I did it again: Yesterday morning I ran my second-ever distance race. It was the Polar Cap 4-mile race in Lake George, and I placed 5th in my age group. My goal was not to finish last in my age group, and I managed to beat two dudes with my time of 34 minutes and 10 seconds. That’s a per-mile average of 8:32.5, which is a 14-second per mile improvement over my first race, the Winter Wimp. I think it’s realistic for me to aim for a top 3 finish in my age group for one of these races.
But first, I have to work on my stride since it looks like I’m doing some weird walking thing in this photo (probably because of all the ice):
Sarah also ran the race and did really well, too. The Wimp race was 4/10th of a mile longer, but the road conditions were better in that race (no ice, slush, and puddles) and there wasn’t as big and long a hill at the end of the course, like there was yesterday.
It’s really a great feeling running these little races — they’re great motivation to keep on training during the week as the half-marathon gets closer.
Congrats to Sarah on a great run, and thanks to Eric for catching all the action shots!
So after more than a year hiatus, I relaunched a blog on my old domain! It took some time to reflect on what I wanted to do with my old domain, but I’ve finally found a purpose for it: gabeanderson.com 6.0: technology edition.
It’s like the old gabeanderson.com but without the life and politics components — since, of course, those topics (and full archives) now live here at Blog Master G. You can learn more in my gabeanderson.com 6.0 welcome post.
And fear not, Blog Master G fans, this blog is still alive and well as my personal home on the Web for all the pictures and commentary you know and love. The new blog will just be a bit more PG-rated than this one. 🙂
Sunday, January 27th, 2008 · Comments Off on Cousin Jamie Wins 2nd XGames Gold
Big congrats to my cousin Jamie, who won the XGames XII Women’s Slopestyle event yesterday in Aspen for the 2nd year in a row! There’s a story and great video of Jamie’s winning run on the official EXPN site. And there’s also a story about her win in the Aspen Times.
There’s definitely some fierce competitive spirit and athletic prowess in my family’s DNA — as witnessed by the ABMGC 2007 ’cause, you know, growing a ‘stache requires both competition and athleticism.
Seriously, though, last year both Jamie and her sister Joanie — who’s also on the U.S. Snowboarding team — won gold medals in the XGames. Their home resort is Sierra-at-Tahoe, so you can see more about Jamie and Joanie and a cool video of them and my aunt Lauren on their profile pages (Jamie’s page | Joanie’s page). Jamie was also featured in a snowboarding movie, which was released last year, called LA LA Land.
I last saw Jamie and Joanie (and siblings) in October for our big family reunion / my Dad’s 60th birthday party. Here’s a picture of the three of us with our other cousin Lucy (all our dads are brothers):
Congrats on the win, Jamie! You rock and make us Andersons proud!
Comments Off on Cousin Jamie Wins 2nd XGames GoldTags:anecdotes · skiing
I’m really digging this whole running thing. The more I run, the easier it gets. Last summer, I struggled with running a mile and change. Two weeks ago it was an effort to finish the 4.4 miles of the Winter Wimp (to date, still my longest run). But today, as I look back on the past week of running — 3 miles each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday — I can say that I’m now able to run 3 miles with the same level of effort it used to take for me to run 1. It’s a great feeling and the running gets easier with each mile. The new shoes help, too.
This morning Alex and I met up with about 100+ other people (mostly women — we experienced what it was like to be the hot single chicks alone at a bar) at the Warming Hut in the Spa State Park for the kick-off meeting and run for our local chapter of Team In Training. Alex has officially committed to raise money for Leukemia and Lymphoma research and to run the Rock ‘n Roll Marathon in San Diego (in addition to the upcoming half). I’ve mostly mentally and psychologically committed, and just need to do so officially (you’ll no doubt see another blog entry on this when I do).
So anyhoo, not only did Alex and I lead the pack around the first leisurely 2-mile lap, but we picked up the pace for our second 2-mile lap when many others stopped after the first (roughly 15 minutes for the second 2 miles). So we ran 4 miles this morning and it felt great. We were also way out in front, which I didn’t expect at all, following my experience at the Winter Wimp.
When I posted my first running graph, my week began on Sunday. Then I realized that the Nike+ site I use allows me to have my week start on Monday, which I suppose it might for purposes of running. So when I set that preference, my chart shows steadily increasing weekly mileage — I like:
And when I set my week to begin on Sunday, I get this – 16 miles since Sunday:
In other news, we went out last night with some peeps to The Wine Bar, but I didn’t have my camera (I know: gasp!). Luckily, Tom did, so hopefully he’ll share some photos soon.
On Thursday I finally got new (much-needed) running shoes. My old shoes were New Balance 808s — great shoes, but designed to be trail running shoes, and they were pretty beat up. I developed a sore undersole on the outside edge of my right foot that seemed to flare up whenever I ran. Goodbye, foot pain, and hello much better sole cushioning and all-around foot support!
