If you don't read Zoot already, you should. Not only does she rock in many ways, but this year she has been making that journey of discovery as a distance runner. Thankfully she is both articulate and dutiful in her posting. Go now, check her out.
Sd
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Friday, November 03, 2006
First Run in a Long Time
To all of you out there in running blogland, long may you run. I'm a little stiff this morning, a little sore, but mostly just dazedly happy after not running for a long time and then going last night. It was raining a warm steady rain and I ran my favorite route after work. It felt great.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Still Choogling...
I'm still alive, just not running or blogging much. I swam 20 lengths yesterday and it felt great. I'm either in the car or the office all day until late at night today but tomorrow I shall run. "Oh how they danced...."
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Must.... Refrain....
I'm running Saturday. That's all there is to it. End of discussion. I'm not saying another word...
running
Saturday
try stopping me
couldn't do it, could you?
not another word
running
Saturday
try stopping me
couldn't do it, could you?
not another word
Monday, September 04, 2006
Cabin Fever Sets In
This is the third day since my vasectomy and I'm starting to really get the itch to run, or do just about anything outside the house that doesn't involved ice packs. Last night I felt good enough to risk dinner at my folk's house. Even the light exercise of setting the table, clearing away the dishes, etc. was enough to send me gratefully hobbling back to my futon and cold press but the desire is there. I think is some very small way I can now empathize with people who get seriously injured or sick. I want to run.
Friday, September 01, 2006
Race Report
Well, HTC 2006 has come and gone. What a great experience! I have to admit that I was a little worried about getting into a van for 26 hours with a group of total strangers. (I’ve been on van rides of similar length, after which what were previously good friends never spoke to each other again). It’s just a long time to be cooped up with other people, not to mention the physical discomfort, lack of sleep, etc. But, it turned out that my worries were in vain. Everyone got along fabulously, or if they didn’t, I wasn’t able to detect any unhappiness.
The riders of the first van were our driver Eric, Don, Chelsea, Mike, myself, Jeremy, and Lannie.
I left the house at 7:40 to meet with Jeremy at the carpool point and we were meeting the rest of the group in Vancouver by 9:30. Michael was able to score us a rented 2006 Suburban – probably the last van rental anywhere in the greater Portland/Vancouver area. By about noon, we were up to Mt. Hood and ready for our 1:45 go time. We waited around nervously, filling the time with conversation, van decorating, and viewing of the awesome scenery. I tried to take a nap in the shade but it didn’t happen.
The first three runners (Don, Chelsea, and Michael) flew down hill, getting some awesome times. My first leg (leg four) had a little of that steep downhill, then leveled out with a slight uphill at the end of the seven miles.
When it was time to run my first leg, I screwed up and got overly excited. I took off way too fast and flew down the first bit of hill and out onto the flat. I was planning to run this section no faster than 8:30 and at one point looked down at my forerunner to see that I was running a 7:15. I also got carried away with trying to keep up with a faster runner. By the time I got across the flat and started up my little hill, I didn’t have anything left to pour on. I ended up finishing about 20 seconds per mile slower than I was looking for but nobody seemed to mind.
After the six of us finished our first round of legs, we drove to Michael’s parent’s house where his mom had fluffy towels and a good hot meal waiting for us. Jeremy said it best, “I love moms!” After seven hours of running, this woman’s hospitality was God-sent We all got a shower, hot meal, and an hour to sack out or just rest before piling into the van to go exchange with Van Two.
Eric (left) and Lannie at the exchange in Portland. Eric drove the van and Lannie ran the last leg. Both turned out to be very cool guys and I hope to see them next year. Eric hurt his foot while training this year. Maybe next I'll get to hand the baton off to him.
The handoff was accomplished under a bridge in Portland, the Hawthorne maybe? I don’t know, I’m terrible with names and landmarks. After Don set out, we started into our second group of legs, which would take us through the night and early morning past St. Helens. I was much happier with my second leg – a ridiculously short 3.5 mile flat stretch leading into St. Helens. I kept my pace even and ran something under eight, which for me is speedy.
I'm always a little taken aback by the huge piles of empty individual serving water bottles that build up in drifts at these events. I wish we could participate in my favorite sport without being so inefficient but I have to admit to taking two bottles from a vendor table myself.
After exchanging again with Van Two, we got over an hour’s sleep, sacked out on the floor in a high school gym. Wooden gym floor with a sleeping bag but no pad never felt so good! I woke up somewhat refreshed and not at all sore from the hard floor.
Chelsea accepts a water handoff at about one AM. I'm not sure what Don was looking at. Our standard procedure was to drive to the exchange, where one runner would hand off the baton and take the next runner's spot in the van. Then we would drive to the middle point of the leg to wait and provide fluids for our runner. After that, driving to the next exchange point, parking, getting most of us up to the exchange point to cheer the runners on, etc. left very little actual down time.
I was trying to capture how cool 100s of runner's flashlights looked coming down the hill in the dark, like bobbing lanterns or strings of lights. Jank camera...
I started my last leg at about 12:30. By this time we were in rural timber country between St. Helens and the beach. My leg was moderately difficult as was my achievement running it. It was hot and we were running through clear cut part of the time. I passed a bunch of people but didn’t run anywhere near as well as I wanted to. Fatigue and not training as hard as I should have took their toll and I ended up coming in at nine even.
Jeremy, who ran the leg after mine, had probably two of the three hardest legs on the course. His last leg was straight up steep switchbacks for about 5 miles in the exposed hot sun. People were dying off left and right. The harder it got, the faster he chugged up that hill. He ended up running a 7:30 up the hill and a 7:16 total after running down two miles of the backside. What a machine! How lucky we were to have him!
