Other

• Starting an 18 mile run #

I ran into six of these on my recent five mile run. They are harmless animals and sort of fun because they dart away but usually stop after ten or so feet and resume foraging though the leaves on the ground.

• Funny quote: “Cows are surprisingly buoyant…they sort of floated like boats.” -Hollis Gildillian, a rancher in Winnie, Texas, as quote … #
• Times on how cows survived Hurricane Ike. #

Marisa and I were able to rescue a little puppy out at the state park last night. I met up with some people from the club outside the park. Myself and another runner were the first to arrive so we were just standing around chatting. All of a sudden, he said look at that coming out of the woods. I turned around and saw a little puppy slowly approaching. It looked like it was a corgi/dachshund mix.

At first the girl was very scared and timid, but it wasn’t long before she was running around joyfully. It was drizzling outside (and had poured) so she was soaked and smelly. I decided that I would take her into the park with us because I couldn’t leave her in this little lot by the highway. She came in and proceeded to run around.

Marisa arrived at the park with her ride and saw the dog. Everyone told her it was her new puppy. At first she resisted but decided she would give it a shot. At least give the dog a night without rain and then a trip to the shelter. That’s better than being killed by a coyote or rattlesnake in the wild.

I put the puppy in my truck with the window down until we got back from the run. Don’t worry, the temp was in the mid to lower 70s and there was little direct sun to heat up the truck. When I got back she ran around again. She is an awesome dog, so I’m glad she was saved.

I’m not planning on running too much in Vegas as I’m sure I’ll run the marathon there one of these years. Instead, I’ll be gone a few days having a good time losing some money, seeing some shows, and enjoying the crowds.

• My knee has been injured but it’s starting to feel a little better. I shouldn’t say my knee because that sounds scary. It could be it band. #

• I’ve got the camelbak filled with water and supplies for my 20 mile long run. #

I heard that some of the guys from my running club ran on this closed trail to run a six mile course. It had been a year since I had gone on that trail but didn’t have fond memories. I decided that maybe it’s ok if this group was running it. Not ok at all. I ended up with about 13 bad chigger bites. I also found out — a little too late — that some of the other runners got chiggers too.

Ken pondered why he is seeing more armadillos than he has seen in previous years at the Huntsville State Park this year? According to Texas Parks and Wildlife biologists it is not just armadillos that are thriving at HSP this year but a variety of wildlife.

Last summer had more rainfall than had been experienced in years with temperate temperatures. Also, this past winter the lake at the park was artificially lowered. They had up plenty of signs explaining why the water level was lower. This was in large part to help spur the regeneration of the natural vegetation at the shorelines. However, it had the welcomed side effect of helping wildlife thrive. The weather also helped more rattlesnakes and alligators make it through gestation.

Some biologists believe that this year has many more snakes, alligators, and other animals than the HSP has seen for a couple years. Of course one species that hikers notice is armadillos as they are not as alert to human presence as snakes or alligators. But if you want to take a swim in some remote areas I’m sure you’ll find some of the more elusive creatures.

So…keep your guard up! The armadillos won’t hurt you but some of the other wildlife might if you don’t respect the wild spaces we invade.

Late last night I landed in Houston and was home by about 1:45am. I only ran one day during my vacation and only for a couple miles. It’s important for me to give my legs some vacations from the stress and damage of running a few times a year. That said, I’m looking forward to running about five miles today.

I’ll be traveling and taking time off running for awhile. Enjoy your weekend!

I don’t mind a few thrills and I’ll bring along my kayak, but you won’t catch me kayaking down a 120ft waterfall.

After a strong seven mile run on Thursday. I took Friday and Saturday off running. On Friday I took my kayak out for the first time. In fact it was my first time on a kayak! It only took a couple seconds and I could paddle myself in straight lines and do some pretty quick turns.

I loved it out on the lake! I was able to toot around quickly and quietly without any trouble. I didn’t fall into the water but got myself plenty wet. I am going to have to learn more about paddling techniques and self-saving type manuevers. At this time I won’t have to learn anything like rolls or whitewater techniques since this kayak isn’t made for that.

Maybe my next kayak?…

This day last year I posted my favorites from a Runner’s World story about 101 Kicks in the Butt. Here it is:

In the May issue of Runner’s World, there was an article entitled “101 Kicks in the Butt” which listed things to provide running motivation. All 101 don’t work for me, but I have found some that I think are good.

