Running on jasoncrowther.com

No One Cares But You

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This is epic:

# Days Since I've Been Hit by a Car While Running

Wed, 17 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

So that happened…

Sat, 13 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

A week ago, I was out on an early morning run, and got hit by a car running a stop sign. After a trip to ER and a overnight stay for observation, I’m mostly ok. More details on another day.

The Streak Continues

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Yesterday, I woke up completely fragged from the week. Chore mode took over and suddenly it was dinner time. Uh, running? oops. Even though I was pretty wiped out, I still managed to sneak out for a run after the child units were put away for the day. The run went ok, but it felt weird as it was cooling down, rather than warming up.

The Streak Continues

Sat, 18 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Haven’t had much to report. Doing 3.3-ish miles on weekdays and a little further on the weekends. Everything feels pretty good; kinda stiff at the start but things seem to work ok once everything gets up to temperature.

The Runners Mind

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Couldn’t sleep last night due to coughing, sneezing, and nose running non-stop. It’s 3am, should I just go and get my run over with? Thankfully, the call of my warm bed kept me in the house. I did manage to make it out at regular time though. Nothing to write home about, but another one done.

Streak Day 22

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Felt pretty meh at normal running time this morning. Tired from the longer run yesterday and whatever cold I’ve got going on still isn’t done with me. It was also 41 degrees and raining off and on.

On Garmin Connect Embeds...

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Embedding on Modern Wordpress

On modern Wordpress (ie: circa 6.x), it wasn’t super obvious how to use an <IFRAME> style embed using the new blocks interface. Turns out the magic is just use a Custom HTML type block and paste in the embed from the Garmin Connect website. That gets you most of the way there, but the alignment is flush left. To get around this, just add a Single Column type block and put the Custom HTML type block inside it, and done.

The Struggle Is Real

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Keeping my streak alive. Yesterday’s challenge was 51 degrees and ripping winds. Today’s challenge was feeling the cold that’s working its way through the Crowthers finally get to me. Oh well, made it through regardless.

Still At It

Sat, 18 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The streak continues. Really didn’t feel like running this morning, but it was a little warmer than it has been, so I threw myself out the door. I’m trying to get back to making Saturdays my longer-ish run day. So, today, I went a little further. Feeling a little better with the longer run; when its cold, it feels like I’m just getting warmed up when the run is over on the short runs.

Running Update

Sat, 11 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The big test for streak came today, the weekend. Some how I was able to drag myself out of comfortable bed and added another half a mile. Everything working ok, but callus on left foot is still kinda angry for the first mile or so. Hopefully that beings to fade soon.

Still Running

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000

With temps in the high 30s, I got out my running jacket. Unfortunately, the combination of jacket and gloves makes my watch a pain to use. So, while I queued up a run work out as I was headed out the door, the crown click to actually start the run didn’t take. So, no hard evidence. Oh well, a manual activity entry will have to suffice; feel about the same as yesterday, so let’s just plug those numbers in. Close enough.

The days are super nice...

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000

but the mornings are still pretty chilly. 40 degrees on the run today. I’m glad that I didn’t second guess wearing 2 running shirts (short leave under long sleeve.) It was nice to be running in the moonlight again.

Day Two

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Just got back from today’s run, less than 24 hours since last one. Still feeling mostly ok. The callus by my pinky toe on left foot still pretty angry, but I that should fade in the coming days.

Today On The Run #18 Ultra Realistic Treadmill Courses

Sun, 07 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Recently, I was on vacation and forgot to bring my cold/wet weather running gear. After running in sunny weather in 70s, 80s, and 90s for the last few months, mid 40s and rain wasn’t my jam, so I decided to head to the workout room at the hotel and pound out 10 on a treadmill.

Today On The Run #15 Cheating

Sat, 21 Apr 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Stepping into the confessional…

The majority of my miles are done with the company of my trusty MP3 player. But, I rarely listen to music; I’m big time into podcasts. I’m less likely to zone out listening to podcasts and they don’t completely block out ambient noise the way music does.

Today On The Run #16 Peace, Love, and Respect

Sat, 21 Apr 2018 00:00:00 +0000

I don’t follow the professional running scene much, but congratulations to Desiree Linden, the first female American Boston Marathon winner since 1985! The weather was completely bananas; I’m pretty sure I would have hung it up in the first few miles, myself. Des almost quit herself!

