Some Light Reading?

I bought eleven items at Kroger the other day. The subsequent receipt was 24.5" long. When did this trend start? There was even a credit card application on the bottom of it.

Absurd.

In the scheme of one shopper, no, it's not that much. Big deal, right? But there's thousands upon thousands of shoppers that go through not only that store, but each of their stores in the span of a day. It just seems like such a waste. Not only the paper, but the energy needed to create the paper, ship the paper, the ink on the paper, the energy required to print on the paper, roll the paper out and then cut the paper. When considered on the scale at which they print receipts, it's slightly mind-numbing.

Wouldn't it be something if everyone took those receipts, clip the 10% that's important and at the end of each month, return all the unnecessarily printed paper to their respective store's manager?

2009 Columbus Marathon RR

I'll try and knock out a RR here, but I've never been very good at these, so bear with me (believe it or not, my mind tends to wander).

2009 Columbus Marathon:
This would be my 3rd attempt at the marathon distance with my 1st attempt coming exactly one year prior at the 2008 Columbus Marathon and the other coming at Sunburst in South Bend, IN. I would consider each of those preparation for what happened this past Sunday. In the prior two, I had not fully "conquered" the distance... at least that's how I felt. My training over the summer and this fall reflected my desire to truly run a marathon. The miles per week were much higher this year compared to last year. I put in several more runs of 18 miles and longer. I wanted to take "the wall" out of the equation.

Due to scheduling and travel, the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon was my intended goal race with Columbus playing the part of last long run... but as stated in the last post, things felt good... everything felt right. But there was no taper and I already had over 40 miles logged by Wednesday of last week. Was it smart to test myself now? Well, it ended up being easier said than done. Not sure if that's a good quality to have.

The weekend started with a night of cleaning Friday night. Woke up Saturday, ran around a little bit more, watched those Buckeyes show their true colors and then headed home to meet my sister and Dan as they made their arrival. We all got ready, headed downtown to pick up our packets, check out the expo and have some dinner at Martini. There were eight of us eating pasta preparing for the run in the morning. Myself, Erica, my sister, Meghann, Dan, my sister's friend, Jay, another friend, Marie, Marie's sister, Susan and Marie's friend, Brenda (I think). We got out of there at a reasonable time, made it home, prepared tomorrow morning's outfit and hit the hay.

I slept decently enough and the alarm went off at 4:45am. I was up and getting ready in no time. The coffee was done brewing by the time I got downstairs and took it slow getting ready. Was nice and prepared by the time the cab showed up at 6:30am. It was cold outside, no doubt, but all we had on was what we were wearing for the race. I went with Nike DriFit shorts, Nike DriFit sleeveless top, arm warmers, white cap, black headband, work gloves and the adiZero's I've come to love (they've seen me through an amazing 2009 and I refuse to turn them into a football field when their racing days are done). I had a long-sleeved throwaway shirt that I ditched at the start, but I felt very comfortable for the entire race. It ended up being perfect weather once again. The wind was a bit chilly at the start, but I can't get picky.

I lined up near the start... in between the 3:10 and 3:20 pace groups. I was going to go with what felt comfortable and I wasn't going to feel compelled to stick with anyone. I wanted to run my own race and based on how I was approaching this thing, I knew I had to stick with the plan or I'd screw up Columbus and Indy. So the gun went off and so did we. The first miles were easy, breezy. Just punching along at 7:15's. I let the 3:10 balloons open a lead and kept them on a horizon. There weren't many folks to talk to, so I just kind of took it in. Noticed a lot of things I hadn't noticed last year. I got to high-five the governor which was cool. Took in the crowd more. As the 3:10 group is pretty large, I was kind of in no-man's land with the stragglers, but it was fun. I ran alongside a woman for a long time and she was having a great time. She really got the crowd into it and talked up everyone around her. The first 10K went by in 45:18 (7:17/mi).

