tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63465048361761362312024-03-12T21:56:05.355-07:00The Jaunting JournalistNews in Motionjayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.comBlogger130125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-49982971068208679722015-05-27T07:01:00.000-07:002015-05-27T07:01:17.847-07:00Race Recap: The Vermont City Marathon<style>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On
the way into Burlington I saw my first camel. At least I think it was my first
camel. I can't recall ever seeing a camel before Friday afternoon. It was your
classic camel; two humps, mangy, kind of lopsided except it was by itself on a
farm in the middle of Vermont without any of its camel friends. Now, you should
know marijuana is legal in Vermont. However, none of us in the car had partaken
in the state’s liberties and we all saw the same camel. When Jason arrived the
next day, he too mentioned seeing the camel on Vermont State Route 7. Certain
that we could rule out hallucination, we Googled “Vermont Camel” and found
<a href="http://www.northlandjournal.com/index.php/good-reads-from-the-northeast-kingdom/teau-joe-the-moose/">this</a>. So, if you are ever driving to Burlington and see a camel on the side of
the road, that’s the story. </span></div>
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Other than that, the trip from Manhattan to Burlington was
pleasantly uneventful. At the last minute, I took the day off work so we could
beat the Memorial Day traffic. We made more pit stops than usual not because my
very pregnant wife needed to pee, but because I needed to pee from downing so
much water to stay hydrated. We didn’t have our first crisis until midway
through dinner Friday night. We had picked a touristy burger and beer joint out
of convenience and the conversation turned to our elite water bottles which
Josh and I planned to share. That’s when I realized I had left the carefully
selected bottles in the cabinet above the kitchen fridge. I went into panic
mode. I called Jason hoping he was still in NYC and could swing by the
apartment. He was not. I called the manufacturer of the bottles, a science
supply company in New Jersey (they were technically meant to clean chemistry
beakers, but we found they worked really well for taking fluid on the run) but
they were closed. I called the University of Vermont Chemistry Department,
which was also closed. Our best bet was the City Sports down the street. We
jogged over and found they had clear plastic bottles that would do the trick.
Crisis averted. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checking out the start at the scenery on the shakeout</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Saturday was spent trying to relax, but as is the day before
any marathon there was too much nervous energy to sit still. Josh and I went
for a 30-minute shakeout run and checked out the finish area. We stocked up on
good local beer. Attempts at a nap were futile. In the afternoon, we sat in the
living room of our rented apartment listening to My Morning Jacket records
decorating our back-up water bottles with pictures of our families, wives and
dogs that Josh had thoughtfully printed out. It was anxiety-relief through
rudimentary arts and crafts. Honestly, if there was an award for best decorated
elite water bottles it wouldn’t have even been a contest. One of the photos we
were going to tape to a bottle was a quote from professional runner/movie maker
Alexi Pappas. When I read it, it caused me to reflect on the 15-week training
cycle that got us to Vermont. </div>
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“Racing is not about how you feel. It’s about how you feel
about how you feel.”</div>
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I felt pretty good about how I felt. The build up to
Burlington was nearly perfect. Josh and I built a flexible training plan
that worked great with our schedules and included a perfect balance of speed
and stamina. I missed zero days to illness or injury. I did have a nasty cold
in April that caused me to skip a 10k race and left me less than 100% for my
half marathon, but getting sick once during a training block is pretty typical.
We nailed all of the key workouts most notably our marathon simulation; a 26.2K
effort meant to mimic race day in every way. We ran the 16.3 miles at an
average pace of 5:44 and it felt comfortably hard. Mentally, I was in a much
better place than my last marathon in Boston of 2013. I was sleeping again and
eating right. Most importantly, I was truly having fun and loving running.
There was no doubt we were both in shape for a great race. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elite bottles ready to go. This was Josh's idea and it was awesome!</td></tr>
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Saturday evening, we went to the expo. I tried and failed to
win an eight-pack of Heady Topper. I tried and succeeded at changing the age on
my bib from 34 to my actual age of 31. Josh dropped off our water bottles, four
filled with lemon lime electrolyte powder mixed with water, two filled with a
chocolate cherry Clif Shot caffeine gel mixed vigorously with water. Along with
the photos on each bottle were instructions on at which mile they should be
placed. </div>
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Saturday night was a smorgasbord of pre-race feasts. For
Josh it was pasta and meatballs brought in from Zabar’s in Manhattan. Jason pan
seared some chicken and roasted some potatoes. I ordered sushi and green salad
and followed it with a dessert of fresh cut mango and a couple spoonfuls of Ben
and Jerry’s Banana Peanut Butter Greek Frozen Yogurt. Our families all stopped
by to wish us luck and then we all turned in early. I was surprised to fall
asleep pretty quickly.</div>
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The alarm was set for 6am, but I was up at 5:45 and ready to
roll. I went into the kitchen and made two frozen chia waffles – the same
waffles I ate before every big workout – and topped them with peanut butter and
jam. I washed them down with a cup of coffee and water with a Nuun tablet. I
put on my race costume and the appropriate amount of Body Glide and made multiple
trips to the bathroom to ensure I’d make zero trips to the bathroom during the
actual race. Just before stepping out the door, I ate half of a Smooth
Caffeinator Picky Bar for an extra boost.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CQ_szmJoJOI/VWXGApJbJ7I/AAAAAAAABJc/R8b1puq6I-s/s1600/IMG_3736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CQ_szmJoJOI/VWXGApJbJ7I/AAAAAAAABJc/R8b1puq6I-s/s320/IMG_3736.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just before heading out the door</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Our apartment was less than 800 meters from the starting
line, so we jogged over around 7:20am, 43 minutes before the scheduled start of
the race. It was 55 degrees and partly cloudy, a little warm but nothing race-altering.
Jason and Josh were both allowed access to the elite bathrooms. I was not, but
that was not an issue. We stood side-by-side as they gave the final race
instructions. And then we were off. </div>
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Our race plan called for the early miles to be run in the
5:50-5:55 range with a faster split allowed in the first mile. We were right on
pace through mile one, but picked it up a bit as we went a long. The race
begins by winding through city streets for three miles before heading onto a
highway. Just after mile three, we saw the first elite aid station approaching
and Josh instinctively grabbed our bottle from the table. We both immediately
knew something was wrong. First of all, we weren’t supposed to see our first
bottle until just after mile four. Secondly, it was the caffeine mixture we had
not planned on until mile nine. Clearly, we were going to pass by this spot
again in six miles, which is when we were meant to grab the bottle. I don’t
know what, if any, effect the early caffeine had on us. We had both taken
caffeine prior to the race so it ended up being a lot of caffeine in a short
amount of time. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waving to my family</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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The crowds disappear when the race enters the highway for a
five-mile out-and-back stretch. There, we found ourselves in a pack with a trio
of runners from Boston who refused to take over pacing duties. Josh, Jason and
I set the pace for them the entire stretch. We went through the 10k at 36:07
which was a little fast, but not suicidal. I know those tracking me online got
an alert saying I went through the 10k in 34:12. That on the other hand, would
have been suicidal. I have no idea where that data came from. We skipped the
elite fluids at mile four knowing we’d pass by it again at mile eight and could
grab it then to make up for the missing bottle at mile nine. </div>
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Mile nine brought the first surprise of the course for me. I
knew there was a hill there, but I did not expect it to be so steep. When we
got to the top, I made a comment to Josh and Jason about how much it sucked but
neither responded. We followed that mile with an unusually quick mile 10 (5:38);
a nice downhill reprieve during which we were all able to give a wave to our
cheering families. It wasn’t long after this as we wound our way through some
neighborhoods that I realized Jason had dropped off the back of our trio. I
knew he hadn’t been able to train for the race as well as he had hoped and that
he might just try to run a time that allowed him to run Boston next year. I
could also tell Josh wasn’t feeling great at this point, but put off asking for
another two miles because I knew the answer was one I didn’t want to hear. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4nNuAS-hlj4/VWXHDH65-7I/AAAAAAAABKA/hZ3XXUmIJZg/s1600/IMG_3732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4nNuAS-hlj4/VWXHDH65-7I/AAAAAAAABKA/hZ3XXUmIJZg/s320/IMG_3732.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We went through the halfway point in 1:16:44, right on pace
for our goal of 2:34-2:36, but Josh had told me his breathing felt off and he
had started to slow. I slowed down through the elite fueling station hoping the
rough patch would pass. I, on the other hand, had just come out of a rough
patch and was feeling the best I had since the start of the race. It was really
hard to make the decision to set out on my own even after Josh told me to go.
This was not in the plan. We trained together and we were supposed to finish
together. Still, I knew it was the right thing to do. He said, “Go after it. Be
smart!” and I was on my own. On my own like that damn camel without any camel
friends. </div>
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I entered “No Man’s Land” at mile 14 on the south side of
the Burlington bike path. 5:50s were coming with little effort at this point
and I was able to pass some runners without even trying. At mile 15, the course
climbs the steepest hill of the race. I knew it was coming and allowed myself
to back off a bit and not worry about the split. I made it to the top without
losing too much steam and hoped to myself that it would be an 11 mile cruise to
the finish from there. </div>
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The thing about 11 miles is that it’s a long way. Think
about going on 11 mile run at a relatively easy pace. It’s a substantial day’s
work. Now think about going on an 11 mile run after running 15 miles. When you
look at it that way, it’s pretty daunting. But I felt good and that’s not how I
was thinking. My pace had settled into the high 5:50s, but I was OK with that.
As I hit the mile 16 marker, I knew all I had to do was maintain a 6:00-6:05
pace to run 2:35:xx and a PR was probable.</div>
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Once Josh and I separated, I no longer had access to our
elite fluids. Only Josh could grab them. I had planned for this scenario and
was carrying two back-up gels. Of course, there were water and Gatorade
stations all over the course. The problem was, I didn’t practice with these
fluids or gels. I tried to take a Gu at mile 17 and I barely got a taste before
spitting it right back out. There was no way I was going to be able to choke it
down. I knew I needed electrolytes, so I grabbed a Gatorade from the next
table. I don’t know how long it had been since I drank full-sugar Gatorade but
it sure was a shock to the system. It tasted like someone had melted down a
cheap lollipop and put it in a cup. These issues aside, I still felt pretty
good and foolishly thought if I could make it mile 20 I was in the clear. </div>
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I hit mile 20 in 1:58:51. My pace had only dropped a few
seconds. Since we were winding through cul-de-sacs and quaint neighborhoods, I
attributed the slight slowdown to the huge amount of turns. I passed at least
three people during this stretch. I was feeling tired, but another 10k did not
seem too daunting. Then, somewhere right before mile 22 my quads decided to
stop working. It was like someone flipped the “off” switch. All of the sudden,
they were done for the day.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pp9aPFE55-s/VWXIuigOuGI/AAAAAAAABKs/Pfl4c9s8vok/s1600/DSC_1015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pp9aPFE55-s/VWXIuigOuGI/AAAAAAAABKs/Pfl4c9s8vok/s320/DSC_1015.jpg" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh's dad got this great shot of the final turn</td></tr>
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What followed was an agonizing four mile ride on the caboose
of the pain train. If you are still feeling strong, the final stretch of the
marathon course is a lovely finish. It’s a flat if not slightly downhill jaunt
through a tree-lined bike path along Lake Champlain. I appreciated none of
that. I just wanted it to be over. With three miles to go, I took a popsicle
from a child. As each mile got slower, my hopes of a PR slipped away and I knew
there was no way to salvage it. I was actually running just under 7:00 pace but
it felt so much slower. Runners would pass me and I would try to feed off their
speed and hang on but I couldn’t. With less than two miles to go, a guy with
long hair passed me and said, “You’ll have to run harder than that if you want
to break 2:40.” I wanted to punch him, but wasn’t sure I could afford the
energy.</div>
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With less than 400 meters to go, I turned onto the grassy
finishing stretch and saw my family again – my mom, dad, sister,
brother-in-law, niece and aunt - all cheering wildly. Lauren started running
along the fence that separated the spectators from the runners and even though
she’s eight months pregnant she was keeping up with me just fine. A guy wearing
goggles and basketball shorts sprinted past me which would have been
devastating if I couldn’t tell from his bib that he was a relay runner.
