Take My Picture?

Race photographers are plentiful now. At last week’s race I spotted three - cameras on tripods. (This Nikon can shoot up to 7 fps.)
They set up along the course and take our pictures.

“Anyone can be photographed in a public place without their consent except when they have secluded themselves in places… such as dressing rooms, restrooms, medical facilities, etc"

I’m guessing they work in collaboration with the race organizer so they can identify people by their Bib numbers. Then, they attempt to sell the images.
This company will print your picture as a Magazine cover or even create a statue!

PS. If you want to take advantage of MY unique fit body image:

“Get a model release from anyone uniquely identifiable before trying to sell the photos.”

My question is:
Do you mind having your picture taken?

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Trail Preview

I took a short hike up part of the trail I will be racing on this Saturday.
No longer afraid of getting lost… just looking forward to getting
off the road!


Amazon Headwaters Trail

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Beach Running – Divine!

Absolutely no regrets. Racing on the beach was divine. The expansive running surface was solid with just the right amount of give. There were no logs or jetties to transverse, just miles and miles of beach.
But there was coastal fog...


The fog stood still as the runners found their way to the start line.



I purposely ran without my player. The only sounds; my tread in the sand and the distant crashing surf.
{I have never finished a race where I wanted to turn around at the finish line and repeat.}



At the finish line the sun was already breaking through – patches of fog broke off and rolled away.



Interestingly enough I saw no one running barefoot... My shoes and socks came off right after the race so I could step into the Pacific Ocean.



The snacks included sandwiches (some were marked V for vegetarian) muffins, apples, outdated Power Bars and pretzels. I was ravenous.

The post race crowd was small and loosely knit. However, there was a collective awe of appreciation and gratefulness shared between us.
What a fine day it was!

Favorite Shirt Quote “The Older I Get The Faster I Was”
Race Chatter - “Are you a photojournalist?” (I was taking pictures with my cell phone: )

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Runners Love Chili

BECAUSE

• it has lots of protein.
• includes plenty of minerals like Iron.
• has plenty of fiber!
• goes well with cornbread, corn chips or garlic bread.
• and (if you make enough) you can have seconds

DIY

RECIPE
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Chunky Veggie Chili

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 can Kidney beans
- 1 can Black beans
- 1 tablespoon oil, Olive
- 1 Garlic clove, Minced
- 1 Onion, Chopped
- 2 stalks Celery, Chopped
- 1/2 cup Carrot, Sliced
- 10 Mushrooms, Quartered
- 1 Green or Red Pepper, Chopped
- 1 Zucchini, Chopped
- 1/2 tablespoon Basil, Dill, Oregano
- 1 tablespoon Cumin
- 1/4 tsp Tabasco
- 1 tablespoon Chili powder, To taste
- 1 can 28 oz Plum Tomatoes, Diced
- 1 1/2 cups V-8 Juice, Low sodium
- 1 tablespoon Tomato paste

METHOD:

In large pot, heat oil add onion, celery, carrots, peppers and garlic. Sauté for about 15 minutes.(Don't scorch the garlic!)
Add mushrooms and zucchini and cook for another 5 minutes.
Sprinkle in spices, stir for a few minutes.
Rinse canned beans – discard liquid. (This gets rid of the extra salt and reduces gas forming issues...)
Then stir in V-8 juice, tomatoes, beans, tomato paste and Tabasco sauce.
Simmer for at least 1 hour. The longer the better!

NOTES:

May use a variety of beans, and add ingredients like crumbled Veggie burgers, sausage, baked tofu, tvp, pre-cooked bulger wheat.
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The Good, the Sad, and the Ugly

Race Recap - 10 mile Pear Blossom race

The Good

• Was able to connect with other runners in the race using Twitter. Extra fun - a local news station reporter set up a time to interview me via a tweet. (No, I didn’t get my 30 seconds of fame.)
• Maintained my half-marathon race pace to discover I had lots of steam at the end.
• I was dressed just right! The weather was perfect for running!
• Lots of police on motorcycles controlling traffic.
• Enjoyed seeing old buildings in the city.
• A young girl was handing out Twizzlers at the 9 mile mark.

The Sad

• The race organizers did not time the 5k entries. There were over a thousand runners.
• I did not sleep much the night before – despite bringing my own pillow.
• Discovered the lotion I used at the hotel, to massage my feet with, was hair conditioner.
• Witnessed an expensive iPod skip across the asphalt. I wonder if the guy had to run the rest of the race in silence.
• Spotting the halfway mark in the far distance, after climbing up and over the hill.
• The post race raisin bread – had no raisins just cinnamon chips. (But still tasted pretty good.)

