The first lessons are almost always the best lessons, and it was no different here: Running is a kind of truth serum. It brutally strips away everything you put on and leaves you with only yourself. The runner on the road, hunched over or otherwise, knows something that the passenger in the car doesn't. Down to the core, the runner knows who he is. The runner has to. He's so tired, who he is is all that's left.
. . . the run makes trash of every bauble and artifact, layer upon layer, whether it's something in your form, or something on your body, or something in your mind, until you're empty and bare and raw.
The runner knows who he is. The farther he runs, the more he knows, the more that shows.
- Marc Parent in Runner's World
http://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/running-helps-you-find-your-inner-self
Showing posts with label Running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Running. Show all posts
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Every Day
by Thomas A. Clark
Awake the mind's hopeless so
At a quarter to six I rise
And run 2 or 3 miles in
The pristine air of a dark
And windy winter morning
With a light rain falling
And no sound but the pad
Of my sneakers on the asphalt
And the calls of the owls in
The cypress trees on Mesa Road
And when I get back you're
Still asleep under the warm covers
Because love is here to stay
It's another day and we're both still alive
Saturday, September 29, 2012
The Bourbon Chase
WAIT! WHAT? How come I haven't heard of this till now?
2 days, 200 miles, 6 Kentucky distilleries, with 11 of your friends:
http://youtu.be/QMldPnwNdb8
2 days, 200 miles, 6 Kentucky distilleries, with 11 of your friends:
http://youtu.be/QMldPnwNdb8
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
One of the Best Running Podcasts I have ever heard
The podcast had me misty-eyed more than once and is one of the best podcasts I have ever heard on why we run. If you are looking for heart-felt motivation to get off the couch, this is worth your time.
Run long and taper.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Quote of the Day
I'm not a good runner, but I'm better than someone who doesn't do it at all.
- Captain "Sully" Sullenberger
- Captain "Sully" Sullenberger
Tell Someone
Walk up to your most unsupportive acquaintance and inform him you have started running. This is preferably a person who was as lazy as you were just before the first run (one run and you're no longer lazy!), someone who will chuckle or even make fun of you. Ridicule is a strong motivator. Ask anyone who has ever achieved anything in life to tell you about the high school teacher who told him he'd never amount to anything.
- Runner's World
- Runner's World
Monday, September 3, 2012
Fun Run
So my buddy Sean had the idea to hike Cowels Mountain one day to watch the sunrise. Cowles is the highest peak in San Diego County at a little over 1500 feet and I had never hiked it so I was stoked to give it a try in the dark!
We got the trail head around 5am, strapped on our headlamps and headed up.
This is the view of the valley from the top of Cowels:
There is a trail that links Cowels peak to another peak named Piles. I had heard that very few people ever made the extra hike over to Piles so I was all for it. Sean was content to relax and watch the sunrise from Cowels so I struck out on my own to see if I could make it before the sun came up.
There is something exhilarating about running an unfamiliar trail in the dark all by your self and I loved it.
Just before sunrise at Piles Peak:
Looking back at Cowels from Piles peak (Cowels peak is just behind the radio towers):
Clouds blanketing the valley below:
Moon above the valley:
WHAMO!:
It was a blast and I definitely plan on doing it again!
Great idea Sean! Thanks!
http://youtu.be/wHs_XvtulzA
We got the trail head around 5am, strapped on our headlamps and headed up.
This is the view of the valley from the top of Cowels:
There is a trail that links Cowels peak to another peak named Piles. I had heard that very few people ever made the extra hike over to Piles so I was all for it. Sean was content to relax and watch the sunrise from Cowels so I struck out on my own to see if I could make it before the sun came up.
There is something exhilarating about running an unfamiliar trail in the dark all by your self and I loved it.
Just before sunrise at Piles Peak:
Looking back at Cowels from Piles peak (Cowels peak is just behind the radio towers):
Clouds blanketing the valley below:
Moon above the valley:
Almost!:
WHAMO!:
It was a blast and I definitely plan on doing it again!
Great idea Sean! Thanks!
http://youtu.be/wHs_XvtulzA
Friday, August 31, 2012
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Sunday, August 19, 2012
5k Update
It was a great day!
This is just before the race (we had to wake Annie up to get movin' this morning and she was still "powering up" in this photo):
Not knowing what to expect, I placed myself at the back of the pack just before the walkers.
And away we go!
Annie always gets a thrill out of races that we have been to and she got in on the action by cheering runners as they passed.
The splits:
I set up RunKeeper on my phone to record 5 min intervals. RunKeeper is always a little iffy when it comes to precise accuracy but here goes:
0min-5min: 7:03 min/mile pace - This is a fast start for me but is probably accurately reflecting the excitement of race day.
