Wine and The Finish Line

Still training

2011-08-07T19:19:00.000-07:00

I guess I'm still training. Actually, I wouldn't call it training. Right now I guess I'm just staying in shape. With no runs planned in the immediate future I'm just hitting the road logging my miles. Kristen and I ran with our club, AREC, yesterday for the weekly Saturday training runs. I ran 9 and she did 16. 9 is the longest I've done in months and I was surprised to find that I felt good the entire run. I try to tell my non-running friends that the longer you run (in terms of years) the easier it is to go on long runs and not be wiped out. They usually laugh and shake their heads. Oh well. Their loss.

Talk about falling off the wagon

2011-07-01T11:02:00.001-07:00

I keep slacking at updates. That sucks. Okay, back to updating.

We were in New Orleans back in the middle of May and found a 3 miler to race called the Al Briede Gold Cup. It was a nice flat course through City Park with people at every mile yelling out times and encouragement. For a small race they did it up right. Friendly people, music, jumbalaya after the race(?!) and best of all a Budweiser trailer. Four taps, 2 Buds, 2 Bud Lights. Free. No one busting your balls for a ticket. No limits. Just drink after the race until the thing is empty. Nice. Kristen was 2nd female overall and 1st in her age group. I won a t-shirt so I got that going for me which is nice.

We signed up for the Laguna Beach Memorial Day Half Marathon, but we really didn't think about it enough. We weren't able to pick up our packets and bibs the day before which meant that we would have had to get there by 6:15 to give us time to park and get our stuff and get organized in time for the 7am start. We live in Long Beach so as any runner knows, there's a morning pre-race ritual and then you have to drive to the race. To be in Laguna Beach by 6:15am we would have had to get up at 4am. We had a party to go to later that day so the night before we decided to bag it and eat the fee. We offered it up to friends, but I guess they were all smarter than us.

On June 11th we ran the Long Beach Wrigley River run 5k/10k which I've done in the past. It's a nice event. Small, but well organized. Kristen had a bum toe, but still managed to PR for the 10k and win 1st place in her age group. I was off my 5k PR by 10 seconds again. Whatever dude.

So I picked up a new hobby. I've been brewing beer for a few months and have really gotten into it. I have a 5 gallon batch of Kolsch fermenting now that I will bottle tomorrow. It needs to condition in the bottle for 2 weeks and then it'll be ready to drink. 5 gallons equals anywhere between 43 and 48 bottles of beer. Sweeeeet! I have to figure out which beer to brew up next. Hmmm. Maybe I'll have to change the name of this blog. Winebeerandthefinishline?

Anza-Borrego

2011-05-03T19:50:00.001-07:00

I don't usually post about hiking, but sometimes a hike turns into a trail run and boom: Finish Line. Kristen and I went out to the beautiful Anza-Borrego State Park this weekend and hike some of the amazing trails the park offers. As usual we stayed at the Borrego Palm Canyon Campgrounds and scored one of our favorite sites: #105. There's a section of the campground where four sites are really secluded and provide a nice, quiet environment. Anyway, there are miles and miles of fantastic trails to hike (and run if the urge hits you like it does us) and most are easily accessed by standard two wheel drive cars with a few better suited to SUV transportation.

On our first day we set out on a trail called Hellhole Canyon which I thought was a bit of a misnomer given the lush beauty at the end. The 5.2 mile round trip trail was full of various cacti and some of the last natural Palm Tree groves in California.

The next day we set out on a trail called Rainbow Loop. The trailhead was a little hard to find, but once we did the desert unveiled its hidden beauty with a trek up a sandy, narrow canyon that showcased all kinds of ocotillo, teddy bear cholla and prickly pear cacti still blooming with bright red, orange and green flowers.

Feeling a little froggy, we decided that it might be fun to run the last three miles back to the car. The soft and silty ground made it a challenge, but easy on the knees.

Now, one of the great fringe benefits of going to Anza-Borrego is that on the way, there is a modest and very friendly winery called Shadow Mountain. The owners are great and even gave us a tour of the operation. If you ever go there I recommend the Old Gus Red Table Wine and the Syrah.

Of course, no trip would be complete for us if we didn't find another winery on the way home. In this case it was a wonderful vineyard/winery called Hawk Watch. Absolutely great wines for a fair price. Hey, you can't beat a camping/hiking trip with wine going in AND out right?

2011 Boston Marathon!

2011-04-29T08:35:00.000-07:00

Last week Kristen ran the 115th Boston Marathon with her friend Wendy (from our AREC running club). This was her 3rd marathon with her 2nd best time, however, she kept it "slow" and fun so she could pace her friend (Wendy PR'd by almost 5 minutes - this was her 12th marathon) and truly enjoy the experience of Boston. It was an amazing event - what she calls a 26.2 mile long party with spectators lining the course the entire way. Exploring the city for the first time was an adventure as well. Lots of great wine bars in "The South Side" and a sweet (while super windy) running course right out the front door of the vacation rental in South Boston. You can follow the sidewalk and boardwalk all around Castle Island for a nice 5-10 miler. We see Boston again in the future (KJ was well within BQ time) but maybe we will skip a year. Lots of fun but a really expensive trip overall!

3rd Place!

2011-04-27T09:39:00.000-07:00

For the first time since I started running I won a medal. 3rd place in my age group for the Rabbit 5k held at Long Beach City College's Veteran's Memorial Stadium. Kristen won first place age group and overall women and she also broke her previous PR and posted a 19:30! Crazy.

The course was flat and pretty fast. I lost 10 second however, when I made a wrong turn and that was something that actually really pissed me off for awhile even though I knew I'd gotten 3rd place. I could have had a better time. The girl at the turning point just stared at me with a dumb look on her face even as I asked her as I was running if this was the right turn. She just stared as I ran by. So dumb. Anyway, I still received the medal and had a good run.

I plan on putting in a lot of hard work on breaking my current PR of 24:28. I got that time at the Surf City 5k which is a really fast, flat out and back race with no turns so I'll probably have to pick the races carefully. I will still be running 10k's and halfs, but I have my sights set on a new 5k PR.

Grrrr

2011-03-21T07:33:00.000-07:00

Kristen and I ran the Timberwolf 5k which was held at a high school in Irvine, CA. I don't know what it is with us, but the last three 5k's we've run were all basically hills. This race started at the foot of a long hill and basically went up and down up and down slowly the entire way. Of course I screwed the pooch, couldn't get my pacing or breathing right and got a crap time. Kristen ran a 20:20 and 1st place in her age group. Whatever dude.

2 weeks ago Kristen ran the Lakewood Community Run 10k and got 1st female overall with a time of 41:27 which is ONE SECOND OFF HER PR! So close. I didn't run this time...because I was on a work trip...in Brazil...Rio de Janeiro...for CARNAVAL! So yeah, I don't feel so bad for missing it.

Placerville

2011-03-21T07:21:00.001-07:00

I can't believe I didn't blog about this yet. Kristen and I went to the El Dorado wine region up near Placerville, CA recently and discovered some great wines for ourselves. I grew up in Northern California and every summer and winter our family would take the 50 freeway to Lake Tahoe for vacation. Obviously since I was a kid I wasn't aware of wine or anything like that, but it was still a small shock to find out that there is a great, hidden region up there. People know about it of course, but it hasn't been overrun with "wine tourists" yet the way Napa and Sonoma and Temecula have. It's a great region not yet spoiled.

Placerville is basically a small community split down the middle by the 50 freeway. And so is the El Dorado region which is in Amador County. The lower elevation soil is granite while the higher elevation is lava. These two different minerals give the wines from both parts a different character which was really fun to discover.

We stayed in Placerville which has a historic downtown area that was interesting to check out. There's lots of antiquing for the women to do while the men contemplate suicide. Just kidding. Anyway, if you happen to be heading over to Lake Tahoe for skiing or for any of the runs they put on there, think about stopping in this area and imbibing. You won't regret it.

Palm Springs Half Marathon

2011-02-17T18:26:00.000-08:00

Ahoy landlubbers! Kristen and I ran the Palm Springs Half this past Sunday and had a helluva time. It wasn't the best course we've ever run, but it was a bit challenging. The course was promoted as one with slight hills, but it was "mostly flat". What a laugh. As it turned out, the course wound (and I do mean WOUND) through the foothill neighborhood of PS and sadly didn't go by the homes and landmarks that make you think of the city. Most of the homes on the course were behind walls and gates so that kept the sightseeing to a minimum (which was sort of a good thing since Kristen is an architect, loves PS, and would have mostly likely tripped and fell if she had more eye candy). Instead of "mostly flat" it was a series of long, gradual hills, woop dee doos, and two big hills interwoven with turn after turn up and down the same streets. It wasn't frustrating or horrible, but it was a bit of a let down. Most people that ran the race had the same opinion. The upside to all the hills is that you went up and then back down the same hill which was nice.

I didn't train for this race. In fact, my running as of late has been mostly 3 to 5 milers with one or two 8 milers in the last two months. The reason why this is funny is that I ran a better time (by almost 2 minutes) than I did at Long Beach which I actually trained for. Go figure.

Kristen, of course, ran a PR and came in 1st place in her age group and 10th over all! Amazing!

We ran with a bunch of people from our running group (AREC Long Beach) and two of our best friends, Paul and Wendy. Wendy kicks ass and Paul, madman that he is, road the Century bike race the day before and ran a great time.

All in all, a good day.

