I had 5 miles on the schedule tonight, but the road just outside the neighborhood was undergoing major repaving.  With traffic backed up and the road filled with piles of asphalt, cones, and sweaty guys in fluorescent vests, I decided it wasn’t a safe place to go running.

So I drove the truck about a mile away to the elementary school and ran from there.  Seemed kinda stupid to drive such a short distance just to get out and run.  But the road was pretty clear so late at night and the road there was pretty much untravelled.  Its a cut through between to major roads, which actually don’t get used very much themselves.  Seems like the few people that do drive out that way aren’t in much of a hurry anyway.

The road has a vegetable stand on the one corner, and I was hoping to pick up some zucchini and tomatoes, but no luck.  I see the stands in the morning before they open, and then at night when they are closed.  Very dissappointing, especially since I’ve had a craving for fresh vegetables lately instead of the crap that Price Chopper sells.   Don’t get me wrong, Price Chopper does ok, but when the tomatoes are shipped green and taste like cardboard, it really pissed me off to pay so damn much for them.  So I look for homegrown.

No luck on the stands tonight.  I found one stand that had one cucumber left, which I bought for 60 cents.  I’ll take what I can get.  There is another stand on the way to work that looks like it is self serve but I’m suspcious about it.  The house does not appear to have a yard with a garden, yet the stand is bursting with tomatoes, corn, and squash.  With Price Chopper less than a 1/4 mile away, it makes me wonder.

So the run was good.  There are some big hills to do on this route, so I feel like I really did something.  I’m not quite on target for the 25 pounds by the reunion.  Trying, really, I am.  I just can’t seem to exercise enough.  I know the food is down to about 1800 - 2000 calories a day.  I guess I could cut it a little more if needed, but I need to keep myself busy doing stuff to do that.  I can work outside or on a project all day without eating, but if I sit around, then I feel when I get hungry.  I guess when I am busy, my body burns th fat.

Tomorrow is another run in the park on the big hills.  They’re good for me.  At least I keep saying that.  :)

New Haven is less than two weeks away!

I was supposed to go to the gym tonight, but I stayed late finishing something at work and then I stopped to talk to the boss.  Then I had to stop at the store and get ground flax seed, and I had to get gas for the giant metal pig that I drive to work.

Home at 8:30.  Sigh.

So I tried to just eat just a few slices of sliced turkey for dinner.  Not having done any workout, it seems stupid to eat a big dinner to go lay down in bed for 8 hours.

Tomorrow I have 5 miles on the menu.  Just a quick run up the road and back.  Nothing fancy.

I was figuring out my race pace for New Haven based on my last 5K and it puts me at a 9:05 pace.  Very sad considering the last time I did the 20K, I ran a speedy 8:20 pace and essentially PR’d my half marathon time.  I think even with race day energy and the 20 pounds I plan to lose in the next two weeks (sigh) I think the best I can hope for is 8:45, if the air is cool and I get good sleep.  I’m always hoping for so much more than I can give.

And today I forgot my small bit of chocolate for my lunch.  I bring just 2 squares, but it gets me through the day.  So I ate 5 lifesavers today instead.  It was not a good substitute.

Sad right now, I’m not sure why.  I think I need more turkey.  Then bed.

Its been a long time since I ran 10 miles (well, aside from the 30 minutes ago run).  I had some beautiful weather out there this AM.  I wore my baseball cap to keep the sun off my head, but ended up carrying it for most of the way just to let my head cool down a bit.

I ran out along where all the farms and horses are.  Lots of the horses out staring at me this AM.  They had that look that says “What the heck is that old boy doin’?”

I feel pretty exhausted.  Nothing broken, but really dead tired.  I forgot how long a run that is.  I came up with a funny running song which would be great to make if I could only play banjo.  And sing.

New Haven is 2 weeks away and I am damn psyched to see it coming.  Next week I think I am doing 12 miles, but I ‘m not sure.  I think officially its 10 on the schedule, but I wanted to bump it up just a smidge.  Maybe 11?  Ten just seems to low but I don’t want it too high before the race.  Is a week enough recovery time for 12 mile long run, if I keep it at 1:30 slower than my intended race pace?  Note to self: figure out intended race pace.

