Drenched

  Today's run was at my favorite Local natural area. It was very humid with no wind at all. I had a fairly good run not concentrating too much on speed but as a runner with a techie watch, I kept glancing at my time. But all in all I had a great run listening to a Podcast with an interview of the Korean Vegan. I've gone Vegan! Never felt better.  After my run I had to run an errand to the grocery store. Pick up a few things for the house. I changed my shirt, I brought an extra one, but as I glanced down at my sky blue shorts I noticed I was drenched in sweat. On the back all over my butt. On the front it looked like I had not made it to the bathroom in time. oh well maybe I'll dry up in the 15 minutes it'll take me to get to the grocery store. Not a chance. As I got out of my truck I quickly walked to the grocery store hoping that I could get to a shopping cart quick enough to shield my body before anyone noticed.  Forget the back. I can't see anyone looking at me from the rear. 

 I got home and made some soup with any and all vegetables I could find. With tofu as my added protein. I called it junk soup. That's what my wife said she called  Homemade vegetable soup when she was a kid. As I was eating an old childhood friend called me up. In the conversation I related my story of today and he shared a story of playing a water balloon fight with his kids and then having to go to the store. He didn't realize it until he noticed everyone was staring at him at the store. Then he said he got out of there as quick as possible. We shared a great laugh as we always do when he calls.

All runs are good.

 Friday April 16, 2021. The morning was damp. A light drizzle became heavy at times. Arriving at the Salado creek trailhead at loop 1604 there were two runners exchanging laughs as they prepared for their run. Second thoughts entered my mind. Should I run? Will the drizzle turn to rain? My phone and car remote tucked safely in my water proof waist belt, I took off headed south on the paved trail. Initially I saw no one else on the trail. Half a mile in, to the right of the trail at a construction site, two men were working on a wooden structure. Only the frame of what looked to someday be a house was up. These guys had to work. Drizzle or no drizzle, I thought. In the construction business it's no work no pay. 

The music I was listening  to on my Bluetooth headset complimented the scenery around me. Allman brothers, Neil Young, Steely Dan, Doobie brothers all fit the mood of being surrounded by Live and Red Oak trees. Some covered in deep green moss. The cloudy skies dripping with a soft light drizzle on the Texas Persimmon, Juniper, cedar, and Mountain Laurel, various shrubs and dripping off the brim of my visor. Nature trails crisscrossed the oak pollen stained paved trails. Many of these nature trails were recognizable. Years earlier, races were held here. Long before the paved trails existed. Friends and I trained on these nature trails. We ran races here. Memories of those runs with friends filled my mind. 

Up ahead two men who looked to be in there 60's emerged from the woods with two dogs. They crossed the pavement and walked back into the woods. A lone cyclist appeared around a bend in the trail coming toward me and whizzed by gesturing with a slight wave. A group of three ladies, one carrying an umbrella, two ladies and a threesome of elderly folks were others I saw. As well an an eighty something looking gentleman shuffling along. A 60 something runner like myself at the end of his run shares a friendly good morning.

Four miles? Five, or six? Not sure how many miles I wanted to run. I decide I would turn around after reaching Voelker park. There, at the 3 mile point is one of my favorite spots on this trail. Trees closely line both sides of the trail with a drop off  of over ten feet just beyond the trees on one side, overlooking natural trails in the creek bottom, and  wooden fencing of the backside of homes behind the trees on the other side. This approximately one quarter mile stretch just seems so tranquil.

Turning around I see the the folks I had passed. One mile back up the trail and suddenly, around a bend in the trail, I see a Large OWL! It looks at me from it's perch on a tree stump. It looks sideways. Still keeping on eye on me, it jumps off the stump as I fumble with my waist belt to get my phone out. On the ground the owl walks slowly away and stops. The phone out, the camera ready, I snap a photo. Then another. The owl jumps back on the stump as I am about to put the phone away. I try to take a better photo. I talk to the Owl. "hello bud." I say. "How's it going." " Be still." It looks straight at me as still as can be. I get a great shot.

All runs are good. Some are great. So many of Nature's creatures I have seen in all my years of  running. This one will be remembered for a long time, and will be recalled every time I run this route on Salado creek.

After speaking to a park maintenance man at the end of this run I find out the Owl has three little ones! Maybe I will see them next time. Or maybe when they are big like Momma.

He graduated High school the year I was born!

