Reverse Brick

Part 1

Hot. Humid. Blah. I'm so cold when winter is here then I regret wishing for warmer days when summer rolls around and roasts me like a damn pig. I wanted to go further today, somewhere around 5 or 6 miles, but the heat got to me too fast so I opted to run and ride. And it was pretty easy to convince myself to shorten my run since the only reason I wanted to go further was because I saw an OBEY sticker on a local street sign. It's the second I've seen in an area and I wanted to snap a picture but alas, I wimped out thanks to the heat.

The rest of the run was fairly boring. Snapped a picture at the bottom of the creek. Saw a dead snake and startled two others (I think, I never saw them but I know they're out to get me). And that was about it.

Photo:

Photo at the bottom of the creek.

Weather:
Temps were about 80F. Humidity was high. Sun was out. Light breeze.

Fluids and Fuel:
Breakfast was hash browns, iced latte, and a burrito. It was kind of a cheat day with food but I'm turning a corner because it just wasn't appetizing at all. Took a shot of Hammer Gel before the run. During the run I had a bottle of plain water and a bottle of Hammer Fizz. I didn't finish either but had about half of each. No recovery since I went into my bike ride.

Aches and Pains:
None really.

Gear:
Nothing special.

Experiment:
Took my large pepper spray. Decided to try it in the small pouch it came with. Seemed to work just fine.

Splits:
Outbound - 12:08
Inbound - 12:53
Finish - 25:01

Part 2

Did a fairly quick transition into my bike gear. Ditched my hat, grabbed my helmet and gloves, and swapped my fluids to a different bottle. I then headed down the road to the same stream, just further down stream than earlier. The gravel road was a bit dusty but I didn't kick up too many large rocks to impale my feet. Otherwise, a pretty calm ride. Although I did learn that beavers are afraid of my sneeze. Kind of odd, but hey, whatever keeps that damn things away.

Photo:

Photo of the same water, just further down stream.

Weather:
Temps were about 80F. Humidity was high. Sun was out. Light breeze.

Fluids and Fuel:
Coming off the run, I just took the leftover Hammer Fizz and added some ice cubes. I finished most of it during the ride. Recovery was Hammer Recoverite and leftover pork chop/stuffing/corn.

Aches and Pains:
None really but my feet tend to go numb after being on the bike a bit. Just had to shake out my feet a bit and all was good.

Gear:
Nothing special.

Experiment:
Kept the large pepper spray with me. Rode just fine.

Splits:
Outbound - 13:56
Inbound - 15:00
Finish - 28:57

Some old photos

Forgot to post some photos from earlier so here they are.

First up is my failed run at Westmoreland Berry Farm and the Vorhees Nature Preserve.

And then we have William wearing my Stormtrooper helmet.

Skin Suit

Skin Suit:
Actually got my ass out of bed and onto the road this morning. It didn't feel great but I'm glad I at least got outside and got moving. The run was fairly uneventful as usual but a few highlights included a small but dead copperhead, a dead frog, and a turtle skimming the bottom of the creek. I also recorded another podcast episode in the hopes of getting back to a regular schedule of one a week. Ran past some construction workers who were nice enough to wave. Every car that went by was also nice enough to wave which felt good.

Beyond that, things were ho-hum.

Weather:
Temps were about 70F. Humidity was very high. No sun and all clouds.

Fluids and Fuel:
Pre-run meal was yogurt and some iced coffee. During the run I had a bottle of plain water. Recovery was more coffee, Hammer Recoverite, flaxseed waffles, bacon, and an egg.

Aches and Pains:
My right knee was still a little upset but nothing too bad. My right hip was also giving some anger pains but again, nothing too bad. Stomach is still growly but is gradually settling.

Gear:
Wore my Saucony tri-top. Which is pretty much a skin suit for my fat gut. And while I love that the zipper goes way down, it's pretty damn dangerous to zip back up when you have a hairy chest. Also took along my voice recorder.

Experiment:
Took my small pepper spray. Wanted to take the large one but it seemed a bit too large for the pocket in my tri-top. Rode well and didn't cause problems. Also took my phone for music but had it wrapped in a plastic newspaper bag in case in rained.

Splits:
Outbound - 22:25
Inbound - 22:02
Finish - 44:28

Podcast - Mile 59 - Trash Talk

As I huff and puff my way through yet another mile, I've forgotten what books I've finished. I intended to do reviews on them and, well, had a senior moment. So instead I talk about what I'm reading right now: The Guns of the South by Harry Turtledove and Becoming Odyssa by Jenn Pharr Davis.

In between that, I go on a rant like Ultradad and talk about trash on the trail. As it turns out, my trash talk takes up most of my time. At least it kept me distracted.

You can pick up this trashy episode right here or listen to the tripe on Podbean.

Just a short run

Not the best run but I managed to NOT get lost like yesterday. Of course by the time I got home I heard from my wife that if I had continued on and done my normal route, I would have come across a car accident. It was nice that she worried about me but I'm more happy about not being in the accident.

My stride felt a bit wonky the whole time. Going uphill felt more "right" as I could feel myself finding a nice tempo with a short stride and great foot plant. I just didn't have the stamina to keep it up. If you know what I mean. I also had to dodge a few cars along the way. Once was a bus which I did more out of kindness than necessity. Bus drivers have a shitty job so I did my best to make it easier. Second time was two cars coming in opposite directions so I just bailed out onto somebody's yard. Turns out they have poor drainage near their ditch and I nearly lost my shoe in the soft turf.

Weather:
Temps were about 65F. Humidity was moderate. No wind. Sun was out in full.

Fluids and Fuel:
Breakfast was yogurt and part of an iced coffee. During the run I had a bottle of plain water. Recovery was Hammer Recoverite, flax seed waffles, an egg, and some ham. Oh, and the rest of my coffee.

Aches and Pains:
Right knee was flaring up a bit but still no major pain. I think I'm just hyper-sensitive to it right now. Left quad and hamstring was also feeling tweaky. No idea why. Lower back was also tight but that's pretty normal based on how I sleep.

Gear:
Wore my little waist belt so I could carry my phone and listen to some tunes. I've confirmed yet again that animals, especially dogs, do not like to listen to Eminem.

Experiment:
Took my knife and phone. Phone was mostly for music. Knife fit well on my waist belt but periodically dangled a bit too far and would slap my junk. A bit uncomfortable.

Splits:
Outbound - 11:09 (downhill)
Inbound - 12:20 (uphill)
Finish - 23:29