January 2006 could be it...

If I run 6.1 miles or more today, I will have exceeded the 100 mile mark for the month! This is more than I have ever run in the past, and possibly too much, but it is still a mark i would like to hit. So, this afternoon, I will leave school early, pick up Chico and we will head for the ditch trail to make personal running history. Enjoy the miles!

like a couple of old men...

Dan and I walked the marina with Chico yesterday for two miles. Dan's knee is hurting and my right calf has been feeling tight. We were laughing about how we're like a couple of old men who can't even run because our bodies have begun to crumble. Rest and patience will be necessary to get back to running our regular miles. We did manage to slog through nearly fourteen miles on Saturday, so we're not totally pathetic. Enjoy the miles.

weekly miles...

total miles for the week = 30
Despite some soreness in my right leg, I ran/hobbled/walked 30 miles this week. Dan and I had a particularly good time today as we laughed about the depiction of O'Brien as a school full of gangstas and druggies. We were not at our running best, but the run was great anyway. Chico had a terrific time on the trail as always. I think the leg problem stems from doing too much running on concrete at the Sparks Marina. I will take it easy this week and see if it improves. Enjoy the miles!

weekly miles...

total miles for the week = 22.7
Not a bad week. We ran four days instead of five and this had something to do with the miles being less. Last week we totaled 30.2. Dan and I have already four miles this week and will pick up another four to six tomorrow. According to the marathon training schedule, we should run 32 miles this week. I suspect we'll get real close to that. Enjoy the miles.

Getting in my (s)miles...

Last week I ran 30 miles! That's a pretty impressive total for me. I can't remember a week that didn't include a marathon where I ran for more than 25. I am trying to follow the New York Road Runners Club training schedule for preparing for a marathon. It's available at http://www.ingnycmarathon.org/training and is a helpful tool for aspiring or continuing marathoners.
Dan and I have run the Marina with Michael and Chico twice this week and are planning our long run for Saturday at the SDT. I anticipate that Manuel will be able to join us this week and it should be a great run, much like the last one.
Enjoy the miles!

Half makes whole...

After running the Sparks Marina for three days, I decided it was time to test the trail. I knew there would be snow, mud and puddles. What I did not expect was ice, slush and cave-ins. Dan knew we would be going farther than previous runs, but we did not discuss distance prior to getting started. So Dan, Chico and I set out from Horseman's Park and when we got to the McCarran overpass I informed Dan that if we turned back we would have gone 11 miles. He was willing to keep going and we decided to go for 13.1, half-marathon distance. Dan seems intrigued with the idea of running a marathon. We had talked previously about running a half-marathon and he wanted to prove to himself that he could do it. It is quite a feat considering that we have not been running consistently the past two weeks. Dan was in Ohio visiting family and although I have been running, I had only done five or six mile runs since my last half-marathon in November. With the conditions being what they were, we covered the distance in 2:26. And that is not bad! Enjoy the miles!

Running in circles...

With snow on the ground, more specifically the trail...I took Chico for a run at the Sparks Marina. The what?! You heard me (read me), the Marina. The haven for retired couples, walkers and small-dog people. As awful as it sounds, it wasn't that bad. We ran it three times (1.8 x 3 = 5.4 miles) and actually met a brother of Chico on lap one. No kidding! A dog from the same litter was running its owner and we stopped and chatted about dogs and running and...yadda, yadda, yadda.
I prefer to run on the trail to anywhere else in the world. But, I have to say, the Sparks Marina was a pleasant surprise today. Enjoy the miles!

New Year's Day...

Total miles for 2005 - 526.4
Happy New Year to all!
I wanted to get 2006 off on the right foot, and a run on the trail seemed fitting. I knew Chico would be eager and I emailed Manuel in the hope that he would be able to go as well. He was and so we did... We met at the paver driveway at 1:30 and took a look at the condition of the trail. As it rained steadily yesterday, we did not know whether we would be able to run or if it would be too muddy. As it turned out, the trail is in respectable condition. Although, a part of it collapsed and slid down into the back yard of a residence. We ran four and a half miles and chatted about all kinds of things, but primarily we talked about the BIG NEWS. Manuel and Itzia got engaged last night! I am very pleased and excited for them. I am certain that like running, there are challenges ahead but the destination and the companion are well worth it. Enjoy the miles!