Heading into the halfway mark was about the same... pretty uneventful and still gauging how my body felt. I was well aware that I had run 13.1 miles, but still felt like I had a lot left in my legs. I crossed the 13.1 mile mark at 1:35:00. I was sticking with the plan and was glad I did. Up ahead, I saw the balloons and knew I'd have to let them go soon.

Miles 13.1 through 17 take you through campus (sucked again this year) and down to the Olentangy by the Horseshoe and then begins the climb up to the 20 mile mark... the course's highest elevation. It's really not much of a climb at 130-some feet, but it does come at a precarious part of the race. Last year, I tried to stick with the pace group and wore myself out. This year, it was all about even effort. It meant that my pace would slow, but I'd be prepared to bring the last 10K in strong. It was here that I was going to decide what to do about the rest of the race. If I felt good by the time I got to Hoffmann's (Mile 19.5) I'd take that momentum into the last part of the race and if I didn't feel it, then I was walking/jogging the rest of the way. When I turned left onto Berkshire I still felt good, so I ditched the gloves and headband with a toss into Hoffmann's yard (it floated on me and Brad ended up catching that nasty mess - sorry Hoffmann!). Those miles did end up being the slowest at 7:20/mi.

I couldn't see the 3:10 group by this point, but that didn't bother me. It was always part of the plan. So I picked it up a bit and just focused on the task at hand. Grandview came and went, then onto the steep downhill on 1st Avenue and the 23 mile marker. Just a 5K to go. Turned right on 5th Avenue and headed uphill to Neil. The BQ was well within sight and with a mile and a half to go, I wasn't about to let up. Took a gulp of water at Mile 25 and turned left onto Buttles which again rises slightly on it's way up to Front Street. Took the turn around Goodale Park with tons of crowd support. It was all fairly drowned out at this point. I wanted to make sure my legs didn't let up. As I approached Nationwide, I saw Erica on the right and got pretty pumped up. Another 100 feet and there was my mom... another high-five. Turned onto Nationwide and pretty much coasted to the finish as I knew I had a BQ time... 3:10:02.

I took it in for a moment and kept moving. I felt so much better than what I had last year and 10x better than what I had felt at the end of Sunburst. I met up with my dad and then Erica who gave me a huge hug. We met the rest of the group and got out of there pretty quickly and back to the house. My mom had brought over her famous chicken and noodles for some deserving runners. We enjoyed a pretty lazy afternoon with each other before they took off later than evening. We got to bed pretty early and I was out like a light. What a day.

So congratulations to Meghann, Dan and Erica who all ran great races. And it was just nice to hang out. I'm pretty pumped about the BQ and am looking forward to Boston 2010. I'm also looking forward to the Monumental on the 7th of November. Like I said, I feel good and am ready to get some miles in and possibly lower that 3:10. We'll see how everything goes in the next week, but I'd still like to consider Indy my goal race for the fall. Thanks to my parents for making it to Columbus and once again acting as our bag drop. Thanks to Hoffmann for buying a house at the 19.5 mile mark and being out to support everyone. Can't wait for next year.

Rave Run #2

I'll take part in my 2nd Columbus Marathon in as many years. I still have no idea how I'm going to approach this thing. Up until last week, this was going to be my last long run (run 22, walk/jog the rest) before the Monumental in Indy on the 7th of November (my brother's birthday!). But alas, the competitive bug may have gotten the best of me. Bottom line is that aside from some inflammation in my IT Band (should be taken care of by Sunday), my legs feel really good and strong. I feel like I'm in 3:04-3:05 shape, so what's wrong with carrying 7:15's through 20? Oh, I should know better by now, but I've got a thick head and am inclined to being stubborn. But the jury is still out and common sense may prevail in the end.

