Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Ben Bernake Interview
I just couldn't resist picking on a central banker so here is an interview with questions that I would ask and things that I would say if I could interview Ben Bernake the Chairman of the Federal Reserve.
Enjoy!
Bernake Interview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgcINTadhwo
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Hardrock 2010 Race Report
Training and Preparation:
# of races I signed up for in 2010 that I didn’t actually run:
Texas Marathon
Bandera 100K
Houston Marathon
Hells Hills 50 Miler
# of Beers per week since April 2010:
1 case minimum.
# of miles run per month since April. (From Daily Mile account)
April – 125 (60 of these at The Guads in 36 hours)
May – 16 plus 18 at Pocatello Total 24.
June – 50 (40 of these at San Juan Solstice which I DNF)
# of John’s Garage workouts:
Not sure but not more than 20ish. See sample here.
# of Races I actually ran and completed since January:
2 – Nuecues Marathon about 5hrs 10 min. and Prickly Pear 50K 5:06 both in March.
Books that had the most influence on me before this run:
Slow Burn – Stu Mittleman
The Fountainhead – Ayn Rand
The Virtue of Selfishness – Ayn Rand
Race Details:
Night before race dinner: Brisket, cornbread, tater salad.
Race morning breakfast: yogurt and nectarine.
Power walked / shuffled almost every section except for a little bit into Telluride, Governor, and Ouray. Ran down Handies into Sherman.
Ate 1 lemon drop every 30 minutes for 46.5 hours. Sometimes added a few jelly beans for extra sugar. Had some olive oil when I felt I needed it. Used some of my molasses and cane syrup mix but not too much. Ate a few packs of peanut butter crackers throughout the race. Had about 5 gels the last 29 miles also.
KT: Two Pieces of cheesy bread with added olive oil.
Chapman: Cookies, soup, biscuit, nectarine, myoplex drink.
Telluride: Nectarine, myoplex drink.
Kroger’s Kanteen: Soup broth with olive oil.
Governor Basin: I forgot.
Ouray: I forgot.
Engineer: Mac and cheese. It was light on the cheese, but added olive oil.
Grouse Gulch: I forgot this too. But had shitty climb up Handies. Probably shoulda ate more.
Sherman: Breakfast Burrito. Umm, Umm, good.
Pole Creek: coffee and soup broth with added olive oil.
Maggie Gulch: Forgot.
Cunningham: Myoplex drink, nectarine, took Ziploc bag of spaghetti up the climb.
Started race with MT100 till Chapman. Switched to Cascadias till Grouse Gulch. Then wore North Face till the end with two pair of socks. Feet did well, just a touch of blister behind toes on pad of foot. Put Glide on my feet throughout the race.
Drank only water. Used 70oz Nathan pack and two 20oz hand-helds.
# of Calories burned during the run according to HeartRate Monitor:
20,000
# of Calories I took in during the race:
Maybe 6,000.
Max Heart Rate: 177 bpm coming down Grant Swamp.
Average Heart Rate: 132.
# of Pacers and Crew: 0
# of Days before race at altitude: 10
# of Days pre-hiking: 4
Hardrock 2010 Race Report – John T. Sharp
“Hey Uncle John, what you doing back here?” my nephew asked. “Well, Delynn, I quit the race at Champman,” I responded. “Oh, well what the hell did you quit for?” he says. “Sometimes you give it all you got, and it ain’t enough,” I told him.
Hemingway wrote in his book A Moveable Feast, “All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence you know.” That is how I felt about the statement, “Sometimes you give it all you got and it ain’t enough.” That was at Hardrock 2009, which I quit. Maybe I could of told him how I didn’t manage my calories properly, or how I went out to fast, or even made up another excuse; but those excuses just wouldn’t express what I felt he needed and I needed to hear. A statement that says we are not all-powerful or omnipotent. A statement that said we are human and our struggle is the struggle of the unknown. A statement which allows room for hope, but one that is final in its totality.
Fast forward to Rocky Raccoon race weekend 2010. Rocky Raccoon is a great race for all the runners but also the same weekend that the lottery results for Hardrock come out. Naresh had his I-Phone checking the HCTR list for any information. J.T. posted that him and myself were in, among others. I gave a big Rick Flair, “Whoooooo!” and a “Hell Yea, Baby!” yelling out at the awards ceremony. Now I’m in. “Nothing can stop me,” I tell myself. We won’t be having this bullshit like last year. I’m going to train like an animal. I will finish Hardrock in 2010.
The training started well. Lots of 15 degree incline treadmill work in February with intervals. One of my goals was to get so fast that I could run competitive with Josue. I worked on a Vo2 max conditioning work out called Viking Warrior Conditioning using the kettlebell. Dmitry killed the workout a few times, I think he got some hella results. In March I ran the marathon at Nuecues 50 in something like 5:10 or so. A few weeks later, the Prickly Pear 50K I ran a 5:06 or so. I was on fire. I hadn’t run that fast in 2 years, since I first started running these crazy races.
