Wednesday 9/30/09

It's the last day of September 2009. The fall of the year is officially starting to pull us into the deep end where it all goes dark. Fortunately that's not how I'm seeing September and the hereafter.

But things have been a little tough lately. And this year has been less than ideal as far as running is concerned. Granted, my expectations are pretty reasonable -- stay healthy, develop my aerobic fitness and get after some off-road (mountain) racing here in SoCal. Still, this has been an uneventful year, one of which I can easily say I didn't progress much (so far) and therefore feel fairly unsatisfied. But that's not how I see Jan--September either.

I set aside a lot of my racing goals early on because my wife was studying for a huge test. She passed that one and then became eligible to take another one. She passed the last one in August. I am so proud of her. Going into the first one, we were both saying "go big or go home" (pass or move-on). She passed. The second test was almost perfunctory. Done deal. Mission accomplished.

As for my year running-wise. Physically, I've been a mess. I got a little leg injury (calf) early in the season from going too hard too quick? I guess. Then I got going again, but with no races on the schedule (nod to wife's goals) I just sorta plodded along. I picked-up again on the aerobic program, started to work on that and just tried to groove that with an August race on the calendar. I was going to hit my first 50k. With my failure to develop a disciplined program of running early early, before the family got going, I flailed at some mid-day work-outs in the heat, between appointments . . . obnoxiously ineffective. One of my solutions? Run on the treadmill. I proceeded to develop some shin splints and other tweaks so I had to then deal with that, with a 50k on the horizon.

You guessed it: only 1 loop, 25k. But I felt great. With very mediocre training (total crap) I had a good run and the body, shins and all felt pretty solid. Nice.
Then a couple of days later, after a run, I developed a bruised heel. The Bulldog descents? Perhaps. By limping around on that, trying to walk on my forefoot, I aggravated my ankle. I was a mess! Oh yeah, a week before the 25k, I found myself grappling at a jui jitsu practice and I strained my groin. Geeez.

So really I've been hobbling around for a few months, since July really, but I was able to get in a nice 25k that left me feeling really good about doing what I'm doing.

Then three weeks ago, I came down with a cold. My son had a little something, but he never got worse. I proceeded to get bronchitis! I haven't had that in a loooong time. My wife got it too! We have been toast for 3 weeks. Unbelievable. Really demoralizing, incapacitating. Huge bummer.

But I have to say, I did a lot of thinking. A lot. I read a lot. I kept-up on my buddies' blogs. I grew to appreciate more than I ever have the beauty of working-out, of going hard and having a few laughs with friends, drinking a beer. We were in lock-down. Brutal. But the light had gone on. I was making commitments to myself and my wife (and even my son). I couldn't wait to get back at it, make the most of every day. You hear that and you think whatever, talk about cliche. But I feel that. I feel so blessed to have the freedom to go. And that's what time it is.

So, I have had my off season (After last off season --December/Jan-- I said I would never do that kind of total down time again). I am ready to go. I finished the steroids I was on (yeah) on Sunday. I felt the turn Sunday night and Monday. Worked all day Tuesday.

I ran 4 miles today. I felt amazing. And although I got a little weak this afternoon (uh-oh!), I think I'm through the crap. The run was flat but the sun was perfect, it was early and I felt none of my tweaks. The shin splint is long gone. The only soreness I'm going to feel is unfamiliarity. I have goals. I can't wait for 2010 but I still got some '09 left.

I will be in touch!

Ripped-off and Blowin' up

I ripped this off of GZ (and he got it from here). Most of my "work" is the exploration of various cultural ills. This image is money. The debates concerning health care, executive compensation, food standards (the encouragement of fast food), education and war (among many others) put people in such awkward positions. For instance, there's the individuals going broke because of the cost of health care (we're a "wealthy" nation?). And there's the ugly paradox of the right wing jack ass who shops and eats organic food. And the people who have no debt, have kept themselves out of danger in the flood of excess now drowning much of this great nation -- any "thank yous"? Any, "we should all live more like that" messaging? To watch all of the breaks being given to people who have thrown themselves into debt is a joke. These stimulus packages are vain attempts to get people to spend again. Spend spend spend. Obama, despite his education, common sense and political values, doesn't seem to have much in the way of encouraging the real change we need . . .because consumerism is too big. Just as George W. promoted shopping following 9/11, the same pathos seems to be at work now . . .and forever as long as we continue to pave the way for the free and the brave.

I gotta see that Ken Burn's flick. Perhaps another statement on the values of this once great nation, especially given the current crisis: close a national park, but rescue the imbecile from his lame consumer choices, the institution from its "business development."

Citizen X: Hey Uncle Sam, my child is sick. Can you give me a hand?

Uncle Sam: Sorry. Get a job or just pay for the damn insurance you need.

X: I'd put it on my credit card, but it's maxed.

U.S.: I might be able to help you there.

(and I love the "Conservative" illegal immigration rhetoric. A great example of talking out of both sides. . . save it).

By the way, that SNL video I posted last week or so, Timberlake and Sandberg. . .got nomiated for an Emmy. Beautiful.

The Media

I love the mass media.
I hate the mass media.

A perfect example:


Note his commentary after he calls Kanye West a jackass.

Thanks to the media (in all of its transmogrifying beauty) we are given access to this behind the scenes candor. No thanks to the media, the Prez (and most of us) have to deal with any idiot out there who thinks the Prez was wrong to say that.

By the way, Kanye West is a Jack Ass.