Friday 7

New Google Maps photos for Philly! They're so green! Lovely. I think they are aerial photos from early summer '07. I can see the temporary crew docks up around US Grant (there when Cara2, Babbo and I biked up the river path last May.)

Ran 7.5mi up to Columbia Bridge and back. Didn't wear a watch, but going by calls I made/missed on my mobile, it was more than 50 and less than 55min. Legs were a little tired from yesterday's treadmill workout, and just after the turnaround I was thinking that an 5-6mi might have been better. Then I hit Boathouse Row and felt good again. Running is weird.

Ted is in town tonight (arriving now!)

VB + Pottruck 5 = Thursday

Dragged my ass to Hutch this morning for an early volleyball session with Darren, Andre, Klara, Carolyn, and Stephanie. Can't say I was very awake. Certainly did not play like it.

Dragged my ass to Pottruck this evening--very reluctantly--for a run. I was feeling really crappy (and nearly rationalized myself a second rest day--for shame!) but then got on the 'mill and it felt great. J H.O.V.A to the rescue. Ran 5mi in 35:15. Once again, I am doubting that number: I think the machine may have been miscalibrated? Or maybe I should accept the mounting evidence that taking a few weeks easy may have actually helped my running? Lifted legs briefly and called it a night.

Wednesday Eight

Ran the same loop as last week with a new Jay-Z, Roots, Mos Def mix in my ears. The route: 34th through Mantua, past Sweetbriar, up the hill to the Civil War Memorial, past Memorial Hall to Belmont, down the hill at Montgomery, and back via MLK / W River Drive / Schuylkill River Path / Chestnut / Walnut. 8mi in 58m2xs (=7:18 pace; again, wasn't watching the clock, just doing what feels natural at this point.) HRM said average 166bpm, but I forgot to wet the contacts so I think it was bogus today--I glanced at it halfway through and it said 232 (my RHR is low 40s and my max is somewhere in the 190s... 232 is pretty much impossible.)

Cooled down with 10m bike @ Pottruck.

Thinking of doing the Caesar Rodney half down in Wilmington in a few weekends. It'd be fun to race.

Woot.

Still have a little extra pep in my step after the PODS news. It's the premier database theory conference (17.x% acceptance rate this year) so good for the CV, especially as I try to market myself as a PL/DB person on the job market next winter. And if I can swing it to do this CO/BC/AK vacation, with two races...

Gym numbers: 6mi run on the 'mill in 43:5x, 10.9xmi bike (virtual African mountain) in 20min on the spinner.

Photo is from my bike ride down to see Dillon and Uncle Jamie in January. After suffering up the climb from Palo Alto to the crest of the Santa Cruz hills, I did some ridge running for ~10 miles, and then down, down, down through redwood forests to the ocean. This sign was on the descent. If only running 26 miles was so easy :)

Vancouver, ALASKA.

The big news is in: our PODS submission (with TJ and Val) was accepted! I'm going to Vancouver!! Well, maybe--TJ's other submission didn't make it, so he'll present the paper, I'm sure. But since I'll be on the market this winter, I'd still like to go schmooze with DB folks.

If I can swing it time-wise (and that's a big IF--I would like to submit to POPL in mid-July), I'm going to try to turn this into a total boondoggle: to Boulder on Memorial Day + run in the Bolder Boulder (10K), then to Vancouver for PODS, then to Denali/Anchorage for the solstice? And then... I'd like to cap it off by running the Anchorage Mayor's race (42K) with Clare.

Zzzzz Day

Last fall I used to complain about how I'd run 25+ miles in a weekend and my metabolism wouldn't really notice. Well, a couple of months of relative sloth have fixed that problem. Last weekend's runs didn't kick my butt (actually, I am less sore than I thought I'd be--though I couldn't jump today) but oh, is the engine burning! I'll spare you, gentle reader, the details. Just trust me, it's going! I was eating all day. Hooray for getting ye olde GI thingee going again.

I don't want to jinx it, but I get some news tomorrow that may influence immediate training plans. Very excited.

Oh, and DNR today, so I start the week with a big fat goose egg. Played final league game with Joy of Sets but was slow and lazy = not a workout. Unless beer counts as a workout (the picture shows my last bourbon workout, few weekends ago at Ellis's XXXth birthday.) Was going to run at Pottruck, but didn't get back to Philly until 10.30, and that seemed silly. Perhaps a double tomorrow.

Well Shit Dogg...

I haden't been counting weekly mileage... but this week was just a hair under 43 miles! I'll take it for a non-training cycle week.

[The picture--'cause every post should have a picture--is one of my favorite possessions: my most favorite-est bridge, painted last summer by Dr C as a going away gift.]

