Have a good weekend everyone, and keep on rockin'!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Heading back
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Strange Sleep Patterns
Well, this weekend was full of odd sleep patterns for me. I stayed up late on Friday, which generally doesn't lead to good things. Saturday, I woke up, not nearly rested enough. Tired and cranky was I.
Shortly after, I was called in to work and spent the day there. I came home and caught a quick 20 minute nap, also out of the norm. I usually only nap if I'm sick. After that, I went out for a run, my first in 6 days. Did 3 miles.
After the nap and the run, I felt immensely better. I napped and ran the crankiness out of my system.
So, Sunday, I wound up waking up early. Also, well out of the norm. Now, 7:30 isn't early for a lot of people, but for me on a weekend, that's at least 2 hours earlier than normal. LOL.
Strange thing is, when you get up earlier, there's more hours in the day to work with. hah.
So yeah, I went for a run that morning, and it was kind of nice, having it out of the way by 10:30. Another 3 miles in the books.
This week, I'm rolling downstate for a business trip.. Yee-haw! I'm hoping that I can hop on the treadmill in the hotel and work off the extraordinary free breakfast that the Holiday Inn Express serves.. (seriously, it's good)
I'm also hoping I can get caught up on my blogging at night and get a couple of posts out.
Keep on rockin', everyone!
Shortly after, I was called in to work and spent the day there. I came home and caught a quick 20 minute nap, also out of the norm. I usually only nap if I'm sick. After that, I went out for a run, my first in 6 days. Did 3 miles.
After the nap and the run, I felt immensely better. I napped and ran the crankiness out of my system.
So, Sunday, I wound up waking up early. Also, well out of the norm. Now, 7:30 isn't early for a lot of people, but for me on a weekend, that's at least 2 hours earlier than normal. LOL.
Strange thing is, when you get up earlier, there's more hours in the day to work with. hah.
So yeah, I went for a run that morning, and it was kind of nice, having it out of the way by 10:30. Another 3 miles in the books.
This week, I'm rolling downstate for a business trip.. Yee-haw! I'm hoping that I can hop on the treadmill in the hotel and work off the extraordinary free breakfast that the Holiday Inn Express serves.. (seriously, it's good)
I'm also hoping I can get caught up on my blogging at night and get a couple of posts out.
Keep on rockin', everyone!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
TIART: Running Technology Tips
Today's TIaRT post is about technology and running.
I started out running by just throwing on my sneakers and heading out the door. That's what running was (or so I thought).
One of the first signs of technology creep was the web site MapMyRun.com. I could go to the site, plot my route, and get all sorts of cool information, from mileage to elevation charts.
Another site I use is Google Docs. I keep my running log there, obsessively tracking every mile, how many miles per pair of sneakers, pace information, etc.
I also started running with an iPod. A little musical boost. My silver one died, so I was running with my wife's pink one. (Yes, I'm comfortable enough to do that).
After doing that a few months and obsessively plotting each turn and corner in MapMyRun, I opted to buy a Garmin Forerunner 305. That is the bomb. I really turned into a running geek then. Real time pace information, mileage, all that stuff. I still don't even use all of the features of it, but I love it.
You can then offload the data to your computer using various software. Garmin has some, and I also like this SportTracks software, which integrates a nice sexy map to show you where you've been.
Along with the Forerunner, I got a heart rate monitor. That was something I didn't know much about (and admittedly still don't).
Oh, and a cell phone. On long runs. Just in case. (Plus, it doubles as a camera to take pictures for later posting)
After a while, I looked at myself, and I felt like some sort of bionic creature. All sorts of crap strapped on, just to go out and run a couple of miles. And so, the shedding began..
The first thing to go was the heart rate monitor. It was strapped against my chest, and I couldn't get used to it. My male mind felt like I had some sort of bra on or something (although I'm told that would be a completely different feeling).
Next up was dropping my iPod. I would just go out and run, and let myself get immersed in my thoughts and enjoy the outdoors.
Occasionally, I'll go out now without my Garmin, and just run. (I still wind up going back to MapMyRun, just for OCD's sake and keeping my running log up to date.)
Now, I'm back to using my iPod occasionally (my wife bought me a new one, so I'm back to a manly color). It's not one that does the Nike+, another potential technological running obsession, so that's both good and bad. :)
Technology is a double edged sword, in my mind. It does help to some degree. It makes running more enjoyable and trackable.
...But in the end, it's still all about putting your shoes on and getting out the door.
I started out running by just throwing on my sneakers and heading out the door. That's what running was (or so I thought).
One of the first signs of technology creep was the web site MapMyRun.com. I could go to the site, plot my route, and get all sorts of cool information, from mileage to elevation charts.
