June 5-25
Generally: Underwhelming Running. June 9-15 was (basically) five 30-min runs. June 16-22 was (basically) four 30-min runs.
Specifically: Some Highlights. All the way back on June 6th, Dan & I ran Tom & Olive through a luscious arboretum and over the most dangerous bridge in Minnesota. Then we ate Indian food and progressed to the Tavern Lounge to relax with Lonesome Dan Kase. Highlights are not necessarily running-related...most obviously because I'm including that race at Hamline. Managed an, um, unprepared 18:31 on a hotter day than Brian Kraft. Felt a bit lonely until I started getting lapped. Guessing the company helped me run better splits -- 5:58, 6:02, 5:53, 37s. Did a nice Iron Bridge after Caroline's graduation through a knee-deep Cannon with Dan, Jess & Matt Masc. Also joined Schof for his pre-Bjorklund run last Friday and Biz & Friends for some Track Meat on Sunday. Did not join Hal Higdon for his 5K at reunion.
But now the caffeinated social whirlwind has passed and some sluggish running has commenced. Kicked it into a higher gear as I ran up the West River Hill last night towards the end of a particularly sluggish hour. That either killed all the slugs or ensured they'd return with a vengeance...
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Do not/Tell me I've changed/You're just raising your standards
Ok, climbing back on the posting trolley. It's been three weeks and the world is a much different place, mostly because I am close to four pounds lighter. Eight pounds lighter than I was back in March. Standards are skyrocketing.
May 12-18
Only ran four times, twice for 60min. Abs and groin were sore following my most recent attempt at the six-day standard. Fortunately, this phase of the rehab/training takes days off as needed. This phase and I are patient, hoping for a breakthrough, and trying to be more active about our core exercises.
May 19-25
Another four-day week with two 60min runs. Finally, though, the outdoor circuit workout debuted this week: sprint drills in the park, interrupted by pushups, situps and related exercises. I attempted two such circuits, which involved something like 120 pushups. That, my friends, is a rigorous standard.
May 26 - June 1
Five runs, one at 60min and one at 70min. I also raced a 5K, attended a yoga class and completed a post-run circuit workout. The day after I completed my longest run since September, Barack Obama announced that he would declare his primary victory in Minnesota...
June 2-4
...and then, he did. He did so on a day when I ran an honest 10mi and thereby raised the standard for all future runs. He did so the day after I'd completed yet another post-run circuit workout. He mentioned neither specifically, but he did say something about bringing new energy and ideas to the challenges we face. It sounded like he was talking about training for the TC 10mi, but it was hard to hear. So at the risk of recalling a long forgotten blog, let me defend Phil Schrader, who works at Target.
It was loud in there. There was a lot of standing and shouting and the constant decision whether to look down at the podium or up at the jumbotron. There were a lot of bright colors and they played some Bruce Springsteen as Obamas climbed on and off stage. There was a lot of Show, as Phil describes, but I don't think it was really for us. It's a good thing, too, because we had our work cut out for us being The Audience. If Obama was The Beatles, we were Phil Spector's wall of sound; if he was Jay-Z, we were the Kanye beat. To me, at least, we were participant enough in his performance that its component parts necessarily appeared less, um, transplendent. Presentation definitely matters, but it's harder to observe and evaluate when you're the one raising the standard.
May 12-18
Only ran four times, twice for 60min. Abs and groin were sore following my most recent attempt at the six-day standard. Fortunately, this phase of the rehab/training takes days off as needed. This phase and I are patient, hoping for a breakthrough, and trying to be more active about our core exercises.
May 19-25
Another four-day week with two 60min runs. Finally, though, the outdoor circuit workout debuted this week: sprint drills in the park, interrupted by pushups, situps and related exercises. I attempted two such circuits, which involved something like 120 pushups. That, my friends, is a rigorous standard.
May 26 - June 1
Five runs, one at 60min and one at 70min. I also raced a 5K, attended a yoga class and completed a post-run circuit workout. The day after I completed my longest run since September, Barack Obama announced that he would declare his primary victory in Minnesota...
