Janathon, 'sorted'.

See how i worked in that new vocabulary word? shaZAM!
I started the month doing fairly well, at least better than Juneathon. Thennn I got pneumonia. Those buggers residing in my right lower lung kicked my butt. for nearly 3 weeks i was breathing underwater. through a very, very tiny straw. like those stir sticks you get with your fru-fru drinks. (yes, Adam, i mean you.)
then last sunday (not yesterday. the other one) i was suddenly clear. amazing. i love the human body.
anyway, last week i ran a nice, slow coupla miles. i didn't count them anywhere, but i got through them.
i had planned to run over the weekend, but they got put aside in favor of a few other things. and i was mostly ok with that. lemons into lemonade, right? right.
but today i was determined to do SOMETHING on the last day of Janathon. the Higdon schedule that I am considering following called for cross training today, but I really didn't feel like that. I wanted to RUN!
so i did.
earlier in the day Cathy, the wonderful maiden behind Janathon, let me know that both she and I had 22 miles for the month. I sent her a message that I would do 4.2 to make it a full marathon in 31 days. i know. wow, right? well, it is just kinda fun in a dumb kinda way. don't judge me, but i did a marathon, and it took me a MONTH. 31 days, too, not some wimpy February 28 day month. nope. the BIG ONE. 31 days.
but it has made me think of other goals. and other things. like cheese (foreshadowing. Auntie Boo, if you are reading this......). i also played a lot of 'go fish' and 'war' with Bryce. got to enjoy some bball games, and 'rescued' Mike when my truck left him stranded (oops).

even though i didn't run every day, or blog every day, Janathon provided me with new online friends, expanded my vocabulary, and has made me think about many things. so i count that as a WIN.
Thank you, Cathy, and all of the other JANATHONERS. (aren't you glad i didn't say, "fankoo"?)

Where were YOU?

The title is part of a tweet that went around today, in reference to today being the 25th anniversary of the explosion of the Space Shuttle. It was all the rage up here when it happened, mostly because one of the Astronauts was from Maine. Until that point, Maine didn't get much press. Just lobstahs, paper mills, L.L. Bean, and the UMaine Black Bears hockey team. Other than that...not much else. Okok, fine. Blueberries, too. Happy? Moving on.
So, where was I? THAT is easy. I was sitting in the office of my high school. Why? Was i volunteering to help the secretary answer phones, make copies, or something nice like that? Well, although i did do those things, this is not why I was in the office on this day, 25 years ago. This time I was sitting in the office, on in-school suspension, on trumped up charges. Yes, folks, that's right. I was wrongly accused of being bad (this time. most of the time the charges were accurate (sorry, Mom!))
Here's how it all went down:
I was in the library with a few of my friends. Of course, we were studying. What else is there to do? Apparently we were being TOO LOUD for the librarian (who was affectionately known as "Gram", since she was as old as dirt. on a side note, i just found out today that she is STILL THERE (yes, alive) and fills in as librarian once and a while. wow. she's gotta be ancient by now. anyway....). Gram kicked me out. Just me. There had to be at least 3 others who were making noise, but she picked ME. Sad. She told me to go down to the office for the rest of the period since I couldn't conduct myself appropriately in her library.

So i left. She was standing behind the desk (which was standing height. who knew that our little school was so far ahead of it's time?), and as i walked by, i lobbed a magazine at the desk. Of course, it slid across the desk and came to rest right in front of her. I don't even think it put a wrinkle in her cardigan. I walked down to the office.
I was met in the lobby by the principal (who we were convinced was having an affair with Gram, and they both knew our suspicions), and he explained to me that I had 'really done it this time' (or something like that. cut me some slack, it has been 25 years for goodness sake!). Surprised, but not really, I said something like, "why Sir, what do you mean?" (exercising poetic license here. again, cut me some slack.) He proceded to tell me that I was now the proud recipient of an in-school suspension, and had won the right to spend the remainder of the day sitting in the office, in a chair, staring at the wall. No classes, no homework, no interaction. He went to get my hot-lunch and brought it to me (who's the real victime there?)
Anyway, while I was sitting there, banging my desk and screaming, "ATTICA, ATTICA, ATT-I-CA!" news came over the crackly radio that the shuttle had blown up. I was sent running to the AV closet to wheel in the TV. we set it up (no cable in those days, just rabbit ears!) and watched coverage. It was a relatively quiet time in the school for the rest of the day, but for most of us it wouldn't be until we got home that we were able to see coverage of the explosion. I'll never forget the "Y" shaped vapor trails....

so where were YOU? not just for this event, but for all of the other big events? your first race? your decision to lose weight and gain fitness? where were you when you decided to get on board with this whole blogging thing? in the shower? stuck in traffic?

so many things happen to us every day that seem so trivial at the time and when we look back at our lives, we tend to think of the things that were significant. Those are often tied to memories like mine, above.

I think that we need to strive harder to make more significant memories, and less of the ones that just take up time.

