Friday, August 31, 2007

Up-Tempo

Taking it easy this week is paying off. I was able to crank out today's run feeling great both physically and mentally. Not a long run by any means, but felt good about my pace on this very hilly route. The problem had been the area just above the front of both knees feeling sore. I suspected this had to do with those muscles or tendons taking on a heavier load due to overworked (or should I say trashed?) quads from the Vermont 100 last month. I felt that dissipating during the week, and it was non-existent today. Run felt relatively effortless for that pace. Good.

Ran 5.6 miles @ 7:13/mile pace.
AHR/MHR - 160/175
Paved and dirt roads.
Very hilly.
Mid-upper 60s, overcast, muggy.

Tomorrow I'm running the Pemi Loop in the White Mountains with some friends. It's more of a speed hike really, as most parts aren't very runnable. The route we're taking is the usual one I do, 33.3 miles long and goes over 10 mountains over 4000'. Temps are supposed to reach the mid 40s on the summits with 20-35 mph winds with stronger gusts. With that weather and heavier jacket I'll bring as a result, I'm not expecting to go too fast, but who cares? It's always a fun time and ends up being quite a memorable adventure.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Marathon & Beyond

I received a couple of copies of the newest issue of Marathon & Beyond in the mail today. Inside is the article I wrote for them on my first marathon experience at the Mt. Desert Island Marathon back in 2005. If you're not familiar with the magazine, a typical issue is full of stories from top notch athletes as well as average Joes like me who have a unique story to tell about their marathon and ultramarathon experiences. There are also articles from top doctors and experts on a variety of running related issues, such as training to nutrition. It has entertained and informed for years, and I'm honored they decided my little story was worthy of their great publication. If you have access to the magazine, check out my article on pg. 105.

On the running front, not much to write about (at least not yet). Very hot day today that got into the 90s, and combined with a busy day getting my classroom ready for the first day of school next week, I opted not to run. Just as well, as I've been feeling a little banged up lately and could use the rest. Tomorrow I'll get in a few miles, and on Saturday, I should have a lot more to write about.

Happy running!

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

New JMT Trail Record... and My Run

First, the real news. A huge congratulations to my good friend Sue Johnston who has just set the new speed record on the John Muir Trail in California.

She finished last night at midnight and her total time from Whitney Portal to Happy Isles (219 miles) was 3 days, 20 hours (92:00). This breaks the previous record set by Kevin Sawchuck which was 93:05. Outstanding achievement for sure! (Thanks to Al for the above stats)

I got to know Sue before before she moved from Vermont to California. We did a number of hikes and trail runs together, and became good friends in the process. Not only is she an outstanding athlete, but a great person to boot. She's a lot of fun to be around and I simply can't say enough great things about her. She is definitely a big source of inspiration for my own running and I'm really, really happy for her.

---

Okay, now my run, which pales in comparison. I just went a little over four and a half miles today on the trails at Twin Brooks. I joined James, Ian, Blaine, his wife Erin, Shauna, Fran, and two other folks who I had just met and unfortunately I forgot their names. Good crowd. Felt a bit run down, as I have been the past couple of weeks. However, looking at my pace afterwards, we were going pretty fast for this terrain.

After the run, our friend Chuck (aka, TC Hazzard, who also was my pacer in the Vermont 100), flew in on his Velomobile. Really nifty bike, and very practical as well. He has lot's of great info on his website that explains why, if you care to check it out.

Ran 4.6 miles @ 8:08/mile pace
AHR/MHR - 154/166
Trails.
Very hilly.
Mid 70s, sunny.

Monday, August 27, 2007

Slacking On Purpose

Ran 4.6 miles @ 7:38/mile pace.
AHR/MHR - 152/168
Paved roads.
Mostly flat.
Mid 70s, sunny.

Today's run is nothing much to write much about. Just went along at a comfortable pace. I've been feeling a bit sluggish with my running lately, so I've decided to really take it easy this week. With that plan in mind, today was probably a bit too fast.

