Doomsday

Still quietly plugging away at running, and still struggling to make time to read or write any blogs.  Hopefully just a function of the time of year.  After the holidays I’m hoping this blog rises from the ashes to chronicle my evolution from running to triathlons.  Optimistic/hopeful that the new year will bring new sanity to life.

I’m still operating without a formal training plan, but starting to gather information about building out a plan and a base for half-ironman training.  In the meantime, I’m trying to maintain between 40-50 miles running a week to hold my fitness from Ultra training.  In the short-term, the reason for this is that I’ve signed up for a marathon this Friday night called the Doomsday Marathon.  Small affair (less that 50 runners), that starts at 9PM on a 2.5ish-mile dirt road which we’ll loop on 11 times.  If the Mayans are right, I should only have to run about 20 miles before the world ends, so I can avoid those angry last 6 miles.  Seems like a winning proposition.  If the Mayans let me down, it’s going to be a long, cold drive home.

I’ve made a fairly radical (for me) departure with my running gear, and have added the Brooks Glycerin 10 to my usual stable of Asics Gel Nimbuses (Nimbii?).  So far I’m liking them, and haven’t noticed any new calf issues, which is where new shoes usually start to take their toll.  They feel a little heavier than the Asics, and they have a much less constrictive toe box.  Don’t know that I prefer one over the other.  Right now they’re all just playing nice with each other.

Would be a busy holiday week next week, but with the world ending and all it shouldn’t be a problem.  The Mayans have saved me a lot on holiday shopping this year.  Thank you Mayans.

Happy Holidays Doomsday.

But I Would Run 1,000 miles and I Would Run 1,000 More ...

Apologies to The Proclaimers for hijacking their lyrics.

I am a numbers junkie.  I work with metrics all day long at work, attend Business Intelligence conferences, and generally just swim in a pool of statistics all day.  That bleeds over into my non-work life as well, where I love to crunch numbers and maintain spreadsheets and pivot tables for all kinds of things, many of which have no business being in a spreadsheet.  My trusty Garmin has enabled my numbers addiction in many wonderful ways.  At the heart of all that data, however, is the key question of how many miles have I run.

As of yesterday morning’s run I crossed over 1,000 miles run for 2012.  It sounds like a big number, and many days feels like a big number, but taken in isolation it’s not particularly significant.  However, when I look at that number relative to last year, it starts to tell a story.  Part of what drives me with running is trying to get better.  Not trying to win races or any crazy lofty goals, just pushing myself to get better in terms of the quantity and quality of my training, and hopefully my performance when race days come along.

When I finished my run yesterday I was at 1,004.3 miles of running for 2012 spread across 113 runs.  On this same date last year I had run 585.87 miles spread across 116 runs.  Basically the increase is a combination of a more strenuous training plan, but more importantly, I’ve stayed relatively injury-free this year versus last year, where I started the year with no running and lots of quality time with my PT.  Although I’m sure luck plays some part in staying healthy, I’ve worked very hard to try and learn from my injuries and address the root causes.  At the risk of jinxing myself, it seems to be working fairly well this year.  Knock on all things wood.

Looking back at all of 2011, I ended the year with a grand total of 1020 miles run, so I’ve nearly reached my full-year numbers from last year.  Additionally, this time last year I didn’t even own a bike, versus this year where I’ve logged 582 training miles on the bike.  I think that may be a big reason for my relative health this year.  At least I like to think that to justify the investment I made in the bike.  I thought running was expensive until I started buying bike accessories.  Ouch.

I’m really excited to see how my body responds to the next 3 months of training prior to my first try at a 50-miler.  The long runs are getting plentiful and lengthy, and even the shorter runs are lengths that a couple years ago would have seemed crazy to try and get done before heading to work for the day.

Miles to go before I sleep.

July Training Recap - Strong in the Saddle

July was a good training month.

According to my trusty training spreadsheet I ran the most miles I’ve ever run in a month, 192.34 miles, and came through relatively healthy.  I also logged the highest weekly total I’ve ever run, 58.63 miles, and the numbers only get bigger from here per the ultra plan I’m following.  My legs seem to be adjusting fairly well to the increased workload.  Still not getting enough sleep.  Broken record on that one.

The more interesting stat in July is my mileage on the bike.  I’ve generally substituted my Sunday recovery run with a relatively long ride on the bike, and I’m really enjoying the time in the saddle.  I think I like the speed a bit too much.  Hopefully that doesn’t end up getting me hurt in new and even more spectacular ways than running ever offered.  Although I only got in 5 rides in July, I managed 193.06 total miles, with a longest ride of 53.55 miles.  I think the biking is helping the running, and the running is helping the biking.  At the very least it’s giving my feet a break on Sundays and keeping the pounding in check.

Here’s the recap for July:

Running:  18 runs, 192.34 miles

Biking:  5 rides, 193.06 miles

Lifting:  8 trips to the gym

Sadly, zero times in the pool.  I’m planning to get there eventually this summer, but for now the running and biking are working for me, so they’re winning out when I need to decide what to do.

This Saturday I have a 24-mile long run on the plan, which will be the longest training run I’ve ever done.  Planning to try the 25 minutes running / 5 minutes walking approach which I need to adopt as part of my Ultra strategy.  Will also walk any major hills.  Still trying to get over the mental hurdle of feeling like I need to be running all the time.  We’ll see how it goes.

5K In Less Than 20

Raced my second 5K on Saturday morning.  My only goal for the run was to try and go under 20 minutes.  I didn’t go in with a particular strategy, other than trying to keep all my splits under 6:26.  Unlike most everything else, I tried not to overthink this.  Run fast, try not to puke.

The race itself is an interesting affair.  They are in the process of building a toll road through our town, which is being opened in phases.  Just prior to opening a section last year they ran a 5k on the road, with profits going to MADD.  This year they did the same thing, only they ran in the new section set to open next week.  So, although this was the second of these events, each one is a once-only race unless you’re planning to play some human Frogger.

The course was a straight line out-and-back with more hills than you’d expect on a highway.  I started out with a group of 6, and slowly folks started dropping back until there were 3 of us around the turnaround, when technically I was dropping back as well.  The first mile felt good, but I went out a little too fast.  The second mile was tough, but it was cool to make the turn and be running the opposite direction of the whole field, who were all very supportive and cheering for the leaders while they were running.  The last 1.1 miles was pretty tough, and I was tasting my granola bar for the last half-mile or so, but I managed to keep all my food where it belonged. 

