East Bay Bike Path and Saturday's running terrible joke(s)

East Bay Bike Path

Tuesday:
The Adventures of Knapp and Tang continue on to the (confusingly signed) East Bay Bike Path. While the ice rinks on top of the path were barely walkable, the potential of the path was met with smiles. There's a mansion to envy, views that transport you to another time, and that sense of exploration that I love? Sparked again.

Port-a-pottie in the middle? Saved again.

running glove in the picture for perspective

mansion's pavilion
epic mansion

duck headquarters
swans aplenty

East Bay Bike Path aka the old railroad line

Saturday:

Despite Knapp's ice warning, I ventured out to the east side where I realized that I missed my turn so I took a perfect 90 degree right turn (you can break your protractors out to measure it) and as I planted my foot, I managed to step right on to a small patch of ice made of evil. So I took my first fall, right on to my right leg and walked 3 miles back home with blood trickling down my leg. Immediately after, I felt a (in the words of Michael Scott) protuberance.

While walking, I was stopped on Westminster when a 'Bulletproof' knock-off dialogue ensued with an Adam Sandler and a Wayans bro stand-in:

"High" dudes: Hey where's Vegas?

Tang: ...what.

"High" dudes: Las Vegas.

Tang: You're in Rhode Island.

"High" dudes: Long Island?

Tang: :walks away:

And the icing on the cake?

Rastafarian mailman

Pictured on the East Side: Eames Street

The Return of the Sidewalks

Pictured: Eames Street

A day off Thursday which means a long run through Providence. I am no meteorologist, but today was definitely shorts and t-shirt weather.

Sunday AM run was windy from every direction and was definitely NOT shorts weather despite my clothing.

- At 7:30 AM, it's as if the city has been put on mute.

-A note for all the dog owners in Providence; snow/ice does not make your dog's poop disappear.

-Spotted spray-painted on a steep hill near the Roger Williams statue was: Havad, Dartmouth, P-Town, 20 more yards, and Sack Up.

-Due to the wind, the new game was Find the Sunlight.

I overheard "Running of the Brides" mid conversation at work, so I thought maybe it's a marathon for brides. After I heard what it actually was, I shook my head in disbelief. Google the event.

In the Long Run: Stocks, Igloos, the future, records

I will have to note, I am writing this post-run and I must either be hitting that runner's high or delirious from having done the longest training run. I am even resting frozen bags of vegetables on my knees.

Miles leaders for the year, Knapp and Tang, decided to try 14 miles around the Providence area. Ice is still abound and wind crept up out of nowhere as we covered the world of finance, along with the Packers recent surge. But for the most part, it was two dudes tackling what ended up as 12.5 miles of hills on a Sunday in February, concentrating on the race ahead, as a couple of snow flakes dropped from the sky to make it straight out of a Hollywood montage. Of note, there is no way I could train for a marathon since we ran out of real estate doing just 12.5 miles.

Spotted: Igloo on Taber St.

In other news:

I caught Gattaca, a 1997 sci-fi movie about the future and how they do a treadmill test on their promising astronaut/ engineers. Weak, 20 minutes and people dropped out.

Lagat breaks US record

Machismo, Chicks, Seinfeld, Movies, TV, and Surfing

I stopped mid-run to camera phone this:

This long run was not as insane as the last one.

Only things of note:

Due to the massive and numerous puddles, I had to skip them with hands high a la George Costanza more than once. I found tippy toeing puddles works, except for that one puddle that doubles as a pool. Oh, and the side walks that doubled as impromptu ice rinks.

Since it was my long run, I kicked it in to cruise mode. As I was warming up during my 10 miler and rounding Blackstone Park, I hear foot steps and loud panting. The first generation of running Tang would have tried racing this upstart but the semi-peaceful runner realized this heavy breathing meant he'd die off soon enough. Ding ding ding, like clockwork the runner ran for 2 minutes to a car as I started my 10 miler.

Being slower does have its positives. As I brainstormed places to go #1, a girl runner with Brown CC on her jacket passed me by. Today was a good run.

The usual runners were out in full force today as everyone ran into each other as we criss-crossed the streets of the east side of Providence.

New weekly high of 35 miles thanks to two long runs of 10 and 11 miles.

