Running to basketball

OK… so I am not running much lately… but I am still active. That is why we run anyway isn’t it? So we can do the things we want to? I admit, that I do miss running… and I will make time for it soon… but right now I am just enjoying going to the gym with the family and playing in a basketball league for the first time in decades.

I love running… sure… but basketball was definitely my first love. Unfortunately I was neither tall are very athletically gifted… so my basketball career peeked at JV #2 for one year in high school. Ouch. I could always shoot though. I can remember shooting socks into a hamper in the hallway while listening to Blazer games on the radio. Then one Christmas I got one of those stand up basketball hoops for inside the house. Boy was that heaven. I shot and shot and shot and shot. Before practice in my JV #2 days I hit 50 free throws in a row. Shooting… I could do… the rest of the game… not so much.

When I was a kid I dreamed of having my own private indoor gym where I could shoot all day long. I remember when my grade school had open gym on Saturdays… I would go and play my heart out. The sound of sneakers squeaking… echoing of the gym walls… with wide open indoor space with huge ceilings… I just loved it… and dreamed of having a gym where I could play and shoot and listen to the Blazers on the radio.

Flash forward to 43… the skinny body is gone, but the kid is still in there somewhere and likes to go to the gym and shoot. It is obvious that my mid life crisis is to try all the old sports I used to play. I played on an adult baseball team, softball, racquetball, soccer, and now basketball. Of course I fit a marathon or three in there too.

There are a lot of 40+ year olds that just don’t have the bodies to be able to get out there actively anymore. I don’t want to be one of those people. Running certainly helps me in that department… and each year it gets harder and harder to be active without getting hurt.

I can remember when all the professional athletes were older than me. It seemed like they always would be. Now the 3rd oldest player in the NBA is 36. Thirty six is OLD? Now… I remember when 15 was old 20 was old… 21 was prefect… 30 was old… and 40 was ancient and another older was just inconceivable. I am in that range now… and though my body is certainly feeling the weight of the years… inside I am still the same kid that fell in love with sports. There is no reason to let that die. As long as I am blessed with a body that can move and stay in one piece… I will try my best to enjoy the gift.

I ran!

I ran! Three times even. It’s a start.

I had more Dr’s appointments in the last few months than I have had in the last 30 years. It is perhaps a little ironic that my first race after taking up running was the Livestrong Challenge. I can remember the excitement of the race blended with admiration for all the cancer survivors. No, I don’t have cancer… and I would like that fact to remain the same throughout my life… but I can say that I am lucky I had some tests done. Very.

I remember one visit at OHSU when I walked through the lobby and there were cancer patients waiting for appointments. Some had no hair and I remember thinking to myself… me? Here? Why? I am healthy… I run marathons… I am not even middle aged yet! I have a great deal of respect for those who have battled or are battling cancer. I can only imagine what a personal strength it must take. But I kept thinking to myself that I was the square that didn’t belong on Sesame Street... and there was no way no how I would ever be in that picture. Hell… I was pretty sure I was going to live forever.

And now I know that isn’t the case… and even in perfect health, the end is most likely closer than the beginning for me. Heck… since life seems to speed up the older you get, I am probably at least ¾ of the way down the track.
And yet I have a 1 year old I desperately want to see grow up. Now, I can’t help it if I have bad genes… or if nature flips a bit on one of my cells when dividing. Those things… are out of my control. But what I can control is trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle to give me the best shot I have to watch my baby girl grow up.
And thus… is born… my health manifesto. What am I going to do? As Oogie Boogie would say, “I’m gonna do the best I can!”

My Health Manifesto

More water
Less fried foods
Less greasy foods
Eat variety
Less sugar
More variety of exercise
Less (white flour, refined sugar, and white rice)
More(whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables)
Less salt
No coffee
Less beer

Goals
Weight goal: 175
Running goal: Boston
Pushup goal: 100
Situp goal: TBD

Still not running

Not much to say about running right now… except I am not doing it. =) Soon I hope… soon.

Running on hold

I am not running at all right now... but hopefully in a few weeks I will start again. Waiting for some test results to verify I am in tip top shape. Still playing basketball, soccer and softball though. Had a few more dreams about running including last night... so I know it is time. Oh yes... it is time.

