Urban Activity

Food Journal THIS

2009-05-07T19:10:00.001-07:00

After a long day, sometimes I like to make a cake to celebrate just how long and ass-bad that day has been. Case in point: yesterday. Call it emotional eating, I call it delicious defiance. When life gives you lemons, make yellow cake.

Since I've been journaling everything I eat as part of my personal training, I have never eaten yellow cake with chocolate frosting right before I curl up in bed for 7-8 hours. Yesterday changed all that. Cake + milk + Thursday night shows=the perfect antidote to a crazy day.

Look at these guys

2009-05-03T07:57:00.001-07:00

The finishers!

Dad finished the half in 3:05 - just 5 minutes off his stretch goal of 3 hours. He did negative splits, starting with 14- to 15-minute miles, and finishing with 11- to 13-minute miles. I'm so proud of his effort on the course. I tweeted our progress and notable music choices throughout the race; it's fun to read those and kinda re-live our experience. Mile 6: Electric Slide. Mile 7: "Elvis," performing Don't. Mile 8: DJ at the Edgecliff playing Working Day and Night by Michael Jackson (p.s. I flippin' loved this and had to contain myself. Will add it to my running playlist). Mile 8.5: I'll Be There by the Jackson Five.

Dan finished the full in 3:50, and looked strong as I saw him running down the final stretch. Come to think of it, I think this was his 5th Flying Pig! He's curled up on the sofa now, watching the Reds game. And by watching I mean napping.

more highlights to come...

The Highlight of Dad's half marathon

2009-05-03T05:29:00.001-07:00

Forget the finish line, Mile 7 with The King rates as Dad's favorite part of the race, in spite of the uphill. He's already asked me to make a 4 x 6 of this picture. Don't be surprised if this shows up in the Ohio Wesleyan alumni magazine.

Who was that blue streak?

2009-05-03T04:21:00.001-07:00

In case you can't identify that blur of black, blue and yellow, that's Gina @ mile 3. Oh yeah, she passed us. Go on, girl!

He's Ready

2009-05-03T03:42:00.001-07:00

Dad at the start. He was so nervous, but managed to give me a thumbs-up and a smile before we crossed the start line. No turning back; we were on our way. I love this picture.

Dan takes a page out of Grandpa's book

2009-05-02T18:04:00.001-07:00

Dan set out his breakfast for tomorrow. When I was a kid, my Grandpa Faulkner would do this every night. Seeing how neatly my 31-year-old husband placed the cereal box, bowl and spoon on the counter produced a rush of memories about Grandpa and simultaneously cracked me up.

Still Life with Rolls

2009-05-02T14:29:00.001-07:00

Only 79 centavos @ kroger

The 10K Roundup

2009-05-02T13:42:00.001-07:00

Mark caught my "kick" in the final stretch - and by kick I mean lead feet. Let's just say today's 10K was a learning experience. When I tweeted that I was wondering if I should eat this morning, I chose about 4 Sport Beans and that was it. Should have had a GU or a bar. Lesson learned. I was about 1.5 miles in when all I wanted to do was walk. My splits are as follows. I'm posting this as a reminder to myself to #1: eat before the race and #2: don't go out too fast.:

Mile 1: 8:08 (Definitely went out too fast; this mile includes the Taylor-Southgate bridge)
Mile 2: 7:40 (Seriously, why did I think I could hold this pace?)
Mile 3: 7:55 (Pushed up the Licking River Bridge even though I wanted to walk)
Mile 4: 9:14 (Walked up part of the CWB Bridge feeling lightheaded & a touch nauseous)
Mile 5: 8:37 (Barely remember this, just remember walking some up the hill on Main)
Mile 6: 7:59 (A nice downhill & flat section of the course)
Last .2: 1:32 (Mark snapped the fuzzy pic above...kinda captures how I was feeling at that point)
Final Time: 51:09...As I crossed the finish line, the announcer said GRETCHEN..........Muh-HAN

Jackie was at the finish and waved to me, giving me a knowing look about name pronunciation. Update: I found a great video that Jackie made of today's events.

All in all, this was a fun race and a beautiful morning. I bumped into Kelly at the finish line, and we wandered around for a while. She said the announcer called her Kelly Mathew. Beautiful. The Mah- names never disappoint in public address situations.

Can I just say that seeing Denise Austin at the start was awesome? I eagerly joined in her warm-up stretches, but Dan was a little too cool for Denise. It was all a front; I know he loves Denise.

Since I didn't eat until after the race, I didn't have any coffee this morning. Classify this as mistake #3 today. I took a great nap once I got home, but ever since then, I've been cringing under the cloud of the worst caffeine withdrawal headache I've ever had.

For now, it's Derby time. The other first-weekend-in-May tradition for me. Instead of mint juleps & Kentucky Browns, it will be water and pasta. I'm still on the hook for 13 miles tomorrow with Dad.

Kellogg's Snacks brings the celebs

2009-05-02T06:46:00.001-07:00

Ernie handing out snacks

Moses' post-mile anguish

2009-05-02T06:44:00.001-07:00

Moses after the kids 1 mile run

LOVE her

2009-05-02T03:56:00.000-07:00

Omg Denise Austin is kicking off the 10 k!!!

Following this interview, Jonathan Hawgood called her a "pepperpot." He might be a 90-year old trapped in the body of a 30- or 40-something.

And So Flying Pig Weekend Begins...

2009-05-01T16:03:00.001-07:00

This was Dan last night taking a brief ice bath after an even briefer run. He's got a new pair of Mizunos and has been registered for the full marathon since January. Will he do it? We shall see...I think the look on his face says it all. Fun fact: this photo captures the first time our bathtub has been used since we've lived in the condo.

Moi, I am running the 10K this morning at 8:00, then walking the half with Dad tomorrow. Rain is expected both days, so I'm prepared to be drenched all weekend.

More updates as the weekend wears on.

Dan Lowers Himself into an Ice Bath

2009-05-01T16:02:00.001-07:00

My Two Running Dads

2009-04-19T16:13:00.000-07:00

This is the story of my two dads...I read somewhere once that you'll have many parents throughout life, in addition to your biological mother and father. At this point in my life, i can easily identify 10-15 different parental figures, including my two "running dads."

There's Richard, aka real dad, who is gearing up for the Pig half marathon. This will be his furthest distance covered in a race to date and it's only 2 weeks away from today. I convinced him to come downtown to practice the Eden Park hills, so we walked about 6 miles of the course yesterday morning. Dad is a great walk/run companion; we talk about our family, enjoy the scenery and when I suggest we cover the whole Eden Park loop (Woodburn to MLK and back down Gilbert), Dad is willing to keep going. It shouldn't surprise me, but he randomly tosses in a quote from Pee Wee's Big Adventure, which in retrospect, cracks my shit up.

Well, Buenas dias!

