Running with Rage

21 Apr 2013

2013 Boston Marathon – A week later

April 21, 2013

It has almost been a week since the tragic events of the 2013 Boston Marathon. I have to admit it has been a week I never thought I would personally experience. A week that has changed me forever. And a week that I hope has not changed me forever.

Carolyn and I having been both been too close for comfort but fortunately far enough away from the two explosions got to witness the panic of most of the runners and spectators, and the immediate call to action of the police and other first responders. When the first explosion went off I was confused. I thought that maybe the grandstand collapsed or the inflatable finish line had popped. I wasn’t nervous and thought the people running at me screaming surely had to be overreacting. Then moments later, I heard the second explosion and while I never had heard a bomb explode before, I knew exactly what it was. I was overtaking by people running for safety. Knowing Carolyn and Anne had just crossed the finish line a few minutes before, I panicked myself and took off running for the finishers corral area. I called my friend Jeff who had been watching online and giving me race updates throughout the day and asked him what happened. He couldn’t help, he said the image became pixelated and there was just a lot of smoke. I hung up and told him to start looking online to see what news reports were saying. The to my relief Carolyn called. She had just gotten her gear bag and let me know they were OK to meet them on Arlington. We had to walk to the car which was parked a mile or so away at the convention center but we got to it and were safe.

We got home and spent the rest of the day watching the news trying to find out what happened. It was then that I learned the second explosion was a few yards from where I was watching the runners make their way to the finish line. We started going over all the what if’s and realized how fortunate and lucky we were. What if I hadn’t decided 30 second before to check the run tracker app and saw they finished to see Carolyn and Anne had finished and I missed them. What if I had went with my initial plan to walk down Boylston Street to keep watching runners which would have placed me right at the site of the first explosion instead of safely at the intersection of Newbury Street and Exeter. What if Carolyn hadn’t run the first half faster than we had planned. What if she had walked more in the Newton Hills when she was trying to protect her injured hamstring. The more we learned on the news the less we knew and the more what if’s circled our heads.

We flew back to Phoenix the next day but could not escape obsessing about everything that occurred the previous day. And the next day and the next day. Then Thursday the FBI released suspect #1 and suspect #2 pictures and video. It was creepy in seeing how they looked so normal and even creepier that the video shows them walking right behind me. Everyone has asked me if I saw them but I was doing the same thing the thousands of other spectators were doing, watching the runners. I was exhausted and feel asleep really early but woke up with the TV on and reports of the police closing in on the suspects in Watertown. I spent the rest of night switching between CNN and MSNBC hoping one of them could be accurate. It was frustrating as hell they they both spent more time speculating than reporting. Friday was spent checking online when I could for any new news and Anne sending me text after text saying nothing was happening. Finally at my daughter’s softball game that evening the report came through that suspect #2 had been captured and the ordeal had finally ended.

But it hasn’t. Despite being a block from the explosions and fortunately not seeing any of the horrific causalities, I have been completely emotionally raw. The news reporting has been bordering on negligence I think on each outlet trying to be the first rather than focusing on being right. Little things that never before would even be contemplated now get stuck in my head. I passed a garbage can the other day at a ball and as I tossed my gum in it, I had a quick flash of what if. Upon my return to work as I was walking up the stairs our building tested the fire alarm. The loud wail of the alarm in the past would have just been an afterthought but this time I had a moment of sheer panic. I had to turn around and leave the building to alleviate the anxiety. I ran Pat’s Run and had too many moments of what if’s as I looked around the starting corrals and the spectators. Having experienced an experience I never though I actually would, I know can not shake it. I trust in time these thoughts will wane and I will return to my pre April 15, 2013 ignorant bliss. I am sure had I stayed on Boylston and seen the carnage rather than merely felt it, this would have been an impossible goal. I hope the little seemingly inconsequential decisions that I made that day that ultimately turned out to be life altering will once again be natural without constant second guessing.

