I am The Warrior

bang, bang I am the warrior

How did the Warrior Dash go down? It was exactly like this classic video by Scandal, only with more mud and less dancing, but only slightly less dancing.






 It was a little longer than a 5K. There was 12 more obstacles to conquer than you're typical 5K, unless you count heat as an obstacle.  So, 11 more obstacles to conquer than something like the Redlegs Run For Home 5K. There was a lot more mud than you're typical 5K. It was a hell of a lot more fun than any 5K I've ever run.

As we lined up at the starting line. Beth asked, "so are you sticking with the group?" Well, maybe...I can't make any promises. A few minutes later the race began with a burst of flames from over the start line. Shootin' at the walls of heartache bang, bang I am the warrior. It was on. Once the race is on all bets are off. I stayed with the group for about....well I didn't.

The race is a bit of a blur. Looking back at the course map doesn't really help. I could swear we hit the slithering swamp and the junkyard jam a lot earlier in the course. Here are my impressions of the race:

The fire goes off and we're running. I'm thinking I need to slow down. I need to slow down. It's so hot I'm gonna regret taking off fast. I turn to the runner next to me as I often do during a hot race and say, "It's so damn hot...milk was a bad choice." Then I run away while the runner is laughing or looking confused. Either way I win.

We hit some woods and blessed shade and....mud! The trail is slick as hell as we wind our way along the trails. I scamper across the planks. Don't fall..don't fall...don't fall...

Junkyard jam...I jump, I climb over old beat up cars....

Run...run...down a muddy slope into and dive into a huge watery mud pit. OMG it stinks...

Running, or more like jogging, as I'm soaked from head to toe and covered in mud. I can see out of one sunglasses lens. Water! Me: "how many glasses of water can I take?" volunteer: "as many as you need." I grab a couple and douse my sunglasses to see again.

Run...run...tires, legs so tired...run, run....hay...climbing...cargo net...climbing...about a million little hills...legs so tired...




FIRE!



After being slightly singed it was back into the mud as we crawled under barbed wire (for real) and on to the finish!

I found out later that I came in with a very respectable time of  25:50. After the race it didn't really matter what the times were. To the victors go turkey legs and beer...and we were all winners.

More photos to come....

Cannonball Queen

Dude. Don't mess with the queen. She will totally cannonball you.

AM I A WARRIOR?

I'll find out this Saturday as I head out with a group of friends and warrior wannabe's to Joliet, Illinois. What trials await us to determine if we are warriors? According to the battleground map we'll be facing such obstacles as the warrior wall, hell's hills, slithering swamp, satan's slope and so on.

Unfortunately this year I will be more of an unofficial warrior. I am running in place of somebody that is unable to attend and it was to late to get the registration changed into my name. I'm sure he has good reason to drop out, and quite frankly we aren't all cut out to be warriors. The community needs farmers too. Maybe he could compete in some sort of Facebook Farmville Challenge. Too harsh?

Unofficial warrior or not I am taking my task very seriously. I've removed my bed from the bedroom and have been sleeping in a pit of mud. I wake up every morning scale a cargo net into the kitchen and eat fire for breakfast. It's a good start.

The Fastest and Funniest LEGO Star Wars story ever told

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away I posted this hilarious video (still makes me laugh) of Star Wars being retold by someone who has never seen it.

Now let's go back a long time ago in a LEGO galaxy far, far away....

Forest Hills 5K

Any given race could be your best or worst race..

This was almost literally a last minute decision to run in the Forest Hills 5K. As I was walking out the door at 7:30 am into a sunny, warm morning I knew I would regret skipping this race. I quickly changed clothes in my car and took off for Nagel Middle School. This was more than just another 5K. This was a fund raising event for my cousin Heather's school district. In addition to the race there was a festival that included a fun mascot race. Before that though, a quick race summary.