I ran into my friend Roland yesterday. He flashed a big smile as he raised his head to see who was calling his name.

I met Roland several years ago on the trail near our home and have been running into him occasionally. Roland is turning 81 on Tuesday March 2. Again he smiled when he shared this with me. We talked and he shared a prose he had just written that morning. Again smiling as he watched me read his prose. 

Writing proses mainly about memories of his youth is his new hobby.

We shared stories of some of the places we both knew in our youth. It turns out we grew up not too far from each other, though he pointed out he graduated from High school the year I was born! Again he smiled broadly.

But perhaps his biggest smile was when he told me of a 5K he is running on Saturday.

Running, writing, smiling. 

yep, that's the ticket.

Hillotes half marathon

 The Hillotes half marathon is usually held in Helotes TX. As you might guess,"Hillotes" is a play on words of the name Helotes, a small town just northwest of San Antonio and at the foot of the Texas Hill country. Helotes is Spanish for Corn, by the way.  Because of covid-19 restrictions in Helotes the race was relocated to Bankersmith Tx. 70 miles further to the northwest. Bankersmith is nothing but a general store next to an old barn turned into a honky tonk. There is an old 1950's era bus behind the barn next to a small stage surrounded by picnic tables. This is where packet pickup and after race festivities took place. Parking was on the grass along the winding hilly state road that runs through Bankersmith..

At race start from the courtyard adjacent to the store, runners were required to wear a mask until they spilled on to the road for the out and back race. The field of 92 runners were also released 10 at a time and at 10 second intervals. 

The run starts with a long downhill. First thought that came to mind was how this would be an uphill at the end! Next to running trails I really enjoy running country roads. There were no spectacular views on this course though. There were cattle ranches and the remnants of what looked like an old stone home on the course that made me wonder who may have lived there 150 years or more ago. 

The road had may twists and slanted curves. This had me switching from the left to the right side of the road for a more even surface to run on. luckily this was the case for only about a quarter of the race. There were also dips where the road crossed 3 creeks. These were not to steep except for one where I did walk up after crossing the bridge at the dry creek. 

There was about a three quarter gradual uphill climb approaching the turn around. Surprisingly I felt good at this point. I had been worried since I crammed in only a couple "long" runs of 9 and 11 miles in my training. I thought about running the 10K but I could not see driving 70+ miles to run a 10K. After the turn around I began leap frogging with a young girl. She passed me as I slowed on the ascents and I caught and passed her on the flats and descents. It seemed like we were playing a game as we exchanged smiles and thumbs up. With a little over 2 miles to go I set my eyes on another runner who had been running ahead of me for most of the race. Her pace was good and I locked in on it as I slowly cut the distance between us. As I was about to pass her I recalled what my friend Liza Howard would say when she accelerated near the end of  Ultra marathons where I paced her,  "lets get this thing over with!" As I passed this runner I said "come on, we've got this thing licked. just two miles to go!'

The last quarter mile and there it was! The uphill climb that was a downhill at the start. I walked most of it but of course ran the last 100 yards when I was in sight of the finish. After the race the runner I leap frogged with thanked me for helping her pace. The one I passed at two miles also came to tell me "Thanks for the motivation."  Very Nice. They helped me as much as I helped them.

Post race I hung out and saw two old friends and my neighbor down the street who had signed up at the last minute. He won the Half Marathon race with a time of 1:25:08! 

I was third in the 60 to 65 age category with a time of 2:01:48. 

Fun race, fun experience.

 

Life. Forrest Gump's mom was right.

 I have not posted in quite a long time! Major changes happened in my family since my last post in May 2016. I retired from the Metropolitan Transit system in San Antonio Tx. in May 2016 after 30 years. It was a great place to work, I loved it. 12 years in Warehousing/Inventory control and 18 in Information Technology. It was time to go though but I did not want to stop working, so I went to work for the San Antonio Police department in  Fleet Management.. That was fun and very interesting. I made many good friends. Cops are people just like you and me. I heard many stories from policemen who joined the force to help others. One story that really touched my heart was a cop who struggled as a child of a single parent. He talked about his life moving from home to home, abusive stepdad, going hungry. Now he wanted to help kids and families who may be struggling.

