The hardest thing I did today, was to go over to the home of a friend of my younger brother to look over his, wife's minivan. She had an accident with it and while the damage didn't look too serious he was questionable about the nearly $6,000 dollar repair estimate.
Now its been a while since I've worked in an auto repair shop and front wheel drive cars aren't my cup of tea, but it doesn't hurt to look and provide a sound judgement.
The body damage was reasonably minor and easy to take care of it was what was underneath that caused me to look a second and third time. Unibody construction and minor fender benders are one thing this was a substantial impact. The lower control arm for the steering was snapped in twain, the Macpherson strut bent, sway control rods snapped out of their sockets, steering rod bent, also it looked as if the engine and transaxle shifted as well although there was no obvious damage to the front of the vehicle. Still the front engine mount didn't sit square any longer. Now I'm up for most any mechanical challenge but not being overly familiar with front wheel drive vehicles I took a second look. Using a good straight edge of a four foot level I placed the on the front braces and supports across the car. I was looking to see if there was deviations in the brackets supporting the suspension and there appeared to be some. While steel will bend and cast iron will break, aluminium even castings have some flex before breaking but is still very rigid. I can only surmise that the steel the aluminium was bolted too had flexed as well.
My best advise was to try to divest yourself of emotional attachment to the vehicle check the Kelly Blue Book values base on before the accident condition both for high quality and good quality and then relook at the repair estimates from certified shops. I felt the work needed was beyond my meager skills as a wrench turner. With quite a few hours of dissasembly being required to facilitate repairs. Also I was worried about the shaft seals for the axle outputs. With the type of hit the car took those would probably need replacing as well. It litterally shattered the factory aluminium wheel on the side that struck. Again signs of a substantial impact to a vehicel that is designed to collapse to protect its occupants, even with out airbag activation.
Still Its Friday! and living is easy, for today I took a day off from my marathon training. Why yes there are days i don't run so that the biomechanical machine of my body canhave some time to recover from exertions. And exert it I did on Thursday afternoon with a 22 mile training run in 4 hours and 33 minutes followed by a 15 minute, 1/2 mile cool down walk. Still my total time was much shorter than I desired for training purposes. But I am confidant I will be able to complete the marathon in about 5&1/2 hours.
As for the conditions of the run on Thursday, I was a bit surprised. All summer long I had been dealing with warm humid conditions, yesterday afternoon the temps were in the lower 60's with a moderate west wind. While I was sweating, I wasn't watering the roadway in sweat for it was evaporating at a good rate and my running apparel was staying fairly dry all considered. Yes I had white salt stains on the strps and body of my Camel Back /hydro pack and black shorts. But my running shoes were not squishing with sodden socks, orthotics and liner. While I was somewhat tired at the end of the run I didn't feel spent and was even able to head out in the evening for a few beers.
Yes, I caught part of the Biden/Palin debate while out for the beer, but it wasn't as deep in issues on opening as I had hoped.
still I called it a reasonably early night returning home at 9:45PM to hit the hay.
As for tomorrow, I need to check my calendar, I think there is a 10K race nearby on Saturday, I can go to and harrass the people running in it as well. I've a Snowball's chance of surviving the Simpsons of winning my age group, but hey its a diverson for me as well. Especially when the guys younger than me are puking their guts out wondering how I'm keeping up. hehehe.
Safe weekend everyone,
Q
Friday, October 3, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Braking the Cycle Photos, Gettysburg to Manhattan.
More pictures to come, Garrison and G'burg make up the current lot. Members of Team Guinan and the start of the ride.
I've learned a few things about myself over the past weekend.
I still steriotype people and I am slow to acknowledge things I find confusing to my self and the way I was brought up.
Not charitable or admirable traits, but still part of who I am.
I find some aspects concerning public displays of affection troublesome to view. I'm still not comfortable viewing it, but I've come to realize it is with affection for each other that it is performed.
I've found no problem lending a hand and helping out those who need it, and that would almost seem contraditory to the distance I keep between my self and others.
I still laugh at objectionable things, I truely was of two minds at one point; Partly because the concept was morbidly funny, and partially because I had to document and file a report concerning a similar incident as was being joked about, years ago while in the military.
What I've done and how I've learned has shaped who I am and how I respond to many things; This I know. But surprisingly even with as narrow and conservative a view in which I hold things, I find that given time to watch, talk to and interact with others regardless of our differing backgrounds and view points, we can still find a common ground.
I probably haven't expressed the true depth of my appreciation for those who've really made the Braking the Cycle Bicycle Ride memorable and fulfilling. And I probably can not do so adequately. But to all the people involved from the LGBT Center in NYC to Team Guinan; Thank you all so very much.
Q
Not charitable or admirable traits, but still part of who I am.
I find some aspects concerning public displays of affection troublesome to view. I'm still not comfortable viewing it, but I've come to realize it is with affection for each other that it is performed.
I've found no problem lending a hand and helping out those who need it, and that would almost seem contraditory to the distance I keep between my self and others.
I still laugh at objectionable things, I truely was of two minds at one point; Partly because the concept was morbidly funny, and partially because I had to document and file a report concerning a similar incident as was being joked about, years ago while in the military.
What I've done and how I've learned has shaped who I am and how I respond to many things; This I know. But surprisingly even with as narrow and conservative a view in which I hold things, I find that given time to watch, talk to and interact with others regardless of our differing backgrounds and view points, we can still find a common ground.
I probably haven't expressed the true depth of my appreciation for those who've really made the Braking the Cycle Bicycle Ride memorable and fulfilling. And I probably can not do so adequately. But to all the people involved from the LGBT Center in NYC to Team Guinan; Thank you all so very much.
Q
Of vans, bicycles, roads and bicycles & still running.
OK, so I listed bicycles twice, yes I know it is redundant; That describes the better part of this past week & weekend.
T'was Tuesday evening that this story begins. Ah it was a common evening nothing to suggest an adventure was soon to begin. The weather was moderate, I was relaxing after having had a spaghetti & clam sauce dinner in expectation of a 16 mile jog on Wednesday morning when I recieved a phone call.
Not the ordinary call I would get from one of my brothers. This was a request for assistance. Hey I'm retired I don't need to aid anyone anymore, Right? Wrong! Its my nature to help folks (even if they don't want it)
Arrrgggh Twas but Captain Dean of the good vessel vessel 'She Storm' and the crew of TEAM GUINAN was hard aground and in desperate condition. They were left high and dry without out a Pilot, Navigator and Support Crew. Since I was in need of a small adventure, possibly some excitement and the final fact being I can't say NO to the mission they were in support of the only answer I could provide was Yes, i can and would aid the crew of Team Guinan. The quickness of the yes response and without hesitation so rattled Capt'n Dean he asked a second time and was repeated to the same response.
So what was the mission and purpose of TEAM GUINAN; that was so important it got me to alter, not stop my training for the Marine Corps Marathon? They too were embarked on a similar mission and were upholding the legacy of John Guinan who passed on this past year in raising funds to help stop the disease of HIV-AIDS. John died of an aggressive Brain Cancer and he was a fund raiser and rider for Braking the Cycle in memory of his Brother In Law. John was a person who would help others and never ask for anything in return. So when the request was made, I could not in good conscience refuse. Thus my contribution to TEAM GUINAN's ride from Gettysburg, PA. to Manhattan, NY. was begun. Not with a desperate yell in the storm of the night, but with a simple appeal, which I would not deny.
So Wednesday morning I went for my 16 mile run, starting at 05:00 in the morning and finishing three hours later. The hills are alive with the sound of running Ahem yeah right. Actually cue up the MP3 Player turn on the head lamp and orange light cone and run on. Out along Main St, left on Satterlee, up to Roe Park and along the backside, up to Mearns Ave, left on to Mountain Ave, Straight along 9W, Right onto 218 alongside the Golf Course to just past the State Highway Garage, Reverse Course and out and up Route 293 past the ranges, past Fire Station 3, past Long Pond, starting down hill towards Fire Break 15 & the Snake Pit but reversing course before reaching there and heading back to West Point. In through Washington Gate, down to Central Area; Washington, Cullum, Jefferson, Thayer Road, out Thayer Gate along Main St and back to home. All in 3 hours and 3 minutes of running time.
Thursday Morning as rest day from my previous day but no day of total inactivity. For I meet with Team Guinan and depart from Garrison, NY. for Gettysburg PA. And thus begins the adventures and misadventures.
The drive and ride down to Harrisburg, PA. was for the most part uneventful. Yes Team Guinan was in mixed emotions concerning their upcoming physical challenge. But good spirits pervaded overall. and again the ride was mostly uneventfull till I passed the exit I was looking for. OK Chris stepped up to the plate and started acting as Navigator as we meandered through the Pennsylvanian Country side down to Gettysburg. Actually there were times I was less than cheerful about this portion of the adventure of mis-adventure. Still we had time to relax and arrive in Gettysburg for the inprocessing of riders and claiming of accomodations.
Chris, Dean and I spent the first night in the Colton Motel in Gettysburg, a older facility well past the prime of its youth but mostly clean and with working facilities. Which brings us onto Friday Morning.
Hot water in the shower and clean towels Wooohoooo!. Yet, I'm also training to run in a marathon and since the previous day was spent lounging upon the front left seat of a van resplently decorated with team bicycles I was in need of a good morning run. So out I go off into the Battle Field of Gettyburg in the early morning mist well before dawn. On my return to the Motel, I was able to say Good Morning to the crew setting up the start point for the day's ride in my own unique way. They never saw me coming. Bwahaha, but when I left the road crew knew Team Guinan would ride that day.
Yet for all my ability to follow direction, limited though that may be, I was able to find the first rest point aka Oasis and follow the riders from there. Now this is my first time ever providing support for an operation like this so I'm bound to make mistakes, Picking up riders who's bike were disabled and failing to notify dispatch of the pick up, but at least I deposited the temporay charges safely at the Oasies when that occured.
That night I shared a room with a crew member for another team and sleep was welcomed. The riders rode less mileage overall than I drove.
Saturday morning; Wet, humid, damp, warm, dark and a full half hour run through and around a Golf Course next to the Lancaster House Motel. Followed by breakfast loading the Team's personal effects into the van and begining the day's chase. As you can see from my run description the day was pretty much a raw one. Team Guinan was riding into the wind, mist, rain & wind. Well I did what I could to assist them and the first chance I could I broke course and grabbed some lip balm and skin cream for their faces. The wind burn looked bad on them and they really did need the coverage.
I picked up a couple of sagging riders through the day and delivered them safely to the Oasies. but the day was fairly much uneventful.
The strange thing about Saturday was I saw near our route black arrows on a yellow background very similar to the ones Braking the Cycle was employing for direction. Curiousity being a deathly diversion, me I had to go look and see if it was in fact part of our ride. It wasn't there were only a few clues that it was another course near our own. the shape of the arrows were different and no warning signage as the braking the cycle crew was placing out as well. But still it was a very good thing that I decided to check out what I had initially though was part of our road course as I found a rider from another team who made the same mistake and had followed the course much further along before deciding to ride back
Saturday Night I'm provided accomdations in a seperate Motel from Team Guinan which was a blessing too and true.
As I recieved the quieter of billets. Team Guinan was staying at the Holiday Inn, 1/2 mile away where a wedding reception was in progress along with drunken revelry and wandering drunks in the halls and sobbing drunks in the halls. Me I slept blissfully till my alarm clock sounded at 04:30. Hey I needed to be ready to support my riders.
Sunday, and into deepest darkest New Jersey. Now Jersey isn't the greatest or safest of places to ride or drive. The roads are shoddily marked the drivers uncouth and the right of way laws need updating. But there are nice parts of Jersey too unfortunately they are in New Jersey with idiots, imbeciles and morons who have no clue how to drive safely. I hate the urban areas of Jersey with a passion. And leaving jersey for Manhattan was a pleasure beyond relief.
So Jersey Rt3 to the Lincoln Tunnel then down town to 14th street east to where I can swing around onto 13th street just the otherside of 6th Ave (aka Ave of the Americas) where I find a parking garage. Walk the two blocks over between 7th & 8th Aves where I meet with Mary Jane and Margaret Guinan to await the return of our bicyclists. The LGBT Center on 13th is a older building and a community outreach center. Its not the type of place I would usually go and seek on my own, still the people there were friendly and supportive.
About 3 hours after I arrive in Manhattan, I go and recover the van, park near the LGBT Center I also assist their folks with off and onloading of equipment for cleaning a preparation for the following year's ride.
In all honesty even though there where times I felt aggrivated and stressed; I felt pretty good overall about what I was doing and am very willing to do it all again.
The only inceidents of note on the last day where when the lost rider I found introduced me to his mother; I trheatened to beat Capt'n Dean when I almost missed a turn on the Palisades PKWY; greased a O'possum with the Team Van, sorry about that Christine; and dinner at Chistine's home thanks to Mary Ellen, Tony, Ed.
Those were 4 difficult but not unduly hard days. But hey Monday did come and I went for a training run of 9&1/2 miles over the top of West Point, got my wallet and ID back from christine after leaving it in her van, did some laundry and practiced my bagpiping up around Round Pond.
Tuesday Morning a 3&1/3 mile run, Bagpipe practice with Joe Brady Sr. run over to Middletown NY to get my new running shoes from Frank's Shoe Fitting and a few beers at the South Gate Tavern in Highland Falls, NY.
And hey did I ever say I'm training to run in a marathon as a fund raising event for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society?
Have a good and safe week everyone.
I'm gonna try to publich this blog before I go for another run today.
Q.
T'was Tuesday evening that this story begins. Ah it was a common evening nothing to suggest an adventure was soon to begin. The weather was moderate, I was relaxing after having had a spaghetti & clam sauce dinner in expectation of a 16 mile jog on Wednesday morning when I recieved a phone call.
Not the ordinary call I would get from one of my brothers. This was a request for assistance. Hey I'm retired I don't need to aid anyone anymore, Right? Wrong! Its my nature to help folks (even if they don't want it)
Arrrgggh Twas but Captain Dean of the good vessel vessel 'She Storm' and the crew of TEAM GUINAN was hard aground and in desperate condition. They were left high and dry without out a Pilot, Navigator and Support Crew. Since I was in need of a small adventure, possibly some excitement and the final fact being I can't say NO to the mission they were in support of the only answer I could provide was Yes, i can and would aid the crew of Team Guinan. The quickness of the yes response and without hesitation so rattled Capt'n Dean he asked a second time and was repeated to the same response.
So what was the mission and purpose of TEAM GUINAN; that was so important it got me to alter, not stop my training for the Marine Corps Marathon? They too were embarked on a similar mission and were upholding the legacy of John Guinan who passed on this past year in raising funds to help stop the disease of HIV-AIDS. John died of an aggressive Brain Cancer and he was a fund raiser and rider for Braking the Cycle in memory of his Brother In Law. John was a person who would help others and never ask for anything in return. So when the request was made, I could not in good conscience refuse. Thus my contribution to TEAM GUINAN's ride from Gettysburg, PA. to Manhattan, NY. was begun. Not with a desperate yell in the storm of the night, but with a simple appeal, which I would not deny.
So Wednesday morning I went for my 16 mile run, starting at 05:00 in the morning and finishing three hours later. The hills are alive with the sound of running Ahem yeah right. Actually cue up the MP3 Player turn on the head lamp and orange light cone and run on. Out along Main St, left on Satterlee, up to Roe Park and along the backside, up to Mearns Ave, left on to Mountain Ave, Straight along 9W, Right onto 218 alongside the Golf Course to just past the State Highway Garage, Reverse Course and out and up Route 293 past the ranges, past Fire Station 3, past Long Pond, starting down hill towards Fire Break 15 & the Snake Pit but reversing course before reaching there and heading back to West Point. In through Washington Gate, down to Central Area; Washington, Cullum, Jefferson, Thayer Road, out Thayer Gate along Main St and back to home. All in 3 hours and 3 minutes of running time.
Thursday Morning as rest day from my previous day but no day of total inactivity. For I meet with Team Guinan and depart from Garrison, NY. for Gettysburg PA. And thus begins the adventures and misadventures.
The drive and ride down to Harrisburg, PA. was for the most part uneventful. Yes Team Guinan was in mixed emotions concerning their upcoming physical challenge. But good spirits pervaded overall. and again the ride was mostly uneventfull till I passed the exit I was looking for. OK Chris stepped up to the plate and started acting as Navigator as we meandered through the Pennsylvanian Country side down to Gettysburg. Actually there were times I was less than cheerful about this portion of the adventure of mis-adventure. Still we had time to relax and arrive in Gettysburg for the inprocessing of riders and claiming of accomodations.
