Random thoughts

Ipads ipads ipads

You don't really have to know anything about them, you just have to
mention them in any conversation involving technology and every one
will instantly look upon you as a guru. That's what I do. I say
something like: the ipad looks cool but come on it doesn't even have a
camera. That is pretty much all I know about but everyone thinks I am
really technologically inclined. Ipads ipads ipads. An impractical
device overly marketed by Apple to genrate hype and divert attention
away from their rivals. Ipads ipads ipads.

Barefoot running is a real hot topic now especially after reading
Christopher Mcdougals book "Born to Run." I read the book and liked
it a lot mainly because it touches on the primal joys of running. The
other main thesis is pretty much shoes are the cause for all injury
and that humans were made to go barefoot. My take is that he is right:
Humans were designed to go without shoes but to imply that you will
eventually be a great runner if you simply ditch the shoes is
misleading. I think most people could benefit from supplemental
barefoot training but few could make the transition to total barefoot
running. We have been wearing shoes way too long. I typically do 15
minutes or more BF running at the end of a training run about 3 times
per week. I believe this helps eliminate fatigue of the foot during
trail races where the foot is often twisted and turned.

Not blogging everyday. Obviously I have not been posting a blog
everyday. I have to use my phone to write and post so it is just too
time consuming. I have benn trying to write a post on the computer in
hopes I will someday post it on the weekend when I can get a
connection.

Tyypically I connect to the internet at the prescott library.
Libraries are great. Everything is free. I just found out I can
download pretty much any magazine on the library webpage with my
library card. No need for subscriptions anymore I geuss. Last time I
was there I downloaded an issue of Backpacker magazine dedicated to
alaska. I might go there this summer so that is a great find.

Running 30 Miles

Today, I ran 30 miles: 15 miles out from my apartment toward Campwood
and 15 miles back. I covered the distance in 3:33 averaging 7:10 to
7:15 per mile. I consider that a solid workout and I was quite
pleased.

Running for this length of time exposes areas in your legs and mind
that are weak. My hips (IT band), feet, and lower midsection (abs and
back) are my trouble areas. I pretty much had to limp through the
last 5 miles because of sharp pain shooting through all parts of my
legs. Other than this acute pain, I felt pretty good muscularly,
areobically, and nutritionally.

I carried two 22 oz hand bottles- one filled with a dilute
gatorade/protein powder mix and the other filled with water. I
stashed a third bottle with another 20 or so ounces at mile 4 to
refill with on the way back. I consumed three gels. I had a fourth
gel with me and I could have used it with 5 miles to go but I decided
it wouldn't really matter at that point so I saved it for another day.

Why run 30 miles? During a dull, rainy day in December, I put my
name on the wait list for the Old Pueblo 50 mile endurance run on
March 6th in the Santa Rita Mtns of southern Arizona. I got an email
in January saying I am in. I accepted.

The prospect of running 50 miles in one shot is a scary one. I know I
can do it and finish the race but at what cost? It will hurt really
bad and with my history of IT band problems, I may never walk without
a limp again, haha. Also, so many things can go wrong: nutrition,
blisters, twisted ankles, heat, and loss of focus over the 8 hours of
running. However, I welcome the challenge and I'm curious to see if
the hoopla sorrounding ultramarathoning is justified.

Friday Fun Running

I had such a lovely run today after a busy work week. It was a good
busy though, the kind of busy that made me feel like I was actually
earning the paycheck. It is satisfying to give your best effort.

The run I did today was a standard after work jaunt from the
apartment; up to radio tower and back, along the dirt road (bypass)
that sits at the foot of airport mesa, up the mesa to the airport
fence, to Bruce Mine rd and back through the neighborhood to the
apartment.

The thing that I like about running is that even though I have run
this course countless times in the past year and a half, no two runs
have ever been the same. I notice different rocks outcropping from
the hillside, I see javelina or snakes or deer or cattle, and the
unique feeling before, during and after each run.

I felt like I was running on clouds today. Mind my was finally clear
and looking forward to a good weekend. Thirty minutes into the run
the sun began to set. The sky looked hand painted as streaks of
orange-pink-purple-red decorated a clear blue canvas. It was one of
those fortunate times times where I was truly trapped in the now and
aware of such a moment.

Races I Ran in 2009

Race for the Creeks, Prescott, 6.1 mi
Gaspin in the Aspen, Flagstaff, 15k
Pikes Peak Ascent, Manitou Springs, 13.1 mi
Jerome Hill Climb, Jerome, 4.5 mi
Flagstaff Marathon, Flagstaff, 13 mi
Soulstice, Flagstaff, ???????

Man, those were some good ones. Pikes was by far the most well
organized event and most memorable. How do u describe running
alongside 1000 people to the top of the world? You can't. The
soulstice is a cool event that any flagstaff trail runner must do.
Jerome is a classic that I have ran twice. The town is sweet. The
other two flagstaff races are beautiful and well worth running. The
Race for the Creeks was of the smaller variety but it will grow as
2009 was the first run.

Bring on 2010 baby.

My Sisters Blog

stbanter.blogspot.com

My sister followed in her little brother's footsteps and created a
blog. Good for her and us. She has guided me to creating healthy
recipies including one that I made yesterday: creamy sweet potato
soup. This happens to be the second time I made this fun to make
soup. Basically, you just boil the sweet potatoes in a veggie broth,
add a few spic and some onions, and then the fun part of putting it
into a blender and watching it magically change consistentcy to a
thick, creamy sweet potato soup. Yummy. Maybe, she will post the
recipe.

She also wrote abot running the Pittsburgh Marathon this upcoming May.
She ran an awesome race last year. I had the honor of running the
last mile or so with her. Big road races like this give me chills and
make me want to compete. Suddenly, I can justify the sacrifice of
running 1 or 2 hours everyday after experiencing such a spectacle.

