Live Blogging the Long Beach Marathon (sorta - maybe)

So I find myself in a Best Western in Long Beach tonight. My buddy is running the LB marathon tomorrow (not me) and I am going to do my best to take photos as well as post from my cell phone.

And yes, that IS his lucky leprechaun.

Breath Taking

There was a great article in a recent copy of Runner's Magazine entitled Breath Taking.

Teaser:

Four days, 42 miles, 8,000 feet of climbing, six seasoned guides, 300-count sheets, and one really clutch hot tub.

I have to admit, that it is one of my dreams to take a running vacation like this. Spending the night in a great Inn, getting up each morning and running to the next one. Seriously great fun.

Of course, the last time I went for a run was about 5 months ago.

It's sort of discouraging. I would love to get out in the cool morning air with the dawg by my side but I just can't seem to find the time. I am up at 4 am everyday, work on paperwork, keep up with the e-mails and projects etc. and then in the office by 8am. Home by 6pm and then it is family time.

I just don't see how I could squeeze in the 1 1/2 to 2 hours it takes to get back to running. Oh, sure, I could cut some things here and there but when I consider the projects I am working on, I am not willing to cut back on any of them to make room for heel-toeing it every other morning. So there it is.

I imagine one day I will get back to it and I hope that day is not far off - but for now, it's not even on the calendar. Such is life and the choices that come with it.

Now,let me tell you about my dream to become a classical guitarist . . . .

On The Run?

Hmmmm . . . . yeaaaaahhhhh . . . . .

My last run was 2/11 and I have been sore ever since. My left calf still hurts as does my left knee.

At to it all that my work schedule this past week or so has been something like factory work in the 19th century and you have a recipe for, if not failure, at least pressure to do so.

What surprises me is that once you take a day off, once the long, unbroken streak of running is ended, it is remarkably easy to say, "Meh . . . I didn't run yesterday either so what's the big deal . . .?"

In my defense, the pain was such that if I had run I truly believe I would have injured myself to a greater degree . . .

So tomorrow then - we will start anew. I think I will just walk tomorrow though - see how I feel and take it from there.

In any case, the dawg is going bonkers being cooped up in the house most of the week . . . .

On The Run - 2/11/9

3.75 mi(ish) / 45 min / 12 mpm(ish)

I know - I forgot my cell phone camera this morning . . .

I have one sweatshirt that I use for running. It is an old, thin college sweatshirt coming apart at the seams and permanently covered in the detritus of dozens of home improvement projects - paint and primer and the like. I like it because it is thinner than your average sweatshirt and it is a pullover - no zipper or hood to hassle with. It was also in the laundry from my last run in the downpour so I had to go with plan "B". I pulled down an old zip-up hoodie that I haven't worn in ages.

It is funny how a piece of clothing can effect the way you think and feel. I almost never wear hooded sweatshirts so this was sort of unfamiliar to me and as I started my pre-dawn run all I could think of was that scene in Rocky . . . .



Which made me think of that Newbie Chronicle Article . . . .

So anyway . . . that invincible feeling began to fade as I reached the half-way point and turned around . . . I was sort of nervous about this run because the base of my left calf had really been sore since my last run. I figured it was the tendon that connects the bottom of my calf to my leg bone or whatever and that it was probably just tender or something . . . it felt pretty good this morning but with about 15 minutes of running to go, I really started to lose steam.

As luck would have it, the Ipod kicked up my favorite Elvis running song which I (of course) had to listen to 2 or 3 times in a row and that helped carry me through . . . but after that, things really started to go downhill . . .

"She can't take much more, Captain!"

First my calves seemed to just not want to work anymore - then my thighs - then everything from the waist down seem to rise up in revolution against the benevolent dictator of my brain.

"What do we want?"
"To lie down!"
"When do we want it?"
"NOW!"

I willed a little extra spring in my step and tried to ward off the dreaded survival shuffle . . . but by the end EVERYTHING HURT.

I stretched at the car and headed home. I hurt all day at the office.

As I am writing this (Thursday morning) it still hurts. My quads, calves, ankles - but especially the outside of my left knee. And I don't mean a "wow that was a hard workout hurt". I mean an "Uh-oh, Houston we have a problem" sort of hurt. I am still limping . . .

I have no idea what went wrong but this is how things seem to go with me and running - one day the body just has enough and I wind up on the injured list. So - what do I do now?

I most certainly will not be doing a full run tomorrow - maybe I will cut the running part in half and walk the rest of the way - who knows - we will just have to see how it all feels tomorrow morning.

Bummer.

On The Run - 2/9/9

3.67 mi(ish) / 44 min(ish) / 12 mpm(ish)

I really have to find that widget that counts my time and miles. I think I actually might be running a little faster than 12 mpm but there is really no telling.

It was run day - but we also had a Physical Therapy appointment at 8am and an Occupational Therapy appointment at 8:30am. And I needed to be in the office first thing in the morning to get everything off on the right foot . . . so.

I got up at 2:30 am - dressed for my run and went into the office. Worked a couple hours and then headed to Balboa Park (sans dawg). After that it was rush home, change - off to the appointments.

It was pouring rain. Sheets of rain. (so much so that I couldn't manage a photo - the one above is off the web)

One of the things that I noticed on my last run in the rain is that your nice swishy running shirt (you know, the one you bought because the friction from your old cotton t-shirts was giving you a rash?) Well, that swishy shirt becomes a lot less swishy when it is soaking wet. Things start to rub and chafe that you really don't want chaffed - two spots in particular on your chest . . .

I got home after my run on Saturday soaking wet and told my wife about it. She offered me some of her Lanolin. "Yeah, right." Was my response . . . Until I changed into some dry clothes and then . . . well . . . let's just say I am surprised at how thick and sticky the stuff is.

This time around I used a couple of band aids the way I had seen people at marathon races use them and it helped a little . . .

So I ran in the rain. It was fun - but not as fun as last time. Funny how the rare experience can make you euphoric and then the second time around you're thinking, "Hey! It's raining! Yippee! . . . but . . . this, this is A LOT of rain . . . . maybe too much rain . . ."

