Dedicated run

This morning's run was dedicated to TS who was a recent site visitor. I assumed parts of TS's name as an online alias recently while channeling a nostalgic recollection of the fine gray line.

I was greeted with, "There's AWOL," this morning. Thanks Jack. I missed you too.

The Orlando Runners Club Sunday bunch was huge today. Chris was trying to pad the numbers but it was a legitimate dozen. I expected as much on the Sunday before the OUC Half Marathon. Many in the group are already signed up or primed to do so.

A fast bunch featuring Ed, Jurgen, Chris, Lytle and another fellow (maybe another?) made quick work of the first four miles. I only stayed with them for two miles. My legs were very tired from a hard three mile pace run yesterday and the bi-annual pressure cleaning of the house. There's no shortage of washers to rent the afternoon of the Florida-Florida State game, by the way.

For miles 3 and 4 I ran with John L. who I had seen at the Turkey Trot on Thursday. He's still training hard for Disney and may do the OUC next week.

From the 4-mile water stop I paused to turn off my watch pace alert. That put me behind the group and in chase mode. I ran on my own until the Glenridge stop, shared some Zippfizz with John who was waiting with Ed and Jurgen. I resumed quickly with John and Jurgen as we tried to run down Ed who kept looking back for us.

By the time we reached Virginia Heights Jurgen had caught and passed Ed while John and I were on his heels. By the time we reached Rollins, Ed cranked it up and made short work of our effort to reel him in. John and I labored for an extra two miles to put twelve in the book.

Recapping. I finally completed a full week's training mileage for the first time since before Chicago. I also topped my previous annual mileage mark of 1,203 miles today (set last year). Plus I've got a whole month of running left to add to it.

Using Runner Rob's suggestion to age adjust my Turkey Trot time, it improved from 10th to 7th on my career list. Love that converter.

Turkey's soaring

I woke up with an attitude that it was not cold outside. It was 45F which is cold for us flatlander thinblooders. The sun was coming up and I had a race to run.

I put the top down on the A4 and toodled on down the empty byways of Orlando to Lake Eola with Coldplay rising up from the speakers. I parked at a middle school track and felt indominatable. There's no explanation why. I just felt that way.

I strolled down to the party/start area and picked up my number and looked around. The Turkey Trot is a running family reunion. I had 45 minutes of mixing and mingling before the start. Over 4,400 runners/walkers were registered to benefit Seniors First, an organization I will have to join soon, based on the perks they say they get.

With ten minutes until the gobble (no gun) I worked my way close to the front. This being my fourth of these "trots" I knew too many people took the trot part seriously. I wanted some open road.

I enjoyed the run. The finish couldn't come fast enough but I kept pushing. I was loose from a thorough massage by Julie the night before and I concentrated on elongating an easy stride and keeping shoulders relaxed.

The usual back-of-the-pack-starting youngsters flew by me all through the second and third miles, they being the former high school CC or track stars back for the holiday break. There were four people at the start I wanted to beat and I took out three of them. A gal in a NYC 07 marathon shirt beat me by a good 20 seconds.

My time was 24:43, second best of my trot runs and 10th best of my 41 5K races so, despite my increasing seniority, I still have some speed working despite being a lazy butt all last week. I drove home thinking about some more running today but the dogs needed a walk.

Happy Thanksgiving RBF and friends.

The streak is over

I couldn't bear it any longer.

I dressed to run this morning then changed into work clothes to make in time for a bowls selection committee meeting (Capital One and Champs).

At 5 p.m. I headed home and ignored all distractions and made it out on the roads before it turned dark and dropped six quick ones around the lake. I could sense I have been absent lately.

Now I'm ready for the Turkey Trot.

Complete and utter shutdown

I took Mrs. T to a play at the college last night, "They're Playing Our Song." It ran late. I watched a lot of it with my ears open and eyes shut, up in the balcony.

Yes, the mighty have fallen completely off the wagon. I did not even show up for the Sunday morning run today. That makes it a full seven day week since I ran last.

I substituted a brisk 2-1/4 mile walk with Mrs. T to have breakfast at #1 son's restaurant ... after sleeping in ... right past the 5:30 wake up, one-eye-balling the clock and rolling over; right past the 6:55 readjustment of the pillow and realization that the gang was forming up to run ... and through the 8:10 a.m. observation that they might be running right down the street from me at that moment.

Ah yes, I slept in 'til 8:45 and I think I am mighty pleased about it.

Breakfast was excellent. Service was personable. Then we stole the waiter's truck and went off to Home Depot for some plants.

State CC Championships

The Winter Park teams did well today. The Lady Wildcats had hopes of pulling off the sneaky upset to win States but finished second by six points to Bertram Trail HS in Jacksonville. They'll be back strong next year despite this morning's post-race tears.

The guys came in as underdogs, barely making States with a sixth place finish in regionals. In States they ran well and finished sixth, a huge surprise. Best of all they beat all the usual rival high schools from Central Florida to ward off the off-season razzing.

Oh and yes, I failed to run again. I will actually show up tomorrow looking to hear all about New York from Christy and only hope I can stay with her for a mile and get the low down.

Pigs. The Flying Pig came about because, last weekend, Mrs. T was minding the museum table at the Farmers Market when a former classmate pal and her hubby stopped by. They live in Cincy and were in town for who knows what. He runs the zoo up there. They offered to put us up in May if we came to run the race. Mrs. T booked this one. I just have to get ready for the hills.