It's good for us to have this time together. In my nuclear family, Dad and I are cut from the same cloth. On the surface, we share a common addiction to race-finishing euphoria and obscure movie quotes, but on a deeper level, walking together is our time to reconnect as daughter and father. Rad said to me the other day that some of his best talks with his kids are on walks. And how.

My neighbor, Mark, became my running partner and de facto dad almost 5 years ago while we were living at the Renaissance. That running partnership survived my move with Dan to PP@L, then Mark & Kathy's move to PP@L. We run together 2-3 times a week and usually catch up on the latest from work, family and downtown living. There have been runs, though, when Mark has listened to some of my most difficult issues and offered his advice. Mark is the same age as my dad, but I must say his pace belies all that. Lately, I'm lucky if I can keep up with Mark. That's why he's in Boston right now, (hopefully) resting up before the Boston Marathon tomorrow. I think it will be his 4th or 5th Boston, so I'm sending lots of good thoughts to Mark (and Linda and Mark S.) on the eve of Patriots Day. One of these days, I hope to follow in his footsteps - not just with respect to running, but also in his commitment to his family, community involvement and leadership at work. Mark's a good egg.

Illinois Half Marathon recap

2009-04-13T18:07:00.000-07:00

My Top 10 Favorite things about this weekend's race:

10. Expo Deals: Though I never visited Body 'n Sole when I lived in C-U, I was glad they were at the expo offering 20% off of everything. I picked up some Asics arm warmers and a pair of Mizuno shorts with a full size, zippered pocket - a.k.a. the Holy Grail. Those items, plus two flavors of GU and a pack of Sport Beans for under $35.

9. Crowd support along the course made me happy. C-U residents came out to support runners early on a Saturday morning. Students seemed to crawl out of the woodwork as the race wore on.

8. Kinetic Medal: it's awesome - the little person in the "O" spins around.

7. The Photog at mile 12 who took my picture, high-fived me and told me to "Finish Strong!" Outstanding.

6. Running past landmarks like the Alma Mater, Merry Ann's Diner, The White Horse Inn, and my old apartment in Urbana.

5. Pre-gun music selections. Among them: Brown Sugar by the Rolling Stones...finally, something other than Start Me Up.

4. I like flat courses and I cannot lie. Illinois, you make Cincinnati look like the Andes, Alps and Rockies combined.

3. My updated iPod Playlist: I usually don't replay songs when I'm running, but I hit repeat on Run (I'm a Natural Disaster) by Gnarls Barkley. It came on right when the course narrowed onto a Nature Preserve path, with all the runners crowding and hustling in a formation of organized chaos. Plus, the helicopter overhead made me feel like we really were all running from a natural disaster. Oddly, it charged me up and gave me a boost.

2. OMG King's Hawaiian Rolls - soft doesn't even begin to describe them. At first, I saw them and was all, "Why are there rolls betwixt the Nature Valley bars and Papa John's pizza?" One taste of a lightly sweet dinner roll and I'm convinced that they are the most perfect, delicious food in the world following a long run. Hands down.

1. Finishing on the 50 yard line at Memorial Stadium - I was struggling in miles 10 and 11, but when I saw the Stadium, I knew I was close and started getting excited to finish the race. It's hard to fully explain, but running that last mile through the crowd, down the tunnel and onto the field put many things in perspective. Dan and Vicki were already on the field cheering for me, I ran the length of the field - along the sidelines where I used to stand for home U of I games. The course did a 180 turn and I saw myself on the jumbotron as I crossed the finish line.

I felt so satisfied at having come all this way - metaphorically and literally - and my eyes filled with tears. I shuffled to the end zone and laid down on the orange turf. Everything seemed more vibrant than usual. In my head, I told myself repeatedly, "This is why you run, this is what you live for."

My Medal

2009-04-11T10:05:00.001-07:00

Race start from our hotel

2009-04-11T05:00:00.001-07:00

Saturday morning & the race started right outside our door.

On campus at U of I

2009-04-10T12:42:00.000-07:00

Dan & I braced ourselves against the East Central Illinois winds and walked around the Quad. He got this picture of me with the Alma Mater right after a group of prospective freshmen moved on from the statue.

My bib for Tomorrow

2009-04-10T11:26:00.001-07:00

Dan at the Expo

2009-04-10T11:23:00.001-07:00

OMG lunch

2009-04-10T10:42:00.001-07:00

Somehow, I forgot how much food they give you at Courier. No wonder I always wanted to go there when Mom and Dad came to visit.

Courier Cafe Milkshakes

2009-04-10T10:29:00.000-07:00

Courier Cafe - Our first stop in Champaign-Urbana

Oiling up in Veedersburg

2009-04-10T09:08:00.001-07:00

Our quick trip to Champaign got derailed when the oil light came on. Pulling off the highway at Veedersburg, IN, we stopped at the first gas station we could find. It was about a mile off the highway and completely deserted. And not just deserted in a "nobody was stopping there" way - literally deserted like the owners had just up and left the complex. Weirder still was that it used to be a combination gas station-batting cages-mini golf compound. All overgrown and apparently vandalized. Fortunately, we had oil in the trunk, so Dan poured in some oil and we got back on 74. Creepy. But what do you expect from a town with a name like Veedersburg.

Spring in the River Valley

2009-04-05T06:40:00.000-07:00

I didn't take this photo - I found it online

This morning's run was on the Loveland bike trail - flat, scenic, and about 10 degrees colder than the rest of Cincinnati. Vicki lent me her arm warmers, so I was prepped to run with just those, but needed a jacket on top of them.

Running along the path, I focused on the growth along its edges. I had to look this up, but found out that it was henbit - green weeds with purple flowers everywhere. My two favorite colors lining my path. When I wasn't concentrating on the henbit, the ground ivy extending down the bank to the river looked soft enough to roll around in.

Fox on the run

2009-04-04T09:21:00.000-07:00

In chronicling the highlights of the past month, I completely overlooked one mega event from last week - I saw a fox on a run. Yeah, yeah, it doesn't sound like that much, but living in an urban area, I have never seen a fox just darting around on his velvety little feet. What makes it even more Nat Geo-worthy is that the fox crossed my path in Friendship Park right along the river, just east of downtown. Usually when I spot wildlife it's in the 'burbs - deer in Taylor Mill, wild turkeys in Indian Hill, etc.

So, Mark and I were running a week ago last Thursday, heading back to the building after turning around in Friendship Park. Even though it was dark out, I could see a big cat with pointy ears sitting at the top of the path a short distance ahead. It spotted us and darted across the path, retreating to the woods by the river, and I could see it's long nose and the white tip of its tail. Mark was saying something and I totally interrupted him with, "That's a fox!" The fox ran through the shrubs for a few yards, then stopped to look back at us. I tried to point him out to Mark, who couldn't see him in the dark.

