Thursday, May 28, 2009

Making it

I have to toot my own horn here. I am making it. I am proud to say that I have not run a step in nearly a week. I am regaining my self-control. I did not realize how beaten down my body was until I started resting. My body is recovering, slowly but surely. Without question, running, at all, right now, would do more harm than good. So walks it is. I love it. Wow. I love running. But I also love not running. I will be able to fully enjoy my love, once again, when my body is in 100% fighting shape. So, for now, I love not running. I am making it.

This is another nerdy running thing, but I played around with my monthly miles over the last 16 months and found a block that I hit just over 6000 miles in 365 consecutive days;

- 16.4 mile daily average
- 55.5 miles/highest day
- 3 miles/lowest day

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Walking Tall

I think that is the title of a recent spoof on "Walk the Line", but it is of no matter. I haven't run a step since last Friday. It is on. I have finally locked into the non-running lifestyle that I have so desperately pined for the last 8 months. I have been putting in a lot of good walks and stationary bike riding to get my blood flowing and metabolism charged. Additionally, or as usual, as it were, I have maintained my daily core work out, with a few modifications; added to the usual ball crunch routine are planks and a few stretches. Too, I have been doing ball squats and lunges every other day to rebuild my legs.

My knees are slowly but surely recovering. My whole body is recovering. There was a time, towards the end of the 14 months of continuous running effort, when I could hardly (physically) get out of bed each morning. Now, I am getting up with considerably less effort. Stairs are becoming tolerable again. Anyways, the good news is things are healing and I am not planning to upset the balance of things for some time. In other words, I will not be running even a few weeks after the morning a wake up and everything feels 100%. Nothing but total recovery will do.

Good news, I am rediscovering the Good News. Thanks to a chat with Don last night at his place, my heart was, yet again, opened to the wonderful Truth of Jesus. The last several months have been tough and it is in those rough times that I have longed for so much more than my life alone could sate. Truthfully, I had become very selfish and worldly over the last several years. It has been a slow fade, so no serious attention at any point in time was paid to it, but as life has continually become more bleak - as this and that pursuit and reasonable expectation of lasting joy came and went without stay - I have been pushed to the edge of my human limits and capabilities. There is no more in me; I exhausted my physical energy through incessant running; my mental energy in college and more recently, my work; my social energy sometime long ago in a land quite far from here. Nothing I have done or can do has made my life any better or worthy. This has been the direction my spiritual self has been going. Fortunately, as Don came to remind me, there is nothing we can do or need to do to receive the wonderful, joyful life offered by Jesus. In our simple acknowledgement of His sacrifice for our lives and subsequent gift of the Holy Spirit we are free, absolutely free to become who we were meant to be; not by human measure or the measure created by ourselves which we fight, but by the measure of the dispensation of the love given to us from above. We are free. If Jesus loves us (yes, He is a living god) with eternal, bottomless love, how could we not then love ourselves and overflow with love for others? This is what I have learned the hard - but necessary - way.

Monday, May 25, 2009

A Death Cab song

Recently, this Death Cab for Cutie song has been at the top of my playlists. It has always been one of my favorite Death Cab tunes, but lately, for whatever reason, it has surged to the top of all of my playlists...and for good reason. The piano accompaniment is lyrical and poetic - a repetitive, simple tune; the words, or poem (my personal classification), is tantalizing, provocative and well, a melancholic set of poignant lyrics. Check out the song on the web, or enjoy the lyrics below.

"What Sarah Said"

And it came to me then that every plan is a tiny prayer to father time
As I stared at my shoes in the ICU that reeked of piss and 409
And I rationed my breaths as I said to myself that I'd already taken too much today
As each descending peak on the LCD took you a little farther away from me
Away from me

Amongst the vending machines and year-old magazines in a place where we only say goodbye
It stung like a violent wind that our memories depend on a faulty camera in our minds
But I knew that you were a truth I would rather lose than to have never lain beside at all
And I looked around at all the eyes on the ground as the TV entertained itself

'Cause there's no comfort in the waiting room
Just nervous pacers bracing for bad news
And then the nurse comes round and everyone will lift their heads
But I'm thinking of what Sarah said that "Love is watching someone die"

So who's going to watch you die?..

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Thoughts While Drinking Coffee

- What is the purpose of a remote start on a new model moped? I walked pasted a 'ped' for sale this morning, with a sign attached to it, advertising that the moped came complete with a remote starter.