1. Create a blog (obviously, this is something that I decided to do. It provides some motivation and potentially puts the world on notice when I don’t finish my runs.)
2. Go soft (this one is saying not to run roads everyday. well, i barely run roads every week. I am always on the trails)
3. Sign up now (sign up for a winter marathon during the summer. it’ll keep you motivated)
4. Buddy Up (I like to run alone most of the time but it’s nice to run with friends on occasions)
5. Have a Daily Goal (this one came from Scott Jurek who says that workout runs should have a goal just like race goals: maybe it’s a technique goal, maybe a pace goal, or something like running fast at the end.)
6. Run through a spring storm (as long as there isn’t lightening, I enjoy running in the rain)
7. Remember (you almost always feel better after a run than before it)

Those are some of their suggestions that work for me.

I ran a few miles at the park before I went out on the canoe yesterday. I found a few fun animals out there.

The most exciting was an alligator.

There are approximately 60 alligators roaming around Huntsville State Park. The rangers claim that the alligators have never attacked any humans at this park. However, every year there are a couple dogs who are killed. The largest alligators at the park grow to be about 5-6 foot in length before they are removed from the park. I never saw the body of this gator but from the size of his head I would guess he is at least 5 feet.

I also was able to catch a really handsome owl hanging out in the tree.

He talked to me as I either spoke or hooted at him. Eventually he tired of me and flew to a tree nearby where he communicated with an owl that I wasn’t able to locate. I found other cranes and ducks but those two animals were the most exciting.

If I run today it won’t be far. I plan on doing some canoeing complete with a cooler and snacks. It should be fun!

Is running the cheapest sport you can compete in? To run you really don’t need much more than a pair of running shoes, some gym shorts, and a shirt. That’s all you really need. Compare that to other sports:

Baseball: You’ve got to have a bat and glove, cleats, and a baseball jersey along with a place to play which should be cheap or free.

Football: This one is pretty cheap. You can buy a football and maybe some pads. If it’s full contact you need pads and a helmet.

Triatheletes: This is easily one of the most expensive sports to participate in. You need a bike (keep that in good condition with tubes, lube, new brakes, new chains, a pump, etc), you’ll need a helmet, you will need a wet suit, you will need running shoes, and you’ll need the biking/running clothes. Plus to train you have to have a pool. Add that to the massive amount of time to train for three sports! To compete, which is what it’s about, you generally have to pay a good deal to race and possibly travel.

Soccer: Most people join a league which will cost a little. Then you’ll need soccer clothes, a ball, a pump, cleats, and some travel to play maybe?

I’m leaving out plenty of other sports that people do. Biking and swimming can sort of be pulled out of the triathelete column. Of course, the difference is that you don’t have to compete to do it. Kayaking and watersports also require a huge investment.

I got out to the Huntsville State Park to run a seven mile loop in the 90 degree heat with Phillip this evening. I went to my car to show him a Seat Shield so that he could see what would soon protect my car seat from the sweat that would saturate me. As I was showing him he excitedly pointed out a snake about three feet from us. I looked over and saw that it was a 4ish foot long rattlesnake!

It doesn’t take a genius in math to know that a 4 foot long venomous snake that’s within three feet of you is a danger. So I did what any irrational non-genius would do: I grabbed my cell phone to take some pictures!

(click for larger photo)

You can see him (I’ll use that gender for simplicity but I don’t actually know the snake’s gender) slivering along in this unwooded area about two feet from the pavement. At this point he was completely docile. I stepped out onto the grass to get a closer picture and he showed no signs of aggression. He was simply heading towards the shaded woods.

(Click for larger photo)

Here is a picture that shows his rattler. At this point it wasn’t in action because he did not feel any threats. That was about to change.

(click for larger photo)

He’s coiled in this picture because my running friend tossed a stick onto him. Phillip wanted to hear what the rattle sounded like. Not something I’d recommend but interesting nevertheless. He rattled while he scurried a few feet to where he coil. Once he was coiled he no longer rattled.

