Sunday, October 31, 2010

oktoberfast wrap-up


something in the air is making my lungs act up this week and i've had to use my inhaler a few times (even while not-running). in addition to the wheezing, whatever funk was wearing me down at the beginning of the week turned into a mucus factory. it wasn't just in my nose either, somehow it would go backwards from my nose down my throat and then i'd almost choke while trying to run and breathe (appetizing, i know).

needless to say i didn't run very hard this week. i had two remaining goal workouts (4mi tempo; 3x1600) for october, but my lungs/mucus factory weren't up for it. i am confident i would have gotten them in otherwise, so i'm not too mad at myself.


october goals: C+
  • 30 minutes everyday - 29/31, A
  • tempo runs (7:30-7:45) - 2mi and 4mi, D+
  • speed work - 4x800; 3x1600, D
  • 12 core workouts - 11/12, A-
  • long runs - 8mi and 10mi, A+
  • 90 miles on the bike - 64.85, C-
  • lift 5 times - 5/5, A+
  • lose 5 lbs - 2/5, D (basically i lost 2lbs in the first week and then maintained for the rest of the month, not a good effort)
on a sidenote, i tried doing a backbend today. not as easy as when i was 12.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

on the mend

thanks for all the nice comments on my "running-nose"! i pretty much slept all afternoon/evening with the exception of waking up at 9pm to watch "the event" - the one tv show i watch via rabbit ears. as any guy would - josh just looooves not having cable. he's been campaigning for a year or so now. i don't watch much tv (or care to) so i've never bothered to get it.

anyway, i still didn't feel great tuesday morning, but after taking a cat nap on my desk at work (and waking up with my shoes off?!?) i felt slightly better. good enough to not-skip another 30-minutes at least, and i went for a short, easy run in the evening.

tuesday (10/26) pm run: 4.10 miles, 37:28 (avg pace 9:08), 78*

and now for a slightly belated look at last week -- it was a good one with improvement all around.

week in review (10/18 - 10/24)
total miles: 30.90
time spent running: ~ 4 hrs 35 mins
avg pace: 8:55
off days: 3
  • mon: early morning 9.5mi
  • tue: early morning 6mi
  • wed: yoga and abs
  • thu: 800's after work
  • fri: bike "speed work" - 10.75mi, 15.5mph
  • sat: weights and abs
  • sun: long run 10mi
monday and tuesday my old running partner was in town so i met up with her in the early mornings. i tried to keep the streak going the rest of the week, but failed at waking up with my 5am alarm. friday afternoon i decided to try a bike workout recommended by kevin. it was basically a bike-fartlek - 5min hard, 5min easy. when i got back i decided to re-read his email, turns out he had suggested 5x1min reps... no wonder it was so hard.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Sunday, October 24, 2010

life=risk

photo by a team parent
over the past three years i've helped on-and-off with a local high school cross country team, and this weekend was the county meet. the varsity boys lost the county title for the first time in 8 years placing 2nd, but the varsity girls, jv girls and jv boys all won their respective divisions (once again). watching the high schoolers always motivates me, but by the time i get home i am tired and lazy. the same was the case this weekend. luckily this "30-minute" goal is working for me, and i am enjoying the variety of exercise choices i have everyday. sometimes i feel like i am 'cheating' on running though since i'm not running 6 days a week anymore. i am doing well at not being anal about it - you have to admit i've come a long way! (can i apologize once more for being such a whiney brat back then?)

i do still run though of course, and today i got in my long run - double digits! umm the last time i did 10+ miles was september 10th, sheesh. i set out without water or gu with the intent of toughening up mentally. i planned to take it easy for the first 5 miles and then pick it up a little in the second 5 for a negative split. do you ever "black out" in the middle of a run? in mile 4 i was running up a long hill, and then i don't remember anything until i was at the top of the hill and checked my pace and noticed it had slowed dramatically. i was successful with the negative splitting though -- averaging a 9:15 in the first half and an 8:02 in the second. depending on how the coming week goes, those faster miles may have to count towards my 4mi tempo goal.
(eta: by "black out" i mean more of a "zone out". i didn't pass out on the side of the road or anything)

sunday (10/24) am run: 10 miles, 1:26:29 (avg pace 8:39), 71*


i've seen this before somewhere (probably from my dad), but saw it again on running free and had to re-post:


Thursday, October 21, 2010

push it



jess and i must be channeling the same speed demons this week. she recently rocked her first 800 workout in awhile and i just did my first since december 2008 (yikes that's a long time!).