After Jeremy and Lannie finished their legs, we handed off to Van Two for the last time and drove to Seaside. Once again, we got a shower in the local high school and got organized. Jeremy and I met our wives and kids and went to the beach to play while the rest of the group went off to a sit-down meal. By playing with the kids on the beach, I mean I lethargically lurched after Thomas and gave everyone the 1000 yard stare.
Don, Chelsea, and Lannie all had pretty bad blisters by the end. One lasting result of running a marathon - I have my footgear stone-cold dialed in, as there was no room for any trouble there.
The group coming back to life after a short nap in the high school gym.
After Van Two’s last runner Jay made it to the finish, we all went down the chute together, officially finished, got our medals and group photo op. I usually feel vaguely silly at this point and alternated between “I feel lame.” and “This is so great. I’m happy to be here with these people right now.”
After the photo taking, we had access to the beer garden, which everyone had been making a lot of to-do about all along. Jeremy and I opted for pizza and a pitcher with our families instead, and the rest of Van One took off as well, as two were underage and most just wanted to head home. A soft pillow and a bed that night hadn’t felt any better in a long, long time.
All in all, I was a little disappointed with my leg times even if they weren't that far outside the norm. I don’t feel that I trained as hard as I should have, and I'm sure that the lingering chest cold I still had contributed. All in all though, I had great experience, feel lucky to have gotten on a team and basically fortunate to have the health necessary to participate. I can't wait for next year.
The riders of the first van were our driver Eric, Don, Chelsea, Mike, myself, Jeremy, and Lannie.
I left the house at 7:40 to meet with Jeremy at the carpool point and we were meeting the rest of the group in Vancouver by 9:30. Michael was able to score us a rented 2006 Suburban – probably the last van rental anywhere in the greater Portland/Vancouver area. By about noon, we were up to Mt. Hood and ready for our 1:45 go time. We waited around nervously, filling the time with conversation, van decorating, and viewing of the awesome scenery. I tried to take a nap in the shade but it didn’t happen.
At the start line, there was a definite party atmosphere with some booths, lots of porta-potties, runners milling around everywhere, and the ubiquitous perky morning DJ-style up in a tower with a microphone, keeping up the constant running monologue that I personally find to usually be irritating.
Mixed in with all the running people were a minority of diehard skiers and boarders up on the mountain to enjoy the sad little patch of snow left in August.
The first three runners (Don, Chelsea, and Michael) flew down hill, getting some awesome times. My first leg (leg four) had a little of that steep downhill, then leveled out with a slight uphill at the end of the seven miles.
When it was time to run my first leg, I screwed up and got overly excited. I took off way too fast and flew down the first bit of hill and out onto the flat. I was planning to run this section no faster than 8:30 and at one point looked down at my forerunner to see that I was running a 7:15. I also got carried away with trying to keep up with a faster runner. By the time I got across the flat and started up my little hill, I didn’t have anything left to pour on. I ended up finishing about 20 seconds per mile slower than I was looking for but nobody seemed to mind.
After the six of us finished our first round of legs, we drove to Michael’s parent’s house where his mom had fluffy towels and a good hot meal waiting for us. Jeremy said it best, “I love moms!” After seven hours of running, this woman’s hospitality was God-sent We all got a shower, hot meal, and an hour to sack out or just rest before piling into the van to go exchange with Van Two.
Eric (left) and Lannie at the exchange in Portland. Eric drove the van and Lannie ran the last leg. Both turned out to be very cool guys and I hope to see them next year. Eric hurt his foot while training this year. Maybe next I'll get to hand the baton off to him.
The handoff was accomplished under a bridge in Portland, the Hawthorne maybe? I don’t know, I’m terrible with names and landmarks. After Don set out, we started into our second group of legs, which would take us through the night and early morning past St. Helens. I was much happier with my second leg – a ridiculously short 3.5 mile flat stretch leading into St. Helens. I kept my pace even and ran something under eight, which for me is speedy.
I'm always a little taken aback by the huge piles of empty individual serving water bottles that build up in drifts at these events. I wish we could participate in my favorite sport without being so inefficient but I have to admit to taking two bottles from a vendor table myself.
After exchanging again with Van Two, we got over an hour’s sleep, sacked out on the floor in a high school gym. Wooden gym floor with a sleeping bag but no pad never felt so good! I woke up somewhat refreshed and not at all sore from the hard floor.
Chelsea accepts a water handoff at about one AM. I'm not sure what Don was looking at. Our standard procedure was to drive to the exchange, where one runner would hand off the baton and take the next runner's spot in the van. Then we would drive to the middle point of the leg to wait and provide fluids for our runner. After that, driving to the next exchange point, parking, getting most of us up to the exchange point to cheer the runners on, etc. left very little actual down time.
I was trying to capture how cool 100s of runner's flashlights looked coming down the hill in the dark, like bobbing lanterns or strings of lights. Jank camera...
I started my last leg at about 12:30. By this time we were in rural timber country between St. Helens and the beach. My leg was moderately difficult as was my achievement running it. It was hot and we were running through clear cut part of the time. I passed a bunch of people but didn’t run anywhere near as well as I wanted to. Fatigue and not training as hard as I should have took their toll and I ended up coming in at nine even.
Jeremy, who ran the leg after mine, had probably two of the three hardest legs on the course. His last leg was straight up steep switchbacks for about 5 miles in the exposed hot sun. People were dying off left and right. The harder it got, the faster he chugged up that hill. He ended up running a 7:30 up the hill and a 7:16 total after running down two miles of the backside. What a machine! How lucky we were to have him!
After Jeremy and Lannie finished their legs, we handed off to Van Two for the last time and drove to Seaside. Once again, we got a shower in the local high school and got organized. Jeremy and I met our wives and kids and went to the beach to play while the rest of the group went off to a sit-down meal. By playing with the kids on the beach, I mean I lethargically lurched after Thomas and gave everyone the 1000 yard stare.
