That was a peep out of me.
I'm starting to wonder about the health of this blog; like so many others, is it now on it's way to retirement? I break my brief hiatus to ponder that for a moment, and only a moment since leaving for the office at 7:20 am and arriving home at 12:50 am doesn't leave a lot of time for self-expression.
Nor does it leave much time for self-actualization in non-career activities -- like marathoning. Let's face it, 90+ hour work weeks and marathon training don't mix. We all know that. Nevertheless, it's still somewhat gut-wrenching to receive an "Only 72 days left" email from NYRRC on the same day I've decided perhaps this marathon will be a "fun run." I've not actually managed to train in two weeks anyway; so fun run seems appropriate. (Obviously, as a "running blog," no running means iphiclus' raison d'etre is essentially, to use a technical term, kaput.)
Mr. John Smithwick is telling me not to worry about it tonight. So, that's what I'm going with.
Back on sabbatical. Checking back in next month...
Friday, August 24, 2007
Peep!
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Hiatus
Actually have been on hiatus for a few days; too much in real life to support this for a while. Back in a couple weeks hopefully.
In Review From July 16
| Monday | Rest | -- | -- |
| Tuesday | 8.25 miles | 59:15 | 7:11/mile |
| Wednesday | 5 miles | 39:00 | 7:48/mile |
| Thursday | 10.25 miles | 1:20:43 | 7:52/mile |
| Friday | Rest | -- | -- |
| Saturday | 16 Miles | 2:00:15 | 7:32/mile |
| Sunday | 4.9 miles | 37:47 | 7:43/mile |
| Total | 44.4 Miles | -- | -- |
| Monday | Rest | -- | -- |
| Tuesday | 8.6 Miles | 1:06:05 | 7:41/mile |
| Wednesday | 5 Miles | 38:44 | 7:45/mile |
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Virtuti, Honori, Gloriaeque
My new mantra for the down spells in runs. If you see a guy running around New York City muttering "Strength, Honor and Glory" under his breath in time with footstrikes (hopefully, and not just raggedly), that'd be me.
Today, in the second half of my long run, I'd sometimes add forti (strength, power) for virtuti, honori, gloriaeque, virtuti, honori, gloriaeque, et forti, et forti.
Why two words for strength? Well, the first virtus comes to us as virtue and stands for all the qualities of manly strength and virtue. Fortis on the other hand, is the more general physical strength. I puzzled over this choice for a while and I thought that virtus more closely captured the motivation necessary for a marathon mantra. In the same vein, when Maximus said to his troops "Strength and Honor," I don't think he said "Forti et Honori," but "Virtuti et Honori." (There was also a choice between honor and honestas, both of which mean "honor," but I decided on the English cognate.)
If you anyone's wondering why all this switching, e.g., from virtus to virtuti, the latter form indicates purpose and translates more fully into English as "for strength." Since these things aren't abstracts, but why I need to push through the my sore spots, struggle for virtue, for honor, and for glory and strength, that seemed the appropriate rendition of the mantra.
Virtuti, honori, gloriaeque, virtuti, honori, gloriaeque, et forti, et forti.
If this is what I come up with on a two hour long run, imagine what's coming when I hit three.
Wednesday: 5 miles in 39:00 (7:48/mile)
Thursday: 10.25 miles in 1:20:43 (7:52/mile)
Saturday: 16.0 miles in 2:00:15 (7:31/mile)
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Finding the tempo
There's a double entendre to today's title. Partly it refers to (no surprise, I'm sure) my first tempo run of the new marathon season. Partly, it refers to this bizarre band that Erin and I went to see yesterday in Central Park for Summer Stage. For non-New Yorkers, Summer Stage is one of the reasons to live in New York. Concerts, dance, theatre in the park, often free, several nights a week all summer long.
