Not such a dumb question after all

I love when someone gives you a patronizing answer to your question. "Didn't you read the memo? If you had, you would know the answer would be X". Yes, I read the memo. Then you repeat the actual issue in your first question. This time they listen and take the time to think about the answer, and come up with a completely different answer.

It is particularly annoying when the same person does it to you more than once. Remember last time you treated me like an idiot, and then it turned out it was you who wasn't paying attention. No, I didn't think you remembered.

Failure

The latest library movie rental was "Who Killed the Electric Car". It is centered around a GM model called the EV1 introduced in the mid-1990's. By all accounts, it was a great car and GM was on the leading edge to capture the market. So why did GM not only stop producing the cars, but took all of the models back and destroyed them? Who killed the electric car? Like the current economic collapse/recession, there is plenty of blame to go around.

Still, after watching the film, it makes me feel like GM (and other car companies) have spent/wasted incredible energy to keep things exactly the way they are. Even when they develop their own great, innovative product, they do their best to sabotage it. It seems they've done their best to fail, and maybe we should've just let it happen. It will be interesting to see if anything changes going forward.

Location, location, location

Attractive ground cover, or annoying weed?

Sunday

Like a lot of runners, I am an introvert by nature. Running naturally appeals to the introverts because it's a solitary activity, unless you go out of your way to make it otherwise...That's why, in the months leading up to the start of the Endurance 50, I worried about how I would deal with being surrounded by other people constantly for seven weeks...every stride would be taken in the company of at least a few fellow runners.

The first few days of the North Face endurance 50 seemed to answer this question in an unexpected way. Far from draining the battery of my spirit, running with the other Endurance 50 participants charged it up. - Dean Karnazes in 50 marathons in 50 Days

Sunday was my last long run before the marathon. Like most runners, my training runs are a solo affair. Tami and I are both training for the Rock n Roll Seattle Marathon, and we agreed a few weeks ago that we would do the 20 miler together. Misery loves company and all that.

Few people would look forward to a 20 mile run, but I was actually a little excited about this one. First, there was the unknown factor of running the day after the Flying Wheels. I was curious how my body was going to react, and it certainly would train me to press on through fatigue.

But more importantly, I was looking forward to a little company. Our running group has been a little splintered this year. The past few years there have been lots of 5ks, 10ks and half marathons on the calendar. It seemed like there was always something on the horizon. This year we have all cut back on the paid events, but we've also stopped getting together to train.

Sunday ended up being a great day. There was a morning marine layer of clouds so it wasn't too warm. Tami and I set a comfortable pace that allowed us to chat and keep our heart rates in a reasonable range. The miles didn't exactly fly by, but they did go by more quickly than normal.

And there was plenty of inspiration out on the road. On our first out-and-back on the Burke-Gilman, we ran by a group of soldiers hiking in fatigues and full packs. They were on a 12 mile hike and probably just as thankful for the cool morning. We thanked them repeatedly for their service was we trotted by. It was quite a scene for Flag Day.

So all told, the big training weekend went pretty well. There are some muscle and tendon tweaks this morning, but no real injuries. Some numbers for the weekend:

117.5 miles
8:48 on the road
7110 calories burned
2 cold baths
2 pounds lost

Bring on the taper!

Saturday

Well, this was the big training weekend. Back to back big days that has been looming large on the calendar. I made it through without physically shattering, though mentally it was a little touch and go.

Saturday was the Flying Wheels bike ride. We have done this ride for the last few years, and it is kind of a gut-check ride to see if you are ready for the STP a month later. There are routes of 25, 45, 65 and 100 miles, so you can pick your poison. This year I decided to test myself with the 100 miler, and I passed, but just barely.

The hills start five miles in, and there isn't much let up throughout the day. I was trying to finish the course in a certain amount of time, so I was pushing myself. Early on I was feeling pretty good. Passing people wearing RAMROD jerseys (Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day) makes you feel pretty good about your hill climbing skills. Then around mile 45, my quads started shaking and it was clear the rest of the day was going to be a struggle. Physically I was pretty much tapped out so it became a test of will. I finished within 15 minutes of my goal time, but it wasn't pretty. It felt like someone had punched me in the yarbles.

Some friends had ridden one of the other routes, and I was happy to find they had waited around for me to finish. We swapped stories over a Fat Tire, and it sounds like they had a tough, but good ride. It was Wendy's first official bike ride, and hopefully she is hooked.

Shortly after finishing, I was almost ready to swear off my one-day STP attempt. Almost. Not sure if it is best to make the decision while the pain is still fresh in your mind, or after the details fade away a bit. It is clear I am not trained as well as I thought/hoped, but a few days from now I may convince myself it wasn't that bad and I'm up to the challenge. Denial is a powerful tool.

