Wow, this running malarky is really sucking up my time. Hence the lack of regular posts, when I should be sitting here tapping away at the keyboard - these days I am either getting ready for a run, running or too knackered after a run to do bugger all.
Not going to improve any until after November 22 either - hopefully after that the postings will resume a more regular schedule. Not that it matters apparently cos I read an article the other day that claimed the blog was "officially dead" as a phenomenon. According to this article blogging was obsolete and a waste of time - apparently it is "soooo 2004". The last comment triggered a brief moment of vertigo in "Yours Truly" - suddenly my mind went blank as I though "shit what year is it then?!" assuming that some hideous amount of time must have passed since 2004 and I must have somehow missed it!
Well training wise things were going pretty well - the trip to La Jolla allowed me to get three solid days in (though the traveling cost me a day each end).; As mentioned last post Wednesday saw me trucking away on the treadmill for an hour before hitting the local state park for a slow 4 miler in the evening. Thursday was another treadmill day - another hour and 8 miles done inside. Friday was pay dirt though!! Conference finished at 3pm meaning I had several hours of daylight to squander! Running kit on and headed into the State Park equipped with map - initial plan simple run every bloody trail in the park. Turns out it is a pretty small park! Ran down the park road and took every trail and was finished after an hour, so it was down to the beach and I thought I would simulate the JFK 50 (in miniature) by after a hilly run (and the first hour up and down the cliffs was kin hilly) a dead flat section. So I headed south along the beach towards what I assume was La Jolla. Round a cove and I'm chugging away - no glasses on so I can basically see just as far as the end of my running shoes. After 15 or 20 min it starts to dawn on me that - either all the people on the beach are wearing very pale swimsuits or............. they are not wearing any swimsuits at all! Turns out it is the latter! I am running through a nudist beach - great! I am conflicted as to whether I should "declothe" but I reckon that the risk of sunburn in delicate places is too much of a risk.
What I notice, as I run though the nudists is something I have thought during similar runs in Europe, that by the time a person is comfortable enough with their bodies' that they are willing to go naked - perhaps they shouldn't! Lots of tubby middle aged men (many with ponytails for some reason - it was like being at a naked Status Quo concert).
Oddly as I emerge from the south end of the nudist beach I run through a group setting up for a surf competition. Here the people involved are all young fit and (of course) fully clothed - seemed the wrong way round for some reason.
On my way back along the beach the nudists had organized themselves into teams and were playing (of all things) volleyball! WHY????? If you are going to be old, overweight and naked fine, but at least keep still! Don't go jumping about like an idiot after a ball - aesthetically very unpleasing, I was glad I didn't have my glasses on.
After my encounters on the beach I climbed the trails back to the road then took one last trip down the road to the beach, just so I could run back up it - fantastic. By now it was close to 2.5 hours I has been out - desperate to make three hours I ran past the hotel and ran round the neighbourhood until the 180 minutes was up. Longest run to date - hopefully around 22 miles, even got into an "ultra-groove" at the end slow and minimal effort.
Back in Md on Saturday and realized Todd's Sunday "screw football - lets mountain bike" event was the next day. Having been away for four days already I was happy to forgo this, but SWMBO was insistent that if we could make it work I should go! Happily the planets aligned (just about) and although the guys had to wait for me I made it to Todd's in time for the ride. Five takers, Todd (obviously), George, Rodger, Mark (a friend of Rodgers) and DB. Some of the trail I had ridden perviously with Todd and George as a night ride, but most was new to me. Awesome fun, wicked downhills, rocks, logs and some lung bursting climbs - managed to clock a respectable 18 miles in just over two hours before impending dark, cold and the draw of a hot tub, food and beer drove us back to Todd's. Beers were opened, the venison sandwiches (oh yeah we know how to live) were made, music was cranked up and we all got naked on Todd's back porch to hose off and get our swim suits on for the hot tub!