I came into the 5K with low expectations. I had just finished a 12 hour overnight shift that was spent mostly on my feet. I've been experiencing achilles tendon pain and calf pain. I'm pretty sure one or the other is going to snap and roll up like a fruit roll up one of these days. Because of this I didn't have a good race at all for the Pig. All things considered I figured if I could make it through the race without the fruit roll up effect I was good.

I was able to work my way up to the front of the pack at the start which was very good. This was an out and back course, so the roads got very congested very quickly. You can play a little Where's Waldo with the photo above. Look for the white hat, red shirt. I won't go into the gory details, because at this point I don't remember the details. I remember Thunderstruck kicking off the race in my ears and thinking this is gonna be damn good race. I remember heading out on a lot of downhill and thinking oh crap, I need to run back up those hills. I remember having something left in the tank and targeting the runner in front of me then mowing him down.

The result was a very solid 21:37 time and a second place finish in my division. Good run, well done.

After the race I stuck around to meet up with the family and catch Heather run in the mascot race. I've got some pretty sweet video that I was planning on editing together and posting here. Maybe someday I will. In the meantime enjoy these photos.

The Swimming/Flying Pig Marathon

It's 55 degrees with a light breeze. It's a little overcast. Maybe it's sunny and there are puffy clouds floating lazily along offering an occasional break from a warming sun. I feel weightless. My legs are pumping rhythmically and feel like I could go all day. I'm running the race of my life. There is no pain. The finish line is up ahead, and I have reached the pinnacle of my racing career. I am Pre. I am Bolt. And I am Benoit as she won her second Boston Marathon in a world record time. Then I wake up.

I am standing near the starting line of the Flying Pig Marathon in the pouring rain at 6:45 in the morning.  I have a trash bag with a whole cut out of the bottom over my body trying to keep some square inch dry with no success. My fingers are so soaked my iPhone has stopped responding to my touch. Maybe it's for the best, because I'm pretty sure that if I get my playlist fired up it's going to send a death shock up through the headphone wire and into my brain. Fortunately, as the gun goes off to start the race I get the tunes rolling and I don't die of a sudden shock.

It's an hour later and after slogging it up the hills into and out of Eden Park I'm wishing that there had been a sudden shock that killed me at the start line. I've been running an hour and my legs still haven't quite loosened up and my stomach is starting cramp up...and then I wake up. I said I wake up. Oh no, I'm awake. Crap.

This pretty much sums up my experience at the 2010 Flying Pig Half Marathon. It was wet and soggy. I didn't have a good run at all and my iPhone had a near death experience that lasted for 4 hours after race. I'm fine, but I think it's suffering from PTSD. I can't say it was a total waste of time. Any day out on a run isn't a terrible day, and I did learn a few things.

• Technical running shirts are awesome. Heavy weight technical running shirts in the rain are terrible. After about 10 minutes I felt like I was running with a wet blanket wrapped around my upper body. When running in the rain forget about planning to stay dry at all. Plan to wear the lightest material that will hold the least amount of water possible. Those dudes that run in speedos don't seem so ridiculous after all. Who am I kidding? Yes they do.

• There is no such thing as a 100% waterproof pouch/case, especially when you have to open it. I was using an iFitness belt to keep my iPhone and a few things in. It didn't get rain directly in it, but there was so much moisture in the air combined with me opening the pouch and fiddling with said iPhone spelled doom. When in doubt leave the expensive stuff at home.

• In case of electronics meltdown due to moisture don't freak. There are several remedies for wet electronics that don't include spiking them on the ground when they quit working. Here is one that I was reminded of by a friend on Facebook. Thanks Nathan. Finally I have a use for all those little bags of rice I get at the pig and other races. 

• Any given race could be your best or worst race no matter how well prepared you thing you are. I suffered pain my knees and tightness in my calves for no really good reason. I also suffered some stomach discomfort. Not sure why. I ate the same thing I've eaten before dozens of other races with the exact opposite results. It's a mystery.