Chris, Dean and I spent the first night in the Colton Motel in Gettysburg, a older facility well past the prime of its youth but mostly clean and with working facilities. Which brings us onto Friday Morning.
Hot water in the shower and clean towels Wooohoooo!. Yet, I'm also training to run in a marathon and since the previous day was spent lounging upon the front left seat of a van resplently decorated with team bicycles I was in need of a good morning run. So out I go off into the Battle Field of Gettyburg in the early morning mist well before dawn. On my return to the Motel, I was able to say Good Morning to the crew setting up the start point for the day's ride in my own unique way. They never saw me coming. Bwahaha, but when I left the road crew knew Team Guinan would ride that day.
Yet for all my ability to follow direction, limited though that may be, I was able to find the first rest point aka Oasis and follow the riders from there. Now this is my first time ever providing support for an operation like this so I'm bound to make mistakes, Picking up riders who's bike were disabled and failing to notify dispatch of the pick up, but at least I deposited the temporay charges safely at the Oasies when that occured.
That night I shared a room with a crew member for another team and sleep was welcomed. The riders rode less mileage overall than I drove.
Saturday morning; Wet, humid, damp, warm, dark and a full half hour run through and around a Golf Course next to the Lancaster House Motel. Followed by breakfast loading the Team's personal effects into the van and begining the day's chase. As you can see from my run description the day was pretty much a raw one. Team Guinan was riding into the wind, mist, rain & wind. Well I did what I could to assist them and the first chance I could I broke course and grabbed some lip balm and skin cream for their faces. The wind burn looked bad on them and they really did need the coverage.
I picked up a couple of sagging riders through the day and delivered them safely to the Oasies. but the day was fairly much uneventful.
The strange thing about Saturday was I saw near our route black arrows on a yellow background very similar to the ones Braking the Cycle was employing for direction. Curiousity being a deathly diversion, me I had to go look and see if it was in fact part of our ride. It wasn't there were only a few clues that it was another course near our own. the shape of the arrows were different and no warning signage as the braking the cycle crew was placing out as well. But still it was a very good thing that I decided to check out what I had initially though was part of our road course as I found a rider from another team who made the same mistake and had followed the course much further along before deciding to ride back
Saturday Night I'm provided accomdations in a seperate Motel from Team Guinan which was a blessing too and true.
As I recieved the quieter of billets. Team Guinan was staying at the Holiday Inn, 1/2 mile away where a wedding reception was in progress along with drunken revelry and wandering drunks in the halls and sobbing drunks in the halls. Me I slept blissfully till my alarm clock sounded at 04:30. Hey I needed to be ready to support my riders.
Sunday, and into deepest darkest New Jersey. Now Jersey isn't the greatest or safest of places to ride or drive. The roads are shoddily marked the drivers uncouth and the right of way laws need updating. But there are nice parts of Jersey too unfortunately they are in New Jersey with idiots, imbeciles and morons who have no clue how to drive safely. I hate the urban areas of Jersey with a passion. And leaving jersey for Manhattan was a pleasure beyond relief.
So Jersey Rt3 to the Lincoln Tunnel then down town to 14th street east to where I can swing around onto 13th street just the otherside of 6th Ave (aka Ave of the Americas) where I find a parking garage. Walk the two blocks over between 7th & 8th Aves where I meet with Mary Jane and Margaret Guinan to await the return of our bicyclists. The LGBT Center on 13th is a older building and a community outreach center. Its not the type of place I would usually go and seek on my own, still the people there were friendly and supportive.
About 3 hours after I arrive in Manhattan, I go and recover the van, park near the LGBT Center I also assist their folks with off and onloading of equipment for cleaning a preparation for the following year's ride.
In all honesty even though there where times I felt aggrivated and stressed; I felt pretty good overall about what I was doing and am very willing to do it all again.
The only inceidents of note on the last day where when the lost rider I found introduced me to his mother; I trheatened to beat Capt'n Dean when I almost missed a turn on the Palisades PKWY; greased a O'possum with the Team Van, sorry about that Christine; and dinner at Chistine's home thanks to Mary Ellen, Tony, Ed.
Those were 4 difficult but not unduly hard days. But hey Monday did come and I went for a training run of 9&1/2 miles over the top of West Point, got my wallet and ID back from christine after leaving it in her van, did some laundry and practiced my bagpiping up around Round Pond.
Tuesday Morning a 3&1/3 mile run, Bagpipe practice with Joe Brady Sr. run over to Middletown NY to get my new running shoes from Frank's Shoe Fitting and a few beers at the South Gate Tavern in Highland Falls, NY.
And hey did I ever say I'm training to run in a marathon as a fund raising event for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society?
Have a good and safe week everyone.
I'm gonna try to publich this blog before I go for another run today.
Q.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Monday Morning's Meandering Mindset.
Well the past few days have been busy, enjoyable, unenjoyable, real and surreal. Where and when to start today's entries might be difficult to pin down; the equivalent of nailing a jelly fish to a wall. It just isn't gonna stay where you put it.
Ok so I guess a chronological entry would work if I had remember to take proper notes. But as I'm relying upon memory, you may be in for a disjointed ramble of mis remembered thoughts and impression.
Thursday, 18 Sept, started with letting my landlady's prisoners (dogs) out for a few moments while I prepared them some food and fresh water. Fed them and chased them out side for a while. These dogs all seem to prefer remaining indoors and one is a puppy not yet fully house broken. Well after they are back in I'm off on a 3.3 mile run. Then after that its just a matter of preparing for the day and relaxing through it.
Friday, 19th, Did not run that day at all. Instead I traveled to my brother's home in Dutchess County and performed yard work with him pretty much all day. Got there shortly after 8AM (08:00) and depparted about 8PM (20:00). Burned a brush pile, cut back weeds, cut down a tree which was sectioned for firewood, threw weed cuttings and unusable sections of the tree onto the brush pile, picked up fallen limbs and branches added them to the brush pile. By 6PM (18:00) we had a mound of ash and coals nearly 3 feet (1 meter) in height and roughly 6 feet (2 Meters) across which would be producing a quantity of heat through the nigh. Decaying logs with a high moisture content take a long time to burn. Dinner was pizza about 7PM (19:00) and I departed just after 8PM (20:00) for home. Friday night arriving at was ominous. The land lady's front light was on car in the driveway and nobody home.
Saturday 20, I awoke to Opera, No not my radio set to a classical station. But my land lady entertaining her boyfriend. They were in full production of the Lustful Opera complete with horizontal rabbit dance, bed spring and bed bounce orchestral overtures and estactic arias. I couldn't get dressed and out fast enough. Went to Thomas Bull Park and partook of a 5K (3.1 mi) race finishing 39th overall in 26:13
As it was a warm & sunny day, and I was playing around having a fun time annoying the other runners, I'll be happy with my time. Hey, when you start running backwards and yell at the folks chasing they had better keep up with a Grandmother you had a hard time catching and passing, You know you aren't running seriously. Still I had fun filling out the forms and playing with the pencils on the group W bench too.
Still I did help one runner to finish in 27 minutes and he was hoping for a 29 minute finish so I guess I wasn't too unruly.
After the race I went to Frank's Shoe Fitting in Middletown NY. Now Frank is a current Guinness Book record holder for Transcontinetal runs of the lower 48. It looks as if this year his record shall be broken by a couple of folks who have run across the top of Africa through the Sahara Desert. He's also provided the guys currently making the attempt with some background as for how he did it and is supportive of their efforts and that is the type of person Frank is.
Saturday afternoon, home quick shower frsh clothes rinse out my running atire and hang out to dry and out I go for the day. Since its a FootBall Saturday on Campus, ARMY vs Akron, staying in the village is not a likely option so I head across the river. Cold Spring is a weekend tourist destination so up river to Beacon I go to a small hole in the wall bar. Plug for Sam Adams Lager, OK plug done. So I'm sitting at the bar and I hear a voice I recognize. I look down to the end and yes, some one I know who I haddn't seen in numerous moths. Open mouth make comment; Well I watched the jaw drop and light bulb come on on this one. Even the Bartender whom I've never met before is sratching his head thinking What the ____? But to make a long sory readable A fellow I know from another Bar and through my older brother was srpised as can be to see me and didn't recognize me. It might of been the sun glasses but probably the weight lost by training to run in a marathon.
Saturday night and thers a party going on to which I'm not a guest nor party of so back out to another bar. Met witha few folks from the WTU/Warrior Transition Unit assigned to West Point had a few stories with them purchesed them a Pithcer of beer and headed home hopefully to sleep.
Sunday Morning. Ahh quietude, nope. Commence the Opera, Oh well. check some e-mails and out the door with a change of clothes and off to Round Pond I go. Its a comfortable sunny morning and I run 6 laps around Round Pond. That makes for about 5 miles following which I go into the Camp Grounds bath house, Shower and next door to throw my stuff into the laundry. About noontime (12:00) my laundry is done and I've tooled around with some bagpiping items and am on my way to the service station to fuel my van grab some snacks and go over to Garrison NY.
The Garrison Yatch Club is hosting a small band, The Shanghie String Band; OK I'm not sure if that is the correct spelling but they are a good Blue Grass Sound. But prior to them performing I help Neil and another Yatch Club member set up for the performers. After set up and everthing is in place I practice with the Great Highland Bagpipes on the Garrison Docks for a bit and then put my pipes away I'm just a simple unpolished performer and I want to listen to the band as it is not perform with them.
Later in the Evening Captain Tom Whyte arrives with a WWII vintage PT Boat from Fleet Obsolete, Which has been repowere with 2 detroit diesels as opposed to the 3 Allison gasoline powered Aircraft Engines which it would have used in the 1940s Still it was a fun ride, and I'm impressed with how small the old surface combatant truely was.
Late into the evening I helped Neil put some items away and call it a night.
Monday Morning the 22nd of September; Opera Again at 5AM Oh well I guess I can always post in the Blog.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Wednesday's wanton self abuse, well run and weekly update.
Ah Wednesday, Hump Day, Mit Woche, the middle of the week; and whats a confirmed lunatic to do? well after going for a very early morning run and taking a mid morning nap its back to eating like a teenager. < I hear the dieticians screaming Clairese. >
Seriously I've ran starting at 04:00 local time for 22 miles in a total time of 4 hours and 32 minutes. Not world record speed but for a person who is preparing for a first marathon, I think its pretty good. But that wasn't my goal. I'm running the long distance too fast. My goal was to run for a time of 5 hours minimum. The problem is I've no sense of speed and time. I just go and go and go.
Well aside from my morning run and eating like a teenager what have I done? Hmmm loaded question there.
Monday, Sept 15th. I did a 13 mile run out to Fire Station 3 on Rt 293, back down hill into west Point through washington Gate, through central Area, the Village of Highland Falls and Back home. Then later on Monday a nice 125 mile motorcycle ride using only 2.3 gallons of fuel, made a couple of social calls, gave a personal thank you to a donor to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (remember I'm doing the running as a fund raiser?) and returned home via a circuitous route running through Pine island and Warwick, NY. OK the ride may not of been neccessary but I needed a diversion. Then after I got home I let Sharon's (my landlady) Dogs out, fed them and watered them, while she's at work this week. They are low maintenance dogs and usually kept indoors; One is a rat with a PHD, another is a weasel and the third is a senile geriatic old fool of a dog. Well thats' monday.
Tuesday the 16th. Checked upon the mutts, let them out for a bit before putting them back in their room and heading down to peekskill for my weekly Bagpipe practice. After returning home I again let the mutts out of solitary confinement and looked upon the day. Also I didn't run on Tuesday, being a down day from my 13 mile effort on Monday and the possibility that I would abuse myself with a 20 to 22 mile effort on the 17th depending upon the weather report. Still not a bad day overall. Dinner in preparation for the 17th was Spaghetti with White Clam Suace, Parmesan chees, and gatoraid. I may of wanted a beer, but I didn't need to abuse my kidneys or liver before a extended run.
Wednesday 17 September. My alarm clock is set for 03:00 and I wake up at 02:30, OK the internal alarm is set fast no big deal. Morning abolutions, light breakfast, gatoraid and water, some stretching then out the door for a false start. Go back inside for my ID card for West Point then back out with a actual start time of 04:00.
Left on to Main st. Left on to Satterlee Rd. Right on to Cedar, left onto Villa Parkway, Around Roe Park and past Ruddy's house up onto Mearns Ave and follow that to Mountain Ave. Up Mountain Ave to 9W and past Eagle Valley Cemetary down to the junction of NY's 218 and 293. Left on 293 to 1 mile past the entrance of Fire Break 20 (about 200 meters past the 3.5 mile mark from firestation 3) turn around and head back to fire Station 3. where I stopped and refilled my Camel Back with Gatoraid powder (premeasured at home) and water shake and go. Left toward west Point's Washington Gate, right in the gate (2.5 miles from fire station3 and 5 miles from home) stop for a ID check and on down washington Rd, Cullum Rd, Jefferson Rd, Thayer Extension, Thayer Rd and out Thayer Gate onto Main St. in Highland Falls for the final mile & one half to home.
Stretched threw my sweaty nasty clothes in to the washer, Showered and time for Second breakfast consisting of (be ready to go eeewwwww) a bananna blended with milk and poured over a bowl of Raisun Bran. Let turn to mush and its like having a Raisun Bran & Bananna Pudding. After breakfast walk to the neighbors and get the key to my Landlady's home so I can let the 3 stooges out. They take care of their business I ensure they've got the minimum requirements for the day, return them to solitary confinement take a nap which brings me back to where I started today's entry.
So much for that exercise in circular writings.
Have a safe and easy day. I'll update in a few days. Who knows maybe I'll even run in the Montgomery NY 5K on Saturday the 20th.
Cheers & Prosit Alles!
Q
Seriously I've ran starting at 04:00 local time for 22 miles in a total time of 4 hours and 32 minutes. Not world record speed but for a person who is preparing for a first marathon, I think its pretty good. But that wasn't my goal. I'm running the long distance too fast. My goal was to run for a time of 5 hours minimum. The problem is I've no sense of speed and time. I just go and go and go.
Well aside from my morning run and eating like a teenager what have I done? Hmmm loaded question there.
Monday, Sept 15th. I did a 13 mile run out to Fire Station 3 on Rt 293, back down hill into west Point through washington Gate, through central Area, the Village of Highland Falls and Back home. Then later on Monday a nice 125 mile motorcycle ride using only 2.3 gallons of fuel, made a couple of social calls, gave a personal thank you to a donor to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (remember I'm doing the running as a fund raiser?) and returned home via a circuitous route running through Pine island and Warwick, NY. OK the ride may not of been neccessary but I needed a diversion. Then after I got home I let Sharon's (my landlady) Dogs out, fed them and watered them, while she's at work this week. They are low maintenance dogs and usually kept indoors; One is a rat with a PHD, another is a weasel and the third is a senile geriatic old fool of a dog. Well thats' monday.
Tuesday the 16th. Checked upon the mutts, let them out for a bit before putting them back in their room and heading down to peekskill for my weekly Bagpipe practice. After returning home I again let the mutts out of solitary confinement and looked upon the day. Also I didn't run on Tuesday, being a down day from my 13 mile effort on Monday and the possibility that I would abuse myself with a 20 to 22 mile effort on the 17th depending upon the weather report. Still not a bad day overall. Dinner in preparation for the 17th was Spaghetti with White Clam Suace, Parmesan chees, and gatoraid. I may of wanted a beer, but I didn't need to abuse my kidneys or liver before a extended run.
Wednesday 17 September. My alarm clock is set for 03:00 and I wake up at 02:30, OK the internal alarm is set fast no big deal. Morning abolutions, light breakfast, gatoraid and water, some stretching then out the door for a false start. Go back inside for my ID card for West Point then back out with a actual start time of 04:00.
Left on to Main st. Left on to Satterlee Rd. Right on to Cedar, left onto Villa Parkway, Around Roe Park and past Ruddy's house up onto Mearns Ave and follow that to Mountain Ave. Up Mountain Ave to 9W and past Eagle Valley Cemetary down to the junction of NY's 218 and 293. Left on 293 to 1 mile past the entrance of Fire Break 20 (about 200 meters past the 3.5 mile mark from firestation 3) turn around and head back to fire Station 3. where I stopped and refilled my Camel Back with Gatoraid powder (premeasured at home) and water shake and go. Left toward west Point's Washington Gate, right in the gate (2.5 miles from fire station3 and 5 miles from home) stop for a ID check and on down washington Rd, Cullum Rd, Jefferson Rd, Thayer Extension, Thayer Rd and out Thayer Gate onto Main St. in Highland Falls for the final mile & one half to home.
