Running Chris

Back to reality...sort of

2008-01-09T04:17:00.000-05:00

All good holidays come to an end. I'm back in North Western Province in Zambia now and it's not quite the tropical paradise Zanzibar is.

We spent the last few days of the trip in Stonetown. None of us wanted to leave but as we were all out of money we had to. I'm sure I'll be back in Zanzibar some day though.

I am glad to get a start on 2008. This is another year of big change. I'll be done with the Peace Corps in four months and I am in the process of figuring out what is next. I've got a few ideas brewing but if you've got any ideas, shoot 'em my way. Especially of they involve more globe trotting.

New Years in Nungwi

2008-01-01T07:48:00.000-05:00

So we decided to go up to the town of Nungwi to celebrate the New Year. We couldn't find accommodation up there so we decided to organize a bus from Stone Town up.

We ended up having a really good time at a place called Kendwa Rocks. There were a lot of people from all over the world, good music, lots of drinks and some fireworks after the stroke of mid-night.

We stayed in Nungwi until about 5 am and then boarded the bus to head back to Stone Town. I got to watch the sun rise as we drove down the coast. It was a lot of fun and a great way to ring in the New Year.

I have now spent my last 2 new years celebrations in wonderfully tropical paradises. I wonder where I'll be next year.

Bweju

2007-12-31T07:03:00.001-05:00

I just got back to Stone Town after spending a few days over on the east coast of the island in a little village known as Bweju. The sand was as white as you can imagine. The water bluer than I have ever seen and the reefs we went snorkeling on were spectacular. We had some of the best food I have ever eaten in my life. It was hard to leave such a wonderful place but we are headed up to the Nungwi on the north coast for New Years. Should be fun.

Zimmie's First Christmas

2007-12-31T06:56:00.001-05:00

Little Zimster had his first Christmas this year. Wish I had been there for it but I was stuck in a tropical paradise. I'm sure I'll have plenty of good ones with him soon enough.

Stonetown

2007-12-25T09:24:00.000-05:00

So I arrived in Zanzibar a bit over a day ago and it's great. It's really tropical, has lots of white sand, teal water, friendly people and really good food. I just spent Christmas day siting on a beach enjoying a local beer and watching the tide come in.

Tonight we are headed to the fish market for what I can only describe as a veritable seafood buffet. There are tons of stands selling tuna, mackerel, lobster, prawns and tons of other fresh caught food. You pick what you want and they cook it right in front of you.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas.

The Train Ride

2007-12-24T04:06:00.000-05:00

So we decided to take the Tazara train from Zambia to Tanzania. It starts in Kapiri Mposhi and ends in Dar es Salaam. It took about 48 hours to get there. We had a good time and did a pretty good job of keeping ourselves occupied. It's nothing like the comforts of the Eurail but it got us from point to point and we got to see a good bit of the Zambian and Tanzanian country side.

Brett Rhi Chavis

2007-12-20T04:54:00.000-05:00

As most of you know now, my brother Brett passed away last June. I've been wanting to put something up here in remembrance of him but didn't quite know how to approach it.

Me and Brett were not the closest of brothers growing up, but as the years passed on and I became less and less of a twerp, we became best of friends. He took me in after I graduated from collage and had no idea what I wanted to do with myself. He was my biggest fan through my marathon running and exploits across the world starting my Peace Corps experience. It wasn't rare for me to be talking to some one and have them tell me that my brother had been going on about me just the other day. I'd like to think he's still telling people about me even though they have no clue who I am.

Brett will be greatly missed by many and it is definitely different with him gone.

...and 2007 is behind us.

2007-12-20T04:52:00.000-05:00

Well folks, 2007 has passed us by and, at least for me, it has gone by in a whirlwind. It has been an exciting year of ups and downs, but I seem to have survived it. At times I never thought 2008 would get here and I have to admit that I'm glad it is.

I want to wish you all happy holidays and the best in the new year.

Going back to Zambia

2007-07-29T02:34:00.000-04:00

Well it has been a crazy four weeks, but tomorrow I will be flying out of the states and heading back to Zambia. It was rather strange being back home but it was good to see so many people. Believe it or not but I think that I had more culture shock coming back here than when I arrived in Zambia some 14 months ago. Much is the same but a lot has changed at home in the time I've been gone.

This was my first time to meet my nephew Zimmie and he is a load of fun. I can't wait to get back next year and spend more time with him.

I also got the chance to go to the wedding of one of my best friends, Mark. This was my first time meeting his wife Tara and I think Mark is a lucky guy.

I have past the half way mark on my Peace Corps journey. I know that this next year is going to go by really fast and I can't wait for all the adventures.

Cape Maclear, Lake Malawi

2007-04-16T08:18:00.000-04:00

I just arrived back from a holiday in Malawi. Cape Maclear, which is on the southern end of Lake Malawi is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. my buddies and I just sat around drinking beer and relaxing on the beach for the entire long weekend. Malawi is definitely an awesome place and I highly recommend that you visit it some time.Matt, Jonn and Brett

Sunset at Fat Monkey's

Just A Little Problem

2007-04-16T04:19:00.000-04:00

Shukwe, the village I live in, has a little bit of an animal issue. We have entirely too many pigs, and with the pigs comes jiggers. Jiggers are basically fleas that come from pigs. The problem is that they like humans as much as they like pigs. They burrow into your skin and lay there eggs and usually the result is some kind of infected wound. Our jigger infestation mixed with the rainy season resulted in me having jungle rote on my feet on several occasions over the rainy season. I thought i would share a little picture of what exactly that is. Oh, and this is no where near as bad as it got other times.

The Sunsets

2007-04-04T02:46:00.000-04:00

So...we are just finishing up with the rainy season and we have the most spectacular sunsets during the rainy season. This particular one seemed to pop out of no where while I was eating dinner outside my house. I think it was a totaly awesome scene and wanted to share it with you guys. Enjoy!

Just Call Me Uncle Topher

2007-03-15T08:34:00.000-04:00

Well the long awaited arrival to the family is finally here. John Zimariah Killian was born on February 26Th 2007. I unfortunately will not get to meet him until August but I am sure Frank and Lora will be telling him all about Uncle Topher's exploits in Africa.

Back To The Village

2007-01-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

I am headed back out to the village now after a month long break away. I hope that my farm is in good shape and I am sure the locals are very busy with their own farms. Work will be a little slow over the next few months as people have all shifted to the fields for the rest of the growing season.

I hope that everyone had as awesome of a 2006 as I did and that 2007 is even better.

Peace, Love and Happy New Starts!

Topher Does Tofo

2007-01-07T06:47:00.000-05:00

This year for the holidays i went to Tofo Mozambique with my friend Jeremy. It was absolutely spectacular. Gorgeous beaches, great people and loads of fun.

Mozambique is probably one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. There were blue sky's, teal water and coconut palms every where. We ate sea food every day and had some awesome local beers.

We spent most of our days scuba diving, body surfing, siting on the beach and hanging out with the locals. The diving was unbeatable and Tofo is full of pristine reefs all up and down the coast.

I've uploaded some pictures from the trip so check them out. Just click on one of the images.

We're in the big city now boys

2006-12-13T13:00:00.000-05:00

So I am in Lusaka now for my In Service Training. It's a bit of a shock after being in Northwestern Province for the last four months. It's a typical big city with all the perks that go along with it. Having a good time seeing everyone from training. I am only here until the 20th and then it is on to Tofo Mozambique for the holidays.

Happy Holidays!

Philosophy Of The Storm

2006-12-09T20:50:00.000-05:00

Have you ever just sat and watched a thunderstorm? I do all the time, and it doesn't make me wierd at all.
When I was a little kid I used to love to sit and watch, and also play in, the awesome thunderstorms we would get in central Florida. I still do today as well! Thunderstorms here in Zambia seem to be a most spectacular event to behold.
We are well into the rainy season over here and mother nature has been putting on some spectacular shows for us. These storms are an invigorating, life giving and calming experience all in one for me.
Each storm seems to have it's own personality that unfolds before you as though you were in the audience of the biggest theatre ever: The World. Some are slow peaceful rains that last all afternoon, while others are fierce and violent and push there way through in a mater of minutes. Of course, there's the mesmerizing heat storms that seem to turn the clouds into a larger than life light show that dances across the sky like a graceful ballerina.
Storms are mother nature's way of forming the world as she sees fit. Like a paint brush on a canvas, these storms alter and shape the world into a masterpiece.
So...if you haven't enjoyed a storm lately, I really think you should try it. If you don't have any where you are, we've got plenty here in Zambia and you are more than welcome to come and join me in Shukwe and enjoy the show.

