Year to 1000 in Review

My goal this year was to reach 1000 miles. When I reached 100 miles for the year, my wife snapped a photo to send to our podgies. When I hit 200, she did it again. On the 300th mile, I started catching on....

Some things I notice from the pics….

• I'm not wearing the same shirt in any of them
• I'm only wearing a hat in 2 of them (I'm a hat guy). 
• 7 are in a rocking chair. 
• 7 of the shirts were given to me. 
• 2 are from companies that have been a great support to me and my students - Ruckus & Lone Rider - check them out. 
• 3 of them are from former students - Carolus Apparel, Crank Arm Brewery, & Hurst Landscapes - check them all out. 
• All of them were taken by my wife, except the last one - she's just over my left shoulder. 

It has been an awesome year!

3.43 miles / 1007 in 2013 (Year of Running 13)

As part of @MissZippy1 and her #yearofrunning13, here is my year...

• Best race experience?

This is a tough choice. I really enjoyed running Carrera de los Muertos in Chicago, but I have to say that my best experience was the following day when I ran the Battleship Half Marathon in Wilmington, NC. This was my first 1/2, and I ran it with my wife, sister, and brother-in-law and lots of family cheering us to the end. The company made it my best experience. Running it in 2 hours didn't hurt either.

• Best Run?

The first time I ran over the Sunset Beach bridge. The view will be forever ingrained in my memory.

• Best new piece of gear?

I'm really not a gear purchaser. I would have to say my best new piece of gear is the shirt I received for running in the Carrera de los Muertos. I wear it with pride.

• Best Piece of running advice you received?

Get up and let's go. I constantly heard this from my wife this year. She was a great motivator.

• Most inspirational runner?

Has to be my wife (see previous answer). She never has an excuse not to run, and she never accepted mine.

• If you could sum up your year in a couple of words, what would they be?

Accomplished Goal! I set out to run 1000 miles in 2013. Done!

3.61 miles / 1004 in 2013

I ran today. I didn't have to run. I ran today because I wanted to run. 

I'll use the last couple of weeks of 2013 to reflect and recap on this journey....

Many would expect me to go through a few pairs of shoes if running 1000 miles. I did. 3.5 pairs this year. The last pair looked like a bald tire with the threads popping out when I finally retired them. What really irritated me this year is how many ear buds I went through. I didn't lose any, but I'm breaking out my fifth pair today. My fourth stopped working after my 3rd mile. Four pairs this year that either completely stop working, only one side worked, or gave a strobe like effect of sound while running. Shouldn't these things be a little more durable?

5.29 miles / 1000 in 2013

At the end of 2012, a former student posted about her dad running 1400+ miles for the year. I thought 'Wow, that's cool.' Each year I make a couple of New Year's resolutions, and I'm pretty good at keeping them. So I decided to make one about running. I set a goal to run 1000 miles in 2013. To some this can be no big deal. To others, this seems unattainable. For perspective, I ran 75 miles total in 2012. (Note: I ran 26 miles in June 2012 because I was on a health kick). So this was a little daunting, but I set my mind to it. So- first a thanks to Lisa's Dad for the inspiration.

Today I ran my 1000th mile. Not only did I complete my goal, my wife and sister also completed their 1000th mile today. We all shared many runs this year including my first 1/2 marathon, several vacation runs, 5ks, 10ks, 15ks, etc... I really need to thank them for the motivation. The competitiveness between the 3 of us drove me for the second half of the year. If they hadn't been pushing so hard, I would have probably finished much closer to 12/31. We all started today at 995.22 miles for 2013. This was carefully planned. 

Also, a special thanks to my wife for 'making' me run many days when I didn't want to. Any one who has ever run any distance before knows you always feel much better afterwards. I have a hard time remember this the following day. She doesn't. 

To celebrate the 1000th mile, we took a polar plunge into the Atlantic. It was cold. However, the final mile and completion in the ocean is one of the best feelings I have experienced in a while. It was AWESOME. 

I'm not done. I'll keep this up for the rest of 2013 and start over in 2014. I have some neat ideas for next year. I'll write about those later. 

