Community effort

Dexter Tornado aftermath

More than 700 people walked through downtown Dexter MI on Saturday raising over $12,000 to help victims of the tornado, while another 500 helped with the ongoing cleanup in the stricken neighborhoods.  Washtenaw County is adding $250,000 to the clean-up effort according to ClickonDetroit.com, and based on what I saw today there were at least as many volunteers helping as yesterday. It continues to amaze me when looking at how thoroughly some of the houses were demolished that no one was hurt! The community of Dexter, MI truly demonstrates Marcus Aurelius's aphorism "To bear misfortune readily is good fortune."

3/25/12 - 6.0 miles | 75 min | 4.8 mph | 662 kcal

Ant-Icks!

So what's up with all this warm weather?  It seems that it's cooling down a bit back to normal, in the 60 degree range today, but not without ramifications.  I went out with the intention of getting in a good 6 miles but found it hard to run.  It's very misty, slight drizzle, 100% humidity.  My glasses steamed up to the point where I couldn't see well, such that I nearly stepped on snake #3 for the season. The first two were garter snakes, in the 18" - 24" range (I never stop to check too closely).  This one looked like a 2' - 3' fat blue racer, almost exactly at the 3 mile mark. Aaaaah!  Yes, I screamed, as always, and jumped about 3 feet in the air, also as always. Sigh. That's when I decided to call it quits for the day, and try for a 6-miler tomorrow.

When I got back home I noticed another feature of an early spring:  a little line of ants is marching up the window sill on the inside.  Ick!  Normally the annual ant march begins towards the end of April, not March.  But there they were.  An hour's worth of cornstarch and dishwashing liquid later, and I think I've won the first battle of what looks like it's going to be a very long spring.  Snakes in March, ants in March... I love the warm weather, but I'm not sure I'm loving all the other consequences.

3/24/12 - 3.0 miles | 36 min | 5.0 mph | 328 kcal  

Bike the Drive!

One great reason to run is to be fit enough to have fun biking the Tour de Troit, and this spring the Chicago version, Bike the Drive!  Alison and I signed up to see how Lake Shore Drive compares to Woodward Ave.  Okay, okay!  I know there's no way Chicago's skyline can beat the glory of the Detroit Depot, but since the Tour de Troit isn't until fall, I'm willing to step down and out in Chicago.  Part of the proceeds go to a good cause too, the Active Transportation Alliance helping to make biking, walking and public transportation more safe.  Sound like fun?  Join us!

Speaking of Detroit, there's a cool event tomorrow in Detroit for bicycle enthusiasts. Detroit Bike City is staging their first ever bike meet/swap at Cobo, and officially opening the Tour de Troit registration if you show up in person.  Otherwise, you'll have to wait until May 1st to sign up for the most fun bike ride this side of the Mississippi.  Just in case you won't be around for the show at Cobo tomorrow here's the sign-up info for the  Tour de Troit off their website:

Online registration for the 2012 Tour de Troit will open on May 1. NEW THIS YEAR: All registrations will include a t-shirt!

May 1 to June 30 – $35/$30 (student) w/t-shirt
July 1 to August 31 – $40/$35 w/t-shirt
Sept. 1 to 10 – $50/45 w/t-shirt
ONSITE (if available) $65 w/t-shirt (size not guaranteed)

If you are extra-excited to register, we are extra-excited to offer a one-day EARLY BIRD registration special in conjunction with Detroit Bike City at Cobo Center on March 24! In-person, cash only, $30 or $25 for a student with valid student ID. See you there!

3/23/12 - 4.0 miles | 45 min | 5.3 mph | 435 kcal

40 degrees warmer than usual

According to some meteorologists, temperatures in Michigan are averaging *40 degrees* warmer than usual.  No wonder we all can't wait to get outside to run at the end of a day's work. Here's the downside:  According to MSU Asst. Entomology Professor Matthew Grieshop, the last time this happened, in the 1940's, there was no appreciable fall fruit crop in our fine state of Michigan.  Many varieties of fruit need a spat of cool weather in the spring to fully develop throughout the summer and fall.  Also, we are far from out of the woods regarding frosts.  If the temperatures plummeted tomorrow to their normal range, all those beautiful buds we are enjoying now would shrivel, and most would likely not re-bud.

