Ribs

As most people that read this probably already know, I've been running for the last two weeks with a rib that is most likely cracked. I crashed snowboarding and came down hard on my left side, and I've been in pain since. This has not been an enjoyable experience. Imagine if you will, a large russian man named Drago jamming his fingers between your bottom two ribs as hard as he can every time you take a deep breath. That's how it feels. I'm doing my best to run through it, seeing as they don't really do much for cracked ribs anyway. But it's tough to run when you can't breath. I think I have a pretty high tolerance for pain, but this is starting to get to me.

Cold...again

I'm such a sucker. Every time it gets warm, I think "wow this is great, it's not going to be cold any more this winter!" Even though I know full well that it is going to get cold and shitty again in a day or two, and that it will be months before it is actually nice out again. I've been living in the northeast for almost 22 years now, but I get my hopes up anew every time there is a warm day.

Training in weather like this is tough, real tough. Over winter break, when I had no one to run with, I resorted to something that I thought I never would... running with an ipod.

I used to condemn ipod runners. But it got to the point that I just couldn't mentally handle another day of slogging through the freezing, howling cold, on the same road that I've been running on every day for the last two weeks. I got an ipod shuffle for christmas, and one fateful day I clipped the little bastard to my waistband and set off in shame.

I am now eating my words, it is actually quite enjoyable to trot along with some of your favorite music playing happily in your ears. The singer is always happy, no matter how terrible the weather is.

So go ahead irunners.

Motivation

Running is a sport that requires a lot of motivation to succeed. You have to be motivated to train, motivated to race, motivated to eat well and get enough rest, motivated to do the drills and all the little things that make a big difference but are easy to forget about. As distance runners, it's not always easy, and often times it is guilt that gets us out the door to run on days when we really don't want to. Guilt is generally a bad thing, but in this case, it is something that we have worked for years to cultivate in ourselves. No matter how much we may want to stay on the couch, we can't shake that nagging voice in the back of our heads that makes us feel guilty about being lazy, the voice that says other people are out there running right now, and they're getting faster than you.

Lately I have been more motivated than ever to run. I've been running more than I ever have, and enjoying it more than I ever have. Training has been going great, but race times have not even come close to reflecting what I am capable of. For some reason I just can't seem to get motivated to race like I did in XC. I've sort of lost that cutthroat attitude I had. I need to get that back. I need to focus in on the race. I was talking to Jeff Marrone last night (a scholarly man) about how it's hard to have that focus and drive every weekend for the whole year. I'm trying to get that focus back.

Shamus Nally, a man that can focus!

Puking up yellow stuff

I know that I have been a bad blogger lately. I apologize to my readership for my blog neglect.

As this was originally intended to be more or less a blog about running and sports and whatnot, I guess I should post something relevant to that.

This is a something that has happened to me a couple of times, the phenomena known as "puking up yellow shit" (that's the medical term). It's always brought on by running, but not necessarily from running too hard, like after a race, and it's not from being too full of food or anything. The most memorable instance was on a certain 20 mile run last winter with Shamus and Jeffrey, a half-mile from the end, I just randomly stopped and threw up yellow liquid onto the sidewalk as Jeff and Shamus cheered "YEAHHH SEND 'EM!!"

The reason I thought of this is I came across this picture on the interweb, I don't know who it is, but she seems to be throwing up yellow shit as well.

Good day

Today was a good day. I'm happy to be back in the routine of being at school, when I'm home I seem to revert back to being a child. I sleep all the time, don't really get anything done, basically just take up space (as long as I get my run in, I feel like I've accomplished something for the day).

But when I'm at school I can act like a (somewhat) functioning human again. This week has been nice, I wake up at a reasonable hour, have a good breakfast, go to practice and run with good people, eat lunch with good people, go home, shower, be productive. Good stuff.

Today had all those things, good breakfast, good run, good lunch, then time to relax.

Around 4 o'clock this afternoon I got hungry, but it was too early to eat dinner, so I decided I would have a salad. Salad never used to be something I liked, but it's been growing on me lately (figuratively, there is not literally salad growing from me, although that would be interesting). I cooked some chicken for my salad, as I am a growing boy and I need my protein. I then came to the startling realization that there were no croutons. I stood crouton-less for a minute, unsure of what to do next. Then I had an epiphany... croutons are made of bread, and I have lots of bread. So I put some olive oil, spices, and bread in a pan, and poof! croutons!

Maybe it's a bad sign that I am so easily amazed, but I am damn proud of myself for being all resourceful and self-sufficient, even if it only involved salad toppings.

Good music

Here's a little taste of some of the music I've been listening to lately. I listen to a pretty wide range of stuff, but these are some of my favorites. If you've never heard of some of it, I would encourage downloading it (legally of course).

Phrazes for the Young, by Julian Casablancas. Since the Strokes are more or less broken up (although there are rumors of a new album this summer), all the members have put out their own albums, this one is from lead singer Julian Casablancas.

Good tracks: 11th Dimension, Left & Right In the Dark, I Wish It Was Christmas Today
Thickfreakness, by The Black Keys. This is one of the older Black Keys albums, but one of my favorites. The band is just two guys, Dan Auerbach on Guitar and Vocals, and Patrick Carney on drums, I love the simplicity of small bands, it sounds like they are raging in some shitty dive bar...excellent.

Good Tracks:Thickfreakness, Set You Free, Midnight In Her Eyes.
In Rainbows, by Radiohead. Radiohead's latest album, the complete opposite of The Black Keys' simplicity, with multiple guitars, drums, bass, and various instruments and synthesizers they weave sounds together into hauntingly beautiful songs.

Good Tracks: All I Need, Reckoner, Jigsaw Falling Into Place

Invisble Girl, by The King Khan & BBQ Show. This is some serious underground stuff, a two man band that sound like they think they are in the 50's. I love how they sound, and you can tell they enjoy making music.

Good Tracks: I'll Be Loving You, Lonely Boy, Anala.
The Mountain, by Heartless Bastards. Good songs without any clutter. The lead singer, Erika Wennerstrom has an amazing voice.

Good Tracks: The Mountain, Hold Your Head High, Out At Sea.
Furr, by Blitzen Trapper. A band from one of my favorite cities, Portland, Oregon. Kinda weird, but great songs about everything from werewolves to robots to murderers.

Good Tracks: Furr, Black River Killer, War On Machines.
Dear Science, by TV On The Radio. One of the best albums of last year, a bunch of crazy guys from Brooklyn making music.

Good Tracks: Halfway Home, Shout Me Out, DLZ.

Back to Cortland

Today is my first full day back in Cortland after a far-too-long break. I got back to my apartment saturday evening and was discovered that it was 50 degrees inside. I figured that it might just take a little while for the furnace to heat up or something so I left the thermostat up. Nothing happened. I piled blankets on my bed and tried to get some sleep, as we had practice this morning at 10 a.m. I finally got warmed up and fell asleep, but every time I moved, a gust of cold air would get under the covers and wake me up. The run this morning reflected the poor night's sleep. I finally called my landlord and "he" came and fixed the furnace. I am happily sitting here now in warmth.

It's good to be back in Cortland. It might not be the nicest place in the world, but it's really nice to see everyone after a month of isolation and hibernation at home. It is especially good to run with someone other than myself. The run today may have been miserable, but at least there was company, after all...misery loves company, and there's plenty of both in Cortland, New York.