are a few smaller events 5 and 10k's in the area and last year the Texas 10 series brought a 10 mile event to the area but if this half comes together it will be the longest distance I have heard of run in Katy proper. Back to the 5k, this is the first time I get to run in what is known in the area as "Katy proper". Katy is really 3 different areas, south of I-10 where all the newer construction is happening, Katy proper, which is the historical Katy and the area where I live, which really is far north and smashed between Houston and Cypress. I almost never have any reason to go to that side of town so this race was a good excuse to get out and see the "town".  To take full advantage and the late start time (8:30) I got to No Label a little after 6 so I could get some miles in before the race. I headed out along 1st St, and decided to run until it dead-ended and then run back hoping to get in at least 4 miles. This section of town got me to thinking about my home town, Pleasanton CA. Small mom and pop shops, the tree lined street complete with railroad tracks running along side the road. Just not as hot. Or humid. And less mosquitoes. 

Rice Dryer and silos

Katy is/was an old rice farming town. Along the high way the old rice silos remain. No Label has moved into a warehouse along side of them. For me being a lover of all old buildings it was a special treat to be able to get up close to them. The was very well organized except for 2 things (other than the late start time) 1. the "instruction" announcement was a bit long and late and 2. the start line is about a 1/4 mile from the point where they had runners gather prerace, which meant moving 500+ people the distance and then getting them to turn the corner. Which led to #3, 10 minute late(r) start. The course itself was good, fast and shady until the finish. The last 1/4 mile was on a pot holed filled gravel road.  

The hardest part at the finish was waiting in line for my finisher pint glass. Must have taken a good 10 minutes to get to the front of the que. Only real problem there, only 2 people checking bibs and handing out glasses. The beer lines, on the other had were quite empty (everybody still in line getting their glass). On a day like today this pint glass is better than any medal they could have put around my neck, it's hot and something cold to put in it was well earned. Will I come back if the do another one? You betcha, anything to support my local community. 

Still having issues getting my motivation in check but I have no choice right now but to get out there and run, if I don't the heat will drag me down and kill me. No not really, but I will end up struggling my way thru the summer wishing I were dead during races. No more races left for June. :(

Up coming races:

July 4th - Baytown Heatwave 5 miler
July 12th - Magnolia Hills Half Marathon

August 9th - Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer 5k, Downtown Houston

August 23rd - Lake Houston 10k.

And a whole lot of marathon training in between. 

National Run Day

Boy, you guys are hearing a lot from me this week. I am trying to get my motivation back and one way to do it is taking part in the National Run Day celebration put on by none other than Houston's Marathon Committee. Nothing quite says June in Houston like a 5pm run in 95 degree weather on the Seymour Lieberman Exercise Trail in Memorial Park, in the blazing sun with very little shade. This run has become an annual tradition for me. The first year I attempted it I couldn't even get around the loop. Last year I managed 1 loop and this year I parked in the south lot ran half way up the loop to the party's starting point, ran the loop, and then walked (with a bit of 2 minute intervals) the rest of the loop back to my car. In all just under 6 miles in the blazing hot Houston sun. I really appreciate that the Houston Marathon puts on this and the Party in the Park for Houston runners. I know it server their purpose to get people excited about the opening day of the lottery for the race, which just happens to be National Run Day, but they really do kind of go above any beyond at this event. First off it's a supported run, no there's no water stops on the loop but there is plenty of water, beer and gateraid when you finish. As well as a few vendors handing out munchies and other free goodies. And a free t-shirt! This years was way better than previous years. It's a soft cotton wicking blend, unlike the heavy pure cotton ones that segregated marathoners from the halfers. Secondly, there's a good crowd. Easily a few hundred runners came out this year. Nothing quite like celebrating National Run Day with a few hundred other runners who are running for the joy of running.

End of May - Beginning of June

Recap time. May sucked! Somethings went right, I did get out on my bike more, 4 times for at least 2 miles each time. I know it doesn't seem like much but that is at least 4 more days that I would have done nothing otherwise, it goes in the win column. I also learned how hard it is to do simple balance poses on a full size trampoline. If you do yoga and have access to one or can get into one of those trampoline cardio classes do it. I could really feel a difference in my ankles, which lead to looser calves, #2 in my win column. I lost 7 workouts to either rain or pure laziness, they go to my needs to improve column. I finished the month with a total mileage (running, biking and walking) of 77.49, which even if you subtract out the bike miles is still 10 more miles than April, win #3 for the month.

