Good morning!

Charles: your progress is amazing. So glad you are getting out there for race. You are a poster boy for hard work and determination.

Planning 9 after work if o don't have grandmother duty.

Qotd: I don't recall any really bad advice except maybe being directed by a running store sales person to the exact opposite shoe I needed. Taught me to read up before I go shoe shopping.

I got in a 5 mile trail run after I got off an hour and a half phone call with Hughes Net tech support. I know these people have certain procedures they are required to go through, but when I tell you that lightning struck the tree next to the satellite dish, I just think we could skip a few steps. And go ahead and send the tech guy out so I can go run.

QOTD: The worst piece of advice probably led to one of the best things that ever happened to me as a runner, but it was more of a misinterpretation on my part than it was bad advice. And it was:

"If you don't get to the Bald Rock Aid Station by 4PM, there is no way you can make it."  I considered those words for a long time, and for some reason, I didn't follow up with a question like, "4PM is 2 hours and 15 minutes before the cut off time. What do you mean by 'not make it'?" I let that negativity get into my head, and my math skills are about as good as Kelly Agnew's navigational skills. So, I was doomed.

I knew I was pushing that time when I got to the bottom of the mountain. Bald Rock was at the top. As it turns out, he was talking about a sub 24 hour run.

So, what did I learn?

1. Believe in yourself and your training

2. don't allow negativity to control your attitude (even though those words were meant to help, I allowed them to be negative.)

3. bring extra water (course specific) {could be interchangeable with "don't believe the course profile in regard to mileage between AS"}

4. slowdown

5. forget the cut off times until a sweeper tells you that your day is over

6. never give up

7. have fun.

 

QOTD--Can't really recall any. Lace sure mentions a few things I remember from way, way back out of RW. LOL!  I have never been too open to receiving advice from anyone, usually take a hard look at who's giving it.  An example non-running related--fishing once with a know it all friend and he tells me that you never fish when the wind is from the east. Total waste of time. I reply that the best time to fish is whenever you can. A couple days later I'm fishing with a hard east wind and boat a real nice musky. Thought it was funny visualizing my friend sitting home watching tv that day.  So most of my learning has been own my own or warching and asking of those a lot smarter than I.

I have heard that wind thing associated with fishing and turkeys gobbling: East is Least; West is Best... I don't fish enough to know. But in general terms, I do find less gobbling on days with an east wind vs. a west wind. But around here, an east or southeast wind is generally associated with higher humidity and higher dew points. A west or northwest wind is generally associated with lower humidity and lower dew points. And turkeys tend to gobble better, in my experience, on days with lower humidity. But then again, both turkeys I killed this year were killed on a easterly flow. One was gobbling like a crazy bird. The other one came in silently, but there was another gobbler down the field edge that was burning it up. So, I agree that the best day is whenever you can go.

a good six miles in this morning, I'm going to lay off the running until this weekend for the Bridger Ridge run

qotd: I'm w/ Lace on the "stretch before running" advice, I'll warmup w/ some fast walking, but no stretching (I do roll my calves daily which seems to help)

At work for 12 hours so this might turn into a rest day for me. Depending on what time I get home there might be a short run or elliptical workout in my future. I was going to stop and pick up a couple of bottles of wine on the way home but I forgot a change of clothes . My employer doesn't like it if we go shopping for adult beverages while in uniform.

QOTD:

1) Don't buy Hokas you'll roll your ankles. I found it to be the opposite for me and my feet and knees love them.

2) The 10% rule.

3) Don't bother with any strength training or core workouts, if you want to become a better runner, just run more.

4) Riding bicycle makes your butt big. This was given to my wife by her niece who weighs in at 350+ pounds and has calves the size of my thighs .

5) Don't go to Physician Assistant school. It's just a passing fad and it will be difficult to get a job in the next few years. (advice that I gave myself in the early 90s) Boy was I both wrong and stupid.

There's a lot of bad advice out there and I could probably add a dozen more items to the list. It must be said, however, that there are some things that I may feel is bad advice that someone else finds works well for them. Shoes is one of the first things that comes to mind.

Afternoon Trailers!

Got in a kettlebell workout yesterday after a looooong day at work.  Plan for today is to swim and run.  I'm checking out a lake near me that has a swimming area...the plan is to sign up for a half ironman that's in my home town the first week of September.  Any swimming advice?

QOTD: Not that it's particularly bad advice, but for me, all the advice you get for maximizing your running abilities is not correct...I just don't work well doing that (although I'm sure I'd be a better runner if I followed it).  Keep it fun is the best advice for me...you get a lot more miles if you don't quit!