Movie Monday: she ran a marathon without talking about it

Here's a comedy group that took runners' penchant for oversharing (i.e. bragging about) their accomplishments on social media and made a mockumentary about the first person to run a marathon without telling anyone.

Isn't that the point of running?  So we can brag about it?

I'm only half joking.

I'd like to think I'm pretty good about leaving my Facebook friends alone when it comes to my running, considering only a fraction of them are runners.  That's partly why I started a Twitter account; so I could specifically connect with other runners and have a place to nerd out.

But you can bet the next time I set a PR, I'll do everything short of hiring a skywriter to announce my feat to the world.

Until then, enjoy this video:

Homemade pumpkin soup

Last year Stevie and I bought a pumpkin to carve, which we never got around to carving.  We left the thing on our front steps as decoration, which the squirrels promptly massacred, spilling seeds all over the bushes in our front yard.  This year we had our very own pumpkin growing in those bushes.

I decided to make soup out of it, like one does.

I googled pumpkin-soup-from-scratch recipes and kind of made it up as I went using what I found as a guide.


Ingredients

• One pumpkin
• Heavy cream
• Chicken broth
• Olive oil
• Nutmeg
• Salt
• Maple syrup

Directions

Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the innards, then peel the skin and cut into small chunks.  Place on a pan and bake at 350 for at least an hour.

Put into a pot and add syrup and chicken broth.  Let simmer for a bit, then add to a blender. Add cream and nutmeg and salt and blend until smooth.  Return to pot.

Serve and photograph next to a Harry Potter pumpkin for ultimate Halloween effect.

It comes out looking more like porridge than soup, but has a really nice, unique flavor.

Enjoy!

Afternoon Delight

Coming to a magazine cover near you

I
I've taken to doing speedwork on Fridays, and planned another speed workout for this morning.

I woke up at 4am to the buzzing of my cellphone, headed downstairs to the couch to read and drink tea, and had just changed and was on my way out the door when I heard my son upstairs.  I decided to postpone my morning track session to look after Neale so my wife could sleep.  She's been working herself into exhaustion on her latest show, so I wanted to lighten her load for at least an hour.

This meant I had to do my track session this afternoon.

After work and coming home to change, I headed over to my school's track where the football and cross country teams were practicing and the field hockey team was playing a game nearby.  Our track is currently being renovated, which is why you don't see any lanes in the picture above.  They also have yet to lay down the springy, soft surface common on most tracks.  Right now it's nothing but rock solid asphalt. I'm told this is a more forgiving surface than a concrete sidewalk, at least.

There's a reason why I hate speedwork and don't do as much of it as I should: it sucks.  It's incredibly painful and I come away feeling dizzy and drained every time.  Today was no exception.

I did my go-to track workout: a series of 400's punctuated with jumping rope, pushups, sit-ups,100 meter dashes, and 200 meter recovery jogs.

My 400's went like this:

Lap 1: 1:15
Lap 2: 1:16
Lap 3: 1:11
Lap 4: 1:14

All told, at least it was better than doing the same workout in the dark.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and the Hoff

So not only is there a musical version of the 1886 novella Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (because of course there is), but my wife Stevie is appearing in a steampunk version of it.  Here she is with her friend April promoting the show at Barrington's fall festival:

Jekyll and Hyde meets steampunk

Fun fact: None other than the Hoff portrayed the dual-personality lead in the Broadway version, obviously putting his days as a German popstar to good use.

This show was no day at the beach.

Stevie has been working tirelessly over the past few months, and has been working particularly hard this past week as the show comes together.  It opens tonight at the Grand Theater in Williamstown, NJ and runs for three weekends.

At the Grand Theater in Williamstown, NJ

If you're in the South Jersey area and want a great Halloween show, come check it out!

10 miles before work

I don't think I blog enough about the specific details of day-to-day training, so for you and for future-me, here's a post about this morning's run.