The Ugly

• Despite maintaining my half-marathon pace and coming in sooner than expected, I felt deflated when seeing the final race results. I wasn’t even in the top half...

Swag

• Bright orange hand towel.

Fav T-shirt Words

“Paris Rome Frankfurt” For that international flavor.
“That’s How I Roll” Possibilities - roller derby gal, a pastry chef or a pot smoker?

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10 Miler

A few pictures I took along the way.

1. I tuck my key under my shoelaces. I know there has to be a better way.
2. I tried out this drink from Odwalla --> “Protein Monster.” I cut it with soya milk because it was too sweet!
3. I see a Ferris wheel in the mall parking lot.
4. On the first lap, there were a lot of runners. I figure they were with some running group – not a race, as they had no race bibs on. A few had CamelBaks on – so I guess they were out for awhile.
5. My little white truck – to take me home!

Thankful For:

1. No rain.
2. Seeing other runners – I run alone.
3. The cheery disposition of the RunRunLive podcast. Thanks Chris
4. The Americano on my way home.
5. My body – for taking me again, on another journey.

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A Late Breakfast

Wednesday’s 9 miler

I headed out a little later than usual for my run. Primary excuses: it’s only 25f outside and frost covers everything, plus my internal clock insists it’s only 7 AM – not 8. (I miss that hour!)
Diligently packed up my goodies – juice, soya milk, water, a handful of chocolate covered raisins, - cell phone, MP3 player, Garmin , and some cash - then jumped in the little truck.
I like to do my long runs along the river path – it’s perfect for an out and back. But unfortunately, I have to drive to get there... Half-way along I realized I had forgotten my gloves - Luckily I had my black shirt on with extra long sleeves.
I started off a little fast (to stay warm) – then found a steady cruising pace.

Podcasts: Listened to 3 useful podcasts – One had an interview with Jeff Galloway (Love his accent.) Thanks Michael for the tweet. The other had an interview with Jon Gordon "The Energy Bus." Positively uplifting.
And finally a LOST podcast - prophesying – who/what is the statue. Good stuff.

Wildlife: Lots of Canadian geese, a few ducks and crows. Three silvery tailed squirrels – beautiful! And a homeless fellow sitting cross legged on the path...sunning himself.

Highlights: The halfway mark.

EWEB Tower

The only problemo with park and run - is your muscles tend to stiffen up on the drive home. So to palliate this problem I picked up a double shot Americano.
Breakfast time – High noon!

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First Race of the Year

Notes:

• Found a quarter in the parking lot.
• Spotted a runner eating a donut before the race.
• Two guys sporting Portland Marathon shirts.
• Runners from Chicago, Pasadena, and St Cloud? Florida.
• Ran 2 minutes slower than last year Hey it was windy out.

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What Not To Wear at a Race

* An underwire bra.
* Thongs – on your feet or…between your cheeks.
* The shirt from the race you’re running. (Past ones are tolerable.)
* New shoes.
* Patchouli perfume.(Though it can be used as an antidote for venomous snakebites.)
* Bunny ears.
* Shorts that move stealthily.
* Shorts that readily show sweat.
* Shorts that are too long or too short.
* A wee kilt. (This picture was taken at a local Paddy’s Day race.)
* Your favorite Hoodie. I like to see who I’m passing!

Have a great Monday!

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Holiday Runners

For all those runners entered in a Thanksgiving Day Fun Run:

• Do your best while having fun.
• Try and be present with each step.
• And totally immerse yourself.

"I pluck chrysanthemums under the eastern hedge,
Then gaze afar towards the southern hills.
The mountain air is fresh at the dusk of day;
The flying birds in flocks return.
In these things there lies a deep meaning;
I want to tell it, but have forgotten the words."
- Tao Yuan Ming

Have a Happy Thanksgiving Day

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Listen to the Seasons

The Fall is here, but where cold, blustery weather should have been this morning, a mild day with sunshine appeared. (Trust me, if you live in the Northwest and it’s November – you pay attention to the weather.)

Today’s run along Beacon Drive...

I am thankful for long winding country roads
with no traffic.


I am thankful for sunshine
and happiness.


I am thankful that each footstep
I take – I am not alone.


I am thankful for all the years
I’ve been able to run.
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Running In The Fog

Pics from today's run

Does have advantages:

• colors are more vivid.
• there is an unspoken silence.
• you feel sheltered.
• the way headlights emerge.
• the weight of Fall leaves.
• spider webs appear frosted.
• FOG HORNS – and other lost sounds.
• seeing the swirls rise with the heat.
• glimpses of blue sky.
• Halloween decorations look SO scary!

