Wow, this winter will not go gently into that... ummm... night.?!?! I've had a weird cold over the past few days, but have been able to keep up an abbreviated running routine. I decided today, as I was filling out an online registration form, to run the Kansas Half-Marathon rather than the full Marathon in mid-April. It had been almost a coin toss for me, but I ultimately didn't think I wanted to trust my training to the whims of the weather in order to crank up the mileage I'd need to be able to comfortably knock out the 26.2. I also had happened to chat with a couple of friends this a.m. who are also doing the 1/2, so it should be a fun time.
In other news, I had been offered a well-paying job in Australia last week. I've been thinking about it a lot over the past days. After initially accepting, I'm having strong reservations as to the distance and logistical difficulties involved. I had a couple of other conversations about good jobs with colleagues, and they (oddly in this economy) think my prospects are great. I'm comfortable where I am for now, but if the right bus comes by my door, I may just get on. If I am to do something else, money won't be the lure. It has to be a good fit with a company or non-profit that cares about environmental or social justice issues, and puts some of its time and money toward those causes. I also want to be in some proximity to friends and family. And, finally, I want more time to run, write, and maybe get back a bit more into playing some music.
Anyway, enough about that. Yesterday was my birthday. At 44 I think I'm in the best shape I've ever been in for my age. I'm enjoying all aspects of my life (except for work) - art (screen printing) is going well, reading wonderful books, writing more fiction, got propositioned by someone I think I'm going to start seeing (hah - if you've read this far you have found the real news in this post from a confirmed bachelor), and really have been enjoying the Winter Olympics (men's and women's ski cross, short track and downhill skiing in particular).
So 44 and all's well. More next week.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Football; A Great Way To Increase Speed and Agility...
I took a week off from posts, because I spent the week recovering from football injuries sustained a week ago Saturday. My running buddy Chris plays flag football on Saturdays with some guys who mainly seem to be in their 20s and 30s. But c'mon, flag football... how hard could that be. So I showed up. On the drive over I'll confess to even thinking that I'd need to get a run in later in the day to get a real workout.
Oh, sometimes wisdom doesn't come with age. We played for 2.5 hrs in snow and mud. There were a lot of burst of speed, some tackling, and a lot of twisting and hitting. I did OK for a 43yo, but when it was all over...
I couldn't feel my toes. They were frozen and had been stomped on or something. I still have blackened toenail on my right foot, and it took three days for bleeding to stop in my big toe on my left foot - right where the toenail connects with the toe. When my feet began to thaw, the pain was eye-opening. For the next couple of days, it felt as if someone was constantly pushing a pin into the ends of two toes on my right foot. Muscle aches also gripped my. Odd places like my groin absolutely killed. My quads felt ripped (and not in the good weight-lifter sense of that word, either). I even had shoulder pain - which was odd because I hadn't thrown the ball at all.
So I did something I haven't done since I began to run. I took three days off. When I started up again, it was sheer hell (mainly from the groin injury). But I ran 2 miles the first day, 2.5 on day two, three the following day, and 4 yesterday.
None of the runs were easy, but I do seem to be recovering slowly.
Chris called my on Friday and asked if I wanted to play again this past weekend. I demurred. I will do it again, but will have to work on strengthening some areas that were brutalized. I also think I'll pass on days where it's so clod that I can't feel my feet. No good would come of that.
So, final thoughts as this old man tangled with the whipper-snappers: Youngsters recover faster than oldsters, ibuprofen should be consumed like air, I've still got some pretty good game for a geezer (with 2 TDs and 2 interceptions - one of which I ran for a touchdown), Chris Ford is a remarkable all-around athlete (he looked like Lynn Swann out there on some of his receptions).
I'm off to sunny Orlando this week with Marisa. We'll do some biz, see some manatee, and get some running in. Ciao.
Oh, sometimes wisdom doesn't come with age. We played for 2.5 hrs in snow and mud. There were a lot of burst of speed, some tackling, and a lot of twisting and hitting. I did OK for a 43yo, but when it was all over...
I couldn't feel my toes. They were frozen and had been stomped on or something. I still have blackened toenail on my right foot, and it took three days for bleeding to stop in my big toe on my left foot - right where the toenail connects with the toe. When my feet began to thaw, the pain was eye-opening. For the next couple of days, it felt as if someone was constantly pushing a pin into the ends of two toes on my right foot. Muscle aches also gripped my. Odd places like my groin absolutely killed. My quads felt ripped (and not in the good weight-lifter sense of that word, either). I even had shoulder pain - which was odd because I hadn't thrown the ball at all.