Stretched threw my sweaty nasty clothes in to the washer, Showered and time for Second breakfast consisting of (be ready to go eeewwwww) a bananna blended with milk and poured over a bowl of Raisun Bran. Let turn to mush and its like having a Raisun Bran & Bananna Pudding. After breakfast walk to the neighbors and get the key to my Landlady's home so I can let the 3 stooges out. They take care of their business I ensure they've got the minimum requirements for the day, return them to solitary confinement take a nap which brings me back to where I started today's entry.
So much for that exercise in circular writings.
Have a safe and easy day. I'll update in a few days. Who knows maybe I'll even run in the Montgomery NY 5K on Saturday the 20th.
Cheers & Prosit Alles!
Q
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Sunday segue into the new week
Well soon Sunday shall be over and for many its back to the same old grind. For me it shall be more miles. I've another 20 run to do sometime this week.
But as for today, just a few different things; went over to Carmel NY to partake in a 5K race. Only one of the volunteers to provide direction wasn't in place and about 1/2 mile was eliminated by the entire flock of runners. We prttty much knew something was wrong by the finishing run times. With the heat and humidity of the morning even with my best effort there was no way I would fininsh 3.1 miles in 21 minutes. Still many of us concluded the run was atleast 1/2 mile shy of the correct distance. So much for the First Dan K 5K.
Then this afternoon I fueled my van up. $65 for 1/2 tank, with the damage caused to the oil infrastructure in the south by Hurricane Ike the Bobble-Heads are predicting $5.00 a gallon in the coming weeks.
That was followed by a ride to popolopnen Lake where I practiced bagpiping for a while and then down to Woodbury, had 2 large beers at T.G.I.Fridays and their Pulled Pork BBQ Ravioli appetizers as a dinner. Then to Target for some stuff for Halloween a return trip ti Highland falls, one beer at the South Gate, a ride up to O'Neil High School and a mile &1/2 walk around the track before calling a night.
So that's it for today, It's crash time, good night and a safe week everyone.
Q
But as for today, just a few different things; went over to Carmel NY to partake in a 5K race. Only one of the volunteers to provide direction wasn't in place and about 1/2 mile was eliminated by the entire flock of runners. We prttty much knew something was wrong by the finishing run times. With the heat and humidity of the morning even with my best effort there was no way I would fininsh 3.1 miles in 21 minutes. Still many of us concluded the run was atleast 1/2 mile shy of the correct distance. So much for the First Dan K 5K.
Then this afternoon I fueled my van up. $65 for 1/2 tank, with the damage caused to the oil infrastructure in the south by Hurricane Ike the Bobble-Heads are predicting $5.00 a gallon in the coming weeks.
That was followed by a ride to popolopnen Lake where I practiced bagpiping for a while and then down to Woodbury, had 2 large beers at T.G.I.Fridays and their Pulled Pork BBQ Ravioli appetizers as a dinner. Then to Target for some stuff for Halloween a return trip ti Highland falls, one beer at the South Gate, a ride up to O'Neil High School and a mile &1/2 walk around the track before calling a night.
So that's it for today, It's crash time, good night and a safe week everyone.
Q
Saturday, September 13, 2008
The 13th day, are you worried? I'm not.
Comon who's afraid of the 13th day of the month come on raise your hands. Hell, just get up out of the burrows and accept the day. Either your gonna be the lucky Praire Dog the Hawk doesn't catch or you're gonna be road kill. Either way you can't hid from the date on the calendar.
Overly warm and humid this morning. Still I did an easy 3.3 mile run and had opprotunity to converse with another runner for a little bit. Later in the Morning I went to my younger brother's place; he did the preponderance of the work but we got the brake lights functional on his old plow jeep.
After that I came back home went grocery shopping for the week had dinner and then went for a 2&1/2 mile walk.
Now does anyone really think its OK to fly the U.S. Flag 24/7 365 a year without having it illuminated at night as called for in the US Flag Code? Apparently many people in the town of Highlands do. The Hacienda Restaurant and O'Niel High School being the two more blatantly unconcerned about the image they put out. Then there are all the Teachers, Students and Patrons of the establishments who never see whats wrong or even take a minimal action to correct it.
The U.S. flag at the Hacienda taco palace is now supported by the grommet at the top of the fly alone. As for O'Neil High School they fly the U.S. flag unlite 24/7 365 over the Foot Ball field. Well they did untill tonight. That flag now sits folded properly inside the shed behind the bleachers at the Football field. The faculty should find it there, but I wouldn't bet upon it as they never noticed it any other time when they should of.
So what about the 13th? any black cats cross your path, drop and break any mirrors, spill some salt? Don't worry its only superstitions. :)
Overly warm and humid this morning. Still I did an easy 3.3 mile run and had opprotunity to converse with another runner for a little bit. Later in the Morning I went to my younger brother's place; he did the preponderance of the work but we got the brake lights functional on his old plow jeep.
After that I came back home went grocery shopping for the week had dinner and then went for a 2&1/2 mile walk.
Now does anyone really think its OK to fly the U.S. Flag 24/7 365 a year without having it illuminated at night as called for in the US Flag Code? Apparently many people in the town of Highlands do. The Hacienda Restaurant and O'Niel High School being the two more blatantly unconcerned about the image they put out. Then there are all the Teachers, Students and Patrons of the establishments who never see whats wrong or even take a minimal action to correct it.
The U.S. flag at the Hacienda taco palace is now supported by the grommet at the top of the fly alone. As for O'Neil High School they fly the U.S. flag unlite 24/7 365 over the Foot Ball field. Well they did untill tonight. That flag now sits folded properly inside the shed behind the bleachers at the Football field. The faculty should find it there, but I wouldn't bet upon it as they never noticed it any other time when they should of.
So what about the 13th? any black cats cross your path, drop and break any mirrors, spill some salt? Don't worry its only superstitions. :)
Friday, September 12, 2008
Friday Morning (early day), a rant and some other commentaries.
Yes I do mean early, not for making a post but for starting my day. I been awake since about 04:00 local time.
Yesterday was the seven year aniversary of the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on NYC, the Pentagon in Virginia, and the Airliner which crashed in Shanksville PA.
Muslim extremists some say, Whabbist taught extremist say others. Islamofascist another term yet used, and still very little from the Moderate Islamic population in dealing with murderous, treacherous, vile sub-human filth whose progenitors should be given retroactive abortions. If Islam is a faith of peace, why aren't there more peacable muslims?
I'm not proposing a glassing over of Mecca, although if some Radical Islamic factions don't de-escalate their positions I wouldn't shed a tear at this point if Medina, Mecca, Tehran, and areas (Pakistani tribal regions) providing support for Al-Qeada became self illuminating glass bottomed funeral pyres. Although the loss of life on the massive scale that would cause is unfathomable, it would ensure at least the likelyhood of extremist attacks on civilian populations is made more remote. As the more pressing concern would be how to contain the Nuclear Armageddon and care for survivors.
This attitude isn't callous indifference for human life. Its callous indifference for those who cheapen human life.
OK Rant is done on to other commentaries;
Today is friday September 12th, 6 weeks and 2 days remaining till the Marine Corps Marathon.
I'm still working on fund raising efforts for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through it's Team in Training Program. Still have to raise almost $1000,oo and am waiting for responses back from the various Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, Posts which I've mailed letters off to. I hopefully will start seeing responses this week as many VFW posts shutter operations during the Summer Months of July and August.
Training for the Marathon is coming along well too. I've completed two, Twenty Mile runs. The First one on August 25th and the second one on September 5th. The second one was much easier and relaxed than the first one. Its funny; as for the first 20 mile run I completed that in 3 hours and 52 minutes and the second one in 4 hours and 2 minutes. Yet the second one wasn't as physically punishing as the first effort.
Aside from a slower overall pace the biggest difference was I listened to my choices of music on a MP3 player during my second run. No heavy metal or fast syncopated beats, lots of Folk Music, Celtic and Blue Grass inspired music as well.
As for today, I did a short run of 10 miles. Short relative to the 20 mile distances that is. Started at 05:00 and finished at 06:45. Ran along Main St. to Satterlee, back and around to Roe Park up to Mearns Ave, up to Mountain Ave and along 9W before heading east on 218 and into West Point at Washington Gate Along Washington & Cullum Roads to Jefferson left onto Thayer Mall (formerly Thayer Extension) on to Thayer Rd down to and around Buffalo Soldier Field on Swift Rd. Exiting Thayer Gate onto Main St in the Village of Highland Falls and another 1.65 miles back home. So a nice loop course with a not too insignificant a hill climb thrown in.
Well that pretty much sums up my training for the Marathon this week.
One other thing I did yesterday was go off to a State Park and practice a few tunes on my Bagpipes, As yesterday was September 11, Slow contemplative tunes and funerary aires seemed appropriate. Still the setting was peaceful the waters were protected from the breeze and calm, the clouds dappling the muting the vibrancy of the colors. Even the hikers across the pond from me paused and listened quietly while I practiced. No politicians, no speaches marking or commemorating the day, just a few simple tunes played to the best of my ability.
Have a safe day and weekend everyone.
Q
Yesterday was the seven year aniversary of the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on NYC, the Pentagon in Virginia, and the Airliner which crashed in Shanksville PA.
Muslim extremists some say, Whabbist taught extremist say others. Islamofascist another term yet used, and still very little from the Moderate Islamic population in dealing with murderous, treacherous, vile sub-human filth whose progenitors should be given retroactive abortions. If Islam is a faith of peace, why aren't there more peacable muslims?
I'm not proposing a glassing over of Mecca, although if some Radical Islamic factions don't de-escalate their positions I wouldn't shed a tear at this point if Medina, Mecca, Tehran, and areas (Pakistani tribal regions) providing support for Al-Qeada became self illuminating glass bottomed funeral pyres. Although the loss of life on the massive scale that would cause is unfathomable, it would ensure at least the likelyhood of extremist attacks on civilian populations is made more remote. As the more pressing concern would be how to contain the Nuclear Armageddon and care for survivors.
This attitude isn't callous indifference for human life. Its callous indifference for those who cheapen human life.
OK Rant is done on to other commentaries;
Today is friday September 12th, 6 weeks and 2 days remaining till the Marine Corps Marathon.
I'm still working on fund raising efforts for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through it's Team in Training Program. Still have to raise almost $1000,oo and am waiting for responses back from the various Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, Posts which I've mailed letters off to. I hopefully will start seeing responses this week as many VFW posts shutter operations during the Summer Months of July and August.
Training for the Marathon is coming along well too. I've completed two, Twenty Mile runs. The First one on August 25th and the second one on September 5th. The second one was much easier and relaxed than the first one. Its funny; as for the first 20 mile run I completed that in 3 hours and 52 minutes and the second one in 4 hours and 2 minutes. Yet the second one wasn't as physically punishing as the first effort.
Aside from a slower overall pace the biggest difference was I listened to my choices of music on a MP3 player during my second run. No heavy metal or fast syncopated beats, lots of Folk Music, Celtic and Blue Grass inspired music as well.
As for today, I did a short run of 10 miles. Short relative to the 20 mile distances that is. Started at 05:00 and finished at 06:45. Ran along Main St. to Satterlee, back and around to Roe Park up to Mearns Ave, up to Mountain Ave and along 9W before heading east on 218 and into West Point at Washington Gate Along Washington & Cullum Roads to Jefferson left onto Thayer Mall (formerly Thayer Extension) on to Thayer Rd down to and around Buffalo Soldier Field on Swift Rd. Exiting Thayer Gate onto Main St in the Village of Highland Falls and another 1.65 miles back home. So a nice loop course with a not too insignificant a hill climb thrown in.
Well that pretty much sums up my training for the Marathon this week.
One other thing I did yesterday was go off to a State Park and practice a few tunes on my Bagpipes, As yesterday was September 11, Slow contemplative tunes and funerary aires seemed appropriate. Still the setting was peaceful the waters were protected from the breeze and calm, the clouds dappling the muting the vibrancy of the colors. Even the hikers across the pond from me paused and listened quietly while I practiced. No politicians, no speaches marking or commemorating the day, just a few simple tunes played to the best of my ability.
Have a safe day and weekend everyone.
Q
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Wednesday aka Hump Day
A h Wednesday, the middle of the normal work week and oft refered to as Hump Day. Well I sort of made it my Hump Day this week as well running wise. Still I'll start with Monday's meanderings and slide through the events.
Monday, after being out and about plus actively running through the weekend after the 20 mile effort on Friday became a slow easy day. I didn't go for any run, although I did go for a 7 mile walk.
As I went walking I was not too surprised by a stupid human trick I observed. Does anyone remember the old School Bus Safety Training and Slogans. Well many automobile drivers do but at least one school bus driver didn't. The driver of a bus either between or after his rounds and before returning his bus to the yard for the day was taking a break; I won't hold that against anyone. But lack of attention to detail should be held against people. The driver forgot to turn off his red flashing warning lights for the discharge of students when he exited his vehicle. Nor did he look back at his vehicle to check any conditions of it. OK so we now have a school bus stopped at the curb Red Flashers activated, Stop Sign panels deployed and traffic stopping at the start of the evening rush hour. Oh yeah, something to get the monday afternoon rush off right. So as I stated I was out walking, only this time I had my digital camera with me. Took three photos of the bus, one of which was a close up of the diver's side windshield clearly showing the lack of driver in the seat. I then went less than 1/8 mile to the bus company's office and suggested they needed to retrain their driver's. The bus company's response was less than commendable "the driver has 30 years experience" my response was even more to the point "I've driven school bus also, and that indicates a lack of awareness and responsibility on the driver's part". Needless to say I let it at that and the bus company shall be left to attend to its concerns; part of which should be retraining drivers.
Still I did complete my seven mile walk on monday with out further incident. I even picked up the parts needed to repair an old flag staff I have and set that about to proudly displaying old glory too.
Tuesday: did a easy 3&1/3 mile run before going down to bagpipe practice. The ride home was reasonably uneventful even during the Thunderstorm. There were a couple of awesome lightening strikes, but no strong winds, just heavy rain and some fog. Later on Tuesday afternoon I went down by the Hudson River just north of South dock on West Point and practiced my bagpiping for a bit before heading home via the local pharmacy. Its faster to run in there to grab a half gallon of milk than the supermarket.
Wednesday, Hump Day and Hump I did too! I went out for a modest run and was feeling good about myself. So instead of taking a route that would of done just 6 miles. I did an 11.7 mile route; One that took me over the top of West Point (once)and down to the Hudson River (twice) before returning me to my starting elevation. Total elevation change from Highest to lowest point 778 feet. My starting elevation 177 feet. So in a very real acceptance of the meaning I humped up over the hill down and back up.
So now I'm just updating the blog and listening to the birds outside before I make my next choice of actions for the day. Bicycle or walk; Bagpipes or practice chanter; Spaghetti w meat sauce or Hamburgers; Beer or wine. Oh decisions decisions.
Now to try and post related photos but I'll post this first.
Cheers,
Q
Monday, after being out and about plus actively running through the weekend after the 20 mile effort on Friday became a slow easy day. I didn't go for any run, although I did go for a 7 mile walk.
As I went walking I was not too surprised by a stupid human trick I observed. Does anyone remember the old School Bus Safety Training and Slogans. Well many automobile drivers do but at least one school bus driver didn't. The driver of a bus either between or after his rounds and before returning his bus to the yard for the day was taking a break; I won't hold that against anyone. But lack of attention to detail should be held against people. The driver forgot to turn off his red flashing warning lights for the discharge of students when he exited his vehicle. Nor did he look back at his vehicle to check any conditions of it. OK so we now have a school bus stopped at the curb Red Flashers activated, Stop Sign panels deployed and traffic stopping at the start of the evening rush hour. Oh yeah, something to get the monday afternoon rush off right. So as I stated I was out walking, only this time I had my digital camera with me. Took three photos of the bus, one of which was a close up of the diver's side windshield clearly showing the lack of driver in the seat. I then went less than 1/8 mile to the bus company's office and suggested they needed to retrain their driver's. The bus company's response was less than commendable "the driver has 30 years experience" my response was even more to the point "I've driven school bus also, and that indicates a lack of awareness and responsibility on the driver's part". Needless to say I let it at that and the bus company shall be left to attend to its concerns; part of which should be retraining drivers.
Still I did complete my seven mile walk on monday with out further incident. I even picked up the parts needed to repair an old flag staff I have and set that about to proudly displaying old glory too.
Tuesday: did a easy 3&1/3 mile run before going down to bagpipe practice. The ride home was reasonably uneventful even during the Thunderstorm. There were a couple of awesome lightening strikes, but no strong winds, just heavy rain and some fog. Later on Tuesday afternoon I went down by the Hudson River just north of South dock on West Point and practiced my bagpiping for a bit before heading home via the local pharmacy. Its faster to run in there to grab a half gallon of milk than the supermarket.
