The Penguin Times and Travels

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2011-09-21T15:58:00.001-05:00

Please read The Penguin Chronicles at: www.johnbingham.com/blog

Thanks,

John

Ski Trip with the Grandkids

2009-12-18T07:52:00.003-06:00

It's been a while since I was able to get here. December has been quite a month. If you haven't already, be sure to read about the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon and Half Marathon in Las Vegas. The short story; Blues Brothers Band at the start, white tigers, show girls, and Elvis's falling from the sky. Radical.

From there is was on-the-road to Randlesman, NC for the 2009 Run to Victory. You can read about THAT event at: Victory for All.

And then the fun started. Jenny and I drove up to see my son and grandchildren and take them, the grandkids, on their first ski trip. We took them to the Wisp Resort in McHenry, MD in the Deep Creek Lake area.

One thing I need to get clear from the start, I am NOT a skier. I have never skied. I have never had much of a desire to ski. Jenny has done some skiing. Terry has done some skiing. I have NEVER strapped ANYTHING to my feet, pointed myself downhill, and thought that it was a good idea. I like things with brakes, like motorcycles and scooters.

So, you may be asking yourself; why would you take your grandchilden skiing. The answer is pretty simple really. I want them to experience the world more completely than I have. For most of my life I had only two interest; motorcycling and music. It wasn't until I was 43 that tried to encounter the world with my body. By then I was an overweight smoker. Not the best starting point for any athletic activity.

Last summer we took the grandkids on a road trip in a motorhome. The goal then was to show them what a beautiful country we live in and how many wonderful people there are. This trip was all about getting them out of their comfort zones and into a world that was foreign to them - as well as me.

It turns out that kids at that age don't HAVE comfort zones. The entire world is interesting. Every activity sounds like fun. Every experience is driven by their innate curiosity. What a great example of how to live.

As is so often the case, I learned much more from my grandchildren than I think they learned from me. I was trying to teach them that life should be lived without limits. They already knew that.

I learned that trying something new is a reward in itself. It doesn't matter if you're good at it [which, as it turns out, they were] The only thing that really matters is that you get out and try it.

The next time we go, I'm going to take ski lessons. It may look funny to see a 61 year-old grandpa swooshing down the bunny hill at the speed of molasses, but at least I'll be out there.

And if I'm very, VERY, lucky I'll be able to keep up with them until they turn 6.

Waddle on,

A Walk With Mom

2009-11-30T15:14:00.003-06:00

For those who don't think your life can change in an instant, I've got news for you. It can. It does. On May 1st, 2009, the life the my mom knew, the "mom" that her family knew, and the course of the rest of all of our lives changed forever. In literally one heart beat she was transformed from an active, independent 81 year-old to a totally dependent person lost inside of her own brain and body.

Many of you know my mom. For years she worked the "Penguin" booths at the Rock 'n' Roll Expos. She sold shirts and books and made sure that everyone who passed by knew who "the Penguin" was. She was not only my best salesperson, but the best PR agent I've ever had.

She was also a competitive athlete who - to be honest - did not get the "penguin" philosophy. She was a 4-time national senior Olympian who was training for her 5th senior games when her heart trouble started. She collapsed at the end of her last track workout before the games and they discovered a heart blockage. That led eventually to open-heart surgery, a blood clot to the brain and the "lethal" stroke that didn't quite kill her.

For 48 hours she had one foot in life and one in death. We didn't know, and I believe she didn't know whether life - whatever that meant - was worth it following this severe a stroke. As I sat with her in the neuro-intensive care unit after her surgery it was clear that was a debate going on at a level that I could not understand. The Priest called it a sacred conversation with God. I don't know what it was, but it was a very scary place to be.

At one point my mom raised her left hand, the only part of her body over which she had ANY control, and waived at me. I knew that meant she had decided to stay on this side.

The last 7 months have been excruciating. Day by day she has had to learn how to do the things that she, and we, took for granted. I've watched her struggle to learn to raise her arms, struggle to get her right foot to move on command, struggle to find a word the expressed what she was feeling.

I've been lucky to be there for much of her physical therapy. Rather than treating her as an 81 year-old woman who had a stroke, we treated her as an athlete who had suffered a brain injury. Her age was never an issue. We never made accommodations for her age. Success, for her, was not going to be going home, sitting in a wheelchair, and watching the soap operas. Success, for her, was going to be competing again.

This past Saturday I walked with my mom, holding the walker with one hand and helping keep her stable with the other, as she walked one quarter of a mile. Nothing I have ever done comes close to what that felt like. She yelled at me for "not doing it right", she yelled at herself when she lost her balance, she yelled at her right foot when it didn't obey immediately, and she walked.

Her journey is no where close to over. She talks all the time but her words are still jumbled. She has a long way to go before she can even walk with the walker unassisted. But, from waiving one hand to walking hand-in-hand for a quarter mile is already a victory.

Your life can change in an instant. But, it's what you do next that matters most. And if you're like my mom you will grab misfortune by the throat and wrestle it into submission.

Waddle on, mom.

Weekend in St. Pete

2009-11-24T17:59:00.000-06:00

Well, what would YOU do? Here were my choices. Stay at home, alone, in Chicago, in November, or go with Jenny to St. Petersburg, Florida where she was working at the Women's Half Marathon.

I chose to take a busman's holiday. For those of you who DON'T know what that means, a busman's holiday is a holiday or vacation in which one does as recreation what one usually does as one's work. So, for me, going to a race on my HOLIDAY is an awful lot like what I do for a living.

And am I glad I did. First off, not having any real responsibilities meant that I could run when I wanted, and how far I wanted. The result was that I got in a 3 mile walk on Thursday, a 7 mile run on Friday, a 3 mile run on Saturday, and a 4 mile run on Monday. Every run was along the Tampa Bay filled with pelicans and cranes and boats and blue sky and ocean breezes. It was FANTASTIC.

The plan was to do the long run on Friday and back that up with a "tempo" run on Saturday. I just got one of the new Garmin 310XT GPS units and was eager to play - err - use it. It was perfect. I was able to see the pace so I could run slow enough on Friday and FAST enough on Saturday. I really don't know how I managed to run without the 310XT. It does EVERYTHING I need a wrist unit to do; mileage, time, distance, pace, average pace, intervals. It's perfect.

Because the race benefited the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, I stopped by the inspiration dinner for a bit to give folks a few "penguin" tips. At least they got a good laugh out of it.

I did hang around the start/finish line on Sunday. Jenny was running the race so it made sense to head on down and see how things were going. A quick congratulations to Dawna Stone and her crew for putting on a very nice event.

So it ended up being a great holiday weekend.

Piaggio MP3 update: It's all set and ready to go. I am waiting for the first snowflake to fall so that I can get out and ride in real winter conditions for the first time EVER.

Snow Thrower, Leaf Blower, and a Three-Wheeled Scooter

2009-11-10T06:59:00.000-06:00

Those of you who are old enough to remember Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show will remember the Carnac bit that he used to do. For you youngsters, Ed McMahon would read "answers" and Carnac [Johnny] would come up with the question. It was often quite funny.

Well, if the answer had been; "A snow thrower, a leaf blower, and a three-wheeled scooter", my question would have been: "Name three things that I never thought would be in my garage." And yet, they are.

Garages are sacred places to gear heads. They are the cathedrals in which we keep the icons of our beliefs. They are not simply places to park our cars at night. They are not the final resting place for no-longer-used sporting equipment. And they are certainly not place where all the fun things with motors are shoved into a corner to make room for large bags of Scott's Weed and Feed.

A two-car garage is a place where, maybe, you keep one car. Well, one car that you drive on a regular basis. It's a place where you keep things like tools and battery chargers and extra oil and a can of gas. It's a place where you make room for everything in your life that has an engine.

In the course of my life I've had many garages from a tiny dirt-floored building with no door to an oversized building built initially to keep snowmobiles. I've filled those buildings with the motorized objects of my affection. I've had motorcycles in every state of repair or disrepair. I've had complete bikes and pieces-parts of bikes. I've had bikes that ran and bikes that would never run again. That's what makes a garage such a special place.

Now my garage contains not only my toys but the implements of my life. We've been in the house nearly a year so we're seen 4 seasons. Each season has required new equipment. Each season has meant finding a place for the equipment required for home ownership among the motorcycles.

There's also a new kid in the garage, the Piaggio MP3. As the leaves fall and the seasons change the garage shuffle begins. Like an elaborate Rubik's Cube everything has to be in it's place. The big bikes are moved to the front of the garage, safe for the winter. The lawn mower goes along the wall, run dry of fuel.

But the Piaggio stays near the back ready to be ridden. For the first time in my life I'm actually hoping that we get an early snow. I am convinced that the MP3 is going to extend my riding season.

And if it can do that it will earn a place of honor in my garage.

Waddle on,

Long Runs and Sunday Rides

2009-11-03T06:47:00.000-06:00

Sunday rides are, for motorcyclists, what the weekend long runs are for runners. They are both at once deeply personal and wildly social. They are both opportunities for quiet self reflection and rousing interaction. Having come to motorcycling as a young person but only come to running in my mid-life I have a lot more years of Sunday rides under my belt than long runs. But I understand and appreciate them both.

The traditional Sunday ride, for me, is a breakfast ride. The schedule was nearly always the same; get up, have a cup of coffee in the house while getting dressed to ride, have a second cup of coffee in the garage while getting the bike ready to go, ride for an hour or so to a favorite restaurant for a breakfast of pancakes and eggs, and then ride for the rest of the day. Over the years I've done Sunday rides alone or with a good friend. Rarely I would open the Sunday ride up to a small group.

This past Sunday was a bit different. Jenny had a kick-off for her CES Winter Warriors program and I needed to visit my mom, so breakfast was out of the question. Our Sunday ride would have to be sneaking a couple of hours off in the afternoon and getting out. It wasn't exactly a classic Sunday ride, but it was better than nothing.

Adding to the pressure of getting out is the fact that it was November 1. The perfect summer days are long behind us. Even the beautiful fall days of translucent trees are gone. Here in the mid-west we have moved into a pre-winter state of mind. I'm running in tights and a jacket most days. So, even if I couldn't get out for an all-day Sunday ride, I was going to fire up the Piaggio MP3 get out.

And I wasn't alone. It seemed like every motorcyclist in our area was out for a ride. Actually, by the time Jenny and I got out it seemed like every motorcyclist in our area was already finished with their ride. At every small restaurant and bar there were motorcycles out front. We got invited in to sit around and talk about the MP3 which I would have been happy to do most other times. But Sunday, I didn't want to talk. I wanted to ride. So that's exactly what we did. With what little time we had we covered as many miles as we could.

Pulling back into the garage I had the same feeling as I have at the end of a long run. I'm glad that I was able to do it, but sad that it's over. With my schedule, being at events so many weekends, I'm not sure how many more Sundays I'll have before I have to pack the bikes up for the winter. But, trust me, if the temperature is above freezing, I'll be hitting the road.

All In the Family

2009-10-22T03:56:00.004-05:00

I mentioned earlier that the first motorized vehicle I ever operated, at 12 years-old, was a Sears Moped. From there I graduated to a Cushman Eagle, then a Honda 65 [which I crashed] and a 90cc Suzuki Step-Through, which I rented for a day [I was 16 at the time]. The first bike I owned was a Honda 305 Scrambler. Since then I've owned over 50 motorcycles and having worked at a motorcycle dealership for 10 years, probably ridden 1,000. It's safe to say that I've thrown a leg over nearly every imaginable configuration from old Harley Police trikes to full-on Choppers, to sport bikes, road bikes, dirt bikes, and cruisers. I love to ride. And I don't much care what it is that I'm riding.

Riding the Piaggio MP3 has been an education in both the tightness of the motorcycling/scootering communities and the wideness of the gap between the various elements of that same community. At some level I suppose I knew that, but riding the MP3 has really put it under a bright light.

Anyone who has ever ridden knows about the "Rider Wave". As long as I've ridden I've always made it a point to wave at other cyclist, irrespective of brand or style of bike. My wave was a raised left hand. At some point the wave became something like a "Low Five". I think it started with the Harley riders but has become pretty much universal.

So now I give the low wave to everyone. But not everyone waves back. And depending on what I'm riding I can almost predict who will wave. If I'm on my BMW R1150R, a big "naked" road bike, nearly everyone waves back. Even the Harley and Gold Wing riders give a - sometimes begrudging - wave.

If I'm riding the GS, with the high front fender and off-road look, then I'll nearly never get a wave from the Harley or Sport Bike riders. It's just too big a gap. If I'm on the BMW650CS, a somewhat odd looking street bike, only the BMW riders wave.

If I'm on the Piaggio MP3, though, I get near universal acknowledgment. I didn't expect that. I thought there'd be a sort of elitist attitude among the two-wheelers. Quite the contrary. Big Bike riders, sport bike guys in tight leather outfits, cruisers folks with fringe leather jackets, and the BMW crowd in their Aerostich Darien jackets wave. And they smile.

That's, maybe, the greatest part of riding the MP3. It makes me, and everyone I encounter, smile. What's better than that??

Frost on the Pumpkin

2009-10-13T09:27:00.002-05:00

WOW. What happened to Summer? Heck, what happened to FALL? It feels a lot like Winter outside. Like the lyrics from the classic Guess Who song: Seasons change and so did I. You need not wonder why. So it's time to start thinking about running and riding into the new season.

I've ridden in some of the harshest conditions on the planet. I've been to Antarctica 6 times, 5 times as a part of the Race Operations Staff with Thom Gilligan's Antarctica Marathon and Half Marathon. Riding in the cold is nothing new. The truth is, if you're well prepared, riding - and running - when most people have decided to hibernate is both invigorating and satisfying. Knowing that you continue to push the envelop, to find that part of yourself that is willing and able to take on the extreme challenge, is a great feeling.

In Antarctica, on King George Island where the race is held, it isn't so often the cold as it is the wind. It's not that it's never cold, one year the temperature dropped 20 degrees fahrenheit in 10 minutes up on the Collin's Glacier, but generally it's the wildly unpredictable wind that creates the greatest challenge.

The key, and the aspect of riding in the cold that many people miss, is that you can't get warm, you have to STAY warm. You've got to be prepared for whatever the temperature does and whichever way the weather goes. Once you GET cold, there's very little you can do to get warm.

In some ways it's the opposite with running. If you start your run warm you'll end your run STEAMY. Those first few steps should make you wonder what you're doing outside. By the time you get a mile behind you chances are you'll be warm and toasty.

Whether it's running or riding the key is having the right equipment. Over the years I've purchased thousands of dollars of riding gear that was, at the time, state of the art. 40 years ago, unfortunately, the state of the art cold weather gear was a newspaper stuffed in your jacket and your feet wrapped in plastic bags. Things have changed.

These days I've got a Gerbing electronic jacket liner, compete with an adjustable rheostat. One of the first things I did when I got the Piaggio MP3 was to install the battery connection for the Gerbing. I've also got an Aerostich Darien Goretex suit, lined gauntlet gloves, and waterproof boots. As long as the temperature is above freezing, I'll be riding.

With a good technical base layer, a pair of tights, and a good wind/water resistant jacket, hat and gloves, there's almost no lower temperature limit for running outdoors. I've run with Jenny when her ponytail has frozen! It's neat.

This is the week to make the change. There will be warm days again this season, but not hot days. For riding and running, this is the transition week. I'm looking forward to it.

Don't Ask For Ketchup

2009-10-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

One of the best kept secrets in the running industry is that I have a doctorate and that I was a university administrator and professor before the "penguin" took over my life. My column, "The Penguin Chronicles" was replacing Dr. George Sheehan's in Runner's World and they didn't want to use Dr. John Bingham, so "the Penguin" was born.

I mention this because I used to teach a music history course and we talked about how all music is culturally specific. The reason that the music you listen to sounds better to you than the music I listen to is because we both listen to the music of our culture. As specific as music is to the culture, food is even more specific. Enter Gene and Jude's.

Gene and Jude's is a tiny hot-dog stand/building in River Grove, Illinois. It's been in the same location for 60 years and - with the exception of adding a double-dog - has served the same menu for all those years. You can get hot dogs, corn tamales, fresh cut french fries, and a drink. Period. And on the hot dogs you can get yellow mustard, chopped fresh onion, pickle relish, and sport peppers. That's it.

I ate there with my grandfather and father. I've taken my son there since he was old enough to eat solid food. And this summer we took my grandchildren there. 5 generations of Binghams have eaten at Gene and Jude's. And not one of them has EVER asked for ketchup. It's just not done.

What's any of this got to do with running, or scootering, or life? Maybe not much, but it seems ro me that we all live inside of a specific culture and one of the most difficult things to do is to break out of that culture and change your life, even if you know it's what's best for you.

When I first started running my family thought I was crazy. When I wouldn't overeat at every meal they thought that I was turning my nose up at our culture.

As a motorcyclist for over 40 years I'm finding that as much as I would like to I don't understand the scooter culture. I love to ride. I love to be riding. What I'm riding isn't nearly as important to me as THAT I'm riding. My love of riding transcends my love of any particular form of riding.

So, just like when I started running, my foray into the scootering culture hasn't been met with universal acceptance. I don't get the "wave" from fellow motorcyclists. I don't get the nod from the "cool" guys. I don't get the "look" from kids in the backseat. And that's a shame.

