Running on Empty

Northface Endurance Challenge DC 2011

2011-06-09T15:44:00.000-07:00

4 started, 4 finished.

Of course, we didn't look that way when we finished.

Upon arrival, we tried our best to finagle a way to go Cliff to be allowed to run. The girl (yes, she was barely a girl) in charge of the race said that he'd have to wait until about 2 minutes before the race, and then maybe 5 more. I reassured everyone that the cool part of a chipped race is that you can really start any time you want. Groovy, man...

So, a few seconds before the start, Dean Karnazes was chatting with the crowd and Cliff was allowed to race. As he frantically filled out the paperwork, the runners started. As we ambled toward the line, we noticed Dean by himself with NO LINES around him. We each stopped to get a picture with him. We looked fresh at the time, so it made sense.

"I don't know who that guy was, but I just made him famous", sayeth Cliff

Then we started off. The chit chat started. We passed the haus fraus that might not have trained as much as they should have. We passed the cotton basketball shorts and Hikers Camelback-wearing runners(not a jibe...I did that too at one time). We were getting seeded correctly and then the backup came. Walking uphill...AND downhill...AND on switchbacks. The one thing I forgot about this race is that alot of newbies run it...WHICH IS GOOD, don't get me wrong. But etiquette, is essentially non-existent. No one was moving aside for faster runners. iPods were already being worn(again, no problem there, but be aware of your surroundings...). We were able to break free here and there, our merry band of giddy runners were we...

Until the first aid station. As we go into the AS at about 5.7 miles, I grabbed stuff and jammed it into a cup and kept on running to get past the herd of sheeple stopped at the first hint of liquid. Unbeknownst to all of us, Kirsten kept on charging. Cliff and Bryan refueled. As we left, we were looking and waiting for our 4th runner--she was nowhere in site. Long story short, Bryan and Cliff went on because I knew that as it got hotter, it will be harder to run. I walked and kept asking others about our 4th runner. No dice. My description of "she's wearing purple...loud...probably griping that we left her???". Once I saw a large Samoan man ambling down the lane after 35 minutes of walking, I realized that she would not wait that long for us. True. At this point, Cliff called and said that she was ahead of THEM. I calculated that I was about 3 to 4 miles behind with no one in site. Am I lost or last? Sprinting the NFEC was actually kind of fun and dangerous at the same time. I made it to the next aid station 13 minutes behind Kirsten and about 5 behind Bryan and Cliff. The 3 of us continued our run as the heat and humidity came on.

This is where the yammering starts because it WAS a nice day to run. NFEC is about 98 percent in the shade, but the sun parts are kind of brutal. Overall, not bad though. Cliff is a ball of energy waiting to greet you with a jolly greeting. I think he really likes the ultra races...

As we went on, Bryan started having issues with his hip flexors and being the former Army Ranger, was NOT going down or out without a fight. He would not stop to rest, would not stop to stretch, and would not listen to food advice. Slowly, in reverse order, he came around. First, he started eating more, then stopped to stretch, then we all stopped to stretch and rest. We thought Cliff had gone on at mile 20-ish, but I looked over and his stretching had turned into something akin to Donkey in "Shrek" after he took the potion("I'm trotting, I'm trotting, I'm trotting....").

I told Cliff to go on because he was looking good and had lots of energy. I stayed back with Bryan and we chatted and ate and stretched and shimmied(not ran). We took our time. We had a good time. We even stopped to cool off his aching quad. We all had a good old time in the river. In fact, people came up and thought it was the aid station because they heard laughter.

Our times were 7:04 to 8:04 and we all claimed first place in our divisions! Not bad, eh?

Kirsten-1st place in women wearing too much purple and having more gear and bandoliers than an invading army.

Cliff-1st place in male Mormon men over the age of 50 listening and singing along to reggae music.

Bryan-1st place in stubborn, dedicated, won't quit category.

Ryan-1st place in grateful he wasn't last(second last is ok too...just not last...I guess I'm getting picky)

My feet are in better condition now that I've started gluing tape to my feet...

The Bataan Death March 102 KM Ultra Marathon

2011-05-20T11:46:00.000-07:00

First off, if you do not know about Bataan, don't worry, most people have not heard of it. Since Ben Affleck has not made a movie about it(and probably never will), most people won't learn of it. The video below covers some of the happenings of the Bataan Death March conducted in April 1942.

About the Bataan Death March

Now that you are familiar with the Bataan Death March (BDM), I'll tell you of my experience on that route as well as a little background on it.

