Give me a break

Special treat today: first photo of me in the red
CSC shorts by Nike that I found while running
last fall just south of Churchill Jr. High.

OK, I'm drawing a blank here on the inspiration front. Nothing special stands out about Friday's run, just that I did it. I was up late Thursday night watching a zombie movie, and spent some time piecing together the worthy bits of last weekend's race video, so I slept in and didn't hit the streets until almost 11 a.m. And the video still isn't done. Maybe sometime this weekend.

I can share some minor tales about the soft goods collected today. Very minor stories, I assure you. The dirty pink washcloth has been lying in the gutter just up the street a few doors on the west side of the road for probably a couple of months. I've seen it many times before and always passed it by. Too ratty. Too dirty. Too close to home. Finally I snatched it up. It is in pretty foul shape, but I think a washing will turn it into a usable shop rag.

The women's vest from Maurices was spotted Thursday, about four blocks away, as I biked around town on errands. I rode past it twice, going and coming, but left it lie because there were some junior high age kids playing just across the street and I didn't want to face their ridicule. Mostly I don't give a hoot what others think of my peculiar avocation, but as a bicyclist I take plenty of abuse as it is, even from kids (I was pelted with a snowball two winters ago on Martin Luther King Day) and I just didn't feel like giving them an opening.

I don't consider myself particularly thin-skinned, but it gets old and infuriating to be shouted at just because you're on a bike. I mean, people will drive by and some punk will shout something incomprehensible my direction, like it's cool to harass the guy on the bicycle. I don't get it. I want to shout back that they're the idiots spending loads of cash to tool around town in their loud, stinky car. Sometimes I just want to shoot 'em. I mean, really, live and let live, jerks. "But if this ever-changing world in which we're living, makes you give in and cry, say live and let die."

Today's Stats
Temp: 45 degrees F
Distance: 4.5 miles
Weekly Total: 9 miles
Treasure: 1 women's vest, brown (Maurices); 1 dirty pink washcloth; 1 Camel hard pack; 7 cans.

iPod Playlist (shuffle)
Presence (My Heart's Desire) - Newsboys
12 For the Roses (live) - Joni Mitchell
Believe in Me - Dan Fogelberg
Holding Me Up - The Dandy Warhols
Blue Jean Blues - ZZ Top
100 Years - Five for Fighting
Ramble On - Led Zeppelin
That's the Way (live) - Led Zeppelin

Pick-Me-Up

Three days off: just enough or too much? It's hard to say. My body was well rested after that killer 5k Saturday. I say "killer" because I kicked it with my time and it was chilly and windy, but the course was not tough -- straight and flat. 

A little clarification on my standing in the results is in order. I found online that I was considered 412th out of 1,253 runners. Now, in my defense of 411th, I was tied with Devin Ruark a woman from Moline. But hey, she was in the 30-34 age division, so she had at least a 10-year age advantage on me, and I had a 4-second edge on split time. So how is it she was ranked ahead of me? I'd say it was a case of "ladies first," but that's not consistent elsewhere. I was robbed. :)

The down side to three days off was that I was literally kind of down yesterday. I think I need that pick-me-up. Got it today and I'm better for it. I was saddened, however, on this beautiful day at the sight I beheld as I rounded the northwest corner of Churchill Junior High after cutting through the school property from Academy Street to Maple Avenue. A lone bike stood in the main bike rack in front of the cafeteria windows. The southern rack was empty.

I've seen the parade of cars dropping off and picking up kids at that school and others on a daily basis and it's an affront to my green sensibilities. What is wrong with kids and parents these days? I see some kids walking, which is great, but a bike is the way to go, baby. Think about it. Many parents may be (irrationally) concerned about abduction, and I suppose on foot that could be a possible, though extremely unlikely, threat. But on a bike, there's little fear of someone snatching you up for nefarious purposes -- just pedal your ass off.

OK, the soapbox is teetering under the weight of my ranting. Better step down before I fall off. But, before the usual naysayers out there chime in about the dangers of Galesburg motor traffic, I must say the streets are pretty darned safe here. The alert cyclist who makes an effort to be seen and follows at least most of the road rules should not fear for his or her safety here.

All in all it was an otherwise uneventful run. Only one neat item on the pavement and barely a handful of cans. 