75 to 1000

That's my niece charging in behind us. She was a trooper, too.

Keep reading this year. I have some other stories to tell. 

3.52 miles / 994 in 2013

This post is a little off the beaten path, pun intended.

When at my wife's parents' home in Louisburg, NC, I have a 5 mile loop I run through the country. On this loop I pass Horton Hill (pictured above). Every time I pass it, I can't help but imagine the battle that took place on it during the Civil War.

The Battle of Horton Hill was a small battle. However, it was a very bloody battle where all but 2 soldiers perished on the grassy knoll. Although they were wounded and bloodied, Sam Horton and Dick Baker  survived the battle. Horton & Baker were both privates. However, Horton was a Confederate soldier - Baker was fighting for the Union.

The legend goes that after 4 days of engagement, Horton and Baker were overwhelmed by the silence. Both believed that on the other side of the hill remained a strong army in wait. They grew restless and afraid of the near certain fate of death, or worse capture.

It was on the second day of silence when both on their own accord decided to breach the hill. Rather die fighting for freedom, than lie in wait for death they raced up the hill to face their enemy. As they reached the crest, the silence haunted them. Then, they saw each other. Both fired! Both missed. It was in this fraction of time they realized - there was no army. As if looking into a mirror, they saw themselves. In this moment, they chose peace. With caution, they began talking instead of fighting.

As the story goes, they sat under the tree pictured and drank North Carolina moonshine for days creating a friendship that would last for generations. Still today the family names of Horton and Baker litter the country side in this rural area of NC.

In reality - I concocted this entire fable in my head while running on these lonely roads of Franklin County. It is not likely true, but generating the story has made the time go by while running the miles.

4.50 miles / 967 in 2013

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I originally was urged to write this blog to document all the things I was finding on my runs. The last 2 weeks have been good for the hunt. I found a bungee cord, a penny, a gel bike seat cushion, and a cool pencil with fish on it. 

Today I found the strangest thing to date. 

Wired burlap ribbon. New. Still in the plastic. Found on the side of a lonely country road outside Louisburg, NC. I think it's a weird find. You?

I also found 35 cents today in the grass along the same road. There were 2 coins that reflected the sun just right. One of them was not a quarter, can you guess what coins I found?

4.36 miles / 954 in 2013

If you've read any of my previous posts, or at least the first one, you know I set a goal to run 1000 miles in 2013. With only 46 miles to go, I've started thinking of how to run my 1000th mile.

My top 3 finishes that I've come up with so far are as follows....

1. Finish with a 'cool' race. My original thought was to finish with a marathon. I'm not sure I'm ready for a marathon, but I'm not ruling it out. The other problem is there is not one close and in the right time frame. So, then I thought maybe just a 'cool' race to finish would be good. I really enjoyed the Race of the Dead experience in Chicago. If I could find another experience like that to finish, I think that would be a great finish.

2. Finish at the NC State Bell Tower. The Bell Tower is very special to me in many ways. I can imagine running down Hillsborough Street for my last mile with the Bell Tower in sight as a great way to finish. If I could add actually running up the stairs in the Bell Tower and finishing at the 'top', that would be even better.

3. Finish where I started, sort of. My first mile this year was at Sunset Beach, NC on January 1. My thought is to finish by running over the Sunset Bridge (which I've done numerous times this year), onto the beach, and finish with a plunge in the ocean. This is where I finished my first 1/2 marathon (I created the route), but without the plunge in the water. It should be nice and cold. Brrrrrr

I need your help. Give me some ideas or give me feedback on mine.

7.52 miles / 925 in 2013

IT'S COLD!! The temp in the mornings has hovered around 30 degrees this week. Although, I remember enjoying running in the cold weather earlier this year, I'm not ready to do it again. Yet.  So instead of braving the low temps, I wimped out and went to the gym.

