Birthday

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The impending run Saturday morning kept my birthday calm, but it was still very good: several texts, voicemails, songs, birthday wishes and even some flowers.

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Saturday’s 12 mile run was the best long run I’ve had in some time. Part of it is surely due to the cooler weather and even the brief rain. But we also ran a new route along Shephard road and it just made me happy to have new scenery. The run felt good but now I’m battling an oncoming chest cold.

Comedy of Errors

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Music in the Zoo is in full swing. Last night my friend and I headed out for our first show of the season with our Standing Room Only passes to see the Radiators. The evening ended up being a bit of a comedy of errors. First we missed an exit on an easily familiar route. Second, within a few miles of the zoo, we realized we didn’t have our SRO passes. Once we made it back to the zoo again with our passes and decided to still squeeze in our ritual pre-show picnic in the parking lot, we found we didn’t have a blanket and we were missing a bottle opener. We did remember bug spray, but when we headed into the show we forgot to put it on or bring it with. Except for our zoo-rookie like start to the evening and a few mosquito bites, the show was still great fun.

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The comedy continued on my run this morning. My friends and I met early enough for our run that the heat wasn’t too much of a factor, but I did take off my tank top half way through. I generally just tuck it in the back of my shorts and forget it for the rest of the run. The problem today is I forgot it when we stopped at the bathrooms. I was quickly reminded of it as it splashed into the toilet. We laughed a bit, I tossed it out, and we continued on. Time to do some shopping I guess!

Cecropia Sighting

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There was a cecropia moth on my building the other day. Amazingly huge moth. Just its underbelly was easily the size of my thumb.

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Pre Race Picture

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Posing with RF prior to the half last Saturday. We were all smiles before it started at least!

REM and a Hat Trick

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Thursday night I was lucky enough to have a friend come into free tickets to REM and ask me to go with her. This did mean I had to guiltily cancel dinner with a good friend of mine. I’m a sucker for live music though and feel like seeing REM is seeing a pioneer in a genre I’m definitely a fan of. I did enjoy the show, but I found parts disappointing as well. First, I guess I’m more a classic REM fan. They did play a mix of old and new however. Second, I still prefer small venues and this was at the Xcel. The large venue did provide some impressive effects with screens and videos behind the stage. Those effects led to what I don’t like about a large venue: the performer isn’t reacting and performing with the audience. I found Michael Stipe to be performing more for the camera which produced a collage of a live feed behind him, than for the audience. The effect was artistic and interesting, but I’d prefer the audience interaction and response. It was still a great show for a large venue, but I do owe my friend a good dinner and catching up time!

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I completed my hat trick: three halves in three months. I ran the Heart of the City Half Marathon in Burnsville this morning in 2:00:32. I tried to set out with a good attitude about this being just another training run and not aiming for time. Of course I still had it on my mind. Running Friend and I started off at a good clip, but we couldn’t maintain it. Also, it helped the first few miles were downhill. I felt pretty good the first half, but by the last three miles, I started to wonder if my legs could carry me. Nothing really hurt and I was breathing fine, but I was incredibly fatigued. Thankfully, RF got me through to the end. I suppose this could have to do with not running much since the half in Sydney or maybe it’s just my body realizing I’ve never maintained this level of running. Previously after a half I’d back off on my running quite a bit for several months. This time I’ve pushed on, have run three halves and am continuing to train for a full. I’m nervous, but excited to continue this physical challenge. Now if I could just figure out why I’m getting slower!

Wine Glass

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A little playing with my camera and its photos:

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I realized today that the Sydney Morning Herald Half was not my slowest half marathon. For some reason I thought I was several minutes off my other runs, including this year’s Earth Day Half. Turns out Sydney was about thirty seconds faster (yes… essentially the same when you’re talking 13.1 miles). Considering how tough I found the course, I’m suddenly feeling pretty good about the Sydney Half.