Of course, there's not much we can do about most of this, except enjoy what we have today.  It's warm, nice, beautiful running weather, so let's take advantage of it, while we wait for the proverbial other shoe to fall.

3/23/12 - 2.0 miles | 21 min | 5.4 mph | 217 kcal

"There were not so many physical threats that could not be countered with a decent hammer."

It's one thing to come face to face with a funnel cloud, turkey buzzard, or even the gravel flying behind a speeding car while you're running on a dirt road, but it turns out there are some equally deadly but much smaller airborne terrors.  Work ended, I headed to the garage to put my running shoes on, and was surrounded by a cloud of wasps.  I still had 2/3rds of a canister of Raid handy from last year, which I hate to use, but those little devils are taking up residence in a very strategic place between me and the great outdoors.  I drained the can, but still found one in one of my shoes.  Eeek!  And I thought blisters were bad...

After I battled the wasps and filled my shoes with feet rather than preliminary hornet nesting materials, I took to the trails and felt truly inspired.  The goal for today was 5 miles, but as I closed in on the finish line I just wanted to keep going.  I was thinking about all those wasps I had battled just to get my shoes on, and about Lisbeth Salander, the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in my favorite books and movies from 2011. Lisbeth, nicknamed Wasp, is one powerful heroine, and just pondering some of her adventures kept me motivated. I kept laughing at one of my favorite quotes attributed to her character from the books: "There were not so many physical threats that could not be countered with a decent hammer."  I wonder how the girl nicknamed Wasp would deal with the cloud in my carport!  I continued for another circuit. It was a great run on a wonderful evening.

3/21/12 - 7.0 miles | 89 min | 4.7 mph | 764 kcal

Leap into spring!

Did you know that spring officially arrives a day early this year?  Let me guess... you thought it was a full month early based on the budding trees, mosquitoes, balmy temperatures, and occasional passing tornado.  Along with this being the warmest March on record in many parts of North America, it's also the earliest vernal equinox since 1896.  It turns out that this year spring really did arrive early, at 1:14 AM on March 20th in Michigan, which would have been March 21st if 2012 weren't a leap year, and actually was March 19th in California.

Whatever the reason, leap year, jet stream, global warming, or luck, it has been a very good early spring for running I was happy to get a quick three miles in early this morning without wearing my winter coat, and I'm looking forward to the same tomorrow.

3/20/12 - 3.0 miles | 36 min | 5.1 mph | 336 kcal

Why do I really want to run faster than 5 miles per hour?

I can think of more than one reason, but when I read that the fastest snake in Michigan crawls at 4 mph I knew I had all the inspiration I need to make sure to pick up the pace.  I had the opportunity to practice jumping high and dashing away twice on the course this afternoon, when I inadvertently nearly stepped on two different snakes sunning themselves in the warmth of the last day of winter.  Geesh!  If there are this many snakes this early in the year, what will it be like by September??

3/19/12 - 3.0 miles | 35 min | 5.1 mph | 335 kcal

Tour de FOOD gatherers!

I couldn't agree more: Coffee is definitely a vitamin, especially fresh roasted on location!

Tour de Troit, Tour de Chicago, how 'bout Tour de FOOD?!  There is no more quintessential Ann Arbor institution than Zingerman's, except the great UM, of course.  Today Mary Bilyeu and I made the Tour de Ann Arbor by sampling Zingerman's wares at all five locations:  Zingerman's Delicatessen, Roadhouse, Creamery, Bakehouse, and Coffee Company.  UM umm good!  Best of all, the tour was a fundraiser for one of Zingerman's lesser known but most important progeny, the Food Gatherers fresh produce distribution organization, which redistributes an average of more than 5 tons of food daily from what would be disposal to those in need.  This is a charity that has immediate and obvious benefit.  Zingerman's is donating $5 per person for every person who visits all 5 locations within a 24 hour period, to celebrate Zingerman's 30 year anniversary.  If you couldn't join us today, it's not too late.  Zingerman's is honoring their Tour de Food promise through the end of April, so be sure to download your passport and take the tour soon!

Take the Tour de food gatherers, March/April 2012
and help your neighbors in need!