Now, to be fair, Erin and I didn't go solely to see the bizarre band. Erin actually gave me tickets to the Decemberists concert for my birthday last week, which may have been one of the best gifts ever. I really like this band. Even though I may have written a few months ago that I sing the Killers at the top of my lungs while running, usually I don't. More likely would be the Decemberists or Modest Mouse, with the occasional TV on the Radio. The Killers would be a little odd for me, although I'm certain that everyone has run tempo to their "Mr. Brightside" at one point or another.
Anyway, the odd opening band was called Grizzly Bear and their music (I'll call it that because you couldn't really call it songs) consisted of caterwauls and moans with heavy, heavy use of the echo effect. It really kind of sounded like they'd just discovered this sound device and, like a kid with a new toy, wanted to use it in the entire set as well as during the intra-song banter. To add to this and, I suppose, to really appease of a crowd of NYU students and wannabe college radio disc jockeys, just when a rhythm started to develop, when what they were playing might develop into an honest-to-goodness tune, out of nowhere they'd pull a disconcerting drop in tempo that really felt the acoustical equivalent of the elevator drop at Six Flags. Erin's take, "I don't really go for psychedelic Gregorian chanting." Me neither.
But the Decemberists. Great Great Great concert band. I've never seen a crowd so happy to sing songs about sweethearts lost at sea, pirate's revenge, kidnapping ( She cursed, she shivered/She cried for mercy,/"My gold and silver if thou will release me!"/I'll take no gold miss, I'll take no silver/I'll take those sweet lips, and I'll deliver) or the lyrics "You'll not feel the drowning/You'll not feel the drowning," which the entire crowd sang along to, quite happily I might add. There really was something kind of perverse it the whole thing now that I think about it. I mean, it was a summer festival.
But lest you think the lyrics were the only weirdness at a concert by a band whose last album was based around a Japanese folk tale, and whose tunes are peppered to references to Shakesphere (In the lowlands, nestled in the heat/A briar cradle rocks it's babe to sleep/Its contents watched by Sycorax/And patagon in paralax/A foretold rumbling sounds below the deep/Come and see/Come and see) we also had a game of beach ball played with, not a beach ball, but a stuffed seal, we finished off the first set with Colin Meloy leading the crowd in a chant of "hear all the bombs... fade away, hear all the bombs ... fade away," and at one point during the encore, we had Meloy convincing the crowd and the band to lay down and pretend to be asleep. Bizarre, but very fun and highly recommended.
In all that, I forgot to mention the tempo run. McCarren Park track. 8.25 total miles in 59:15 (avg. of 7:11/mile). Breakdown of: Warmup of 2.13 in 16:52 (7:57/mile); 4 tempo miles in 6:27, 6:30, 6:29, 6:26; Cooldown of 2.13 in 16:22 (7:41). This felt pretty good although the last mile or so of the tempo was pretty tough. All in all, it was not bad at all for my first planned and structured speed workout of 2007. No, not bad at all.
Week (of July 9) in Review
| Monday | Rest | -- | -- |
| Tuesday | 8.6 miles | 1:10:00 | 8:08/mile |
| Wednesday | 4.15 miles | 29:34 | 7:07/mile |
| Thursday | 10.3 miles | 1:16:00 | 7:23/mile |
| Friday | Rest | -- | -- |
| Saturday | 14.5 Miles | 1:52:53 | 7:47/mile |
| Sunday | 3.5 miles | 26:09 | 7:28/mile |
| Total | 41.1 Miles | -- | -- |
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Heat Wave
With the thermostat rising, seems like a good time to mention automobile pollution. Awful. Awful. Awful. There's nothing like running through 80+ degree temps and then getting a full blast of hot exhaust from a passing car.
Fortunately, Time Out New York this week rates some of "NYC's favorite running spots" against pollution. Here's some highlights and comments.
- 3. Central Park: "Try to avoid the loop around the outside and the main thoroughfares." The outside loop part is good advice, but if "the main thoroughfares" refers to the loop, it's closed to traffic on weekends and is a runner haven.
- 4. Riverside Park: "There are plants between you and the highway, which is good." I guess that's something.
