Townie

I guess I am a Townie.  I love my little town here in the suburbs of Atlanta.  I work about a half mile from the downtown area and live probably 3 miles away, so it is easy and fun when there is an event downtown.  Recently we had a concert on the 'Village Green' with 7 Sharp 9, a local band that plays a mix of cover music and their own tracks.

Strangely, I was really looking forward to this little concert with the anticipation usually reserved for an Auburn Game or a large party.  That is why I was really disappointed when the weather started to look foreboding.  The night before we had a huge thunderstorm and it looked like we were going to get a repeat performance.  We went through all the motions though:  we bought a bucket of chicken, packed the cooler and got all of the tailgating supplies out (let's face it...we are professional tailgaters and can pretty much put one together at a moments notice).

 So Hunter, Mindy and Baby Jackson came over and we all piled into the car, fully expecting the sky to open up at any moment and send us reeling back home.  We set up our tailgate far away from the scene, but under cover of the coming showers.  While we got comfortable, Sheryl went ahead and got us another space up front...just in case.  When no rain came, we moved to our 'back up location' and had a bite.  We had enough chicken to feed all the concert goes, not to mention chips, dips and cheese and crackers.  As a matter of fact, our pictures look like some kind of Wheat Thins add.

Well the band started and we danced and sang.  We also bumped into friends, neighbors and Ainsley even saw some of her teachers...after all this is our town and we are true Townies.  One of the great things about an event like this is that it seems like everyone has a fun time.  Us adults enjoyed the music, beer and friends, but even Ainsley had enough to keep her entertained.  She went up next to the stage and danced, ate a snow cone, watched a juggler, got a balloon sward, played Frisbee with a little girl and even helped baby sit her new neighbor.  It was exhausting just watching her...let alone trying to keep up.  For my part, I loved going up to the stage with her and watching her dance.  That is one thing that I think my daughter and I will share for a long time our love for Live Music.  I even bought one of the bands CDs for us to listen to later.

Well we never planned on being able to stay for the whole concert; I thought Ainsley would get board or Jackson would get sick of all the noise.  However, we will still going strong (Ains and I were on our way to the stage again) when the rain finally came.  It was only about 10 minutes before the concert was going to end, so I guess it was good timing.

It was fun to have a nice family time downtown because our last few adventures for St. Pat's day and Cinco De Mayo were adults only excursions.  Hopefully we will be able to recruit more neighbors for the next few concerts this summer, however I don't think the music will be as good as 7 sharp 9.  But I plan to be there...we are Townies after all.

Road Rules

Because I run and also travel, I am often forced to run on the roadside and often that is in different cities, in unfamiliar surroundings.  Now I am not, like many runners I know, militant about my rights as a runner.  I know that I am supposed to run towards on coming traffic and that I am entitled to a certain amount of space, as motorists are forced to share the road with runners and cyclists.  As a matter of fact, in many states the road, not the sidewalk, is the preferred method of travel for runners and bicyclists.  However, I generally try to run on the sidewalk where available, and even the grass (if it is firm) to help stay out of cars way.  I usually run on the road until a car comes by, then I hop onto the grass or even a driveway to let them pass.  I do this both for my safety and because I am trying to make it easier on the driver especially if I notice a lot of two way traffic.  Sometimes I cannot move of the road, and when that happens I try my best to ' walk the tightrope' giving the driver as much room as possible.

That does not stop cars from honking, yelling, gesturing and otherwise letting me know how they feel about my running on the road.  During a recent 8 mile run in Tennessee I ran most of it in a park then some on a sidewalk, but I was forced to run about 2 miles (one outbound and 1 on the way back) on a road that had no sidewalk and ditch on the side.  During that 2 mile stretch I had 4 cars honk or yell at me.  I tried my best to find a route that would avoid this problem, but not being familure with the area, this route was the best I could do.  I figured it was a pretty rural area with many horses around and that any cars I encountered would be understanding.

I don't understand why they are yelling at me.  Are they upset that I caused them to slow down?  Do they really think that I don't have the right to be there?  Some of these people show such emotion that I really think they believe that I am somehow doing something illegal.  As I said, I try my best to get out of their way.  Do people really think that I enjoy running with cars zipping by me, as I am forced to struggle to stay as close to the side as I can?   These cars only see me for a second during an 8 mile run that was almost all out of motorist's way; and they choose that moment to yell at me to get off the road.  The worst are the cars that don't yell but try to show their displeasure by coming as close to me as they can. 

