Lest I receive further reprimands and/or castigation, I’d better blog.
Hell, I don’t know. I’ve just become somewhat disheartened as of late. Not sure why. Must be that time of the year...
As for running: Last week I jumped ship. I ran 6.1 miles on Monday and then nothing until Saturday. Saturday morning was to have been an 18 mile run but it ended up being only 10. Here’s why: 75% laziness and 25% soreness.
The run I had planned would have taken me down American Fork Canyon, through the Cedar Hills golf course, over by the Mt. Timpanogos Temple, by my place and then up to Jerry’s. What I ended up running was down AF Canyon and then straight to Jerry’s by way of the Canyon Road. 10.4 miles. I was going to put in 8 miles on the treadmill when I got back to my place to make up for the shortage. Well, it didn’t happen thanks to my inherent laziness. Once that wore off, however, the 8 minute miles we were running down the canyon had really started to take their toll. I hurt. I even tried tricking myself into running up Provo Canyon with Corbin along side on his bike, but that didn’t fly.
Today I ran 7.1 miles on stiff legs. A little rough starting out but things got better as I went. My planned 6.1 became 7.1, and that’s that.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Individualism v. Collectivism
With an increased interest in sociology and psychology, I've thought many times how individualism and collectivism affect lives.
I'll update this blog entry later with more information once I get the chance to review it.
I'll update this blog entry later with more information once I get the chance to review it.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
"Look dad! No training wheels!"
This is my youngest. I had her tonight for a couple of hours. Her back tire had a leak so I got the bike too.The tube was repaired and the bike put in working order and off she went.
This is the first time I've been able to see my Addi ride her bike. It was such a momentous occasion that I went in and got my camera for a few snap shots.
She's just about out-grown this bike. I picked it up for her about 4 years ago, but got the boot before she learned to ride it. Fact is, she just barely learned to ride it sans any parental guidance.
But she so desperately wanted me to see her do it all by herself. And now I have.
37 DAYS
Only 37 days 'til the 2007 Salt Lake City Marathon. 65 days to the Ogden Marathon.
No running today. Just a bit of depression. There are just some days that aren't worth the effort. Today would be one of them.
No running today. Just a bit of depression. There are just some days that aren't worth the effort. Today would be one of them.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Pointless observation:
The musical contrast between Lyle Lovett and Judas Priest is huge.
I ran 6.1 miles today at lunch after running 4 of the most miserable miles of my life yesterday.
Yesterday: 1.5 miles into the run I had to stop and walk. I knew within the first 100 yards that it was going to be a hard run, but not like that. At mile 2, I stopped and decided right there and then that my planned 6-miler was going to get cut short. So I'm doubled over while I wait for one of my running buddies to run out to the fire hydrant we normally go to when running 4 miles, and then together we plod back to the start. I made it all the way back without a stop, however, feeling quite uncomfortable generally.
The culprit: a triple cheese burger I had eaten for dinner the night before. And me with a cholesterol level of 255...
Today: I started out and immediately started feeling nervous. Once I got warmed up though, things improved greatly. So much so that I ended up putting in my second fasted time for the year on the trail for that distance. My average pace was just over 8:30.
Today's run was a good one.
I ran 6.1 miles today at lunch after running 4 of the most miserable miles of my life yesterday.
Yesterday: 1.5 miles into the run I had to stop and walk. I knew within the first 100 yards that it was going to be a hard run, but not like that. At mile 2, I stopped and decided right there and then that my planned 6-miler was going to get cut short. So I'm doubled over while I wait for one of my running buddies to run out to the fire hydrant we normally go to when running 4 miles, and then together we plod back to the start. I made it all the way back without a stop, however, feeling quite uncomfortable generally.
The culprit: a triple cheese burger I had eaten for dinner the night before. And me with a cholesterol level of 255...
Today: I started out and immediately started feeling nervous. Once I got warmed up though, things improved greatly. So much so that I ended up putting in my second fasted time for the year on the trail for that distance. My average pace was just over 8:30.
Today's run was a good one.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
12 miserable miles...
12.03 mile run this afternoon in 1:47:something. My average pace was somewhere near 8:52 I think.