June will be better. It has to be. June I think is the hardest month to run in, in Houston. Any hope of cool and less humid days is gone. Summer hits and your body is no where near as acclimated as you would like it to be. Getting in afternoon runs to help speed the process along helps but nothing helps more than just plain ole' consistency in your schedule. I am also now officially Marathon training. Well I should be anyways. I have my first meeting with the Cypress-Fit group towards the middle of the month to help me get motivated for my next goal.

That "postponed" half I mentioned in an earlier post, the Coasting the Coast Galveston. I really think it's starting to look like more of a scammed race but only time will tell on that one. It was called off the day before it's first packet pick up and when runners pressure them to be able to pick up their bibs and t-shirts they were answered back with a long list of excuses as to why they couldn't do it. Most importantly that they have neither to give out and it being 8 days from the race leads me to believe is was set up as a scam run. About 2 hours after it was posted on their FB page the page was shut down by the organizers so that also leads to something funny going on. I did what I could to request a refund thru Groupon and also filed disputed claim with my credit card to see if I could at least get my money back that way, since it is obvious it will not be refunded by the RD of the race. Really thankful I didn't pay full price. It does however break the one-half a month streak I had going since October. I am working on getting some of my running ladies together instead to cover the distance so at least the training won't be for nothing.  

Now the only race I have for June is the No Label 5k on the 14th. I am however joining the Houston Marathon Committee for their 2 events this month, National Run Day and the Run for a Reason Kickoff Party both in Memorial Park and of course there is always the HWP free 5k to look forward to. Since I have no long race for the month I am going to focus on keeping my long run in the 10 mile range. Also I am back on with the full week of training, one day speed, one day easy to acclimate and one day tempo.

Texas City Run Fest

I got out to the Texas City Run Fest on 5/31. What a good way to end the month. Training wise I am "tapering", although I am not really sure what that means for me these days. It sort of seems like an excuse to not run as hard or as long as I should be and honestly that's not what I need to be doing right now. I have been "training" (another term I am not sure I know how to use right now) for the Coasting the Coast Half in Galveston 6/7 (which was just "postponed" but more on that in another post) and this race just happened to fit perfectly into a taper. One last good hard run, in the heat, under threat of severe thunderstorms. Running under impending doom is not really my strong point. It's been since March since I have logged any miles in the rain and I was kind of looking forward to it. As the summer heat and humidity hits the area this could just be the last semi-decent weather I get to run in.

I ran into these during my warm up. 

Texas City is a small town right along the Galveston Bay and the organizers took advantage of that. There is a hike/bike trail along the levee that just happens to run right along the coastline. On one side you have a field that leads directly to the water and on the other a buffer marsh land that the city keeps up as soccer field, volley ball courts, horseshoe pits and picnic areas dotted along it. It also has a crushed granite walk/jog path that leads to the many pavilions in the parks. I took advantage of these paths for my warm up run.

A Blue Heron, I think

As far as the race itself went. There were a couple hundred people for a combined 5k/10k start. There was a slight bottle neck exiting the parking lot start and getting on to the bike path but there were not enough people to have it make a real difference in the race. Then there was a little confusion where the path first turns around and has to you have to cross running traffic but again there aren't enough runners to make it a big issue. The bigger issue was the only real incline. One steady climb lead to the point where the 5k and 10k split. 10k to the left, 5k to the right, no confusion here as they manned it with a few really vocal girls doing there best to shout over the Disco buses' music. The disco bus I have to say was great, it was at a good point in the race, at top of the hill to get you rocking and then when you turned around and finally got back to it, it kept you rocking as you ran to mile 5. There were a number of water stops on top of the levee, most you got to hit coming and going, as well as port-a-potties that I am not sure were there just for the race.  In the last half mile there was a nice long downhill to give you some free power and a big crowd cheering at the finish where they handed me, not a medal but almost better, a cold towel. The finish was stocked with Blue Bell, 3 kinds of beer, water, gaterade, sodas, fruit and granola bars. You also had What-a-Burger giving out cookies and Walgreens handing out bags and water bottles (my collection now needs another shelf). It looked like most of the crowd also stayed to party afterwards and they were giving away tons of door prizes. This is one that if there is a hole in my calendar I would definitely do again.