Well English soccer fans will understand the quote! Nobby dancing and all that.
Anyway, middle of last week and the temps suddenly went through the roof - in the 40s for goodness sake. Sub-bloody-tropical, kind of. With the snow rapidly disappearing and the advent of spring apparently on the horizon the Bollux-brain turned to pursuits more summertime. Checked out the bikes and obviously work needed - the Big Dog (moncog 29er) needs a new seat post, and a damn good clean/bit of TLC, the fixie needs new bars! Switched (actually turned and chopped) the dropped bars back three years ago in Columbia MD to give it the "hardcore" messager chic look. Yeah well. This look was O.K. for Columbia which makes "Stepford" (as in "Wives") look a bit non-conformist. But up here in MSU territory where fixies are two a penny and they all seem to have the messager stylee cow horns, it looks a wee bit sad. So time to replace the drop bars and convert it back to a true "let's kick some arse" training machine.
Couple of nice warm runs and then..........bugger me the winter returns with avengence!
Course the weather turns just in time for the weekend. Friday nice and warm, Saturday morning (when I'm heading to track club for the Tombstone X) and it's 24 oF!
Hit Mount Hope Cemetery at the appointed time, interesting run this one. One mile (or a tad over) lap and, oh lets do the math, you run it 10 times to complete the Tombstone X. Great because you run past the clock each mile, no guessing, no checking the clock, no second guessing the spacing of the mile markers. You know the pace you are running. Hit the pavement - two guys set off like rabbits (don't see them again) but me and one other guy find a rhythm - first mile 6:15 bit on fast time but not too bad. Route is fun, flat for first couple hundred yards, then a fair hill, but once at top of hill its down and undulating back to start. Second mile 11:45 min, holding strong. Third mile and feelin' good at top of hill have to wait for the guy I've been running with. When he comes back to me, he doesn't even pause, straight past me without a glance - all about business this guy! By mile 5, I am feeling the pace. My guy pulls ahead and I have no answer, wonder if I will even make it to the end - bit disheartened. Get a life DB!! Ease the pace back and try to relax. 5 miles and through in 31 min (plus change), 6 miles 37 min and change.
Keep the pace smooth and even find a steady groove to finish the ten in 64:04. The pace I needed to be hitting in prep for Flying Pig.
Sunday another 9 miles at about 7:30 pace - tired on Monday. Sunday and the weather arrives big time. Over night 8-10 inches snow, roads a joke! No running Monday. Tuesday run the train run, to Edgewood, Sanner farm and Middle school XC course. Wow hard as a hard thing - 5.1 miles, takes me 55 min. Break trail basically the whole way, up to my mid-shin in snow. When I get back on the road my running shoes feel like clogs! Make a strange click click sound. Realize by bloody soles have frozen! Love this winter in MI stuff.
Bit lazy rest of week. Run 7 on Friday at 7:00 pace, plan a 14 miler for Saturday but end up going downhill skiing at Caberfae instead, complete with pizza and too much beer (screw it ying and yang and all that). Next week will have to put miles in to make up for my laziness
Later!
DB
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Just Sayin!
Never actually been to Idaho! Don't really know squat about the state - probably (definitely) couldn't even point to it on a map of the Good Ol' U S of A. So what gives I hear you say?
Well on way home the other night I followed a car from the great state of Idaho! Know this cos of the Idaho tags! Which is why I'm tapping away at the keyboard (rather than watching American Idol, OK so that's not the only reason).
The tags in question (and I have pictorial proof) bear the legend "Idaho, Famous Potatoes". OH COME ON!!!!! Is that really the best the state has to offer? 
Doesn't even claim "Good" or Delicious" Potatoes, just famous! Jesus in a campervan that's a bit on the lame side!
Just sayin'!!!
DB
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Winter, is it nearly over?
Week started as cold as a coild thing - soddin' freezin' and to be brutally honest it was starting to get a bit old! It's not been above freezing since before New Year and temps in the tyeen in the am are usual. Monday (after the Superbowl), hey not a huge football watcher, but coming from Baltimore it was nice to be Big Ben and the Steelers come second, and little chance of an early start. Took running gear to work but desire was low and idea of luch running was discarded before morning coffee.