This particular type of rattlesnake is commonly called the Timber Rattlesnake. The actual name is crotalus horridus. Wikipedia states that this type of snake is considered one of the most dangerous due to it’s size, the fang size, and it’s ability to quickly put a large amount of venom into it’s target. Thankfully they are very docile so they do not strike humans as often as other snakes.

It was neat watching him do his thing. I wouldn’t advise trying to aggravate one, aside from it being dangerous, it is unnecessary. I was in his habitat and he was not attacking me. Why attack an animal simply to experiment with one. Enjoy but do not disturb the awesome animals you find in nature!

I normally stay away from memes, but how could I turn down a request from the totally awesome Kara?

Eight totally random facts about me which are all true:

• A car wreck when I was twelve left me with a collapsed lung which still isn’t 100%
• Even after years of running and being in decent shape I’m not comfortable running shirtless.
• A couple years ago it was difficult for me to run three miles. Now that’s a short run.
• A couple years ago I hated to run with groups but now I love it.
• Even though I’m not against it I’ve never dated a fellow runner.
• It was when I was working 70-80 hour weeks that I started to run endurance events.
• Occasionally I’m strangely fascinated by pro wrestling, perhaps because it’s a soap opera?
• I own about eight pairs of running shoes and always look for more…

I challenge some of the great bloggers at 7 Hills Running Club (Adrienne, Ken, Norman, Rick, Holden, Katy, Jon, Edwin, and any others) to answer based on the following rules:

The Rules:
Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.
People who are tagged, write a blog post about their own 8 random things, and post these rules.
At the end of your post you need to tag 8 people and include their names.
Don’t forget to leave them a comment and tell them they’ve been tagged, and to read your blog.

Curtis

• Out enjoying the art car parade in Houston. Pictures on flickr to follow. #

• Ran about three miles during my 45 minutes of hill repeats. #

There are certain conversations that I find aren’t worth debating in public or private with other runners. It either turns into a major argument resulting in an ugly bitter scene with both sides taking the conversation far more serious than the subject warrants or it’s a group of like minded confidants who pat each other on the back for seeing it the same way. Either way it isn’t worth the frustration of trying to argue the merits. Here are just a few:

25. If ultrarunners aren’t as athletic as marathon runners.
24. If marathon runners aren’t as athletic as short distance runners.
23. If short distance runners aren’t as athletic as sprinters.
22. If trail running or road running are superior to the other.
21. If a 50K is really an ultra.
20. If a 50 mile is really an ultra.
19. If running destroys joints.
18. If headphones should be banned from races.
17. If west coast endurance athletes are better than east coast.
16. If running a freezing temperature ultra in the mountains or running Badwater is more difficult.
15. If you didn’t get into the Western States.
14. If you did get into the Western States.
13. If the 2 no’s you go policy is fair concerning the Western States.
12. If the Barkley Marathon is where it’s actually at.
11. If ultras have become too mainstream.
10. If real endurance athletes have moved to adventure races.
9. If ultras are too mainstream because of Dean Karnazes.
8. If Dean Karnazes is overrated.
7. How many ultras Dean Karnazes has won.
6. If (fill in the blank) is better than Dean Karnazes.
5. If the next generation of endurance athletes are going to flip the endurance running world.
4. If Lance Armstrong only did better than you because he had Alberto Salazar, Hicham El Guerrouj and Joan Benoit Samuelson by his side.
3. Why so many celebs are running marathons.
2. How long it’ll be before celebs are trying an ultra.
1. Why so many people are running marathons.

I’m sure the list will grow in the future, but now you know a few topics to bring up if you want to get a group of runners irascible.

• Lazy Sunday 18-20 miles at the park. "everything is banal and jejune" nick cave. #

• The nature center to amys crossing (inner loop) trail has been rerouted to add about 200 meters. I like it. 7 miles with phillip. #
• I am going to run five and attempt to beat the rainfall. Iron and wine sings "between the trees and cicadas singing around the pond I sp … #
• you" fantastic. #

• Went on a two mile trail run while I waited for my friend then seven miles with him. #

• @kimba90 good luck tomorrow at the 50K! #

• I ran seven miles this evening which was great. This is a weekend free of running because I’m going to be at my bestfriend’s wedding #

• Just enjoying a day at the park and the zoo #

• This evening I ran seven miles with Phillip in just under an hour. The cool temps made it seem pretty easy. #

• About ready to start writing an appellate brief which makes me want to run. Oh well, tomorrow. #

• At bachelor party for ben #

• Running my first time since the race - going 5 miles #

• At the race about to start 50 miles at 7 am #

• I bought a pair of new balance trail shoes that are very light. I’ll use them on 25k less technical courses #

• I ran a 21 mile training run (14 of which were with a friend) this morning and still feel good #

• Ran three miles at Memorial Park #

Here I am finishing the Bandera 50K in all my minuscule glory!

