August Recap

As I realize I've forgotten to post a lot of photos this month, I figured a recap was in order. So enjoy.

The end of July saw the completion of the deck replacement. It also meant we would finally close on the Round Hill house in August. It was our first home. And while I would love to say that we could keep it forever, our move to Fort Max was the right thing to do. Even though we've had struggles here, in the end, it's a far superior house.

I mean, how could NOT take a photo of a weeener out in public?!

Elizabeth helped create a Whomping Willow tree at the local book store. And I was supposed to find out if these books are worth reading.

I mean, it's Mike Wardian. What else do I need to say? And a fellow Oil Creek runner. And the last place finisher accepting the Musical Caboose award.

The first day of school.

Aside from a bunch of research, I'm also reliving my childhood when I see stuff like this at Goodwill.

And speaking of research, I get to learn about all sorts of stuff. Like Prince Michael Romanoff used to live in the area. He ended up being a Hollywood legend and was even a pallbearer for Erroll Flynn.

Despite the traffic, I actually enjoy picking Elizabeth up at middle school. Keeps reminding me of my high school days.

I mentioned the nostalgia of my childhood in the 80s, right?

A local surveyor lives in the neighborhood. Keep looking until you see it.

William appears to be reliving my childhood too.

Yes, I was in a band called the Fried Egg Yolks. No, I won't say who was in it with me. Not because it's a big secret, but more to protect the innocence of the other person. After all, we played together like two times and, well, let's just say I had no idea what I was doing with a guitar. Since he may not want to be associated with that particular moment of history, I'll allow him to keep his dignity. Not worried about mine. Make sure you read the paragraph again Yvonne. It's to protect him, not because I want to keep secrets from you.

So what does all of this lead up to? September. Where I can hopefully get my stuff organized enough to write the Prologue of my story. Here's a hint. My childhood home in Oxnard, CA.

Bazooka Gum and Running

Friday was a fun-filled day of getting the kids to school for their Open House. We got to meet their new teachers for the year, drop off their supplies, and freak a few people out. After that, I came home and got on my bike for what would be the longest bike ride I have ever done. 40 miles. My ass is still sore but it was worth it.

Along the way I got the chance to see part of the county that I haven't seen in years. The highlight of the trip was seeing Buddy's Supperette, which was a highlight of my childhood. I'd get to stop there most of the time we went by to get some Bazooka gum. It was a small treat but it was cool. I mean, the gum was hard as a rock but you got a cool little comic strip with it. After the short stop, we'd continue to the small field where my dad would fly ultralights.

Shortly after stopping there for a quick break, I nearly got my ass ran over by some idiot in a black town car who refused to slow down, yield, pass safely, or just be a cool dude. Instead he was a complete dick and would have lost his window had I not been so focused on being pissed at him. And, to top it off, he turned 15 seconds after he passed me. This is why I feel safer as a pedestrian.

After a very long ride and a very sore rear, I cleaned up and went to dinner. I didn't eat all the food but I seriously thought about it.

Today was filled with running and walking. I headed out to join the local Cross Country team for a workout but didn't have 8 miles in me. So I did about 3 and headed home. After breakfast, I headed back out on the trail and got a few more miles of walking in. Along the way I think I hit every damn spiderweb in the park. Sheesh.

But I also found a shortcut. And even though it spit me out on what was actually a closed trail, I felt comfortable in knowing where I was. Unlike when I was on the bike and was a bit lost a few times. Again. Seems like I need more maps when I ride than when I run.

Photos:

Weather:
Temps yesterday and today were about the same, about 70F to 80F. Humidity was low but it was a bit clammy this morning. Sun was out in full both days with a slight breeze.

Fluids and Fuel:
Yesterday was breakfast like normal but no lunch, which was about the time I left for my ride. During the ride I had a bottle of GenUCAN, a bottle of Hammer Fizz, two applesauces, an iced tea, and a bottle of GenUCAN Hydrate. Recovery was a dinner of shrimp tacos, white rice, chips, and fried ice cream.

