Happy 25 Years to a Great Run!

Wow, the Seattle Jingle Bell Run is 25 years old! I've got a lot a memories from that race. I've probably run it somewhere between 8-12 times. That was the race that taught me how loud jingle bells could be if you multiplied them by 20,000 or so.

It was also the race where we were hiding in the McDonald's by the Seattle Center, trying to get warm and waiting to meet my brother: he came running in, yelling at us, "I forgot my race number back at my house, we need to go get it!" I looked down at my feet for a moment, then back up, a horrible thought just coming to me. "Hell," I said. "We forgot ours too!" Thus began perhaps the fastest, most dangerous, lunatic, drive from downtown Seattle to Northgate and back in the history of the Puget Sound. We ran from our car into the already started race with our numbers waving around in our hands.

Good times. Goooood times.

And if you're really adventurous, you can run the Bellingham Jingle Bell run on Saturday (I've run that one about 5 times), then turn around and run the Seattle Jingle Bell Run on Sunday.

Hey, why not? It's to fight Arthritis - get out there and run!

RACES FOR WEEK OF DECEMBER 7th TO DECEMBER 13th

December 12th / Jingle Bells Run 8k and 5k / Eugene, OR

December 12th / Solstice Run 5k / Bainbridge Island, WA

December 12th / Girls on the Run 5k / Seattle, WA

December 12th / Christmas Rush 10k and 5k / Kent, WA

December 12th / Run Rudolph Run 5k / Edmonds, WA

December 12th / Jingle Bell Run Against Arthritis 4 miles / Bellingham, WA

December 13th / Jingle Bell Run Against Arthritis 5k / Seattle, WA

Turkey Trot Race Review!

Just for a little fun, and as my first official effort back since my time off to rest the hurt quad, I participated in a little Turkey-Day 5k in Gig Harbor, WA yesterday. We were in Gig Harbor to visit Jen's parents for Thanksgiving, so why not.

That's what I thought when I signed up anyway...

When I woke up on Thanksgiving morning, on very little sleep, I checked outside real quick and, oh yeah, we were definitely back in the Puget Sound. The rain was coming down furiously. Uh oh...I had barely talked Jen into the race in the first place - she wasn't going to be happy about the rain.

So we suited up: me in shorts, a tech shirt and a light jacket. Jen in sweat pants, t-shirt, hoody sweatshirt, and puffy down vest. Yeah, she was ready. As we stood at the start line waiting for 8:00 am and the start gun, our clothes soaking in pound after pound of rain, I asked Jen her race plan.

"No plan," Jen said. "I'm going to run very slowly. I'll be lucky to beat a half-hour. You just take off and I'll see you at the finish."

Yeah, right. I had heard this before. "You know as soon as we start, you'll be trying to beat me and everyone else within striking-distance."

"Not this time, I'm not in good enough shape," Jen said.

Hmmm...

So after a few more damp minutes, we started and I moved ahead as fast as my stiff little achilles would take me. I felt like I was moving along pretty well, even though I was shuffling along and not really striding out.

Still, I felt all right. I was passing up a few people. I felt like I was pulling away a bit coming up on the mile one marker. Then...

"Wow, I almost lost you on that first hill. I barely caught back up," Jen said.

And then you can picture me with my ego deflating like a popped Macy's parade balloon. Somebody grab a mop.

"Oh hey," I said. "Nice to see you."

And of course, from that point, there was no way I could lose her. Even though she had to take off her vest, then her hoody, then tie the hoody around her waist, then put the vest back on...still couldn't lose her. She even sprinted away from me on the last uphill to finish three seconds ahead at the finish.

"I KNEW it," I yelled after crossing the line. "The old bait and switch again. Just like always."

Jen just smiled. When you finish in front, it's easy to take the losers' complaints.

Grrrrrr, when's the next race?


Thanks to KOMO for the rain map.

Nanowrimo...Fail!

How lame would I be if I used moving into the new house as an excuse for not doing Jack in Nanowrimo?