Net result - 19:40:

3rd overall of 375, 1st in age group.  Here are the splits:

Got a nice hockey-puck/paperweight/boat-anchor for finishing first in my age group:

I really enjoyed the race, and like the all-out racing aspect of a 5k, but I’m still more interested in the longer distances and testing my mind as well as my legs.  I might throw in a 5K now and then just to mix things up, but I don’t think I’ll make a habit of these.  I guess my next goal would be to run one with an average pace below 6:00, but that will take some serious speedwork, which isn’t part of my Ultra training plan.  Maybe next Spring.

After the 5K on Saturday I drove directly to a local trail and did another 16 miles with a friend  to hit my training target for the day.  The long run was ugly.  The race took a lot more out of me than I thought, and it was hot and humid by the time we started the long run.  Just more confirmation that early-morning running is my friend.  Also, woke up all kinds of sore in my quads and calves Sunday morning, which I think is a result of the sprinting rather than the distance running.  Good sore, but sore nonetheless.

Back in Track

Made a rare appearance at an actual track this morning for my training run.  The group that I ran a relay with back in the Spring does a regular track interval workout on Wednesday mornings, and for the first time this morning I didn't have some sort of conflict and was able to join them.  I'm running my second 5k this Saturday, and I'd like to try and go sub 20-minutes, but haven't been doing speedwork as part of my Ultra training and didn't really have a feel for my potential to blow-up if I tried to go out fast.

The results were moderately encouraging.  The workout was a 1-mile warmup, 10x400m intervals with 200m recovery between, and 1-mile cooldown.  I generally felt good throughout, and was able to do the last 2 400s at sub 6-min-mile pace, which is really pushing it for me.  Here's the data:

So .... in terms of the 5k this weekend, I'm confident enough to roll the dice and shoot for a 6:15/mile or faster pace, still with the real possibility of a spectacular flameout at the end.  That's part of the fun of a 5k though, right?

Winner - Mizuno Running Shoes Giveaway

Per random.org, here's the winning entry for the Mizuno shoes:

Congrats to will1494!  Can't access your Blogger Profile to get your email address, so please email me at cwstallman@gmail.com so we can get you setup to order your shoes.  The offer from Mizuno expires 7/15, so please send me a note quickly.

Mizuno Shoes Giveaway - Last Day (and a half) to Enter

Entries end Thursday (7/12) at noon Eastern, with a winner announced later in the day.  Click this link to go to the post and get your entries in:

http://evolvingthroughrunning.blogspot.com/2012/07/giveaway-mizuno-running-shoes.html

Good Luck!!

Giveaway - Mizuno Running Shoes - Mezamashii Project

You’ve probably seen a few Mizuno Giveaway blog posts in the last few days.  Here’s another.  I was recently invited to be a founding member of Mizuno's Mezamashii Run Project.  Mizuno’s goal for the project (aside from marketing) is to help runners have a more brilliant run, hence the name Mezamashii, meaning "eye opening" or "brilliant" in Japanese. Harnessing the power of real-world experience and social media to spread the work about Mizuno and their products.

I was offered a free pair of their shoes to try, and I took them up on their offer.  This is no small step for me since I’ve been running in Asics Gel Nimbus for at least 6 years.  I went with the Mizuno Wave Creation 13.  I’ve only done one 10-mile run in the shoes, so I’m not yet ready to put together any sort of review.  My initial impressions are good.  They are decidedly more stiff out of the box than the Asics, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing.  Once I break them in and put them through their paces I’ll put a review together.

In addition to my free pair of shoes, they’ve given me another pair to give away to help another runner find their ‘brilliant’ run.  The offer from Mizuno expires fairly soon, so this will be a quick giveaway.  I’ll take entries through Noon Eastern on Thursday (7/12), and announce the winner Thursday afternoon.  There are multiple ways to enter, each earning an individual entry.  You must add an individual comment below for each way you enter … each comment equals and entry and one more chance to win:

1. Follow this blog, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)
2. Add a comment below letting me know your current ‘go-to’ shoe, and how long you’ve run in that make/model – curious if others are as overly loyal as me
3. Follow me on twitter - @EvolvingThruRun – or let me know you already do (leave a comment)
4. Link to this Giveaway from your blog (leave a comment)
5. Share with me @EvolvingThruRun and @MizunoUSA in a tweet saying why you want to give Mizunos a try (leave a comment)
6. Like the LoveAllTennis page on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/LoveAllTennis).  Unrelated to this post - this is a new company my wife is launching, and ‘Likes’ make her very happy (leave a comment)

Entries close Noon Eastern on Thursday (7/12) – Good Luck!!

Serendipity and Scorched Earth

I’ve been writing about a possible departure from my beloved Asics Gel Nimbus on this blog for quite some time.  I’ve taken small steps in that direction … Brooks Ghost as my everyday shoes, Brooks Cascadia 7’s for trail running … but haven’t really committed to make the jump away from the Nimbii as my go-to shoes.  However, the good folks at Mizuno may be inadvertently providing the push I need to test the waters away from the calming shores of Asics.

As part of their Mezamashii Project they let me pick out a free pair of Mizuno shoes to try and spread the word about, so these guys showed up in the mail last week while I was fueling up on rum punch and sloth:

Mizuno Wave Creation 13 in retina-scorching crimson.  I just picked up a pair of Superfeet green insoles for them, so hopefully I’ll be giving them a test run this weekend.  I’ve got 18 miles on the plan for Saturday, so that’s a bit too much for a maiden voyage, but I might try a short recovery run Sunday night just to give them a spin.  Supposed to be going out for a 25-ish mile ride Sunday morning with a couple friends, so we’ll see how willing my legs are.  The other mitigating factor ….

I’m no meteorologist, but I believe that is referred to as a heat wave.  The good news is I love to sweat when I run – the more sweat, the more it feels like work, so I say bring the heat.  All the hours of standing on the hood of my idling SUV in the driveway blasting aerosol cans skyward and taunting the ozone layer have finally paid off.  If I’ve plotted the weather trends correctly, we should be hitting around 250 degrees by the end of July.