Wednesday, Hump Day and Hump I did too! I went out for a modest run and was feeling good about myself. So instead of taking a route that would of done just 6 miles. I did an 11.7 mile route; One that took me over the top of West Point (once)and down to the Hudson River (twice) before returning me to my starting elevation. Total elevation change from Highest to lowest point 778 feet. My starting elevation 177 feet. So in a very real acceptance of the meaning I humped up over the hill down and back up.
So now I'm just updating the blog and listening to the birds outside before I make my next choice of actions for the day. Bicycle or walk; Bagpipes or practice chanter; Spaghetti w meat sauce or Hamburgers; Beer or wine. Oh decisions decisions.
Now to try and post related photos but I'll post this first.
Cheers,
Q
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Just a simple update for Sunday.
Since my last entry was on Wednesday, I'll fillin what I remember for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and today.
Thursday was a slow easy day spent goofing on this computer, grocery shopping at the West Point comissary and maybe a run to the Rite Aid Pharmacy.
Actually i used my bicycle to go to the Commissary , for all that i purchased the basket on the handlebars was sufficent to carry. Yet, I've a couple of bags i can attach to carry a larder load. They shall be useful yet.
Friday, the 5th; Ran 20 miles in the morning anddid much better than the first time I ran that same distance. I didn't expend all my energy on the distance and completed the run in 4 hours, 2 minutes and 13 seconds. Whereas the last time which was the first time I ran 20 miles I collapsed from exhaustion this time I did not. Still I did a few things differently too. I ate a light breakfast before going out and started at 03:40 in the Morning. My first 20 mile effort, I started near 06:00 and finished 3 hoursand 51 minutes later when the Sun was high and the heat was climbing.
So all in all Friday the 5th was a good day. Also in the evening I headed to the Southgate to have a few pints of beer. A couple of reasons for that but the fact I wanted to social ize and have a few beers will suffice. Although there was another compelling reason to leave the apartment as well. I'm not fond of Opera.
Saturday, ran a slow 3 miles around the track, the heat and humidity prior to tropical Storm Hanna was rough. Still I looked as though I had gone swimming when done. 70 degrees, 76% relative humidity and doing so at 07:00 in the morning doesn't make a pleasurable run. I actually ran the air conditioner to dehumidify the apartment on saturday morning and again on Saturday night so I could sleep.
Still Saturday wasn't all running and relaxation. I had also gone to my younger brother's place and mucked about a bit on his jeeep. He's also got a nice garden going and its starting to produce a nice assortment of vegetables too.
Sunday the 7th. Ran 3 miles in the Am and then went to the Charles Ives Center in Danbury CT. for a days' recreation. The danbury AOH had put on their annual Irish fest this weekend from the 5th through the 7th. and I had a nice time there. sat in at the session tent played one tune badly on the pipes and then did an ok job with another tune. After that I just used the practice chanter to didle out a couple of tunes between sets. I don't really like to play in front of people as it is. I'm just a Hack Piper and would rather play for my own enjoyment.
Still I took the long way home tonight. and got in about 1/4 till 11 at night. Its now 11:44/23;44 PM as I type this out ant if it seems some what disjointed i can only blame it on being Tipsy. A nice glow but not quite a full bore drunk either. Still this week I need to practice sobriety for a few days and rest my liver. Not that I drink till I'm drunk. I've just been drinking beer too much lately and need to refrain for a bit.
Ah by the way did I mention that in addition to the B17 I saw earlier this week I also saw what I think was a B25 mitchell bomber as well on Wednesday? Someday when I see such a sight again I'll have my camera with me so that I may document it. Well regardless it was different seeing those old War Birds earlier this week.
Monday I may do a 10 mile run and make Tuesday my rest & recovery day. The reasoning behind that is due to Bagpipe practice on tuesday mornings. I seemto do much better if I haven't gone on a run before going to practice. Well that covers some of the stuff for now. There is more but its late and I need to sleep soon as well.
So good night everyone and have a safe upcoming week.
Q
Thursday was a slow easy day spent goofing on this computer, grocery shopping at the West Point comissary and maybe a run to the Rite Aid Pharmacy.
Actually i used my bicycle to go to the Commissary , for all that i purchased the basket on the handlebars was sufficent to carry. Yet, I've a couple of bags i can attach to carry a larder load. They shall be useful yet.
Friday, the 5th; Ran 20 miles in the morning anddid much better than the first time I ran that same distance. I didn't expend all my energy on the distance and completed the run in 4 hours, 2 minutes and 13 seconds. Whereas the last time which was the first time I ran 20 miles I collapsed from exhaustion this time I did not. Still I did a few things differently too. I ate a light breakfast before going out and started at 03:40 in the Morning. My first 20 mile effort, I started near 06:00 and finished 3 hoursand 51 minutes later when the Sun was high and the heat was climbing.
So all in all Friday the 5th was a good day. Also in the evening I headed to the Southgate to have a few pints of beer. A couple of reasons for that but the fact I wanted to social ize and have a few beers will suffice. Although there was another compelling reason to leave the apartment as well. I'm not fond of Opera.
Saturday, ran a slow 3 miles around the track, the heat and humidity prior to tropical Storm Hanna was rough. Still I looked as though I had gone swimming when done. 70 degrees, 76% relative humidity and doing so at 07:00 in the morning doesn't make a pleasurable run. I actually ran the air conditioner to dehumidify the apartment on saturday morning and again on Saturday night so I could sleep.
Still Saturday wasn't all running and relaxation. I had also gone to my younger brother's place and mucked about a bit on his jeeep. He's also got a nice garden going and its starting to produce a nice assortment of vegetables too.
Sunday the 7th. Ran 3 miles in the Am and then went to the Charles Ives Center in Danbury CT. for a days' recreation. The danbury AOH had put on their annual Irish fest this weekend from the 5th through the 7th. and I had a nice time there. sat in at the session tent played one tune badly on the pipes and then did an ok job with another tune. After that I just used the practice chanter to didle out a couple of tunes between sets. I don't really like to play in front of people as it is. I'm just a Hack Piper and would rather play for my own enjoyment.
Still I took the long way home tonight. and got in about 1/4 till 11 at night. Its now 11:44/23;44 PM as I type this out ant if it seems some what disjointed i can only blame it on being Tipsy. A nice glow but not quite a full bore drunk either. Still this week I need to practice sobriety for a few days and rest my liver. Not that I drink till I'm drunk. I've just been drinking beer too much lately and need to refrain for a bit.
Ah by the way did I mention that in addition to the B17 I saw earlier this week I also saw what I think was a B25 mitchell bomber as well on Wednesday? Someday when I see such a sight again I'll have my camera with me so that I may document it. Well regardless it was different seeing those old War Birds earlier this week.
Monday I may do a 10 mile run and make Tuesday my rest & recovery day. The reasoning behind that is due to Bagpipe practice on tuesday mornings. I seemto do much better if I haven't gone on a run before going to practice. Well that covers some of the stuff for now. There is more but its late and I need to sleep soon as well.
So good night everyone and have a safe upcoming week.
Q
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Tuesday's Travels and Wednesday's Walkabout.
Well that seems to be as good a title for this installment as any other I could conjure up. And as I go on some what accurate too.
Tuesday is a travel day for me, if only to the next city south and across the river and back. That is due to it being my normal day to practice Bagpiping with my instructor, Joe Brady Sr. He's good people with patience and tolerance for mangling of music. Well back to traveling, normally it takes about 30 minutes to get to Joes home from mine. Not that day, due to Monday having been a holiday there was more traffic than usual for a tuesday morning. Still I left home earlier than what I would normally and it still took me 50+ minutes to about 12 miles. Not a way to enjoyably start the day.
Well pipe practice is uneventful, I also am now the owner of a frame drum commonly called a Bodhran (pronounced; Bor'on rhymes with moron) so drumming practice has been added to my arsenal of annoying things to do.
After piping and drumming practice I'm off (yeah yeah I know the old line, "in more ways than one") to Danbury Connecticut; to my old Army Reserve Unit. Monthly lunch with the foggies. Well that and to deliver some items. Back in the 1990's While living in Pennsylvania I had decorated my living room with both a U.S. and Army Flag complet on flag staffs, golden fringe trim and spear point finals. Well since I'm dwelling in a small apartment and have a smaller duplicate set sized to my current space I didn't need such a large set and so donated them to the Reserve Unit for their use.
After that it was back over towards Brewster, NY just about a mile in from the CT. border to J&B's Bar-B-Que. Located on U.S.6 its pretty decent. Hey from me decent is high praise when describing food. Especially after years of Combatant Cuisine and Bachelor Chow.
Next stop on the day's agenda, back home to Highland Falls. Take the bike to the welder, and back home other jobs had come up of higher importance, meaning more income for the welder. Not a problem and back home I go.
Since I hadn't run in the morning, now it was time to run. Still 80 degrees farenheit at 17:00 (5PM) and do 5.51 miles from home up around the back corral at Morgan Farm down to Main st. to Thayer gate and back home. time for that run 58min, 54 sec. and after showering and putting away my goodies the day was fairly done.
Still, I did see one thing on Wednesday very few people will ever see in their lives. A true relic of America, something which defines how we came to be and very few are left in the world in working order. I saw a World War Two War Bird; A B17 Flying Fortess in flight south bound over the Hudson valley. I saw it fleetingly a few moments really but long enough to know the shape and outline of a regal piece of human operated history.
Wednesday's Walkabout; Some days I need to do something different to change how the week progresses and my view of the local world. Today was one of those days. I slept later than normal only because I can, that and I was also considering making a rest day before my next attempt at another 20 mile run. Gack.
Needless to say I didn't rest. Oh I goofed off and burned the morning but I also went for a walk-about. Over the course of 4 hours I felt as if I had covered 10 to 12miles. Wrong, only 8 and a half miles. starting at 11:00 I started walking. Up Morgan farm road to Fire break 8. Walked to the top of 8 and down the otherside to Fire Break 1. Turned left on 1 and walked to Mine Torn Road. Turned left on Mine Torn rd and down to Ft Montgomery. Got to U.S. 9W crossed the road turned, thats right left, back towards Old State Rd. Turned right, I can't always go left, on Old State rd and followed to Rt 218/Main st where I turned left the final time before my last right and home.
Aside from the wretched heat of an early September day the views of the Hudson valley were rather nice. Also the hollow where Stilwell Lake and Mine Torn road runs down through. and looking up at the Torn & Bear Mountain. photos of which should be found in my first installments of the Blog.
Now you'd think in the middle of the day you wouldn't see large animals in trafficed areas. Well you do, and deer are every where. But today I saw Bambi's dumber cousin, you know the type, the one all the other deer probably refer to as Road Kill Bill.
I honestly can say I've never seen a deer trip over a guard rail and fall down a hill before today. Today I saw that and heard the guard rail ring like a badly crafted bell. That made me laugh out loud and spook the other dear which faired much better.
Now my final bit for the day and I'll close the Blog and go to bed. Ran the same course today as I did yesterday; and even with all the walking I did earlier today, my time was consistent with yesteday's run. just one second faster.Still 14.11 miles of movement today was enough and now dinner is done, i'm done and its off to bed I totter.
Good night all.
Q
Tuesday is a travel day for me, if only to the next city south and across the river and back. That is due to it being my normal day to practice Bagpiping with my instructor, Joe Brady Sr. He's good people with patience and tolerance for mangling of music. Well back to traveling, normally it takes about 30 minutes to get to Joes home from mine. Not that day, due to Monday having been a holiday there was more traffic than usual for a tuesday morning. Still I left home earlier than what I would normally and it still took me 50+ minutes to about 12 miles. Not a way to enjoyably start the day.
Well pipe practice is uneventful, I also am now the owner of a frame drum commonly called a Bodhran (pronounced; Bor'on rhymes with moron) so drumming practice has been added to my arsenal of annoying things to do.
After piping and drumming practice I'm off (yeah yeah I know the old line, "in more ways than one") to Danbury Connecticut; to my old Army Reserve Unit. Monthly lunch with the foggies. Well that and to deliver some items. Back in the 1990's While living in Pennsylvania I had decorated my living room with both a U.S. and Army Flag complet on flag staffs, golden fringe trim and spear point finals. Well since I'm dwelling in a small apartment and have a smaller duplicate set sized to my current space I didn't need such a large set and so donated them to the Reserve Unit for their use.
After that it was back over towards Brewster, NY just about a mile in from the CT. border to J&B's Bar-B-Que. Located on U.S.6 its pretty decent. Hey from me decent is high praise when describing food. Especially after years of Combatant Cuisine and Bachelor Chow.
Next stop on the day's agenda, back home to Highland Falls. Take the bike to the welder, and back home other jobs had come up of higher importance, meaning more income for the welder. Not a problem and back home I go.
Since I hadn't run in the morning, now it was time to run. Still 80 degrees farenheit at 17:00 (5PM) and do 5.51 miles from home up around the back corral at Morgan Farm down to Main st. to Thayer gate and back home. time for that run 58min, 54 sec. and after showering and putting away my goodies the day was fairly done.
Still, I did see one thing on Wednesday very few people will ever see in their lives. A true relic of America, something which defines how we came to be and very few are left in the world in working order. I saw a World War Two War Bird; A B17 Flying Fortess in flight south bound over the Hudson valley. I saw it fleetingly a few moments really but long enough to know the shape and outline of a regal piece of human operated history.
Wednesday's Walkabout; Some days I need to do something different to change how the week progresses and my view of the local world. Today was one of those days. I slept later than normal only because I can, that and I was also considering making a rest day before my next attempt at another 20 mile run. Gack.
Needless to say I didn't rest. Oh I goofed off and burned the morning but I also went for a walk-about. Over the course of 4 hours I felt as if I had covered 10 to 12miles. Wrong, only 8 and a half miles. starting at 11:00 I started walking. Up Morgan farm road to Fire break 8. Walked to the top of 8 and down the otherside to Fire Break 1. Turned left on 1 and walked to Mine Torn Road. Turned left on Mine Torn rd and down to Ft Montgomery. Got to U.S. 9W crossed the road turned, thats right left, back towards Old State Rd. Turned right, I can't always go left, on Old State rd and followed to Rt 218/Main st where I turned left the final time before my last right and home.
Aside from the wretched heat of an early September day the views of the Hudson valley were rather nice. Also the hollow where Stilwell Lake and Mine Torn road runs down through. and looking up at the Torn & Bear Mountain. photos of which should be found in my first installments of the Blog.
Now you'd think in the middle of the day you wouldn't see large animals in trafficed areas. Well you do, and deer are every where. But today I saw Bambi's dumber cousin, you know the type, the one all the other deer probably refer to as Road Kill Bill.
I honestly can say I've never seen a deer trip over a guard rail and fall down a hill before today. Today I saw that and heard the guard rail ring like a badly crafted bell. That made me laugh out loud and spook the other dear which faired much better.
Now my final bit for the day and I'll close the Blog and go to bed. Ran the same course today as I did yesterday; and even with all the walking I did earlier today, my time was consistent with yesteday's run. just one second faster.Still 14.11 miles of movement today was enough and now dinner is done, i'm done and its off to bed I totter.
Good night all.
Q
Monday, September 1, 2008
Labor Day, Sept First.
Well, I haven't been here since Friday, Augut 29th, so I guess some fill in is in order.
Still running and preparing for the Marine Corps Marathon. Some days I feel like the prep work is all consuming although I know it isn't. Still that more that not seems to be a focal point of what I've been doing, and I know I'm more than that.
Friday night was the West Point Home opener for Foot Ball Season. I stopped at a local watering hole and saw a person I've know for years but again doesn't live locally and stopped & chatted him and his significant other up. I had been out just screwing around and walked in wearing one of my Kilts. Funny the reaction I get sometimes when people realize I'm wearing basicly a man's skirt. Still I had my bagpipes out in the van and those where what I was screwing around with.
Saturday, became a rest day and I did not run a lick. Went up to Popolopen Lake though and practiced my bagpiping for a while befor heading to a local watering hole for a few more beers and then heading home for the night.
Sunday, was a good morning to run and I did 7 miles. Later on Sunday I took the motorcycle out for a joyride and ended up in Cold Spring, NY followed by a run down to Garrison. Garrison was nice in that I reconnected with a few guys from Guinnan's Pub/Store even though now its only a foot note in the history of the area. Quiet Bill turned 49 and there was a small B day party for hime. I already had my beer limit for the day but did allow myself a single glass of champagnie. Bill, Tony Y and Niel were there , one of the things we also did that evening was manhand Neil's boat into a slip, as he came in at low tide and didn't have clearance to enter his usual slip. So all said and done a good evening.