1x800 - 3:31 flat with some downhill
2x800 - 3:49 uphill, garmin beeped at me the entire time "speed up!"
3x800 - 3:34 flat with some downhill
4x800 - 3:40 flat with some uphill

i did these on 'the streets' (vs track) along with a mile warmup, 3-minutes active recovery after each rep and a mile cooldown. normally i do a 2-mile warmup and cooldown, but i was feeling lazy today. i wasn't entirely sure what pace to aim for since i'm just getting back in the swing of things, so i plucked 3:30-3:40 out of mid-air. i programmed the workout into my garmin so i wouldn't have to constantly check to see how far it'd been, plus i like the mario brothers-ish tune it plays when you complete the workout.

other than thinking about how hard the 800's were, i also pondered why my upper body is more sore after doing yoga than pushups, how badly i need to get my core into shape, and good lord there are a lot of acorns on the ground!


i got another coupon code for zing bar lovers (wheat, gluten, soy and corn free) - enter "boo" for 15% off chocolate peanut butter or chocolate coconut flavored bars, valid til 10/31. (i was emailed this coupon and am just sharing it; i am not being paid or perk'd to do so. i can't even eat zing bars 'cause of the nuts!).

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

the cows and the bees: giveaway!

unless you were born yesterday, you know i have two addictions - m&m's (notable breakdowns here and here) and gu chomps (here). well now i've discovered a liquid crack - honeymilk.


i first learned about honeymilk after they requested to share my "no white at night" post on their blog. they sent me a sample pack out of the goodness of their hearts and i quickly laid claim on "my share" - aka josh gets 5 bottles and i get 7.

nutritional facts
i'm sure you have all found a new health/workout/recovery product, only for it to have 900 calories, or 3800g of sugar. this is not the case with honeymilk. i was pleasantly surprised to flip the bottle around and see reasonable nutritional facts and fairly common ingredients.

the calories in honeymilk are comparable to a serving of regular milk. it's a bit higher than almond and soy milk, but way higher in protein in comparison to all three (26g in honeymilk vs. 1-7g in other milks). as someone who is allergic to most sources of protein, it's nice to have a non-powdered option.

flavors (click for nutritional facts)
honey - lightly sweet. forget chocolate syrup, i'm stirring honey in my milk from now on.
vanilla - very sweet, like a melted vanilla bean milkshake. i chugged it the first time i tried it (couldn't help it); it's also josh's favorite.
acai pom - a touch of fruityness. acai pom and honey are the less-sweet ones in my opinion, for those of you who don't have 32 sweet-teeth like me.
coffee light - this one didn't last long, it tastes just like an iced-coffee or frappuccino.
chocolate light - delicious, of course. i used one for a chocolate-banana smoothie and it was just like a milkshake, except with nutritional value. doesn't have that chalky taste like muscle milk.

win it
honeymilk has so graciously offered up a case of product to one lucky reader!

to enter the one-case (12 bottles) giveaway:
  • become a fan of honeymilk on facebook and write "i'm chasing the kenyans" on their wall (and let me know)
  • for an extra entry - leave a comment below about which flavor you want
  • for a secret entry - send your friends here! they'll need to refer back to you (duh). you'll get even more extra credit if they use the coupon code below to purchase product... 

but wait, there's more!
purchase any case of honeymilk from their online store at 50% off with code "KENYANS" for a chance to win a three-month supply! it's like a groupon for ctk readers, except you already qualify. shipping is always free.

not only do you get a great deal, but each purchase enters you for a chance to win three-months worth of honeymilk (10 cases!). you can make more than one purchase to get multiple entries. if you don't have room in your fridge, feel free to have them shipped to me.


the fine print: both giveaways end 11/17. must be a resident of the unidastazovamerikaliqua (aka usa) to win because it's illegal to ship milk across the border/internationally (sorry!).