I have a big mountain run planned for this weekend. Based on how I've been feeling, I'm betting that I'll be well recharged in time for that, and subsequently be able to recover within a normal time frame. Until then, nothing but 4-7 mile runs this week at an easy pace.

A huge congrats to my bud Devon Crosby-Helms for placing third woman in the Headlands 50K, despite not feeling up to par. Way to go Dev, you rock!

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Is it Autumn Yet?

Ian, Erik and I drove down to Ipswich, MA to meet up with GAC club member, Norm, to run the Stonecat Ale 50 course. Great to meet Norm, and he was an excellent host. The course is a 12.5 mile trail loop, and our original plan was to run it twice, but after one time around, we all decided the heat was more than we cared for and called it a day. Fortunately, we did make quite a few wrong turns, so we got in some bonus miles.

The course itself was great. It winds through beautiful forests and around several ponds and bogs. We also saw several deer, including a buck that had at least six points. As for the terrain, the hills are relatively gradual for the most part, very different from the steep, roller coaster ups and downs of Pineland Farms or Twin Brooks, two of our popular training grounds up in Maine. It made for a very runnable course. The usual rocks and roots do dot the trails, and parts were fairly technical, but any New Englander would probably be used to that.

Hopefully this will be the last heat wave, as we ran in temperatures that got above 90 degrees with high humidity. There was also a poor air quality alert in effect because of the ozone levels. Not an easy day, but we all had fun. Norm also ran the Vermont 100, so it was nice to talk to him about that and relive the memories.

Ran 13.7 miles @ 9:51/mile pace.
AHR/MHR - 151/171
Trails.
Moderately hilly.
Upper 80s to lower 90s, humid and sticky.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

L.L. Bean Bradbury Bruiser 12-Miler

The big details are set for the race I mentioned earlier this week. Notably, it's not a 15K, it's a 12-miler! And a tough one at that. Should be a lot of fun. More info below:


L.L.Bean Bradbury Bruiser 12 Mile Trail Race
Sunday, October 28th 8:00am
Bradbury Mt. State Park, Pownal
This will be a fun and challenging course on the best single-track trails around.
  • Technical race shirt to the first 100 registered runners
  • $100 L.L.Bean gift card to the first female and male finishers
  • $25 L.L.Bean gift card to age group winners
  • $25 L.L.Bean gift card to the Best Bruise Contest winner and to the runner with the best Halloween costume worn during the race
Contact Ian Parlin iparlin@maine.rr.com or Stephen Wells wwells2@maine.rr.com for more information

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Bugs and Frogs

Last night it had gotten down to 37 degrees, and that cool air can only do one thing to the deer fly population: KILL! .... or at least send them hiding. I began my run in the late morning when the temperatures had warmed up to the mid-upper 60s, and they were still out but in very small numbers not a problem at all. Nice.

Run went well. Took the trails back to the lake where I walked out on a fallen tree over the water and sat and enjoyed the view for a while. I noticed green frogs in the water right below me, their heads poking just above the water and undeterred by my presence. Since they are cold blooded, perhaps their metabolisms were slower with the cooler temps lately. Normally they hop or swim away when I approach.

Ran 7.3 miles @ 8:37/mile pace.
AHR/MHR - 148/169
Trails and fire roads.
Very hilly.
Mid, upper 60s, sunny.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Speed Workout

800M warm-up @ ~8:00/mile pace
1 mile in 5:41
4 X 400M (1:27, 1:23, 1:15, 1:17)
800M cool-down @ ~ 7:40/mile pace.
Weather: 70 degrees, sunny, windy.

I was in my classroom today, getting things ready for the upcoming school year, so it was also a good day to get in a speed workout at the school's track. It has been a long while since I've done a true speed workout, so overall I'm pretty happy with how it went, but also see the need for improvement.

