Wifey got to work on Monday and found out that one of her co-workers passed away over the weekend. She was on a motorcycle on the FDR and lost control of the bike. Even though they operated on her for five hours and were successful in reviving her, they could not stabilize her. She was 33, had a permanent smile, and sweet. Sweet, not in the sense that she was overly nice or cute, but rather that she was very warm, endearing, and curious.
I didn't know Celina very well. Honestly, I only met her a handful of times at wifey's office functions. However, she was a vivid part of the stories wifey would bring home from work every night. "Can you believe what Celina said during this presentation?!" "Celina and I were brainstorming for a new project..." "...and Celina just looked at me and said 'you worry too much.'" She was a big part of wifey's work family, so I do feel connected to her by association.
When we finally went to bed on Monday night, wifey curled up in my arms and cried. She sobbed, wondering why Celina had to race with her boyfriend down the FDR, how this could have happened to someone who so innocent, why God made the cruel decision to stop her life short. She couldn't understand it; there was no reason for Celina to die, no cause to make her a martyr of. It was random and senseless and unnecessary.
In my head I was saying "you can't make sense of it." You just can't. There are much greater things at play than what you or I can see. You have to find the lesson in the sadness--that life is too precious and can be taken too easily--and take that lesson with you. And unfortunately the only way to truly understand this lesson is through pain.
The day left me with a strange feeling of my own mortality, because, like wifey said, it really felt senseless--maybe not senseless as much as brief. That life can be taken away with such great ease in the blink of eye. It also brought back every time that I've been out running and didn't look before crossing the street or didn't stay off the bike path. I realized that death can come very easily to anyone.
4.23.2008
4.20.2008
Where did I put that anniversary?
I completely missed my blogoversary. April 4 marked one full year of blathering about running and sometimes other things. Anniversaries are a time for restrospection, a time for reflecting on the past year's events and mulling accomplishments along with the failures. And while I was going to put together a play-by-play of what has happened in the past year, let's be honest: it is 8pm on a Sunday night and there is a new Simpsons on. I am not going to do this. And really, if you skim this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, and this, you'll basically get all the good stuff.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
4.19.2008
Likes and Dislikes
- Dislike: people who use running clothes/shoes as regular clothes/shoes
- Like: cherry blossoms in Central Park during a run
- Like: 63 degrees, a light breeze, and not a cloud in the sky
- Dislike: chaffing nipples
- Like: remembering to put Body Glide on nipples before leaving
- Like: getting one run closer to a free pair of shoes
- Increasingly liking: trail runs
- Increasingly disliking: the media
- Like: Eating pancakes, eggs, and home fries after a long run
- Like: having said breakfast during said weather in favorite local diner's patio
- Dislike: getting hash browns instead of home fries (although I ate them all the same)
- Like: finally using the cooking class gift certificate that wifey gave me for Christmas to sign up for "Truffles, Truffles, Truffles" at the Institute of Culinary Education
- Like: "Truffles, Truffles, Truffles" falling on June 28, one week after Fairfield--nothing like using food as motivation
- Dislike: every single New Yorker being on the streets due to said weather
- Like: buying a much needed second pair of Converses
- Dislike: not being able to find a new pair of jeans, due in part the 50 million European tourists flooding all the stores
- Like: meeting up with friends tonight
- Like: wifey coming home from a week long business trip
- Dislike: having to give up free reign of the bed
4.16.2008
Whoa, whoa, whoa
I went out for what I intended to be an easy 30 minute run this morning.
I did my normal loop from my apartment to Astoria Park and back. I was really excited to go out because the weather is finally warm enough to run outside before work. I was also had a new playlist and the weather was absolutely perfect.
Now I don't know if it was the music or the withdrawl from this route, but I managed to finish at an 8:15 pace. Um, what? I mean that's not super fast, but my easy pace is usually over 8:45 when I'm on the treadmill. I double and triple checked, and yes, that was my pace. Holy crap! When did running become easy?
Who knows, maybe my goal of an 8:00 pace for Fairfield is actually a reality.
I did my normal loop from my apartment to Astoria Park and back. I was really excited to go out because the weather is finally warm enough to run outside before work. I was also had a new playlist and the weather was absolutely perfect.
Now I don't know if it was the music or the withdrawl from this route, but I managed to finish at an 8:15 pace. Um, what? I mean that's not super fast, but my easy pace is usually over 8:45 when I'm on the treadmill. I double and triple checked, and yes, that was my pace. Holy crap! When did running become easy?
Who knows, maybe my goal of an 8:00 pace for Fairfield is actually a reality.
4.14.2008
Magic weekend long run (a day late)
I was really excited to hit the roads today. Besides finally being able to do long runs again, I had mapped out a route through the parks along northern Manhattan--which is the one part of the island I have yet to explore.
I woke up this morning and hopped on the bus into town. Twenty minutes later I got off at 125th and Amsterdam. Five seconds later I discovered that I didn't load any music onto Liam (my iPod Shuffle) and realized that I would have a silent run (which I tend to avoid).
This route took me along some of the back streets of West Harlem on approach to the Greenway. Thankfully, it was daytime--otherwise I would not want to be there. Some of the places I passed were straight out of CSI. I did happen to pass by the gold standard of NYC BBQ: Dinosaur BBQ. Now that I know where it is, I might go there...but not at night.
Eventually I got to the point where the Greenway starts up again at 135th Street and was happily surrounded by greenery...and the Amtrak, which runs parallel to the Hudson all along the westside. Fortunately there seemed to be no train service today, because I was within 20 feet of the tracks for the next two miles.