Do they make SPF 800 yet?

Another First (for me) - Palmetto 200 Relay

Friday morning at 6:30AM 12 hearty souls, including myself, begin our 200-ish mile journey from Columbia to Charleston across the great state of South Carolina.  The event is the Palmetto 200, and this marks my first attempt at a running relay.  Slightly more challenging than the relay is figuring out when I’m going to pack for this thing.  After many, many years of traveling for work, there’s little I dislike more than packing for a trip.  At least I’m looking forward to this one.

It should be interesting, fun, and highly comical.  I’ve got three legs of the run, 8-ish miles around noon on Friday, 9.5-ish miles around midnight Friday, and another 3.5-ish miles Saturday morning before we wrap up sometime between noon and 3PM in Charleston.  I only know 1 of the other 11 runners, so it’s a great chance to meet some new runners and make some new friends.  If they can handle the smell of me after 36 hours of running and hanging out in vans together, then they’re alright with me.

I’m taking tomorrow as a training rest day to get a little sleep in the morning before this adventure, so this morning was my last run prior to the relay.  It wasn’t pretty.  My legs just didn’t have any spring.  I had “lifeless legs, black legs … like a doll’s legs.”  Hopefully there are a few of you who get that reference.  I’m guessing I just need more sleep in general.

In other unrelated news, one of my all-time favorite ad campaigns is/was the Nike campaign with the tagline “There Is No Finish Line”.  I’d love to have one of the old Nike posters with that slogan, but they’re apparently pretty prized possessions, and based on some prior eBay snooping, pretty pricey.  I like that tagline so much I put it on my RoadID.  Knowing this, a friend of mine sent me the following a couple days ago.  Good stuff:

Knuckle Lights Review - Retiring My Headlamps

Darkness.

My most dependable training partner.  My morning companion shaking out the cobwebs.  My late-night compatriot when the workout needs to be done, but just wouldn’t fit into the day.  Hello darkness my old friend.

Simon, Garfunkel, and a garfunkload of hair

The unfortunate reality of the bulk of my training, especially during Fall and Winter, is that they are done without the benefit of sunlight.  Simple paths and familiar obstacles that we take for granted during the daytime have a whole different personality in the dark.  I’ve proven my ability to get injured on a perfectly flat, straight surface at high noon.  Adding darkness to the mix is like a cruel joke … a standing invite to the orthopedist.  Now that Daylight Savings is upon us, I’m plunged even farther into the early-morning darkness.  I think all this running is slowly turning me into a vampire, but not a shiny, whiny one from Twilight.  Hopefully something closer to True Blood.  Or maybe Dracula, or Count Chocula.  Mmmmm ….. Count Chocula.

Vampires from when I was a kid .... the good old days

Although most of my training routes have the benefit of some degree of streetlight illumination, even these runs have the occasional pothole, uneven sidewalk edge, puddles and/or ice patches, or surprises left by pets or other critters.  Among my favorite places to run are the cart paths at a nearby country club.  I can’t afford to golf there, but thankfully running there is free – although it has to be very early or late to avoid a Titleist to the noggin.  Trying to run these paths in the dark is definitely a risky proposition.  The obvious solution is to bring along a light.  Finding one that I like, however, has proven elusive.

I’ve tried two different headlamps, neither of which have done the trick for me.  Too much bounce, not really directed where I want on the path in front of me, and I don’t really like wearing anything on my head when I run.  I’m not even a fan of wearing hats when I run.  If I’m going to wear a spotlight on my forehead I’d like to reserve that for spelunking, performing brain surgery, or hillbilly handfishing.

Noodling ... Navy Seal style

With training ramping up for Spring races, and a 200-mile overnight relay coming up in April where I’ll need some sort of lighting, it was time to find something that worked.  Enter the good people at Knuckle Lights with the answer to my problems.

It seems so obvious, but those are often the best inventions.  The name says it all – lights that you wear on your knuckles.  With my running tights, and calf sleeves, and Fuel (utility) belt, my dressing like a superhero is nearly complete.  Now I can add illuminated knuckles to the mix.  If only they were Brass Knuckle Lights.  That's going in the suggestion box.

These things are very bright and very comfortable.  They form nicely to your fingers, and still leave your hands free if you need to carry something.  They cast a very wide beam, and I’ve not noticed any issues with the light bouncing.  Since they’re attached to your hands there will be some side-to-side movement of the beam as your arms move, unless you run like Frankenstein or are, in fact, Frankenstein.  Because they cast such a nice wide beam, when you run with both of the lights even the side-to-side motion is barely noticeable.

I’ve gotten to where I only run with one of them since it’s plenty bright, and then I’ll slip it into my Fuel Belt when the sun finally shows up and keep right on moving.

I’ve run up to 14 miles with these on my hands, and after a few miles, aside from the obvious illumination, I really forgot they were on my hands.  The switch sits on the top of the light, and can easily be turned on/off with the thumb on the same hand where the light is being worn.  So far they seem pretty sturdy, although I haven’t dropped one … yet.  Only a matter of time based on my history.  I’ve worn them over gloves, which works fine, and I wear it over my wedding ring without any issues.  For the ladies out there with wedding rings with big stones, you will likely need to turn the stone around to wear these since they’re intentionally pretty snug to your fingers.

The Verdict:  Personally I find these to be a MUCH better alternative to a headlamp, and I would HIGHLY recommend them to anyone logging any serious activity time outside of daylight hours.  I haven’t tried them while biking since I have a headlamp for my bike that works like a champ, but I suspect these would work well while riding as well.  I’m looking forward to using these in my upcoming overnight relay.  I suspect I’ll find some new converts once they get a chance to see these in action.  Check them out for yourself at http://www.knucklelights.com.

Disclaimer – I was provided these Knucklelights free of charge to try and review.  Fortunately, I really like them and think you will too.  If I didn’t like them, however, I would have made that abundantly clear – most likely with a full helping of sarcasm, and some snark on the side.

Runner. Present Tense.