Now I am not saying that all drivers are like this.  As a matter of fact the majority of people give me my space.  Some even smile or wave.  But I have noticed that certain cars types are better or worse.  Not all drivers of certain cars behave the same, but over the years and the many encounters; I have noticed a trend.  So to follow, from best to worst, is my very unscientific sampling of How Certain Cars treat runners:

1. Jeeps - by far the best.  Maybe because most jeep owners see themselves as outdoorsmen/women.  Jeeps almost always slow down and give me a wide birth.  Occasionally I even get a wave or a nod...probably because they are hikers, bikers or runners and have been in the same situation and sympathize.
2. Cars with bike racks - This is probably obvious, but it is often hard to see the bike rack from the front.  Any kind of distance biker has it much worse than us runners because to put together a long ride, they either need a trial, or have to deal with cars.  Bikers can't jump to the grass very easily like us runners.  They always give me my space on the road, therefore, when I am in a car, I give them their space.
3. Convertibles (with the top down) - most convertibles seem to try to give you space.  They are not as good as the above cars and I suspect their motivation is more about fear then good deeds.  I think convertible drivers know that they might get stopped at a red light and have little protection from a water bottle thrown upside the head.
4. Expensive Cars - the more expensive the car usually the more room they will give you.  I don't know if this is because to afford a car like that you are probably educated...or maybe it is just because they don't want to mess up their car with a runner sized dent.  These cars can go the other way though:  some idiots think they are rich and don't have to follow the rules.  You are just in their way.
5. SUV's - These cars go either way.  Some are true outdoors people who do their best to get out of your way.  Others are idiots on the phone, drinking coffee, eating a donut, yelling at their kids who look up just in time to miss you.  Then they blame the runner...of course you are the one being unsafe.
6. Sedan's - These are a little worse than the SUV's because you don't get the outdoors people.  Some are following the rules.  Some are just nice and get out of your way.  Some are just idiots that shouldn't have a driver's license.  Usually Sedan's don't yell at you...but they may not get out of your way either
7. Sport's Cars - Some of these are fine.  They respect you and they car too much about their car to get close to you.  Some sports car drivers are risk takers who want to see how close they can get to you without hitting you.
8. Pick up Trucks - Now I'm not sure why, but these are the worst of the bunch.  The majority of the close calls I have had have been with pick ups.  They also are the cars that yell and honk at me with the most frequency.  Another point, the more extras (brush guards, roof lights) that are on the truck the more prone it is to be a problem.  And if it has a gun rack or a hunting sticker, give it some room.  I always hear people defend hunting by talking about being out in Nature; hunters call themselves outdoorsmen.  Why then would they not respect us runners or bikers?  I guess sitting in a tree stand drinking beer and waiting for a deer is much more manly then training to run 26.2 miles.

By no means do I dislike hunters or Pickup drivers for that matter.  Many of my friends do both.  And by no means do I think that most hunters or pickup divers act like the few that I have had a problem with.  I just offer this list and these thoughts as a service to other runners.  If you are forced to run on the road and you see a jeep, you probably can expect that they will give you plenty of room.  If later you see a pickup with a brush guard, roof lights, a gun rack, an NRA sticker and a 10 foot CB antenna with a rebel flag on it...be prepared to dive head first into the bushes.

Three Years, Three PR's

Well for the third year in a row I did the Smyrna Jonquil Jog and PR'ed yet again.  I don't think I am really getting that much faster, I just think the relatively few 5K's that I due make them all seem great.

I still can't find my Age Group placement online yet, but I know I finished in about 21:25...a 30 second PR over last year.  I'm sure that Active will have the results later this week and I can see if I bettered last year's 7th place.

The only problem with doing the race this weekend is that I didn't run on Sunday because the race took time away from the Family on Saturday.  We did have a great breakfast on Sunday, but I still felt like a slug.

ING

 I can't believe I haven't posted my race re-cap, but better a month late then never.

I went into the ING Marathon, obviously hoping to do better than my first two attempts, but I kept my goals very tempered.  I didn't know how the hills would hurt me, and I also learned my lesson (Disney) on what kind of effect the heat has on my performance.  With the Sunday morning forecast reading just like the day of the Disney marathon, I knew it was going to be a hot one.  So I planned on taking it very easy, heck just finishing this thing running would probably get me a PR.  So my goal was to run 9 min. miles giving me a 3:55 finish or a 7 min PR.  Modest, but an improvement non-the-less.

The race start was a mass of humanity.  My sister Wendy and I had gotten up at around 3:30 to take care of our GI business and eat a little something, then we met with Misty to drive to the Start.  We got there really early, so we parked in the deck and bumped into Misty's friends (which ended up being really helpful...more on that later).  We then wandered to the athlete village as a group of five.  After checking our bags we found some port-ta-potties then to the start.  The crowds were huge.  There were no corrals or even groups for half vs. full marathons, so everyone just packed in like cattle.  It ended up being pretty nice that we could all stay together and chat; it kept the butterflies away.  Once the race started I kept near Wendy until about 40 feet after the finish line, then we each went our own way.

