Showing posts with label Running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Running. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Chicago Marathon
I'm not taking chances again and delaying, so just registered for this year's Chicago Marathon. I'll stick with my NordicTrack exercise bike until the end of the month and then, weather permitting, move back to running shoes in March. Then, the long, slow process of hard work will begin.
Monday, January 23, 2012
That Time Of Year
Sadly, it is that time of year... when the snow and ice have affected the roads enough that i no longer trust sharing them with the cars, or their bad drivers, more accurately. Today i hung up my running shoes, replaced the batteries for the display in my indoor bike, and rode my first miles of the year. Sighhh....
As i begin what i hope will only be a month of indoor riding instead of outdoor running, i think of George Sheehan:
"Is there anyone out there who isn't concerned about self-worth? About an uncertain identity and low self-esteem? Is there anyone not on a constant search for autonomy, mastery and control? The runner is no different from others in these needs. The question then becomes how to satisfy those needs—and is running the way to do it? Or is it really a negative addiction that costs more than the benefits it confers?
"Some health-care specialists think so. The dogma goes something like this: Running is acceptable when done for health or to relieve anxiety. It is not acceptable when it is accompanied—as it is in many runners—by the intensity and exclusiveness usually reserved for religious fanaticism. At that point, appropriate preventive and therapeutic measures should be instituted. Runners must be saved from the maladaptive behavior that has taken over their lives.
"I don't dispute the description of the typical runner as a person intensely committed to his sport. But I also accept the findings of researchers at California State University at Fullerton. Runners, they found, were 'more intelligent, more dominant, more aggressive, more socially reticent, a but more suspicious, more shrewd, mire self-sufficient, and more unconventional than nonrunners.'
"It is not the details of our behavior that are in question, it is the judgement made from them. What some see as a problem I see as the solution. For me, running has narrowed the distance between what I am and what I can be, between the actual self and the ideal, between aspiration and reality."
Personal Best
Just in case you didn't read that whole excerpt, or skim read it, let me repeat the important part: Running narrows the distance between what I am and what I can be, between the actual self and the ideal, between aspiration and reality. As the title of his book points out, running leads you towards your personal best.
As i begin what i hope will only be a month of indoor riding instead of outdoor running, i think of George Sheehan:
"Is there anyone out there who isn't concerned about self-worth? About an uncertain identity and low self-esteem? Is there anyone not on a constant search for autonomy, mastery and control? The runner is no different from others in these needs. The question then becomes how to satisfy those needs—and is running the way to do it? Or is it really a negative addiction that costs more than the benefits it confers?
"Some health-care specialists think so. The dogma goes something like this: Running is acceptable when done for health or to relieve anxiety. It is not acceptable when it is accompanied—as it is in many runners—by the intensity and exclusiveness usually reserved for religious fanaticism. At that point, appropriate preventive and therapeutic measures should be instituted. Runners must be saved from the maladaptive behavior that has taken over their lives.
"I don't dispute the description of the typical runner as a person intensely committed to his sport. But I also accept the findings of researchers at California State University at Fullerton. Runners, they found, were 'more intelligent, more dominant, more aggressive, more socially reticent, a but more suspicious, more shrewd, mire self-sufficient, and more unconventional than nonrunners.'
"It is not the details of our behavior that are in question, it is the judgement made from them. What some see as a problem I see as the solution. For me, running has narrowed the distance between what I am and what I can be, between the actual self and the ideal, between aspiration and reality."
Personal Best
Just in case you didn't read that whole excerpt, or skim read it, let me repeat the important part: Running narrows the distance between what I am and what I can be, between the actual self and the ideal, between aspiration and reality. As the title of his book points out, running leads you towards your personal best.
Friday, January 29, 2010
There Is An Answer
While George is speaking of long distance running below, it seems to be equally true for the long distance bicyclist. I guess this means i've been doubly bitten.
~~~~~~~~~
"The sight of a runner at dusk or in inclement weather makes me glad to be safe and warm in my car and headed for home. And at those times, I wonder how i can go out there myself, how I can leave comfort and warmth and that feeling of intimacy and belonging to do this distracted thing.
"But when finally I am there, I realize it is not comfort and warmth I am leaving, not intimacy and belonging I am giving up, but the loneliness that pursues me this day and every day. I know that the real loneliness, the real isolation, the real vulnerability begins long before I put on my running shoes.
...
"The heartbreaking loneliness begins when I realize that no one can think for me; no one can live for me; no one can die for me. I can count on no one for help.
"My true loneliness, then, is me seeing that nothing I do is true. Me and this inner emptiness, me and the abyss, me and the false me I am with other people, me being what I do, what I accomplish, the clever things I say. Me and that living of a lie, a long, lonely lifetime lie.
"When I'm about overwhelmed by all this, I take this loneliness out on the roads, there to find my true self, to hear my own message, to decide for myself on my life. But most of all, to know certainty, to know that there is an answer even though I may never find it.
...
"And then hear R. D. Laing, the psychiatrist: 'Whoever I am is not to be confused with the names people give me or what they call me. I am not my name. I am a territory. What they say about me is a map of me. Where O! Where is my territory?'
"When you see me, that lonely figure out on the road, I am looking for my territory, my self, the person I must be. There I am no longer the observer watching myself think and talk and react. I am not the person others see and meet and even love. There I am whole; I am finally who I am.
"And there I encounter myself. That encounter is a deep place totally isolated which cannot be understood or touched by others, a place that cannot be described as much as experienced, a state that philosophers could define as solitude. It is no longer me and the abyss; it is me and my God.
"But of course this is only the outline, the game plan. In actuality, it is not that easy. Like all pilgrimages, this one is filled with stops and starts, with peaks and valleys, with pains and pleasures. There are periods of depression and elation, times when I overflow with joy at this conjunction of action and contemplation. Other times when I am so tired I must stop and walk. But in that hour I know certainty. I know there is an answer to my odd union of animal and angel, my mysterious mixture of body and consciousness, my perplexing amalgam of material and spirit. And if for now that answer is only for the moment and only for me in my lowest common denominator, me the runner, it is still enough.
"By abandoning myself to this, as Emerson said, by unlocking my human doors, I am caught up in the life of the universe. Then, finally, loneliness is dispelled. I know I am holy, made for the greater glory of my Creator, born to do His work.
"Which for this day and this hour is running, a lonely figure on a lonely road."
George Sheehan
Running & Being: The Total Experience
(Underlines are my emphases)
DHS 79/100
~~~~~~~~~
"The sight of a runner at dusk or in inclement weather makes me glad to be safe and warm in my car and headed for home. And at those times, I wonder how i can go out there myself, how I can leave comfort and warmth and that feeling of intimacy and belonging to do this distracted thing.
"But when finally I am there, I realize it is not comfort and warmth I am leaving, not intimacy and belonging I am giving up, but the loneliness that pursues me this day and every day. I know that the real loneliness, the real isolation, the real vulnerability begins long before I put on my running shoes.
...
"The heartbreaking loneliness begins when I realize that no one can think for me; no one can live for me; no one can die for me. I can count on no one for help.
"My true loneliness, then, is me seeing that nothing I do is true. Me and this inner emptiness, me and the abyss, me and the false me I am with other people, me being what I do, what I accomplish, the clever things I say. Me and that living of a lie, a long, lonely lifetime lie.
"When I'm about overwhelmed by all this, I take this loneliness out on the roads, there to find my true self, to hear my own message, to decide for myself on my life. But most of all, to know certainty, to know that there is an answer even though I may never find it.
...
"And then hear R. D. Laing, the psychiatrist: 'Whoever I am is not to be confused with the names people give me or what they call me. I am not my name. I am a territory. What they say about me is a map of me. Where O! Where is my territory?'
"When you see me, that lonely figure out on the road, I am looking for my territory, my self, the person I must be. There I am no longer the observer watching myself think and talk and react. I am not the person others see and meet and even love. There I am whole; I am finally who I am.
