Oz Runner

Hornet Hustle 5K

2011-08-28T06:27:00.000-05:00

I am still alive. Barely. I haven't run in a very long time, so I haven't felt the need to blog. This is a running blog after all. My last 5K was about a year ago and I haven't run much since. First it was my lingering foot injury. I've been to the podiatrist a couple times, wore some custom inserts for awhile, and did some stretching exercises twice a day. When it seemed like my foot was feeling better, the "Midwest Heat Wave of 2011" kicked in, and I didn't feel like doing anything but staying inside with the AC cranked drinking lemonade. So I didn't run. And I've gotten out of shape. And it showed in yesterday's 5K.

My son's school does a 5K and Fun Run as a fundraiser each year, and I tried to talk my 9 year old into doing the 2 mile or 1 mile, but he wanted to tackle the 5K again. He totally killed it. sub 30 minute 5K on a cross country course with a few rolling hills. I didn't see him after about a mile. I was sucking wind, had to walk-run-walk-run the whole way, and finished about 7 minutes behind him. He was the first kid from his school to finish. I told him afterwards that I was proud of him and that it was official---he was faster than me now.

Yesterday was a gut check and a reminder to me that I need to get out there again and run, even if it means I'll be starting over. Hopefully that means I'll be getting back in shape and blogging again soon.

Move That Bus!

2011-02-19T05:31:00.000-06:00

Okay, not quite yet....but, the Extreme Makeover crew with Ty Pennington is in town to build a house for a well deserving family and my wife and I took the opportunity to serve together on the project. We were actually the very first volunteer group. There were 20-25 of us, and it was all very secretive and hush hush so they could surprise the family. We were told to check our email at a certain time and be ready to spring into action. And we were. The weather was great and we had a lot of fun.

Behind us is where they are digging the basement for the house. The recipient is Carl Hall, a former WSU baseball player who was paralyzed from the neck down last summer in a car accident. He has a wife and 4 kids and from what I hear he's a great guy. Our work was mostly prep work for all the other volunteers. We set up the barricade fencing for the spectators, built flooring in the catering, volunteer, and VIP tents, and basically did whatever set up was needed. They expect to have the house finished next weekend. We are going to try to volunteer again and be there for the "reveal day."

Worth the Weight

2011-02-18T08:49:00.002-06:00

This is the story of a guy I work with. He went from 380 lbs down to 245 through gastric bypass and exercise. It's pretty motivational, but kind of long (8 min.)....if you're strapped for time, go to the 4:50 to 6:50 mark and check out how he got into running and took his pant size from 56 down to 38.

Slowly Thawing Out

2011-02-16T05:45:00.001-06:00

We got hit with the Midwest winter blast and have had wintery weather the last couple weeks--- lots of snow, ice, negative wind chills, and school cancellations.

Of course, we didn't get hit quite as bad as our neighbors in Oklahoma, or Arkansas. I heard that in Tulsa school was closed for two weeks. And in NW Arkansas, they set a 100-yr old state record for snowfall in a 24 hr period (23 inches). My company totally shut down there for 2 days, as did many other businesses.

All this cold stuff always puts a damper on my running (read: no running the last couple weeks).

But fortunately, the weather finally broke over the weekend and we've climbed into the 50's. The snow is melting. Woo-hoo.

I got out for a 3 miler last night and it felt great. I have lost 12 lbs in the last 5 weeks (even WITH all the valentines candy!) and it sounds weird but I could feel it in my running, I felt lighter and stronger. Still, I have decided that my body is old enough now that it needs extra rest days between runs, so I'm going to try to be smart about that and not overdue it.

Here is a pic of the snowman my boys made over the weekend, after it warmed up and the snow packed really good.

PS--Big win for K-State Monday night. Thank you to KU for possibly saving our season.

Giveaway Winner! And Some Purple Hot Chocolate.

2011-02-01T08:39:00.000-06:00

Thanks to all who entered my $45 CSN Giveaway. The lucky winner is....................

Miss Zippy!

Congrats! I will email you with your winning code shortly.

A co-worker gave me some purple hot chocolate for Christmas. With the wintery weather upon us, we tried it last night. For the record, it didn't taste as cool as it looked....

pic is kind of dark, can't see the purple-ness

City Museum and Circus Debut

2011-01-29T06:24:00.000-06:00

Last November on our way to spend Thanksgiving with family in Illinois, we decided to spend a day in St Louis. We went to the City Museum. We had a blast. If you are ever in the St Louis area and have some time to kill, you should check this place out.

It's hard to describe the City Museum because it's not like any museum I've ever been to. It's more like a huge playhouse. My kids absolutely loved it. We went on a weekend night when it stays open until midnight. After 9 or 10pm, they turn off the lights in many of the areas and you can explore the building with flashlights. We stayed until probably 11pm. Among many other things, the museum has a huge outdoor metal sculpture you can climb around on, a maze of caves indoors you can explore, a 10 story slide, a ferris wheel on the roof, an indoor skate park, an adult sized hamster wheel, the worlds largest pencil, the world's largest underwear, and an old pipe organ that you can play.

The maze of metal sculptures you can climb on.

Notice the bus on the roof? Yeah, you could sit in the driver's seat.

On the hamster wheel.

Exploring!

The world's largest underwear.

The museum also had a small one-man circus in a theater with about 100 people. The absolute highlight of our time at the museum was my son getting picked to go on stage with the performer. This was the finale of the show. Enjoy.

Heat Wave

2011-01-28T06:49:00.001-06:00

Okay, it's not exactly a heat wave but weather forecasters predict it's going to get up to 70 degrees today. In late January. In the midwest. I love it. It was beautiful yesterday too and we took the family for about a 3 mile walk last night. I also love that it's starting to stay lighter longer. Woo-hoo.

I ran on a treadmill in Arkansas twice in addition to running outside a couple of times this week. Haven't run more than 3 miles at a time yet. I really want to ease back into it. I also have lost about 11 pounds in 3 weeks with the Biggest Winner weight loss challenge through work. Feeling pretty good about that, but I have much more to lose.

Did anyone watch the Biggest Loser this week? First, I didn't get why Gillian felt the need to make Dan/Don (whatever his name is) use curse words. It was like that was her whole mission, to get him mad enough to swear , and when he did it, she felt better. Like she accomplished something. I think she tries to psychoanalyze things too much. Second, did anyone else think it was extremely unfair when the two green team members were pitted against all the rest of the ranch competitors in the challenge? It was like 2 against 8 or something. Not fair at all, even though they almost won.

Enough rambling. Everyone have a great start to the weekend.

Why Do You Run?

2011-01-25T13:10:00.000-06:00

So....Why do YOU run??

Anyone ever done the Expedition Everest Disney race?

2011-01-23T07:49:00.002-06:00

We are trying to plan a Disney World trip, and one of the weekends we're looking at has a 5K race called the Expedition Everest Challenge.

It's a little pricey, but I think it sounds really fun. It's an 5K race in Animal Kingdom after the park closes that has obstacles along the way, and then at the end there is a treasure hunt.

I would love to do it with my 8 yr old son. Has anyone done this race? Do you think an 8 yr old can complete it and have fun? Or should he stick with the kids' race? Thoughts?

One Easy To Win Giveaway! CSN

2011-01-21T11:09:00.000-06:00

If you want to win $45, keep reading.

CSN has literally TONS of items for sale and you can use the money for anything you want from any of their sites. Among some of their 200+ stores are luggage stores, mirror stores, and fitness equipment stores.

I am going to make this very easy to win.

Visit CSN and leave me a comment below with what item you might use the $45 to buy.

Do that, and you've earned one entry. It's that easy.

However, if you do want a couple of extra entries you can (one extra entry for each) you can:

1. follow my blog and let me know

2. post about this giveaway on your blog and let me know

Contest runs until the end of the month, and then I will pick a winner.

Happy blogging and good luck!

Little People blog....

2011-01-20T06:45:00.001-06:00

I ran across a pretty creative blog. It's called "Little People -a tiny street art project." Check it out. It's pretty interesting. He takes tiny people and puts them into interesting photographs. Here is one of my favorites, called "Life as we know it"

The Biggest Winner

2011-01-18T15:57:00.001-06:00

We are doing a weight loss contest at work called The Biggest Winner. I love the logo, and we all have different colored t-shirts with the logo on it. There are over 250 employees participating. We are broken up into teams of 4 and the prize goes to the team with the largest percentage weight loss over the 6 week contest. My team lost 19 lbs in week number one. My personal goal is to lose at least 20 lbs in the 6 weeks. I've been doing well, eating lots of fresh veggies and whole grains, and exercising at least 5-6 days a week. I lost 8 lbs in week one, and even though I know that you usually lose the most in the first week, I am proud that I am on my way to my goal.

My sweetie is joining me in the journey, which helps. She has been really great with getting her workouts in and eating right, too. And of course since we are both doing this, our kids are eating healthier now too. The other day our 10 yr old, obviously ready to get back to eating hamburgers and fries, said "how long is this healthy eating stuff going to last?" Of course we said "for the rest of your life."

Is anyone else that is watching Biggest Loser getting tired of "the unknowns?" I mean seriously, show us these new trainers faces already....

Hello Running, It's Me Again....

2011-01-17T21:14:00.000-06:00

Dear Running,

I know you won't believe me, but two words have described these last 3 months for me --- BIZ-ZEE.....

I have been super busy with work and the holidays and life in general, and even though I know that is not a good excuse, the truth is that I have not been a runner in almost 3 months. In fact, I've been pretty lazy and put on a few extra pounds. The only positive to not running is that I've been able to let my nagging foot injuries have extra time to heal.

With the new year, I have decided to reintroduce myself. I've actually run 3 times in the last 10 days. Not far. Not fast. But, it's felt good to get out there and run again. I hope you can see that I'm trying. And I hope you'll go easy on me.

Sincerely

Oz Runner

Impromptu 5K in Illinois

2010-10-13T22:37:00.000-05:00

We were in Illinois last weekend for my cousin's wedding. We were a bit worried about the weather because it was an outdoor wedding....in October...in Illinois.
As it turned out, the weather was perfect, and the wedding was absolutely beautiful. It was on a farm in the middle of nowhere, next to a small pond. There was a large outdoor tent with chandeliers, bonfires, and dancing well into the night.

The Saturday morning the day of the wedding, we didn't have anything going on, so like any good runner I jumped on Active.com to see if there were any racing events we could partake in. As it turned out, there was a 5K less than 5 minutes from our hotel. Even though my foot isn't really ready to run much yet, I decided it would be a fun morning to get the whole family out there for a small 5K race. Besides, it was for a good cause.

So that was the plan anyway. The website said "registration at 8am, start time at 9am." Perfect. We arrived about 8:10 to the church where it was supposed to start, and the parking lot was empty. "We must be early," I thought. So, we ran down to a store to pick up a couple of things and came back around 8:40am. Still no one there. Instead of waiting until 9am, I decided that they must have cancelled the race and not updated the website. But it was such a beautiful day that I still wanted to get the family out for some exercise.

So we searched and found some great walking/riding trails about 10 minutes away. There were a grouping of about 4 or 5 parks connected with an awesome path, winding through forests, over bridges, with creeks and streams nearby. It was really a beautiful setting. We took our time, enjoyed the day, and walked for over an hour. I'm guessing we went at least a 5K, if not more. So we got our family exercise in, and it didn't even cost us an entry fee.

