Long Run Solutions

Meet the new Mr. Goodwrench

President Barack "Mr. Goodwrench" Obama at your service. Apparently, you and I are now providing warranties on GM and Chrysler cars and trucks. I have one thing to say, give me a stinkin break!

Oh, and how exactly did this whole decision to fire the CEO of GM, Rick Wagoner, come about. Now our president is firing the heads of companies? And isn't one reaction to think, "well, if Rick Wagoner deserves to go, let's get rid of those Wall Street creeps who put us into this tailspin". Warning, that thinking is a trap! Under no circumstances do we want any branch of our government dictating who our private sector hires. Just think of how quickly out of control this could get. It would be just like the slippery slope of bailouts we are currently sliding on.

Many of these Wall Street guys disgust me, but that is no reason for the federal government to begin a command and control economic policy. I have absolutely no reason to believe that the government will pick corporate leaders better than the private sector. Seriously, are you kidding me?

The bottom line for me is that everyday that goes by without Ford taking bailout money makes me want to buy a new Ford. Go Ford go! The free market needs you to succeed.

Weekly Running update.....3.27.09

I guess I've missed a few running updates, but it isn't because I'm discouraged or injured. Physically, I am on top of the world. From a running standpoint, I'm locked in and feeling like I'm on auto pilot.

I was out of town all week, but managed to run over 21 miles when I was gone. On Wednesday night on the Monon Trail northeast of Indianapolis, I ran 8.25 miles in 66 minutes at an average heart rate of 143. So, that is an 8 minute mile average while keeping my heart rate averaging in the middle of heart rate Zone 3 ( my zone 3 is 126 to 152 bpm). For me, that is locked on. My marathon goal is to run 7:30 miles (give or take a couple of seconds) and I believe my fitness level is reaching the level it will take to get that done.

I have also been excited about some of the gains I've made in the pool. After nearly drowning while trying to swim two different duathalons last year, I'm making progress. Last week, I swam 1900 meters on Wednesday and 2150 meters on Sunday. As part of the Sunday total, I swam 750 meters continuously, which is a new non-race high mark for me and is the only time I have ever free styled 750 meters. Very exciting for me. I'm very confident that my swimming workouts are having a positive impact on my running results and I'm excited to continue my improvements swimming.

Tomorrow is mile repeat day. I planning on 8 one mile repeats at a 7:00 minute pace. It should be a healthy workout, but I'm confident that I will finish it strong.

I was just wondering........3.21.09

We sure have been busy hyperventilating over AIG bonuses of $168 million or now I hear $218 million. It makes me wonder how much AIG has paid out in bonuses on average over the last 5 years. Is this bonus more or less? Was any of this bonus performance based or was it all retention based? Why isn't Chris Dodd being asked to resign over the legislationthat bailed out AIG and said OK to these bonuses?"

Nebraska Snow Geese

While in Nebraska last weekend, we were treated to incredible flocks of migrating snow geese. I had never seen anything like this and it was truly awesome. I really don't know how many birds were on this small lake, but where the water disappears is where the snow geese are so packed in that is looks like land. Just amazing. 

  

We stayed for for a half and hour or so and just enjoyed the incredible noise of these birds. There were Snows and Blues and Speckles and Canadians and also a few ducks mixed in.

In the fields within a mile or so of the river there were also thousands of cranes. I suppose this is common place stuff for Nebraskan's along the South Platte River, but for me it was a spectacular show of nature.

Power, by Blake

We went to watch my son Blake play baseball in Hastings, Nebraska this past weekend. He plays collegiate ball for the Hastings Broncos. It turn and we ended up witnessing an unusual feat at the ball park.

Duncan Field was built in 1941 and for a time in the 50's hosted a minor league team. It has hosted thousands of American Legion games including the American Legion World Series. I could go on, but the point is that their has been a lot of high level baseball played at Duncan Field.

I know this isn't a great picture, but check out the link above to see some great pics. The ball field is 370 ft. deep in the corners, 405 in the power alleys and 408 in dead center. It's very big.

Prior to the metal baseball bat era (about 1970), there were only 19 home runs ever hit at Duncan field! Wow, sounds impossible. So, that is 19 home runs in about 30 years. 

Since metal bats came around, a few more home runs have been hit. In fact, the unusual feat we saw was a home run hit by my son Blake. After he hit a 3 run towering home run on Sunday, he was told that he was the 120 man to hit a home run in the history of Duncan Field. Is that cool or what? That is an average of less than two guys hitting a home run each year in the  history of the field.

Below is the article I cut and pasted out of the Hastings College website.

BRONCOS SPLIT WITH VITERBO UNIVERSITY
March 15---The Hastings College baseball team split their doubleheader with Viterbo University Sunday afternoon in Hastings, Neb. to complete their four game series with the V-Hawks.  Viterbo took game one 8-0 and the Broncos were victorious in game two, 4-2.  In game one, David Bates was the starting pitcher for Hastings as he went 5 innings, allowing five runs off six hits while striking out five batters.  Hastings was held to two hits courtesy of Josh Mondragon and Blake Marquardt.  In game two, A.J. Clark was the winning pitcher for the Broncos as he went seven complete innings, allowing just two runs off seven hits.  He also struck out five batters.  The Broncos had six hits in the game, none bigger than Blake Marquardt's three-run homerun in the bottom of the 4th inning to give Hastings a 4-1 advantage.  The Broncos would hold on for the 4-2 win.  Hastings is now 7-14 on the season and will be back in action on Monday, March 16 as they travel to Shawnee, Okla. to take on Oklahoma Baptist.  The doubleheader will start at 1 p.m.

