Listening to the sounds of my own body

5 Days to NYC Marathon

Distance: 4 miles
Weight: 166 lbs.
Stretches: yes
Drink: Gatorade Endurance
Snack: macaroni
Time: 2.30pm
Weather: 55º cool, wet, windy, and very, very pleasant

No soundtrack, from here on our it's the sound of my own breathing. Not that it will be that quiet in New York, far from it, but I won't have the kind of music in my ears I have been training with.

And it was a little difficult. More aware of the way my body moves, and I wasn't that confident about it. A little creaky. White noise in both ears can help you ignore that. So can thousands of cheering New Yawkers, or so I am hoping.

Here's what I can feel good about; no braces on my shins, no braces on my knees. I saw a doctor today, my blood pressure and my resting heart rate were excellent. No, funny, I didn't lose a single pound training, but I have been enjoying food a lot more.

Thanks for the comment, Henrik. That was funny.

That sucked.

5 miles

HOW YOU LIKE ME NOW???!!!

8 Days to NYC Marathon

Distance: 6 miles
Weight: 167 lbs.
Stretches: yes
Drink: yes
Time: 3pm
Weather: 41º Thunder, lightning, driving rain and hail.

"Chunk Style" Playlist
Stretches: Don't Believe the Hype - Public Enemy
Bust a Move - Young MC
Down In It (Shred) - Nine Inch Nails
Tread Water - De La Soul
Mama Said Knock You Out - LL Cool J
Unbelieveable - EMF
The Globe - Big Audio Dynamite II
Cantaloop (Flip Fantastia) - Us3
Doctorin' the Tardis - The KLF
Imagination - Exotic Birds
Bring the Noise - Public Enemy
Change In Speak - De La Soul
Express Yourself - Madonna
Hippychick - Soho
Cooldown(?): Doowutchyalike - Digital Underground

Oh yes, hail. Sirens, tree branches falling, a total mess. In the first mile. Why didn't I stop? I have no idea, something to do with running 26.2 miles a week from tomorrow. If I can do this, I can do that.

Unless, of course, the weather is like this in eight days. Then I don't know what the hell I'll do.

Ketchup Is Tomato

... and high fructose corn syrup.

10 Days to NYC Marathon

Distance: 4 miles
Duration: 34 and a half minutes?!?
Weight: 167 lbs.
Stretches: yes
Drink: Gatorade
Meal: McDonald's
Time: 3pm
Weather: 50º cool & clear

OverDrive+ (175 BPM) - dj steveboy
"This mix doesn't care about being pretty or being your buddy pal. It only wants one thing: to push you headlong at 175 BPM for 78 frantic, full-tilt minutes."

Lawsy, what the heck's got into me? What on earth did I do to peel nearly two minutes off last night's run? 175 bpm had an awful lot to do with it, but that didn't mean I had it in me to keep up.

On top of that, I have been consuming enough trans fats these past few days to choke a whore. I should have cholesterol like putty. SO much for keeping any kind of running-oriented diet, no wonder I get so exhausted on the long runs.

Still. That felt good.

Do the limbo

11 Days to NYC Marathon

Distance: 4 miles
Duration: roughly 36 minutes
Weight: 167 lbs.
Stretches: yes
Drink: water
Meal: beanie weenies
Time: 9.40pm
Weather: 45 º very cool

Fuse (161 BPM) - dj steveboy
"So-called cuz it's hot & burning, and because it puts together a lot of different styles. Somehow it all works out, so that you can all work out, too."

Damn. Almost bagged on that run. Talked my wife into letting me skip it, too. "I'm too tired, I'm too sick ..." Dude, you're training fro a fricking marathon, man, was this supposed to be easy?

Ever since the weather turned I have felt in limbo. Also, since the numbers started going down instead of up. Just treading water. Staying limber.

