Oh how i love election years...

First, a quick apology for yesterdays long winded, too many subjects, post. Too much for one post. i see that now.

Second, thanks to all who still read through it. Real big thanks to Animal for his well worded, just as tedious to read, response. It so re-enforces why we are such good friends. Almost as if we were characters in a Kevin Smith movie, or better yet...comic book.

Third had a great run last night. Summer is definitely over in Michigan as i ran in darkness, and brrrrrr cold weather. Not ready to break out the sweats yet, but it could be soon. 9 good miles, and now two days of rest before tackling 18 Saturday morning.

Real quick Bible update: Psalms has been too tough to read straight. So, i've skipped ahead to Isaiah. I'm now reading a few Psalms and then jumping up to the prophet books. Maybe that will help keep my interest.

i felt the bible update important cause, i read in the paper today our republican candidate for Guv'nor endorses the "theory of creative design" being taught in public schools. Having studied The Voyage of the Beagle, never read it, toooo boring. i have an understanding that the modern theory of evolution is based upon scientifically gathered material. See, Darwin noticed the same fish species in different islands had consistent differences, something, observable. Scientific Theory has a defined description by scientists as to what qualifies as theory. Data must be observed to support a designation of theory.

Creative Design has no such observable data, hell , no datum even exist to support this notion should be catagorized as a "theory".

So i'm thinking the idea of believing in something with no observable evidence is called...Faith.

So even if creative design is responsible for life there's no evidence to support it. It's not like i'm walking around with a barcode stamped on my a$$.

Hope this wasn't so wordy. i seem to be stuck on education.

thanks again for reading

i'm a big fan of healthy competition.

i also think that many laws, regulations, ordinances are created by lawmakers unnecessarily creating controversy to sway voters. i'm sure i'm not alone in this thought but i remember going to a middle school class about american government and the teacher told us once.

"the first objective of any elected official is to get re-elected"

As a 13 year old, i guess i wasn't sure what he meant. i thought and the occasional non-cynic me tries to think of elected officials as people who care about bettering our society. The truth is many elected officials do care, but not enough to make a stand which could cost votes. Too bad.

i like to also make comparision between the left and right. And also hear others peoples opinions of the two sides. here are some examples of what i've heard.

The right sees the world as black and white, while the left sees the world as shades of grey

The left vote the way the world is, the right vote the way they would like the world to be

The right see democracy as majority rules, the left see the democracy's job as protecting the minorities.

Both left and right try to accomplish the same things, they just go about it from different starting points.

My most favorite part of running is internal. i do my best thinking when lost in thought miles away from the house. The entire ordeal is very therapy for me. So here's my thoughts on charter schools from a man whose kids go to public schools.

i like charter schools. As an alternative to public schools, i think they would help produce better schools. i saw the John Stossel special on schooling and was surprised by how public schools fight the development of charters. Then i remembered back on elected officials again and it hit me..

more charter schools, means less money to public schools, since, in michigan, dollars are based on enrollment. Less dollars mean less programs, or God forbid, more efficient programs. Since School boards are elected officials and as elected, their first object is to get re-elected.

Then i thought, teachers are better in public schools, and they care most about the kids. But no, they care most about getting the first day of deer season off in their contract, two full weeks at christmas off, mid-winter full week off, spring break full week off, four day weekends out of every three day weekend normal people have. So now my kids won't get out off school until end of june. Or Early July depending on Snow days. Hell, let's work the July 4th holiday into the next contract.

And even though it's the same amount of days they work a year the teachers unions have fought hard to get all this time off for their workers. Of course more charter school teachers mean less money in the teachers unions bank accounts as charter schools are non-union. Again it's always comes back to money.

So now i see public education as all about the administrations needs and the needs of the unions and somehow our kids have gotten lost. And being the guy on the left, i see healthy competition as the only solution. Cause if it's one thing a liberal hates, it's a monopoly.

So, while i support the idea of unionized working, charter schools gives teachers an option to work in a union or non-union environment. It also forces schools boards to make better decisions to keep their customers, that's US by the way, happy. It would also force the unions to base their contract decisions on those that would better the students and keep more enrolled. More money to them, a good thing.

In the end, we all win.