The first few miles, like any marathon, were crowded.  I dogged a few people and looked for running lanes, but my pace seemed fine (I actually did an 8:30 the first mile).  The first few miles were downhill, but boy were they hot.  By mile 3 I was covered with sweat and it was still early.  Soon we left the city and crossed over into the neighborhoods and I could feel a huge temperature drop.  The half marathoners also split off from us, so the crowd thinned out too.  I was feeling pretty good and my pace was staying between 8:40 and 9 min. 

At around the 10K mark I heard a lot of rumbling about there not being any water.  I had my amphipod belt filled wit Endurance, so I didn't plan to take any water yet but it still worried me.  At about this time I bumped into Patrick, one of Misty's friends that we met at the start.  I was surprised that we ended up meeting up and I didn't know how long we would run together, but for the time being I loved the distraction.  Patrick and I talked and it was so easy to get lost in the conversation that the miles just flew by.  I was a little concerned that we were running faster than my plan (a bunch of miles in the 8:30's), but I felt good and I figured it was just the distraction that made me faster. 

The neighborhoods were great.  People sat on their driveways and cheered and little kids handed out water and ice.  I was starting to get worried about water because the rest of the runners were really complaining.  So I passed by a kid who handed me a glass and it was sooo cold.  I commented that it was the best, coldest water I had had and I herd moans from the rest of the runners saying, " I should have grabbed one from him."  Thank God for the kids because the water stops were all out of Poweraid.  I was so worried that when I did get a water I started filling up a few of my now empty Amphipod bottles.

At mile 15 we hit a pretty good downhill and cranked out an 8:18...that worried me.  I knew that the coarse was very tough near the end and I didn't want to burn out.  I mentioned this to Patrick and I think he took heed and we both slowed a bit.  He was in need of a bathroom break but could never find a good opportunity.  The hills loomed large and he didn't want to stop at the bottom of one.  I felt bad, but I knew if he stopped, I would leave him...I'm not one who can start up again very easily.  At around mile 18 Patrick and I split apart to pass a few runners and while we were on opposite sides of the road I thought I heard him yelp.  As I looked around to try to find him I heard him yell, "Good luck Chris."  I don't know what happened, but I did hear that he finished about 10 min. behind me, so it couldn't have been too bad.

After I left Patrick I hit the worst part of the course, Freedom Parkway.  Before this we had been running through tree lined neighborhoods and parks.  Suddenly we were thrust into an uphill freeway with no relief from the heat.  The two miles on Freedom Parkway were the worst in the race.  Up until now, I had been talking to Patrick enjoying the scenery and the miles just melted away.  Suddenly I was alone, in the heat with the only view of people running back down the hill I was going up...lucky bastards.  It was horrible, and as hard as I tried I couldn't see the turn around.  Finally I was on the downhill and I filled up every water bottle I could for fear of the heat.  I was also popping salt tablets, something I forgot to bring for Disney.  All in all, it was a rough patch, but I survived and I knew from Sheryl's phone call that she and Ainsley would be at mile 24, I figured I could make it that far.

I found myself in the proverbial zone now.  But not that great mystical zone where everything goes right and you feel no pain.  My zone was more like a blur.  I was feeling the heat and I felt like I was slowing down, but really my pace was right on target.  The crowds were really thick now, but I felt like that seen in every sports movie where the cheers just fade away and you hear the breathing of the runner.  Finally I was about to make the turn into Piedmont park so I tried to call Sheryl to let her know I was coming.  I didn't get through, but I guess she got my message because they were ready.  Seeing her and Ains gave me quite a boost but I bet they couldn't tell because all I wanted was the Amphipod bottle filled with Endurance that they brought.  Then I didn't want to stop, and every bottle I was going to give her back had something in it.  So I finally found an empty and just threw it over my shoulder hoping she would pick it up.  (you can see me struggling to find an empty bottle <---in this picture)

After seeing them I had some new confidence and some extra energy that I thought I could use to improve my time.  Unfortunately at this point the course turned sadistic.  I knew there was going to be some uphill's near the end but this was inhumane.  I saw a lot of people walking those last two miles, and trust me I felt for them.  I had been there and the hills were so bad I was sure I was going back.  I kept seeing a turn up ahead and thinking, "well it must level out or go downhill after that," only to make the turn and see the uphill again.  Everytime I turned the corner and saw another hill I almost decided to walk.  I had been feeling an impending cramp and I knew if I stopped I would have to walk to the finish. 

Finally I heard someone run right up next to me and yell, "Chris."  It was Misty and it just hearing her helped me so much.  She barley said anything and I know I didn't say a word, but she ran alongside me and I even picked up my pace a little.  Finally she said, "there it is...your there" and peeled away.  Then I saw Wen and I barley waved.  I crossed the finish line 3:54:26. Right on target.