Other observations:

I caught Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II on HBO on demand. Classic. But those guys ate a bunch of crap. The first two minutes was a montage of people in New York eating pizza. This is not an exaggeration. No wonder why I was a big kid.

I also watched Parks and Recreation this week on demand. Rob Lowe's character, painted as a perfect person, has Vibram FiveFingers for "adventure racing". Another character says monkeys should wear these shoes. I agree.

I realize now with the weather the way it is, I feel like a surfer checking the surf reports for the perfect waves. 35-50 degrees, sun, no wind, and I am "stoked". They should have a puddle/ ice rink report.

Treadmill Trouble, Tagging, and TMI, Ten + 1 miles

Monday night's Providence run was brought to you by the letter 'T'.

Treadmill was broken (most likely due to my incessant use). I was not even feeling up for running but since I knew the impending storm was about to hit, I knew this would be my last time to tread around Providence.

Like most times after warming up, I just felt like running some more.

While waiting at all the traffic lights, I found a new way to kill time what with all the snow: tagging. I tried writing my name in the snow around Brown University (with my hand and not that other snow writing tool). I can see lots of confused Ivy Leaguers wondering who this 'Tang' madman is.

Headed up Gano, took a left at Waterman and ended up at Blackstone (my inner compass always leads me there no matter what). The only runners out there were definitely elite runners that would've walked my pace.

In eleven miles, I pretty much saw all of Providence and even overshot coming back home by popping out on to North Main, waaaaay past Whole Foods. Why eleven miles on a Monday night after work? The proverbial 'zone' found me.

filed under 'T' for TMI:

I have a leg length discrepancy; my left leg is shorter hence the hip/foot trouble.

and I put this on facebook but someone shouted "nice booty shorts" at me near the PPAC's Lion King night. So before I went ballistic (because I only go from mild mannered Bruce Banner to the Hulk when I run), I realized I am in Providence and that could have honestly been a come on than an insult. Either way, thanks?!?

133.9 miles for January. How? Easy miles and lots of them. At this rate, I can beat my SAT score for the year.

Running with Knapp and Kevin

While buying random stuff for the apartment, I get a text (and missed calls--thanks phone) which basically said to run.

1/2 hour later, I have my new Nike Storm-Fit jacket, gloves, and shorts (that have a butt pocket?), with coffee in hand to meet up with the Ashton Mills part of the team to form a hybrid trifectah group, made of two older models of pharmacy trifectah groups. Due to the dumping of snow each week in January, the run was met without a path at Blackstone. Detouring through the Blackstone Conservancy Park, I learned that I need to practice my look out skills as some of us had nature on speed dial pre-run.

Kevin: That's a nice expensive house.

Knapp: Yea, for me to pee on.

and the retort, "isn't it?" after Kevin's thoughts was comedic genius.

As we traversed the streets through Blackstone, we turned right before the Pawtucket line in to a nice neighborhood that I will definitely have to run through more often. Today's run just felt great, due to what? Not sure, but maybe the new gear, the sophomoric witty banter (including an observation about a big white van that Knapp and I rode in earlier in the week to Duxbury and Wrentham for the new Nike gear), or just being able to run outside really helped. And now that the Brown U co-eds are back, I may have to start running up and down College Hill more after seeing the kids back during the Chipotle run.

Treadmill-itis symptoms: forgetting to wear a stop watch while running outside.

We're not in Texas any more: seen, snowshoers in Blackstone Park.

Sunday was "try to get run over by a car" day in Cumberland. Running hills and getting my butt kicked only motivates me more to run the hills of Prov. Bonus: get sprayed on a la Shamu by a truck that may or may not have been on purpose, depending on who you ask.

Knapp quandary of the day: Do you nod or wave to fellow runners?

related video

Thanks to the back-to-back runs with the comedic duo and great weather, I reached a new high; 122.9 miles for the month.

Complimented on my running log, I checked Knapp's log. I totally forgot there was an option to show streaking. It even shows past streaks. 111 days during my younger, dumber years of running at max effort for ~3 miles a day. I got hurt? I wonder why...

