Brown . . . really brown floor

J. didn't like the terra cotta color I picked out for the stain--so we went brown. It's really, um, brown--but lovely at that. Fairly painless project. Now we just need to edge the floor and add quarter-round (among a few other things . . . )

8 + 8 = 16 Despite Thunder, Lightning, and Rain

And . . .

This (almost-offensive pink shoe inserts--thank goodness they go on the inside of the shoe)



+ this (Nickelodeon-style slime promising to provide an energy boost)



= this



(This is at mile 15.5. J. finished early and doubled back--in the car of course--to cheer me on.) I've decided I must retire the white running shirt and light blue shorts because they become almost see-through in a downpour (a problem you don't want when you're 8 miles out and it's 8 miles back to the car . . . I learn something new every run).

I have always been a bit skeptical of expensive inserts and the "goo" things that runners rave about. I'm not much of a whistles and bells type of person--but as of today I'm a believer!

The pink inserts are special orthotics (don't check my spelling on that) to help with arch/general foot pain. They run about $30-50 (equal to just the co-pay at a podiatrist's office). And they're worth every penny. My foot was relatively pain-free--at least until 14.5 miles but at that point I think it's probably very normal to have some foot pain.

The gooey stuff--apple cinnamon flavor--claims to boost your energy and replace the carbs you've burned. This is all in an effort to push back the inevitable runner's "wall." Aside from the strange texture--think gloop--it definitely gives you a rush. I could only eek down 1/2 the packet and the sugar rush lasted about 6-7 miles. If I'd had another 1/2, I would have taken it at about mile 12 to get through the last 4.

Overall it was a great run! Feet are back in business and I'm gearing up for 18 next weekend. For now I'm going to enjoy sitting on the couch--no runs, no home projects (pics of basement floor to come next). Hope you're having a great weekend!

Life is Good....Camera Phone

We've reached a great point in history. The basic, low end "free phone" offered by cell phone companies is now a camera phone. As such, Katie and I received our first camera phones today while keeping our lifelong streak of always going with the free model. This is a very exciting event

Who knows, maybe in 10 years we'll have iphones.

We're both going to try to run 16 miles in the morning. Hopefully Katie's sore foot will hold up. Sunday morning we'll be doing 2.5 hours of group fitness followed by getting poolside with friends at the JCC.

I've got to work in yard work at some point. The grass is so bad Katie is threatening to cut it.

Looks like another crazy weekend, which is what we prefer, so life is good.

JG

Date with an Ice Bucket

I don't know if 16 is sweet or not--10 was all I had today. A nagging pain in my right arch turned into a serious limp-inducing throb around mile 7. At mile 8 (which happened to be right back by my car) I seriously considered calling it quits. But I pushed on, trying to focus on anything but my slowing gait. A mile later I had to slow it to a walk--one more later and I was ready to cry in the middle of the sidewalk. As I contemplated whether I could even walk it the rest of the way in J. pulled up next to me. Rescue!

He had just finished his 11 mile run and thought he may hook up with me for the last bit of mine. Instead he carted his sweaty gimp of a wife home.

Other than the rogue foot, I felt great. Oddly enough I'm glad to know that I can make it even 10 miles on a bum foot. I'm working on getting a little more hard core--for now that's all I can muster.

Depending on how this ice bath works--and how my arch feels on Tuesday--I may attempt 16 again.

Downside . . . didn't make it to uncharted territory today. Upside . . . something to look forward to later this week!

Sweet Sixteen--I hope.

Man. What a long week. We kicked it off with J.'s endoscopy (as J. described in such lovely detail below),cranked out 40 hours each at our day jobs, dove into another home project (attempting to stain the floors downstairs), and hit some serious workouts/runs. It was a blinding week--but we made it.

Tomorrow is a big day running-wise. I still can't believe my schedule. I'm not quite sure I'm prepared to run 16 miles . . . but run 16 miles I will. My alarm clock is set for 4:15 and I hope to be on the road by 5 am. I'm not going to think about how long it will take me.

There is a mental game to all of this. Some people have phrases they repeat. High performers have told me they like words like "fast," "strong," or a combination--"strong and fast," "strong finish" and so on. I've tried that trick--using "keep moving," but even that won't get me through a really rough spot. I like to think of everything in halves--16 is only 8 twice. And I don't dwell on the twice part--just the first half. Once I get to 8 miles I'll focus on 4 twice. Since I have a tendency to get even more mathematically challenged as time wears on it's amusing.

Tomorrow I'll just keep moving until I'm done.

The shuffle is charging, clothes are ready, new shoes (old ones were worn slap out) waiting, sunrise run approaching. Time for bed!

