So its been a few days and I haven’t written anything. Leave it to the fact that I’ve been busy either recuperating from our long runs or from biking. I think I worked it out that I am running about 50 miles a week right now and biking 40 miles with the intent of getting it to 60.
Craig’s death also got me thinking about my own mortality which has resulted in my lack of wanting to create, but hopefully I am at the end of this. I’ll be posting my plans for the fundraiser by the middle of this week. I’ve got to get the Drs to take a look at what I have written so far and use their cv’s to update their list of publications.
I also finished an amazing book from Umberto Eco called “The Name of the Rose.” I really liked the movie that was produced in ‘86 though I’m glad that I waited till now to read the book as since it has mostly to do with semiology and rhetoric. I would have never known the importance of Aristotle in the last couple chapters.
Anywise - keep posted to the website as I’ll have new information shortly!
So . . . I’d rather be running or doing something active right now. The first week of training was successful! I ran home on Monday, ran Farmer’s Ridge (?), and ran the Westridge out and back from top o’ Reseda on Saturday for a total of 28 miles. I don’t think that we’ll be able to reproduce that this week because we are going to a wedding in San Jose.
Referring back to my post of decisions, I’ve decided to donate my car once we get back from San Jose and I purchased a road bike on Sunday. I totally don’t have the money for it; however, I figure by the end of the year, the money that would have gone into my car will pay for the bike. So I found a sweet little Cannondale Caad9 R6 on sale for about $900 which I compared to the Specialized Allez. Both are aluminum frames, but the Specialized just looked funky and if I was going to spend nearly $1k for an entry level bike I want to ride in style. After adding all the accessories (pedals, shoes, helmet, front and rear lights), I was set back an additional $400 though I was totally psyched to start riding which I did. I purchased the bike from Helen’s Cycles in Westwood and I have to give them a good review. The saleswoman who helped me out (SY) was extremely knowledgeable and gave me some great suggestions on what to purchase for the bike. The only thing I opted out of purchasing was a pump, tire levers, patch kit and new tube. Giddily, I started the 15 mile trek over the hill on Sepulveda blvd.
So I got half-way home – from Westwood to the Skirball Center – almost to the top of the hill and . . . wait a moment . . . do you want to guess? Got my first flat. Called Tam’s and had her pick me up and drive be back to Helen’s to get everything fixed which they did free of charge seeing how I just purchased the bike (It appeared the tube was defective.) I then, of course, purchased the pump, tire levers, patch kit and new tube.
Tomorrow will be the first day that I commute from home to work on the bike and I am really excited. I am really tired of driving on the roads of Los Angeles. Even with the new cell phone law at least 1 out of every 7th car has someone not using a headset while driving. Drivers cannot keep their lanes and many drivers cannot understand the value of a left-turn lane with a light - - - they creep through it like the light is just for them or sit and wait till the last moment to decide to go. This is just the beginning of my list of complaints . . . I need to get off the road.
Yesterday’s run home rocked – though why does Jon always have to push everything to the limit? It took us 1 hour and 50 minutes to run home last night.
I don’ t know what compelled me to have to get shoes yesterday (August 7, 2008). I’ve been putting off buying new running shoes (and new work shoes) for months now. I know I am one to preach shoe and foot maintenance but when it comes to myself, I’d rather save the $100 bucks for a couple months than buy the shoes when I really need them. Though, I forced Tams to drive to Phidippidies yesterday to get new running shoes.
Tams and I were self-absorbed with this single mission as we walked through the double-paned doors into the air-conditioned haven of my favorite running store co-owned by an LA running legend, Craig Chambers. It appeared that Team-in-Training, those interlopers both in my favorite store and sometimes on the trails that I have come to call my own - though obviously shared by the community, were occupying valuable space as an attendee assisted us with getting shoes. It wasn’t till I saw an employee hastily pushing a vacuum around the store and solemnly urging individuals to get out of the way that I figured something was a little off. And to add to the fact, many individuals that I see on the trails regularly were gathered in the store preparing for a run. But hold on a minute, to my recollection the weekly run was held on Wednesday and not on Thursday Of course, I was wrong, they hold fun runs on Thursday and Friday). We were still trying on different pairs of shoes, trying to find a pair that will become our best friend in the months to follow.
Craig’s name was passed along in lowered breaths and I remembered Pete and Steve mentioning that Craig wasn’t doing so well. I looked down at the shoe saleswoman and asked: “If I may ask, how is Craig doing?” And at this moment, things klopt fell into place. Craig passed away today and the runners were getting ready to do a memorial run in his honor. We were hastily rushed out of the store, for valid reasons, and all I could think about was the passing of this legend.
I never had the honor to run with Craig but was greatly motivated by both his stories and stories told about him. Pete, my running mentor, did many runs with Craig. Steve and Jon have nothing but good praises to pass along. The only qualms I’ve ever heard were the typical runner’s qualms. Oh, Craig would say: “Let’s take this route, it won’t add anything to the run.” And in reality, that extra route would add an extra three or four miles and sometimes uphill. I heard stories of Craig running Western States and for five years he ran back and forth to work - - - a total distance of a marathon. Dean may be a hero in many person’s eyes, but Craig had running in his blood since birth and inspired many Angelinos to become a better person by running better. I’m honored and humbled that I had the opportunity to interview and speak with Craig and deeply saddened that he is no longer with us.
All of my runs for this year will be in honor and in remembrance of this Angelino Legend.
So - the decision has been made that I will be donating my car later this month . . .trading my car in for a roadbike. The plan is to supplement my marathon training with cycling two days out of the week. Now don’t get me confused with a total green, I will be lessening my impact on the Earth, but at what cost to myself. I’m doing this more out of a dual necessity. Gas and car maintenance is just to much. And I want to take the valuable time wasted in traffic and turn it into something working for me. So the ideal schedule is going to be.
Monday: The 10 mile run over the hill from UCLA to home.
Tuesday: Our usual 5-8 mile run starting off of Mulholand (with an occasional 10 mile to up the distance, and the occasional run from Mulholland back to UCLA)
Wednesday: Bike to and from work. Taking Sepulveda is about 10-12 miles, and I can always add to the length if needed.
Thursday: Some type of interval and/or speedwork with a cool down run.
Friday: Bike
Saturday: Progressive increase of running from our normal 13 mile weekend run to the max of 22 before the race.
Sunday: relaxation
Ideally, I’ll be able to squeeze in some weight training along the way. Though the hassle is going to be trying to find the time. The next step is going to be finding a bike.
I stopped by Helen’s Cycles in Westwood yesterday, after a double plasma/platelet donation so I didn’t get a chance to really shop around but they had a couple Cannondale’s 58cm going for about 900. I’m also looking at an older and smaller Le Mond. Though I think it really sucks because the road bike market is pretty competative and the demand is relatively high. . . thus the price of new road bikes is insane and the older bikes are in the same bracket. So the next couple of days are going to be interesting as I shop around for a decent roadbike to replace my car.
So . . . I am adding a blog to my offerings because I think that I can pontificate ponder on what it means to be a runner in written form better than I can with oral rhetoric. The podcast will continue but I will be updating this more often than the podcast. I hate hearing my voice.
Monday marked the day of our training for our next marathon and you got to read about it here first. Tam and I are running in CIM - or better known as California International Marathon. I ran home from UCLA to my place in The Valley. It’s about 6 miles of unrelenting uphill with 4 miles downhill. Pete and I missed a turnoff so the run became closer to 11 miles. Yesterday we did an easy 5 mile Farmer’s Ridge run. I’m really excited about getting this going again.
Well - that’s it for now. I need to work on getting links and things setup for the blog.
