Well today did not produce the long outdoor ride I was hoping for. (Snow squalls that turned into accumulating white stuff prevented that, granted my part of the state was untouched but cursed by holiday shoppers.) So instead I managed to get in a "short" 8 mile run. After consuming way too many calories watching the Ironman Highlight show, I decided to burn off some of the excess poundage by popping in that Carmichael Time Trial tape. The work out:
10 minutes with 2x 2min lactate thresholds warm up
3x 5 minutes above threshold with 5 minutes recovery
3x 2 min at 85 rpm, 2 min at 100 rpm, trying to maintain constant effort.
my legs have never burned like that in my life, save for one Half Ironman bike split in the Berkshires. Well that was the day. Not the most valuable training day I've had but I put in a good 2.5-3 hours.
Updates of Note:
Team Blazeman has just shipped me my stuff. Kevin sent an apologetic email, apologizing for the delay in getting the dri-release tees printed. Also Karen Duffy has started sending out the weekly newsletters and the group is asking athletes to send in their stories and hopefully inspire others to join the cause. ( Please check out the You Tube video posted.) So hopefully there will be a little bit more posted on their website in coming weeks, other wise you can subscribe to the newsletter it does get circulated.
That's enough for me tonight...I've got to get some shut eye...I've got a possible pool workout or run on tap tomorrow morning, both if the weather decides to stay fairly descent, and 2 to 3 hours on the trainer (most likely to the tune of the motorcycle diaries, miracle, inspirational or long shit...note to self by Ganhdi with Ben Kingsley as sound distraction for the long workout.) Like I said that's the game plan for tomorrow.
The Kid who needs to move to California
R.D.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Friday, November 30, 2007
Apocolyptic Weathermen Part II:
does anyone else notice the look of glee on a forecaster's face as he is about to deliver bad news? Seriously Scott Haney at Channel 3 in Hartford is probably one of the worst. 
The way his eyes light up, that sappy smile, and that lifted tone in his voice as he predicts a cold front that will hover itself above New England bring snow, ice, and temperatures that make Siberia seem like Jamaica...and this will last forevermore...hahahaha! 
Seriously I'm beginning to wonder if there is some conspiracy between New England's meteorologists, the local dairies, Wonder bread, and big oil, because as soon as the dreaded "s" word is uttered every person withinn broadcast range is rushing out to buy gas, milk, bread and putting in an emergency call to their fuel delivery service, which inturn leads to an increase in the price of fuel by our good friends at OPEC ,
The way his eyes light up, that sappy smile, and that lifted tone in his voice as he predicts a cold front that will hover itself above New England bring snow, ice, and temperatures that make Siberia seem like Jamaica...and this will last forevermore...hahahaha! Seriously I'm beginning to wonder if there is some conspiracy between New England's meteorologists, the local dairies, Wonder bread, and big oil, because as soon as the dreaded "s" word is uttered every person withinn broadcast range is rushing out to buy gas, milk, bread and putting in an emergency call to their fuel delivery service, which inturn leads to an increase in the price of fuel by our good friends at OPEC ,which in turn leads to an increase in the price of bread and milk, which leads to an increase in price of consumer goods, which leads to an increase in wages but devaluation of currency and this whole wonderful inflation garbage in which the US dollar becomes Worth less than the paper it's printed on leading to a complete breakdown of the world economic system...and mass unemployment....etc....etc...etc...and eventually form this whole chain of command leads to wars and nukes, and then nuclear winter and the end of life on this planet....so in essence the weather people are predicting the Apocalypse by fear mongering the consumer and increasing the profits of OPEC. Ok that rant/comic relief /schizophrenic outburst aside I'm going to get a run in on this frosty Saturday Afternoon before sitting my ass in fornt of the TV to watch the Ironman Highlight show. Peace.
The Cold Conspiracy Theorist
R.D.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
I think I could call this a rest week...kinda...sorta....