Second and lastly, this is a race report/travel report/story which will hopefully be of assistance for anyone else looking for information on the BDM102km race.

MANY MONTHS AGO

I supplied my name to enter the race many months prior. As time went on, I thought that maybe I'll save money and not go. PLUS, you have to have your own crew, which means I'll have to hire someone in the Philippines or convince some crazy individual to go there with me. I found the latter.

COMMENTS
I don't usually tell people of any of my races since most will not understand. I'll sometimes put facebook updates on my mile markers...that's about it. Unless you actually RUN an ultra marathon or have a good reason to race, you will only question why other people do it. I hear many comments prior to a race and listed below are my favorites, especially for this race.(Note-often times these comments are accompanied by an unhealthy habit like smoking a deep-fried Twinkie while watching football on TV and running with scissors...or something like that...)

"HOW LONG IS IT?"--102km...(reverting to kilometers is so much more manly sounding than saying "63.4 miles")

"Aaaaaaaand.....Why are you running this again?"--Great Uncle John Guidos. See, Chief Petty Officer Machinist Mate John Guidos was on a submarine in Cavite Bay, Philippines in early December 1941(think back to the movie 'Pearl Harbor'...Ben was wanting to shoot down some planes around that time). On December 10th, 1941 John and some buddies from the submarine USS Seadragon were at lunch when the Japanese strafed the field they were crossing to get to the sub. John was shot in the calf with a .50 calibre round from a Japanese Zero(made by Mitsubishi, by the way....but that's another story). Wounded, he was taken to Canacao Hospital in Cavite Bay. Shorty after, the hospital(although marked as a hospital) was bombed by the Japanese. All but 8 people died. John's other leg was broken. Here is where family history is a little sketchy, but I have been able to find documents attesting to this version. I used to believe that he walked the BDM with 2 broken legs, but his capture date was May 6th, 1942--the date Corregidor fell. Anyway, the USS Seadragon took some damage and had a few wounded. The wounded ended up in the hospital and 2 were taken prisoner and ended up in Manchuria(working at mines and factories owned by, yep, Mitsubishi). Prior to January 2, 1942 John was moved to Corregidor(most likely the hospital on topside since the pummeling of the island had not begun yet) until May 6th, 1942 when he was taken prisoner. On October 8, 1942 he was sent to Manila and put on board the Tottori Maru on the 11th. He eventually ended up in Mukden, Manchura(Modern day China)

"Don't you know that people, like, DIED doing that?"--Like, totally true, but I'll have food, water, ice, modern shoes, etc. Plus, I am training for it.

"How does one actually, like, TRAIN for a 102km run?"--That's a good question. First, well...start running. Make sure you have all the right gear and crew. Since it was freezing and snowing in DC where I live and I would be running in tropical humidity and heat, I trained by wrapping up in warm clothes and covering my mouth with a scarf. I would crank up the heat up in the basement. Then ran at the highest incline on the treadmill while wearing layers of clothes.

"So, you're, like, doing this yourself?"--Not exactly. I have a friend in Canada that loves road trips and ultra races. When I found out that I had been accepted to run the race, I emailed him and said, "Are you up for a road trip to the Philippines?". Within a few hours, he sent me his itinerary. I'd say that's a "Yes".

DEPARTURE

The day came to leave and I was excited. Normally, I will arrive the day before a race so I can enjoy the destination after the race without any anxiety, but this time I wanted to acclimate to the climate since there was such a difference in temperature. In Virginia, it was between 20 and 30 degrees. In the Philippines, it was between 65 and 90...with humidity. No problem, right?

I flew economy, which was a first for me for that distance. Upon arrival, my crew(John) had already arrived earlier and was checked in. I got on facebook and announced my arrival, etc. The next day we had a tour and an overnight of Corregidor.

CORREGIDOR

Since we are both ultrarunners, we thought nothing of hurking our luggage down to the docks for our trip over to Corregidor. Several factors we left out.

1.) Pollution. Large amounts of it. In fact, as I type this many weeks later, my lungs are still hurting.

2.) There weren't any sidewalks so we could actually GET to the docks.

Enter Pedro/Julio/Manuel(I forget his name...John remembers). We get our second taxi ride in the Philippines. We check in at the docks and await the loading to Corregidor. Onboard the boat, we believe that the government was stalking John(or trying to kill him) since anytime we heard music, it was by a Canadian artist...and usually one that he does not like. Playing Celine Dion's 'Titanic' music crap before taking a boat ride did not set us at ease. We were still acclimating to the time and climate, so I think we both passed out enroute to the mighty island fortress of Corregidor.