It’s funny how life gets in the way. By the end of March I just couldn’t muster the drive to get out there and get the training done. Oh, I thought about it. I knew I needed to be getting my runs in. I needed to work on my diaphragmatic breathing exercises and my core workouts, but I just drank beer. I’m not real sure where my drive went. I looked for it behind the couch, at the bar, and under the bed. It was no where to be found. I lost my “why” and in the process I quit believing in myself.
I bowed out of Hells Hills 50 mile telling Joe, “I just don’t feel like running so I ain’t coming.” I would get some motivation for a few days and get a few workouts in, but then would be kinda down in the dumps again. Then, I’d drink more beer and put my training off.
Towards the end of April the HCTR and Tejas Trails groups would go out to the Guadalupe Mountains for a training weekend. I convinced myself that I really should go and that this would be the start of my training, for real this time. A lot of friends I have made in the running community were there. Yes, moral support. This weekend is what I need. Its funny how in a crowded room, some people can be alone. I am one of those people and during the weekend at the Guads, I was alone in my mind. I went out for 20 miles the first day, alone. I needed to just be alone. What for? I still do not know the answer to that question. I was probably looking for that spark I found back in 2008 when I was there. No spark to be had. After 30 miles the next morning and a trip up to the peak that night, still, nothing.
The first of May, I was really bullshitting myself. This is it, no more pussy-footing around. I’m getting serious. I bought my plane tickets for Pocatello 50 and San Juan Solstice. That motivation lasted for about a week so I did get a few quality workouts in. Mostly, I would do my garage core workouts, no running really. I even contacted the San Antonio Fit organization about being an assistant coach for the 4 hour to 4:15 marathon group. The organization leader said that would be fine after a few questions about my experience. This would be the motivation I needed to keep me on track. Before the first training run, I sent the fella an email saying that I would, in fact, not be able to be an assistant coach because of some bullshit reason I made up. I felt bad about that, and drank more beer. My friend Thomas would call from time to time, but I would ignore his calls. Not because I didn’t want to talk to him, but because he just started training with a new coach and was really pumped up all the time and I really just wanted to quit running. I didn’t want my pessimistic attitude to rub off on him, as if that would have been possible.
I went out to Pocatello. The race was cancelled because of weather at mile 18, for me. Whew, got lucky. Now I wont have to drop because I am under trained and don’t really wanta be at this damm race anyway. So, I drank more beer. Solves every problem. Or at least puts it off as you waste your life for a while.
Just before Pocatello, I went on a work trip to Atlanta. I always peruse the book stores at the airport cause I’m a bibliophile. They usually have all the contemporary, bullshit novels and the latest biographies of your typical douche bag. Never anything of any real substance, at least in my opinion. I’d been putting off reading Ayn Rand for years. I just figured she was some bullshit writer from the 50’s. However, I always liked the noble looking statue on the cover of Atlas Shrugged that you typically see. I ended up picking up The Fountainhead. Little did I know, that in a short time, it would have a substantive effect of my sense of self, my self-esteem. I couldn’t put it down. A noble vision of man, who lives for himself. It was like reading about myself, but currently that self was in the past. Back in 1998, back in 2008, but not on that day. I ended up buying and am currently working on reading everything she has written. Funny how it took a woman to denote and layout in philosophical terms, man. The Virtue of Selfishness was another book I read between Pocatello and San Juan Solstice. I remember while reading this book I remarked, “Wow, this is how I have felt my whole life.”
Just before San Juan Solstice I confided in my friend Faye about how I didn’t really want to run anymore. How that drive and desire were gone from my heart. It was difficult for me to say out loud what I had been feeling over the past two months. I don’t recall what she said exactly, cause I was about 7 beers into a real good night of beers.
I talked with my mentor and coach, Joe about not wanting to run anymore. He says, “Hey Sharpie, you gotta change your outlook.” Just do the damm thing and don’t worry about nothing else. Just go do it. If Joe had been working in the marketing department for Nike in the late eighties or early nineties the slogan, Just Do It would have never see the light of day. Just do the damm thing, would have won the day.
I remember sitting at the airport waiting on the flight to Gunnison, for the Solstice. They were calling out the boarding order, Group 1, now 2 and finally Group 4. I picked up my bag and started walking back out to security. Ah, fuck it, I’m not going to the Solstice. I’m not ready, I can not finish this race. I ended up getting on that flight. Mostly because my friend Joe was going to be there and I wanted to run with him.
Once we cleared the timberline above Lake City, I found myself again. The San Juans are violent, deliberate, imposing, and aggressive. There may be more spectacular mountains in the world, but I’ve never seen them. The San Juans tell a man, “You may summit my peaks, but not in some half-assed way, you gotta wanta be up here.” I came to the mountains that day so that I may live again, that life began above the timberline. Only deliberate, conscious decision will take you to the top. There are no escalators, nor are there any elevators in the San Juans. You can take a Jeep tour, but you merely pass along the ridges like the false backgrounds in the studios where they filmed those old B rated westerns. When you walk up a peak in the San Jauns, you carry a little bit of with you in your heart, forever. The feeling of, I’ve just done some bad ass thing and I’m a better man because of it, becomes a part of your being. Mile 15 of the Solstice, I was going to drop, but decided against it.