The MP3 has become my "go to" ride because it is everything I want a motorcycle to be. It's fun, it's fast, it demands very little and delivers a lot. And for me, that's what matters most.

The Road Not Taken

2009-09-29T07:12:00.005-05:00

Robert Frost wrote:
Two roads diverge in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Text

It's always been a favorite of mine because I think it describes a way of life that I've at least aspired to. Now that I've turned 60 and recognized that I've traveled a lot more roads than I have left to travel the choices seem more and more important.

As a runner I've often been criticized because I don't feel the need to hurry through races. My philosophy is that the reason I train is so that I can be out on the race courses. Why, once I'm there, would I try to get through the experience as quickly as I can? It seems backwards. If you want to run fast, do that at home. If you travel to an event, take your time.

Those same people probably would have criticized my old Army Band and fellow motorcycle traveler, Larry, and I for our approach to motorcycle touring. As I wrote in a recent column, we often had a a destination in mind, and had an itinerary marked clearly on a map, but we rarely followed the map and almost never got to where we were headed.

My fondest memories is of Larry and I relaxing in a field somewhere looking up at the clouds and saying "The is my kind of touring"

Over the years that changed some. As I started riding bigger bikes, as my destinations got farther and farther away, as I saw more of what I wanted to see I lost some of my core principles. I lost sight of the truth that it doesn't matter where I want to be, it's where I am is what's important.

The Piaggio MP3 400 has helped me remember why it was that I started riding in the first place. It's helped me remember that that act of riding is it's own reward. It has help me rediscover the joy of exploring the world closest to me. It's been a renaissance of riding.

Jenny and I both have BMW R1150Rs. We rode 1,000 miles in 22 hours on those bike. We rode all the way around Lake Michigan in a single day. Why? Because we could.

I won't be doing that on the Piaggio MP3 400, although I think I could. I won't because there's no need to do that to enjoy the scooter. I'll be doing what I'm doing now, hopping on and riding because it just feels good.

People who know me understand that it's exactly what I do when I run. And when the roads of my life diverged, as the traveler in Frost's poem, "I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference."

Waddle on,

Ice Cream Run

2009-09-21T13:59:00.000-05:00

I'm pretty sure it was the former Olympic marathoner and writer, Don Kardong, who was quoted as saying that a life without ice cream wasn't worth living. I agree. But, I would add that a life without chocolate ice cream wasn't worth living. I was the kid that when they opened the half gallon of Neapolitan ice cream was careful to scrape of any remnants of the vanilla and strawberry. And, while we're talking about it, chocolate should be chocolate, not all mixed up with bits and pieces of other things. Double chocolate? Sure. Chocolate chocolate chip. OK. But leave out the flavors that distract from the chocolate.

The part of this whole Piaggio MP3 scooter experiment that has been the most intriguing for me is how much I'm enjoying it. And, how much sense having it makes. Don't misunderstand, I knew that I would like ANYTHING that allowed me to throw my leg over it and had a motor. What I didn't expect was that I would choose to ride the scooter over a garage full of motorcycles. You could argue that part of it is that it's like a new toy and I want to play with it. But I would argue that it's more than that.

The other evening Jenny and I had enjoyed a nice dinner at home. We'd fired up the grill, sat on the deck at sunset and basked in the cool temperatures. Then someone - probably me - mentioned taking a ride to go get ice cream. I didn't say "Let's take the Piaggio". I just said let's take a ride for ice cream.

The next thing I know we're in the garage and I'm backing the MP3 out of the door. Jenny is NOT looking to drag out a motorcycle of her own to ride, but is dressing warmly so that we can go "two-up." I can't emphasize this enough. Jenny has NEVER wanted to ride two-up. But something about being on the Piaggio has changed all that.

So we did exactly that. We hopped on the scooter and went for ice cream. No drama. No agenda. No plan, really, other than heading over to The Plush Pony - there is a nearly live size toy pony inside - for ice cream. As is always the case when you're on an MP3 the ice cream stopped turned into a conversation about how cool the scooter was.

When we left the cool night air was perfect and we took the long way home. And not just a block or two out of the way, but miles of riding for no other reason than it felt good.

I'm not sure how long this can last. I'm not sure how long I'll have the scooter, but I can tell you that I would already miss the element of pure pleasure that it has provided.

John

All Day Sucker

2009-09-14T15:22:00.005-05:00

300 Miles on 3 Wheels. A Day in the Life

I'm not sure when it started, but the call of the open road has been a constant pedal point in my head for as long as I can remember. I just love being on the road. These days, that means running and riding. Being cooped up in a car, or a motor home with 3 grandchildren under age 5 can be rewarding, but this weekend it was about finding a stretch of road, twisting the throttle, and heading into the next mile.

Saturday morning dawned cool and foggy. I call in riding to Brigadoon, the Scottish town of the same name that is said to come to life only one day every 100 years.

First stop was to pick up my buddy Harry, a motorcycle enthusiast, pilot, and old friend. Harry has owned, and still owns, nearly every motorcycle that I have ever wanted to ride. His tastes mirror mine in almost every way. His wife rides a Vespa 250 so I knew we could have a scooter date, and I was sure that his impressions of the Piaggio MP3 would be interesting. Our agenda for the day was simply to get on the scooters and ride. We'd done this before on a variety of motorcycles and the goal was to see if it would be different on the scooters. It was, and it wasn't.

Our first stop was the hanger at Walgreen Field in Dixon, IL. The Board of Directors, a group of pilots, aircraft owners, and mechanics meet nearly every day to discuss planes, politics, and whatever else someone brings to the table. It is the classic gathering with good conversation over bad coffee. I expected them to be, at least, intrigued by the Piaggio MP3 and I wasn't disappointed. From the instant I rolled up until the adjournment of the meeting the hows and whys of the front suspension were the only topic.

It's important to understand that these are essentially airplane guys. Their knowledge of, and appreciation for, how things work exceeds even the most adamant motorcyclist. After all, if things don't work on a motorcycle you might have to walk home. If they don't work on an airplane, well, life can get ugly in a hurry. Once they got past the how does this work question the real issue seemed to be why would Piaggio do this. What was the point, so to speak. Beyond the engineering exercise was there any reason have this configuration. We didn't answer the question, but we had a wonderful debate.

Then it was time for Harry and I to hit the roads. I explained that I wanted Harry to spend the day on the MP3 for two reasons. First, and most important, I wanted to get his riding impressions. Secondly, though I wanted to watch another rider on the Piaggio so that I could see what was going on and maybe learn a bit about how to ride it well. Our first stop, to fuel up, set the tone for the entire day. Every time we stopped, and sometimes even when we weren't stopped, people wanted to talk about the MP3. Seeing the two-wheel front end everyone had questions. Every stop turned into a conversation.

The longer we road the more I noticed the subtle changes in the way Harry was riding the MP3. Like everyone, he started by playing with the front end. As the miles went by he began to truly experience the whole vehicle. But rather than my telling you, here's what Harry had to say: I have owned at least fifty motorcycles over fifty years and have never met one that I did not like...except perhaps a Victor 441 that seemed created to provoke my shortage of vocabulary while trying to start the @#$%^&* thing. This promised to be an opportunity to ride something “really different”

As a few miles rolled by, it became obvious that the idiot who was writing the supertitles need to be replaced. This wonderful machine was NOT a scooter. It is too heavy and “planted” to be considered in those terms. In fact after a dozen or so miles of very curvy county roads, it began to dawn on me that I was not thinking in any known two wheel mode familiar to me.

In my humble opinion, the MP3 400 is a magnificent piece of engineering with cornering ability that could allow a good rider to humiliate a squid on a sport bike, especially when confronted with a less than perfect road surface with neither steep hills nor connecting straight-aways. Harry's full riding impression are at the end of this blog.

The surprise for both of us is that the MP3 is not a motorcycle, it's not a scooter either. It's, well, it's not anything LIKE anything else. When you try to describe something new the temptation is to compare it to something else, something you already know. The problem with the MP3 is that there isn't anything else against which it can be compared except, of course, another MP3. Beyond the mere look of the vehicle, way past the novelty and the bold styling, there is an absolutely fantastic piece of riding equipment. You don't see or feel it right away, but eventually it sinks in: This is special

The joy of riding backroads in America's heartland is that you never know what you're going to come across. The scooters are parked in front of what in my experience is the largest rock garden anywhere. It stands to reason, I suppose, that living in the vicinity of the Rock River that people would find all manner of things to do with rocks. This person certainly had. They had piled them up in a vast array of styles and shapes and figures the likes of which I had never seen.

The other grand joy in riding the backroads is in the riding, pure and simple. I long ago came to understand that as satisfying as it may be to quantify a ride with miles covered on a long strip of Interstate highway, it is every bit as satisfying to look at the quality of the ride. That quality comes in equal measures from the equipment you're riding, the company you are keeping, the care you take to be present for each moment, and your willingness to discard any thought you had of what the day might be.

For us. the day ended much as it had begun; talking to people. We thought we had found an out-of-the-way place to relax and enjoy a cool drink and to reflect on the findings of that day. That peace was quickly shattered by yet another couple of curious onlookers. These folks were motorcyclist. Classic, American, Big Bore, V-Twin motorcyclists. Their theory is that if it worked in 1950, it should work just fine now. But even their hide-bound attitudes towards motorcycling couldn't keep them from admiring the MP3.

That's my take-away lesson of the day. When you decided to do something new - whether that's run a marathon or design and build a scooter with two front wheels - people are going to be curious at first but will not really buy into the idea. To be a marathon runner, or to be a rider on an MP3, takes a bit more courage, a bit more attitude, than sitting around and letting your life pass you by. And in the end, that's the part about riding the Piaggio MP3 that I'm enjoying the most.

Waddle on,

Guest Commentary

Harry is many things: former professor, entrepreneur, businessman, pilot, and motorcyclist. He appreciates all things mechanical and seemed like the perfect person to ask to spend a day on the Piaggio MP3. What follows is his description of that day.

A Day on an Piaggio MP3: Riding Impressions and more.

Submitted by Harry Spell

On Saturday, last, an old friend came calling, asking me to ride something really different and give an opinion. Fine, so far, as I really enjoy John's company and do not have the opportunity to spend nearly enough time with him and his lovely wife, Jenny. Jenny was busy as was my wife, Karly so we had the day to enjoy a new Piaggio MP3 400 and, to provide a foil, my wife's two year old Vespa 250ie. I was somewhat familiar with the MP3 as I had ridden a 250cc model while my wife was finishing up the paper work for her new Vespa.

Hold that thought....

John said, “how about we spend the day on the two 'scooters', you on the MP3 and me on the Vespa?”. Done! I have owned at least fifty motorcycles over fifty years and have never met one that I did not like...except perhaps a Victor 441 that seemed created to provoke my shortage of vocabulary while trying to start the @#$%^&* thing. This promised to be an opportunity to ride something “really different” (MP reference intentional). My supertitle scrolled “SCOOTER” as it did not look like a motorcycle, had a “step through” frame, small wheels, and no visible clutch.

Back to the first paragraph thought...

The first impression, with my svelt porcine physique, was that, at least, it was large enough that I would not look like a gorilla on a tricycle. The suspension made a great impression considering city traffic and obligatory potholes, but alas, the power delivery was closer to that of a simeon on a velocipede. After being reminded by the salesman that I was riding double before the exercise began, I returned to my second analysis of the MP3, the engineering is simply riveting. You just want to crawl under to see how the front end works. My wife reminded me that she had just taken possession of a stunning new red Vespa and to stop ogling images of algorithms and parallelograms. I put the notion of having a MP3 out of my mind but the engineering sugar plums kept dancing in my head.

So, off we go with me thinking “scooter” with motor. As a few miles rolled by, it became obvious that the idiot who was writing the supertitles need to be replaced. This wonderful machine was NOT a scooter. It is too heavy and “planted” to be considered in those terms. In fact after a dozen or so miles of very curvy county roads, it began to dawn on me that I was not thinking in any known two wheel mode familiar to me. You see, I approach every motorcycle/scooter from the front wheel back. What is happening to the front wheel determines the whole day. It is that feed-back of grip, stability, push, turn-in, understeer/oversteer, etc. that establishes the basic nature of the machine. I know, for some it is all about the motor; but, in my humble estimation, the motor is not very important if it cannot be manipulated down an exquisite path with an ever-widening grin. Here is the dilemma, the MP3, little by little, inspires such confidence in the front-end that I began to stop thinking about it. Hold the phone, this is huge; fifty plus years of riding, with all the baggage that goes with it has to be re-evaluated.

In what terms?!

I began with “scooter”, moved to a faster pace that whispered “motorcycle”, and suddenly entered the world of “sports car”! Now what? There is an interesting thing about preconceived notions; they are usually based upon anecdotal rather than empirical evidence. They can also get you into things that require studied consideration; usually requiring a bit more time that a mid-corner correction allows. It is all about definitions and categories. I am reminded of the conundrum that must have confronted the first writer seeing a 1921 Ner-A-Car. What is this?

Bottom line.

In my humble opinion, the MP3 400 is a magnificent piece of engineering with cornering ability that could allow a good rider to humiliate a squid on a sport bike, especially when confronted with a less than perfect road surface with neither steep hills nor connecting straight-aways. If this suggests that a bit more motor would be nice along with more legroom, I plead guilty. But then what is the target audience? The MP3 is a bit heavy, for a beginning rider, especially if that rider is not adept at triggering the lock that allows feet on the floorboard stops. It also is too “pricey” to attract many first time customers. At the end of the day, I was not tired, most anxious to talk about this great machine, and would welcome the opportunity to do it all again. I love to carve corners without worrying about that pesky front contact patch. Bravo e gratzie Piaggio!!

P.S. This is the abbreviated analysis. This wonderfully executed engineering masterpiece deserves an article or at least a poem. If I had to ride on unfamiliar roads in the rain, this would be my first choice of everything other than a chauffeured limo.

Table For Two

2009-09-09T06:23:00.000-05:00

I'm starting to get used to the finger pointing. Everywhere I ride, people point. It's not me they're pointing at, it's the Piaggio MP3.

Last night Jenny and I decided to do two of our favorite things. One, have dinner at P.F. Chang's - where I think in time they will change the name of Sesame chicken to John's Chicken - and ride the new scooter. And that's where the pointing began.

Pulling in to the parking lot folks sitting on the outdoor porch started pointing. Then, they smile. They are smiling because WE are smiling and the whole place turns into a giant smile-fest. That's the best part of riding an MP3. It makes me smile, and makes everyone who sees it smile.

What's really fun about riding the MP3 is that Jenny seems quite content to be a passenger. To say that Jenny is independent is an understatement. She has never been the kind to be happy sitting behind me and just taking in the scenery. Something about the MP3, though, has changed her attitude.

In may be the whole pointing thing. Jenny sits back there waving at everyone like a Homecoming Queen. I can feel her moving around. She waves at kids in cars who press their faces against the windows trying to get a better look and she waves to other motorcyclists who do a double-take when they see us ride by.

After dinner we took the long way home. It was a beautiful evening and there's just something peaceful about riding the backroads on the MP3. There's plenty of power but it's unnecessary. The sense of not being in any hurry, of being satisfied with exactly what's going on, and of feeling like there's no need to be anxious to get to anywhere else is the perfect end to the day.

Turns out it's the perfect Penguin attitude.

Scooter on,

Me, MotoGP, and the MP3

2009-09-01T16:34:00.021-05:00

Just about everything at the Red Bull Indy MotoGP was new for me. I was riding on the new Piaggio MP3, I was going to an international MotoGP event for the first time, I'd be meeting up with my new colleagues at Piaggio and Aprilia, and I'd be rooming and riding with my son and his step-dad [an old riding buddy of mine]. I can tell you that everything about the weekend, from the ride to the racing to the company and conversation exceeded my expectations.

THURSDAY, August 27. The ride begins.

Being on a new ride, and not really knowing what it would be like to be traveling on a 400cc, three-wheeled scooter, I decided to give myself two days to cover the 200 miles or so from home to Indy. Turns out that the scooter was so comfortable that it was completely unnecessary.

I was amazed at how much luggage capacity there was on the MP3. I had packed my small MotoFIZZ bag, but almost didn't need it. The underseat storage on the Piaggio could have held nearly everything I needed to carry.

FRIDAY, August 28. The track ride.

The first highlight of the weekend was getting to ride a lap on the actual Indy MotoGP course. I've run the track, of course, during the Indy Mini Half Marathon. It was exciting enough just to be on the same ground as racing legends like AJ Foyt and Mario Andretti.

I also got to drive my old Firebird around the track. Talk about cool. Getting up on the banking, pushing the pedal down the main straight, slowing for turn one; awesome.

But riding the Indy MotoGP road course was better than any of that. Feeling the tightness of the curves, knowing that the GP riders would be going more than twice as fast as I was going made the hair on my arms stand up. The MP3 was perfect because I could hold my camera with one hand and work the throttle with the other.

SATURDAY, August 29. Practice, Qualifying, and Barbeque.

