E = mc2 ... OR/AND ... Dx Dp ≥ = h/2π

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souıɹʇnǝN

Not all of the most competitive races are run on roads.  Just when I think I'm struggling with time, distance and speed, news breaks that gives us all a more universal perspective. Consider the recent shakeup in the macrocosm of quantum mechanics and relativity theory.  Ever since Albert Einstein received the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921 (Relativity) and Niels Bohr received the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1922 (Quantum Mechanics), scientists have raced to understand how these two theories, each of which begat numerous advancements in technology, could have at their core a fundamental contradiction between the two conceptualizations.  Essentially, can anything go faster than the speed of light??  Some European scientists have compelling evidence that certain neutrinos may indeed have traveled between Switzerland and Italy faster than the speed of light.  COULD THIS BE POSSIBLE???  If so, much of science as we know it will need to be rewritten.

I love this paradox because it demonstrates both how small we humans really are in the vastness of the universe, as well as how large we are in the vastness of striving to learn and overcome the constraints that bind us, physically to earth, and in thought.  If each of us, every day, strive to further our stations in life a little farther, where ultimately can we all go?  If the CERN scientists are right, we may truly be able to bend time.  As cold as it is outside today, I'd be happy to go back to yesterday.  Ah yes, I will push myself a little farther.

Final preparations!
Até amanhã... 
9/29/11 - 2.0 miles | 20 min | 5.5 mph | 205 kcal 
9/29/11 - 2.0 miles | 19 min | 6.0 mph | 204 kcal

Taking Life 100 Miles at a Time

My new motto!
(shirts available)

This week is all about being as prepared as I can be for Sunday's race, not about breaking records.  I've been doing short easy runs, enough to keep my legs working, but well below too much so that I don't over-stress any muscle or joint and endanger my ability to complete the course.  I realized that today I did break a record, though:  I've run more than 100 miles so far, just in the month of September, completing 104.6 miles, with two more days to go!


New motto:  Taking life 100 miles at a time :)


Até amanhã... 
9/28/11 - 3.3 miles | 34 min | 5.7 mph | 360 kcal 
9/28/11 - 2.0 miles | 18 min | 6.0 mph | 200 kcal   

distance / time = rate

What is most important, time, distance, or rate?  That question occurred to me the other day talking to a fit friend who is thinking of taking up running in addition to the multiple other sports she already participates in.  She said, "Well, I know I could keep running for an hour, but there's no way I could keep running for two and a half hours."  I've seen her dance for that long, so I suspect she really could run for that long, but I realized her perception of running is completely different than mine.

I measure running in distance.  My brain calculates distance first, then time and rate as byproducts of how far I ran. I start a run with a particular distance goal in mind:  2 miles, 10k, 11 miles, a half-marathon.  Distance is the constant, rate is the variable, time is only a measurement so that I can tell if I'm capable of doing more distance while still running rather than walking.  When I started my running endeavor in June, l had one goal in mind:

BE ABLE TO *RUN* 13.1 MILES WITHOUT STOPPING.

Sure, I like it when I run faster, because I can be done sooner.  I like it when I can see that my rate is increasing, because it tells me I am becoming more fit.  But what I like the most is that distance figure.  If I can run 13.1 miles, I have the security of knowing that I can do crazy/fun things like run to the nearest town, challenge my son to run and know that while he might beat me I can at least stay in the race, and put a fun 13.1 sticker on my car.  My friend doesn't think of it that way.  She looks at running as the amount of time she needs to endure the sweat, bugs, weather conditions, and foot pounding so that she can be done and move on to something else.

So, what really is most important, time, distance, or rate?  They are of equal importance.  The critical issue is that each of us find some component of the running equation that we can fixate on in a way that makes the endeavor manageable.  For me, that golden 13.1 number is the component that motivates.