The roadside vigils

Anyone who runs much... well... or drives for that matter... has seen roadside vigils. Maybe they are not everywhere... but in Oregon it is hard to go a mile without seeing one. I don't want to insensitive... but seriously... sometimes it is like running through a graveyard. Crosses and flowers... crosses and flowers. Some I actually remember the accidents... but wasn't there a time when the rememberences were left in graveyards? It is a new fad... when I was younger no one ever did that... but recently I read about a family who was upset because there roadside vigil was defaced. Now... again... I don't want to be insensitive... (OK I am a guy... it is in my nature) but I wish I could run a few blocks without the constent reminders that my mortality was chasing me... and that regardless of how long or far I run... it will win.

Have I lost my mind?

So after the Newport Marathon last weekend I asked my wife to shoot me or do whatever was necessary to keep my from running another marathon. But then this:


From: A Runner a my company
Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 3:46 PM
To: Runners at my company

Hi Everyone,

We’re currently in the process with HR right now to get a XXX corporate sponsorship for employees who are participating in the 2009 Portland Marathon. You’re on this mailing list because you signed up for the Sportsfest running days. I’ve been given the task to tally up the number of people who would be participating in the marathon. This is also opened to those who would like to walk the marathon instead of running it. Talks of sponsorship include a company logo running singlet and maybe even the $90 entry fee waived for each participants. We are also trying to tie in some sort of charity sponsorship for each runner/walker so employees and anyone else can part take by donating to the charity of their choice with XXX matching each donation.

If a marathon is out of your reach for this year, we are also looking to get at least 12 people together to form the XXX Hood to Coast relay team for 2010. If you’re interested, please let us know.

Of course all of this is pending approval from above, so we need to get the number of participants to come up with an estimated overall cost that we can submit. As soon as we get the details worked out, I will update everyone that replied to me with a confirmation.

---

From: Me
To: My Wife
Sent: Wednesday, June 03
Subject: FW: 2009 Portland Marathon and 2010 Hood to Coast

Can I change my mind yet? ;)

---

From: My wife
To: Me
Sent: Wednesday, June 03
Subject: FW: 2009 Portland Marathon and 2010 Hood to Coast

Have you lost your mind?

Newport Marathon race report

The weather for the Newport Marathon was spectacular. Little foggy at the start… but seeing the bridge jutting from the fog… not to mention the boats with their masts fading into the distance over the bay made for a wonderful start.

Because of the limited number of entrants, it was easy to get near the start. My wife dropped my off about 15 minutes before the start of the race and I managed to get through the porta potty line once before the start. There was hardly a breeze… about 50 degrees… just a perfect morning. Would it be a perfect finish?

I really didn’t have a particular pace in mind. I told my wife best case 4 hours… most probably 4 hours 15 minutes… bad day 4 hours 30 minutes… and if I don’t show up by 4 hours and 45 minutes to start looking for my dead body on the course. I started out with what was conformable… about 8:50 per mile.

I bought 3 GU packs at the package pickup. I usually eat something on a long run… but never GU. I known… never change anything for the race… but I did it anyway.
The first part of the marathon flew by. Actually… the race pretty much did until about mile 17… when I started getting stomach cramps. Now… I have NEVER had stomach cramps in all my running… so this was something very new to me. I tried slowing… but it didn’t help. I think the GU was getting me.

My pace stayed a bit slow through about mile 20… when it dropped another minute per mile. By mile 21 I decided that marathons were ridiculous and tried to come up with a plan how I could keep myself from trying another. I considered gnawing a message into my arm and then rubbing the last of my strawberry GU into the wound… in the hopes of creating some type of tattoo… but alas the last of my GU was turning my insides into knots.

Now… I wasn’t hitting the wall like in Portland… I hydrated well… I was just suffering the repercussions of weak training. Three weeks prior to the marathon I got a nasty cold that caused me to skip a few runs… and I think I just didn’t train hard enough or have enough miles to allow me to keep pace the last 6 miles, and I was getting passed left and right. Bummer. Sigh.