So far my workout stats this week have benn well unimpressive. Here's the run down.
Sunday: 22 mile run ( See Death March Post.)
Monday: worked and guraded let my aching hip recover.
Tuesday: Swam 4000 yards ( main set 4x500 on 7:00) I kept making it with like 5 seconds rest so I felt badass, despite my lack of pool time.
Wednesday: Worked, Ran 5 miles in 40:35, went to class, had dinner with a hot young lass...yea I said that.....
Today: had planned on getting a trainer workout or early morning run in. Snooze button wrecked that. Classes and work aren't leaving time for anything else..so Today might become rest day part duex....maybe I might be able to sneak in a 4 miler or some pool time, we'll see.
Friday: Definitely getting on the trainer for at least an hour and a half. Masters Swimming: So at least 3000 yards of pool time.
Saturday: Ride and run...hopefully a 50/16 brick....but we'll see. I'll be up at the lake. So hopefully it will be more than 50 but like I said it depends on day light and cold....I might take a heater break in the middle. But I need the run.
Sunday: A swim workout either before or after Mass. A run if the weathermen in New Englan keep following their current track....predicting the end of the world and we get squat..which always makes me happy. (They're talking snow, ice, sleet, the coming of the Apocalypse, dogs and cats living together as one..... so the outdoor rides will probably be at an end, but hopefully not.)
Monday: Their talking the mother of all Ice storms, I may blow off class if it isn't cancelled, and just park on the trainer....but hopefully we'll get nothing and I'll get in an early morning trainer session .
So that's the wrap up and preview. In all this I still have to eek out Christmas Shopping (ugg! shiver!) read up on the Middle East, amd get a Prjoect ready to go for Anthropology.
The Smasher of the Snowmen
R.D.
Sunday: 22 mile run ( See Death March Post.)
Monday: worked and guraded let my aching hip recover.
Tuesday: Swam 4000 yards ( main set 4x500 on 7:00) I kept making it with like 5 seconds rest so I felt badass, despite my lack of pool time.
Wednesday: Worked, Ran 5 miles in 40:35, went to class, had dinner with a hot young lass...yea I said that.....
Today: had planned on getting a trainer workout or early morning run in. Snooze button wrecked that. Classes and work aren't leaving time for anything else..so Today might become rest day part duex....maybe I might be able to sneak in a 4 miler or some pool time, we'll see.
Friday: Definitely getting on the trainer for at least an hour and a half. Masters Swimming: So at least 3000 yards of pool time.
Saturday: Ride and run...hopefully a 50/16 brick....but we'll see. I'll be up at the lake. So hopefully it will be more than 50 but like I said it depends on day light and cold....I might take a heater break in the middle. But I need the run.
Sunday: A swim workout either before or after Mass. A run if the weathermen in New Englan keep following their current track....predicting the end of the world and we get squat..which always makes me happy. (They're talking snow, ice, sleet, the coming of the Apocalypse, dogs and cats living together as one..... so the outdoor rides will probably be at an end, but hopefully not.)
Monday: Their talking the mother of all Ice storms, I may blow off class if it isn't cancelled, and just park on the trainer....but hopefully we'll get nothing and I'll get in an early morning trainer session .
So that's the wrap up and preview. In all this I still have to eek out Christmas Shopping (ugg! shiver!) read up on the Middle East, amd get a Prjoect ready to go for Anthropology.
The Smasher of the Snowmen
R.D.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Is it January yet.....and today's history Lesson.
Seriously I have started my own countdown right now.... 34 days until the day after Epiphany (Three kings day) on the Western Calendar, which is the last day for traditonal gift giving in some Christain cultures. I'm not sure if the Orthodox still Celebrate Christmas on the Julian Calendar which would be January 7 So for me Jan. 7 marks a return to sanity. Because it seems to me that from the day after Thanksgiving until the kiddos go back to school, someone has flipped some imaginary light switch that has caused people to go from being normal and "pleasant" or the very least tolerable to pyscho, egg nog guzzling,candy cane munching, sales rep cussing out, debt racking lunatics. so yes I'm am holding out hope for 1/7/2008 and the return to somewhat normallacy. Okay rant done.
