I Am A Runner

I haven't been running as much over the last few months. With the busy race schedule I've been doing, it seems like I'm either tapering for, or recovering from a marathon. It's hard to get too many miles in with the taper/recover thing going on.

But....I have been riding my bike a lot. I logged around 260 miles in June, by far my most miles in one month. It is great cross training and it is 100% pure fun. Running is hard, but cycling is so awesomely fun. I love it.

Let me be honest with you: bike riding is more enjoyable than running. It just is. But I can't get past this feeling I have inside:

I AM A RUNNER.

Over the last two and a half years I have come to truly love running. Running has opened so many doors for me, and taught me so much, and it has made me a better person. Time on the bike is some of the most fun I have all week. But in my heart, I am a runner.

This is the first time I have biked more miles than I've run in a month. I kind of feel like I'm having a secret affair with biking. I want to give Running a phone call and say "Don't worry! Me and the bike - we're just friends! I will never leave you!"

I plan to bike many, many more miles. I want to continue to get better at it. I have a blast every single time I'm on my bike. But nothing can compare to how I feel when I'm only being carried by my own two feet.

Pictures From Our Nation's Capital

I love the 4th of July! I consider myself patriotic, plus I love fireworks nearly as much as I love my wife and children. On the 4th of July I thought about our trip to Washington DC a few years ago. Here are some highlights of the trip:


Udvar-Hazy Center of the Air & Space Museum
This lesser visited division of the Air & Space Museum houses the ultra-cool space shuttle Enterprise. This is a ridiculously enormous beast and pictures don’t give a good idea of just how huge it is.


George Washington’s Home – Mt. Vernon
It was interesting to tour Washington’s mansion and see his tomb. I became a bigger fan of Washington during our trip for one reason: his teeth. I learned that he had lots of problems with his teeth all his life which caused infections and constant pain, yet he was still able to do everything he did for our country. Relating to George on a constantly sore mouth, George and I developed a close kinship. I managed to snap this picture of his dentures made partly of hippopotamus teeth. The photo isn’t great because, well, you’re not supposed to take pictures.


US Capitol
We took a tour of the capitol with a congressional aide which was fascinating. On the side of the rotunda I spotted this scene of a Lincoln statue next to a bright hallway. I liked how it made the same scene look both black & white and color at the same time.


National Archives
We waited 45 minutes in pouring rain to get inside the National Archives. For me it was worth every minute. I couldn’t wait to go to the rotunda which has the original Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights and US Constitution. I felt privileged to see these documents with my own eyes (and my camera lens).


Arlington National Cemetery
During our visit to the cemetery the weather was absolutely beautiful. Perfect. We visited John F. Kennedy’s burial site and the eternal flame.


We then headed to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and saw the indescribable Changing of the Guard. This whole ceremony which lasts about 10 minutes is fascinating (and happens every half hour). It was a photographer’s heaven. Here are just a few of my pictures:



Biking / Running the Mt. Vernon Trail
There was a beautiful paved path along the Potomac River that was only a mile from our condo in Alexandria, VA. One morning Mel and I went running on the path, and another day we rented bikes and rode all the way to the Jefferson Memorial. We figured we rode about 20 miles on the bikes which was so fun.


Memorials and Monuments
I took lots of pictures during the day, but my favorite was seeing everything at night. The only trouble was that I stayed so long to take night pictures that when I finished up at 11:30pm the whole mile and a half between the monuments and my Metro station was dark and empty. I didn’t like the idea of being alone in Washington DC at night with nobody around. Fortunately I avoided being stabbed, shot, or even worse…forced to hang out with politicians.

Hurricane Trails River Run 2011

My friend Tom Dansie is the race director for the Hurricane Trails River Run, a 4 mile trail race in, you guessed it, Hurricane Utah.