Até amanhã... 
9/27/11 - 3.3 miles | 34 min | 5.6 mph | 347 kcal 
9/27/11 - 2.0 miles | 21 min | 5.2 mph | 200 kcal 

Falling from above

I managed to get two runs in today, the first with rain falling on my head, and the second dodging acorns, walnuts, and leafy branches as the cool front blew in.  I have an old friend who used to relay stories about the dangers of falling coconuts in tropical regions.  We would laugh, because death by coconut might be high on the list of Darwin events, but not likely to happen in the US midwest.  In fact, however, the dangers of having things falling from above are actually more prevalent in Michigan than you might think. Walnuts are currently my nemesis. My running route is filled with black walnut trees, and I've had a few close calls when some of the nuts have plummeted perilously close to me.  They hurt when they hit, they make a black mess on my shoes, and I have to dodge them on the ground to avoid twisting an ankle.  Hmmm... I wonder what my neighbors would think if they saw me running with a helmet?
Até amanhã... 
9/26/11 - 3.3 miles | 33 min | 5.8 mph | 355 kcal 


9/26/11 - 2.0 miles | 17 min | 6.2 mph | 200 kcal 

Back in the saddle...

Detroit Free Press Half Marathon

Yesterday's Tour de Troit was one of those days that will be thought of with fondness for a long time.  :)   I was so inspired that when I got home from the ride I tried to sign up for the Detroit 1/2 Marathon on October 16th so I could take in some more of that stellar skyline.  I wish I'd thought of it sooner, because at 10,300 runners the registration is at full capacity and closed.  Alas, no trot across the Ambassador Bridge for me this year, but I will be certain to sign up next year as soon as registration is open.  I may go to Detroit on the 16th just to enjoy the ambiance of the event.


Now it's back in the proverbial saddle, not bike, to finish preparing for next Sunday's run. The excitement (uh, nervousness) is building.  Will it be cold and rainy? Will I pace myself okay while distracted by the other runners? Will I be able to sleep at all the night before?  My regimen for this week will be different:  short runs twice a day to stay loose but not over-stress ligaments and muscles; no junk food [ :( ], early enough to bed that I can get up at 5 AM on Sunday (okay, now we're talking impossible) ...  
Até amanhã... 
9/25/11 - 3.2 miles | 34 min | 5.6 mph | 351 kcal 

Tour De Troit

Tour de Troit just before the start, in front of Detroit's most famous ruin, Michigan Central Depot

Detroit (est. 1701):  Motor City, Arsenal of Democracy, birthplace of Motown and Techno, primary prohibition port of entry, home of the first paved cement road (Woodward), first urban highway (Davison), first radio broadcast, first telephone area code... What are you now???

The Detroit Police motorcade that accompanied the ride

House on Vernor near the
 start of the ride

Detroit has earned a reputation that shouts stay-safe/stay-away.  I have been fortunate to explore cities far and wide, but have never spent much time in the city from which the metropolitan area where I live gets its name. I've driven the fast lane through Detroit to cross the bridge into Canada, and stopped briefly here or there for a work conference or sporting event.  But all of us who live north of 8 Mile or in the 'burbs have been endowed with a visceral fear of viewing Detroit from the pavement level.  When I first heard about the Tour De Troit bike ride, I knew I had to be there.

Alison and I arrived before the sun rose, unpacked the bikes, and rode a short distance to the check-in at Roosevelt Park. The imposing Michigan Central Depot towered above us, the most famous ruin of the city.  The crowd gathered and chatted, drinking coffee, cheering when the police motorcade that would escort us on the tour arrived en force.  Slowly the peleton inched past the depot, under the tunnel, and off to see the sites.

Classic architecture on Grand River Avenue

The route took us through neighborhoods where denizens cheered us from their porches, past magnificent residences proclaiming the grandeur of the auto trade that put the world on wheels, through city blocks that reeked of decay. This is a city of startling contrast.  We did the loop on Belle Isle, Detroit's island park designed by Frederick Olmstead, who also laid out Central Park in New York City.  Windsor, Ontario is not much more than a shout away, but looks lusterless compared to the Motor City's skyline visible from the south shore of the island.  4,300 riders participated in this event.  I heard many exclaiming with delight that they didn't know Detroit was so beautiful.

Detroit's skyline taken from Belle Isle

Alison and I didn't want it to end when the ride was over.  We absolutely will be back next year, because this is too much fun to miss. We're already planning the day, intending to expand our participation from the roughly 30 mile ride (including the Belle Isle loop) that we did Saturday to the Metric Century ride (62 miles) so that we can see even more of the city.  JOIN US next year for this event, short or long ride.  If you think you're not fit enough, get started now, you have a whole year to train. You will be so glad you did!
Até amanhã... 
9/24/11 - 31.2 miles [BIKING] | 180 min | 10.3 mph | 1223 kcal 

Ha!  I really did fit two bikes in the "Porsche"!  