I'm actually not a member of a gym, but I talked my way into a free one-day pass to our on-campus gym. (A big shout-out and thanks to the staff of Carmichael Gym.) This was the first time I had been in this gym since I was a student many years ago. It was weird how some of the same nerves appeared just like I was a freshman in college again. Also, it smells the exact same as it did in 1991. However, it is much more advanced than it was back then. It still has the old rubber track that runs around the interior of the building (I think. I actually didn't see it), but now it has MANY treadmills available.

In reality, I'm not a big fan of running inside, especially on a treadmill. I've mentioned in earlier posts - I like having a destination. On a treadmill, I'm already there. But - it's cold, so a treadmill it is.

I just picked a random treadmill, actually the first one I came across. It was in a row of maybe 18-20 treadmills surrounded by elliptical and stair machines. When I started, there was only one other guy within a machine of me. He finished pretty soon after I started.

About a thirty minutes into my run, I realized that I was surrounded by young college co-eds. Surrounded - 2 on each side on treadmills, 4-5 of five in front of me on elliptical, and the same behind me on the stair machines. My first thought was, wow the gym has really filled up. After taking a quick scan of the other equipment, that was not the case. In fact, almost all the other equipment was empty. My second thought was - "wow, maybe I've still got it" :) Why else would all these young ladies be surrounding me? This thought quickly passed when I realized that of the 20+ TVs in the gym all but one was on a 'sports' channel. On the TV directly in front of me - Survivor. I guess Survivor still has 'it'.

3.23 miles / 901 in 2013

Final weekend update...

Really this is from Monday - After a personal record at Carrera de Los Muertos and the Battleship 1/2 Marathon, I was on a running high. Add in all the travel and work, I was also very tired. Two emotions fighting each other like two seagulls fighting for the same piece of bread. 

Monday was a good opportunity to take a break and rest. However, I was only 2 miles away from running my 900th mile for 2013. Most would say - why not wait one more day? It's a rather simple answer...

For every 100th mile I've run this year, my wife has taken my picture. This is not an egotistical thing, but something that I want her to be a part of each time it happens. If I had waited until Tuesday, I would have been away for work and she couldn't have been there to take the pic or more importantly to me, to be a part of it. 

Courtesy of my wife's iPhone...

1/2 Marathon / 898 in 2013

2nd Weekend Update....

After the Race of the Dead, I spent the rest of the day in Chicago at the conference I was in town for. Normally, I would stay through Sunday, and take in more of one of my favorite cities. However this weekend, I needed to get back home for my first 1/2 Marathon - The Battleship Half Marathon. 

My flight was scheduled to leave at 6:30PM from O'hare to Wilmington with a layover in Charlotte. If you're not familiar with Wlmington, I'm not surprised. It's a very small airport. Very few direct flights. The parking lot for the airport isn't much bigger than a typical grocery store parking lot. No parking deck at this airport. 

Back to the flight- the flight from ORD to CLT went off without a hitch. Actually arrived 20 minutes early. Normally this would be a great opportunity to catch an earlier flight home. If 'home' this time wasn't Wilmington, maybe. There were no earlier flights to ILM. In fact, I think it was the 2nd of 2 flights all day. This was already a late flight considering my first half was the next morning at 8 AM. To add insult to injury we were delayed over an hour while seated on the plane waiting for a co-pilot. After arriving at my hotel around 1AM, I quickly got to bed with great anticipation for an early morning run. 

My first half marathon... 

I've run a 1/2 before, just on my on course. See an earlier post for more on that. This was special, I was going to run a 'real' half marathon! Not only that, my great support system was there too. 

Running with me - my wife, sister, and my brother-in-law. In the crowd - my mom, my brother-in-law, my nephew, and my youngest son. 

Although, much credit too my co-runners - much more to my cheerleaders. Running is a terrible spectator sport and it was cold. 

I must say, I was really excited to get this started. That sounds crazy to me. I used to make fun of my wife for wanting to run. I would say things like - 'if you ever see me running, somebody is chasing me'. So this excitement was exhilarating. 

My goal was to finish in less than 2 hours. Unfortunately, I failed. My time - 2 hours and 29 seconds. DAMN!! 29 seconds!!!!! Next time, I'll pay better attention to the clock. 

