Sixty-six

That's my number for the marathon!  #66.  Of course, I immediately thought of all the cool things about it.  6*11 is pretty good, as 6 is a perfect number and 11 is a prime.  It's in a song and used to be on a map.  66 is also a triangular number, or a "bowling pin number" as my colleague says.  That means that you can make a perfect pyramid or bowling set up with 66 people or pins.  That is sweet.  I also love the two digit number...I've never had one in a race as big as this.  Actually, I don't really know how big this race is.  Last year, 1742.  In 2007, 1498 finished.  So, it's a small, bitty race.  Actually, I thought it was bigger...maybe 4000 or so.  I think it will be closer to 2500 or 3000 as there are 7000 participants in the half, full, and 5K.  I'm totally content to run a small quaint race.  More post-race food for me!

Apparently, you can go to the marathon homepage to track me on race day.  Eugenemarathon.com

I'm getting nervous.  And sick...I'm going to try to heal myself right now.  Feed a cold?  I'll pretend that's the saying...

Two Cowbells and a Bike Bell

Wow!  What a weekend.  You know it's been great when you can say you've used the cowbell twice and had necessity for a bike bell.  

On Friday, I dragged myself to Berkeley.  I mean, I really wanted to go, but Friday was just one of those days where I was lucky to still be standing when the whistle bell slew.  After not being able to run all week, I awoke on Friday feeling like I had slept in a gutter with someone with a cold.  The low of the day was when I realized I had made one hundred packets for my students but with every other page copied...not all of them.  I realized this while I was giving a test and my student teacher was in LA and after I passed out about 25 of the packets (on many different topics for the students' final projects).  So, I had to send out an emergency email to the faculty to get someone to cover my class while I put copies in.  I was feeling horrible about the waste of paper, but it had to be done.  Then, as I was handing out the packets, I didn't have enough of the right packets for the kids.  I sent out another desperate email...but this email went only to myself!  That's the kind of day it was...I was sending emails to myself for help.  I almost didn't go to Berkeley.  But then I remembered that I would get to see a track meet with legit runners...and I had to get myself in the car.  I knew it would make my day.

So, I sat in traffic for 90 minutes, but found a parking spot near the track without really trying and was off.  I had two jackets, two blankets, crazy creek chair, camera, binoculars, hat, and gloves and of course, the cowbell.  And, it was awesome.  The Chico State guys were sitting behind me (there to watch former teammate Scott Bauhs), commenting in such as way that made it all worth it.  They were so pumped to see Magdalena Lewy Boulet's husband and son.  Then there was this exchange:  Chico State Guy: Why aren't I doing guest commentary.  Flotrack Guy: I've got Peter Gilmore as the guest commenator.  When you run a 2:12 marathon, you can do it.  

So, why was this meet so awesome?  A killer college women's 5K dominated by a redshirt from UC Davis followed by Shannon Rowbury beasting out a 5K in 15:12 with flashy diamond earrings on.  It was a small field of about 8 or 10 women, but she had no one even close.

There was steeplechase, one of my favorites.  And Scott Bauhs ran a great 5k, even though he didn't win the race.  I was obsessed with Desiree Davila during the 10K.  She wasn't the winner, but she ran 77s the entire race...with the exception of about two laps and the last one that was a 71.  I love her!  And then, there was Sam Chalenga who ran a ridiculous 10K in 27:28, which is an American Collegiate Record (he took it from Galen Rupp) and Rupp ran 28:28 this weekend up in Eugene.  Chalenga is looking fierce this season.  He also looks about 12.  

Other highlights: I was sitting behind Sara (Bei) Hall's parents.  They were talking all about the Boston Marathon and Ryan's run (not to me, but one of Sara's college friends).  Shannon Rowbury was about 10 feet away from me...I was going to congratulate her on her race but she started talking to a friend.  And, it's always a good day when you're not the only one ringing a cowbell.  Meet video are here.  Flotrack is awesome!