We spent most of the day Saturday wandering around the manufacturers exhibits and down in the pits. Being nuts and bolts guys we all wanted to see inside the garages. There's a calm but intense energy that I've only experienced in motor racing. There's so much to do and only so much time to do it that there's no extra time for lots of drama.

Saturday night we went to the Aprilia barbeque and then to the Indy Mile, a flat-track race. There's no way to describe what it looks, feels, and smells like at flat-track races. These riders - who come by the stands at well over 100 miles and hour and THEN slide through the corners - are simpy amazing. The racing went on until nearly midnight.

SUNDAY, August 30. Race Day.

With Pat's connections [him being a VP and all] we were able to get pit passes. For a bona fide gear head like me this is as good as it gets. The bike in the photo set the record fastest lap AND Simoncelli road it to victory in the 250 GP race. Watching them prep the bikes, watching the calm precision, the focus, is one of my favorite things to do. We had exceptional access because of Pat and we made good use of it.

MONDAY, August 31, The Ride Home.

The ride home is almost never as much fun as the ride there. After a perfect weekend of bikes and buddies it's hard to face heading into the wind of everything waiting for us. I decided, in part because it was SO cold and, in part, because I wasn't in any hurry, to take the smallest roads that I could find on the way back.

It wasn't enough just to be on two-lane roads. I wanted to be on the roads that we off the two-lanes. I wanted to take the roads that lead from one little town to the next. The roads that only the people who need to go between those two towns ever take.

I found what I was after and the Piaggio was the perfect companion. I'd run it at 75 MPH on the interstate on Friday, so I knew it was capable of that speed, but both of us were happier at 55 MPH cruising past corn fields and creeping through the small towns. At that speed I was able to soak up the geography and culture of central Indiana and Illinois. It's less than 200 miles from the house, but it is light-years away from where I live.

So, it was a magic weekend; one that will be hard to duplicate. And that may be the point. Nothing can ever truly be repeated. Even an annual event is altered by our own aging, our shifts in perspective, and the deepening of our experience.

I wouldn't want it any other way.

Hitting The Road

2009-08-27T08:04:00.001-05:00

There's a great little book, a pamphlet really, published by Aero Design and Mfg. entitled "Lightweight: Unsupported Motorcycle Travel for Terminal Cases" It's a great resource for anyone thinking about taking a motorcycle road trip. It's a book a could have written myself.

The first road trip I took on a motorcycle was from Decatur, IL to Chicago, two-up on a raggedy Honda 305 Scrambler. It was loud, rough riding, with an uncomfortable seat. Every mile felt like it took an hour. By the time I got to Chicago I was beat up and exhausted. And, I was hooked.

Since then I have traveled thousand of miles by motorcycle, some with good friends, some with people I didn't know, and thousands more by myself. I've ridden coast to coast 5 times, including one time solo. I am more comfortable in the saddle of a motorcycle than anywhere else in the world.

I'm leaving today for my first road trip on the Piaggio MP3. I'm headed to Indianapolis to meet up with my son and and old riding buddy [we've known each other for over 30 years, we are OLD riding buddies] for the US Motorcycle Grand Prix. As I wrote recently, more than half the joy of any journey is in the preparation.

Whether you're going a hundred miles or for weeks, the time spent thinking about what you'll need - and what you'll wear - are worth their weight in gold. On smallish motorcycles, and certainly on the MP3, there's not much room for carrying extra stuff. You need to distill your needs down to what really matters, and that's it.

So, my packing list includes a couple of pair of socks, a couple of changes of underwear, my running shoes and gear, and that's about it. I'll wear my Aerostich Darien jacket with jeans and carry a good pair of rain pants. My only extravagance is an extra pair of gloves. I'll have a warm pair, a cool pair, and a lined pair in case it gets cold.

I'm excited, a little bit nervous, but eager to hit the road. Come back next week for photos from the trip and the race.

Old Dog, New Tricks

2009-08-24T06:15:00.012-05:00

I've been riding motorcycles, or motor scooters, for over 50 years. The first motorized vehicle that I ever rode and controlled myself was an Allstate [Sears] moped. I was probably 12 years-old. The freedom I felt the first time I twisted the throttle is still with me some 50 years later.

The vehicle that liberated me from the bonds and boundaries of my tiny word was a borrowed Cushman motor scooter. I was probably 14. It was a buddy of mine's and when he was at work I'd take off on the scooter. Although I doubt that I ever got more than 5 miles from my house, it felt like I had the whole world at my feet.

With the arrival of the new Piaggio MP3 it feels like I've rediscover both that freedom and liberation. There's something magical about a vehicle that is so user-friendly that makes riding just that much more fun. As I said to someone yesterday, it just makes me smile.

It's pretty obvious from the photo of the garage that the MP3 has found a good home. The only problem so far is that I'm having so much fun on the Piaggio that I'm afraid I might not ride the others enough to keep their batteries charged.

For more information go to the: Piaggio or Vespa web sites.

Scooter on!

A New Beginning

2009-08-21T17:02:00.005-05:00

All I can say is WOW. I've been riding motorcycles for 40 years and this is the most unbelievable experience I have ever had.

This will be short and sweet because I'm going out for a ride, but it's really not like anything else I have ever ridden. The two-wheeled front end configuration [I'll learn what it's called once I stop riding] gives it a stability - yet not so much stability - that it's like - well - I don't know what it's like. And maybe that's the point. It isn't like anything else.

I was getting a pretty complete set of riding instructions. There's a lot to know. But once I got it going, I was as happy as I could be.

This is a video of Jenny finishing up her first ride. I don't know when the smile will come off her face. I'll be posting more photos on my Facebook page[http://www.facebook.com/jjbingham]

All I can say for NOW is that I can't wait to get back outside and fire it up. And, I'll have to come up with a name.

Running and Riding: Two Passions

2009-08-20T15:38:00.002-05:00

This is going to be an experiment. I've got two real passions in my life right now. Running and motorcycling. But neither is easy to define or easy to defend.

When I say I run, I mean that I move my body with my own two feet. I run. I walk. I walk and run. I run and walk. It doesn't matter. I'm moving.

When I say motorcycles, I mean anything that I can sit on and twist the throttle. It can can have a 50cc or a 1500cc motor. I don't care. It can go 25 miles an hour or 150. I don't care.

And now I'm going to have a chance to expand from two wheels to 3 wheels when I take delivery of a new Piaggio MP3. This blog is going to be devoted to the common ground and common joy in my two passions. Stay tuned.

Cutting Back To Move Forward

2009-02-25T09:17:00.000-06:00

I ran my first marathon, in Memphis, TN in December of 1992. Well, that's not exactly true. I trained - or overtrained - for my first marathon during the fall of 1992. I didn't read anything about training, didn't have a training plan, just a stubborn determination. I made it to mile 6.

I complete my first marathon nearly a year later in Columbus, OH. I had a training plan, and a training partner. I had a race strategy and a very cool "engineer's" hat. I ran at least one marathon a year EVERY year from 1993 to 2006. That's 14 years. And some of those years I ran as many as 6 marathons. That's not a lot if you're one of the marathon maniacs, but it was a lot for me.

The marathon in 2006 was part of the Walt Disney World "Goofy" challenge. As it got late in 2007 I got worried about breaking my streak. Once or twice I started on a marathon training schedule only to get a certain distance and just think "no way". In 2008 I tried a couple of times to complete a half marathon training program. I started out with good intentions, but never got past a 12 mile run.

What I've discovered is what I knew when I started out. I like the shorter distances. I like running shorted distances, training for shorter distances, and racing the shorter distances. I can run more often, run harder and faster - fast for me - and find it easier to fit the training into my day. It works for me.

Why, then, do I feel guilty about REALLY liking the 5K distance? Why is it that I think that training for, and participating in, a 5K is somehow "less than" training for and participating in a half marathon or full marathon? I don't know. But I have some thoughts.

The running "industry" loves the long distances races. They can charge big fees, they can attract big crowds, and they can make a ton of money. I'm not being critical. I've certainly benefitted from the 2nd running boom's desire to run long distances at huge races.

What I miss, though, is the spirit and sense of community that you find in local races. I ran a small 4 mile run last Thanksgiving and had a GREAT time. I didn't have a great "time", but I was able to push myself just a little because I knew the distance was well within my capabilities.

These days I'm running 3 miles a day - or walking 2 miles - nearly every day. I can do that because I'm not worried about long runs. And, to be honest, I'm having more fun than I have in years.

So, it's not that I'm bashing the long distances and giant races. I'll be at all of the Rock 'n' Roll Series events this year. I'm just saying that for me - and maybe others - the joy of running is still the best reason to run, whatever that distance turns out to be.

Waddle on,

Adding some seasoning to by running

2009-02-11T10:20:00.001-06:00

The past couple of days have been simply amazing here in Chicago. After the coldest January in 25 years, February has brought near record temperatures. Yesterday, February 10, it was in the 60’s.

You would think that this would mean being reinvigorated and enthusiastic about running outside. You’d be kinda right, but not altogether. My body’s seasonal clock is still set to winter, which means hitting the treadmill and cross-training. So, even though the sun comes out and the temperatures go up I’m not ready to unplug the machines and head outside.

I did go for a walk, outside. Somehow that made sense. The reason I went for the walk was just to enjoy the weather, to be outside, to feel the warmth, and enjoy the act of walking. I wasn’t thinking that it was helping my heart, or controlling my weight. It just felt good. THAT made sense to me.

What occurred to me is that this winter hibernation is, for me, exactly what it is for the earth. It is a time of renewal. It’s a time to rebuild, to rest, to prepare for the stresses that will come with the spring. What I’ve been defining as a lack of motivation my actually be a necessary condition for being a life long runner.

We accept that there are seasons in other sports. Football is over. Baseball hasn’t begun. There are seasons. As runners, though, we think that if we’re not running and training and preparing and logging miles 365 days a year we are somehow not really runners. My experience has been, this year for sure, is that I need the seasons.

I’m looking ahead to the spring season of my running. I’m looking forward to the events that are months away. I’m looking forward to getting outside on a regular basis, getting back on the streets, paths, and trails.

For now, though, I’m going to enjoy the winter season so that when the spring comes I’m ready.

Waddle on,

Birth of a Column

2009-02-04T10:17:00.004-06:00

Some of you may have noticed that the "No Need for Speed" column was not in the February Runner's World. This is a funny time in the publishing industry, and I'm certainly no expert on magazine publishing, but it looks like there's some sorting out going on. I'll be in the magazine 10 times this year. Look for the column again in the March issue.

With the April column I will have completed 13 years as a columnist with Runner's World. That's 156 columns. Considering that I was worried that I wouldn't be able to come up with ideas for the original 8 columns for which I was contracted, that's not bad. The funny thing is that, rather than it being harder to find ideas, I now find that I don't have the time or space to write about everything I want to.

Thanks goodness for Blogs.

In May of 1996 the column was called "The Penguin Chronicles", a name taken from the reference in the first column to images of runners always being gazelles or eagles and I felt like a penguin. A legal challenge from Penguin-Putnam Books convinced the US editors to change the name of the column to simply "The Chronicles". As a side note, the column remained "The Penguin Chronicles" in all international editions of Runner's World.

With the new editorial and publishing staff the column got renamed "No Need for Speed", and Gil Eisner's wonderful penguin characters were removed. In some ways that shifted the focus of the column, or at least seemed to, from the original concept of sharing the "joy of movement" that I discovered as an adult-onset athlete to being an advocate for going slowly. The truth is, I've never advocated going slowly. I've only advocated finding your own pace - fast OR slow.

As I recently wrote, after running for 15 years running is like an old friend to me. I like running. I like being around running. Like a relationship that has matured over time my relationship with running has come to a place of comfort. I don't need to impress myself or anyone else any more.

But, even after 15 years I still have the same sense of wonder and mystery about running - and myself as a runner. Every day I learn something new. Every run reveals something that I hadn't seen. That's what makes running so wonderful.

What I'm discovering is that the Web 2.0 medium - this blogging, Facebook, Twitter, medium - is more like what it was in the beginning for me. And I've found I really like it. It's liberating to be back where I was before 17 people decided what words would be read.

Stick around, folks. I think this is going to be a fun ride.

Waddle on, friends.

"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start"

Eat more, exercise less, have better sex

2009-01-28T10:25:00.002-06:00

I guess I'm beginning to obsess about the whole weight thing. And, I'm blaming Oprah so that I don't have to take responsibility myself. The show yesterday featured a bunch overweight teens, discussed their eating habits, and more importantly tried to get to the source of their hunger - not the physical hunger but the emotional hunger. It was sad, but enlightening.

One of her guest was David Zinczenko, author of the "Eat this, Not that" books. He is, I suppose, a colleague of mine since we both get our pay check from Rodale, so I may be biased, but I thought what he had to say was fantastic. The misinformation, myths, false beliefs, and out-right untruths about food and weight loss are staggering. And I'm no better informed than most.

For example, one of the "tests" was - are you better off eating a multi-grain bagel with cream cheese or a glazed donut? GUESS WHAT? The bagel and cream cheese has nearly 4 times the calories. And "multi-grain" doesn't mean anything except they use multiple processed grains. Good grief.

No, you can't eat 4 glazed donuts and break even, but it does point out how often we --c-main-- think I'm doing the right thing only to find out I'm really not.

And he talked about eggs. I love eggs. I like almost nothing better for dinner than scrambled eggs. But, eggs are bad for you. Right? NO. They are a good source of high quality protein and are fine - in moderation - in an otherwise balanced diet. GOOD GRIEF.

Anyway, it got me to thinking that if I want to get rich, I should write the book: "Eat More, Exercise Less, Have Great Sex" since that seems to be what everyone - me included - wants to be able to do. It seems to me that nearly all of the popular diet and exercise programs have some element of the eat more, exercise less, have great sex philosophy.

Or maybe I'll write the book "Six-Pack Abs in 6 minutes a week" I don't know where it got started but clearly having great looking abs is a prerequisite for good health. COME ON!

I'm angry. At myself. At the industry that encourages people to believe the unbelievable. And, at the running community that still looks down it's nose at people - like me - who are trying to change their lives with their own two feet. We have so much to overcome that we just can't be bothered trying to shave 3 seconds off our 5K times. AAARRRGGGHHH!

I am recommitting today to standing up for the joy of movement. ANY movement. And to always, ALWAYS, searching for the truth.

Waddle on,

Dawn of a new day

2009-01-21T08:40:00.003-06:00

Well, it's hard to start to talk about anything today - January 21, 2009 - without commenting on the events of yesterday. The inauguration of Barack Obama was certainly one of the most memorable days of my life,

In January of 1973 I marched, as a member of THE U.S. Army Band, in the inaugural parade for Richard Nixon. This was a very difficult time for the country. As we marched we were booed, and had things thrown at us. I just kept thinking "HEY! I'm just a trombone player". But, the contentiousness was everywhere.

Yesterday seemed 180 degrees from that day. People seemed united. People seemed relieved. People seemed ready to believe that hope is an appropriate emotion again. I hope that they're right.

It occurred to me that hope is a necessary ingredient for change, whether that's change as dramatic as President Obama was describing, or just the simple, personal changes that lead us to a different lifestyle. In any case, one has to have hope.

As I face down the demons of food and drink, and weight, I think the first emotion I'm going to have to find is hope. If I am hope-less then I don't think any wishing and planning is going to do me any good at all.

So today, I'm going in search of hope. I'm going to look back at where I've been before I look forward to where I want to go. I'm going to find that ability to believe that change can happen. That change will happen.

At least, I hope it will.

John

The Oprah Effect, or is it affect

2009-01-14T10:56:00.000-06:00

I actually looked it up and I still don't know which is correct. Maybe both in this context.

Oprah recently admitted to having gained the weight back that she had lost. As a comedian commented, she didn't really have to make the announcement. When you gain weight, it's not a secret.

I had a bit of a connection with Oprah since we ran the Marine Corps Marathon together. OK, not together; she was in the front with her entourage, I was in the back with a few friends. But, I've always admired her for taking on the challenge of the marathon knowing that there would be cameras to capture her every step. By the way, her time that day was over 30 minutes faster than mine.

But, I've also admired her for her honesty about her struggles with her weight. As someone who also fights a daily battle to find the balance between the food I want and the food I need, I get it. Food is not nourishment for people like us. Food is love. Food is comfort. Food is medication. Food is evidence of success. Fat is where it's at.

Her question, though, is what got me; "How could I let this happen again?". How indeed. How could I?

We've moved in the last month and as I was unpacking boxes that haven't been opened in 8 years I came across photos from "the early days". The days and years when being active was brand new, when I would have done anything, eaten anything, taken any supplement, that I believed would have taken 10 seconds off my 5K time. But that was 15 years ago now. I've changed.

As I wrote in a recent column, running is like an old friend now. I look forward to spending time running. I'm comfortable running. I'm relaxed, I'm at ease. I'm happy. And I'm slow. But the truth of it is that I am also heavier than I've been in years. MORE importantly, I don't seem to be willing to do anything about it.

I've said for years that we need to see our bodies as tools, not ornaments. If we can do what we want with the body we have then how that body "looks" is probably not important. I still believe that. But, the other truth is that while I can do what I want to do with the body that I have, I'm not happy with what it looks like.