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Fall Celebration 8K Race

The Course


Following part of Pre’s Trail and then crossing two foot bridges.

The Weather

It never rains in Eugene.

The Post Race Grub

Bananas and oranges and bagels and muffins.

The Draw Prize

A windbreaker from the inaugural 2007 Eugene Marathon. A little big on me, but OK for over a sweater.

Actual Footage

I stopped very briefly to take a picture. [see my shadow] – What a gorgeous day! And I beat last year’s PR by 10 seconds. W00t
Thanks for all the pre-race support words. It matters!

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Can a Running Blog Be Artful

Every week I publish three posts in this blog about thoughts that trigger my interest while running. Hence the title “Between The Miles.”
I rarely just compile words – I also use images to get my point across.
But can a running blog be artful?
Here are a few methods I use to express my ideas:

Images

Your own are preferable. I love peering into other runners’ environments. If you don’t have your own, there are lots of free image sites online. Such as Free Web Page Headers and Morgue File. And don’t forget about the cheesy FREE clip art from Microsoft.

Html Layout

Most blogging software allows some freedom. Use block quotes and centering to move your text. I have an HTML resource book on my desk. And don’t forget about the importance of whitespace…

Font

I have a desire to use every new font I come upon. (351 font families on my pc) But I don’t recommend trying them out with every post. Still it’s nice to add expression in a word using a very kewl font like VTNecrotic Tissue. (See the slideshow.)

Fun Apps and Widgets

An example is the slide show below. The ideas are endless… I’ve been seeing some innovative race countdown clocks. They take a little time to set up, but the results are rewarding. Just make sure they are compatible with your blogging platform.

For more ideas check out this new magazine

Artful Blogging

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Favorite Running Path

This weeks TIART topic is - Your Favorite Run in Pictures!

I feel fortunate to live in a city that has a path system that follows along a river. The 12-mile Ruth Bascom Riverbank Path. pdf
Many parts of the trail are under a canopy of trees for shade in the summer.
I love crossing the numerous foot bridges and the sounds of the river. On the East bank there is a patch of wild anise – that smells so divine. The only pitfall to this path is that I have to drive to reach it, so I can’t run it as often as I would like...

Autzen Footbridge

And in the rain...

PS. My current header image is also from this very pathway.

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Trees I Run By

Under every tree - patches of light – dancing. As I run by, sunlight filters through the canopy - catching the dust as it settles.

--- Trees I Run By ---

Corylus avellana L.
common filbert

In the summer I run along the north side of this filbert / hazelnut orchard. Not only do I appreciate the shade, but the serene surroundings.
There are still several small orchards around my neighborhood. They are interspersed between subdivisions and power lines. In a battle of who will survive – I think urban sprawl is winning…
Luckily, a bird dropped a nut in our backyard 2 years ago and we now have a healthy 3 foot shrub.

Notes:

• Indians used hazelnuts to make soup.
• The nut falls out of the lacy husk when it is ripe.
• They are rich in nutrients! Including Iron.
• The first commercial filbert orchard in the United States was here in the Eugene area at Dorris Ranch.
• Frangelico is a liqueur made with hazelnuts.

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Track Town USA Duck

There is a new Olympic ambassador – Track Town USA Duck – stationed at the Eugene airport to greet all the track and field athletes arriving next week.
This video shows her (yes it’s a female duck) journey to the airport.
I wonder if NIKE had a hand at designing those web foot runners. Quack,quack!

On a sad note I hear Alicia Shay will not be running in the Olympic trials next week due to an injury. She was an entry in 10k event.
Man - life is certainly challenging her; having to deal with the death of her husband, Ryan Shay and now this...

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Running Collage Meme

Anne of DMZ tagged me. And it’s only fair as I did tag her with a meme last month.
I created a collage with some of my own photos to respond to the questions.
[And please Check out Matika’s photo collage. It’s stunning!]
Thanks Anne

1. How would you describe your running 10 years ago? More restricted and not as fun.
2. What is your best and worst run/race experience? Vancouver Sun Run with 35,000 entries. Runners were over the finish line before I even reached the start line.
3. What is your best race experience? Eugene Marathon
4. Why do you run? For the post race goodies!
5. What is the best or worst piece of advice you've been given about running? Don’t run close to the edge.
6. Tell us something surprising about yourself that not many people would know. I love flying places but it can be a test as I suffer from claustrophobia.

Tagging 5 more runners:
London Jogger, SLB, Amanda, KC, August

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