- I am happy to announce that Stevia is slowly but surely making its way into the mainstream, diet, beverage market. Both Vitamin Water and Sobe have diet flavored waters, sweetened by Stevia. I have had both, not bad. Doubtless, the taste of Stevia is distinct - hyper-sweet -, but the drinks are pretty well sweetened. It won't be long before we see Cokes and Pepsis Stevia products.

- It is raining in Great Falls, currently. Perfect timing, what with all of the yard work folks were able to complete yesterday. Unfortunate for those having grad parties today. But it isn't too bad of a rain. Light enough.

That is it for me. Have a happy Sunday.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Montana made a man out of me

Montana made a man out of me. After spending 4 relatively balmy years in Colorado, Montana made a man out of me. -20 air temps, incessant winds, endless secondary roads and kind folks are the defining characteristics of my last year in Montana. It should be known that this post and all of the connections made therein (between my experiences in Montana and the impact that those moments had on me) are in relation to the last 10 months of continuous running - and thus the runs.

The list that follows chronicles the distinct moments in which Montana made a man out of me;

- The wind... My first hurdle to overcome upon moving to MT in July, was coming to terms with the incessant winds that are so much a part of the climate here on the eastern slope of the Rockies. Running nearly a marathon a day for the 30 days of September 2008, numbed me to this infernal force.

- The people... On a longer run out in the country, I became lost (as in seriously lost in the coulees, with no vantage point to be had). After 18, maybe 20 miles, I was beginning to worry, as the town I was expecting to be nearing, was nowhere in sight. What's worse is the lack of people out in the area. The entire run I saw one car, and that was at about 20 miles. I waved the woman down and she, in turn, being an incredibly kind Montanan, taxied me back to Centerville.

- The terrain... The Le Grizz 50, made a man out of me. After taking the MT 50 mile state champion title for 2008, Miss MT and I joked about me being Mr. MT on account of the USATF title. 

- The cold... This winter, without the option of treadmill running, it was either suck it up and run outside, or not run at all. Of course I chose to run outside. It really wasn't a matter of sucking it up either. I came to love running in the cold. It is truly invigorating. -35 degree wind chills on Saturday morning long runs made a man out of me. 

- Becoming numb... Ultimately, all of the above, played into becoming, perhaps not so much numb as compliant, at peace with the wonderful place that Montana is. Montana made a man out of me. I have gotten to the point that I am honestly disappointed when it is calm, sunny and 70 degrees out. I now loving in adverse conditions. 

Montana made a man out of me.




Friday, May 22, 2009

Running Plans

In proportion to the physical recovering occurring at present, my ambition for great running feats increases. Today, while thinking clearly (meaning not riding a coffee high and sitting quietly), I decided that a notable 24 hour run is my next objective. Doubtless, I am staying the course with this total body recovery, pretty much taking the next two months off. But in the fall I would like to push a pretty good effort over 24 hours (150-160 miles). The Le Grizz 50 is on my radar again and would serve as a great training run for the 24 hour to follow, perhaps 3-4 weeks later. As a training run for Le Grizz I am considering doing the Governor's Cup Marathon in Billings, mid-September. I will have to look into the dates, but I am fairly certain that the GCM is 3 weeks ahead of Le Grizz. So... Training... something like ridiculous mileage August through October is what I am looking at for 2009. My main performance objective, initially, will be setting a new PR for the 50. I would like to run sub-6:15 at Hungry Horse. Then, if everything is firing properly and my fire is still burning for the 24 hour adventure, I will shift into hyper-focus mode and take a three week preparation for an all out 24 hour effort. 

This is exciting. After the last 14 months of high mileage, I am excited to have a reasonable plan; a couple of months off to recover, followed by a couple of months of intense training and goal smashing. 

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Rising Slowly, Observing the Signs

My body is slowly and not so surely recovering from my 14 month push (see below - kind of nerdy I know).

The slow pace of the recovery makes perfect sense given the mileage, but is still difficult to fully accept. Good news though, I am at peace with my change in lifestyle. A lot less stress really - both physically and mentally. Not much new to report. Just keeping on, keeping on. Peace.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Music

Some music that I have recently found exciting and fun to listen to.