It's a minor thing, but I love seeing animals while I'm out running. Seeing that fox totally made my day. When I got up that morning, I was tired and in a bad mood. Even running wasn't doing much for my morale. Once I saw that fox, though, and watched him run off, it reminded me why I get up and out the door at 6:00 a.m. These are the experiences that make running so special to me. Even though I feel like I spend the majority of my life indoors these days, it's my time outdoors that rejuvenates me. It reminds me of being a kid and being curious - exploring & inspecting everything around me. There are days when I wish I could go back to that, and running helps me get a little closer.

What a Day for a Run

2009-04-04T08:59:00.001-07:00

The Month in Workouts

2009-03-29T14:59:00.001-07:00

The day after my last real post, this little guy was born. That is my nephew, Avery. I think I will always associate his birth with Urban Active because I was at the gym when I found out that he had been born. I opened my locker after my workout on February 27th and saw that my brother had called me - three times. It wasn't long until I got in touch with Derek and learned that Avery had arrived early that morning. I love this picture; I think he looks like a little angel. An angel straight from heaven. What did you do, just drop right down from heaven? You're gonna send him to Arizona State.

Aside from the new nephew, highlights from the past month are as follows:

-OMG Hammies Feb. 27: Even before I left the gym that morning, my hamstrings were killing me. Reflecting back on that day, I remember doing some hamstring curls, squats...the usual stuff. What really got me, though, were the last two exercises of the day. First, jump squats. Ouchie. Then, one-legged "deadlifts" (for lack of a better term) where i balanced on one leg, holding weights in my hands and bent at the waist, bringing the weights to the floor and back up, using my other leg as a lever. O...M...G...I felt my hamstrings for 4 days after that. No joke. Which brings me to...

-Mason Brutality on Feb 28: The group run was scheduled for Mason. The Mahans were late. 20 minutes late. Okay, no big whoop. As Dan and I trotted off along the course, the sign at Mason Jr. High said, "7:20 19 degrees." Hm.

The first few steps felt like my hamstrings were going to snap, but they seemed to loosen up around 2.5 miles. With temps in the teens and nothing to block the relentless wind, running through flat, suburban Mason felt like running along Lake Michigan in Chicago in January. Thinking I was going to run 12 that morning, I packed a Gu, but ended up taking it at around 5 miles. About 6 miles into the run, I stopped at the Jr. High to use the restroom. Bad idea. My hamstrings revolted. I tried to stretch them, but they felt like I had just run a marathon. I ventured out to add on, knowing I would never make 12. I did a mile out, then turned around and ran back for a total of 8. That was enough. After dodging ice patches all morning it was time for coffee and dry clothes. Post-run breakfast was at IHoP, effectively alleviating some of the morning's abuse.

-Knee probs: Following my OMG Hammies issues in late February, the knee probs showed up around the first week of March. After a 5-mile run in Amberley with the group, my knees were screaming. I told Trainer Doug about the knee pain, and he noticed that my knees turn in - especially my right knee when doing lunges. This isn't entirely news to me but I'm not sure how to correct it. So, I've been running shorter, slower, and icing post-run.

-6-mile run in Sarasota: Ah, the Sarasota lifestyle. Get up, walk to get Starbucks, walk back to the resort. Walk, walk, walk. I was a little bummed that we didn't have the Sarasota half marathon to look forward to this year, so I made a point to get out and revisit some parts of the course on my own.

On St. Patrick's Day, I got up early and got out the door around 6:45. It was in the 50s (read: perfect running weather) and still dark out, but I felt perfectly safe running on my own, since most of the area's seniors are up and about at that time of the morning. I ran from our resort on Lido Key to St. Armand's Circle, then to the Ringling Causeway. I saw a few herons along the way, admired the hibiscus and listened to the tide. It was awesome. I lingered on the causeway to take in the sunrise, and was punished by my knees shortly thereafter. Running through the pain seemed to work, and I made it back to the resort by 8:30, woke up Dan, and we walked to Starbucks and back. Chalk up another 2 miles for the day. The highlight of our trip, for sure.

-The Bomb Bars: Sometimes when we go on vacation, we load up on bars. These often replace meals, as we're generally so busy we forget to eat. Blueberry Crisp Clif constituted several lunches for me while in Florida. I can't be bothered to hunt down lunch when I'm reading "The Shack" on the beach. And when we stumbled upon a Whole Foods in Sarasota, I bought an Odwalla Almond Sweet and Salty bar. To sum up, Blueberry Clif and Odwalla Almond are the bomb(s).

-Westchester run 3/22: Returning from short-sleeve weather in Florida AND a week of navigating by the iPhone, our run in Westchester slapped us upside the head. First, it was in the 30s. Second, the Mahans were late (AGAIN) due to getting lost somewhere in Butler-Warren Ohio. The iPhone map was no help. After moments of "intense fellowship" in the car (as Dr. Wiley would say), we found the start (Caribou Coffee) and i sent Dan off to run. It would have been great to sit at Caribou all morning, relaxing and drinking coffee, but I managed to get outside and do 5. Dan was going to do 18, but cut it down to 14.

-One training session a week: Per my UA agreement, I'm on my own for one workout a week now. I'm adjusting.

-Heart Mini: I did the 5K, Dan did the 15K. It rained on us both. Brunch afterwards was delish. It was one of my slowest 5Ks in recent memory, but whatevs. Pics from brunch follow:

Kathy flipping pancakes & Dan eyes the casserole I baked

Boston-Bound Crew

The Illinois Half is just 2 weeks away. Since I slacked on registering, I am now enrolled in a lottery to get registered for the half. If I don't get chosen, I'll run the 5K. The racing season has begun and I'm looking forward to Illinois.

St. Patty's Day lunch in Clearwater, FL

2009-03-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

The Week in Workouts

2009-02-26T17:11:00.000-08:00

Friday, February 20: Derek's birthday. Turned in the past 3 weeks of my food journal. Doug immediately exclaims, "PEANUT M&Ms???!" sigh.

Sunday, February 22: Run to Mammoth Coffee in Newport, crossing the Purple People Bridge pre-dawn in the blowing snow. Ran about 4.2 miles and returned to Mammoth Coffee as the barista was unlocking the door. About an hour post-run, Jody and I chatted over hot coffee with our teeth still chattering from the freezing winds outside. Ready for Spring.

Tuesday, February 24: Mom's birthday. Ran outside with Mark. A perfect winter morning - dark, cold, calm. One of those mornings where we caught our breath at the turnaround and saw each exhale disappear in a white puff. Okay, winter running is still pretty cool.

Wednesday, February 25: Urban Active workout - I felt like I was going to pass out doing squats on the Smith Machine. Turns out I should eat something before I work out.

Thursday, February 26: With a revised playlist on my iPod*, I run 4.5 on the treadmill, maintaining an 8:00 pace for the majority. Feeling good, but need to ramp up in order to be ready for the Illinois Half. Printed my 6-week training program today, even though there is less than 6 weeks until the race.

Tomorrow: Another UA workout, and another birthday. Looking forward to meeting my new nephew very soon.

