August 14, 2013
30 by 30 Update
For those of you keeping count, I am at 7 new things in the 30th year:
Horse Riding Lessons
Yellowstone
Trail Ride (Teton)
Buidling a Garden
Limoncello
Puppy
Warrior Dash
and counting...
Upcoming - Fencing, Boxing Lessons
July/August Recap
Hello Loyal Follower,
Forgive me for I have neglected the blog for way to long. There is a lot to write. I will channel my inner Hemingway – brevity be my guide…
Jackson Hole and Yellowstone: I went on my first week long vacation since my honeymoon, and it was to NATURE. Mary and I flew into Jackson Hole. It is a quaint, touristy town. Since our flight arrived late, we didn’t get a chance to do much but drink wine and eat snacks with the in-laws. The next day, the fun began.
The fun started by testing bear spray and accidentally spraying my wife… whoops. I guess the downwind breeze was more of a cross breeze. In my defense, my father-in-law, Paul, was probably the main culprit. I was an unwitting accomplice. Mary was ok, after a couple of eye washes.
Mary and I went on a trail ride that afternoon. It was very scenic, as to be expected. The trail guide liked to call himself a cowboy and recant cowboy-esque tales. The one about bouncing a knife off a rock to kill a bunny behind another rock while on horseback – sure thing boss, you are definitely a cowboy. He did have a cowboy hat, with “over a million miles on it.” Later that day Mary started to feel the altitude and laid low. Altitude sickness es no bueno. It hit me the next day – lethargy, headachy, general poopiness. I was hit with some of the altitude sickness in Yellowstone. It ate up half a day, but i recovered like a champ.
Speaking of the next day, we started out the day by checking out some marmots. Cute little buggers. There was a pair of adolescents playing in the grass. Really adorable. Took more pictures. Then we started the drive to Yellowstone. We stopped to go for a hike in Teton National Park. It was a nice hike. Saw some birds and lakes and trees. Regular hiking sights and scenes. Throughout the park, there are ranger led hikes. These are free and worth every penny. You learn a lot with rangers’ right there. We went on 4 or 5 ranger lead hikes. After the two hour hike, we continued on to Yellowstone.
The first few days we stayed in Canyon and the last few in Old Faithful. Highlights of Yellowstone animals:• Bison are everywhere. There were tons of calves too. There was even a bison in the campground. I named him “Mr. Bison”, even wrote a song about him. If you are lucky, one day, I will sing it to you.
• Bison is delicious.
• Also, despite what some people will tell you, you CANNOT ride the bison. Not even Mr. Bison.
• Seeing grizzly bears and wolves are like being on the Price Is Right finals and winning both showcase showdowns. Everybody wants it to happen but it is very rare. In fact, it is probably a little scary if you are out hiking and run into either.
• Prong horned antelopes are really cute. The males stay in trotting distance to the females and if something, like a bison, come strolling by, the males’ spring into action. Until, the males see how big the bison is and are like, “Oh crap”, and then try to shoo the females along.
• Elk are pretty cool. Big animals. Saw a few of them with the big antlers and all.
• Mule deer are alright.
Highlights of Yellowstone geological formations:
• There are a lot of great hiking trails. You could spend years hiking the park and not see it all. Especially since, depending on time of day and season, everything constantly changes.
• Yellowstone boasts Grand Canyon junior. They don’t call it that, but it fits. It is still quite impressive in distance across and deep. There are some pretty waterfalls that form the canyon.
• The thermal features are impressive. For those that don’t know Yellowstone is on top of a GIANT ACTIVE VOLCANO. Yes, active and yes giant – 30 by 45 miles. Craziness. Luckily, the experts don’t expect an eruption for 3000 – 10000 years. It is important you know this because the volcano is the reason for the thermal features and how it can sustain the wildlife year round.
• Thermal features – there are four kinds: geysers (think old faithful), hot springs, mud pots, and fumaroles. The cool thing about these features is that a thermal feature can become another given the right conditions, like an earthquake. OH! There are thousands of earthquakes a day there. Most are too small to feel. The joy of being on an active volcano.
o Geysers – there are bunch of different types. Some erupt at regular intervals, some at irregular intervals, and some constantly. These can range from quite impressive to super lame.
• Need to digress to talk about thermophiles. These are heat loving microorganisms. They account for the different colors and smells in the next three features. Mary loves the thermophiles. I think they were her favorite. They are really sensitive, so when insensitive pricks throw things in the thermal features, messing with the pH balance and temperature, the thermophiles can die. Tragic.
• The thermophiles also result in a sulfur smell. Downside, the thermal features stink. Upside, you can break wind and no one is the wiser.
o Hot springs – these bad boys can feel like a warm bath or a hot bath or like a witch is cooking you in a stew. Mary, my lovely wife, had a great idea. I wish I thought of it and then acted on it. A prank of sorts – dress up like I am going to go swimming with snorkel and flipper and all. Then go on a ranger led tour, ask a lot of “normal” questions about the temperature and whether people try to swim in the hot springs, but don’t bring up the outfit. I think it would be hilarious. Well done Mary.
o Mud pots – these are dirty, bubbly messes. Pretty sure these are where the term “hot mess” comes from. They are hot and muddy and bubble. The bubbling is gas escaping. The thermophiles here release sulfur oxide which breaks down rocks and clay into mud. And there you have it, mud pots.
o Fumaroles – If you cannot see them, you can smell them. This feature fumes, a lot. There is not water or mud or geysering, just steam. Smelly sulfur laden steam.
I have to write a little bit about Old Faithful. It is pretty cool. It goes every 90 minutes give or take 10 minutes. One of those things you have to see. I saw it go off about a dozen times and it didn’t lose its luster. The Old Faithful Inn was equally impressive. The Inn was like a giant log cabin. High ceilings, giant fireplace. The concept was that the Inn just sprung out of the ground, and it accomplishes that goal. So, that was Yellowstone. There are a lot more details. Interactions with different animals, amazing hikes, delicious bison burgers, and a lot pictures I will need to crop and clean up.
NEXT: I finished constructing and planting my garden. Not as exciting as Yellowstone, but still kind of cool. I made a square-foot garden and plants a bunch of herbs – rosemary, thyme, basil, mint, parsley, sage, and chives. Also planted some stupid annuals that bloomed for like a day. Grrrrrr. The herbs are all still alive.
Also, making some Limón cello. This would not be post worthy except it is a three month process. Between zesting the lemons and mixing with grain alcohol, wait 45 days, then making the simple syrup, adding it to the lemon alcohol, wait 45 days. Then strain. It is lengthy process. I did try the drink 30 days before it is “ready” and it is pretty good!
PUPPY PUPPY PUPPY Our new edition to the family, Catch. Catch is an Australian shepherd mixed with a monster. Not like a Monsters Inc. monster or a Where the Wild Things are Monster, he is a legit Gremlin. That is not nice to say, he is getting better. He is still a baby. We got him at 10 weeks and he is going on 13 weeks. He still needs a little work potty training. His bite inhibition can be on the ouchy side. He doesn’t sleep through the night. Still he is getting better. He has plenty of sweet moments. And piercing brown eyes.
Scooter and Catch just started playing last week. Those two are a riot. They will zoom and play bow and zoom some more. Catch with jump onto Scooter’s face and then Scoots will pin him down. Then let him free and gear up for some more. I know it wears out Scooter. Catch seems to have a lot of energy, but we can always tell when he is getting tired. He starts to get a little more bitty and then it is time for a nap. Mary takes Catch to puppy training classes where Catch is such a little show-off. He sits, he heels, he has a little prance in his steps – like “oh, you want me walk, that’s easy, here we go” prance, prance, prance. I think he will make a fine dog in few months. Just got to get through the puppy phase.
Warrior Dash
Last update, I promise. This past week, I participated in the warrior dash. It was a 3 mile mud run with obstacles. I completed the run and all the obstacles. Most were not too bad – some were tough. Couple of things I learned.
You will not win the race. It is too muddy to run fast and even that doesn’t matter because you will bottle neck at the obstacles. You should run in a group. I did not and felt like I was the only one there without a team. It was team Drew. Don’t feel too bad, team drew is pretty awesome. You will get mud everywhere. If you complete all obstacles, this is a guarantee.