Life is Good....Endoscopy

In an earlier post I mentioned that my esophagus
has been burning whenever I drink liquids.
This started about 7 weeks ago. As a borderline
hypochondriac this issue has been causing me a lot of stress and worry. I went to see a gastroentolgist last week, who recommended that he perform and endoscopy, which is basically a test where they knock you out and run a flexible camera from your throat down to your stomach.

Katie and I arrived at Brookwood this morning around 6. I wasn't really nervous until, while being prepped, they asked me if I was an organ donor and had a Last Will and Directive.

The test went well, and as it turns out, I've just been having some reflux issues, which is no big deal. Taking a half day off work to let the anesthesia wear off

Life is Good, but no workout today.

Pics as Promised

Kate finished with the swim and off on the bike.



Vulcan Triathlete and Kate off for the run.



Way to finish strong J.



Almost there.



All done!



C., J., and B.--free beer anyone?

Looking forward to next year guys!

Race Report: Leeches, 45-pound catfish, and alligator gar . . . oh my

The tales grew bigger as the week drew to a close. Some warned that the Tennessee River was filled with catfish big enough to be mistaken for submerged cars--others said we should be leery of leeches (thanks M.). The most intimidating though, was a tale about alligator gar . . . which look like this:



(no, we do not know the man in the picture.)

There were about 1200 participants in this race, which started by age group--with 20-29 going last. So J. and I were in the last 250 people to start the race. After a bit of rain waiting to start, we finally got our turn around 8:30 (first starters jumped in the river @ 7:30).

The water clarity was nill, but it felt great compared to salt water and stagnant state park lake water. Temp was about 82 degrees. Didn't encounter any signs of wildlife along the swim--no catfish, leeches, or alligator gar--thank goodness. I'm sure they were lurking and watching with curiosity from the depths.

The weather didn't let up for the bike portion and for the first time in my life I rode on a bicycle right next to an 18-wheeler (the bike course was on a Hwy similar to 280 but was raised like an Interstate). With buckets of stinging rain falling, blowing wind, and huge waves of water off an 18-wheeler (D., remember how you used to wet the entire dock down with water at the lake--just like that) we were WET. Lightning and thunder accompanied which made us all pedal a little faster I think.

Swim (.93 of a mile), check. Bike (26 miles), check. Run (6.2 miles) . . . can't we just call it a day.

We both did great on the first two events and struggled through the run ( a 3.1 mile out and 3.1 mile back along the river). Luckily the clouds hung around and we were able to finish before all of that water from the storm turned into steam.

Overall experience: Exhausting and fun. Enjoyed hanging w/ fellow triathletes . . . results and pics to come.

Downside . . . a wee bit tired and sore. Upside . . . Olympic distance conquered (or at least accomplished ;)

Life is Good....and Rainy

We had a good dinner at the Mellow Mushroom last night with some friends also in Chattanooga for the triathlon. Its 4:22 Birmingham time and we are headed out the door for the race.

40% chance of thunderstorms. I guess getting struck by lightning would be one heck of a way to go!

Life is Good...As long as the race does not get cancelled.

Life is Good...Sourpuss

I awoke at 5:00A.M. this morning and was quickly off to the Jewish Community Center for a 1600 yard swim. After the swim I was getting ready for work in the locker room when I heard an old man explaining the secret to living a long life.

He said, "I've lived so long because I'm not a sourpuss. So many people these days complain and have a negative attitude. I've always been positive and upbeat"

I left with a new mission. "Be positive and upbeat so you can live long like the old man at the "J".

After work Katie and I went to see my Granddad, another great example of someone who has never been a sourpuss. Look at the picture of Katie, Wess, and me with Granddad 2.5 years ago. I must say our faces did look a little fuller then. Wess Dogg looks good as always.

Ran 5 miles with Katie after the visit. She ran extremely fast but confessed that she was on the verge of regurgitation.

3 days until Chattanooga. Its going to be a tough race but I'm vowing to stay upbeat and not be a sourpuss all the way to the finish line.

Life is Good...Off to Dinner

White Noise

We've been off the grid since we got back from vacation. The cable company ripped out our cable and apparently forgot to re-connect it. I haven't missed the news one bit--who needs to know how much gas has risen or how high the Ham's murder rate really is?

On a training front we've been getting ready for the Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon this Sunday. This is an Olympic distance event--1.5 K swim (down the river), 26 mile bike, 6 mile run. I'm in over my head--but that's not new to me. We're going with a couple of tri-buddies--C. & B. Should be a quick, fun trip. My goal is only to finish--maybe not absolutely last--and without getting sick.

This week has held a 14-mile run for J, 6 for me. Two swimming sessions for me. An RPM and BP class for us both. We're planning on resting up for the rest of the week.

As C. said yesterday . . . "This is J. and Kate . . . they have this interesting habit of jumping right into things. Kate has only been on her bike about 5 times" (I've been on it a little more than that--but not much.)