*When* did she get so much taller than me??!

Pure Michigan spirit  :)

Marathon session in Chicago

Alas, I am referring to driving, rather than running. :/  


Alison flew back from school yesterday so we could participate in tomorrow's Tour de Troit bike ride.  Rather than arriving at DTW, she decided to fly to O'Hare to take advantage of a great deal on airfare.  Since I've driven to Chicago many times in roughly 3.5 hours, I had planned to pick her up in the Windy City and make a couple of fun side stops on the way home.  Unfortunately, it took me almost twice as long as it usually does to get to O'Hare due to the worst traffic and construction delays I have ever experienced.  Our visions of sight-seeing in Chicagoland went up in a cloud of expressway exhaust fumes.  At some points I seriously could have run to O'Hare faster than I was moving on I-94.  


As I was sitting on the highway, waiting... waiting... I mused about the bad rap we who still live in Michigan get for keeping the lights on in the only state to loose population in the 2010 census.  In 1950, Detroit was the fifth largest city in the United States, with over 2,000,000 residents.  As late as 1990 it was still in the top ten.  Detroit's population is now lower than it has been in 100 years, far less than half of what it was in its heyday, and second only to New Orleans in percent population decrease in the last decade, at 25%.  Detroit did to itself what it took Katrina to do to New Orleans.


I would like to tell the good folks in Chicago that there are some advantages to living in an area where the infrastructure was built to handle double the people than who currently live there.  Here in the Motor City it is rare to have to sit on a highway for 4 hours just because there are still enough people working to have that much of a rush hour.  Tomorrow Alison and I, along with 4,998 other happy riders will be very happy to enjoy what's left of Detroit from our bicycle seats.  Today, I was just happy to be able to go faster than 5 mph for 18 minutes straight:  in my sneakers!


Até amanhã... 
9/23/11 - 2.0 miles | 17:59 min | 6.7 mph | 214 kcal  <---  TWICE AS FAST AS I-94 IN CHICAGO AT RUSH HOUR !!!

What is moderation?

Runners are famous for becoming addicted to the fix their chosen sport provides.  I can identify with that sentiment.  After running 37 miles last week, it seemed a good idea for me to take a full two-day break before hitting the road again.  In truth, I had more than enough to do to keep me busy, such that the 2 miles I had planned for yesterday just didn't fit in the schedule.  But by today I was longing to get back out on this sunny 75 degree fall afternoon for a quick run.  Happy me running on a happy day!

I started thinking about what is the best amount of time to rest after a particularly long running week.  Although I didn't run a marathon, the amount I did run definitely exceeds my standard even over the last 3 months.  How much rest and recuperation is necessary?  There is an adage passed around running circles that the amount of recovery time after a long run is that runners should take a day of recovery for every mile.  No way!  If I took even 11 days off for the 11 miles I did on Sunday I wouldn't run again until 2 days before my official half-marathon.  A little research turned up this quote by two-time Olympian and Exercise Physiologist Pete Pfitzinger as published in a runningtimes.com article:

"After running a marathon, there are basically three options. You can: 1) vow never to run again; 2) take some time off and then gradually get back into training; or 3) jump into full training as quickly as possible. Option 1 is not recommended. Option 3 should be chosen with caution. Option 2 is almost always the wisest choice."

What is moderation when it comes to running?  For me, the answer is to run as many days as I can, a little or a lot, so that I build health and happiness, and to stop before I damage either.  Okay, I did my two days of rest, now let me put those running shoes back on!
Até amanhã... 

9/21/11 - 2.0 miles | 19:23 min | 6.0 mph | 207 kcal

Pack running

Tortoise and Hare Running Store -- Ann Arbor

Today was my first "official" run in many years.  I joined in with the Tortoise and Hare marathon training run to see how I pace when running a new course with other people.  It was very interesting!


1. I wasn't prepared for the number of people running with dogs.  I felt that having to dodge both people and dogs on leashes was difficult, particularly when the peloton is close together at the beginning.


2. A number of people were running with music playing from their belts, which I found made it hard for me to find my own rhythm, especially when I could hear several different songs at once.  


