Day 13284, & if you drive drunk into a bar...

is god trying to tell you something?

First of all, no, it wasn't me...

I am so not a Jimmy kind of guy...

 But, yeah, BAM, it was crazy.  We still can't figure out how he did this, but it was LOUD!!!

Here is the view from inside the bar.  Now, I love my 3 Crow Bar.  It was very unsettling to see it threatened.  The guy was trashed.  Or, maybe, he was upset that they didn't turn off the lights from 8-9 for the Earth... Either way, a point was made.  And, by the way, it was clearly not his first time at this rodeo.  

Note, the table by this garage door might be drafty for the next few days, as it doesn't seem to be attached to the building anymore.

So, 6 mile treadmill run today, in 60 minutes.  I was mainly impressed that my heart rate stayed under 160 for 90% of the run.  I am definitely noticing improvement in this department.  I ran most of it, at just under a 10 minute pace.  My legs seemed sore at first, from the road run, I am guessing.  They got going though, and then...

A ski run that is steep, clean, and smooth is called a cruiser.

Today, I seemed to find my cruising run.  At about 30 minutes, my fatigue faded away, my heart rate dropped a bit, and I settled in for a comfortable 20 minute stretch.  Wow.  It really felt good.  Then, sadly, due to poor planning, I had to hop off the treadmill to pee.  Dammit.  Lesson learned.  Plan ahead.

Shout out to Nat.  She's running the ING full tomorrow.  I have been eating carbs all day today, in support.

Nat, they're yours if you need them...

Day 13281, & I hit the streets...

I am a road runner.


Well, I am becoming a road runner. Today, I felt a bit more beaten, more like the coyote...

I have always known that the day I decided to run on pavement, it would probably feel like I have not run EVER before. I have mentally prepared my self for this. I was ready...

I just didn't realize that I apparently live in the Swiss Alps, or the Rockies, take your pick. Damn, my neighborhood is really hilly! This is the hill just up from my house. This is where I decided to start. Dumb! I made it up the hill. It was not that bad, as I had just started out. I did begin to wonder if this was going to work out. Mind over matter, I said. Even if the matter was made of asphalt and concrete, I was going to conquer it.

I noticed, almost immediately, that I had absolutely no idea how fast I was going. I had my iPod. I was listening to my running playlist. I should have been able to pace myself. Nope!

When I made it to the golf course, I realized just how hilly the area was. I guess that the houses just do a nice job of hiding the slope of the land. I had no idea how far I had gone, but if felt really far. Then I looked at my watch. 11 minutes. I had been gone 11 minutes and it felt like 30. Well, Chris, you have to stay out at least 11 more minutes to get back. Might as well make the most of it.

So, make the most of it, I did. I continued onward. I found a nice flat stretch of road that I found quite enjoyable, despite the pain I felt creeping into my shins. Again, I was clueless to how fast I was going. I was not clueless about the pain. I slowed to a walk. I hated to waste the nice flat road on a walk, but I have to work today.

You know what I think is worse than running uphill?

Running downhill. OUCHY!!!!! This bit of information was shared with me by the aforementioned shins after about 20 feet of downward slope. My quads, however, seemed fine with the break that they were receiving.

So, I would say that I managed about 65% run and 30% walk. The missing 5% could be attributed to some variation of a jog when I was trying to find some sort of pace; however, I decided that I must have looked silly at this point and gave it up.

What I had not planned was a focused route. I neglected to think through the hills, obviously, but also about how I was getting back home. So, again like a fool, I decided on a route that would let me finish up on this hill. The problem with photography, or my photography anyway, is that you cannot properly convey slope or steepness. Trust me when I say, this was steep and painful.

But, all in all, I did it and that is what matters. I trekked out on the open road for a full 28 minutes. Sure I felt like I was going to die, but I did it. Sure my shins hurt, but I did it.

After I got home, I jumped in the car to measure my distance. 2.4 miles. This was very enlightening. A: I didn't do as badly as I thought. B: My first mile was 11 minutes. C: Including the walking, I did this in 28 minutes. What I know now is that I went too fast. I need to learn to pace myself a bit better. Overdoing it isn't going to get me anywhere. Maybe I can get Jay to follow along in the car, like Joan Crawford had her maid do. There's nothing like adding a little Hollywood glam to a workout, right?

My other issue with today's run? I had to carry my iPod. I don't have a fancy armband or anything. It is a bulky one, at that. The armband approach would probably mess up my alignment, resulting in injury. So, I went to the Apple store.

I think this one should work out quite nicely for the next road running adventure.

Day 13280, & I hate people...

Well, not all people, just most of them.  If you are one of the lucky few, then you already know it, so don't bother checking in about it.  After all, anyone who knows me well enough also knows that it is OBVIOUS when I dislike someone...

There was an article in the paper today about the airlines and fuel prices.  Basically, it was outlining the fact that if oil stays above 100 bucks a barrel, then the airline industry is screwed.  Apparently, your flying choices will be Southwest or "flying" down the highway in your car.  

This is unacceptable to me.  I still miss the old days, when flying was enjoyable.  There were many more flight attendants, there was food, there was far more than a coke and a bag of pretzels.