Three Months Deep

2006-11-19T03:36:00.000-05:00

I am now about a week into my fourth month of service here in Zambia and in total I have been in country now for 5 1/2 months. I've covered 1700 kilometers. (That's 1054 miles for those of you who still have not figured out the metric system) on my bike, read 14 books, learned a lot of Kikaonde, started cultivating my hectare of land (That's 50 meters by 50 meters or 164 by 164 feet making about 2/3's of an acre for those that are still metrically challenged) tried a bunch of new experiences and made a lot of friends. Zambia is both an amazing and strange place to me, but it's beginning to grow on me and I am really happy to be here.

I have added a bunch of pictures to Topher Chavis Photography. Check them out.

Zambian Independence Day

2006-11-19T03:32:00.000-05:00

October 24th is Independence Day here in Zambia and Shukwe Basic, the school I live next to, had a daylong celebration. There was dancing, singing, drama, poetry and history. There are tons of kids in the town of Shukwe and they love to have a good time.
Zambia was celebrating its 42nd year of independence since the end of colonial rule. The people are fiercely proud of their country and heritage and love sharing it all with people from around the world; like me.

Chisemwa Cha Lunda

2006-11-19T03:15:00.000-05:00

Back in September I had the chance to visit another part of Northwestern Province, Mwinilunga. I was up there for the annual Lunda festival, Chisemwa Cha Lunda. This festival is held at the end of the dry season to usher in the rainy season and bring about good harvest for the people in the coming months. We were hosted by Chief Kanongesha at his palace during the festival.
The festival was a lot of fun. Great dancing, great entertainment and great people. It was the first of what I hope will be many cultural experiences here in Zambia.

Change is good right?

2006-10-21T03:29:00.000-04:00

Well folks, I've made a few changes to the site. I thought it was time to do a little house cleaning. I hope you like whats been done. And if you don't, it's your problem.

Enjoy!

Mufumbwe Times

2006-10-20T15:29:00.000-04:00

Just back from spending a full month out at site, I am in Solwezi to take care of some business and to have a little R&R. Things are going great out at site. I am getting to know a good bit of the people in the village and work is starting to pick up a little. The rainy season is starting up and all the people are busy preparing their fields for the growing season. I have not determined yet if or what I am going to grow this season, but I do hope to grow something. The villagers are very excited to teach me about farming in the bush of Zambia.When I return to site I hope to spend another month long stretch out. From what I have been told, the farther you are into your service, the less chance you have to spend large chunks of time out at site. So I want to take advantage of these first few months as much as I can.

At Home At Site!

2006-09-07T21:18:00.000-04:00

Well folks, I am now back in Solwezi after a two week stint in the lovely town of Shukwe. My first stay in the bush went over very well. I have met many people in the community that it looks like I might be working with and I have settled into my new house quite well. The people in the village are great and they are very excited to have me there for the next two years.
I live in Kilaka Village within the town of Shukwe. The Kilaka Family has become my adoptive family and has helped me become part of the community. Mrs. Kilaka is a wonderful cook and I eat with the family at least once a day. Mr. Kilaka is very involved in the community and has been a great help in my meeting of the folks I will be working with.
Life in the bush is led at quite a different pace than we are used to in the states. People always have the time to stop and talk and everyone is very close within the community. Everyone is very welcoming and is completely interested in what ever it is that you might be discussing with them at the moment.
I do have to admit that the slow pace of things in the village is going to take some getting used too. But the comfort of good people and, at times, a good book cures what ails you in a jiffy. The people of Shukwe are very interested in teaching me as much about their culture as they can in two years and I am stoked to be getting started on this endeavor.
All the extra time in the village gives you a lot of time to think about things and reconsider the way in which you look upon the world. I am sure that this experience is going to change me in more ways than I can know at this early stage. I know it sounds a bit cliché, but it's true. When you meet someone that wants nothing other than to have the ability to grow enough food in the next rainy season to feed their family all year long, it makes you rethink some of the priorities you hold in your life.

I will hopefully be adding some pictures to my flickr site in the next few days so check back very soon! I hope that all is well in the states.

Peace, Love and Happy Moments of delightful stupidity!

Topher

Offical PCV!

2006-08-18T05:50:00.000-04:00

Hello Folks,
It has been a while since I last gave you an update. Sorry. I am now an official Peace Corps Volunteer! We had our swear in last Monday and I am now in Solwezi preparing to go to site. I will be moving to Shukwe on Monday August 21. Shukwe is in the Mufumbwe District and lies about 225 K outside of Solwezi. I was able to meet a few of the other volunteers that work in Mufumbwe and they seem like a really great group. I am really looking forward to moving to site and getting to know all my counterparts and neighbors in the village.
I can't believe I have been in Zambia now for over two months. Time has been flying by here so fast. I have learned a lot and I am becoming fairly proficient in Kikaonde. I was even chosen to represent my language class at swear in by giving a speech in Kikaonde. Communicating will be interesting once I get to site. It will be nice to be around a lot of people that speak Kikaonde but there are a lot of people in my catchment that speak other languages like Lunda, Lozi and Chokwe. Bemba is even becoming more prevalent due to the influx of mining business in the province.
One of the projects I will be involved in as LIFE volunteer is seed multiplication here in Zambia. We were given a whole bunch of seeds and it will be great working with the local farmers and on my own to grow some of these plants. I am hoping to keep a pretty good garden while at site. This will allow me to grow most of what I eat and it should be a lot of fun, and I will probably never have as much time to work on a garden as I will while I'm here in Zambia.
I hope that everyone is doing just swell back in the states and I really love hearing from you folks. So keep the letters and the e-mails a com'en. I will let you know soon of my new mailing address here in Solwezi.

Peace, Love and Happy Trails!

Topher

Six Weeks Down!

2006-07-23T10:16:00.000-04:00

Hey folks,
I have now been in Zambia for just over six weeks. I just arived in Lusaka after a one week site visit to Northwestern Province (My new home). It seems to be an awesome place and I am looking forward to living and working there. I will be here in Lusaka at Kasisi Farm for about a week of training and then it is back to Kitwe for two more weeks of training. I sware in (Baring any complications) on August 15th. I hope that everyone is doing well and thanks for the letters.

Cheers!

Mafloquine Dreams

2006-07-01T09:17:00.000-04:00

Hello Everyone,
It is the first of July and I have been in Zambia now for about three weeks. Things are going great and I am learning a lot. I had my first eval in Language yesterday and it went well. I am learning all sorts of bits and peices about the culture and My program(LIFE).
A few of you have sent me some mail and I thank you. Keep it coming! It takes about 10 to 12 days for it to get over here. My only access to the rest of the worl is the BBC and I think it is turning me British. It is great to hear from everyone.
As you can tell fromt he title of the post, I am on Mefloquine for my Maleria Profylaxis. It is fine except for the crazy side-effects. I am having some pretty crazy dreams, but ther fun. The food is great and my Bamaama loves to cook my favorites for me.
Last week I got to watch Ghana and Brazil go at it on the pitch in a bar in Mwekera Zambia called the Miombo Club. My new friend Josh and I enjoyed the game with some Zambians over a few nice, cold Orange Fantas. It was great. These almost sureal moments seem to happen a lot in Zambia. I guess it's just one of the hazards of traveling the world.
Anyways, I've got to get going.
Peace, Love and Happy Fourth!

Three Old Souls

2006-05-22T19:04:00.000-04:00

Last week I took five days and visited my grandparents in Florida.