Today, Labor Day, 1 Sept, 2008. I started with a 12 mile run from home along main st to Thayer Gate, through West Point out Washington Gate up to the Golf Course entrance and returned along the same route. Later in the morning I again donned my Kilt and headed down to Tuxedo NY for the Ren fair again. Although it was a rather warm day it wasn't overly offensive. But still the heat did get to me and I and my older brother departed the grounds about 5:30 PM (17:30 hrs).
While at the Ren Faire We took in a few different shows, The Dexter Tripp Thrill show, The gentleman who performs juggles a chain saw, that does have a functional cutting chain and it runs while he's juggling it. Plays with Fire and performs on the Slack Rope, similar in concept to a tight rope but different. Also watch a trio perform blowing Fire balls, a couple of musical acts and a small troupe of actors making a mockery of the Ren Faire and them selves. All & all a pleasant experience.
Well that should pretty much cover the fun stuff. The less than fun well, what can I say. My Mother and father live on the Gulf Coast and watching the forecasted track of Hurricane Gustav a prudent person would consider adjusting appointments and evacuation. Well My Father is stubborn enough to make me seem like the most pliable person on the planet. He wasn't leaving this time as he's got a Doctor's appointment on tuesday the 2nd of Sept. Not that he would make a phone call to the office to see if the Doctor and Staff are making emergency preparations and plans. Well I'll give em a call in a little bit and check up upon them but hopefully they'll just get the rains and no severe winds. A telephone call to them will be in order shortly and I find out how they are making out.
Thats pretty much it for now, I hope everone has had a safe and easy labor Day weekend. No traumas and dramas; Still have a easy night and safe week.
Q
Still running and preparing for the Marine Corps Marathon. Some days I feel like the prep work is all consuming although I know it isn't. Still that more that not seems to be a focal point of what I've been doing, and I know I'm more than that.
Friday night was the West Point Home opener for Foot Ball Season. I stopped at a local watering hole and saw a person I've know for years but again doesn't live locally and stopped & chatted him and his significant other up. I had been out just screwing around and walked in wearing one of my Kilts. Funny the reaction I get sometimes when people realize I'm wearing basicly a man's skirt. Still I had my bagpipes out in the van and those where what I was screwing around with.
Saturday, became a rest day and I did not run a lick. Went up to Popolopen Lake though and practiced my bagpiping for a while befor heading to a local watering hole for a few more beers and then heading home for the night.
Sunday, was a good morning to run and I did 7 miles. Later on Sunday I took the motorcycle out for a joyride and ended up in Cold Spring, NY followed by a run down to Garrison. Garrison was nice in that I reconnected with a few guys from Guinnan's Pub/Store even though now its only a foot note in the history of the area. Quiet Bill turned 49 and there was a small B day party for hime. I already had my beer limit for the day but did allow myself a single glass of champagnie. Bill, Tony Y and Niel were there , one of the things we also did that evening was manhand Neil's boat into a slip, as he came in at low tide and didn't have clearance to enter his usual slip. So all said and done a good evening.
Today, Labor Day, 1 Sept, 2008. I started with a 12 mile run from home along main st to Thayer Gate, through West Point out Washington Gate up to the Golf Course entrance and returned along the same route. Later in the morning I again donned my Kilt and headed down to Tuxedo NY for the Ren fair again. Although it was a rather warm day it wasn't overly offensive. But still the heat did get to me and I and my older brother departed the grounds about 5:30 PM (17:30 hrs).
While at the Ren Faire We took in a few different shows, The Dexter Tripp Thrill show, The gentleman who performs juggles a chain saw, that does have a functional cutting chain and it runs while he's juggling it. Plays with Fire and performs on the Slack Rope, similar in concept to a tight rope but different. Also watch a trio perform blowing Fire balls, a couple of musical acts and a small troupe of actors making a mockery of the Ren Faire and them selves. All & all a pleasant experience.
Well that should pretty much cover the fun stuff. The less than fun well, what can I say. My Mother and father live on the Gulf Coast and watching the forecasted track of Hurricane Gustav a prudent person would consider adjusting appointments and evacuation. Well My Father is stubborn enough to make me seem like the most pliable person on the planet. He wasn't leaving this time as he's got a Doctor's appointment on tuesday the 2nd of Sept. Not that he would make a phone call to the office to see if the Doctor and Staff are making emergency preparations and plans. Well I'll give em a call in a little bit and check up upon them but hopefully they'll just get the rains and no severe winds. A telephone call to them will be in order shortly and I find out how they are making out.
Thats pretty much it for now, I hope everone has had a safe and easy labor Day weekend. No traumas and dramas; Still have a easy night and safe week.
Q
Friday, August 29, 2008
Friday
Already its Friday, I find it surpising sometimes how fast the weeks can progress. The next 8 weeks before heading to Washington DC will probably blur by at this rate.
Well, I've done some new things this week. Yeah I can still do some things I've never done before. I broke down and purchased a MP3 Player yesterday and have already loaded close to 80 songs onto it from my CD collection. Use it today while I ran and while the ear buds are ok they aren't my choice for listening and I'll probably get something different.
Hmmmm, last update was Wednesday; OK Thursday, I did a 10.23 mile run that took me over the top of the hill behind Picturesque West Point down to the Hudson River and back home. Total elevation change was 781 feet and completed that run in 1 hour, 51 minutes and 36 seconds. Considering the elevation changes I'd say its an pretty good time frame for a 50 yearold person with wobbly knees.
Then yesterday afternoon I took the motorcycle out for a easy ride. Why, because I wanted to, not because I had to. Still it was nice to watch the scenery go by. I also stopped at the Cadet Book Store on Campus and purchased the inexpensive MP3 player, 2 Gig of storage space will hold more music than I'll listen to for any single spand of time. The hard part was deciding what to load onto it first. Well theres a couple of hours worth of Celtic Music.
Also This weekend I'm overseeing 3 small dogs. They aren't a nuisance and are really low maintenance. Give em some water, give em food, let the out and hopefully they take care of business out in the yard. The sad thing about the three is that they would rather be indoors. Well so much for the smaller and toy breeds. Yip yip yip.
Today; Friday, woke up later than usual. Not a problem as there was a light rain over night and the roads were still wet, not my favorite condition to run in or surface to run upon. So I let the dogs out for a bit and had breakfast without running first, a true rarity. Well the dogs displayed their boredom with the greatoutdoors and waited patiently at the door so they could get back inside. Ok they done for the morning and in they go.
11:30 rolls up the temperature is agreeable, its time to run today. So where do I go, what do I do? I've got it a different run from my normal routes. So up towards Morgan Farm I go, only this time I don't turn at the back corral. I head up along the old fire break which runs north & south and comes out on 9W near the Pointer Echo Motel. Now where I live the road out front is at 177 feet above sea level the course out is sort of steep and I climb to 587 feet in the first 1&3/4 miles. A gain of 410 feet but half of that is on loose stone & gravel, drop down to 452 feet before climbing to 527 feet then its down hill to 9w at 375 feet. From the 375 foot elevation on 9W I head north to the junction of 9W/Stoney Lonesome Rd/Mountain Ave which provides me a elevation 488 feet before I head down hill into the village and home. My lowest elevation is at 163 feet above sea level.
Ok so I'm doing hills today, big deal; well for me it is, as I went 5.1 miles in 52 minutes and change on those hills. Some thing different indeed.
Well, after I got home, washed and dressed, I let the 3 dogs out again. I've never seen 3 animals so intent on staying indoors. Well I'll feed them a little later chase em out for a while and then secure em for the night.
That about covers it for today. a little practice with the bagpipes in a while maybe some drumming on the Bodhran and who knows what the night will bring.
If I don't return before Tuesday and update this, let me wish everyone a safe and easy Labor Day Weekend. Throw out a GO ARMY, for the Cadet's first football game of the season at Home tonight. And a heart felt thank you to all those who've made donations to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through the Team In Training Program.
Have a safe weekend everyone.
Q
Well, I've done some new things this week. Yeah I can still do some things I've never done before. I broke down and purchased a MP3 Player yesterday and have already loaded close to 80 songs onto it from my CD collection. Use it today while I ran and while the ear buds are ok they aren't my choice for listening and I'll probably get something different.
Hmmmm, last update was Wednesday; OK Thursday, I did a 10.23 mile run that took me over the top of the hill behind Picturesque West Point down to the Hudson River and back home. Total elevation change was 781 feet and completed that run in 1 hour, 51 minutes and 36 seconds. Considering the elevation changes I'd say its an pretty good time frame for a 50 yearold person with wobbly knees.
Then yesterday afternoon I took the motorcycle out for a easy ride. Why, because I wanted to, not because I had to. Still it was nice to watch the scenery go by. I also stopped at the Cadet Book Store on Campus and purchased the inexpensive MP3 player, 2 Gig of storage space will hold more music than I'll listen to for any single spand of time. The hard part was deciding what to load onto it first. Well theres a couple of hours worth of Celtic Music.
Also This weekend I'm overseeing 3 small dogs. They aren't a nuisance and are really low maintenance. Give em some water, give em food, let the out and hopefully they take care of business out in the yard. The sad thing about the three is that they would rather be indoors. Well so much for the smaller and toy breeds. Yip yip yip.
Today; Friday, woke up later than usual. Not a problem as there was a light rain over night and the roads were still wet, not my favorite condition to run in or surface to run upon. So I let the dogs out for a bit and had breakfast without running first, a true rarity. Well the dogs displayed their boredom with the greatoutdoors and waited patiently at the door so they could get back inside. Ok they done for the morning and in they go.
11:30 rolls up the temperature is agreeable, its time to run today. So where do I go, what do I do? I've got it a different run from my normal routes. So up towards Morgan Farm I go, only this time I don't turn at the back corral. I head up along the old fire break which runs north & south and comes out on 9W near the Pointer Echo Motel. Now where I live the road out front is at 177 feet above sea level the course out is sort of steep and I climb to 587 feet in the first 1&3/4 miles. A gain of 410 feet but half of that is on loose stone & gravel, drop down to 452 feet before climbing to 527 feet then its down hill to 9w at 375 feet. From the 375 foot elevation on 9W I head north to the junction of 9W/Stoney Lonesome Rd/Mountain Ave which provides me a elevation 488 feet before I head down hill into the village and home. My lowest elevation is at 163 feet above sea level.
Ok so I'm doing hills today, big deal; well for me it is, as I went 5.1 miles in 52 minutes and change on those hills. Some thing different indeed.
Well, after I got home, washed and dressed, I let the 3 dogs out again. I've never seen 3 animals so intent on staying indoors. Well I'll feed them a little later chase em out for a while and then secure em for the night.
That about covers it for today. a little practice with the bagpipes in a while maybe some drumming on the Bodhran and who knows what the night will bring.
If I don't return before Tuesday and update this, let me wish everyone a safe and easy Labor Day Weekend. Throw out a GO ARMY, for the Cadet's first football game of the season at Home tonight. And a heart felt thank you to all those who've made donations to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through the Team In Training Program.
Have a safe weekend everyone.
Q
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Wednesday's wanderings
An early installment today as I've been up for a few hours.
Yesterday, Tuesday Auguast 26th, I took a day off from running in order to let the body recover some what from monday's exertions. Still I went to my normal bagpipe practice at 9AM in Peekskill, then over to Brewster NY and said hello to a few folks over there before returning home. Well I needed exercise but didn't want to run so I went for a walk, about 6 & 1/2 miles but walked non the less. I actually felt good after the walk but by 9PM it had been a eventful day and I headed to bed.
Today; woke at 3AM!? What, why? Oh its just my body saying I've had enough sleep and it was time to move again. Well I held off going out to run till 5AM and held myself to 3.3 miles. Finished that in just under 30 minutes, I felt like it was a fast pace but didn't consider it as being that quick for what would normally be an easy run. Still the 55 degree temperature this morning probably was helpful for that as well.
OK that pretty much covers up to the moment and today I've no clue about what I'll do next. Maybe take the yappy toy breed dog down to the chinese restaurant as an hors d'oeuvre for some one, or give it a dose of Alum.
Have a good day every one.
Q
Yesterday, Tuesday Auguast 26th, I took a day off from running in order to let the body recover some what from monday's exertions. Still I went to my normal bagpipe practice at 9AM in Peekskill, then over to Brewster NY and said hello to a few folks over there before returning home. Well I needed exercise but didn't want to run so I went for a walk, about 6 & 1/2 miles but walked non the less. I actually felt good after the walk but by 9PM it had been a eventful day and I headed to bed.
Today; woke at 3AM!? What, why? Oh its just my body saying I've had enough sleep and it was time to move again. Well I held off going out to run till 5AM and held myself to 3.3 miles. Finished that in just under 30 minutes, I felt like it was a fast pace but didn't consider it as being that quick for what would normally be an easy run. Still the 55 degree temperature this morning probably was helpful for that as well.
OK that pretty much covers up to the moment and today I've no clue about what I'll do next. Maybe take the yappy toy breed dog down to the chinese restaurant as an hors d'oeuvre for some one, or give it a dose of Alum.
Have a good day every one.
Q
Monday, August 25, 2008
Monday Madness, or my 20 mile run.
Well I ran 20 miles this morning in preparation for the Marine Corps Marathon on the 26th of October, That race is only 8 weeks and 6 days away now. Its really difficult to fathom how much prep work I've been putting into the running and the drastic changes in my body over these few months since I seriously started training in May.
My old suits hang loosely from my shoulders, I mean you could almost put an extra person in my old clothes with me. Even my old Class A Army uniform is too big to wear now. I'm getting Large T-Shirts to wear as the extra large ones are now too loose for comfort. I'm wear pants with a 36 inch waist and have room in the waist. The physical differences are overwhelming. I still have a slight stomach, but nothing that overlaps the belt line like before. Still I'm looking forward to the Marathon itself and the finish. So I can relax some of what I've been doing.
Today after completing the 20 mile run I was so physically depleted of energy I had to sit down in the shower. After that I laid down upon my bed and even though I didn't feel like I was asleep an hour went by before I could comfortly move myself. What started as a lark, has become serious and I've a better understanding of what the world class atheletes go through for training. Even on the run today it was more tenacity than anything else which helped me to finish. I don't really understand where that mental toughness came from. Still it was a dogged determination to see todays run through to the end. Regardless of the discomfort I felt.
As for the run itself; I'll try to describe the course. From the driveway of where I live, I turn righ and head towards Main St/Rt218 go down a gradual incline and turn left onto Main St. I follow Main St almost 1/2 half mile with its slight down and up grade nothing of note. Turn Left onto a residential road which starts my uphill climb this route takes me through the southern part of the village of Highland Falls and around the pond at Roe Park. When I get to the far corner of Roe Park the climb becomes distinctly more challenging as its a rather steep pitch uphill to Mearns Ave. Think of a roof with a steep but still walkable pitch. Then on to Mearns, it is a fairly continuous uphill grade but not too onerous and almost flattens out just before I turn left onto Mountain Ave and go uphill some more. At the top of Mountain Ave where it intersects with Stoney Lonesome Road (that goes into West Point) I've covered roughly 2 miles.
From that intersection I have a modest downgrade a slight rise and again a down grade running along us highway 9W to the West Point Golf Course. There I follow the service road around to where I run on NY rt 218 for about 1/10th mile before turning around and heading out NY Rt 293. from the WP Golf course NY Rt 293 is a wide road with very wide shoulders. You could drive 4 tractor trailers side by side on it. Still I've a 1&1/2 mile climb uphill till I reach Fire Station 3 which then allows me to go down hill about 1/2 mile as I run along Long Pond. This too is a slight upgrade but very gradual and not troublesome. then about 1&1/4 miles past the fire station I've a strong down grade whic then delivers me onto a gentle climb again for around 1&1/2 miles to where icrest over a rise the grade has been leading up to and down and up a swall for about 1/2 mile more to where I turn around and start back for home.
So on the return route, I rerun a swall till Istart back down a long gentle grade. At 1&3/4 miles i strat a uphill grind for about 1/3 to almost 1/2 mile then its a gentle down slope to about 1/2 mile before the firestation. Then again a hard climb. When I reach the fire station this second time, I've covered 13&1/2 miles. Generally by this point I need to replenish the water and Gatorade mix I carry in a pack on my back.