I ran two laps as a warm-up and then was set to crank out a mile (the track is marked to show the extra distance needed after four laps to make a true mile). I was certain I could do it in under 5:30, but today showed differently. That's fine, it just means I have some work to do.

I then rested about five minutes, probably way longer than I should have, and then did the 400M repeats, also with t0o much time in between (a good three minutes, maybe even more). First one was slow, and I knew it. Picked up the pace on the second one, and knew I still could do it faster. Third one, zoom! I was much happier with that. And the fourth one, not too bad either.

So, it didn't go perfectly, but that's fine. I'm rusty with the speed workouts is all. I at least have a good starting point to go off of now.

Monday, August 20, 2007

New Trail Race Coming to Maine

I'm pleased to help spread the word about a new trail race coming to Maine, made possible by my good friends Stephen and Ian. This has all started to come together very quickly and recently, so some details are still being worked out but here are some specifics on what is known so far:

Date: October 28th
Length: 15K
Where: Bradbury Mountain State Park
Terrain: Hilly, technical trails

Ian is one of the race directors for the Pinelands Farm 50K. Ask anyone, that race is extremely well put together, and Ian's expertise will ensure yet another great event. Plus, he's just a great guy.

Stephen is an employee at L.L. Bean, and when he explained the race to his contacts there, they were very happy to help out and sponsor the event. Great company, and very nice to have a huge name backing this event. It will most definitely be mutually beneficial for the race and L. L. Bean.

Other details are still being worked out, but I'll save mentioning those for later once they become concrete. But one thing that is for sure, this race is on and it will be a fun and challenging time. Please consider entering it if you live in or will be visiting the area.

I'll post registration details once they become available, but just wanted to plant a bug in anyone's ears who might be reading this.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Another Fine Day

Ran 5.7 miles @ 7:34/mile pace.
AHR/MHR - 152/169
Paved and dirt roads.
Very hilly.
60 degrees, mostly cloudy.

One couldn't ask for better weather lately. Nice it's going to continue through much of the week. It's simply making me impatient for fall to arrive here for real next month. Ah, the school year starting (every early August, I always start to look forward to going back to teach), apple picking, apple pie and cider, football, leaves changing, helping coach cross country, great running weather... but I digress....

I had originally planned on doing more miles today, but thought that would be pushing it a little. Was fine with what I did today though. Knowing that we have a long run planned with a few of the GAC folks down in Massachusetts next weekend is also comforting.

Good little run today. Passed a friendly woman riding her horse on the dirt road. I learned at the Vermont 100 (which also has a horse race on the same course) that it's a good idea to talk to the horse if you're passing it from behind so it knows the noise is just from a person, so I did just that.

Rest day tomorrow, so that'll be a good chance to give more details on the race at Bradbury Mountain this late October, sponsored by the good folks at LL Bean. My running buds Ian and Stephen have worked hard and made good use of their connections to make this happen. More tomorrow.

Happy running everyone, and if you're a New Englander, enjoy this weather!

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Autumn Weather

Ran 9.4 miles @ 7:12/mile pace.
AHR/MHR - 156/173
Paved roads.
Slightly hilly.
Lower 60s, partly cloudy, a bit windy.

A sneak preview of autumn is taking over New England for the next several days. Hard not to put push down on the pedal a little more with this kind of weather. Really enjoyed today's run and was happy that my HR was where it was with that pace. Felt great.

And just for fun, even though this has nothing to do with running, this clip has to be the funniest thing I've seen on YouTube so far.

Friday, August 17, 2007

Cool Lakes, Steep Hills, and the Best Porta-Pottie Ever

Ran 13.5 miles @ 8:24/mile pace.
AHR/MHR - 153/170
Paved roads.
Extremely hilly.
Mid-upper 70s, partly cloudy.



My mother is in town for a visit, and she was gung-ho on going to some big quilting supply store located near Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. Not really my cup of tea, so what worked out well for the both of us was that she'd shop for quilting stuff while I got in a run. To say that it turned out to be an adventure would be fairly accurate.

