Once I had this notion that my hordes of faithful readers out there would click onto my website each day to follow what I had written for that day. The days of that notion are gone, regrettably, as I know now that folks are either into their little Facebook social networking feedback loops and completely miss this blog, or only access it via a search of their topic of interest. In either case, taking the pains to put out a daily article makes no sense. Therefore, from now on I'm publishing 'em when I write 'em...
This is why you're about to experience articles #2, #3, and #4 for this one date: I wrote all of them together, and in a very short time span (along with this one)...
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Friday, February 22, 2013
Asssorted Thoughts
Just some random notes to keep up some semblance of continuity on this blog, which I'm still attached to. Times have been busy for me of late, and all sorts of different things are going on in my personal life, most of which are for the better. The family is doing fine as well.
--I'm disappointed in this so-called "winter". Right now, around 11:30 in the morning, the temperature is 80 degrees and expect to rise several more. Ugh, I get enough of this the rest of the year here in northern Florida...why can 't I get a break from it for just a month or two?!
--The University of Florida men's basketball team this year is one of their all-time best. Whether or not they can win the national championship, though, depends on how they can deal with pressure. So far, though, each time they have surged in the national rankings, they quickly lost their next game.
--The Los Angeles Lakers are an enigma. With all of their talent, at this writing they are still four games under .500. The ultimate question the sports analysts are asking is whether Dwight Howard is finally getting into form and will play an important role in their success during the rest of the regular season. He had a good game a couple of nights ago against Boston. If the Lakers can play to that level the rest of the year, then they should be able to sneak into the playoffs. And once they're able to accomplish that, who knows how far they will go...
--I am still running, with plans to enter a half-marathon race in Tavares, Florida, on March 3.
--My workplace is undergoing draconian changes in employee assignments, reporting times, and days off. Hopefully, my dear colleagues there will be able to adjust to the often very sudden demands put upon them with their altered schedules. After all, we all have lives of our own, many of us with family members who depend on us to be there for them according to our availability. A little more advance warning from the party making these changes would have been sheer, common courtesy. But here we are and this is what we have to deal with...
--I'm disappointed in this so-called "winter". Right now, around 11:30 in the morning, the temperature is 80 degrees and expect to rise several more. Ugh, I get enough of this the rest of the year here in northern Florida...why can 't I get a break from it for just a month or two?!
--The University of Florida men's basketball team this year is one of their all-time best. Whether or not they can win the national championship, though, depends on how they can deal with pressure. So far, though, each time they have surged in the national rankings, they quickly lost their next game.
--The Los Angeles Lakers are an enigma. With all of their talent, at this writing they are still four games under .500. The ultimate question the sports analysts are asking is whether Dwight Howard is finally getting into form and will play an important role in their success during the rest of the regular season. He had a good game a couple of nights ago against Boston. If the Lakers can play to that level the rest of the year, then they should be able to sneak into the playoffs. And once they're able to accomplish that, who knows how far they will go...
--I am still running, with plans to enter a half-marathon race in Tavares, Florida, on March 3.
--My workplace is undergoing draconian changes in employee assignments, reporting times, and days off. Hopefully, my dear colleagues there will be able to adjust to the often very sudden demands put upon them with their altered schedules. After all, we all have lives of our own, many of us with family members who depend on us to be there for them according to our availability. A little more advance warning from the party making these changes would have been sheer, common courtesy. But here we are and this is what we have to deal with...
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Re: Recent Sparcity of Blog Articles
In case you haven't noticed it (how couldn't you), this blog's entries have tended to be rather sparse in the past few days, even months. I used to put out daily articles, but a combination of factors has slowed down my writing rate. One is that my daily schedule is more full of other things, and any time I have left over to write often slips by or finds me too tired. Another factor is that I have come to my wit's end with the nonsense I see going on in the news, particularly in the realm of politics. I see a handful of folks on TV like the brilliant Rachel Maddow tackle and refute a lot of the worst head-on, but there is so much b.s. going on that I feel overcome should I pay too much attention to it. Of course, there are other things I can write about, but even with those I seem to have lost a crucial degree of interest in sharing my thoughts with others on the Web. I don't know whether this will be permanent or is just short-term. But that's how it is, anyway...
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
March Half-Marathon in the Works
It is looking more and more like I will be running in that Sunday, March 3 Orange Blossom Half-Marathon in Tavares/Mount Dora. It also looks as if Melissa will be accompanying me; she plans to walk the 5K event when I run mine. I just got that Satuday off so, we can make a weekend out of it! And that has special meaning because she grew up in that area in Lake County, while I myself lived there for a few months back in 1987.
Meanwhile, much further south where I grew up, half-marathons abound year-round. There are two events held regularly, both in northern Dade County. One is just east of North Miami Beach and the other is in Hialeah. Both are trail runs, too. It might be fun to try one or both of them out on future visits. But the only reason I still have to visit there is to attend to my 86-year-old father. Maybe I can schedule a trip there around when they're holding a half-marathon. But I don't think I'll be running anything long in south Florida during the hot and humid summer months: I had a bad experience down there a couple of years ago when I was almost overcome by the heat and humidity, and on a relatively short four-mile jog at that.
Meanwhile, much further south where I grew up, half-marathons abound year-round. There are two events held regularly, both in northern Dade County. One is just east of North Miami Beach and the other is in Hialeah. Both are trail runs, too. It might be fun to try one or both of them out on future visits. But the only reason I still have to visit there is to attend to my 86-year-old father. Maybe I can schedule a trip there around when they're holding a half-marathon. But I don't think I'll be running anything long in south Florida during the hot and humid summer months: I had a bad experience down there a couple of years ago when I was almost overcome by the heat and humidity, and on a relatively short four-mile jog at that.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Attractive [Personality] Models, Part II
Back a couple of years, I ran across a book written by ultra-marathon distance runner Dean Karnazes about his passion for this sport, aptly titled Ultramarathon Runner. The book is more or less a rough autobiography of "Karno", as he is popularly known, as it relates to his running. One thing that stood out in this account was this individual's very strong sense of purpose and determination when it came to identifying his goals and then acting upon them, regardless what anyone around him said about their attainability. His philosophy mirrored that of one of his early running coaches: go all out from the very beginning until the finish, and if you have anything left at the end...then you didn't try hard enough! Well, I think in order to live my life in this matter, I would need heaping amounts of both courage and faith in my eventual success in the face of the inevitable pain, exhaustion, and discouragement that heady, even sometimes outrageously ambitious undertakings can elicit. But I think that it has been these very factors, which would filter out most of us, that has motivated Karnazes in his efforts. For he believes that his courage and the triumph of his doggedness WILL achieve success. Period. Karnazes hasn't just done this with his running exploits: he has also overachieved both in college, as a corporate executive, and as an independent entrepreneur.
