Stupids

Sometimes I think I have sand in my head.  Today I ran into work despite 22 degree weather, the blowing snow, and the two inches of snow already accumulated.  This isn't why I think i have sand in my head.  The reason is my choice of running shoes on a day like today.  I wore a pair of my regular road shoes and ended up slipping and sliding almost the whole way.  For some reason I left my $120 Winter Trail shoes behind.  Why, I  don't know.  I mean that is why I bought the things.  I even looked at them on my way out the door.  Just another case of the stupids.

 

The run itself was good - except for the shoes.  I was reminded of what it feels like when a big snowflake hits you in the eye.  It kinda stings.  The only big change I had to make was to be more observant of oncoming vehicles.  With slippery road conditions there is always a chance that a car may slid into you.  When I was stationed at FT Polk in 1985 we had to run no matter what the weather - rain or shine.  Then one of the Signal Companies had a car slide into their formation while they was running.  A Soldier was killed and that was the end of running in formation on FT Polk in bad weather.

 

Cheatriots

The Eagles almost did it and so did Baltimore but both came up short, so I guess it is up to the Steelers to kick the shit out of the Cheatriots and that goddamn Tom Brady.

It was cold and snowing this morning with a wind chill in the teens. I needed to run 6 - 8 miles but couldn't bring myself to run outside today, knowing that I would be run outside tomorrow on my way to work. I decided to go to the local gym and run on the treadmill. I ran a total of six miles at a 8:30 pace with the third and fifth mile pushed up to a 7:30 pace.

It was a good run but I was reminded as to why I hate treadmills so much. It seems like you are in a time warp because time moves so slowly. Also, there it seems like you really aren't going anywhere - which you aren't - no matter how fast you run. Treadmills have always and will continue to be used by me when there are no alternatives.

50K Fun Run

The other day I received an email from Rick Freeman who is the RD for the Laurel Highland Trail Race saying that he received my entry fee.  I guess I'm officially committed now.  I've been wanting to do this race for two years now but something always came up. Now if everything works out I'll be toeing the starting line on June 14th.  I really can't wait.

 

He also invited me participate in a 50K "Recovery" (from the Holidays) run on January 5th at Upper St. Clair's Boyce/ Mayview park just outside of Pittsburgh.  This just what I needed.  I needed something between now and the Bel Monte Endurance run in March to keep me focused on my training.  I'm really looking forward to the run.  Upper St. Clair isn't far from my house and I'd love to see what the trails are like there.  As much as I love running at RCSP it would be nice to mix it up a bit.  The run takes place on a ten mile loop with some people doing one, some two, and others all three loops.  I plan on doing three - if they don't mind waiting for me.

 

The run into work to day was very nice.  The air was a cool 24 degrees with a clear sky and very little wind.  I wore my lycra spandex long pants for the first time this winter.  I also wore my white nylon - spandex long sleeve shirt under my Brooks bright green shirt.  I also carried the larger of my two CamelBaks.  I had worn my uniform home yesterday because on Fridays is called Steeler Day and we can wear civilian clothes until the end of football season.  The only requirement is that the shirt must reflect a football team.  I carried one of my runnings suites and a grey Steeler tee shirt in my CamelBak.

I felt really good and tried to take it easy knowing that I had a 18 mile run to do tomorrow.  I've noticed that the hills are getting easier and the run isn't as hard, nor does it seem to take as long as it once did.

 

 

Run to Work

Had a very good run into work today.  The temperature was 27 degrees with a clear sky and no wind. I left home at 0640 and the sky was already starting to light up.  I wore spandex shorts, running shorts, a long sleeve shirt, a bright yellow NB over shirt, Army grey stocking cap, and black gloves.  It was chilly starting out but I quickly warmed up as I climbed the first hill.  I felt strong and was glad to be running off all of those calories that I inhaled during the Thanksgiving holiday.

 

As I was climbing up the hill on Beaver Glade road, I meet a bicycle commuter on his way down the hill.  It was only the second time in the three years since I've been running/cycling to work that I meet someone else commuting to work.  I just don't understand why more people don't do this, especially with gas prices at $3.15 a gallon.  I know that some people can't but there are a lot that can.  And for those that can't then why don't they carpool?  As I ran in today I made a note of those cars with more then one people in them.  It was a very, very low percentage.  There was also few passengers on the buses that I saw.  What will it take for people to start to conserve our resources?  I remember in the 70's during the gas shortage there were actually ads in the papers where people was looking for people to carpool with and there were some people who was featured on TV who rode horses to work.  I think the problem now is that even though gas prices is high there is plenty of it.  It would be different if there was a shortage and the lines at the pump went around the corner.  Maybe that is what we need to get people's attention.