A 24-hour trip around the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses

Take a trip around the Land of a Thousand Flavors and help our neighbors in need in the community! To celebrate our 30th anniversary, we’re switching up the Tour de Food. Now, when you visit the five Zingerman’s businesses below in a 24-hour period and get this passport signed by a staff member at each stop, we’ll donate $5 (per person!) to Food Gatherers. There are very few organizations who can do more with the money that our annually acclaimed local food bank (they routinely receive the highest rating from Charity Navigator). Each $5 donation will mean 15 meals for our friends and neighbors in need in Washtenaw County. So, grab a map and a passport and get set for a day of delicious food and friendly foodies waiting to guide you through the Land of a Thousand Flavors!

Download the Zingermans Tour de Food Gatherers Passport
Download a map to Zingerman’s retail businesses

3/18/12 - 2.0 miles | 23 min | 5.2 mph | 219 kcal 

Congratulations to my inspiration!

I may have got my start in running many years ago, but it was Alison's dedication to continuing to run through a very heavy school, work, and social schedule that inspired me to pick the sport up again last summer.  She re-inspired me again today, when she and her fearless roommate ran across the Hoover Dam and completed their first official half-marathon in great time:    

 16 ALISON BEATTY      RICHARDSON TX     22 F   2:12:33 2:11:26 10:02    

 17 CHRISTINA MAY      RICHARDSON TX     22 F   2:12:33 2:11:26 10:02

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BOTH OF YOU!!  Great job!! Whew, I have a whole lot of running to do to even be able to begin to keep up with you now...  

3/17/12 - 3.0 miles | 33 min | 5.0 mph | 328 kcal

Wind power

View from Dexter-Pinckney Rd., 3/16/12

Today was another breathtaking record breaker of summertime before the spring solstice.  I couldn't resist taking a little bike ride after work, to go see first hand what has been all over the local and national news.

It took my breath away.

The first thing I noticed was yellow police tape on almost every mailbox south of N. Territorial, denoting that the home at the end of the driveway had suffered damage.  House after house was covered with blue tarp were the roof had been before 5PM yesterday.  The sound of generators was at every corner since the electricity hasn't yet been restored, along with saws, hammers, pieces of house being thrown into dumpsters which now are on every corner.  I saw countless utility trucks working on wires, trees, and gas lines.  All entrances to the area are still blocked by state police, but there were people everywhere, working, walking, sharing the tale of survival.  I rode home through Hudson Mills Metropark.  It was disconcerting to see what appeared to be litter down by the river pathway.  On closer inspection I could see that it was debris blown up to a quarter mile away:  house shingles, clothing, a flower pot...

Wind velocity:  135 mph in this F3 tornado
Preliminary damage estimate:  $32,000,000.00
Most amazing fact:  NO ONE was killed or injured!


I'm always happy to be able to get a good run in, especially on a beautiful evening.  After seeing how quickly a normal day can turn into something very different, I feel even more fortunate.

3/16/12 - 1.9 miles | 22 min | 5.1 mph | 203 kcal 

The March lamb roars... like a freight train

There isn't a lot I can say tonight except to be thankful that I'm safe and sound in an intact house.  The extraordinary weather we've been having doesn't come without a cost.  I took the picture to the left peeking out from my basement as the funnel cloud began rotating.  It didn't touch down here, but moved on to do some significant damage nearby.  Check out the amazing video taken by a disc golfer at Hudson Mills and these other shots in Dexter.  The Ides of March 2012 will be memorable in Washtenaw County.

3/15/12 - 1.9 miles | 20 min | 5.4 mph | 203 kcal 

All the stars are aligned!

Jupiter (left), Venus (right) as bright in the night sky as they get!
Read more on National Geographic

Actually, those bright objects in the sky aren't stars, they're planets. But when the weather is this nice, the running this good, and the sky this beautiful, there isn't any need to dwell on technicalities.  It really is March, pinch me!  Last year there were still people ice fishing on the lake St. Patrick's Day weekend.  This year several people put their docks out today. Is it global warming?  Is it the alignment of Venus and Jupiter, with Mars not far away?  Or is it just the nature at its best?  Sometimes I think it's simply wise to accept and enjoy, which is what I did tonight as I ran after dark, in the light of the planets and the moon.