Relaxing in the hot tub and the realization that today is actually my 12th wedding anniversary hits me! Fortunately MLW has forgotten so my life is safe - but I cut the relaxation short to head home via the store to buy flowers and champagne for MLW - what a guy! In a bit of a rush at Safeway - need to get home. Stick my wallet in the pocket of my cargo shorts, which I have thrown on after the hot tub ( going commando as forgot the "Hanes") and set off running across the car lot. Now.... all this running has had a toll on my weight, and I am not the same size that I was in the summer when I bought my cargo shorts! Result? With the weight of my wallet and car keys the shorts are pulled clean over my hips to my knees! And I am left waddling along with the "wedding tackle" on view for anyone to witness. Fortunately I don't think I was witnessed by anyone, but i do hope that Safeway doesn't have good security cameras!!
Cheers
Dogzbollux
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
No Time!!!
Training is in full swing for the JFK and it's sucking up my "personal" time in a big way! So biking time is almost zero. Only real chance has been the night rides, managed a couple since the "fixin". Both have been as trios with George and Brian. Great rides, over two hours each time, hitting both BC and HC sides of Patapsco plenty of ups and downs and some really nice new areas of "trials-style" skills areas around the New Trail and Small Intestine trails. Over loggy sections and raised sections, lots of opportunity for falling (which I took full advantage of). Even hit the "old Ridge Trail" both uphill and downhill, gut busting and ass puckering respectively.
Most of my time obviously, however, has been spent running - my plan is based on trying to get to about 100 miles a week! Wow, that is far more than I have ever managed before - but then a 50 mile run is nearly 20 miles than I have ever run at one time, so heroic measures are clearly in order.
Started off early in September with about thirty miles a week, averaging running 4 to 5 days a week. Now it's up to high forties and low fifties a week and averaging 5 to 7 days a week running. Getting to higher weekly mileages is looking tricky, even with long runs topping 20 miles. Every week day lunchtime (when at all possible) a run is on the cards short (4-6 miles) only thing I can do to make these of value is to try and inject some speed. Whilst long runs (over 15 miles) are run at pretty slow pace (8:30/mile or more) shorter runs are taken at sub 8 min/mile and even sub 7:30 min/mile. I am hoping that this "speed" work will translate into ease at slower long distances. The plan is really to use back to back running days (at speed) and even doubling up runs some days and trying to get miles in any way I can. Looks at the moment that 100 miles/week will be a real struggle but with "fast"runs on tired legs I hope I am building in strength and endurance that will be up to the job come 22 November - just got to do my best and see what will happen.
At the moment I am enjoying a few days on the West Coast (La Jolla) at a conference. Making the most of the opportunity - today I managed 8 miles at lunch on a treadmill (how I hate those things) but also a 4 mile jaunt round Torrey Pines State Reserve which took me down a fantastic trail to the Pacific Ocean, along the beach then up a "beach" of a hill climb back up the beach access road back to the hotel. Loving it!! It would be nice to have included some photos (as the views in the Reserve were absolutely amazing) but of course in my supreme wisdom I left my camera at home! Oh well.
For now "that's all Folks"
DogzBollux.
Most of my time obviously, however, has been spent running - my plan is based on trying to get to about 100 miles a week! Wow, that is far more than I have ever managed before - but then a 50 mile run is nearly 20 miles than I have ever run at one time, so heroic measures are clearly in order.
Started off early in September with about thirty miles a week, averaging running 4 to 5 days a week. Now it's up to high forties and low fifties a week and averaging 5 to 7 days a week running. Getting to higher weekly mileages is looking tricky, even with long runs topping 20 miles. Every week day lunchtime (when at all possible) a run is on the cards short (4-6 miles) only thing I can do to make these of value is to try and inject some speed. Whilst long runs (over 15 miles) are run at pretty slow pace (8:30/mile or more) shorter runs are taken at sub 8 min/mile and even sub 7:30 min/mile. I am hoping that this "speed" work will translate into ease at slower long distances. The plan is really to use back to back running days (at speed) and even doubling up runs some days and trying to get miles in any way I can. Looks at the moment that 100 miles/week will be a real struggle but with "fast"runs on tired legs I hope I am building in strength and endurance that will be up to the job come 22 November - just got to do my best and see what will happen.