Funny side note; Lincoln Park installed a new dress code policy banning any printed material on clothing wore to school. Twin students were suspended multiple times for wearing t-shirts with the first ammendment printed on the front. Whatever we do as educators, don't encourage free thought.

Ironic side note: Smoke Free bars and restaurants; back to unnecessary laws, if bars and restaurants just went smoke free or didn't go smoke free, they would either profit or lose from the new business or lack of business. Many bars and restaurants here in Michigan, where smoking is allowed, and has the 2nd highest population of adult smokers in the country, have gone smoke free and have seen an increase in business. The laws in other states were just a waste of time and money. Michigan may be getting on this craze shortly, but until then... btw... as a bartender in a business hotel i laugh at the number of californians who run to the gift shop and buy smokes realizing they can smoke at the bar. i swear those laws were supported by people who wanted to stop smoking but couldn't. Then they had to stop.

Lastly, i'm not anti-union, anti-teacher, or anti-big business. i'm anti-monopoly.

These are some of my thoughts while training for the big run.

Thanks again for reading

i wonder how bad i stunk at the end of the Mackinac Island Race?

i'm thinking Tess was trying to smile for the picture but she's real short and i guess someones face that close to an armpit of a stinky runner is hard to mask.

It's like her thought bubble should read "Hurry up, someone take the picture or i'm gonna hurl"

Anyway, a million thanks to Tess for the invite again.

Movin' On

Bring on the windy city.

Lisa has been struggling a little with some pain, and nervous energy. i can't speak for the pain. i do know personally, pain sucks. So an injury 5 weeks to the big first marathon can be a major bummer, ergo...nervous energy.

So, my friend, and parent to my godchild. Relax....i bet you could stop training now for 2 weeks, just stick to your low impact, aerobic, i.e. biking, eliptical, etc... finish the last 2 weeks of training and still finish in Chicago.

I, ooooh a capital I (must be important), know you can and i'm betting you know it too.

Wanna know why i know? of course you do or you wouldn't keep reading this blog. Gawd, i hope someone reads this... i must be getting boring. i need a juicy political tirade or gossip item to pepper the blog with.

back to the thought... i know cause i feel i can finish a marathon today. If i can do it, 15 lbs overweight still, not quit smoking yet, eating bad foods too often, can feel i can finish a marathon, than so can you. And if you need a visual aid, check out the rock hard bod of the woman next to your profile. That is a finisher.

Coming soon.... a feel a thought surfacing about the unnecessary mystique celebrities feel their offspring don't unnecessarily deserve.

....a thought about the advantages of charter schools from a man whose kids go to public

....a thought about anything other than running, training, splits, pr's, gu, shoes, for christ's sake this can get obsessive.

thanks for reading

If only i had a picture...

Well the Mackinac Race is over, and it was great to only run for 8 miles after doing two 10 milers in the last month.

Ran great and hard. Before the race i had stated to i wanted to go for a PR as this was the last race until the Marathon.

My previous best time was an 8:19 pace per mile in St John's. i had dropped to 8:36 at The Crim and i wanted to improve on the Crim's time.

Well, i got my PR. My time was 1:04:56, 8:07/mile. 30 out of 66 finishers in my age/gender group and 239 out of 1050 finishers overall.

Also, i made a point to look at the sites. The day was awesome and the views of the Bridge and Arch Rock and the Water was amazing. Plus a day and a half of Island Time was the most relaxing time of the summer.

Thanks to Scott and Tess for inviting us. And super huge thanks to the Millers for allowing their daughter to invite us to their cottage. What an incredible treat!!!

Additionally Tess finished at 1:17:00, her best time ever. Kudos to you. Scott has decided to run next year and pick up his distance to enter a 8 miler, good for him. Hopefully, he doesn't ever decide he can fit in his circa 1991 speedo swim suit as he gets in better shape by adding extra miles.

Why no picture of my finish? Fun Guv'nor and Scott missed it cause i was about three minutes faster than they expected.

And if you still read my blog: Runner Girl- mile 5 was for you... i made a point to wish you well as i ran that mile. No real reason for mile 5, except i was getting a little tired and needed a little pick-me-up.

thanks for reading

Timing is everything....

Well golf league is over for the season. Just in time to begin the big miles next week. My training plan is looking better every day.

