Sunday, April 30, 2023
My April 2023 Running and Walking Report
Saturday, April 29, 2023
Ran Gainesville Depot Parkrun 5K This Morning
Amid forecasts of really stormy weather later on in the day, I awoke this morning anticipating some early rain...but no, it was like last week: partly cloudy, 69 degrees with 97 % humidity...warm and muggy. I headed down to Gainesville's Depot Park, some eight blocks south of University Avenue just east of Main Street. It's a pretty place to stroll, jog, walk your dogs or bring your little kids to play. On Saturday mornings they hold a free 5K run/walk, managed through volunteers with finishing times accomplished through barcodes (signup is online) and posted each week on their website. Today's race was my fourteenth there since my first Parkrun in 2019...my goal this time around was to establish as comfortable a pace as possible considering the stifling humidity. To that extent it worked, as I got into a groove and ran negative splits (faster at the end than the beginning), finishing at 33:34, good enough for me today. Unfortunately, at the finishing line there was major confusion about the scan-tokens they were handing out and this translated to the posted results. You can see today's Parkrun results by clicking HERE...looks like their tokens and scanning screwup wrecked their results page (including my own finishing time which I'm glad I recorded on my watch). [Later note: they did eventually get around to recording and posting most entrants' times although the process was a bit slipshod, in my opinion] Now that I've racked up a number of runs here, it's probably time I began to sign up for some of the many volunteer opportunities they offer...especially with that confusion at the finishing line this morning with their barcode tokens, an area in which I think I'd be an asset. It was good to see more people out there participating in the race, with several first-timers. In any event, mission accomplished: I dragged my sorry old ass out of bed early today and ran the race...now let's see what happens with those storms blowing in from the Gulf of Mexico...
Friday, April 28, 2023
Quote of the Week: From Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson was a famous nineteenth century American philosopher and poet who championed the ideal of individualism. For someone as myself who generally conforms to society's standards for conduct without complaint, I nevertheless also find myself continually put under pressure by others to speak and make decisions that conform with their agendas for me and not how I would act according to my own values and purposes. I recognize that with each of us there is necessarily a tug of war going on between how we want to individually live our lives and how others want us to live out our sole chance at life on Earth...unless of course they happen to believe in reincarnation. My philosophy has always been to respect the personal decisions of people around me concerning their own lives as long as they do not trample on the rights of others or mine. But there are some people in this world, sad to say, who are incapable of leaving well enough alone and who seem to regard me as some kind of project...or worse an object...that they are entitled to hound and pressure into conforming to what they deem to be "good enough". They are incapable of processing my expressed respect of them as being anything other than a sign of my own weakness, which they are only to eager to exploit. But that's the world for you...only problem is that some folks, especially the real religious ones, who claim to be not conforming to this world, are actually some of the most worldly in this regard. To associate with them entails never quite being accepted for oneself...there's always something else I have to do to gain their "approval". Only one problem: I couldn't care less...and never did...whether they approve of me or not, and I never will, seeing them for what they are...
Thursday, April 27, 2023
Alaskan Cruise in the Works for Us
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
Weekly Short Stories: 1990 Science Fiction, Part 6
Tuesday, April 25, 2023
Podcaster Expands Notion of Personal Development
Rob Dial, a podcaster with his Mindset Mentor show, talks a lot about personal development. Some of his episodes resonate with me and some are just a little off...every now and then he gets some profound wisdom in, like what he said last week. Dial promotes a lot of personal growth ideas like being proactive, stressing action over feelings, journaling, meditation and the like. But on a recent podcast he pointed out that a lot of folks misunderstand what personal development is. You don't just set aside special times for it, but rather it encompasses your entire waking day, and it's often the troublesome, stressful and unexpected events and conflicts that arise that can provide the greatest opportunities for growth...if you can learn how to react to them and then proceed onward. That's encouraging, because sometimes it seems that the moment I step outside my door and into the big, bad world, the crap begins to fly...to put it a little crudely. For a lot of us, our jobs consist largely of what I call "chaos management", which is meeting the various challenges that hit us from different directions while somehow still adhering to our core assignments...and while keeping ourselves from succumbing to anxiety and frustration. Yes, this is often where the growth is, although I also see the advantages to stepping around trouble when I see it coming my way, and to think ahead enough to avoid it completely. But sometimes it comes anyway...
