Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Take the Scenic Route
Note to self: Take the scenic route every time you have the chance. You never know the really sweet jumps you might miss if you don't. I got "like three feet of air" on the way home after eating lunch with Mr. G. Duly noted.
Breakers Are Stupid
Note to self: Always try resetting a popped circuit breaker more than once before calling someone. You will look and feel stupid when your "friend" shows up and resets it with no problem. Leave the breaker alone for a little while and then try resetting it. Duly noted.
4.91 miles in 40:01
connect.garmin.com/activity/110784383
i got up this morning and looked at hal's advanced half marathon training plan to see what i needed to do. today's workout: a 40-minute tempo run. i wondered, "tempo run? what's that?" hello, google! on the running times website, i found this definition:
"also known as an anaerobic threshold (AT) run or lactate-threshold run, the tempo run was popularized by jack daniels, ph.d., about a decade ago. here’s his definition, taken from daniels’ running formula (human kinetics): 'a tempo run is nothing more than 20 minutes of steady running at threshold pace.' (he goes on to say that 20 minutes is ideal, but may be varied to suit the needs of a particular course.) without getting too technical, threshold pace is the effort level just below which the body’s ability to clear lactate, a by-product of carbohydrate metabolism, can no longer keep up with lactate production. daniels states that this pace is, for most people, about 25 to 30 seconds per mile slower than current 5K race pace."
a little while later, the post said this of the pace: "a tempo run should be 'comfortably hard' - one that could be maintained for an hour in a race."
got it. run as hard as you comfortably can. no heaving breaths or puking. i can do that.
i strapped on my heartrate monitor strap, put my garmin on my wrist and headed out the door. i walked a short distance and then started running. i ran at what i judged to be a comfortably hard pace. i kept an eye on my heartrate, trying to keep it in the 160-170bpm range. looking back over that data, i did fairly well at that.
my kinvaras, a.k.a. the flash, performed beautifully. they protected my feet when i ran down a graveled alleyway. i'd wondered about that since my racing flats are awful on rock roads. i felt a rock or two, but no pain with the flash! sweet! i can use these on trail runs if i ever get near a trail.
i'm not sure if i did a perfect tempo run. you can look at my splits and decide that i guess. expert opinions are welcome.
i got up this morning and looked at hal's advanced half marathon training plan to see what i needed to do. today's workout: a 40-minute tempo run. i wondered, "tempo run? what's that?" hello, google! on the running times website, i found this definition:
"also known as an anaerobic threshold (AT) run or lactate-threshold run, the tempo run was popularized by jack daniels, ph.d., about a decade ago. here’s his definition, taken from daniels’ running formula (human kinetics): 'a tempo run is nothing more than 20 minutes of steady running at threshold pace.' (he goes on to say that 20 minutes is ideal, but may be varied to suit the needs of a particular course.) without getting too technical, threshold pace is the effort level just below which the body’s ability to clear lactate, a by-product of carbohydrate metabolism, can no longer keep up with lactate production. daniels states that this pace is, for most people, about 25 to 30 seconds per mile slower than current 5K race pace."
a little while later, the post said this of the pace: "a tempo run should be 'comfortably hard' - one that could be maintained for an hour in a race."
got it. run as hard as you comfortably can. no heaving breaths or puking. i can do that.
i strapped on my heartrate monitor strap, put my garmin on my wrist and headed out the door. i walked a short distance and then started running. i ran at what i judged to be a comfortably hard pace. i kept an eye on my heartrate, trying to keep it in the 160-170bpm range. looking back over that data, i did fairly well at that.
my kinvaras, a.k.a. the flash, performed beautifully. they protected my feet when i ran down a graveled alleyway. i'd wondered about that since my racing flats are awful on rock roads. i felt a rock or two, but no pain with the flash! sweet! i can use these on trail runs if i ever get near a trail.
i'm not sure if i did a perfect tempo run. you can look at my splits and decide that i guess. expert opinions are welcome.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Pray everywhere...
A few years back, a woman from the town I was living in was admitted to the hospital. I don’t recall her medical problem or even her name at this point. I just remember she was in a room at the south end of the floor.
I went to visit her one day. I walked in to her room. We talked for a little while. I asked if she’d like me to pray with her. She said, “No!” I left her room.
Why do I tell that discouraging story? Because that, as best as I can remember, is the only time in 23 years of full-time ministry that anyone has ever turned down an offer of prayer. People who’ve come to me for assistance with food or gasoline have said yes to prayer. I’ve asked complete strangers if they’d like me to pray with them and received a positive response. I’ve never said, “I’m a pastor so let me pray with you.” I’ve just offered.
You can pray out loud with people as you go through life. You can offer prayer wherever you are. At work. At school. On the phone. In line at Wal-Mart. There isn’t any place that you can’t pray.
Where did Jesus pray for people? He prayed for people on mountainsides. He prayed for them in their homes. He prayed for them outside caves. He prayed for them on the beach. He prayed for them on the street corner. He prayed wherever there was a need. His disciples did the same.