Pictures from this stretch show just how weak my quads were by the end of this
race. It appears as I’m heavily favoring my right side; lopsided again like the
camel. As I crossed the line, the announcer said something about me smiling
which certainly wasn’t true. 2:40:35. My immediate feeling wasn’t relief. It
was disappointment.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T5o8AVIzjCE/VWXNce3vZbI/AAAAAAAABLo/t7K6wFmaeTY/s1600/IMG_3739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T5o8AVIzjCE/VWXNce3vZbI/AAAAAAAABLo/t7K6wFmaeTY/s320/IMG_3739.JPG" width="320" /></a>I’d had a better day than Josh and Jason. After we split,
Josh thrice vomited a substance the resembled the stuff that dinosaur spit on
Newman in Jurassic Park. The fact that he finished under those conditions is a
testament to the size of his huevos. Jason dropped out at mile eighteen and
subsequently had to walk up and then back down a hill to get home. When we all
met back up again we were a battered bunch in need of beers.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my niece Halle made it hard not to smile even after that race</td></tr>
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I have nothing but good things to say about the Vermont City
Marathon. Everything about it is first class. I was admittedly initially bitter
about not being included in the elite field, but I respect how they stuck to
their rules. In the end it worked out just fine. The race staff was helpful and
approachable and it was obvious the volunteers were having a good time. The
course was well-marked and well-staffed. It’s incredibly spectator-friendly. I
saw my family four times including at the finish. On top of all that,
Burlington is a really cool town. It reminded me a lot of Oswego with its size,
proximity to the lake, and youthful vibe, not to mention the ice cream and
beer. </div>
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I don’t know what went wrong in the race and I haven’t spent
a lot of time dwelling on it. I won’t second guess our training or preparation
in any way. I won’t blame the weather. There’s a chance we went out a little
fast, but there’s a better chance that it just wasn’t our day. That happens
with the marathon. It’s not worth beating myself up over and honestly, I’m
surprisingly OK with it all.</div>
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And here’s why: It wasn’t a great race. But it was a great
weekend. It started with a great road trip – camel, and all – with two of our
best friends. When we got to Vermont, we all got to see the people we love the
most. I am so grateful my family made the trip just to watch me run. Lauren and
I got to spend one last weekend away together before our family becomes a trio.
Now, it’s on to our next marathon. Baby Lentil (temporary name). The race is
scheduled to start sometime around June 28<sup>th</sup>.</div>
jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-19413414802988908872015-04-15T14:44:00.000-07:002015-04-15T18:54:32.600-07:00Race Recap: The Unite Rutgers Half Marathon<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brace yourselves. This is
an entry about running.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">Yeah, I’m still doing it
on a fairly regular and serious basis. A co-worker asked me yesterday if I just
drank beer now which was simultaneously flattering and concerning. I've actually been training for the <a href="http://www.vermontcitymarathon.org/">Vermont City Marathon</a> in Burlington (May 24</span><sup style="color: #222222;">th</sup><span style="color: #222222;">)
since February, but have spared everyone the (boring) details of speed workouts
and long runs. To sum it up as briefly as possible: Things are going
frighteningly well. Workouts, sleep, overall health: A+ for all three. Ok,
maybe B+ for sleep, but that’s as good as it gets for me. I’m choosing not to over-analyze that and just keep on keeping on as they say.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunday was my first
chance to see how all the miles and tough efforts translated to a race setting.
My best bud/training partner Josh and I signed up for the Unite Rutgers Half
Marathon for a couple of reasons:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>1.</b></span><span style="color: #222222;"><b> </b></span><span style="color: #222222;">It’s 6 weeks out from the marathon which
leaves maximum time for recovery and to work on any weak spots.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>2.</b></span><span style="color: #222222;"> I</span><span style="color: #222222;">t’s a fairly big race (6,000) with a top
three finishers historically somewhere in the 1:10-1:12 range. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>3.</b></span><span style="color: #222222;"> T</span><span style="color: #222222;">he course has a lot of turns, but looks flat.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>4.</b></span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: #222222;">It’s free (if you have run 1:11 or
faster)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>5.</b></span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: #222222;">Finisher’s medal that has a spinny-thing in
the middle. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">The original goal was to
run together, PR and possibly go 1-2. But the best laid plans...well, you know
the rest. Josh got sick the week of the race and couldn't run although he did
still drive me to New Brunswick and provide invaluable moral and logistical support before, during and after the race. I
adjusted my goals accordingly. I ran my half-marathon PR (1:11:19) under
perfect conditions in the <a href="http://www.thejauntingjournalist.blogspot.com/2012/03/long-race-long-recap.html">2012 NYC Half Marathon</a>. I had one of the best runners
I know pacing me. The weather was ideal and the course was fast. Not to mention
I was in really good shape. The stars will probably never align like that
again. That’s not defeatist. It’s realistic. I’m cool with that PR. Regardless,
a much smaller race that would likely be a solo effort was not exactly the best
setting to even attempt breaking it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C3dFBK_836I/VS7ZaMfFCDI/AAAAAAAABGU/i0XaAUFlWOY/s1600/IMG_3504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C3dFBK_836I/VS7ZaMfFCDI/AAAAAAAABGU/i0XaAUFlWOY/s1600/IMG_3504.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the starting line. Photo Credit: Josh Lerch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Based on workouts, I toed
the line hoping to run somewhere in the 1:12s and finish in the top 3. The
night before the race I came up with a simple race plan.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>1.</b></span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: #222222;">Go out at 5:30 pace – no faster.
Don’t freak out about 5:35. If 5:25s feel possible in the latter half of
the race, go with it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>2.</b></span><span style="color: #222222;"><b> </b></span><span style="color: #222222;">Run perfect tangents. The course has many turns, some of them very sharp.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>3.</b></span><span style="color: #222222;"><b> </b></span><span style="color: #222222;">Do what it takes not to end up no-man’s land.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">As soon as the race
started, I took the lead which would have been a mistake if I weren't right on
pace. By the end of the first mile, I was in a pack with three guys. This
lasted until mile three when one of the guys picked up the pace and another
fell off. Going with the guy in first would have been a suicide mission. I
thought about it briefly, picking up the pace to 5:20 for mile 3.
Then, I made a decision that goal number one trumps goal number three and there
I was in no man’s land. The next six miles were near perfect. In fact, miles
1-9 were right on pace ranging from 5:28-5:34 with the exception of the 5:20.
I was 34:00 at 10k and 36:02 at the halfway point. The course was not nearly as
flat as I expected. There were no major hills, just several small climbs that
added up. I was running perfect tangents with my GPS watch beeping at each mile
marker. The course was a bit unorthodox. It was mostly within the Rutgers
campus and utilized service roads and even a greenway. There were three spots where
you had to turn around at a cone. I also found it odd there was not a single
clock on the course.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wgLz9lJ0VYQ/VS7auFMqt9I/AAAAAAAABGk/Vte5eKfmAEY/s1600/thumbsup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wgLz9lJ0VYQ/VS7auFMqt9I/AAAAAAAABGk/Vte5eKfmAEY/s1600/thumbsup.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thumbs up still at mile 6</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After passing mile 9 in 5:28
I was pretty confident my average pace wouldn't drop too dramatically over the last
four miles and 1:12:xx was in the bag. I was feeling tired and lonely, but
I was mentally still in the game. My watched clicked over to mile 10 before I
saw the mile marker, but I figured I’d see it soon. Another minute went by
before I got to the official marker. Had I really just run a 6:42 mile?
While Garmins are certainly not 100% accurate, I was certain I hadn't and
things would sort themselves out. At this point, I could see the guy in third
was closing the gap on me. I must not have been thinking straight because my
reaction was one of relief. I figured when he caught me I could just stay with
him. We hit mile 11 (still way off) and he was right on my shoulder. We stayed
stride for stride for the next 1.75 miles, our pace at a steady 5:40 with
both a new headwind and exhaustion contribute to the slowdown.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With just over a quarter
mile to go (on my watch – I was still hoping the course would even out), I made
a move and pulled away by two strides. It was all I had left and in my head, I
knew if he came back, I’d be a sitting duck. I couldn't see the finish line,
but imagined it was right around the next turn. I made the turn and was staring
up at a hill. The finish line was at least 400 yards away. I had gambled and lost.