While running... 
Atmosphere "Seven's Travels" and "God Loves Ugly"
Dashboard Confessional "Swiss Army Romance"
Sigur Ros "Med..."
Angels and Airwaves
Swollen Memberes

While driving...
Death Cab for Cutie "Plans"
Dashboard Confessional "Dusk and Summer"
Sigur Ros "Untitled"
+44

While working...
Dvorak's 9th
Ralph Vaughan Williams "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis"




Saturday, May 16, 2009

Grocery Running

I may have blown my shape for being competitive in long distance races this season, but wow, am I ever in good shape for grocery runs. This training cycle, which is to say, the last 14 months of high mileage, may have broken me down to the point of being unfit to race, but it did not break my grocery running spirit. 

I learned a lot about my human limits over the last 14 months. I was beginning to think that I was one of those physiologically perfect specimens who would go on to pound out 5000-6000 miles a year for 40 years without injury. Of course, I never really thought it quite like that - only in hindsight do I now see the direction which I was heading - but without question I was walking the fine line of hubris and humanness. Thank goodness the Lord has given me new eyes and a new heart to see the truth. Though I have blown my chances to run any PR races this season, I am rediscovering and in some cases, discovering for the first time, great joys and the underlying, pervasive nature of that joy in everything - even running. Thank the Lord for this transformation. Too, I will be able to return stronger, more focused and better balanced next training cycle (and I do mean cycle - a short, temporary rise in focused mileage for the express purpose of racing). But back to grocery running...

I am in great shape for it. Yesterday, I had a wonderfully fun 8 mile grocery run. I weaved my way through the streets of Great Falls for 7 miles or so, before arriving at Vans IGA to pick up some much needed and missing staples of nourishment. It felt great, again, to run the remaining mile home with a half gallon of milk in one hand and a couple of boxes of cereal in the other. Presently, this is my fitness benchmark; for the next few months I will be running for enjoyment and running only insofar as it maintains my fitness for grocery collecting. As silly as I probably look running with food, sometimes wine, sometimes milk, it is an efficient and, for me, a practical method of grocery shopping. 

Have a great weekend.

Friday, May 15, 2009

I am a runner...again

I put in my first honest to goodness run in yesterday, after a 4 day break. Just 7 miles, but it felt so great to cruise again. I ran my fast route through town, and opened up to 6:15 pace for a bit of it, just to see how my legs were doing. Not bad. 70% I would say. I hadn't had that much fun on a run in awhile.

This break from training is going to be great. I haven't been completely idle this week. Each day I have been putting in a couple of walk/jog miles and have been doing my usually core routine. Tuesday I had a nice and relaxed hour stationary bike ride around my apartment. It felt great to get outside though yesterday. So freeing. I realized yesterday how blessed I am to be able to run at all. I am so glad that I called a stop to training when I did. I can't help but think that I could have done some permanent damage if I continued on the way I was. My eyes have been opened up to the great things in my life too, with this break. My mind isn't daily consumed with running as it was just a week ago. Growing and maturing, I am. Hope everyone has a great day. God bless.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Estes Park Marathon

Continuing on from my Colfax blog; last year at this time, I was in great shape after dropping out of Colfax, ready to run a PR marathon. Estes Park will allows have a place in my heart as my first taste of Colorado. Growing up, it was the first area in Colorado that my family visited and where I first discovered my love for foot and mountain travel. Also, I would have 3-4 weeks to retool and prep myself for the race. I signed up later the same afternoon of they day of the Colfax DNF. I hit my training hard - hill and mountain running in Colorado Springs - for the next two weeks, before starting to taper a bit for the Estes Marathon. Unexpectedly, a week out from the race, my grandfather passed away. Immediately, I was on a plane to Minnesota for the services and family-time requisite to death in the family. The air was filled with joy in my now widowed grandmother's house as we celebrated the life of my grandpa. Unfortunately, as far as running was concerned this was a major bump in the road for my final preparations for Colfax. I obviously wasn't able to run much at all and at that, it was at low altitude (and hill less). Of these facts, the running facts, I am not bitter or resentful. It was a necessary and good thing for me to return to pay my respects to my now deceased grandpa. I returned to Colorado, just a day or two before heading to Estes for the race.