I get that funny feeling in my tummy

Distance: 4 miles
Weight: 164.5 lbs.
Stretches: yes
Drink: no
Meal: yes
Time: 7.40pm
Weather: 44º cool & wet

"The Big Love" PLaylist
Warm-Up: Put Your Records On - Corinne Bailey Rae
Sunrise (Jason Nevins Remix) - Duran Duran
Love Rollercoaster - Red Hot Chili Peppers
I Don't Feel Like Dancin' - Scissor Sisters
Staging the Plaguing of the Raised Platform - Cornershop
Water of Nazareth - Justice
Mystery Train - Michael J. Sheehy
Shoe Box - Barenaked Ladies
Crazy in Love - Beyonce f. Jay-Z
Cooldown: Music - Madonna
Call On Me - Eric Prydz

Plane tickets are bought (NICE discount, NYC Marathon!) and we have a place to stay in New York. It's all staying limber from here on out. Damn, I wish I could shake this cold. I should have checked the temperature before I took off, it has been snowing, sleeting and hailing the past few days, but the temperature and th weather had calmed down and picked up in the past few hours, but I didn't notice and suited up for a snowstorm. I was a sweaty boy. Luckily it was a short run.

I'll be running circles around you sooner than you know.

Went to bed relatively early - 10.30pm. Woke to the alarm groggy but ready to do this ... and discovered it was midnight! The alarm had reset, I had six more hours to sleep! That was a good sign, that I was committed to do this on an hour and a half of sleep.

Six hours later I rose and dressed for cold. Welcome back butter beanie, welcome back bullethead. Yesterday I got new soles, new gloves (awesome gloves) and a new running hat.

My route was circuitous. I would run three five-mile circuits around my house. The first two ended with a pee break, Gatorade and GU (Strawberry banana - disgusting; Vanilla Bean - vile.) and after ten miles, I ditched the new soles for the old ones, the new ones were making the toes on my right foot go to sleep.

Yes, a very good run. Roger does Chicago tomorrow, positive thoughts and energy to Roger!

Distance: 15 miles
Duration: roughly two and a half hours
Weight: 165.5 lbs.
Stretches: yes
Drink: yes
Snack: Balance Bar Gold
Time: 6:50am
Weather: 43º cold & clear - no wind

"The Big Love" Playlist
Warm-Up: Upside Down - Jack Johnson
The Sporting Life - The Decemberists
Such Great Heights (Album) - The Postal Service
Before Today - Everything But the Girl
Jerk It Out - Caesars
I Predict A Riot - Kaiser Chiefs
Future Sightings - I Am the World Trade Center
Red - Sister Soleil
Hips Don't Lie (Featuring Wyclef Jean) - Shakira f. Wyclef Jean
Burning Down The House - Tom Jones & The Cardigans
Exquisite Corpse - Hedwig & the Angry Inch
Decent Days And Nights - The Futureheads
All Things Just Keep Getting Better - Widelife f. Simone
Transatlanticism - Death Cab for Cutie
Weapon Of Choice [Explicit] - Fatboy Slim
Munich - Editors
Work It - Missy Elliott
Thank You - Dido
Ready 2 Wear - Felix da Housecat
Lucky And Unhappy - AIR
This is Where it All Begins - Plasticman
One More Time - Daft Punk
Mainframe - Kaada
Never Coming Home (Gonna Live My Life Remix) - Sting
Superstar - Jamelia
Wound Up - Office
Lose Yourself [Explicit] - Eminem
Closer [Explicit] - Nine Inch Nails
Night In My Veins (Album Version) - The Pretenders
Accepting Applications At University - Lilys
A Little Less Conversation (JXL Radio Edit Remix) - Elvis Presley
Touch the Sky - Kanye West f. Lupe Fiasco
Hello - Poe
Lady Marmalade - Christina Aguilera, Maya, Pink, Lil' Kim f. Missy Elliott
Thinking About Your Axe-Wound - Joel Veitch
Outer Bongolia - Stereolab
The Man Comes Around - Johnny Cash
Cooldown: There There (The Boney King of Nowhere) - Radiohead
August Day Song (King Britt Remix) - Bebel Gilberto (Thanks, Calvin.)

Ziggety zig zag, just look at 'em.

Distance: 4 miles
Weight: 166 lbs.
Streches: not really
Drink: yes
Time: 3.50pm
Weather: 57º cool & overcast

"Married/Buried" Playlist
I'm Too Sexy - Right Said Fred
Dreaming I Am - Bob Mould
It Won't Be Long - Alison Moyet
Round and Round - Tevin Campbel
Real, Real, Real (The Real Pop Mix) - Jesus Jones
All That She Wants - Ace of Base
Hit - Sugarcubes
A Girl Like You - Edwyn Collins
Across this Antheap - XTC
Soul Free - George Michael

No. Really. No tomatoes.

