O'Brien: The Return to Blackstone ... man I really want to fly up to run it with you guys. This time you guys can double back to cheer me on.
Losing 20 lbs? Congrats man, that is quite an accomplishment and this was over what, 6 months? Impressive.
Butterfly 5k medals, can someone take a picture of one of these bad boys?
Nikki: You have turned in to some machine from the future, a Ginger-BOT 5000, sent back to run with us. You smashed your old 10 mile time by a ton. I would have freaked out if I did that. I forgot if you guys had water fountains but you could carry a water bottle for a bit and then hide it on the trail. It'll be ready for you and you can get some swigs in before you hide it.
Both you guys will have great times for the 13.1.
All: I hope Kevin's sentiment isn't widespread about not writing. We aren't going to win any awards but I personally enjoy reading all the entries. If anyone wrote "I ran today", I would still eat that up. Feel free to share because who knows, it may be the motivation someone else needs. It could be a small tip that ends up being huge for the reader. At the very least, if I know one of you guys still likes running every once in a while, it gives me motivation to keep chugging along.
Day N Nite
Not feeling up to the challenge of waking up at 6 AM, the long run got dropped to 8 PM. Trail running in the dark takes me back to running on the Virginia Beach trails a year ago.
Pros:
1. No sun = a happy, less sweaty Tang. I must be jumping on that vampire bandwagon.
2. The pond with the moon hitting it, dotted with sleeping ducks and lightnin' bugs is pretty cool. Lightning bugs, because I refuse to type a song title that starts with 'Fire' and ends with 'Flies'.
3. I feel like I'm slowly coming back to form.
4. The long run is great for thinking. You lock in to a gear, sit back and relax.
5. Night running with the moonlight striking you to create a shadow running partner feels very primitive, almost like a hunt a la Born To Run. Must be why I have that as my favorite running book.
6. In a heavily populated city with tons of traffic in the form of cars and cyclists, it's great to actually be able to hear your footsteps and breathing.
Cons:
1. My feet are taking a pounding and I definitely have metatarsalgia in both. I need frozen vegetables for my knees AND the bottom of my feet.
1. No sun = a happy, less sweaty Tang. I must be jumping on that vampire bandwagon.
2. The pond with the moon hitting it, dotted with sleeping ducks and lightnin' bugs is pretty cool. Lightning bugs, because I refuse to type a song title that starts with 'Fire' and ends with 'Flies'.
3. I feel like I'm slowly coming back to form.
4. The long run is great for thinking. You lock in to a gear, sit back and relax.
5. Night running with the moonlight striking you to create a shadow running partner feels very primitive, almost like a hunt a la Born To Run. Must be why I have that as my favorite running book.
6. In a heavily populated city with tons of traffic in the form of cars and cyclists, it's great to actually be able to hear your footsteps and breathing.
Cons:
1. My feet are taking a pounding and I definitely have metatarsalgia in both. I need frozen vegetables for my knees AND the bottom of my feet.
2. I scare easily. What happened on that last trail run in Virginia Beach at night? Sprinted because I ran past an Indian burial ground. Anyways, I came to the last crossing under a bridge and it was pitch black so thankfully I ran with an iPod Touch to shine some light. All of a sudden, a huge thud jumps my heart rate to 1,000 thinking I was getting chased by a troll and I sprinted.
A car just passed over the bridge.
Lemme borrow a page from Pat's entry: 8 year old night light Tang, meet 24 year old iTouch light Tang.
3. Not a permanent long run option; too many cracks and drops that could cause an injury.
And a question: Anyone's shoulder hurt after a long run? It's the inner and top part of my right shoulder and I held my iTouch with my left hand.
yea Tang, my shoulder sometimes hurts... for me running like you are carrying suitcases and shaking your arms to loosen them seems to help me throughout the run.
ReplyDeleteAlso how in the world did you self-diagnose metatarsalgia, where in the world did you hear of that ? haha
BTW, just about to finish Again to Carthage... the sequel to Once a Runner. It mostly kind of blows. If you thought Once a Runner did not focus on running enough, DO NOT READ THIS BOOK... blah too many boring parts (I couldn't even imagine what myself from a year ago would imagine that my current self finds the running sections the most interesting). Although there is too much downtime, the author can sure right a race sequence that gets my pumped up.
Tang, when you get a chance I'd pick up Running with the Buffaloes next. It is pretty much ALL about running, and is not boring in the least. Let me know how Bowerman is, it's next on my list.
I haven't had shoulder pain *yet* but i can see how it could get sore after holding something for a long run, since ur arm is kind of stuck in one position thruout.
ReplyDeleterunning at night? man, that takes balls. I would love to run at night near my house because its just so more convienient for me with my work sched., but i'm just too scared!
Knapp: Yeah that metatarsalgia thing, I've had this whole year. Basically, I have calloused skin right under my 2nd and third toes and it feels like there is permanently a rock underneath it.
ReplyDeleteNikki: I went on this run at night and actually saw some female runners running solo. As long as your neighborhood is safe (or you could bring pepper spray). I felt weird because I would pass them while running fairly quiet so I kept coughing to make sure they knew I was there.
Running at night is key, I like it alot, especially in the city with all the lights. You get to see your running trails in a differnt light (literaly) and the weather in the summer is way nicer at night
ReplyDelete