Tuesday and pride forced me out at lunchtime - complete with handweights. Usual 5 miler through the arboretum, but meeting commitment at 1 pm meant I had to keep the pedal down. Tough still in the park - 1.5 miles of very slow progress so the rest had to be full on. Made it back in less than 40 min, not bad considering conditions.
Wednesday a early morning jaunt - did the sidewalk 5 miler and felt pretty good, 35:44, over 7 min mile pace but slidy running at times so not tooo bad. Thursday was super cold!! I stayed in bed but MLW braved the conditions! What a girl.
Friday and "went long(ish)" the big loop, Jolly and Hamilton for a solid 7. Past the Elementary School sidewalk not plowed - buggers. But kept things going and finished in just around 50 min so another 7 min pace run in difficult conditions.
Weekend, well Saturday lazy!!!! Got to love it. Sunday and a group run! MLW friend Connie (fast female) brought two friends along - good guys. Did an icy 9 miler. Slow start but last 3 or 4 done at 6 min pace with a guy called Jeremy - potential train partner. Jason (the other guy) is the "New Spence" - should be a blast to train and do stoopid stuff with.
Lets see how life plays out - time is now for ADVENTURE!!! Too much living safe - makes a man lazy, bored and boring. This life thing is too short (and I'm probably over half way through - the good half at that) so lets put it out there and see what happens.
Catchya Lata,
DB
Tuesday and pride forced me out at lunchtime - complete with handweights. Usual 5 miler through the arboretum, but meeting commitment at 1 pm meant I had to keep the pedal down. Tough still in the park - 1.5 miles of very slow progress so the rest had to be full on. Made it back in less than 40 min, not bad considering conditions.
Wednesday a early morning jaunt - did the sidewalk 5 miler and felt pretty good, 35:44, over 7 min mile pace but slidy running at times so not tooo bad. Thursday was super cold!! I stayed in bed but MLW braved the conditions! What a girl.
Friday and "went long(ish)" the big loop, Jolly and Hamilton for a solid 7. Past the Elementary School sidewalk not plowed - buggers. But kept things going and finished in just around 50 min so another 7 min pace run in difficult conditions.
Weekend, well Saturday lazy!!!! Got to love it. Sunday and a group run! MLW friend Connie (fast female) brought two friends along - good guys. Did an icy 9 miler. Slow start but last 3 or 4 done at 6 min pace with a guy called Jeremy - potential train partner. Jason (the other guy) is the "New Spence" - should be a blast to train and do stoopid stuff with.
Lets see how life plays out - time is now for ADVENTURE!!! Too much living safe - makes a man lazy, bored and boring. This life thing is too short (and I'm probably over half way through - the good half at that) so lets put it out there and see what happens.
Catchya Lata,
DB
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Snowmaggedon! Hits Michigan
What a week! Started off kind of calm - Tuesday broke out my newest training aid! Oh Yeah. Couple of 2 lb hand weights, idea to build a bit of an upper body work out into my running. Lunchtime 5 miler, cold as heck and with the weights. Quite a change, slowish run but by the end I am mightily cream crackered.
Tuesday night and all hell broke loose - all over the news, fear in people's eyes! Plague! Pestilence! Four horsemen of the apocalypse seen in Mason (though that's normal for a Tuesday evening apparently!). BIG winter storm coming in, so bad MSU cancels classes preemptively to protect the safety of the student body - first time since 1994. I prepare with a trip to Meijer to get the essentials, milk, bread, bathroom tissue, snow shoes (I kid you not). In the end the world doesn't end but it does snow a bit.
With school cancelled and MSU calling in quits for the first time since 1994 there is little to do but..... shovel the bastard driveway for 2 hours!! Quite enjoy it actually, freakin cold but I'm out there in my "big coat" and am roasting, at least my body is. Turns out my hands, not so much! Hurt a bit while I'm shoveling but then stop, oops! When I get in doors realize maybe shouldn't have ignored the pain, two middle fingers on right hand (once they have warmed up) are an ominous purple and swollen, bit tingly (once the pain stopped too) - bit of frost nip I think.