I crossed the finish line at 4:14… marathon 3 under my belt. Will it be my last? Maybe. I have said that before though. =) I still want to run… I like it… I enjoy it… but oh those last six miles…

The Starting Line

"What distinguishes those of us at the starting line from those of us on the couch is that we learn through running to take what the days gives us, what our body will allow us, and what our will can tolerate."
- John Bingham

I have made it to the starting line of another marathon. What an awkward place… caged like a race horse in the starting gate… err… well maybe an old horse that just happens to be running on the same course as the other race horses… waiting… fidgeting… stretching… checking my watch… “I’m cold”… “will I be too hot?”… “wind is nasty”… “did I drink enough?”… “oh God please let my bladder be empty”… “are my shoes too tight?”… “look, there’s the ground”… check my watch… “will this race ever start?”… “wow there is at least one runner fatter than me”… “does my leg hurt?”… “I should have checked Hercules”… check my watch… check my watch… then…

"The gun goes off and everything changes... the world changes... and nothing else really matters." --Patti Sue Plummer

There are things you just can’t explain to a 5 year old… like why I will run 26.2 miles to reach a finish line that is 1 mile from the starting line.

My goal for Newport is to run between 9:00 and 9:30 miles. Wide range I know… but I am not sure I put in enough miles to keep the same pace throughout. My stretch goal would be to break 4 hours, but again… I am not sure I have the miles or put enough work into speed to do that. I did train hard enough to finish… that I know… and that in itself is an accomplishment.

Not too many toe the starting line of a marathon… and for those there with my Saturday… the race is but the tip of the iceberg… a trip paid for by hundreds and hundreds of miles of training. Marathoners may be mentally ill… there could certainly be an argument for that… like people who cut themselves or don’t eat or whatever, but as far as illnesses go… there are not too many that make you healthier.

See you in 26.2.

It’s the Climb

Next week... the Newport Marathon. Now… I hate to quote teenage Disney pop songs… but don’t the lyrics to The Climb by Miley Cirus look like it was written about a marathon? I have pondered time and again just why I am running another marathon. I know I will not qualify for Boston. No PR. Why the training? Why the 3 ½ hour runs. Why do I try my wife’s patience as I hobble home like a wounded soldier… from my self-inflicted war against a sedentary life?

The climb. That is why. Nothing is waiting for me at the finish line. I already collected my victory in that I made it to the starting line.

The Climb by Miley Cirus

I can almost see it
That dream I am dreaming
But there’s a voice inside my head saying
“You’ll never read it”
Every step I’m taking
Every move I makes feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking

But I got keep trying
Gotta keep my head held high
There’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose

Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting o the other side
It’s the Climb
The struggles I’m facing
The chances I’m taking
Sometimes might knock me down
But no, I’m not breaking

I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I’m gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep going

Keep on moving, keep climbing
Kepp the faith
It’s all about, it’s all about the climb

22 Miles and ready for Newport

Finished my last 20+ mile run before Newport (22 miles). Not full taper time… but long run taper. I ran the same route I did a few weeks ago, so it was pretty uneventful. Just added an extra half mile to an out and back part to get from 21 to 22.

Last Sunday was the Eugene marathon… and though I didn’t run it… I did consider a last minute entry. Lisa gave me the stinkeye at that suggestion though… so I decided to forget it. Running does take a lot of time from the family… and I do appreciate all the support I get, but it is best not to push it.

After Newport Marathon I will focus on speed and shorter distances for a bit. Maybe I can PR a 10K and Half marathon this year. I won’t come anywhere close to a PR at Newport… but if I can avoid hitting the wall I should be able to beat my Portland marathon time.

Another destination run

A week ago was my second to last really long run before the Newport marathon. Runs over 2 ½ hours take a lot out of me. They take planning… and preparation… and if you do it wrong… they can be a disaster. I have learned that from experience. Really… anything over 1 hour and you need to be careful… and I have bonked completely on a 7 miler before.

For me the ritual involves getting mentally focused on the task at hand. I start this a few days prior when I figure out my course and decide what time I am going to run. I have to stay focused because there will never be a day that I wake up thinking… yeah… I want to spend 3 ½ hours running today. It is a necessary part of the marathon training process though.

My last few long runs I have made ‘destination’ runs… runs where I am running to somewhere to meet my family… preferably where the is food. Besides me being stinky when I get there, it seems to work pretty good. I have done a lot of running around the Hillsboro airport in loops… and the bad thing about that (besides the repetition) is that each loop presents an opportunity to abort the mission, which I have done before. I haven’t aborted a destination run before though.