... is not Chicago.

Distance: 4 miles
Weight: 166.5 lbs.
Stretches: yes
Drink: Gatorade Endurance
Time: 9.40pm
Weather: 59º cool, man, cool.

"Married/Buried" Playlist
Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago - Soul Coughing
Serious - Duran Duran
Veronica - Elvis Costello
The Globe - Big Audio Dynamite II
Kinda I Want To - Nine Inch Nails
Brave New World - Michael Penn
Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) - C+C Music Factory
Disappointed - Electronic
Cooldown: Vogue - Madonna

This may not be my best day ... but this ain't no golden age.

Time, a hideous migraine, family illness, dehydration and sheer exhaustion made it utterly impossible for me to run in Chicago, indoors, outdoors or anywhere else. So much for a second twenty miles, I am taking the risk. Made my big push two weeks ago, and am already gearing up for the big run. Travel plans are in effect, I need to seriously question my diet (no tomatoes, no tomatoes, no tomatoes) and keep myself rested, limber and well-energized.

I need to buy goo, and try it out on my fifteen miler this Saturday. Also, I must go thrifting and get some disposable sweats, gloves and maybe a hat. The gel soles in my shoes are well worn and should be replaced now, rather than later.

The shoes are good. The gear is good. My shin splints are gone. My corns are gone. Today, my hip does not hurt. It is, as the kids used to say, all good.

No sweat

Distance: 4 miles
Duration: roughly 37:30
Weight: 166 lbs.
Stretches: yes
Drink: Gatorade Endurance
Snack: dired dates
Time: 6am
Weather: 44º cold & windy

Cruise Control (175 BPM) - dj steveboy
"I listened to this driving on the freeway and my car started sniffing up the white line like a supermodel. This thing moves. Which means you will, too."

Ugh, that was nasty. Weather said rain, thank heavens that wasn't true. Stepped out and thought, hmn, maybe 4 miles this morning. Slated to run 20 on Saturday, but that isn't going to happen. Either it is a short run on Lakeshore Drive or a long run on a treadmill at the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza. This weekend: Chicago.

Drown'd, drown'd.

Distance: 5 miles
Weight: 165.5 lbs.
Strehces: yes
Drink: yes
Snack: dried dates
Time: 6am
Weather: 61º downpour

Jackhammer (180 BPM)
"61 minutes of lights-out lumberjack-style merciless full-contact chainsaw macho pump-uppedness to bring out your inner fwuffy bunny."

I am a soggy man. My back has been aching lately, the kind of ache I get from overstretching it. Sometimes it's difficult to sit. The pain in my hip has returned, but the run was good - it had to be. First off, 180 bpm is pretty high speed, and even if I am trying to keep my pace under it, when it starts raining like hell it's hard not to find myself in synch with it.

I get my thing in action

Distance: 5 miles
Weight: 165 lbs.
Stretches: yes
Drink: Gatorade
Snack: dried fruit
Time: 6am
Weather: 53º cool ... but not that cool

"In the Night Kitchen" Playlist
Army of Me - Bjørk
Under - Filter
Unmarked Helicopters - Soul Coughing
Parsec - Stereolab
I Don't Wanna Grow Up - The Ramones
I Saw the Light - The The
Enter Sandman - Apocalyptica
White Lines - Duran Duran
Hell - Squirrel Nut Zippers
The Beautiful People - Marilyn Manson
The New Pollution - Beck
Verb: That's What's Happening - Moby
Cooldown: Bazamba - Sister Soleil

What the hell was that? That was great! I guess two days of air travel, packed in like a sardine, is good for what ails you. Seriously - I should be bulding up to a peak here, but it's kind of tapering off. Missed a day last week (and the week before that) 12 this Saturday turned into seven on Sunday, and I don't wish to take the time when we're in Chicago this weekend to put in my final 20. And running it during the week is out of the question ... or is it?

However, today (which should have been a four, but I couldn't help myself) I felt like I haven't in weeks. Just felt great. Put in a few speed intervals, nothing aching or throwing me off. I have burned/worn away the callouses on both feet, so there is much less irritation there, and my hip ... well, my hip let me through. Today, anyway.

