Last Run of the Year!!!!

I'm lying in bed (god, I love my laptop) having just showered after my massive final run of the year!!!!! 20 miles and I still feel pretty good. I've got a few bugs to work out, but all in all things went great.
Bug 1: Buy taller socks. I finally realized that the ankle injuries aren't from rocks in my shoe, but from my ankle rubbing against my shoe. Taller socks will take care of the pain, which is especially nice, because running the last 10 miles with the feeling that your shoes are about to cut your feet off at the ankles is not real pleasant.
Bug 2: Don't go out so strong. I did a pretty good job today, finishing the whole run with an average mile of 9:53, but I think it could have been better. I had a best mile of 9:03 and a worst of 11:33, if I could balance that out I might have even better times.
Bug 3: That amazing time was with quite a few breaks. Keeping in mind that at the end of the day it's the miles that count, I allowed myself a couple minutes in Golden Gate Park, almost 10 minutes at Crissy Field and another 5-10 at the Ferry Building. I'm sure without the breaks my times would have been slower. However, I always allow myself to walk through water stations, so maybe it all balances out in the end.
The great news is that there are no more shin splints. This was the longest run before San Diego and I'm virtually pain free. Shin pain that is. My thighs are screaming for a vacation and as for the chafing, you don't want to know where it is.

During my 20 miles I had a lot of time to think about what I had done over the past year. If New Year's Eve is not a time for retro/introspection then I don't know when is. Here's a short list of what I am most proud of accomplishing this year:
1. I ran a marathon before Lance Armstrong! Take that, you one-testicled freak!
2. I ran my first marathon!
3. We all trained together for an amazing Bay to Breakers!
4. Julie and I beat Jason Whitt in the Bay to Breakers!
5. I beat Jason Whitt in the Marathon!
6. I will be running the San Diego marathon only 6 weeks behind the schedule I had hoped to keep to. The Physical therapy has made me a better runner!
7. Julie was there with me hating all the way.
8. Two more people will run marathons this year because of our good example. Good luck Wayne and Amie!
9. I saw Dayton naked.
10. I'm still on my feet and pounding out the miles. I still need to evaluate the diet, but I haven't gained any weight over the past 4 months -- and that's quite an accomplishment for me!

The week in Review:
Distance: 39 miles
Average: 9:46
Overall Impression: Would Someone Tell Me How To Break The Endorphine Addiction? (WSTMHTBTEA?)

Squeezing a Few More Runs Out of 2006

Oh man, I stretch now. I stretch for days. Cross legged, spread eagle, sitting in a swing with my ankles over my head...oh wait. That wasn't stretching, that was our new sex swing...
Seriously, I feel like I haven't run in two months or something. And the IT Band is just as stiff, but I've noticced positive signs. Namely, it's stiffest in the beginning of the run. And everyone knows that pain in the beginning is much better than the end. Or the middle. Or any of those grey areas in between.
So, I've been running. Yes, you say. You've run. But how far?
I've run 9 miles in three days. Ooh, you say. Nine miles? Really?
Yep. In four runs. I look at last years schedule and realize I'm back exactly to square one, when I was doing two-a-days on wildcat Canyon Road. Two miles in the morning, and three miles at night. Since I'm too much of a wreck to string five miles together in one go, this is the quickest and safest way to get up to fifteen miles a week.
Since Don mentioned his goals for 2007, I thought I would list a few I've set for myself at the Nike + iPod website:
Goal 1: (Speed) Run 10 runs in four weeks under Avg 9:30/mile.
Accomplished thus far: 1
Goal 2: (Distance) Run 50 miles in four weeks.
Accomplished thus far: Roughly nine plus change.
Goal 3: (frequency) Um, dunno. Run More?! (to paraphrase the Violent Femmes: "Three, three, I forgot what three was for.")

Anyway, those are my specific goals for the month. Should be enough to give me a decent base, from which , hopefully in February, I can start training for a Half Marathon. After that, who knows? Maybe a few Iron Man triathalons and a whiskey sour. ;)
We're off on a long train to Vienna in two hours, so I won't be seeing/hearing from any of you for a few days. I wish you all a great New Year, and look forward to 2007. It sounds like everyone one of you (us) had a fantastic year. Looking at everyone's year-end assessments, and knowing everything Julie has done as well acccomplishment-wise, I'm amazed how much somebody can run, and drink, in one year. For a bunch of amateurs that is. I hereby pat us all on the back.