Carlos Arredondo

But the one part of this tragedy that I will not be so eager to shed is the resilience that has been demonstrated. The images of first responders tearing through the barricades without regard showed valor beyond description. Cowboy hat wearing Carlos Arredondo pinching the artery of a victim that had his legs blown off acting exactly how everyone hopes they would in the same circumstances. There is a quote that has been circulating around and I will paraphrase, “If you are trying to defeat the human spirit, marathoners are the wrong group to fuck with”. Yea, I made it a little more dramatic, but it is true. The very drive that allows us runners to accomplish feats that seem impossible to most of the population is what is going to make running stronger than ever. I expect the 2014 Boston Marathon is going to have more people trying to qualify than ever and more spectators attend than ever, the exact opposite consequences the Tsarnaev brothers had hoped. The city of Boston and the BAA have both shown a empathy without weakness. Cities, sports teams, citizens and runners and running groups have circled the wagons and honored the victims of the tragedy. I will be running in a 3 mile Run for Boston event to raise money for OneFundBoston.

In one week running has shown me the lowest depths of humanity followed by the highest summit of humankind. And the great thing, the summit is a whole hell of a lot more crowded.

#BostonStrong

Posted in Life, Running and tagged Boston Marathon, BostonStrong, OneFundBoston, running | Leave a Comment

15 Apr 2013

4 Comments

Today’s Boston Marathon

April 15, 2013

Well my blog post was supposed to be very different. Carolyn ran in today’s Boston Marathon. She had hurt her hamstring in February and been in PT 3x a week since. She had to scrap her training and was able to do a very minimal program that was void of any twenty milers. She ended up posting 4:04 running on one good leg. This post was supposed to be about the awe of her accomplishment.

But it sadly is not.

As most everyone knows by now there were two bombs planted near the finish line. Reports are still coming in but regardless of the final specific death and injury tolls, it is horrific that it happened at all. Carolyn had just finished a few minutes prior and was working her way through the masses to exit the runner’s area when the first explosion went off. She heard it and saw white smoke. Her initial thought was that white smoke was not too bad. Then the second explosion went off and she knew it was no good.

I had been watching on Boylston and had just walked down to Newbury Street when the first bomb exploded. A slew of people started running at me down Exeter screaming. My initial thought was a bleacher had collapsed. Then the second happened and I knew it was no good.

I immediately called my friend Jeff who had been watching online and asked what the hell was going on. He just knew it was no good.

Today was supposed to be a celebration and sadly it was a tragic day. Carolyn did amazing and I am so proud of her. We were close enough that it has been very unnerving but fortunately far enough that neither was in harm’s way.

24 hours earlier Carolyn and Anne were cheering me on while I ran the B.A.A. 5K in front of the Marathon Sports that was the site of the first explosion. A little too spooky. Had Carolyn walked once more on her gimpy hamstring who knows what the outcome would have been. Had I decided to take Boylston instead of cutting down to Newbury St. who knows…

My heart goes out to all the people affected by this completely senseless tragedy. A marathon is a celebration of all that a human can achieve. Sadly the 2013 Boston Marathon will always be remembered as a demonstration of how evil a human can be.

Posted in Uncategorized and tagged Bomb, Boston Marathon, Explosion

14 Apr 2013

2 Comments

2013 B.A.A. 5K

April, 14 2013

First things first, I am too slow to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Carolyn has taken care of that, so while here in Boston, I signed up for the Boston Athletic Association’s 5K, the first race of the B.A.A.’s Distance Medley series.

The weekend started with the race packet pick-up of course. The marathon packet pick-up was a well oiled machine, a combination of assembly line and Homeland Security, while the 5K was off in a distant lonely room with a couple of friendly volunteers biding their time until they get promoted to the big show. Walking into the tiny room I realized I left my wallet at home when I saw all the massive signs plastered everywhere saying ID required for packet pick-up. I sheepishly walked up to the check-in person and started telling her the whole back story of how I left my wallet at home and didn’t have ID. Halfway through, she cut me off and informed me it was no problem and asked for my name. As she handed me my packet, she asked “Oh yea, can you sign your registration card, I keep forgetting to get people to sign it”. Over at the marathon side, they were asking Carolyn for blood sample and mother’s maiden name.