5min-10min: 8:09 min/mile pace - This is probably accurate as well as I got bogged down in the crowd a little (during the first 5 min I was able to run around the crowd by running on the sidewalk instead of in the road with the hoard). The entire race I was passing people and was never passed by anyone else. This doesn't mean I am fast, it means I seeded myself too far back in the pack. Next time I might try a middle of the pack approach (it's just so crowded!).
10min-15min: 5:25 min/mile pace - WAIT! WHAT? The day I do a 5:25 minute mile you'll know I am in my car. This can't be right! Plus, I am pretty sure this was the long hill that we climbed so it should be a slower pace than the rest.
15min-20min: 7:02 min/mile pace - Thank you AC/DC and Tesla! I was hoping to negative split the race so my plan was to spend the first couple of songs finding my form (Orchard and I Have the Touch). The next song digging in (Roll Away Your Stone). Then pouring it on (Back in Black and Getting Better). Then trying to hang on (Beautiful Day, Little Less Conversation and Born Again).
20min-25min: 6:51 min/mile pace - Thank you U2, JXL and a race course that ends with a down-slope! When I realized I was going to finish in the middle of the JXL remix, I knew I would beat my 30 min. goal.
Taking RunKeeper with a grain of salt, the negative splits tell me I didn't go out too fast and managed my pace well but that big fat 8:09 tells me I need to seed myself a little farther up the pack than dead last. I wish I hadn't set up my intervals this way. Instead of time, I should have set them up in either mile or half-mile intervals which would have been much more helpful to me afterwards. Live and learn!
According to my playlist I crossed the line in under 27 min but I forgot to stop my RunKeeper for another 10 minutes or so and the official #'s won't be up until this afternoon. So I am not sure what my exact time is.
It was a total blast and I am looking forward to running a longer race next. Maybe a 5 miler or a 10k? We shall see . . . . My next 2 challenges on the calendar are the Magic Mile starting September 9th and the 5x50 which also starts September 9th!
Today I saw a T-shirt on a runner in front of me that read "Run Hard, Live Easy". Well, I did half of that so far today and it felt GREAT!
UPDATE: Official Results Are In!
Time: 25:20
Overall: 120th place
Men's Group: 83rd place
Men 40-44: 8th place!
Not bad for a first-timer who couldn't run 5 minutes straight 3 1/2 months ago!
This is just before the race (we had to wake Annie up to get movin' this morning and she was still "powering up" in this photo):
Not knowing what to expect, I placed myself at the back of the pack just before the walkers.
And away we go!
Annie always gets a thrill out of races that we have been to and she got in on the action by cheering runners as they passed.
The splits:
I set up RunKeeper on my phone to record 5 min intervals. RunKeeper is always a little iffy when it comes to precise accuracy but here goes:
0min-5min: 7:03 min/mile pace - This is a fast start for me but is probably accurately reflecting the excitement of race day.
5min-10min: 8:09 min/mile pace - This is probably accurate as well as I got bogged down in the crowd a little (during the first 5 min I was able to run around the crowd by running on the sidewalk instead of in the road with the hoard). The entire race I was passing people and was never passed by anyone else. This doesn't mean I am fast, it means I seeded myself too far back in the pack. Next time I might try a middle of the pack approach (it's just so crowded!).
10min-15min: 5:25 min/mile pace - WAIT! WHAT? The day I do a 5:25 minute mile you'll know I am in my car. This can't be right! Plus, I am pretty sure this was the long hill that we climbed so it should be a slower pace than the rest.
15min-20min: 7:02 min/mile pace - Thank you AC/DC and Tesla! I was hoping to negative split the race so my plan was to spend the first couple of songs finding my form (Orchard and I Have the Touch). The next song digging in (Roll Away Your Stone). Then pouring it on (Back in Black and Getting Better). Then trying to hang on (Beautiful Day, Little Less Conversation and Born Again).
20min-25min: 6:51 min/mile pace - Thank you U2, JXL and a race course that ends with a down-slope! When I realized I was going to finish in the middle of the JXL remix, I knew I would beat my 30 min. goal.
Taking RunKeeper with a grain of salt, the negative splits tell me I didn't go out too fast and managed my pace well but that big fat 8:09 tells me I need to seed myself a little farther up the pack than dead last. I wish I hadn't set up my intervals this way. Instead of time, I should have set them up in either mile or half-mile intervals which would have been much more helpful to me afterwards. Live and learn!