- Tunes:
- Rock Me - Great White
- Heavy - Collective Soul
- Let's Get Rocked - Def Leppard
- She Sells Sanctuary - The Cult
- World's Forgotten Boy - Billy Idol
- Anytime - Journey
- I Feel You - Depeche Mode
- So In Love - OMD
- Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses
- Shake It Up - The Cars
- Locked In - Judas Priest
- The Party's Over (Hopelessly in Love) - Journey
- Shock to the System - Billy Idol
- Only The Young - Journey
- Route 66 - Depeche Mode
- Armageddon It - Def Leppard
- Turbo Lover - Judas Priest
- Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
- Save Your Love - Great White
- Real, Real, Real - Jesus Jones
- Fire Woman - The Cult
- Messages - OMD
- Right Here, Right Now - Jesus Jones
- Kyrie - Mr. Mister
Having just listed all the songs I listened to on my run today, I was hit with the thought, "What's the point?" And so, I don't know that I'm going to continue to post the tunes. Because I decided not to.
I'm tired. I feel like crap. I have to work and I can't nap. DANG!!!
My run: I had just about talked myself out of actually doing it. The morning was a bit colder than expected and there was a stiff breeze blowing out of the north-west. I hadn't eaten breakfast and after downing 4 chicken soft tacos from Del Taco, I wasn't optimistic with my chances.
But, after berating myself over the issue for a while, I threw on the running clothes--and a brand, spanking new pair of shoes--and headed out the door. I figured that I could always turn back early.
8/10ths of a mile into the run I was wading through the strong smell of farm country: manure. I knew that there was the potential for worse a few miles further along though.
My running wasn't exactly fast and I felt pretty comfortable. My new shoes are great! (I don't know if a 12-miler was a good way to break them in though...)
At mile-3 I was approaching the Timpanogos Special Service District Water Reclamation Facility. The sewage treatment plant. I don't know about you, but anything that processes sewage and uses the words "Water Reclamation Facility" in its title makes me a bit uneasy. 10 million gallons of sewage each day... That's what the web site says. That's just gross! And to actually run by it? Luckily, the wind was blowing in a good direction.
Up over the freeway and along the bike path that parallels Pleasant Grove Blvd. They did the path with concrete. Why not asphalt? It would sure be easier on a runner's joints!
A stop at the theater for a beverage (a quick shot of Pepsi) and I was on my way back to the start by way of the Mt. Timpanogos Temple. By mile 9 I was really starting to fatigue but I felt good and kept plodding along--no walking breaks the entire 12 miles! SWEET! See how good I am?
Back at grandma's, I quickly downed a glass of milk and huge amounts of water, showered, and "napped" for an hour before heading over to the theater.
And here I am.
I'm tired. I feel like crap. I have to work and I can't nap. Dang!!
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
"Why am I such a loser!? Why!?" --Homer Simpson
Ever get the feeling...
Abject failure comes to mind
Regardless...
Saturday was set to be the end of a glorious week in regards to my running. Twelve miles was all I needed to complete the week running every mile that I had planned.
Alas, it was not to be. Either due to apathy or laziness, I didn't run at all on Saturday. Actually, I think it was both.
Corbin had his final basketball game for the season Saturday morning at 10 that Addi and I went to. My plan was to run after that. However, Corbin's team ended up winning the game and took 1st place. How awesome is that!? So, as a reward, I took both him and Addi out to Panda Express for lunch. I was going to need at least another 2 hours after that to process lunch before I could even think about running.
Obviously, it didn't happen. And I really don't know what I did between then and going in to work at the theater Saturday night.
Work was fun.
NOT!
And then up at 7:30 to get the kids home to their mother in time for church and/or in time for her to leave for Wendover. (Don't even get me started on that subject!)
Theater again Sunday afternoon. Helen Mirren won the Oscar for best actress--The Queen was the only "top" movie I've seen this year.
Monday at the hospital where, lucky for me, lunch was paid for by the dept. for a successful year-end closing. And then back to the theater til midnight.
And now here we are at Tuesday. Hospital followed by the theater. Absolutely NO running since Thursday.
"Why am I such a loser!? Why!?"
Nevertheless, here I sit. I'm a little perturbed. I don't like people generally. It's an attitude I've developed over the last few years that concerns me greatly. Generally, I think people are kind and well-intentioned. But there are a lot of people out there that are just complete and total idiots.
I think my job here at the theater is largely responsible for this attitude.