Switching

Hey everybody,
Just a heads up. I had to switch my Blogger account to the "NEW AND IMPROVED BLOGGER" for another blog I'm starting, which basically meant that all the blogs I've created were imported with me. It looks like, in order to post, you will have to make sure you are using the new blogger as well. It literally takes less than a minute to re-configure your acccount, and from what I've seen, the layouts and interfaces are actually better...So we've got that going for us. Just click on "Switch Now" on the log-in screen.
Sorry about the unannounced/undemocratic admin decision, won't happen again!

I'll post tonight about running. Looks like the legs are holding up enough to get a few miles in after all. Huzzah!

Drunkrunner Berkeley/Wisconsin Chapter!

Hey all,
This is an open question for the forum. It is my plan to get together another group to train for the Bay to Breakers this year - if your friends leave you, make new ones. That's my motto. I've been wondering what we should call each other. I hate to tarnish the memory of the Hayes Street Haters, and don't really have time to wait for the name to organically evolve as HSH did. Wayne will be raising money for LLS and will be needing a T-shirt. So, I was thinking of proposing, since Jason Kooiker will be joining, of calling the group Drunkrunners! Any objections? We could then post pictures of the Drunkrunners with their shots and hard core beers on a website and show up those SoCal Drunkrunner wussies (Just how does one spell that word?)! I would be happy to make commemorative shirts for those that can't be with us, complete with appropriate names! As your spiritual leader, I will be changing my name this year. Sixpack Chopra is so much more inspired than Altar Boy although...-- Oh, hey wait a minute, that's gross!
So the question is, do we take the group beyond cyberspace and start a chapter hear in Berkeley? Which would also mean Wisconsin as Wayne, my Dad and others will be coming from Wisco for the race. The sick irony being that my dad's plan is to quit drinking and use running as a substitute. This doesn't disallow a victory shot at the end of the race.

In other news, running is going really well. I've slowed a bit in the past few weeks, but I'm hoping that is just normal. I'm facing my 20 mile run this sunday. Yes, the last run of the year, and it's fucking 20 miles. It's a beautiful route though. I've run it, in shorter versions for the past two weeks. I'll head out over the back of Twin Peaks, then down 7th Avenue to Golden Gate Park I'll wander through the park from 7th Avenue to the other side at 25th Avenue. 25th leads to the Presidio where I follow the cliffs along the ocean to the Golden Gate Bridge. Sunday I will have to run at least 2 miles out on the bridge, which basically means crossing it, and then head back. Then it's down to Crissy Field for a run along the bay to the Embarcadero (a la our runs to Sausalito last year, only backwards) and then head up Market to end at the Happy Rainbow Flag in the Castro. I catch the bus there and gross out the Homo Heights Express with my sweaty smells -- I almost said sweaty balls, but then wasn't sure that would gross them all out -- and unkempt hair. It's a beautiful run and really leaves me with a sense of accomplishment. 20 miles should leave one with a sense of something shouldn't it?

I ran the 16 mile run with a 9:33 mile, but was only able to run the 18 mile in about 10:15 (I can't call it up right now). Today's 10 mile was in 10 minute miles, so I'm tired, but can't slow down. This is the big week. 39 miles, and I'm only 15 miles into it. I'll get it done and then the taper starts! I'm so psyched for the taper I can hardly wait.

Impressions will be logged when I finish the 20 miler!!! Wish me luck!
Your leader,
Sixpack Chopra

Wayne's year in review

On April 15 I topped the scale at 239 pounds, I looked at a 3 day old picture and said HOLY FUCK YOU ARE FAT. I tried running but my knees and lungs wouldn't stand for it. So I started out walking 1 mile a day. It wasn't until June that I could run a full mile. I never kept track of times and distance because I didn't feel the need. Now that my goal has changed I finally started to keep track, but I didn't start until December when I decided to run the Mad City marathon. So the only accomplishment I can shop this year is weight loss and that comes to a grand total of 58 pounds and that I'm actually in shape to train and I will accomplish my goal. I now know why Forest Gump ran to get over Jenny It's very therapeutic. I'm thinking of changing my name to Forest. That way when I hear someone yelling RUN FOREST RUN I'll know they are cheering me on. As for the drunken part I drank a lot until October when I was told to cut back, but I promise to ignore Doctors orders and drink more in 2007 and curse the name of Sixpack Chopra for starting this Marathon thing and forcing me to keep up with my little brother.

