I'll try hard to not make this sound like a rant.
About four years ago, I got bitten on the right calf by a dog while on a run. It ran across its entire yard to track me down-- maybe 70 feet or so. It wasn't on a leash, and didn't seem to care that I kept running away from it.
I know I'm not the only runner with a dog bite story, but that one time makes me a little skittish whenever I see dogs without a leash in the front yard. It doesn't happen every day, or even every month. But it happens often enough. This post is about another one of those times.
I went out in my neighborhood for my run around 8:45 this morning-- pretty nice out there this time of day now as the overnight low temp has dropped into the upper 60s, and the sun isn't above the tree line yet. Perfect running weather.
I do my part for safety-- I don't listen to music or podcasts, I run against traffic, and I wave at all the drivers who move to the other lane to help. About a mile and a half in I saw a chocolate lab come running toward me from about the same distance. Turned out to be friendly enough, but when a dog is coming at me, I think the worst because it's already happened once. I don't continue, I stop running. All the dog wanted to do was jump on me and be friendly. I have no idea what it wants to do.
The dog's owner, on the other hand, couldn't be bothered. He took a leisurely walk over to get his dog and head back. He didn't see a problem. I called him out for not controlling his pet, but he didn't think he'd done anything wrong. I told him that's because he's not a runner and doesn't understand. It got pretty animated there for a minute or two but not heated. It didn't matter to him as he kept brushing me aside. I don't think he ever cared what I said or tried to have any sort of perspective.
But as a runner, what am I supposed to think? Shouldn't I be prepared for the worst? I can't keep going because that's how I was bitten.
Now I am a dog owner-- a 18-pound Random Terrier who is currently camped out on his favorite chair. My wife and I work hard to be responsible pet owners. When we are in the front yard, he is always, *always* on a leash, and we pick up his dog poop when we go for his walk. Every time.
I don't know what has me more frustrated-- that the guy's dog wasn't leashed, that he totally couldn't be bothered, or that I couldn't make him understand someone else's point of view.
So on behalf of runners and walkers everywhere, please take the few extra seconds to leash your dog. We don't know how it'll react to seeing us. All we want is to get on with our day-- we've got things to do as well.
Moving on... trying to, anyhow.
I blew my 90-mile a month goal out of the water in August by running 110 miles. I've set that goal every month but I haven't reached it every time, so this will help cover a few months when I fell way short. Due to a vacation in scenic Asheville I'm off to a slow start in September but I have no worries that I'll get it done.
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Run for Rankin
Jeannette Rankin was the first woman elected to federal office when she represented the state of Montana as a U.S. Representative from 1917-1919. She served again from 1941-1943. Known for her pacifism, she was one of 56 senators and representatives to vote against declaring war on Germany in 1917. In 1941 after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, she was the only one who voted against the declaration of war on Japan.
So we know she has the courage of her convictions.
But there's more.
Rankin also played a leading role in the 1920 ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which granted women the right to vote.
Earlier today I was our running store's representative at the Run for Rankin, a 5K race that was held in a park very near her seasonal home in Watkinsville, Georgia (south of Athens). It's always nice to meet people and to be a part of such a positive vibe, especially when the Jeannette Rankin Women's Scholarship Fund does so much to help and empower women. The Foundation has given out over $2 million to help low-income women over the age of 35 complete a college education.
Definitely a worthy cause.
Elsewhere, 24 miles for this week... Including 6x800 on the treadmill today that felt really good. Last two repeats were right at 7:00/mile pace. Good stuff out there.
So we know she has the courage of her convictions.
But there's more.
Rankin also played a leading role in the 1920 ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which granted women the right to vote.
Earlier today I was our running store's representative at the Run for Rankin, a 5K race that was held in a park very near her seasonal home in Watkinsville, Georgia (south of Athens). It's always nice to meet people and to be a part of such a positive vibe, especially when the Jeannette Rankin Women's Scholarship Fund does so much to help and empower women. The Foundation has given out over $2 million to help low-income women over the age of 35 complete a college education.
Definitely a worthy cause.
Elsewhere, 24 miles for this week... Including 6x800 on the treadmill today that felt really good. Last two repeats were right at 7:00/mile pace. Good stuff out there.
Saturday, August 20, 2016
Quadrennial summer sports gathering
Time for an Olympic track and field report: Usain Bolt is really, really fast. Our women's 4x100 and 4x400 are both awesome. So is Mo Farah, who again doubled in the 5K and 10K. Matt Centrowicz wins the men's 1500.
