Characters in My Running Play

There are 'characters' that I pass while running.

Old Guy - This man has got to be in his early 80s, he always wears a safety vest. When we pass each other we raise our hands in greeting. I think we crossed paths for about 6 years but he has fallen off the planet in the last six months.

Wheelchair Guy - A very annoying man that has an electric wheelchair he drives over from his house to a coffee shop on Lincoln. He must have a radio because on the trip over I can hear him coming from 4 blocks away. Then he sits in front of the coffee shop all morning - if I go back down for bagels he's still there. He has made odd comments to me but I don't talk back, too weird.

Retired Marine w/Golden Retriever - Okay, I don't know if he was a Marine or not but he looks the part, short hair, very trim, pretty solemn. He and his wife (see Thin Lady) live down the street from me. He usually has his golden retriever trotting along beside him. I like his dog: he never strays or is distracted from where he should be.

Thin Lady - Married to RM w/GR. She usually isn't out until the very end of my run. She looks like she used to be a p.e. teacher. She and I have a nodding acquaintance.

Gaggle - This is a group of women who talk more than they run. I only see them every few weeks. They chatter away about life, kids, husbands, and move like sludge. I have caught a few comments from them about how I pass them so quickly (I'm not that fast, they are just slow.)

Tiger Walker - This woman has a Great Dane that is striped like a tiger - no kidding. This is the biggest dog I have ever seen. She takes him over to the tennis courts by our house and shuts the gates and lets him run. He lopes along the fence trying to play with other dogs. I keep thinking the little dogs look like appetizers to him.

Hat Guy - This old guy has a grey banded hat he wears at a jaunty angle while he walks around the park. He has the funniest rhythm in his walk. It's almost like he is listening to a jazz beat and trying to walk to it. He makes me smile.

Boot Camp People - These are mostly women who get up at 6 a.m. to do what look like silly things in the dark. If I want to be amused I run around the park and watch whatever it is the instructor has them doing. I always - ALWAYS - want to tell them to get better bras!

I don't see all of them everyday, in fact, there are many days that I don't see any of them but I like them. There was a guy that I passed a few times a week on the same street for about a year. I started running another route for a while and then ran the old one one day: this guy ran up to me saying how glad he was that I was okay. It sort of alarmed/amused me. Characters make life more interesting.

MIA

Sorry I have been MIA this week. We have had friends in town staying with us and my time has been sucked up by cleaning and staying sane, which is no small feat.

I have logged in some good mileage this week; Monday 11.5, Tuesday 10.75, Wednesday 12.25, Thursday 7, Friday 7 + 14 biking. I have been up early and out the door to enjoy the peace and quiet - running silent, no headphones, not many cars and a lot of quiet.

I don't have any friends that run as much or as early as I do. I have a sister that runs and I can talk her into going early when we, or they, visit. I know she doesn't go as early otherwise. I appreciate having her as a running partner when we do see each other but it's hard to run through three states to get to her. ;-)

I was admiring a neighbor's hydranga bush and thought I would include a photo of it.

Give it a Listen

Devil in the White City - By Eric Larson - Narrated by Scott Brick - 15 hours - Non Fiction. (NOTE: Some would consider the description below spoilers. They are just facts of the characters and don't give anything away.)

Larson takes two stories - one of the building of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair Exposition by the principal architect and that of H.H. Holmes, a charming serial killer that lured at least 27 women to their death - that seem improbably companions. The story weaves together the panic of The Fair's architect, Daniel Burnham, and the calmness of Herbert Mudge (aka H.H. Holmes). Burnham has to work furiously to get his vision completed in time for The Fair's opening working in a swamp with rain and delays and issues that would have given any modern day architect a heart attack! Holmes builds a hotel that he bills as "The Castle" that probably gave plenty of women heart attacks! Scott Brick is a great narrator giving voice to Burnham and Holmes in each of their correspondence and through eye witness or corraborating accounts and testimony. I found the stories proceeding together smoothly and with similar levels of anxiety building throughout. The end was wrapped up very quickly but I think held true to Larson's focus of authenticy in the final moments of a project or investigation (wrapping up the finishing touches on a building and gathering the final evidence on Holmes).

I thoroughly enjoyed this book but did find myself hitting the previous chapter button a few times just so I kept things straight. Scott Brick has an easy voice to listen to and moved through the narration quickly without rushing things. I will most certainly be listening to this again!

Heart Beat Testing

I am in good shape. No, I'm in really good shape. But this week I had to go take a test. I felt like I was a marathoner that had to sprint on the last mile uphill, against the wind, with the sun in my eyes, in 95' heat.

It reminded me of what my dad used to say when we walked off to school, "I used to walk uphill both ways in the snow with only old newspaper tied to my feet! And, I loved school!". I know that doesn't have anything to do with the testing or such but I thought of it and put it in - my blog my rules.