The Loop

If yesterday was a "staple", today was my "bread and butter". Ran the East Falls Loop. Stopped at Trader Joe's to pick up a few dinner things so skipped the last ~.5mi. The numbers: 10.75mi in 1h17m30s = 7:19 pace?! Once again, I am surprised by that number... thought I was takin' her easier than that.

Strawberry Mansion

Did an old staple of marathon training--the run up to my favorite bridge. Finished by coming back down the Parkway to Reading Terminal Market. 8.75mi, 1h5min, HRM says 160bpm avg.

Pottruck

Mostly numbers: 4 and change miles in 30min on the 'mill, then 11 and change (ha! yeah right) miles biking LifeFitness's approximation of "Kilimanjaro".

My sources tell me that the Kelly Drive towpath is plowed. Anyone want to run tomorrow?

%$@! Living in the South!

Today's dusting of snow has cancelled the tournament. BOO.

I haven't posted lyrics in a while, but this beautiful, haunting Uncle Tupelo song came on my iPod yesterday and I just kept hitting repeat for the rest of the workout. Then came home, pulled out my guitar, and sang it a few more times.

I've been a moonshiner
For seventeen long years
And I spent all my money
On whiskey and beer
And I go to some hollow
And set up my still
If whiskey don't kill me
Lord, I don't know what will

And I go to some barroom
To drink with my friends
Where the women they can't follow
To see what I spend
God bless them pretty women
I wish they was mine
With breath as sweet as
The dew on the vine

Let me eat when I'm hungry
Let me drink when I'm dry
Two dollars when I'm hard up
Religion when I die
The whole world is a bottle
And life is but a dram
When the bottle gets empty
Lord, it sure ain't worth a damn.

Thursday

Not a whole lot to report: ran to Pottruck (around 1.5mi), did 3mi on the mill (started at 7:30, increased every .25mi down to 6:30ish = 21:17 total). Then light upper body circuits. Then slightly lackluster (everyone seemed a little tired/off) volleyball at Hutch.

VB tourney with Pigs tomorrow night. Hope to run long on Saturday.

Wednesday

Well, it was bound to happen. I left work feeling really antsy and decided to run. Did exactly 8mi in exactly 59 minutes wall-clock time (=7:22 pace). I'm a little surprised by that number--I was not watching the clock and the pace felt easier than that (especially considering that I probably was only running for 57-58 minutes of that with red lights, etc.). I guess it is never a bad thing to go faster than you expected.

Tuesday

Went to the Wharton practice this evening with Darren, his friend Tony, and the Penn Law School dudes. I'm sill having trouble keeping the intensity up and I left feeling like I need a workout. Biked home, then ran out to the AM and back in the COLD (thanks for the Craft shirt + Skinny Raven gloves Clare!) Felt much better after running. Wanted to go farther, but playing again tomorrow morning and trying to conserve the legs... still clinging to the new plan, but just barely. I am getting antsy for more.

New dedication...

...to blogging.

Darren's 6'5" friend from home (who, strangely, is in my friend Sean's class at BC Law) was visiting. Joy of Sets won an embarrassing 3-0 match against a totally overpowered team. Yikes.

Then went to Pottruck for 3mi: started at 7:30 pace then up the ladder .1mph every .25mi (1.0 incline, as always; total time = 21:20). 3xvb circuits, then 15min bike.

I'm weary and I don't know why. It's not the sleep (10+ hours both weekend nights). It's not overexercise (max distance run was the 7 out to Manayunk two weeks ago and I've had more off days in the last few weeks than I usually have in several months). It could be the lifting I've been doing--that's the one aspect of distance running training I tend to sluff off on... Or maybe it's diet? I've been back and forth being a vegetarian a few times, and except for one time at POPL when chicken breast was the only reasonable protein option, I haven't touched meat since Christmas. Last time I went totally veggie, during the ramp up to Chicago, I got weird shin splints that didn't go away until I ate some chicken on Dr. C's recommendation. Made a huge pot of seitan / tofu / eggplant tonight and ate until I was totally stuffed. Maybe that will do the trick.

Catching up

The break-ish from running continues, but I'm gonna get back to blogging.

Two weeks ago was the usual ball / run / lift combo. Then was down in Bawlmer for Xtie's XXX party and didn't have time for any workouts :(

Played ball with Wharton on Tuesday and Friday, with Joy of Sets (and briefly with Science Nerds) on Thursday. Ran/StairMastered/lifted Monday-Tuesday and Friday-Sunday (Sweetbriar loops=5-6mi each.)

I am looking for a fall race. Maybe try the NY lottery? TCM? Something in Denver?

Losing interest...

For whatever reason, I haven't felt like blogging.

I am still playing a lot of ball (4 days last week), running (few Sweetbriar loops), and lifting to try to get back in VB shape. Yesterday was typical: ran to Manayunk, then played with Joy of Sets.