History lesson from the history Major:
In one of my Post Cranky responded about my rant on the top ten reasons I hate Christmas.
Cranky actually had the the right time period and month for the Birth of one hippie carpenter from northern Israel. Yes, the big JC was born in the spring time, but for the leaders of the Early Church ( which would later fraction into the Catholic Church in the West and the Orthodox in the East in 1054, and then fraction even futher in the 1400's), in order to help the average Roman convert to monotheism, (especially helpful after Theodosius made Christanity the State Religion in the 400's so if you had office or wished to attain political office, you sort of had to convert...religion and politics mixing not good.) so in essence Christmas replaced the old Polytheistic rituals for the Winter Solstace, the Feasts of Satints replaced days of devotions to Polytheistic dieties, Patron Saints replaced Patron Gods...etc... Also the date for Easter was determined by the Jewish Date for Passover, ( the Same night as Holy Thursday, or the Night or the Last Supper.) which is in the spring..so having Christmas and Easter within a month of each other doesn't make for a good liturgical calendar.
The other tidpit he picked up on was The JC was not born in 0 AD of CE as most now refer to it. ( AD stands for the Latin Annio Domini or year of our Lord so CE or Common Era is considered more PC ) but rather between 4 and 2 BC/BCE. when Pope Gregory decided to Change the calandar as one of his many "reforms" in the 12th Century, ( another big one was not allowing Priests to marry.) One of the Monks transcribing dates forgot to read his Herrodatus, and his whole bio of Heriod the Great....the same Heriod from Matt's gospel with the whole 3 wise men thing and the slaughter of infants...also killed relatives who threatended his power , his bath tub....according to Herrodatus (or however its spelt) Heriod interests, other than bathing and killing, was "spreading the ol' royal bloodline." well this third passion would ultimately lead to his dimise in the Julian Calendar's eqivialent of 4 BC/BCE. so a monk's refrence error ultimately rendered the calendar fubar....(somewhere Julius Ceasar and the Maya are laughing.)
So yes I have now proved how uselful the subject I'm studying actually is....the sad thing is sombody actually got paid to find all this out.
The Hungover Historian
R.D.
History lesson from the history Major:
In one of my Post Cranky responded about my rant on the top ten reasons I hate Christmas.
Cranky actually had the the right time period and month for the Birth of one hippie carpenter from northern Israel. Yes, the big JC was born in the spring time, but for the leaders of the Early Church ( which would later fraction into the Catholic Church in the West and the Orthodox in the East in 1054, and then fraction even futher in the 1400's), in order to help the average Roman convert to monotheism, (especially helpful after Theodosius made Christanity the State Religion in the 400's so if you had office or wished to attain political office, you sort of had to convert...religion and politics mixing not good.) so in essence Christmas replaced the old Polytheistic rituals for the Winter Solstace, the Feasts of Satints replaced days of devotions to Polytheistic dieties, Patron Saints replaced Patron Gods...etc... Also the date for Easter was determined by the Jewish Date for Passover, ( the Same night as Holy Thursday, or the Night or the Last Supper.) which is in the spring..so having Christmas and Easter within a month of each other doesn't make for a good liturgical calendar.