So. like Oprah, I'm going to try to go back in time. I'm going to try to find that seed of motivation that will help me. And, like Oprah, I'm going to start asking myself what I'm really hungry for when I reach for something to eat.

Wish me luck.

John

I've MOVED

2008-05-28T13:39:00.005-05:00

The Penguin Chronicles have MOVED. You can read more at:

The Penguin Chronicles

and at

Dear John; Letters to the Penguin

Back to School

2008-05-15T06:49:00.000-05:00

I spend a fair amount of my life on the road traveling to events all over the country. It's become a part of who I am and it's a very comfortable place for me to be. It doesn't matter to me whether it's a 6,000 plus people at a Team in Training pasta party or 10 people in a running specialty store. I like being out there and talking to, and with, other runners and walkers.

This week, though, I am going to Lima, Ohio to talk to a group of elementary students - and I am scared to death. OK, not to death, but I am much more nervous about speaking in front of a bunch of kids than adults. Kids, you know, won't let you get away with anything. If you're not "getting it done" they will let you know in a hurry.

It's an interesting group, though. The school has a "positive addiction" program in which the students train for a 5K. Guess that's why they think bringing in a running guy makes sense. So, at least I'll be able to relate to their experiences getting ready for the race.

I've been trying to find a way to package the "penguin" message into something that works for a 5th grader and it's not that easy! I don't think many of the kids at that age will have struggled with cigarettes and booze! At least I hope not.

But, I think, one of the essential elements of being a "penguin" is learning to define yourself FOR yourself. Many of us - and I suspect so many of them - have been defined by the people around us that we have no idea who or what we truly are. And if we start buying into other's expectations as children it's nearly impossible to break free of those expectations as adults.

So that's my plan; to help them learn to be strong in themselves and what they want to be. Wish me luck.

John

Days of Wine and Roses

2008-05-12T11:02:00.001-05:00

Now I know how the other half lives.

I traveled with Jenny and her Chicago Endurance Sports training group to the Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon. Because of a special "package" deal we stayed at the Four Seasons - Biltmore. Oh MY! It's an beautiful hotel, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, with gorgeous grounds. No way I could afford to stay there if we hadn't gotten a HUGE break on the price. But, it was nice to pretend to be rich for a weekend.

Somehow, I keep forgetting that just because it's California that doesn't mean it's going to be hot. Maybe because here in the midwest we imagine that there's nothing but fun and sun out there, but it WASN'T there this weekend. I own - without exaggeration - 20 fleece jackets or vest and DID NOT take one of them with me. So, I had to by a hooded sweatshirt just to survive the weekend.

The event itself was a bit of a mixed bag. Because I'm at so often a BIG races I'm always a little surprised at what "real world" events look like. They're often pretty low key affairs where the fun seems to come mostly from the social aspects of the experience. Most of the folks there were from the local running community and it was a chance for them to get together for a fun time.

The big difference at THIS race was the opportunity to do some wine tasting after you finished. I'm sure that provided MORE than enough motivation for the participants to keep moving. The course itself was very scenic and the only glitch I saw was that - somehow - they forgot to put out the mile markers! Other than that, though, it was a nice event.

This is a short week at home. I off to Ohio on Thursday.

Waddle on,

Road Warriors

2008-05-06T21:17:00.004-05:00

It's late Tuesday night and I'm just getting around to this week's Blog. I'm getting better at getting to the keyboard at LEAST once a week. My goal is still to get something out every Tuesday and Friday.

I'm late getting back because my son, Terry, and I spent 6 hours on the road - each way - traveling to Randleman, NC to visit with the folks at the Victory Junction Gang Camp about the Run to Victory on December 7. . December may be a long way away, but planning a event is a year-round job.

We're excited about the potential of raising over $200,000 this year. Click Here to find out more about the camp, the race, and how you can help.

Oh, by the way, that's NOT my truck. The truck was donated to the camp by young Country Music sensation Taylor Swift.

For those of you who have been following the "statin saga", I'm happy to report that - for now - the Lipitor seems to be working without any major side affects. I haven't been able to do as much running as I'd like so I'll wait to make a final call, but I am optimistic.

More later.

Birthday and Country Music

2008-04-28T14:16:00.003-05:00

What a week. It started with the Twins' 3rd birthday and ended 9 hours into the Country Music marathon. In between there were lots of smiles, happy kids, taxi rides, waiting in airports, standing in the expo and announcing. Oh, and driving home. It worked like this: Jenny and I flew to Virginia for the Birthday. Jenny flew back to Chicago, then drove to Nashville. I flew to Nashville then drove home. Got it?

I'd like to thank everyone who has emailed me about running and statins. I've got another appointment tomorrow to talk to a cardiologist about it. Seems like it's a bigger issue than I imagined. I hope that my experience will help others.

My running, while still not back to where I want it to be, shows hints of returning to normal. After an entire year of NOT being able to run as far or as fast as I want to [and trust me, that's NOT very fast] there are moments when I feel like I'm really running again. It may sound stubborn, but I'm going too keep experimenting with statins until I find the one that allows me to be an athlete AND lowers my numbers.

And, not to complain [but I will] it's RAINY and COLD again today. Jenny and I ran together and got in 4 miles, but I was grumpy the whole way.

Waddle on.

Birthdays and the Trials

2008-04-21T07:27:00.003-05:00

This was a weekend off, and I made the most of it. Friday was Jenny's birthday, and we celebrated by going car shopping. That may not sound like much of a birthday, but when your life is as hectic as ours is, being able to take a day to just go out and drive cars is a treat.

Not that we're anywhere close to buying a car. Far from it. But, there are some interesting new models that have caught Jenny's imagination and I NEVER need to be asked twice to go look at cool, new, cars.

Sunday the twins [two of my three grandchildren for you new folks] turned three. My, how they have grown. Siena is chatting up a storm and - what's scary - is that I understand what she's talking about. She's "large and in charge" most of the time to the alternating joy and frustration of her twin brother Hunter and her "little" brother, Ray. It was a large gathering which included, for the first time, some of "their" friends from "school'. They're way past the baby stage now. They have friends.

Sunday was also the Women's Olympic Marathon Trials in Boston. No shock that Deena Kastor won, in what ended up being a pretty good race. But, the sentimental favorite was 50 year-old Joan Benoit running her last marathon and trying to break 2:50. And she did. 2:49 and change. Joanie, as she is universally referred to, is a wonderful, gracious, and kind person who deserves all of the accolades that the sport can heap upon her.

A few days with the twins and then it's off to Nashville and the Country Music Marathon. I lived near Nashville for 8 years and so this race is always a homecoming for me. I'm sure I'll bump into some old friends. It's a good feeing.

Waddle on, friends.

John

The Last Three-Layer Run

2008-04-14T16:14:00.004-05:00

This past weekend was our 5th Capital City Half Marathon and Commit to be Fit 5K in Columbus, Ohio. It's a great race, that has really taken hold with the runners and walkers in and around central Ohio. We were told that we couldn't register more than 5,000 people - BUT WE CHEATED - and registered nearly 5,200. It's one of the best "hometown" races in the country.

Today's run was - I hope - the last "three-layer" run of the season. You know? A base layer, a half-zip mid layer, and a running jacket. 3 layers! IN MID APRIL. The temperatures are suppose to go up beginning tomorrow so I have my fingers crossed that I'm done with bundling up like it's December. It's just time. Time to leave tights in the closet. Time to put the jackets away. Time to worry more about BodyGlide and less about frostbite!

Spring, of course, means in addition to running I'll be able to get out the BMW and ride. Someone asked about the KIND of bike, and it's a - for those of you interested - a BMW R1150R. It's not fancy, but it's reliable. And that's more important to me than anything else because I tend to keep bikes for a LONG time. My R75/6 I kept for 18 years. My K75S I kept for 10. I might have kept it longer but the running and traveling made riding almost impossible and I couldn't stand to see a wonderful bike like that sit in the garage.

Which reminds me, I'm working on a column for next January that I'm calling "Use it or Lose it". And yes, the publication deadlines are that far ahead that I'm thinking about a January 2009 column in March of 2008. The point is that our bodies, like any machine, needs to be used. It took me a long time to understand that.

Time to move.

John

Spring Training

2008-04-07T06:40:00.002-05:00

AT LAST!

This has been the longest, most gloomy, winter I can ever remember. I love Chicago in the winter. I'm a seasonal guy. I love the cold and snow and bitterness of winter. It makes me appreciate spring. But this year has been over the top. Enough is enough.

This weekend was the first decent weekend that I can remember. I'm sure there was one, probably back in October! Saturday Jenny and I dug the motorcycles out of the garage, fired them up, and rode for the first time since November.

Sunday, we were able to run at Waterfall Glenn, a park just outside the city, in SHORTS. I honestly can't remember the last time I ran in shorts at home.

Big week this week. THE U.S. Army Band [including my son, Terry] is doing a 3-day tour of central Illinois, including a performance Thursday at Millikin University in Decatur. Jenny and I will make the drive down and hear the performance and then head right for Columbus, Ohio.

The Capital City Half Marathon is this Saturday and I couldn't be more excited. This will be the largest field we've ever had. The event has grown into an anchor for the central Ohio running community and we're beginning to see folks coming in from all over the region. It will be a good time.

Later this month is off to the Country Music marathon, but I'll tell you more about that later.

See you on the streets.

John

Spring Forward

2008-03-31T06:05:00.003-05:00

NOT TO WORRY! We're back. We're safe. And life has taken off again.

That's Bobo sitting between Jenny and me. We took Bobo with us to Antarctica to give the grandkids something fun to see. My guess is that we had more fun taking the photos than the kids will have seeing them.

This was my fifth trip to Antarctica and all I can tell you is that it gets better and better. I think the first time you go you're so excited and eager to see everything that you run around trying to take everything in. I understand. But eventually you discover that you can't take it ALL in and become content to just be there.

We got home from Antarctica early on Wednesday, March 12 and took off early on Friday, March 14 for Tucson and the Valley of Gold Half Marathon. It's a great little race.

Right now the focus is on Columbus and the Cap City Half Marathon on April 12. It's hard to believe that this will be the 5th time that we've done the event. Time really does fly.

**PERSONAL NOTE**

Many of you have written to me about my challenges with cholesterol medication. Thanks. It's been VERY helpful. My doctor switched me to Simvastatin but, the muscle aches were just as bad as with Vytorin. It's a real struggle. I get the desire to lower my LDL number, but it's not worth it if I'm so tired and sore that I can't run!

If anyone has any experience with running and statins, please feel free to jump in and let me know what your experience has been.

AND, I PROMISE to get back to blogging AT LEAST once a week.

Waddle on,

The Last Continent

2008-02-26T14:21:00.002-06:00

Well, this is it. In an hour or so I'll be on my way to the airport on my way to Buenos Aires, and then on the King George Island and the Antarctica Marathon and Half Marathon. This is my fifth time down, and I can tell you it gets better and better.

We're going on a different ship this year, the Sarpik. It's a bit smaller and a bit slower than the other ships that I've been on. What was a 44 hour crossing of the Drake Passage last year will take at least 58 hours this year. That's a LOT longer to be out there on the high seas.

The big lesson that I've learned from these Antarctica trips, and a column that you'll see later in the year, is that it's all about preparation. Preparation. Not planning. In Antarctica you can't have a plan. The island makes the decisions, not you. No matter what your plan is, the continent doesn't care.

I've tried to apply that lesson to the rest of my life. I'm focusing more on being prepared and less and less on having a plan. Whatever life plan I had when I was younger, it certainly hasn't turned out the way I planned. Even the more recent years of my life haven't gone as planned.

So, the next two weeks are the planet's chance to give me a graduate course in how little I really matter in the giant scheme of things. I will be in the presence of a power much greater than me. It will humble me and inspire me.

What could be better than that??

Waddle on.

Packing the Bags

2008-02-19T08:13:00.003-06:00

OK, some of you may think that this is obsessive. And, you might be right. After all, how many people actually set up the start/finish line for a race in their living room? But this is not just any race. This is the Antarctica Marathon and Half Marathon. Making sure that everything is right BEFORE we get to the island is not just important, it's essential. There's no place to go for help once we're there.

So, I've packed and repacked twice, so far, and will probably unpack and pack one more time. I've checked and rechecked what I'm bringing for equipment and clothes, I've laid out, chosen, and discarded, hats, gloves, fleece, tops, bottoms, and shoes. Jenny and I are spending two nights on the island, the second night alone, so there's more pressure to get it right than in other years.

We don't leave until NEXT Tuesday, but time is just flying now.

Health update: I went back to the doctor and we're going to try to figure out what medication will lower my LDL without making me feel like a mud ball. I've also scheduled a treadmill "stress test". Those tests aren't very effective for runners and walkers, but at least we'll have some baseline data.

Finally, I wanted to share this video of the twins. Jenny found out about a video camera called "the Flip". You take the video and then just plug it into your USB port. AMAZING. The voice you hear is my daughter-in-law Holly.

OK, it's back to obsessing.

Waddle on.

In Sickness and in Health

2008-02-12T10:18:00.000-06:00

I've got a short break before we take off for Antarctica, and I'm spending some of it visiting my son and his family, including the grandchildren. Unfortunately, as it turns out, my visit coincides with all three kids being sick.

It's been a long time since I had to deal with a 3 year-old with the stomach flu. YIKES. And, I've NEVER had to deal with 2 three year-olds with the flu. DOUBLE yikes.

But, on the bright side, it's meant some quiet time, sitting and watching the new adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

Yesterday was an all-day sucker. I left my son's house at 3:45 AM and drove the 6 hours to Randleman, NC to meet with the staff of the Victory Junction Gang Camp. This year's Run to Victory is December 7, so mark your calendars now. Two hours of meetings, a couple of pieces of "Sir Pizza" pizza and it was back on the road for another 6 hours.

The overwhelming thought, right now, is getting ready for Antarctica It's so hard to describe the combination of excitement, fear, anticipation, and nervousness that I feel. This being my 5th trip people think that it's no big deal. Truth is, it's a BIGGER deal because I know that I don't know what to expect.

And, Jenny and I are responsible for most of the gear this year, so there's an added element of concern about having everything we need and getting it there safe and sound. It's not like we can run to the Home Depot on King George Island!

So, in the middle of all of this I'm trying to maintain some kind of running routine. I have NOT been very successful. Life gets in the way, sometimes, and there's nothing you can do.

Waddle on,

Grinding in out

2008-02-05T15:09:00.000-06:00

Confession, they say, is good for the soul. If that's true, then my soul is going to feel very good when I hit the "publish" button on this blog.

2007 was, without question, the worst year I've ever experienced as a runner since I started running. I attributed most of it to the fall on the boat and the slow recovery that resulted. But, there was more.

I also starting taking Vytorin last spring. My cholestrol was high, or sort of high, and the doctor thought is was time to take action. That, as it turns out, was the beginning of the trouble.

Since nearly the first pill I felt achy and tired. I had a hard time running. I had a hard time WALKING. And trying to train? Forget about it. As I said, 2007 was the first year since 1993 that I didn't run a marathon. SAD!

Believe it or not, that's had something to do with my unwillingness to blog. It was very hard for me to write about the joy of running while scuffling my way through every run or walk and feeling like I couldn't possibly get out of bed the next day. IT SUCKED.

The confession? I stopped taking the mediation about 3 weeks ago. I've got 90 days - $450 worth - of pills that I am NOT putting into my body. If I've got to feel THAT bad to lower my cholesterol, it's not worth it. AND, if I read the research right, that particular medication doesn't prevent heart attacks anyway.

GUESS WHAT. In the past week or so I've had some of the BEST runs I've had in nearly a year. NEARLY A YEAR. I felt 20 years younger. My legs had strength. My step had spring. I didn't want to stop running.

That's how it used to be.

So, now what? I don't know. I'm going to talk to my doctor. Dr. Lewis Maharam, the "RockDoc" has suggested a different medication. I may try that.

Or, I may just become a cholesterol fanatic. Truth is, I don't know.

But running is fun again. And THAT I am NOT willing to give up.

Waddle on,

Lookin' out my back door

2008-01-15T10:10:00.001-06:00

Well, OK, not looking out MY back door, looking out a friend's back door here in Oro Valley, Arizona. That's the Santa Catalina mountains in the background. Somewhere up there is the exact location where Jenny and I got engaged a few years ago.

This past weekend was the P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon and Half Marathon. The event has become Elite Racing's premier event, as far as I can tell. 25,000 or so in the half. 10,000 or so in the full, and 3,000 kids for the Children's Race on Saturday. I was doing the finish line announcing for the full marathon and had a ball watching everyone come in.

The marathon was also a qualifier for the U.S. women's Olympic Trials. The "A" standard is 2:47 and, I think, about 8 women made it out of about 160 or so that tried. It was a pretty emotional moment as, one by one, they came across the line. Clearly they had all be working together during the race and the cooperation paid off.

I had to make my way from Phoenix to Oro Valley [just northwest of Tucson] to speak at the Northwest Medical Center's "Commit to be Fit" information session. This is all tied in to the Arizona Distance Classic on March 16 which includes the 5K AND the Valley of Gold Half Marathon. [ArizonaDistanceClassic.com]

The most interesting aspect was that I was, at 59, one of the YOUNGEST people in the room. I guess there's a market out there, at least in this part of the country, for folks that might seem a little beyond the traditional running demographic. I enjoyed the show, and they seemed to as well. It just wasn't the crowd that I was expecting.

