Tuesday, May 03, 2011
Yet Another Faulty Argument by Conservative Activists
This one regarding Prop. 8 judge Vaughn Walker, who has spilled the beans about being gay and in a same-sex relationship. Judge Walker overturned Prop. 8 (the prop. outlawing same-sex marriage in CA), and Prop. 8 supporters (anti-gay-marriage folks) argue now that his sexual orientation makes him impartial because he would stand to personally gain by the decision he makes. But blogger Adam Serwer makes an excellent point that it can be argued the other way, too. A visit to www.protectmarriage.com takes you to a document published by the Witherspoon Institute (whatever that is) that identifies same-sex marriage as one of the four "threats" to marriage. According to this report, same-sex marriage "would further undercut the idea that procreation is intrinsically connected to marriage,"..."would undermine the idea that children need both a mother and a father,"...and "would likely corrode marital norms of sexual fidelity" (I know, I'm shaking my head at the unsubstantiated silliness, too!) They sum up by saying that "embracing same-sex marriage would further weaken marriage itself." If this is their argument, then that means that judges in heterosexual marriages should all recuse themselves from the Prop. 8 case or any other ruling that has to do with gay marriage because, just as Judge Walker might stand to gain from legalizing gay marriage, these married judges would stand to lose and watch their own marriages crumble before their very eyes. It would be just as bad as - maybe worse than! - the Great Marriage Crumbling that occurred in MA, CT, IA, NH, VT, DC, Canada, Belgium, and other immoral places that are going to hell in a hand basket.
Monday, May 02, 2011
Sun time
Yesterday I commented that I pretty much just blog about food and running, especially when I'm too busy to blog. But the month of May reminded me of another favorite topic because guess what May 14th is? That's right - it's the one-year anniversary of the day Madeline sprung into the limelight of internet fame! It's a bit early, but we'll celebrate anyway by featuring her new favorite place on the deck:
What should the capshun be, cheezburger fans?
What should the capshun be, cheezburger fans?
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Softshell crabs
It seems my blogging has been reduced to food and running. So be it.
On Saturday night Andrew and I had a lovely dinner of softshell crabs, clams, and tomato/mozzarella/basil things:
Also, note the flowers my sweetie bought for me! Could this be a result of my pouty "you-could-be-more-romantic" complaints prompted by the two April weddings I attended? Regardless, it was very sweet and impromptu of him :) So in return, on Sunday I took him fishing at Lake Michie (or maybe he took me fishing...he had the equipment and I was the one who knew how to get to the lake!)
On Saturday night Andrew and I had a lovely dinner of softshell crabs, clams, and tomato/mozzarella/basil things:
Also, note the flowers my sweetie bought for me! Could this be a result of my pouty "you-could-be-more-romantic" complaints prompted by the two April weddings I attended? Regardless, it was very sweet and impromptu of him :) So in return, on Sunday I took him fishing at Lake Michie (or maybe he took me fishing...he had the equipment and I was the one who knew how to get to the lake!)
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Shamrockin' to a PR
Marathon #12 is in the books. I don't usually do these big, beer company-sponsored races, but the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon's flat course, decent proximity to Durham, and new state (I've now run marathons in 8 states) were good reasons to make this my Spring marathon. My dear friend Kate came down from MD to cheer me on and enjoy a brief weekend getaway in Virginia Beach during the off-season. Kate is the best spectator ever with her cowbells, posters, and cheers!
I registered for the race and booked the hotel in December, which you think would be far enough in advance to have a varied choice in places to stay, but most of the race-sponsored hotels were booked. But I found a good deal at the Travelodge, which was walking distance to the start/finish, situated along the race course, and had waterfront rooms. I was pleased that the room had a little kitchenette so I could have my pre-race breakfast...but the advantages end there. You know your hotel is not sponsoring the marathon when...
1) You ask about late checkout because you're running the marathon and they ask you "what time does the marathon end?" (my response: "it depends how fast I run"). The latest checkout they could offer us was noon, which was not gonna work for an 8 am start, even if I made my goal.
2) They give you a room on the top floor (7th) and the elevator is broken.
3) There is dance club music and karaoke across the street, but it sounds like it's right next to your bed, and it goes on until 1 am (I know, it's Virginia Beach on a Saturday night, so what should I expect).