Running 1 Mile Repeats

Every one knows the saying in golf, "Drive for show, put for dough"(thank you Isaac). I think you can draw a close parallel in distance running. When I do a training run of 20 or more miles and I'm later talking to someone about what I did earlier in the day, they are often sort of freaked out. People can't easily wrap their heads around 20+ mile runs and consequently, they are amazed. This is indeed the "drive for show" part of running.

On the other hand, if I have a Saturday training day where I run one mile repeats or my fastest 5k...I mean one of those days that hurt, no one is particularly blown away by that effort. In many ways though, it is the speed work that is in parallel with "putting for dough".

I started running when I was 39 years old and I'm now 42. That makes this my fourth marathon season and if my count is right, my next marathon will be my seventh. I've said it before and I'll say it again...speed work hurts and speed work works. And here is the extra good news; you can run faster and stronger than most people in your age class if you are willing to do speed work. Why? Simple, because very few distance runners are willing to do speed work.

This past Saturday I ran the most one mile repeats I have ever run (11). And really, I'm not going to get much attention for running a total of 15 miles. But, this 15 mile workout will be as tough or tougher than any workout I do in preparation for my upcoming marathon. This workout is where the rubber meets the road in running faster marathons and pushing back my lactate threshold.

I should mention that I wrote an article recently titled Improving Running Performance where I linked to an article on improving lactate threshold. This article incorrectly stated that Galloway calls for running mile repeats 20 to 30 seconds slower than your marathon goal time. Don't be fooled, Galloway in fact calls for running mile repeats 20 to 30 seconds faster than your marathon goal pace.

If you are a distance runner and you want to run faster marathons, make speed work part of your routine. It will pay off.

The Wisdom of Benjiman Franklin

I admit to being a bit of a revolutionary history geek. I've read a whole lot about Ben Franklin and lately I've been re-reading Walter Isaacson's 2003 biography "Benjamin Franklin - An American Life". After all, it's been four years since I last read it.

Ben Franklin believed in the common individual citizen and he believed in the power and wisdom of exploring the world around him. Often, this exploration took the form of debate. He was also the original American networking king who formed what he called the "Junto" to discuss events and forge relationships.

In the time we live in today, so much of our communication is quick and informal and never moves beyond "hey, how are you".  I wonder if we stop often enough and explore the world around us. Are we taking time to evaluate what is going on in our country? Or, are we prone to staying busy in our own little world?

While reading the other day, I ran across Franklin's list or guide for the type of conversations the "Junto" might engage in. It's kind of funny and obviously not of our time, but it is worth checking out.

Here is a partial list of Franklin's guide:

1. Have you met with anything in the author you last read remarkable or suited to be communicated to the Junto?

2. What new story have you lately heard agreeable for telling in conversation?

3. Hath any citizen in your knowledge failed in his business lately, and what have you heard of the cause?

4. Have you lately heard of any citizen's thriving well, and by what means?

5. Have you lately heard how any present rich man, here or elsewhere, got his estate?

6. Do you know of any fellow citizen who has lately done a worthy action deserving praise and imitation? Or who has committed an error proper for us to be warned against and avoid?

7. What unhappy effects of intemperance have you lately observed or heard? Of imprudence? of passion? Or of any other vice or folly?....

12. Hath any deserving stranger arrived in town since last meeting that you heard of? And what have you heard of his character or merits? And whether you think it lies in the power of the Junto to oblige him or encourage him as he deserves?...

14. Have you lately observed any defects in the laws of your country of which it would be proper to move the legislature for an amamendment?

15. Have you lately observed any encroachments on the just liberties of the people?

16. Has anybody attacked your reputation lately, and what can the Junto do towards securing it?

17. Is there any man who's friendship you want and which the Junto or any of them can procure for you?...

20. In what manner can the Junto or any of them assist you in any of your honorable designs?

Running Notes 3.9.09

I am coming off three solid weeks of training with little or no knee pain. This is extremely encouraging to me and I'm starting to get my mind around running my "A" marathon time goal of 3:15:00.

My current success can be directly attributed to making adjustments in my program. First, with water running, and next by eliminating my Tuesday runs and replacing them with cross training. As I have felt better over the past two weeks, I have also extended my two mid-week runs to 8 or 8.5 miles each. I can imagine extending one of my mid-week runs to 9 or 10 miles in the coming weeks.

The biggest two recent victories I've had are my most recent two Saturday workouts. A week ago, I was estatic to run a 20:14 5k. It isn't quite where I hoped to be at this point, but I finished with gas in the tank and my knee feeling good. I can't even explain how impossible that seemed just a month ago.

The second big victory was my mile repeat workout this past Saturday. I did 11 one mile repeats; all under my goal of a seven minute per mile pace. This was a tough, tough workout. But, I finished it injury free.

Here is what my week looked like:

• Monday - ran 8.5 miles
• Tuesday - cross trained on eliptical machine for 50 minutes
• Wednesday - swam for 31 minutes
• Thursday - ran 8 miles
• Friday - off
• Saturday - ran 11 one mile repeats and a total of 15 miles
• Sunday - walked 3 miles

        Total week: ran 31.5 miles plus 3 cross train workouts

I was just wondering........3.7.09

A friend of mine (who might know) told me today that Dodge has not bought a new truck chassis in three months. It makes me wonder if we have already seen the last Dodge truck made. Wow. Seems funny to even think that there may be no more Dodge trucks.

Possible North American Record Bobcat

 

A friend sent me this awesome picture and story about a possible new North American record bobcat shot in Wisconsin last month. This picture and the story appeared in the Antigo Daily Journal. Check out the full story at this link.

Here are links to other bobcat and mountain lion articles and pictures on this website:

Eddie's Big Cats

Rare Hunting Trifecta 

I was just wondering..... 

Cougars visiting swimming pool 

Bobcat vs. Deer