Off the line, I hastily took off. Bad idea. My body had noticably lost fitness over the last irregular two weeks. My mind was ahead of my body. I held the lead for the first 5 mile climb. Near the top of the hill I began getting picked off. By the time I crested the hill, and began the downhill back to Estes, I was in 3rd or 4th. I was hurting. Of course, the downhill was a much welcomed break, but the lingering fact remained, I was out of shape. I cruised down through Estes, around the reservoir to mile 14 or 15, before finally throwing in the towel and opting for pancakes and wi-fi at a local cafe instead of the remaining 11 or 12 miles of the race. Another DNF. That was it for my heart for the summer. I couldn't take anymore quitting and the resulting discouragement that accompanied that act. Later that afternoon, I went out for a really fun 10 mile trail run up in Rocky Mountain National Park. That was a nice end to my time in Estes. I returned to Colorado Springs that evening down, but not out. Such is life. 

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Flashback to Colfax


Yesterday, the Denver Post ran an article on the Colfax Marathon - as it is approaching this weekend (that is me, directly under the first "T" and Justin Mock, the eventual winner far right). A year ago, I was all primed and ready to go for the race. I remember throwing down some pretty sweet work outs in preparation for the race. I can't help but feel like I am mirroring Justin Mock's blog with this post, but I have been finding myself - what with my break from running and all - in a very reflective mode, wanting to recount and love the past in order to better appreciate the future.

- I did a couple of running commutes to work at Barr Camp (10,200 feet) from my house in C. Springs - about 21 miles each way. I would run 21 miles up on Saturday, work, then cruise the 21 back on Sunday. One weekend, I went 21 miles up to camp on Friday, circumnavigated and summitted Pikes from Barr Camp on Saturday (16-17 miles), then did the 21 mile return run on Sunday.


- I was all about treadmill work with Colfax build-up. I burned out two pretty sweet treadmills at the UCCS rec. center. I was putting in 100-110 miles a week on the mill, 80% of those miles 6 minutes or faster. My easy runs were comfy at 6:30 pace and my tempos took me down to 5:25, 5:30 pace. The staff of the gym helped me out with the mills by getting an adjacent treadmill up to pace so I could jump onto it after 45 minutes or so on each mill. I remember having pretty comfortable conversations with friends next to the mill and on the phone at 6 minute pace.


- Sweetest work out. One work out that I borrowed from the Brook-Hansons running group was the 2 by 10k work out - granted, at a much slower pace. I put in a 36:30 10k, jogged .5 miles, then going straight into a 35:00 10k, followed by a mile cool down. Felt awesome.


- On the road and hills I was flying. I ran Palmer Park and Monument trail quite a bit. Enjoyed running the trails of Colorado Springs, seeing some of the local running heroes every now and again - Tony Krupicka and Matt Carpenter.


Things were good, my body was recovering really well and I was ready to run a fast marathon. My last marathon, the previous fall, was a huge lift to my spirits and confidence - took 1st at the Mountainair Marathon from Crested Butte to Gunnison (3:04 at close to 9000 feet, off of 3-4 weeks of low altitude training). Of course, things didn't go so smoothly at Colfax. Out of the gate I felt great. I was so flipp'n focused on running a good, smooth marathon. After mile 1, staying tight with the lead pace bikers, a few of the relay runners and I, unknowningly, got off course. We were told to turn around a few minutes after the error. My heart sank. Still feeding off the rush of the start, I picked up pace to recover my position on the course. My remember putting in the second mile in 5:35 or so. The combination of the erratic beginning, my hasty overexertion at mile 2 and my shattered mental game, ruined me. I tried hanging with Justin Mock for awhile, but couldn't get my stuff back together, my breathing was out of hand and my head was aswirl with what-ifs and oh-craps and where could I run next, to best capatilize on my good shape. At mile 7, I made the decision to drop out. I removed my number and jogged back to the miles to the start and immediately started looking to the Estes Park Marathon...

Monday, May 11, 2009

Monday

Well, I am feeling surprising free and relieved on day two of my running break. Took a couple of nice walks yesterday, but didn't run a step. I am at peace with this break. I really am. I am already starting to see the little joys of life that I had been missing when I was so focused on running - whether I acquiescent the point or not, I was. Whether or not she realizes it, my mom's calming words as we spoke yesterday over the phone for mother's day, were ever so timely and of relief. Mom's are nurturers and comforters and though they may say the very things we are thinking or have been told by others, the simply fact that they are our mom, makes their statements evermore veritable and true. Anyways, it was good for me to recognize, even as a 23 year old, independent, young man, that my mom is still my mom and her words and advice will always be transformative, calming and timely. Well, life is good. Nice to know that I am not running today - no worries about the weather, when I will go, whatever. Peace. Anyways, this is a good time for me to focus on those things that I have been narrowly neglecting - my faith, my friends, and all that stuff. Wishing you all the best. Brian.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

A point of joy


Here is a photo one of the parents took of the Miner Road Runners just before the Ice Breaker.