*new songs added to "On the Go 8" running playlist:

B.O.B. - Outkast

Crazy in Love - Beyonce

4 Minutes - Madonna

Get Me Bodied - Beyonce

Independent Woman Part 1 - Destiny's Child

Easily half of my running playlist involves Beyonce. I heart you, Beyonce, for your up-tempo girly jams. If only I could do the "Crazy in Love" booty shake while I'm running. Uh oh uh oh uh oh...

This is Why He's Krek

2009-02-15T06:26:00.001-08:00

Breakfast of Krekeler:
A steaming plate of Mac n' cheese, 2 pcs dry whole-grain toast, grande hot tea.

When you run a 50K on Saturday, then head out with the group for a hilly 9 miles on Sunday, you can eat whatever you damn well please at 9:30 a.m. This is all part of Krek's M.O.

Dave silently reminds us that he is part machine whenever he qualifies for Boston - again, completes another ultra or runs the toughest legs of Hood to Coast sans complaints. He runs so much he gets holes in his socks. Bring on the carbs for Krek, he's just going to burn through them like so much fuel.

Today is 80s day and nobody told me

2009-01-30T03:58:00.000-08:00

I'm wondering if there was some announcement about this, but is today some kind of 80's Music Extravaganza? First I thought it was just at Urban Active, but no. I'll explain...

Enter Urban Active, roughly 5:20. Proceed to women's locker room, where the usual smooth grooves instrumental jazz is playing. Fill up locker, proceed to gym for training session. Doug and I got started and the first thing i noticed - the Go-Gos on Urban Active Vision (or whatever they call their TV feed).

Moving upstairs, UA Vision was drowned out by the 5:45 Spinning class. As I did my sets of squats, abs, chest presses, yadda yadda, I heard the following:
Money for Nothing, Dire Straits
Sweet Dreams, Eurythmics
Jump, Van Halen

Typically, 80's music is not what I choose to listen to when I work out. Yeah, it's fun and all, it makes me laugh sometimes, but I feel like I OD-ed on it when I was a kid listening to Z93 on my Panasonic boom box all day everyday.

The 80's Spinning soundtrack continued with the worst selection yet: Every Rose Has it's Thorn. How can anyone even work out to that song? It's a total downer! Plus, Bret Michaels is so overexposed right now.

At that point, Doug had me doing 30-second intervals of abs (bicycles - alternating back and forth). Between sets, I explained that I might not be able to complete the training session if I had to listen to Poison.

The song ended, and so did today's training session. I hopped on a nearby elliptical for a few minutes of cardio. And so the 80's streak continued...
Push It, Salt n' Pepa
We Built this City, Starship

Even though I would never include these songs on a workout mix, they both took me back to junior high. As a 7th-grade cheerleader, I did a dance routine to "Push It" and I remember one of the 8th grade girls being worried because the song had "some language in it." Those were the words she used; I remember because she sounded like an adult when she said it. Which I always wondered about - "language." Was she talking about the "push it" part or the "gonna get pissed" part? I never found out.

And We Built this City took me straight to Timberwolf, 1986. That was my first concert, Starship, and Derek, Tauni, Mom and I went on a summer night. I say that because it was the quintessential summer night - I remember the sun setting and everything before the concert. The funny thing was, Mom would only pony up for one concert shirt, insisting that Derek and I would "share" it. It was gray and hot pink, and sized to fit Derek, who hogged it. I maybe wore it once. I wonder if they still have that shirt...

Anyway, my reveries aside, the next song almost knocked me off the fricking machine.
Cherry Pie, Warrant

As an adult listening to the lyrics, I wonder what I ever found redeeming about this song. And, it conjured another Timberwolf memory - Warrant, Trixter and Firehouse. AKA the "Blood, Sweat and Beers" tour. Good God - that probably was in 1990, maybe 91. So, not technically "80s." That was the concert when Kelly caught a Nike "Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood" t-shirt from the lead singer of Trixter. Which she displayed with her concert ticket on her bedroom wall for weeks after. I was jealous.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, this little gem came on:
Take Me Home Tonight, Eddie Money

Ugh, I really hate this song. It always reminds me of junior high, when Paradise City was big. My friends and I would always sing, "Take me down to paradise city..." and one of my (sorta) friends always sang, "Take me home to-night..." in a really high voice, like it was a really pretty song. I always wondered if she just never knew what we were singing and tried to keep up.

That was it, I had to get away from the 80s soundtrack.

Walking back downstairs, I managed to get away from the spinning class, but "Private Eyes" by Hall and Oates was on Urban Active Vision. Which made me think that John Oates always reminded me of my Uncle Bill when he had a mustache.

Back to the smooth grooves of the locker room.

I get in the car - "Wild Wild West" was on the radio - i shit you not.

Driving home, I'm flipping the channels, and one station has "In Cars" and an0ther has "You Spin Me Right Round."

The other day when everyone was snowed in, Mark Mallory appeared on TV and declared it Family Day in Cincinnati. Reflecting on all the 80s music I heard, I wondered if there had been some huge declaration about Friday, January 30th being 80s day and I missed it. What if everyone was in on it - Urban Active, all the radio stations, my neighbors, etc. - and I had no idea? Like a Twilight Zone episode.

It was unreal. After re-reading this post, I realize how many crazy associations 80s music brings up for me. Not always bad, but I get lost in these weird memories, reliving things that are kinda funny, but pretty inconsequential.

And it's only 7:24, which means that I still have another 12-16 hours to go.

Newport in the Snow

2009-01-30T02:16:00.001-08:00

Not that this was a safe thing to do, but I took a picture of the roads coming off of Taylor-Southgate bridge.

Typical January

2009-01-28T07:26:00.001-08:00

No 5:30 workout this morning.
Only 45 days until we go to Florida.

Sunday, by the numbers

2009-01-27T14:09:00.001-08:00

Temperature: 12

# of runners in the group: 20

# of shirts / jackets: 4

pairs of gloves: 2

Miles completed: 6

Tardy for the Party

2009-01-22T12:03:00.001-08:00

I took this photo for posterity - my first official training session. The date, time and temp are all here - and, incidentally, the temperature dropped to 10 by the time I got to Urban Active. In June or July, I'll probably look back at this picture and laugh.

Truth be told, waking up at 5:00 sucked. I had everything laid out and ready to go, but I still ended up making it to the gym by the skin of my teeth. What should have been a five-minute drive doubled to ten as I hit every red light between here and Bellevue. Even though I pulled some illegal maneuvers, I still didn't make it in early. I walked into UA at 5:30 on the dot. So, no time to warm up, only time to throw my stuff in a locker and get started.

Squats, lateral raises, ab work, leg extensions, push-ups...30 minutes flew by, with very little down time between sets. At one point, I looked at the clock and commented that the time was flying by; I only had 10 minutes left. Doug retorted, "Yeah, we started kinda late, too." Youch.