Last Sat I planned my course to end at McMenamin’s Lighthouse brewpub. http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=23 Something about running to bear seems to motivate me. =) I drove to the halfway point and placed some food and water on the course, then drove back and headed out.

The weather was OK. Bit blustery… some rain… but not a bad day to run. The first 4.5 miles were north on 101… but then I headed off onto the Siletz River Highway… which was much more enjoyable. I ditched my Ipod and just listened to the peace and quiet. Nothing like running along the edge of a wildlife refuge.

The halfway point was a checkin point… but my cell didn’t have any signal so I had to wait until I got closer to 101. When I did… I stopped to make the call and noticed a seal was watching me from about 15 feet away… head just peaking up out of the water trying to figure out why on earth I was there… and me vice versa. I made a sound and he disappeared.

So one more long run and then Newport. Not going for speed… just trying to finish peacefully and in one piece.

The run to the brewery

The Oregon coast can be a thing of beauty, and there have been many pinch-me moments looking out over the Pacific Ocean… listening to the crashing thunder of waves riding the sunset up the shore. Last Saturday, was not one of those days.

Heading into the 18 mile run up the coast I hoped for two things… little wind and no rain. Strike two. The wind was coming from the south… which just happened to be the direction I was heading for the next three hours… and soon after I started the rain began to fall.

I thought to myself… this is just a character builder. Any sane person would just call it a day… but in this world you have to be crazy to be sane. Running on highway 101 isn’t exactly ideal… there is a lot of traffic and when semi trucks pass feet away at 55 mph it can blow your hat off. Not to mention the rain they would pick up off the road to mix with dirt and toss back in my face.

Another thing about the road along the coast… it isn’t exactly flat. You hardly notice in a car… but the trek up to Cape Foulweather. Ah yes… and like Captain James Cook who made landfall in the Oregon wonderland in 1778 at the same spot… I proclaimed ‘this weather sucks’. The crest was the worst of the 1700 elevation change on the run.

I drove 9 miles into the course and hid some fluids and a snack earlier, and by the time I reached the halfway point I was cold and soaked. I checked in with my wife… and headed back out… after all… there was a beer at the end of the run.

The rest of the run was uneventful… but it did take quite a bit to get through all the lights in Newport. At the end of a long run trying to start after stopping is like trying to get a freight train moving. When I finally started crossing the bride in Newport… I could see my wife and kids waiting in the parking lot of the brewery below. I doubt any marathon finish could match that.

We were supposed to meet friends at the brewery… but apparently there is another Rough Alehouse in Newport that they confused the brewery with… so we relocated there.

All in all the run was fine… but they wind and hills did take a lot out of my legs. I hobbled through this week running… but somehow have to recover enough for 21 miler this weekend. Fun fun fun.

Shooting for 40

Been awhile since I have covered 40 miles in one week, but that is what is on the schedule (with 18 mile long run). Last two weeks of 36 & 38 have left my legs a bit tired… especially after an unexpected hill run on what was supposed to be junk mile day. The weather was fantastic for this past weekend’s long run, so much so that heat is beginning to be a factor. I will take a little heat over rain any day. Just have to move my runs a little earlier in the morning.

This week will involve some coast running to. I am thinking of moving my long run from Sunday to Saturday… then running from the beach house to Newport where I’d meet the family for lunch at… hmmm... let’s see what is exactly 18 miles from the beach house… could it be… YEP… Rogue brewing. ;)

Don’t believe me… check out the map. Exactly… 18 miles.


So a word of warning… stay a few tables away from the stinky guy at rogue on Sat.

Back in a grove

"I always loved running...it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs."

- Jesse Owens

Thirty four miles last week... should be 38 this week... I guess I am officially marathon training again. A friend visiting over the weekend reminded me that I said I wasn't going to do marathons anymore because of the time factor. So I lied. If I want to get up at 5:30 AM so I can finish work early enough in the afternoon to run... that is on me. Thankfully it works with my family schedule too.

The fact is... I will have an itch in me until I can qualify for Boston. If I can't ever qualify... well I am pretty stubborn... so it could be awhile before I give up.