Anyway, I slept well enough, and my pre-race excitement woke me before my alarm. I had my oatmeal, coffee, and half an orange, and headed out a little after 7 am for the 15 minute walk to the start. And Jesus Christ was it COLD and WINDY! I had planned to wear my shortest shorts (they hold three gels) and my lightest singlet. I was shivering under heavy warm-up pants and a hooded sweatshirt, and my toes were beginning to get numb. I arrived at the starting corrals where even the crowds and tall buildings on both sides of the street were minimal protection from the wind gusts. After going through the porta-potty line, I headed over the gear-bag check trucks to see if there was a line (the 2007 Saint Louis Marathon had an incredibly long gear-bag check line, and now I always worry about having enough time if I check a bag). No line, so I decided to wait until as close to the start as possible to take off my warm-ups and check my bag. At 7:50, after a nice lady opened my bag of sport beans for me (my fingers were too cold for fine motor tasks), I was weaving through the crowds in my singlet and shorts FREEZING my ASS off when they announced that there was a delay, and the marathon would start at 8:15 instead of 8! WTF? I found a semi-sheltered place near Corral 2 (which had no warm bodies in it yet) and decided to wait there when I heard someone behind me say "Sandra?" Momentarily forgetting that I had my name on the front and back of my shirt, I turned around expecting a familiar face. Instead, a stranger wrapped a glorious fleece coat around my shoulders. "You look really cold," he said. What a lifesaver! I wore the coat until it was time to enter corrals and thanked him profusely.
When the race finally got started I made sure I was near the 3:50 pacers. I spoke with one of them - I think her name was Melissa - at the race expo, and she said they'd be running an 8:43 pace. That was just a little faster than I wanted, but I decided if I ran behind them and kept them in sight, I should be good. Pacer Melissa wore a bright green tutu and pigtails; Pacer Dan wore normal running clothes and held the green 3:50 sign up on a stick. It was a smooth start, but all of a sudden around mile 2 the green 3:50 sign was nowhere to be seen. I know I didn't pass them...how did I lose them already? We were heading over a bridge (the course's only hill), and it was difficult to see the crowds ahead of me. But when the course leveled out after the bridge I spotted the green tutu. I asked Dan about the sign, and he held up the broken stick. Damn, it might be harder than I thought to follow them...unless I ran right up there WITH them. So that's what I decided to do.
Until both pacers had to pee. Shouldn't pacers be marathon pros who know how to avoid needing a mid-race porta-potty stop? Anyway, I made sure not to lose Pacer Dan in the crowd as the green tutu sprinted ahead to the porta-potties at the next aid station before we caught up; then Dan lagged behind and caught up with the 3:50 pack a few minutes later. So I think our pace was a bit uneven around miles 3-7, though I missed a few mile markers so it's hard to tell:
Miles 1-2 - 17:25
Mile 3 - 8:47 (I was plenty warm by now and glad I had opted for the singlet and short shorts!)
Mile 4-5 - 16:58
Mile 6 - 9:15
Mile 7 - 8:37
I wanted to stick with the pacers because for my past few marathons I've been a little obsessed with my inability to run even mile splits. This course was flat with the exception of the bridge that we crossed twice - at miles 2 and 10. Miles ~10.5-12 were on the boardwalk headed north, and the NW wind was quite strong (but thankfully had weakened since the race's start), so I was expecting a slower pace there. But this race has made me realize that it's not reasonable to expect even splits because of the way my body responds to energy gels. In past races, the gels' effects were subtle, if noticeable at all, but maybe my faster pace made this race different. I had several "oh shit" moments when it was almost like I had hit a mini-wall, but then the gel would kick in - I would distinctly recognize the moments - and my legs would have life again. I took 5 gels at 0:45, 1:30, 2:17, 3:00, and 3:20 (actually can't remember exactly when I took the last two). Anyway, there were some miles when I ran right next to Pacer Dan, and other where I could barely keep him in sight and was afraid I'd lose him; I'm pretty sure the mini-walls-and-gel-induced-second-winds are the explanation (e.g., miles 12 vs. 13):
Mile 8-9 - 17:18
Mile 10-11 - 17:32
Mile 12 - 9:00
Mile 13 - 8:28
At mile 14 Pacer Dan needed ANOTHER porta-potty break. Pacer Melissa was so far ahead we couldn't even see her (someone said she was aiming for "a fast 3:50.") Dan said he'd catch up with us, but I was afraid I'd fall off pace. But, I didn't do too bad:
Mile 14 - 8:49
The middle miles were a bit of a blur. This part of the course was pretty, but the crowds were thin or non-existent. I focused on staying right with Pacer Dan and his pack. But everyone was so quiet! I tried to initiate some cheers, but it only elicited a short, feeble response. And when we passed a band playing Sweet Caroline, I was the only one who sang the "bah bah bahs! WTF? Anyway, I did pretty well staying with the group until I got behind filling my water bottle at an aid station about mile 20.