 

When I was stationed in Guam we was hit by a Super Typhoon.  Yes there is actually something called a "Super" Typhoon.  We had sustained winds of 165 mph with gusts up to 180 mph.  Anyway, while the typhoon was hitting the island a gas storage tank was hit by lighting and caught fire causing a major gas shortage on the island.  There was no gas at all to be had for about ten days.  As people started to run their tanks dry they would drive to the gas station and line up (see photo).  They would leave their cars parked in line.  With no gas, bicycles became a hot item.  The Giant bicycle shop sold out very soon after reopening and thefts of bicycles were rampant.  You would think that after having to commute on a bicycle, that some people would continue the practise once gas became plentiful but this wasn't the case.  As soon as the gas stations started to sell gas, the bicycles were stored to rust away and once again the roads became crowed with gas guzzling SUV's and pickup trucks. 

 

I guess bad habits are hard to change.

Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving and I have a lot to be thankful for. Sunday night I got a dreaded phone call from my daughter saying she was in a car accident but that she was okay. My wife and I quickly dressed and drove to the accident scene. She was driving in the left had lane of a divided four lane (HWY 60), going north and had dropped her cell phone. She reached down to get it and drifted to the left onto the warning strip. She got scared and over corrected the car, causing it to spin across the road and down a 120 foot bank, taking out one post of a speed limit sign in the process. Amazingly the car didn't roll. Everyone who saw it, from the State Troopers to the tow truck drive said that it should have rolled over. The only damage to the car was a little piece of plastic broken from her right rear quarter panel. She had no injuries other then being scared. I really hope that she has learned that a car is no toy and to take driving serious.

Also, today my son and I went for a short two mile run. About two days ago I caught him reading one of my running books. I asked him if he wanted to go run with me. He said that he didn't care. When he says that it means yes. While I was stationed in Guam he ran with me some. We did some 5Ks together which was a lot of fun. That was in 2003. Now he is 17 and has a lot of other things on his mind then running with his ole' man - or so I thought.

When he got up this morning I asked him if he was ready to go running. I expected him to say no, but to my surprise he said yes. The weather was cool with a sprinkle of ran but it didn't discourage him. We got dressed and drove down to the parking area of the Montour Trail at Mile 6. I told him that I would be running with him and to run a slow and easy pace. He had not run very much other then in the fall when he did conditioning for soccer. After we started I noticed that he was running at a rather quick pace. I doubted that he could keep it up for the whole two miles so I told him that it was better to start out slow and finish fast then it is to start out fast and finish slow. He replied yes when I asked him if he could continue the pace the whole way. We ended up hitting the one mile mark in 8:20. I figured that he would slow on the way back but he picked it up and we ended up finishing in 15:25, which would give the time for the last mile at 7:05. While we didn't set any records I was impressed because my son had not done any running. The next step is to get him to do some races with me. We'll see.

RCSP Loop

Today I had planned on making a trip to Seward PA which is the location of the finish line of the Laurel Highland Trail Race. I was going to do a run of about 16 miles - eight out and eight back, just to get a feel of the trail and to see what I could expect come June. I had everything packed last night and was ready to go this morning. The only thing was it was raining this morning and it was a cool 37 degrees. I would have hated to drive an hour and a half only to find out it was pouring rain. I'm committed to training but I'm not crazy.

I decided instead to drive up to to my old standby - the 20 mile loop at Raccoon Creek State Park. After driving up there and parking by the lake it was still raining. I told myself that I would skip running today and make up for it tomorrow when I would run to and from work. I pulled up to the T - intersection and stopped. If I made left I would be pussing out and go home. I decided to make a right to the trail head of the Heritage Trail. I got out of the car and started running figuring on just doing a couple of miles to see how things worked out. After I started running the rain let up just a little. I then started to sweat some so took off one of the two long sleeve shirts I was wearing. My plan then was to run to Highway 18 and if it was raining hard then I would cut the run to a 10 mile loop. If the weather started to corroborate I would continue on the loop and do a 20 mile training run.