Now that we have established the course is super muddy and you can only muster light jogging in some areas, let’s talk about the obstacles. Most obstacles are made exponentially more difficult down to the slippery mud. First was the hay barrels. Some people did not get it and jumped right into the hay. Just need to keep your legs moving. Then came the balance beams – up and then down and then across a mud pit, then up and back down. Not too bad if you have basic balance skills.
Mud mounds came next. These were three mounds of mud with mud pits in between. Not all mud pits are created equal. The first mud pit was the worse. A lot of people lost their shoes here. You jump in and sink 3 feet into the mud. Once in the mud, shoes have a tendency to be sucked off. I had to reach down, take off my shoe and toss it to the sidelines. People get stuck here. I had to push some guy up by the tush… really I think he just wanted me to touch his tush. I also helped two girls up once I got to the top of the first mound. The next two mud pits were mostly muddy water and not shoe eating pits.
After this came the hardest obstacle – the wall. It was about 20-25 feet high with slates every 5 feet. There was a rope with a knot at the bottom. Some people from earlier waves must have tied some knots towards the top, but only two of the ten ropes had additional knots. Also the ropes were uber slippery. So I tried one of the ropes with only one knot and I went hand over hand and down I went. So I went to one of the longer lines where the ropes had two knots. Watching some people’s technique on the rope, I decided to give it another go. Turns out you need to continually wrap the rope around your hand and use that as leverage. I did make it up to the top. Twenty feet looks higher when you are at the top. Still getting down wasn’t too bad once I found my footing. More mud running and then the cargo net. This wasn’t too bad. In fact, I really like climbing cargo nets.
Then came the angled wall. It was similar to the vertical wall, except on an incline. This wasn’t bad at all. After jogging/walking up a particularly muddy, steep hill, I came to the barbed wire covered trenches. Hands and knees and through that obstacle. After there was a vertical cargo net. Instead of climbing up, you had to climb across. It wasn’t too bad. The trick was to climb to the top where the cargo net was attached and more stable. From there it was easier to climb across.
Nearing the finish, there were two more obstacles. First, the classic jumping over fire. Didn’t even singe my leg hairs. Truthfully the fire wasn’t even that hot, and since your legs are covered in mud, odds are you won’t get burned.
Final obstacle, the barbed wire mud pit. This one is designed to get you muddy. You cannot run across because of the barbed wire, you have to almost swim through the mud. Once you get through you are done… almost. Final, unofficial, obstacle is cleaning off. I feel like I was cleaning the mud off longer than I was racing. You really do have mud everywhere! I did bring a change of clothes and a towel. Glad I did. It was a really fun race. Next time I will drag some friend along.
There is an urban race in Cincinnati in October. Count me in!
July 7, 2013
Stuck in Salt Lake
A longer vacation is usually a good thing. Not when you're stuck in an airport. The bright side is that we are on standby for the next flight to Cincinnati. We did spend the night in salt lake courtesy of delta. They also provided dinner and breakfast.
I will write all about my vacation, likely in multiple parts. Until then... hoping to get back to Cincinnati soon. Before dark at least.
I will write all about my vacation, likely in multiple parts. Until then... hoping to get back to Cincinnati soon. Before dark at least.
June 24, 2013
Adventures in Horse Riding
For only my second time riding a horse, I like to think I did pretty well. I stayed on the horse which was a huge win. I was also the best in the class (sure there was only a 7 and 8 year old, but still).
There are many things I have learned about horseback riding in my two lessons. Trotting is way faster when are on the horse. My wife likened it to driving a car – the first time you are in the driver’s seat, slow speeds feel like a million miles an hour. I am told that sensation gets better the more you ride. I was concerned because horses have four gaits: walk, trot, canter, and gallop. (Humans only have walk and run.) If trot feels like I am on a bouncy lightning bolt, what is canter going to feel like?
I did have plenty of practice trotting during the lesson and even weaved through some cones. Getting a horse to trot is not as easy as I thought it would be. Sometimes you have to give them a good kick! The kick gets them from “you are a beginner and I will do as I please” to “gahhh! I didn’t realize you were serious – fine, let’s trot.” My horse, Rico, is a little challenging to get going; some would call him lazy.
When Rico and I are walking, it is not enough to just walk. Just walking is for suckers. Instead I have him weave through the giant mounds of horse poop. I figure Rico doesn’t want to walk through it and it helps me work on my steering. Everyone wins.
We are a team – Team Drico.
In other news, I built a square foot garden – 3x3. It is only one third filled with herbs. Basil, parsley, and rosemary. So far they are doing well. Pictures will be forth coming. Once complete, building a garden will totally go on my list of new things. Also on my list of new things, I am making limoncello. Just to be clear, I will not put every new food I make on my new things list, but it is a three month process. Anything new that is a three month process counts.
Lastly, I bought, well Mary bought me, a heart rate monitor watch. It is pretty cool. I used when I played ultimate Frisbee this past weekend. I think the monitor is pretty accurate. I was getting tired when my heart rate was high and better when the heart rate dropped. It was in line with my heart rate zones. What I decided is that I am out of shape (for me), and need to do more aerobic exercise. I think the heart rate monitor watch will assist greatly in this endeavor.
To recap, horses = fun; garden = awesome; heart rate monitor watch = healthy.
There are many things I have learned about horseback riding in my two lessons. Trotting is way faster when are on the horse. My wife likened it to driving a car – the first time you are in the driver’s seat, slow speeds feel like a million miles an hour. I am told that sensation gets better the more you ride. I was concerned because horses have four gaits: walk, trot, canter, and gallop. (Humans only have walk and run.) If trot feels like I am on a bouncy lightning bolt, what is canter going to feel like?
I did have plenty of practice trotting during the lesson and even weaved through some cones. Getting a horse to trot is not as easy as I thought it would be. Sometimes you have to give them a good kick! The kick gets them from “you are a beginner and I will do as I please” to “gahhh! I didn’t realize you were serious – fine, let’s trot.” My horse, Rico, is a little challenging to get going; some would call him lazy.
When Rico and I are walking, it is not enough to just walk. Just walking is for suckers. Instead I have him weave through the giant mounds of horse poop. I figure Rico doesn’t want to walk through it and it helps me work on my steering. Everyone wins.
We are a team – Team Drico.
In other news, I built a square foot garden – 3x3. It is only one third filled with herbs. Basil, parsley, and rosemary. So far they are doing well. Pictures will be forth coming. Once complete, building a garden will totally go on my list of new things. Also on my list of new things, I am making limoncello. Just to be clear, I will not put every new food I make on my new things list, but it is a three month process. Anything new that is a three month process counts.
Lastly, I bought, well Mary bought me, a heart rate monitor watch. It is pretty cool. I used when I played ultimate Frisbee this past weekend. I think the monitor is pretty accurate. I was getting tired when my heart rate was high and better when the heart rate dropped. It was in line with my heart rate zones. What I decided is that I am out of shape (for me), and need to do more aerobic exercise. I think the heart rate monitor watch will assist greatly in this endeavor.
To recap, horses = fun; garden = awesome; heart rate monitor watch = healthy.
June 16, 2013
1 x 30
Revisit, Reboot, Restart - whatever re- you want you use, I am retrying blogging. I have to be more successful than my last two attempts. So, why begin writing again? For one thing, it is a healthy outlet. Maybe I have something to say, and maybe someone wants to read it. Although that might be wishful thinking.
I just turned 30 a little less than a month ago. Still hasn't sunk in, but there doesn't feel like there is anything to sink in. I want this year to be something different than previous years. I decided to do... wait for it... 30 new things! Starting today!
Today, I went horseback riding. I am signed up for 8 lessons. It was more fun than I thought it would be. Sure I am in a class with an 8 and 7 year old, but it is more about you and the horse than the other riders. Since there are only three of us in the class, it is basically a semi-private lesson.
My horse is named Rico. He is a brown horse with a white face. Very sweet. It is tougher to him moving, so I am told. I am not sure I would know until I ride other horses. We walked and trotted and zigged zagged through cones and stopped. Towards the end of the lesson, the instructor, Angie, creates an impromptu obstacle course combining all the elements of the days lesson. There is a lot more to horse riding than sitting.
And so, 29 more new things to go!
I just turned 30 a little less than a month ago. Still hasn't sunk in, but there doesn't feel like there is anything to sink in. I want this year to be something different than previous years. I decided to do... wait for it... 30 new things! Starting today!