Don's 2006 in Review

This a bit early, but I was going to chime in today anyway, and since Dayton chimed with his year in review I felt it was time for me to do the same.
First things first, you may have recently noticed a name change. During an episode of the Colbert Report I was struck by enlightenment. While listening to the guru Deepak Chopra I realized that what we were in need of was a spiritual leader on our quest for leaner bodies and fatter livers. I introduce to you, lady and gentleman, your spiritual leader for the year 2007: Sixpack Chopra! I will be your spiritual leader for the coming year. As such, I encourage you all to praise me and or take my name in vain. Perhaps the mantra could be switched from: Fuck You Jason Whitt to Fuck You Sixpack Chopra. Whatever should bring you spiritual guidance and get you to the top of that next hill, or the bottom of that next bottle, that is what I am here for. You need not contribute finances to your guru, although it is not discouraged. You need not set up a shrine to your guru, again, not discouraged. You need not attend special services in order to praise him. Just know that whether you are downing tequila at a ridiculous pace, consuming ungodly quantities of 2-Buck Chuck, or simply going for a run, your Guru is with you. With the spirit of Sixpack Chopra beside us, we can all reach higher and perform better in the coming year.
Second: My runs. I didn't start keeping track of runs until August, which means I missed a full 7 months of stats, but here are the stats as I could assemble them.

Miles run since July 30, 2006: 283.79
Average Mile: 9:34
Best Run: 3 miles on Sept. 8. Average mile: 8:12
Worst Run: 1/10 mile on Aug. 20 Average mile: 14:48
Judging from these number over the last 4 months, I would guess I logged somewhere in excess of 600 miles this year, but I can't be too sure. With my Nike+ iPod with me I hope to log at least that in the coming year.

Goals for 2007: San Diego marathon on the January 21st. After a couple weeks off, I'll start training for the Bay to Breakers, as my family, and I mean the entire family, will be coming out to run it. I'm sticking with last years goal of finishing in under an hour. Wish me luck.
I also hope to do 3 marathons in 2007. If we are going to make it to Boston, I think I'm going to have to do at least that much.
Hypothetically, if I owned a Nike+Plus chip for my brand spanking new iPod Nano I would have hypothetically thrown down the gauntlet to see who would first reach 300 miles in 2007. I would hypothetically already have started, which would mean y'all have some catching up to do. As your spiritual leader I have confidence in you and know that you will not let me down.

2006 in Review

I'm getting ready to start a new running log for 2007, and thought I would look at 2006 to see how things totalled through today. It looks like I ran a total of 600.38 miles, over the course of about eight months solid running. I took just over a month off for the World Cup, and have been a hobbling wreck since the marathon (which has been well documented in past posts and doesn't need rehashing). My average speed for the year was 9.06 minutes per mile, which includes the whopper 11.222 average I logged during the marathon. My best race was the August Half Marathon, which came in at 1:48 for an 8.27 minute average. Good times.
I just unofficially checked my drinking log with my Do-It-yourself Liver Biopsy, and estimate that between the World Cup, turning thirty, my parents vacation, and the general state-of-affairs in Germany, I consumed 5 Billion units of alcohol. I'll try and increase that in 2007.
Which brings me to the Ipod + Nike.
I understand there are those of you out there that now own this device. I understand, also, that there are certain "Challenges" being given, certain proverbial gauntlets being thrown down. I can not say how much this thrills me, and I look forward to the many smaller races we are going to be running, in addition to the "Big One".
For those of you who don't know, the Nike + Ipod is the new running gizmo that the geniuses at Apple have designed. Microsoft tried to do something similar, but they were working exclusively with a group of Libyans who were only using used pinball machine parts. (No, Julie, you can't right-click with it. Why would you want to? Do you right click a toaster? A martini?)
It consists of a sensor, which is placed in or near the shoe, and a receiver that inserts into the iPod. It has a variety of settings that let you keep track of calories, distance, time, etc. It allows you to set goals, and it will tellyou if you beat them or not. Best of all, besides being an amazingly accurate pedometer, it automatically uploads your information onto a Nike Website every time you plug in your iPod. AND, from this very website you can track and challenge the progress of your friends...SO, hypothetically speaking, if I was in a different country than you four, we could still schedule a race between ourselves. Say a 5K some Saturday. Or, if someone is totally mad, they could set up a race to be the first one to 300 miles. Hypothetically speaking. Of course.

The Competition!!!!

