Day 13340, & the previous day recollected...

So, I planned ahead.  I planned to start slow.

I had "analyzed" my Garmin runs.  I had thought through my shortcomings and mistakes.

Start slow.

Normally, I run about a 9:15 to 9:30 pace on any run of substance.  My best, to date, had been a 3 mile run at an 8:58 pace.  All other attempts at speed have been met with some kind of defeat.

Start slow.

I decided that this race was really just a practice race.  It was just a Saturday hill run.  No pressure.

Start slow.

It was a nice opportunity to run with Lil' Bit.  Quite a few friends were running actually.  Why not enjoy the "fun run" part and just have a nice, social morning activity?  I even told Lil' Bit that I would hang with her at first, but that I might wander ahead after a few miles.

Start slow...

BANG!

Off I go, at a, 8:05 pace!  Uphill at an 8:05 pace.  Oh well, plans are just for dorks anyway!

Bye Lil' Bit!  See you in 55...

Yeah, first race.  I knew that I was surrounded by runner folks.  You know, those people.  The ones that judge you if you look like you are a newbie.  The ones that are all like "I am gonna kick your ass, you Garmin wearing amateur!"

Yeah? Well, fuck you! 

So, I felt a bit like I had something to prove.  Did I?  No.  But I felt pretty good as I chased the lead group up the initial .8 miles of hill.  Then people started to pass me.  No big deal.  A few cute boys ran by, shirtless.  I chased them a bit.  Then, a guy passed me, about 40, in his "gear" with a GU in his back, shirt pocket...

This is a 6.3 mile run, I thought to myself.

Really? He needs a snack in the next 45 minutes?

I ate 2 bowls of Cheerios this morning.  I feel full.

Then a few others ran by, including the woman with her dog, who later did his business in the middle of the street.  Always nice to dodge crap in the road.

After some nice flat, I finished mile 2 in 8:30.  Then, back up to the "city."  The good news here was that once I got up there, I got to run down a bridge to the Stadium.  Ahh, rest.  Mile 3, 8:45.

Now, had this race gone as planned, I would have had energy to spare at this point.  Nope.  Instead, when I saw the 5K marker, I felt tired and wanted to quit and run home (as this was also the part of the course closest to my house.)

No quitting.

Once I made it to the Gateway Bridge (the biggest hill of the race,) my playlist kicked in as planned.

Yeah, judge me if you want, but I got over the hill.

Then, as if a gift of encouragement, I passed GU guy, and his GU was gone.  Huh?  Shoulda had breakfast, bitch!

Then, my favorite moment.  Mile 5, water station.  The guy from Team Nashville, the guy that sold me my Brooks, the guy that yelled at me for running to soon in my running program, that guy...  He handed me my water.  I think he recognized me.  He grinned...

Then came the hard part.  The last mile.

I had looked at the course.  I thought I had it down.  No, apparently not so much, as I kept thinking I was almost done.  And every time I thought I was about to see the finish, I was directed to turn in the opposite direction.

For example, this hill, unexpected... I do love this picture, as you don't see anyone in front of me.  It is like I am winning!  And this song didn't hurt at the time, either.

Then, at 5.7 miles, a guy, same age, a bit heavier, slowed to a walk.  Now, I can't criticize.  It WAS mile 6 and he WAS still ahead of me.  He obviously had some stamina.  So, it was my job to keep him going.

"Half a mile to go! Pick it up! 10 minute mile! Move it! The faster you move, the sooner you're done!"

And he did.  Right next to me.  I felt like an inspiration.  Then I realized that he thought I meant that I was running a 10 minute mile.  Oops!  Well, I am sure he figured it out on his own...

MIles 4-6 were all right at 9:00.  Then, when Garmin hit 6 miles, and I KNEW I had to be close, I kicked it up.

Here I am, 1 block from the finish, running at a 7:30 pace.  Wow!  No GU and yet I was huffin' it and was still ahead of GU guy, et al.

I have watched very few races.  I have to say though, the finish line looks completely different when you are running towards it.  

I finished 92 out of 222.  Apparently, when you finish in the middle, you pretty much finish alone.  I saw no one in front, and no one behind.  Very weird.  Kinda like...

I really wanted that scene from Vanilla Sky when Tom is in the middle of empty Manhattan; but, I couldn't find it.  Oh well, trust me.  It was weird to run alone on the closed street.

54:52.  I beat my median goal, on all accounts.

Meet Lil' Bit.