I couldn’t log a time like Anton Krupicka.

• Driving to bandera for a 50k #

I think that some of what attracts me to distance running is the same things that I like about work. The coworkers that I respect the most realize how important it is to really care about what you are doing. You might not be the best at it (at least not today…) but you will do your best job because you love what you are doing, you see why it’s important, and you want to achieve your own goals.

That’s how I am at both work and in running. I know that I might not win the race, but I’m going to take it seriously. I approach every race with the proper amount of awe and respect. Just what is the proper amount? I think that depends on the race. There are certainly some races that are meant more as fun events while there are others that are very serious indeed. I try to know my race before I go and run it.

I also know that I’m not going to win the race. With that in mind, I know that I should finish the race feeling proud of what I have done. Maybe I didn’t win it but I did a good job.

There are a lot of similarities between my philosophy on running and my philosophy on work. I hope it’s that way for other runners too.

• Finished a 4 mile run to kick off the new year #

Should races and the USATF ban iPods? I don’t have much of a stake in the debate, because I rarely run USA Track & Field (USATF) certified courses, but I don’t think wearing an iPod — or other electronics device — in a race is that big of a deal.

1st the USATF has argued that it’s for safety and insurance reasons. This is a facially bogus claim. Insurance could be handled with a simple assumption of the risk clause or closing the course (like Portland Marathon has done) or both. With assumption of the risk it just has to be made clear that the decision of wearing an iPod lies with the runner and they accept the responsibility of any of the consequences (i.e. harm) that comes from it.

The other part of this that is bogus is that there are other devices that cause just as many safety issues. Perhaps we should ban people from carrying Gu and other energy aids? Many people focus their attention on those when they are simultaneously running and trying to open the gu.  Clearly, on an open course, that is a potentially dangerous thing.

Of course I’m not advocating to ban this. I think it’s up to a runner to decide and to change the safety of the course for themselves.

2nd. It has been argued that iPods give an unnatural advantage. This is also ludicrious. Until the USATF bans energy gels, pace setting watches, GPS watches, pacers, splits, and other devices that might not be available from the race to each racer — it’s just a red herring. Courses want to encourage people to run and will allow certain devices that do assist in getting a better time if you know how to use them.

So do I think iPods should be banned in USATF races? No. I think it’s a stupid decision from the USATF. It’s just one of many that make me not want to run races certified by it.

Not long after the Discovery team disbanded, T-Mobile has pulled it’s sponsorship of it’s team. Road cycling has taken quite a few hits both domestically and abroad. It’s a little sad but not entirely unexpected.

Don’t worry about the shock headlines. The key to running is to always be smart. Is this advice that I always follow? No. But you shouldn’t be scared by events like what occurred at the Chicago Marathon.

Some days it might be too hot for you to run outside. If it is, don’t run outside. There isn’t any obligation to run. Your heart is impacted more with increased temperatures. Listen to what your body says and stop when you are over exerting yourself.

Most terrible injuries, or deaths, seem to occur when someone isn’t listening to what their body is telling them. If you aren’t a professional, you have no obligation to push yourself past your limit. Running is a fun, safe form of exercise if done properly.

I’m still getting used to being back; I think I’ll run tomorrow.

Vacation is over and I’m back at home!

I’m about to change the theme of this blog — basically the layout. I like the present design but there are a few minor limitations. I am still contemplating it but don’t be surprised if it looks like it did way back when.

I’m not sure what the entire story is but from what I hear a bad thing happened to a cyclist and to LA if this is true. Apparently a bus hit a cyclist twice because he wouldn’t get out of the lane, or share the lane, and then the cyclist was cuffed and arrested.

