Term Limits?

The hurricane made landfall at Cameron, La at 1 a.m., local time. It's about 30 miles from the state line or 30 miles south of Lake Charles.

Winds were at 150 mph with gusts to 200 mph. It was a strong Category 4 hurricane. At landfall, Katrina was a category 3. Katrina was 15 years ago, this week.

This hurricane right now has winds of 120 mph, 3 -1/2 hours after landfall. FEMA has ambulances from as far away as Missouri in Houston, waiting for the green light to head to Louisiana. I'm sure electric company trucks are staged here, too. They typically work closely across the country. Some electric company from Michigan or New Hampshire, for example, will be seen in Louisiana. Very reciprocal.

As far as running, it's 77 degrees and I imagine a less than 15 mph is waiting for me. No rain.

Glad to hear you're safe.  I'm surprised that you haven't had any rain...I expected Houston to be close enough to get some rain and a bit more wind.  

Stay well and enjoy our run when you decide to venture out...

Shoot even we got "hurricane" weather here in the ATL with warmer than normal mornings and super high humidity.  It's like running in a swimming pool every morning.

Sounds like Houston was spared though which is nice - or at least this time, right?  After all, it is 2020, so something wacky will probably happen and hurricane season isn't over until December, right?

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Shoot even we got "hurricane" weather here in the ATL with warmer than normal mornings and super high humidity.  It's like running in a swimming pool every morning.

Sounds like Houston was spared though which is nice - or at least this time, right?  After all, it is 2020, so something wacky will probably happen and hurricane season isn't over until December, right?

'This time' is more accurate.  Weather folks are threatening a cool front to come through on September 8. 87 as a high.
If the front does come through, I think that'll be the end of hurricane season for the western Gulf, which is 2 weeks early.

Those poor folks from Beaumont to Lake Charles have an Excessive Heat Warning, which is for Heat Indices of 110-117 degrees.  No power, no water, no gas, and heat 'n humidity.  Our heat warning is only 105-112 degrees. 

ounce wrote:

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Shoot even we got "hurricane" weather here in the ATL with warmer than normal mornings and super high humidity.  It's like running in a swimming pool every morning.

Sounds like Houston was spared though which is nice - or at least this time, right?  After all, it is 2020, so something wacky will probably happen and hurricane season isn't over until December, right?

'This time' is more accurate.  Weather folks are threatening a cool front to come through on September 8. 87 as a high.
If the front does come through, I think that'll be the end of hurricane season for the western Gulf, which is 2 weeks early.

Those poor folks from Beaumont to Lake Charles have an Excessive Heat Warning, which is for Heat Indices of 110-117 degrees.  No power, no water, no gas, and heat 'n humidity.  Our heat warning is only 105-112 degrees. 

Hope the cool front arrives on schedule...or earlier.

Stay safe.

nkrichards wrote:

ounce wrote:

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Shoot even we got "hurricane" weather here in the ATL with warmer than normal mornings and super high humidity.  It's like running in a swimming pool every morning.

Sounds like Houston was spared though which is nice - or at least this time, right?  After all, it is 2020, so something wacky will probably happen and hurricane season isn't over until December, right?

'This time' is more accurate.  Weather folks are threatening a cool front to come through on September 8. 87 as a high.
If the front does come through, I think that'll be the end of hurricane season for the western Gulf, which is 2 weeks early.

Those poor folks from Beaumont to Lake Charles have an Excessive Heat Warning, which is for Heat Indices of 110-117 degrees.  No power, no water, no gas, and heat 'n humidity.  Our heat warning is only 105-112 degrees. 

Hope the cool front arrives on schedule...or earlier.

Stay safe.

And it won't arrive at all with 2 bad effects.  First, we don't get cool.  Lastly, Utah, Nevada, and California will all get a howling wind of 50+ mph which doesn't help California's wildfire situation.

For me, last week's running topped out at about 2.6 miles.  Last Tuesday, it was 84 degrees and I made the mistake of looking at the Heat Index for 84 degrees at 4:30 in the morning.  99 degrees.  That messed with my mind and I got psyched out.  Hence, 0.6 miles.