I started out the week in Crestview FL. It's in the panhandle west of Panama City Beach. Zeich and Cleo Chavis have lived there for five decades now. We spent our time sitting in the living room and talking about the past, the future and the latest neighborhood gossip. Granny always knows what's going on. Grandpa is soon to be 92 and he has a tendency to fall asleep while talking to folks. Granny always gets on to him for it (even though she does it herself) but I told her that after being around as long as he has and doing everything that he has done, he deserves to take a nap when ever he feels like it. As Grandpa worked his way around the kitchen preparing dinner, Granny was inquiring if I had run across any of the vast number of relatives I have here in North Carolina. Occasionally she would shout up to Grandpa to illicit a reaffirmation of what she had just told me. He usually responded with a quick "yup". I'm not sure if he really knew what she had said, but after 62 years of marriage, Grandpa has learned just to agree sometimes. I think that they had a hard time grasping just exactly where I was going and why I was going there. But they liked it either way.

The second part of the week was spent in Orlando visiting my mom's mother, Dot Revels. She is in a nursing home over there. I'll just put it how she likes to state it and say that she is having trouble remembering things. With 6 children, 10 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren, Mama Dot has spent many years as the nucleus of a large and close family. It is sad that she can't remember everything but she seems to be in good spirits and is enjoying life day to day. One persistent thought in her head seemed to be of Grandpa Carl, her husband that died back in the late 70's. She talks of missing him and how he would enjoy hearing about all of his family’s exploits. It's amazing that her love for him is still so strong after almost 30 years of living without him. I guess he really never left her.

I don't know that I have ever just sat there for a few hours and talked with my grandparents. It was great to sit there and listen to them talk about family, when they were young and the joys of growing old together. You can't help but try and soak in everything they say. I'm not sure how at this point in my life, but I can't help but think that these three people played some part, be it major or minor, in me deciding to do what I am setting out to do.

2006-05-12T11:11:00.000-04:00

Well folks, I have about 23 more days here in the states. I am in semi-retirement right now and it is great. I can't imagine trying to get all of the stuff I am doing done if I were still working. I am headed down to Florida next week to see a lot of the extended family, and after that it is back to North Carolina to hang out for about two weeks. All of the pieces are falling into place and every time I check something off my list of things to do before I leave it hits me even more, the gravity of what is about to happen in my life. My excitement has driven me to sleepless nights and daydreaming.

Part of my list of things to do includes indulging in the finer things in life before I go. Watching some classics like "Ferris' Bueller's Day Off" and "Snatch". Eating lots of ice cream and rediscovering why I liked Little Debbie Oatmeal Crème Pies so much as a little kid. Drinking a tall, cold pint of PBR and knowing that it is cheap beer. I am sure I will miss all of these things while I am gone, but I can rest easy knowing that they will be waiting for me when I come back.

I have added my address during training in the site and I would love to hear from folks while I am over there. Believe it or not, but you can go ahead and start sending letters and such over in the next week or so and It will arrive at about the time I get there.

Day Without A Mexican

2006-05-01T23:53:00.000-04:00

For anyone that did not know, today was the day that Mexican immigrants either walked out of or did not come to work in protest of the recent actions taken by the US government. My day was effected by this as I am an employee in the service industry which relies heavily on immigrant workers. About half of our kitchen staff did not work today. Everything worked out ok except we were without a dishwasher and busser’s the entire day. Fonte stepped in and helped do the dishes at night, however. During lunch things went smoothly. The servers would take turns doing dished when their tables didn't need much and we got the job done. The night shift was a different story. By 7pm Fonte was far behind on doing the dishes. Usually the dishwasher has the help of a few busser’s to get the job done. By 8pm a few of us servers no longer had tables and went back in the dish-pit to help Fonte get caught up. I ended up spending about two hours back there and it was some of the hardest and hottest work I have ever done. I am not quite sure where I stand on the whole immigration issue yet, but it is clear to me now that this country quite possibly could not function without the immigrant work force that we have. We were able to make things work out for the day, but I could not imagine having to do this for an extended period of time. Besides, this country should not take for granted the fact that just about our entire population has some form of immigration in its history. There are certain sacrifices that have to be made if American's want to keep the kind of lifestyles they lead and we should not be so quick to dismiss a part of our population that has become a major part in the way our society functions.

Marathon Monday!

2006-04-18T23:21:00.000-04:00

Well it is now Tuesday and the Boston Marathon has come and gone. I did not quite hit the time I wanted to, but all in all I would say it was a successful day. I finished 427th with a time of 2:50:18. There were right around 20,000 runners at the race and the weather was perfect. Robert Cheruiyot finished in 2:07:14 beating the old Boston record by just one second. Rita Jeptoo came in first for the women in 2:23:38.

Team Raleigh Running Outfitters was well represented at the race with close to ten runners.

I have to admit that the Boston Marathon was one of the most fun races I have ever done. The course is quite challenging and the crowds were awesome. With the passing of every town as we got closer to the city it seems as though the crowds just got bigger and louder. I am definitely going to run Boston again some day.

Now that Boston has passed I am on to even more exciting things in my life. There is just under 7 weeks left until I head out for Africa. I got to meet Libby, Katie and Brette this weekend while in Boston. These three ladies will be a part of the group of PCT that I am going over with. I am getting really excited to finally get this adventure off the ground. Not much longer and I will be doing my training runs in the bush of Zambia.

Cheers.

"Blue skies knocking at my door"

2006-04-09T15:31:00.000-04:00

Early today I was laying on the hammock in the backyard starring up through the trees and I was mesmerized. The sky was a deep shade of blue that I rarely have seen. The depth of the color was so that it almost looked as though the sky was flowing like currents in a meandering river. There wasn't a cloud in site and through the mosaic created by the branches of our tree, the sky seemed magical.

One week from tomorrow I will be competing in my first ever Boston Marathon. I am really stoked and the lack of running due to my tapering is driving me nuts.

I am now less than two months away from being a Zambian resident. It's almost surreal in a way. If you had asked me a year and a half ago what I would be doing for the next few years, I really don't think I would have answered in the way things are panning out. The next couple of months should be fun and my growing excitement is about to burst my body into a million pieces.

I hope everyone is doing well and not taking life too serious. Get out and have some fun folks. You only live once.

Sweet Dreams

2006-04-04T00:17:00.000-04:00

For the past few weeks I have had the strangest of sleeping habits. I seem to fluctuate between getting 4 hours of sleep and 9 hours of sleep. I think it is in part due to the amount of training I have been doing for Boston. My body seems to be so tired it can't go to sleep. But then there are the nights that I lay there in bed for hours thinking about what will be when I finally get to Zambia. I know that the marathon has invaded my entire consciousness now. Every night at least part of my dream -if not all of it- seems to involve me running the race. Sometimes it is a realistic view of what my crazy mind has conjured up about the course. Other times it is a surreal interpretation of no race I have ever competed in. I have always had some strange dreams, but never have they been so overtaken by one event in my life.

Zambia, however, has not been completely pushed out of thought by the race. Even my days have turned into a dream like state in which I am conjuring up ideas for what can be done while I am in Zambia and what great adventures I will come across. Needless to say, this has accounted for more than one brain fart while trying to meet the needs of my many tables at work. But seeing as I work at a pizza joint called "Mellow Mushroom", most people don't seem to expect that much out of us.

Over the past week it has really hit me that I am moving out of the country for at least 2 1/2 years in just about 2 months. I have been trying to figure out how I am going to go and hang out with just about everyone I know in such a short amount of time. I guess if I don't get around to seeing everyone, they will just have to come and visit me in Africa.

Well, I suppose I should get to bed now. I can't wait to see what twisted adventures my brain has waiting for me tonight.

Less Than Three Weeks Left!

2006-03-28T09:18:00.000-05:00

Well folks, there is just under three weeks left until Marathon Monday. I finished out last week at around 84 miles on the road. I am now starting my taper. From here on out the main goal is to stay healthy and to start fueling up for the race. It sounds like I might have a posse from the group of folks I am going to Zambia with cheering me on at the race. With that and all the folks that are going from Team Raleigh Running Outfitters, the support should be great.

On the Zambian side of things: there are about 69 more days until I meet up with my future compadres in Philly. I am still working on getting the things I will need to take with me and there is still a little bit of paper-work to do. I get more and more excited to be leaving with each and every passing day.