Fort Washington Park, it turns out, is a beautiful park. Lots of fields, baseball diamonds, tennis courts, basketball courts---but they were mostly empty. I probably saw a total of 30 people on this leg of the run, which was nice--I didn't have to worry about dodging people or bikes like I normally would in Central Park. And this park had amazing views of the George Washington Bridge and the New Jersey Palisades. I figure the only reason this park was empty was because of the difficulty of reaching it (and the gray overcast).
As I went further North along the Hudson the park changed and I could tell I was getting to the older parts of the park, the parts that aren't well tended to. I ran across a Greek loggia called "the Greek Temple" that I later found was originally "built in 1925 as a destination for pleasure drivers on the old Riverside Drive." It was quaint and out of place, setting up the next landmark around the bend.
The s-curve revealed a gigantic arched gallery built into the granite boulders that make up Manhattan. Honestly, with the weathering, over-grown ivy, and ironic location (along Riverside Drive in Manhattan) the masonry looked as if it were natural--as if the columns were part of Manhattan's skeleton. It was eerie and surreal, and the gray weather only helped the atmosphere. This is the best picture I could find of the thing, back when it was part of an estate in present day Ft. Tryon Park. You can only see one arch here (the south side of the gallery), but it has about five arches that run along the street to the left (present day Riverside Drive). Trust me, it is impressive in person--I promise. I also found this NYT article, and oddly enough this one too, dated 1913.
At the end of this park I went crosstown along Dyckman Ave (pronounced "dikeman," yeah, lots of jokes in there) and turned south along the Harlem River. The Bronx made for less beautiful views than the New Jersey Palisades. The coolest thing about this part of the run was the High Bridge Park to my right and the stacked view of the Washington, High, and Hamilton bridges straight ahead.
I wrapped up the run on 155th Street at the southernmost point of High Bridge Park, caught a subway to the bus and went home. It was the first time in a very long time that I didn't want the run to end. It was also the first time in long time that I could describe a run as magical.
Surprisingly when I logged my time at home I realized that I was cruising at an 8:30 pace--which is great considering that this is the longest distance I've done since December, I had no music, and I thought I was taking it slow. I guess it was magic after all.
I woke up this morning and hopped on the bus into town. Twenty minutes later I got off at 125th and Amsterdam. Five seconds later I discovered that I didn't load any music onto Liam (my iPod Shuffle) and realized that I would have a silent run (which I tend to avoid).
This route took me along some of the back streets of West Harlem on approach to the Greenway. Thankfully, it was daytime--otherwise I would not want to be there. Some of the places I passed were straight out of CSI. I did happen to pass by the gold standard of NYC BBQ: Dinosaur BBQ. Now that I know where it is, I might go there...but not at night.
Eventually I got to the point where the Greenway starts up again at 135th Street and was happily surrounded by greenery...and the Amtrak, which runs parallel to the Hudson all along the westside. Fortunately there seemed to be no train service today, because I was within 20 feet of the tracks for the next two miles.
Fort Washington Park, it turns out, is a beautiful park. Lots of fields, baseball diamonds, tennis courts, basketball courts---but they were mostly empty. I probably saw a total of 30 people on this leg of the run, which was nice--I didn't have to worry about dodging people or bikes like I normally would in Central Park. And this park had amazing views of the George Washington Bridge and the New Jersey Palisades. I figure the only reason this park was empty was because of the difficulty of reaching it (and the gray overcast).
As I went further North along the Hudson the park changed and I could tell I was getting to the older parts of the park, the parts that aren't well tended to. I ran across a Greek loggia called "the Greek Temple" that I later found was originally "built in 1925 as a destination for pleasure drivers on the old Riverside Drive." It was quaint and out of place, setting up the next landmark around the bend.
The s-curve revealed a gigantic arched gallery built into the granite boulders that make up Manhattan. Honestly, with the weathering, over-grown ivy, and ironic location (along Riverside Drive in Manhattan) the masonry looked as if it were natural--as if the columns were part of Manhattan's skeleton. It was eerie and surreal, and the gray weather only helped the atmosphere. This is the best picture I could find of the thing, back when it was part of an estate in present day Ft. Tryon Park. You can only see one arch here (the south side of the gallery), but it has about five arches that run along the street to the left (present day Riverside Drive). Trust me, it is impressive in person--I promise. I also found this NYT article, and oddly enough this one too, dated 1913.
At the end of this park I went crosstown along Dyckman Ave (pronounced "dikeman," yeah, lots of jokes in there) and turned south along the Harlem River. The Bronx made for less beautiful views than the New Jersey Palisades. The coolest thing about this part of the run was the High Bridge Park to my right and the stacked view of the Washington, High, and Hamilton bridges straight ahead.
I wrapped up the run on 155th Street at the southernmost point of High Bridge Park, caught a subway to the bus and went home. It was the first time in a very long time that I didn't want the run to end. It was also the first time in long time that I could describe a run as magical.
Surprisingly when I logged my time at home I realized that I was cruising at an 8:30 pace--which is great considering that this is the longest distance I've done since December, I had no music, and I thought I was taking it slow. I guess it was magic after all.
4.12.2008
Third time's the charm
After three years of saying it, I am finally doing it! I just signed up for the Fairfield Half-Marathon.
Every year I manage to have an excuse to not run this race and it usually sounds something like this list: I'm too tired from my last race and I won't get enough training in before the race.
