I'm waiting for a Swedish butter cake to come out of the oven at 2:28 a.m. (which clearly says something about me) and thought I would post something to kill the time. That's not the only reason I'm writing after a long absence. If it took butter and a whole lot of sugar baking in the oven to make me post every time, I would be in a world of trouble. The other inspiration for writing was my short run today in the neighborhood, which ended my long dry spell in running. And, as an afterthought, I realized that I hadn't yet posted about the Marine Corps Marathon, which I ran at the end of October.
I finished my 5th MCM in 4:53!!! I took 32 minutes off of my previous PR, which was 5:25. It was the hardest marathon I've ever run. I nixed my lax and relaxed marathon running style of old and really pushed myself. On a funny note, my running buddy and I worried that we "went out too fast" at a blistering 10-minute mile pace. At mile 23, I hit the wall like I had never hit it before. I felt shaky and leaden. At the end of the race, I had nothing left. For those of you who aren't familiar with the MCM course, it's pretty easy as far as marathon courses go -- not too hilly. It lulls you into a false sense of security and then BAM! A hill comes up out of nowhere right before the finish. Normally, no matter how badly I'm hurting, I can muster the strength to sprint up the hill and across the finish line. Not this year. The only thing that carried me up that hill running was my pride; I refuse to walk so close to or across the finish line. Absent a real injury, I feel like there are no excuses not to run across the finish line even at a shuffle run.
Now that I've broken the 5 hour mark, my next goal will be to beat Oprah's time of 4:29. I suppose it's ambitious to take another half-hour off. And lest you think that I'm weird for gunning for Oprah, there's a whole website devoted to it: Beat Oprah's Marathon Time for A Cure. Do you think I can do it?
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
I've Come A Long Way
Yup, I'm bragging. I have been running faithfully since spring (and not writing about it much), and it's paid off! I would oftentimes run and then wonder whether I would ever break the 10-minute mile barrier, especially since a 10-minute mile for me was particularly speedy. Suffice it to say, I am finally beginning to see results in my running! I've been averaging about 20 to 30 miles a week and have been running in the heat of summer, in many cases, during the hottest part of the day, since I generally run during my lunch break.
Here is the abbreviated re-cap of my summer races. You're lucky I'm feeling lazy and therefore decided not to regale you with a detailed description of my painstaking training. Back in early June, I ran the Lawyers Have Heart 10K. Since I was running regularly at the time, I was hoping to come in under an hour. It didn't happen, and I ran it at a little over a 10-minute mile. I didn't achieve my goal; but hey! There were free snowcones after the race so it wasn't a total loss.
I stepped up the training in preparation for the upcoming Marine Corp Marathon, and at the end of August, ran that Annapolis 10-Miler. It was fun to run the hometown. Despite the heat and the hills, I, with the help of my running buddy, came in at 1:39 and some change. Our pace was one second under a 10-minute mile. As an aside, I got a kick out of the St. Anne's "holy" water station.
Which brings me to today. I finished the Army 10-miler in 1:35, a 9:30 pace, which is the fastest I've ever run over a longer distance. It was hard, and I'm not sure that I could have done it without my running buddy. I challenged myself to push and keep up with him, and was able to for the most part. I have concluded that all of my training hasn't necessarily made me speedier, but stronger. I can now muscle through runs better than I could before.
Who knows what the future holds?
Here is the abbreviated re-cap of my summer races. You're lucky I'm feeling lazy and therefore decided not to regale you with a detailed description of my painstaking training. Back in early June, I ran the Lawyers Have Heart 10K. Since I was running regularly at the time, I was hoping to come in under an hour. It didn't happen, and I ran it at a little over a 10-minute mile. I didn't achieve my goal; but hey! There were free snowcones after the race so it wasn't a total loss.
I stepped up the training in preparation for the upcoming Marine Corp Marathon, and at the end of August, ran that Annapolis 10-Miler. It was fun to run the hometown. Despite the heat and the hills, I, with the help of my running buddy, came in at 1:39 and some change. Our pace was one second under a 10-minute mile. As an aside, I got a kick out of the St. Anne's "holy" water station.
Which brings me to today. I finished the Army 10-miler in 1:35, a 9:30 pace, which is the fastest I've ever run over a longer distance. It was hard, and I'm not sure that I could have done it without my running buddy. I challenged myself to push and keep up with him, and was able to for the most part. I have concluded that all of my training hasn't necessarily made me speedier, but stronger. I can now muscle through runs better than I could before.
Who knows what the future holds?
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Don't Let Them Sock It To You
Who is "them?" Running stores. I went to buy new shoes at a running store in Annapolis that shall remain nameless, mainly because the owner seems like a really nice guy and I wouldn't want to say anything critical of his store. I was also thinking about buying new running socks.
My shoes ended up costing about $130, and the store wanted $9 for one pair of the lowest-end running sock. I bought the shoes because I feel guilty about going to a running store and getting fitted and then not buying the shoes. How about a poll: Do the rest of you runners out there feel similarly guilty? When I got home, I experienced a sinking moment when Eugene looked my shoes up on a military exchange website. They were going for about $70 to $80 (can't remember). It's always a suckerpunch when you realize that you paid almost 50% too much for something. The upshot? For anyone who has access to a military exchange, get your shoes there, especially if you just buy the latest model of the same pair of shoes and don't feel a need to get re-fitted.
Happily, the whole night wasn't lost. I passed the socks up and went to Target instead. I got six pair of 100% synthetic material Champion brand athletic socks for the same price that the running store wanted for one paid. The socks work fine, so another piece of advice; buy your running socks at Target. Something to note, though; Target doesn't seem to carry 100% synthetic athletic socks for men.
