Apparently, the San Francisco 49ers are growing mustaches for their game this weekend because it is a throwback game with old uniforms and the whole deal. Now THAT is something I can root for.
But enough about football. Last week was my best training week in a while. I ran all seven days, got in a workout, went long on Saturday, and hit about 75 miles for the week. My workout on Tuesday was 2 x 2 mile at Reggie. I kept it controlled and hit 10:40 for the first one and 10:36 for the second repeat. I wasn't sure what to expect going into this one, but was pleased with the effort. We started to get snow on Friday night and things were pretty messy by the time I met up with a group of folks at Fresh Pond for Ian's farewell long run. I felt good for the majority of the run, but the only thing that got me through the final 20 minutes was thinking of all the food and beer waiting for me at the brunch and pub crawl that was to take place later in the day. Right now, I am writing from home in Baltimore. I escaped the snow in Boston, but it is just as cold. My hope is to run 80 to 85 miles this week with a workout tomorrow. At this point, I am thinking I will begin racing at the beginning of February.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Done and Done
I'm free! No more grad school for almost a month. I just emailed in my final assignment and I am completely and totally done with BC for the semester.
In other news, I ran every day this week, making it the first week with seven runs since August. I was a few miles short of my goal of 70 for the week, but I can't complain. I'll know a little more about the type of shape I am in after my first workout on Tuesday, but I've started thinking that a 5k PR might be possible this spring into the early summer. That would be a good intermediate goal between now and a fall marathon and would put me in a good position to run fast in October or November. For now, the goal is to hit around 75 miles in the upcoming week while getting in a long run and a workout.
As for a song to check out, I heard the one in the video below while I was out on Saturday night. Odds are that this falls into the category of being new to me but well known to most people that I mentioned before.
In other news, I ran every day this week, making it the first week with seven runs since August. I was a few miles short of my goal of 70 for the week, but I can't complain. I'll know a little more about the type of shape I am in after my first workout on Tuesday, but I've started thinking that a 5k PR might be possible this spring into the early summer. That would be a good intermediate goal between now and a fall marathon and would put me in a good position to run fast in October or November. For now, the goal is to hit around 75 miles in the upcoming week while getting in a long run and a workout.
As for a song to check out, I heard the one in the video below while I was out on Saturday night. Odds are that this falls into the category of being new to me but well known to most people that I mentioned before.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Daytrotter Sessions
One thing that I am really good at is finding out about things well after the fact and then thinking I have uncovered some great new discovery when I stumble upon them months or years later. The link below is probably one of those cases, but I am going to put it out there for the heck of it.
The website is called Daytrotter and they conduct interviews with bands on a regular basis. In addition to the interviews, the bands play a short, live set in the Daytrotter studio. These Daytrotter Sessions are available online for download and they keep archives of all the old studio sessions. Some bands I have checked out include Okkervil River, Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, The National, Rogue Wave, Tapes 'n Tapes, The Thermals, and Vampire Weekend to name a few. The best part is that all of the downloads are free!
The website is called Daytrotter and they conduct interviews with bands on a regular basis. In addition to the interviews, the bands play a short, live set in the Daytrotter studio. These Daytrotter Sessions are available online for download and they keep archives of all the old studio sessions. Some bands I have checked out include Okkervil River, Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, The National, Rogue Wave, Tapes 'n Tapes, The Thermals, and Vampire Weekend to name a few. The best part is that all of the downloads are free!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Don't You Know That It's Insane?
It is going to be a long road getting back into shape after missing the better part of two months. At first, I was in survival mode for most of my runs. It has been getting better lately and every so often I end up having a run where I actually feel like I am moving at a good clip and maybe even getting fit again. The past two weeks I have been around 60 miles. The plan is to be around 70 miles this week, 80 the next week, and then hold it there for a while. Also, I think I am going to start to do a tempo run each week beginning next week.
I had my last class of the semester last night and am thrilled to be one day away from a month-long break from grad school. I will get out of school at Epiphany at 5:30 twice a week and it will seem like a huge luxury. I can't imagine what it will be like when I get out of school at 3:30 every day next year.
One of the highlights from last week came on Sunday night. I went to The Orpheum with Henri to see a Vampire Weekend concert. The band was great and the crowd was really into it, though I was surprised that "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance" wasn't a bigger hit. Apparently there were ushers in the balcony telling people to stop jumping up and down during "Walcott" because it was vibrating too much. Below is a video of the song at a different concert.
I had my last class of the semester last night and am thrilled to be one day away from a month-long break from grad school. I will get out of school at Epiphany at 5:30 twice a week and it will seem like a huge luxury. I can't imagine what it will be like when I get out of school at 3:30 every day next year.
One of the highlights from last week came on Sunday night. I went to The Orpheum with Henri to see a Vampire Weekend concert. The band was great and the crowd was really into it, though I was surprised that "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance" wasn't a bigger hit. Apparently there were ushers in the balcony telling people to stop jumping up and down during "Walcott" because it was vibrating too much. Below is a video of the song at a different concert.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Maybe People of Different Religions Are More Different Than I Realized
From science class today, as we were reviewing topics they learned in 5th, 6th, and 7th grade:
Student: And we learned about classifying stuff...like plants and animals and...
Me: Fungi?
Student: Yeah! And archaea and eubacteria and...Protestants!
Student: And we learned about classifying stuff...like plants and animals and...
Me: Fungi?
Student: Yeah! And archaea and eubacteria and...Protestants!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
Terminal Time
So it’s been a while since I posted on here, but I am stranded in BWI waiting for another two hours before my delayed flight leaves for Boston. I am ill prepared for that much terminal time and I figure that putting an update on here is my best option for filling the time. (Editor’s note: this post was typed as a word document and placed online at a later date due to the author’s inability to rationalize paying money for a few hours of internet use)
Long story short, I found out in early September that I had mono and Lyme disease. I was on antibiotics for three weeks to get rid of the Lyme disease and the mono just went away on its own.
My original plan was to run the New York City Marathon in the fall. That changed when I started to feel tired in August (I knew something was up!) and I thought I might just run some cross country races. Those plans also fell through but I was thankfully able to resume running by mid-October and enjoy the fall weather. I am pretty busy between teaching and taking graduate courses, so my new plan is to build up to between 80 and 85 miles per week. Ideally, I will keep my mileage in that range through the end of May when I will have a lot more time to train. Additionally, I am not going to run any intervals until late January at the earliest. I feel completely recovered from the mono and Lyme, but both of them can be problematic if you don’t recover fully. There is no reason for me to push the envelope at this point. I’ll leave you with an awesome answer from the most recent science test I gave my 8th graders.
What are the three properties used to tell the difference between ionic compounds? Please briefly explain each property.
The three properties used to tell the difference between ionic compounds are Amy doesn’t know, Amy needs to study, and please let Amy make up the points lost. Amy doesn’t know means that after sitting for 15 minutes and thinking she can’t figure it out. Amy needs to study means that she needs to be prepared for tests. Please let Amy make up the points lost means that you should be a nice young man.
I almost wanted to give her partial credit. Her answer sure beats the heck out of IDK.
Long story short, I found out in early September that I had mono and Lyme disease. I was on antibiotics for three weeks to get rid of the Lyme disease and the mono just went away on its own.
My original plan was to run the New York City Marathon in the fall. That changed when I started to feel tired in August (I knew something was up!) and I thought I might just run some cross country races. Those plans also fell through but I was thankfully able to resume running by mid-October and enjoy the fall weather. I am pretty busy between teaching and taking graduate courses, so my new plan is to build up to between 80 and 85 miles per week. Ideally, I will keep my mileage in that range through the end of May when I will have a lot more time to train. Additionally, I am not going to run any intervals until late January at the earliest. I feel completely recovered from the mono and Lyme, but both of them can be problematic if you don’t recover fully. There is no reason for me to push the envelope at this point. I’ll leave you with an awesome answer from the most recent science test I gave my 8th graders.
What are the three properties used to tell the difference between ionic compounds? Please briefly explain each property.
The three properties used to tell the difference between ionic compounds are Amy doesn’t know, Amy needs to study, and please let Amy make up the points lost. Amy doesn’t know means that after sitting for 15 minutes and thinking she can’t figure it out. Amy needs to study means that she needs to be prepared for tests. Please let Amy make up the points lost means that you should be a nice young man.
I almost wanted to give her partial credit. Her answer sure beats the heck out of IDK.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Reformulating Plans
I am not even going to bother with the typical format for this post. The past two weeks have been much of the same. A few days a week I doubled and put in around 120 minutes. Other days, I only ran 30 minutes or completely took the day off. I was around 50 miles for each week. From Friday to today, I didn't run a step.
Part of the problem is that, despite the decreased mileage, I have been feeling very tired. My favorite part about running is being able to go out for a 90 to 120 minute run, cruising along at a quick pace, and have it feel completely effortless. I honestly can't remember the last time I wasn't hoping to just get home during one of my runs.
