Blacksmith Fork Canyon

The day before my long run last week, On Friday, Paul and I rode blacksmith fork canyon together.  It was beautiful (as always) but even more enjoyable then my last experience because I got to be with Paul.  We are going to try to reserve our Friday afternoons to do something outside together.  My advice, block out quality time to spend with your lover.  It is easy to get in the rut of simply "hangin' out".  But one of the greatest things about being in a relationship is spending time doing things you love together. 

I love how blogging motivates me to take pictures.  I got a couple great shots and with the help of iphoto I was able to make them look fancy shmancy. 

 

I have this thing with trees and loving them.

 

I like the way the road looks in this picture.

 

Bicycling Magazine called. They want their model back.

Paul complains when I take pictures of him...but then I get a shot like this.  I mean seriously.  Who wouldn't want a picture like this of themselves?

 

This is the same picture as above, just not in black and white.  I can't decide which one I like better.

3 mile recovery

I did a three mile recovery run Monday.  The weather was a bit too chilly so I went to the gym. It was fantastic to run on a treadmill.  It is hugely beneficial to be aware of how fast you are running.  I was able to do this in 28.40 minutes, which may be my fastest three miler ever. (Don't laugh).  

I was SUPPOSED to run 5 miles yesterday (Wednesday) but did not.  My excuse is I had a killer piano literature test today.  It went well.  But it means I have to run five miles tonight.  GROSS!   

First Official Long Run

8 miles in 1 hour and 33 minutes.  Paul drove me 8 miles away from my house, up Logan canyon.  And I ran home.  

I got really freaked out during this run.  There was a point, at about mile three, when I was sure that despite my efforts I really wasn't moving and time was not moving forward. It was the sense of being stuck, running forever.  

It is so strange how time is fluid.  It can move incredibly slowly or incredibly quickly, depending on our perception. As a performer I am aware of the tricks time can play.  When our nervous system is heightened (which is what happens when we are nervous) we become extra sensitive to everything around us.  Everything is peaked.  So time is perceived to be moving much quicker then it is.  This is why so many performances are rushed. 

I was pleased with the speed in which I ran. By the time I got home I was exhausted.  I also felt sick.  I was worried I was going to toss my cookies.  but alas, I did not.

  

 

Professional Breather

WHY RUNNING SUCKS

BY PAUL DAVIDSON

 Anyone who turns a fear-based survival instinct into a professional Olympic event needs their head examined.

Take running for example.  Something whose origins come from attempting to escape a potentially harmful or scary "think" (thing being a dinosaur, person with a sharp rock or firearm, or a natural disaster).  Sure, running has been around since the dawn of time, but since when does that need to be turned into a sport?

Commence why running sucks...now.

Running ranks right up there with other fear based skills that have turned into sports.  Hunters who realized their only way to survive was to spear animals slowly evolved into the javelin throw.  Less-than-impressive hunters who couldn't do that turned into throwing rocks...which became the shot put.  Hunters/gatherers who spend their days out in the wilderness collecting berries and old raccoon carcasses who were faced with sharp-toothed animal ready to eat them had to be quick in their jumping over the hedges to hide...a la the high jump.

Young children trying to escape their other ancient friends with a beehive under their arms, turned into football.  Eskimos in the colder regions of our world who slid frozen meat across frozen ponds in order to save their strength for the rest of their trip home...turned into the Olympic game of curling.  The flicking of annoying insects quickly evolved into the office game of paper-football.

And then there's running.

Running didn't even evolve into another sport-it was just copied.  A physical act, that for the most part is associated with fear, pain, shortness of breath, hamstring-pain, sweat, joint problems, arthritis, being chased by lions, tigers, and bears (oh my)...it's something each of us have done, whther we're running for our lives or running because some 3rd period P.E. teacher thinks it's going to make us better people.

But making it a sport?

I never saw the allure in running.  I never look at people who can run fast and think to myself, boy I'd sure like to sit down with them and pick their brains about..uh...running.  Sure, there's the people who develop and train their marathoning-skills and the ones who can hit the 100 yard dash in less then ten seconds.

But really, do you honestly care?

