Mellow End of May

After my last run, which I was worried about, I figured I didn't need to rush to end my first month's challenge, especially being so close to my goal. I've learned that the purpose of a goal is to attain it, not blow it away at the risk of injury. So I took a few days off to rest. Today, though, was my last opportunity to complete my first 39 mile months, so in spite of early morning lollygagging, letting the day get hot, I had to get out there. I decided on the route to Woodfield and back, with a mellow playlist.

Playlist
Samba da Bencao -Bebel Gilberto
Across the Universe -the Beatles
Hii Lawe -Gabby Pahinui
Reggae Street -the Mighty Diamonds
Some Kinda Love -the Velvet Underground
Rastafari Is -Peter Tosh

Times
L1 13:42
L2 11:59
L3 0:57
Total 26:37

Distance 2.8 miles
Cumulative distance 40.7 miles

Tiger!

Another week or so off. I had some fresh ink applied, and have been nursing it. Lame excuse, I know, but there it is. Now I'm in San Francisco, where it's rainy and cool, though not as cool as Auburn was in recent days. I ran up into the Presidio, near my in-laws home, and up the hill into the golf course and around and down back into Mountain Lake Park. Nice. Feeling okay after the week off. I need to get my mileage up, though, and that's a goal for this trip.

Playlist
Blackbird -The Beatles
16 Shells From a Thirty-Ought Six -Tom Waits
Prodigal Son -The Rolling Stones
Wai Hu'ihu'i O Ke Aniani -Gabby Pahinui
A Hundred Years From Now -Flatt and Scruggs
Ashes to Ashes -David Bowie
Nappy Dugout -Funkadelic

Time 24:32

Distance 2.6 miles
Cumulative distance 11.0 miles

Day off, day on

Yesterday I stayed at home with my daughter and a friend. Haven't gotten into night shifts again, yet. With the warmth today, I know it's coming. It seemed nice and moderate when I got suited up, but then as I dallied that Lucky Ol' Sun came out and started cooking up some asphalt. I thought I'd hit Gay/Woodfield and straight back, but I did make it up to Gay/Samford and back. A little bit further, no walking, no calf pain (yet), getting back on track.

Playlist (Mellow)
Shh/Peaceful -Miles Davis
Rastafari Is -Peter Tosh
He'eia -Gabby Pahinui
Academia -Sia
The Overload -Talking Heads

Times
L1 12:31
L2 6:11
L3 5:57
L4 11:16
L5 0:58
Total 36:53

Length 4.0 miles

Two snakes

I saw two snakes on the road today. One alive, the other dead. Actually, on the way home the other appeared to be dead also. But where have I been? I was on a vacation with my wife last week in the Netherlands and Belgium. I packed my shoes but I did not run. So I've been off my feet for a while. My calf is feeling better at the moment.

Playlist
Moonage Daydream -David Bowie
Fall Out -the Police
Diamond Dogs -David Bowie
Queen Bitch -David Bowie
Haleakala -Gabby Pahinui
Cooperation -Franco & Sam Mangwana
Dadje Von O Von Non -Gnonnas Pedro et Ses Dadjes

Times
L1 8:29
L2 7:29
L3 7:58
L4 8:38
Total 32:33

Distance 3.5. I've lost some serious ground. I've gotten this route down to under 30. Boo

Junk Support

Day 19 of the 20 day challenge, and I'm feeling pretty good after a day off. It's been threatening to rain all day long, but hasn't really started yet. Pretty warm and nice. I finally got myself an athletic supporter, to keep my junk in place during the warm weather. I wasn't sure if I should get the size 30-32 inch waist, or the 34-36 inch. I've been at about 33 inches, and being an optimist, I went with the 30-32. I did so with furrowed brow, because I don't imagine it's the kind of item one can return to the store. TMI? I call it deep sharing.
The stoplights all seemed to be against me today.

Playlist-All Gabby Pahinui
Wai Hu'ihu'i O Ke Aniani
Maile Lau Li'ili'i
'Ia 'Oe E Ka La
Haleakala
Panini Pua Kea
He'eia
'Ama 'Ama
Nanea Ko Maka I Ka Le'a Le'a
Pua Kukui
Kananaka
Mauna Loa
Hula O Makee
Wahine U'i
Ku'u Pua Lei Mokihana
Kaua Beauty
Ka Ua Loku
How D'ya Do
Ka Ipo Lei Manu
Lei Ohu
Breeze

L1 14:17
L2 5:46 (Univ/Donahue to Woodfield)
L3 10:55 (Donahue/Woodfield to Magnolia)
L4 6:14 (Magnolia)
L5 5:38 (Gay Armstrong)
L6 5:35 (Top of Gay)
L7 11:18 (Bottom of Gay)
Total 59:43
Distance 7.0

Short Day

What used to be a regular huff is now a short day, the trip down to Chewacla and back. According to the gmap pedometer, that a route of 3.55 miles (5.77 km), give or take. I may have to burn a rest day tomorrow, as I'm starting to feel some aches and creaks. Not just because it's supposed to rain, really.

Playlist. Shhh... Instrumental
How D'ya Do -Gabby Pahinui
Nuevo Pueblo -Buena Vista Social Club
Well, You Needn't -Thelonious Monk
Spanish Key -Miles Davis

Times
L1 8:11
L2 7:06
L3 7:04
L4 7:30
Total 29:50. What used to be my goal is now the effort of a "slow day". Yay. Faster on the return splits. Yay. I've been working on pumping my arms to go a little faster, especially climbing hills.