I held on to 5:30 pace for the next quarter mile even as I got passed and fell
to third place. I crossed the line in 1:13:55 well short of any primary, secondary
or even tertiary goals I had set for myself. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N3-OdlTVAaQ/VS7bSDEsOYI/AAAAAAAABGs/gygDqEqy2bQ/s1600/IMG_3507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N3-OdlTVAaQ/VS7bSDEsOYI/AAAAAAAABGs/gygDqEqy2bQ/s1600/IMG_3507.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1, 2 & 3 </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hate when runners
complain a course is long or short. When I ran the Runners World Half Marathon
in October, I didn't get a perfect 13.1 on my watch either, but it was within
what I would call the normal range. In fact, I don’t think I've ever run a race
of any distance that measures perfectly on the GPS. That’s a given. But .20-.25
is pretty significant. In the 24 hours after the race it was hard not to think
about it. I needed some sort of validation. I emailed the race director who
confirmed that Rutgers campus security made them change the course just one
hour before the race. They had to move mile 10 at 7:05am. She said it had been hastily
re-marked and re-measured, but obviously not re-certified. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite how it might
sound, I really enjoyed this race. It was well-organized and well-attended. The
parking situation was convenient. There were ample porta-potties. The water
stations were well-staffed and evenly-placed. The t-shirts were dri-fit and
decent quality. And get this: The awards were early! The trophies were big
enough to pour a beer in which is also a plus. The long course appears to have
been because of circumstances outside the race director’s control and they
responded to my inquiry almost immediately. In a time where road races have
been turned into big-corporate money makers where runners pay absurd amounts of
money to literally be a faceless number, it’s nice to run a race with 6,000
runners that has all the amenities of a big event but still feels like the
people in charge are approachable. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The time on the clock may
not have said what I had hoped, but I can walk away from this one feeling like
I’m still on track. On to Burlington!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-29513438418225910152015-04-11T15:13:00.003-07:002015-04-11T15:15:02.351-07:00Week 7 & A Recap: 40 Beers 40 NightsWhen I decided to drink 40 beers over the course of the 40 nights of lent, I sort of poked fun at the idea of sacrificing something. "I'm giving up not drinking a delicious beer every night." I said. For the first 36 days it was hardly a sacrifice. It was a joy. At some points I worried I might not be able to return to NOT drinking a beer after work. Then I got the worst cold of my life.<br />
<br />
I've had a lot of colds. I come down with one roughly twice a year. I'm always a big baby about it. I'm not exaggerating when I say this thing was a monster. It was concentrated evil. It came on quickly, lasted for three horrible days and then suddenly as it came it disappeared. At its apex I couldn't get out of bed or even open my eyes because of the pressure. Beer was out of the question. Joke was on me. I could have been a trooper and drank right through the cold, but I crumbled. It was just one night. Still, it took me off course and perhaps proved I'm not as tough as I set out to be.<br />
<br />
It became 40 Beers 41 Nights which certainly doesn't have the same ring to it. Here are the final four.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b6xLd1wNXBw/VSmZHeamOvI/AAAAAAAABFU/U-dx6u9MqFQ/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b6xLd1wNXBw/VSmZHeamOvI/AAAAAAAABFU/U-dx6u9MqFQ/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><b>Wednesday - </b><i>Hotter than Helles </i><b>- Cigar City Brewing </b><i>(Helles Lager 5%) - </i>I picked this beer because I could feel the cold coming on and I didn't want to waste something hoppy and flavorful on weakened taste buds. The guy who writes <a href="http://deadspin.com/tag/drunkspin">Drunkspin</a> recently described Helles Lager as the kind of beer you would serve to your buddy who prefers a Bud to a craft beer. It's a very malty, generic tasting style. It's neither offensive or remarkable. I don't particularly like it, but if I am going to drink a Helles Lager, it's going to be from Tampa's excellent Cigar City Brewing. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8pTk2o-OQpg/VSmZZUcMZrI/AAAAAAAABFc/o1MlrPawaiM/s1600/IMG_3461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8pTk2o-OQpg/VSmZZUcMZrI/AAAAAAAABFc/o1MlrPawaiM/s1600/IMG_3461.JPG" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<b>Thursday - </b><i>Nyquil </i>- <b>Proctor and Gamble </b><i>(Cough Syrup 10%) - </i>As a person with a life long aversion to liquid medicine, I had never cracked a bottle of a Nyquil. That's how bad this cold was. Nyquil pours a dark, creamy green. It has aromas of melted down Vicks Vapor Rub and unrecognizable chemicals. The initial taste is mint and nail polish remover with hints of tears. It finishes with the taste of regurgitation. Seriously. How did kids drink this stuff to get wasted? I tried to do more than one shot one night and spit it right back out. I do not recommend this drink,<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Friday - </b><i>Trou Ble Some </i>- <b>Off Color Brewing </b><i>(Gose 4.3%) - </i><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I2AvtuAA-0s/VSmaD3uqT5I/AAAAAAAABFk/pdiXBBmNg7I/s1600/FullSizeRender(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I2AvtuAA-0s/VSmaD3uqT5I/AAAAAAAABFk/pdiXBBmNg7I/s1600/FullSizeRender(1).jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I wasn't quite ready to start drinking serious beer yet. When I saw this at Whole Foods on a cough drop and Kleenex run, I remembered Lauren buying a bottle at one of our favorite beer bars and thought it would be light enough to drink while ill. It's a Gose which means it's unfiltered with a low ABV and devoid of any hop taste. This particular beer contains coriander. I didn't look it up myself, but I am sure if you Google "is coriander good for a cold?" someone on the internet will tell you it is. This beer reminds me a lot of Dogfish Head's Namaste. It's very light, but full of spice and citrus flavors. It's not something I gravitate toward, but a great representation of its style.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2jStjWG1r2I/VSmab__CvEI/AAAAAAAABFs/ivooxK2AjEQ/s1600/FullSizeRender(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2jStjWG1r2I/VSmab__CvEI/AAAAAAAABFs/ivooxK2AjEQ/s1600/FullSizeRender(2).jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
<b>Saturday - </b><i>Wookey Jack </i>- <b>Firestone Walker Brewing Company </b><i>(Black Ale 8.3%) - </i>I couldn't finish his list without something from California's stellar Firestone Walker. Wookey Jack is a heavier, darker version of its signature Union Jack IPA. Wookey is hard to nail down. While technically a black ale, it has characteristics of a stout/porter and a double IPA the latter of which I think it most resembles. This is a very hoppy beer with a lot of different tastes classically found in darker IPAs. There's some chocolate and coffee and at the end there is a nice bitterness. This beer isn't available year round, so I am glad I got my hands on a bottle.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qiywd6hGrmA/VSmalat31GI/AAAAAAAABF0/r9jaXEt6GFc/s1600/FullSizeRender(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qiywd6hGrmA/VSmalat31GI/AAAAAAAABF0/r9jaXEt6GFc/s1600/FullSizeRender(3).jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><b>Sunday - </b><i>Flower Power </i>- <b>Ithaca Beer Company </b><i>(IPA 7.5%) - </i>I wanted to end with a beer that had some sentimental meaning behind it. As I mentioned earlier, my go-to beers used to be Sam Adams Boston Lager and Guinness. These are still beers I will happily drink today. But, when I was drinking them on a regular basis, the concept of a hoppy beer was foreign and something I had little appetite for. I grew up in the Finger Lakes and Flower Power was the beer that changed my mind. It was widely available and at first it didn't taste good to me at all. After I tried it a few times, I developed a real taste for it. This beer has still got it. It's a consistently good IPA with a bit of a sweet malty taste and an incredibly refreshing finish. This is what an IPA should be.<br />
<br />
<br />
Alright, here's the hard part. Ranking the beers. If I made this list tomorrow everything from 6 on would probably be a in a different order. I would enthusiastically drink beers 1-33 on this list any day. I love the breweries from 34-39, but those beers are ranked low because of the style. I would rather not drink beer than drink number 40 again.<br />
<br />
1. Lawson's Finest Liquids - Sip of Sunshine<br />
2. Russian River Brewing - Pliny the Elder<br />
3. Bear Republic - Big Bear Black Stout<br />
4. Ballast Point - Grapefruit Sculpin<br />
5. Fiddlehead - Second Fiddle <br />
6. The Alchemist - Heady Topper <br />
7. Gun Hill Brewery - Void of Light<br />
8. Founders Brewing Company - Breakfast Stout<br />
9. Singlecut Beersmiths - Bon Bon 2x TNT<br />
10. Lagunitas Brewing Company - Cappuccino Stout<br />
11. Green Flash Brewing Company - West Coast IPA <br />
12. Maine Beer Company - Weez <br />
13. Ithaca Beer Company - Flower Power<br />
14. Schlafly Beer - Tasmanian Style IPA<br />
15. NoDa Brewing - Hop Drop & Roll<br />
16. Sam Adams Beer Company - Rebel IPA<br />
17. Brooklyn Brewery - Blast!<br />
18. Oskar Blues Brewery - Ten Fidy<br />
19. Firestone Walker Brewing Company - Wookey Jack<br />
20. Andean Brewing Company - Kuka Coffee & Cream Stout<br />
21. Sixpoint Brewery - Sweet Action<br />
22. Stone Brewing Company - Smoked Porter with Vanilla Bean<br />
23. Triple C Brewing - Baby Maker<br />
24. Alphabet City Brewing Company - Alpha Male <br />
25. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Big Foot Ale<br />
26. Troegs Brewery - Nugget Nectar<br />
27. Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Also - Palo Santo Marron<br />
28. Otter Creek Brewing Company - Citra Mantra<br />
29. Green Flash Brewing Company - Palate Wrecker<br />
30. New Glarus Brewing Company - Spotted Cow<br />
31. Flying Dog Beer - Gonzo<br />
32. Great Lakes Brewing Company - Commodore Perry IPA<br />
33. Southern Tier Brewing Company - 2x Stour<br />
34. Off Color Brewery - Trou Ble Some<br />
35. Boulevard Brewing Company - Tank 7<br />
36. Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project - Jack D'Or<br />
37. Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales - Calabaza Blanca<br />
38. Evil Twin Brewing - Low Life<br />
39. Cigar City Brewing - Hotter Than Helles<br />
40. Cricket Hill Brewery - East Coast Lager <br />
<br />
Let's break it down.<br />
Breweries: <b>39</b> (I regret drinking 2 Green Flash beers. Even though they were both delicious) <br />
Number of states represented on list: <b>17</b><br />
<b>New York - 9 </b><br />
<b>California - 9</b><br />
<b>Vermont - 4</b><br />
<b>Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina </b>- 2<br />
<b>Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Maine, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, </b><br />
<b>Wisconsin - 1</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Boroughs of New York City: <b>4. Get it together Staten Island!</b><br />
<br />
Styles of Beer<br />
<b>Double IPA - 10</b><br />
<b>IPA - 7</b><br />
<b>Stout - 7</b><br />
<b>Cream Ale, Saison, Black Ale, Porter, Helles/Pale Lager - 2</b><br />
<b>Amber Ale, Pilsner, Brown Ale, Barleywine, Witbier, Gose - 1</b><br />
<br />
<b> </b> <br />
<br />jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-59067963201891831712015-04-02T14:33:00.002-07:002015-04-02T17:00:42.270-07:00Week 6: 40 Beers 40 Nights<div class="MsoNormal">
The more hoppy beer you drink, the harder it is to enjoy the
lighter stuff. It’s not that all lighter stuff is bad. It’s just that it stops
tasting like beer and therefore doesn't satisfy that beer fix I find myself
jonesing for at the end of a long night. Then again, maybe it’s just that it
hasn't been warm yet this year and once the temperature spikes, witbiers and session
lagers will be refreshing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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36 beers into this thing, I’m realizing something else. I’m
running out of beers to try. There are way more than 36 beers out there, but I’m
trying not to do the same brewery twice and I've nearly exhausted the beer
stores most convenient to my home and office. I might have to get on a bus or a
train to make the final week work.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Wednesday – </b><i>Ten Fidy – </i><b>Oskar Blues Brewery – </b><i>(Russian Imperial Stout 10.5%)</i> – I've always
avoided purchasing this despite my curiosity because a 4-pack sells for $19.
And this is not the kind of beer you are going to drink more than one of in a single sitting. I finally caved this week figuring what I didn't drink would age gracefully.
