Summer 5K part VI- Wet

Tonight was the last of the Summer 5K series. It was overcast and rumbly at the the start, and then it started raining HARD, with thunder and lightning. It felt absolutely fantastic, truth be told, very refreshing. I was concerned about the possibility of shorting out the tune-o-matic, so I tucked it into my shorts to try and keep it dry. I also ran it in my Five Fingers, which also felt good.
I felt tightness in my left quad this morning after yesterday's long run, but it didn't bother me on the course. I showed up just in time for the start, and didn't stay too long after for the BBQ and such. I didn't feel wiped out afterwards either. Truly exhilarating.

Playlist
Paranoid -Black Sabbath
Zombie -Fela Kuti
Safe European Home -the Clash
Shakara -Fela Kuti

Time (unofficial)25:47 Cut more than a minute off my time!

Distance 3.1 miles
Cumulative 17.9 miles

Love Your Heart 2011

Ran the Love Your Heart again. Last year I clocked in around 58:40, this year my goal was to get as close to 50 minutes as I could. I came in about 56:20, so better than last year, but not too close to 50:00. Maybe I'll keep improving. This year the course was the same, but instead of starting at the top of Chewacla and heading all the way down the bike path and back, it started at the entrance to Chewacla, then up to the top of the Park and back, then out the bike path and back. Once again, I did a good job of passing folks on the hills. I didn't see too many familiar faces out there, Wayne apparently did not run, but I did see my friend Corey who ran barefoot.

Playlist
Rusty Cage -Soundgarden
Prodigal Son -Rolling Stones
Armagideon Time -the Clash
THe Jean Genie -David Bowie
Shadow Stabbing -CAKE
Heroes -David Bowie
Queen B*tch -David Bowie
El Microfono -Mexican Institute of Sound
Black Country Rock -David Bowie
Coming in Hot -Peter Tosh
Sissyneck -Beck
Hyphy -Federation
She Don't Use Jelly -Flaming Lips
Run (I'm a Natural Disaster) -Gnarls Barkley

Time
56:18 (or so)

Distance 6.1 miles
Cumulative distance 19.5 miles

Half marathon/Piece of Cake

I ran the half marathon this morning. A pretty nice route although a few twists and turns, and some ups and downs as well. Got to see a few of my friends there, mostly Forestry folks, and Penny was there helping run the show as usual. As for a playlist, I dialed in all of my CAKE because 1. I'm going to see them tonight in B'ham (!), and 2. it's easier than having to try and program a 2+ hour playlist. I didn't even get into "Comfort Eagle" or "Prolonging the Magic"! Right now, my hips and feet are quite sore, though I'm not feeling totally wiped out.

I won't be able to do the Love Your Heart 10K next weekend, as I have to attend a work function, but I'm not too bummed about it since I hit the Half this year.

Playlist -All CAKE
Federal Funding -from "Showroom of Compassion"
Long Time -from "Showroom of Compassion"
Got to Move -from "Showroom of Compassion"
What's Now Is Now -from "Showroom of Compassion"
Mustache Man (Wasted) -from "Showroom of Compassion"
Teenage Pregnancy -from "Showroom of Compassion"
Sick of You -from "Showroom of Compassion"
Easy to Crash -from "Showroom of Compassion"
Bound Away -from "Showroom of Compassion"
The Winter -from "Showroom of Compassion"
Italian Guy -from "Showroom of Compassion"
Wheels -from "Pressure Chief"
No Phone -from "Pressure Chief"
Dime -from "Pressure Chief"
Carbon Monoxide -from "Pressure Chief"
The Guitar Man -from "Pressure Chief"
Tougher Than It Is -from "Pressure Chief"
Frank Sinatra -from "Fashion Nugget"
The Distance -from "Fashion Nugget"
Daria -from "Fashion Nugget"
Race Car Ya-Yas -from "Fashion Nugget"
I Will Survive -from "Fashion Nugget"
Stickshifts and Safetybelts -from "Fashion Nugget"
Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps -from "Fashion Nugget"
Nugget -from "Fashion Nugget"
Italian Leather Sofa -from "Fashion Nugget"
Sad Songs and Waltzes -from "Fashion Nugget"
Ruby Sees All -from "Motorcade of Generosity"
Pentagram -from "Motorcade of Generosity"
Jolene -from "Motorcade of Generosity"
Haze of Love -from "Motorcade of Generosity"
You Part The Waters -from "Motorcade of Generosity"
Jesus Wrote a Blank Check -from "Motorcade of Generosity"
Wheels -from "Wheels" (EP)
No Phone -from "Wheels" (EP)
Daria -from "Wheels" (EP)
Excuse Me (I Think I've Got A Heartache) -from "Wheels" (EP)
Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town -from "Wheels" (EP)

Unofficial time, about 2:11:00 Just over 10 minute miles. I'll take that for a first attempt on an official course.

Distance 13.1 miles
Cumulative distance 36.7 miles

Forest Ecology Preserve 5k

Ran the 5k, last weekend now. Let me say this: Chicken fingers are not the dinner of champions. I didn't drink at all last Friday, but I did eat a mess of chicken fingers, and I didn't run at all during the lead up to the race either. I was a bit tender for a few day after the Tough Ten.