Meanwhile, I am no financial analyst, but I am guessing Exxon is going to beat their record profit again this year...

Meanwhile, as hundreds of thousands of airline workers are worrying about their futures, the two Democratic presidential candidates are worrying about word choice, scheduling records, and church.  Hummn... If I were McCain, I would be on Cloud 9.  After all, how often is the presidency handed to you?  So, that being said, what are the chances that it actually gets handed back again???

So, yeah, I hate people.  I also hate the people who eat brunch on Easter, but that is old news that isn't worth revisiting in my mind.

I did my six miles on Saturday.  Well, actually, I did 5.8 miles in the hour, but hit 6 in the first 2 minutes of my cool down.  2.3 of the miles were solid in the middle 20 minutes of the run.  I was proud.

I have taken it easy since then.  Nothing Sunday, three miles on the elliptical Monday, and then a quick warm up mile today before weight training.  The stems seem a bit unhappy with me, but I am letting them have their way.  I might just scale back a mile or so, and 15 minutes this Saturday.  Why push it?

The plan is some 5K in May, a 10K in October, and then a 1/2 marathon at Thanksgiving.  Now that I have said it and it has been read, I have to stick with the plan.

Sorry there isn't much here, but I am too annoyed to be clever.

Day 13276, & many many days have passed...

Yes, many days have gone by without so much as a single worth while occurrence.

Well, no, that's not true.

First of all, vacations are great... until you return. The amount of catch up time that must be spent is incredible. After a few weeks of struggle, you wonder why you left in the first place. Once caught up, you start dreaming up your next vacation because you really feel like you need and deserve one after all of the hard work you have been putting in over the preceding few weeks.

Mine? Maybe the beach. Jay has been consistently reminding me how far ahead I am in the traveling department. I think that I owe him a trip of his choosing. Hence, the beach...

I finally succeeded in getting him to go to the Vital Records office to get another copy of his birth certificate. This has taken him well over a year. Understandable, since the office is located less than a mile from the restaurant. Who has that kind of time? Now we can start working on his passport. After all, when I say beach, I mean the non-U.S. kind. I also probably mean the kind with casinos.

Meanwhile, on the fitness front, I got back into my running routine about 2 weeks ago. Gradually, I worked my way back up to 5 miles on average. The Great Leg Revolt of '08 seems to have been quelled, with only minor fits against me and the brain. I was worried about my shoes and went back to the running gurus at Team Nashville for some advice. There is something very special about being able to go to a store and have someone watch you run around a parking lot. It would be great if I could go to Kiehl's and get them to watch me run around with anti-wrinkle cream to see if it is keeping me young... Anyhoo, I digress... and I certainly got a strongly worded opinion!

Apparently, when one begins a running program, full-throttle is not recommended. Apparently, one should not even start running for the first few months of a running program. Well, I have to say that this seems odd. If you are not running, then aren't you, in fact, just starting a new "walking program?" I have been walking regularly for 34+ years. I walk plenty in the course of a day. I would say that I have crossed that bridge already.

Listening to the advice I asked for, I decided to scale back. For now, I will try for three good runs per week, with at least one day of rest (or elliptical) in between each one. Yesterday was PT day, so I just ran/walked 2 miles to warm up. I took today off from the gym. Tomorrow? Well, the plan is for a 6 mile treadmill run, or 1 hour, whichever comes first. Of course I will walk some, since I don't want to die, but I hope for at least a 2 mile stretch of solid running in there somewhere.

We'll see...

I can't wait until I am allowed to run on asphalt!!!

Day 13254, and I read my watch wrong...

Perhaps it was the altitude...

Or, perhaps it was some residual jet lag. I don't know. I was quite certain, however, that my watch said it was 11:15...

Whatever the case, it was 10:15...in the A.M...Oops! Oh well, Katie's and my day at Vail got off to a strong start. And, my timekeeping error set the tone for the rest of the day. And besides, it was 11:15 in Nashville and it was 12:15 in Atlanta. So really, what is the big deal? Who said that you can't have "beer breakfast?" Or, would it be "beer brunch?"

Anyway, we spent the day mostly in the back bowls, trying and trying to figure out how exactly to get to some good runs we heard were off the Teacup Lift. Getting to the Teacup Lift, however, proved more difficult than the runs themselves. We never got there.

We did go up the Orient Express Lift multiple times though. We rode the lift so much that Katie began spouting "Look, kids... Big Ben... Parliament..." each time we ended up in the same place. That joke never got old. Apparently, my dazzling map-reading skills did get a bit old for some. I guess "cross country" skiing is not really up Katie's alley. Also not up Katie's alley? The Poma lift. I was quite amused...I will not embarass her with the details.

Meanwhile, you know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donder, and Blitzen. But do you recall, the most famous reindeer of all?

OUCH!

And that pretty much sums up a good day filled with laughs and fun. And, of course, we gave it the old college try (definition 3) at the finish. I have to wonder... Why don't I live here???

Day 13253, and skiing begins

Ah, the ski trip. You look forward to something long enough, you are bound to be disappointed in some way...