So the Fire Station is convient to that end. The water pack hold 2 litres/70 ounces of fluid or just over 1/2 gallon. So for the first 13 miles I usually am OK with water and the drink mix. But I need to replensih it and fill the bladder if I'll be going further. From Fire Station 3 i've a 1&1/2 mile down hill run till I am again on Rt218. From there to Washington Gate on West Point it is mostly flat and a gentle down hill to the Guard Post. From the Guard Post to the fire Station it is gain a strong down hill grade and then the route pretty much flattens out through the central area of West Point. Then it is slow gradual climbs and descents back to home.
From Start to finish I took 4 hours and 14 seconds overall to finish 20 miles. I can subtract 7 minutes and 28 seconds from that for a more accurate time as it took me that long at the fire station to replenish my water carrier. So in honesty I can say I did 20 miles in 3 hour 52 minutes and 22 seconds. Under 4 hours.
So there is a description of my run today. And hopefully you can understand why I had to lay down before noon time today. So with even consuming just over a full gallon of water (at nearly 8 pounds a gallon) I lost 6 pounds of weight. Also saying that I sweat profusely, would be an understatement; for when I am done every item od clothing to even include my running shoes can be wrung out before being put into the wash or laidout to dry.
So there you have it, not a untypical run. The description pretty much cover a few various routes I run and have tied together into a longer course. So if some days my writing doesn't seem too coherrent, maybe its because I'm still recovering from a epic run.
Still this is a longer post for myself and hopefully provides some understanding of the running still without pictures, all you've got is your imagination unless you know the area. So go ahead and use Google Earth and look at West Point and the region. You may be surpised.
Have a good day everone.
Q
My old suits hang loosely from my shoulders, I mean you could almost put an extra person in my old clothes with me. Even my old Class A Army uniform is too big to wear now. I'm getting Large T-Shirts to wear as the extra large ones are now too loose for comfort. I'm wear pants with a 36 inch waist and have room in the waist. The physical differences are overwhelming. I still have a slight stomach, but nothing that overlaps the belt line like before. Still I'm looking forward to the Marathon itself and the finish. So I can relax some of what I've been doing.
Today after completing the 20 mile run I was so physically depleted of energy I had to sit down in the shower. After that I laid down upon my bed and even though I didn't feel like I was asleep an hour went by before I could comfortly move myself. What started as a lark, has become serious and I've a better understanding of what the world class atheletes go through for training. Even on the run today it was more tenacity than anything else which helped me to finish. I don't really understand where that mental toughness came from. Still it was a dogged determination to see todays run through to the end. Regardless of the discomfort I felt.
As for the run itself; I'll try to describe the course. From the driveway of where I live, I turn righ and head towards Main St/Rt218 go down a gradual incline and turn left onto Main St. I follow Main St almost 1/2 half mile with its slight down and up grade nothing of note. Turn Left onto a residential road which starts my uphill climb this route takes me through the southern part of the village of Highland Falls and around the pond at Roe Park. When I get to the far corner of Roe Park the climb becomes distinctly more challenging as its a rather steep pitch uphill to Mearns Ave. Think of a roof with a steep but still walkable pitch. Then on to Mearns, it is a fairly continuous uphill grade but not too onerous and almost flattens out just before I turn left onto Mountain Ave and go uphill some more. At the top of Mountain Ave where it intersects with Stoney Lonesome Road (that goes into West Point) I've covered roughly 2 miles.
From that intersection I have a modest downgrade a slight rise and again a down grade running along us highway 9W to the West Point Golf Course. There I follow the service road around to where I run on NY rt 218 for about 1/10th mile before turning around and heading out NY Rt 293. from the WP Golf course NY Rt 293 is a wide road with very wide shoulders. You could drive 4 tractor trailers side by side on it. Still I've a 1&1/2 mile climb uphill till I reach Fire Station 3 which then allows me to go down hill about 1/2 mile as I run along Long Pond. This too is a slight upgrade but very gradual and not troublesome. then about 1&1/4 miles past the fire station I've a strong down grade whic then delivers me onto a gentle climb again for around 1&1/2 miles to where icrest over a rise the grade has been leading up to and down and up a swall for about 1/2 mile more to where I turn around and start back for home.
So on the return route, I rerun a swall till Istart back down a long gentle grade. At 1&3/4 miles i strat a uphill grind for about 1/3 to almost 1/2 mile then its a gentle down slope to about 1/2 mile before the firestation. Then again a hard climb. When I reach the fire station this second time, I've covered 13&1/2 miles. Generally by this point I need to replenish the water and Gatorade mix I carry in a pack on my back.
So the Fire Station is convient to that end. The water pack hold 2 litres/70 ounces of fluid or just over 1/2 gallon. So for the first 13 miles I usually am OK with water and the drink mix. But I need to replensih it and fill the bladder if I'll be going further. From Fire Station 3 i've a 1&1/2 mile down hill run till I am again on Rt218. From there to Washington Gate on West Point it is mostly flat and a gentle down hill to the Guard Post. From the Guard Post to the fire Station it is gain a strong down hill grade and then the route pretty much flattens out through the central area of West Point. Then it is slow gradual climbs and descents back to home.
From Start to finish I took 4 hours and 14 seconds overall to finish 20 miles. I can subtract 7 minutes and 28 seconds from that for a more accurate time as it took me that long at the fire station to replenish my water carrier. So in honesty I can say I did 20 miles in 3 hour 52 minutes and 22 seconds. Under 4 hours.
So there is a description of my run today. And hopefully you can understand why I had to lay down before noon time today. So with even consuming just over a full gallon of water (at nearly 8 pounds a gallon) I lost 6 pounds of weight. Also saying that I sweat profusely, would be an understatement; for when I am done every item od clothing to even include my running shoes can be wrung out before being put into the wash or laidout to dry.
So there you have it, not a untypical run. The description pretty much cover a few various routes I run and have tied together into a longer course. So if some days my writing doesn't seem too coherrent, maybe its because I'm still recovering from a epic run.
Still this is a longer post for myself and hopefully provides some understanding of the running still without pictures, all you've got is your imagination unless you know the area. So go ahead and use Google Earth and look at West Point and the region. You may be surpised.
Have a good day everone.
Q
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Sunday's post race report.
Image from after the Saturday, 23 Aug, 2008 5K race in New Windsor, NYYes, did another race this morning. This was a cross country race on and around the grounds of the Monroe-Woodbury High School. I arrived early and signed in getting race number 374 assigned to me. The race began at 09:00 and we did a series of loops which took us by the upper school building out to the back building down a modest hill and into a residential are were we began an uphill grind before going back down hill towards Rt 32 and back into the school grounds.
This time I finished 7th in my Age group and came out 85th in a field of 156 runners with a recorded time of 25 minutes and 47 seconds or nearly 8 minutes and 18 seconds a mile. Still I used this run more as a training and recreational run than anything else. If the competition was to be truely meaningful, I would of been placed in a weight and age comparitive class. You don't find too many fast runners over 200 pounds or if you prefer an archaic weight measurement 15 stone or close to 98 kilograms for you metric fanatics.
Well thats all for now, I've got places to go and people to annoy yet today.
Cheers all!
Q
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Saturday, post race report.
Well all in all I did pretty good this morning with a small local 5 K race. Finished in just over 25 minutes and placed 1st in my age group (50-59). Not a bad course the hill was deceptive but not bad over all and had a strong finish. Yes, I'd do it again. Even the weather and conditions were nice, about 70 degrees at the start, warm but not overly so for 8:30 in the morning and a fair amount of shade for much of the course. Only one section had us running towards the rising sun but that was quickly gotten through and even though we ran on local roads traffic was sparse and gave us plenty of room.
The winning time was just about 20 minutes and while there weren't any elite runners we had some strong local runners who did very well. The field in the race could be a little larger, but the character of the race being small and inviting makes it very appealing for the novice and beginner.
So I might as well give it a plug now as its all I've written about in this chapter of the blog.
Name: Masonic 5K.
Where: New Windsor, NY. Starting and finishing at Angelina's Restuarant & Bar.
Sponsors: Angelina's; Runner's World; The deli Bagel; Mesh Reality Group;
Sunglow Painting & Home Renovation, Inc; Cracolici's Pizzeria & Restaurant;
The Country's Best Resumes; Meadowbrook lodge, Inc; Awning FX, Inc; Levine's Garage;
and Immaculate_Designs.
Thanks to Dan E, and all those involved. It takes time work and effort to make any event work and I think you folks are off to a good start.
Q
The winning time was just about 20 minutes and while there weren't any elite runners we had some strong local runners who did very well. The field in the race could be a little larger, but the character of the race being small and inviting makes it very appealing for the novice and beginner.
So I might as well give it a plug now as its all I've written about in this chapter of the blog.
Name: Masonic 5K.
Where: New Windsor, NY. Starting and finishing at Angelina's Restuarant & Bar.
Sponsors: Angelina's; Runner's World; The deli Bagel; Mesh Reality Group;
Sunglow Painting & Home Renovation, Inc; Cracolici's Pizzeria & Restaurant;
The Country's Best Resumes; Meadowbrook lodge, Inc; Awning FX, Inc; Levine's Garage;
and Immaculate_Designs.
Thanks to Dan E, and all those involved. It takes time work and effort to make any event work and I think you folks are off to a good start.
Q
Saturday morning, going to a small race.
Yes, its Saturday morning and I'm headed to a small local race for training purposes. Somethings are fun to take part in and a small local race that will raise funds for a charity usually rate up there. Not going out to win the race just to run well and finish.
Every day, I beat the worms to the feast, its a great day; and any day I can experience the fun aspects of life is a pleasant day.
Also, Good Morning and Hello to Orange Cat. Um both of us have done some thing a moderators at another site didn't agree with, But hang in there. theres more to life.
Gotta run, I'll be back to post comments covering the days since Wednesday.
Every day, I beat the worms to the feast, its a great day; and any day I can experience the fun aspects of life is a pleasant day.
Also, Good Morning and Hello to Orange Cat. Um both of us have done some thing a moderators at another site didn't agree with, But hang in there. theres more to life.
Gotta run, I'll be back to post comments covering the days since Wednesday.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Wednesday rundown
Ok today started quite early by waking at 3:30 AM, had no reason to just did. Still its was one of the more comfortable mornings in a long tim with temps in the mid 50 degree range when I went out for a run. Some days I plan my days and runs some days I don't; today I didn't and I did 13 miles fairly comfortably in 2 hours and 21 minutes. Not bad after taking two days off from running. Although I did walk my brother's dogs for 2 miles before I left his place on Monday Morning.
Now how best to describe the area I run in for the most part?
The Lower Hudson Valley between Storm King Mountain and Bear Mountain is the narrowest part of the region with steep hills and great vistas. Emphasis on hills. You may be able to go 2 miles along the roads here with out a significant elevation change. But to depart from the area you will absolutely have to ascend or descent some strong grades at some point. You just cannot escape the hills. So while you may not get the oxygen deficit training runners at altitude in the Rockies get; You most assuredly get a work out on the hills.
Well this morning I started my run from home at 5:00 AM. The first half mile or so reasonably flat when I made my turn onto Satterlee Rd and began my climb. Now I don't do a continuous uphill grind but more like a series of stair steps for the first 1 and 1/4 miles and then a grind uphill for 3/4 miles followed by a gentle down slope to where I made my turn for a continuous 1&1/2 mile uphill grind with no great change in pitch of the road. Reached the top of the hill on Rt 293 by Fire Station 3 and then began my return home via Washington Gate, Central Area, Thayer Gate, and The village Proper of Highland Falls.
Still it was a nice run at the early hour. The Moon was still high in the sky to light my way, the stars could be seen quite plainly even the girdle of the Constellation Orion, aka Orion's Belt. And while its dark at 5:00 AM, its not an oppressive darkness. For as you travel and the scenery changes yo can see the sky towards the east begin to become lighter and then you can distinctly make out the hill tops forming the horizon although the colors still are mottled and dark around you.
Still aside from a few people driving to work at that hour, I've yet to see another runner, even the bicyclists start the day much latter than I do. It wasn't untill I got close to Washington Gate that I saw my first Bicyclist and angain not till I neared the Old PX/Fitness center my first walkers and joggers. By that point I had already covered 8&1/2 miles. At about the 9 mile mark, one of my former co-workers either on his hay to fire Station 2 or to home drove by me and gave me a bit of motivation. Funny but from Dave, being called a old S.O.B. even in jest encouraged me to keep on keeping on.
So that pretty much covers todays' run. Yesterday I had a dental appointment in the AM followed by helping my younger brother clean up around his yard and barn a bit so it was a second day break from running and after seeing my basic time for the 13 miles today, probably a good break from running as well.
Aside from som other issues, not much going on and I'm gonna think about dragging the sailboat over to a local lake today for other relaxation. So everyone take it easy and have a good day. Don't overwork your selves and remember the immortal words of Bobby McFarrin;'Don't Worry, Be Happy.'
Now how best to describe the area I run in for the most part?
The Lower Hudson Valley between Storm King Mountain and Bear Mountain is the narrowest part of the region with steep hills and great vistas. Emphasis on hills. You may be able to go 2 miles along the roads here with out a significant elevation change. But to depart from the area you will absolutely have to ascend or descent some strong grades at some point. You just cannot escape the hills. So while you may not get the oxygen deficit training runners at altitude in the Rockies get; You most assuredly get a work out on the hills.
Well this morning I started my run from home at 5:00 AM. The first half mile or so reasonably flat when I made my turn onto Satterlee Rd and began my climb. Now I don't do a continuous uphill grind but more like a series of stair steps for the first 1 and 1/4 miles and then a grind uphill for 3/4 miles followed by a gentle down slope to where I made my turn for a continuous 1&1/2 mile uphill grind with no great change in pitch of the road. Reached the top of the hill on Rt 293 by Fire Station 3 and then began my return home via Washington Gate, Central Area, Thayer Gate, and The village Proper of Highland Falls.
Still it was a nice run at the early hour. The Moon was still high in the sky to light my way, the stars could be seen quite plainly even the girdle of the Constellation Orion, aka Orion's Belt. And while its dark at 5:00 AM, its not an oppressive darkness. For as you travel and the scenery changes yo can see the sky towards the east begin to become lighter and then you can distinctly make out the hill tops forming the horizon although the colors still are mottled and dark around you.
Still aside from a few people driving to work at that hour, I've yet to see another runner, even the bicyclists start the day much latter than I do. It wasn't untill I got close to Washington Gate that I saw my first Bicyclist and angain not till I neared the Old PX/Fitness center my first walkers and joggers. By that point I had already covered 8&1/2 miles. At about the 9 mile mark, one of my former co-workers either on his hay to fire Station 2 or to home drove by me and gave me a bit of motivation. Funny but from Dave, being called a old S.O.B. even in jest encouraged me to keep on keeping on.
So that pretty much covers todays' run. Yesterday I had a dental appointment in the AM followed by helping my younger brother clean up around his yard and barn a bit so it was a second day break from running and after seeing my basic time for the 13 miles today, probably a good break from running as well.
Aside from som other issues, not much going on and I'm gonna think about dragging the sailboat over to a local lake today for other relaxation. So everyone take it easy and have a good day. Don't overwork your selves and remember the immortal words of Bobby McFarrin;'Don't Worry, Be Happy.'
Monday, August 18, 2008
Ah Home again.
Well it was a long weekend in PA, eventful and uneventful both. The dogs, Moose and Rocky are easier to deal with than some people and better companions too.
Well lets see. Sunday was the Poker Run and it was a good ride. Started in Milford PA, over to NJ up through NY back over to PA and fininshing in Dingmans Ferry/Delaware Township, where I had a home for a few years. For me the ride was uneventful, Ride my own pace and style. For others well there was at least one motorcycle accident that occured with a small goup behind me. I understand the rider was airlifted to the hospital but should recover. Still anything we do in life is not without risk. Its how we manage the risks that make the differences.
Still, It was a scenic and easy ride. One I wouldn't mind repeating in some subtler ways.
Some things I am certain about though after some end of ride festivities. Some bands need professional sound technicians, Volume does not replace quality of music. Karioke DJs should be made to sit infront of their loudest speakers while the volume is cranked up. There are a few places I rarely enter or go without hearing protection. Behind motorcycles with straight pipes and Bars offering karioke night. I'd rather listyen to the stacato effect of an M60 machine gun or whining reving of a chain saw compared to those sounds. Still even then. just give me a beverage and let me go outside. Painfully loud is too loud, and there are other sounds I still enjoy and prefer hearing. Zippy the Pinhead warbling a tune in a volume that can be hear by Ocean Liners in a fog isn't one of em, nor are straight pipes on a V twin engine.
Did some running in PA, and I hate the roads out there as most don't have anything resembling a shoulder. Still I did two 6.6 and one 4.2 mile days. Surpisingly I find the hills there suck worse; Either seemingly endless in grade or steeper than I would like to deal with.