Mile 15 - 8:41
Mile 16 - 8:59
Mile 17 - 8:37
Mile 18 - 8:53
Mile 19 - 8:47
Mile 20 - 9:19
I could still see Dan, but he was so far ahead I had given up hope of a sub-3:50. But then to my surprise, Dan wheeled around and headed back toward me and a few other lagging former 3:50 packers. He said that he was ahead of pace, and wanted to get the group back on track for 3:50 on the dot. "Really?" I said. I knew that the pacers had crossed the start line around the same time I had. "If you're ahead of me, 3:50 is definitely doable." I wasn't in a state to do the math, but I was hitting another mini-wall and decided I should relax a little:
Mile 21 - 9:17
Mile 22 - 9:20
Mile 23 - 9:00
Dan still hadn't passed me, but now the math was a little easier, and I knew I wasn't going to make 3:50. I still don't know what happened to Pacer Dan (I wonder if he was having GI issues). Anyway, the last gel kicked in for mile 24, but then it wore off and I had to dig really deep to get through the last 2.2:
Mile 24 - 8:52
Mile 25 - 9:39
Mile 26 - 9:52
Mile 0.2 - 1:52
Official finish time: 3:53:29!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Equivalent to an 8:54 pace.
My third marathon PR in 12 months - not bad! I trained, but had no written training plan. During the 59 days of January and February I spent 16 nights in a hotel and got on an airplane 8 times (not counting connecting flights separately). Bottom line, it was a hectic winter. I scheduled my long runs mainly based on when I was in town instead of what standard training plans dictate. I ran less miles than I did during my fall marathon training, and did very little cross-training, but I made sure the workouts I did do were high quality and purposeful. Guess it paid off! Now it's time to start thinking about a fall marathon :) I gagged trying to down those 5 gels, but I'm thinking of trying to up my intake to every 30 min for the last 2 hours of the race. Or maybe rigging a portable gel-IV drip...?
Some photos courtesy of Kate (thanks, Kate!):
Me at mile 26. I bite my lips when my mouth is dry. And can you tell I forgot sunblock?
SO happy to be finished!
The sunshine is deceiving - I was freezing at the finish, too!
I registered for the race and booked the hotel in December, which you think would be far enough in advance to have a varied choice in places to stay, but most of the race-sponsored hotels were booked. But I found a good deal at the Travelodge, which was walking distance to the start/finish, situated along the race course, and had waterfront rooms. I was pleased that the room had a little kitchenette so I could have my pre-race breakfast...but the advantages end there. You know your hotel is not sponsoring the marathon when...
1) You ask about late checkout because you're running the marathon and they ask you "what time does the marathon end?" (my response: "it depends how fast I run"). The latest checkout they could offer us was noon, which was not gonna work for an 8 am start, even if I made my goal.
2) They give you a room on the top floor (7th) and the elevator is broken.
3) There is dance club music and karaoke across the street, but it sounds like it's right next to your bed, and it goes on until 1 am (I know, it's Virginia Beach on a Saturday night, so what should I expect).
Anyway, I slept well enough, and my pre-race excitement woke me before my alarm. I had my oatmeal, coffee, and half an orange, and headed out a little after 7 am for the 15 minute walk to the start. And Jesus Christ was it COLD and WINDY! I had planned to wear my shortest shorts (they hold three gels) and my lightest singlet. I was shivering under heavy warm-up pants and a hooded sweatshirt, and my toes were beginning to get numb. I arrived at the starting corrals where even the crowds and tall buildings on both sides of the street were minimal protection from the wind gusts. After going through the porta-potty line, I headed over the gear-bag check trucks to see if there was a line (the 2007 Saint Louis Marathon had an incredibly long gear-bag check line, and now I always worry about having enough time if I check a bag). No line, so I decided to wait until as close to the start as possible to take off my warm-ups and check my bag. At 7:50, after a nice lady opened my bag of sport beans for me (my fingers were too cold for fine motor tasks), I was weaving through the crowds in my singlet and shorts FREEZING my ASS off when they announced that there was a delay, and the marathon would start at 8:15 instead of 8! WTF? I found a semi-sheltered place near Corral 2 (which had no warm bodies in it yet) and decided to wait there when I heard someone behind me say "Sandra?" Momentarily forgetting that I had my name on the front and back of my shirt, I turned around expecting a familiar face. Instead, a stranger wrapped a glorious fleece coat around my shoulders. "You look really cold," he said. What a lifesaver! I wore the coat until it was time to enter corrals and thanked him profusely.
When the race finally got started I made sure I was near the 3:50 pacers. I spoke with one of them - I think her name was Melissa - at the race expo, and she said they'd be running an 8:43 pace. That was just a little faster than I wanted, but I decided if I ran behind them and kept them in sight, I should be good. Pacer Melissa wore a bright green tutu and pigtails; Pacer Dan wore normal running clothes and held the green 3:50 sign up on a stick. It was a smooth start, but all of a sudden around mile 2 the green 3:50 sign was nowhere to be seen. I know I didn't pass them...how did I lose them already? We were heading over a bridge (the course's only hill), and it was difficult to see the crowds ahead of me. But when the course leveled out after the bridge I spotted the green tutu. I asked Dan about the sign, and he held up the broken stick. Damn, it might be harder than I thought to follow them...unless I ran right up there WITH them. So that's what I decided to do.