I have purchased an address book so that I might be able to write I few people while I am in Zambia. I have a few folks addresses but seeing as how I have used e-mail to communicate for the past decade or so, I don't have that many. I am planning on still using e-mail, but my internet access may be very limited while I am in the bush. If you would like to receive mail from me e-mail me your address to topher.chavis@gmail.com . My address during training is as follows:

Chris Chavis/PCT
Peace Corps
P.O. Box 21527
Kitwe, Zambia

Letters take about 10 days and packages take about 3 weeks. I will post this address on the website permanently once I am closer to departure time so you do not have to go searching through months of archived posts to find it. I am really keen on writing letters and I am looking forward to doing it again.

ASU Cycling

2006-03-19T12:58:00.000-05:00

Just got back from the NCSU Cyling races and I uploaded a few of the pics into my flickr account. Click here to go to the images.

Que Sera, Sera

2006-03-19T00:15:00.000-05:00

Well this week was an interesting one at least. It was full of highs and lows. Work sucked (I'm gonna leave that one alone), I got my new Chaco's in the mail, I injured my ankle and couldn't run for 3 days, and I found out that my good friend Katie will not have her adventures to Vanuatu delayed by her ankle woes. All is well though, as the week is coming to an end. Work still sucks, but hey...it always has. My ankle is all better and I got a 12 mile run in this morning. And to top it all off, I got a call from my good friend Justin from Boone last night and apparently he and the ASU cycling team are in town for a race at NCSU. I'm gonna ride down and watch them tomorrow and try and catch up with all the guys.

The Promise

2006-03-14T02:08:00.000-05:00

So it's 2 o'clock in the morning and I can't sleep. It's not that my mind is racing about running and Africa like it usually is. I just don't seem to want to go to sleep. It might be due to the fact that I was unable to run today. Over the weekend in, what I can only explain as an overuse injury, I hurt my ankle while in the midst of a 12 mile run. I'm not sure what it is but resting and icing seem to be making it go away.

It's strange, the things you think about at 2 o'clock in the morning when you can't sleep: the future...the past...what your doing in the present. I am so anxious to get to Africa and start doing something that seems like it matters that I catch myself going to work each day and just blanking out while I think about what the future is going to bring. One minute I'm greeting my first table and the next I am out the door and driving home.

I have made a promise to myself and I am putting it on here so that someone out there might hold me to my word some day. I never want to stay in a situation in which I feel like I'm in a rut. I have to admit that I do not ever see myself having your typical 9 to 5 job. It's just that it seems like there is so much more out there, so much more that can be done, and to settle for a secure job and a nice paycheck would be a cop out. I am not try to put anyone down, I just think that if you don't have a passion for what you are doing, why are you doing it?

Well, if you are still reading this you have listened to me go on for long enough. I just wanted to get that out there. Hope to be back out there running soon.

Spring Knocks

2006-03-05T12:51:00.000-05:00

This week Mother Nature really began to show the first signs of spring. The tree's are in bloom and the temps are warming up. We almost hit 80 on Thursday and I took advantage of it by taking a nap on the hammock in the backyard.

The warmer weather is proving good for my training. I did another 71 miles this week and hope to bump up closer to 80 this week as the weather is supposed to be nice once again. We did an upside-down ladder speed workout this past Tuesday (2 miles, 1 1/2 miles, 1 mile, 1/2 mile and 1/4 mile with a 1/2 mile recovery in between each) I did our mid-week long run on Wednesday but ended up doing the last 6 miles or so by myself.

We had a few more people join the Zambia June '06 group we have going and everyone is getting stoked to get our adventures underway. There seems to be a diverse group of people from all over the country going with us. Just a few more months and we'll be there.

My Brothers Pit-bull Is A Sissy

2006-02-28T10:08:00.000-05:00

My brother Brett has a pit-bull named Cassius, and he's a bit of a sissy. I was clipping his nails this morning after he about ripped the top of my foot off last night running around the house. The entire time I was using the nail clippers he was squirming around like the world was going to end. I just don't understand how a dog that can be trained to kill could turn out to be a big sissy.

We are about 7 weeks away from the Boston Marathon. I am feeling great as my training progresses and seem to be getting tons of miles under my belt.

I am still preparing for my big jump across the pond. I have been working lately on all the paperwork that goes along with my trip to Zambia. It's soooo much fun, believe me. I've got 100 more days until I leave.

A Great Day

2006-02-21T21:43:00.000-05:00

Have you ever just had a great day? Not necessarily an extraordinary day, but a truly great day. Well I had one today. I woke up feeling great after having slept for a little under 9 hours. Had a good breakfast and did some stretching. Went to work, which turned out unusually good. The costumers seemed a tad more jovial than they usually are, and it showed in the tips. After work I walked outside to find that it was much warmer than I thought it was going to get today. Had a relaxing afternoon napping and hanging out with Cassius. And the workout I did with the RRO crew was excellent. We did 20 ¼-mile repeats with a 200-meter recovery in between. I felt better with the passing of each leg. To top it all off, I just got done eating a scrumptious chicken potpie from Whole Foods. It's funny how the little things in life make you feel awesome. Like I said, it was a great day. I hope you all have a great day soon!

Feel free to let me know about your Great Days in the comments section at the bottom of the post.

A Nice Cold 20

2006-02-19T12:27:00.000-05:00

We here in North Carolina seem to have skipped right past winter and gone into spring. There is a good side to this. Friday was sunny and in the mid 70's. There is also a bad side however. This morning as Mike, Ben, Sam, Paul, Greg, Bryan and I set out on our run, the thermometer was hovering right around 16 degrees. We did not let this stop us though. We set out to do 20 and at least some of us finished it.

After about 4 miles or so Jim, Sam, Greg, Bryan and I were distracted by a trail off to the left of where we were supposed to be going. We let Mike and Ben keep running ahead as we darted off on to the new trail that none of us had ventured on before. After about 11 miles we ended up back at the car. This is where Sam and Greg left us and Jim, Bryan and I kept running. Jim and Bryan ended up doing 16 miles and I finished out the last bit by myself to get in 20. I am sure Mike and Ben got in 20 as well but I will have to wait until tuesday to find out. I passed Mike as I was approaching the parking area and he tried to persuade me into doing a little more on the single track with him. I politely declined and ran the last couple of minutes back to the car.

All in all it was a very good run. I got my 20 miles in, which is what I wanted to do, and we had a little fun doing it. Maybe next time I do a 20 mile run mother nature will give me some warmer weather.

More Pictures

2006-02-13T16:57:00.000-05:00

Here are a few more pictures from the marathon relay on Sunday:

A brisk run in the park

2006-02-12T23:09:00.000-05:00

Today eight other folks from the RRO team and I participated in an informal marathon relay race over in Greensboro with a bunch of folks from the Off n' running store. It was, to say the least, a very cold morning but was still a whole bunch of fun. The course was a one and a half mile loop around Country Park. We took turns running laps and I ended up doing a total of about six miles for my team.

The week did not turn out how I thought it would in terms of mileage. I only did 58 miles and I had planned to do a little over 70. It might have been a good thing though. I was having some problems with injuries and in the last part of the week I was hit with a head cold. I think it was my body telling me to take an easy week. We'll see how it helps me in the days to come.

The return to normal

2006-02-05T13:33:00.000-05:00

I know...it's been a while since I last did and update. All I can say is that I'm a slacker. I've been a little busy the past two weeks and I neglected a few things.
My running is going great. I did a 20 miler this morning with Sam and Mike and it felt great. That took me to 64 miles for the week. I am hoping to do a little over 70 this coming week. Only about 10 weeks left until Boston. The time seems to be flying.
I am still going crazy waiting until I leave for Zambia. If it weren't for training for Boston, I think I might have gone completely insane already. I have been learning all sorts of things about my future home and meeting people that are already over there and will be going over in June with me. I've got about 120 days of agony left! Can't wait!

The Krispy Kreme Challenge

2006-01-21T20:03:00.000-05:00

Today I participated in a most unusual event. It is known as the Krispy Kreme Challenge. We started at the Bell Tower on the campus of N.C. State University, raced two miles to a local Krispy Kreme, ate one dozen doughnuts and then raced back the two miles to the Bell Tower. I can honestly say that I will probably never eat another doughnut in my life. I was able to eat all 12 of them and finish the race. My time was somewhere around 35 minutes, but we are still waiting for the official times to be posted.