Finally, as I put the pig to bed again for another year, maybe I should say always enjoy the run and the experience. Or, any day running is a good day. That's not true. Some days I hate the run. During races like this I want to quit. I could be sitting on the couch right now reading a book, watching a movie or anything else that doesn't involve rain, pain and running. Then the race is over, and I dry off and the pain subsides.  After a good meal and a few hours on the couch with that movie or book my mind drifts to the pig. Next year. It's gonna be 55 degrees and sunny.  I'll be well trained. I'll be weightless....

March of the Flying War Pigs

Less than a week left until the Flying Pig Half Marathon!  It's time to get my running mix on. This year I decided to go 100% kick ass rock and roll. "You gotta kick off with a killer, to grab attention." That's exactly what I did Rob. Thunderstruck blows it up and makes me want to kick somebody in the teeth every time. "Then you got to take it up a notch..." Listen Rob this is my mix, my rules. I decided to cool it off a bit with a mid-tempo bar brawling rocker. Then I bumped it up 3 notches with my fist in your face, and your face on the floor.  You get the point.

I took the mix for a 6 mile test run this morning and it does indeed totally kick ass. I found myself having to slow it down a bit to meet my goal pace. That is a very good sign. Then I punched a squirrel in the face.  I knew the mix was ready. That squirrel should have never stepped to me. Welcome to the jungle squirrel. You're gonna diiiiiiiieeee.

B-EE-RR-UN

This blog post and Flying Pig Run is brought to you in technicolor by the refreshing taste of MGD Light 64

Look for me on race day drinkin' a beer and wearing this shirt

I am a master practitioner procrastinator and occasionally it really pays off. I've been getting regular email newsletters from The Flying Pig Marathon for years. Every year they countdown to race weekend with an email of updates and information everyday.  

22 days to go: Pig Out Saturday Night! Hell yeah I will.
21 days to go: Mail in entries are closed! Oh crap I haven't signed up for the half marathon yet.  
20 days to go: It's Miller Time at the Pig! Time out. Flying pig says what?


The first 64 to show up and sign up at O'Bryon's in O'Bryonville on Tuesday night, April 13th from 6-8 p.m. can be part of the MGD 64 running team!


I am so there...and I was. After a quick stop at the Running Spot to pick up some shoes....

 I love you Cumulus

 

I rolled across the street at about 4:45 to be sure that I was early enough to get a spot. Turns out I wasn't the only one that was determined. I was the second person to show up. One determined runner had been waiting since 3 pm. Dedicated procrastinator. My kind of person.  


All I had to do was hang out drink a few free Miller MGD 64s and sign up for the race...also free. All I have to do is wear the team shirt (up above) on race day. Done and done. Hell, they can hand me an MGD 64 during the race and I'll drink it down with a smile on my face and a big thumbs up. Aaaahhh refreshing.   

"Sometimes you eat the bear...."

"...and sometimes, well, he eats you."

Were there any truer words spoken than these by The Stranger? I think not. In the Heart Mini-Marathon the bear is Torrence Parkway. You are, well, you, the runner. A lot of people get eaten by the bear. New comers are surprised to find the bear between mile 5 and 6. Actually, the bear finds them...and eats them. If you run the 15k be warned. Torrence the bear awaits, and he is hungry.

I take great pains to not get eaten by Torrence. That means eating a weekly dose of bears for approximately 6 weeks leading up to the race. Bears are tough, chewy, salty and tiresome to eat, but it's all worth it race day. What am I talking about? I think I've beaten the metaphor into the ground.

The 33rd running of the Heart Mini-Marathon has come and gone once again. I went into this year's race with not much in the way of expectations. I wanted to run well, but didn't expect to set any personal records. This was a test race leading up to the Flying Pig Half Marathon in a few weeks. I wanted to try to maintain around a 7 minute/mile pace with something left in the tank at the end. It all went very well. I finished up at 1:06:04, which is a 7:07 pace. Perfect. It's a hilly course just like the pig at a faster pace than my last half marathon.

What's more perfect was the delicious Mokka french toast which was devoured after the race. Fast times are nice, but brunch with friends is what it's all about. 