Oh yeah, and I saw the guy I encouraged.  After the race, he was walking by with his wife and his 2 cute babies.  He thanked me for the push.  That felt great.

I think I have gone race crazy.  

When is the next one?

Day 13339, & my first race day...

Nashville Civic Design 10K this morning.

I had 3 goals, listed in descending order of probability: under an hour (damn straight!), under 55 minutes (umm, maybe?), and under 53 minutes (yeah, right!).

Gun time- 55:02
Chip time- 54:52, 8:49 pace

The race turn out was low, but I will appreciate the fact that my first race was easy to navigate.

Age: 8/14
Sex: 59/116
O'All: 92/222

Not bad for my first...

I will post some pictures and commentary later...

Day 13337, & Greg is back...

Or, alternatively, "How to train for a 10K in 4 days..."

So, as I mentioned, Greg has been gone since the day after Mother's Day.

I worked a lot.  Not a lot, like 80 hours or anything; more like a lot, like 50 hours in 4 days...

Yuch!

I went in about 10 and left at about 11.

Yuch!

Anyhoo, he got back today.  Meanwhile, I had help a few days.  I didn't have to run the floor on Tuesday, or Wednesday...

And Wednesday, I got a "night out with regular people" evening.  Jay and I were supposed to have a date with Catherine and Bryan.  Jay had to cancel at the last minute.  The great koi/pond crisis of 2008 began at 5:15 yesterday, just as Jay thought he had successfully hooked up the new pump and filter.  Instead, the world stood endangered, ready to end, and he clearly had not showered.  

"I want to go, but I can't," he said, "The fish need me..."

So, we went without him.  They invited recently divorced friend Kirk.  Divorced? Not so important, but hey, life is about details...

So, here we are at Germantown, enjoying a bit of pre evening cheer.

And here is Catherine, hopping into their new Prius.  I have to say, as annoyed as I am with the Prius aesthetic, it is a pretty cool car.  

Quiet as a mouse, great gas mileage, and the backseat is about as roomy as the living room of my first apartment--not so much, as a living room; a lot as a back seat...

And...

It is quite high-tech.  

Pretty cool for those of us that like gadgets and accident-causing buttons and touch screens in our cars...

Anyway, our green, carpooling, electric-hybrid contribution to the Earth was all in  the name of...

HIIIILARIOUS!

I have not laughed so hard in forever.  Sadly, I can't recap much more of the evening, as I was a bit in my cups by the end of the show.  I did "film" several clips, but the youtube versions were just so much better quality...

But, of course, all roads, and evenings, lead to...

3 Crow.

This morning, ouchy...

Meanwhile, in regard to the alternate title, I registered for my first race.  I am running the Civic Design 10K this Saturday at 10 am.

I decided to do so last Monday evening, at the urging of my friend Melissa.  I said I wasn't ready to run a race yet.  She said that I would keep saying that until I actually got it over with.  A point I couldn't argue.

So, I "trained" for 2 days.  

Tuesday, I tried my own private 10K, a flat 10K mind you.  Well, it ended up as a private 7.5-ishK.  Not so good.

Wednesday, I tried a street run, with bridges.  I wanted something similar to the race course.  Again, not so good.  4.8 miles, but WAY SLOW.  Wednesday will be the day that goes down as the day I learned why traffic lights are bad.  Cruising along at a 9:00 pace, hit the red light (for three minutes) and couldn't get my pace back, ever...

Today? 1 mile treadmill warm-up for a non-leg, non-weight training day.  

So, my first timed race starts in 32 hours.  God willing, it will be over in 32:56 or less...

Day 13333, & the day of my first long run...

Note: Greg, our GM, has been out of town for the last 7 days. He still has 4 to go. I have worked far more than I would like this week. Hence, no posts, no clever insights, no sarcastic wit, nothing. Furthermore, I am writing this post from work, so you just get the basics...

So, when I was a kid, my dad made me run three miles every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I hated it, especially on Fridays. We would go to the track behind the Cobb County Civic Center. 12 laps. I remember every one of them because I was so focused on hating every minute of every lap. Once I turned 16, I got my first job. That got me out of running.

Meanwhile, I should also point out that I had to take piano lessons when I was a kid. I hated this, as well. I managed to talk my way out of piano when I was about 14.

I was also encouraged to save 10% of all my paychecks when I got my first job. However, I was not forced to do this and, of course, I never saved a penny. In fact, saving was something I never believed in until about three years ago. Needless to say, I am WAY behind in retirement planning..