Folks, we've got some competition out there!!!! I did a google search for "drunkrunners" yesterday. The good news is, our blog was the first thing on the list. The bad news is Number 2 was: Drunk Runners' Club! I think we need to have a talk with these people. I mean, they couldn't possibly be in competition with us. There website is terribly out of date, and I'm not saying anything, but they only seem to drink lite beer. What losers. He says from his high horse having just received a Maker's Mark Christmas Shaker, as his 2006 Maker's Mark Ambassador gift. Lite Beer!!! Psshaw!

On to the runs. Tuesday was a great 5 mile run. I have mapped out a great course that takes me up the monster of a hill from Glen Park that I have spoken of before, and ends with a block long street that is at least as steep as Marin St. in Berkeley. It kicks my ass, but I'm already getting better at it.

Today, 9 miles. I mapped out a new course. God, I love that USATF Course Mapping website. The course took me from here at home down to the mission to run the entire length of Valencia Street, then a short jog over to Glen Park and back up that beast of a hill, all the way up to the top of Twin Peaks and back down to home. The total course is a bit over 9 miles, but as I had troubles looking up due to the fog, and visibility was only about 100 yards, I hardly felt like I went anywhere. It was a nice comfortable run. My pace at 6 miles was 8:50, and I ended with an overall pace of 9:22. Not bad. Not Bad. I sure do wish I had kept some records in the last training set. I have no idea what I was averaging before. I'm pretty sure my goals before were to do 10-11 minute miles on the long runs. In which case I'm very happy with my present pace.

Week's Summary:
Distance: 14 miles
Average: 9:18
Overall Impression: Running In The Fog Is Like Running In A Hamster Ball Only Harder! (RITFILRIAHBOH)

7-Days A Week? Who is this Freak?

Running / Cross training 7 days a week is not a good idea. Nor can I even imagine it. :-) Seriously, even if you are training intensely there should be at least one day off. Your body needs the rest. You might even consider 2 days of rest in a row. You should find that the first week you do that your times will drop on your next run. For example, I ran 5 miles last week in 49 minutes. Today, after a 2 day rest, I ran the same run in 45 minutes. Most of that can be attributed to rest. So, take it easy and don't burn yourself out now. You've got 5 months of training to do. Enjoy the lighter load now.

Hope the snow doesn't all melt before the holiday, or that it comes back. It's always nice to have a white christmas. Me, I just throw some flour on the balcony and a log in the fire.

We are having a heat wave right now, but with the heat wave we also have rain and fog because of the snow. It's been seventy minus thirty for highs here. I have to do my three mile run tonight and it will be dark and raining, but atleast it won't be cold. congrats on the run Moose. I checked out the uw training and will think about it. A question, I have been training seven days a week trying to bring my times down. Run three days and a row machine or excercise bike with some weight training the other four. is this to much or is it good for me to do to get my times down. I have brought the time down to 9min 42sec, but I want to get closer to a nine minute mile. Any pointers would be appreciated. Still working on the drinking, but I really don't want the calories fom it right now.

The Results are In

Just got the race results back. I did better than I thought. 85th place overall and 12th in my Gender/Age group. Not bad, not bad. And my thighs are now back to normal, which means I can run today. It's supposed to be 5 miles, and it's wicked wet out there. Wish me luck.

Race Results: Hark The Herald Angels Run

Hark the Herald Angels Run!

Welcome back Dayton. We just ask that you leave enough wine and beer for the rest of us. Although, it doesn't seem to be in short supply here. The end of the semester/Christmas party in the department last night was started by a 10-Minute-Party in the office with Champagne. Then down the hall for some crappy chardonnay. After that a cocktail at the Macaroni Grill a la Gergo. God I love free drinks, and I think the hooker/ex-girlfriend was there again. Dinner at Pasta Pomodoro was accompanied by even more wine. This made for a mild hangover this morning as I got up to run a 12K run on Angel Island. The Hark the Herald Angels Run is a grueling course. They run a 12K for the 12 days of christmas and a 25K for the 25th of December, cute huh? Not so, if you thought the Hayes Street Hill was hard, how about a 12K that is more or lest uphill for the first 8K. Yes, it was 50 some minutes into the race before I was confident I wouldn't be seeing the upside of another hill. It was a beautiful run and I'll post pics as soon as I get them back (I bought a camera with film, because I forgot my digital at home.
The run was mostly trails, and pretty narrow trails at that. For much of the race, there wasn't room to pass anyone without a game of leapfrog. It was muddy, a la Jason Witt. Yes, I did indeed just use a la twice in the same posting. Oops, that was three times. I thought at mile 2 that I wasn't going to make it. My shins started getting tight, which I'm convinced now is shin splints, but I kept on going. After another mile the shins felt fine and I joined in with a woman who was drafting behind me. We each cursed the hills as we approached them, and cheered the downhill when we got there.
All in all, a great run.