Another site I use is Google Docs. I keep my running log there, obsessively tracking every mile, how many miles per pair of sneakers, pace information, etc.
I also started running with an iPod. A little musical boost. My silver one died, so I was running with my wife's pink one. (Yes, I'm comfortable enough to do that).
After doing that a few months and obsessively plotting each turn and corner in MapMyRun, I opted to buy a Garmin Forerunner 305. That is the bomb. I really turned into a running geek then. Real time pace information, mileage, all that stuff. I still don't even use all of the features of it, but I love it.
You can then offload the data to your computer using various software. Garmin has some, and I also like this SportTracks software, which integrates a nice sexy map to show you where you've been.
Along with the Forerunner, I got a heart rate monitor. That was something I didn't know much about (and admittedly still don't).
Oh, and a cell phone. On long runs. Just in case. (Plus, it doubles as a camera to take pictures for later posting)
After a while, I looked at myself, and I felt like some sort of bionic creature. All sorts of crap strapped on, just to go out and run a couple of miles. And so, the shedding began..
The first thing to go was the heart rate monitor. It was strapped against my chest, and I couldn't get used to it. My male mind felt like I had some sort of bra on or something (although I'm told that would be a completely different feeling).
Next up was dropping my iPod. I would just go out and run, and let myself get immersed in my thoughts and enjoy the outdoors.
Occasionally, I'll go out now without my Garmin, and just run. (I still wind up going back to MapMyRun, just for OCD's sake and keeping my running log up to date.)
Now, I'm back to using my iPod occasionally (my wife bought me a new one, so I'm back to a manly color). It's not one that does the Nike+, another potential technological running obsession, so that's both good and bad. :)
Technology is a double edged sword, in my mind. It does help to some degree. It makes running more enjoyable and trackable.
...But in the end, it's still all about putting your shoes on and getting out the door.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Workin' it.
Well, work has still been kicking the shizzz out of me lately. I swear, I'll get back to blogging on a regular basis.
Maybe I'll even get back to running on a regular basis, too. LOL.
I did go out for a 3.5 miler, a big ass hill run yesterday. ITB felt good, calves & hammys, not so much. They said "What the hell are you doing?". But, all was said and done, reasonably successfully.
Just a side note on that run.. Eating Denny's, oh, say, 45 minutes prior.. not a good idea. No puking occurred, but it was not the most pleasant feeling. (Why Denny's? I totally blame the Runner's Lounge podcast from a few weeks ago where they were making fun of the Denny's free breakfast giveaway. I was just like "Damn, I haven't been there in years!")
I'm also going to pick up running with my iPod again. I've been having motivational issues, so I'm hoping some kickazz tunes will help me out there.
So, with work beating me silly, what else would a raging alcoholic quasi-responsible adult do? Drink!
(Yes, I know. My body is a temple. A temple for what, I have absolutely no idea. Between the alcohol and Denny's, my fate is decided).
I really do applaud all of you for drinking the green smoothies and such. I'm just not that kind of guy. :)
So.. the drinks.. You are about to see something rarely seen from me. A lackluster beer.
Before you laugh, I said I had to try this once. For those that know me, I'll try anything once. You never know until you try, after all.
So, beer #1..
Budweiser American Ale. No link love here, either.
I'll start out by saying "meh".
That's over.. I'm glad I tried it. For those unfamiliar, it's Bud's way of busting into the 'micro brew' realm. They realize some people like finer beers, so they're trying to accommodate.
I give them props for trying. And, it is better than a standard Budweiser. A little maltier, I'd say. Still, it's a Bud. Not that there's anything wrong with it. It works for them. Just not as much for me.
So, if you're going to try a micro-brew or a craft brew for the first time, don't go here.
Beer #2, I give much higher ratings to. It is Druid Fluid by Middle Ages Brewing (Syracuse). This is a barleywine style ale, and I like it much better than the Monster Ale I had of the same style.
You couldn't taste the overwhelming alcohol taste, like you could in the Monster Ale. That being said, it still packs a nice hearty punch. It's got a pleasant amber color with some good malt flavor to it.. Not overpowering, by any means, though. I really liked this one.
More beers to come, folks. Many more have been tried, just need to get them posted.
Keep on rockin'!
Maybe I'll even get back to running on a regular basis, too. LOL.
I did go out for a 3.5 miler, a big ass hill run yesterday. ITB felt good, calves & hammys, not so much. They said "What the hell are you doing?". But, all was said and done, reasonably successfully.
Just a side note on that run.. Eating Denny's, oh, say, 45 minutes prior.. not a good idea. No puking occurred, but it was not the most pleasant feeling. (Why Denny's? I totally blame the Runner's Lounge podcast from a few weeks ago where they were making fun of the Denny's free breakfast giveaway. I was just like "Damn, I haven't been there in years!")