Today On The Run #17 Keep Showing Up

Sat, 21 Apr 2018 00:00:00 +0000

This 👇, so much so.

https://twitter.com/des_linden/status/970675824654401536

Today On The Run #13 Gobble Gobble

Sat, 31 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Running up on wildlife in my early morning runs is nothing new. I see and hear all sorts of critters skittering off into the shadows as I plod my way along. Thankfully, I still haven’t met up with any coyotes or mountain lions that supposedly lurk just beyond my normal running routes.

Today On The Run #14 That 10 Degree Difference

Sat, 31 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Things are finally starting to get warm again in Brentwood. The day time temps are in mid to high 70s. More importantly, the morning temperatures have been in the mid 50s. After an eternity of cold and wet (by California standards, sorry my east coast friends) it feels good to lose a few layers and be able to use my fingers after getting back from a run.

Today On The Run #11 – I can't quit you

Sun, 25 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Confession time. I try to treat my feet right and replace my running shoes every 300 to 400 miles like I’m supposed to, but I use the excuse that I treat my shoes super nice to string them out as long as possible. While running is a fairly cost effective form of exercise (especially it you don’t race often), shoes are annoying expensive these days if you want to get anything that will last.

Today On The Run #12 - 365 Days!

Sun, 25 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000

On Wednesday, March 21, I marked the completion of 1 year of running every day. No days off.

Yes, those numbers are accurate; all runs are cataloged in my Garmin Connect profile. Even I know how much I run, 3600 miles in aggregate form still wows me!

Today On The Run #10 – Daddy's Got Some New Shoes

Sat, 03 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000

As usual, I was waaaaay overdue for new shoes. I’m so bad. Most experts say that shoes are ripe for replacement after 300-400 miles. I usually push my to at least 500 miles. I try to justify that with my mostly road miles routine and the fact that good shoes are crazy expensive these days.

Today On The Run #9 - Stupid Stuff You See Running

Sat, 03 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000

These days, I mostly run the same route each day; most of the time in the early morning, way before sun up. Despite feeling like I’m half awake when running on the early shift, I’m so used to my route that I can probably tell you where every crack in the road is and when there’s a new set of donut marks at an intersection.

Today On The Run #7 - Radioactive Man

Sun, 10 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0000

The Mrs asked me what I wanted to for xmas. Hmm, replace my dead mp3 player? Another pair of shoes? Better running gloves? Decisions, decisions.

I’m really bad about safety gear. I used to wear a safety light, but the last one I had ate batteries so much, I stopped wearing it because it was always dead. The few pieces of running gear that were reflective have long since stopped after about a zillion runs through the washing machine.

Today On The Run #8 - Get your streak on!

Sun, 10 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Still rocking the Runner’s World 40 Days of Awesome Streak. Today is day 18. I’m at 185 miles total.

I don’t really need the streak for motivation, but every little bit helps when the weather makes me want to stay in bed more than freeze my face and fingers off running in the dark.

Today On The Run #4 - Wildlife

Sun, 19 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

I normally run really early in the morning. I’m out the door by 4:15, when I can talk my body into it. Most of the time time, it’s pretty much just me and the road.

Today On The Run #5 - Daddy needs a new pair of shoes

Sun, 19 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Running is almost an affordable sport/exercise/pastime. Well, except for the shoes.

Every runner and running shoe combination is different, but most experts set a baseline of about 300 miles for a shoe. At that rate, I’d be replacing my shoes pretty much once a month. That’s not so terrible, right? Well, retail price for any middle of the road shoe these days is $120. Going for discounts and closeouts, its hard to find good stuff for under $80. Going for the high end, and retail starts at $160 and still finds ways to climb.

Today On The Run #6 - Therapy

Sun, 19 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

If you don’t follow Runner’s World on Facebook, stop reading now and go follow them. Tons of good content. You’re welcome.

The Best Therapy Is Right At Your Feet

A great article that describes connections between running and mental health. It might sound kinda like mumbo jumbo to non-runners, but to me, it is very accurate.

Today On The Run #3 - Good bye, Trusty Friend

Fri, 17 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

SanDisk Clip Jam 8Gb 2/10/17 - 11/17/17

I was listening to podcasts (my normal persuasion) and the player started to make a crackling noise in the headphones. Then it skipped a bit, then dead air. Checked it out, said there was no sd-card inserted (where the podcast I was playing was located.) That can’t be good. Maybe the sd-card died?

Today On The Run #2

Sat, 11 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

I’m pretty thankful to have the time, energy, and fitness to run as much as I do. It also doesn’t hurt that I live in an area where it’s pretty feasible to run all year round. So, I rack up a lot of mostly trouble free miles. A lot, in this case means, more than 3,000 miles in the last 12 months.

