I met with my fellow Team in Training members in the parking lot of Austin High School at 6:30 on Saturday morning. We started by listening to a heartfelt story of a fellow runner who had lost a friend to Hodgkin's disease. It really puts running in perspective and makes me realize that I am running because I can, and, for that, I am very thankful. One of the TnT sayings is that running long distances and raising money is difficult, but try chemotherapy.
The planned run was 7 miles down Lake Austin Blvd and in the beautiful neighborhood in and around Scenic Blvd on the North Side of Lake Austin. The course was great because it had a significant number of hills which was great training. Plus, the view of the lake and the amazing houses kept me "sightseeing" instead of thinking of the run. This week's run was going to prove to be a confidence builder or confidence buster because the furthest I have run recently is 6 miles, and that was several weeks ago.
The group that I was running with got lost; it was a case of the blind leading the blind. Luckily, I had my Polar watch that keeps distance so I could still tell how far we had been running even though we strayed from the original course. My goal was just to complete the original 7 miles wherever that happened to be and walk back to Austin high, if necessary. However, once I hit the 7 mile mark, I couldn't stop. Everything felt great and I was in the groove experiencing runner's high. The final run was 8.2 miles in 1 hour and 26 minutes or a 10:30/mile pace including 2 water stops. What a great run!!
Unfortunately, I was only able to run 8 miles earlier in the week, so my weekly mileage was 16.2 miles. I was shooting for 20 miles. Next week's long run is supposed to be 8 miles, but I won't be able to run with the group because I'll be in Houston for my brother's wedding. I am planning to get a couple of runs in at Memorial Park.
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Monday, September 05, 2005
Running for a Reason
I recently joined the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Team in Training to help prepare for the Motive Bison Stampede half marathon in November while raising money for a good cause. This organization provides a coach, training program, and most importantly an environment of individuals committed in finding a cure for cancer. My goal is to raise $1,000 for the event and will match any donation up to $250 made on my donation website. Additionally, I donated $50 just to kick it off. By the way, all donations are tax-deductible.
I am sure that at some point in our lives cancer in one way or another has affected all of us. We all know someone who has been affected. Modern research has made huge strides in finding a cure; however, there is much work still to be done. The Society has invested more than $424 million in research, and I would like to do my small part in increasing this amount. Won't you join me?
I am sure that at some point in our lives cancer in one way or another has affected all of us. We all know someone who has been affected. Modern research has made huge strides in finding a cure; however, there is much work still to be done. The Society has invested more than $424 million in research, and I would like to do my small part in increasing this amount. Won't you join me?
Richard's Bachelor Party
We went to New Orleans for Richard's bachelor party last Thursday and returned Sunday less than 12 hours before Hurricane Katrina hit. We had a really great time doing the requisite bachelor party activities including gambling at Harrah's, boobs on Bourbon Street, and plenty of Hurricanes and Hand Grenades.
Drinking hurricanes at Pat O'Brien's on Friday night. We were oblivious that Hurricane Katrina was on her way to New Orleans.
On Saturday night when it was apparent that Hurricane Katrina was heading towards New Orleans, it got pretty scary because United and Delta canceled all of their flights out of the city. We were scheduled on a 12 noon flight out on Southwest airlines on Sunday, but were worried that Southwest would cancel its flights as well based on the speed of the hurricane heading towards NOLA. We decided that we would just rent a car and road trip it home; we thought that would actually be fun. I started calling all of the rental car agencies around 10pm, and all of them were sold out.
I then started calling other airlines to see if we could book an earlier flight just in case our flight was canceled. Every airline was sold out to every city serviced by the airlines. By this point, I wanted a contingency plan, and just wanted a flight to Houston but would go to Chicago, St. Louis, Cleveland... anywhere but New Orleans. Additionally, the city was about to announce a mandatory evacuation and initiated "contra flow" in which the major highways out of the city were changed to one direction. The folks at our hotel said during the last hurricane, the roads were so congested with people evacuating the city, that it took 6 hours to get from downtown to the airport.
We decided to leave for the airport at 1:30 am to provide for any delays and to go stand by on all the earlier flights to ensure we made it out. Luckily, there was no traffic at that time of the morning, and it only took us 30 minutes to get to the airport. While in the taxi, we heard someone on the dispatch looking for a cab to drive some folks to Houston for $700. In the back of my mind, this was my contingency plan if we didn't make a flight.
Sleeping in the Louis Armstrong airport in New Orleans.
Once at the airport, I withdrew $1,000 cash from the ATM machine in order to hire a taxi or bribe someone to pick us up while hitchhiking on the highway if we didn't make a flight. Luckily, we finally got on a 9:30 am flight to Houston. As soon as we took off, the pilot came on and said the storm was 37 miles south of New Orleans and said to look out the left side of the aircraft to view the storm. It was an amazing sight; I wish I would have taken a picture. I am very thankful that we got out when we did and have tremendous sympathy for those who did not and for those who lost everything, including their lives. I have been glued to CNN, Fox, and MSNBC all week long. The devestation and chaos is unbelievable.
Drinking hurricanes at Pat O'Brien's on Friday night. We were oblivious that Hurricane Katrina was on her way to New Orleans.
On Saturday night when it was apparent that Hurricane Katrina was heading towards New Orleans, it got pretty scary because United and Delta canceled all of their flights out of the city. We were scheduled on a 12 noon flight out on Southwest airlines on Sunday, but were worried that Southwest would cancel its flights as well based on the speed of the hurricane heading towards NOLA. We decided that we would just rent a car and road trip it home; we thought that would actually be fun. I started calling all of the rental car agencies around 10pm, and all of them were sold out.
I then started calling other airlines to see if we could book an earlier flight just in case our flight was canceled. Every airline was sold out to every city serviced by the airlines. By this point, I wanted a contingency plan, and just wanted a flight to Houston but would go to Chicago, St. Louis, Cleveland... anywhere but New Orleans. Additionally, the city was about to announce a mandatory evacuation and initiated "contra flow" in which the major highways out of the city were changed to one direction. The folks at our hotel said during the last hurricane, the roads were so congested with people evacuating the city, that it took 6 hours to get from downtown to the airport.