Tomorrow will be 4 weeks since the Marine Corps Marathon, and would have marked 4 weeks with no running.  Two weeks out from the race I ended up at the orthopedist (yet again) to see if my calf/shin pain was the dreaded stress-fracture.  The overall soreness from the race had passed after about 4-5 days, but my calf/shin issues lingered.  Not sharp or shooting pain, but definitely not feeling right.  The good news was the x-rays showed no damage, so I got the maddening advice of “if it hurts don’t do it”.  I went straight from the doctor’s office to a nearby gym with a pool and signed up so I could get some cross-training going and hopefully not lose all my fitness.  I’ve stuck to a good mix of swimming, stationary cycling, and lifting, but badly missed my old friend running.

Yesterday was a study in holiday-induced sloth.  My inlaws had been visiting for 5 days, and rolled out of town around lunchtime.  After a gluttonous mound of leftovers for lunch, all my good intentions gave way to lying on the couch alternately reading a book and watching TV.  Finally, around 3:30, I snapped out of my coma and decided it was time to test my leg.  The doctor had said probably 4-6 weeks of rest would be advisable, and I was within shouting distance of 4 weeks, so I needed to roll the dice.  I wasn’t very optimistic based on past experience returning from an injury, but my leg was feeling much better, so I went through my stretching routine, laced up the Nimbii, and gave it a shot.  The first step is always the worst, so I braced myself for the pain, took the step, and …. nothing.  No pain.  No tightness.  No worries.

I kept myself in check and did an easy 3-mile run, but overall my legs felt good.  Definitely felt like I hadn’t run in a month and my calf is a little tight/sore this morning, but knocking on all things wood I think I may be over the hurdle.  By the halfway mark in the run my brain had already shifted from inspecting every aspect of every step to thinking about what my next race might be.  I’m shutting that thinking down now as well until I’m sure my leg is back in business.  I’m meeting a friend from work for a bike ride around lunchtime today, which should be interesting.  I’m borrowing his Fuji Cyclocross bike, with the intent of seeing if I might want to invest in a road bike or tri bike to further force myself to cross train and break the constant running that seems to leave me broken.  I haven’t gone on a bike ride of any distance in probably 20 years, so I’m anticipating a whole world of sore tomorrow.

Sore is good.  Sore is my friend.

Surfacing

Ascending slowly from the depths of this Summer’s ocean of stress.  This past week was the notification week for the layoffs at my job.  Fortunately my job was not impacted.  Doesn’t lessen my workload, and actually increases it based on the reduced headcount, but considering the alternative I have no complaints.  One less thing to worry about in the short term.

Running has been going well for the most part, but my lack of sleep and pace of work has caught up with me, and I’m seeing it in my training.  I’m getting the miles done, but seeing little to no improvement in pacing, etc.  I know I’m shortchanging my body in terms of recovery, and I’m trying to make rest a priority moving forward.  I like sleep … sleep is my friend … and I miss my friend.

After a disappointing 16-mile run last Sunday, I decided to challenge my legs with an 18-miler on a hilly local trail.  It was hot, it was challenging, and it was just what I needed.  Didn’t worry about pacing, just focused on attacking the hills.  Mission accomplished.  The best part of the run was around the 10 mile mark, when my legs were getting angry and my brain was trying to convince me the humidity wasn’t the equivalent of running underwater.  A bike passes me on the left, followed by another right behind it.  Nothing unusual with all the bikes on this course, but right behind the bikes, moving just as fast, comes a woman who may be the picture accompanying the definition of runner in the dictionary.  She moved past me like I was running backwards, a blur of compression socks, ponytails, and effortless speed.  I’ve made a (brief) career of getting chicked on a regular and prolific basis, but this took things to a whole new level.  It was an amazing thing to behold.  Sadly the inspiration didn’t make the next 8 miles any less hilly, but it was inspiring nonetheless.

I’m weeks behind on blog reading, and pretty out of the loop with running in general, but hoping to catch up soon.  I can only assume we’ve progressed beyond barefoot running, but I’m a little scared to find out what body part we’re now supposed to use for running.

Sweating Our Thorns Off - Virtual 5K With My Boy

Sometimes a race doesn’t go as we planned.  Sometimes race day brings unexpected twists.  Sometimes the strategy and goals go out the window.  Usually this is not considered a good thing.  This morning it was a great thing.

For this morning’s ‘Sweat Your Thorns Off’ Virtual 5K, I had planned to give it a real go and see what kind of time I could pull off.  I’ve never run a 5K, so I could combine a strong tempo run with another running first.  As I was finishing my pre-run stretching, I was explaining a virtual-race to my kids.  When I finished explaining, my son asked the last question I would have expected … “Can I run?”.  This is one of those questions that regardless of circumstance or consequence, the answer is simply “Yes”.  Thus, today my son and I did our first Virtual 5K together.  Since I had already printed off my race bib, we made a couple quick adjustments and printed one off for my son.

All smiles prior to any thorn sweating

A quick drink of water and we were off.

Game faces on .... or we need more fiber in our diets

We did not set any land-speed records, and we’re not anticipating any sponsorships based on our results.  The first mile was equal parts run and walk, and the rest was mostly walk with a sprinkling of run thrown in.  The boy was definitely struggling, and around mile 2 I could tell he was regretting his decision to come along, but he never said it out loud, and he kept marching on.  I was having a great time.  Even if there wasn’t a whole lot of running, it was still a ‘run’ with my son, and those are still a rare treat.

I couldn’t talk my daughter in to coming with us, but I have a feeling she’ll come around in the not too distant future.  We put her in charge of race photos, and even let her use the ‘real’ camera, so she was loving life.  She also surprised us by creating a finish-line for us while we were out running.  Boston’s finish line has nothing on ours.

BAA - she is available for finish-line consulting

A great way to start the weekend.  Everything else is just icing on the cake.  A big thank-you to Adam @ 'The Boring Runner' for organizing the race and getting my boy and me out on the road together.

Horseflies and Handgrenades .... and My Father

Apparently we are under attack.

While we foolishly concentrate our attention on mosquitos with their West Nile virus, and deer ticks with their Lyme disease, and lions, and tigers, and bears, the horse flies have been silently building a squadron of terror, patiently waiting for the perfect time to unleash holy hell on the running paths of the world.  It would appear the time is now.