Here are a few pics:

Running with my son....

There were sculptures in some of the park...this is a sculpture of two bikes...

My sweetie and son....

The beautiful scenery of our trail...

here is a map of our trail..the green areas are all the parks we went through...

We stopped at a shoe store on the trip...this was an actul HUGE running shoe...

Review:

Coming shortly, I will be reviewing an item from CSN Stores. If you haven't heard of the collection of CSN stores, they are great. They have pretty much any type of item you would ever want to purchase, from dining sets to swing sets and everything in between. Stay tuned.

These Feet Weren't Made for Running, Apparently....

2010-10-07T06:27:00.000-05:00

I went to see the doctor last week....again....for my foot.....the other foot...

This time it was not due to my chronic plantar fasciitis, it was due to a bony protrusion on the back of my heel that got stepped on during a volleyball game, and forced me to limp around for several days....

The doctor said the bump is tied to me having achilles tendonitis at some point, and is called haglund's bump, or a "pump bump" because women who wear pump shoes get these bumps on their heels.....they took an xray and it showed calcification on the back of my heel, as well as the under side of my heel (the beginning of a heel spur)....so, he gave me a prescription, told me not to run for 3 weeks and come back for a check up....I actually felt better after a few more days, and have done some light running (shh, don't tell), but it definitely has me thinking that maybe I shouldn't run, if I am going to continue to damage my feet....I am definitely going to have this discussion with the doctor at my next check up....maybe I need to focus more on biking....not sure, just yet....then again, if the bump isn't causing me pain, maybe it will be okay to continue running....anyone have one of these heel bumps? Here is what the xray looked like

Valley Center 5K Race Report:

2010-09-25T14:31:00.001-05:00

1st place in his age group

Valley Center 5K Run

This weekend is the Valley Center Fall Festival, and our family always has fun with all the activities. This year I ran the 5K with my 8 year old. It was at 7:30am, so it was a bit of a chore getting him up and awake and to the start line on time. I knew that the race would be small, it usually is, but this year it was especially small because it was held on the same day as the Wichita Race for the Cure, one of the largest and best 5K races in the area. It usually draws 8 or 9 thousand people. The race we ran? Maybe 50. Tops. But that was okay, we were just there to have fun and enjoy the day, which we did.

showing our medals

My son ran his first 5K about a month ago and ran it in 33:30. His time this time? 31:10. He did awesome. He got 1st in his age group (I think he was the only one in the 0-10 group), and I happened to take 2nd in my age group, the first time I've age-group placed. My son thought it was funny that he got a gold medal and my medal was silver.

We ran together the whole way and had a lot of fun. I made it a point to thank every volunteer that we encountered.

"I need to put my new heart in."

Just before the race started, my son found a silver heart pendant on the street and stuck it in his pocket. About 2.25 miles into the race, he says "I think I need to put my new heart in," and he gestured by putting the pendant heart into his chest, to give him more energy. About a half mile later, getting winded, he said "man, that heart didn't last very long." I told him maybe he should bring a few of those hearts next time.

my son with his "new heart"

After the 5K, we stuck around and did the kids fun run with my wife and other son. I think the distance was like 3/4 of a mile, but I was amazed that my 8 year old still had gas left, he ran pretty fast the whole way. My other son and my wife did a great job too. Afterwards we stuck around for the parade, and are looking forward to riding rides and the fishing derby as part of Fall Festival as well.

my awesome family

Biking Advice?

2010-09-18T10:26:00.001-05:00

Before I ask for biking advice, I have to tell you about the hail storm. I started to go for a run this week after work, and I didn't get more than 1/2 mile from the house when I heard thunder, it started to drizzle, and tornado sirens started going off. So, I cut the run short and headed home. Living in Kansas, you kind of get used to tornado sirens, so I wasn't really worried, but I figured I didn't want to get stuck miles from home if it got really bad.

Little did I know that this was a pretty vicious storm. Not only were there tornadoes, there was hail. Big hail. Seriously BIG hail. Some of the pics I saw were hail 5 or 6 inches wide. There was a hailstone that set a record apparently, as well, like 7 inches big.

Since I live on the north end of town, we didn't get any hail (that I know of), but down south, they got pummeled. Check out these pics:

not sure what the deal is with the donut hail

my boss had a huge hail stone go through the windshield of his car

Shifting Gears

So, here is the advice I need, for anyone the bikes out there. I went for a 15 mile bike ride this morning, and I found my gear shifting to be kind of clunky, like I don't know what I'm doing (which I don't). So, I wanted to search out some advice.

I just started biking a couple months ago, and really like it, but I'm kind of confused about what gear to ride in, when to shift gears, what gears to use when going uphill/downhill, or against the wind, etc. For example, should I leave my front gear on the big sprocket or small sprocket most of the time? I'm kind of just making it up as I go.

Also, what is a good speed/pace to shoot for on a road bike? I have been wearing my Garmin during my rides lately and my pace ranges from 12 to 22 miles per hour, depending on wind and hills. It seems like 15 mph would be about average. Is that good, bad, or just average? I have an older road bike that is kind of heavy, so that pace seems about right. I appreciate any advice you can offer.

------

I'm off to my son's soccer game, and then watch a little K-State football. Have a great weekend everyone.

Happy Runner Giveaway here!

Pep talk from a 4 Year old

2010-09-14T06:10:00.006-05:00

I need to go rent "Miracle"........and I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm sick of tired too...

Tri Runner Giveaway here!

Racing with Babes Giveaway here!

Run Faster Mommy Giveaway here!

Nathan Training Kit Giveaway here!

CSN Giveawy Winner!

2010-09-13T06:38:00.002-05:00

Thanks to everyone who entered the CSN Giveaway contest. Random.org picked the winner, and the winner is......

Lisa at Chasin Bunnies!

Congrats! I will be passing your email on to CSN to get you your prize.

Thanks.

15 Miles and My First Wipeout

2010-09-11T21:13:00.003-05:00

I flipped a coin this morning to see if I would go for a run or a bike ride, and bike ride won. It was a beautiful day, perfect for biking, and I went 15.5 miles. The strange thing is that I am more tired after running 3 miles than biking 15. Really weird. I almost went for a run after the bike ride, but decided against it. I had a really good ride. Except for two things.

First, my bike light fell off and I realized the clip broke, so I'll need to get a new one. Not a big deal.

Second, I had my first wipe-out on my bike. I was riding through a campground of a local BBQ towards the end of my ride, checking to see if my friend was participating in the BBQ cook-off this year, and I totally wiped out. I forgot I was riding on a sand/dirt path and took a turn too sharp, and down I went. Of course I immediately looked around to see if anybody saw me fall. (I don't think they did.) I hit my head, but didn't get hurt, but I did get a nice raspberry on my leg.

Painted!

2010-09-08T18:07:00.006-05:00

Labor Day weekend was anything but restful. Aside from celebrating birthdays/anniversaries with a nice family lunch, and taking a break to watch the K-State game (Go Cats!), we spent all weekend painting the exterior of our house. We kept the base coat the same, but changed the trim from a pastel blue to a tan and brown. We didn't really take before pictures, but here is an idea of the color we replaced:

And here is an "after" photo:

It was a lot of work, and we were extremely tired at the end of each day. I really wanted to go for a long bike ride or run, but I just didn't have the energy in me.

Speaking of bike rides, I got chased by a Rottweiler on my bike about a week ago. He came out of nowhere and starting barking and chasing me, for about 100 yards. I thought he was going to catch me for a minute. I had to turn and speed up to get rid of him. Now I can say that I've been chased by dogs while running AND biking. Why can't people keep their dogs (especially vicious ones) controlled or chained up??

Don't forget to enter my Giveaway , you have until Sept 12th.

Also, Busy Mama Running is having a Giveaway

And so is Shut Up and Run

A Giveaway -- $45 Gift Certificate to CSN

2010-09-04T06:24:00.002-05:00

In honor of Labor Day, my birthday, my brother's birthday (we're twins), and my parent's anniversary (all happening in the next few days), here is another great giveaway from CSN.

I'm keeping in simple. Someone will win $45 in merchandise at CSN Stores. There is a ton of great stuff at that site -- you could get a textured foam roller, a LED headlight for those night runs, a massage stick , some ankle weights, or any number of hundreds of items. It is up to you how to spend the money, you could even get something non-running related.

To win, here is how to enter:

1. For one entry, leave a comment and say hello...yes, it's that easy
2. Be a follower and let me know it for a 2nd entry

3. For an extra entry, leave a separate comment about what you might spend the $45 on at CSN

4. For another entry, link back to this post on your blog

Contest runs until the end of Sept 12th, and then I'll pick a winner.

Happy blogging and good luck!

Do The Unthinkable...

2010-09-02T05:29:00.002-05:00

Scott Rigsby turned his life around from over a decade of countless doctor visits and hospitals, 26 surgeries, amputations, depression, fear, and uncertainty. He has reached unprecedented heights as a world-class athlete.He completed 13 triathlons and 5 road races on his way to setting world records for a double below-the-knee amputee in the Full Marathon, Half Ironman, and International Distance Triathlon, earning him a spot on the 2006 USA Triathlon Team. On October 13, 2007, Scott Rigsby became the first double amputee in the world to have completed the grueling Hawaiian Ironman triathlon using prosthetics at the Ford Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

Do The Hustle: My Son's First 5K

2010-08-28T10:35:00.005-05:00

Me and Bryden with our medals

My son's school (Valley Center) put on a 5K/2 mile/1 mile run today-The Hornet Hustle. I probably should have signed my 8 year old up for the 1 or 2 mile runs, but I decided to stretch him and do the 5K with him. I told him that we needed to pace ourselves, that 3 miles is a long way, and that we could just take it easy and enjoy the day running together. It turned out to be a blast, and he did awesome.

The weather was absolutely perfect for a run. I saw the Running Lawyer, and tons of people I know. We ran on grass the whole way through a park, and it kind of felt like my old high school cross country races. There were about 350 runners between the three events, and maybe 150-ish in the 5K. I am pretty sure that my son was the youngest person running the 5K. He ran really strong, and I'm proud of him. We ran together , talked throughout, and even held hands at various point of the race. It was a really special run. As for time, we hit the 2 mile mark at 20 minutes, but struggled a bit the last mile to finish in 33:30. Not bad for a kid that just turned 8 in June.

Running strong.

This race was put on by his school (Valley Center Hornets) in an effort to not have to do any fundraisers this year (you know, selling popcorn or candles or gift wrap, etc). If they raised enough money through this run, we wouldn't be asked to do any fundraisers. I am hopeful that this run will do the trick.

My son with the webkinz that came in his race packet.

The title of this race reminded me of the old disco song "The Hustle." How can you not love that song? My parents were big into disco dancing back in the day, and they actually won the first disco dance contest in Wichita. (Happy Birthday dad!) Check out this video to learn to "do the hustle."

Giveawy Coming!!

Yes, it's round 2 for a CSN Giveaway! In case you haven't heard of them, they have a gazillion products from everything from a Coffee Maker , to luggage, to exercise equipment (tons of yoga and strength training items), to bird cages. You name it, they probably have it. Check it out - CSN. I'll try to post this little giveaway in the next week. Stay tuned.

