Still Catching Up

Somehow I thought this route would be a bit longer than 4 miles, but according to gmaps, it's not. I'm trying to play catchup and haven't quite caught up yet. But, being summer in Alabama, it's hot out there and I didn' want to go too far or too fast. I got a new pair of shoes yesterday, the Five Fingers variety, but I'm hesitant to go running in them until I get used to them a bit. My daughter wants to go running with me, so maybe we'll take a short one out to give them a try later today or tomorrow. I'm reluctant to take her out while I'm in catchup mode, seeing as she's a noobie and all.

Playlist
What New York Used to Be -the Kills
Buckingham Green -Ween
Use Somebody -Kings of Leon
Search and Destroy -Iggy and the Stooges
Birds in the Treetop -Ras Michael and the Sons of Negus
Mind -Talking Heads
Clap Hands -Tom Waits
Undone (The Sweater Song) -Weezer
Manhattan -Kings of Leon
Shout It Out Loud -Kiss

Times
L1 12:45
L2 6:39
L3 18:12
L4 0:54
Total 38:30

Route. Wright's Mill Univ. Gay Samford WM Univ. Home.
Distance 4.0 miles
Cumulative 7.1 miles

Summer 5K part IV

Last week's 5K was canceled, as I've probably mentioned a couple of times now.
This week's 5K was warm but clearly not as hot as it has been if my hypothesis about temperature and time holds. I ran with a completely different knot of people again this week. And as I came into the last turn, I saw I was doing much better than previous weeks, I almost broke through 27:00. I was trucking at the end and almost crashed into a chariot.

In other news, I've attained my 39 mile goal for the second month. YAY!

Playlist (may have missed a couple due to Tune-O-Matic fail)
Train in Vain -the Clash
Party in the USA -Miley Cyrus
Roses are Free -Ween
Seven Nation Army -White Stripes
Wow and Flutter -Stereolab
Search and Destroy -Iggy and the Stooges
Grits Ain't Groceries -Little Milton
Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed -David Bowie

Time
27:09 (maybe a hair faster)

Distance 3.1 miles
Cumulative distance 40.5 miles!

Muggy but nicer

It's a bit overcast and it might rain shortly, which is good because we need rain. The temperature is down a bit, but the humidity is quite high. I got off to a good start and decided to go down to Toomer's Corner and back, the ol' 5.6 mile route. And it's our Wedding Anniversary, yay!

Playlist -A nice one, seemed to flow well.
Take Me Away -Ween
Cut -Minutemen
China Girl -David Bowie
Highway to Hell -AC/DC
Celebration Day -Led Zeppelin
Buk-In-Hamm Palace -Peter Tosh
Loser -Beck
Cobbler -Meat Puppets
The Gnome -Pink Floyd
It's Up To You -the Specials
The Day I Tried To Live -Soundgarden
It's Summertime -Flaming Lips
Meanwhile Rick James... -CAKE
Nappy Dugout -Funkadelic

Times
L1 12:23
L2 6:31
L3 6:11
L4 4:49
L5 6:38
L6 3:34
L7 11:16
L8 0:48
Total 52:11

Distance 5.6 miles
Cumulative distance 28.5 miles

Hot again.

Another hot day, lazing in bed until it's almost the hottest part of the day. I did see a couple of friends driving by as I went along on my 4.6 mile route, up Gay to Samford and back via the Art Museum. Another 5K tomorrow. Overall, I felt pretty good out there, no major aches or pains or crippling fatigue. As always, glad to get home.

Playlist
The Battle of Evermore -Led Zeppelin
Up on the Sun -Meat Puppets
Singapore -Tom Waits
Going to California -Led Zeppelin
Little Man With A Gun In His Hand -Minutemen
Sheena Is A Punk Rocker -Ramones
Street Fighting Man -Rolling Stones
Burning Down the House -Talking Heads
The Jean Genie -David Bowie
They'll Need A Crane -They Might Be Giants
Dreadlock Holiday -10cc
Exactly Where I'm At -Ween

Times
L1 12:51
L2 6:26
L3 7:49
L4 3:45
L5 12:06
L6 0:55
Total 43:51

Distance 4.6 miles
Cumulative distance 19.8 miles

Hot Lazy Saturday Morning

I knew I had to get out there today. I'm slipping behind in my challenge, and I don't think I should try to backend all my miles at the end of the month. Another newish route, left on University and up to Donahue, then back down Kimberly and down University to Town Creek. At the restrooms, I stopped and rested, both my bladder and the rest of my body, and had a little sip of water from the fountain, then back out to Gay and home.

