see vergil run

Yushia at Starbucks (Goshen, IN)

2006-11-17T21:39:00.000-05:00

Yushia at Starbucks (Goshen, IN)
Originally uploaded by vergil66.

Yushi and his boy Colin are at Starbucks in Goshen, IN Friday night.

Last Long Run...

2006-05-27T18:43:00.000-04:00

It was a cool 58 degree F when I began running around 6 a.m. and by the end of the 8-mile run, the temp got up to 62 (with lots of humity in the air). This was my first run on the Shanklin trail this season.

In years past, the path was a part of all of my runs: nice and level, crushed stone, really good to run on. But then I started running CR 32 in pursuit of hills. And to end the first part of the season, I did a favorite route of around the circle of Goshen. Strong run will no hint of soreness from the left calf (yeah!).

Next week: a little longer run: about 3 times as far.

Listened to: "Wait, wait...don't tell me" and some Train.

Short run and the cool before summer

2006-05-24T05:55:00.000-04:00

It's about 46 degrees f with a little wind and I ran the usual 3 mile route.

Listened to Train and traffic wasn't really that bad this morning.

Apparently, we're supposed to be hitting a warming trend in Indiana: 76 today, 80 tomorrow and possible mid-80s next week.
It was a nice cool run this morning.

My calf felt a little tight, but no pain. Hopefully I can call it a knot and not an injury and will have little to do with the marathon.

A little scare on Sunday's run

2006-05-22T20:27:00.000-04:00

This was my step-down run to 12 miles. But around mile 9, my calf started to tighten (just like the injury from last season that stopped my Spring training). I was able to run-walk the remaining 3 miles and it's still a bit sore. Tomorrow I'm suppose to run and I'll probably take it for a test-drive just to see.

Other news: got a Priceline hotel price for downtown South Bend. We usually try for the highest-ranked hotel at $50 and we usually get something in Mishawaka. BUT, WE GOT the MARRIOTT! Yes, a 1/2 block from the starting line. We-Haw! This must be a good omen that the race will go well (or, that I get to take a shower before the trip home).

Storm's comin'...again.

2006-05-18T06:44:00.000-04:00

Today ran the usual 3-mile route (listened to the rest of the Lost podcast for the episode that aired last night ... haven't seen it. Instead, we watched the hippies win The Amazing Race).

Tomorrow is Evan's sleep-over, friend birthday party and then Saturday is the 12 miler (it's all good from here on out).

Lastly, today-- as there is thunder in the distance--will mark the 7 consecutive days of rain (insert Noah allusion here).

And now for a short run

2006-05-17T06:15:00.000-04:00

Route: 3 miles (8th to Wilson)
Weather: a cool 48 degrees f
Listened to: Lost podcast for tonight's show

It's nice to work some of the knots out of my legs...after the long run Sunday, I've been a bit sore and there's nothing like a 3-miler to even the muscles out a bit.

And now we taper (great words to hear)

2006-05-14T12:36:00.000-04:00

Route: 20 miles...here's the map .
Listened to: Wait, wait...don't tell me, This American Life "The Allure of Crime", and the big mistake: Les Miserables.
Afterward: Usual soreness, but not bad.
Weather: Okay, really. Rain was in the forecast, but it never did rain. Temp: 43 degrees f and a bit misty.

Okay, I remember making jokes about men who wear tights, and this morning my tune is something like this: it takes a real man to wear tights (I'm not sure how that'll come across...but anyway). They were comfortable and allowed my legs to breathe and really I like 'em. My biggest mistake today was listening to Les Miserables during the last hour of my run...not exactly the "pick me up" that I needed. All the depressing stuff is in Act I and that's about all I got through. Note to self: Put "happening" music on when it's most needed.

So, it's tapering off from here on out and I finally registered for the race (just got my confirmation number). I'm almost intrigued by one of the perks this year:

Special drawstring backpacks - both Marathon and Half-Marathon

So, I don't know if that's those cheapo plastic backpacks or the ones like Andi got from running in the Flying Pig Marathon. Ahhh, the gift of running a marathon!

Anyway, it's all downhill from here!

20 tomorrow

2006-05-13T17:15:00.000-04:00

The forecast looks like rain for a bit during tomorrow's run. Here's my 20 mile route for Sunday. Bonum Fortunum!

Storms 'comin'

2006-05-11T06:02:00.000-04:00

Route: 3 mi (Purl to 8th to Wilson)
Listened to: the wind and the cars and the puddles
Conditions: 52 degrees f (25 mph winds from WNW: feels like 38), light rain.

And apparently there's a weather advisory for today for gusting winds...but at least I got a run in. Won't be doing the long run Saturday because of the Amazing Race, so Sunday will be the day when I can, as some may say, Taper. Then I'll register for the Sunburst and be happy to maintain some semblance of a tapering running schedule.

The Beginning of the long-run week

2006-05-09T06:16:00.000-04:00

To catch up:
Saturday's 14-mile run went well. Beautiful weather (50s) and I listened to Wait, wait and the soundtrack to Rent (I know, I wish I could be original too and listen to something unusual). Route was the 32 to 11 to 111. Also, last week's runs were fine...just skipped the middle 9 miler (I know, should have learned my lesson by now...but I still get through the long runs okay).

This morning was 4 miles (I was concerned that Lori could get her run in, so I was a mile short or the scheduled 5).
Condiitions: lots of a.m. work traffic (hey, if you see a runner running toward you and that runner is all the way over, don't flash your brights at him and don't swerve toward him either...there's plenty of room for the both of you, okay?) 51 degrees f, with little or no wind.

Andi ran the Flying Pig Marathon Sunday and had a great time of 3:57:40...very excited but didn't take advantage to the wonders of post-run Advil. And yes, it does make look forward to Sunburst in 4 weeks. It's amazing that this will be my 6th marathon, and I still don't have a handle on how I'll do. I suppose that's why folks keep doing anything: the mystery of the moment (okay, that was just a silly pronouncement...for anyone who is still reading, I give you permission to leave now).

Tomorrow 10, then Thursday 5, and then 20 on Sunday (for some reason, we've got something every night this week...so it'll be a busy one).

Beautiful Long run, and, how many layers?

2006-04-30T09:00:00.000-04:00

Route: 18 miles (Here's the map)
Listened to: Wait, wait...don't tell me; Speaking of Faith ("Exodus, Cargo of Hidden Stories")
Weather: 45-50 degrees F (9-12 mph winds SES)
Afterward: Nice run

I couldn't have asked for a better long run. The total run took 2:41 which puts me on pace for a 4-hour marathon pace. About the only things that bothered me were what to wear (I was thinking shell and sweats and gloves and hat...Lori talked me out of that and I am thankfuul for that). The other minor inconvenience was that for the last 1/3 of the run, I was running into the wind...gusts up to 15 mph. I figure that should count for something extra when I was running up the hill CR 15.

Besides that, groovy run! Wee-Haw!

