Running Through Life

Head up, eyes on the horizon.
Stolen from an article I read in Men's Health magazine about Aaron Rodgers. A great article about possibly the best quarterback in the NFL. Read it here. (and I am not a Packer fan)

But let us think about those six words...about that small statement.
            Head up - simple enough. Keep your head up to see where you are going. Keep your head up to keep your body in better alignment. Keep your head up to stay positive about yourself and life.
                               Eyes on the horizon
Eyes forward, on the horizon to give you a sense of direction, to keep you moving forward, helping stay positive in seeing your goal and reaching it. 


Reading that article - it was about fitness, about complete body fitness. Not about lifting heavy weights. But more about keeping your head, your eyes, your mind on the goal. Being able to multi-task to complete your objective. To complete your goals. 


It made me think a little about myself, of who I am, of how I got here and where I want to go. While I will not make a diary entry here, I am here because of all the decisions I have made in the past. Decisions that were not always with my head up or eyes on the horizon. Some of those were made with very cloudy eyes or a very fogged up brain with my head hanging low. Decisions that I had to live with, decisions that shaped me into who I am. 

I have always tried to be good to people. I think VGFatBoy and JoannaRuns will attest that I try to be good. And I believe I am good. I have my eyes on the horizon. Sometimes it takes the people around me to lift my chin and point my eyes back in the correct direction, but that is why they are my friends. 

To all of you reading this, head up, eyes on the horizon. I hope mine will always be there with help from you.

And keep reading in the near future to catch a glimpse of my horizon. It is breathtaking.

My last goat. Gone. I have no more. I am not sad. It is a relief, a weight off my shoulders, a blessing in disguise. Not that they were evil varmints out to ruin my life, eat anything with color on it, trample the garden, destroy fences and cause property damage. No they were none of that. Ha!

Now I have 6 acres of free and uncluttered pasture. What should I fill it with now? What should the next, great farming adventure be? I wait with breath abated your wisdom on my future. What say you!!!!

On that note, the acupuncture last night was pretty damn awesome. Thank you Second Wind Running Club for your speaker series. I have plantar fasciitis in both feet but for the demo he worked on one. It did relax. It is still there. The knot is still there, but the tension is lessened. One foot did not hurt this morning when I got out of bed. I am considering going back and having more done. He is located in Urbana. See here.

Running schedule - I forgot that I had signed up for the Forest Glen 5 mile trail run (10.20) which makes 3 possible marathons out of the question (though I could have only chosen one). Sorry Joanna. So that probably leaves only the St. Jude marathon as a possibility this year. Smaller runs - lots of them - I am looking at:
Wild Wilderness 7.45m - 9.30
Wooly Worm 5k - 10.6 (against an 11 yo and clocked a low 30 already)
Forest Glen 5m - 10.20
Allerton 5.5m - 10.28
Run for the Library 5k - 11.17

Wow, maybe I should have entitled this post 'Lots o' Links'.

That's it. Peace out.

Last weekend was the Indy mini. I went and ran with 30618 of the best finishers I could find. It was cool but humid and a little sprinkle at the end. This is the one of the few races I have run multiple times. It is one I happen to enjoy running.
I went there with a friend (we'll call him Rogue) and promptly proceeded to the bar across the street The Wild Beaver Saloon A rustic, simple place with an interesting dress code for the female staff. Pants cut out from the waist band down to mid thigh only attached to the waist at the seams. With that look the ladies wore swimsuit bottoms, panties or what-not with fishnet and leather bras.  Not a bad place. Of course, we had a few beers and then off to Hard Rock for dinner. Not ready to call it a night, we went back to the Beaver for some carb-loading.

Beer does have carbs right? After 5 or 6 we walked across to the hotel for a good night's sleep. I know, convenient.

I got us to the start line early by the Rogue's standards, though the press releases said to be there by 6.45 for a 7.30 race start. We tried to find the hot Mexi-American in her designated corral to no avail. I think she started farther ahead than she was supposed too. 22 minutes after the start of the race we crossed the start line. Off we were, past the zoo (with an elephant watching us crazy two-legged creatures running without any predators in sight), through town and into Speedway and onto 2.5 miles of race track. Off the track and back into town across the river and into Victory Mile.

Just before the race track I caught up with the hot Mexi-American and her hot friend. I chatted with them awhile, congratulated both on their good pacing and then carried on my way.

I was feeling good.
No real pain.
No issues. It was a nice feeling to just jog along at a 10 min/mile pace. I walked the aid stations and quickly took off once my drink was done. I picked it up a little at then end and had plenty of gas left. I felt good.

A 2.13 and some change. Not bad for not running for 2 months. My friends all finished about where they wanted too. It was a good day for all.

The Rogue and I had a friend (Red) come to visit from Columbia and we had more drinks that night. We drank at the Beaver (Red had not been there), Jillians and watch the big fight and then down to the Slippery Noodle for a bands. Back to the hotel we went around 3.30am. Sunday morning came and back home we did drive.

It was a good weekend. i took the prescribed few days off from running and then started back into my routine  with some fast 400m repeats (1.36 - 1.47). There will not be a lot of hard running this month as I am trying to build base back again.