The bike bell?  On Saturday, I took the cruiser out for a joy ride during my lunch break.  The place where I work won a bike by logging the most bike-to-work miles among all the stores in the country.  My boss actually would bike 10 to 20 miles out of her way on the way to work to guarantee the win.  Anyway, this is a crusier from the New Belgium Beer Company in Colorado (by the way, if anyone in Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Oregon, Wisconsin, Arizona, or Texas wants to try to win the bike for me on New Belgium, I'd love it).  The bike we have is so sweet!  It's got wide handlebars, a cushy seat, and a bell.  It's totally perfect for the sunny California Saturday.  I biked to Borrone's, ringing the bell the whole way, and smiling, of course.

Cowbell occasion number two?  Can you believe this was a two cowbell weekend?  I drove down to Carmel today to catch the finish of the Big Sur marathon.  I arrived at the finish line just after my friend Eddie C finished THIRD!  He was bummed (as I) that I did not run alongside him, ringing the cowbell over his head, like I did when he ran Boston.  After he got his massage, he was able to follow the sound of the bell to find me and then we saw his lovely wife finish the race.  They both ran PRs on a very, very challenging course; one that they both said is harder than Boston.  It was great to get to hang with them for a bit as they live in Flagstaff and I live in Cali.  Ed is my former co-worker, co-coach, and carpool mate from my last year at FHS and if there's ever an opportunity to work with him again, I'll take that job.

The top four guys.  

Notes: the runner on the left finished first and his dad was in the top three in his age group.  The next runner was with Ed for most of the race, alternating breaking the wind.  I guess he's a triathlete...you can tell by his clean shaven legs.  And then there's Ed, sporting his Cortland gear! The final runner on the right was named Jesus, I think.  Why didn't he win?

Reunion!

This was after two beers.  Can you tell?  Actually, that's how Ed usually is.  

It was great to get to watch a marathon finish today.  I got a little teary at times, watching people push through to the end and hoping that I'm crossing the finish line next weekend.  I've popped the ibuprofen and taken an ice bath as well as had some throat coat tea.  I'm pretty sure I'm getting sick.  I think it's time for bed actually...

If You Do, Wear a Helmet

I subscribe to a lot of blogs in my Google Reader.  Too many to handle, really.  But, I have trouble letting go of any blogs because I read such cool stuff all the time.  Here is a sweet video posted by the people at Horny Toad apparel.  I really can't believe what this guy can do on a bike.

Here's what the Toad people wrote about it:

We like bikes here are the Toad, but, Danny MacAskill obviously reeeally likes bikes. What an amazing collection of street trials riding. This was all filmed in Edinburgh by Dave Sowerby. It’s always fascinating when someone shows a passion for something so much so that they are able to master it to a point of jaw-dropping awe. You’ll see, take a looksee. Errrr does it need to be said that you should not attempt this at home.

It Could Always Be Worse

A standard read when I was young was "It Could Always Be Worse."  You probably have to be Jewish to know about it.

From one of my favorite running bloggers: she is running Eugene and got hit by a car on her bike this week.  Regardless, she will still smoke me.

Iowa or Bust!

Today, I got to dress up a window at my weekend job.  We had one male mannequin with his shoulder bag all packed that we pulled from the floor to put in the window.  From there, we decided we would make a traveling scene.  My boss asked me to grab a female mannequin from the back.  Immediately, I decided I would ignore her request, and make it a scene two men who were going a-travelin'.  Lucky for me, there was only a male mannequin in the back, so my dream would come true.  

We brought the already dressed-for-travel guy up front and started dressing  his partner.  I decided they would be traveling to Iowa to get married, so I layered him in a blue shirt, one of our brand new button up shirts (that I love), and put one of our oldest vintage vests on him.  I'm not sure what he was borrowing, but I was pretty proud of myself.

I like to think that I was going along with my two new friends to be their witness.  Yay progress!

Happy Earth Day!

Yes it can!

The Triumph Elm in Chicago.

Sweet!

This is not a haiku.

Disaster?

I was one step into my run today when my knee started hurting.  I have no idea what went wrong, but I stopped running immediately, barely past my driveway, and did not ride my bike to school today.  I'll be off the bike until after the marathon, I think.  My knee is still hurting today around school.  Yikes!  

This does not bode well for Homestar Runner.

People

I get an email every day from "Very Short List" with one thing that is cool out in the world.  It could be a show, a website, a book, music, a video...whatever.  Today, I got an email about a website called The 50 States Project.  Here's the deal:  50 states, 1 photographer in each state, 6 assignments throughout the year.  On March 1, the photographers turned in their photos for the assignment called "People."  On May 1, they will turn in the photographs for the "Habitat" assignment.  There are so many amazing pictures in the People gallery.  The one I've included made me laugh out loud.  It's worth checking out the series.

