Take Back The Morning

Now that I’ve recovered from the flu, pneumonia, and a hacking cough of four weeks; now that the lazy days of summer are past, it’s time to take back the mornings, and use that time to get done what I need to get done.

Nearly two years ago, I wrote about an automatic timer that is used with a lamp.  It brightens gradually over 30 minutes, helping to wake up more gently.

So, adding that to the earlier light from turning back from daylight savings, I will be

• Running
• Resistance training
• Planning and organizing my day

Not all of that every morning, but each a few times a week. 

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Joe’s First 10k Race, Part 2

A few weeks ago, I started to write about my first 10k race.  Here is the rest of the story.

A little bit of hoopla at the start line, and we were off.

Or, more appropriately, the first several hundred people at the front of the line were off while everyone else shambled forward a few steps at a time until the crowd thinned.

Once across the line, it was possible to get a slow jog going.  Better runners move ahead of you. Lots of groups passing, so I try to keep left to stay out of their way, but not so far left that I’m stepping on the walkers and slower runners. 
(Slower than me?? Not many of those.)

The first mile was a breeze, slight downhill grade.  Same through the second mile, but haven’t hit my stride, yet.

In the third mile we started up the overpass leading to the Interstate Bridge.

Slowed down a bit, took a few walk breaks.  Once on the bridge, was able to start running again through to about the mile 4 marker.

It was around this point, on the West side of the river approaching Waterfront Park, that the pain set in on my left foot.

I had experienced this pain earlier in the year.  Treadmill or road, it didn’t matter.  After getting better shoes, as well as trying a couple of different gel inserts, I thought I had it licked, but there it was again.  A burning in the sole of my left foot spiking a bit more with each impact. 

So, I alternated between walk and run, and kept it down to a dull roar.

By this time, the faces around me were pretty familiar.  I know that I’m no spring   chicken at 40, but I think that most of the people around had good 20 years on me.

Run. Walk. Run. Walk.  I’d pass the slower people.  Then the quicker walkers and slower runners would pass me again.  Back and forth. Back and forth.

Then I saw her.  My nemesis. My enemy.  She was 70’ish, shorter, a very determined gait with a bit of swagger. 

And she carried her cane under her right arm.  She was one of those who was in front of me half the time, behind me half the time. 

I would not let her finish before me.  Consider me sexist or agist.  I just didn’t want it to happen.

Much the same through miles 4 and 5.  Most of this was on concrete and not blacktop, so a little tougher on the feet and knees.  Coming into sight were the newer high rise condominiums that I had scrambled through the previous day searching for an ATM, so I knew the end was getting close.

Walk. Run. Walk. Run.

Old woman, shuffle, shuffle.  She kept her cane under her arm, and it swung back and forth with her gait.  Dangerous!

OUCH OUCH OUCH!!!!!!  Foot killing me.  Finish line in sight.  Slow down.  Get ready to walk it out the rest of the way.

Then, from behind me, I hear “KEEP GOING, DON’T STOP. I’ve been behind you all morning. YOU’RE DOING GREAT! YOU CAN KEEP GOING!!”

I look behind me, and a woman I’ve never met or seen looks me in the eye and starts waving me forward.

So, I go.  Pain be damned, I sprint out the last few hundred yards.

I totally left that old woman behind.

I was able to check the official results online later in the day, and I finished in 87 minutes.  Based on my training runs, I was expecting about 90 min, so right on the nose.

Epilogue

The 10k was sponsored by Widmer brewing and The Old Spaghetti Factory. 

It’s 9:30 in the morning, and everyone was eating pasta and drinking free beer.  The coupon for the complimentary beers (yes, we were allowed two of them) was actually part of our number pinned to our shirts.

It was good beer, but the pasta was a little too al dente for my tastes.

While I hope to keep running similar events, at this time, I don’t plan to extend my training to include marathons and half marathons.  10k is quite sufficient.

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Alarm Clock vs. Smartphone

In the constant ebb and flow of mess and clutter on and around the nightstand, in addition to the regular purge of outdated Newsweeks and finished crosswords, I took a moment to consider the hardware.

Alarm clock with a single alarm, using either radio or CD.

My iPhone with numerous, easily programmable alarms using the built sounds, or a large variety of apps to download; wake to mp3s or stored podcasts. Some of them will display the time just like an alarm clock if you charge while you sleep.

But with other clocks floating around like on the cable box, that last isn't necessary for me.

It was an easy choice, gives me more space for my glasses, makes it easier to customize my schedule, such as getting earlier to run MWF and lift TTh, and rotating the alarm sounds so I don't get too accustomed to any one in particular.

