I realize that posts about running and my workouts are probably not all that interesting to anyone but me. So I promise this will be the last one that goes into detail. After my previous post about the Gov, I'd hate to leave everyone hanging about the big race last week.
First of all, it took me 2+ hours to drive from my class to Q's place. Weather sucked, traffic sucked, and I very nearly missed the race! But I made it to Q's, we jumped on the train and hurried over to the race. We got there literally 7 minutes before the race started.
I did not care much for the course. First off, the starting line was on a narrow strip of walkway that could handle approximately 10 people across. Not good for a race with 1600+ runners. So, after the quarter mile walk to the end of the line, we were finally ready. Well, kind of. You really couldn't hear anyone at the starting line, nor was there a starting gun we could hear. We just saw the mass of humanity in front of us start moving. So, we started moving too. Nearly 4 minutes later, we actually made it to the starting line.
As an aside, this is the first race I've done where the organizers utilized a timing chip that electronically monitors when you start and when you finish, taking all the guesswork out of it. It was pretty sweet and convenient. Anyhow, now we're running. I did this run with Wudchuk and Q, both of whom have been working out plenty lately. Wudchuk took off quite quickly right off the bat and Q dropped back as he was trying to stick to his marathon training pace, or at least somewhere near it. I took off at my own pace but had Wudchuk in my sights for pretty much the whole race, never being more than 25 yards behind.
There were a lot of people in this race and since we were starting near the end, a lot of the people in front of us needed to be passed. This caused the first couple of miles to be an exercise in dodging bodies while trying to maintain a good pace. In some ways, that helps keep your mind off getting tired or whatever but it's kind of a waste of time and energy and probably slows things down. Remembering that my run last month took 28:56, I was hoping to beat that time in this race.
One thing I worry about in each race is going out too fast and meeting the Governor or some other untimely demise. So I usually consciously try to hold back. But it's hard for me, I get pretty psyched up with all of the people and the race environment and the adrenaline gets going. As we approached the 1 mile marker, I was feeling good and crossed the marker at about 8:10. Whoa, that's quite a bit faster than usual. But I was still feeling ok so didn't worry too much about it.
The second mile was also not too bad, crossed the 2 mile marker at just over 16:00, not bad at all! No visit from the Governor so I'm beginning to think that I might not get to exchange pleasantries with him after all. I've still got Wudchuk in my sights and he seems to be slowing down a little bit. As such, I was able to finally close the last 10 meters on him at about 2.25 mile marker. With a clap on the shoulder I let him know I was there and helped him keep his pace up.
The things I didn't like about the course were a few. One, the width of the course we were running on. Get some streets blocked off or something, this is a big race! Two, the conditions of the path we were running on weren't the greatest. There were several areas where the pavement was thoroughly chunked up and kinda dangerous to run on. Three, there was no mile marker at the third mile (which we didn't know until the end!) and you didn't see the finish line until you had about 200 meters left in the race. Not good. So, I hope they change these things in the future, they were distracting and annoying.
I mention them because by the time we hit what was around the 3 mile mark, I was feeling it. At this point, Wudchuk helped me keep my pace up. When we turned the corner and spotted the finish line, we both dashed with whatever we had left and crossed that finish line side by side, gasping, panting, victorious! I knew it was a good run time but wasn't sure exactly how good. Well, the next morning, Wudchuk looked it up online and we both scored major personal records with a 26:06 finish! Whoa!!!!!!!!! I shaved almost 3 minutes off in a month. I would not have believed I had it in me. That is far and away the fastest I've run probably since junior high.
Very excited at the finish and now really looking forward to my next race (which hasn't been identified yet, sometime in August for sure). I would love to get down under 25 minutes by the end of the season. I believe this should be motivation for me to keep the training going. Thanks to Wudchuk for being a great running partner (and pacing beacon with that bright yellow shirt of his, very Tour de France of him).
Since then, I also managed to check out the Hangover for a second time (definitely funnier the 2nd time) and hit the local card room for a couple hour session Saturday night where I managed to crack Q's Aces and finished the session up nearly $150. Great warmup for my trip this weekend out to Vegas! I expect to be swamped between now and then finishing up my final project for class and hopefully getting in a couple of runs. As such, I probably won't be back for a bit to visit unless it is very brief.
Song lyric of the day "Running down a dream / working a mystery / going wherever it leads" Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Until next time.
Ace
Monday, July 27, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Uh-Oh (or How I Learned to Love The Governor)
I recently posted about a race I did on Father's Day, where I achieved a recent personal record. By recent I mean my best since junior high / high school, which hardly even counts. So, anyhow, the good time has motivated me to keep running. And, seeing so many of my friends that have been dedicated to their workouts (including one who's lost over 100 pounds) has also been very motivating.