My shoes ended up costing about $130, and the store wanted $9 for one pair of the lowest-end running sock. I bought the shoes because I feel guilty about going to a running store and getting fitted and then not buying the shoes. How about a poll: Do the rest of you runners out there feel similarly guilty? When I got home, I experienced a sinking moment when Eugene looked my shoes up on a military exchange website. They were going for about $70 to $80 (can't remember). It's always a suckerpunch when you realize that you paid almost 50% too much for something. The upshot? For anyone who has access to a military exchange, get your shoes there, especially if you just buy the latest model of the same pair of shoes and don't feel a need to get re-fitted.
Happily, the whole night wasn't lost. I passed the socks up and went to Target instead. I got six pair of 100% synthetic material Champion brand athletic socks for the same price that the running store wanted for one paid. The socks work fine, so another piece of advice; buy your running socks at Target. Something to note, though; Target doesn't seem to carry 100% synthetic athletic socks for men.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
But I run marathons!
I'm going way back, all the way to late April or early May. The sordid events that I am about to explain happened so long ago (at least in blog time) that I can't remember when they occurred, other than the generic "awhile ago."
Eugene and I are very busy people. We work long hours and are always running off to one activity or another. As a result, we aren't as proactive as we could be about yard work, proactive being a kind euphemism for lazy. I'm far more guilty of this than Eugene. At any rate, we decided to have a big Memorial Day barbeque because we figured that it would motivate us to really get things done.
And it did. I attacked the garden patches with unprecendented fervor. I spent over five hours on my hands and knees one Saturday relentlessly weeding. Note to self: don't let weeds go for two years; it's not pretty. At the end of the day, I was in pain like I had never been in pain before. My wrists were screaming, and I felt like I had been hit by a truck. I was sore for days. I felt worse than I usually do after marathons that I run without really training. I was shocked to be in so much pain because as a person who has run a few marathons in a state of woeful unpreparedness, I figured that I had a really really high tolerance for pain. I never would have imagined that a measly five hours in a garden could cause me that much pain.
Ironically enough, I was reading Better Homes and Gardens and saw an article on pre-gardening stretches. Ordinarily, I would have scoffed at such a wussy idea like stretching before gardening. Now, I am a true believer and will definitely do my pre-gardening warmup stretches.
Eugene and I are very busy people. We work long hours and are always running off to one activity or another. As a result, we aren't as proactive as we could be about yard work, proactive being a kind euphemism for lazy. I'm far more guilty of this than Eugene. At any rate, we decided to have a big Memorial Day barbeque because we figured that it would motivate us to really get things done.
And it did. I attacked the garden patches with unprecendented fervor. I spent over five hours on my hands and knees one Saturday relentlessly weeding. Note to self: don't let weeds go for two years; it's not pretty. At the end of the day, I was in pain like I had never been in pain before. My wrists were screaming, and I felt like I had been hit by a truck. I was sore for days. I felt worse than I usually do after marathons that I run without really training. I was shocked to be in so much pain because as a person who has run a few marathons in a state of woeful unpreparedness, I figured that I had a really really high tolerance for pain. I never would have imagined that a measly five hours in a garden could cause me that much pain.
Ironically enough, I was reading Better Homes and Gardens and saw an article on pre-gardening stretches. Ordinarily, I would have scoffed at such a wussy idea like stretching before gardening. Now, I am a true believer and will definitely do my pre-gardening warmup stretches.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
We finished!
I was so wiped out last night, I forgot to tell people we finished! Matt finished a strong last 2 legs and brought us into DC. Compared to our experience at Ragnar, this finish was much better organized. They had the runners come off the C&O trail, through Georgetown, and finally into the park adjacent to the FDR Memorial.
The Washington Post had an article about the relay today - and our team got mentioned!
And no, we didn't see Mayor Fenty - although I did run with him for a few miles during the Marine Corps Marathon 2 years ago.
More to follow - today is yard work - I will go back and fill in posts, as well as add more photos.
The Washington Post had an article about the relay today - and our team got mentioned!
And no, we didn't see Mayor Fenty - although I did run with him for a few miles during the Marine Corps Marathon 2 years ago.
More to follow - today is yard work - I will go back and fill in posts, as well as add more photos.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Final 2 legs
So despite the heat we are now standing by for the final 2 legs. After a beautiful 14 mile run last night, I had one of the toughest 13 mile stretches of my life. Hot and humid, and don't forget that I slept about an hour and have already run 24 miles....
Kevin is now finishing up his last 2 legs, and Matt is getting ready to take us into DC. Our revised ETA at FDR is now between 6 and 6:30. See you there!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Home stretch
The end is in sight... Greg is wrapping up 29 and 30, and getting ready for 12.8 on 31 and 32... It's warm, but thankfully not as warm as yesterday.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
IT issues
It appears we are having air card issues... So I'm going to try and update via the good old blackberry. In a nutshell, we've made it through the night safely - definitely tired though. Nobody got that much sleep. D is currently on leg 28 and Greg is prepping for 29 and 30. After I got into a footrace last night with some girl in the last 1/2 mile of 20, I am not sure how my legs are going to hold up.
A bunch of teams got held at 5 am at the C&O trail start.... Seems we were ahead of pace and the trail wasn't open yet.
Right now we're projected to arrive at the finish line between 3 and 3:30... Updates to follow.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Friday, April 24, 2009
Getting ready for 14.1 miles
So in what is definitely a very cool setup, the Odyssey staff has arranged for a local high school to act as a little base for us... complete with showers, massage tables, and food. Lots of people laid out sleeping in the gym.
D finished up his legs, and Greg is out on 17 and 18. 17 is supposed to be pretty brutal, so I'm sure he's going to be feeling it at the end. At this point I am going to sign off and start prepping for 19 and 20.
D finished up his legs, and Greg is out on 17 and 18. 17 is supposed to be pretty brutal, so I'm sure he's going to be feeling it at the end. At this point I am going to sign off and start prepping for 19 and 20.