After that we met up with Sheryl in the car (she didn't even have to park) and I sat on the floorboard of the car to keep my legs from cramping.  Ainsley scooted to the far end of her car seat away from, "stinky, wet daddy."  But I was feeling great after we got home and showered.  Then we were off to Cheeseburger in Paradise for beer, burgers and a surprising number of fellow runner had the same idea.  Later that day, Misty came over for Pizza and we all told our war stories again.

Live Music

I've always been a fan of live music.  I love going to concerts or even the local pizza place with a guy playing covers.  So it was with much anticipation that I finally got my Christmas present.  Sheryl had bought me tickets to Snow Patrol for Christmas and I had it in the back of my mind for the past 3 months or so, but when the date finally got here it seemed like it snuck up on us.  The neighbors agreed to watch Ainsley (no small feat on a weeknight when we likely wouldn't get home until midnight) and off we went.

Of course with all the things that happen on a weeknight we never got a chance to have dinner and tried to stop on the way but figured we were already late and would rather eat there then miss anything.  Good Choice because we were treated to two great opening acts.  I was pleasantly surprised to find out that we had floor seats.  I think Sheryl would rather have had a place to sit after a long day of work, but I enjoyed the intimacy of being a few feet from the band...it reminded me of Fraternity band parties.  Silver Sun Pickup's were fun to watch, although I admit I only know one of their songs.  But they enjoyed themselves and even continued to play through a few technical difficulties commenting, "I had it when a band just stops."  Both Sheryl and I commented that you don't often see a base player in a full dress, but she looked good and I will probably have to download a few more of Silver Suns' songs.

Next up was OK Go, and I probably would have bought tickets to see them as a single act, so it was a treat that they were part of the larger bill.  Ok Go was a lot of fun, getting the crowd involved in waving their phones or singing along.  I even managed to take the above picture with my phone (which explains the poor quality).  While they didn't do any of their now famous dances, they did have a video screen playing behind them with some neat images.  My only problem was, unless I somehow missed it, they did not play 'A million Ways' and I kept thinking they would do en encore or something.  However as soon as they were done the set up for Snow Patrol started.

I was very impressed with Snow Patrol, because while I love their music, I worried about how they would be in concert.  Most of their songs are emotionally charged, in short, the point in concerts where most people get in the beer line.  I couldn't have been more wrong however.  Their songs still maintained the emotional charge, yet took on almost an anthem like feel.  With their Irish brogue speaking between songs (I think they are actually Scottish) I couldn't help but be reminded of U2.  They got Chasing Cars out of the way early on, which I liked, because if ever there was an example of a good song being over played...this was it.  They pulled a girl out of the audience to sing the female part of 'Set fire to the Third Bar' and she preformed admirably.  They played for quite a while without breaks, pausing only to allow for an encore.  The encore consisted of two of their peppiest hits, including my favorite, 'Hands Open.'

It was a great night, and a nice break to be able to see some top live music.  My wife obviously knows me well to think of this for a gift.

It's not easy Peeing Green

I hold St. Patrick's Day with the same reverence that most people place on Christmas or their birthday.  So when it happened to fall on a Saturday, we started the planning early.  Sheryl lined up a sitter, we bought tickets to Smyrna Market Village and my parents even sent us cab fare. 

The day started with me getting up at 5 am to squeeze in my last long run (really only 13 miles) before my marathon.  At 5 am it was chilly, but comfortable in a long sleeve tech shirt and tights.  That's why I was so surprised when we arrived at Ainsley's Soccer game in the middle of winter.  It was so cold that they shorten the game due to kids crying because from the cold (I am not exaggerating).  I have to hand it to Ains, she didn't complain once except when we talked about possibly skipping the parade due to the weather.

We decided to tough it out and head to downtown for the parade after stocking up on cold weather gear (see picture above).  I rolled my eyes at Sheryl when she found some of those chemical hand warmers, little did I know I would be thanking her later.  We parked near Peachtreee St. and trotted over to the parade, finding a nice spot in the sun before it started.  Ainsley thoroughly enjoyed herself trying to catch beads, even running out to cars to get some.  I liked the bag pipes and the Budwiser Clydesdales and of course her favorite was Darth Vader and the Stormtroopers (What exactly do they have to do with St. Pat's day).  When there was a lull in the parade we tried to convince Ains that it was over because our sunny spot was now shady and windy.  So we crossed the street to leave when Ains noticed that it was still going on and convinced us to stay.  Good thing we did, because the beads and other loot picked up and I even got some beads from the Harriers by shouting, "On On" (that's what Harriers yell to let others know they are On the trail of the Hare...it's also their toast).  It was getting colder and we even convinced Ains that it was time to leave when I noticed a "26" painted on the ground.  Little did I know that we had been standing on the 26th mile of my next marathon.