- 5. Williamsburg Bridge and 6. Brooklyn Bridge: "There are cars here, but at least they're moving." In addition, there's generally a breeze blowing from the south which I would think would help dissipate some of the exhaust.
- 8. Hudson River Park: "This is such a congested part of town."
- 9. East River Park: Just Bad.
- 10. Queens Bridge Park: "No one should exercise around there."
Finally, just to make this more depressing, breathing auto-exhaust while exercising can lead to "coughing," "irritat[ion of] your lungs ... kind of like getting a sunburn on the inside of your lungs," "cancer and heart problems," and "brittle and weak" lungs.
With all this good news, it's a shame that Albany's going to block congestion taxes. (Although I understand that rerouting that traffic to the FDR will make East River Park even more toxic, charging drivers for the damage they're doing to my lungs seems fair.)
So, enjoy the heat wave folks. But try to exercise really early or indoors because the heat, thanks to certain chemical reactions, only makes the pollution worse.
Today: 8.6 mile Stuyvesant Cove in 1:10:00 (8:08/mile) with 10X100m striders.
UPDATE:The Times ran its own article on air pollution and exercise on Thursday. "In the calculus of health concerns, 'Breathing air pollution is not nearly as bad as smoking,' Dr. Lippmann said." Well, I guess that's comforting.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Week One Down
Yesterday wrapped up the first week on the road. The Plan, ah the Plan, there really isn't much of a plan yet. I'm thinking a modified combination of Pfitzenger's 18-55 plan and the Flyers' plan (which accounts for NYRR races). I'd like to peak around 60 miles, which is about 10% more than last fall. And I have to take account of a week off/light for vacation in Central America at the end of July. In short, I haven't really written the plan yet. I know I'm running 8 or so miles tomorrow and 40-ish this week, but, beyond that, everything's a little up in the air.
Everyone seems to like pictures (especially of the Marathon route) and I'm not above kowtowing a little. But I make no promises since I'd planned to take a camera running last year and that never happened. So, we shall see...
Week (of July 2) in Review
| Monday | Rest | -- | -- |
| Tuesday | 7.3 miles | 52:55 | 7:15/mile |
| Wednesday | 9.1 miles | 1:11:11 | 7:51/mile |
| Thursday | 4.1 miles | 31:20 | 7:33/mile |
| Friday | Rest | -- | -- |
| Saturday | 12.2 Miles | 1:37:00 | 7:57/mile |
| Sunday | 4.4 miles | 31:20 | 7:07/mile |
| Total | 37.2 Miles | -- | -- |
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Milestones
This is this blog's 100th post!
It's also Week One of training for the NYC Marathon. So far, I've modified the plan, rearranged the dates of runs, and run hung-over. Hardly an auspicious start. I've also discovered that if you want to listen to Latin Podcasts while on the run, a strong headwind or heavy traffic make it really difficult to make out the words.
Tuesday: 7.3 miles in 52:55 (7:15 pace) with 10X100 striders
Wednesday: 9.1 miles in 1:11:22 (7:51 pace)
Today: 4.15 miles in 31:20 (7:33 pace)
Today's run was along the Pulaski O&B, which is great because it's the middle miles of the marathon. And I get to imagine I'm hitting the halfway point, which is here...
Slightly before you get here...
And a long way before you get there...
Which is after you run along this bridge...
And you leave Brooklyn.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Fatigued
Oh man, oh man, I'm tired! Today makes four days of running in a row, which I haven't done since December. The schedule compression is caused by tomorrow's travel -- getting to LaGuardia, flying to Nashville, Tennessee, a 2.5 hour drive to my parents' in Kentucky, a normal family whirlwind, and my ten-year high school reunion. Running tomorrow? Ha! I have 15 on tap for Sunday... but, after Saturday, we'll see.
I've been on a small mileage binge over the last month and, as I sit here sipping my Juicy-Juice, I'm kind of glad next week's a cut-back.