About mile 20 I had an epiphany. Ayn Rand, in her objectivist philosophy, is all about logical reason. There never seemed to be any room for faith. The concept of faith, I think, would be inconsistent with Objectivism. But, faith is real. Whether that faith is in yourself or God or whatever. I was running along thinking what is that one key difference between finishing and not finishing a race? You can plan a race strategy. At what time will you make a shoe change? What food will you eat and when? Logically you have thought it all out. First A, then B, then C etc… But, because we are not omnipotent we are forced to make decisions with incomplete information. No outcome is a foregone conclusion. If it was, would life really be worth living at all? If we knew what was going to happen tomorrow and everyday after for eternity what would be the joy in getting up in the morning? When your race or life for that matter, starts to fall apart what does a man do? What does he have to fall back on? In my estimation, that thing we fall back on is faith. A belief in our self, that we do own ourselves. Like Phoebe from the Friends TV show said once, “You’re not the boss of me, I’m the boss of me.” A person cannot exist on, well so and so thinks I can do this thing so I must be able to. To truly exist you must believe with conviction that there are no mountains you cannot climb. You have the knowledge, will, heart, and determination to get a thing done.
I have believed for many years that there are essentially only two kinds of people in this world. There are those that believe they can control events (internal locus of control) and those that believe that events control them (external locus of control). In the balance, which is no balance at all, there are more external locus of control people in this world. In the ultra-running community the balance is in favor of the internal locus of control folks. How could it be any other way? Maybe that is what keeps me around, being surrounded by like minded folks eating cookies and drinking soda water all day!
Uh, back to the report. I ended up not finishing the Solstice. Joe and I walked the last 12 miles or so and one of the ladies at the last aid station gave us some beers so we stopped down the trail and drank ‘em. At that point finishing didn’t matter too much at all. Here I am, drinking a beer in the middle of the San Juans with my mentor and coach musing over something or the other.
I flew back to Texas renewed and refreshed. I remembered something my mom taught me and used to tell me all the time when we were growing up. She used to say, “You can do anything you want to, if you want to.” I posted that quote as a status on my Facebook profile on the 22nd of June. That’s the day I really, really decided. Decided that yes, I will go to Hardrock and yes, I will finish. I just knew that nothing would stop me. It’s kinda like the stories you hear about some married couples. You know the one. Where they say, “The first time I saw him/her I knew that I would marry them.” That kind of belief just becomes part of who you are, like putting your pants on in the morning. You just put ‘em on, you don’t know how you do it. They just slide on and you zip them up, just like that.
I could go on and on about the race itself. About the climbs, the downhills, the start, the finish, the people I met along the way but that’s not the critical part. Besides, if you have seen the video I made then you will already get the gist of that. I could go on about the 10 days before the race where I did the pre-hiking and worked on getting acclimatized. No, the real meat and potatoes, the tough part started about mile 88 or 89. Kind of like they all do. Anyone who has done a 100 mile race knows that the race doesn’t start till mile 80 anyhow.
The memory is still fresh. Sundown of the second day was upon me out on the trail and I had about two or three miles to go, to get into the Cunningham aid station. Probably, about 8:30 PM, or maybe 9:00 PM. I was on the top of Green Mountain headed in. The thirty-nine hours or so that I had been out there were starting to take their toll. The time at altitude was taking its toll on me. Oh, and the sleep depravation. None of these issues were really that bad per se. I was still moving well, no sprained ankles, and the mental state was fair. The ride into Cunningham is steep, down hill for few miles. Then really, really, really steep down hill for the last mile and half. Short, steep switchbacks that are almost endless, as I recall. It was full on dark by this time. You never see the aid station till you about 2K feet above it and it looks like you are almost on top of the aid station when you come in.
I could look across the valley and see the runners making the final last big hike up Dives Little Giant. A faint glow of headlamps snaking up the pass that went on forever and ever. Thomas the Train is what I thought of. Those down hills were putting a pounding on my knees and I was just walking them. I still couldn’t see the aid station, there was nothing but darkness besides my headlamp and those headlamps across the valley. Laborious breathing was the name of the game. No big, deep ones like yesterday, just a whimper. And there was till the pain in my knees, like someone jabbing a knife in them with each step, right in the front.
I had been out here for forty hours now and my race just begun. In my mind there was no longer a noble vision of man a “Randian Man”, just a shallow caricature of a man. I never cried out to God to “Please take away this pain.” It wouldn’t do any good anyhow. Not because he is not real as some suggest. God would have to be a real sorry son-of-a-bitch if at this juncture, this moment which could be the finest hour of your perseverance, to intervene. Oh no, God has given you everything that you need to complete this task. You’ve had it since you were born. You have a rational mind, free will, capacity for self-love, forgiveness of all your sins, unconditional love and everlasting life. What more could you ask God for at this moment that he has not already given you? With these resources, the only thing you must do to fulfill the mandate of your existence is to act. What is the mandate? It is merely this, to effect change, while pursuing your potential.