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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

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An Easy Crop for Harvest: Basil

I started a few basil seeds early in the Spring.  I tried to get them going in a little sub-irrigated planter that I’d read about.  It’s really just a large soda trimmed and water in the base. 

Unfortunately, after moving it outside, I lost track of it with my other projects, and it withered.  Once I cleared out some overcrowded space in the front yard, I moved the witherd plants up there, plenty of water, and now I have a pesto to make.

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Some Initial Thoughts on Going Vegetarian

It was a few months ago that I went vegetarian.  And it’s been a month since taking the next step and going vegan.  But first a few notes on that first step.

1. Not a big problem to give up the meat.  I was already eating so little meat, it wasn’t an issue.  And the substitutes are usually sufficient to sate any cravings.
2. It was really uncommon to run into any problems eating out.  Veggie burgers are common options at most restaurants.
3. I absolutely, positively do not miss drive-thru.  Especially anything with ground meat. 

There are many arguments to be made for dropping meat from your diet. I’ll give you some links, but I’ll leave it to you to decide.  I’ve seen or read some of the books and movies, and the others come highly recommended.

Websites

• Vegetarians have a much smaller impact on the environment. 
• An AARP and NIH study says red meat = dead meat.
• Meat is unnecessary to be a power athlete.
• Real Delia provides 5 reasons to go veg.
• The American Dietetic Association fully supports a vegetarian diet.
• 5 key steps to make the transition.

Movies

• Fast Food Nation
• Food, Inc.
• King Corn (Green Packaging)
• The Future of Food

Books

• Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal (P.S.)
• The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health
• The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and Our World
• The New Becoming Vegetarian: The Essential Guide To A Healthy Vegetarian Diet

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Joe’s First 10k, Part 1

It is one week post 10k. 

In the days leading up to the Pints to Pasta 10k last Sunday, I ran a few times, leisurely, but trying to see what my pace would be like for 6.2 miles.  Based on those runs, I was guessing between 90 and 100 minutes.

Bad Procrastination #1: Registration

As of Friday, hadn’t registered yet.  I go to the website, but they’ve disabled online registration due to the proximity of the run.  But I could still go to Portland Running Co. on Saturday morning, right?  So I thought.  In a rare moment of looking before I leap, I called the store.  Ahhh HELL!!  They’ve already stopped.
I’m panicked now, thinking that I’ve completely missed it, what I’ve been working toward for six months. 
RELIEF!!  For a few hours, later in the afternoon, rigistration will be open in the Spaghetti Factory parking lot.  (the pasta in Pints to Pasta.)

So, packed up the family, as this would be a good opportunity to buy lunch.  Plus, my kids would have flipped out had I got within 100 feet of that restaurant without them eating there.

They went in to get a table, and I went to the signup table.  Get to the front of the line. 
CASH ONLY!!!
OK, this isn’t a sign.  Run to the table, empty our pockets.  $32 among us.  Three dollars short. 
Dash out to the car, and drive around for 20 minutes looking for an ATM.  Find one, get the cash, head back to the parking lot, register, get my number and shirt.  Now I can casually take my meal with the family.

Bad Procrastination #2: Planning

I had never run that far.  I had no idea of what to do the evening before?  Is it like taking a blood test?  Should I fast for 12 hours before? 

So I jumped online, and did one of the things I do best.  Googled it.

Obviously, there are a lot of different opinions. 

I ate lightly, had trouble falling asleep, made sure all possible alarms were set, and turned out the lights.

On to the Main Event

Got up, got dressed, filled my water bottle, made some toast and jam, and away I went. 

Tried, and I do mean tried, to follow the parking lot attendants to the limited parking spots.  Then changed parking spots when someone jumped out of the bushes and argued with the event volunteers about parking in “his spots”. 

Checked in, and then got in line with 1000 others to catch the shuttles to the starting line.

“Shuttle” is a euphemism for school bus.  And of course, everybody made wise cracks about feeling like a 6th grader.

Perhaps for the more experienced racer, the bus ride was a non-event.  In my mind, though, it was endless.  It kept going and going.  We were on the freeway, for crying out loud.  And I would have to run all the way back!!!

Busses unload, and the crowds mill around, waiting for things to get started. 

Waiting, waiting, waiting.

Ready? Set…

Well, it doesn’t kick off like a 100m dash. 
It’s a slow, slow process.  It’s like an hour glass'; a huge group trying to squeeze through a narrow gap, and then spreading back out again.

We had RFID sensors on our shoes; as we pass through the start and finish lines, the system records our times.

GO!!

At this point, unless you’re at the front of the pack, it takes a few minutes  to get some elbow room. 

I’ll let you know about the race next.

 

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