Next pair to break the Nike monotony:

New Balance Minimus :drools:

In other news, am I really excited in anticipating a new running shoe? I need to get a life.

multiple choice, ghosts, sign of the times, and Jeff Foxworthy jokes

I need some advice from you guys. I just got a 25% off coupon from Road Runner Sports and was wondering what pair I should get to shore up the running line-up for the year.

a) Nike LunaRacer+ (grey/lime green)

b) double up on the Pegasus's (white/blue)

c) Nike Free Run+

d) use the 2nd Nike Free 5.0's that I stashed away (Saving it? why in the world would someone do that?)

e) other_____________

f) or buy a new set of shorts, gloves, and a running jacket at the Nike store at the request of Knapp.

g) all the above

For those of you in pharmacy, pick the most correct choice. F is true.

For all those that run with me (and the random people at the apartment gym), you can thank Knapp for getting me to buy a 2nd pair of running shorts, leaving less to the imagination.

phantom pulse: as I was warming up on the treadmill, no hands on the heart rate sensors, the things just randomly pick up an HR of 170...maybe our hearts get so strong from running, it triggers the handheld monitors?

My scrubs for work are a size small... and they are baggy. Today's standards gone awry or am I really a twig?

You know you are a runner when...

-a black and white Prefontaine picture is framed in the living room.

-a bib is framed.

-you have multiple pairs of running gloves.

Training, Treadmills and TV

As we continue through the "off-season" of running, I hope we are all stockpiling easy miles before training starts for (fill-in-the-blank race). I personally will start in February since the Providence Half is May 1st. The countdown on that site has already started; 102 days out.

While I bashed treadmills last year (noted as "dreadmills"), I see that if you have one, it is pretty nice to have it when there is ice and snow hurdles afoot.

As I left the parking lot at 6:30 am after shoveling and being bundled in 26 layers of clothes, I drove up to the stop sign and saw two runners traversing the neighborhood. I bow down to your dedication (and lack of treadmill availability).

You're a runner if...

I rewound Up in the Air just to see the Nike Frees George Clooney (aka Cloontang) puts in his suitcase.

The 'hood, Frees, Awards and Kanye

>>Kanye, Awards, Nikes, the 'Hood

For this weekend's long run, Sean, Knapp, and I ran through the hood to see Kevin for approximately 2 minutes. On the way we passed by the place where we bought our mattresses and along the way passed an astronomical amount of dog poo and snow hurdles.

The fascination with Nike Frees has been rekindled thanks to Sean's inquiry. I will second Knapp's recommendation to wear them for work if you stand a lot. I had some Sperry Top Siders on and that killed me standing all day. Frees? I could have stood for 24 hours.

My sister, who received an award( thanks to me) for 2nd place (even though she got 3rd), is being asked to return the award since they found hers. Honestly, could they just write 2nd on the other one and call it a day? Driving to Dallas from Plano is the equivalent of driving through all of Rhode Island.

Despite being way overplayed due to that facebook movie and the overall controversy around this dude, Kanye West's "Power" is my new go-to song for an extra kick.

Finally, does shoveling a parking lot count as cross training? I think it does.

Winter Training

I have had a shameful 12 day running drought these past couple weeks so I knew it was time to go out and do some work today. Sadly all my running bros were working today so I had to fly solo. I got to test out some new running gear that I got for Christmas including an Ipod Nano and a Nike Therma-Fit running hoodie. The temperature was 34 degrees by my thermometer, and it was sunny with no wind. It seemed like perfect running conditions but when I got to the path it was frozen over. The snow was hard and crunchy and there were footprints everywhere making an uneven surface. There were spots of bare pavement that seemed nice to run on but they were often covered with treacherous black ice. As I plowed through the first mile or so I had some near falls, but managed to stay on my feet. Then just after the 2nd mile I slipped and made a spectacular diving fall and slid off the path and into the snow. Luckily no one was around to laugh at me. Even more luckily, I didn't destroy my new Ipod or rip my sweet running pants. I realized I had to run through the snow where there were no footprints. It was tougher to run, but at least it wasn't slippery. I felt like Rocky running through the snowy wasteland of Siberia in Rocky IV. Despite the conditions I felt really good, like I could keep running all day. I decided to do 8 miles, I was tempted to go longer but I want to run tomorrow too so I didn't overdo it. Running song of the day was "One Shot at Glory" by Judas Priest. Totally epic song with inspiring lyrics, I know you guys don't listen to much heavy metal but you should check it out I was PUMPED UP when it came on. I can't wait for my next run, also we need to find a race soon. I'm looking into some new running shoes to alternate with the Lunarglides. I want to try the Nike FREEs any recommendations?