Today's Stats
Temp: 45 degrees F
Distance: 4.5 miles
Treasure: 1 cardboard milk shake guy; 1 plastic Buick emblem (plain); 10 cans.

iPod Playlist (shuffle)
Say Goodbye to Hollywood - Billy Joel
My Heart Doth Beg You'll Not Forget - Broceliande
Norwegian Wood - The Beatles
If I Fell (Cover) - Evan Rachel Wood
Future Shock - Curtis Mayfield
Devil in Her Heart - The Beatles
Hard Habit to Break - Chicago
Gives You Hell - The All-American Rejects
Sick of You - Lou Reed
Seven Bridges Road - The Eagles
Why Don't We Get Drunk - Jimmy Buffett
I'm Looking Through You (Cover) - The Wallflowers
A Hard Day's Night - The Beatles

Note: I reloaded the iPod before the race Saturday. Two favorite playlists formed the foundation, then I let autofill do the rest.

St. Patty's Day Race

I ran my second 5k race today, the CASI St. Patrick's Day Race in Davenport, Iowa. What an experience! I have yet to confirm the number of participants, but I have some details from my chip ticket.

Showed up at the River Music Experience a little after 9 to register. Because of some technical gaffe on my part I was unable to register online and reserve my shirt and they were out by the time I got to the table. They took my name, size and phone number, so maybe I can still obtain one. Whatever. I had fun and my best time yet. Proceeds from the race benefit CASI, a senior citizens group in Davenport.

I was amazed at the crush of runners jammed into the starting block on Brady Street. But the cool chip system ensures that the crowd-slowed start doesn't really affect your time. A plastic band embedded with a computer chip is looped through your shoe laces and is read by sensors in a rubber strip across the start, midpoint and finish line. Very cool. After the race, runners can stop by a stand equipped with a couple of keypads and receipt printers to punch in their race number and print out their stats.

Here are mine:
Overall: 411
DIVP: 33
DIVT: 59
SEXP: 291
SEXT: 524
time: 26:17
Pace: 8:29

Yeah, it was hieroglyphics to me, too. If my research was good, here's how those acronyms translate:
DIVP: Division Place
DIVT: Division Total
So I was 33rd out of 59 runners in my division (I think it was 40-49)
SEXP: Sex Place (as in gender, not position or anything)
SEXT: Sex Total (as in number of men running, not how many times you've done it)
So I was 291st our of 524 male runners.

It was a flat, smooth course, down one street and back, around a corner and on to the finish line. The headwind for the first half was a bit of a bear, though not really an impediment, but that turned into a tailwind for the second half, which was a nice boost -- probably accounts for my much faster than usual time. 

Oh, and while I picked up just one meaningless trinket on the race course, I did spot a couple gloves in the street on River Drive as we were leaving. I turned off and parked the car and ran back for them. Picked up yet another wheel cover as I waited on the median to cross, then darted out into the street when the traffic light changed in my favor and nabbed the two gloves, which were about 30 feet apart. Daughter number 2 gave a light-hearted groan at my obsession when she realized the cause of my detour.

Today's Stats
Temp: 40 degrees F, wind 21 mph out of the west
Distance: 3.1 miles
Weekly Total:11 miles
Treasure: 1 cracked baby rattle/toy thingy; I passed up a hairband, a dirty white sock, a pair of dirty black boxer briefs and what looked like it might be a socket in a crack in the pavement.

iPod Playlist (shuffle)
Rock the Boat - Hues Corporation
The Things That I Used to Do - Steve Ray Vaughan
Closing Medley (Folsom Prison Blues/Walk the Line/Ring of Fire/The Rebel - Johnny Yuma) - Johnny Cash
Same Old Lang Syne - Dan Fogelberg
Move - Miles Davis
Scraping Dixie - John Gorka

Cold Hands Blues Man

A couple of gloves and a dented but playable mouth organ are all I have to commemorate my first Ash Wednesday run. Why is that significant? Well, it isn’t, but when the run and the writing are separated by 14 hours, 12 at the office, three of those in company training on ethics and online storytelling/website optimization, I find that whatever train of thought was on the line has long since left the station without me. That rather perturbs me because I feel like I’m letting you down and not really stretching my writing legs.

