This past weekend I purchased a Polar wristwatch that helps me track heart rate and my running pace. I used it officially for the first time outdoors yesterday and it worked great. In fact I cut a full minute off my best time in Mitch Park (the park just outside our neighborhood. The watch says that from my driveway, out to the park, around the long route and back to my driveway is 3.3 miles and I did that in 39 minutes. My previous best was 40 minutes. The park has quite a bit of elevation change in it. I'm not sure of the exact elevation changes but I've read where Mitch Park is an excellent training track for 1/2 and full marathons. So I guess I'm fortunate to have it available and so close.
Last night I also attended my first meeting with the Edmond Runners Club. They meet the 4th Monday of the month. I meet alot of nice people and they are all supportive of everyone's efforts. I won a $50 door prize (gift certificate to a local runners store) so it was well worth the effort to attend. They have several training groups that get together 2 or 3 times a week to run, mostly in the early morning hours and unless I'm out of town or have a meeting I think I can start joining them as well.
Life is good....

Well it's Friday and I finally had time to run in Mitch Park again. Same as Monday lots of wind, it was a bit colder today and I did the run in 40 minutes.
It is a week from tomorrow that I run in my official race a 5k run that is sponsored by the Deer Creek school system just west of Edmond. That is a kick-off of a March Madness series here in the OKC area, there will be another 5k on March 10, and then an 8k on March 17. I think these will be good for me.

Well this afternoon I got home in time to run in Mitch Park, which is just across the road that borders our neighborhood. I ran/walked the outside trail that is 2 and 3/4 miles and it's about an 1/4 mile distance from the house to start the trail. I did roughly 3 miles in about 40 minutes. Not a great start but it is a start to running outdoors. There was a very gusty wind blowing this afternoon, I believe times it exceeded 20 mph and was definitely an issue. I didn't like the noise around my ears.

I believe there are only 68 days left until the half marathon in April.

Tonight I signed up for three short races in March here in the OKC area, a 5k run on March 3, a 5k run on March 10, and an 8k run on March 17. I'm excited and nervous making these commitments.

I probably won't be able to run in the park tomorrow as I have an all day meeting and I'm not sure if I will have to go out to dinner or not. If I can get out of it I will try and run outside, if not in the park then maybe in the neighborhood.

My toes appear to be doing well. They don't look great but at least they are not hurting. My shoes feel good too.

After taking off for 17 days related to vacation, other travel, weather and some issues with my toes that relate back to my old shoes, I finally did a mile and half this weekend and it really felt good. I'm glad to be back. I'm also looking forward to some decent weather that will allow me to finally do a run in the park that is just outside of our subdivision where they have a 3 mile marked path so it will be fairly easy to judge my progress as I am running. I'm getting excited again.
My toes are coming around, but they did take a beating from wearing too small shoes to start with. So far I've lost one nail on my left foot and I may loose up to three on my right foot, just not sure yet and one of those could be from the big toe.
More later.