disclaimer: honeymilk sent me a sample pack of product after i shared my writing skillz on their blog. my review was unsolicited and i am not being paid or perk'd from expressing my enjoyment of honeymilk. the giveaway goodies are sponsored by the gracious generosity of honeymilk.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

another week

(one of those days where thinking of a title is too hard)

i've known for awhile that i didn't want to run boston in 2011, so i left my spot open for someone else. you can thank me later. i still think everyone is crazy for bum-rushing the website and filling up all the race slots in like 8 hours! cray-z. congrats to everyone who got a slot, your re-typing and re-submitting skills are amazing! (eta: don't take me too seriously, i'm not mocking anyone. just the ridiculousness that is marathon registration. i am, of course, very proud of all my marathoners)

i saw this post recently (from a local cycling team) about the power of our thoughts. i wanted to share it and remind all the boston-registrants, bq-hopefuls and everyone in between to believe in yourselves. it'll pay off with patience, just ask aron. :o)

last week i kept my 30-min streak going, and even slightly (finally) bumped up the mileage from 20 to 24. baby steps. i fulfilled one of my tempo runs, and got in a 2.5-hr ride on saturday afternoon through the countryside in between working on house projects - see photos below (pardon the crappy iphone quality). i got chased by three dogs at the vineyard but all the drivers were polite, or at least they didn't try to run me off the road this time.

vineyard to the right

vineyard to the left

bull in a field

stumbled upon a private airstrip

plane and hangar on said private runway

week in review (10/11 - 10/17)
total miles: 24.20
time spent running: ~ 3 hrs 38 mins
avg pace: 9:00
off days: 2
  • mon: easy 5mi on the golf course
  • tue: 2.5mi tempo
  • wed: weights
  • thu: easy-ish 7.25mi after work
  • fri: easy 3.6mi in the afternoon
  • sat: bike ride - 33.25mi at about 13.7mph
  • sun: easy but 'off' 4mi in the afternoon

Monday, October 18, 2010

freaktoberfest

i didn't think i'd actually participate in the beer-related aspect of oktoberfast, but when i saw this coney island - freaktoberfest beer i figured i had to try it out in the name of the blog (oh the sacrifices i make).

only available in sep-oct - hurry and scoop some up!
pours red
(pardon my clutter)
foams pink
so... i'm no beer connoisseur. it tasted like beer. i suppose that's a good thing. i pretty much only bought it because it's red. it was a little pricey at $3.99/bottle but hey, it's only available two months of the year. go here to find a retailer near you.

*i purchased and drank the beer on my own will. coney island provided me no compensation for buying, drinking, or blogging about their beer. the opinion that it tasted like beer is my own.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

ghetto things

wow guys. thanks for making me feel 'normal'! it's so nice to know that we are all googlers and nosy neighbors, kind of... keep it non-psycho out there, k?

i tried craigslist because i am too lazy to hold a yard sale or ebay (pack and ship? you know how good i am at mailing things). i'm also very generous with my local goodwill, i just had a few still-in-style housey things that i figured would earn me some cash.

good luck to all the racers this weekend. here are some things for you to think about during your races/runs.

1. sign spotted by (someone on twitter i can't remember who, sorry!) here in good ol' south carolina. hungry?


2. sign my sister saw in her town.


3. made another craigslist sale to a lady named shaniqua (she spelled it slightly different). she was white. i'm not being racist, i just never knew white people were cool enough to have funky names. it also had me singing "shaniqua don't live here no' mo'". apparently that song never quite made it to music video status, so please enjoy youtube's suggested video:

Friday, October 15, 2010

craigslist

have you ever sold anything on craigslist? i've been purging my house of random things i don't use and tried my luck with craig. a few things were quickly snagged, leaving me to think if you don't hear anything within a couple days of posting, chances are no one wants your crap.

anyway what i like to do sometimes is google the people who email me about buying my stuff. is this normal? don't answer that.

one lady recently relocated from michigan, but before that her and her husband were expats overseas. i learned where one guy works (thanks to linkedin), and then saw that he relisted my stuff on ebay. i was irritated about that for 2 seconds but i got over it, especially when the auction ended and i saw he made about $9.90 in profit (i estimated shipping). an almost-buyer had an atrocious resume on linkedin. i don't know how far working in the clerical "feild" and aspirations to own a "resterant" will get you. keeping things professional, she also linked to her myspace page. we've already been over the coolness that is myspace, except for kovas who was never quite cool enough.

so now that you're all weirded out and don't want to be friends anymore...***

wednesday after work i was not quite in the mood to run but i knew i needed to do my 30-minutes; i decided to do a leg/weights workout. non-stop squats, lunges, deadlifts, leg raises, etc makes for one sore tush the next day. i moved from one exercise into the next without taking a break to maximize my time, but if i did stop for a breather/some water i made sure to pause the timer. i kept it honest 'cause my butt needs the burn anyway.