The Oasis
Jay just finished his second leg on 13 and 14, and D is up now on 15 and 16. One neat thing about this relay is they have an area where 15 transitions take place... So basically it will give all of us a chance to wind down and relax.
With the sun down, it has cooled down considerably... There is a nice breeze now and we're hoping it stays like this for the rest of the night.
With the sun down, it has cooled down considerably... There is a nice breeze now and we're hoping it stays like this for the rest of the night.
Matt is now part of the club
So Jay is now started our second round... a quick 8.8 on legs 13 and 14. The sun is starting to come down and temperature has gone down nicely.
Matt, having missed the story of Charlie and car accident of Ragnar, now has his own relay story to share. While we were at the transition between legs 10 and 11, there was a house across the street which had a larged fenced area... apparently, there was a hole in the fence, and the 4 dogs from that house were coming out to bother runners. Matt, immediately upon starting his leg, actually got nipped by one of the dogs (it didn't break the skin).
And don't worry Madison and Peyton, Daddy can still get in the van because he doesn't stink (yet).
Matt, having missed the story of Charlie and car accident of Ragnar, now has his own relay story to share. While we were at the transition between legs 10 and 11, there was a house across the street which had a larged fenced area... apparently, there was a hole in the fence, and the 4 dogs from that house were coming out to bother runners. Matt, immediately upon starting his leg, actually got nipped by one of the dogs (it didn't break the skin).
And don't worry Madison and Peyton, Daddy can still get in the van because he doesn't stink (yet).
Little cute animals
One thing I forgot to note was Kevin crossed the Pennsylvania-Maryland border during his run (Matt cracked he came all this way and doesn't get to run in a different state...)
This friendly guy, guarding his sheep..
Some of the more interesting things we've seen today...
This friendly guy, guarding his sheep..
No idea what this was...
During one of transitions, we had a State Police helicopter land in the parking lot next to Wal-Mart...
What has to be the coolest play ground we've ever seen...
57 miles down, 142 miles to go
So it took me a bit longer to get back to blog... I just finished two great legs (7 and 8) and was quickly followed by Kevin. Hard to believe it's already been 4 hours since I started my run.
Last time at Ragnar, I got stuck with the ungodly hill up Rt 40... this time, it was Greg who got the hill. Technically, he had more of a vertical climb than I did, but mine was over a shorter distance!
The weather has not only held, it has gotten very warm... I debated with running with or without a belt and ultimately ended up running with it (which ultimately was a very good decision). I felt great for the first mile of leg 7 or so (chasing a guy from another team) but then quickly hit a wall as the heat and a steep uphill got to me. After the third mile I was feeling in the zone and having liquids made a big difference - I started picking other teams off. At one point I was running around a sub 7 minute mile, but had to slow myself down as I reminded myself that I had 33 miles or so to go... Leg 8 also went pretty well - after a long slow uphill climb the last 3.5 miles was all downhill - steep downhill. I took advantage of the downhill and flew into the checkpoint to hand off to Kevin for legs 9 and 10.
Kevin's legs also went well - except he had literally run through several miles of farm fields that had been freshly manured. At one point he almost felt like he had to throw up due to the heat and the smell...
Kevin finished up his 10.6 strong and handed the bracelet off to new team member Matt for legs 11 and 12. Matt wanted say hi to his girls Madison and Peyton - and they should know the van is not stinky... yet! More coming soon on Matt's progress.
Also wanted to give a shout out to Tony, who ran Ragnar with us but unfortunately couldn't run this time due to injury. Wish you here brother!
Last time at Ragnar, I got stuck with the ungodly hill up Rt 40... this time, it was Greg who got the hill. Technically, he had more of a vertical climb than I did, but mine was over a shorter distance!
The weather has not only held, it has gotten very warm... I debated with running with or without a belt and ultimately ended up running with it (which ultimately was a very good decision). I felt great for the first mile of leg 7 or so (chasing a guy from another team) but then quickly hit a wall as the heat and a steep uphill got to me. After the third mile I was feeling in the zone and having liquids made a big difference - I started picking other teams off. At one point I was running around a sub 7 minute mile, but had to slow myself down as I reminded myself that I had 33 miles or so to go... Leg 8 also went pretty well - after a long slow uphill climb the last 3.5 miles was all downhill - steep downhill. I took advantage of the downhill and flew into the checkpoint to hand off to Kevin for legs 9 and 10.
Kevin's legs also went well - except he had literally run through several miles of farm fields that had been freshly manured. At one point he almost felt like he had to throw up due to the heat and the smell...
Kevin finished up his 10.6 strong and handed the bracelet off to new team member Matt for legs 11 and 12. Matt wanted say hi to his girls Madison and Peyton - and they should know the van is not stinky... yet! More coming soon on Matt's progress.
Also wanted to give a shout out to Tony, who ran Ragnar with us but unfortunately couldn't run this time due to injury. Wish you here brother!
4 down, 32 to go...
Well, the weather seems to be holding up. In fact, the wind has died down and the runners are starting to feel the sun on the course. Our second runner has finished up a tough 16.6 miles through some very hilly country. We ended up at Libery Mountain ski resort, which was kind enough to let the runners use their facilities (another plus over Ragnar!). This is true Pennsylvania farm country, complete with lots of cows and covered bridges.
Greg is now tackling legs 5 and 6. I'm up next, so I'll probably be offline for a few hours as I start to get ready. The transition after 5 was at a restaurant called Ventura's in Fairfield, PA. While most of the teams (the weak 12 person types) are stopping for lunch, I don't think our compressed schedule will allow us to stop just yet.
Greg's legs: 4 and 5
Pictures will come at the next break.