Another part of the problem is that I get tied up with this mindset that if I am not running 100 to 110 miles a week, I might as well not be training. It is very hard for me to get out the door on Saturday and Sunday to finish up a 60 mile week. I know it is absurd, because there are obviously training benefits from running 80, 70, or fewer miles a week, but I just struggle with motivation when I am not running as much. I think it goes back to the whole sense of purpose idea where each run in a big week is building towards a larger goal. I just don't get that feeling when I am not running as much.
My plan was to run the New York City Marathon this fall, but I am starting to think that it might be in my best interest to defer my entry for a year and run a cross country season. With work and grad school, I am not sure that I will be able to train for a marathon the way I would like and I feel like I might be setting myself up for frustration.
I am hoping that my upcoming vacation will be a good chance to get stuff straightened out a little. Who knows? Maybe doing cross country and indoor track would help me out to come back and run a spring or fall marathon in 2009.
Sorry for the pity party of a post, but it's all I've got right now.
Part of the problem is that, despite the decreased mileage, I have been feeling very tired. My favorite part about running is being able to go out for a 90 to 120 minute run, cruising along at a quick pace, and have it feel completely effortless. I honestly can't remember the last time I wasn't hoping to just get home during one of my runs.
Another part of the problem is that I get tied up with this mindset that if I am not running 100 to 110 miles a week, I might as well not be training. It is very hard for me to get out the door on Saturday and Sunday to finish up a 60 mile week. I know it is absurd, because there are obviously training benefits from running 80, 70, or fewer miles a week, but I just struggle with motivation when I am not running as much. I think it goes back to the whole sense of purpose idea where each run in a big week is building towards a larger goal. I just don't get that feeling when I am not running as much.
My plan was to run the New York City Marathon this fall, but I am starting to think that it might be in my best interest to defer my entry for a year and run a cross country season. With work and grad school, I am not sure that I will be able to train for a marathon the way I would like and I feel like I might be setting myself up for frustration.
I am hoping that my upcoming vacation will be a good chance to get stuff straightened out a little. Who knows? Maybe doing cross country and indoor track would help me out to come back and run a spring or fall marathon in 2009.
Sorry for the pity party of a post, but it's all I've got right now.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Double Up
Training Summary
Two weeks ago, grad school went from being something that conveniently occupied my days to an all consuming venture. The readings, papers, and projects seemed endless and blogging was towards the bottom of my "to do" list. Fortunately for you all, you now get to read about TWO WEEKS of my life, thus the title of this post.
I am a deep guy, so "Double Up" actually has two meanings (that I could figure out, there may be more). It also has to do with the amount of running done, as I went almost twice as much this past week as I did two weeks ago. My hamstring is feeling much better and I think I will try an easy workout sometime later this week. I have continued to rope stretch for about 20 minutes before my runs but have started to do yoga twice a week.
Yoga is incredibly hard but I can already tell a difference in my flexibility and am able to see improvements in my hamstring. Yoga is also very humbling. I am quite inflexible and weak in my core, while the majority of the middle aged women in my class are the opposite. As I sweat and strain to make my way through the poses, they calmly flow from one stance to the other.
A highlight of the past two weeks was going to the beach this past Sunday. I went with Ted and Katie and we met Bruce, Christy, Brad, and Laura there. We went for an easy ten miles and then I spent the rest of the morning and afternoon napping, swimming, and playing frisbee. Again, I lead a tough life.
7/7 - 7/13
Monday
PM: 30 minutes
Tuesday
PM: 30 minutes
Wednesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 40 minutes
Thursday
PM: 40 minutes
Friday
noon: yoga (60 minutes), 60 minutes
PM: 30 minutes
Saturday
PM: 30 minutes
Sunday
PM: 60 minutes
Total
350 minutes on 9 runs
7/14 - 7/20
Monday
Am: 30 minutes
PM: 60 minutes
Tuesday
AM: yoga (60 minutes), 30 minutes
Wednesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 70 minutes
Thursday
PM: 90 minutes
Friday
noon: yoga (60 minutes), 30 minutes
PM: 70 minutes
Saturday
PM: 110 minutes
Sunday
PM: 70 minutes
Total
590 minutes on 10 runs
Holler of the Week
Keeping with the theme, the Holler of the Week for this entry is in fact two hollers from one guy. Neither holler was particularly interesting, but the man who delivered them certainly was. When I passed him two weeks ago, he gave me a quick "keep it up" as he danced on a street corner to the music coming from the mini boom box he had on his shoulder. During this run in, he was wearing a black suit, cowboy hat, and pink scarf. This past week, I ran by the same guy. He was on a different corner, was wearing a Hawaiian shirt, dancing, and playing maracas. His motivational "nice job" was easily the least interesting part of our interaction.
Epiphany Story of the Week
Nothing much to report on this front...just wait a month.
Song of the Week
I met Terry for lunch a few weeks ago and we did a pretty serious music swap. Since then, I have been working my way through the handful of albums he gave me. Currently, I am completely hooked on Wolf Parade. Below is the video for their song I'll Believe In Anything from the album Apologies to the Queen Mary. Also, speaking of apologies, let me apologize in advance for the dozens of quotes from the new Will Ferrel movie, Step Brothers, that are sure to be in my post next week.
Two weeks ago, grad school went from being something that conveniently occupied my days to an all consuming venture. The readings, papers, and projects seemed endless and blogging was towards the bottom of my "to do" list. Fortunately for you all, you now get to read about TWO WEEKS of my life, thus the title of this post.
I am a deep guy, so "Double Up" actually has two meanings (that I could figure out, there may be more). It also has to do with the amount of running done, as I went almost twice as much this past week as I did two weeks ago. My hamstring is feeling much better and I think I will try an easy workout sometime later this week. I have continued to rope stretch for about 20 minutes before my runs but have started to do yoga twice a week.
Yoga is incredibly hard but I can already tell a difference in my flexibility and am able to see improvements in my hamstring. Yoga is also very humbling. I am quite inflexible and weak in my core, while the majority of the middle aged women in my class are the opposite. As I sweat and strain to make my way through the poses, they calmly flow from one stance to the other.
A highlight of the past two weeks was going to the beach this past Sunday. I went with Ted and Katie and we met Bruce, Christy, Brad, and Laura there. We went for an easy ten miles and then I spent the rest of the morning and afternoon napping, swimming, and playing frisbee. Again, I lead a tough life.
7/7 - 7/13
Monday
PM: 30 minutes
Tuesday
PM: 30 minutes
Wednesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 40 minutes
Thursday
PM: 40 minutes
Friday
noon: yoga (60 minutes), 60 minutes
PM: 30 minutes
Saturday
PM: 30 minutes
Sunday
PM: 60 minutes
Total
350 minutes on 9 runs
7/14 - 7/20
Monday
Am: 30 minutes
PM: 60 minutes
Tuesday
AM: yoga (60 minutes), 30 minutes
Wednesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 70 minutes
Thursday
PM: 90 minutes
Friday
noon: yoga (60 minutes), 30 minutes
PM: 70 minutes
Saturday
PM: 110 minutes
Sunday
PM: 70 minutes
Total
590 minutes on 10 runs
Holler of the Week
Keeping with the theme, the Holler of the Week for this entry is in fact two hollers from one guy. Neither holler was particularly interesting, but the man who delivered them certainly was. When I passed him two weeks ago, he gave me a quick "keep it up" as he danced on a street corner to the music coming from the mini boom box he had on his shoulder. During this run in, he was wearing a black suit, cowboy hat, and pink scarf. This past week, I ran by the same guy. He was on a different corner, was wearing a Hawaiian shirt, dancing, and playing maracas. His motivational "nice job" was easily the least interesting part of our interaction.
Epiphany Story of the Week
Nothing much to report on this front...just wait a month.
Song of the Week
I met Terry for lunch a few weeks ago and we did a pretty serious music swap. Since then, I have been working my way through the handful of albums he gave me. Currently, I am completely hooked on Wolf Parade. Below is the video for their song I'll Believe In Anything from the album Apologies to the Queen Mary. Also, speaking of apologies, let me apologize in advance for the dozens of quotes from the new Will Ferrel movie, Step Brothers, that are sure to be in my post next week.
Monday, June 30, 2008
4 8 15 16 23 42
Training Summary
This week was hampered by a sore right hamstring. I am trying very hard to be patient with it, but it isn't easy. My situation is improving, especially since getting a massage on Thursday. My hips were misaligned, which was putting extra strain on my hamstring. I cut back on the running and have focused on stretching and strengthening instead.
Even with the addition of stretching and strengthening, I have quite a bit more free time than I did when I was running more. Fortunately, I found a great way to occupy myself. On a whim, I watched the first episode of Lost. I was immediately hooked and made my entire Netflix cue Lost DVDs. It would take two days for them to come in the mail and, much like Charlie, I needed a fix. I looked on ABC's website and found that you can stream all four seasons of the show online. There went my weekend. I am now into season two and honestly don't know how people did it, waiting a week in between episodes.