My last three longish runs on my familiar trails have been marked by repeated strafings from these aerial demons.  They are large, and they are many.  And, at least on the trails of NC, they are pissed.  I haven’t been bitten yet, but it only seems like a matter of time.  May be time to invest in some sweat-proof bug spray.  I recall from swimming at lakes as a kid that horse fly bites are no joke.  I’m hoping the conflict doesn’t continue to escalate, or you may find me rolling down the trails in a giant hamster ball by the end of the summer.

As for the hand-grenades, we’ve had a series of short, severe thunderstorms over the last couple weeks in the area, and the trees have taken a beating.  Last night we were poised for another blast, but it was mostly just an abundance of wind.  Net result is this morning’s trail run was as much about dodging branches and debris as it was about knocking out the miles.  We could use some rain, but ideally more of a sustained storm than a Chuck Norris roundhouse-kick of wind/rain/pain.

Despite the kamikaze flies and the obstacle course of dismembered tree parts, this morning’s run was a thing of beauty.  Great weather, and someone had replaced my regular legs with Folger’s instant legs that were ready to rock.  Had planned on a nice steady 10-miler somewhere around 9:00 pace, but my legs were feeling so good that after 5 miles around 8:30 pace, I decided to step it up and throw in a 5k somewhere between 7:30 and 8:00 pace.  I may have slightly overestimated how good I was feeling, but I got through the next 3 miles at 7:51, 7:34, and 7:32, then closed it out with 2 miles at 9:00.  I was put-a-fork-in-me done by the 10 mile mark, but it was a great way to start the day.  I have a slight groin pull/strain that has been acting up over the last couple weeks that I may need to dial down my training a bit to get healed, so this will probably be my last tempo run for a week or two.  Considering it wasn’t intended to be a tempo run, I’m happy with the results.

Today being Father’s Day, I find myself less focused on my own role as a dad, and thinking more about my own father.  I’m blessed to have two healthy parents who have always been incredibly supportive and influential in my life.  My dad has always been an important person in my life, and as I’ve gotten older I consider him one of my best friends.  So many of my interests are a reflection of his.  My passion for home-improvement and woodworking are born of hours watching him build and/or fix anything and everything.  I’ve yet to see anything home-related that he can’t do.  I drove a ’65 Mustang in college that he rebuilt himself.  We bought the house we live in now in foreclosure and badly in need of far too much work.  My dad showed up and he and I spend two solid weeks redoing everything in the house with the exception of the kitchen cabinets.  Neither of us will ever set any speed records for project completion, but the finished product rarely disappoints.  He is one of the best fishermen I have ever seen, and the majority of my favorite memories as a child revolve around fishing.  Thanks to him I enjoy and have moderate skill at fishing, and I’m now able to share that with my own kids.  This past year, I had the unique pleasure of seeing a reversal of the usual pattern, when my interest in running sparked his interest in walking to get back in shape and lose some weight, which culminated in our both finishing the Outer Banks Marathon in November (me running the full, and my Dad walking the half).  One of the best days of my life, and another great memory shared with my dad.

He is by no means perfect, but who is?  It’s the imperfections that make us all unique, good or bad.  My wife often comments how much I remind her of my dad, and I take that as a compliment.  He was career Navy, but passed up several promotions so we could stay in Northern Virginia and my sister and I could go to good schools.  As a senior in high school I had scholarship offers for soccer, and an ROTC scholarship.  One fateful collision towards the end of my senior soccer season resulted in a gruesome shoulder dislocation, and I would never again play another game of soccer.  The athletic scholarships disappeared, and when I got to college I was unable to complete the ROTC physical test while I was rehabbing my arm, so the ROTC scholarship was in jeopardy.  Without missing a beat my parents stepped in and offered to pay for my tuition, all four years, and insisted that I drop the ROTC scholarship and end the drama.  I own them both a great deal, and hope that I am carrying on their legacy as a parent.

Happy Father’s Day to my father, and all the dads out there.  Hug and be hugged as much as you can today.  You’ve earned it.

Blogjam

Having a hard time finding time to spend in the blog world lately.  Reading, writing, etc. - all of it is just out of reach.  Work is soul-crushingly intense right now.  Impending layoffs, poor quarterly results, and survival-mode instincts make for a pressure-cooker climate.  More stressful than any time I can remember.  Compounded with some bad health news for a family member, the blood pressure is not in a good place.

Thankfully running/training has been going well.  Still trying to adjust to the sudden onset of Summer, but I've been sweating out some of the stress, which is therapeutic.  Logged my first week of 30+ miles last week and my body held up as well as can be expected.  Started the week with 9 miles (almost) at target marathon pace (8:15/mile versus marathon target of 8:09), and it felt good.  Exhausting, but good.  After an injury stalled start to the year, I've finally crossed 300 miles for the year, and I feel like I've got a solid base going for the start of official marathon training in July.  Injury is not an option ....  "ain't got time to bleed".

Unofficially I'd like to find some sort of race to do in June.  This would be my first foray into anything other than a Marathon, and I'd like to diversify a bit.  Ideally I'd try a half-marathon at my target full-marathon pace, but I haven't found anything reasonably nearby in this timeframe.  I'll keep looking.

Back to work .... deep breaths ...... serenity now.

Throwback Training Tunes vol. 10 - U2, Rush, Foo Fighters

Continuing the construction of a ‘Running Tunes’ playlist featuring at least one song from each of the last 20 years of the 20^th century.  Today’s additions to the playlist include songs from 1985, 1987, and 1997.  I’ve got several others currently being ‘auditioned’ on my training runs, but I’m always looking for more suggestions, so don’t be shy about passing them along in the comments.