Gladiator Run

2010-12-09T17:14:00.001-08:00

Had a good time at the Gladiator Run held down in Irvine at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on Saturday. Nitro, one of the original American Gladiators was there. Very cool. The course was a 5k obstacle covered mud hole basically! We got about a half mile of trails to warm up then had to run up and down, up and down, across and up and down the amphitheater itself (I'm so shit ass at stair climbing that I have started a new routine involving the stair climber at the gym) and then the obstacles start: high stepping through tires, avoiding Swiss balls being thrown at you, more tires, hurdles, a 30 pound bag of rice to carry, more hurdles and then the mud. Oh the mud. Two big mud pools, knee deep with ropes going across that force you down INTO the mud. Muddy, slippery ass hills to climb, woop dee doos, more mud and finally the finish line. This is what I looked like coming through at the end. Kristen, of course, came in first female and fourth overall in our wave.

2010 Long Beach Turkey Trot

2010-11-28T17:15:00.000-08:00

This is the last year we will run the LB trot. It's too bad because it is a nice, flat, fast course along the beach, but it is seriously getting way too crowded for the narrow bike path. It's great that the sport of recreational racing is getting more popular, but some events just have to know when to evolve and this one hasn't yet.

The race cost $30 and with an estimated 6000 runners, you would think they would have chip timing or at least take your tag and document your time. Nope. They also run the 5k AND the 10k at the same time. Dumb. They also ran the races at 7:30am, then at 8:30am then again at 9:30am. What they don't tell you is that they only keep track of and award prizes to the runners of the 9:30am race. Stupid. Especially since Kristen was 1st place female yet no one even acknowledged this as she crossed the finish line. No one. Nothing. And the "beauty queen" handing out the traditional pumpkin pies wouldn't give one to her because apparently Kristen didn't have "the right bib number". Are you kidding me? It's one thing to hand out pies to a random sampling of bib numbers, but to not even give one to THE FIRST PLACE FINISHER! Not smart. I went back to ask if I had the right number because I just kind of blew by the finish line and the "beauty queen" yelled at me over her shoulder, "You don't have the right number!" I thought it was funny that she didn't even bother to look at my bib. Oh well.

So Kristen ran the 10k in 41:38 and was the first female to finish. But only the 9:30am racers got acknowledged. I ran the 10k in 54:37 which is 2:26 slower than my PR. Anyway, we ran it with some fellow AREC'ers and close friends so regardless of the problems with the race, we still had a good time. Next year, Dana Point.

Run Like Hell

2010-11-21T18:05:00.000-08:00

A little late, but I wanted to update the thousands of people that read my blog and send fan mail...uh hum...Kristen and I were in Atlanta for a few days during the Halloween weekend and we ran the Historical Oakland Cemetery "Run Like Hell" 5k. It was a great race that started at the entrance of the cemetery and ran out into the surrounding streets (of course, filled with hills that I was not prepared for) and then ended with the final quarter mile winding through the actual cemetery. It was a fun race with a lot of really enthusiastic people dressed up in Halloween costumes that were blown away that Kristen and I came all the way from L.A. to run their race (we didn't tell them that we were there for another reason). I ran just over my PR, but because I was excited and in the moment I went out with the leaders of the race and ended up running a 6:21 pace for the first mile. I realized that I screwed myself at that point and ran the remaining two miles at about 9:35, but oh well. It was fun. Kristen was 4th female overall and won 1st place in her age group...as usual.

While in Atlanta we also drank some wine as usual. Had something called JAM JAR. It's a Shiraz from Western Cape, South Africa 2009 vintage and the name says it all. It's a fruit bomb, too sweet with a long, syrupy finish and no tannin. It was hard to drink. Probably needs something spicy or robust like barbecue to tame it. Another wine was a Lang and Reed Cab Franc from Lake County 2007 vintage. It was a good wine, nice structured tannin, medium finish with a hint of fruit. The final wine worth mentioning was a Terlato & Chapouitier Shiraz blend 2007 vintage. It was very inky with a pleasant tannin and a dry finish.

Two weeks later we ran the Cal State Long Beach Pyramid 5k that started and finished at the base of the big blue Pyramid on the CSULB campus. It was another fun, but tough 5k that had a major uphill climb that started right at the beginning of mile 2. I fully intended to run a solid 8 minute pace for each mile, but since I wasn't prepared for the huge hill, I ended up dropping from 8:08 in the first mile to a 8:17 pace for the remaining two. Not horrible, but again it put me just over my PR. Oh well. Kristen won 1st place in her age group again. Hooray!

The next race coming up for us is the Long Beach Turkey Trot 10k down in Belmont Shores. I pulled a muscle in my lower back lifting weights and have had to cut back on the miles so we'll see what happens. Anyway, keep on runnin' and havin' fun!

Boston

2010-10-21T08:51:00.000-07:00

Kristen and her friend Wendy both got into the Boston Marathon for 2011! Apparently this year was the fastest the event ever sold out: 8 hours! Amazing. So Wendy's boyfriend Paul and I will be rooting them on at the race, beers in hand! Can't wait!

Long Beach Marathon Report

2010-10-18T07:11:00.000-07:00

Another year has gone by and Kristen and I ran the Long Beach Marathon again, well Kristen did, I ran the half this time. Kristen absolutely CRUSHED her time from last year (which was her first marathon) by 8 MINUTES! Last year she ran a 3:33 and yesterday, even after falling, she blasted through the finish line at 3:25 flat. Amazing. Especially since around mile 10 she got tripped up and fell to her knees and hands. She got cut up a little, but everything seemed fine until she hit the hill at Cal State Long Beach. That's when she realized that she pulled a muscle in her upper quad. Apparently that didn't stop her from running really fast.

I, on the other hand, did not PR. In fact, I thought I was going to run really slow since I haven't really had the time (or maybe desire) to train properly to PR. But as anybody who has run knows that the energy of a race helps you when you need it most. I was less than 5 minutes slower than my last half which really surprised me. I thought I'd run a 2:15 or even a 2:20, but I came in just over 2:09. Not good, but still much better than I thought. So I'm going to reward myself to day with an iPhone 4! As a side note, I will never again eat one of those damn chewy Shot Blok things during a race. Training runs maybe, but never during a race. I had a few in my pocket and at 1 hour I pulled a couple out and started chewing just as I was coming into a water station. I damn near choked to death trying to get those things down and I was trying not to look like a tool while doing it. It sucked the energy out of my run for a few minutes as I really slowed down to get that crap out of my throat and teeth. Bad, bad idea.

Anyway, Kristen is now feverishly trying to register for Boston, but the site is mobbed with entrants. Cross your fingers.

Hot Hot Heat

2010-10-02T12:26:00.000-07:00

Kristen and I ran yesterday (8 and 4 respectively), but of course I forgot to bring my camera. We went out again this morning on some pretty sore legs and pounded the pavement once more. After our run yesterday we went on a pretty strenuous 5 mile hike on West Maui and combine that with a little bit of time difference and today was tough. The humidity doesn't help either. Nonetheless, we stuck to our guns. But no hiking today. We both agreed that our bodies need a bit of rest (I know, we're on vacation and we still knock ourselves out). Anyway, we're gonna hit the beach and then head over to Paia which is kind of a little hippie town and hang out and have dinner. Tonight, live music!

Maui!

2010-09-30T22:02:00.000-07:00

Kristen and I are in Maui for 8 days for vacation (oh the horror!). After half a year of construction on the house and her studying for her 10th and final architecture exam it is well earned if I do say so myself! Anyway, we drove around today and plotted out our runs for the week. I am going to take my still and video cameras with me on the runs and post them all week. Stay tuned!

Long Beach Half

2010-08-31T16:22:00.000-07:00

What a difference a year makes. And a home addition. I'm running the LB half marathon this year (did the full last year), but Kristen is doing the full again. Just as well. She ran an 18 miler the other day and said it wasn't tough at all. In fact, the other people running with her were shocked that she didn't drink a ton of fluids or eat gels while running. She's a mutant I guess. Me, on the other hand, I'm shit. The desire and ambition just aren't there for me these days. Oh, I still go out and trudge out the miles, but not nearly as much as I should. One thing that's great about training this summer is that we've had an unusually cool one so it's made those morning runs a lot easier. I just fall to pieces in the heat so it's been a lot better lately. We'll see if we get an Indian summer this fall though. Anyway, all our funds were going to the construction of our addition so we've only been drinking your basic Trader Joe's, Sprouts/Henry's cheap wine. Hey, it's good enough to get you through the rough patches. Soon though, we need to hit wine country and try to scare up some deals. More on that later...

Mike Floyd...The Wall

2010-07-28T06:31:00.000-07:00

As in: We've almost hit it. The house is almost done. The deck is kicking my ass but turning out great. But I hurt man. Deep down pain you know. I haven't been to the gym in two months. I ran a total of 0 miles last week. Too much to do on the house (we're trying to finish quickly to get our final inspection so we can then get an appraisal for a refi...it's a long story), and work is keeping me really busy. I was down in San Diego last week for Comic-Con (Crazy!) so I wasn't able to do any running. So yesterday was the first day I was able to get up early and actually crank out a measly 3 miles. I swear it's almost like starting all over again. Almost. I can handle the mileage, but my speed and breathing have gone into the crapper. Doesn't matter. I was just glad to pound the pavement.

We are getting our final inspection on the house on Monday. If all goes well (which it should) then there is just a little painting here and there inside and we have to move some furniture around. Give the house an overall cleaning inside and out and spiff up the yard and BOOM. Done. I figure I'll be back to a normal life soon. Fingers crossed. In the meantime RUN ON!