This is what I look like at 6 in the morning in the backyard after just having run 10 miles in the dark, with the last few miles at ludicrous speed:

I woke up at 4am and read for a bit on the couch to wake up before heading out around 5.  My goal was to run each mile progressively faster until the last stretch when I would finish at 100% effort or as close to it as my quad would allow.  I did reasonably well with this goal.

Overall time: 1:14:20

Mile 1: 8:41
Mile 2: 8:16
Mile 3: 7:56
Mile 4: 7:27
Mile 5: 7:40
Mile 6: 7:01
Mile 7: 7:24
Mile 8: 6:57
Mile 9: 6:34
Mile 10: 6:13

It's the longest and most intense run I've ever done before a full day of work, and I'm just as proud of getting it done at such an early hour as I am of the effort involved.

But I still keep wondering to myself: is it enough?  Is this the year I go sub 3?

Spinach and artichoke vegetarian lasagne

I am not vegetarian by any stretch of the imagination, but I oftentimes find myself preparing meatless versions of classic dishes.  This is probably due to my sister going vegetarian in college and her being a big influence on my life in cooking... but I digress.

When I make chili, I make a vegan version that I then bastardize with sour cream and cheddar cheese.  And when I make lasagne, I forgo the beef and add artichoke and spinach as a filler instead.

I have no idea where or even when I got this recipe.  I just remember I've been making it for years.  Herein some of the details on preparing it:

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• lasagne noodles
• onion
• garlic
• veggie broth
• fresh rosemary
• artichoke hearts
• spinach
• pasta sauce
• mozzarella cheese
• herb and garlic feta
• ricotta cheese

Directions:

Cook the onions, garlic, broth, rosemary, artichoke hearts, spinach and ricotta down into a sauce.

Layer a baking dish with lasagne noodles, sauce, pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese, repeat. Finish with feta cheese.

Cover and bake at 350 for an hour.

Note: don't be shy with the rosemary.  It's what makes this dish, in my humble opinon.

Pro tip: Don't bother cooking the lasagne noodles beforehand.  There is enough sauce that they will soften while the whole thing bakes.

Fun fact: the first time Stevie ever came over for dinner, I made this dish along with a salad and garlic bread.  She was part of the show I was directing, and I had invited my cast over for dinner and to rehearse for the first time.  She was bummed she had forgotten to tell me she was vegetarian, but pleasantly surprised when I told her the lasagne was in fact vegetarian.

Fun fact: Stevie is no longer vegetarian.

I love making this dish because it's hearty and filling, and it makes a ton of leftovers which heat up really well with a little extra red sauce.

Enjoy!

2015 Baltimore Marathon Race Recap

Five years ago, I decided to run the Atlantic City Marathon as a training run for the Philadelphia Marathon five weeks later.  It ended up being a great decision as the weather was near perfect, it was a great way to knock out a long run, and an overall confidence booster for Philly.

Two years ago I decided to do the same thing except run the Baltimore Marathon instead.  I registered for the race and booked a hotel room and everything, only to back out at the last minute due to shin splints.  It was my first and only DNS.  I'm happy to report that I finally got my chance to run Baltimore yesterday morning, once again as a training run for Philly five weeks from now.

I drove down to Baltimore on Friday afternoon shortly after school ended.  Got stuck in some traffic on I-95 but otherwise made it to the M&T Bank Stadium (home of the Baltimore Ravens) without incident.  Parked in one of the lots just outside of the stadium and followed the massive stream of people going inside.


The Expo

Because the marathon was on a Saturday, the expo was open until 9pm Friday night to give people like me time to get there after work.  Runners had to walk up several ramps to one of the VIP sections of the stadium where the usual assortment of running related companies had set up shop.  The entrance was in the middle with bib pick up and shirt pickup cleverly placed at either end to ensure runners passed by every company.  Once I picked up my bib and shirt, I headed back out to my car.

Friday Night

I stayed in my favorite hotel in Baltimore; it's very small and called my car.  Not very spacious and few amenities, but the proximity to the starting line (1/2 mile) and the price simply can't be beat.  I was asleep by 9pm, lulled by the whoosh of cars on I-395 overhead, and at 6am I slowly woke up and began to get ready as hundreds of cars jockeyed for parking spaces around me.  Alleviating worry over race day parking was definitely a perk.


