Category: life

CubScout Campout

So, I’ve been running pretty regularly. Work’s been busy, so most (if not all) of the cross-training days have been dropped lately, which is kind of fine. It’s been hot. I’ve notched up a Jamestown run in each of the last two weeks – still cannot believe how lucky I am to have that on my drive home, especially now that it’s possible for a human to immerse himself in the North Atlantic without a wetsuit.

Anyhoo…

This weekend was CubScout campout weekend, so of course it was HOT, and there were bugs, and skinned body bits and a bit of sunburn, and of course, tears from . But other than that it was great. The pack headed up to Gay City State Park – about three-quarters of the way up to Hartford. My boys and I went up Friday night to check out the place.

I’ve got to say – there are advantages to car camping – namely a cooler and fresh food, but, all-in-all, I think I prefer a good old-fashioned backpack trip. Just something nice about leaving stuff behind and stripping to the essentials.

Like a ground pad – which I did forget.

Vermont is a cult

We’ve been summer-vacationing up in Stowe for, oh, let’s call it three years. Absolutely great – few mosquitoes, great hiking, spectacular views, good food, great roads for riding, good paths for running. We dig it. I’m tempted to buy 15 acres and start raising organic goats and sheep, making cheese, and growing my hair long. Go off the grid, and all that sort of stuff.

My brother-in-law says “Vermont is a cult.”

Ah, so be it.

But it’s been good up here so far. The boys are having a blast riding the bike path – Jake made the entire 11 miles on Sunday, and Nate’s cranking on the trail-a-bike, such that I really don’t have to push other than to go up and over hills. Pretty stinking cool.

Running is good. Sunday morning, I did 9 miles, looping through Moscow and back through the village to pick up the toothbrush that I inevitably forget when I go on travel. The upside is that I’ve now got a toothbrush in pretty much every bag I travel with, provided I don’t clean out the bags before I go.

Yesterday, 45 minutes, or 5.1 miles on the path. I didn’t really want to push myself, so I didn’t. Nice how that works. We then drove over to the Cabot Creamery, getting only slightly lost along the way. On the way home, we stopped at the Green Mountain Club headquarters to pick some maps. One of the guys stopped me on the way out, and pointed me towards the Short Trail, a quick 1 mile loop behind the hiker center. The boys had a blast.

Have I mentioned I love my wife? She sent me out fishing last night. Two stocked rainbows on dry flies. Cannot beat it.

Vermont is a cult.

———

Postscript: I’m kind of surprised – “Vermont is a cult” seems to be an original phrase. I could have sworn I’d at least seen it on a t-shirt before my BiL said it.

Down…Up!…Down…Up!

So, marathon training is going pretty well, all things considered. I missed a couple of runs while Missy was in Houston. But then I cracked open the 20 week “official” plan for the San Antonio Rock’n’Roll marathon, and saw I was ahead of the game for where they want me to be. Worse things possible, I suppose.

This morning, I actually managed to make it out the door, ride for 40 minutes or so, and catch the commuter van. Didn’t get in a run at work, but hey – who needs bricks?

And, lastly – Missy’s goaded me into doing the Hundred Pushup challenge!

One Hundred Pushups

I think that at one time, like after getting chased around by the USMC’s finest for 13 weeks, I could probably do 100 pushups at a sitting. But that’s a while ago, and many cans of beer under the bridge.

So, you in?

Some would say I’m insane to complain about it

And I’d agree. Life is good.

Work was tough today, but all was made good by the boyzos and Missy’s book club. Us with the X-Chromosome deficiency grabbed the canoe and bought a little bit of fried chicken. We headed off to a cove off of the Thames and watched the sun set. The boys were fascinated watching the swallows darting about catching the evening’s bugs.

I’m a sucker for paddling.

I Was a Monkey

Hi.

Man, what a couple of great weeks I’ve had. Off to Glasgow for a conference, where I gave a paper without dropping a single f-bomb at the podium AND got intelligent questions at the end. Stopped by the place where the pedal bicycle was invented. Then down into England to visit with a couple of vendors. I highly recommend the United Kingdom for a running vacation.

Extremely highly recommend it, especially if you can get the aMAZING hIP to show up. We headed into the Peaks District, just outside of Manchester, and the Hip mastered the hills and rocks with such aplomb that the sheep ought to have been scared, were it not for the kindness of the Hip leaving his wellingtons back down in the car.