Greg is now tackling legs 5 and 6. I'm up next, so I'll probably be offline for a few hours as I start to get ready. The transition after 5 was at a restaurant called Ventura's in Fairfield, PA. While most of the teams (the weak 12 person types) are stopping for lunch, I don't think our compressed schedule will allow us to stop just yet.
Greg's legs: 4 and 5
Pictures will come at the next break.
Weather update
So the weather forecast this morning called for sunny skies, high of 70... Which would have been great for us, considering the monsoon we experienced (or rather, I experienced) during the Ragnar. However, in the last hour, the wind has picked up, and we are seeing a lot of clouds starting to roll in...
Onto leg 3
So, despite the fact that Jay ran a 50 mile race 6 days ago, he ran our first 2 legs (9.4 miles) in a respectable 1:15. Our second runner is off and we'll meet up with him at the Covered Bridge, which is supposed to be the highlight of the entire relay. He has 2 back to back 8.3 mile legs, for a total of 16.6.
The first exchange (at least for the ultra teams) was at Boyd's Bear Country store...
D's legs: 3 and 4
The first exchange (at least for the ultra teams) was at Boyd's Bear Country store...
D's legs: 3 and 4
And they're off...
So after a relatively quiet evening at the Wyndham Hotel, we met up for breakfast and loaded the van. You may remember last time at the Ragnar we crammed 6 guys, all our gear, food, and water into a very small Toyota Mini-van. This time we had the foresight to rent a 12 person van - which means everyone in the back gets their own row.
We had an early start this time (as opposed to starting last during the Ragnar) and the weather is absolutely beautiful. The route (starting in historic Gettysburg) is definitely much more scenic than the Ragnar route (although I could be jaded by the massive downpours we experienced last time).
Jay's started off on his first leg (9.4 miles). We'll keep you updated.
Jay's legs: 1 and 2
Thursday, April 23, 2009
The American Odyssey Relay
Back in my first post, I went into great detail about how 6 of us decided to embark on the Ragnar Relay - a 183 mile, 28 hour relay run from Cumberland, MD to Washington, DC. Having run 7 marathons, it was something different and despite the cold weather, heavy rain, and cramped conditions I had a good time (although running 28.5 miles over 3 legs was certainly challenging). I am also fairly certain that I said back then that I wasn't planning on doing another relay anytime soon.
Which is funny now, because I find myself in a hotel lobby getting ready for yet another relay. This time it's the American Odyssey Relay from Gettysburg, PA and again finishing up in DC. 4 of the original 6 from our Ragnar team have returned, and I think we have frightened the 2 new guys with all the crazy stories from our last race. Although, I am hoping we don't get have another "Charlie" type encounter (see original post).
This time I have my laptop and air card with me, so I am planning to provide live updates from the van. For now, it's time to get some sleep. Talk at you in the morning!
Which is funny now, because I find myself in a hotel lobby getting ready for yet another relay. This time it's the American Odyssey Relay from Gettysburg, PA and again finishing up in DC. 4 of the original 6 from our Ragnar team have returned, and I think we have frightened the 2 new guys with all the crazy stories from our last race. Although, I am hoping we don't get have another "Charlie" type encounter (see original post).
This time I have my laptop and air card with me, so I am planning to provide live updates from the van. For now, it's time to get some sleep. Talk at you in the morning!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Registration Day (double whammy)
In what I can only characterize as a break down in inter service communications, the Army and Marines apparently have decided to have registration open for both the Army Ten Miler and Marine Corps Marathon on the same day (today, April 1). In addition to certainly overloading the networks around noon, as my friend Greg mentioned when you have two runners in the family it will be close to $300 in fees...
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
A not so healthy glow
So, it has been absolutely forever since I've updated. Over two months! I'll give you the long overdue backstory. For some helpful background information, I'll have you know that I have an unusually high tolerance for pain (of some sorts), and while I run at a ridiculously slow pace, I can run forever, even if I'm hurting all over. I've run several marathons without hardly training and have managed to finish, and yes, even sprint to the finish.
At any rate, a little bit after the Christmas holidays, my legs started bothering me. At one point, I tried going for a run with Eugene, and I had to stop about 30 feet from our driveway because the pain in my legs was so severe. My legs even hurt during yoga. Since the pain was centralized, I was sure that I had a stress fracture. Even though I am usually loathe to go to the doctor, I went because I figured that I should go, because I wanted to be able to get back to my regular running regimen as soon as possible. I went, and was told to get a bone scan to verify that I had a stress fracture.
Now, for that part about the "glow." Getting a bone scan is surprisingly relaxing, yet disturbing all at the same time. In order for the scanning equipment to get an accurate picture of the bones, I was injected with radioactive isotopes, yes, radioactive isotopes. There were signs all over the scanning room warning that anyone who is pregnant, remotely could become pregnant, or has ever even thought about getting pregnant even for a millisecond, should not have the scan done. I forged on nonetheless, and had the scan done. I got to lay on a table for awhile, and took a little nap.
The result? Several radioactive isotopes and $250 later, I verified that I, in fact, did not have a stress fracture, but shin splints. And on top of that, the leg that was bothering me was apparently in better shape than the leg that wasn't bothering me.
Stay tuned for scintillating stories of my rehabilitation....
At any rate, a little bit after the Christmas holidays, my legs started bothering me. At one point, I tried going for a run with Eugene, and I had to stop about 30 feet from our driveway because the pain in my legs was so severe. My legs even hurt during yoga. Since the pain was centralized, I was sure that I had a stress fracture. Even though I am usually loathe to go to the doctor, I went because I figured that I should go, because I wanted to be able to get back to my regular running regimen as soon as possible. I went, and was told to get a bone scan to verify that I had a stress fracture.