And it was. Water was sloshing out of my shoes by the time I was half-way through.

Since I don't have the widget for the gizmo, I have been setting my stopwatch and watching the time. My goal was 44 minutes this time and I wanted to be sure to do a cool down walk during the last 5 minutes - which meant I would stop running at the 37 minute mark . . . . or so I thought . . . .

By the time I was approaching the end of my 37 minutes, I was checking my watch every 30 seconds . . . FINALLY I saw the longed for "37:00" on my watch and then it hit me . . . . my math was off and I still had another 2 minutes to go . . . .

I realize that 2 minutes might not seem like a lot to some folks . . . but when you are at the very end of as far as you can run . . . 2 minutes presents quite a challenge . . . for that matter, navigating a curb or a large seam in the pavement presents quite a challenge . . .

I took a deep breath, rolled my shoulders back and said, "Well, waddya gonna do? Quit . . .?" So I kept on truckin'.

As so often happens, the Ipod gizmo kicked up a little audio inspiration in the form of "Seasons of Love" off the Rent soundtrack. I realize that a Broadway musical about bohemian artists with AIDS has a very limited audience - but this song is a great one:

525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear.

525,600 minutes - how do you measure, measure a year?

In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee.

In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.

In 525,600 minutes - how do you measure a year in the life?

How about love?

How about love?

How about love?

Measure in love.

Seasons of love.

525,600 minutes! 525,000 journeys to plan.

525,600 minutes - how can you measure the life of a woman or man?

In truths that she learned,

Or in times that he cried.

In bridges he burned,

Or the way that she died....

It's time now to sing out, the story never ends

let's celebrate! remember! a year in the life of friends.

How about love!

How about love!

How about love!

Measure in love. Seasons of love!

Seasons of love.

The first time I heard that song I didn't know its origins. Some friends of ours had used it as the audio for one of their "Year in Review" videos.

As I slogged through the rain I thought about those friends and how this past year has been one of the toughest of their lives and yet, they have recommitted themselves to the task at hand and walked the hard road. I thought about how they were heroes to me.

Then I thought about other friends of mine - small business owners and parents. Making a life of it through the boom and bust seasons of our economy and how they give so much of themselves to others. Heroes.

I thought of a couple of friends I talked with years ago before they were married. She confessed that she was struggling with debilitating depression and was worried that she could never be the wife her fiance deserved. I thought about how he immediately looked me in the eyes and said, "It doesn't matter - I love her." Heroes.

And from there it just cascaded . . . . I hit "Replay" at the end of the song and continued my reverie . . .

So many heroes . . . all around us . . . .

It made me think, what was it that they all had in common? What makes these people heroes in my eyes? It wasn't strength - although many of them are strong, they have faced down challenges and obstacles for which their strength was no match . . .

It wasn't courage - as I have seen friends face difficulties utterly terrified of the possible outcome . . .

It certainly wasn't money although there is much to be said for generosity - it isn't necessarily heroism . . . .

I think I decided that it was love that makes a hero . . . not just the warm fuzzy feeling that masquerades as love . . . but the type of love that loves even in the face of utter hopelessness . . . when you can't see how you will make it through . . . when it would be easier to walk away . . . and yet you embrace the baleful of pain and suffering for the one thin straw of love that lies within it . . . a love that is an agonizing choice of will . . . a love that chooses to love when you don't even feel like loving anymore . . . a gut-wrenching choosing of love at the end of all things because otherwise what is it all for . . .

Maybe true heroism is a Good Friday sort of love - which is why the cross of Christ is so compelling . . . When all is lost and all have forsaken . . . when emotion is gone and you only have the strength to make one last choice you choose to love . . .

I know heroes in my life that are still in that dark and lonely period between the Good Friday of their circumstances and the Sunday morning resurrection of resolution and triumph . . . it is a strange and cold place to be - devoid of much of the passion of Good Friday . . . hope is there but it is a prayerful hope as opposed to the triumphant hope of Sunday morning . . . a hope of the not yet . . .

But I also don't think you have to have your world turned upside down and shredded to be a hero - there is another love beside the love on the cross - let us not forget those who stood at the foot of the cross keeping vigil - the ones who continue to love those around them even when they don't fully understand the inner crucifixion their friend or family member is facing.

These heroes love in the midst of total uncertainty and confusion - they just know they will not abandon the one on the cross - they are the last ones you see when you feel the breath escape you - they stand watch quietly, patiently, prayerfully through the cold darkness from Friday to Sunday. They are the first faces you see when the blinding light of God rolls the stone away from your darkened tomb that you must occupy for a time . . .

So many heroes - if only we will open our eyes and see . . .

Not a bad way to spend an extra two minutes in the rain, eh?

Oh, and my run was good too - still injury free so far as I can tell!

On the Run - 2/7/9

3.58 mi(ish) / 43 min(ish) / super-wicked-fast! mpm(ish)

So I actually did get a run in on Saturday. I drove my flannel-clad self home and arrived just in time to hand off the keys to the wife who was on her way to work. I minded the wee-one, did dishes, did laundry, minded wee-one, repeat . . . .

I had just gotten most of the house picked up when the wife came home from work and we traded car keys once more. It was raining pretty good but I didn't care. I loaded up the dawg and headed out.

When I arrived at the park in shorts, a t-shirt and sweatshirt - it occurred to me that I should leave the sweatshirt in the car so that I would have something dry to change into when I was done. The temp was in the 50's so I figured it was warm enough.

There is something about a devil-may-care tossing it all to the wind and getting out in the rain totally unprepared . . .

It reminded me of my Jr. High days when we used to live in a massive 500-unit apartment complex. There was a gang of kids there and we all caroused around together. During spring and late summer, we would all head to the local diamond to play baseball. During fall and winter we occasionally headed to the field for tackle football.

But rain in the fall or winter meant one thing . . . . Smear the "Q***r" The term didn't strike any of us as derogatory in the early 80's when we were in Jr. High and just discovering girls - let's just say it starts with "Q" and rhymes with "steer".