In 2 weeks is the Buffalo Trace 5 mile trail where the Running Doc ran during an appendicitis attack and Alison captured a third place age group trophy. I think I will run it again. It is a fun trail run. It won't be as much fun without the 2 of them, but still a nice run through the meadows, over streams and under the leafy canopy of trees. (Thoreau/Whitman have nothing on me). Then hopefully, I'll continue on for a longer run after that.

Sorry for the long winded post, but I felt like I had a lot on my chest. Here is to a good racing season to all of you. On that note, I just wanted to copy something here that I read on another type of blog I follow. I have no idea who wrote it or when. I know the blog I saw it on is not the original author. But here it is -

Take a step back. Fucking look at yourself. You are human. You are beautiful. You are so beautiful. And you can be anything. You can be everything. Don't hate everyone because someone broke your heart, Or because you parents split up, or your best friend betrayed you ,your father hit you, the kid down the street called you fat, ugly, stupid, worthless. Do not concern yourself with things you can not control. Cry when you need to , then let go when it's time. Don't hang onto painful memories because your too afraid to forget. Let go of things that are in the past. Forget things that aren't worth remembering. Stop taking things for granted. Stop taking life for granted. Live for something. Live for yourself. Fall in love. Fall out of love. Fall in love. Fall out of love.Do this over and over until you know what it really takes to love someone. Question things. Tell people how you really feel. Sleep under the stars. Create. Imagine. Inspire. Share something wonderful. Meet new people. Make someone's day. Follow your dreams. Live your life to its full potential. Just live dammit. Let go of all the horrible things in your life and just f●●king live. And one day, when your old, look back with no regrets.


- the beginning of the end

The Indy mini is Saturday. Yours truly will be there. Since I gave up running (for Lent, for injury, for, oh just because) two months ago. Yes, Running Doc, I have only run 3 days in March, 0 in April and yesterday. It will be tough. A PR does not look to be practical (2.04.26 - 2009) this year.

2009 was also the year I beat my son as well. With him serving our country proudly and in the best shape of his life, I do not ever see me beating him again. Love ya, Jake.

But I am trying to get back into. I ran yesterday. Mile repeats at 7.40 pace. Extremely fast for me for not running for 2 months. I need to ease back into as I have been told by my best running friend. As she told me - Above all, consistency seems to be key for you. You have a tendency to go out hard for three weeks. Even while it's physically possible, you're physically capable of it, it's too hard on the body to jump in. The body's response is to shut down and preserve for a bit, and the inconsistency sets in. Start out easy this time!  I replied - Consistency is the bane of my existence along with determination, fortitude and drive. Some day I will find a way around these debilitating factors of mine. Until then I rely on you, Hookers and others to continue to remind of what might be if only I had a heart.

And the Running Doc is correct. Like usual. Guess she deserves that PhD she has. :) I do start out tough, hard. Like gangbusters only to eventually fall flat. Deflated like a popped balloon. Not sure what it really is. Maybe I have some inner psychosis that refuses to be successful and not allow myself to become happy and achieve the greatness that resides in me. Not that I am great, but we all have a greatness in us, the ability to achieve that which we don't think we can.

My training plan is pretty simple - run. Run 3 days a week and make them good, quality timed runs. To that end I have adopted training from the FIRST program or Run Less, Run Faster. The training programs they have are all the same, just the times are different. With that here is my plan -

Here's to running consistently

- the beginning of the end

Running Doc got her scheduled run in earlier today. I had a 9 mile EZ run scheduled for today that would have put me a few miles ahead of her. Let's go to Webster for the definition of easy.

Webster says - causing or involving little difficulty or discomfort. And to me that means a 10 to 10.30 pace. Unfortunately my body likes rebel against my brain. And brain is kind of a wimp and gives in. 


Warmup - 9.05.79 - too fast
Mile 2 - 8.39.05 - wtf!!!
Mile 3 - 9.30.35 - water break adds an extra 30 seconds, but I am pleased
Mile 4 - 8.51.68 - impressive
Mile 5 - 9.25.77 - getting dark - had to slow down to read street signs
Mile 6 - 8.57.22 - rebound for last mile


Total - 55.04/9.08 pace


I could have continued. I was tired but not beat. I made not have continued on a 9 minute pace. I was also a STUPID runner. It would have been very dark before I finished and I wore dark clothes. How dumb is that? So after 6 back in the parking lot at car the I grabbed water and called it quits. A hard 6 = an EZ 9. 


I am still happy. 


Challenge total - 6.1 + 6.0 = 12.1


Now I have to lay a disclaimer - the Challenge really isn't about who runs more (the Running Doc is likely to get out at 11pm just to grab an extra 5) but more about getting my lazy, slug-like ass off the couch. I actually have more miles scheduled for the week than she does, but I am far better at skipping runs or shortening them. Tonight's run.... but I am glad for the Challenge and super happy than the Running Doc has got my back  and keeping me going. 


- the beginning of the end


P.S. - Boo to the BAA that is lowering qualifying times for slow middle aged runners like me.