The absurdity of this is what is truly unbelievable. I don’t know California law, but in Texas a bicyclist is considered another vehicle that must observe all the laws of the road. As such, a cyclist also has the rights of other vehicles such as using a lane. In fact, it’s illegal for bicyclists to ride their bikes on sidewalks. Now a car cannot under any circumstances share a lane with a bike and keep both vehicles safe. What’s even more absurd is thinking that it’s appropriate to take a 3-5 ton vehicle like a bus and hit a 20 pound bike! Are you kidding?

The bus driver, the city of LA, and California should be ashamed.

When I’m not running you can find me being lazy in front of the tv. Maybe even more than watching shows, I like to read what people have to say about them in magazines, newspapers, or online. One place that I check out daily is TV Squad.

I’m really, really sad to see that one of their writers, Adam Finley, died at the young age of 30 this past week. Not only because he was young, but I hate seeing someone get killed while riding a bike. It’s a tragedy that could be avoided by having drivers who are a little more conscientious about sharing the road with two wheeled pedestrians.

I was trying to think of some of my favorite tv shows right now where there are runners. I know that in this past season of How I Met Your Mother they are going to run the NYC Marathon — it ended up being Barney who ran it without many complications until after the run when he couldn’t walk to get off the subway.

What are your favorites?

If tomorrow goes as planned, then I should hit 1000 miles so far this year!

Active.com has an article about how pollution affects people who exercise outdoors and it’s not good. The positive is for mountain bikers and trail runners: “Still, virtually every expert interviewed said that people should not stop exercising outdoors. Rather, they suggested that exercisers should keep their distance from exhaust-spewing cars and check air- quality forecasts before venturing out.”

This morning I went on a slow paced run by myself. After a couple miles, I ran into someone on the trail who I had seen out there once. He soon passed me as I stopped to walk up a big hill. I noticed he was carrying his shirt and a bottle of water.

After about three more miles he was out of my line of site. However, I saw a discarded water bottle in a bush beside the trail. I grabbed the bottle in my free hand and continued running. Now I was determined to try to catch the guy.

Eventually, I did catch up to him. He was wanting to chat until he saw what I was carrying. Although I didn’t say anything, he was ready to slow down and let me pass after he saw his trash.

Just think, he could have used the empty bottle to pick up pieces of discarded Gu packets or whatever else people selfishly discard.

Last week I was in trial as co-counsel. This week I am handling a trial all on my own. There wasn’t even any time to really breath. I’ll try to update the site if I run but few guarantees until Wednesday or Thursday.

Aside from the typical rolled ankle, the only thing that regularly upsets me about trail running is all the cobwebs I have to break. I don’t like pulling sticky webs off my clothes, face, arms, legs, etc.

Every now and then I pull out my iPod to take with me on my run. I never enjoy it, yet I still get the urge to run with music. Why?

A year ago I was running roads most of the time. I really wasn’t able to run more than 2 or 3 miles in a shot. I forced myself to run miserable long runs in the range of 8 to 12 miles, but I never enjoyed it. The only thing that made these runs bearable was my music.

If I ran without music I had to endure the noise of the city. There were cars whizzing by with thumping bass, parents yelling out of their front door to their kids,  and the sound of my feet pounding pavement. Even though the running was peaceful, the benefits of that were outweighed by the external stresses surrounding me. Music helped to keep that incessant buzz away.

Now that I run out on trails I don’t need music. The noise around me helps to supplement the peace that running brings. I hear birds chirping; insects buzzing; deer bounding; rabbits and armadillos foraging; and the sound of leaves, pine needles, and occasional water below me.

Why ruin nature with noise that I can hear all day?

Apparently my cat did not get the memo that the amount of honeybees is in a critical shortage. I came home to find a dead bee on the carpet and an overly proud cat.

I am pathetic when it comes to shorter races, but I certainly enjoy watching the 800 and mile. It was awesome to see the winner of the 800 at the Pre Classic this year. Check it out for a nice surprise.

In the May issue of Runner’s World, there was an article entitled “101 Kicks in the Butt” which listed things to provide running motivation. All 101 don’t work for me, but I have found some that I think are good.

