June 2009 running totals: Two bills and then some.

I ended this month with a swift 10-miler this morning, averaging just under 7:30 min/mile for the distance, including 7:05 min/mile for the last six miles.

The mileage total brought me to 241.66 for the month. Its the most miles I've ever done in any month, eclipsing the 194-mile January. This month I had 12 runs of at least 10 miles and have 34 such runs halfway through 2009.

I had 28 double-digit runs in all of 2008.

Now I don't have the speed of Kamran or Jess, and I am not running as many weekly miles as Sadie or Heather, but 200-plus is something to be proud of.

And I think I ran smart during the month, taking my "easy days" as often as I could. My average pace for the month ties February for my slowest month of the year and is my slowest month since September. I think the easier running has helped me overcome some nagging leg pain I had at the beginning of the month. My left knee, which has been wonky since November, seems to be totally over whatever it is that was giving it problems.

June 2009 Stats
Runs: 25
Miles: 241.66
Time: 1 day, 9 hours, 6 minutes, 57 seconds
Pace: 8:13 min/mile

FY 2009
Runs: 128
Miles: 1.087.95
Time: 6 days, 1 hour, 53 minutes, 4 seconds
Pace: 8:02 min/mile

Historical look at past Junes
2008: I ran 121 miles in a pace of 8:26
2007: 91 miles in a pace of 9:30
2006: 78 miles in a pace of 8:52
2005: 88 miles in 9:30

How I survived June 2008

With the change of seasons, it’s always usual to hear the normal complaints about the weather: “Oh, it’s never been this hot,” or “...rained so much” or “...been this dry.”

But June in North Texas was a real live never ever.... well hardly ever.

According to the National Weather Service (in a report by the Dallas Morning News), June 2008 was the hottest June in the Dallas Fort Worth area since 1980, and the fourth hottest June in DFW of all-time. The average high temperature last month was 96.7 degrees. (It was a scorching 99.5 in 1980).

As a runner, the mornings are what really matter. Its not 96 degrees at 6 a.m. But these June mornings ranked even higher, with an average low of 76.3 degrees, second highest low temperature for a DFW June of all-time.

And yet....

June 2008 was my fastest month ever.

I ran 20 times in June for a total of 120.88 miles.

Total time: 17 hours, 41 seconds

Pace: 8:26 minutes a mile. A 1-month PR for pace.

Average heart rate for the month: 81.5 percent of maximum.

Yearly stats at the halfway point:

Miles: 664

Time: 4 days, 1 hour, 17 minutes, 34 seconds

Pace: 8:46 minutes a mile

Average heart rate: 80 percent of maximum.