That being said, it was one of the most rewarding athletic achievements I've ever accomplished. I'm still a little giddy thinking about running that far with a pretty decent pace. 

Here's my running team, after the race...

And my awesome medal...

One more update to follow...

5k / 881 for 2013

Sorry for the delay in updates, it was an awesome weekend. 

First Update-

I did make it for the Race of the Dead in Chicago. By far, it is my favorite 5k I have ever run. The people, the turn out, the costumes, the entertainment were awesome! 

I ran a PR for a 5k. I contribute this to one thing - it was freaking COLD! This country boy from NC was not properly dressed. I was affraid if I slowed down, I would freeze. 

If ever in Chicago during Carrera de Los Muertos, this is a must run!

More updates to follow....

0 miles / 878 for 2013

No actual running today. However, I'm stoked for this weekend. I flew out this morning at 5:30 to Chicago. Arrived with a full day of pitches and some impressive moments with current and a former student. Now to the running...

My name is Lewis, I'm a procrastinator. I've known about this trip to Chicago for a year, but I pushed everything to the last minute. Flights, my room (not the student's), and the race of the dead. Since I was going to be in Chicago, I wanted something 'cool' to do during my short stay. I LOVE Chicago. I've been many times. I would move here if my wife became a snow bunny instead of a beach bum and/or if the climate would change in Chicago. It's 71 degrees at home today, 41 here. Big difference. 

Anyway, I found this cool race - Carrera de los Muertos (race of the dead). Actually, I'm only assuming that's what the translation is - based on the marketing. 

Back to my procrastination - I postponed my registration until I knew for sure my travel plans were set (ie procrastinated, I knew I was coming for 3 months) At that point I tried to register (today)- too late :( Registrations were sold out. However, I'm a nice guy and was able to acquire a registration, bib and shirt to run. I'll leave the details out of 'how', to protect the nice people that went out of their way to make this happen. I'm extremely excited to Race with the Dead! 

Look for an update, pics, and the next reason for my 'stokedness' for the weekend tomorrow afternoon. 

3.72 miles / 838 in 2013

This seemed like a lack luster week of running. I took 3 days off in a row, which is rare. That being said the day before the break I ran 11 miles when I only intended to run 3 or 4. However, the long run was not the reason for the break...

•The first day of break- I took my wife on an all day road trip shopping trip. YES, all day. 

•The second day of break- we had an early dr's appointment and waisted the day running errands instead of just running. 

•And, the third I was in class and meetings from sun up to sun down. 

However, I made up for it by running 7+, 4+, and 5+ the following 3 days. On those runs I came across some cool 'creatures'... Deers, dragons, and birds. 

What is the coolest thing you've ever 'run' into???

4.15 miles / 801 in 2013

As you can see in the title, I broke 800 miles today. That means I need to average 2.43 miles/day to reach 1000 by 12/31. At the 700 mile mark, I needed to average 2.76 per day. I'm improving. 

(The pic is an unintended ad for Hurst Landscapes. However, I highly recommend them if you are in the Raleigh area.)

On another note, looks like I'll be in Chicago for Halloween. Any race or route recommendations?

4.05 miles / 783 in 2013

I ran an early and quick run today, but the hunt was on. What I found today reminded me of my very first beer. When I was 12 or 13 I found 3 pony Budweisers in a soy bean field (I grew up on a farm). If you don't know what a pony bottle is. Here you go...

When I did a google search for this pic, I was amazed that people are actually selling these on eBay. This one is $4.99 if you're interested. 

Anyway, a pony bottle is only 7 oz of beer. I never understood why they were manufactured. Who can only handle or need 7 ounces of beer???

Today I found a full bottle of Stella Artois perfectly place on a small dirt road I often run down. My thought is a couple of teens were out drinking and left one behind. It's mine now...

4.10 miles / 779 in 2013

I absolutely love running on the beach. What could be better? In my opinion, it's an awesome way to finish the week. I've written before about how I like to run to destinations. Finishing on the beach with a beer, lounge chair and a sunset is the perfect run for me. 

Before I get to the sunset...

