First order of business, a minutes silence for grade schoolers and high schoolers across the world who headed back to school today,even though it's over 30 years since I graduated I can still recall how I would dread the first Monday of September when my 6 week summer vacation would come to an end and it was back to school and back to the class rooms.
A message to high schoolers,if you work real hard get good grades and apply yourself,chances are you'll graduate w/ decent qualifications and get a decent job.....don't end up like me at almost 47 flogging your guts out on a loading dock working w/ and for people who don't appreciate the work you do,I was reminded of a comment on either my sophomore or junior year report card
"If Kevin interrupted a lot less he'd accomplish a lot more"maybe that's why I graduated w/ no exams and had to take the first job I could and have spent the last 30 years working my arse off,as Eileen and Kevin taught me"hard work never hurt anybody" but god damn it this job is gonna be the death of me,I'm 13 days shy of 11 years there and realistically I'm looking at another 20 years b4 I can retire.....oi vay!
On a cheerier note,I notched a 61 min 10 miler this evening,last week I notched 3 63 min 10 milers but yesterday and today I've been working them back down,62,61,dare I go for a 60 tomorrow?
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Marchin' To The Beat Of My Own Drum
"All that I have all that I hold, all that is wrong all that I feel for or trust in or love.
All that is gone it used to be so easy but the last day of summer never felt so cold the last day of summer never felt so old"
The Last Day Of Summer-The Cure
So,summer has come to an end,unlike last year when I had no Nationals or Worlds to compete in this year at least I had four glorious days in Sacramento to look back on w/ great pride.
There were other high lites,the World Cup,Wimbledon,European Championships but now as the US Open segways us into fall it's time to look ahead.
I paid the price for staying up into the wee hours last nite w/ the Stouser Dementeva match that ended at 1.35am so needless to say getting up at a reasonable hour this morning wasn't looking likely and w/ that went my planned mile repeats at Temple.
As I conducted my out and back 10 miler along Cobbs Creek Parkway I gave thought to rewriting my schedule for the week,I'll join Chuck for hill repeats at Belmont on Thursday in lieu of today's mile repeats and I also gave thought to tapering for 5th Avenue and Syracuse beginning next week.
W/ my run taken care of it was an afternoon of laundry and US Open tennis,kudos to my local Laundromat for showing the tennis while I was in there and I also got a positive reaction to my "You Cannot Be Serious" t shirt I bought on Friday while at the Open.
Back to reality tomorrow,at least it's only a 4 day work week even if I have to work the first 2 short handed
All that is gone it used to be so easy but the last day of summer never felt so cold the last day of summer never felt so old"
The Last Day Of Summer-The Cure
So,summer has come to an end,unlike last year when I had no Nationals or Worlds to compete in this year at least I had four glorious days in Sacramento to look back on w/ great pride.
There were other high lites,the World Cup,Wimbledon,European Championships but now as the US Open segways us into fall it's time to look ahead.
I paid the price for staying up into the wee hours last nite w/ the Stouser Dementeva match that ended at 1.35am so needless to say getting up at a reasonable hour this morning wasn't looking likely and w/ that went my planned mile repeats at Temple.
As I conducted my out and back 10 miler along Cobbs Creek Parkway I gave thought to rewriting my schedule for the week,I'll join Chuck for hill repeats at Belmont on Thursday in lieu of today's mile repeats and I also gave thought to tapering for 5th Avenue and Syracuse beginning next week.
W/ my run taken care of it was an afternoon of laundry and US Open tennis,kudos to my local Laundromat for showing the tennis while I was in there and I also got a positive reaction to my "You Cannot Be Serious" t shirt I bought on Friday while at the Open.
Back to reality tomorrow,at least it's only a 4 day work week even if I have to work the first 2 short handed
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Game,Set And Match
W/out a doubt the US Open has become my favourite of the Grand Slams.
Over the years my heroes Connors,McEnroe and Agassi won some memorable matches and as a kid back home in London I can recall staying up till 11pm-12am to get updates on Radio 2 of the night matches.