Construction

2010-06-15T07:56:00.000-07:00

Haven't been running as much as I'd like to these days. We're adding on to our house so it's total chaos over here and we're doing some of the work ourselves so that's been kicking my ass. I'm sore all over so it makes the idea of going out for a run not as inviting. And since we're spending all our money on the house we haven't had a chance to go out and taste as much wine as we'd like. However, we did manage to break away last Saturday and go to our local tasting room. They served up a series of Malbecs from Argentina. Two brands: Lo Tengo and Kaiken. Both were fantastic so if you happen to see any on the shelves at your local store, give them a try. In the meantime. RUN ON!

Marathon training

2010-05-24T19:33:00.000-07:00

The AREC MOB

Kristen and the leaders of the pack.

Well, Saturday marked Day 1 for the AREC training regimen and a record number of people showed up for this run. When Kristen and I signed in we were 83 and 84 and I know several more people showed up after us. Pretty cool. It was just a quick 5 miler to get the new people familiar with the area so we'll see how many stick it out when the miles start to add up later. It's really great to see that many new people join the club and get into running. It makes the whole experience that much better.Oh. by the way, I rock!

Intervals

2010-04-29T16:52:00.000-07:00

I decided to start doing intervals once a week now. Baby steps at first. Today I just did a quick maintenance 3 miler with 5 intervals starting at the 2 mile mark. I was just doing a light 9 minute pace and then would run an 8 minute pace for 1 minute and then go back to 9 for a minute and did that 5 times. Felt good when I was done. Hated it while running. Oh, I did it on the dreadmill because it's so friggin' windy in LA today so I didn't feel like adding wind resistance to my run.

Bad Blogger

2010-04-28T17:59:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it right off the top. I've been a bad blogger. I've been bad about updating on a regular basis, but sadly I don't think I've had a whole helluva lot to say in regards to running or wine-ing. Kristen and I haven't been running many races because life has gotten a bit hectic lately. Our house is under construction right now because we are adding a dining room, 3rd bedroom and a 2nd bathroom. As a result our money and our time has been gobbled up by the endeavor. That said, Kristen is running as part of a team for a half Ironman Triathlon up at Lake San Antonio this weekend so she's been training as usual. She's an animal and runs 8 to 10 miles a day so she's sure to do a kick ass job. The only other race on our horizon is the San Francisco marathon, but we haven't signed up yet. Again, slackers. I'm still putting my miles in and at the end of May the Long Beach AREC running club is starting their Long Beach Marathon training routine so I'm looking forward to cranking up the miles again. I just hope I don't drop another 12 pounds.

On the wine front we haven't made an cool trips to wine country ANYWHERE so I might want to change the blog's name to "Cheap" Wine and the finish line. We're all about the Trader Joe's and Sprout's Market weekday wine. And before you chuckle, there are some surprisingly inexpensive wines out there for daily consumption. Trader Joe's $4.99 line of wines are pretty damn decent for after work and Sprout's has Crane Lake wines on sale that are pretty tasty. Their Petite Sirah is surprisingly tasty.

So, I'd say that I'll be a better blogger, but then I'd actually have to live up to that and if you're reading this you might be saying to yourself, "Um, Mike, I don't think people really give a shit." Anyway, I hope everyone reading this is doing awesome and I'll hopefully have something interesting to say soon.

Crush!

2010-04-11T15:38:00.001-07:00

Kristen and I ran the Seal Beach 10k yesterday and I CRUSHED my old PR by 1:52 seconds coming in at 52:11. Now I know that's not all that great for most runners out there, but I'm stoked. It was a good race, better than last year from what I'm told. They started us in waves (something they didn't do last year) and it made the beginning of the race pretty painless. Kristen ran a 42:19 which isn't a PR, but it's pretty close. She got 5th place overall for women and 3rd place in her age group. Something we found out later was that the overall winner was a woman which is pretty rare at these events. She ran something like a 33 minute 10k! Insane! And she was in Kristen's age group so she was really curious to find out who this woman was. Turns out she's an Olympic athlete living in Hawthorne originally from Nigeria. That made Kristen feel better about her 3rd place finish. I, on the other hand, came in 57th in my age group. I don't see a medal in my future any time soon I guess. Oh well.

Shameless Self Promotion

2010-03-22T13:54:00.000-07:00

I (Kristen) have been designing jewelry as a hobby/freelance business for the last several years and just got into it again with the launch of my line of jewelry just for runners (chickie runners) called Aspiration Designs. Just this past weekend I created a site www.aspirationdesigns.etsy.com where you can find my latest creations and would love any word of mouth sharing with your lady runner friends!

Lakewood Mug Run

2010-03-20T08:26:00.000-07:00

Kristen and I did the Lakewood Mug Run for the second time last weekend. It was great weather this year (last year it was miserably rainy) although I didn't run any faster than last time. Apparently last year I was 3rd in my age group but didn't stick around for the results because of the rain. I only found this fact out when I was looking for my results a week before the race. WIth that information in mind I was hopeful that I would place again this year. As we all know, its not really about how fast you run, but who else shows up (and how fast they are). Results were posted late into the week and it looks like I was 5th in my age group. The day, however, wasn't lost since my lovely wife took home a first place medal for her age group. An interesting thing about this race is the naming for the different age groups. 0-19 is called "junior", 20-29 is called "open", and 30-34 is called "Senior A" and 35-39 is called "Senior B", 40-44 is "Master A", 45-49 is "Master B", 50-54 is "Grand Master A" and 55-dead is called "Grand Master B". Kristen didn't like being called a Senior and when her age group (Senior A) was called and her name announced as first place she didn't understand and thought she had written her age incorrectly on the entry form.

Firecracker!

2010-03-07T17:59:00.001-08:00

Kristen and I and two of our friends, Steve and Maureen from AREC, ran the LA Chinatown Firecracker 10k race last Sunday. It's a great, tough run that starts in Chinatown, goes uphill to Elysian Fields where you get a killer view over Dodger Stadium into downtown LA and beyond, and then you get to make up for that lost time by flying downhill the rest of the way. It was a beautiful day and everyone ran pretty good times considering the elevation change.

Kristen, of course, won 2nd place in her age group.

Surf City Report

2010-03-07T17:50:00.001-08:00

Better late than never I guess. The HB Surf City race day was a good day. Kristen ran the Half in 1:34:08 and I ran my first Half in 2:04. When I first started training for it I hoped for just under 2 hours. As time went on I didn't get to train as hard as I initially wanted to. I also got a little lazy to be honest. So on race I just went out there with the goal of coming in as close to 2 hours as I could. I was surprised and excited to come in right around when I wanted. Maybe next time I won't be so lazy during the training. The thing about this race (which Kristen and I are both Legacy Long Board members now because we've run it 3 years in a row) is that it's kinda boring. You run up PCH and at around 3 miles in you go uphill, make a loop and then come back down and then continue up and back on PCH which at that point is constantly rolling which gets kinda annoying. Still, it's a good course for putting up good times. Maybe I can PR there next year. Cheers!

Surf City Here We Come

2010-02-07T05:45:00.000-08:00

No rain! Yes! Forecast called for light showers this morning for the Huntington Beach Half Marathon which would have blown goats big time. But it looks dry out there. Kristen's knee is bothering her so she's not running the full marathon and is instead opting for the Half. She'll still beat me with a wounded knee. Well, away we go!

Santa Monica 13.1

2010-01-12T16:44:00.000-08:00

Kristen ran the inaugural Half Marathon in Santa Monica on Sunday and ran a really great time: 1:37. She didn't PR, but it still kicks the living hell out of most people's time. And as a reward for finishers, Marilyn Monroe, Austin Powers and even Darth Vader joined in on the fun. Aw.

Mmmm beer.

2010-01-12T16:41:00.000-08:00

I had a bottle of this the other night and I have to say that it is stellar. BevMo has it right now. Go out and get some. Anderson Valley Brewing Company makes some amazing suds so search them out.

Montreal 2009

2010-01-04T18:33:00.001-08:00

Kristen and I hit Montreal for a quick vacation after Xmas this year. It's a great city. Metro. Underground city. Lots of old architecture mixed in with the new and the people are extremely friendly. And it truly is French. We thought it might be more "French" themed, but no no. It's like being in France without having to cross the pond. Nice. We ran on the hotel dreadmills every day and then walked around the city (in 0 degree weather btw) stopping occasionally to shop and drink some vino. Good times. Now, back to reality.

Up the cuts

2009-12-16T15:31:00.000-08:00

Okay, after having about the 12th person tell me I look too skinny (several even used words such as "unhealthy" and "gaunt") I am kicking my weight gaining weight training into high gear. Lots of food all day with plenty of Cytogainer shakes. I was at 152 when I started training, ran the race at 140 and am currently at 148. My goal is 160. Not sure how long that'll take, but I can't have the wifey saying my skinniness is "not sexy" anymore. I agree with her btw. My biggest hurdle? Running. 5k and 10k's is one thing, but half marathon training puts my mileage for the week over 20 on average. This is gonna be tough.

Petit Verdot

2009-12-05T17:51:00.000-08:00

Michael/David winery in Lodi has some of the best wines I've tasted that come from California. I know I know. Lodi? Huh? It's up by Stockton. They have a ton of wineries and I have yet to go to one that has been pretentious in any way. That's a huge plus. Anyway, Kristen and I opened up a bottle of their 2005 Petit Verdot. They call it "Inkblot". Amazing. Rich, fruit forward, but not dessert wine sweet, lots of vanilla and bing cherries, smooth finish, not a lot of tannin. The real bummer, which I just discovered, is that they no longer sell this wine and it's extremely hard to find a bottle anywhere. That's too bad. So, if you happen to see a bottle of this somewhere, GRAB IT! You won't regret it.