3/14/12 - 2.0 miles | 20 min | 5.4 mph | 203 kcal 

Meekly March

Meek like a lamb, but oh so nice!  I am looking right at the calendar, and still thinking I've got my M's confused.  With highs in the 70's isn't it really May 13th?  Uh uh!  Welcome to the warmest March in recent memory!  Truly, the running weather today was glorious.  I can not remember ever being happier to feel the sun on my face and the wind on my back.  I will need to keep this uppermost in my mind during the lion days of spring and the dog days of summer, but for today, and, according to the trusty Farmer's Almanac, the near future, I'm in luck for the time being.

March 2012
12th-15th. Fair, windy.
16th-19th. Showers, heavy thunderstorms, particularly over Great Lakes, then colder.
20th-23rd. Cold, with snow/flurries for Great Lakes. Changeable elsewhere.
24th-27th. Potent storm sweeps through; heavy precipitation, strong winds, then clearing.
28th-31st. More stormy weather arrives by month's end.

April 2012
1st-3rd. Thundery, squally weather Great Lakes, Ohio River, then clearing.
4th-7th. Fair, then unsettled weather spreading as far east as Illinois and Michigan by 7th.
8th-11th. Showers Ohio River, then fair.
12th-15th. Squally, especially for the Great Lakes.
16th-19th. Fair and pleasant.
20th-23rd. Showers spread in from the west, quickly then improving skies.
24th-27th. Stormy weather arrives by 27th.
28th-30th. Continued stormy most areas.

May 2012
1st-3rd. Sunny to partly cloudy.
4th-7th. Showers, then fair skies. Showers move out of Louisville in time for Derby Day.
8th-11th. Heavy rains Great Lakes.

Will they be right?  I'll let you know every day when I'm out, rain and cold, sun and shine.  :)



3/13/12 - 2.0 miles | 22 min | 5.2 mph | 204 kcal 

Spring ahead!

I'm all for a good essay and support the power of words, but there are some words that have had undo effect on the history of the world, which sometimes includes my personal microcosm.  Take the wry written admonishment of that venerable sage Benjamin Franklin as a primary example.  In his essay An Economical Project, Essay on Daylight Saving, published April 26th, 1784, Ole Ben gently chided his languid French friends for their inability to see the sun before noon on many days.  He suggested somewhat slyly that if only the clock were changed for all, that the more indolent would not be sleeping until midday, simply by redefinition. There is a good reason why the man was considered a genius!

What began as quip garnered serious consideration when Franklin began calculating potential savings in lamp oil and candle wax if only there were just one additional hour of daylight.  The idea floated around for more than a century until put into effect by Germany and Austria at 11:00 p.m. on April 30th, 1916.  Not to be outdone by the enemy, the U.S. Congress followed suit on March 19th, 1918, which begs the question, *WHO* actually won that war, anyway?? A few congressional vacillations later, and the Uniform Time Act of 1966 established daylight savings time as a permanent annual annoyance.

So what do I think of Daylight Savings Time, and what does that have to do with running?  Ralph Schlegelmilch sums my view succinctly in this comment he published as a Letter to the Editor of AnnArbor.com:

When told of the reason for Daylight Saving Time, the old Indian said, "Only the government would believe you could cut a foot off the top of a blanket, sew it on the bottom, and have a longer blanket.”  ~citizen comment in annarbor.com

Beautiful!  I couldn't agree more!  I must add that since I'm given no choice other than to endure marching to the same beat as everyone else who has had their cellphone automatically reset to the "saved" lost hour, I have been able to take significant advantage of this idiocy from time to time.  Once I argued the deadline of a proposal that was due in Eastern Standard Time, and turned in on time even though the clock (on daylight time) recorded the delivery of the document an hour late.  (Proposal accepted. Please don't press your luck using this technique twice, however....)  And now I'm taking advantage of it again.  I'm scheduled to run the Indianapolis Half Marathon on May 5th, and finding myself behind my training schedule... ... until today!

Yes, there's a spring in my step... training time is finally in full stride as I'm able to get out after work and run while the sun is still shining! I've got some catch-up to do, and today I begin dutifully recording my progress, which hopefully will be substantial given all the time the world is now saving.


3/12/12 - 2.1 miles | 24 min | 5.1 mph | 228 kcal