Don, Chelsea, and Lannie all had pretty bad blisters by the end. One lasting result of running a marathon - I have my footgear stone-cold dialed in, as there was no room for any trouble there.
The group coming back to life after a short nap in the high school gym.
After Van Two’s last runner Jay made it to the finish, we all went down the chute together, officially finished, got our medals and group photo op. I usually feel vaguely silly at this point and alternated between “I feel lame.” and “This is so great. I’m happy to be here with these people right now.”
After the photo taking, we had access to the beer garden, which everyone had been making a lot of to-do about all along. Jeremy and I opted for pizza and a pitcher with our families instead, and the rest of Van One took off as well, as two were underage and most just wanted to head home. A soft pillow and a bed that night hadn’t felt any better in a long, long time.
All in all, I was a little disappointed with my leg times even if they weren't that far outside the norm. I don’t feel that I trained as hard as I should have, and I'm sure that the lingering chest cold I still had contributed. All in all though, I had great experience, feel lucky to have gotten on a team and basically fortunate to have the health necessary to participate. I can't wait for next year.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Not so spectacular in a good or bad way..
Running Totals of late:
Well, this coming Friday is race day. I’m starting to get excited. You know, my internal dialogue is something like this, “Do, do, do-do.. hmm, hmmm, OH @#$#@, RACE DAY! Hmm, hmm, potato chips, yes, I like potato chips…”
I’ve done the training. I’m injury free, and looking forward to it. According to the spreadsheet one of our team members worked up, based on the interval of my legs and the average paces reported by all team members, I should expect to run my first leg (6.95 miles) at about 3:40 in the afternoon. I’ll run my middle leg at about 2 AM and my last one at about 11:20 on Saturday morning. I’m the fourth runner in my van of six, so Jeremy and Lanny both run once more after me and then we head to Seaside for the finish line and to meet up with the fam. If all goes well, our last runner (Jay) should cross at about 7 PM. There will be a beer garden, pasta, and much merry making – nothing like combining exercise, food, and alcohol for good brain chemistry.
| Week of |  7.27 | | 11.77 | | 16.27 | | 20.77 | | 25.27 | | 29.77 | |
| Jul 31, 2006 |  14.28 | |||||
| Aug 7, 2006 | 10.83 | |||||
| Aug 14, 2006 | 25.28 | |||||
| Aug 21, 2006 | 7.27 | |||||
Well, this coming Friday is race day. I’m starting to get excited. You know, my internal dialogue is something like this, “Do, do, do-do.. hmm, hmmm, OH @#$#@, RACE DAY! Hmm, hmm, potato chips, yes, I like potato chips…”
I’ve done the training. I’m injury free, and looking forward to it. According to the spreadsheet one of our team members worked up, based on the interval of my legs and the average paces reported by all team members, I should expect to run my first leg (6.95 miles) at about 3:40 in the afternoon. I’ll run my middle leg at about 2 AM and my last one at about 11:20 on Saturday morning. I’m the fourth runner in my van of six, so Jeremy and Lanny both run once more after me and then we head to Seaside for the finish line and to meet up with the fam. If all goes well, our last runner (Jay) should cross at about 7 PM. There will be a beer garden, pasta, and much merry making – nothing like combining exercise, food, and alcohol for good brain chemistry.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Leg 4
"Gradual downhill from Rhododendron
along Highway 26 on paved shoulder."
I think I'll train for this one by running twice around the lake. This is 6.95 and two lakes is 7.14. The other two are shorter and easier. I will try to get used to running two lakes as often and as fast as I can, maybe even doing it before and after work.
along Highway 26 on paved shoulder."
I think I'll train for this one by running twice around the lake. This is 6.95 and two lakes is 7.14. The other two are shorter and easier. I will try to get used to running two lakes as often and as fast as I can, maybe even doing it before and after work.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Change in Plans
We had the first HTC team meeting tonight. We moved a few things around and now I have 4, 16 and 28 instead of 5, 17, and 29 which is good because I was really dreading 5. I'll be happy to run quicker, shorter, flatter legs my first year and maybe take on the more challenging ones later. Now I can quit training for hills, ugh!
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Still Alive, If not Blogging about Running
I'm on track for Hood to Coast. I have to admit to seriously considering giving up my spot on the relay team due to the head cold, but dammit, I've wanted to do this for years, and this is my year.
The cold is still causing volumes of snot in my kid's noses and making me cough but other than that I feel pretty good. Day before yesterday I did 45 minutes on the eliptical trainer. Yesterday I did that and then 25 minutes on the stair stepper at our hotel. We're home today, and tomorrow I plan a longish run with the forerunner and some good long hills. I have a month to get myself in respectable shape and I will do it.
The cold is still causing volumes of snot in my kid's noses and making me cough but other than that I feel pretty good. Day before yesterday I did 45 minutes on the eliptical trainer. Yesterday I did that and then 25 minutes on the stair stepper at our hotel. We're home today, and tomorrow I plan a longish run with the forerunner and some good long hills. I have a month to get myself in respectable shape and I will do it.
Monday, July 17, 2006
Scotts Running (at the mouth)
[insert a break here for background information]
There is a guy in our town who I have personally come to think of as the Grumpy Runner because every time I have ever made an attempt to engage him, he was avoided eye contact and made little or no response to any enquiries or called out greetings. I don’t just see him running. Our town is too small for that. He was some sort of minor adult when I was in middle schooler – assistant bus driver or third string math teacher or some other adult position holder. I’ve also seen him in line at the store, an once pawning a rifle. The guy as always been just plain grumpy. On the other hand, he must be living right because I don’t think he has aged at all since I was in the seventh grade, which is a neat trick.
