Stinking March, The Outfield audio clip

Words:  539; one audio (25 seconds)

            Last night, another record!  This time, running up the escalator—again empty-handed.  I carried nothing this evening.  Maybe 40 seconds is a possible goal.  This morning, however, I ran poorly up the stairs.  I’m not stressed, though, because I had just finished 58 minutes of straight running with no pause for a lesson. (Yeah, tell me about it!

fat cat

All he needs is a cigar.

A NEW RECORD!!! and a matroshka

Words:  146

            A record today!!  When I began, I thought, “Yeah, I feel good.  Maybe I’ll break the record.”  This was after I had run to the bank and back, so I was plenty warmed up.  I remembered back to the day I broke 1:10.  On that day, I hadn’t started out particularly fast, but also didn’t slow down. 

no one here to teach...

Words:  159

            It was snowy today.  The first time I have run in such weather.  My glasses kept getting covered with flakes and water, etc.  I ran down to dynamic meditation again.  This time, though, for the first hour, we did what they call ‘Stop Dance.’ 

The pope

Words:  102

            Went to Dynamic Meditation again today.  It’s a great way to begin the day. 

            The other day, for the first time, I made the escalator in under 50 seconds while carrying a bag.  Maybe I should set an outlandish goal for that, too.  Something like 40 seconds.  Never.  We’ll say 45 seconds with a bag,  40 seconds without a bag.

ice skating rink on the streets of moscow

Words:  128

I went out today in plenty of time.  After running for about 7 minutes, I realized that I had left without my bag and books, and passport (that I would need to get into the bank).  I ran BACK to the apartment, did the newspaper shuffle (made famous in the Martin household on the farm) so as not to track in mud and water, and picked up my stuff. 

Blockade of Leningrad

10 December

Ran to my lesson again today. Such an arrangement is really the best. I get out the house early, jogging. Then I meet with a private student who pays me on the spot. 

45 seconds

Words:  83

            So I made the escalator in 45 seconds.  An earth-shattering feat for sure, but probably not possible if I was carrying something.  I was arriving home for the evening after being away WITHOUT needing to carry a bag.

Stair record

Words:  280

7 Dec

            Ran to dynamic meditation today.  The weather was cold, but not terribly cold.  Not even cold enough to make sure that everything stayed frozen.  Things were a bit wet, but not so wet that my shoes became disgusting.  I did a lot of stretching this morning, and some push-ups. 

Homophobes on Russian TV

Words:  215

3 Dec

            Ran to and from a lesson this morning.  It was the first trip outside since real snow has fallen.  It was fun. But cold.  The other day as I was climbing the escalator, I passed another guy making good progress up the steps.  He was taking two steps at a time.  He was a tall, lanky fellow—probably would be very good on the Ultimate Frisbee field—who looked like what I used to call a ‘daddy long-legs’ spider.

beggars

Words:  208

30 Nov

            Two records on this report.  Yesterday, I ran the steps in the afternoon. We have snow all over, but the temperature is not very cold, so there is water everywhere.  I did a quick exercise regime of 20 minutes.  The other morning when I ran the steps, there were two uncomfortable elements.  On the second floor, there was a man smoking.

Stair climber

Words:  242

25 Nov

            Someone told me that you have exercise for 40 minutes before you get the benefits of endorphins. So, just as I was about to finish the run after 30 minutes, I extended for 10 more. Of course, this is the 'finish' in only one sense. I still needed to do a final set of 11 pull-ups and the 16 flights of stairs.

Rob Ford, the gift that keeps on giving

Words:  449; 4 audio clips

            On Friday, 22 November, I began the day with a run to a bank where I gave a lesson to the manager of the development department.  I wore my black plastic pants, under my bright yellow nylon, knee-length shorts.  On top, I wore a long-sleeved grey RAGBRAI t-shirt under my white marathon t-shirt.  I dressed this way so that drivers would see me in the dark.  On my head was a rainbow bandana that served to hold my ear phones in place.  Dmitry said he didn’t have a problem with the way I was dressed.

Death to the punt

Words:  187; audio

            The duration of the run is broken up into three sections because it took 30 minutes to run there, 20 minutes to run back to a friend's place, and then 15 minutes to run home. I left the house/apartment at 6:55 and ran downtown to where the dynamic meditation is held. 