The other tidpit he picked up on was The JC was not born in 0 AD of CE as most now refer to it. ( AD stands for the Latin Annio Domini or year of our Lord so CE or Common Era is considered more PC ) but rather between 4 and 2 BC/BCE. when Pope Gregory decided to Change the calandar as one of his many "reforms" in the 12th Century, ( another big one was not allowing Priests to marry.) One of the Monks transcribing dates forgot to read his Herrodatus, and his whole bio of Heriod the Great....the same Heriod from Matt's gospel with the whole 3 wise men thing and the slaughter of infants...also killed relatives who threatended his power , his bath tub....according to Herrodatus (or however its spelt) Heriod interests, other than bathing and killing, was "spreading the ol' royal bloodline." well this third passion would ultimately lead to his dimise in the Julian Calendar's eqivialent of 4 BC/BCE. so a monk's refrence error ultimately rendered the calendar fubar....(somewhere Julius Ceasar and the Maya are laughing.)
So yes I have now proved how uselful the subject I'm studying actually is....the sad thing is sombody actually got paid to find all this out.
The Hungover Historian
R.D.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Why I've seemed so bitter.
Sorry for the bitter tinge to the last couple of posts. Work, life, and Mr. Stalling Mortgage Broker have been making my life a living hell, also the fact that Christmas , a holiday that has a nice Hydrocholric Acid like burning sensation on me, is 28 shopping days away is also helping to fuel the fires. I will deal accordingly.
Work: I am a bank teller, I am the only full time teller without advanced training so I am 99.9% of the time working the drive thru. On a good day this experience can be somewhat de-humanizing, when you add the words "christmas" and "less than thirty shopping days until" to the equation.....I go from feeling like a somewhat well adjusted team player, to another "brick in the wall." seriously nothing makes a person feel worse than recieving one word commands like they're some kind of dog, and my 6-9 hour days consists of hearing.. "deposit", "slip" ,"cash" "balance"," what do you mean over drawn?", "pay"..etc...etc... It gets to the point I zone out truding along performing transaction like a Human ATM machine, and occasionally, am taking aback when I find out a customer is trying to start a conversation as I am staring blankly at the computer and the mirror looking at the cars piling up in the line. The other pet peeves, are the customers who ask for balances before I deposit of transfer into accounts, and demand a slip for it and it has to be print just so and sealed in an envelope just so and the envelope must be sealed just so, and if you don't do it just so You get this look like you're the biggest idiot on the planet....man it feels good to get that out. .....
Life: Exams...yea.....papers....yea.....shopping...yea.....training...sanity break.......
I just forked over $1300 for my hotel and New Zealand Crap...I bought some items for my bike...ok a lot of items for the bike....my parents just started real estate ( and everyone's spending on gifts not houses, but they have some leads so it could be all good, if not now definately in Feb. March with the income tax refunds. down payments!) so I try to help out when its needed....and Mr. mortgage Broker is still dragging his feet (10 freaking months.) with this refinance deal. so that's pissing me off also the fact that I spent alot and might be called upon to spend more.....so Mr. Mortgage broker is on my shit list. Although it would be sweet if all my parents little leads closed on their deals before this yucknut could get us the numbers...all the cash none of the interest....that would be sweet.
So yes the Holidays and their financial and mental cost is taking its toll on me so I expect to be somewhat grumpy from now until January 2,2008. Sorry if I haven't been my normal somewhat happy/stoic self..but I find the blog is a healthier way to unleash my pent up frustration..than exploding krakatoa style....so that was me cleaning out my closet.
Peace
R.D.
Work: I am a bank teller, I am the only full time teller without advanced training so I am 99.9% of the time working the drive thru. On a good day this experience can be somewhat de-humanizing, when you add the words "christmas" and "less than thirty shopping days until" to the equation.....I go from feeling like a somewhat well adjusted team player, to another "brick in the wall." seriously nothing makes a person feel worse than recieving one word commands like they're some kind of dog, and my 6-9 hour days consists of hearing.. "deposit", "slip" ,"cash" "balance"," what do you mean over drawn?", "pay"..etc...etc... It gets to the point I zone out truding along performing transaction like a Human ATM machine, and occasionally, am taking aback when I find out a customer is trying to start a conversation as I am staring blankly at the computer and the mirror looking at the cars piling up in the line. The other pet peeves, are the customers who ask for balances before I deposit of transfer into accounts, and demand a slip for it and it has to be print just so and sealed in an envelope just so and the envelope must be sealed just so, and if you don't do it just so You get this look like you're the biggest idiot on the planet....man it feels good to get that out. .....