I ran as part of the Forestry team, and we won! For the first time since I've been running it, our Forestry five won it. By default, but we'll take it, take it away from those Fisheries sorts. My friend Wayne ran also, and got second in our age group, so in his honor, I started with some Stones, his fave.

Playlist
Tumbling Dice -Rolling Stones
Save It For Later -English Beat
Lust For Life -Iggy Pop
Mexican Radio -Wall of Voodoo
Electric Avenue -Eddy Grant
Whip It -Devo
Crazy -Gnarls Barkley

I think that's all?

Time
26:34 or so. Awful, really, even for a trail run.

Distance 3.1 miles
Cumulative distance 25.3

Tough Ten

That picture there is from the halfway point on the Tough Ten. I finished it, which was objective 1. Objective 2, finishing under 10 minute miles also good. Objective 3, finishing under 9 minute miles, not achieved (see times below). All told, I felt pretty good throughout, even bursting into song during some points (Mexican Radio, Suspicious Minds), I think I was getting large doses of endorphins during those points, really. Thanks so much to my friend, Penny, who organized the race and personally handed me an application a couple of months ago, in plenty of time to train (though I could have gotten under 9 minute miles, I'm sure).

I may do the Forestry 5K next weekend, before my friends wedding and the Arkansas game.

Playlist
Turn It On -Flaming Lips
Crazy -Gnarls Barkley
Modern Love -David Bowie
Caught Up In You -.38 Special
Push Th' Little Daisies -Ween
Houses In Motion -Talking Heads
Whip It -Devo (this one probably drove that 8:48 mile)
Save It For Later -English Beat
Mexican Radio -Wall of Voodoo
Come As You Are -Nirvana
Once In A Lifetime -Talking Heads
Wow and Flutter -Stereolab
The Wizard Turns On -Flaming Lips
Seven Nation Army -White Stripes
Sugar -Imperial Teen
Queen Bitch -David Bowie
Electric Avenue -Eddy Grant
Suspicious Minds -Elvis Presley
Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell -Flaming Lips
Heroes -David Bowie
Lust for Live -Iggy Pop
Give It Up of Turnit Loose -James Brown
Ruby -Kaiser Chiefs (I was wearing my Kaizer Chiefs cap)
Calling Dr. Love -KISS

Times (by mile)
M1 9:25
M2 8:48
M3 9:33
M4 9:15
M5 9:25
M6 9:13
M7 9:11
M8 9:22
M9 9:04
M10 9:11
Total 1:32:28

Distance 10.0 miles
Cumulative distance 22.2 miles

5k. Ow my calf

I took yesterday off, because of my calf. I ran in a 5k race today, feeling a little better. Now, it feels a bit worse, so the rest is probably a good idea. I will take a few days up now.

I ran just a little under 24:00 again, a few seconds better than the last one. I felt pretty good during the race for the most part. There were a lot of runners, and the race was not well organized, sad to say. I stood in line for a good while to get registered, which I hadn't done for ahead of time, and the course map never did appear before the race. The local politicians, mainly judges, were pressing the flesh. And fortunately I ran into my good friend Penny, figuratively speaking, who was helping with the finish line. The course started at the Art Museum, down Woodfield and up Gay to Virginia, then down Wright's Mill to Loftin, and back up Gay to Woodfield and around the pond to the finish in front of the museum. Once again, the last big hill was a spot for me to overtake several folks. I was hoping to shave a bit of time off my previous attempt, and am a little disappointed in that. Given my calf, and a slight hangover after celebrating my friend's successful defense last night, I guess it's all right.

Playlist
Rastafari Is -Peter Tosh
Marie Jose -Ryco Jazz
Cantique -Kanda Bongo Man
Let Forever Be -Chemical Brothers
Wow and Flutter -Stereolab

Love Your Heart 10K

Well, this was the first time I paid to go running in a while. It was a lot of fun. The course ran from the top of Chewacla State Park, down to the Shel Toomer Bike Path and back to the top of Chewacla. I was a bit afraid of the climb back to the top, but it wasn't so bad. I had a lot of gas left for the kick, and passed a few people accelerating up the last hills. I made it in under an hour, so I'm happy with that for a first race in a few years.

For the playlist, I made an on-the-go one, so the songs played in
alphabetical order.

Playlist
Academia -Sia
Atomic Dog -George Clinton
Aurora Borealis -Meat Puppets
Bang a Gong (Get It On) -T.Rex
Bicycle Race -Queen
California Love -2Pac, Dr. Dre, and Roger Troutman
Clampdown -The Clash
Dixie Chicken -Little Feat
Exactly Where I'm At -Ween
Fish, Chips, and Sweat -Funkadelic
Girl -Beck
Give It Up Or Turnit Loose -James Brown
Ham 'N Eggs -A Tribe Called Quest
Hang On St. Christopher -Tom Waits
Hit It and Quit It -Funkadelic
Iron Man -Black Sabbath

Time (by my mark)
58:40