New month, off to a better start

Last month was the worst in a while. A total of 26.8 miles. Factors: Soreness in calf. Travel. Kids out of school. Rising temperatures. Lack of a good schedule. SLOTH.
Yes, the SLOTH is back. I haven't been eating as well as I should, or as little as I should. I've been getting lazy. I could have gone out either weekend day or yesterday, but I didn't.

Here I recognize the problem and use the changing of the calendar to try and motivate me to repent. Today I went on the same route as a few days ago, Gay, Woodfield, College, Samford, Gay (GWCSG, henceforth). I was tempted to walk for a while, but I perservered. When I got home, I was totally beat. Usually, a rest of a few days leads to an invigoration, but this hiatus left me floored. The weather was deceptive. It looked cooler due to the partly cloudy conditions, and I was prepared for rain, but it turned out to be super-muggy and rather warm. All right June, I don't know if I'll get in 20 runs, or 100 miles, but that's what I'm trying for starting TODAY.

Playlist
I Wanna Know If It's Good To You -Funkadelic
Mexican Radio -Wall of Voodoo
(I Love It When You) Call Me Names -Joan Armatradding
Xtabenium -Acme Rocket Quartet
Demolition Man -the Police
Wouldn't It Be Nice -the Beach Boys
Speaking in Tongues -Eagles of Death Metal
Shadrach -Beastie Boys
Paradise -Ana Serrano de Laan
Run (I'm a Natural Disaster) -Gnarls Barkley
Rock & Roll -Lou Reed

Times
L1 12:20
L2 3:23
L3 7:25
L4 6:08
L5 11:41
L6 0:55
Total 41:53

Distance 4.6 miles
Cumulative distance 4.6 miles

New Shoes

Finally got myself some new shoes. New Balance 993s, following the New Balance 992s. I like them because they're pretty tough in the support department, which I need given the state of my knees. I also like them because they're the last athletic shoe made in the U.S.of A. I got them on Friday evening, and just tried them out today, on the short loop down to Chewacla and back.

Summer is hitting with a vengeance. A friend of my commented, "jeez, Summer, you could have bought me dinner first or something". It doesn't help that my little one is sleeping in, which keeps me off the road until 10:00 or so. Fortunately, I had a big quaff of H2O a few minutes before the slog.

Playlist
No Expectations -Rolling Stones
Xtabenium -Acme Rocket Quartet
F*ckin' with My Head -Beck
Alone + Easy Target -Foo Fighters
Over the Hills and Far Away -Led Zeppelin
Oh, Me -Meat Puppets
Walking on the Moon -the Police
Black Hole Sun -Soundgarden

Times
L1 8:48
L2 7:23
L3 7:32
L4 7:08
L5 (the kick, Tanglewood to Millbranch) 0:52
Total 31:43
Still a bit slow, but I'll get there. My calf is telling me it's still not fully resolved. I wonder if it ever will as long as I keep running.

Distance
3.5 miles

Another new combination of old routes to make new

Up Gay Street to Woodfield, across College over to Donahue, down back across College to University, then back home. My first time taking the big dip in this direction.

Playlist
Xtabenium -Acme Rocket Quartet
Queen Bitch -David Bowie
C.R.E.A.M. -Wu Tang Clan
De Camino A La Vereda -Buena Vista Social Club
Fourth of July -Dave Alvin
Gold -Genius/GZA
Hit It and Quit It -Funkadelic
In And Out -Del The Funky Homosapien
John, I'm Only Dancing -David Bowie

Times
L1 11:27
L2 3:27
L3 2:06
L4 5:04
L5 12:59
Total 35:03

Distance 4.27 miles. Day 18 of the 20 Day challenge. My feet are feeling a little tender. I don't think I've done a day under four miles, either, which is also good. Actually, one day under four, still...

Short Day Plus

My feet are feeling a little tender, after 17 days of running this month. Blisters on both of my middle toes, in the front. What's up with that?
I thought I'd take a short day, but just to show I'm not slacking (to who? myself? Sure why not) I added a little somethings extra in the form of and extra lap (down toward the lake and back), for an extra 0.9 mile.

Playlist (Stormy Weather Mix)
Xtabenium -Acme Rocket Quartet
Get Off My Cloud -The Rolling Stones
The Rain Song -Led Zeppelin
Purple Rain -Prince
Come In Out Of The Rain -Parliament
Rainy Day Woman -Waylon Jennings
Look At The Rain -Meat Puppets
Riders On The Storm -The Doors

Times
L1 7:54
L2 6:31
L3 6:42
L4 7:18 (that makes 28:23 on the 3.6 mi Chewacla route, a new PB)
L5 7:27
Total 35:51
Distance 4.5 miles

New Month, New Route, Will I ever go back to my old ways?

Another couple of days off, followed by another long run. I'm not sure how this pattern affects my desired goals, i.e. getting more fit, losing weight, going longer, getting ready for half- or full-marathon. Most of the route I've done before, only now I've mish-mashed them into a new combination. Down University up to Donahue, up onto campus and up to Magnolia, across College and down Gay to Thach, Armstrong to Samford and back home via Gay St.

Playlist
Over the Hills and Far Away -Led Zeppelin
Alone + Easy Target -Foo Fighters
Crazy Train -Ozzy Osbourne
Superunknown -Soundgarden
The Distance -Cake
Chest Fever -The Band
Don't Sh*t Where You Eat -Ween
God is a Number -Sleater-Kinney
Dr. Lee, PhD -Beastie Boys (with Lee "Scratch" Perry)
Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell -Flaming Lips
Gold -GZA
For Your Life -Led Zeppelin
Coming In Hot -Peter Tosh
Xtabenium -Acme Rocket Quartet

Times
L1 (Home-> Donahue) 14:32
L2 (Donahue->College) 3:16
L3 (College-> Samford?) 4:33
L4 (?->Toomer's Corner) 13:58
L5 (Toomer's -> Samford/Gay) 7:01
L6 (Samford->Woodfield) 6:01
L7 (Woodfield-> Home) 11:54
Total 1:01:14
Distance 7.0 miles

Another New Route

First day without spandex in a while. It was nice out, but I like how the spandex keeps my downtown region nicely secured, if you catch my TMI. Another new route, this time up Wright's Mill Rd. toward downtown, through AU campus again, and back via the Arboretum, Art Museum, Woodfield, and Gay Street

Playlist. Enough with the alphabet, just some songs I wanted to hear.
Xtabenium -Acme Rocket Quartet
(I Love It When You) Call Me Names -Joan Armatradding
I Felt Like A Gringo -Minutemen
I Wanna Rock -Twisted Sister
I'm A Mindless Idiot -Meat Puppets
Jimmy The Exploder -White Stripes
Let Forever Be -Chemical Brothers
Rock & Roll -Lou Reed and Velvet Underground
The Song Remains The Same -Led Zeppelin
The Stallion Pt. 3 -Ween
I Wanna Know If It's Good To You -Funkadelic
To Kingdom Come -The Band
Rosa Parks -Outkast

Time
49:23
Distance 5.7 miles