"And there I encounter myself. That encounter is a deep place totally isolated which cannot be understood or touched by others, a place that cannot be described as much as experienced, a state that philosophers could define as solitude. It is no longer me and the abyss; it is me and my God.
"But of course this is only the outline, the game plan. In actuality, it is not that easy. Like all pilgrimages, this one is filled with stops and starts, with peaks and valleys, with pains and pleasures. There are periods of depression and elation, times when I overflow with joy at this conjunction of action and contemplation. Other times when I am so tired I must stop and walk. But in that hour I know certainty. I know there is an answer to my odd union of animal and angel, my mysterious mixture of body and consciousness, my perplexing amalgam of material and spirit. And if for now that answer is only for the moment and only for me in my lowest common denominator, me the runner, it is still enough.
"By abandoning myself to this, as Emerson said, by unlocking my human doors, I am caught up in the life of the universe. Then, finally, loneliness is dispelled. I know I am holy, made for the greater glory of my Creator, born to do His work.
"Which for this day and this hour is running, a lonely figure on a lonely road."
George Sheehan
Running & Being: The Total Experience
(Underlines are my emphases)
DHS 79/100
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Doing Nothing
DHS 60/100
Today was the first time Dave didn't really feel like writing his DHS. Luckily i (Lao Bendan) was able to force him to do it after dinner. Hope this doesn't become a habit, i hate fighting with the guy; he seems nice, but he can be very stubborn when he's in one of his moods.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Went for my only run of the week this afternoon. It was the first day where the weather cooperated and i thought the roads were clean enough that i wouldn't get run over. With all the snow there still aren't any shoulders on the roads anymore, but now even the 8 inches outside the white line has disappeared under snow in many places.
I was surprised when i got home to find that i ran the 4 mi. at a 9:20 pace. It sure didn't feel that slow. I normally run it at an 8:45–8:55 pace, so i wonder why today was so slow. If i tried to analyze it, i would have thought i'd run faster than usual since this was the first time i've run in a week, so why slower? Just another one of those "Who knows," i guess.
I put packing tape on my shoes before heading out today. It's hard to say how much it helped because it was a balmy 17°F, but i have to say, my feet did seem warmer. I'll keep it up and add duct tape and then make a decision later.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Was reading a little more of Anthony de Mello's Song Of The Bird this afternoon. It's hard to get tired of the short stories and anecdotes that fill the pages. Maybe because of what's been on my mind all week, but two of them seemed to stand out for me — both pointing to the same thing. Until you see that the teacher's "nothing" is of more worth than all your "somethings," you haven't found the path.
You may have found side trails leading to the path, but you're not on the main trail until you see this point. It's mind-boggling at first that nothing can be more valuable than something, but that's only because you don't understand the nature of that nothing being pointed to. It doesn't mean no thing, it means everything.
The Diamond
When the sannyasi reached the outskirts of the village and settled under a tree for the night, a villager came running up to him and said, "The stone! The stone! Give me the precious stone!"
"What stone?" asked the sannyasi.
"Last night Lord Shiva told me in a dream that if I went to the outskirts of the village at dusk a sannyasi would give me a stone that would make me rich forever."
The sannyasi rummaged in his sack and, pulling out a stone, he said, "He probably meant this one. I found it in the forest yesterday. Here, it’s yours if you want it."
The man gazed at the stone in wonder. It was the largest diamond in the world — the size of a man’s head. All night he tossed about in bed. At the break of day he woke the sannyasi and said, "Give me the wealth that makes it possible for you to give this stone away."
Drop Your Nothing
Disciple: I have come to you with nothing in my hands.
Master: Drop it at once!
Disciple: But how can I drop it? It is nothing.
Master: Then carry it around with you!
Today was the first time Dave didn't really feel like writing his DHS. Luckily i (Lao Bendan) was able to force him to do it after dinner. Hope this doesn't become a habit, i hate fighting with the guy; he seems nice, but he can be very stubborn when he's in one of his moods.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Went for my only run of the week this afternoon. It was the first day where the weather cooperated and i thought the roads were clean enough that i wouldn't get run over. With all the snow there still aren't any shoulders on the roads anymore, but now even the 8 inches outside the white line has disappeared under snow in many places.
I was surprised when i got home to find that i ran the 4 mi. at a 9:20 pace. It sure didn't feel that slow. I normally run it at an 8:45–8:55 pace, so i wonder why today was so slow. If i tried to analyze it, i would have thought i'd run faster than usual since this was the first time i've run in a week, so why slower? Just another one of those "Who knows," i guess.
I put packing tape on my shoes before heading out today. It's hard to say how much it helped because it was a balmy 17°F, but i have to say, my feet did seem warmer. I'll keep it up and add duct tape and then make a decision later.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Was reading a little more of Anthony de Mello's Song Of The Bird this afternoon. It's hard to get tired of the short stories and anecdotes that fill the pages. Maybe because of what's been on my mind all week, but two of them seemed to stand out for me — both pointing to the same thing. Until you see that the teacher's "nothing" is of more worth than all your "somethings," you haven't found the path.
You may have found side trails leading to the path, but you're not on the main trail until you see this point. It's mind-boggling at first that nothing can be more valuable than something, but that's only because you don't understand the nature of that nothing being pointed to. It doesn't mean no thing, it means everything.
The Diamond
When the sannyasi reached the outskirts of the village and settled under a tree for the night, a villager came running up to him and said, "The stone! The stone! Give me the precious stone!"
"What stone?" asked the sannyasi.
"Last night Lord Shiva told me in a dream that if I went to the outskirts of the village at dusk a sannyasi would give me a stone that would make me rich forever."
The sannyasi rummaged in his sack and, pulling out a stone, he said, "He probably meant this one. I found it in the forest yesterday. Here, it’s yours if you want it."
The man gazed at the stone in wonder. It was the largest diamond in the world — the size of a man’s head. All night he tossed about in bed. At the break of day he woke the sannyasi and said, "Give me the wealth that makes it possible for you to give this stone away."
Drop Your Nothing
Disciple: I have come to you with nothing in my hands.
Master: Drop it at once!
Disciple: But how can I drop it? It is nothing.
Master: Then carry it around with you!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
The Freezing Cold Gift
DHS 52/100
It's that time of year when running is getting pretty difficult around here. Today we had beautiful clear sunny skies so i decided to run this afternoon instead of tomorrow when there is a chance of clouds. Problem is, my thermometer showed 10°F and the local weather center said it was 6°F, before taking into account the wind.
For the most part, these temperatures aren't that big of a deal, i just dig out the heavy long underwear (instead of the silk weight), add a singlet underneath the two shirts i normally wear, and wear a neck gaiter to cover the neck, chin, and nose when i need it, on top of the normal two pairs of gloves, two pairs of socks, and two coats. Generally, that's just right as i head out the door and i end up unzipping the outer jacket later on as i start to work up a sweat. And i keep my face from freezing in the wind by putting a layer of olive oil on my cheeks and nose where they will always be exposed. With all this, a sunny day, even when near 0°F, can be a nice run.
The problem, though, is my feet. For example, with the wind, the weather center said today's wind chill was about -15°F, and while the rest of me was warm (sweating by the time i got home), my toes were getting pretty cold. In fact, on days like today, i seldom run more than 3 miles simply because my toes are too cold. I haven't figured out how to beat that yet. I could wear plastic bags inside my shoes, but i'm afraid that will be much too hot after just 15 minutes, or so, since the bags won't breath. My shoes won't allow a third pair of socks, so i'm stumped.