The past few days have been Chamber of Commerce perfect here in Arizona. There's no question why people decide to leave the snow and cold behind. As soon as I'm finished with this I'm headed out for a run in the cool morning air and BRIGHT sunshine. Later today I'll fly home where the temperature is in the mid 20's. AAARRRGGGHHH!

This is a short turn-around week. Jenny and I are off to Cabo San Lucas on Thursday with a group from her Chicago Endurance Sports program to run a half marathon there. The "high" in Chicago on Sunday is supposed to be 5 degrees BELOW zero. I'll try to feel sorry for everyone as I'm sipping an iced tea by the pool.

I won't be able to enjoy it for long because I'm back on a plane headed to Lethbridge, Canada [just below Calgary] the next week.

If I get internet access I'll try to post a little something from Mexico.

See you on the streets.

Year in Review

2008-01-07T11:44:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year, a week or so late.

As I said in the January Penguin Times newsletter [subscribe] I am just not ready for the new year to begin. Also, as I said, I think it's because I was actually able to get some time away at the end of the year and I'm not quite back into the full-on, work mode.

To be fair, when you work for yourself it's not like you ever REALLY take time off. There were emails to answer, phone calls to take, and meetings to attend, but I was either at home or with family during most of the holidays and haven't been on an airplane in almost a month. THAT'S a holiday for me.

That's the grandkids on Christmas morning. Well, it was Christmas afternoon before they got to the present opening. The twins went to Christmas morning services at the National Cathedral where their father was performing, and we had the whole "extended" family gathered for Christmas dinner. It was a very special day.

For the first time in YEARS I actually stayed up until midnight on New Year's Eve. I am, honest, about the most boring person you can imagine. This year Jenny and I enjoyed the company and cooking of some good friends and found ourselves making our way home at 3 AM. Of course, then it took me days to recover.

2007 was one of the most difficult years I've had since I started running. I've struggled with being banged up a little, struggled with motivation, and struggled with a schedule that really made training difficult. It was also the first calendar year since 1993 that I didn't run a marathon.

But, the GOOD news is that I've never enjoyed running more. I've mentioned this before, but because I'm not training for anything in particular I've been able to run more often then when I'm training. Some weeks I'll run or walk every day. Most weeks it's more like 5 or 6 days.

And, I've found, that I'm using walking as a legitimate form of cross-training. This time of year most of my training - when I'm home - is on the treadmill. I've been doing some incline workouts based on heart-rate that seem to be paying off.

One of my New Year's Resolutions is to be better about blogging. I'm going to try for twice a week, Tuesdays and Fridays. So far, I've only missed one week!

Please check out JohnBingham.com for all the fun things going on this year. I'll be at a bunch of events, we've got our JBR races, and Jenny and I will be out and around here in Chicago.

Now, let's get this year started!

John

Birthday Boy

2007-12-13T13:11:00.000-06:00

No, that's not me. That's my son Terry standing next to Richard Petty standing next to Terry's car. Terry's not that easy to impress; he's well traveled and has been around more than his share of celebrities and the rich and famous. But, when he and Richard Petty started comparing their cars - now THAT got him fired up.

We had a great time at the Run to Victory. But, if he's honest, I think the most fun he had was talking cars with Richard and Kyle.

So, I'm 59 years old today. Good Grief. At least I'm not in a new age group. Or maybe it would be better if I was. If I was trying to compete I'd be up against all those 55 year-old YOUNGSTERS.

I have no idea what being 59 means. I remember what I thought 59 was. I remember my grandparents when THEY were 59. I remember my parents, too. And they seemed OLD.

Maybe it's because there's still so much I want to do that I'm not ready to give in to being "old". I mean, when an icon of my generation like Dennis Hopper is out selling financial services for retirement, how can I be old?

But, it's fair to say that I've reflected more as this birthday approached than many in the past. Something, I suppose, of knowing that this is the last 12 months of even pretending that I'm not out of what most would consider "middle-aged". I am, in fact, one of that growing number of aging baby boomers that seems to scare the poop out of the politicians. But I can guarantee you that I will not be going gracefully into my golden years.

I'm not as young as I once was, but I am as youthful as I ever was. Life still seems to be more interesting every year. If I'm over the hill then at least I'm picking up speed.

Today I'll run some, write some, and sleep some. Why not???

Waddle on,

Feeling Your Heart Race

2007-12-04T12:08:00.000-06:00

This was the weekend of the Run to Victory Half Marathon and 5 Mile run/walk, our race that benefits the Victory Junction Gang Camp, in Randleman, NC. Founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty, the camp serves children with chronic diseases. You can read more about the camp at: http://www.runtovictory.com

Last year, with the help of very generous participants, we were able to raise $65,000. This year, with the help of Sprint as the presenting sponsor and the overwhelming generosity of the participants we were able raise over $120,000. It's an amazing place and it's our privilege to be a part of their fund-raising efforts.

At the end of the day, though, it's a race - and a JBR race - which means we want to make sure the everyone knows that we celebrate the achievements of those at the front and the accomplishments of those throughout the pack. Especially at this race, where the focus is on the challenges faced by the children and families, we make very sure that everyone knows how much their effort means.

So, from the moment that Richard Petty waves the green flag the race becomes a moving reminder of what a small group of passionate people can do, and how much they can change the lives of others by their efforts. Of all the races that I've done, and those of which I've been a part, none compares to the spirit and energy of the Run to Victory.

Finishing on the Victory Circle everyone gets a chance to see many of the buildings on the camp. If you're a NASCAR fan it's better than going to Disneyworld. That's the Hendrick Fuel Stop in the photo with Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon's cars on top. Down the hill Kyle Busch's car sits on top of the Superdome.

Kyle and Pattie, and their son Austin, spent 4 hours on the finish line greeting everyone who came across the line. And can't think of another event where finishing means so much. Everyone there knows that the money raised helps the children. The camp doesn't charge the "campers" and the dollars that the event brings in make it possible for the camp to serve many, MANY, more children.

The work, of course, doesn't end with the race. You can still contribute to the 2007 race and beginning on January 1st you can help us meet our goal of raising $200,000 at the 2008 event.

My thanks to everyone who was there, and each of you that contributed. And I hope that you will all plan to join us on December 7, 2008 for the 3rd Annual Run to Victory.

Waddle on,

Turkey Trotting

2007-11-25T10:37:00.000-06:00

For the life of me I can't remember when I ran the [then Vertel's] Turkey Trot 8K here in Chicago. I can remember the car I was driving, my old - 1992 - Dodge mini van. [A piece of running history that deserved to be restored, but wasn't. It was in the back seat of that van, coming back from a 1/2 Ironman triathlon that I wrote the first "Penguin Chronicle" that included the "miracle" credo] But, I digress.

I remember that I tossed my jacket to my dad when the course looped back to the start/finish. I remember that it was VERY cold and that I had a pretty good run. No, I don't remember my time. It was faster than this year. I know that for sure.

8K, nearly 5 miles, is now a longish run for me. Since the "back" incident I've been doing lots of short runs and having fun doing them. So, lining up for an 8K was more nerve-wracking than you might expect.

This year's race, like most year's, was COLD. COLD COLD COLD. The advantage this year was that instead of having to find a place to park and walk to the start, Jenny and I stopped by friends Sheri and Tom's apartment that's just a few blocks from the start. Standing in the apartment, looking out the window, we could see everyone gathering at the start. I did occur to me that a hot cup of coffee and watching the race from there was a better plan than leaving the warm, cozy spot and going outside.

But, guilt - more than eagerness - got me out the door. Standing at the start I looked around to see if I knew anyone. I did, but not as many as I thought. It was a "younger" crowd. Twenty-somethings. Couples. Small groups. Social groups. Fun groups. This was clearly a holiday crowd. Out for a good time, if not a "good time".

I met up with Vivian, a "running friend" that has helped with the Chicago Distance Classic since the very beginning of my involvement, and we agreed to stick together. I was planning on using a run 7/walk 1 strategy and my "hope" was to finish in under an hour.

We talked, and laughed, and complained, and ran silently the way all good running friends do. As we approached the finish, seeing the 59 and change on our watches, we just smiled. We'd done it.

This was another "modern era" personal best for me. The February column will talk more about it, but I've given up on absolute PR's. But I'm ready to start thinking about some "modern era" PR's at various distances. I got my 5K MEPR [Modern Era Personal Record] in Toronto, and now have my MEPR at 8K.

I'll look for a 10K this spring and then move to the 1/2 marathon and MAYBE a full. Stay tuned.

Waddle on,

John

The Windy City

2007-11-14T15:16:00.000-06:00

Just to set the record straight, the reason that Chicago is called "The Windy City" has nothing to do with weather; it has to do with politics. The politicians here talked so much, so the story goes, that Chicago was called The Windy City.

But, on today's run , which I have conveniently mapped for you, the city lived up to the name. This was the windiest run I've done in a long, long time. The curious part about running along the lakefront is that the wind comes at you from EVERY direction. Leaving the apartment I thought the wind was coming out of the north. Later it was blowing HARD from the south. And in between it was blowing even harder from the east.

The goal today was to run easy, but go a bit farther. I switched to a run 3/walk 2 interval just to keep me from going out too fast. [Please feel free to laugh at that] I actually used it because I wanted to be out there for over an hour and with the 3/2 I feel like I can run forever.

The wind made things interesting. The leaves have fallen so they were swirling around in the park. Even the geese were keeping their heads down. The run goes past both the Belmont and Diversey Marinas. As you would expect in November, most of the boats are gone. Most, but not all. There was some guy out there today trying to yank his boat out of the water.

And the fishing has begun in earnest. During the summer I think there's just too much boat traffic, even in the lagoon, for the fishing to be any good. Now, though, the die-hard "city" fishers are out at full strength. I actually saw I guy pulling something that looked like a fish out of the water. Not sure what it was - probably not Sea Bass - but he was happy.

I was introduced to my new editor at Runner's World yesterday. Introduced by email and phone. She sounds very nice and is a big fan of the column. That's ALWAYS a plus. Nearly every editor I've had over the years has done a great job. And nearly every one of them has understood the "penguin voice". It will be interesting to see what character she brings to the mix.

OK. Two blogs in one week. Maybe I can get used to this.

Waddle on, friends.

Old Dog, New Tricks

2007-11-10T09:03:00.000-06:00

First off, I'd like to thank everyone who responded publicaly or privately to my last post. It was very encouraging to hear that YOU are out there reading. So, to coin a phrase, "The Blog's for YOU".

November is a bit of a hiatus for me. After being gone so much this fall, now is the time to get caught up. What that means is doing the kinds of routine tasks that everyone else has to do; get new glasses, get the car serviced, clean out the closet, etc. Those might not seem very exciting, but the chance to be "normal" for a few weeks is very relaxing.

Sunday, for example, I never left the apartment. I was able to sleep in - RARE for a Sunday - relax and watch an entire NASCAR race. We produce the Run to Victory for the Petty's and so I've got a personal interest in what kind of day Kyle Petty has. It's a bit complicated, but he needed to have a good finish to stay in the top 35 "owners points" so that he would be guaranteed a starting spot at next year's Daytona 500. It's worth - literally - hundreds of thousands of dollars and I'm happy to report that Kyle did it.

I'm working as much on weight management as I am hard-core training right now so I was able to do my "incline" walk on the treadmill while I watched the race. It may sound silly, but it is such a treat for me that I can hardly explain it.

I'm also trying to learn how to use some of the new technologies available to us as runners. I've written about running with an iPod and GPS on my wrists, but this mapping stuff is still a mystery. What's attached is my "4 Plus Lakefront" route. It's hard to tell, but this course runs right along the sea wall north of Belmont Harbor. Must runners - and all cyclist - stick to the path next to Lake Shore Drive. I like running closer to the water where it's less crowded.

It is kinda cool to map out the route. I think it will be really helpful when I'm on the road.

So, there we are. I BLOGGED THIS WEEK!

Thanks again for all the support. I'll see you out on the streets.

lakefront 4 plus
Find more Runs in Chicago, Illinois

Catching up, and why I hate Blogging

2007-11-07T16:31:00.000-06:00

I keep telling you - and myself - that I'm going to be better about this. I really mean to. But, it's a struggle. And I think I've got an idea why. You see, for the most part, I can't understand why ANYONE blogs. Most blogs - it seems to be - are either self-congratulatory puff, self-disclosuring emotional exibitionism, or political pontification designed to stir things up.

Case in point: I don't even remember they guy's name - and I probably wouldn't included it if I did - but this guy on Salon.com starts into the whole runners and joggers nonsense and then mentions me BY NAME. Good grief. And, of course, the guy doesn't have his facts right, bemoans American distance running FORGETTING that Deena just broke the American women's marathon record and that - oh by the way - Ryan Hall just broke the American Olympic trials marathon record.

Anyway, it just wears me out.

THEN, a guy who I THOUGHT I admired, Martin Dugard, takes off on the whole "slow runners are destroying the marathon" nonsense on Active.com. AGAIN, without having his facts straight. And THIS guy busts me by name but says he's NEVER read anything by me. Oh for Pete's SAKE.

So, I just don't get it. And I'm having a hard time wanting to clutter up the Web with MORE of what's WRONG.

THAT SAID: Since I was last here I've been to San Francisco for the Nike Women's marathon. It's a wonderful event. There's not that much more to say. If you haven't done it yet. Just Do It - to coin a phrase.

Since I wasn't running the event I had a chance to get out and do a little "exploring". I always run along the Embarcadero, but ususally run towards Fisherman's Wharf. This time, I went under the Oakland bridge and headed out that way. MUCH to my surprise I found myself running around AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants. What a COOL looking park. I grew up watching baseball in Wrigley Field and like smaller ball parks.

The photo is where kayakers sit and wait for home run balls to come out of the park. Only in San Francisco.

Then it was off to the Marine Corps Marathon. For reasons that are STILL unclear to me, I decided to ride my motorcycle to Washington, DC. I knew I was going to spend a week with my son and his family, and then head to Randleman, NC to meet with the folks at the Victory Junction Gang Camp. SOMEHOW, I thought riding would be a good idea. I'd forgotten just how COLD it gets in late October and early November.

The grandkids - Ray, Hunter, and Siena - got a kick out of sitting on the bike. It reminded me of what my son's mom once told me - that Terry didn't need a bad influence in his life - he had ME. I don't know that I'm a bad influence, I'm just trying to be who I am and let the chips fall where they fall.

And, of course, I was there for Halloween. What a hoot. MAYBE the kids understand what's going on, but I doubt it. I think it's the parents having most of the fun. Hunter had his chicken suit on which, when you pressed a button, actually PLAYED the "Chicken Dance". We must have had him do the dance 50 times. It was great.

I'm home for a few weeks, so I WILL Blog again NO LATER THAN Tuesday.

Waddle on,

The Way to San Jose

2007-10-14T19:25:00.000-05:00

Today was the 2nd Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in San Jose. What a fantastic race. There's no question that the Elite Racing musical marathon and half marathon series has raised the bar for every other event and San Jose is quickly becoming one of their gold standard races. Everything was here; great elite field, wonderful weather, and the kind of signature experience that makes everyone feel good.

Lately I've been getting to do some announcing at a few races. Guess the organizers finally figured out that I can run my mouth faster than I can run my feet. It's great fun for me and gives me a chance to see all of the runners and walkers at least twice. This race was even more special because it was the final event for the 2007 Rock Stars; those folks who have run AT LEAST a half marathon at the 5 musical marathons and half marathons. So, they've finished in Arizona, Nashville, San Diego [marathon ONLY] Virginia Beach, Philadelphia, and San Jose. A fantastic accomplishment for a normal human being.

At the sharp end on the men's side, McDonald Ondara won it in 1:01:11, John Yuda came in 2nd with a 1:01:13, and Hillary Kipchumba finished 3rd with a 1:01:32. One the women's side, it was Magdalene Makunzi in 1:09:58, Megumi Oshima in 1:11:14, and Everlyne Lagat in 3rd with a 1:11:35. Everylne, by the way, is the wife of Daniel Cheruiyot who has won ALL of the JBR half marathons. Talk about a family with talent! WOW.

If you're looking for a wonderful fall half marathon you need to look no further than San Jose.

This is a short turnaround week as I get back tomorrow and head back out west for the Nike Women's event next weekend.

I'll see you on the streets.

Mr. October

2007-10-11T10:27:00.000-05:00

Hey, how about this? I'm actually Blogging on Thursday. That's because my flight to San Jose isn't until early this evening.

There's still a lot of discussion about the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon last Sunday. The images are not very flattering. And, from my perspective, neither is the obvious decision to "deny, deny, deny." We had much smaller issues at the Chicago Distance Classic Half Marathon [owned by John Bingham Racing] this summer and our reaction was to step up, admit what went wrong, and promise to do a better job. I think a large measure of humility would serve everyone well right now.

From early June until last weekend the lakefront running path has been filled with folks training for the marathon. On weekends it was almost silly with thousands of runners and walkers decked out in their "team" singlets running north and south, criss-crossing each other at the water fountains and intersections.