At the moment I am enjoying a few days on the West Coast (La Jolla) at a conference. Making the most of the opportunity - today I managed 8 miles at lunch on a treadmill (how I hate those things) but also a 4 mile jaunt round Torrey Pines State Reserve which took me down a fantastic trail to the Pacific Ocean, along the beach then up a "beach" of a hill climb back up the beach access road back to the hotel. Loving it!! It would be nice to have included some photos (as the views in the Reserve were absolutely amazing) but of course in my supreme wisdom I left my camera at home! Oh well.
For now "that's all Folks"
DogzBollux.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
This Dog is Fixed!!!
Well I finally "manned up" and got it done! It's a strange old world - many people swear that as time goes on owners and their dogs start to be more and more similar. In a bizarre twist on this paradigm this particular Dog now more closely resembles his favorite road bike, in that we are both, now, fixed!
It's been a long time in happening, I knew I was in trouble when SWMBO asked me over a year ago "So do you want any more kids?". If only all questions were that easy to answer, almost as easy to answer as "does my arse look big in these jeans?". The answer is the same to "no bloody way!!" MLW's next comment was "well you'd better get to the doctor's and get yourself sorted out". Getting myself sorted out is a common refrain in my house, I fall off my bike and MLW tells me to go to the docs and "get myself sorted out". I have a cough or the flu....... same instruction. But this time the inference was somewhat more sinister!!! So I did what every red blooded man would do, I procrastinated. There was always an excuse, a race to train for a business trip. But finally I decided that enough was enough and made the appointment.
So it was that on the last Friday in September I found myself in a room with two nurses, me on a bed with the old wedding tackle out! Not as erotic as I would have thought! Maybe it was the presence (in the same room) of a scalpel with my name on it! The nurses were very nice and chatted away making me feel as relaxed as possible, we talked about work, kids all the usual stuff, even "Bring your child to work day" and how that didn't really work when you were a nurse who worked in a Urology Clinic! The only important thing I was told was to place my hands either across my chest or behind my head. As the nurse pointedly informed me under no circumstances were my hands to stray below my waist line - "Dr Applestein does not need any help today with your procedure" were the nurse's exact words!
I try and be as relaxed as possible as we wait for Dr Applestein, calm is good I decide. Nothing I can do will make this any better or worse and so I'm better off just going wit the flow.
Eventually Dr Applestein appears and it's "Lights, Camera, Action" time - actually there are no cameras (thank Christ). Dr A is about as nonchalant as it is possible to be. "Good afternoon, soon have this sorted out! Oh you've done a good job with the shaving!" And away we go! "You'll feel a pinch and a burn" - normally Dr speak for "this is going to hurt like hell" but in fact it isn't too bad. First shot (as always) is the worse then as the anaesthetic starts to take you can't feel the rest - no worse than a shot at the dentist's (though a bit lower).
"Relax, relax, bloody relax!" I try and tell myself. The first side is uncomfortable and there is, if I'm being honest a bit of pain. Enough to make me curl my toes and tense my arms a few times.But then it doesn't get any worse, I assume the anaesthetic has really kicked in now. I'm aware of a few tugs and a quite loud "snip" sound. I am not looking forward to the repeat performance on the other side but in fact it is a piece of cake! The "old boy" is completely without feeling at this point and it Dr A had gone at it with a chainsaw I doubt I would have flinched. Guess I must have been a bit tense though as by the end of the "procedure" my arms (behind my head) and shoulders are completely numb!
About 20 min after Dr A's arrival and the nurse is washing me down and plonking gauze on the DogzBollux and helping me on with a rather natty little pair of fishnet hotpants!
"Any questions?" says Dr A. "Erm yeah" how long before I can run and bike? The answer astounds me, no biking for a few days but if I want to run on Monday go for it! In fact the doc's exact words are "only light activity for two days, Monday...... If you want to play football, go for it!" Then the wisest words I have heard for a long time - "expect some swelling. Size wise, grapefruit is fine, watermelon, call me!"