Now, for that part about the "glow." Getting a bone scan is surprisingly relaxing, yet disturbing all at the same time. In order for the scanning equipment to get an accurate picture of the bones, I was injected with radioactive isotopes, yes, radioactive isotopes. There were signs all over the scanning room warning that anyone who is pregnant, remotely could become pregnant, or has ever even thought about getting pregnant even for a millisecond, should not have the scan done. I forged on nonetheless, and had the scan done. I got to lay on a table for awhile, and took a little nap.
The result? Several radioactive isotopes and $250 later, I verified that I, in fact, did not have a stress fracture, but shin splints. And on top of that, the leg that was bothering me was apparently in better shape than the leg that wasn't bothering me.
Stay tuned for scintillating stories of my rehabilitation....
Monday, March 9, 2009
At last... running with cordless headphones.
This past weekend, I took advantage of the beautiful weather and went for my first long spring run (10 miler). I don't mind running in the cold, but it is rather hazardous to try and run on the roads here in Maryland with all the snow, ice, and salt we've been having lately.
More importantly, it was a great chance to try out all the new running gadgets I had gotten for Christmas. I have used them sporadically over the last few months, but this was the first extended run I did using all my new toys.
I hate running with headphone cords... they are either too long, too short, they get in the way or they keep hitting your body as you run. Also, there is the whole issue of where you wear your music player (in my case, an iPod Nano). When bluetooth running headphones first came onto the market a few years ago, I looked into them but was scared off by the ridicously high price. Last year though, the prices had dropped into a reasonable range, and I decided to ask for one for Christmas.
The Motorola MOTOROKRS9, in conjuction with the Motorola DC650 Bluetooth adapter for iPod, lets me run with my headphones cord free. They fit reasonably well around my ears (they wrap behind your head) and they are not that heavy. It has a sturdy rubber coating, including a removable flap that protects the micro USB charging port. What remains to be seen is what effect long term and repeated sweat will have on it.
One interesting thing about the S9 is that it will also work as a headset for your Bluetooth phone. As I like to run with my phone on long distance days, I was pleasantly surprised to have my music stop one time and ring to announce an incoming call. Which is great, because I never ever feel or hear my phone ringing or vibrating when I'm running.
As for the DC650, it's easy to install. Actually, all you do is start the song on your iPod, press pause, insert the adapter into your iPod charging port (the iPod actually powers the adapter, so you will definitely see reduced battery performance) and voila, music will start playing on your headphones, cord free! (Of course, remember to turn your headphones on).
Speaking of running with music, for years I avoided running with any type of walkman or MP3 because I tended to start running in time with the beat - and generally it was hard to find a successive playlist of songs that kept you at a steady rythm. A few years ago I disovered this podcast on iTunes called Podrunner, and it has completely changed the way I work out with music. It's run by DJ Steve Boyett, and he has free music mixes (mainly techno, but with the occasional vocal mix thrown in) and the music is set in ranges all the way from 130-180 RPM (he also has gradual increase mixes as well as interval mixes). I find that my comfortable running range is between 143-148 BPM. I encourage you to visit, and if you like what you see, to donate to DJ SteveBoy as he provides these mixes for free.
More importantly, it was a great chance to try out all the new running gadgets I had gotten for Christmas. I have used them sporadically over the last few months, but this was the first extended run I did using all my new toys.
I hate running with headphone cords... they are either too long, too short, they get in the way or they keep hitting your body as you run. Also, there is the whole issue of where you wear your music player (in my case, an iPod Nano). When bluetooth running headphones first came onto the market a few years ago, I looked into them but was scared off by the ridicously high price. Last year though, the prices had dropped into a reasonable range, and I decided to ask for one for Christmas.
The Motorola MOTOROKRS9, in conjuction with the Motorola DC650 Bluetooth adapter for iPod, lets me run with my headphones cord free. They fit reasonably well around my ears (they wrap behind your head) and they are not that heavy. It has a sturdy rubber coating, including a removable flap that protects the micro USB charging port. What remains to be seen is what effect long term and repeated sweat will have on it.
One interesting thing about the S9 is that it will also work as a headset for your Bluetooth phone. As I like to run with my phone on long distance days, I was pleasantly surprised to have my music stop one time and ring to announce an incoming call. Which is great, because I never ever feel or hear my phone ringing or vibrating when I'm running.As for the DC650, it's easy to install. Actually, all you do is start the song on your iPod, press pause, insert the adapter into your iPod charging port (the iPod actually powers the adapter, so you will definitely see reduced battery performance) and voila, music will start playing on your headphones, cord free! (Of course, remember to turn your headphones on).
Speaking of running with music, for years I avoided running with any type of walkman or MP3 because I tended to start running in time with the beat - and generally it was hard to find a successive playlist of songs that kept you at a steady rythm. A few years ago I disovered this podcast on iTunes called Podrunner, and it has completely changed the way I work out with music. It's run by DJ Steve Boyett, and he has free music mixes (mainly techno, but with the occasional vocal mix thrown in) and the music is set in ranges all the way from 130-180 RPM (he also has gradual increase mixes as well as interval mixes). I find that my comfortable running range is between 143-148 BPM. I encourage you to visit, and if you like what you see, to donate to DJ SteveBoy as he provides these mixes for free.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Hey, where's the hair dryer? How to remove tape and stickers...
When it comes to pulling down removing something sticky, a hair dryer can be your best friend.
Back when I was on sea duty I had this CO who specifically ordered the crew not to tape signs up around the ship. His rationale was the tape emulsified into the paint, and when you eventually took the sign down it would rip some paint along with it – what I call the “surface lifting” effect. This is pretty much the case with any type of sticker, tape, or backing that you find around your house, and if you are into home improvement like me you will eventually find a need to remove it from a surface without leaving a big mark.