Thanksgiving '09

2009-11-28T08:24:00.000-08:00

Ran the Long Beach Turkey Trot on Thursday and scored a PR! 54:03 for a 10k. Okay, nothing great, but it's 23 seconds faster than my previous. Kristen thought I was going to break 50 minutes, but I didn't. However, I did think I would have knocked it down to at least something in the 53 minute area. She asked if I try hard enough. You know, right now my philosophy is that it's only worth it ("it" being running) as long as it's fun. If training becomes a chore (as it did during the buildup to the LB marathon) and I push really, really hard to the point where I'm miserable, then I'll lose interest. Well, sort of. I guess if getting a PR is the be all end all then that would make running annoying. So, in the end, I cut 23 seconds off my last 10k time and I enjoyed the run while always being in that "slightly uncomfortable" mode. When I PR'd my 5k time last February I remember running the race in a "really, really uncomfortable" mode and as a result I knocked about 4 minutes off my previous time. That's okay for a 5k, but 6.2 miles of that...well, not right now. Right now I'm content to gradually lower my times. It gradually gets easier to run better times without the training and the actual race being something to dread. Then again, maybe I'm just a slacker.

Our running club, AREC, has a new trail running training program going on right now that is preparing people for the Catalina Half and full Marathons coming up in the winter. You don't have to be running the race to participate in the training runs so it's a nice change of pace to hit the hills occasionally on Saturdays. I'm hoping the extra effort will pay off during my half marathon in Huntington Beach in February and Kristen's full marathon. And speaking of Kristen's marathon, we just found out that the 2010 Boston Marathon is already sold out so she won't be able to run it. Bummer, but I guess you have 2 years from the day you qualify to run it so she'll give it a shot in 2011.

Well, I'm off for my long run.

LB Marathon Pix

2009-10-21T13:15:00.000-07:00

Some pictures from the Long Beach marathon.

MCRD Boot Camp Challenge

2009-10-21T13:03:00.000-07:00

I almost forgot. On September 26th we ran the MCRD Boot Camp Challenge down in San Diego for the 3rd year in a row. As usual it was a blast. I even convinced a couple of my friends from work to run it with me. The BCC is a 5k course at the SD Marine Corps Recruit Depot that incorporates 3 different obstacles courses into the run and this year we definitely got dirty. Kristen ran a 21:09 and came in 2nd in her age category and 3rd overall. I ran a 27:38 and came in a place not worth mentioning. Anyway, afterwards they had beer. Cheers!

The Aftermath

2009-10-21T11:45:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know EVERYBODY else has updated their sites or blogs or whatever in regards to the Long Beach Marathon so I guess I have to do the same. After all the buildup, I'm not happy with my performance. At all. I know I know, it's a big deal just to finish (and that's what everybody keeps telling me), but I've always been very competitive with myself and I expected more. My finish time was an abominable 6:03. Pathetic and embarrassing. I'll break the whole thing down.

The Monday before the race (Sunday) I woke up with a head cold. So, after 6 months of hard training, I have a week to fight this cold off and be ready to run. I didn't drink any wine, I ran a total of 2 miles the whole week and I took plenty of Cold-eze and Zicam and got plenty of rest. By race day I was feeling fine. Now, I'm not using the cold as an excuse, but I also can't be sure what effect it had on my performance as a whole. Either way, it's something that's going to nag at me for awhile.

As the race gets under way I'm feeling great. Smile on my face, the energy is in the air and I'm having a good time. I'm running the pace I set for myself, 9:30/mile. By the half marathon point I am only about 3 minutes slower than where I thought I'd be so at this point I'm thinking "so far, so good". My plan was to stay anywhere between 9:30 to 9:45 up to the halfway point. From there on I figured I'd slowly let my pace fall to somewhere between 10 and 10:30 all the way to the end while also slowing to walk a minute every 10 minutes. However, somewhere near the 15 mile mark is where the wheels start to feel wobbly. They haven't come off the cart yet, but they've definitely lost a lug nut or two. My breathing is off, my stomach feels tight, sorta crampy. I'm starting to worry because I've run further than this and I wasn't expecting to feel this way just yet. I always knew the wall would creep up and I'd have to push through it, but this was too early. And it only got worse. At the 17 mile mark I pass by Kristen's parents, some friends and then my parents. I stop to chat with them for a few seconds (letting them pump me up) and then continue up the hill into the Cal State Long Beach campus. I reach the top of the campus and begin my turn back down the hill around the 18 mile mark and that's when I feel a searing pain in my right groin muscle. Boom. Now I'm hobbled. I stop to stretch, but no matter what I do the pain will just not go away. So after a couple of miles of jogging with a limp my left foot decides that it doesn't like the extra work and flares up. So now I'm going back and forth between pains. On the one hand, jogging hurts my left foot bad, but on the other hand, walking hurts my groin more. So, at mile 20 I'm presented with a pretty picture: 6.2 more miles of agony. Well, I'm not about to let 6 months of training go down the drain so I just kept going. What else could I do? The thing that is really pissing me off at this point too, is that at the 18 mile mark I was right about where I expected to be time wise. So even though my pace had slowed and I was feeling whipped, I was still moving along at a pace that would have had me come in at my goal time which was about 4:30. C'est la vie. I pushed on and finally finished the damn race. Oh well. I'm going to run a few half marathons and then I'll give the full a try again. I mean, it's not like I can live with that one time being my PR right?

My friend Billy, of LA Runner fame, was there to support the other runners because he had an injured foot and couldn't run it himself. I spotted him banging on his cowbell at one point and then near the 11 mile mark he found me while riding his bike. He took some pictures and shouted a few words of encouragement and that really helped. Thanks Billy! Now, onto a more uplifting story.

Kristen went out and owned Long Beach. After having fractured her foot in two places, she worked hard to let them heal and just like Seabiscuit, she came back stronger than ever. 26.2 miles later she put in an incredible performance and crossed the line with a 3:33 finish time and qualified for Boston. Not bad for her first marathon.

So there you go. That's a full lid. I'll follow this up with a post with some pictures from the run.

The Big Day Part 2

2009-10-10T19:41:00.000-07:00

It's Saturday night at 7:42pm and we're about to TRY to go to sleep and get ready for our first ever marathon. Kristen is feeling good and confident and is hoping she'll BQ at this race. Me, I'm just going to humbly run my race and hope for the best. It's gonna be fun and I'm really excited. Wish us luck!

Goddammit!

2009-10-07T17:48:00.001-07:00

Six months of training and one week before the race I get a head cold! What the hell? Like any good runner I'm stressing about still running on the last few days leading up to the race to maintain fitness, but I know it would be stupid to put in a few miles right? Right? Maybe tomorrow? Ugh! Why? Should I run? It's not a bad cold. It first hit me Monday afternoon. It's Wednesday. Should I run a few tomorrow or wait? Damn.

The Big Day

2009-10-05T19:02:00.000-07:00

Well, the big day is almost upon us. Our first marathon is this Sunday, the Long Beach International. I'm excited and anxious. Anxious mainly to get it over with. But I mean that in a positive way. This being my first marathon I've taken the 6 months of training leading up to this day seriously. But jesus. 6 months. I'm bursting with the anticipation of putting an end to the training schedule that has had me obsessing over every foot step of every day of every week. I'm ready to rock. And luckily, so is Kristen. Her foot is healing and she's been pounding the pavement and she thinks she's ready to go. So do I.

We ran the MCRD Boot Camp Challenge in San Diego two weeks ago and had a blast as usual. And, as usual, even on an injured foot Kristen was second place in her age group and third place overall. Here she is just finishing one of the obstacle courses.

I was about 42nd in my age group. Oh well. At least I kicked this old man's ass. Barely.

I have some blog catching up to do with some more stories about our alternative 20 mile days so stay tuned and keep running!

Skin and Bones

2009-09-14T18:52:00.000-07:00

I know a lot of people would kill to have this "problem", but for a guy like me it's a little disconcerting. I've never been a big guy. The most I've ever weighed was 165 and that was right after college when all I ate was beer. Well, okay, beer, pizza, ramen and whatever else crap I could find. You know how it is. At that age your body can process plastic, but time catches up with you and you have to change your habits. I believe in healthy habits in moderation, but I was graced with a body type that didn't really "over"react to the food and drink that drive most people to the scale. Regardless, lifting weights eating enough to put on a little muscle has always been my goal. Let me get to my point.

When I started training 6 months ago for this marathon I weighed 152 pounds. As of September 14th I weigh 140 pounds! My uncle used to tease me and call me "bean pole". Shit. These days it's more like "pole". I'd like to have that bean back. I know, anybody reading this (does anybody read this?!) probably wants to punch me in the teeth. But seriously, EVERYBODY that knows me always pauses a moment when they first see me and I can read it in their eyes: Geez, did Mike become anorexic? NOOOOO!!!!!

Man, I can't wait for this marathon.

18 and counting...

2009-08-27T19:27:00.000-07:00

We ran 18 miles last week on our long run and I have to say that I think I have things figured out. My pre-run prep is good and I know when to take gels to keep from bonking. It's been hit or miss, but I had those long 18 miles to see if I was on the right path (pun intended) and lo and behold me thinks I'm just about ready to cut this fat bastard open. After 18 I felt good and realized that going the full 26.2 is in my sights. It's not as daunting as I once thought and I can't wait to run the race. I also can't wait to get this thing over with.