The Start

The stadium was once again open with full use of its bathrooms; being able to use flush toilets is a huge plus before a race of any size.  Security poked through my bag on the way to the start, and I wandered around for a bit debating whether to wear a long sleeved shirt during the race or not.  I eventually settled on just the short sleeved shirt.

At around 7:30 I finally checked my bag at gear check (after a moment of panic that they weren't going to let me check it because it wasn't a clear plastic bag) and headed over to the starting line next to Camden Yards.

There were no official corrals at the starting line, just a few signs of estimated finish times interspersed along the crowd.  I tried to place myself as best I could.

One of the highlights of the start of this race was listening to the Star Spangled Banner being sung and realizing those words were written just a few miles from where we stood.


The Course

The course loops all around Baltimore before finishing back by the football and baseball stadiums.  One of the highlights was passing through the Baltimore Zoo.  Zookeepers stood at the entrance holding live ravens on their arms.  A few more zookeepers with various squawking birds were posted along the route, and before long we shot back out into the park.

The course took in various neighborhoods, the center of town, and several parks and bodies of water. I would estimate only about half the course had a decent amount of spectators.

The first half of the course was mostly flat, but the second half picked up some rolling hills. Nothing outrageous, but not exactly welcome in the back nine of a marathon.

This race was notable in that the half marathoners had a completely different start time and starting line from the full marathoners.  This seemed like a great idea until the half marathoners joined us at mile 16 and the course suddenly became extremely congested as I weaved my way through runners going at vastly different paces from me.  Negative points, Baltimore.


Aid Stations

The aid stations were perfect.  They were well spaced out, well stocked and well manned. Each one featured water and Gatorade.  Several aid stations also had food, including Gu, bananas, chips, and even mini Dunkin Donuts.  I hadn't eaten a large dinner the night before, and I never eat breakfast the morning of a race due to nerves/GI issues, so I was worried about fueling for this race.  All the food options on the course were extremely helpful.


Post Race

All relay runners, half and full marathoners finished together, and I had to make sure I was given the right medal before collecting my bag of chips, banana, water and Gatorade chocolate protein drink.  Runners then exited into "Celebration Village" where they could meet up with friends and family, ring the PR bell, grab their bags and get changed, pay $4 for a Michelob Ultra, listen to a live band, and buy food from a number of food trucks set up.

After taking in the festivities and reveling in my accomplishment for a bit, I walked back to my car and drove the two hours home to South Jersey and changed from weekend warrior right back into my role as suburban dad.

The Takeaway

So glad I got another shot at this race after being left behind two years ago.

I took it slowly during this race, enjoying the crowds and scenery, telling myself to not be a hero as today was not a record setting day.  Today was all about getting some miles on my legs and celebrating racing.

My goal was to start slowly and start picking up the pace in the last few miles, which I did.  In the last half mile, I fell into a dead sprint, soaring across the finish line feeling like all I want to do for the rest of my life is run marathons.  That is the feeling that was lacking from Boston last spring.  I was only three minutes behind my time from Boston, but how I felt in the last half mile of each race was a world of difference.  I felt so alive yesterday, like I finally get the reason behind the second running boom.  You don't always have to push yourself to a PR and/or the brink of exhaustion to enjoy the high of running a marathon, and I can see why there are people who run so many a year.  Yesterday's race reminded me how much I love racing, and how, if money were no object, I would be out there as often as my wife's patience allows, racing my damn heart out as often as possible.

I would definitely recommend this race to anyone.  It has a very similar vibe to my beloved Philly Marathon - a mid sized race with great organization and decent crowd support and a fast and scenic course.  At the end of the day, the Charm City puts on - dare I say it - one charming race.  Thanks for a great time, Baltimore.  Hope to be back someday.

Marathon training: then and now

Out of the 11 marathons I've completed in my day, my most successful one was two years ago at the 2013 Philadelphia Marathon.  My goal was to come in under 3:05 and qualify for Boston, which I achieved with a minute and 55 seconds to spare after a very intense and bumpy training cycle.

