Camelbak works much better than I thought

Now that summertime has come to Michigan, my long Saturday runs are getting hot and humid.  I’ve been carrying a water bottle but I really hate the water sloshing in the half-full bottle and switching the bottle from hand to hand.  So I found a Camelbak FlashFlo on craigslist and got it.  Even though I bought it I was still expecting it to be a hassle to use and had low expectations.  I was very pleasantly surprised.  After a few mid-course adjustments to the belt I found a comfortable position and didn’t even feel it.  Plus as I drank and the reservoir became less full, it flattens out so NO SLOSHING!

If you don’t have a good hydration system that works for you (hiding bottles behinds trees ahead of time always seemed liked to much work), then check out the FlashFlo fanny pack type.  You will be surprised.

Running lets you explore new cities

In the last three weeks I’ve had to make two business trips to California.  The business part of each trip went fine but one of the best parts of each was the running. 

In Costa Mesa, I ran about five miles around an area that included the Orange County Performing Arts Center, concert hall and theatre.  Running is a great way to explore areas like this. I could see all sides of these beautiful buildings as I ran around them which I could not have easily done in a car.  From there I ran through some residential developments under construction which again, would not have been possible if driving.

Last week in Rancho Cordova, near Sacramento, I did about five miles around a commercial park.  It was 6:00AM local time and I was surprised to see so much activity. Lots of early risers getting to their  offices. 

The weather for all my runs on these two trips was ideal.  Warm but not hot (at least not at 6:00AM) and not a cloud in the sky.

Exploring new cities while running adds a fun, interesting element you can’t get at home.  Just remember to pay attention to your route so you can backtrack.  Getting lost in a new cities would add a whole other level of excitement,   

I turned 50 – Yeah, a new age division!

Friday was my 50th birthday and Saturday morning was my first 10k of the season.  Perfect timing.  I got to compete in the 50-54 year old division.  My first goal was to break 50 minutes and my second was to break 49 minutes.  I got close to the second with a 49:17.  The race was the Oak Apple Run in downtown Royal Oak, MI.  A well organized race in its 32nd year.  I’ve probably run it 25 times including the first one – and I have the 32 year old t-shirt to prove it.  I would have worn it this year but it apparently shrunk a little over the years.

It feels great to still be running after all these years.  I pray that God will keep me healthy to run for many years to come.