In terms of the upcoming week, I will keep my mileage lower, continue to stretch and strengthen, and adjust as needed. Also, I am going to do a yoga class at BC on Friday to work on my flexibility.
Monday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 70 minutes
Tuesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 60 minutes
Wednesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 40 minutes
Thursday
noon: massage
PM: 10 minutes
Friday
off
Saturday
PM: 20 minutes
Sunday
AM: 30 minutes
Total
320 minutes on 9 runs
Holler of the Week
There weren't many good hollers this week, but I did see the girl from last week two more times. She called me Forrest each time and I have started to call her Jenny. I am not sure if she gets it, but I find it amusing.
Epiphany Story of the Week
There is a summer camp at Epiphany for grade schoolers. Sometimes, they have gym on the back field while I am stretching or doing drills. Usually, I just get some strange looks. On Tuesday, a group of third graders came out from the gym and started watching me as I went through my rope stretching routine. One girl lost interest pretty quickly and called back to her friends as she walked away "I bet he's gonna be the yoga teacher." I was laughing through the rest of my stretching. Maybe after a few classes at BC I could come back and prove her right.
Song of the Week
In honor of me starting the second season of Lost and in honor of Desmond, one of the most intriguing characters, I present Make Your Own Kind of Music by Mama Cass Elliot.
This week was hampered by a sore right hamstring. I am trying very hard to be patient with it, but it isn't easy. My situation is improving, especially since getting a massage on Thursday. My hips were misaligned, which was putting extra strain on my hamstring. I cut back on the running and have focused on stretching and strengthening instead.
Even with the addition of stretching and strengthening, I have quite a bit more free time than I did when I was running more. Fortunately, I found a great way to occupy myself. On a whim, I watched the first episode of Lost. I was immediately hooked and made my entire Netflix cue Lost DVDs. It would take two days for them to come in the mail and, much like Charlie, I needed a fix. I looked on ABC's website and found that you can stream all four seasons of the show online. There went my weekend. I am now into season two and honestly don't know how people did it, waiting a week in between episodes.
In terms of the upcoming week, I will keep my mileage lower, continue to stretch and strengthen, and adjust as needed. Also, I am going to do a yoga class at BC on Friday to work on my flexibility.
Monday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 70 minutes
Tuesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 60 minutes
Wednesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 40 minutes
Thursday
noon: massage
PM: 10 minutes
Friday
off
Saturday
PM: 20 minutes
Sunday
AM: 30 minutes
Total
320 minutes on 9 runs
Holler of the Week
There weren't many good hollers this week, but I did see the girl from last week two more times. She called me Forrest each time and I have started to call her Jenny. I am not sure if she gets it, but I find it amusing.
Epiphany Story of the Week
There is a summer camp at Epiphany for grade schoolers. Sometimes, they have gym on the back field while I am stretching or doing drills. Usually, I just get some strange looks. On Tuesday, a group of third graders came out from the gym and started watching me as I went through my rope stretching routine. One girl lost interest pretty quickly and called back to her friends as she walked away "I bet he's gonna be the yoga teacher." I was laughing through the rest of my stretching. Maybe after a few classes at BC I could come back and prove her right.
Song of the Week
In honor of me starting the second season of Lost and in honor of Desmond, one of the most intriguing characters, I present Make Your Own Kind of Music by Mama Cass Elliot.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Hamstring Problems and The Hold Steady
Training Summary
This week got off to a very good start but sort of fizzled in the final few days. I ran a solid workout on Tuesday, but had to cut it short because my hamstring tightened up at the end of my tempo. By Friday, I had 80 miles for the week and, with a weekend long run, was poised to be around 110 miles for the week. I am not sure if it was the workout on Friday, riding my bike to run errands on Saturday, or some other unknown reason, but my right hamstring was incredibly tight on my run on Saturday. I decided to take it easy and just run 30 minutes, hoping to come back the next day with a long run. I knew the long run was a no go about 10 minutes into my run on Sunday, so I bagged it, ran 30 minutes total, and did a rope stretching session when I got home. I am going to cut back on the miles in the upcoming week, not do any workouts, and just focus on taking care of my hamstring. I have not been good about stretching and getting enough sleep, so that will be my focus.
Monday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 80 minutes
Tuesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 30 minute WU, mile on Fresh Pond loop @ 10k effort, 3.5 minute jog rest, 2 loop tempo (4.9 miles), 30 minute CD
5:06 (3:32) 26:36 (5:26 pace)
Wednesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 80 minutes
Thursday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 70 minutes
Friday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 35 minute WU, 5 x 800 w/ 400 jog rest, 35 minute CD
2:25.7 (1:44.6) 2:25.3 (1:41.7) 2:27.7 (1:50.2) 2:26.5 (1:52.4) 2:25.3
Saturday
PM: 30 minutes
Sunday
PM: 30 minutes
Total
620 minutes on 12 runs
Holler of the Week
As I was running on Blue Hill Ave. towards Franklin Park, I passed a group of three girls at a bus stop. One of them yelled the standard "Run Forrest, run!" as I ran by. I was in a crummy mood for some reason and asked her if she knew how often people yell that at me before telling her that her comment "wasn't even funny." I ran into my friend Ruben a few minutes later and completely forgot about the interaction with the girls at the bus stop. After Ruben peeled off for home, I did one last loop through Milton and Mattapan. I was heading towards home on Blue Hill Ave, when I heard someone sing "Hiiiiiiiiii Forrest!" I looked up and, at the bus stop in front of me, there was the girl I was so Scrooge-like to earlier in the run with a big, Bob Cratchet smile on her face. I couldn't help but laugh and the way she made me feel so curmudgeonly with her good natured joking put a big grin on my face that stayed there for the final few miles of my run. I guess she managed to make "Run Forrest, run!" both original and funny.
Epiphany Story of the Week
One of the recent Epiphany graduates is headed to BC High next year and is hoping to play football or soccer. I offered to help him get in shape by putting him through a training program of cardio, plyometrics, and core work. I honestly didn't expect him to show up the first day we met but, when I walked onto my back porch, he was waiting for me at the gate to the back field at school. He has been meeting me for my morning runs and it has been great to have company and be accountable to someone to get my butt out of bed for my 30 minutes at the beginning of the day. Kevin and I have been meeting at 8 AM. We do a 10 minute loop (next week will be 15) from the school. I then go off and do 20 more minutes while he does a series of plyometric drills. We then do plank holds and crunches when I come back, and then eat breakfast. It has been a great way to start the day and he should be in great shape for the fall (hopefully I will be also).
Song of the Week
Sometimes when I am bored, I check out the websites for my favorite bands to check when they will be in town (pretty cool, huh?). About three weeks ago, I checked the Hold Steady's website and saw that they were going to Baltimore but not Boston. I was disappointed and even considered heading home for that weekend to visit my folks and catch the show, but never got around to making plans. Then, on Tuesday I checked their site again and saw that they had added a show in Boston and it was FREE! I got to the venue around 7 PM, waited for three hours, and then watched some great rock music until almost midnight. To top things off, I ran into one of my college teammates at the show who was a Miller Lite VIP at the show and shared his free beverage privileges with me. A conversation I heard on the train ride home sums up my experience. One guy was coming from the show, was obviously drunk, and was being sort of loud. The other guy was already on the train when we got on.
Guy Already on the T: Have you ever heard of AA?
Concert Guy: Have YOU ever heard of rock and roll music!?
The Hold Steady - Hot Soft Light
This week got off to a very good start but sort of fizzled in the final few days. I ran a solid workout on Tuesday, but had to cut it short because my hamstring tightened up at the end of my tempo. By Friday, I had 80 miles for the week and, with a weekend long run, was poised to be around 110 miles for the week. I am not sure if it was the workout on Friday, riding my bike to run errands on Saturday, or some other unknown reason, but my right hamstring was incredibly tight on my run on Saturday. I decided to take it easy and just run 30 minutes, hoping to come back the next day with a long run. I knew the long run was a no go about 10 minutes into my run on Sunday, so I bagged it, ran 30 minutes total, and did a rope stretching session when I got home. I am going to cut back on the miles in the upcoming week, not do any workouts, and just focus on taking care of my hamstring. I have not been good about stretching and getting enough sleep, so that will be my focus.
