Back from San Diego

You know a city is a good running town when you google it and it turns up with a bunch of running routes. Thats exactly what San Diego is, do a search and you get back a bunch of really detailed info on where to run along with water stops and stuff to look at.
Needless to say I hit the beaches with vigor.
Weather was a dampner though. It rained to first 2 days and so I had to be content with the hotel treadmill.
So I had
Tue: 5 miles 38 mins
Wed: 10 Miles 1hr 15 mins
Thu: Got out: Yeah!!!!. Ran along Dog beach and by the San Diego storm canal. Felt great to run on the beach again. Sure is different.
So will be back next week again and hopefully will get some more beach runs in
Gotta run now, gotta hit the lakes, meet my mentee, follow up on his school work and get a bunch errands done

Aaah... Sunny California

Damn time zones. Its bright and sunny and 6PM in San Jose and I think its 8PM. Well my computer says so too. Boo-yah Im not the only thing here thats having issues changing zones.
So Im down in the "Golden State" for the better part of the next 2 weeks, first for a bit of R&R and then a new assignment in San Diego. Went out and ran today felt a lot better in the sun.
Also now gotta ask all my friends for cash to support my marathon. What we gotta remember is the cause it will support.....

The lakes have melted ...

Always a sure sign that spring is here to stay, when the lakes around minneap shed their dank deary grey hue of submerged ice and go to the nice clear blue thay should always be (Actually they are now in their best shape wont be long before the stinky algae chokes them again)
Had a good running week just ended with a bit of pain around my hip so will have to keep that under observation
Mon - Off day - worked out and X train with my mentee - Damn he still bench presses more than I can and theres nothing I can do about it till I start putting on some muscle weight, something I wont do while Im training
Tue - 4 miles on the tread mill 31:23 mins nice to get back after chaperoning - no sweat
Wed - 9 miles on the tread mill 70 mins - never felt better
Thurs - 4 miles tread - 29:58 mins
then moved outdoors for my weekend training
Sat - Lake Calhoun
The rain had just stopped and the path had just dried off. Never thought Id seen the sun the way it poured in the morning
Got a great 3 laps in (9.3 miles) 68 mins. Felt great other than the itsy bitsy pain in my hip
Love it when it rains and then stops
Sun - Lake Calhoun
4 laps in 1 hr 31 (12.4 miles) was struggling a bit on the 4th lap but I guess I got to take my pace off a bit on my long runs. Havnt figured out how to run a bit slower
Lets see Im off to Calif this weekend so running should be more interesting. Also got to check in with my mentees school work lets hope he maintains his grades

Gas on the treadmill :)

Now dont look at me like that. And dont tell me this hasnt happened to you.
So there you are running happily along thru around 6 miles of your 9 mile workout and then it hits you. A quiet rumbling that soon grows into a real need to let the rest of the world know what you had for lunch.
So what do you do
A) do you quietly dismount the treadmill and head to the nearest rest room or
B) Continue on and let yourself go quitely
and then do A) and B) apply when no one else is around
He he he he

Back from the Music City

Chaperoning is tough.
Took my mentee and his buddies to Nashville for the Chess Supernationals (he happens to be pretty good and is the Minnesota High School Champion).
So spent my weekend running, this time not literally, but running after him and his buddies to make sure they didnt get out of line :)
But Im sure they were a lot happier to have me around that any of their parents or teachers and when they told me that it made my day, so if I ever get a chance to do something like this again I sure will
Anyways, I will post a bunch of snaps when I get them so stay tuned

The hills are alive...

Did a lot of hill work yesterday. Ive been walking around today, like someone kicked me in the nuts :) Legs hurt like hell, but it was great fun
Hit 10 Miles in a one mile loop with a real steep hill, nothing works the quads and calves better. Followed that with three miles on the treadmill.
Im getting ready, and my bum knee hasnt been acting up, which is good.
I handed out pledge forms the other day to a lot of my classmates, who were very supportive, only hope they find it in their hearts to support this cause monetrarily to
Today is an off day from running, I will cross train with my mentee though. Its really a bummer cause he bench presses a lot more than I do. My only excuse is that I cant put on weight cause it affects my running, so I guess I will have to continue running as long as we continue working out together :)

Sad Day - Reflections on the death of a Pope

Pope John Paul II passed away today. Though the world was prepared for his death, it still was a shock.
I went out and ran thinking about life. Running allows you to reflect, alone with only the sound of your heavy breathing for comfort.
I thought back to when he visited India - I was a little boy then, a Catholic in a largely non-Catholic country. I made streamers to decorate the road that he would pass. Too young to understand the impact that the man would make on the world, but old enough to realize the charisma of this man who would pass no more than 10 feet from where I stood.
He has left us a legacy, a legacy to make sure that we are not afraid to to what is right. A legacy to reconcile and make sure the youth of today have a chance to make something with their lives
A great man passed away today ....
May his soul rest in peace.