Hope you all have nice weather today.  We have sun!

EDIT:

And would someone please tell me if this page looks okay in Firefox 3.01?  For some reason its all screwed up in FF.  Thank you Mozilla for upgraded (and included tons of crappy add-ons automatically) and turning FF into Internet Destroyer.  IE looks fine now and FF looks like crap.

Jank tagged me about 10 years ago, so I finally got around to thinking of something to say.  Share 5 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird

1. I have been scolded by the Secret Service. My friend and I were in DC touring the area and there was a big plywood wall set up around the White House (back lawn). I wanted a picture of the White House so we climbed up on the wall to take the picture. About 10 seconds later they came racing around the corner in their car, yelling at us to get off the wall. Since this was pre-9/11, we were not shot on the spot and given the fake names of Ahmed Al Akhim and Muhammed Bin Omar for the news reports and labeled as terrorists.

2. I don’t like coconut. I think the taste and texture is incredibly disgusting. When I was in high school I dated this girl who was in the “upper class” as school. She was was really pretty, blonde hair, giant…uh….hands. I went to her house for dinner and she made this cake for dessert with caramel coconut frosting. I had to gulp down a giant piece that she gave me. I almost died. She dumped me about a month later.

3 . I’m a packrat. I collect all kinds of strange old stuff. I have three mortar and pestle sets. I have a piece of Old Ironsides. I have a diary from 1922. I have a Cornet (I have no idea how to play) from the 50’s. I have a Laser Tag set with three laser pistols and 50 targets that I bought in Canada. I have a Ukulele (which I also cannot play). I have boxes and boxes of book about chemistry, which I rarely open. I have grocery bags filled with sea shells. The list goes on…

4.  I can tie a cherry stem in a knot with my tongue.

5.  My mailbox is one of those super steel reinforced ones that will shatter the baseball bats of all the little teenage bastards who come by for a midnight smashing.  I wish I could get it on video.

Just a VERY quick post because its late and I need to get to bed so I can 1) get up for work and 2) forget that I’m hungry and eat everything in the house.

I did 5 miles in the moonlight tonight and it was really really nice.  I miss the night runs on cool late summer nights.  Just beautiful. Its been so long since we had weather where you could see the stars.

Also, my 25th high school reunion may be in November.  If I’m going, I have 12 weeks to lose 25 pounds.  Think I can do this?  I already missed my goal of losing 25 pounds by New Haven.  Now I have to wear spanx so nobody sees my big butt.

I ran three miles tonight with my new running partner.  We ran the hilly park again.  I think this is a good thing.  I like running with someone and I think the hills are good for me, instead of just the mostly flat road.

Seeing my partner run, I can tell she is going to be much faster eventually.  You can see it in her stride.  You know what I mean?  The fast people just have a different stride from the rest of us.  Even though she’s going slow like me, the speed is increasing rapidly.  Today’s run was faster than last time we ran, despite just finishing the race on Sunday and having a run ealier this week.

That’s it.  Time for bed.

I had 5 miles on the schedule tonight and did them after a brief delay with the refrigerator.  The wife made sloppy joes for the kid and his nephew and I ended up having two for dinner.  I don’t know why really, because I wasn’t very hungry.  Just something about the taste.  Maybe the MSG makes me hungrier.

So I did my 5 miles with sloppy joes in my stomach and I was sorry right around mile 3 when the stomach cramps started hitting me.  I tried sucking my gut in real hard for a bit, then pushed it out hard for a bit, and the combination fixed it after a spell.  I’m sure it looked odd to observers in their houses.

Tonight while I was running I had those thoughts.  You know the ones.  The ones where you start thinking you should run another marathon because you have forgotten the pain from the last one already.  There’s one in February (oh wouldn’t that be a nice one, huh?), but I think if I would do another, it would be the Hudson-Mohawk again.  They had a nice course and good food, and I still have unfinished business with that one after throwing my race plan to the wind and crashing and burning my way to the finish.

Thinking about it anyway.