Running and Riding

2010-08-22T18:09:00.003-05:00

My wife and I celebrate 14 years of marriage this week. To celebrate we had a great date night Friday night. We used a gift certificate that I won in a golf tournament to stay downtown and went to dinner and then to Mosely Street Melodrama, right across the street from our hotel. This is one of our favorite places, they have really funny shows. We had a great time.

Our hotel room overlooked an open square that is home to a Farm and Art market each Saturday, so when I woke up early I strolled through it on the way to my run.

I was able to run about 4 miles all around downtown, which is a place I don't get to run very often. I ran by the new Arena, by the River, and all throughout downtown. My path would have looked pretty crazy, like a wild Etch-a-Sketch. I ran down one way streets and alleyways and through parking lots and around buildings. I was exploring as much as I was running. I did also happen to find quite a few can tabs , and I realized later why there were so many empty beer cans littered everywhere--Rush was in concert the night before.

It was a fun run, and a great little anniversary getaway into the heart of the city.

Today I got up and went for a bike ride. I just went about 7 miles because I didn't have much time, but it was a good ride. I did notice that on a bike you stay cooler because of the breeze created by riding faster. Since I don't run that fast, this heat has been brutal to deal with. I had a buddy contact me that did a duathlon over the weekend, and he wanted to see if I am interested in doing one with him, so I am looking into that. I think it sounds fun. I've got a 5K with my 8 year old this coming weekend--the Hornet Hustle--and I am really looking forward to doing that with my son.

Girls Will Be Boys and Boys Will Be Girls

2010-08-18T23:32:00.002-05:00

Harvard Sailing Team does some funny stuff....with football season upon us, I thought these were pretty good....Enjoy

The Visor King

2010-08-14T15:01:00.000-05:00

Here are four new visors I got from Headsweats . They have really good running hats and visors. Since I love bargains, I got these in the Outlet Store, and it was a "Grab Bag" of visors. I didn't know what they would look like, but I like them all. There is a Joint Juice visor, a Clif Shots visor, a Phoenix Triathlon visor, and I'm not sure what the fourth one is, the white and blue stripe one with a red/yellow "C." If anyone knows what that logo is, feel free to fill me in.

Anyway, I love visors, and have quite the collection now:

My wife says I have too many, but I say you can never have too many good visors. ( ;

My New "Old" Bike

2010-08-12T20:29:00.000-05:00

Fuji S12-S LTD

I have been wanting to get a bike for awhile now to be able to do some cross training (something I did none of my first year of running, which I believe led to injuries). I checked out some bike stores, looked around online, did some research, talked to some friends, etc, etc.

I pretty much knew what I wanted--a 5 to 10 yr old road bike for under $400. And I didn't want a cheap bike either. I didn't need to get top of the line, but I wanted to get bike that I would want to ride. Bike shops were selling bikes of this variety starting at $800. Bikesdirect.com had some nice bikes (albeit no-name brands) for about $500. Still above my price range. So, I resorted to Craigslist, and after looking for a couple months, I found one. Even though it wasn't exactly what I wanted, it was still a very nice bike.

I got an early 1980's Fuji S12 S LTD. Back when it was made, it was about second from the top of the Fuji line for road bikes. In researching it I found that some people have ridden this bike across the country multiple times, and that it is a very dependable bike.

The people I got it from bought it new in 1985 and have kept it in mint condition. It seriously looked brand new. They kept it inside their house, and the man said he hasn't ridden it in about 3 years. It rides really nice, and is pretty light, maybe a pound or two heavier than a new road bike, which isn't bad considering its age. Looking at this bike, it is hard to tell that it is 25 years old. The components are really good on it too.

The bike looked like it just rolled off the factory floor.

Here are some specs:

Model S12 S-LTD, Black in color, Chrome-Molly Double Budded Frame, 12 Speeds, Type 331 tubing construction. ( has to do with the grade and thickness ), Bar Con Shifters (these are a little odd, the shifters are at the end of the handle bars-see pic below), new handle grips, Avocet Seat (the only thing not original), Extras added by the seller --- Mile counter on the front wheel, Seat bag, Light on front

Barcon bar-end shifters. Apparently they are more reliable than standard shifters.

The best part of this deal was the price -- $150. I'm a bargain shopper, so I love getting good deals, and I think this was a great deal. It is a nice bike that I will enjoy riding, and it is a good starter bike for me. If I get more serious about biking and want to take it to the next level, I can always spend more money for a nicer bike. Until then, I'm very happy with my find. It's older than I planned but it doesn't feel like an old bike, if that makes sense.

Something else this bike had that I hadn't seen before was a sticker-protector for the tire/tube. See the little mechanism to the right of the fork in the picture below? That is there to catch any stickers that you ride over and scrape them off before you roll over them again. Pretty ingenious, I thought.

The sticker protector (or whatever it's called)

I've been in Arkansas, so thus far I've only ridden it twice, but it rides really great. Looking forward to putting many more miles on this baby!

Plug for Prairie Fire

2010-08-10T11:21:00.004-05:00

This past Sunday I was able to attend the Wichita Open, a Nationwide golf tournament. I had an absolute blast and saw some great golf, despite the 100 degree temperatures.

While there, I was sitting next to a man wearing a "Prairie Fire Marathon" shirt, and struck up a conversation with him. He said he was the owner of the marathon, which is having it's innagural race on 10/10/10. It was interesting hearing from him all the work that goes into planning an event like this. Truly a remarkable feat that takes tons of coordination and lots of volunteers.

Here are a few details: This race will replace the former Wichita Marathon, and will feature a full, half, 5K, and fun run. It will start at the Hyatt downtown area and wind through the city, through the College Hill and Eastborough neighborhoods, and feature 13 live bands playing on the course. There will also be a pasta dinner the night before. Much of this information is on their website if you are interested. He said they have to coordinate blocking off like 247 intersections. Wow.

As he was talking, I was getting excited, thinking, "hey I could do the half, this sounds like a fun race," only to learn later when I got home that I have my cousin's wedding that conflicts that weekend. Anyway, I hope this race is a success in it's first year and if you're looking for a midwest marathon in October, take a look at this one. He said he was hoping for 500 racers in the marathon and 1000 for the half. Interestingly, as we were talking, he was getting online entries popping up on his blackberry. "Just got another entry, a man from Arizona doing the half," he'd say as he showed me his phone. Gotta love technology.

In other news, I got a bike over the weekend. More to come on that later.

Winding Down Summer

2010-08-07T08:00:00.002-05:00

I can't believe my boys start school next Friday, less than a week away. Where has the summer gone?? It has been a pretty fun (and hot) summer, with a lot of fun family time together, but I think the boys are ready to get back to being with their friends all day again.

I was thinking back on this summer on some of the things we've done:

Silver Dollar City, Ripley's Believe it or Not, Rock River Rapids water park (twice), 4th of July parade and city party, Drive in Movie theater (twice), swimming at the local pool (too many times to count), Pinks all Out, Arkansas trip, VBS, Wingnuts baseball game, Naturals baseball game (minor league), coaching my youngest son's baseball team, an art class for my oldest, and on and on and on.

One of my favorite things we've started doing is taking evening walks together, about 3 times a week. We have a 2.5 mile loop that we go on that has a park along the way where my kids like to play. We have been trying to encourage healthy eating and exercise for all of us, and that is a part of the routine.

I ran 5 miles this morning, another can tab run , so it was nice and easy pace. I also found a roll of duct tape, that I added to my workshop. woo-hoo. You never know what you'll find by the side of the road.

Keep running long!

Jamba Juice Cheeseburger Chill Smoothie

2010-08-05T18:53:00.002-05:00

I love Jamba Juice's response to burger places getting into the smoothie business. Great video, very well produced and believable. They look as gross as they sound, but heck, I'd try one.

The new Evil Kenevil...

2010-08-04T18:22:00.000-05:00

About a mile from our house is a Harley Davidson dealership, and this past weekend they had their 5th anniversary party, featuring a motorcycle daredevil named Bubba Blackwell.

Little did I know that Bubba Blackwell has set two world records with jumps over vehicles. He broke Evil Kevevil's records for jumps over cars and buses (20 cars/15 buses). The first time it was 18 and the next time it was 20. Then in 2001 he tried to break his own record with 22 cars and came up short. He had a bad crash, broke many bones, and many thought he would never jump again. But, he is back, and still jumping. We saw him jump over 11 trucks, not a record, but it was still a fun time.

my son in front of the motorcycle he wants...

Bubba after his successful jump...

getting ready to jump...

doing some wheelies for the crowd...

Running Update

It has been way too hot to run lately. Yesterday was 109 (a record high) and it was the 5th straight day of temps in the triple digits. I am planning on doing the Hornet Hustle 5K at the end of the month though, so I need to get out soon for some conditioning runs. This race is put on by my son's school and they are doing this to try to raise money so that the kids don't have to do fundraisers during the school year. I am all for that.

Hood To Coast Movie

2010-08-02T14:04:00.000-05:00

Have you all heard about the Hood to Coast documentary movie that should be coming out this fall? It looks pretty good....check out the trailer:

Hood To Coast Trailer from HoodToCoastMovie on Vimeo.

You can also go to the website and put a request in to have it come to a theater near you.

$50 CSN Winner!

2010-08-01T08:08:00.001-05:00

Using Random Number Generator, the lucky number was #50, which means that new follower Karen has won the $50 to CSN Stores. Karen, send me your email address and I'll pass it on to CSN to get you the prize.

Congrats!

Stupid Gazelle

2010-07-29T21:21:00.002-05:00

Yeah, sometimes I feel like that gazelle too......I did have a pretty good 3 mile run this evening, even though the heat just about killed me...bad side cramps too, which I haven't had in a long time....

Still a couple days to enter my giveaway to win $50 in products from CSN. Check it out here.

Can Tab Run

2010-07-27T05:00:00.000-05:00

So the other day I had to take my car into the shop for some repairs. I took it to a place in another town, about 4 miles away from my house.

I decided to take it in, and run back home, instead of waking the family up to follow me and then bring me back. It was a nice day outside and I was due for a run.

After dropping the car off, I started running back home, on mostly a one lane road in the country between the two towns. But as I was running I started noticing all the litter on the side of the road. Man, we have some litterbugs here. It was kind of sad.

And then I started noticing all the aluminum cans that people had thrown out their windows which had ended up on the side of the road in the weeds. The biggest litterbugs seem to be Bud Light drinkers, although Pepsi wasn't far behind. Really, I think I saw just about every beverage represented in the can litter.

And then I had an idea.

For the past year or two, we've been collecting can pull tabs for the Ronald McDonald House. If you don't know about the Ronald McDonald house, they do great work by allowing families to stay in their homes at a very cheap rate (like $15) while a loved one is in the hospital for an extended period of time. This past week, my wife took our boys down to deliver the tabs, and they also picked up a new little house to collect the tabs in:

So my run then became a can tab collection run. I think I collected about 50 tabs, and I didn't even get them all. Some cans were too far into the weeds, or too badly mangled, or I just didn't feel like stopping for some. My pocket was weighted pretty good with the tabs. I kind of felt bad about leaving the rest of the can there and just taking the tab, like I was littering all over again. But there was no way I could carry all those cans, and I justified it by the fact that it was someone else's litter.

It made for a lot of stopping to pull tabs during the run, but it was worth it, and I had fun.

Giveaway reminder --it's not too late to enter my giveaway here! Good luck!