Today On The Run #1

Thu, 09 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Welcome to a new series on the blog, Today On the Run. Just short quips from the today’s (or yesterday’s) run. I’m putting them here so they’re a little easier to read in serial fashion and not limited to just 140 characters. Here we go, Today On the Run #1.

This Week in Running - v9

Mon, 18 Apr 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Preface

Ooops. I sort of drop off the planet there for a while. Unfortunately, my weekends have been tied up with other matters and I haven’t had a chance to put together weekly recaps. But, fear not! While the writing paused, the running kept chugging right along.

This Week In Running – v5

Sun, 20 Mar 2016 00:00:00 +0000

On the Road

Another week of fairly uneventful base runs. 5 editions of my regular 5.9 mile route. Its nice to see the time ticking down bit by bit every day. I’m not really fixated on weight, but I’m pretty sure that’s going down, too; but our scale is a box somewhere that I haven’t been able to locate after the move.

That moment...

Mon, 14 Mar 2016 00:00:00 +0000

That moment when you’re going out to run at 4:21AM and you pass another run finishing up their run. Whoa.

This Week In Running – v4

Mon, 14 Mar 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Nope, I haven’t dropped off on running, but I did stop manually updating on dailymile.com. You can now follow me at the Garmin site, instead.

Its been another wet week. Drizzle is no fun when its 50 degrees and breezy out, morning after morning. When there’s good chance for rain, I usually leave my music player at home. Without the distraction, runs seem to take about twice as much effort; but, it with nothing else to do, it helps me focus on my breathing.

This Week In Running - v3

Sun, 06 Mar 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Running

Mercy, another week gone by already? Time for another update.

In a word, miles, lots. 39 to be precise.

Monday through Thursday were my previous daily driver route. Friday, I added another 1.3 miles to the daily driver. Saturday was my old long run.

This Week in Running - v2

Sat, 27 Feb 2016 00:00:00 +0000

The good: Yep, still at it. Broken 100 miles for this streak on Wednesday.

The bad: My back is taking forever to get back normal. Its to the point where it doesn’t bother much or at all during the run. But after I’m done, I look kinda like Edgar the bug from Men in Black hobbling down the street.

This Week in Running

Sat, 20 Feb 2016 00:00:00 +0000

The streak lives on. Today was the 21st consecutive day I’ve been running.

Had some rough days this week. Last week, I had a non-running related injury to my back (not sitting correctly when holding a squirmy 4 year old during a nebulizer treatment at the dr’s office and strained something in my lower back) Its been haunting me, but its every so slowly getting better. I had a sympathetic pain in the foot opposite where my back hurts for a few days, ouch. I’m to the point now where I feel it when I start and it goes it almost goes away after the first mile or two.

My Triumphant Return

Sat, 06 Feb 2016 00:00:00 +0000

To running that is…

The last few years have been a kind of a mess with young kids and that whole relocation across country thing. I won’t lie, food is has been my stress outlet during a lot of it, so on went the pounds. After feeling like a complete lazy slob (as opposed to my normal state of part time lazy slob), this week, I started to run again.

Ok, you don't like me, and I don't like you...

Tue, 14 Jan 2014 00:00:00 +0000

…but lets just make the best of our time together.

]

Truth be told, running on a treadmill isn’t so bad (especially when its in your house; thanks, in-laws!) I just need to cue up some more podcasts and/or music to make the time go a little quicker.

The terrible and wonderful reasons why I run long distances - The Oatmeal

Tue, 16 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0000

The terrible and wonderful reasons why I run long distances - The Oatmeal.

Epic! I think my favorite quote was “They say you should treat your body like a temple… I treat mine like a fast-moving dumpster.” Other winners include, “I run long distances to feel good, not to look good” and “But that’s how it goes with runners: through pain, we find serenity. There greater the agony, the greater our eventual absolution”.

Mountain Goat 2013

Mon, 06 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Asked Jilly if she wanted to go watch runners this weekend and it was all she wanted to talk about.

We had a great time watching the start, killing time walking around downtown, and watching the finishers come in right up close. Kinda warm for a competitive run, but great weather for watching.

Boston Marathon Bombing

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Hearing about the attack was particularly troubling for me. I’ve done lots of races over the years. Many were pretty small, but some were fairly big in terms of runners and spectators. Its terrible to think that something like this could have happened at any one of them.

The Mighty Run

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:00:00 +0000

5k Obstacle Run, Oneida County, Utica, NY » The Mighty Run.