Needless to say, that race happened to be the turning point in my
training last year. I had been struggling with IT band problems all
last spring. I went to the Pittsburgh Marathon and it got me fired
up. I decided to stop making excuses and work through my leg issues.
And I did. I had an awesome summer and fall of running and racing.

I raised the bar for myself by running up mountains and running for a
loooong time. Every race I ran in 2009 took place above 5000 feet
with most at 8000 ft. The fear of altitude is overhyped unless you
are above 10K. I had little trouble moving up from 4k to 8k to race.
I also learned that you can recover rather quicker from a high
altitude trail race. The day after Pikes Peak last year, I felt
good...I suppose it should be rather easy to recover from 12 minute
miles haha.

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Pen Lady

Last week I was resupplying at Walmart.  I stumbled into the office supplies isle. It was there that I saw a woman who looked dumbfounded. Clearly, she had been standing in front of this wall of pens for quite awhile. I was gawking at her trying to understand what she was thinking. Suddenly, she turned toward me. I tried to glance away but she caught me. She looks at me then back at the pens then back at me to pens to me to pens and sighs, " You borrow someone’s pen and think 'this is the greatest pen ever, I need to buy some' and then you get to the store and you can never find it..." Instinctively, I just smiled and concurred and quickly went on with my business. But she was absolutely right. That feeling of trying something new for the first time is exhilarating. It happens all the time with everything, not just pens. I remember riding a friends bike to class and thinking to myself, “This bike runs so smooth. Why doesn’t my bike feel this good?” Then after a week of riding that new, smooth feeling is gone and you notice all the imperfections. Another instance of this phenomenon is when you go to a friend’s house for dinner and try this great tasting Thai chicken stir fry. So you get the recipe make it yourself like 50 times in the next week. It becomes just like your own cooking and you quickly forget how it tasted the first time. So my advice to that lady buying new pens is don’t buy new pens because after 2 weeks the pen will lose that good feel.

blogging everyday

Question: What if I wrote an entry on this blog everyday?

Answer: You would probably be reading one poorly written, random blog on issues that you could care less about.

What the heck. I will attempt to write one blog per day for the entire month February (notice I chose the shortest month). And if I don't, then I will be punished severely. No, actually who cares? No one really reads blogs anyway. Instead, most blog readers just skim over and leech out any information that may be of some personal benefit before moving on to the next blog in their list of several hundred. Anyway, I have no obligation to actually follow through on this and nothing really to write about but I think it will be a fun experiment. Let's go.

PS.  I tried to post this yesterday from my phone but failed miserably.

Phoenix 1/2 Marathon

Where's Waldo???

2 weeks ago I ran the PF Chang’s Rock n' Roll "we're gonna make you pay big bucks to run a race even though we are heavily sponsored" half marathon in Phoenix. The weather was amazing, the course was flat and fast, and I had a fantastic cheering section. I ran just under 1:10.

I felt remarkable. I started grinning ear to ear as I passed through the water station at mile 9. The scene intrigued me: this small town band trying to make a name for itself playing popular 70’s music, these bored volunteers handing out refreshments to weary runners, brainwashed high school cheerleaders dancing to pop music, and my awareness of everything that was happening. It felt artificial. I wanted to make light of the situation so I began rapidly raising my right hand up and down knowing that they would cheer louder for me and in turn get my adrenaline going to finish strong. This whole ordeal made me laugh.

I passed through mile 10 in 54:10. The quick math made me realize that I would have to run a fast 5k, sub 15:50, to finish under 1:10:00. I picked up the pace a bit and came through mile 11 at 5:11 gaining confidence as I blew by a few guys. Hmmm. I finished the last two miles in less than 10 minutes and the rest is history. I felt great and finished a happy man even though the 36 year-old American record holder Deena Kastor, a girl, beat me haha.

I had one of those days where you feel like you can run forever and wonder how much faster you could go. I don't know how or why or when they come, but it happens if you run enough races. I can speculate that a combination of the following led to a good day:
I did very little speed work which resulted in fresh legs

1. I was extremely consistent in my running
2. I ran a barrage of mountain races at altitude over the fall.
3. The race day atmosphere was incredible
4. My mom and brother were on hand as well as family friends so I felt obligated to run fast
5. I was relaxed and had fun

Thanks family and friends for the support and sharing the experience with me. It wouldn't be the same without you.

It's baking season

I have not turned on the heat yet. I know I live in Arizona but still it gets cold. The temperature inside my apartment hovers between 50 and 53 degrees from the time I get home to the time I go to bed. I wake up to temperatures in the upper 40's. Last year the, lowest reading was 44 degrees. The pipes won’t freeze, will they?

So in an effort to cope with these chilly temperatures, I have been baking. After one hour of baking at 350, the temperature climbs 2 or 3 degrees to somewhere around 54. This is entirely manageable, especially after a long shower. By the time the quick high from the shower wears off it is time for bed. I crawl into my mummy bag, light a candle for the warm aura it gives off, and read for a little bit before falling asleep. I make sure to keep a pair of sandals next to the bed for late night bathroom breaks. The cold tile floor can suck the warmth right out of you without proper insulation.

Back to baking. I typically bake 1 big meal per week, 1 small snack, and 1 or 2 deserts. For example, last week:

1 Big Meal- Spinach and cheese stuffed shells (I was eating this for 3 days lunch/dinner)

1 Small Snack- Thinly sliced sweet potatoes w/ some oil and salt (very good, only lasted a few minutes)

Desert 1: Pumpkin Cookies (I bought 4 big cans of pumpkin on sale)

Desert 2: Pumpkin Bread (I know I know that is why I run everyday)

So there you have it. Turn the oven on because it heats you twice, once while baking and once while eating.