Do I personally know others like Karno? Not exactly: I know many people whose determination to achieve a difficult goal has been inspirational, but I couldn't really say that it was a defining characteristic of their personality. And perhaps this, realistically, is where I would want to emulate someone like Mr. Karnazes...by identifying some specific areas in my life that I strongly desire to achieve greatness in and then pouring on the effort to go full speed ahead, damn the torpedoes!
Do I personally know others like Karno? Not exactly: I know many people whose determination to achieve a difficult goal has been inspirational, but I couldn't really say that it was a defining characteristic of their personality. And perhaps this, realistically, is where I would want to emulate someone like Mr. Karnazes...by identifying some specific areas in my life that I strongly desire to achieve greatness in and then pouring on the effort to go full speed ahead, damn the torpedoes!
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Attractive [Personality] Models, Part I
There is a type of personality that I envy; not that I actually would want to exchange identities with those who possess it. For the most part, I tend to be reserved, passive, and not a wee bit suspicious concerning my interactions with others. For anyone who knows anything about my upbringing as a child, this should not come as a surprise. After all, we grow up emulating those around us the most and tend to adopt their demeanor and outlook, including how we see and react to other people. But from time to time in my life, I have run across others who approach their social dealings in an entirely different manner, cultivating each individual relationship in conversation with the theme almost always being getting to know the other and their experiences and views. You might think that this personality type exhibits some degree of maturity, but I encountered more of them in my early, pre-adolescent childhood among some of my age-group peers. Then, going through puberty seemed to change a lot of them into reserved, hypercompetitive types with whom an interaction was seen as a contest, if not a threat to them. But even in high school, I would occasionally (not often, though) run across a refreshing, friendly soul whose attitude was positive and interested. The most striking occurrence with this was back in my tenth grade chemistry class when, out of the blue, a kid a year older than me, Steve, introduced himself and instituted a friendship. He displayed a mixture of that childlike (not childish) enthusiasm and friendliness... plus something I would later abruptly recognize on PBS Playhouse's version of a forties' hit movie...
In the early 1980's, I had pretty much isolated myself from the world at large, living alone like a hermit except when the need arose to go to work (where I pretty much kept to myself as well, with some notable exceptions). One exquisitely solitary evening at home, I had my tiny b/w television tuned in to the local Public Broadcasting channel when "their" new version of the old cinematic classic You Can't Take It With You came on. The starring role in this one (more so than in the original 1938 movie) was the oddball family's "Grandpa" Martin Vanderhof, perfectly played by Jason Robards. This character captivated me by his interest in others and his relaxed demeanor about life in general. Robards stole the movie with his portrayal and made this 1984 version of an already popular story something that all good pieces of art, music, and literature do: it began to effect a change within me, in this case with me looking more outward than inward.
I don't possess Martin's personality...at least most of the time I don't. But I do often find myself engaging others in the very same type of banter that he did in that unforgettable show I saw nearly thirty years ago. But get this: this character, by his own admission, had undergone a transformational change himself and had made a decision to value things that were more important. His choice was to abandon the pursuit of a high-stress career, leaving the rat race to others. My change may not manifest in the exact same way as his, but we just might end up in the same place, anyway. I hope so, at least: he seemed to be one happy dude!
In the early 1980's, I had pretty much isolated myself from the world at large, living alone like a hermit except when the need arose to go to work (where I pretty much kept to myself as well, with some notable exceptions). One exquisitely solitary evening at home, I had my tiny b/w television tuned in to the local Public Broadcasting channel when "their" new version of the old cinematic classic You Can't Take It With You came on. The starring role in this one (more so than in the original 1938 movie) was the oddball family's "Grandpa" Martin Vanderhof, perfectly played by Jason Robards. This character captivated me by his interest in others and his relaxed demeanor about life in general. Robards stole the movie with his portrayal and made this 1984 version of an already popular story something that all good pieces of art, music, and literature do: it began to effect a change within me, in this case with me looking more outward than inward.
I don't possess Martin's personality...at least most of the time I don't. But I do often find myself engaging others in the very same type of banter that he did in that unforgettable show I saw nearly thirty years ago. But get this: this character, by his own admission, had undergone a transformational change himself and had made a decision to value things that were more important. His choice was to abandon the pursuit of a high-stress career, leaving the rat race to others. My change may not manifest in the exact same way as his, but we just might end up in the same place, anyway. I hope so, at least: he seemed to be one happy dude!
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Some Half-Marathons in My Area
After successfully completing the Ocala Half-Marathon on January 20, I began to look ahead on the calendar for more upcoming races of this distance taking place in my general area. Since I work on Saturdays and am off on Sundays, I focused on the races offered on Sunday and ignored the rest. One race stuck out: the Tallahassee Half-Marathon, held on February 3. I had only been in my home state's capital city once in my life, in 1994, and I was only then driving through it on my way to Texas. A visit and a run...yes, that sounded appealing, at least at the beginning...
I was hoping that the Tallahassee Half-Marathon's course would wind through the various interesting sites of this important city, including Florida State University, Florida A&M, and the downtown area which features various state government buildings such as the state capitol. Instead, though, when I visited the event's website, I discovered that, although the race did begin and end at FSU, it quickly turned down a "rails-to-trails" path that ran out of the city: a "there-and-back" course, avoiding the more interesting sites I wanted to experience as a runner/tourist. That's a shame, because I already have a race like that in Gainesville: the Tom Walker Memorial Half-Marathon, held in the late autumn on another converted railway-to-pathway (leading away from Gainesville...and then back). It's fun to run in (I've done it twice so far), but I like the more tourist-friendly Five-Points event held in February, and which goes through the heart of Gainesville as well as the University of Florida. Alas, though, I'm committed to something else (more important) this year when this race happens on February 17...
Well, my disappointment at the Tallahassee race course turned out to be a moot point as I had developed an annoying, nagging cough due to a cold combined with allergies. I didn't feel up to running that distance anyway, so passing up on that race wasn't such a bad deal. Besides...
On March 3, in Tavares, Florida, there will be a half-marathon race that goes by some pretty lakeside scenery. It's on a Sunday morning, too. In 1987, I lived for about seven months down there in Lake County, a few miles west of Tavares in Leesburg (in the general vicinity of Orlando). It's not a very long drive there and back, and the race looks very interesting. So if things keep looking positive and I keep up my health, then maybe I'll try this one more half-marathon before the temperatures here in Florida begin to heat up in the springtime.