Thursday, I did finish 2 miles.  It was 82 degrees, but I didn't look at the Heat Index.

At the gym, it's been doing well.  I got into a situation where 2 of the machines I use were being used.  So, I tried something different.  Bench press.  I never liked a free standing bench press machine because if something happened, I was pinned.  I didn't like the bench press machine because I didn't think I was working the stabilizer muscles, just the pecs.  So, it's been many years.

Well, I laid down and just worked with the barbell itself.  I think it's 45 pounds.  Pushing it up and down wasn't a problem, but just holding it with elbows locked generated a lot of sway.  I wasn't in any danger, but it sort of validated the importance of the various unknown stabilizer muscles that assists in lifting and lowering that bar.

I could also hypothesize that doing bench press could help balance the pecs against the lats.  And would help in the off occurrence of me doing push ups.

I've increased the weight on 4 of the machines.  When I am just walking to my car or to the grocery store, I notice my body is more upright and stable.  Reminds me of war films of troops marching in formation in review.

I will run tomorrow, unless it's raining.  Thanks.

Sounds like the gym is the safest place to be with a Heat Index like that!  And I do think that strength training not only improves your posture but also allows you to do things...like run...better and longer.  I don't think you're hurting yourself by staying in the gym on days when running outdoors isn't a safe option.  You're still progressing.

Oh...your weather prediction...yup...those winds came howling through Oregon yesterday.  We really got hammered and are literally burning up today.  We had heavy smoke and falling ash later in the day yesterday but it's better today.  We aren't in danger from the fires but boy they are widespread and travelling fast.  I can't keep up with the news but it isn't good.  I'm afraid before it's over we're going to lose lives, livelihoods and many of our treasured natural areas.

Stay safe.

Yes, Nancy, I have thought of putting off running until the first measurable cool front rolls in.

The Oregon gov was quoted as saying this fire is the worst in 20 years. Texas hasn't seen bad fires since 2011. Nothing on California's scale. Something more like Colorado.

-30-

I did run 3 miles, this morning. It was 78 degrees. I can say now that the difference between 84 degrees and 78 degrees is the hot wind at 84.

I think the pace was 14:33 or so. I was hoping for 4 miles, but two miles wasn't far enough. So Goldilocks was 3 miles.

Tomorrow will be the gym.

Oh, on the fudge experimentation track, I've settle in on a formula for another version. It's based on what y'all guinea pigged, but takes care of the crumbles and the actual method of which ingredients when. That breakthrough made the fudge quicker to make.

I call it Anaerobic Fudge because it increases HR, while eating.

Looks like a week since my last update.  I've been well.  An unusual running niggle, last week and this.  Tight quads.  Seems to be a result of 4x25 leg lifts (lay on back, legs flat, then raise legs 90 degrees, then lower).  Only thing I can think of.

Last Friday, it was 70 degrees the morning I ran 4 miles.  Felt nice, compared to 78+ degrees the past 3 months.  I ran at a 14:36 pace.  The lower temp forced me to run 4 miles.  Gun to my head kind of force.  Yes.  It happens.  But had tight quads, from knee to pelvis.  More of a whine, but a whine that never stopped until I did.

Today, I ran 3 miles in 78 degree weather.  The upper part of the quads was the whiner, so I guess I've made progress.
14:20 pace.  I was told there was to be a north breeze to help.  And there was, but only a third of a mile is heading north.  But it WAS there.

Still lifting weights.  Tuesdays and Thursdays seem to work best with the running.  Continuing to work on the sway from the unweighted bar on bench press.  Seems like the deltoid muscles are primarily causing the left/right sway.  When I start adding weight to the bar, the sway should be more pronounced.  I could go to a bench press machine, where I sit, but I will continue to work on the bar.  Maybe include a deltoid machine to lift.  That should help.  I could use a kettlebell I have at home.  Hold it at my sides, then lift the arm 90 degrees out.

Anywho, that's it.  Thanks for stopping by.