The Run:
Distance: 7.45 miles
Time: 1:09:38
Pace: 9:20
Overall Impression: Take That Jason Whitt! (TTJW) -- Not as clever as FLAB-A-SLAB, but I'm working on it.


Also, an official calling out! Dayton, if you are going to be in Germany in October next year, then we should be running the Köln marathon together. It would also be a perfect time to be qualifying for Boston!!!!! Think about it!

so damn drunk

Welcome Shorthair!
That's great news that our ranks have again expanded, and I'm currently sending you warm weather thoughts from a relatively balmy Cologne. If they don't make it, it's because I've been taking down wine by the crate. And beer by the kegs. I have holes in my liver the size of silver dollars right now. My synapses are mis-firing, and to quote Jerry Seinfeld , "My Rods and Cones are all screeewed up!"
Needless to say, I haven't run at all, saving for the trips down six flights of stairs to grab wine out of the cellar. My knee, thoguh, is getting stronger all the time. I'm planning on starting in earnest on the seventeenth, when we start to have a normal life again. Will finally write up that Nike + iPod product review soon, I swear!

On the Definition of Cold

Seeing as how, some of y'all have never lived in a colder climate, I think with the addition of Shorthair we are going to have to redefine things.
First, Wisconsin is a unique climate. With an enormous lake to the East and the Canadian Tundra to the north, the great plains to the West and nothing in between, there's nothing to stop the wind. This is why, the annual average temparature in Wisconsin is: 50 degrees in the south (where Wayne lives) and 39 degrees in the north. All time low temperature? "the lowest temperature on record was minus 55 F, reported from Couderay on both February 2 and February 4, 1996." I was living in Wisconsin then and it was evil. Checkout this out for more info:Climate of Wisconsin! My favorite quote: "During more than one-half of the winters, temperatures fall to minus 40 F or lower, and almost every winter temperatures of minus 30 or colder are reported from northern stations. Summer temperatures above 90 average 2 to 4 days in northern counties and about 14 days in southern districts. During marked cool outbreaks in summer months, the central lowlands occasionally report freezing temperatures.

Comparative Average Temps:
Phoenix: 72.6
Köln: 50
San Francisco: 57.1
Houston: 67.9
Madison: 46.1

Yep, it's colder than a Witches Tit there.

So, when Wayne says it's 70 - 100 degrees outside, you should be thinking really friggin' nasty cold. I'm already shivering thinking it was 5 degrees yesterday, and it's only December. The nasty months are January and February.

Sending warm thoughts and a scarf to Wisco!

Flab-a-Slab

I know I have been the wayward Drunk Runner, but I have drunkenly staggered my way back to the pack. Speaking of weather, the Gulf Coast of Texas has officially entered the Fall/Winter season. No snow yet (and yes, miraculously enough it snowed here two Christmas' ago), but I wouldn't rule it out. I thought I would do a lot more running once it cooled down, but since we actually turned the heat on in the apartment, it has been very difficult to convince myself to leave this little cacoon.

Needless to say, my stats are down. Ugh! But, to prevent myself from falling into that trap of mine (See post from 10/13/2006), I have tried to put in at least 5-10 miles a week. However, fed up and in dispair about hearing back about job interviews gave me the fuel I needed to complete a 7.4 mile run last night. Yeehaw! This is the first time I have been able to break 7 miles, since my run in the Berkeley hills back in August. I realized that my problem in November trying to reach 7 mi. was because I wasn't slowing my pace down enough! Aha! (Chic little Ironman Running Watch is already on my Christmas list!) I had gotten all excited about completing 5 mi. runs with 8:30 min. averages that I didn't realize that it was preventing me from extending my distance. I don't know what it was about last night, but I just kept running (I was trying to extend the course I run now, so that I don't have to overlap the route). I find that I will push myself further if I run a route that I don't know the distance of (which has its pros and cons). I was just happy that I didn't have the same dog-chasing problem I encountered on Monday.

Thursday's Run:
Distance: 7.4
Time: 67.5
Pace: 9:06
Overall Impression: Floatin' like a butterfly and stingin' like a bee. (FLABASLAB) - sweet, that just spelled "flab-a-slab"!

The long of the short of it (I am never very concise) is that I am maintaining some similance of running. No marathon planned for the near future, but don't count me out. My Christmas list reads like a catalog out of RoadRunner.com! DJ - let me know about the Nike ipod business.