Until both pacers had to pee. Shouldn't pacers be marathon pros who know how to avoid needing a mid-race porta-potty stop? Anyway, I made sure not to lose Pacer Dan in the crowd as the green tutu sprinted ahead to the porta-potties at the next aid station before we caught up; then Dan lagged behind and caught up with the 3:50 pack a few minutes later. So I think our pace was a bit uneven around miles 3-7, though I missed a few mile markers so it's hard to tell:
Miles 1-2 - 17:25
Mile 3 - 8:47 (I was plenty warm by now and glad I had opted for the singlet and short shorts!)
Mile 4-5 - 16:58
Mile 6 - 9:15
Mile 7 - 8:37
I wanted to stick with the pacers because for my past few marathons I've been a little obsessed with my inability to run even mile splits. This course was flat with the exception of the bridge that we crossed twice - at miles 2 and 10. Miles ~10.5-12 were on the boardwalk headed north, and the NW wind was quite strong (but thankfully had weakened since the race's start), so I was expecting a slower pace there. But this race has made me realize that it's not reasonable to expect even splits because of the way my body responds to energy gels. In past races, the gels' effects were subtle, if noticeable at all, but maybe my faster pace made this race different. I had several "oh shit" moments when it was almost like I had hit a mini-wall, but then the gel would kick in - I would distinctly recognize the moments - and my legs would have life again. I took 5 gels at 0:45, 1:30, 2:17, 3:00, and 3:20 (actually can't remember exactly when I took the last two). Anyway, there were some miles when I ran right next to Pacer Dan, and other where I could barely keep him in sight and was afraid I'd lose him; I'm pretty sure the mini-walls-and-gel-induced-second-winds are the explanation (e.g., miles 12 vs. 13):
Mile 8-9 - 17:18
Mile 10-11 - 17:32
Mile 12 - 9:00
Mile 13 - 8:28
At mile 14 Pacer Dan needed ANOTHER porta-potty break. Pacer Melissa was so far ahead we couldn't even see her (someone said she was aiming for "a fast 3:50.") Dan said he'd catch up with us, but I was afraid I'd fall off pace. But, I didn't do too bad:
Mile 14 - 8:49
The middle miles were a bit of a blur. This part of the course was pretty, but the crowds were thin or non-existent. I focused on staying right with Pacer Dan and his pack. But everyone was so quiet! I tried to initiate some cheers, but it only elicited a short, feeble response. And when we passed a band playing Sweet Caroline, I was the only one who sang the "bah bah bahs! WTF? Anyway, I did pretty well staying with the group until I got behind filling my water bottle at an aid station about mile 20.
Mile 15 - 8:41
Mile 16 - 8:59
Mile 17 - 8:37
Mile 18 - 8:53
Mile 19 - 8:47
Mile 20 - 9:19
I could still see Dan, but he was so far ahead I had given up hope of a sub-3:50. But then to my surprise, Dan wheeled around and headed back toward me and a few other lagging former 3:50 packers. He said that he was ahead of pace, and wanted to get the group back on track for 3:50 on the dot. "Really?" I said. I knew that the pacers had crossed the start line around the same time I had. "If you're ahead of me, 3:50 is definitely doable." I wasn't in a state to do the math, but I was hitting another mini-wall and decided I should relax a little:
Mile 21 - 9:17
Mile 22 - 9:20
Mile 23 - 9:00
Dan still hadn't passed me, but now the math was a little easier, and I knew I wasn't going to make 3:50. I still don't know what happened to Pacer Dan (I wonder if he was having GI issues). Anyway, the last gel kicked in for mile 24, but then it wore off and I had to dig really deep to get through the last 2.2:
Mile 24 - 8:52
Mile 25 - 9:39
Mile 26 - 9:52
Mile 0.2 - 1:52
Official finish time: 3:53:29!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Equivalent to an 8:54 pace.
My third marathon PR in 12 months - not bad! I trained, but had no written training plan. During the 59 days of January and February I spent 16 nights in a hotel and got on an airplane 8 times (not counting connecting flights separately). Bottom line, it was a hectic winter. I scheduled my long runs mainly based on when I was in town instead of what standard training plans dictate. I ran less miles than I did during my fall marathon training, and did very little cross-training, but I made sure the workouts I did do were high quality and purposeful. Guess it paid off! Now it's time to start thinking about a fall marathon :) I gagged trying to down those 5 gels, but I'm thinking of trying to up my intake to every 30 min for the last 2 hours of the race. Or maybe rigging a portable gel-IV drip...?