Yeah, we're not going to need you to come in this weekend

So one of the things I might have been 'losing' last week was my new job. As I mentioned, I was still working at my last job (though not that third job - sanity asserted itself). My resume stated that I was still working there, and I had also mentioned it to my recruiter before I started. When I read the company policy on other jobs a week or two ago, it looked like they considered this a conflict of interest. Though I didn't think it really was a conflict, I brought it to the attention of my supervisor.

We detailed the situation and submitted a request for an exception. The answer came down on Thursday. At 11:00am I was having birthday cake, at 3:00 I was being walked out of the building. It was handled professionally, but it still didn't feel too good. The price of honesty.

The options were to give up the new job or the old job. I was given the weekend to think about it. After looking into the ramifications of each, I decided to stick with the new one. It took a couple days to work out the details, so today was my first day back. I don't have my employee card back yet, so I'm back to the dorky "Hi my name is" visitor sticker for a day or two. Fortunately they didn't clear out my desk or computer while I was gone, so things were back to relatively normal today.

And as a welcome back, there was a message in my inbox letting me know that Casual Friday had been extended to every day this summer. It was a very Office Space moment.



It's the little things.

Invasion of the caterpillars

Caterpillars are everywhere right now. They only seem to 'blossom' every few years or so because I don't remember seeing them around the house since we moved in. I can remember them taking over the apple and plum trees at my childhood home. White tents would span the branches as they nibbled away on the leaves. I don't know if I should be concerned that they are crawling all over the house or not. Will they find five coats of Drum Beat Red tasty?

Losing it

Losing my mind and a few other things this week.

I dashed into QFC a few days ago to grab something on the way to a party. Since I had only one item, I went through the line with the self-checkout machines. I asked for $20 cash back, then promptly forgot to grab it. The next person in line got a much better surprise than finding a quarter in a pay phone.

Yesterday I was out on a 14 mile run. On longer runs I bring along my Amphipod hydration belt to carry fluids, fuel and tunes. It was another warm day, so by the time I was done, I was pretty thirsty. When I reached for a drink, one of the bottles wasn't there. I guess I hadn't clicked it back in all the way the last time I stopped for a drink. I had the tunes cranked up a little high so I didn't hear it bouncing off the sidewalk.

As I walked toward my front door looking forward to an ice-cold drink, I reached into the belt's pouch to grab my key only to find that I had lost it too. Apparently it fell out when I grabbed a gel or pulled out the iPod shuffle. My wife was out of town, so I was locked out. I still haven't trained the pooch to turn a deadbolt or open the slider. She did do a fine job of barking as I tried to break into my own house.

I made an attempt to squeeze through the dog door, but it turns out my massively broad shoulders wouldn't fit through. The only window vent that was open was not much bigger. I wasn't up for running the route again in search of the key, so fortunately a friend has a copy of our house key. He was home so I was spared busting a window.

Then there's the job...but the jury is still out on that one.

I had actually dropped a key on a run once before. Tami and I were running around Greenlake, and on our second lap I happened to look down and saw a car key. Huh, that key looks just like mine, (pats pockets), wait, that is my key! I'll run yesterday's route sometime this week, but I can only expect so much dumb luck.

After I made it into the house yesterday, I drove the route and found the water bottle. I also went back to QFC on the off chance that someone turned in the cash. The person at the help desk checked the safe and even called the bookkeeper. Of course, since it was in the self-checkout aisle, there wasn't going to be a overage on anyone's register. Then the bookkeeper asked how much money I was talking about. The lady at the help desk told her $20, hung up the phone, and just gave me a twenty out of her till. A really nice gesture, especially since it was my my mistake not theirs.

Evening glow

Powerful sunset or is our water radio active.

Breathless

Since we're near the end of marathon training (who's this 'we' kemosabe), I had to get an 18 mile run in this past Sunday. As I was going to be running the Great Kilt 5k the same day, this meant a 15 mile run beforehand. I am not a morning person so the thought of getting up at 5:45am to run 15 miles was less than attractive, but I knew after enjoying the beer garden with friends I was unlikely to run it after the 5k. Plus it gave me the perfect excuse not to set a new 5k PR.

I drove to Magnuson Park and ran an out and back route along the Burke-Gilman trail. Even at 6:30am there were folks out running and biking, but compared to a normal summer afternoon it was practically deserted. It was surprisingly warm for that early in the morning (and season) so I was glad that the water fountain at the Logboom Park was finally on again.

I have been listening to podcasts almost exclusively during my runs the past few months. I have enjoyed laughing along with Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me and listening to running podcasts like Pheddipidations and Running With the Pack for inspiration. A few of the running podcasts will slip a song into the mix every so often, and I find that my pace picks up a bit each time. For my morning 15, I decided to listen to music for the last 45 minutes or so, and man what a difference.