So I did something I haven't done since I began to run. I took three days off. When I started up again, it was sheer hell (mainly from the groin injury). But I ran 2 miles the first day, 2.5 on day two, three the following day, and 4 yesterday.
None of the runs were easy, but I do seem to be recovering slowly.
Chris called my on Friday and asked if I wanted to play again this past weekend. I demurred. I will do it again, but will have to work on strengthening some areas that were brutalized. I also think I'll pass on days where it's so clod that I can't feel my feet. No good would come of that.
So, final thoughts as this old man tangled with the whipper-snappers: Youngsters recover faster than oldsters, ibuprofen should be consumed like air, I've still got some pretty good game for a geezer (with 2 TDs and 2 interceptions - one of which I ran for a touchdown), Chris Ford is a remarkable all-around athlete (he looked like Lynn Swann out there on some of his receptions).
I'm off to sunny Orlando this week with Marisa. We'll do some biz, see some manatee, and get some running in. Ciao.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Groundhog Run
Over the weekend I ran my first organized race in 23 years. The Groundhog Run is an annual 5 and 10K race held in the Subtropolis - a massive underground warehousing structure. It was a unique experience running in shorts and a t-shirt in KCMO on Jan 31. It was cold outside. But inside the caves, it was in the 60s (maybe 70s in places). The 5k race kicked off around 9 a.m. , with the 10K starting at 10. Chris (my running buddy) and I spent most of the time before the start of the 10K doing a little jogging to warm up, and a lot of standing in huge lines for a pre-race pee.
Like most races, the beginning was a bit of a crush as we worked our way around people for the first mile. Between mile one and two, it opened up a bit. We clocked the first mile at 7:50, and the second at 7:40. I could tell that Chris could knock out a faster run, so I encouraged him to take off - which he did with aplomb.
Right after Chris lit out, I experienced something that never happens to me on runs - an asthma attack. When running alone (which I normally do), I can always tell if I'm going to have an issue, and run just below the point of an attack. But in a race situation, with all sorts of runners around, I hadn't noticed until it was too late. It hit with a mix of wheezing and a crazy pain under my right ribs. I didn't have an inhaler on me, so I kept running and concentrated on breathing and tried to focus on enjoying the run rather than on the pain. After about a half mile, I stopped noticing the effects of the attack - mind over matter. I finished the first 3.1mi circuit smiling, and cranked out the second 3.1 at around the same pace. I ended up with a 48 min time - with which I was happy. But the moment I crosses the finish line and stopped, asthma enveloped my lungs. I grabbed some water and orange juice from one of the freebie stands and went to look for Chris, who then went to look for Marisa, who had the inhaler. And, I'm happy to report, after a couple of puffs, I was good to go.
I had never done a race (and neither had Chris) that used the timing triggers (some sort of RF-type thing) laced into our running shoes. That was kind of cool. In the races I did when I was younger, you simply got stuck with the time of the total race - whether it took you 1 or 10 minutes to cross the start line at the beginning of the run.
I had a blast doing the race, but it was a really different experience. I'm not used to running in a crowd. I'm also not used to being so time-conscious. I think that I'll do a few more runs this year - the KS Half-Marathon being one of them - but still plan to focus on the zen nature of my solo runs.
Finally, check out an article on running in today's sfgate.com. This'll get you there http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/01/MNFC1BID8F.DTL It explodes even a lot of current thoughts about how much exercise people should get. The short answer is: more is better. I plan to take the advice and start upping my daily totals in terms of time spent running. Again, this is worth reading.
See you next week.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
I'm all over the place this week...bear with me
I'll start with some asides: I think Diana Ross's Supremes could've done a better job than the US Supreme Court did last week in its campaign finance decision. My, my... the day democracy died. By the Court's convoluted logic, it seems a corporation could actually be appointed to a seat on the court itself. What a pack of _______ (you can fill in the blank yourself).
The Prop 8 trial in Cali has come to a close. It is my hope that the H8ers will see their terrible initiative (if you can call something that denies others a basic right an initiative) overturned.
Finally, Oh! Bama... come on, man. Let's get some real change. Keep up the fight for health coverage for all, let's create jobs by encouraging green industries, high-speed rail, sustainable agriculture, bio-sciences (a nod to my friend Brad Kemp), and hold the line on global warming.
Now for my passion.... what, you can't remember? I'm shocked.