I was talked into this whole thing by none other than my friends Sam and Bryan who I run on the RRO team with. Sam made a good showing and finished in around 32 minutes. Bryan, on the other hand, embarrassed his homeland of Ohio and was only able to to swallow down three doughnuts. As Sam said this afternoon, this is one of those events in which you participate once so as to be able to tell people you did it, but I don't think I will do it again.
I hope to have more pictures of the race soon. Keep checking back.

My legs hurt

2006-01-17T08:20:00.000-05:00

So, getting back into a heavy running routine is not the easiest thing on your body. This past weekend I did 15 miles with Bryan and Sam and it felt horrible. I think I might have increased my long runs to fast. But I did finish and I am still alive. I guess having crap runs is par for the course when you are training for a marathon. My legs felt pretty good on Monday when I did 8 miles. I have a good speed workout coming this evening and my legs feel like they have shaken off any remnants of irritation from Sunday.

I wanted to mention a long time reader of the site Jeff. Jeff, as he likes to say, is invested in me now, after reading all my ramblings on the site. I am trying to get him to run a marathon with me, but have thus far been unsuccessful.

A thought.

2006-01-12T22:32:00.000-05:00

Have you ever really payed atention to the lyrics of a song. Or even taken the time to find the lyrics and read them. Well today I did. I was listening to the song "What ever it is" by Ben Lee. The lyrics contain some pretty profound advice if you ask me.

Are you changing?
Do you know it?
Do you feel it?
Do you know?
But you're waiting
While your waiting
Why are you waiting?
Just do it - whatever it is

You never know what might be coming your way tomarow, so why not answer the call today. What's really the worst that could happen?

Its so quiet
and youre dreaming
I turn to you and say
"awake is the new sleep"
So wake up
and do it - whatever it is
just do it - whatever it is

Quit dreaming about what you can do with your life and do it. Besides, no one likes the guy who is all talk and no game. What's really the worst that could happen?

Cranking the millage back up

2006-01-08T11:33:00.000-05:00

This weekend saw the return of a little cool weather to the Raleigh area. It also made for some good running. I took friday of and did an eight mile run out at Umsted on Saturday and did another eight miles from the RRO store on Sunday. It feels really good to be getting back into my running. Another couple of weeks and I will be back into the high millage days. I should have a good week of running coming up as well. The weather looks like it should be pretty nice.

Good Week of Running

2006-01-05T09:06:00.000-05:00

This week is proving to be a great week for getting back into my regular running reutine. The temp's have been a little above normal and the rain hasn't been that bad. I am getting my milage back up and the workouts are going great. Another week and I will be back into the full swing of things. No time goals as of yet for Boston. Have to wait and see how the trainging goes, but I would like to finish down around 2:40. We'll have to wait and see.

Welcome 2006

2006-01-01T21:55:00.000-05:00

Well it's a new year and it is time to look to the future. A year full of fun, excitement and unmeasurable change is coming my way and I am ready to take it on. I was talking with a Zack, a guy I work with, and we were talking about what I had coming up in the next few months. He pointed out that in April I will be doing the Boston Marathon and not two months later I will be moving to another continent. I had not looked at that way. In a span of seven weeks I will be achieving two of my goals in life. Wow. The next five months of my life are gearing up to be quite and exciting time. I feel very fortunate that I am able to do the things a have done and will be doing in the future.

I was reading an article today from the BBC about the increasing problems with the drought and food shortages in Zambia. The World Food Programme, which is in charge of supplying food to the thousands of Angolan and Congolese refugees in Zambia, reported today that due to decreasing aid from around the world they will have to half the amount of food being supplied. The Zambian people, who have been helping the refugees in what ever way they can, are now being hit hard by the ensuing problems and are not able to help as much as before. These people have nothing by Western standards and yet they are willing to go out of their way to help people they don't even know. That is what inspires me to go out and try and make a difference in the world. I am humbled by the task that awaits me and I look forward to everything it brings with it.

You Broke My Will

2005-12-29T23:03:00.000-05:00

Tonight I went and ran with the guys out at RRO. We started out the run with Jim saying to take it nice and easy. Well, I guess he forgot those words as we quickly ramped up the pace. By the time we got to about mile four, we were in what seemed to me to be an all out sprint. Although, it could have something to do with me just coming off of a brake. It felt good though. Kind of like an awakening for my legs. Not much longer now and those kinds of runs will feel like a walk in the park.

A little more then 15 weeks left until Boston!

Back In The Swing Of Things

2005-12-27T23:33:00.000-05:00

I am back in NC from fun and exciting trip to NYC. You can never truly know the size and energy of a city like New York until you visit it in person. We took in a good bit of the city on our short trip and had a lot of fun.

Now that I am back, it is time to get back to a good routine with my running. Only about 4 months left until Boston and I have a lot of work to do. Tonight I went and ran with the guys out at RRO and did a little over six miles. Lets just say it hurt a little bit. It's tough coming back after a week and a half brake, but I think the brake did me a lot of good. It should help me to get refocused on my training.

On the down side, being back means I will have to go back to work. I've got a full schedule through sunday. Everyone wanted off for New Years and that means those of us that are working are working a lot. It's OK though. When I get sick of my job, which I often do, I just remind myself that in a mater of five months or so I will be 6000+ miles away starting to do some real good in the world. Until then, it is my job to work as hard as I can here in Raleigh and get ready for the epic journey that lie before me. Every moment of everyday prepares us for, and has an effect on the moments to follow. We can either learn from the day to day occurrences, or we can let life just pass us buy without making a difference in the world. So we must slow down, or we might just miss something thats worth seeing.

At least thats how I see things.

In the Midst of the Holidays

2005-12-20T15:01:00.000-05:00

So, I have absolutely no desire to run on a regular basis right now. I have decided to go ahead and take a brake until after my visit to NYC in the next couple of days. I may get out and run tomorrow or thursday before we fly out, but I'm not making any promises. I think I just needed a brake. I didn't really take much of one after the marathon and I was training nonstop from january 1st up until the marathon. We'll see how things go.

I have begun the process of researching the things I need to get and take with me to Zambia for the Peace Corps. I am trying to avoid taking to much so that travel will be easy. I am told that many things are available there in the country and that there is no need for me to take them with me from the states. My goal is to come in well under the eighty pound limit on checked luggage we have for the flight.
I have been doing a lot of research on the country of Zambia as well. It is quite a fascinating place, but there are many problems that the country faces and fortunately it appears that they are taking them on full steam ahead. Work over there will be hard, but I think I am ready for it and I am ready to go. Just got to wait out the next five and a half months!

Cold Rainy Days Suck.

2005-12-15T15:45:00.000-05:00

I am supposed to be going on a run with the RRO group tonight, but there's no way I'm going running in that crap. I have been a bit of a slack the last two weeks for running but hopefully things will turn around next week. I've got to start getting ready for Boston.

On the Peace Corps side of things, I mailed in my passport and visa applications a few days ago and e-mailed my resumé and aspiration statement in this morning. I have met a few people that I will be heading over to Zambia with on the internet. Not that many yet but I think a good number of folks have not heard from their placement officers yet.

Jumping in to the Peace Corps!

2005-12-13T08:32:00.000-05:00

During my 2+ years in Zambia, I will be working on the LIFE Project; Linking Income, Food and Environment. This program is geared towards the preservation of the Game Management Areas (GMA) around Zambia and the build up of sustainable agriculture with in the communities surrounding them. I will live in a remote village and work with the locals to increase agricultural productivity, generate alternative income and teach environmental education. To get a little more detailed description, check out The LIFE Project link down in my Zambia Info box.

The Temptation of Bed

2005-12-11T08:59:00.000-05:00

Ok, so it's Sunday morning and I should probably be finishing up my run with all the guys up at RRO. Well, I'm not. Yesterdays run changed from a planed 8 to 10 miles into a good 13+ miler, thanks in small part to The Eagles little friend Nellie. We had a whole pack of dogs out for the run yesterday. Paul brought Xander and Mike brought Ivan as well. Nellie decided she wasn't getting enough action with us and wondered off with another group. We spent the next little while running back and forth looking for her. It was fun though. I can't complain.

Good Run For A Change

2005-12-09T08:23:00.000-05:00

I had an awesome run last night with the RRO crew. I ended up running with Brian. We did eight fairly easy miles and talked the whole way. I and my legs felt great after the run. I think that I might be starting to get over my laziness slump I've been in ever since the marathon.