Mapping the run: Thanks GMaps!

2006-04-28T09:53:00.000-04:00

I found this site in a running magizine this week and been quite happy that my routes were fairly accurate (and, maybe a bit longer than I thought). Using GoogleMaps, the site allows you to plot out a route and it'll kick out mileage and elevation and you can save maps to share with others.
Here's Saturday's run (which I had thought was only 17 miles, but ended up being a tad more).
Very cool.

Mamma, Don't let your sons skip Wednesday runs!

2006-04-27T06:08:00.000-04:00

Route: Berkey hill and back (3 miles)
Listened to: iTunes New Music Tuesday; music
Weather: 40 degrees f
Afterward: Fine

So, I effectively convinced myself yesterday morning that it was too cold and too early to run. 2 Maintenance runs this week to set up the 18-miler.

Not the best way to train, eh?

I had a bad dream last night: that a collation lead by the US were announcing a preemptive strike against Iran. The press conference had the Russian-looking guy (who had the Canadian rep to the right and the US President to the right of the Canadian...almost out of the picture) explaining the strike (and the demonstration even included a toy missile). There were smiles are around.

And then I woke up to run.

Tired Tuesday

2006-04-25T18:10:00.000-04:00

Miles: 3 Route: 8th to Wilson
Listened to: Music
Weather: 49 f ish
Afterward: good...a bit tight from only two days rest from the long run, but by Mile 1, legs were fine.

Lots of traffic.

Saturday Run Sunday

2006-04-23T19:39:00.000-04:00

Route: 13.5 miles (Berkey to CR11 to 111 and back): Time: 2 hours 2 minutes
Weather: Good: 64 degrees f with a nice West wind (around 10 mph)
Listen to: Speaking of Faith: Planting the Future with Wangari Maathai; music
Afterward: Good run...pushed that last 5 miles

Speaking of Faith was a good show (again). Here's the site's synopsis:

Wangari Maathai, a native Kenyan, was the first African woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. She is founder of the Green Belt Movement — a grassroots organization that empowers African women to improve their lives and conserve the environment through planting trees. Deforestation and climate change have plunged Africa into the worst drought in decades. After helping plant 30 million trees, she speaks about the global balance of human and natural resources and shares her thoughts on where God resides.

Very cool stuff. Run was nice and I'm trying to reduce the number of walking and fluid breaks. Specifically, looking to eliminating the last 5-6 miles of them: run straight through. Reason: that's usually where I lose it: Take a walking break anywhere in the 20 mile range and it spells trouble. That's what I learned from Columbus when I just followed the pace runner and it really helped. Besides, psychologically, a walk during the 3 hour mark is hard to recover from...just run right through the urge. Next week: 18 miles (yeah!).

Interesting: I searched my time from Columbus, and the site returned my time from a year before at the Lakefront Marathon:

10/16/05	Columbus Marathon 2005		Chris Judson				3:57:24
10/03/04	Lakefront Marathon 2004		Chris Judson				4:05:03

Here's Early that 2004 season at Sunburst (best time so far):

187

295

3:56:25

Males 35 to 39

And here's Sunburst 2003:

283

426

4:02:10

Males 35 to 39

First Marathon (Lakefront 2002):

569

1020

107

M3539

CHRIS JUDSON

4:27:12

And now, we're trying for another 2004 thingy: two marathons in one season. (Last year got injured early in the training for Sunburst)

Kids, Don't skip runs due to fashion

2006-04-20T06:08:00.000-04:00

Route: 3 miles (Berkey hill and back)
Listened to: iTunes New Music Tuesday
Weather: 50 degrees f, clear (in the dark...nice moon though)
Afterward: fine.

So, I skipped my run yesterday because my two short-sleeve running shirts have stains on them...pretty sad, eh? But, to justify the slothfulness, I decided (or convinced myself) that I should work on a podcast and switch my running schedule around because I won't be able to do the Saturday long run...instead I'll have to move the run to Sunday. It makes sense, then, to run Tuesday, Thursday, Friday then long-run it Sunday...right?

Anyway, school is beginning its descent toward summer vacation and things will be getting busier and a tad more chaotic.

Cool.

Beginning the countup to 20 miles

2006-04-18T05:57:00.000-04:00

Route: 3 miles (8th to Wilson)
Listened to: Music (Rent and Genesis)
Weather: 40 degrees f (but I thought it would feel colder)
Afterward: Nice quick run.

Now begins the work up to 20 miles...got 18 in two weeks and then 20 in 4. This morning's felt fast and I probably should have gone 4 miles out Berkey, but I didn't. But the big question in my mind: how to work the phrase "Occam's razor" into conversation today?

Long runs and nice days

2006-04-16T06:11:00.000-04:00

Route: 15 miles (same as last week: 32 to 9 to 36 to 111 to 13 and back)
Listen to: Wait, wait...don't tell me; "Neighbors" (This American Life); Seasons of Love (Rent); Domino (Genesis).
Weather: Beautiful (55 degrees f) and just plan the best day of training thus far.
Afterward: Fine; lots of fluids and eats and typical soreness.

So, I've fallen into a bad habit of missing my Thursday runs because I know I can get away with it and still have a good long run on Saturdays. But who cares when the weather was ideal and really was my first run without all the layers...ahh!

Seasons of Love

2006-04-11T06:07:00.000-04:00

Route: 3 Miles (8th to Wilson)
Listened to: "Seasons of Love" (Rent)
Weather: Warm: 48 degrees f
Afterward: Good

Let's get caught up: Saturday's long run was 15 miles (32 to 9 to 36 to 111 and back home on 32): Good run, longest one of the season and an important one in training. Listened to: Wait, wait...don't tell me; Variations on Prayer (Speaking of Faith) and Train (My Private Nation).

Yesterday was back at school and catching up on grading and reporting of the grades (Wednesday's PT conf). Most of the chatter yesterday, though, revolved around how much time until summer break.

My friend, Fartlec

2006-04-04T11:40:00.000-04:00

Route: 3 miles (8th to Wilson)
Listened to: Train (My Private Nation)
Weather: Clear and sunny (it was 8 a.m.) 48 ish
After: nice

Did some fartlecing the last mile or so of this run just to say I did some speed work. The second day of Spring Break and the past 24 hours has taught me how to: replace copper piping at a "T" for the hot water in our house (I learn how to flare the ends of the tubing...thanks Lowe's guy for helping find the stuff I needed) _and_ to light the pilot light to the hot water heater.

Ah, I'm a manly man with cuts on my hands and the confidence of saving bunches of money on paying someone else to fix it. (Or, perhaps the whole thing will give way).

Anyway, for Day 2: we're off to Borders!

First day of Spring Break and a run

2006-04-01T09:37:00.000-05:00

Route: 10 miles (cr 32 to cr 13 and back).
Listened to: Train (Drops of Jupiter and For me, it's you)
Weather: 45 degrees f with a bit of West wind and drizzle
Afterward: Nice. Even did a little speed work on the last mile (crazy, man).