Tomorrow Fun Guv'nor and i head to Mackinac Island. Saturday is the 8 mile race around the island. i'm looking forward to a couple things. First, that it is to be my last race until Chicago. it will be nice to just train for the last month and a half. Being OCD, i have jumped into this running thing with reckless abandon and have ran way more races than i ever intended.

It's not a compaint, more an observation to the crazy way i jump into new activities and become obsessed.

Second, we get to hang with Scott and Tess for a few days. That would be great without the run.

i did some speed work on Monday. Ran 4 miles, then stopped at the high school track by our house and did 2 400's at 1:45, with a 45 second rest between. After the second 400, i rested 45 seconds and did a 3:35 800. i intended to run the 800 under 4 minutes but did better than expected.

i enjoy speed work and having a rubberized track so close to home has really been a blessing. Speed work seems to have helped as today i ran 4 miles in 31 minutes. i'm not speedy yet and have no desire anymore to ruin my first marathon, hint first, as in i am already planning on doing more, by worrying about time and pace.

But i must admit to getting a kick when i run faster on my short runs. Another kick, when i call 4 or 5 miles a short run. i forget most people consider this to be a long run. From that thought alone, marathon training has been a success.

To go Zen with this entire year, 2006 goal of the marathon, the hopeful finish has nothing to do with the finish line. It's been the entire journey. Where i am now, were i was, and no more important, where i'll be as i cross the finish line. if i do.

At this just passed halfway point of training, i can look back and easily see the changes in my physical appearance. The emotional and psychological changes are just as drastic, i just have to remember to pay attention to them as well.

Thanks for reading and although this may be starting to sound redundant... Thanks to everyone who has expressed support as i have gone through this experience.

Most importantly, to my bride, my trophy wife, my fun guv'nor who i love more now than at anytime ever before for so many reasons, but also, for just dealing with the changes in our family dynamic and timing that the marathon training has created. you're simply the best. sing it Tina....

that's about as sappy as i can be

thanks again

14 non solitary miles...

A friend in my Rotary Club, yep, i'm a rotarian, is an experienced runner and has done a few marathons. His name is Rich and we are also in the Wednesday golf League together. BTW anyone ever need a good CPA? i got your guy right here. SHAMELESS PLUG OVER. MOVIN' ON....

So i ask if we would help me train since saturday's are his big run days and voi'la i have a running date.

New Baltimore, MI at 7:30 am., i never get up this early- marathon training is definitely changing me, we depart for 14 miles/2 hrs of running.

Our cast is myself, Rich, his lovely wife, Cindy (man i'd love to run with my wife, hint hint, since you are my one true constant reader, i'm sure you may read this), and a friend of theirs named Bob.

Our route was a figure 8. Cindy had to bail after one hour to get their kids to a sitter. First hour was almost all country roads, corn fields, dirt, real nice. We went for miles without seeing a car. That never happens at home. It was great.

Quick break after the first 7 miles and Rich, Bob, and i are out the door. Freshly hydrated and Gu'd up for the next half, we strode into downtown New Baltimore. We then ran along the shore of Lake St Clair for a while, headed to Rich's and finished our 14 miles.

First and foremost, a hearty thanks to Rich and Bob for going the whole way with me. Neither of them intended on doing the entire way with me but a funny thing happened. We had a great conversation the entire time. Now this is truly a unique occurrance cause i always run alone. This is the first time i've ever been able to really talk, without scaring people, while running.

Second thing was the advice about Chicago. Now Bob has done Chicago and quite honestly, is not a big fan of it. Too many People. Bob also thought it was a great first Marathon, and that although he would never do it again, i would have a blast if i did a couple things;

run slower than i want to go. the number of people on the course will make me anxious to create room by trying to move ahead of the packs of people. Don't try to do this and just go slow. In the total scheme of things a 30 second per mile decrease in speed accounts for roughly a 15 minutes. What's 15 minutes, really? and...

Look up... he spent so much time looking a the feet of people in front of him that the entire marathon was lost to him. He couldn't tell any of the scenic details to me. His advice to me was to not let this happen.

So i left my longest run ever with a couple new things to ponder. And i'm still trying to work out the details in my head... i felt great. The run tired me but i wasn't exhausted. i will finish the marathon in a respectable time, barring any injury. How much i enjoy the during and after parts of the marathon are dependent on me. I had just figured i would feel terrible at the end of the marathon. Feeling terrible would be a necessary evil to finish. Bob and Rich both helped me realize that i can feel good the entire time.