On the Peace Corps frontier things are going great. I have accepted my invitation and have been reading about my assignment and researching things on the web just about any time I am not asleep or at work. I will do a post in the next week or so to tell everyone about my future volunteer role in Zambia.

Change Is Inevitable

2005-12-08T09:49:00.000-05:00

As you might have noticed I have changed the site a little bit. I've got way too much time on my hands and got board. It looks like I will be heading out of the country in about 6 months. While over seas I hope to continue using the blog. I will still be using this blog to chronicle my running exploits, but I will also be using it to chronicle the Peace Corps experience. I could start another blog, but that takes time and as I previously stated, I have way too much of that to be bothered with more responsibility. Wait...that's right, I'm just a little to lazy to do it. There will be more changes to come as I slowly learn to mess with the html code without screwing it up too much. Stay tuned to follow me around the world. You could make it fun like, say, Where's Waldo. I actually resemble Waldo on some level. But that's another topic.

A Sigh Of Relief

2005-12-06T23:24:00.000-05:00

I did a fairly easy workout with the guys tonight. We went over to North Hills Rd and did hill repeats. I was less than enthusiastic to find out that we would be doing ten of them, but I made it without keeling over. My leg seems to be getting better. It hardly bothers me any more.

I did, because of the leg, weasel out of the Mistletoe Half Marathon this past weekend. My parents, however, competed in the 5k and did quit well. Congratulations!

You might be wondering what the sigh of relief is for. I have received my invitation for the Peace Corps and now know when (June 2006) and where (Zambia) I will be going. I've been on pins and needles for a while now and it is great to finally know something. All I need to do know is plan out my next six months of running. I am certain that I will be doing Boston and I might do one other marathon, but I don't know yet.

Time fly's when your running fast! Cheers and good running!

Still Recovering

2005-12-05T10:19:00.001-05:00

I had a pretty good weekend of running. I went out to Umsted with the guys on Saturday and met them again at the store to run the greenway on Sunday. This was my first back to back run since the marathon. I have been sticking to going out every other day. My legs felt fine and my hamstring thing seems to have dissipated. It's nice to feel like I'm starting to get back some normalcy in my running.

Soggy Hill Repeats

2005-11-29T23:16:00.000-05:00

Tonight I did hill repeats with the guys. We did a quick warm-up out of the store and used a long gradual hill on Lynn road for our repeats. It has been a little warmer than usual for the past few days and we have been receiving some much needed ran. I just wish mother nature had chosen some other time than in the middle of our workout to make up for so much in such a little amount of time. Most of the guys did 6 repeats. I hung in there for 4 and when my hamstring started acting up again I called it a night. Brian, who is easing his way back into training, decided to join me for the easy jog back to the store.
Even though I am struggling a little with some leg issues, tonight's workout was pretty good. It was my first semi-hard workout since the marathon.
The RRO guys and I have started to swing ourselves into training for Boston. I am not sure I will be able to do Boston but I am going to go ahead and start training as though I am going to do it. I hope to work though the leg issues and get back into the swing of things here pretty soon.

I AM A SLACKER

2005-11-27T12:43:00.000-05:00

O.K. So I haven't been posting anything for the past couple of weeks. There are two simple reasons for that. I got a little lazy after the marathon and I simply have not been running that much. The lack of running was planed for the week following the race but as for the past week, I have been dealing with a tweaked hamstring. Because of all this I am thinking that I will not be doing the Mistletoe Half next weekend.
I am running some. I ran eight this morning and I have been going out every other day. The hamstring does seem to be getting better though. I do have to admit that this brake has been a nice change from the crazy training leading up to the marathon. Good running to all and I hope to see you out there soon.

First Post Race Run

2005-11-16T19:30:00.000-05:00

I did my first post race run today. I did an easy four miles around the neighborhood. My legs felt like crap for the first mile, but as I shook them out they felt just about back to normal by the end of the run. I am looking forward to getting back out there and starting up again.

THE RACE!!!

2005-11-13T08:33:00.000-05:00

It's the day after the race and it felt like my legs were broken when I woke up this morning. After thirteen weeks of training, everything came together for an awesome race. The weather was perfect, mid forties to fifties and sunny, and everyone was in great spirits. I felt great in the week leading up to the race and was ready to attack the race with a vengeance. Well, the hard work paid off. This was my first marathon and my primary goals were to finish the race, and try and get under 3 hours. I came in at 2:47:48. Crossing the line and seeing the time on the clock was one of the most exhilarating and awesome feelings I have ever had.
I think the entire race went great and I could not have asked for more. I went out for the first two miles with Ben, Craig and Sam but then had to make a pit stop. I miss judged my bladder at the start. After that I ran with Jim for a few miles. All of my mile splits were around 6:20 with a few down below 6:10 and two miles in the high six's and low seven's. My half marathon time was 1:23:17 and my average mile pace was 6:24.
The Richmond Marathon lived up to its reputation as being the friendliest marathon. From packet pick up to post race fun, everything went smooth. I would definitely recommend this marathon to anyone whether it's your first one or you are a seasoned pro. They made my first marathon an awesome memory that I will have for a long time.
I also think that there is something to be said about doing a big race like this with a group of friends. I have been training for the last year with the folks in the Raleigh Running Outfitters team. I would not have been able to do as well as I did with out the help and motivation of everyone. Thanks for running with me!
Well it's on to recovery and deciding the next big race. My next short-term goal is to do the Mistletoe Half Marathon in early December over in Winston-Salem. Hope to see everyone out running soon.

The Real Last Workout?

2005-11-08T23:26:00.000-05:00

So. When I said last Tuesday that I had done my last speed workout before the race...I lied. In my defense, I thought it was the last one. We did four by the 800 meter with a 400 meter recovery. The group consisted of Jim, Sam, Jennifer, Rob, Fila Chris, John and I. Chris was joining us after a brief hiatus due to a leg injury. Good to see you back out there Chris. It was a very easy workout. The legs felt great and I am feeling good about the race. Just a couple more runs to go. An easy 6 to 8 tomorrow and an easy short run on Friday. Four more days!

Nice and Easy Weekend

2005-11-07T23:17:00.000-05:00

This past weekend was a rather easy one as far as running goes. I did 8 on Saturday out at Umsted and 10 on Sunday out at the store. Both days with the RRO guys. It was a rather easy pace for both runs. My legs were feeling a little heavy on the runs. Signs that my legs are healing up from the heavy workouts of before and getting ready for the race. This week should be really easy. Just a few runs to loosen up the legs for Saturday. 5 more days!

Loving The Taper

2005-11-03T22:00:00.000-05:00

Tonight I did a very easy 6 miles with the RRO folks. I ended running with Kevin and Russ. We took it nice and easy. The more I taper for the race, the better my legs seem to feel. Not looking to do too much this weekend. Probably around 20 miles or less for the whole weekend. Only nine more days untill Richmond!

The Last Speed Workout

2005-11-01T22:04:00.000-05:00

Tonight's workout consisted of three 2 mile repeats. We did the repeats at about the same pace as we did our 2 mile repeats a couple of weeks ago. It was a good workout and I feel good. Ben pointed out during the workout that things seemed to be going very smooth since our legs are so fresh do to tapering. It is tough, though, cutting out the miles after so many weeks of high mileage.

Sunday Recovery

2005-10-30T11:49:00.000-05:00

Seeing as how I didn't need the miles, I decided to do a really easy, really short 4 miles this morning. It was great. I went slow and just enjoyed the scenery.

My friend Paul did the Marine Corps Marathon this morning and he just finished not long ago with a time of 2:54:25. Congratulations Paul on a great performance.

Chilly 20

2005-10-29T12:14:00.000-04:00

It's 6:30 AM Saturday morning, dark and cold as can be. Most Raleigh residents are sleeping comfortably in there beds, but where are the RRO guys; gearing up and preparing for a twenty mile run out at Umstead State park. I met up with Sam, Jim, Ben and John this morning to go for a little jog. I was a little dismayed when I walk up to my car at the house and find frost on the windshield. As we left on the run all I could think about was how cold it was and how the longer we went, the more numb I was getting. Come to think of it, I don't think it ever got any warmer even when the sun came up. It might have even gotten colder. Anyways we finished the run and though I was tired and could not feel any part o my body, it was a great run. This will be the last long run before the marathon in 2 weeks. I was happy to see that there were no big problems. Shoes felt great. Legs felt great and I felt like I am mentally ready to do the race. The closer it gets, the more excited I get about finally running it. These next two weeks shouldn't bring any thing too hard in terms of training. Time to freshen up the legs for the race.