We finally raced home to prepare for the Adult festivities.  After a lot of Logistical discussions and a few beers (which probably lengthened the logistical discussions) we finally got to Smyrna Market Village to find the street closed off, many tents of beer and the smell of corned beef in the air...in a word heaven. 

 When entering we were giving shamrock tattoos and we were told that there would be a contest later based on placement.  I never saw the contest, but we did have a few entrants in our group.  We drank beer, listened to the bands and bumped into a bunch of our friends.  All in all we had a great time that most of us can't remember the details.  I do know by the pictures (somehow I took 77 that day) that we did a bit of dancing.  The pictures show a progression from relatively civil to...yep they defiantly need a cab ride home.  And cab home we did.  We somehow made it home and I think the next day can be summed up best by a shirt we saw that night:  "Irish today, Hungover tomorrow."  Thank God it was Sunday, otherwise we would have had to call in sick with a case of the Irish Flu.

Yet another way to find out you are getting old...

There are many things that happen through the coarse of your life that tells you, your getting old.  Yelling at some one for touching the thermostat, a creaking knee or mentioning that some young punk is driving like a maniac are all things that happen to us that give us pause and make us shake our head and mutter, "I'm getting old."  The other day at dinner however, one hit me that I never expected.  While dining at a nice restaurant my daughter was being particularly good.  Sitting in her seat and eating her food without too much trouble, when out of the blue she started singing.  Now Ainsley loves to sing and to tell you the truth she is pretty good, when she doesn't confuse volume for passion.  But what she was singing made both my wife and I laugh and ask her about the song.

Ainsley broke into a perfect rendition of the Human League's "Don't you want me, Baby" complete with the Oooohs and everything.  When we asked where she heard that she calmly replied, "It was on a cookie commercial."  After a chuckle, I had a sudden flashback to my parents playing a Beachboys song and me saying, "hey that's the Sunkiss commercial."

Well Thankfully it was only Human League, I mean the day they my daughter starts singing REM or Barenaked Ladies and telling me it's a soda commercial then I'll know I'm getting old.

Found Features

I've always loved unlocking or finding a new feature in something that you already use and didn't know about.  This week seemed to be all about new features in products I already use.

Zune

I got sick and tired of waiting for a firmware update to add new features to my Zune, so I took matters into my own hands.  I tried to use a multitude of free software out there to convert my Media Center TV shows so that they could be watched on my Zune.  I tried dcut, MSMCtoolbox and a few others with poor results.  I finally sprang for some purchased software that works like a charm.  Cucusoft Video Converter Suit works like a champ.  I wish I could have gotten a free app to work, but this is so easy, I don't mind paying the money.  This would have come in handy on my California trip, but I will have ample opportunity to use it in the future.  It is always helpful to be able to watch what you want on a trip...be it on the plane or in a hotel room with very few channels.

Next I got for Valentine's day, a new set of Ultimate Ears headphones to replace my aging Sony earbuds.  I loved those Sony buds, which had great sound in a small package and a low price, but I hated the overly long cord and the offset left and right cord that always seemed to get caught on something.  These new Ultimate Ears are great.  It took a little experimenting to get the right sleeve (smallest, where in the Sony's I needed the largest...go figure) and they lack some of the bass that the Sony's had, but the noise cancellation is great.

I also got a Belkin car mount for my Zune that plugs into the cigaret lighter.  It is supposed to be an FM Modulator, but I have a headphone port on my stereo, so I use that.  It has a bypass for use with a headphone or cassette adapter, but I was very disappointed with the sound quality coming out of it.  I instead use the regular headphone out on the Zune.  I am disappointed because this was one of the reasons I got this mount.  So basically it has 3 features:  Cigarette lighter mount (can be used in any car), FM modulator, Lineout pass through.  Of those features, I am only using 1 (I thought I would use 2).  I think I will keep it though because my other choice would be a pro clip that would cost the same and I would need to add a charging cable.  Not to mention, I can use this Belkin in any car whereas the pro clip would be useless in another car.

Dart Board

While this is not an unlocked feature, it does sort of fit this post.  You see I got this dartboard a long time ago and I tried to figure out a nice way to mount it to my deck so that it wouldn't look tacky and could be brought in after use.  I never figured out an elegant solution so it sat in a closet gathering dust until my friend Hunter came over to have some adult conversation (he has a new baby and baby talk is very prevalent in his house).  Hunter and I decided, elegant solution be damned, lets just put some screws in the wall.  So we did and dart games have been the Sunday afternoon norm for the past few weeks.  The board is electronic and far from regulation, but it does what we need.  It gives us a fun thing to do while we socialize, drink and get competitive.