Today was race morning and cold. I abandoned my University of Arizona short sleeve shirt and opted for long sleeves. We gave ourselves an hour to drive, park and get to the starting area. It took a little over 20 minutes and the bitter cold dissipated. Damn, I should have worn my U of A shirt. The race started in Copley Square. 6,500 runners were crammed into the narrow streets to meandered around the Back Bay. I started in the 8:00 pace corral but if I had any intention of actually running for time, i should have worked my way up to the front. Instead I was back in the pack next to a guy dressed like a jester. I also met a guy from Hermosa Beach wearing a Redondo Beach Super Bowl 10K shirt. I told him how I ran this race in 1993 and he showed me pictures of his buddies and him dressed as salmon running the course backwards in 20 years later. Turns out his house is a block from my old place there. The people you meet in a starting corral.

The race was a series of turn after turn which lead to incessant traffic jams. It was really cool running in Boston but I thought how damn cool it will be tomorrow for Carolyn running from Hopkinton to Copley Square. Looking at my Garmin, I saw my pace fluctuating from 7:35 to over 11:00 but I didn’t care. I was just enjoying being part of a B.A.A event. At mile 2 I saw the jester and while I wasn’t too concerned with my time, I was not going to let a joker beat me and accelerated by him. I weaved my way past him and settled in behind a group five wide that was planning their dinner party for tonight. It was just after that I was passed by a stocky, grey haired New Englander that had no qualms bulldozing through the human barriers I tucked in behind him until the final stretch down Boylston Avenue then sprinted to the finish, the same one the that the 27,000 marathoners will cross tomorrow.

The race was fun and allowed me to check Massachusetts off my 50 Bib in 50s States quest. It also probably is going to be my only opportunity to cross the fabled finish line.

Posted in Running and tagged 50 Bibs in 50 States, 5K, BAA 5K, Boston Marathon, Eric rutin, Marathon, running

17 Mar 2013

7 Comments

21 Best Movies of All Time

March 17, 2013

Hello. My name is Eric Rutin. You came to my blog. Prepare to have your mind exploded.

I had previously posted the best songs to have on your running playlist and that seemed to create a stir. The list was a pretty good objective account that oddly some didn’t agree with. Kinda confused me as I have outstanding taste in music.

So here I go with another list. Usually as you know I talk about running in some sort or another, but today I am going to share the 10 best movies of all time. These are the flicks that you can watch again and again and rather than get bored, you pick up a new line or discover new plot or subtle twist. A lot of the critics have movies like Citizen Kane and Gone With The Wind, but mine is less pretentious. Those are movies critics think you should like and while they aren’t always horrible, I could not imagine watching them every time TBS runs them. If you read this and don’t agree with at least 9 of them I have but one word to say to you.: Inconceivable!

21. (500) Days of Summer – You will notice a theme pretty quickly. I am not above the romcom. I think the movie is clever and fun. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was perfect as Tom and Zooey Deschanel is always great. This may raise some eyebrows, but really, it is impossible not to get a warm feeling when introduced to Autumn? It lets me know life will always work out if you let it.

20. Can’t By Me Love – Patrick Dempsy in his finest role. I have to admit there were a couple of other classic 80′s movies that were battling for this spot, The Sure Thing, Better of Dead and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, but this one inched in front of the others in a dead heat probably since it was filmed in Tucson.

19. Sixteen Candles – Staying in the 80′s I had to have John Hughes represented, but this was his best. I was in high school when this came out and related more to the Geek than Jake Ryan. I am sure Long Duk Dong is incredibly racist in today’s politically correct world, but he was hilarious. Best line: No more yankie my wankie. The Donger needs food.

18. Crossing Delancy – Probably the least known movie on the list, and yes, yet another romantic comedy, but this movie is touching and just makes me feel good. If you haven’ seen it, plan date night and watch it.

17. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – Classic Clint. Do I need to say anything else? Oh yea, great sound track. Who doesn’t recognize that music?

16. The Birds – This is the scariest movie I have ever seen. Now I will confess and say I don’t watch slasher flicks or movies with creepy kids so my pool of scary is limited. But this movie freaked me out and still does. Where the special effects bad? Of course. But the premise totally could happen. I get a chill down my spine anytime I see a group of birds hanging out on a power line plotting. I can also say that of the great directors, I really do think Alfred Hitchcock has done a lot of remarkable movies.

15. The Graduate – A great great great movie that I am sure I don’t understand completely. Plus I think coo coo ca-choo Mrs. Robinson may personally be responsible for sending me into puberty. Best line: Mr Braddock: Ben, this whole idea sounds pretty half-baked. Benjamin: Oh not it’s not. Its completely baked.