BUT NOT THIS TIME! It was freakin' fantastic!!!

Ski Day 1 was at Breckenridge. This decision was not made lightly. Jay wanted to give skiing another try after last years failed attempt. I noticed that the greens were much more gentle here than at Keystone. Keeping in mind that Jay referred to last year's training hill as a triple pink triangle, I thought that he might be more successful in a different setting.

Well, I was right, sort of. Last year, Jay skied with the instructor for a total of 3 hours. Jeff and I used the other half of the lesson to sharpen our skills a bit once Jay quit. This year? 4 and a half hours of lesson helped Jay to make it all the way up to Ten Mile Station and down again (keep in mind, Ten Mile Station is a mid-mountain lodge, much lower than its name implies.) However, as I was able to get the "action" shot, it was money well spent. After Jay called it quits for the day, Katie and I skied with Erin (the instructor, who was, coincidentally, from Nashville.) Notice I said "skied with" and not "got instrction from," as there was very little learning involved...Hummmn...maybe money not so well spent?

Anyhoo, Katie and I had a spectacular day. By afternoon, we were skiing black runs, but no bumps. I tend to avoid the things that might make me fall, or die. No Sonny Bono trees for me. Plus, if something is hard, then why bother doing it? Do you know what isn't hard?

Drinking beer.

That, as I have always known, is quite easy. So easy, in fact, that "beer lunch" became a nutritional staple of each ski day. It is like bravery in a bottle. In fact, I have to say that it makes me a better skier. Perhaps it is because I am more relaxed. Perhaps it is because I am a bit less timid. Most likely, it is because I become stupid; but, even so, it makes things more fun, so who really cares? If I was going to worry about something at this point, it would be that said beer was $5.50. Robbery, I tell you...By the way, you can't see it here, but Katie shared my view on this drinking before noon thing and don't let her tell you different!

By the end of the afternoon, it was time to go home and recoup. Dissappointed by the lack of fresh, new, falling snow, Jay felt it necessary to go outside and take pictures in front of the tall mounds of snow off the driveway.

Katie, on the other hand...

"Screw this bitches! I'm gettin a drink!"

Day 13252, travel day...

First of all, I am cheating. Well, not cheating, but going back a week. The posting opportunities in CO were few and far between. Now that I am back, I figure I can just recap day by day. So, there we have it.

Tuesday was traveling day. We woke up at 3:30 am and finished packing. Our flight left at 6:00 am, and I am not one to arrive at the airport at the last minute. It would seem that 3:30 might have been a bit early, as some people had plenty of extra time to stew about being up so early (though it was only 30-45 minutes earlier than he normally gets up...)

After getting a ride to the airport, via Catherine Express, we flew right threw ticketing and security. This did not help further my argument about arriving early. Jay is not generally excited to fly in the first place. Give him the opportunity to stew over it and you are just asking for trouble.

I gave him the window seat. Not only does seeing out the window seem to help, I also find that occasionally letting him get his way allows me to win the bigger battles. This was a tough call though, as the window seat had plenty of leg room in the exit row. (Note: If you fly Frontier, go for Row 11, Seats A or F. There is not a seat in front of you.) Jay also chastised me for sleeping through half of the flight. Apparently, he takes his Emergency Row duties far more seriously than I do. Thus, being awakened by an emergency, I might be too sluggish to save lives. Eh, whatever...

We arrived in Denver 20 minutes ahead of schedule, extending our wait for Katie to three hours. (Note: all airports are boring...) We picked up the car and waited. Katie and I haven't seen each other in years, but I had no trouble spotting her at baggage claim.

Once she arrived, we hopped into the car and headed to our first destination, the liquor store. Wine, beer, liquor, we bought plenty. Our total for 6 days for four people? $120.00! God bless Applejack!

Once out of Denver, we made great time to Silverthorne. We dropped our bags at the condo, put away the booze, and headed to the grocery store for food. This is apparently, according to some, when my bossiness and planning began to spiral out of control. I have never considered myself a control freak so I have no idea what they are talking about.

Next stop, Keystone. It is always a good idea to knock out the ski rental ahead of time. So, we were off to the village to get skis and boots.

There was some concern about the lack of snow on the ground. I could care less, as the snow on the mountain was plentiful. When it doesn't snow too much, it is easy to drive. As the designated driver for the entire trip, I am good with easy driving...

Finally, at 5 pm, we arrived home for the day. With all the errand running taken care of, happy hour began. I must say, I am not a nature person. However, there is nothing more beautiful than the Colorado mountains on a clear winter day. I think it is more beautiful from your back deck, beer in hand, friends at your side. Suddenly, all the tension fell away, and the vacation truly began. The forecast called for warm temperatures and sunny weather for the first few days. Again, good for driving, but bad for Jay. He does love a good snow. It snowed on Nashville on our first night in Colorado...

Now, don't get me wrong. There was plenty of snow. I would say that we had 4 feet in the back yard. I have never seen Jay so frustrated. He must have walked on that snow for 10 minutes. The snow layers had iced over so many times that you couldn't fall through. I thought we were in for trouble...

My concern was unnecessary.