This motivation has manifested itself in me running pretty regularly. Not every day, because I don't really like running, I'm really just doing it to keep in shape. But, with the goal in mind of improving my times, I have been sticking to running more than just mixing it up with biking, elliptical, etc.
So, during my runs, the first mile usually sucks because I know I still have so far to go but eventually I just keep going and then I'm done. Some days are really tough - usually it feels tough to stick it out and finish the run. Others are just sort of mediocre. But every once in a while, you get one of those days where it just feels good. For me, these days are pretty irregular, I've really only ever had a few of them. One was maybe 3 or 4 weeks ago. Another was yesterday.
I'm preparing for a race on Thursday and so I wanted to do my final prep run yesterday, thinking I'd just do my normal loop, which equates to somewhere around a 5k. As an aside, I really have no idea why I haven't mapped out this loop to see how far it is, I've run it over 50 times and it would be nice to know how far I've gone and also track my times. Especially since I'm kind of a stat junkie, you'd think I would have done this by now. I digress.
For anyone that doesn't know running, you generally are supposed to take it pretty easy in the several days leading up to a race, I suppose it gives your body a chance to rest up and be in peak form on race day. So I went out last night just hoping to put my time in and be done with it until Thursday's race.
If you've run any distance before, then you're familiar with the ache or cramping feeling you get in your stomach, especially if you run too fast. Well, I found in my last really good run before last night that I got that ache very early in the run but it never got bad or made me feel like I needed to slow down. Same thing happened last night. Within the first half mile, I could feel it. But I could tell it was the good ache, where it wouldn't get worse and I was in complete control of it. I kept pushing myself and I could tell as I adjusted my effort the ache would change accordingly. So, it was acting sort of as a governor on my speed, similar to how the go karts at your local track are limited in their speed by a governor placed on the cart engine. It was weird and empowering, but it felt like I could control the ache very precisely. Like I had my hand wrapped around it and could throttle up or down just like a motorcycle.
Well, me and The Governor (since he's mine and personal he really should be capitalized) had a very nice run last night. So nice that I decided to push beyond my normal loop, even more than I have been in previous runs, maintaining a nice speed for nearly the entire way. My last few runs I didn't feel good but had extended about another half mile past the normal loop, primarily in an effort to improve my endurance. I decided last night I'd go about a mile past the normal loop. Things went pretty well for the most part although about halfway through the extension I started to get pretty wiped out. I believe maybe I did a Blago and impeached the Governor. Anyhow, I finished the run and cooled down, happy to have a nice run behind me. I hope me and the Gov hang out again soon.
The real problem here is that after my last really nice run, I had several in a row that were very difficult. And of course, rather than taking it a little more easy (as described earlier), I overextended myself. And, oh yeah, my next run is my race. I really am quite dumb - I hope I don't turn in an awful time Thursday, that would be disappointing.
In non-running news, I only have 3 weeks of class left! Got a B+ on my big assignment from last week, have revised it for re-submission today. Big final project is just starting up but I expect to make significant progress on it tonight after class, we'll be doing an in-class workshop on Thursday and then have another week to pretty it up for another workshop. I think it should be pretty good. Then the last thing is our in class final. So, the end is near!
Heading to Vegas in a few weeks too, definitely looking forward to that!
Song lyric of the day "Wait - there's something up ahead / I've seen its claws / I can see the mark it left / Well fed and eating with a thousand hands" Cassino - Governor (I confess to not having ever heard this song or of this group but this seemed pretty good!)
Until next time.
Ace
This motivation has manifested itself in me running pretty regularly. Not every day, because I don't really like running, I'm really just doing it to keep in shape. But, with the goal in mind of improving my times, I have been sticking to running more than just mixing it up with biking, elliptical, etc.
So, during my runs, the first mile usually sucks because I know I still have so far to go but eventually I just keep going and then I'm done. Some days are really tough - usually it feels tough to stick it out and finish the run. Others are just sort of mediocre. But every once in a while, you get one of those days where it just feels good. For me, these days are pretty irregular, I've really only ever had a few of them. One was maybe 3 or 4 weeks ago. Another was yesterday.
I'm preparing for a race on Thursday and so I wanted to do my final prep run yesterday, thinking I'd just do my normal loop, which equates to somewhere around a 5k. As an aside, I really have no idea why I haven't mapped out this loop to see how far it is, I've run it over 50 times and it would be nice to know how far I've gone and also track my times. Especially since I'm kind of a stat junkie, you'd think I would have done this by now. I digress.
For anyone that doesn't know running, you generally are supposed to take it pretty easy in the several days leading up to a race, I suppose it gives your body a chance to rest up and be in peak form on race day. So I went out last night just hoping to put my time in and be done with it until Thursday's race.
