Motivated to Succeed

3:15 PM - Happy Father's Day! Got up and went to church with the family, then we went out to the local volunteer firehouse across the street where we sat down to a pancake breakfast with my dad. My dad loved his presents. We got him an orange iPod nano and I got him a DVD set of the three stooges. Then we went down to Scotia to a car show. It was so cool to see all the old cars! We even saw a 1967 Aqua Car thing which was awesome! Very hot and humid though. Mid 70s and humidity at 95%. What do you know... when Jonn and I decided to drive to Saratoga to run at the trails it DOWNPOURED! Rain for about the seventh or eighth day in a row. Not good biking weather at all.

Warmed up with Jonn down to the bathhouse and I filled a water bottle. Stretched. Ran the 5k course with him (Mile splits were: 8:56, 8:29, 8:03). Then did a cool down 1.15 miles in 10:30. Felt really good, minus the weird pain behind my right knee. It only really happens when I stretch before/after a run or extend my right leg completely so that the knee is locked. The pain is right where my hamstring connects to the back of my knee. It's interesting because comparing my leg to Jonn's, I have several biker's muscles that he doesn't have, despite being so muscular! At the end I was very wet and muddy. Having dinner with the family and then printing off my FINAL RESEARCH PAPER and heading to Emmy's to drop off her road bike for her! :-D

Total Time: 36:00 Total Distance: 4.15 miles Average Pace: 8:41

5:00 PM - Cloudy and humid. Temperature in the 70s. After class today, I went with my friend Sal and I bought him a Guinness. I felt bad because he's been in the program as long as I have. He's working just like me and even though I just handed in my final project, he was told to work on it some more before Wednesday to get it to the "mastery" level that the professor holds us accountable for. 

After school I drove to Emmy's and we got changed and drove to the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail. Stretched and started off slow. Did a very nice jog on the trail, despite it being really windy and it looking like it was about to storm on us! Felt good. My right hip and knee are still a bit sore from the fall though. Most of the bruising is gone, but I think where the bones hit on the pavement will be sore for a little while longer. Finished with a "cool down" that Emmy hated me for. Did some striding out during the last mile that ended up reaching the 5:30/ mile pace. Felt good. Stretched afterwards. I truly have the greatest fiancee ever. She makes the runs that much easier! Splits were:

• Mile 1: 9:35
• Mile 2: 9:45
• Mile 3: 9:04
• Mile 4: 8:56

11:00 AM - Sunny, blue skies for the first time in over a week! So tired of the rain! All the rivers and streams are so overflowed. After waking up and getting coffee and tea and a yummy English muffin with egg whites, Emmy and I went for a bike ride on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail. The plan was to bike on the trail to Adams, MA and then continue on to North Adams (about five miles up the road). We nixed this idea because traffic was bad, it was crazy humid, and the roads were just not safe with the wind and traffic to be biking. So we turned around, stopped in Adams to eat an apple, and then continued home on the bike trail. So many other bikers and roller bladers out today! 

Some of the highlights of today's ride:

1. I got to go biking with Emmy.

2. Saw a woman wearing crazy go nuts MOON BOOTs (essentially roller blades with the treadmills that are on machine equipment attached to the bottom of them!)

3. Cute little snapping turtle and a bigger painted turtle out on the trail. Moved the snapping turtle, with a stick though because even though it was tiny I'm sure it packed a punch!

4. Lady in flourescent green approached us at about mile 22 and warned us of a big black bear that was on the bike path up ahead. We waited until we saw bikers approaching from that direction, and made a pact to talk loudly to let the bear know we were there and hopefully avoid any unnecessary confrontation!

5. Emma finished the longest bike ride she's ever done! And did it pretty much pain free. Legs felt good it was the shoulder that hurt.

6. Spending time in the great out of doors with the love of my life.

7. Almost had another bike accident today; Heard Emma yell "Watch out! Snake!" Looked down just in time to see a garter snake going schizo. I went off the trail and had to fight to stay upright. Then also almost hit a couple birds. I tell you the animal kingdom is looking to get back at me with a vengeance for my run in with the poor little kitty. :(

Total Time: 2:20:25  Total Distance: 28.32 miles Average Speed: 12.1 mph

2:00 PM - Humid, sunny, and disgusting. I hate the northeast. Biked to and from my car to the campus because I didn't trust people in Albany. Didn't want to leave my bike unattended. Curious incident: Bike was fine when I loaded it, but between the car ride from Albany to Middle Grove (45 mins) all the air in my front tire was let out. I changed the tube, and ran my finger inside the tire and all, but not sure why the flat. Just pumped up the replacement. Will check on it in the morning to see what it looks like.