1. Create a blog (obviously, this is something that I decided to do. It provides some motivation and potentially puts the world on notice when I don’t finish my runs.)
2. Go soft (this one is saying not to run roads everyday. well, i barely run roads every week. I am always on the trails)
3. Sign up now (sign up for a winter marathon during the summer. it’ll keep you motivated)
4. Buddy Up (I like to run alone most of the time but it’s nice to run with friends on occasions)
5. Have a Daily Goal (this one came from Scott Jurek who says that workout runs should have a goal just like race goals: maybe it’s a technique goal, maybe a pace goal, or something like running fast at the end.)
6. Run through a spring storm (as long as there isn’t lightening, I enjoy running in the rain)
7. Remember (you almost always feel better after a run than before it)

Those are some of their suggestions that work for me.

Nothing much to say today because I just finished up a trial. I didn’t have enough time to go out and run this evening, but I certainly will tomorrow. Then I have a 5K race on Saturday.

I know that I look young, but I think that at 28 it’s past the age that little kids can exclaim, “Mommy, that boy is running!” as I pass them on a bridge.

Ridiculous.

I knew that it was bound to happen…

May is designated, among other things, as National Bike Awareness Month in the US. This week has been the bike to work week with Friday being designated as a bike to work day.

I try to bike to work every day that I am not meeting a client or appearing in court. I think that the benefits are great: lower amounts of miles on my car, less fuel, exercise, being able to see my community at a slower pace, and stress relief. The negatives are only few: not being able to get to work immediately, being sweaty, drivers who don’t want to share the road, coworkers thinking it’s odd, and not being able to run out and buy a lunch.

How do I deal with the negatives? Well, I bring a messenger bag with me that has my change of clothes. I also put a couple of moisture wipes in it to take off the sweat. In my office, I have an underarm deodorant bar so that I can freshen up. I ride in on back road routes so that I won’t have to deal with as many cars, and I can explore new areas that way. I bring my lunch which also saves money.

I really enjoy it and hope that a few people try it. I didn’t think it would be as easy as it actually is.  As for the distance — this guy I knew in Dallas rides 42 miles a day, three times a week. Give it a try this week!

The White Rock Marathon is largely for the charitable benefit of the Texas Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital in Dallas. This year, they were able to give a gift of $150,000. Personally, I think that it’s fabulous that a relatively unorganized sport is able to organize together for the greater good of our communities.

In choosing this hospital as a beneficiary, the White Rock Marathon wanted to pick a charity that also gives to the community. I believe they found it:

The Dallas hospital has treated 180,000 children since its inception in 1921, without ever charging a cent.

This particular gift went to various things. One of the recipients was given prosthetic legs so that he too can run.

One beneficiary is Cody McCasland, 5, of Colleyville, who recently received a new pair of prosthetic running legs. He wore the new legs and was constantly in motion throughout the reception and check presentation.

Cody’s lower legs were amputated because he was born without knees and otherwise would have needed a wheelchair. He has had several sets of prosthetic legs.

Clearly this alone is enough to change one persons entire life. I am proud to be a member of a community of runners who give selflessly to causes.

I went on a nine mile run this evening and saw a variety of bugs (including one tick; reminder, check yourself carefully before bed), some birds, and three land animals. That land animal happened to be a stupid armadillo.

One was crossing the street when I was finishing my run. One scurried away in a panic. The other one just stood there and then started to run along side me.

Odd.

I couldn’t do any running today because of all the rain. I was upset by this Washington Post article that says Americans aren’t replacing their incandescent bulbs with CFLs. It’s easy to do, it’s more economical, and it’ll help to protect our trails and wildlife. If you have concerns they might be assuaged by this:

A new breed of bulbs solves most, if not all, of the old gripes. The bulbs are smaller and much cheaper — often selling for as little as $1.50 each at big-box stores. Most bulbs pay for themselves in reduced power consumption within six months. They last seven to 10 years longer than incandescent bulbs. The hum and flicker are long gone, and many bulbs are designed to mimic the soothing, yellowish warmth of incandescent bulbs.

Happy running!

The New York Times recently ran a story about how colleges are getting more and more triathlon clubs. Unlike the football players who stay in nice hotels, many of them stay in tents at campsites. Not unlike my own accommodations when I travel to race.

My thought is that it makes sense that there are more younger athletes in triathlons, because the entire sport has been growing. Unless it’s a trail triathlon, you won’t have to worry about catching me at one. I don’t think…

I don’t like running on treadmills, but I’m happy that Al Gore is running. Why is it news though?