I hated the test (passed though). Found out my heart can withstand the stress. Found out I sweat less when I run. AND, I like running better than testing.

Santana - Smooth)

I got my stride on early this morning and since I didn't have to be anywhere I did 12 miles. My feet were light and glided over the pavement. I felt graceful and powerful and rhythmic. I ran long enough for some dawn runners to be out. I easily strode past them and their flat footed strides that looked jerky and not quite in tune with their own bodies. I felt Smooth....so, as Betty Keira would say, we dance.

I'm in the Money Now!

It cracks me up how much money I find running. Mostly I find dimes and pennies but I've found just about everything else, coins and bills.

My most lucrative run was $32 - a $20, $10 and 2 $1's - in the middle of the road folded. I've found plenty of $10's and $1's, not many $5's. I found $1.37 in coins in one run.

If it's winter and I'm wearing a jacket it isn't a problem just plopping it in and continueing on my way. During the summer it's a little trickier as I slip in into my running bra. I end up with coin sized marks, a little green if it's pennies, and my husband can tell me just about what I came home with. Very funny.

My most lucrative year was about 5 years ago when I found over $60. I decided that year, and a few other years throughout the years, to stack it on my dresser just to keep track. My kids know to leave it alone and get excited when the stacks start to grow.

I don't necessarily keep my eyes to the ground but glance down occassionally and just find money. Sometimes I'm not sure of what I saw so I have to lurch to a stop and run back a few feet to scope it out again. Sometimes it's a round-ish copper colored leaf or a washer or such but most of the time it's money.

I'd say I find money at least twice a week. Today it was 7 pennies in a cluster and a nickel a quarter mile later. I'm in the money baby....

Give it a Listen

I thought I would include reviews of things that I listen to once a week or so, depending on how long a listen it is.

The Murder of King Tut - By James Patterson & Martin Dugard - Little, Brown & Co. Read by Joe Barrett - 6 hours - Non-fiction

The book is told in three time periods; during the research/writing by James Patterson (1st person), during Howard Carter's life 1922+ and King Tut's time. I enjoyed the jumps between time periods because it gave some insight into what Patterson & Dugard were doing and thinking during their long discovery mission and writing, Carter's frustrations and pitfalls before and after his successes at finding the tomb, and the speculation into Tut's brief life and the events surrounding his death.

The research/writing chapters were introspective and interesting to hear the process and the frustrations and speculations. Patterson and Dugard did extensive research so as to include a lot of facts or factual based information which is time consuming. I liked what Patterson says about writing, "Don't fake anything.", and I don't think he and Dugard did.

Carter's chapters were wonderful and painful. He has a tragic fullness of himself that is beautifully written. His obsession with all things Egyptian is his triumph and his downfall.

The one thing that bothered me about the Tut chapters was that he was called Tutankhamun, or Tut, through the entire piece and not Tutankhaten before he was king. The story itself is speculative for the most part. But, the story of his and his queen, his half sister, Ankhesenamon (Ankhe) was interesting and moving at times. It accurately portrays the period and the descriptions of events and scenes were vivid. If you like Phillipa Gregory's non-fiction but based on fact books, you will like this section particularly.

I really enjoyed Joe Barrett's baritone voice. He had a nice smooth cadence with good voice fluctuations between character's - he was definitely better with the male voices. It was read at a nice clip so could run without bogging down through slower parts. It was a very quick listen that didn't even make it 4 days.

Overall I would give this a 7 out of 10 since there weren't any new revelations but it was interesting to hear the voices from the past come alive.

Lead Foot

Are there days when you feel like you are running with two lead feet? You can't pinpoint the problem but it all feels harder. My time was only about 5 seconds off of normal - not significant. But I just couldn't get my feet to fly this morning.

I thought it might be the book I was listening to, it has bogged down a bit, but that wasn't really it. This is my last day on my current job, definitely not it (I should be flying high if my feet were attached to my light heart!). Maybe worrying about kids (no), money (no), family health (a bit), or what to do with my life now (yeah, right)?

I usually hit my stride at mile number 3. I've warmed up and feel like I have woken up and can start moving my legs and feet as if I am really in charge. I love the feeling I get when I get to that, "Okay, let's kick it in gear.", moment in my run. That's when I get a little adrenaline rush and start smiling on the inside.

I think tomorrow it is going to have to be motivational music to jump start the morning. Get a little booty action into my run. Shake whatcha got and learn how to fly!

Laugh In

Do you remember the old tv show Laugh In? I loved Ruth Buzzie, Goldie Hawn, Arte Johnson, Lily Tomlin and all of the guest stars like Sammy Davis, Carol Channing, John Wayne, etc.. Now I bet you're wondering what this has to do with running? Remember one of their catch phrases, "Sock it to 'em/me!"? I loved it when anyone would do that bit. It made me laugh until I cried. I'd be gulping for air and snorting at the same time. This phrase made me think of, well, socks.

