Road to Nowhere

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:Y'alls 1-1/2" of snow would be 1-1/4" more than what we would need to shut the city down.

I'd reckon.

We came up with our own Pacific Northwest Lowlands weather catastrophe rating in the newsroom a while back.

Snowpalooza: 2 inches or less. Pretty, fun, but not troublesome.
Snowmageddon: 2-8 inches. Drivers become idiots. Weathercasters hyperventilate.
Snowpacolypse: 8+ inches. Anarchy. Cannibalism. It's not a pretty sight.

Once you get out of the lowlands into the hills and mountains, all those numbers need to be adjusted. Twenty-foot snowpacks in the mountains are relatively common.

Durn tootin'.

Yep.

(I lived in rural Northern California for years. I could keep down home up all day.)

Mike MacLellan wrote:Cracking up at the thought that news-people actually discuss these, ahem, idiotic, names before they use them.

It looks like you're coming back, Mark. We both know how tentative of a state that is, but we also know how exciting it is. Keep it up!

Well, it's not like we use them in print. Well, not often, anyway. It's more for our own amusement.

KathyK wrote:Snow around here has a tendency to make people go a bit crazy, too...at the mere forecast, everyone dashes to the store to get milk, bread and eggs. And beer.

Nice job on the treadmill run!

I was at the grocery store the other day, and they were swarmed with customers when the forecast even raised the possibility of snow. I should have asked how many of those people bought beer.

The TM run is a necessary evil. I know I can't trust myself sometimes to not overdo it, especially when it's only 30 minutes on the plan. If it's feeling good at the turnaround point outside, it's so easy to keep going. On the TM? Not so much.

ounce wrote:Whew! When I saw that 161 number and you were still able to survive, well, it gave me the vapors!

Nifty running.

Heh. There's always an instant of sheer panic ("Am I going into tacychardia? How could my fitness have left me? Did I hit 10 mph on the control panel instead of 5 mph?) before I realize that the strap is too dry. It makes for a pretty dramatic HR chart. "And here is where the wolf started chasing him, doctor..."

Mark B wrote:

Mike MacLellan wrote:Cracking up at the thought that news-people actually discuss these, ahem, idiotic, names before they use them.

It looks like you're coming back, Mark. We both know how tentative of a state that is, but we also know how exciting it is. Keep it up!

Well, it's not like we use them in print. Well, not often, anyway. It's more for our own amusement.

KathyK wrote:Snow around here has a tendency to make people go a bit crazy, too...at the mere forecast, everyone dashes to the store to get milk, bread and eggs. And beer.

Nice job on the treadmill run!

I was at the grocery store the other day, and they were swarmed with customers when the forecast even raised the possibility of snow. I should have asked how many of those people bought beer.

The TM run is a necessary evil. I know I can't trust myself sometimes to not overdo it, especially when it's only 30 minutes on the plan. If it's feeling good at the turnaround point outside, it's so easy to keep going. On the TM? Not so much.

ounce wrote:Whew! When I saw that 161 number and you were still able to survive, well, it gave me the vapors!

Nifty running.

Heh. There's always an instant of sheer panic ("Am I going into tacychardia? How could my fitness have left me? Did I hit 10 mph on the control panel instead of 5 mph?) before I realize that the strap is too dry. It makes for a pretty dramatic HR chart. "And here is where the wolf started chasing him, doctor..."

I think I'll start a business where I buy bread and milk back at a huge discount from the people who stocked up on it the night before the big storm that was predicted but was a dud!
I'm always amazed that people feel like they couldn't live for a day without another loaf of bread and a gallon of milk! On the other hand, I think most people who bought beer in anticipation of a day's deprivation will have already consumed it...

Michael Enright wrote:I think I'll start a business where I buy bread and milk back at a huge discount from the people who stocked up on it the night before the big storm that was predicted but was a dud!
I'm always amazed that people feel like they couldn't live for a day without another loaf of bread and a gallon of milk! On the other hand, I think most people who bought beer in anticipation of a day's deprivation will have already consumed it...

Well, you don't want it to go bad, after all...

Barefoot Run: 1.4 miles

Weather: 50, overcast, wet pavement.

Alec was wanting to go out and get a mile logged for future computer/videogame time (1 mile = 1 hour), and I thought it'd be fun to go out with him and do the mile barefoot. I made sure to run on the roughest asphalt I could find.

Alec was wearing Free Run 2s as he ran, but in the second (.35 mile) lap around the block, he started complaining that HIS feet hurt. (Irony, anybody?) He then decided before the third lap that he was going to try it barefoot, too.

Alec has some challenges with bilateral coordination and proprioception, so I was all for it. He did one lap, liked it ("You've INSPIRED me, Dad!"), and begged to do a second. We did the second (bringing the total distance to 1.4 miles for me, with him having .7 miles barefoot). I had to stop him from doing more.

My feet seem to really enjoy this sort of running. I picked up the speed at one point, and even that felt good.

