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“THAT’S A WRAP” ON 2014!
Hi everyone!
…auld lang syne anyone?
I hope you all had a fun-filled Christmas and that Santa gave you mounds of great presents (perhaps some cool running gear or a new GPS watch).
As 2014 draws to a close and Baby New Year prepares to make his grand entrance, we all naturally take a look back… at the good and the not-so-good. The resolutions kept and the ones that fell by the wayside.
But before I finish the final chapter and close the book on 2014 (and start a new one for 2015) I wanted to give a recount of my running year that was.
And it was a doozy.
Here are some of my running “highs” and “lows.” Read the rest of this entry
I AM A “MANIAC” AND VERY HAPPY ABOUT IT.
A special kind of crazy.
Back in October I joined… or should I say I “qualified” for the Half Fanatics, a group of 8,000+ runners (and growing daily) who tear through races like happy hour patrons tear through a free buffet.
Yeah, the Half Fanatics run a whole helluva lot of races.
They’re my “running fraternity” and I wrote a post about ’em a few months ago. Check it out here.
Well there’s one thing to note about the Half Fanatics; they are actually a “spin off” of another popular running group. Yup, for all intents and purposes, they are the “Laverne & Shirley,” “Mork & Mindy” or “Joanie Loves Chachi” (best include ’em all) to the “Happy Days”* of running groups: the Marathon Maniacs.
COMPRESSION CONVERT
Hi Trippers!
Sock me!
After a brief hiatus following the OC Marathon, it was back to the gym yesterday to work out my “man gams” and start prepping for the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in 3 1/2 weeks. During my two day hiatus, however, I noticed a big difference in comparison to how I felt following the LA Marathon back in March.
The day after the LA Marathon I lumbered around like Frankenstein’s monster (complete with incomprehensible groaning… and a fear of pitchfork wielding townsfolk). But this past Monday, just one day removed from my 26.2 mile Newport Beach jaunt, I was walking around with very little real discomfort (still scared of armed townsfolk though). So what was the difference between then and now? Had I improved my level of fitness tenfold? Acquired mutant recuperative powers like Wolverine (and hopefully retractable Adamantium claws)?
Nope.
The answer is a pair of socks… compression socks to be more specific.
THE OC MARATHON EXPERIENCE: “COMICS FIRST”
Hi Trippers,
Free Comic Book Day swag from DC Comics!
It’s Saturday morning… or should I say “Race Day Eve”?
My bags are packed, my runner’s OCD is in full swing and I’m ready to head off to Newport Beach for the OC Marathon. By the way, organizers are expecting a record turnout for the race (22,000 runners pounding the pavement for the various events).
I can’t wait to get down there and dive right into the mayhem. But before I hit the road I must feed one of my other passions.
Today is the 2014 installment of “Free Comic Book Day.” If you’re a fan o’ comic books or haven’t picked one up since you were a kid (you can also use your own kids as an excuse to let your inner geek out for a stroll), be sure to check out the link to the Free Comic Book Day website. It’ll let you know all about it and a way to locate participating comic book stores near you.
THE FORK IN THE ROAD
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.-Robert Frost
Decisions, decisions.
On Sunday I’m running the OC Marathon/Half Marathon. Two different distances. So, which one am I doing?
In 2013 I ran the half marathon; this year I’m running the full marathon (the whole 26.2 mile enchilada). Not my first full marathon (it’ll be number 7), but my first full marathon with this specific “wrinkle.”
This will be the first time I’m running a full marathon where there is the option of running a half marathon distance. When I ran the LA and Chicago marathons, it was 26.2 miles or bust.
The vast majority of runners in OC will be opting for the half marathon distance.
Last year, less than 16% of the runners selected the full marathon, while a whopping 84% chose to pound pavement for 13.1 miles (I was one of ’em).
It’s just made me think about something new (to me) that I’ll face on Sunday…
THE FORK IN THE ROAD.
POWER TO THE PACKET…
Salty!
The other day I walked into a nearby McDonald’s.
Now in days past, I would have sashayed right up to the counter for a Chicken McNuggets super value meal complete with large fries, diet coke and an extra burger for good measure.
But these are no longer those days.
With the exception of a once a season Shamrock Shake (yum), I tend not to visit McD’s lest I have absolutely no alternative. Sorry Ronald, but please tell Grimace and the Fry Guys I said “hi.”
So, if not to stuff my face with the grub that made Morgan Spurlock a household name (still remember him), then why in the name of Mayor McCheese was I limboing under the Golden Arches.
GOING IT SOLO
On the road again.
So between work being uber-crazy and constantly watching “March Madness” (Go Badgers) in my peripheral vision, my day has been rather hectic.
But tomorrow morning I’ll be up at the crack of dawn (funny, whenever someone says or I write “crack of dawn” I hear an imaginary rooster crowing in my head… weird). As I was saying, I’ll be up at the crack of dawn (there it is again… sorry) to do double duty on a run. It’s my last long run before the Hollywood Half Marathon on April 5th, but it’s also a training run to stay in marathon shape for the OC Marathon on May 4th. So, I’ll be doing 17 or 18 miles in and around Burbank. No big deal right… I mean I just did 20 & 23 mile training runs with Team To End AIDS back in February. One difference…
I’ll be running solo.
And it’ll be a little weird.
Tripping The Kenyans 