Gatorade Slushies!: 13 in Central Park (1/26/14)

Course shot

Race: Fred Lebow Manhatan Half Marathon
Location: Central Park
Goal Time: Don't Freeze to Death
Actual Time: 1:39:32

In both 2012 and 2013, I ran the Derry Boston Prep 16 miler.  It's hilly, it's cold and there is no traffic control.  So, this year, Urvi and I went down to NY to avoid the freezing temps of Southern NH and run in the relatively balmy, Central Park.

So, Sunday morning while it was 16 degrees with a -10 windchill in Derry NH.  We were in Central Park where it was 14 degrees and the windchill was -9.

The best-laid schemes o' Mice an' Men 

         Gang aft agley,  

~ Robert Burns

Well, I wasn't prepared to race in those temperatures.  So I didn't.  In my hooded sweatshirt with my jogging pants stuffed into my striped socks knickerbocker style, I did basically a faster long run. Urvi, Sara, JZ and Karen all did the same.

Megan Hyland did not.  She represented Somerville with a 1:25:06 and took 3rd female.

Special Shoutouts to all the volunteers who stood around while I was warming myself up by running...

Central Park in the Snow (1/25/14)

Central Park

So in the past two months, I've gotten to run in both Golden Gate Park when I was in San Francisco and now Central Park.  Saw the Met and the Guggenheim.  Ran by the Egyptian Obelisk and the Lake and the Reservoir.  Just wow.  For post run, I got Papaya King!

Papaya King!

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Weighing In: Book Review (1/20/14)

3 out of 5 stars
Racing Weight: How to Get Lean for Peak Performance
Matt Fitzgerald
Velo Press, 2012
296 pp; $18.95

I was at a controle in the 2011 Boston Brevets 200 km Brevet.  People were getting gatorade and chips and various century ride fare.  The discussion turned to gear of course - because that's what cyclists talk about.

Fortunately the typical Randonneur is not the typical century rider.  So, when somebody said, "For more speed at Paris-Brest-Paris I'm looking into getting a lighter bike..." one guy cut him off with: "When I need speed, I just drop some pounds right here" [patting his gut] "it's a lot cheaper and I keep the bike I like."

Obviously he was right - and funny.  But, for many of us this can actually be a problem.  I've been running and cycling consistently since I left for Greece in 2009. And although there has been a transformation of my body, there has not been great weight loss and now I've been stuck at a certain weight.

How do I get unstuck?

The simple answer is eat less/train more.  But if I still eat crap, this isn't successful.

Fitzgerald develops a 6 step program:

1. Improve Your Diet Quality
2. Manage Your Appetite
3. Balance Your Energy Stores
4. Monitor Your Weight and Performance
5. Time Your Nutrition
6. Train Right

Some of these are pretty obvious and reminiscent of those free VHS tapes you'd get with a Weider magazine subscription.  (Some jacked 25-30 year old guy would spent 20 minutes telling you basically "Eat" "Lift" "Rest" and another 20 minutes selling you Weider supliments that I'm sure did nothing).  However his writing in 3 and 5 is useful if you don't know.  Meanwhile reading well reasoned 1, 2, 4 & 6 creates a sense of sati. Unlike the ridiculous Weider mouthpiece, Fitzgerald makes you think of what and how.

Regardless if I follow his plan specifics, the sati I gain from it will have me think of my food choices like I do my training choices.  And, hopefully, I won't have to buy lighter bike.

If You Can't Duck it...: Wintah Challenge (1/12/14)

Last Mile

Race: 2014 Wintah Challenge
Location: Somerville, MA

Every year the Somerville Road Runners puts on the "Wintah Challenge."  It's best described as our Thursday Night Run on Sunday Morning with Breakfast.

Well this year, I ran in a Duck covered onesy...

Yeah, that's all I got...