We even got our first "barefoot" comment. It was from a lady who was walking in the neighborhood.

"Barefoot and everything, huh?" she said.

"Yep!" I said. "It feels great, too."

In fact, it was good that I decided to keep Alec from doing too much, too soon... because it kept me from getting carried away, too.

He's gonna love those kinds of memories when he grows up.

Mike MacLellan wrote:

He's gonna love those kinds of memories when he grows up.

I hope so, Mike. He's a pretty sentimental kid, so he's loving those memories now.

My feet felt great after the run... right until I put on a pair of socks and shoes (Free 3.0s). It's not that my feet hurt... but I so woke up the soles of my feet that socks felt weird, and even Free 3.0s felt like prisons.

Mark B wrote:

Mike MacLellan wrote:

He's gonna love those kinds of memories when he grows up.

I hope so, Mike. He's a pretty sentimental kid, so he's loving those memories now.

My feet felt great after the run... right until I put on a pair of socks and shoes (Free 3.0s). It's not that my feet hurt... but I so woke up the soles of my feet that socks felt weird, and even Free 3.0s felt like prisons.

Didn't want to run barefoot in 50 degree weather?

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:

Mike MacLellan wrote:

He's gonna love those kinds of memories when he grows up.

I hope so, Mike. He's a pretty sentimental kid, so he's loving those memories now.

My feet felt great after the run... right until I put on a pair of socks and shoes (Free 3.0s). It's not that my feet hurt... but I so woke up the soles of my feet that socks felt weird, and even Free 3.0s felt like prisons.

Didn't want to run barefoot in 50 degree weather?

Running barefoot in 50-degree weather is great, Ounce. Especially considering how balmy 50 feels right now, after our recent cold snap. I did the whole distance barefoot.

I only had to put socks and shoes on in order to go out in public, get lunch and then go to work.

Society. Pfft.

"Society, you're a crazy breed; I hope you're not lonely without me..."

Don't go all Christopher McCandless on us, Mark.

Mike MacLellan wrote:"Society, you're a crazy breed; I hope you're not lonely without me..."

Don't go all Christopher McCandless on us, Mark.

It hardly matters, being that reality is merely an illusion created by desire. Which means I'm just a figment of your imagination.

Um....

Maybe I should avoid philosophy when I'm still bonking from a morning run.

Edit to add: I just looked up Christopher McCandless on the InterWeb.

Low HR Run: 65 minutes (5.3 miles)

Weather: Low clouds, cool, humid. 39 degrees, 98% humidity. Gear: FR2s, shorts, T, pullover, jacket. Fuel: One cup of coffee before. No fuel (and only a little water) during the run.

This run started out interesting: I could feel that my form felt lighter (and more like barefoot) at the outset, and I had a to work a little to get my HR up. The first non warm up mile was noticeably faster than usual. I felt that gait fade away (and the ease of movement) as I progressed, but that's not surprising. This is going to take some time.

We paused at the turn-around point, and I took some water. But otherwise, I ran dry and without any fuel. I'm feeling a little bonky right now, so maybe I need to take at least a little something before these morning runs.

My foot's a little sore, so tomorrow should be a rest day. I have a testing session at Nike late Tuesday afternoon, and I want to be ready for that.

Average HR for entire run: 131

Wow...over a mile barefoot! And having Alec barefooting along with you! Very cool.

Before you know it, you won't be welcome at the Nike campus anymore because you don't want to wear shoes ;-)

KathyK wrote:Wow...over a mile barefoot! And having Alec barefooting along with you! Very cool.

Before you know it, you won't be welcome at the Nike campus anymore because you don't want to wear shoes ;-)

Shhh, Kathy!! They'll HEAR you!!

Kidding aside, I can't imagine giving up shoes completely. I see what I'm doing now more as a conditioning thing, to improve my form and coordination. The better your proprioception, the less likely you are to twist an ankle. The more efficient your form, the faster and farther you can go with minimal stress on the system.

And, after having the podiatrist explain how my freaky feet work, it seems that most "corrections" out there only impede my natural adaptions (I'd quite possibly be club-footed without them). It's why I've gravitated toward Nike Frees, and it's why I think it's high time to see what happens if I let my feet be fully in charge for a change.

That Alec is interested in it as well makes it all the better. His legs sort of thrash around like egg beaters when he runs in shoes. It will be interesting to see if his lower half can get it together with some fundamental type of movement.

Dynamic Testing: 2.58 miles

Weather: Partly cloudy, cool, a little breezy. 48 degrees and falling. Gear: Testers, shorts, long-sleeved T.

It was dynamic testing day at Nike today, and I got to run circuits on and just off the campus in Beaverton. I can't talk about the shoes, but as I look at the distance and the time it took me to run it (I timed each lap, but didn't use a Garmin or HR monitor), I understood why I felt winded. I was going a LOT faster than I thought, even with a bit of a hill on the first half of the circuit.