Before we drove over, I had a huge breakfast of pancakes, bacon and home fries at the local diner (so much for the healthy diet I swore I'd be adopting). I thought I would have it digested by the start of my run, nearly two hours later, but nope. As a result, I had to stop and take a few rest breaks throughout. In short, I felt like a slug.

One bright note was about four miles into the run when nature called. And did I find the answer. I have no problem with going in the woods, but whenever a porta-pottie happens to be along the route, it's usually a nice treat. This one was heaven. Super clean, three types of quilted toilet paper, two different kinds of hand sanitizers, and an aerosol can. Wow. The only thing missing was a magazine rack.

Was off again and swung back by the car and downed some diluted Gatorade. My already upset stomach wasn't happy with this at all. I slogged my way up a hill along a different street and stopped to take a break under a shady tree at an old cemetery. After a few minutes, my stomach felt okay again and I was off again. Continued up a hill and made a left turn on another side street. Up and up and up. Jeez, this was kicking my butt. Loved it, but the lingering breakfast in my gut made it not so enjoyable.

Finally reached the top and it started down, but I reached a T in the road and had to turn left or right. I turned right, but after a while I realized I was heading away from town and should have turned left. Crap. Luckily, my good ole Garmin came to the rescue with the navigation feature and I found a side street that would seemingly take me back to where I needed to go. It did, and a few miles later I was glad to be done.

My mother had just finished her shopping when I returned for good, so it was perfect timing. We drove down to the lake and I took a very refreshing swim before we headed back. Good run in all, but that breakfast really worked against me and helped turn the run into a slogfest. Still, got in some good miles at pace that seemed much slower and on some very insane hills to boot. Not a bad day after all.

Also, my buddies Stephen and Ian have managed to pull off putting together what looks to be a really great trail race in late October. L.L. Bean has agreed to sponsor it and it'll take place at Bradbury Mountain. In the next few days, I will write a separate blog entry with more details, but want to gather a few more facts first. One thing for certain, it will be grand! Stay tuned...

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Trail Exploration, La Partie Trois

Ran 8.3 miles @ 8:53/mile pace.
AHR/MHR - 151/167
Trails, fire roads.
Very hilly.
Lower 70s, mostly cloudy.



Today I had the goal to explore a new trail I came across on Sunday in the woods behind my house. My past two ventures out there to seek new routes had been successful. I was hoping to go three for three today.

I ran the 1.5 miles of trail to the fire road, and followed the uphill to the trail I came out of along the loop I did on Sunday. Took that trail up the ridge, and came to the trail junction where the path I wanted to explore was. It followed an old stone wall, and imagined that it was possibly hundreds of years old and belonged to some old sheep farmer. Like much of the woods in New England, these are second growth forests, and much of what we know as wilderness today was actually clear-cutted for grazing land when the area was becoming settled.

The deer flies were pretty numerous today and were biting. The bright side to this was that it eliminated any attempt for a rest break. Their days are numbered though with autumn around the corner, and can't say they'll be missed much.

I came across a sign on a tree (ATV/snowmobile clubs sometimes put them up, as they are the ones who maintain these trails and do a great job at it) that said the trail led to the junction of Rt. 35/5. Ah, that was a ways off, and longer than I wanted to go. So I ran along the path a little bit more and then turned around and came back the way I came. Was hoping the path turned more north-north-west to meet up with the fire road and get a bigger loop, but oh well. The woods back there are quite large, and there are still quite a few trails to explore.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Fine Day for a Fine Run

Ran 10.1 miles @ 7:44/mile pace.
AHR/MHR - 160/173
Paved roads.
Very hilly.
Mid, upper 60s. Sunny.