I have some new thoughts to work out,

More to come on this thought, but until next time...

thanks again for reading

Here i am running out of gas at the end of the Crim.

i guess i miss judged the finish line cause at the end i started my finals kick to finish about 200 yards to early and just didn't have anything left in the tank at the end.

Bummer? not really, cause i'm still happy with my finish

After a few days of perspective i finally realized my favorite part of the Crim...

BEER....

It's so unique to the Crim. Between mile 3 & 4 you pass a little pop & shot corner bar. For 17 years, per conversation with other runners, this bar has been setting up their own version of a water station. That's right...

BEER....

little dixie cups of beer. What a spectacular way to carbo load!!!

Now, i could pass up the fraternity guys handing out crispy creams at the third mile, but,

BEER....

no way am i missing this.

Least favorite part of the CRIM. Bloody nipples...

Not mine, but some guy at the finish in a white cotton tee shirt with a bloody stream running down his shirt. I just about ralphed....

Dude, get some body glide next time, or at least a bandaid.

Anyway, i ran a good 5 miles tuesday and had a real fun 8 + yesterday. Summer must be almost over as i find myself running in the dark again. Time to break out my blinking lights again. As if i think it'll help cars see me.

thanks again for reading

1:26:01

Well, not a PR but a good run.

The Crim was a great time.

Never ran with a race so big. 8300 runners for the 10 miler. Yeehaa.

Here's a couple quick observations and rationalizations to deal with being three minutes slower from 2 weeks ago at the 10 miler in St John's.

Jostling really slows you down at the beginning of a race. i'd say the first 3+ miles was a bit uncomfortable. i wasn't really able to find a good stride with the amount of people i was with.
This is definitely something to consider for Chicago.

Flint is a little hilly. Whoever told me there were only 3 hills to be concerned about should be lashed with wet noodles.

A good thing was i was able to manage negative split time as my 5 mile split was 43:05 and the second 5 miles was 42:56, baby steps but hey nearly 2 seconds a mile quicker. Take the good where you find it.

Another good thing was the way i felt after the race. i felt great. Not too tired but a good workout and i kept a strong form the entire way. Relaxed shoulders, unclenched fists, standing straight...these were my goals for training and i was surprised by how well i felt. At mile 6 i felt i finally had hit a stride than i could've ran for another 10 miles. It felt that good and relaxed.

Sorry for the boring posts today. i just wanted to put the stats out.

thanks for reading

Well, i guess i'm used to the whole 38 thing

Thanks again to Fun Guv'nor ("FG") for ambushing my blog.

Anyway let's talk about this weeks training.

Monday, i had a short 5 miles on the schedule and FG came along on her mountain bike. It went well and it was nice to have a coach help me with my form. Technique may be the next way i look to improve time. i was losing form trying to push harder. Funny thing the whole work smarter not harder thing. i was trying to brute my way to faster times. Thanks to her, for following me, even if it wasn't much exercise for her.

peddle, peddle, coooooooaaast, repeat 5 mile.

Wednesday was way better. i had 8 miles to do. It's been a while since i felt so good. i pushed when i could and pulled back when needed. Thought about technique the whole time, and balance, and relaxing.

Unbelievable. It was a great time. Both enjoyment factor and literal TIME. i ran with no watch but checked the clock on the way out. Nothing official here but 8 miles, 62-63 minutes.

i've been riding high on besting 8 minute miles for the last two days.

Now the real test. Can i repeat for The Crim? If so, a 10 miler in 80 minutes is a real possibility.

Another shout out and thanks to all the other running bloggers out there that i have been stalking for inspiration and advice. Yes this may be you i'm thanking, all levels and experience of runners. From a guy named Vic somewhere in Texas to Running Girl somewhere near Indy. Of course, BOB, who not only has taken the time to put together a Chicago bound community but has even taken to at least once perusing this blog and called me out on some radical posts.

Thanks again to all of you.

Moving on to some non runner stuff.... it's been a few days and i need to unload useless data

So i'm reading the Free Press today and a couple headlines jump out at me....

Relearn the System.....i can deal with the fact that i'm not sure of all the countries in Europe. My wife is of German descent and i learned one Germany. USSR? Gone... o.k. Good thing but i have no idea of all the relatively new countries in the world. But dammit....