I ran in the Run for the Roses 5K at Grafton Lakes State Park on Sunday.  We had perfect weather.  I was shocked.  Despite  having record levels of rain fall for the last two months, the sun was out and not a drop of rain the whole day.  Temps were around 60 or so in the morning.  I’d be happier with 50, but I’ll take 60 over 70 any day.  I just melt in hot weather.

I met up with my friend Kelley (who totally outed me while searching for the race website) at the park around 8 and we had time to get our bibs and chat for a while before the race.  This was a small race with about 120 people I think.  The goody bags were this funky little carry bag thing with stings for your shoulders and a drawstring top.  Someone said it was perfect for the beach.  We got lip balm, sunscreen, new york state maps and tourist guides, and a coupon for Mary Kay.  No snacks.  :(

The race started in the parking lot and left the park and heading up the highway into town.  Start was on an uphill (which sucked), then it was a fairly steep downhill into town, then a very steep uphill to the town park.  Around the park and a steep down and incredibly steep uphill into the parking lot behind the park office and back to the main parking lot finish line.

Did I mention the hills?  This was as hilly as a trail race.  Egads.

I did ok.  I was about a minute slower than Silks and Satins, and that was flat like a pancake, so I’m reasonably pleased.  I passed a couple 8 year-olds which made me happy because they usually run faster than I do.  On the big uphill in town, there was a tall guy ahead of me who kept doing the sprint-walk thing, and who would sprint as soon as I caught him.  He lasted about halfway up the hill before giving up.  I had done this hill twice already on training runs.

At the finish we got a rose.  Snacks were so-so.  Oranges, banas, a box of cookies, and a ton of Stewarts drinks (orange juice, fruit juice, etc).  And water.  I had plenty but if you know me, you know I live for the snacks at the end. :)

My friend Kelley did wonderful.  She is just picking up running again (ran track in high school, has running genes, we hate her) and is doing a 5K every month.  I have the feeling she will be increasing her speed at a very rapid pace.  She’ll be waiting for me at the finish line soon enough.

We hung around long enough to see out times, which I have promptly forgotten.  And since its a small race, I don’t know if they post them anywhere.  Oh well.  I know I was about halfway overall, which is typical for me, but I would like to do better.  I was a little over an 8:00 pace, which is disappointing.

I’d like to break the 8:00 mark and move closer to 7:30.  I think dumping 20 pounds would help that alot.  I’m not having a lot of luck in that area.  I dropped a couple pounds but it goes back on again.  The running makes it hard to cut back the calories.  If I eat less, I am wasted for running.  Eat more and I can’t lose weight.  Sigh.  Working on it.

Janice tagged me a couple months ago, so I’m just getting back to it now.  Here goes:

1. How would you describe your running 10 years ago?

10 years ago, my running didn’t exist.  I’ve been running only as long as I’ve had this blog.  10 years ago I was very overweight and eating like a maniac and wondering why my pants don’t fit, thinking my pants were just shrinking in the wash.

2. What is your best and worst run/race experience?

Best race experience: The Trail Half Marathon in Michigan.  We had 4 inches of snow and I was totally prepared for it because of my training.  I PR’d my half marathon times, even though it was very hilly trails and my PR’s was on flat pavement.

Worst race experience: The Detroit Marathon.  I arrived injured, got more injured in the race, and wanted to die.  Seriously.

3. Why do you run?

I have no logical answer.  I think its because most people I know don’t run and I want to do something special.  And I think wicking fabric is sexy.

4. What is the best or worst piece of advice you’ve been given about running?

Best advice: Bandaids on the nipples.

Worst advice: Get motion control shoes with extra cushioning on the heels.

5. Tell us something surprising about yourself that not many people would know.

I can eat an entire 9 inch cheesecake with my eyes closed.

Look at me, two posts in one day.  I am amazing.  :)

Not really, this is a totally lame post because its 9:30 and I need to go to bed so I can get up early and eat me bran buds and then go race like a madman.

Today was lovely so we spent it cleaning the garage.  We piled all the stuff out on the porch in the hopes that someone would come and steal it.  No luck yet.  And the Salvation Army closed a half hour early today so my truck is stuck filled with excess junk until Monday.

Did you have a good Saturday?