This is that age-old game where everyone on the field tries to tackle the one with the football. Once tackled, you randomly toss the ball up and the next person to grab it takes off until they get tackled and so on. We would come home exhausted. Covered in mud (if we were lucky) mingled with a little blood here and there (if we were luckier still). It's one of those sandlot memories from my childhood.

Once in college, a rainstorm created 2 feet of mud on a section of San Diego's Sunset Cliffs. Some dorm-mates asked if I was up for some mud football and I jumped at the chance. We all headed down but truth-be-told, they did it wrong. These guys were actually interested in "plays" and points and winning. All I wanted to do was get muddy and (a little) bloody and tackle and be tackled. I walked away from the game thinking, "Well, that's it. It will never be like it used to be . . . 10 years ago at that city park field . . ."

Until this past Saturday.

I don't know what it was but when I stepped out into the rain with the Dawg at my side, I cranked up the Itunes and decided "Let's go for it". We ran and ran and ran . . . .

The dawg went berserk that we were out running in the rain and so did I. We hooted and hollard and waved at the rare other runners. The tourists saw us running past and you could see their faces brighten when they saw how happy the two of us were . . .

Near the end of the run, the rain stopped and the sun broke through and it was one of those transcendent moments when the entire world reflects it's true beauty.

When we finally got back to the car and collected ourselves, I realized that my entire body was screaming in pain. I had been "giving it the gas" for the past 43 minutes and it was telling me about it now . . . I got in the car and thought of something my father-in-law occasionally says after eating an enormous, artery-clogging, soul-satisfying meal . . . . he will lean back on the couch, stretch out and with a big smile exclaim . . ."That was good . . . . I hope it doesn't kill me right away . . ."

Everything hurt - It wouldn't surprise me if I had pushed myself onto the injured list once again - and with a satisfied smile I thought, "I would gladly postpone running a marathon for an entire year just to have a run like that . . ."

No photos this time - you can't take a picture of the face of God - you can't photograph glory . . . .

On The RUUUUNNNNNN! - 2/5/9

3.5 mi(ish) / 42 min(ish) / 12 mpm(ish)

That's the view of the parking lot where I have recently been parking before my run at O-Dark-Thirty. Heh, yeah. You noticed there aren't any other cars there too, huh?

A milestone of sorts has been reached. I am now running without walking breaks. Which is nice since now I don't have to keep resetting my stopwatch every 4 minutes.

Sunday was my first all-run day - 30 min straight (I always start with a 5 min warm-up walk and end the same way). On Monday, my legs felt tight for the first time - as if they had been through an actual workout.

So the first of my goals has been reached - run 30 min without walking and without ending up on the injured list. Next goal is to increase my total morning run to 60 min (I can't really justify spending more than 60 minutes a weekday on a run).

So my plan is to add one minute each run until we get to 60. Tuesday I ran for 41 min and on Wednesday my legs actually hurt a little for the first time.

This morning I ran 42 minutes and for the first time my legs sort of hurt while I was running. It seems like more of a muscle hurt than a bone / ligament hurt so I think I am okay . . . but with my history of injuries, it could be anything . . .

Today's podcast? This American Life.

The Prologue is pretty funny and worth a listen.

Teaser:

Dave Hill worked at a homeless shelter in New York. He liked the job—even the most menial parts. After about a year, he’s asked to become supervisor, which is exciting for him, because he’s never been in charge of anything before. But on his very first shift, something goes terribly wrong, without Dave even knowing about it. When he comes in the next day, a co-worker explains that the place isn’t quite what Dave thought it was. For one thing, most of his colleagues are crack addicts.

Act 1 is Sadly Fascinating and I have much to say about it - how most might look on this community as ignorant or worse but how we might do well to examine the underpinnings of our own beliefs and ask if they are any more defensible just because our beliefs are more widely held - all expressed in a constructive rather than deprecating way, of course . . . blah . . . blah . . . blah . . . but, meh.

It's worth half-a-listen.

Teaser:

An accountant, Bruce Wisan, is hired by the state of Utah to clean up a very complicated mess in a complicated place: Short Creek, home to hundreds of members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints—or FLDS, which practices polygamy. The community had been run by the notorious Warren Jeffs . . . Jeffs had been in charge of the FLDS church, and also of the giant trust which church members paid into all their lives. But when Jeffs became a fugitive, he began to mismanage the $112 million trust, and so the Utah attorney general stepped in, giving Wisan control. Wisan had plans: He was going to modernize the town utilities, improve the roads, and most important, give people titles to their homes, which under Jeffs were owned and controlled by the church trust. But Wisan quickly ran into an enormous problem: The majority of people in Short Creek would have nothing to do with him or his ideas.

Just in case you weren't sure that This American Life is totally in the tank for President McDreamy, check out Act 2.

The good stuff is in ACT 3 where they take a look at the economic philosophy driving the Obama Presidency.

Teaser:

Our crack economics duo, Producer Alex Blumberg and NPR International Economics Correspondent Adam Davidson, on how . . . John Maynard Keynes, is about to take over the American economy. President Obama's new stimulus plan relies on Keynes’ theory, which says that government can spend its way out of a downward economic spiral. Alex and Adam explain why this might actually be the first ever test of this very old idea.

=editorial note=

I started this post this morning about 6am but got interrupted. I am now finishing it up at 5pm and my legs are definitely sore . . . good sore . . . (I think)

On The Run - 2/3/9

3.42 mi(ish) / 41 min(ish) / 12 mpm(ish)

Okay, I didn't take this photo - I pulled it off the Net. But I have a good reason!

It also appears that the Nike+ widget that tracks all my stuff is irretrievably misplaced. Not "lost" mind you as I rarely ever lose things . . . irretrievably "misplaced" . . . which means it will turn up two days after I go pick up a replacement . . . and not a day sooner . . .

I didn't have the gizmo powered up this morning and to top it off, I left my watch at home . . . so I was "flying blind" as they say . . . So I ran to the point at Seaport Village that I ran to last time and then ran a little farther before doubling back to the car.

It reminded me of when I was in training in the 4th grade . . . That's right . . training in the fourth grade.