While reading April fools jokes... I stumbled across the interesting story of a marathoner who disappeared during the 1912 Olympics. Japanese runner Kanikuri vanished in the middle of the race... and was never heard from. Fifty years later... he did surface alive and well and told the story of how he stopped for a drink... then felt embarrassed because of his lack of discipline... and decided to bail on the race. I don't know if the story is true... but it sure sounds better than if he bailed on the race because he couldn't hack it. ;)

http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/history/story/2008/05/05/f-olympics-history-1912.html

Nice weather

Today was one of those days... nice weather days... that make running very enjoyable. It also must have given me a brain cramp... because I can't think of anything else to say.

Mia Crawls

She is off to the races. Last night she crawled to the edge of the computer room... then squeaked with delight as she realized... it is very cool to have an open road in front of you and endless possibilities.

Shamrock Run Race Results

"I am sure it is a great mistake always to know enough to go in when it rains. One may keep snug and dry by such knowledge, but one misses a world of loveliness." ~Adeline Knapp

This race was all about the weather. I looked at the temp before heading out... 42... not bad at all... should warm up a bit by the race... so I did not my extra cold running gear. I should have looked outside. As soon as I left the garage I was greeted by pelting rain. On 217 driving downtown to the race my Jeep was having trouble staying in its lane because of the blowing wind. This was the kind of eather I vowed not to train in... but race? If they are going to do it... so am I.

I have never checked my clothing at a race before... usually I just leave the layers in the car... but it was very windy and cold... and oh yeah... rainy. I was pretty much soaked an hour before the race. I kept my sweats on as long as I could... then checked them. Looking around I could tell I was one of the less dressed runners... and I paid for it before the race started.

Once the race did start though... all was fine. I didn't checked the course map... but I thought it would be a lot like the Portland marathon... little bit up hill for 3-4 miles then little downhill home. Stupid me.


I wanted to have a shot at better than 8 minutes per mile... but after miles of 8:05, 8:49, 8:42, 8:44 and 8:49... I knew that wasn't happening. This was a BIG race... 20,000 people between all the races I believe... though a little less than 3,000 for the 15K... but even with all those people... there was almost no chatter from the runners. I think the weather just shocked everyone and we were quietly just trying to hold on in our own ways. I literally saw someone get blown 2-3 feet sideways by one gust. It really didn't even help trying to run behind someone... because the air was so unstable it was just coming from everywhere it seemed.

And in the middle of all of it... I see... no... it can't be... someone running... BAREFOOT. Good lord. The streets were still lined in gravel from the winter... I can't imagine how someone would run like that. I still cringe thinking about it.

Around mile 6 we finally started downhill and I started to speed up for 8:05 mile 6 and 7:58 mile 7. Somewhere in between those two miles I felt a pain in the back of my leg. Very unusual spot... like maybe a hamstring? I slowed and briefly considered stopping... but seriously... with the weather what it was I'd die of exposure before getting back.

After mile 8 at 8:04... which was down hill so I was coasting... I sped up a bit for the last mile... 7:38 and then 7:36 for the last .3 to finish at 1:19:17... in 982nd place of 2742.... at ~8:30 pace. Considering the hills and weather... I am fine with that. Afterwards... after getting warm and dry and looking back at the storm I ran through... the unexpected hills... I felt good that I showed up and did my best. The weather will just make it that more memorable.

And of the barefoot runner? Well... he finished in front of me... the last half mile I saw the blood on the white stripe of the road... you could tell he was trying to run on it because it was smoother than the pavement.

Now it is time to begin training for Newport. Thirty miles on schedule for this week.

Back to the beginning

In March of 2005 I ran one of my first races of my adult life… the Shamrock 8K. I don’t remember why I ran it. I think I was doing more mountain biking at the time… and a friend at work might have wanted me to run it with him (and then backed out after I signed up).

Anyway… my pace for that run was 8:43. About two years later I ran my first marathon at a faster pace per mile. This weekend I will visit Shamrock land again… but this time I will run the 15K. My legs are still a little tired from Lincoln City… and I haven’t had any great workouts yet, but hopefully I will do OK.

Back then… I hadn’t even started dreaming of running a marathon. Are you kidding me? Five miles was a stretch. Not long before that one mile was something to brag about. Not long before that running from the parking lot to the grocery store door made me winded. Marathon? Crazy talk.

Just finished my training schedule through Newport marathon. I’m using a beginner schedule I just sorta made up. Hey… last year I ran 0 marathons. Weekly totals with long run are 30-10, 36-12, 38-14, 40-18, 22-7, 43-21, 38-14, 24-8, 45-22, 30-14.