Impending escalator measurement

Words:  420

            I’m doing the full 16 flights of stairs in my building nearly every run now.  Last year, I thought of the 16 flights as punishment for NOT running the mid-run sprint in under 1:01.  Now, I feel it is simply part of the regime. Another part is the escalator steps.  At the top, I am totally out of breath…I am heaving.  The amount of air in and out of my lungs feels like enough to put out a blow torch. 

I feel pity for you

Words:  311

            This the first weekend in months when I have had no classes.  The kids were on vacation this week, and when they don’t have school, they don’t want to study English, either.  Especially not on the weekend!  I took a huge run today, running by some metro stations that I have never visited.  I ran ‘straight’ on two streets so I wouldn’t get lost.  I did get lost anyway, though, because there are so many twisty, curvy, upy, downy overpasses, etc.

dynamic meditation

Words:  448

          The day began in a fantastic manner.  Sun was bright, skies were clear, and the temperature was moderate, at about 6 degrees.  Dynamic meditation is an exercise I'd never heard of before this trip to Moscow.  It seems to be a fad that occupies people who need to do more than meditate.  Participants get a bit of exercise, and they can scream their guts out if they wish.  

Birthday present

Words:  508; pictures

November 7

Ran in full on rain today.  Harder rain than ever.  Shoes wet, socks wet, pants wet and splotted with mud (I hand washed them in the shower—points up one of the prime comforts of living in the developed world—running hot water.  Although I was running through the rain and my hands were freezing, I could always think of the shower ahead.  And the shower in my present apartment is probably the best shower I’ve ever had.) The lenses of my glasses often were covered in drops, although I could always see something.

freezing hands and escalator sprint

Words:  305

November 1

Didn't run full speed today. I guess I just didn't feel like stressing myself. I've run up the stairs at my apartment a few times. My results seem quite quick. I haven't yet checked the times from last year, but I think my quickest was 1:18. I achieved 1:17 just today. Possibly there is flight missing somehow.

too little time

Words:  346

October 28

            I ran in the full on rain today.  Came back with the great amount of hair on my head all wet and stringy.  I looked like a drug addict. 

A $200 mistake, in MY favor!

Words:  328

Today, 18^th, I ran in the rain for only 17 minutes. It wasn't the rain that kept the run short as much the other things I need to do. Also, I ran like crazy.  I pushed the pace during the whole run. It felt really good. I imagined the pedestrians looking at me and seeing that I was working hard.

no contact with Albania

Words:  155

            Runs lately have been great. I push, push, push. Today I cut it a bit short because it began to rain more strongly.  I haven't found a decent place to sprint, though. I haven't even done the mid-run sprint lately.

legs moving

Words:  184

            Today on the 11^th, I felt great!  I was pushing myself the entire time.  I often felt like I was running to keep up with some other runner.  My legs were feeling stressed and the body was trying to keep up with them.

Blue Jasmine

Blue Jasmin:  One of the best movies I have EVER seen.

 Words:  80 (several pics)

            A great run today, after only 3.5 hours of sleep.  I complained to some people about my lack of sleep, but they all had less so I decided I should stop whining.

govt shutdown

Words:  218

2 Oct

            I enjoyed a lesson on Wednesday that took place at a company about 100 meters from my apartment. When I came home, I ran for 32 minutes and did 3 sets of 11 pull-ups. My arms are unaccustomed to pull-ups.

It's getting colder already

Words:  181

            I ran pretty fast these two days, especially today.  My post-marathon stiffness/soreness has disappeared. I had a great weekend, on Friday evening, I cleaned out by billfold buying a present for the boys. On Sunday night, my billfold contained a bunch of money.

one of a kind shirt

 

Words: 470; one picture

            The run yesterday, on the 27^th, was great.  I felt eager to be running and my legs and body were not complaining.  Possibly could have been the influence of the sunny weather!!!!  For the first time in ages, the sun made a 6-hour appearance.  The problem is that I haven’t yet found a good place to run.  I go up and down streets and come up against gates to factories, or railroad tracks. 

I forgot!!!