9:15 AM - Sunny, blue skies. Incredibly muggy and temperature already high 70s. Predicted temp of 89 today. Virtually 100% humidity. I was sweating just walking to the car this morning. Ick. Went to Spa Park in Saratoga with Jonn. We went for a run. Really great run today. Did warm up to the bathhouse. Got water from the natural spring, stretched, then continued on, running on trails and roads. At the end Jonn held my water bottle and keys while I worked on my form. I have horrible running form and usually run with my arms out instead of going forward and back. I think it has to do with my bowleggedness. Just how I learned to balance myself. But made an agreement with Jonny that I will work on better form. Going to do every cool down focusing on form. Hopefully some of it will translate into my runs. No pain in the knee or legs afterward! Went and got my car's oil changed. What a rip off. I have to remember to go to the mechanic in Massachusetts. They seem very more reasonable both in character and prices! Splits were:

• Mile 1: 8:47
• Mile 2: 8:27
• Mile 3: 8:50
• Mile 4: 8:30

Total Time: 36:08  Total Distance: 4.2 miles Average Pace: 8:36/ mile

I don't really know why, but had a scary inkling to jump onto the scale today before work, and had a very real and humbling experience. Today was the first time, ever I have weighed 200 pounds. I don't get it though. Everyone says I don't look like I've gained any weight. Are they just lying? And I don't feel super fat. Yes, most of my clothes fit a bit snugger than usual, but I feel strong when I run and everything. 200 pounds. This is not cool. I am going on a diet. First foods to get axed: BAGELS.

"There is no such thing as bad weather, just soft people."
- Bill Bowerman -

8:55 AM - Temperature was 74 and humid. Sunny. Wanted to get a run in before the horrible storm hit. Got done just in time too. Thunder and lightning. Not cool. But got my run in. Went to the track and ran a warmup lap and hit the small and big nature trails (Small one = ~.25 miles, Big one = .6 miles). I like running on the nature trails for a few reasons. 1. It breaks up the run, 2. It's fun, 3. Not many other people run on the trails and it gives me time to meditate, 4. I like to be different than most people. In all honesty I probably did more near 3.25 or 3.5 but I'll be consistent and go with what the garmin says since I don't know for sure. Splits were:

• Mile 1: 10:26
• Mile 2: 10:24
• Mile 3: 10:07

Total Time: 31:00 Total Distance: 3 miles Average Pace: 10:20

Found this in Amby Burfoot's The Principles of Running, p. 15: "Set realistic goals and reach them. Don't go for records. Aim for results that will bring you maximum satisfaction." (I would say today qualifies as success. Nothing beats running in the rain and running with your younger brother!)

7:30 PM - Worked at the Jazz Festival at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) all day for work. We are selling cds by the artists that are playing there. Worked until 530 or so and then walked to the car. Lots of interesting people today. I have to admit I love to people watch. You always learn new things, and usually see behaviors that thankfully are below you :). Was hot and humid all day, raining on and off. I was very happy to have the tent to work under. We sold a lot of umbrellas which we brought last minute to go with the cds. Got home and had dinner, and was setting down to watch the John Adams HBO series that I got for Christmas. Finally have time to watch it! I absolutely love it! Got a text message from Jonn that asked, "Wanna go for a run". One of my rules of running is never turn down an opportunity to lace up shoes and hit the roads or trails. So I laced up and went to the track. We went running on the nature trails and of course it started to pour on us. I noticed that most of the time when I was running we were going 8:00-8:30s on the flats but then of course GARMIN lost signal and these dropped to 10:00s. So odds are I ran closer to 3.5 miles or more I suspect. Splits according to watch were:

• Mile 1: 9:53
• Mile 2: 10:22
• Mile 3: 8:52
• .27: 2:16 (8:23/mile)

Total Time: 31:24 Total Distance: 3.27 miles  Average Pace: 9:36