Dragons

Really, my workout on Christmas Day was the only productive or heartening thing that happened this running week. During the family-wide disperese-and-chill session, I wasn't originally plannin on running but just got the urge. I decided I'd do two 800s at 3:00 and two 400s at :80, with 2:00 rest after each 800 and :60 rest in between the 400s. My first 800 was right at 3:00 and then I ran the second in 2:50 without even trying to pick it up, which made me feel rad. I hit the 400s in :80 without a problem.

Throughout the rest of the week, though, the retardedness of my approach to training rendered my training, well, retarded. It was just full of crap runs and not enough sleep, and now my Achilles problems are starting to flair up a little because my shoes were way too old. I'm pleased as punch to be back in the Supernova Classics, though. The new Supernova Controls were alright, but what happens between me and the Classics is straight love. Other than that, I'm sore in ways that don't make sense, and committed to a little time off going into the New Year. Thursday evening, however, did see the longest run of this latest era of my career: 43 minutes.

Be safe out there, Dragons.

The work week has ended successfully and put me back on pace to run an acceptible mileage for the week. Between rock'n'roll shows at Plush, UA basketball games at Mchale, and a midterm on Friday, I was pleased at my ability to maintain focus here late in the week. Still though, it ain't over -- and besides, there is another just around the corner.

I've noted before that I am a stellar Monday through Wednesday runner. I've tried other days, but I really feel most comfortable with Monday being day 1 of my week. Obviously one thing allowing me to stay on course is not having an abundance of classwork to worry about. Still, I am pleased to be salvaging what looked like a pretty dismal week as of Tuesday evening. This week, after Wednesdays road session, I was ready to tend to some of my aches and pains. Nothing big -- but nothing I was going to attempt to drive right through.

Thursday was a real butthole of a weather day and I waited until the afternoon in hopes of some sort of improvement in conditions. They were so nasty in the morning that, even if the Bush administration had brought a tornado down that afternoon, I think things still would have been better than the sleet and shit I would have had to take on at daybreak. I called Petie to see if he cared to join me for 50 on the Rillito but he was watching Spiderman 2. Running alone, it was nice to have complete control over the pace. On out and back runs for time, I usually try to hit it a little hard on the way out to make sure I cover sufficient ground. With a solid 25 out, I decided to keep a solid pace for another 15 minutes on the way back. The legs held up surprisingly well (given that the mud was a bit slippery and I had done 10 on the roads the night before) so I dropped it down a little more when I closed the run. Breathing hard at the end of this 'recovery effort' I declared right then that I would have to relax on Friday's run.

Yesterday Omni, Train, and myself headed out in evening to grab 8 or so. It was a nice, quick, recovery and I enjoyed listening to Omni's stories about the africans he runs with. I then proceeded to watch Batman Begins and head to bed -- really feeling my legs calling for more recovery.

Today was going to be a two run day but I think I'll just do a single, easy run this afternoon at Reid. It might cost me a few overall miles but I think the legs will appreciate it as they haven't gotten a true recovery day since Tuesday. Then tomorrow will be Dragons Long Run Sunday and I will be off to Tempe for New Years festivities. Vanessa Carlton and Third Eye Blind (JUMPER!!!) will be playing at the Tostitos Mill Avenue Tempe Fiesta Bowl New Years Celebration & BCS Championship Block Party brought to you by Alltell. I'm stoked.

Have a good New Years and make sure you really have a good time celebrating with those cool new ice cubes that have all the party light in them.


2006: End of Year Post -- Drenth was wise to not fuck with Mike -- Jumper Song Facts

On Christmas Eve, I went ahead and picked up Omni and got my first taste of The Sunday Long Run From Mike's. The previous morning, I had posted about desires to top Tumamoc (to date, my 'long run') but I reconsidered after realizing that, for as high as my spirits were this holiday season, it wasn't reasonable to expect me to do Tumamoc and then go 90 minutes. So, I ended up doing about 7 with Omni that evening. On this run, he informed me that the hills on Sunday would be 'gradual'. His reassurring statements fell on deaf ears as I was going out for this experience the next moring, come hell or high water.