Perhaps it costs so much because it looks and feels like crude oil. Ten Fidy
pours a deep black and comes out of the can (stouts are best in a can) thick. You
can smell the alcohol. Its taste is very creamy with a hint of chocolate and
it’s not as boozy as a beer with such a high ABV could be. This is a great beer
to sit and sip and I don’t think I’ll have a problem finishing off the other
three. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SvL7LzeJtEw/VR2yV6w-1rI/AAAAAAAABEM/1mWkPe9r-C8/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SvL7LzeJtEw/VR2yV6w-1rI/AAAAAAAABEM/1mWkPe9r-C8/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B(1).jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><b>Thursday</b> – <i>Calabaza Blanca – </i><b>Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales </b><i>(Witbier
4.8%)</i> – See preamble. This is the polar opposite of the beer I drank last
night. I've really enjoyed this beer in the past. This time, it went down like
a cold glass of apple juice. I love a cold glass of apple juice, but not as a
substitute for beer. This is a very citrusy, lightly carbonated beer that you
could easily drink multiple bottles of on a hot day. I’ll come back to it when
it’s 90 degrees.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7uVLj80aEs8/VR2yXqFHo6I/AAAAAAAABEU/Ot5tC3OAmcw/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7uVLj80aEs8/VR2yXqFHo6I/AAAAAAAABEU/Ot5tC3OAmcw/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B(2).jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's Lauren's belly in the background</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>Friday – </b><i>Alpha Male – </i><b>Alphabet City Beer Company </b><i>(IPA
7.2%) </i>– After two nights of going to the extremes, it’s time to go back to
the basic IPA. This one is from a small and relatively new brewery in Lower
Manhattan, but it appears to have been contract brewed up in Clifton, NY (near
Albany). I had heard good things, so I was happy to see it on the shelf at the
Whole Foods on Columbus Avenue. This beer sets out to be hoppy, but is not
meant to dominate your taste buds. It goes for subtle and it achieves
that. Nothing about this beer was overly exciting, but it tasted nice and went
down easy. At its current price, I’d buy it again.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Saturday – </b><i>East Coast Lager <b>– </b></i><b>Cricket Hill Brewing
Company </b><i>(American Pale Lager 4.0%) </i>–
I don’t know what possessed me to buy a beer with a 4% ABV and then to drink it
on a Saturday night. I think I just saw that it was local and put it in my mix
and match six pack. Listen, I don’t want to sound cruel, but I also don’t want
to mince words. This beer is awful. It tasted like Miller Lite. Miller Lite is
a fine taste if you bought a bunch of Miller Lites to pound during the NCAA
Tournament. It’s not a fine taste when you aren't expecting it. I was drinking
this with a buddy who’s reaction was “What is that taste?” That’s not a
good first impression. Fortunately, I also drank a <b>Stone Enjoy By 4.20.15 </b>and a <b>Boulevard
Brewing The Calling </b>on this night, both of which were delicious.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q_3eed3qk6Q/VR2zdB1WhKI/AAAAAAAABEs/MtgdV5ChL_s/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B(5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q_3eed3qk6Q/VR2zdB1WhKI/AAAAAAAABEs/MtgdV5ChL_s/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B(5).jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><b>Monday – </b><i>T IPA – </i><b>The Schalfly Taproom </b><i>(IPA 7.2%)</i> – Today I started to come
down with a cold. When your throat is scratchy and you have just a little bit
of post-nasal drip, beer just doesn't sound as appealing. It doesn't taste as
good either. I guess that’s where this really becomes a Lenten sacrifice.
Saturday’s beer would have worked better today. Fortunately, my judgment wasn't
too skewed to recognize that this Schlafly (which I had never heard of)
selection is another excellent, drinkable IPA. It was very crisp and drinkable
with no bitterness. When I think of beer from St. Louis, Missouri, I think of
Budweiser. Now, I’ll think of this instead.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-98uj2BIgz4A/VR2zZpGuUSI/AAAAAAAABEk/36SRD2Jc3p4/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B(4).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-98uj2BIgz4A/VR2zZpGuUSI/AAAAAAAABEk/36SRD2Jc3p4/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B(4).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><b>Tuesday – </b><i>Kuka Coffee & Cream Stout – </i><b>Andean Brewing Company </b><i>(Sweet Stout 5.5%)
</i>– Before I cracked this beer, I googled “do coffee stouts contain caffeine?” Still not feeling well, I didn't want to lose precious sleep. I
got distracted before I found a definitive answer and poured it anyways. It
looked perfectly delicious in a coffee mug which I thought was appropriate.
This beer is very new. I can’t find a whole lot about it on the beer internets.
It’s local (Rockland County, NY) and is probably just now getting distributed.
I’m always excited when I really enjoy a local beer. Of course, coffee stouts
are my sweet spot, so unless you put battery acid in it, I’ll probably lap it
up like a dog. This one features more of a coffee taste than a sweet taste. It’s
smooth and low carbonation and would taste great with a slice of cake. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Next Week: </b>The Final Four Brews</div>
jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-43141914823779047992015-03-27T13:33:00.001-07:002015-03-27T13:35:07.538-07:00Week 5: 40 Beers 40 Nights (Pioneer Week)<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">There’s
an attitude among beer nerds (snobs?) that big equals bad. If I can get your
beer at the 7-11, it’s just toilet water with a pretty label. This is often
true and that’s why beers from evil, giant multi-national beer conglomerates
were not included in the 40 Beers 40 Nights list. That gets tougher as big
companies dress up brands to fool you and InBev (Anheuser Busch) buys breweries
like Goose Island and Elysian. However, it’s not always true. Some of the
breweries that started the “craft beer movement” have become major independent
corporations with huge distribution arms while still brewing delicious
beverages. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I
live in New York City and that makes it easy for me to find a wide variety of
beers. I've learned that if there is something I want a store in some hipster
neighborhood or some weirdo on the internet will have it. Not everyone is so
lucky. In some places Sierra Nevada is as crafty as it gets and that’s just fine because
Sierra Nevada still makes really good beer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">That’s
what this week is about. It’s about the breweries a lot of people have written
off for being too big when instead we should be thanking them for reminding us
that not all beer has to be Coors. It’s about the breweries that are putting quality
beers in stores across the country that everyone can buy. For each brewery, I
tried to pick a beer that shows these breweries are still trying new things and
still have something to offer beside the flagship style for those who like to
be a little more adventurous. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o5FEpRkxjgI/VRW8hPQsMvI/AAAAAAAABDk/OaKkQm-XAp8/s1600/IMG_3385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o5FEpRkxjgI/VRW8hPQsMvI/AAAAAAAABDk/OaKkQm-XAp8/s1600/IMG_3385.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Wednesday</b> – <i>Smoked Porter With Vanilla Bean</i> – <b>Stone Brewing Company </b>(Porter 5.9%) –
You can buy Stone’s <i>Arrogant Bastard</i>
at a gas station on the interstate and if the situation presents itself you
should seize the opportunity. This "limited edition" (whatever that means)
winter porter was picked out for me by a friend and it’s been sitting in my
cabinet since December. But with two days left in the season, now seemed like a
good time to drink it. If I have learned one thing during this experiment, it’s
that I like porters more than I thought.The smoke and vanilla tastes in this beer came
through well and even though it was a 22 ounce, I had no problem finishing it
all since it is relatively low ABV. I probably would have never picked this out
on my own, so I’m glad I someone else did. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Thursday – </b><i>Bigfoot Ale </i><b>–
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company </b>(Barleywine 9.6%) – This is another
“winter” beer and it definitely warms your core. Barleywine is always strong
and intense so no surprise that one bottle of this beer left me asleep on the
couch with Netflix cycling through episodes of “Parks and Recreation”. Bigfoot
Ale starts off sweet and hoppy then hits you with a pretty boozy finish. I am
just starting to get into this style. So far, I like it and am curious to try
some other examples. I wish I had bought two bottles so I could age one for a
couple of years. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Friday – </b><i>Breakfast Stout <b>–
</b></i><b>Founders Brewing Company</b> (Stout 8.3%) –
Perhaps Founders doesn't</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aiDnr2jqUAs/VRW8W89194I/AAAAAAAABDU/G41twjdt1JQ/s1600/IMG_3402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aiDnr2jqUAs/VRW8W89194I/AAAAAAAABDU/G41twjdt1JQ/s1600/IMG_3402.JPG" height="200" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">belong on this list. I can always find this beer and
several other Founders styles in any store I walk into. Maybe that’s because I
am actively looking for it. It didn't crack the <a href="http://www.brewersassociation.org/press-releases/brewers-association-lists-top-50-breweries-of-2013/">top
25</a> on the American Brewers’ Association list of biggest craft breweries by
volume. In retrospect, I wish I had given this spot to Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale
which is also from Michigan and comes from a brewery that is 7<sup>th</sup> on
that very same list. Not that I regret drinking the Breakfast Stout which is
absolutely on my top 10 list of favorite beers. It is simply the best
representation of the style I have ever had. The coffee and chocolate flavors
come through so nicely that I can see myself actually drinking this with
breakfast. Maybe I will. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Saturday – </b><i>Palo Santo Marron <b>– </b></i><b>Dogfish Head
Brewery </b>(Brown
Ale 12%) – Breweries like Sam </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YQUKVo7Y-F4/VRW8NI_MVXI/AAAAAAAABDM/l7_OcQd6lo0/s1600/IMG_3404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YQUKVo7Y-F4/VRW8NI_MVXI/AAAAAAAABDM/l7_OcQd6lo0/s1600/IMG_3404.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Adams and Seirra Nevada started the craft beer
movement. Dogfish Head took it to the next level. 60 Minute IPA is the beer
everyone has had. I went with one I had never even heard of. It wasn't until I
got home that I realized this brown ale has a 12% ABV. Good thing it was a
Saturday night. Aged in some sort of rare Paraguayan wood, Palo Santo Marron