Playlist
Use Somebody -Kings of Leon
Lucifer Sam -Pink Floyd
Spoonman -Soundgarden
Notion -Kings of Leon
Blanket of Weeds -Meat Puppets
Transdermal Celebration -Ween
Mexican Radio -Wall of Voodoo
Turn it On -Flaming Lips
Heroes -David Bowie
Benzi Box -Danger Doom
Manic Depression -Jimi Hendrix
Say It Ain't So -Weezer

Times
L1 15:24
L2 3:12
L3 7:12
L4 2:11
L5 3:17
(Break 3:26)
L7 9:13
L8 0:56
Total 44:53 -3:26 =41:27

Distance 4.3 miles
Cumulative distance 15.2 miles

Stinky Hat

A route with lots of new terra incognita today. I ran up over the interstate and went left down University, then up into Town Creek Park and around the pond to the left. Out to Gay Street and up to Woodfield, up to the Art Museum and left to Kimberly. Straight down Kimberly back to University and down to Town Creek again. Around the pond to the right this time, and back home via Gay Street, University, Wright's Mill, etc. I was a bit worried about my condition, as a canoe trip on the Tallapoosa River on Saturday left my torso skin fried and my feet cut up with lots of little cuts. When I started out today, my left knee was a little tender, and I felt like I was a bit wobbly. After the first half mile or so, I was feeling loose and well oiled, but my knee was bothering me again a bit at about mile 3. On top of all that, my running favorite running hat stinks. I've tried washing it twice, but it still smells pretty horrific. Maybe I'll try washing it again.

Playlist
Notion -Kings of Leon
Profanity Prayers -Beck
Rock & Roll -Lou Reed
Where It's At -Beck
Superunknown -Soundgarden
Moonage Daydream -David Bowie
The Stallion Part 3 -Ween
Crosseyed and Painless -Talking Heads
Mustache Man (Wasted) -CAKE
Party in the USA -Miley Cyrus
Fireflies -Owl City

Times
L1 18:23 (Home to Woodfield)
L2 3:36 (Woodfield to Museum)
L3 6:56 (Museum to end of Kimberly)
L4 2:12 (Kimberly to Town Creek?)
L5 4:26 (Through Town Creek)
L6 8:14 (Gay Street to Home)
Total 43.47

Distance 4.7 miles
Cumulative distance 7.8 miles

Clear cold day

Another run up and over the hill, down to Chewacla and back. My classes for this afternoon were canceled as an artifact of the 'winter weather' (really the Auburn football team winning the National Championship!) on Monday and Tuesday, so I took advantage of the extra time for a clear cold run.

Playlist
Slavedriver -Jenny and Johnny
The Glory of Man -Minutemen
The Distance -Cake
She Blinded Me With Science -Thomas Dolby
F*ckin' With My Head -Beck
Mutilated Lips -Ween
Paranoid -Black Sabbath
The Stallion Part 3 -Ween
Been Caught Stealing -Jane's Addiction
Motel Room In My Bed -X

Times
L1 8:10
L2 7:03
L3 7:21
L4 7:17
L5 0:46
Total 30:37 Glad to be back within the 30 minute range. Feeling like I'm getting back into the swing of things.

Distance 3.5 miles
Cumulative distance 16.9 miles

Cold and going to rain/snow

I've let myself eat a little bit off my New Year's Resolved Diet (less meat, more whole grain, less cheese/dairy, more veggies) because of social engagements with friends. A corollary to the Diet is that I don't want to put anybody out with my personally imposed dietary restriction. I took an extra day off after the 7 miler, and I needed to get out before tonight's expected freezing rain and/or snow. So I went on an old route I haven't seen in a while, down to Chewacla and back.