Runners, take your mark...

Spring race season has arrived. In 3 days I'll be lining up for my 5th running of the Heart Mini Marathon 15k. The forecast is looking shitty just like last year. ugh. The first 4 years have seen steady improvement. Last year I brought it in at just under 1:05 for a personal record at 15k. This may be the first year that doesn't happen. Training has been going well. I've been consistant with my runs and they've felt pretty good, but the speed just isn't there this spring. It's been harder to work on speed with my work schedule. It's hard to get pumped up for a speed workout after being on your feet for 12 hours overnight.  On top of that I've been dealing with shin and foot pain. Also probably from working on my feet for long hours.
 
This year it's going to be less about speed and more about mixing it up. I'm going to enjoy the usual running and races, but want to mix in a couple of triathlons. That's probably what I'm most excited about doing. The swimming is going well, though it's been a little inconsistent over the last couple of weeks. I blame it on the fact that the dog at my goggles. True story. That little bastard. I've got some new ones now, and hit the pool evening for a good workout. up to 600 yards for my longest set and ready to move up to 1000 yards. I haven't been following that swimming schedule exactly, but it's a good guideline. Now I need to work in some cycling.

Maybe this year will be a little bit about the speed. Looking at my personal records I have one long standing record. My 10k personal record was set at the Thanksgiving Day Race in 2006. There are a couple of 10k races in the fall where I can take a shot at this record. Maybe I should....maybe I need to quit whining and grow a pair....



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyWBmTq3JJw

Just Keep Swimming

 I have a new addiction this winter. Swimming. A couple weeks ago I started a new program. 0 to 1650 in six weeks. I'm working my way up to swimming a mile straight. The ultimate goal in this is to sign up for a couple of triathlons this year. I've got my eye on a couple. In May there is the Tri for Joe at Coney Island. It would be a good first tri for the year since it's done in a pool, then in August there is the East Fork Triathlon.  

The program is below. If you want more info check out this link. 
  
WEEK one (Three Days):
4 x 100 yards (or meters)...rest for 12 breaths between 100s
4 x 50 yards...rest for 8 breaths between 50s
4 x 25 yards...rest for 4 breaths between 25s
total: 700 yards
(Your pool is 50 meters? Just add 2 50s instead of the 25s)
 
WEEK two:
200 yards...rest for 12 breaths
4 x 100 yards...rest for 10 breaths between 100s
4 x 50 yards...rest for 6 breaths between 50s
4 x 25 yards...rest for 4 breaths between 25s
total: 900 yards

WEEK three:
400 yards...rest for 12 breaths
200 yards...rest for 10 breaths
4 x 100 yards...rest for 8 breathsbetween 100s
4 x 50 yards...rest for 4 breaths between 50s
total: 1200 yards

WEEK four:
600 yards...rest for 10 breaths
300 yards...rest for 8 breaths
4 x 100 yards...rest for 6 breaths between 100s
4 x 50 yards...rest for 4 breaths between 50s
total: 1500 yards 

WEEK five:
1000 yards...rest for 8 breaths
4 x 100 yards...rest for 4 breaths between 100s
4 x 50 yards...rest for 4 breaths between 50s
total: 1600 yards          

WEEK six (days 1 and 2):
1200 yards...rest for 6 breaths
3 x 100 yards...rest for 4 breaths between 100s
3 x 50 yards...rest for 4 breaths between 50s
(day 3)
1650 yards straight (equals 1500 meters)
total: 1650 yards!

Farewell to the Otts?, Ots?, Aughts? Happy 2010!

I'm not all that in to New Year's resolutions. I'll typically set up a few goals for the year for training or excercise, but not so much the traditional I'm gonna lose 10 lbs., quit smoking, or take up knitting type of resolutions. As a matter of fact this year I think I'll quit exercising and take up smoking. That way I can have some good resolutions for 2011. 2011 is gonna be my year. 2010? eh.