Cut-back, huh? The terminology's starting to come back to me and that's good because a week from Monday official training kicks off for this:
Date : Jun 22, 2007 1:38 AM
subject: I'm in! the ING New York City Marathon 2007
Congratulations! You’re one of the lucky ones!
Since I'm going to be in Kentucky for the next week (and my hometown's so rural that broadband/cable/DSL doesn't exist) posting's going to be sporadic.
Y'all have a good'un an' I'll see ya' na-ext week. (I'm practicing.)
Yesterday: 8 miles (Billy-Br. + McCarren Park) in 59:30 (7:26/mile)
Today: 4.15 miles (Pulaski O&B) in 30:15 (7:17/mile)
P.S. We got tickets to see The New Pornographers on July 4!
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
A Strange Panorama
It's a strange place, the East River Bike Path that runs along South Street beneath the FDR. On a spring morning it's a glorious space filled with light from a rising sun that climbs the towers of downtown Brooklyn, across the water, until, reaching a pinnacle, like a bird testing its wings for the first time, it seems to hesitate for just a moment before leaping into the precipice and continuing its ascent with newfound confidence.
Framed by the great stone towers and swooping steel cables of the Brooklyn Bridge to the south and by the gargantuan industrial towers and massive girders of the Manhattan Bridge to the north, two spans a half-mile apart but as vastly different as the worlds which created them, this panorama presents an unparalleled vista for the play of fishermen, yogis, runners, walkers. Even commuters from the ferries who hurry ashore to take their places as cogs in the post-modern assembly lines of the Financial District. And there's also ... but no, they're not present. That's why it's strange on the East River Bike Path that runs along South Street beneath the FDR. Perhaps they've been driven away by the crowds; or maybe they have more fear of a miscast lure than others; perhaps a qualitatively different scene is required for their special aesthetic. Perhaps. But in any case, it remains strange to have a bike path, even beneath the FDR along South Street, with all of this life and not one bicycle.
Today's run was like swimming through the air and with a headwind, that made the out leg like swimming through the air upstream. One would think that the tailwind on the way back would be nice, but since you never notice a tailwind it just seemed hotter.
5 mile Billy Bridge O&B in 38:30 (7:42/mile; splits of 19:50 and 18:40).
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Hello Summer
So, I ran in the Say No Prostate Cancer 5 miler on Sunday. Less than a mile in, I felt like I was really moving. Maybe even 6:10. At the first mile, the clock read 6:50. I wasn't boxed in; I wasn't stopped by the crowd in any way. This is just an example of what heat and humidity do to me. Some people fade a little in 75% humidity. I fade 40s/mile. I managed to struggle my way to a 32:37, for a 6:30ish average, but some days just aren't your day. Sunday wasn't mine. I've had worse races.
Although the heat and humidity have slammed into New York pretty hard, it's tough to gripe too much. This weekend, I'm heading back to Kentucky for my ten-year high school reunion, and a browse of the forecast shows I get to look forward to the mid-90s. Ah, crappy Kentucky summer weather...95 degrees, 85% humidity, not a breeze to be seen...I can't wait.
The worst part is that, unlike New York, Kentucky does not have nearly enough ice cream parlors, gelatto joints, Italian ice stands, Mr. Softee trucks (or knock-offs), or short, overweight Hispanic dudes with foot-wide razor blades who'll manually shave a three-foot-by-three-foot block of ice for you. And ice cream is one of the best ways to beat the heat, as the FDNY knows.
Photo taken on Graham Avenue, Brooklyn during my 5 miler on Saturday. (More to come.)
Today: 10.33 BS Run in 1:21:58 (7:56/mile)
Week (of June 11) in Review
| Monday | Rest | -- | -- |
| Tuesday | 8.6 miles | 68:40 | 7:59/mile |
| Wednesday | 4.4 miles | 32:57 | 7:29/mile |
| Thursday | 13.4 miles | 1:44:24 | 7:47/mile |
| Friday | Rest | -- | -- |
| Saturday | 5.2 Miles | 49:50 | 9:34/mile |
| Sunday | 5.0 miles | 32:37 | 6:31/mile |
| Total | 36.6 Miles | -- | -- |
Thursday, June 14, 2007
But the Pants!!