Monday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 80 minutes
Tuesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 30 minute WU, mile on Fresh Pond loop @ 10k effort, 3.5 minute jog rest, 2 loop tempo (4.9 miles), 30 minute CD
5:06 (3:32) 26:36 (5:26 pace)
Wednesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 80 minutes
Thursday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 70 minutes
Friday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 35 minute WU, 5 x 800 w/ 400 jog rest, 35 minute CD
2:25.7 (1:44.6) 2:25.3 (1:41.7) 2:27.7 (1:50.2) 2:26.5 (1:52.4) 2:25.3
Saturday
PM: 30 minutes
Sunday
PM: 30 minutes
Total
620 minutes on 12 runs
Holler of the Week
As I was running on Blue Hill Ave. towards Franklin Park, I passed a group of three girls at a bus stop. One of them yelled the standard "Run Forrest, run!" as I ran by. I was in a crummy mood for some reason and asked her if she knew how often people yell that at me before telling her that her comment "wasn't even funny." I ran into my friend Ruben a few minutes later and completely forgot about the interaction with the girls at the bus stop. After Ruben peeled off for home, I did one last loop through Milton and Mattapan. I was heading towards home on Blue Hill Ave, when I heard someone sing "Hiiiiiiiiii Forrest!" I looked up and, at the bus stop in front of me, there was the girl I was so Scrooge-like to earlier in the run with a big, Bob Cratchet smile on her face. I couldn't help but laugh and the way she made me feel so curmudgeonly with her good natured joking put a big grin on my face that stayed there for the final few miles of my run. I guess she managed to make "Run Forrest, run!" both original and funny.
Epiphany Story of the Week
One of the recent Epiphany graduates is headed to BC High next year and is hoping to play football or soccer. I offered to help him get in shape by putting him through a training program of cardio, plyometrics, and core work. I honestly didn't expect him to show up the first day we met but, when I walked onto my back porch, he was waiting for me at the gate to the back field at school. He has been meeting me for my morning runs and it has been great to have company and be accountable to someone to get my butt out of bed for my 30 minutes at the beginning of the day. Kevin and I have been meeting at 8 AM. We do a 10 minute loop (next week will be 15) from the school. I then go off and do 20 more minutes while he does a series of plyometric drills. We then do plank holds and crunches when I come back, and then eat breakfast. It has been a great way to start the day and he should be in great shape for the fall (hopefully I will be also).
Song of the Week
Sometimes when I am bored, I check out the websites for my favorite bands to check when they will be in town (pretty cool, huh?). About three weeks ago, I checked the Hold Steady's website and saw that they were going to Baltimore but not Boston. I was disappointed and even considered heading home for that weekend to visit my folks and catch the show, but never got around to making plans. Then, on Tuesday I checked their site again and saw that they had added a show in Boston and it was FREE! I got to the venue around 7 PM, waited for three hours, and then watched some great rock music until almost midnight. To top things off, I ran into one of my college teammates at the show who was a Miller Lite VIP at the show and shared his free beverage privileges with me. A conversation I heard on the train ride home sums up my experience. One guy was coming from the show, was obviously drunk, and was being sort of loud. The other guy was already on the train when we got on.
Guy Already on the T: Have you ever heard of AA?
Concert Guy: Have YOU ever heard of rock and roll music!?
The Hold Steady - Hot Soft Light
Saturday, June 21, 2008
So Much Power...We're Unstopable!
Training Summary
This was a very good week of training and I am excited about the fitness I am beginning to achieve. In my workout on Tuesday, I was very surprised with my strength at the end. On the final mile, I split 72 seconds for the first 400 meters and I was expecting to be in a world of hurt for the final laps. I managed to keep up my pace and kept my effort controlled in doing so, never going into "race psyche" as Tom calls it. My tempo run on Friday was solid and very smooth. It was difficult to keep mental focus by myself for an extended period of time, but it was very comfortable physically. Ideally, I would like to get in a few more doubles and a few more miles on my long run, but I can't complain. Now the key is to do the same thing next week.
Monday
PM: 100 minutes
Tuesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 25 minute WU, 1600, jog to Fresh Pond, tempo around Fresh Pond (2.45 miles), jog back to the track, 1600, 35 minute CD
4:54 (3:45) 12:56 (5:17 pace) (3:30) 4:47
Wednesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 90 minutes
Thursday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 90 minutes
Friday
PM: 35 minute WU, 7 mile tempo run, 30 minute CD
5:28, 5:24, 5:24, 5:24, 5:22, 5:23, 5:24
Saturday
AM: 120 minutes
Sunday
PM: 90 minutes
Total
770 minutes on 10 runs
Holler of the Week
This was another sub-par week of hollers. I got the typical "nice legs," "run Forrest, run," and "what are you running for?" (to which I always reply "President") comments, but nothing funny or original. Therefore, my holler of the week comes courtesy of the Celtics fans after Game 6 of the NBA Finals. When my train pulled into Park Street, dozens of fans poured on, inebriated from victory, excitement, and huge doses of alcohol. Upon entering the train, they began cheering "Let's go Celtics!" Then, as Boston fans so often do, they switched from cheering for their team to cheering against the opposing team. "Fuck L.A." chants came next and then, inexplicably, switched to the traditional "Fuck the Yankees" chants. To add to this display of sportsmanship, one particularly hammered fan puked on the train, then got up from his seat holding his mouth and stumbled towards me, looking like he was ready to let loose again. I quickly grabbed my bag and sprinted to the opposite end of the train. Stay classy, Boston fans.
Epiphany Story of the Week
How about this for an Epiphany story? I officially turned in my grades, had my check out meeting, and am done with my second year of teaching. Boo ya!
Song of the Week
I am a huge Arcade Fire fan. As a tribute to them and to NStar for turning off the electricity in my neighborhood from 9 AM to 9 PM on Saturday (have you ever heard of a 12 hour planned power outage on a summer day?) the song for the week is Neighborhood 3 (Power Out) from their album Funeral. Unfortunately, my computer was about to die and my iPod was out of batteries so I couldn't listen to it during the outage (I live a really tough life).
This was a very good week of training and I am excited about the fitness I am beginning to achieve. In my workout on Tuesday, I was very surprised with my strength at the end. On the final mile, I split 72 seconds for the first 400 meters and I was expecting to be in a world of hurt for the final laps. I managed to keep up my pace and kept my effort controlled in doing so, never going into "race psyche" as Tom calls it. My tempo run on Friday was solid and very smooth. It was difficult to keep mental focus by myself for an extended period of time, but it was very comfortable physically. Ideally, I would like to get in a few more doubles and a few more miles on my long run, but I can't complain. Now the key is to do the same thing next week.
Monday
PM: 100 minutes
Tuesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 25 minute WU, 1600, jog to Fresh Pond, tempo around Fresh Pond (2.45 miles), jog back to the track, 1600, 35 minute CD
4:54 (3:45) 12:56 (5:17 pace) (3:30) 4:47
Wednesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 90 minutes
Thursday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 90 minutes
Friday
PM: 35 minute WU, 7 mile tempo run, 30 minute CD
5:28, 5:24, 5:24, 5:24, 5:22, 5:23, 5:24
Saturday
AM: 120 minutes
Sunday
PM: 90 minutes
Total
770 minutes on 10 runs
Holler of the Week
This was another sub-par week of hollers. I got the typical "nice legs," "run Forrest, run," and "what are you running for?" (to which I always reply "President") comments, but nothing funny or original. Therefore, my holler of the week comes courtesy of the Celtics fans after Game 6 of the NBA Finals. When my train pulled into Park Street, dozens of fans poured on, inebriated from victory, excitement, and huge doses of alcohol. Upon entering the train, they began cheering "Let's go Celtics!" Then, as Boston fans so often do, they switched from cheering for their team to cheering against the opposing team. "Fuck L.A." chants came next and then, inexplicably, switched to the traditional "Fuck the Yankees" chants. To add to this display of sportsmanship, one particularly hammered fan puked on the train, then got up from his seat holding his mouth and stumbled towards me, looking like he was ready to let loose again. I quickly grabbed my bag and sprinted to the opposite end of the train. Stay classy, Boston fans.
Epiphany Story of the Week
How about this for an Epiphany story? I officially turned in my grades, had my check out meeting, and am done with my second year of teaching. Boo ya!
Song of the Week
I am a huge Arcade Fire fan. As a tribute to them and to NStar for turning off the electricity in my neighborhood from 9 AM to 9 PM on Saturday (have you ever heard of a 12 hour planned power outage on a summer day?) the song for the week is Neighborhood 3 (Power Out) from their album Funeral. Unfortunately, my computer was about to die and my iPod was out of batteries so I couldn't listen to it during the outage (I live a really tough life).
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Lots of Driving, Not Much Running
Training Summary
This week was incredibly inconsistent and marked with both positive and negatives.
Positive: I went to my cousin's wedding over the weekend and saw all my cousins, aunts, and uncles.
Negative: My actions over the weekend probably took days off my life and I didn't run one step while in New Jersey.
Positive: I had a great time in Maine with the 8th graders at their overnight retreat. I basically got paid to spend the entire day swimming, playing croquet, hooping, eating great food, and jumping on a trampoline.
Negative: I missed a run and got a sunburn (the sunburn could potentially be seen as a positive since I now have a very impressive tank top tan line).
Positive: I got in two solid workouts, especially Tuesday's session. The splits aren't very impressive, but it was VERY hot and I ran tough.
Negative: No long run for the week.