Today, I went horseback riding. I am signed up for 8 lessons. It was more fun than I thought it would be. Sure I am in a class with an 8 and 7 year old, but it is more about you and the horse than the other riders. Since there are only three of us in the class, it is basically a semi-private lesson.
My horse is named Rico. He is a brown horse with a white face. Very sweet. It is tougher to him moving, so I am told. I am not sure I would know until I ride other horses. We walked and trotted and zigged zagged through cones and stopped. Towards the end of the lesson, the instructor, Angie, creates an impromptu obstacle course combining all the elements of the days lesson. There is a lot more to horse riding than sitting.
And so, 29 more new things to go!
June 6, 2012
35 x 30
There are times in a man's life when he must face the truth and realize that the years ahead might not be kind. Fortunately, for some, this realization is enough to actively delay aging. This is tale of how the years briefly caught up to me.
Three weeks ago I had to ask whether my pants were too tight. Sadly, they were. I changed out of the first pair and tried on a second khaki pants. I could not believe that it was also snug. I was perplexed. I just ran two half marathons two weeks apart and workout (somewhat) regularly. The only solution was the dryer shrunk my pants. The dryer didn't just attack one pair, it was after all dress pants.
I was convinced the dryer was out to get me for a full week before my loving wife softly commented, "Maybe you gained some weight." I said, "Impossible.", and proceeded to recount my recent athletic accomplishments. Then, the real test, she squeezed my waist. Looking at her, I knew. "Sweetie," she began, "I think you might have gained some weight." No... noooooooooooooo!
It was true. Despite the races, and weight lifting, and training, and Frisbee, here I stood with a spare tire. Granted, a small spare tire, but a spare tire nonetheless. I took little comfort in effects of stress and cortisol on belly fat. It was true that new work responsibilities added stress. Also, I was traveling more often which was messing with my sleep schedule. Marathons can contribute to higher stress.
The trifecta resulted in a few new pairs of pants.While I was probably 35 x 30 at my most stressed, I fit into 34 x 30. I will not complacently allow this to continue. I will take control and will soon have a post titled, "32 x 30 :)"
Three weeks ago I had to ask whether my pants were too tight. Sadly, they were. I changed out of the first pair and tried on a second khaki pants. I could not believe that it was also snug. I was perplexed. I just ran two half marathons two weeks apart and workout (somewhat) regularly. The only solution was the dryer shrunk my pants. The dryer didn't just attack one pair, it was after all dress pants.
I was convinced the dryer was out to get me for a full week before my loving wife softly commented, "Maybe you gained some weight." I said, "Impossible.", and proceeded to recount my recent athletic accomplishments. Then, the real test, she squeezed my waist. Looking at her, I knew. "Sweetie," she began, "I think you might have gained some weight." No... noooooooooooooo!
It was true. Despite the races, and weight lifting, and training, and Frisbee, here I stood with a spare tire. Granted, a small spare tire, but a spare tire nonetheless. I took little comfort in effects of stress and cortisol on belly fat. It was true that new work responsibilities added stress. Also, I was traveling more often which was messing with my sleep schedule. Marathons can contribute to higher stress.
The trifecta resulted in a few new pairs of pants.While I was probably 35 x 30 at my most stressed, I fit into 34 x 30. I will not complacently allow this to continue. I will take control and will soon have a post titled, "32 x 30 :)"
May 9, 2012
2:01:39
This post is not some odd Donnie Darko spin-off. It is my half marathon time... woot!
I finished in first place - that is, first place for people named Drew who ran in Merrells. The time is a PR. Not as impressive when I tell you it was my first half marathon. What will be more impressive is when I have a new PR in two weeks. If a half marathon is not torture enough, I will be running a second race on May 20th. If that date sounds familiar, it is my birthday weekend. While running 13.1 miles is not an ideal birthday, spending it with Dan will more than make up for it.
Two goals for the upcoming race: 1) run a sub 2:00:00 race, and 2) beat Dan's time. Not as impressive when I tell you Dan is running a full marathon.
I wish I had a memorable tale to tell from this past race. I did find out, I zoom on downhills whether I am mile 3 or 9. Also, I feel like Sisyphus going uphill. There were some funny signs, and I did not poop myself. That was slightly a concern from mile 3 until I reached home. Tacos are NOT a good pre-race meal.
When I think back to my marathon 2 years ago, I could barely move the next day, and even after, it was two weeks before I could consider myself healed. Granted, this time round was half the distance, but it is three days later, and I am back in fighting form. Feeling good and ready to tackle Cleveland.
A digression before signing off: I have decided to cook a real meal for Mary. This will be a legit meal with courses and everything. If you are lucky, I will post pictures along with comments. To my loyal reader(s), here is a sneak-peak - dry rub seasoned lamb with cherry balsamic vinegar sauce.
I finished in first place - that is, first place for people named Drew who ran in Merrells. The time is a PR. Not as impressive when I tell you it was my first half marathon. What will be more impressive is when I have a new PR in two weeks. If a half marathon is not torture enough, I will be running a second race on May 20th. If that date sounds familiar, it is my birthday weekend. While running 13.1 miles is not an ideal birthday, spending it with Dan will more than make up for it.
Two goals for the upcoming race: 1) run a sub 2:00:00 race, and 2) beat Dan's time. Not as impressive when I tell you Dan is running a full marathon.
I wish I had a memorable tale to tell from this past race. I did find out, I zoom on downhills whether I am mile 3 or 9. Also, I feel like Sisyphus going uphill. There were some funny signs, and I did not poop myself. That was slightly a concern from mile 3 until I reached home. Tacos are NOT a good pre-race meal.
When I think back to my marathon 2 years ago, I could barely move the next day, and even after, it was two weeks before I could consider myself healed. Granted, this time round was half the distance, but it is three days later, and I am back in fighting form. Feeling good and ready to tackle Cleveland.
A digression before signing off: I have decided to cook a real meal for Mary. This will be a legit meal with courses and everything. If you are lucky, I will post pictures along with comments. To my loyal reader(s), here is a sneak-peak - dry rub seasoned lamb with cherry balsamic vinegar sauce.
April 29, 2012
Half Marathon Training
This blog started two years ago with a marathon training focus. I started training in January for a May marathon. Admittedly, five months of training was less than ideal. I am running two half marathons (and no I don't consider that the same as running a full marathon [even if the two half marathons sum to 26.2 miles]). So, did i learn my lesson? Did I start training sooner?
I will let you decide. The blog I am writing is my first one devoted to training. The first half marathon is a week away. Training is a tricky thing. I treat marathon training like a lovelorn mistress. Even worse, I want to break it off each distance run, anything longer than 7 miles. I would feed it the most cliche lines: "It's not you, it's me", "I am like super busy these days", "We are not a good fit, you know, we just want different things." Still, I bite my tongue, lace up my Merrell's, and put some miles under my feet.
I have trained. Really, I have. It is not the training that will score a medal. Nor is it training that would leave me cruising across the finish line. Like Gloria Gaynor, I will survive. My Jell-o legs will carry my across the finish line, and while my face will be flushed, come Monday I should be, for all intents and purposes, mobile.
And that's all that matters, right? I will run 13.1 miles, wear my medal proudly, and eat no less than three bananas. I might even get to enjoy the festivities, unlike two years ago. After the marathon, the blood was completely drained from my brain, and I couldn't piece together a sentence, forget about enjoying the after party.
I can always justify not training as vigorously by telling myself the first half marathon is training for the second. It is about as realistic a training opportunity as I will get.
I will let you decide. The blog I am writing is my first one devoted to training. The first half marathon is a week away. Training is a tricky thing. I treat marathon training like a lovelorn mistress. Even worse, I want to break it off each distance run, anything longer than 7 miles. I would feed it the most cliche lines: "It's not you, it's me", "I am like super busy these days", "We are not a good fit, you know, we just want different things." Still, I bite my tongue, lace up my Merrell's, and put some miles under my feet.
I have trained. Really, I have. It is not the training that will score a medal. Nor is it training that would leave me cruising across the finish line. Like Gloria Gaynor, I will survive. My Jell-o legs will carry my across the finish line, and while my face will be flushed, come Monday I should be, for all intents and purposes, mobile.
And that's all that matters, right? I will run 13.1 miles, wear my medal proudly, and eat no less than three bananas. I might even get to enjoy the festivities, unlike two years ago. After the marathon, the blood was completely drained from my brain, and I couldn't piece together a sentence, forget about enjoying the after party.
