Satisfying sweat

"Sweat cleanses from the inside. It comes from places a shower will never reach."
Dr. George A. Sheehan, runner, writer, philosopher


Woke up this morning and decided today was the day to test out the foot. I've been putting it off for the last week or so. It's been fifty days, since I've run. I'm hesitant to start back running, first because of re-injury and the long build up, but mostly because the bike is getting comfortable. I can see why some who take up the bike during a injury, never go back to the run. Tempting but the bike doesn't give the same quick feed back or sense of satisfaction as a good run.

This morning was warm and humid, probably low 60's. The sun was just rising, great day for a run. I'd slept in a extra hour, to take a day off from the bike. Might as well squeeze out a quick 2 mile run. The body was rusty from not running. Very conscious of the injured foot, but other body parts and muscles took awhile to warm up. Funny how quickly a good sweat builds up, even at a very slow pace. The bike doesn't seem to deliver in that regard.

Now comes the tough part. Easing back into the running. Day off tomorrow, back on the bike. Resist the urge to go run with the guys for a easy run. The comeback runs are never easy. Seems the buildup is longer every time. More importantly, this time the run is going to take the back seat to the bike. Short runs and lots of days off. I still plan to get the Century checked off the bucket list.

I did notice the quads seem to really complain about the hills on the bike. Didn't really notice until I was stretching this morning after my slog. They were a bit sore the day after Saturdays long bike ride, but it's been three days. Perhaps I need to do some kind of stretching at least after the long bike rides. More miles on the bike really pay off quickly. My average pace is inching upward, the hills aren't as tough.

Memorial day, thank you to those who have served and those who gave their all

No thinking allowed

Only in the USA are you able to sue someone because you can't be bothered to think that maybe that flashy ad on TV or in the magazine isn't reality. DOH! Or maybe it's just the knuckleheads in California are to stoned from smoking their medical marijuana. &^%$#@! are people really that stupid? Or is just crafty folks and sleazy lawyers trying to squeeze some dollars out of whoever* hasn't covered their ass sufficiently?
*Big company deep pockets, right? 

First heard about Nutella on one of the running boards I frequent. Come on, some woman is stupid enough to believe her little angel isn't going to get pudgy eating a chocolate flavored hazelnut spread.


Ferrero, the makers of the creamy chocolate and hazelnut spread, Nutella have settled two class-action lawsuits with consumers who sued over the company’s advertising claims that it was a good-for-you treat.












Then this morning the headline on the local paper is about a shoe company being sued because "the shoes don't really make your tush smaller" This company is going to pay out $50 million, only half of what another shoe company paid to settle claims their shoes strengthened muscles. Absolutely crazy, just think how much the lawyers will be paid.

Porkin' up

Hard to believe I've put on eight pounds since I stopped running. Wouldn't be able to tell if you looked, but it's all right around my middle. Must be the classic beer belly. The weight routine and bike are enough to keep everything toned up, but probably the only thing that will melt the fat from the belly are some ab crunches. Ab workouts have never really stuck with me. Like the yoga poses. I know its good stuff, but I can never make it a routine. At least the hard training while running keeps the weight off.

100 miles on the bike

 = Century

Decided this is the year to cross the Century off my bucket list. Might as well work towards something while I'm not running. The bike always takes the backseat to the run when I'm injury free. Only found a couple of local Centuries and they just aren't the right time. (HOT 100) Ideally it would be the first week in July. That gives me enough time to prepare and hopefully I'll be running by then anyway. Most of the HOT 100 route is roads we normally train, so hopefully I'll get a couple of the guys to ride along for a portion of the ride, if not all of it. I'll just need to scout out any stores along the route for refueling or start at the cross road section which would cut the route into a 34 mile section and 66 mile section.

Preparing for a Century should be easier than a marathon. The long bike ride is 30 miles for the first week and adds 5 or so miles each week. Piece of cake. The time to do the long rides is the biggest negative. Great blog post here about your first century. Couple of things I'd taken for granted.

Light drizzle

As a runner it would have been no hesitation. Riding the bike, apprehension. Nothing worse than a little rain to make the road really greasy. Like when someone turns their sports car around and into the ditch, greasy. Turned out it wasn't that big of deal. The radar didn't show any rain, but it sure was raining for the first mile down the road this morning.

Rode from the house to the Stones River Battlefield. This is my go to route for the bike in the morning before work. I only have to ride on 2 miles worth of road before I can get on the Stones River Greenway and take it over to the Battlefield. Only problem is leaving at 5:30 am, it's still not quite light out yet. I have a headlamp and flashing red tail light. Hopefully that will keep me from getting run over.

Great thing about the battlefield is that it's car free that early in the morning. Plus, its wider than the greenway and fewer people. Most mornings only a handful of runners. This morning, not a one. Must have been the threat of rain. Plus, they have a program to remove the privet. This helps to open the woods up. Completely different than riding down the greenway in a tunnel of green. Lots of wildlife out, more deer than usual, the usual bunnies, birds and one turkey who remained in the road for each of my four laps. Bizarre.

Saw six Indigo Bunting's this morning. That's the most I've ever seen on one ride. They were hanging out on the edge of the road around the battlefield. Not all at one time but individually at different spots around the loop. Usually I'm lucky to see one every couple of months. Plus, they're hard to see anyway because they fly so low to the ground.

On the way home I saw one Great Blue Heron flying. Cool to see such a big bird flying. Saw another one in the same spot where I tried to take his/her picture last week. Must be a good fishing spot.

Three weeks since I've run last. Foot is feeling better. Hope to resume running in another week.

Stones River Greenway

Went for a bike ride on every bit of the greenway system in Murfreesboro on Sunday. Brought the camera along to snap a few pictures. Averaged a whooping 11 mph, because I stopped way to much. Did manage to get in 28 miles. I took all of these pictures from the trail/roadway, without getting off the bike or even unclipping both feet.

The quality of the photos isn't that great. That's the tradeoff for the point and shoot pocket camera that slips in your pocket. Though it seems everyone's smartphones take better pictures than my old camera. I really need to upgrade to a better quality digital camera with more control over the shutter speed and aperture. The picture I took of a blue heron is blurred because I couldn't hold still enough in the low light to get the shot.

You'd think I took a picture of every flower on the greenway. Nope, not even close. I only got about half of what is blooming now. The purple flower I saw last week is gone. Some of this stuff will continue to bloom, some are about done. Some appear to be way early. Like the thistle and blackberries. Didn't think they bloomed this early.

Road ID, try to wear it whenever I ride or run.

Red clover.

Like the purple.

This plant is all over the greenway. Privet, non native invasive plant. Can't say that this picture is privet. Odor is more over powering than the honey suckle and doesn't smell as good.

Big leaved tree with flowers. Thought it was tulip poplar at first, but leaves are wrong.

Surprised this little guy stayed around to even get a shot. Thought it was a baby blue heron, but more likely some type of egret.

To lazy to look up what kind of tree, but the bean looking things stood out.

Honey Suckle, love the smell, but it kills my allergies. It's actually less abundant than whatever the white flowered bush/vine that is all over the greenway.

This guy would just barely stick his head out, and I didn't want to hang around to get his picture. He was gone when I came back through 10 minutes later.

I like rocks and anything built with them.

Think this is Queen Ann's Lace. Tried to get a picture of the ladybugs, which were covering it, but the autofocus didn't work the way I wanted it.

Purple clover

Don't know what the white stuff is, it was all over the trail for about 20 yards. Almost like the stuff that comes from a dandelion, except I'm pretty certain this came from a tree, just not sure what kind.

Just took this because it was a huge tree stump.