It feels good to start to have the legs back (and the muscle memory of longer-distance running). Still trying to figure out how to dress (usually it's on the warmer side).

And now it's spring break and we are .... well, watching Tim and Jennifer's dog while their family goes to PA with Doris. I think Lori and I may pull away for an evening, but besides that: lots of Star Wars stuff to do with the kids and perhaps some writing (I promised myself that I would crank out at least one chapter this break, but we'll see).

Hump Day

2006-03-29T06:10:00.000-05:00

Route: 5 miles (Courthouse to 8th to Wilson)
Listened to: Lost podcast for today's episode; Wait, wait...don't tell me
Weather: 42 f (cloudy)
Afterward: a bit sore in the legs...just getting used to the longer runs and recovery from Sunday's run

I'm not really sure where the phrase that Wednesday is "Hump Day," but I've always avoided it like the plague. Actually, upon a 21st century Google search (because I'm too lazy to really look it up in a book....because books are more reliable than the internet) I found this:

An English language idiom for Wednesday is "hump day", a reference to making it through the middle of the work week as getting "over the hump". It is also unofficially (and with some irony) referred to as "the peak of the week".

(from Wikipedia)

A little bit of rain

2006-03-28T06:10:00.000-05:00

Route: 3 miles (8th to Wilson)
Listened to: Train (self titled albumn: Train)
Afterward: Good...work through inital soreness from Sunday, but by mile 1, felt nice.
Weather: 39 degrees f (a hint of rain, but more light drizzle)

With Monday's (yesterday) comes educational news. From Indianapolis:

At a glance
THE PLAN: A bill signed Friday by Gov. Mitch Daniels requires the state Department of Education and Board of Education to create a long-term statewide testing plan.
THE OPTIONS: Some hope the plan will settle the debate between testing in the fall or spring. Other options include creating tests for young students, additional tests for high school students or individual remediation information.
THE DEADLINE: The plan must be created by Nov. 1.

So, let's keep talking about reworking ISTEP...

Okay, that's how it works

2006-03-26T17:09:00.000-05:00

Weather: 42 f (feels like the same!)
Route: 10 miles (Berkey road to 13 and back).
Listened to: Train (2 or 3 of their albums)
Afterward: Whew! Nice.

Okay, that was so much better! Looking forward to catching up next weekend (13 miles) and then to pick up with 15 on the next week.

Last day of the School Week

2006-03-23T06:07:00.000-05:00

Temp: 32 f (and that's what it feels like)
Route: 3 miles (8th to Wilson)
Listened to: Slacker Astronomy, iTunes New Music Tuesday, a few Onion newsbriefs.
Afterward: fine.

I can't complain about the weather: it was a nice morning...in fact, I'm not sure the last time it was this nice out (or warm). Run was fine (I took my asthma med before I ran along with a cough drop).

Today's Thursday and lots of papers are coming in: 3 of my 4 classes to be exact. But, tomorrow we're off to Terre Haute for a chess tournament for Evan: good times on the horizon.

New Star Wars TV series acomin'

2006-03-21T17:52:00.000-05:00

Sure, I think I've read this about a year ago, but the confirmed announcement makes me happy.

"Lost" is a new episode tomorrow

2006-03-21T06:11:00.000-05:00

Temp: 23 f; (Wind:18 mph; Feels like: 4 f)
Route: 8th to Wilson (3 miles)
Listened to: Lost podcast
Afterward: I'm home now, eh?

I'm trying not to mention how cold it is, but it is cold out, you know? Anyway, the leg feels fine (though I had a distraction: cold) and the lungs are still a bit clogged. In all of the complaining, it was nice to be out again.

More Whining

2006-03-19T21:15:00.000-05:00

And now my leg hurts (wah!).

Starting Over

2006-03-18T10:50:00.000-05:00

Temp: Cold (31 f; feels like 15 f)
Route: Rather not talk about, Berkey hill
Listened to: Speaking of Faith (Part 2 of Two Narratives of Israel and Palistine)
Afterward: Just plain whining, so skip this entry. Lungs still limited by flu week, will go on medication to clear up.
Today, we'll be going to Borders because the boys like sitting and reading; Lori and I like to do the same along with drinking coffee in its various forms.
Went to a conference yesterday: "Tuned Out: Why Young People don't follow the News"...I'm still a bit disappointed by what was not accomplished there....will post more later.

The Onion and today

2006-03-15T06:08:00.000-05:00

Temp: 30 f; Wind: 20; "Feels like": 12 f
Route: 3 miles; 8th to Wilson
Listened to: "The Onion" newsflashes; NPR Story of the Day (Miles Davis); Speaking of Faith (Two Religious Narratives).
Afterward: Just getting my footing back; okay run at this time in the morning (whine, whine).

The Onion (http://www.theonion.com) has always amuse me, and though sometimes on the profane side, has rounded out that media void in my life. My brother in law show me my first copy years ago and today, one can download their story of the day to one's mp3 listening device for a 60 second story of truth.

Back in the Shoes again

2006-03-14T06:04:00.000-05:00

Temp: 30; Wind: 18 mph; Feels like: 13 f.
Route: 3 Miles: 8th to wilson
Listen: "Wait, wait...don't tell me"
Afterward: Fine, just a bit chilzy.

Okay, I miss the 50-60 degree days and overnight we go from 70 to 30. No fair (enter whiny music here). Now, time to get back into the groove.

Coming to the end of flu week

2006-03-12T09:31:00.000-05:00

As this week ends, I am looking forward to running once again...deciding on trying to clear the lungs of the congestion left over from this flu thing. I hope to repeat the schedule of this week (the one I missed) and then pick up from there.

Daylight Savings Time is around the corner and I'm sort of bummed that the morning runs will still be dark. Oh well...

Spring Training and Flu Week

2006-03-08T18:22:00.001-05:00

If you take a look at a year ago, you'll see that I got the flu around the same time (somewhere in March). I did my long run Saturday (9.5 miles) and felt tired for the rest of the day. Now I know that it was that flu thing.
So, I haven't run this week and will probably run some Saturday (7 miles would be nice for the legs) and then pickup from there with the training schedule.
Bummer.
I'm off school today because I horsed my way through my classes sounding like a pathetic Godfather. So, I slept...a lot in the past 24 hours and now I'm ready to join the work force for the next two days.
Peace.

Slow Thursday

2006-03-02T06:20:00.000-05:00

Weather: 33 f, 8mph wind (s) "feels like": 27 f
Miles: 3 miles
Route: Berkey Hill
Afterward: A bit warmer than I thought
Listened to: Wait, Wait...don't tell me for 06 Feb. 25
Run was fine; I didn't judge my layering very well and I dressed a bit too cozy.
This is my first post with the Blogger Widget...I don't think I can do links, but I can italic and bold...life is good!