thursday's run wasn't great but it wasn't bad either. my chest was a little tight the whole time, common in cooler temps with my e.i.a, but it was only about 70. maybe it was the pollen. scratch all that, the run-stats were good, it just didn't feel good during the run.

thursday (10/14) pm run: 7.25 miles, 1:05:13 (avg pace 8:59, i think i'm back again!), 70*


***disclaimer: i am not a serial-anything. i am a nice person who gets bored and googles, that's all. it is not my fault we all have an abundant "online presence" these days. if you google me you get a bunch of race results, this blog, my linkedin, me being featured in runner's world, college rowing news, a couple wedding-related things, various twitter connections and random news about lindsay lohan. what, you don't google yourself?

Thursday, October 14, 2010

why yes, i do still run

i haven't talked running much lately, but i am still chugging along. i don't know why it's harder for me to write about running as much as i used to. hopefully you don't mind hearing about my random ponderings in the meantime. i guess i just don't feel like my runs are very post-worthy, but then again, neither is my life (zzz).

alright, running:

week in review (10/4 - 10/10)
total miles: 20.85
time spent running: ~ 3 hrs 12 mins
avg pace: 9:19 (woot!)
off days: 3
  • mon: easy 30 minutes after work
  • tue: 2-mi tempo (+warm-up/cool-down)
  • wed: afternoon bike ride - almost 21 miles at 15mph
  • thu: easy 45 minutes after work
  • fri: yoga and abs
  • sat: long run - 8 miles, best 'long' run in awhile. avg pace 8:52!
  • sun: absolutely nothing - couldn't move after learning about the death of my friend. i literally sat on the couch in my pj's all day.

october goals:
  • 30 minutes everyday (12x) - missed 1 day (see above)
  • tempo runs (7:30-7:45) - 2mi and 4mi
  • speed work - 4x800; 3x1600
  • 12 core workouts (5x)
  • long runs - 8mi and 10mi
  • 90 miles on the bike (20.85)
  • lift 5 times (2x)
  • lose 5 lbs
making progress! only 1 total-day-of-rest, the "do at least 30 minutes" goal is making me get up and move as i'd hoped.

tuesday evening i set out to re-attempt my 2-mile tempo - this time with success! i sped through the two tempo miles and decided to add on an extra half mile of tempo. the two were tough, but i knew i needed to stretch it out if i'm going to hit a 4-mile tempo later in the month. i couldn't quite add on a full third mile, i was tired.

tuesday (10/12) pm run: 4.3 miles, 35:57 (avg pace 8:22), 80* what? you say it's fall?
2.5 mile tempo - 7:40, 7:24, 7:46 (1/2 mile)

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

no day but today

last friday josh and i were walking through garden ridge (3 acres of house crap) and i looked around at the endless supply of stuff. it made me think about all the resources that were used to make it all, and what a waste of money it is. ok, not all of it is a complete waste - the wicker baskets can be handy for organizing and they have rugs, but the majority of the merch is crap. the sad part is there are people who actually buy this stuff and fill their houses with it.

seriously, who needs a faux-metal knight? maybe i should have a giveaway.
after i heard about rick passing away, i had the typical thoughts that come in times of emergency - the meaning of life, how we tend to lose sight of the 'bigger picture' as we get caught up in day-to-day activities... it did not make me want to go to work this week, that's for sure. i've wondered if i have been uplifting and encouraging to any of you, the way rick was for me and many others. i certainly hope so.

i've thought a lot about rick and our friendship since sunday. i still can't believe i'll never get another note or email from him ever again. a couple times i've found myself wanting to share something with him, and then realizing i can't. i certainly can't imagine what it's like for his family. it's kinda crazy how close we can become through our blogging and running! it makes me want to scoop each of you up in a big hug.