When you are painting, painter’s tape is usually easy to remove. However, if you read the fine print on the label, it says you should only leave the tape up for a maximum of 14 days, otherwise you may get that surface lifting effect. Or like the time we were redoing our kitchen cabinets and drawers were lined with this really old, dirty, and nasty contact paper. Or perhaps when you are trying to ship something in an old box, but it already has a shipping label on it that will surely tear off a big chunk of paper if you remove it. Or if you are a parent (which we are not, but we have lots of little nieces and nephews) and you end up with stickers on your walls & floors.
I learned a long time that a hair dryer comes in especially handy in these situations. Run the dryer at high heat over the surface of the sticker/tape/backing for about a minute and then carefully peel from one side. The hot air will heat up the glue and let you pull up the material without “lifting” the other side.
Of course, you just need to remember to put it back when you're done. Otherwise you have to explain to your wife why her hair dryer is in the garage.
Back when I was on sea duty I had this CO who specifically ordered the crew not to tape signs up around the ship. His rationale was the tape emulsified into the paint, and when you eventually took the sign down it would rip some paint along with it – what I call the “surface lifting” effect. This is pretty much the case with any type of sticker, tape, or backing that you find around your house, and if you are into home improvement like me you will eventually find a need to remove it from a surface without leaving a big mark.
When you are painting, painter’s tape is usually easy to remove. However, if you read the fine print on the label, it says you should only leave the tape up for a maximum of 14 days, otherwise you may get that surface lifting effect. Or like the time we were redoing our kitchen cabinets and drawers were lined with this really old, dirty, and nasty contact paper. Or perhaps when you are trying to ship something in an old box, but it already has a shipping label on it that will surely tear off a big chunk of paper if you remove it. Or if you are a parent (which we are not, but we have lots of little nieces and nephews) and you end up with stickers on your walls & floors.
I learned a long time that a hair dryer comes in especially handy in these situations. Run the dryer at high heat over the surface of the sticker/tape/backing for about a minute and then carefully peel from one side. The hot air will heat up the glue and let you pull up the material without “lifting” the other side.
Of course, you just need to remember to put it back when you're done. Otherwise you have to explain to your wife why her hair dryer is in the garage.
Removing a shipping label
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Update on Crofton Wegmans
So when I first moved up to the DC area in 2006, I had it in my mind to start looking for a house in the Crofton area. Leah and I were getting married in a year and I knew we would want to buy a house. Why Crofton? Well, it’s close to DC but not as far east as Annapolis, it has decent schools, and it has some nice housing developments.
Oh yeah, and in May 2006 Wegmans announced they were opening a new store in Crofton. As I was deprived of Wegmans in college (apparently they have some deal with Price Chopper not to move east of Syracuse), I really have not lived near a Wegmans since I left home for college in 1996.
For the uninformed, Wegmans is a chain of grocery stores that started in Upstate NY and has slowly migrated south over the last decade. To say this place has a cult like following is an understatement. Apparently, there are towns and communities that launch letter writing campaigns lobbying Wegmans to come open a store near them.
So now you’re probably thinking - what’s the big deal? While you probably think it’s a little bit silly to talk so highly of a, well, grocery store, it’s kind of one of those things you won’t understand unless you’ve actually been to one. For years Leah heard me rave about this fantastic grocery store that I grew up with, and she never understood what the big deal was until I brought her up to Syracuse for the first time. Yes, she’s hooked now.
What makes Wegmans so great? Well, from the second you walk in, it doesn’t feel like a grocery store at all. In fact, their website says the try to be a “European Open Air Market.” Let’s start with the bakery. Lots of good bread, muffins, cookies, and my favorite: bagels (it’s SOOO hard to find a decent bagel anywhere South of New Jersey - except for North Carolina, which has Brueggers for some reason). Then there’s the massive deli and a restaurant section (to include Chinese food) in which you can eat. I can’t tell you the number of times my friends and I had breakfast/lunch/dinner there, to include a dinner before prom one year… There’s a relatively decent coffee bar (although I have to admit I still prefer Starbucks). They have this massive organic section. Then there is the joy of every high school kid who likes to snack on junk: the bulk food section. They also have an olive bar, tea area, and a really large International foods section. And this is in every store (I’m probably missing something, but you get the gist). Oh… and they have all the things that regular grocery stores do as well. Leah likes it because they carry all kinds of baking ingredients that are hard to find at other groceries… namely things like ginger blossom honey, or Special Dark cocoa powder. Also, Wegmans has consistently been ranked high in Forbes “Best places to work” list. I never worked there, but a lot of my friends did.
I remember one time in high school, I went out with my friends Kristy and Andrea too look for some comet at 1 am (it was a thing for AP physics), only to discover it was overcast (Syracuse, overcast - REALLY?)… we ended up hanging out and talking in the Wegman’s coffee bar until like 3 am (yes, on a school night). Kristy actually made it into first period the next day… Andrea and I did not.
Anyway, the reason I am going on and on about Wegmans – back in 2006, the original announcement said the Crofton Wegmans location would be opening in 2009 (along with a new Target and movie theater). But they ran into a snag. The proposed building site is on Rt 3 and Evergreen Rd (south of Waugh Chapel - incidentally the proposed name for the shopping center is Waugh Chapel South). For those in Anne Arundel County you may remember the flap over illegal fly ash dumping in Gambrills a few years ago. That dumping site is right where Waugh Chapel South is supposed to be built. However, It turns out that the one way to deal with fly ash is to build concrete over it to prevent rain water from seeping through the ground and contaminating the water supply – so building this new shopping center would actually be a good thing.
But… it couldn’t be that easy, because this guy who claimed to represent a group of local Crofton/Gambrills businesses starting lobbying the County to hold up construction for a variety of reasons, but mainly due to the fly ash. However… it turned out that not only did this fellow not own a business, he is actually a paid lobbyist for a grocers union that includes Safeway and Giant (two of the local grocery stores). Yeah, you read that right.