Look, I know I promised that I'd switch the topics here back to running and off the legal system, but this story was just too ridiculous to not write about.
A D.C. AdLaw Judge, upset because (he claims) his local drycleaner misplaced his pants and tried to pass off a cheap knock-off pair instead, sued the dry cleaner . . . for $67.3 million!! To put this amount in perspective, 5 acres of oceanfront property with a 10,000 sq. ft. house in Southampton (complete with guest house, pool and tennis courts) would sell for about half that amount! Or you could buy 30 2 bedroom apartments in Manhattan. Or you could buy 1/2 of Newport, Kentucky. According to the Times the "judge" has tried to pass himself off as a private attorney general vindicating the rights of consumers everywhere. He also apparently broke down in tears at one point, moved by the horrible injustice being perpetrated upon him. "You will search the D.C. archives in vain for a case of more egregious or willful conduct," the Times quotes him as saying. Just to give you an idea of how accurate that statement is, the "judge" is representing himself.
In the end, this is really just kind of sad . . . Sad for the "judge" who'll, as my quotation marks indicate, never be taken seriously again. Sad for the cleaners, who have to deal with this nonsense. Sad for the judge's pants, who may never get to actually tell their side of the story. (It is not, however, NOT sad for the court reporters, the judge, her law clerks, anyone who happens to be a courthouse while this trial is being conducted, the Times beat reporter, and me, because it certianly provides a good laugh for anyone not vested in the outcome.)
I moved this week's long run to today to free Sunday for a points race. This makes only the third time that I've broken the 1/2 Mary distance at all this year, which I guess highlights how limited my running's been.
13.4 miles in 1:44:24 (7:47/mile)
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Bad Day for Bush
Yesterday was a bad day for Bush.
His immigration bill has stalled.
His watch was stolen.
But I'm most interested three-judge panel in the Fourth Circuit's rejection of the Government's position that a non-combatant resident alien, apprehended on American soil, could be held indefinitely as an "enemy combatant." (By the way, for clarity, let's say what we mean. "Enemy Combatant" is a term of art under the Geneva Convention that means a "solider.") This is a pretty narrow holding: if you are a soldier in, e.g., the Taliban, you could be held even if apprehended in the U.S.; if you are apprehended outside the U.S. you have to still go through Gitmo's separate administrative process to determine if you're a solider. Only if you're not a solider is the military precluded from holding you. And, the panel rejected that the President has power to unilaterally decide that someone is a solider, especially someone who is within the U.S. and to whom the Constitution applies. That's it. My summary of the 86 page opinion. And this would not be that notable an outcome but for the Gov't making some really wacky arguments that the Court then had to address.
My favorite was the argument that the President has inherent power under the Constitution (that means power not in any way tempered by the Courts or Congress) to detain anyone who he believes threatens the country under his war powers. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. As I once heard in law school, "Your position is like the thirteenth chime of a clock, not only is it irrelevant and nonsensical, but it also calls into question the legitimacy of all previous chimes." Or another good response would have been: "Mr. [President], what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul." And, oh, in case there's some confusion, that means WRONG.
Any person within the United States and any citizen anywhere enjoy Constitutional protections against intrusion of government power. Among those protections: habeas corpus (the right to a petition a court for release from wrongful confinement); civilian primacy over the military; due process of law. The government's whacked out position led to such fantastic sound-bites as “We refuse to recognize a claim to power that would so alter the constitutional foundations of our Republic.” We can all thank god that some of Justice's positions are so insane. Otherwise we wouldn't have the amusement of watching them get struck down quite so hard.