Arriving 5 minutes late (I don't drive as fast when I'm listening to AA meetings on KFMA on Sunday mornings), J and and I met up with the group and we were off. The cold air was not my cup of tea but I felt that, regardless of the temperature, my best bet was just to find a shoulder to hang out on and then zone out for the next hour and a half. Unfortunately, constant pack restructuring during the run did not allow me such behavior and after about 25 minutes, Mike commented that my breathing was sounding a little labored. I wanted to, but could not, deny this. My legs remained numb through about 10 miles of loops around various roads. Listening to everyone's stories, I spoke little and tried to not think about (a) being able to see everyone's breath; (b) the gradual inclines everywhere around us; (c) the idea that 45 minutes was only the half-way point.

I began falling off at around 70 minutes as we headed onto a trail. Somewhere along that section, the pack really spread out and, upon coming out, I saw that Omni had moved to finish his run with a little speed. Behind him at equal distances were Shane followed by the pair of Mike and Lucas talking about...I don't even remember now. They held back and allowed me to catch up with about 2.5 miles left. Hearing my first words of encouragement in quite a few years, I felt quite shitty about falling off those guys again with about a mile left. I was feeling pretty nasty but when the Sun warmed my legs to a point that I could finally feel the damage caused by the previous 82 minutes, there was just no pleasing the leg gods and I had to hobble through the final turns of Mike's neighborhood.

While I was not surprised by my eventual tanking (I was actually kinda pleased that I didn't fall off sooner/harder), I was even more concerned by the necessary recovery this run set me up for. With my legs just feeling tired more than anything else, I held off Monday's run until the evening. This turned out to be little help as I hobbled through well under four miles in 28 minutes. Yesterday morning, I woke up and, after getting on the shoes and walking around the house a bit, I could feel that any run that morning would just hurt. I put off my run, again, to the evening hours. That afternoon I met Omni at his place for a run on the river along with one of his roommates. What seemed like a pretty quick clip probably actually wasn't but it didn't matter and we were in and out of that run in under half an hour.

Today, I woke up to the realization that I was on track to hit 28 miles for this week. Yes, something would have to be changed. So this evening I went ahead and extended my group run session to 10 miles and I feel a lot better for it. Keeping the pace under control (plus temperatures above 40) was key and I think it will allow me to get in moderate mileage tomorrow before something a little more intense on Friday. I have little tweak in my right knee that has been coming late in runs but I'm not too worried about it.

New Years Run -- Tempe Block Party

Base training is now consuming the life of this Dragon. Last week, I hit 81 miles after weeks of 50 and 65. Granted, my mileage ramp up appears to be at a pitch equal to Snyder Hill, but, in all actuality, 50 and even 65 mile weeks feel like nothing. So, the natural progression for me, at least, was to hit mileage in which I feel I will gain fitness and not wear myself out. Eighty miles a week appears to be the golden ticket as I am both healthy and not incredibly tired.

Anyways, the rest of break appears to be straight up mileage with a few strides mixed in. I plan on hitting at least 85 miles this week with a minimum of 90 miles to finish off break and bring in the first week of 2007.

As far as track goes, my goals are to run sub 14:35 in the 5K, break 3:57 in the 1500, and try and score points at Pac 10's in the 10K. Such an effort will require about a 30:30 to 31:00 10K so the season is going to be geared toward such an effort. I think I am ready to run well this upcoming season and the mileage in the winter only will help ensure that I achieve my goals.

On an unrelated note, when I was running with fellow Dragon, Lucas, on Christmas morning, I commented that last Christmas we only jogged 20 minutes and, yesterday, we ran a little over 9 miles at 6:15 pace. Strangely, I think that alone reveals my development as a runner in the past year and leaves me feeling incredibly optimistic about my future. Staying healthy is always the goal, and, for the most part, I balanced both health and fitness well allowing me to finally excel as a runner and perform to my ability. Anyways, I guess you just need to keep positive, work hard, and your dreams will become reality.

Merry Christmas!