After picking up Jen from the train station following her week in the Big Apple, we headed to Fleet Feet on Wolf Road in Albany. I had read about the store’s Personal F.I.T. process on its Web site and I liked what I read, but they exceeded my expectations. From the moment I walked in the door, I was greeted (by Mary, who’s a runner herself and obviously knew what she was talking about) and received the most incredible personal service that one could ask for.
Here’s what Fleet Feet does in an effort to ensure you end up with the shoes in the right size that are designed to match the unique shape and features of your feet:
Measure your feet (both sitting & standing)
Mark key points on your feet during the measuring process (to determine how much arch flattens when it bears weight)
Recommend a handful of shoes that match your foot & running goals
Fit you with Superfeet that match your arch & provide better support
Watch you run (on a treadmill with a video camera pointed at your feet or, in my case, outside since that’s where I normally run)
Let you compare every possible combination of shoes (including one of each brand on each foot — New Balance and Asics in my case)
I tried on shoes from Mizuno, Nike, New Balance, and Asics. Though I was biased toward New Balance (American company that makes its shoes in the U.S.) and Asics (I had previously tried on the Asics 2130s and immediately loved them), I felt confident that I was getting the right recommendations based on my foot and running style.
I narrowed it down to the New Balance and Asics, and ultimately ended up with the Asics 2130s (which happen to be the Runner’s World Editor’s Choice and have a great reputation among runners); I love the heel cushioning and support they provide, combined with the Superfeet Orange replacement insoles.
The difference between the handful of shoe stores I had previously visited in Wilton Mall and Fleet Feet was unreal. As you might expect, there’s no foot measurement, no personal attention, and help only from people who say things like, “Uh, a half marathon’s what? 12 miles.” Granted, I don’t expect everyone to know how far a half marathon is (13.1 miles), but I’d rather buy running shoes from someone who’s actually run one.
Whether you’re in the market for running shoes or otherwise, visit Fleet Feet and you won’t be sorry. Plus, you’ll be supporting a small, locally-owned (franchise) business instead of a giant chain store.
I also walked out of Fleet Feet with some sweet new running gear (seamless, South African-made socks that absorb sweat (balega), Mizuno pants, and a Nike top). Today I ended up with a cool new, sweat-absorbing running hat when I stopped in to see Jami at work.
I’ve put 5 miles on my new shoes so far — 2 miles on Friday and 3 today — and they feel great. My foot pain is gone and my stride feels good.
In other news, it’s great to have Jen home! It was a really busy week at work for me, but I managed to get out for happy hour at Circus Cafe with Sarah, Eric, and Justin one night; hang out at Justin’s place a couple times; and last night we saw Juno (really funny, good movie!), then had some peeps over (Anne, Tom, and Alexis) for a mean round of Yahtzee and Scattergories.
Sunday, January 13th, 2008 · Comments Off on ’80s Party
Friday night we partied like it was the 1980s. And for a night, it was. Jen, Alexis, and I joined Annie, her roommate, and some other ’80s fans for a night of Guns N’ Roses, Prince, Michael Jackson, and radical wardrobes.
Jen rocked the giant hoops earrings, sweet ’80s hair, denim on denim, and bright red lipstick (“Cherry Rain”). I sported my mullet, G N’ F’ N’ R shirt, Q-Bert watch, and pegged my pants. Oh yes. (Be sure to mouse over all the notes I added to this photo on Flickr.)
Last Saturday night we helped Tom celebrate his big 40th birthday at the Olde Saratoga Brewing Company, where it’s always good times (I also had a certain milestone birthday there last year; has it really been nearly a year??).
The gang came out for awesome beer, a mean round of Pictionary, and giving Tom 40 whips with a glitter-handled riding crop (courtesy of Jami; who else?). Jami also surprised Tom with his very own “dog,” which turned out to be a phone book in a pet carrier. Sarah and Eric secured a Bush Voodoo Doll for Tom.
Here’s the end of Tom’s happy birthday song, which Jen captured:
Happy birthday, Tom, and cheers to the next 40 years! I’m sure we’ll still be rocking out just as much in 2048 as we are in 2008.
I’m fortunate to be married to the Irish Car Bomb (ICB) Champion. That’s right: Jen is undefeated in the ways of pounding the delicious concoction of Guinness, Jameson, and Bailey’s. As she likes to say, “It’s my only super power. I use it only for good and not evil.”