tuesday i was reminded again about living life to the fullest when i came across this post from the happiness project. though it is four years old, i still found it relevant. it is a reminder to use all the "special" things we are saving for a "special day". you'll probably never end up using them if you continue to wait. i'm sure we are all guilty of saving certain running clothes for race day only - why don't we treat ourselves to our 'good' gear on non-race days? i'm guilty of doing this in many areas, from cute stationary to kitchen gadgets to underwear. so what are you waiting for? whip out those "special" things and enjoy them today.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

ambulance sirens

after hearing about another hot one in chicago, i thought about my own experience "running" the chicago marathon back in 2007. {insert voice of doom} the year of cancellation and no water {end voice of doom}. anyway i remembered that i had written a sort of "race recap" back on my sweet myspace "blog" (hey this was '07). it took me a while to remember my log in info, but i did - lucky for you guys.

for your enjoyment - my 2007 chicago marathon race recap: (a few present-day notes in red)
i survived the '07 chicago marathon (marathons, by the way, are 26.2 miles). a little over 45,000 people registered for the race - only 24,000 people finished. on a record-setting 90 degree day in chicago (in october), the race was cancelled about 3 hours in.

as usual, my original goal was to run a 3:40 (a bq). it was 75 degrees at 6:00am, and the race didnt start until 8. probably about 6 miles in, i abandoned my goal -- i decided i just wanted to beat my old time (3:56). that quickly turned into keeping it around my previous marathon times (sub 4:02), which shortly after the halfway point became "i just want to finish". sometimes i didn't even want that... for the first time in my life i thought "i will never run again" (we all know i will though). it was just miserable. around mile 17ish i passed one of the pacers for the race who said "at this point it's all about survival and making it back." comforting, isn't it? after hearing that i thought - i just want to live, but what little competitiveness was left in me would not let me drop-out of the race so i pressed on. (apparently i was quite the drama queen)

i had some soreness from the running / walking (let's be real it was 90 degrees, i didn't run the whole time) but i also felt my eyes getting heavy and thought i was maybe about to pass out. this started at like mile 8, by the way. i had a bit of a headache which usually = early sign of dehydration. i forced myself to drink gatorade and water at every station even though i didn't want it at most of them. it's probably a good thing i did, because they ran out of ambulances in the chicago area.

over 300 runners were hospitalized and one died. [run in peace chad schieber]

from about mile 10 on - you could constantly hear sirens wailing throughout the city. there was a runner down at least every 1/4 mile, and the majority of the runners, like myself, turned into walkers. it was like a zombie movie - there were no more runners, it was a death march. at the water station near mile 23 i heard officials announcing "the chicago marathon has been cancelled due to the extreme heat and humidity - please drink plenty of fluids and walk the remainder of the race". at first i thought it was a joke but then the policemen started making annoucements over their radio/speaker things and even from a helicopter flying overhead. i ended up walking it out with a lady from boston while the wonderful crowds/fans continued to cheer everyone on, even though the race had been called off. we crossed the finish line with a craptacular time but since the race was cancelled - my time doesn't count (in my opinion). they still gave us our medals and considered us finishers of the race - so technically i've crossed illinois off my list. (i'm still up in the air as to whether or not i should re-do illinois)

after finishing, (and laying down in the shade for 20 minutes - special thanks to matt (kid i had a crush on at the time hahaha) for talking to me on the phone and making sure i didn't pass out!) i went in search of my friends who'd started the race with me; luckily we'd all made it through ok. the finish area was like a scene from a tragic movie - people were milling about in a state of delirium (dehydration, heat exhaustion, etc) and searching for their friends/family members and hoping they were not carted off in one of the ambu's.

the day after... i'm actually not that sore - though i could use a killer back massage (and have been promised one-you better follow through!). my legs are ok, but i think i'll give myself a couple days off anyway. fingers crossed, but this is the first marathon (of 4) i've come out of injury free! well, minus the dehydration/heat-exhaustion problems i'm still working on. and yes, i'll probably be back out pounding the pavement later this week, but i think i might take some time off from the marathoning industry. (hah that clearly didn't happen)

i'm not sure who promised me that post-race back massage, but i don't think i ever got it. lame.

congrats to all the 2010 chicago marathon finishers!

Sunday, October 10, 2010

rick the marathonman

at 10:11am this morning, while watching the chicago marathon broadcast and reading over a few blogs i learned that my dear friend rick passed away yesterday. i am in complete disbelief - he wasn't an old fart and he's a runner! runner's are healthy!

rick and i met at the new york marathon, he was concerned for me that morning like he was my own father. we grew as friends over the past two years through our running, blogs and good ol' facebook. he was a wonderful friend (and fellow mets fan) and i miss him incredibly.

run in peace, rick.