Warming Up

Today was the first day in shorts/no spandex and short sleeves. I'm not sure if it's the weather, my lunch or the challenge I've laid before myself, but I was feeling a bit sluggish out there. The route, University, Donahue, Magnolia, Gay, Thach, Armstrong, Gay, Home.

Playlist "World Music" or African and Hawaiian.
Okuzua -Orchestra Lissanga
Wai Hu'ihu'i O Ke Aniani -Gabby Pahinui
Dadje Von O Von Non -Gnonnas Pedro et Ses Dadjes
He'eia -Gabby Pahinui
Dofana -Ali Farka Toure
Qhude Manikiniki -Umahlathini Nabo
My Little Grass Shack -Gabby Pahinui
Goye Kur -Ali Farka Toure
Cinquante Six -Ali Farka Toure
Mauna Loa -Gabby Pahinui
Mahini Me -Ali Farka Toure
Nansi Imali -Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Makojo -Chief Osita Osadebe

Times
L1 14:18 (Home->Donahue)
L2 16:27 (Donahue ->Magnolia)
L3 5:15 (Magnolia->Gay)
L4 6:36 (Gay, Armstrong, Samford)
L5 6:04 (Samford/Gay->Gay/Woodfield SS)
L6 12:25 (SS->Home)
Total 1:01:04

double A to Z

Back out after the 5k. One day of rest. All the snow is gone, except for the muddy, shrinking snowmen. A pretty nice day, though chilly enough for spandex. I went back out to the Shel Toomer bike path, with a playlist featuring two songs for every letter of the alphabet. The only missing letter is X. I think I know of one really good song to fill that void. Anyway, the playlist, which I got through to H.

Playlist
Alabama Chrome -Jim White
Andy Warhol -David Bowie
Babylon System -Bob Marley
Beercan -Beck
Calling Dr. Love -KISS
Carbon Monoxide -Cake
Draw the Line -Aerosmith
Don't Believe the Hype -Public Enemy
Exactly Where I'm At -Ween
Excuse Me (I Think I've Got a Heartache) -Cake
Fell in Love With A Girl -White Stripes
Flaming Heart -Meat Puppets
Get On The Good Foot -James Brown
The Great Curve -Talking Heads
He'eia -Gabby Pahinui

Times
L1 8:07
L2 6:46
L3 13:34
L4 13:36
L5 7:07
L 7:50
Total 57:02 New personal best for that route

5k plus

So today is what, my third or fourth day in a row? Starting out today, my calves were most sore, but now I think I have a blister on the bottom of my right foot which hurts a little more. I think I'm feeling a big endorphin rush, not just heart attack paranoia. I'm planning on starting to run in some races in the area. Not to compete, I don't think I stand a chance, but rather to go on routes that are actually measured. Today I thought I'd try one of these routes, since it's nearby enough. It will be a 5K, so I ran it. I tried to get my time for the actual 5K, but didn't quite time the lap correctly.

The Route
Gay Loftin Wright's Mill Janet Heard Dumas Wright's Mill Samford Gay

Playlist
Queen Bitch -David Bowie
Andy Warhol -David Bowie
Indoda Yejazi Elimnyama -Amaswazi Emvelo
Dadje Von O Von Non -Gnonnas Pedro et Ses Dadjes
Wahine U'i -Gabby Pahinui
Birds in the Treetop -Ras Michael and the Sons of Negus
Can't Forget About You -Nas
Ghettochip Malfunction -Beck
Highway to Hell -AC/DC
Iron Man -Black Sabbath

Times (a bit confused)
L1 8:36
L2 (mostly the 5 k, plus about 2 minutes) 25:27
L3 (Loftin -> home) 6:16
Total 40:20. So I thought I thumbed the lap when I got on the actual 5K route, but I didn't. I thumbed it when I found the error, about 2:30 later or so. The last split was from the end of the 5K loop home, and was similar to the same length on the way out. So really if I add the difference between L1 and L3 (2:20), then my 5K time is about 27:47 , which is pretty OK for me.

Golden Gate Park

It's the last day of our vacation in California, and we're in San Francisco. My in-laws live between the Presidio and Golden Gate Park, and I wanted to get over to Golden Gate Park, which is the further of the two. I wanted to get a good long run in, especially after the sad state of affairs on Boxing Day, and with the extra days rest, and the traveling tomorrow. All of that added up to a nice long run.
It's about 12 blocks to get to the park, so I started out slow, and had to wend my way over to a real entrance to the park. It's such a beautiful spot, one of the US's finest urban parks, in my humble opinion. I got a bit confused and ended up on the far side of the park, over by 41st Ave, when I thought I was coming out on Fulton Ave, but I didn't mind too much. I jogged by the Chain of Lakes, and the bison, back out to Fulton and 32nd Ave, before ambling back to over by Park Presidio. Soundtrack by Gabby Pahinui.

Playlist (From Best of Gabby Volume II and Best of the Gabby Band, 1972-77)
Wai Hu'ihu'i O Ke Aniani
Maile Lau Li'ili'i
'Ia 'Oe E Ka La
Haleakala
Panini Pua Kea
He'eia
'Ama 'Ama
Nanea Ko Maka I Ka Le'a Le'a
Pua Kukui
Kananaka
Mauna Loa
Farewell Medley
Hula O Makee
Wahine U'I
Ku'u Pua Lei Mokihana
Kaua Beauty
Ka Ua Loku
How D'ya Do
Ka Ipo Lei Mani
Lei Ohu
Breeze
Aloha Ka Manini

Time (no splits)
1:06:46