Another run with V.

Veronica and I went on another run this morning.  We went up to the Woodfield/Gay stop sign and back, which is not quite 3 miles.  We went a little faster than on Thursday, and she did very well.

No playlist, just talking.

Distance 2.73 mi
Cumulative 9.64 mi
Time 26:14
Pace 9:36

I didn't run the Love Your Heart 10k this year because my calves were feeling like they might go bad again. So I've been kind of a lump and haven't gone out again until today. I tried a variation on my typical 4.0 mile, up Loftin (a bit daunting hill) and across Peachtree back out to Gay, adding about 0.3 miles to the route.

Playlist - a bunch of songs to play on the guitar

The Width of a Circle	David Bowie
Fiona	Lyle Lovett
Mexico	Cake
New Amsterdam	Elvis Costello
Yes I Guess They Oughta Name a Drink After You	John Prine
Two Glasses Joe	Ernest Tubb
There's a Tear In My Beer	Hank Williams Sr and Hank Williams Jr
Paradise	John Prine
Rowboat	Johnny Cash
Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)	Waylon Jennings
Folsom Prison Blues	Johnny Cash

Time 37:47

Distance 4.3 miles

Cumulative 24.7 miles (yes, I need to get on my horse and run to reach my goal).

Pace 8:50 min/mi

Couple of days off, back on.

Went up to Gay/Samford and back. I'd been trying to get out again the past couple of days, but haven't been able to. I had a little bit of soreness here and there. Most worrisome in my injured calf. But it seems to be okay.

Playlist
You Got The Silver	Rolling Stones
The Song Remains The Same	Led Zeppelin
Rowboat	Johnny Cash
Dead Flowers	Rolling Stones
Drive My Car	the Beatles
You Can't Catch Me	Chuck Berry
Get Back	the Beatles
Cocaine Blues	Johnny Cash
Yes, I Guess They Oughta Name A Drink After You	John Prine
San Ber'dino	Frank Zappa

Times
L1	11:52
L2	5:56
L3	5:42
L4	10:49
L5	0:50
Total	35:09

Distance 4.0 miles

Cumulative distance 11.6 miles

Late in getting to October

First run of October. A bit of resting on my laurels, getting sick, bad weather (but not that bad, really), being busy with work, and plain old SLOTH. I did get out this morning, and did my 4.6 mile loop, up Gay to Samford, College to Woodfield. Not feeling too bad after the hiatus and a night of unhealthy consumption (buffalo wings and beer).

Playlist
Baba-Ye	Mahlathini
Genius of Love	Tom Tom Club
Superunknown	Soundgarden
Academia	Sia
You're My Best Friend	Queen
Here It Goes Again	OK Go
The New World	X
Born Free	M.I.A.
Lust for Life	Iggy Pop
The Width of a Circle	David Bowie

Times
L1	11:51
L2	5:50
L3	6:58
L4	3:16
L5	10:23
L6	0:54
Total	39:12

Distance 4.6 miles
Cumulative distance 4.6 miles

New Shoes, New Route, New Me?

Another Friday Morning. I went to the new shoe store in town, which caters to runners. I got on a treadmill there (hate those things) and got my gait diagnosed. The nice fellow there showed me how I overpronate in a neutral shoe, and hooked me up with some structured shoes to help correct that. A second trot on the treadmill showed that the new shoes were helping.

Today was my first chance to try them out, and though I usually don't go long in a brand new pair of shoes, I thought I'd chance it since I'm trying to get my mileage up, and the weather is agreeable. I went out University and up Donahue, then cut along College up to Thach, and back via Gay Street. A lot of old bits and pieces put together in a new way. Check out my first experiment with using tables for the data, below.

Playlist

Benzi Box	Danger Doom
Epistle to Dippy	Donovan
The Next Episode	Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg
New Amsterdam	Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Save It For Later	The English Beat
Electric Avenue	Eddy Grant
Plastic Jesus	Flaming Lips
What Is Life	George Harrison
Bring It On	Gomez
White Lines	Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel
Rock Problems	The Hold Steady
Search and Destroy	Iggy Pop and the Stooges
Lust for Life	Iggy Pop
Sugar	Imperial Teen

Times L1	14:23
L2	6:27
L3	6:23
L4	7:45
L5	5:41
L6	10:45
L7	0:48
Total	52:13

Distance 5.9 miles
Cumulative distance 17.2 miles

Let It Bleed

I've once again let the month get a little older than I wanted before hitting the pavement again. I did get out this evening, after a very rainy windy Labor Day, complete with tornado warnings, wind advisories, etc. But it was nice and cool and breezy and only a little damp out as I headed up Gay St. to Thach, over to Armstrong, and back down Wright's Mill. I haven't been on this route in a while, and I was a little disappointed that it didn't quite make 5 miles. So I'm off to my start for the month, and a little behind. But as they say in Mexico, "Hay tiempo".