Planets seem to be something constant. A planet is just that.... Until some rat bastard scientist discovers UB313 and my favorite school house rock segment is trashed. Sing along... interplanet janet, she's a galaxy girl....

so now Pluto the farthest planet from the sun, with it's elliptical orbit bringing it closer than Neptune every couple hundred years, is just a little ball of ice. Screw you guys....Georgia is a state not a country

Rich Rebuild after Katrina, the Poor Can't.... really??? How is this news? What parents wasted college education for some journalism graduate offspring to write this article? Let's sum up the article in one word...

DUH

7-Eleven Clerk is Killed over Taco.....someone in Sterling Hts store was shot over an argument for a $1.13 tacquito. How does this happen? A father of three gunned down over a crappy piece of food...WTF

Black Kids sent to Back of Bus.... apparently a bus driver in the south, go figure, assigned seats to students. No problem, just don't assign all the black kids to the last two rows of seats. Especially, if it's so many kids the little ones have to sit on the laps of the bigger kids. What millenium are we living in???

One little Political thing.....

Kudos to US District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor for having the balls to rule the Bush Administration version of domestic spying unconstitutional!!!

I'm not denying there may be reasons to wiretap. However, there is a system is place called FISA, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which legally allows for wiretapping. Why can't the Bushites just work within the existing system?

I just remember learning, as a small child, that our Government is based upon a three ring (circus) system of checks and balances (School House Rock, again) with each branch making sure that power is not abused or exploited.

But i also learned there were 9 planets....

See how i tied it all together here???

Thanks again for reading

Happy 38th Birthday Mike!!!

Fun Gov'ner here again, I just wanted to hi-jack Mike's site really quick and wish him a happy birthday.

Wasn't he just a cutie? Those are 6 months, 15 months and 2 years. Then the teenage years - that's 10th grade below...hey, he's almost that skiny again!

Love you honey!!!!!

12 rainy miles

Did i mention the rain? oh yeah, it came down today. but as i am totally cool with running in the cold, and winter, what the hell? Let's go!!

Thanks to the Fun Guv'nor for meeting me twice with water.

Since this is the farthest i have run since the 1/2 marathon in April, i took it slow. Plus the route wasn't exactly littered with sidewalks so i had to dodge some traffic, jump some puddles, and stop for a few major intersections, so no worry about time.

The total route was actually 12.6 miles so i ran till i knew i was passed the 12 mile marker and slowed waaaay down for the last bit. i made a quick pit spot at the local library for a pee break, so i didn't care about time after the first 10 miles.

My hands and feet have never been so pruney and my body glide must have started to wash off in the rain as my left nipple is screaming in pain. Normally i'm a little into that, but definitely a topic for a non-family friendly blog.

Next week is The Crim. Funny, it'll be nice to only run 10 miles, somehow i need to add another 4 that day.

Anybody have any thoughts regarding my golf league? It's on Wednesday afternoon, but those are also running days and the miles are starting to build. Can i do both still?

Thanks again for reading

First.... Thanks to my lovely bride for guest posting for me!!!

She completes me.....but she had me at "hello" sigh

Anywho, i'm feeling great after spending two days at King's Island.

Man, do i love The Beast. It is truly the greatest wooden coaster ever. And i gotta say "Tomb Raider", is that spelled right, it just looks wrong for some reason, is the strangest ride i have ever been on. Any details would ruin it, but it's worth a look for any high intensity amusement nut cases out there.

Best part of my second day there was the time i spent with the kids. Anyway, i'm a coaster nut. i love them all. From my first ever at the age of 14 on the Loch Ness Monster in Busch Gardens Virginia to 23 years later on the Beast i can't get enough.

But now....

MacKenzie, my nine year old

...opted to spend some one on one time with me, riding some of her favorite rides. We had a blast as we rode her favorite, The Scrambler, but then ventured out into the coaster world.

The memory of her first blood curdling scream on a coaster is a memory i cherish. Her first understanding that the fun of coasters comes from the rush and their life affriming nature, and a good scream can be half the fun is one of my happiest moments.