I'm advised to go home and take some Tylenol and prepare an icepack in the two hours I have before the anaesthetic wears off. But again to be honest it really wasn't that bad, not something I'd want to do every week but I was still able to head out to the Liquor store that evening to get beers to while away my evening! And the running/biking background avoids awkward questions. On two or three occasions over the weekend as I hobbled into places (including the Liquor store and my work's "Family Picnic") people have come up to me and said "Oh fallen off your bike again?" There has to be some benefits.
By the Monday and things had settled, still a bit tender but managed my first run as the Doctor ordered!
Cheers
DogzBollux
It's been a long time in happening, I knew I was in trouble when SWMBO asked me over a year ago "So do you want any more kids?". If only all questions were that easy to answer, almost as easy to answer as "does my arse look big in these jeans?". The answer is the same to "no bloody way!!" MLW's next comment was "well you'd better get to the doctor's and get yourself sorted out". Getting myself sorted out is a common refrain in my house, I fall off my bike and MLW tells me to go to the docs and "get myself sorted out". I have a cough or the flu....... same instruction. But this time the inference was somewhat more sinister!!! So I did what every red blooded man would do, I procrastinated. There was always an excuse, a race to train for a business trip. But finally I decided that enough was enough and made the appointment.
So it was that on the last Friday in September I found myself in a room with two nurses, me on a bed with the old wedding tackle out! Not as erotic as I would have thought! Maybe it was the presence (in the same room) of a scalpel with my name on it! The nurses were very nice and chatted away making me feel as relaxed as possible, we talked about work, kids all the usual stuff, even "Bring your child to work day" and how that didn't really work when you were a nurse who worked in a Urology Clinic! The only important thing I was told was to place my hands either across my chest or behind my head. As the nurse pointedly informed me under no circumstances were my hands to stray below my waist line - "Dr Applestein does not need any help today with your procedure" were the nurse's exact words!
I try and be as relaxed as possible as we wait for Dr Applestein, calm is good I decide. Nothing I can do will make this any better or worse and so I'm better off just going wit the flow.
Eventually Dr Applestein appears and it's "Lights, Camera, Action" time - actually there are no cameras (thank Christ). Dr A is about as nonchalant as it is possible to be. "Good afternoon, soon have this sorted out! Oh you've done a good job with the shaving!" And away we go! "You'll feel a pinch and a burn" - normally Dr speak for "this is going to hurt like hell" but in fact it isn't too bad. First shot (as always) is the worse then as the anaesthetic starts to take you can't feel the rest - no worse than a shot at the dentist's (though a bit lower).
"Relax, relax, bloody relax!" I try and tell myself. The first side is uncomfortable and there is, if I'm being honest a bit of pain. Enough to make me curl my toes and tense my arms a few times.But then it doesn't get any worse, I assume the anaesthetic has really kicked in now. I'm aware of a few tugs and a quite loud "snip" sound. I am not looking forward to the repeat performance on the other side but in fact it is a piece of cake! The "old boy" is completely without feeling at this point and it Dr A had gone at it with a chainsaw I doubt I would have flinched. Guess I must have been a bit tense though as by the end of the "procedure" my arms (behind my head) and shoulders are completely numb!
About 20 min after Dr A's arrival and the nurse is washing me down and plonking gauze on the DogzBollux and helping me on with a rather natty little pair of fishnet hotpants!
"Any questions?" says Dr A. "Erm yeah" how long before I can run and bike? The answer astounds me, no biking for a few days but if I want to run on Monday go for it! In fact the doc's exact words are "only light activity for two days, Monday...... If you want to play football, go for it!" Then the wisest words I have heard for a long time - "expect some swelling. Size wise, grapefruit is fine, watermelon, call me!"
I'm advised to go home and take some Tylenol and prepare an icepack in the two hours I have before the anaesthetic wears off. But again to be honest it really wasn't that bad, not something I'd want to do every week but I was still able to head out to the Liquor store that evening to get beers to while away my evening! And the running/biking background avoids awkward questions. On two or three occasions over the weekend as I hobbled into places (including the Liquor store and my work's "Family Picnic") people have come up to me and said "Oh fallen off your bike again?" There has to be some benefits.
By the Monday and things had settled, still a bit tender but managed my first run as the Doctor ordered!
Cheers
DogzBollux
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