two blizzards in one winter, not good for training…
the second major winter storm to hit the greater Philadelphia are is not good for training for several reasons. the first, quite obviously, is that it is nearly impossible to run effectively on trails covered with nearly two feet of snow. the streets were ok for running today as the blizzard made its presence felt. there were very few people out on the streets, even fewer cars and the freshly plowed streets left just a few inches of soft white snow on which to run. snow running is very similar to sand/beach running. the cushion of soft snow is easy on the legs. today, the wind was blowing snow in my face for the entire run. wind may just be the worst element to have an effect on running. I cut the run short of my 30 minute minimum due to the conditions.
the second issue with this blizzard situation is that the gym I go to has already posted that it is closed tomorrow. that just killed my plans for tomorrow. I was going to wake up, eat, have coffee, and then lift and run at the gym, come home watch the bowl. that was it. now, I have to run in the predicted brutal cold with the wind and dodging cars as the sidewalks will be snow covered in most places. I may end up running around the Walmart parking lot, it will be plowed for sure. I will figure it out I am sure. I was really hoping (I can’t believe I am actually typing this) to get in 6-7 miles on the treadmill tomorrow. not sure I’ll be able to get in any substantial mileage outside tomorrow.
if I do get in at least 6 tomorrow, my mileage for the year will reach 170. not the total I was hoping for at this point. I liked the idea I had of running 365 straight days, but it became a problem at the end of January and then I missed another day this week. I looked back at logs of my previous years mileage; and with days off, I had run more miles to this point of the year. with a rest day here and there, I feel I can get more quality days and longer days in. running every day limited my miles per day because longer and more intense days require better recovery. so, I am back to my running 5-6 days a week schedule and planning for races over the course of the year. I am looking forward to some big races this year with the off-road series as my main focus. I love trail-running and racing, thoroughly enjoy cross country racing and look forward to the challenge of running each of the races. the first comes at the end of the month and is a real challenge. I plan to use it as a training run for the first half and then try to push the pace at the half way point to establish my place in the series rankings. I’ve run a few of the races in the series, but never the entire schedule. I may also run a half-marathon this year, the Broad St 10 miler is on the schedule (and could be the debut of the FTS Distance Project).
once Legion Baseball season starts, my racing will be limited. the schedule is going to be pretty tight to get our regular season games in within the window of time we have. but, getting back into coaching quality baseball is something I am eager to do. my only race day will be Sunday once the season starts in May.
Baseball and Cross Country will only overlap for a couple of weeks in July. that will make for a hectic time, but I will get through it coaching the two sports I enjoy the most.
my proposed cross-continental drive is on hold at the moment. with baseball, cross country, and grad classes to be taken; I may not be able to block out a week or two to drive to Oregon and back. oh well, it will stay near the top of my to-do list.
time to rest a tired and weary body. two rounds of shoveling and a run in the blizzard of 2010 makes Jerry I a tired and sore guy…
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Cal Ripken, I am not…
My stated goal of 2010 was to run for 365 straight days. It was intended as one of those things one does to prove to himself and others that he can accomplish something. It served no meaningful purpose as a runner. While the ability to “run“ everyday is something to be admired, it is not the best idea for one who runs to compete and train for competition. I have made it to the 30 day plateau- 29 days of 2010 and new years eve of 2009. Today, tired and sore, and with a plan to race the mile two days hence, I have taken a rest day. Came home from work, napped and decided to not lace up my shoes or layer my clothes and head out for 30 minutes and strides. My legs and body are tired after 30 days and 126 miles. A glance at my running log from a year ago shows that I had run more miles in January (with days off) than my total for this year running every day. The reason is obvious- I can run longer more often with rest days than running 4-6 miles everyday. The best thing to come from this experiment is the joy of running is back and the desire to actually race is also experiencing a Renaissance. I want to run to compete. I want to set goal times. I want to take a shot at previous PR times.