Ah, this was a run that I needed. A relaxing day fishing for mackerel off the coast of Rockland yesterday while seals and porpoises played close to the boat, along with a much improved diet now that my mouth is healing up seemed to do me some good. Felt very much like my old self, unlike my runs last Saturday and Sunday. Energy felt great and I put out out what for me is a moderate pace on a hilly course and did it with seemingly little effort.

Running in weather like this makes it easy. Cool dry air is in place and no heat waves are in sight for at least the next week. Dawned on me during today's run that the first signs of autumn are only about a month away. Looking forward to that, as always.

And a big congrats to blog buddy Olga for a fantastic performance at the Cool 12-hour ultra over the weekend, despite numerous obstacles. She simply rocks. It's a great read, so check it out if you can.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Pineland Farms Trail Run

Ran ~ 7.0 miles @ 9:00/mile pace.
AHR/MHR - N/A
Trails.
Very hilly.
Lower, mid 60s, sunny.

Weekly early morning run today. Good company, as Stephen, Ian and Chuck were along for the ride. While I felt a little better than yesterday, my energy was still down quite a bit and I bagged the run early. A day off tomorrow and eating very healthy will take care of things, I suspect. System is probably just a bit off from the oral surgery earlier this week. Not a big deal, blah days are all part of running.

Worth noting my Garmin didn't charge properly and the battery was dead. Reason being the contact points get very dirty on the new model, but Chuck pointed out that a velcro wrist strap will cover and protect them from dirt, sweat and grime and he hasn't had any problems with his. Will have to invest in one soon.

Saturday, August 11, 2007

The Path Less Taken

Ran 7.25 miles @ 8:35/mile pace.
AHR/MHR - 163/177
Trails, fire roads.
Very hilly.
Lower 70s, sunny.



Today's run had another goal in mind other than the usual training purposes: exploration. I had a variation of a route through the woods out in back of my house that I had an idea of where it went, but wasn't sure since I had never run it. One good way to find out...

The cool, mid-40 temperatures from overnight were quickly being replaced with the heat of the rising sun, but it was still quite pleasant out and the trees afforded much shade. The deer flies were back out, but not very numerous and their metabolism still slow from the cooler temps of the night, making them an easy kill.

I ran the first section of 1.5 mile trail over the creek and through the forest before it meets up with the fire road. From there, another 1.5 miles to the lake. Along the way, I noted two paths that I mused I would come out of if my guess for my route was correct.

I stopped at the lake, noting my energy was feeling particularly low today. I directly attribute this to my very poor diet lately, especially yesterday. I've been somewhat limited with the foods I can eat with the wisdom teeth being yanked earlier this week, and unfortunately I've been choosing some not-so-healthy options. Lesson learned (or should I say relearned). I downed a Gu with some water, which would help some.

I was off and up the hill away from the lake. I passed by the left turn I made two days ago and continued straight, climbing a particularly gnarly hill. It leveled off and I soon reached another left turn, which I guessed would take me to one of the those two paths that I noted before. But what if I went straight? Hmmmm. I will have to explore that route sometime soon, but not today, especially given that I'm not feeling particularly energetic.

I cruised along the new path, which winded it's way down the ridge and was a lot of fun to run on. About a half a mile or so later, there it was, the fire road. Cool. And as predicted, it came out on one of the paths that I thought it would.

Jaunted on home, coming across two friendly guys with ATV's who had stopped on the trail to take a break. I reached my house, feeling pretty worn out. Will try to eat some pasta with my homemade chunky sauce today. If I can manage to chew that down, I know I'll be fine for tomorrow morning's trail run at Pineland Farms.

Thursday, August 09, 2007

Phedippidations Mention!

An amendment to my entry today... so, I'm laying in my bed listening to this week's edition of Phedippidations, a very popular podcast on running. I seriously love this podcast, and look forward to listening to it each week. As I'm listening to this week's topic on how the body is willing and it's often the mind that isn't, I'm feeling quite relaxed and then all of a sudden I startle to life:

The host, Steve Runner, plugged my blog (~45 minutes into the show)! He gave a really great description of it and mentioned my performances at the Vermont 100 and the MDI Marathon. I am EXTREMELY honored! Thanks Steve!