Actually 2010 is shaping up to be my year. Things are gonna change...I can feel it. In honor of a new year and a new decade here are a couple of resolutions. It's stuff I'll be doing anyway, so I'm virtually guaranteed success. First resolution is to join a new gym and get back to running and working out. I've been off for about a month now. It's time to get rolling again. The second resolution is to get back on the nursing school track. Since I changed jobs this year I lost my tuition reimbursement. As of June I can start getting reimbursed from the hospital. Let's do this. To start on that resolution I just finished up an application of University of Cincinnati. I'm gonna apply to as many nursing programs as I can. One will work out. My third resolution is to continue to not smoke...or smoke crack or do meth or heroine. Easy enough.

Happy New Year everybody!

Statistically Speaking: Favs of '09

It's that time kids. It's time for everybody to break out their year end/decade end lists of everything from the best music, movies, celebrity indiscretions to the best commercials. You name it there is probably a best of list to go with it. Here's my small contribution to the glut of favorites and bests. Here is a quick run down of my favorite music for the year of 2009.

Since Last.FM has tracked pretty much every song I've listened to in iTunes and on my iPod for almost 2 years these were pretty quick and easy lists to compile. We're going to keep it simple and go top 3 songs, artists and albums of the year.


Songs of the year:

3. Ludacris - One More Drink
I first heard this song at a WEBN fireworks party over Memorial Day Weekend. Thanks to my iPhone and Shazam I tagged it and picked it up the next day. It immediately went in to my running mix and heavy listening rotation. It's super catchy ear candy.

2. The Ting Tings - Be The One
Simple, catchy tune on a great album full of catchy tunes. This is another running mix mainstay of the year.

1. Neko Case - This Tornado Loves You
What better to describe the destructive side of love than a force of nature. I never grow tired of this song.

Artists of the year:

3. Neko Case - Brilliant songwriter and criminally under appreciated artist. Check her out. Now.

2. Lily Allen - Say it ain't so!! Hopefully she'll take some time off and come back kicking ass like she has on her first two albums.

1. Pearl Jam - Speaking of comebacks. I am a die hard Pearl Jam fan, and have every album they've released. I have nothing but respect for these guys as they ditched the mainstream, their label and went their own way to develop a Grateful Dead like following. This is the first album in a long time to get media attention and for good reason. It's brilliant.

Albums of the year. (Oddly this is not on the website, but only on the iPhone App.)

3. Pearl Jam - Backspacer
2. Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You
1. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone

If you don't own these albums. You are missing out.

Cardiac Cats Candies

My  Christmas bag of Cincinnati Bengals M&M's were invaded by a stray purple candy. I'm thinking it was a  Baltimore Ravens or Minnesota Vikings M&M. As you can see though the encroacher was soundly smashed by the delicious orange and black candies. Let's say it's Fav-ra and his Vikings and this is a glimpse of the coming playoffs. Who Dey.

Thanksgiving Day Race Report

Sometimes how you feel during a race is inexplicable. I've gone into races well prepared and sometimes something great happens, other times things go as planned, occasionally the wheels fall off. When I know I'm unprepared the result is usually as expected, but every once in a while something unexpected happens. This is one of those inexplicable races. It wasn't the best 10k I've run. I was almost 2 minutes slower, however considering the shape I've been in over the last couple of weeks it should have been 10 minutes slower.

It started about 10 days ago when I was taken to the emergency room having a hard time breathing, with a high fever and some other not so fun symptoms. I found out I had the dreaded H1N1. It was one of the most unfun nights I've had maybe ever and I've had my share. I did have the good fortune to leave the hospital that night with a prescription and orders to stay at home away from the rest of the world. I spent the next week taking Tamiflu, cough medicine and Advil while waiting for it to pass. As luck would have it I did get the vaccine which probably helped my recovery.

I was able to get out for my first "run" on Thursday. I couldn't take sitting in my apartment anymore. I went out for a slow walking, shambling run in which I had to stop every now and again to have a coughing fit. At least I was outside again.