Today was a few sips of coffee, my run, a recovery of a full breakfast. Breakfast was two English muffins, two eggs, two slices of bacon, and coffee. Then I did my walk followed by a recovery of tart cherry juice, iced tea, and eventually a lunch of two BLTs with chips and a cherry Coke. During the run I had plain water and during the walk I had plain water and an applesauce.

Aches and Pains:
Nothing really. Except my ass. That still hurts. And some mild chafing.

Gear:
No special gear but I did carry my ASP. After my close call with the asshole, I switched it to my left pocket so I can grab it and hit a car if need be.

Yesterday's and Today's Motivation:
I knew the 22 miles on my plan wasn't going to happen but I felt like riding. So I tried to challenge myself to doubling my run plan on the bike. I made it home with 38+ miles so I cranked out another loop around the hood just to hit that 40 mile mark.

Naughty Neil:
Well, the ice cream wasn't a great idea but I was hungry. Damn hungry.

Splits:
Bike - 40 miles - 3:47:30
Run - 3.5 miles - 42:47

Walk - 3.87 miles - 1:38:05

Busy Weekend

I'm not sure I'll remember every little tidbit of what we did this weekend so I'll hit the highlights of what I can remember. And throw some photos in there to make things interesting.

Saturday was a girls vs. guys day. While the ladies of the house went shopping, did some super-secret-stuff, and met us for lunch, the guys went to the gun show, John Deere dealer, and talked. In fact, my dad and I talked so much, William complained that he didn't get a chance to say anything. Which is hilarious because it's usually him that talks so much we can't get a word in edge-wise.

While we were at lunch at Goolrick's, I used the bathroom. I know, not exactly what you needed to hear about but it was my first time. So I had a pleasant surprise when I walked to the back of the building and saw this cool safe.

After that, we got our groceries and headed home. After a short break, we went back out into the wild and had a good time at a local car show. The owner of a 1974 VW Beetle offered William $100 if he could find the radiator. Well, he had no idea what that was but after walking around a bit more I showed him one. He promptly went back to the guy and asked if his offer was still good. It was so he looked all around the engine. I finally gave him my only hint. Turns out neither of us knew it was a trick question and that the engine was air cooled and there was no radiator. After seeing the look on William's face, he was nice enough to allow him to sit inside.

Sunday was full of exercise. Elizabeth dragged my butt out of bed and we went running bright and early. Then it was breakfast (sweet rolls) then after breakfast settled, it was off on a bike ride with William. Both of them were troopers and we had a great time. Most of the photos I took were at his direction.

When we got back, I got to work on cutting the grass and trimming up some of the crab apple tree branches. William helped out a bit and earned a few dollars. Then we went to the pool and chilled out, then home for dinner, then bed. I was pooped by the end of the day. And a little sunburned. But it was worth it. Great weekend that was fun and productive.

That feeling in the shower

You know that feeling you get in the shower after you've had a good run and you're scrubbing off the dirt and grime and you just feel so ... content. That was today's shower.

Such a wild turn of events since yesterday's run where everything just seemed to suck. Today started out all sorts of lousy. I broke one of my favorite hats trying to kill a horse fly. The little plastic buckle shattered which meant I was lucky to keep it on my head during the run. For a change, having a big head helped. I was lucky that the bugs didn't bug me too much but the turtle scared the hell out of me. The second turtle didn't scare me but still creeped me out.

Outside of that, I guess the run went well. My mind was elsewhere and had plenty of negative thoughts to get rid of. Was mostly successful in that but there's still a shadow lingering there. At least my shower made me feel content. And clean.

Photos:
That green thing hanging down is an inch worm. One of many that attacked me on my run.

This is the turtle that scared the hell out of me.

I have no idea what kind of flower this is but there's very few of them out there and they only show up a few times a year.

Weather:
Temps were about 60F to 65F. Humidity was high. Sun was out with a few clouds. Very light wind.