The greatest city in the world and the greatest tennis tournament of them all and as much as I love Wimbledon and enjoyed my 5 visits there these days I live for the US Open and I'm already planning next years visit
Changes
Labor Day weekend stirs differing emotions for me,the end of summer,the beginning of the college and NFL season,the new fall season etc etc.
While I'm grateful for a long weekend off from work the realization that summer is drawing to an end isn't one that fills me w/ glee,September is often great training and racing weather but there's that nagging sense that winter is drawing closer and the inevitable wardrobe changes will be going into effect.
While I welcome the new fall tv season it also serves as a reminder that the evenings are getting darker sooner and the sleeveless shirts need to be replaced w/ t shirts,b4 long sleeve shirts etc.
As I sit here enthralled by the US Open tennis I know that upon returning to work all the talk will be of the upcoming NFL season....and having to listen to the same tired old crap I've been forced to hear for the past several years between now and the Super Bowl....yea!!!
Tuesday will see school back in session and the peace and quiet of travelling home on the subway and the el is about to come to a screaming halt,I'm sure I was a loud and obnoxious teenager riding the bus home from high school all those years ago and maybe I'm showing my age by saying the kids of today are a nightmare but two months removed from turning 47 I now and have for years felt sorry for any passengers who had the misfortune of being on a bus I rode home from high school from between 75-80.
Managed another 63 min 10 miler this morning,on the theme of changes this may've been one of my last Sunday runs along Cobbs Creek Parkway,the next two weeks{hopefully}will see me back to Monday-Saturday rotation,followed by 5th Avenue Mile and Syracuse Masters 5K Road Race,followed by two weeks off and then the beginning of an 8 week base mileage programme where the plan is on Sundays to go long,15-16 miles along Kelly and West River drives but that as they say is for another time.
One more day of my 4 day weekend to enjoy,I'll take advantage of getting onto the track at Temple tomorrow to run mile repeats and then camp out in front of the tv to enjoy another day of US Open tennis and look back fondly on the summer of 2010.
While I'm grateful for a long weekend off from work the realization that summer is drawing to an end isn't one that fills me w/ glee,September is often great training and racing weather but there's that nagging sense that winter is drawing closer and the inevitable wardrobe changes will be going into effect.
While I welcome the new fall tv season it also serves as a reminder that the evenings are getting darker sooner and the sleeveless shirts need to be replaced w/ t shirts,b4 long sleeve shirts etc.
As I sit here enthralled by the US Open tennis I know that upon returning to work all the talk will be of the upcoming NFL season....and having to listen to the same tired old crap I've been forced to hear for the past several years between now and the Super Bowl....yea!!!
Tuesday will see school back in session and the peace and quiet of travelling home on the subway and the el is about to come to a screaming halt,I'm sure I was a loud and obnoxious teenager riding the bus home from high school all those years ago and maybe I'm showing my age by saying the kids of today are a nightmare but two months removed from turning 47 I now and have for years felt sorry for any passengers who had the misfortune of being on a bus I rode home from high school from between 75-80.
Managed another 63 min 10 miler this morning,on the theme of changes this may've been one of my last Sunday runs along Cobbs Creek Parkway,the next two weeks{hopefully}will see me back to Monday-Saturday rotation,followed by 5th Avenue Mile and Syracuse Masters 5K Road Race,followed by two weeks off and then the beginning of an 8 week base mileage programme where the plan is on Sundays to go long,15-16 miles along Kelly and West River drives but that as they say is for another time.