Prickly Pear 30k Race Report

Dang. Not a good day. I am very disappointed with myself. I have tried so hard to overcome this quitting complex that has plagued me, but today marks, yet another, DNF on account of me dropping out of the race. I hate quitting. It is about finishing and doing your best, that is what I always tell my running club - while I didn't finish and I am not sure that I did my best.

I had some legitimate apprehensions going into the race; over-training, knee problems, no mountain training, lethargy, whatever. I brushed them under the rug, effectively acting like a minor god of some sort. I thought I could gut it out, but was quick to find that I had no guts, at present. 

The race starts with a pretty steep climb to gain the trail, which begins with some pretty good elevation gain. I hung with some pretty legit trail runners for the first several miles of the race. Immediately, I felt like less of a runner in my overall strength and power than I was used to feeling like. My climbing wasn't bad, my flats were great, my downhill was awful (because of my fastidious downhill stride on account of my knees aching, down hills were crippling). Considering that I had no mountain running in me this go around I was pretty pleased on my performance up hill, hanging pretty close to the front of the pack through mile 8 or so. The down hills just kept getting worse and worse, I was continually slowing on them, with my painful abrupt stride. On a whim, at a forest service road about 9 miles into the race, I removed my number and headed back to town. It just didn't seem worth it. Things seemed to be degrading rapidly. So I jogged a couple of miles down the service road, back to town and called it a day. I hate quitting. I really do. Maybe it was the right decision, maybe it wasn't. My flat/slight grades running has been pretty top notch lately, but man, I really wasn't ready for those mountains. 

My body really isn't ready for anything. I know I have said this before and that I was going to do something about it, but there has been a slow fade in my performance since November. I can't run nearly as many miles comfortably as I did back in the Fall, my overall pace has been sliding, now a pretty drastic difference from last Fall. My legs aren't recovering, my knees are angry. Now it is time for a serious break. I will probably scratch my summer running plans as the prospect of training right now has fallen completely off my radar. My goal is to take an HONEST break and let my body fully recover, whenever that is, and then go from there. Anyways, it is going to be a busy summer, what with summer LEAP, moving, a new job, etc. No need for added stress. 

Well, today will be a wallowing slump day. Quitting is never something to celebrate, and things are on the recovery, not growing. I guess I am growing, hopefully, as a person. Taking lessons along this journey. I am. Of that, there is no doubt. At least I had the sensibility this time around to cease and desist before the wheels came off and I really hurt myself. Regardless, I will need some time to re-evaluate my values and confidence in those values. Peace.

Friday, May 8, 2009

What Joy Looks like

Yesterday, during the after-school program God gave me a moment to seize for joy's sake. I feel blessed to have been a part of such a moment.

I was calling a bingo game for the K-3rd graders, probably 15 of them or so. The mood during the bingo game was already a joyful one. When I call bingo games with the little ones I call the numbers in various booming, jovial voices that the kid's then repeat in unison, to the best of their ability in the same manner. It is a system that has evolved over the course of our bingo playing year. It is great. Anyways, the mood was light, fun and everyone was behaving really well - a blessing to this moment. During our final black-out game, Mary, a kindergarten, accidentally erased her card after a false black-out call. She was distraught. I halted the game and had my bingo helper take the called numbers plate over to Mary to get her up to speed again. At that moment, I noticed Tyler, a 1st grader, moving across the room, yet again (he has ADHD in a pretty bad way). Instead of demanding him to sit, yet again, I declared loudly for all to hear, "well, it looks like Tyler is going to entertain us while we are waiting with some of his super sweet dance moves." I immediately starting singing a popular dance tune and Tyler, on cue, began dancing about the room. Suddenly, almost instantaneously, I had a chorus, the rest of the kids, backing me. Feeling the energy and the joy that had instantly blown-up in the room, I yelled out, "dance party!". All of the kids rose to their feet and beginning following Tyler, dancing, flailing and moving wildly. Even the shyest kids, who typically avoid such overt displays of affection and joy, jumped in. I had a baby on my lap, at the moment, a 6 month old - the grandson of one of the LEAP workers - and began to move his arms to our singing. The moment was glorious, pure and true, joyful and unrestrained. Smiles, movement and spontaneity came together to create something that could not have been planned. After a few minutes, Mary's card was up to speed and we resumed our joyful bingo game, this time in a whole new way - all slightly different people from the spontaneous "dance party" experience.