Some photos courtesy of Kate (thanks, Kate!):
Me at mile 26. I bite my lips when my mouth is dry. And can you tell I forgot sunblock?
SO happy to be finished!
The sunshine is deceiving - I was freezing at the finish, too!
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Oysters - Fried and Raw
Andrew and I have happily started off 2011 with lots of oyster-eating! It started with fried oysters from New Years (thanks, Aunt Betty):
...and then continued with Walking Fish, who is offering winter season shares for the first time ever. Here's Andrew shucking:
and here are the yummy raw oysters on the half shell:
This past weekend we brought a quart of oysters back from Andrew's family in southern MD and made a nice, creamy oyster stew (no picture).
And the oyster fest continues - we're getting more oysters from Walking Fish tomorrow, but Andrew will be on his way to China (!), so I'll need to figure out the shucking myself.
...and then continued with Walking Fish, who is offering winter season shares for the first time ever. Here's Andrew shucking:
and here are the yummy raw oysters on the half shell:
This past weekend we brought a quart of oysters back from Andrew's family in southern MD and made a nice, creamy oyster stew (no picture).
And the oyster fest continues - we're getting more oysters from Walking Fish tomorrow, but Andrew will be on his way to China (!), so I'll need to figure out the shucking myself.
Sunday, January 02, 2011
2010 Out, 2011 In
According to Dave Barry, there were only three bright spots of 2010, one of which was that "the Yankees did not even get into the World Series." (heehee!) My 2010 was not too bad, but it wasn't particularly notable, either. Of my various 2010 resolutions (some which were indeed resolute, others not so much), I managed to solidly keep one - I ran more than 1500 miles (1,555.5 to be exact). We won't talk about the others, but I'll use them as rationale for keeping my 2011 resolutions much simpler:
1) Be less selfish.
2) Be a better listener.
3) Be more patient.
4) Run a 3:49 marathon
My friends and family will have to let me know how I do for 1-3!
1) Be less selfish.
2) Be a better listener.
3) Be more patient.
4) Run a 3:49 marathon
My friends and family will have to let me know how I do for 1-3!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Christmas 2010
I am deeply entrenched in a do-nothing vacation mindset, and cannot muster the energy to write about how nice our Christmas was. It was nice. So I'll just post some pics with brief explanations.
Andrew's office holiday party had a James Bond theme. Here was the "Goldfinger" room, which featured endless sushi:
And in another room was a bar sculpted out of ice:
On Christmas at the Ledbetters' last year we did a gingerbread BP station (hey, this was pre-oil spill!), and this year we did a gingerbread circus car being pulled by a clown:
Our pretty-much-annual cousins game of Tornado Rex:
My mom with her grand-nephew Adam:
Zuzu pet (Skootles I think?):
Andrew's office holiday party had a James Bond theme. Here was the "Goldfinger" room, which featured endless sushi:
And in another room was a bar sculpted out of ice:
On Christmas at the Ledbetters' last year we did a gingerbread BP station (hey, this was pre-oil spill!), and this year we did a gingerbread circus car being pulled by a clown:
Our pretty-much-annual cousins game of Tornado Rex:
My mom with her grand-nephew Adam:
Zuzu pet (Skootles I think?):
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Marathon #11
Last weekend I ran the Northern Central Trail Marathon in Sparks, MD - my 2nd time doing this race. My PR of 3:57 was 55 minutes faster than last year's "flu marathon", though it wasn't quite as fast as I hoped. I just felt a bit off for some reason, even in the first few miles. It was pretty windy, and it seemed like we were running into the wind both directions on the out-and-back course. I thought we would be relatively sheltered along the mostly wooded course, but no such luck. Anyway, I should quit whining, because the windy, cold conditions felt much more tolerable to me than they probably did to my dear friend Kate and my mom who came out to cheer me on! It was so nice to hear cowbells and cheers and see familiar faces along the sparsely-spectated course! Thanks, guys!
Also, many thanks to Andrew who slept in but then found me at mile 23 and ran the last three miles with me! It definitely helped me keep up the pace (well, mile 25 was all uphill) and I lost count of how many guys I chicked. While wearing a skirt, no less :) Sorry, that sounds really cocky...but I'm usually the one getting passed at the end of a marathon, so it felt good to be the one doing the passing!