But, leaving aside Bush's power grabs that no court's going to allow, and looking ahead at the narrow heart of the split of opinion between the majority and dissent -- whether Al-Marri was a solider for Al Queda or just some schmuck who associated with them -- it will probably go for a rehearing before the full Fourth Circuit. The decision yesterday was by two Clinton appointees with one Bush II appointee dissenting. The full Fourth Circuit is generally regarded as one of the most conservative in the country, so I'd expect them to lean more towards the dissent. This is by no means the end of this story.
(I promise. Back to running next time.)
June 9: 4.14 miles in 30:36 (7:22/mi)
June 10: 12.6 miles in 1:36:07 (7:38/mi)
June 12: 8.6 miles in 68:40 (7:59/mi)
June 13: 4.4 miles in 32:57 (7:29/mi)
Saturday, June 09, 2007
BBQ
Today's the annual Big Apple Barbeque Block Party in Madison Square Park. I can't wait to sample some ribs in a Memphis dry rub. Oh, the only way this could be better is if I were doing a barbeque-sauce keg stand.
Yesterday, a half dozen attorneys and a bunch of paralegals went for a two-mojito lunch (because martinis are so eighties) to celebrate the inking of a settlement in the case that's been driving me nuts over the last few weeks. I've been basking in the freedom of leaving work after 9 hours for the last couple days.
It's also amazing how much easier it is to get runs in when your work-week's under 50 hours.
Week of May 14: 27.7 miles
Week of May 21: 12.4 miles
Week of May 28: 13.7 miles
Week of June 4: 35 miles (projected)
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
I Run for Me
That’s right. I said what you’re all thinking. I know it’s not the politically correct thing to say, that it’s not a kosher statement, but I don’t care. I’m putting it out there that I run completely and totally for my selfish self. I don’t run for either kids or kidneys. Nor do I run for hearts, lungs, skin, colons or prostates. (I might run for breasts, but that’d totally depend on the context.) I most certainly don’t run for heart disease, multiple schlerosis, down syndrome, diabetes or any form of cancer. I might consider running against them … but probably not. I don’t run for general health, for other people’s obesity, or for the environment. I don’t run for general fitness. And I can say with certainty, I don’t run for you.
At the Kidney, between (NYRRC Prez) Mary Wittenberg’s and the United Arab Emirates' representative’s respective speeches, we were all putatively running for healthy kidneys, medical research, general health, kids, against obesity, for religious tolerance, freedom from discrimination, international comity and for world peace. Yes, actual, honest-to-goodness world peace. I only wish I had the creativity to make this stuff up! Despite what you may think about running for a cause or a charity, that's really an awful lot of pressure for a 6 mile footrace. As for me, as those speeches were filling the air, I was realizing that I don’t run for any of the reasons they were giving. That’s right, none of them.
So, why do I run? I’ve spent three weeks thinking about it and have an answer:
I run for the sun rising over the
I run for the thrill of singing along with The Killers at the top of my lungs as I hit the peak of the Williamsburg Bridge (can't hear my own tone-deafness with headphones, heh). I run because I know what it’s like to be stopped by injury and I run because I know what it’s like to run through one. I run to get through the morning heat that collects on
I run because my life is richer with this hobby than without it.
There really is only one answer to the question, Why are you jogging? I run for myself. Any other reason would present a pale comparison.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Do you see what the clock makes me do?
Today's title is from the New Pornographers' album Twin Cinema and the song "Sing me Spanish Techno." Although the song's not really about long office days, I really feel a resonance these days with the line, "The hour glass spills its sand, only to punish you." In fact, I was so intrigued by the line that I had the song on repeat on the way back across the Billy-Bridge today. Just captures my mood, I guess...
Although things have stabilized and we've now moved into a sort of controlled chaos, when that means you're putting in 70-80 hour weeks, you appreciate the the little things that make a big difference in life; for your amusement, here are some of the little things:
- A 4 mile run before work, with no shin pain
- Drop off laundry service
- Modest Mouse
- Goose Island Oatmeal Stout (yum)
- A new UK basketball recruit
- Mocking Matt Lauer
- Town cars (with the BQE* I'm not sure they're faster than the subway, but being able to sleep on the way home is priceless)
- Jeph Jacques' comics
- Pesto
- A new gym bag
- Last.fm
- The Cincinnati Reds (Hey, when a team's this bad, every guy feels like he can be a Major Leaguer!)