I don't care who you are, what you do, or what your life-experience has been. But do you have to come to the theater and just let it all fly? And I'm talking literally here. Popcorn, soda, candy. It all flies and ends up on the floor or the seats. And guess who gets to clean it up? I'm not anybody's mother!
No, I'm not really talking about you. You're probably the 1 in 10 that is respectful and kind. The one that takes his or her garbage to the garbage can on your way out. And for that I thank you.
And you probably show up on time too. Thanks for that as well. But that's another tale for another time.
I had fish and chips for lunch today. I've had better. Much better. $4.50 for barely-warm fries and soggy fish.
My Hay just brought me down a mint brownie she made.
Abject failure comes to mind
Regardless...
Saturday was set to be the end of a glorious week in regards to my running. Twelve miles was all I needed to complete the week running every mile that I had planned.
Alas, it was not to be. Either due to apathy or laziness, I didn't run at all on Saturday. Actually, I think it was both.
Corbin had his final basketball game for the season Saturday morning at 10 that Addi and I went to. My plan was to run after that. However, Corbin's team ended up winning the game and took 1st place. How awesome is that!? So, as a reward, I took both him and Addi out to Panda Express for lunch. I was going to need at least another 2 hours after that to process lunch before I could even think about running.
Obviously, it didn't happen. And I really don't know what I did between then and going in to work at the theater Saturday night.
Work was fun.
NOT!
And then up at 7:30 to get the kids home to their mother in time for church and/or in time for her to leave for Wendover. (Don't even get me started on that subject!)
Theater again Sunday afternoon. Helen Mirren won the Oscar for best actress--The Queen was the only "top" movie I've seen this year.
Monday at the hospital where, lucky for me, lunch was paid for by the dept. for a successful year-end closing. And then back to the theater til midnight.
And now here we are at Tuesday. Hospital followed by the theater. Absolutely NO running since Thursday.
"Why am I such a loser!? Why!?"
Nevertheless, here I sit. I'm a little perturbed. I don't like people generally. It's an attitude I've developed over the last few years that concerns me greatly. Generally, I think people are kind and well-intentioned. But there are a lot of people out there that are just complete and total idiots.
I think my job here at the theater is largely responsible for this attitude.
I don't care who you are, what you do, or what your life-experience has been. But do you have to come to the theater and just let it all fly? And I'm talking literally here. Popcorn, soda, candy. It all flies and ends up on the floor or the seats. And guess who gets to clean it up? I'm not anybody's mother!
No, I'm not really talking about you. You're probably the 1 in 10 that is respectful and kind. The one that takes his or her garbage to the garbage can on your way out. And for that I thank you.
And you probably show up on time too. Thanks for that as well. But that's another tale for another time.
I had fish and chips for lunch today. I've had better. Much better. $4.50 for barely-warm fries and soggy fish.
My Hay just brought me down a mint brownie she made.
Friday, February 2, 2007
How running saved my life... Well, sorta.
Between 45 and 50% of marriages end in divorce. For some people caught up in the statistics, they can walk away from the experience with a smile on their faces. For others, the oft-times unwilling 2nd half—the ones caught in the headlights of the oncoming freight-train—the experience is a harrowing one. For some it is a liberating experience. For others it becomes an enslaving experience locking its captives in a pit of hopelessness and despondency, misery and depression.
When my world came crashing down to its seeming end, I was the deer caught in the headlights. There was no spiraling down to the bottom of my personal pit of doom and gloom—it was a flat-out, straight-down, high-speed free-fall. When I hit, I hit hard! And being the stupid and ignorant male that I am, I created a great many opportunities in the following days, weeks, and months to dig that pit deeper and deeper.
My future, I thought at that point, would end with a bottle of pills or at the business end of a 9mm. Fortunately, however, for me and the visible few who cared about me, I turned out to be too big of a chicken to actually do anything so radical—and permanent. I know I scared a good many people though.
Enter running.
I had been running for a number of years prior to this, many of those side by side with my then-wife. To be honest, the last thing I wanted was to do anything in the least bit associated with “that” life. Anything and everything brought memories of loss and only seemed to increase my sense of worthlessness. But some wise and knowledgeable friends of mine grabbed hold of me and insisted I continue running as a way to manage my health—both physical and mental.