There is one additional point I'd like to make about the way some of these races are organized, one that has made me scratch some of them off my list of possibilities. The race packet pick-up is often mandated the day before in the race's city, which means that, unless I already live near or relatively close by, I would have to make an overnight commitment to stay at a hotel (I think that's their cynical idea behind this policy) or make two long trips. To the credit of the Tallahassee and Tavares organizers, neither of them made packet pickup a requirement the day before the race, giving runners the option of picking them up on raceday morning before the start. Others are rigid with this pack pickup policy: if the race is farther from my home than Ocala (about 40 miles distant), these folks can just forget about my participation. So another race taking place near Live Oak next month that could have been fun to run in won't see me anywhere near there since they have this ridiculous "day-before" mandated packet pickup policy...
I was hoping that the Tallahassee Half-Marathon's course would wind through the various interesting sites of this important city, including Florida State University, Florida A&M, and the downtown area which features various state government buildings such as the state capitol. Instead, though, when I visited the event's website, I discovered that, although the race did begin and end at FSU, it quickly turned down a "rails-to-trails" path that ran out of the city: a "there-and-back" course, avoiding the more interesting sites I wanted to experience as a runner/tourist. That's a shame, because I already have a race like that in Gainesville: the Tom Walker Memorial Half-Marathon, held in the late autumn on another converted railway-to-pathway (leading away from Gainesville...and then back). It's fun to run in (I've done it twice so far), but I like the more tourist-friendly Five-Points event held in February, and which goes through the heart of Gainesville as well as the University of Florida. Alas, though, I'm committed to something else (more important) this year when this race happens on February 17...
Well, my disappointment at the Tallahassee race course turned out to be a moot point as I had developed an annoying, nagging cough due to a cold combined with allergies. I didn't feel up to running that distance anyway, so passing up on that race wasn't such a bad deal. Besides...
On March 3, in Tavares, Florida, there will be a half-marathon race that goes by some pretty lakeside scenery. It's on a Sunday morning, too. In 1987, I lived for about seven months down there in Lake County, a few miles west of Tavares in Leesburg (in the general vicinity of Orlando). It's not a very long drive there and back, and the race looks very interesting. So if things keep looking positive and I keep up my health, then maybe I'll try this one more half-marathon before the temperatures here in Florida begin to heat up in the springtime.
There is one additional point I'd like to make about the way some of these races are organized, one that has made me scratch some of them off my list of possibilities. The race packet pick-up is often mandated the day before in the race's city, which means that, unless I already live near or relatively close by, I would have to make an overnight commitment to stay at a hotel (I think that's their cynical idea behind this policy) or make two long trips. To the credit of the Tallahassee and Tavares organizers, neither of them made packet pickup a requirement the day before the race, giving runners the option of picking them up on raceday morning before the start. Others are rigid with this pack pickup policy: if the race is farther from my home than Ocala (about 40 miles distant), these folks can just forget about my participation. So another race taking place near Live Oak next month that could have been fun to run in won't see me anywhere near there since they have this ridiculous "day-before" mandated packet pickup policy...
Sunday, February 3, 2013
My General Political Stances
It's been quite a while since I've written about politics. So let me recap my general views on things in that area. I tend to support more liberal positions on the issues, so that usually lands me squarely in the Democratic camp as opposed to the Republicans. I like health insurance reform, but I think the recently enacted Affordable Care Act didn't go far enough and should have been tax-supported instead of having an enormous competitive disadvantage placed on the backs of American businesses, which really don't have a logical connection with health insurance benefits other than that, in the beginning, some companies offered them as a lure to employees and the practice gradually expanded. I support immigration reform, which is needed for different reasons, not the least of which being that we don't need a subclass walking our supposedly free streets too afraid to seek police protection from the real criminals out there. I support firearms regulation and actually do something the so-called conservatives usually insist upon (but don't when discussing gun control): I read the United States Constitution, specifically its Second Amendment, in the context of the late eighteenth century when it was written and when the fledgling nation had no standing peacetime army. It depended upon its citizenry, along with their ready arms, to be quickly available in response to a military necessity. Now that we have the world's most powerful standing armed forces, that need is unnecessary and the amendment is outmoded. I believe that deficits and the national debt should not be interpreted in terms of raw dollar amounts, but rather in relation to the amount of gross domestic product...and that the tax breaks given to the wealthy in essence amount to the rich being the biggest "takers" of government entitlements. I believe that patience and diplomacy should accompany our use of military and that the sheer presence of our forces in an troubled region can sometimes be an effective deterrent to threats against us, without necessarily instituting open conflict. There are other issues, some of which you may fault me for omitting... but what I'm done here is cover some of the more pressing, headline-grabbing issues affecting us now...
Thursday, January 31, 2013
My January 2013 Running Report
In January, my running mileage continued to mount as I continued to run both mornings and nights. Also, each run tended to be for longer distances. This was supposed to be the one month of the year that I could count on for pleasant, cool and cry conditions outdoors. Instead, it was usually hot and humid. Nevertheless, I plodded on and even did the Ocala Half-Marathon on the 20th, with an unanticipated fast (for me) time of 1:55:20. Considering that I hadn't run a half-marathon in over a year, not to mention the very hilly course located primarily just south of Ocala, I was surprised how well this race went for me. But for the past several days of the month, I have been suffering from upper respiratory tract woes and the running has dwindled. Still...
I still managed to top 200 miles, with a total of 200.72 for January. Also, I ran on every day, bringing my running streak to 276 consecutive days. But this streak may not last very far into this month unless the health concern I just mentioned doesn't clear up. My longest run was, naturally, the 13.1 mile half-marathon.
I don't see myself in February running as much as I did in January. Still, once I've recovered I hope to resume "running" up the mileage and at least adhere to my original 100-miles-per-month strategy...
I still managed to top 200 miles, with a total of 200.72 for January. Also, I ran on every day, bringing my running streak to 276 consecutive days. But this streak may not last very far into this month unless the health concern I just mentioned doesn't clear up. My longest run was, naturally, the 13.1 mile half-marathon.
I don't see myself in February running as much as I did in January. Still, once I've recovered I hope to resume "running" up the mileage and at least adhere to my original 100-miles-per-month strategy...
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Upcoming February Stress and My Serenity
The upcoming month of February, 2013 looms as one of those transitional (or transformational) times that I find myself passing through, albeit not necessarily as I would like. It seems, though, that, like it or not, many areas of my life will be tested and most probably changed considerably by the time that March 1 rolls around. Health, family, work...everything seems to be coming to a head in February. Some things I see ahead for me that are for the good, but some give me an ominous feeling of foreboding. There is a wonderful saying that some Christian circles use for stressful and potentially dangerous times like this, and it is called The Serenity Prayer, composed by Reinhold Niebuhr (this is just its first part):
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
I need to pass through what I see as a period of stressful instability in my various situations, but I can remain serene through it all! As a matter of fact, this may be a vital survival strategy for me...