While running today, I noticed several jellyfish in the surf. This is common this time of year. However, they reminded me of something else. October is breast cancer awareness month. My wife is a 10+ year survivor. We do a lot of 'breast cancer stuff' and a lot more in October. At many of these events, there are tables/displays of breast implants and info for survivors about implants. Almost always, there is a sample implant. Every jellyfish I passed made me think of these implants. Is there any chance the doc that came up with the idea of implants got it from a beach full of jellyfish?

Back to the sunset...

I moved to the beach 2+ years ago for nights like this...

15k / 755 for 2013

I ran my first sanctioned 15k today. This is the 2nd race of a 3 part race series. I wrote about the first in the series in an earlier post. I finished 2nd in my age group. Today I had great trepidation going to this race. I really didn't care to, or want to run. Just wasn't something I was looking forward to doing. Added to this hesitancy was the fact I drank many more beers last night than miles I was going to run today. 

Anyway- I set my goal to run the whole race. No stopping. I didn't have any inclination that I would place today. In hindsight, I think I could have. I started the race listening to the Smithfield's Chicken n Bar B Q podcast. I really enjoy the podcast, but I don't run at a fast pace listening to 'talk'. My first few miles were slow- 9:20/mile. Slow for a race. On a normal day- I'm good with anything under 10/mile. After the podcast, I switched to music and my pace dropped to 8:15/mile. I should have listened to music the entire time. It was a fun race with some great scenery. I definitely recommend it. Also, it was the coolest medal I've seen, and the first one I've ever gotten...

It's a freaking bottle opener. It will get plenty of use. 

The next and last race of this series is a half marathon that finishes at the USS North Carolina. I'm really looking forward to it. 

7.09 miles / 727 for 2013

Cindy and I ran a new route today. It involved going under a fence and climbing over another one. I mentioned in a previous post I like to travel the unknown, sometimes. From a run perspective, it is great for me to rack up some miles. If I'm not sure where a road will take me, I just keep running. I also like to run in 'loops'. Meaning- I can't stand running to a spot and turning around and running back. That's boring to me. I just saw that route, I don't need to see it again so soon. 

On another note - I've had a cold spell of finding things on my runs. Today I snapped it with one of my best finds...

Those of you who really know me, know I love a good dive bar. Chubby Buddha's is one of the best. 

Also, congratulations to Cindy reaching her 150 miles in September with 9 days to spare. 

3.18 miles / 701 for 2013

Today I hit the 700 mark. That's an average of 2.72 miles per day. With only 299 miles left, I need to average 2.76 miles per day for the rest of the year. Although 300 miles is no small task, today I really grasped that I will reach my goal.

On another note, when I was running today I noticed my arm band ipod/phone holder (there has to be another name for that) really stinks. It's not the first time it has started to smell but today it was quite pungent. I found myself not swinging my arm completely forward to avoid getting a whiff. It will be thrown in the washer today.

5.06 miles / 698 for 2013

BAM!




If you didn't read the previous post, this will not make sense.

3.60 miles / 693 for 2013

Runners that I've talked to normally do not carry cash or even ID on them when out for their run. I've found the 3 reasons tend to be ...

1. No Pockets
2. Fear of being mugged
3. Just don't see the need

1. No Pockets- I understand the no pockets issue. Even if you did have pockets, why take the risk of it falling out. Or, if you're not financial fit and you normally pay your bills after a trip to coinstar, why add the weight??

2. Fear of being mugged - I've run in the pitch dark (tonight was a good example - I missed a turn because I couldn't see the road sign), early morning, and remote areas. I've only been nervous one time. That was in Hong Kong. It wasn't that I actually felt threatened. The problem was I didn't know where the hell I was, and didn't know where a wrong turn may take me. Wrong turns don't bother me, I find cool things and places because of wrong turns. That night I wasn't looking.

3. Just don't see the need - I do. I run for destinations as mentioned in previous posts. Tomorrow morning I plan on making a stop, and I'll need money.

