Thursday, June 11, 2009

A Humdinger

I've got a humdinger of a head cold. It's getting better, but of course, I gave it to D.

I don't know if my colds are any worse than anyone else's of if it's just that colds affect me more because of my messed up sniffer. In any case, I hate colds. This one, is no different.


Monday, June 8, 2009

10 Dollar Trail Run

"Ten.
"Ten dollar.
Ten dollar trail run."

Yeah, just like that uber annoying commercial for subway. That gets stuck in my head like a damn deer tick. I have a friend who is in one of the commercials. He's a construction worker. So when I see him singing that song, it makes me happy, because it means Tom is making money.

I ran at Malibu Creek State Park yesterday. When I pulled up to the window, they asked for 10 bucks. I knew I had to pay something to get in, but I don't remember it being that high. Maybe it's because the state of California is bankrupt. Maybe it's just to help keep the park open. No matter. I was just glad to see that it was open. The state budget cuts are hitting everything pretty hard.

Malibu Creek State Park is where they used to shoot the old M*A*S*H* t.v. show. It's also where the 50K I want to run in August is being held, so I wanted to get in a nice long run in on that course before I have to take a few weeks off. I started off well enough, but I had forgotten how steep the Bulldog trail is. It really kicked my ass. I did a lot of hiking uphill, and on the way back, my quads took their requisite beating. By the end, I was really suckin' wind and my tank was on empty. This morning, I awoke with what I believe to be a cold. It could be a sinus attack, or allergies, (it was pretty windy out there yesterday). Whatever it is, I'm just hoping to get rid of it before I fly home sunday.




A lizard, just sunning himself on a rock.


You can almost hear the guitars of "Suicide is Painless" being played, and the familiar whup whup whup of the helicopters from M*A*S*H*.


Here are the totals:

Time: 2:46
Distance: 14.61 miles
Calories: 1406
Average pace: 11:24/mile YUCK
Average Heart Rate: 157

I doubt I'll be running any more this week. Time to hunker down and deal with whatever this is. It sucks.


Thursday, June 4, 2009

Playing Catch Up

I know what you're thinking. "Jeff Bowser, you sir, are a slacker of the highest order." True as that may be, I have been running this week. I've just been a slacker in the posting department.

Monday, I think I rested. After Saturday's 11 mile trail run and the hilly hike D and I went on Sunday evening, I took the day off.

Tuesday, I did a 5 mile negative split run on the treadmill. The sinuses were being their normal, pain-in-the-ass selves. It could've been the allergy medicine, it could've been the fact that I was pretty tired, but I felt pretty light-headed during the run. I wouldn't say it was actual faintness I was experiencing, but more of a disconnectedness during the run. For the last mile of the run, I sped up to about 7:55/mile, and that seemed to do the trick. Perhaps the lightheadedness was traveling at 8:30/mile pace and I simply outran the damn thing. Whatever it was, I was happy when I was finished with that run.

Wednesday, yesterday, got up early, and lifted weights at the gym, upper and lower body work. Today I will most likely go on a run integrating an errand or two along the way.

Fascinating!