Sunday, September 27, 2009

Woodstock

it was a long day.

12 miles running with 501, work, dinner, and then volunteering at Woodstock from 10 PM to 4 AM.

The only thing I needed to do for volunteering was make sure a warm body (mine) was there just in case it was necessary (it kinda wasn't) and try to stay awake.

Not many finishers came in between 10 PM and 4 AM. In fact, I know of only two, and one of them was a... jackass is probably the best term.

17 year old kid, maybe, but he cut corners (at least one) and came in first as a finisher for the 100 mile, and when he was told so, didn't protest that he couldn't have finished first. He (and his girlfriend) seemed awfully eager to leave.

Ten minutes later, when the real first place finisher came in and the poser was confronted, he dropped all pretense and said he thought that he must've made a wrong turn.

I don't know if the kid had run 99 miles, 29 miles, or whatever. I have felt the mental confusion that comes from prolonged exercise. He didn't have it. What I did see was a sort of shame that keeps someone from enjoying a prize he didn't earn, and hopefully some sense of gratitude that in the end he didn't didn't get away with it.

Thankfully, the real winner got the rewards. But it was a surreal way to end a rather long day.

On the plus side, as I listened to Moby Dick on audiobook, inbetween chapters I started writing down various thoughts about running in the style of Herman Melville. I thought they were pretty amusing, so I may continue, and possibly post them here.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Volunteering for Woodstock

So, I'm off to help those poor souls doing the 100 miler for Woodstock. If it goes well and I'm inspired, it may be me next year.

On the other hand, it turn me off to the whole idea. Difficult to tell which way...

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Eddie Izzard

Anyone who does 43 marathons in 51 days has my admiration- especially if they weren't all that fit at the start.

Also, he's really a funny comic, too.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8256589.stm

Monday, September 14, 2009

Running as Batchlor Party

So, my brother got married again this weekend, and I happened to be his best man. This was his second marriage, and he had a traditional party the first time, I think. (I was 16 at the time, so I wasn't invited).

This time, he wanted something a little different. Instead of something wild, he just wanted me to do a run with him. So a couple of days before the wedding, he and I did a nice, easy 10 miler together, talking about just about anything.

It was a beautiful weekend for it, and really started it off right. The wedding and reception went pretty well, too. :)

Red Carpet Run

Race I didn't run, but I did pour out, um... sparkling wine. Pretty good stuff, espeically when I felt bad about abandoning a bottle when it was *almost* finished. So I killed it. After doing it four times, I was just a bit tipsy...

Fun race though. I think people really enjoyed it. :)

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Compression Gear

Thinking about that particular injury, it might be that certain kinds of compression gear might be helpful- it's a thought, at least. Not really sure if it'll be worth it, though.

The CW-X tights and Zensah stuff are only marginally helpful. But the Zoot stuff might be better- at least, according to their literature, it might.

I'll have to give it a try and see how it works. If I do, I'll probably go on about it. If it doesn't, and I really hunger to do road races again, I'll probably have to consider surgery. argh. :P

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Road Running

No matter how slowly I go, running on a harder surface than a dirt road causes pain in my shin. Or better, I think that the harder surface makes me work Tibialis Anterior in a way it doesn't want to, causing pain in my shin.

Whatever. The point is road running effed up for me for a while. perhaps a certain doctor will be able to fix it up for me.

don't know. but I do know that in my current set of circumstances, I'll never run a good road race again. sad, eh?

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Running Pontiac

There's a 10 mile trail loop which I dearly love not far away from my place. it's tough and fun.

I gage myself as a runner by the time it takes me to run a loop without feeling like wrung out. Two hours for mediocre shape, 1:50's for decent, 1:40's for pretty good.

On Monday, I ran it in 1:46 when I would've been pretty happy at 1:56. Perhaps, someday, I'll be back down into the 130's. That'd be awfully nice...