Oh well, if i can i'll hold on for 2-3 more weeks before shifting to my exercise bike inside the house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is how Macrina Wiederkehr chose to end her book Behold Your Life:
At the end of each day, why not glance back over your day to see whether you've been a good companion to the moments that have passed. What was the first thing you saw when you stepped out your door this morning? Do you remember? Does anything stand out as special from this day? What colors did you see? Were there any conflicts? If so, how did you handle them? What stories unfolded as you moved through the day? What did you have for lunch? Did you taste it? With whom did you eat lunch? Did the conversation enrich you? Name one piece of the conversation that you remember. What happened that gave you a sense of happiness today? What do you recall of beauty? ...
And finally, what did you touch today? Name one thing you remember touching. They way we pick things up, the way we touch and hold things in our hands, says much about our ability or inability to live in the preset. ...
Yes, life is a whole string of nows knit together with friendship and songs, heartaches and tears, fears and courage, passion and compassion, depression and elation, patience and impatience, and more. ... So don't miss life. Take up your life and walk, whether it's happy or sad, angry or disappointing, ecstatic, hopeful, heart wrenching or tender. You name it! Just don't miss it. IT is your gift to unwrap as you move through the hours. It is God offering hospitality to you as you move into tomorrow.
How many people, i wonder, really understand that life is a gift. Really. Truly. A gift. Doesn't matter from where or from who or from what, so don't get hung up on the religion side of it; just realize that your life is a one of a kind gift, given only to you. We spend our entire lives unwrapping it and all but a minuscule few never get the job done before running out of time. Before that time, the lucky one's make great progress in their unwrapping; the unlucky one's barely get one layer unwrapped.
I think that if we were truly honest about it, as we peel off a new piece of wrapping every day, every hour, every minute, every now, we would gasp at the beauty of what is unfolding before our eyes. I mean, awareness and just the fact of being alive is an amazing thing! Have a shit job so can't see that? That's focusing on the ego, not the gift. Refocus. Have an incurable disease so can't see that? That's focusing on the body, not the gift. Refocus. Too poor to get an education so have to work at minimum wage jobs? That's focusing on the outer circumstances, not the gift. Refocus on the Gift.
The gift is Life. Consciousness. Awareness. Spend as much of your time unwrapping this precious gift as you can so that you can get clearer and clearer glimpses of the beauty hidden within.
As Rumi says,
I have lived on the lip
of insanity, wanting to know reasons,
knocking on a door. It opens.
I've been knocking from the inside!
It's that time of year when running is getting pretty difficult around here. Today we had beautiful clear sunny skies so i decided to run this afternoon instead of tomorrow when there is a chance of clouds. Problem is, my thermometer showed 10°F and the local weather center said it was 6°F, before taking into account the wind.
For the most part, these temperatures aren't that big of a deal, i just dig out the heavy long underwear (instead of the silk weight), add a singlet underneath the two shirts i normally wear, and wear a neck gaiter to cover the neck, chin, and nose when i need it, on top of the normal two pairs of gloves, two pairs of socks, and two coats. Generally, that's just right as i head out the door and i end up unzipping the outer jacket later on as i start to work up a sweat. And i keep my face from freezing in the wind by putting a layer of olive oil on my cheeks and nose where they will always be exposed. With all this, a sunny day, even when near 0°F, can be a nice run.
The problem, though, is my feet. For example, with the wind, the weather center said today's wind chill was about -15°F, and while the rest of me was warm (sweating by the time i got home), my toes were getting pretty cold. In fact, on days like today, i seldom run more than 3 miles simply because my toes are too cold. I haven't figured out how to beat that yet. I could wear plastic bags inside my shoes, but i'm afraid that will be much too hot after just 15 minutes, or so, since the bags won't breath. My shoes won't allow a third pair of socks, so i'm stumped.
Oh well, if i can i'll hold on for 2-3 more weeks before shifting to my exercise bike inside the house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is how Macrina Wiederkehr chose to end her book Behold Your Life:
At the end of each day, why not glance back over your day to see whether you've been a good companion to the moments that have passed. What was the first thing you saw when you stepped out your door this morning? Do you remember? Does anything stand out as special from this day? What colors did you see? Were there any conflicts? If so, how did you handle them? What stories unfolded as you moved through the day? What did you have for lunch? Did you taste it? With whom did you eat lunch? Did the conversation enrich you? Name one piece of the conversation that you remember. What happened that gave you a sense of happiness today? What do you recall of beauty? ...
And finally, what did you touch today? Name one thing you remember touching. They way we pick things up, the way we touch and hold things in our hands, says much about our ability or inability to live in the preset. ...
Yes, life is a whole string of nows knit together with friendship and songs, heartaches and tears, fears and courage, passion and compassion, depression and elation, patience and impatience, and more. ... So don't miss life. Take up your life and walk, whether it's happy or sad, angry or disappointing, ecstatic, hopeful, heart wrenching or tender. You name it! Just don't miss it. IT is your gift to unwrap as you move through the hours. It is God offering hospitality to you as you move into tomorrow.
How many people, i wonder, really understand that life is a gift. Really. Truly. A gift. Doesn't matter from where or from who or from what, so don't get hung up on the religion side of it; just realize that your life is a one of a kind gift, given only to you. We spend our entire lives unwrapping it and all but a minuscule few never get the job done before running out of time. Before that time, the lucky one's make great progress in their unwrapping; the unlucky one's barely get one layer unwrapped.
I think that if we were truly honest about it, as we peel off a new piece of wrapping every day, every hour, every minute, every now, we would gasp at the beauty of what is unfolding before our eyes. I mean, awareness and just the fact of being alive is an amazing thing! Have a shit job so can't see that? That's focusing on the ego, not the gift. Refocus. Have an incurable disease so can't see that? That's focusing on the body, not the gift. Refocus. Too poor to get an education so have to work at minimum wage jobs? That's focusing on the outer circumstances, not the gift. Refocus on the Gift.
The gift is Life. Consciousness. Awareness. Spend as much of your time unwrapping this precious gift as you can so that you can get clearer and clearer glimpses of the beauty hidden within.
As Rumi says,
I have lived on the lip
of insanity, wanting to know reasons,
knocking on a door. It opens.
I've been knocking from the inside!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Happy New Year
Just got back from my (short) run and as i log it the final numbers are in:
I'm reasonably happy with those numbers. Next years goals are to keep the exercise bike miles about the same as i soon give up trying to run on slippery, busy roads, keep the run miles about the same, and quadruple the bike miles. Of course this could all change if i go back to work or take off on the TransAm bike trip, but i'm still sitting on the fence on that one, still haven't made a decision one way or the other.
I wish all a healthy, happy, and prosperous new year. Dream big!
- From late January to mid-March i rode my exercise bike 100 mile to start the year's cardiovascular work.
- From mid-March to now i have run a total of 1,000 miles, with the marathon in October.
- Between mid-October and late November i rode my regular bike 242 miles.
I'm reasonably happy with those numbers. Next years goals are to keep the exercise bike miles about the same as i soon give up trying to run on slippery, busy roads, keep the run miles about the same, and quadruple the bike miles. Of course this could all change if i go back to work or take off on the TransAm bike trip, but i'm still sitting on the fence on that one, still haven't made a decision one way or the other.
I wish all a healthy, happy, and prosperous new year. Dream big!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Unfinished Business
DHS 42/100
It was raining and the roads were icy when i ran today, so i decided to call it quits after 2 miles. Problem is, that left me with an unfinished Road Kill. The first 2/3 popped up on the way out to mile 1, but my mind got occupied with the argument on whether to turn around there and go back home or to gut it out and continue. I decided to turn it into a short 2 mile tempo run and go home, but the argument cut off the last line of the Road Kill. I wonder now how it would have ended had i stayed out for the 4 miles i had planned.....
Road Kill 7 (Unfinished)
It's true, you might say.
Show me proof, i might reply.
?????