I laid on the trail a few times feeling sorry for myself. The pain in my knees would not subside. In my mind I started making all the compromises that we do when things get tough in our lives. Compromises like, well when I go home I’ll just say that I gave it a shot but the race was just more than I could bear. Or, it will be okay, no one will think less of me if I quit. I told myself those little white lies with which I could justify quitting. Like, I didn’t train properly etc… In my heart, as we all know at these times, I knew I was lying to myself but I didn’t care. I remember looking across at Dives Little Giant and thinking, “There is no way I can do another climb, no way.” I just wanted to stop. I decided that when I got to the aid station I would quit. I knew that by quitting I would deal with an even greater sense of regret and pain, but that would be later.
I sat down at the Cunningham aid station and Mike was there. Mike, his wife and I had eaten together the night before the race. Like all “night before the race” talk, it was about how we are going to do a good job, we will finish, etc… Mike says, “Hey buddy, how is it going?” Mike, I says, “I’m gonna drop.” “What?” “My wife and I are gonna finish this thing, hell it’s only a four hour hike into Silverton and you got seven hours,” “You can do it,” Mike told me. I looked at him kinda puzzled, with my mind racing, thinking of all the excuses I made for myself over the past hour.
With a Myoplex drink and a nectarine down the hatch I started up Dives Little Giant with a Ziploc bag of spaghetti in hand. I think I was at the Cunningham aid station for about nine minutes, maybe eleven.
I thought of a year ago and what I told my nephew. I guess I can rephrase it now. Well Delynn, “Sometimes you give it all you got, and it is enough.”
Coming into Silverton, I had always expected that there would be a feeling of elation and I would be light on my feet with a spring in my step. I thought that my heart would lift a little, knowing that I was going to get this thing done. Well, none of those things ever happened. It’s not like in the movies, this shit is for real. I figured I should at least pretend to run into the finishers chute and up the rock. I kissed the rock.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Matthew 22:37
Jesus said unto him. Thou shalt love the Lord with all they heart, and all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
I am probably not known to be the most religious person around, but this passage came to my mind on Easter, as I thought about what Easter means. I wasn't at church, as you may expect, but on my way to Hooters for a few beers. I didn't want to take up space, so that all the C&E folks would have plenty of room. But, what does that passage mean? I grew up in the Church of Christ, so it was expected for you to read the Bible, and make your interpretation. No, intermediaries, like in other religions. So I says to myself, "Johnny, what do you think?" How can one keep this greatest of commandments? Can you just say, "Oh yea, I believe that." Or should one show demonstrable action. I felt that one should show action. How would you? The answer is there in verse 39. " And the second is like it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. " What does it mean to love thy neighbor as thyself? Here is where my thoughts begin.
I think we are all inherently selfish. Some may disagree, but if you really look, what drives any action that you take. Whether it be helping someone, working hard, drinking beer, it doesn't matter. We pursue ends for our personal fulfillment. Someone may benefit, but in the end, we would not do a thing if we didn't benefit more, or at the very least we were indifferent as to whether or not someone else benefited. If God made man in his own image, and if God is a selfish God, then would it stand to reason, that this proposition is true? How would we keep the commandment in verse 39? Follow the golden rule. Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you. Or to state the same rule in the negative, Do not do unto others the things that you would not want them to do to you. By this time, you may be asking, where the hell is this guy going? Good question. It is an a priori, self-evident truth, that we have free will. Whether or not it's God given is irrelevant. So, what could be more unjust, more unloving, more un-God like than to impose your will upon someone else? Or for a person to impose their will upon you? Could you agree that it is just for a person to make, influence, and or direct you to do a thing which is against your will? I would answer in the negative. So, in my mind, I think that to keep the golden rule and the commandments in verse 37 and 39 we must allow our neighbor, loved one, etc... To choose. To choose wrongly or rightly. To love one, is to allow them to fail or to succeed on their own merits. To love another, is to allow them the freedom to understand, to exercise their free will, regardless of how much sorrow or happiness it may bring us. What is a more beautiful feeling, to know that you have "saved" someone, or for them to come to you and say, "Hey, now I get it. I had to learn the hard way, but I understand now." The "teach a man to fish parable". The lesson I drew: To love God, allow your fellow man his freedom of action, his free will, as God has allowed you the same.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Unalienable Duties
The duty to honor the supremacy of the Creator and his laws.
The duty not to take the life of another except in self-defense.
The duty not to steal or destroy the property of another.
The duty to be honest in all transactions with others.
The duty of children to honor and obey their parents and elders.
The duty of parents and elders to protect, teach, feed, clothe, and provide shelter for children.
The duty to support law and order and keep the peace.
The duty not to contrive through a covetous heart to despoil another.
The duty to provide insofar as possible for the needs of the helpless, the sick, the crippled, the injured and the poverty stricken.
The duty to honorably perform contracts and covenants both with God and man.
The duty to be temperate.
The duty to become economically self-sufficient.
The duty not to trespass on the property or privacy of another.
The duty to maintain the integrity of the family structure.
The duty to perpetuate the race.
The duty not to promote or participate in the vices which destroy personal and community life.
The duty to perform civic responsibilities - vote, assist public officials, serve in official capacities when called upon, stay informed on public issues, volunteer where needed.
The duty not to aid or abet those involved in criminal or anti-social activites.
The duty to support personal and public standards of common decency.
The duty to follow rules of moral rectitude.