Some people (I'm looking at you wifey, Billy and Danica) have no problem signing up for marathons (or more!) and just going out and pounding the pavement. The 6 months of training for this is starting to get a little old. I just want it to be over. I want my Friday nights back and my Saturday mornings. Soon enough.

16 and counting...

2009-08-08T14:11:00.000-07:00

Ran 16 miles today on the long run. I beat my dead leg syndrome, but another enemy reared it's ugly head today and I know a lot of you out there have been down this road. GI pain. 4 miles in I had a cramp in the lower left abdomen and it would not go away for most of the run. Painful. My legs felt great. I was running with 3 other people that I enjoy keeping pace with and everything was on the up and up except for my stomach. Damn. If it's not one thing it's another. I made a pit stop and caught up to the group. This left me a little winded, but it was a good thing. Sometimes during a run you need to drop the hammer to get the juice going again. About 6 miles of the run took us through a part of the actual marathon course so it was nice to be able to get an idea of what to expect come race day. But the gut pain took some of the fun out of the run. I made another pit stop and felt better for the remaining 5 or so miles, but this is definitely going to be the issue that I'll be grappling with for awhile. Oh, and a new pain in my right ankle that I've got going for me which is nice. Maybe if I could just replace my real legs with robot legs. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Dead Legs

2009-08-04T11:33:00.000-07:00

Argh. Dead legs again. I've been kinda dragging lately, but last Saturday was a 12 miler with the club and my legs were crap from the get go. That was a long, miserable 12 miles. So I went for my Monday run and again, no energy. Lethargic. I was pissed too. I probably looked like a crazy man on the path because I kept bitching out loud about my legs and I think I even threw my arms up in the air at one point because I was so frustrated. I hate this. I read online that there can be several reasons for dead legs: not enough sleep (very likely), not enough fruits and vegetables (very likely), not enough iron (possible if it's true that fruits and vegetables are necessary to aid in absorption of iron from other foods), more massages (possible, but definitely desirable), need new mattress (not likely), overtraining (possible, but not likely).

Anyway, I'm working on the fruit and vegetable thing and you all know how getting enough sleep can be hit or miss sometimes. I also supplement with a multivitamin so we'll see what happens in the future. The miles are adding up as we get closer to the marathon so I'm worried about this a little. Any advice out there?

Howdy stranger...

2009-07-18T19:16:00.000-07:00

Been gone awhile, I know. Work and life sometimes get in the way of my blogging and blog reading! Anyway, the training for the Long Beach Marathon is going great! Kristen's foot is doing well so she has been out pounding the pavement no problem which definitely makes the training more fun. We run with the Long Beach "A Running Experience" club every Wednesday and Saturday and it's a blast. We ran 12 last Saturday, but went back down to 10 today. Next week is 14. The mileage is definitely adding up and it feels great. I initially thought I'd try to run the marathon at a pace of 10 minutes, but I think I may be able to pull of an average 9:30 based on how things are going. The only drag about 7am Saturday morning long runs is that it kinda kills our Friday night. But hey, it'll be worth it! Speaking of worth it...

I'm drinking a 2005 Earthquake (Michael David wineries, Lodi) Petite Syrah and it is fantastic. Berry, cassis and a hint of leather on the nose with plenty of vanilla and bing cherry on the palate. There's probably more in there, but right now that's what's hitting me. Fruit bomb, but in a good way. Michael David wineries, a lot of wines from Lodi in fact, tend to be very fruit forward, but they definitely know how to balance it. The tannins are soft which is okay (I like the tannin to be a little bigger), but if I have one complaint it's that the finish is short. I like wine that lingers a little. All in all, I'm giving it an 8 out of 10.

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-04T14:36:00.000-07:00

7 miles and 65 degrees along the Long Beach shoreline this morning followed by BBQ, Zeppelin, booze and good friends. The Iranians and North Koreans have no idea what they're missing.

Happy 4th everyone. I'd say be safe, but what fun would that be?!

Is that lead in your pants...?

2009-06-17T15:25:00.000-07:00

I love running with the AREC (A Running Experience Club). Running with a group puts my mind in a "race" mode where I don't actually run a race pace, but I definitely run faster and harder than I do when I run by myself. And it helps tons because two times a week I force myself not to be lazy. Lately, though, my legs have been feeling really heavy and I don't know why. Whenever I feel slow I think about how I ate the day before and usually not enough food is the culprit. However, sometimes my legs just feel like they're full of lactic acid from the word go and, well, shit sucks. This is the thing that makes me nervous about running the marathon in October. Gonna have to zero in on the problem soon.

Wrigley River Run 10k

2009-06-07T11:14:00.000-07:00

Kristen was in New York this weekend so I ran the Long Beach Wrigley River 10k yesterday solo. Didn't do as well as I thought I should have. But I screwed myself. Through process of elimination I've come to the conclusion that my hip flexors and abductors and upper glutes are lagging behind the rest of my body in terms of strength and endurance. I lift weights 3 days a week, but I don't like to do heavy lifting with my legs anymore. I used to do squats and lunges, etc., but then I'd be sore as hell for 3 days. That's okay if you sit at a desk all day, but I don't so it became a real problem at work. It also makes training hard doing tempo runs and speed work REALLY difficult. Regardless, I decided that I had to do a little lower body to strengthen the aforementioned muscles. Stupidly, I chose deadlifts. It is the best all around strengthening exercise, but it can tear you up bad. I even lifted what I considered light weights, but sure enough on Friday I was sooooore. I thought, "I'll be okay tomorrow for the run. This soreness will be gone by then. And even if there's a little residual soreness, I'll run it out." Wrong.

I woke up Saturday still hurting, cursing myself for not thinking ahead. Anyway, I ran the race, upper thighs bitching at me every single step of the way, and came in about 20 seconds slower than my last 10k back in February. Argh. There were two sharp turns followed by short uphill climbs that may have added a few seconds overall, but I know I was my own worst enemy. Oh well. I'll be smarter next time I hope.

Meanwhile, Kristen was back running again, but now her ca-nkle is giving her a hard time, swollen and achy. I think she was subconsciously trying to protect the healing hairline fracture in her foot and altered her stride enough to cause her ankle to get tweaked. Danger-prone Daphne, that's my wife. Don't know how long this one is going to stop her. Arrrrgghghghghg.

Change of plans

2009-05-28T07:31:00.000-07:00

So I lied. Instead of running the half in LB this October I changed my mind and signed up for the full marathon. Kristen was already going to do it so I thought it would be more fun if we both tackled our first marathon together. We joined A Running Experience club in LB and will start training with them for the race. I'm excited now and looking forward to the challenge. Run hard everyone!

LA Marathon

2009-05-25T18:02:00.000-07:00

Nope. Didn't run it. Just watched it on TV. My friends Billy and Blair ran it though so big props to them for that accomplishment. No, I just sat in amazement at how fast the elites run. They actually RUN. I jog, apparently. Oh well. I ran a 10 miler yesterday so today it was just a recovery run and weight lifting. There's a 10k in Long Beach coming up in June that I'm going to run. And now it looks like I might, I just might run a half marathon in San Diego in August. That'll be my prep for the half marathon in Long Beach in October. Kristen is going to run the half in SD as well to prepare her for the marathon in LB. As usual, we'll squeeze in the Boot Camp Challenge in San Diego at the end of September. It's a great race. If anybody wants to join us let me know. It'll be a great weekend in SD.

Ah Roma!

2009-05-15T09:10:00.000-07:00

Kristen and I spent a week in Rome walking endless miles and indulging in copious amounts of pasta, pizza, wine, beer and gelato. It was an amazing trip that we'll never forget and since pictures say a thousand words, I'm going to post a bunch here. Enjoy!

Slacker

2009-05-13T11:52:00.000-07:00

I am totally falling behind on the blog here. After Rome I've been playing catch up with a bunch of other work and life related stuff that I haven't been able to post anything about our trip or the vino. But it will be coming soon.

On the running front, Kristen is finally able to run again. She was using the Precor to limit the impact on her foot, but apparently (against my advice) she ran two miles on the treadmill yesterday to see how her foot felt. Apparently everything is A-Okay so she's going to take it slow and get back into her routine. I just picked up a new pair of Asics Cumulus 10's and am in the process of breaking those in. Jury is still out. My other shoes were a bit stiffer so the toe-off was springier. These shoes have more rocker on the nose so it's requiring me to re-learn to run in a small way. I ran 4 miles today and my legs felt better than they have in the past few runs so hopefully that means the shoes are breaking in nicely and I'm already getting used to them. Anyhoo, I'll be back soon with the Roma trip report.

Basso tedesco

2009-05-09T20:06:00.000-07:00

In Italian this means low German which is what they call weiner dogs in Italy which we found hilarious. Surprisingly we saw A TON of low Germans in Rome last week on vacation. Good city for small weiners if you know what I mean. Kristen and I were in Rome for a week so a food, wine and adventuring report will follow soon. Pictures too! Ciao!

P.S. If you're wondering why we know what dachshunds are called in Italy it's because we have two low Germans of our own.