Fluids and Fuel:
Had coffee and two English muffins before the run. During the run was water and GenUCAN Hydrate and an applesauce. Recovery was iced tea, coffee, and a couple pieces of cheese.

Aches and Pains:
Calves were a little tight but nothing major. Right foot was a little tender after I stepped on a rock. Seems like just as soon as it feels better I step on something to make it hurt again.

Gear:
Wore shorts, t-shirt, and hydration pack.

Today's Motivation:
Seeing 7 miles was daunting. But I tried to take it one mile at a time. I turned around after 3 miles so I knew I had 6 miles in the bag (at least when I got back to the car). I opted for another half mile in the other direction so I'd end up with 7 total. I wasn't sure if I'd make it but I was feeling good so I went for it.

Naughty Neil:
Had a bowl of treats last night. But it was only one and I felt satisfied when it was gone. No urges to go back for seconds.

Splits:
Mile 1 - 14:05
Mile 2 - 14:45
Mile 3 - 15:26
Mile 4 - 15:08
Mile 5 - 13:38
Mile 6 - 14:36
Mile 7 - 12:42
Finish - 1:40:23

The Promise of the Nap King

I fought the bed and I won. Sort of. I really wanted to go back to bed this morning but ended up convincing myself that I'd be able to take a nap later in the day. So that's the little promise I told myself. And one that I hope I can keep.

The rest of the run was fairly normal. Went way slow just because I was tired and because I felt like it. Managed to spot check most of my trail cameras and did some extra, off the books, hiking/running to move them around a bit. And that was it. Just another day in the woods.

Photo:

Weather:
Temps were about 50F. Sky was overcast. No wind. Humidity was moderate.

Fluids and Fuel:
Just a few sips of coffee before the run. During the run was plain water. Recovery was three slices of toast, three pieces of bacon, two eggs, and more coffee.

Aches and Pains:
Right foot was re-aggravated yesterday so it was a bit tender in the shower today after the run. Aside from that, everything else felt fine.

Gear:
Wore shorts, long sleeve shirt, and BUFF.

Today's Motivation:
Seeing 40 minutes is nice on my plan. It's a short enough run that I can easily accomplish it without taking too much time out of my day. That doesn't always mean it's an easy run but the time investment is small.

Naughty Neil:
I had a beer last night. Just because. I must be getting old because I felt hungover this morning.

Splits:
Mile 1 - 15:27
Mile 2 - 16:04
End - 8:29
Finish - 40:00

Really Awesome Title

I had a really awesome title for today's run. But I forgot it somewhere in the last mile. Figures. I was all over the place today, mentally, during my run. So much so I revived my dead podcast to record part of an episode. Sheesh, what was I thinking?

Anyway, I snagged my camera cards and went for a nice run in the woods. I know the bugs are coming as I saw my first horsefly today. Damn things. The rest of the run was fairly uneventful. Pissed off a few geese who honked and honked at me.

Photo:

Weather:
Temps were about 40F at the start and quickly jumped to about 50F by the end. Sky was clear. No wind.

Fluids and Fuel:
Half a coffee before the run. During the run I had plain water and applesauce. Recovery was an egg sandwich, two blueberry muffins, yogurt, and coffee. I really, REALLY wanted a donut but got the muffins instead.

Aches and Pains:
Ran over a few rocks that reminded me my right foot was still a bit tender. Aside from that, I was feeling much better than yesterday. Still wheezy a bit and certainly coughed up and blew out a ton of mucus but it was all clear so that's good.

Gear:
Wore shorts, thermal top, short sleeved shirt, gloves, and BUFF.

Naughty Neil:
I should have come home and had a "good" breakfast. But I was in the mood for not-so-good food. And just before I got there, I saw a license plate that looked like it said donut. So I was in the mood for a donut. But I didn't get one. I got two blueberry muffins. I'm sure they were just as unhealthy for me but it made me feel good about making a better choice. The breakfast sandwich I got wasn't great but it was about as healthy as I could get there. And instead of my kryptonite iced latte, I went with iced coffee with a dash of sugar and skim milk. So, good choices this morning. And last night I had popcorn instead of ice cream.