According to my playlist I crossed the line in under 27 min but I forgot to stop my RunKeeper for another 10 minutes or so and the official #'s won't be up until this afternoon. So I am not sure what my exact time is.
It was a total blast and I am looking forward to running a longer race next. Maybe a 5 miler or a 10k? We shall see . . . . My next 2 challenges on the calendar are the Magic Mile starting September 9th and the 5x50 which also starts September 9th!
Today I saw a T-shirt on a runner in front of me that read "Run Hard, Live Easy". Well, I did half of that so far today and it felt GREAT!
UPDATE: Official Results Are In!
Time: 25:20
Overall: 120th place
Men's Group: 83rd place
Men 40-44: 8th place!
Not bad for a first-timer who couldn't run 5 minutes straight 3 1/2 months ago!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
5 x 50
This morning was my 77th day in a row running. I celebrated by cutting 5 inches off my belt since it has gotten too long now that I have lost 43 pounds (28 in the past 77 days). Although it isn't really a goal of mine, it would be neat to join the Running Streak Association if I manage to run at least a mile 365 days in a row so I am putting in at least a mile everyday.
RunKeeper tells me that I have been averaging 3.36 miles a day or just over a 5k (3.1 miles) every day for the past 77 days.
Well today I saw this!:
Yep - I registered.
RunKeeper tells me that I have been averaging 3.36 miles a day or just over a 5k (3.1 miles) every day for the past 77 days.
Well today I saw this!:
Yep - I registered.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Quote of the Day
When I run in the morning, my body spends the first 20 minutes trying to figure out what is happening to it.
- Danny Pudi (plays Abed on Community)
- Danny Pudi (plays Abed on Community)
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Running on the Shore
by May Swenson
The sun is hot, the ocean cool. The waves
throw down their snowy heads. I run
under their hiss and boom, mine their wild
breath. Running the ledge where pipers
prod their awls into sand-crab holes,
my barefoot tracks their little prints cross
on wet slate. Circles of romping water swipe
and drag away our evidence. Running and
gone, running and gone, the casts of our feet.
My twin, my sprinting shadow on yellow shag,
wand of summer over my head, it seems
that we could run forever while the strong
waves crash. But sun takes its belly under.
Flashing above magnetic peaks of the ocean's
purple heave, the gannet climbs,
and turning, turns
to a black sword that drops,
hilt-down, to the deep.
The sun is hot, the ocean cool. The waves
throw down their snowy heads. I run
under their hiss and boom, mine their wild
breath. Running the ledge where pipers
prod their awls into sand-crab holes,
my barefoot tracks their little prints cross
on wet slate. Circles of romping water swipe
and drag away our evidence. Running and
gone, running and gone, the casts of our feet.
My twin, my sprinting shadow on yellow shag,
wand of summer over my head, it seems
that we could run forever while the strong
waves crash. But sun takes its belly under.
Flashing above magnetic peaks of the ocean's
purple heave, the gannet climbs,
and turning, turns
to a black sword that drops,
hilt-down, to the deep.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
WhooHoo!
Last weekend we loaded up the van at o-dark-thirty and headed to Carlsbad to support some friends who were running the marathon. Annie loved being out in the cool morning air with all the runners going by and people cheering each other on.
She even got into the act with a little coaching from mommy.
She even got into the act with a little coaching from mommy.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
Huh, maybe that's my problem . . . shoes
(I doubt it though)
Mr. Byers, 46, a running coach and event manager from Long Beach, Calif., who clocked in at 4 hours 48 minutes, has run 75 marathons since 2004 in bare feet. “People are kind of weird about it,” he shrugs.
Maybe they shouldn’t be. Recent research suggests that for all their high-tech features, modern running shoes may not actually do much to improve a runner’s performance or prevent injuries. Some runners are convinced that they are better off with shoes that are little more than thin gloves for the feet — or with no shoes at all.
Plenty of medical experts disagree with this notion. The result has been a raging debate in running circles, pitting a quirky band of barefoot runners and researchers against the running-shoe and sports-medicine establishments.
Teaser:
Mr. Byers, 46, a running coach and event manager from Long Beach, Calif., who clocked in at 4 hours 48 minutes, has run 75 marathons since 2004 in bare feet. “People are kind of weird about it,” he shrugs.
Maybe they shouldn’t be. Recent research suggests that for all their high-tech features, modern running shoes may not actually do much to improve a runner’s performance or prevent injuries. Some runners are convinced that they are better off with shoes that are little more than thin gloves for the feet — or with no shoes at all.
Plenty of medical experts disagree with this notion. The result has been a raging debate in running circles, pitting a quirky band of barefoot runners and researchers against the running-shoe and sports-medicine establishments.
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