Go, you chicken fat, go away!

I saw two hummingbirds today. One of them flew directly towards my face and I thought it was going to peck my eyes out. I named them Nan and Lyns because hummingbirds are so small yet flap their wings faster than any other bird. I also saw two Eric Day lagartos.

There was a school bus parked on the side of the road this morning.  One girl had her head poked out the window in the back of the bus and was waving at another girl with her head poked out of the window at the front of the bus.  As I came up to the bus the girl in the back turned around and saw me.  I waved at her and she slowly ducked back into the bus like a meerkat.

I tried to go out a little faster today than yesterday to see how long I could hold the faster pace.  The first couple of miles were in the 7:45 range, but the 4th mile was 8:15.  While this compares to yesterday's pace, it was a 30 seconds slower than my first two miles today.  Yesterday all my mile times were real close together.  Lesson learned : nothing.

Time - 42:25 (7:55 pace)

Splits - 7:46, 7:43, 7:58, 8:15, 8:00, (7:32 pace for 0.36 miles)

Temp - 84

Even though I went a lot slower and less distance today, I think I sweated more than ever.  I saw a couple of lizards, but the highlight of the morning was the baby gecko we caught in the house.  I was going to feed it to one of our snakes, but I didn't have the heart.  I let it go outside.

Time - 28:40 (avg. pace 8:22)

Splits - 8:33, 8:22, 8:17, (8:12 for 0.42 miles)

Temp - 82

The school bus was out this morning, but all the windows were rolled up.  A lady with a dog came running out from a side road.  I didn't want her to pass me, but didn't really make an effort so that she wouldn't.  My miles were pretty consistent this morning.  They didn't pass me.

Time - 44:40 (avg. pace 8:22)

Splits - 8:21, 8:16, 8:16, 8:21, 8:35, (8:22 for 0.34 miles)

Temp - 86

People who drive at night are mean.  We had a nice little thunder storm this morning.  So I slept in.  By the time it cleared up my wife was out running her errands.  So I had to wait 'til after dinner to go running.  Usually I wimp out.  But I couldn't have another week with less than 20 miles.  So I started running shortly after 10pm.  I still don't know who won the ASU/Idaho game.  I'll have to check on that.  I now remember why I don't like to run in the evenings.  Dinner did not sit well.  So I plugged along (trying not to enter the puke zone) to see how many miles I could get before midnight.  I did my neighborhood loop twice and my WalMart loop once.  I had two people sneak up and honk at me and one vehicle of girls holler at me.

Time - 1:45:11 (avg pace 9:16)

Splits - 8:28, 9:20, 9:04, 9:12, 9:29, 9:32, 9:24, 9:12, 9:13, 9:30, 9:33, (9:30 avg. for 0.34)

Temp - 73

Note - I checked the score.  ASU completely thrashed Idaho State.  It's almost too embarrassing to mention.  And blueberry pomegranate Gatorade is the best.

2 sets of crunches (15 reps)

2 sets of modified planks (1 min.)

2 sets of modified pushups (15 reps)

2 isometric shoulder holds with towel

2 sets of standing adduction (15 reps)

2 sets of lying adduction (15 reps)

So much for three times a week.  Oh well.  The planks weren't as hard today.

I wanted to do my +5.35-mile WalMart loop today, but when I started running I still felt sore from Saturday's run, so I switched to my 3-mile neighborhood loop.  Now after running the three, I feel like I loosened up and could have run the 5.35.  I saw lots of walkers today, but no runners. 

Time - 23:39 (avg. pace 7:53)

Splits - 8:02, 7:52, 7:45

1 set of 50 sit-ups.

1 set of 10 push-ups.

I know. I'm pathetic. My leg is still sore, so I'm resting it. I'm hoping to go on a long run tomorrow.

This was my fourth attempt to run all the way home from work.  FAIL!  I think it's about 15.5 miles home, so I should be able to do it.  The problem was I left at 6:30pm and it was already getting dark after a half hour. 

I had a friend/coworker pick me up and take me to work this morning.  I packed all my gear except my headlamp.  That would have been useful because at mile 6.5 I fell in a hole.  I saw it coming, but didn't think it would be as deep as it was.  So the fall didn't hurt, but my glasses fell off, and it was difficult to locate them in the dark with blurred vision and in a state of daze and confusement. 

The temperature when I left was 101 and 97 when I finished.  The Gatorade that I put in the freezer all day completely melted after an hour.  I took a GU at mile 9.  Some people tell me that they can feel the surge of energy after popping them.  They do nothing for me.  Am I too fat?  At mile 10 I called my wife.  The darkness was ridiculous and not making the run fun.  I finished off my Gatorade knowing she was bringing me ice cold water.  A couple of blog entries ago I mentioned that blueberry pomegranate Gatorade is the best.  It's so good I think I picked it off the shelf of AJ's Fine Foods.  Well after holding it in my hand for an hour and a half it tends to get foamy.  Then it's not quite as tasty.

My average pace was around 9:20.  My leg doesn't feel too bad, but I should go stretch it now.

The joke that seems to be going around today:

Kanye West just interrupted Patrick Swayze's death to say that Michael Jackson's death was much better.

And check out the fabulous new link under my bio for the explanation of my blog title.

Here's me and Emily in our McDonald's shirts.

I couldn't decide which one she looked cuter in.

I shaved my beard off today.  Does that count for anything?

Congratulations to all the bloggers who ran the Top of Utah Marathon today.

Paul Peterson came in 1st place.  Looking good Paul.  Arriba!

Jon 'Teapot' Allen came in 6th.

Finally I went running again.  Well, jogging.  My calf still is bugging some.  I guess I'll just focus on stretching it a lot.  But I'm afraid it's a tear.  Stretching a tear can't be good, can it?

I saw Never-look-at-me lady and surgical-mask lady today.  My how I've missed them.

Time - 24:51 (avg. pace 8:17)

Splits - 8:19, 8:25, 8;07

I got all geared up to go today, but my calf was having none of it.  I stretched out and thought I was ready to go.  Then I took about three steps, stopped, turned around, and started stretching again.  I then tried again and got about 80 feet according to Garmin and said, "Forget it."  I don't like not being able to run; especially since I had been doing real good up to this point.  So I got on the stationary bike and pedalled for about 20 minutes.  I also have continued to do my strength conditioning.  I've done 50 sit-ups and 10 push-ups every day along with the occasional modified plank.  My wife massaged my calf, and that felt pretty good.  I was going to wear my head band double-looped around it today, but she took it off.  I did ice it a little last night.  So I am actually trying to nurse it, which is new for me.  I'm kind of bummed out though because I took almost two weeks off from running, and it hasn't seemed to help.  :(

I pedaled around on the stationary bike this morning.  I'm not sure for how long.  I was finishing watching the movie Slap Shots, which I thought was going to be much funnier than what it was, but apparently Leslie Nielson isn't in to making the kind of movies anymore that made him a comedic legend.  This was a stinker.  I watched the last half of it in fast motion trying to read the captions as I went.  My rating : two pulled calf muscles down. 

Here's an exclusive shot of Allizzle with her homey after the marathon.

How nice of him to support a fellow west sider.