I can always justify not training as vigorously by telling myself the first half marathon is training for the second. It is about as realistic a training opportunity as I will get.
April 21, 2012
By Request
Yes, I do take requests - whether I follow through, is completely different story. This particular request was to illustrate the last post. And here you have it:
April 16, 2012
How Not to Blog
Reader,
When others blog, I imagine, there is nothing but the utmost level of concentration. Every word is decided painfully, and then scratched for a better choice. Sweating that the sentence structure is weak, and the mounting string of loose sentences will bore the reader into unsubscribing forever.
Then there is me - sitting on my couch, lazily watching Heroes, glancing back at the computer screen to type lackadaisically. It is an insult to you, reader, and bloggers everywhere. I am sure the multitude of bloggers are ready to troll my comment list, and get under my skin using their words. Although maybe they will use reverse psychology and not comment at all. Yes, that will be their play. It is genius in its malice and simplicity.
Maybe you will give me some credit, it is Heroes season 3, and the show is getting good again. So that's something.
Apologetically,
Drucifer
When others blog, I imagine, there is nothing but the utmost level of concentration. Every word is decided painfully, and then scratched for a better choice. Sweating that the sentence structure is weak, and the mounting string of loose sentences will bore the reader into unsubscribing forever.
Then there is me - sitting on my couch, lazily watching Heroes, glancing back at the computer screen to type lackadaisically. It is an insult to you, reader, and bloggers everywhere. I am sure the multitude of bloggers are ready to troll my comment list, and get under my skin using their words. Although maybe they will use reverse psychology and not comment at all. Yes, that will be their play. It is genius in its malice and simplicity.
Maybe you will give me some credit, it is Heroes season 3, and the show is getting good again. So that's something.
Apologetically,
Drucifer
April 11, 2012
An Open Letter to My Dinner
Dear Cow,
Thank you existing and being my dinner. You were delicious and tender. The muscle that kept you alive, is now sustaining my wife and me, and I offer my sincerest thanks.
In the same way that I thanked you, I would like to think that you should thank me. You could have been sold to some culinary fool who, while wearing a Kiss the Chef apron, over salted your tender sinews, coated you pepper, and cooked you to a dry, charred crisp.
I respect you, and provided a soothing, balanced marinade bath to soak overnight - cumin and pepper ground in a mortar, lime and vinegar and garlic each providing some bite, and olive oil to finish it off. It does not stop there; you were cooked rare, and well-rested to retain all your delicious juices.
Most Thankfully,
Drucifer
Thank you existing and being my dinner. You were delicious and tender. The muscle that kept you alive, is now sustaining my wife and me, and I offer my sincerest thanks.
In the same way that I thanked you, I would like to think that you should thank me. You could have been sold to some culinary fool who, while wearing a Kiss the Chef apron, over salted your tender sinews, coated you pepper, and cooked you to a dry, charred crisp.
I respect you, and provided a soothing, balanced marinade bath to soak overnight - cumin and pepper ground in a mortar, lime and vinegar and garlic each providing some bite, and olive oil to finish it off. It does not stop there; you were cooked rare, and well-rested to retain all your delicious juices.
Most Thankfully,
Drucifer
April 10, 2012
Scooter's Big Night
A sign that a blog entry should not be published: as you are pressing the backspace key, the webpage disappears leaving you at the blog's homepage.
The computer decided I will not be writing about the importance of style and grammar. Instead, I will write briefly about Scooter, and call it a night.
Scooter is curled up next to me at the end of the couch. Her brown collar matches nicely against the couch's dark basil hue. Her tongue is hanging out lazily, draped over the cushion. Her left paw is bent back in a position that only appears awkward and uncomfortable. The twitching starts - her front paws vibrate and stop. Twitch, pause, repeat. Then the big twitch hits; her back end briefly shakes, and I feel it. A car driving by startles her. Her eyes are now open and alert. Her tongue, dry and blood orange red, belies the concern about the car. Unsure of her next move, she slurps her tongue, and flops off the couch only to settle on the floor. It is a busy night for the Scooter.
The computer decided I will not be writing about the importance of style and grammar. Instead, I will write briefly about Scooter, and call it a night.
Scooter is curled up next to me at the end of the couch. Her brown collar matches nicely against the couch's dark basil hue. Her tongue is hanging out lazily, draped over the cushion. Her left paw is bent back in a position that only appears awkward and uncomfortable. The twitching starts - her front paws vibrate and stop. Twitch, pause, repeat. Then the big twitch hits; her back end briefly shakes, and I feel it. A car driving by startles her. Her eyes are now open and alert. Her tongue, dry and blood orange red, belies the concern about the car. Unsure of her next move, she slurps her tongue, and flops off the couch only to settle on the floor. It is a busy night for the Scooter.
April 7, 2012
Cold Run
How was my run this morning? In a word, Cold.
In 39 words... Not too bad. Kept a decent pace for 36 minutes. Knocked out about 4-5 miles which is reasonable for what was to be a short run. A chilly 31.4 degrees did little to stop my pursuit of half marathon glory.
Sidenotes: Watching Scooter stalk birds is quite funny. Wearing British socks does not make me feel less American. Thinking about doing work is less productive, but more fulfilling, than actually doing work.
In 39 words... Not too bad. Kept a decent pace for 36 minutes. Knocked out about 4-5 miles which is reasonable for what was to be a short run. A chilly 31.4 degrees did little to stop my pursuit of half marathon glory.
Sidenotes: Watching Scooter stalk birds is quite funny. Wearing British socks does not make me feel less American. Thinking about doing work is less productive, but more fulfilling, than actually doing work.
April 4, 2012
Why I Run
The other day a co-worker challenged the institution of recreational running by stating, "I would never pay to run." Meanwhile, I paid to run in many races, 5K and 10K and 15K and 13.1 miles and 26.2 miles... my initial reaction the comment was defense which was followed many hours later with reflection. Why do I pay for running?
I do not enjoy running. It is okay, and much better than any day at the office except bonus day. The feeling after a solid run is good, but not the runner's high some claim. Maybe I run to stay in shape or to remain good at other sports. But, I do not need to pay to run in a race to achieve those results.
I race because I am bullied into it. I do not run races alone, rather when a friend asks me to run. There are many ways to keep in touch: some write letters, or join a softball team, or enjoy libations, or play poker, or travel, and so on. Running is my way to keep in touch.
And the free t-shirts.
I do not enjoy running. It is okay, and much better than any day at the office except bonus day. The feeling after a solid run is good, but not the runner's high some claim. Maybe I run to stay in shape or to remain good at other sports. But, I do not need to pay to run in a race to achieve those results.
I race because I am bullied into it. I do not run races alone, rather when a friend asks me to run. There are many ways to keep in touch: some write letters, or join a softball team, or enjoy libations, or play poker, or travel, and so on. Running is my way to keep in touch.
And the free t-shirts.
April 3, 2012
September 26, 2010
The Spaghetti Squash and You
Still rocking the paleo diet and noticing some changes. It is odd but just by changing the diet, I am starting to look more defined and gain some more energy during the day. Pictures may follow. There has been some working out but not a terrible amount. However, the workouts were solid. Lots of whole body exercises.
I did want to share tonight's dinner. When you can't have flour, spaghetti is out. But spaghetti squash is an all together different beast. With the the texture of angel hair pasta and a richly carb loaded flavor, it is a great substitute. To complete the dish, a delicious tomato sauce and baked chicken.
Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Sauce & Chicken
The Squash
Spaghetti Squash - One, cut lengthwise
Olive Oil
Salt
Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly season the squash with salt and rubs with olive oil. Place the squash on the rack skin side up with a tray underneath to catch any draining liquid. Cook for roughly 40 minutes to one hour. The squash will yield to light pressure. Remove from oven and use a fork to scrap away the flesh from the skin. The squash will tear away in pasta like strands. If the flesh is still damp allow to drain in a colander and lightly salt.
The Chicken
Chicken Breast - 1.5 lbs, cleaned and cut into strips
Pepper
Preheat oven to 350. Place strips on an oiled baking sheet. Lightly season with pepper. Most chicken is already enhanced with salt and doesn't need any extra. Place in oven and bake until internal temperature reaches 165. Remove from oven, allow to rest for 5 minutes. Cut chicken into 1/2 bits.