Well, thanks to my IT Band, I haven't had a race so far this year--so I'm not tired from any other training. Also thanks to my IT Band I was off the road for the first 2.5 months of the year--so I'm eager to get back into training. So that gets rid of both excuses.
There's always the financial issue. When I ran the Long Branch Half-Marathon last year, the whole trip totaled to almost $1000 between hotel, car, registration, eating out, etc. Yes, $1000 to run a race two hours away. However, this race is going to be cheap: registration was just $33 (odd price, I know), it's so close that we're going to drive there and back the same day (there are showers provided for runners), and we're renting the car through Zip Car--which means my max car related expenses will be $73.
Training begins on Monday with...a rest day, which is awesome. Unfortunately, the rest of the training plan indeed calls for running, unlike some other training plans.
Now I'm off to eat leftover dessert from yesterday to celebrate the start of training.
4.05.2008
I'm it--watch out
Ted tagged me on his website to do the six-word bio that is making it's way through the running blog circles. Here are the rules:
(1) Write your own six word memoir.
(2) Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you want.
(3) Link to the person that tagged you in your post, and to the original post if possible so we can track it as it travels across the blogs-universe.
(4) Tag at least five more blogs with links.
(5) Leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play.
This is going to be an interesting exercise in conciseness for someone that is usually verbose. I could go the running route. Or the college sweetheart route. Or the lived up and down the east coast route. Or even the advertising route--uck, I think I'll ignore that. Or the really, really, really enjoy food route. The possibilities are endless, but the words are limited.
While I like "I'm faster than my better half," I think that would be a one-way ticket to the couch tonight. Then I thought of "Eat today. Run tomorrow. Work a lot." but I really didn't really like how that one ends on a sour note. Then I finally got one that worked for me. So without further adieu, here is my six-word memoir:
And my tags are:
1. Jon
2. Nitmos
3. Moon
4. Steve
5. ...um, crap, it seems like everyone else I know has already done this. Um. Um. I'll tag wifey and let you know what her six-word memoir is.
(1) Write your own six word memoir.
(2) Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you want.
(3) Link to the person that tagged you in your post, and to the original post if possible so we can track it as it travels across the blogs-universe.
(4) Tag at least five more blogs with links.
(5) Leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play.
This is going to be an interesting exercise in conciseness for someone that is usually verbose. I could go the running route. Or the college sweetheart route. Or the lived up and down the east coast route. Or even the advertising route--uck, I think I'll ignore that. Or the really, really, really enjoy food route. The possibilities are endless, but the words are limited.
While I like "I'm faster than my better half," I think that would be a one-way ticket to the couch tonight. Then I thought of "Eat today. Run tomorrow. Work a lot." but I really didn't really like how that one ends on a sour note. Then I finally got one that worked for me. So without further adieu, here is my six-word memoir:
Eat, run, work, laugh, sleep. Repeat.
And my tags are:
1. Jon
2. Nitmos
3. Moon
4. Steve
5. ...um, crap, it seems like everyone else I know has already done this. Um. Um. I'll tag wifey and let you know what her six-word memoir is.
3.31.2008
Running as group sport
A few weeks back I went to the Super Runner's Shop on 86th Street to buy some much needed winter gear. While at checkout I picked up a flyer for the shop's weekend group runs. There was the usual group run incentives listed on the flyer: free food, bag storage, bathrooms. But at the end of the list was one additional incentive: after ten runs with the group you get a free pair of shoes.
Say whaaaaaa?
I'll take a free pair of shoes. Especially since no one is throwing me a free pair to review any time soon. And all I have to do is run? So I get a free pair of shoes for doing what I'm already doing on the weekends. Perfect!
Now, I've never done a group run. The closest I've ever come to a group run before was a few times I went out with my super-fast friend who charged ahead of me within the first few miles of our run. So this whole running as social interaction thing is new to me.
They told me over the phone to get there a little before 9am, but in my excitement to get out the door and in a twist of speediness by the NYC subway system, I show up at the shop at 8:30am. And it is 30 degrees outside. And Starbucks is closed, despite their hours sign saying that they open at 6am on Saturdays. I entertain myself by buying and devouring a granola bar at CVS and then walking around the block a few times. It is still 30 degrees.
At 8:50 I pass by again and find the gate up and people inside the shop. I head inside and tell them I'm there for the run. I sign in (run #1 toward free shoes!) and start stretching. Slowly, a group starts amassing. Most appear to be regulars and are on a first name basis. Once we reach a critical mass the shop manager tells us that there will be two groups: a 5-mile group and a 10-mile group. Well, 5-miles is a little short, but 10-miles is a little long. But since I'm new to the whole social running bit I figure I'll go with the shorter distance.
We head out with a light jog toward Central Park. Ah. I was expecting a little more creativity in choices of routes from a weekly running group, but then again, it is the safest location in the city since there is no car traffic. We separate into the two distances and head out in opposite directions. Our group is doing 5-miles at about a 9-9:30 min/mile pace. Ah. I thought these people would be a little faster.
Per usual I start out fast. (I really need to fix that.) I stay close to the pacers and never lose them through out the whole run. I start off next to one girl that I had started talking to, but quickly found out that I was much faster than her. The next two miles were quiet and slightly more grueling than I remember Central Park. Maybe we are going my regular pace of 8:45ish?
At one point we pass an officer galloping by on a horse--which is one of the most majestic things you'll ever see in NYC. It starts up a conversation about horses and horseback riding. I start talking to one of the girls in the group who used to ride horses competitively. We carry on talking for the rest of the run. I find out that she ran the Tybee Marathon--which I want to run only for the reason that I would be justified in eating at Paula Dean's restaurant in nearby Savannah--and actually placed there. That makes me feel good because I'm keeping step with her...until she tells me that this is her first run in months due to a pinched nerve, among other health problems. (And there goes the ego boost.)