Now, the path is nearly empty. I've had the path nearly to myself this week. Yesterday, the day that Fall finally arrived and the temperature dropped, I only encountered a handful of other runners. While I'm happy to have the space and solitude, there's also a certain sadness to it.

The marinas are starting to empty out. My "anchor" sailboat Redfeather has been put away for the winter. [Redfeather is in the Belmont Harbor at the start and end of my runs. I know when I see her again that my run is almost over] I don't OWN Redfeather, but it has become my favorite boat and her being gone means that the Summer is over.

And I think, as you get older, the end of every Summer starts to mean a little more and I think you feel the loss a little more deeply. When I was younger I thought I'd have all the Summers I'd ever want. Now, I'm not so sure.

What helps is running. Running and walking, really. Getting out there along MY lakefront, looking at MY city, moving MY body is all I can do. Most days it's plenty. Other days, there aren't enough miles to make the feelings go away.

Off to San Jose.

Waddle on, friends.

Hot, Hotter, Hottest

2007-10-08T12:47:00.000-05:00

I'll get to the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in just a bit. But first: I flew to Phoenix last Wednesday for the SRP [Salt River Project] kickoff to the training for the P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Marathon and Half Marathon in January. When I stepped off the plane it was about 95 degrees. I know, it's a dry heat! But still, that's HOT!

The kickoff run is along one of the canals that help supply electricty to the city of Phoenix. I'm not a techo-guy, so I don't understand what it is that they do, but it works.

This year's RnR Arizona is going to be the biggest EVER with over 35,000 participants expected.

Unless you've been in a cave you know that yesterday's LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon was nothing short of a nightmare. The record-breaking heat and humidity turned the race into a dangerous situation for everyone involved.

All of us who put on events worry about the doomsday scenario. We all do our best to look at best-case, worst-case, and doomsday possibilities. I think that yesterday's race was beyond anyone's imagination.

My own explanation is that it was a bit like the Katrina disaster. Yes, the organizers knew that the weather would be a factor. Yes, the organizers did make some accomodations. Yes, they did have more water and Gatorade than normal. But, then things just started going from bad to worse.

I spent all day on the course at various locations. By an hour into the race it was clear that there was trouble. Participants were already complaining that there weren't fluids available to them. By the time I moved from mile 8 to mile 14 the situation had deteriorated to the point where volunteers were filling empty water jugs in restaurant bathrooms just to try to give the runners some relief.

By the time the race was "called" and the clocks stops, many of the participants were already in trouble. We diverted those that hadn't passed the 17 mile mark directly back to the start/finish area. At that point I went to mile 25 1/2 to try to help with those folks who had somehow managed to finish.

A couple of thoughts. One, I was extremely pleased and proud of the reaction the Chicago Police, Fire, Emergency Medical, and Transit Authority. With very little guidance, in a circumstance that one officer described as "pandimonium", they worked together to find ways to help the participants. They opened hydrants, cared for downed runners, kept the traffic a bay, brought in extra buses, and more. It was fantastic.

Second, although the event organizers will certainly have to take some responsibility, this truly was one of those situations that is so far beyond anyone's imagination that I'm not sure what more could have been done.

I'm off to San Jose on Thursday [sing along: do you know that way to San Jose?] I'll be back with you from there.

Waddle on,

John

Riding and Racing

2007-10-02T13:12:00.000-05:00

WHEW!

I know. Blog on Monday and Thursday. Today is Tuesday. I'm sort of splitting the difference.

Jenny and I spent the past weekend going to and from Toronto for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. We've been involved in this race for a number of years and have been really pleased to watch it evolve into on of Canada's premier events. Alan Brookes, race director [pictured] has done a fantastic job of making this race special. This year he got a jewel in his crown with the setting of the Canadian marathon record. It's been 31 years - since the 1976 Montreal Olympics - since anyone has broken the record. I was lucky enough to be on the announcer's stand watching it all unfold on the giant screen TV. It was FANTASTIC.

I also ran the 5K myself and set a "modern era" personal record. 32:10. Well off the world - or even Canadian - record but it felt good. I didn't plan to go for broke but it was a nice day, I've been running very consistently at shorter distances, and thought - WHY NOT?

Since the course was marked in kilometers I thought I'd try to run to the K markers. I set my watch for 7/1 thinking I would see how it went. And, I'm pleased to say, it went GREAT.

It was fun to "race" a little. Fun to mix it up some, chase down some people, keep an eye on my time.

We combined a bit of pleasure with the work and rode our bikes to Toronto. It's Fall here in the midwest and it won't be too long before the bikes get put on the battery chargers for the Winter. The leaves were just beginning to turn and the ride was everything we could have hoped for. Until yesterday.

Then, the skies opened up. We tried to wait out the rain and actually started out in dry conditions but it wasn't long before we were getting pounded on. On a motorcycle, the best you can do in the rain is stay are dry as you can as long as you can. Nothing will keep you completely dry for more than an hour or so.

Today is "catch up" day and then it's off to Phoenix tomorrow. I'll try to get some photos from there. Then, back to Chicago on Friday for the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

Waddle on,

John

Last Days of Summer

2007-09-24T14:30:00.000-05:00

You couldn't tell from today's weather, but summer is over, fall is here, and winter isn't that far off. Living in a city like Chicago and running mostly along the lakefront there are some seasonal cues that are as accurate as turning leaves. For me, living near both the Belmont and Diversey Harbors, the first sign of fall is the boats being taken out of the water. Little by little, one by one, the owners pack them up and take them somewhere to spend the winter safe.

People who only know Chicago from what they've seen in movies sometimes don't know what a great recreational area the lakefront is. There is a running/cycling path that goes for 18 miles ONE WAY. I live up on the north side [think Cubs] so the view I see is looking south to the city. I see the John Hancock building standing guard over my side of the city.

Seeing the lake, season after season, I've come to appreciate how alive it really is. It's got a personality that is as unique and as obvious as anyones. The lake can smile and be welcoming. It can be angry. It can invite you in and warn you to stay out. This time of year the lake is recovering from a summer of fun.

Yesterday I ran along the lakefront. Today I walked. I walked because there were things I needed to think about and walking helps me keep my thoughts in motion. Running is distracting, but in a different way. I get caught up in my running. I start listening to my breathing, feeling my heart beat, sensing my feet hitting the ground.

Walking allows me to put my body on autopilot. Even with no athletic talent I'm still pretty good and remembering to alternate feet!

Today's the kind of day when I'm grateful that I became active. Today's the kind of day that makes all the other days worth it.

Waddle on,

John

Playing Hookie

2007-09-22T09:29:00.001-05:00

Fat Albert; my bike. Ruby; Jenny's bike. And Coach Jenny.

You might think that working as a writer and speaker, and owning a small business means that your time is your own. No boss. No timecards. No schedule. You'd think that, but you'd be wrong.

The great part of what I do is that I can do it from almost anywhere, anytime. The hard part is that I end up doing it almost everywhere almost all the time. I'm not complaning, just explaining why taking yesterday OFF was such a treat.

With the summer coming to an end, and the fall marathon season getting ready to fire up, time for riding motorcycles is slipping away. Sadly, here in Chicago, we don't really have a 12 month riding season so I know that sooner or later I'll have to put the bike away, put the battery on a charger, and wait for the first sign of spring.

So yesterday morning, at about 4:30 AM, Jenny and I backed the bikes out of the garage and headed for Door County, Wisconsin. Why Door County? I have no idea. I've heard people talk about it and, at the time, it sounded like a good idea.

The weather changed from warm to cool to COLD to warm to HOT and back. By the time we pulled back into the garage, at 8:30 last night, we'd ridden over 400 miles and were tired but VERY satisfied. And the laptop stayed home on the desk.

What's this got to do with running? Not much, maybe, except that the joy in life for me comes in the balance of things that I have to do with the things that I want to do. There's no physical benefit in spending a day on a motorcycle, but the emotional benefits make it more than worth it.

Today, I'll get out and run.

Waddle on,

John

A Rocky weekend

2007-09-17T16:34:00.000-05:00

WC Fields is supposed to have said: "All in all I'd rather be in Philadelphia" I don't know the context, but I'm sure that he would have said it about this past weekend.

I was in "Philly" for Elite Racing's Philadelphia Distance Run half marathon. They've only put on the race for 3 years, but this was the 30th running of the event. It starts and finishes near the base of the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museam, made famous by Rocky Balboa's run up to the top.

Saturday morning I took a run down to the river, past the museum. It occurred to me to run up the steps, but I came to my senses.

Sunday, race day, was one of those rare, stunning early fall days. It was cool in the morning with clear skies and bright sunshine. I was doing the announcing [they've figured out that I run my mouth better than I run my feet] and it was all I could do not to jump in and run. It was wonderful.

Being an "old school" race there were more hammer-heads than at your typical Elite Racing "destination" event, like the Rock 'n' Roll San Diego. But, it was a great party and I'm sure everyone there had a good time.

Back at it today, trying to get caught up on emails, bills, laundry and all the other "normal" things in life. I had a chance to get in a nice, semi-easy 60 minute run along the "Waveland" lakefront area. It felt good to have no pressure at all and just be able to run for an entire hour. [I used a R4/W2 interval]

I'm home for about 10 days. A long stretch this time of year. I'm hoping to get in a "day ride" on the motorcycle before the weather turns.

Waddle on,

j

Day Late, Dollar Short

2007-09-14T20:12:00.000-05:00

OK, I know. I promised I'd Blog on Mondays and Thursdays, and this is Friday. But, I've got a good reason. Honest.

I sat down to Blog last night, then decided I'd go ahead and check in for my flight to Philadelphia today. It was about 8:15 PM and I couldn't check in because it was more than 24 hours before the flight. WHAT?!? The flight was supposed to leave at 8:45 AM. Or, that's what I THOUGHT.

I had booked a flight that left Chicago at 8:45 PM that got me to Philadelphia about midnight. MIDNIGHT. What a DOPE. Of course, it's an example of having the best staff I can afford - that woud be ME - and I'm not that good. So, I'm on the phone with the nice people at American Airlines, and just as we're getting things all set for a 6:40 AM flight, the call is dropped. OH NO! A quick call back, we got it taken care of, and that was that.

BUT, it meant getting up at 3 in the morning. So, sorry, no Blog last night.

I'm in Philly for the Philadelphia Distance Run, one of the newer Elite Racing events. This is the event's 30th year, so it's not your typical Elite-styled Rock 'n' Roll event, but it's got all the markings of an Elite Race. A good thing.

I'm looking forward to running along the river tomorrow morning. I've been told it's like running in Boston next to the Charles River. I may be been to Philadelphia before, but I don't remember.

Got in a great trail run yesteray in the 100 acre woods. I've gotten to where I REALLY like running out there. Actually, running isn't quite right. I like BEING out there, so I run some, walk some, and just feel good about being there a LOT.

But, it's also been a week with some sadness. The Argentinian member of the Antarctica crew died suddenly. Gus - on the far left - was the true heart, soul, and spirit of the trip and it's hard to imagine what it's going to be like without him. I love Antarctica, in part I think because I loved Gus - or at least being with him. It's a sadness that will not go away easily.

It's race weekend. Clinics tomorrow, then announcing on Sunday. And a Blog on Monday. HONEST!

Waddle on,

j

Monday, Monday

2007-09-10T16:35:00.000-05:00

I got back home late Saturday night after two solid weeks on the road. A visit with my son, his wife and the grandkids, down to VA Beach for the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon, over the Randleman, NC for a meeting with the great folks at the Victory Junction Gang Camp about the Run to Victory event this December, and the finally to Columbus, Ohio for a meeting with the Mayor and a day at the Honda Family Festival.

It's been a while since I was gone for that many days in a row. Back in 1997 I was on the road for 4 weeks. In 1998 it was closer to 8 weeks, and in 1999 it was 26 weeks with just a few days in between the East Coast and West Coast parts of the tour. I'd forgotten how hard it is to be away for that long. I was also amazed at how much easier it was to be in the car with a cell phone and Blackberry [not while driving]. When I'd stop for lunch I was able to catch up some. A far cry from tring to find the local dial-up number on AOL so I could check my email.

The good news is that I was able to maintain a fairly regular running schedule. Some days I wasn't able to get in as much I was wanted/needed, but I was always able to get in a BTN [Better Than Nothing] workout.

I'm beginning to feel the need for a goal. Not a LONG term goal, but something to keep me focused. The "working" thought is to run the Honolulu Marathon in December. I've done it twice in the past and have had mixed experiences. It might be time to take another shot at it.

This weekend I'll be in Philadelphia with the Elite Racing folks. If you're going to be there, make sure to come by the Expo when I'm speaking at say HI.

Waddle on,

John

Back in the Saddle, Again

2007-09-06T08:35:00.000-05:00

OK. I'm BACK! I was never REALLY gone, but the summer just got away from me. Blogging is a funny business for a writer. Most people think it would be easy to blog, but it's not. At least it's not for me.

So, here's my plan. I am going to blog on Monday and Thursday every week. HONEST. Monday and Thursday. AND, I'm going to try to make the blogs a bit more interactive. As you can imagine, I got tons of questions about running, motivation, events, etc. I'm going to try to answer some of those questions here.

If you HAVE a question or comment, please email me at: thepenguin@johnbingham.com

When you leave a comment here, I can't always answer you directly.

So, how was my summer?? FANTASTIC. Hectic, nerve-wracking, exciting, moving; you name the emotion, I felt it this summer. You'll read the whole story in the December column, but both my mom AND dad had heart surgery over the summer. I'm happy to report that they are both doing well. We also celebrated RayRay's [my 3rd grandchild] first birthday. It's amazing how quickly time can go by.

But, I suppose the BIG news of the summer - and again, there will be more detail in the December column - is that I finally went to have MY heart checked and guess what? I have blockage in the SAME spot as my mom. GO FIGURE. So, now I'm a heart patient. I'm taking medication, I'm monitoring my food intake [sort of!] and resisting at every turn the idea that dispite ALL the running I do my heart is still not 100%.

That's about it for now. I'll be back again on Monday. In the meantime, thanks for your patience as I scuffled through the past few months.

See you on the streets.

j

Gone, but not forgotten

2007-07-29T12:30:00.000-05:00

I am SO sorry to be SO far behind. It's been, well, quite a time.

I'll try to fill in the blanks, but there's been:

1] seeing an old friend
2] playing with the grandkids
3] speaking at a memorial service
4] riding with the Kyle Petty Charity Ride
5] riding the legendary "Tail of the Dragon"
6] my father's bypass surgery
7] riding a GoldWing at the Honda Homecoming
8] Get from where I was to where I needed to be and back

Anyway, I'm hoping to get back to the laptop soon.

Play nice!!

j

Holiday Week

2007-07-08T21:11:00.000-05:00

It's Sunday night, the end of a long, but fantastic, holiday week. Have the 4th of July on Wednesday really means that the whole week is sort of messed up. Hard to get started on Monday because you know you're leaving early on Tuesday. [especially in Chicago where the big fireworks are on July 3rd] The Thursday it's hard to get going because Friday's coming and then it's the weekend. You get the idea.

I did managed to take the 4th off from running and spend the day out on the motorcycle. Jenny and I are leaving next weekend to join up with the Kyle Petty Charity Ride so we needed to get in some motorized training.

My running has been very consistent lately and it's paying off. I'm able to run more often and get it more miles. I'm not even thinking about pace and that makes EVERY run a fun run. I've been heading out to the 'burbs to do some more interesting trail runs. The change of scenery has helped reinvigorate my running.

Today I was back in the 100 acre wood in Willow Springs. About 5 minutes into the run I saw two beautiful young deer just standing there looking back at me. It was VERY cool.

I've got a 10 mile run coming up on Saturday, so I'll need to take it easy during the week.

I am NOT a jogger

2007-07-02T16:08:00.000-05:00

WOW, that touched a nerve. I've never gotten so many on and offline comments. It might be that I'll need to write a column about THIS!

The truth is, yesterday, I was NOT a jogger, I was a bicyclist. I wanted to get out and do an easy spin, but ended up on a very nice hard-packed stone trail where the temptation to "get after it" was just too great.

Keep in mind, at my BEST I'm not even getting CLOSE to it, let alone getting AFTER it it, but I had fun. I led for a while, then drafted behind Jenny for a while, then cooled my jets and road like a normal person.

Today was "tempo" day. Nothing TOO impressive, just trying to maintain a somewhat higher level of effort for a shorter distance/duration. It was a near perfect day and
I was actually faster than I thought. NOT FAST. Faster than I thought.

ORN: 3.2 miles, 36 minutes, run 5/walk 1

{ORN means "Obligatory Running Note", from the original Dead Runners Society list that required every post to have some running content}

A fine nine

2007-07-01T06:39:00.000-05:00

I can hardly believe it myself. Yesterday I ran [OK, ran/walked] 9 miles with the Chicago Endurance Sports training team. We used a run 3/walk 2 interval and it was perfect. The run took us about 2 hours and 10 minutes.

This puts me well within range of a half marathon. Based on yesterday, I think my back is "back" to normal - which is not to say perfect, but good enough.

