Dec 29, 2009

Disney Race Tracking

Disney updated their Marathon Weekend information a few days ago. If you're interested in tracking me or anyone else running in one or both of the races, you can sign up at the link below.

Disney Race Tracking

Dec 27, 2009

The Last Long Run of 2009

Saturday's Long Run

The last long run before Goofy in two weeks. We ended up going a little longer than planned because we got confused about some on-the-fly directions. Coach told us to turn right on Brooks to avoid an unfriendly loose dog in the sketchy neighborhood near the Eylsian bridge, so we did. About 3/4 mile later, as we saw the bridge and the run-down warehouses it passes off to our left, we realized we were supposed to have turned left on Brooks instead. Rather than backtrack, we continued on into downtown and looped back to Minute Maid from there. Even with the extra distance, it was still a really nice run, topped off by breakfast out at Fountain View Cafe. Good weather too - 40 when we started, 48 when we finished.

Now it's time to start getting ready for Goofy.

Dec 24, 2009

Saturday's Long Run

Saturday's 17 mile long run

Anyone know how to embed the Google Map of a run from the Garmin Connect site? I'd much rather have the little picture shown above than the boring link. Anyway, we had a great run last weekend. Started out with the last 4.5 miles of the marathon course and then finished with the first 10k before heading back into the park. Nothing like running through the barrio shortly after dawn to make you appreciate how many people come out to cheer during the race. It was empty and deserted this time, drawing attention to all the vacant buildings, overgrown lots, and wrought-iron fences. A dramatic contrast with marathon day when the streets of the area are filled with cheering spectators, bands, and Latin music.

Dec 6, 2009

Sunday's 18 mile Long Run

Sunday's 18 mile LSD

One of my favorite routes today - through River Oaks to downtown and back. Not too many Christmas lights up this year, but we did have a great conversation while passing through there about which houses are too big (most of them), which ones the trophy wives live in (the newest and gaudiest), and what it costs to get in to the neighborhood (about 2 mil for a tear-down). It was pretty cold out there too. Not as low a temperature as it would have been for yesterday's run had it not been canceled, but the cold, damp wind sure made it feel pretty miserable at times.

When we got back to the cars, there was a police car there with the officer talking to one of the runners who had come in before us. Turns out that someone got into the key box while the guy watching it was in the porta-potty, and several cars had been broken into. Aside from one wallet and one cell phone, nothing much seemed to have been taken. I lost a few bucks, but considering my wallet, iPhone, and hell, even my car were still there, I feel pretty lucky. Much luckier than the one runner who had the only key to his car taken. When I left, the police were still trying to jimmy his door open. What none of us can really understand is why the key box wasn't locked up inside a car when the guy watching it was doing his thing. Common sense says that when you've been put in charge of watching the keys to the cars of the people in the running group, you ought to make sure you're either watching them or securing them the entire time. The strangest thing about the break-ins is that whoever did it only took a few small items, used people's clothes as snot rags, and left all the wallets, phones, iPods, and cars themselves alone. Very unusual.