So the place that brings you the best race ever (the Boilermaker, duh!) now has an adventure race. Looks like fun for participants and spectators.

Central New York Weather

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Yesterday, it was 30 degrees out for my run (albeit it was 5AM). Today at 1PM, its 65 degrees out and marvelously sunny.

Woo-hoo a two day streak! Went a little further on some bigger hills. My hips were a little cranky, but still a good run none-the-less.

Yep, running still sucks.

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Figured I was long overdue to lace up the running shoes again. So, at 5:05 AM, I suited up and headed out the door. After a brief flash of “what am I doing?” after all its, dark, foggy, breezy and only 30 degrees out, I settle into a nice slow pace, keeping an eye out for potential icy spots.

Usain Bolt Headphones?

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 00:00:00 +0000

So, track star Usain Bolt has his own high end headphones? Lets just stop the madness now.

101-Year-Old Marathoner

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:00:00 +0000

101-Year-Old Man Retires From Running Marathons, Shaming You.

The gems in there are:

that he didn’t start running until he was 89.
even though he’s giving up competition, he still plans to run 4 hours a day.
“I take happiness in biggest proportions though my actual diet is very small.”

Mmmm. Nike Sportwatch with GPS

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 00:00:00 +0000

That’s a pretty sexy looking sport watch. GPS logging, a decent interface, Nike+ website, all at a not so terrible price. Maybe I should reward myself with one after I get a few hundred miles under my belt in 2013.

Running Quote

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 00:00:00 +0000

In running, it doesn’t matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, ‘I have finished.’ There is a lot of satisfaction in that.

Well, crap.

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Boilermaker 15K sold out - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch, Utica, New York.

I was pondering using the 2013 Boilermaker to motivate me to get back on the running bandwagon. With an early sell out last year, I even started thinking about signing up.

Tough Mudder?

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 00:00:00 +0000

ok, fans of the Warrior Dash, have you seen the Tough Mudder? Crazy!

Tough Mudder’s Most Badass Obstacles | Tough Mudder.

Back on the Road

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +0000

After a long break (mostly centered around the arrival of kid #2), I’ve been able to start running again. Here’s a few related thoughts:

I didn’t forget how to run. I was a little worried that picking up running again would be like starting from scratch. I was pleasantly surprised that I could jump back into 4-ish mile runs without much hassle.
Running is still hard. Even though I’m not starting from scratch, running still isn’t all that fun or enjoyable while you’re doing it.
Hills still stuck. I live on a hill, so there’s always climbing on the way out, or on the way back. I much prefer the former to the latter.
The only thing that motivates me to run is running. Trying to get out for the first couple of runs was way harder than running after those first few runs.
Running is still a great stress reliever and mood booster. I feel a lot more calm and less twitchy on running days. I also tend to eat less.

Keeping my fingers crossed that things will stay relatively calm at home and I keep pounding out the miles. Wish me luck!

Cold and Tiring, But So Satisfying

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

As fall quickly slides into Central New York, I’m a little less exciting than usual due to the kinda crummy summer. Normally, I’m totally ready for the long hot days to be done. We had some really hot days, but nothing that stopped me from running; including a few night runs when I left and it was over 90 degrees.

Arc Half Marathon 2009

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Earlier today I ran the ARC Half Marathon. I wasn’t planning on having a fantastic run, as my training has been pretty hit or miss lately, and I’ve got a knee that’s a touch sore from that wreck last week.

Too Stupid to Stop

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

So I took last night off from running so I’d be a little more rested for a good long run this morning. I was up on time (a little earlier actually, due to the full moon shining right in my face), through the requisite GI wake period and out the door by 5:45, anticipating a run of about 3 hours.

Brightroom Pics from the Boilermaker

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

I was so fast this year, they were only able to catch me at the finish line. Well, that’s what I’d like to think. In real life, folding my bib number down so just the actual number shows probably makes it hard to read for the far too dedicated folks who manually tag all the folks in each picture.

Boilermaker 2009

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

I think a shirt that I saw during the race pretty much sums it up:

“My sport is punishment in your sport…”

Yeah, that feels about right.

Splits:

Mile 1: 6:54
Mile 2: 7:36
Mile 3: 7:15
Mile 4: 7:40
Mile 5: 6:41
Mile 6: 7:08
Mile 7: 7:43
Mile 8: 7:12
Mile 9: 7:25
The Final 0.3: 2:05

Final: 67:44. That’s a fairly impressive (for me anyway) 7:16 average pace, and a new PR by about 4 minutes and change.