By race day I had gotten in a couple more runs including a slowish interval session the Tuesday before the race to get my legs warmed up. I didn't have high hopes for the race, but I was determined to show up. To add to the odds against a good race I had to work Wednesday night before the race. I had been on my feet for 12 hours. I've run on mornings after my work shifts before and it's usually not good. My legs are usually tired and stiff.

So I rolled up to the starting line Thursday morning with conservative goals. If I could I wanted to hit some 7:30 minute/miles, and if things weren't feeling good I would just back off and enjoy the morning. And a beautiful morning it turned out to be at race time. It was clear, sunny and cool, a perfect day for racing.

The gun sounded at 9 am and 15,000 plus runners and walkers were off! The first few miles were all about being conservative. When you're running in such a large crowd it's very easy to get caught up in the excitement and take off too fast. I didn't want to get caught up and then pay for it late in the race. I found a pace where I felt comfortable and stuck with it. For those first few miles I tried to keep it around 7:15 minute/miles. You know...conservative.  I felt good. I mean I felt really good, but I forced myself to hold back. I always felt one breath away from a coughing fit with the cool air.

The course starts in downtown Cincinnati just outside the football stadium up through the city and back across the river into Newport and Covington, Kentucky looping back around to the stadium. We hit the halfway point in Kentucky. Everything still felt good. I held a steady pace. I watched some pull ahead and others start to drop back as they were worn down by that early rush. Damn I feel good. Is this possible? The other shoe is going to drop soon. I know it.

It wasn't until mile 5 that I let myself believe that I really was going to pull this off. The proverbial shoe never dropped. This was really going to happen. With 1.2 miles to go I finally opened things up. That last 1.2 miles were amazing. I clocked my fastest mile during the final stretch as I let loose and smiled to the end enjoying the sunshine, the crowd, the feeling of my legs pumping and the cool air in my lungs. It may not have been my fastest 10K or my fastest Thanksgiving Day Race, but it felt really great. It has me excited about racing again.

750 on the run

With my 7 mile run today I reached one of my major goals of the year. Or is it my only goal of the year? I can't really remember. Since it's the only one I can remember let's say it's my most important goal for 2009. Drum roll please....I surpassed 750 miles today! *Signals balloon drop and confetti cannons explode*!!!  Woohoo! As you can see from the photo above I was tracking my progress with a challenge group on Buckeye Outdoors.

I first mentioned this goal on a blog post back in April. It was just a means to keep me motivated and running throughout the year. It appeals to my competitive nature and totally worked. Maybe if I started it a little earlier I could have topped 1,000 miles. There's always next year! Next year I may use my iPhone along with a Nike+ chip and take on some challenges over there. I tried it out for the first time last night when I forgot my Garmin and borrowed Gina's chip for a run. While not the most accurate device, and far more simplistic than all the information the Garmin can provide I could totally get sucked into the social aspect of the Nike+ site.  Check out my one lonely logged run.

Halloween '09: Run Like Hell

It's time kids. Dress up as your favorite super hero/character/rock star/slutty whatever. In my case it's my favorite rock star, but more on that later. This year Halloween kicked off with one of my favorite races: The Run Like Hell! This is my 4th running of the race and it has become very near and dear to my heart. I've run it in costume, just run it, and even volunteered on the Cystic Fibrosis committee that puts on the event. If you've never been out for the race check it out for sure.

This year I just went out to run the race. It was a last minute call since I worked the night before (until 7 am that morning) and the weather outlook wasn't so awesome. As the afternoon went on it stayed very warm and there was no sign of rain. I was feeling pretty good after getting some sleep, so I ran on over to the race site and signed up. This turned out to be more of an ordeal than I had anticipated.

After signing up for the race I decided to stop by the Running Spot and pick up one of the 100th Anniversary posters for the upcoming Thanksgiving Day Race. In my haste to get in and out I accidentally locked my keys in my car! I was flipping out. I walked up to my car, and the keys were hanging out of the ignition...mocking me. Luckily, after a chance meeting with my girl Gina she came to the rescue with the assistance of AAA. Thank goodness. If not for that it was pay a locksmith or break the window and pay for that. I considered breaking the window.