10k / 667 for 2013

This has been a slack running week for me. With travel and classes, I just wasn't motivated.
However, today I ran in my first sanctioned 10k race and my first race that my time was tracked.
My average times last month were not great - to the point I was a little concerned why I all of a sudden I was running so much slower. So, yesterday I purposely try to push for a fast pace. I averaged under a 9 minute mile for a 4 mile run. This was much better and gave me confidence going into today's 10k. I didn't have any notion that I could win the 10k, but I wanted to place in my age division.




Kelly and Cindy ran, of course. If it weren't for them I probably wouldn't pay someone to let me run.
The race started as all races typically do- like a herd of cows trying to get to the feed trough first. As always, this herd thins out. In the past, I always run my first mile in a race at a fast pace. In my last 5k, my first mile was 7+minute mile. I think it's due to the adrenaline and trying to get away from the herd of cattle behind me.
Today about 1/2 mile into the 10k, this guy passed me...




(the guy with the headband)
He was running a steady pace, so I decided to just tail him. I did for the entire race.
I would try to have my right foot land the same time his right foot landed. It gave me the sensation that his foot was pulling mine forward. Time really flew and I was zoned out. I got so close to him at one point I almost caught his heel with my toe. I thought at any minute this guy is going to turn around and knock the shit out of me - or maybe he was oblivious to me being behind him. Not likely since we were clearly away from the herd and no one else was really around us.
Anyway, I stayed on him the entire race until the last 1/2 mile. I passed him, took off and sprinted for the finish.
After the race the guy I basically just stalked for the last 50 minutes came up to me. I thought - this is it, he's going to punch me. Instead he gave me a high five.
I thanked him for setting a great pace and told him that was the fastest I had run for that long. He in turned thanked me. Wow. He told me he wanted to stop and walk or at least slow down several times during the race. He could tell I was behind him the whole time and was using me to push him. He was going to keep me from passing him.
BAM!!!

4.41 miles / 649 for 2013

Told you I would. I ran an extra 4+ miles today so I could reach 100 miles in August. This is the second most I've run in a month. Last month I ran 126 miles. My worst month was April. I ran a pitiful 29.9 miles. Remember- I ran 70+ miles in 2012. Not 70+ in a month- for the whole damn year.




I can't think of a better way to finish 100 miles in August. RunSheatsRun!

6.54 miles / 644 for 2013

Nothing real exciting to report today, except I inadvertently ran a route that looks like a cat playing with a stick...




Also, I'm 4 miles away from 100 miles for the month of August. Therefore after a day of tailgating and football, I will run again today.

5.12 miles / 628 for 2013

I'm pretty sure I've written about gators before. Today, I finally got a pic of the largest I've ever seen. I saw her a few months back at dusk. No way I was slowing down to take a pic then. Today, she was in a good spot. I could run up to her within 30 yards and I was separated by some water. Yes, I know they can swim. She is at least 9ft long, probably longer. The pic isn't the best, but I think you can get gist. This beast is huge.

4.45 miles / 615 for 2013

Someone asked me how I run looking down hunting for things all the time. I DON'T. Especially if I'm running in a cool spot - ie, along the waterway, the beach, a nice golf course, etc. But, what I do do (ha) is look down to gain distance. Let me explain...

When I run near my aunt's house in Raleigh I have to climb a very obnoxious hill. This is the type of hill that everyone under the age of dead comes to when it snows. It's steep! Add some snow and ice- it's fast! Now this is awesome when you have a sled, but when you want to run up it (or down it for that matter) on a nice sunny summer day- it sucks! When I turn the corner and see that hill, my mind rationalizes with itself - 'you should walk it to warm up or cool down (depending on when I reach it)' OR 'you should walk it to avoid falling and hurting yourself' OR 'you should walk it in case a deer comes running by, you'll have more time to react', and on and on and on....

So, what I do on this hill or near the end of a long run when I want to give up and walk- I pick a spot about 10-15 feet in front of me and run to it, then right before I get to it I pick another spot farther ahead of it, and so on. These small battles are easy to win when the hill seems too great.

Due to this method, I'm looking down a lot, not all the time, but often - hence that leads to me finding some interesting items on my runs to 1000.