Life: Exams...yea.....papers....yea.....shopping...yea.....training...sanity break.......
I just forked over $1300 for my hotel and New Zealand Crap...I bought some items for my bike...ok a lot of items for the bike....my parents just started real estate ( and everyone's spending on gifts not houses, but they have some leads so it could be all good, if not now definately in Feb. March with the income tax refunds. down payments!) so I try to help out when its needed....and Mr. mortgage Broker is still dragging his feet (10 freaking months.) with this refinance deal. so that's pissing me off also the fact that I spent alot and might be called upon to spend more.....so Mr. Mortgage broker is on my shit list. Although it would be sweet if all my parents little leads closed on their deals before this yucknut could get us the numbers...all the cash none of the interest....that would be sweet.
So yes the Holidays and their financial and mental cost is taking its toll on me so I expect to be somewhat grumpy from now until January 2,2008. Sorry if I haven't been my normal somewhat happy/stoic self..but I find the blog is a healthier way to unleash my pent up frustration..than exploding krakatoa style....so that was me cleaning out my closet.
Peace
R.D.
5 more tidbits of useless random Crap.
Ihaven't been tagged but what the Hell, here are five useless pieces of information about the kid calling himself Bob almighty.
1. I absolutely hate mayo. don't like the taste, look, texture of smell of the crap. Probably a good thing because it will help me prevent cornary blockage...a chronic problem in my family.
2. I was a memeber of a D-1 swim team for two seasons before tuition woes sidelined me. Ok, so I wasn't olympic grade, I wasn't getting money for it, I was the slowest walk on, but hey at least I was on the team...and got some free shit from Fordham University and managed to swim off the beer and pizza.
3. My track coach Freshman year of high school said I'd never be a champion.....3 Age group wins later......
4. I acted and sang in choir in high school. Somehow the choir director at Fordham thought my voice didn't suck. ...man he must have been on crack......gave it up after two months to devote more to swimming. Acted in dramas a couple of comedies. Best role was Junior year of High school....I played a lecherous Irish Cop in our version of Sly Fox....sadly no tape.....most memorable part was rolling around on stage screaming..ahh memories.
5. For a brief period considered becoming a Jesuit Priest. I could deal with poverty, the chasity....umm..no.......obedience...forget it! Seriously if the Catholic Church ordained me it would be their worst mistake since they tried to sell indulgences in 1400's Germany.
Well did that shatter any ground......didn't think so.
R. D.
1. I absolutely hate mayo. don't like the taste, look, texture of smell of the crap. Probably a good thing because it will help me prevent cornary blockage...a chronic problem in my family.
2. I was a memeber of a D-1 swim team for two seasons before tuition woes sidelined me. Ok, so I wasn't olympic grade, I wasn't getting money for it, I was the slowest walk on, but hey at least I was on the team...and got some free shit from Fordham University and managed to swim off the beer and pizza.
3. My track coach Freshman year of high school said I'd never be a champion.....3 Age group wins later......
4. I acted and sang in choir in high school. Somehow the choir director at Fordham thought my voice didn't suck. ...man he must have been on crack......gave it up after two months to devote more to swimming. Acted in dramas a couple of comedies. Best role was Junior year of High school....I played a lecherous Irish Cop in our version of Sly Fox....sadly no tape.....most memorable part was rolling around on stage screaming..ahh memories.
5. For a brief period considered becoming a Jesuit Priest. I could deal with poverty, the chasity....umm..no.......obedience...forget it! Seriously if the Catholic Church ordained me it would be their worst mistake since they tried to sell indulgences in 1400's Germany.
Well did that shatter any ground......didn't think so.