Good guest on Oprah today? maybe. Having your 4 year old school you in UNO? Unforgettable.

Headphone Review and such....

I think it was last month, in December, when i won a drawing for headphones from our friends over at @RunVermont (web site here). The headphones were unlike any i had seen before; they are designed to sit OUTSIDE your ear, rather than IN your ear. Odd, right? Well, here's what the company says is the reason behind this philosophy:
"The open ear design utilizes the ear to its full advantage by optimizing the ears’ natural ability to interpret sound while allowing users full awareness of their surroundings. Add life to your music! Free your ears! “Using proprietary InAir Technology, AirDrives break the sound barrier that isolates music lovers from their environment.” You shouldn’t have to choose between music and social interaction. AirDrives address the growing health and safety issues and their open architecture means there are no uncomfortable buds in your ears."
I was curious, but a bit skeptical. One of the troubles that I have had in the past with traditional earphones is that they don't seat themselves well in my ear, and constantly fall out or require readjusting. I eventually found a pair of phones with over the ear hooks. This dramatically increased their stability in my ear. I have also experimented with tethering the chord so that it doesn't bounce too much, thus reducing the stress on the ear piece. So when I read that these sit outside my ear, I was skeptical (did i mention that already? sorry...)
A nice little package arrived, and this was inside:

The packaging was a bit more that I thought necessary, but it did look very 'cool'. It did take my wikkid sharp garden shears to cut through the plastic, but I managed without a trip to the ER, so...WIN! Inside was a  fairly big instruction booklet, which i promptly discarded as any self-respecting male would. I mean, really. They are headphones. How much instruction should I really need (don't answer that, Tracey)?

Also included in the packaging was a cute little carrying bag to store the headphones in when not in use. Clever. I like that, since I usually just chuck them into my backpack when i am done, and then have a heck of a time untangling them before each use. I wound them up neatly and placed them in the bag, to get ready for the next time i might be able to use them.

THAT didn't happen until we went to Baltimore over New Year's weekend.

I ran early enough in the morning that traffic wasn't too much of an issue, but i wasn't too keen on the industrial-ness of the area, so i kept the music fairly low. One thing that i did notice was that I had to turn the volume all the way UP on my {droid}just so that i could hear the music. I switched to my mp3 player, but had to do the same thing. no worries, off i ran. The first day i went out there was no traffic, and i stayed on back streets, so there was no real background noise to worry about. On the second day, however, I went out a little later. City buses were on the prowl for commuters and such. When I ran on the parts that took me along the main road, the music was completely lost to the sound of the cars and the buses.

This disappointed me, in that i wanted to still hear my music AND the road noise. 

Here is a link to the company's site. Check them out for more details. They have video tutorials and all that fun, jazzy, web-stuff that you won't find here.

So lemme wrap this up:

The Good:

free!

sound quality. 

allowed me to hear other things, not just my music/podcast/etc.

adjustable over the ear things that held them in place very well.

The Bad:

required me to turn up the volume too high, which shortens battery life.

music was completely drowned out in traffic areas.

when wearing them in the car, other people could hear the music, too, which annoyed the crap out of them.

Overall:

If you have a tough time with earphones staying put, these are a GREAT alternative.

If you need to hear other things around you because you frequently run in traffic and such, then these are GREAT.

If you want to disappear into your music and become oblivious to everything else, don't buy these.

FCC mumbo-jumbo: I was fortunate enough to win these, and the opinions are my own.

"Begin with the end in mind." Steven Covey

As you know, I have been ill and not able to run. Others at home are sick, too, so time for the computer has been pushed aside in favour of taking care of each other at home. I much prefer that, anyway.

I did, however, write a short article for the Wellness Page on our hospital's intranet. Please allow me to share it with you, too:
---
New Year, New YOU!
Let's take some time to think about what it is we want from ourselves this year, specifically in terms of WELLNESS. I don't mean just physical fitness, but overall wellness. Mind, body, soul...that sort of thing.
As with any journey, I believe that it is important to 'begin with the end in mind' (S. Covey) before you actually DO anything. What do I mean? Let's take a simple approach: when you go on a trip, you don't just jump in the car and go, right? It may seem like it, especially when just going to town to get vittles, but it isn't really as simple as get in the car and go: you need a destination first. otherwise you'll just wander around town. who knows, chance are that you might come home with the right stuff, but there's a good (better) chance that you won't.
When you decide to go on vacation, how often have you just gone to the airport with a suitcase and picked a random flight? You first think something like, "man, i could use a vacation, " and you do some research, talk to friends, find a place you'd like to go. (begin with the end in mind). Then you make flight arrangements, buy the right clothes, find someone to watch the dog while you go, and begin your journey. Things might try to trip you up on the way (no one can watch your dog, flight delays, etc.) but you don't give up on the goal. You adapt, you overcome, and you GET THERE.
And your life is better because of it. You accomplished something that you wanted, you feel rejuvinated because of it, it renews your sense that you CAN get things done that you want to get done, and you are ready to face the world again, and of course set new vacation goals.
The same things apply to wellness. I'll give you some time to think about this approach, and then next week i'll write a bit about laying the ground work to help ensure success. Hit me up in the comments!
Be well, Gene.
---
I hope that this weekend finds all of your long runs to be just tough enough to remind you that they are long runs, but not so tough that you can't walk after. remember, peak for performance, not for training.