I ran the first circuit at a 9:05 pace, and the second at an 8:56 pace. Yoiks! What would Maffetone say?

I've worked these sorts of runs in with my low HR training before, sort of as my unstructured faster runs. Today was no exception. The only downside to this is (other than sucking wind), is that I end up dripping sweat on the feedback form they give us after we do our testing.

Mark B wrote:

Michael Enright wrote:I think I'll start a business where I buy bread and milk back at a huge discount from the people who stocked up on it the night before the big storm that was predicted but was a dud!
I'm always amazed that people feel like they couldn't live for a day without another loaf of bread and a gallon of milk! On the other hand, I think most people who bought beer in anticipation of a day's deprivation will have already consumed it...

Well, you don't want it to go bad, after all...

Late to the action here, but I always wonder why people are buying these things (and eggs too). Are the going on a French toast making binge? Just weird.

At any rate, looks like you're making some solid progress on the barefoot front and in general mark. Keep it up!

mul21 wrote:

Mark B wrote:

Michael Enright wrote:I think I'll start a business where I buy bread and milk back at a huge discount from the people who stocked up on it the night before the big storm that was predicted but was a dud!
I'm always amazed that people feel like they couldn't live for a day without another loaf of bread and a gallon of milk! On the other hand, I think most people who bought beer in anticipation of a day's deprivation will have already consumed it...

Well, you don't want it to go bad, after all...

Late to the action here, but I always wonder why people are buying these things (and eggs too). Are the going on a French toast making binge? Just weird.

At any rate, looks like you're making some solid progress on the barefoot front and in general mark. Keep it up!

If it was French toast, wouldn't they also be loading up on powdered sugar? Hm. No. Maybe there's a way to make plastic explosives with milk and bread? Hm....

And thanks, BTW. I really did a number on myself late last year, so I have to be very careful as I rebuild myself. No point getting too carried away and putting myself back at Zero again.

Mark really happy to read that things on the running front are going better then late last year. I really look forward to following your progress and the steps you take finding health and enjoyment out of running.

That's what is really about right? I really found myself in a weird strange place over this past winter with running and happy to say that I'm glad that I'm finding that enjoyment that help make for so many exciting moments over the last 4 years. Truly look forward to sharing the roads and trails with you through the cyber world! Keep Truckin Mark!!

Good job Mark. I hope things keep getting better.

Sound like a brisk run at the Nike place yesterday. I know you can't comment on the shoes, but seems like they didn't impede your speed!

Schuey wrote:Mark really happy to read that things on the running front are going better then late last year. I really look forward to following your progress and the steps you take finding health and enjoyment out of running.

That's what is really about right? I really found myself in a weird strange place over this past winter with running and happy to say that I'm glad that I'm finding that enjoyment that help make for so many exciting moments over the last 4 years. Truly look forward to sharing the roads and trails with you through the cyber world! Keep Truckin Mark!!

Thanks, Schuey! I'm glad things are working out for you, too. And you're right: That really is what it's all about.

Alex Kubacki wrote:Good job Mark. I hope things keep getting better.

They're getting there, Alex. Thanks! I know I don't have any choice but to aim for very slow progress. But that's okay. Better that than a boom-and-bust.

KathyK wrote:Sound like a brisk run at the Nike place yesterday. I know you can't comment on the shoes, but seems like they didn't impede your speed!

It was surprisingly brisk, Kathy! I can't say what shoes they were, but they were very cushy compared with what I usually wear. It was weird, though. While I discovered later that I was running a lot faster than usual, it actually felt slow when I was doing it. Because it didn't feel like I was going fast, I was puzzled trying to figure out why I was working so hard. There was a bit of a hill, so I blamed it on that. In fact, it wasn't so much the hill. It was me!

See? This is why I benefit from having a HR strap around my chest. My "perceived exertion" meter doesn't work so well, maybe because it's hooked up so closely to my emotions. It's difficult to be objective.

Not a big deal? Well, tell that to my lungs and legs this morning. I am S.O.R.E. and still a little wheezy. Oops!

Maybe your broken RPE-meter is the exact reason why you need to throw away the HR strap <./Devil's Advocate>

Mike MacLellan wrote:Maybe your broken RPE-meter is the exact reason why you need to throw away the HR strap <./Devil's Advocate>

Or maybe my previously broken BODY is why the HR strap is needed. <./Get Thee Behind Me>

Walk: 30 minutes (1.6 miles)

Weather: Sunny, cool, a breeze.

It was too nice outside to spend all my lunch hour inside, so I went for a walk from the office down to the Columbia River. I noticed the first blossoms on the flowering plum trees, so spring can't be too far away!

I also wanted to work the kinks out after yesterday's higher-intensity effort at Nike. This seemed like a good time for it.

A walk in the 'almost spring' sounds like a perfect way to work out the kinks.
We've got buds on trees here, I expect that spring will explode during the next week or so. LOVE it!