As an aside, i am 13 miles short of running 1,000 miles this year. It should be easy to get that in before the 31st, but according to the weather forecast it is supposed to rain through the rest of the week. I'm not giving up, though. Even if i have to run long a few times next week, in the snow, around and around one single block because the roads are snowed in, i fully intend to log that 13 miles. I've only run 1,000 miles in a year once before, in 2004.
It was raining and the roads were icy when i ran today, so i decided to call it quits after 2 miles. Problem is, that left me with an unfinished Road Kill. The first 2/3 popped up on the way out to mile 1, but my mind got occupied with the argument on whether to turn around there and go back home or to gut it out and continue. I decided to turn it into a short 2 mile tempo run and go home, but the argument cut off the last line of the Road Kill. I wonder now how it would have ended had i stayed out for the 4 miles i had planned.....
Road Kill 7 (Unfinished)
It's true, you might say.
Show me proof, i might reply.
?????
As an aside, i am 13 miles short of running 1,000 miles this year. It should be easy to get that in before the 31st, but according to the weather forecast it is supposed to rain through the rest of the week. I'm not giving up, though. Even if i have to run long a few times next week, in the snow, around and around one single block because the roads are snowed in, i fully intend to log that 13 miles. I've only run 1,000 miles in a year once before, in 2004.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Get Your Butt Out Here!
DHS 20/100
(Did i really promise 100 consecutive days? Aigo, aigo, aigo,.... What was i thinking????)
Found this on the roadside about 3 mile from home.
Road Kill 6
Just this. One. Focus!
Was it like this way back when?
Run. Chase. Catch. Kill. Live.
After my run, i found an email from the library saying that my copy of Behold Your Life: A Pilgrimage Through Your Memories had come in so i walked down to pick it up after lunch. The book is a 40 day journey through your life with instructions to read only one chapter a day and reflect on that day's message and questions. I'll start that tomorrow and it's killing me not to look ahead and see what to expect. But, i'm going to stick to discipline and not look.
Where the questions are specifically Christian, i'll look at them from my non-Christian perspective. We'll see how that works out, given that i don't know what questions are going to come up. But, the journey is off to a good start as the instructions end with this quote from Rumi:
I called through your door,
"The mystics are gathering
in the street. Come out!"
"Leave me alone.
I'm sick."
"I don't care if you're dead!
Jesus is here, and he wants
to resurrect somebody."
:-) I love that.
Get out here!
I'm sick, i told you.
I don't care if you're dead, i said get your butt out here. Didn't you hear who i am?
Go away, i'm in a bad mood.
Don't you understand who i am? I can take care of that. Get out here NOW!
Just go away, please.
If i have to come in there, there will be Hell to pay.
You're funny. If you don't leave now, i'm going to call the cops.
...
Sometimes, even when the solutions appear at your door, we're too closed-minded to accept them, preferring to continue to suffer. Alone. What a waste, but an incredibly hard habit to break once you fall in that hole.
(Did i really promise 100 consecutive days? Aigo, aigo, aigo,.... What was i thinking????)
Found this on the roadside about 3 mile from home.
Road Kill 6
Just this. One. Focus!
Was it like this way back when?
Run. Chase. Catch. Kill. Live.
After my run, i found an email from the library saying that my copy of Behold Your Life: A Pilgrimage Through Your Memories had come in so i walked down to pick it up after lunch. The book is a 40 day journey through your life with instructions to read only one chapter a day and reflect on that day's message and questions. I'll start that tomorrow and it's killing me not to look ahead and see what to expect. But, i'm going to stick to discipline and not look.
Where the questions are specifically Christian, i'll look at them from my non-Christian perspective. We'll see how that works out, given that i don't know what questions are going to come up. But, the journey is off to a good start as the instructions end with this quote from Rumi:
I called through your door,
"The mystics are gathering
in the street. Come out!"
"Leave me alone.
I'm sick."
"I don't care if you're dead!
Jesus is here, and he wants
to resurrect somebody."
:-) I love that.
Get out here!
I'm sick, i told you.
I don't care if you're dead, i said get your butt out here. Didn't you hear who i am?
Go away, i'm in a bad mood.
Don't you understand who i am? I can take care of that. Get out here NOW!
Just go away, please.
If i have to come in there, there will be Hell to pay.
You're funny. If you don't leave now, i'm going to call the cops.
...
Sometimes, even when the solutions appear at your door, we're too closed-minded to accept them, preferring to continue to suffer. Alone. What a waste, but an incredibly hard habit to break once you fall in that hole.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Runner's Orgasms
Went to the bookstore to see if there were any unbelievable after-Thanksgiving sales. There wasn't anything for me, as it turned out, so i went home and bought Eihei Dōgen: Mystical Realist online — but while browsing in the Running section at the store, i did notice this chapter title in one book: "The Runner's High Is Like An Orgasm."
Hmmmmmm..... now that has to make one stop and think. Does this mean i'd have more luck in life if i replaced my photos on the online dating sites with new ones of me in my running shoes and tights? Or, conversely, does that explain why my short, fast tempo runs are great but i find it so difficult on those long, slow early morning weekend runs? I wonder if there really is a connection or if he was just trying to sell books????
Anyway,
DHS 19/100
Hmmmmmm..... now that has to make one stop and think. Does this mean i'd have more luck in life if i replaced my photos on the online dating sites with new ones of me in my running shoes and tights? Or, conversely, does that explain why my short, fast tempo runs are great but i find it so difficult on those long, slow early morning weekend runs? I wonder if there really is a connection or if he was just trying to sell books????
Anyway,
DHS 19/100
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Who Cares?
[M]an's way to liberation and perfection lies through an increasing impersonality. It is his ancient and constant experience that the more he opens himself to the impersonal and infinite, to that which is pure and high and one and common in all things and beings, the impersonal and infinite in Nature, the impersonal and infinite in life, the impersonal and infinite in his own subjectivity, the less he is bound by his ego and by the circle of the finite, the more he feels a sense of largeness, peace, pure happiness. The pleasure, joy, satisfaction which the finite by itself can give, or the ego in its own right attain, is transitory, petty and insecure. To dwell entirely in the ego sense and its finite conceptions, powers, satisfactions is to find this world forever full of transience and suffering...
[T]he finite life is always troubled by a certain sense of vanity for this fundamental reason that the finite is not the whole or the highest truth of life; life is not entirely real until it opens into the sense of the infinite. ...
For the impersonal, the infinite, the One in which all the impermanent, mutable, multiple activity of the world finds above itself its base of permanence, security and peace, is the immobile Self. ... If we see this, we shall see that to raise one's consciousness and the poise of one's being out of limited personality into this infinite and impersonal Brahman is the first spiritual necessity. To see all beings in this one Self is the knowledge which raises the soul out of egoistic ignorance and its works and results; to live in it is to acquire peace and firm spiritual foundation.
Aurobindo
Essays On The Gita
It's hard to explain
These things called life, age, and death
Then again, who cares?
That's the question, isn't it? Who cares? Who? What? No door prize for anyone that says "I do." :-(
DHS 17/100
Road Kill 5
Neither fast nor slow
Just one foot then the other
But oi vey, my lungs!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Three Types of Pain
According to my book of running, there are three types of pain that we runners have to deal with.
Type One is like a whining kid behind you in the checkout line of the grocery store. He's whining and whining and whining and whining and whining and whining and ... and just will.not.shut.up. Man is this annoying — until you just tune it out and concentrate on something else: a magazine on the rack next to you, the different types of gum for sale, the woman running the cash register, anything that you can focus on. Likewise, as you're running along, a pain shows up somewhere. But, once you focus on something else, like your breath, the road going by under your feet, or the scenery around you, the pain disappears. No big deal.