Thursday night following a Team in Training meeting at the library with Sarah, I met up with Jen and Patricia for happy hour — first at Mouzon House, followed by the more fun portion of the evening at (the old side of) Gaffney’s. Justin joined us later on, too, and he attempted to beat Jen’s incredible 3-second ICB time, which, for the first time ever, was captured on video (note that I’m only a second behind her):
I did it: Not only did I run in my first competitive race since college, I ran my first-ever distance race, and I didn’t wimp out after the first 2.2 miles. I ran 4.4 miles in 38 minutes and 33 seconds today, and I feel great! I was 71st of 130 people who ran the full 4.4 miles and had a per-mile pace of 8:46. My first mile clocked in at 7:35 and 2.2 miles was 18:35 (I even Jotted these times to myself midway through the race). Not too shabby for a guy who’s never run distance before, who’d never run more than 3 miles at once before last Saturday, and who went to a party last night, eh?
I’m pretty damn proud of myself and it’s a great feeling of accomplishment, especially since I was tempted to stop after the first 2.2-mile “lap” around the small town of Hagaman, NY. Put on by the Fulmont Roadrunners’ Club, the Winter Wimp was the club’s 22nd annual foot race.
Alex, Cati, and I had a ton of fun today — the energy of the crowd, the personal challenge of running and finishing a race, the fleece balaclavas (given to the first 200 to register; I was #198), and the food at the end of the race.
Big congrats to Alex for finishing 33rd overall and 6th in our age group with a time of 32 minutes and change. Way to go, my friend! Very impressive. Congrats also go to Cati for running the full 2.2 miles when she had set out to walk the race.
On Friday I finally found my stride. I didn’t want the run to end. As I approached the end of my planned 2.4-mile route, I took a turn to make it last longer. It ended up being 2.7 miles.
Before this past summer and fall, I hadn’t run in years. Last March my bro ran in the LA Marathon, which inspired me to get my ass back in shape. So with my running pal Happy Dingo, we clocked in a mile and change here and there for a few months during last summer and fall.
Then it got cold and snowy, and the running stopped — until the end of December, when Hugh asked me one night if I wanted to join him in running a 1/2 marathon (it might have been the night of our now-infamous porch diving). I gave it some thought and decided why the hell not? You only live once and I’ve always admired the personal challenge that goes with running a marathon or half-marathon. It’s a true test of the human spirit, pushing the body to the limit, while challenging one’s sense of dedication and commitment.
So I’ve committed to running my first 1/2 marathon — 13.1 miles. This is a big deal since I’ve never been a distance guy. I grew up sprinting and aside from running track in high school and college, have never competed in any race — no 5k, no 10k, nada. Tom even captured a video of me on New Year’s Eve @ Bloomers committing to it.
Along with agreeing to join Hugh and Ryan, I’ve also managed to recruit a couple other friends (Sarah and Alex — and hopefully my bro,too) to join us in the half-marathon, which will make the run and the event even more fun.
I haven’t been timing myself too accurately so far — just to the nearest minute based on my DVR’s clock when I leave and return, or by glancing at the time on my cell phone — but here’s what I’ve been up to lately on per-week basis starting the day after Christmas (running mostly 2 or 3 miles at a time, and clocking in around the 9-minute-per-mile range):
We’re all given talents in this life… for me, it’s things like skiing, writing, technology, and, I like to think, being a good friend. I think that running may be one of my untapped talents in life. Sure, I was a sprinter in high school (I even ran with this guy: Red and gold — watch what happens around the 2:36 mark; it’s pretty incredible… stick with it or fast-forward ahead) and college — I seem to recall that my best 100-meter time was about 11.9 seconds.
And I was once a finalist in the “Fastest Man at Vassar” 50-yard dash that was part of the annual Field Day in 1995. I found this cool New York Times article about the first Vassar Field Day in 1895 — which was also the first women’s field day in the U.S. I got this shirt for being a finalist:
I’ll never forget my qualifying run in the school gym — up until that point, I’d never set foot in it and I wasn’t on any “official” teams — technically, the ski and track teams were both club sports since we were self-regulated and didn’t have college-employed coaches (but we competed right alongside other NCAA Division III teams). So I showed up for the run wearing some baggy sweats and shirt, and some old shoes. People were kind of looking at me and wondering who I was. I did my qualifying run and left the other guys in the dust, recording the best time to date. All these people I didn’t know gave me high-fives and asked who I was and where I’d come from. It was a good feeling.
Meanwhile, I ran 3 miles on Saturday — which I think is the longest I’ve ever run continuously in my life (can that be true??). I played soccer growing up, and I don’t think I ever ran that far in practices, nor in track practice in high school or college. So running that far was a great feeling. But then my feet hurt.
So I skied for the afternoon on Sunday — great half-day at Gore, though snow was a bit slushy and melted in places.
This morning I got my first root canal and crown. The procedure was about 2.5 hours and, unlike my wisdom teeth removal in 2000, I was fully conscious the whole time, so it felt much longer and was much more uncomfortable.
Then I ran 2 miles this afternoon in about 18 minutes. On Saturday, Alex and I are running in a “Winter Wimp Out Foot Race” — 4.4 miles is the full race, but everyone has the option to stop at the 2.2-mile mark.
Half-marathon here I come! Now I just to figure out what to do about new shoes…