8 Mile progressive Run

2005-10-27T23:35:00.000-04:00

Tonight we set out to do what was supposed to be a progressive run in which we progressively get faster as the run goes on. I guess you could say it was progressive, but we really went the same speed for the first 4 miles and ran at a faster speed for the last 4 miles. Either way, it was a good run. It was a bit chilly and it got dark quick, but that's how it is these days. I'll probably have a light day tomorrow and I am planning to do a 20 mile run on Saturday with the guys.

Everyone seems to be getting excited about the Richmond Marathon. The RRO group has a pool going on as to who will rank where in the group during the run. It looks like we will have around a dozen folks representing the group for the race. It looks to be a lot of fun.

1x3, 1x2, 1x1.

2005-10-25T21:47:00.000-04:00

Tonight the group opted to stay away from the track for some interval work. We did one 3 mile, one 2 mile and one 1 mile, with a recovery in between each. It was cold dark and windy for the workout. Not your first choice for a speed workout but it wasn't that bad. This was the workout I needed to shake out Sundays race from the legs.

Half Marathon Pics

2005-10-24T13:10:00.000-04:00

Heres a few pictures from the half marathon awards.

Jim

Sam

Fila Chris

Race Results

Easy Monday

2005-10-24T10:44:00.002-04:00

I did an easy 8 miles this morning. Just wanted to shake out the legs after the half marathon yesterday. It was cool and overcast this morning. I felt pretty good. Had a little soreness from the race but nothing to be concerned about.

Inside-Out Half Marathon

2005-10-23T22:56:00.000-04:00

Today I competed in the Inside-Out half marathon in Cary, NC. It was quit chilly and perfectly clear. Perfect racing weather. Raleigh Running Outfitters was well represented with over a dozen runners between the half marathon and the 10 K. I finished in sixth place with a time of 1:18 and some change, bettering my half time from three weeks ago by three minutes. Taking it easy for a few days after the leg problem on Wednesday seemed to have done it's job. My legs felt great during the run and there seem to be no post race problems. It was great to see everyone out at the race. Three more weeks till Richmond!

The Fright Night Run

2005-10-20T21:14:00.000-04:00

It's not even Halloween yet and we are already running into some freaky runs. Tonight I ran with the RRO group out at Shelly Lake. We did an 8 mile easy run that saw the group splitting up at the halfway point and taking two separate ways back. On the way out we encountered a bat in the tunnel we pass through and all I'll say is Ben and Fila Chris ended up screaming like little girls. My leg was bothering me for most of the run. Oh yeah, my right leg decided to flare up a little bit after my easy 8 mile run yesterday. I have no clue. Anyways, it was still a fun run and we did the last 3 miles in complete dark. That can make things interesting. I'm looking forward to some more cool weather this weekend.

Wednesday

2005-10-19T12:02:00.000-04:00

I just got back from an 8 mile easy run. I know, it seems a little late in the day to be doing my run but when you work in restaurant, it's easy to run any time of the day. Legs were a little sore from last nights workout but it only took a couple of miles to shake them out. Looks like the weathers going to be nice for the half marathon this weekend.

Four By The 2 Mile

2005-10-18T21:15:00.000-04:00

Tonight's speed workout had us doing four 2 mile repeats with a quarter mile recover between each. I'm not going to lie. It was a hard workout. I did the workout with my buddy Sam. We were both holding strong for all four of the repeats and Sam even put in a little bit of a kicker at the end of the fourth. Our times were 11:35, 11:31, 11:21 and 11:15. I'm pretty sure Sam was faster on the last one, but I'm not sure what his time was. Sams really good to do speed workouts with. He pushes you all the way to the end to make sure you do it right.

Easy Monday

2005-10-17T10:44:00.000-04:00

This morning I did get to my run until about 9:30. It was cold outside, we left the windows open last night, and I did not want to get out of bed this morning. It felt good to sleep in. I did an easy 6 miler with some striders thrown in at the end. Ben had done some striders at the end of our long run yesterday and Sam and I had been talking about them. So, I decided to go ahead and some. They really loosened up the legs. I really thought I was going to be lot more sore because my right hamstring was so tight last night. I was pleasantly surprised, however, when I awoke to a body that did not ache.

22 Miles And Love'n It

2005-10-16T13:09:00.000-04:00

Today Sam, John, Ben Shane and I did a 22 mile run. It was, to say the least, awesome. The weather was great. The pace was great. The jokes were great and all in all it was fun. Mike and Paul joined us for the first 15 miles. My legs are a little sore but it's that good kind of sore. You know, when your body is sore but all it really does is reminds you of what you have accomplished. I guess you might say it's part of the runners high. After we finished the first 20 miles it took a little leg twisting to get everyone to do the last 2 miles, but they gave in quickly. Sam informed me after the run that we have a bit of a doozey coming up for the speed workout on Tuesday. I guess all I can do is recover before hand and optimistically look forward to it.

Happy running and I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful weather.

Saturday Double Run

2005-10-15T17:19:00.000-04:00

Today I did a total of 14 miles. Eight miles in the morning with the guys and 6 mor in the afternoon by myself. The morning run was a little chilly, but Jim was looking to do a little bit of tempo, so we warmed up quick. The afternoon run was easy and the weather was great. Hope it stays like this for our long run tomarow.

This has nothing to do with running but I thought I would share it with everyone anyways. This is a nice little picture of my buddy Sam at his finest. Feel free to share it with everyone.

It's Just called North Hills

2005-10-13T21:25:00.000-04:00

Tonight we did a brisk 10 mile tempo run. We went out the Greenway from the store to the 5 mile marker. We then turned around and went back by way of North Hills. Once we hit North Hills it was all out the entire way back. Jim started the pace increase and Fila Chris, Sam, Ben (aka The professor) and I finished it. We had a few new guys with us and luckily Jim and The Eagle Waited to make sure they got back to the store. I think they were taken a little off guard by the hills on North Hills. Sam and Fila Chris said they were just letting me take the lead and drop them, but I'm pretty sure they couldn't hang.
Fila Chris has decided to join us for the Inside-Out Half Marathon next weekend. I guess we'll finally see what he's made of.
Today was the first day in 9 days we have seen the sun. I had almost forgotten what it looked like. Fall is definitely here. No more shirtles runs in store, I guess.

Two by the Three Mile

2005-10-11T21:48:00.000-04:00

Tonight's workout consisted of two 3 mile repeats with a 1 mile recovery in between. We did the first 3 miler in 17:46 and the second one in 17:36. I felt rather good during the workout. It began to drizzle a little bit during the second repeat (Not good for the glasses).
As we get closer to the marathon our speed workouts are moving to longer repeats, less repeats and times closer to that of our desired pace during the race.

Easy Monday

2005-10-10T09:27:00.000-04:00

I did an easy 5 miles this morning. I was very surprised by my run. I was feeling rather frisky and kept the pace a little faster than I normally do. Maybe it's the cool weather. I'm not really sure, but it was nice.

Long Recovery

2005-10-09T11:18:00.000-04:00

I met up with some of the folks in the running group this morning to do a long easy recovery run. We left the store at around 7:30 and did 15 miles. The entire time I was running my legs felt like led. But they feel great now.
I am looking forward to a good week of training. Hopefully it will dry out some after all this rain we have been getting. I am hoping to get in a lot of miles this week and some nice weather would make it a lot easier. But if mother nature decides not to cooperate, I'll just have to make do with what I get.

Race Day

2005-10-08T19:02:00.000-04:00

Today I participated in the Cannonball Half Marathon in Greensboro, NC. I think we maybe had about 3 miles of no rain. The remaining 10 had everything from drizzle to complete down poors. Paul, Ben, Sam, Heidi and I were there representing Raleigh Running Outfitters. Ben Got third overall, Heidi was third female overall, Paul was second masters, Sam was first in his age group and I was first in my age group. All-in-all, I think that it was a pretty good showing for RRO.
My time was 1:21:13. That was a couple of minutes behind what I wanted to finish in, but I was still stoked about my time. It felt really good to be out there putting my training to the test. I'm starting to get the marathon itch. Only five more weeks until the Richmond Marathon.