My elementary school would hold an "Olympics" for the students each year where you could qualify for certain events and compete against other kids in your grade. I wanted to do some running events and I decided I better train for them. So each morning at 6am, I would put socks on my hands as gloves and run around the block.

The next day I would run around two blocks and so on. It got to the point where I was running about an hour every morning.

The day of the Olympics, some other boys in my grade approached me and asked me to "throw" one of my races. According to them, I was going to win every race I was in and their friend David would never have a chance to get a gold medal. They wanted me to let him win.

I asked them if David had been running every morning before school for the past month and they said, "No". I thought it over and decided that the only honest thing to do was for everyone to go out and run their fastest.

After receiving my gold medal, I offered to give it to David but he didn't want it because it "wasn't the same". I didn't see how it would have been any different . . .

But I digress . . . . (again)

So I don't really know how far or how long I ran and who knows when the widget will turn up.

I will say this . . . Seaport Village was packed at 5am this morning. Normally I see 4 or 5 other runners at the most that early but this morning I saw close to 100. Everyone running every which way. I asked a couple of ladies if there was a race this week and they said it was probably all the folks from a sales convention of some sort that is in town.

Which brings me to the photo above. I had planned to discreetly get a snapshot of a throng of other runners but I was out of sorts without my watch and widget and in any case I never found a good opportunity.

What I did see though was an enormous black Hummer parked in the parking lot that was festooned with all sorts of stick on ads for a Karate business.

On the sidewalk in front of the testosteronemobile was a line of about 15 people all skipping rope with an instructor barking out orders. It looked like it was some sort of temporary out-of-towner-boot-camp-type event associated with the convention because none of the participants looked the part and they all were laughing and smiling.

"Aaaaaalriiiiigght . . ." The instructor growled . . . "Obstacle course time . . ."

And they all headed to . . . you guessed it . . . .

The Vita Course.

On The Run - 2/1/9

? mi / ? min / ? mpm

Still can't find the widget for the gizmo. This being the weekend and all, I thought I would run at Mission Bay for a change of scenery. Everything was fogged in when I got there. Love it.

I love foggy mornings at the beach - everything seems hushed somehow.

I set my watch and started off . . . there is a path that runs around the bay and with the traffic bridges, you can actually choose from a number of different loops around portions of the water. I chose the shortest one I knew - a path that I haven't run in a couple years . . .

Of course it was all wonderful and beautiful.

When my watched signaled the half-way point I had a decision to make - do I double back? or do I keep on keepin' on and complete the loop? Like I said, it had been a couple of years since I ran this route and I was unsure of how much longer the whole thing would take me.

From where I stood, I could see the bridge that I would need to cross to get back to where I started and it didn't seem that far away . . . just around the next bend in the bay . . . so I decided I would keep moving forward and complete the loop . . .

After another 10 minutes or so I rounded a bend and realized my mistake . . . the bay sways and curves and the bridge that seemed so close 10 minutes ago now seemed very far away indeed . . . but of course, now I had run 10 minutes father away from the car and there was probably no point in doubling back now.

I decided I would just get in my run and if the dawg and I had a nice little walk at the end of it to get back to the car, we would make the best of it and enjoy the beauty of the morning.

Turns out, after I finished my 40 minute run it took another 25 minutes of walking to get back to the car.

But that's life sometimes, isn't it? You have a goal - you can clearly see where you want to go and you are positive that it is within your grasp - and then you round a bend in the bay and that goal of yours that seemed so easily attainable now seems much more difficult - if not out of reach all together.

So do you stop? Double back? Or do you keep on keepin on accepting that this whole journey may be a lot harder and longer than you expected but you will take it easy when you have to and enjoy the scenery along the way . . .

Maybe God doesn't allow us to see all the obstacles we will encounter because if we did, we would never set out on the journey in first place . . .

Anyway, that's what I spent my time thinking about during my 40 minute run that turned out to be 65 minutes long . . .

On The Run - 1/30/09

? mi / ? min / ? mpm?

The other day I unplugged the widget from the Ipod after my run and put it in a very safe place . . . so safe that I couldn't find it this morning . . . I am sure it will turn up.

I do know that I did my usual 40 minutes today and the longest stretch of running without walking was 25 minutes. The inside of my left knee hurt a little after the run but it seems to be fine now.

I feel like one of those submarine movies where the captain orders the crew to "take her down" beyond the recommended depth. The crew goes silent as they listen to the groans, moans and occasional *clank* of the hull as it comes under the pressure of the sea.

Most of the clanks and groans are harmless, of course . . . . but it is that one, big, *BANG!* followed by the unmistakable sound of rushing water that the crew is straining to hear . . .

What I mean is that on every run, my body (knees especially) clank and groan and moan. Every little twinge makes me stop and think "Is this a big deal?? . . ." *Eeeeerrrrrrgghhhh* *Cunk* *Aiiiieeeeeerrrrr* . . . . "It's probably nothing . . . . continue descent helmsman Smith . . ."

The first photo above is one of the sculptures along the harbor - it is a whimsical Kaleidoscope pointed out at the bay. I noticed that there seemed to be a little bit of light coming out the far end and when I looked into the thing - the second picture is what I saw. Pretty neat stuff . . .

I know, the photos are horrible . . . but there is only so much you can do when you run in the dark armed only with a cell phone for a camera . . .

I listened to a podcast this morning that had me laughing out loud . . . it was "Act 1" from This American Life. Their theme this week was "Big breaks" - people who finally get the break they have been waiting for only to see it all go awry.

Act 1 is about Charlie Brill and Mitzi McCall.

Here is the Teaser:

Charlie Brill and Mitzi McCall were a comedy duo back in the mid-1960s, playing clubs around Los Angeles, when their agent called to tell them he'd landed them the gig of a lifetime: They were going to be on The Ed Sullivan Show. The only problem was that their performance was a total fiasco, for a bunch of reasons, including one they never saw coming.

It is worth a listen.

As a caution: In my humble opinion, This American Life has a decidedly left-of-center bent most weeks. Some people may find the prologue politically controversial. Act 2 certainly ends on a dark note and Act 3 is fascinating but terribly sad and most definitely not appropriate for children under the age of 13 in my estimation . . .