It all starts on Sunday with an indoor track mile. Racing the 8 laps on the indoor oval against other adults should be interesting. The competition should be interesting. I have no idea of what to expect. I have never raced an indoor mile. I came to running competitively at a later date than most. I never ran track as a kid. I was only timed in the mile in gym class on a chilly morning as a high school sophomore. The only other times I have timed mile repeats were for racing as an adult in training for Cross Country and road racing. In those instances, I was running repeat miles (3-4) and trying to be consistent in pacing and not all out racing. My fastest first mile of a 5k is a 5:11 that I clocked a few years ago. I hope to run in the 5:30 range for my first mile on Sunday. I can hang most of the days at practice with my better guys for part of a workout. I look forward to the opportunity on Sunday.
So, as of today, my running streak of 30 days is over. I am not Cal Ripken after all. For me, I can’t imagine doing anything for 2100 + straight days. I have a great admiration for those runners who run everyday for years and never miss a day to injury or sickness. It would have been great to make the 365 goal. However, I can still make it 364 out of 365…or, a more reasonable 350 days of running. Taking a mere 15 days off for the year would not be a bad thing either. The great thing about goals is that they can be adjusted to make more practical sense.
One rest day is not going to spoil a great 2010 of running. There is no way I will let that happen.
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Treadmills still suck, but I am adjusting…
One part of my running goals for 2010 includes having the durability to train everyday for a full year. I have never done this in the 20+ years since I began running regularly. it is something I have read about and attempted on a monthly or seasonly basis, but never every day for the full 365. to that end, I realized that running consistently would mean staying healthy and not losing time to injury and illness. in the past, I have been out in every type of weather and tried to run longer runs more regularly. this year, I have limited my time in bad weather to only a few runs and have added treadmill running to my regular schedule. one reason for the reliance on the dreaded indoor running machine is that I have also dedicated two days during the week and one on the weekend to my weight-training circuit to keep me strong and away from injuries. the weight work goes hand in hand with the treadmill days as I can get both done without changing from outdoor clothes to lifting clothes. today, I ran 5 full miles on the treadmill in a little over 42 minutes, while not really pushing much at all. I started really slowly with 8:34 mile pace, dropped to 8 and then to 7:34 for a mile and a half or so. I rarely run this slowly outside, so the treadmill reduces some of the wear on my legs and allows me to get the most of my outdoor running. in all honesty, treadmill running sucks. it is boring beyond belief. my ipod is not working so I stare at a blank tv screen with my reflection as the only scenery (if you want to call it scenery). well, there is the cinder-block wall that is painted a fine shade of white beyond the screen. the screen does have one advantage, I can observe my arm, shoulder and head form and limit useless movement, adjust arm position and see if my shoulders are too tight. I am lucky to run with decent form naturally, or through observation of great runners on tape; I am not sure which. but, if I slip into a bad habit- like when I tire and my hands get open and my left arm swings awkwardly. I can not watch tv and get distracted by those around me who do. it is an odd thing to run with a tv on. as an outside runner for all of my running days to this point, I find the practice a little bizarre. to each his/her own, it is just not for me.
my training is going pretty well to this point this year. my mileage is down a little from the same date a year ago, but with more consistency in ‘10, that will change in due time. ran 54 minutes on Sunday at the trails. after a night of rain and warm temps to thaw some of the ice, the trails were slick but not as sloppy as they will be in the Spring. can’t wait for those days. Yesterday, heavy morning rains gave way to sunlight in the latter part of the afternoon. I decided to run an easy 4-5 miles at the park on the multi-use trail. good thing I chose not to head on my usual trails as portions of them were underwater. the creek was nearly over its banks and roaring at nearly a whitewater pace. it was cool to see so much water moving through the park for a change. sometimes when I am running at the two main parks where I train, I think about how much different they must have been when the creeks ran more freely and the development that surrounds them was non-existent. you can see the places where the creeks used to flow- the river rock is still there, the beds are just dry. it makes me wonder if progress is truly progressive and feeds my passion to go explore some less-developed place to call home. but, then I realize the convenience of living in a populated area with all that goes with it. a place to escape to would nice however.