A New World Record

2009-04-19T13:09:00.000-07:00

For me that is. I ran 10 miles today which is the farthest I've ever run. My last long run was 9 miles. The time was pathetic so I won't embarrass myself. I also goofed. I started at 9:30am and it was already about 78 degrees and by the time I finished it was 85 so I was sweating my arse off. I also didn't mix any electrolyte drink into my water bottle because I didn't have any so as I was leaving I poured about a teaspoon of table salt into my bottle and shook it up. I got the idea after reading a post on Kevin's 5ksandcabernets blog about eating salt packets during long runs. I don't know if it worked or not, but thanks anyway Kevin! There's a great path that runs along the San Gabriel River (it's a concrete aquaduct just like the L.A. River) along the 605 freeway all the way down to the ocean and there are several parks along the way so the scenery wasn't too bad. As you get to the end of the aquaduct it dumps into an ocean inlet. This is important because from there on and back it smells like the ass end of a dead rhinoceros or as my dad is fond of saying, the south end of a northbound horse. Along the way there's also the opportunity to chat with the local bums living under the underpasses. Colorful to be sure. The last mile was pretty rough as my stride became a shuffle, but overall a great experience. On the way home I chuged a bottle of G* and then fixed myself 3 fish tacos and a Michelob Ultra. Sweet. Hey, I work hard to take care of this girlish figure.

*For those of you too unhip to be in the know, "G" is the re-branding Gatorade gave itself. Twitter has take over our vocabulary. Lame. Peace out, G.

Why am I slow?

2009-04-14T21:23:00.000-07:00

Why do I do this? I'm a fast, quick man with dexterity to spare. Quick action sports like soccer and skiing (water and snow) and track. These are my sports. Hand eye coordination combined with sprinting are my strengths. So why do I run these long races? I like to stay in shape. It's a world view. I work out every other day and I run every day. I train for races. And I'm slow. What the hell? It's very tough for me to deal with this. Kristen is f-ing amazing at running. Great speed and endurance. Freakish actually. I don't know anyone like her with her determination and ability. What a lot of people spend time training and stressing over she seems to be able to do naturally. Which is why she is EXACTLY the opposite of me when it comes to athletics. We are two people built and designed for completely different sports. But I like running. And it's killing me that I can't run distance the way I can play other sports. I love it, but hate it. My ego is killing me. What to do? What to do...?

Arrrgghhhh!

2009-03-31T21:21:00.000-07:00

Shit sucks. I've been training for weeks for the Seal Beach 10k and as luck would have it a really good paying gig has popped up that I can't turn down. With the Rome trip coming up, well, I just had to say yes. As a result...grrrr....I won't be running the race on Saturday. I had a good feeling about this one, too. And I was going to meet up with a fellow blogging buddy and now I'll have to postpone that as well. So now Kristen and I are both bagging the race and that totally blows. Well, I'll have to roll the training over into the next race. I'm not sure what, but I was hoping to run at least one race a month. Any suggestions for the Los Angeles area for April? Also, if anyone wants to run this race for free, you can be either Mike Dunn or Kristen James and the bibs will be waiting for you. Good luck. Tell us how we do. Seriously. Who's going to know. At least the money will go to a good cause.

Okay, so what doesn't suck is that we have recently found two great wine shops in nearby areas. The Twisted Vine in Fullerton has some KILLER wine flights in a really chill, but nice setting. And if you go on nights other than Friday or Saturday you might get little extras here and there from the staff. Very cool vibe. We also discovered the Wine Styles shop in Seal Beach. They have flights and tastings throughout the week and have live music on the weekends that really help set it apart. They can be a little pricey, but that's always subjective. I had a kill kill killer Pinot Noir from New Zealand (yeah, I was surprised too) that I wanted, but they were asking $35 for it. Kristen reminded me of the plethora of vino we had at home so I put my wallet away. Something to keep an eye out for: Castle Rock 2004 Barrel Fermented Central Coast Chardonnay. Crisp, citrus, green apple, slight toast. Delish. Go for it. Also...Napa Cellars 2006 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Crisp, zesty with pineapple and pink grapefruit. I don't taste the grapefruit so much, but the pineapple is there. It initially tastes like it was fermented in stainless steel, but as it opens up you kind of get some toast so it's got that going for it which is nice. Gungada da gungada. That's from Caddyshack and if you don't know what I'm talking about then I can't help you out. Anyway, Kristen and I eat a lot of spicy food so these two whites are great for any spicy dish. They're also great, of course, for salads and seafood. Go forth and be merry wine snobs. And good luck.

9.2

2009-03-29T19:21:00.001-07:00

I meant to run 9 miles today, but I used the USATF website to plot my path and then veered a little and ended up running 9.2 instead. The longest distance I've run up to now without stopping is 7 miles. I had an 8 mile long day last week, but I had to break it up into two 4's because of a time thing. So today I plotted a course along the Long Beach bike path and took off. It was a good run. I wasn't exactly looking forward to it because, honestly, I never, ever saw myself wanting to run these distances (or more) in the past, but I genuinely enjoyed this run. I kept saying to myself, "it's a strange thing to want to run this far," but I never wanted to quit. In fact I thought, "yeah, I could run a half no problem." I wouldn't put in a great time, mind you. But I could do it. I'll run two or three this year and then go for my first marathon in 2010. I'll post my lame ass times for today's run just for shits and giggles so you all can see how slow I am. Since I don't have a Garmin, just a Timex Ironman watch, I had to keep my eye out for my mile marker checkpoints and as a result, I got a little confused during mile 5 and 6 so the times for those two miles are unknowable. I know, I know. Time to get serious and upgrade. Or maybe I'll just claim to be a purist who isn't interested in times...just the experience.

Mile 1: 9:21

Mile 2: 8:51

Mile 3: 9:16

Mile 4: 10:02

Mile 5 and 6: N/A

Mile 7: 13:19

Mile 8: 10:24

Mile 9: 11:08 (this is 1 mile plus .20)

During mile 7 I slowed down to eat 3 Clif Bar Shot Bloks and go the restroom. This was also one of those weird, anomalous times when the wind is at your back going one way and miraculously at your back going the other. Gotta love that. At first I thought my trip back was going to be hell, but I lucked out I guess. Anyway, next week is the Seal Beach 10k and I'm hoping to come in around 51 or 52 since my only other 10k time was 54 and change and 2 to 3 minutes is a lot to shave off. We'll see. I'm also looking forward to meeting one of my fellow bloggers Billy (of LA Runner fame). Anyway, gotta drink some wine now to reward myself. I hear it's good for the heart. Gulp.

On the Kristen front, her foot is doing better, but she still can't pound the pavement yet. On top of that she's studying for her next architecture exam. Not many people know this, but to become a licensed architect you have to take 9 separate exams and quite frankly, each one is like taking the BAR exam. Sort of. So think about it. To become an architect you would have to take the BAR exam 9 times. There's a passing rate of about 45%, too. Needless to say, she's going a little nuts right now. BTW, being a licensed architect really only means that people can sue you. Awesome.

Kristen update

2009-03-21T08:58:00.000-07:00

So Kristen had an MRI done on her foot this week and it turns out there is a slight hairline fracture on the top near her middle toes. She can't run of course, but she still rides to stay in shape. But I know it's killing her not to be able to hit the road. We were watching TV the other day and a character in a show went running through some tall grass and she just let out this sad little sigh. Anyway, she won't be running in the Seal Beach 10k with me which is a bummer. However, we're going to Rome at the end of April where we intend to do a lot of walking everyday so the most important thing is for her foot to heal quickly. Keep your fingers crossed!

Home Sweet Home

2009-03-18T19:25:00.001-07:00

I'm back from the Land of the Rising Sun. Man, it felt good to get back to the motherland. I really missed good wine and Mexican food. I can tear into California rolls and tuna rolls no problem, but I'm not a big sashimi fan and even though yakatori sounds like a good idea, they don't always (re: usually) use the best parts of a chicken. It's usually lips and assholes, ya know? Gives new meaning to the expression, "Guess what? Chicken butt."

I did an easy run both yesterday and today and got the ol' pumpers back in action. It's been sluggish, but good. I have a 6 mile tempo run tomorrow that I'm nervous about, but what the hell. Gotta get it done. My back feels great which surprises me since my last day in Japan consisted of me carrying my camera (35 pounds) around for about 16 hours straight. I popped 2 Advil and drank a beer before hitting the sack. I was terrified I was going to wake up in the middle of the night with searing back pain, but I guess I'm in better shape than I thought. I seriously need to get a chance to compete in Ninja Warrior. I just know deep down I can kick some ass. Someday. Anyway, back to training for the Seal Beach 10k.

Long drought

2009-03-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

I just ran for the first time since last Sunday (it's Saturday morning here in Japan) on a dreadmill on the 31st floor of a hotel overlooking Tokyo. Man it feels gooood to run after so long. I just sweat out all the crap that's building in my system for the past week. I know I am officially addicted on running now since all I could talk about was how I was looking forward to running when we got to the hotel. Everybody I'm traveling with looked at me like I was crazy. Since getting here I've stayed in four hotels (with one more tomorrow) and it's been planes, trains and automobiles and shoots from morning till night and today our call time was late enough I could get in a good 5 mile tempo run. Ahhh, normally I hate tempo runs, but this was nice. Anyway, the shoots are going great and I just saw that the convenience store in the hotel sells bottles of wine with screw caps so I guess I know what I'm doing tonight!

I think I'm turning Japanese

2009-03-10T05:54:00.000-07:00

So twice a year I travel to Japan for my network to shoot a show we call Ninja Warrior. It's basically a HUGE obstacle course (4 of them actually) that 100 people run through. Only about 5 or less make it to obstacle course #2. Anyway, it's a week of long shoot days capped off by what usually turns out to be an 18 hour Ninja Warrior day. The trip is crazy and exhausting and long, but fun nonetheless. You can walk into a small watering hole and run into a bunch of people that want to talk to you all night because you're not Japanese. For me, it's the best part of coming here. The people rock! Lots of eating and drinking. The upside is that it's sushi so it's not terribly fattening. The downside is that I'm bouncing from one hotel to the next and it looks like I'll only get one maybe two days to actually run this week. I'll need it by then for sure. It's a 12 hour flight here and then I'll be flying two more times "in country" and then take a bullet train to Tokyo all in the span of five days before the event. Not much time to myself. Knowing all this, I wasn't about to leave without hitting the pavement one last time.