One more new Zune feature...while playing Darts we have been listening to the Zune outside through my AV dock and the outdoor speakers.  Well the AV doc has a remote that has a magnet in it.  When I noticed that I thought, "well that would be fine for a college dorm where you attach it to the fridge, but when will I use it."  Well the patio door is metal and the remote works great though the windows.

All in all, it is great getting more use out of things you already have...I just wish I didn't usually end up paying more money for it.

I ran fast today...

Well not really fast, but for the first time since my marathon I added a little speed.  My training plan called for 9 miles with 5 at Half marathon pace.  So after a slow start, in weather that was much colder than I anticipated, I really RAN.

 I had been taking things pretty easy since the marathon and you know what, I think I missed it.  It was fun to try to hold a time, even though I couldn't in the beginning...then I couldn't slow down at the end.  But the end of the run felt so good and afterward I felt like I accomplished something.  Before now I think I was just ' putting in the miles.'  I was not emphasizing any speedwork or times at all; mostly because I don't have any time goals for my next race.  So in a way, I seem to be motivated again...however it seems to have come at a bad time.

I also woke up this morning with a soar throat...a really bad one.  I was lucky to avoid a cold during my last training cycle, even though I had a few close calls.  But I think this one is here to stay.  After I got over my renewed feeling of accomplishment and got to work, I felt weak, dizzy, tired and soar.  All the markings of a cold, and a bad one at that.  I know from reading about it, and from personal experience, that the first 3 days of a cold are usually the worst.  Well if this is day 1, that puts day 3 squarely in the middle of my first real long run of this training cycle.  So much for this new found motivation, I'll be lucky to live through it.

In a related topic, you can see my new shoes above.  They are a departure from my tried and true pairs, but come recommended and at a great price (that's a story for another time).  I needed new shoes more than you could imagine, with both of my current pairs well over 500 miles.  I'm going to try to ease them in, not doing any really long runs in them.  But so far they feel comfortable and very similar to the other Asics pairs I own.  Well we will see how they work out, how bad this cold is, whether or not I will get my long run in and if I can work some hills in anytime soon.

Super Bowl Parties

I'm as guilty as the next person for wanting to make watching a game more significant.  As an Auburn Fan, I just can't seem to fathom watching say the Florida game alone at home.  There is something about a big game that you want to share with others.  You want to see things through their eyes and have them see it through yours.  It does happen from time to time that I have had to watch one of these games alone, due to business travel or such, but I usually seek out a bar or some way to share the game.

Now, having said that, watching the game on TV with a crowd is probably the worst way to watch.  At every party there are times when people are just not interested in the game.  Hey, it happens to me from time to time.  It is rare that anyone watches every play and add to that checking on the kinds, the food, socializing and drinking that goes on, it is amazing that we see the game at all.

On the other extreme, watching a game by yourself is boring.  Sure, you can see every play and change channels to check other games without disturbing others.  But, there is no one there to say, "Did you see that?" to.  Not to mention you feel like an idiot screaming and yelling at the TV in a silent room.  When ever this happens to me, I find myself on the phone with someone watching the game saying, "Did you see that?"

I guess the perfect mix is to have a small group of fans to gather and watch a game.  It has to be a large enough group that, some can go off and have a conversation without leaving one or two alone watching the game.  It also has to be small enough that the talking doesn't over power the game.  I think we have hit on the perfect mix a few times.  We have a large group gather near the TV trading insights and one liners while another crowd socializes in the kitchen or on the deck.  It is best when you can flow from group to group, spending time socializing then watching, but the focus is always on the game.

I Joined the Social

Most everyone who knows me, knows I am a bit of an electronics addict.  I always have some gadget that I am pining for; some future purchase or soon to be released item that I want.  I try to be as rational as possible.  I try to wait when buying a new Windows Mobile device at least 2 product cycles.  A new computer purchase must wait 4 years.  And MP3 players anything over a year will do.  While this is more often than many people, this is considered a late adopter in the Tech world.

This is why I surprised myself by buying a Zune.  There were many reasons that I shouldn't buy it.  I already had an MP3 player that was less than a year old.  The Zune followed the same closed system that I had admonished iPod fans for buying into.  I also had avoided Hard Drive players in favor of flash based systems that made for better running companions.  Not to mention, the Zune was a first release of a new product line; one that may or may not even succeed.

But after Christmas I found myself with some Best Buy gift cards and an irrational desire to own a Zune.  My 6 Gig flash player worked great, but my music collection had grown beyond capacity.  I loved the Senza for running, but I missed having every song that I owned with me.  I missed not being able to play just the right song for an occasion because that one that I wanted to hear right now didn't make the sync.  Also, I was a little surprised by the accessories already offered with the Zune.  I mean it was no iPod, but I had waited 6 months for a docking station for my Senza and it still didn't work.  Microsoft worked hard to get accessories released, and if anyone can come close to rivaling the ipod in this regard, they can.