Playlist (Let it Bleed, the Rolling Stones)

Gimme Shelter

Love In Vain

Country Honk

Live With Me

Let It Bleed

Midnight Rambler

You Got the Silver

Monkey Man

You Can't Always Get What You Want

Times

L1 12:49

L2 6:15

L3 7:44

L4 15:51

L5 0:52

Total 43:31

Distance 4.8 miles

Cumulative 4.8 miles

Another month's quota accomplished.Thank you, Major Tom

With one day to spare, I hit my target today, ending up at 39.2 miles. I waited til after the girls had drifted off to sleep, and the Sox game was over (alas, a loss to the dreaded Yankees), for my departure. I went up to the corner of Samford and Gay, passing my wife and her friends closing down Amsterdam Cafe.

I told my Dad about my cunning plan to run 3 half-marathons between my birthdays, and he told me my monthly mileages were too low. I still have almost two months until Athens (GA), so I think I still have time to work up to it. He said he's not in any condition to run it, but he'd be glad to come watch me. That's HIS birthday weekend, so I'm really touched that he'd do that for me.

Playlist, all David Bowie
Space Oddity -from "Space Oddity
Queen B*tch -from "Hunky Dory"
The Man Who Sold The World -from "The Man Who Sold The World"
Moonage Daydream -from "Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars"
Diamond Dogs -from "Diamond Dogs"
The Jean Genie -from "Changesonebowie"
Ashes to Ashes -from "Changesonebowie"
Oh! You Pretty Things -from "Hunky Dory"
Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed -from "Space Oddity"

Times
L1 12:25
L2 6:09
L3 5:51
L4 11:13
L5 0:46
Total 36:24
Not bad for me, almost back under 9:00/mile.

Distance 4.0 miles
Cumulative 39.2 miles. Whew!

Warm Friday

Having finished my lecturing for the week, I knew it was time for another run. I set out shortly after 8 AM, which was, of course, the coolest it was going to be on this run. I went over the Interstate and west on University, up Donahue to College, and past the Art Museum back to Gay and home (not turning down Briarwood). Looking at my time, I didn't think I'd gone 4, but measuring the route showed that I went 4.1 miles. Yay. My BRAND NEW headphones have started going all wonky again. I think that when they get sweat in the microphone they start trying to activate Voice Control, and making the music play oddly. Boo. Otherwise, they're nice headphones.

Playlist
Turn It On -Flaming Lips
Novacane -Beck
Safe European Home -The Clash
The Width of a Circle -David Bowie
E-Pro -Beck
Crazy -Gnarls Barkley
Purple Haze -Jimi Hendrix
Notion -Kings of Leon
For Your Life -Led Zeppelin

Times
L1 15:06
L2 6:27
L3 3:26
L4 11:53
L5 0:50
Total 37:42

Distance 4.1 miles
Cumulative 35.2 miles

Back in Sweat Home Alabama

And I do mean sweat. It's been muggy and hot, though not as hot as a lot of other places in the southeast where it's been totally unbearable. I've been off partly because of sloth and fear of melting into a puddle of saline ooze, and partly because of work and no childcare and temporary single-parenting and baseball addiction.

However, tonight is the last night of summer vacation for my girls, and I felt I was overdue for a run, which I am now, so I doffed my shirt and hit the road after the last out of the Red Sox-Twins, which coupled with the Yankees loss means happy good news for me, though a late start for a long run.

I ran to Toomer's, which was pretty quiet this time of night on a Tuesday between semesters, so now I'm pretty well back on track for the time being, except I don't think I should do all of it in large chunks like that (large for me, 5+ miles).