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
I need to pass through what I see as a period of stressful instability in my various situations, but I can remain serene through it all! As a matter of fact, this may be a vital survival strategy for me...
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Renewing Interest in Watching Tennis
My 86-year old father is mentally sharp as a tack, although he often complains that the rest of his body seems to be breaking down. One of his passions, something that he has enjoyed for decades, is watching professional tennis on TV. I remember as a teenager following players like Chris Evert, Evonne Goolagong, Martina Navratilova, Billy Jean King, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, and Björn Borg in the 1970s, but once I moved away to live on my own I ceased to care about the sport. So the years have passed and now it is 2013. I talk regularly on the phone with my father, and he often brings up tennis. He knows that I don't follow it, but still he speaks the names of various players and tournaments as if I know who and what he's talking about. Well, I now feel I'm in a better position to hold my own in a tennis discussion with him because...
I already knew (from my dad) that the Australian Open was ongoing. Favored Serena Williams had already been eliminated, and my father had already mentioned an upstart young American woman who had advanced far past her ranking. On the men's side, my father favored Novak Djokovic over the others, which as it turns out is a good thing...he's the best player in the world right now! But I was only marginally aware of him until a few nights ago when I accidentally dozed off in front of the television with the channel on ESPN...and woke up in the wee hours of the morning to witness a live broadcast of an Australian Open semifinals match between Djokovic and fourth seeded David Ferrer. Normally, I would have just dozed back off to sleep. Instead I became entranced by the match and thought that maybe...just maybe, tennis wasn't all that boring to watch after all. After Djokovic disposed of his opponent in straight sets, ESPN showed a replay of the final minutes in one of the women's semifinals pitting eventual champion Victoria Azarenka against that "upstart American" Sloane Stephens. In one game, Azarenka had five match points against Stephens, including a double match point, but her young opponent managed to come from behind with incredible tenacity and win that game. She eventually lost that match, but made a deep impression on me as someone who may end up ranked #1 in the not-to-distant future.
I also later saw the replay of the men's finals match between Djokovic and Andy Murray, which the former won with much more difficulty than he had in the semifinals.
Tennis is something that I may find myself watching more of. Of course, just knowing what I do now already greatly enhances the quality of the phone chats I have with my father. But I also like the timelessness of the sport, something akin to baseball, where the athletes, coaches, fans, and officials aren't slaves to the clock...
I already knew (from my dad) that the Australian Open was ongoing. Favored Serena Williams had already been eliminated, and my father had already mentioned an upstart young American woman who had advanced far past her ranking. On the men's side, my father favored Novak Djokovic over the others, which as it turns out is a good thing...he's the best player in the world right now! But I was only marginally aware of him until a few nights ago when I accidentally dozed off in front of the television with the channel on ESPN...and woke up in the wee hours of the morning to witness a live broadcast of an Australian Open semifinals match between Djokovic and fourth seeded David Ferrer. Normally, I would have just dozed back off to sleep. Instead I became entranced by the match and thought that maybe...just maybe, tennis wasn't all that boring to watch after all. After Djokovic disposed of his opponent in straight sets, ESPN showed a replay of the final minutes in one of the women's semifinals pitting eventual champion Victoria Azarenka against that "upstart American" Sloane Stephens. In one game, Azarenka had five match points against Stephens, including a double match point, but her young opponent managed to come from behind with incredible tenacity and win that game. She eventually lost that match, but made a deep impression on me as someone who may end up ranked #1 in the not-to-distant future.
I also later saw the replay of the men's finals match between Djokovic and Andy Murray, which the former won with much more difficulty than he had in the semifinals.
Tennis is something that I may find myself watching more of. Of course, just knowing what I do now already greatly enhances the quality of the phone chats I have with my father. But I also like the timelessness of the sport, something akin to baseball, where the athletes, coaches, fans, and officials aren't slaves to the clock...
Monday, January 28, 2013
Are L.A. Lakers Back on Track?
Last night I was watching a basketball game on TV. There haven't been too many lately that have attracted my interest, but this one was special: the Los Angeles Lakers were hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder...and were slightly ahead early in the fourth quarter. The Lakers were supposed to be the team to beat in the NBA this year after they acquired Steve Nash and Dwight Howard. But instead, they floundered and now find themselves on the outside of a playoff spot, several games under .500 with the regular season just past halfway over. The problem with this team that has such a star lineup as the previous two, along with Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Metta World Peace, has yet to figure out a way to work effectively together. I know that the Miami Heat faced a similar situation a couple of years ago when they acquired LeBron James and Chris Bosh, but at least they were generally winning their games. The Lakers have looked comparatively weaker. But very recently, it has begun to look as if they are beginning to get their "mojo" back. This game against the Thunder, which has the best record in the NBA, showed a different LA team: everyone playing in harmony! I was stunned by their lead, and wondered whether they could hold it until the end of the game.
I happened to encounter this game while running on a treadmill (which sports a built-in television) at my workout gym. I sometimes play a little game of my own and tell myself I'll keep running until a specific thing happens on a show I'm watching (usually its ending). So I vowed to stay on the treadmill until this game was over, although I had originally only intended to run a couple of miles. Instead, when the shocking final score of "Lakers 105, Thunder 96" was flashed on the screen, I had covered four miles. Thanks for the inspiration, team!
I used to despise the Lakers because one of their players, Andrew Bynum, displayed thuggish behavior during the playoffs a couple of years ago against a Dallas Mavericks player. He's gone, and they still have a problematic member in World Peace, formerly known as Ron Artest, a player with a long trail of behavior problems. Still, he seems to fit well with the others and I do think that Nash and Bryant are incredible players. So I'm rooting for them now. We'll just have to see how lasting this resurgence truly is. They already just made a huge statement by beating the Thunder!
I happened to encounter this game while running on a treadmill (which sports a built-in television) at my workout gym. I sometimes play a little game of my own and tell myself I'll keep running until a specific thing happens on a show I'm watching (usually its ending). So I vowed to stay on the treadmill until this game was over, although I had originally only intended to run a couple of miles. Instead, when the shocking final score of "Lakers 105, Thunder 96" was flashed on the screen, I had covered four miles. Thanks for the inspiration, team!
I used to despise the Lakers because one of their players, Andrew Bynum, displayed thuggish behavior during the playoffs a couple of years ago against a Dallas Mavericks player. He's gone, and they still have a problematic member in World Peace, formerly known as Ron Artest, a player with a long trail of behavior problems. Still, he seems to fit well with the others and I do think that Nash and Bryant are incredible players. So I'm rooting for them now. We'll just have to see how lasting this resurgence truly is. They already just made a huge statement by beating the Thunder!