I should add - there's a tendon or ligament in my left big toe (I'm not making this up) that I pulled a year and a half ago. This tiny little pain in my big left toe. Walking around the city over the weekend really aggravated it.

Lonesome for a place I know

Distance: Almost 7 miles
Stretches: yes
Drink: Lucozade
Snack: NutriGrain bar (before) & Special K bar (after)
Time: 7am
Weather: cool & crisp

Accelerator (162 BPM) - dj steveboy
"This one feels like it speeds up (it doesn't) until it gets enough velocity to leave the planet. After that it's one big space race."

It was a whirlwind journey to London, but I did get a decent night's sleep the night before (8 hours - barely noticed it) and got up at the EST equivalent of 1.30am to go running. If I had planned a little bteer I may have know it was the date of the London 10K - 30,000 people! - and signed up. But the first race was to be at 10:15 and then I would have no morning in Covent Garden.

As it was Hyde Park had all these temporary barricades strung through it, which I was too confused to go around. What if I got yelled at? That kind of thing. So I altered my route, to one which was much more ... boring (I am not a big fan of Hyde Park, anyway) and headed out towards St. James.

Yes, you know you are in London when you are jogging past Buckingham Palace ... and there's absolutely no one else around.

So different, running through St. James than strolling through it. I used to think it was so large, but it only took a few minutes. The playground the kids used back in March, I have photos that make it look much bigger, it was like a tiny patch.

A small man, on the another side of the planet, going for a run. Different air, different land, same pair of shoes.

This pain will go

Distance: 5 miles
Weight: 163 lbs.
Stretches: yes
Drink: Gatorade
Snack: dried figs (good boy!)
Time: 6am
Weather: 51º

"In the Night Kitchen" Playlist:
La Femme d'Argent* - AIR
Scream - Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson
Animal - Prick
Local God - Everclear
One Angry Dwarf & 200 Solemn Faces - Ben Folds
We Prick You* - David Bowie
Lovefool - Cardigans
Burning Ground - Van Morrison
Female of the Species - Space
Birth-Day (Love Made Real) - Suzanne Vega
Airbag* - Radiohead
Cooldown: Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me - U2

These new-fangled online mapping programs are downright handy. I already have a route around Regent's Park for use on Sunday. I don't anticipate doing 12, but I will be pleased to do any running at all.

I swear my butt is smaller than it was six months ago.

Gotta get up to get down.

Distance: 5 miles
Weight: 163 lbs.
Streches: yes
Drink: Gatorade (after - but not before, STUPID.)
Meal: oatmeal
Time: 9.30am
Weather: 70º warm & windy

"In the Night Kitchen" Playlist:
1979 - Smashing Pumpkins
Magic Carpet Ride - Mighty Dub Catz
Wrong - Everything but the Girl
Brakhage - Stereolab
Piku - Chemical Brothers
Stupid Girl - Garbage
Good Sh*t - Cornershop
Mama Told Me Not to Come - The Wolfgang Press
Fast Love - George Michael
Cooldown: Dark and Long - Underworld

Uhm, seventy degrees and no fluid before you run? Dumb. But otherwise satisfying, especially considering I have been socked with a nasty cold the past two days. Tried some sprints, as suggested by K (thanks, K!) and they felt very, very good. Knocked me out of that robot feeling.

Autopilot

Distance: 3 miles
Weight: 166 lbs.
Stretches: yes
Drink: Gatorade
Meal: Cinnamon Beef Soup (w/pasta)
Time: 8.15pm
Weather: 59º cool and clear

"In the Night Kitchen" Playlist:
Connection - Elastica
The Perfect Drug - Nine Inch Nails
Zoot Suit Riot - Cherry Poppin' Daddies
Making Plans for Nigel - The Rembrandts
You and Me Song - The Wannadies
Broken English - Queue Up
Soundtrack to Mary - Soul Coughing
Cooldown: Hello - Poe

Feel like I'm running like a robot, I'm all stiff legged. I don't feel normal, at all, when I run. Doesn't matter how much I stretche. Things were loosened up by the time I started, but it didn't feel "good." I got no idea where this is all going. And yet I keep running.