Also spent time walking the mutant puppies. 6 months old and 60+ pounds a piece. Still I think they are happy dogs when I'm there as I'll take for a couple of mile walks and let em play in the water some what. I'll attempt to post pictures of the wee beasties too.
Well lets see. Sunday was the Poker Run and it was a good ride. Started in Milford PA, over to NJ up through NY back over to PA and fininshing in Dingmans Ferry/Delaware Township, where I had a home for a few years. For me the ride was uneventful, Ride my own pace and style. For others well there was at least one motorcycle accident that occured with a small goup behind me. I understand the rider was airlifted to the hospital but should recover. Still anything we do in life is not without risk. Its how we manage the risks that make the differences.
Still, It was a scenic and easy ride. One I wouldn't mind repeating in some subtler ways.
Some things I am certain about though after some end of ride festivities. Some bands need professional sound technicians, Volume does not replace quality of music. Karioke DJs should be made to sit infront of their loudest speakers while the volume is cranked up. There are a few places I rarely enter or go without hearing protection. Behind motorcycles with straight pipes and Bars offering karioke night. I'd rather listyen to the stacato effect of an M60 machine gun or whining reving of a chain saw compared to those sounds. Still even then. just give me a beverage and let me go outside. Painfully loud is too loud, and there are other sounds I still enjoy and prefer hearing. Zippy the Pinhead warbling a tune in a volume that can be hear by Ocean Liners in a fog isn't one of em, nor are straight pipes on a V twin engine.
Did some running in PA, and I hate the roads out there as most don't have anything resembling a shoulder. Still I did two 6.6 and one 4.2 mile days. Surpisingly I find the hills there suck worse; Either seemingly endless in grade or steeper than I would like to deal with.
Also spent time walking the mutant puppies. 6 months old and 60+ pounds a piece. Still I think they are happy dogs when I'm there as I'll take for a couple of mile walks and let em play in the water some what. I'll attempt to post pictures of the wee beasties too.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Good Morning from Pike County.
Started the day early, well earlier than many people by waking up at 3:30 AM. So far today I've run 6.6 miles, fed watered and walked two dogs, took a relaxing hot soak for the legs and annoyed a bunch of folks with computerized mayhem.
Started on my run this morning by walking out to the paved roadway. The one infront of where I'm staying this weekend could be improved by either carpet bombing or a directed fire mission. I won't say the dirt road is cratered, but you migh be able to hid Judge Crater's body in one of the holes, if anyone can ever find his body.
Well the walk brings me past a beaver pond with the early morning chorus of croaking frogs. The skys occasionally lit by a flash of lightening off on the horizon and the stars overhead.
Well once at the main road I set my stop watch and off I go. keeping well to the shoulder of the road as speed limits and safe driving seem to be optional at the begining of the 5th hour of the day. Still I did OK and completer 6.6 miles in 1hour and 10 minutes. Not blazing speed but when visibility is limited and you can't see where your feet are landing its a strong pace.
After the run I changed from my running shoes to an old pair of sneakers and took my brother's two mutant puppies for a walk also lasting nearly an hour. I'd take them on a longer walk but since I'm still covered in sweat after my run and the moring is relatively cool; Its long enough for me, if not the dogs. So they are fed, watered and allowed freedom of the penned yard while I attend to my abulations and breakfast.
So from 3:30 Am till 8:00Am I've probably done and seen things more people may only experience in a theatre, still they are my experiences, the smells, the coolness of the air, the startling of the Police Officer setting out speed monitors in the 2&1/2 weeks before school starts so that the LEOS can justify selective enforceemnt times.
Yepper I know where the speed traps are going to be. But I ain't telling.
Ok thats all for this morning, I've a old style motorcycle minus the sidecar to deliver to the shop about noon time so they can start rectifing the Exxon Valdez syndrome (oil leak) afflicting it.
have a good day all.
Q
Started on my run this morning by walking out to the paved roadway. The one infront of where I'm staying this weekend could be improved by either carpet bombing or a directed fire mission. I won't say the dirt road is cratered, but you migh be able to hid Judge Crater's body in one of the holes, if anyone can ever find his body.
Well the walk brings me past a beaver pond with the early morning chorus of croaking frogs. The skys occasionally lit by a flash of lightening off on the horizon and the stars overhead.
Well once at the main road I set my stop watch and off I go. keeping well to the shoulder of the road as speed limits and safe driving seem to be optional at the begining of the 5th hour of the day. Still I did OK and completer 6.6 miles in 1hour and 10 minutes. Not blazing speed but when visibility is limited and you can't see where your feet are landing its a strong pace.
After the run I changed from my running shoes to an old pair of sneakers and took my brother's two mutant puppies for a walk also lasting nearly an hour. I'd take them on a longer walk but since I'm still covered in sweat after my run and the moring is relatively cool; Its long enough for me, if not the dogs. So they are fed, watered and allowed freedom of the penned yard while I attend to my abulations and breakfast.
So from 3:30 Am till 8:00Am I've probably done and seen things more people may only experience in a theatre, still they are my experiences, the smells, the coolness of the air, the startling of the Police Officer setting out speed monitors in the 2&1/2 weeks before school starts so that the LEOS can justify selective enforceemnt times.
Yepper I know where the speed traps are going to be. But I ain't telling.
Ok thats all for this morning, I've a old style motorcycle minus the sidecar to deliver to the shop about noon time so they can start rectifing the Exxon Valdez syndrome (oil leak) afflicting it.
have a good day all.
Q
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Greetings from Pennsyltucky
Stinky lousy no good computer gnomes done threw my entry into the internet black hole and now I've to start a frigging new. I can only hope Bill Gates and Steve Jobs get frustrated like this much more often than I am.
OK then, Hello from Pike county PA, just up hill and the road from Milford and Shohola and a few miles from another retiree from the Fire Department at West Point. I may need to do a drop in on him while I'm out here for the weekend.
Whats with the term Pennsyltucky? well thats sort of an inside joke a few of us had in the FD, but it sort of refers to a formerly rural part of PA now being sucked into the oblivion of the NYC metropolitian region. 2 hours from Manhattan and its still considered a reasonable commute. I wonder what some definitions of reasonable are? Still the Water Gap National Recreation area can be bucolic and relaxing; unless your training to run in a marathon then the hills around it are taxing.
Still I'm out here with several things on my schedule. a couple of training runs for the Marine Corps Marathon, dropping one motorcycle off at a shop I've been using for some time to get a oil leak rectified if possible, ride the other motorcycle in a Poker Run sponsored by the Pike County A.B.A.T.E. on Sunday and sit for my brothers two wee puppies, 6 months old and 60+ pounds apiece. Its good to have a cargo trailer sometimes even though motorcycles should be ridden and not trailered when practical.
Well last week I hit a high mileage mark in training of 50 miles and some tenths Oy Vey ist meir. Well now I'm reducing the overall weekly mileage and adding an additional rest interval especially now that I've a few really long runs on line over the next 10&1/2 weeks before the Marine Corps Marathon. I'll have a few really long runs yet, 20 mile range before the marathon. But now I can relax a little too as I adjust my training regimen.
Still I need to remind myself that I'm not running for me. but for those afflicted with a cancer, I'm running to raise funds to help find a cure, to help the families afflicted and to bring hope to others. Yes, I'm running a marathon, but the goal is to finish both a fund raising effort to help others and a race.
I could list statistics of mileages and times I've done in training but that is boring as hell. But let me try to describe my last 10 mile run here in Pike County.
I awoke at 1:30 AM and couldn't fall back to sleep. finally I decided that since I was awake I might as well make use of the energy i had. So I got dressed in my running atire and prepared to run. I walked along the dirt road from my brother's home to the main paved road; There I set my stopwatch and proceeded to run at 2:40 in the morning. Dark may begin to describe the early hours. Abient ligh being reflected off the sky from Haley and Port Jervis and the stars in the sky but not much light as there was no moon in evidence, a dark night it was. Thankfully at that hour traffic is minimal at best and I could run along the shoulder of the roadway. Actually since there was no real traffic to speak of I could run on the crest of the road on the double yellow lines, with my flash light turned off and see well enough to stay in the center of the road.
For almost 3&1/2 miles I followed the road towards the old grand Army of the Republic Highway. What light illuminating my course being filtered by the crowns of the trees crowding the road unless i turned on my flashligh to make my presence more pronounced for the few vehicles travelling at the birthing hours of the day, when the sun hasn't even brought forth the grey predawn light. Still I pressed onward to the west on the older highway towards my next landmark where again I would turn righ and head into darker woods and a narrower road which wouldturn from macadam and pavement to dirt.
The narrowe section of the road was crowded by trees so dense that even the braches intertwined above the road. No light made its way to the road bed at the third hour of the day. In the still darkness of my run the shades of black were subtle and difficult to distingush, a few times I turned my light on to help illuminate my run but still reverted back to the darkness of the natural nigh when I could. I've been told that there are 1000 shades of grey, that could well be true but in the darkness of night the unaided eye can become accustomed to a few degrees of darkness which allows you to move upon a wide trail unaided by artificial lights. This is some thing rarely realized by many of us anymore, still I am glad to have experienced it.
Finally I make my turn back onto the road I had originally started upon. still the only sounds were thoseof my own foot falls, the squishing of my sweat soaked running shoes and the occasioal dog barking his or her disagreement with my all too early morning run. At last I reach the point where I started. It was now the final quarter of the fouth hour of the morning, I had covered but 10 miles and it felt inexplicably longer. The night expanded the distance and time while still etching away at its ever steady pace seemed but to hold still for the run.
After returning to my brother's abode and letting the dogs out into the yard with the slowly lightening skies. I was done. The shower felt more refreshing than many in a longwhile and Morpheus the diety of sleepvisted upon me to help renew myself for the day that would unfold just a few hours on.
Ok so much for attempting to express what a midnight/run is like maybe not my best effort but I'm not a professional writer and I'm trying to relay emotions into a physical reality difficult to express. still being back at the "Scene of the Crime" sort of makes it easier to replay in my mind what occured and transcribe it.
So for now, Have a good night, I wish you a safe weekend and an easy one as well.
Q
OK then, Hello from Pike county PA, just up hill and the road from Milford and Shohola and a few miles from another retiree from the Fire Department at West Point. I may need to do a drop in on him while I'm out here for the weekend.
Whats with the term Pennsyltucky? well thats sort of an inside joke a few of us had in the FD, but it sort of refers to a formerly rural part of PA now being sucked into the oblivion of the NYC metropolitian region. 2 hours from Manhattan and its still considered a reasonable commute. I wonder what some definitions of reasonable are? Still the Water Gap National Recreation area can be bucolic and relaxing; unless your training to run in a marathon then the hills around it are taxing.
Still I'm out here with several things on my schedule. a couple of training runs for the Marine Corps Marathon, dropping one motorcycle off at a shop I've been using for some time to get a oil leak rectified if possible, ride the other motorcycle in a Poker Run sponsored by the Pike County A.B.A.T.E. on Sunday and sit for my brothers two wee puppies, 6 months old and 60+ pounds apiece. Its good to have a cargo trailer sometimes even though motorcycles should be ridden and not trailered when practical.
Well last week I hit a high mileage mark in training of 50 miles and some tenths Oy Vey ist meir. Well now I'm reducing the overall weekly mileage and adding an additional rest interval especially now that I've a few really long runs on line over the next 10&1/2 weeks before the Marine Corps Marathon. I'll have a few really long runs yet, 20 mile range before the marathon. But now I can relax a little too as I adjust my training regimen.
Still I need to remind myself that I'm not running for me. but for those afflicted with a cancer, I'm running to raise funds to help find a cure, to help the families afflicted and to bring hope to others. Yes, I'm running a marathon, but the goal is to finish both a fund raising effort to help others and a race.
I could list statistics of mileages and times I've done in training but that is boring as hell. But let me try to describe my last 10 mile run here in Pike County.
I awoke at 1:30 AM and couldn't fall back to sleep. finally I decided that since I was awake I might as well make use of the energy i had. So I got dressed in my running atire and prepared to run. I walked along the dirt road from my brother's home to the main paved road; There I set my stopwatch and proceeded to run at 2:40 in the morning. Dark may begin to describe the early hours. Abient ligh being reflected off the sky from Haley and Port Jervis and the stars in the sky but not much light as there was no moon in evidence, a dark night it was. Thankfully at that hour traffic is minimal at best and I could run along the shoulder of the roadway. Actually since there was no real traffic to speak of I could run on the crest of the road on the double yellow lines, with my flash light turned off and see well enough to stay in the center of the road.
For almost 3&1/2 miles I followed the road towards the old grand Army of the Republic Highway. What light illuminating my course being filtered by the crowns of the trees crowding the road unless i turned on my flashligh to make my presence more pronounced for the few vehicles travelling at the birthing hours of the day, when the sun hasn't even brought forth the grey predawn light. Still I pressed onward to the west on the older highway towards my next landmark where again I would turn righ and head into darker woods and a narrower road which wouldturn from macadam and pavement to dirt.
The narrowe section of the road was crowded by trees so dense that even the braches intertwined above the road. No light made its way to the road bed at the third hour of the day. In the still darkness of my run the shades of black were subtle and difficult to distingush, a few times I turned my light on to help illuminate my run but still reverted back to the darkness of the natural nigh when I could. I've been told that there are 1000 shades of grey, that could well be true but in the darkness of night the unaided eye can become accustomed to a few degrees of darkness which allows you to move upon a wide trail unaided by artificial lights. This is some thing rarely realized by many of us anymore, still I am glad to have experienced it.
Finally I make my turn back onto the road I had originally started upon. still the only sounds were thoseof my own foot falls, the squishing of my sweat soaked running shoes and the occasioal dog barking his or her disagreement with my all too early morning run. At last I reach the point where I started. It was now the final quarter of the fouth hour of the morning, I had covered but 10 miles and it felt inexplicably longer. The night expanded the distance and time while still etching away at its ever steady pace seemed but to hold still for the run.
After returning to my brother's abode and letting the dogs out into the yard with the slowly lightening skies. I was done. The shower felt more refreshing than many in a longwhile and Morpheus the diety of sleepvisted upon me to help renew myself for the day that would unfold just a few hours on.
Ok so much for attempting to express what a midnight/run is like maybe not my best effort but I'm not a professional writer and I'm trying to relay emotions into a physical reality difficult to express. still being back at the "Scene of the Crime" sort of makes it easier to replay in my mind what occured and transcribe it.
So for now, Have a good night, I wish you a safe weekend and an easy one as well.
Q
Monday, August 11, 2008
Surprising little twists to life.
Yesterday after my 18 mile jaunt, I took it easy through the remainder of the morning and a nap from 12:00 to 13:00 (24 hour clock, 1 PM). Afterwards I went down to the local Irish bar which leads to the following nonsequitor.
There was a standing joke that if you stood at the intersection of Times square and 42nd Street in NYC you would meet practically every one you ever knew. As for myself I seem to come across people, or them me at random intervals and places. This held true yesterday; Well some people you never really expact to see again in your life, What with decades of seperation due to personal events and career choices. Well as noted I was in the bar and a small party walks in; Now one lady looks familiar, very familiar (get that dirty though out of your heads right now). Well unfortunately I'm staring and she's looking back, when she lets loose with my name. Small world and a big surpise she was one of my senior officers from the Army Reserves whom I served in Cuba and the Balkans with.
Some places, are like that, you can sit there and wonder whats going to happen next and wham you are part of whats happening. Well we had a enjoyable short conversation and things are going well for her and her family some of who where part of her party.
Again even I am surprised by the ramdom effects that permeate through life and this was one of them.
After the encounter, I had a few small things to attend to and eventually made my way over to Polish Officer's Memorial on the eastern most part of the plain, on West Point and parked below it on a spot overlooking the bend of the Hudson River. (shaddup, so its a long run on sentence, I'm not an english major). There I practiced my piping for a little bit before heading to Trophy Point for the Evening Jazz Knights Concert. Well I sat through the concert and it was OK, some music we enjoy some we don't. Well to me much of jazz sounds like a discordant cacophony of sounds, still there were a few pieces I found easier to listen to than others. Again tastes in music being relative.
Well that pretty much rounds up my day on Sunday. its amazing how serendipitous and random life can be.
Well, I'm off to consider other things today, possibly a easy walk through the Torne,
But its not to be a day of hard running as I am letting the major muscle groups relax and recover from yesterday.
Cheers & Prosit.
