Category Archives: General
RUNNING WITH RODENTS
Putting my hands in the air, apparently like I just don’t care.
The other day I talked about the importance to me of starting a race with a great song. Well, I just finished my mix for tonight’s race and my “go to” song for the New Year’s half marathon will be “White Dress” by Parachute. The lyrics don’t mean much, but it has a great beat and it actually popped up in a dream of mine… yeah, sometimes it’s better not to ask.
But as I kill time waiting to get ready for tonight, I wanted to toss in an addendum and chat briefly about one song that appears on every one of my mixes. It is also the song that appears in my “last three mile” mix that I use when I’m hurting or need an extra push.
Now most people would think that the choice would be easy. Pick my favorite song of all time and crank it loud. Nope.
Or choose one that sends a perfect running message, say like Manfred Mann’s aptly titled song “Runner.” Again, you’d be wrong.
THE “NIGHT BEFORE” GEAR PREP
Dressed for success.
Tomorrow is my first race of 2014, the New Year’s half marathon in LA. That means tonight I get to go through my “night before race day” gear preparation. To non-runners who witness this ritual, it must seem like I’m experiencing an OCD episode combined with demonic possession. But to those of us who regularly run, the race prep is a sacred rite and part of the whole race experience.
Like the baseball players who don’t shave their beards during the playoffs or the football fans who refuse to wash their lucky jersey during a win streak (yuck), runners have their own superstitions or specific way of doing things that needs to be embraced… or at least tolerated.
NAME THAT TUNE
Have music, will travel.
When it comes to running, the topic of music can lead to some heated discussions. Some runners refuse to listen to music, while others can’t take a step without first cranking their iPods to 11 and dialing up their own personal soundtrack (cue the theme to ROCKY). Music is a running subject that I plan to visit again in the coming months.
As for me, I have done runs without music and my iPod shuffle has also died on more than one occasion during a race. But when I hit the road solo or run a race, I prefer to listen to music. And I make a new music mix for each race (that’s my running OCD showing itself a little).
EXPOS EXPOSED
Bibs, T-shirts and running stuff galore… just ahead.
On Saturday, I’ll be running my first half marathon of 2014. But before I can attempt to PR, heck before I can even head to the start line or lace up my shoes, I’ve got to take care of the first important part of the race experience… the runners’ expo.
And I love it.
Imagine all of the enthusiasm and anticipation (and swag) for a race stuffed into one place; that’s what a good expo represents. The great thing is that everyone who goes to a runners’ expo is either a racer or racer tagalong who is every bit as excited about running as you are (you are in the midst of your people). Typically scheduled for the day or two prior to a race, it’s the first taste runners get of the race to come as they file through to pick up their bibs, T-shirts, freebies, as well as sample the products of running vendors and get a sneak peek at races to come.
Mind you, all expos are not created equal. At some smaller races, their expo (if you can even call it that) might consist of a dozen tents featuring a few local vendors peddling forgettable wares. Rather, let’s ruminate about the big boys, the expos that accompany the large races.
Read the rest of this entry
WHY I RUN
Heading for the finish line at the 2008 Nike Human Race
We all have our reasons why we lace up our running shoes day in and day out. For some it’s as simple as “I’ve always run.” For me, it’s far more personal and I hope you’ll indulge me.
In the summer of 2008, my life was not in a good place for several reasons. First and foremost, I had to endure not one, not two, but three family health scares in just two months.
My mother had a rare heart condition that required her to have open-heart surgery… fortunately she pulled through like a trooper. Just a few weeks later my dad learned he had serious blockage in numerous arteries (caught just in the nick of time) and had several stents installed to keep his ticker ticking. And then my brother (who was the jock of the family) went in to get his heart checked and they found something wrong. Fortunately, a re-test showed that it was a phantom reading. Bullet dodged.
BEING RESOLUTE IN 2014
“If your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough.” -Anonymous
And we’re off!
A chance to put forth plans to create a new and better you (version 2.0)… finally getting in shape, spending more time out of the office, finishing that damn novel that’s been stuck on page 7 since 2011. Wonderful plans that usually fall by the wayside come February 1st (or even sooner).
WELCOME TO TRIPPING THE KENYANS
I wasn’t smiling like this at mile 20.
Time for me to jump into the blogosphere with a site dedicated to those of us who love running. Who really, really love running.
Why a blog, you may ask?
Well, I was boring my family and non-running friends to tears as I went on and on about my running and races. Nothing like seeing that glazed over look appear on their faces whenever I uttered the words “I was running and…”
Tripping The Kenyans 