Dammit! My dad was right...AGAIN...

I wish I had saved some of the money I wasted.

I wish I knew how to play the piano, or any musical instrument, for that matter.

I wish that I had never stopped running.

Phasing running back into my routine has proven to be quite challenging, even debilitating at times. However, despite the fact that I have yet to start reading any of the training/running books that I have purchased, I have been quite cautious as of late. Walking and being on my feet are obviously critical to my job. Injury is not really something I can afford.

That said, I threw caution to the wind today.

I ran a seven day stretch from last Thursday to this past Wednesday, about 25 miles. I had been thinking about my weeks in terms of Monday to Sunday. As a result, I failed to realize that I had crossed the 20 mile per week mark or that I had run seven days in a row. I was a bit sore by Thursday.

I took Thursday and Friday off from running. Now, when I say off, I am not including the treadmill warm up on Thursday before weight training. 20 minutes shouldn't count. Friday, though, was a total rest day, except that I worked on my feet for 13 hours.

Feeling like a loser for missing 2 days in a row, I decided to take advantage of my "rested" legs and plan a longer run.

My longest run to date, and ever in my life, as far as I can remember, was the 6 miler a few weeks back. I have been trying to stick to the 10% more per week rule, but doing 6.6 miles today just didn't seem adequate.




Yep, 8 miles!

I went out to the Greenway this morning with every intention of running to the other end, and then back. Having never done this before, I was unsure of the exact distance, but I knew it to be about 4 miles long.

I started out slow, but slow ended up being a 9:15 pace at mile 1. Not really slow. Almost my normal pace, actually. Slowed up to 9:40ish. And held it.

For the whole first half of the run, I was focused on the fear of burning out and having to deal with a 3-4 mile walk back. Adding 45 minutes to my morning would have ruined the rest of my day, as I had to work all night.

My worries seem to have been for nothing. The second half of the run was a piece of cake. I kept my pace under 10:00 and cruised right through. With Eminem on my side at the finish, my last mile was 9:25. I haven't checked with Garmin yet, but I am pretty sure that the split was negative too.

I felt really good during my post run stretching. I didn't notice any real aches and my left knee didn't seem as weak as it has after some of my other shorter runs. We'll see how I feel tomorrow, but the signs seem encouraging that I didn't push too hard.

Final result: 8.06 miles in 1:18:43.

Not too bad for the longest run of my life, to date...

Day 13328, & a brand new week...

More on this in a bit, but this has had a permanent place in my run playlists of late.

So, first of all, happy belated Mother's Day to all the Moms. As a special gift to you for the day, I will exempt you all from the "I just hate you!" thoughts that ran through my head all day yesterday during brunch.

There is nothing worse than Mother's Day Brunch. Wait! Easter Brunch? No, never mind, Mother's Day is far worse.

It was Vanderbilt graduation weekend, as well. These two things occur on the same weekend every year. It makes for a great week, dollar wise; it makes for a crappy week tired wise...

Basically, we fed an extra 600 people between Thursday night and Sunday night. Ouch!

and, yea!

but, still, ouch!

This week was an example of what I refer to as "the hard way" and I much prefer "the easy way." 

Meanwhile, I regret to inform you that Travis passed away last Saturday.  He was found in the bottom of the pond with some mild bruises on his gill area.  While we are assuming that he died of natural causes, I must admit that we have not ruled out foul play.  It does seem that he might have fallen victim to the jealous backlash of another koi or two.

The investigation will continue...

In brighter news, I will be going to see Madonna in Boston in October.  Section A, Row 14.  Yes, I know, row 14... Why bother going if you are so far away...

In even brighter news,

I attended the annual sale at REI last week.  At almost 40% off, I purchased this nifty Garmin Forerunner 305.  WOW!  It is like my whole world has changed.  I don't have to run along mile markers.  I don't have to hop in the car and drive the route after a run.  I don't have to pay attention at all.  I can just wait and look all that up later...

Now, it can be all about the enjoyment, and the music...

Finally, as a result of last week's blitzkrieg (do not click the link if you are easily offended,) I have no running of note.  I did play with the Garmin.  I did run 6 days.  I think I got 15 to 18 miles in.  Don't remember. I do know that I ran my own private 5K yesterday in under 27:00.  This would be my first under 9:00 per mile.  Yea, me!

I am also quite aware of my lack of posts lately.  Honestly, I have just been buried at work.  It never seems to let up.  I will go ahead and assume that it will only get worse when Allium opens in September-ish.