Playlist (Cold Rain and Snow Mix)
Cold Brains -Beck
Cold Sweat -James Brown
Cold Blood -Peter Tosh
Cold and Wet -Ween
Fool in the Rain -Led Zeppelin
Look at the Rain -Meat Puppets
The Rain Song -Led Zeppelin

Times
L1 8:35
L2 7:05
L3 7:23
L4 7:13
L5 0:48
Total 31:04

Distance 3.5 miles (I just remeasured, seems longer than I remember?)
Cumulative 13.4 miles

Monaural

Up to Gay/Woodfield again. One of the headphones on the tune-o-matic was out, but I didn't catch it until I was off and on my way. So I kept on going, monaurally.

Playlist
Dirty Water -the Standells (awesome win vs. Angels, Papelbon fans 'em in order in the 9th)
What is Life -George Harrison
Hang On Saint Christopher -Tom Waits
Finger Lickin' Good -Beastie Boys
Roses are Free -Ween
Sweet Thing -David Bowie
For All the Cows -Foo Fighters

Times
L1 13:14
L2 11:35
L3 0:53
Total 25:40

Distance 2.7 miles
Cumulative 5.4 miles

Ooh, why did I eat first?

Getting to the end of the month, and I should be able to get in 15 runs. Today is lucky number 13, I do believe. Today I had a few things to do in the morning, see another friend's defense seminar, banking, and lunch with my wife and daughter. She requested Chick-Fil-A food, which is about the limit for me as far as fast food goes in general. But I definitely felt a bit logy afterwards, and had to lie down for a few minutes while I charged my personal batteries and the one in my tune-o-matic. Still, I felt a bit logy on the road, and I didn't get very far (not that I wanted to). I prefer my schedule of avoiding eating (except a simple breakfast) before running.

Up Gay to College via Woodfield, back to Gay via Samford, and home.

Playlist
This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody) -Talking Heads
What Deaner Was Talking About -Ween
Let's Spend The Night Together -the Rolling Stones
Yes I Guess They Oughta Name A Drink After You -John Prine
What Is Life -George Harrison
Atomic Dog -George Clinton
Break On Through -the Doors
It Ain't Easy -David Bowie
Beautiful Delilah -Chuck Berry
Rastaman Live Up -Bob Marley
Girl -Beck
Get Back -the Beatles

Times
L1 12:15
L2 3:16
L3 7:09
L4 5:29
L5 9:59
L6 0:51
Total 39:00
Distance 4.6 miles

Back to it and still at it

And yet a little further. Up Gay to Thach, east to Brookwood down to Samford and back down via Wright's Mill to Loftin. Feeling pretty good.

Playlist -More of that same genre as yesterday plus some others
The Day I Tried To Live -Soundgarden
Say It Ain't So -Weezer
Mutilated Lips -Ween
Speaking In Tongues -Eagles of Death Metal
Seven Nation Army -White Stripes
I'll Stick Around -Foo Fighters
Ego Tripping At The Gates of Hell -Flaming Lips
Watching The Detectives -Elvis Costello
It's Summertime -Flaming Lips
I Gotcha Back -Genius/GZA
Going On -Gnarls Barkley
Our Lips Are Sealed -the Go-gos
Purple Haze -Jimi Hendrix
(I Love It When You) Call Me Names -Joan Armatradding


Times
L1 12:20
L2 5:56
L3 (Top of Gay Thach Brookwood Samford) 19:14
L4 (Wright's Mill Loftin) 10:52
L5 6:17
Total 54:40

Distance 6.0 miles

20 Days!!!! Yee-hah!

This was it. The 20th Day of running in March. Hurray! Only one day under 4.0 miles. Up Gay, to College via Woodfield, up to Toomer's Corner, back down Gay to Armstrong, back on Gay and home. I'm over 126 miles this month!