Not surprised your quads were whining...good for you for continuing the run in spite of their protests.  Doesn't sound like an injury that continuing to run could worsen so running was probably good active recovery.  

We do all of our weight lifting workouts with dumb bells.  Like the bar it requires lots of input from other muscles to help stabilize and so we're getting more bang for our buck.  The trainer constantly reminds us to maintain form or to drop to a lower weight.  Sounds like you're doing that with your choice to start with just the bar.

Glad you're getting in a bit of running...and enjoying your time at the gym as well.

Enjoy the weekend...

Haven't been able to run or lift, this week, because the rain didn't make it conducive to risk limb or car. Got about 10 inches over 2 days. A couple of places got 12-15". Not bad for a tropical storm. In 2017, Harvey deposited 50" over 4 days.

Some locals were convinced this was another Harvey, until you compared radar images

I tried something different, this morning.  Since I hadn't run or worked out on Tuesday or Wednesday, I did both, this morning.  3 miles plus a usual workout.  Part of the scheme was made easier with a 68 degree morning, with a breeze on the way back.  It was cool, but the air was chock full of humidity, which made the transition easier.

3 miles, 41:21, 13:43 pace, 134 avg HR, 153 max HR, 157 avg cadence, 0.76 m avg stride length
1.  14:10, 118 bpm, 159 spm, 74 sl
2.  13:20, 139 bpm, 159 spm, 77 sl
3.  13:41, 144 bpm, 153 spm, 76 sl





Enjoyed the 2 mile pier, however a bit marred since I last ran 6 days prior.

After I returned home, I stripped down and laid on the floor to dry the sweat on a towel, then headed off to the gym after getting dressed.  It all played out pretty well, except at the start where I was getting tired earlier than usual.  The body adjusted and responded well.  Even increased weight on three machines.

I was tired, after it all.  Not sore, just tired.  The following seven days of weather are supposed to be below average or average, which is 89 degrees.

I might try this double again, tomorrow morning.  Then, I'll have the weekend to recover.

Y'all have a good weekend.

I enjoy doubles.  It means I don't have to be concerned if my run is a bit short or a bit slow...in fact that's probably better. Listen to your body and you'll be fine.

Good to hear you're back running...and back at the gym!  Hope you enjoy another double in the morning and that you do take the weekend to rest up.  

Well, I slowly got up, this morning.  Ordinarily, I would go back to sleep.  Especially when my sleep of 5.5 hours, which is about 1.25 hours less each night, for Wednesday night and Thursday night is the cause.  But this is an experiment on doubles.

This morning, I ran 2 miles, then went to the gym.  I think if I kept doing a set of doubles a week, that the body would adapt.  I might have to change up the machines I use each day of the double.  Seems like I might have overused a muscle, this morning.  A whine.  The weekend will take care of it.

I lost cadence about a half mile into the run, which I wasn't too surprised to see.  Doing doubles will be easier, now that temperatures are finally becoming average or even below average, but it'll take some time to adapt.  It would have been tough doing doubles in July or August.

I will sleep very well, tonight.  Y'all do the same, this weekend.  Thanks for stopping by.

ounce wrote:Well, I slowly got up, this morning.  Ordinarily, I would go back to sleep.  Especially when my sleep of 5.5 hours, which is about 1.25 hours less each night, for Wednesday night and Thursday night is the cause.  But this is an experiment on doubles.

This morning, I ran 2 miles, then went to the gym.  I think if I kept doing a set of doubles a week, that the body would adapt.  I might have to change up the machines I use each day of the double.  Seems like I might have overused a muscle, this morning.  A whine.  The weekend will take care of it.

I lost cadence about a half mile into the run, which I wasn't too surprised to see.  Doing doubles will be easier, now that temperatures are finally becoming average or even below average, but it'll take some time to adapt.  It would have been tough doing doubles in July or August.

I will sleep very well, tonight.  Y'all do the same, this weekend.  Thanks for stopping by.

Watch that sleep or lack of sleep I should say.  I think it's one of the things that got me!