We wrap up the run where we started and walk back over to the running store where bananas, OJ, water, and bagels await. We also get 20% off coupons (sweet!) for going on today's run. One of the runners also gives out sweet tamarind, which is an odd, if not exotic, choice to bring as recovery food.
Say whaaaaaa?
I'll take a free pair of shoes. Especially since no one is throwing me a free pair to review any time soon. And all I have to do is run? So I get a free pair of shoes for doing what I'm already doing on the weekends. Perfect!
Now, I've never done a group run. The closest I've ever come to a group run before was a few times I went out with my super-fast friend who charged ahead of me within the first few miles of our run. So this whole running as social interaction thing is new to me.
They told me over the phone to get there a little before 9am, but in my excitement to get out the door and in a twist of speediness by the NYC subway system, I show up at the shop at 8:30am. And it is 30 degrees outside. And Starbucks is closed, despite their hours sign saying that they open at 6am on Saturdays. I entertain myself by buying and devouring a granola bar at CVS and then walking around the block a few times. It is still 30 degrees.
At 8:50 I pass by again and find the gate up and people inside the shop. I head inside and tell them I'm there for the run. I sign in (run #1 toward free shoes!) and start stretching. Slowly, a group starts amassing. Most appear to be regulars and are on a first name basis. Once we reach a critical mass the shop manager tells us that there will be two groups: a 5-mile group and a 10-mile group. Well, 5-miles is a little short, but 10-miles is a little long. But since I'm new to the whole social running bit I figure I'll go with the shorter distance.
We head out with a light jog toward Central Park. Ah. I was expecting a little more creativity in choices of routes from a weekly running group, but then again, it is the safest location in the city since there is no car traffic. We separate into the two distances and head out in opposite directions. Our group is doing 5-miles at about a 9-9:30 min/mile pace. Ah. I thought these people would be a little faster.
Per usual I start out fast. (I really need to fix that.) I stay close to the pacers and never lose them through out the whole run. I start off next to one girl that I had started talking to, but quickly found out that I was much faster than her. The next two miles were quiet and slightly more grueling than I remember Central Park. Maybe we are going my regular pace of 8:45ish?
At one point we pass an officer galloping by on a horse--which is one of the most majestic things you'll ever see in NYC. It starts up a conversation about horses and horseback riding. I start talking to one of the girls in the group who used to ride horses competitively. We carry on talking for the rest of the run. I find out that she ran the Tybee Marathon--which I want to run only for the reason that I would be justified in eating at Paula Dean's restaurant in nearby Savannah--and actually placed there. That makes me feel good because I'm keeping step with her...until she tells me that this is her first run in months due to a pinched nerve, among other health problems. (And there goes the ego boost.)
We wrap up the run where we started and walk back over to the running store where bananas, OJ, water, and bagels await. We also get 20% off coupons (sweet!) for going on today's run. One of the runners also gives out sweet tamarind, which is an odd, if not exotic, choice to bring as recovery food.
All in all, it was a good run. At first I didn't realize it, but it pooped me out. I was exhausted for the rest of the day. It was a little odd having to run with a group of people, but I'm sure it will only help build good habits (i.e., pacing) and even if I don't I'll still get a free pair of shoes out of it.
And now a note on housekeeping...
I've changed my 2008 race line up a little bit. This fall, instead of doing the Marine Corps Marathon, I'm planning on the Breakers Marathon in Newport, RI. Why the change? It was more a strategic move than any particular appeal of Newport. I have the general assumption that I won't be living in New York City forever. So I'm trying to cover off on all the nearby states while I'm here. I realized that my original fall marathon choice, DC, is pretty easy to get to no matter where you are in the country, whereas most New England states are not. So I'm gonna knock out a few of the smaller states this year and get my New England groove* on. In 2009 I'll kick off with Texas to make up for the small state focus this year.
* Not entirely sure what constitutes "New England groove," but I think it involves birkenstocks and a quaint bed and breakfast.3.22.2008
Et tu, alarm?
My alarm clock has a vendetta against me. Twice this week I set it for an early morning run, and twice it has not gone off.
On Monday and Wednesday nights I set the alarm for the once-ridiculous, but now-acceptable running hour of 5:30am. I went to sleep both nights. Then I woke-up by myself at 6am to find that the alarm never went off. WTF?
Turns out that in addition to my alarm's awesome ability to set itself (it tunes into the atomic clock every morning at 2am, no lie) it also has the ability to switch alarm settings from "weekday" to "weekend" at will. So my 5:30 alarm would only go off on the weekend. Love it.
Despite that, I did get to go running once this week. Tuesday morning I bolted out the door at 6:10am to get four miles in. I only got to 3.6 before my body realized that it was awake and needed to go to the bathroom to clear out the system. Yes, I mean poop. So before there was a disaster on the treadmill, I high-tailed it to the bathroom.
In other news, work is going crazy. The toy account that I had been working on since January fired my agency. The client loved my team and wanted to keep us, but the call was make from her higher ups. Now I'm working on my first non-profit client, which actually makes me feel really good about what I do. Unfortunately, they want to start advertising right away, so we have to pull plans together incredibly fast. The good part is that instead of selling a product or a service, this advertising actually tries to help the greater good.