So, seeing as there has not been much movement of the Crofton Wegmans site over the last few months (I drive by there once in a while) and Wegmans has been busy announcing new stores at a bunch of other Maryland locations (Columbia, Landover, Frederick, Germantown, and Abingdon), I actually e-mailed their customer service asking what the deal was. Only took a day for them to respond… here it is:
So that’s the latest on our Wegmans… sigh. 2010 will be a long wait.
Oh yeah, and in May 2006 Wegmans announced they were opening a new store in Crofton. As I was deprived of Wegmans in college (apparently they have some deal with Price Chopper not to move east of Syracuse), I really have not lived near a Wegmans since I left home for college in 1996.
For the uninformed, Wegmans is a chain of grocery stores that started in Upstate NY and has slowly migrated south over the last decade. To say this place has a cult like following is an understatement. Apparently, there are towns and communities that launch letter writing campaigns lobbying Wegmans to come open a store near them.
So now you’re probably thinking - what’s the big deal? While you probably think it’s a little bit silly to talk so highly of a, well, grocery store, it’s kind of one of those things you won’t understand unless you’ve actually been to one. For years Leah heard me rave about this fantastic grocery store that I grew up with, and she never understood what the big deal was until I brought her up to Syracuse for the first time. Yes, she’s hooked now.
What makes Wegmans so great? Well, from the second you walk in, it doesn’t feel like a grocery store at all. In fact, their website says the try to be a “European Open Air Market.” Let’s start with the bakery. Lots of good bread, muffins, cookies, and my favorite: bagels (it’s SOOO hard to find a decent bagel anywhere South of New Jersey - except for North Carolina, which has Brueggers for some reason). Then there’s the massive deli and a restaurant section (to include Chinese food) in which you can eat. I can’t tell you the number of times my friends and I had breakfast/lunch/dinner there, to include a dinner before prom one year… There’s a relatively decent coffee bar (although I have to admit I still prefer Starbucks). They have this massive organic section. Then there is the joy of every high school kid who likes to snack on junk: the bulk food section. They also have an olive bar, tea area, and a really large International foods section. And this is in every store (I’m probably missing something, but you get the gist). Oh… and they have all the things that regular grocery stores do as well. Leah likes it because they carry all kinds of baking ingredients that are hard to find at other groceries… namely things like ginger blossom honey, or Special Dark cocoa powder. Also, Wegmans has consistently been ranked high in Forbes “Best places to work” list. I never worked there, but a lot of my friends did.
I remember one time in high school, I went out with my friends Kristy and Andrea too look for some comet at 1 am (it was a thing for AP physics), only to discover it was overcast (Syracuse, overcast - REALLY?)… we ended up hanging out and talking in the Wegman’s coffee bar until like 3 am (yes, on a school night). Kristy actually made it into first period the next day… Andrea and I did not.
Anyway, the reason I am going on and on about Wegmans – back in 2006, the original announcement said the Crofton Wegmans location would be opening in 2009 (along with a new Target and movie theater). But they ran into a snag. The proposed building site is on Rt 3 and Evergreen Rd (south of Waugh Chapel - incidentally the proposed name for the shopping center is Waugh Chapel South). For those in Anne Arundel County you may remember the flap over illegal fly ash dumping in Gambrills a few years ago. That dumping site is right where Waugh Chapel South is supposed to be built. However, It turns out that the one way to deal with fly ash is to build concrete over it to prevent rain water from seeping through the ground and contaminating the water supply – so building this new shopping center would actually be a good thing.
But… it couldn’t be that easy, because this guy who claimed to represent a group of local Crofton/Gambrills businesses starting lobbying the County to hold up construction for a variety of reasons, but mainly due to the fly ash. However… it turned out that not only did this fellow not own a business, he is actually a paid lobbyist for a grocers union that includes Safeway and Giant (two of the local grocery stores). Yeah, you read that right.
So, seeing as there has not been much movement of the Crofton Wegmans site over the last few months (I drive by there once in a while) and Wegmans has been busy announcing new stores at a bunch of other Maryland locations (Columbia, Landover, Frederick, Germantown, and Abingdon), I actually e-mailed their customer service asking what the deal was. Only took a day for them to respond… here it is:
Thank you for your email. Here is the latest information that we have from our
Real Estate Department regarding the Crofton, MD store:
We remain unable to provide a definite opening date for this store. The developer
has additional work to do and will not be able to deliver a building pad to
Wegmans before 2009. Therefore the store cannot open before 2010.Sorry I don't have better news. Have a
great day!
So that’s the latest on our Wegmans… sigh. 2010 will be a long wait.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Axes of Evil
This is just a funny aside....
Eugene has been chopping wood because we've had a downed tree in front of our house for awhile. Yesterday, he said that he'd like to get a wood maul because it would make splitting big logs easier. For all of you city dwellers (and people like me who have always lived in the woods but for some reason have never heard of a wood maul), a wood maul is like an axe, but specially designed for, of course, splitting and chopping wood.
Demonstrating, my sometimes macabre sense of humor, I said, "If we get a wood maul, you wouldn't kill me with it, would you?" I expected him to say something along the lines of "Don't be stupid. I would never hurt you." Or maybe that he would have just acted annoyed at such a stupid question. Instead, he said in a "don't be silly" voice, "Babe, I've already got like five axes."
Eugene has been chopping wood because we've had a downed tree in front of our house for awhile. Yesterday, he said that he'd like to get a wood maul because it would make splitting big logs easier. For all of you city dwellers (and people like me who have always lived in the woods but for some reason have never heard of a wood maul), a wood maul is like an axe, but specially designed for, of course, splitting and chopping wood.