Week of 5/21: 12 miles
*That's Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, for you non-New Yorkers.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Kidney 10K
Finished in 39:44, but that's not really important. What is important is that this was a fairly hard pace for me currently, on a hilly course, in racing flats, and I went start to finish with zero, none, nullus shin pain -- this was a totally and completely uneventful race below the knee. That's a success no matter what the time was (even though the time was a clockwise p.r.). I'll learn how big a success it was when I run later today and see if this lack of shin pain continues. We might just be out of the woods here.
Now, on the negative side -- every hill after two miles killed me. I realize, of course, that this results from the lack of strength workouts, avoidance of hills, etc. that go along with running through shin splints, but it was somewhat disheartening when I consider how I motored over those hills in, say, Grete's Gallop last fall. With this weakness identified, and the other problem (hopefully) solved, work permitting I can address it over the summer.
I have lots of little anecdotes for this race.
First, it was sponsored by the United Arab Emirates. So, before the race began, a U.A.E. ambassador gave a little speech on how our running supported religious tolerance, ideological inclusiveness, peace, being a good neighbor and so forth. This was only really notable because about 3/4 of mile into the race some Whack-Job at the side of the course was screaming "You're Supporting Terrorists! Stop helping the Heathens!" Really nice contrast there between a blasé, but well-meant (and I think well-received) speech on peace and inclusiveness from the "terrorist" and the acerbic screamings of the "patriot." Honestly, guys like that sometimes make me embarrassed to call myself American.
Immediately on finishing, I met a new Flyer. Poor guy caught me right as I realized I'd just finished with no pain and, thanks to my excitement at that fact, he got all the gory treatment details--the ice, the no hills, the slow-down, the cut runs, the anti-inflammatories--that you guys missed because I think the only more boring than reading about injury treatment is writing about it. So, if you're a reader fellow Flyer (Hah! Like people would read this nonsense!) accept my apologies for monopolizing our one-way conversation.
After the race, I was walking through the Park on the way to the office, and lo a bright light shone before me. I was in shock, "What the hell is that!?!" Then I realized that it was just sunlight reflecting off a jogging James Carville's forehead. That head's really bright!
And finally, after the race while still in the Park, this little woman fitness walking comes up to me and says ecstatically, "Did you run? Did you finish?" I confirmed I had and she said, "Oh. How long did it take you?" I told her and then she asked, "Wow. That's great. Do you, like, practice weekly?" When, holding back the urge to chuckle, I said, "Yeah, almost daily," she seemed extremely impressed. And, I guess, with all the constraints of life, I find that pretty impressive too.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Tick, Tock, Tick
Useless News
Around the globe the last few days...
The alma mater picked up its first super blue chip recruit of the BCG era, which has some folks rapsodizing in Latin no less!
CNN reports studies on a desk/treadmill combo. I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I'd kind of like to keep my exercise separate from my job, thanks very much. Plus, jogging in a full suit seems kind of silly.
More reasons to stay clear of New Jersey. Where do these people come from?
Blogger announces autosaving.
Sorry for the stacatto, joint-post-esque listing, but likely won't have time in the near future for long solo posts. It seems a long-standing firm client has decided to hire us for his case (good), but the case is less than six weeks before trial (uh). So, all that stuff that we were doing in December-March when I was going two weeks between runs, we're now going to try to do in June! Heh. In all seriousness though, this is going to be a lot of fun.
This week was already a cut-back week as I've hit about 35 miles four straight weeks. I've also decided to try an hit the Kidney 10K tomorrow morning before work. I'm pretty excited since I seem to finally be over that shin pain.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
A Public Thank You
I'd like to take a moment of your time today to give thanks to a very special and positive force in our community. This American institution has given so much to those of us out on the public highways and byways of New York City that its influence cannot be understated. We can only hope that mankind as a whole comes to appreciate and emulate this generous spirit.