MONDAY:
TUESDAY: 40 minutes in the a.m. from the 821 up to 3rd Street and east to Country Club, then north to Speedway and back.
WEDNESDAY: 40 minutes in the p.m. from the 821 north on 5th Ave. then over to 6th Ave. and up the park just south of Grant, around it, and back. 12 miles in two days=CRAZY DENSE!
THURSDAY: rest
FRIDAY: I went out to Snyder and did basically the same thing, but it wasn't as good because I had to strain to pull my watch out from under my sleeve and hit the light button. On Snyder, every second counts. Also, after work I think I finalized my New Year's resolutions. Added to my long standing resolution to save some money are the following:
1.Eat more fruit
2. Have fewer imaginary conversations
3. Run less
4. Keep my bathroom cleaner
SATURDAY: Saturday morning, aftedr sleeping in, I went out into the fog and deceptive cold and ran 20 minutes with four 30 second striders at the end. I decided I'd do this after last week's Snyder workout made me so tight. I ran on 5th Ave. and saw Papa Ranger
riding his bike into the shop.
SUNDAY: Mostly moodiness and myopic ecstasy.

17.5 miles, but way too much pussy-footed "base-building" stuff.

I'm officially Blogger-Betalicious so I'm allowed to post again. I enjoyed the Dragons victory feast along with Blax, Lucas and Omni on Wednesday night, which followed an evening run of 10K that finished a trio of Very Bad Runs for me. I don't know if the marathon just kicked my ass harder than I realized, but after running well for a few days things just started to go wrong for me. Here's how the week looks so far-
Mo: 10 miles w/9 at 6:30 pace
Tu: 9 miles around 6:42 pace
Tu: 4 horrible miles in the evening (things started to go bad here)
We: 9 tough miles in Sabino Canyon
We: 6 miles in the evening, felt crappy
Th: off
Fr: 4 easy miles to test the waters
Sa: 6 miles, feeling a bit better

I had originally hoped to be back to harder efforts and some intervals this week, but for some reason I seemed to backpedal after good runs on Monday and Tuesday. What a drag it is getting old. For the last two days I've just been running easy, in an effort to keep the body out of trouble and ready for the long run tomorrow.

Hopefully I'll be back in the pink next week, as my thoughts are shifting away from the marathon and towards the beacon of light that is the Sun Run 10K at the end of January and I need to get ready for the pain.

It seems that, after taking finals off from positing, everyone has pretty much gotten used to the comfort of not posting and this has lead to quite the absence of posts in recent days. While I cannot speak for everyone, here my update:

Vegas was good. I ran approximately zero steps for the duration of the trip but did drink daquiris by the yard and ate prime rib 4 times a day, every day. Of everyone on Dragons, I think it is obvious that I deserved this break. My following days were pretty clumsy with runs that just felt tired and slow. I don't know if this is due to the weather, my getting used to some Nike Frees, the prime rib withdrawls, or the general mileage build-up I'll be in the middle of for the next couple weeks.

Last Wednesday was a Running Shop Group Run and afterwards we finally got to blow the Old Chicago gift card we won at the Turkey Trot. It's amazing how far $50 will go at Old Chicago and I walked out pleased after we had beer, nachos, and pizza with money left over.

Tomorrow my little brother will be officially placed on the AZ Daily Star all-city football team.

This afternoon, I am expecting to take another trip up Tumamoc Hill before tomorrow's long run with Omni, Lucas, and Mike out on the east side.

Also, we're looking in to the date we will attend the 2007 Mud Run.

Merry Christmas.