Tired Tuesday

2006-02-28T06:07:00.000-05:00

Weather: 20 f, 8mph wind (s) "feels like": 11 f
Miles: 3 miles
Route: 8th to GC to Wilson
Afterward: A little nippy, but fine
Listened to: Wait, Wait...don't tell me for 06 Feb. 25
Nice little run; a bit tired from last night's 15 minute run and bump and perhaps it being the first day of a new trimester.

Windy Saturday Run

2006-02-28T06:01:00.000-05:00

Weather: 34 f, 20mph wind (s) "feels like": 15 f
Miles: 9 miles
Route: The Big O (North to Greencroft to Bethany to Bike Trail)
Afterward: Just plain windy.
Listened to: Our Endangered Values (Jimmy Carter) Chapters 7-11
Nice run (longest since the marathon last October).

Evan playing 1st Board

2006-02-21T06:11:00.000-05:00

Evan playing 1st Board
Originally uploaded by vergil66.

At the regional practice tourney this weekend, Evan played 2.5/5 at first chair. The team just missed third place.

Thanks, Mr. Presidents...back to school

2006-02-21T06:07:00.000-05:00

Weather: 23 f, 16mph wind (s) "feels like": 5 f
Miles: 3 miles
Route: 8th to Wilson
Afterward: Not as cold as Saturday, but it still makes me wonder why I run in this weather (whine, whine, whine)
Listened to: First story of This American Life "Star-Crossed Love"
Fine run...just a bit nippy. The segment on TAL was about a high schooler in Chicago who visits his dad in Iraq...and then Desert Storm happens and he is drafted as an Iraqi soldier, gets captured and then falls in love with Monica (an American soldier).

Way too cold

2006-02-18T07:22:00.000-05:00

Weather: 5 f, 13mph wind (s) "feels like": -14 f
Miles: 1 mile
Route: Berkey Hill (well, I made it to the Shaklin foot bridge)
Afterward: Cold, cold, cold...shouldn't even tried to run in this weather
Listened to: Beginning of This American Life "Star-Crossed Love"
Dumb run...way too cold and now I want to crawl back in bed.

Great Race 2001

2006-02-17T08:33:00.000-05:00

Great Race 2001
Originally uploaded by vergil66.

After our first 1/2 Marathon: Tom, Jim (with son Isaiah), Stephany and me. I wore a regular t-shirt, clothy shorts and one-size too small shoes that yielded black toe nails and ITB problems( though, I might have to blame some of that on the lack of training too).
Ah, but this was the beginning.

Thursday's run

2006-02-17T06:21:00.000-05:00

Weather: 38 f, 10mph wind (s) "feels like": 28 f (light rain)
Miles: 3 miles
Route: 8th to Wilson
Afterward: Fine, but just a bit blinded by the headlights of morning traffic.
Listened to: iTunes New Music Tuesday and music.

Spring's here...oh, this is Indiana

2006-02-15T06:38:00.000-05:00

Weather: 40 f, 8mph wind (s) "feels like": 34 f
Miles: 3 miles
Route: Berkey Hill
Afterward: Over-layered and ended up too hot.
Listened to: "Wait, wait...don't tell me" (Here's the podcast RSS)

Found the Footing: Beginning Week 3

2006-02-14T06:47:00.000-05:00

Weather: 25 f, 8mph wind (s) "feels like": 17 f
Miles: 3 miles
Route: 8th Street and Wilson route
Afterward: No issues...just a tad tired at 5:30 a.m.
Listened to: The Official Podcast of "Lost" Here's the RSS

Two-week "getting in the groove" is over

2006-02-11T10:20:00.000-05:00

Weather: 26 f, 5 mph wind (s) "feels like": 24 f
Miles: 7 miles
Route: Just beyond the S-curve
Afterward: Nice run...much better than last week's long run.
Listened to: Wait, wait...don't tell me; and music that's left on the iPod from last week.

Mustache boy

2006-02-09T06:47:00.000-05:00

Mustache boy
Originally uploaded by vergil66.

Colin enjoys the taste of brownie after dinner and we get a preview of the facial hair days.

Double-layered, hate-headlights morning run

2006-02-09T06:38:00.000-05:00

Weather: 17 f, 0 mph wind (s) "feels like": 17 f; really nippy.
Miles: 3 miles
Route: To Berkey Hill
Afterward: Had to double layer everything: just that cold.
Listened to: Our Endangered Values (Jimmy Carter) Chapter 5

I went to "Dad's Night" at Colin's school last night and he was excited. He did wander a bit from work to work, he did show his mastery of saying all of the States and all of the countries of North A-mer-i-ca and South A-mer-i-ca and the major bones in the body (yes, everything was set to some tune).

Light snowy 3-miler

2006-02-08T17:38:00.000-05:00

Weather: 28 f, 7 mph wind (s) "feels like": 22 f; light snow.
Miles: 3 miles
Route: To Berkey Hill
Afterward: Fine...just had to rush it a bit to get back home in time for Colin's dance lessons (yes, you read it right).
Listened to: Our Endangered Values (Jimmy Carter) Chapter 3-4

Middle of a Long Run, SF Cal, 2001

2006-02-08T06:43:00.000-05:00

Middle of a Long Run, SF Cal, 2001
Originally uploaded by vergil66.

Golden Gate Park ends at the Pacific Ocean and up to this point, my 13 mile run was going well. Then I got a bit lost and then my ITB acted up and...well, still, it was a really cool vacation run.

Still Ran though...

2006-02-07T14:02:00.000-05:00

Colin's sick and so I am at home to watch the flu-ish guy. Still ran this morning, though:

Weather: 19 f, 8 mph wind (s) "feels like": 17 f
Miles: 3 miles
Route: W. Purl to 8th to Wilson
Afterward: Fine run...much better than the weekend.
Listened to: Our Endangered Values (Jimmy Carter) Intro-Chapt. 2

After last night's basketball game (faculty, I suppose in one student's terms, had game), I wasn't sure about running the next morning...and really it was no problem (besides the nippiness...and even that didn't bother me much at all). Finished the podcast for this week and decided to post the video that I'm using (at least the sound) for next week's 'cast (probably the "random song" of the week).

Got inspired to run hills yesterday as I took CR 13 home last night. Looking forward to running CR 32 Saturday for the 7 miler (even though I only get a little hill).

I didn't list my first long run because it didn't really happen: 2 miles Saturday; 3, Sunday. I suppose that equals 5, but it was one of those deals where I'm not getting that concerned. It's all about the mental stuff and for some reason it didn't happen this weekend. Next Saturday will be different and I won't have to write a whiny post such as this.

I wish I gave Pres. Carter more credit for the past 18 years or so. The line on Carter was that he was a puppet, a reaction to government for and by Nixon/Ford (it was my first presidental election that I actually followed: 1976 and my mom was a very happy Californian because she was still bitter at the Republican party for allowing Reagan to "take away her job." Unfortunately for her though, the actor would win the White House 4 years later. Anyway, I like Carter now and I like what he is writing in this book. I'll try to be a bit more specific later as my Chicken Alfredo needs some attending to.

