We're back from NYC!
Both Meredith and I finished the half-marathon, albeit not near PRs. Central Park is a lot hillier than expected, and it was very hot and humid. So, I was happy to just get through it - definitely the most difficult race I've done to date.
Rather than recap the trip separately from my wife (who was also there), I'll just redirect to our journal of the trip at her blog.
I'll probably post more about it in a bit, but I have work to do right now. :)
Lots (200+) pictures from the trip, so I'll pick out some highlights and post them.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
One Week
One week till we leave for NYC on vacation! And it's about the right time for it.
I just got a 32-page requirements document for our next round of development at work, and it feels like about two years' job. Just overwhelming.
Laugh Track Guy was sadly not at spinning class this week. For entertainment, I had to settle for our spinning instructor's wildly inaccurate sense of rhythm.
"Up for 8...7..6........4.3...and down for 4...and up!"
Somebody needs to buy the boy a metronome. He also had the amusing:
"Now give me some speed!"
*10 seconds later*
"Be sure to put on some resistance, I don't want you going too fast on this one."
I just got a 32-page requirements document for our next round of development at work, and it feels like about two years' job. Just overwhelming.
Laugh Track Guy was sadly not at spinning class this week. For entertainment, I had to settle for our spinning instructor's wildly inaccurate sense of rhythm.
"Up for 8...7..6........4.3...and down for 4...and up!"
Somebody needs to buy the boy a metronome. He also had the amusing:
"Now give me some speed!"
*10 seconds later*
"Be sure to put on some resistance, I don't want you going too fast on this one."
Friday, August 12, 2005
Patio and Late Bloomers
One of our giant Canna flowers.
Canna close-up.
I think these are flax?
Meredith's Gerbera daisies on our front porch.
Landscape around the patio.
Lythrum flower and patio background.
Magnolia tree and hydrangeas by the patio.
His Own Laugh Track
So. Meredith and I went to spinning class on Tuesday for the first time in a while. Most of the crowd was new to us, with a couple exceptions. There's this one guy in the class with that haircut. You know, the one where the hair is just slicked up and back? I don't know exactly how to describe it. Imagine a guy with his shirt half open and a gold chain around his neck. Now imagine his hair.
Anyhoo...
This guy was talking and attempting to flirt with some of the girls in the class. And every time he'd crack a (usually not very funny) joke, he'd laugh loudly and obnoxiously right along with it.
Here's a true-life example:
Spinning Instructor Mike's Girlfriend: "We just got back from a camping trip."
Laugh Track Guy: "Oh, did you get hurt?" (She had band-aids on)
SIM'sG: "No, just got some mosquito bites."
LTG: "Mike, I've never heard anyone call you a mosquito. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"
SIM'sG: *uncomfortable silence, looking away*
And on and on it went throughout the 15 minutes before class started.
*Sitting on bikes chatting, general low murmur*
*Guy wanders class, offering help setting up bikes for various women*
*Weak joke/thinly veiled pick-up line*
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
I don't get it. I just don't get it.
Anyhoo...
This guy was talking and attempting to flirt with some of the girls in the class. And every time he'd crack a (usually not very funny) joke, he'd laugh loudly and obnoxiously right along with it.
Here's a true-life example:
Spinning Instructor Mike's Girlfriend: "We just got back from a camping trip."
Laugh Track Guy: "Oh, did you get hurt?" (She had band-aids on)
SIM'sG: "No, just got some mosquito bites."
LTG: "Mike, I've never heard anyone call you a mosquito. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"
SIM'sG: *uncomfortable silence, looking away*
And on and on it went throughout the 15 minutes before class started.
*Sitting on bikes chatting, general low murmur*
*Guy wanders class, offering help setting up bikes for various women*
*Weak joke/thinly veiled pick-up line*
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
I don't get it. I just don't get it.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Murderball
Murderball is another name for Wheelchair Rugby, also called Quad Rugby. It's also an inspiring movie that documents the lives of the USA national Quad Rugby team.
It was not a "boring" documentary by any means. Over the 2 years shown in the film, you see the changes brought on by tragic circumstances in the players' lives, and the way this sport affects them. One of the more touching scenes of the movie involves the interaction of Mark Zupan, one of Team USA's best players, with a man recently injured in a motocross incident.
On the whole, this movie doesn't pull any punches. Murderball shows life as it is for the players in almost every detail. It shows the likeable and unlikeable, and gives the viewer a greater understanding of both the sport and the men who play it.
I found it inspiring to see the challenges overcome by the people featured in this movie. I hope to apply that inspiration to my own training, and get past the trials of the next few weeks. So far, so good - one daily run down for the week.
