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?

2011: In It For The Long Run

After being set back from obtaining another 100 mile month in December due to being under the weather, I ventured out on New Year's Day for a long run through semi-plowed roads in Providence. The cure for my ails? Chinese food and a Back to the Future marathon with Morissey (the roommate, not the singer).

The running log is a clear slate with no injuries or illnesses on it, only blank spaces for mileage and races/PRs. And to start up the log, 10 miles today...if I keep that up throughout the year, I'd have 3,650 miles, shattering my hope of 1,000 miles. Of course, my knees would coincidentally be shattered.

It was nice to see all the resolutionists (real word?) out on Blackstone Park and the usual runners around Providence.

Whatever the proverbial 'it' is in sports, I think I reclaimed some semblance of my 2009 'it' back on this long run after getting my second wind/ runner's high at around the 90 minute mark.

Tech shirts as a single layer in the cold = red chest and stomach.

Curbs with 3 foot mini-mountains of snow = hurdles on the long run.

Towards the end of the run, I stopped at the Roger Williams statue, half-zoned out, and noticed a top layer of ice with water trickling underneath. My mind was playing tricks on me because I thought it was the scene from TMNT when the 4 turtles were scurrying under the sewers. Yeah, it was that kind of a day for my run.

For whatever reason, when I run I develop some 'tude and could really care less about what people in a car or walkers yell at me as I deploy the Pacino 'Taxi Driver' "you talkin' to me?" scowl. It's strange because it happens in no other circumstance.

apropos (<-5 dollar word) video