We decided to leave for the airport at 1:30 am to provide for any delays and to go stand by on all the earlier flights to ensure we made it out. Luckily, there was no traffic at that time of the morning, and it only took us 30 minutes to get to the airport. While in the taxi, we heard someone on the dispatch looking for a cab to drive some folks to Houston for $700. In the back of my mind, this was my contingency plan if we didn't make a flight.
Sleeping in the Louis Armstrong airport in New Orleans.
Once at the airport, I withdrew $1,000 cash from the ATM machine in order to hire a taxi or bribe someone to pick us up while hitchhiking on the highway if we didn't make a flight. Luckily, we finally got on a 9:30 am flight to Houston. As soon as we took off, the pilot came on and said the storm was 37 miles south of New Orleans and said to look out the left side of the aircraft to view the storm. It was an amazing sight; I wish I would have taken a picture. I am very thankful that we got out when we did and have tremendous sympathy for those who did not and for those who lost everything, including their lives. I have been glued to CNN, Fox, and MSNBC all week long. The devestation and chaos is unbelievable.
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Running Update
This week was a pretty good week for running and exercise. I woke up at 6:15 am on Monday morning and ran 4 miles before work. After work, I went to the gym and did some circuit training with the weights. I am a member of 24 Hour Fitness, and they have a circuit training area that includes machines for abs, seated squat, seated leg curls for hamstrings, leg press for quadriceps, bench press, shoulder press, tricep press, seated row, and bicep curl. I haven't worked out with the weights in a while so my muscles were sore all week long.
On Tuesday, I ran 4 miles and then offset all the exercise with a wine tasting and dinner at Fleming's. Wednesday I hosted dinner and a movie night with some friends and grilled Prime filets that I got from Central Market. I have never bought Prime beef from the grocery store before, but it was amazing. The cut of meat really makes a huge difference!! We watched Love Actually on DVD which the girls suggested (I wanted to see Wedding Crashers), and it was pretty good. I had very low expectations for this chick flick.
Friday I ran 4 miles on the dreadmill and Saturday I did 8 miles at Town Lake although I only ran 6 of them. After that I got some new shoes from a friend that works at RunTex. I changed from the Asics GT-2100 to the Brooks Trance 5. I wanted the Asics Kayano, but they didn't have my size. Today I went to the gym to work out and then ran 3 miles on the indoor track (my friend said that if I run on the treadmill or indoor track and don't like the shoes, I could bring them back for a full refund) to take the new shoes for a test drive. The shoes don't feel nearly as "cushiony" as the Asics and seemed really long and flat. I didn't have any discomfort, but I like the Asics much better. I think it's just that I am used to the Asics, so I think I am going to find some Kayonos in my size or just go back to a new pair of GT-2100s.
So, that gives me 21 miles for the week. I haven't broken the 20 mile mark since before the Freescale half-marathon. Additionally, I have added incentive. I am weighing in at around 204 lbs, and haven't been sub-200 lbs in probably a decade. So, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel to reach this milestone. For the past 2 weeks I have been on the Abs Diet which a friend recommended and lent me the book. It is really a common sense approach to eating healthy, eating 6 small meals a day, and exercising. The theory is to increase metabolism through eating the right foods and building muscle mass.
I haven't really lost any weight in the past two weeks since I have been on it, but I feel great. I haven't eaten any fast food in 2 weeks (with the exception of a late night Whataburger last weekend after Richard and Lauren's wedding shower party at 3:30 in the morning). Also, I usually have 2 diet colas at work a day. For the past 2 weeks, I have only had 1 choosing to drink only water, green tea, or milk. I went to Whole Foods 2 weeks ago and loaded up on healthy foods and snacks, it was expensive at $143. But, since I have been eating in and the groceries have lasted over 2 weeks, it is probably cheaper than my normal diet of eating out every night.
On Tuesday, I ran 4 miles and then offset all the exercise with a wine tasting and dinner at Fleming's. Wednesday I hosted dinner and a movie night with some friends and grilled Prime filets that I got from Central Market. I have never bought Prime beef from the grocery store before, but it was amazing. The cut of meat really makes a huge difference!! We watched Love Actually on DVD which the girls suggested (I wanted to see Wedding Crashers), and it was pretty good. I had very low expectations for this chick flick.
Friday I ran 4 miles on the dreadmill and Saturday I did 8 miles at Town Lake although I only ran 6 of them. After that I got some new shoes from a friend that works at RunTex. I changed from the Asics GT-2100 to the Brooks Trance 5. I wanted the Asics Kayano, but they didn't have my size. Today I went to the gym to work out and then ran 3 miles on the indoor track (my friend said that if I run on the treadmill or indoor track and don't like the shoes, I could bring them back for a full refund) to take the new shoes for a test drive. The shoes don't feel nearly as "cushiony" as the Asics and seemed really long and flat. I didn't have any discomfort, but I like the Asics much better. I think it's just that I am used to the Asics, so I think I am going to find some Kayonos in my size or just go back to a new pair of GT-2100s.
So, that gives me 21 miles for the week. I haven't broken the 20 mile mark since before the Freescale half-marathon. Additionally, I have added incentive. I am weighing in at around 204 lbs, and haven't been sub-200 lbs in probably a decade. So, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel to reach this milestone. For the past 2 weeks I have been on the Abs Diet which a friend recommended and lent me the book. It is really a common sense approach to eating healthy, eating 6 small meals a day, and exercising. The theory is to increase metabolism through eating the right foods and building muscle mass.
I haven't really lost any weight in the past two weeks since I have been on it, but I feel great. I haven't eaten any fast food in 2 weeks (with the exception of a late night Whataburger last weekend after Richard and Lauren's wedding shower party at 3:30 in the morning). Also, I usually have 2 diet colas at work a day. For the past 2 weeks, I have only had 1 choosing to drink only water, green tea, or milk. I went to Whole Foods 2 weeks ago and loaded up on healthy foods and snacks, it was expensive at $143. But, since I have been eating in and the groceries have lasted over 2 weeks, it is probably cheaper than my normal diet of eating out every night.