Be careful what you wish for because it might come true...

Day 13324, & it is not all about me...

Not always easy to remember, but more often than not, its true...

So, a reminder about the real meaning behind my last post (clearly forgotten by me), and about appreciation, and about thinking of others, it can hit you in the face like a brick.

I hate that it often takes reminders like this to look outside my own little world.

Buy a jersey...

XXXOOO!

Day 13322, & charity is hard...

Warning: This is a self righteous rant...

So, last Tuesday was Dining Out For Life, benefiting Nashville Cares.  Basically, if you are not familiar, participating restaurants donate a voluntary percentage of food sales to the organization for a certain shift or day.  It is what I like to call easy charity, in that you just have to do business as usual and then write a check. Even easier, in that lots of people come in to have dinner on a Tuesday, leaving more money with you to give away.  Most restaurants donate 30% of their food sales...

We decided on 105% this year.  

We have been the #1 contributor of this event since our first year of business, back in '04.  Obviously, the cause is important to Jay and I.  More importantly, I have hoped that our overzealous approach would have inspired others to step it up a bit.

It worked.

I realize that this is not a competition, not a contest.  However, who doesn't want to be the most generous?  Who doesn't want to be the #1 contributor?  

That is where the extra 5% came into play.  We have inspired one other restaurant to step up their effort.  They decided to go 100%, along with their previous Sunday brunch sales, and their lunch sales (3 shifts to our one shift, if you are confused)

I assumed that we had this one in the bag.  Last year we pumped 320 people through on DOFL night.  Over 7000.00 to Cares.  I figured that this year would be better, both the extra 5% and even better planning.  Planning?  Yes...

NO BIG PARTIES!  I know most people assume that restaurants like large parties.  Well, large parties are good on a normal Tuesday.  They are NOT good on a busy Tuesday.  They are horrible when you are trying to go all out for charity.

You see, big groups require special attention.  You have to plan the table, inevitably having to hold it empty for some time.  They also take longer to wait on and cook for.  Finally, they tend to linger, chatting away while others wait for the table(s) that they occupy.

More importantly, large groups never arrive on time.  They never arrive all together. Rarely do they arrive with the same number of people that they expected.

So, we limited the large groups.  For example, the very first reservation that called for the event... a party of 24 at 7:30! I told "Mr Smith" no.  I told him we could handle his group at 5 o'clock, or we could break them up into 6 tables of 4 at 7:30.  I also told him that I could not guarantee the tables would be even remotely close to one another.  He opted for the latter.

Anyway, I will not continue to bore you with these details.  Instead, I will get to the point...

People ruined it!  We had been fully booked for weeks.  We had been turning away business for weeks.  We confirmed every reservation 2 days prior.  We confirmed the time, the number, the reservation policy... We even reiterated that as this night was for charity, it was VERY IMPORTANT that they arrive on time, etc, etc.

OVER 50 PEOPLE NO-SHOWED.

"We were 10, but now we're 6" they would say as they walked in.

"We were 24, but now we're 17," said "Mr Smith" before his people began to complain about not being seated together.  Yes, somebody left us a note that their evening was a huge disappointment because we decided, at the last minute mind you, to split them up.

When I called "Mr. Smith" the next day, he reiterated this sentiment.  He said he was never told about the 6 tables.  Really? Well, I told him that I took his reservation and that I know we discussed it.  He told me that he just didn't feel appreciated, and that while the cause was a good one, he didn't think he would ever feel comfortable coming into my restaurant on a regular evening, when we keep the money.

I simply explained our reasoning, our overzealous desire to beat last year's total, and then apologized for his experience. I said, "I am sorry that charity created such an inconvenience."

The end result? 700.00 less than last year, and we are the #2 contributor.  Through no fault of my own, we didn't win.  Well, at least Cares wins.  At least we did raise the bar...

In other news, a great week on the exercise front.  I ran a consistent 9 minute mile on all my runs.  More importantly, I was limited by my brain, not my legs.  As I continue to force myself to take it slow, it ends up as follows:

Monday: 3 miles, Greenway

Tuesday: 1 mile treadmill, 1 mile elliptical, core and leg weights

Wednesday: 6 miles, Greenway 

Thursday: 1.5 miles elliptical, core and upper weights

Friday: just work

Saturday: 5 miles, Greenway

Sunday: 3.2 miles, hilly street run

Addendum, a tribute...

To Nat and Charlie, and all those they didn't leave behind...

Congrats to those that finished! I can't wait to be one of you...