One more day of my 4 day weekend to enjoy,I'll take advantage of getting onto the track at Temple tomorrow to run mile repeats and then camp out in front of the tv to enjoy another day of US Open tennis and look back fondly on the summer of 2010.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Howling Wind
"There's a rushing sound that is sometimes heard when your mind won't let you sleep,it's a flickering sound of a thief who's come to tear up all theses dreams
Stealing from the heart,stealing from the soul,stealing from the future on the wind that blows away my words
Blows away my reason,blows away my soul,taking my existence the wind that blows away my words"
The Wind Blows Away My Words-The Alarm
First up a recap of yesterday,w/ the best will in the world I had planned to get up and run prior to my departure to New York for the US Open, a case of the spirit being willing but the flesh being weak,on the weekends when I run I usually need at least an hour after waking up b4 I get out and run but w/ an 8am departure to the Big Apple on tap try as I might I could not summon the energy to get myself up and out the door by 5.30am off a 5am wake up and so I nixed it....when I originally drew up my week Friday was my day off as I felt it would be wishful thinking to get up at 5am and be out the door by 5.30am to run but having lost Monday and Tuesday I harboured remote hopes of getting a run in yesterday....it didn't happen but rather than beat myself up over it I'm chalking it up to"one of those weeks"much like the week of July 5th when I lost days due to the extreme heat and had to settle for a 40 mile week this week will go that route also.
After a long but thoroughly enjoyable day at the US Open it was back to business today and the much delayed 2x150,4x400m,decathletes mile,I had tried to run it Monday only to have to play second fiddle to band practice and then on Thursday the track was occupied but I was confident that being a Saturday I'd have the track to myself today and I did.
Following my warm up and stretches it was time to see what I had after a topsy turvy week,I've always said we can all be ''world beaters" when things are going are way,it's how we deal w/ a spanner in the works that shows what we're made of.
2x150-22.23-22.42.For me 21s are the bench mark for my 150s so I was only a shade off but it was very evident down the back straight that the wind was going to be an issue.
4x400m
#1 400m 64.44.Not the start I was hoping for,the fact I never left home till 11am for my workout when normally I'm out the door by 9.30am-9.45am confirmed my belief I was feeling fatigue,hardly a surprise this week but not an excuse I like to use.
#2 400m 64.49.Clearly I was not going to scale the heights of weeks #3 and #4 today but rather than mail it in I was going to grind it out.
#3 400m 63.78.I felt I was finally starting to get a read on the wind and work the top turn and home straight,having notched 63s in week #2 in some respects I was going backwards but at least I was fighting back rather than let the wind and the fatigue win w/out a fight.
#4 400m 63.15.The day I stop fighting is the day I might as well hang up my flats just because it wasn't going my way didn't mean I could run up the white flag....Never Surrender.
Decathletes Mile 1.19,1.25,1.22,70-5.16.1.When I opened in 1.19 I pretty much knew what was in store but I had to hang in there and see it through,sure after 4 weeks of seeing my mile drop from 5.15.1-5.08.1-5.04.2-4.58.9. it was frustrating to notch my slowest mile to date but w/ everything that's happened this week I'm pleased that I had the chops to at least go out and fail rather than stay home and second guess what if?
In training as in racing,some days you just don't have it,today was one of those,yes it's disappointing but if you"hit ten"every time it's easy to be complacent,this set back will force me to dig deep and look to bounce back next week.
Stealing from the heart,stealing from the soul,stealing from the future on the wind that blows away my words
Blows away my reason,blows away my soul,taking my existence the wind that blows away my words"
The Wind Blows Away My Words-The Alarm
First up a recap of yesterday,w/ the best will in the world I had planned to get up and run prior to my departure to New York for the US Open, a case of the spirit being willing but the flesh being weak,on the weekends when I run I usually need at least an hour after waking up b4 I get out and run but w/ an 8am departure to the Big Apple on tap try as I might I could not summon the energy to get myself up and out the door by 5.30am off a 5am wake up and so I nixed it....when I originally drew up my week Friday was my day off as I felt it would be wishful thinking to get up at 5am and be out the door by 5.30am to run but having lost Monday and Tuesday I harboured remote hopes of getting a run in yesterday....it didn't happen but rather than beat myself up over it I'm chalking it up to"one of those weeks"much like the week of July 5th when I lost days due to the extreme heat and had to settle for a 40 mile week this week will go that route also.
After a long but thoroughly enjoyable day at the US Open it was back to business today and the much delayed 2x150,4x400m,decathletes mile,I had tried to run it Monday only to have to play second fiddle to band practice and then on Thursday the track was occupied but I was confident that being a Saturday I'd have the track to myself today and I did.