I had a few good runs outside this week. The weather held to the 30s and 40s. I used to never run if the temp was under 50, but rolfing (which helped my breathing), and the crappiness of this winter (which forced running in extreme conditions), made me rethink my temperature-to-run ratio restrictions.
The new Mizunos work great. I've been very happy with their support, lightness, and durability. I also, for once with a running shoe, like the way they look. I wanted to get a vegan shoe, and there is a great selection of those from most companies.
This weekend, Chris Ford (my track star running buddy) and I are going to run a 10k race in KCs Subtropolis. I've always wanted to do the run, but have either been too out of shape, or too out of town to do the run. For those of you who don't know, the Subtropolis is a huge underground storage area underneath swaths of the KC metro area. Hollywood films and large amounts of postage stamps and other things are stored there by the government and companies the world over. It grows larger every year. It is large enough, obviously, to have a 10k run in it. The temp remains constant. So, on Jan 31, we'll be assured of covering the distance in shorts and t-shirts. I'll have a report on it next week. To learn more about the subtropolis, go here: http://www.huntmidwest.com/subtropolis/index.html .
I'm also considering doing the Kansas Marathon in April. I'll at least do the half if I'm around. I have a friend named Joe who is doing the full-on marathon who has an interesting way of training for it. He has a three day a week regimen that seems to be working really well for him. I'll try to have more on that in a future post. He described it for me yesterday, but I need to read a bit more in order to pass along accurate information. If you want to read a story about him, follow this link: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/jan/25/runner-uses-father-inspiration-he-prepares-years-k/ . In my opinion, Joe also happens to roast and brew the finest coffee available in Lawrence. If you like coffee, check out his shop, J&S Coffee.
Finally for a true non-sequiter: Why couldn't the woman who fell into the Picasso this week have been standing next to a Botero or a De Kooning?
And finally finally: Check out the new book by Patti Smith. I read an excerpt from it a couple of days ago, and was touched by her viewpoint, honesty and humility. Whether or not you like her music or poetry, the book encapsulates an important time period in the development of post-beat art and music in NYC.
Have a great week.
The Prop 8 trial in Cali has come to a close. It is my hope that the H8ers will see their terrible initiative (if you can call something that denies others a basic right an initiative) overturned.
Finally, Oh! Bama... come on, man. Let's get some real change. Keep up the fight for health coverage for all, let's create jobs by encouraging green industries, high-speed rail, sustainable agriculture, bio-sciences (a nod to my friend Brad Kemp), and hold the line on global warming.
Now for my passion.... what, you can't remember? I'm shocked.
I had a few good runs outside this week. The weather held to the 30s and 40s. I used to never run if the temp was under 50, but rolfing (which helped my breathing), and the crappiness of this winter (which forced running in extreme conditions), made me rethink my temperature-to-run ratio restrictions.
The new Mizunos work great. I've been very happy with their support, lightness, and durability. I also, for once with a running shoe, like the way they look. I wanted to get a vegan shoe, and there is a great selection of those from most companies.
This weekend, Chris Ford (my track star running buddy) and I are going to run a 10k race in KCs Subtropolis. I've always wanted to do the run, but have either been too out of shape, or too out of town to do the run. For those of you who don't know, the Subtropolis is a huge underground storage area underneath swaths of the KC metro area. Hollywood films and large amounts of postage stamps and other things are stored there by the government and companies the world over. It grows larger every year. It is large enough, obviously, to have a 10k run in it. The temp remains constant. So, on Jan 31, we'll be assured of covering the distance in shorts and t-shirts. I'll have a report on it next week. To learn more about the subtropolis, go here: http://www.huntmidwest.com/subtropolis/index.html .
I'm also considering doing the Kansas Marathon in April. I'll at least do the half if I'm around. I have a friend named Joe who is doing the full-on marathon who has an interesting way of training for it. He has a three day a week regimen that seems to be working really well for him. I'll try to have more on that in a future post. He described it for me yesterday, but I need to read a bit more in order to pass along accurate information. If you want to read a story about him, follow this link: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/jan/25/runner-uses-father-inspiration-he-prepares-years-k/ . In my opinion, Joe also happens to roast and brew the finest coffee available in Lawrence. If you like coffee, check out his shop, J&S Coffee.
Finally for a true non-sequiter: Why couldn't the woman who fell into the Picasso this week have been standing next to a Botero or a De Kooning?
And finally finally: Check out the new book by Patti Smith. I read an excerpt from it a couple of days ago, and was touched by her viewpoint, honesty and humility. Whether or not you like her music or poetry, the book encapsulates an important time period in the development of post-beat art and music in NYC.