Type Two is like a whining kid, one of your own kids, at the dinner table. She's whining and whining and whining and whining and whining and whining and ... and just will.not.shut.up. Problem is, it's your kid and your dinner table so it is impossible to tune out and you certainly can't just leave. You can threaten, you can swear revenge, you can cajole, you can plead, but until the whining stops, you are stuck listening to it. Or, figuring out what is really wrong and solving it, in which case it will stop. Likewise, as you're running along another pain shows up. This time no matter what you focus on it won't go away. You now have to make a decision — it's a bother, i can't seem to ignore it, but can i tolerate it until i get home? It will be with me for the entire run, is that OK? And that's where you leave it; you come to a temporary truce and agree that the two of you will have to share the run because you aren't going to stop and it isn't going to go away. But that's OK because you know there won't be any real harm done.
Type Three is like a whining spouse. He/She's in your face, and whining up a storm. You turn this way, he/she follows. You turn that way, he/she follows. You say you're busy and promise to listen later, he/she gets closer and whines louder. There is no compromise and there is no way out. You know that if you don't stop what you're doing RIGHT NOW and deal with it, your butt may get kicked from here to the equator. If you don't focus on what's being said, you are in for bodily damage. You know that if you value your life you have to stop and find a solution before taking two more breaths. Before the next breath if you can stop what you are doing quickly enough.
A type three pain showed up in my right hamstring during today's run. By the time i got to my two mile marker i knew that i was being stupid to think i could gut it out; one more step could mean trouble. It took me 19 minutes to run that far, it took most of an hour to turn around and walk back to the house. Sigghhhhhh......
I guess i'll take the rest of the week off and start running again next Monday.
Type One is like a whining kid behind you in the checkout line of the grocery store. He's whining and whining and whining and whining and whining and whining and ... and just will.not.shut.up. Man is this annoying — until you just tune it out and concentrate on something else: a magazine on the rack next to you, the different types of gum for sale, the woman running the cash register, anything that you can focus on. Likewise, as you're running along, a pain shows up somewhere. But, once you focus on something else, like your breath, the road going by under your feet, or the scenery around you, the pain disappears. No big deal.
Type Two is like a whining kid, one of your own kids, at the dinner table. She's whining and whining and whining and whining and whining and whining and ... and just will.not.shut.up. Problem is, it's your kid and your dinner table so it is impossible to tune out and you certainly can't just leave. You can threaten, you can swear revenge, you can cajole, you can plead, but until the whining stops, you are stuck listening to it. Or, figuring out what is really wrong and solving it, in which case it will stop. Likewise, as you're running along another pain shows up. This time no matter what you focus on it won't go away. You now have to make a decision — it's a bother, i can't seem to ignore it, but can i tolerate it until i get home? It will be with me for the entire run, is that OK? And that's where you leave it; you come to a temporary truce and agree that the two of you will have to share the run because you aren't going to stop and it isn't going to go away. But that's OK because you know there won't be any real harm done.
Type Three is like a whining spouse. He/She's in your face, and whining up a storm. You turn this way, he/she follows. You turn that way, he/she follows. You say you're busy and promise to listen later, he/she gets closer and whines louder. There is no compromise and there is no way out. You know that if you don't stop what you're doing RIGHT NOW and deal with it, your butt may get kicked from here to the equator. If you don't focus on what's being said, you are in for bodily damage. You know that if you value your life you have to stop and find a solution before taking two more breaths. Before the next breath if you can stop what you are doing quickly enough.
A type three pain showed up in my right hamstring during today's run. By the time i got to my two mile marker i knew that i was being stupid to think i could gut it out; one more step could mean trouble. It took me 19 minutes to run that far, it took most of an hour to turn around and walk back to the house. Sigghhhhhh......
I guess i'll take the rest of the week off and start running again next Monday.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Chicago Marathon
It's over.
I went into the race hoping to get as close to 4:30 (h:m) as i could, and was completely surprised to find my feet still moving reasonably well at 20 miles. I knew then that all was going better than expected. I didn't know how well it was going, but i knew it was better than i had planned for. I didn't know because i don't look at my watch until i cross the finish line. If i do, it makes the miles seem soooo much longer, so i simply run the best i can and accept the time that comes out of that. The watch is only to give me immediate feedback at the finish line on what my time was.
In fact, i didn't die until right at the 25 mile marker. That last mile would have been pure hell except for the fact that my brain had shut down a mile, or so, earlier in order to stop listening to my legs, so i really wasn't aware of much except right, left, right, left, right, left, ......
Unofficial time: 04:17:47 (h:m:s). I am very, very happy with the run. Today was a good day.
I went into the race hoping to get as close to 4:30 (h:m) as i could, and was completely surprised to find my feet still moving reasonably well at 20 miles. I knew then that all was going better than expected. I didn't know how well it was going, but i knew it was better than i had planned for. I didn't know because i don't look at my watch until i cross the finish line. If i do, it makes the miles seem soooo much longer, so i simply run the best i can and accept the time that comes out of that. The watch is only to give me immediate feedback at the finish line on what my time was.
In fact, i didn't die until right at the 25 mile marker. That last mile would have been pure hell except for the fact that my brain had shut down a mile, or so, earlier in order to stop listening to my legs, so i really wasn't aware of much except right, left, right, left, right, left, ......
Unofficial time: 04:17:47 (h:m:s). I am very, very happy with the run. Today was a good day.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
All Done Except The Celebration
Another summer of training comes to an end, but i'm not sure if this qualifies as a :-) or a :-( I'll ride my bike up to the grocery store on Saturday just to loosen up the legs, but that's only 6 miles, so today was basically it.
Today was my last run before the marathon and i did a nice easy 4 miles at a 9:01 pace with a perceived effort of Easy (2). It really was a very easy jog. The first time i ran 4 miles this year was on April 1, and that was at a 10:10 pace with a perceived effort of Moderate (3). My pace has improved considerably at the same time as the effort getting easier.
Putting two and two together, it seems fair to say that on Sunday, if i ignore the first 22 miles, then this year's marathon should be an easy race. Should be. It is safe to assume that i can ignore the first 22 miles, isn't it??
Today was my last run before the marathon and i did a nice easy 4 miles at a 9:01 pace with a perceived effort of Easy (2). It really was a very easy jog. The first time i ran 4 miles this year was on April 1, and that was at a 10:10 pace with a perceived effort of Moderate (3). My pace has improved considerably at the same time as the effort getting easier.
Putting two and two together, it seems fair to say that on Sunday, if i ignore the first 22 miles, then this year's marathon should be an easy race. Should be. It is safe to assume that i can ignore the first 22 miles, isn't it??
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Unspoken Hazard Of Running
It's a little known, and oft unspoken, hazard of running. It's not cheap.
Yes, everyone you talk to says it's basically free — all you need is a pair of shoes, a pair of shorts, and a shirt (and the shirt is technically optional). Occasionally people will mention the money required for energy bars and gels and the energy drinks. What few mention is the increase in the cost of your basic groceries.
My grocery budget used to be $150/month. Over the past 6 months, though, i have watched three things happen: 1) my weekly/monthly running mileage has increased, 2) my weight stabilized at 171 pounds and hasn't budged, and 3) my grocery bill has sky-rocketed.
I was looking at my spending for groceries this morning after paying some bills. What i noticed was:
March: $143
April: $159
May: $162
June: $163
July: $216
August: $244
I have been wondering about this increase all summer. Given my budget, if this is a permanent increase i need to look at the overall budget picture as i add hiking and bicycling back to my life. But, why is it going up? My diet hasn't changed. I haven't "upgraded" to better, more expensive foods. I haven't gone "organic." I only allow myself luxuries like pizza and beer once a month. I buy some of my groceries at Wal-Mart now because some of their prices are less than Jewel's. So why are my expenditures going up so much?
This morning, i was also wondering why, given the mileage that i run and that i ride my bicycle almost every day of the week, using it for all of my errands except when i refill my 3-gallon water bottles, did my weight stabilize at 171 over two months ago and won't drop further?
Then the correlation hit me.
Increased running mileage + Increased bike mileage = Increased appetite
Increased appetite + Eating to the same level of contentment = Increased grocery bills.