Monday
PM: 90 minutes
Tuesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 25 minute warm up, 8 x 800 with 200 jog rest (400 jog rest after #5), 40 minute cool down
2:30 (54) 2:31 (56) 2:32 (59) 2:32 (59) 2:32 (1:59) 2:29 (59) 2:30 (1:01) 2:25
Wednesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 90 minutes
Thursday
AM: 40 minutes
Friday
PM: 35 minute warm up, 3 mile tempo run in 15:45, 50 minute cool down
Saturday
off
Sunday
off
Total
470 minutes on 7 runs
Holler of the Week
Usually, I use this space to tell about something that was yelled at me over the previous week. This week, I am switching it up a little and my Holler of the Week is a shout out to one of my Greater Boston teammates for his performance at the USATF New England Track Championships. Ted Breen, a good runner coming off a long stretch of planned, non-serious training, decided to enter the 3000 meter race walk. He finished a respectable fifth in his first ever race walk (click on the picture to get the full-sized race walk pain face).
Epiphany Story of the Week
I was in Maine with the 8th graders for the Celtics game and was a little nervous for my roommate (the one who's screaming kept me up last week) since he gets really into the games and tends to make comments that aren't exactly PG. There were about 15 people packed into the TV room for the game and, when the Celtics came out flat and the Lakers jumped out to a quick lead, Chris made it about two minutes before screaming an f-bomb about a poor offensive set. Watching the build up to the profanity was like viewing the scene in Anger Management where Adam Sandler is at his support group and the 76ers fan is listening to a game on his headphones. After his team loses on a missed lay-up, he starts twitching and then begins screaming "You gotta dunk that shit! You gotta dunk that shit!" Amazingly, Chris was able to reel it in and keep his commentary clean for the rest of the game, demonstrating way more will power than I could ever show during a Terps game, 8th grade ears be damned.
Song of the Week
Tapes 'n Tapes - Conquest
With ten hours of driving to and from New Jersey, I had plenty of time to listen to tunes. One of the CDs that got the most air time was Walk It Off, the newest Tapes 'n Tapes album. The link is to youtube, although the video is just a picture of the album cover the entire time. Boring video, good song.
This week was incredibly inconsistent and marked with both positive and negatives.
Positive: I went to my cousin's wedding over the weekend and saw all my cousins, aunts, and uncles.
Negative: My actions over the weekend probably took days off my life and I didn't run one step while in New Jersey.
Positive: I had a great time in Maine with the 8th graders at their overnight retreat. I basically got paid to spend the entire day swimming, playing croquet, hooping, eating great food, and jumping on a trampoline.
Negative: I missed a run and got a sunburn (the sunburn could potentially be seen as a positive since I now have a very impressive tank top tan line).
Positive: I got in two solid workouts, especially Tuesday's session. The splits aren't very impressive, but it was VERY hot and I ran tough.
Negative: No long run for the week.
Monday
PM: 90 minutes
Tuesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 25 minute warm up, 8 x 800 with 200 jog rest (400 jog rest after #5), 40 minute cool down
2:30 (54) 2:31 (56) 2:32 (59) 2:32 (59) 2:32 (1:59) 2:29 (59) 2:30 (1:01) 2:25
Wednesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 90 minutes
Thursday
AM: 40 minutes
Friday
PM: 35 minute warm up, 3 mile tempo run in 15:45, 50 minute cool down
Saturday
off
Sunday
off
Total
470 minutes on 7 runs
Holler of the Week
Usually, I use this space to tell about something that was yelled at me over the previous week. This week, I am switching it up a little and my Holler of the Week is a shout out to one of my Greater Boston teammates for his performance at the USATF New England Track Championships. Ted Breen, a good runner coming off a long stretch of planned, non-serious training, decided to enter the 3000 meter race walk. He finished a respectable fifth in his first ever race walk (click on the picture to get the full-sized race walk pain face).
Epiphany Story of the Week
I was in Maine with the 8th graders for the Celtics game and was a little nervous for my roommate (the one who's screaming kept me up last week) since he gets really into the games and tends to make comments that aren't exactly PG. There were about 15 people packed into the TV room for the game and, when the Celtics came out flat and the Lakers jumped out to a quick lead, Chris made it about two minutes before screaming an f-bomb about a poor offensive set. Watching the build up to the profanity was like viewing the scene in Anger Management where Adam Sandler is at his support group and the 76ers fan is listening to a game on his headphones. After his team loses on a missed lay-up, he starts twitching and then begins screaming "You gotta dunk that shit! You gotta dunk that shit!" Amazingly, Chris was able to reel it in and keep his commentary clean for the rest of the game, demonstrating way more will power than I could ever show during a Terps game, 8th grade ears be damned.
Song of the Week
Tapes 'n Tapes - Conquest
With ten hours of driving to and from New Jersey, I had plenty of time to listen to tunes. One of the CDs that got the most air time was Walk It Off, the newest Tapes 'n Tapes album. The link is to youtube, although the video is just a picture of the album cover the entire time. Boring video, good song.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
98 Degrees
Training Summary
It is past my bed time as I am writing this, but I can't fall asleep due to my roommate continually screaming "Let's go!" at the top of his lungs while watching the Celtics/Lakers game. Making lemonade out of lemons, I figured I might as well post about the past week.
It was a solid week with some positive signs and also some room for improvement. I was above 700 minutes, which is a decent total, but I did not double on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. Also, I got in two good workouts, but my long run was a little weak. The interval session on Tuesday was particularly important mentally, coming off of the terrible 5k last week and the tempo run on Friday felt VERY easy. I need to get my long run back up to the 120-150 minute range. If I can be more consistent with my doubles and bump up my long run, I will get an extra 100 minutes, which would put me at around 120 miles a week.
Monday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 70 minutes
Tuesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 25 minute warm up, 8 x 1000 with 600 jog rest [3:10 (1:53) 3:09 (1:47) 3:10 (1:46) 3:09 (1:47) 3:09 (1:47) 3:07 (1:50) 3:04 (1:48) 2:59] , 40 minute cool down
Wednesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 70 minutes
Thursday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 90 minutes
Friday
PM: 35 minute warm up, 5 mile tempo run in 26:30, 40 minute cool down
Saturday
PM: 70 minutes (very hot, 98 degrees)
Sunday
PM: 110 minutes
Total
730 minutes on 11 runs
Holler of the Week
On my cool down after the Thursday tempo run, I was thinking that I had gone a very long without any good hollers. A few minutes later, I noticed a woman leaning on a phone booth and watching me as I ran towards her. When I got close, she said "Awww shit!" and grabbed at my butt. She then started to chase me saying "I'm gonna getcha!" over and over while still half bent over, reaching at my rear. The entire time she was running after me (and for three blocks after she stopped) I was laughing out loud. I ended up going past the same spot the next day and the woman was there again. She yelled "Ooooh white boy, you're back for more!" but didn't chase me.
Epiphany Story of the Week
We were supposed to have Field Day on Thursday, but the weather did not cooperate and we had to hold the event inside. I was put on karaoke duty and was responsible for monitoring the kids as they performed. It was incredibly funny because the songs provided were all old and none of the students knew any of them. They were shy at first and, when nobody volunteered to go first, I broke the ice with a stirring rendition of Sometimes by Brittney Spears. After that, it was a steady stream of 98 Degrees (the boy band, not the temperature of my Saturday run), N'Sync, and Spice Girls songs.
Song of the Week
This song comes courtesy of Kevin Gale via Jeff Bayers. It is easily the best cover version of Big Girls Don't Cry by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons that I have ever heard. If you watch one video today, make it the one below.
It is past my bed time as I am writing this, but I can't fall asleep due to my roommate continually screaming "Let's go!" at the top of his lungs while watching the Celtics/Lakers game. Making lemonade out of lemons, I figured I might as well post about the past week.
It was a solid week with some positive signs and also some room for improvement. I was above 700 minutes, which is a decent total, but I did not double on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. Also, I got in two good workouts, but my long run was a little weak. The interval session on Tuesday was particularly important mentally, coming off of the terrible 5k last week and the tempo run on Friday felt VERY easy. I need to get my long run back up to the 120-150 minute range. If I can be more consistent with my doubles and bump up my long run, I will get an extra 100 minutes, which would put me at around 120 miles a week.
Monday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 70 minutes
Tuesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 25 minute warm up, 8 x 1000 with 600 jog rest [3:10 (1:53) 3:09 (1:47) 3:10 (1:46) 3:09 (1:47) 3:09 (1:47) 3:07 (1:50) 3:04 (1:48) 2:59] , 40 minute cool down
Wednesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 70 minutes
Thursday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 90 minutes
Friday
PM: 35 minute warm up, 5 mile tempo run in 26:30, 40 minute cool down
Saturday
PM: 70 minutes (very hot, 98 degrees)
Sunday
PM: 110 minutes
Total
730 minutes on 11 runs
Holler of the Week
On my cool down after the Thursday tempo run, I was thinking that I had gone a very long without any good hollers. A few minutes later, I noticed a woman leaning on a phone booth and watching me as I ran towards her. When I got close, she said "Awww shit!" and grabbed at my butt. She then started to chase me saying "I'm gonna getcha!" over and over while still half bent over, reaching at my rear. The entire time she was running after me (and for three blocks after she stopped) I was laughing out loud. I ended up going past the same spot the next day and the woman was there again. She yelled "Ooooh white boy, you're back for more!" but didn't chase me.