Following my warm up and stretches it was time to see what I had after a topsy turvy week,I've always said we can all be ''world beaters" when things are going are way,it's how we deal w/ a spanner in the works that shows what we're made of.
2x150-22.23-22.42.For me 21s are the bench mark for my 150s so I was only a shade off but it was very evident down the back straight that the wind was going to be an issue.
4x400m
#1 400m 64.44.Not the start I was hoping for,the fact I never left home till 11am for my workout when normally I'm out the door by 9.30am-9.45am confirmed my belief I was feeling fatigue,hardly a surprise this week but not an excuse I like to use.
#2 400m 64.49.Clearly I was not going to scale the heights of weeks #3 and #4 today but rather than mail it in I was going to grind it out.
#3 400m 63.78.I felt I was finally starting to get a read on the wind and work the top turn and home straight,having notched 63s in week #2 in some respects I was going backwards but at least I was fighting back rather than let the wind and the fatigue win w/out a fight.
#4 400m 63.15.The day I stop fighting is the day I might as well hang up my flats just because it wasn't going my way didn't mean I could run up the white flag....Never Surrender.
Decathletes Mile 1.19,1.25,1.22,70-5.16.1.When I opened in 1.19 I pretty much knew what was in store but I had to hang in there and see it through,sure after 4 weeks of seeing my mile drop from 5.15.1-5.08.1-5.04.2-4.58.9. it was frustrating to notch my slowest mile to date but w/ everything that's happened this week I'm pleased that I had the chops to at least go out and fail rather than stay home and second guess what if?
In training as in racing,some days you just don't have it,today was one of those,yes it's disappointing but if you"hit ten"every time it's easy to be complacent,this set back will force me to dig deep and look to bounce back next week.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
That's Why You Write Your Schedule In Pencil
Another day,another schedule change....it's been that kind of a week!
On Monday I headed over to the the track at Temple w/ the intention of conducting my 2x150,4x400m,decathletes mile....band practice on the infield again,I fully understand,Temple has a big football game vs Villanova tomorrow at The Linc and the band needs to be ready.....but do you have to practice on the infield of the track????
When I arrived at Temple this evening the track was full of people running,I realize the fall semester has begun and w/ that I may need to rethink my weekday repeats there,next week I can utilize Monday being Labor Day but after that I think I may be joining Chuck at Belmont Plateau on Thursdays for hill repeats while still hitting Temple on Saturdays untill my final scheduled repeats on Sat Sept 18th and hopefully Monday Sept 20th.
I had thought about swinging by Belmont and joining Chuck for hill repeats but the logistics w/ getting up early to head up to New York tomorrow for the US Open and having to hit the supermarket for a few items meant Belmont was wishful thinking.....besides having read Chuck's Facebook comment re the Temple Nova game tomorrow I thought it best to keep the waring factions apart.....there's been enough fighting at work this week!!!!
And w/ that I hit the out and back along Cobbs Creek Parkway and clocked another 63 min 10 miler,the 10 miler means there is still potential for a 50 mile week even w/ one less day of training if I want to go that route,it's something to ponder but frankly one day at a time,I have to conduct my 10 miler tomorrow around 5.30am since I need to be on the bus to New York by 8am and to be honest my only thoughts right now center on tomorrow's Tennis at the US Open and w/ that I'm off to watch the Djokovic match.
On Monday I headed over to the the track at Temple w/ the intention of conducting my 2x150,4x400m,decathletes mile....band practice on the infield again,I fully understand,Temple has a big football game vs Villanova tomorrow at The Linc and the band needs to be ready.....but do you have to practice on the infield of the track????
When I arrived at Temple this evening the track was full of people running,I realize the fall semester has begun and w/ that I may need to rethink my weekday repeats there,next week I can utilize Monday being Labor Day but after that I think I may be joining Chuck at Belmont Plateau on Thursdays for hill repeats while still hitting Temple on Saturdays untill my final scheduled repeats on Sat Sept 18th and hopefully Monday Sept 20th.