So, after wrapping up, Doug and I rescheduled Friday's session for Saturday and I hopped on the elliptical for about 15 minutes. By 6:30, I was completely finished working out for the day.

Skip to Thursday morning - Mark and I ran outside in 20-something degrees. Him: ready to go 6 or 7. Me: stopping every five minutes to stretch my calves. 24 hours after my first real workout, I find that all that balancing on the bosu ball is shredding my calves. It was good to get back outside with my running pal, though. Mark was merciful enough to keep the pace manageable for me and I cut out after about 3 miles.

Friday morning=sleeping in until about 6:30, which was nice.

This morning=up at 7:00 to make sure I had time to get dressed, eat something and print my food journal for my 8:30 session. Even with Dan in tow, I managed to get to UA at about 8:15, enough time to throw stuff in a locker and warm up for about 10 minutes. I also gave Doug my food journal from the past week. He said he'd get back to me on that after taking a closer look at it. After glancing at it, he immediately noticed the buffalo wings and spinach dip from Wednesday night and mucho Mexican for lunch yesterday. With more time, he'll surely see my spinach salad lunches and healthy snacks. Bring me the feedback - bring it.

This morning's session was similar to Wednesday's session - more balancing, squats, arms, plank, etc. Followed by 20 minutes on the elliptical. It would have been nice to get in the sauna for a while, but Dan wanted to get back home to buy Opening Day tickets.

Tomorrow, we're running with the group in Blue Ash. 7:00 a.m. - another early morning. The lows are going to be in the teens, which means double the socks, double the shirts, double the gloves, hat, headband. Guess I should do some laundry tonight. More on that tomorrow.

Evaluation with Doug

2009-01-17T08:27:00.000-08:00

What to say about my 9:00 evaluation with Doug? That I already kick ace and don't need a trainer? Not quite...

My evaluation went well. I'm in okay shape. But I want to be in better shape. There are definitely areas to work on. Like when I was balancing on the Bosu ball, lifting weights to shoulder level in front of me while squatting. That was pretty challenging.

So I figure my workout routine will look something like this:

Sunday - run with the group

Monday - off

Tuesday - run

Wednesday - trainer

Thursday - run

Friday - trainer

Saturday - off (or easy run)

Dan and I are talking about running the Illinois half marathon in April in beautiful Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. We just need to commit to it, get a hotel, take Friday off of work, etc.

Yesterday, I got an email from the Heart Mini, which is about two weeks prior to the Illinois half. Needless to say, it's go time if I want to run well at either event.

January, February and March are going to be all about the early mornings. We'll see how I do with a 5:00 wake up call...more on that Wednesday.

New for '09

2009-01-12T19:00:00.000-08:00

Tonight was my first meeting with an Urban Active trainer, Kevin. My appointment last week got postponed because I abruptly came down with a case of the Seed Virus, complete with stuffy head, sneezing, aches, fatigue, the shakes, etc. After a few days rotating Nyquil / Dayquil, I'm back at 90%.

So I've been looking forward to working out seriously for the past month and now it's time. For really real. My ace is going to be worked over the next 12 months. I paid and everything.

After chatting with Kevin about my fitness goals, assessing my body fat % and BMI (which I won't post here), I settled on a 60-session plan and swiped the Visa. This commitment actually intimidates me, which doesn't make sense, because I truly want to work out and get in shape. For some reason, assigning a credit card to the process makes it seem so much more matrimonial.

So, once the bizness was settled, Kevin gave me my first assignment. He handed me two 5-pound plates and told me to walk around the track like I was late for work, with "good arm motion." I complied without hesitation, but as a seasoned runner, I felt like a tool after the first lap. The gym was packed with post-holiday exercisers and I caught a glimpse of myself in the windows: pink shirt, black shorts, hair pulled back in clips (because I just got my hair done and it's not long enough to completely pull back)...I looked like a mallwalker busting around the track with these plates in hand, getting passed by joggers.

"The journey of a million miles begins with a single step," i reminded myself, and completed about 4 more laps.

After that, I balanced on the Bosu ball, doing a series of bicep curls and overhead presses, first with weights, then with bands. While balancing on the Bosu ball, I focused on the monitor outside Cardio Cinema showing Baby Mama - good one. If not for the money i just dropped on training, I probably would have gone and watched it again.

Next, down to the floor for plank on the Bosu ball. That was followed by lunges swinging a 15-lb. kettle ball between my legs and up to chin height. Various permutations of kettle ball, step, bands and lunging ensued.

Finally, it was core time - transverse abdominals. The ab work was challenging: straight-leg lifts, flutter kicks, etc. At one point, I remembered the trip to Florida we have coming up in March and used that as my motivation. I also made the mistake of telling Kevin about that.

"I like to finish up by giving you a choice," he said. "100 or 1 1/2 minutes. I won't tell you what." Silence...

"Or you can challenge yourself by doing both."

By this point, I have something to prove. Okay, I'll take the challenge and do both. It turned out to be 100 flutter kicks and 1 1/2 minutes in plank. I made it through 70 flutter kicks and took a break, then finished with the remaining 30 (according to the rules established ahead of time, this was entirely permissible). Then I did the 1 1/2 minutes in plank on the Bosu ball, repeating part of a horoscope I read to myself a few weeks ago: You are a mountain of strength and have already overcome much.

And that was the end of my first training session of '09. It was awesome to have some structure and a coach again. I know I'm a sucker for positive reinforcement, and I really want to believe I'm doing something unique and significant by holding the plank for over a minute. But in my brain, I know it's really not a huge accomplishment. Hearing Kevin say, "Great!" or "Awesome" or high-fiving between sets truly convinces me, if only for a second, that I'm doing something special. Like maybe I'm the baddest-ass client he's trained all day. Because nothing screams badass like a 30-something mallwalker hustling around an indoor track.

One thing that Kevin said tonight really stuck with me after I got home. That was, "food journal." Yikes. I got home and immediately went for the Club Crackers, and remembered that I will eventually have to answer to all of my pre-meal or between-meal transgressions. I like to think I eat healthily all the time, but then I decide I deserve another Dunkin' Donuts Munchkin. As I heated up some leftover chicken and mashed potatoes, I had a handful of pistachios and a small glass of orange juice. As I was snacking, i wondered if I should count out the pistachios to determine exactly how many i was eating. Hmmm no. Then, since we had two containers of blueberries, I decided to make impromptu blueberry crisp. It was a Cooking Light recipe, so that has to count for something, I figure. Proper Food Journaling begins tomorrow.

Next training session starts Saturday morning at 9:00, titled "Evaluation With Doug."

Thanksgiving Day 10K tomorrow

2008-11-26T07:40:00.001-08:00

Big race tomorrow - not going for a PR by any means.

This kinda sums up my race

2008-05-31T09:18:00.001-07:00

Above: My OTR 5K bib.