Monday, April 24, 2023
On Runaway Train in Politics
Sunday, April 23, 2023
Constellation of the Month: Vela (the Sails)
Saturday, April 22, 2023
Ran the Depot Parkrun 5K Here in Gainesville This Morning
Having goofed up and missed the main race I was going to run in April (Hawthorne's "Run Your Buns Off" half marathon on the 8th), I decided today, a couple of weeks later, to mosey on down to my hometown of Gainesville's Depot Park, just a few blocks south of downtown and the site of a free 5K race held every Saturday morning...this was my 13th run since I began in 2019. I usually drive down Main Street to get there, living on the northern fringe of the city. This morning marked the opening day for the semiannual Friends of the Library book sale, which is located on the 400 block of North Main and starts at 9 am. But at 7, when I drove by on the way to the park, there was already a long line of people standing outside the warehouse where the sale was to take place...guess they had nothing better to do: I'd still be in bed sleeping if I didn't have this race to run. Ditto for the folks in their long line at a bagel shop further down the road...but at least that place was already open! Seems like there were a few more people at today's race than usual. The temperature was a pleasant enough 63 degrees, but the humidity was a punishing, extremely muggy 98%: ouch! I wore my relatively new Nike Air Monarch shoes with wide width and toe space, heavier than your typical running shoes but kinder on the feet...I'm not looking to set any records anyway. The shoes served me well, but that awful humidity didn't, and I wondered early on in the race whether I'd finish running it or have to walk part of the way. And then the proverbial "second wind" kicked in when my body synced with my environment, and I found my groove...a wonderful thing to experience. My final time...nothing to brag about...was 32:47. But I kept my continuity going and look forward to the next race, which if anything will probably be just as muggy, only hotter. Click on HERE to view today's race results. By the way, at the top of that results page, if you click "Home" then you'll get some information about the Parkrun and how you can sign up to be a part of it, which involves getting a barcode printed out that you take to the race to be scanned: no racing bibs here...
Friday, April 21, 2023
Quote of the Week: On the Back of a Marathon Runner's Shirt
Thursday, April 20, 2023
Podcaster Gives Some Pointers on Getting Out of a Rut
For those of us who every now and then...or more often for that matter...find ourselves just moping around directionless and never getting around to getting anything done during our day, Rob Dial on his Mindset Mentor podcast a few days ago laid out seven strategies to overcome the lethargic and often negative inertia. They are (1) get up and get the body moving, (2) just take a few small steps doing something, (3) celebrate small wins even if only by congratulating yourself, (4) turn off the phone and electronics in general, (5) focus on the next 60 seconds instead of what's down the line, (6) ride the momentum when you feel it and (7) try to get around other people who can help you to move. Of course, as with everything else I pick up from Dial and others, I need to filter it all first through my own sense of discernment. Generally, I agree with his suggestions but also recognize that sometimes I just need some more sleep...and that doesn't constitute being in a rut. Yet this morning my body felt a bit achy, and I did what he suggested and started moving it...now I'm much better...pat myself on the back! As for the electronics, I don't check my phone anywhere as much as I see others stuck on theirs, and a lot of the time when I'm working out at home I have the TV on channels that help me, such as music or marathon videos. Momentum can be a good thing, but sometimes my schedule will mandate that I cut off my activity to get ready for the next one. And although being around others can sometimes be a drain on me instead of an energizer, I also recognize that sitting in a public place like a coffee shop can help me to rivet my thoughts in a more organized way that enhances my writing, reading and studying. So, kudos to Rob Dial on this particular podcast...I'm not always in tune with his message but this one...with some thoughtful caveats...was pretty helpful...
Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Weekly Short Stories: 1990 Science Fiction, Part 5
Tuesday, April 18, 2023
Televised Pro Sports Just Doesn't Cut It with Me Anymore
Monday, April 17, 2023
Working on Reorganizing Personal Information System
This book I just read (and wrote about), Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte, has made a big impact on my thinking, and it's occupying a good deal of my "free" time right now as I construct a personal data and retrieval system that complements what I already have "in my head". It's fun and at the same time a bit tedious...but once I have everything in place this all should make my life flow a lot more smoothly. But it does take time and I may have to scrap whole ways of doing things in order to make it work better for me. I recommend the book, and who knows: you might just pick up better on Forte's often arcane language than I did. But I did clearly get his core message, having lived through a muddle of excessively tangled, disorganized information for years...
Sunday, April 16, 2023
Just Finished Reading Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte
Tiago Forte is a computer/IT expert with an interesting premise: that we all could use a "second", external brain, in which the incredible amount of detailed information we accumulate over the years is processed, prioritized, organized and arranged for easy access. Forte believes that use of digitalized notetaking apps can greatly enhance the function of this all, although traditionally people have relied on notepads and other paper-based media...count me as one of them. He expresses this in his 2022 book Building a Second Brain, which I just finished reading. I agree with that premise of his, although his language is such that I felt as if Mr. Spock on Star Trek were feeding me a lot of incomprehensible gobbledygook without actual laying out specifics on how to maneuver around the often very arcane field of knowledge management, especially as it applies to using computer technology. Forte also has a tendency to go heavy on acronyms...not a good way to endear me to his message. Still, I recognize that over the years I have been bombarded with information and memories, much of which is lost, deeply buried in my mental recesses without an effective means to retrieve it. Fortunately, with some things...like my running record and list of books and short stories read...I have this very blog as an external memory device...and therefore an element of Forte's suggested "second brain": I just need to streamline the data and make the articles with all the info easy to access. That's why I used yesterday's article to update my running race history: I plan to place links on each race entry to be able to quickly access the pertinent articles. I plan to do the same with my reading list...that project is going to be much longer, though. And there are some areas more personal and financial in nature, for which using a public blog is inappropriate, yet still demanding a better external organization of prioritized and retrievable information. So, although the author's writing style, in my opinion, left a lot to be desired, his core message strongly resonates with me as I already see a strong need to better organize my personal information. Thank you, Tiago Forte...
Saturday, April 15, 2023
Latest Updated Cumulative Running Race List
2-14-10 HM 2:17:10 Five Points of Life (1) Gainesville
3-27-10 15K 1:23:55 Climb for Cancer Haile Plantation
4-24-10 5K 23:05 Run Amuck NFR Office Park
5-22-10 5K 25:00 Somer's Sunshine Run Orange Park
6-05-10 5K 23:23 Cpt. Chad Reed Memorial Cross City
7-04-10 3m 23:04 Melon Run (1) Westside Park
11-6-10 HM 2:01:41 Tom Walker Memorial (1) Hawthorne Trail
1-23-11 M 6:04:35 Ocala Marathon South of Paddock Mall
11-12-11 HM 1:59:38 Tom Walker Memorial (2) Hawthorne Trail
1-01-12 HM 1:56:07 De Leon Springs De Leon Springs
7-04-12 3m 25:45 Melon Run (2) Westside Park
11-22-12 10K 53:10 Turkey Trot (1) Tacachale
1-20-13 HM 1:55:20 Ocala Half-Marathon South of Paddock Mall
3-03-13 HM 1:50:53 Orange Blossom Tavares
11-09-13 2m untimed Gator Gallop University Ave, SW 2nd Ave
2-01-14 5K 25:53 Education for Life Westside Park
2-16-14 HM 2:07:36 Five Points of Life (2) Gainesville
11-27-14 10K 56:56 Turkey Trot (2) Tacachale
12-20-14 HM 2:03:30 Starlight Half-Marathon Palm Coast
1-31-15 15K 1:18:21 Newnan's Lake (1) West of Newnan's Lake
2-15-15 HM 1:58:48 Five Points of Life (3) Gainesville
3-14-15 10K 56:24 Run for Haven (1) Tioga
12-05-15 6.5m 1:03:52 Lumber Around the Levee Micanopy
1-30-16 15K 1:31:20 Newnan's Lake (2) West of Newnan's Lake
3-12-16 10K 59:00 Run for Haven (2) Tioga
5-14-16 5K 28:36 May Day Glow Run (1) Tioga
Friday, April 14, 2023
Quote of the Week...from Baker Mayfield
It doesn't matter what cards you're dealt. It's what you do with those cards. Never complain. Just keep pushing forward. Find a positive in anything and just fight for it. Baker Mayfield