But, the run was amazing. The UK’s built with the car as an afterthought, an inconvenience, really. There are amazing public footpaths EVERYWHERE. Just be considerate and shut the gate after you.

Yesterday was jet-lag day. Waking up was fine, as long as you’re allowing that 4 AM and wide awake is a good thing. Only lost one bag. Fell asleep in meetings, so I bailed early from the office. The airline had lost my backpack with my shoes, so I picked up a new pair, and did 5 miles on Jamestown in a glorious, sunny day.

Cannot wait for the weekend.

F*scn’ Shoes

Yeah, so it turns out that I am paying for breaking the primary racing rule (Don’t change shoes on race day). While walking’s been no more problem than usual since the Twilight Trail Race, running hasn’t happened.

Sunday evening, I figured I’d jump out of the house and run to the church to pick up the audio file to build the podcast. So, tucked the kids in, strapped on the sneakers, and started running. Everything was kind of tight, but that’s kind of to be expected, right?

After about a quarter mile, though I bailed. As I kept running, instead of the usual loosening, it felt like the tendons were just getting tighter and tighter. I stopped, stretched, declared defeat, and walked home.

I’ve been on travel this week, which is usually great for the running. AND, believe it or not, I’ve been in the same hotel all week, which happens once in a blue moon. So, I ought to be getting great runs in.

Tuesday, I made it a mile on the dreadmill before I bailed to the bike. It didn’t hurt to run, and I was really hopeful. But when I woke up on Wednesday, walking was bad again. So, stretch and bike Wednesday and today.

This morning everything feels good, but I don’t want to press it. I’ll go for a group ride tomorrow morning, and try to do 5K a couple of times over the weekend. If that’s OK, I’ll pick up the routine next week – the long run is only 8 miles for the weekend, with a 4, 6, and 2 between now and then.

Otherwise, it’s time to re-evaluate goals and start turning pedals a lot more.

Back

1. Taxes. Man, I hate taxes. This year was going to be different. This year, I was going to do them February 1, as soon as I got them W-2 forms from all our various employers.

I filed last night.

2. Like the thing that is your spine. I think it’s mostly better. I took it easy last week, including wimping out on the run Sunday morning and just walking for an hour before breakfast. But, I spread fertilizer Sunday afternoon, and didn’t hurt at all this morning.

3. As in Baby Got. After the trauma of realizing I had no physician to go cry to last Monday when I was in pain, I had a physical with Dr. K. this morning. Overall, I’m in good shape – a little overweight (28 on the BMI; should be 25), but the BP was 107 over 73, even with a cup or three of coffee, and the “prostate was smooth”.

I chose poorly. Dr. K’s got big fingers.

4. To the Y. I haven’t swum in, what, two or three months? So I swum tonight, and followed it up with a half hour on the bike. An extremely modest brick, and I was quaking like a little bird when I finished. Not quite sure why. But it feels good. Really good. I’m psyched.

5. To training. So, I’m heading down to OKC in two weeks. I’m down to running the half. It’s going to suck. But, I’m doing it.

In other news, Nike+ has added training programs. I signed up for the “Beginner Marathon” program, starting tomorrow. Mileage will be pretty much where I was in training for the half; it builds up over 28 weeks, so I ought to be able to target any of the fall marathons. I’m interested to see how it works – if it downloads a workout to the iPod, or if it just goes. Y’all can follow my training if you want…

6. Good TV. Battlestar Galactica is phenomenal. Still. Amazes me. I was worried with the first episode this season, but the second episode rocks.

30 Rock is back. Not sure if it’s good any more, but I’ve still got a crush on Tina Fey.

Oh, and I’ve got a thing for Masterpiece Theater on PBS. Possibly just ’cause the wife likes it.

Still Alive, Kicking, Whatever

Hi.

It’s me. You know, me – Jank.

I just wanted to let y’all know that this isn’t a dead blog.

Life is good. I’ve been running (made my long run the last two weeks in a row, and actually haven’t missed a run in two weeks). Missy’s been running. The boys have been running. I’m very hopeful about the whole OKC Half Marathon thing (which reminds me – I need to register)

Blogging? Not so much.

But there’s interesting things afoot here.

I dig me some spring.