I want a PR

I want a PR. Any distance will do. The easiest way of course… is to run a distance I haven’t before. Guaranteed PR right there. But seriously… why can’t I run faster? In two weeks I can run a 5, 8 or 15K. My 8K PR is really slow since it was really my first race in about 30 years. Seriously.

So 8K would be a PR for sure… I just ran ½ marathon at faster per mile. 5K might be hard to PR on two weeks’ notice since that was pretty fast for me. 15K is intriguing. Just under 8 minutes. Hmm. It is possible… but not probable. I won’t be able to do much speed work this week… and the week of the race doesn’t do me much good… but still I might be able to do it.

Lincoln City Half Marathon Race report

About time I raced again. Except... I really wasn't training for a race. I couldn't resist a half marathon near my home beach town though.

The weather report for Sunday was 50-55 and raining with some wind. Not too bad... though running wet is never too fun. It was raining as I drove to the race and there was enough wind that I thought in the back of my head... this could be interesting. I've raced in the rain and wind before though... much worse that it was looking.

Since I really haven't timed myself much lately... I did not know what to do with my pace. My PR for the half marathon is 1:41:39, a 7:45 pace... but I knew I'd be no where close to that. My plan was to go out at 9 minute miles... then see how I felt after the halfway mark. Seriously... the times I have time myself I was running 9:30 to 10:30 miles. UGH.

First mile was a little fast... they always are... 8:36 but I dropped right onto pace with 9:01, 9:00, 8:57, 8:59, 9:09 and 9:05. Miles 6 & 7 were a bit uphill but I knew that it was generally downhill (because duh... it was an out and back) thereafter.

I felt pretty good when we turned around and that was when some other runners started to struggle a bit... so I started to speed up. Mile 8 was 8:36 and I still felt good. And low and behold... as I was passing people at this point (no one passed me after 1/2 way point) when I came up to another runner that just refused to let me pass. He wasn't blocking me at all... but I could tell... he just didn't take kindly to being passed. I figured no one else would be like me... taking it easy the first half.. then harder the second... so I would be able to pass anyone. But everytime I sped up... he sped up.

Mile 9 was 8:16, mile 10 was 8:10. It was around the 9 mile mark when I finally passed he who would not be passed, because he walked at a water stop and I ran right on by. It was the only water stopped I ran by. My nameless competitor didn't take kindly to that, and I only led him for about 1/2 mile before he took the lead back. (Cool how I can talk about the 'lead' when I am a middle of the pack runner) =) Hey... I can create my own little universe... and I can tell you on this day... there was an epic battle going on.

Through mile 11, 8:35 and mile 12 I was right on his heels, I would fall back a bit on the flats... then catch him on the hills. With about a quarter of a mile to go I almost caught him... but burned my legs on a hill and by the time we crested... I knew I wouldn't catch him. He finished a good 1/10th of a mile in front of me. Mile 12 was 8:48 and mile 13... 8:12.

But wait... there's more... because of the hills... my watch told me I still had over 1/2 mile to run after I crossed the finish line... which means... either the course was grossly wrong... or my watch was and I really had been running faster than I though... fast enough for 8:17 per mile average. I will take that damnit. I haven't ran a mile that fast all year... and to average it for a 1/2... I will take it.

After the race I got some food and drank some gatoraid like I was supposed to... but I still got very sick. It was a good 3 hours after the race before I was stable. Was the race short? My watch off? I don't know. I doubt there will even be official race results posted anywhere... and that is all fine and good with me... because it will never tell the story of the little race within the race... where some unknown runner and I pushed each other to run a bitfaster than we planned... and it was great fun.

Ramblings

I think a half marathon registration should be ½ the cost of a full marathon. Right? We pay near full price for half the running enjoyment. That’s just not right.

There was a time when I was running and I turned a corner and completely forgot where I was. It was like my brain rebooted. I kept running but I had no idea from my surroundings were I was. After a few seconds I remembered. I think I invented sleep running.

When I run next to the Hillsboro Airport, every once in awhile there will be a bird sitting on the fence next to the airport. When it sees me coming… if flies another 50 feet down the fence. And yet… there I am again. Another 50 feet down the fence. “This guy is stalking me!!!” Another 50 feet down the fence. And so on and so forth. I guess that’s why them bird brained.