Thursday, April 13, 2023
Working Out at Home Watching YouTube NYC Half-Marathon
My morning workout today consisted of me running around through the house...trying in the process to avoid tripping over our puppy dog Daisy...while watching a YouTube video of a New York City half-marathon, recorded by the same Chinese-speaking dude who recorded the full NYC Marathon back in 2019. I went to the computer to see the race's course map, and quickly noted that it didn't conform at all to what I was watching. The map had it starting in Manhattan and going to Brooklyn while "my" race had a reverse course...they're now toward the end, running right down Broadway past Times Square where Melissa, Rebecca and I visited (and stayed at the Marriott Marquis) back in 2010. And then I discovered that within New York City and the nearby area there are several marathons/half-marathons each year. Awesome, if you're a resident you can sign up for the ones you like and the subway system and shuttles can circumvent any transportation issues. But, of course, if you're like me and live more than a thousand miles away, then it gets quite a bit trickier. I wonder how many of those running in "today's" race flew or drove in from more distant locales and how many were already planted in the immediate region. Sometime in the future I'd like to have a go at a New York City race...but the external issues of getting there and getting a place to stay while fitting it all on my calendar seem to be, at least at this stage of time, pretty daunting. And I already know that, for some of the races, they're booked up many months in advance. Until I figure it all out, though, I'll keep watching videos like this one, thanks to the thoughtful people who make them...
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Weekly Short Stories: 1990 Science Fiction, Part 4
Tuesday, April 11, 2023
Running Races Being Pushed Off the Streets and Onto Remote Trails
I'm noticing a trend in public running races here in northern central Florida...and judging by the race calendar elsewhere in the state, it isn't just happening here. It used to be that we'd have races in a more urban setting, races that were more or less looped courses that afforded the participants a variety of the experiences and sights belonging to the city in question...that to me was always one of the big appeals of racing. We had the annual Five Points marathon/half-marathon that ran right through the heart of Gainesville in such a looping course, even passing through the University of Florida's football stadium at one point. Ocala also had its annual racing event, another loop (at least for the half-marathon event) although its course covered the more rural horse farms south of the city. Both of these events are gone now, leaving runners who want to experience marathons or half-marathons races in this area to do so on the Hawthorne Trail, either from Boulware Springs Park in southeastern Gainesville or from the Eastern Trailhead in the town of Hawthorne. Ocala is holding no marathons or half-marathons anymore, not even on some remote rails-to-trails course. Gainesville still holds these two distances in races, but they're now confined to that one trail way off in the boondocks far from civilization...a nice surface but pretty much boring scenery: just trees and more trees. Plus, the races are all there-and-back, and two of the three offered additionally required repeated laps...ouch! It's as if society has said that we runners aren't welcome among them anymore and we need to go hide somewhere off in the woods to do our "thing" from now on. Nowadays if I want to remain in north central Florida and experience marathons or half-marathons, I'm left to either retreating to the Hawthorne Trail or to watching videos others have made of marathons elsewhere...which is what I've been doing lately. Interesting races, like the Toronto Half-Marathon, New York City Marathon, Walt Disney World Marathon and the Boston Marathon, all provide a visual backdrop of the always changing surroundings, with the sense of a Tolkienesque quest as the runners plod onward to the finish line...and I'm right there (in my living room) with them. None of those courses are looped either, meaning that real-life participants in those places have to figure out their transportation strategies beforehand...no jumping out of the car before the race and jumping back into it afterwards. On the other hand, at home I can just flick "pause" to take a bathroom break (or leave it running). Back in the late 1940s science fiction writer Clifford Simak...one of the best in my opinion...wrote a series of tales in which our society in the future would evolve to where people lived lives of rural seclusion, hardly ever directly interacting with one another and depending on robots to serve them and vicarious entertainment to fulfill themselves. Move over future, here we are now...at least in my "section of the woods"...