June 2-4
...and then, he did. He did so on a day when I ran an honest 10mi and thereby raised the standard for all future runs. He did so the day after I'd completed yet another post-run circuit workout. He mentioned neither specifically, but he did say something about bringing new energy and ideas to the challenges we face. It sounded like he was talking about training for the TC 10mi, but it was hard to hear. So at the risk of recalling a long forgotten blog, let me defend Phil Schrader, who works at Target.
It was loud in there. There was a lot of standing and shouting and the constant decision whether to look down at the podium or up at the jumbotron. There were a lot of bright colors and they played some Bruce Springsteen as Obamas climbed on and off stage. There was a lot of Show, as Phil describes, but I don't think it was really for us. It's a good thing, too, because we had our work cut out for us being The Audience. If Obama was The Beatles, we were Phil Spector's wall of sound; if he was Jay-Z, we were the Kanye beat. To me, at least, we were participant enough in his performance that its component parts necessarily appeared less, um, transplendent. Presentation definitely matters, but it's harder to observe and evaluate when you're the one raising the standard.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Hold the Fort
Tonight I went out for a nice hour run over to Ft. Snelling and back (+/- meandering on side trails). A great run- and a great opportunity to show that we're not just a country of short runs - or a country of long runs - but that we can go out for perfectly medium-sized runs as well.
The Obama show last night was great. Pretty stock political speech overall. Gotta take care of the children, gotta make heath care affordable, gotta not be like Bush, McCain is sorta like Bush, Hillery is ok by me, ok-er if she just gives up already... But amazing to be there when he announced that he would be the nominee and amazing to cheer right though the climactic lines about this being our moment. I hope he gets about 10 hours of sleep tonight.
But also, yeah, a show. The cameras panned the crowd. Campaign workers appeared to be giving strategically seated people some quick tips on cheering and sign waving. The concession stand was open- all just like a Wild game. I'm not bitching or anything. I wouldn't reasonably expect it to be any other way. Just funny to see those side details happening.
The Obama show last night was great. Pretty stock political speech overall. Gotta take care of the children, gotta make heath care affordable, gotta not be like Bush, McCain is sorta like Bush, Hillery is ok by me, ok-er if she just gives up already... But amazing to be there when he announced that he would be the nominee and amazing to cheer right though the climactic lines about this being our moment. I hope he gets about 10 hours of sleep tonight.
But also, yeah, a show. The cameras panned the crowd. Campaign workers appeared to be giving strategically seated people some quick tips on cheering and sign waving. The concession stand was open- all just like a Wild game. I'm not bitching or anything. I wouldn't reasonably expect it to be any other way. Just funny to see those side details happening.
Sunday, June 01, 2008
100
Got in some good miles today- which had been a goal for the weekend. I'd like Nickmas to also know that we also organized the kitchen, picked away at the living room garbage and washed and vacuumed the car.
Ran up to Tom's joint. You would think that a person could only get screwed over by the fact that Hiawatha runs at an angle maybe four, five times in a month. Not so. More than I think. Probably still more than I think. After meandering my way up to Tom's, we ran a Lake St. / Franklin loop around the river (not around the whole river). Then I ran back on a much better trajectory. Cooled down by putting several cookies into a bowl of ice-cream.
Since Jill was wearing my watch for her run (!), I have no real clue how far I ran. Since it will be important to have some record of the run, however, I am planning on using "100" for a place holder in my records. I'm pretty sure it was somewhere between 10 miles and 100 miles. I'll put 100 just to be on the safe side. I was gone for quite a while.
Ran up to Tom's joint. You would think that a person could only get screwed over by the fact that Hiawatha runs at an angle maybe four, five times in a month. Not so. More than I think. Probably still more than I think. After meandering my way up to Tom's, we ran a Lake St. / Franklin loop around the river (not around the whole river). Then I ran back on a much better trajectory. Cooled down by putting several cookies into a bowl of ice-cream.
Since Jill was wearing my watch for her run (!), I have no real clue how far I ran. Since it will be important to have some record of the run, however, I am planning on using "100" for a place holder in my records. I'm pretty sure it was somewhere between 10 miles and 100 miles. I'll put 100 just to be on the safe side. I was gone for quite a while.
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