Have a great week.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Hombre Solo
Yesterday I drove into KC with a couple of friends to have lunch and see the new movie, A Single Man. I had read the Christopher Isherwood novel, on which the movie is based, a couple of times over the past 20 years. Rarely (and by that I mean I can count the instances on 1 finger) do I think a movie based on a book is better. In this case, however, the movie just may be finer than that upon which it is based. The DP should be given accolades for the scenes shot in b&w and then different levels of color. The set and costume designers should also win awards. And, while I'm not a particular fan of Tom Ford's work in other endeavors, he has directed (and co-written) an absolute masterpiece. I feel much the same way about Ford as I do about Julian Schnabel. I never liked his art much, but I really like his movies.
When the film was over, one of my two companions asked the other two of us how we would rate the movie on a scale of 1-5. I said '5.' My friend Marisa also said '5.' Terra, who had posed the question gave it 4 and a half. And later when I discussed the movie with a friend who has not seen it, I made the comment that while I have been talking about the movie as one of the best in the past year, I actually seem to be describing it in terms of movies that are my all-time favorites. And I would probably have to put it into the top 20 films I've ever seen. Both Marisa and I plan to get copies when it is released on DVD. And I'd gladly see it again in a theater. So go see it if you have a chance. There are very few films like it out there.
I spent the rest of the weekend running in the incredible fog that has settled into the region. I believe the term is 'pea soup' (if pea soup were white). Between the mountains of snow and ice still clinging to many surfaces, the fog makes it even more of a challenge to run outside. With temps in the 30s and 40s, however, I can't resist heading out on my normal routes. Each day I arrived back at mi casa covered in mud and soaked through. But being back outside after weeks on the dreadmills makes the challenges created by the elements worth facing. I plan to be back out in it later today and tomorrow. I really have a new appreciation for the relatively few days of the year that have perfect running conditions. I plan to savor them in the future.
When the film was over, one of my two companions asked the other two of us how we would rate the movie on a scale of 1-5. I said '5.' My friend Marisa also said '5.' Terra, who had posed the question gave it 4 and a half. And later when I discussed the movie with a friend who has not seen it, I made the comment that while I have been talking about the movie as one of the best in the past year, I actually seem to be describing it in terms of movies that are my all-time favorites. And I would probably have to put it into the top 20 films I've ever seen. Both Marisa and I plan to get copies when it is released on DVD. And I'd gladly see it again in a theater. So go see it if you have a chance. There are very few films like it out there.
I spent the rest of the weekend running in the incredible fog that has settled into the region. I believe the term is 'pea soup' (if pea soup were white). Between the mountains of snow and ice still clinging to many surfaces, the fog makes it even more of a challenge to run outside. With temps in the 30s and 40s, however, I can't resist heading out on my normal routes. Each day I arrived back at mi casa covered in mud and soaked through. But being back outside after weeks on the dreadmills makes the challenges created by the elements worth facing. I plan to be back out in it later today and tomorrow. I really have a new appreciation for the relatively few days of the year that have perfect running conditions. I plan to savor them in the future.
Friday, January 15, 2010
I Went Back to Ohio...
Yesterday afternoon I got back from a quick trip to Ohio. I last wrote that I wanted to get out of here because it is so stinking cold. But when considering where to go (Florida and California), Ohio hadn't been on my radar. The trip was biz not pleasure - though it was pleasurable.
On the trip I got some hotel treadmill running in. Upon arriving back in Kansas, however, I see that the temps are moving into the 40s (finally). So, as long as I can avoid the icy patches, I'll get in some outdoor runs this week and next.
This may be the shortest blog entry I've done. So I'll end with a sports plug. Be sure to catch as much of the Australian Open as you can. It is such a unique tournament - a Grand Slam that is month away from the other three. Of the biggies, this is the one where every now and then, someone advances who has done a bit more training in the too-short off-season than the others. It is a great event, and can transport you on those cold Winter nights to sunny Melbourne, Australia.
Stay warm. Donate to Haitian relief efforts.
On the trip I got some hotel treadmill running in. Upon arriving back in Kansas, however, I see that the temps are moving into the 40s (finally). So, as long as I can avoid the icy patches, I'll get in some outdoor runs this week and next.
This may be the shortest blog entry I've done. So I'll end with a sports plug. Be sure to catch as much of the Australian Open as you can. It is such a unique tournament - a Grand Slam that is month away from the other three. Of the biggies, this is the one where every now and then, someone advances who has done a bit more training in the too-short off-season than the others. It is a great event, and can transport you on those cold Winter nights to sunny Melbourne, Australia.