My training is going pretty well, and I'm committing to doing more speedwork (paying a price) and adding more weight work to build some strength. I like running 800s on the treadmill since it's easier to regulate speed and I don't have to get up really early. I ran 5x800, starting at 7:30 pace and banging out the last two at about 7:15 pace.
I felt pretty good after this six-miler-- it's a good start and a good way to add on to my fitness base. 24 miles for the week as I start to feel better about my fitness level. I feel like I'm getting up and over hills better now than I have in recent memory. Average paces are better, average heart rate is better, and my RHR is 46. *thumbs up*
What made me feel like a bum, however, is the 50K Olympic race walk. Matej Toth of Slovakia won in 3:40. His marathon (just over 42K) was 3:06, or a 7:06 mile pace. Amazing. I red-lined it at the Twilight 5K a few months ago at 7:02 per mile, meanwhile this guy is walking, WALKING a 7:06 mile. Meanwhile his final 8K time, for you math majors, comes out to about 34 minutes and change.
Zhen Wang of China won the men's 20K race walk in 1:19:14, or 6:23 per mile. I aspire to run a 5K under 20 minutes someday, and this guy strings four together in 19:49 while walking.
Yikes. Like I needed another reason to feel like a tortoise.
My training is going pretty well, and I'm committing to doing more speedwork (paying a price) and adding more weight work to build some strength. I like running 800s on the treadmill since it's easier to regulate speed and I don't have to get up really early. I ran 5x800, starting at 7:30 pace and banging out the last two at about 7:15 pace.
I felt pretty good after this six-miler-- it's a good start and a good way to add on to my fitness base. 24 miles for the week as I start to feel better about my fitness level. I feel like I'm getting up and over hills better now than I have in recent memory. Average paces are better, average heart rate is better, and my RHR is 46. *thumbs up*
What made me feel like a bum, however, is the 50K Olympic race walk. Matej Toth of Slovakia won in 3:40. His marathon (just over 42K) was 3:06, or a 7:06 mile pace. Amazing. I red-lined it at the Twilight 5K a few months ago at 7:02 per mile, meanwhile this guy is walking, WALKING a 7:06 mile. Meanwhile his final 8K time, for you math majors, comes out to about 34 minutes and change.
Zhen Wang of China won the men's 20K race walk in 1:19:14, or 6:23 per mile. I aspire to run a 5K under 20 minutes someday, and this guy strings four together in 19:49 while walking.
Yikes. Like I needed another reason to feel like a tortoise.
Monday, August 8, 2016
Outpace Parkinson's 5K
On Saturday I raced on the UGA campus for the first time. I've run there many times, but this was the first time I've actually signed up. A member of my church has Parkinson's disease and she and her husband were the movers in getting this going. We were happy to support them.
Parkinson's disease, according to the Mayo Clinic, "is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement... the disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement." Proceeds from the race went to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.
I dug my Asics Gel-Lyte33 shoes out of the closet for this one, and I was reminded of how lightweight they are.
Temperatures were in the mid-70s, and the humidity was up there as it has been for the last several weeks. The campus has many hills, but UGA is building a new indoor training facility for the football program (have I mentioned I live in the south?), so the customary 5K route was altered to eliminate a famous hill but sent us around the basketball arena (and its extra incline) a second time.
The course took us around the journalism building where my master's classes were held and took us past Sanford Stadium, and past the hotel where there seemed to be sewage issues. It smelled like used port-a-hooters, and we ran through this area twice. Swell.
In fact, a guy I was chasing stopped to cough not long after we passed this area on the way back. I don't know if the smell was the reason, I just know that I won the master's division over this guy by four seconds. The finish is downhill and I'd turned on the jets and had no idea as to where anyone was behind me.
I did find a good pacer at the front of the pack who kept me going. I passed him once, but he passed me back not long after. I didn't mind-- he wasn't in my age group. My mile splits were 7:28, 7:23, and 7:37. Not bad, but the hills and the heat took a toll. My half -mile times alternated-- good split, then 3:50. Good, then 3:57 (bad). It was that kind of course.
23:00 for the official time, 13th overall out of 200+. Slower than my Twilight 5K time, but I haven't done much speedwork and I don't really lift much. If I have time, I spend it running, although I'm working to change those things. I'll have to if I want to improve and maybe someday run under 20 for a 5K.
Parkinson's disease, according to the Mayo Clinic, "is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement... the disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement." Proceeds from the race went to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.
I dug my Asics Gel-Lyte33 shoes out of the closet for this one, and I was reminded of how lightweight they are.