Pulling up to Corregidor. We found large shrapnel pieces on the road in the middle of the picture.

As we approached, we entered the same dock which the prisoners left some 69 years earlier. It was humbling to think that not much has changed in the Philippines, especially in the route from Mariveles to San Fernando, but back to Corregidor.

Two-thirds of my photos were taken on Corregidor. This is truly a unique place. Not much has been restored and if you look closely and keep your eyes open, you will see remnants of the war almost 7 decades prior. We take the normal tour with the overweight Australians and loud talking foreigners insistent on smoking at EACH. AND. EVERY. STOP. We later checked into the finest accomodations the island has to offer(the ONLY accomodations we found out)--"The Corregidor Inn". Our small fee entitled us to the boat ride, the tour and overnight in the fine Inn. I forgot to mention that by this point, I had not stopped sweating yet since I got off of the plane. We were given some free time before we met back up for another portion of the tour. What to do...

Go for a run!

Good idea. We went for a run to get acclimated to the humidity. No problem. As we left the Inn, we eyed up the map and John memorized it and we took off. As we began running, we could see buildings in the overgrown jungle that were never ever fixed after the bombing and still hauntingly sit in the overgrowth. It is recorded that there are over 700 buildings on Corregidor, but they can only find about 30. We also came across a horse. I don't know if it was wild or a pet. I do know that I wasn't hallucinating and had no inclination to ride it.

We soon discovered that the map on the wall at the Inn was most likely the map used when the Japanese invaded as the roads weren't actually there anymore. We got lost a few times, but discovered overgrown pillboxes, gun batteries and one Asian man washing his clothes. Since he was in the middle of nowhere, I was REALLY hoping he wasn't a lost Japanese soldier holding out still.

I should have gotten up on the gun and yelled BONZAI!!!! for this picture.

Same gun as above. Note there was no vegetation left in the background.

After we returned from our run, we went on the night tour which was touted to be pretty neat but you must be in good shape. There were about 8 of us on the tour. During the stop where we took pictures at the gun emplacement where the Japanese took the famous picture when Corregidor fell(see pictures above), one man proposed to his girlfriend. The sunset was pretty nice too.

Food was interesting too. Note below...that is a fried fishhead. Yummy.

The next morning, we opted to sign up for the Ultra Trekking Hike. The lady said, "You have to be in good shape because it is LONG and there is alot of climbing and crawling". SIGN ME UP! We convinced the lady that we would be OK since I was here to run 102km in a few days and 102km to John was merely a warmup.

This exit was not ADA compliant, I'll tell ya. As our tourguide climbed out, he inadvertently(I hope inadvertently) knocked a rock down the exit chute and I thought I was going to pass out from the smash to the head. Oh, yeah...that is an aluminum ladder TIED to a broomstick and bamboo which is tied to the rusted ladder from when it was installed in the 1920's.

We met our tour guide and I told him, "If we find relics, you get a tip". After that, we were finding bullets, shell casings, etc. In Battery Hearn, the exit chute was littered with rocks, debris, junk. As we climbed out, I found a part of mess kit, and what appeared to be something man-made, but obscured by rust and time(after I got home, I used a Dremel tool to clean it up and discovered it to be a wristwatch...partly melted).

Our trip back to Manila was uneventful except for the Brian Adams songs now plaguing us.

MANILA to CABANATUAN

Once back in Manila, we got our trusty Manuel/Julio guy to take us to the airport to pick up the rental car. Yep, we were going to DRIVE in the crazy place. It works so much more efficiently than driving in Washington DC. See, they use the horn. They use the horn to say "Hey, I am here. I am going to pass you, or I just want you to know I am here." There are no angry horns. Plus, people MERGE. Crazy, I know. Since we got a late start, we had to ask exactly HOW to get to the Microtel in Cabanatuan. After a few turnarounds, we went off into the darkness and suddenly see something Western looking....A "Microtel Cabanatuan". During this ride from Manila to Cabanatuan, I realized that there was something...a factor that I could not prepare and train for--Pollution. The pollution is SO bad. In the pictures it looks like haze, but it is raw pollution.

The Cabanatuan POW camp is now a park and shrine. The only remaining part of the original camp is in the last picture below which is 4 cement pillars.

The only remnants of the original camp at Cabanatuan.

CABANATUAN to SUBIC BAY

Getting geared up for the race, we still had one day to go so we headed to Subic Bay. Since the base closed in 1992, I never was stationed there, but it was neat to see this one-time large base now used as a major shopping trap. The original PX store was now a large "Walmart" looking place.