I had a long run yesterday, but before I hit it, I did a lot of yard work on Saturday that strained my back and then Kristen and I built an island for the middle of our kitchen on Sunday so when I hit the strand in Long Beach afterwards my lower back was aching the entire time. I did the run on pace and it felt good, but when I woke up the next day my lower back was killing me. Not an auspicious way to start off a week of running around with a 30 pound camera on my shoulder. Anyway, I seem to be okay for now. More updates to come.

Reebok spec

2009-03-02T19:33:00.000-08:00

Just a little spec commercial I shot for fun. My ode to treadmills.

The Kristen Report

2009-03-02T08:37:00.000-08:00

A quick update on Kristen's foot. Last Sunday she started the Los Alamitos Race on the Base, but just over a mile she injured her right foot. X-rays didn't show any signs of a break, but that doesn't preclude a hairline fracture so she's going to get an MRI this week to get to the bottom of this thing. She continues to use the Precor or cycle (against my suggestion, but since when do husbands and wives listen to each other?!), but after a session yesterday she was really hurting. The swelling has gone down and now it looks like the injury is located on the top of the foot right at the middle two toes. She's optimistic, but hates not being able to run. She's signed up for the Seal Beach 10k (I signed us up before she injured her foot) and hopes to be recovered by race day, April 4th. Unfortunately she had to bail on the Toyota Desert Triathlon that is happening this upcoming Sunday. She's really bummed, but what can you do? We're keeping our fingers crossed.

Tempo runs

2009-02-26T18:43:00.000-08:00

Oh tempo runs, how I hate you so. Tempo runs on a treadmill, that is. Why does it seem like everything I do on a treadmill is harder than on the road? Running a certain pace seems like much more effort on the treadmill. I don't get it. Of course, Kristen is naturally gifted and very hard working so she thinks I'm crazy whenever I say this to her. Even when I'm mentally pumped up for a run on the treadmill I still notice the difference. It's not as bad in the morning as it is in the afternoon or evening which is why I prefer morning workouts, but I swear I'm not crazy. Example: I ran a 10k this past weekend and my pace was a little faster than my pace for the tempo run that I did on the treadmill today and my legs felt like lead. My lungs and heart rate were fine, but the kickers were no es bueno. Maybe I need a jolt of caffeine before afternoon runs from now on. Any advice? Thanks!

The Anti-climax

2009-02-22T07:54:00.000-08:00

Kristen and I ran the 28th annual Los Alamitos Race on the Base yesterday where I posted my first 10k time ever: 54:26! Go ahead. I'll wait for the thundering applause to stop (insert cricket sounds here). Thank you. What's more impressive yet tragic is that Kristen ran her first mile at a 6:45 pace and was well on her way to posting a sub-40:00 10k when she blew out her flip flop and stepped on a pop top. Just after the 1 mile marker she injured her foot so bad she had to hobble off the course and quit the race. This really sucks. She's been training hard to run the 10k leg as part of a two person team (they won 1st place last year) competing in the Toyota Desert Triathlon in La Quinta, CA coming up in March. Her foot is swollen at the top right behind her toes and she can barely stand on it. Not sure if it's a fracture or torn ligaments or what. She'll see a doctor this week and get the prognosis. Unless by some miracle it heals quickly she's going to have to bail out of the Desert Tri and possibly the Seal Beach 10k we're supposed to run in April. I hope it only looks and feels worse than it is. We're keeping our fingers crossed.

Okay, so the race course is touted as flat and fast which is very true, but it is also a bit dull on the senses. You run a 6.2 mile course laid out over the airfield so there isn't much to look at except concrete and grass. If you've ever been out on a military airfield you'll know what I'm talking about. Looong runways and some lawn. BTW, I don't know what most people think about when they're running, but there was so much grass to look at I couldn't help but think about how to make my lawn at home look better. Seriously.

I've run this distance before, but never for a race so this was really an exercise in pacing. My biggest fear (like many people I assume) is to push too hard in the beginning and have no gas left in the tank at the end. So after my first mile I settled into a pace that wasn't comfortable, but it wasn't hard either. Eventually the pack thinned as it does and I picked a guy in front of me as my rabbit. He was very consistent so I stayed on his tail the entire race and just experimented with my own style and technique. I would open up my stride if I felt like I was being too choppy. I would lean my torso forward slightly and look 20 or 30 yards ahead and notice my speed quicken without much change in my overall output. I'd raise my knees a little higher to take some of the sharp, blunt strikes off that spot just below the knee. It was educational and fun, but the finish line was approaching and I had to get ready.

My technique is to get to the 6 mile marker and then drop the hammer for the remaining .2. It was great! I blew past people that I had been trailing for most of the race and posted the time I was aiming for. I know 55 minutes for a 10k seems like a slow time to shoot for, but the last time I ran 6 miles off the treadmill I did it in 61 minutes so I figured my training would bring me in under that by about 5 minutes. Here are my splits:

Mile 1: 8:24

Mile 2: 9:04

Mile 3: 9:11

Mile 4: 9:06

Mile 5: 8:52

Mile 6: 8:55

So while I was excited about my run, it was a bummer to learn that Kristen injured her foot and will be out for awhile. Kinda takes the fun out of the race. But she's tough and I know she'll come back stronger than ever...like Seabiscuit.

10k

2009-02-16T14:58:00.001-08:00

I'm running my first 10k this Saturday at the Los Alamitos Race on the Base. While training, I notice that my legs get tight around the 5 mile mark. Is that just my threshold I'm approaching or would salt or something help? I was thinking of mixing a little Gatorade in with my water. Or is a 10k too short to do anything other than drink water and train harder? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Album Cover

2009-02-16T14:54:00.001-08:00

I snapped this picture in Los Olivos. What album cover does it resemble?

Trinchero

2009-02-10T10:10:00.001-08:00

Some friends of ours gave us a nice bottle of wine for Xmas this year. It's a Trinchero 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. Here are the notes (mind you that I am no expert in tasting, just drinking):

Color: Deep, ruby red. You can't see through it.

Nose: Spicy, toasted oak (which is weird since this was kept in a barrel that was 92% French Oak which is supposed to be mellower than American or Hungarian), and a slight peppery note that probably comes from the Hungarian percentage of the barrel, cassis.

Palate: I tasted a herbaceous quality that Kristen didn't so that was strange. Peppery, smooth tannins and a long finish, blackberry and cherry.

Overall a nice wine by itself or paired with food.

No more 5k's

2009-02-08T13:29:00.001-08:00

I decided yesterday after the race that I don't want to do anymore 5k's for quite awhile. I posted a PR 5k time last week in Huntington Beach and I figure that the only way to really knock that 24:28 time down to 20 or 21 minutes is to train hard for 10k's and half's. I figure a year of training for longer runs will put me in great shape to run a killer 5k. What do you guys think?

Pouring rain and nipple rash

2009-02-07T12:18:00.000-08:00

Ran the Lakewood Mug Run 5k today in the pouring rain. The starting line was walking distance from our house so we couldn't not run just because of the rain. It wasn't miserable. Cold, yes, but no wind so it was an experience. I fell off in my third mile by about 60 seconds so I don't know what happened there. My shoe lace came untied during the last mile and I probably weighed a little more with the soaked clothes, but 60 seconds is a lot. I must have subconsciously told myself not to push too hard. I also had no idea where the finish line was until about 100 yards out so I couldn't anticipate it earlier and kick in harder. Oh well. It was still a good workout. I also got a little nipple rash on this one so I got that going for me, which is nice. At least I beat the 10 year old kid that was trying to pass me in the 3rd mile. I tried to drift over and force him into traffic, but thought that might screw up my time too much so I just shoved him into the grass instead. Hey, it's dog eat dog out there. Better he learns at a young age.

Kristen ran the 10k and got first place again, of course. When she came through they said her time was 41 and change, but the "official" time was 42 something so I think they screwed up. Oh well. This was just for fun since it was in our 'hood.

Now...onto the wine.

Treadmill in the Rain

2009-02-05T15:49:00.000-08:00

I have a couple of questions for the hard core and the experienced runners. I read several other running blogs and it seems like everybody does all of their running outdoors. Does anybody hit the treadmill to train? I mix it up, but it always feels like running a certain pace outdoors is easier than on the treadmill. I put the incline at 1.5% to 2% to simulate running on the road. Does anybody else feel this way?

I have a 5k coming up this weekend and the forecast calls for rain. Probably not a terrible downpour, but the last time I ran in rain it was at last year's Surf City 5k and I was totally unprepared. What do people recommend? Running in as little as possible (shirt, shorts, shirtless?) or running pants and a hoodie or something in between? Any advice?

Thanks!

