Turn your rut into a groove.

pm--4 Easy miles, listening to some Madvillain. I'm starting the year how I start most runs just working into it. 
 

Last year was one of my lowest mileage years since I began tracking mileage. Nonetheless, I finished the year w/ my biggest month in 2 years. Also, way more trail running. Feels like that helps keep a body healthy. 

am--6 Anasazi but not quite to the homestead. I'm not sure what kind of running goals I have this year. Maybe, something like an average of 5 miles a day throughout the year. I'd also like to have over 100 days on the trails. I've loved the dirt these last 9 months.

pm--3 Just tried to keep the ball rolling today. 

pm--7 Anasazi, basically, from trailhead-to-trailhead. First day back w/ kids at school. ''Twas good.

pm--6 Barrel Roll w/ Elusion belt x 2. Good run w/ some okay climbing. My lower hammy has felt a bit funky the last few days, but the trails seem to mitigate any irritation.

pm--4 Some easy running in the evening.

am--6 Up past the high school and around by the old race track. Showing some motivation the last 2 days.

pm--5 Heights loop w/ my neighbor. He was nice enough to let me chat most of the time about Philip K. Dick and his short stories.

pm--6.25 Anasazi to the homestead. Decent run. Seems like my body handles climbing on the trails much better 2-3 days in a row than after a 4-5 day break.

pm--3.75 Some easy stuff in the evening. Sometimes, it seems like life doesn't want me running.

pm--7 Rim Trails. Hit up my fav trails on my bday. Solo run--decent company most days. Lots of folks asked me if I'd do anything special for the day, and I realized my life is pretty good when all I want to do for the day is work, run, read, and hang w/ the fam. 

pm--7 Anasazi to the mesquite tree and back. Have it a decent push--~8 effort--and felt pretty good. 

am--6 Early run around the neighborhood w/ about 15 minutes of easy tempo at the end. In another note, I've been in the mood for Neil Young lately.

pm--7.5 Anasazi w/ Chipmunk and Cholla excursions. I felt good today. Beautiful day all around.

pm--5 Anasazi to the creosote. Another trail run but on limited time. I remembered, while running, that I passed a group of kids--mountain bike team?--and overheard them speculating about my age. Made me chuckle. The bit I heard was "not 30, closer to 50." 

pm--6 Barrel Roll w/ elusion x 2. Good run.

pm--4.5 Had to talk myself into it this evening, but I ran. Life is coming around.

am--6.5 Caught up w/ Tom on Anasazi and chatted about the draw of music.

pm--3.5 Some easy miles to start off the week and keep the ball rolling slowly. 

pm--8.25 Anasazi w/ an extension here and there. 

I also finished The Great Gatsby again. Nice writing, but I'm crawling farther into the sci-fi rabbit hole. 

pm--6.25 Anasazi w/ the chipmunk extension. The cold makes the desert look so crisp.

pm--8 Barrel Roll from below. There's a pretty good amount of climbing on this run, and I wasn't necessarily feeling it today. Nonetheless, I persevered. 
 

I finished Paycheck and Other Classic Stories by Philip K. Dick. The stories are thought-provoking with humanity at a premium. He's quickly becoming one of my favorites. Seems like I like sci-fi more than I ever thought.

pm--4.5 Just a run, experimenting w/ how I feel while exercising w/ the sniffles. 
 

I finished Vineland by Thomas Pynchon. His books are wacky and paranoid and full of conspiracies. This one was neither hit nor miss for me.

pm--6.5 Anasazi to the end of the river view trail w/ the cholla extension. Saw some horsemen on the trail. My running this trail multiple times a week feels like me stamping my name on this trail in the midst of out-of-state encroachment.

pm--5 Aerobic miles w/ Talking Heads. I have hair envy for David Byrne. 

pm--4 Some more aerobic miles. Back's a bit tight for whatever reason.

pm--6 Anasazi w/ the chipmunk extension. Back's feeling better.

am--5 Up past the high school. Last week was a weird one in terms of running, so I felt a little sluggish this morning. It is good to get out early, though.

pm--5 A run around the neighborhood w/ my neighbor. Trying to get back into the groove.

pm--6.25 Anasazi to the homestead and back. Getting back into the groove. The weather is unbelievably wonderful right now.

pm--7.5 Hit the hills--Anasazi w/ both Chipmunk and Cholla. Good sun, good run. As I drove around today, I wondered if it was a teacher workday because they needed parking at all of the local high schools for soccer tournaments.

pm--7 Rim Trails. The view was spectacular through my rose-tinted sunglasses.

pm--4 Sunbrook and back w/ my neighbor.

pm--6 Anasazi basically to the homestead and back. It was chilly and windy, maybe 1 of 5 or 6 days that have felt like winter this year. 
 

I finished Their Eyes Were Watching God. What a great book. I love rereads.

am--6 Canyons and back. I felt sluggish but got moving okay by the end.

am--4 Serenity and back. Took it easy and enjoyed the morning.

am--10-mile bike ride w/ a buddy.

pm--6.5 Anasazi w/ Cholla extension. 

pm--5 Anasazi to the creosote after my booster.

pm--3 Feeling just a bit off, so I went shorter. A run is a win today.

pm--6.25 Anasazi to the Homestead. I hit my 2k meters in elevation gain. That's a bright spot in a crumby running month.

pm--6.75 Anasazi w/ some chipmunk & cholla fun. Windy but awesome.

pm--6 Anasazi pert near to the homestead and back. Beautiful weather w/ James in the ears. 
 