However, this non-profit client only pays for 50% of my time; I have to work on a second account in order for my paycheck to be covered. In a very poetic turn of chance, the second account I will be working on is a casino. So half my time I work for a non-profit that is trying to right the faults of society, and the other half of my time I work for a casino, which is classically known to exploit those faults. Wow. Oddly enough, this doesn't constitute a conflict of interest.
Continuing along the work lines. Thursday night was our big annual Karaoke night. While your office may have it's annual picnic or cold-cut laden holiday party, my agency has an all-out Karaoke slam fest. It was fantastic. The exact reason I enjoy doing what I do.
To give you an idea, I was told about this Karaoke party during my interview, and it has been hyped up continuously since I started. Anyone who started working at my agency since the last Karaoke party has to perform, which included me and about 15 other people. We were judged by a panel of our clients (none of which were mine, fortunately) and the prizes were pretty spectacular for first, second, and third places.
This was competitive Karaoke at it's finest. Since we all lack musical talent we had to make up for in it audience participation, costumes, and balls-out bad-assness. There was some cross-dressing. One duet brought props. My direct report busted out a hot pink cowgirl hat and showed that she has a knack for singing hardcore country music. The open bar definitely aided in the hilarity.
And me? I decided to go the mid-90s cheese route and sing "I'll Make Love To You" by Boyz II Men. It was awesomely bad singing paired with awesomely good performing. Two lucky ladies in the audience got a little love from sRod in perhaps the best performance of that song by a white man, ever. After the performance a few girls threatened to call HR, all in jest...I hope.
The party went on late into the night. I didn't see the end of it because I had to get home and pack. My wife and I had a 6:55am flight to see her parents in NC the following morning. I met my wife for a much needed fried food dinner and got home at around midnight. Five hours later the alarm sounded and we washed up, headed out to the airport, and made it out here to the wonderful NC mountains. And yes, my alarm was correctly set to "weekday" on Friday morning.
On Monday and Wednesday nights I set the alarm for the once-ridiculous, but now-acceptable running hour of 5:30am. I went to sleep both nights. Then I woke-up by myself at 6am to find that the alarm never went off. WTF?
Turns out that in addition to my alarm's awesome ability to set itself (it tunes into the atomic clock every morning at 2am, no lie) it also has the ability to switch alarm settings from "weekday" to "weekend" at will. So my 5:30 alarm would only go off on the weekend. Love it.
Despite that, I did get to go running once this week. Tuesday morning I bolted out the door at 6:10am to get four miles in. I only got to 3.6 before my body realized that it was awake and needed to go to the bathroom to clear out the system. Yes, I mean poop. So before there was a disaster on the treadmill, I high-tailed it to the bathroom.
In other news, work is going crazy. The toy account that I had been working on since January fired my agency. The client loved my team and wanted to keep us, but the call was make from her higher ups. Now I'm working on my first non-profit client, which actually makes me feel really good about what I do. Unfortunately, they want to start advertising right away, so we have to pull plans together incredibly fast. The good part is that instead of selling a product or a service, this advertising actually tries to help the greater good.
However, this non-profit client only pays for 50% of my time; I have to work on a second account in order for my paycheck to be covered. In a very poetic turn of chance, the second account I will be working on is a casino. So half my time I work for a non-profit that is trying to right the faults of society, and the other half of my time I work for a casino, which is classically known to exploit those faults. Wow. Oddly enough, this doesn't constitute a conflict of interest.
Continuing along the work lines. Thursday night was our big annual Karaoke night. While your office may have it's annual picnic or cold-cut laden holiday party, my agency has an all-out Karaoke slam fest. It was fantastic. The exact reason I enjoy doing what I do.
To give you an idea, I was told about this Karaoke party during my interview, and it has been hyped up continuously since I started. Anyone who started working at my agency since the last Karaoke party has to perform, which included me and about 15 other people. We were judged by a panel of our clients (none of which were mine, fortunately) and the prizes were pretty spectacular for first, second, and third places.
This was competitive Karaoke at it's finest. Since we all lack musical talent we had to make up for in it audience participation, costumes, and balls-out bad-assness. There was some cross-dressing. One duet brought props. My direct report busted out a hot pink cowgirl hat and showed that she has a knack for singing hardcore country music. The open bar definitely aided in the hilarity.
And me? I decided to go the mid-90s cheese route and sing "I'll Make Love To You" by Boyz II Men. It was awesomely bad singing paired with awesomely good performing. Two lucky ladies in the audience got a little love from sRod in perhaps the best performance of that song by a white man, ever. After the performance a few girls threatened to call HR, all in jest...I hope.
The party went on late into the night. I didn't see the end of it because I had to get home and pack. My wife and I had a 6:55am flight to see her parents in NC the following morning. I met my wife for a much needed fried food dinner and got home at around midnight. Five hours later the alarm sounded and we washed up, headed out to the airport, and made it out here to the wonderful NC mountains. And yes, my alarm was correctly set to "weekday" on Friday morning.
3.15.2008
Back in business!
My five-mile run on Thursday was a success. And this morning's six-mile loop around Central Park was also a success. Albeit, I have to learn how to run hills again--Good they're hard on the knees and quads.
I am officially back into running. And thanks to the generous amounts of stretching, I am pain free!
I am officially back into running. And thanks to the generous amounts of stretching, I am pain free!
3.12.2008
No pain, all gain
Had my third and last PT appointment today. I went for a run on Tuesday morning for four miles and at the end of it there was no pain, no tickling, no anoying sensation in my right knee. The Physical Therapist says that just through stretching I've been able to really loosen up my IT Band. He was actually shocked at how much I improved with just five days of stretching and mentioned that he wished he had recorded the first time he stretched me and the second time--it was that big a difference.