Playlist
Dirty Water -the Standells
Honky Tonk Women -the Rolling Stones
I Lost It -Lucinda Williams
Big Time -Peter Gabriel
I Zimbra -Talking Heads
Bust a Move -Young MC
Caught Up In You -.38 Special
Black Country Rock -David Bowie
Way Over Yonder In the Minor Key -Billy Bragg and Wilco
Party in the USA -Miley Cyrus
Search and Destroy -Iggy Pop
Ruby -Kaiser Chiefs
Emperor Tomato Ketchup -Stereolab
Wow and Flutter -Stereolab

Times
L1 12:29
L2 6:18
L3 5:58
L4 4:57
L5 6:39
L6 3:32
L7 11:29
L8 0:54
Total 52:15

Distance 5.6 miles
Cumulative 11.0 miles

So old it's new

I ran a new route tonight, at least it seemed new since it's been a while since I did it if I ever did. I ran up to Woodfield stop sign and back down to Town Creek Cemetery and out Town Creek Park back to Gay Street and home. I wore the Five Fingers again, and my calves were tender on the way out until they loosened up. Right now, my right foot feels a sharp pain toward the heel, hopefully it'd resolve itself sooner rather than later. Three more good runs should get me to my goal, though it will have to be in California because that's where I'm headed tomorrow.

Playlist
(listened to Red Sox-Mariners game)

Times
L1 12:36
L2 1:53 (ss to cemetery entrance)
L3 6:42 (Town Creek)
L4 7:22
L5 0:53
Total 29:24

Distance
3.2 miles
Cumulative 26.3 miles. Over a marathon done.

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

Welcome, Kings of Leon

Newish route today. There was a big event at Town Creek Park, so both sides of Gay Street had cars parked along them, making it less appealing as a return route. I've done most of the bits and pieces except the sidewalk between the museum and Donahue along College. Also discovered that Kimberly Road cuts through between University and College, which is news to me. I didn't run it, I just saw it on the map. I also nearly got smooshed by a car that wasn't expecting to see me in the bike lane. Fortunately, a stern "HO!" was the only necessary action to avoid any unpleasantness.

It's starting to get a bit warmer out there, so I'm glad I got out just a wee bit earlier. Pretty soon I'll have to be up ridiculously early to avoid melting in the sun.

I made a recent deposit into the Bank of Tunes-O-Matic, which was burning a hole in my digital pocket, so I decided to invest in some new tunes. Under the influence of WEGL, and the stamp of approval of Mr. Vince Noir, I decided to buy some Kings of Leon, namely the album Only By The Night

Playlist
(Only By the Night, Kings of Leon)

Times
L1 13:14 (Home to Woodfield)
L2 3:44 (Stop sign to Museum)
L3 6:52 (Museum to Donahue/University)
L4 14:18 (D/U to last stop sign)
L5 0:47 (home stretch)
Total 38:55

Distance 4.1 miles
Cumulative distance 32.6 miles.

Merry Month of May

Been off again, but I expect an uptick in activity as my classes took their final exam today. I knew I had to get out at least once before this weekend's 5k. It's a bit cooler than one might have expected, but that just made it a beautiful day for an afternoon run. Up to Samford/Gay back along College. First time in a long while. I've been trying for days to find Speakerboxxx on my hard drives, then trying to find the CD. W00t! Found it! Bowtie!

Playlist -songs getting stuck in my head
Across the Universe -the Beatles
Cooperation -Franco and Sam Mangwana
Bowtie -Outkast
Cantique -Kanda Bongo Man
The Way You Move -Outkast
El Microfono -Mexican Institute of Sound
Blanket of Weeds -Meat Puppets
Search and Destroy -Iggy and the Stooges
Sissyneck -Beck

Times
L1 12:59
L2 6:36
L3 7:53
L4 3:34
L5 11:51
L6 0:49
Total 43:41

Distance 4.6 miles
Cumulative distance 4.6 miles

Another muggy one

Weather today calls for thunderstorms, but at the moment it's just overcast and muggy. I dragged my feet a bit, but I did get out and had a nice jog up to Woodfield/Gay and back. I need to register for the Marie Wooten 5k, honoring the Dean of my College who was killed while running last Fall.

Playlist -things that are stuck in my present consciousness
Fireflies -Owl City
El Microfono -Mexican Institute of Sound
Frontier Psychiatrist -the Avalanches
I Gotcha Back -Genius/Gza
Time is Too Expensive -Del the Funky Homosapien
White Lines -Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel

Times
L1 13:02
L2 11:28
L3 0:53
Total 25:23

Distance 2.8 miles
Total 10.0 miles

Midday getting warm

I've been busy today, but I got some time between appointments to get out and run. Up to Woodfield/Gay stop sign and back. Not far, but I need to get my feet back out there. I ran in my old trainers again, I really need to get some new ones. It's getting warm out there, too. I need to try and get out there earlier.