Probably the most popular music videos being shared now

2006-02-07T13:57:00.000-05:00

Thank you Knight Rider:

Running's easy!

2006-02-02T12:53:00.000-05:00

Or so I think, fool that I am. First, some catch-up:

Yesterday (1 Feb 06, 3:50 p.m.):
Weather: 52 f, 19 mph wind (s) "feels like": 43 f
Miles: 3 miles
Route: Familiar run: Shanklin Trail to the dam
Afterward: Faster run (ave. 8 min /mile); recovery great.
Listened to: Music ( "Time to Say Goodbye," "Cab," and "Stranger.")
(To hear these, you need iTunes enabled on your computer).

This Morning (5:40 a.m.):
Weather: 37 f, 5 mph wind (s) "feels like": 36 f
Miles: 3 miles
Route: Purl to 8th to Wilson to S. 3rd
Afterward: Not a lot of stiffness, smooth run
Listened to: "iTunes Music Tuesday," This American Life's "My Big Break"

Good run and I got back in enough time to meet my NP staff for a 6:45 a.m. distribution at school. Got the groovy idea to see how many other folk I can talk into running Sunburst...the evangelism begins today.

Welcome to the 2006 Season!

2006-01-31T06:17:00.000-05:00

Opening day
Weather: 31 f, 8 mph wind (s) "feels like": 24 f
Miles: 3 miles
Route: Where they are streetlights, man. It's dark, you know.
Afterward: Breathing okay, nice steady run.
Listened to: Anne Lamott's Plan B (Further thoughts on Faith)
Nice to begin the season with a beautify, chillzy Indiana morning run.

Frigid 5K and a New Year

2006-01-11T19:41:00.000-05:00

Lori and I ran in Warsaw's 10th annual Frigid 5K and we did what we wanted to do.
Now, it's time to get ready for the Sunburst as my training officially begins the first week of February.

First Run of the Season

2005-12-28T07:54:00.000-05:00

Weather: 40 degrees F, Fog advisory and humid
Miles: 3
Route: Top of Berkey Hill and back
Afterward: Hard to breathe (congestion and asthma with no geeky inhaler)
Listened to: Smattering of songs ("We are the reason" [nostagia], "Time to Say Goodbye" [opera wanna be], a bit of "Wait, wait, don't tell me" and "iTunes Music Tuesday."

Sunday, Lori and I run in the Figid 5k in Warsaw.

Colin and Santa

2005-12-18T15:29:00.000-05:00

Colin and Santa
Originally uploaded by vergil66.

It took about an hour to get to Santa (that is, an hour to literally get from Day Road to the Mall...and then an additional 45 minutes). But, Colin had a mission to give the big guy a list: two books and a Thomas engine wash set.

Evan a part of the 12

2005-12-13T19:48:00.000-05:00

Evan a part of the 12
Originally uploaded by vergil66.

Evan and 11 other GCS students got perfect scores on the ISTEP exam. Evan got a perfect score on the Math section.

Chess Tourney Buddies

2005-12-08T23:38:00.000-05:00

Chess Tourney Buddies
Originally uploaded by vergil66.

Evan enjoys a moment with Nathan at the Goshen Scholastic Chess Tourney Dec. 3. Evan went 3/3 in his very first tournament.

This was also a first for me: the first chess parent experience. Advise to new chess parents: bring lots of change for the concession stand (candy is good) and bring comic books (Calvin and Hobbes was a hit) and don't try to grade papers during the wait.

John Tesh's shared files

2005-11-15T12:45:00.000-05:00

John Tesh's shared files
Originally uploaded by vergil66.

Not that I subscribe to downloading music using Limewire, but Kendra was confessing her "enjoyment" of the Big Shoulder-Padded, Blonde-Haired, New Age Christian Piano man and I then quipped "I bet people don't even share his music online."

Yanni's shared files

2005-11-15T12:42:00.000-05:00

Yanni's shared files
Originally uploaded by vergil66.

And so, I followed up with some sense of superiority of Yanni's music...and to my amazement, Kendra's got it: John Tesh _is_ as popular amoung the illegal music sharing community as Yanni.
You learn something new everyday, don't you?

Boys at the Columbus Zoo

2005-11-04T15:38:00.000-05:00

Boys at the Columbus Zoo
Originally uploaded by vergil66.

On our trip to Columbus, OH (as mentioned in the Marathon post) we took the Saturday to hang out at the Columbus Zoo.
Here's the cool guys sitting with us at lunch.

Harry ready to wave

2005-10-31T21:03:00.000-05:00

Harry ready to wave
Originally uploaded by vergil66.

Evan in his costume for this Halloween.

I like Columbus!

2005-10-25T19:42:00.000-05:00

I really do. Because I couldn't run in the Lakefront this year, fate steered me toward Columbus and what a nice city that was. The race was really what I wanted and my special thanks goes to the Pace Leader for 4:00 hours.
I ran a comfortable pace up until 13 miles and then the wall began to creep in front of me. After walking through a water stop (thanks volunteers!) I found myself behind the 4:00 hour pace time group with its leader. And that was my goal: stick with the guy in the navy blue running gear and for the first time, I finished on pace without a mental/physical breakdown.

Time: 3:57:24 (in case you want to know, I finished 1475th overall (out of 3797), pace of 9:04 and a half time of 1:56:08).

What a wonderful end to an icky season! If you get the chance to run Columbus, do it. Very cool people and a nice route through neighborhoods with bands along the way (special kudos to the bagpipe player in Germanville...made my day).
Now what?
Starting to make plans for next season (Sunburst in the Spring?) and we're planning on running in the Figid 5K in Warsaw, IN (Jan 1. 2006).

"Why not to blog" and Columbus

2005-10-03T16:43:00.000-05:00

This is the reason why I'm not a good blogger: I write for a week or two, then drop off the face of cyberspace.
So, I'm back because we were in Milwaukee this weekend and got to see some of the runners finish the race that I was training for.
Oh, yes, I was training for a fall marathon (Lakefront Marathon in Milwaukee, WI) and as I went to sign up (like I do each year) the race had reached its cap: 2300. (This happened when I originally was training for my first marathon (Chicago) and had to pick another marathon around the same time (Lakefront). So of course, I was disappointed. But since October is crazy anyway, I decided to run in the Columbus Marathon two weeks later and so I've added two weeks to my training schedule.
BTW, training has been going well. I've used the hills of Northern Indiana (the few that we have in this area) and the time off after the my spring injuries has paid off. My 20 miler and 18 miler felt good and strong and last Saturday's 12 miler was really, really cool--- a run along the shore of Lake Michigan on the Oak Leaf Trail in Milwaukee around sunrise: priceless.
Next week I'm in Canada and the following week we head to Columbus and I run with approximately 5500 other runners. New town, new race, same 26.2 miles. Shooting for 4 hours and not trying to prove anything but finishing and getting another cool t-shirt.