Even though I have told my wife I was done with long runs… I keep finding myself drawn back to marathons. I’m like a bug to a bug zapper.

"Marathoning... you dip into the pain so gradually that the damage is done before you are aware of it. Unfortunately, when the awareness comes, it is excruciating." - John Farrington, Australian marathoner

I like that quote. A lot of my friends think long distance running would be just horrible… and well… it is… but not in the way you’d think. Horrible like a dead battery. Yeah. Horrible like being trapped in your car underwater? No. Oh… I forgot to mention the battery acid dripping on your legs.

I’m fat

When I went to register for the Newport Marathon… on the registration form there was a checkbox for Hercules Division. What the? OH I GET IT! Nice way to say fat people’s group. To qualify… regardless of your height… you have to be over 190 pounds. I weigh just over 190 right now. (Too much good stuff over the Holiday’s)

So there it is. I’m ‘Herculean’... but not hercu-lean I guess. Now… I had a bit of a complex when my when I looked at the insurance charts for proper weight and noticed I am above the large frame recommendation. No… have no idea what size frame I have… I am not a picture… but I do know that for my height I am over the max for large frame.

So there it is… by Newport Marathon standards… and by insurance charts… I am overweight. Now for running… weight does sure matter. I figure my ideal marathon weight is 175… but I’d be happy to be just under 180. So yeah… I have some weight to lose. Anyone want it?

Funny that when I was younger I was doing everything I could to gain weight and I couldn’t gain an ounce. Drank those body builder concoctions… ate like a pig… never could gain. Then one day… seemingly overnight… I went from skin and bones to being able to pinch a little flab on my stomach. Eck… where did that come from. There was never a point I was the right weight… it was like a line I tried to reach… but I jumped right over. You spend all your life climbing up or down the mountain… but where is the vacation on the top? It is like a point so mathematically small that it might as well not exist.

The nice part about running is the more you weight… the more calories you burn. The not so nice part is that running makes you very hungry. Sometimes I want to eat my own arm. (Except I guess it not lean enough right now)

So did I check that box on the registration? HELL NO! I’m afraid I’d lose a few pounds before the race and accidentally win the division only to have so other herculean runners attack me. I guess it is comforting to know I could out run them though.

Yet another dream about running

I skipped a few runs because I was sick… and then I had another dream about running a marathon. I am not sure where or why… but there I was. The trick was they handed out the post marathon trinket before the race… and in this case it happened to be a light post. It was like were all carrying crosses… well… except they were light posts. Mine was in my left arm… which was obviously very tired.

When the lamp post disappeared… there was torrential rain and I can remember thinking my feat would be a mess. I also remember that I was running very slow. I can remember thinking it would take me 5 hours to finish.

Because I missed the long run on Sunday… ( and then two more) I think Yakima River Canyon is scratched off my list. Next opportunity would be Eugene. Then Newport. Maybe I should just set my sites on Newport.

Minus a pair of gloves

Runners not only battle the force of nature, but we also have to battle the force of our nature. Specifically biologically. Runs of longer than 1 hour… especially after making sure we have a good load of fluids… can be a recipe for a restroom stop. Except… there are not many restrooms on the best running spots.

No… I am not a stranger to the woods. Eight years in the Army and there were many weeks when I never had the luxury of a toilet. The one time some genius decided to bring one of those fold up toilet seats with us on a field exercise in Alaska (it wasn’t my idea by the way) and the thing collapsed on me after doing my business in 30 below temp.

Now… if that sounds like a mess… you are right… it was. But add to that that it is 30 below and I only have a precious few minutes with my fingers outside gloves before I lost the ability to close my fingers. Sure enough… before I was properly clean… I couldn’t clench, but I pretty much exhausted anything I could clean myself with at that point. All that was left was some clean white snow… and yes… I did use some hastily constructed snowballs as the equivalent of toilet paper.

As I said… I am no stranger to the woods.

I will admit that I have used the woods a few times during my runs (not *when* I had the runs thankfully). Leaves work much better than snowballs for toilet paper in a pinch. Monday on my run in the hills at the coast… when it became clear I would have to turn back or find a spot in the woods… I chose the woods. Unfortunately… the leaves were all frozen and using something frozen for toilet paper… is not something I need to experience twice in a lifetime.