Here’s the list as of the last update (click on song titles for links to videos):

’Ceremony’ - New Order (1981)

’Don’t Change’ – INXS (1982)

’Heartbreak Beat’ – Psychedelic Furs (1987)

‘Rain in the Summertime’ – The Alarm (1987)

‘Mandinka’ – Sinead O’Connor (1987)

‘Crash’ – The Primitives (1988)

‘Don’t Look Back’ – Fine Young Cannibals (1988)

’Always Saturday’ – Guadalcanal Diary (1989)

’Slide’ – Flesh for Lulu (1989)

’Head Like a Hole’ - Nine Inch Nails (1989)

’Forgotten Years’ – Midnight Oil (1989)

’Stone Cold Yesterday’ – The Connells (1990)

’Rush’ - Big Audio Dynamite II (1990)

’Mama Said Knock You Out’ - LL Cool J (1990)

’Three Strange Days’ – School of Fish (1991)

’Enter Sandman’ – Metallica (1991)

’Rearviewmirror’ – Pearl Jam (1993)

’A Murder of One’ - Counting Crows (1993)

’Looking Through Patient Eyes’ - PM Dawn (1993)

’She’ – Green Day (1994)

’Machinehead’ – Bush (1994)

And for today’s additions:

 ’Bad(Live)’ from Wide Awake in America – U2 (1985)  This song, or more accurately this version of this song, is one of my all-time favorite songs.  Not just for running, but for any reason.  I literally wore this tape out when I originally bought it based just on listening to this one song.  This is a staple of most any running playlist I make, and usually is the first song I listen to since it has a nice slow build which goes nicely with the start of a run as my body decides which parts are going to mock me over the next several miles.  I’m not that crazy about the studio version of this song from the Unforgettable Fire album, but this live version has an energy and emotion that somehow never gets old for me.  There are days when the intro and first few verses still give me the chills, after hundreds of listenings.  U2 at their finest.

’Time Stand Still’ – Rush (1987) Rush is a highly underrated band in the grand scheme of things.  Geddy Lee has an unusual voice, and there are lots of people who really don’t like their music, and probably even more that have never heard of them.  I wasn’t a big fan of theirs back when they were big, but I’ve grown to appreciate their music and their influence on others bands more as time has passed.  This is a great song for running, with some pretty poignant lyrics that are more meaningful to me now than they ever could have been back in the late 80s.  “Summer’s going fast, nights growing colder.  Children growing up, old friends growing older.  Freeze this moment a little bit longer.  Make each sensation a little bit stronger”.  I can certainly relate to that sentiment. 

‘Everlong’ – Foo Fighters (1997) Can’t have a training playlist without some Foo.  This isn’t my favorite Foo Fighters song (that would be DOA for those keeping score at home), but it is a great song for some energy while working out.  I’m partial to the studio version as a running song, but I really like the acoustic version of this as well that has appeared on a couple of Foo Fighters albums.  This is one of my favorite bands, so I have to resist the urge to add more and more of their songs.  This song will definitely get you fired up, and I never seem to get tired of it regardless of how many times I hear it.  Pointless trivia – lead singer Dave Grohl attended and dropped-out of the same high school that my wife attended.  To my knowledge she was not to blame.

I Love Track. Tracky, track, track.

One of the dozens* of upsides to visiting my wife’s family in Northern VA is the chance to do a track workout at my old high school.  As I’ve mentioned in other posts, trying to run on a track in Cary is about as easy as trying to drop in on the President for an impromptu visit in the Oval Office.  There is apparently no more valuable resource in the state of North Carolina than a running track.  If the attack dogs don’t get you, the snipers will.

I had no idea how much I enjoyed speedwork on the track until I gave it a shot training for my last marathon.  Maybe I like it so much because I can’t really do it on a regular basis.  My running forbidden-fruit.

Hit the track Tuesday for some half-mile repeats and generally my wonky legs held up well.  1.5 years after purchase I finally looked at the Garmin manual, and actually used the interval training mode, which worked great.  Pacing is not a strength of mine overall, but my paces were surprisingly consistent for the half-miles.  The quarter-mile recoveries were progressively slower, which was part of the plan.  Here’s the data:

Pleased with that performance based on where I am in my training cycle.  I’ve got a lot of endurance to recapture after my injury downtime, but I’m feeling good overall.  Just gotta stay healthy.

*in case they are reading this

The Largeness of Memories

"Time and memory are true artists; they remold reality nearer to the heart's desire."
- John Dewey

Many years ago, in my early teens, I started running for exercise.  Not in pursuit of any racing goals, but rather to perform better on the soccer fields.  Many of these runs were around a lake near my house.  At the end of a lap around the lake I was usually wiped out.  I recall the first time I finished two laps around the lake, and felt like I had circled the globe.  I never pushed beyond two laps, but the accomplishment remained happily filed away in my long-run memories.

We’re  currently in Northern Virginia visiting my wife’s parents while my kids are on spring break.  They live just a few miles from that lake where my love of running started to take shape.  Faced with a 7-mile run this morning, I decided to head back to the lake.  Based on my memories, I assumed the lake path had to be around 2.5 miles, so I figured I was looking at 3 laps.  Once I got underway, the memories came back.  The canopy of trees is much thicker, and many of the houses, like many of my body parts, have not aged particularly well.  However, the path is vividly familiar and felt good under my feet.  My mind wandered as the Foo Fighters growled in my ears, and before I knew it I was finishing the first lap.  I glanced at my Garmin to see how the stats were looking, and didn’t make it past the distance number.  1.46 miles.  Huh?

How could the path that seemed so daunting when I was young and ‘fit’ only be 1.46 miles long?  5 laps of the lake later I finished up my 7-mile run.  I felt a little sad that circling the lake twice so many years ago, which had seemed so Herculean at the time, was actually less than a 5k.  Time and memory had built that youthful run to a glorious length in my mind, and a cold, windy unremarkable training run had muddied that memory with the cruel yardstick of reality.

Not too long ago my mind would have rapidly extrapolated this experience and began to challenge the largeness of many other memories from my younger years.  The vastness of the Grand Canyon and the Badlands, the majesty of the Grand Tetons, the glory of goals scored long ago, the seemingly endless fights to land countless ‘lunker’ fish.  Time, however, has also taught me to value and enjoy these memories rather than question and diminish them.  Just let them be, and draw on them fondly.

I will not reshape the past when there is nothing to be gained.  I will grip furiously to the largeness of my memories.  I will allow the perception of how things were be the unwavering reality of how things are, and how they should be.  I will conspire freely with time to shape great into greater.