Words: 218; pics and video

            I forgot to run yesterday!  I guess the marathon did a number on me.  Actually, I didn’t forget completely.  I remembered about 10 minutes before I had to leave the apartment for a lesson.  After the class, I had a trial lesson at the Native Speakers Club office.  Right outside, they had the streets closed in honor of a “Day Without Cars”.  A great idea.

Exercise...it cures all ills

Words: 156

            Both of these days, I ran around my new neighborhood and I finished at a local grocery store to get supplies.  Muscles are still somewhat sore, but it is nice to run so short. 

            One day, I heard a podcast from Slate about the craze for ‘Insane Fitness’ that is apparently running amok in the USA these days. 

Marathon 4:43:32

Words  2288; pictures

                       

            This is my outfit.  I thought I was going to be unique in the fact that I was wearing a rainbow t-shirt and a rainbow bandanna.  I wanted to show solidarity with gays, who may be feeling some discrimination in this country.  It was a great big no comment.  My get up wasn’t anything to shout about either, because there was one other guy who had a full rainbow body suit.  It was as if he were a walking dead man in a tie-died body bag.  Every bit of him was covered.  As he ran by me during the first mile, he put his arm around me and said, “My brother,” then he ran on. 

Over the hump

Words 304 and pic of route

            A break thru.  Last night, I slept for 7 hours with only one interruption—and I DIDN’T have to go into the kitchen and drink tea.  I coughed a bit, but fell back into a peaceful slumber without trouble.  As you can see below, I ran the 5 miles in my former style of running faster throughout and finishing with the quickest mile.

slow, peaked early

Words: 155

Probably my slowest, most uncomfortable run. During this run I did the prescribed “pace work”.  I ran  one-minute sprints, quickly, with 2-minute slower jogs in between.  I was quite winded when I finished. So such work must make me work a little bit. 

hacking my way through Sunday

Words 402; 1 picture

            The timing of this cough could not be worse.  I didn’t run on Thur, Fri, or Saturday.  The first time is have NOT run for three days in a row for several years.  I ran from my new room to BDNX, the All-Russia Exhibition Center.  It’s a holdover from the Soviet Union that has taken a capitalistic dose of commercialism—the grounds are beautiful, though. 

running by the belching cars

Words 389

            Last night, I had a lesson with a young man who is starting college in England next week.  He wants to see me every day to brush up on his English.  My director said he is from “one of the three most influential families in Moscow.”  Even though I was eagerly waiting for calls from realtors about apartments, I left my phone at the reception area so it wouldn’t interrupt us.  I’m sure you can predict what happened.  I forgot the phone when I left. 

running sick

Words 147

            Since my return to Moscow on Saturday, I have been sleeping, drinking tea with lemon, and coughing. I wear a sweater for awhile, then add a sweatshirt, after 10 minutes, I'd strip all that off down to a t-shirt.  I went to bed last night hoping I would wake up healthy.

Two-mile run record holder 10:20.2

Words 527

Ran three miles today just so I wouldn't forget how. During the last half mile, I tried to really push it. I think that the running app 'samples' my speed every now and then; it then puts the results on the home page that I can see. A one point, it said I was running at 6:46 per mile. 

  

My brother holds the record in the 2-mile run for Newell-Providence High School—10:20.2.

8 miles at 7:42!

Words 623; 1 photo

            I shattered my goal.  My training program called for 8 ‘hard’ miles today.  I decided that since I run easily at an 8-minute pace, I would try 7:45, then I decided that might be a bit tough, so I lowered my expectations to 7:50.  All of you ‘arm chair’ marathoners out there may be thinking that 15 seconds per mile is not big deal.  In fact, if a person figured out the total time savings, the sum is paltry. 

fresh air, rainbow bandana

Words 311

            Perfect weather today for running.  My program called for 10 slow miles today.  At the 6.5 mile mark, my legs started to hurt.  A person can see from the mile split times below that,  just like yesterday,  I didn’t slow down much at that point. But it was enough pain to take note of it. 

         

8-minute pace for 13-miles

Words 448

            The schedule had me doing a ‘slow’ 13-mile run today.  I began at a very easy pace, just loping along like a pony out for a jog.  I did the first mile in 8:07, and the second in 8:00.  So, I guess an 8-minute pace is quite natural for me. 

