GOAL!

As reported here last time I was thinking that maybe I could string together 3 miles in under 33 minutes. It seems I'm usually more comfortable at around 11:15 but keep running some sub 11's here and there.

Today my main goal was to run my 3 mile course without stopping. That should lead to my best time be it under 33 minutes or not. Here's the splits:

Mile 1 10:31 (yikes. . .too fast!)
Mile 2 11:36 (too slow! or is that middle mile a little long?)
Mile 3 10:26 !!!!! (I also passed the two fat girls that passed me with a quarter mile to go)

Total 32:35 YES! I killed it!

Now I need a new goal or a 5k race or both. Now with proper rest and diet I should NEVER not be able to run 3 miles. EVER!

2+2

Two miles out. Rest and stretch and 2 miles back. Here are the splits

Mile 1 10:57
Mile 2 10:56 (points for consistancy?)
7:32 (rest/stretch)
Mile 3 11:14
Mile 4 Walked home

Not bad. Tomorrow I think I'll just run a flat 3 miles (avoiding the bridge over LSD makes it flat) and see how I do. No stopping. 33:45 would be a nice goal making 3 11:15 miles. 33 flat look doable in the near future. Just need to stick another 10:55 or so on the end of the first two!

Just another day. . .

Ran a mile. Stopped. Turned around. Walked/ran back. Getting just a little tiresome. . .

Although, that one mile was in 10:14 so as slow as I feel I am going that is way under my usual 11 minute pace. Back at it tomorrow AND Sunday.

Speed Work

Today was speed work. 6 quarters. It seems my natural pace is around 11 minutes per mile. I wanted to run these quarters at a pace above that so I was shooting for 2:15 - 2:30 quarters. Here’s how they went

1:52 (Whoa!)
2:14
2:14
2:06
2:15
2:07

Between each it took me about 4 minutes to walk/jog back to the starting line. After the first one I thought I had blown it and gone out too fast but it seems I recovered ok. These are actually ‘fun’ for me. I like the faster pace and the feeling of really running instead of jogging. Tomorrow is a day off and then my cherished Sunday run. Haven’t decided what that will be yet.

2+2=4

Good run(s) today. As was my plan I ran 2 miles out, rested and stretched, and 2 miles back. Here's the splits..

mile 1 - 10:48
mile 2 - 11:18
rest - 9:24
mile 3 - 11;25
mile 4 - 10:41

Can you tell which miles have the bridge over LSD?

That's right. . . last mile was the fastest. . if you're willing to call 10:41 fastish.

Great day. Perfect wether.

Connect the Dots

I do a lot of walking (and running) around the city and lately I've been noticing that many Chicago sidewalks are polka-dotted. See? This is a stretch of Belmont Ave near Clark. Now I've pointed this out to people and most say, "Well, that must be gum". Could be but that seems like a LOT of gum to be left right in the middle of the sidewalk. Do that many people do that? Also, I never see any gum being in the state of partially melted to the sidewalk. I only see flattened black dots. Why are all the dots black? If it's gum, does all gum turn black in the sun or is everyone chewing Blackjack Gum?

Maybe aliens left the dots and are just waiting for us to connect them to receive a secret message. Maybe it's instructions for building a transporter or a time machine.

Well, anybody reading out there, I'm curious what other theories you might have as to the source of the polka-dots.

"running"' LIncoln Ave

So, what’s living in Chicago like you ask?

I’m not sure my fellow citizens even know, as don’t I, how to answer that question exactly. But I do know that if you want data to help you you need to go to any of the street festivals in Chicago in the summer.

Just got back from Taste of Lincoln Ave. The people who attend this and other such festivals are. . .

Old
Young
With kids
Without kids
Stylish
Fat
Skinny
With walker
In 6 inch heels
Hip
Lame
White
Brown
Grey
Black
Alone
In groups
Smiling. . . All of them!

Just gaze upon a giant grill with giant sausage (pronounced sah’ sige) grilling and that will get you started. Have a beer and listen to live music on 5 stages for the crazy price of $7 and that will help as well. Talk to strangers and tease them and have them ‘get it’ and you’re well on your way. Our taxes, schools, sports teams (not counting the BLACK HAWKS) suck and we have a king for a mayor but in the summer . . .

WE COULD GIVE A RATS ASS BECAUSE IT SURE AS HELL AIN’T WINTER!

Don’t talk to us in the winter. We’re not so happy/friendly then.