As a father, i've always felt i can do more for my kids. i'm getting to feel it's really the little things the kids remember. When Mack decided to increase the intensity of the rides she did so with an excitement i was glad to help create for her. And when she decided to ride everything from the front seat, the only place to ride a coaster, how could i not almost cry at this american coaster entusiast in the making? And when she lifted her arms in the air for a drop for the first time, holding them high above her head, screaming her lungs out, laughing in the face of terror, i think i may have shed a tear while laughing.

She didn't ride any of the big ones, but she's well on her way, and at her own pace.

Quick note on running on my not so much running, running blog:

Mackenzie ran her first mile last week. It took about 14 minutes and she did stop to walk a little. She's well on her way to prepare for a 5k. That's her long term goal.

Funny how it's the little things.

Anyway, thanks for reading

oh yeah, one last thing...

Happy Birthday to Lisa

Hello, Fun Guv'nor here...

Just want to give a quick update on Mike's run today since he's at work and won't have time to post until who knows when.

As you can see he was 1:22:57 (actually, officially it was 1:22:58, but it was race time, not chip time so take off about 10-15 seconds)

The numbers.....an 8:18 mile and #42 out of 91 runners

He's happy with the numbers. And to think we were all up late the night before imbibing in a little more wine that we should have and then up at the butt crack of dawn for the race...oops!






Scott ran the 5K - his first race ever and finished nicely as well.









Official time...31:00, a 9:59 mile and #88 out of 124 runners (again, race time, not chip time)

I have to say I was quite impressed with Scotts form. When the runners got to the track they had to do one lap before completing the race. This gave me ample opportunity to watch him run from the bleachers. As he's running - I see the left arm shoot out and suddenly he's air guitaring along to his music????? Honestly, why am I not surprised?

Hopefully I got everything .... Mike will be back, hopefully in the next couple of days.

The boy who cried wolf.....

maybe a better title for this post would be

White Noise

i guess that's how i feel about yesterday's news from England regarding the terrorism threat, arrest, plot, etc...

We've been hearing it for years. When to be concerned, have a plan, duct, not duck, tape to stop dirty bombs, store water, blah, blah, blah....

Call me a cynic but i just can't help but wonder about the timing with regards to the current Israel/Lebannon issues.

Anyway, on to more important issues....Leonid did not gather enough votes to move on in America's Got Talent, bummer. When does the next Survivor start?

And, even more important, tomorrow is the next big race. I'm so excited. 10 miles is the farthest i have raced since the 1/2 marathon. Funny how my anxiety to even finish has been replaced with excitement for the chance to finish well. i'm at least 20 lbs lighter than the first race.

Well, those are my thoughts for the day.

thanks for reading

Leonid the Magnificient needs to win $1,000,000.

O.k., i'm hooked on reality TV, or let me type, i'm hooked on the spectacle on reality TV.

America's got Talent? you bet and the man(?) that most controls the stage and demands attention in Leonid.

The man makes Boy George look like a burly truck driver.

Electrical tap over his nipples? hysterical, why isn't this guy on stage doing Rocky Horror Somewhere?

i voted for him yesterday, 40 times, 2 cell phones, landline and internet.

Anyway, ran 7 miles yesterday in one hour.

Saturday's 5k has turned into a 10 mile race. i hope to finish in 1:25. The course is flat, no major hills this time to slow me down.

wish me luck

thanks for reading

i vote, therefore i bitch

That's been my philosophy for every election, and with yesterday's primary vote and few municipal items to vote on, i still feel this way.

i'm a registered democrat, so i debated voting on the republican ticket, and foregoing voting for a democrat, to cast my vote for the republican i thought least likely could defeat a democrat. It was a few second delay in actually casting my vote.

i didn't, but with my one vote counting for about 5 yesterday, given the low turnout, i enjoyed the power of my one vote.

i love how it's easier to buy i "support our troops" magnet than it is to actually exercise your right to vote. i get a little upset with low voter turnout. Historically, i think back on the number of men, women, and minorities who have had to fight and die for this right we take for granted.

Being your typical male WASP, with a little native american thrown in, i've always tried to be aware that many groups of people haven't been able to vote.

Think on this...less then 100 years ago

Women could not vote...
Minorities were denied voting rights, and in some places i bet still are...
Wounded Knee massacre...O.K. not voting related, but still relative...