I made it to the race site with 5 minutes to spare. It gave me just enough time to squeeze up near the front. The street was packed behind the starting line and I didn't want to get caught in a mass of costumed bodies. Even though I haven't been doing any real training for 5k racing and didn't have any particular goal in mind there is a part of me that can't help but think about the top 50. I had come close a few years back. If I had a good race I might be able to crack it.

The beginning of the race is downhill. As usual with most races there is a mass sprint at the beginning and the key is to not get swept up in the sprint. If I can hold back I will definitely be seeing many of these people once we hit the cemetery and the massive hill to the top. If I didn't see them there I would probably see them on the hills after the cemetery. There is only one race that I have done that is more hilly, The Reggae Run, and that's because it is all hill. The Run Like Hell is a series of hills with one mammoth one in the middle. The only good part is the downhill finish.

I felt pretty comfortable during the first part of the race. I kept a steady pace at the beginning and didn't worry too much about if I was passing anybody or if they were passing me. I just wanted to let the pace flow. I had plenty of time to punish myself on the hills...and were they punishing. Once we hit the cemetery we were  plunged into darkness. So we're battling up hill and then back down on a foot path in the dark surrounded by other unpredictable runners. It's not really the best setting to set a blazing pace. But no worries, it's a fun run right?

By the time we left the cemetery I was feeling pretty wasted. The climb up just about did me in. Working 12 hour overnight shifts seems to have taken its toll in terms of endurance. I'm not sleeping a regular sleep schedule and I can tell it's effecting my running. Even on training runs I often feel exhausted by mid-run. I just tell myself it's good training for tough races and push on, but still it's not helping. So, after leaving the cemetery I hunkered down and just kept up the best pace I could for the remainder of the race. I put the top 50 and my time out of my mind I would just enjoy the run. How often do you get to race at night surrounded by 3,000 other costumed runners?

So I let it go until the last 1/4 mile or so. I wasn't going to roll over and give up. As we topped the last hill I knew we had one turn left and a downhill straightaway to the finish. I stepped on the gas and finished strong as any self respecting competitor would. My official time was 22:19. It's a good time, but not my best. I ran a 21:21 in '06. I found out later I just missed the top 50 again! I'm not sure exactly by how much since some runners paid for chip timing and others didn't, but I know I was close. Next year it's on...for real. 

Culinary Adventures: Chicken and Dumplings Slow Cookin' Edition

There is something about the fall and winter that brings two words to mind: crock pot. It's all about warm comfort food on a cold, dark day. Gina and I became obsessed with the crock pot for like 2 days late last fall. We had big plans to crock pot our winter blues away. We'd put it on in the morning and come home to some warm soothing deliciousness. I bought a slow cooker recipe book and she bought a crock pot. It was so on! And then it was off. We definitely made one thing in it, possibly two things.

This year is different. Things are gonna change...I can feel it. This year it is on! For real! Maybe? Seriously though I'm digging the crock pot even more now that I'm working nights. I can pick up what I need on the way home. Throw the ingredients in...and voila! I wake up to a delicious, hot home cooked meal. Gina comes home from work to a hot meal. We could be heroes just for one day.

Today was just that day. I was craving some serious comfort food, and one of my favorites is chicken and dumplings. I decided to go with this Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings recipe from the Allrecipes iPhone app. It has become one of my favorite iPhone apps. I highly recommend it. I also recommend the Epicurious app as a companion recipe app. They're both free so, you know, why not? But I digress...

It's the simplest recipe imaginable...until you delve into the comments. People can't help themselves when it comes to commenting on recipes. They can't just say whether it's good or bad, or why they liked or disliked it. Inevitably they rewrite the entire recipe. A typical comment looks like this...