I had thought about swinging by Belmont and joining Chuck for hill repeats but the logistics w/ getting up early to head up to New York tomorrow for the US Open and having to hit the supermarket for a few items meant Belmont was wishful thinking.....besides having read Chuck's Facebook comment re the Temple Nova game tomorrow I thought it best to keep the waring factions apart.....there's been enough fighting at work this week!!!!
And w/ that I hit the out and back along Cobbs Creek Parkway and clocked another 63 min 10 miler,the 10 miler means there is still potential for a 50 mile week even w/ one less day of training if I want to go that route,it's something to ponder but frankly one day at a time,I have to conduct my 10 miler tomorrow around 5.30am since I need to be on the bus to New York by 8am and to be honest my only thoughts right now center on tomorrow's Tennis at the US Open and w/ that I'm off to watch the Djokovic match.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Start As You Mean To Go On
"So the spirit wages war,between the wanting,the having,the needing no more
My right hand knows not my left hand,I am the author of my own rise and fall
I'm fading out again,fading out again,when the dream has gone it's all over
The fire's gone out,all burnt out
Let it go,let it go,let it go,let it go before it takes control, let it go,let it go,let it go,let it go
before it takes you over,before it destroys you"
Burnout Syndrome-Mike Peters
Well what do you know! a stress free day on the job and a 63 minute 10 miler in the so call searing heat.
First and foremost let's draw a line in the sand w/ the work bullshit,I deliberately chose "Burnout Syndrome" as a set of lyrics to make a point,I am the author of my own rise and fall in this current battle and if I don't let it go it will destroy me.
As the Serenity Prayer tells us" accept the things I cannot change,the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference"I have to accept certain things are set in stone and also certain people aren't going to change their ways,however I can change things I do and hope the week long aggro fest that has developed dies a quick death so that I'm not stressing myself to the point that I'm missing any more training runs.
All this is of course easier said than done but today saw me take positive steps in that direction and I need to remind myself of the bigger picture,after tomorrow it's a four day weekend w/ a trip to New York for the US Open and next Friday The Alarm are playing here in Philly so there's much to look forward to,glass half full not half empty.
It was good to be out running again today,I reminded myself of a quote my former coach used to make about "chasing lost miles"I have to chalk up Monday and Tuesday as lost as move on,I can still chalk up 41 miles for the week and go w/ the quality over quantity mindset.
Repeats tomorrow,either on the track at Temple or hill repeats at Belmont if band practice scuppers the track again,I've had enough upheavals this week,I'd just like to see out the rest of the week w/out any more hiccups..........that's not too much to ask for is it?
My right hand knows not my left hand,I am the author of my own rise and fall
I'm fading out again,fading out again,when the dream has gone it's all over
The fire's gone out,all burnt out
Let it go,let it go,let it go,let it go before it takes control, let it go,let it go,let it go,let it go
before it takes you over,before it destroys you"
Burnout Syndrome-Mike Peters
Well what do you know! a stress free day on the job and a 63 minute 10 miler in the so call searing heat.
First and foremost let's draw a line in the sand w/ the work bullshit,I deliberately chose "Burnout Syndrome" as a set of lyrics to make a point,I am the author of my own rise and fall in this current battle and if I don't let it go it will destroy me.
As the Serenity Prayer tells us" accept the things I cannot change,the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference"I have to accept certain things are set in stone and also certain people aren't going to change their ways,however I can change things I do and hope the week long aggro fest that has developed dies a quick death so that I'm not stressing myself to the point that I'm missing any more training runs.
All this is of course easier said than done but today saw me take positive steps in that direction and I need to remind myself of the bigger picture,after tomorrow it's a four day weekend w/ a trip to New York for the US Open and next Friday The Alarm are playing here in Philly so there's much to look forward to,glass half full not half empty.
It was good to be out running again today,I reminded myself of a quote my former coach used to make about "chasing lost miles"I have to chalk up Monday and Tuesday as lost as move on,I can still chalk up 41 miles for the week and go w/ the quality over quantity mindset.
Repeats tomorrow,either on the track at Temple or hill repeats at Belmont if band practice scuppers the track again,I've had enough upheavals this week,I'd just like to see out the rest of the week w/out any more hiccups..........that's not too much to ask for is it?
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