Last Minute Gifts -- Greg Hansen is the Worst Columnist Ever -- Kris Kringle = Car Thief

I'm back, so let's get down to business:
MONDAY--Monday was the official reinstatement of my Dragons blogging privileges via a 40 minute run. Dave and I headed out from the 821 in the AM and went through that beige dirt desert interstice that's on the other side of Padre Kino's horse's ass, then crossed Kino Parkway (ever wonder why you drive on a parkway and park on a driveway?!?!?! ME TOO!!!), went behind the Drachman track complex, crossed Tucson Blvd., passed my pops's elementary school, and made it about exactly to the Sun Run starting line before turning around for the "back" program of our out-and-back. I dropped Dave's ass through the desert patch on the way back and then remembered that he had taken all of Tumamoc the day before.
TUESDAY--rest
WEDNESDAY--My Snyder Hill zeal is such that I got up at 6 Wednesday morning and drove out there so I could get a session in before work. I think I actually took advantage of the fact that the sun hits the eastside a few moments earlier than the west. I would call this my best Snydedr session yet. I ran two reps of 45 seconds and a third of 30. On the first one I nearly made it to the end of the guardrail, which is uncharted territory. I achieved a deep anaerobic stumulus.
THURSDAY--I launched an ill-fated attempt at a barefoot session after work. The playgroung I'd been using was getting to seem a little small, so I ran over to the park by the snake bridge to see if it had grass, and it didn't, and some sort of "soccer practice" was happening on Tucson High's practice field, so I ran back to the old playgroung intending to do 20 minutes. The grass was dead and full of stiff dead stems, and after 10 minutes and two stickers in my foot I just gave it up.
FRIDAY-- I got high with my friend Smokey after he finished shitting in some bushes.
SATURDAY--Saturday morning I worked out on the ODC. I did about a 12 minute warmup, then intended to run a mile in 6:00, but killed it after I hit 1200m in 4:30. After a two minute walk/jog, I ran 2:00 that started off at 5:20 pace for 400m and then lagged just a little, another two minute walk/jog, and then :60 at 4:40 pace. Then I headed home. My hamstrings still felt tight from the hills.

**************************CHEESE SAUCE INTERREGNUM**************************
Since I thought my workout Saturday morning was special, I was obligated to prepare a special recovery breakfast. I was in the kitchen loathing my typical practice of grating cheese onto my eggs after they're cooked--the cheese doesn't quite melt, and it isn't such great cheese that it helps a dish on its own, unmelted--when I was struck dumb by the unceasing genius of the butter-cream-cheese sauce. I don't know why I hadn't thought of this before, but I just used my trusty Alfredo sauce routine and substituted my breakfast cheddar for my dinner Parmesan and suddenly had not just a solution but a straight up revelation that will launch my training into 2007 on a soaring gastronomic high.
************************************************************************************

SUNDAY--rest.
Weekly total: 16.5 miles

How you doin', y'all? My name is Mike. I'm fooling with the new shit. I'm doing it all like, I like what I do, I do what I like. I could quit and get it back like I'm riding a bike. Like stop...bring it back, bring it back.

Alright, I can't do it. Anyways, it seems that Mike can't get past Blogger's [now stupid] Beta sign in, so we won't be able to hear from him (outside his personal site) for an unknown amount of time.

Me, however, you will not hear from until sometime next week. Tomorrow I leave for Vegas and I am uber-excited. I might get out for a few miles in the morning -- I might not. It's not really a concern of mine right now. Should be. Isn't.

Today was my first Running Shop Group Run and it was an enjoyable one. I look forward to being able to make these weekly 10k jaunts. Tonight, I was proud to tell J that, having pulled 4th in the overall standings, he would be crowned 20-29 age group SAR Grand Prix champion. With 200 points in 5 races (he places atop the age group in each race he ran), this age group victory is probably more of an afterthought for the UA 5/10K man and Beer Mile Champion. If you attend the Winterhaven Run Through Some Lights Dinner (this Sunday, 12/17) you can see him receive his prize.

You may wonder why I never mentioned this situation before. Well, to be frank, there are conflicting messages on the SAR pages. One description says that Top 3 overall are removed from AG standing and given overall awards. Meanwhile, a second page says that top 5 overall are removed from AG races. Having read this, I simply did not want to say something prematurely and on poor information ("Mission Accomplished" "I will fire anyone in my administration who leaked Valerie Plumm's identity" "BNL is the GREATEST BAND EVER"). I'm only a recent SAR enlistie and I, frankly, just was hoping that we n00bz wouldn't be pnw3d by SAR's H4WTN3SS.

Sorry, I just had to fit that in.

HAD TO.