Now, two years later, I am throwing everything I have at one last training cycle.  It's one last effort for a big PR.  Namely, a sub 3 hour marathon.  The problem is, I'm constantly wondering if it's enough.  I'm constantly comparing this training cycle to the one I went through two years ago.

Then: 32 years old and married.
Now: 34 years old and married with a 14 month old son.

Then: Ran almost exclusively in the afternoons after work.
Now: Running almost exclusively in the mornings before work.

Then: Topped out at 73 miles per week.  No running on Mondays and some serious speedwork on Thursdays, including lots of stadium stairs and 100 meter sprints at 100% effort.
Now: Topping out around 60 - 65 miles per week.  Maintaining my running streak by doing one slow mile on Mondays.  Speedwork in the morning is difficult because it's still dark at 5am.  Also I can't sprint at 100% for fear of aggravating my left quad.

Then: No alcohol or soda.  Significantly cut down on junk food and restaurant meals.
Now: No alcohol or soda.  Significantly cut down on junk food and restaurant meals.

Then: Brought my weight down to 130 by marathon day.
Now: Currently at 139.

Then: Strict bedtime of 10pm, up at 6am for work.
Now: Loose bedtime of 8-9pm, up at 4am to run then get ready for work.  Quality of my own sleep largely depends on the quality of my son's sleep.

Then: Strength work after every run: pushups, pull-ups, abs, dumbbells, etc.  Also jump roping.
Now: Always pressed for time, my post run routine has been significantly decreased.

Then: Rode my bike to work 2.5 miles every day.
Now: Riding my bike to work 1 mile every day.

Then: Ran the Rock n' Roll Philly Half at full effort in September; backed out of Baltimore Marathon in October due to shin splints.
Now: Rock n' Roll Philly Half moved to end of this month due to Pope visit; slated to run Baltimore Marathon this Saturday as a long run.

Then: Took 1.5 weeks completely off of running in middle of October and another week at low mileage to recover from shin splints.
Now: No major injuries.  Hitting all the miles.

Then: Self doubt high.
Now: Self doubt high.

Then: Wanted a BQ more than anything else in life.
Now: Sub 3 would be fantastic, but a PR or 3rd BQ would also be good.

1,700 miles

This morning I ran my first 20 miler of this training cycle, and in doing so I passed the 1,700 mile mark for the 2,015 in 2015 challenge I'm a part of.  At my current rate of progress, I should hit my goal by the end of November, over a month ahead of schedule.  It will be nice to celebrate the Philly Marathon and the end of this challenge simultaneously.

I also got to wear my Boston shirt for the first time since last spring, so all around an exciting day.

The 20 miler, incidentally, was a decent training run.  I broke it up into three legs, passing by the Cooper River and a brief section of trail by Newton Lake, and stopping by my house twice for water and gels.  I felt good throughout - no pain or excessive fatigue at all.  Could have easily kept going.  I guess that's the mark of a good long run if I feel like I still had plenty left in me at the end.

September mileage

January: 198
February: 231
March: 281
April: 121.2
May: 159.1
June: 112.3
July: 145.4
August: 210.1

And September:

218 miles, barely more than August.  A lot of solid morning runs.  Not enough speedwork.  Not a single race.

I'm now at 1675.1 miles for the year, officially more than I accomplished last year.  I'm now looking forward to the medal I'll get for this challenge just as much as the marathon in November.

Still looking forward to the marathon, less than two months away now, but October will have to be an outstanding month of training.

Movie Monday: Would you still do it?

I ran my first half marathon in 2001 when the only way to brag about such an event was to write a mass e-mail to friends and family.  I ran my first marathon in 2005 during the age of MySpace, but still well before what we currently associate with the term "social media."

10 years later, I continue to run half marathons and marathons, yet I now tell everyone about it on Facebook, Twitter and this blog.  I have yet to get into Pinterest, Instagram, Snapchat, Periscope, or whatever else is out there, and I honestly hope I never do.