Monday, April 10, 2023
A Little Gripe about a Local Non-Profit
Sunday, April 9, 2023
Podcaster Discusses Anxiety Attacks and How to Deal with Them
Podcaster Rob Dial, who as a personal development coach has his show Mindset Mentor, on a recent episode discussed ways to alleviate anxiety. He started with the comment that anxiety is a natural mechanism we have to defend ourselves against outside attacks...but in our more civilized, modern existence it can be counterproductive and even harmful. He listed three approaches to deal with an onset of anxiety. First...he says...breathe deeply through the nose for a few seconds, working the diaphragm to accomplish this, and then take twice as long to slowly exhale through the mouth. Dial recommends repeating this a number of times, and claims that it has helped him. Second, he says to challenge the anxious feeling, determining its source and replacing it with an alternate, truer reality as to what is most likely to happen instead of the fears underlying that anxiety. And finally, Rob Dial suggests that familiarizing oneself...in a "safe" way...with the object of the anxiety can take the edge off the fear causing the trouble. I'm good with all three suggestions, but also recognize that when the emotions take charge, it can be a while before the body responds well to methods to counteract anxiety or panic attacks. For me, if feasible I take a brief "mindfulness" break and do a modification of Dial's breathing exercises while simply focusing my attention to the immediate physical environment in front of me and away from the anxiety-producing situation. Seems to work...how do you deal with this sort of thing?
Saturday, April 8, 2023
Missed Out on This Morning's Half Marathon: Better Luck Next Time
Through a comedy of (my) errors, I missed out on this morning's "Run Your Buns Off" half-marathon race, held on the (awesome) Hawthorne Trail starting and ending at the little town of Hawthorne a few miles southeast of Gainesville. In retrospect...and I don't think it's just sour grapes...the fact that I drove all the way out there forgetting to take along my bib with the embedded timing chip was probably for the better. I had squeezed out a small parking spot near the starting line and got out to pay a quick pre-race visit to the porta-potty when I noticed what seemed to be an endless line in front of the (only) two provided...this all happening only 15 minutes before race time. But it was then that I noticed the bibs on the runners mulling around and realized that it was "game over" since my own was lying on my desk some 15 miles away. I walked directly back to my car, scooted out of there and, a few minutes later, did my own mulling over coffee at a Gainesville Dunkin' Donuts. The race's starting temperature was around 70 degrees with a horrible humidity exceeding 90%...I experienced something similar last October in another half-marathon that was thoroughly miserable. I also felt sleepy this morning...if I want to participate in these races, I need to get into the habit of sleeping earlier and waking up earlier. As it was, I went home after Dunkin' and slept for a couple more hours. I should have known up front that this race wasn't going to turn out as planned...although I had set my alarm for 5:30 to give me plenty of time to get ready, somewhere along the line...in my sleep, apparently...I had turned it off and only woke up, thanks to Melissa, at 6. So, what did I learn? One, shift my waking and sleeping times to accommodate activities earlier in the morning. Two, be more selective with these races and who conducts them. And three: oh hell, I think two lessons are enough...