Unalienable Rights
The did not state all of them, so here are some more.
The right to:
self-government
bear arms for self-defense
own, develop, and dispose of property
make personal choices
free conscience
choose a profession
choose a mate
beget one's kind
assemble
petition
free speech
free press
enjoy the fruits of one's labors
improve one's position through barter and sale
contrive and invent
privacy
provide personal security
provide nature's necessities - air, food, water, clothing, shelter
a fair trial
free association
contract
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Realpolitik
I have been casually studying Austrian Economic Theory over the past year with information from the Mises Institute. After the TARP program and the the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act were passed, I asked myself, "Johnny, if you were broke, would you spend more money?" The answer is a resounding no, not only for me but for most anyone. Keynesian Economic Theory, says that government should and I disagree with it. Keynesian Economics is what we were taught in schools, so most folks think yea, this is a good theory. Whereas, in fact, it is not. See Where Keynes Went Wrong. Glenn Beck was all for the stimulus act and said it should be even bigger than it was. Beck is a douche bag. Around the same time, the Tea Party movement began. Which in my opinion, was basically an offshoot of the ideas about fiscal conservatism that began to become popular during Ron Paul's campaign in 2008. The Republican Party has a fissure between the old Bush Republicans, i.e. Sara Palin / Rick Perry / Mitt Romney and the Ron Paulian view for the Republican Party of classical liberalism. The outcome of this fissure and how it is resolved will ultimately make or break the Republican Party which, historically, going back to Lincoln is a party of coalitions. Ron Paul's view is essentially a Libertarian / classical liberal view grounded in the Subjective Theory of Value and a non-interventionist foreign policy.
Let me state, for the record, the Ron Paulian view is the view that I support as opposed to the Bush Republican view of big spending, neo-conservatism and compassionate conservatism. Which, in fact, is not a conservative position at all. The old Republicans and the Democrats are two sides of the same coin. So we look at Democrats with their current view on health-care. Is this really any different than the Bismark's realpolitik stance on domestic policy? Does anyone have any idea why Bismark developed state socialism? It was basically a counter-weight to the communistic movements that were sweeping across Europe with it's Marxist Labor Theory of Value which was totally invalidated by Eugen von Bohm-Bawerk. This counter-weight was implemented first and foremost to preserve the power of the Prussian King. Communism, Socialism, and Fascism are really one in the same only differing in matters of degree. This position is elegantly laid out by Jonah Goldberg's book Liberal Fascism.
With all of the above being mentioned, let me get to tonight. I found out after the polls closed for the primary elections, they have the precinct conventions for each party. My precinct is #4083 with 7xx voters registered as Republicans. All registered voters who vote in the primary elections can attend the precinct convention and select delegates to the Senatorial District Convention who in turn select delegates for the State Convention for the Republican Party. In addition to selecting delegates at each level to represent the party, resolutions can be proposed and voted upon, which help to determine the Republican Party of Texas Platform. Curiosity, got the better of me, so I decided, what the hell, I'll go check it out. I printed out quite a bit of information so I would have an idea of how the meetings are run, etc.. Also, I armed myself with resolutions to present from the campaign of Debra Medina. Well, what was merely meant as cursory overview of the process, devolved into me being the only person who showed up for my precinct. So, I did what I do naturally. I ran with it. I nominated my self precinct chairman of the precinct convention and secretary. Which basically meant that I had to fill out all the paper work, submit and vote on the resolutions I brought, and nominate myself to represent my precinct at the Senatorial District Convention on March 20th. The only bad part is that I had a 50k scheduled in Birmingham, Alabama that same day. I think i will pass on the race and cancel my plane ticket to go to the convention.
Basically, this is a way to work within the current system, hopefully to advocate the Ron Paulian views for the party at the county and state level. Who knows what will happen, but the current course of the party, the Bush Republican course is a dead end road.
The future of our country can go to ways, towards more Stateism, or we can choose to re-adopt the classical liberal values of our founders.
I choose freedom. I don't need any baby sitters.
Monday, March 1, 2010
A case of the Mondays?
Saturday after noon, a visit with my coach Joe. All is well, not gonna do Tahoe 100 or Bear 100 this year after talking with him. Gonna focus on HardRock, Leadville, and Gila. Also though, I signed up for Fuego Y Agua. Should be fun, the RD is good people and some of the Austin folks that are going are also good folks.
Saturday night, I went to see a piece by Chopin at the Majestic in San Antonio. I was tired, and didn't pay for parking, so I was anxious the whole freakin time. Decided to go to Cowboys dancehall afterwards. I got a cab over there and a cab home, prob had 8 beers and some vodka shots. I felt like shit all day Sunday, like SHIT man! That's how it goes, I slept most of the day. I am gonna try to go all week w/o beer until the Nueces Marathon on Saturday. Lets see what happens.