Monday, July 11, 2005
Best Running Cities in the US
See the article on MSN.com. Austin was ranked number 11, Dallas 15, and Houston 21. It's nice to see that the race to run in Dallas is the White Rock marathon. I am looking forward to it. I ran 20 miles last week despite a major drinking binge over the 4th of July weekend. We did the Texas Hill Country wine trail and visited Lost Creek vineyard near Marble Falls and Flat Creek vineyard just outside of Lago Vista near Austin. Anyways, I am not used to drinking wine and it was flowing like beer. Needless to say, it caught up to me fast...really fast.
Lance Armstrong Foundation Night at Dell Diamond
My soon-to-be sister-in-law works for the Lance Armstrong Foundation and invited us to the LAF night at the Dell Diamond last Saturday night to watch the Round Rock Express play. We had a really good time. My nephew, Kaleb, is a really great kid.
Kaleb is a Lance fan.
Kaleb eating cotton candy at the Round Rock Express game.
Kaleb and Uncle Dave.
Kaleb is a Lance fan.
Kaleb eating cotton candy at the Round Rock Express game.
Kaleb and Uncle Dave.
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Dallas White Rock Marathon
Well, it's been almost two months since I have blogged. You can definitely tell it's summer time because it seems like the frequency of posts has decreased on most of the blogs that I read.
My friend, Patrick, sent me an email the other day saying that he is going to run the White Rock Marathon in Dallas on December 11. I asked if they had a half marathon (and they do), but said to myself, "screw the half, I'm doing the marathon." There is a guy that sits one row over at work who recently ran the San Diego marathon. If he can do it, so can I. It took him 6 hours to complete it, and I figure I can do much better than that. He doesn't look like he is that great of shape...but either do I.
I have been running about 3 miles, 3 times a week just to offset all of the heavy beer drinking this summer. But, I will increase my training beginning next week. If all goes well, I will try to get back to Town Lake this Saturday and do a long run of 5 miles. With the heat in Austin, I have been having difficulty running 4 miles which used to be my bare minimum for a run. I have been using the Pose Method and have increased my running pace to sub 10 minute miles which is quite a bit faster than the 11:30 to 12:00 minutes I was running before.
My friend, Patrick, sent me an email the other day saying that he is going to run the White Rock Marathon in Dallas on December 11. I asked if they had a half marathon (and they do), but said to myself, "screw the half, I'm doing the marathon." There is a guy that sits one row over at work who recently ran the San Diego marathon. If he can do it, so can I. It took him 6 hours to complete it, and I figure I can do much better than that. He doesn't look like he is that great of shape...but either do I.
I have been running about 3 miles, 3 times a week just to offset all of the heavy beer drinking this summer. But, I will increase my training beginning next week. If all goes well, I will try to get back to Town Lake this Saturday and do a long run of 5 miles. With the heat in Austin, I have been having difficulty running 4 miles which used to be my bare minimum for a run. I have been using the Pose Method and have increased my running pace to sub 10 minute miles which is quite a bit faster than the 11:30 to 12:00 minutes I was running before.
Saturday, May 14, 2005
John-Michael
My friend and former roommate John-Michael was on the news this morning; he is the President of the Austin History Center.
Sunday, May 01, 2005
2005 Texas Round-up
My brother, sister, cousin, and I ran the 2005 Texas Round-up 10k on Saturday morning in memory of our mother (and aunt). Thankfully, a cool front blew in Friday night and the temperature changed from the high 80's on Friday to the low 50's and windy on Saturday morning. I told my brother and cousin that this was perfect running temperature, and they didn't need long sleeves. However, as we stood waiting at the starting line, they were cursing me because it was cold, and the race was delayed 10 minutes. We happened to be standing right next to the starter's platform where Governor Rick Perry introduced Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, along with Clay Walker who sang the National Anthem. See the the video from News 8 Austin.
Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson, Duchess of York; Clay Walker; Rick Perry; and the Pilgrim's Pride Chicken
Starting Line of Texas Roundup '05
Before the race.
As the race got underway, it began raining lightly which lasted, intermittently, throughout the run. I went out really slowly and focused on running with good Pose form; however, I still managed a PR at 1:08 or a 11 minute/mile pace. I have always been a slow runner, but I really feel that I had a lot left over after the race and should have pushed harder towards the end. It is a PR mainly because I have never run a 10k race before. I have run the Schlotzsky's Bun Run 5k back in 1994, the 5 mile Turkey Trot last November, the Freescale Half Marathon in February, and now the Texas Round-up 10k.
Although my sister works out on a regular basis, she only trained for a couple of weeks going into this race, and she ran it in 1:04, slightly under a 10.5 minute/mile. That is awesome!! Similarly, my brother ran it in 1:11, and he didn't train at all. My cousin didn't train either and decided to run it the day before when he found out we had an extra registration packet since Lauren got called out of town for business with the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Everyone did a tremendous job (although I think the non-trainers are walking funny today); mom would be very proud!!
After the race...we finished!!
In memory of mom...we miss you!!
Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson, Duchess of York; Clay Walker; Rick Perry; and the Pilgrim's Pride Chicken
Starting Line of Texas Roundup '05
Before the race.
As the race got underway, it began raining lightly which lasted, intermittently, throughout the run. I went out really slowly and focused on running with good Pose form; however, I still managed a PR at 1:08 or a 11 minute/mile pace. I have always been a slow runner, but I really feel that I had a lot left over after the race and should have pushed harder towards the end. It is a PR mainly because I have never run a 10k race before. I have run the Schlotzsky's Bun Run 5k back in 1994, the 5 mile Turkey Trot last November, the Freescale Half Marathon in February, and now the Texas Round-up 10k.
Although my sister works out on a regular basis, she only trained for a couple of weeks going into this race, and she ran it in 1:04, slightly under a 10.5 minute/mile. That is awesome!! Similarly, my brother ran it in 1:11, and he didn't train at all. My cousin didn't train either and decided to run it the day before when he found out we had an extra registration packet since Lauren got called out of town for business with the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Everyone did a tremendous job (although I think the non-trainers are walking funny today); mom would be very proud!!
After the race...we finished!!
In memory of mom...we miss you!!