Geared Up!

2005-10-07T21:36:00.000-04:00

Today I did a quick easy run just to loosen up the legs for tomorrows race. It was still raining of course. I'm pretty sure it is supposed to rain the during the entire race as well. I'm actually looking forward to it. Rain can make for some really fun racing.

I Think It's Raining?

2005-10-06T21:15:00.000-04:00

Tonight's run was a somewhat relaxed 8 miles on the Raleigh Greenway trails. That tropical depression or what ever it is by now is moving through dropping some much needed rain. Rain always seems to make for interesting, but still fun, runs for our group. Jim and Sam were up to their usual antics of splashing everyone by way of the puddles. It only took one leap into the soggy ammo to draw the entire group in. Before we new it, war had been declared. With the lack of rain these past few months and our obvious immaturity, it only took but one puddle to pull everyone of us back to our lost adolescence. I have come to appreciate runs like these. When your in the middle of a really crappy day and it seems like nothing else could go wrong, you remember runs like these and it reminds you not to take things too serious and that serenity is only one run away. Happy puddle jumping!!!

Soggy Run

2005-10-05T09:20:00.000-04:00

I did an easy recovery run this morning. About 5 miles I think. Just felt like shaking out the aches and pains from last nights track workout. It was a bit of a soggy run however. I think that front that's supposed to bring us some much needed rain is finally moving in. Cooler weather is coming!

Five by the Mile

2005-10-04T23:14:00.000-04:00

Tonight's track workout took us back to the 1 mile repeats we were doing a couple of weeks ago. We did five 1 mile repeats at slightly faster than half marathon pace with a 600 meter recovery in between. The workout was great. No problems with the legs (Knock on wood) and I felt great. I guess I will be taking it a little bit easier for the rest of the week in preparation for the half marathon I am doing this weekend.

Easy Monday

2005-10-03T21:10:00.000-04:00

I did a 5 mile recovery run this morning. Decided to step up the pace a little since I did not have that log of a run on Sunday or Saturday. I will be doing the Cannon Ball Half Marathon this weekend in Greensboro, NC. I am really looking forward to the race. It should give me a good measure on where I am in terms of getting ready for the marathon.

Holding Back

2005-10-02T10:28:00.000-04:00

So, I know I said yesterday that I was looking to do 15+ miles on my run today. Well I got out there and I just wasn't feeling it. Sam, as he usually does, tried to talk me into 20 but I decided to cut it off at 13. It sill puts me at 25 miles for the weekend which is about what I wanted to do. There where a few spots in my legs that felt like the were becoming a little tweaked and I decided I did not want to chance at this point in my training. Even though the competitive side of me wanted to give into the extra miles, my body was saying not to.
On a good note, the weather was great and we got to run in the 60's. It felt almost cold this morning when we started the run.

Fall Cometh!!!

2005-10-01T16:34:00.000-04:00

Met Sam and The Eagle out at Umstead this morning for a rather delightful 12 miles. We did the same course as last Sunday just in reverse and minus a 6 mile loop out to the NC Art Museum. The weather was cool and the pace was easy. It seems like these longer runs are getting easier every week. Might just be the cooler weather, but I'll chalk it up to my training.
I've got a long 15+ tomorrow back out at Umstead. The weather should be nice and I'm really looking forward to it.
On a side note. I got to open the windows and turn the AC off for the first time this weekend. The first signs of fall are a beautiful thing!

Pain Sweet Pain!!

2005-09-29T23:47:00.000-04:00

After the little shoelace fiasco I decided to take yesterday off. It worked. My leg didn't bother me anymore. I did an easy 5 miles this morning and went to my regular Raleigh Running Outfitters run this evening. The weather was great and I was feeling a little frisky after not running yesterday. I ended up Running with my friend Fila Chris(He works for Fila) for ten miles. Paul ran with us for the first 4.5 miles but decided to drop back when we picked up the pace as he is doing heart rate training and did not want to go out of his zone. We decided to take a detour at mile 6 and head back to the store by way of North Hills. By Hills I mean rolling hills that seam to never end. It didn't help either that Chris was pushing the pace below 6 minute miles for a bit. I tried to drop back but he would not let me. I guess in retrospect that I'm glade he kept me going. It will pay later on during races.
Ended up doing the 10 miles in 60 minutes flat. I've got a weekend of distance coming up and the weather is looking to be nice. See everyone out on the trails.

The Small Things.

2005-09-27T22:32:00.000-04:00

The workout tonight was 10 by the half mile. I was actually looking forward to the workout when I found out about it. Everything was going great until about the sixth 800. My leg was bothering me a bit and I thought I would be able to just run through it. Then it came. Halfway through the second lap of the seventh 800, a sharp pain from my right ankle up the shin. Turns out that my shoe was tied too tight and once my feet had swollen a little from running, it hurt like hell. It just goes to show you that you can't overlook the small things. It sucks when something like this kills your entire workout. But then again, I guess you can't spend all your time worrying about the small things or running would suck.

Easy Mondays.

2005-09-26T11:42:00.000-04:00

This morning I did a very nice 5 mile recovery run. It was a bit humid but not too hot and I felt rather good. One should never underestimate the power of a good recovery run after a hard workout. I have a speed workout coming up tomorrow. It should be a good one. Don't know what it is yet, but I like the mystery of not finding out what we are doing until Tuesday afternoon. The forecast is for it to get cooler later this week. Maybe fall is finally here. Can't wait!!!

The Unforeseen Long Run?

2005-09-25T15:24:00.000-04:00

Today, which I will admit is supposed to be my long run day, I did 18 miles with Sam and The Polish Eagle(a.k.a. John). I had been thinking during the week of doing 18 today but by this morning had decided I may only do 15 to 16. In true runner form though, Sam and The Eagle talked me into doing a few extra. I think that in the long run it will prove to be beneficial for me but that does not mean that my body is not paying for it now. OUCH! The pain will go away and my legs will be all the better for it. It is good sometimes to have people push you a little further than you wanted to go. How else will you truly find what your limits really are?

A Bit of Speed and a Little Recovery.

2005-09-21T09:00:00.000-04:00

I just got back from doing my 5 mile morning recovery run. We had an awesome storm blow through last night and it cooled the air right down for perfect running. I must admit that I needed a run like that after doing the speed workout we did last night. The workout consisted of 5, 1 mile repeats at about 5:40 pace with a 1/4 mile recovery between each mile. It was loads of fun. Trust me. Ben, who I've been doing most of the speed workouts with, pointed out that these mile repeats are a lot easier than when we first started them a couple months ago. True, but they're still hard. It is nice though, to be able to see an improvement in your pace and abilities as you progress through your training. Until next time, keep running!

The 16 Miler!!

2005-09-18T10:18:00.001-04:00

This morning I finally went on my first, somewhat, long run during my training for the Richmond Marathon. I did 16 miles at about 6:45 mile pace. It was my friends John, Paul, Ben and Me on the run. Seeing as how they have been doing there long runs for much longer than I have (And they don't let me forget it) they went farther. But I am easing my way into the long runs. I'm in no rush to get 110 miles a week under my belt. Anyhow, the temperature was perfect (In the low 70's) It was sunny and I felt great. In other words, it was a stellar run. I can't wait for the marathon.

Great Run!!!

2005-09-15T21:54:00.000-04:00

I had a great run this evening with Paul. We did a nice 10 miles at 7 minute pace. Feels like the humidity is going back down after the hurricane has moved out. Maybe I'll get a good nights sleep tonight. I am gearing up for a 15 miler on Sunday. This will be my first run longer than 12 miles in a while. Should be a good run.

Can't Sleep.

2005-09-15T02:44:00.000-04:00

It's about 2:30 on Thursday morning and I have woken up and cannot sleep for some reason. Maybe it's because I didn't run yesterday. For some reason I decided it would be good to start this Blog. I am sure it will come in handy as things change over the next year and it will allow me to tell others what is going on in my world and what I think about worldly stuff and other things of that nature. I am going to try and go back to sleep now, so you'll just have to wait to get anything else out of me.