If you've run any distance before, then you're familiar with the ache or cramping feeling you get in your stomach, especially if you run too fast. Well, I found in my last really good run before last night that I got that ache very early in the run but it never got bad or made me feel like I needed to slow down. Same thing happened last night. Within the first half mile, I could feel it. But I could tell it was the good ache, where it wouldn't get worse and I was in complete control of it. I kept pushing myself and I could tell as I adjusted my effort the ache would change accordingly. So, it was acting sort of as a governor on my speed, similar to how the go karts at your local track are limited in their speed by a governor placed on the cart engine. It was weird and empowering, but it felt like I could control the ache very precisely. Like I had my hand wrapped around it and could throttle up or down just like a motorcycle.
Well, me and The Governor (since he's mine and personal he really should be capitalized) had a very nice run last night. So nice that I decided to push beyond my normal loop, even more than I have been in previous runs, maintaining a nice speed for nearly the entire way. My last few runs I didn't feel good but had extended about another half mile past the normal loop, primarily in an effort to improve my endurance. I decided last night I'd go about a mile past the normal loop. Things went pretty well for the most part although about halfway through the extension I started to get pretty wiped out. I believe maybe I did a Blago and impeached the Governor. Anyhow, I finished the run and cooled down, happy to have a nice run behind me. I hope me and the Gov hang out again soon.
The real problem here is that after my last really nice run, I had several in a row that were very difficult. And of course, rather than taking it a little more easy (as described earlier), I overextended myself. And, oh yeah, my next run is my race. I really am quite dumb - I hope I don't turn in an awful time Thursday, that would be disappointing.
In non-running news, I only have 3 weeks of class left! Got a B+ on my big assignment from last week, have revised it for re-submission today. Big final project is just starting up but I expect to make significant progress on it tonight after class, we'll be doing an in-class workshop on Thursday and then have another week to pretty it up for another workshop. I think it should be pretty good. Then the last thing is our in class final. So, the end is near!
Heading to Vegas in a few weeks too, definitely looking forward to that!
Song lyric of the day "Wait - there's something up ahead / I've seen its claws / I can see the mark it left / Well fed and eating with a thousand hands" Cassino - Governor (I confess to not having ever heard this song or of this group but this seemed pretty good!)
Until next time.
Ace
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Tales of Domesticity
Following is a real-life exchange between myself and the better half.
Better half: "I was watching TV and saw that having sex is supposed to improve your immune system. We should work on that."
Me: "That's funny, you already seem immune to sex with me."
Song lyric of the day: "I want your sex" George Michael
Until next time.
Ace
Better half: "I was watching TV and saw that having sex is supposed to improve your immune system. We should work on that."
Me: "That's funny, you already seem immune to sex with me."
Song lyric of the day: "I want your sex" George Michael
Until next time.
Ace
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Keeping my head down
Well dear reader, things are going just fine. Work has been extremely busy, with some organizational changes that have been confusing and time-consuming. But hopefully at the end of the day it will all be better than it is today. It definitely has that potential. I've been travelling to visit clients locally quite a bit lately, which has kept me busy. More of that in the future, as well as some travel to visit my client out in Cali and probably a trip back down to Houston. Plus I've got a fun trip to Vegas in a few weeks, sweet!
I'm down to 4 weeks remaining in class for the summer term. We got our first grade in our last class period. It was really weird, the professor gave us a group of lines to read from one of Shakespeare's plays and we just had to do our best to read it out loud appropriately. The purpose was to practice scansion and enjambment, which are basic skills of knowing how to read along with the meter of the work and when to pause, etc. Kinda weird as it was done really on the spot but I did fine with it. We have a major assignment due today, I have a feeling I did ok on it but not great. We'll find out quickly enough!
Otherwise, just keeping on. Kid #1 turned 7 last week, wow I'm old. We're having her bday party this weekend, that should be fun. We attended a big celebration this past weekend for our friends who married in Mexico over the winter - there were a lot of people there. It was a fun time for all, or at least for me. I have been doing a decent amount of running lately, trying to beat my time in my last 5k. My next race comes up late next week, I hope it doesn't get too hot!
Listening to some fun new stuff these days, including MGMT "Time to Pretend", Band of Skulls "I Know What I am", Innerpartysystem "Don't Stop" and The Rifles "Science in Violence". Good stuff!
Song lyric of the day "Truckin', up to Buffalo, been thinkin', you got to mellow slow" Grateful Dead
Until next time.
Ace
I'm down to 4 weeks remaining in class for the summer term. We got our first grade in our last class period. It was really weird, the professor gave us a group of lines to read from one of Shakespeare's plays and we just had to do our best to read it out loud appropriately. The purpose was to practice scansion and enjambment, which are basic skills of knowing how to read along with the meter of the work and when to pause, etc. Kinda weird as it was done really on the spot but I did fine with it. We have a major assignment due today, I have a feeling I did ok on it but not great. We'll find out quickly enough!