Saturday, I ran around the campus at Penn State University with Sara. we went to see some of the kids I coach run at an indoor meet. I usually stay away from the indoor meets, but Sara wanted to see her sister run, so we made the 3 hour trek to State College. it is a great ride for the most part. there are so many little towns off the highways that I would love to explore. but, that is for another time. Sara is not much for car travel and explore in the road less travelled. running around the PSU campus brought back a lot great memories from the college days when I would travel to the State University to see my girlfriend at the time. that ship sailed long ago, but being back there for the first time in nearly 20 years brought a flood of little experiences back to me. it is a great school, a fantastic place, the quintessential college town, but not for me. I am not a member of the Nittany Nation, but have a great respect for the school and its many followers and alumni. the highlight of any Penn St. trip for me will always be a trip to the Creamery. the on-campus ice cream parlor is a unique feature of PSU and more than worth the trip. I highly reccomend it.
the rest of the week lines up pretty nicely running wise for me. tomorrow, I may go a little longer - maybe 60 minutes or more. Thursday, I’ll go easy on the treadmill; follow it up with a track workout on Friday and hit an easy 30-40 on Saturday morning. I may finally do the indoor mile/3k double on Sunday to get in my minimum mileage requirement for the day and challenge myself a little as well.
a few years ago, I told the kids on my track team that my new name was going to be RIMS (running is my savior) because there was a hip hop artist named MIMS (music is my savior). I was joking back then. but, after much thought, running is a sort of salvation for me. it is my outlet for stress relief, my means of making life-altering decisions, and my coping mechanism for all that life throws my way.
without running, I may be lost…
keep on running.
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acronyms…
as a runner, one becomes familiar with many acronyms related to our sport. there are good (PR-personal record, BQ Boston Qualifier), bad (PF- plantar fascitis, DQ’d - disqualified, DNF - did not finish) and health/body/training related (IT- iliotibial band, MHR- max heart rate, AT - anaerobic threshold) and many others. this topic came to mind while I was trail running earlier this week. my PF is acting up and causes daily discomfort which dissipates after I run. I was running part of the workout at AT pace in hopes of setting a PR or two this year when I start racing. I honestly have not thought of setting any PRs in a few years in any realistic way. my training and racing has been more focused on not ever having a DNF next to my name. I am trying a new approach this year to my running. I am trying to just run. I have always tried to train based on feel, but with a schedule that I would try to complete with regularity. this year, my plan is to run every day for at least 30 minutes; 30 or more/365 is my adopted theme. I am sore and tired after the first two weeks, but pressing forward with my goal. some of my training has been treadmill based due to weather and time of day restraints. I am lifting three days a week and on two of those days I run on a treadmill with all the bells and whistles. I choose to run on it set to a flat surface with no TV to stare at like many of the people training around me. I stare straight ahead as I would while running outside. unfortunately, that means I see myself in the blank gray screen of the tv. the upside of that is that I see my form for each stride and can access it as I vary speed. my shoulders and arms should move smoothly no matter how the setting is for the treadmill. thankfully, I’ve been blessed with decent running form and the monitor shows that.
changing the focus of my training has allowed me to stress less, not stress-free, just less-stressed. the issues of my personal life still loom daily and I try to work through them as best I can. lately, it has been the lack of professional fulfillment has been the most stressing aspect of my life. it is frustrating to be qualified to teach advanced-level courses, yet I am stuck with crayons, tempera paint, and simple assignments. moreover, the behavior of the students is becoming more and more grating with each passing year. many of my colleagues complain about shorter and shorter attention spans, less creativity and willingness to do any more than the minimum. in my subject area, art, the kids come to class from an early age with the idea that art is more like recess than other classes. I try to explain and demonstrate that artists must concentrate on their work to be successful. with that said, there are the moments in each day that make me thankful for my chosen profession. there is the little 2nd grade girl who lost her father to a tragic death when she was in kindergarten. she missed class a few weeks in a row to attend counseling for the lasting effects of that loss. last week, she asked her mother to allow her to reschedule her appt. so she could come to my class. I see her two days a week and she hugs me everytime I see her. I just hope that she gets some comfort from knowing someone else cares about her. there are the great kids who excitedly come to class, answer questions, want to help distribute supplies and go about their work dilligently. there is the little girl who lived in a house where abuse was the norm until she transferred to our school. she is one of my best students and I have seen such a change in her demeanor over the past year. she makes drawings for me all the time. I hang them up or place in a prominent spot on my desk. there is the second grade boy who asked me if I would take him to a Phillies game. I know his mother very well and she said it is ok, so we will be going. there is the fourth grade boy whose father died after a long bout with cancer last year. I told him we would have a baseball catch when the weather gets better. he reminded me of that this week, my gloves, one for me and one for him, are in the car and ready for nicer weather. I feel selfish sometimes when I think of a career change. I wonder if these kids will miss out on something if I go do something more fulfilling to me. it is a dilemma that I try to rectify on a daily basis. it is something I think about often while running.