14. Last of the Mohicans – Daniel Day Lewis seems to have won an Academy Award for every other movie he has been in, but this is his best. By far. The movie is a thrill ride thanks to a great story and an even better soundtrack. And if you haven’t figured out yet, I am a sucker for a love story and a little piece of my heart is ripped out every time I see the final battle between Uncas and Magua.

13. Caddyshack – The second most quotable movie on this list. While some think it is just slapstick and silly, it is actual brilliant. Especially when you know how much of it was ad lib, including basically all of Murry’s classic Cinderella Story. Was Rodney Dangerfield ever more funny?

12. 2001: A Space Odyssey – Hmm, back then 2001 people imagines technology continuing into space rather than the world wide web. The movie is hypnotic and just as with the graduate, I am sure I only understand half the symbolism. A question that constantly nags me, is Hal evil or not? A little trivia: it is Stanley Kubrick ‘s breathing in the suit scene.

11. Groundhog Day – Yet more Bill Murry. Equal parts cute and funny. There is no particular reason why I like this movie so much, but anytime it is on (oddly it plays a lot on February 2nd), I watch it and thoroughly enjoy it.

10. This is Spinal Tap – Oh wait, is this the second most quotable movie on this list? I envision people in forgien lands watching the movie and just not realizing how deep the satire drips from this movie. The songs are catchy despite the absolutely hilarious lyrics. Which is the best song? Big Bottom? Stonehedge? Lick My Love Pump? Best Line (maybe the best line in all cinema): “These go to eleven”.

9. Jaws – Second scariest movie of all time. As with The Birds, it is scary because it totally could happen. And sharks scare the crap out of me. It was probably not a good idea for my parents to take me as a seven year old to see it. Scared for life.

8. Monty Python and the Holy Grail – Not sure if this would have been a more appropriate movie for my parents to take me to in 1975, but probably would have scared me less. As with Caddyshack this movie would be so easy to just pass off as a silly movie, but it is brilliant. The jokes aren’t afraid to take anything on and this just might be the second most quotable movie on this list. Best scene (and this was very hard to narrow down): King Arthur and the Black Knight

7. Grosse Pointe Blake – It is an 80′s high school reunion. It takes place in Detroit. It is sardonic. John Cusack, one of the best actors of my generation had to be included somewhere on this list. Oh wait, he is in Sixteen Candles. But the biggest reason? It has a great soundtrack. Some may mock 80′s music, but not this ska inspired soundtrack with oodles of The Specials and The Clash.

6. To Kill a Mockingbird – This was one of the best books I read growing up and the movie is its match. Georgy Peck is amazing and he is simply the man and father everyone wishes they should be. The story is also incredibly bold and progressive for the time. Atticus Finch is the man and father we all wish we could be.

5. Saving Private Ryan – The landing on the beaches of Normandy is so realistic that I found myself leaning to dodge bullets. I felt the claustrophobia of attacking the beach under the spray of German machine gun fire. The rest of the movie is a great story and the claustrophobia of war never lets up. Most war movies glorify it, and while Saving Private Ryan certainly shows the soldiers’ heroism, it does a greater job showing the senselessness of war.

4. The Matrix – The special effects of this movie are mind-blowing. The movie is supposedly loaded with symbolism, but I don’t think that deeply. I just enjoy the action and the special effects. And well, Trinity is bad ass. Best scene: Neo and Trinity going to save Morpheus.

3. The Shawshank Redemption – This has to be on everyone’s top five list. It might be a perfect movie. The cast is spectacular. The story is a masterpiece. The film is outstanding. Try and find a flaw.

2. Love Actually – I HAVE to watch this every Christmas at least once and also sneak a couple more times in through the year. It might not be fair because this isn’t really one movie but rather at least eight stories all intertwined. I can not decide which story I like best and just when I decide I almost as quickly change my mind. For now it is Jamie and Aurelia.