The Return of Throwback Training Tunes

Also know by the working title …. Throwback Training Tunes 2: Electric Boogaloo

Last year I launched an ambitious plan for building a new running-playlist when my assorted collections of songs on my iPod had gotten a little stale.  The plan was to build a collection of at least one song from each year for 1980 – 1999.  Sadly, I failed to complete the task.  My own version of Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony …. If Shubert had lazily taken a collection of already-finished music, assembled a mixture of musicians, and had them play the songs for him in any sequence, at any time, and in any place he wanted.  Yeah …. so  …. not like the Unfinished Symphony …. at all.

This time I’m looking for help from all my blogging friends.  Especially those with fond memories of Members Only, and Swatches, and Trapper-Keepers, and acid-wash jeans …. You get the idea.  I’m looking to you SUAR, BDD, Emz, Chris K., Kovas, Candice, Slomohusky.  You’ve all given great feedback when I had this rolling before, and I’d love some suggestions.

Here’s an excerpt from the beginning of the Throwback Training Tunes project …

“I think it’s time for a bit of running-song archaeology, but not just some random search for long-lost running songs. Rather, I’m going to challenge myself a bit and try to come up with an honest-to-goodness running song from each of the last 20 years of the 20th century. I figure this will give me a reason to dig back through the mound of old CDs that I haven’t listened to in years to see if I can find some forgotten tunes that still have some mileage in them. Also hope it may introduce some of you to some songs you may have never heard, or may have forgotten about.

My criteria for a good running song is entirely subjective, so attempting to describe it is fairly futile. It’s one of those things where you listen to it a couple times, and you just know it needs to join the playlist. I’ll test-drive anything I post about with at least two runs, and even try to link to a video or audio clip of the song. If nothing else the videos should be good for a laugh. Remember, this was the days when the music was the sell, and the artist wasn’t always meant to be seen. Very different than today’s music world. I’ll also try to share some memories or factoids regarding the tunes if there are any to be had.”

Originally I had a rule that none of the songs could already be on an existing playlist, but I’m throwing that rule out.  Anything goes.  Additionally, since I got some great comments with additional suggestions for songs, I’m looking for input from the blogging world.  Send me your suggestions and I’ll give them a listen.  Ideally I need ideas for the ‘missing’ years, but I’m open to anything from 1980 – 1999.  What makes your ears happy while your feet are screaming?  What fuels your run?

Here is what the list looked like after the last update:
 

’Ceremony’ - New Order (1981) – New Order is a very black or white group with most people. They either like them or have no interest in them. I fall into the ‘like them’ camp, but I find my feelings about their individual songs are somewhat black or white. I either really like a song, or just don’t care for it. Not much gray area. This is one of their top 5 for me, and until I started putting this list together I never realized or considered what a great running song this is for me. The first song on any of my playlists is a critical position for me. It needs to have a good intro, a nice gradual build, and ideally be something that matches the general mood as the sun is just starting to rise. Gets the brain working, the blood pumping, and sets the tone for the miles ahead. I had never found a first-song that could match the live version of Bad by U2 from the Wide Awake in America Album, which I never seem to get tired of despite having listened to it enough that it is tattoed on my eardrums. I think I may have finally found a worthy foe with this one. The history of this song is pretty interesting, and a bit tragic, with the end of Joy Division and the start of New Order, but it’s one of the first songs from New Order, and arguably one of their best. There are several versions of this song available, some by other artists (Joy Division, Radiohead, etc.), and a few different versions by New Order. I’d recommend the version from the New Order – Singles album.

’Don’t Change’ – INXS (1982) – I’m a big INXS fan, and have had lots of their songs in and out of playlist rotation while running over the years. Since I’m such a fan, I had to work very hard to separate putting them on my iPod because I like them versus having them there because I consider them good ‘running songs’. In a nice bit of serendipity, it turns out that probably my favorite INXS song of them all also turns out to be a great running song on its own merit. I’ve listened to this song on every run since I started this exercise, and still like it as much as the first time. Definitely gets the blood pumping.

’Heartbreak Beat’ – Psychedelic Furs (1987) – Most well known for ‘Pretty In Pink’, the Furs actually have a lot of good songs out there, and I’d highly recommend their greatest hits album.  This song has a great chorus, and an interesting mix of instruments, and is good for a pick-me-up during a long training run.

‘Rain in the Summertime’ – The Alarm (1987) – Really like the Alarm, a great band from Wales that was unfortunate enough to continually get crushed under the weight of U2.  They’ve got a number of good running songs, and the live versions of their songs (especially from the ‘Electric Folklore’ album) are packed with energy both from the band and the audience.  This link is for the studio version of ‘Rain in the Summertime’, one of their bigger hits.  Major bonus points for the abundance of hair in the video.  These guys had to keep touring to cover their hairspray bills.

‘Mandinka’ – Sinead O’Connor (1987) – Unfortunately Sinead O’Conner didn’t do a lot during her career to make people like her as a person.  Controversial and unapologetic, but she was definitely talented.  This is the first song of hers I ever heard, and I still like it as much today as I did 20+ years ago.  Great beat, great chorus, excellent song for running.  She had considerably less concern with haircare products than the boys from The Alarm.

‘Crash’ – The Primitives (1988) – This song had a bit of a resurgence when it was remixed for the Dumb and Dumber soundtrack, but I much prefer the original version from ’88.  The newer version is heavily overproduced, and loses some of the basic appeal of the original.  Unfortunately none of their other songs seemed to live up to the promise of ‘Crash’, but this song still rocks.

‘Don’t Look Back’ – Fine Young Cannibals (1988) – Not really sure what it is about this song, and didn’t have high hopes for this being good for running, but for some odd reason it really works for me.  Fair to say the lead singer for FYC has an unusual voice, but this is a good song with a good beat and chorus.  Not one of my strongest recommendations on a relative basis, but I’ve listened to it on several runs, and it hasn’t gotten tired yet.

’Always Saturday’ – Guadalcanal Diary (1989) – I have to laugh at the irony of songs like this one.  When alternative music was moving more and more into the mainstream in the late 80s, bands like Guadalcanal Diary would put out albums of their normal disenfranchised music, but they would typically include one pop-ish tune in the hopes of it becoming popular, so they could then wallow in the irony of one of their songs going mainstream, and put out a smarmy, sarcastic video where they basically mocked anyone that would like the song.  The irony is that 20+ years later, the only songs of theirs that are worth listening to, and are even remembered, are usually the pop songs that they included due to their disdain for mainstream music listeners.  Whatever the motivation behind the song, this one is a nice diversion during a run.  Kinda laid-back, with lyrics that make you think of lazy weekends.  Craptastic and bizarre video as well, which doesn’t do the song any favors with first-time listeners.