Temperatures were in the mid-70s, and the humidity was up there as it has been for the last several weeks. The campus has many hills, but UGA is building a new indoor training facility for the football program (have I mentioned I live in the south?), so the customary 5K route was altered to eliminate a famous hill but sent us around the basketball arena (and its extra incline) a second time.
The course took us around the journalism building where my master's classes were held and took us past Sanford Stadium, and past the hotel where there seemed to be sewage issues. It smelled like used port-a-hooters, and we ran through this area twice. Swell.
In fact, a guy I was chasing stopped to cough not long after we passed this area on the way back. I don't know if the smell was the reason, I just know that I won the master's division over this guy by four seconds. The finish is downhill and I'd turned on the jets and had no idea as to where anyone was behind me.
I did find a good pacer at the front of the pack who kept me going. I passed him once, but he passed me back not long after. I didn't mind-- he wasn't in my age group. My mile splits were 7:28, 7:23, and 7:37. Not bad, but the hills and the heat took a toll. My half -mile times alternated-- good split, then 3:50. Good, then 3:57 (bad). It was that kind of course.
 |
| Race number and SMO for a master's division champion! Not pictured: massage coupon. |
Monday, August 1, 2016
Retirement
I'm having to put a pair of shoes out to pasture: the Asics Gel-Neo33 I scored from my old running store back in December, 2011. I just ran the numbers on the last seven months of running, and I saw I'd racked up 416 miles on these dudes:
My belief is that these weren't meant to be 500-mile shoes since there's a little less cushion here, and I feel like it's starting to cost me a little in terms of shock absorption since I'm noticing a little bit of right foot pain on my first metatarsal. This is a new pain to me, and I hope that taking them out of rotation will help.
I also have a plantar wart near the ball of my right foot that I hope is more related to the source of the pain. These warts don't sit above the skin, but they're digging into my foot since they've got to go somewhere. The hope is that by treating the wart will reduce the pain and solve the problem. A stress fracture is another possible source of the pain, so I hope my plan A is successful and saves me from writing a string of depressing blog posts about swimming and weights. A runner's worst punishment is 'not' running.
I don't recall ever racing or doing speedwork in these shoes, but they were good foot soldiers. They always came up recently when I wanted to go longer, like a 7 or an 8.
Shifting gears a little, my string of 20-mile weeks ended at eight last week. Instead I spent the time driving around the mid-Atlantic seeing the sights and family I hadn't seen in a long time. Last week's total was eight miles, but it included a run across the Potomac River (on Key Bridge) and onto Georgetown University in Washington, DC. Gorgeous scenery and a beautiful campus.
I remembered shoes and socks and even my Garmin, but for the first time I forgot shorts and tech shirts. So I ran in soccer shorts and a cotton t-shirt. Definitely a 'mission fail.' I've never forgotten those things. But I also forgot to bring dress shoes, so at least I tried to balance it out a little.
 |
| The 'after' picture, after 4 1/2 years and 416 miles. Note the worn treads on the heel & forefoot-- signs that it's time. The gum didn't come with the shoes. |
I also have a plantar wart near the ball of my right foot that I hope is more related to the source of the pain. These warts don't sit above the skin, but they're digging into my foot since they've got to go somewhere. The hope is that by treating the wart will reduce the pain and solve the problem. A stress fracture is another possible source of the pain, so I hope my plan A is successful and saves me from writing a string of depressing blog posts about swimming and weights. A runner's worst punishment is 'not' running.
I don't recall ever racing or doing speedwork in these shoes, but they were good foot soldiers. They always came up recently when I wanted to go longer, like a 7 or an 8.
Shifting gears a little, my string of 20-mile weeks ended at eight last week. Instead I spent the time driving around the mid-Atlantic seeing the sights and family I hadn't seen in a long time. Last week's total was eight miles, but it included a run across the Potomac River (on Key Bridge) and onto Georgetown University in Washington, DC. Gorgeous scenery and a beautiful campus.
I remembered shoes and socks and even my Garmin, but for the first time I forgot shorts and tech shirts. So I ran in soccer shorts and a cotton t-shirt. Definitely a 'mission fail.' I've never forgotten those things. But I also forgot to bring dress shoes, so at least I tried to balance it out a little.
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Candygram for Vongo
So it seems that New Balance is actually starting to name some of their shoes, getting away from the numbering system they're known for-- 980, 860, etc. Though they do have a Fresh Foam 1080 that's out there now. They've already named shoes Zante and Boracay, as well as the Vongo, which is a stability entry for their Fresh Foam line of shoes.