1. The Princess Bride – THE most quotable movie on this list or any list. There is not a line or word wasted in this movie. It took me a while to see it as I mistakenly assumed it was a trite kid’s movie. But I am so glad I finally did. It is a rare movie that just gets better and better with each viewing. The story is simply about true love, a theme subtle and and club you over the head woven throughout. And I if I could narrow it down to one best line, I would. But there is great line after great line throughout. Just go out and buy your own copy and watch it. And then watch it again. Then again. Two things to think about. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was offered the role of Fezzik and Whoopie Goldberg wanted the role of Buttercup. How different would the movie had been with those castings?

Well there it is. The top 21 movies of all time. If you think this list is in any ways anything other than perfect, all I can say is inconceivable. Or perhaps that doesn’t mean what I think it does?

Posted in Life, Other semi-important things and tagged Love Actually, Movies, Princess Bride, Saving Private Ryan, The Matrix, The Shawshank Redemption, Top Movies of All Time

10 Mar 2013

4 techniques to run faster and stay injury free

March 10, 2013

Recently I ran a 5K and Carolyn took a picture of me as I neared the finish line. I was horrified. Well maybe horrified is a little strong, but mildly concerned just lacks the drama I want. My form sucked. I was over-striding. Not much, but enough that it caused a heel strike. I felt that the Apocalypse was upon me.

So I signed up for Runners Den’s form clinic taught by Ron French. I know Ron a little and have tremendous respect for his opinions so I was an eager student. There were nine other people that signed up on my day. He video taped each of us which upon review confirmed I was over-striding. Like I thought, it was not too much, but it was clear I needed to improve.

Video doesn’t lie

Ron promotes a mid-foot versus a heel strike and that spurs much debate, especially when it comes to marathon running. One thing though that is pretty much agreed upon, there is no such thing as a bad mid-foot strike, but there is certainly bad heel striking. But the counter is a mid-foot strike does not hold up for longer distances. Even the great Haile Gebrselassie, altered his foot strike from mid-foot to a heel strike when he made the transition from 10,000 meters to the longer distances. All he did was set world records in both the half marathon and marathon as a heel striker. So what to do? Well the one thing that seems universal, try landing with you foot as flat as possible and 90 degrees to your shin. This will maximize efficiency and reduce the braking effect, regardless of mid-foot or heel strike. To see if you are over-striding look at yourself on video or a picture and see if you have too much toe pointing up and your leg straightens ahead of your body as you land. If so, you need to focus on your foot landing under you not in front of you.

So the first key is to not lose sleep over if you are a heel striker or a mid-foot, but to keep from over-striding. Have your foot land beneath you with your knee slightly flexed. Simple.

The second thing Ron had us focus on was to run centered. Essentially most people, especially novice runners, tend to lean forward and some even backwards. The key is to have your hips, shoulders and head all aligned over your natural center. To locate your natural center stand straight up, hands above your head with knees slightly flexed (slightly means slightly, not like you are ready to squat or play shortstop). Lean a little forward from the ankles. The point right before you start stumbling forward like a drunk is where you want to be. If you look at your profile you will see your weight is centered above the balls of your feet. Once again simple.

The third technique to focus on is staying level. A lot of over-striding will result in you bouncing or dipping with each step. All this excess motion up and down inevitably will result in fatigue as you go along. The longer the run or race the greater importance this efficiency is. You take approximately 33,000 steps in a marathon and a dip of just two inches per stride results in over a mile of wasted motion. Run in your natural center and keep those toes down and most of this excess motion will disappear. I would say this is simple as well.

The last thing Ron talked about was cadence. Some call it turnover but the definition is the same – the number of steps per minute. It seems that runners are all different heights, speeds and abilities and therefore cadence would be a highly personalized thing. But regardless of all of our individuality, we should all be running at a the same cadence of 180 steps per minute. I can’t figure out how that is possible, but people a whole lot smarter than me have done studies and graphs that prove it. Who am I to argue? To find out your cadence set the timer on your watch to a minute and count your steps. For me it was easier to count just my right foot and multiply by two. Sure enough I was running less than 180 and that is the easiest explanation of why I was over-striding. I tried running faster but that wasn’t increasing my turnover, it was just making me tired. So I took Ron’s suggestion and downloaded a metronome on my iPhone. I set it at 180 beats per minute and set out. It seemed far too rapid but the brain is an amazing thing. I just focused on the incessant beep and my stride automatically adapted. I ran three miles at a 180 pace without any incremental effort. To test it out on my run the next night i timed my cadence 5 times and every single time I was exactly 180. I even tried running faster and slower and each time it was 180. So, adjusting your cadence is not so simple on your own, but download a metronome and it is beyond simple. The hardest part is listening to that constant beeping without going nuts. My plan is to every now and then time my cadence confirming my change is permanent. If not, I will bust out the metronome and simple.