Afternoon and after couple of phone calls it's time to break out the new snowshoes! Out with "Mr Winter" himself Eric - he's got 4 wheel drive so we take his car. Hit trails off Sylvan Glen and spend a toasty hour tramping through the woods, on trail, off trail - who cares cos who can even see the bloody trail? Big time fun, must organize a winter camping trip out here - snow shoe in tent the night and out next day (sounds like a plan). Come across a "deer overnighting spot" a group of deep impressions in the snow where the poor beasts have huddled down overnight. Glad I'm not a deer.
Friday, back at work and hit the usual 5 miler at lunch - wow! Whole different run with 12 inches of snow in the arboretum! 1.5 miles of breaking trail in 1-2 feet of snow (complete with my hand weights) slows a 35 mi run to a 45 min run and total body workout!!
Saturday and SWMBO and I head North!! It's downhill time. Mr Eric's half ton celebration so we hit the slopes - he's a bit bloody good so don't see much of him during the day. He makes it look so effortless - I'm a tense block that strains every muscle as I head down the green slopes. Feeling brave I do make one trip down a blue slope - wow scary. I'm not exactly a downhill kind of guy!! Evening is spent in the Coyote bar - frequented mainly by "beelers" in - good food (probably) and too much beer. Great end to a great week - need to drink less and run more - could be a challenge in the coming week with all the bloody snow - sidewalks not cleared yet and forecast to be as cold as a cold thing. Let yous guys know how it goes.
Tuesday night and all hell broke loose - all over the news, fear in people's eyes! Plague! Pestilence! Four horsemen of the apocalypse seen in Mason (though that's normal for a Tuesday evening apparently!). BIG winter storm coming in, so bad MSU cancels classes preemptively to protect the safety of the student body - first time since 1994. I prepare with a trip to Meijer to get the essentials, milk, bread, bathroom tissue, snow shoes (I kid you not). In the end the world doesn't end but it does snow a bit.
With school cancelled and MSU calling in quits for the first time since 1994 there is little to do but..... shovel the bastard driveway for 2 hours!! Quite enjoy it actually, freakin cold but I'm out there in my "big coat" and am roasting, at least my body is. Turns out my hands, not so much! Hurt a bit while I'm shoveling but then stop, oops! When I get in doors realize maybe shouldn't have ignored the pain, two middle fingers on right hand (once they have warmed up) are an ominous purple and swollen, bit tingly (once the pain stopped too) - bit of frost nip I think.
Afternoon and after couple of phone calls it's time to break out the new snowshoes! Out with "Mr Winter" himself Eric - he's got 4 wheel drive so we take his car. Hit trails off Sylvan Glen and spend a toasty hour tramping through the woods, on trail, off trail - who cares cos who can even see the bloody trail? Big time fun, must organize a winter camping trip out here - snow shoe in tent the night and out next day (sounds like a plan). Come across a "deer overnighting spot" a group of deep impressions in the snow where the poor beasts have huddled down overnight. Glad I'm not a deer.
Friday, back at work and hit the usual 5 miler at lunch - wow! Whole different run with 12 inches of snow in the arboretum! 1.5 miles of breaking trail in 1-2 feet of snow (complete with my hand weights) slows a 35 mi run to a 45 min run and total body workout!!
Saturday and SWMBO and I head North!! It's downhill time. Mr Eric's half ton celebration so we hit the slopes - he's a bit bloody good so don't see much of him during the day. He makes it look so effortless - I'm a tense block that strains every muscle as I head down the green slopes. Feeling brave I do make one trip down a blue slope - wow scary. I'm not exactly a downhill kind of guy!! Evening is spent in the Coyote bar - frequented mainly by "beelers" in - good food (probably) and too much beer. Great end to a great week - need to drink less and run more - could be a challenge in the coming week with all the bloody snow - sidewalks not cleared yet and forecast to be as cold as a cold thing. Let yous guys know how it goes.
DogzBollux on a "beel"
Till next time
DB
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