(It reads as 'hotness')

So, anyways, as predicted -- the SAR Grand Prix Season will end with the following.

Overall Champion -- Dan Maher, followed by Dragons Mike Salkowski and Lucas Tyler.

Masters Champion: Dave Hill (AKA Agent Smith)

Sub-20 Champion: Thomas Walsh. 20-29 Champion: Jason Colavito. 30-39 Champion: Todd Hansberry. 40-49: Daren Sandbank. 50-59: Dick Senti. 60-69: Don Branaman. 70+: Clifford Click.

The womens champion was Jessica Munson. I don't really care and was not going to mention this but then I saw that she was 26 so, just in case I can use it later, I thought I'd mention her in here.


Winterhave Run Through Lights -- Final Grand Prix Standings -- Mike

Pistol Petie is back in town so I met him this morning for some miles and conversation along the River. Having this study day before my Chem-E final tomorrow, it was nice to wake up and not have to run before 9. These 6:30 runs are just too damn cold, I'm afraid, and the more I talk about them, the happier I will be when they are gone.

Still, according to the Sebring, it was only 41 out when I pulled up to the elementary school at the end of Mountain. I jogged around a bit and was stretching when Petie pulled up in the 4 Runner. My favorite thing about Petie's family is that they aren't letting this whole gas-price/environmentalism nonsense get to them. Sweet lookin' 4 Runners are just that -- sweet lookin' -- and meant to be shown off by driving them around with only the driver and no passengers or cargo.

So we ran down the River and discussed training -- both new and old -- and talked about our old Salpointe days. Recently, the Star named Malisa Carino (SCHS '00) coach of the year and, apparently, they won a state XC title or something. I don't really know as I don't keep up on high school action too much. Then we got to talking about how this mornings paper is reporting that Salpointe will begin mandatory drug testing of all its students. I'd read the article and, while I didn't think much of it, I figured it would really get a bunch of people who were not graduates/parents at the school all worked up.

Frankly, I think if Mike Urbanski supports the policy -- then it's golden. The man has never steered my wrong once and, besides, I can't think of an arguement against it if the parents dont fucking care.

Then we headed back and now I have to get back to studying.

Reminder: tomorrow, Running Shop Group Run at 6:15 (someone correct that in the comments if I am wrong) followed by Dragons at Old Chicago. I will be drinking.


Salpointe to Drug Test -- Carino is Coach of the Year -- Carino's Girls Win State XC

So Blogger has gone to some Beta version and it requires we log in with our Gmail addresses. Not a big deal -- unless you hate Gmail -- which Train does. Well, he'd probably say hate is the wrong word -- but when your devotion to Hotmail is so extreme that you don't even want to consider the highly dominant Gmail...well, I'd say you either hate one or love the other.

Rather, are in love with the other.

His last post he said he would not be writing again until he knocked out a 40 minute run. If it were not for this little Gmail hurdle, Train would probably be posting today. You see, Rudy, this morning I was witness to Train's 40 minute feat. Down to Reid Park, around a bit, and back to the 821 -- I held on until about the last half mile.

While my being dropped by Train on his longest run of 2006 was at least partially due to the endorphins that were, no doubt, kicking in on his 'Runners High' -- I'd have attribute most of my general draggyness to yesterday's route. Now listen, Theo, yesterday while others were up in Oro Valley shooting for marathon and half-marathon PRs en route to final place jockeying for the Grand Prix, I was headed out my door to discover a new route.

Tumamoc hill (a common obstacle to hear about in Train's training log) was the destination for my Sunday long run. I've been eager to get back to training in the hills so heading West from my downtown-adjacent abode made the most sense. I had thought about running up through Star Pass and back down St Mary's -- but it just didn't seem like enough for how I was feeling. Instead, I thought this was prime time to see what this Tumamoc is all about.

Now, I had heard that this run was no fucking joke...but I'll tell ya, this thing is no fucking joke. By the time I was approaching the top, I was drenched with sweat as my legs were just plodding, completely unable to go faster or slower for fear of intense pain. The one good thing I can say about this hill is that it's wide enough that you can always pass the groups of four chicks in spandex pants or 2 fat dudes in sleeveless tees, walking up the road.