It seems that my three months of non-running could have all been solved by stretching. Lots and lots of stretching. But it took three doctors, a set of x-rays, an MRI session, and tons of advice to get to a resolution.
I have to consider this another major running lesson learned: there is no such thing as too much stretching. I thought I had this stretching thing down by now--I had even increased the amount of the I spent stretching. But apparently it wasn't enough. When something is tight you need to treat with lots of stretching. I was spending about five minutes every morning and five minutes every evening stretching my IT Bands (since I found out that both sides were tight) in order to loosen them up. And that is a lot more stretching that I thought would be necessary.
If all goes according to plan, I'll be able to run five miles tomorrow and six on Saturday. If all that goes well, I'll be getting back on the distance wagon, scouting out races and filling up more states on my map.
It seems that my three months of non-running could have all been solved by stretching. Lots and lots of stretching. But it took three doctors, a set of x-rays, an MRI session, and tons of advice to get to a resolution.
I have to consider this another major running lesson learned: there is no such thing as too much stretching. I thought I had this stretching thing down by now--I had even increased the amount of the I spent stretching. But apparently it wasn't enough. When something is tight you need to treat with lots of stretching. I was spending about five minutes every morning and five minutes every evening stretching my IT Bands (since I found out that both sides were tight) in order to loosen them up. And that is a lot more stretching that I thought would be necessary.
If all goes according to plan, I'll be able to run five miles tomorrow and six on Saturday. If all that goes well, I'll be getting back on the distance wagon, scouting out races and filling up more states on my map.
3.05.2008
The light at the end of the tunnel gets brighter
Had a great day in Brooklyn on Saturday. For brunch we wound up at a little local Tex-Mex place in the Park Slope neighborhood. We made the mile long trek up hill to the Brooklyn Museum afterward through some really cool brownstones blocks. Although, when we got to the museum I wasn't too impressed. Given the caliber of other museums in the city, the collections at the Brooklyn Museum weren't fantastic. But of course, the only other museums I've been to in the past few years are the Met, the MoMa, and the Whitney, which truthfully are in a whole different strata of cultural institutions.
Went to PT finally today. The doctor's diagnosis? IT Band Syndrome. No shock there, but nice to see a consistency across all the doctors I've seen and my own research. He stretched a few things and said my IT Bands (both sides) were very tight. He stretched a few more things to get kinks out. It was great until the last stretch where he contorted my leg in some level 5 yoga move that stretched things that have never been stretched before. He immediately iced the leg after that.
I'll be going back in on Monday and Wednesday of next week for some stretches to help work out the tightness in my right leg. The doctor says that recovery should only take a few weeks and that by the end of four weeks I should be fine to run again. That would leave me 2.5 months to get ready for Fairfield in June. Woo hoo!
Ok, now I'm getting back to watching the Project Runway finale--which my wife has made me a fan of.
Went to PT finally today. The doctor's diagnosis? IT Band Syndrome. No shock there, but nice to see a consistency across all the doctors I've seen and my own research. He stretched a few things and said my IT Bands (both sides) were very tight. He stretched a few more things to get kinks out. It was great until the last stretch where he contorted my leg in some level 5 yoga move that stretched things that have never been stretched before. He immediately iced the leg after that.
I'll be going back in on Monday and Wednesday of next week for some stretches to help work out the tightness in my right leg. The doctor says that recovery should only take a few weeks and that by the end of four weeks I should be fine to run again. That would leave me 2.5 months to get ready for Fairfield in June. Woo hoo!
Ok, now I'm getting back to watching the Project Runway finale--which my wife has made me a fan of.
3.01.2008
Brooklyn Day
Ah, New York City. God I hate living here sometimes. During the winter it gets cold but it doesn't snow. During the summer it is way too hot for way too long. You can't own a car because a parking space costs as much as an apartment, and if you did own a car you couldn't get anywhere with all the traffic. People are rude and often stupid. House/apartment prices continue to soar through the ceiling even though you can't sell a home anywhere else in the country. The rats are the size of small cats and have no qualms with human interaction. And if it smells like urine in a subway station it's not a coincidence--someone did pee and it's probably that wet spot over there in the corner.
But even with all that, there are days where this city is quite lovely. Like today for example.
If my knee were at 100% I would have gone for a nice little run outside this morning because it's a decent 40 degrees outside. Then, later this morning, my wife has a quick doctor's appointment in the city. After that, we're having a Brooklyn Day.
I love Brooklyn. If things had worked out differently, we would be living there now. Brooklyn would be it's own world class city if it wasn't absorbed by NYC in 1899. It has everything you need in a city, but it has more charm than Manhattan--which is perpetually being rebuilt with glitzer and more glamourous buildings. Brooklyn is very neighborhoody and quiet, but is chock full of bars, restaurants, lounges, theatres, etc. (I should note that Brooklyn is also home to some of the most dangerous and deadly neighborhoods in the country; the parts I speak of are the nicer 'hoods.)
So we are meeting our friend, who lives in Brooklyn, for brunch. Then after that we're headed over to the Brooklyn Museum. I am a huge fan of museums. If my wife let me live to my nerdiest, I would go to a different museum every weekend. And the great thing about the Brooklyn Museum is that the first Saturday of every month (ahem, today) they are open until 11pm with special events. So that will be very fun.
After we are museum'd out, we're meeting another friend for dinner at some Thai restaurant--also in Brooklyn. And then we may be off to a concert...also in Brooklyn.