 Am I happy with the purchase?  Absolutely.  It does everything I wanted and more.  I was always cautious about what songs I added to my player due to it's limited size.  Not to mention now I have size for video clips, TV shows and every picture I own.  The interface is unbeleavable.  Many complain that it doesn't have a real scroll wheel, trust me these people have not played with it to form a real opinion.  It is so much easer to find a song by holding your finger down than by going around in circles.  Not to mention the screens are much more intuitive than the ipod's interface.  The twist menus allow you to navigate in two directions making it easy to get where you want to go.

Is the Zune going to beat the ipod?  Not in the near future.  As slick as it is, the interface is not enough for people to want to switch.  And the added WiFi is more of a ' watch this space' feature.  There are not enough Zunes out to let you share songs, and Microsoft themselves have stated that the WiFi will do more soon.  So we wait.  Not to mention Microsoft does not have Apple's cachet.  Nowadays, if you don't have an ipod, you have some sort of cheap knockoff in the eyes of the Apple fanboys.  And everyone and their dog have lined up to criticize the Zune simply because it is not an ipod.

But what the ipod crowd does not realize is that Apple has stagnated.  The ipod, while it is great in it's simplicity, releases some small new feature every year with no real leap.  Competition from the Zune is just what the ipod, and all MP3 players in general, need:  Someone to force a leap.  Remember the days of Netscape and Internet Explorer.  The competition forced each to release a new version, with new features often.  When IE faced no competition it stagnated with little innovation.  Then along comes Firefox and low-and-behold we get a new version of IE with tons of new features.

And for those who say that the Zune will never win out over the ipod...be carefull.  Remember when Microsoft entered the game console market which was dominated by Sony.  They spent years as a distant third behind even Nintendo.  Now they have changed the market and forced all the competitors to innovate with High Def and off-the-wall controllers.  Also remember how everyone had a Palm, much like everyone has an ipod today.  Palm, like Apple had stagnated.  Now Blackberry and Windows Mobile dominate the landscape and you are hard-pressed to find a Palm outside of someone's junk drawer.

So while there were many reasons for me not to choose a Zune, I am very happy with the decision.  Will I still be happy a year or two from now...only time will tell.

A Perfect Flip

Do you ever wonder what you look like when you fall? I never really thought about it, but for the third time I fell while running again (not counting the sort of flop to the ground I did in my last marathon), and I wonder what it looked like.

Well the story was, I went running while traveling in Tennessee and therefore I was unfamiliar with the terrain (the excuses start). Also, since I had meetings that day I went out pretty early especially considering the time change, so there was very little light for the first part of the run (excuse number two). So, off I go on a 7 miler dodging traffic and plodding through the hills (excuse three and four) until I get almost 2 miles into the run (see map of the run on the right with the marker on the approximate incident).

So, I sort of hop up a curb and misjudge an uneven part of the sidewalk. Bam, down I go on my hands, then shoulder, then upright on my feet again. I mean as falls go, this one felt like a perfect roll. I could have continued to run in a, "I meant to do that," sort of way. I sure would have looked cooler if I had. Except I was so stunned by the incident that I stopped to check out my hands ( a little scraped), shoulder (fine except my music players case got a little scraped) and of course the sidewalk ("see everyone, there really is a bump here"). Only there was no one around to see me (unlike last time), so I just started to run again. I probably looked like a dead fish flopping around, but it sure felt like a perfectly executed roll. I always said that one of the reasons I like running as a sport is because it requires very little coordination. Looks like it requires more coordination than I have, unless I continue to execute these perfect rolls.

ING Georgia

Yes, it is official, I am doing another marathon at the end of March.  I didn't tell a lot of people that I was because most already think I am a little obsessive not to mention that little cramping problem I had last marathon.  But plans for this one are a lot different.  It is a hilly course, not to mention I have 11 weeks between the two marathons.  So this time I plan to take it easy.  I want to finish in around 3:50 or 3:45.  No obsessive checking of the watch, no worry about pace, no fear of a bad time.  I will run the speed that the terrain lets me.

I think doing the ING is a good idea for a number of reasons.  First of all, I think doing more than one marathon a year will put less pressure on each event.  I want to finally get a time I think I am capable of, but I keep going for it and crashing and burning.  That might have more to do with the weather and my hydration than my skill, but then again maybe it doesn't.  I need to make some progressively better times rather than going for one huge improvement.  Also, I enjoy the structure of training.  I know I am healthier and thinner then when I am not running and having a plan keeps me running.  Do I want some time off from serious training?  Sure.  Is the timing a little close for comfort?  Sure.  But then again, everyone else is getting active still fresh off of their New Years resolutions; so why not now.