Number 600: Gertchen Mahan

Even though I registered in person this morning and handed the guy a form with my name spelled correctly, he still made a hot mess of my name. Thankfully, I didn't have to tear this strip off at the finish because I love to document when my name gets destroyed. And thankfully, they only timed the lead 5 men and the lead 5 women, so my 5K time from this morning won't be in the public domain. Let's just say that after a very late night, a humid 5K on an empty stomach doesn't quite equate to PRs. Or even near-PRs like on Monday. Bleh.

So much for raising my game.

'Twas the first 5K of the Summer...

2008-05-27T17:50:00.000-07:00

...And all through the town

ran the Hunger Walk 5K,

3.1 miles around.

3 years ago on Memorial Day, Dan and I ran the Hunger Walk 5K in the pouring rain. It was a small crowd of runners foolish enough to persist in spite of their soaked shoes and clothing. The out-and-back course started and finished at the downtown YMCA (read: one porta-potty). At the time, it was my PR (22:54) and I won my age group. My, how things have changed...

Yesterday's weather was beautiful and the crowd for the Hunger Walk was outstanding! The FreeStore Foodbank benefits from this fundraiser, and I can safely say the event has grown exponentially since 2005. This year, I registered through the 5000 Club at Christ Church Cathedral, since a) my running partner/neighbor, Mark heads the 5000 Club and b) the 5000 Club benefits from FreeStore food and services. A win-win all around.

To sweeten the mix even more, I only had to step out my front door to start the race. MMMM yeah, that's right - the race started in Lytle Park. Now you're probably thinking that this story can't get any better, but what if I told you that my DAD was participating, too? Yes, my dad chose the Hunger Walk as his sophomore foray into the world of road races. Maybe due to the shorter distance, he seemed semi-confident prior to the race and easily blended into the crowd at the start. I, on the other hand, was pretty nervous since I hadn't done a 5K since October. My mouth was dry, my stomach was jumpy. But whatever.

Once the race got started, there was little to worry about. The course was flat and fast, with a nice downhill near the start. Mark and I had practiced the course a few times over the past weeks (albeit not always in the correct direction - AHEM, faulty Hunger Walk course map). The final hill up Sycamore to 4th was less stressful than I expected, and I coasted to the finish in 22:26. It was a way better time than I expected for the first 5K of the summer; only about 10 seconds off my PR.

So, here was the surprise of the day. I finished the race, grabbed some water and sat down with Dan and Mom in the shade to watch for Dad. With about 30 minutes on the race clock, Mom exclaimed, "I think I see your Dad!" I looked at my watch and said no way - Dad was probably doing 15-minute miles and would be around mile 2. But Barb didn't let up, she recognized Dad's orange Bengals hat cruising down 4th Street. He was jogging toward the finish - jogging! Plus, he was about 15 minutes sooner than expected, blowing his 10K splits out of the water. Dan grabbed the camera and I jumped up and down like a fool, waving my arms and cheering for Dad. He finished in 32:10.

Dad Cruising Down 4th Street

Almost to the Finish

Check out the race results here.

Mom and Dad didn't hang around for the awards, but Dan and I casually wandered over to the post-race refreshment / award zone, where he took in some hot dogs and I took home second place in my age group. I truly thought I might win my age division, but given the size of the field this year, I was pleased that I even placed.

The woman who won the 30-39 age group was pushing a stroller with a little girl in it. I saw her on the course and marveled to myself at how effortless and agile she looked as I struggled to maintain sub-8:00s.

Time to raise my game. Next weekend - the OTR 5K, followed by a trip to Fleet Feet to buy my dad some new running shoes.

Lessons learned - practice pre-race confidence, push harder on the course to PR, never underestimate Dad.

My Feet Had Soul

2008-05-05T13:36:00.000-07:00

I wasn't dancing, but my marathon spirit was reborn. I went out on a lark with nothing to lose, I ran, I walked a little, I didn't fret (much) over my time. I just made sure I beat this one old lady, I can't stand to lose to old ladies. Young ladies, okay. And speaking of young ladies - when did the marathon become a 65-7-% female event. All ages, all events - the girls own the races. What is that all about? I'll tell you the other thing, the ladies crossing that full marathon finishing line in less than 3 hours and twenty minutes were in shape. Now, my other question. Why are the faster runners older? with few exceptions, it seems that the really young runners (early twenties) don't end up with faster times or near as fast as the 3o somethings and even early 40 somethings - male and female. I don't know the physiology of it. one of my theories is that Marathon running is such a mental sport - at the end of the day - that sheer youth and young muscle energy isn't necessarily the edge. It's seasoned athletic ability. People who have faced some adversity in life and know how to persevere and prevail. That's all folks.

otterbob

The Results Are IN

2008-05-04T13:07:00.000-07:00

Dan before leaving the condo this morning. Typical race-day expression.

Urban Activity bloggers killed it on the Flying Pig Half Marathon course this morning!

After a delayed start due to a fire on Eastern Avenue, the Half and Full Marathon events took off to the strains of "Eye of the Tiger" - groan.

However, the Pig redeemed itself with a fireworks show erupting over the Roebling Suspension Bridge as the sun rose in the East - nice touch.

Crowd support along the course was outstanding this year, maybe better than it's ever been. Seventh Street felt like a throwback to the "old course" of 2001 & 2002; we ran from one end of the city to the other, with cheering spectators lining both sides of the street. Needless to say, the uphills were challenging, thus guaranteeing that I would NOT run a PR on the course. But the Gilbert downhill let me make up some time without shredding my quads. I finished in 1:48:26 - about 2 minutes off of my PR, so I was pretty pleased considering the course. Immediately after finishing, I ran around to the final stretch and caught Bob cruising down the last half mile. Bob registered on a whim last Friday at the expo, so hopefully he'll post his two cents about the whole experience.

Click here for my results from this morning's half marathon.

Click here for Bob's results from the half marathon.

After spotting Bob, I grabbed my gear, ran home to get the cameras (yes, PLURAL) and stiffly jogged to meet my parents by Adams Landing. We cheered for the marathon finishers tackling the final hill around mile 25, and caught Dan running by. Dan had a great race and finished in 3:40:22. He's within a minute or two of his PR, so it's possible that, had the full marathon course not been detoured by the fire on Eastern, he may have run his best marathon yet. Regardless, he felt great the entire race, so that's an accomplishment in itself.

It was nice reveling in the post-race endorphins for a while, but now Dan is half-comatose on the couch watching Full Metal Jacket. Nice uplifting choice. Can't he just watch something light like the Reds game or Malibu's Most Wanted? Sometimes I do not understand him.

Future post: a list of post-marathon movies to watch (and NOT to watch). Seriously, I can't watch this movie anymore; it's going to give me bad dreams.

Another Future Post: for posterity, a record of my panicked pre-marathon dreams. It never fails that I have crazy, panic-inducing dreams the night before a race and I always remember them.

More later.