The Sauce
Small Onion - One, fine dice
Garlic, large clove - One, mince
Zucchini - Half, fine dice
Carrot - Half, fine dice
Tomato Sauce - Large Can (28 oz)
Olive Oil, Mild - 1 TBSP
Oregano - 1/2 tsp, dried
Basil - 1/2 tsp, dried
Salt and Pepper, too taste
In a medium sauce pan, heat over medium high heat. When hot, add the olive oil. Add the onions, salt and pepper and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the carrots and cook for an additional minute. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium low, add the tomato sauce and rinse can with water to remove residual sauce. Cook for 10 minutes. Crumble the oregano and basil in your hand and cook for additional 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the chicken to the sauce. Add the sauce to the spaghetti squash. Add some parm cheese if desired.
Enjoy!
I did want to share tonight's dinner. When you can't have flour, spaghetti is out. But spaghetti squash is an all together different beast. With the the texture of angel hair pasta and a richly carb loaded flavor, it is a great substitute. To complete the dish, a delicious tomato sauce and baked chicken.
Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Sauce & Chicken
The Squash
Spaghetti Squash - One, cut lengthwise
Olive Oil
Salt
Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly season the squash with salt and rubs with olive oil. Place the squash on the rack skin side up with a tray underneath to catch any draining liquid. Cook for roughly 40 minutes to one hour. The squash will yield to light pressure. Remove from oven and use a fork to scrap away the flesh from the skin. The squash will tear away in pasta like strands. If the flesh is still damp allow to drain in a colander and lightly salt.
The Chicken
Chicken Breast - 1.5 lbs, cleaned and cut into strips
Pepper
Preheat oven to 350. Place strips on an oiled baking sheet. Lightly season with pepper. Most chicken is already enhanced with salt and doesn't need any extra. Place in oven and bake until internal temperature reaches 165. Remove from oven, allow to rest for 5 minutes. Cut chicken into 1/2 bits.
The Sauce
Small Onion - One, fine dice
Garlic, large clove - One, mince
Zucchini - Half, fine dice
Carrot - Half, fine dice
Tomato Sauce - Large Can (28 oz)
Olive Oil, Mild - 1 TBSP
Oregano - 1/2 tsp, dried
Basil - 1/2 tsp, dried
Salt and Pepper, too taste
In a medium sauce pan, heat over medium high heat. When hot, add the olive oil. Add the onions, salt and pepper and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the carrots and cook for an additional minute. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium low, add the tomato sauce and rinse can with water to remove residual sauce. Cook for 10 minutes. Crumble the oregano and basil in your hand and cook for additional 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the chicken to the sauce. Add the sauce to the spaghetti squash. Add some parm cheese if desired.
Enjoy!
September 19, 2010
Yom Kipper, Canoeing and Cookies
This weekend was a little bit of a challenge for the paleo diet. However, rather than rise to the occasion, I flew too close to the sun and got burned. Friday night was Yom Kipper and Mary made an awesome chicken soup. I made the salad to round out the meal (salad recipe below). Then the fast...
Friday sundown to Saturday sundown, I fasted. Overall the fast was not too bad. for break fast, we had leftover soup. The soup was even more delicious than the night before. I will attribute the tastiness of the soup to the flavors marrying together in the stock pot overnight and overlook the 24 hours of not consuming food or drink. I am sure the soup would be just as good if I'd been eating normally.
That night Mary and I went out and I thought I would be ok. I resisted the tempting temptation of pizza. But it would have been rude to decline a homemade cookies so I had one. Overall not the worst lapse in diet judgment.
Today I went canoeing. It was a solid workout. Four hours of paddling and I am pretty beat. I ate right before leaving and thought I would be good until I came home. How shortsighted I was... When the allure of cookies came my way again, I succumbed. Again, not the worst error in judgment, but not the best decision. Not always the easiest thing to decline sugary sweets but a little slip here and there shouldn't ruin a good thing. I am moving on and learned I need to plan better.
As promised, here is the salad recipe. I am intentionally leaving out the measurements as I did not measure anything for this one. Use your judgment. Assemble the salad and drizzle the dressing on top. Enjoy!
Fresh Salad with Lemon dressing:
Mixed Green
Cucumber, sliced
Carrots, julienned
Broccoli stems, cleaned and julienned
Dried Plums, rough chop
Avocado, sliced
Hard Boiled Egg, sliced
Dressing
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Lemon Juice
Lemon Zest
Salt and Pepper
Friday sundown to Saturday sundown, I fasted. Overall the fast was not too bad. for break fast, we had leftover soup. The soup was even more delicious than the night before. I will attribute the tastiness of the soup to the flavors marrying together in the stock pot overnight and overlook the 24 hours of not consuming food or drink. I am sure the soup would be just as good if I'd been eating normally.
That night Mary and I went out and I thought I would be ok. I resisted the tempting temptation of pizza. But it would have been rude to decline a homemade cookies so I had one. Overall not the worst lapse in diet judgment.
Today I went canoeing. It was a solid workout. Four hours of paddling and I am pretty beat. I ate right before leaving and thought I would be good until I came home. How shortsighted I was... When the allure of cookies came my way again, I succumbed. Again, not the worst error in judgment, but not the best decision. Not always the easiest thing to decline sugary sweets but a little slip here and there shouldn't ruin a good thing. I am moving on and learned I need to plan better.
As promised, here is the salad recipe. I am intentionally leaving out the measurements as I did not measure anything for this one. Use your judgment. Assemble the salad and drizzle the dressing on top. Enjoy!
Fresh Salad with Lemon dressing:
Mixed Green
Cucumber, sliced
Carrots, julienned
Broccoli stems, cleaned and julienned
Dried Plums, rough chop
Avocado, sliced
Hard Boiled Egg, sliced
Dressing
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Lemon Juice
Lemon Zest
Salt and Pepper
September 18, 2010
Paleo Diet and Me
I'm back. There is a new look and new premise to the blog. I hope you enjoy as you read my adventures through life and the challenges we all face being healthy in the 21st century. A new feature which some of you many really like... I will be including recipes as I cook.
I am still running and working out on occasion, but since I not currently training for anything, there are some different focuses. The number one change of late is my diet. I have my lovely wife to thank for it. You might have heard of the caveman diet or primal diet, the paleo diet is another version of these diets. Think what would a caveman have access to and there you have it. Meats, fruits, vegetables, nuts. That is about it!
If you really think about it, it makes sense. You still have some carbs, but way less than what is recommended. The main fuel for your body becomes fat and your body has tons of protein for fuel and rebuilding muscle. You get tons of nutrients and fiber.
There is a learning curve for your body, which I am still in. But after one to three weeks on the diet, you end up with a ton more energy and feeling great. Don't think that because the diet is limiting, you don't get to eat well. Below is a dish I made the other night and I will say it is pretty good.
Chicken with Coconut Sauce
Serves 3
3 chicken breasts
1 onion (cut into slices)
1/2 cup mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 Tbsp shaved ginger
1/2 juice lemon and zest
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup coconut juice
1/2 cup lamp stock (any kind of stock will work)
Salt and pepper (to season)
Coconut oil to coat skillet.
Flatten the chicken so that it cooks evenly. Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper. Place a large skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the coconut oil. Saute the onions until slightly browned. Add the chicken and saute for 3 minutes. Flip the chicken and add the mushrooms. Cook for 3 more minutes. Add the garlic and ginger to the pan. Cook for 30 seconds. Add the coconut milk, stock and lemon juice, lemon zest and raisins. Add enough water to cover the chicken. Allow the liquid to come to a simmer. After 10 minutes, flip the chickens. Allow the chicken to come to 165 degrees. Remove from chicken from sauce and let rest for 5 minutes. In the meantime, raise the temperature a little in the pan and cook down the sauce.
Serve the chicken with a ladle of the sauce over it.
You can save the sauce and add to other dishes. The chicken ends up very moist because of the poaching method. The sauce really makes this dish work. The raisins are a nice touch and something you don't see in very many dishes. The ginger and garlic are always a winning combination. I hope you enjoy.
I am still running and working out on occasion, but since I not currently training for anything, there are some different focuses. The number one change of late is my diet. I have my lovely wife to thank for it. You might have heard of the caveman diet or primal diet, the paleo diet is another version of these diets. Think what would a caveman have access to and there you have it. Meats, fruits, vegetables, nuts. That is about it!