Haile Gebrselassie, altered his foot strike from midfoot to heel when he failed to transition from 10,000 meters to the marathon with the same degree of success

Ron says i am ready to run with better form.

I have been focusing on these four techniques the past two weeks and I have to say, there has been a difference. I am running about :15 faster and more importantly, there has been a noticeable reduction in stress on my body. Usually I am tired during the final stretch and trying to hold on to my pace, but lately my final mile has been my best mile. It is easy now but we will see how it holds up when I train for my next marathon and am doing some long runs.

So want to run faster and more efficiently? Focus on these four tips and you will improve.

Don’t over-stride
Run centered
Stay level
180 steps a minute

Simple

Posted in Running and tagged cadence, marathon training, running, running efficiency, running form | Leave a Comment

17 Feb 2013

My new speed workout

Feb. 17 2013

Years ago I was introduced to speedwork in my marathon training to get faster. It didn’t seem to make sense how these relatively short bursts would help in an endurance event, but it did. At first it consisted of the usual tempo runs, Fartleks, even some track work.

Then I came across Yasso 800′s developed by the legendary Bart Yasso. These are supposed to be a predictor of your marathon performance. The basic premise is you run ten 800 meter repeats and the time you run them in translates to your marathon time. So you run your ten Yasso’s in 3 minutes 30 seconds each, then you should be able to run your marathon in 3 hours and 30 minutes. While I think this is a great workout I have yet to find anyone that it has worked as an exact predictor and this ranges from a 2:36 marathoner to the 5 hour crowd. If it worked, I would have run a couple of Boston’s by now. Regardless, I still do them as a final test of my preparedness for marathons as I think it is an excellent predictor of if you are ready for your marathon.

One thing most speedwork workouts have in common is they are redundant and not fun (Fartleks excluded). They consist of running hard to the point of exhaustion, draining every ounce of strength from my legs strength. Recently I created a new workout by accident. It is requires two runners and is great if one runner is faster and you normally don’t get to run together. Here is how it goes:

I leave before Carolyn if we are running the same distance. We both run the same route and she tries catching up to me and I try go stay not let that happen. Then after she catches up with me as she always does, I need to keep up with her for the rest of the way home. If she is running farther than me, I leave after her and my route intersects hers towards the end. We time it so the final mile should be her on my heels or me struggling to keep up with her.

I run this as on days I am doing my speedwork and Carolyn is doing an moderate run. It is great because it pushes me to run faster when she is chasing me because I want to run as little as possible at her pace. Plus there is the whole ego thing. On days I am chasing her I also have to run fast so I am able to catch her, otherwise I am running hard with no reward.

So if your running partner is like mine in that your joint runs consist of starting out together and then reconvening at the finish this is a great way to run together. Even when she isn’t with me, she is with me. I am consumed with thoughts of avoiding her or of catching her and it keeps my focus on running hard after a goal – a real tangible goal, not simply running against the clock. I am sure down the road this workout is going also be great training for finishing races, not allowing other runners to pass me when I am tired down the stretch.

Posted in Running and tagged Fartlek, marathon training, running, speedwork, tempo run, Yasso 800 | Leave a Comment

26 Jan 2013

It does rain in Phoenix

January 26, 2013

Yea it gets hot, really hot, in Phoenix in the summer. And sure it gets a little chilly during the winter months early in the morning.

But we usually can’t say it is wet too often. It started raining sometime last night and hasn’t stopped yet. Because we don’t get a lot of rain here, about 8 inches a year, our civic engineers really didn’t worry too much about drainage when laying out our streets. That means when it sprinkles we flood, so when we have 12 plus hours of constant rain you can imagine for yourself what the intersections look like.

One of the advantages of not really training for anything is I am not running very far. That means when I headed out the door I only had to endure about a half our of being drenched. And drenched I got. Carolyn, on the other hand, because of her bad luck in qualifying for Boston had to do a nice sixteen miles around a fog-cloaked Mummy Mountain in the rain.