Gaining about 730 feet in a mile and half, Tumamoc isn't the V (which gains 2000 feet in just under 2.5 miles) -- but it ain't no tempo route like ODC. And while the steepness is a beast on the trek up, it's especially noticable on the road down when you are trying to throw on the brakes on some of the steepest sections. According to my watch, this is an obstacle that takes about 14 minutes to get up -- but only about 11 to get down.

By the time I was reaching the house, I was feeling it in my legs. This morning, upon waking up, I did not want to run. However, I made it out for Train's run. There would be no afternoon follow-up.

I'm still pretty sore this evening. Since I leave in a couple days I think I will just go ahead and take tomorrow pretty chill -- maybe throw in some strides or something like that -- and then prep for one more hard session before leaving for Vegas. Still, the aim for the week will be Wednesday's Running Shop Group Run with post-run Dragons Gift-Card Spending Ceremony.


Watch the Camera atop Tumamoc -- Tucson Marathon Results -- Winterhaven Run This Sunday

So no Dragons were up in Oro Valley today to cover the Tucson Marathon/Half-Marathon. Mike, as you read yesterday, passed on the race after setting a 26.2 PR one week ago in California. I honestly can't say I blame him either. But without any other Dragons competing in the event, I had no reason to show and so now there is no official race recap. Yeah, this is kinda a shortcoming on our part, as one of our goals was to bring y'all some race recaps -- but cut us some slack, we're new at this. We'll get a link up to the event as soon as the results are available.

This will, however, end the Grand Prix season with Dragons in 2nd through 4th places in the overall standings. They are a modest bunch, but I'd like to send my congrats to Omni, Mike, and Lucas for quality performances through the year. In fact, 2006 hasn't been a bad rookie year for our new little team. Just a few of the accomplishments:

Most recently, obviously, Mike set a new marathon PR of 2h37m. Really -- all his shorter accomplishments (Turkey Trot, Run'n'Roll, Cinco De Mayo, and Spring XC Classic age group victories, for example) are just kinda icing on the cake, I think. Jason -- who secured 4th in the GP standing in only five events -- along with setting PRs up and down his first complete NCAA cross country season at Arizona, won this year's Fine Valentine 5-miler along with top 3 finishes at the Sun Run 5k, Spring XC Classic, Cinco de Mayo run, and Turkey Trot. And because I only know Lucas had quality finishes up around Mike and Jason this year (and because I am too lazy to search through all the race results again), I will point out Lucas' Tech Trek 10k domination last March where he took top spot by 100 seconds. I remember this well because this was around the same time that I won my age group at the 8K for 88-Crime.

Then, of course, was our team victories at the Spring XC Classic as well as the Turkey Trot.

So, as 2006 winds down here, I'd have to say it was a decent inaugural year for Dragons.

Also, we're going to be at Old Chicago next Wednesday to blow our Turkey Trot victory gift card (in case, I dont know, you wanna come take photos or something).

Finally, I think that if we are in this kind of position next year (with no one Dragon looking to race the marathon or half) then we should field a Dragons relay team.

Turkey Trot Recap -- My 88 Crime Recap -- Mike's Most Recent Marathon Recap

Don't write a check with your mouth that your body can't cash, or so goes the old saying. There will be no Tucson half marathon for me on Sunday, the body simply cannot deliver and the brain is afraid that the attempt would do far more harm than good. Dan will win a well-earned victory in the SAR Grand Prix and I will have to actually pay for races again. Dan beat me all but one time when we raced head to head this year, and I honestly hope he gets the time he's shooting for on Sunday. . .even if it's a minute faster than I've ever run for the distance.

I finished 36th at the California International Marathon. I was first Dragon and placed just ahead of the second woman, who drafted behind me and another runner for most of the race. I was hoping to break 2:35, but I ended with a 2:37:32 after running the first half in 1:17:09 or so. If this positive split indicates suffering during the last three miles it should, as it took all I had to keep running 6:20, 6:40 and finally 7 minute pace for those miles.