my running schedule for the next few days includes a Saturday morning race at the park. it is the Winter Pickle Series organized by my friend Tim and his Run the Day race management business. it was featured in RW this month, which is cool for him. he is likely the most disorganized race organizer I’ve ever met, but he is a great guy. I won the inaugural pickle run at his house and around his neighborhood a few years ago. this week I am running a partial trail run with a prediction format. I am going to run easy and predict a fairly slow time. no watches are allowed, so I’ll just mid-pack it and have some fun.
run happy.
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the road less traveled…
The working title of this post, and by working title I mean the first thought I had while running today, was - Ode to (Mt.) Joy. It was a nod to the musical composition and the fact that I ran the Mt. Joy Trail at Valley Forge Park. But, just before the midway turnaround at General Washington’s Headquarters, I passed a guy who appeared to be a few years older than me and a group pre-teen (I think they are referred to as tweens now) boys on a hike. He got to a cross roads on the trails and told the boys “we are going this way, the path less traveled…“ it was an odd coincidence that I came across the hiking group. I use that phrase all the time when talking to kids about how to pursue one’s goals and when I am making decisions in my life. To hear someone else say it was kind of cool. I could picture myself saying the same thing to my sons if I were a dad at this point in my life. It was almost like a scene from Dickens’ A Christmas Carol where Scrooge sees himself while traveling with the ghosts.
I went to VF park today because I had my car serviced and was given a free rental as part of the service plan. So, since the park is the closest place I know to run to the dealership, I headed there after dropping the Element at the Service Dept. I parked near the huge monument that serves as a center piece to the historical experience the thousands of tourists have when visiting. I am still amazed at the plethora of historic places and spaces I am so fortunate to have access to. I spent NYE in Philadelphia - the nation’s original capital, walking streets that our founding fathers walked. Running at VF is an awesome experience when the thought of those who tread that same ground during the Revolution comes to mind. The encampment areas, the monuments to the units and brigades everywhere, the small stone marked burial sites in the wooded areas. All of it is amazing. The citizen soldiers of the Continental Army spent the winter there on days that were much like today- cold and windy with no little shelter and even fewer provisions. I was hurting just running there for close to 50 minutes today. There are still spots in the park where one can stand and not see a single modern ammenity, building or road. The strategically placed cannons in the same places they were over 200 years ago bring vivid images to the mind. While running in some of the lower meadow areas, you can see the encampments at the tops of the hills and know the placement of them is not happenstance. There are the large eagle sculptures atop the columns that provide a majestic reminder of how lucky we are to be Americans.
For the third day in a row, I ran parts of my workout at up-tempo pace. Sometimes today, on the downhills more than anywhere else, I really let it roll. The trails were sparsely populated, the ground dry and firm, and my legs and lungs feeling great. There were other times when the 30-40 mph wind gusts made running into the wind difficult and with the wind feel like you were going to lift up and fly. The worst wind was the the cross winds that literally blew me sideways. At 155 lbs, I thought I had gained enough weight to keep that from happening. I guess not.