Record Breaking Weekend

Mon, 18 May 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Two races, in two days, and two new personal records. Normally, I wouldn’t scheduled 2 races on 1 weekend, but I already booked the Hall of Fame Half Marathon in Utica when Sandy said that we should do the Komen Race For the Cure 5k. I’d contemplated doing both in the same weekend previously, but always opted for the latter, since I’m by no means a speed demon at short distances. But, with a bunch of (unofficial) speedwork under my belt thus far this spring, I had a little itch to try out my speed legs again. So, Thursday night, we signed up.

Goat '09 Pix

Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Here are some fun action shots from the folks over at Brightroom. If you only look quickly, you might even mistake me for being a real runner. Kinda pricey for prints, but I may finally break down and buy one. It was a PR, after all.

Goat '09? Rocked It!

Sun, 03 May 2009 00:00:00 +0000

For the first race in a long time, I feel that my training investment really showed some dividends. In addition to keeping fairly active over the winter (mostly running and weights at the Planet Fitness down the street) and a somewhat unprecedented 6 full course trainging runs (including some in hellaciously crappy weather), I was able to pull in a fantastic 71:09!

29 Degees, A Breeze, Some Hills, 3" of Snow =?

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000

A surprisingly good time.

Bright sunshine beating down on my me while I sat in my office at home this morning was enough to lure me out for a run. I’ve been trying to get motivated for the last week or so, but I could never get into the mood.

Must See Movie for Runners

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000

If you’ve run a marathon or thinking about running a marathon (either dreaming or are seriously committed) keep an eye out for Spirit of the Marathon. Its a documentary on the history and modern evolution of the sport. I’m not a big sports history buff (yawn), but this was interesting and light hearted enough to hold my attention for the whole hour and half (two hours if you count hanging around for the DVD extra type stuff post show.)

What the h*ll am I doing?

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000

On one of my favorite TV shows, Mythbusters, they have what are known as Mythbuster’s Moments. Every once in a while, Adam stops and reflects on what he’s doing, like blowing something up or putting himself on the line in some crazy experiment, and realizes just how crazy things have gotten.

Running Funk?

Sun, 07 Oct 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Not sure what the deal is but lately, my running hasn’t been going so well, specifically the long runs. It feels like all my get up and go has just plain got up and went.

Sit down, kid...

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 00:00:00 +0000

The Wineglass Marathon results are in. I am proud to report the rest of the 1st Marathon team did 100% awesome:

Bob: 3:29:07*
Joe: 3:34:06
Suzanne: 3:48:00
Jen: 3:50:22*
Diane: 4:06:21

*- qualified for Boston Marathon!

First Run Post Marathon

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0000

This morning, I figured that I had enough of a break and headed out for a daily run. I was torn between 1 or 2 laps on my 22 minute circuit. The first lap went pretty good, so I hung on for number 2. Toward the middle of that lap, my right knee started to ache a bit.

Marathon Splits

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0000

I finally got a little time to sit down and get my split info from the marathon off my watch. As mentioned in the previous post, I missed a few of the mile markers. When this happened I averaged the time across the miles (marked with asterisks below); good enough for my purposes.

Its Official, the Smack has been Laid Down

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0000

4:09:05 after crossing the starting line, I threw myself across the finish line at my first marathon. I really wanted to break the 4 hour mark, but after dragging around legs of lead for the last 3 miles, I was pretty happy to make across the line at all. I walked a little in miles 23, 24, and 25 (maybe about 3/4 of a mile total); mainly to make sure I got some water down instead of just splashing all over my face. Have to say the hardest part was trying to start running again after walking. Just a boatload of agony.

That Guy Ain't Right in the Head... Part III

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0000

The local paper had an interview with local Badwater Ultramarathon finisher, Todd Baum. Job well done! I can only dream of an accomplishment like that.

That guy ain't right in the head... Part II

Sat, 21 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Here’s another guy in from the New York City area training for the Badwater Marathon. I like this guys training regiment: running in Central Park on a route with no shade (in a full body black tracksuit), mowing his lawn with a push mower in 3 layers of clothes, and getting heat acclimated by cranking his bathroom up to 140 degrees.

That Boy Ain't Right in the Head...

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Here’s some video of local runner Todd Baum talking his preparations for the Badwater Ultramarathon. For those not familiar, that’s 135 miles through the Death Valley desert. Kinda puts my wussy marathon stuff into perspective. The elevation diagram just makes me want to cry. Good luck, Todd!

Another Boilermaker in the Bag!

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Jeepers, its been a busy week. Pretty sad that I’m just now getting around to filing my Boilermaker recap, over a week later.