If you really think about it, it makes sense. You still have some carbs, but way less than what is recommended. The main fuel for your body becomes fat and your body has tons of protein for fuel and rebuilding muscle. You get tons of nutrients and fiber.
There is a learning curve for your body, which I am still in. But after one to three weeks on the diet, you end up with a ton more energy and feeling great. Don't think that because the diet is limiting, you don't get to eat well. Below is a dish I made the other night and I will say it is pretty good.
Chicken with Coconut Sauce
Serves 3
3 chicken breasts
1 onion (cut into slices)
1/2 cup mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 Tbsp shaved ginger
1/2 juice lemon and zest
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup coconut juice
1/2 cup lamp stock (any kind of stock will work)
Salt and pepper (to season)
Coconut oil to coat skillet.
Flatten the chicken so that it cooks evenly. Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper. Place a large skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the coconut oil. Saute the onions until slightly browned. Add the chicken and saute for 3 minutes. Flip the chicken and add the mushrooms. Cook for 3 more minutes. Add the garlic and ginger to the pan. Cook for 30 seconds. Add the coconut milk, stock and lemon juice, lemon zest and raisins. Add enough water to cover the chicken. Allow the liquid to come to a simmer. After 10 minutes, flip the chickens. Allow the chicken to come to 165 degrees. Remove from chicken from sauce and let rest for 5 minutes. In the meantime, raise the temperature a little in the pan and cook down the sauce.
Serve the chicken with a ladle of the sauce over it.
You can save the sauce and add to other dishes. The chicken ends up very moist because of the poaching method. The sauce really makes this dish work. The raisins are a nice touch and something you don't see in very many dishes. The ginger and garlic are always a winning combination. I hope you enjoy.
June 10, 2010
RedLeg Run
Loyal Blog Fan(s),
I am back and I have been running. After the marathon, I took a little time and recovered. I was still running, but it was sporadic and uneventful. Few miles here, few more there. It was happening though. I started playing Ultimate on Fridays and that has provided some good cardio. It is a little unsettling that I can run a marathon, yet a half hour of sprinting gets me winded. I guess that's what happens when you train yourself to run long distances and a constant pace.
I do have a little story. I ran a 5K this past weekend. I had a goal and did not reach it. But that was my fault. The day before, rather than rest or go on a quick jog, I played Ultimate for longer than ideal. I had fun, but the running had a negative impact on my race times. I finished the race in 25 minutes (8:04 min/miles). The time was a PR, but still a minute slower than what I was hoping to run.
Te setup of the race was interesting. There were two start times. 9 am for the contenders and people that signed up early, and 9:10 everyone else. I was in the 9:10 heat. When the race started the 9 am group took off, but few lined up for the 9:10 start. My friends and I started to make our way to the front and ended up the first people in line. I mean the very first people. The gun went off and so did we. My friends were faster than I am and took off. I knew better than to run with them, but for the first mile I kept them in sight.
I feel it was more subconscious than anything. You see people you know, you try to keep up. Needless to say, I burnt out pretty quickly. Pretty quickly ended up being in one mile. I ran my first mile in 7:23, the second in about 8:40 and finished in 25:01 minutes.
One funny note in the story, when we were lining up for the 9:10 start a gentlemen lined up behind us. He was wearing a suit, a full suit. Dark green suit, dark red tie and dark red hat. He was wearing gray sneakers. He was middle-aged too. Anyway when I took off for the first mile, I didn't think much of him. By mid-way through mile 2, I thought a little more about him BECAUSE HE PASSED ME! I was thinking, "Oh come on!" At first I was in "oh well" mode and started to slow down a little. Then I started thinking, I can't lose to the guy in a suit. He was my rabbit. I kept him in sight, pacing about 50 yards behind him. Mile 3.1 rolled around a I started to speed up. That's right, I had a strategy...
The race was put on by the Cincinnati Reds and ended on the field. The finish line was half way around the warning track. When we entered the stadium that is when I put on the jets and used what energy I had left. I surprised myself that I still had some speed left in me and zigzagged past everyone in path. I past the man wearing a suit and crossed the finish line with seconds to spare.
Next time I will reach my 24:00 minute goal. I might even rest the day before.
I am back and I have been running. After the marathon, I took a little time and recovered. I was still running, but it was sporadic and uneventful. Few miles here, few more there. It was happening though. I started playing Ultimate on Fridays and that has provided some good cardio. It is a little unsettling that I can run a marathon, yet a half hour of sprinting gets me winded. I guess that's what happens when you train yourself to run long distances and a constant pace.
I do have a little story. I ran a 5K this past weekend. I had a goal and did not reach it. But that was my fault. The day before, rather than rest or go on a quick jog, I played Ultimate for longer than ideal. I had fun, but the running had a negative impact on my race times. I finished the race in 25 minutes (8:04 min/miles). The time was a PR, but still a minute slower than what I was hoping to run.
Te setup of the race was interesting. There were two start times. 9 am for the contenders and people that signed up early, and 9:10 everyone else. I was in the 9:10 heat. When the race started the 9 am group took off, but few lined up for the 9:10 start. My friends and I started to make our way to the front and ended up the first people in line. I mean the very first people. The gun went off and so did we. My friends were faster than I am and took off. I knew better than to run with them, but for the first mile I kept them in sight.
I feel it was more subconscious than anything. You see people you know, you try to keep up. Needless to say, I burnt out pretty quickly. Pretty quickly ended up being in one mile. I ran my first mile in 7:23, the second in about 8:40 and finished in 25:01 minutes.
One funny note in the story, when we were lining up for the 9:10 start a gentlemen lined up behind us. He was wearing a suit, a full suit. Dark green suit, dark red tie and dark red hat. He was wearing gray sneakers. He was middle-aged too. Anyway when I took off for the first mile, I didn't think much of him. By mid-way through mile 2, I thought a little more about him BECAUSE HE PASSED ME! I was thinking, "Oh come on!" At first I was in "oh well" mode and started to slow down a little. Then I started thinking, I can't lose to the guy in a suit. He was my rabbit. I kept him in sight, pacing about 50 yards behind him. Mile 3.1 rolled around a I started to speed up. That's right, I had a strategy...
The race was put on by the Cincinnati Reds and ended on the field. The finish line was half way around the warning track. When we entered the stadium that is when I put on the jets and used what energy I had left. I surprised myself that I still had some speed left in me and zigzagged past everyone in path. I past the man wearing a suit and crossed the finish line with seconds to spare.
Next time I will reach my 24:00 minute goal. I might even rest the day before.
May 4, 2010
The Marathon
All of us went to bed a little later than we probably should have, but by no means late. The day, or night depending on how you look at it, started off with a bang. Literally. Before anyone’s alarm clocks went off long, loud, rumbling thunder woke everyone at roughly 4:00 am. Everyone managed another 30 minutes of sleep before we had to eat and get ready.
I wolfed down a breakfast of oatmeal and a banana and chugged water like a camel. Dan had some coffee and toast. Joey, Dan’s cousin, had the same. Before I knew it, we were off. Mary decided to come with us to cheer us on. The weather was far from ideal. Pouring rain, lightning and thunder. The only bright spot was the temperature, 65 degrees.
I directed us to downtown where we hit the wall of traffic. I did not expect it to be this bad, but with some creative driving Dan weaved his way into one of the last spots on a lot. It worked out well parking where we did. It was not terribly far, but the rain made it feel far enough. After paying the meter, Dan, his cousin Joey, his friend Eric, Mary and I walked down to Paul Brown Stadium for a bathroom break and some shelter.
The Stadium was packed, shoulder to shoulder, with people. The line for the bathroom was insane. It wound in directions I did not think were possible. I am pretty sure the line wrapped over the ceiling and into the women’s room. Dan, Joey and I had go to the bathroom pretty badly so we decided to fight the elements. Through the lightning flashes and rain we made our way to the never-ending line of port-o-potties. Each of us chose a line and shuffled our way closer. I finished first and both Dan and Joey were still in line. Joey asked if I would go back to where Mary and Erik were in the Stadium and grab his beans (the equivalent of Gu). I took the opportunity to grab Eric and Mary. I swam through the crowd like a salmon heading upstream. After directing Mary and Eric to the port-o-potties, we had just enough time to line up for the race. I gave Mary a kiss and last minute directions to where to met us and then we were off to the pack. It was announced over 26,000 people signed up for the event. An impressive number if anyone asked me. The microphone was muffled by the rain and squealed from time to time. Appropriate in keeping with the theme of the Flying Pig marathon.
