Week 1: Day 2 (Day 1?) - 01 January 2019

• hilly trail run #1: 3.7 miles; time = 53:55 (minutes:seconds); pace @ 14:34 (minutes:seconds)
• hilly trail run #2: 1.1 mile; time = 18:17; pace @ 16:37
• cycling = 30.70 miles; moving time = 2:25:29 (elapsed/total time = 2:41:18); pace @ 12.6 mph
• walk dogs = 2.5 miles total

Happy New Year to everyone. I hope you have started the new year strong and I hope last year (2018) wasn't too bad for you.

I have a 10K run/race coming up next month. I'm training now, however, not really for the distance. I can easily do a 10K distance tomorrow and be fine. The race is on a very hilly course, so I'm training (running) more on hills. I have to train (ride) on hills because that helps too.

I haven't decided yet, but I think I will do the Long Beach half marathon in October this year. It has been awhile since I've done that race. Also another possible race is "Finish The Ride" (35 miles) in May.

Week 35: Day 1 - August 27, 2018

• morning run (solo) = 4.1 miles; 1:02:29; average pace @ 14:50
• easy walk with dogs = 2.7 miles total

I normally don't run on Mondays. I stopped running on Mondays and have gotten into the habit of using Mondays as non-running days since I started running half marathons in 2007, so it's been kinda weird to run on a Monday. I don't know how my work schedule is this week. I know, it's weird not knowing what my work schedule is at the beginning of a week, but I won't know until I hear back from a potential employer.

Week 33: Day 6 - August 18, 2018

• morning group ride = 28.19 miles; time = 2:01:30; average speed @ 13.9 mph
• walk dogs = 2.6 miles total
• evening run (solo) = 2.50 miles; average pace @ 13:18

For the first time in forever, I did a run that wasn't in the morning. I think I need to keep my runs to the early morning hours when I have more motivation/energy and when it's cooler. I really am a morning runner and it was so weird to do a run later. I just didn't like it. I did a ride this morning because I wanted to get a ride in and I needed to put in the miles for that too. I almost didn't want to do a run at all, but told myself that I would feel better if I just did it on the track at the local high school because I needed to put in my miles for running. I felt better for doing a run, but I still really prefer morning runs. I also wish that running on the track (in circles) wasn't so boring. This is why I really don't often do runs on the track. While it's better than a treadmill (where you're literally running in place...in the same exact spot), running in circles doesn't seem that much better. You're still running in place because you're not really going anywhere....

I am doing another ride tomorrow morning which is why I did a run this evening instead.

Week 33: Day 5 - August 17, 2018

• morning run = 2.6 miles; time = 36:13
• walk with dogs = 2.7 miles total

Week 33: Day 4 - August 16, 2018

• morning run = 2.21 miles; time = 32:31
• walk with dogs = 2.6 miles total

Week 33: Day 3 - August 15, 2018

• morning run (solo) = 2.24 miles; time = 31:38
• walk with dogs = 2.6 miles total

Week 33: Day 2 - August 14, 2018

• easy morning run (solo) = 2 miles; time = 29:10
• easy walk with dogs = 2.7 miles total

So, I've basically abandoned my blog. Let's get into the habit of doing this without abandoning it again! Since I've stopped blogging and stopped logging my runs/rides (miles, finish times and average pace/speed) on LogYourRun.com for a few months, I didn't know that LogYourRun has shut down! This makes me sad because I recorded all of my event (bike and run) times on there. Now I can't access my data! So sad.

Anyway, I recently bought a pair of five-toed barefoot shoes...you really feel like you're barefoot where you can feel the ground and all of its imperfections including things like tiny rocks, sticks, glass and other tiny little things that you have to avoid. I did some easy runs last week. I finally felt adventurous to run on concrete/asphalt and a trail. I'm still a little scared of tiny rocks everywhere, but it wasn't as bad or scary as I thought. I think I'm a little less careful when I'm walking in them because I feel more rocks from walking than running.

I was going to a chiropractor for my sciatic pain (lower back, right side). While I don't get pain anymore, my lower back is still a little knotted up and sometimes acts up (mildly). I think I need a new chiropractor. My hips are still not straight, my left side is higher than my right. My last/previous pair of running shoes that I was wearing (stopped two weeks ago)…..the right shoe was wearing out faster than my left shoe. So unless I get my hips adjusted and straightened out, my back isn't going to get better...my sciatic pain and other back problems will just come back.