Stand By Me

Do you love music? Do you love people of all races and creeds joining in a song that just makes you happy? Then you'll like video (and the others on the site) a whole bunch:
http://www.playingforchange.com/episodes/2/Stand_by_Me
I also just really like the organization Playing for Change and what they're trying to do. Such a positive message that is sorely needed today.

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Runnin' the GW Parkway

You'd think that a 60-mile bike ride on Saturday would be enough to satisfy my exercise for one weekend. Shoot, I'd usually agree with you. But after doing DBD, now it was time for the GW Parkway Classic 10-Mile run.

We started at Mt. Vernon and ran straight up the GW Parkway, which was pretty cool, because usually there's tons of traffic, and they'd closed it off. Early on, the sun was directly on us, and it was feeling quite toasty (even for only being 8 am). Fortunately, after a couple miles, we reached a part of the parkway that has trees lining it and provided shade for us runners. That helped a lot.

Though I didn't run particularly fast, I felt better than I expected to after the long bike ride in Amish country less than 24 hours earlier. After the race, I went home and slept for about 5 hours. Such a great nap!

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The Flying Dutchmen

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the time has come again for Dutch Bike Dutch, Spring 2009 version. I participated in the Fall 2008 ride and it was an awesome 30-miler. This year, since I'll be doing some longer races, I chose the 60-miler so I'd start getting used to more hours in the saddle and working on my mid-ride nutrition and hydration.We started off at about 8:45 AM from the motel parking lot and our fearless leaders Courtney and Michelle guided us along a scenic and challenging course through Amish country. We stopped a couple times to rest and replenish our supplies, as well as for taking pictures. There were many fun aspects, and I especially enjoyed passing Amish buggies and saying hello in my own special way (see #4, 6, 8-10 of Julie's blogpost). Plus, riding under covered bridges never gets old, either. Miles 35-50 were pretty rough for me, as I totally bonked. Looking back, I realize that I wasn't good on my nutrition or hydration in the first 20 miles and that deficit caught up with me down the road. Very good to learn for my longer races coming in the summer. Fortunately, I had enough to eat around mile 40 that my energy eventually returned for the last 10 miles, and I could finish fairly strong. Unfortunately, nothing could be done to reduce the pain in the butt bones after 60 miles... Believe me, it felt really good to be standing on my feet and not sitting on the saddle for this post-ride pic.Thanks to such a great group for the 60-miler and to all the wonderful DBD organizers, including Jeanette and Courtney (pictured below).

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Gettin' Loopy on Pennsylvania Ave.

I'll admit that I didn't know much about lupus. I didn't know the symptoms or treatments of the disease. And I didn't know that my friend has been living with lupus for almost her whole life. After walking today in the Lupus Walk, though, I am more informed than I was.

We all met up downtown by the staging area on Pennsylvania Ave and put on our Purple Screamers shirts (I'm still curious about the team name; I forgot to ask). We marched down Pennsylvania Ave towards the Capitol and back, talking and having a good time. I did get to walk with Kim for a bit, and she answered my questions about lupus. Click here to learn for yourself.

After the walk, we all decided to get Potbelly's as an early lunch, and we sat in a park and chatted as we chowed down. In addition to my tasty sandwich, I also got one of their delicious chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. My rationalization was that I had just walked, so the cookie consumption was earned. Yeah. I know you're not buying that, and neither am I. But the cookie was tasty, and I'd do it again (and most assuredly will).

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ISO Sign Buddy

This is just a great video.
http://patrickhughes.com.au/shorts/schweppes_signs.html
Videos like this one and "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter make me smile. I suppose I'm just a hopeless romantic sometimes.

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Easter 10K Time Trial

For Easter weekend, we decided that it'd be a good idea to do a 10K time trial, just to see how our training is coming along for the summer racing season. Mother Nature decided it'd be a good idea to test our resolve by raining the whole morning of the race. I wavered but didn't crack. Though the bed was snug and warm, I rose to battle the elements and 6.2 miles of pavement.

Got to Hains Point and signed in. Everyone had umbrellas or was trying to huddle under the tents in order to stay dry until we absolutely had to go to the start line. Met up with lots of friends from the ward (Julie, Jenni, Mariya, Katie, Kari, and Bri). Kate was in town, and she was kind/crazy enough to come along and cheer us on. She also acted as post-race photographer, which I am of course grateful for.

At the gun, we weren't far enough up (I am a terrible judge of my proper starting position in the pack), so Julie, Jenni, Katie, and I worked our way through the crowd for about the first 3/4 mile until we had some daylight (figuratively, not literally, as it was raining and therefore dark and overcast). We kinda settled into a rhythm and Jenni went off ahead in search of faster running mates.

For the next 4.5 miles, Julie, Katie, and I ran 3 abreast and chatted every so often in the early part. Farther along, though, we just focused on controlling our breathing and how we were going to make sure we beat that lady who drafted off of us for almost the entire race. I've never been a great pacer, and I'm sure that running with them made me push faster than I otherwise would have. I appreciate their willingness to let me run with them. We did catch up to Jenni at one point, but she decided to push harder again and moved up to run ahead of us a bit.

With about a mile to go, we were moving along well and I felt like I might have enough to catch a couple guys up ahead. Guess it's that old track kick which I've neglected but thankfully hasn't quite abandoned me yet. Julie and Katie wished me good luck and I eased into a little faster gait. I caught a couple people (including Jenni), but the two guys that I'd wanted to catch also had a decent kick and I missed the back one by maybe 2 seconds.

Though I didn't catch them, I enjoyed the thrill of the chase and it definitely helped me push harder and have a faster time. My time (from start line to finish, not gun to finish) was 47:28, which I believe is a 10K PR (personal record) by around a minute. My running partners weren't far behind, and Jenni even ended up with 3rd place in her division, for which she was awarded a chocolate bunny.

Despite the rain, it was a great race and a lot of fun to get out and exercise. Getting that PR makes me want to push myself even more this year and see how much I can improve in a single race season. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

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The Dungeon Master is Vanquished

Nerds and nostalgics are in mourning today, as the D&D co-creator's cloak of Murpleth and save roll could not protect him against a level 6 mage's spell with a +3 damage roll. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090410/ap_on_en_ot/obit_dave_arneson

Extended sidenote: I will forever fondly remember going to see the Dungeons & Dragons movie with my family (I believe over Christmas break, but it may have been Thanksgiving). Not because the movie was good, because it was one of the most ridiculous and poorly-made films we'd seen in a long time.

I fondly remember the D&D movie because I was with my family, and we had a wonderful time mocking and ridiculing the movie after it mercifully ended (in a completely ridiculous matter, I might add). Though we'll never have those 107 minutes back, I think we've had at least that much time already in happy discussion as a result.

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E-lated for E-motion in E-town

I enjoy a good dance show, and this weekend I was able to see several of my friends dance in the Emotion Dance Concert at Elizabethtown College (PA). There was hip-hop, Irish, modern, and tap dance, along with a few other techniques. It was very entertaining and they did a great job. Congratulations, friends!

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