Which is why I love this commercial from running apparel company Pearl Izumi.  It asks the question, who do you run for?  Is it to impress countless faceless strangers on the internet, or is it for your own health and well-being?  If social media didn't exist, would you still do it?

Would you?

What it's like to run in Popeadelphia

I don't know about the cities of New York and Washington, DC, but if you live in the Philadelphia area, all anybody has talked about for the last few months has been the Pope.

From Phillymag.com

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The talk has revolved less around the honor of a Papal visit, or the World Meeting of Families, or potentially going to see him in the city, and more around the disruption his visit would cause, particularly with traffic.

From Billypenn.com

Most people decided to treat it like a blizzard and hole up in their houses for the weekend. Some even escaped for the weekend, heading out of town until the dust settled.  Me?  I decided I couldn't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

I had 18 miles scheduled for today, and rather than run my usual boring routes, I decided to run right from my house into Philly and back.  So I grabbed a bottle of water, threw some gels in my pocket, and headed west out of my front door.

It should be noted that I am the world's worst running blogger in that I hate running with my phone, so I have no pictures of myself from today's jaunt.  You'll have to settle for random pictures I found in Google Images.

The first few miles were business as usual, but as I neared the Admiral Wilson Boulevard, the main artery leading to the Ben Franklin Bridge, it became completely deserted.  It was like running through my own episode of The Walking Dead (minus the hordes of zombies).

As I rounded a bend and approached the bridge, there was a large blockade of police cars.  A Homeland Security officer stepped out of one and directed me to tolls ahead that were admitting pedestrians.  The Red Cross was there handing out free bottles of water, and more officers were checking bags.

When he saw I didn't have a bag with me, one of the officers yelled, "keep going, man!  Don't slow down!"

"Yes sir, officer!"

Half of the bridge was shut down to allow for emergency and police vehicles, while the other half was open to foot and bicycle traffic.  There were thousands of people on the bridge this afternoon.

From northjersey.com

A
At mile 6.5 I reached the end of the bridge and began meandering around Center City.  The entire area was like some weird militarized pedestrian playground.  People walked around in matching Pope shirts.  Others stood in the middle of the street to take selfies.  Bikers, runners and walkers all shared the space with police officers, Homeland Security Officers, the National Guard, Humvees, vans and police cars.  Temporary chain link fences, steel guard rails and concrete road barriers were erected everywhere.

I ran around the streets with no particular plan, just wanting to soak in the atmosphere of pope enthusiasts and the novelty of car-free streets everywhere I turned.  At about mile 11, I finally headed back towards the bridge and over to Jersey.

It was without a doubt one of the most unique long runs I've ever had.

Also, I didn't see the Pope.

On naked racing and positive body image

Fans of this blog (all three of you) may recall a little race that I won last month... in the buff.  It was something I did on a lark, partly for the story and partly for a new and novel racing experience.  The need to reinforce positive body image never really entered into it.  I have my share of body hangups just like anyone else, but the thought that naked racing could cure any of them never occured to me.

But last week a running friend and freelance journalist interviewed me for an article on just that: naked racing and positive body image.

The article appeared today, and Liz writes, "that public nudity is one of America's most profound, collective nightmares has always fascinated me.  We attach the utmost value to certain clandestine body parts.  We seem to believe skin is more sacred for never having seen the light of day."  I couldn't agree more.

The Germans have a healthy take on social nudism known as Frei Körper Kultur, which literally translates to "free body culture."  Having lived in Germany in high school and college and traveled throughout Europe, I'm no stranger to nude spas and beaches.  It's left a sense of confidence in me and refusal to feel embarrassed or ashamed of my body to the point that doing a naked race wasn't the earth shattering event it might be for others.

I love Liz's angle on it.  I definitely agree that naked racing and social nudism in general could contribute to healthier self esteem and acceptance of one's body, though I don't know that a naked 5k will be gracing Philadelphia's streets anytime soon.