A week in review and Jury duty

2005-06-27T07:22:00.000-05:00

Okay, here's the rundown on the running:
T-W-Th: ran 3 miles each day and the weather is starting to get icky. I'm listening to Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim (David Sedaris) and I felt fine. My long run came up short (4 miles instead of 9 miles because of time: I started too late). In all, a good week of running.
Lori participated in the Winona Lake Sprint Triatholon Saturday and the boys and I got to see her finish: very cool! Besides that, the pool has been very, very good to us during the 90+f days.
And after such a good week at home, I wasn't looking forward to making the call to the Court Bailiff because of the call back for jury duty.
Well, I'm walking to the courthouse at 8 a.m. to do my duty...and it actually is a better time to do this than last time. (More later on how things went).
This past week has also had me set up Linux on my eMac and dabble into Unix via a pretty cool book. (My father in law wasn't too impressed when I told him last night...though he may have a point in the pragmatics behind the whole thing). Anyway, I'm bring that book with me today to kill time with.
I wonder if Atticus will be there.

Relief on Notre Dame

2005-06-15T12:23:00.000-05:00

"That is yielding, not fighting" (prompt from an Anne Dillard reading: "Weasel")
June 15, 2005

A thought struck me this morning as I was paying an excessive amount (obsessive) of energy noticing the stone carvings--reliefs-- on residence halls on Notre Dame campus: So why did God–Yahweh– angry, stern, stoic, bossy, jealous God of the Hebrews– why did He see it necessary to carve the first set of "rules to live by in the Yahweh way" on/in stone tablets?

Coffee was stronger this morning–and it’s Wednesday–not raining–and I listened to music on the 50-minute drive opposed to reading/hearing/listening/experiencing a book on tape (well, technically, on my iPod).

Aside from the cliche–"written in stone"–was it so much that big, bad Yahweh wanted a pernament record of His social law and order or was it a beginning step? Stone, you know, does erode with time and place. So, if Yahweh–big school yard duty monitor–who according to some was also Yahweh, constructor of the universe, don’t you think He would have used material a bit more lasting?

Or perhaps it’s more metaphor and less absolute. The Moses-like author does say that the stuff of the Commandment writing should also be written on the tablets of our hearts...but that’s more individual and personable and more fleshy, human, beating-heart, fickled emotive people stuff.

And still, the Hebrews didn’t get it– and I wonder if Yahweh go it–you know, the human stuff. And I wonder sometimes if I get it.

Are these 10 rules fighting words? If I fight for them, am I fighting a losing battle? Is the cliche true and now I must fight in memory of a piece of rock which came from the same earth that I walk on each day? Is it a cosmic battle of "fight for the icon" in the name of the stamper–oops, metaphor?

Or, perhaps, is it about yielding–noticing the limestone reliefs of the ideal athlete/scholar/Catholic person from 1926. Yielding is honest respect–no, that’s to trite–yielding is pausing when a rabbit skirts in front of your path.

Saturday, in the park...well, Sunday in the Park

2005-06-05T08:36:00.000-05:00

Temp: 73 f, wind: 10 SSE (feels like: 73) and it's hazy!

Run: 5 miles (first long run of the 18-week training)

Afterward: A bit bright running into the sun and a bit hot. Besides that, a strong 5 miles.

Listened to: Random (next week: Back to the books!)

Yesterday I was runner boy for my wife and sister; Lori ran a 1/2 marathon and Stephany, a marathon at Sunburst. Both ran strong and me and the boys got to eat our Krispy Kremes and watch tv until it was time to head for Norte Dame to see them finish on the 50-yard line of the the stadium.

And even though I'm not a ND fan, it's just plain cool to watch (and run it).

Tomorrow, I'm trying to get out of jury duty because of the the upcoming scorers training in Indy which begins Tuesday. I really want to do my civic duty, but I also have another civic duty: scoring new teacher portfolios. Let's see who wins out:

Suellen Reed (well, I'm not doing it for her, but I did find this little quote from her:

“I’m not going to say anything bad about anybody.” Supt. Suellen Reed, at an education round table, Oct. 19, 2000, after she got embroiled in the McIntosh-O’Bannon race over education issues

or the Elkhart Co. Court Bailiff.

Hot blooded

2005-06-02T12:45:00.000-05:00

Temp: 71 f, wind: 9 ESE (feels like: 71)

Run: 3 miles

Afterward: A bit hot: had to wear a cotton shirt that
didn't breathe. Whew!

Listened to: Random (next week: Back to the books!)

Since my first real training schedule, I've learned to ignore the
aches and pains of running for the first two weeks--that's about how
long it takes my body to remember what it's like to get the freakishly
tall frame with 38-year-old gut moving forward.

And today was one of those days.

I'm happy that I've almost made it to the end of my first week:
sitting back and watching others run races is fine, but I want the
t-shirt also.

Saturday, Lori and my sister from California (Stephany) are running in
the Sunburst and I get to play runner boy. Actually, that'll be cool
because I'll have the boys with me and I'll get to brag about their
mother and how she does things to push herself.

Also in the tone of "catching up" I've finally starting my "Make Your
Own Wine" kit from two Xmases ago (next step is the "second
fermentation" phase...7 days away). I'm anticipating a small ceremony
for the first tasting of my private label: Vergil's Valley Winery:
7.2005: a nice, crisp chardonnay with a hint of Goshen goodness...

Lastly, I got to eat at my 2nd grader's school Tuesday: at the lunch
table. I was amused at how the conversation at lunch tables in schools
doesn't change much: from student to teacher alike, table talk is
about the same. I was especially amused my Evan's classmate Ben who
had a particularly interesting phrase construction: more
sophisticatedier.

Now, off to try and fix the pool pump.

Tuesdays and New Beginnings

2005-05-31T08:38:00.000-05:00

Okay,
Here's the stats on my last logged run:

Temp: 25 f, wind: 15 (feels like: 4)
Run: 8 miles
Afterward: Fairly well after longest run
Listened to: John Grisham's The Broker (Chapter 28-30).

Today, the first day off since "the injury":

Temp: 59 f, wind: 3 (feels like: 59)
Run: 3 miles
Afterward: Good for a 2-month layoff
Listened to: Random (lots of Train)

And so I begin training for the Lakefront Marathon (WI): Oct. 2. I'm dropping the Hansen-Brooks schedule and going with the one I know very well: Hal Higdon's Novice Marathon training. I'd like to actually do the cross-training this time and also throw in the heavy rope 3 days a week. The key is not to over do it as I think that's what happened at the beginning of this season.
Today also marks the official beginning of summa: school's out and thus begins SUMMER SCHEDULE.

So, how do you measure student writing?