While racing shorter distances does provide a thrill, the marathon is just such a cruel and difficult race that I can't let it go.

Best of luck to everyone this weekend, sorry I won't be in the parade.

I still haven't finished up planning this week. Between weather, school, and other misc's -- yeah, I just haven't gotten around to it. I'd say my current position is best summed up by last night's conversation with my soccer teammate, Alex Coomer:

magelin56: hey
magelin56: whats up?
blaXar 2: I'd like to hear about you getting in a fight at a Prodigy concert in germany
magelin56: it was in the czech republic
magelin56: in brno...the city i was in for the whole time
magelin56: it was in this old communist community center area
magelin56: i was late getting into it bc i got drunk and lost on the way...so, i showed up on my own and had a little bit of hash which i had bought from african drug dealers in milan the weekend earlier
magelin56: bc i walked in late, didn't respond to the cops and shit when they asked me questions in czech, they searched me but didn't get me in trouble about the hash which was weird
magelin56: anyhow, i go in...feeling awfully lucky and go to stand in line to buy beer
magelin56: some random guy hands me money, says something in czech which i understood as to buy him beer...i buy him beer, he gives me a little baggy of weed...that made me happy
magelin56: then, as prodigy finally starts im pretty drunk/drugged up and it is prodigy in the some po-dunk ex-soviet community center so it was getting pretty rough
magelin56: randomly a big bald fucker hits me in the back of the head...i assume it was part of the danceing/jumping/what not but i hit him back...
magelin56: he clearly noticed it was me and came after me jumping through the crowd flailing at me
magelin56: he falls, stands up and tries to head butt me but misses...swings and barely catches me jaw...then we get seperated by some random polish friend i knew
magelin56: from that point on it was pretty peaceful bc i proceeded to smoke all the drugs i had acquired
magelin56: it was way east europe i thought...i dont even like prodigy
magelin56: it is really hazy bc of all the alcohol and stuff though

50 MILES IN ONE WEEK??? HERE'S AN IDEA--TRY FOR 50 PUSHUPS IN ONE WEEK. YOU COULD NEVER DO IT HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!! AND YOU LITTLE WASTRELS WONDERS WHY NO FEMALE WILL EVER COME NEAR YOU HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!! GO EAT SOME NUTS AND BERRIES HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!

MR. CHEST

This week ended with 38 miles in 5 days -- well off my goal of the 50 range. I'd attribute it, at least in part, to running the first few days too hard and feeling just tired here at the end of the week. For example, I went out last night with Train and, about 3 miles in, I had to just lay off and bring it in at a relaxed pace.

Second, I need to get off the hard surfaces. Unfortunately, this pretty much requires planning and travel -- so routes are something I am taking into account while I write up this week's schedule. Also, I am going to do a better job of having paces/efforts as well as specifics (for workouts) penciled in ahead of time. Minus the missing an extra day, I actually followed (or exceeded) the daily mileage totals I had put together for this week. I now need to hone in on the details of each day. One of those details will be increasing my average single-run mileage. This will, of course, lead to higher overall mileage -- but more than anything else, I want to prevent myself from slipping into a two-a-day rut of something like a four miler in the morning and a 5 miler in the evening.

Finally, I need to just get through this last time-consuming, gut-wrenching week of classes. Also, our heat went dead this weekend. They are supposed to come out tomorrow and, as I've mentioned before, the climate in my room when I wake up is a major factor in how I approach all facets of my day.

This week should be much better (especially in the long run department if Mike will be hobbling through the half at a pace he'd like some company with) because I'll be able to plan it out with better vision.

there's a runner in a cheap hotel room waiting...
Tomorrow is the marathon, and free internet and basic cable are passing the time. Hopefully the Turkey Trot worked as a last tune up, and the rest of the training has done the job. 7am the gun sounds and I'll do my best not to get too carried away. I've worked hard for this. That's all for now, time to put my feet up.

Alright, folks--there's a mission here at the Train depot, and that is to carry off a sustained run of 40 minutes. I shall not post again until I do so. We here at Dragons are committed to quality.
Till then,
Train