After a busy few weeks of training, various commitments, and holiday visits, I was able to draw the line and I arranged to take it easy the Saturday before the race. Training-wise, I did a little teeny tiny taper; I kept up normal daily runs (60 minutes) until Thursday. Friday, I did 45 minutes; Saturday, I did a nice easy 30 minutes. I got a little nervous as I went out about about the same time of the Boilermaker start and it was already quite warm and humid. Yuck.

Corporate Challenge 2007: Hot Stuff!

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0000

The annual JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge was last night. After a day-of cancellation due to high heat and humidity, the race officials moved the race up about 5 weeks from the 1st Tuesday in August to the last Tuesday in June. Ironically, the temperature yesterday was quite high (mid 90s in the afternoon) and prompted many rumors that the race would canceled again. Fortunately, the show did go on.

Mountain Goat 2007

Mon, 07 May 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Despite, my recent medical break, I was inspired enough by my short training run yesterday to give the Mountain Goat Race a shot. After missing it do to medical problems last year, I was really interested in doing it this year. Thankfully, my hand was well enough to let me give it a shot.

Good-bye Cast!

Sat, 05 May 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Yesterday, I got the cast off from my ganglion excision surgery. Felt like an eternity that I was stuck with it, but in retrospect it wasn’t so bad.

Getting the cast of was kinda fun. I thought they were just going to unwind me luck a mummy. Forget that. They just whipped out some bypass scissors and hacked it off in a few seconds. Guess I’ll never know exactly what material the support in there was driving me nuts was made of; it was laminated in cushioning.

De-cyst-ed...

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Yesterday, I had a ganglion cyst removed from my left wrist. The picture the Wikipedia article was the spitting image of mine a few months ago; mine grew quite a bit bigger.

q1 2007 Running Update

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Editors Note: Unfortunately, the images originally linked were lost to the ages during an Wordpress migration a while ago.

Here we go again

Yeah, pretty uninspiring title, I know. Hopefully, the content will be a little better. The main goals for the start of the year were to try to stick to the weights to keep the non-running related muscles in check and to start getting my average pace down a bit.

Running Wrap Up 2006

Sun, 31 Dec 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Editor’s Note: unfortunately images from the original post have been lost in Wordpress migration, many years ago. The text content is still pretty good.

Introduction

Ok, its time for a 2006 recap. I’ve been dragging my feet on starting this write up because I keep threatening myself to work in just one more run. But, unfortunately, I’ve been sick for the last few days and not in any shape to run. Guess there’s no reason to delay any longer…

Jingle Bell Run 2k6

Tue, 21 Nov 2006 00:00:00 +0000

The Arthritis Foundations’ Jingle Bell Run was Sunday. Took a look outside about 11am and it looked pretty ok outside. I left for Onondaga Lake Park at about noon. Hmm, drizzle all the way down. Wait a second, that’s not just drizzle, there’s some snow mixed in.

Yar, Busy Busy Busy

Sun, 01 Oct 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Haven’t had time to sit down and do any writing lately, between work, exercise, visiting relatives, and some side projects.

Exercise-wise (man, that’s a nice domain. nuts, its already taken.) I’ve been trying out some new stuff. Turns out I messed myself up a bit in the final stretch at the ARC Run half marathon. I think it was either the last 90 degree left or 50 foot pea gravel pit that did me in. Not sure exactly what I did. But had some pain shooting up and down my leg for a few days. I couldn’t localize it down to foot, ankle, calf, or knee specifically. It seemed to hurt in different places at different times.

20 Running Rules

Wed, 13 Sep 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Larry was kinda enough to share this great list from the Runners World forums.

Don’t be a whiner. Nobody likes a whiner, not even other whiners.
Don’t make running your life, make it part of your life.
When doing group runs, start on time no matter who is missing.
Don’t compare yourself to other runners.
When standing in starting lines, remind yourself how fortunate you are to be there.
The faster you are the less you should talk about your times.
Don’t always run alone.
Don’t always run with people.
The best runs sometimes come on the days you didn’t feel like running.
Be modest after a race, especially if you have reason to brag.
All runners are equal; some are just faster than others.
There are no short cuts to run excellence.
There is nothing boring about running, there are, however, boring people who run.
Look at hills as opportunities to pass people.
Don’t try to out run dogs.
With out goals, training has no purpose.
Go for broke, but prepare to be broken.
Unless you make your living as a runner, don’t take running too seriously.
Runners who never fail are runners who never tried anything great.
Running is simple. Don’t make it complicated.