[/End break for background info]
So I’m plugging away at mile three of this morning’s ‘early’ run today. The temperature is starting to rise rapidly. I’m sweating a lot and thinking about Jeff’s sweat stories. The milk and cheerios I unwisely ingested are starting to do the kooky dance in my stomach and that’s when I hear the crunch, crunch in the gravel behind me. Despite the (non-name brand) cheerios, I automatically pick up the pace. I always plan my paces down to the mile and stick to them religiously, checking the forerunner every minute or so, until someone tries to overtake me and then it’s all lost to competition with whomever is on the other end of the shadow. So I pick up the pace, and it doesn’t even matter. The person gaining on my cruises right on up, and you guessed it, it’s the Grumpy Runner. Only today he is cheery. He yells out a great big “hullo!” and slows down to run with me patiently while I fiddle with my mp3 player and get into conversation mode. The conversation went something like this:
“Lovely day for it, huh?”
“Yeah”
“Say, Don’t you live up on Clark Creek?”
“Yeah”
“Well, Enjoy the day!”
“OK, You (hack, cough).”
With that, he powered up and literally left me in the dust.
Grumpy and a sadist.
I didn’t post about it previously but if Jeff posted about his hard drive issues and Susan about the dildo-cam appointments she has to contend with, so I guess I can add that I have rescheduled my vasectomy until after Hood to Coast. The doctor was explaining that they give you a local up by your shoulder blades because some of what they tug on attaches up there, and I thought "Not what I should be doing two weeks before a major running evet." I sure hope that one doesn’t come back to bite me – we could refer to him/her as our little relay baby.
I’m in
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Nobody knows...
I'm wearing black ankle socks at work today....
Ran hills for an hour last night. Man that kicked my butt! Twenty minutes into it I had to stop and walk. Today I feel like someone beat me with a stick, rolled me over, and finished the job. I have sooo much work ahead of me. Riding in to work this AM felt good, though.
Ran hills for an hour last night. Man that kicked my butt! Twenty minutes into it I had to stop and walk. Today I feel like someone beat me with a stick, rolled me over, and finished the job. I have sooo much work ahead of me. Riding in to work this AM felt good, though.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Survey Says
Today was an, “Aw Crap!” day all around. I woke up 30 minutes late this morning. I’d plan to ride in, run, and ride back from work today. Instead, at 6:30 my wife was saying, “Babe, you’re late. You have to get up.”
I think I answered with something like, “Yeah, but I’m telling her what kind of hot dog I want to order.” A second or two later I realized that ordering dream hot dogs from the ultimate dog stand in the sky wasn’t going to contribute to general success in life and got myself in gear, if a little late.
I drove to work, accomplished a lot, and generally made good food choices throughout the day (coffee and pizza). In the early afternoon I got my leg descriptions for the upcoming race. I was expecting them to go easy on me and probably not even have me do three legs as I’m the newbie. Turns out that I’m one of several newbies (see my leg descriptions below) and my leg descriptions are “Hard,” “Rediculously Hard,” and “Just Lay Down In the Street You Wimpy Boy Hard.”
The rest of the day was normal work thoughts punctuated every now and then with unbidden panic, “work, work, work, OH JESUS! work, work, work, I’M GONNA DIE!” type thoughts.
After work I went for medium length run through the hills. I never trained hills getting ready for my marathon and so have very little frame of reference. I didn’t have my forerunner with me but kept track of my route and ran for about an hour. The whole time I kept reminding myself to keep the pace up and run fast for a shorter distance. Afterwards I went back and drove my route to establish distance. I ended up with about a 10:30 average pace. Like I said, I’m gonna die.
Leg5
I found out what Hood to Coast legs they have me down for today. Looks like I'm going to have it harder at the beginning and end. I need to find some hills and start running them!
Thursday, July 06, 2006
M+M and I are cleaning out our closets
I just updated my sidebar for the first time in, ohhhh, about six months - the definition of procrastination...
Then Next Episode
Today was my first day back in training for a race in almost eight months. It’s amazing how much difference that one little thing can make. One day I’m tootling along, enjoying my runs and rides, zoning out on my podcasts and generally just taking it as it comes. With a goal in mind, everything is different (in my mind anyway). Today I noticed how slooooowwww I’ve gotten. I’m still the same guy shuffling around the lake but now I’m thinking about running when I wake up in the morning. I’m thinking about the excitement and joy of race day. I’m hoping I won’t eff it up. I’m looking forward to meeting other people, and I’m looking forward to running by myself and then talking about it later.
The Hood to Coast trek runs 197 miles from Timberline Lodge at the top of Mt. Hood to finish in Seaside. The course is divided into 36 legs. If all 12 relay team members show up, division tells us we’ll each get three legs of about 5.5 miles each. I think in reality some of the legs are up to eight miles each. I found a site where someone google-mapped each leg. You can download the official handbook with descriptions of each leg here. I hope find out my legs a.s.a.p. so I can start training for them.
Today I road a total of 10.4 miles to work and back and ran 7.1 in an hour and three (slow). I feel pretty good but probably won’t run again until Sunday. I have no idea how to train for these shorter faster distances. There won’t be any 20 mile Saturdays. I guess I’ll get the scoop on Tuesday.
running-ya-ya-ya-running....
The Hood to Coast trek runs 197 miles from Timberline Lodge at the top of Mt. Hood to finish in Seaside. The course is divided into 36 legs. If all 12 relay team members show up, division tells us we’ll each get three legs of about 5.5 miles each. I think in reality some of the legs are up to eight miles each. I found a site where someone google-mapped each leg. You can download the official handbook with descriptions of each leg here. I hope find out my legs a.s.a.p. so I can start training for them.
Today I road a total of 10.4 miles to work and back and ran 7.1 in an hour and three (slow). I feel pretty good but probably won’t run again until Sunday. I have no idea how to train for these shorter faster distances. There won’t be any 20 mile Saturdays. I guess I’ll get the scoop on Tuesday.
running-ya-ya-ya-running....