Q
There was a standing joke that if you stood at the intersection of Times square and 42nd Street in NYC you would meet practically every one you ever knew. As for myself I seem to come across people, or them me at random intervals and places. This held true yesterday; Well some people you never really expact to see again in your life, What with decades of seperation due to personal events and career choices. Well as noted I was in the bar and a small party walks in; Now one lady looks familiar, very familiar (get that dirty though out of your heads right now). Well unfortunately I'm staring and she's looking back, when she lets loose with my name. Small world and a big surpise she was one of my senior officers from the Army Reserves whom I served in Cuba and the Balkans with.
Some places, are like that, you can sit there and wonder whats going to happen next and wham you are part of whats happening. Well we had a enjoyable short conversation and things are going well for her and her family some of who where part of her party.
Again even I am surprised by the ramdom effects that permeate through life and this was one of them.
After the encounter, I had a few small things to attend to and eventually made my way over to Polish Officer's Memorial on the eastern most part of the plain, on West Point and parked below it on a spot overlooking the bend of the Hudson River. (shaddup, so its a long run on sentence, I'm not an english major). There I practiced my piping for a little bit before heading to Trophy Point for the Evening Jazz Knights Concert. Well I sat through the concert and it was OK, some music we enjoy some we don't. Well to me much of jazz sounds like a discordant cacophony of sounds, still there were a few pieces I found easier to listen to than others. Again tastes in music being relative.
Well that pretty much rounds up my day on Sunday. its amazing how serendipitous and random life can be.
Well, I'm off to consider other things today, possibly a easy walk through the Torne,
But its not to be a day of hard running as I am letting the major muscle groups relax and recover from yesterday.
Cheers & Prosit.
Q
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Sunday's shenanigans report.
Fun with languages and interpetations, running, running amok, running loose and other bits of entertainment.
Have you ever paid attention to Andy Rooney on 60 minutes? Well I'm no Andy Rooney, but; Have you ever noticed....
The music industry and broadcast radio. The big chain stations all seem to have the same limited repetitions of dull songs? NPR isn't too much better but between those two extremes fall the Independent and College radio stations. Perhaps my current favorite may not entice you but Fordham University's WFUV out of NYC has some of the most eclectic programing you'll find and is entertaining to say the least. By listening to the independent stations I fing a better genre of music and new stuff actually worth lending an ear too. Its 90.7FM if you are with in range of NYC and on the net too. I think that can be found under www.wfuv.org but I may be wrong.
Irish music on Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons. occasionally you may get a polka but Jimmy Sturr probably never.
Running Amok, well I'm actually tamer than I like to think I am, still I do get out from time to time and have some fun in different ways. This past week I scored two complimentary tickets to the NY Ren Faire in Tuxedo, NY. How'd I do that? Well Leaky Lena helped. Its a convesation piece though and some fun to run down the road from time to time. It just requires a significantly different set of skills to operate safely as its built along some old design criteria and is a kick start only vehicle, Motorcycle and Sidecar. But it won a plaque again at a cruise night.
Running; Oh no not again! Oh yes still.
Well depending upon how you recon the weeks or track events; to day is either the last day of the week of the first or the second. Regardless of how you recon a week the log book I am using to record my training for the upcomming Marine Corps Marathon show today as the last day of the week.
Today was also my longest run to date, not significantly more than my previous ;long run but still longer at 18 miles in 3 hours, 24 minutes and 44.64 seconds (it may of been faster but I stopped for a couple of potty breaks I could use other phrasing but I don't know if young children are reading this).
Still I started before dawn, attempted to run in a safe fashion and did my best Forest Gump impersonation. Along the way I spooked a deer, listened to the frog and other animals warming up for the morning's choral rehearsal, watched the stars fade the sky lighten and brighten and even caught glimmers of the sun rise over the mists and fog of the valley. Even saw a small bird with a yellow back and brown wings flitter about before heading nito the woods.
As for the statistics keepers, here comes the break down;
04 Aug, 6.6 miles @ 1:10:54.00
05 Aug, 3.5 miles / 2 @ 00:17:40.00 and a 1.5 mile slow jog.
06 Aug, 10.0 miles @ 1:52:36.09
07 Aug, 3.3 miles @ 00:34:02.64
08 Aug, 6.76 miles @ 01:13:37.40
09 Aug, 2.0 @ 00:20:38.21
10 Aug, 18.0 @ 03:24:44.64
Total miles 50.16. total time recorded 8:54:12.98
So if you need an idea of the time I've been investing, Well almost 9 hours just running this past week not counting other related bits of exercise. Hmmmm some steroids and lots of Gym time and Charles Atlas eat your heart out. Nope that ain't gonna happen. I don't need the drugs to enhance performance. Just give me beer.
I'm gonna be wearing my kilt more often; Ahhh freedom! hehehehe
Yeah I'm retired, and I'm not gonna wear Bermuda shorts, I'm just gonna have fun.
Maybe photos later, but now its nap time as I'm still recovering from my 18 mile run and its now noon time. But later, well we'll see what later brings.
have a safe day everyone.
Q
Have you ever paid attention to Andy Rooney on 60 minutes? Well I'm no Andy Rooney, but; Have you ever noticed....
The music industry and broadcast radio. The big chain stations all seem to have the same limited repetitions of dull songs? NPR isn't too much better but between those two extremes fall the Independent and College radio stations. Perhaps my current favorite may not entice you but Fordham University's WFUV out of NYC has some of the most eclectic programing you'll find and is entertaining to say the least. By listening to the independent stations I fing a better genre of music and new stuff actually worth lending an ear too. Its 90.7FM if you are with in range of NYC and on the net too. I think that can be found under www.wfuv.org but I may be wrong.
Irish music on Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons. occasionally you may get a polka but Jimmy Sturr probably never.
Running Amok, well I'm actually tamer than I like to think I am, still I do get out from time to time and have some fun in different ways. This past week I scored two complimentary tickets to the NY Ren Faire in Tuxedo, NY. How'd I do that? Well Leaky Lena helped. Its a convesation piece though and some fun to run down the road from time to time. It just requires a significantly different set of skills to operate safely as its built along some old design criteria and is a kick start only vehicle, Motorcycle and Sidecar. But it won a plaque again at a cruise night.
Running; Oh no not again! Oh yes still.
Well depending upon how you recon the weeks or track events; to day is either the last day of the week of the first or the second. Regardless of how you recon a week the log book I am using to record my training for the upcomming Marine Corps Marathon show today as the last day of the week.
Today was also my longest run to date, not significantly more than my previous ;long run but still longer at 18 miles in 3 hours, 24 minutes and 44.64 seconds (it may of been faster but I stopped for a couple of potty breaks I could use other phrasing but I don't know if young children are reading this).
Still I started before dawn, attempted to run in a safe fashion and did my best Forest Gump impersonation. Along the way I spooked a deer, listened to the frog and other animals warming up for the morning's choral rehearsal, watched the stars fade the sky lighten and brighten and even caught glimmers of the sun rise over the mists and fog of the valley. Even saw a small bird with a yellow back and brown wings flitter about before heading nito the woods.
As for the statistics keepers, here comes the break down;
04 Aug, 6.6 miles @ 1:10:54.00
05 Aug, 3.5 miles / 2 @ 00:17:40.00 and a 1.5 mile slow jog.
06 Aug, 10.0 miles @ 1:52:36.09
07 Aug, 3.3 miles @ 00:34:02.64
08 Aug, 6.76 miles @ 01:13:37.40
09 Aug, 2.0 @ 00:20:38.21
10 Aug, 18.0 @ 03:24:44.64
Total miles 50.16. total time recorded 8:54:12.98
So if you need an idea of the time I've been investing, Well almost 9 hours just running this past week not counting other related bits of exercise. Hmmmm some steroids and lots of Gym time and Charles Atlas eat your heart out. Nope that ain't gonna happen. I don't need the drugs to enhance performance. Just give me beer.
I'm gonna be wearing my kilt more often; Ahhh freedom! hehehehe
Yeah I'm retired, and I'm not gonna wear Bermuda shorts, I'm just gonna have fun.
Maybe photos later, but now its nap time as I'm still recovering from my 18 mile run and its now noon time. But later, well we'll see what later brings.
have a safe day everyone.
Q
Monday, August 4, 2008
Monday Monday, so good to me....
Wow, can hardly believe I haven't posted anything since the 26th of July. I guess I've been occupied with life and not reporting my escapades. Well a cursory filler and back to life. Or at least what I percieve as life; for our perceptions color and build our realities.
Hmm, OK the usual inquire 7 response modes can't work but a simple reminder of the basic questions; Who, What, When, Where, Why and How? Sounds like the law firm of Dewey, Cheatham and Howe.
OK Sunday the 27th; Started the day with a three mile run then just took it easy as the previous day I had done a 17.8 mile run and needed to recover somewhat. Still posting these entries over a week later I've only my memories and training log for the upcoming marathon to refer to.
Monday, July 28th; 7.58 mile run in 1:30 followed by an attempt to respond to an e-mail where the attachments were more garbage than anything useful. Ended up riding my motorcycle to the White Plain's Harrison Border to hand deliver a hard copy and give a complain about the computer interface they are using, now files will be sent using a PDF format hopefully that will be better. Stopped at my Cousins' (yes, pural possessive) Fire department and spoke to John, he's going to organize his brothers and sisters to see if they'll make a donation effort to support my fundraising for the leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Tuesday, July 29th; Bagpipe Practice in the morning at 09:00 at Mr Joe Brady's and a 7.0 mile training run in 1:21 that evening.
Wednesday, July 30th; 9.8 mile run in 1:45 did a reversal of my previous routes and entered West Point via Thayer Gate, exit via Washington Gate, run along 218 & 9W, down Mountain Ave to Mearns, down to Roe Park around the west and south sides and then through Satterlee to home. I can also say it was a hot day as at 5:30 in the morning it was already 69 degrees farenheit.
Thursday, July 31st; 2.0 miles in 19:45. Ran up to the highschool track where I did one mile around the track alternating sprints on the straights with jogging on the turns.
Friday, August 1st; 3.3 mile jog in the morning followed by a drive to my brother's home in Pennsylvania where I would be dog sitting for the weekend. That afternoon I went to take the dogs for a walk, rather they took me for a drag and a fall. For two 5 month old 60 pound puppies I gotta keep them on a short leash. They literally pulled me off my feet and down a hill. lets just say I'm lucky no broken bones but my right hip will be sore for a while to come.
Saturday, August 2nd. 01:38 AM I'm awake and can't go back to sleep. OK only two things to do; Let the dogs out for a little bit while I get dressed in my running attire and then go for my run. Well. The dogs were back in the house, and I walk down to the main road near my brother's home. Its 02:40 AM and only the odd car or pickup truck is out as well as myself. Once I hit Twin Lakes Road, I turn right and start jogging towards US 6. Make a right turn onto US 6 and head towards Mel's Tavern. Once at Mel's i double back maybe 100 feet and turn left on to Little Walker Road, follow that down to Lake rd, turn right onto Lake and go right onto Twin Lakes Road back to where I started. Finish my 10 mile run in 1:51:01.36 and about 04:48 in the morning. Walk back to the house let myself in and the dogs out while I shower and try to nap for a while with the rising sun illuminating the sky in hues of pastel pinks, blues and white clouds. A harbringer of the coming day.
I rest fitfully at best but am refreshed by the shower I took earlier, make a simple breakfast of pancakes and set my running shoes out in the sun to dry (lots of sweat).
09:30 take the pups out for a walk and back. About 11 AM it is getting noticably darker outside so out I go bring in my shoes and here comes the rain. By 13:00 the rains have finished around 14:00 it off to Milford PA and the Post Office to get my brother's mail then back home via the market 15:00 I've an early dinner/late lunch followed by taking the pups for another walk. 21:00 I'm done for the day and in bed.
Sunday, 3 August; A day of more rest than activities. Although I did take the pups for a couple of walks and a swin with a few interludes of fast jogs but not of any real distance at least for myself.
Monday, 4 August; 06:00 and I'm off jogging again 6.6 miles in 1:10:54.0 Not overly long but long enough. Breakfast with my brother. I had french toast and porkroll followed by a bit of relaxation back at the house before calling a weekend and heading home.
So while all I've written about is food, pups, jogging and other assorted odds & ends. I also did some laundry during the week, bagged up some clothes for the Salvation Army and accomplished other minor tasks like grocery shopping. Just the mundane normal events of life. Still I did give up to the Salvation Army the Red Dress I wore a few months ago for another fund raising effort. I lost enough weight that I'm going down a dress size for the next Red Dress Run with the Hash House Harriers.
Well thats all for now.
Have a good and safe week everyone.
Q
Hmm, OK the usual inquire 7 response modes can't work but a simple reminder of the basic questions; Who, What, When, Where, Why and How? Sounds like the law firm of Dewey, Cheatham and Howe.
OK Sunday the 27th; Started the day with a three mile run then just took it easy as the previous day I had done a 17.8 mile run and needed to recover somewhat. Still posting these entries over a week later I've only my memories and training log for the upcoming marathon to refer to.
Monday, July 28th; 7.58 mile run in 1:30 followed by an attempt to respond to an e-mail where the attachments were more garbage than anything useful. Ended up riding my motorcycle to the White Plain's Harrison Border to hand deliver a hard copy and give a complain about the computer interface they are using, now files will be sent using a PDF format hopefully that will be better. Stopped at my Cousins' (yes, pural possessive) Fire department and spoke to John, he's going to organize his brothers and sisters to see if they'll make a donation effort to support my fundraising for the leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Tuesday, July 29th; Bagpipe Practice in the morning at 09:00 at Mr Joe Brady's and a 7.0 mile training run in 1:21 that evening.
Wednesday, July 30th; 9.8 mile run in 1:45 did a reversal of my previous routes and entered West Point via Thayer Gate, exit via Washington Gate, run along 218 & 9W, down Mountain Ave to Mearns, down to Roe Park around the west and south sides and then through Satterlee to home. I can also say it was a hot day as at 5:30 in the morning it was already 69 degrees farenheit.
Thursday, July 31st; 2.0 miles in 19:45. Ran up to the highschool track where I did one mile around the track alternating sprints on the straights with jogging on the turns.
Friday, August 1st; 3.3 mile jog in the morning followed by a drive to my brother's home in Pennsylvania where I would be dog sitting for the weekend. That afternoon I went to take the dogs for a walk, rather they took me for a drag and a fall. For two 5 month old 60 pound puppies I gotta keep them on a short leash. They literally pulled me off my feet and down a hill. lets just say I'm lucky no broken bones but my right hip will be sore for a while to come.
Saturday, August 2nd. 01:38 AM I'm awake and can't go back to sleep. OK only two things to do; Let the dogs out for a little bit while I get dressed in my running attire and then go for my run. Well. The dogs were back in the house, and I walk down to the main road near my brother's home. Its 02:40 AM and only the odd car or pickup truck is out as well as myself. Once I hit Twin Lakes Road, I turn right and start jogging towards US 6. Make a right turn onto US 6 and head towards Mel's Tavern. Once at Mel's i double back maybe 100 feet and turn left on to Little Walker Road, follow that down to Lake rd, turn right onto Lake and go right onto Twin Lakes Road back to where I started. Finish my 10 mile run in 1:51:01.36 and about 04:48 in the morning. Walk back to the house let myself in and the dogs out while I shower and try to nap for a while with the rising sun illuminating the sky in hues of pastel pinks, blues and white clouds. A harbringer of the coming day.
I rest fitfully at best but am refreshed by the shower I took earlier, make a simple breakfast of pancakes and set my running shoes out in the sun to dry (lots of sweat).
09:30 take the pups out for a walk and back. About 11 AM it is getting noticably darker outside so out I go bring in my shoes and here comes the rain. By 13:00 the rains have finished around 14:00 it off to Milford PA and the Post Office to get my brother's mail then back home via the market 15:00 I've an early dinner/late lunch followed by taking the pups for another walk. 21:00 I'm done for the day and in bed.
Sunday, 3 August; A day of more rest than activities. Although I did take the pups for a couple of walks and a swin with a few interludes of fast jogs but not of any real distance at least for myself.
Monday, 4 August; 06:00 and I'm off jogging again 6.6 miles in 1:10:54.0 Not overly long but long enough. Breakfast with my brother. I had french toast and porkroll followed by a bit of relaxation back at the house before calling a weekend and heading home.
So while all I've written about is food, pups, jogging and other assorted odds & ends. I also did some laundry during the week, bagged up some clothes for the Salvation Army and accomplished other minor tasks like grocery shopping. Just the mundane normal events of life. Still I did give up to the Salvation Army the Red Dress I wore a few months ago for another fund raising effort. I lost enough weight that I'm going down a dress size for the next Red Dress Run with the Hash House Harriers.
Well thats all for now.
Have a good and safe week everyone.
Q
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