Sunday, April 24, 2005
Austin has a Sherlock's
When I lived in Houston for a year in 2001-2002, I often frequented Sherlock's Pub on West Gray. On Thursday, they opened one in Austin, so I went with my brother, his fiancee, and some other friends to check it out on Friday night. It's a pretty big place with pool tables, darts, food, and, of course, beer. What I like most about it is the location; it's in Northwest Austin on the corner of Burnet Rd. and 183. It is a good alternative to going downtown for a beer.
Here is a video that my cousin referred me to. When my brother and I watched it, we were in tears laughing. I kind of feel guilty for laughing, but I guess that's what she gets for cheating. Listen and watch carefully when someone says, "Stop."
On the exercise front, I did go down to Town Lake on Saturday and ran 4 miles; although, I could feel the remnants of the cold on the respiratory system. I had to walk for a couple of minutes after mile 3. The 10k this weekend should be interesting. I plan to run 4 miles tomorrow, Wednesday, and Thursday to get ready for the race.
Here is a video that my cousin referred me to. When my brother and I watched it, we were in tears laughing. I kind of feel guilty for laughing, but I guess that's what she gets for cheating. Listen and watch carefully when someone says, "Stop."
On the exercise front, I did go down to Town Lake on Saturday and ran 4 miles; although, I could feel the remnants of the cold on the respiratory system. I had to walk for a couple of minutes after mile 3. The 10k this weekend should be interesting. I plan to run 4 miles tomorrow, Wednesday, and Thursday to get ready for the race.
Thursday, April 21, 2005
On the Road Again
Actually, on the "dreadmill" again. I haven't blogged since April 3rd, two days after the last time since I have run...until today. I was sick with a terrible cold and upper respiratory infection for two weeks. I felt well enough to run last weekend and intended to do so, but it was just so easy to give in to excuses. I guess I was a victim of Newton's first law, objects at rest stay at rest, and objects in motion will stay in motion.
It amazes me how hard it is to start running again after you have lost the momentum. I brought my running gear with me to work every day this week and placed it under my desk with the intention of running at lunch, but every day I found an excuse to delay my run until after work. After work, I quickly found an excuse to run first thing in the morning and would set my alarm for 5:30 am. At 5:30 am the next morning, I told myself I would run at lunch as I pushed the snooze button...repeatedly. And the vicious (downward) spiral continued.
One day I was watching PBS television during one of their support drives, and there was a gentleman speaking named Dr. Wayne Dyer. Dr. Dyer, affectionately called the "father of motivation" by his fans, is one of the most widely known and respected people in the field of self-empowerment (from his website). One of the things that I remember from his PBS special is that you must "contemplate and surround yourself with the conditions that you want to produce in your life." When I went to my friend's wedding on April 2nd, I put on my regular watch and have had it on ever since. But for some reason, today I put back on my Polar heart rate monitor watch, and I just *felt* like a runner. Oddly enough, this subtle suggestion was enough to motivate me to run today, the first time in 20 days. I contemplated and surrounded myself with running!
During my running hiatus I ordered The Pose Method of Running and the accompanying DVD based on one of Patrick's posts. I figured I would try this new technique on my first day back running, especially since I was running on the treadmill. Basically, the technique is to run on the balls of your feet and to visualize pulling straight up from the ankles. It was sort of difficult concentrating on form at first, but got easier as the run went along. There were no epiphanies for me; however, I did realize that I was definitely running with a heel strike before. This method is supposed to enhance endurance, raise speed, reduce recovery time, increase flexibility, and reduce injuries. These are all things that I could benefit from, so I'll try and stick with it for awhile.
As soon as I finished running, I could feel my calf muscles and expect to be sore; I can definitely tell that I was running with different form. I only ran 3 miles which wasn't difficult, but the rate of perceived exertion felt like about 4 miles. How quickly we erase the endurance gains!! I am looking forward to the 10k next weekend.
It amazes me how hard it is to start running again after you have lost the momentum. I brought my running gear with me to work every day this week and placed it under my desk with the intention of running at lunch, but every day I found an excuse to delay my run until after work. After work, I quickly found an excuse to run first thing in the morning and would set my alarm for 5:30 am. At 5:30 am the next morning, I told myself I would run at lunch as I pushed the snooze button...repeatedly. And the vicious (downward) spiral continued.
One day I was watching PBS television during one of their support drives, and there was a gentleman speaking named Dr. Wayne Dyer. Dr. Dyer, affectionately called the "father of motivation" by his fans, is one of the most widely known and respected people in the field of self-empowerment (from his website). One of the things that I remember from his PBS special is that you must "contemplate and surround yourself with the conditions that you want to produce in your life." When I went to my friend's wedding on April 2nd, I put on my regular watch and have had it on ever since. But for some reason, today I put back on my Polar heart rate monitor watch, and I just *felt* like a runner. Oddly enough, this subtle suggestion was enough to motivate me to run today, the first time in 20 days. I contemplated and surrounded myself with running!
During my running hiatus I ordered The Pose Method of Running and the accompanying DVD based on one of Patrick's posts. I figured I would try this new technique on my first day back running, especially since I was running on the treadmill. Basically, the technique is to run on the balls of your feet and to visualize pulling straight up from the ankles. It was sort of difficult concentrating on form at first, but got easier as the run went along. There were no epiphanies for me; however, I did realize that I was definitely running with a heel strike before. This method is supposed to enhance endurance, raise speed, reduce recovery time, increase flexibility, and reduce injuries. These are all things that I could benefit from, so I'll try and stick with it for awhile.
As soon as I finished running, I could feel my calf muscles and expect to be sore; I can definitely tell that I was running with different form. I only ran 3 miles which wasn't difficult, but the rate of perceived exertion felt like about 4 miles. How quickly we erase the endurance gains!! I am looking forward to the 10k next weekend.
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Sick and Tired
Last Saturday night I went to a friend's birthday dinner at Moonshine Patio Bar and Grill.
Susan's Birthday Dinner at Moonshine.
I had the Texas Flat Iron steak with a bleu cheese butter sauce that was delicious. I want to go back and try the rainbow trout which was subsequently recommended by a coworker that I ran into while leaving the restaurant. The place was nice, not too pretentious, and off the beaten path compared to other downtown restaurants. The $2 valet parking made it really easy to get in and get out. Definitely not a F&L (first and last) dining experience.