Today, 8.5 miles did the firs 7 in an hour, then slowed a bit. Total time was 1:15:31. Came out to a 8:49 pace overall, put in some hills, and ran pretty leisurely was trying to keep the AVG HR down, ended up with 151 AVG 170 MAX, but only hit that twice. Something may be wrong with my HR monitor. I look at it sometimes in the middle of a run and it will read 43 or 36 or some crazy shit. Who knows, maybe I am freak of nature, or maybe this thing is a piece of crap-ola! It's a Polar F11. It doesn't stay like that, just for a few seconds maybe 15sec max. Anybody ever hear of anything like that happening? I was really glad about my run today, being as I wasn't going to go. But I was like man, you got to start bumping up your mileage, you big pussy. So I says, Johnny, git yer ass our there and make it happen. Sometimes when you get a run going, it gets better. Not this time, with this crappy as front that started blowing in this afternoon. When is winter going to be over? Got dammit.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Salt
10 Miles total with a 2 mile walk home. haha
Did .5 mile warm up, followed by 9.5 miles of hard running. (the warm up was not included in the times that follow. The 1st 5 miles were 7:50 pace average, by the end I dropped back to like an 8:15 or 8:20 pace over all. The last 4.5 had the rolling hills and it got dark on me. So I'll take that. At 1 hour I was at 7.4 miles. No gels, or any crap, just water. Although, I could feel that my blood sugar was dropping somewhat towards the end. So 1 hour 19 minutes total time for the 9.5 miles. That is moving, baby!
AVG HR 159 MAX 177.
One of the most amazing things is that in less than a minute if I walk, the HR will drop 25 to 30 beats. That bodes well for pacing and interval/recovery. The 2 mile walk home was mostly because I started getting a blister on my right foot, and truthfully, I was running out of gas too.
So, another good day on the run training. Also did a few KB snatches with the 32kg bell. This weight feels heavy, so I am backing off some on my intensity and getting used to the feel of the bell. I need to hit another 2 week cycle of Viking Warrior, but this time with the 24kg bell on the 15:15 and move to the 36:36 with the 16kg bell. That should put me where I need to be for 7 minute paced miles for a half marathon. That would be nice and fast enough for now. Will work on that the 1st 2 weeks in March. I have the Nueces Trail Marathon next Saturday, I am hoping for a 4:30 time, but its a nasty course, so it will be hard to run it that fast, but I plan on laying it on the line and running till the wheels fall off. On March 20th I have a 50k in Birmingham, I plan to do the same, run till the wheels fall off. It's at Oak Mountain State Park, I have run there once, lots of good climbs, but not too steep. Will be visiting my sister out there also. Should be fun. Then a quick trip to Seaside.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
WOW, I am Getting Faster.
Over the weekend, I drank beer and screwed around. Sat morning, put up my pull up bar from Stud Bar. That is cool, still haven't used it yet, but it makes for a great place to hang my ropes from.
Saturday night, I ran into Chris Nall a dude I went to high school with at my local Hooters. We sat around and drank beers and shots, and hit on some cougars. Had to get a cab home, hahah. You, know safety, safety.
Monday I finally got my competition 32kg bell from American Kettlebell Club, that I ordered back at the beginning of December. I am still waiting on the other one and a t-shirt. I am a little pissed off. They have a kettlebell training seminar in Ukraine this summer that I would like to go to, but after my experience so far, I think I will wait.
Also, Monday afternoon, I went to a Barefoot and Pose running seminar in Austin which was presented by Josue Stevens and some folks who train in POSE Running. Best damm seminar I have went to. Afterwards, I chilled out with my trail running friends and my good friend and pacer Naresh. It was a good day.
So on Tuesday, I started trying to run POSE style. Went for 4 miles in the MT100 from New Balance.
Hellva shoe. Didn't record any times, just practicing. Went well.
Tonight, I went for 8 miles, with the recording equipment.
8 Miles total with .5 mile cool down, and a stop for a piss.
1 hour and 5 seconds (7.5 miles). That's nice and that's moving baby.
AVG HR was 155 max was 175. I'll take that, had some nice roller hills in there.
Came out to a 8:05 pace. Best pace was 5:30, but only on downhills.
So, I am sold on POSE. WHY?? Well, last week when I was throwing back some hella paced runs, it really felt like I was stuck in 3rd gear with the pedal on the floor. Now its like, hey i am running sub 7, and yea my lungs feel it and my heart rate is high, but I got 3 gears left. So, bought some videos and books. I will be studying this method. Also, my legs didn't even feel anything. I am pumped, about this.
More in the coming weeks.
Friday, February 19, 2010
It's Friday, Bitches!
No workout on Thursday. Said, "John, you know, you should take a day off and drink some beer." And, I agreed. Wow, that was one hell of an argument but I knew I would convince myself of the necessity.
Today. Woke up late, as usual. Gonna get some discipline one day.
Workout:
8 total miles. 1/2 mile warm up and 1/2 mile warm down.
On the road, 7 miles at 8:10 pace. Pretty good, considering I was somewhat dehydrated and 8 shots of expresso today. HR Max 171 Avg. 161 getting better I think.
Shooting for 7:30 with avg of 155 be really cool if I could roll Sevens at 155 HR AVG. I'll keep working on it i guess.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Tired at The Gym
Here was the run:
2 miles in 15minutes comes to a 7:30 pace, but broke it up in 2 minute intervals with 4 2min intervals at 10MPH and 4 2min intervals at 6.5MPH.