Tomorrow, I plan to be back out on the trails at Ridley Creek State Park, more familiar territory for me. A gym workout in the morning, followed by trails, makes for a perfect day. However, if the winds pick up and the temps get any colder, I may switch to a treadmill, bike, treadmill duathalon after I lift. Either way, my training year is starting off just as I had hoped. To paraphrase a popular song, I got a feeling that this year is going to be a good year…
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unintended consequences…(I went down to the river)
my first post of the new year, 2010, and the title came to me as I was in the midst of my first run of the year. it was this afternoon, after rising late, eating later and spending some time watching hockey and football on tv. in between, I finally picked up my best Christmas present of the year (with all due respect to those who gave me presents) _ a framed pitching sequence of my former stepson Brian. the pictures were taken last Summer during his state tournament and show him in great form during a game he pitched 6 innings and hit a home run. we had a special connection when his mother and I were married. that connection is not as strong now due to a variety of factors, but I will always consider him a part of my life and hope he does the same.
anyway, unintended consequences is a phrase that is often used when something happens and leads to an outcome that was not intended initially. most often, the unintended consequences are negative and unfortunate. for me, today, the intention was to begin the year with an easy 30-40 minutes and run long tomorrow. I ran pretty hard yesterday on the final day of 09 with some hill repeats (short sprints up a 150 meter slope). so, today I figured after the bit of revelry last night, an easy day was in order. but, I got dressed to run, stepped outside, and felt - great. so, the easy run became a faster paced run immediately. running on streets I dislike (would rather be on grass or trails), I began to pound the pavement at a fast clip. I kept going until I needed to slow down. maybe it was the two unhealthy looking teens who yelled the oh-so-original “run Forest run“ in the first block of the run. I didn’t even acknowledge their stupidity verbally. I chose to silently question their intelligence and offer a prayer for the strength to not respond.
I went down to the river is a line from a Springsteen tune and also refers to the portion of my run on local streets that leads to the docks of the Delaware River. I wish there was a way to actually run down to the river in town, but there is no access here. the industrial base of the county was primarily on the river for years. much of that business has been replaced, but the riverfront area is still inaccessible.
the rest of the run was a great way to start the year. after logging 1392 for last year, to get in close to 5 miles today at an uptempo pace bodes well for 2010. I am going to begin the year by racing some indoor track stuff- mile, 3k, maybe even an 800; before heading out to race on the roads and trails. I hope to complete the USATF Trail Series this year. it covers a variety of distances and should be a lot of fun. there are a few local road races I want to get back to doing, and a couple I want to add as well. I might even venture to the track in the Spring and Summer as well. Sara wants to do a marathon this year. not sure I want to tackle that task again. I am in wait and see mode on that one.
I was fairly pleased with the 09 results, but a little disappointed with the number of illness days and the one injury that sidelined me last year. hopefully, 2010 will be a healthy 12 month training and racing cycle for me. I made a few adjustments with cross training and now the shifting of racing focus.
let’s hope things start looking up in all areas in 2010…
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at least they weren’t shooting AT me…
I got to the trails today ready for a 5-6 miler and longer if I felt good. I was a little worried when I saw no cars in the lot, except for a county park ranger’s suv. and then, once I started running on one of my normal trail routes, I realized the reason for the lack of walkers, runners and people with dogs _ today was hunting day in the park. I was about half mile into my run when I heard the first of several shot gun blasts. shortly thereafter I saw one of my normal running companions, a white tail deer, hopping its way through the forest. I assured my four-legged friend that I was more in tune with it than with the trigger man behind that blast. it started me thinking about the possible news paper stories about the local teacher/coach running on trails being hit by a stray bullet from a hunter. I have nothing against hunters. I don’t do it myself, but I also would never turn down meat for chilli or decline an offer of venison jerky. I would actually like to try hunting at some point and I enjoy Saturday mornings on ESPN2 when the hunting shows are on tv. but, with every blast, there was a little trepidation in my step and darting of my eyes to see if any bright orange jackets were pointing the barrel of a Winchester at me. at about 33 minutes into my run, there they were _ two guys (I assume they were male) perched on a hill about 200 meters from me and there was a deer on the hill behind me. it made for an interesting 45 minutes or so around my favorite place in Delco to run. the best part was sloshing through the mud and hurdling the down trees. I stayed on the white trail for the most part today, but the return forced me onto the red trail (where it is most muddy) for some good fun.
after a crappy few days, getting back to the trails was good for my soul. the year anniversary of Mom’s passing has caused me to hit a lull. the lack of fulfillment in my career has forced me to reconsider what I want in life. the living situation I am in frustrates me daily. on top of that, I think everyday about how different life would be if my dear Lance had been healthy and living as a 6 yr old. there are days when the thoughts of what if lead me to happy visions of walks in the park and his first baseball glove and bat. there are other days when the sight of a child of comparable age causes me to be jealous and then dour. I don’t when or if this cycle of feelings will ever stop. it seems as if I force it out of my mind I am doing my son’s memory a disservice. I am a work in progress in that area.