I do think you'll adapt to the doubles if that's what you decide you want to do.  Good luck but make sure you listen to your body.

May the cool temperatures be with you...

They have arrived about 2 hours ago! And nothing barely about it. A Wind Advisory starts at 10 a.m. for the rest of the day for gusts up to 30 mph. Summer is gone!

Morning temp around 58-60 degrees and highs for the next 5-7 days below seasonal of 88 degrees. Guess I'll be running, in the morning.

ounce wrote:They have arrived about 2 hours ago!  And nothing barely about it.  A Wind Advisory starts at 10 a.m. for the rest of the day for gusts up to 30 mph.  Summer is gone!

Morning temp around 58-60 degrees and highs for the next 5-7 days below seasonal of 88 degrees.  Guess I'll be running, in the morning.

Dig out the long sleeve shirts and hang on to our hat!

66 degrees at the start with a dew point of 44 degrees.  When I returned after 3 miles, it was 61 degrees.  Coolest temps since May 11.

I will post the splits later, but the average pace was around 13:30 & the mile 2 split was 13:09.  I also had a very long pier.

As I would expect, I didn't sweat much, so I was able to get to the gym sooner.  By the way, the gym no longer requires reservations, effective Monday.  Masks still need to be worn, but no restrictions and no pausing during the day to clean the place by the staff.

Yesterday, the mayor announced the City of Houston has a positivity rate of 5.6%.  5% is supposed to be the figure to let things open up all the way.  Although the mayor has said no groups of greater than 50, no races, etc without City approval, unless masked and distanced for the rest of the year.  The Texans have 13,300 people approved for this Sunday's game against the Vikings.

It's cool again!

EDIT---
Well, my eyes didn't see the numbers correctly.  It's a 'bank error in your favor' kind of error.  Last Friday, I bumped up the cadence 1 step to 161 in anticipation of this week's lower temps.

3 miles, 40:01, 13:15 pace, 134 avg bpm, 149 max bpm, 161 cadence, 0.75 m avg stride length
1.  13:53, 125 bpm, 161 spm, 74 sl
2.  13:08, 135 bpm, 160 spm, 75 sl
3.  12:58, 143 bpm, 161 spm, 77 sl

HR zones
zone 4 - 144-149
zone 3 - 126-143



I guess that I'm going to have to say that all of those sweaty, plodding, discouraging, aggravating Summer runs did some good.  I never figured to run this fast, on a long pier, with each split faster than the one before it, at an economical heart rate.



(the colors above match the colors in the Zone HR summary a little further up.)

Tuesdays are good days to do doubles, as I'm coming off a weekend where sleep was plentiful.  Also seems like a Wednesday would be just as good.  What I'm getting at is that where I was only able to do 2 runs and 2 weights per 4 day week, I can do 3 per week, each.  Two doubles-Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by either a run or weights on Thursday and Friday.

The morning temp ended up at 58 degrees.  Tomorrow, the same.  Thanks for practicing your reading skills and looking at purdy pictures.

61 degrees, as I walked out the door, this morning.  However, it took me 10 minutes to hear the alarm, but I didn't feel like death warmed over, getting out of bed. 161 is the cadence

3 miles, 40:46, 13:34 pace, 129 avg HR, 139 max HR, 160 avg cadence, 0.74 m avg stride length
1.  13:58, 121 bpm, 160 spm, 72 sl
2.  13:36, 132 bpm, 160 spm, 74 sl
3.  13:09, 136 bpm, 161 spm, 76 sl

HR zone 3 126-139



During mile 2, I could tell the breathing was not comfortable with the pace, while the heart was relaxed and the legs were compliant.  Yet, I kept on going, knowing it'll get the hang of the breathing effort.

Thursday or Friday, I'll run 4 miles because I want to see how far I go, before the cadence starts to slow.  Maybe 5 miles.  It'll still be in the 60's, either morning.

After the run, I went and worked out.  I strained a right forearm muscle, to boot.  I know why, too.  The bare curl bar that I use (wasn't available this morning) with added weight plates must be lighter than a pre-weighted curl bar.  That's okay.  It'll take a couple of days to heal, although I have to find other machines to use in the interim, since my bicep-concentrated routines also includes the forearms.  If it involves grip, the forearms are used.