Therefore, and without further ado, I'd like for everyone out there to join me in giving a hardy round of appreciation to Starbucks! That's right, Starbucks Corporation (SBUX).
I hear the protests. "But, Jo-u-u-u-n," you say, "Starbucks is a corporation. An evil empire even." Well, let me tell you a little about what Starbucks has done for me and why you should love them too.
Imagine with me. . . you're on a run. It's a nice day, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping. The commuters driving up the FRD are throwing a nice breeze over to you in East River Park. You're light, you're fast, you're floating. Everything is going your way. . . UNTIL . . . sudden lower G-I tract distress! [Cue music: Dum-Dum-Duuummmm].
You see a port-a-let and make a dash, but alas it's March and the Parks Department pad-locks the port-a-lets from November to April! You continue through the park, to the East River Track. There are runners there. People use that track. Surely the bathroom is . . . Foiled again! It's 7:15 in the morning and the Parks Department keeps that bathroom locked until 8. Your run's heading down the tubes faster than Jersey! You head out of the Park, sort of run-shuffling, grunting all out of proportion to the speed you're travelling, as you clench your stomach muscles, and then you see a chance -- a McDonald's. McDonald's (MCD) is always open at 7:22 in the morning. But, McDonald's, the selfish bastards, just like the toddlers to whom they market with their insipid clown, doesn't know how to share and keeps its bathrooms locked. That means you -- dear runner with an emergency -- have to stand in a line while all sweaty and squirming and then ask some teenager for the bathroom key, with it being obvious to everyone in the shop what you're doing, why you're there, and that you're not a paying customer. No. McDonald's will not do. It will not!
Then, against all hope, another block down, the heavens open, sunlight beams through a cerulean patch of sky to illuminate a black-and-white mermaid seated in a deep green halo. You've found your answer. Starbucks. Ubiquitous. Starbucks. With its bathrooms never locked. Starbucks. Where you can dash in and dash out. Starbucks. Which often has two entrances, one placed directly across from the bathroom. This is generosity my friends. In a city like New York which has no public bathrooms because . . . well, I don't know why. Perhaps because Giuliani was afraid homeless people would live in them? But anyway, we don't, which is a huge problem if you're 6 miles into a 13 mile out-and-back and suddenly nature calls. But with Starbucks it's no problem. Starbucks is everywhere. Starbucks is open early. Starbucks doesn't lock the bathroom door.
So, everyone out there. Go today to Starbucks. Show your appreciation. Buy a coffee, or a tea, or a Decaf Grand Iced Venti Soy Skim Latte Vanilla Almond Mocha Frappuccino, light on the ice, with distilled water, diet. Give a little back because Starbucks gives so much to us.
Thank YOU Starbucks!
Week of April 30: 34.2 miles
Week of May 7: 36.3 miles
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Triumphant return?
Today I planned to make a grand return to blogging. I had a beautiful post written.
It was profound and intriguing, but accessible.
Even life-changing, maybe, for the the right person. . .
But then my computer froze and my prose disappeared into some digital Limbo.
And my muse left for her day job.
I guess the return will have to wait a few more days.
Week of April 30: 34.2 miles
Monday: 4.15 miles, 31:54 (7:41/mile)
Tuesday: 10.33 miles, 1:18:20 (7:35/mile)
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Error
Microsoft Word gave me this error in the office yesterday:
"Error. There are too many spelling and grammatical errors in the document "*my document's name*" to continue displaying them."
Yes, folks, I killed spellcheck!
With running, I finally had a (largely) pain-free run today. Each one's getting just a little better than the last. . . more later.
| Week of | Miles |
| April 2 | 21.6 miles |
| April 9 | 16.3 |
| April 16 | 32.5 |
| April 23 | 35.4 |
| April 30 (To date) | 21.1 Miles |