(Translation: Holy Tree Brown) pours very dark and thick. It has a smoky,
sweet, almost caramel taste combined with the obvious alcohol taste. It’s hard
to mask 12%. It tastes and feels much more like a strong stout than a brown
ale. This is a sipping beer and I’m not really sure how I will finish my
four-pack.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NPcp1SxddWE/VRW79Bl0MpI/AAAAAAAABDA/RMGMw3Jk4tU/s1600/IMG_3418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NPcp1SxddWE/VRW79Bl0MpI/AAAAAAAABDA/RMGMw3Jk4tU/s1600/IMG_3418.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Monday – </b><i>Brooklyn Blast!</i> – <b>Brooklyn Brewery </b>(Double IPA 8.4%) – In New York City, parties with
an open bar have Bud Light, Heinekin and then a Brooklyn selection for those
who want something good or for those who want to hold something that says
“Brooklyn” on it. Nothing from Brooklyn belongs in the same sentence as those
other two beers, but their flagship selections aren't anything to go crazy over
either. In fact, Brooklyn Brewery lags far behind it’s younger Brooklyn
neighbor Six Point when it comes to the quality of its year-round offerings. Still, when
Brooklyn is on, it’s on. Local 1, Local 2 and Cuvee’ Noir are spectacular. I
had never tried Brooklyn Blast! This is in part due to the fact that its name
contains <span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: #FCFCFF; color: #141414;">an exclamation point. That aside, this is a surprisingly
solid Double IPA. It’s a little bitter, but it belongs in the conversation with
other widely-available top notch DIPAs.(!)<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7KELUy-fJOU/VRW72KVfkMI/AAAAAAAABC4/pJycPTh0SlM/s1600/IMG_3422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7KELUy-fJOU/VRW72KVfkMI/AAAAAAAABC4/pJycPTh0SlM/s1600/IMG_3422.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="background: rgb(252, 252, 255); color: #141414;">Tuesday – </span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: rgb(252, 252, 255); color: #141414;">Rebel Rouser – </span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="background: rgb(252, 252, 255); color: #141414;">Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams) </span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: rgb(252, 252, 255); color: #141414;">(Double IPA 8.4%) – Sam Adams epitomizes
everything I said about breweries getting too big to be considered good. To be
fair, it deserves a lot of the heat it takes. Boston Lager is like Starbucks
coffee. It’s fine but you’ll find something better and more interesting across
the street. But like Starbucks it was groundbreaking. Starbucks was
mass-produced good coffee in a time of Folgers. Boston Lager was mass-produced
good beer in a time where options were limited. Sam Adams was the first brewery
I felt any loyalty toward. In the early 2000s, I’d always go back to college
with a 12 pack of their seasonal lager. I still buy Summer Ale if only for
nostalgia. As the industry boomed, Sam Adams stayed stagnant. Every once in a
while, they put out a winner, but why mess with what’s working? Sam Adams is the
top selling craft beer in the country by a mile. They don’t have to get
creative to make money. But the Rebel series launched last year shows they
still have a couple of tricks up their sleeve. The Rebel IPA is a solid every
day IPA. The Rebel Rouser is a very solid second-tier Double IPA. It's crisp with a
pleasantly bitter finish that lingers a bit. I have a list of beers that I’ll buy six packs of
just to have when I’m looking for something satisfying and refreshing, but not
overly fancy. I'm happy to discover this belongs on that list.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: rgb(252, 252, 255); color: #141414; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Lagunitas,
my favorite of the “too big to be cool” breweries is not on this list only
because I drank its Cappuccino Stout last week. It pained me not to include
Goose Island, but now that it’s owned by InBev, I just can’t get excited about
it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: rgb(252, 252, 255); color: #141414;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Next
Week:</b> Is it too early for witbier? </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-77601451041345812692015-03-19T14:42:00.000-07:002015-03-19T14:46:05.026-07:00Week 4: 40 Beers 40 Nights <div class="MsoNormal">
If you follow me on Instagram (I'm sorry), you know I am attempting to
get creative with my nightly beer photos. I've included a screen shot of “Better
Call Saul”, babies and even videos that always show poor pouring technique
because I’m holding the camera with one hand and pouring with the other. But, I’m
running out of ideas. This is partly because there are only so many ways to photograph
beer in my living room or kitchen and partly because I’m not at my most
creative after a full day at work. Oh, and also because I don’t think about it
until the last possible second. So, if you have any ideas let me know.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Wednesday – </b><i>Second Fiddle</i> – <b>Fiddlehead Brewing </b>(Double IPA 8%) – As you know, I bought a <o:p></o:p></div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5lem3lz-OvQ/VQtBNkAsLjI/AAAAAAAABCI/OzU6T-h7LV0/s1600/IMG_3329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5lem3lz-OvQ/VQtBNkAsLjI/AAAAAAAABCI/OzU6T-h7LV0/s1600/IMG_3329.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a>bunch
of Vermont beer from a guy on Craigslist. I wasn’t going to buy Fiddlehead
because I had never heard of it and really just wanted Heady Topper. The guy
ended up talking me into getting two cans of Second Fiddle and I am glad I did.
All three beers I bought from him (Sip of Sunshine, Heady Topper and Second
Fiddle) were double IPAs and all three were fantastic. I paid $90 for eight
cans and I will tell you it was worth every penny. Seeing as how they were all
the same style of beer, they were easy to compare. Sip of Sunshine was the
clear winner, but Second Fiddle was a respectably distant second. It’s less
citrusy and more hoppy than the Sip of Sunshine, but equally as refreshing.
Actually, Second Fiddle is a lot more like Heady than Sip of Sunshine in
presentation, smell and taste however I think it hides the ABV better making it
a bit more drinkable.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yidpOf1n6oc/VQs_1DKFU0I/AAAAAAAABBk/o4dX7Sdlg3Q/s1600/IMG_3338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yidpOf1n6oc/VQs_1DKFU0I/AAAAAAAABBk/o4dX7Sdlg3Q/s1600/IMG_3338.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bfo seen in this file photo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>Thursday – </b><i>Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale – </i><b>Boulevard Brewing </b>(Saison 8.5%) – For
months, I have patiently awaited the NYC arrival of Boulevard beers. My buddy Bfo
who lives in Kansas City raves about them and the rest of the beer-drinking
internet seems to agree with his assessment. They finally arrived last week and
since Tank 7 is their flagship brew, I thought I would try it first even though
it’s a saison. It definitely has the Belgian spice taste which is the taste I
don’t enjoy in saisons, but it’s not overwhelming and it’s not the only
thing happening with this beer. It’s pretty full-bodied for a saison and it’s
grapefruit and orange flavors come through nicely. It’s still a saison and thus, not
something I would order off a menu, but for folks who like this style it’s a
must try. I also picked up a Boulevard IPA (The Calling) so I could try a style
I actually enjoy, and it was very solid.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Friday – </b><i>Bon Bon 2x TNT </i>– <b>Single Cut Beersmiths </b>(Double IPA 8.2%) – You can’t really say you've
tried a beer if it’s your 6<sup>th</sup> or 7<sup>th</sup> beer of the night.
The only other time I tasted Single Cut was at the end of a Christmas party
that turned into a massive beer tasting. I remembered absolutely nothing about
it. So, when I saw it was on tap at Amsterdam Alehouse on the Upper West Side I
was eager to give it a second go. Single Cut is in Astoria, Queens which gave
it a boost before I even tried it. At 143 IBUs, it could pack a real punch.
Instead it’s a very balanced mix of bitter and tropical. I’m starting to think I’m
a Double IPA guy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Saturday – </b><i>Cappuccino Stout – </i><b>Lagunitas Brewing Company </b>(Stout</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
9.2%) – There are a couple craft
breweries that I think of as patriarchs of the industry and so far, none of
them are on the list. This is the first. Sure, they may be a big,
widely-available brand, but I have never been disappointed with their stuff.
Plus, Lagunitas sponsors “This American Life” (Keeping the ‘pub’ in ‘public
radio) and that earns huge bonus points with me. I put a 22 ounce bottle of
Cappuccino Stout in the fridge before heading out for an 18 mile workout
thinking it would be the perfect recovery drink on a rainy Saturday afternoon. I
was right. My two go-to post-run drinks are beer and coffee. This combines the
two perfectly. The coffee taste is immediate and lasts throughout. It's creamy and smooth. This is also
a super-affordable beer, so I’ll be buying it again.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-34Rp72sjnc8/VQtA0P-tfFI/AAAAAAAABCA/CpYY89vuOF4/s1600/IMG_3379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-34Rp72sjnc8/VQtA0P-tfFI/AAAAAAAABCA/CpYY89vuOF4/s1600/IMG_3379.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can and should cry over spilled beer.</td></tr>
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<b>Monday – </b><i>Citra Mantra </i>– <b>Otter Creek Brewing </b>(IPA 5.75%) – Plain old IPAs have sort of
become the least-exciting style of beer. What? No jalapenos, coffee or
grapefruits in this brew? That said, I love drinking a basic, no-frills IPA.
That’s what this is. Sadly, I spilled half of this bottle trying to open it
with one hand. What I was able to salvage was very nice and refreshing. It wasn't
amazing like a Ballast Point Sculpin or a Bells Two-Hearted Ale, but it has a
solid spot among second-tier IPAs like Lagunitas and Great Lakes. If I see it
again, I’ll buy it and try not to spill it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Tuesday </b>– <i>Low Life </i> -- <b>Evil
Twin Brewing Company </b>(Pilsner 5.5%) – There was a time in my life where St.
Patrick’s Day was a day on which I’d drink Guinness until I couldn't stand up straight.
Then, I’d do some shots. To show how far behind me those days are, I chose a
Pilsner (a PILSNER!) as my St. Patrick’s evening beer. I don’t like to
generalize, but Pilsners suck. I don’t
know if it’s that American breweries are bad at brewing them, or it’s just a
crappy style. Even Evil Twin, which is a great brewery, makes a Pilsner that
conjured up all sorts of memories of beer pong, bars with sticky floors and
drinking in the back of a $1 cab. When I think of the gross last sip of warm
cheap beer no one wants, I think of pilsners. No matter who’s dressing it up, I’m always
going to feel like I’m drinking Beck’s and no one likes Beck’s. No one.