As I crossed Highway 18 I knew that I was going to do the 20 mile loop. I really wanted to do the loop because this year I had not done one due to my injury and this could be the last chance for this year.

It turned out to be a good decision. There was just a sprinkle of rain and the weather was cool enough to be good running weather but not cold enough to be uncomfortable. The trail was damp and in some places really muddy. It was so muddy going down one hill that I almost wiped out. I have run many miles on trails and have yet to take a fall. This was the closest that I have come. I was going down a pretty steep hill and I ran into some mud which was hidden under the leaves. I was going pretty fast but every time I tried to break I would slide, so I just had to move my feet that much faster. The end result was that faster I would go, the more I would slide and the more I would slide, the faster I had to go. Things were pretty hairy for awhile.

I ended up doing the 19.5 miles in 4:01:39. I felt pretty good until the last couple of miles then it felt kinda rough. I had a Cliff Bar at the halfway mark and then a Chocolate Gul at the 15 mile mark.

Fair Weather Running

Today I went running on the Montour Trail. It was good running weather - 36 degrees, cool and cloudy. I had planned on running 20 but because I had a pretty hard run yesterday and tomorrow I promised my wife I would run with her, I decided to just to 16. On the weekend, the trail is usually full of people. There are people running, people walking dogs, and of course people on bikes. It amazes me the number of people who only exercise when the temperature is above 70 degrees. The best running weather - at least for me - is when it is between 30 and 40 degrees. Today I had run 12 miles before I saw the first person and another two miles after that before I saw the next. Fair weather runners don't know what they are missing

Psycho Running

This is the best running commercial that I've ever seen. I saw it on TV one time before the offended whiners and complainers got to Nike and they pulled it. I thought it was great. I recently located it on YouTube.



I don't think there is any runner who has watched a murderous psycho chasing someone through woods and didn't say to themselves, "He'd never catch me once I got two steps on him". I know I drive my family nuts saying that while watching horror flicks.

Running Partner

Today I finally convinced someone to do some trail running with me. I took a friend of mine (SSG S.) that works up in G-1. It was a great day for running, cloudy, with a temperature of 34. For the first time on trails I took him on the Eastern Loop at RCSP. It is a ten mile loop with the first half on the Heritage trail relatively flat with the exception of a very steep climb at the beginning. The second have on the Forrest trail has climbs over three ridge lines. It's good training because of the climbs and steep downhills. He did good but he started off a little too fast so by the time we got to the steep climbs he was a little spent. He hung in there through and we had a decent run time of 1:48.

Lead with the Mind and the Body will Follow

Today I went running on my favorite trails at Raccoon Creek State Park. I wanted to run more then the 9.5 miles of the Eastern Loop but didn't want to run the whole loop of 20 miles. I came up with the idea to run the Eastern Loop and add a loop of the Lake Trail to it for a distance of 13.5 miles. I like the Eastern Loop because it has the steepest climbs and downhills of the entire loop. Add the Lake Trail Loop and you increase the climbs by three. A great workout.

While running I saw a Red Tail Hawk and a couple of Pileated Woodpeckers. These woodpeckers are my favorite of the woodpeckers and it is always a thrill to see one. They are very shy and hard to get close to although you can hear them pecking for long distances. These two were across the lake but were easy to spot because of their size.

I have often been asked what do I think about when I'm running alone for long distances. To be honest I usually don't think of any thing but where to place my next step or should I run the upcoming hill, walk-run, or just walk the entire hill. Well this time out of nowhere I came up with a motto for ultrarunning. I'm not a very poetic person so I don't know if I had heard this somewhere and had just suppressed it until now, or if I had actually made it up. My legs were pretty well tired and I was coming up to a hill, when all of sudden this though came to my mind: "Lead with the mind and the body will follow." This is cool stuff because that is what it takes when running long distances. It is not so much the body that keeps you going, it is the mind. It is the mind that keeps you going when your body is begging to stop.

The Opening of Ewing Road

Good news. They have finally opened Ewing road here in Pittsburgh. In my run and bike ride into work this was the only choking point of the entire route. It was a narrow road with a very narrow shoulder. There was also a hill to climb so cars could not safely pass until they crested the hill. They closed it this summer to build a corporate park on the north side of the road. I fortunately found an suitable alternate route which turned out to be better then Ewing road ever was.