Thanks much.

Pretty impressive stats for both those runs!  Those cooler temps are obviously helping but as you mentioned those hot muggy slogs you endured during the summer were obviously causing some training adaptations to occur.  I'm especially impressed that you've been able to jump right back in to a 161 cadence AND keep the HR low at those paces.  I'm guessing that in your mind you're afraid to fall off the pier into that cold water. 

Good to see the doubles experiment is still going well.  Make sure you give that muscle strain time to heal.  You don't need your forearm to run so you're good there...if I remember correctly you don't head back to the gym till after the weekend.

Hope the longer run goes well...

nkrichards wrote:Pretty impressive stats for both those runs!  Those cooler temps are obviously helping but as you mentioned those hot muggy slogs you endured during the summer were obviously causing some training adaptations to occur.  I'm especially impressed that you've been able to jump right back in to a 161 cadence AND keep the HR low at those paces.  I'm guessing that in your mind you're afraid to fall off the pier into that cold water. 

Good to see the doubles experiment is still going well.  Make sure you give that muscle strain time to heal.  You don't need your forearm to run so you're good there...if I remember correctly you don't head back to the gym till after the weekend.

Hope the longer run goes well...

Yeah, I run best when temps are under 65 degrees.  But running in the 70s does give heart benefits and leg benefits, even though the splits suck.  I can't say the lung benefits because running faster requires my lungs to breath faster, until it has adapted.  The heart, however, has kicked back into his hammock until he's needed.  The legs think the brain is a politician by continuing to promise to lose weight, but never delivers.  However, the brain has taken kickbacks from the weight lifting lobby to shore up the body's ability to carry itself around easier.

But, Nancy, I did lift weights this morning.  There wasn't much pain...only when I twist my arm clockwise.  I worked on bench press with just the bar, a machine that works the deltoids, THEN I decided to try the curl bar with less than normal weight, just to see if it was going to be a booger.  No pain.  Then added 10 pounds.  No pain.  I decided to not add the final 5 pounds. 

NOW, no lifting until Tuesday.  I'm a bit tired, but I'll see how the day moves along.  Definitely running tomorrow.  Temp around 66, then.

Thanks, Nancy.

It was 64 degrees, this morning.  Had to decide whether to wear singlet or short sleeves.  The past couple of years, I get chilled easier, but I don't want to dress warmer than I have to because I sweat sooner.  I decided singlet, which turned out to be the correct answer.   Now, sleeves begin at 59 degrees and could be even lower as the Fall rolls along.

I was going to decide on distance as the steps went along to do 4 or 5 miles.  I didn't have time for 6.  After the May to September Summer season of heat 'n humidity, I had forgotten a lot of how to run in good running weather like:

• listen to the legs for when to turnaround.
  
• what temp to dress warmer.
  
• time to increase cadence or pace, when the pier goes the length of the run
  

Cadence was 161.

4 miles, 53:48, 13:30 pace, 135 avg HR, 148 max HR, 160 avg cadence, 0.75 m avg stride length
1.  14:12, 124 bpm, 161 spm, 72 sl
2.  13:28, 134 bpm, 160 spm, 75 sl
3.  13:26, 140 bpm, 161 spm, 76 sl
4.  13:03, 142 bpm, 160 spm, 77 sl

HR zones
zone 4 - 144 to 148 bpm
zone 3 - 126 to 143 bpm





I stopped during the end of mile 3 for a pee break.  It was also fortuitous because I was getting winded.  Honestly, oddly enough that I was maintaining cadence throughout.  I guess I was willing to breathe harder, if I could maintain cadence.  Something I hadn't been able to do or decide to do since May.

But it all worked out in the end.  However, I would've like to have seen if I could do the whole 4, uninterrupted.  Well, the weather is going to stick around, next week, so I can see it then.