If i were to overlay a graph of my monthly running miles on top of a graph of my monthly grocery bill, the two would look exactly the same. I know for you people who are smart this was a no-brainer and obvious, but i'm surprised at the amount of increase.
What got me thinking about it was some reading i've been doing lately. DownTheRoad.org is the web site of a couple that have been bicycling around the world for the past 7 years. They say that as they were making concerted efforts to save money prior to setting out, they were living on 25% of their incomes and saving the rest. The wife was a geologist and the husband a teacher and i don't think either of those occupations are on the high end of the pay scale. They also estimated that they would need $41/day to live on once they started touring.
I'm sure that their 25% was more than my current 100%, but i wonder what they did to cut down on expenses? Where did they save? That led me to once again look at my budget and see where i could cut corners, or at least shave them a little rounder. Because every penny i shave somewhere else can be shifted to letting me go hiking one weekend a month or pay for a trip around the Grand Illinois Trail on my bike.
But first, i need to look at all those groceries i have been buying .....
Yes, everyone you talk to says it's basically free — all you need is a pair of shoes, a pair of shorts, and a shirt (and the shirt is technically optional). Occasionally people will mention the money required for energy bars and gels and the energy drinks. What few mention is the increase in the cost of your basic groceries.
My grocery budget used to be $150/month. Over the past 6 months, though, i have watched three things happen: 1) my weekly/monthly running mileage has increased, 2) my weight stabilized at 171 pounds and hasn't budged, and 3) my grocery bill has sky-rocketed.
I was looking at my spending for groceries this morning after paying some bills. What i noticed was:
March: $143
April: $159
May: $162
June: $163
July: $216
August: $244
I have been wondering about this increase all summer. Given my budget, if this is a permanent increase i need to look at the overall budget picture as i add hiking and bicycling back to my life. But, why is it going up? My diet hasn't changed. I haven't "upgraded" to better, more expensive foods. I haven't gone "organic." I only allow myself luxuries like pizza and beer once a month. I buy some of my groceries at Wal-Mart now because some of their prices are less than Jewel's. So why are my expenditures going up so much?
This morning, i was also wondering why, given the mileage that i run and that i ride my bicycle almost every day of the week, using it for all of my errands except when i refill my 3-gallon water bottles, did my weight stabilize at 171 over two months ago and won't drop further?
Then the correlation hit me.
Increased running mileage + Increased bike mileage = Increased appetite
Increased appetite + Eating to the same level of contentment = Increased grocery bills.
If i were to overlay a graph of my monthly running miles on top of a graph of my monthly grocery bill, the two would look exactly the same. I know for you people who are smart this was a no-brainer and obvious, but i'm surprised at the amount of increase.
What got me thinking about it was some reading i've been doing lately. DownTheRoad.org is the web site of a couple that have been bicycling around the world for the past 7 years. They say that as they were making concerted efforts to save money prior to setting out, they were living on 25% of their incomes and saving the rest. The wife was a geologist and the husband a teacher and i don't think either of those occupations are on the high end of the pay scale. They also estimated that they would need $41/day to live on once they started touring.
I'm sure that their 25% was more than my current 100%, but i wonder what they did to cut down on expenses? Where did they save? That led me to once again look at my budget and see where i could cut corners, or at least shave them a little rounder. Because every penny i shave somewhere else can be shifted to letting me go hiking one weekend a month or pay for a trip around the Grand Illinois Trail on my bike.
But first, i need to look at all those groceries i have been buying .....
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Feeling Offal For What I Did, But....
Fell asleep this afternoon and slept for an hour. When i woke up, the only thing on my mind was ........ should i drive to Burger King now or wait until the news is over? Burger King? A hamburger? Dead cow meat for dinner? Where did that thought come from? This wasn't a passing thought that flickered by as i was waking up, it was an absolute certainty only waiting to be carried out.
I have been crying in my running log for several days about how incredibly tired i am of late. Early in the year i said that as i train for the Chicago Marathon i would run 5 days a week unless it killed me. These past few days i've been wondering if maybe life was seriously trying to take me up on that blatant dare.
Monday's log entry included this: "Miserable. Why? Heat? Humidity? Dehydration? Nutrition? Bad mood? Too much running? All? Combination?" And the last part of this morning's entry included: "I am just sooooooooooooooo tired. Why?"
On top of that, i just never, absolutely never, get food cravings. So where in "that place of very warm weather" did this craving for a hamburger (typed with sarcasm dripping all over the place) come from? Could my body be trying to say that the fatigue is, in part, a nutritional problem?
As sad as it is, i'm worried enough about my training that i gave in to the craving and went to Burger King as soon as the news was over. Whopper, fries, and a coke. It was terrible. The hamburger tasted like beef, the fries tasted like oil, and the coke tasted like sugar. As soon as i got home i wanted to cook some rice and stir fry some veggies like i eat the rest of the time, but knew i couldn't eat it even if i did so i just slumped in the chair in the living room and sulked at how weak i've become. :-(
Siggggghhhhhh...... what have i become?
I have been crying in my running log for several days about how incredibly tired i am of late. Early in the year i said that as i train for the Chicago Marathon i would run 5 days a week unless it killed me. These past few days i've been wondering if maybe life was seriously trying to take me up on that blatant dare.
Monday's log entry included this: "Miserable. Why? Heat? Humidity? Dehydration? Nutrition? Bad mood? Too much running? All? Combination?" And the last part of this morning's entry included: "I am just sooooooooooooooo tired. Why?"
On top of that, i just never, absolutely never, get food cravings. So where in "that place of very warm weather" did this craving for a hamburger (typed with sarcasm dripping all over the place) come from? Could my body be trying to say that the fatigue is, in part, a nutritional problem?
As sad as it is, i'm worried enough about my training that i gave in to the craving and went to Burger King as soon as the news was over. Whopper, fries, and a coke. It was terrible. The hamburger tasted like beef, the fries tasted like oil, and the coke tasted like sugar. As soon as i got home i wanted to cook some rice and stir fry some veggies like i eat the rest of the time, but knew i couldn't eat it even if i did so i just slumped in the chair in the living room and sulked at how weak i've become. :-(
Siggggghhhhhh...... what have i become?
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Road Kill 4
An old bag of rice
Out of sight and in the dark
Of what use is it
---and---
Pot-holed road heads west
Life drifts slowly in exile
Only dreams of dreams
Out of sight and in the dark
Of what use is it
---and---
Pot-holed road heads west
Life drifts slowly in exile
Only dreams of dreams
Thursday, July 9, 2009
------> LOCATE
It might seem strange
to suggest
you don't appreciate
the fact
that you are
alive
but
when you woke
this morning
to find yourself
still breathing
did you say
or do
anything
to show
you noticed
and
are
grateful?
The two newest songs (both Japanese) added to the mp3 player i use to run: Soba Ni Iru Ne and Naketekuru
Most people never take the time to think of their local Highway Department, and those that do probably think it does nothing for runners, bicyclists, or other outdoor enthusiasts. Here in Lockport, though, these wonderful people offer hidden gifts, if you take the time to look for them.
Just after the Col de I355 and the 3.5 mi. mark on my normal run every morning, the Highway Dept. has taken the trouble to paint, in rather large letters, a message to us right on the shoulder of the road. In big, white lettering, "-----> LOCATE" is written so that we can't miss it; in fact, you are forced to run right across the words.
It is here each morning that i thank those wonderful people and take the time to do just what they are telling me to do — locate myself. It is so incredibly easy to get lost when out on the road; lost in the ongoing movie clips of my life that run around my head all day, lost in the constant chatter, bickering, and other nonsense that won't go away, lost in the dreams and reminiscences, lost in fantasies.
But each time i run across those words, i am reminded that i can put a stop to all that and take stock of myself. And, since the Highway Dept. took the time to leave the message, i do just that.