Here are my mile splits. Yes, the miles were accurately marked (they assured us before the race), and yes, mile 23 was my fastest (I'm totally sold on Roctane Gu! All 5 of my gels should have been this):
Mile 1 - 8:37 (very downhill)
Mile 2 - 9:01
Mile 3 - 9:06
Mile 4 - 8:51
Mile 5 - 8:46
Mile 6 - 9:03
Mile 7 - 8:47
Mile 8 - 8:59
Mile 9 - 8:56
Mile 10 - 8:58
Mile 11 - 9:17 (slight uphill)
Mile 12 - 9:13 (here too)
Mile 13 - 9:04
Mile 14 - 9:07
Mile 15 - 8:51
Mile 16 - 9:04
Mile 17 - 8:56
Mile 18 - 9:00
Mile 19 - 9:07
Mile 20 - 9:02
Mile 21 - 9:33
Mile 22 - 9:35
Mile 23 - 8:33 (thank you, Roctane Gu)
Mile 24 - 9:11
Mile 25 - 9:42 (very uphill)
Mile 26 - 9:02
Mile 0.2 - 1:51
So it was a good race, but I already have my eye on Marathon #12 - I'm thinking maybe Virginia Beach. I want to conquer this distance, dammit!
Also, many thanks to Andrew who slept in but then found me at mile 23 and ran the last three miles with me! It definitely helped me keep up the pace (well, mile 25 was all uphill) and I lost count of how many guys I chicked. While wearing a skirt, no less :) Sorry, that sounds really cocky...but I'm usually the one getting passed at the end of a marathon, so it felt good to be the one doing the passing!
Here are my mile splits. Yes, the miles were accurately marked (they assured us before the race), and yes, mile 23 was my fastest (I'm totally sold on Roctane Gu! All 5 of my gels should have been this):
Mile 1 - 8:37 (very downhill)
Mile 2 - 9:01
Mile 3 - 9:06
Mile 4 - 8:51
Mile 5 - 8:46
Mile 6 - 9:03
Mile 7 - 8:47
Mile 8 - 8:59
Mile 9 - 8:56
Mile 10 - 8:58
Mile 11 - 9:17 (slight uphill)
Mile 12 - 9:13 (here too)
Mile 13 - 9:04
Mile 14 - 9:07
Mile 15 - 8:51
Mile 16 - 9:04
Mile 17 - 8:56
Mile 18 - 9:00
Mile 19 - 9:07
Mile 20 - 9:02
Mile 21 - 9:33
Mile 22 - 9:35
Mile 23 - 8:33 (thank you, Roctane Gu)
Mile 24 - 9:11
Mile 25 - 9:42 (very uphill)
Mile 26 - 9:02
Mile 0.2 - 1:51
So it was a good race, but I already have my eye on Marathon #12 - I'm thinking maybe Virginia Beach. I want to conquer this distance, dammit!
Monday, November 15, 2010
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Triple Lakes Trail Marathon Race Report!
On Saturday I ran my 10th marathon, the Triple Lakes Trail marathon just north of Greensboro, NC. The course was mostly single track trail over gently rolling hills through woods circling a couple of fake lakes. The scenery and terrain reminded me of Land Between the Lakes, a trail marathon in Kentucky that I did a few years ago, except instead of 6 inches of snow and starting time temps in the teens we had sunny skies with highs in the low 80s by the end of the race. I didn't really mind the warm weather, as this was a "just-for-fun", practice marathon for me. My target race is the North Central Trail Marathon, which is not a technical trail race like this one - North Central is a flat, fast, PR-worthy course. Actually, I set a PR here last year (personal WORST of 4:52) and I hope to PR at the OTHER end of the spectrum this November.
Anyway, back to Triple Lakes - here are the 10 best - or maybe I should say "Most Notable" - things about this race:
10. I was running the marathon and NOT the concurrent 40 mile event.
9. Powerade at all the aid stations was just the right strength. Also, jelly beans at mile 20 totally hit the spot.
8. It was frickin cold at the 8 am start, which actually ended up being an 8:08 start. It took me a good 5 miles to warm up, hands to toes. I knew I'd be hot before long, so I tried to enjoy my shivering and goosebumps.
7. I am not sore at all. At all! As I type this it's been about 34 hours since I finished the race. Of all the marathons I've run, this is the quickest recovery I've ever had. It's taken me longer to recover from some of my training runs! This is good, because I'm supposed to run 22 miles in less than 2 weeks, ideally at 9 min/mile pace.