Core:
4-S X 5R of rollouts and rollups.
1 set of suitcase holds @ 65lbs.
2-S of 10R Long Cycle at 35lbs KB
1-S of 10R KB snatch at 35lbs KB.
Grilled chicken salad at Hooters for dinner. 2 beers.
BS'ed with my buddy Brice who stopped by, and also Kelli who came in after class.
Charlie, who works there there, but just stopped by on her way out to party was getting primed for a night out. She recently had an "enhancement" Job well done, very enhanced I would say. The twins almost fell out.
Blazing Speed?
My director goes running at lunch everyday and has been for the last 5 years. I have run with him in the past but he is pretty fast so I kinda quit after I started running ultras. But, today I challenged him to a run. Well I lost, but we pushed each other.
We did 3.5 miles in a 7:17 pace. That was nice. Real fast for this fatty. Ultimately, I'd like to run a 5K in sub 6.
The best part is I feel fine, and that makes 9 miles for the day so far. All systems go right now, knee good, hip good.
Panzerkampfwagen
Yesterday for lunch:
10 KB snatch each arm with 32kg.
20 Bulgarian Bag Swings each direction with 26lbs.
2X15R Bulgarian Bag Swings with 37lbs.
Didn't workout last night but worked late till about 8PM. We never stop working for you.
I did drink 6 beers and waste a bunch of time reading blogs and Facebook crap.
This A.M. did a run to Starbucks and back. 3 miles each direction. 8min pace up there, then a double expresso, then 7:30 pace on the way back. Even left them a present in the latrine.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Good Day for Training
Lunch Workout:
50 reps of KB snatch @ 24kg with each arm. WKC rules says you can not set the bell down or rest in the hang position.
I was going for 70 reps each arm, that would have been WKC LVL-I rank, but didn't make it. Will try again next Monday. My heart rate was crazy.
Check the you tube video.
After work was the running workout.
Overall it was 5 miles.
I did 6 hill repeats on treadmill.
Also 6 speed drills on treadmill.
The hill repeats had 3 minute slow down between sets but speed was always 5 MPH for the rest period and the hill period.
1st 2.5 min @ 15% incline HR to 170
2nd 3 min @ 15% incline HR to 173
3rd 3 min @ 15% incline HR to 176
4th 1.5 min @ 15% incline HR to 174
5th 2 min @ 15% incline HR to 176
6th 1.5 min @ 15% incline HR to 170
The speed workout was fast (10 MPH) for 1 minute the to 5MPH for 2 min, then repeat.
1st HR to 170
2nd HR to 174
3rd HR to 173
4th HR to 174
5th HR to 171
6th HR to 182 (.5min @ 12MPH and .5min @ 10MPH)
So getting some turn over speed work in and some hill work.
After that, I was like I outta here.
Weekend Workout
But none the less, I did go to Austin on Saturday night.
My friends Mark and Naresh had talked me into running the half marathon course with them. I was really glad that they got me out there. I felt great, running extra full speed up the hills. Also went to the capitol grounds at night. The Capitol is one impressive building.
Other than the 13 miles, I mostly worked out my jaw, talkin shit all weekend and drank too many beers. Back to the grindstone.
Cheered on runners at mile 21 for the Austin Marathon on Sunday with my friends from Hill Country Trail Runners. That was way more fun than running it!!
Friday, February 12, 2010
Building Momemtum
It calls for 15sec @ 7 KB snatches per set followed by 15 sec rest, then repeat for 80 sets with a 35lbs kettle bell.
Well last night after my treadmill run, I was able to do 40 sets.
Not tonight baby, 80 sets, in YO face!
80-S KB snatch @ 35lbs KB. For the 1st 40 sets, my HR never went above 170. The average for the whole workout was 168, and the max HR was 178. The whole protocol take 40 minutes to complete. After 1 min my HR was 144 and after 2 min the HR was 122. Now that is some hella conditioning.
The Viking Warrior Conditioning workout was after the 5 miles I ran on the treadmill. At a 7mph pace for 5 miles max HR was 167 avg was 160. Getting better.
Next goal is to do 75 KB swings each arm with a 24kb (50lbs) bell with each arm with out setting it down in under 10 minutes. Gonna go for this Monday at lunch. Give my hands a break.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Miss Sarajevo
The translation for the Italian part of Miss Sarajevo
You say that the river
finds the way to the sea
And as the river
you'll come to me
Beyond the borders
and the thirsty lands
You say that as river
As river
Love will come
Love
And I cannot pray anymore
And I cannot hope in love anymore
And I cannot wait for love anymore
Simple Truths
Simple Truths
1. Discipline of children is unconditional love.
2. When choosing acquaintances judge not by appearance but by the three I’s, in this order: Integrity, Industry, and Intelligence.
3. Most problems we have as individuals are caused by lack of discipline and failure to set standards for ourselves.
4. Most all men desire to be told what to do, hence the importance of Leadership.
5. You must always take care of number one. When married you are number two the spouse is now number one. When children arrive they become number one.
6. The hardest tasks in life are the most fulfilling.
7. To be respected, first you must respect yourself and secondly you must respect others with the same enthusiasm.
8. The proper order of values are: accountability and responsibility. Adherence of these will bring about the second tier of values, which are: honesty, loyalty, love and respect.