However, whilst in the middle of indecision, I was thinking about a run this past winter. It ended up being a contributing factor to me bringing the mini digi on a couple of my longer runs as I trained for the Indy Mini. I started out as I usually do on Friday mornings... early. It was a cold morning with snow on the ground. The intended route was Griggs Reservoir. It's a favorite of mine for the mid-length long runs as well as a great place for sledding in the winter. As I entered the park and turned right along the paved road, a beige Honda came quietly from behind and passed me as it continued on around a slight turn and out of sight. As I made my way around, I saw the Honda pulled over to the side of the road with the trunk open and its driver leaning an old wooden rail sled against a nearby tree. He quickly made his way back to the car, closed the trunk, jumped inside and eased the car to a stop in the open lot. I passed by but was curious about what would happen next. The man I'd seen leaning the sled against the tree had to be near 60, if not older. He wasn't going to seriously sled down that hill, was he? The road takes a sharp left and then a sharp right under Fishinger Road. I stopped under the bridge to look back. He had gotten out of the car, grabbed the sled and was making his way to the top of the embankment.

I decided to let him have his fun and I went on to the end of the park road before turning around to make my way back home. When I came back under the bridge at Fishinger, the car was gone, but the sled stood against the tree. But how freaking cool was that? Some old guy taking the sled out for one last run before passing it down the line. I feel like you only do that when you, yourself have gotten so much enjoyment out of something that you can't imagine putting it out to the curb. He probably took his kids to the very same spot years ago with that same sled. And then again, maybe not, but I'd like to think he did.

Happy trails.

Ronald English Here!

An Over-the-Rhine resident and street artist. He often announces himself upon entering the studio. Yes Ronald, you are definitely here. I hope you're here for a long time. I noticed a huuuuge mural of Jim Tarbell at Central Parkway and Vine Streets the last time I was in town and had some mixed emotions about it.

I've never been a big fan of Tarbell, so why not Ronald English? Ronald has no financial commitments in OTR. He doesn't own property, nor does he have his hand in some of the recent developments that have taken shape in the area. He's the most un-biased embodiment of OTR I've ever known, but it's Tarbell that gets the mural.

I've always hoped for a renaissance of Over-the-Rhine, but the idea of what it might look like has changed over the years. If development wins, Ronald will eventually lose. I don't want to see that. I'd feel bad for Ronald, but also because I know who would take his place.

Moving Day

My parents moved last weekend. The saga began long ago and couldn't be explained in any kind of time frame that would be conducive to anyone actually reading it all the way through. Bottom line, there was one weekend out of 52 to get this done. Ready, set, go!

It's nuts how much stuff you acquire over a lifetime. It was like Jesus himself, came and did unto their belongings as he had done to the loaves and fishes. It was as if their stuff now had stuff itself. But, regardless of the quantity, the keys were being handed over at 4pm on Monday afternoon. It was a lot of work, but we probably did more hem-haw'n than we actually did work. And because the process was a little unnerving (moreso for my parents and especially my poor Mom) it never really sank in that the house I've known as "home" for the majority of my life was no longer going to be the destination upon entering the "Center of Opportunity" - aka, Piqua. And Erica even asked on Sunday night after our last load was packed and in the multiple vehicles transporting it, "Does it make you sad to think this is the last time you'll pull away from that house?" And it did, but only for a little bit. I have to think that it's because I never wanted to leave the first house I knew, 1614 Nicklin Avenue. I think I still held some resentment over that move. Yes, it was for the space but that move took my world away from me. I was certain that I'd stay there the rest of my life. I never did make new friends on the south side. My brother did and so did the Queen Bee of Mulberry, but I never quite made it click. So I'm not going to lie... I'm almost a little happy to see it go. The only thing I might miss is the maple tree I planted in the backyard and maybe that front yard where my dad made me run out-routes because his arm couldn't handle the "Tweetie Birds" (our version of the Hail Mary) I kept trying to throw into the play calling. Now it's someone else's front yard and that's okay by me.