If you like taking pictures of races or where you run, you can turn those into a pretty cool book. I’ve been checking out a website called blurb. It makes it easy to get a really snazzy book of your own pictures and text published. Give it a shot if you have some pictures you want printed.

This isn’t on the topic of running, but I was inspired by an article in National Geographic entitled “Defending a Forgotten Herd” about elephant in central Africa. It’s good to see that there are people defending them from extinction but that defense takes money. Give if you’d like; admire while you can.

I know it’s a little late, but I have a couple good links for Earth Day. I know that a few of you are recreational runners, so I would imagine that you also feel bad about throwing out your old shoes. As we all know, it’s necessary to replace our running shoes every six months (or more if we run daily) or so. I typically just throw my old running shoes into my closet, but I saw a better solution in Runner’s World a couple years ago.

If you go to Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe and donate your shoes, they will convert them into athletic surfaces (running tracks, soccer fields, basketball courts) that are sent to underserved communities around the world. And One World Running will send your new or gently used shoes to athletes and children in Africa, Mexico, and South and Central America.

It took me awhile, but I ran a seven mile loop this morning. It shouldn’t have taken long but I was being lazy. Perhaps part of that was I was looking forward to hiking in the national forest later in the morning. After my run, I met a couple of my friends and took plenty of pictures of the hike.

I was reading Kara’s post in the ABC’s of Running series this evening to see about having fun when running. Of course, I like this, because I’ve always said that I won’t run a race unless I’m having fun.

I clicked on her link to the Breathe Right strips because I thought it was silly. Whether or not the strips help you breathe easier while running, they claim that breathing through your nose is better than through your mouth.

I used to breathe solely through my mouth when running. In the past year or so, I have started to breath through both my nose and mouth. Maybe I should try to alter my breathing a little more?

Last year on Easter weekend the temperature reached 100 degrees here in Texas. This year we are in the 40s with sleet coming down on us.

I knew that the temperature was going to drop and that there would be rain, so I ran a 7 mile trail yesterday. I met up with a friend from the running club who brought his Jack Russell. I ran that loop quicker than I ever have before coming in at 1:01. It was a tough run but I feel good for going that quick.

Today, I enjoyed the rain from inside.

A friend in my running club let me know his trick for drying out shoes. As you might have read, my most recent race had a down pour of rain and then plenty of mud. I decided to clean out my shoes. Regardless of the washing shoes, they would have been wet and in the need of drying them out.

The problem is that you shouldn’t dry shoes in a dryer. Aside from how noisy it would be, they don’t hold up well with that sort of intense heat. If you set them in the sun, it can take awhile for them to actually dry.

My friend told me to put them by the vent on your refrigerator. It works perfectly! If the vent is on the front, place your shoes on the floor. If your vent is on the back, then you can try overhanging them a little on the top of the fridge.

I went out to run a little before I was going to meet my group. I decided that I would just run a 5 mile trail before my group arrived. This particular trail backs up to one of the National Forests, which has a lot of wild hogs. I’ve run this course many times and haven’t seen a hog. Today that changed when I was on the last mile or two of the course.

I heard something that didn’t sound like deer scampering in the distance. I looked around and noticed about four black hogs. They were running the same direction as I was running but they were probably 200 or so feet from me.

Although I wasn’t scared, I was a little spooked. I know that hogs are smart and mean which isn’t a good combo. I decided to run a little faster to make sure they stayed away from me.

When I did meet up with a guy from the running club we did the five mile loop. However, we decided that we would stay on the road to avoid the hogs during the last section.

Today is my 28th. Tomorrow I will celebrate it by running 28 miles. I know some people celebrate it by running an hour for every year they have been alive. That is simply too much living for me right now. I’ll just take a mile for each year. See you in 28…

I found this picture of an armadillo that actually makes me like them a little more. He’s just hanging out in a bucket…

It used to be that running two miles a few times a week made me feel like a good runner. Now I am running 6 or 7 miles a few times a week and thinking that is normal. All this ultra running and loving the trails is making me more interested in pushing my body further and further.

I am finally moved and connected to the internet again. It’s very nice to finally have a link to the outside world! I went on a run at Huntsville State Park the other day to try out their trails, but I found they were too wet. I only made it about a mile and a half.