First i go through the physical checklist:
- Feet landing mid-foot instead of on the heel?
- Pushing off with the toes?
- Stride feel right? Loose?
- Calf muscles relaxed?
- Knees flowing smoothly?
- Hamstrings and Quads relaxed?
- Hips loose and swinging freely?
- Butt not tight? Let it hang loose.
- Deep breaths from the belly. No chest breathing.
- Forearms parallel to the ground and swinging lightly fore & aft?
- Hands relaxed? Let them hang completely limp for a second then bring back up.
- Fingers separated and very, very loose?
- Thumb and forefinger very lightly touching?
- Shoulders relaxed and hanging loosely? Swinging freely?
- Neck muscles relaxed?
- Mouth and chin relaxed?
- Cheek muscles relaxed?
- Eyes and forehead relaxed? No squinting?
- Scalp relaxed?
Then the overall physical checklist:
- Is the pace OK? Too fast? Too slow?
- Is the ground loose or solid?
- Should you move up to the asphalt or down to the gravel?
- Do i need a drink? Something to eat? A piece of gum?
- How do you feel?
Then inside:
- Have the movies been turned off?
- Are you talking to yourself?
- Are you here on the road or elsewhere?
- Are you running Now or sometime in the past or future?
- Are you experiencing this run?
- Have you noticed your surroundings? The traffic, the birds, the dogs, the people, the golfers, how high the sun is, the clouds, how tall the corn is today, the woman mowing her lawn, etc.
- Can you feel your heart beating?
- Can you feel your muscles expanding & contracting?
- Are you aware?
- Are you present?
Then the harder questions:
- Who are you? If you turn off everything and just become moving feet, what is running?
- Am i more than this graying old man who happens to live in Lockport and likes to run?
- Or am i less?
- How can i be the same person now at 55 that i was when i was 55 seconds old?
- What has changed?
- What hasn't changed?
- When i just am, whether on my zafu or in my running shoes, what am i?
- What do i have to give up to just be?
- Once it is surrendered, why do i always want it back again later?
Then time to focus:
- Just feel the feet running. Stride. Stride. Stride......
- Left arm swinging. Right. Left. Right.......
- One breath. Another. Another. Another. Another......
- No thoughts. Just watch the breath come in, go out, come in, .......
- No mind. No runner. Just moving feet.
- Thought comes. Concentrate on the breathing. Thought goes.
- No mind. No runner. Just moving feet.
- No mind.
By the time i get through all of this, i'm well on my way back home to a snack and a delicious cup of green tea, which is drank and appreciated, usually, by i don't know who.
Thank you Highway Department.
to suggest
you don't appreciate
the fact
that you are
alive
but
when you woke
this morning
to find yourself
still breathing
did you say
or do
anything
to show
you noticed
and
are
grateful?
The two newest songs (both Japanese) added to the mp3 player i use to run: Soba Ni Iru Ne and Naketekuru
Most people never take the time to think of their local Highway Department, and those that do probably think it does nothing for runners, bicyclists, or other outdoor enthusiasts. Here in Lockport, though, these wonderful people offer hidden gifts, if you take the time to look for them.
Just after the Col de I355 and the 3.5 mi. mark on my normal run every morning, the Highway Dept. has taken the trouble to paint, in rather large letters, a message to us right on the shoulder of the road. In big, white lettering, "-----> LOCATE" is written so that we can't miss it; in fact, you are forced to run right across the words.
It is here each morning that i thank those wonderful people and take the time to do just what they are telling me to do — locate myself. It is so incredibly easy to get lost when out on the road; lost in the ongoing movie clips of my life that run around my head all day, lost in the constant chatter, bickering, and other nonsense that won't go away, lost in the dreams and reminiscences, lost in fantasies.
But each time i run across those words, i am reminded that i can put a stop to all that and take stock of myself. And, since the Highway Dept. took the time to leave the message, i do just that.
First i go through the physical checklist:
- Feet landing mid-foot instead of on the heel?
- Pushing off with the toes?
- Stride feel right? Loose?
- Calf muscles relaxed?
- Knees flowing smoothly?
- Hamstrings and Quads relaxed?
- Hips loose and swinging freely?
- Butt not tight? Let it hang loose.
- Deep breaths from the belly. No chest breathing.
- Forearms parallel to the ground and swinging lightly fore & aft?
- Hands relaxed? Let them hang completely limp for a second then bring back up.
- Fingers separated and very, very loose?
- Thumb and forefinger very lightly touching?
- Shoulders relaxed and hanging loosely? Swinging freely?
- Neck muscles relaxed?
- Mouth and chin relaxed?
- Cheek muscles relaxed?
- Eyes and forehead relaxed? No squinting?
- Scalp relaxed?
Then the overall physical checklist:
- Is the pace OK? Too fast? Too slow?
- Is the ground loose or solid?
- Should you move up to the asphalt or down to the gravel?
- Do i need a drink? Something to eat? A piece of gum?
- How do you feel?
Then inside:
- Have the movies been turned off?
- Are you talking to yourself?
- Are you here on the road or elsewhere?
- Are you running Now or sometime in the past or future?
- Are you experiencing this run?
- Have you noticed your surroundings? The traffic, the birds, the dogs, the people, the golfers, how high the sun is, the clouds, how tall the corn is today, the woman mowing her lawn, etc.
- Can you feel your heart beating?
- Can you feel your muscles expanding & contracting?
- Are you aware?
- Are you present?
Then the harder questions:
- Who are you? If you turn off everything and just become moving feet, what is running?
- Am i more than this graying old man who happens to live in Lockport and likes to run?
- Or am i less?
- How can i be the same person now at 55 that i was when i was 55 seconds old?
- What has changed?
- What hasn't changed?
- When i just am, whether on my zafu or in my running shoes, what am i?
- What do i have to give up to just be?
- Once it is surrendered, why do i always want it back again later?
Then time to focus:
- Just feel the feet running. Stride. Stride. Stride......
- Left arm swinging. Right. Left. Right.......
- One breath. Another. Another. Another. Another......
- No thoughts. Just watch the breath come in, go out, come in, .......
- No mind. No runner. Just moving feet.
- Thought comes. Concentrate on the breathing. Thought goes.
- No mind. No runner. Just moving feet.
- No mind.
By the time i get through all of this, i'm well on my way back home to a snack and a delicious cup of green tea, which is drank and appreciated, usually, by i don't know who.
Thank you Highway Department.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Racing The Pros & Superstitions
Because i'm a lazy bum, i got out on my run late this morning. I was watching the Tour De France online, but after a while, realized that i was working myself into a tight corner — i had to leave soon if i wanted to be back in time to watch the sprint to the finish line, or i had to wait and run after the stage was complete. But, that spelled trouble because i could see the red of my thermometer climbing with each minute.
Figuring that the stage would end at about 11:15, and working backward, i changed clothes and headed out, knowing that i was going to have to have a very good run in order to be back in time. And i did.
I only had to run 8 miles, and even though i run an out-and-back, up-and-down, hilly course from start to finish, the only real hard part is the Col de I355 (the overpass they built over our new local interstate highway), which, for some reason, they built tall enough to leave room for double height trucks to drive under. It is so tall that you can see it from a mile away, once you clear the last other hills on the approach. It's a monster.
Because i'm playing cat and mouse games with a sore right groin muscle, the 4 miles out had to be pretty slow while i warmed up, even though the gap between me and the peleton was growing with each stride away from home. Once i turned around, though, i knew it was time to drop the hammer in order to get back in time.
The Col de I355 is at about mile 3.5, so once i turned around that was the first thing i had to deal with. Going out i took it slowly; going home, i pounded up and over at a fairly good clip — i was chasing the peleton to the finish, and i had no time to lose. Once past that hurdle, while it would be hilly all the way home, it is a net drop in altitude, with the final half-block a downhill sprint to the finish.