Somewhere in the middle of all the moving, I got to run my 2nd Minster Oktoberfest 10K... one of the best races in the state. I ran it last year and did pretty well and afterward, we stuck around long enough to hear the awards being announced and after they announced the "weight division" awards, I thought I might be able to beat some of those times. So I went into this year's race with two goals... run a sub-40 and get a place at the table with the fat boys. Sunday morning wasn't the best weather-wise, but that's never stopped a race before, so the gun went off and so did we. I was running solo this year but my dad came up to watch me finish, which worked out great. We headed west, right into the wind, for the first half of the race and after a 22-miler on Friday morning and no recovery run in between, I was feeling it a bit more than what I would've liked. I hit the 5K mark at 20:10 and knew I'd have to suck it up in the 2nd half if I was to go under 40. I was pretty conservative with the "push" as I still wanted something left for the last .2 miles (you turn right at mile 6 and head up a hill to the finish... I think 100 people passed me there last year). I wasn't sure how things were going but I didn't really care. I just wanted to go and pick up the pieces in the end. Hit mile 6, saw my dad, gave him a wave and took it to the hill. I actually passed some guy with about five feet to go. I looked like hell and hope no one took a picture, but I'm glad I got him. A little revenge. Final tally was a 39:36 (20:10/19:26). The time was good enough for two hand-painted clogs... 7th in my age group and 2nd in my weight group (I weighed in at 200.8 lbs. Had I been under 200, I would've gotten 1st in the 185-199 group). The guy that got 1st was a runner at Ball State and whipped me by three and a half minutes. And we ran into a bunch of people we knew as Minster's only 30 minutes north of Piqua, so it was a great race... again. I'm already looking forward to next year. The battle between my brother and sister will be epic.

What Up G?

This rant may contain cursing... just a forewarning.

I never have and probably never will consider myself much of a designer. I do the work I'm told to do to the best of my ability, but I don't spend countless hours keeping up on trends, new fonts, programs and that might put me at a disadvantage, but there's just so many other to-do's that my interest holds in higher regard. It was the same way in school. Regardless of the aforementioned excuses above as to why I'm not at a big firm in New York, I do know a little bit. If there is an aspect of design that I'm keen on, it's branding. I like it for a number of reasons that you probably don't care about... always have. And I'm not necessarily saying I know a lot about it, I just lean towards this facet of design.

Earlier this year, Gatorade rebranded their logo and the labeling on the iconic bottle (you know when you're holding a Gatorade vs. a Powerade or other assorted sports drink). I didn't really think much of it. I didn't actually consider it all that necessary other than the fact that their labels were starting to look like video game ads. And if you want to call it "G", fine. It's stupid and gimmicky, but you're trying to introduce this to a increasingly younger crowd who are all about gimmicks... again, whatever. And if you want to put stupid quips in big, bold letters with funky breaks, do as you please. I'm sure it'll all be different five years from now. On a positive note, I do like the size/placement of the "bolt" on the labeling.

The problem comes in when I finish up 21.2 very cold, very wet miles and head to Speedway to pick up the usual quart of choco milk and donuts. I decided that I wanted the regular "G" rather than the watered-down "G2" we had at home. I open the cooler door, look for a minute and grab what I thought was the orange Gatorade. Now that they've let the color of the "juice" do the talking, they should mean what the F they say. So what I thought was orange, was actually some mango, A.M. bullshit. I F'ing hate mango, but was thirsty enough to try and choke it down. Nothing doing. Didn't even like it enough to thwart possible death. So Gatorade, if you want to keep the "G" that's your right, but get rid of that stupid shit in bold type and maybe use it to explain what's in the F'ing bottle since your 1,001 flavor colors inevitably overlap in similarity. And yeah, maybe I could've read the small indistinguishable type above "SH-bolt!INEON" but I didn't.

What I really wanted to post instead of the picture was a super slo mo motion piece of a bullet from a gun I don't own blasting through the gut of this bottle. Lesson learned... and let it be a lesson to you folks at home. Gatorade is the sports drink equivalent to Pepsi... they do stupid stuff with rebranding projects and big, bold type. The only difference is that I'll keep putting "G2" on the grocery list every week. Dammit.