3. When running in an official race or training run, it's not necessary to bring water, because drinks are supplied by the organizer along the course.


4. I'm amazed at how many people chit-chatted the entire way!  Maybe because I've been running by myself, I was not expecting to be involved in lengthy conversations.


I finished the 11 miles in 2 hrs 11 minutes, including a water break, so just above the 5 mph mark.  I've spent 7 hours 9 minutes to run 37.4 miles in the last 7 days, at an average rate of 5.2 mph.  I'm very glad that I get to take a break for the next few days to recuperate.  37 miles is just over my weekly limit -- especially since I only ran 39 miles in the entire month of July!

Até amanhã... 

9/18/11 - 11.0 miles | 2 hrs 11 min | 5.0 mph | 1150 kcal

The day after

www.maceiosol.com

What a great day for a little R&R while resting on yesterday's long-run laurels.  Blue sky, temperature in the 70's, what more could one ask?  How about rewarding oneself by attending a party for a friend who just started her own fitness apparel company?!  Thank you Cely for great company, camaraderie, and especially for taking the initiative to develop your super-cool, good-looking, easy-wearing Maceiosol clothing line.  Oh yes, even I can dance when wearing some of Cely's styles. :)  Let's see if all this energy holds over until tomorrow; I'm slated to do an 11 mile training run with the A2 Runners sponsored by Tortoise and Hare.   
Até amanhã... 

9/17/11 - 2.0 miles | 19:17 min | 6.2 mph | 209 kcal

Unplanned and spontaneous surprise :)

I was not too pleased with myself yesterday for how long it took to both find the time and motivation to commit to running the next training length required by the schedule.  I decided to rearrange the next 3 weeks to accommodate missing that run, and only run 6 miles today.  I set out with minimal expectations.  The first 3 miles went well, 5.7 mph.  I felt great the second 4 miles, averaging 5.2 mph.  I decided to keep going.  Why not?  I was dressed for the task, on the trail, and the weather was great.  All the universe was aligned the right way.  Onward!

Miles 7 - 9 went down at a rate of 4.8 mph, and miles 10 - 13.1 clocked in at 4.4.  OH YES!  I DID IT!

I DID IT!


I DID IT!!


I DID IT!!!

I really did it!  I ran the full half marathon, somewhat unplanned, as I had not anticipated running the full distance for another 2 1/2 weeks.  Honestly, sometimes the best things in the world are unplanned and spontaneous.  I have to say that this was one of them.


Até amanhã... 
9/16/11 - 13.1 miles | 2 hrs 36 mins | 5.0 mph | 1385 kcal

Thwarted again.

Some days just don't go as you planned.  In fact, this whole week has been rather like that.  Busy, busy, busy ... finishing projects, work, obligations, meetings, visiting friends and relatives, new endeavors, bad weather ... ... WHEN can I fit in the 11 miles I have been scheduling myself to run since last Friday??   That question has been wearing on me for the last several days. In theory the 11 miles should take just a little over 2 hours, if I can maintain a decent pace.  I also have to take into account that when I run for 2 or more hours I have to be careful about what I plan to do after, knowing that I will need a couple of hours post-run to recover and relax sore muscles.


I decided this evening to try to fit in the run after work, before it got too dark.  I set out just after 6 PM, made it 2.1 miles into the wooded area of my preferred distance course, and jumped out of my skin when I rounded the bend and ran into a gaggle of turkeys.  Turkeys are not like turkey buzzards.  Turkey buzzards leave living creatures alone.  Turkeys, on the other hand, are bigger than their buzzard relatives, and can be downright mean, a fact I once learned the hard way from a neighbor who used to raise 100 at a time. I'm not sure if these were wild birds or someone's free range hobby, but I took off in the same direction I came from, while the gobblers went the other way.


That was it for me running this evening, though.  I just stopped, not the turkeys' fault, just too late to finish this tonight.  Those 11 miles that I can't stop thinking about, or at least the remaining 8.9, will have to wait for another day.

Até amanhã... 

9/15/11 - 2.1 miles | 23 min | 5.5 mph | 230 kcal

Predicting the future

Just when all the butterflies have been displaced by fluttering leaves, the ground has become covered by another harbinger of colder weather.  I have to be careful not to step on the numerous woolly bear caterpillars scrunching their way from here to there as they look for a safe spot to cocoon until spring, when they will turn into tiger moths.  I am reminded of the fable I heard as a child that more black on the woolly means more winter, more brown indicates that the winter will be mild.  I decided to check into this theory, seeing that most of the caterpillars I'm avoiding are decidedly on the dark side.  It's a fun story!  