A Giveaway -- Win $50 in Merchandise!

2010-07-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

Okay, I am going to keep this simple. One of you is going to win $50 in merchandise at CSN Stores. There is a ton of great stuff at that site -- you could get a foam roller, a LED headlight for those night runs, a massage stick , or any number of hundreds of items. It is up to you how to spend the money, you could even get something non-running related.

To win, here is how to enter:

1. For one entry, leave a comment and say hello...yes, it's that easy
2. Be a follower and let me know it for a 2nd entry

3. For an extra entry, leave a separate comment about what you might spend the $50 on at http://www.csnstores.com/

4. For another entry, link back to this post on your blog

Contest runs until the end of July, and then I'll pick a winner.

Happy blogging and good luck!

A Junk Man, and a Giveaway Teaser

2010-07-20T19:25:00.009-05:00

Junk Man
Above is a picture from the Ripley's Believe it or Not museum in Branson. In the lobby they have these statues made out of junk parts (toys, cars, lighters, buttons, etc) fastened to a frame.

My kids thought it was the coolest thing, and so when we got home they wanted to try to make one. Here is our attempt...

Giveaway Teaser

The people at CSN Stores have contacted me to do a giveaway. Have you heard of them? They have a gazillion products from everything from a Dutch oven , to luggage, to exercise equipment (tons of yoga and strength training items), to bird cages. You name it, they probably have it. Check it out - CSN. I'll try to post this little giveaway this weekend. Stay tuned.

Soccer Running

Last night I went for a run with my son. He was on his scooter and I kicked a mini soccer ball the entire way, about 2 1/2 miles. It was actually pretty fun.

Tech shirt Giveaway here

Lazy, Crazy Summer

2010-07-19T22:11:00.010-05:00

This past month has been crazy busy to work, with a trip to Arkansas, a vacation to Branson, and a quick getaway to Topeka/Lawrence thrown in. Suffice it to say, I haven't been blogging in a while, and I've only run about once a week for the last couple of weeks. Just don't have the time or energy, especially with this mid-to-upper 90's heat we have going on lately. Seriously, all I want to do is jump in a swimming pool most days.

But, I've gotten to do some pretty cool things this past month. Here is a list:

1. I got to ride in my town's July 4th parade with my son's baseball team. This was followed by all kinds of activities in the park where I even entered a horseshoe tournament (?) and won two matches..

Go Red Sox!

2. Took the family on a work trip to NW Arkansas, where we went to a minor league baseball game with some friends and my wife and I were put on the jumbo tron and had to kiss...

At the ball game....we were on the jumbo tron in the background...

3. Got to go swimming with my boys multiple times, and launch my youngest into the water...

Prepare to launch....5, 4, 3, 2, 1....

4. Had an awesome Branson vacation, where we went to Silver Dollar City and Ripley's Believe it or Not....

With the tallest man in the world at Ripleys...

5. Went to a Wichita Wingnuts game with some friends, sat in the skybox, and one of our friends caught a foul ball (okay, she didn't actually catch it but it came right to her and landed at her feet where she picked it up.)

(no picture, forgot to take the camera...but we really did catch a foul ball)

6. Went to the REO Speedwagon/Pat Benetar concert, sat in the 7th row middle and got back stage passes...(my brother in law knows the bass player from REO very well, got us the hook up)....awesome show, and my ears are still ringing....

With Bruce Hall, bass player for REO

7. Took a trip to Topeka to see a taping of the show Pinks All Out .. We got to see a lot of fast cars and had box suite tickets to this as well with free food/drinks...it was nice having air conditioning on such a hot day....

Two rocket cars...man, they were loud... The host of Pinks, All Out, starting a race...

8. Bought a Life is Good "Gotta Run" TShirt on clearance for $7...

9. Got some New Balance shoes to wear test, and I won some Reebok shoes that I am waiting to receive (woo-hoo)

10. Overall, despite the crazy busyness at work, I've had a fun time just hanging out with the family and enjoying the summer...can't believe school starts in less than a month!

PS...Coming soon.....a great Giveaway for you all!

It's Just Like a Mini-Mall

2010-06-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

In case you haven't seen this one yet. There are lots of variations out there now, this is the original. If you're ever in Montgomery, Alabama, put this on your list of places to visit.

Hammer It 5K Race Report

2010-06-26T16:13:00.003-05:00

Let me first say that if a race runs right by your house, and your a runner, I think you're pretty much obligated to run that race. The start and finish line are less than a 1/2 mile from my house, so I was also able to walk to and from it.

This was the first race I've run since this exact same race over a year ago. Since then, I've been battling foot injuries and have had 9 months or so of not running, which means I lost much of my conditioning. I was pretty much starting over as a runner, and I started running steady again about 2 months ago. In the last two months, I've run this course 6 times during my normal weekly runs. The course was still marked out with spray paint from last year. Here are my training run times:

5/14 -- 31:45

5/21--31:13

5/26--31:37

6/8--30:49

6/15--30:45

6/17--29:58

So in about a month I took almost 2 minutes off that 5K time during practice runs. I was optimistic that I could break 30 minutes, even though there was no way I'd hit a PR (26:40 in this race last year).

The 2nd annual Hammer It 5K was much drier than last year. It was a very nice dry sunny day, which meant it was also hot. Good thing the race started at 7am, before the heat really kicked in. There were about 100 runners. I prepared mentally for the three H's--Heat, Hills, and Humidity. (yes, there are hills in Kansas) I felt pretty good and had a nice run, and finished in.....29:08! I was glad to break 30 (hey I never claimed to be fast), and nearly break 29:00. Splits were 8:58, 9:46, and 9:28. Goal completed. Now on to the next race.

I also talked to Lacy's dad, who placed in his age group. He is fast, just like her. He's a nice guy who has been running a long time. I didn't see Fair Weather Runner, though, who was supposed to show up and defend her age group title from last year.

Here are a few pics from the race:

My son holding the cool flourescent yellow race shirt!

Running past my house. My wife and kids cheered me on.I got to run with John, who I coach baseball with. He beat me by about 30 seconds or so. His 7 year old son also road his bike with him the whole way.
The line at the porta potty before the race. Lucky me, I could have just run home to use the bathroom.

Even our mayor showed up to help with the race. That's him talking on the phone in the blue shirt. Gotta love small town races.

Ultimate Runner book Winners!

2010-06-22T12:39:00.001-05:00

I hope everyone had a great father's day. I had a blast swimming with my boys over the weekend at the local pool. It has been HOT here, and it is supposed to continue to be in the mid to upper 90's all week. Definitely not ideal running weather, unless you run before 8AM or after 9PM, when it is somewhat cool. And I mean just somewhat.

On to the winners:
Lacy at Lacy's
Tim at 26.2 Quest
Tricia at Endurance isn't only Physical
Rebekah at Fair Weather Runner
Evolving Through Running

Congrats to the winners! Please email me your mailing address at ozrunner@cox.net and I'll forward it to Tom and Amy at the Runner's Lounge

Salute to Running Dads Giveaway

2010-06-16T10:05:00.005-05:00

Are you a running dad? Do you know a running dad? Do you want to join me in saluting the running dads of the world? Do you need a last minute Father's Day gift??

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then read on, I have a giveaway just for you.

The great people (Tom and Amy) from Runner's Lounge want to give you a copy of their new book, The Ultimate Runner-Stories and Advice to Keep You Moving.

5 people will win one copy of this book! You could be one of them. ( ;

To Win:

1. Leave a comment on this post about the running dad that you admire most and why.

2. Extra entry: link back to this post on your blog.

3. Extra entry: Tell us what you're getting your dad for father's day (hey, we all need creative ideas here)

Contest ends Sunday June 20th, Father's Day.

First Baseball of the Summer

2010-06-16T07:26:00.002-05:00

Last summer, I found about 25 baseballs during my runs through the nearby baseball fields. This past week, I found my first one for this summer. And it was a nice one, nice white leather with very few scuffs, not muddy and dark like some I've found. Anyway, I've added it to my collection. It will come in handy, as I'm coaching my son in baseball this year. Oh, and I also found a Rubik's cube. Not sure how I'll use that.

I've been running about 3 times a week, and I even ran in Arkansas while on a work trip last week. My runs aren't too far, usually 3 miles. But, I feel like I'm getting back in shape somewhat and I'm getting stronger. It just feels good to be running again after such a long layoff. In some ways, it's like I'm starting all over again. I have the Park City 5K in a week and a half. It will be my first race in over a year. The last race I did? This same Park City 5K, that runs right past my house. There is no way I'll come even close to the PR time that I had last year. I will be happy to break 31 min, ecstatic if I break 30. That is just the reality of the shape I'm in right now. But I'm just taking it one day and one run at a time, and enjoying each run.

The Grape Lady

2010-06-12T21:22:00.000-05:00

Don't taunt the grapes. Keep watching until the 55 second mark.

Maybe stomping on grapes will help with my foot pain.....hmm...

Lessons from John Wooden

2010-06-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

Wooden and his wife, Nell, shown in 1970, were married for 53 years. Nell died in 1985, and for a time, Wooden became what he described as "bordering on" a recluse.

John Wooden's passing recently at the age of 99 has reminded the world of what a great man he truly was. Not just a great coach, winning 10 NCAA titles and never having a losing season in 29 years, but a great man. A man full of commitment and dedication, and passion.

As an indication of what a great man John Wooden was, consider this -- John's wife passed away in 1985, but every month since then, he wrote a love letter to her. For 25 years.

One of the best articles I've read about this man is here. It is amazing and inspiring, and speaks to his incredible devotion. Check out this short section from this Bill Plashke's artilce below:

"When I think today of the greatest sportsman who walked a sideline, I think, instead, of where John Wooden lay his head.

It was a tiny bed in a cluttered room in the dark Encino condo where he lived for the last three decades.

He showed it to me once, without a trace of discomfort or embarrassment, led me inside and pointed to the threadbare white bedspread, Coach still coaching.

"That's Nell," he said.

It was, indeed, a smiling picture of his beloved late wife of 53 years, propped up above the pillow where he slept.

In the space next to the pillow, where Nell used to sleep, there was another propped-up photo of her.

Below that photo, in the middle of the bed, was a bundle of carefully scripted letters, all in the same intricate handwriting.

"Fan mail?" I asked.

"You might say that," he said.

The letters had been written by Wooden to Nell.

They contained humble descriptions of his day, gentle laughs over private jokes, eternal promises of his affection.

They had been written once a month, every month, since 1985.

They had been written after she died.

"I obviously don't have anywhere to send them," he said. "But I had to write them anyway."

Thank you John Wooden for living a life of inspiration and devotion.

Foot Pain? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

2010-06-09T22:10:00.002-05:00

Quick poll for all you runners out there -- do any of you suffer from foot pain?

Specifically, I have been having foot pain for awhile now when I get out of bed or when I stand up after sitting for a long period of time. It isn't a sharp pain, but it is a recognizable mild pain in my foot/heel. Usually it subsides after I walk around for awhile, but it can make for some slow walking right after getting out of bid, out of the car, or out of a chair.

I'm just curious if anyone else has experienced this, and if there is any treatment to help it get better.

Happy Wednesday everyone.