-g-

angry birds

have you seen this? if not, have you heard about it? i wish that i had had the opportunity to try this app before i got my smart-phone. it would have saved me some hassle. why?
well around 1030 last night i downloaded the Angry Birds app to my phone. I finally went to bed around 1am. when i got up this morning, i went straight back into it.
so for the most part i have been sucked in for going on 9 hours. if i had know this about A/B, i never would have  downloaded the app.
as far as my lung goes, it is on the mend. last night was the worst night so far, and this morning was especially horrible. the coughing produced some really odd sounds and feelings from my chest that i have never heard or felt before, and will be thankful if i never do again.
sitting around is not for me. i am going stir crazy, and have become very intolerant of people. excuse me, did you just blink? i thought i could hear you. turn it down, will you?
teens are driving me nuts.
youngest is getting on my nerves.
we reap what we sow, and harvest time is right around the corner.
very glad that i have had Angry Birds, actually, because it has helped me not be as much of an Angry Dad.

Click here to watch the video

hopefully by week's end i will be able to do some running, even if it is just for short periods and distances.
another interesting thing that happened today was an international discussion on the correct way to pronounce "scone". How would you pronounce it? Rhyme it in the comments. This could be good.........
Make it a great week!
-g-

phlegm, glorious phlegm

oh, wait. mebbe i got that wrong. i am not usually one to wallow when i get sick. but lemme tell you, THIS time round is different. i have been knocked on my keister for 3 days now, and it is tough for me to focus that there actually will be an end in sight.
i have been taking my meds (even the sugar-free alcohol-free generic Robitussin DM that i was prescribed) right on schedule, and must admit that i have noticed some improvement. i am able to cough more easily, and what i am coughing up would make Bill Cosby think twice about being a spokesperson for a certain 'after school treat'. mmmmm,,,,Butterscotch. These aren't my lungs, but pretty darn close:

that opaque thing in the middle is the heart. lub-dub, lub-dub. in the lower left (which is actually the patient's RIGHT), you can see some, what do they call it?, oh. consolidation. it is fluid in the lung. Not like coke or water or that, but more like butterscotch pudding. (there, i said it. sorry to all of you who (until now) like(d) butterscotch pudding. really i am. so anyway, back to the lesson. that junk is 'the pneumonia', as in "mr. jones, you have a pneumonia in your right lower lobe." i used mr. jones because i didn't get my diagnosis that way. mine was more direct. something like this, "dude. woah. you are one sick puppy."
before i was sent for the x-rays, the NP took my temp. (no, Adam, not rectally.) sheesh. i couldn't see the number, but her reaction was, and this is a quote, "wow. i usually don't see this kind of temp in here!" marvelous. lady, i know you are earthy and have those cute little Tibetan Prayer Flags strung up in your office (i want some!) and you have other 'crunchy' things around, but just gimme the digits. I'm an ICU nurse for goodnessakes. "what is it?", i queried. "103.9" yep. and that was AFTER 2 dayquil and an acetaminophen (i prefer generics) 325mg tablet. yep. i was COOKING. so home i went, reluctantly, because i have to finish a presentation due Wednesday. It is mostly set, but it is the first time i have presented to the Clinical Excellence Board, and I am a bit nervous about it. this, too, shall pass.

Have fun this weekend, everyone. Likely I'll be back a few times; not much else i can do. bleh.

hiatus

i haven't run or done anything since tuesday. i started to feel sick, and yesterday some obnoxious infestation took up residence in my head and bronchial trees. i am not happy about it, and told the little buggers that the space was intentionally left blank. They would have none of my reasoning, claimed squatter's rights, gave me the finger, and invited their friends over to play.
I took a hand full of pretty colored gel cap meds that i found in the bathroom closet (no PMS for me!) drank a bottle of water to wash them down and went to bed early. i slept most of the way through the night, but woke up to find that someone (probably the pranksters in my chest) replaced my tongue with a dried up sponge. i glanced in the mirror (well, after i hobbled to the bathroom, there are no mirrors in the bedroom) to check to see if they had used a sharpie on my face, which they hadn't. whew.
popped some more pills, ate a yogurt, and went back to bed.
i've been here most of the day, venturing out only for short periods. it is starting to feel good to be vertical again, and the coughing has subsided. i haven't taken any daytime meds, but will take more as soon as the sun goes down.
i missed #sfcfit chat on twitter last night, but don't want to miss the one hosted by @mizfitonline tonight. i will be well enough by then. that is my afternoon's mantra.
so, fellow Janathoners, what aspect of janathon do you find most daunting? the running or the blogging?