So we've been moving into our new house for the last week or so and consequently...I didn't do Jack in Nanowrimo. Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. I don't know, there were other issues, I suppose. Like, say, the fact that I had about 30 pages of plot and I needed 200. Or the fact that the 30 pages were highly derivative of one of my favorite novels from Pete Hautman.

Yes, I was massively underprepared.

But mostly it was the house.

As far as you know.

Turkey Trot Dead Ahead!

It's been awhile since I've done a true Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving day itself, but I'm signed up for one this Thursday in Gig Harbor. Just a 5k, so not much, but enough that I won't feel bad about slamming some pie later in the day!

Let's race...and eat!

RACES FOR WEEK OF NOVEMBER 30th TO DECEMBER 6th

December 5th / Turkey Trot 5k / Rexburg, ID (Odd, a week and a half after T-Day...)

December 5th / Civil War Relay 55 Miles / Albany, OR

December 5th / Beaver Fun Run 5k / Corvallis, OR

December 5th / Shellburg Falls Trail Run 10k / Lyons, OR

December 5th / Holiday Fun Run 10k and 5k / Ridgefield, WA

December 5th / Toys for Tots Airport Run 10k and 5k / Arlington, WA

December 5th / Fairhaven Frosty 10k and 5k / Bellingham, WA

December 5th / Skagit Jingle Bell 4 mile Run / Mount Vernon, WA

No runs on Sunday this week. Hmmmm...run to church, I guess.

Nike+ Drives Me Crazy!

Now don't get me wrong, I love the Nike+...when it works! Which lately has been infrequently.

If you don't already know, the Nike+ has a little transmitter that slips into a hole in the insole of your Nike shoe and a sensor that fits into your iPod. Working together, they keep track of your distance, pace, calories, etc of your runs. Well, in theory. And I freely admit it - I like the thing. I like watching my totals add up, I like the corny little challenges against other runners, I like the website with the nice graphics.

I DON'T like the fact that it tells me I've gone 2.14 miles when I've actually gone 3.5 miles. I don't like when it tells me I've gone 5.3 miles when I've actually gone 3.5 miles. And yes, it's done both of those things in the past week.

Why don't I calibrate it, you ask? Yeah, I've done that. And done it again. And again. It doesn't matter. Sometimes, it just doesn't want to work right. And you'd think it wouldn't matter what kind of Nike shoes you had, as long as they were designed for the Nike+, right? Wrong. My old Moto's seemed to work pretty well with the Nike+, but then I went to the Tailwind and it wouldn't work at all. I finally got it close by shoving the sensor under my shoelaces instead of under the insole where it belongs. Now I'm back to Moto's again...and it's not working right in the laces or under the insole. Grrrrr...

And please don't tell me to get a Garmin watch. Yes, I love the technology and I'm sure I'd be happy with that side of it, but...I've got these skinny little girl wrists. That thing makes me look like I'm heading to the Ben 10 convention. No thanks.

Nike...please get the damn Nike+ in the shop and fix the bugs! Thanks.

Yes, We're Back...And No Worse Than Ever!

Sorry for the long absence, but we just closed on our new house last Friday and we've been moving and shuttling back and forth and moving and washing clothes back at the apartment because our new washer and dryer for the house won't be delivered for two more weeks and moving and getting ready for Thanksgiving...

And did I mention we've been moving?

But man, what a relief to finally be out of that cramped apartment! I had a great run tonight and I think it's partly just because we're finally all living and sleeping in the new house and my stress level is just dropping daily. And I don't get stressed easily, but the last few weeks, with Wells Fargo taking every opportunity they could to delay us from getting into our house (we ended up closing a week late because of them), has been enough to stress Gandhi himself.

But all better now...

In fact, things are going so well at the moment, the worst thing I have to deal with right now is my balky Nike+ unit...GRRRR. More on that soon.

I've even got a new run coming up for the first time since the Cowtown Half way back on October 4th! Let's celebrate with a run!