100 years ago may sound like a long time, but consider my grandfather, not great grandfather, was born in the 1870's and fought in the Spanish-American War. He died in the late 1940's, my mother was born in 1939. He was a stud, eh?

Henry Ford Museum has a wonderful new display called "...and Justice for All" which details the fight for justice, and really, just the fight to vote. This one little thing... the right to vote... perhaps the one truely american institution that, regardless of political affiliation, sets us apart from every other country.

Neal Peart wrote, and Geddy Lee sang "if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.." o.k. i know they're Canadian, eh, still relative

That's great, but low turnout is mostly apathy and i didn't see too many protestors encouraging people to not vote.

So anyway, i voted, i get to bitch. If you didn't you don't.

Sorry no running stuff here today. Yesterday was a rest day, and tonite i run 7 miles, after chasing the little white ball for a few miles.

thanks for reading

3 Great Runs

gotta say i'm feeling good about my runs these days. Not sure why but i've gotten away from the watch and the mp3 player. Depending on the mood i'm in i may use one or the other but not both so much. Sometimes i leave them both home and just listen to my body.

gotta love Zen

Anyway, first run was Friday afternoon. It was hot and after work i laced up the shoes and went for a long run. Somewhere between 8-9 miles, i took sections of my 6-7 mile runs and combined them into a longer one. Told the Fun Guv'nor if i was gone over an hour and a half to come look for me, and dashed out the door. Man, it was hot and i really should figure out how to manage water on these runs, but after 7 miles or so, i ran by my local firehouse. The bay doors were open and after a few seconds of shouting "hellooooo" no firemen answered. With the heat and humidity, who could blame them? So i wondered through the garage area, found a drinking fountain, took a drink and kept running.

So the second run on Saturday was at a local ACS Relay for Life event. Since i'm on the planning committe for another relay i thought i would attend this one and offer support for a friend who manages a local library. They had a team and needed walkers. Walk? Nay, Nay. So i combined ACS support and training and ran 32 laps. Yippee, another 8 miles. Originally, i thought that this would be a dull run, y'know 32 laps, yikes. It wasn't, i turned into a bit of an oddity. Kids tried to race me for a couple 400s. A couple walkers ran with me for a bit just curious about why i was running. A bunch of teams gave me water, as my bright green running shirt turned dark green from the sweat of running 8 miles at 11:00 am on a hot August day. One team kept track of my laps, by adding a bead to key chain fopr every lap. At the end of my run i had two keychains loaded with beads, and i gave a donation to their team for the help. My last mile was a Rocky II moment as 5 people joined me for my final lap. Sort of. i blew them away in the first 200. They couldn't believe my fastest lap was my last. It was fun.

Monday was a short 5 miles, and i made it in under 45 minutes, so i feel good. i'm keeping my training times under 9 minute miles and hopefully i can keep my race pace around 8:30. That's been consistent, we'll see. i have a 5k this weekend.

One last thing is i have new shoes. Exact same shoes as the last good shoes, and they are wonderful.

Thanks for reading

Atlas as a small child playing in the sand

Well here's a bummer... looks like my runner girl buddy, see previous post, received some bad news. Training may be out of the picture for the Chicago Marathon. Which problably means the same thing for the marathon. My heart goes out to her on this one and, more importantly, wishes for a speeding recovery from a nasty little injury.

Anyway, i've signed up to walk for a Relay for Life tomorrow. i figure i can use the time to run the track and get a bunch of laps in to check my rate. i figure i'll run tonite and tomrrow morning then go to the relay event and run some laps. i'm totally looking forward to spending some real me time running. The exercise value is great but mostly i enjoy the lonely me time. i've started to get away from my mp3 player for pace and listen to my own thoughts.

The Harley has a CD and radio on it. Similarly, i occasionally ride with no music to let the sounds of the wind and road dictate my thoughts. The feelings of riding and running are very similar. It's hard to explain the similarities other than type that everyone should read "Zen and the Artof Motorcycle Maintenance" to understand.

Which segues me to today, and the annual trip many bikers make to North Dakota. I've never been to Sturgis but it's on my list. Definitely something to be done when the kids are a little older. Not exactly family friendly.

One small problem is that the growth of the party is getting very close to Native American Holy Land of the plains states tribes. Lands where many native american pilgrimage to during the same time.