The Running Valet

2010-06-02T06:20:00.001-05:00

We were in Ft Worth over the weekend, and had a blast. My buddy and I went to the PGA tournament, while our wives went shopping. One night we were walking around down at Sundance Square, and I kept seeing these guys run past me every now and then. They were in a full on sprint. I thought maybe there was a race going on, but they had white polo shirts on. I probably saw 3 or 4 of these guys zipping past me before I realized that they were valet workers, running to get parked cars for customers. I snapped a picture of one of them:

Running Update -- A Slow Recovery

For one of my runs last week, I re-ran a 5K race that I PR'd in last summer (26:44). The course was still marked with spray paint so I ran the exact same course. In fact, it was raining, just like it did during the race. Only, I ran it about 5 minutes slower this time. Yes, that is how out of running shape I am right now. But, the good news is, I'm running again. Taking it easy, just trying to be smart and not get injured again. I am pretty much not wearing the $270 custom orthotics at all. Running 3 times a week, about 3 miles on my mid week runs, up to 5 on the weekend run. That same 5K race is in about 3 weeks, and I am planning on running it. My goal is to break 30 min, and right now I think I could get close.

How To Run Across Water

2010-05-23T07:31:00.001-05:00

I thought this was a joke at first, but I guess this is an actual sport -- liquid mountaineering. Basically, running on top of water.

Kansas Runners Dominate the 1500-Meter Run

2010-05-17T06:10:00.000-05:00

A month ago, we went to Kansas City for a quick weekend getaway. While there, we went to the Legends Village West shopping area. This is one of our favorite places to go in Kansas City. It is an outdoor retail and entertainment area. Every time we go back, there is something new and fun, and it is a wonderful place to go with your family.

Throughout the shopping area, there are statues and sculptures of various things--a cowboy, a fly fisherman, etc. There was a new one this time I'd never seen, and it was running related. It was a series of statues of runners as a tribute to the great 1500-meter runners we've had in Kansas over the years. I thought it was very cool Here are some pics:

First Place in the Class Race

2010-05-11T06:03:00.001-05:00

My son is in the first grade. His school had their end of the year “field day” last week. There are about 20 events, with things like soccer dribble, football throw, spoon relay, etc. But only one of the events has a clear winner – the class race.

In the class race, the students are put into groups of 5 or 6 for a 50 yard race, and then the winners all race each other to find out which kid is the fastest in the class.

Last year, my son made it to the finals where he was up against 5 other girls. He had a huge lead but then ¾ of the way into the race he tripped and fell, and he came in last. He was embarrassed and cried a little bit.

So this year was his chance at redemption. And not only did he win the qualifying race going away, he destroyed his competition in the finals.

Oh, I forgot to mention, my son is fast. He definitely didn’t get his speed from me, but I am very proud of him.

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T06:07:00.000-05:00

This video is a commercial for John Lewis, but it really is poetry and creativity in 90 seconds, and perfect for celebrating Mother's Day.

I would not be half the man I am without my mother and my wife. Happy Mother's Day to everyone.

Running Again?

2010-05-06T06:11:00.002-05:00

Okay, so there is a question mark at the end of Running Again? because although I did have my first run two nights ago in about 2 weeks, I still feel like I'm riding that line where I could get re-injured at any moment. So, I'm trying to be smart and careful. So I can run and stay running.

The Stick has been great, I am going to try to use it twice a day, either before and after a run, or once in the morning and once at night. I had hopes to run the River Run 10K this next weekend, which I hear is the biggest race in the state of Kansas, but I know that I am not in shape for it. I could probably get through it, but it would be ugly. And, I could risk an injury flare up. See, I'm trying to be smart.

So I've been thinking about two things.

1. Getting a bike so I can cross train

2. Trying out the Galloway method.

Has anyone done the Galloway method? I was listening to the Extra Mile podcast yesterday and he had Jeff Galloway on the show. If you don't know, the Galloway method is all about run-walking, and Jeff said a lot of that is to aid in injury prevention. He said he's been injury free for like 30+ years now. Pretty amazing, and it got my attention. So, I may give it a shot. Still debating.

As for the bike, I had a buddy stop by the other day with a nice triathlon bike he bought on Craiglist at a bargain of a price. I don't know about doing a triathlon (the swimming part would kill me), but it definitely got me to considering getting a bike. There would be less pounding on my injured foot, for sure.

Hope everyone is doing well and getting their runs in. I'm feeling disconnected to the blogosphere currently. May is a busy month.

Boston Inspiration

2010-04-20T15:26:00.002-05:00

I was able to find a live stream of the Boston Marathon yesterday, so I could catch the men's and women's finishes from my office at work.

It is amazing to me how fast the elite athletes are. Ryan Hall finished 4th (2:08:47) after running sub-5 minute miles for 26.1 miles. That is insane. That is basically a dead sprint. How can that not win? I can't even run one mile that fast.

Watching those fast runners is inspiring and depressing at the same time. Inspiring that makes you want to get out and run, and depressing that you will never run that fast.

Still, it was fun to watch, and congrats to all Boston finishers!

I ordered "The Stick" and received it yesterday. My wife said I could have made something like it, but I think she overestimates my handyman ability.

It is a pretty cool device, and I really wanted it to be able to roll out my calves a couple times a day. They get really tight.

Running Update

I've been nursing a sore foot (again), this time it is the top of my foot and I think it was caused by running in the orthotics. So, I put those away temporarily and am giving my foot a week or so of rest to heal up. I had been running 3 times a week until this past weekend.

Also, I've been reading "Running for Mortals" which was a gift from my wife, and I've found some really good tips in their. I like that it breaks things down for the average guy (or girl) trying to run.

Running the Sahara

2010-04-03T07:07:00.002-05:00

Running the Sahara

I finally saw the movie "Running the Sahara" last night. I've heard about it for a while (it came out in 2008), but like most movies we wait until it comes out on TV.

The movie, if you haven't heard of it, is a documentary about 3 men (one from Canada, one from Taiwan, and one from America) who decide to run across the Sahara desert (4,500 miles).

Matt Damon is one of the producers and also does the narration.

I thought the movie was great. Even my non-runner wife enjoyed it. The struggles that they face amazing--including countless blisters, cramps, muscle fatigue, sand storms, high heat (140 degrees at one point), dehydration, etc, etc.

These guys ran about a marathon and a half a day for 111 days straight. No days off. Across sand. In blazing heat. Consuming massive amounts of liquid and food. Losing upwards of 40+ pounds. Getting lost. Across countries. Against incredible odds.

I can't imagine the wear and tear that this type of event would take on someone's body. My body can barely endure a 1/2 marathon. These guys were running 30-50 miles a day for over 100 days in a row. One of the guys said he had just taken up running late in life, got hooked, and became an ultra runner. This movie is definitely worth checking out if you're a runner.

Running Update

The latest Runner's World has an article that talks about coming back from injury and it states that if you've been off for more than a month, you should treat it like you are starting over. Well, I definitely feel like I am starting over (after being off for 3 months). I'm trying to take it slow, and run injury free. This week I had several 3 to 4 mile runs, and I am not running two days in a row to give my body the chance to rest in between runs.

Watch Where You're Running

2010-03-31T07:06:00.000-05:00

Ouch.

Why Not to Go to a Foot Doctor

2010-03-25T10:27:00.003-05:00

Well, let me re-phrase that....why not to go to MY foot doctor:

I went in for my check up with the podiatrist two days ago. It had been about a month since I'd seen him, and about 2 weeks since I started wearing the orthotic inserts.

I'm not sure what I expected from this visit, but it certainly felt like a waste of my time. The entire visit took about 5 minutes.

The doctor never looked at my foot. He never touched my foot. He basically asked one question --"how is your foot feeling?" And I rambled on for about 5 minuntes, then he said "well, sounds like you're on the right track, let us know if anything changes."

We could have had that conversation over the phone, and I could have saved the $25 co-pay. Frustrating.

Running Update
I have run 3 times this week, nothing too fast or two far. Just my normal 3 mile route. The foot is doing okay, but I'm being very careful with my foot plant, and paying attention to any sign of arch weakness during my runs.

During this morning's run, I felt like the neighbors were all out to get me.

You know how sometimes you run down a long dark neighborhood street and a car will back out of their driveway just as you get to them? Well, that happened about 5 times this morning. Seriously. I am never sure if they can see me and have to take evasive action.

It's Official -- I'm Out of Shape!

2010-03-21T17:52:00.003-05:00

I had my first "real" run in probably 4 months this week. It was my normal 3-mile route, which I usually cover in about 29 minutes. This week it took me 34 minutes. Yep, I'm out of shape. I feel like I am starting running again. I guess that's what 4 months of laziness will do to you. I was sucking wind, and I had terrible side and lower back cramps. I took multiple walk breaks to get through the run. It wasn't pretty, but at least I got it done. The one piece of good news is that my foot seemed to do just fine with the new inserts.

I know that I should have been keeping my conditioning up while I couldn't run --you know, strength training, aerobic activity, flexibility, etc---but the truth is, I just haven't mentally been in the mood for exercise. And not just because of my injury, either.... the weather here has been depressing, and it's been hard to get motivated to do any type of fitness.

I am hopeful that this "first run" will get me kick started mentally to get back into it again. I feel like it will. And, it won't hurt if the sun comes out this week either.

Side Note: My K-State Wildcats are in the Sweet Sixteen! Go Cats! Mel, sorry about your Zags.

Saucony shoe giveaway here.

March Madness!

2010-03-20T18:52:00.002-05:00

(My buddy and I with Wille the Wildcat)

Today is the first day of spring, and the end of my kids' spring break, but it snowed 3-4 inches. How is that for March madness???

I was able to go to Oklahoma City with a buddy of mine to see K-State play in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Our seats were about 4-5 rows up from the court behind the basket, and I'm pretty sure we were on TV a few times. We saw the double overtime game between Florida and BYU, the last second shot win by Northern Iowa over UNLV, the K-State-North Texas game, and about half of the KU-Lehigh game.

We had a blast cheering on Kansas State, and they won easily. We take on BYU this evening for a spot in the sweet sixteen. There have been a lot of really good games so far in the NCAA Tournament, and many upsets, including Northern Iowa knocking off top seeded Kansas. Even though that loss messed up my bracket, I'm not heart broken, I'm a K-State fan, not a KU fan.

Go State!

How to Catch a Leprechaun

2010-03-17T06:01:00.000-05:00

This is a Leprechaun Trap. My 1st grade son made it just before spring break. It's a kleenex box with a ladder where the leprechaun can climb up, and fall into the hole. There are gold coins at the top to attract them, and the sign says do NOT enter, because leprechauns always do the opposite of whatever you say. This was totally my son's idea. Iit's fun having a 7 year old.

Happy St Patricks Day everyone.

Running Again

2010-03-16T09:08:00.002-05:00

I did a test run over the weekend. It was my first run in about 2 months, and I wanted to test out my new custom orthotics to see how the foot held up.

One thing about orthotics. They are really hard plastic. For some reason I thought they would be softer, but they weren't.

I started running, went about 100 yards, and the hard plastic was really bugging me. Then I got and idea. What if I put my shoe insert (soft padding) over the custom orthotic? So, I stopped and did that, then walked around a little and immediately I could tell it felt better. So, I did a short run, just a one mile loop, and the foot felt great. I could tell that my conditioning has taken a hit though, and I need to work on getting back into shape. At least I can run again--woo-hoo.