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Goal, Project, Routine, Habit, Event, Review
I am 56 years old, and I have a long way to go. No, I don't mean by this that I know that I will live to be very old; nobody really knows what the next day, or for that matter, even the next minute will bring. No, I mean that, for where I am standing right here in my life, there are several areas that could stand improvement, some being in the zone of "dire" improvement. Some of these areas can be observed by others, while some are internal in nature, not readily discerned. But all have the same basic features in common when it comes to tackling them and making some lasting improvement.
First, there is the goal. Say, for example, that I want to keep my home and car clean, uncluttered, and organized (this turns out to be one of those "dire", observable needs). I first have to recognize not only that I want to improve in this area, but also be more specific in my aims. Then comes a plan of action, sure to spotlight the need for routines. But often the first thing to do is an initial project...
Before working to maintain my home area, I first need to undertake the major, time consuming task of overhauling the mess I've built up over the years. This project is not necessarily something that can always be broken down to daily routines. Rather, large blocks of time often have to be set to get this work done. In other areas, it isn't necessarily time that is a factor: obtaining the necessary equipment and tools for the goal is often a prerequisite. Once that initial project has been completed, though, it is time to institute routines...
Routines are regular actions I take, and for which I record my progress, that are designed to improve the area of my goal. So when I spend time and effort working on my car, in my yard, or house (and especially that cluttered garage), I time myself and write down time spent, along with the nature of the activity. Sometimes doing this before I plan out routines gives me a more realistic picture of what I am capable of doing, avoiding making unrealistic targets that set me up for failure. Once these routines become a part of my unconscious behavior, they become habits...
Developing good habits is the ultimately successful outcome in any self-improvement goal. Because, after all, I am by definition trying improving my self, and I want the habits to be healthful and part of me. But along with developed constructive habits goes something that, in my opinion, makes them more permanent: the event...
An event, or test, if you will, exposes the results of a self-improvement program, usually in a more public or social setting. With keeping my home environment clean and in order, this might well mean having people over for company...even regular group meetings for various purposes. In running, the event would be a public race. Writing could be culminated in seeking publishing for money (this blog is automatically published and counts to me as more of a routine). Each area can have its own type of event that publicly demonstrates what has been accomplished.
Finally, there is one other stage to self-improvement, one that I think often gets neglected: review. Looking back through my records (and memory) at my goals and their fulfillment (or lack thereof) can shed light on what is really important and what isn't. It can lead the way to new goals or a redirection of old ones. The problem with reviewing is that too often, no time is set aside to perform this necessary function.
The goal, project, routine, habit, event, and review are each important elements within a program of self-improvement. Taken together, they greatly enhance the prospects for success and personal empowerment...
First, there is the goal. Say, for example, that I want to keep my home and car clean, uncluttered, and organized (this turns out to be one of those "dire", observable needs). I first have to recognize not only that I want to improve in this area, but also be more specific in my aims. Then comes a plan of action, sure to spotlight the need for routines. But often the first thing to do is an initial project...
Before working to maintain my home area, I first need to undertake the major, time consuming task of overhauling the mess I've built up over the years. This project is not necessarily something that can always be broken down to daily routines. Rather, large blocks of time often have to be set to get this work done. In other areas, it isn't necessarily time that is a factor: obtaining the necessary equipment and tools for the goal is often a prerequisite. Once that initial project has been completed, though, it is time to institute routines...
Routines are regular actions I take, and for which I record my progress, that are designed to improve the area of my goal. So when I spend time and effort working on my car, in my yard, or house (and especially that cluttered garage), I time myself and write down time spent, along with the nature of the activity. Sometimes doing this before I plan out routines gives me a more realistic picture of what I am capable of doing, avoiding making unrealistic targets that set me up for failure. Once these routines become a part of my unconscious behavior, they become habits...
Developing good habits is the ultimately successful outcome in any self-improvement goal. Because, after all, I am by definition trying improving my self, and I want the habits to be healthful and part of me. But along with developed constructive habits goes something that, in my opinion, makes them more permanent: the event...
An event, or test, if you will, exposes the results of a self-improvement program, usually in a more public or social setting. With keeping my home environment clean and in order, this might well mean having people over for company...even regular group meetings for various purposes. In running, the event would be a public race. Writing could be culminated in seeking publishing for money (this blog is automatically published and counts to me as more of a routine). Each area can have its own type of event that publicly demonstrates what has been accomplished.
Finally, there is one other stage to self-improvement, one that I think often gets neglected: review. Looking back through my records (and memory) at my goals and their fulfillment (or lack thereof) can shed light on what is really important and what isn't. It can lead the way to new goals or a redirection of old ones. The problem with reviewing is that too often, no time is set aside to perform this necessary function.
The goal, project, routine, habit, event, and review are each important elements within a program of self-improvement. Taken together, they greatly enhance the prospects for success and personal empowerment...
Friday, January 25, 2013
The Running Tourist Thwarted
When I first became interested in entering the longer running races like marathons and half-marathons a few years ago, I naturally went on the blogosphere to see what other similarly interested folks were writing about the topic and their experiences. One blogger, a woman a few years older than me, had just completed the Walt Disney World Marathon (I think it was January 2010). She wasn't a fast runner and that didn't bother her a bit, something that I could definitely relate to. Instead, while completing this theme park course she would take pictures of what was going on around her, effectively becoming a "running tourist". I thought that this would a cool thing for me to take up, too. I had just finished a local half-marathon, my first ever, and discovered by surfing the Net just how many there were nationwide. I also had plans then of lengthening my distance to the marathon event. Had I the free time and funds, this would have been a fun ongoing adventure. But alas, I am limited in what I can do. Still, I have thought of taking pictures while in the races I do enter. With poor results...
Take this last race I ran, the Ocala Half-Marathon, a few days ago. I had thought about bringing my Kodak digital camera along, but instead opted for running with my cellphone and its camera. Bad decision. The few photos I took on it were too blurry to use. Better to just strap on a fanny pack and take out the Kodak instead when a photo opportunity presents itself. More than that, though, I found myself too caught up in the running to pay that much attention to my surrounding environment. And the start of the race was relatively dark, anyway.
The last time I was in Ocala running this course, I had been forced to walk much of it due to a leg injury. I enjoyed the sightseeing, at least, and wished then I had carried a camera along. But this time, the running changed my focus, even though I could have looked around more. I wondered why I'm like this and then it dawned on me that when I am training, I am either running around my neighborhood, past house after house, or using the treadmill. With the latter, I had better not look around too much or I'll lose my balance on the machine. And with the former, I have been very careful not to look as if I am casing the neighborhood by gawking at other people's private residences. So I generally look down the road instead. Frankly, after all of these years of running past the same houses, I couldn't begin to describe what the great majority of them even look like...