On Easter Sunday, I went to my grandmother's house and celebrated the resurrection of Christ by proceeding to gorge myself on barbecued chicken, sausage, ham, and too many sides and desserts to mention. I didn't go to Easter Mass, but I did watch Joel Osteen's service at Minute Maid Park and Tivo'd it. Does that count? I was raised Catholic, but recently have been trying to figure out what religion/church to attend. I am definitely a Christian, but don't necessarily believe in all of the teachings of the Catholic church; some of the canons seem contrived and man-made versus divine. But I guess that's what faith is all about.
Yesterday I woke up with congestion and a stuffy nose. I lied around the house resting and watching CNN for the latest on the Pope's health conditions. At 2:00 I went to a friend's beautiful Catholic wedding but began feeling achy and feverish so I didn't attend the reception. What the heck? I was sick just two weeks ago!! Needless to say, I have only run 14 miles over the past two weeks.
Susan's Birthday Dinner at Moonshine.
I had the Texas Flat Iron steak with a bleu cheese butter sauce that was delicious. I want to go back and try the rainbow trout which was subsequently recommended by a coworker that I ran into while leaving the restaurant. The place was nice, not too pretentious, and off the beaten path compared to other downtown restaurants. The $2 valet parking made it really easy to get in and get out. Definitely not a F&L (first and last) dining experience.
On Easter Sunday, I went to my grandmother's house and celebrated the resurrection of Christ by proceeding to gorge myself on barbecued chicken, sausage, ham, and too many sides and desserts to mention. I didn't go to Easter Mass, but I did watch Joel Osteen's service at Minute Maid Park and Tivo'd it. Does that count? I was raised Catholic, but recently have been trying to figure out what religion/church to attend. I am definitely a Christian, but don't necessarily believe in all of the teachings of the Catholic church; some of the canons seem contrived and man-made versus divine. But I guess that's what faith is all about.
Yesterday I woke up with congestion and a stuffy nose. I lied around the house resting and watching CNN for the latest on the Pope's health conditions. At 2:00 I went to a friend's beautiful Catholic wedding but began feeling achy and feverish so I didn't attend the reception. What the heck? I was sick just two weeks ago!! Needless to say, I have only run 14 miles over the past two weeks.
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
In Memoriam
I only ran 8 miles last week because I started getting sick on Friday and spent the rest of the weekend in bed. Luckily, I had the NCAA basketball tourney to keep me occupied. Normally, I am not a huge sports fan, but this is more of a gambling experience than a sporting event since I have money riding on some brackets at work. Unfortunately, I am in 106th place out of 118.
I babysat Kaleb, my nephew, for two days on Wednesday and Thursday while my sister was doing some job interviewing in Big D. He had a cough, and I think I caught an upper respiratory bug from him. I read an article about sick kids and daycares, and one study found that if a virus is introduced into the daycare in the morning, 80% of the children and 50% of the parents will be infected by day's end. No wonder it seems like children are perpetually sick. When I picked Kaleb up from daycare, we were counting tractors and other various construction equipment (which there is no shortage of due to all of the road construction) on the way home. I spotted an unusually clean, white dump truck and asked him if he saw it. He commented that it was a very clean dump truck, and I agreed. He then said, "I like nasty dump trucks." I don't know why I thought that was so funny, but I laughed. Kids say the darndest things.
I previously posted that I was going to run the Texas Roundup 10k because I thought it was for a good cause, "a statewide effort to encourage Texans of all fitness levels to incorporate daily physical activity and healthy choices into their lives." Now, I have even more reason to run the 10k and have recruited the family. I have dedicated this run to my mother. My brother, his fiancee, my sister, her fiance, and I are running the 10k in her memory; she was tragically killed in a car accident 10 years and 1 day from the date of the run, April 30th. We miss her dearly, and I find it hard to believe she has physically been gone from us for almost a decade. However, she will forever be in our hearts, minds, and prayers.
I babysat Kaleb, my nephew, for two days on Wednesday and Thursday while my sister was doing some job interviewing in Big D. He had a cough, and I think I caught an upper respiratory bug from him. I read an article about sick kids and daycares, and one study found that if a virus is introduced into the daycare in the morning, 80% of the children and 50% of the parents will be infected by day's end. No wonder it seems like children are perpetually sick. When I picked Kaleb up from daycare, we were counting tractors and other various construction equipment (which there is no shortage of due to all of the road construction) on the way home. I spotted an unusually clean, white dump truck and asked him if he saw it. He commented that it was a very clean dump truck, and I agreed. He then said, "I like nasty dump trucks." I don't know why I thought that was so funny, but I laughed. Kids say the darndest things.
I previously posted that I was going to run the Texas Roundup 10k because I thought it was for a good cause, "a statewide effort to encourage Texans of all fitness levels to incorporate daily physical activity and healthy choices into their lives." Now, I have even more reason to run the 10k and have recruited the family. I have dedicated this run to my mother. My brother, his fiancee, my sister, her fiance, and I are running the 10k in her memory; she was tragically killed in a car accident 10 years and 1 day from the date of the run, April 30th. We miss her dearly, and I find it hard to believe she has physically been gone from us for almost a decade. However, she will forever be in our hearts, minds, and prayers.
Monday, March 14, 2005
Varekai
I ran 14 miles last week which was better than the past few weeks, but short of my goal of 18. I happened to be searching the internet on Friday night and came across the Go for the Gold 10k. Since my planned long run on Saturday was 6 miles, I figured I'd run this 10k for the people watching and race encouragement instead. But as soon as I turned it into a race, I had anxiety and couldn't sleep. Since I hadn't registered, all of the logistics kept creeping into my mind. What time do I have to wake up to register before the race? Where is the race? Where do I park?
Needless to say, by the time I got to sleep it was at least 3:30 am, and I needed to leave at about 6:30 am. So, I blew it off. I did, however, run my 6 miles at Town Lake at 9:00am. I need to figure out a way to relieve the pre-race anxiety. Hopefully, that will come with experience and familiarity to racing (or drugs...drugs are good).
Saturday night I went with a group of friends to Eastside Cafe. I had never been there before so it was good to see friends, meet new people, and have a new dining experience. "The Eastside Café sits on an acre of land surrounded by dozens of pecan trees. One third of the land is home to a gorgeous organic garden. For 15 years vegetables, herbs and flowers have been organically grown and harvested for use in the Eastside Café kitchen." It was delicious.