R. D.
Monday, November 26, 2007
The Death March: Or The infamous 20 miler.
For those of you who already read Angry's Post we did a 20 mile run along the relatively flat Farmington River Canal in Cheshire, For those of you that don't , well the cat's out of the bag now. Yes we did 20 miles of "joy"if you're idea of joy is running the last 4 miles feeling like your hip joint is about to break in two, and you've got a nail hole in your foot that feels like it getting larger with each step...alright it wasn't that bad, but I did feel considerably tight afterward and the Turkey Day foot injury was making its presence known as it slowly heals and re calluses. Here's the break down:
Pre Run: Call Angry Tell him I'm running late. Buy Parents scripts, A Hershey Bar and 32 oz Gatorade, drop scripts at home drive out to Cheshire. Consume Hershey bar and about 20 oz of said beverage en route. Call Angry ask him where the Hell he is. Look across parking lot see the Under Armor Clad Warrior on Cell phone.
First 5k.
Take off from park to the end of the Cheshire trail about 1.6 miles away then run back to the park to continue.Start out running at comfortable pace Angry's holding up. Talk Random Nonsense, How the Office was on of Comedy's greatest gift to man kind. Firing up the overworked and under appreciated proletarians of the financial world, how I do not want to remain a low level corporate under ling for the rest of my life, scoping out the young chicks in tight yoga pants. Angry pulls a nutrition tip from Jodi ( Reese's pieces.) Crank out first 5k in just over 26 min. Kinda slow for me but hey We've got 18 more miles to go.
The first split.
Start to Pull ahead of Angry. He goes down the Left fork of the trail toward this rebuilt canal lock thingy. I go down the right with a nice view of some dude's back yard. Cute 20 something year old college student on a pimped out road bike rides past. Smiles......look back and oh good lord she was cute. Meet up with Angry when the trail re-merges, run at same pace tell him about HCC (Hot Cycle Chick). Keep running talk random nonsense ( Something about a Free Tibet jersey or the Dali Lama is my Homeboy Sweatband at IM China.). HCC rides past Angry Sprints I try to sprint. Catch up. Enter the zone, suddenly I'm 400 meters ahead. At stop turn around and double back....leave no man behind. Head down trail in to Hamden several breaks. Finally hit the long ass stretch. Now I don't know why but somehow I'm able to retreat into my head and think of totally random songs and crap, to keep myself from getting bored out of my mind. ( like one of my post about one of my 12 milers stated, on a long run my mind is a scary place.) Unfortunately or maybe fortunately this a skill Angry has confessed he has not learned yet....yet being the key word. maybe its the fact I'm one of five kids and I'm used to heading into my own little world when shit stresses me out or becomes monotonous as all hell. Maybe it is the optimistic hope of a tortured person that the pain and torture they are feeling will somehow end. I don't know and I don't care because when I'm in Bobby's World it makes the long run a little more barable. We reached the turn around in Hamden I doubled back the 400 meters to angry and we began the run back. As we started at the same pace he commented " On that long stretch I honestly felt like shooting myself." I could actually agree with him. It was on the same stretch in April as I trained for the Country Music Marathon, I would have sold my soul for some cortisone for my aching knee joint. Or a bottle of water on the return run. ( this was in the PFB period ( pre-fuel belt)...which I bought in August because I was tired of feeling like I was going to pass out from dehydration on my 8 milers.) I told him to try to zone out and let the randomness fly as I began to settle back into my rhythm. The gap between the future Ironman and the Angry Runner once again began to widen.