I was able to help with some of the planning and course marking, but on race day I got to be the SWEEPER. (Sweeper = be the last one through the course, make sure everyone gets through okay, and carry out the bodies of anyone who happens to die along the way. Fortunately no body carrying for this race.)

I was also able to take some pictures along the way.

Cherie is one of my star pupils in How To Jump During A Race. Style = 10. Grace = 10. Arm Extension = 10. Catching some crazy air = 10.


My oldest offspring Jackson begged to do the race. I was a little apprehensive because I knew how challenging the course was, but he ended up doing great and had lots of fun.


The scenery along the course is amazing. The trail winds through Confluence Park and along the Virgin River.


David Holt won the race in a little over 23 minutes. Minutes! This is a 4 mile, challenging trail race. There is a tough hill toward the end. And he averaged less than six minutes per mile. Amazing. He was finishing the race by the time I even got to the trail. I got into good position to snap a picture as he neared the finish line:


The race went off without a hitch and everyone had fun. I may have had the most fun because I got to enjoy the atmosphere and the course without actually racing. I'll sign up to be sweeper anytime.

The finish line was complete with fruit, bagels, and donuts. Bonus points to any race that has donuts at the finish line. I ate so many that I had to waddle back to my car.

Riding My Bike To Work (And Nearly Melting To Death)

Monday, June 27th 2011: 3 mile trail run in the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve.

Tuesday, June 28th 2011: 14.4 mile bike ride @ 15.3 mph. I came over a hill and saw some little ears popping up on the side of the road. So I pulled over and saw three baby foxes hanging out posing for a picture!


Wednesday, June 29th 2011: 22.2 mile bike ride @ 12.4 mph. Mel and I got a chance to go on a ride together and I suggested she try the Sand Hollow Loop for the first time. I took my camera on the ride and tempted fate many times by taking pictures while I was riding. One of these days I'm going to hit a pot hole while I'm taking a picture. And then I will look like an idiot trying to explain to the doctor why I'm sitting in the ER.


The scenery on the loop is amazing. You pass sand dunes, amazing red rock, and Sand Hollow Reservoir.


We reached the dreaded hill of death named Nemesis. The hill is steep and climbs into the sky. It feels like it never ends. The trick is to keep your head down and not look up at how far you still need to go. Otherwise you will start crying like a school girl. I accidentally dropped my water bottle half way up and had to stop to get it. In the distance you can see Mel coming up the hill.


Mel did awesome and didn't need to stop and walk up any of Nemesis. I was proud of her.


Thursday, June 30th 2011: 43 mile bike ride. I was feeling ambitious and decided I was going to ride my bike to and from work for the first time, 21.5 miles each way. I left early in the morning so I'd have enough time and the ride was great. I saw a beautiful sunrise as I was riding:


But the ride home was.....not so great. It was 91 degrees when I headed home and I felt like a melting popsicle after only a few miles. Because of road construction I had to take an unfamiliar road. I didn't realize that parts of this road had ZERO shoulder to ride on. I loved it not at all. This much of a shoulder is not alright:


By the time I got home it felt like I had lost half my body weight in sweat. The ride home was definitely one of those "What were you thinking?!?!" moments. It was way too hot outside to be doing this sort of shenanigan.

I replaced all calories burned by going on a date to Dairy Queen later that night.


Friday, July 1st 2011: A few friends and I raced a digital speed limit sign on the road. I'll have pictures soon.

Saturday, July 2nd 2011: Hurricane Trails River Run. (Full review tomorrow)

"You have a choice. You can throw in the towel, or you can use it to wipe the sweat off of your face."
~ Gatorade

Hitting The Wall In A Marathon

A little while ago my wife and I watched the movie "Run Fat Boy Run". I thought the movie was okay, but one particular part made me cry because I was laughing so hard.

It's the part where he hits the wall during the marathon. If you have never run a marathon before, this is a perfect (and very funny) illustration of what it feels like to hit the wall. For those of you who have run a marathon, is this not exactly what you feel like around mile 21?