Epiphany Story of the Week
We were supposed to have Field Day on Thursday, but the weather did not cooperate and we had to hold the event inside. I was put on karaoke duty and was responsible for monitoring the kids as they performed. It was incredibly funny because the songs provided were all old and none of the students knew any of them. They were shy at first and, when nobody volunteered to go first, I broke the ice with a stirring rendition of Sometimes by Brittney Spears. After that, it was a steady stream of 98 Degrees (the boy band, not the temperature of my Saturday run), N'Sync, and Spice Girls songs.
Song of the Week
This song comes courtesy of Kevin Gale via Jeff Bayers. It is easily the best cover version of Big Girls Don't Cry by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons that I have ever heard. If you watch one video today, make it the one below.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
One Weekend, Two 5Ks
Training Summary
I started the week off on a good note by doubling on Monday, which I am usually unable to do because of serving breakfast at Epiphany. I was hoping that would be just the push I needed to get in one last big week before taking a down week. Plans changed at GBTC practice on Tuesday when my shin began to bother me during the workout. At that point, I decided to end my run early and take my down week early. After two planned easy days of 30 minutes and 70 minutes, I missed my run on Friday because the hour and a half nap I was supposed to take after school turned into a five hour nap and it was 10 PM by the time I woke up.
On Saturday morning, I took a group of ten Epiphany students to Franklin Park to run the Nike 5K for Kids. I ran from point to point along the course, cheering the kids on and then jog/walked it in to the finish with one of the 6th grade girls who participated. It was a great event and the kids had a blast. My goal for next year is to get 30 kids participating, which I think is possible. The picture below is of the Epiphany crew after the race. Later in the day, I ran 30 minutes to shake out my legs for the Rhody 5K on Sunday.
I woke up at 5:30 on Sunday to warm up for 20 minutes before heading to Lincoln, RI for the race. Before the race, I did a 10 minute shake out jog with a few strides. From the gun, I did not feel comfortable at all. I was hoping that I would settle in after a few minutes and that I was simply suffering from not warming up enough. I went through the mile in 4:50 and was struggling but tried to hold on and stay with the guys around me. By a mile and a half, that plan was out the window and I just wanted to finish. I finished in 16:19 and honestly consider this one of my worst races ever. I was completely out of it mentally and did not run tough in the least. I don't even care about my time or place, but to compete the way I did is very disappointing.
Monday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 70 minutes
Tuesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 40 minutes
Wednesday
PM: 30 minutes
Thursday
PM: 70 minutes
Friday
off
Saturday
PM: 30 minutes
Sunday
AM: 20 minutes
PM: 10 minute warm up, 5k in 16:19, 35 minute cool down
Total
380 minutes on 9 runs
Holler of the Week
On my Saturday evening shake out run, I saw two women dancing, drinking, and singing on the front porch of one of the houses ahead of me. I couldn't help but smile and, as I ran by, one of them yelled to me "Alright, soul brother! Get your run on!"
Epiphany Story of the Week
"McCain and Clinton throw some powerful punches, but Obama really pins the tail on the donkey."
-Direct quote from an 8th grader's essay on the 2008 election
Song of the Week
Flaming Lips - Fight Test
Weird video, good song. It sort of sounds like "Father and Son" by Cat Stevens, which is one of my all time favorites.
I started the week off on a good note by doubling on Monday, which I am usually unable to do because of serving breakfast at Epiphany. I was hoping that would be just the push I needed to get in one last big week before taking a down week. Plans changed at GBTC practice on Tuesday when my shin began to bother me during the workout. At that point, I decided to end my run early and take my down week early. After two planned easy days of 30 minutes and 70 minutes, I missed my run on Friday because the hour and a half nap I was supposed to take after school turned into a five hour nap and it was 10 PM by the time I woke up.
On Saturday morning, I took a group of ten Epiphany students to Franklin Park to run the Nike 5K for Kids. I ran from point to point along the course, cheering the kids on and then jog/walked it in to the finish with one of the 6th grade girls who participated. It was a great event and the kids had a blast. My goal for next year is to get 30 kids participating, which I think is possible. The picture below is of the Epiphany crew after the race. Later in the day, I ran 30 minutes to shake out my legs for the Rhody 5K on Sunday.
I woke up at 5:30 on Sunday to warm up for 20 minutes before heading to Lincoln, RI for the race. Before the race, I did a 10 minute shake out jog with a few strides. From the gun, I did not feel comfortable at all. I was hoping that I would settle in after a few minutes and that I was simply suffering from not warming up enough. I went through the mile in 4:50 and was struggling but tried to hold on and stay with the guys around me. By a mile and a half, that plan was out the window and I just wanted to finish. I finished in 16:19 and honestly consider this one of my worst races ever. I was completely out of it mentally and did not run tough in the least. I don't even care about my time or place, but to compete the way I did is very disappointing.
Monday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 70 minutes
Tuesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 40 minutes
Wednesday
PM: 30 minutes
Thursday
PM: 70 minutes
Friday
off
Saturday
PM: 30 minutes
Sunday
AM: 20 minutes
PM: 10 minute warm up, 5k in 16:19, 35 minute cool down
Total
380 minutes on 9 runs
Holler of the Week
On my Saturday evening shake out run, I saw two women dancing, drinking, and singing on the front porch of one of the houses ahead of me. I couldn't help but smile and, as I ran by, one of them yelled to me "Alright, soul brother! Get your run on!"
Epiphany Story of the Week
"McCain and Clinton throw some powerful punches, but Obama really pins the tail on the donkey."
-Direct quote from an 8th grader's essay on the 2008 election
Song of the Week
Flaming Lips - Fight Test
Weird video, good song. It sort of sounds like "Father and Son" by Cat Stevens, which is one of my all time favorites.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
LIVESTRONG
The Epiphany School celebrated LIVESTRONG day two weeks ago. We had a dress down day where students could wear yellow, sold LIVESTRONG bracelets, and had a LIVESTRONG theme for our morning assembly and afternoon Eucharist. Additionally, we had an essay contest where students wrote about what living strong means to them, people they know who live strong, and how they personally live strong. To kick off the essay contest, I read my own thoughts on living strong. Some people mentioned they wanted to read my essay, so I have included it below.
I don’t believe that everything happens for a reason. I don’t believe that there is a script filled with good and bad times that every person on Earth must live out, finally reaching clarity at the end of their life, understanding that everything that happened along the way was for the best. I believe that life is about choices and, every time you are faced with a situation, good or bad, you are also faced with a choice about how to deal with it. The decisions we make during these times form who we are and allow us to make statements about who we want to be in the future.
At the end of my senior year of college, I found out that I had testicular cancer. It was the largest obstacle I had ever faced by far and I had important decisions to make regarding how I would face the situation, both medically and emotionally. After a discussion with my doctor, the course of action was clear and, two days after receiving my diagnosis, I had surgery to remove the tumor. In my post-operation tests, there were no signs that the cancer had spread anywhere else in my body and I was excited to move on with my life.
The fall after graduating college was an exciting time. Between starting a new job, moving to a new city, meeting new people, and being able to run again, I was finally getting my life back on track. Also, I had just gotten a set of tests back in August that showed I was still cancer-free. Unfortunately, a later set of tests done in November revealed that my cancer had spread to one of the lymph nodes in my abdomen.
This was the news that really punched me in the gut. It was like a horror movie when you think the good guys won and the villain is finally dead, only to find that he is back and as dangerous as ever. I went through six weeks of radiation treatment to destroy the new tumor in my lymph node. My schedule was rough during this time, getting up early for treatment before school, but I was fortunate that my only side effect from the radiation was fatigue. By early January, I was done with treatment but the thought of once again getting things in line after being derailed by cancer was difficult to face.
It is a strange phenomenon but, after fully recovering from surgery and after finishing my treatment, there was a void in my life. I function best when I have goals to work towards. While neither of them materialized by my choice, recovering from surgery and making it through my radiation treatment gave me goals to accomplish. Once they were met, I lost some of my sense of purpose. After recovering from surgery, my goal was to get back into the running shape I was in before my diagnosis. The thought of having to go through that process again after radiation was too much for me to stomach. Eventually, the kick in the rear I needed came courtesy of the Lance Armstrong Foundation. On a whim, I applied to run the New York City Marathon as a way to raise funds for them. Finding out that I had been accepted gave me a new purpose and a new cause. I now run not only for my personal enjoyment but also to comment in some small way about what cancer survivors can do.
