Fear and Respect

Wayne has put the fear and respect of 26.2 miles into me.  I recently met Wayne, who is a friend’s dad, at an Indiana-style cookout.  Wayne is no ordinary friend’s dad.  Wayne is the type of friend’s dad who has run a few marathons and volunteer coaches a high school cross country team.  Wayne also logs 15 miles every weekend and routinely joins the team of high schoolers for 7 to 8 miles runs.  Oh, and I also should mention that Wayne is over 60.

Yes. 60.  years.  old.

Is Montreal Too Cool For Fixies?

I just spent some time in Montreal and had done a considerable amount of walking and running around the city.  One thing that has really jumped out at me is the number of bicycle and people cruising around the city.  I’m sure it’s mainly a summertime thing, but people were out in force in Montreal.  Just about every twenty paces you see a bike locked up to one of the ever present bike posts.  Bikes everywhere.

My Toes Hurt

After roughly three months of running more than I have ever run in my life, I think I am really starting to feel it.  When I say ‘it’.  ‘It’ refers to the pain. The long runs are starting to feel real long and the creaks are getting creakier.  I’m definitely not 19 anymore.  But, I’m finding it increasingly difficult to bounce back from the longer runs. Walking up the stairs to my house is usually problematic the day (or two) after a long run.  On the bright side, we a heading down the home stretch with this *training* regimen.  On Sunday we hit the 16 mile mark. Then, I promptly came home, drank a gatorade, and zonked out for a few hours.  It’s now Monday and I’m still pretty sore.  My toes actually hurt. The thought of running 26 miles in one go somehow doesn’t seem that appealing anymore.

Training Run #38 – 4.17 mi – 9.11 min/mi

Training Run #39 – 7.67 mi – 8.51 min/mi

Training Run #40 – 16.02 mi – 9.43 min/mi

Does 2/3rds of Outside Lands Kinda Suck?

I realize that’s it’s all personal preference.  I have a friend who thinks Cake is the best think since sliced bread.  Personally, I don’t really get it.  Another thing I just get is plunking down $250 for a weekend of music.  Unless, of course, it is a stellar line up. Outside Lands…I’m not so sure.

It’s Easy Being Green!

In commemoration of Earth Day, I thought it would be appropriate to highlight those thoughtful little things people are doing to save the planet.  Running down the embarcadero today, I saw an unusually big crowd gathered around the Hard Rock Cafe.  I thought this was odd. Perhaps people were waiting in line to get a taste of the Hard Rock’s chicken wings.  This thought was quickly scuttled as I remembered there is a Hooters right across the street. Everybody knows Hooters has much tastier wings.  As I got a little closer, I realized that everyone was gathered around a 50-foot tour bus with Tommy Lee’s surgically enhanced face plastered all over it.  Okay.  But, then I got closer and saw stamps all over the bus with catchy ‘green’ slogans.  Turns out Tommy Lee is riding around the country in a ‘green’ tour bus.  What a guy!  Sacrificing in the name of the environment and limiting his carbon footprint.  I mean, nothing screams sustainability more that a 50 foot tour bus hauling around an aging rock star.  I bet Tommy Lee even has a personal sustainability plan.  If Tommy can reduce his carbon footprint, so can you!

Training Run # 15 – 7.28 mi – 9.33 mi/min

Free Tibet (and I ran before work today!)

Today was the big day for the Olympic torch to be run through San Francisco. This would be the only North American appearance for a flame that had been nearly extinguished in London and had to be protected by police on rollerblades in Paris. (Yes, rollerblades). Such a ruckus abroad, would San Francisco be any different?

Back on Track at Land’s End (and a blue heron)

Week two of training wasn’t the most stellar week of training for the San Francisco Marathon.  It started off well with a mellow loop from my hood in Hayes Valley out to Jackson St. and then back to the hood via Fillmore on Tuesday. Bu then, social obligations and other extracurricular sporting events took precedent over training. Went to see the Government Inspector with The Conch and a couple of her friends on Wednesday and then Thursday was opening night of the kickball season.  Sick Balls is track to win their 8th consecutive Golden Gate Division Championship.  The previous seven were sweet, but the eighth will culminate in a national tournament in Vegas over Labor Day.  Could be scary.

Does Drinking Absinthe Make You a Better Runner?

I am fully in the midst of hard-core marathon training. Part of that training includes drinking absinthe and eating tacos on the night before a 7 mile run. Yes, I know, 7 miles doesn’t seem that far, but it is only March. The marathon is four months away. I think I got time.

Absinthe is now legal in the U.S. (Woo Wo) and The Conch brought a bottle over after doing the tour and tasting at the Hangar 1 distillery in Oakland. Their master distiller has been making absinthe for *educational* purposes for the past nine years but now he can actually make it and sell it. That is good for you and me. The shit tastes good…

The label is that of a monkey playing a cow bell. Apparently, if you produce spirits, there are a lot more regulatory hoops you have to jump through to get your label approved than if you just produce beer or wine. The Hanger 1 guy wanted a label with a monkey playing drums with a human femur. Dick Cheney said no. So, he settled on a monkey playing cowbell with a femur. I know, weird.

I’m getting off topic. The Hangar 1 absinthe is tasty. We ran 7.2 miles today, the Lakers won, the wings are still tasty at Kezar, and I finished the night with a Laphroaig at Alembic.

The Runner’s High: Does it Really Exist?

Interesting article in the NYT on the runner’s high.  According to neuroscientists in Germany, it does! It’s like I just discovered a pot of gold at the end or the rainbow.  It kinda makes you wonder if the runner’s high is the same as the junkie’s high.  Or the crackhead’s high.  Or the booze hound’s high. Or the stoner’s high. Or Client No. 9’s high. Or the tweaker’s high. Or the…I think you get the picture.

I’m on a mission to find out. Stay tune to find how my mind/body reacts to 26.2 miles in one go.  I wanna get high.

Training run #3- Oak St>Van Ness>Jackson>Fillmore>Oak>Home, 4.19 mi, 9:31 min/mi.

Training Run #2 and Fixed gears

Training run # 2 and I’m back in San Francisco.  I’m already starting to dread to the next 80-odd runs I will have to do in windy, foggy San Francisco.  I will have no shot at becoming a world-class marathon runner if I have to train in such conditions.  At least I have the beauty of the Mission District to run through in lieu of warm sunny weather.  I would gladly trade sunny/warm/glorious for blatant drug deals/trannies walking little dogs/fixed gears.