Act 1 is hilarious though - just fast-forward over the stuff you don't care for . . .

Hey! Smile! It's Friday!

On The Run - 1/28/09

3.38 mi / 40:14 min / 11:54 mpm

Broke the 12 minute mile marker!

So let's see, we have had "Up with the sun", "Up with the bakers", "Up with the concrete guys" and "Up with the college kids" . . . . add to that, "Up with the fish mongers"!

This fish processing center sits at the North end of Seaport Village on the bay. The ocean is about 50 feet behind me in this photo and boats can dock right there and unload their catch for processing. These guys work in a refrigerated room and are there every morning.

To be more accurate, I think the term "fish monger" refers to the person who sells the fish - which means I was was up with the "fish processors" which really doesn't have the same ring to it.

I am pretty sure I have seen the fish monger though. He sits in an adjacent room. One of those construction offices - you know, the kind of office you find on a work site. An office that is a means to an end - littered with the materials of people who actually MAKE STUFF as opposed to an office such as mine, which is an end in itself. The office is the stuff . . .

I have seen this guy through the window a few times. In his late thirties or so, he looks like he could have been a football player in his prime. Usually bundled up in parka in the pre-dawn darkness, hunched over his glowing computer monitor, sucking down coffee out of a travel mug as if it was the very air he breathes. Meanwhile, the ESL folks (English as a second language) are in the fridge with razor-sharp knives.

I can picture it now, him muttering to himself that if only his father hadn't started this whole fish-place . . . *sluuurp* . . . . if only he didn't have to give up afternoons and weekends throughout high school and college to help out at the shop . . . *sluuurrrrp* . . . he could have gone all the way baby . . . the pros . . . . *sluurrrrrp* . . .

Of course, if his father didn't start that whole fish-place in the first place, it could be him in the fridge, filleting salmon . . . .

But we don't think in terms of what hardships we have avoided - we focus on what we may have lost . . . and anyways, a shrug and an "it could be worse . . ." is not really the stuff of our dreams . . . .

But of course, I have only glimpsed the guy twice for a total of 10 seconds so what do I know? . . . .

But that's not what I wanted to write about . . .

Thank you Thank you to those who have commented and e-mailed in suggestions regarding knee pain and avoiding injuries.

I think I am going to follow my wife's advice and pick up insoles for my office shoes. Fortunately, the boss-man has declared the remainder of the week "casual".

Why is it that "casual day" sounds like "Rex Manning Day" to me?

From Empire Records:



Maybe because they are both special occasions that reek with a certain pathetic desperation . . . . whoopie. rex manning day.

But seriously, I love casual days.

Aaaaaanywaaaayyy . . . I am wearing cushy shoes for the rest of the week so I have a few days before I have to hunt down the inserts.

I am also going to take reader Gillian's advice and get a foam roller for my knees. I have had these suggested to me more than once and Gillian's recommendation is the one pushing me over the edge. $13 to avoid an injury sounds like a pretty good investment to me . . .

My long-lost friend Toby suggested that I have my gait analyzed to make sure I have the proper shoes - which sounds like a good idea . . . the next time I buy shoes. These only have about 100 miles on them so I probably have a while to go for that one.

Toby also suggested that I get regular massages . . . which . . . sounds great but . . . I don't see myself bounding in the door at 6am, back from a run, and asking the wife, "Hon, when you're done nursing and before you get in the shower, would you give me a rub-down?? What? I should stick what? where? Honey! Not in front of the baby!"

To be fair, my friend actually suggested that I massage myself which just doesn't work for me . . . it's like commenting on your own blog . . . or voting for yourself for prom king (not that I ever did that, mind you . .) . . . it just doesn't feel right . . .

The recent Phidippidations podcast was all about running injuries and he suggested going online and hunting down IT band stretches - which also sounds like a good idea.

But back to why my wife won't massage my tired legs . . . . What I was ruminating on this morning is the shop-worn question of "Is running an inherently selfish pursuit?" Think about it - you take time out of your day, away from family and friends (usually) . . . to pursue something that makes you and you alone happy.

Think about what you could get accomplished in that 1 1/2 hours spent driving to, working out at, and driving home from, the gym. Think of the hours, days and weeks, spent pounding the pavement with little more than nothing to show for it.

Think of all the things that you put on hold - that you push to the side - that you kick to the next calendar day just so that you can get your scheduled work-out in . . . .

I think a surfer in Step Into Liquid said it best. He said something to the effect of . . . Sure, when you are out there surfing, you aren't producing anything, you aren't contributing to the community, you aren't being productive in the regular sense of the world. . . .

But if by surfing, I am a calmer person, a happier person, a healthier person . . . if because of my surfing I interact with others later in the day in a more civilized manner . . . then maybe I am doing something productive . . . maybe, by surfing, I am making the world a better place . . . .

I am coming to realize that in this inter-connected world that we live in, the pace of life is actually outpacing life itself. The phone calls, the e-mails, the 2-dozen frequent shopper cards that are causing your wallet to burst at the seems. There's piano practice and soccer practice and yoga and pilates and "spinning" and biking and swimming and running and shopping and errands and . . .*WHEW*!

I think more than any generation, ours is the one that has to delineate the good from the best. We just have to learn the simple two-letter word "no".

My family deserves my best. My "girls" deserve to have a father and a husband who is present and with them. But the paradox is, I cannot be wholly "present" unless I break away to work, pay bills, run errands and yes, run. Exercise is one of those things that we all just need. You need to move your muscles and bones and feel the wind in your face. In a strange sort of way, not exercising is a disservice to my family. Whatever my failings are now, I believe they would all be worse without a little sweat-session every other day. I owe it to my family to take care of myself.

Of course there are limits that any reasonable person can figure out for themselves . . . For me, it is every other day. Never more than an hour run on the weekdays (all subject to revision of course).

Which brings me to what I really wanted to talk about this morning . . .

I started this most recent running routine (I actually prefer the term "running joke") this past December 2nd and I have not missed a scheduled day sense I started.

Of all the exercise attempts in my life, this may be the longest running (no pun intended) streak so far. I have run with colds and sore throats and a runny nose, in rain, in snow, over ice in sub-freezing temperatures, on my vacation and even on the day my little girl had brain surgery.