It is estimated that just over 8,000 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer every year. If I was going to beat the odds, I should have just won the lottery. Sometimes, people ask me if I was angry about getting cancer or felt it was unfair. What had I done to deserve this? Well, nothing. But what had I done to deserve 21 years of near perfect health before getting the disease? What had I done to deserve always being well fed and provided for? Nothing at all. In my opinion, questioning about the fairness of your situation only leads to viewing yourself as a victim. I had cancer whether it was fair or not and I was determined to be a cancer survivor, not a cancer victim. Cancer was not going to feel sorry for me, so I could not feel sorry for myself. I was going to beat it and move on with my life.
I would be lying if I told you that I never felt bad for myself or felt angry about the unfairness of my situation during either time I had to face cancer. It is impossible to avoid these feelings when you face disappointment. What determines your success is whether or not you embrace these emotions or simply experience them and then decide you are moving on and not going back to that place of self-pity.
I can clearly remember after graduating being at a track meet that I had dreamed of running in since I first arrived on campus. I watched the race I had hoped to run, wishing the entire time I was out on the track. When it ended, I went for a walk by myself and bawled my eyes out for probably half an hour. That was supposed to my race. I was supposed to be in there and all of the work I put in over the previous four years was supposed to pay off. Instead, I watched the race from the stands because of something entirely out of my hands. It felt horrible. I was sick to my stomach. It was completely unfair.
The next day, I ran for the first time after my operation and resolved to get back to the level I was at before my surgery. My name is Brennan Bonner, I am a one and a half year cancer survivor, and I LIVESTRONG.
I don’t believe that everything happens for a reason. I don’t believe that there is a script filled with good and bad times that every person on Earth must live out, finally reaching clarity at the end of their life, understanding that everything that happened along the way was for the best. I believe that life is about choices and, every time you are faced with a situation, good or bad, you are also faced with a choice about how to deal with it. The decisions we make during these times form who we are and allow us to make statements about who we want to be in the future.
At the end of my senior year of college, I found out that I had testicular cancer. It was the largest obstacle I had ever faced by far and I had important decisions to make regarding how I would face the situation, both medically and emotionally. After a discussion with my doctor, the course of action was clear and, two days after receiving my diagnosis, I had surgery to remove the tumor. In my post-operation tests, there were no signs that the cancer had spread anywhere else in my body and I was excited to move on with my life.
The fall after graduating college was an exciting time. Between starting a new job, moving to a new city, meeting new people, and being able to run again, I was finally getting my life back on track. Also, I had just gotten a set of tests back in August that showed I was still cancer-free. Unfortunately, a later set of tests done in November revealed that my cancer had spread to one of the lymph nodes in my abdomen.
This was the news that really punched me in the gut. It was like a horror movie when you think the good guys won and the villain is finally dead, only to find that he is back and as dangerous as ever. I went through six weeks of radiation treatment to destroy the new tumor in my lymph node. My schedule was rough during this time, getting up early for treatment before school, but I was fortunate that my only side effect from the radiation was fatigue. By early January, I was done with treatment but the thought of once again getting things in line after being derailed by cancer was difficult to face.
It is a strange phenomenon but, after fully recovering from surgery and after finishing my treatment, there was a void in my life. I function best when I have goals to work towards. While neither of them materialized by my choice, recovering from surgery and making it through my radiation treatment gave me goals to accomplish. Once they were met, I lost some of my sense of purpose. After recovering from surgery, my goal was to get back into the running shape I was in before my diagnosis. The thought of having to go through that process again after radiation was too much for me to stomach. Eventually, the kick in the rear I needed came courtesy of the Lance Armstrong Foundation. On a whim, I applied to run the New York City Marathon as a way to raise funds for them. Finding out that I had been accepted gave me a new purpose and a new cause. I now run not only for my personal enjoyment but also to comment in some small way about what cancer survivors can do.
It is estimated that just over 8,000 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer every year. If I was going to beat the odds, I should have just won the lottery. Sometimes, people ask me if I was angry about getting cancer or felt it was unfair. What had I done to deserve this? Well, nothing. But what had I done to deserve 21 years of near perfect health before getting the disease? What had I done to deserve always being well fed and provided for? Nothing at all. In my opinion, questioning about the fairness of your situation only leads to viewing yourself as a victim. I had cancer whether it was fair or not and I was determined to be a cancer survivor, not a cancer victim. Cancer was not going to feel sorry for me, so I could not feel sorry for myself. I was going to beat it and move on with my life.
I would be lying if I told you that I never felt bad for myself or felt angry about the unfairness of my situation during either time I had to face cancer. It is impossible to avoid these feelings when you face disappointment. What determines your success is whether or not you embrace these emotions or simply experience them and then decide you are moving on and not going back to that place of self-pity.
I can clearly remember after graduating being at a track meet that I had dreamed of running in since I first arrived on campus. I watched the race I had hoped to run, wishing the entire time I was out on the track. When it ended, I went for a walk by myself and bawled my eyes out for probably half an hour. That was supposed to my race. I was supposed to be in there and all of the work I put in over the previous four years was supposed to pay off. Instead, I watched the race from the stands because of something entirely out of my hands. It felt horrible. I was sick to my stomach. It was completely unfair.
The next day, I ran for the first time after my operation and resolved to get back to the level I was at before my surgery. My name is Brennan Bonner, I am a one and a half year cancer survivor, and I LIVESTRONG.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Return to Racing
Training Summary
This week marked my first competition on the track since last June and I went into the race very unsure of what to expect. More than anything, I wanted to go out and compete. I was in the slower of the two 5k heats and figured if I ran to win I could get a solid time. It was pretty windy during the race, making times and splits even less relevant. I was either leading or in the lead pack up to the last lap when the eventual winner went by me. I didn't have another gear to reach for when he passed me, which isn't surprising since I only have three track sessions under my belt at this point. My main reason for running the 5k this week was to have a race effort before the Rhody 5k next week.
Overall, the race and the week as a whole were a success. I was good about doubling (four morning runs for the week), got in a solid session on Tuesday, and had a great run on Thursday with JR in the rain with some fast 200s at the end. My only complaint would be with my long run today. I was hoping to go at least two hours, but a combination of fatigue and warm weather got to me and I cut it short at 110 minutes.
Monday
PM: 80 minutes
Tuesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 25 minute warm up, 2 x 4k with 300 in 55, 100 in 25, 10 minutes rest in between sets, 30 minute cool down
Wednesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 100 minutes
Thursday
PM: 70 minutes, 8 x 200 starting in 33, going down to 31, 10 minute cool down
Friday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 70 minutes
Saturday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 20 minute warm up, 5k in 15:26, 55 minute cool down
Sunday
PM: 110 minutes
Total
760 minutes in 11 runs
Holler of the Week
This was a pretty boring week in terms of getting yelled at on my runs. I got some of the typical comments about my attire like "Get some longer shorts!" and "Put some clothes on!" but nothing notable or original.
Epiphany Story of the Week
One of the 8th grade girls was talking about how ignorant one of her classmates was being. To bring home the point she said "You're being ignorant! I - R - R - I - G ... you know, ignorant!" My irony meter was reading off the charts.
Song of the Week
When people ask me what type of music I listen to, I'm always hesitant to say that I like indie music because of the snobbery that usually goes along with the genre. The more obscure and strange sounding a band is, the cooler they are. Neutral Milk Hotel isn't very obscure, but I could never bring myself to listen to a band called that. Anyhow, they aren't together anymore, but I heard one of their songs on the radio and actually liked them. I guess the whole judging a book by its cover thing works for band names too.
This week marked my first competition on the track since last June and I went into the race very unsure of what to expect. More than anything, I wanted to go out and compete. I was in the slower of the two 5k heats and figured if I ran to win I could get a solid time. It was pretty windy during the race, making times and splits even less relevant. I was either leading or in the lead pack up to the last lap when the eventual winner went by me. I didn't have another gear to reach for when he passed me, which isn't surprising since I only have three track sessions under my belt at this point. My main reason for running the 5k this week was to have a race effort before the Rhody 5k next week.
Overall, the race and the week as a whole were a success. I was good about doubling (four morning runs for the week), got in a solid session on Tuesday, and had a great run on Thursday with JR in the rain with some fast 200s at the end. My only complaint would be with my long run today. I was hoping to go at least two hours, but a combination of fatigue and warm weather got to me and I cut it short at 110 minutes.
Monday
PM: 80 minutes
Tuesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 25 minute warm up, 2 x 4k with 300 in 55, 100 in 25, 10 minutes rest in between sets, 30 minute cool down
Wednesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 100 minutes
Thursday
PM: 70 minutes, 8 x 200 starting in 33, going down to 31, 10 minute cool down
Friday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 70 minutes
Saturday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 20 minute warm up, 5k in 15:26, 55 minute cool down
Sunday
PM: 110 minutes
Total
760 minutes in 11 runs
Holler of the Week
This was a pretty boring week in terms of getting yelled at on my runs. I got some of the typical comments about my attire like "Get some longer shorts!" and "Put some clothes on!" but nothing notable or original.