Your Face on the Purple People Bridge

2008-05-04T10:17:00.001-07:00

Random t shirt on purple people bridge

After the race, Dan and I walked to Newport for some Dewey's. This T-shirt with an ironed-on picture was draped across the side of the Purple People Bridge. WTF? I would be a little weirded out if someone ditched a shirt with my picture in plain view of all river-crossing riff raff. It wasn't like it was lying in a heap so no one could see the photo - someone carefully hung it so everyone crossing the bridge could take a good look. I almost didn't get this picture because three dirty old men were admiring it. Ew.

2008-05-04T09:10:00.001-07:00

The post-marathon crowd

Faulkner Pride

2008-05-03T07:16:00.001-07:00

Here's my dad enjoying a well-deserved breakfast at FIrst Watch after the 10K this morning. The Flying Pig 10K was his first race and he beat his goal time by 15 minutes. Check out the medal!

In spite of a wet start (he was drenched by mile 1), Dad got out and walked the course. I joined him around mile 2 and walked the course with him, dropping off just before the finish. Fortunately, the rain stopped during the race and we stayed dry as we walked across Downtown and throughout Kentucky. Appealing to his competitive nature, I convinced him to jog a few of the downhills. He jogged down the Taylor Southgate Bridge and to the finish under a 1:29:45 clock. Afterwards, Dad marveled at how exhilarating it felt to cross the finish line with people cheering for him. Watching him finish gave me the same rush and both Mom and I choked back tears. There's nothing like seeing someone you love accomplish a goal.

So, based on this race, I think he's hooked; he's already talking about doing the Hunger Walk 5K in just a few weeks. Maybe he'll jog that one, maybe he'll walk, but I'm super proud of him for "taking the plunge" today. Here's hoping that we'll share many more races and PRs.

Brunchin'

2008-03-30T13:51:00.000-07:00

Post-Race LBJR Oven Brittle

2008-03-30T12:07:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I like to go out for a brisk 9.3-mile run, then come back to the condo and prepare brunch for all of my runner friends. After that, I like to spend about an hour hunched over the mess in my oven created by a naughty batch of Little Brown Jug Rolls. There's nothing like crouching at oven height after a nice long run, stabbing at burned, baked-on food with a steak knife. This may become an annual ritual: Run the Heart Mini, Host a brunch, Clean the oven.

Background: While baking, the LBJRs overflowed in the oven, resulting in a crusty brittle of cinnamon, brown sugar, butter, milk & vanilla pudding. I thought I was being really smart by doubling the recipe for the "goo" and baking a batch of 36 Jug Rolls - rather than the 20 called for in the recipe. I guess increasing the rolls by 80% requires commensurate baking pan capacity, which, sadly, I didn't account for. Lesson learned.

As my friend, Jody, put it, "At least your oven will smell nice." True.

Click here for results from the Heart Mini.

Heart mini 5k from our window

2008-03-30T06:24:00.001-07:00

Runners in the Heart Mini 5K - taken from our window.

Songwriters, hear my prayer.

2008-03-26T15:38:00.001-07:00

Please come up with a new anthem that can be used to inaugurate sporting events. If it is specific to running/marathoning, even better. Something is wrong with the world when "Let's Get it Started" and "Start Me Up" are the only two songs played before every football, baseball, hockey, basketball, wrestling, softball, cricket, jai alai, gymnastics, rugby, soccer, lacrosse, volleyball, bowling or handball match.

Now the Flying PIg Marathon is offering runners the chance to vote on these and 8 other horrendous songs to hear at the starting line of the 10th Flying Pig Marathon.

Seriously? Eye of the Tiger? Life is a Highway? WTF? Who decided to revive Tom Cochrane's career? Why not throw in the Rocky theme while you're at it? (In all sincerity, I'm surprised the Rocky theme isn't an option.) Needless to say, I have been feverishly writing in options from my personal running playlist. Maybe someone at the Pig will download one of my tunes and take pity on runners who have been bleeding from the ears at the sound of the aforementioned songs. Have mercy on our souls.

Please - something different, something with depth. Something that speaks to reducing your body to a salty, limping, panting, dry-heaving mass in the name of enlightenment. Bonus points if you mention hitting the wall and busting through it. Something sentimental like, "I've seen a million faces, and I've rocked them all." It's a stretch, but you get the idea.

That said, I hereby initiate a contest to develop a new "Sporting event kick-off anthem." Please submit songs to me ASAP. I can't offer a meaningful cash reward, but I'll do my damnedest to get the Pig to debut the song at the start of the 10th running of the Flying Pig Marathon. It will be legendary. Imagine all the people...
Or something like that.

Amen

The calm after the storm

2008-03-09T18:34:00.000-07:00

My blogging schedule pretty much mirrors my workout schedule over the past month. I'll admit I haven't been taking it too seriously. Well, last week, Dan and i were in Sarasota and ran the half marathon. It's been a while since I ran a half, so my expectations weren't too high - I figured I'd finish in 2 hours or more. Once the race got started, I felt great - the course ran along the water and I watched the sun come up over the bay. So, i finished in just under 2 hours, which completely boosted my running confidence again. So, the next goal is the Flying Pig Half. Next step: find a 6-week training plan and post here.

Fast forward to this weekend in Cincinnati - 12 inches of snow and ice. My memories of running in 60-degree weather dissolved as blizzard-like conditions conspired to keep me inside. Saturday and Sunday=TV, TV, computer and more TV. I scraped off the car this morning and headed to the newest Urban Active in Bellevue. It was the perfect time to go to the gym - I was probably one of ten people in the place when I got there. I walked on the treadmill and watched the river (photo above), did some core work, did some arm work, then jumped in the pool and ran back and forth in the water. Topped it all off with about 15-20 minutes in the sauna, where the 160-degree temps shredded my edition of Runner's World, but reminded me of summer. The whole experience was very calming and therapeutic. One complaint: UA really needs to turn down the volume of their gym-rock. On a Sunday morning, you just don't want Aly and AJ all up in your face, but that's another blog entirely.

Dan is in Austin this week, so I will probably be Urban Activating in the mornings and/or evenings. Bellevue's UA is a nice gym. I'll probably go there instead of Florence.

My feet in a relaxed position

2008-01-19T17:28:00.000-08:00

Ignore the mysterious yoga implements in the background. When relaxed, my feet are completely jeopardizing my posture, my joints, etc.

2008-01-19T17:27:00.001-08:00

In the midst of our personal yoga lesson, I complained to Meg about lingering knee pain and pain in my periformis. Meg took one look at my legs and noticed that my hips, knees and ankles are completely twisted. This picture shows the grounding exercise that I need to work on - weight in the outer feet & heels, stretching through the big toe and grounding in the ball of the foot to straighten my ankles, knees and hips.

2008-01-19T16:15:00.001-08:00

Rena on meg's yoga contraption

Live from Meg's condo. My friend, Megan, is a yoga instructor and hosted my friend, Nicole's baby shower today. Everyone was wondering what the straps and ropes were on her bedroom wall. Once all the shower guests left, Meg gave Rena and me some personalized yoga instruction. First move - on the straps, against the wall, upside down. Both Rena and I tried it and, in spite of the blood collecting in our heads, we achieved new levels of enlightenment and alignment.