Afterthought: Six Point makes a pilsner called “The Crisp”. It’s not bad, but
drink it fast because a warm pilsner is not your friend.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Next week:</b> A nod
to some trail-blazing breweries.<o:p></o:p></div>
jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-69985739945667922872015-03-13T14:00:00.004-07:002015-03-13T14:00:53.751-07:00Week 3: 40 Beers 40 Nights<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222;">It dawned on me this week
just how many beers I’m going to be drinking. Am I going to be sick of beer by
Easter? Am I going to be able to go back to NOT drinking a beer when I come
home from work? Am I going to grow a beer belly? Will I have trouble finding
new beers? The answer to all of these questions is probably “no”. So far, I
have not had to force myself to drink a beer at night. I’m pretty much always
in the mood after a long work day. However, some nights it tastes better than
others. A friend told me this week that he never drinks alone. Without an ounce
of shame and perhaps a bit of pride, I was able to tell him that I drink alone
every night.</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tf-zO0X8BfI/VQNNEwLb-wI/AAAAAAAAA_k/uGOY3_KiOxE/s1600/IMG_3310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tf-zO0X8BfI/VQNNEwLb-wI/AAAAAAAAA_k/uGOY3_KiOxE/s1600/IMG_3310.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Wednesday</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> - </span><i style="color: #222222;">Sip of Sunshine</i><span style="color: #222222;">, </span><b style="color: #222222;">Lawson’s Finest
Liquids</b><span style="color: #222222;"> (Double IPA 8%) – I’m ready to say this is the best beer I
have ever had. Maybe I got an extremely fresh batch. Maybe I was particularly
thirsty every time I have had it, but it goes down easier than any beer I've ever poured. Sip of Sunshine gets overshadowed by its Vermont neighbor, Heady
Topper. It doesn't have the cult status or the adoring fans. However, people
who know beer better than I do (which is to say a lot of people) will tell you
that if you had a choice between the two, this is the one you choose. I drank
my last can of Sip of Sunshine on a cold night and was immediately whisked away
to summer. It has a citrusy taste (although it’s not as citrusy as it smells)
that is both refreshing and hoppy. Trying to taste sunshine? Mission accomplished.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BkO0FM5v5tw/VQNNdvNoqLI/AAAAAAAAA_0/hRNP2I1n6WU/s1600/SweetAction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BkO0FM5v5tw/VQNNdvNoqLI/AAAAAAAAA_0/hRNP2I1n6WU/s1600/SweetAction.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Thursday – </span></b><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Sweet Action, </span></i><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Sixpoint Brewery </span></b><span style="color: #222222;">(Cream Ale 5.2%) – I made a rather disparaging comment in week
one about the low potential of cream ales. When I made the comment I had
clearly forgotten about the delicious cream ale made by Brooklyn's Sixpoint. Sixpoint is
available at any place that sells beer in New York City, but I have been told
it is not readily available outside this area. That’s a shame, because they
have an excellent line up. Sweet Action has a nice cream taste and sessionable
qualities (you could drink a couple and not get drunk/full). I had it on tap at the new bar in my neighborhood,
but I've had it in a can too and it’s equally as good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PgtgTynGpB0/VQNNojQIipI/AAAAAAAAA_8/zTbCu58LfW0/s1600/WestCoastIPA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PgtgTynGpB0/VQNNojQIipI/AAAAAAAAA_8/zTbCu58LfW0/s1600/WestCoastIPA.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Friday</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> – </span><i style="color: #222222;">West Coast IPA<b>, </b></i><b style="color: #222222;">Green Flash
Brewing Company </b><span style="color: #222222;">(Double IPA 8.1%) – I've mentioned this beer two weeks
in a row, so it’s time I put it on the list. From a brewery that prides itself
on powerful, hoppy beers, this is their best brew. It goes down pretty easy for
an 8% beer. First you taste the malt, then you taste the hops and a nice flavor
lingers. When it comes to widely-available double IPAs, this is your best bet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uJ6Gt4pKyAs/VQNOes1IwJI/AAAAAAAABAI/BqsIYPKFNUs/s1600/HopDrop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uJ6Gt4pKyAs/VQNOes1IwJI/AAAAAAAABAI/BqsIYPKFNUs/s1600/HopDrop.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Saturday – </span></b><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Hop Drop and Roll, </span></i><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">NoDa Brewing Company </span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">(IPA 7.2%) – We moved out
of Charlotte nearly four years ago. Since then, approximately 150 breweries
have opened up in the Queen City. When we lived there, it was Old Mecklenburg
and that was it (Try their Copper if you’re ever down south). Like any city
with a pop-up brewing scene, there are hits and misses. Hop, Drop and Roll is a
hit. There a lot of really good IPAs out there, but this one stood out to me
especially for an IPA that is a little on the sweeter side. I’d love to see
this distributed outside of North Carolina.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1pLLaN0qTOM/VQNPEmVPzuI/AAAAAAAABAQ/Z7hpJvO-gcQ/s1600/BabyMaker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1pLLaN0qTOM/VQNPEmVPzuI/AAAAAAAABAQ/Z7hpJvO-gcQ/s1600/BabyMaker.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9xiTl1wKBJs/VQNPul1TteI/AAAAAAAABAY/wTBE1qW_rqs/s1600/2xStout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9xiTl1wKBJs/VQNPul1TteI/AAAAAAAABAY/wTBE1qW_rqs/s1600/2xStout.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Monday – </span></b><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Baby Maker<b>, </b></span></i><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Triple C Brewing </span></b><span style="color: #222222;">(Double IPA 8.0%) – I had the t-shirt for this beer before I
ever actually tasted the beer. That felt wrong to me. It’s like wearing the
t-shirt for a race you didn't run. It’s not for lack of trying. Once I tried to
ship myself a bottle of this and it shattered in transit. Instead I ended up
getting a beer-soaked shoebox full of glass in the mail. A name like Baby Maker implies the
beer is so potent it is going to make you contribute to an unplanned pregnancy.
But, I don’t get that vibe from this beer. This beer is unremarkable in the
sense that nothing about it really stands out. That said, it’s a fine choice
and one I would drink again. It goes down easy, doesn't offend and hides its
ABV pretty well. Now that I write that, I see where this beer could get
dangerous. It comes in 22 ounce bottles and I could see polishing off one or
two of them solo without even noticing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Tuesday – </span></b><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">2X Stout, </span></i><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Southern Tier Brewing Company </span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">(Milk Stout 7.5%) – I believe
it’s impossible to make a bad stout. The style itself, especially the texture,
makes it inherently good. Nothing has proven me wrong yet. As I said last week,
I’ll still happily drink a Guinness if given the choice between that and some
fancy pants saison. Of course, some stouts are better than others and Southern
Tier’s 2X Stout falls into the “others” category. Stouts are often lower-ABV or
mask their ABV. This tastes like every bit of a 7.5% beer. When I drink a milk stout, I want a sweet, milky finish, not a boozy finish. There’s a really good
coffee taste with this beer that I wish stuck around a little longer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><b>Next week:</b> Another saison
tries to change my mind about saisons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-87956982874006495092015-03-04T16:15:00.000-08:002015-03-04T16:15:50.282-08:00Week 2: 40 Beers 40 Nights <div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wyqI924CQyg/VPeVk16Dy1I/AAAAAAAAA9w/1KkaG65eSig/s1600/IMG_3266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wyqI924CQyg/VPeVk16Dy1I/AAAAAAAAA9w/1KkaG65eSig/s1600/IMG_3266.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a><b>Wednesday</b> - <i>Heady Topper</i>, <b>The Alchemist Brewery </b>(Double IPA 8%) – Let me start by saying that
Heady Topper is a really good beer. Exquisite actually. I’m not an expert, but
it’s one of the best beers I have ever had. If I had access to it, I would
drink it a lot more often. Now that’s out of the way, let me say Heady Topper
is not the best beer in the history of mankind. I don’t even think it’s the
best beer coming out of Vermont and it won’t be best beer on this list of 40.
However, if you go on the internet, you will be lead to believe that Heady
Topper is perfection and it possesses magical powers. You can only buy it at
select retailers in Vermont on certain dates and people wait in long lines for
it. Its cult status was recently profiled in the <a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/01/25/atop-beer-food-chain-heady-topper-spurs-vermont-liquid-gold-rush/BLlk4nHgfBXkD9std009pI/story.html">Boston
Globe</a>. The beer geek website, <a href="http://www.beeradvocate.com/lists/top/">Beer Advocate</a>, which I visit
roughly 50 times a day, lists Heady as the number one beer among its users. Tracking
down a couple cans in New York City was not easy. I searched Craigslist every
day and communicated with more than one jabroni who wanted to charge me more
than $50 for a four-pack (ironic since the phrase “Don’t Be a D-Bag” is
actually printed on the can). I finally found a guy who was selling it a
reasonable price. Heady retails for $80 a case, but I understand a mark-up for
the convenience of not driving to Vermont and waiting in long lines. I can’t
tell you how Heady pours because the instructions on the can say not to pour it
in a glass. So, I didn't. The mark of a good IPA or DIPA is how well the “hoppiness”
balances with other flavors (in this case citrus and pine) and Heady balances
very well. It has a very smooth finish and…listen, I’m not going to go on and
on about how Heady Topper tastes. It’s all over the internet. It’s good. If you
like IPAs it’s a must try. But after you've tried it, you can go back to
something easier to find and equally as good like a Green Flash West Coast IPA.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZM7je6bEZJw/VPeVsGmv24I/AAAAAAAAA94/KgScCo10I84/s1600/GRAPEFRUITSCULPIN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZM7je6bEZJw/VPeVsGmv24I/AAAAAAAAA94/KgScCo10I84/s1600/GRAPEFRUITSCULPIN.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b>Thursday – </b><i>Grapefruit Sculpin, </i><b>Ballast Point Brewing Company </b>(IPA 7%) – Fruit beers get a bad rap
thanks to Budweiser’s line of “-aritas”. I generally approach all
fruit-flavored beer with skepticism since even some of my favorite breweries
make fruit beers that I have poured down the drain. But nothing goes better in
an IPA than grapefruit. If you like your beers bitter, the combination of hops
and such a sour fruit is pure perfection. Plain old Sculpin is one of the best
easy-to-find IPAs you can buy and the addition of grapefruit pushes it over the
edge. This is an incredibly delicious and incredibly drinkable brew.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-svuAGt0aQ1I/VPeV0OOsigI/AAAAAAAAA-A/ajlb26YAO9o/s1600/bIGbEAR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-svuAGt0aQ1I/VPeV0OOsigI/AAAAAAAAA-A/ajlb26YAO9o/s1600/bIGbEAR.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><b>Friday – </b><i>Big Bear Black Stout</i>, <b>Bear Republic Brewing Company </b>(Imperial
Stout 8.10%) – My introduction to good beers started with Sam Adams and
Guinness. Guinness was the first beer I became a regular drinker of and even
today, I’ll defend it to the death against its many detractors. It’s also the
reason the stout is my favorite style of beer. I seek out good stouts now and
when I found this one on the shelf of my local grocery store, I grabbed a
bunch. Big Bear gets a 100 on Beer Advocate and rightfully so. It has coffee
and licorice smells and malty, caramel tastes. At the same time, it’s not
overly sweet and it doesn't mask the alcohol so much that you could drink
several in quick succession. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-alerienIsvQ/VPeWLOkjKXI/AAAAAAAAA-I/itECyLxCzUs/s1600/voidoflight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-alerienIsvQ/VPeWLOkjKXI/AAAAAAAAA-I/itECyLxCzUs/s1600/voidoflight.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><b>Saturday – </b><i>Void of Light<b>, </b></i><b>Gun Hill Brewery </b>(Export
Stout 7.90%) – Two days. Two stouts. I’m embarrassed that this is the first New
York City beer of the 40 Beers 40 Nights challenge. I first tried Void of Light
at a bar in the East Village as we drowned our sorrows over being rejected from
a surprise Foo Fighters show at Irving Plaza. This beer nearly single-handedly
made up for missing the show. You can only get Gun Hill on tap locally or at
the brewery in the Bronx. They brew a bunch of different beers, but I like this
one too much to try another when I wander into a bar that serves Gun Hill. Void
of Light is a fitting name because this stout is very dark. It tastes like black
coffee and chocolate, two things I like almost as much as beer. I want to drink
more of this because I am not sure I can even describe it at this point because
it’s so complex. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TvI-pVgwbk8/VPeW0MI6lFI/AAAAAAAAA-Q/oda7lg1_a4M/s1600/NuggetNectar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TvI-pVgwbk8/VPeW0MI6lFI/AAAAAAAAA-Q/oda7lg1_a4M/s1600/NuggetNectar.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><b>Monday </b>– <i>Nugget Nectar, </i><b>Troegs Brewing Company </b>(Amber Ale 7.5%) – Troegs makes some great
seasonal beers. What’s Christmas without a Mad Elf? This is their spring beer
that does not taste at all like spring. But, I’m not sure it’s supposed conjure
up thoughts of flowers and birds. This is a very malty tasting Amber that is
neither remarkable or offensive. On a warmer night, this would be good to drink
on the patio after a long day at the office, but it’s not something I’ll
actively seek out.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C40XCVZQ2NA/VPeW7ZS0ZhI/AAAAAAAAA-Y/ITGMfw1OjTM/s1600/gonzo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C40XCVZQ2NA/VPeW7ZS0ZhI/AAAAAAAAA-Y/ITGMfw1OjTM/s1600/gonzo.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
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<b>Tuesday – </b><i>Gonzo, </i><b>Flying Dog Brewery </b>(Baltic Porter 9.2%) – When I want a dark beer, 9
times out of 10 I’ll go for a stout. I ended up with this porter because I had
been staring at the beer selection at the grocery store for far too long and I
was about to get slapped with a loitering charge. I grabbed it to complete my six
pack and didn't even notice it was a porter until I got home. That’s not to say
there aren't good porters out there. I have just always found porters to be
more “bubbly” and not as “thick” as stouts. That’s super complicated beer
terminology I just used. That said, this beer surprised me by how heavy it was.