Dan and Eric moved more fluidly through the crowd and the group was broken up. I was left with Eric who was running the half marathon. The gun went off and anti-climatically nothing happened. It took seven minutes to make it to the starting line. Even then the pace was slow going. There was a lot of weaving through the crowds. Up on the pavement, on the median. As I leap frogged a slower runners, I tried to get my pace. After a mile Eric moved on to a quicker pace. I decided to hold back a little and conserve some energy for the long haul. I was wary about burning out too soon. About mile two, I passed Joey who was waiting in line at a bathroom on the course. The bridge was not as bad as people have said and I was glad I trained on steep hills. The run through downtown was quick. I thought Mary would be waiting on that stretch. I looked right and left, not knowing what side of the street she would be on, continually searching for the hideous green umbrella I lent her. The umbrella was a shade of mold green and made of wood, truly a relic. I looked to no avail and soldiered on through the rain.
About mile five I felt it. I convinced myself up until this point that I could make it, but like Joey I had to go. I knew I would not be able to hold it in forever and decided to stop to go to the bathroom. In retrospect I should have used nature as my restroom, but I was decent and waited in line at a set of five port-o-potties. It took about 2-3 minutes before I was running again, but felt like an eternity as I watched people zoom by. I was glad that I went as that would have been inevitable. I saw at least two dozen people using trees, shrubs, garbage cans and even slower runners as make-shift bathrooms. I supposed running a PR is more important than dignity.
The next challenge was the road to Eden Park. It was a 4 mile uphill run. On the incline was a great surprise. I hear my name being called and look over to see Mary jogging next to me. That was where she set up camp! She ran with me for about 10 seconds before her phone dropped out of her pocket and she had to stop. I worried about the phone on and off throughout the race, but it was ok. Mary running next to me was a great motivator. The hill still had 2 miles left, but I was well on my way, moving at a steady pace. About 6 miles in I started my first Gu. I used a trick Dan told me: open it and take a little, then find a point somewhere in the distance and have a little more. I would be lying if I told you the I did this for 2 miles before I was finished. At mile 8, I ran into Joey. He must have passed me when I was in the bathroom. I ran with him for about a quarter mile before I continued on at my pace. I wished him well and went on my way. At mile 9 the marathon split between the half and the full. It split at a church at the top of a hill. It was a very scenic place to split. The sane and the insane.
I went with the other crazies to the right. I wish I had more details, but the next few miles were a blur. My dad gave me a piece of advice to use while running. He said to pretend you are building a house from the foundation up and spare no details. The miles would melt away he said. So, I decided to try it. I had to decide where to build the house first and decided to build it on the beach. But how do you build a foundation into the sand. It would get washed away. My beach house never was more than a hole in the ground; I revisited the home many time, never getting farther than a hole.
I finally made it to the half way mark and other than a mat to record my time, there was not much there. I made the mistake of thinking “If I ran the half-marathon I would be done and feeling awesome.” Cause I did, I felt great, 13.1 miles would have been nothing. It is scary to say that. Granted I was pushing myself, but I would have finished in just over 2 hours. I was half way there and kept my head down running through the rain. I was working on my second Gu which ate away some time. By this time my feet started to feel the wet, friction of running in the rain. It was a weird feeling and I could only hope the blisters wouldn’t be too bad. Actually I hoped my skin wouldn’t slough off my feet. Another Dan trick which he learned from an ultra-marathoner was whenever there was a pain, isolate the pain, why it hurt and put the pain in a little box in the back of your mind. In 30 minutes, ask yourself if the pain still hurts. Strangely enough, the trick works… almost too well.
At 15 miles, I saw the beginning of the loop. At this point of the course, you run in a big loop and at mile 17 you can see mile 15. I started to feel a little fatigued at this point, but not too bad. I started to feel like I had to use the restroom again, but asked myself if I really had to go. The answer was always no although I would wrestle with the thought at each port-o-potty for the next 9 miles. I also started to walk while I was drinking water. A slight reprieve from running was needed. At mile 18, I started to ask myself if I really needed to stop or wanted to stop. I wanted to stop and walk, very badly, but kept moving. Not sure if my pace was slower or not, but I felt like I was moving slower. I was working though my third Gu when I passed a Gu station and grabbed another one for the late miles. Later I grabbed another Gu, but did not use it.
As I was rounding a corner at mile 19, I heard someone yell, “Go number 4292!” I had to look down and saw they were cheering for me, my confusion and subsequent smile made the guy laugh. And rightfully so. The next mile was on a highway and felt very lonely, cars were going by, honking, and there were some tents set up, but for whatever reason, the road felt lonely and winding. Then I hit the wall…
It was about mile 20. Somewhere on the highway, I could not run and had to start walking. I am not sure if I actually had to or wanted to, but I did. In retrospect I probably wanted to more than had to. For the next two miles I ran as long as I could, then walked slowly, then walked fast, then ran some more. I would build up my walking pace until I was running again. I was not alone in the method. Many people around me adopted the same strategy. We were unified in our goal, but too fatigued to feel any camaraderie. We all moved along like iron legged zombies. Not very threatening, but the glazed eyes and smell said stay away. I worked on my forth Gu through the sluggish pace.
Somewhere around mile 23 I found my pace again. I got my wind back and ran about a mile before the legs started to rebel. Back to the walk / run tempo. I could not tell you if I was running faster when I started running or if my walking was shorter than I thought, but in the end, my pace was not too much different than the beginning. There were some people down this stretch, but not many. Volunteers dispensing water, some music, some high fives.
Mile 25 there was some more life in the crowds. A local rock station had music set up, a apartment had rock music blaring, some high school girls had a running inspired chant. I was mentally and physically exhausted, but at mile 25 I made a decision to run the last 1.2 miles. I did not care how tired I felt, I knew I had a little left and could push through it. I moved a little fast and eventually my gait could only be described as a run, a sloppy run, but a run. I ran on and the crowds started to increase. Then the cheers started. There were only a handful of people on the course at this point and it was like they were cheering for me. Apparently in that last stretch Mary was there, cheering for me and we made eye contact. But with all the people and lack of glycogen, I did not register seeing her. At mile 26.1 as I was approaching the “Finish Swine” I made a last minute decision, driven by testosterone I decided I had to beat the person in front of me. I increased my speed and slightly edged her out by 10 yards.
After I finished I was wiped out. I staggered to get my medal and space blanket. I was looking for Mary and Dan, but did not see them. I drank two cups of Gatorade and some water. Then went to the bathroom. I was starting to really feel the effects of putting my body through 26.2 miles. I was chilling down fast. I walked to the Recovery area and ate a banana grabbed a bottle of water and a bagel. I was sick to my stomach but knew I had to eat. I hear d my name called from around the fence. It was Dan and Mary! I waved with my bagel and staggered out of the recovery area. I grabbed a Gogurt on my way out. Apparently Mary went to see me, but the crowds were such that we missed each other. I found Dan. Almost immediately, I had my feet elevated on a pole. A little kid was waddling over to me and gave me two high fives.
Mary made her way back through the crowds to find me on the floor. Dan made me drink the whole bottle of water before giving me back my bagel which somehow found its way into his pocket. He was dressed and well recovered as he finished an hour before me. I was not completely coherent and walking was a challenge. But I finished.
Final time: 4 hours 16 minutes 05 seconds.
Thank you for everyone who offered support, encouragement and advice through my training and marathon. I truly could not have done it without you.
I wolfed down a breakfast of oatmeal and a banana and chugged water like a camel. Dan had some coffee and toast. Joey, Dan’s cousin, had the same. Before I knew it, we were off. Mary decided to come with us to cheer us on. The weather was far from ideal. Pouring rain, lightning and thunder. The only bright spot was the temperature, 65 degrees.
I directed us to downtown where we hit the wall of traffic. I did not expect it to be this bad, but with some creative driving Dan weaved his way into one of the last spots on a lot. It worked out well parking where we did. It was not terribly far, but the rain made it feel far enough. After paying the meter, Dan, his cousin Joey, his friend Eric, Mary and I walked down to Paul Brown Stadium for a bathroom break and some shelter.