Playlist
Fireflies -Owl City
Benzi Box -Danger Doom
Frontier Psychiatrist -the Avalanches
Ruby -Kaiser Chiefs
Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed -David Bowie
Ventilator Blues -Rolling Stones
Mexican Radio -Wall of Voodoo

Times
L1 13:03
L2 11:42
L3 0:57
Total 25:42

Distance 2.8 miles
Cumulative 7.2 miles

Another month off

Slacking again. It's now Spring, and the yellow rain of pollen has descended. Last week was Spring Break, and in spite of not much to do, I didn't go running. Finally, my idle blog is shaming me back out on the roads. I went up to Woodfield/Gay and back. My hips and knees have been hurting, and I've been using that as an excuse.

Playlist
Dreadlock Holiday -10cc (inspired by the ICC World Cup)
Windy and Warm -Richard Kiser
Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed -David Bowie
Can't Get There From Here -R.E.M.
Electric Avenue -Eddy Grant
New Gods -Meat Puppets
Lowazo -Kanda Bongo Man

Times
L1 13:09
L2 11:43
L3 1:00
Total 25:52

Distance 2.8 miles
Cumulative distance: same

Gearing up for the half marathon

Another 6+ to gear up for the half marathon this coming Saturday. University, Donahue, Magnolia, Gay all the way (no turn on Thach/Armstrong).

Playlist
Girl -Beck
Hot Pink -Meat Puppets
Lump -Presidents of the USA
Clap Hands -Tom Waits
Little Man With A Gun In His Hand -Minutemen
What Goes On -Velvet Underground
Your Phone's Off The Hook, But You're Not -X
Big Jilm -Ween
Sour Cherry -The Kills
Confusion Fog -Meat Puppets
All Apologies -Nirvana
Seven Nation Army -White Stripes
Undone (The Sweater Song) -Weezer
Mexican Radio -Wall of Voodoo
Let Forever Be -Chemical Brothers
Tried and True -Ween
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Part II -Flaming Lips
War Pigs -Black Sabbath

Times
L1 14:46
L2 17:38
L3 4:39
L4 7:15
L5 6:12
L6 12:12
L7 0:49
Total 1:03:31

Distance 6.7 miles
Cumulative distance 23.6 miles

Four miles

The term is over at Auburn, and my students are all assessed. So now I have time to run during daylight hours, or so it would seem. It's gotten quite cold, and I fortunately have some nice new warm things to wear while running. I did get a bit further, 4 miles, up to Samford and back. What the flip happened to my statcounter?

Playlist
Slavedriver -Jenny and Johnny
Candy -Presidents of the USA
Can't Get There from Here -R.E.M.
Rock Problems -the Hold Steady
Manic Depression -Jimi Hendrix
Frontier Psychiatrist -the Avalanches
Black Country Rock -David Bowie
As Good As I Can Feel -Funkadelic
Bubble Pop -Del the Funky Homosapien
Come As You Are -Nirvana
Easy Skanking -Bob Marley

Times
L1 12:38
L2 6:15
L3 6:16
L4 11:27
L5 0:53
Total 37:29

Distance 4.0 miles
Cumulative 8.4 miles

More running. Yay!

Not as cold this evening. It was a small miracle that I got out again, though after taking a night or two off I knew it was the only way to keep it up; to gut up or shut up. I wore the warm suit, but it wasn't as cold.

Playlist
Body -Presidents of the U.S.A
Lump -Presidents of the U.S.A
Ziggy Stardust -David Bowie
The Battle of Evermore -Led Zeppelin
Oh! You Pretty Things -David Bowie
The Wind Cries Mary -Jimi Hendrix
Aurora Borealis -The Meat Puppets
Reggae Street -The Mighty Diamonds

Times
L1 13:18
L2 12:22
L3 0:55
Total 26:35

Distance 2.8 miles
Cumulative distance 4.4 miles

Been a long time, been a long time, been a long

Almost a month since my last run. The first step back is the hardest, for sure. I finally got my butt up and went back to Gay/Woodfield. A week ago, the Dean of my College was hit and killed while she was running, so part of me has been afraid to get back out there, and part of me inspired to get back out there. Of course, her death doesn't account for the prior three weeks of sloth. My feet looked awful after the Tough Ten, though, with a huge blood blister that's finally worked itself out. But at the heart of it, I don't exactly know why I've been so slothful, but it's time for it to stop.

Playlist
Peace Treaty -Peter Tosh
Carbon Monoxide -CAKE
Lust for Life -Iggy Pop
Opera Singer -CAKE
Can't Get There From Here -R.E.M.
Italian Leather Sofa -CAKE

Times
L1 13:05
L2 11:11
L3 0:55
Total 25:12

Distance 2.7 miles
Total 2.7 miles