Downside . . . we get in over our heads sometimes. Upside . . . Ain't skeered.

Precious Rest

It takes a lot to slow me down. Even when I'm home sick I can't stop and rest--there's laundry, dirty dogs, and dusting. I've started plumbing, painting, and yard projects when I should have been sleeping off a cold. When I don't have anything to do I find something to do.

I've been asked before how I got into this "active" lifestyle. My motivations are far-reaching and include the facts that exercise is cheaper than therapy (and drugs), it gives you a feeling of strength and capability unmatched by anything else I've experienced, and it's so far the only thing that beats me down into absolute exhaustion . . . forcing me to rest. So, speed up, but also remember to slow down (and savor it).

Happy Birthday U.S.A.

My favorite place on Earth. Beautiful weather--but HOT! Happy 4th of July! What a beautiful country we live in.

Miller Time

14-miler was fabulous (although hot on the back half--even starting @ 6 am)! YES, I finally made it beyond the half-way point. I've never run beyond 13.1 until today. Still can't fathom twice that amount.

Now that we're thoroughly exhausted it's time to kick off vacation with some fried grouper, french fries, and beer a la Village Market--aka The Dump!

What's on tap for the rest of the day? Nothing. The rest of the week? One 26-mile bike ride and a 4-mile run with M. Amazing.

We'll laze away today until M. and A. arrive.

Hope you have a safe and relaxing 4th of July!

Life is Good....Funny Wife

Gas is over $4.00 a gallon. The economy is in the shitter. Housing market.... what market? But life is good. Who cares about all that stuff anyway? Not me. Not today.

Last winter I was struggling through my first marathon training program all by my lonely self. To get some motivation I bought advanced tickets for Katie and me to go see a documentary on the Chicago marathon. So I drag her to this movie on a week night about 30 minutes away from home. And what does she do? She makes fun of me! Says that this whole marathon bit I'm into is a little extreme.

No sooner than the movie is over Katie is signing us both up for the 2008 Chicago marathon in October.

So here we are today in training and also on vacation. I was awoken by this woman who used to think the marathon bit was a little extreme this morning at 5:15 so that we could go run 14 miles before the rest of the world woke up. Sometimes wives are funny!

The run went great, so life is good. I just need to get this pain in my esophagus to go away.

Props to M.

This is M. And this is just a brief note to say--Way to go! She helped deliver her (well, not really hers) first baby!


M. is a busy student with clinicals and course work, dog-mom to little a., girlfriend to A., and sister to me, o., and m, and a half-marathon trainer. We're so proud of you!

Ain't Skeered

J. did make a return appearance to pump . . . told you he would. I used a little more weight (and by little--I mean maybe a pound more on each side :)--and I won't be needing any stair rails or handicap bars. No soreness at all (or at least yet). J. hasn't started complaining yet either. Maybe we've made it beyond our wimpiness . . . or maybe we didn't work very hard (I did catch J. out of the corner of my eye skipping reps--but that was because he was tring to match C.'s weights I think ;). Either way it was a lot of fun! Flashback to the 80's soundtrack made me want to get out my puff-paint jazzercise shirt, bright spandex leggings, and reeboks.

Headed to the beach tonight w/ A. & M. 14-miler planned for tomorrow am--we'll see how that goes!

Chasing the High

I've racked my brain, logged the details, taken advice and still haven't been able to reproduce the once-in-awhile, priceless runner's high. Maybe it's sleep, food, freshness, weather or a mystical combination of all of these. Saturday was my day, finally. It was unexpected--and maybe that's the key.

J. was out for a ride by 5 a.m. and I got a slow start (hitting snooze one too many times) at 7:30 for what has now become a "short" long run distance of 8. I didn't do much pre-run prep--skipped breakfast and coffee (usually a must) in order to beat the encroaching heat of the day.

I put my GPS on backward so I wouldn't be tempted to check my pace. And took off. For a June morning, the weather couldn't have been better. The air was light and fresh, sunshine warm, and before I knew it 4 miles had gone by--quickly. I got lost in my thoughts in the remaining miles and wrapped up surprised, amazed, feeling stronger than ever, and with renewed faith in my running improvement (especially given last weekend's disappointment).

What is the runner's high? For me it's getting into the rhythm of my heartbeat, my breathing, my stride, my surroundings. It's noticing the slight changes in the seasons and delighting in each. It's recognizing the familiar faces along a regular running route (and the exchange of an empathetic grimmace or a grin). And thinking about everything or thinking about nothing--either to music or just the beat of my feet. It's feeling strong and capable. Above all--it's definitely worth chasing.

Maybe my upcoming 14-miler will go just as well (fingers crossed).

Downside . . . nada. Upside . . . redemption.