Stay warm. Donate to Haitian relief efforts.
Monday, January 4, 2010
ABBA Cadabra
Mama Mia. The ABBA song keeps running through my head every time I step outside in the cold. Honestly, it's some sort of OCD thing with me, because as soon as the arctic air hits my face/hands/lung, I think or say 'Mama Mia. Here I go again. My, my Jesus Christ it's freakin' co-old.' No let up in sight. I checked flights yesterday, thinking that I'd get outta Dodge next weekend. LA and Lauderdale were the 2 top contenders. But did you see the temp predictions for Friday? Holy caca, Batman. If the predictions are true, it would scare me to even drive to the airport in sub-zero temps. They'll be using molten lava to de-ice the wings of the planes.
So, I'm stuck here with everyone else... Every time I hear a plane flying overhead I think, 'keep going, 'cause you really DO NOT want to land here.' This is the time of year where the Flyover States earn their rep.
My foot has healed just in time for a lot of indoor treadmill running. I actually ran 6.2 mi on a treadmill on Friday. It's coincidental (and a bit ironic) that while I was exercising physically, I was also experiencing a new exercise in boredom. Wow do I dislike running on treadmills.
After waxing poetic on the great rec centers my little city has, I went out and joined a health club for 3 months. I joined because of the hours (the club opens at 4:30 a.m.), and so I didn't have to wait in line to use a treadmill - as the deadly combo of cold weather and soon-to-be-broken New Year's resolutions cause a population increase at indoor workout facilities.
Like many clubs, the one I joined hit me with options and a contract. The experience was akin to buying a car. Ridiculously complex. I tried to explain (10 times if I said it once) that I really just wanted to use the treadmills, and was not interested in personal trainers or classes. Finally, we agreed on a price that included personal trainers (which I'll never use) and classes (which I'll never attend). But the total price was right. So, with three crap months ahead, I now can run on some seriously excellent machines any time I could ever imagine wanting to use them. Since I'm an early guy, I hit the club between 5 and 6 a.m. At that hour, most of the people there are runners or aerobic types. I see a couple of people I normally see running on the streets, so there is an odd camaraderie to the workout.
Enough about that.
2 movies you should see: 1) Me and Orson Wells - a period piece about a kid being cast in a Broadway play directed by and starring Orson Wells. The guy who plays Orson is fabulous. 2) Up in the Air - not as good as Lost in Translation which had a bit of the same vibe. Up in the Air is a solid and nicely-paced movie starring some big names. The nice thing about it is that is doesn't have a Hollywood ending. It seems quite a bit more real.
So, I'm stuck here with everyone else... Every time I hear a plane flying overhead I think, 'keep going, 'cause you really DO NOT want to land here.' This is the time of year where the Flyover States earn their rep.
My foot has healed just in time for a lot of indoor treadmill running. I actually ran 6.2 mi on a treadmill on Friday. It's coincidental (and a bit ironic) that while I was exercising physically, I was also experiencing a new exercise in boredom. Wow do I dislike running on treadmills.
After waxing poetic on the great rec centers my little city has, I went out and joined a health club for 3 months. I joined because of the hours (the club opens at 4:30 a.m.), and so I didn't have to wait in line to use a treadmill - as the deadly combo of cold weather and soon-to-be-broken New Year's resolutions cause a population increase at indoor workout facilities.
Like many clubs, the one I joined hit me with options and a contract. The experience was akin to buying a car. Ridiculously complex. I tried to explain (10 times if I said it once) that I really just wanted to use the treadmills, and was not interested in personal trainers or classes. Finally, we agreed on a price that included personal trainers (which I'll never use) and classes (which I'll never attend). But the total price was right. So, with three crap months ahead, I now can run on some seriously excellent machines any time I could ever imagine wanting to use them. Since I'm an early guy, I hit the club between 5 and 6 a.m. At that hour, most of the people there are runners or aerobic types. I see a couple of people I normally see running on the streets, so there is an odd camaraderie to the workout.
Enough about that.
2 movies you should see: 1) Me and Orson Wells - a period piece about a kid being cast in a Broadway play directed by and starring Orson Wells. The guy who plays Orson is fabulous. 2) Up in the Air - not as good as Lost in Translation which had a bit of the same vibe. Up in the Air is a solid and nicely-paced movie starring some big names. The nice thing about it is that is doesn't have a Hollywood ending. It seems quite a bit more real.
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