6.04 miles / 603 for 2013

3 updates today...

1st - As you can see in the title, I surpassed the 600 mile mark today. It should have come early last week, but due to Noah like rains and travel- it was delayed.




2nd - As to my continued treasure hunts... I have never picked up clothing on the side of the road. (Notice my previous post of what I usually find, yuck) Never, until today. This looked clean enough, and I could tell it had been left within the last few hours - reference 'Noah' rains comment. I'm going to wash it really good and give it to my nephew. Unless, his mom or dad read this. If so, I'm going to toss this one and go buy one that looks just like it.



3rd - The peppermint candy completely washed away. Again, reference rain comment...

Location:Lake Shore Dr,Sunset Beach,United States

5.18 miles / 593 for 2013

I switch up my routes on a regular basis just to break up the monotony of a boring run. However, for the last week I've purposefully ran by a certain spot each day.
As I have mentioned before, I hunt for things when I run. About a week ago I saw a peppermint on the side of the road. NO - I didn't pick it up, I just noticed it. Then the next day, I noticed it was still there. The 3rd day I was looking for it - there again. You ask- so what?
If I had left a peppermint in my car over night, it would be covered with ants the next morning. Is this some magical peppermint that repels ants???
I finally took a pic of it today. It rained last night and this morning, so it has started to melt away - but, again today - NO Ants!

4.21 miles / 584 for 2013

The original thought about writing this blog was to describe all the interesting things I was finding on my runs. I wrote about most of my findings a few entries ago. Then NOTHING! I was afraid I jinxed myself from ever finding any loot again.

Finally, today I found this...




It's a 1/4" socket extension for a drill. Most people would have stepped right over this little treasure. Score one for me!

The hunt is back on...

0.00 miles / 575 for 2013

No running today. However, Cindy and I rode our bikes to the beach with chairs on our back. I used to think people that rode vs run just 'didn't get it'. My thought - biking is easy - just pedal and coast. I take it back.
Either running or biking I like to be headed somewhere. For example, I sometimes run to the beach to sit and drink a couple of beers (Couple define by the unabridged version of Sheats Dictionary = 6+), or I'll run to a RedBox to return a movie, or to the local Ice Cream shop - How Sweet It Is. ....You should realize I'm not a health nut by now....
Today both Cindy and I wanted to sit on the beach and drink a few beers, and she didn't want to just meet me there. So, we both rode bikes. My upper thighs felt like someone was beating them with a warm belt. Running would have been easier, without the chairs of course. To all you bike riders, I apologize.

3.11 miles / 572 for 2013

Cindy, Kelly & I ran a FREE 5k today. A few years ago some guy decided to organize a free run on the beach while on vacation at Sunset Beach. This was the 4th year of the race - ~180 runners showed up. Not bad for the little advertising they put out each year. This is my second summer living here, and I've been vacationing here my entire life. I'd had never heard of it. Also, consider that Sunset's population is only 3600 people (and most are too old to run) - 180's not bad at all.

You can read more about the race at this link.

Anyway, this was my best 5k time this year (in a race). My first mile was in 7.5 minutes, followed by my old man miles to average 8:49/mile. 

If you've read my previous posts - there were no jamokes wearing blue jeans or blue jean shorts there today...

5.70 miles / 566 for 2013

I always make the same joke when I see a gator on the golf course - I don't have to run faster than a gator, I just have to run faster than the guys I'm playing with.

I often see gators when running around the Twin Lakes at Oyster Bay. I saw the biggest I've ever seen earlier this year running at dusk. He was standing on all 4, mouth open, and looked angry. She was about 30 yards off the path. 2 things happened- I ran the fastest I have run all year long, and I have to have come the closest to having a heart attack ever. The scary thing was there was no one else out there with me, so no one I could out run and leave for the gator.

I ran across this one today, not literally. He's just a baby... so my heart rate didn't change.

4.05 miles / 556 for 2013

When I run, I hunt. I like to look for lost treasures on my routes. Today I found a RFID gate pass.