Part of this, I think, is that fact that I've been doing at least one "sort of" hilly trail run every week for the past 5 or 6 weeks. And that I've been doing some cycling in addition to running. Yeah, I know, it's called "cross training". But I LIKE to ride so I don't think of it as training.

Some folks have written to me about the "We are not Joggers" ad that was in Runner's World. I won't mention the manufacturer's name because that just gives them more publicity. It was, in my view, about the dumbest thing a shoe and apparel company could do. I'm sure there was a bunch of 30 year-old ad people that thought it was clever. It wasn't. It was just dumb.

As George Sheehan wrote: The difference between a runner and a jogger is the signature on a race application. If you are willing to line up at take your shot in an event, you are NOT a jogger. And, by the way, there's nothing wrong with BEING a jogger or a recreational runner/walker.

The ad was just stupid. Enough said.

John

Heat of the Moment

2007-06-27T18:33:00.001-05:00

If you want to know what's keeping me busy, there's your answer. I'm out visiting my son and his family, including the three grandkids.

I'd forgotten how HOT and humid it can be in Northern Virginia in the summer. Yesterday I set out to run 5 miles, decided at 2 miles I'd turn around and only do 4, then decided a mile later that walking was the only choice I had. It was well over 90 degrees and I'm just not ready for that.

Today I knew better and only planned to run 4 miles. Turns out that a storm was coming in and for the time I was running the temperature actually dropped. The rain was in the area but not where I was - at least not until later. When the skies finally opened up it was pretty exciting.

I'm trying to keep better track of my mileage to avoid kidding myself either way. Based on the 7 day run - I did 8 on Friday, 4 on Sunday, 4 yesterday and 4 today. That puts me right at 20. I don't know that I'll get to 30 again this week. And, I'm not sure what we're running on Saturday [might be 10] so I'll need to be careful.

8 is enough

2007-06-22T15:50:00.000-05:00

Greetings from Anchorage, Alaska. Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE Alaska. Not sure why, really. I've just always enjoyed my time here and throughout Alaska.

Today I had the time to get in a long run. Part of that is because of the time change - 3 hours from Chicago. So, 6 AM felt like 9 AM. Walking out of the room at 9AM here seemed late.

Because the marathon is tomorrow, and I'll be working all day, I had to get in a second "long run" this week. It's not the best idea, and not one that I recommend unless you HAVE to, but sometimes I have no choice. I did 7 last Saturday and needed to do 8 this week.

Using the "7 day rule", that is, your body doesn't know to reset itself when a new week starts, I'd run 5 times and just over 30 miles in the past "week". That's a big week for me, especially now.

My feet started to get heavy at about 6 miles. I just took my time and got in the distance.

ORN: 8 miles; run 3/walk 2. 2 hours.

The Long and the Short of it

2007-06-18T17:38:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday I was home again and had a chance to run with the Chicago Endurance Sports team. As I said, most of them are training for either the Chicago Marathon or the Distance Classic, so they are beginning to increase there long runs. Saturday, the group I was running with was schedule to go 7 miles.

I hadn't run 7 miles since last October. The last long run I had done was the same day I had the incident with the car. So, I was a little nervous lining up. It doesn't matter that I've done 45 marathons. When it's time to start going long, we're all rookies.

The bigger question was whether to go out with the Run 5/Walk 1 group or the Run 3/Walk 2 group. I went with the 5/1's last weekend when they ran 5 miles and it was fine, except my back hurt a bit. I opted for the safer choice and went with the 3/2's. They are actually my favorite group every season because they are almost always brand new to running and training and every long run is a personal best.

It took us about an hour and 40 minutes, but I got through it. It wasn't glamorous, but it's done.

Sunday I backed it up with a 5K run using a 5/1 sequence and today I did a 4 1/2 mile trail run using 4/2. The danger right now is that I'm feeling good. It's tempting to think I can go back to a normal training plan, but that would be a big mistake. I'll bicycle tomorrow and do an easy run on Wednesday.

It's time to be smart, not ambitious.

John

Noise Polution

2007-06-12T12:29:00.000-05:00

And now for something completely different.

I ran in the 100 acre woods yesterday [OK, it's actually the Willow Springs Woods, but I like the sound of 100 acre woods] and the cicada were SO loud that I couldn't hear my watch beeping. There were times that it was so loud that it was painful.

The plan was to run for an hour or so in the woods to get a feel for the whole cicada phenomenon. I was expecting to hear something, but I wasn't prepared for THAT kind of noise. And that's just what it was. Noise.

I don't have any idea what the cicada are DOING, but whatever it is they make a lot of noise doing it. One managed to land on my shoe and planned, I guess, to go for a bit of a ride. I carefully took it off my shoe and sent it back to doing cicada business.

The crazy part is that as LOUD as they are for the most part you can't see them. There are the odd cicada that have apparently done all they need to do and have gone on to their great reward, leaving the empty hulk behind. But the thousand of others remain unseen. It's wild.

The run was great, except for the distration of the cicadas. Distration meaning that I wanted to spend all of my time looking for cicadas. I got in an honest 4 miles at R4/W2 in just under an hour. The trails are hilly, which is what I'm after. No pressure, just a solid run.

Group Therapy

2007-06-10T13:41:00.000-05:00

Some of you that have been following the Blog know that this has been an tough 7 or 8 months. I was training for the Chicago Marathon last fall when I slipped and really banged up my knee. About the time I was getting over that I fell and hurt my back and ended up in the emergency room.

I've been able to run some, walk mostly, since March. And I've been doing all of my running alone.

Yesterday I ran with the Chicago Endurance Sports training group. Most of the participants are getting ready for my race, the Chicago Distance Classic, and/or the Chicago marathon. This was a cut-back week for them so they were "only" running 5 miles.

Jenny asked me to pace the 5/1 run/walk group. I haven't run/walked 5/1 since last fall, so I was a bit concerned. I was worried that my back would tighten up and I'd have to walk.

There's no overestimating the power of the group. I got in there, got talking it up with folks, listened to their stories, told a few of my stories, and just had a great time.

Before I knew it we were nearly finished. My back was sore, but not awful. It was a big emotional hurdle for me to get over.

A big thanks to everyone who helped pull me through.

Rock and Roll weekend

2007-06-04T09:48:00.000-05:00

This is a great event. It was the 10th running of the marathon, my 10th time to be a part of the fun.

It's impossible not to engage in a little nostalgia at big milestones like this. In 1998 I was here as a part of the Runner's World pace team. The column had only been in the magazine for 2 years, I had no books published, and barely understood what I was supposed to be doing.

In 1999 my son, Terry, and I rode Suzuki motorcycles from New York City to San Diego and then ran the marathon. The 12 days on the rode together was a time that I will never forget.

2000 was my first official appearance with Team in Training.

I bumped into several old friends over the weekend, some of whom were "original" members of the Penguin Brigade. A lot has changed since 1998. There are more people in my life, but there are also people who are gone from my life. It's hard to think that there is a balance between those who have come and those that have gone, but I suppose there is.

What I know for sure is that no one could have predicted in 1998 that I would be where I am today. It's been one heck of a ride.

John

The Write Stuff

2007-05-30T08:42:00.000-05:00

Where does the time go??

This is the latest photo of my son and his family. Seems to say everything. Terry and Holly have their hands full keeping track of the twins, Hunter and Siena, and the little one, Ray.

It should also be clear that I'm not having much luck getting into the Blog business. Jenny's now Blogging for Runner's World online and is doing a MUCH better job than I am in keeping up.

Without getting into a therapy session, I think some of it is that because I write for a living it's more difficult for me to write as recreation. If this is supposed to be professional, then I worry that it won't be at the same level as the columms. If it's just for fun, then I can't imagine what it is that people would be interested in.

I ran in my 100 acre woods yesteday. I saw the BIGGEST turtle I have EVER seen in my LIFE. The thing was HUGE and prehistoric looking. I've decided that this was the King Turtle. Probably King of the Forest. At least, that's what I believe.

We are off to San Diego and the Rock 'n' Roll marathon this weekend. Hard to believe that this is the 10th running of the event. What a great job Elite Racing has done.

So, I'm PROMISE that I will try to Blog AT LEAST once a week. Let's start there.

Waddle on,

The Long Way Home

2007-05-17T19:36:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure if I've said anything publically about this, but I'm "thinking" about doing a marathon later in the summer or early fall. I know that for now the best thing I can do is start getting some extra time in on my feet.

My "training plan", based solely on what I think will work and therefore not subject to the rules and regulations of legitimate training programs, is to LENGTHEN my daily runs by increasing the walking interval while decreasing the running interval. The results of which will be longer training sessions that aren't likely to get me injured.

So, if I do a 4/1, 40 minute session I run for 32 minutes. If I do a 3/2 interval for 60 minutes I run for 36 minutes. Not that much difference but I get an additional 20 minutes of training.

Hey, that's my story and I'm sticking with it.

ORN: 60 minutes and 3/2 plus 10 minute walking warm up and 10 minute walking cool down. Total time, 1 hour 20 minutes.

Cycle-ogical

2007-05-16T15:32:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday I had a chance to do some real mountain biking for the first time in about 2 years. Actually, mountain biking is the wrong term. What I did was ride on some hard-packed running and horse trails in the forest preserves. No mountains, although the area used to be called Mount Forest.

Today, in an effort to do some kind of activity 6 days a week, I got out the mountain bike [which, now that I think if it, is a really dumb term. It's really just a fat-tired bike] and rode along the lakefront path. Nothing even like a hill out there.

I'm re-committing to getting in some cross-training on the days when I can't/shouldn't/don't want to run. Monday, when it got so late that I knew I couldn't get in a bona fide run, I dropped off the car with Jenny and walked the 3 miles home.

So today was just one of those kind of days. Get up. Get out. Get going. No pressure. No plan. Just move.

John

ORN [obligatory running note] 45 minutes of cycling on a fat-tired bike.

The times they are a changin'

2007-05-15T16:04:00.000-05:00

Because I live in Chicago, 4 blocks from Wrigley Field, a block and a half from Lake Michigan and the lakefront path most of my runs are on that path. Today, though, I hopped on the motorcycle and rode out to Willow Springs to run in the Palos Forest Preserves, or, what i will now forever call the 100 acre woods. [If you're not a Winnie the Pooh fan, you may not know about the 100 acre woods.]

The goal was to use a run 3 minutes/walk 2 minutes plan and go for a solid hour. I ran for an hour for the first time since last fall about a week ago, and so I'm still a little nervous about trying to go that long.

It was fantastic.

I saw 5 deer as I entered the woods and thought "this is a good sign". It was peaceful, quiet, rolling, and just what I needed today. There were times when the watch "beeped" and it was time to walk and I wanted to keep running. I didn't. I'm still recovering. But, it was great to have that feeling again.

Don't know how far I ran. Don't care. I enjoyed every step today and that' all that matters.

Waddle on,

Gone, but not forgotten

2007-05-11T15:29:00.000-05:00

No, I'm not dead in a ditch, just been busier than usual. And, as I have shared with some of you in person, even when you're a writer by profession blogging doesn't come all that easy. Or at least it doesn't for me.

I've been to Indianapolis for the Indy mini since I last blogged. It's a fantastic event and if you want to do it you should go ahead and register NOW. It closes earlier and earlier every year.

I then rode - the motorcycle - over to Columbus for our Cinco de Mayo 4 miler. That was also great fun.

We've been filming for the Reebok "Run Easy" campaign. I'll make sure to get everyone the information on that as soon as I know it.

And finally, my running has been going very, VERY well. I ran for an hour yesterday which was the longest I've run since last October.

I've got an announcement to make, but I'll have to wait for another day.

Waddle on,

John

Country Music Weekend

2007-04-30T17:42:00.000-05:00

What a weekend. The Country Music Marathon and Half Marathon attracted almost 30,000 people. Amazing.

When I lived outside of Nashville I ran the old "Music City Marathon and Half Marathon" I ran the half a couple of different times. In those days, in the mid 1990's there was about 700 people in the whole and may 1,000 or so in the half. When Tim Murphy of Elite Racing talked to me about bringing a big "Rock 'n' Roll" style event to Nashville I told him he was crazy.

And in the first few years it looked like I was right. They started with ONLY a full marathon and after a strong first year saw the numbers dwindle down to less than 4,000 participants. Then they added the half marathon and the numbers soared. Two years ago there were a total of 17,000 participants in both races. This year that number was nearly doubled.

What's going on?

Hard to say, but I have a guess. People have figured out that Nashville - the city - is a FANTASTIC destination. If you stay downtown you just have to fall out of your hotel and you'll hear LIVE music played VERY well. It's fun, there's plenty of good food, and the atmosphere is "pure" country. What's not to like?

I did manage to run 3 times while I was there which is good. I took today off to recover from the drive but I'm looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow.

John

Celebration

2007-04-24T11:26:00.000-05:00

I know that I am DAYS behind in posting this, but, this is a chaotic time of year. So, I apologize to those of you who have been waiting for updates.

This past weekend I was in Vienna, VA with my son and his family celebrating the "twins" 2nd birthday. It's simply amazing to me how quickly the time goes by. Even the "little guy" is nearly 8 months old and tearing around the house in his walker.

On Saturday night we had an extended family dinner and cake with the children, parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. I'm just grateful for all the people that love these children and are so willing to share in their joy.

I did get in some runs. One, with my son as he prepares for his Army P.T. test and a couple of hilly run/walk, walk/runs on my own. It's probably the travel but I am having more fatigue in my legs than I can ever remember. I'll be fine for a week or so and then BOOM, I've got nothing in my legs.

We're off to the Country Music Marathon and Half Marathon in Nashville this weekend. It's always a fun event and a bit of a homecoming for me.

ORN: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. About 30 minutes each day. Running some, walking some.

Photo finish

2007-04-17T15:05:00.000-05:00

You had to see it to believe it. Two runners fighting for the victory and NEITHER could get away. I've seen lots of finishes but nothing compares to this.
Daniel and Clint fought for nearly the entire race. One would surge, then the other and BOTH would respond. According to Daniel, he looked over at Clint at mile 11 and said: "I'm ready. Let's go" and off they went.
It was a great race weekend all the way around. We were able to honor the memory of Shelton Kang, the brother of long-time Penguin Brigade member Harriet Kang, by presenting the "Shelton Kang Courage Award" to the final finisher.
I managed to run twice on the treadmill at the hotel, and then did some "Hollywood" running during the Reebok web page photo shoot, but it wasn't a real quality run.
Yesterday I was able to get outside and on MY lakefront path for - I THINK - the first time in 2007. I managed a solid 30 minute run and then walked another 15-20 minutes. It was better and worse than I thought it would be. Good to be outside, but there's no hiding from what I've lost.

John

Babies, Babtism, and the Back

2007-04-09T19:28:00.000-05:00

I'm out in Virginia/Washington, DC for the baptism/christening of my grandchildren. It was a very emotional service with the 3 little ones and the entire extended family including a set of GREAT grandparents.

Friday was a travel day, but I managed to get on the hotel treadmill on Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday I did a "long-run" format, run 4, walk 2, and went 3 solid miles. Sunday I wasn't up for another "normal" run so I decided to try a little "speed" work. I reversed the intervals and "ran" 2 and "walked" 4. I kept increasing the pace on the runs just a little on the runs just to see how it felt.

And, I'm PLEASED to say, if felt fine. No residual pain.

I wasn't able to run today so my plan is to run when I get home tomorrow. It will be good to move after flying.

John

Long Run

2007-04-05T13:11:00.000-05:00

At least for ME it was a long run. 3 miles.

There was a time when I wouldn't have even thought about running 3 miles. Beginners run three miles. But, I'm a re-beginner so I'm VERY happy.

No pain. No back pain, no knee pain, no foot pain. NO pain. We'll have to wait until tomorrow morning to know for sure, but I think it's a good sign.

I'm on the road again this weekend and I'll have to run outdoors. And, I'll have to be careful not to get excited and try to run farther than I'm ready to run.

ORN: 3 miles, R4/W2, 35 minutes

A little movement

2007-04-03T11:52:00.000-05:00

This is getting interesting.

I did about a 3 mile hike yesterday in a somewhat hilly area. What surprised me the most was how tired I got just walking up and down hills. I was also surprised at how tight I was.

Today, back on the treadmill, I decided to up the ante a little. I decided to go back to the run 4/walk 2 intervals that I have used in the past. I know that it means pushing the run interval up, but, hey - we're all an experiement of one.

The good news is I still stopped at 2.25 miles, so I haven't completely gone over the edge.

We'll see later today how the pain is.

John

ORN: 2.25 miles, 29 minutes, run 4/walk 2

The other side

2007-04-01T08:45:00.000-05:00

Dateline: Yakima, Washington

I've been out here all weekend at the Yakima River Canyon Marathon. It's a small - 523 participant - marathon and very different than the mega events that I usually attend.

It's also a fantastic party.

I'm here because Bob and Lenore Dolphin are the race directors. Bob, at 77 years old, completed his 400th marathon Saturday. Lenore insisted that I be here. It's that simple.

Joining Bob were members of the 50 States marathon club, the 100 marathons club, and the "Marathon Maniacs" a group of, well, marathon maniacs. These are people who are doing 20, 30 or more marathons a year. They are an amazing bunch of runners and walkers. It was the first time I ever felt that having completed 45 marathons, as I have, WASN'T much.