2005-05-03T17:54:00.000-05:00

According to recent NCTE "inbox", this seems to sum up the accepted theory:

Toward Authentic Writing Assessment

The best way to determine and encourage students' writing ability is to
focus on writing that is student-owned, developed over time, and
guided by ongoing feedback and supportive response. These resources
explore the limitations of current standardized assessment and
suggest alternatives for authentic assessment.

JFK and the boys

2005-04-30T00:00:00.000-05:00

JFK and the boys
Originally uploaded by vergil66.

Here's the boys and me and JFK in one place.
Cool.

Injuries=not fun

2005-03-26T11:27:00.000-05:00

Too bad I haven't posted for awhile: I was in the last mile of a run
two Thursdays ago and my left calf started to tighen...quickly. So I
began to try to "walk it off" and then jogged a bit, and the shuffle.
Not fun.
I've stopped the training to rest the calf and it's still a bit tight.
Bummer.

Boys weekend party

2005-03-12T09:24:00.000-05:00

Temp: 25 f, wind: 15 (feels like: 4)
Run: 8 miles
Afterward: Fairly well after longest run
Listened to: John Grisham's The Broker (Chapter 28-30).
Lori is partying with college friends in Indy so for the next 28 hours, it's boys weekend. My run went well. I'm trying not to do the "30 min run, 1 min walk" thingy that I've done for the past 4 marathons. Instead, I'm trying to build endurance and run straight through. Today went well as I was able to complete the longer run with no walking (except to cross 15).
Today will be cool with the boys. Evan made a schedule for today with times for the weekend's activities (his mother would be proud).

Kasparov loses, wins, retires

2005-03-10T17:08:00.000-05:00

Weather: 18 f, 8 mph wind (ssw) "feels like": 8 f
Miles: 4 (at MP)
Route: the loop
Afterward: fine...just fine.
Listened to: John Grisham's The Broker (Chapter 26-27).
I was going to write how Topalov beat Kasparov at Linares in the last game of the tournament (Kasparov still wins), but in my searching for Topalov's name, I happened upon this shocking news from Chessbase:

Breaking news: Kasparov retires from professional chess
10.03.2005 The winner of Linares and the world's strongest chessplayer, Garry Kasparov, has just announced his retirement from professional chess. His games in Linares are the last in his professional career, that has spanned thirty years, with twenty on the top of the ratings list. Full details to follow.

I'm going to have to let this one sink in.

Tuesdays are for fartlek

2005-03-08T22:00:00.000-05:00

Weather: 20 f, 15 mph wind (s) "feels like": 4 f
Miles: Speed work--Good ol' fartlek
Route: Usual 3 miles
Afterward: Good and loose.
Listened to: John Grisham's The Broker (Chapter 23-24).
Yep. This week begins speedwork, so now I'm up to running something 6 days a week. To fartlek was probably the better way to introduce speed work to my routine and in a way, helped get some of the kinks in my legs. Fun to fartlek.

Spring is here...for 6 hours

2005-03-07T20:25:00.000-05:00

Weather: 54 f, 2 mph wind (s) "feels like": 52 f
Miles: 4
Route: The usual "to the market to the dam to the post" run
Afterward: Good run...a bit tired.
Listened to: John Grisham's The Broker (Chapter 20-22).
Very warm and later today it dropped down to 20 f ....Ah, I love being a Hoosier!

Back in the Saddle again

2005-03-05T11:18:00.000-05:00

Weather: 34 f, 2 mph wind (s) "feels like": 33 f
Miles: 4
Route: The usual "to the market to the dam to the post" run
Afterward: Good run...been off for almost a week
Listened to: John Grisham's The Broker (Chapter 16-17).

I'm back in the saddle again, out where a friend is a friend.
Where the lowly cattle feeds on the lowly jimson weed.
I'm back in the saddle again.
I'm ridin' the range once more, totin' my old forty-four.
Where we sleep out every night, and the only law is right,
I'm back in the saddle again.

I haven't run since last Saturday because of the flu; nice to be back out again.

Kasparov is leading at Linares

2005-03-02T19:47:00.000-05:00

Most you need to know that Garry Kasparov is leading at the midpoint of this year's Linares.
Having established that fact, since Christmas, my older son has started to play chess with his father. (Yes, it is what it appears to be). Some father's play catch with their sons... go camping with their sons... watch Sponge Bob Squarepants with their sons...I have waited for this day for a long, long time.
In fact, I thought we were going to start early.
When he was 3 years old, my son and I played our first game...well, began our first game.
Here's the proof:

The game sheet would look something like this:
Son: Nf3 (very cool that he moved the Knight correctly...very, very cool!)
Dad: e4
Son: @#$%$ (he got tired of the game and proceeded to clear the board)
1/2-1/2
Life is good when your son wants to play chess with you.

A Week of "offness"

2005-03-02T18:56:00.000-05:00

It's at this point where a writer gets a bit annoyed: an entire week of vacation--no writing, no blog, no...eeeekk! I'm a failure.
Okay, angst aside, we continue the story:
Last week's runs were regular (okay, that's an amusing little sentence, isn't it?). Weather was decent and the runs were strong. I'm through Chapter 14 in The Broker and like the other Grisham novels that I've read or listen to, it's been nice company.
Last week also brought to close the end of the 2nd trimester with finals and last minute "What's my grades" from students.
Sunday came, and the body reminded me of Multability and I was down with the flu for 2 days. I still played Sunday a.m. and started the new trimester Monday, but did a lot of sleeping during the day and quite icky sleeping during the night. Much waking, little serious REMs.
Poop!
(Don't let my son see that word, okay?)
I'm bummed about missing two runs within 4 days, so hopefully tomorrow will be some nice icing on the cake (not in a "MacArthur Park" kind of a way, just as long as it doesn't take too much time to get back in the groove.==>confession...I only used the "icing" reference because I thought it would be cute to include an obscure reference and seeing how I've already mentioned the song in an earlier post, it would seem to the ordinary reader that I have lots of time to rehash the same thing over and over again).
I digress.
My neighbor's daughter died yesterday after a 2 1/2 year battle with cancer. Beautiful girl, incredible struggle, and ... what do you say at a point such as this? She was in hospice care and her mother has carried on an honest wording of the season in their lives via a blog. I suppose I am reminded again of being human and it's limitations. I continue to drive by their house in the mornings and evening trying to imagine how different their world is from my own. Peace to you, hurting souls.
My mind has been looping the line from Tennyson's poem, "Ulysses":
"I am a part of all I've met"...but I will copy and paste via really cool combo key-stroking the passage around it...enjoy:

I am a part of all that I have met;
Yet all experience is an arch wherethrough
Gleams that untravelled world, whose margin fades
For ever and for ever when I move.
How dull it is to pause, to make an end,
To rust unburnished, not to shine in use!
As though to breathe were life. Life piled on life
Were all too little, and of one to me
Little remains: but every hour is saved
From that eternal silence, something more,
A bringer of new things; and vile it were
For some three suns to store and hoard myself,
And this grey spirit yearning in desire
To follow knowledge like a sinking star,
Beyond the utmost bound of human thought.
(lines 19-32)

Crunchy Running

2005-02-22T19:01:00.000-05:00

Weather: 32 f, 6 mph wind (s) "feels like": 30 f
Miles: 5
Route: The "circle", 5:50 a.m. run
Afterward: Cloudy run...I think just tired overall from the 4-day weekend.
Listened to: John Grisham's The Broker (Chapters 7-9).
After the freezing melted snow, the path got crunchy and found myself running a lot on my toes.