So, how do I prepare for an ultra? See below....

Haircut turned to neck massage turned to scalp massage. Next thing I knew they had some crazy contraption over my head.

Unfortunately the pictures from the hotel in Subic Bay when we went swimming in the clear water(sharks were just waiting for me...) and when I was feeding the monkeys in front of the "Do Not Feed Monkeys" sign are on a defunct SD card that still needs to have the pictures recovered. :)
UPDATE- SD card forensicated...glad I know a guy...

SUBIC BAY to MARIVELES

Race Day...or Night, actually. We head out in the morning and it starts raining enroute to Mariveles. The video below shows the rain, pollution, traffic.

Upon arrival, we ate lots of food at the Jollibee, which is a fast food place where all the food tastes like it has sugar in it. Since we got there reallllllly early, we had a good parking spot and I started preparing.

Other runners were already there and set up. Note the "Bataan 102k Ultramarathon" sign. All the cars had this on them. It was nice to see all the cars with these on them in case you make a wrong turn...which almost happened to me.

Organizing some of the gear. It started off neat, but ended up muddy, funky, stank-nasty.

Here is the park where the race started, but also where American forces were surrendered.

I hate posing for pictures, but I suppose it is good in order to prove I was actually there.

I could not sleep so I just rested, but since the run started at night(no actual TIME given...just 'whenever everyone gets there'...pretty neat). The run started at about 10:30pm, so this would be a good test to see if my body gives out at 2am or after a large amount of time. I have to admit that I was all jacked up since I really hadn't fully switched to Philippines time.

I just noticed that I started off with my Long Distance booty shorts on, but finished the race with blue racing shorts on. I don't remember actually changing them, but I guess I did.

Heading up over the mountain, I saw the overturned Jeepney and remembered how steep this hill was. This picture was taken enroute to Mariveles earlier in the day.

One sobering fact I read about this route, I note in the video below. It may be hard to actually see anything though:

John took this picture after the sun came up. Note, that is not fog you see. That is the reason I hauled buns before the sun came up and all the Jeepneys, Tuk-Tuks, Trikes, Cabs and cars came out.

New York City Marathon? Boston Marathon? Marine Corps Marathon? Child's Play. This here is Orion! Part of the game was avoiding traffic and strategically breathing between motorcycles.

This is some of the views in between the towns. As former POW's who have returned to the Philippines have noted that "other than the fast food restaurants dotting the landscape, nothing much has changed". That made it seem so unreal. If you can imagine the amazing beauty and sun around you compounded with stabbing, shooting, bayonetting, beheading and tanks running over bodies on the same ground that you ran, it was indescribable.

At KM66. I'm jazzed that I am still running decently...decent form, no ugly faces...yet.

One neat part of this race was running through the towns and see bullet pock marks in buildings and craters here and there(although Corregidor has much more craters and it is easier to see the scars of war)

A subdued colored Jeepney. One of these almost ripped my arm off at about KM98.

John took this picture because he could see me in the distance. I actually overheated in this town and had to lay down on the steps of some closed down business. It was cool, in the shade and on cement. I ran out of water, but did not feel that I could get through this town(as you can see, it was being renovated) without passing out from the heat/humidity/pollution mixture. I lay down, propped my feet up and was finally able to fall asleep after over a day of being awake and probably over 12 hours of running. A few minutes later, an old lady was prodding my thigh and cupping her hand asking for money. I was a little cranky and dehydrated, so I asked, "Really? REALLY? Where would I actually keep money?" as I pointed to my running shorts.

I'm walking at this point. I gave John the advice beforehand that "Marines are only happen when they are griping". So at each stop, I propped my feet up on the car, cranked the air conditioning on(as I was steadily overheating) and griped about the pollution, Tuk-Tuks, etc. John broke up ice and refilled my hat and neckerchief to keep my body temperature down. Right after this picture was taken, I sat down in the car and was quiet. John waited about a minute, then gave me the bottle, pulled me up and said "see you in 3 kilometers". You see, once I stopped griping, I was going downhill.

I forgot to put sunscreen on my right hand and back of my legs. I even got charred driving to Subic Bay the previous day.

This is nearing the end of the race enroute to San Fernando. That patch of yellow on the road is rice drying out. After a while, I stopped running around this and just motored through it. I believe the road is the original and you can still see marks from the war.