It was hoppier than a stout, yet still had a really nice coffee taste. It
worked very well on a night where it felt like winter just won’t end.</div>
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<b>On tap next week</b>: Perhaps the best beer I’ve ever had. <o:p></o:p></div>
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jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-59372436503689130762015-02-25T17:31:00.002-08:002015-02-27T13:04:21.096-08:00Week 1: 40 Beers for 40 Nights<div class="MsoNormal">
With everything that has happened with Brian Williams and
now Bill O’Reilly (Can you believe he makes things up!?!), I feel like as a
journalist I have to be 100% honest here. I drank my Monday beer on Sunday
night and then pretended I drank it Monday when in fact, I took Monday off. Here’s why: I had just
poured Sunday night’s beer into a pint glass when Lauren walked out of the
elevator. “You know, Sundays are not part of lent right?” She said. “If you
count all the Sundays, it adds up to 46 days.” Good thing I married a priest,
or I’d be very confused when I hit 40 days 6 days before Easter. Anyhow, the
beer had already been poured and it was a damn good one too (more on that in a
moment) so the damage was already done. There. I feel better now. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Now for this week’s selections:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sY_xzHjtHhc/VO511xVojyI/AAAAAAAAA8g/P-gIJjPnmsU/s1600/Weez.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sY_xzHjtHhc/VO511xVojyI/AAAAAAAAA8g/P-gIJjPnmsU/s1600/Weez.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><b>Wednesday</b> – <i>Weez</i>, <b>Maine Beer Company</b> <i>(American
Black Ale 7.2% ABV)</i> – I wanted to kick things off with a beer I had never
had from one of my favorite east coast breweries. Maine Beer Company makes a relatively
small number of beers churning out just 13 different brews on a regular basis.
Their American and Amber Ales Pepper and
Zoe are top notch as are IPAs Lunch and Another One. They have a Double IPA
called Dinner that I look for every time I go to a place that sells Maine, but
thus far have been unsuccessful. I picked up Weez while looking for Dinner. Coincidentally, today was the suggested
drink by date on this particular bottle that had been sitting in my stash for a
couple of weeks. Weez pours very dark like an espresso and smells both roasty
and toasty. It’s very hoppy at first, then you taste that roast to finish.
Another stellar beer from a brewery that so far, can do no wrong.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DCUTlXK-dIE/VO52Nb1wLHI/AAAAAAAAA8o/qkW8wEoinBY/s1600/PalateWrecker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DCUTlXK-dIE/VO52Nb1wLHI/AAAAAAAAA8o/qkW8wEoinBY/s1600/PalateWrecker.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><b>Thursday</b> – <i>Palate Wrecker, </i><b>Green Flash Brewing Company </b><i>(Imperial
IPA 9.5% ABV) –</i> I am not taking any risks the first two days. I’m following
up Maine Brewing Company with San Diego’s Green Flash Brewing which also churns
out a smaller number of fantastic brews. Its West Coast IPA is one of the best
beers you will ever taste and perhaps the best widely available West Coast IPA.
Palate Wrecker is a seasonal brew for those who like to get punched in the face
by their beer. It’s Green Flash’s hoppiest beer using six pounds of hops per barrel.
This is not an introductory beverage.
Those still warming up to IPAs will hate it. It has a citrus smell. I also
notice a little bit of a grass scent, but you don’t really taste either of those
aromas through the bitterness.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Friday </b>– <i>Commodore Perry, </i><b>Great Lakes Brewing Company </b><i>(IPA
7.5% ABV) </i>– A streak of risk aversion continues with this IPA from
Cleveland’s best brewery (note: I have never had any other beers from
Cleveland). Commodore Perry, presumably named for the 1800s Navy Commodore who
presumably had a connection to Ohio, is a fairly unremarkable IPA. It’s Great
Lakes’ year-round IPA and pales in comparison to some of their more complex
seasonal stuff. That’s not to say that I wouldn't pick this out of a
line-up. This beer fills the role of a great stand-by, easily available, better
than average IPA. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WHoT2DnbEcc/VO52xiEdVgI/AAAAAAAAA84/dvwkY8WLyFA/s1600/IMG_3236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WHoT2DnbEcc/VO52xiEdVgI/AAAAAAAAA84/dvwkY8WLyFA/s1600/IMG_3236.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a><b>Saturday </b>– <i>Jack D’Or, </i><b>Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project </b>(<i>Saison/Farmhouse Ale 6.4%) </i>– This is my first venture into
uncharted water. I found a wide selection of Pretty Things at a dumpy grocery
store on Manhattan’s Upper West side which has an above average beer selection.
Here’s the problem - and I didn't realize it until I tried this - I don’t like
saisons. They just aren't my thing. People who do rate this beer very highly so
I will take their word for it. I want to give Pretty Things another chance
because I dig its story. It’s just three people in Somerville, Massachusetts who
brew their beers at a bigger nearby brewery. Expect one of their other
selections to appear in the next few weeks.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GrWJdkDhdA8/VO53HEw6lBI/AAAAAAAAA9A/_cnQTDlnqeM/s1600/IMG_3241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GrWJdkDhdA8/VO53HEw6lBI/AAAAAAAAA9A/_cnQTDlnqeM/s1600/IMG_3241.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><b>Monday – </b><i>Pliny The Elder, </i><b>Russian River Brewery </b><i>(Double
IPA 8%) –</i> So much for saving the best for last.<i> </i>What can I say about Pliny the Elder that hasn't already been
said? For many, it is the holy grail of craft beers. People wait in line for it
for hours. It’s barely available anywhere east of California. It has perfect
ratings from Rate Beer and Beer Advocate. It’s textbook scarcity marketing, but
it also lives up to the hype. Pliny is currently tied with another beer as the
best beer I have ever tasted. So, when you have an opportunity to drink Pliny,
you take it. It doesn't matter if it’s 8am or you are in the middle of your
work day. If someone offers you Pliny, you drop everything and you drink it.
Which brings us to Sunday. I had given my friend Tony media passes to a Craft Beer festival I
couldn't attend. I only asked that he bring by some Pliny
that he obtained on a recent trip to California. He arrived Sunday afternoon
with a cold bottle and we split it on the spot. Pliny mixes bitter and citrus
flavors better than pretty much every beer that tries. It smells delicious. It
tastes delicious. It has an incredibly smooth finish. In a way, it’s good that
it’s not widely available because it might ruin everything else. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Tuesday – </b><i>Spotted Cow, </i><b>New Glarus Brewing </b><i>(Cream Ale
4.8%) – </i>Much like Pliny, this beer is tough to find. It’s only available in
Wisconsin where it practically comes out of the faucet in most people’s
kitchens. A Manhattan bar owner used to
haul truckloads of it to New York, but he got busted. It’s become sort of a
cult favorite among Wisconsinites and Green Bay Packer fans. Truth be told, I
only love it because I can’t have it. I know a guy (thanks Jeremy!) who can get
some every now and then. It’s a cream
ale and a fine one at that, but how fine can you really get with a cream ale? When
it comes to overall quality, this is by far the lowest beer on this week’s list.
But it’s one of my favorites to drink.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>On tap next week</b>:
Another rare cult favorite. Will it live up to the hype?<o:p></o:p></div>
jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-12715433720666355912015-02-18T14:45:00.005-08:002015-02-18T14:45:56.876-08:0040 Beers for 40 Nights: A Lenten Sacrifice <div class="MsoNormal">
My wife will tell you that I get a bit cynical about
religious traditions that aren’t found in the bible (and even some that are). I
grew up Catholic and as a kid I just
assumed Jesus told his followers that eating meat on Friday guaranteed eternal
damnation. After years of fish sticks, I was surprised to learn that this is
not even remotely true. Hell’s gates are in fact, not lined with those who
ordered the Big Mac instead of the Filet O’ Fish on Friday. This is not the
only part of my Catholic upbringing that made me the slightly-cynical,
guilt-ridden man I am today, but that is another topic for another time.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When I was in Catholic School, I gave up something for Lent every
year. I particularly recall giving up popcorn one year. Every time we ate
popcorn at home I would instead eat Doritos. It was a real sacrifice and one of
the reasons I was the fat kid in middle school. But, most years I did really
give up something I couldn't replace with a pungent corn chip. Then, the meat
lie came to light and had a direct impact on my view of Lent. In college I
started giving up things like self-control, meth, church and re-runs of “Let’s
Make a Deal.” College kids are hilarious.</div>
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<br />
I've let the tradition slide for the past few years, but decided to bring it
back this year. However, instead of mocking the actual tradition of Lenten sacrifice
which is a cruel and immature thing to do - I realize this now – I’m going to
make a fun challenge out if it that forces me to actually write something every
week. I’m calling it “40 Beers for 40 Nights” or “Giving Up Not Drinking a New
Potentially Delicious Beer Every Night”. Here’s how it will work: It’s quite
simple. Every night I will drink a different beer. Generally just one beer. On
a Friday, Saturday or following particularly stressful evening, perhaps more
but only one counts. I will chronicle the beers at the end of each week and
hopefully pass along some insightful opinions as to what’s good and what’s just
more expensive Bud Light with a pretty label. Either that, or I will come off
sounding like a total beer-jerk hipster.