Sunday and the first 5 miler

2005-02-20T21:34:00.000-05:00

Weather: 30 f, 16 mph wind (ese) "feels like": 15 f
Miles: 5
Route: The "circle", 7 a.m. run
Afterward: Snow and a times a bit heavy. Felt good overall.
Listened to: John Grisham's The Broker (Chapters 5-7).

Fixing Saturday

2005-02-19T13:36:00.000-05:00

Weather: 23 f, 9 mph wind (sw) "feels like": 13 f
Miles: 4
Route: usual, 8 a.m. run
Afterward: Slept in so Lori could run first. Run was fine, legs are feeling a bit tired.
Listened to: John Grisham's The Broker (Chapters 3-4).

Outgoing Presidental Pardons

2005-02-18T15:38:00.000-05:00

Weather: 14 f, 3 mph wind (e) "feels like": 14 f; light snow
Miles: 4
Route: usual, a.m. run
Afterward: Day off from school, so I slept in and had to run later in the morning around 9 a.m. Nice run with a strong second half.
Listened to: John Grisham's The Broker (Chapters 1-2).

Thursday snow and Panera and iPods

2005-02-17T19:27:00.000-05:00

Weather: 25 f, 13 mph wind (w) "feels like": 11 f; light snow
Miles: 4
Route: usual, a.m. run
Afterward: A bit tight, but I woke up later than I had wanted to, so I didn't leave more time to warm up. Overall, felt fine
Listened to: Songs on my new iPod Shuffle
Initially I was going to listen to The Daily Show's America: A listeners guide to Democratic Inaction, but I opted for the "Life is Random" Apple-Slogan approach and got a wide variety of songs. I listened to America in my last marathon (Lakefront) and finished it right before mile 26. This morning I got through the foreward by TJefferson, snort-laughed, and then thought: "Maybe another time."
The maiden voyage of the iPod Shuffle (Apple's flash-drive MP3ish player) went well and it fits my purposes.
O yeah, Panera opened in town and life is very good.

Tuesday frogs

2005-02-15T08:20:00.000-05:00

Weather: 37 f, Misty and "feels like": 31 f
Miles: 4
Route: usual
Afterward: Slept in, but decided to run in the morning anyway. Legs a bit tight and overall a bit tired from the Thera-Flu from last night.
Listened to: "Wait, wait, don't tell me" (Feb 12 05).
Memorable moment: Guest, Morgan Spurlock of Supersize Me fame playing the "Not my job" portion of the show.

Mondays don't bother me...it's Tuesdays that bother me a bit. Sometimes I think the kids book appropriately named Tuesday (not to be confused with Tuesdays with Morrie).

Speaking of Young Love

2005-02-14T06:47:00.000-05:00

I came across thes photos on my computer this morning: we're at the Japanese Tea Gardens in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. The first is from 1989, the second, 2001.

Let me not

2005-02-14T06:30:00.000-05:00

With the occassion of today, I am reminded of what I recited to my love just over 15 years ago:

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
S. 116; Shakespeare

Cake in the Rain (Sunday)

2005-02-14T06:08:00.000-05:00

Weather: 36 f, 18 mph wind (ese) "feels like": 20 f
Miles: 4
Route: usual
Afterward: Strong: the 3 mile felt as though I could actually run a 10k again. Slushing, windy...2 miles into the wind, but the music made me smile.
Listened to: Songs

MacArthur Park (Richard Harris)
Drops of Jupiter (Train)
When I look to the Sky
I'm about to come alive
Cowboy take me home (Dixie Chicks)
Heart Break town
This Cowboy Song (Sting)
A Mighty Wind (from the soundtrack)
Free (Train)

"MacArthur Park" is only the second song I've downloaded from the internet without paying for it. I make use of the iTunes plan to pay for songs, but since I already purchased one copy of "MacArthur Park"---the wrong one as I was informed by a friend (apparently, Andy Williams is a copycat)--I figured that it okay, just this once to use Limewire to find this opus of the late 60's. In fact, I remember hearing it one night several years ago in Warsaw and really enjoying the lyrics:

MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh, no!

With any longer song stuffed with metaphors during this time (may I remind you of "American Pie"?), many people spend lots o' time "figuring it all out."

Saturday Slush

2005-02-13T13:05:00.000-05:00

Weather: 44 f, little wind
Miles: 3
Route: usual
Afterward: solid run...though a bit slushy on the path--lots of melting snow. Traffic was low and talked to one runner who wanted to know if the path was muddy.
Listened to: "The Meaning of Faith" (Speaking of Faith). (2nd half)
Good quotes:

The following edited passage was excerpted from Anne Lamott's book Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith: A memory came to me then of our pastor, Veronica, telling us just the week before how she gets direction from God in prayer. She said that when she prays for direction, one spot of illumination always appears just beyond her feet, a circle of light into which she can step.

She moved away from the pulpit to demonstrate, stepping forward shyly, this big-boned African-American woman tramping like Charlie Chaplin into an imagined spotlight. And then after standing there looking puzzled, she moved another step forward to where the light had gone, two feet ahead of where she had been standing and then again. "We in our faith work," she said, "stumble along toward where we think we're supposed to go, bumbling along, and here is what's so amazing: We end up getting exactly where we were supposed to be."

And another about writing:

Lamott cites a 1985 article in The New York Times by E.L. Doctorow:
Planning to write is not writing. Outlining, researching, talking to people about what you're doing, none of that is writing. Writing is writing… Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.

Friday coolness

2005-02-11T11:03:00.000-05:00

Weather: 25 f, little wind
Miles: 3
Route: usual
Afterward: strongest run of the season. It feels like I got my lungs back after a 2 month layoff. Legs feel okay and this is really the first run (since I began to train this season) that I felt as though I could run a 10 k.
Listened to: "The Meaning of Faith" (Speaking of Faith).
Good quote:

One reason we find talking about God so difficult is we are part of what we are trying to understand. The thing about spiritual truth is that it wants to be spoken. It is too important, too transforming to be left alone in silence. It seems to have speakable content. The problem is that once you speak or show the words to someone else, then both of you are different. The words have changed both of you. And now you must start all over again. I believe that in one form or another this making of words is the touchstone for all spiritual traditions and of all spiritual renewal: To say what is just at the outermost edge of what can be spoken is to deal with words that are so primary and dazzling that they are infinitely personal and intimate.