It was a balmy day as we approach spring here in central Illinois. I almost begged off the run when I heard what I thought were raindrops pattering on the roof. It may have been rain initially, but by the time I mustered the will to poke my head out the door, I saw only fog; must have been drips off the branches of the backyard maple that is slowing dying. It’s sad, really. It was once quite a beautiful tree, but now is bare in spots and sports more than a few dead branches, even after a professional trim two years ago.

Knowing I had to go to work early today for the ethics training session, I kept the route short. But I didn’t want to take the usual neighborhood 5K. I ended up downtown via Churchill Junior High. Climbing the slight incline of Broad Street between the BNSF tracks and Main Street, I caught a flash of shiny metal on the sidewalk in front of the old National Guard Armory, which happens to be across from Fat Fish Pub, a relatively new blues bar in town. So, was the harmonica a cast-off or a lost instrument from one of the bands? Given that it’s a First Act, a beginner-level instrument, I doubt it was used by a professional. But perhaps some player carries a couple cheapies to hand out to fans. Don’t know.

Today's Stats

Temp: 45 degrees F

Distance: 3.4 miles

Weekly Total: 7.9

Treasure: 2 gloves (1 leather and nylon work glove, 1 knit "magic glove"; 1 First Act harmonica (dated 7/12/2009VW); 21 cans.

iPod Playlist (shuffle)

We Can Work it Out - The Beatles

Heartbreak Warfare - John Mayer

Little Wing - Sting

In The Waiting Line - Zero 7

This Ain't Tennessee - Garth Brooks

The Lazarus Heart - Sting

The Longest Time - Billy Joel

Mad World - Michael Andrews

The Promise - When in Rome

Anna Begins - Counting Crows

Balls or Nuts?

Story of a Six-Time Loser

So which is it, nuts or balls? Found one of each today, so I suppose you could mix and match, but it somehow seems wrong to be indecisive on such a delicate matter. Consider the following exchange from the movie "Uncle Buck":

Miles (Macaulay Culkin): Mr. Neville yelled at Michael Larson because their dog was sniffing Michael's balls.
Cindy Russell (Elaine Bromka): Don't use that word.
Miles: I don't know another word.
Cindy Russell: Well, I'm sure we can talk to Mr. Neville about the dog.
Miles: (moments later as he's walking away, turns back toward Mom): Nuts!

I love that scene. Cracks me up every time. I practically bust a nut, er, ball, erm...

Well, you can choose your preferred vocabulary. Sound off on the subject in the comments if you like.

Sorry for the weekend off. Didn't run on Friday, which was the scheduled day. Promised you Saturday and blew that off. Thought about it Sunday, but left it at that. The upside is I awoke today refreshed and with legs pain-free. They still feel pretty good. The route wasn't looking too promising on the treasure front, though. One rusty nut in the first couple blocks and nothing but a few cans until much later. I did snap this lovely photo of a crushed cup in response to a suggestion from my judicial friend Harry (not the one mentioned by him, though). Apropos, I thought, as my wife's text response when I texted her that I was going to take a break from writing and run was, "Good idea. Enjoy."

I remembered seeing an Illinois Link card on the ground during my ride to church yesterday, so I extended my 3-mile route over to Kellogg Street to look for it. There it lay, about a block south of the Salvation Army Center. I'll look online and find out what to do with a found Link card. It's the second one I've picked up; the first went into the trash, but I've decided to try to be a better citizen.

OK, time to get back to work around here. Happy reading, healthy running to you all.

Ha ha, looks like I have antlers. Well, I am a Buck!

Oh yeah, the six-time loser. I had no cause to pick up the lottery cards scattered around the intersection of Seminary and Losey streets. I mean, it's not like they are eligible for the second chance drawing. But I was struck by the number. They just kept appearing, each one face down, revealing only the rules on the back and a large, light grey $3 price. The game is Casino Cashword, a $40,000 top prize for some sort of crossword puzzle scratch-off. I wondered about the grouping: two cards here, one 15 feet away, another right at the northeast corner, one in the middle of the street by the stop line on the south side of the intersection and one on the southwest corner. In close proximity but randomly spread. Had they blown around after spilling out of a garbage can? Did the player -- our six-time loser -- scratch and toss as he/she walked along? Were they tossed out a car window? These are the questions that pop into my head when I see litter. Along with, "why?"