RACES FOR WEEK OF NOVEMBER 23rd TO NOVEMBER 29th

November 26th / Oregon Mid Valley Road Race 5.2 and 3.75 miles / Albany, OR

November 26th / Clark County Turkey Trot 10k and 5k / Vancouver, WA

November 26th / OAC Turkey Trot 5k / Corvallis, OR

November 26th / Turkey Trot 5k / Tacoma, WA

November 26th / Red Cross Turkey Trot 5k / Kennewick, WA (Thanks for the Turkey Photo!)

November 26th / Mosier Twin Tunnels 12k and 5k / Mosier, OR

November 26th / Turkey Trot 10k and 5k / Gig Harbor, WA

November 26th / Give n' Gobble 5k / Sherwood, OR

November 26th / Turkey on the Run 12k and 5k / Wenatchee, WA

November 28th / Seattle Marathon 5k / Seattle, WA

November 29th / Seattle Marathon and Half-Marathon / Seattle, WA

Eatin' Turkey and Watchin' Football

Now that's my kind of holiday.

Lot o' Turkey Runs a comin' up!

You know you're going to be stuffing your face big time on Thanksgiving Day, so sign up for a race right now to make up for it.

Let's race!


RACES FOR WEEK OF NOVEMBER 16th TO NOVEMBER 22nd

November 21st / EWEB Run to Stay Warm Half-Marathon, 10k and 5k / Eugene, OR

November 21st / Turkey Trot 5k / Vancouver, WA

November 21st / GBRC Turkey Trot 5k / Bellingham, WA

November 21st / Jingle Bell 5k / Spokane, WA

November 22st / Wild Turkey-Rooster Run Cross Country 8k / Corbett, OR

November 22nd / Green Lake Gobble 5k / Seattle, WA


Yeah, it's an old photo, but I like it. That shot is overlooking the Skagit Valley. Very pretty up there in the summer.

November Running Song of the Month!

Let's get kooky!

If this month's song doesn't get you moving (and singing along with the "do do do" sections) then you might as well be dead. This is just a song to make you feel great. So let's head back to England and meet up with the young lads from the Kooks! They've got a bunch of good tunes from their first two albums, but you just can't beat the energy of "Always Where I Need To Be." This one is a 5k song for sure. Just put it on repeat and go bust that sub-20:00 PR!

Enjoy.

Past Best Running Songs:
October: At the Drive In / "One Armed Scissor"
September: Silversun Pickups / "Lazy Eye"
August: Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros / "Johnny Appleseed"
July: Deathray / "I Wanna Lose Control (Uh Oh)"
June: Raconteurs / "Salute Your Solution"
May: Tea Party / "Save Me"
April: Bloc Party / "Like Eating Glass"
Ever: The English Beat / "I Confess"

No new posts?

Yes, that is correct. I'm trying to write a novel here, remember!?!?

I'll be back...

"It's On!" - "Get It Started!" - "Pump It Up!"

...and other vaguely inspirational slogans!

You see, I actually went for a run tonight. My first run in about three weeks. Man, I was just jonesing. I needed to get out there...or in there, as the case may be, since I just ran on the treadmill. No matter, I popped off a nice little run, didn't feel too bad overall, and my quad actually felt fine.

Life is good!

Let's Run! No, for real this time!

RACES FOR WEEK OF NOVEMBER 9th TO NOVEMBER 15th

November 14th / Lifeforce Challenge 10k and 5k / Eugene, OR

November 14th / The Dirdy Birdy - Portland's Muddiest 5k / Portland, OR

November 14th / Turkey Trot 2 Mile Run / Enumclaw, WA

November 14th / Kevin's Cup 8k / West Linn, OR

November 14th / Fowl Fun Run 10k / Mt. Vernon, WA

November 14th / Columbia River Classic 10 mile and 2 mile runs / Richland, WA

November 14th / Snoqualmie Ridge Turkey Trot 5k / Snoqualmie, WA

November 15th / Fitness for Vitality 10k and 5k / Seattle, WA

No, the comic up there has absolutely nothing to do with running nor writing...it's just funny, dude! Please, do yourself a favor and head over to Natalie's and laugh a bit...and buy a shirt while you're at it, ya damn cheapskate! And yes...I do have a big head...