Otherwise, just keeping on. Kid #1 turned 7 last week, wow I'm old. We're having her bday party this weekend, that should be fun. We attended a big celebration this past weekend for our friends who married in Mexico over the winter - there were a lot of people there. It was a fun time for all, or at least for me. I have been doing a decent amount of running lately, trying to beat my time in my last 5k. My next race comes up late next week, I hope it doesn't get too hot!
Listening to some fun new stuff these days, including MGMT "Time to Pretend", Band of Skulls "I Know What I am", Innerpartysystem "Don't Stop" and The Rifles "Science in Violence". Good stuff!
Song lyric of the day "Truckin', up to Buffalo, been thinkin', you got to mellow slow" Grateful Dead
Until next time.
Ace
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Tales of Domesticity
This tale was relayed to me by the better half (and some of you may have already seen on Facebook):
Better half looks over and sees that kid #3 has put kid #2's bracelet in the ear.
BH: That doesn't go there, take it out!
Kid 3: (Takes bracelet out of the ear and inserts into the nose)
Kid 2: (Runs in front of better half, sticking booty out) I'm going to give myself a wedgie!
Good times!
Song lyric of the day"Insane in the membrane" Cypress Hill
Until next time.
Ace
Better half looks over and sees that kid #3 has put kid #2's bracelet in the ear.
BH: That doesn't go there, take it out!
Kid 3: (Takes bracelet out of the ear and inserts into the nose)
Kid 2: (Runs in front of better half, sticking booty out) I'm going to give myself a wedgie!
Good times!
Song lyric of the day"Insane in the membrane" Cypress Hill
Until next time.
Ace
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Musically inclined
Hello loyal readers. I wanted to stop in and give a quick report. Only 5 weeks of my summer class left! Unreal, it is going so fast but I'm really enjoying the course so far. There has been extremely little lecture and lots of reading and interpretation of Master Shakespeare. Very enjoyable, especially compared to the boring courses I've taken in the last few semesters. It will be a race to finish but luckily I've got some long flights coming up that will let me stay caught up.
Speaking of which, just booked a flight to Vegas for the end of the month - woooohoooo! It's going to be a little weird as I'm going solo, for a pseudo-kinda-conference thingy but I'm certain I will get exhaustive amounts of poker played. It is going to be scorching hot there, not looking forward to that part of it. Also heading to San Fran in a couple of weeks. The scheduling kind of sucks as I fly out right after class Thursday night and don't get in until late, then heading back late afternoon Friday. Maybe I'll stay up super late on Thursday to at least get some fun time in while out there.
I really wanted to just post about music though. I cannot tell you how addicted I am to the new Silversun Pickups CD, called Swoon. I haven't been this hooked on a disc in years, probably since Final Straw from Snow Patrol. If you're looking for individual tracks, Panic Switch, Sort Of (my fav) and The Royal We are strong, but really the entire disc is really good. I'm looking forward to checking out some of their other stuff. The better half and I are also digging Airborne Toxic Event and their tune Sometime Around Midnight. Several concerts/shows coming up in the next six weeks so I'm sure I'll be blogging more about music coming up.
Song lyric of the day "Does it make you nervous/when you hear my bones/animate my body/without my soul?" Silversun Pickups, Sort Of
Until next time.
Ace
Speaking of which, just booked a flight to Vegas for the end of the month - woooohoooo! It's going to be a little weird as I'm going solo, for a pseudo-kinda-conference thingy but I'm certain I will get exhaustive amounts of poker played. It is going to be scorching hot there, not looking forward to that part of it. Also heading to San Fran in a couple of weeks. The scheduling kind of sucks as I fly out right after class Thursday night and don't get in until late, then heading back late afternoon Friday. Maybe I'll stay up super late on Thursday to at least get some fun time in while out there.
I really wanted to just post about music though. I cannot tell you how addicted I am to the new Silversun Pickups CD, called Swoon. I haven't been this hooked on a disc in years, probably since Final Straw from Snow Patrol. If you're looking for individual tracks, Panic Switch, Sort Of (my fav) and The Royal We are strong, but really the entire disc is really good. I'm looking forward to checking out some of their other stuff. The better half and I are also digging Airborne Toxic Event and their tune Sometime Around Midnight. Several concerts/shows coming up in the next six weeks so I'm sure I'll be blogging more about music coming up.
Song lyric of the day "Does it make you nervous/when you hear my bones/animate my body/without my soul?" Silversun Pickups, Sort Of
Until next time.
Ace
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