So my running gloves were sacrificed and I ran home with cold hands. And that is all I have to say about that.

A crystal clear run

During one of my runs on the weekend on in the hills at the beach, I noticed a cool rock in the road. It was off on a spur where they are just put new rock down for a logging road. The rocks were not small… this wasn’t a Sunday drive for a sedan type road… but something the logging equipment could use to get in and out.

The rock was clear and had small crystals in it. I spend a lot of time picking up rocks when we are on the beach… so we already have a collection of interesting ones. These were much larger though. Looking around through the new road I found the best ones I could carry and ran the rest of the way home with them.

They appear to be quartz… very common, but the clear ones are cool. The next day the family hiked back up and we all collected the best ones we could find. I will try to snap some pictures when I get a chance.

Too many shoes

I have never been a shoe guy... but it just occurred to me… I have too many shoes. Just a few pairs is all I used to have. But now that I am running… I have found myself with a mountain of shoes. Perfectly natural for a runner I suppose… we go through a lot of shoes… but now I have 4 pairs of active shoes that I am running in.

I have my road shoes at home… and then an identical pair for road running at the beach. Then at the beach I also have a pair of shoes I run on the beach with… and a pair of trail running shoes for the hills. But those are just for running.
Then I have two pairs of work shows (of course) a pair of old running shoes I use on walks to the beach… a pair of old running shoes I mow the lawn in… I have soccer and softball cleats, I have a pair of indoor basketball shoes, and a pair of outdoor ones. I also have a pair of court shoes (for like racquetball). Then I have a couple of pairs of dress shoes… snow boots and I haven’t even started on the shoes I just wear around on a typical day!

How did this happen? Whatever happened to the days when a pair of converse was all you needed?

Beach run

Not a bad backdrop for a run aye? Yeah... running on the sand is a bit harder than the pavement... but you can't beat the view.



Just a short five miler down the beach today. Running on the sand isn't too bad if you find the right line where the sand is hard. Too wet and it is mushy... to dry and it is very hard to run in... but there is a line that is nice.

It is nice to be able to choose from the beach or the hills for my weekend runs. Really there is nowhere I could run that the scenary wouldn't be amazing. I'm supposed to run 12 miles tomorrow but I may bump it Monday because I am golfing 18 holes.

Thoughts on the Mtn God

There was a nice article in Runner’s World this week called ‘Twilight of the Mountain God’ about Rick Trujillo. I highly recommend you read it. Trujillo is an amazingly gifted runner and offers insight into trail running that I doubt anyone will ever match. Oh heck… I guess it is mountain running… not trail running… since what I consider a trail is probably an 8 lane freeway to him.

While I really enjoyed the article, especially since I am doing some trail running now… and I admire Trujillo and his accomplishments… the one part that rubs me the wrong way is the assertion once again that ‘if you don’t run my way… you run the wrong way.’ I saw it before in Gabriel Sherman’s article ‘Running With Slowpokes: How Sluggish newbies ruined the marathon’.

I just don’t buy that someone can define what makes and appropriate running experience and don’t believe anyone should poo-poo how someone else runs. There is a big contrast between Sherman’s ‘you have to run fast or it doesn’t count’ attitude and Trujillo’s ‘you have to run up the mountain because it is there and if you do it for any other reason you are wrong attitude’ is interesting, but they both take a jab at anyone who does it different. I guess runners in Kansas are screwed because they don’t have any mountains to run up. =)

BTW… my apologies for mentioning Trujillo and Sherman in the same post… they are alike only in the sense that they have particular views in defining what a real runner is, and not in ability. I would like to see Sherman try to follow Trujillo up a mountain… It just might make him realize how silly it is to try to define what Marathon’s are about.

While I know we have athletic competitions to see who is the best or fastest, to truly know the greatest achievement you have to know who did the most with what they were born to work with. You can’t find that in a time or medal or on a mountain and even then… I am not sure how relevant it is. Speed is only one aspect.

Trujillo more than anyone I have read about… seems to get that. It’s not about medals, or money or time. He does talk about *his* time and records in the article… but it is more from the point of how he is grading himself… not about how someone else should measure in comparison.

Back to marathon's... are they just races? No... I don't think so... I think they are experiences that just happen to contain a race... and internally each individual defines the power of that experience.