What I have discovered, much to my surprise, is that the consistency has imbued the effort with a deeper meaning - each run seems to have greater impact.

What makes today's run special is not today's run - it is the fact that today's run is part of a chain that includes last Thursday, and Christmas day, and all the days that presented obstacles and challenges.

I feel like if I miss a day because "I don't feel like it", little Annie-lu-who will pipe up and exclaim, "Let me get this straight; I HAD BRAIN SURGERY AND YOU WENT RUNNING BUT TODAY YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE IT????!!"

Each run is like a strand woven into an ever-stronger cable that seems to provide more and more stability, enjoyment and return on investment.

It's the consistency that is the thing.

One last word . . .

There is a lady who sits on the rocks at Ocean Beach every day at sunrise. I have never been there for an early morning go-out when she wasn't there. Sitting on the rocks, or her exercise ball, staring Westward across the sea. every. single. day.

I heard a rumor that her son drowned and that she sits there praying for the surfers . . . a story which seems a little far fetched to me . . .

The thing is, I have often wondered, "How does she do it? Every. Single. Day . . ."

Maybe I am beginning to understand . . . .

Oh, and this morning's run went great BTW . . . longest segment without walking was 20 minutes and the knees felt great!

On The Run - 1/26/09

3.30 mi / 40:11 min / 12:08 mpm

It's what the kids are wearing these days . . . . (I think)

I had to go to the office supply store the other day and when I saw a display of headphones, I remembered that the ones I was using for running had gone caput. The right earphone just buzzes half the time. I think some sweat got into it a while back.

Since the last time I bought headphones was 2005, I was probably due for an update anyway. I had never seen earphones like this. The tips are silicone widgets that can be traded out for different sized widgets (the package came with three sets). Once you remove the widget, the actual speaker is little bigger than the head of a pin. Amazing. They sound pretty good and the cord is nice and long.

I guess this is what the kids are wearing these days although at under $10, I doubt it.

So the run went fine. My longest segment without walking was 15 minutes and it felt great - the new running form/gait makes a big difference. I didn't feel so great later that afternoon though.

The dress shoes I have for work are about 5 years old and whatever minimal cushion they once had is now completely gone. I refuse to wear them around the house because they make such a loud *clunking* sound.

You add that to the office floor which is little more than concrete with a thin veneer of carpet over it and it all amounts to a lot of pounding everyday. I would probably be better off if I walked around the office barefoot but I don't think my co-workers would go for it . . . .

So yesterday afternoon, my left knee began to really hurt. Why did everything feel so good this morning but start to hurt now . . . I wondered. Then it hit me . . . . Running in cushy running shoes for 40 minutes is probably no match for clunking around on concrete in the modern equivalent of a wooden clog for 8 hours.

The wife suggested I pick up some insoles for my work shoes. If anyone has any suggestions, I am all ears!

On The Run - 1/24/09

3.34 mi / 40:09 min / 12:00 mpm

Almost broke that 12 minute mile barrier!

All along the harbor, there are sculptures that represent reinterpretations of trees. The sculpture pictured above is called "Fairy Tree" - the tree being big mushrooms. Good stuff.

I was listening to a podcast called "Running with the Pack" that my buddy Sean recommended. It's basically a couple of running geeks sitting around talking (from what I can gather after 1 episode). They were talking about how their fitness had slipped a little during the holiday's and one of them likened it to a "closer" in baseball.

The closer is the pitcher who takes to the mound in the last inning of a close game. If he delivers three "outs" and denies any runs to the opposing team, the pitcher's team will win. If he allows the other team to score, his team will lose. Everything is riding on one man . . .

The podcast talked about the importance of a "closer" having a short memory. When he takes to the mound, he cannot let his past failures haunt him. He also can't let past successes give him overconfidence. He has to have a short memory and be in the moment.

Of course, the podcast related this to fitness and dieting. Each day is a new day - don't let last night's cheesecake become today's excuse to give up etc . . . .

As I was running, it seemed to me that this "short memory" principle can be applied to a whole host of areas in our lives. I think that often times we don't make changes that we want to or need to in life because of something that we have done or that has happened in the past.

"I can't change and start doing "x" because all my friends know that I have always done "y" and they will know I am a hypocrite . . ."

"I can't do "c" because yesterday I blew it and did "a" and there's no point in trying . . ." etc.

I think that sometimes we need to willfully ignore yesterday in order to get on with today.

Just to give an example that is pathetic on a number of levels, this principle definitely applies to my running. For the longest time I scoffed at my friends who were runners only to finally agree to do a marathon - the 2006 Marine Corps Marathon - which I have been alternately training and injuring myself for going on 3 years now . . . (I have never run more than 8 miles at a stretch let-alone a marathon)

Anywho . . . that's my deep running thought for today . . .

On a more practical note, I was nervous about today's run. I have been alternating between walking and running and every day that I go out I walk one minute less and run one minute more. I am now running four minutes and walking one - running four etc . . . Today was the first day I was going to drop one of the remaining walking minutes which would end up in me running 10 minutes straight.

My concern is never "can I do it", my concern is always "will I injure myself" and I have a track record to prove that injury should be a primary concern of mine . . .

I stacked the 10 minutes at the end of my run this morning when I would be all warmed up and as the gizmo chimed in that it was time to start a-runnin', I took a deep breath and . . . why . . . . what's this . . .?

The Ipod had kicked up a JXL Remix of Elvis Presley's "A Little Less Conversation" which comes from the "ELV1S - 30 #1 Hits" album. I am telling you it has got to be one of the all time greatest running songs ever! 3:33 minutes of pure, kickin', happy!

A big smile spread across my face as I dialed up the volume and picked up the pace. I had to keep reminding myself to slow it down before I hurt myself. I started bouncing to the beat . . . even the dawg seemed happy . . . I ran down the waterfront with my big dopey dawg, both of us wearing the same dopey grin . . .

I thought about how beautiful the overcast morning was . . . how great it was to be out with my favorite four-legged buddy . . . how happy I was that little Annabelle was home safe and sound . . . How proud I was of my wife that she was at home rallying the strength to go back to work today after the past two days we have had . . . .