Now I know How Floyd Landis Feels:
As I ran back toward Cheshire I kept trying to look for mile markers and familar land mark. 5.0 miles 7 miles until the end. That pain in the ass little climb 6 miles to go. People's Bank and the intersection of doom. 4.5 miles to go. A Group of guys rode past, two of the guys looked like Vin and Dean from HEAT, but I digress. My hip was now starting to feel pressure form a long day in the saddle combined with a long day pounding pavement. I tried to numb it out but as I continued to plod along the dull pain in my pelvis grew more intense with each passing mile. To make matters worse the wound on my right foot began to feel like it was ripping open with each foot strike. I looked back for Angry he was nowhere in sight. " I should Double back." I thought to my self."If you do you won't be able to drive." My hip, foot and now Achilles chimed in. I ran past the last set of port o lets before the park. Only 4 miles to go. Maybe I should stop to pee I thought to myself...then the Falshbacks of Nashville came back. Each bathroom break was pure Hell on my joints, each stop took more out of my battered body on that hot April Day. I kept. Going. " I'll double back for Angry on my cool down." As I crossed into Cheshire all I could think of was finishing this run. I tried to add up the distance in my head....21.5 miles + 2x 400 double backs = roughly 22 miles. I looked at my watch. Just over 3 hours. I was on pace to run a sub 4 hour marathon. I almost thought about tacking on the extra 4 miles, then my hip reminded of its inflammed state, also the fact that I was out of the Fruit Punch flavored drink of the gods, Gatorade, presuaded me from not risking futher injury upon myself. I drated back into the parking lot. 3:11.33 was my time for 22 miles. 8:42 min/miles 3:47 marathon pace. I began to walk to cool down drinking the ater that was left on my fuel belt. Walked back to the trail waiting for Angry to appear....one minute went by....then another....and another....after about five minutes he came into sight...he was walking....." My hips are killing me." he stated..." Same Here." I replied...."I'm going to have to name my Post My hips don't lie and throw up the Shakira video." he said with a grin. Angry's time for 21 miles. 3:18.19 9:26 min/mile 4:07 Marathon pace. Not bad for a first 20+ mile run. ( My first attempt at this I did about 3:20, this one was my third 20+ miler. Well technically 4th. April Trainer, The CMM, The summer Zen run, and this one.) Well that was it. It wasn't pretty, but it got done. Today I rested my legs and my bank clients reminded me why I hate Christmas so very much. Now I've got to formulate how to get my shopping, training, and take home finals crammed into my tight budget for time and money. Well that's it for tonight...I'm going to collaspe.
The Exhausted Extremist
R.D.
P.S. Free Tibet!!!!
Pre Run: Call Angry Tell him I'm running late. Buy Parents scripts, A Hershey Bar and 32 oz Gatorade, drop scripts at home drive out to Cheshire. Consume Hershey bar and about 20 oz of said beverage en route. Call Angry ask him where the Hell he is. Look across parking lot see the Under Armor Clad Warrior on Cell phone.
First 5k.
Take off from park to the end of the Cheshire trail about 1.6 miles away then run back to the park to continue.Start out running at comfortable pace Angry's holding up. Talk Random Nonsense, How the Office was on of Comedy's greatest gift to man kind. Firing up the overworked and under appreciated proletarians of the financial world, how I do not want to remain a low level corporate under ling for the rest of my life, scoping out the young chicks in tight yoga pants. Angry pulls a nutrition tip from Jodi ( Reese's pieces.) Crank out first 5k in just over 26 min. Kinda slow for me but hey We've got 18 more miles to go.
The first split.