That was my moment yesterday. I think the Lord that I had the energy and intuition to seize it. It was a completely life-affirming experience. Joy. Sweet, sweet joy. Enjoy the day.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Longing

Lately, this week really, a sense of longing has entered my thinking. I am definitely in need of a vacation. More and more I am feeling burnt out with my work at Centerville School. It is the sort of burned out feeling that arises not from lack of passion, but of all the passion whatsoever I possessed heretofore being now expended, followed by the realization that my work here is done. It is coming to a close. Too, my Himalayan mountaineering studies picked up again this week, and consequently the fiery, romantic, adventurous spirit within me was stoked once again and has grown in strength with each passing day. Also, I long for some real, tangible personal running and outdoor adventures. All of this things have conspired together to create an incredible sense of longing. All right, the computer lab is getting packed, I better cede my position at this computer to one of the elementary kids. Peace.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Peace and Taper

Well, things are coming around running-wise. A sense of peace descended on me today - peace of life, not just with running. My taper is going well. This decrease in mileage has been like cutting my drug-use by more than half; like going cold turkey after years of straight cocaine usage (or so I imagine; like going from 2 packs a day to none. Bad comparisons, but the chemical change is palpable after going from 17 miles a day to 7 or 8 miles per day. But I am at peace. I am in a good place right now. Yesterday, I felt awful - my body ached, everything felt weak, but today I feel strong and sturdy.

SU: 9 miles, easy/moderate
M: 8, easy

Life is good friends. God bless.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Last Week's Mileage

80 miles in 8 runs. Hit my mileage ceiling for the week. It was a well planned, nearly perfectly executed taper, training week. A couple of goes, lots of easy runs and right on my planned mileage quota. Thanks be to God. 

SU: 13 (3+1+9, easy, one run, essentially)
M: Don't remember
T: Don't remember
W: 15 (8+7, easy) - two feet of snow
TH: 9 or 12, don't remember, easy
F: 11, easy
S: 11, easy

Crap, my memory is rough. My training log is squared away with the exact mileage. Anyways, church was great this morning. As usual, Reverend Jim delivered an excellent sermon... three existential questions were at the sermon's core; who are we? what are we here for? where are we going?

The answers? Good luck! Actually, the answers exist in the Christian faith and are fairly simple. We are, children of God, a little below God and above creation. We are here to love our Lord with all our heart and to love others. We are heading towards a life eternal. That is all. 

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Fallen Giants

Another book recommendation. Though I just started reading this Himalayan history book, I am already greatly impressed by the concise, yet thorough, retell of the history of Himalayan mountaineering. "Fallen Giants" is written by two historians/mountaineering enthusiasts and their passion for the Himalaya shows through their writing. So far, I have gotten as far as the British surveying parties from India, exploring the nether regions of the deep and mysterious Himalaya. It is getting exciting. Soon, nay, very shortly, Sir George Everest will be making that turn in Tengboche and documenting, for the first time, Chomolunga, "mother goddess of the earth", Everest.

Actually, this isn't a book recommendation. Truthfully, it is a reader beware. "Fallen Giants" is only for those people who are infatuated with the mystery enshrouded Himalaya, the surreal magnitude of their vertical rise, and the legendary heroic figures of Himalayan expeditions. My guess is that there are less than 10 people living who share the same love. And most likely, they are not reading this blog. So thanks for reading. Have a great day. Peace.

Friday, May 1, 2009

April Roundup

Another month has passed and another page in my running journal is complete. Of the first four months of 2009, April was my lowest in mileage. Glad to see that to be quite honest. April has been retool and taper time for me. The stats (nothing too impressive)...

Total - 419 miles
Daily Ave. - About 14 miles
Longest Run - 16 miles
Biggest snowfall - 25 inches
Days wearing plastic grocery bags in my shoes - 1 (fortunately)
Treadmill runs - 3

Peace!