So if and when I enter another half-marathon, I'll just strap on that fanny pack and whip out that Kodak. And resurrect the running tourist...
Take this last race I ran, the Ocala Half-Marathon, a few days ago. I had thought about bringing my Kodak digital camera along, but instead opted for running with my cellphone and its camera. Bad decision. The few photos I took on it were too blurry to use. Better to just strap on a fanny pack and take out the Kodak instead when a photo opportunity presents itself. More than that, though, I found myself too caught up in the running to pay that much attention to my surrounding environment. And the start of the race was relatively dark, anyway.
The last time I was in Ocala running this course, I had been forced to walk much of it due to a leg injury. I enjoyed the sightseeing, at least, and wished then I had carried a camera along. But this time, the running changed my focus, even though I could have looked around more. I wondered why I'm like this and then it dawned on me that when I am training, I am either running around my neighborhood, past house after house, or using the treadmill. With the latter, I had better not look around too much or I'll lose my balance on the machine. And with the former, I have been very careful not to look as if I am casing the neighborhood by gawking at other people's private residences. So I generally look down the road instead. Frankly, after all of these years of running past the same houses, I couldn't begin to describe what the great majority of them even look like...
So if and when I enter another half-marathon, I'll just strap on that fanny pack and whip out that Kodak. And resurrect the running tourist...
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Jerks on the Half-Marathon Course
Regarding Sunday's half-marathon I ran in, I noticed something again that had happened to me the previous half-marathon I participated in more than a year before. At a relatively early time in the race (with this one it was around the five-mile mark), a male runner passed me...and then slowed down, as if he were trying to express something to me. I, in turn, had to slow down and get behind him, because at that time runners were coming at me head-on in the opposite direction and he had essentially forced me into their path when he passed. I think he knew this and deliberately pulled this stunt just to get my attention. A little while down the road I passed him again...and then he would speed up and pass me...and then slow down. This went on for miles. He was changing his pace over and over again while I kept at a pretty constant rate. Finally, toward the race's end, he seemed to be permanently behind me. Until just as we were about to cross the finish line, when he suddenly sprinted full-throttle past me and crossed the finish line. I meant to ask him after the race what all this b.s. of his was about, since he was obviously much younger than me and I looked like a pretty old dude. But this creepy person had disappeared. Later I found that he was in his early thirties by looking at the results.
This guy obviously was trying to personally compete with me among the 262 runners entered, for reasons only he knows. So he was competitive: I get it, this is a race, after all. But had he done what I did and run at a more challenging pace for himself, he would have been perfectly capable of running five to ten minutes faster. I myself was spent at the end, with no capacity to sprint to the finish line. So he, in my opinion, is little more than a coward in his sport, too chicken-**it to take a chance and see what's he's really made of. Instead he picks a "fight" with a complete stranger who is old enough to have been his father...
A similar instance occurred at the DeLeon Springs Half-Marathon I ran back in January 2012. Another runner decided to do this same coy act on the course of speeding up and then slowing down for me to pass him. And then sprint past me at the end. Another dude who could have finished much faster had he decided to gut it out like a real man and not pick a contest with another entrant who wasn't even in on the "joke".
This guy obviously was trying to personally compete with me among the 262 runners entered, for reasons only he knows. So he was competitive: I get it, this is a race, after all. But had he done what I did and run at a more challenging pace for himself, he would have been perfectly capable of running five to ten minutes faster. I myself was spent at the end, with no capacity to sprint to the finish line. So he, in my opinion, is little more than a coward in his sport, too chicken-**it to take a chance and see what's he's really made of. Instead he picks a "fight" with a complete stranger who is old enough to have been his father...
A similar instance occurred at the DeLeon Springs Half-Marathon I ran back in January 2012. Another runner decided to do this same coy act on the course of speeding up and then slowing down for me to pass him. And then sprint past me at the end. Another dude who could have finished much faster had he decided to gut it out like a real man and not pick a contest with another entrant who wasn't even in on the "joke".
Monday, January 21, 2013
Lance Armstrong and the Competitive Psyche
The news is out, not that it's really news, as far as I am concerned. Lance Armstrong has finally admitted to all sorts of illegal drug use in order to gain an unfair advantage over his opponents in bicycle racing. In each of the seven Tour de France competitions that he won, Armstrong was doping himself up, according to his own words expressed in a recently released interview with Oprah Winfrey. But I already knew the dude had been doing this: many witnesses, including his own teammates, had testified to this fact already. It is annoying, but I suppose also human for someone to belligerently and repeatedly deny their guilt even when confronted with the facts. That, though, isn't what this article is about. It's about the competitive psyche of folks like Armstrong.
I think it can possibly be a dangerous lure for someone to have just enough talent in an athletic area that they can catch "competitive fever" and go all out for that championship in whatever sport they happen to be involved with. I see people involved in running who are like this. I'm not one of them because I'm not all that talented. But others are consumed with competition, and it is from these that a few are so fanatical and single-minded about winning that they will cut any corner, violate any rule, in order to get their "victory fix". I don't personally know of any athletes who have crossed the line into illicit doping, but at least in the sport of running I know of some who define themselves in terms of how fast their times are. Needless to say, I don't "qualify" to be in the same company.
That doesn't mean, though, that I don't care how fast I run my races. Before yesterday's Ocala Half-Marathon that I ran in, I set the bar pretty low for myself as far as personal goals were concerned: just finish the danged race without having to walk! But as the race developed, I found myself in a competitive cloud, trying to outpace other runners and finish fast. Crossing that finish line was in itself important, to be sure, but at the moment it happened I was keenly aware of my finishing time as well! So I have a competitive streak within me, too. But although I tend to get caught up in the fervor while the race is on and sometimes brag a little if I finish relatively well, I don't enter races with the view of beating others or setting personal records. And the thought of cheating by using banned substances defeats the whole purpose of it all, since (1) I'm not in a class where my results would matter to others beyond myself or closest friends and family and (2) (more importantly) using those substances would be tantamount to getting on a bicycle and whizzing by the other runners while proclaiming myself faster than them, an idiotic notion. And, of course, there are the ethical ramifications of cheating.