Today's Stats
Temp: 34 degrees F
Distance: 4.5 miles
Treasure: 1 Illinois Link card;1 Americas Best Value Inn key card; 1 rusty nut; 1 half-bald tennis ball; 6 $3 Illinois lottery scratch-off cards (word game); 1 Super Mario Brothers card -- "Clampy"; two T-shirts (layered, 1 black, 1 white); 1 white (well, grey now) washcloth; 1 piece of bubble wrap; 45 cans.

iPod Playlist (shuffle)
Don't Panic - Coldplay
And So It Goes - Billy Joel
In the Dark - Billy Squier
Ten Thousand Words - The Avett Brothers
The Stolen Child - The Waterboys
Richard Cory - Simon & Garfunkel
Black Mountain Side - Led Zeppelin
Dig It - The Beatles
The French Inhaler - Warren Zevon
Just Like a Pill - Pink
Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran
New York State of Mind - Billy Joel
I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Death Cab for Cutie
Victim of The Game - Garth Brooks
Day or Night - The Call

You can run, but you can't hide

Sometimes it's all we can do to eke out the minimum. That's pretty much where I was Thursday. I slept in, but still awoke tired. Motivation was still snoring away, grumpily ignoring my prodding. I moped around the house a while, pondering why I wasn’t already on the street. Eventually I persuaded myself with a bit of advice I heard from a friend in college. 

Casey's matches flanked by previously found cigarette packs

that now hold earbuds.

My buddy said he had been told that it is the days you least feel like going to church that you really need to be there. I believe that. And I believe the theory can be applied to other positive influences in our lives, like exercise. And so I heeded those words Thursday morning and got my rear in gear and ran.

Because of my dithering, it was a late start and I decided – again – that I would forego the collecting. And as before, I still did not return empty-handed, though I picked up just one item – a yellow and red book of matches from Casey’s General Store, half empty but dry.

I think it’s time to reinstate the early morning run. It’s a good way to start the day and more productive on the collection front. Last run of this week is Saturday. Starting Monday I will see if I can rouse Mr. Motivation at an earlier hour and push him out the door to run around Galesburg and pick up some odds and ends.

Today's Stats

Temp: 39 degrees F

Distance: 3 miles

Weekly Total: 6

Treasure: 1 book of matches from Casey's General Store (half used).

iPod Playlist (shuffle)

Back to You (live) - John Mayer

Slow Down - Ryan Patrick

The Only Living Boy in New York - Simon & Garfunkel

Another Girl - The Beatles

Unanswered Prayers - Garth Brooks

Has Anybody Here Seen Hank? - The Waterboys

Raspberry Beret - Warren Zevon

Communication Breakdown - Led Zeppelin

I Want To Hold Your Hand - The Beatles

I Me Mine - The Beatles

Bear With Me

I know, I know. I am way off schedule. Work, pain, what-have-you. But I finally got a run in this evening about 5:30. With the late start and dinner in the works, I decided against collecting today. Or so I thought.

About a block from home I noticed a glove by the side of the street. Despite its despicable Chicago Bears logo, I couldn't pass it by. I hadn't bothered to carry a bag, so I just stuffed it in my pocket. Still, I neglected more than a dozen cans for lack of time and carrying capacity. But gloves kept appearing, beckoning with their outstretched fingers.

So I kept it simple today. A handful of gloves, a bonus stocking cap and a cute little monkey with a curved arm and a curled tail, just like the old Barrel of Monkeys toys but a little larger and bearing a number 6 on his belly. 

But that was it for today's monkey business. More later. 

Today's Stats
Temp: 48 degrees F
Distance: 3 miles
Treasure: 1 Bears glove; 1 black and orange reversible stocking cap (actually from my earlier bike ride to church for praise band practice); 1 light blue knit glove; 1 black and orange mitten/glove; 1 blue plastic monkey (No. 6).

iPod Playlist (shuffle)
Wouldn't It Be Good - Nik Kershaw
Snowblind - Rob Thomas
If You're Gone - Matchbox Twenty
Biko - Peter Gabriel
We Will Not Be Lovers - The Waterboys
Memory - The Call