This brings me to my family. My wife and I were faced with a life changing decision in late 2016. Our three grandkids, ages 2 months, 1 yr. old and three years old needed us! Without going into details, we brought them in to our home and eventually adopted them in 2018. Of course this turned our lives upside down. Diapers! Sleepless nights, runny noses, daycare! Of course this threw my running routine into a loop. Between the bickering, crying, finger pointing and non stop talking, the kids are wonderful. With the oldest grandkid now in third grade and the middle one in kindergarten, I was forced to leave my job with the PD three months ago to help the kids with virtual learning. The third grader is the reason I decided to come back to this blog. He has to write a personal narrative. I showed him mine. "you write long stories." he said. 

Back to 2016 and running. 

The wheels really started to fall off in 2013. That year I was 55 years old and was running well at the beginning of the year but I ran too much and too fast. For me. In the first six months of that year I set my marathon PR in Austin, 3:40:00, ran a very tough Possum kingdom 55K, ran a difficult and technical, beautiful,  mountain 50K in Colorado and crewed and paced my great friend Lalo 25 miles at the Angeles Crest 100. After that I was out of gas but in denial. Maybe I did not want to adjust my training. Maybe I wanted to rely on the strength I thought I still had. I was never a fast runner but I held my own in the middle of the pack and usually placed in my age group. But I was done. Cooked. I kept running and struggled to complete races.

In what has been my last attempt at an ultra I registered for the July 2016 Never Summer100K in the Mountains of northern Colorado. If you love running as I do, you will never quit. 

It has been four years. I will try to remember my attempt at the Never Summer 100K. I flew up to Denver and met up with friends for the ride to Gould Co. Gould is a very, very small town. As I remember there was not even a traffic light. Just a sign marking the city limits. We checked in to our cabin at a campground about 2 miles from the start of the race at the community center (a barn like structure). Having stopped to check out sights along our drive from Denver we arrived late the day before the race. 10 miles down the road was a town whos name I forget but a little bit larger than Gould. It had three traffic lights! Our visit to the grocery store there proved futile, all produce and snack food was gone. My friend Rachel and I chatted with the store clerks. Across the street we stepped in to an adult beverage store to buy some post race refreshments. Chatting with the clerk there I got a sense that some folks who live in this area have left a past they are trying to forget.

At the start the friends from San Antonio got together for a photo.

left to right. Jason, "The Hawk" and me in the forefront, Brian (red visor, lowered head), Chris and Ash center rear. Not sure where Rachel was or who the guy in the upper right of this photo is.

The race starts at an elevation of 9000 feet and heads up a dirt rocky road. We climbed up the mountain and soon came to a clearing and beautiful majestic views.

The trail at this point was nice smooth single track. We crossed many streams and came to serene alpine lakes. The steepest climb was to the highest point of the race at 12,840 feet. On this climb there was no trail! The markers took us straight up the mountain. At one point I thought I would fall back. Thankfully I had my trekking poles with me. Going up I saw a marmot just sitting by a small bush about 4 feet from me. He just watch as I hiked by him. At the top of the mountain four of us took a photo.

Late in the day Ash and I were together rounding a mountain when my foot caught a root and I went down hard with no time to reach out and try to break my fall. I was hurt pretty bad. Ash is a doctor and asked me if I was ok. He advised me to get up slowly and catch my breath. I was good to go. A bit later the trail took us over a long patch of big jagged rocks and boulders. There was no trail here. We had to be careful with our foot placement for fear of turning an ankle. The only good part of this was the  beautiful lake to our left. I was glad to get over this portion of the course.

As evening set in the temperature was dropping fast. I found myself trying to warm up with the hot soup at the 44 mile aid station well after dark. Ash was there too. Ash's dad was crewing for him and was there also . I changed my socks and left the aid station with thoughts of my jacket in my drop bag at the next aid station. I left before Ash thinking he would catch up with me. I was tiring and thought for sure he was feeling stronger than me. To this day I wish I had waited for Ash.

 About 50 yards down the road from the aid station the course turned left in to a brushy area. Up ahead I could see a couple of head lamps slowly drifting away. Soon I was climbing on a smooth trail. I was moving very slow at this point when I heard an animal sound off in the distance to my right. Then I heard a similar sound to my left. Hmm, I thought. That is not a cow. It's not a cat because it was more like a long grunt. I kept hearing this for the next hour. the sound started to sound clearer and closer. What could it be? I came to a clearing on what seemed like a hilltop where the trail turned around the hill to the left with a slight drop off into a field. suddenly I heard the grunt very close! I turned to my right and my headlamp revealed a MOOSE! No Antlers but she was huge and only about 25 yards from me. I yelled out loud "Oh C&@P!" I wanted to run but I picked up my walking pace and was yelling "Leave me alone moose, Leave me alone."

