I Hate Bikes.

...ok not really.  I enjoy a long bike ride as much as anything, the beautiful passing scenery, quiet serenity pedaling through the countryside, wildlife frolicking, flocks of geese overhead, wind blowing through my hair....

Sometimes however, bikes are just a royal pain in the ass and I am eternally thankful my running shoes don't require tubes and air compressors.

2 rides in a row now the serenity was broken with the gnashing sound of an expensive alloy rim grinding on the pavement.  Really?, again?!?    Both times about 5 miles out.   First time no repair kit, so I ran back with my bike, no problem I'm a runner right?.  Except it was less than 3 days after running a hard personal record  finish time at the USAF Marathon in Dayton and my legs were thrashed. Suck it up cupcake, you're the looney with masochistic tendencies.  Fine, I survived. 

Today I head out with a couple friends for a quick 20 at lunch, but my bike has a flat when I take it out of the car. Really? Crap. Friend has a spare tube, YAYYY,  not crap. Quick change and we're off.  Awesome!  5 miles out,  flat!!!,  Not Awesome!.  I borrow friends little 6" emergency pump and bid them peace and a nice ride, pump up best I can and turn around to head back.  1/4 mile later that damn gnashing sound again, wank wank wank wank wank wank wank wank on the barbie size air pump again until my arm is numb, and Im off.  This ridiculous comedy continues every quarter mile until at one point I catch myself looking up at the heavens. Suck it up cupcake, you're the looney.... ya ya.  I made it back, of course,  and even managed to get a hell of an arm workout in, for a bike ride. 

Didn't take any pictures on this ride,  but here's a few from a great 70 miler a few weeks ago out to Shabbona.

 

 

    Does the corn get hot? 

Cheers!

Run like the police are chasing you. 

 

20 Mile Recovery/Taper Run (?)

Oh joy, another freakin blogger in the world.. :P. Welcome to my inblogural post...

I've enjoyed reading so many friends blogs about running, life, food, etc that it's compelled me to get off my arse and join in.  Im not sure where this blog is gonna go, but you prolly shouldnt look for a consistent theme,  this mindstream is likely to meander a little, or alot, about my running adventures, food, friends, family, beer, biking, music, travelling, my dog, or whatever else seems at the moment worth immortalizing in words.  I also like to run with a camera so there will be lots of pics too.  Occasionally I even have a moment of clarity or perverse perspective on some mundane facet of life,  Ill try my best to remember those and write about 'em.  I hope you find my babbling interesting, or least amusing enough to check in once in a while.  Cheers friends.

On to it.  So what the hell is a recovery/taper run? A friend of mine coined that since there's been so many marathons on the calendar this year I'm never quite sure if a given run is recovery from the last race or tapering for the next one. Its a fun place to be, I like it.  My legs not so much.

This month the race schedule allowed me to squeeze one 20 miler long run in between Chicago Marathon 2 weeks ago and NYC Marathon 2 weeks from now.  Yesterdays 20 was a great run though the countryside (40 miles west of Chicago, it's the edge of civilization out here) on a beautiful fall day. My legs were feeling good so they needed to be punished, I pushed it and finished 20 under 3 hours for the first time ever,  2:57 and change,  8:52 pace  (disclaimer,  I took some breaks, isint that why there's a pause button on the Garmin?, but who's counting, pictures must be took'd.).  The last half mile home I carried 3 pints of beer, in my belly, (the neighbors were out in the garage with a keg and the medicine beckoned, Im weak that way).

Some pics from the run....

 

 

 

 

 

  Cheers!

Run like the police are chasing you.