This recipe was great! It's so simple and easy to make. My (insert significant other here) and (insert number) kids kept eating it until they're stomachs ruptured and I had to take them to the hospital! OMG! hahaha. Anyway I made a few modifications: I changed it from chicken to beef, and added cumin, oregano, seasoning salt, parsley. I used beef broth instead of water to give it more flavor. I doubled the cooking time and changed the temperature by 20 degrees. Then I served it with my own family recipe sauce that has been passed down through the generations. I could tell what it is, but I'd be disowned. I know this recipe will be on the menu for years to come! 


Wait. What? Was the recipe great? If it was so great how come your preparation has absolutely nothing to do with the original recipe? I make fun, but the comments are usually helpful for spicing up a dish. I usually look over the comments and pick out a few modifications that are simple, and add to the recipe without becoming overly complicated.

For the chicken and dumplings I ended up going with this:

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 2 (10 ounce) packages  refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces
  with these changes from the first comment
  
• pinch of parsley, salt and pepper
• 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup
• 3/4 can of low sodium/low fat chicken broth
• 2 cans of mixed vegetables

I put in everything except the biscuit dough for the first 3 1/2 hours. I then added in the dough for the dumplings for the last 2 1/2 hours as suggested by the comment.

The verdict:
Gina and Aiden really liked it! Gina only suggested adding more vegetables. There actually was a lot of vegetables in it, but they were kind of pushed to the bottom by all the dough. I think I have a fix for that in my suggested changes for next time.

Next time: 
There are a few things I will change. First, I think I'll skip the cream of mushroom soup. The taste and smell was a little overpowering. It also thickened it up a little too much. Second I will use less dough. I think 1 can will be plenty for the recipe. I will also put it in later in the cooking process. With the cooking time and the extra time before dinner the dough soaked up a lot of liquid and turned the entire thing into a very thick stew. I want actual dumplings. Next time maybe an hour at most for the dumplings. Maybe add a few different seasonings which will be able to come through without the overwhelming mushroom soup. Other than that I think it's good.   

What should I throw in the crock pot next? 

Fall and Winter Plans

After spending 3 to 4 months training for a marathon or half marathon (as I did a few weeks ago) and the race is complete there is always a period afterward that is at once a relief and a bit of a let down. It's like post marathon depression. Crazy right? Probably. After months of structured training and weekly mileage I kind of miss it. I like to have a goal. Something to look forward to and a goal to reach. After a few weeks though comes the fun part. I get to look forward to the coming months and spring training! Ow!  Too much?

As I often do after months of running I'm looking forward to doing some other things this fall and winter. I have a few more races that I'd like to run:

• October 30th - Run Like Hell 5K
• November 26th - Thanksgiving Day Race 10K 
• December 5th - Jingle Bell Run 5K 

These will be for fun. I have no particular goals in mind, no special hopes for a pr. I just hope we have some good weather and some fun runs. The fall is going to be about building some base miles and getting in some cross training. The goal is to get into the gym once or twice a week to do some strength training along with some spinning classes and outdoor cycling when the weather is nice.

In January it's on. I've committed to run the Flying Pig Marathon Relay again with Gina and a couple of her friends. This will be the 4th Pig Relay I've done and it's super fun every time. I'd also like to do a spring marathon. I have a couple of contenders right now that I'm considering:

• April 11th - Athens Marathon 
• April 24th - Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon 

Here's looking forward to spring!

Ain't No Party Like a Windows 7 Launch Party!

....An incredibly awkward, uncomfortable Windows 7 Launch Party!! People have laughed, made fun of, and spoofed this incredibly weird and awkward video released by Microsoft to promote their home launch parties for Windows 7. That's right home launch parties for Windows! Ow! They've laughed and laughed...and kept right on talking about it. This may be one of the most genius marketing moves ever made by Microsoft. The original video is approaching a million views on Youtube. Watch because it's a train wreck. They still gotcha.  Who's laughing now?

Most of the spoofs don't come close to improving on the weirdness of the original. This one is pretty good though....