Shhhh......RAK #6

2010-03-12T10:53:00.003-06:00

"You've just been gifted with a random act of kindness. It's amazing how much a small act of kindness from a stranger can bring more sunshine into your day, isn't it? Kindness...pass it on."

The picture is blurry, but these are cards that my kids helped me make about a month ago. I have been leaving little gifts for my co-workers periodically, with this card attached. My co-workers have no idea who is doing it. I actually read this idea on someone else's blog awhile back, and decided to steal it.

Today's RAK was in the form of a pack of Rolo's. (remember the jingle "roll a Rolo, to your pal?)
Other RAK's have included a bottle of water, a journal, and a Snickers. Just small little items usually, randomly placed. Some of the items have been re-gifted, in the spirit of the note. I have heard some co-workers talking about who they think is doing this. No one suspects me so far, so don't tell.

Kindness, pass it on.

Hello, and Custom Shoe Inserts

2010-03-10T19:44:00.004-06:00

Hello blogosphere....first off, I am waaaaaay behind on blogging, as well as reading other people's blogs. I have a lot of catching up to do. I was in sunny California for a week and have been busy lately, but mainly I haven't been blogging because I haven't been running. Hopefully that will change soon.

I got my custom shoe inserts about a week ago, and have been wearing them constantly. Maybe it's psychological, but my foot feels stronger. I feel like I am almost ready to do a test run. Maybe this weekend I'll finally be able to get a run in. I am definitely getting antsy to run. It's been depressing not being able to run, and I think I have about 5-10 pounds that I have gained in the last few months that I need to work off.

I was very skeptical that these shoe inserts would work, and even though they still feel kind of weird and bulky in my shoe, so far my foot feels stronger, so maybe they will work. Time will tell.

NFL Pick Me....

2010-02-24T19:09:00.002-06:00

I can't tell if some of these are real or fake....either way, they are pretty cool. I like the last one with Laurence Maroney. Notice the warning : "Do not attempt unless you are an NFL athlete." Which one is your favorite?

Brilliant..

2010-02-19T06:57:00.003-06:00

Simply brilliant....I just wonder how you get the ball back out of the goal....

I went to the doctor and the doctor said....

2010-02-15T12:56:00.004-06:00

no more monkeys jumping on the bed..."

oh wait, sorry, that's my kids' book.

I did, however, go to see the podiatrist, and I am not sure what I thought of him. He did very little testing or touching, and mostly just looked at my feet and let me go on and on about the pain I feel, etc. He didn't seem like he even asked very many probing questions about things, either. In the end, he recommended some supports for my shoes, so I got fitted and they are ordered. For what I paid, they better work. They should be in next week, and hopefully before long I'll actually feel like a runner again.

I'm loving the Olympics right now too.....anybody else catch the guy that won the bronze medal in speed skating on Biggest Loser? What an inspiring story, to come back from an injury like that. Amazing.

Foot Trouble

2010-02-08T15:17:00.003-06:00

In honor of FOOT-ball season officially coming to a close with the Saints victory yesterday, I made an appointment to see a foot doctor, a podiatrist, tomorrow. I've never been to one, and I'm not sure what to expect, but the pain in my foot has lasted longer than I like (more than 6 months), and I am ready to do something about it.

I don't know if I need some custom orthotics, or some physical therapy, or what...but, I need a professional opinion. I ran about 3 easy miles Saturday and yesterday my foot was killing me. I was limping all day. This is getting old. I just hope that it isn't too costly for me.

On a related note, we went to our local home show over the weekend, and one of the booths had these glycerin-filled shoe inserts, called Hydropedes, that made all kinds of claims about how great they make your feet feel. According to their website, they bring relief from "Athletes Foot, Muscle Cramps, Leg Cramps, Spider Veins, Foot Pain, Heel Pain, Heel Spurs, Leg Pain, Lower Back Pain, Bunions, Calluses, Flat Feet, and Pain associated with Walking, Standing, or Running."

I tried some on and walked around for a bit, and they felt very strange on my feet, but I could feel how they kind of massage your feet while you walk. The salesperson said that a runner who had plantar's fasciitis spent $600 for orthotics said that these $30 inserts worked better. I'm always leery of those types of claims, and those types of booths at trade shows, so I didn't bite. Anyone ever heard of these inserts?

Dominoes Everywhere

2010-02-02T07:23:00.000-06:00

You're welcome...

The Great Snowball Fight of 2009, er, 2010

2010-01-31T17:20:00.004-06:00

We got about 6 inches of snow two days ago. School was cancelled, much to my boys' delight. One thing I hate when we get snow is that the snowplow piles up snow in front of our driveway, so that even though there may be 6 inches in the driveway, there is about 2 feet where the driveway meets the road. That always makes for some extra shoveling work.

Yesterday we went sledding, which was fun, and today-- it was all about the snowball fight. I helped my two boys build some forts (which were about 5 feet apart) and then they went at it. They had a blast, and so did I watching them.

Afterwards, I went for an easy three mile run. The streets were clear for the most part. I had a few places where I had to run over some ice patches or snow, but nothing too dangerous. It felt good to get out, and I actually enjoy running in this cold weather. The foot bothers me just enough that I feel like I still have to go slow, but not enough to keep me from running.

Stand By Me....

2010-01-29T15:20:00.000-06:00

This video is from the award-winning documentary, "Playing For Change: Peace Through Music", comes the first of many "songs around the world" being released independently. Featured is a cover of the Ben E. King classic by musicians around the world adding their part to the song as it travelled the globe. See more at playingforchange.com.

I love how the world is coming together lately and standing by Haiti......

Playing For Change: Song Around the World "Stand By Me" from Playing For Change on Vimeo.

On Second Thought....

2010-01-23T15:26:00.003-06:00

In my last post, I mentioned that I was going to lay off running for a bit....

Yeah, about that...

I ran yesterday, and again today....

Granted, both runs were at a very slow pace, really just barely above a fast walk pace....but, they were still runs....I ran for 30 minutes yesterday, and 60 minutes today....during the run today, I took several walk breaks, and I am really just trying to be smart with my training and not re-injur my foot....it still feels somewhat weak, not totally healed, and susceptible to injury....

I also bought some dumbbells and a medicine ball so that I can do some home exercises in order to build some strength and stability, both things I am severely lacking in....

***************

In non-running related news, I hope you are all doing something to help the country of Haiti. The earthquake and news footage in Haiti has been on many people's minds lately. I have been to Haiti and know first hand how great the need is there. I have donated cash and today served with my family to pack boxes of dried food for distribution to Haiti. Numana is trying to send 1 Million meals to Haiti this weekend. When I was there, they were up to 300,000 meals. It was amazing see thousands of volunteers coming out to help today. We waited in line for over an hour just to serve and pack food for an hour. We may go back tomorrow and help again. It was very well organized and a lot of fun. I hope you will help. The country of Haiti really needs our prayers and support.

Toto's Africa- Choir-ized

2010-01-19T13:50:00.000-06:00

I had my first run in 3 weeks this past weekend. I took it very slow, and had mixed results with my foot. Last night I played a little basketball and definitely could feel some pain in my plantar fascia during quick starts and stops......I am going to continue to rest it and focus on other fitness activities, like the elliptical or yoga.

It stinks not having any running to blog about.

But at least K-State knocked off #1 Texas last night. And a lot of my TVshows have started back up---Biggest Loser, 24, Chuck, American Idol ("pants on the ground, pants on the ground"), etc...

And there is always some good 80's music to cheer you up. Like this version of Toto's "Africa" that I ran across.

This is kind of slow at the beginning, and I don't really like choirs, but if you give this video a chance, it's actually pretty cool...

The Best Game Ever

2010-01-09T20:39:00.004-06:00

I love Improv Everywhere...if you haven't heard of them, they do some hilarious stuff...I know. I know, it's football/basketball season now, but here is one of my favorites:

Enjoy.

Is it cold enough for ya?

2010-01-09T07:17:00.002-06:00

We have had -20 wind chill days the last 2-3 days. Ice is forming on the inside of my kids' bedroom windows. I get frost in my goatee just from walking outside. My car keeps refusing to start in protest of this miserable weather. A local school cancelled school because of the extreme cold. (my kids were just upset that it wasn't their school)

In fact it's so cold that our eye doctor's are giving away ice scrapers with every new pair of eyeglasses, and Starbucks is serving their coffee on a stick, and I chipped my tooth on my soup, and...

Okay those last three are just jokes, but it has been super cold here lately. I'm ready to move to Florida. Oh wait, they have a winter blast going on too. Maybe Arizona. Anyone with me?

The Oz Museum

2010-01-03T15:09:00.002-06:00

Outside of the Oz Museum. Next door there was a restaurant called Toto's Tacoz Mexican Restaurant. Unfortunately, they were closed.

(Warning: Picture Heavy Post)

During the holiday break, I took the family to Manhattan to see my beloved and #12 ranked K-State basketball team play a home game. They won the game easily before a sell out crowd, and we had an absolute blast.

We had heard about a place called the Oz Museum nearby, so of course we had to visit. We drove about 15 minutes to Wamego, Kansas, in order to visit the Oz Museum, a tribute to the Wizard of Oz. Evidently, the museum is pretty well known, and we got to see some cool stuff.

After paying our admission, they told us to take all the pictures we wanted while inside. So, we did.

They had an area dedicated to each of the main characters: Dorothy, the Tinman, Scarecrow, and Lion, as well as for the Wicked Witch, Good Witch, and Wizard. I didn't see a Toto exhibit.

The Dorothy exhibit

The boys imitating the Scarecrow

Oiling the Tin Man

"Roar" said the Cowardly Lion, or my son...one of the two...

Oz items in other languages

I was amazed at the number of beers that are "Oz" themed:

Scarecrow, Flying Monkey, Emerald City, and Pete's Wicked Ale

This little theater room had the Wizard of Oz playing non-stop..

Here are some of the funny signs/shirts that I saw in the gift shop:

Why some organizations succeed and others...

2009-12-31T08:55:00.001-06:00

You want to maximize response? You have to minimize options. Will a picture help? Lucky for you, I just happen to have one here:

Running Update

I have been to a physical therapist twice in the last week for ultrasound and cold fusion treatment of my foot..btw, has anyone ever had ultrasound treatments? are they legit? they are supposed to promote blood flow and speed healing....I thought originally it was my plantars fasciitis acting up again, but now I think it's just a strained foot muscle, so I'm taking a few weeks off...Frosty 5K on New Years day won't happen for me this year....I'm trying to be smarter so I can keep from being injured all the time....hoping to begin training in Feb for a spring half marathon...

Hope everyone has a safe and happy new year!

Flat Ariston

2009-12-27T08:06:00.000-06:00

My son, Ariston, read a book in his 3rd grade class called Flat Stanley. In the book, Stanley is flattened by a billboard. But, he soon finds out that being flat isn't so bad after all, because he can be mailed all over to visit many places.

His project was to make his own Flat Ariston and send it to someone living in another community, have them write about the place they live, and take a few pictures too. My son sent his to his grandma that lives in Lincoln, IL, and here are a few pics of the adventures of Flat Ariston while there:

the town is named for Abraham Lincoln

where Ariston's mom went to grade school

the largest covered wagon, apparently

abraham lincoln christened the town by spitting a watermelon seed

the courthouse where lincoln practiced law

the place where lincoln spit the watermelon seed

Move Your Boogie Body

2009-12-26T17:35:00.000-06:00

You're welcome....

