rebound

Misty, Amanda and I did one Ken's loop together Saturday morning.  We'd planned on 2 loops but none of us were really feeling it, especially with the deer flies bugging (no pun intended) the crap out of us.  In fact, Misty has hard spots in a few places under her skin where she was bitten by the flies.

The doggie and I did a 4 mile walk in the neighborhood Sunday morning and she and I also go in a 5 mile run/walk Monday morning.

I'd planned on doing an hours or so worth of hill repeats at St Ed's this morning but rolled my ankle pretty good yesterday afternoon in the backyard.  My alternate plan was to do some out and back repeats on Floral Pkwy this morning but thought better of it when I got up and my ankle was a still a bit sore.  I ended taking my time and doing the longest version of the Wharton stretching dvd.  It was excellent.  It took me 1:15 to go through the 40 minute version.  It won't be long till I'm down to the 40 minutes.  It is some very good stuff, from your feet up to your neck.  There are abbreviated 20 minute and 10 minute versions too!!  Afterward the feeling was very much like a post yoga feeling.  Very cool!!  So, my "running plan" took a hit this morning but I have the whole month to rebound.

running plan

I needed to be to work a bit early today so Shan, Mark and I did the Mopac/ Congress loop this morning.  I'm glad we changed it up and ran the shorter loop.  I'm having a really good recovery week and the shorter distance was probably all I really needed anyway.

This mornings run got me to a whopping 127 miles for the month!!  I'm being a bit sarcastic because that pathetic total is my best running month in at least 5 years.  It is what it is and I really am happy about that total.  And, I'm actually going to make my running plan (yes, I said running plan) mileage goal of 130 miles for July with a planned run at Kens Saturday morning!!  Next months goal of 145 will be quite the challenge but I'm gonna give it hell!!

recovery

My recovery from the marathon Saturday seems to be going well.  Amanda, Ellie and I had a super easy 4 miles yesterday morning at Brushy Creek and I've been getting in some great stretching this week too.  I am having a little unusual tightness in my right piriformis since last Thursday's run.  I'll keep on working it with the lacrosse ball and stretching it.

Rick

26 miles this past Saturday.  This was the 56th time I've covered the marathon distance on foot and my 3rd marathon this year!!  It was exactly what I expected, hot and slow.  At this time of year it doesn't matter though, it's all about getting in the miles however you can.  I was damn proud and happy to actually finish though.  It was some excellent mental and physical training.  The last time I spent that much time on my feet was at the Run Like the Wind 12hr in March of 2014.  8 hour marathon in the middle of the summer, I'll take it.  The run was in honor of our old friend Rick Gastelum. I'm sure he was smiling down on me the whole time.  He was such a good friend and we ran so many miles together I don't think the vacuum he left will ever completely fill.  

continue on

The world just keeps on spinning after we lose someone we love.  They die and we hurt but we keep on doing our thing.   In the immediate aftermath we don't see how we can go on but somehow we do.  Here's the crazy part.  It's going to happen to all of us sooner or later.  We're going to die and people are going to cry and be all tore up but they'll figure out a way to keep getting up in the morning.

I've given some thought to how long there's an actual living memory of someone.   I'm talking about a normal person like myself, not an OJ or FDR.  My sister is one year younger than I am.  When my great grandad Nathan Akin died at the age of 82 in Aug. '74 my sister was 12 years old.  We knew him pretty well I'd say.  I figure she is the youngest person on earth who can say they have a good/decent memory of him.  He was born in 1891.  If my sister lives to the age of say, 80 and, you count his living years there is an actual living memory of him for about 150 years.  Pretty crazy to think of I know.  Or, maybe there's something wrong with me for giving something like this so much thought. 

That brings me to this Saturday.  There are some people who are going to gather this Saturday morning and run in memory of an old friend.  To some of us like me he was a close friend, others never met him.  We (I've) been a bit inconsistent in organizing something every year for him but we've only missed a few in the 9 years he's been gone.  We'll talk about him and share stories and visit the sight where his body was found and reminisce about what a great guy he was and how much we miss him.  When we're done we'll go home and continue on.....

Ellie

Haven't blogged much lately, been running and walking a lot though.   Life is definitely different with a doggie to take care of, especially a relatively young one.  Getting Ellie seemed like a hasty decision to Misty but it's something I'd been thinking about for quite a while. I've been feeling like I need a challenge and something to focus on besides myself and I've definitely got that.  I'm having to constantly think logistics with the dog, especially in regards to the cats.  Ellie is a very smart dog and she's going to be a great companion for many years.

hot

This month is off to a great start.  Mark L and did some crazy hills last Saturday totaling almost 13 miles, 2400 ft of elevation up and 2400 down.  We were literally crossing switchbacks and going straight up power lines.  At one point we climbed what easily has to be the steepest hill I've ever climbed, very loose dirt too.  I got in another 13 miles Tuesday at Barton Creek.  I'm training for a marathon in 3 weeks.  Going to be plenty hot!!