Phedippidations is available on the link provided and also on iTunes.

Happy running!

Bugs? What Bugs?

Ran 7.4 miles @ 8:43/mile pace.
AHR/MHR - 148/168
Trails, fire roads.
Very hilly.
Mid 60s, sunny.


Wow, no deer flies today! A very welcome and surprising treat. I've avoided the woods behind my house because they have been quite bad lately. But I figured I'd give the trails out back a shot this morning as I haven't run there in a while, and they simply weren't around. Nice.

Run itself was great. Yesterday's rainfall didn't leave things terribly muddy. Took the trail out to the fire road which goes up to the lake and then turns into true trails again. Found a tree that had fallen into the water and climbed out on it and sat and enjoyed the view for a few minutes before continuing along.

I continued uphill away from the lake and reached a trail junction. It looked as if I took the left turn it might join up with the fire road. Hmmmmmmm. I turned on my Garmin's navigation feature to see if the breadcrumb I left was indeed taking me in that direction. As I ran along, it became apparent that it did, and before long, voila, the fire road. From there, I headed back the way I came. Very enjoyable run.

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Different Kind of Recovery Run/Western States 100

Ran 2.9 miles @ 7:11/mile pace.
AHR/MHR - 154/177
Paved roads.
Mostly Flat.
80 degrees, sunny.

Today was just a test to see how my mouth would hold up after getting my wisdom teeth yanked on Monday. All went well for the most part. I'm not in any real pain, just some discomfort, and that theme continued with the run but it was bearable. I was mostly nervous about my stitches erupting during the run due to the jostling and increased heart rate, but I only spit out a small trace of blood.

Legs, however, feel very rested and that relatively quick pace felt easy like Sunday morning. Looking forward to doing longer runs and getting the speed back up again.

Yesterday, I also threw my hat into the ring for the Western States 100. The lotto will be held on December 1st. Think good thoughts!

Happy running.

Monday, August 06, 2007

Yoink!

Thank God I'll never have to do this again. All four of my wisdom teeth were taken out this morning, a procedure I have delayed for the past decade because... well, I hate going to the dentist, let alone an oral surgeon. However, my doctor was a very nice and well qualified guy who made me feel comfortable and I knew I was in good hands.

They put me under, and the last thing I remember was talking about ultramarathoning with the nurses and my doctor. Apparently when I came to, I asked the nurse at least five times when I'd be able to run again. The answer each time was a very kind and patient "maybe by tomorrow". And once I asked "how long will I be able to go?". She apparently wasn't sure how to answer, and my friend Sarah got a good laugh out of it. I don't remember any of that, however. I have a vague recollection of driving home and seeing double of everything, but that's all I can remember between initially being put under and waking up from a nap after Sarah drove me home. While I was asleep, she went out and bought me all sorts of additional goodies and got my prescription filled. Thanks Sarah! Just mixed a yogurt smoothie with some wheat grass and that really hit the spot.

A bit painful at times, but this isn't as bad as I thought it'd be.
The vicodin will no doubt help as well. Alright, enough ranting. I generally don't like posting about anything unless it's more running related, but thought my somewhat nonsensical running inquiries to the nurse might amuse a few of you.

Happy running, and I'll be back out there "maybe by tomorrow."

Sunday, August 05, 2007

Trail Run at Pinelands

Ran 10.1 miles @ 9:11/mile pace.
AHR/MHR - 140/162
Trails.
Extremely hilly.
Upper 50s.

Early morning runs are like chocolate cake. Though I wouldn't want it every day, I really look forward to doing them once a week or so. I met up with Stephen, Blaine and Brian to get in about 10 miles at Pineland Farms this morning at 6am to get my fix.

