The Latest

Seriously! This blog is lacking. Cranking out miles just doesn't make for the fodder that stuffing bacon into your face does.

A week or so ago I ventured to NYC to watch Mile Challenge participant, Alberto run in the NYC Half Marathon.  Somehow, despite having a plan of where to cross paths that Sunday morning we still didn't see Alberto run by.  Three of us didn't see him and he didn't see us.  To the right you'll see a photo of runners coming down the west side of Manhattan. Make as if Alberto is in there somewhere.

Thanks to Alberto's training for this half and whatever else he's up to, he only has 93 miles to go before year's end.  He can pretty much run a mile every 3 days and be good for accomplishing the goal.  And that's why we call him "jerk."

Personally, I'm keeping pace with my rowing miles, but my biking and running are behind. The weather is getting nicer though so I have a plan to get myself back in the game. But will it work? We'll have to wait and find out.

Oh, and the previous post about ice cream?  Andy isn't messing around.  He's gone beyond vanilla and I've now sampled/given feedback on 3 different flavors thus far (I may have missed out on one).  Ice cream probably isn't really conducive to Mile Challenging, but such is life I guess.

Hopefully this thing will be updated with a bit more frequency now that the weather is starting to cooperate.  I know some of us Clevelanders have soccer season starting, the Warrior Dash is sneaking up, the ice is off the water for us rowers and there has even been talk of a Cleveland to Akron bike ride.

Stay tuned.

Running Sucks, Ice Cream Rules

For those of you who don't know, I'm starting a new business. The business of Ice Cream. I have bought myself an ice cream maker and made a pretty fantastic batch of vanilla last week. My first attempt at chocolate is in the freezer as we speak.

How's this relate to running? Like so: I was set to run two miles yesterday. Only two miles. Shouldn't take more than 20 minutes. One mile in, I said to myself, "This sucks, I'd rather be making ice cream." So I stopped, and walked in my house, and made some ice cream.

What's the point? This: I care more about ice cream than running.

Today, however, I was waiting for the ice cream to freeze, and my roommate said she was going to the YMCA (this is the same roommate who I am going to have the gymnastic challenge with on the first day of summer). I figured I'd join her, since all the ice cream was made. I got in a good three miles, which I was very happy with. However, she had a much better story.

Apparently there is a chronic ass-starer at the Y. He'll just walk into the room with all the ellipticals, walk to the back, stare at some ass, then walk out. He also walks over to the exercise room (the one where they have the classes and everything) and just stands in the door, checking some ass. I guess he does this without any sort of apology. Just stands there, scoping ass. I've never seen this happen but my roommie said she sees it pretty much every time she's there.

Oh he's also got a face tattoo.

Nothing Really. Oh, and Wolves.

So we're sort of lacking in the content on the ol' Mile Challenge blog as of late.  Sadly I don't have much to add but I figure I should get something on here.

I've temporarily given up on the Five Fingers and have been pounding the pavement in my regular Brooks Glycerins. The cold and the wet was making for numb feet which makes for easing into the Five Fingers unenjoyable. So my plan is to wait for some consistent temperatures of over 45 (soon?) and then start up the barefoot style again. In the meantime I'll try getting my leg muscles up to amateur competition specs.

Also, if you are heading for Alaska, keep an eye out for wolves.  Apparently they don't take kindly to runners:  Alaskan Teacher Mauled To Death By Pack Of Wolves While Out Jogging

Geez!

Knees Pleased

Everyone is always saying that "running kills your knees" and "running is so bad for you" and other such phrases, but I was just reading this article in the Montreal Gazette about a study from our friends at Stanford University that seems to say otherwise.

Take that, nay sayers!

Cock-a-doodle-doo

What I am not: a runner. What I am definitely not: a morning person. So imagine my surprise to discover what I am: a morning runner.

After days (okay, weeks) of failing to accommodate the Mile Challenge into my evening schedule, I decided to try my hand at an early morning routine. For me, that’s at about 8 o’clock… and as long as my gym clothes, running shoes, water bottle and ipod are laid out next to my bed so there is very little time to change my mind in the morning, I seem to stick to it. I wouldn’t go so far as to say I enjoy it—it’s still the same miserable experience that running’s always been for me—but damn if I don’t feel great for the rest of the day. Also, I seem to be a better runner in the morning… stronger, faster and generally less yawny. I’ve looked for scientific support for exercising at a certain time of day (not much that’s conclusive—and how studies that include 11 participants get funding is beyond me). But according to this short yet comprehensive synopsis, what little research is available points to late afternoon as optimal time for exercise.

I don’t care. I’ve run more often in the last week than I have since starting the challenge so I’m sticking to this new crack-of-dawn program I’ve begun.