Joyful, joyful, joyful . . . . and then I hit "Replay" and listened to it again . . .

I understand people who don't listen to music when they run - they want to commune with nature, hear the sounds around them . . . "deal with their demons" . . . and sometimes I run without music as well . . .

But man-o-man . . . the right song at the right time in a run can make you feel invincible . . . can help you to find strength you didn't know you had . . . make you want to raise your arms to the heavens and shout for joy . . .

And I don't even like Elvis . . . .

Good run.

On The Run - 1/22/09

What? You thought I would let double brain surgery on my 5-month-old keep me from running?

Actually, there was a couple of items at home that we wanted so I got permission to get in a run on the way to and fro. I decided a run along the ocean would fit the bill after today. Mission Beach was on the way and I hadn't been there in a while so . . .

A couple of weeks ago we actually ran out of money. Weeeelllll . . . . that's not entirely true. The wife had a $5 bill and I had half a jar of change - 3 days before payday. I figured we probably had about $20 in change and a half-a-tank of gas so we just might make it. As luck would have it, we did make it and still had a big zip-lock of change on the floor of the car.

For the past few days I have been meaning to take the change in to the grocery store to dump it in one of those counting machines. That or either put it back in the jar (It's not like I am going to buy $20 worth of groceries with change unless I absolutely have to). Alas, on the floor of the car it has remained.

As I was stretching beside the car before my run, a panhandler came up with his dawg and asked for change. I handed him the entire bag and wished him a "Happy Brain Surgery Day!".

He was so astonished at the bag of change that he did not catch what I had said, thanked me profusely and walked away.

A man who had just finished his run came up to me afterwards and said, "Man, that guy has been hittin' everyone in this parking lot up for change - he probably has more money than we do."

"My 5-month old daughter had double brain surgery today and came through with flying colors" I replied.

The man's face went slack and a look of incomprehension spread across it.

"I haven't a care in the world and I am in a giving mood", I summed up for him.

He got it, smiled and said "I get it. I feel ya."

The run was hard but I didn't care. It had been a while since I had been to Mission Beach and when I got to the pier (in the picture above) I remembered exactly how long.

It was this long ago.


At the time, we had been told that Annabelle would not likely survive more than a few hours after birth and that day at Mission Beach, we were thinking that these may be the only family photos we were going to get.

Talk about a poignant moment today . . .

We are so so so so so grateful, thankful, overjoyed by our little champ and today felt like another victorious title bout (to use a boxing term).

Thank you thank you thank you for all your prayers and support. I don't think we would be where we are were it not for them.

(BTW - no stats this time as I left the gizmo in the car in the parking structure two blocks away . . . as if the stats even matter . . .)

On The Run - 1/20/09

3.20 mi / 40:12 min / 12:32 mpm

Up with the college kids again (that is, I got up while they were going to bed).

I read an article in Running Times recently regarding modifying your running form.

When you think of running, most people think of stretching one foot out in front of you, hitting heel first, rolling your foot forward as your body passes over it and then launching off your toes to repeat.

The article claimed that instead of taking long strides, it was better to shorten your strides, pick up the turnover of your feet and plant your feet flat, directly under you instead of heel-first out in front of you. If you want to lengthen your stride, you do so by leaving your foot on the ground longer (after you) instead of stretching it out farther in front of you.

This is supposed to lessen the impact on your body and give you more endurance.

I tried it this morning and it seemed to help.

I haven't missed a scheduled day of running in 7 weeks which might be my longest streak so far . . . of course, if the running doesn't work out I can always just do circuits on the "Vita Course". Seriously, does anyone in their right mind think these courses do anything for the general health of the park-goers?

And what exactly is someone supposed to do at this exercise station (pictured above)? It looks like you are supposed to hang from the rings and do the hula-hoop at the same time.

I have more confidence in Vitameatavegimin than I do in the Vita Course:



UPDATE:

Okay, maybe I need to reconsider the Vita Course . . .

On the Run - 1/18/09

3.16 mi / 40:15 min / 12:43 mpm (1/16/09)

3.25 mi / 40:09 min / 12:21 mpm (1/18/09)

I actually did run on the 18th but never got around to posting about it on account of my "Ob-Stak-Uls" (O Brother Where Art Thou quote).

The photo above is at an intersection near Seaport Village. Just behind me as I take this photo are street lights, crosswalks and the intersection of two 6 lane streets. And here, all but forgotten, is this odd grave-stone-looking thing in the sidewalk.

I had to get down on my hands and knees to read it. The plaque is entitled "Punta de los Muertos" which means "Point of the Dead" or "Dead Man's Point".

I read the plaque and intended on pulling up the actual verbiage on the Internet but have been unable to find it. Alas, the photo isn't good enough to read off of either. What I do remember from the plaque as I knelt on my hands and knees was that in the 1700's, sailors who had contracted scurvy and died were unloaded and buried RIGHT THERE!

"Whoa!" I thought as I jumped off my knees. Geepers.

I did find this website that provides a little more information on it.

Instead of saying "I am going running at Seaport Village" I am now tempted to say "I am going for a run at Dead Man's Point". Of course, no one will know what I am talking about . . . . .

Once again, it's amazing what you discover if you can pry yourself out of your car long enough to take a walk . . .

Oh, and both the runs went well too - nothing currently hurts!

On The Run - 1/14/09

3.14 mi / 40:14 min / 12:47 mpm

Broke the 13 mpm mark!

San Diego is a big Navy / Marine city and all along the boardwalk there are memorials. I sort of like this one in particular. If you look at it from the side, the granite blocks resemble the prow of a ship. In the photo, you can sort of see the map of the Pacific on the ground with lines marking the travels and battles of the USS San Diego.

This is from the website:

The USS San Diego (CL 53) was christened at launching in July 1941 by Grace Benbough, wife of the mayor of the ship's namesake city. Commissioned into service six months later-just a month after the Pearl Harbor attack-the San Diego soon joined the Pacific Fleet with which she served nearly continuously throughout World War II.