6. Maybe part of the reason I'm not sore is that the race was DEFINITELY not a full, honest 26.2 miles. I ran most of the race with Robert (more about that below), and around the mid-teen miles we were chatting about how the miles seemed to be passing quickly (they weren't really - our pace was steady, about 10:30 min/mile). I commented that usually it's mile 24 when I think those remaining 2.2 miles - which in any other situation are nothing at all - seem so daunting and painful. Robert reminded me of this comment when we passed the mile 24 marker, though we were both feeling good and not pushing hard, so 2.2 miles sounded fine. So imagine our surprise when less than 10 minutes later...it's the finish line! We heard cheering as we came out of the woods, and I thought it was one of those cruel tricks where they make you run near the finish line when you actually still have >1 mile left. But no. We emerged from the woods, ran around this little pond next to an open field, then followed flags up through the field where the spectator-lined finish line was right there, about 50 ft in front of us. People were cheering, the clock was ticking around 4:35 (my watch was around 4:28 at mile 24), and Robert and I were totally confused. So we STOPPED, right in front of the finish line and asked each other "did we miss a turn"? Robert was wearing his GPS, which said we only ran a bit over 24, and he wanted to go back to see if we accidentally cut the course. If I had been by myself, I probably would've just finished, but I agreed, and we turned around and cut back over to the part of the course before the pond loop. The spectators stopped cheering and were probably wondering "what the hell?!" But we saw all these other runners that we had passed earlier running the same way we had. We checked the arrow signs, tried to find race volunteers, but we just came across more spectators who told us we were going the right way - out of the woods and around the pond. So, we ran that portion of the course again and finished ~4:42. After the finish we asked race volunteers and other runners about the shortened course, and everyone just kind of shrugged their shoulders. No one else had seen mile 25 or 26, but no one else really cared. So the one marathon when I'm feeling strong and ready to take on those final 2.2...they're not there! Oh well. Okay, enough of #6. On to...
5. Beautiful lake-side scenery! This is only mid-way down the list because you had to spend more time looking at the ground to avoid tripping. Which brings me to...
4. I didn't fall or bleed! Though I guess I wouldn't have minded the latter because it's considered a badge of honor among trail runners. I saw plenty of other runners who did both, including one guy who scared a bunch of us when we came across him lying on the ground with blood all over his face. But it was near an aid station, and help showed up quickly (and he assured us he was fine).
3. There was a Krispy Creme shop only 5 miles from the race, right on the way back home! Boy, did a post-run glazed donut and bottle of milk hit the spot.
2. The AWESOMEST race shirt EVER! The finishers medal had the same design:
And the best thing about this race...
1. Running miles ~11-finish with fellow Godivan Robert Moody - thanks for the company, Robert! It totally made the miles fly by. Robert was also using this race as a practice marathon. His target event - Richmond marathon - is coming up even sooner than mine (his is Nov. 13, mine is Nov. 27). I think we'll both be ready!
All in all, this was a good race and I would run it again, especially given its proximity to Durham. I'm still a little dissatisfied about the shorten course, but at least I wasn't one of the two guys who I overheard at the beginning of the race telling each other that it was their first marathon!
Anyway, back to Triple Lakes - here are the 10 best - or maybe I should say "Most Notable" - things about this race:
10. I was running the marathon and NOT the concurrent 40 mile event.
9. Powerade at all the aid stations was just the right strength. Also, jelly beans at mile 20 totally hit the spot.
8. It was frickin cold at the 8 am start, which actually ended up being an 8:08 start. It took me a good 5 miles to warm up, hands to toes. I knew I'd be hot before long, so I tried to enjoy my shivering and goosebumps.
7. I am not sore at all. At all! As I type this it's been about 34 hours since I finished the race. Of all the marathons I've run, this is the quickest recovery I've ever had. It's taken me longer to recover from some of my training runs! This is good, because I'm supposed to run 22 miles in less than 2 weeks, ideally at 9 min/mile pace.
6. Maybe part of the reason I'm not sore is that the race was DEFINITELY not a full, honest 26.2 miles. I ran most of the race with Robert (more about that below), and around the mid-teen miles we were chatting about how the miles seemed to be passing quickly (they weren't really - our pace was steady, about 10:30 min/mile). I commented that usually it's mile 24 when I think those remaining 2.2 miles - which in any other situation are nothing at all - seem so daunting and painful. Robert reminded me of this comment when we passed the mile 24 marker, though we were both feeling good and not pushing hard, so 2.2 miles sounded fine. So imagine our surprise when less than 10 minutes later...it's the finish line! We heard cheering as we came out of the woods, and I thought it was one of those cruel tricks where they make you run near the finish line when you actually still have >1 mile left. But no. We emerged from the woods, ran around this little pond next to an open field, then followed flags up through the field where the spectator-lined finish line was right there, about 50 ft in front of us. People were cheering, the clock was ticking around 4:35 (my watch was around 4:28 at mile 24), and Robert and I were totally confused. So we STOPPED, right in front of the finish line and asked each other "did we miss a turn"? Robert was wearing his GPS, which said we only ran a bit over 24, and he wanted to go back to see if we accidentally cut the course. If I had been by myself, I probably would've just finished, but I agreed, and we turned around and cut back over to the part of the course before the pond loop. The spectators stopped cheering and were probably wondering "what the hell?!" But we saw all these other runners that we had passed earlier running the same way we had. We checked the arrow signs, tried to find race volunteers, but we just came across more spectators who told us we were going the right way - out of the woods and around the pond. So, we ran that portion of the course again and finished ~4:42. After the finish we asked race volunteers and other runners about the shortened course, and everyone just kind of shrugged their shoulders. No one else had seen mile 25 or 26, but no one else really cared. So the one marathon when I'm feeling strong and ready to take on those final 2.2...they're not there! Oh well. Okay, enough of #6. On to...