Well today I ran to work and decided to check on Ewing road. To my surprise it was open. The good news was that they had repaved and widen the road. They also put in a nice roomy shoulder. I can't wait to ride my bike on it. On top of this, this weekend we sit the clocks back. I've been waiting for this for awhile. Right now it doesn't get daylight until after 0715. Now it will be safer and I'll have more time to make it to work.

Thanks to the new road, I'm now looking forward to a good winter of training. I'm planning on doing the Bel Monte 50 miler near Waynesboro, VA and have to start training now. Hopefully the winter won't be too bad this year.

Oh and by the way, I had a great run in to work this morning. It was about 31 degrees outside and I forgot the number one rule in cold weather running - put on all the layers you think you will need and then take one off. I ran really strong but warmed up after the first 1.5 miles. I could have done without one of the two long sleeve shirts I was wearing.

Home Coming

Well, the kids were supposed to come home last night but given the state of today's airline service, it wasn't surprising that they didn't make it. It seems that their United Flight was canceled due to so called "bad weather". This actually turned out to be a good thing because even though their THY flight from Istanbul arrived 30 minutes early, they sat on the runway for over an hour. Because of this they wouldn't have made their connection anyway. United did do a good thing by putting them up in a hotel and scheduling them on a direct Delta Flight at 0835 this morning.

I woke them up this morning at 0545 to make sure they made the hotel shuttle to the airport at 0630. They should have had plenty of time to make their flight but because their cell phones are dead, I'm unable to confirm it. I'm now tracking the flight but as of now (0900) it isn't showing that it has taken off.

Update at 0906: I just checked the Delta website and it shows that it took off at 0832 and is expected to arrive 15 minutes early at 1011. Time to go to the airport. Don't want to be late.

Update at 1114: Picked them up and got them home. Both of them glad to be home. Alis says she's not going to leave the house for three days. It is good to finally have them home. Now we just got one more to get home.

Indian Summer

Today is a beautiful day. The temperature is in the mid 70's and the sun is out. It was a perfect day to put in 10 miles at my favorite place for running - Raccoon Creek State Park. It was a little chilly when I started out so I had on a long sleeve running shirt and a pair of running shorts. I quickly regretted the long sleeves as I climbed the first big hill. It was my first real trail run in quite awhile and it felt great. The Spring and the Fall is the best time to run out there. In the summer briers and weeds start growing over the trail but in the Spring and Fall they go to ground.

With such a beautiful place and with such great trails, I'm really surprised that not more runners take advantage of the park. I've been running there for four years and can count on one hand the number of other runners that I've seen running there. Good for me, bad for them

Fall Ride

Today I rode my motorcycle up to Raccoon Creek State Park to see the fall colors and to get some photos. The sun was out but it was quite windy - still it was a good ride. I rode Old Steubenville Pike up to Florence and then took HWY 18 to the park. I went down the western side of the park and saw a bunch of horse trailers. I followed the horse shit up the road to where the rode split off to the left onto a dirt road. I was hoping that they went left because I had planned to follow the dirt road for awhile. I got almost a quarter of a mile down the road when I saw the horses. I didn't want to pass them on a motorcycle so I turned around. I crossed HWY 18 and entered the eastern part of the park. I took it slow and easy to the lake where I took some photos. The colors are just starting to come out but I think I got a few good shots.

APFT

I took the Army Physical Fitness Test today. I had not planned on trying to run it very fast, just to have a nice comfortable run and come in around 14:30 or so. When I arrived to do the push-ups and sit-ups, I found out that this young Sergeant (28) was also going to be doing his test. During the last test he made it known that he wanted to beat me. He didn't but said he would next time. He also ran in the Army Ten Miler on our team (which placed third in our catagory) and beat me by 40 seconds. This time is was pay back.

We started out pretty fast, faster then I wanted to but I stayed behind him through out the first two laps. As we started the third lap he slowed down and I was able to past him. I stayed ahead of him for the rest of the two miles and I managed to come in at 13:16 and he came in at 13:46. That 30 seconds is going to cost him a lot of grief for the next six months until the next test. It feels good to beat someone 13 years younger then you.

My time had slowed down some since the last time I took it in April. I managed a 12:54 then, but I didn't do too bad because I didn't get to run as much this year as I wanted. I was out for two months with drop foot and had only recently got back to running. It is really hard to start back when you have been out for so long. The problem is now fixed and I'm looking forward to planning my races for next year.