In 1948, the curator of insects at the American Museum of Natural History in NYC, Dr. C. H. Curran, came up with the theory that the color configuration on these caterpillars had significance.  He did an 8 year study measuring the length of the brown middle vs. the intensity of the winter.  He determined there was a correlation, and formed The Original Society of the Friends of the Woolly Bear.  The idea caught folks' imagination in many places, and an entire generation grew up believing this woolly folklore.  There is even a Woolly Worm Festival each October in Banner Elk, North Carolina!

Tiger Moth

According to entomologist Mike Peters from the University of Massachusetts, "There's evidence that the number of brown hairs has to do with the age of the caterpillar --- in other words, how late it got going in the spring. The [band] does say something about a heavy winter or an early spring.  The only thing is . . . it's telling you about the previous year."  You can read the details about the woolly caterpillar at www.almanac.com.   


I'm glad I finally got to the bottom of one of those old wives' tales I have wondered about since I was a kid.  Now as I appear possessed running in a zig-zag pattern trying to dodge squishing them on my new running shoes, I will laugh to myself about how Dr. C. H. Curran convinced us all that these prickly little beasts could predict the future.


Até amanhã... 

9/14/11 - 3.2 miles | 44 min | 5.3 mph | 230 kcal

Butterflies

There is definitely a chill in the air, and a noticeable diminution of some of my favorite running companions, butterflies.  I'm not sure why I never noticed the large variety Lepidoptera fluttering around until this summer, but it's truly extraordinary.  These colorful creatures seem to come in waves.  I remember early in the summer seeing a many shades of orange.  Then came blue with beautiful silver dots, and after that very large graceful yellow butterfly, some Monarchs (the only butterfly I can name), and now a dainty little yellow butterfly.  I have enjoyed these living fluttering colors, now being replaced by fluttering leaves.  Time passes quickly; today marks the 3 month mark I've been at this, and the completion of 250 miles running! --- Whoopie! 

Até amanhã... 

9/13/11 - 4.0 miles | 44 min | 5.5 mph | 411 kcal

Tight tolerances

Most of the time we can get away with being imprecise, such that when we see absolute precision we find it exhilarating.  Such was the case on the 10th anniversary of 911, when the United States Airforce Thunderbirds put on an extraordinary show over Niagara Falls, the only airshow in the country on that day.  Talk about tight tolerances!  What they do is an amazing feat of technology combined with the personal fortitude of the pilots and backup crew to perfect their individual ability to perform to the highest of standards.  Even though I know the stats on how many times the Thunderbirds have successfully performed these maneuvers without crashing, the sound and spectacle still made my heart flutter. I, the 50,000 plus folks in attendance, and a major portion of the population within a 25 mile radius are still ooo-ing and ahhh-ing.   It's not possible to refrain from catching your breath when the planes soar overhead, no matter how many times you've seen the Thunderbirds or Blue Angels perform.


The commemoration was made even better for me as my family was escorted around the base by my sister's son, Eric, a proud member of the Airforce.  Speaking of precision, check out the action shots of the Thunderbirds, taken by my cousin, Cindy, with her precision camera.  Amazing!


Overall, life is a pretty imprecise proposition.  In many instances we can get through our days almost, sorta, kinda, maybe; sometimes we're in a fog, and frequently we're just not sure.  Carlos Miceli stated in his essay on the Consequences of Imprecision, "We live in imprecise times.  Our desires and fears are tainted with subjectivity.  There's no right or wrong, no black or white, no real or imaginary."  I very rarely am required to perform any tasks that require anywhere near the precision that the professionals that fly those planes.  But watching them, I am inspired to push myself a little harder, strive a little more, run just a bit farther, and remember how lucky I am to be able to have the freedom to do so.
Até amanhã... 
9/11/11 - 2.0 miles | 21 min | 5.4 mph | 211 kcal

By the light of the silvery moon

Tonight was the night for my first full moon run.  I have wanted to try this for some time, but the moonlight has never been bright enough.  I was inspired in part by UM's fabulous night-light victory over Notre Dame on Saturday, as well as my significantly over-busy schedule the rest of day.  I just didn't have time to run when it was still daylight.  I have a running headlight, but I found it bright enough to run tonight without any artificial illumination. I did have to use a little extra caution to not trip on uneven spots in the road, preventing me from running as fast as I would have liked. Even so, it was a truly inspiring run.  