2008-01-08T09:00:00.001-08:00

The starfish

2008-01-08T07:22:00.000-08:00

Bob's new shoes by converse

2008-01-08T07:21:00.000-08:00

Mahan's Best & Worst of Gyms 2007

2008-01-01T11:44:00.001-08:00

Happy 2008! All of the year-end "Best and Worst" editions, combined with exhaustive "new year, new you" references spurred the idea that I should compile my best and worst of gyms.

Urban Active will be the seventh gym membership I've held since high school. I've been a member at Body Dynamics (now defunct), Countryside YMCA, Bally's Chicago, Bally's Cincinnati, The Gym at Carew Tower and a one-week tenure at FitWorks. If you factor in my time at university facilities (U of Illinois, Northwestern), apartment building facilities (Fourth and Plum, The Renaissance and my current building, Park Place at Lytle), the gym experience jumps substantially. Needless to say, I consider myself something of a gym connoisseur. After careful thought and consideration, here are my "Best and Worst" of gyms...

Best Weights: Bally's. From 1998-2001, I went before work 5 days a week and loved it. As a morning regular, I was on a first-name basis with most of the staff and members. Sometimes I miss those days of frivolous fitness, but sometimes I relish sleeping in past 5:00 a.m.

Best Variety: The Gym at Carew Tower. Once I moved downtown, marathon training gradually replaced weightlifting, and The Gym at Carew was my most convenient option. For a downtown location, it offers great variety in the way of a lap pool, a whirlpool, group classes, weights and cardio. In winter, there was nothing better than finishing a run on the treadmill, going for a quick swim, then soaking in the whirlpool. I guess Countryside Y would be a contender here, too, but as it's located in Lebanon, it loses on the convenience factor.

Best Towel Service: Bally's Chicago - As someone who actually showers at the gym, I've found that gym towels are universally tiny and insufficient at covering all the necessary parts. At Bally's in Chicago, I was able to take not one, not two, but three towels in the morning so I could maintain some level of modesty in the locker room AND wrap my hair up in a towel.

Best Kickboxing Class: Dale Eads at Body Dynamics - Summer, 1996. My friend Kelly and I loved this class and had a slightly unhealthy obsession with Dale. Mostly because we loved his name.

Worst Gym Trial: Fitworks in Newport, Kentucky. I took the bait of a one-month free trial about 5 years ago and they called me at work every day for a month pressuring me to join. Lesson learned - avoid Fitworks at all costs.

Worst Pickup Line: "You've probably noticed me watching you." Ew. This line was delivered to me mid-workout when I was in college. It's comments like these that require "women's fitness" sections at co-ed gyms.

Worst Apartment Workout Facility: Fourth & Plum. I feel kind of like a traitor saying this since Fourth & Plum was the first apartment I had on my own. Even the pool on the roof couldn't make up for the ancient treadmill, the mix-and-match dumbbells and the "highschoolweightroom" stripes painted on the wall. I'm sorry, Fourth & Plum, but even on a limited budget, I had to get a real gym membership.

Worst Gym-Goer Hygiene: Northwestern's gym - 1998. I think I shall never forget this. My roommate was working as the director of Northwestern's fitness center in 98-99. I showed up after work (aka "Prime Time") to work out and a middle-aged guy in shorts and a tank top hopped on the Stairmaster Stepmill. The problem - he was wearing neither shoes nor socks. The fitness staff on duty quickly pulled him off the machine, informing him that shoes and socks were necessary. Each step on the Stepmill was then thoroughly disinfected, but the machine had been pretty much tarnished by one man's sweaty gym feet. Ew infinity.

Stay tuned for updates on where Urban Active fits in on the Best and Worst of 2008. Also coming: a link to my favorite marathon training plan, as well as the best and worst in athletic gear.

wrecked but not worked out

2007-12-28T11:14:00.000-08:00

I just had a 24 year old hillbilly in a beat up toyota pick-up slam into me on five mile road in the rain. She has no insurance, no driver's license. Her idiot boyfriend arrived at the scene moments after and immediately confronted me (albeit at a safe distance) with the obligatory hillbilly salutation, "What the F*^#@! happened." Needless to say, I followed State Farm's guidelines and got into my car and locked the door. Turns out, the slut took out three more vehicles after she did me. We even had the TV news crews until they took one away in an ambulance, not seriously hurt I was told. Idiot boyfriend owns the now dead truck but true to his roots has no driver's license and more than likely no insurance likewise. So, I'm stuck with the bill until further notice. How do people like that manage to remain on the road? Well, in her case, she didn't, did she?

Now about my workout. I'll have to postpone my trip to Urban Active until tomorrow. However I did go on Wednesday and I really liked it. NOw this is not the new one yet, this is the Erlanger place. I like it, though. It is very well equipped, great selection of treadmills, and the Cario Theatre, although too loud, is set up nicely for "exertainment." There were very few people at the time I was there, around 1pm. The smoothie bar looks good. I wish the sauna was coed, makes for more interesting conversation. The mirrors all over the place are great for creating an expansiveness beyond an already ample amount of gym space. The basketball court is very nice. I can see some Seed tournaments down the road - I call Cherry. What else, oh yeah, the guy at the desk knew nothing about me or Seed. He called Dennis, directly. I yelled to Dennis that this was his big chance to follow through on his sales pitch. Dennis didn't disappoint. Sweetie Boy (not his real name, but I'm sure that's what his mother calls him) let me in and I was off to the race. Oh, drive time using the highway and getting off at Dixie Highway exit (off 275-East) was just 7 (yep) seven minutes, it took 9 minutes to get back using Dixie Highway. All in all, it was an urbanely active experience. And reasonably timed, too.

The Buddy System

2007-12-27T15:53:00.000-08:00

Como se dice "Portion Control" en Espanol? On another Seed outing to The Real Enchilada, Bob and I shared the tamale dinner for lunch. It was the perfect amount of food for two - including pre-tamale chips & salsa, rice, beans & 1.5 tamales for each of us. We came back to the office and managed to have a productive afternoon rather than the mexi-coma that usually ensues. Sharing may become a regular practice for us.

If I'd had my camera, I would have posted a photo of the tamales. Next time...

2007-12-26T10:37:00.001-08:00

Bob's before picture

Here's your Member-Ship

2007-12-21T14:32:00.000-08:00

Effective immediately - all Seed staff are members of Urban Active gym locations in the Northern Kentucky / Greater Cincinnati area. As a result, Bob and I are about to unleash our Urban Active assault on the world - in the form of a blog. And possibly a jazzercise class. A quick shout-out to Susan and John for hooking us up with the latest in fitness - thank you! Next steps: "Before" pictures, nutrition advice, food journals, group fitness reviews, workout logs and hopefully, some outstanding results!