Weather was much nicer, as cooler, dryer air has moved in. Unfortunately, the heat wave looks like it was too much for the trout in a pond we park next to. We saw several at the surface gasping for air at pond's edge (water loses oxygen when it warms up and trout, especially brookies, are sensitive to that), undeterred by our presence just a few feet away. Several more were floating dead.

The deer flies were also out in large numbers, but hopefully this new batch of more seasonable weather will slow them down a bit. Blaine's patchouli oil bug spray seemed to do the trick, at least for the first half of the run. If nothing else, it left us all smelling like hippies.

On a more positive wildlife note, we did see two hawks (red-tailed?) several times on the edge of the woods, and they were talking up a good storm. We also saw a turkey on the trail and were serenaded by hermit thrushes throughout the run.

The run itself went well. First time I went double-digit miles since the big race two weeks ago. Felt good, though my legs still have a ways to go before I can say they feel fresh. Great company though, and we had our usual fun talking about running and everything else while we ran.

No running for the next few days, as I'm getting my wisdom teeth yanked tomorrow. It's something I've been delaying for several years, but I look forward to getting it over with. The freezer is already stocked with ice cream.

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Spectator at the Beach to Beacon 10K

I had the pleasure to watch quite a few friends compete in the Beach to Beacon 10K race in Cape Elizabeth this morning. I drove the finish line, keeping an eye out for my friend Stephen who's wife was competing in the race. After wandering around a bit, he ended up finding me as I had my headphones on and couldn't hear him behind me.

We set up at a great spot about a 1/4 mile from the finish line with his son and daughter (who are both great kids) and watched as the wheelchair athletes came in. Shortly thereafter, the Kenyans came flying in and ended up taking a one, two finish. It wasn't too much longer when our friend Blaine came flying by, finishing in 83rd place out of more than 4800 runners. That's one quick dude! Very impressive.

Saw several other friends going by including Stephen's wife, Kelly, and then we headed to the finish line to congratulate everyone.

It's great being a spectator at times and simply root on the other runners, whether you know them or not. It's amazing how big of a boost you can get when a complete stranger singles you out and cheers you on. It's only right, not to mention a lot of fun, to give that back and do it for someone else.

Even though I'm still in a recovery phase, I still felt a tinge of that "I should be out there" mindset creep in. I'll probably give a go at a 5K race to be determined later this month or in early September. It's fun to put the pedal to the metal with those shorter races and it's been a while since I've done so.

Friday, August 03, 2007

Heat Wave and Technological Musings

Ran 2.9 miles @ 7:44/mile pace.
AHR/MHR - 155/167
Paved roads.
Mostly flat.
Upper 80s, very humid.

Heat

I was raised in Florida and was very active as a kid, which meant skateboarding, games of football, basketball, soccer, and the other usual kid and teenage games outside and all in this kind of weather. I don't know how I did it. This kind of heat is downright brutal and I have no desire to train in it. But alas, I managed to get out there for a meager 2.9 miles this evening after it cooled down a little (down to 88 degrees, ugh). Even after an ice cold shower, I sit here in my chair still sweating like a banshee. But relief is in sight, as temperatures will return to their seasonal norms on Sunday. Thank goodness.

Tech Stuff

Just thought I'd mention that I recently discovered Google Reader as a very convenient way to keep up with everyone's blogs. I suspect most of you bloggers already knew about this tool and I simply missed the boat, but in case you didn't, check it out. It's awesome.

And iPod prices have come down dramatically compared to even a year ago, and I treated myself to a nice 30GB version. With it, I have discovered the wonderful world of podcasts. Notably, Phedippidations is available for free on iTunes. Very entertaining, and the host is a huge Red Sox fan which makes it even better. He covers topics that I imagine would appeal to any runner on any level, and does it in a way that is well produced and very dynamic. EndurancePlanet also has some good running content on there, including interviews with ultrarunning deity Scott Jurek and the over-hyped Dean Karnazes. If anyone knows of any others, post them as a comment or shoot me an email. I'd love to add more to my library.