Oooo yes, b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l!  If only every night were like tonight, I would be an ultra-marathoner.  :) 


Até amanhã... 
9/12/11 - 2.0 miles | 20:18 min | 5.9 mph | 209 kcal

*NEVER* underestimate the power of 27 seconds.

Hail to the victors valiant!  I love a good underdog-gets-the-victory-coming-from-behind story.  Today my alma mater pulled it out in a most spectacular fashion.  The Wolverines were down until the final *27 seconds* of the game, when Denard Robinson produced exactly the right amount of magic.  NEVER underestimate the power of 27 seconds. Victory is ours!  


This game was made even more special because it was the very first time the valiant ones took to the field at the Big House after sundown. Michigan Stadium is the largest stadium in the United States, and the third largest in the world, seating 109,901 happy fans several Saturdays every autumn.  Until this evening's game, M-fans always had to watch the games during the day because there were no lights.  Tickets were exorbitant, upwards of $400 each for non-season ticket holders.  Worth it though, the roar of the crowd as the scoreboard read 35 - 31 is just as wonderful whatever the position of the sun.  Now, we're just waiting for the same 27 seconds of magic during the O-how-I-hate (some spell that Ohio) State game. 


No time for the 11 mile run, but I was able to squeeze in a not-so-quick 2-miler ...
Até amanhã... 
9/10/11 - 2.0 miles | 20:23 min | 5.9 mph | 211 kcal

Life in the fast lane!

Much as I wanted to get my 11 mile jaunt in today while it was still rainy and cool, the exertions of the rest of my life cut into my run time.  I only had the time for a 2 mile gallop.  Gallop I did!  I pushed as hard as I could from the start, and cut 44 seconds off what was my fastest pace!  As much as I'm not quite sure when tomorrow I will be able to find a spare 2 1/2 hours to run 11 miles, I'm singing with joy today about my new speed record for 2 miles:  17 minutes 20 seconds!   

Até amanhã... 
9/9/11 - 2.0 miles | 17:20 min | 6.9 mph | 209 kcal

Puddles 'n mud

Not long ago I was at a meeting where some of the members were discussing the state of joblessness in Michigan.  One of them commented that "at least we don't have hurricanes!"  It turns out the although we don't generally experience storms the size of Katrina, we do actually experience the remnants of hurricanes, as we are currently being drenched by Lee.  


Regardless of the source of rain, and the mud and puddles, I've decided that I like running in  breeze and falling water when it's 60 degrees.  Today I dropped 20 seconds off of yesterday's 2 mile time!  I am slated to run 11 miles this weekend, and want to move that up from Saturday to tomorrow, so that there's still some of Lee left in the atmosphere to refresh me.


Até amanhã... 
9/8/11 - 2.0 miles | 18:04 min | 6.7 mph | 211 kcal

Running in the rain

It was cold yesterday, and today it is both cold and wet.  Determined to be undaunted by mere weather, I waited until it was a medium drizzle rather than full downpour and suited up for my 2 mile interval run.  I used a visor to keep as much of the rain off of my glasses as possible, and my old running shoes so that the new ones can stay clean a little longer.  According to about.com, I had the right idea.  They say:

• Dress in layers if it's cold.
• Wear a hat with a brim.
• Don't overdress.
• Wear something bright so that you're visible.
• Wear old running shoes
• Prevent chafing (not necessary on short runs)
• Protect your electronics
• Dry your shoes and everything else thoroughly when you're done
• JUST RUN!