Running down the streets, I felt as if I was on an obstacle course as I certainly wasn’t doing the old point A to point B straight line thing, avoiding what some may consider puddles, but I viewed them more as brooks or perhaps lagoons. There was some hopping, skipping, a little triple jump action and some general sloshing. I tried running down the middle of the street where the road was crowned but traffic wasn’t too supportive of my endeavor. When I tried the shoulder or sidewalk the cars rewarded me with a nice rooster tail of spray.

During the run I ran in to a gaggle of walkers with bibs wrapped in plastic or covered with umbrellas. A couple had the unfortunate pleasure of no protection from the rain. Turns out there was the Urban Challenge, a city wide scavenger hunt taking place today. I chatted with them for a little bit and they had good spirits. I gladly suggested the best route to their next checkpoint. I really hope I was right.

Needless to say It was a fun change and there is something wonderful about running in the rain. Oddly the run just feels more pure, kinda like when you run at sunrise or isolated trail run. I am not sure I would feel the same way if I lived in Portland, but here in Phoenix it was great. My shoes are stuffed with paper towels in hope they dry out by tomorrow and I had a general sogginess feeling that a shower was no cure, but for the occasional run, it couldn’t have been better weather.

Posted in Running and tagged Boston Marathon, rain, running, Urban Challenge | Leave a Comment

20 Jan 2013

2013 P.F. Changs Rock and Roll Marathon recap

January 20, 2013

Only 13 more miles to go.

I didn’t run in any of this year’s P.F. Changs Rock and Roll Marathon events, but I did spend most of the day down in Tempe surrounded by the activities. Carolyn was running in the half as part of her training for Boston so I drove her down to the race. It is pretty nice working two blocks from the start line so we were able to park in my garage and then go to my office to use the bathroom, stay warm and use the bathroom again.

I walked to the corrals with Carolyn as she waited for the starting gun. A few minutes before she was able to shed her warm clothes and hand them to me. Then off she went. I went back to my office and changed for my own run. Just a short run to kill time until I positioned myself to cheer on the racers. When I left my office I was amazed they were still sending waves for the 1/2 off. I ran a little route that had me run past the finish line then around Tempe Town Lake and finally up Mill Avenue and along the finish route. I discovered that the race now had some bike event included as when I was running over the bridge into downtown Tempe, the bikers were shouting there is a runner, there is a runner. Yea it was embarrassing for me, but should have been for them as well. I don’t quite think I look like a sub 45 minute half marathon runner.

Inspired doesn’t even begin to describe it

After my run I camped out along the street, watching the first of the half finishers, as well as runners from another new event – the mini marathon. I have no idea where the hell a mini marathon came from other than the opportunity to make more money. 1400 runners signed up to run 5.4 miles that promised to capture all the excitement of the marathon. I don’t begrudge anyone for participating in a race, but come on. First, 5.4? Couldn’t they just add another block and make it a 10K? And secondly, other than getting a medal, and being around people in the marathon, I don’t see how a 5K on steroids or a stunted 10K captures the glory of completing a grueling challenge of endurance and metal fortitude of marathon, but whatever, anything to get more people running.

Carolyn came in just shy of 1:41, right where she wanted. I then saw the great miler Stevc Scott, owner of 136 sub 4 minute miles, finish a couple of minutes later. I would love to say Carolyn beat an Olympian, but unfortunately he qualified for the boycotted 1980 games. Then I saw the winner of the marathon wheelchair division. If seeing those guys doesn’t inspire you, I think you need to check to see of you have a pulse.

After cheering on the elite, then the really good and then the beginning of the warriors at the half, the leader of the marathon turned the corner. It wasn’t the usual Kenyon, but a guy wearing a bib in the 50,000′s. Ryan Neely from Berkley, California won in just over 2:30. I don’t know if he has won any others or how serious of a racer he is, but I know on this day, he beat all the others. And anyone that can run 2:30 is bad ass regardless of bib number.

Not too much later, Christie Farber with a more appropriate 111 bib won the female race with a time just south of 2:45. From what I understand she lead from from wire to wire. This victory came on the heels of winning the Tucson Half last month (her husband won the men’s half).