Sunday is Brian’s Run in West Chester PA. I registered on-line the other day so I am running it this year. my cousin’s bar/restaurant is one of the sponsors and he may run as well. I am looking forward to seeing the new 5 mile course and curious to see what my five mile time will be. I am hoping for under 34 minutes. next week, I plan to get ready to run a mile race on an indoor track for the first time in a while. I’d like the aim for a sub 5:30 mile to start the indoor season. I hope to run the 800 and 2 mile (3k) at some point this winter as well.
tomorrow will be a rest day (unless I get in an AM run) due to an early departure for the district championship football game tomorrow night.
Saturday, it is back to the trails or a morning run with Sara. either way, I win.
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my glass is half full
this phrase came to me while running for 50+ minutes on the trails at Smedley Park and the Swat Arbs on Saturday. and, while I am not phone for cliches or over-used metaphors, this one fits me at the moment. as a contrarian by nature, I also have to point out that its counter phrase (the one about the half empty glass) also came to my mind. honestly, I prefer to have half empty glass that can be topped off or refilled. if I have a half empty glass, it means I have had the pleasure of enjoying the first half of whatever beverage I was having. but, anyway, the trails on Saturday were so much fun that an easy 30-40 on the day before a race turned into nearly an hour running. it was great. I followed up with a cross country race on Sunday. not a great time, but the first mile was the fastest first mile I ‘ve run in months. I ran all-out for as long as I could, which turned out to be about a mile a half. at that point, I was passed and then gapped by about five guys who running casually behind me for the first mile. my goal became to hang with them, but the twists and turns of the course’s final mile eliminated that option. I finished in 19th place (20:32). the finishers medal was actually a choco chip cookie wrapped in foil with a ribbon on it. that was cool and the cookie was delicious. Sara was there to cheer me on and then cheer me up after my disappointing finish. she has a way of making me see my shortcomings differently.
today’s run was a recovery day easy paced 30 minutes on the Smedley trails. one of the great things about late autumn trail runs is that some of the trails that are overgrown an inpassable all summer, have reappeared and can be run on again. today was rainy and chilly, so long sleeves, gloves and hat were necessary.
Friday night was our team banquet for XC. it was great to see the kids and families that make our team so fun to be around during the season. after my meeting with our AD last week, and his refusal to accept my resignation, the banquet helped swing the pendulum back toward a return to coaching in 2010. the issues of school and personal issues still loom large, but now my plan is to try to handle those issues while coaching. it will not be an easy task. but, nothing in life that is good is easy. at this point, I am 60/40 in favor of returning to coach next year. a month ago, I was 90/10 against. I have a month or so to decide for sure. I will take all of the factors into real consideration before reaching a final decision. I want to do what is best for everyone concerned- the kids, the parents, my family, and lastly, me.