For some time I believed that these friends had joined me on my delusional path-to-nowhere. I was invited to run the Utah Grand Slam by one of these friends. Initially I didn’t give it much consideration. “Heck no!” was my first thought. But I came around, more or less, but not for the reasons you might think. I saw it as an opportunity. Physically I was a mess, and mentally I wasn’t doing any better: Over a period of about 3 months I lost close to 40 pounds and the meds I was on had begun to wreak havoc with my equilibrium. (Actually, the latter may have had more to do with the repetitive and futile banging of my head against whatever hard, heavy, and immovable objects I could find at the time…) Regardless, running a marathon hard, unprepared, untrained, and unhealthy provided a legitimate excuse for my body to give up—to keel over and die—and for me to escape my misery.
Well, obviously it didn’t quite turn out that way. Three years later I’m still kicking and still running. My running mis-adventures that year took me from one end of the state to the other and exposed me to people I never would have met in any other way. I developed friendships and relationships unlike any other—and that has literally given my life some degree of purpose again.
No, I haven’t entirely gotten over the experience. I feel the loss each time I drop my kids off at their mother’s house. I continually mourn the relationship I took for granted and ultimately lost. But I know now that each time the hopelessness and despondency rears its ugly head, I can lace up my running shoes and show the negative influences in my life that I’ve got the determination, the drive, the willingness, and the ability to run it into the ground!
When my world came crashing down to its seeming end, I was the deer caught in the headlights. There was no spiraling down to the bottom of my personal pit of doom and gloom—it was a flat-out, straight-down, high-speed free-fall. When I hit, I hit hard! And being the stupid and ignorant male that I am, I created a great many opportunities in the following days, weeks, and months to dig that pit deeper and deeper.
My future, I thought at that point, would end with a bottle of pills or at the business end of a 9mm. Fortunately, however, for me and the visible few who cared about me, I turned out to be too big of a chicken to actually do anything so radical—and permanent. I know I scared a good many people though.
Enter running.
I had been running for a number of years prior to this, many of those side by side with my then-wife. To be honest, the last thing I wanted was to do anything in the least bit associated with “that” life. Anything and everything brought memories of loss and only seemed to increase my sense of worthlessness. But some wise and knowledgeable friends of mine grabbed hold of me and insisted I continue running as a way to manage my health—both physical and mental.
For some time I believed that these friends had joined me on my delusional path-to-nowhere. I was invited to run the Utah Grand Slam by one of these friends. Initially I didn’t give it much consideration. “Heck no!” was my first thought. But I came around, more or less, but not for the reasons you might think. I saw it as an opportunity. Physically I was a mess, and mentally I wasn’t doing any better: Over a period of about 3 months I lost close to 40 pounds and the meds I was on had begun to wreak havoc with my equilibrium. (Actually, the latter may have had more to do with the repetitive and futile banging of my head against whatever hard, heavy, and immovable objects I could find at the time…) Regardless, running a marathon hard, unprepared, untrained, and unhealthy provided a legitimate excuse for my body to give up—to keel over and die—and for me to escape my misery.
Well, obviously it didn’t quite turn out that way. Three years later I’m still kicking and still running. My running mis-adventures that year took me from one end of the state to the other and exposed me to people I never would have met in any other way. I developed friendships and relationships unlike any other—and that has literally given my life some degree of purpose again.
No, I haven’t entirely gotten over the experience. I feel the loss each time I drop my kids off at their mother’s house. I continually mourn the relationship I took for granted and ultimately lost. But I know now that each time the hopelessness and despondency rears its ugly head, I can lace up my running shoes and show the negative influences in my life that I’ve got the determination, the drive, the willingness, and the ability to run it into the ground!
Monday, January 29, 2007
Monday, October 23, 2006
Brrrrr!!
I went for a run today during my lunch break. I set out to go maybe 6 miles. By the time I was done I had run 9. Felt good too! The mp3 was cranking out the tunes and I was in the groove... I figure I have to run long for the next little while so I can be ready for November...
Anyways, back to being in the groove: I was. Until I got back to take a shower. Apparently the hot water hadn't been working all morning but no one thought to tell anybody about it until noon. So I had 3 options: Cold shower. Sponge bath. Go around smelling the rest of the day.
Anyways, back to being in the groove: I was. Until I got back to take a shower. Apparently the hot water hadn't been working all morning but no one thought to tell anybody about it until noon. So I had 3 options: Cold shower. Sponge bath. Go around smelling the rest of the day.
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