Sports are games, and as such shouldn't be taken so seriously. But there are some people how don't know how to lighten up and take the significance of "their" sport into perspective. They seem to have an issue with self-esteem, with winning a prerequisite to feeling good about oneself. But when they win, more often then not they are arrogant about it, as if this means that they are better than others. I remember a lot of this in high school, and my track team had some real athletic snobs on it. It's no wonder, in fact, that with all of the performance-enhancing chemicals floating around in the black market, that many athletes at the top of their sport would jump at the chance to gain an edge...and "matter", at least in their own minds. Of course, the fact that the big money to be made in sports is usually reserved for the very top performers is an aggravating factor leading to illegal doping...
I think it can possibly be a dangerous lure for someone to have just enough talent in an athletic area that they can catch "competitive fever" and go all out for that championship in whatever sport they happen to be involved with. I see people involved in running who are like this. I'm not one of them because I'm not all that talented. But others are consumed with competition, and it is from these that a few are so fanatical and single-minded about winning that they will cut any corner, violate any rule, in order to get their "victory fix". I don't personally know of any athletes who have crossed the line into illicit doping, but at least in the sport of running I know of some who define themselves in terms of how fast their times are. Needless to say, I don't "qualify" to be in the same company.
That doesn't mean, though, that I don't care how fast I run my races. Before yesterday's Ocala Half-Marathon that I ran in, I set the bar pretty low for myself as far as personal goals were concerned: just finish the danged race without having to walk! But as the race developed, I found myself in a competitive cloud, trying to outpace other runners and finish fast. Crossing that finish line was in itself important, to be sure, but at the moment it happened I was keenly aware of my finishing time as well! So I have a competitive streak within me, too. But although I tend to get caught up in the fervor while the race is on and sometimes brag a little if I finish relatively well, I don't enter races with the view of beating others or setting personal records. And the thought of cheating by using banned substances defeats the whole purpose of it all, since (1) I'm not in a class where my results would matter to others beyond myself or closest friends and family and (2) (more importantly) using those substances would be tantamount to getting on a bicycle and whizzing by the other runners while proclaiming myself faster than them, an idiotic notion. And, of course, there are the ethical ramifications of cheating.
Sports are games, and as such shouldn't be taken so seriously. But there are some people how don't know how to lighten up and take the significance of "their" sport into perspective. They seem to have an issue with self-esteem, with winning a prerequisite to feeling good about oneself. But when they win, more often then not they are arrogant about it, as if this means that they are better than others. I remember a lot of this in high school, and my track team had some real athletic snobs on it. It's no wonder, in fact, that with all of the performance-enhancing chemicals floating around in the black market, that many athletes at the top of their sport would jump at the chance to gain an edge...and "matter", at least in their own minds. Of course, the fact that the big money to be made in sports is usually reserved for the very top performers is an aggravating factor leading to illegal doping...
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Happy With Ocala Half-Marathon Experience
This morning I ran the Ocala Half-Marathon, marking the second time in three years I've gone down there (in 2011 I entered their marathon). This time I wanted simply to enjoy running the course to completion, something impossible the last time when a leg injury forced me to walk much of the distance. And it was a resounding success as I finished the 13.1-mile course in 1 hour 55 minutes 20 seconds, pretty much tying my personal record for this distance. The fact that the course was very hilly made this time surprising to me, along with fact that I hadn't run this far at one time since I ran the DeLeon Springs Half-Marathon on New Years Day 2012. Here are the results from the event's website.
The starting temperature at the 7:15 AM starting time was in the mid-fifties and rose to around 70 by the race's completion. The humidity was high throughout (a negative), but the sky was mostly overcast (a definite positive, eliminating sunrise glare). I had loaded up by eating a whole pizza the night before and had plenty of energy to sustain me throughout.
The folks who organized this event, along with the volunteers and other runners, were all friendly and easy to talk with. I have no complaints on any front (well, maybe one about one of the runners) and plan to enter the Ocala Half-Marathon next year...as long as my health holds up, that is.
I credit much of my running success in this race to the fact that, although I rarely did long training runs, I still amassed a lot of mileage by running twice on many days. I also lost some weight in the process, and that no doubt helped me to "drag" my body though 13.1 miles...
The starting temperature at the 7:15 AM starting time was in the mid-fifties and rose to around 70 by the race's completion. The humidity was high throughout (a negative), but the sky was mostly overcast (a definite positive, eliminating sunrise glare). I had loaded up by eating a whole pizza the night before and had plenty of energy to sustain me throughout.
The folks who organized this event, along with the volunteers and other runners, were all friendly and easy to talk with. I have no complaints on any front (well, maybe one about one of the runners) and plan to enter the Ocala Half-Marathon next year...as long as my health holds up, that is.
I credit much of my running success in this race to the fact that, although I rarely did long training runs, I still amassed a lot of mileage by running twice on many days. I also lost some weight in the process, and that no doubt helped me to "drag" my body though 13.1 miles...
Friday, January 18, 2013
2013 Ocala Half-Marathon Almost Here
As the number of days before this Sunday's Ocala Half-Marathon dwindles, I am trying to train in the best possible way to avoid any injuries while maintaining my running endurance level. The two seem to run contrary to each other, though. If I run too much, that increases the risk of a strain or pull. That's what happened in 2011 when I trained too much in the two weeks before the Ocala Marathon; I was in pain for most of that race, having to walk the past seven miles with an IT-band injury. But the way I see it, after my recent nearly-eleven mile run to see if I could handle the race distance of 13.1 miles, just sticking to what I have been doing is probably the best way to success. After all, I won't be losing endurance this way...
I will run moderately short distances on Saturday and Monday. That should help both in pre-race readiness and in post-race recovery. I am not trying to beat anyone and, quite frankly, am not very concerned with my personal finishing time. Just being able to run in this event, which features some pretty scenic views and back roads, is a treat. I'll be happy just covering the race course successfully to completion, running this time across the finish line (instead of walking).
I will run moderately short distances on Saturday and Monday. That should help both in pre-race readiness and in post-race recovery. I am not trying to beat anyone and, quite frankly, am not very concerned with my personal finishing time. Just being able to run in this event, which features some pretty scenic views and back roads, is a treat. I'll be happy just covering the race course successfully to completion, running this time across the finish line (instead of walking).
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
List Madness: Kasabian Songs Rated From Top To Bottom
Kasabian is a British alternative rock band that has made four albums in the past eight years. I first heard their music in 2005 when my local alternative rock radio station (which has since abandoned that genre) frequently played their hit Club Foot. Not particularly liking this piece at the time, I ignored them until the next song they played a few months later: L.S.F. (Lost Souls Forever). And then the following song was even better: Reason is Treason. All three were from their debut eponymous album. Later I acquired their subsequent works and have developed quite an attachment to their music. Instead of repeating information about the band's members, here is a link to the article in Wikipedia.