In reflection, the legs were working fine and there was no communication from them to turnaround at mile 2.  One of those bullet points from above.  The lungs, however, were huffin'.  They hadn't been pushed that hard since May.  They'll adapt.

On the good side, I could increase cadence or distance as a result of the average cadence of 160.  But I'm going to allow the lungs to catch up.  And I finally got the heart out of the hammock on this run, too!

To recap, this has been a good, yet tiring week.  3 runs and 3 weights in 4 days, including 2 doubles.  Right now, I'm thinking to do just one double per week until I adapt to it and maybe increase to 2 doubles in a couple of weeks.  For the other 3 days, I reckon run-lift-run one week, then lift-run-lift the next week.

10 miles, this week.  Good miles, too.  Have a good weekend.

Good week for sure!  Nice run after your doubles earlier in the week.  Your body could have chosen to fall off that pier in retaliation for the extra work but it cooperated nicely.  I agree with your decision to wait to add distance until your breathing catches up.  You owe it to the body as a reward for cooperating.

Enjoy the weekend and the continued cool weather.

nkrichards wrote:Good week for sure!  Nice run after your doubles earlier in the week.  Your body could have chosen to fall off that pier in retaliation for the extra work but it cooperated nicely.  I agree with your decision to wait to add distance until your breathing catches up.  You owe it to the body as a reward for cooperating.

Enjoy the weekend and the continued cool weather.

Cool weather is great.

Thanks.

Sooooo, the Houston Marathon released a statement saying the in-person race was cancelled, but they are doing a virtual race.  They had already announced you could defer the 2021 cost to 2022 or 2023.  And I'm going to enter the marathon. 

You see, the rules in a nut shell are, you can run anytime and anywhere between January 8 to the 17th.  There's no time limit, but you have to do the full distance of the race you purchased all at once and submit the time, either by just submitting the time or by giving them the Garmin, Strava, Polar link so they can see it.

This is a God-send for me for achieving Legacy status (10 official finishes) before I run out of ability.  I have 8, so this race will give me 9 and 2022's race (50th anniversary of the race) will give me 10.

And away I go.  Thanks for reading.

3 months.  I have no dream to run the whole thing.  But I will train to run as far as I can, then walk the balance.

It was 64 degrees, this morning.  Almost Goldilocks weather.  In light of my decision to do the marathon in January, this influenced my decision to treat Tuesdays as the long run day, again.  Which meant either 5 or 6 miles, all the while knowing that I need to watch my breathing.  But knowing that it's a long run inherently means to run slower.  So, let's review the data.  Cadence was 161.

6 miles, 1:22:06, 13:39 pace, 133 avg HR, 149 max HR, 160 avg cadence, 0.74 m avg stride length
1.  14:07, 117 bpm, 161 spm, 71 sl
2.  13:49, 132 bpm, 159 spm, 74 sl
3.  13:42, 135 bpm, 160 spm, 73 sl
4.  13:45, 133 bpm, 159 spm, 74 sl
5.  13:19, 139 bpm, 160 spm, 73 sl
6.  13:17, 141 bpm, 160 spm, 75 sl

HR zone 126-143




Had a little dangling of the feet into the water at mile 2 and near the end, otherwise, a long pier.  I stopped after mile 3 for a pee break.  There was some concern of going out 3 miles before turning around, but the legs were fine and the breathing was fine, so I went past 2.5 miles to 3.  I know the pit stop allowed me to catch a breath.  Not that I needed it, but it was timely.

I don't know what got into me to make mile 5 faster, but my breathing was fine.  Up to mile 3, the breathing was okay, but I wasn't in a groove.  No rhythm.  I think that caused the cadence slippage at mile 2.  Afterwards, it was settled and comfortable.  Easier than Friday.

And 6 whole miles with just a little fall off on the pier.  Could I have ran 7?  Yes, because the only thing missing was some water and I would've passed a water fountain to get to 3.5 miles.  But I had left home thinking 5, so I didn't want to bump up the mileage twice.


Pleased with the run and I haven't had any post-run stiffness.

Thanks, be sure to have your coupon stamped by the hostess for a drawing of a fantastic nothing!