You, if you have put your faith in Jesus, are one of his disciples. As a follower, you can pray for others wherever you are. The question is: Will you do it? I’d like to challenge you to, at least once this week, pray with someone in need right where you are, on the spot. Pray out loud so they can hear your love and recognized God’s care for them. Pray so that God’s name might be praised everywhere.
-Sign up for my regular email list by sending a blank email to knowthetruth-join@freegroups.net.
I went to visit her one day. I walked in to her room. We talked for a little while. I asked if she’d like me to pray with her. She said, “No!” I left her room.
Why do I tell that discouraging story? Because that, as best as I can remember, is the only time in 23 years of full-time ministry that anyone has ever turned down an offer of prayer. People who’ve come to me for assistance with food or gasoline have said yes to prayer. I’ve asked complete strangers if they’d like me to pray with them and received a positive response. I’ve never said, “I’m a pastor so let me pray with you.” I’ve just offered.
You can pray out loud with people as you go through life. You can offer prayer wherever you are. At work. At school. On the phone. In line at Wal-Mart. There isn’t any place that you can’t pray.
Where did Jesus pray for people? He prayed for people on mountainsides. He prayed for them in their homes. He prayed for them outside caves. He prayed for them on the beach. He prayed for them on the street corner. He prayed wherever there was a need. His disciples did the same.
You, if you have put your faith in Jesus, are one of his disciples. As a follower, you can pray for others wherever you are. The question is: Will you do it? I’d like to challenge you to, at least once this week, pray with someone in need right where you are, on the spot. Pray out loud so they can hear your love and recognized God’s care for them. Pray so that God’s name might be praised everywhere.
-Sign up for my regular email list by sending a blank email to knowthetruth-join@freegroups.net.
Those Drugs Work
Note to self: Keep taking your medications even if you don't think they're doing much. I've been off my ADHD meds for a week or so now because of a health insurance snafu which renders them way too expensive. I can tell I'm slipping back into some of my more annoying habits. Duly noted.
byers road and beyond
connect.garmin.com/activity/110547197
i got up before the crack of dawn, got dressed and headed to dan's house. he wasn't up despite his "i think i'll ride at 6:00 tomorrow" last night. i smiled and went on.
since the wind was out of the northeast, i decided to ride over to 281 on 54 and then head north into the teeth of it. that gave me a little time with the bricks on main street which always make me smile despite the torture they dish out.
i rode out of town thinking maybe i'd ride up to iuka and take an eastward journey over to 61 and take 61 back home, but when i got to the northern edge of iuka i decided to keep going north and take in some new territory.
the shoulder practically disappears north of iuka, so i had to get back into my "pay attention to the cars around you" mode. you'd think i'd always be in that mode, but the wide shoulders on 54 and 281 to iuka kind of lull you into a false sense of security.
i rode north until i's gone far enough that i was concerned about getting back in time to get ready for work. turning around, i enjoyed a decent tailwind. not strong enough to boost my speed a bunch, but enough to reduce the effort required to pick up a little speed.
the shoulder on southbound 281 is worse than the northbound shoulder. there were times when i could barely balance in the inches i was given. other times i was forced to ride out on the highway. thankfully, there isn't a lot of traffic, so i was safe. i must say, though, that i was glad when i got back to iuka and the wide shoulder returned.
i cruised back into town and turned east on maple. i almost caught the draft off a car that was turning at the same time, but missed it. i raced down the hill and then climbed back up toward stout. i turned a block early and then did a little zigzagging to get myself back home.
this will be my last 6:00 ride for awhile. school starts tomorrow, so that means 5:00 rides. hope i can get myself out of bed. (21.47 miles @ 16.7mph)
i got up before the crack of dawn, got dressed and headed to dan's house. he wasn't up despite his "i think i'll ride at 6:00 tomorrow" last night. i smiled and went on.
since the wind was out of the northeast, i decided to ride over to 281 on 54 and then head north into the teeth of it. that gave me a little time with the bricks on main street which always make me smile despite the torture they dish out.
i rode out of town thinking maybe i'd ride up to iuka and take an eastward journey over to 61 and take 61 back home, but when i got to the northern edge of iuka i decided to keep going north and take in some new territory.
the shoulder practically disappears north of iuka, so i had to get back into my "pay attention to the cars around you" mode. you'd think i'd always be in that mode, but the wide shoulders on 54 and 281 to iuka kind of lull you into a false sense of security.
i rode north until i's gone far enough that i was concerned about getting back in time to get ready for work. turning around, i enjoyed a decent tailwind. not strong enough to boost my speed a bunch, but enough to reduce the effort required to pick up a little speed.
the shoulder on southbound 281 is worse than the northbound shoulder. there were times when i could barely balance in the inches i was given. other times i was forced to ride out on the highway. thankfully, there isn't a lot of traffic, so i was safe. i must say, though, that i was glad when i got back to iuka and the wide shoulder returned.
i cruised back into town and turned east on maple. i almost caught the draft off a car that was turning at the same time, but missed it. i raced down the hill and then climbed back up toward stout. i turned a block early and then did a little zigzagging to get myself back home.
this will be my last 6:00 ride for awhile. school starts tomorrow, so that means 5:00 rides. hope i can get myself out of bed. (21.47 miles @ 16.7mph)
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