9. To lead your first task is to set the example and secondly to demand compliance of previously established standards in every instance.
10. When examining a problem the first conclusion you come to is not likely to be the true cause of the problem, you must challenge yourself to seek the deeper underlying problem.
Texas Lady
Barely sixteen when she had a child
It was the blind, leadin the blind
But, with four years down the road she's twenty now
Workin late nights with school and a child can take its toll on your soul
Now she's startin to learn what lifes about
....
She's a texas lady, tryin to make her way
Playin the hand, she's been dealt today
She's been California dreamin,
Lord, she's dancin on England's stones
But she's a lady and Texas is her home
....
She's finally found the love shes needin
In a cowboy from Abilene
He gives her the love and the strength that she needs
But he's left for a job in Dallas, and now he's in Tennessee
She gets a call from her cowboy every week
....
She's a Texas lady
Trying to make her way
Playin the hand that she's been dealt today
Well, he's been Tennessee livin
He's headed for music row
But, she's a lady and Texas is her home,
She's a lady and Texas is her home.
Hardrock Training Day 3
5 miles total run in 43 minutes. Here is the breakout.
3M @ 8min Pace
.5M @ 7:30 Pace
.5M @ 10:00 Pace
.5M @ 7:00 Pace
.25M @ 12:00 Pace
.25M @ 6:30 Pace
Avg HR 168 Max 187
Viking Warrior Conditioning Workout.
This workout is 15sec of snatches with a 35lbs KB min of 7 snatches followed by 15sec of rest. Then repeat till you die.
I went for 40 work sets, @ 7 reps per set.
21 min total time.
Avg Hr 176 Max 182.
So basically I spent 1 hour at an Average HR at 168 or above. Nice!
More information on Viking Warrior Conditioning:
http://www.dragondoor.com/b39.html?gclid=CMjHqbaH7J8CFZhf2godOSLrew
Lunch Work Day 2
1-S 30R each arm 50lbs KB Snatch w/o setting down bell.
1-S 30 swings each direction with 26lbs Bulgarian Training Bag.
1-S 10R each arm KB Snatch 70lbs bell.
1-S 15 swings each direction with 37lbs Bulgarian Training Bag.
Some Equipment I use:
http://www.mckinneygymequipment.com/
http://www.suples.com/bulgarian-training-bags/
http://www.dragondoor.com/kettlebellkettlebells/
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Hardrock Training Day 2
Treadmill run:
2 min warm at 5mph
3 min @ 15% incline HR to 175 @ 5mph
2 min flat at 5mph HR to 153
3 min @ 15% incline HR to 182 @ 5mph
2 min flat at 5mph HR to 152
1.5 min at 15% and 1.5 min at 10% HR to 178 @ 5mph
3 min at 10% incline HR to 170
2 min flat HR to 140 HR 140
1 mile at 7mph (8:29 pace) HR to 170
2 min flat HR to 140
1 min at 8mph (7:30 pace) HR to 180
Cool down.
Heart Rate Training:
HR 184 Max & 162 avg over 16 min. with:
1-S X 30R 35lbs Long Cycle
1-S X 20R 35lbs Double Snatch
1-s X 20R 35lbs Double Snatch
1-S X 25R 35lbs Long Cycle
Core Training:
Rollouts:
2-S X 3R 3/4 out
Rollups:
2-S X 5R
Fun:
5 Handstand pushups
2 Inverted Frog pose leg lifts.
Flexibility Drills:
Hip Stretches
4R Wall Walk Backwards.
Enjoy the Pain.
Lunch Workout
1-S X 10-R KB Snatch each arm 70lbs
1-S X 20 Bag swings each Direction 26lbs
1-S X 10 Bag swings each direction 37lbs
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Hardrock Training Day 1
Here was today's workout.
Heart Rate Training:
Long Cycle 2 X 30 reps @ 35lbs KB.
Double Snatches 2 X 20 Reps @ 35lbs KB.
Core:
Standing ab roll outs: 3 @ 1/4, 2-S X 3-R 1/2, 2-S X 2-R 3/4, 1 Full roll out.
Feet rollups 2 sets 4 rollups.
4 Leg lifts overhead from the frog position.
Farmers walk 70lbs 1 arm 2 X 30second walks, each arm.
Working the backside, working hamstring tie in with the glutes.
Romanian Deadlifts (RDL) 2X8R @ 95lbs
Fun:
Handstand pushups 4-S X 3-R.
Flexibility Drills:
2 Overhead squats with 45lbs bar.
Various hip stretching.
3 Reps of Walking down the wall. Reach back, walk down the wall.
Running:
2 min warm up @ 5mph
3 min 15% incline @ 5mph
2 min @5mph flat
2.5 min @ 15% incline @ 5mph
2 min cool down.
This only equaled about a mile on the treadmill, but I am going to start with quality, over quantity. Heart rate training is my goal here, and hill running. Trying to stay very erect and force the glutes, hamstrings, abs to engage.
I will work this type of workout, hopefully everyday for a while and see where it goes.
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