Good stuff! #11 is my current favorite.

ARC of Onondaga County Half Marathon 2006

Sat, 09 Sep 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Earlier in the week, I was hedging on doing this race. My left foot was bothering me a bit. Not so much when I’m running, but afterward. I think it was me gunning a little too hard on my Monday fun run. Sticking to my normal 6 milers at the Y during the work week wasn’t helping either. So, I skipped running on Friday.

Quick Running Stats Now in Sidebar

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 00:00:00 +0000

I’m slowly but surely getting up to speed on hacking Wordpress. Today, I added some quick running stats to my side bar. Just about as easy as it gets. I made it so my run log database manager program prints the desired content to a file. Then I just call it in the Wordpress sidebar.php file using a php include. Sweet!

Ah, Saturday Morning Runs

Sun, 27 Aug 2006 00:00:00 +0000

I had a particularly good running week, getting in 6 miles at the Y each day. I was pretty worn out during Friday’s run. But, when I was done, I was feeling great and very glad I stuck it out. Friday night, unfortunately, between work and running, I was pretty much spent. I half fell asleep in my easy chair a few times between 8 and 9, then headed off to bed for good at 9.

What A Run

Thu, 20 Jul 2006 00:00:00 +0000

So, Saturday morning, I wake up looking forward to a nice long run. Its about 5:45, so I figure I’ll try to wake up a bit (well, my digestive system at least). Good time to swap the music on the mp3 player. I’m getting a little bored with Avenged Sevenfold anyway.

Boilermaker 2006, Let the Good Times Roll

Mon, 10 Jul 2006 00:00:00 +0000

After a fairly restless night, its finally Boilermaker morning. I set my alarm for 4:45, but snapped wide awake at 4:30. Oh well, a few more minutes to make sure I don’t do something stupid like leave my number or chip behind. A quick run through the shower, then its load up time. I was out the door about 5:15, heading to the Thruway exist to hook up with Larry.

Boilermaker Expo

Sat, 08 Jul 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Made it out to the Expo yesterday. This is gonna be my 4th boilermaker, but my first Expo. Enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere compared to the general insanity of race day. Still amazed to see just how well organized the boilermaker team is. Bravo!

Pre-Boilermaker Update

Fri, 07 Jul 2006 00:00:00 +0000

A quick check in on the eve (well, almost…) of the 2006 Boilermaker. I’m attending my first Boilermaker expo in a little while. I’m looking forward to some good freebies and making my race day morning a little less hectic by getting my race packet early. Its kinda ironic that me being the only Utica native in the my running crew is usually the guy scrambling through packet pickup on Sunday.

Swamp Rat 2006 10K

Sun, 18 Jun 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Woke up about 6:30 to the sound of rain pouring down. Geez, I hope its not gonna be like Paige’s Butterfly Run a few weeks ago. Normally I’d go and check the radar and see what the weather’s gonna be like, but I figure I’m going either way, so does it really make any difference?

Bring that Beat Back

Fri, 16 Jun 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Was pleasantly surprised at my recent birthday (yeah, I’m feeling old again) to receive a new MP3 player and some other useful electronic gadgets from my Amazon.com wishlist. Props to the wife and in-laws for the hook up.

Paige's Butterfly Run 2006

Mon, 05 Jun 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Hmm… woke up at 5:30 to the sound of pouring rain. Strolled over to the window; yep. its really coming down. Feels like its gonna be one of those never gonna stop raining type of days. Moved over to the computer to check the radar on weather.com. Yuck, that’s one big cloud stuck over CNY. Maybe it might let up by race time.

10k Running Fun

Fri, 02 Jun 2006 00:00:00 +0000

My first 10k for 2006 is now on the books. Last Sunday, I did the Fayetteville 10k Classic. Its a kinda small race, with about 200 runners; but, it was pretty fun, none-the-less. I was pretty familiar with the area and the course from random biking excursions over the years. But, I didn’t remember how hilly it was.

Ready to Rock

Tue, 23 May 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Just signed up for f’ville 10k and paige’s butterfly runs. The former is next Sunday, the latter is the following Saturday. Gonna be a fun week!

Hope the weather is better than than last Sunday. Did 10 miles. When I started off it was gray but brightening up. Mile 2 the sun was shining, and the warmth felt real good. Mile 3 the wind picked up and the sky went black. Mile 4 and 5 it started to sprinkle. Mile 6 it hailed. Miles 7, 8, and 9 it was just gray again. Mile 10 it was raining big time. Ick, gotta keep telling myself its May and maybe this stuff won’t last forever.