Playlist (Country & Western &c.)
That Girl From Brownsville, Texas -Jim White
In Heaven There Is No Beer -Brave Combo
Cumberland Blues -Grateful Dead
Paradise -John Prine
Dixie Chicken -Little Feat
Loser -Beck
Walk On By -Cake
Tweedle-O-Twill -Gene Autry
Big River -Johnny Cash
Bob Wills Is Still The King -Waylon Jennings
The Wurlitzer Prize (I Don't Want to Get Over You) -Waylon Jennings
Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town -Cake
Pretty Girl -Ween
Dear John -Hank Williams
I Got Stripes -Johnny Cash

Times
L1 11:26
L2 3:05
L3 10:45 (Woodfield to Toomer's)
L4 0:46
L5 5:31
L6 5:28
L7 11:04
Total 48:06
Distance 5.77 mi

Road Trip, and back on the Road

I spent the last four days in Charlotte, at a meeting my wife was attending. I did see people running through downtown Charlotte, but I didn't really get the opportunity to join them. I swam in the pool at the hotel, but not in a real exercising sort of way. I also tried the treadmill in the hotel gym. I hated that thing. I spent 12+ minutes on it, and did not care to watch TV jiggle in front of me, or to have all these buttons to regulate the speed. I almost fell off the thing. Suffice to say, it is not for me at this point; I much prefer feet on concrete. So I went for an evening run out to the bike path, bringing a flashlight with me for the first dusky run in a while. It was brisk out, nice for running. Ahhhh. Home sweet home.

Playlist
(I Love It When You) Call Me Names -Joan Armatradding
Queen Bitch -David Bowie
Ocean Breathes Salty -Modest Mouse
Honton Soukpo Gnon -Antoine Dougbe
Rastafari Is -Peter Tosh
Pork Roll Egg and Cheese -Ween
Hotel Yorba -White Stripes
Jolene -Cake
Andy Warhol -David Bowie
Cissy Strut -the Meters
Heavy Heavy Heavy -Geraldo Pino
In This House That I Call Home -X
No One Knows -Queens of the Stone Age

Times
L1 7:47
L2 6:39
L3 13:25
L4 8:14
L5 4:55
L6 6:55
L7 7:17
Total 55:12 Another PB. Yay!

Friday is 10K Day/ My 20 Day Challenge

Back onto the old 10K route, the Shel Toomer bike path and back. Fifth day in a row. W00T! So I confess that my goal for this month is 20 days of running. That should be 20 blog entries. I've been reluctant to post about it, in case of failure. But I blog to set goals and prevent failure. So here it is: my challenge to myself, 20 runs in March.

Playlist
Rastafari Is -Peter Tosh
Show Some Emotion -Joan Armatradding
Wow and Flutter -Stereolab
1999 -Prince
Let Forever Be -Chemical Brothers
Love Gun -Kiss
Sissyneck -Beck
Pork Roll Egg and Cheese -Ween
In This House That I Call Home -X
Jeepster -T. Rex
Seven Nation Army -White Stripes
Buddy Holly -Weezer
Under The Gun -Circle Jerks
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised -Gil Scott-Heron
Atomic Dog -George Clinton
Loser -Beck


Times
L1 7:54
L2 6:44
L3 13:26
L4 13:27
L5 7:11
L6 7:48
Total 56:30 a new PB, yay!

Another Pleasant Valley Sunday, on Thursday

A new route through a fairly new neighborhood nearby. I've avoided it thus far, as all my driving through the neighborhood kind of creeped me out, in how all the houses look exactly the same, and bear the name of the flora and fauna they've replaced. My subdivision is not better in this latter regard, though I'm not sure what a tanglewood is, anyway.

Playlist
Sissyneck -Beck
L.A. Woman -The Doors
I'll Stick Around -Foo Fighters
What Is Life -George Harrison
Purple Haze -Jimi Hendrix
Corona -Minutemen
Standing On The Verge of Getting It On -Funkadelic
Maiden's Milk -Meat Puppets
Cobbler -Meat Puppets
You're My Best Friend -Queen
Pink Eye (On My Leg) -Ween

Times
L1 11:30 (through neighborhood 'X')
L2 21:06 (Jct Ogletree Rd)
L3 7:38 (Ogletree SS ->Home, reckon that's a personal record for that leg!)
Total 40:13
Distance 4.9 miles A little over 8 minute miles. Not bad though, for the 4th day in a row. Good on last split, no doubt

Back to an old favorite

The Shel Toomer bike path. A bit damp, but not really raining. Pretty nice day for it. I felt a little logy on the trail, but I did well. Slacked a bit on the way back, but finished strong.