Highway 33

This weekend we held an Officer Direct Commission Board for enlisted Soldiers to become Officers. We held it in Richmond VA and had a great turnout. On my way back to Pittsburgh on Sunday I decided to take what my dad always called "a wise old Indian shortcut". Leaving Richmond I followed Highway 33 all the way to Interstate 79 in West Virginia.


I was blessed with beautiful weather and beautiful scenery. Stupid me had left my camera at home. I had it in my hand before I left and then put it back thinking I wouldn't need it - never again. I had often drove parallel to the Shenandoah Skyline but had never crossed it. Highway 33 cuts right across the top of it. I didn't know what I was missing. It is a great drive and the leaves were just starting to turn. The view of the valley from the top was awesome.


As good as the drive was in Virginia it was especially good once I got into West Virginia. The rock formations at Judy Gap and Seneca Rocks were strange. I had never seen rock formations like that in the Appalachian Mountains but had seen similar ones in the Alps. I am putting both of these places on my list of places to visit again. This time I'll make sure I have my camera and plenty of time to hike some of the trails.


The wise old Indian shortcut from Richmond to Pittsburgh took me 8 hours but it was 8 hours well spent.

Army Ten Miler

Today our team placed third in the Army Ten Miler under the category of Army Reserve Mixed. I didn't do as well as I would like but given the fact that I was unable to do any running for two months and very limited running in August I didn't lose too much time from last year. Last year I ran a 1:13 and this year I managed a 1:20:55. Not a bad race but the heat and humidity was high. I found out later that one runner died 200 yards from the finish line and that they ran out of water at the Aid Stations at Miles 4 and 6. There were reports that some runners were looking for water from discarded water cups.

This was a new kind of race for me because it was the first race where I was fully funded. The team captain who is an SJA Officer, figured out how to get MWR funding from FT Dix, NJ. They paid for everything to include: travel, rooms, entry fee, and even the pasta dinner. I could definitely get used to this. I'm trying to get him to see if he can get funding for the Marine Corps Marathon next year. I really don't like doing the ATM. If I'm going to go to DC, then I want to make it worth my time. A ten mile race is almost like a sprint. You don't really have a lot of time to enjoy it. With a marathon you can take your time and enjoy yourself more...at least during the first 15 miles.

Enroute to Istanbul

This morning I took my wife and kids to the airport. They are going to Istanbul to visit my in-laws. This will be the first time my wife has visited in five years. It was sad to see them go and coming back from the airport I wished I was going with them. The kids will be coming back on October 23 but my wife will not be coming back until November the 5th. Because of the time they will be getting into JFK, I will have to pick them up. Either that, or they will have to spend the night and fly out the next day. My Dad will be coming up to go with me to pick them up.

The above photo is one that I took in 2002. The sky has been changed with Photoshop

Running or Lack Of

I haven't been able to run since the end of May. I have a very strange aliment that even puzzles the doctors. I woke up one morning, unable to bend my right foot toward my shin. There are no marks, swelling or pain. It just doesn't work so when I walk or run it just kinda flops down.

I have had electromagnetic testing done to test my nerves and while there was a slight abnormality, there was nothing major wrong. I'm pretty sure it a nerve problem but I know have to go for an MRI and see a Neurologist. Hopefully this thing will go away because in the last few days it seems as if it is getting better. On Tuesday, I actually went running and did 2 miles. I ran in 16:34 but it seemed as if I had run ten miles. I can tell that I'm out of shape and it will take sometime to get back into it. Hopefully it won't be long.

Alternate Form of Transportation

Well I finally bought myself a motorcycle. I bought a 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan 500 LTD off of a coworker. His wife owned it and only drove it 126 miles. At first I wasn't too crazy about the color but now I like it better then black. It is really a nice ride and has a lot of pep. I I have bought a passenger back rest for it and hope to have a new photo soon.

Bikes and Rain

Today was the first day I rode my bike to work since the weekend ride.  It was a beautiful ride in - just wished it was the same coming home.  At around 1700 we started to noticed very dark clouds coming toward the office.  I quickly changed and started riding as fast as I could.  I only made it half way when it really started to pour.  It was like a monsoon with thunder and lighting.  I sit at the edge of some one's lawn under a group of pine trees until the lighting started to get closer.  I noticed that a shed with an open porch on it.  I sit under it and decided after waiting 20 minutes that the rain wasn't going to let up.  I called my wife who was working and she said that she was on the way.  Meanwhile the rain let and I wanted to finish my ride; however, my wife had already left.  She would have been pissed if she had drove out to get me and I wasn't there so I waited.  I loaded up the bike wimped out and  road home in the car.