About.com was right, particularly on the last point.  The hardest part of the whole thing was before I began, when I was looking out the window and saying, "Yuck!  I just don't want to do this!"  Once I got started, I found myself having a great run.   I realized that the rain was refreshing, and the novelty made it more fun.  I doubt that the novelty would carry over if it were a 10 mile run, but for a 2 mile run it was *perfect*.  How do I know that?  I ran my fastest 2 miles so far!  
Até amanhã... 
9/7/11 - 2.0 miles | 18:23 min | 6.6 mph | 211 kcal

Motion therapy

It is impossible to believe that fall is here, particularly when looking at the calendar.  But the 53 degree temperatures, heavy cumulus clouds, and colorful first fallen leaves tell a different story.  It was a pleasure running today, even with a sweatshirt to keep the chill away. Cool is good, but soon it will be c-o-l-d.  As hard as the miles are sometimes, I have come to anticipate my runs with with pleasure, and I don't want to give up all the benefits when the snow flies. "Numerous studies have shown that exercise stimulates the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine, and beta-endorphin, all of which elevate mood and reduce depression and anxiety", according to Betsy Noxon of Runner's World magazine, veritable motion therapy :)  With all of that good, how will I stop?  When I saw my breath this early this morning I had to wonder, but fortunately I don't have to answer that question for another few weeks.  It's supposed to be 75 degrees again by the end of the week.


Até amanhã... 
9/6/11 - 3.2 miles | 35 min | 5.4 mph | 346 kcal

Laboring today...

"My father taught me to work.  He did not teach me to love it."  ~Abraham Lincoln

The concept that hard work will eventually pay off is one of the primary motivations behind our form of government.  Americans, at least the ones who remain employed, are said to work some of the longest weeks without as much annual vacation as much of the rest of the civilized world.  Some historians pin the American work ethic on Germany, which, given the work ethic of my German grandmother, I could easily believe.  But, as it turns out, Germans work on average fewer hours, with higher productivity, and greater quality of life, than most Americans, according to some measures.  Obviously there is more to it than a simple [hard work] = [good pay] equation.

The concept of hard work was instilled in me by my family when I was young.  So how did I celebrate this Labor Day?  At 57 degrees it was downright COLD this morning for running, especially as I think back to two days ago when it was above 90.  I'm still recovering from the 10 miles I did on Saturday, so I took today's 3 miles at a leisurely pace.  My route was filled with other runners also laboring away.   I imagine we all preferred to be sunning ourselves at the beach rather than running, but would have had to travel 200 miles south to do so without shivering at the same time.  Instead, the group of us invested our cool cloudy morning working hard to improve our mental and physical fitness.  I worked on a math calculation as I was running.  If I had a Lincoln penny for every second I've run since I began this venture, I would be $1667.52 richer than I currently am.  The thought occurred to me, is this worth the work?  I'm banking on it.


Até amanhã... 
9/5/11 - 3.2 miles | 37 min | 5.2 mph | 338 kcal

The first 10 minutes, and metabolic profiling

Over the last few weeks of running I've noticed that it always takes me about 10 minutes of running before I feel like I'm in sync with what I'm supposed to be doing.  At first my stride is too short, my breathing too shallow, and my arms aren't swinging the right way.  I can tell without knowing how far I've gone when that 10 minute mark is hit because all the sudden I'm thinking about other things, no longer needing to think about how best to run, until the end of the run, when it gets hard again.


It turns out that there is something a bit special about 10 minutes of exercise.  Dr. Robert Gerszten of Massachusetts General Hospital says, "Ten minutes of exercise has at least an hour of effects on your body."  There's a new field of metabolic profiling, metabolomics, that studies questions such as how long really is it necessary to exercise for optimal fitness effects, and how long the biochemical changes in our bodies last after we stop exercising.  


Hmmm, definite food for thought.  Did he just say I only needed to run 10 minutes, not more than 2 hours, like I did yesterday?  More study necessary!


Até amanhã... 
9/4/11 - 2.0 miles | 21 min | 5.4 mph | 213 kcal

The last mile is the hardest, after the first.

It's 90 degrees right now.  10 miles down.  All I can say is:

#1.  BOOK

#2  DRINK

#3.  LAKE

Até amanhã... 
9/3/11 - 10.0 miles | 2 hrs 8 mins | 4.6 mph | 1088 kcal

DROID!!!!!!!!

I took a very leisurely trot around the lake early this morning before the temperature hit the forecasted 98 degrees. No pushing for time or form on this run, I just wanted to stay loose in preparation for tomorrow.  Hopefully I'll be able to run a full 10 miles, for the first time since I was 17.