Today's Motivation:
My cameras. It's been a couple of days and I missed them. Starting to wonder if I should name them so I can keep track of them. Hmmm.....let me brew on that for a bit.

Splits:
Begin - 11:08
Mile 1 - 14:46
Mile 2 - 14:10
End - 2:20
Finish - 42:25

Damn Vandals

As a runner, there's a million and one things that piss me off. Litter. Asshole drivers. Vandalism. Running out of toilet paper. Snakes. Bugs. The list goes on. I've learned to deal with most of it but it still gets under my skin sometimes. This morning I had to deal with vandals. Idiots decided to break open the sign board, toss the lock, and rip the signs out. And of course I didn't have any cameras set up to watch. Guess I will now.

And then came the bugs. And inchworms and their spider-like web string things. GAH! So while I tried to cool off from the damage done to the sign board, I had to bob and weave and try not to swallow the bugs. And the gnats were out swarming in the sunshine. Made me wish I had a flamethrower.

And then there were the dogs. I get that you want to walk your dog without a leash, I really do. But if it threatens me with teeth or a retractable leash, I'll be tempted to do something you may regret. Thankfully, all five dogs I ran into this morning were hastily corralled by their owners and were well mannered enough to not even bark at me. Thank you. That made my day a little brighter.

But best of all, I came close enough to a 12 minute mile I could smell it. Probably could have ran it but opted to just chill and ease into things. Maybe next year I can break a 30 minute 5k.

Weather:
Temps were about 50F. Sun was out. Light wind. Humidity was light.

Fluids and Fuel:
Had half a coffee and a banana before the run. Applesauce and water during the run. Recovery was two sausage and egg burritos, two slices of toast, and more coffee. Doing my best to cut back to just 2 cups a day. Rough.

Aches and Pains:
Around Mile 2 I hit a rock. One of those pointy ones. Worst part was that I landed on it on the tender side just behind the ball of my foot. Hurt just about as bad as getting hit in the balls. I walked if off and kept going. About a mile later the hole in my shorts started chafing enough to make things noticeably uncomfortable. No amount of adjusting things worked so I just kept plodding along.

Gear:
Wore shorts, long sleeve shirt, and BUFF.

Naughty Neil:
I really wanted an extra snack last night. But I waited until I wasn't quite so stuffed from my extra helping of grilled potatoes from dinner. By that time it was nearly bed time so I was able to just barely pass on the snack. But I did have a nice serving of Kahlua.

Today's Motivation:
Um, didn't really have much motivation other than the weather was nice and I needed some trail therapy.

Splits:
Start - 10:54
Mile 1 - 13:16
Mile 2 - 14:02 (includes a pee break)
Mile 3 - 12:27
End - 9:58
Finish - 1:00:39

Shady's Back, Back Again

For the first time in, I don't know how long, I got the chance to go back out for a run. I know I shouldn't take it for granted, but I always do. Until I can't run, then I realize what a dope I've been for not appreciating it more. So today, I did my best to appreciate being back out there in the woods, on my feet, having fun.

I went out way too fast with about a 6 minute per half mile pace. Every half mile I added 30 seconds to keep myself in check and it felt nice. I wasn't really in a big rush but I could feel the need for speed.

Vine:
https://vine.co/v/ezb1FYTIQZ1


Weather:
Temps were 45F. Wind was light. Sun was out in full.

Fluids and Fuel:
Half a coffee before the run. Water and applesauce during the run. Recovery was 2 eggs, 2 sausage, 2 pieces of gluten free bread, yogurt, and coffee.

Aches and Pains:
Nothing hurt other than some residual aches due to running for the first time in weeks.

Gear:
Wore thermal top, long sleeve top, shorts, BUFF, and gloves.