Anyway, as usual when I'm interviewed for an article, I had a lot to say, but only a few quotes made it into the piece, so I thought I would share the full interview here:

Name: Scott
Occupation: high school teacher
Location: Collingswood
Naked Race: Wiggle Jiggle Giggle 5-K at Sunny Rest Resort in PA.
Running since: off and on since high school, consistently since 2005.

What motivated you to try a naked race in the first place?

I love running and enjoy doing all different kinds of races, and it was always on my bucket list to try a clothing optional race. Partly for the story but mostly just to try something different.

What was the most surprising/unexpected aspect of naked racing?

I guess the most surprising thing was how easy it was to forget about the nudity and focus on the racing. It was just like any other race I've ever done: sizing up potential competition at the starting line, setting off with a lead pack of runners, trying to find the right time to make the kick, doubt and worry over whether I can hold the pace, giving it all I have in the final tenth of a mile... just with a whole lot of nudity.


How did naked racing change your relationship with your body?

I don't think that naked racing changed my relationship with my body so much as it reinforced how I already feel. Clothed or not, my body is what I have to work with and it is capable of amazing things, and there is no need to feel ashamed of it. I'm extremely proud of winning that race, even if it was just a goofy run with a bunch of nudists hidden away in the Pocono Mountains.

There were about 130 runners of all shapes, ages, sizes, and running abilities. It was a clothing optional race, but very few people opted for clothing.

How many people have you told about your naked racing experience? What has been the general reaction from your family and friends? What's the most supportive response you received? The most critical?
I wrote a blog post about the race and tweeted a few times about it, and told everyone in the Wednesday night running crew, but that's it. The people in the running group generally thought it was hilarious. There were dozens of questions, and some have even expressed interest in running next year with me. I guess that would be the most supportive response. There really hasn't been a critical response.

I never brought it up with my family. My dad and grandmother read my blog but neither have mentioned the race. My wife would have done it with me but we couldn't work out the logistics with our baby.

Do you think naked racing will continue to grow in popularity or remain a niche event?
I would love to see more people try naked racing, but it will probably remain a niche event. For one thing, you pretty much have to offer races like this at nudist resorts and only in warm weather, so you're limited in the times of year and the places you can offer them. I had to drive an hour and a half to get to this race, which I normally don't do for a 5k. Also, depending on your body type, it's hard to run hard for 3 straight miles without some sort of support. So there may be some people who want to try it but it would be distinctly uncomfortable.

What kind of person should try naked racing? What kind of person should avoid it?
What kind of person should try it? Anyone willing to step out of their comfort zone. I would definitely recommend it for someone trying to overcome body issues. All of those insecurities that we cover up with clothing - a bulging stomach, stretch marks, saggy skin, whatever - are thrust into the open. You quickly see that everyone has some sort of imperfection and no one is judging anyone. This is even more true when racing. You stop focusing on your imperfections and remember how strong your body is and what it is capable of. It's all about joy of running and racing and the nudity quickly becomes secondary.

What people shouldn't try it? Again, the support issue might preclude certain body types from naked racing, but not from social nudism as a whole.

Why I give up alcohol before a goal race

When I train for a goal race, I usually give up alcohol about two months out.  This is never easy, mind you.  I don't want to paint myself as a drunk, but a cold craft beer is one of the great pleasures in life, in my opinion.  So why deny myself the joy of an oat soda or two after a long day's work?

I do it for a few reasons:

1. It helps me cut weight.  I am not overweight by any means, but when training for a goal race I can always stand to drop a few lbs.  Not drinking saves me a lot of calories over the long haul, in addition to the temptation of eating greasy bar food when I'm out.
2. It helps me stay focused.  I may still go out during marathon training, but the temptation to stay up till 3am is gone when I'm drinking water all night.  This makes it much easier to get up early to run.
3. It saves me a lot of money, which I can then spend on races and other race-related things.
4. So much of marathon training is about sacrifice, and I like the idea of sacrificing something I love to help me keep my eye on the prize.