at the moment, my glass is half full…I am going to drink it in and refill to have another…
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time to clear the head…
today was a day to run easy, really easy, and let my mind wander and wonder. so, after another trying day at work, I hit the trails at the Scott Arbs at Swarthmore College. it is one of my old regular running spots. in fact, when I coached at the school district where I teach and when I was married and living in that same district, I would run there two or three times a week. I have since moved on to other favorite running spots, but the arbs will always hold some great memories. today I meandered through the trails at an easy pace, stopped to meet a bull mastif puppy and thought about nearly everything there is to think about on a run. it was a great afternoon. the sun is setting earlier and earlier as the days get shorter and winter looms in the near future. the temp was warm for most of the day today, but the chill was evident as the sun descended behind the hills and buildings of the College. my legs were a little tired today after back to hourish runs over the weekend and the 7xhill workout yesterday on the Rocky Run trails before my strength training. hills are so much fun to do. I can’t imagine not running hill workouts. when they cease to be fun, I may cease to run…
tomorrow, I meet with the athletic director at Springfield to discuss my resignation, review the season, my tenure, and the future of the XC program. I appreciate the fact that Glenn wants my input on the direction the program needs to go. but, I’m not sure I have any answers for him. if I had a clear picture of the future of the program I might not be resigning. in fact, today was the first day I actually thought about withdrawaling my resignation and heading back for another year. I love coaching cross country and would like to continue to do so. I do not really want to be a principal, that urge has faded again. however, I do not want to, nor can I see myself teaching elementary art in two-three-or five years. that is the dilema I face. most of my colleagues and friends try to convince me that a Master’s Degree for the increase in pay would make it easier for me to hang on doing what I am currently doing. but, it has never been and will never be about the money for me. if it was about money, I would have majored in business or stayed in retail moved into management and then upper management etc. or, I would have put more energy into real estate as a career or second career. but, the $ is not the over-riding issue for me. the issue for me is the challenge, the intellectual exercise, the comfort in knowing I like what I do. as an art teacher, that has come to me on those rare occassions that I have had students with talent and intellectual curiosity. force-feeding crap lessons to less-talented students does not interest me. I know that teachers are supposed to be interested in helping everyone in the class and be satisfied with students who are “doing they’re best“…but, I would rather have talented kids at the upper levels of the subject area who can draw and paint, but need guidance in the finer points of the process. that is not happening in my current job any time soon. a career shift is in-order, I am just figuring out which way to pivot.
possibly a rest day tomorrow- more time to think about what is next…
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with apologies to R. Frost…
the woods were muddy, dreary and deep and I had miles to run before I sleep, miles to run before I sleep…
it was a perfect JI day on the trails yesterday. the mud was ankle deep in some areas, the puddles unavoidable, and the trails were mostly barren (there were only four other people visible on my entire hour run). I ran a course I often run to gauge my fitness. I enter the trails off the multi-use trail near Barren Rd and run a fairly direct path to the gate of the Tyler Arb. on a good day, it takes about 22 minutes to traverse the approx. 5k distance. and then I reverse course and make a few detours on the yellow and white blazed trails. the return path leads me through meadows that in Spring are filled with color- birds flying, wild flowers blooming…this time of year, the meadows are mostly yellowish green and the grass paths are leaf covered in a kaliedoscope of color from the variety of leaves that have fallen. i felt an amazing feeling that often comes over me on the trails at Ridley Creek State Park (RCSP). I thought about all the times I’ve been there, dating back to the late 1980s with my then girlfriend. we would hike the trails and sit on a large rock to chat about the future we thought we’d have, life in general, and we’d check out the beauty of the rolling hills of Delaware County. those great memories have been repeated with friends and lovers and family. there have been many great days of celebrating all that is wonderful in life. yet, there have also been times when I went to those same trails to mourn and contemplate life’s big questions. it is where I went to find solace after several deaths that have touched me in the last 20 years. it is where I went to clear my head after my marriage dissolved and divorce was immenent. I have even, at times, referred to it as Our Lady of the Trails and spent Sunday mornings there rahter than at church. there is a unique oneness with nature and creation that happens when trail-running. it is a feeling that I have cherished for years and continue to enjoy now and in the future.
today, for the first time in weeks, I have been able to run back-to-back one hour (55-60 min) runs. after the trails yesterday, I decided to hit the XC course at rose tree park this afternoon. I ran the perimeter of the park and then the course my team has used for the last three seasons and finished with another loop of the trails and perimeter of the park. the course was not as wet as I thought it would be after three days of rain. there was a car show in the park and the hot rods and customs added some nice scenery to the run. nothing like the smell of motor oil emanating from a great 60s and 70s American muscle car. I like my Honda, would love to drive a bmw or audi, but the great muscle cars produced in this country in the late 60s and early 70s are beyond compare. they look cool, sound cooler and will forever be special to anyone who was a kid during those days. sure, they guzzle gas and were not as safe or aero-dynamic as modern cars. but, they flat out kicked ass.
back-to-back longer run days, with an added hour+ weight training session yesterday, have me feeling a little tired. the rest of the day is going to be a take it easy day…have to go get a few things at the store, but other than that- it is relaxtion time…
run happy…
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