The trail then lead back in to the woods and the moose left me alone. I was tired and I was cold. It was very dark in the woods. I could not see or hear any other people on the course. Then after a long climb the trail spilled out into a dirt road and I could make out the faint sound of people talking. I saw light about a third of a mile down the road. My elation in hearing the signs and sounds of the aid station was interrupted by a small dark animal running right at me! It was so fast I could not make it out nor could I aim my headlamp at it. It wasn't a raccoon. It was bigger. It almost hit me as it ran by my right leg. Then, a very strong musky odor filled the air. Another "Oh C$@P!" Bear? Was the small animal a cub? Bear prey? I don't know but thank god I made it to the aid station.

 At the aid station I was very tired and beat, cold, and now spooked. The jacket in my drop bag was too thin. It and the coffee at the aid station could not get me warm and now at 10 PM the temps were dropping even more. I decided to call it a day. DNF.  I was ok with it. As my friend and race director Joe Prusaitus once said, "It's only a freaking run!"

The sag wagon showed up and took six of us back to the start/finish. Ash would drop too. After trying to sleep in the car for a couple of hours I went to the community center to look for my friends. When I explained that I Did Not Finish one of my friends said, "Oh, I'm sorry."

I am not, I thought. I had fun. It was a beautiful tough course. I am alive, and I saw a Moose!

I have run a few races since Never Summer. Short distances. 10K, 10 milers,  and half Marathons. I have contemplated giving up running and maybe go to cycling. But nah, I love running too much.

The kids are more manageable now which equals a little more time. I am older and wiser about running and recovery. I have gotten over my pace slowing and run distance shortening. 

Yesterday I  registered for a road half marathon in the Texas hill country on October 17th! Next to trails I love running on country roads. I'll be back with that story.

   

 
 

 

Running at Pace Bend Park.

I ran the Tejas trails Paleface 30K race for the first time last year and although it has some technical rocky sections I did not think much of the course in terms of it being pretty or very challenging. This year though the course was rerouted and changed to a Marathon and Half Marathon that included more views of the bend in the Colorado river that surrounds about two thirds of Pace Bend Park. Like Mikey, I like it!  There was a climb along some power lines, nice views of the river,  and an abundance of wildflowers on the flat dirt trails near the end. I ran the Half Marathon.
I was not expecting to run hard yesterday. My left hip has been hurting a bit and affecting my hamstring on that side. Foam rolling has helped. I have to stick with it though.
Arriving at the race site is always fun. Meeting folks in our group with big smiles, hugs, and laughs sets the tone for a fun day and motivates everyone to try to do well. There is truth to finding more in yourself than you think there is when you are exposed to "the Group effect" and we have a great group in the Rockhoppers.
At the start line I exchanged teasing and well wishes with my buds. As the race began I took off at a swift pace trying to get to the single track quickly. I hung on to Rick and John who run at about my pace. Soon I felt like I may not be able to keep up with their pace but then it seemed we all relaxed and toned it down. Exchanging greetings on the trails with my friends of the Austin groups is always fun too. As I pass them feels good also. Of course this racing is all in fun. Hah!
At about mile 6 our buddy Wade passes us looking great! I tried to hang on to Wade. Wade had a smooth strong pace going but at one point he did pause to take a glance at the water below as we ran along a ridge. "Pretty, huh?" I asked. Wade knodded.
The next aid station was at the bottom of a hill. After quick gulps of Mountain dew and Tailwind with a pretzel I was running up the hill to catch Wade who was gone!
Power hiking this short hill and sprinting to catch Wade the hip and hamstring issues were out of mind. I was very surprised at how well I was feeling hopping over roots, rocks and through trees. The group effect! I hung on until the last aid station with Wade. Here I commented on how he was maintaining a great pace. We leave together but I could not match his pace. Now I just wanted to keep him in sight.
Racing is fun. We were not racing for the win. We were racing for ourselves.
Wade started to pull further away. A runner I came up on asked if I wanted to pass. I really did not want to but I did. Sprinting to pull away from him because I would not want to pass someone only to slow down. By this time I knew I could not catch Wade so I settled into a comfortable pace without slowing to a shuffle.
My dream goal to finish under two hours faded but my realistic goal to finish under 2:15 would happen.
I finished in 2:09 and Change. A bit over a minute after Wade. Rick and John were only a few minutes back. At our group tent we exchanged high fives, smiles and congratulations.
Another fun, exciting, and great day at the races.