Legs Still Work

Sat, 22 Apr 2006 00:00:00 +0000

If you didn’t notice the big hole in my run log entries for the last few weeks, I’ve been a running hiatus for a few weeks while I was getting a hernia repaired. After freaking out about the operation for a few weeks, the day came and went. Its wasn’t the kind of thing I’d look to do everyday, but not nearly as terrible as I thought it would be.

New Kicks...

Thu, 26 Jan 2006 00:00:00 +0000

I’m kicking off 2006 in style, 113.5 miles so far. Figured it was finally time to retire my Y running shoes. A year of torture was enough, hehe. They’re still in pretty good shape visually after about 800 miles; But, the guts are pretty much toast at this point (padding shot, upper in the ankle shot, etc). After finding few options locally at Dick’s and other all sport stores, I broke down and went to Fleet Feet. My reservation about going previously was just the intimidation factor. I run a lot, but still consider myself an amateur and maybe a poseur.

Running Update

Thu, 06 Oct 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Geez, its been a while since I put a running update. Yesteday, I capped 800 miles year to date. I don’t think I’m gonna make my original goal of 1200 miles for 2005; but, its still gonna be a banner year for fitness for me.

Boilermaker 2k5

Thu, 14 Jul 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Hmm, before I forget the details, I think its time for a Boilermaker 2005 race update. For those outside of the running loop, the Boilermaker is the largest 15K road race in the US. Its held in my home town, Utica, NY. 2005 was the 28th running of the race and my 3rd.

Cool Google Maps Hack

Thu, 07 Jul 2005 00:00:00 +0000

A while back, my pal Larry showed me a cool mapping site that lets you take out a virtual tape measure and measure distances arbitrarily. It really hit the spot for figuring out how far I’ve been running.

Quick Run Update

Mon, 06 Jun 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Pulled in a nice 14.6 miler on Saturday morning. I overslept and started later than I wanted to; so, I just grabbed a 20oz plastic water bottle because I didn’t want to mess around with one of my camelbacks.

Ahh. Vacation good.

Tue, 31 May 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Very good, indeed. 4 days of nice relaxing. Running, skating, sleeping. I could get used to this. Finally getting around to enjoying my deck. I’ve always wanted to drag the ole’ laptop out to the deck and pretend to be productive, so that’s what I’m doing now. Wireless ethernet is damn cool. Man, getting back to work tomorrow is gonna be tough. Since I’m getting caught up on stuff I’ve been meaning to do, maybe I’ll trying biking into work… we’ll see…

Running Update

Tue, 31 May 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Geez, I’ve been so bad about posting my running progress lately. Seems that by the time all the work, chores, and running is done, I just done have any motivation to do anything, let alone try to put words together. That being said, I’ve have still been pretty motivated to run. At work, the lunch time run is always a welcome distraction to the daily grind. Outside of work, the weather has been pretty decent for a Central New York spring. Guess anything less than 100% rain, is a good start.

Do Run Run

Mon, 16 May 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Geez, I’ve gotten pretty bad about keeping up on blogs lately. With the weather taking a decided turn for the better, I’ve been doing a bunch of running outside. I’m partly trying to make sure I’m ready for the National Distance Running Hall of Fame Half-Marathon next weekend, and partly just plain enjoying being outside.

Jinkies, long time no blog...

Thu, 21 Apr 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Wow, guess its been a while since I posted. So what’s been going on?

Well, works been pretty busy. Lots of projects, lots of quoting.

Other than that I’ve been running a lot. Had a particularly high mileage week last week. The weather, for central New York has been dynamite: mid sixties and sunny for almost 2 weeks. That’s pretty much unheard of this time of year in this area.

Running Log 1.0 Live

Tue, 01 Mar 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Finally got around to turning on my online running log. Its kinda lame at the moment, but it does give some quick stats as to my running addiction. Sooner or later, I’ll get back to it and add some more stats and some charts. Stay tuned.

Operation: Morning Run, Day 2

Wed, 18 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0000

Some people think running 5 miles is crazy. Some people may think that running 5 miles before work is crazy. Some people thinking running 5 miles before 6 AM is crazy. Seems just right to me.

Operation: Morning Run, Day 1

Mon, 16 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0000

After much procrastination, I’ve decided to try to get back into the running habit. So, Saturday, I dusted off the old running shoes and headed out for a 6 mile jaunt. Did pretty good, but started off a little late in the day for me. Dehydration set in about 5.5 miles in, so I walked the last half mile in.