Tomorrow marks two months until the Philadelphia Marathon, so tomorrow I start my self enforced sobriety.  I'm saying goodbye to the boozy life tonight by enjoying one of the best fall beers I've ever had, which my dad picked out for me.  I'm pairing it with a dram of Woodford Reserve's double oaked bourbon.  The bitter hops pair brilliantly with the slight sweetness of the bourbon, and I'm in heaven.

It's going to be a long two months.  I'll catch you on the other side.

Notes from a morning runner

In any marathon training cycle, especially for a goal race, it's easy to become hyper focused on training and let everything else fall by the wayside.  Success requires dedication, which can easily morph into obsession if I let it.

In an effort to keep Stevie and Neale a priority, I've been attempting, for the hundredth time in my life, to become a morning runner.  By running when they're both still asleep, I will then have time for them in the afternoons/evenings.

I normally get up at 6am for work, so this means if I want to get in any kind of meaningful workout, I have to get up as early as 4am.  My new normal has become to wake up at 4am, drink tea and read on the couch while I slowly wake up, then head out the door around 5am, depending on the day's workout.

Some notes:

• Getting out of bed is the struggle of my life.  Once over that hurdle, it isn't so bad.
• But then I get so comfortable on the couch with a good book that I don't want to leave that either.
• I leave so much time between waking up and getting out the door to give myself time to digest the previous night's dinner.  I have to use the bathroom at least a few times before every morning run.
• Nothing is better than coming home from work in the afternoon knowing I've already taken care of that day's run.
• I have definitely felt a surge of energy in my morning classes, but feel pretty exhausted by the time my last class of the day rolls around.
• I hate running in the dark.  It is doable, but it makes it significantly more difficult to get up to "cruising speed" when I can't see the terrain as well and don't want to trip.
• Spiderwebs and sprinklers: the bane of a morning runner's existence.

Are you a morning runner?  Leave me some advice or encouragement!

Back to School

Welcome to my classroom.

R
Recently started my 5th year of teaching high school German.  The teachers started work on September 1st with two days of professional development, and the students returned on the 8th.

I teach six classes over five levels (1-4 and AP) in grades 8th through 12th.  I'm a one man show, as I like to say, with over a hundred students as my captive audience.  If you thought some of the jokes on this blog were bad, you should try spending time in the classroom with me.

As with every training cycle for a fall marathon, one of my biggest hurdles becomes adjusting to the new school year. Training starts in July when I have a lot of free time and can pretty much run any time I want to.  Once back in school, though, I have a very strict schedule I have to adhere to.  I try to arrive at school every day at 7am with first period starting at 7:45. The school day ends at 2:30, but we have to stay until 3.  My life is ruled by the school bell.

Strangely enough, I found the last time I went through this (in 2013) that the tighter schedule actually helped my training.  It forced me to be more disciplined and focused and not waste a second of the day, whereas summer training and the accompanying heat made for a more laissez faire attitude.

Not only do I have to find time to cram in training runs, but I also have to keep nutrition in mind.  Our school cafeteria is like most other American public schools in that "beige" seems to be the only item on the menu.  During the school year I have to work extra hard to make time for breakfast and then pack a healthy lunch for the day.

The marathon isn't until November 22nd, so until then, German rap and long runs, grammar charts and pushups, vocab games and sore legs must all coexist peacefully.  But once the marathon is over...

They say it's my birthday

Just two weeks after my son's birthday, I get to celebrate my own.  He celebrated his 1st, and now I celebrate my 34th.

A couple of girls in my German IV class wrote all over the whiteboard in my classroom, including this part by my desk:

I was certainly flattered but couldn't help correct their spelling.  Once a teacher always a teacher.

Stevie surprised me with a Team Spartenheimer sweatsuit in the morning and then brought me lunch from my favorite sandwich shop during the day.  The final surprise came when she told me she'd lined up a babysitter for tonight and was going to join me at beer/run club.  It was her first time there and she only did 3 miles as opposed to the whole 6.6 mile loop.

In the store after the run she brought out a cookie cake to share with everyone.  She wanted everyone to sing me happy birthday, but I wouldn't let her and she settled on "three cheers for the birthday boy."

