They all can't be "easy" runs.

7.5 miles. hood route to legacy trail and back. untimed. 5:30 pm start. super hot! super fog! first run back without the ankle brace or heel lift gels. I hope I don't need those things any more. This last month has got me pretty out of shape, and I've been slow to post because I am trying to not be a debbie downer. On the upside, I had this stuck in my head while running: http://youtu.be/rACM0Sw2Fl4

5. 5 miles. Hood Route. 7 am start. Fog has not left. I came home soaked. 67 degrees. 93% hum.

7.5 miles. hood route to legacy trail and back. untimed. 6:30 am start. 65 deg. 89% hum. 62 d.p. Shirtless new year's eve run. Go figure.

I went back to the heel lifts gels, but no brace. Yesterday left me a bit sore. I can already feel a difference in the achilles. So, the takeaway is that all of my running shoes are shot and I need new shoes with an elevated heel. Or, I can keep going with the heel inserts in the old shoes.

2014 was pretty good to me, running wise. I didn't PR in everything. But PRs in the marathon, and total miles are pretty satisfying.

Best wishes to y'all in 2015.

3.5 miles. hood route. Back to the ankle brace and heel lifts. 10 am start. Sweated out yesterday's really really bad diet, including, but not limited to; scrambled eggs with ham and cheese, hoppin john, corned beef, cabbage, olives, sweet pickles, summer sausage with cheese, salted peanuts, all types of chip, and an obscene amount of ranch dressing.

Basically, I ran out "the Blerch" this morning.

5 pm. 1.5 miles. I met up with Brian, as he was doing his track stuff. I ran part of his cool down with him.

10.2 miles. Legacy Trail with the boys on bikes. 9:15 am start. 81 deg. 74% hum. 72 d.p.

Then I ran around the block (0.42 miles) with Boy #2, because I promised Matt S. I would break 40 miles this week.

Then we went swimming.

I believe there is a window of opportunity that is very small to do this with my boys. The Legacy Trail is pretty crowded. And young boys have all of the confidence that they are in control, and will not endanger themselves or others. But as a parent, it is a little nerve-racking. So I am usually barking out instructions, etc., as I go. As soon as I am comfortable with their abilities, it seems they are too fast for me, and are only going slow to be nice to me. So, on the way back today, I gave them a little more slack than before, and had them wait for me at key locations. Since we seem to be incapable of completing this trip without a wreck, Boy #2 had a solo crash @ 1/4 mile from the end. You know, just because. He didn't get too beat up from it. A nice man showed up right after he crashed, and asked him "Where are your parents?" He said "He's way back there. The one running. The ONLY one running!" The guy waited until I got there. I didn't even stop. I ran right by everyone. The boys hopped on ther bikes and finished. I don't know the point of all of that, I just thought it was interesting.