I finished Night by Elie Wiesel. It's a heavy one. We're finishing this quarter w/ some short books.

pm--4 Tready run; tready fun.

pm--6.75 Anasazi w/ a yet-to-be-followed loop and Cholla extension. Windy but nice.

am--5 Ran this morning on the go-to neighborhood route because we had a big day at school. 
 

I finished The House on Mango Street today. Cisneros makes the mundane poetic.

pm--6 Barrel Roll figure 8. Nice run even though I never felt peppy. It's been a while since I've run up there because the access road has been closed. Not sure why. They have been digging up the road and, perhaps, "improving" it, but an already sketchy road for my hatchback is even sketchier, now. 

am--5.75 Chuckawalla w/ Tom and Micah. Nice chill run on a beautiful day. Looks like packed trailheads are something I'll have to get used to. Just when I thought everyone is in Florida or Hawaii.

am--8 Anasazi, basically from trailhead-to-trailhead w/ the Chola extension. It is getting warm, probably 70 when I finished.

I finished In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction by Gabor Mate. The book definitely has heartbreaking moments, but it taught me a lot about love. Mate is a guy to check out. He and Russell Brand had an interesting discussion on the later's podcast.

am--5.75 Got back to that tried-and-true institution that is barefoot grass running w/ striders. The morning was beautiful. I'm glad I got up and ran as opposed to leaving it until later.

I finished a sharp little Russian novel called A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Lermontov.

am--6 Anasazi w/ Chipmunk. I'm killing it w/ the "morning" runs.

pm--4.5 Tready because of the cold and the rain

pm--6.25 Anasazi to the homestead. Is there anything more beautiful than the desert after a rainstorm? Nice, chill run today.

pm--7.25 Anasazi/Chipmunk/Cholla. Decent stroll in the post-elements.

pm--5 Some easy miles w/ 8x striders to get the legs and the heart going. 

pm--4.5 Loop along the new road over the Santa Clara River w/ my neighbor. 

pm--6.25 Anasazi w/ the Chipmunk. I ended up pushing the pace a bit the last couple miles. Beautiful weather today.

pm--5.5 Anasazi w/ the shoulder trail. It's getting warmer.

am--6.5 Anasazi to just past the homestead w/ Tom. Got sprinkled on near the end. Lots of sightseers w/ questions about petroglyphs today.

pm--4 Anasazi exploration w/ my neighbor and his dog. Nice afternoon weather.

Yesterday, I finished The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick. It's an alternate history novel set in the wake of WWII. PKD is quickly joining Kurt Vonnegut as one of my fav authors.

pm--7 Anasazi exploration w/ Chipmunk and Cholla. Strong accompaniment by the capital-W Wind and bars from the extended-Wu universe. Mostly good times.

pm--5.75 Crestview to Canyon View. Nice run in a light breeze.

pm--6.25 Anasazi w/ some side trailage. Might hit 4K vert this month.

pm--6.5 Anasazi w/ Ben. Nice evening after hanging w/ my kid all day.

pm--7.5 Anasazi w/ Chipmunk and the shoulder ridge in 80-degree temps. Nice run still. I love the desert. 
 

I'm finishing up Wenger: My Life and Lessons in Red and White. It's an autobiography from a legendary coach from my favorite European football team, Arsenal. He has passion and wisdom. It makes me want to coach again.

pm--3 I didn't get out until later. Hit the roundabout and back w/ my neighbor.

pm--6.5 Anasazi to just past the homestead. Felt warmer than Monday because there wasn't much of a breeze. I played some touch rugby w/ the youth afterwards. 
 

Also hit a milestone month w/ 4K of vert and got my 40th trail run of the year to boot.

am--5 Old morning route w/ about 10 minutes of tempo pace. Felt good once I got going.

pm--7 Anasazi w/ a loop and Cholla. I went in the afternoon when it was supposedly 89 degrees. It didn't feel too bad. There was a breeze. I was thinking that, other than the vaccine for some loved ones, running in the dirt has brought more peace of mind during this pandemic than anything else. I'm grateful for health and where I live and an encouraging wife. 

am--6.25 Anasazi w/ Tom. Nice chat about creative tension, fact psychics, and the Edge skiing at Sundance.

am--6 Barefoot on the grass w/ 8x striders. Perfect morning temperatures. 

pm--6 Anasazi w/ the Chipmunk. Just me and nature.

pm--4 Around the new river loop w/ my neighbor. Nice chat, nice night.

pm--7 Anasazi w/ Cholla. Dirt w/ The Pixies. Mid-80s isn't as bad as I remember.

pm--6 Anasazi from the bottom parking lot w/ Andrew. It was fun catching up w/ him.

am--6.25 Anasazi to the homestead w/ Tom. Decided that Sanskrit might be a language to learn. The weather was beautiful.

pm--8 Anasazi, basically from trailhead to trailhead, w/ Cholla extension. I took it easy and enjoyed the heat and the 1k of climbing.

pm--5.5 Anasazi w/ a mini-loop on Chipmunk. I saw an old runner from PVXC. That was fun.

pm--4.75 Some grass miles w/ 4x striders w/ my neighbor. My current eating habits have allowed me to run sooner after eating than I can ever remember.

pm--5 Grapevine/Prospector w/ Beattie. Fun to catch up. 

am--6.5 Anasazi w/ Tom. Beautiful morning for a chat about Sanskrit and music.