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
And so it starts again
"As the largest relay race in North America, The Hood To Coast Relay stretches 197 miles from the top of Oregon's majestic Mt. Hood down to the beautiful Pacific Ocean in Seaside, Oregon. Over 12,000 runners show up to experience this annual event, now in its 25th year!"
Well, once again, I have a goal, or maybe a goal has me. A friend of my wife’s called me up today to invite me to join their Hood to Coast team this year. I called her right back and agreed to join the team and take which ever lengths they decided to give me. I’ve been trying to get on a team for three years now. I was an alternate once and I’ve made embarrassingly obvious hints that I’d like to join other teams, only to be told gently that their turnover is “quite low.”
Me – “You up for lunch this week, tomorrow, or next week M, T, or Th?”
Him – “How about T or Th? How’s running?”
Me – “Tuesday. Running coming along. I’m doing Hood to Coast this year!”
Him – “Really? My next line was to invite you to go with us. We lost someone. Where”
Me – “How about that Japanese place that used to be the Rusty Duck. Meet you there at noon unless I hear different.”
Thursday, June 22, 2006
I Pee My Pants for Quiche
You see, we have some friends who keep chickens. Spring is currently exploding all around us, with everything waking up. The chickens are feeling frisky and have really ramped up production. By Wednesday morning we had something like 36 eggs. So the quiche idea really made sense but it didn’t jive with my desire to run home as I’d have to stop at the store on the way home for a few ingredients.
Then I had a mental flash – I could drive to the lake, run, drive to the store, and then drive home to eggy veggie Bisquick goodness. The only problem was that I had my light grey shorts that turn darker grey when went. When I run and sweat and then sit in my car, it looks like I pee’d my pants. “Whatever,” I thought, “I’m bigger than that.” So ultimate sacrifice: I ran and then went to Fred Meyers, trying to make steely eye contact with every other shopper, daring them to look down and accuse me of incontinence.
I managed to make it back out to my car without any kids yelling, “Pee pants! Pee pants! Look at the dirty bum, Mommy!”
At last check we have 4 eggs left. Brit made yummy egg salad and I got a little carried away and now we have quiche to last us, and give to all our friends.
DSCN1089
Originally uploaded by gene_poole.
Originally uploaded by gene_poole.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
...
Reading other people’s running blogs, for me, is like a health benefit. Just like I take vitamins for my health, I read blogs to get me up and moving and motivated. Maybe like vitamins, there isn’t really any benefit to the reading, but it sure seems that way. I’ll keep doing it like I do other things for my health – namely drinking beer and coffee.
Susan and Jeff both made posts recently that stuck with me. Jeff made a clever analogy you should go read if you haven’t already. Susan who is currently suffering from PMDS (post marathon depression syndrome) had a good post about why she runs and whether or not marathoning is worth it. One thing we agree on is the obvious health and mental health benefits of getting out there and picking ‘em up an putting ‘em down.
Running News:
Ran home last night. Is running to work a possibility? Maybe, I’ll have to scout out the summer time access to the showers.
Swimming News:
The school’s pool shut down for the summer. If I want to work on my lap swimming goal of being able to do 12 continuosly crawled laps, I have to go to the Y and pay seven bucks a day. Sux.
Biking:
The ride into work was really pleasant this morning. I have to use my car tonight. I think I’ll drive home, drive back to work Wednesday, ride home, ride in Thursday, drive home – do that switching off between riding and driving for a while and then possibly ramp up to riding every day, both ways.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Bad Motor Scooter
When Brit and I first started dating, one of the things we did a lot of was riding. I think the first epic adventure we went on was the Oregon City Bike Tour, which is about 200 miles in one weekend. Recently I’ve had a hankering to get the blue bomber out and get back in the saddle. Last weekend I took it for a short shake down ride and it seems all systems are in the green.
Today I took it out of the valley for a 30 minute cruise. I purposefully took it on some gravel roads and off a curb to test the innertubes and general, "will this bike get me to work or not-ness." According to the forerunner, I was averaging somewhere between 4-5 minutes per mile, which means that if I leave 35 minutes before work I should have ample time to get changed before the start of the day. Tomorrow I drive to work, and run home. Tuesday I have to drive to my moonlighting gig after work, but Wednesday, you-are-mine.
Today I took it out of the valley for a 30 minute cruise. I purposefully took it on some gravel roads and off a curb to test the innertubes and general, "will this bike get me to work or not-ness." According to the forerunner, I was averaging somewhere between 4-5 minutes per mile, which means that if I leave 35 minutes before work I should have ample time to get changed before the start of the day. Tomorrow I drive to work, and run home. Tuesday I have to drive to my moonlighting gig after work, but Wednesday, you-are-mine.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Tri'ing to Run to Work
After a two month trial separation period, I’ve decided to go back, embrace schizophrenia, and post to two different blogs. Henceforth I will once again blog exercise related topics on Scott’s Running and everything else on the Clark Creek blog.
Posted Here For the Bobsy Twins
I originally posted the following on my other blog and am posting it here again because it is exercise related and I'm reawakening this blog:
In the exercise/career development area, easily the best news is the possibility of becoming the junior frogman. Our college has a series of swimming and lifeguard training classes that run at noon. I’ve been talking to the instructor and trying to get in there to lap swim on my lunch breaks. He is someone that I work with in a few other capacities at the college and have come to know over the past few years. Anyway, yesterday he approached me and told me that he will be retiring in another few years and hasn’t identified anyone to take over his classes and that I might consider it. How much would that rock? Teach swimming and CIS courses online and do my administrator gig as a supp contract or additional duty? I could get a big chunk of the summers off and maybe even be my own kids’ swim teacher/coach. Obviously I’d better not try to get a job in the English dept. with all my incomplete sentences. Over the next few years, I’d have to get certified as a lifeguard and swim instructor and then state certified to teach lifeguards and instructors. I was a fairly strong swimmer in high school and the military but that was ten years ago. He said to meet him Tuesday at the pool and he’d “get me started.” I think that may end up being a euphemism for kicking my butt, we’ll see.