Naughty Neil:
I would say I feel guilty about eating ice cream last night but it was a celebration so to hell with it.

Today's Motivation:
The end of the busy season at work means less stress.

Splits:
Mile 1 - 13:14
Mile 2 - 14:40
Finish - 27:56

Vandals

Yesterday's run went swimmingly. In fact, all of yesterday went swimmingly. But without any swimming of course. The day started off better than Saturday. It seems Friday night was the night for a bunch of nightmares to keep me awake nearly all night. So after a full day of work Saturday, I crashed, still in my clothes, around 2000 hours. I normally don't go to bed until about 2230. That's when I did wake up to finally get into my skivvies and under the covers. I slept until 0700 on Sunday and felt quite refreshed. Guess all I needed was lots of sleep.

So after breakfast and some light housework, I was out the door and into the woods. 7 miles later I was feeling pretty good and headed back home. Turns out my 7 mile run was the easier part of my day. After I showered and ate, it was back outside to do yard work, play baseball, play basketball, ride bikes, and feel old but satisfied in spending time with the family.

Photos:
Tree bands.

Weather:
Temps started out around 45F but quickly warmed to 55F by the end. By the end of the afternoon, temps were up to about 70F. Sky was clear. Light wind.

Fluids and Fuel:
Breakfast was coffee, eggs, toast, and yogurt. During the run I had two apple sauces, water, and GenUCAN electrolytes. Recovery was another GenUCAN electrolyte drink followed by a meal of rice and water. Rice doesn't make a good recovery meal.

Aches and Pains:
None during the run or after but my left knee felt tweaky after some baseball with my son. I must have hit too many homeruns.

Gear:
Wore shorts, pants, thermal top, long sleeve shirt, gloves, and BUFF. The gloves lasted a mile or so. Pants came off after about 2 miles. Also took my hydration pack.

Naughty Neil:
Had wacky cake (aka depression cake) for dessert and I don't feel guilty at all. Not even when I had seconds with a small scoop of ice cream.

Today's Motivation:
Just felt like getting outside to clear my head. And I did. Thoroughly distracted and I'm glad for it.

Splits:
Begin -  ?
Mile 1 - 12:21
Mile 2 - 13:52
Mile 3 - 16:31
Mile 4 - 12:57
Mile 5 - 13:48
Mile 6 - 12:56
Mile 7 - 12:18
End - ?
Finish - 1:41:21

Hidden

Saw lots of hidden things on today's run. Things that weren't really hidden but I just never noticed them before. I ran a section of trail that doesn't get a lot of traffic and did my best to have a better run that earlier this week. In the end, I'd succeed in having a good time.

Along the way I saw a building through the trees that I never noticed before, some cleared land that was new, and some vandalism. Outside of that, it was just a nice time in the woods with only a few minor interruptions that I created because I wanted to see where I was on the map in relation to these new things.

Photos:
New name for this section is Briar Patch.

The Tower of Isengard is gone but the swamp has water again!

Pretty normal when you run in the boonies.

The sun will come out tomorrow!

Weather:
Temps were about 40F at the start but warmed a hair to about 45F or 50F by the end. Sky was clear. Light wind.

Fluids and Fuel:
Just some coffee before the run. During the run I had lain water and an applesauce. Recovery was toast, eggs, sausage, yogurt, and coffee.

Aches and Pains:
None really. Stepped on a few pointy rocks but nothing terrible.

Gear:
Wore shorts, thermal top, short sleeve shirt, gloves, and BUFF.

Naughty Neil:
Been managing my snacking fairly well this week. Made a few not-so-healthy choices but they were smaller portions.

Today's Motivation:
A bad run earlier in the week left me feeling a bit empty inside. Today's run helped top off my tank. Or at least put a few dollars in.

Splits:
Start - 1:57
Mile 1 - 13:37
Mile 2 - 15:45 (includes detour)
Mile 3 - 14:53 (includes detour)
Mile 4 - 12:44
End - 2:19
Finish - 1:01:17