Even though i am absolutely against performance drugs, i admit that i wanted to get home in time badly enough that i broke into my performance enhancing stash. I keep 5 pretty hard (for me, anyhow) rock songs on my mp3 player for just such emergencies as this. I almost never listen to these 5 songs, but they are loud enough that they can drown out all but the worst complaints my body can raise as i run when i'm in a hurry. With these now blasting in my ears, i powered home.
To make a long story short, i ended up with a very acceptable 9:33 pace for the run, and a very good morning run, but still walked in the door 1 minute after Cavendish had crossed the finish line. The race finished 10 minutes before they were supposed to. Sigghhhhh...... I guess these guys are faster than i thought. Maybe that's why they are pros? But, i blame this all on Hincapie for pushing the breakaway that put Columbia-HTC up front.
I'm not a superstitious person. Never have been. Can't think of one superstition i believe in. But......
A month ago, in order to get rid of the white, untanned, band around my left wrist that i get from always wearing my watch on that arm, i decided to wear my watch on my right arm half the time. It's incredibly uncomfortable, but you do what you have to do when you train for a marathon.
Shortly after starting this practice, my right groin muscle really, really started to bother me. It springs up each year to varying degrees, but always at the end of the training season. This year it is early.
Now, the only thing i am doing differently compared to previous years is this thing with the watch. Superstition would tell you not to play with a routine that is already proven to work, but since i'm not superstitious, and refuse to believe that this simple change in my training routine could cause the groin problem, i analyzed what is going on.
What i figured out is that by moving my watch to the right wrist 50% of the time, the extra weight on the right side of the body is causing me to tilt ever so slightly in that direction. To compensate for that, my hip and core muscles need to tighten up in order to pull my body back to the vertical. In particular, it is the right hip/groin that is doing most of the work, and this is causing the pulled muscle.
When i leave my watch on the left wrist, like i did today, all seems to be well. I still need to be careful as it heals and returns completely to normal, but it is definitely getting better.
So, while no one may believe the physiological explanation, and i don't believe the superstitious explanation, the watch is staying on the left wrist where it belongs.
Don't play with proven strategies.
Figuring that the stage would end at about 11:15, and working backward, i changed clothes and headed out, knowing that i was going to have to have a very good run in order to be back in time. And i did.
I only had to run 8 miles, and even though i run an out-and-back, up-and-down, hilly course from start to finish, the only real hard part is the Col de I355 (the overpass they built over our new local interstate highway), which, for some reason, they built tall enough to leave room for double height trucks to drive under. It is so tall that you can see it from a mile away, once you clear the last other hills on the approach. It's a monster.
Because i'm playing cat and mouse games with a sore right groin muscle, the 4 miles out had to be pretty slow while i warmed up, even though the gap between me and the peleton was growing with each stride away from home. Once i turned around, though, i knew it was time to drop the hammer in order to get back in time.
The Col de I355 is at about mile 3.5, so once i turned around that was the first thing i had to deal with. Going out i took it slowly; going home, i pounded up and over at a fairly good clip — i was chasing the peleton to the finish, and i had no time to lose. Once past that hurdle, while it would be hilly all the way home, it is a net drop in altitude, with the final half-block a downhill sprint to the finish.
Even though i am absolutely against performance drugs, i admit that i wanted to get home in time badly enough that i broke into my performance enhancing stash. I keep 5 pretty hard (for me, anyhow) rock songs on my mp3 player for just such emergencies as this. I almost never listen to these 5 songs, but they are loud enough that they can drown out all but the worst complaints my body can raise as i run when i'm in a hurry. With these now blasting in my ears, i powered home.
To make a long story short, i ended up with a very acceptable 9:33 pace for the run, and a very good morning run, but still walked in the door 1 minute after Cavendish had crossed the finish line. The race finished 10 minutes before they were supposed to. Sigghhhhh...... I guess these guys are faster than i thought. Maybe that's why they are pros? But, i blame this all on Hincapie for pushing the breakaway that put Columbia-HTC up front.
I'm not a superstitious person. Never have been. Can't think of one superstition i believe in. But......
A month ago, in order to get rid of the white, untanned, band around my left wrist that i get from always wearing my watch on that arm, i decided to wear my watch on my right arm half the time. It's incredibly uncomfortable, but you do what you have to do when you train for a marathon.
Shortly after starting this practice, my right groin muscle really, really started to bother me. It springs up each year to varying degrees, but always at the end of the training season. This year it is early.
Now, the only thing i am doing differently compared to previous years is this thing with the watch. Superstition would tell you not to play with a routine that is already proven to work, but since i'm not superstitious, and refuse to believe that this simple change in my training routine could cause the groin problem, i analyzed what is going on.
What i figured out is that by moving my watch to the right wrist 50% of the time, the extra weight on the right side of the body is causing me to tilt ever so slightly in that direction. To compensate for that, my hip and core muscles need to tighten up in order to pull my body back to the vertical. In particular, it is the right hip/groin that is doing most of the work, and this is causing the pulled muscle.
When i leave my watch on the left wrist, like i did today, all seems to be well. I still need to be careful as it heals and returns completely to normal, but it is definitely getting better.
So, while no one may believe the physiological explanation, and i don't believe the superstitious explanation, the watch is staying on the left wrist where it belongs.
Don't play with proven strategies.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Road Kill 3
Foolish people dream.
Like long dicks, brains, and fast runs.
Just accept your life.
Another KPop 8 miles, but great weather.
Like long dicks, brains, and fast runs.
Just accept your life.
Another KPop 8 miles, but great weather.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Running
I'm posting this not because i need anyone to see it, but because i'm hoping that by sending the words out to the unknown, i'll find some inspiration.
My running and training for the Chicago Marathon is going about as expected. I never have been very fast, and the best time i ever posted in the marathon is 3:58. I didn't bother to run the race the past few years, so this year's goals are modest. Anything under the 6:30 limit will be a success. Anything less than 5:30 will be good. My dream is to get something closer to 4:30 and that would leave me wildly ecstatic.
I've already shed 10 pounds in the past 5 months, and will go ahead and lose another 3 or 4 before i put a stop to it. I'm planning to run the race this year at around 171-172 pounds. For now, i don't particularly want to go under 170 pounds, but that could change once i get there and being that light makes my running that much easier.
My average times these past few months have been 10:09/mile (April), 9:51/mile (May), and 9:52/mile so far for June, although that will come down because i start hill work tomorrow and that lasts for six weeks. My current schedule is 8 mi on Monday, 2 mi warmup and then hill repeats on Tuesday, 7 mi on Wednesday, 5 mi (with occasional short sprints) on Thursday, and a longer run on Saturday. This week is 12 mi, next week is 13.
If you see me out on Division St. in the mornings, say hello. :-)
My running and training for the Chicago Marathon is going about as expected. I never have been very fast, and the best time i ever posted in the marathon is 3:58. I didn't bother to run the race the past few years, so this year's goals are modest. Anything under the 6:30 limit will be a success. Anything less than 5:30 will be good. My dream is to get something closer to 4:30 and that would leave me wildly ecstatic.
I've already shed 10 pounds in the past 5 months, and will go ahead and lose another 3 or 4 before i put a stop to it. I'm planning to run the race this year at around 171-172 pounds. For now, i don't particularly want to go under 170 pounds, but that could change once i get there and being that light makes my running that much easier.
My average times these past few months have been 10:09/mile (April), 9:51/mile (May), and 9:52/mile so far for June, although that will come down because i start hill work tomorrow and that lasts for six weeks. My current schedule is 8 mi on Monday, 2 mi warmup and then hill repeats on Tuesday, 7 mi on Wednesday, 5 mi (with occasional short sprints) on Thursday, and a longer run on Saturday. This week is 12 mi, next week is 13.
If you see me out on Division St. in the mornings, say hello. :-)
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