In the exercise/career development area, easily the best news is the possibility of becoming the junior frogman. Our college has a series of swimming and lifeguard training classes that run at noon. I’ve been talking to the instructor and trying to get in there to lap swim on my lunch breaks. He is someone that I work with in a few other capacities at the college and have come to know over the past few years. Anyway, yesterday he approached me and told me that he will be retiring in another few years and hasn’t identified anyone to take over his classes and that I might consider it. How much would that rock? Teach swimming and CIS courses online and do my administrator gig as a supp contract or additional duty? I could get a big chunk of the summers off and maybe even be my own kids’ swim teacher/coach. Obviously I’d better not try to get a job in the English dept. with all my incomplete sentences. Over the next few years, I’d have to get certified as a lifeguard and swim instructor and then state certified to teach lifeguards and instructors. I was a fairly strong swimmer in high school and the military but that was ten years ago. He said to meet him Tuesday at the pool and he’d “get me started.” I think that may end up being a euphemism for kicking my butt, we’ll see.
Joe's Ugly Green Shoes Ride Again
Brushed the sawdust off my old street bike and took a spin. The tubes held pressure up to the end of the road and back. Next goal is riding down to the office and back to see how long that takes.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
A Post
Let me say first that I am posting to my running blog not by first choice but in hopes of ending the threats, cajoling, and pathetic pleading. It seems a certain girl who is soon to be from San Diego just can't live unless I do.
That being said, I'm working towards an ideal lifestyle. What do I mean by that? We're trying to downsize our life, live healthier, and concentrate on what is important. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings Brit puts the boys in the car and drives me to work. Our family is in training to become a one car family. After work I run home. This time together in the morning is actually pretty pleasant. Running home pleases me on so many levels - the exercise, the hour spent with my thoughts and the podcasts, commuting in way that doesn't involve the oil industry (except in the shoes and clothes). Tuesday and Thursday I drive myself and then go to the YMCA right after work where I meet my two year old for swim lessons. Mom goes for a run around the lake.
Like I said, this is an ideal. This is only week two in The Plan. I didn't run this Wednesday because I was still muscle-tired from Monday. Tonight was the first night T. didn't scream bloody murder in the showers before and after our lesson. Still, there are highlights as well - heading into the big hill into the middle of the run and knowing you have the energy to power through it where you didn't last time, or holding your son with one hand on his belly as he flops his arms and legs and glides towards the toy, saying, "Ball! Ball!"
I'm thinking water polo.
That being said, I'm working towards an ideal lifestyle. What do I mean by that? We're trying to downsize our life, live healthier, and concentrate on what is important. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings Brit puts the boys in the car and drives me to work. Our family is in training to become a one car family. After work I run home. This time together in the morning is actually pretty pleasant. Running home pleases me on so many levels - the exercise, the hour spent with my thoughts and the podcasts, commuting in way that doesn't involve the oil industry (except in the shoes and clothes). Tuesday and Thursday I drive myself and then go to the YMCA right after work where I meet my two year old for swim lessons. Mom goes for a run around the lake.
Like I said, this is an ideal. This is only week two in The Plan. I didn't run this Wednesday because I was still muscle-tired from Monday. Tonight was the first night T. didn't scream bloody murder in the showers before and after our lesson. Still, there are highlights as well - heading into the big hill into the middle of the run and knowing you have the energy to power through it where you didn't last time, or holding your son with one hand on his belly as he flops his arms and legs and glides towards the toy, saying, "Ball! Ball!"
I'm thinking water polo.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Let It Be Written, Let It Be Known
For the foreseeable future I will not be maintaining a separate running blog. Look for running news over at what was formerly my home improvement blog and will hence be a general life blog (http://clarkcreekhomeimprovement.blogspot.com/).
I'm feeling 100% better. I'm definitely running tomorrow after work.
Jeez! I just did it. I talked about running on my running blog... OK, thats the last time for a while. I promise.
Running...
Tomorrow...
woohoo!
I'm feeling 100% better. I'm definitely running tomorrow after work.
Jeez! I just did it. I talked about running on my running blog... OK, thats the last time for a while. I promise.
Running...
Tomorrow...
woohoo!
Saturday, March 25, 2006
The First Step to Recovery: Good Drugs
I'm feeling better (no you're not). The title of this post is a bit of a nod to the denial I've fallen prey to recently. First, I decided I was well before I was and tried to go back to work too soon. Secondly, not going to the doctor for help with the flu.
Remember the caravan scene in the movie Gladiator where Russell is passing in and out of consciousness while clouds spill across the sky in fast forward? There has been a bit of that for me recently - wake up, its morning, wake up again, its early afternoon. How did that happen? Only I didn't have a gladius wound on my shoulder and pajamas were involved.
Two days ago I finally went to see the doctor, who gave me antibiotics for my lungs and blessed codeine to help me sleep through the night without impersonating a mustard gas victim. Since then I have steadily improved to the point where work on Monday is a foregone conclusion/victory. Yesterday I felt pretty good but little tasks like washing my hair would tucker me out and force me to lie down for a while. Today I can take a shower and make the bed, all in a row. Take that flu bug!
Keep running and keep blogging about it. If nothing else you are inspiring us invalids.
Friday, March 17, 2006
Somebody's Snot Been Running
Feeling puny today, which is an improvement. Counter to my purpose for taking two weeks off from work to stay home and enjoy our new son and help my wife adjust to being the stay at home mom of two instead of one, I came down with a nasty bit of the flu. Not to be a miser, I also shared it with the two year old. No sir, no running happening in these parts, nope. Yesterday I felt sufficiently recovered to do little tasks like folding a load of laundry, but even that would tucker me out. I'm hoping for a short run this Sunday.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
Monday, March 13, 2006
Where I run
T says, "Whats with the camera this time, Dad?"