And so, effective immediately I have decided to become a professional breather.  That's right, I will be pioneering and creating the National League for Professional Breathers.  Personally, you'll be pretty impressed with me as a Pro Breather since I can, uh, well...breathe.  All the time.  No matter what the circumstance.  In fact, I can breathe in the cold, the heat of the summer months, while driving a car, eating food and even while sleeping.

Breathing while sleeping-amazing.
 

Sure, ten years from now when you see me carrying the torch during the Olympics and winning the gold medal after beating nigeria and Ital in the Pro Breathing Finals - there will be critics.  Some guy who thinks he's the shiznit with a blog will most likely publigh a post entitled Why Breathing Sucks.

But until then, I won't worry about it.

Because running sucks, it's the truth, and I'm a professional breather.

I hate to run.

I went out for a three mile run on Wednesday after a day of rest.  

I was looking forward to this nice, short, easy run.  I mean three miles?  No big deal.

I was looking forward to the running ritual.  I was excited to feel the cool wind against my face as the rhythm of my shoes hit the pavement, keeping time with my smooth, connected, effortless breathing. I planned on getting lost in blissful thought while my body moved into the comfortable ease of running.

This is what I was anticipating.  Not what happened.

Within the first block from my apartment a sharp shooting pain exploded from my left knee.  The rhythm of my running was interrupted by my uneven gasps of breath.  After another couple minutes I am wondering which of my fifteen blisters is burning the most in my right foot.  I have a headache.  My thighs are sore.  I'm going to slow.  That car almost hit me.  I want to stop.  

And it has only been half a mile.

So I kept running.  Obsessing over all the terrible things I plan on saying about it in my next blog entry.  Criticizing the 63 year old wearing green swishy shorts who just passed me, effortlessly.  I consider slowing down to ease the pain.  But the slower I go the more sensitive I am to the pounding sensation I feel in my body each time I put one foot in front of the other.  

I think I'll have someone body slam me continuously. This might be a better work our then running.  

And it would be more enjoyable.

The slower you run, the longer you have to be doing it.  So I decided to not slow down.  I pick up the pace.  I push through.  Then the runs over.  Thirty three minutes later.  That time sucks.  Really, really sucks.  

I hate to run.

THE POWER OF MUSIC

Mondays run: 5.5 miles in 57 minutes

The weather was still nice enough last monday to run outside.  I did my usual 5.5 mile route, the one along canyon road.  This run was different then all the others because my roommate let me borrow her ipod shuffle.  I realized how helpful it is to have music.  I have a horrible history of losing ipod shuffles.  In fact, I recently lost my fourth in a tragic washing machine murder mystery.  I still can't figure out who wouldn't check there pockets before doing laundry...But despite my bad track record I decided to reinvest in a ipod shuffle.  

This was the first ipod shuffle I ever owned.  It lasted me a good month before I lost it. They are so little.

Then my mother let me borrow her shuffle in the mean time.  Unfortunately this one died the same way my last one did...washing machine victim.

This one was given to me as a gift.  It even had my name inscribed on the back.  I still have no idea where this one is.  Most likely in the Bailey Black Hole.

And here we are, at my most recently lost ipod shuffle.  My mother gave me this for Christmas.  Unfortunately I didn't get to use it, because right off the bat I lost the computer hook up.  But who can blame me?  It is the worlds tiniest chord ever.  I replaced the chord, then found the original one about a week later.  Which wasn't too big of a bummer.  I can always use back ups.  This one, as I stated above, showed up in the bottom of a very wet washing machine.  I still don't have the heart to throw it away.

Which brings me to my latest investment.  This ipod shuffle.   

Please don't leave me.

mondays run

monday was fortunately a warm day in logan.  i finished with school at five o'clock so went out for an evening run.  it was a fun four miles.  i was a bit sore from the weekends adventures.  my time was not that great.  it took me 47 minutes.  my feet hurt. ouch.

 Champions do not become champions when they win the event, but in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character.

-- T. Alan Armstrong

there is nothing about running that comes easy for me.  i suck at running.  my legs are short.  my joints start aching.  my hips and knees scream after about four miles.  i am slow.  very slow.   but despite all of these things, i choose to run.  and i feel success not in speed, but in completion.  i love following a training schedule.  i still get to cross off a four mile run, even if it takes me four hours.  i went that distance.  who cares how fast?  i did it, and thats more then some can say.