I haven’t run in over three days, so my legs are itching for a run. I think this evening I am going to run 8 or 9 miles just to see some different areas of the city. Overall it seems like a pretty boring place, but it’s only temporary so I’ll just enjoy the running.

Today is a great day for me because I lost my first toenail running. I wasn’t able to do it at the ultracentric or White Rock Half Marathon or any of my long training runs but the treadmill got me.

I couldn’t be happier and I have the picture to prove the loss. I didn’t want to post it right here because most people don’t like gross feet (actually, the picture and injury aren’t too bad). If you’re curious then you know what to click.

I think right now it’s too cold for me to run outside. I did go out and took some pictures of the ice storm that hit Dallas. It’s not too bad but it’s fun to see some ice in an area that doesn’t normally get too cold.

I’m have a few more pictures if you want to click on these and see the set. I like it when there is a bit of a chill in the air.

Perhaps I will go for a little run out there and deal with the chapped lips later. I have enough that I can bundle up pretty solidly.

Today was way too rainy in Dallas for me to run. I decided to take the evening off and relax a little bit. Yesterday, I ran about 3 miles, biked 12 minutes, and then jumped rope for another 15 minutes.

Go over and congratulate Jessica on her recent sponsorship!

During my easy five mile run this evening, I started to think about what interests me in ultrarunning. It’s not necessarily the challenge of it all; although, that is part of it, but it’s that they are fun. I like to have fun when I’m running.

Having fun is part of the reason I have no interest in certain endurance races. Namely, I could care less about running the Badwater Marathon or the South Pole Marathon. Those races would certainly present a challenge, but I don’t think they’d be any fun.

What is fun about burning through multiple pairs of running shoes, getting dehydrated because of 120 degree temperatures, having the scorching sun burn your exposed skin, and battling hallucinations for most of a race? I guess that might be fun for Dean Karnazes and Scott Jurek, but I could care less about it. I’d much rather prefer to run with them at the Western States where you have an amazing challenge and some fun.
Also, what is fun about acclimating to freezing temperatures, 12K ft above sea level altitudes, and running with heat packs in your shoes to battle the frostbite? Just as an aside, the website points out one of the perks of the race is having breathtaking views. This is only true until snow blindness kicks in. Enjoy the views when you can’t see or concentrate because you’re thinking about how you’re going to lose the tips of your fingers.
Running should be fun and challenging. The two aren’t mutually exclusive but you can certainly have one without the other. If I am only going to take one, I will take the fun!

I guess that Wordpress released an upgrade and recommended everyone upgrade to the new version. They say that it has an important security update of some sort but I wouldn’t know because it wouldn’t work. I tried to make things safer for you, but I messed up the front page. I’ll try it again later sometime.

That’s Fit wrote a couple articles about running today aimed at casual runners. One in particular concerned whether or not it’s safe to run in the cold. Of course, if you a properly bundled, it is perfectly safe. However, I think the larger point is whether it’s good for a new runner…

I don’t think it is because I don’t think it’s conducive for developing a long term passion for running. Running in the cold can be very uncomfortable and tiring, perhaps more so than in extreme heat.

I hate running on a treadmill, but I think that it’ll be better for some people. Just be aware of the fact that running in the cold might not kill you but you might not come home all that happy when your lungs feel frozen.

That said, I love running in the cold and you might too.

I will be going to a friend’s party tonight, but I’m not excited. New Years Eve is all about people getting as drunk as they can and then clogging the roads. I think my problem is that restaurants are full, bars have lame cover bands, and I get a hang over.

In preparation for the few beers I will drink, I am going to head out for a 12 mile ride. Have a happy new year!

Just a boring three mile run today. The wind was blowing like crazy, so I enjoyed powering through that. To make up for it, I went and bought some new trail running shoes at DSW. I ended up getting the Saucony Excursion shoes which I’ll try out soon.

I made it home today, so I’m pretty excited.  I hate sitting in a car for hours on end because it makes me so stir crazy.  It seems that Dallas received a lot of rain which means the trails are closed, but I can go on a long run. It’s good to be home.

I’ve been in the lovely city of Wichita, Kansas for the past few days, so I haven&#