Keith recently asked me how I can stand running the same loop around the lake over and over. I run the vast majority of my runs around the same 3.7 mile jogging path. When I was marathon training, I'd usually branch out away from the lake after a few circuits but now that I'm doing short runs, I rarely do. I don't find it monotonous. I know exactly where I am distance wise at all times - when to pour it one, when to hold back, etc. I never have to cross traffic so I can tune out if I want to. I see the same people at certain times of day. Also, I enjoy watching the landscape change with the seasons and time of day.
I thought I'd take the camera along on a recent run and share some photos with both of the people who read this blog.
SD
Keith recently asked me how I can stand running the same loop around the lake over and over. I run the vast majority of my runs around the same 3.7 mile jogging path. When I was marathon training, I'd usually branch out away from the lake after a few circuits but now that I'm doing short runs, I rarely do. I don't find it monotonous. I know exactly where I am distance wise at all times - when to pour it one, when to hold back, etc. I never have to cross traffic so I can tune out if I want to. I see the same people at certain times of day. Also, I enjoy watching the landscape change with the seasons and time of day.
I thought I'd take the camera along on a recent run and share some photos with both of the people who read this blog.
SD
The old Elks building
Lots of fond memories here. In high school, we had dances here. The place ground is fenced in and parents like to bring their kids here to run around and freak out in a safe environment. The building is currently a teen after school club that is usually blaring techno (or something) when I run past.
Asian Island
I love the bridge and the sounds of the ornamental stream on this little island recently spruced up by several community organizations and cooperants.
Mercury, It's what's for dinner...
This kid obviously wasn't expecting to catch anything remotely this large. All he had was a pole and a cell phone. As I arrived, he was trying to punch out the fish's lights. niice.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
My Son the Swanky Party Boy
Well, two days of running in a row. I'm on a roll. The day after I posted last, the boys' grandmother arrived and in the general confusion and tumult that ensued, I abandoned my son to his female relatives and went running by myself.
On the bad side: I'm more than a minute off my marathon pace.
On the good side: I ran four miles and each one was stronger and faster than the last.
Yesterday, we skipped running and instead went to his regularly scheduled play party. We got there and found a suburban house amazingly filled with toddlers. I got to be the first dad in memory to ever attend play group and got a window into another little part of my family's life, and T got to run around for several hours like a crazy man. It was a workout just watching.
Today; back to the lake!
On the bad side: I'm more than a minute off my marathon pace.
On the good side: I ran four miles and each one was stronger and faster than the last.
Yesterday, we skipped running and instead went to his regularly scheduled play party. We got there and found a suburban house amazingly filled with toddlers. I got to be the first dad in memory to ever attend play group and got a window into another little part of my family's life, and T got to run around for several hours like a crazy man. It was a workout just watching.
Today; back to the lake!
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Time for running
I’m in the first of two weeks of paternity leave, currently, and quite enjoying myself and my family’s company. This is the second time I have had this opportunity to slow down for a while and help out around the house. Zoot used the word “Familymoon” to describe the trip she took with her family after getting married. I like that word and think it applies here, where we’re not going anywhere in a geophysical sense but are taking time to adjust our new family.
What does any of this have to do with running you might ask? Yesterday I went running – There it is! A post about running on a running blog… get nuts…
T. and I took the runner stroller (my stroller doesn’t jog) down to the lake yesterday afternoon and did four miles (I ran, he rolled). As we were getting there my dad ran by, so we did the first two with him and then did two more by ourselves. I think we’ll probably give the new mom and baby another break from our presence this afternoon and go do it again.
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Party Like a Rockstar (and pay for it like one too).
Note to self; just because its Friday, and the weather is great and you have a little comp time coming, DO NOT do abs to failure and do exactly double your normal upper body sets. You will pay, yes you will. Learn this lesson once and for all instead of repeating this shabby performance about once every three months... Nothing serious, just really sore today.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Excitement over green things
Today's fun discovery:
They have these huge plywood and 2x4 cubes covered with tightly woven carpet at the gym for the sprinters and atheletes to push around on the wooden floor. You get behind them and sprint like mad and wiz back and forth. Now I think I understand a little more what its like to be an ant.
They have these huge plywood and 2x4 cubes covered with tightly woven carpet at the gym for the sprinters and atheletes to push around on the wooden floor. You get behind them and sprint like mad and wiz back and forth. Now I think I understand a little more what its like to be an ant.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Brrr
When I left work tonight to go run my circuit, it was 61 degrees according to the big readerboard in the student parking lot. The sun fell behing the horizon as I was running and I could never run fast enough to get ahead of the chill. I just checked the temp on our deck and its 31 degrees out there now - less than 2.5 hours after it was 61. How does the temperature drop like that in these longitudes? I know that in the realm of lego-las, 31 is considered balmy, but I'm afraid I'll flash freeze on my next outing.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Weekly Totals will hence come on Fridays
7.14 for the week, plus about 2 hours on the stairs.
Friday after work, 68 degrees, sunny and warm, running my circuit I felt very happy to be alive.
Friday after work, 68 degrees, sunny and warm, running my circuit I felt very happy to be alive.
We Love Blogger, Yes We Do
Warning; this post contains some serious self-love. Feel free to skip to the end.
For once my lack of recent posting hasn't been for lack of trying. I haven't been able to login to blogger for the past several days or comment on blogger blogs. Grrr... but then, I guess you get what you pay for.
For anyone out there who is thinking about running a marathon, or has been kicking the idea around in the back of your mind for years, I can't encourage you enough to go through with it. The process leading up was exciting and rewarding as I passed each new hurdle in the training program. The trip to Vegas was a blast, and the race day is one I'll never forget. But, what is surprising to me is the lasting effect the whole experience has had for me.