John was an excellent crew. Based on the fact that there are no 7-11's or Quik-Marts, he was able to find ice cream, ice and even lollipops. I had a Canadian Maple lollipop the last 2 kilometers. The instant simple sugars really brought my legs back to life. As I turned the corner to head down the alley to the old train station and finish line, I bumped my head on the blue tent(not the one shown below, but one similar). I thought I was going to pass out, but a strange mix of pain, heat, and the joy of finishing pushed me down the alley with the locals yelling "HEY JOE!!! GO JOE!!!" to me.

After sobbing at the base of the 102KM marker, we posed for this finish. It was a reminder that the original guys that did this march couldn't make it alone, without my crew, I would have passed out about 3/4 the way into the race.

Neat pictures of me sitting at the door of the train station where the POW's were moved to Capas then Cabanatuan.

I place 98th with a finish time of 17:30:00. I was, in fact, the fastest American Male from Mainland USA between the ages of 35-40. Granted, I was the only American male...that helped. But I wasn't last or second last in this race, which means maybe I'm getting faster.

Self portrait after race. This is when I started hurling. Not DURING the run anymore, but after. When the bellhops came to get the baggage from the car, I turned my ice bucket into the original purpose...a barf pan. I got out of the car with a pink bucket full of, well...you know. Anyway, that didn't stop me from ordering 2 entrees from room service, which I vaguely remember eating.

Because I glued and taped my feet, I didn't have any blisters. I got into the cold water bath right away to stop the swelling, but fell asleep. Not good to sleep in water(just ask Brian Jones).

SAN FERNANDO to MANILA

We headed back to Manila for our last night in the Philippines. We headed to the Manila American cemetery where it looks like a foreign Arlington Cemetery. It was a neat opportunity to take a picture of a grave for a family friend.

The last thing I wanted to see the day after a run was a running store, but this one was right around the corner from our hotel and across the street from our street food vendor where we ate one of our many meals that last day in Manila.

Some things just don't translate well into other languages...

We started off taking pictures ON the little trikes, but as we both got into this little Tuk-Tuk, it tipped a bit, then a crowd started appearing, then John pulled some money out of his pocket and you could FEEL the energy surge as the "OOOH's" and "AHHHH's" started up a crowd. I looked over and a lady woke up her sleeping child(he was sleeping on a blanket on the sidewalk) to come over and see what was going on. So, instead of a Tuk-Tuk ride back to the hotel, we opted for pictures and our lives and walked back to the hotel.

CURLY FRIES at McDonalds!

Another reason Americans are overweight. This was the drink I received. No refills, just this one drink. I almost order 68 more of them because I was thirsty.

Dinner 2.0. We asked for "typical Philippino food" and ordered just about everything. I think we sat there in a tired and carb coma induced state for about 10 minutes after finishing.

This was truly an amazing opportunity and I am glad that I was able to finagle a deal on airfare and hotels. I am also very glad to have a friend there. It was a stark reminder that without your buddies help on this, you will not make it. I knew as I was doing the run that there was no way I was going to finish this on my own. I can't even begin to imagine the exhilaration the POW's felt as their were halted at this train station. There is more agony to their story, but mine ended here. Ultrarunning isn't about racing each other, it is about helping each other beat the course and that is why you won't see my picture on "RUNNER'S WORLD" or "ULTRARUNNING" magazine. I'm there to finish, stay alive and coherent, and enjoy life one step at a time.

Crazy world traveller's at the finish of the Bataan Death March 102km

Barfing. I KNOW barfing.

2011-01-16T19:58:00.000-08:00

My wife is trying to get over Lyme Disease, which is odd since she doesn't run through the woods. With all the trail runs, I have only had one tick attached to my knee. With that said, I have major experience in the fine art of expelling liquids and solids out my mouth...and nose. In fact, the first time I met my friend John, he hauled me out of Dante's car at "The Pahokee Massacre" site at LOST118 to spew Red Bull through my nose. Yes, that hurt.

Anyway, I work in vomit like PIcasso worked in oils. I know when it is coming on, how to get rid of it, how I'll feel after it leaves and how to rectify to stomach issues. Yet another tangent to qualify my background.

I know barfing, ralphing, hurling, praying to the porcelain god, driving the big bus, calling Ralph on the big phone, spewing, blowing chunks, horking...you name it. With that experience, I was able to help my wife with her stomach ailments. Compiled for your reading pleasure are my list of voodoo used:

-Electrolytes-In hot weather, I double up the dosage. Works like a charm

-Spearmint Oil-Under the nose calms the stomach

-Nux Vomica (or Zofran). Natural voodoo to help with that yakking feeling

-Salt-I take a bunch of packets from Burger King and put them in my plastic bag. Sweating salt, I can instantly feel rejuvenated after downing salt packets.