Afterwards, we went to Cirque du Soleil's Varekai at the old Austin Bergstrom airport. I was a little apprehensive at first because it was in a tent put up in a parking lot. I wasn't necessarily bothered about being in a tent, I just had visions of freak shows, bearded-women, and a three-eyed man. You know, carnies...small hands...smell like cabbage. But once inside, I forgot that I was in a tent, and the show was on par with a Vegas Cirque production. I have seen Mystere at Treasure Island in Vegas, and I preferred the tent because the venue was more intimate and our seats were better. Some of the things that they do are truly amazing!! I highly recommend the show if you get a chance to see one, but the tickets are pretty pricey at $67 (although it is still cheaper than Vegas).
We then headed down to 219 on 4th street. Downtown was packed due to SXSW. I had never been to 219 because I don't go out downtown that often, but it was pretty fun. On the way home, I did the obligatory late night stop at Taco Cabana. When I got home, my brother and some of his friends were playing Texas Hold 'em so I had to join in. I actually doubled my money and then went to bed.
Sunday, I went to Home Depot and bought a new 22", self-propelled, key start, 6.75hp, Toro lawn mower. I am a total nerd and getting way too old; I am getting all excited about a lawn mower! But, it works well. I mowed the yard and then had a little incident with my dog (which was unrelated to the lawn mower), but that is a very long and sad story for another day. Thus, I didn't get the 4 miles in that would have gotten me to my 18 mile goal.
Needless to say, by the time I got to sleep it was at least 3:30 am, and I needed to leave at about 6:30 am. So, I blew it off. I did, however, run my 6 miles at Town Lake at 9:00am. I need to figure out a way to relieve the pre-race anxiety. Hopefully, that will come with experience and familiarity to racing (or drugs...drugs are good).
Saturday night I went with a group of friends to Eastside Cafe. I had never been there before so it was good to see friends, meet new people, and have a new dining experience. "The Eastside Café sits on an acre of land surrounded by dozens of pecan trees. One third of the land is home to a gorgeous organic garden. For 15 years vegetables, herbs and flowers have been organically grown and harvested for use in the Eastside Café kitchen." It was delicious.
Afterwards, we went to Cirque du Soleil's Varekai at the old Austin Bergstrom airport. I was a little apprehensive at first because it was in a tent put up in a parking lot. I wasn't necessarily bothered about being in a tent, I just had visions of freak shows, bearded-women, and a three-eyed man. You know, carnies...small hands...smell like cabbage. But once inside, I forgot that I was in a tent, and the show was on par with a Vegas Cirque production. I have seen Mystere at Treasure Island in Vegas, and I preferred the tent because the venue was more intimate and our seats were better. Some of the things that they do are truly amazing!! I highly recommend the show if you get a chance to see one, but the tickets are pretty pricey at $67 (although it is still cheaper than Vegas).
We then headed down to 219 on 4th street. Downtown was packed due to SXSW. I had never been to 219 because I don't go out downtown that often, but it was pretty fun. On the way home, I did the obligatory late night stop at Taco Cabana. When I got home, my brother and some of his friends were playing Texas Hold 'em so I had to join in. I actually doubled my money and then went to bed.
Sunday, I went to Home Depot and bought a new 22", self-propelled, key start, 6.75hp, Toro lawn mower. I am a total nerd and getting way too old; I am getting all excited about a lawn mower! But, it works well. I mowed the yard and then had a little incident with my dog (which was unrelated to the lawn mower), but that is a very long and sad story for another day. Thus, I didn't get the 4 miles in that would have gotten me to my 18 mile goal.
Sunday, March 06, 2005
"Recovered"
I performed Polar's OwnOptimizer this morning with a result of 1--"Your test heart rates are lower than average. This indicates that you have recovered very well." Is that what you call it, "recovered?" I call it lazy. I only ran once last week, 4 miles on Tuesday night. And, I think I must have been bitten by the dreaded African tsetse fly because I slept all day yesterday.
Well, the Polar test and yesterday's lethargy were just enough motivation to get me down to Town Lake this morning. It was drizzling so the trail was fairly sparse, no dodging people just puddles. I had originally embarked on a 4 mile run, but decided to do 5 miles while on the trail so that my weekly mileage would be a paltry 9 miles instead of 8. The last 1.5 miles were hard, and I had to use mental techniques such as "Be Your Own Hero" and "...but it doesn't matter."
I imagined another runner a few feet in front of me with the familiar Asic stripes on his shoes. He appeared to be a little unsteady and seemed to be favoring his left foot. I passed him like he was standing still, and when I turned my head, I realized it was Patrick Nolan: Man Without a Shoe. After this joyous victory, I went home and picked up the dog sh*t in the back yard.
The other mental technique that I use to keep negative thoughts at bay is "but it doesn't matter." I am really tired, my lower back aches, and my left knee is starting to hurt..."but it doesn't matter." I finished the run and felt really great.
I always feel better after a run than I do before it, and try to remember this in order to remain positive. Whenever I find myself making excuses and thinking: I am tired. I have been at work 12 hours. I am hungry. I have an early morning meeting. Then, I think to myself..."but it doesn't matter!!"
Well, the Polar test and yesterday's lethargy were just enough motivation to get me down to Town Lake this morning. It was drizzling so the trail was fairly sparse, no dodging people just puddles. I had originally embarked on a 4 mile run, but decided to do 5 miles while on the trail so that my weekly mileage would be a paltry 9 miles instead of 8. The last 1.5 miles were hard, and I had to use mental techniques such as "Be Your Own Hero" and "...but it doesn't matter."
I imagined another runner a few feet in front of me with the familiar Asic stripes on his shoes. He appeared to be a little unsteady and seemed to be favoring his left foot. I passed him like he was standing still, and when I turned my head, I realized it was Patrick Nolan: Man Without a Shoe. After this joyous victory, I went home and picked up the dog sh*t in the back yard.
The other mental technique that I use to keep negative thoughts at bay is "but it doesn't matter." I am really tired, my lower back aches, and my left knee is starting to hurt..."but it doesn't matter." I finished the run and felt really great.
