They all can't be "easy" runs.

7.5 miles. Hood route to legacy trail and back. 80 degrees. Longest run since August 18, 2022. So I looked into running the St. Paddy's day 8k. My favorite local race. It's one of those races that died during covid, it seems. So now I'm looking for a new test race in March/April.

72 deg., 93% hum., 70 d.p. foggy. 7:30 am start. 6 on the trails, then 1.5 hood route. slow. 

5.5 miles. hood route. then 2 on the trails. 71 deg., 95% hum., 69 d.p. Spouse has a new years resolution to go for daily walks. She has never exercised in any capacity her entire life, so this is a big deal. I tried to time this so that we were on the trails at the same time, and I might see her out there. We were there at the same time, but I didn't see her. 

p.s. It's only Tuesday, but this is my biggest week of running since August. I'm not really worried about ramping up mileage too quick. These paces are garbage. The plan is to get some decent milage back in a couple of weeks, and then try to work on speed. When I start running faster, then I will be a bit more concerned.

5.5 miles hood route. then 2 on the trails. 73 deg., 95% hum., 72 d.p. I actually got to see spouse on the trails today. 

4 on the trails, then 1.5 hood route, then 2 on the trails. some light rain in there. 

I start / finish most of my runs on the corner of pinebrook way and pinebrook road. A couple of years ago, I thought it would be funny to take the band aids that I use for nipple chafe protection, and stick them to the backs of various signs at this corner at the end of my runs. The number of signs expanded. At the end of the trails that I run there is a power pole with a metal covering on the guy wire. After I stuck a dozen or so on the metal covering, someone took the time to write the word "ouch!" on the metal. It was kind of funny. Anyhow, I told no one about this silly childish thing that I think is hilarious. In fact, I had to laugh to myself as I went by the intersection after the hurricane to find that all of "my" signs were still standing, and nearly all of the band aids survived the storm. My nipple band aid murals are clearly visible on google street view. 

Which brings me to today. I turned the corner at the end of my run, and a man was scraping all of the band aids off the back of the sign that started it all - the "no through trucks" sign on the corner. He had polish and a rag to wipe the sign down after he finished. I walked right by him and said nothing. Then when I got home I was still laughing when I told my family this whole thing. Thier reactions are somewhere between "that's gross" and "that's stupid". But they all laughed when I showed them the street views.

Yes, I turn 52 tomorrow. But inside, I'm much more juvenile. 

1 on the trails. then 7.5 miles, hood route to legacy trail and back. longer than normal stop at the legacy trail for a bathroom break. 72 deg., 34% hum., 41 d.p. very nice. 

AM: 3 on the trails.

PM: 4 on the trails, then 1.5 miles hood route.

AM: 4 on the trails. late start. still relatively low humidity and dew point. 

5.5 miles. hood route. then 2 on the trails. 61 deg., 87% hum., 57 d.p.

below 50 degrees? What? 6 on the trails, then 1.5 hood route. 

6 on the trails at noonish

10.7 miles. hood route to legacy trail over the swom bridge and then back south to colonia, and back the same way. Fairly stout wind out of the north, which I really appreciated on my last 2 miles, going south. 55 degrees or so. 

Longest run since September 4, 2021! 

10.2 miles. hood route to legacy trail to colonia and back. It went from 40 degrees to 60 degrees while I was out running. I overdressed for 60 degrees. really low humidity, really low dew point. Best running weather in a long time. 

4 miles on the trails. not much pep today. 

I was ticked  off about the last couple of days productivity. So, 10.7 miles. Hood route to legacy trail over the swom bridge back to colonia and back the same way. 73 deg. 72% hum., 63 d.p. Hotter than I would like, but it's got to be better than running ahead of a snowstorm. 

3 on the trails then 5.5 miles, hood route. 72 deg., 87% hum., 68 d.p. I came home sweaty.

12.9 miles. Hood route to legacy trail to venice avenue and back. 76 deg., 63% hum., 62 d.p.

Longest run since my last marathon (9/12/21), 1st run with a camelbak since that marathon build-up, 1st run with Gu since that marathon build-up, 1st 50 mile week since that marathon, and, I think, first run with a watch since that marathon.

Speaking of which- 1:03 out (9:46 pace) and 1:06 back (10:14 pace) (includes stopping at a few intersections for traffic). These are not great times, but I don't want to live in fantasyland about my present abilities. Miles 7-9 were the hardest work. 

I did not encounter any hoar frost on this run. 

I was thinking of Kula Shaker's cover of "Hush" on and off during the run. 

7.75 miles. hood route to legacy trail over the SWOM bridge and back. 73 deg., 88% hum., 70 d.p. 37 minutes out (9:33 pace). 39 minutes back. (10:04 pace). Stiff head wind for the last 2 miles out of the south is what I think slowed me down. 

AM: 3 on the trails. 1.5 hood route. 3 on the trails. 63 deg., 66% hum., 51 d.p. Very nice. very smooth miles. 

PM: At Track?! Yeah, I haven't run "fast" in a very long time. 1.5 miles up. Repeat 800s with 400s recoveries. Recoveries run first. 1.5 miles down. 3:26, 3:31, 3:29, 3:29. This was work, but I feel like I could have gone a bit faster. I held it down because it has been so long, and I didn't want to blow up. Gotta start from somewhere. 

3 on the trails. 3.5 hood route. 1 on the trails. 73 deg., 89% hum., 69 d.p. 

at track - (4) x 2 miles. 55 degrees and windy. Then I walked a mile. I don't usually do that. Boy #2 went surfing tonight. It's been a while since the waves were up. 

16.25 miles. Hood route to legacy trail to circus bridge and back. All of it under 10 minute miles. 2nd to last mile under 8. 64 deg., 57% hum.,  49 d.p. I was feeling really good until halfway, and then turned around into the 18 m.p.h. wind, and I realized why the first half went so smooth - I was running with a tailwind.

It was a pretty good run. 

5.5 miles hood route. 79 deg., 70 hum., 68 d.p.

PM: at track. 2 x 2 miles. I forgot my watch.