Looking forward to a great day.
But even with all that, there are days where this city is quite lovely. Like today for example.
If my knee were at 100% I would have gone for a nice little run outside this morning because it's a decent 40 degrees outside. Then, later this morning, my wife has a quick doctor's appointment in the city. After that, we're having a Brooklyn Day.
I love Brooklyn. If things had worked out differently, we would be living there now. Brooklyn would be it's own world class city if it wasn't absorbed by NYC in 1899. It has everything you need in a city, but it has more charm than Manhattan--which is perpetually being rebuilt with glitzer and more glamourous buildings. Brooklyn is very neighborhoody and quiet, but is chock full of bars, restaurants, lounges, theatres, etc. (I should note that Brooklyn is also home to some of the most dangerous and deadly neighborhoods in the country; the parts I speak of are the nicer 'hoods.)
So we are meeting our friend, who lives in Brooklyn, for brunch. Then after that we're headed over to the Brooklyn Museum. I am a huge fan of museums. If my wife let me live to my nerdiest, I would go to a different museum every weekend. And the great thing about the Brooklyn Museum is that the first Saturday of every month (ahem, today) they are open until 11pm with special events. So that will be very fun.
After we are museum'd out, we're meeting another friend for dinner at some Thai restaurant--also in Brooklyn. And then we may be off to a concert...also in Brooklyn.
Looking forward to a great day.
2.27.2008
Moving forward
After kicking myself in the butt last week I'm finally getting back on the road the improvement. I went on the bike for 40 minutes on Tuesday morning and did weights this morning. I also finally got through all the health insurance hoops and scheduled a Physical Therapy appointment for Wednesday evening.
By the way, thanks everybody for the support the past two months. All your messages mean a lot and help me get through this. Hopefully this PT will set me in the right direction for Fairfield in late June.
By the way, thanks everybody for the support the past two months. All your messages mean a lot and help me get through this. Hopefully this PT will set me in the right direction for Fairfield in late June.
2.24.2008
Sans focus
So it's safe to say that on the running/athletic front 2008 has royally sucked. My knee is still giving me serious problems: no matter what I do I can't go more then 3-4 miles without pain and if I don't take Tylenol or Advil before, the pain is crippling. Because of this, I can't start a training program or hold onto any of my goals for this year--which means that I have no focus whatsoever.
Nowadays, instead of looking forward to the gym, it's become a chore. I can't do what I want to do (run) and I have no real goal, so my only reason for going to the gym is for fitness--and that really doesn't motivate me. Funny thing is, running is the only exercise that does this to my knee. Walking and cycling for long periods of time don't induce pain.
My only option right now is to go in for physical therapy with my Orthopedics's office. I gave them a call yesterday only to find out that while they'll take my insurance for doctor appointments they don't take my insurance for physical therapy. WTF? So now I'm trying to log-in to the Cigna website to find a local PT place...which may or may not be fruitful.
God is this frustrating. Compound this with my ridiculous work schedule form the past few weeks, preparing for taxes, and some personal finance issues and you have probably the least enjoyable month of February ever. Thank God for that ski trip.
Nowadays, instead of looking forward to the gym, it's become a chore. I can't do what I want to do (run) and I have no real goal, so my only reason for going to the gym is for fitness--and that really doesn't motivate me. Funny thing is, running is the only exercise that does this to my knee. Walking and cycling for long periods of time don't induce pain.
My only option right now is to go in for physical therapy with my Orthopedics's office. I gave them a call yesterday only to find out that while they'll take my insurance for doctor appointments they don't take my insurance for physical therapy. WTF? So now I'm trying to log-in to the Cigna website to find a local PT place...which may or may not be fruitful.
God is this frustrating. Compound this with my ridiculous work schedule form the past few weeks, preparing for taxes, and some personal finance issues and you have probably the least enjoyable month of February ever. Thank God for that ski trip.
2.19.2008
Turns out that I can ski
Had a great ski trip this weekend to Western Massachusetts with a bunch of friends. Turns out that my years of avoiding skiing were in vain--I actually am a pretty good skier. I ended up going on the hardest trail on the mountain this weekend and acing it. Woo hoo for me.
Back to being MIA.
Back to being MIA.
2.13.2008
MIA from my life
So work has literally consumed me this enture week. I wake up at 6:50am, go to work, work a lot, eat lunch, work a lot more, eat dinner at work, work some more, and then go home at 10pm. I have probably seen my wife all of eight hour in the past three days.
Since I'm putting in such awful hours at work and I don't have a race to train for, I've been letting myself skip on the running. Weird, I feel like this happens every mid-winter. And then I'm out of town this weekend on a ski trip that I plan on doing as little skiing as possible. (I've checked, no treadmill at the cabin.)
But starting Tuesday I will get back to running and hopefully recovering from this knee business. My goal now is to be back in good shape for Fairfield in June.
Since I'm putting in such awful hours at work and I don't have a race to train for, I've been letting myself skip on the running. Weird, I feel like this happens every mid-winter. And then I'm out of town this weekend on a ski trip that I plan on doing as little skiing as possible. (I've checked, no treadmill at the cabin.)
But starting Tuesday I will get back to running and hopefully recovering from this knee business. My goal now is to be back in good shape for Fairfield in June.
2.10.2008
Some progress
The bad news this week is that work has completely burnt me out. This was a massively stressful week, with more and more work piling up and no team members yet to share it with. It's a little hard to describe without going into ridiculous detail, but let's just say I was trying to juggle the work of three people by myself and stuff was starting to get out of my control.