I always feel better after a run than I do before it, and try to remember this in order to remain positive. Whenever I find myself making excuses and thinking: I am tired. I have been at work 12 hours. I am hungry. I have an early morning meeting. Then, I think to myself..."but it doesn't matter!!"
Friday, March 04, 2005
Tivo
Several of my friends have Tivo or DVR and have recently commented on how much they like it. I don't ever record television and don't even own a VCR. However, I am ashamed to admit that I am a big fan of American Idol. Last week I wanted to go for a run, but it was 8:00 and American Idol was just beginning; unfortunately, Idol won. I thought to myself this is ridiculous...maybe I should get Tivo.
I ordered Tivo Saturday and it arrived last night. After only one day, I found myself trying to fast forward through the news. Doh! I caught up with live TV, and can't fast forward anymore. I think I am going to watch everything a half hour after it has aired so I can fast forward through the commercials.
I went to happy hour with some work colleagues after work this evening. We were talking about some of our incompetent coworkers, and my boss mentioned that sometimes he wishes he could put this under his name in his e-mail signature: Fuck You It is F*** Y** in Webdings. I was cracking up; I wonder how long it would take for someone to figure it out.
Later at another bar, I went to the restroom and they had the Austin American Statesman on the bulletin board above the urinal. The main story was, "Lake Austin properties have long been spared city taxes." It is a story about how most of the lakefront property on prestigious Lake Austin is exempt from property taxes due to a "special status" codified by the City Council in 1986. The average appraised value of these exempt properties is over $800,000 and includes homeowners such as Lance Armstrong, Tom Meredith (former CFO of Dell Inc.), JB Goodwin, and Dennis Quaid. This is outrageous!!
I ordered Tivo Saturday and it arrived last night. After only one day, I found myself trying to fast forward through the news. Doh! I caught up with live TV, and can't fast forward anymore. I think I am going to watch everything a half hour after it has aired so I can fast forward through the commercials.
I went to happy hour with some work colleagues after work this evening. We were talking about some of our incompetent coworkers, and my boss mentioned that sometimes he wishes he could put this under his name in his e-mail signature: Fuck You It is F*** Y** in Webdings. I was cracking up; I wonder how long it would take for someone to figure it out.
Later at another bar, I went to the restroom and they had the Austin American Statesman on the bulletin board above the urinal. The main story was, "Lake Austin properties have long been spared city taxes." It is a story about how most of the lakefront property on prestigious Lake Austin is exempt from property taxes due to a "special status" codified by the City Council in 1986. The average appraised value of these exempt properties is over $800,000 and includes homeowners such as Lance Armstrong, Tom Meredith (former CFO of Dell Inc.), JB Goodwin, and Dennis Quaid. This is outrageous!!
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
20 Questions
Check this site out. Think of anything. This site will ask you questions and guess what it is. The technology is amazing; it is a neural network and actually learns the more people play. Do you want to play a game?
Need Some Motivation and Other Rants
Well, I only logged 12 miles last week, and my motivation seems to be waning. Although, I did run 4 miles tonight after work, and it felt really good. I wanted to sign up for either the Big D half-marathon in Dallas or the Capitol 10k to keep me motivated; however, both are on April 3rd which is the morning after a friend's wedding (so I'll be hungover).
Luckily, my employer is sponsoring another "train for a 10k" on Monday and Wednesday mornings at 6:00 am. It seemed to be pretty motivating for me last time, so I think I'll try it again (although they raised the price to $60). The class doesn't start until March 21 and it culminates with the Texas Roundup 10k on April 30th. I wasn't even aware of this race as I don't think it is on the RunTex website...maybe I just missed it. Anyways, it seems like it is for a good cause, "a statewide effort to encourage Texans of all fitness levels to incorporate daily physical activity and healthy choices into their lives."
Did you know that one of the top concerns of Chief Financial Officers, according to one of my Finance trade rags, is spiraling health care costs? To my employer's credit, they have really been focusing on wellness not only to promote work-life balance but also to reduce health care costs. The running classes are a result of this. Anyways, human resources showed a pretty startling graph that showed that about 4% of the chronically ill employees (or their dependents) made up about 75% of the Company's healthcare costs. The converse of that was that the healthy folks made up only a fraction of the costs. I may not have the numbers exactly right, but it is basically the ol' 80/20 rule, or something close to it.
I used to believe in the "to each his own" philosophy. If you want to smoke, go right ahead. It doesn't affect me...or does it? Now, I do care because it does affect me. I am going to have to pay for your quadruple bypass surgery in the form of increased insurance premiums, and I'll probably have to work at Wal-Mart in my golden years just for the health insurance benefits. I know that I am somewhat of a hypocrite because I have been known to overindulge in some unhealthy habits like drinking and overeating. But, at least I am trying to make healthier choices and to live each day a little healthier than the last. That's why I think the Texas Roundup is a good cause.
Luckily, my employer is sponsoring another "train for a 10k" on Monday and Wednesday mornings at 6:00 am. It seemed to be pretty motivating for me last time, so I think I'll try it again (although they raised the price to $60). The class doesn't start until March 21 and it culminates with the Texas Roundup 10k on April 30th. I wasn't even aware of this race as I don't think it is on the RunTex website...maybe I just missed it. Anyways, it seems like it is for a good cause, "a statewide effort to encourage Texans of all fitness levels to incorporate daily physical activity and healthy choices into their lives."
Did you know that one of the top concerns of Chief Financial Officers, according to one of my Finance trade rags, is spiraling health care costs? To my employer's credit, they have really been focusing on wellness not only to promote work-life balance but also to reduce health care costs. The running classes are a result of this. Anyways, human resources showed a pretty startling graph that showed that about 4% of the chronically ill employees (or their dependents) made up about 75% of the Company's healthcare costs. The converse of that was that the healthy folks made up only a fraction of the costs. I may not have the numbers exactly right, but it is basically the ol' 80/20 rule, or something close to it.
I used to believe in the "to each his own" philosophy. If you want to smoke, go right ahead. It doesn't affect me...or does it? Now, I do care because it does affect me. I am going to have to pay for your quadruple bypass surgery in the form of increased insurance premiums, and I'll probably have to work at Wal-Mart in my golden years just for the health insurance benefits. I know that I am somewhat of a hypocrite because I have been known to overindulge in some unhealthy habits like drinking and overeating. But, at least I am trying to make healthier choices and to live each day a little healthier than the last. That's why I think the Texas Roundup is a good cause.