Scarlet Tanager

Today I went running up at Raccoon Creek State Park. I decided to run the Eastern Loop twice - once Clockwise and the other Counter Clockwise. It would give me 19 miles of good trail running. I decided to do two loops of the Eastern Loop instead of the loop of the whole park. The western part of the trails are not as hilly and in places the trail is covered in weeds and briers and is often very muddy in places.

I felt very good throughout the run but did start to tire a little at the end. The trail was the most crowded that I have ever seen it. On my return lap I ran into eight hikers in five different groups. Previously I had never seen more then three people. The amazing thing about this run was my split times. I ended up doing the first lap in 1:541.16 and the second one in the other direction in 1:54.23 - only 7 seconds apart.

I also saw a bird that I had never seen before. As I was running through a stand of old pines, something red fly past my face. It was almost close enough to reach out and touch. I thought that it was a Cardinal but when it landed I saw that it was too small to be a Cardinal plus it had black wings. It was a Scarlet Tanager. I had seen photos of them before and knew that they were in this area but I never expected to see one. It is a very beautiful bird and wasn't very afraid of me. I was able to walk within ten feet of the tree that it was on before it flew away.

Sometimes It Just Isn't Your Day

Sometimes things just doesn't go right. This morning after just returning from our training at VA Beach, I couldn't wait to ride my bike to work. I have been riding it pretty regular at least 2 - 3 times a week to work. I got dressed and went in the garage ready to ride. As soon as I walked up to the bike the back tire went flat right before my eyes. I quickly pulled the tube out and patched it up and put it back in. I told my wife that I was leaving and to standby the phone - just in case. I only made in a mile and a half when it went flat again. Another sign that things just wasn't going to work out for me was that I had slowed down real slow to ride through this grassy area when my chain slipped off the lower ring. Anyone who rides knows, when you stop going forward you had be unclip fast. I wasn't fast enough and tipped over. That was pretty embarrassing but not as embarrassing as sitting on the side of the road waiting on your wife to pick you up. It just wasn't meant to be so I ended up driving.

Run to VA Beach

Today I ran from Dam Neck to VA Beach. It was a total of 16 miles - six to VA Beach, two along the Boardwalk, and back again. The run was good and I had plenty of energy. I ran on a MUP that ran all the way to the Boardwalk. Most of the run was on a paved path but some was on concrete and my legs are feeling it. It's good to know that I can still finish a 16 miler. I need some more time to prepare for the 18 mile trail run coming up in June but I should be okay with at least one more long run. I'll probably do a 20 at Raccoon Creek State Park.

Dam Neck

We are having our annual Retention Training with includes a Ball in Dress Blues. The best part is that it is at Virginia Beach and I have some time to catch up on my running and cycling. Today I had a great run. We are staying at Dam Neck Navy Base, which is right on the beach. I ran the length of the base to the South Gate, turned left to the beach and ran the 2.5 miles along the beach back to Lodging for a five mile run. The weather was perfect for running - cloudy with the temperature cool at 64 degrees.

February and Snow

February was a tough month with all the snow and temperatures in the single digits. I done some runs and even ran to work on day when it was 8 degrees outside. The cold I can deal with but the snow really sucks. One day that I did run to work with the snow, it was 28 degrees and the road had been salted very heavily. There was a lot of black mush on the shoulders and about four inches off the side of the road...so where do you run. I did a combination. I would run in the snow until my legs got tired and then run in the slush until my feet would get wet and then I would go back into the snow. After that run I did most of my running on treadmills.

Yesterday the weather had warmed up to 45 degrees and this morning was 34. Most of the snow had melted off the roads and it was warm enough to wear shorts. I really hate wearing long pants when I run. I see people wearing sweats in warm weather and wonder how they do it. Anyway today's run was awesome. Because of my reduced running in the past two weeks, I thought that I may have lost a lot of what I had worked so hard to gain. To my surprised I think I may have gained. The run felt easy and I felt good enough to pushed it pretty hard. I ended up doing the 9.5 miles in 1:22. Not too bad with the steep hills. My PR for the run to work is 1:19. I'll probably be a little sore tomorrow but it was worth it as a morale booster. I'm really looking forward to warm weather and a great year of running.