Start to Pull ahead of Angry. He goes down the Left fork of the trail toward this rebuilt canal lock thingy. I go down the right with a nice view of some dude's back yard. Cute 20 something year old college student on a pimped out road bike rides past. Smiles......look back and oh good lord she was cute. Meet up with Angry when the trail re-merges, run at same pace tell him about HCC (Hot Cycle Chick). Keep running talk random nonsense ( Something about a Free Tibet jersey or the Dali Lama is my Homeboy Sweatband at IM China.). HCC rides past Angry Sprints I try to sprint. Catch up. Enter the zone, suddenly I'm 400 meters ahead. At stop turn around and double back....leave no man behind. Head down trail in to Hamden several breaks. Finally hit the long ass stretch. Now I don't know why but somehow I'm able to retreat into my head and think of totally random songs and crap, to keep myself from getting bored out of my mind. ( like one of my post about one of my 12 milers stated, on a long run my mind is a scary place.) Unfortunately or maybe fortunately this a skill Angry has confessed he has not learned yet....yet being the key word. maybe its the fact I'm one of five kids and I'm used to heading into my own little world when shit stresses me out or becomes monotonous as all hell. Maybe it is the optimistic hope of a tortured person that the pain and torture they are feeling will somehow end. I don't know and I don't care because when I'm in Bobby's World it makes the long run a little more barable. We reached the turn around in Hamden I doubled back the 400 meters to angry and we began the run back. As we started at the same pace he commented " On that long stretch I honestly felt like shooting myself." I could actually agree with him. It was on the same stretch in April as I trained for the Country Music Marathon, I would have sold my soul for some cortisone for my aching knee joint. Or a bottle of water on the return run. ( this was in the PFB period ( pre-fuel belt)...which I bought in August because I was tired of feeling like I was going to pass out from dehydration on my 8 milers.) I told him to try to zone out and let the randomness fly as I began to settle back into my rhythm. The gap between the future Ironman and the Angry Runner once again began to widen.
Now I know How Floyd Landis Feels:
As I ran back toward Cheshire I kept trying to look for mile markers and familar land mark. 5.0 miles 7 miles until the end. That pain in the ass little climb 6 miles to go. People's Bank and the intersection of doom. 4.5 miles to go. A Group of guys rode past, two of the guys looked like Vin and Dean from HEAT, but I digress. My hip was now starting to feel pressure form a long day in the saddle combined with a long day pounding pavement. I tried to numb it out but as I continued to plod along the dull pain in my pelvis grew more intense with each passing mile. To make matters worse the wound on my right foot began to feel like it was ripping open with each foot strike. I looked back for Angry he was nowhere in sight. " I should Double back." I thought to my self."If you do you won't be able to drive." My hip, foot and now Achilles chimed in. I ran past the last set of port o lets before the park. Only 4 miles to go. Maybe I should stop to pee I thought to myself...then the Falshbacks of Nashville came back. Each bathroom break was pure Hell on my joints, each stop took more out of my battered body on that hot April Day. I kept. Going. " I'll double back for Angry on my cool down." As I crossed into Cheshire all I could think of was finishing this run. I tried to add up the distance in my head....21.5 miles + 2x 400 double backs = roughly 22 miles. I looked at my watch. Just over 3 hours. I was on pace to run a sub 4 hour marathon. I almost thought about tacking on the extra 4 miles, then my hip reminded of its inflammed state, also the fact that I was out of the Fruit Punch flavored drink of the gods, Gatorade, presuaded me from not risking futher injury upon myself. I drated back into the parking lot. 3:11.33 was my time for 22 miles. 8:42 min/miles 3:47 marathon pace. I began to walk to cool down drinking the ater that was left on my fuel belt. Walked back to the trail waiting for Angry to appear....one minute went by....then another....and another....after about five minutes he came into sight...he was walking....." My hips are killing me." he stated..." Same Here." I replied...."I'm going to have to name my Post My hips don't lie and throw up the Shakira video." he said with a grin. Angry's time for 21 miles. 3:18.19 9:26 min/mile 4:07 Marathon pace. Not bad for a first 20+ mile run. ( My first attempt at this I did about 3:20, this one was my third 20+ miler. Well technically 4th. April Trainer, The CMM, The summer Zen run, and this one.) Well that was it. It wasn't pretty, but it got done. Today I rested my legs and my bank clients reminded me why I hate Christmas so very much. Now I've got to formulate how to get my shopping, training, and take home finals crammed into my tight budget for time and money. Well that's it for tonight...I'm going to collaspe.
The Exhausted Extremist
R.D.
P.S. Free Tibet!!!!
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