Back attack

2009-02-03T16:21:00.001-08:00

I'm racing my first 10k in 2 1/2 weeks so I've started a new training routine for it. Today was an "easy run" and since I didn't get to lift yesterday, I did (or attempted to) a back and bicep routine after the run. Pullups: check. Deadlifts: che-- wait, not so fast. Two sets in my adductors cramped up like crazy. I thought I'd just given birth...to an accountant! Hiyo. This has happened to me before doing squats. I don't know why. I wasn't doing really heavy weight because I want to be able to run my 5k race this weekend and not waddle through it. Anyway, I moved onto 1 arm rows which went fine, but two sets into barbell shrugs the left middle muscle group of my back cramped up on me. What the hell? No biceps for me today. I feel fine now, slight stiffness, but not pain. Luckily. At least I got my run out of the way. I think it's the same thing that happened to my ankle the other day while trail running. My body was just telling me to chill out. I hate it when it does that. So the lesson for the day, listen to your body. When it cramps up it's telling you that it wants a beer and the new season of Breaking Bad to start. Seriously. If you haven't seen that show you're missing out.

CRUSHED IT!

2009-02-01T18:14:00.000-08:00

I CRUSHED my best 5k time today at the HB Surf City race. My previous PR was 28:22 (lame) and I destroyed it today by posting a 24:28. I was (and still am) on cloud 9! I guess I earned the right to wear that skin tight Under Armor shirt (I will probably feel like a dork anyways). It was chilly and overcast, perfect conditions to run. They didn't put mile marker signs for the 5k race in highly visible places so I wasn't able to keep track, but in the end I think that helped me. I had an idea of how I wanted to run, but since I couldn't keep track I just ran at a pace that was uncomfortable, but manageable. Around the two mile mark (I guessed) I saw a guy about 15 yards ahead of me so I just fixed my sights on him and stayed at his pace. At a certain point he began slowing down and I caught up to him and said, "Come on man, I'm pacing myself with you," at which point his chuckled and picked up his pace. We ran side by side for the rest of the race and once I saw the finish line we both started cranking and I think I beat him by about one or two seconds. I think that not being able to keep track of my pace and just going on feeling (and friendly competition) allowed me to post a good time. Crazy. I ran for the Michelob tent and had a beer to celebrate.

Anyway, I'm drinking beer, dinking around and kind of watching football. Not a bad day.

I (Kristen) didn't do too shabby today either. I beat my last - and only other to compare to - half marathon by 13 min. It felt good... I didn't have much of my "juice" left at the end of the race so I'm not sure how much I can improve in the future. Next Saturday is another 10k and I get nervous about local 10k's since I usually place around 2nd or 3rd and feel like I need to defend my hometown of Lakewood with a good time. That's lots of pressure for me - more so than just surpassing my last PR.

Speaking of pressure, yesterday I worked on remodeling my friend's kitchen all day, didn't have a sip of wine (never do the day before a race) and I couldn't imbibe today until I finished my annual "self assessment" for work. Yeesh, I hate those things. Anyhow, I just finished that tedious task, am sitting out back in the studio and have in my fist a gorgeous glass of 2006 Beckman Estate Cabernet. Mmmmm. Good enough to almost ignore the football inside the house.

Weiner dogs are TIGHT!

2009-01-29T19:08:00.001-08:00

My mom gave me a tight as hell Under Armor running shirt as a gift last year. Since then it's been sitting in the drawer waiting to be adorned (it's like a second skin for chrissake). I keep telling myself I have to earn the right to wear that on race day. I'd feel like a douchebag wearing that shirt only to put in a lame time. I've worked hard and want to wear it for this Sunday's race, but I think instead I'm going to give myself another challenge. 26:00 or less on the 5k (give me a break, I've only recently gone hard core about racing) and I'll wear it on the next one.

BTW, weiner dogs are tight. That's what two kids told me and Kristen one day when we were walking our dogs.

The Big Buildup

2009-01-28T18:52:00.000-08:00

The HB Surf City Marathon is this weekend. I'm only doing the 5k and Kristen is doing the Half. It's sold out completely for each event. 10's of thousands of people packing the streets of Huntington Beach. Luckily this year the weather is going to be sunny and clear. Last year it just dumped rain on us and the wind was freezing!

These huge races always make me uptight. Just waiting for a race to start is one thing, but when you pack in that many people I have a hard time setting my initial pace because I spend most of the time dodging other people. I'm going to have to fight my way to the front this time I guess. I know it's only a 5k, but I really want to bring in a respectable time. I figure I'll reward myself with a few beers during the Super Bowl. Go 49ers! Oh, wait. Wrong year. Arizona Cardinals? WTF?! I miss the 80's and 90's.

Kristen, of course, is going to be installing new base cabinets in a friend's kitchen she's re-designing.

Mid-Century Modern Ankle Bitter

2009-01-25T19:27:00.000-08:00

So there I am, charging up the trail as best I can. The sun is setting, I have a beautiful view of Palm Springs from on high, Kristen is what appears to be a quarter of a mile ahead of me and all of a sudden a RATTLESNAKE BITES ME! Okay, it wasn't really a rattlesnake. As I came over the rise of a hill, I felt a shooting pain at my ankle. Kristen was out of sight by the time I hit the ground so I dragged myself to a rock and waited. Eventually she came back and I hobbled back down the mountain. By the time we got to our condo all was back to normal. I didn't step on a stray loose rock or twist my ankle. It just decided to have a spasm to let me know that enough was enough. Kinda scary. I've had a little bicepital tendonitis before and a little tendonitis in my left elbow, but this stopped me in my tracks in a big way. I have three races in February and I was terrified I was down for the count. I was lucky...this time.

So as an active day of rest on the following day, Kristen and I did an architectural tour of the mid-century modern homes in Palm Springs on our mountain bikes. So, all we have to do is win the lottery and we can scoop up a good handful of historic homes for sale and we'll have it made in the shade.

Somethin's a brewin'

2009-01-23T17:35:00.000-08:00

Mr. Beer home brewing kit. This is what my wife's dad gave me as a gift a couple of years ago. If you have any interest at all, even an inkling, you should get yourself one of these little kits just to see what's what. It's pretty simple and you're just making somebody else's recipe. There are a few variables that you have control over such as how long to let the beer ferment, how long you age it after you bottle it and how long you lager it (keep it in the fridge before consumption). I've since made a few batches and am hooked. Recently I upgraded to a much more elaborate 5 gallon system that will give me a lot more control over the brew. The next step after this would be the "all grain" brew which gives you complete control over the entire recipe. Anyway, I tasted my latest Mr. Beer brew (Pale Ale) and I think I didn't let it ferment long enough. The little yeasties didn't devour everything in the fermenter. The beer has a light green apple smell and taste now. My buddy Dan liked it, but that's what best friends are for. They tell you "good job" even when you screw the pooch. Oh well.

Walking a wine line

2009-01-23T08:36:00.000-08:00

It's no secret. Everybody who's ever had a lick of liquor knows what the next day brings. It comes in varying shapes and sizes depending on the previous night's imbibing. Slight morning fog. Grogginess. Maybe a dull headache. Some aches and a curious "pop" or two in the old bones. Or maybe you had too much fun and it reaches a full blown, 3 alarm ass-kicker. The "it" I'm referring to is obviously a hang-over. Regardless of your grog of choice, you've had "it".

Obviously by the title you know what the grog of choice is here. Vino. My wife, Kristen, and I are big on the inky stuff. From inexpensive weekday labels to the better weekend brands all the way up to the expensive "my boss just invited me to his holiday party" bottles. Kristen and I even have a few wine club memberships here in California (down from a pre-economic meltdown 6 or 7 memberships). I also love the barley pops. Beer, to use the parlance of our times. I like all styles and I also dabble in my own home brewing. We're not alkies or anything. You can't run, lift weights and compete if you booze it up too much. So this is what I call "walking a wine line." The balance of power between quaffing our favorite liquid and running marathons. Okay, so I've never actually run a marathon. Neither has Kristen...yet.

In addition to countless 5 and 10k's, Kristen has run the Long Beach half marathon and is training for this year's Huntington Beach half marathon. She's a natural. Fast, great VO2 max and determined. She's also hell on wheels, whether it's a mountain bike or road bike. She might train for a marathon this year and has expressed interest in competing in triathlons. She's competed as the running leg of a team for a couple of triathlons, but I'm sure she will soon be an army of one.

I was more reluctant to get into the distance running game. In my younger days (I'm 35 now) I played soccer, baseball and ran track (100 meter dash, long and triple jump). I haven't done any of that in years, but I've always loved going to the gym to lift weights. I was raised on water and snow skis as well. My turn to hitting the pavement came about in a rather pathetic way.

I was never really into distance running, but my wife's enthusiasm finally got to me. She entered a cross-country 10k race in Palos Verdes in 2007. Being the supportive, dutiful husband, I dropped her off and went to a local greasy spoon and had breakfast. When I returned to pick her up I discovered that she'd won 2nd place overall in the woman's category. I stood around and watched as everyone there shook hands, smiled broadly and patted each other on the back. It was a great, communal vibe and I felt lame for not being a part of it. I also felt lazy and shameful for being full of a big, crappy breakfast. And that was that. From that moment on, I pushed myself forward, mile after mile, to get myself into running shape. Since then I've run a good handful of 5k's and will be running my first 10k in February at the Los Alamitos Annual Race on the Base. It's like a drug now. Kristen and I have 3 races in February and will be competing in a lot more throughout the year. I will post our current races and PR's soon. Hers are amazing, mine suck, but the point is to keep on keeping on and hopefully my future PR's won't suck so bad. Only time will tell.

So that's what this blog is about. Running the fine line between Wine and The Finish Line. How to manage that delicate balance between staying in shape to run and enjoying lifes little indulgences. We will also explore other aspects of our days in what is our ode to what Teddy Roosevelt called "The Strenuous Life." Camping, hiking, drinking, running, competing and just staying active.

P.S. - I can totally out drink Kristen. I don't know if that's a good thing or not, but it's something!

Cheers!