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Limited Archive: August 19 - September 04, 2007 |
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Sunday, August 19, 2007
I ran “Abe’s Amble” at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield for the first time ever this morning. Lightning, thunder, rain. My effort was a little bit disappointing. However, all in all it was very nice to be there - especially later in the morning when we visited with some friends from Springfield whom I hadn’t seen since the early 1990s.
We also journeyed to the University of Illinois later in the day to tour my son Robert’s new school year headquarters. And we made a quick trip to Body N’ Sole in Savoy for a new pair of Saucony running shoes. I’ve got a ton of stuff going on next weekend, not the least of which is the Mahomet Half-Marathon on Saturday morning. Seven weeks to go until the Chicago Marathon.
Monday, August 20, 2007
I did a 60-minute “flat” run this morning. Pretty good pace but no hills, so this was my “easy” day. I put together a great new mix of running tunes and motivational words for myself over the weekend and used it for the first time this morning on my iPod. I was really psyched. Everything from Will.I.Am to The White Stripes to J. Timberlake to Nelly Furtado. It was really great.
I’ve also been doing a little bit of work here on my web site lately with mp3 files. So, look for some possibly interesting changes some time soon.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Whew! It was pretty humid this morning for 90-minutes of continuous running. My route took me from Effingham to Teutopolis and then back and around here and there. The last 10-minutes of this workout seemed like FOREVER. Somehow, the variety of music in my headphones helped me through. Speaking of music . . .
I telephoned the XM Radio people last night and told them to cancel our accounts. I wasn’t terribly dissatisfied really. It’s just that the product didn’t offer much to enhance my life. I’ve been an XM subscriber since 2002. Originally, when Rick Dees and KIIS-FM were offered via XM Radio “live” from Los Angeles, it was pretty cool. But since the demise of most personality-driven popular music programming on satellite radio a couple of years ago, the listening experience hasn’t been the same. They don’t offer anyone like “The Dees,” or the wonderful radio companion of my youth, my friend Spider Harrison on WLAC-AM (1510) out of Nashville, anymore. Overall, XM’s overall content just hasn’t lived up to its early promise. Besides, I can find everything that I otherwise need both locally and regionally, and via the internet, or by just throwing in a couple of CDs.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Owing to the influence of my daughter, Brigette, I think I’ll have to go with “S.O.S.” by the Jonas Brothers as my “running song of the day.” Interestingly, that tune actually is the most downloaded song right now on iTunes - even though the Jonas Brothers are a Disney teeny-bopper production.
I put in 60-minutes of continuous running this morning, as planned.
I learned yesterday of the death of my great uncle Frank Dorner of Chicago from leukemia. A very nice man. I stayed at Uncle Frank’s home for several days back in 1993 while struggling through the Illinois Bar Exam. What can I say, passed on my first try. Maybe I was lucky. Certainly, I was fortunate to be able to stay at Uncle Frank’s place. The whole family was very nice to me. (I’ll be coming up on 15-years as an attorney next year).
Thursday, August 23, 2007
“Are-are you alive? I am. I am.” That was my mantra this morning as I ran up a couple of hills - and elsewhere - to the sounds of Aesop Rock and other people. If you haven’t heard A.R.’s Nike Endurance Run compilation yet, I recommend that you give it a try. His work definitely will keep you going. My second choice for mantra-of-the-day would be “And the knucklehead choir sang ‘no surrender’” also from Aesop Rock. There’s something about each mantra that I can really relate to.
OK, enough about the chanting of mantras. I did a 60-minute continuous run at mid-morning, following up on a good trampoline workout late yesterday afternoon.
I am taking things a little bit easier today due to the half-marathon scheduled for Saturday in Mahomet.
Legally speaking, I worked late into the evening yesterday and then part of today on a pretty interesting MOTION TO SUPPRESS EVIDENCE in a misdemeanor criminal case involving some area young people, who seem to be pretty good kids. I am looking forward to the hearing on the motions in mid-September.
Over the noon hour I gave blood, which actually is supposed to be good for your health. Everything went well. One additional positive note: My pulse rate was measured at 40. Normal pulse rates typically range from 60-80, but an athletic person frequently registers a lower reading.
Saturday, August 24, 2007
Awesome (after feeling a bit under the weather yesterday)! Maybe my best day of the year. No other way to describe it.
First, there was the Mahomet Half-Marathon, near Champaign, Illinois. It was an early morning 13.1-mile event, in which I was running for the fourth year in a row. The weather conditions were challenging with humidity, rain, a little wind, and then a hot sun - among other circumstances. My main goal was just to keep moving in the event and to finish respectably (anything under 1-hour and 50-minutes would do). But my unspoken, sort of dream goal was to have a finishing time under 1:45:00, which would qualify me for a better starting position at the Chicago Marathon in October.