Just My Luck

Of course, on the morning of the Boston Marathon, on a day when I don't have to teach until 10:25 am PDT (well after the elites will finish), I just found out that I have to sub from 8:15-9:10.  If I had known, I would have called in sick.  I hate to say this, but those kids are going to get about 20% of me this morning.  I'm so excited that I get to teach 55 minutes of 9th grade English...like literally, teach them stuff.  Ugh!

Goucher looking good.  Men just went off with Hall sprinting to the lead.  What is going on?

And Nike is making a terrible mistake by not making their arm warmers available to the general public.

My Work Here Is (Almost) Done

The hard work is over.  I have nine more runs to do, only two of which will include any kind of quickness.  Basically, my work is done.  Today's half was good.  It was similar to San Diego in that it's along the coast, which means very little shade.  It was hot.  Not as bad as SD, but hotter than most April days in Santa Cruz (or all of coastal Cali for that matter).  The surfers were out and the best part of this lollipop course was the loop part, which was on a did trail around a peninsula above the ocean.  My only words were "Wow" as we saw the snaking line of runners on the circuitous trail.  With the sun about 40 degrees up in the sky, I have rarely seen such a beautiful sight.  I ran true to my race plan.  I wanted to go out for the first mile at race pace and then settle into race pace + 20 seconds.  I did that, with the exception of mile 2, which was faster than mile 1, despite the fact that I swear I slowed way down.

Tomorrow is the Boston Marathon.  I am getting up wicked early to get my easy run in and then pedal to work in time to watch the start (at 6:30 my time).  I only know 2 or 3 people running this year, which is lower than in the past, but I'm so excited for this year's race.  Kara Goucher has been a favorite of mine for a long time, at first by association ("Running with the Buffalo" put me in Adam Goucher's camp), and then outright.  Despite the fact that Ryan Hall and I don't see eye to eye on religion's influence on running, I'm looking forward to his race.  It was fun to watch him last year running London, and I expect nothing different tomorrow.  For those of you in New England, you can watch it on WCVB-TV or their website.  Outside of NE, watch on Universal Sports.  It's no secret that my goal is to one day qualify for Boston.  It's been a dream of mine that I can remember actively thinking about in high school, but probably was planted earlier.  My parents both ran it a bunch of times (much faster than I could ever hope to attain) and I've had many friends and heros fly by me at miles 9 and 22 (my usual spectating spots).  I'll spend the next two weeks trying not vomit as I think about the potential in Eugene.  I'm pumped to be healthy enough to run my first marathon and I hope Boston will be in my future.  I'll be getting inspiration tomorrow for sure.

Here's a video that I'll watch over and over in the next two weeks (as well as "Spirit of the Marathon" and all the Olympics/Tour de France/Trials/NYCRR YouTubing I can do...oh, and I'm going to the NYRR distance festival that's in Berkeley this Friday).  This video is amazing.  I mean, I do want Bearsley to win, but if you're a runner and you don't get goosebumps watching this, maybe your goosebump abilities are broken.

Ummm...what's Ring Road?  Parents?  Help me out.  Not called Boylston Street?  When I look it up, it seems they are one and the same, but Ring Road is kind of the carraige way like road in front of the Hynes Convention Center.  I need more info here.  

There are so many things about this video that are bizarre.  The quality is horrendous.  And the motorcycles are totally in getting in Beardsley's way.  Then there's a horse on the corse.  This would never happen today.  

And while Kara and Shalane and Sell and Hall and Joanie and DRitz and Rupp and Shorter and Salazar and all the rest (Lance too, of course) inspire me all the time, I am perhaps more inspired by my marathoning friends and family.  My parents, ADH & EH, AS, EH & EC & JC & ML & MF (yeah Flyers), CKB, JP & KS (and all the other blue jays).  I'm sure I'm forgetting some, but I probably wouldn't be on the verge of 26.2 without them.

Special shout out to the four Framingham Flyers who participated in the Scholastic Mile today.  Phineas is the only one I worked with.  I'm so impressed with how good he and the team has become over the last few years.