The humidity was absolutely horrendous today and I had to work all day in a room without A/C, but this really was an amazing birthday.  Beer, running and several thoughtful surprises from the love of my life... what could possibly be better?

Movie Monday: Ginger Runner and the NYC Marathon

I love the Ginger Runner and I love his videos even more.  They're incredibly well-polished; the editing and sound are leaps and bounds above the average YouTube content, yet they never lose the amateur feel of just an average guy talking into a small camera.

I've posted one of his videos before; his running of the 2014 Gorge Waterfalls 50k.

In this particular video, he chronicles his journey to and subsequent running of the 2014 New York City Marathon, the one with nasty wind and temperatures throughout the day.  I love his sentiment as he approaches the finish: "Got my ass handed to me today, and loved every second of it.  Let's finish strong."

Enjoy!

Keeping things in perspective

Counting marathoning as a hobby is a bit of a double-edged sword.  On the one hand, it keeps me healthy, gives me a great sense of accomplishment, helps me meet new people, and takes my mind off of the stresses of life.  It accomplishes what every hobby should.

But.

It takes a lot to run marathons.  Sacrifice.  Patience.  Time.  It's one thing to dream big and set big goals, but it's difficult to not feel like the world is crashing down when those goals aren't met.  It starts to feel like more than a hobby when it just shouldn't.  Hobbies shouldn't consume an entire life at the expense of other areas, nor should so much self-worth be based on an arbitrary time goal.

Keeping perspective during a marathon training cycle is difficult but something I need to consistently work on.

Yesterday Stevie, Neale and I went to Wildwood, NJ.  We spent some time on the beach and then spent the night with a friend before heading out this morning.  I had saved my 8 mile run to do on the beach, reasoning that the change of scenery and running on the beach would be preferable to running my same old boring running routes at home.

Well.

It didn't quite go according to plan.  It was much hotter than I anticipated in the afternoon, and when you run at the beach you pretty much run in direct sunlight the entire time.  The humidity soaked through my shoes within 3 miles so that they squelched with every step thereafter.  I barreled into a headwind for much of the run.  It was slow and monotonous and not at all the kind of run I had envisioned.

But afterwards we all went to the beach where Neale went into the water for the first time of his life (he'd been to the beach before, but only ever stood at the water's edge).  We took turns holding his hands while the waves approached him, and the look of sheer joy on his face is one I hope I never forget.  The shrieks, the laughter, the giant grin, the splashing and the pulling of his mother's arms as he struggled to go farther... It made my heart swell to see him take to the ocean the way he did.

Greater men than I have tried and failed to put words to their feelings of love, so I will leave it at this: Good runs or bad, I will always love my son more.

Ode to grilling

The summer season is winding down, and with it goes one of my favorite aspects of warmer weather: backyard grilling.

Ever since we moved to a place with a backyard last summer, I've fancied myself the lord of the grill. We don't have air conditioning downstairs, so if I cook in the kitchen, I may as well climb into the oven while I'm at it because that's how hot it gets.  Which leads to one of the great pleasures in life: the smell of sizzling meat over charcoal while sipping an ice cold summer beer.

I grill anything and everything on my tiny, humble charcoal grill.  If it can fit and needs to be cooked, I'll throw it on there.  Here's a selection of the things I've grilled this past summer:

• Burgers
• Dogs
• Swordfish
• Salmon
• Corn
• Assorted vegetables
• Shrimp skewers
• Chicken breasts
• Chicken drumsticks
• Bratwurst
• Steak

Salmon on cedar planks

Shrimp skewers, swordfish, veggies, eggplant

D
Don't forget the appetizers:

Homemade guacamole, fresh fruit with yoghurt dip.

The whole ensemble is only complete with a summer beer, good friends and family, the soft sound of crickets and the occasional airplane flying through Philadelphia airspace.  Summer in a nutshell.

I'll be sad to say goodbye to grilling, but still looking forward to getting back into the kitchen and moving onto the next season.

Here's to eating well!