Playlist
Changes -David Bowie
Our Lips Are Sealed -The Go-Go's
What Is And What Should Never Be -Led Zeppelin
Straight Outta Compton -N.W.A
Buk-In-Hamm Palace -Peter Tosh
The Day I Tried To Live -Soundgarden
Hands All Over -Soundgarden
White Girl -X
Beginning to See the Light -Velvet Underground
Pretty Girl -Ween
Rudie Can't Fail -The Specials
My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mamma -Frank Zappa
Fish, Chips and Sweat -Funkadelic
Little Wing -Jimi Hendrix

Times
L1 8:02
L2 6:35
L3 13:43
L4 14:11
L5 7:29
L6 7:54
Total 57:54

New Month, New Route, Will I ever go back to my old ways?

Another couple of days off, followed by another long run. I'm not sure how this pattern affects my desired goals, i.e. getting more fit, losing weight, going longer, getting ready for half- or full-marathon. Most of the route I've done before, only now I've mish-mashed them into a new combination. Down University up to Donahue, up onto campus and up to Magnolia, across College and down Gay to Thach, Armstrong to Samford and back home via Gay St.

Playlist
Over the Hills and Far Away -Led Zeppelin
Alone + Easy Target -Foo Fighters
Crazy Train -Ozzy Osbourne
Superunknown -Soundgarden
The Distance -Cake
Chest Fever -The Band
Don't Sh*t Where You Eat -Ween
God is a Number -Sleater-Kinney
Dr. Lee, PhD -Beastie Boys (with Lee "Scratch" Perry)
Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell -Flaming Lips
Gold -GZA
For Your Life -Led Zeppelin
Coming In Hot -Peter Tosh
Xtabenium -Acme Rocket Quartet

Times
L1 (Home-> Donahue) 14:32
L2 (Donahue->College) 3:16
L3 (College-> Samford?) 4:33
L4 (?->Toomer's Corner) 13:58
L5 (Toomer's -> Samford/Gay) 7:01
L6 (Samford->Woodfield) 6:01
L7 (Woodfield-> Home) 11:54
Total 1:01:14
Distance 7.0 miles

Another New Route

First day without spandex in a while. It was nice out, but I like how the spandex keeps my downtown region nicely secured, if you catch my TMI. Another new route, this time up Wright's Mill Rd. toward downtown, through AU campus again, and back via the Arboretum, Art Museum, Woodfield, and Gay Street

Playlist. Enough with the alphabet, just some songs I wanted to hear.
Xtabenium -Acme Rocket Quartet
(I Love It When You) Call Me Names -Joan Armatradding
I Felt Like A Gringo -Minutemen
I Wanna Rock -Twisted Sister
I'm A Mindless Idiot -Meat Puppets
Jimmy The Exploder -White Stripes
Let Forever Be -Chemical Brothers
Rock & Roll -Lou Reed and Velvet Underground
The Song Remains The Same -Led Zeppelin
The Stallion Pt. 3 -Ween
I Wanna Know If It's Good To You -Funkadelic
To Kingdom Come -The Band
Rosa Parks -Outkast

Time
49:23
Distance 5.7 miles

Onto Auburn campus

New route again. I went over the Interstate and to the left this time, down the big hill of University and back up to Donahue, up to campus, cut over by the President's house, down Samford and home via Gay St. I'm losing my fear of big hills.

Playlist, O to U.
One Nation Under a Groove -Funkadelic
Our Lips Are Sealed -The Go-gos
Peas and Rice -Blind Blake and his Royal Victorians
Pilot Can At The Queer Eye of God -Flaming Lips
Queen Bitch -David Bowie
Qhude Manikiniki -Umahlathini Nabo
Roses are Free -Ween
Ruby Sees All -Cake
Shadow Stabbing -Cake
Small Axe -Bob Marley and the Wailers
Take Me Away -Ween
Train in Vain -The Clash
Universal Corner -X
Up On The Sun -Meat Puppets

Time
48:21. Distance 5.4 miles. Includes a stop at a traffic light. A rare stop for me.

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