I'm also going to pick up running with my iPod again. I've been having motivational issues, so I'm hoping some kickazz tunes will help me out there.
So, with work beating me silly, what else would a raging alcoholic quasi-responsible adult do? Drink!
(Yes, I know. My body is a temple. A temple for what, I have absolutely no idea. Between the alcohol and Denny's, my fate is decided).
I really do applaud all of you for drinking the green smoothies and such. I'm just not that kind of guy. :)
So.. the drinks.. You are about to see something rarely seen from me. A lackluster beer.
Before you laugh, I said I had to try this once. For those that know me, I'll try anything once. You never know until you try, after all.
So, beer #1..
Budweiser American Ale. No link love here, either.
I'll start out by saying "meh".
That's over.. I'm glad I tried it. For those unfamiliar, it's Bud's way of busting into the 'micro brew' realm. They realize some people like finer beers, so they're trying to accommodate.
I give them props for trying. And, it is better than a standard Budweiser. A little maltier, I'd say. Still, it's a Bud. Not that there's anything wrong with it. It works for them. Just not as much for me.
So, if you're going to try a micro-brew or a craft brew for the first time, don't go here.
Beer #2, I give much higher ratings to. It is Druid Fluid by Middle Ages Brewing (Syracuse). This is a barleywine style ale, and I like it much better than the Monster Ale I had of the same style.
You couldn't taste the overwhelming alcohol taste, like you could in the Monster Ale. That being said, it still packs a nice hearty punch. It's got a pleasant amber color with some good malt flavor to it.. Not overpowering, by any means, though. I really liked this one.
More beers to come, folks. Many more have been tried, just need to get them posted.
Keep on rockin'!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Running and Chimays
I got out for a 3 miler last night. Opted to do this one at around an 8:30 pace, which is a little faster than my standard running speed that I can settle into easily. Due to exhaustion and my lack of running lately As a precautionary measure, I stopped and stretched at not only the halfway mark, but the 3/4 mark. Still, got it done. Knee feels OK today. This 3 mile cap may be the way to go for now. (I am SO jonesin' for going on a long run.. this just kills me!). I was supposed to do W2D3 of the pushup challenege last night. I'll do that tonight soon. LOL
On to the Chimay..
Chimay beers are Belgian style beers. They're made by Trappist monks, and that's as authentic as you can get.
For full disclosure, I'm not big into Belgians.. But, I can differentiate good from bad, don't get me wrong.
Most of my favorite Belgian beer comes from Ommegang, one place I'm going to have to visit in the near future. (It's not that far from me, I really have no good excuse why I haven't gone.) The glass I'm showing here is actually an Ommegang glass. hehe
I've heard good things about Chimay, so I thought I'd give them a go. Both of these came in a "big" bottle, so it was a good excuse to drink more sample the beers as they warmed up.
The Premiere Ale (red bottle) was the first one I had one night. Had a bit of a nutty flavor, I thought. Also had some yeast mixed in, which I really like. I know not everyone likes the extra "character" of having yeast in their beer, but I do. (So take that!)
The Cinq Cents (white bottle) was one I had last week. It was drier and far more hoppy than the other. Not IPA hoppy, mind you, but there were hops in it. It was a more golden color, and also had some yeast in it (I thought the red had more yeast, though)
Both of these beers are premium. There's a lot of character and tastes in them that I just don't have the palette depth to figure out. Both are incredibly smooth, and good tasting. For Belgians, they're top grade (even better than some of Ommegang's). Probably not good beers for the beginner, though.
I think I preferred the spiciness and hops of the Cinq Cents. Of course, those beers seem to match up well with me in the springtime, where as the other may match up well in the late fall and early winter.
Would I drink them again? Of course. They're delicious. (There's very little I wouldn't drink, sadly). I'll even recommend them, for someone looking for a Belgian. They probably won't make the standard rotation, though, just due to my preferences.
Keep on rockin', everyone! Happy April Fool's Day, too!!
On to the Chimay..
Chimay beers are Belgian style beers. They're made by Trappist monks, and that's as authentic as you can get.
For full disclosure, I'm not big into Belgians.. But, I can differentiate good from bad, don't get me wrong.
Most of my favorite Belgian beer comes from Ommegang, one place I'm going to have to visit in the near future. (It's not that far from me, I really have no good excuse why I haven't gone.) The glass I'm showing here is actually an Ommegang glass. hehe
I've heard good things about Chimay, so I thought I'd give them a go. Both of these came in a "big" bottle, so it was a good excuse to drink more sample the beers as they warmed up.