Epiphany Story of the Week
One of the 8th grade girls was talking about how ignorant one of her classmates was being. To bring home the point she said "You're being ignorant! I - R - R - I - G ... you know, ignorant!" My irony meter was reading off the charts.
Song of the Week
When people ask me what type of music I listen to, I'm always hesitant to say that I like indie music because of the snobbery that usually goes along with the genre. The more obscure and strange sounding a band is, the cooler they are. Neutral Milk Hotel isn't very obscure, but I could never bring myself to listen to a band called that. Anyhow, they aren't together anymore, but I heard one of their songs on the radio and actually liked them. I guess the whole judging a book by its cover thing works for band names too.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
I Try Really Hard, Actually
Training Summary
I am going to get back to racing next weekend, so I needed to start doing some workouts this week. I had a sore shin on Monday and my right hamstring held up pretty well, especially considering I did two workouts and picked up the pace in my long run on Saturday. The workout on Tuesday felt very fast but I was able to recover well during the 200 jog. I missed two doubles while back home in Baltimore which hurt my weekly total a little. For some reason, all I do is sleep a ton while I am home. All in all, it was another positive step towards getting into race shape.
On a side note, avoid riding Amtrak at all costs unless you like spending hours sitting in front a girl talking loudly on her cell phone about how inconsiderate her roommate is or arriving at your destination three hours late.
Monday
PM: 90 minutes
Tuesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 27 minute warm up, 10 x 400 w/ 200 jog rest, 33 minute cool down
68 (59) 70 (59) 70 (56) 71 (56) 68 (59) 69 (60) 67 (65) 69 (63) 69 (62) 68
Wednesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 100 minutes
Thursday
AM:
PM: 90
Friday
AM:
PM: 45 minute warm up, 3 x 1.4 mile w/ 3 minute jog rest, 25 minute cool down
7:10 (2:58) 7:13 (2:59) 7:15
Saturday
PM: 4 minute jog to the first mile marker, 10 miles in 1:06:39, 2 minute turn around, 4 mile progression run in 5:59, 5:51, 5:40, 5:27, jogged back at 6:20 pace
Sunday
off
Total
670 minutes on 8 runs
Holler of the Week
Not much funny or exciting happened this past week. The best was when I ran past two drunk older women on Wednesday night and one of them yelled "Why don't you just run the fuckin' marathon you fuckin' jerk?" As I ran by, I told her I did. She looked confused.
Epiphany Story of the Week
"Mr. Bonner, you're skinny on the outside, but inside you're really fat."
-5th grader to me after I loaded up on seconds at dinner
Song of the Week
I finally watched Juno this past week. The movie was good and I loved the soundtrack, particularly the song from the opening credits. It is super catchy and has been in my head on repeat since Thursday (I probably didn't help matters by purchasing it and listening to it 37 times in a two day span). The song is called All I Want Is You by Barry Louis Polisar.
I am going to get back to racing next weekend, so I needed to start doing some workouts this week. I had a sore shin on Monday and my right hamstring held up pretty well, especially considering I did two workouts and picked up the pace in my long run on Saturday. The workout on Tuesday felt very fast but I was able to recover well during the 200 jog. I missed two doubles while back home in Baltimore which hurt my weekly total a little. For some reason, all I do is sleep a ton while I am home. All in all, it was another positive step towards getting into race shape.
On a side note, avoid riding Amtrak at all costs unless you like spending hours sitting in front a girl talking loudly on her cell phone about how inconsiderate her roommate is or arriving at your destination three hours late.
Monday
PM: 90 minutes
Tuesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 27 minute warm up, 10 x 400 w/ 200 jog rest, 33 minute cool down
68 (59) 70 (59) 70 (56) 71 (56) 68 (59) 69 (60) 67 (65) 69 (63) 69 (62) 68
Wednesday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: 100 minutes
Thursday
AM:
PM: 90
Friday
AM:
PM: 45 minute warm up, 3 x 1.4 mile w/ 3 minute jog rest, 25 minute cool down
7:10 (2:58) 7:13 (2:59) 7:15
Saturday
PM: 4 minute jog to the first mile marker, 10 miles in 1:06:39, 2 minute turn around, 4 mile progression run in 5:59, 5:51, 5:40, 5:27, jogged back at 6:20 pace
Sunday
off
Total
670 minutes on 8 runs
Holler of the Week
Not much funny or exciting happened this past week. The best was when I ran past two drunk older women on Wednesday night and one of them yelled "Why don't you just run the fuckin' marathon you fuckin' jerk?" As I ran by, I told her I did. She looked confused.
Epiphany Story of the Week
"Mr. Bonner, you're skinny on the outside, but inside you're really fat."
-5th grader to me after I loaded up on seconds at dinner
Song of the Week
I finally watched Juno this past week. The movie was good and I loved the soundtrack, particularly the song from the opening credits. It is super catchy and has been in my head on repeat since Thursday (I probably didn't help matters by purchasing it and listening to it 37 times in a two day span). The song is called All I Want Is You by Barry Louis Polisar.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Becoming a Supersonic Man
Training Summary
This past week was my second week of real running (read: more than just 30 minutes a day) since the marathon. I am feeling very good overall and completed many of my runs this week quicker than normal while keeping the effort controlled. The original plan had me starting workouts this past week, but I had to work late at Epiphany on Tuesday and was unable to get to GBTC practice on time. I did get in my first run of more than two hours since the marathon and felt pretty darn good doing it. Also, I got a massage on Thursday to help with my right hamstring, which has been bothering me since before the marathon. My goal is to begin workouts in the upcoming week. I also want to continue to increase my mileage by adding in morning runs to my routine.
Monday
PM: 100 minutes
Tuesday
PM: 90 minutes (ran to GBTC practice, cooled down with the guys after their workout, ran home)
Wednesday
PM: 70 minutes
Thursday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: massage
Friday
PM: 80 minutes
Saturday
PM: 130 minutes
Sunday
PM: 70 minutes
Total
570 minutes on 7 runs
Holler of the Week
While running down Blue Hill Avenue, there was a group of people at a bus stop. They watched me as I ran by and, once I was past them, I heard one of the guys in the group say to his friends "You KNOW he's fast if he's running in the hood."
Epiphany Story of the Week
In social studies class, the 8th graders are learning about the presidential election that is currently going on. The teacher asked the class "True or False, Barack Obama is the first African American to run for president of the United States?" He then called on one of the boys in the class, who correctly responded false. When the teacher told him that he had the right answer the student exclaimed "Oh, sweet! I don't even watch that show!"
Song of the Week
Queen - Don't Stop Me Now
I am considering a legal name change to Mr. Fahrenheit.
This past week was my second week of real running (read: more than just 30 minutes a day) since the marathon. I am feeling very good overall and completed many of my runs this week quicker than normal while keeping the effort controlled. The original plan had me starting workouts this past week, but I had to work late at Epiphany on Tuesday and was unable to get to GBTC practice on time. I did get in my first run of more than two hours since the marathon and felt pretty darn good doing it. Also, I got a massage on Thursday to help with my right hamstring, which has been bothering me since before the marathon. My goal is to begin workouts in the upcoming week. I also want to continue to increase my mileage by adding in morning runs to my routine.
Monday
PM: 100 minutes
Tuesday
PM: 90 minutes (ran to GBTC practice, cooled down with the guys after their workout, ran home)
Wednesday
PM: 70 minutes
Thursday
AM: 30 minutes
PM: massage
Friday
PM: 80 minutes
Saturday
PM: 130 minutes
Sunday
PM: 70 minutes
Total
570 minutes on 7 runs
Holler of the Week
While running down Blue Hill Avenue, there was a group of people at a bus stop. They watched me as I ran by and, once I was past them, I heard one of the guys in the group say to his friends "You KNOW he's fast if he's running in the hood."
Epiphany Story of the Week
In social studies class, the 8th graders are learning about the presidential election that is currently going on. The teacher asked the class "True or False, Barack Obama is the first African American to run for president of the United States?" He then called on one of the boys in the class, who correctly responded false. When the teacher told him that he had the right answer the student exclaimed "Oh, sweet! I don't even watch that show!"
Song of the Week
Queen - Don't Stop Me Now
I am considering a legal name change to Mr. Fahrenheit.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Getting the Blog Back Together
Like a nerdy version of Jake and Elwood Blues, I have decided to start updating my blog again. It has been about eight months since I last posted and, strangely, I kind of miss writing my posts. In the meantime, I have used an online running log to keep track of my training. It is fine, but it just isn't the same. I enjoyed having a way to share some of the strange and funny stuff that happens while running in Dorchester. My plan is to continue updating my running log, but go into more detail here. I hope to do an entry each week to fill folks in on my training and tell a story or two about running and work. My first actual post will come this weekend.
It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses. Hit it.
It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses. Hit it.
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