The San Diego was a light cruiser-one of four of the Atlanta class-and the only one of her sisters to survive the war unscathed. Ships of this class could steam at over 30 knots and carried a main battery of 16 five-inch guns, which enabled them to provide formidable anti-aircraft defense for the fast carrier task forces that spearheaded the naval offensive in the Pacific.

A fortunate and well-run ship, always ready for action, the San Diego steamed over 300,000 nautical miles, engaged the enemy on 34 different occasions, and never lost a man. She earned 18 battle stars for her World War 11 service, more than any other Navy ship except for the famous carrier Enterprise.

In recognition of her battle record and her long, reliable and steady service-from the darkest days of the war to the final victory-Admiral Halsey designated the San Diego to be the first allied warship to enter Tokyo Bay at the war's end.

Returning after the war to the city for which she was named, the San Diego received a tumultuous welcome and was the center of jubilant Navy Day celebrations. Barely a year later, a brief but action-filled career came to a close when she was decommissioned in November 1946.

This morning was the first time I got up, got dressed and stepped out the door without thinking about it. In fact, it took more effort to get my first cup of coffee than it did to head out for my run (much to my dismay I had forgotten to set up the coffee maker last night). They say it takes 21 days to create a habit - I think this was my 24th day of running since I started this most recent effort.

This was also the first day that I felt good and strong. My knee didn't hurt. The ankle was fine. My legs felt strong. Right now I am running 3-4 minutes and then walking 1-2 minutes *repeat* and I had to keep reminding myself to stop running and walk a little bit.

In the past, I have taken a "if it feels good - do it" approach to running. Having a great run? By all means, RUN MORE! RUN FASTER! RUN LONGER!

I have learned that those types of runs usually end with a *Clunk!* *Bang!!* *Sprong-g-g-g-g-g!!!* followed by "Ow! Ow! Ow! It hurts! Make it stop hurting!"

So I did my best to dial it back this morning.

Hey! It's Wednesday morning! We're almost halfway to the weekend!

On The Run - 1/12/09

3.06 mi / 40:10 min / 13:05 mpm

Okay, I didn't take that photo (I left my cell phone at home again - so I pulled it off the web).

But I run by this restaraunt everytime I run at Seaport Village.

My wife and I met at college in San Diego in 1991. A year later we were married. Times were tough and money was tight. I remember thinking that I needed a second job on top of full-time school and waiting tables at night so I picked up an application from this place. They never interviewed me.

The run went just fine and the dawg loved every minute of it as usual. My left knee is still bothering me (almost as much as my right ankle). I chalk it all up to the general decreptitude of my current physical condition. The key is to keep the minor pains from becoming bonified injuries (my track record on that one is not promising).

But hey! I haven't missed a scheduled run day since December 2nd and as they say, "No pain, no pain . . ." errrr . . . . something like that . . . .

Reminds me of a poster . . .

On The Run - 1/10/9

3.01 mi / 40:11 min / 13:20 mpm

Yep, there's my phone - plugged into the charger right where I left it this morning. Which I guess brings up this week's menu:

- Chicken Bake (Mama Kess's recipe)

- Kitchen Sink Tuna Melts (One of my wife's specialties)

- Chili Potatoes (which we never made)

- Fish (which we never bought because I couldn't find any on sale)

- Easy Company Beef (Fix it and Forget it)

- Chicken in Wine (Fix it and Forget it)

Not that anyone would care, of course.

The trouble is, I always post a photo from my run and when I don't, I feel like I owe an explanation . . . so I take a photo of my phone where I left it but now the chalkboard is in the background so I feel I need to explain that . . . and now I am explaining why I am explaining so maybe we should all agree to just drop it . . .

*whew*

It's a real bummer too because there was a full moon this morning glimmering off the harbor . . .

The run felt pretty good this morning, even though my left knee is still sort of bothering me. It doesn't really hurt when I run - just a short time afterwards . . .

I also broke the 14 mpm mark! At 13:20 mpm, I would run a marathon in 5 hours 50 minutes, which is juuuuust a liiiitle outside my goal of under 4 hours . . .

Why four hours? Because why would anyone want to run longer than that?

Marathons are sort of funny that way, the people bringing up the rear of the pack at the 6 hour mark look at those who come in under 3 hours and wonder how anyone could possibly run that fast . . . .

The people leading the race who come in under 3 hours look at the back-of-the-packers and wonder how anyone could possibly run for that length of time.

Its a mutual admiration thing!

Anyway . . . I am having enough trouble with 3 miles so far . . . maybe it's all the crock-pot cooking . . .

On The Run - 1/7/9

? mi / ? min / ? mpm

I know my gizmo saved my running stats but they aren't there anymore. Arrgh . . . that's the thing with some of these high-tech whiz-bangs, they don't work from time to time but you are too busy to stop and figure out why so you just keep on keepin' on and hope they come to their senses . . .

This morning, I sing the praises of the dawg tag . . . the reasons why are the subject of another post . . . .

I will say that the dawg stayed REAL close to papa on this morning's run . . . actually rubbing up against my legs half the time . . . .

I have been running down at Seaport Village lately as my left knee continues to hurt and from what little I know about sports medicine, I need to take it easy and stay away from hills and uneven paths. Being at sea level, the path at Seaport is totally even and flat so I am hoping my left knee "snaps out of it" figuratively speaking . . .

I have actually hit a milestone of sorts - I am now running more than walking.

I started off walking 40 minutes and each day that I run, I add one more minute of running and one less minute of walking . . . so now that I am running more than walking, there is a *little* more credence to the title "On the Run".

I was talking with friends on New Years Day about my running (they, all FAR more accomplished than myself) and I mentioned that I was in training for the Western States 100.

"What about running a marathon?" someone asked.

"Oh, I will . . . as part of my training!" I replied.

I received at least one (possibly drunken) promise from a friend . . .

"If you run the Western States 100, I will run EVERY STEP OF THE WAY with you . . . . I love you man . . . no, really, I love you . . . I WILL RUN EVERY STEP OF THE WAY with you . . ."

Weeeelll, so far I have the first 2 1/2 miles down pat . . .