Merry CHRISTmas!

2009-12-23T17:33:00.003-06:00

Hope everyone has a great CHRISTmas! Much love from the land of OZ....

How Running is Like Golf

2009-12-21T13:11:00.000-06:00

In Golf, you will not get better overnight. It takes lots of hours and years for people to learn to hit it long and straight. Same with Running. Getting faster and improving endurance takes time.

In Golf, having a good set of clubs is important, but even more important is having a good swing. Same with Running. A good pair of shoes are important, but equally or more important is having good form while running.

In Golf, when you swing too hard, usually you end up shanking the ball into the trees or over-hooking it into the water. In Running, when you try to run too fast or too far, too soon, you generally end up getting injured.

In golf, when you slow down and think about the shots and use strategy, the score is better. In Running, when you slow down and use your runs wisely and think about strategy for getting the most out of your body, your times will improve.

One of the great things about Golf is that when you are having a crappy round and you can't hit the ball straight to save your life, and you are on the verge of dumping your clubs into the lake, you hit that one sweet shot that keeps you coming back again and again. In running, too, despite all the pain and frustration and "bad runs," all it takes is having that one great run to get you back out the door running again.

Running Update

I had planned to run 6 miles Saturday but at mile 3 I felt a twinge of pain in my plantar fascia tendon, so I slowed to a walk the rest of the way....very frustrating

I have a call in to a local physical therapist to see if I can get some advice on this nagging injury....

Here is a link to a video my mom told me about, Dr Oz talking about "how to find the perfect shoe" --- http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/how-find-best-shoe-you

Somebody's Getting Fired...

2009-12-17T19:25:00.000-06:00

Oops...

Is This Man Overweight?

2009-12-15T22:00:00.005-06:00

Danny Cahill won Biggest Loser Season 8 recently.

He lost an amazing 239 pounds, going from a starting weight of 430 lbs to a finale weight of 191 lbs.

His BMI (Body Mass Index) incredibly went from 60.0 to 26.6

However, according to BMI (body mass index), he is still overweight. See the chart below:

BMI:
Normal (18.5 - 24.9 BMI)
Overweight (25 - 29.9 BMI)
Obese Class I (30 - 34.9 BMI)
Obese Class II (35 - 39.9 BMI)
Obese Class III (greater than 40 BMI)

Danny is 5' 11". BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight.

In my opinion, Danny is not overweight. What do you think?

Accidental Rainbow

2009-12-14T15:00:00.000-06:00

How many times have you represented one of God’s promises and not even known it?
Just goes to show that no matter where we are in life…we might just be somebody else's rainbow.....

The Bridge is Out!

2009-12-12T13:49:00.004-06:00

Obviously, my 8 year old gets his artistic talent from his father.

Today I ran 5.5 miles. Above is an attempt of a visual of the last mile of my run including my house.

As I was nearing the end of my run, less than a 1/2 mile from my house, I was coming up to a bridge. Now, I knew that the bridge was under repair, but I thought that I could still get across. Wrong.

I really didn't want to back track about a mile, just to cross a 10 foot creek so that I could get to my house that was 200 yards away. (The bridge and stream are in a park with lots of trees, and is kind of a woodsy area.)

So, I went up and down the bank of the stream trying to find a place to cross. The water was a little higher than normal since the ice has been melting, so I really couldn't find a good spot. It wasn't deep, but it was too wide to cross. Some of the ice was frozen too. So I ended up having to toss in a few logs and rocks so that I could cross over onto an island. My shoes only got slightly wet. Then, I had to climb up a steep hill, down another part of the hill, across another section of stream, and then up another hill. All of this probably took my 20 minutes.

Seriously, I could have just back tracked and ran the extra mile by that time.

The Tentative Runner

2009-12-11T10:39:00.002-06:00

Having both plantars fasciitis and a strained calf in the last 6 months has caused me to ease up on the running a bit.

I run more tentatively, listen to my body more (especially calves, ankles, and feet), and take more rest days. I don't want to get injured again, so I'm running slower, shorter runs until I can build up some confidence and strength. Speaking of strength, I am also trying to incorporate strength and flexibility work into my training. I stress trying.

So, for my last few runs, I've run without my ipod, so I can "listen" to my lower body and pay attention to any possible pain. And, I kind of like it. My whole focus is on my run and how I'm feeling, aside from the mind wandering that happens naturally during runs.

This morning I had a nice, chilly 3 miler, felt pretty good, and I hope to get in another 4 or 5 tomorrow.

Homemade Sports Drinks

2009-12-09T16:19:00.001-06:00

To all the budget-conscious runners out there, here are 3 recipes for homemade sports drinks, that my aunt gave me recently. I have tried the first two, and I like the first one better. The 2nd one tasts kind of like salty kool-aid.

Homemade Sports Drink Recipe #1

1/2 cup orange juice
9 tbs. Sugar
3/8 tsp Salt
Water to 2 liters

Nutrition info:
14.4 grams carb (6/1%)
104 mg sodium
28.4 mg Potassium

(Gatorade 8 oz. serving gives: 14 grams carbs, 110 mg sodium, 30 mg potassium)

Homemade Sports Drink Recipe #2

10 tbs sugar (5/8 cups)
.75 tsp sea salt or Morton's lite
1 package of unsweetened Koolaid mix
Water to make 2 liters

Nutrition info:
14.2 grams carbs
103 mg sodium
121 mg potassium
53 calories

(if you wanted to reduce the potassium, another option would be to use 1/2 tsp each of regular sea salt and the Morton lite salt. This would change it to: 104 mg sodium, 40 mg potassium)

Homemade Sports Drink Recipe #3

1 caffeine free lemon tea bag
water
2 tbs sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tbs orange juice

Bring 16 ounces of water to boil. Steep lemon tea bag. Dissolve sugar and salt into tea and let cool. Combine the tea and orange juice and chill.

Nutrition info:
15 grams carbs
130 mg sodium
60 calories

Biggest Loser Thoughts

2009-12-05T06:50:00.000-06:00

Next week is the Biggest Loser finale. I can't wait, the "reveal" is always very inspiring. Due to travelling we were behind on our episodes, but now we're caught up. So here are some of my thoughts.

Spoiler alert if you haven't seen this past week's episode.

First, I loved the "Where are they now" episode. Very inspiring. I might even have to leave that on the DVR for a little while. I especially loved the 2 former contestants that completed Ironmans. How amazing is that? The big guy that came in at 17 hours and 3 minutes, that barely missed the cut off? Swimming for an hour and a half, biking 100 miles, and then running 26.2? Incredible. When I saw how wobbly his legs were after he got off the bike, I thought there would be no way he was going to finish, but he did. Great show. Oh, and I really couldn't believe the former winner that has gained almost all of his weight back. How in the heck does that happen?

On to this season. I was very impressed with Rudy's victory in the marathon, that was a respectable time. But I was even more impressed with Danny losing 59 pounds while at home for 60 days. Both of those guys deserve to be in the final. As for America's vote, I'm leaning towards Amanda. Nothing against Liz, just seem to like Amanda better, and Liz seems too clingy towards Danny. Something strange about their relationship.

And how eye opening was it during the home visits? This competition really puts the stress and strain on the family. I could feel for Rudy. He goes home and has to work 12 hour days, with an hour drive to work, spend time with his kids, connect with his wife, etc...and still find time to get a 2 hour workout in. It is the real world, instead of the Biggest Loser campus where everything revolves around eating right and the next workout. I also couldn't believe that Liz's mailbox is one mile from her house, and how her training consisted of running to the mailbox and back. How boring would that get?

For the finale, I am predicting that Danny will win. He lost double digit numbers for 7 weeks straight, and seems to be in the zone and want it more. I wouldn't mind if Rudy won though, he seems like a good guy. I am pulling for Allen to win the second chance prize.

Sculpture Park Run

2009-12-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

While in St Louis this past week (actually a suburb, called Kirkwood), I was able to get a couple of runs in around the hotel.

The first day, I just started running, and I wasn't sure where I was going to go. Our hotel was right next to the highway with tons of shopping and office buildings everywhere, so I was wanting to just find a residential area and get a few miles in.

What I found, though, was priceless.

Hidden behind a bunch of office buildings and a shopping center, about a half mile from our hotel, I discovered the Laumeier Sculpture Park. Their website describes it as "105 acres of art and nature," and that is basically what it was. Tons of cement paths great for running as well as at least a mile or more of paths that ran into the woods. All of these paths are surrounded by various sculptures, so it made for a very interesting run. There were probably over 100 sculptures in the park.

Sugabus--the three-headed dog sculpture

The first day I was so intrigued that I found myself having to stop every now and then and look at some of the sculptures closer, and read about them. Some of them were amazing. The next day, I focussed on the trail portion of the park, and got in a couple miles of trail running, followed by another mile or so of path running, and some stair work too.

This park made for some really great running. I took my family there the day we left to show them where I'd been spending my running time.

Redwood II--the largest contemporary wood sculpture, according to the note at the base.

the appropriately named Eye sculpture...my kids loved this one the best

Happy Cyber Monday, and Post #200!

2009-11-30T10:43:00.008-06:00

Hello to the Blogosphere and all my Run-Blogger friends. I have been traveling to Illinois and Missouri for the last week and am way behind on my blogging. I have a lot of catching up to do.

This post is my 200th post since I started blogging almost exactly one year ago. Nothing fancy or fun about this post, but it is a milestone anyway.

This past week, first we spent a few days in Illinois, celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas with family, and had a really good time. We had decent weather (well, at least it didn't snow), spent quality time with family, and ate a lot of great food, including a Thanksgiving dinner that included both Turkey and Prime Rib. Good thing that the day before I ran 3.5 miles and worked out at the local college's fitness center with my wife and aunt. I think I gained 10 pounds.

the kids decorating the tree

We opened some early Christmas presents, and my son got a fun Yoda hat, among other things.

my son and his cousin on Thanksgiving/Christmas

We traditionally all go to the movie theater on Thanksgiving day, but this year they were not showing any "kid-friendly" movies, so we rented some DVDs, grabbed another piece of pie, and watched a couple of movies together--Monsters vs. Aliens, and Imagine That. Both were pretty good, but I think I liked Imagine That better. I had never heard of it (it is with Eddie Murphy), but it was funny. (By the way, I watched "Up" in the car during the 10 hour drive, and while I thought it was good, it kind of had a sad underlying theme to it. I won't say more than that, in case you haven't seen it yet.)

We left the day after Thanksgiving and headed to St Louis. We were going to take the kids to the St Louis Childrens Museum, called The Magic House.

Let me just say that for anyone within driving distance of St Louis, with kids between the ages of 4 and 12, you need to go to this place. It was amazing. We got there when they opened and spent 7 1/2 hours there and were never bored. It is huge, and my kids thought they were in heaven. It truly was incredible. We took a gazillion pictures while there. Here are just a few:

the oval office

changing a tire in the service center

Curious George was there too

working in the grocery store

ahoy matey!

delivering pizza in the restaurant

working in the bank

building a house

One funny thing happened while we were there, too. We ran into our neighbors who live across the street from us. 8 hours away, and we happened to be in the same place at the same time. What are the odds.