Park and Birds

Well I haven't post much lately. I've been pretty busy with a conference in Richmond. Everything went smooth. Sure am glad that it's over.

My daughter and I have had some issues with trust lately so to make it up she suggested that we go hiking early Sunday morning. I had planned to do some trail running but spending time with my daughter is better then any run. I did tell her that she would have to get up early and she agreed. I let her sleep in until 0700 and then went in to wake her up. She got up very well and was raring to go.

Because of the snow and cold weather I decided to keep it short and simple. I didn't want to do the Lake Trail - too easy - but didn't want to do the Forrest Trail - too technical. I decided on the Valley Trail which follows Traverse Creek on the south side for 1.1 miles. It also give a very nice elevated look at the lake.

The temperature was around 20 degrees and there was a light snow falling when we started. She was a real trooper and didn't complain about the cold at all. It was until we saw the two coyotes running around the creek bottom that she broke down. She was scared that the coyotes was going to attack and eat us. I told her that she had nothing to worry about and to be quite and watch them. She was convinced that I was just telling her that and that we would soon be attacked by a pack of howling coyotes. She finally calmed down and together we watched the show. It was interesting to watch them run around looking for breakfast.

Soon after that we got to the overlook of the lake and sit there for about ten minutes enjoying the peace and quite. The snow was falling and we was the only ones around. It was a very special time for me and I hope it was for my Daughter as well.

On our return I decided to cross Traverse Creek and to go back to the parking lot via the Lake Trail. We went down to the creek bottom and walked awhile until we found a good tree to cross over the creek with. My Daughter when first and I reminded her to make sure she straddled the trunk and scooted across. The ice and snow on it make it too slick to try to walk over. She did very well and then I followed her over. The Lake Trail is a very easy trail and used to be a dirt road. We made good time and soon made it back to the van.

I told her to drive because it would give her good experience in the snow. The road through the park was covered and at first she didn't want to drive. I then coached her as she climbed the first hill and explained to her how to drive in snow and ice. She did very good. I'm really glad that she went with me.

After I dropped her off at work and my son finally made it home from his friends house I asked him if he wanted to and buy a parakeet for his mom. She had talked to my daughter a couple of times saying she would like to get a bird. She grew up with pet birds in her house and she like them more then cats and dogs. I called my daughter and ask her what color of bird would her mom like. She said green and begged me to come and get her so she could help pick it out. She received permission from her boss to leave for a little bit to go bird hunting.

We went to Pet Center in Robinson where they had a special going on. Buy a cage and get the bird for free. We looked for awhile and finally picked out two green ones, a fat one for my wife and a skinny active one for me. Because I bought the big cage for $49, I got the two birds for free. I quickly took them home and I've got to admit. I've kinda grown attached to them. The cat really loved them. He actually sleeps beside of the cage. He has never stopped looking for a way to get in. It reminds me of Sylvester and Tweedy. The first thing he used to do when we let him back into the house was to go to the food bowl. Now the first thing he does is check out the bird cage to see if an opening has appeared. Once he finds out that no new way in has developed, he goes to his feed bowl.

When my wife got home we had her close her eyes to surprise her. She was trilled to see the birds. My wife is very hard to buy for and I'm so glad that I managed to find something that she liked and for once she never mentioned taking her gift back. She didn't even say anything about the price. That's very unusual for my wife.

Work and Rain

Today I ran into work for the first time this year. The weather here is unbelievable. This morning it was 54 degrees with some rain. I enjoy running in the rain as long as it isn't cold. The only hurdle to overcome when running in rain is getting wet. Once you are wet then it doesn't matter anymore and you can then concentrate on your run. I dug out my trusted desert camo boonie hat which helped to keep my head dried but everything else was soaked. I covered the 9.5 miles in 1.24 which isn't too bad for me considering the rain and the hills.

I just hope that the rain is done by Sunday morning. I'm planning a long run up at RCSP and parts of it can be real muddy.

New Year

I'm back baby, I'm back. After a two week hiatus due to the Holidays and the remodeling of my basement, I'm back to running and it felt awesome.

I can sum this reinvigorating run up in thirteen words:

• Early Morning
• Six miles
• Trail
• 30 degrees
• Frost
• Shorts
• Full Moon
• Beautiful Sunrise

As a side note, I missed doing 1,000 miles last year by 30 miles. I could have finished them, but just never got around to it.

New Year and New Miles.