A Passion for Running

Welcome to the home of Mark aka The Running Blogfather – a 40 year-old dad, husband and marathon runner who's beaten injury and is on the comeback trail!

4C/39F + rain = damn cold!

passion for running category: running on Wednesday, September 8 2004

No, I’m not talking about my run today. I’m talking about the bike ride home. Brrrrrrrrrrr. Man, that was wet and cold. I’ve been home for an hour and I’m still cold. Brrrrrrrrrr…brrrrrrrrrrrrr.

After a three week layoff from biking, I got back in the seat today. I’d planned on a two week break (one week before the 1/2 marathon and one after) but another week squeeked in there. Grrrrr.

The ride to work was a bit tough but not too bad. The way home was (besides the freezingness described above) suprisingly not difficult at all and that’s after a 50 minute run at lunch. Wahoo!

Looks like I won’t be riding tomorrow because guess what? We are supposed to have bloody snow flurries over the next 24 hours! Argh. That’s Alberta for ya. As Forest would say, “ya never know whatcher gonna git”. I do plan on riding through at least part of the winter but I’m not properly geared for it right now so I’ll be passing on the very real likelihood of hypothermia thank-you-very-much!

By the way, and in case you’re wondering, winter is not supposed to start here till around the end of October. In other words, “this too shall pass”.

Anywho, the lunch run was good. Two days in a row with Nick and Corinne. That almost never happens. In fact today may have been a first. I’m not sure. Anyway, it was a light run in comparison to yesterday’s hilly run. We ran out to the “peace mile” so I could see how badly I’d calibrated the speed+distance monitor. Turns out the answer is “very badly”. It was exactly 60 meters under each way. That’s not good so I’m gonna listen to Mike’s suggestion to do the calibration while running much slower. Thanks Mike, I’ll give it a go!

We ran the mile home fast. 7:15 – 7:20 fast. Not sure exactly since I forgot to press the stop button. Geez I’m good with this technology huh? Anyway, the last 100 meters or so were a blast. “Sister” decided she wanted to have a sprint race. She took off. Three seconds later I decided I was game and chased. Man those little legs of hers (I think she’s around 5’3″) can go. There’s some great leg turnover in that little frame. Think of Corinne as “Seabiscuit” and me as that other really tall forgettable horse. You know…old what’s-his-name!

I caught her in the last 10 meters thanks to a lot of concentration on shortening and quickening my long, stretching clomp clomp clomp-alomp strides

Seabiscuit didn’t lose me today but, if I remember correctly, not winning just pisses him/her off. I could be in trouble next time!




9 Comments

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Comment by Pamalamadingdong

Wednesday September 08, 2004 @

Never underestimate the under-tall. :)
I heard about your snow and blogged about it. ;)
heh

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Comment by Michael Paus

Wednesday September 08, 2004 @

You’re thinking of War Admiral. Not really a forgettable horse, he did win the Triple Crown that year. Don’t sell yourself short Mark!

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Comment by Oliver

Thursday September 09, 2004 @

Oh dear, weher are you living? Sonw in beginning of September… Actually I enjoy here the last sunshine of the year (I suppose so) with around 25C but according to the forecast it will just last until the weekend! Anyway, I enjoy the sun but for running I prefer cool weather, so thinking positive, except for storm everything is fine, so or so ;-)

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Comment by Pamalamadingdong

Thursday September 09, 2004 @

DID IT SNOW? DID IT SNOW?

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Comment by Taco John

Thursday September 09, 2004 @

That’s amazingly poor weather. Hope the indian summer kicks in soon.

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Comment by Richard

Thursday September 09, 2004 @

I’ll swap you some of my 34 degree race weather… Actually, it does make for some odd blogging, since I’m just starting my distance buildup when others are gearing up for 20+ milers and their marathons. Ah, well.

And I can’t resist a little GPS smack-talking here… once you’ve downloaded your GPS’d runs onto a computer (for those of us who are sans-footpod), you can trim off the part after you reach a “finish line” on the map (or just by speed, when you slow down to 3mph its pretty obvious) and pull out a finishing time that’s pretty darn accurate.

As long as you’re not running under very heavy trees, of course :-)

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Comment by Mark

Thursday September 09, 2004 @

Pam: Yesiree, it sure did snow. Most of it is melting as it hits the paved areas but about an inch is blanketing the grass and trees.

Oliver: Yes, kind of a drag but this won’t last. We typically have a very beautiful autumn season lasting till sometimes past the end of October.

Mike: Yes, that’s his name! Thanks for the vote of confidence. I was really just having fun with it! ;)

Taco John: Well, you are definitely new here. Welcome! I’ll stop by your place later and look around!

Richard: Ah yes, the inevitable “my system is better than your system” discussion begins. I would not have expected anything less since you and Aaron are obviously long lost twins ;) (getting tired of hearing me say that yet?).

I would NEVER trade you the weather. I don’t know how you do it man. Anything over 25 and I’m dying out there. I guess it’s (partly) what you are used to.

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Comment by Annalisa

Thursday September 09, 2004 @

SNOW? Good lord. :(

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Comment by Reba

Thursday September 09, 2004 @

Seabiscuit! Great show, man can that horse run…wish I could do as well these days but the SNOW is slowing me down. Good grief, I’m so not mentally prepared. Anyway, good for you jumping right back on that bike and freezing your keister all the way home. Honestly Mark, an Albertan without a gortex backup in his backpack?! It’s not the first week of August you know…that being the only week ever in Alberta’s history that snow has not shown up at some time throughout history. Shameful my friend. ~giggles~ :)

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