Think of attending church service with 500,000 bikers next door to you, drunken and some naked. It could be a little distracting from your reflective period.

My paradox is that i have membership to both groups. i ride and have a little native blood running through my veins.

Nothing too Earth shattering here. Just one of those things that cause me to stop and ponder.... hhmmmm... why do people seem to be polarizing themselves when obvious answers exist to allow for understanding and celebrating our different cultures?

"What a piece of work is man? How noble in reason?..." -Bill Wigglestick

Maybe i'll watch Braveheart tonite, and reflect on the lessons of Mel "what's so funny 'bout peace. love and understanding" Gibson. "FREEEEEEDOM, unless your views are different, somebody get me a beer"

thanks for reading

Adventures In Running

i meant to post a comment to Runner Girls blog but thought later that i would just create a post to her predicament. Since i had a rest day yesterday there is nothing to report, except man is it hot.

And screw the people from Arizona who deal with this and say things like...."but it's a dry heat"

This isn't dry it's really effing humid. See living in the great lakes state means lot's of water all around and y'know what? The heat brings the water into the air and guess what...humidity.

Anyway back to my little open letter to Runner Girl:

As someone who has been through two major reconstructive knee surgeries, i can totally understand the pain you are experiencing. i'm not saying i know the exact pain, but i understand how it can be deflating both emotionally and physically.

i also can understand how potentially, other joints may be stressing trying to compensate for an injury causing more health problems.

After my first torn ACL, i looked to sports figures who had recovered from this one time career ending injury. This was years before Jerry Rice had returned to football after a torn ACL during the same season. My favorite example and what i consider a true sports hero, if such a thing exists, is Bernard King.

King played bball for the Knicks and he was an offensive dynamo. Probably Jordan, before Jordan played. King could score anywhere. Accurate 20 footers and the ability to slash to the hole, and jump out of the building. Couldn't D, but nobody did in the early '80's. Hall of Fame career ahead of him, and with DR. J showing some age the next media superstar. Then...

POP... there goes an ACL. No such thing as grafting or donor tissue, just removal of the ligament. Lateral movement is gone, knee is dead, end of career. Except it wasn't....

He fought back. it took time and there were setbacks similar to yours, but he never quit. King made it back to the NBA and guess what happened.....

POP... there goes an ACL. Other knee but same as before, end of career. Except it wasn't...

Again, King put himself through rehab and pushed to return to the NBA, at as close to the same level of play he was prior to the first injury. Total time away was between 4 and 5 seasons with both injuries. Why bother? Players salaries weren't near today's players, so why?

Love of the game.

It pushed King to keep trying. Did he make it all the way back?

Bernard King is the only man to ever play in an NBA All-Star game without an ACL.

When i tore my ACL i stuck a picture of King on my mirror. This served as inspiration to attack my PT as much as possible.

3 years later i tore the graft and the donor tissue ACL ripped. Actually, it was the my bone that splintered. The graft held on a bball injury. The screw literally stripped itself from the bone about 1/2 inch, then the graft popped. To visualize, pull a screw out of a piece of wood, see how the wood splinters....that was my femur.

So again back to the surgeon, rebuild the bone, reattach a new piece of donor ACL, rehab, stop exercising out of fear of the pain, gain 60 lbs over the next 10 years.

Funny thing about starting to run is that people ask about the strain on my knee. I don't know what really caused more strain, weighing 250 -260 or weighing 195 and running to build strength in the leg and keep my weight down. Probably the extra weight was more strain.

Anyway, sorry for the long history of me, but i just wanted you to know you are not alone. If you are unable to run in Chicago, that's cool. Don't worry cause some day you will. i've never ran a marathon so i can't really comment on how much is mental vs physical, but some is physical and if it's not there in Chicago it will be....

Just look to Bernard King.

thanks for reading.

4 angry miles....

that was me yesterday. Not sure why, but i started too fast and tried my damndest to keep up the pace.

it sucked and i hated the entire run. Man, i was sucking some wind, but like i said, it was an angry run yesterday. Maybe it was the heat?

not sure why as i feel good, but anyway times aren't exact and the mileage is fairly close but

4 miles/ 31 minutes. i like the time but the run wasn't comfortable yet.

i so glad my training schedule is done with the four mile stuff for a while. It's time to add some real distance.

Anyway, back to work

thanks for reading,

mike