Running a marathon is not magic but for me it seems to have been a catalyst that got me off my butt and up to make some positive changes I’ve wanted to make for a long time. Drew made a post a few weeks ago about missing the excitement of sharing new discoveries and accomplishments leading up to our respective first marathons. I guess that even though I’m no longer training for a long run, I’m trying to find ways to apply that same successive process of accomplish to life as a whole.
Thank you and good night.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Reasons to Keep Running, Number 182
I have the unfortunate habit of forgetting to eat, and/or subsisting on meager crap-filled diet. Yesterday, I had two donuts and three cups of Joe in the morning, and then never stopped moving long enough to eat anything until quitting time at five. I walked at lunch with some coworkers because yesterday was the first sunny day without rain in 51 (count 'em!) days here locally. After work I headed to the lake for my favorite 3.7 mile circuit. I got about two miles into is and ran out of gas. Serious crashing after only a couple of miles. Lame!
Today I have my yogurt, my fruits and veggies, and a little dish of refrieds. I will live well!
Today I have my yogurt, my fruits and veggies, and a little dish of refrieds. I will live well!
Friday, February 03, 2006
Target Acquired
The 28th annual Shamrock Run will be held at Waterfront Park in downtown Portland on Sunday, March 12, 2006.
Online registration is now open. Please go to http://www.admail.net/url/71755/60401b/
shamrock and click on the online registration link. The complete entry brochure for the Shamrock Run is also reproduced on the web site.
The Group Rate discount is available again this year. Register with four or more people and save $4 off the regular entry fee.
The complete entry brochure for the Shamrock Run is also reproduced on the web site.
Hamilton Events Inc.
PO Box 65850
Vancouver WA 986665
_______________________________________________________
Click the following link to update your information
or stop future mailings.
http://www.admail.net/mailprefs/277f04/60401b/
Powered by Admail.net
Online registration is now open. Please go to http://www.admail.net/url/71755/60401b/
shamrock and click on the online registration link. The complete entry brochure for the Shamrock Run is also reproduced on the web site.
The Group Rate discount is available again this year. Register with four or more people and save $4 off the regular entry fee.
The complete entry brochure for the Shamrock Run is also reproduced on the web site.
Hamilton Events Inc.
PO Box 65850
Vancouver WA 986665
_______________________________________________________
Click the following link to update your information
or stop future mailings.
http://www.admail.net/mailprefs/277f04/60401b/
Powered by Admail.net
Monday, January 30, 2006
LJ
Totally cheesy shot I took with the digi of LJ crossing the finish line. She has her hands tucked into her sleeves. I wonder if she remembers doing that?
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Coming Along
Ran around the lake the night before last. It felt pretty good and I only coughed a little bit at the end. I'll probably go again tomorrow. I've been getting into the gym pretty regularly. I'm trying to keep it so I get a little sore each time but rest up enough so that I can always do a teensy bit more each time I go. Good Stuff.
Dropped three post-Vegas pounds so far. Four to go.
Speaking of Vegas, I got my mosaic poster this week. Standing a ways back you can see a hand of cards. Up close the image is composed of many facial shots (including my buck toothed visage). Turns out that wearing our orange RBF shirts put us in a desirable or at least hard to come by color group. I spotted DREW in a few places (must have been a shot from early in the race) and I'm on there a couple of times.... and..... gliding into the finish line, making it look like she'd only run a mile is the INFAMOUS LJ JUST CRIMINAL...
Dropped three post-Vegas pounds so far. Four to go.
Speaking of Vegas, I got my mosaic poster this week. Standing a ways back you can see a hand of cards. Up close the image is composed of many facial shots (including my buck toothed visage). Turns out that wearing our orange RBF shirts put us in a desirable or at least hard to come by color group. I spotted DREW in a few places (must have been a shot from early in the race) and I'm on there a couple of times.... and..... gliding into the finish line, making it look like she'd only run a mile is the INFAMOUS LJ JUST CRIMINAL...
Thursday, January 12, 2006
(Lack of) Running Update
Well, still sick, but I hope to be running again by the end of the weekend. I've reached the stage where I'm basically well except for a persistent throat irritation and cough. Any heavy breathing causes uncontrollable coughing fits (no comments from the peanut gallery...). I figure I'm probably safe to lift weights again, though. I even haranged my coworkers into going over to the gym on our lunch break three days a week, yahhhh!
In other amazing news, I've gained 7.5 pounds since I ran Vegas. How does that happen you might ask? Eggnog. Eggnog is the culprit. I've never had to watch what I eat before (except to get it in my mouth), but realize now that I can't eat like I'm training for a marathon, party like a rockstar, and sloth like a couch potato and not suffer the consequences. My goal is to be back down to 207 by March 1st.
Not any amazing training feats to report, but just wanted everybody to apprised of my continuing heartbeat and respiration.
In other amazing news, I've gained 7.5 pounds since I ran Vegas. How does that happen you might ask? Eggnog. Eggnog is the culprit. I've never had to watch what I eat before (except to get it in my mouth), but realize now that I can't eat like I'm training for a marathon, party like a rockstar, and sloth like a couch potato and not suffer the consequences. My goal is to be back down to 207 by March 1st.
Not any amazing training feats to report, but just wanted everybody to apprised of my continuing heartbeat and respiration.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Go Jeff Go!
The O. C. Marathon is today. Send all your GO vibes Jeff's way as he runs a sub three marathon!
In other news, I haven't been posting because I haven't been running. I'm sick. Blegghh! I'm starting to shake off this nasty cold, though.
In other news, I haven't been posting because I haven't been running. I'm sick. Blegghh! I'm starting to shake off this nasty cold, though.
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