It was an amazing day, and we topped it off with a trip to the St Louis Zoo, where they had over 500,000 lights for their "Wild Lights" event, with a great holiday light display. It was excellent weather, a great time, and a perfect end to the day.

By the way, I did get some running in also, and I have another post I want to share about a couple of really cool runs I had while on vacation.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, too, and didn't eat too much turkey.

I'll leave you with a poem that we created at the Poet-Tree space in the Childrens Museum too--

Test Run=Success

2009-11-20T06:13:00.002-06:00

Last night I went for a test run to see if my calf was healed up. It had been feeling pretty good, and I just wanted to go out for a nice, easy, slow run.

As I was getting dressed and putting my shoes on, my 7-year old said he wanted to come with me, so I told him, "great, let's go."

So we both bundled up and went out for a run in the dark. It was fun running with him, we talked the whole time, and he did really good. We went at a nice easy jog pace, like 11 min/mile, and went a total of 2 miles. The calf didn't give me any problems, so I think I can start running again. Hope to get my son out there with me on some more runs in the future.

Happy Friday everyone.

Beginning Running Again

2009-11-17T16:25:00.004-06:00

I haven't run for about 2 1/2 weeks, it's driving me crazy. But, I am giving my calf a few more days before I start running again. I actually feel ready, and feel strong enough, but when talking to a running buddy of mine he said calf strains take 3 weeks to heal, so I am heeding that advice.

My mother in law got me a great Barnes and Nobles gift card for my birthday, and I was really torn between three or four books on running. In the end, I settled on "Runner's World Complete Book of Beginning Running." My wife said, "why are you getting a book on beginning running?" Well, truthfully, I'm still a beginner. I've only been running for a little over a year, and I have TONs to learn. This book is full of great information on running, from Diet and Nutrition, to Training, to Injury Prevention. Some of the things in the book I already knew, some I didn't. Some, I just needed reminded. It will be a great resource to have around, and I've already read a couple chapters. If you're looking for a good resource about running, check this book out.

Yoga? Seriously?

2009-11-10T12:29:00.004-06:00

Okay, so I'm taking this week off from running to rest my calf. I'll try running again this weekend.

In the meantime, I decided to try Yoga. Yes, I know, it's not generally a "guy" thing to do, but I had heard that it is really good for building strength and flexibility, two things that I am very lacking in (probably why I keep getting injured).

Through our cable provider, we have "On Demand" Exercise and Fitness TV, with tons of guided workouts, including Yoga. Yesterday I picked a random one called "Yoga Fitness Fusion" or something like that. It was a 45-minute workout. I only lasted 15 minutes. It was hard. I struggled, and I am sore today from that little 15 minute workout. I can really see the benefits of doing it though, and I am going to try it some more. I did another 10 minute Yoga session today. I think I may need to try a beginner's class, the workout I picked is kicking my tail. Hepefully I can get a stronger core and increase my strength and flexibility, which will only make my running better.

Giveaways:

Tri the Dream

The Daily Cadence

Test Run=Fail

2009-11-08T06:57:00.003-06:00

I hadn't run for 5 days, I was giving my calf some healing time. It was feeling pretty strong and felt good enough to go for a run yesterday.

But, after about 1/2 mile I felt a twinge in my calf again that brought me to a halt, and I walked back home rather than risk further injury. I am not sure what I did to my calf, but it obviously needs more recovery time. I've thought about getting a deep muscle massage, I've heard that those can help.

So, I went back home and since it was so beautiful out, I put up the Christmas lights. Yes, I know it's early November, and I think the neighbors thought I was crazy. But it was beautiful here yesterday, I couldn't resist.

Also yesterday, sandwiched between my son's last soccer game of the season and 2 kids' birthday parties, I got to watch K-State win the Sunflower State showdown football game with KU. One more win and we're bowl eligible baby. Never would have believed it at the beginning of the season. Go Cats!

Auto-Tune the News

2009-11-04T06:23:00.001-06:00

Yeah, everything sounds better auto-tuned.

You're welcome.

4-mile Black Lab Run

2009-11-01T19:49:00.004-06:00

No, the "Black Lab Run" isn't a race that I ran in this weekend. It's what happened to me today.

I set out for my run this morning and after about a quarter mile, a stray black lab started running along with me. I didn't really mind, and it was good company. He would run up into people's yards and then come back to join me every so often. I kept thinking that he would stop and go home, or get bored and wander off....but, he stayed with me for the entire 4 miles.

When we got home, I got him some fresh water to drink and gave him some food. He was very friendly. The first thing my son said was "Can we keep him?" I said "No, he probably belongs to somebody." So we got out the phone book to call the local Animal Control to come get him, and by time I went back outside, he was gone. Probably off on another run with another passerby. Anyway, it made for an enjoyable run, to have a running partner.

I tweaked my right calf at about the 3 mile mark, enough that I walked most of the last mile....I am not sure what happened, I was running along fine, feeling strong, and then I felt a twinge of pain in my calf that brought me to a halt. It's not a cramp, maybe a strained muscle or something. So, I'm going to give it a good 3 days rest and see how it feels.

I leave you with a picture of my boys' Halloween costumes, a boxer and a tourist.

A Wave From California

2009-10-31T09:15:00.011-05:00

New Places

First off, I have been traveling this past week and have had zero time to blog or read anyone elses blogs, so hopefully I can catch up over the weekend. Thanks to Tall Mom for letting me know I won a giveaway on her blog. Woo-hoo. Some hand warmers just in time for winter.

Prior to this week, I have never been west of Colorado. But a business trip to California changed all of that, and I got to spend 4 days in San Diego.

I loved seeing all the palm trees, but I could have done without the crazy traffic.

view from my hotel room...it was too cold to swim. for me anyway

While there, I had a nice 5.5 mile run my first morning there, and another 4 mile run the next day. There was a great path to run near the hotel. It was a bike path between the sidewalk and the street and was wide enough for a golf cart. There was a curb that was 6 inches high and 18 inches wide that separated the bike path from the motorist traffic. That helped give a sense of security having that extra curb there.

the bike path i ran on...it was nice and wide, with curbs on both sides...

California people didn’t seem as friendly as I’d imagined. I mean, the people around the hotel were nice enough, but that’s their job. And my co-workers from California are all nice. But during my runs, I usually try to wave to people I pass, and during both of my runs I barely got a wave in return.

The first day I passed a walker, a biker, and another runner, and none of them waved or said hello back to me. Even when I found a YMCA membership card on the ground and ran it inside to the front desk of the YMCA, the worker there didn’t even say thank you. Not the best impression from an outsider, but I’m from the Midwest where everyone is friendly. The second day wasn’t much better, I passed 7 walkers and a biker, none of them waved back, and I passed 3 runners, and two of them waved. At least a couple of the runners were nice enough to wave. Maybe everyone was still half asleep. These were some early morning runs in the near-dark.

New Shoes

About a week ago I received some Brooks Glycerin 8’s in the mail to test out. This business trip was my chance to take them out for a spin. They are great shoes, and are set to hit the market early in 2010 I think. They have Brooks’ new DNA technology that allows the sole of the shoe to mold to the specific weight and impact of the person wearing them and change to provide the right amount of support.

They were very comfortable right out of the box and had a super ride and feel. These might be replacing my Asics Kayano’s as my regular running shoes.

The Worlds Largest Running Store

So we’re driving to the place in San Diego for my work meetings and literally a block from the office, we pass a sign that says “The World’s Largest Running Store.” So of course I had to check it out. It was a Road Runner Sports clearance store, and it was pretty cool.

I had them fit me for shoes, even though I don't really need any. The process was really cool, very high tech. They had a glass floor hooked up to a computer that when you walked over it told you what part of the foot was having pressure put on it, and they video taped my feet on a treadmill to determine pronation. Turns out I have a high arch with a slight under pronation and need a motion control shoe. It was fun. I picked up some shoe inserts and some Chafe Free gel.

I didn't get to enjoy California as I had hoped. Didn't get to the beach, or go to In and Out Burger, or the San Diego Zoo, etc. We stayed way too busy with work. So, now I need to plan a family vacation so we can do all the fun stuff next time. We had a 3 hour delay in Denver on the way home (I guess they got 18 inches of snow the day before), and I was relieved to get home in time to go trick or treating with the kids. Happy Halloween everyone.

Mid Afternoon Distraction

2009-10-23T06:13:00.002-05:00

If you only have a minute, skip to 3:46 in the video. You're welcome.

I think some of these shots look like me at the end of a race....

Willie the Wildcat

2009-10-20T21:30:00.008-05:00

It was Harley Day at the K-State/Texas A&M game last Saturday. We took the boys up, along with my dad, for a fun day in the Promised Land (I mean, Manhattan, Kansas). It was a great day. We went up a little early for some site seeing which included going up to Manhattan Hill, which overlooks the city. It was a bit chilly, but the sun was shining. We had a parking pass which meant we could park fairly close to the stadium, which was nice, and then we also had tickets to the VIP tent in Cat Town, with BBQ, drinks, and live Blues music before the game. It was great. We then went at checked out all the Harleys outside the stadium (which later would circle the track inside the stadium just before kickoff). There were probably 150-200 Harleys, it was awesome Willie the Wildcat was there, in full motorcycle leather gear. He lead the motorcyle parade inside the stadium. Willie the Wildcat is K-State's mascot, and he does push-ups every time KSU scores, one push up for every point. Well, he got a workout Saturday night, as KSU won 62-14. (by my estimation, he had to do 346 push ups) They demolished Texas A&M, it was awesome. (Sorry, Aggie fans).

Running Update
Ran 3 miles yesterday and today. Feeling some slight soreness in my lower legs so I'm going to take a couple days off. Considering doing the Turkey Trot 10 miler in about a month.

Giveaway --a giveaway to help you stay warm this winter

A Step in the Right Direction

2009-10-17T10:44:00.004-05:00

I kept telling myself that even though I couldn't run for about 3 months due to plantars fasciitis, I could make the best of an injury situation and use that down time from running to do some strength training and/or try to lose that extra 15-20 pounds I've been carrying around.

Did I? No. Instead, I pretty much turned to comfort food and gained about 5 pounds while doing ZERO strength training. I guess it's kind of hard to do strength training when we don't have any weights to lift or a gym membership. (if any of you do strength training without weights, tell me how please)

Anyway, all that is said to say that I am still trying to get my running legs back, and today was a nice step forward in that direction.

I got up way too early (like 330am--crazy I know, couldn't go back to sleep), and went running around 600am, a distance of 7.5 miles, the farthest I've ran in probably 6 months or so. I felt great the whole way and took it at a nice, easy pace (like 10:30/mile). I even got to see the sun come up. It was an awesome run.

Tomorrow is our hometown marathon and I thought about volunteering, but we have too much other stuff going on tomorrow, so for anyone running the Wichita Marathon tomorrow, have a great race! The weather should be perfect. Best of luck to everyone running races this weekend.

Luna Bar Giveaway

Rut or Routine?

2009-10-15T14:54:00.003-05:00

So for about the last 4-5 months, I've had pretty much the same thing for breakfast. Every day. Two frozen waffles, topped with low-fat peanut butter and a banana.

I like it because it tastes good, is quick to make, and is convenient. There have been a few days when I've had something different, but really 99% of the time, this is what I eat. Probably not the most nutritious breakfast, but not the worst either.

What's on your breakfast table in the morning?