Friday there was finally some relief: my president assigned a director to my account. I sat down with the director and told her everything that had been going on with the account. I hadn't worked with her before, but so far I think I'm going to work very well with her. And it was just comforting to know that I wasn't working on my own anymore.
The good news this week was that I went for a run on Thursday morning and was able to get up to four miles with out major pain. I felt like I could have gone longer, but I needed to stop in order to get ready for work. I do have to note that I took four regular tylenol before heading out for the run--which probably is responsible for the absence of major pain. I only had some tingling sensation in the knee and it didn't hurt going up and down stairs (as it would normally after a run). I also noticed that the pain stayed at bay if I focused on running as upright as possible.
I'm going to try running again today, trying to replicate what I was able to do on Thursday.
I'll be heading out in a bit to head over to the gym. In the meanwhile, I am actually doing research for work: watching Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon (since my client is a toy company, I have to know what programming is on these channels).
Friday there was finally some relief: my president assigned a director to my account. I sat down with the director and told her everything that had been going on with the account. I hadn't worked with her before, but so far I think I'm going to work very well with her. And it was just comforting to know that I wasn't working on my own anymore.
The good news this week was that I went for a run on Thursday morning and was able to get up to four miles with out major pain. I felt like I could have gone longer, but I needed to stop in order to get ready for work. I do have to note that I took four regular tylenol before heading out for the run--which probably is responsible for the absence of major pain. I only had some tingling sensation in the knee and it didn't hurt going up and down stairs (as it would normally after a run). I also noticed that the pain stayed at bay if I focused on running as upright as possible.
I'm going to try running again today, trying to replicate what I was able to do on Thursday.
I'll be heading out in a bit to head over to the gym. In the meanwhile, I am actually doing research for work: watching Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon (since my client is a toy company, I have to know what programming is on these channels).
2.04.2008
Two weeks, part two
Saturday's run went as expected. Everything started fine--I went at a super easy pace and I had walking breaks after every mile. But three miles into it my knee started to hurt. It was like I hadn't rested it at all. Before the pain got intense I started walking and finished with some ab work and a generous amount of stretching. I forgot to ice my knee afterward, but it felt fine once I stopped running--I guess I caught it early enough.
Sigh.
On Sunday I did weights. Not too boring since I haven't done them in a while. I made sure to do weights on my oft-neglected quads and hamstrings.
I'll be calling the doctor this week to see about Physical Therapy.
Sigh.
On Sunday I did weights. Not too boring since I haven't done them in a while. I made sure to do weights on my oft-neglected quads and hamstrings.
I'll be calling the doctor this week to see about Physical Therapy.
2.02.2008
Two weeks
A while back I noted that nine days was my threshold for consecutive days of not running/working out. It has now been two weeks. Peoples, I am down.
I stopped running on January 3 because of my IT Band. Since then I've only done weights because I'm scared to do anything that involves my knee. But it got boring after two weeks of nothing but weights. I seriously don't know how those guys I see in the gym do weights day in and day out. Sure, running is a repetitive activity, but at least you're not sitting in one place being repetitive. So I've stopped doing weights in order to not go crazy.
Then, somehow, two weeks of non-activity suddenly happened. Due to me not having a team at work and trying to squeeze in doctor appointments before the Texas trip, the week of MLK Day was shot to shit. And then I didn't take any workout clothes or shoes on my trip to Texas--because I thought "what's the point?"
So here I am, getting a blog entry in before wifey wakes up and we head over to the gym. I am mostly dreading the return to the treadmill since it has been so long. I am also revising my planned races for 2008, seeing that I missed Austin and probably won't make it for Great Bay. But I should be in fine shape for Fairfield and Vermont, since they are so far off. I'm not sure about DC at this point. I'll see where I'm at this summer, so it'll stay on the list for now.
In loosely related running news. While in Texas I bought the Runner's World Complete Book of Running since for a long time I have felt the need for some kind of guide to running. (Going on my gut instinct hasn't always proven the wisest track.) It's filled with stuff that I've already gathered over time, but now all that knowledge is in one convenient place. Funny how I'm only half-way through the book but I've already marked it up more than any of my college text books.
I stopped running on January 3 because of my IT Band. Since then I've only done weights because I'm scared to do anything that involves my knee. But it got boring after two weeks of nothing but weights. I seriously don't know how those guys I see in the gym do weights day in and day out. Sure, running is a repetitive activity, but at least you're not sitting in one place being repetitive. So I've stopped doing weights in order to not go crazy.
Then, somehow, two weeks of non-activity suddenly happened. Due to me not having a team at work and trying to squeeze in doctor appointments before the Texas trip, the week of MLK Day was shot to shit. And then I didn't take any workout clothes or shoes on my trip to Texas--because I thought "what's the point?"
So here I am, getting a blog entry in before wifey wakes up and we head over to the gym. I am mostly dreading the return to the treadmill since it has been so long. I am also revising my planned races for 2008, seeing that I missed Austin and probably won't make it for Great Bay. But I should be in fine shape for Fairfield and Vermont, since they are so far off. I'm not sure about DC at this point. I'll see where I'm at this summer, so it'll stay on the list for now.
In loosely related running news. While in Texas I bought the Runner's World Complete Book of Running since for a long time I have felt the need for some kind of guide to running. (Going on my gut instinct hasn't always proven the wisest track.) It's filled with stuff that I've already gathered over time, but now all that knowledge is in one convenient place. Funny how I'm only half-way through the book but I've already marked it up more than any of my college text books.
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