Music can be powerful, and at mile 10 when you're still half asleep, it can hit you pretty hard. When the music started, I felt a tingly warmth travel down my neck and shoulders and spread through my body. One song in particular stirred the emotions enough that I struggled to catch my breath. The music was not background distraction to make me forget what I was doing, but something that grabbed me and added power to my run.

I had the same feeling of breathlessness a few miles earlier when I ran through a swarm of gnats, but it wasn't nearly as powerful or memorable.

Running in a skirt

This past Sunday our running group participated in The Great Kilted 5k. As most of you know, I was married in a kilt, so this seemed like an event for me.


The 5k took place at Magnuson Park in Seattle. There are several 5k events that take advantage of the park, though each route is a little different. And of course the wearin' o' the kilt made this one a little unique. You were encouraged, though not required to wear a kilt. You could rent one for $5, but a few had their own, and even more created something to run in. As you can see from a few of our runners, the term 'kilt' was interpreted loosely.

And hula skirts and crazy tights weren't enough. There was also some hair painting. My arm was twisted, and when they asked what color I wanted, I said "stripes".

It turned out to be a hot one on Sunday, so the heat ate into our finishing times. but it made that beer garden even sweeter. This was actually the first official event for most of our running group, so it we spent a little extra time enjoying the spoils of victory in the morning sun.

More photos can be found here and here.

42

Today marks my 42nd year on this planet. I have joked that this is the year where I will have all the answers. But like the novel that features 42 as the answer to life, the universe and everything, I may be searching for the question for some time.

I don't feel 42, not that I know how it is supposed to feel. There is a little more gray in my hair these days, but I don't seem to be losing much. I don't bounce back as well the next day, but I'm also dealing out a little more physical punishment these days. I've been thinner in the past, but I don't think I've ever been fitter. Overall, I'm feeling pretty good for 42.

I guess the number means something when I start thinking about the long haul. I feel like I should have more of my life put together by now. This year will continue to be a journey of discovery. I'm hoping for some more answers, and it would be nice if I could ask the questions first.

No wise man ever wished to be younger. --SWIFT.

Train wrecks and names in the news

I was reading the paper this morning, and the lead story was about a burst water pipe that had flooded homes in the Ravenna area of Seattle. As many as 22 homes were flooded, and I recognized the person they were interviewing for the story. We had looked at homes a few years ago when she was considering buying, and her rental was one of the homes that was flooded.

The story went on to say that most of the people affected did not have proper flood insurance. Most policies without separate flood insurance only cover a burst pipe within the home. The story went on to say that the city may cover some costs, but only the depreciated value of items, not their replacement value. Lynn and everyone else have lost a lot of things that won't be easily replaced. You don't want to see people you know in news stories. The news is rarely good.

Growing up, my Junior High was just down the street from a fire station. Occasionally the sirens would wail and a fire truck would drive by. Of course the students would look out the window, and I can remember my teacher Mr. Rice trying to bring us back by saying, "OK, just hope they aren't headed to anyone's house you know, and let's get back to the lesson".

Traffic was backed up on I-5 yesterday. There was an accident during morning rush hour. It turns out the accident was in the northbound lanes, but it still jammed up southbound traffic for hours. I wonder what thoughts go through people's heads when they rubber-neck to see an accident on the freeway. They aren't slowing down to offer help, and when there is a concrete divider between lanes there isn't much danger in maintaining a reasonable speed. People say they can't help looking at an accident. I'm not sure why exactly. What are they hoping to see?

I heard later that the accident in the northbound lanes involved a motorcycle. The cause of the accident? There were actually several accidents that morning in both the north and southbound lanes. The motorcycle rider (with iPod earbuds in) was rubber-necking, looking at an accident in the southbound lanes, and ran into the back of an ambulance parked in the carpool lane.

We can't take in all the bad news everyday. We would be overwhelmed if we did. The best we can do is hope they're all right, hope it isn't someone we know, help out when we can, and try not to make things worse by taking our eyes off the road.

Quote of the day

Stop living life for what's around the corner and start enjoying the walk down the street.

- Grant L. Miller, motivational guru

Memorial ride

This past Saturday, we had a memorial bike ride for Gerry. Almost 50 of us headed up to Anacortes to catch the 7:45am ferry to San Juan Island. There were lots of his friends from Whidbey Island and a few of us from the Big Rides. It was a beautiful day with a great group of people. Gerry was a special man and you couldn't help but be drawn to him.

Everyone rode at their own pace, regrouping about every 10 miles at a park to chat, mingle and catch up in the sun. Though the route ended up being plenty hilly, it was a leisurely day. Gerry never rushed through a day out on the bike, so it seemed only right to take our time. Plus we didn't want to rush through a day with scenery like this.

After the ride, we gathered at a pub in Friday Harbor. They gave our group the whole room upstairs and we filled it to capacity. We shared stories and toasts to the man that brought all of us together.

And of course, afterward there was ice cream.

We love and miss you Gerry.