Demonstrating, my sometimes macabre sense of humor, I said, "If we get a wood maul, you wouldn't kill me with it, would you?" I expected him to say something along the lines of "Don't be stupid. I would never hurt you." Or maybe that he would have just acted annoyed at such a stupid question. Instead, he said in a "don't be silly" voice, "Babe, I've already got like five axes."
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Buy a house for $50 (seriously!)
So I'm at work today, and somebody is telling me how this guy in Edgwater (south of Annapolis) couldn't get his house to sell, so he's raffling it off with tickets that run $50 each. The website claims the house is worth around $1 million, although who knows what that means in this housing market. Part of the money will go to a charity, and the leftover I suppose goes back to the guy running the show.
It is a true "luxury" home - 6 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, 2 kitches... plus (if I'm reading the map correctly) fairly close to the Severn River...
$50? Hey, why not.
It is a true "luxury" home - 6 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, 2 kitches... plus (if I'm reading the map correctly) fairly close to the Severn River...
$50? Hey, why not.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Sailors and their ships
When I started this blog, I promised myself I wouldn’t delve into the so-called “mil-blogosphere”… and I’m not about to start.
However – I will share this Navy press release. As a former boarding officer who inspected 60+ ships in the Persian Gulf a few years ago, I congratulate this team for a job well done. And as a San Antonio plankowner – I am happy to see her finally getting some good press. This ship and her sisters have lots of potential - and I'm proud to have served aboard her.
However – I will share this Navy press release. As a former boarding officer who inspected 60+ ships in the Persian Gulf a few years ago, I congratulate this team for a job well done. And as a San Antonio plankowner – I am happy to see her finally getting some good press. This ship and her sisters have lots of potential - and I'm proud to have served aboard her.
You can read more about San Antonio and Combined Task Force 151 here.
Never retreat, Never Surrender!
MIA
So in my last post – over a month ago – I talked about how I was slacking off in the posts… and then I let it slide again. So, what’s new? Well… I finally started my new job. The commute is a bit longer, but the work is definitely much more interesting and rewarding. Then of course there were the holidays, and reserve duty… Finally, as Leah mentioned, we declared war on the disaster our house has become. This literally has consumed every free second I have had over the last few weeks. Then there was more work… and yesterday Leah and I made the trek into DC for the inauguration (more to come later). Oh yeah, and we put in a closet (also more to come).
The previous owners, in addition to having 9 cats and seemingly using about 100 nails for every square foot of molding in the house, were kind enough to leave this huge pile of wood in the crawl space adjacent to our basement. Apparently, the pile started when the house was built (over 30 years ago) and has grown with subsequent home improvement projects. We finally decided last weekend that for various reasons it had to go.
One problem of doing any kind of renovation is dealing with the debris… either the stuff you are taking out, or the stuff that’s left over (or that you messed up on). Twice now we have just accumulated so much junk from demolishing things (original tile floor, old bathtub, toilets, etc) it’s too much to 1: either put out on the street, or 2: haul to the county dump. In case you didn’t know, Anne Arundel county has some very nice public dumps you can bring just about anything to. However, in this case, we decided to rent a dumpster. For those in the Anne Arundel/Prince George’s County area, the best deal I have been able to find for dumpsters is at Hatfields. $250 for a 10 yd dumpster for 7 days – not a bad deal, especially when you compare it to Home Depot.
The previous owners, in addition to having 9 cats and seemingly using about 100 nails for every square foot of molding in the house, were kind enough to leave this huge pile of wood in the crawl space adjacent to our basement. Apparently, the pile started when the house was built (over 30 years ago) and has grown with subsequent home improvement projects. We finally decided last weekend that for various reasons it had to go.
One problem of doing any kind of renovation is dealing with the debris… either the stuff you are taking out, or the stuff that’s left over (or that you messed up on). Twice now we have just accumulated so much junk from demolishing things (original tile floor, old bathtub, toilets, etc) it’s too much to 1: either put out on the street, or 2: haul to the county dump. In case you didn’t know, Anne Arundel county has some very nice public dumps you can bring just about anything to. However, in this case, we decided to rent a dumpster. For those in the Anne Arundel/Prince George’s County area, the best deal I have been able to find for dumpsters is at Hatfields. $250 for a 10 yd dumpster for 7 days – not a bad deal, especially when you compare it to Home Depot.
It's finally gone!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Disorganization is expensive!!!
Eugene and I formally declared war on our house. We've been living here for almost two years now, and still hadn't unpacked a bunch of boxes until this past weekend. Our garage was full of boxes, and the basement was getting out of hand. We also have an office on the first floor, which we had gotten into the bad habit of using as a repository for random stuff that we didn't feel like dealing with.
The lesson from all of this? Disorganization will cost you! Over the past year or so, we'd been buying random household goods, and in unpacking and organizing, I realized that we already had a bunch of the stuff that we went out and bought. I would catalogue all of the ways that we could have saved by being organized and simply knowing where the heck all of our junk is. I've found that the same thing applies at my office. I'll print a document, which then gets buried under a pile on my desk, so that when I look for it, I can't find it and then re-print only to discover later on that I've printed the same document 20 times. Bad Leah, Bad Leah!
So, the next time you are tempted to let yourself become disorganized, remember that it will cost you!
The lesson from all of this? Disorganization will cost you! Over the past year or so, we'd been buying random household goods, and in unpacking and organizing, I realized that we already had a bunch of the stuff that we went out and bought. I would catalogue all of the ways that we could have saved by being organized and simply knowing where the heck all of our junk is. I've found that the same thing applies at my office. I'll print a document, which then gets buried under a pile on my desk, so that when I look for it, I can't find it and then re-print only to discover later on that I've printed the same document 20 times. Bad Leah, Bad Leah!
So, the next time you are tempted to let yourself become disorganized, remember that it will cost you!
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