They may not have won, but they had a good time.

It was a fun day being support for Carolyn and spectator for the thousands of other runners. Of course watching all of these impressive achievements regardless if it was a sub three hour marathon or a three hour half, made me wish I was out on the course myself.

Posted in Running, Uncategorized and tagged Marathon, PF Changs Rock and Roll Marathon, running | Leave a Comment

13 Jan 2013

Gotta stretch

January 13, 2013

Well I don’t have any marathons or even halves on my calendar for 2013 yet. As a result it has been hard to stay motivated or to push myself. I have just been running a couple of days a week just to say I am running but I am slow and I don’t have much endurance. My usual run is three miles and my long run is four.

Therefore I realized I need to focus on something else. Just what that something is hasn’t revealed itself. Well that is until today. Even with my low mileage running has been a pain in the ass. Literally. My piriformis has been a constant nag. I have decided to do something about it. I have never been one that stretched much, before or after runs. I figured daily runs kept me loose enough and I have been blessed with only one running injury in my running tenure. A tweaked hamstring that kept me sidelined for two months until I had electricity zapped through it a couple of times. But for the most part, I lace the shoes, open the door and run.

I am now 45 and things are starting to move a little slower and ache a little more. I decided earlier today I am going to start doing some stretching and core exercises. I am modest or maybe an under-achiever, but I am going to go for 3-4 times per week.

I started earlier with some basic exercises to just start a routine. I have had several people tell me about planking and how it is an awesome core exercise. I admit I was skeptical as it looks so simple. People talk about how two minutes is awesome. I thought easy. Well I learned that planking is a lot harder than it looks. I ended up doing 4 sets of :20 seconds. I did 4 sets of a great piriformis stretch, some side planks, leg lifts and a couple of yoga poses – downward dog and prayer stretch. This isn’t a lot I know, but it is about 15 minutes more of stretching and conditioning than I have been doing. Maybe as my core gets stronger and my hamstrings loosen up I will increase the frequency and intensity of my exercises. My goal is not to have six-pack abs, but rather keep my running enjoyable and relatively pain free as I get older.

Posted in Life, Running and tagged core excerise, downward dog, Eric rutin, planking, running, stretching | Leave a Comment

22 Nov 2012

Black Friday Running Deals

November 22, 2012

Most people wake up on Black Friday and go shopping at some God awful early hour, but as runners we are probably off logging some miles at 5 am. Below are some of the Black Friday sales at my favorite local running stores.

iRun
Hours: 10 am – 6 pm
4730 E. Indian School, Phoenix

Rather than the traditional early morning deals, iRun owner and ultra runner Mark will be hosting a Black Friday Happy Hour – Fri 3-6pm with 15% off everything except Garmin. 5% off extra if you are fashionable enough to wear U of A colors. (I suppose Mark will take pity and offer the same discount for those unfortunate souls that wear maroon and gold) Beer and wine will be served and football will be on the big screen as well.

The rest of the weekend is 10% off shoes and 15% off apparel.

Runner’s Den
Hours: 10 am – 6 am
6505 N. 16th St., Phoenix

You won’t need to wake up early to go see Craig, Ron or any of the other great folks at Runner’s Den on Friday. They will be offering 25% of all in-store apparel plus special 30% on select items.

If you buy $100 of gift cards for your friends and family you will get a bonus $25 gift card you can use to buy yourself something nice.

Lastly Asics 2170 and Brooks Adrenelines will be on sale for $79.95.

Still in a post Thanksgiving food coma on Friday? Don’t worry, the sale runs through the weekend!

Road Runner Sports
Hours: 9 am – 7 pm
43 S. McClintock, Tempe (Tempe Marketplace) or 7077 E. Mayo Blvd., Scottsdale

Are you a VIP member? If so, you will save an additional 10% bringing the total discount to 20%. If you are needing a GPS watch, he Garmin 610 will have 100 bucks knocked off it.

There are oodles of online sales, but the folks are running stores are so much more enjoyable than a cyber transaction. So sleep in, go for a run and then go visit one of these great stores and talk some running and buy some gear at a great price.

Posted in Running and tagged Black Friday, iRun, Road Runner Sports, Runners Den, running | Leave a Comment