Ran on Friday for 47 minutes on my usual solo route. Uneventful. What was notable about Friday was that I finally bought my bike trainer and it is in transit! I bought it on ebay…always exciting and nerve wrecking to be bidding, especially when it’s for something I really want. I can’t wait for it to get here so that I can start adding workouts beside running. Not that I don’t like running, but I’ve got goals to accomplish and I need to start training for my other events. Had a great run on Monday w/ Mary’s group. 43 minutes and approximately 4.6 miles around Farewell Bend. This was the largest group yet, nine altogether; it’s so great meeting new people and getting to know familiar faces better. A huge shout-out to Rob for joining the group run! I wasn’t sure we’d ever convince him, let alone in the cold and over snow covered ground, but he did and with way less complaining than I was expecting! Right on, Rob. And Nick, we’ve gots to get you to the GoodWill or something for some non-cotton clothes. C’mon.
Throwing down 2 more runs January 22, 2009
My latest (earliest?) run yet: left the house at 5am on Monday and mixed it up w/ a new route. Ran up Newport to Mt. Washington, down Skyliners, and back through Drake Park (approx. 5.2 miles, 50 minutes). Also did another 1st Street trail run w/ Mary’s group on Wednesday. I was really happy that Gina and Heather were there b/c I met them last year when I first moved to Bend and totally admired their biking abilities. So many great, athletic people here; I never have to look too far to find someone to look up to! We did about an hour, give or take a few minutes and Nick estimates our route at 6 miles.
Saw Bikecar (bikecarmovie.com) on Tuesday, a documentary about four guys who build a “car” that is pedaled and then travel across ID, WA, and OR on a snowboarding trip. I really liked the creativity behind their idea and their dedication to the journey. Good inspiration!
A comment from Cole January 16, 2009
So I get the following,”Seriously, this is like five days old! You are so overdue for a new blog!” Yes, but I can’t blog if I haven’t been working out! Yes friends, alas, I have slacked. I had an 8 and three 12’s at work during which time I logged zero hours of running. I thought maybe I would be able to squeeze it in, but my priority is to provide the best care that I can when I’m at work and that entails sleeping sufficiently between shifts. So I defered four days…ouch!
I did a 48 min run on Monday though and I increased the route (somewhere between a quarter to a half mile…still need to map distances) and did the same route again on Thrusday at 45 minutes. Today I was so happy that Nick invited me along to run w/ Mary and two of her friends. It was a beautiful, sunny, warm Winter day; I got to wear short sleeves (yay!) and I was only wishing I had worn shorts. It was good to run w/ other people, too, since the majority of my running is solo. I was way late to the run (doh!), but I finally caught up w/ the group on the 1st St. trail and logged 48 minutes. I didn’t even know that trail was over there and it’s so close to my house. I’ll definitely be using that one a lot more. Hope to run w/ Mary’s group again soon!
Night running: A throwback to the ol’ Hidden Valley days January 16, 2009
We were in high school and somehow took to night running. Nick, Dax, and I would hit the HV ‘hood; I remember the route we used to take: Southmoor, Skokie, Sleepy Hollow, Tamarisk, Pebble Beach, Hidden Valley Drive…sometimes jumping the fence at the golf course to cut across the lawn. I have no idea why we started doing night runs (was it to get slurpees?), but they were so fun b/c Nick and Dax are hands-down the funniest people I know. Time goes on though. Couldn’t do much night running in San Jose; heck, I sometimes had a sketchy feeling running around that city in broad daylight. Night running came back to me at Carlsbad Caverns though b/c it was too hot during the days. Holy smokes, it was dark out there though on the Loop Road in the middle of the desert. No worries of scary people there unlike my time in California; my only 2 concerns in running there (day or night) were 1) rattlesnakes and 2) mountain lions (thanks Val Newman for freak’n me out about mt. lions!). Eh, whatcha gonna do though? Not much night running for me in St. Paul (not much running for me in St. Paul!), but when I returned to Reno I picked it up again somewhat.
I’m on the night shift now though and I find myself up at all hours on my days off. At first I was frustrated to get off at 8am, sleep until five, and then be awake ’til 4 in the morning. What would I do during the middle of the night? Turns out, it is pretty much the same as what I would do if it were the day. Wash the dishes, read a book, play on facebook, cook, walk Muffin, and run. So, I’ve found that about 70% of my runs in the past three months have started between the hours of 9pm and 3am. The good news is Bend seems to be a really safe town and of course there are exceptions to the rule (yeah, like what the heck w/ that guy on the bridge walking his bicycle and wearing a motorcycle helmet w/ the face shield down at 1am? kinda creepy), but overall I feel secure running at any hour. Yay!
So far I’ve found no difference in my probablility of tripping or running into anything during the dark as during the light. I’ve also been surprised at some of the things that I’ve seen during my night runs: an owl, a beaver (well, I did nearly have a collision w/ that one), a great blue heron (last night!), many more Christmas lights than I’d seen in just my drives to work, and a lot of amazing starry skies.
Miss those days w/ my “brothers” though.
Satellite member January 10, 2009
Yes! My great friend Mindy has joined the movement all the way from lovely Akron, Ohio (new link posted on the right). I’ll be following your blog Min!
I’m definitely considering getting a bike trainer after reading Nick’s update. I haven’t biked in a couple of months b/c of all of the sand on the streets d/t the snow. Too scared to slide and fall. The trainer is $, but it seems like a good substitute ’til I can get back out on the road.
In the middle of a work “week”, an 8 and three 12’s. I find it exceedingly difficult to do a workout on work days (especially the 12’s). Still trying to figure out how to make that fit in. In other news, St. Charles is having major financial problems so maybe I’ll have a lot more free time in the future…seriously though, I hope not.
Making plans January 7, 2009
Alright! These goals will be so much easier, motivational, and fun w/ friends…I feel really lucky that I’ll be able to do some of these w/ some really amazing people. So far Valerie J. is up for snowshoeing; we are going to rock some routes! Val N. is going to come out from Nebraska in Sept. to knock out a backpacking trip w/ me. Woo-hoo, so looking forward to that. Bridget is going to do a half marathon w/ me…yay! It will be just like Journal Jog times…only longer, right? Chelsea is in for running and snowshoeing…yay for book club friends! I’m geting super excited about all of this!
Did the same run as the 2nd, but remembered my watch this time. Yesterday I did the route in 38 minutes and today I did it in 41 minutes. Wasn’t really paying attention to where I started my watch, but that might account for a minute or two of the time difference. I saw an owl and I think it was an omen to be wise in my running. Then Tenacious D was singing through my ipod, “It doesn’t matter if it is good; it only matters if it rocks.” Yeah, that could totally apply to running. Then he’s singing, “Are you willing to make the commitment to wakin’ up at the crack a’ noon, for deep-knee rock squats!?” Hmm, maybe I should try to find running wisdom elsewhere…
Impressed! January 6, 2009
I’m super excited to see that Valerie and Rob have blogs up (links to the right). I heard they were down w/ the cause, but I didn’t realize they were so hard core: already doing the workouts and putting up posts! Nice!
The 2nd was my first workout for the “year of”. I went for a run, but forgot my watch. I mapped my run on mapmyride.com so it probably wasn’t totally accurate, but I’d put the milage near 4-4.5. So I need to remember to wear my watch and to measure out some routes w/ my car maybe to have a better idea of distances. I went snowboarding on the 3rd and 4th; I super suck, but it’s really fun despite all of the bruises on my knees. I’m considering those cross-training days, but I’m not really sure if they count as workouts. Nick and I were just talking that over the other day and I’m not totally convinced. Still, can’t wait to go again.