At the halfway point in the race, I was getting a little bit discouraged after being passed by a couple of runners. Then, another guy passed me. I recognized him and thought to my myself, “Hey, isn’t that so-and-so (a really outstanding runner)? Maybe I’m not really running that poorly after all, if I’m running anywhere near this guy.”
So, I hung in there. Near the end, however, I didn’t think I would finish anywhere close to breaking 1:45:00 until I saw my finishing time flashing up on a screen. Officially, my time was 1:44:23 (with an average mile over the entire distance of the race of 7:58). Of course, my biggest concern now is being able to hang on over the course of 26.2-miles in Chicago. That, and staying healthy, a.k.a. uninjured.
After the marathon, I rushed back to Effingham for a Cystic Fibrosis fundraiser that was put together by the Lystila family. It was like a reunion of many of my former acquaintances. I wound up participating more than I had planned by golfing 18-holes with my son Robert and two other young men, Cy Lystila and Nick Compton, who were really pretty good. Thing is, I don’t golf. It was interesting, and all-in-all I wasn’t horrible. Although I was really tired, I would have to say that I really enjoyed the golf. Just don’t look for me anytime soon on the P.G.A. Tour!
After the golf, I rushed off immediately to the next event. My wife Joy and I attended a surprise (80th) birthday party Saturday night for a wonderful man whose name is Audry Gress. Audry is the father of one of my best friends in life, Tim Gress, and one of those truly great people who you meet along the way. He and his wife Ora served as a couple of the wonderful “extra” parents of my “growing up” days - and of my continuing childhood. :) Audry was visibly pleased to see so many of his friends gathered together on Saturday, and his comments at the presenting of his birthday cake were both very nice and very eloquent. His birthday party was a beautiful ending to an event-filled day.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
I put in 90-minutes of continuous running fairly early this morning after a one-hour trampoline workout last night. Everything was fine. Otherwise, no great excitement today. Sorry to appear to be sooooooooo boring. Lots going on, just nothing overwhelmingly exciting at this exact moment.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Following a very solid trampoline workout last night, I was supposed to have an easy day today including a 60-minute run this morning. However, after about 42-minutes, I began feeling kind of weak and packed it in. I felt very tired the rest of the day. From what I’ve been reading lately, it’s usually a better move to pack it in early than to risk injury by trying to stick around too long.
Just an idea: I have mentioned to a couple of my running friends a suggestion about organizing a once-a-month weekday “lunch get together” for runners in the area to be held at a local restaurant. Maybe we could have a featured speaker or program on occasion. We could call it “Runners Anonymous” or something like that. I am floating this suggestion as a “trial balloon” for now. If interested, let me know at attorney@effingham.net. We will keep you posted.
By the way, in case you haven’t experienced it yet, check out the “Basement Tapes” section of this web site.
Friday, August 31, 2007
I got in a brisk 60-minute flat run this morning under pleasant, but almost chilly conditions.
Just received the latest Broken Arrow Road Runners newsletter in the mail this morning, and publisher Shelley Nuelle sure is doing a wonderful job with it!
Lunched yesterday, inadvertently, with Dr. Michael Brummer, and I’m looking forward to a pretty decent “long run” on Saturday morning with him and several other friends.
Running-song-of-the-day for me today has got to be Kanye West’s “Stronger.” Although the song has a lot of unnecessary sexual content, there are a few great phrases in it that you would love to shout out to your detractors. You know the type: the haters, the allegedly cooler-than-thou but horribly misguided and negative people out there.
So how the **** could you front on me?
Later in the day, I survived a pretty strong trampoline workout - with (small) weights - for more than one hour. I really believe that these workouts help to strengthen my feet - among other benefits.
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Four friends and I put in a total of approximately 15-miles of roadwork early this morning in Effingham. I had the opportunity to do more than that, but I declined. I was feeling a little bit tired toward the end of my running and didn’t want to risk the possibility of injury. Things are just going too well right now.
I might head to St. Louis this afternoon for the University of Illinois vs. Missouri football game. My son Robert got a hold of five free tickets. (His 22nd birthday is coming up on Wednesday).
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Ugh! Allergy season has taken me by surprise and kicked in quite a bit. Over the last several years, my allergies really hadn’t been that bad. But I spent most of the day on Labor Day Monday in bed - except for the 5K race at Kinmundy, which I would have to be on my death bed to miss. Kinmundy’s race director, Barbie Ambuehl, always puts on the most professional 5K in the area.
Personally, I struggled through with a 22:XX-something. But I saw a lot of my running friends from the area, so the adrenaline took over for a while - until the car ride back home. The 22:XX-something was a little bit disappointing because I was shooting for something under 21:00. However, my experience was fairly comparable to the experiences of several other runners with whom I have spoken.
Early this morning, I put in a 7-miler and felt fine. Now, however, it’s back to work at the office where both of us are struggling today with allergy-related maladies.
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