Motivated to Succeed

7:00 PM - Went for an Easter jog this afternoon with Emm before dinner. We went around the block, 3.4 miles in 30:00. Things felt fine and the sun was out, but it was a bit warm. This jog actually hurt more then last weekend's ultramarathon. My legs feel a bit dead, especially when having to pick it up to 8:30 pace. Emma was a speed demon tonight. After dinner we went for a walk and did 2 miles up around a newer development area and back again. Total for the walking portion was 40:00. Total of 5.4 miles for the day. Just starting to rain now. Back to work tomorrow.

This afternoon I also read Karno's RUN! cover to cover. Some of my takeaways from it were:

"As I ran, I thought about the unique power running seemed to have to break down barriers and unite people in strange and wonderful ways, regardless of race, creed, socioeconomic status, or age." (page 5)

"Running could unite or divide, but running in extreme circumstances - in the middle of the night, for example - had a way of bringing out peoples' true character. The good, the bad, and the hilarious." (page 9)

"But when you think of it, who isn't [strange]? We all have our peculiar idiosyncrasies, don't we? Who among us can look themselves in the mirror and honestly say they're one hundred percent normal? Let's be candid: Being completely normal is, well, abnormal." (page 67) 

Karno's tips:

1. It doesn't matter how fast you're going if you're moving in the wrong direction.

2. Even if you're inches away from the finish, never take success or granted.

3. Regardless of how distant your dreams may seem, every second counts.

4. Never, nunder any circumstances, argue with a tired woman. She is always right.

(page 89)

And my favorite, from page 227:

"That's quite a treadmill record for a nonathlete, " I said in amazement. "What's the second farthest distance anyone's covered in forty-eight hours?"

"I think it's about 190 miles, by another ultramarathoner."

"Wait a minute," I said. "You mean to tell me that this guy who's not even an athlete holds the record over an ultramarathoner by more than fifty miles?"

"I guess so," he responded.

"That must have been incredible to watch. Were you there?"

"No I wasn't."

"Do you know where it was?"

"No, I don't. You're not actually required to have a Guinness representative present to set a record, you just need third-party verification." 

6:30 PM - Sunny, 75 degrees. Today was a crazy day. Woke up at about 2am to the craziest thunderstorms yet this year.  I was able to fall back to sleep relatively quickly, but Emm was up for quite a bit. When she did fall asleep, she said she had all kinds of crazy dreams. Went off to school which was fine, some really great moments actually in my special ed class and seniors and even in the 6th grade until... it warmed up. The projected high today was 72 degrees, well above average to begin with. I remember driving into work and hearing the record high today was 90 degrees set in 1990. I was like, dang! Since when did it even hit 80s in the month of April... spoke too soon. My room in the school is set off on the west side of the building, so by the mid afternoon when I go in to teach 6th grade it has warmed up something fierce. Turns out that it was a high of 83 degrees in Adams, MA today and it felt even warmer in the classroom. I turned off all the lights, shut the blinds and everything was fine. We were supposed to be doing independent work on laptops until the laptops would not work. Our network crashed because it didn't have enough IP addresses to support all the kids using laptops. Oops! Luckily I had netflix and had an episode on China queued up ready to go. I popped it in and we just "chilled" for the remainder of class, taking notes and answering some questions. It was a good class.

Went to the track tonight late with Emm after dinner. Warmed up and did a nice 4 miles including one pick up 800 in 3:18. Then cooled off, did .5 miles of stryders and a couple more cool down laps. 6 miles total in a time of about 57:30. Hit the 4 mile a bit after 34. 

10:00 AM - Up and at them early. I think that one of the best things is getting up early on a Saturday and going for a run. Emm and I registered for the Humane Race in Williamstown for this a.m. since one of my juniors volunteers at the BHS shelter down in Pittsfield. We got there early, around 8:40am and picked up our packets. Not bad - for 15 bucks we got a load of free samples and such as well as a free t-shirt. We went for a nice slow jog 10:00 pace. Did a bit over a mile around Williams College. Saw the finish line over at Spring Street. This was the 8th annual I think. 

Tons of dogs, including a cute pointer with only three legs. Turns out he got hit by a car and the owner put a tourniquet on the leg only it cut off the blood flow and it had to be amputated. There was a crowd forming and though it looked like rain, the sun finally came out. There were about 290 humans and 200 dogs present from all shapes and sizes. There was a boy no bigger then Skyler and there was a guy as big as the Hulk. A toy chihuahua and a Newfoundland. THere were all types of dogs. Emm and I got to the start, only it was unorganized. No real start line. Ended up being okay though except they closed the road exactly :20 seconds before the start of the race.

I went out too fast. Ended up running a 7:25 first mile. And ooo the hills they burned! Ended up with a 7:47 second mile and coasted home in 8:05 final mile. Just didn't have the speed in my legs. Haven't done speedwork or hills since last fall. Oops! Plus I'm a fatty now! Emm beat me by about :30 or :40 seconds. She looked strong. No race results though the RD said. Oh well. Still was fun.

Cooled down to the car and then went to NY to watch my youngest bro Harry get his Eagle Award. Now all three of us brothers (Me, Jonny and Harry) are Eagle Scouts! Most memorable Eagle Scout Ceremony ever. It was so much fun! Such a funny ceremony too, even when I was put on the spot. I guess I read the Eagle Charge well enough.