Post 60

Sounds like an experimental military compound in Nevada.

I was hoping the 60th RTP post would coincide with the 20th follower, but I have been really absent online lately and why would people join a barren blog? Unless you are crazy Asian! I'm even considering upping my offer to purchase the "I Am Boring" url. Oh yeah, I've been busy and oh yeah there is a lot on my mind, but I also have not been keeping up on my training plan.

Adam and Jeff somewhere on the canal (Adam is the skinny hairless one)

Self-flagellation and wheedling feels good (to some people over 18 who don't even live in this city --perverts!!), but it doesn't really motivate me. I can slouch on my couch all day along and think about running or even watch it on tv. What motivates me is routine, and I'm out of my running routine. Also group runs are huge for me. I was able to run a mile or so with Mrs. this morning. She is recovering from itbs and is doing great. She will be back on the rod(twss) road full time very soon.

Motivation is tough for me and always has been. 5 weeks to SD RNR. I feel great and simply need to get in the long runs on the weekend. Hope all is well with you. Keep sending positive vibes to Lauren, she is about three weeks away from her first marathon and has been rigorous with her training. Any leftover vibes? I'll take what I can get.

Pat's Run 2010 Race Report

38:33 and felt strong. Splits were 9:18, 9:11, 9:04, 9:13, and 9:17 for the final .2. Yeah, I was running out of gas. Last year was 45:26, so big improvement there. I chugged up the hills and glided down the other sides. I kept thinking that I would not be able to make my goal of sub 40 because it was so difficult to get going in the crowds. I couldn't get below 10 for the first qtr mile due to the masses. But after that it was fairly open with only a few dodgy situations.

Me wondering if the camera is working...

Nice to catch up with Adam and Tiffany afterwards. This was a crowded event with a reported 30,000 people and almost 20,000 participants. The organizers didn't expect that many so the start was delayed, but everything seemed smooth to me. Took the light rail into Tempe which was no sweat -until the disgusting return trip when it was all sweat and we stank up the entire metro transit system.

A HUGE thanks to race organizers who decided to 'urge' walkers and strollers to cue in the rear corrals. There were still some 'let's walk with arms entwined' people in the running corrals, but mostly the people in the front 7 corrals were there to run. Lot's of people waiting on the sides of the corrals to break in. Next year, they will need to prepare for the larger crowd.

Rio and Lauren has good races too, though Rio was stuck in a slower corral full of Ked-wearing posers and couldn't get her speed. Lauren promised everyone ice cream and when we found out that there wouldn't be ice cream this year, we deleted her from our blog lives just like that. forgave her and ate a flavorless orange from Safeway which was probably harvested from a plastic environment years ago and held in suspended animation in a chemical bath on the space shuttle.

Fun race overall and I'm really happy to help the Tillman foundation. There were many military service people out there and thanks to them for all they do!!

Pat's Run 2010 Pre-Race Report

I'm really excited about tomorrow's run. This is my second time in this race and it was a lot of fun last year. I'm trying to head the advice posted by Lauren and not make it competitive, but I bet I can beat last year's time of 48 minutes. I have a goal of coming in at 40 or under, but not sure if I can do that in the crowds as I will most likely be pushing Harrison.

#9331: My predicted finish in my age/gender group

The race goodies are somewhat typical, except for the shave gel from Walmart. Uuuuummmmmmmm, I may have to consult Adam about this, but is this for what I think it is for??!?? Is that really going to help me run faster??

There are 19,000 people registered and many more expected to register at the race itself, so this is a big event. Most people who are running competitively move to the front corrals, and slowbies and walkers stay to the rear. That is another reason to not bother with 'fast time' egomania. Pre-race ham loading --check. Clean shorts and shirt --check. Garmin charged --check. Half-assed plan to meet up wth fellow bloggers after race --check. Thanks to newest #19 follower --check. Race report tomorrow!

Mid-Run Mathematics

Had a nice 10 miler with Harrison this morning. Haven't really run much at all for the past couple of weeks, so it was nice to stretch it out a bit. We took the scenic route along Lafayette in upscale Phoenix. Had a good time and he even got in a little nappy. Which is great because the little stinker hasn't been sleeping so good these past three weeks. It seems to be getting better, but this was never described in the owners manual.

HJG weighs about 35 pounds normally and about 38 pounds on pizza night, and though the B.O.B. is a smooth machine, it is extra work. I had a slight mental/spiritual diversion around mile 6 after eating an expired gu.

If Harrison weighs 35 pounds, and I'm pushing him in a stroller at an 8:25 pace -(let's just even that up to 10:30 for ease of math --the gu wasn't that strong!!), and I'm at mile 6.5 going slightly uphill, and it's getting a bit hotter and I'm crossing into Scottsdale, we will say wind is at a gusty 4 mph, you can easily calculate that he weighs a running equivalent of 813 pounds and is getting larger by 47 pounds per mile but will top out at 902. Take the original 35 and add the two digits together to get your 8 for your 800. Take the last digit and add the word 'teen' to it to get your 13 and add this back to your 800 which brings you to 813. Cut your 8 from the 800 in half to get 4 and add the 3 from the Standing On the Verge of Getting it On album to your 2 (twice) from the 1/2 and you get a 47 which is his growth factor.

How does he "top out at 902?" Pay attention!! He HAS to top out at 902. Any larger and the whole formula breaks down and I won't be able to finish my underground home addition on time. Building 47 pounds into 813 can be done once with ease, but twice  takes you over 902 by 5 pounds. You can get 3 pounds grace from pizza night (but that was Tuesday). Two for Tuesday gets you a cushion of 6 pounds. 6 pounds?...... 10 miles?..... 10 to 1?????? 6-1=5?????????????? I think you can see where this is going.

Friends, all I can say is that running brings out an inner animal most of us. Mine looks like a Wolverine, but others have reported visions of an otter-like beast. I hope to recapture this stream of enlightened consciousness soon, and will report. 

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