9000 Feet

I am here in Summit County, waiting for CGB and Notsoflash to arrive. Ran one of my favorite trails today, feeling the altitude and the exhileration. Life is good... and dry.

And a Trip to the Rockies?

As you know, if you have been reading the blog, I have been very sporadic in my running over the last several weeks since the first weekend in June. Now it is hot and humid and the last two days, I went out for a run. My legs are very heavy, my breathing is very limited and labored and next week, I am supposed to go hiking in the Rockies - over two miles above sea level? Perhaps my wife's fear of me dying on a mountain is more founded than I thought.

Happy 4th of July...

I just wanted to check in on a couple of things, including wishing everyone a happy 4th of July! In fact, just tonight, I dropped off a BBQ grill to some friends to celebrate the 4th. The lady of that house is new to America and it is her first independance day. Gotta have a BBQ for that!

As you all know, I have been having a devil of a time keeping some consistency in my running schedule. This week has been better than previous, but I still need to finish it out. By my projections, I should be able to put in ~40 miles and two good speed days. The key, though, is getting up early enough to do it - we are travelling to Philly this weekend and so I am not certain I will have the ability to get up and hit the roads before the "morning" birds (the kids) start their ignitions.

I am still trying to bike into work and home. It is only 5 miles each way, but it keeps my aerobic activity going and still works the legs (at least I am convinced it does). The small seat hurts my tush, though, and I am not a fan of that.

I am glad to have seen AJMac submit a new post, but sad to have heard that his (and his family's) vacation has been "shortened" by sickness. I am glad they are feeling better and look forward to seeing them in Colorado in 2 weeks.

So, it was 232 years ago that the revolutionary's demonstrated why this land would later become the greatest nation in the history of the world. They had shown backbone in their fight and vision in their actions. It is my sincerest prayer that we have the same backbone and vision in our daily lives. God Bless America, land of the free and home of the brave! Happy Independance Day and may God bless you!

Amen!

At the end of the earth

I am currently at my in-laws' summer house, which does not have internet access. That's my excuse for my silence. Though I have not been as diligent about running as CGB, I have some activities to report.

The first half of the month began with a drive (with Mrs. AJMac and Baby Mac) from Alabama to Maine to see family, which preceded the Mother of All Head Colds. The MoAHC then turned into a sinus infection, ear infection, and bronchitis (the trifecta!) and kept me from anything marginally strenuous for more than two weeks.

For the last two and a half weeks, I have been focusing on the bike, riding about 120 miles each week and running 8-12. I am looking forward, however, to running with CGB and Notsoflash on the trails behind our place in Colorado in two weeks. 9000 feet is a long way above sea level.

Accountability Check...

WHERE ARE YOU GUYS????? Injured or not, resting or running, you guys can still post so we know what is going on. Don't make me call you both out by name !

The Corporate Challenge...

Well, my running is still sporadic. It is one of those "seasons" in the running season that seems to rear its ugly head every year. Usually, it happens to me at the beginning of the season. When I was running well and often earlier, I thought I had finally avoided the dreaded season. Well, I guess I can still beat it if I put some good days together and let them snow ball.

On Thursday evening, I am running in the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge - Boston. It is 14,000 runners squeezing down one side of Commonwealth Avenue so that they can all fit coming back on the other side of Commonwealth Avenue. It is fun, though, because of the amounts of people, you see co-workers, and the company pays - dinner, too. All of that helps to minimize the effect of "cuddling" under the Massachusetts Avenue overpass (part of the route), which is approximately 20 feet wide, with 1,000 of your closest and stinkiest friends. I am most concerned about this because I am one of the stinkiest, I am sure. And as a God-fearing Christian, I must be concerned for my fellow man. So, how can I subject them to such pain and suffering? Did I mention that the company pays for the race - and dinner, too?

A Little Sporadic...

After my race on May 30, I ended up taking the week off - my mom was visiting and I had a lot of work. So, last week, I went back to speed work, but only got four days in:

Tuesday - 6.5 miles (2 x 1 mile, 1 x 1200, 1 x 800, 1 x 400, 6 x 100 strides)
Wednesday - 5 miles moderate
Thursday - 5.5 miles (4 x 200, 4 lactate sessions, 4 x 100 strides)
Sunday - 8 miles

I should be running tonight, but instead I am going to watch the Celtics in Game 6. Speaking of which, I should have let Cherish write this...