Makes me wonder where I can now get into that I couldn't before. Who lost it? Are they bewildered or pissed the next time they get to that gate?

This isn't a great find, but different. Throughout this year I have found the following...

Bungee cords
2 screwdrivers
Wrench
Fishing bobber
Nerf Football
~$1.47(this is what I can remember, it's probably more) all change, no bills yet
Many golf balls
A rubber bracelet
Defective boomerang (obviously defective since it didn't return to the thrower)
A pair of flip flops
3/4" socket

These are the things I can remember, there is more. I've also found lots of things I wouldn't pick up - t-shirts, socks, gloves, parts of bathing suits, & underwear. I have seen at least 4 pairs of underwear on the side of the road this year. Maybe 4 isn't a lot considering the mileage I've put in, but still... Who's losing their underwear on the side of the road?

5.60 miles / 548 for 2013

I really didn't feel like running today, remember the liver & onions followed by the late night run? So do I. But, it's the last day of the month and wanted to finish on a strong note with at least 3 miles to keep up the average to 1000. I procrastinated as long as I could. I didn't want to wait until tonight- I doubt I'll have liver & onions again, but I can bet it will be something that's not good to run after eating.
I have thought a lot about what keeps me motivated while running, remember it's boring- there's not much to do but think. For me there are 2 things that make me keep a good pace and not go into the slow jog that most people call walking.
Here they are...
The first is music. You're saying 'No Shit!' (I know You're = nobody - since I can't imagine who would read this, but I digress). I have an eclectic list of music that I listen to when running from Tupac, Eminem, Journey, Florida Georgia Line, John Denver, Barry Manilow, and more. Yes, Barry Freaking Manilow. There needs to be an app that measures your pace based on the song. I know, or at least feel, like I run faster when I listen to Lose Yourself vs. Take Me Home, Country Roads.
The second motivator is embarrassment. If I feel like I could go into slow jog (walk) mode, I run to a busy road. That can be hard to find in Sunset Beach where the traffic count can be 10 cars per hour. That being said, someone in those cars may know me, and I don't want them to see me walking. Not because I don't want them to think I couldn't run the whole thing. No - the real reasons are

1) I don't want them to think my car broke down and stop to help ----
'Thanks Mr. Kind Friend Who Stops for Everyone for stopping. No, my car is ok. I just couldn't finish my run so I'm dragging my tired, overweight rear home. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.'

2) I don't want someone in those 10 cars to think I got a DUI and lost my license.

4.30 miles / 542 for 2013

I ran late tonight, just finished a little after 9pm. The problem with running at the end of the day is having to run after what you did that day. For example, tonight I had liver and onions for dinner. Have any of you read any health/diet mags that recommend that as a pre-run meal?? If so, my grandma was way ahead of her time - minus the running.

Earlier this month I ran a glow run with Kelly and Cindy that started at 8:30pm. 1st - it pisses me off when I run in a 5k race and it turns out to be less than 3 miles. Come on! I'm going for 1000 miles, I need every .10 of a mile I can get. Back to my point of running late in the day- on this particular day I played golf, sat on the beach for a couple of hours, and drank +/- 10 beers. Although I think most of them were Coors Light, still more than the recommended dosage of beer before running. I ran it without fail. If I remember correctly, I had a pace under 10min/mile - not bad for me and a slushing stomach of beer. That being said, there is no way I was the only one that had been drinking that day. I saw at least 3 MEN wearing cutoff jeans (In all honesty they could have been a new style by UnderArmour or something) and some dude passed me in an all out sprint wearing blue jeans.

I passed him a few minutes later as he was heaving on the sideline.

Ready, Set, Go

This is my first attempt at a blog. We'll see how it goes. I am writing this to document my path to running 1000 miles in 2013. It's July 30, so I'm starting a little late - starting the blog, that is. My current mileage is 538 for the year. It's still possible for me to reach my goal.

A few people have told me to start this blog to share the story. My thought is- who would read it? Are there people so bored they'd read about someone else running? Have you ever run for more than a mile? It's pretty freaking boring. So reading about it can't be much better, right?

We'll see....