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Running in the Rain
Well, I only ran 1 time during the week last week despite gorging myself all day Thursday. So I decided to do 4 miles at Town Lake today. I didn't go 'til around 3:00 because it was raining, and I was waiting for it to stop. Once I realized it was going to rain all day, I grabbed my coat and decided to run in the rain. Since I live in Northwest Austin, going down to Town Lake to run is my weekly treat. I enjoy running on the level trail of crushed gravel versus the slanted asphalt of my neighborhood. I also enjoy the natural beauty of the trail, sightseeing, and getting to see all of the other runners, walkers, and bicyclists. But today, I was relatively alone; I only saw a handful of other runners.
As I was driving down to Town Lake, I was thinking about why I like blogging. It really makes me more observant, especially of the little things. In my daily life, I feel like, for the most part, I am just "going through the motions." Through blogging, it seems as if I take more time to "smell the roses" while I look for and observe interesting things to either ponder or blog about. One of my favorite quotes by my uncle (who is also quoted in the title of my blog--but that is a story for later...much later) is, "The past is history, the future is a mystery, but the present is a gift from God. That is why it is called 'the Present.'" Lately, I seem to spend much more time in "the present" than I have in recent years. But aren't we always in the present? Even though physically we may be in the present, often our minds are in the future or in the past. Many times I'll be in a meeting at work either worrying about how I came across in a previous meeting or thinking of what I am going to present in the next meeting, or simply wondering when this damn meeting will end so I can go to lunch. Likewise, most of my runs, I seem to be counting down the miles hoping to get to the end so I can stop; I'd accelerate time if I could.
But lately, like today, I found myself enjoying the run, enjoying the tranquility of my surroundings, and enjoying the feeling of strength while running. I was enjoying the Present. I seem to be more aware of the Present and try to focus on living in it.
As I was driving down to Town Lake, I was thinking about why I like blogging. It really makes me more observant, especially of the little things. In my daily life, I feel like, for the most part, I am just "going through the motions." Through blogging, it seems as if I take more time to "smell the roses" while I look for and observe interesting things to either ponder or blog about. One of my favorite quotes by my uncle (who is also quoted in the title of my blog--but that is a story for later...much later) is, "The past is history, the future is a mystery, but the present is a gift from God. That is why it is called 'the Present.'" Lately, I seem to spend much more time in "the present" than I have in recent years. But aren't we always in the present? Even though physically we may be in the present, often our minds are in the future or in the past. Many times I'll be in a meeting at work either worrying about how I came across in a previous meeting or thinking of what I am going to present in the next meeting, or simply wondering when this damn meeting will end so I can go to lunch. Likewise, most of my runs, I seem to be counting down the miles hoping to get to the end so I can stop; I'd accelerate time if I could.
But lately, like today, I found myself enjoying the run, enjoying the tranquility of my surroundings, and enjoying the feeling of strength while running. I was enjoying the Present. I seem to be more aware of the Present and try to focus on living in it.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Bloated
When I arrived to work this morning, I received the usual Thursday morning "Taco Shack tacos at my desk" email. Taco Shack tacos are also referred to as "tortilla wrapped gold" at our office. There is nothing quite like starting the day with free tacos.
Some of our Finance colleagues from Europe were visiting the office today so we took them to lunch at Chuy's for Mexican food. For some reason, I don't think they have very good Mexican food in Slovakia, although they did say there was one restaurant called "El Diablo." I had previously told some of my coworkers about the rise and fall of the Thonghorn, and somehow our lunch conversation totally derailed regressing back to that topic. They thought it was a viable idea if I changed the name, made it a color other than burnt orange, and varied the shape slightly...stop encouraging me!! I had the chick-a-chick-a-boom-boom enchiladas which are truly a guilty pleasure. The only thing I hate about Chuy's is that you smell like it for the rest of the day.
When I returned, I tried mightily to stay awake during various meetings and a strategy session. Little did anyone know, that my strategy was not to go to sleep. I left work at 5:00 to make it downtown to Sullivan's Steakhouse for an awards dinner sponsored by some of our partners. The menu was as follows:
Appetizer: Smoked salmon, cream cheese, grilled shrimp, calamari, shiitake mushrooms (I was already full)
Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
Filet Mignon with green beans, macaroni and cheese, and mushroom caps
Dessert: Cheesecake (and I had "another bite of cheescake" and another and another...)
Everything was delicious!! Unfortunately, I feel totally bloated and disgusting right now; I have probably gained 5 lbs today. The only good thing is that I didn't spend a dime on food. My plan is to wake up early and go for a run. We'll see what happens.
Some of our Finance colleagues from Europe were visiting the office today so we took them to lunch at Chuy's for Mexican food. For some reason, I don't think they have very good Mexican food in Slovakia, although they did say there was one restaurant called "El Diablo." I had previously told some of my coworkers about the rise and fall of the Thonghorn, and somehow our lunch conversation totally derailed regressing back to that topic. They thought it was a viable idea if I changed the name, made it a color other than burnt orange, and varied the shape slightly...stop encouraging me!! I had the chick-a-chick-a-boom-boom enchiladas which are truly a guilty pleasure. The only thing I hate about Chuy's is that you smell like it for the rest of the day.
When I returned, I tried mightily to stay awake during various meetings and a strategy session. Little did anyone know, that my strategy was not to go to sleep. I left work at 5:00 to make it downtown to Sullivan's Steakhouse for an awards dinner sponsored by some of our partners. The menu was as follows:
Appetizer: Smoked salmon, cream cheese, grilled shrimp, calamari, shiitake mushrooms (I was already full)
Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
Filet Mignon with green beans, macaroni and cheese, and mushroom caps
Dessert: Cheesecake (and I had "another bite of cheescake" and another and another...)
Everything was delicious!! Unfortunately, I feel totally bloated and disgusting right now; I have probably gained 5 lbs today. The only good thing is that I didn't spend a dime on food. My plan is to wake up early and go for a run. We'll see what happens.
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