People were shot some years ago

Words 670; pics and link to essay

            Since I started the training regime a day early, I would have had three days of rest, so I ran 4 ‘quick’ miles today.  It was as if I celebrated my first full day in Moscow with a run.  My new friend from Storm Lake, Iowa (13 miles from Newell, where I went to school) is hosting me.  We met last spring by happenstance and we figured out that his cousin used to come to our farm and treat our sick cattle. 

training for a marathon

 

Words 216; one audio

            My second run in training for the marathon.  The plan was to run 5 ‘hard’ miles.  I was pushing all the time.  The time for the first mile was 8:07, and every succeeding mile was faster than the one before with the last at 7:40.  If I average 8 min per mile for all 26.2 miles,

Evil satin Nike

Words 402; one pic

            This was officially my first run in the 4-week training program to prepare for the marathon.  The 10 miles was supposed to be done on Monday or Tuesday, but this fits my schedule better.  I leave Tirana at 3:00 in the afternoon on Tuesday, so I will be able to do the next run before I leave.  That will give me a day to rest.  My next run will be a ‘hard 5-miles.’ 

24 - hour clock

Words 238

            A fine run today.  I didn’t feel like I was going really fast, but I was going faster than all of the other people out there.  An amazing amount of people, actually.  The whole park was full at 6 a.m. 

            It turns out that Maura sent me a notification about the flight time change in April. I just absent-mindedly didn’t take note of it.  I’m usually quite conscientious about such things.  Thankfully everything worked out in the end.  Our bags were delivered this morning.

exercise machines; out to get me

Words 252; 1 picture

         I wrote about the run on the day we left the US when I was pushing the pace all the time.  Well, today, I was back to mechanically moving my legs.  Not a terrible thing, but I need to get moving.  I found a 4-week training schedule for a marathon.  I will begin this regime this weekend—conveniently 4 weeks before the Moscow Marathon. 

Plane flight trouble

Words 1932

            An utterly fabulous sprint today!  Stayed up last night ‘til 2:30 leisurely doing the last packing, Then slept for a bit until the cat woke me up gently calling for food.  I was totally in favor of beginning the day of travel with an hour-long run. 

Perseid

Words 108

            Today was just a bike ride of 1.5 hours.  Didn’t want to stress out the foot.  The next morning, I rode from Johnston down to the farmer’s market—about 15 miles I think—with family and friends.

            Spent the evening on a sand bar in the Raccoon River, watching the Perseid Meteor Shower. Saw only one, but I couldn’t keep myself awake very much.  WE began the evening thinking that we would not even put up or tent.  Then my brother suggested that we put it up because at 10:30, his tent was already saturated with dew.  No problem…he and my sister-in-law put it up in no time.  

Doc Martin

Words 31

            A short one today to visit Dad and watch a series on television. I didn’t want to stress out the foot.  I’m hope that I will be able run the marathon.

sub minute Dewey Sprint

Words 166

            My left foot hurts for some reason.   Only when I step on it, so if I’m sitting, I feel nothing. This pain is the reason I didn’t run much today.  I ran the Dewey Sprint.  I must have had a huge amount of extra energy because I didn’t feel like I was running very fast.  The ‘legs in concrete’ attitude came over me strongly about half way.  One benefit was the fact that I had the Pet Shop Boys in my ears to make me push the pace.

            The boys and I rode the bikes to Dewey Park where I did sets of pull-ups: hands gripping away from the body, toward the body, and alternating.  I’m not sure if it makes any difference to vary that position of my hands, but it can’t hurt. 

            At the park, I rode around and stopped for pull-ups every now and then while the boys terrorized each other on the playground equipment.

            The air was as thick as swamp water.

Who says war, famine, and disease are bad things?

Words 243

            Another run with Ethan.  I like partners who are always ready and malleable to the way things have to be.  We started the day with a 5-hour kayak trip, then a bike ride…  At 5:30, I asked him if he wanted to run. 

            “Well, yah.”

            “I was thinking we should do that this evening.”

            “Did you want to do that before or after supper?”  Supper had just been called one minute earlier.