I ran in these shoes Monday and today, and I am a big fan. They seem a little bulky and perhaps they are, at a weight of 10 ounces, but I like how smooth and cushioned these shoes are. The stack height is 25-21 for a 4 mm offset so the shoe has more contact with the ground which helps the transition feel less intrusive.
Since it's a stability shoe I don't have to wear my inserts, so perhaps there's also that factor at work. It contrasts especially since I wore an older model shoe (with inserts) for the last week while on vacation.
Something else I noticed is on the sole is the longitudinal groove.
 |
| Medial side view of the NB Vongo. Note the grid pattern on the sole. The diamond pattern is more compact here leading to a firmer feeling than on the lateral side. |
Since it's a stability shoe I don't have to wear my inserts, so perhaps there's also that factor at work. It contrasts especially since I wore an older model shoe (with inserts) for the last week while on vacation.
Something else I noticed is on the sole is the longitudinal groove.
My thought is that this groove is a big thing for those who make first contact on the midfoot and not the heel. Perhaps it serves as a bit of a guidance line since there isn't such a pattern on the sole, and it allows the shock to escape out the back of the shoe, helping the smooth transition with each footstrike.
Great shoe. I like it a lot. It's also available in grey/black/green and blue/charcoal. I have the color shoe pictured above.
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Desert Heat
So I'm back home for the week visiting family. There really isn't much going on. The wife flew with me to El Paso as she hasn't seen my folks in several years. But now she's visiting family in New Mexico, so I'm left to my own devices.
One thing I've managed to get done is to keep my string of 20-mile weeks going. Currently it stands at five with number six in progress. I stretched it to eight back during the school year, but other commitments got in the way and now I'm building it back up. I think I saw in a running mag many years ago that 20 was the magic number to where you could run that many miles and lose weight. Of course it's not that simple, but the number has stayed with me. Anything below 20 and I don't really have the sense of accomplishment.
This sixth week is more challenging due to the desert heat. The high temps are all supposed to be north of 100 degrees this week. You hear a lot of people say that it's not the heat, it's the humidity. I'm here to tell you there's some merit to that. I've gotten in three runs this week, all before 9:00 AM and I don't think the dry heat wears me down as much as the humidity in Athens does. The overnight temps here in the borderland stay in the 80s (it was 90 degrees at 11:30 last night- yikes) so the morning runs still take plenty out of me. I just don't feel as exhausted afterward, though that may relate to the flat terrain I'm on now as opposed to the rolling hills in my neighborhood.
I've done what is always recommended-- run early, bring water, and slow the pace. Today's fiver was at 9:15 pace, which felt more like a trudge, but it has to be like this in order to get my runs in and keep the streak alive. One thing about my 'hood in Georgia is that there are plenty of trees to offer shade, which is a disadvantage here in El Paso.
I reached my goal of 90 miles last month. Blew it out of the water actually, reaching 106 on the chart. The won/lost record sits at 3-3 since I got myself back to .500 in June. I'm still behind for the year in terms of total mileage, but I'm working on that.
One thing I've managed to get done is to keep my string of 20-mile weeks going. Currently it stands at five with number six in progress. I stretched it to eight back during the school year, but other commitments got in the way and now I'm building it back up. I think I saw in a running mag many years ago that 20 was the magic number to where you could run that many miles and lose weight. Of course it's not that simple, but the number has stayed with me. Anything below 20 and I don't really have the sense of accomplishment.
This sixth week is more challenging due to the desert heat. The high temps are all supposed to be north of 100 degrees this week. You hear a lot of people say that it's not the heat, it's the humidity. I'm here to tell you there's some merit to that. I've gotten in three runs this week, all before 9:00 AM and I don't think the dry heat wears me down as much as the humidity in Athens does. The overnight temps here in the borderland stay in the 80s (it was 90 degrees at 11:30 last night- yikes) so the morning runs still take plenty out of me. I just don't feel as exhausted afterward, though that may relate to the flat terrain I'm on now as opposed to the rolling hills in my neighborhood.
I've done what is always recommended-- run early, bring water, and slow the pace. Today's fiver was at 9:15 pace, which felt more like a trudge, but it has to be like this in order to get my runs in and keep the streak alive. One thing about my 'hood in Georgia is that there are plenty of trees to offer shade, which is a disadvantage here in El Paso.
I reached my goal of 90 miles last month. Blew it out of the water actually, reaching 106 on the chart. The won/lost record sits at 3-3 since I got myself back to .500 in June. I'm still behind for the year in terms of total mileage, but I'm working on that.
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