It was not a "boring" documentary by any means. Over the 2 years shown in the film, you see the changes brought on by tragic circumstances in the players' lives, and the way this sport affects them. One of the more touching scenes of the movie involves the interaction of Mark Zupan, one of Team USA's best players, with a man recently injured in a motocross incident.
On the whole, this movie doesn't pull any punches. Murderball shows life as it is for the players in almost every detail. It shows the likeable and unlikeable, and gives the viewer a greater understanding of both the sport and the men who play it.
I found it inspiring to see the challenges overcome by the people featured in this movie. I hope to apply that inspiration to my own training, and get past the trials of the next few weeks. So far, so good - one daily run down for the week.
Monday, August 08, 2005
15 going on 17
I did my first 15 mile training run this Saturday. For the most part, it went pretty well. I found that, even up to 13 miles, I could run the distance pretty easily, but this one really seemed long.
About 14.5 miles in, I got a scare. Suddenly, I felt a shooting pain in my left foot when I tried to push off. I stopped to walk (not that I had much choice). After trying and failing to start running again a few times, I just limped back to the parking lot.
For those readers not familiar with my history, last year I was sidelined with stress fractures to both shins, and Meredith also had two stress fractures. Naturally, that was the first thing my mind went to. I wasn't able to push up on my toes at all without serious pain.
Fortunately, it's feeling much better today. Perhaps I just pinched a nerve, or it cramped up and I strained it, or something. Thank goodness...I didn't need another injury-shortened training season.
The other good news: only four longer runs left till the marathon in October! I feel like the finish line is approaching, and I feel pretty ok about it so far. We'll see how I feel when it gets closer, and more "real"...
About 14.5 miles in, I got a scare. Suddenly, I felt a shooting pain in my left foot when I tried to push off. I stopped to walk (not that I had much choice). After trying and failing to start running again a few times, I just limped back to the parking lot.
For those readers not familiar with my history, last year I was sidelined with stress fractures to both shins, and Meredith also had two stress fractures. Naturally, that was the first thing my mind went to. I wasn't able to push up on my toes at all without serious pain.
Fortunately, it's feeling much better today. Perhaps I just pinched a nerve, or it cramped up and I strained it, or something. Thank goodness...I didn't need another injury-shortened training season.
The other good news: only four longer runs left till the marathon in October! I feel like the finish line is approaching, and I feel pretty ok about it so far. We'll see how I feel when it gets closer, and more "real"...
Monday, August 01, 2005
New Albany Summer Classic
This Saturday was the New Albany Summer Classic, a 10 miler/5k race - I did the 10 miler. It started about 5 minutes from our house, which was a nice change. The morning was relatively nice, if a little warm. Meredith went out for a 3 mile pre-run, and I laid in my car and listened to some music to calm my nerves.
My intention for the race was to run around a 9 minute mile. I often have trouble pacing my first couple miles, but at the first mile mark, I was right at 9:00. Over the next couple miles, I got a little ahead of my pace.
At one point, I was following a guy who sounded like he was going to lose a lung, or cough up his stomach, or something. The sounds he was making were making me feel sick, just to hear them. I made sure to pass him as quickly as I could.
The only downside to the race was on the way back. There was a spot we turned right on the way out, and I expected to turn back the way we came. However, there was another spur on the course I didn't know about, which took a little wind out of my sails.
From keeping track on my watch, I noticed I was consistently gaining time against my intended pace, and when I got to the finish line, I had done a 1:26:50. That's an 8:41 pace, so I was pretty happy with my result! I ran this 10 miles at about the same pace as the 5 miler earlier this summer, so maybe this training stuff is paying off after all...
My intention for the race was to run around a 9 minute mile. I often have trouble pacing my first couple miles, but at the first mile mark, I was right at 9:00. Over the next couple miles, I got a little ahead of my pace.
At one point, I was following a guy who sounded like he was going to lose a lung, or cough up his stomach, or something. The sounds he was making were making me feel sick, just to hear them. I made sure to pass him as quickly as I could.
The only downside to the race was on the way back. There was a spot we turned right on the way out, and I expected to turn back the way we came. However, there was another spur on the course I didn't know about, which took a little wind out of my sails.
From keeping track on my watch, I noticed I was consistently gaining time against my intended pace, and when I got to the finish line, I had done a 1:26:50. That's an 8:41 pace, so I was pretty happy with my result! I ran this 10 miles at about the same pace as the 5 miler earlier this summer, so maybe this training stuff is paying off after all...
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