-Pizza-This only works running, not if you have thte flu...

-Ramen-Same

-Flat Coke-Yummmmmmmay. I love Aid Stations and flat coke.

-Saltines-Sometimes hard to choke down at Aid Stations, but good carbs, peanut butter and salt.

-Bananas dipped in Salt-Potassium and Sodium. Good for muscles. Contract muscles and relax.

Spira Shoes

2010-01-26T04:42:00.000-08:00

I have to admit, I was smitten by the allure of the Spira shoes. They look different("book = cover"?) and apparently have some voodoo mumbo jumbo inside. All said and done I was able to try a pair on at the Disney Walk, er, Marathon weekend. Knowing was size I was, Andy gave me a discount code to order some online. A few days and $101 later, I received my Spira Volares in the mail.

I wore them around for a few days to "get used to them". On Saturday, I thought I would take them out for a run. 7.7 miles later, the tread on the read outer-edge of the sole was worn about 80 percent down. Not impressed for $101. Reminds me of the Sauconys that I bought years ago in the OBX--13 miles and they were worn to the foam.

So, in retaliation of the unrealistic shoe critiques in Runners World which are only limited to obscure cities in Wisconsin and Michigan(???), here is my critique of the shoe:

PRO

Comfortable if you get the right size
The spring makes you feel like you are going faster
After you wear them in, they really do add more spring

CON

Sole wears down TOO fast
Price--$101 with my rebate
They look orthopedic--like something old people would wear in the mall
Sizes are odd. I wear a 12 in these shoes.

The week after

2009-10-04T17:29:00.000-07:00

A week after "bonking" at the GEER 100km run(we made it 51 miles), I am now switching gears into training for not only a half marathon with my wife, but a marathon...the next day. This would be the Goofy Challenge. A month after that, I will be attempting the LOST 118 mile ultra-marathon for the third time. 42 miles the first year. 76 the second. This year, I am hoping to finish as I have discovered that if I take care of my feet--shocker here--they will do well for me.

I have taken a week off of running and am Mr. Mom next week as I also begin my first week of advanced training for the marathon. I will be incorporating a 4-year-old into each days workout.

Against the Grain

2009-01-05T09:51:00.002-08:00

I went running in Central Park today. I checked out mapmyrun.com and found a good 6.XX miler through the park. As I ran it, I realized that I was going against the "flow" of traffic. Feeling like I was an "outsider", I said that I would eventually turn around and follow what everyone else was doing. Then my logical side kicked in and I realized that BIKERS are to ride with traffic and RUNNERS are to run AGAINST traffic. From my several failures of the Virginia State drivers exam, I remember the reasoning for this was "to give runner's a chance". ???? A chance at dodging cars and cabbies, I guess.

I soon saw a sign that confirmed what my logic told me. Bikers with traffic and runners against traffic. To Internationalize it...it was a pictoral sign with arrows. At this point, I didn't feel bad about running into someone's "way". What I found odd though is that people don't move for you. Had I been a bit more combative or juvenile, I could have taken me out some people this morning by running right into them.

What this comes down to is that I realized that here I was...in New York City...feeling bad because I was not doing what everyone else was doing. Running distills the soul, indeed. I found a real deeper meaning to this, though. Here we are, trying to make good choices and right decisions, while the world runs the opposite way and sometimes right into you. Sometimes you need to run around them. Sometimes you see new runners coming up to the path and look both ways at what everyone else is doing...and then fall in line with what everyone else is doing instead of doing what is right.

Deep.

Keep on traversing...

Freeze your gizzard, blizzard, somthing like that...

2008-11-22T11:56:00.000-08:00

i ran a 5k today. it is my second. the first was in singapore a few months ago. interestingly enough, it is such a let-down. it took longer to drive there than to run it. i harness 50 miles worth of energy and put it into 3.1 miles.

someone commented recently how americans don't embrace the metric system until it benefits them. case in point, "i just ran a 5k" sounds sexier than "i just ran 3.1 miles".

before it even started, my fingers were frozen to my ipod. i made a playlist ahead of time so i didn't have to search for music. good thing because my digits weren't working. i came in like 68th out of 300 people? 10th in my age group. i figure, if i keep healthy, i'll be able to outlive others in my age group and be able to win the turkey someday in the 95-100 year old age group.