My Hip hurts today.

A tale of two races

The first weekend of March I ran the Pandora's Box 'O Rox half marathon. Last year I ran the Marathon here and after that vowed never to run long again. For the umpteenth time. I have yet to learn how to run this course. Revielle Ranch, where the race is located is in the Central Texas Hill Country. The terrain is littered with granite rock and there are not too many even surfaces here. Those darn little hops over and around rocks and rock domes are killer. I admire those who run a 50 miler here. Of course running a half marathon makes one run a little harder. Only because in our mind it is a "short " race.  I started Ok but after 5 miles those little hops took their toll. Then at about mile 8 I twisted my ankle. It was painful to pivot or turn on my left foot. One good thing about this is I had my good friend Tom in my sight and soon caught up with him and was able to trot with him for about three miles. Tom's commitment to run by heart rate has paid great dividends. Tom completed the Texas 250 today at the Hells Hills race. The Texas 250 award is presented to anyone who completes 5 Fifty milers of Tejas Trail races in 5 months. Congratulations to Tom!
I finished the half marathon back in March but beaten once again By Pandora.

Yesterday at the Hells Hills race it was a different story. My training has not been what I would like but is it ever? It has to improve though. I have registered for The Never Summer 100K in Colorado on July 23rd. Does it ever end? I don't know. I have been wanting a new adventure and should go for it while I can. So  it will continue. For Now.

Back to Hells Hills;
Race morning was a chilly 43 degrees. What to wear was a worry as I hung around with fellow Rockhoppers huddled around a butane heater provided by Rich and Jeanie at our hangout near the start line.
I decided on a short sleeve cotton T over a sleeveless tech shirt and shorts of course. Shorts which kept slipping off.  My original plan was to take it easy and try to run by my max aerobic heart rate of 128 while listening to music. My earbuds kept slipping off too! Not my usual ones. I discarded the earbuds but kept my shorts on.
The HR running went out the window too when the race started. My buddy Rick, John MC.Allen and a host of others raced up the hill at the start and I tried to hang. Only for a little bit I thought. Then I'd back off and cruise. yeah right.
We drew a few others and soon had about 8 to 12 runners in a pace line. I don't know what the pace was as I have quit tracking mileage pace and all that other stuff that made it seem like work. I work 5 days a week in IT monitoring software, tracking and troubleshooting data! I don't want to do it while I'm trying to have FUN!
Anyway, a runner drops off unable to keep up the pace. A quick look at my new heart rate monitor (ok, I've started to look at that only because I see Tom's success) and I am at 156 bpm.
I try to relax without slowing too much but soon find myself dropping off the pace line with two others. Seeing the lead pack led by Rick pulling away I speed up and pass runners racing to catch Rick and John and three other runners. One of the guys then trips and falls. We stopped, made sure he was OK and continue as he gets up. This guy dropped off the back later.
No one stops at the first unmanned aid station. At the next aid station Chris Russell is walking up and with a grin says "Man you guys sure are moving slow."  He also says we shouldn't bromance it and walk across the finish line holding hands. Gotta love the big guy.
After leaving the aid station a tall guy in our pace line wearing a long sleeve red shirt decides to pull off the front and takes off. No one follows. Until a few minutes later when the youngster with spandex under his shorts takes off leaving John, Rick and I.
The pace remained even with John now leading, I was right behind and Rick not too far behind me. John keeps asking where Rick is. Not far behind me I say. Soon John starts to pick it up and I find myself  trying to hang and not willing to let up.
The Thrill of it all! Makes me feel like a kid again!
With about 3 miles to the finish we catch and pass Long sleeve and soon after overtake the spandex kid. John kicks it up and drops a guy who tried to cling on to his heels a bit earlier. Rick is right behind me. In an attempt to catch John I recall words from a book I am reading. Actually the Title of the book, "How bad do you want it?" A glance at my HR monitor and I'm still at 156 but it doesn't matter anymore. Rick is right behind me and the thought of waiting for him crosses my mind but the thrill of the chase keeps me going. I love Rick! He has helped me become a better runner. We've trained and  run races together.
I turn it on and pass a couple of runners heading for the finish but can't catch John.
Still good enough to take third place Masters, Thanks to John and Rick.