Socks are sort of boring. Generally white, ankle or shoe rise and pretty dull. But I am here to give you my take on socks.

I have worn all sorts of socks; expensive, cheap, bulk, thin, breathable, thick (not breathable), fitted and near perfection. I have probably owned 300+ pairs - that isn't that many considering how many years I have been running - and most of them not the same brand more than a couple times. I am a sock hunter always looking for that 'better sock'.

I am a low rise sock wearer with specific needs. I have high arches so having socks that fit correctly is important because I don't want them bunching up, shimmying around or slipping down my heel so I get blisters. I want a sock that has plenty of padding so my feet have that little extra cushion on my long runs. I like elastic in my socks so they are snug but not too tight.

My current favorite pairs are Thorlo. These socks are well padded at the toe and heel but not overly padded: there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. These give me just enough extra padding that my feet feel a little give in the shoe. The elastic around the arch is perfection it's self. It wraps it's self around with just enough tension to give support without cutting off circulation. The toe area is roomy and full without having extra material. I have been known to wash these socks daily when one pair has worn out and I haven't had time to go get another just so I can wear jus these. I do have 'back up' socks but they aren't anything close to this.

So, "One ringy-dingy, sock it to you!".

Now that I have extoled my love for my Thorlo socks I'd like to know, what brand do you like and why?

An Eye on the 5th

Running on July 5th is always a little amusing. The morning smells of sulfur and alcohol. People have stayed up late and leave things out that they normally wouldn't. On my run I saw:



1. 4 car doors left open - interior lights dim or off
2. 7 houses with lawn furniture left on the front lawn with various cups, plates and several watches
3. 2 front doors left open (I ran past both houses twice on my run about 40 minutes apart and they were still open...)
4. Numerous flags of varying sizes planted in; the ground, truck side, lawn chairs, planters, bushes, etc..
5. One poor cat wearing a flag as a cape

Do people really think that no one is going to mess with their stuff if it is left where it can be messed with? Next time I'm messing with stuff; moving furniture, planting flags on other lawns, changing the time on those watches, just to amuse myself and cause people to think they are losing their minds. ;-)

The sulfur smell is interesting to run through. I can tell which houses had illegal fireworks and who had sparklers. I suppose if there was any wind I wouldn't be able to tell this or would attribute it to the wrong house but there wasn't a breath for the last two days. Smells are a big part of my run but that's another blog.

Sunday

Sunday is my day to walk. I still get up at 5 but I want/need/have to give my legs a rest day. I get in between 3 and 4 miles. I have a nearly hidden talent when I walk, I can read at the same time. I read newspaper, magazines, paperback books (hard cover books are a little heavy - I'll do it though!). I can't remember when I started doing this but I'm sure it was in elementary school. I have always been a reader and since we generally walked to school I would take the time to read. I can't remember the series name but there was a set of red biographies in the Elizabeth Page Elementary School in Springfield Oregon that I loved! I went through all of them, and I think there were about 30 of them, in about two weeks. But back to the subject. Because it is usually too dark to read when I start walking I will carry the book/magazine/newspaper with me until it is light enough: I have been known to read by street light walking slower through the areas that I can read and then doing a power walk to the next area of light. I'm sure I make an odd sight to some that come across me doing this. On occassion I have walked into things, small dogs, benches and fire hydrants but overall I'm pretty good at avoiding things. Let's just say I have good perphiral vision.

Go the Distance

Saturday's are generally my longest run of the week. I will run 7-ish miles, swing back by the house for a bathroom/water break, and then go another 4-6 miles. I will go out one direction to a far point that I have run a hundred times and then squiggle through the streets the opposite direction enjoying the flowers, trees, and architecture. I like the feeling of tiredness at the end. I'm not exhausted so I usually putter around the yard for a few minutes so I can cool down. My Saturday run makes me feel like a real runner and not just a jogger impersonating a runner.

8 1/2

I ran 8 1/2 miles this morning while thinking about running more tomorrow. Is this wrong? I love to run a long time. I'm no marathoner mind you: tried it, not my distance. A decent middle distancer. I just like to feel the night give way to day and know I get a glimpse of the quiet before the cacophony.

The First

Last Saturday, June 26th, my sister & family stopped by. Because we don't have a huge house to comfortably accommodate 6 more people my sister and B-I-L slept in our family room where I keep my IPod. So, instead of waking her up I left and let my brain run on and on. This is one of the reasons I utilize an IPod, so my brain doesn't run on and on. I kept thinking that I actually do think a lot while I run even if I am listening to something. Half way through my 10.5 mile run I thought of this. "Why not?", my brain said! "One more thing.", my commonsense said. My brain won the arguement and here I am. I don't know exactly how this is going to proceed but, well, let's take a run and see where we get.