Boxing Day/Golden Gate Park/Lion of Soweto

After a rainy and blustery Christmas, this morning was bright and cheery. It being Sunday, most of Golden Gate Park is closed off to car traffic, so I thought I'd take advantage for a long run today. Amongst the gifts under the family tree was a tuneomatic gift certificate, which I promptly applied toward the purchase of Lion of Soweto, a compilation of the works of Mahlathini. It was this that I listened to as I ran through the beautiful Golden Gate Park, admiring the Rose Garden, the Botanical Garden, the Conservatory of Flowers, and other features. I almost got up to the one hour mark, which is a good sign. I could have gone for it without too much trouble, but given that I went yesterday and I'm trying to build up, I didn't think it wise to push it for that artificial goal.

Playlist (Lion of Soweto [LoS] plus some additional Indestructible Beat of Soweto [IBoS])
Baba-Ye -LoS
Bayasazi -LoS
Kudala Besifuna -LoS
Kwa Mfazi Onge Mama -LoS
Bhula Mngoma -LoS
Kumnyama Endlini -LoS
Kumnandi Emgababa -LoS
Amagoduka -LoS
Mahlalela -LoS
Abake Ba Bonana -LoS
Bayasimenmeza -LoS
Ngibuzindlela -LoS
Ilele Insizwa -LoS
Ngiphelekezele -LoS
Emthonjeni Womculo -IBoS
Ngicabange Ngaqeda -IBoS
Qhude Manikiniki -IBoS
Indoda Yejazi Elimnyama -Amaswazi Emvelo (IBoS)

Times
L1 9:15
L2 33:19
L3 9:03
Total 51:38

Distance 5.2 miles
Cumulative distance 19.1 miles

Seasons Greetings!

And also Merry Christmas, Dear Reader. I find the former greeting to be in greater salutary impairment than the latter, so here I use both. I meant to go out yesterday, but my inlaws' dog had other plans,and decided to do all the running for the whole family for the afternoon, night, and yesterday morning. But with a Christmas morning present opening ceremony scheduled for 10:00, I had some time this morning to allow the sugar plums to dance in my head while my feet were pounding the pavement. I went back up to the top of the path through the golf course, but the gate was closed, so I came back down and around Mountain Lake Park again, the longer way, and back under Highway 1, rather than across Park Presidio Blvd. Just short of a half hour. I don't know whether it's being out of shape, or the steeper hills, but these past couple of runs have been a bit tough on me.

Playlist (Mostly Xmas)
Merry Christmas, Baby -Otis Redding
This Time of Year -Mighty Mighty Bosstones
32 Feet and Eight Little Tails -Gene Autry
Santa's Got A Mullet -Various Artists
Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me) -Elvis Presley
Frosty the Snowman -Gene Autry
Christmas in Hollis -the A.K.A.'s
Thul'ulalele -Amaswazi Emvelo
Lust For Life -Iggy Pop
Sai -Kanda Bongo Man

Time 26:58

Distance 2.9 miles
Cumulative distance 13.9

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

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

Almost another month off. Ugh

It's getting cold. I've been getting fat. The last month I've been rather a lump, eating badly and not running, though I've gone on a bike ride or two. Okay one. Lots of buffet lunches. Fried food. not much whole grain or salad. But I'm getting back into it. Tonight I finally got out in my new cold weather gear. Over the hill and back. Let's see if I can try and keep it up.

Playlist (mostly newish)
Slavedriver -Jenny and Johnny
What New York Used to Be -the Kills
Rock Problems -The Hold Steady
Paper Planes -M.I.A.
Born Free -M.I.A.
All I Do Is Win -D.J. Khaled

Times
L1 8:55
L2 8:41
Total 17:36

Distance
1.6 miles?
Cumulative 1.6 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