You may wonder how I count the time, miles, rate and kcals.  I use the CardioTrainer app on my Droid phone.  It maps the route, and totals all the metrics by day, week, month and year.  It's very encouraging to look at the "How far have I gone?" map to see that since the beginning of the year I have run, walked, paddled, peddled, and skied all the way to either Jacksonville, Florida or Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  I still have 12 states on my "haven't visited yet" list.  Maybe this is how I'll do it: virtually, by phone, in keeping with the latest generation.  If you also have this app, send me an email and we'll have a friendly competition by connecting with the app feed share.  


   :)   The wonderful part about the app is that while running it will tell you "ONE .. MILE .. NINE .. MINUTES .. THIRTEEN .. SECONDS", or "TWO .. MILES .. SIX .. MILES - PER - HOUR" for encouragement.  


   :(   The bad part is that my phone tends to reset midway through many of my runs so I still have to use my stopwatch and do the math.  When the phone resets it displays a flash graphic like the one on the left.  Most annoying!  


I recently saw a billboard advertising the Motorola Droid picturing that little red reset graphic.  Not good advertising:  None of us who have to put up with that mechanical voice saying "Lost Service" accompanied by the pretty flash illustration are inspired to buy a phone that displays it because it just reset again.


Hopefully my phone will avoid the reset for the 2 hours or so it will likely take me to run 10 miles tomorrow, so that I can have a better idea how to set my pace for the big race, which is exactly one month from today.  Yeah!


Até amanhã... 
9/2/11 - 2.0 miles | 21:58 mins | 5.5 mph | 211 kcal

"Failure is a better teacher than success."

Success is sweet

My son, although a good soccer player, is no fan of running.  Every time I return from a run he looks at me with total disdain.  *Why* would anyone put herself through this kind of obviously sweaty duress?  One of the talents at which he excels is chess.  Before he ever went to school he would play chess on the computer, since no one else in the family could provide much of a challenge.  One wintry week when he was still in elementary school he asked if I would take him to a chess tournament the upcoming Saturday.  I assumed it was local, and said yes, figuring it would be good for him to find some kids who would provide more of a contest than the home folk did.  I was very sorely dismayed on Friday night when I asked which school I needed to take him to the next morning, and I found out it was the state tournament, on the OTHER side of the state, and we needed to leave at 3:30 in the morning.  UGH!

Not only did I have to take Cam, but I also had to take his younger sister, Julia, who was completely ventilator dependent at that point, as well as on many different medications.  I spent much of the evening preparing.  We were up at 3:30 AM, and we made it to the tournament in time, despite the miserable driving conditions.  I vowed to make absolutely sure I knew all the details before I ever said "yes" again to another request to go to any kid events.

Cam settled in to his first game.  Julia and I settled in to a quiet corner where I could monitor her, her machinery, and any floating germs very closely.  I waited for results.  Cam won his first game!  Everyone congratulated him, and we settled in for the next game.  Amazingly, he won that one too.  The games were getting harder as he was placed against others who also won their first games.  Somehow, though, he won the third game.  And the fourth.  And then, late in the afternoon, he won his fifth.  He won every game he played that day, and rather than leave for the very long drive home, he wanted to stay to receive his trophy.  Julia was tired, and hurting, and I was exhausted from the late night, early driving, and long day of caregiving.  But there was no way I could leave without Cam having his moment of much deserved majesty.

To this day, the memory of what happened next is one of my favorite memories of two decades of being a mother.  Cam was called up to go in front of the crowd, have his photo taken, and receive his award.  He did.  Then he walked back through the audience, and gave his medal to his sister, Julia, who would never be able to win any medals on her own.

I remember telling Cam something he didn't need to know that day, but did need to know plenty of other times as he honed his game and became an even better player. Former World Chess Champion Jose Raul Capablanca said, "You may learn much more from a game you lose than from a game you win. You will have to lose hundreds of games before becoming a good player."  According to a recent University of Colorado study, "Success may be sweeter, but failure is a better teacher."  It was hotter today than it has been for several weeks, and I didn't feel like running, much less trying to beat my recent interval times.  I did run, didn't beat my intervals, but know that I will do better tomorrow.  Any doubts?  Think of Capablanca, and read this excerpt the University of Colorado's press release about how failure leads to success in life.


Até amanhã... 
9/1/11 - 2.0 miles | 19:23 mins | 6.1 mph | 206 kcal