Slide – Flesh for Lulu (1989) – This was a favorite band during the college years, that had two great albums (‘Long Live the New Flesh’ & ‘Plastic Fantastic’), and then faded away.  Saw these guys in concert at a small club in D.C. and it was probably the best live show I’ve ever seen. This is a GREAT song for getting you pumped up during a run.  I like a lot of their songs, but this is definitely the best of the bunch for a running playlist.  This one appears to be fairly hard to find, but I would HIGHLY recommend it. Couldn’t find a video for this one, but while looking for a video discovered that this was on the soundtrack for the movie ‘Uncle Buck’ with John Candy.  Not an association I would have come up with in a million years.

Head Like a Hole - Nine Inch Nails (1989) – Angry, angry song, from an angry, angry band … but sometimes you need a little angry. Never really been a bit fan of NIN, but this song gets the blood pumping. Similar effect during a run as the handful of Eminem songs that seem to pop up on many of the running playlists that folks post.

Forgotten Years – Midnight Oil (1989) – These guys made a living off of being political and preachy with their music, and I like several  of their songs, but I found the ultra-political angle a little tiring after a while. This song is from the ‘Blue Sky Mining’ album, which I recall really liking during college.  This song is a little preachy as well, but it’s a positive message and is set to some really good music.  Strong chorus that’s really helpful when the legs are getting a bit weary.  And who doesn’t love any song from a giant bald man?

Stone Cold Yesterday – The Connells (1990) – This may be the band that I’ve seen in concert more times than any other.  LOVED this band during college.  Interestingly, interesting to me anyhow, these guys are from right here in Raleigh, and the lead singer worked in the UNC music department for a while.  I think they may still be making music, but the band lineup has changed several times, so I don’t really know what they would sound like today.  This is the title track from the ‘Stone Cold Yesterday’ album, which has a great guitar-driven sound and a strong chorus.  This one seems hard to find as well, which is a shame.  I’d highly recommend checking out any of their first 5 albums, especially ‘Fun & Games’.

Rush - Big Audio Dynamite II (1990) – How to describe this song? The more I listen to it, it’s kind of a cross between the Clash and an alternative incarnation of the Black Eyed Peas.  I know, that’s a hard picture to paint in your mind.  You’ve probably heard this song at some point in time, and may not realize it.  Just a fun, quirky song with lots of changes in beat and pacing that takes your mind off the running at hand for a while.

Mama Said Knock You Out - LL Cool J (1990) - I actually bought this cassette when it came out in ’90, and listened to it in my big yellow Sports Walkman while jogging back in the day. Pulled this down off of iTunes and give it a try on a couple runs, and found that it still holds up pretty well. Brings back good memories for me, so that’s always a plus, but memories aside it has a good fired-up factor which is helpful on a tough run. Definitely worth a listen. Hope you like it.

Three Strange Days – School of Fish (1991) – This song was a happy rediscovery for me. Brings back some good college roadtrip memories. The driving guitar and drums that kick in soon after the intro definitely kick up the energy while banging out the miles. A bit of ear-GU, if you will. Great song from an OK album, but really the only album they put out that held any interest for me. Every once in a while this song gets some random airplay, so you may have heard it before.

Enter Sandman – Metallica (1991) – The popularity of this song marked a sad era for many a headbanger. This song, and the black album, took Metallica into the mainstream, and suddenly everyone knew who they were. My college roommate was a big Metallica fan, so I had heard songs from Master of Puppets, Ride the Lightning, etc. more than I would have ever wanted long before the Black album arrived. Most of their stuff was way too headbanger for me, unless I was having one of those days that needed a soundtrack of anger. The black album was metal for the masses, and it definitely found an audience. Enter Sandman has a great combo of guitar and drums that works great for a training run. So far it’s a welcome addition to the playlist, but I’ve heard this song so many times I think I may get tired of it pretty quickly. Time will tell.

Rearviewmirror – Pearl Jam (1993) – I was a big fan of Pearl Jam back when they were hugely popular, but by their 4th album I found that most of their stuff had gone in a different direction than the sound I really liked. They have quite a few songs that make for good running music, but this song has a combination of sound and lyrics that really bring a wave of energy. “I gather speed, from you f-ing with me” …. Gotta love that lyric. Note of caution – running in full grunge apparel, although stylish and rebellious, is not recommended.

A Murder of One - Counting Crows (1993) – The Crows’ first album was a thing of beauty from beginning to end, and this song is a GREAT running song from the second the drums and guitars kick in after a brief intro. Amazing that such a strong debut album could be followed up by so many craptacular efforts. Tried to see these guys in concert in Florida right after this album came out, but Adam Duritz was so stoned that they couldn’t even manage to go on stage. I suppose that’s considered cool if you’re a rock star, but not so cool for those who were foolish enough to buy tickets. 

Looking Through Patient Eyes - PM Dawn (1993) – I’m guessing you didn’t see this one coming. Stumbled across this disc while digging through the old collection, and threw this song on the iPod with no real expectations, other than remembering I liked it when it originally came out. Surprisingly, I find it works for me as a running song. Mellows out the middle miles of a run nicely with a smooth sound. Not really sure what ever became of these guys, but this disc was pretty big back in the day.

She – Green Day (1994) – A song that got greatly overshadowed by the other hugely-successful and ultimately overplayed songs from the Dookie album. Starts out with a nice quiet buildup to the typical Green Day energy you would expect. Kind of a short song, but still good for passing the time while training.

Machinehead – Bush (1994) – One of several very popular songs from Bush’s most popular album, Sixteen Stone. The intro to this song is one of those sports-arena staples that you’ll hear during timeouts or breaks in the action. The driving beat in this one is great for a pick-me-up during a run. Not really sure exactly what the lyrics are supposed to mean … but sometimes it's less about the lyrics and more about the energy.

I’ve got some Van Halen, U2, Foo Fighters, Rush, and Beastie Boys currently getting a test-drive in the iPod.  What else should I add?  Bring the noise.