Lately, Kasabian has become the band that I predominantly listen to, especially while out running. So I decided to do what I've done with other musical acts and list their songs according to my liking. Please note, though, that ALL of their material is good, even that #45 track!
Following each song's listing is a letter standing for the album it's from: [k] Kasabian, [e] Empire, [w] West Ryder Lunatic Asylum, and [v] Velociraptor!. The band is still intact, in fact trying to get a foothold in the United States market by touring over here. Good luck to them! Anyway, here's my highly subjective, personal list...
1 Fire [w]
2 Me Plus One [e]
3 Test Transmission [k]
4 Secret Alphabets [w]
5 Days Are Forgotten [v]
6 Sun Rise Light Flies [e]
7 Reason is Treason [k]
8 I Hear Voices [v]
9 L.S.F. (Lost Souls Forever) [k]
10 Velociraptor! [v]
11 Switchblade Smiles [v]
12 Processed Beats [k]
13 Stuntman [e]
14 Butcher Blues [k]
15 Where Did All the Love Go [w]
16 Pinch Roller/Cutt Off [k]
17 Empire [e]
18 Swarfiga [w]
19 Running Battle [k]
20 Last Trip (In Flight) [e]
21 Shoot the Runner [e]
22 Fast Fuse [w]
23 Ovary Stripe [k]
24 I.D./Orange [k]
25 Re-Wired [v]
26 Let's Roll Just Like We Used To [v]
27 Club Foot [k]
28 British Legion [e]
29 By My Side [e]
30 Underdog [w]
31 Seek & Destroy [e]
32 Apnoea [e]
33 Thick as Thieves [w]
34 Happiness [w]
35 Vlad the Impaler [w]
36 Take Aim [w]
37 West Ryder Silver Bullet [w]
38 U Boat [k]
39 The Doberman [e]
40 Man of Simple Pleasures [v]
41 Acid Turkish Bath (Shelter From the Storm) [v]
42 Neon Noon [v]
43 Goodbye Kiss [v]
44 Ladies & Gentlemen, Roll the Dice [w]
45 La Feé Verte [v]
Lately, Kasabian has become the band that I predominantly listen to, especially while out running. So I decided to do what I've done with other musical acts and list their songs according to my liking. Please note, though, that ALL of their material is good, even that #45 track!
Following each song's listing is a letter standing for the album it's from: [k] Kasabian, [e] Empire, [w] West Ryder Lunatic Asylum, and [v] Velociraptor!. The band is still intact, in fact trying to get a foothold in the United States market by touring over here. Good luck to them! Anyway, here's my highly subjective, personal list...
1 Fire [w]
2 Me Plus One [e]
3 Test Transmission [k]
4 Secret Alphabets [w]
5 Days Are Forgotten [v]
6 Sun Rise Light Flies [e]
7 Reason is Treason [k]
8 I Hear Voices [v]
9 L.S.F. (Lost Souls Forever) [k]
10 Velociraptor! [v]
11 Switchblade Smiles [v]
12 Processed Beats [k]
13 Stuntman [e]
14 Butcher Blues [k]
15 Where Did All the Love Go [w]
16 Pinch Roller/Cutt Off [k]
17 Empire [e]
18 Swarfiga [w]
19 Running Battle [k]
20 Last Trip (In Flight) [e]
21 Shoot the Runner [e]
22 Fast Fuse [w]
23 Ovary Stripe [k]
24 I.D./Orange [k]
25 Re-Wired [v]
26 Let's Roll Just Like We Used To [v]
27 Club Foot [k]
28 British Legion [e]
29 By My Side [e]
30 Underdog [w]
31 Seek & Destroy [e]
32 Apnoea [e]
33 Thick as Thieves [w]
34 Happiness [w]
35 Vlad the Impaler [w]
36 Take Aim [w]
37 West Ryder Silver Bullet [w]
38 U Boat [k]
39 The Doberman [e]
40 Man of Simple Pleasures [v]
41 Acid Turkish Bath (Shelter From the Storm) [v]
42 Neon Noon [v]
43 Goodbye Kiss [v]
44 Ladies & Gentlemen, Roll the Dice [w]
45 La Feé Verte [v]
Monday, January 14, 2013
Twilight 10.84 Mile Run
Yesterday at twilight, with the temperature at an unseasonably unpleasant 79 degrees, I set out on what I determined would be a test run. Testing what, you might ask. Testing my ability to withstand a 13.1 mile run, I might answer. For I intend to register and run in the Ocala Half-Marathon, scheduled to take place this coming Sunday morning, January 20. But first I had to see how I did on a longer-than-usual run. I had been amassing some impressive mileage recently but they were split runs. I had to see what I could do in a single run...
As it turned out, I had nothing to be worried about. I ran 10.84 miles and could have gone further had the nighttime poor visibility not made more running nearly impossible. I had been concerned about hitting an "energy wall" when I would be too exhausted to finish. That had happened to me a couple of years ago at about the 20-mile mark when I was training for the marathon. But no energy wall this time; I just felt sore, which was to be expected since I hadn't covered this distance in nearly a year. So now I'm waiting to see how well I recover from yesterday's run. Today I ran 2.38 miles around my neighborhood and will most likely run a couple more on the treadmill later tonight. Then, if I still feel good, I'll sign up for the race. Should be fun.
I should have a easier go at it on race day morning, the way I see it. For one, it should be cooler. For another, I will have done my "carb-loading" the day before and should have more energy reserved for this race. I have been wanting to return to the site of my painful 2011 marathon finish, when an IT-band injury compelled me to walk the last 7 miles of the 26.2 mile race. This time I'm sticking with the half-marathon event, although the course is, for all purposes, the same, albeit without a repeated loop and a detour in the early goings...
As it turned out, I had nothing to be worried about. I ran 10.84 miles and could have gone further had the nighttime poor visibility not made more running nearly impossible. I had been concerned about hitting an "energy wall" when I would be too exhausted to finish. That had happened to me a couple of years ago at about the 20-mile mark when I was training for the marathon. But no energy wall this time; I just felt sore, which was to be expected since I hadn't covered this distance in nearly a year. So now I'm waiting to see how well I recover from yesterday's run. Today I ran 2.38 miles around my neighborhood and will most likely run a couple more on the treadmill later tonight. Then, if I still feel good, I'll sign up for the race. Should be fun.
I should have a easier go at it on race day morning, the way I see it. For one, it should be cooler. For another, I will have done my "carb-loading" the day before and should have more energy reserved for this race. I have been wanting to return to the site of my painful 2011 marathon finish, when an IT-band injury compelled me to walk the last 7 miles of the 26.2 mile race. This time I'm sticking with the half-marathon event, although the course is, for all purposes, the same, albeit without a repeated loop and a detour in the early goings...
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