(thanks jill, for letting me know)

Thursday, October 7, 2010

you got whatever it is: getting ready

[picking up where i left off...]

after rehearsal dinner, i went back to my house with my sisters and some girl friends for ice cream sundaes, my scandalous bachelorette party. one of my friends got me two huge bags of m&m's, a few hershey bars, and some reese's pieces for josh - that's how scandalous we were. my sisters (bridesmaids) and jess (moh) spent the night. i got about 3-4 hours of sleep (and not from nerves, cause i didn’t sleep well pre-wedding-week and still can't now).

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

oktoberfast


oktoberfast is a little challenge put on by patrick (the road) and the clydesdale project. you pick your goal for the month of october and work at it. i am still trying to keep things laid-back, so instead of setting a mileage goal i am aiming to workout for at least 30-minutes everyday of the month. lately if i am unable to run (health-wise) i've been lounging on the couch and that isn't helping my waist-line, so i must quit taking days-off from exercising entirely. anything will count - walking, yoga, weights, abs, as long as it's 30-minutes or more. my other official 'oktoberfast challenge' goal is to lose 5 lbs.

october goals:
  • 30 minutes everyday (5x)
  • tempo runs (7:30-7:45) - 2mi and 4mi
  • speed work - 4x800; 3x1600
  • 12 core workouts (1x)
  • long runs - 8mi and 10mi
  • 90 miles on the bike
  • lift 5 times (1x)
  • lose 5 lbs

tuesday evening i attempted to knock the 2-mile tempo off the list, but i fell a little short. it's ok, i have time (for now) to try again.

tuesday (10/5) pm run: 5.05 miles, 45:06 (avg pace 8:56), 65*
tempo miles - 8:08, 7:44

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Monday, October 4, 2010

september 2010

week in review (9/27 - 10/3)
total miles: 21.40
time spent running: ~ 3 hrs 37 mins
avg pace: 10:22 (includes walking)
off days: 2
  • lunch-time 3.4mi, with 1mi 'tempo'
  • evening 4.1mi, easy
  • evening 3.75mi, with 1.5mi 'tempo' before having to walk with clenched-cheeks
  • evening 5k run/walk with sisters
  • mid-morning "long" run 7mi, easy

september 2010
total mileage: 101.60
time spent running: 16:35:09
days off: 13
abs/yoga: 7 ab workouts/3 yoga sessions
avg temp: 77.67*

september goals: whale fail
  • lift 8 times (4x)
  • do core at least 12 times (7x)
  • do yoga 4 times (3x; close...)
  • go for 3 bike rides (3x + 1 trainer ride)
  • do 5 speed workouts (3x)
  • run 10+ miles 7 times (per training plan) (3x)
  • run 150 miles (101.6)
  • get my sleepy butt back in a morning-run routine with at least 6 early morning runs (0.5x)

during my time in kentucky, i heard a good bit about the world equestrian games since they were being held in lexington this year. they're going on right now and i actually watched some this weekend. so... it's like the olympics for horses? i saw some of the "dressage - grand prix freestyle" competition. it was about as exciting as floor routines in gymnastics; "(horse's name) shows lovely bend and flexion and elasticity in his body" - the announcers sure set the mood. i did learn that there's an "endurance" competition where the horses race 100 miles. i wonder if the jockeys consider themselves endurance athletes like nascar drivers do?

from the weg website

Sunday, October 3, 2010

all in the family

my sisters and i got together this weekend to hang out, and i suggested a local 5k saturday evening. we registered at the last minute and i barely had time to drop the kids off at the pool before the race started.

start of the race
we ran/walked together, until we were about 2/10ths from the finish and had just been re-passed by an old man. my youngest sister said "ok we are not losing to him" and started running hard into the finish.

passed the old man and gunning for the finish


taking a laid-back approach to a race was weird, but definitely fun. a local college baseball team had been recruited to stop traffic at the intersections and unlike many volunteers i've encountered, these guys cheered for the runners/walkers, even the back of the packers like us. it was cool to see people sticking around and cheering for the slower runners/walkers, and to (truly) realize how it's possible to enter races for fun. i didn't even feel like i was missing out on anything when they announced the overall and age group winners. don't worry, there's definitely still a competitive monster inside, i'm just learning how to put it in time-out every now and then.

Friday, October 1, 2010

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