The Premiere Ale (red bottle) was the first one I had one night. Had a bit of a nutty flavor, I thought. Also had some yeast mixed in, which I really like. I know not everyone likes the extra "character" of having yeast in their beer, but I do. (So take that!)
The Cinq Cents (white bottle) was one I had last week. It was drier and far more hoppy than the other. Not IPA hoppy, mind you, but there were hops in it. It was a more golden color, and also had some yeast in it (I thought the red had more yeast, though)
Both of these beers are premium. There's a lot of character and tastes in them that I just don't have the palette depth to figure out. Both are incredibly smooth, and good tasting. For Belgians, they're top grade (even better than some of Ommegang's). Probably not good beers for the beginner, though.
I think I preferred the spiciness and hops of the Cinq Cents. Of course, those beers seem to match up well with me in the springtime, where as the other may match up well in the late fall and early winter.
Would I drink them again? Of course. They're delicious. (There's very little I wouldn't drink, sadly). I'll even recommend them, for someone looking for a Belgian. They probably won't make the standard rotation, though, just due to my preferences.
Keep on rockin', everyone! Happy April Fool's Day, too!!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Yes, I'm still here
Yes, yes, I'm still here. You can't get rid of me that easily.
Work has just been kicking my azzz this week. And, on the off chance that anyone at work might read my blog, I'm going to end my work talk there before I get into trouble.
First up, RunningLaur put together some virtual swag for the Hooray Spring 6 Miler. Here's mine:
I think it's great! Love it!
So, the weekend... I did go see Jon Stewart. They were really anal about people sneaking cameras and such, so this is the best pic I have, with my better-as-a-phone-than-camera:
Yeah, not so good.
But, the show itself.. funny funny stuff. He didn't do as much "current event" type material as I was expecting. That being said, I was laughing the whole time.. and, after all, isn't that why you go watch a comedian?
I did get a 4 miler in on Saturday, which pretty much wrecked my ITB for Sunday and Monday. I think I'm going to have to self-impose a cap for my runs at 3 miles for now.
The other exciting news is this:
Charlie Brown's Christmas tree is safely tucked away in it's box for the year. It's finally down. I was hoping to beat a certain blogger, but she beat me by a couple of weeks. :)
Alright.. I need to get back to it. I'll be back.. I have a bunch of beer reviews to do, too.
Tonight, I'm shooting for a 3 miler.. Looks like it's decent outside.
Keep on rockin'!
Work has just been kicking my azzz this week. And, on the off chance that anyone at work might read my blog, I'm going to end my work talk there before I get into trouble.
First up, RunningLaur put together some virtual swag for the Hooray Spring 6 Miler. Here's mine:
I think it's great! Love it!
So, the weekend... I did go see Jon Stewart. They were really anal about people sneaking cameras and such, so this is the best pic I have, with my better-as-a-phone-than-camera:
Yeah, not so good.
But, the show itself.. funny funny stuff. He didn't do as much "current event" type material as I was expecting. That being said, I was laughing the whole time.. and, after all, isn't that why you go watch a comedian?
I did get a 4 miler in on Saturday, which pretty much wrecked my ITB for Sunday and Monday. I think I'm going to have to self-impose a cap for my runs at 3 miles for now.
The other exciting news is this:
Charlie Brown's Christmas tree is safely tucked away in it's box for the year. It's finally down. I was hoping to beat a certain blogger, but she beat me by a couple of weeks. :)
Alright.. I need to get back to it. I'll be back.. I have a bunch of beer reviews to do, too.
Tonight, I'm shooting for a 3 miler.. Looks like it's decent outside.
Keep on rockin'!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Friday Miscellany
- A few people seem to have adopted the 'write in bullets' style, so I'm going to give that a shot for a day.
- I'm not coordinated to do a dozen footnotes like some people.
- I'm going to see Jon Stewart this weekend.
- I'm stoked! If you haven't watched the series of clips with him and Jim Cramer, wow.. Put aside a half hour and check them out. Funny stuff!
- OK, here's some of the clips for you. here, here, and here.
- If you like NIN, Jane's Addiction,or Street Sweeper, there's a free EP sampler for their upcoming tour at http://www.ninja2009.com/
- I got 2 of the 4 games wrong last night in my picks. Ugh.
- Favorite quote from the basketball coverage last night: "Just because you're open doesn't mean you should shoot it" (after someone air-balled it)
- Best of luck to all of the racers this weekend. I know I'll forget some peeps.. (my bad if I forget you!). tfh, Melanie, Chad, RunToFinish, Lacey, Sassy Molassy, and anyone I forgot.
- Speaking of tfh, props to her for running her first marathon this weekend.. best of luck!
- That's all.. Keep on rockin', everyone!
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