5. Beautiful lake-side scenery! This is only mid-way down the list because you had to spend more time looking at the ground to avoid tripping. Which brings me to...
4. I didn't fall or bleed! Though I guess I wouldn't have minded the latter because it's considered a badge of honor among trail runners. I saw plenty of other runners who did both, including one guy who scared a bunch of us when we came across him lying on the ground with blood all over his face. But it was near an aid station, and help showed up quickly (and he assured us he was fine).
3. There was a Krispy Creme shop only 5 miles from the race, right on the way back home! Boy, did a post-run glazed donut and bottle of milk hit the spot.
2. The AWESOMEST race shirt EVER! The finishers medal had the same design:
And the best thing about this race...
1. Running miles ~11-finish with fellow Godivan Robert Moody - thanks for the company, Robert! It totally made the miles fly by. Robert was also using this race as a practice marathon. His target event - Richmond marathon - is coming up even sooner than mine (his is Nov. 13, mine is Nov. 27). I think we'll both be ready!
All in all, this was a good race and I would run it again, especially given its proximity to Durham. I'm still a little dissatisfied about the shorten course, but at least I wasn't one of the two guys who I overheard at the beginning of the race telling each other that it was their first marathon!
Sunday, October 03, 2010
Alien kitteh!
You'll never guess what happened this afternoon! I was in the kitchen making lunch when all of a sudden my roof just opened up and there was this blinding light. I shielded my eyes and squinted and then was able to make out a cheezburger-shaped spaceship. Before I could do anything, this alien LOLcat was beamed down from the ship into my kitchen! I managed to capture this photo just as the roof was about to close up:
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Shrimp
Andrew and I bought a half-share in Walking Fish again, and our first shipment last week was jumbo shrimp. Yum! There was a lot of it, too. The organizers said that the price increase this year was due to more seafood in the half shares, and they weren't kidding. We had half of our half share in an anchovy-garlic-butter sauce with linguine on Friday. Today I made spring rolls with edamame, jalapenos, bean sprouts, mint, and basil in a soy-peanut-ginger dipping sauce.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Bird boarder
I have a little nighttime boarder that sleeps in the same corner of my front porch awning pretty often - probably about half the time I think to check, he's there. For a while, I didn't know what was staying there - I just noticed that something would fly away when I came home at night. I assumed it was a bat or something. But then one night when I came home I was quiet enough to not scare it away and discovered it was this bird. Any expert birders out there know what it is and why it prefers my porch awning at night? I got a good look at its face one time when it turned around and looked at me before flying away. It had a longish (maybe ~3/4 inch) thin beak. I'm not much of a bird person, but it sure is cute! I took these pictures last night, and I just checked now - sure enough, there it is, all settled in for the night!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
California
Sorry I haven't blogged in a long time! I know I have at least THREE friends who actually follow my rantings and nothingness pretty regularly. It's been a busy summer. But I did squeeze in a week-long trip to California for my cousin Mark's wedding and some coastal sightseeing up to Monterey. Here are some pics:
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Pocono Lakes
For some reason as I was preparing for sampling Falls Lake tomorrow I realized that it was NINE years ago this month that I first sampled Lake Lacawac and Lake Giles, two beautiful ecosystems in the Poconos of northeast PA. Wow, time sure flies. My Ph.D. was built on those lakes, as well as many friendships and memories. I actually miss midnight sampling runs, rowing against strong winds, bracing myself against April snow, and getting terribly sunburn as I study how zooplankton are affected by UV :)
Falls Lake is nice, but - dare I say it - the fieldwork is almost too easy with a motorized boat, milder climate, and less intensive research (which is of course my fault, despite my time constraints). Anyway, here are some photos I dug up of Lake Giles (first 4) and Lake Lacawac (last 2):
Falls Lake is nice, but - dare I say it - the fieldwork is almost too easy with a motorized boat, milder climate, and less intensive research (which is of course my fault, despite my time constraints). Anyway, here are some photos I dug up of Lake Giles (first 4) and Lake Lacawac (last 2):
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Flowering palm
Look at my beautiful flowering palm shrub! This is the first time it has grown stalks and flowered since I moved in. I wonder if all the rain triggered it or it's one of those exotics with a weird flowering schedule.
As I was snapping these pictures, look who dropped by to hang out for about 12 seconds:
As I was snapping these pictures, look who dropped by to hang out for about 12 seconds:
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