Cheers!

Cold weather

Last night I went for my two mile run, remember I'm just starting out on my training. At this time last year I weighed 240 lbs, I started running just to lose weight and now look at the punishment I'm going to put myself through. Back to last night temp was seventy minus sixty-five with a two below wind chill. I ran it in 20min 18sec. Right now I'm working on picking my times up through January before I start the training for the marathon. In fashion with ya'll I drank a beer when I finished. As for the running a marathon because my little brother ran one first, I can neither confirm or deny that.

Welcome Wayne to Drunk Runners!!!!

Wayne has been running for about the last year, and has taken the big leap and decided to run a marathon. I don't think he has any idea what he's gotten himself into, which is why he belongs here. After all, neither did any of us!!!
I secretly think he's decided to run the marathon because he can't stand that his little brother did it before he did. :-)
So, let's all show him our support and look forward to hearing stories of long runs through the blowing snowing tundra that can be the homeland. Yes, folks, he's back in Brooklyn, WI. The link is to a run I mapped from his house to New Glarus (Yes, it's named after a Swiss Canton). Check out the green. Just gives you an idea where he lives. Of course, it won't be so green as he does most of his training.
I'm looking forward to hearing the perspective he'll have for us. Especially tips on running in cold weather. Julie you are going to need those especially!!!!!
Everybody raise a glass and give Wayne a nice big Drunk Runners Prost!

Just starting

Hey all,
I'm the new comer Moose's brother Wayne. In my defense I was a little of my game (in the drinking department, I will work on that) when I was town to visit. I don't have anything to report, I have just decided to train for the Mad City Marathon and started a training schedule on Tuesday. I just wanterd to say hello.

14 Miles Down, Many To Go!

It's been one of those weeks folks. I just couldn't get it together. With my brother and sister here last week my running suffered a little bit. I went running with my brother in Golden Gate Park, he'll soon be a drunkrunner. Although, he's going to have to work on his drinking skills if he is going to keep up with us. Strange, he's the one that was drinking me literally under the table when I was 18. Where did that guy go? We do get older. I don't, but he sure has.
Speaking of older, I actually had to pull out my driver's license at Stammtisch on Friday when I told a guy, for the 3rd time, that I started studying German in college in 1989. It was quite the ego boost. He simply didn't believe I could be that old. Is running the fountain of youth? Perhaps.
But back to the run. Scenario: Golden Gate Park, brother, supposed to run 8 miles. Did the first 3 with Wayne, because it was all he could do to finish those, but he was a trooper and we ran it in about 11 minute miles. Then he was going to walk and I was going to run the next 5 around the lake. Big mistake. Much like Dayton once mentioned with slowing the pace cause ITB problems, quickening my pace from 11 minutes to 9 minutes did a number on those shins again. By the end of the first mile around the lake I was doing my quasimodo impersonation. I called it a day and went home with 4 miles instead of 8.
Saturday was a great 12 miles from my house to the Golden Gate Bridge around to Pier 39 where I met Wayne and Chris. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful run.
This week was another story. I had a sore throat and a lot to do on Tuesday, so I decided not to run. I began taking Emergen'C and zinc tablets. I think it worked, the sore throat never progressed beyond the stage where it was just something I could feel if I was thinking about it. However, it lasted all week, so I wanted to make sure I was getting better instead of worse, and thus cancelled Thursdays run as well.
Saturday -- Hangover. 'nuff said.
Sunday, I finally tackled the 14 mile run I was supposed to do Saturday. let me tell you folks, it was a long one. I ran from my house to Golden Gate Park, ran 6 miles in the park and then headed home. The tricky spots were Mile 1, which involves getting up over Twin Peaks and onto the back side of it in pursuit of the park. It includes a hill that makes Nimmitz look like a speed bump. Then it was pretty smooth sailing until mile 12 when I had to head home. basically the last 3 miles were uphill. Crazy stuff. Elevation change on the last two miles? 400 feet. Ladies and Gentleman, that's a positive 400 feet.
In the end, however, I survived. My time was a bit slow, but I'm giving myself the benefit of the doubt in that there was a week off and those 3 miles uphill worked me like that poor mule up on Brokeback. I'm back home and feeling great for having accomplished 14 miles for the first time in months.

Week's Summary:
Distance: 14 miles
Time: 2:21:20
Pace: 10:05
Overall Impression: Never Ran To The Park And Back Before, And I'm Feeling Cocky! (NRTTPABB,AIFC!)