So with that said, I am following a plan tailor made for my situation (so obviously others are this obsessive), Pete Pfitzingers' 2 marathons with 10 weeks between them.  I actually had 11, but I took the first week off; see I can rest.  I'm in week 2 and I'm a little less motivated than I was in week 2 last time, but that fits with my plan too.  The biggest difference for this marathon is that I am going to have to run some hills.  I have such a great place to run near my house that it is hard to want to go elsewhere.  The problem with that is, nearly everywhere in Atlanta has hills, except where I run.  Sure there are a few on the way to and from the trail, but not enough to consider it hill training.  So, I will have to run some hilly areas in the next few weeks and maybe the variety will help spice things up.

So soon everyone will begging to hear about my running again as I complain or brag.  But the difference is, I will hopefully talk less about times.  Let's see if this plan works a little better.

DLF not DNF

There is an old saying says something about the hardest fought victories being the sweetest.  Well yes and no.

This picture is of me doing the death march through EPCOT.  What went wrong?  Well many things, but mostly my pride.  You see I trained for this marathon for about 6 months.  In my first marathon I had to walk the last 2 miles turning probably a 3:45 finish into a 4:02.  It was a bitter end to a great start in my mind.  Although it was not bad for my first time, I was unhappy about having to walk the finish.  So I vowed that I would finish the next one strong.  I started a Pfitzinger marathon training program that upped my mileage and build up my speed.  It built my speed up so much that I turned in a 1:44 half marathon and felt so strong at the finish that I knew I could have turned in a much better time.  So I started dreaming of a 3:36 and trained for an 8:15 per min. pace.  Everything was going well, all my training runs went great and were on pace...then came race day.

On Race Day it was HOT.  85 F with 98% humidity.  I knew it was going to be hot the day before and I even played lip service to adjusting my pace accordingly.  But it was just that, lip service.  When the start sounded I felt great, the first mile was a little slow due to the crowd but I quickly got on my 8:15 pace and felt great.  I was cruising, but somewhere around mile 14 I began to feel weaker.  My legs were getting tired, something that had never happened to me before.  At this point I made the decision to reduce my speed to an 8:30, but it was too little too late.  By mile 18 I knew I wasn't going to make it but I continued to delay the inevitable.  I knew I was going to have to walk, but I didn't want to walk 7 miles.  I made deals with myself to try to make it to 22 then to 20, but finally my body made the decision for me.  My legs cramped up beyond hope and just short of mile 20, I hobbled to the med tent and crumpled to the grass.  I was so cramped up even my tongue hurt.  I sat there on the ground convincing the medical people that I was fine.  I was not.  I made the decision to wait for the bus because I knew I couldn't walk 6 miles.

But a funny thing happened while trying to stop my legs from cramping, I got pissed.  Pissed that all my training ended up this way.  Pissed that I didn't start out slower.  Pissed that after all my talk about a sub 3:40 I was going to DNF.  So I grabbed a Poweraid and a banana from the med tent and walked away.  It was more like a hobble.  That first mile was really painfully and I felt like it took me an hour and I stopped at one point to stretch and again crumpled to the ground.  It was at this point I met the nicest medical worker.  He sprinted over to me to make sure I was alright and I assured him it was just cramps.  He brought me to the med tent (my second stop) and said, "I'll have a cute girl rub some bio freeze on you and you'll be as good as new."  Well the girl was cute and the bio freeze worked for about 10 min., but I did learn one lesson, stopping was BAD.  So I kept going.  It was slow and painful and I talked to a few people in a similar state as me which helped pass the time.  Every now and then I would cramp up bad, but I just kept walking.  I tried to drink constantly, but I was full.  I had asked at both med tents for salt (that worked for me last time) but they didn't have any and I didn't think to bring my salt tablets from home.

Eventually I was closer to the finish and I could feel it's gravity pulling me.  I wanted to finish, I wanted to be able to wear the shirt with pride, because even though this was not going to be a great finish by any means at least I didn't quit.  I saw Sheryl and the Barbee's at EPCOT and I felt bad that they had waited for 2 hours past when they expected to see me.  Then it was just a blur to the finish where I saw my parents and sister and I told them, "I can't stop."  I got my medal and stopped again at the med tent on my quest for salt...again no luck.

Things after that were just a mess, when I finally sat down in the car I cramped up beyond belief, then we took a wrong turn, then the car broke down, then I was throwing up from dehydration.  That story in itself makes for a bad day.  But at least I finished.  I. Finished.

Am I capable of running a 3:36, I think so, but I need ideal conditions.  Right now I want to finish one marathon running strong.  I still don't know what time I am going to try to run ING Georgia in, but I do know it will be slow with lots of hills and I am going to finish.