The Stadium was packed, shoulder to shoulder, with people. The line for the bathroom was insane. It wound in directions I did not think were possible. I am pretty sure the line wrapped over the ceiling and into the women’s room. Dan, Joey and I had go to the bathroom pretty badly so we decided to fight the elements. Through the lightning flashes and rain we made our way to the never-ending line of port-o-potties. Each of us chose a line and shuffled our way closer. I finished first and both Dan and Joey were still in line. Joey asked if I would go back to where Mary and Erik were in the Stadium and grab his beans (the equivalent of Gu). I took the opportunity to grab Eric and Mary. I swam through the crowd like a salmon heading upstream. After directing Mary and Eric to the port-o-potties, we had just enough time to line up for the race. I gave Mary a kiss and last minute directions to where to met us and then we were off to the pack. It was announced over 26,000 people signed up for the event. An impressive number if anyone asked me. The microphone was muffled by the rain and squealed from time to time. Appropriate in keeping with the theme of the Flying Pig marathon.
Dan and Eric moved more fluidly through the crowd and the group was broken up. I was left with Eric who was running the half marathon. The gun went off and anti-climatically nothing happened. It took seven minutes to make it to the starting line. Even then the pace was slow going. There was a lot of weaving through the crowds. Up on the pavement, on the median. As I leap frogged a slower runners, I tried to get my pace. After a mile Eric moved on to a quicker pace. I decided to hold back a little and conserve some energy for the long haul. I was wary about burning out too soon. About mile two, I passed Joey who was waiting in line at a bathroom on the course. The bridge was not as bad as people have said and I was glad I trained on steep hills. The run through downtown was quick. I thought Mary would be waiting on that stretch. I looked right and left, not knowing what side of the street she would be on, continually searching for the hideous green umbrella I lent her. The umbrella was a shade of mold green and made of wood, truly a relic. I looked to no avail and soldiered on through the rain.
About mile five I felt it. I convinced myself up until this point that I could make it, but like Joey I had to go. I knew I would not be able to hold it in forever and decided to stop to go to the bathroom. In retrospect I should have used nature as my restroom, but I was decent and waited in line at a set of five port-o-potties. It took about 2-3 minutes before I was running again, but felt like an eternity as I watched people zoom by. I was glad that I went as that would have been inevitable. I saw at least two dozen people using trees, shrubs, garbage cans and even slower runners as make-shift bathrooms. I supposed running a PR is more important than dignity.
The next challenge was the road to Eden Park. It was a 4 mile uphill run. On the incline was a great surprise. I hear my name being called and look over to see Mary jogging next to me. That was where she set up camp! She ran with me for about 10 seconds before her phone dropped out of her pocket and she had to stop. I worried about the phone on and off throughout the race, but it was ok. Mary running next to me was a great motivator. The hill still had 2 miles left, but I was well on my way, moving at a steady pace. About 6 miles in I started my first Gu. I used a trick Dan told me: open it and take a little, then find a point somewhere in the distance and have a little more. I would be lying if I told you the I did this for 2 miles before I was finished. At mile 8, I ran into Joey. He must have passed me when I was in the bathroom. I ran with him for about a quarter mile before I continued on at my pace. I wished him well and went on my way. At mile 9 the marathon split between the half and the full. It split at a church at the top of a hill. It was a very scenic place to split. The sane and the insane.
I went with the other crazies to the right. I wish I had more details, but the next few miles were a blur. My dad gave me a piece of advice to use while running. He said to pretend you are building a house from the foundation up and spare no details. The miles would melt away he said. So, I decided to try it. I had to decide where to build the house first and decided to build it on the beach. But how do you build a foundation into the sand. It would get washed away. My beach house never was more than a hole in the ground; I revisited the home many time, never getting farther than a hole.
I finally made it to the half way mark and other than a mat to record my time, there was not much there. I made the mistake of thinking “If I ran the half-marathon I would be done and feeling awesome.” Cause I did, I felt great, 13.1 miles would have been nothing. It is scary to say that. Granted I was pushing myself, but I would have finished in just over 2 hours. I was half way there and kept my head down running through the rain. I was working on my second Gu which ate away some time. By this time my feet started to feel the wet, friction of running in the rain. It was a weird feeling and I could only hope the blisters wouldn’t be too bad. Actually I hoped my skin wouldn’t slough off my feet. Another Dan trick which he learned from an ultra-marathoner was whenever there was a pain, isolate the pain, why it hurt and put the pain in a little box in the back of your mind. In 30 minutes, ask yourself if the pain still hurts. Strangely enough, the trick works… almost too well.
At 15 miles, I saw the beginning of the loop. At this point of the course, you run in a big loop and at mile 17 you can see mile 15. I started to feel a little fatigued at this point, but not too bad. I started to feel like I had to use the restroom again, but asked myself if I really had to go. The answer was always no although I would wrestle with the thought at each port-o-potty for the next 9 miles. I also started to walk while I was drinking water. A slight reprieve from running was needed. At mile 18, I started to ask myself if I really needed to stop or wanted to stop. I wanted to stop and walk, very badly, but kept moving. Not sure if my pace was slower or not, but I felt like I was moving slower. I was working though my third Gu when I passed a Gu station and grabbed another one for the late miles. Later I grabbed another Gu, but did not use it.
As I was rounding a corner at mile 19, I heard someone yell, “Go number 4292!” I had to look down and saw they were cheering for me, my confusion and subsequent smile made the guy laugh. And rightfully so. The next mile was on a highway and felt very lonely, cars were going by, honking, and there were some tents set up, but for whatever reason, the road felt lonely and winding. Then I hit the wall…
It was about mile 20. Somewhere on the highway, I could not run and had to start walking. I am not sure if I actually had to or wanted to, but I did. In retrospect I probably wanted to more than had to. For the next two miles I ran as long as I could, then walked slowly, then walked fast, then ran some more. I would build up my walking pace until I was running again. I was not alone in the method. Many people around me adopted the same strategy. We were unified in our goal, but too fatigued to feel any camaraderie. We all moved along like iron legged zombies. Not very threatening, but the glazed eyes and smell said stay away. I worked on my forth Gu through the sluggish pace.
Somewhere around mile 23 I found my pace again. I got my wind back and ran about a mile before the legs started to rebel. Back to the walk / run tempo. I could not tell you if I was running faster when I started running or if my walking was shorter than I thought, but in the end, my pace was not too much different than the beginning. There were some people down this stretch, but not many. Volunteers dispensing water, some music, some high fives.
Mile 25 there was some more life in the crowds. A local rock station had music set up, a apartment had rock music blaring, some high school girls had a running inspired chant. I was mentally and physically exhausted, but at mile 25 I made a decision to run the last 1.2 miles. I did not care how tired I felt, I knew I had a little left and could push through it. I moved a little fast and eventually my gait could only be described as a run, a sloppy run, but a run. I ran on and the crowds started to increase. Then the cheers started. There were only a handful of people on the course at this point and it was like they were cheering for me. Apparently in that last stretch Mary was there, cheering for me and we made eye contact. But with all the people and lack of glycogen, I did not register seeing her. At mile 26.1 as I was approaching the “Finish Swine” I made a last minute decision, driven by testosterone I decided I had to beat the person in front of me. I increased my speed and slightly edged her out by 10 yards.
After I finished I was wiped out. I staggered to get my medal and space blanket. I was looking for Mary and Dan, but did not see them. I drank two cups of Gatorade and some water. Then went to the bathroom. I was starting to really feel the effects of putting my body through 26.2 miles. I was chilling down fast. I walked to the Recovery area and ate a banana grabbed a bottle of water and a bagel. I was sick to my stomach but knew I had to eat. I hear d my name called from around the fence. It was Dan and Mary! I waved with my bagel and staggered out of the recovery area. I grabbed a Gogurt on my way out. Apparently Mary went to see me, but the crowds were such that we missed each other. I found Dan. Almost immediately, I had my feet elevated on a pole. A little kid was waddling over to me and gave me two high fives.
Mary made her way back through the crowds to find me on the floor. Dan made me drink the whole bottle of water before giving me back my bagel which somehow found its way into his pocket. He was dressed and well recovered as he finished an hour before me. I was not completely coherent and walking was a challenge. But I finished.
Final time: 4 hours 16 minutes 05 seconds.
Thank you for everyone who offered support, encouragement and advice through my training and marathon. I truly could not have done it without you.
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