Back update: Better, but not well. I did a street run/walk on Friday that went OK. It was the first time I'd run outside in almost 6 weeks.

John

Danger Zone

2007-03-29T08:23:00.000-05:00

This is a difficult time.

I was able to run two miles comfortably on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Same pattern, I walked 4 minutes and run for two. There wasn't any pain - or even discomfort really - while I was running, but there was some lingering soreness in my back last night and this morning.

Part of the problem was that I started watching the time. I pushed a little yesterday to see if I could get in the 2 miles in UNDER 28 minutes. Not world-class time, I understand. And I'm not a big time-centered guy. But still, I was watching the clock with just a little bit of anxiety.

Today I'm flying to Yakima, Washington for an event this weekend. I'm going to have a long flight and lots of sitting. That doesn't sound good. But, I'm going to try to get out tonight and at least walk.

Things aren't right. I know that. I need to be patient. I know that too.

But it's a struggle.

John

Two Minute Warning

2007-03-26T14:09:00.000-05:00

OK, just in case someone is NOT a football [American football] fan, the 2-minute warning is given at the end of both halves of play.

I'm still on the treadmill, but I made the decision to TRY to up my running time to two minutes while keeping my walking time to 4 minutes. I was prepared [HONEST] to bag the run after one minute if I felt any discomfort, let along pain.

The first two minutes were fine. I was shocked to see where my heart-rate went to, but maybe that's to be expected. I stayed on for 30 minutes which was exactly 2 miles.

Some gentle stretching and then I'm going for another massage to see if they can break anything loose.

By the way: I hate this!

ORN: 2 miles

Easy Does it, and I'm not kidding

2007-03-23T10:38:00.000-05:00

I've got to keep my head on straight.

Yesterday I walked on the treadmill for a mile and a quarter. But see, that's not EXACTLY true. What I did was walk for 4 minutes and then RUN for one minute. Smart? Not really.

But my theory is that the problem was caused by the nearly 30 days of INactivity and NO running and walking, so MAYBE a little running and walking will CURE the problem.

Not sound medical thinking, I know.

But, I'm going to continue to try to find something that I can do that DOESN'T make things worse.

Honest.

John

Walking the Walk

2007-03-21T14:46:00.000-05:00

Oh my!

First off, thanks to those of you who have written with your "Get Well" wishes. They've helped some, but we're not out of the woods yet.

I decided early on that I didn't want to "dance with the devil" on the pain pills and muscle relaxers. I took only what I absolutely had to in order to get through the day - or night. I've now decided to move off all the pills and just see where this goes.

And where it's going now is nowhere fast. The pain is more isolated but I still don't really have full use of my right leg. I'm trying to do some gentle stretching and rolling but nothing seems to be helping much.

So, today, I'm going to walk for 20 minutes on the treadmill. Not fast. Not far. I'm just going to move and see if that will help free things up.

Running again soon doesn't sound likely.

John

Great weekend, lousy back

2007-03-19T13:54:00.000-05:00

We're on our way home from Tucson. This weekend was the 3rd Arizona Distance Classic, which now features the Valley of Gold Half Marathon, the Northwest Medical Center Oro Valley 5K, and the Kid's Fun Run.

The weather, while a little warm for some snow birds, was just about perfect and we had the best overall event we've had here in Tucson. We had a great mix of local, regional, and visiting runners and walkers and the blue skies and mountain vistas made for a picture perfect day.

I'm still dealing with whatever is wrong with my back. I had a deep tissue massage hoping that something might 'let go', but it didn't help all that much. The good news is that it doesn't appear to be bone or disk related, just some kind of major muscle malfunction.

So, I'm walking but not exactly normally and sitting and standing - and getting in and out of the car - is still an ordeal.

John

Day Four

2007-03-15T07:38:00.000-05:00

Wow. I'm afraid I've really done something this time.

At my age - and with my absolute and total avoidance of stretching and flexibility, it's not unusual to have a bit of stiffness in the morning. But this is WAY beyond that.

It feels like something is out of place. There is some nerve involvement because there's numbness in my right leg and groin. I've got to try to get to Tucson today and hope for the best. The good news is that our race is sponsored by a hospital and if things go from bad to worse at least I'll have help close by.

This is, without question, the biggest set back I've encountered since i started running. I've had the standard IT band and sore knees, etc, but nothing as completely debilitating as this.

Running seems pretty far off at this point. Right now I'd be grateful just to be able to stand up without pain.

My big concern, and this is a very personal one, is that I not abuse the pain medication. I've got to commit to using only as much as I need for medical reasons and not start thinking about "recreational" use.

John

Oh, my aching back

2007-03-14T11:32:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it!

Monday I was bending over to set something down and BANG!, something snapped in my lower back. A trip to the emergency room and it looks like I've either got a ruptured disk, or slipped disk, or something.

BUMMER.

So I am laid up, laid out, and laid down.

In trying to figure out what happened I remembered that I took a pretty nasty fall on the boat and that, combined with 27 hours of sitting on a plane, combined with just being exhausted took it's toll.

I have no idea when I'll be walking again, let alone running.

ORN: You must be kidding!

The good, the bad, and the ugly

2007-03-13T08:58:00.000-05:00

I'm baaaaaack!

My fourth trip to Argentina and Antarctica was, without question, the best. Each time I go I'm more open to the experience, less likely to chase after the excitement, and more likely to embrace the large and small moments that make the trip worthwhile.

Make no mistake, it's a lot of work, but, it's about the most satisfying thing I've ever done. There are only two sanctioned sporting events in the Antarctic, the marathon and half marathon AND the kayak championships. Being a part of the very elite operations team for these events is a unique opportunity.

I've given up trying to articulate the beauty, the animals, and the people. All I can say is that is is the most difficult 3 weeks of my year, and I can't wait to go back.

We stayed over for a few days in Ushuaia so that Jenny could run the Fin del Mundo marathon and get another continent. I think it helped to have a transition time between the ship and home. We had some FANTASTIC food, good company, and a chance to begin to recover.

Got home late Friday, ran a little on Saturday, then bent over to move something on Monday and ended up in the emergency room. Not sure whether it's a slipped disk, or ruptured disk, or WHAT, but I'm down for the count. I'm still hoping that I can get to Tucson for our event there this weeekend, but I've just got to take it a day at a time.

As our Argentinian friend, Gus, would say: It is what it is.

ORN: I did run a little on Saturday, but don't have any idea when I'll be able to run again.

Going, Going, GONE!

2007-02-17T10:35:00.000-06:00

To say that I'm distracted is an understated. We leave tomorrow morning for Antarctica, by way of Miami, Buenos Aires, and Usuaia. I've been packing and unpacking for a week. I've put things in, taken things out, counted socks and underwear and batteries and flashlights and whistles. Yes, whistles. Fox40 whistles to be precise.

We are part of the landing crew. The marathon is run on King George Island. 6 of us get off the ship two days before the race, spend the night on the island, and then spend all day measuring, marking, and setting up the course. It's exciting, exhausting, and more fun than I can describe.

I've talked and written about Antarctica before. What draws me to it is the sense of being completely and totally at the mercy of the continent. You know what you want to do. You know when you want to do it. And you don't have any idea if you'll be able to.

One year there had been a freak snowstorm the day before we arrived. There were 8-10 foot drifts on parts of the course. We had carve out places to run. Last trip, in 2005, they were experiencing one of the wettest Summer seasons [for them] that they had ever had. The course was muddy, with giant potholes and puddles that we nearly impossible to cross.

And, of course, there was the year of the cyclone. 36 hours stuck in the middle of the Drake Passage.

Did I say that is was exciting??

So, I'll try to get to an internet site while I'm gone, but no promises. Wish us well.

John

ORN: Thursday, February 15. 1.25 miles. I got interupted and had to stop.
Friday, February 16, 4.25 miles, 50 minutes, R5/W1

Back on Top

2007-02-12T19:44:00.000-06:00

New week. New opportunity.

We leave for Antarctica next Sunday. There's very few chances to run on the trip, and I think I'm already staring to back away. We will run while we're in Buenos Aires, but once we get on the ship that's it. So, there will be 8 or 9 days where I know I won't run.

So, the "plan" is to run every day this week. That's the PLAN!

John

ORN: 4 miles, 46 minutes, R5/W1

0 for 4

2007-02-11T18:07:00.000-06:00

It rarely happens, but it did this time. Between travel and commitments I missed 4 days in a row. Not good, but truly just one of those things.

John

Third time's the charm

2007-02-07T16:40:00.000-06:00

Now we're getting somewhere.

It's still WAY too cold to go outside. Or at least it is for me. And having a treadmill right here in the house makes the decision all that much easier.

If you've followed this Blog for any time at all, or if you've read any of my other stuff, you may have encountered my "7 day rule". What the 7 day rule says is that your body keeps track of how often you've run on the previous 7 days. Your body doesn't reset itself to 0 just because your logbook starts a new week.

I've seen people get themselves into trouble because they only look at the mileage in their log books. Sometimes, like the past 7 days for me, the miles are stacked on either side of the weekend. I ran on Thursday and Friday, missed Saturday and Sunday, then ran on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. So, that's 20 plus miles in the past 7 days.

ORN: 4 miles even, R5/W1, 47 minutes

**For the newcomers: ORN means Obligatory Running Note, from the old Dead Runner's Society list. R = run interval. W = walk interval. R5/W1 means "run 5 minutes, walk 1 minute" and repeat.

Let it snow

2007-02-06T16:10:00.000-06:00

Weather update: It's about 0 degrees, windy, and snowing. How do I know? I can see it through the window as I run along on the treadmill. Actually, it was kinda like running in one of those "snow balls" - I don't know what they're called - that you shake up to make it snow.

Did another 4.25 miles run/walking and a little over 1/4 mile walking at the end for a total of 4.6 miles.

This was the BEST running has felt since last fall. My pace was not world-record, but it was brisk for me, and it still felt good. I even bumped it up JUST A LITTLE towards the end of the workout.

For ME, the more often schedule is really working. I'm not thinking about running long. I MAY work up to running for an hour but not beyond. At least, not anytime soon. But, I'm running 4, 5, or 6 days a week and feeling fine.

ORN: 4.25 miles, R5/W1, 48 min., .35 miles walking to cool down.

Now that's more like it

2007-02-05T17:56:00.000-06:00

GO BEARS! The first minute of the Super Bowl was sure fun! Oh well, I'm a life long Chicago Cubs fan, so I believe "there's always next year".

I was careful to check that the elevation was set to ZERO and set out to get in a 4.25 mile run/walk with the added 1/4 mile walk. This is the first week of the "bump", so I took it easy.

There's no getting around the fact that I am enjoying the shorter, more frequent runs. I've even found myself edging the pace up just a little to see how it feels to run "faster" than my normal pace. It's all relative and my "faster" pace is still SLOW. But, the point is that not having a marathon or half marathon on the schedule is allowing me to be more playful in my training.

My current "thinking" is that I may train for a 5K early this spring, just for something completely different, and then maybe a 10K a little later in the spring. It's where it all started for me and maybe it's time to "go back" to the beginning.

ORN: 4.25 miles, R5/W1, 48 minutes PLUS .25 walk

Well THAT made a difference

2007-02-01T16:38:00.000-06:00

Well, I feel even dumber now.

I got on the treadmill with the incline at 0% and guess what? I had NO problem at all. No heavy breathing. No tired legs. No sense that I had somehow gotten out of shape overnight.

What a maroon, as Bugs Bunny used to say.

I was able to stretch the session out to 4 1/2 miles which was what I was trying to do last week before I accidentaly set the incline to 4%.

Sheesh.

ORN: 4.5 miles. 4 miles, R5/W1. 1/2 mile walking to cool down.

Not much there today

2007-01-30T16:02:00.000-06:00

YIKES.

20 minutes. That's all folks. 20 minutes. And not even really a good quality 20 minutes. Guess the lack of sleep and travel and lack of sleep - did I already say that? - finally caught up with me.

Question is, do I take tomorrow off, get rest, or push through.

Stay tuned!!

John

ADDENDUM

As Jenny was walking past the treadmill, she noticed that the treadmill looked like it was on an incline. I had NO idea. Sure enough, when she turned the treadmill on it was set at a 4% incline. 4% INCLINE. No WONDER I couldn't run for more than 20 minutes. I was trying to run up a mountain.

WORSE, it was probably at the 4% incline LAST week when I had trouble running. I must have pushed the "4%" button when I thought I hit the "4 MPH" button.

AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!

Life's a Beach

2007-01-29T10:52:00.000-06:00

OK, I'm not complaining.

Jenny had a group from Chicago Endurance Sports participating in the ING Miami Marathon and Half Marathon. Leaving Chicago to go spend the weekend in Miami, on South Beach no less, is hard to pass up.

The only downside, if there was one, was that our room was on the street and right above the bar. People KNOW how to party on South Beach and we were treated to the sounds of street musicians, cruisers, and revelers all night long. I'm getting old!

But, I was able to run or walk each day. I got in a long walk on Friday, 40 minute runs on Saturday and Sunday, and a 30 minute run/walk on Monday. So, I actually ran or walked 6 out of the past 7 days.

ORN: 1/26: 1 hour walk. 1/27 45 minutes R4/W1, 1/28, 45 minutes R4/W1, 1/29 30 minutes R4/W1.

A Little Longer

2007-01-24T12:35:00.000-06:00

As I said, I'm going to try to push my daily runs from 4 miles to 6 miles over the next few months. There's no particular reason other than I'm enjoying running more often and not having the pressure of doing LONG runs.

The way I'll start that is to do a little walking at the end of the regular workout. So, I did my "normal" 4 mile run and then added a 1/4 mile of walking. Once that feels OK, I'll try run/walking the 4.25 miles and adding 1/4 to the end.

ORN: 4.25 miler; R5/W1 [4 miles], walk .25 miles, 50 minutes total

Searching for a routine

2007-01-23T16:12:00.000-06:00

Back home again, trying to get into something like a routine. I'm trying to stretch my regular run out a little and will start to bump it up once I get a decent base.

The photo is of my grandson, Hunter. I had a career as a musician earlier in my life and my son is a musician. Doesn't look like the apple fell far from the tree! Anyway, that's what distracted me from my running last weekend.

I got in a solid 4 miles on the treadmill today. Nothing fancy, just a good workout on a day when it would have been easy enough to skip it.

ORN: 4 miles, 46 minutes, R5/W1

Let it snow

2007-01-21T13:24:00.000-06:00

Holy SMOKES, it was cold today.

It's been a funny winter for me. I've been away for lots of it and even when I was home [Chicago] is was warm. Now, out in Vienna, Virginia visiting my son and his family, I finally had to run in sub-freezing temperatures.

AND IT WAS COLD!

It's not that I've never run in the cold. In fact, I like it. I like being out on the lakefront path knowing that I'm one of few to be brave enough - or dumb enough - to run outside. I haven't really gotten my winter "wisdom" back, so I was guessing about what to wear, how many layers, etc.

But, it felt good and for that I'm grateful.

ORN: 4 miles, R5/W1, 50 minutes.

The Penguin; Missing in Action

2007-01-18T08:10:00.000-06:00

Good morning,

I cannot believe that it's January 18th. The last thing I remember it was New Year's Eve and we were setting up the rented cribs for the twins.

Later that week Jenny and I headed down to Orlando for the Walt Disney World Marathon. After a short turn-around we were back in the air going to Phoenix and the Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon and Half Marathon.

And now it's now.

I have been running, but not as much as I would like. I'm having a difficult time getting into anything like a routine. When I do run, it feels fine. I'm still not going past 4 miles for now, but that's OK. I don't really have anything on the schedule.

It's now been over a year since I last ran a marathon. That's the first time I've gone that long between marathons in 10 years. Not sure what it means.

So, I am still here. And, I promise to get back on the streets and on the Blog.

John

Happy New Year

2007-01-02T11:53:00.000-06:00

Over the river and through the woods pretty much describes the past couple of weeks of my life. Jenny and I drove to Myrtle Beach to spend Christmas with her family, I drove up to Vienna, VA to visit my son and his family, and Terry and the twins drove to Chicago to celebrate my father's 80th birthday.

I ran some. Didn't run some. Walked a little. Rested a little. Mostly, I just enjoyed the time with friends and family.

Being a runner, or being a recreational athlete, means - at this point of my life - finding the balance between obsession and sloth. For me, that's not an easy balance to find. One the one hand, I spent 40 plus years overindulging in everything I did that was unhealthy. On the other hand, I spend nearly 10 years overindulging in something that was supposed to be healthy.

It's the tendency to think that if 3 of something is good then 10 must be better. That's not always true.

So, my goal for 2007 - it's not a resolution - is to run a little bit more, eat a little bit less, and to find a way to sneak up on being 60 years old in two years.

John

Steady State

2006-12-20T16:15:00.000-06:00

It's just that time of year.

There was lots to do today, getting ready to leave for a week or so on the annual "over the river and through the woods" holiday trek. I had hoped to get in 4 miles on the treadmill, but ran out of time at 3.5 miles.

It happens.

ORN: 3.5 miles, treadmill. R4/W1 [run pace, 10:31, walk pace, 16:12] 40 minutes