Hey, I have a beard now. This is the next logical step. The majority of
the beers will be brews I’ve never tried before, but I’ll throw in some old
favorites as well. I’ll do my best to get beers that aren’t ridiculously easy
to procure. For example, today I bought four different kinds of beer only sold in Vermont from a guy
I met on Craigslist. He did not murder or even rob me so the gamble paid off. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q2irX4uLwKg/VOUVfHM0MbI/AAAAAAAAA78/q-E8z35vSlg/s1600/beer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q2irX4uLwKg/VOUVfHM0MbI/AAAAAAAAA78/q-E8z35vSlg/s1600/beer.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beers I bought from a guy on Craigslist who didn't kill or rob me.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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But wait! This a running blog.Yeah, whatever. I’m training
for the Vermont City Marathon. This is part of the carbo-loading. If anything
non-beer related and noteworthy happens while I’m out there doing endless laps
of Central Park, I’ll let you know.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But wait! You have a pregnant wife at home. You can’t be
sitting drinking delicious beer while she stares longingly at your frothy
beverage! Not a problem. Lauren completely supports this plan. Originally, it
called for me to go to a particular Manhattan bar every night on the way home from
the office and work my way through their extensive menu. I modified the plan
when I realized that going to a bar alone at midnight every night is sad,
time-consuming, expensive and requires me to have my pants on well past my
normal pants-removal deadline. I’ll be drinking the beer at home well after she
goes to bed. I’m not sure if drinking at home alone, pantless watching Seinfeld
re-runs in the dark is any less-pathetic than the bar scenario, but it sounds
better to me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">First beer goes down tonight. </span>jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-75097922344347847222015-01-01T12:52:00.002-08:002015-01-01T12:57:24.058-08:002014 Running<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lGZtAADn6so/VKWzXDk2saI/AAAAAAAAA5U/kIHm7u4fbxQ/s1600/10171902_10154039149100398_7094892307739622333_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lGZtAADn6so/VKWzXDk2saI/AAAAAAAAA5U/kIHm7u4fbxQ/s1600/10171902_10154039149100398_7094892307739622333_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Miles:</b> 2,979.1 (3,070.2 in 2013)<br />
<b>Days Run:</b> 315<br />
<b>Races:</b> 15<br />
<b>Injuries:</b> 2<br />
<b>Countries Run In:</b> 2<br />
<b>States Run In:</b> 8<br />
<b>PRs:</b> 0<br />
<b>Best Race:</b> USATF Club Cross Country Nationals<br />
<b>Worst Race:</b> Rock n' Roll Philly Half<br />
<b>Best Memory:</b> Running the Boston Marathon with no goal but to have fun and having more fun than I could have ever imagined.<br />
<b>Worst Memory:</b> Getting shoved at the beginning of a 5K in the Bronx and riding the subway home a bloody mess.<br />
<b>Goals for 2015: </b>PR at Rutgers Half Marathon and Vermont City Marathon. Master the baby jogger.jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-68348558613597101282015-01-01T12:13:00.002-08:002015-01-01T12:33:20.083-08:00Beard to Baby 2015<div class="MsoNormal">
This morning, I put away my razor, tossed out my shaving
cream and took my electric shaver off the charger. I won’t need them until the
summer.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today begins what I am dubbing “Beard to Baby”. I am vowing not
to shave until our first child is born on or around June 28, 2015. I’m starting
with a clean slate. Just last night, before heading out for New Year’s revelry
(specifically, a lovely dinner and a beer with friends), I shaved the
carefully-groomed, perma-stubble that Gawker once referred to as the <a href="http://gawker.com/carefully-groomed-stubble-is-a-mark-of-low-moral-charac-1648477161">markof a low moral character</a>. <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Today is the first
day my face has been completely clean-shaven in a year-and-a-half. Sadly, I was
not carded for buying beer this morning. So that theory is out the window. I
guess I’m just old now. </span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Why am I doing this? I like to contribute. Physically, there
is very little I can contribute to pregnancy at this stage of the game. Sure, I can pick up the slack
around the house, be extra attentive to Lauren’s needs, go out of my way to
make sure she is comfortable, etc. and of course, I plan to do all those
things. But, the reality is while she is dealing with nausea, exhaustion and
bloating, quite frankly, I feel fantastic. That doesn't seem fair. Obviously, a
scratchy beard does not even come close to carrying a child. I’m not trying to
pretend it does. However, it will leave me somewhat uncomfortable over the next
six months thus allowing for at least minimal commiseration in the Holder
household.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d3rzOD6hg0k/VKWqCGlJNTI/AAAAAAAAA5E/1yK3FPJNOiQ/s1600/1982329_10100459192092445_1168036097_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d3rzOD6hg0k/VKWqCGlJNTI/AAAAAAAAA5E/1yK3FPJNOiQ/s1600/1982329_10100459192092445_1168036097_n.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last beard. Speaking to students at SUNY Oswego. In the academic world, beard = wisdom,</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
The bearded among you will say, “having a beard is awesome!” Not for me. I
attempted “Beards to Boston” last year and hated every second of it. When I got
injured and couldn't resume training, shaving that stringy, red hair off my
face was the only upside to dropping the dream. This time around I’ll again be training for a marathon (Vermont City on May 24th) but the beard doesn't go away
after the race.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m not a beard guy. So,
if you’re a hipster, lumbersexual, truck driver, wizard or any other veteran
wearer of facial hair, I’d appreciate any beard tips. As you can see, I have a
long way to go…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-di_ln5Y8tCo/VKWp7k1u5fI/AAAAAAAAA48/47rwSHwDJqY/s1600/IMG_2957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-di_ln5Y8tCo/VKWp7k1u5fI/AAAAAAAAA48/47rwSHwDJqY/s1600/IMG_2957.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 1</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-24066812342835033132014-12-24T14:00:00.002-08:002014-12-24T17:20:15.615-08:00'Twas the Night Before Christmas - In the Newsroom <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--8NJyB4Vthg/VJs3KIlA5hI/AAAAAAAAA4g/d-ter7age_0/s1600/newstruck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--8NJyB4Vthg/VJs3KIlA5hI/AAAAAAAAA4g/d-ter7age_0/s1600/newstruck.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(<i>A little something I wrote about working in the newsroom on Christmas Eve)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the
newsroom</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
We were fishing for stories, absent of doom & gloom<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The reporters were preparing their pieces with care<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In hopes of a looklive so they could get out of there.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The anchors reading their scripts in their best Christmas
reds<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While visions of spiked egg nog danced in their heads.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The assignment editor in his jeans, and the producer in his sweater<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Were planning a night of leading with weather.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When out of the scanner, there arose such a clatter<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They sprang from their desks to hear all the chatter<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Quickly to twitter, they flew like a flash<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To check for pictures of what was apparently a big crash.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The reports sounded bad, blaming it on the snow.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They looked at each other and said “Josh should go”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He and his photog grabbed their gear<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And hopped into the livetruck and adjusted the mirrors.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The photog, he had a beard like St. Nick<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And with his driving skills, they’d get there quick.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To Brooklyn they were headed, they’d take the Belt.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This was the fastest route to Bay Ridge everyone felt. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Down to Columbus! <b>66<sup>th</sup>!<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The West Side Highway to the Tunnel!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Down 478 Up 278! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Check that seat buckle!<br />
To the scene of the crash<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just past the police lights.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Get video, get sound <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For your package tonight!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The crash scene was hectic, “talk to me!” someone did cry<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Perhaps they could get sound from this random guy?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Over to the eyewitness they did make their way.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A camera and a microphone to record what he had to say.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He started to talk and it became very clear<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This man has had way too much beer.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
His words made no sense, he started to curse<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As far as MOS goes, it could not have been worse.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He wore a tight ugly sweater, and a hat like Cousin Eddie<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
His plump wife stood beside him donning only a teddy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A six pack of Coors he had in a sack<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And as we interviewed him, he began to knock them back.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
His eyes were glazed over. His nose and cheeks rosey red.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
His breath smelled like a brewery with every word he said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
His mouth dripped with drool and he slurred his speech<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Every now and then he let out a screech.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He pulled out a cigarette and tucked it between his teeth.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So much smoke our crew couldn’t breathe.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
His expression went blank, and he looked at his tummy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“All the sudden,” he said “I’m starting to feel funny.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Off to the bushes he ran to empty his belly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is no way we are putting this guy on the telly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He winked his eyes, twisted his head.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Soon he let them know it was probably time for bed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Back at the crash scene, there was a police spokesman<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No serious injuries, just a couple bones were broken<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A lead story this wasn't and for that all were glad<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On Christmas Eve no one wants the news to be sad.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Back to the live truck they walked back together<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It looked like the show would indeed lead with weather.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As they pulled back into the station the show came to an
end.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s our newscast tonight! Thanks for tuning in!</div>
<o:p></o:p>jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-86302503399944274082014-10-31T09:10:00.002-07:002014-10-31T09:10:44.772-07:00How Not To Recover From a Hard Race By Someone Who Should Know Better<div class="MsoNormal">
I hadn’t even arrived in Philadelphia for the
Philly Half last month before I started formulating a plan B. With a
less than favorable weather forecast and a calf injury that had
sidelined me for most of the week, I was preparing for the possibility
that the race might not accurately reflect my training and more
importantly make me happy. On that train ride from New York, I shot an
email to a contact at Runners World to ask about the Runners World Half
Marathon festival in late October. I had wanted to run this race since
its inception three years ago and its proximity and affordability made
it the best choice. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
I
was not disappointed. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is a beautiful town and
the race was superbly well-organized. Despite being the biggest running
publication in the country, Runners World puts on a race that maintains
the feel of a local community event while providing all the important
amenities of a major corporate event. The race itself is a challenge. My
goal was to run faster than I did at Philly and cross the finish line
feeling happy. Jason had come with me and we decided to run 5:25s-5:35s
right out of the gate. This pace came easy as we worked with a pack of
three other runners through the early miles. Bart Yasso lead us all on
the bike. The rolling hills kept the pace honest and when we hit the
first big hill at mile six, Jason and I were able to open a large gap on
the rest of the field – or so I thought. There were some serious climbs
after this point in the race. 15-20mph wind gusts added to the
difficulty of the climb. Around mile 8, a monster hill took me by
surprise and drained a substantial amount of my energy. A runner who had
not been in our early lead pack was able to pass us easily here and he
never looked back going on to win the race.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I ended up in fourth place after being passed in
the final mile by a runner I should have been able to hang with. Still, I
was more content with the race than I was disappointed. Sure, the time
was not a personal best and I missed the podium, but I went for it early
on a very tough course and unfortunately couldn’t hold on as long as
I’d hoped. The effort and the experience were far better than Philly and
that was the primary goal. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
What
I should have done next was shut it down and take some time off. I had
run two half-marathons in a month. Even if Philly was a disaster, it
was still the best effort I could give on that day and with the conditions, probably much harder than
my finishing time would indicate. That’s not what I did. By
Thursday, my legs were still a little heavy but that didn’t stop me from
hopping into a workout of ten all-out 200s. Speed is not my strength.
Some people say, “you just have to keep working at it.” This is not
true. I will never be a sprinter. Ever. And I’m cool with that. So, ten
30 second 200s is a lot to ask from my legs. I knew before the workout
was even over that I would pay the price the next day. I underestimated
how high that price would be. <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1241713260" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday</span></span> morning I could hardly walk. I did a five mile run in the park at a pace that was slower than a shuffle. Dog walkers were passing me with ease. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AYWAIEgnfdc/VFO0UnkkIUI/AAAAAAAAA2w/rsFBOv4deCc/s1600/10671400_10100653826767995_2314141360227798273_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AYWAIEgnfdc/VFO0UnkkIUI/AAAAAAAAA2w/rsFBOv4deCc/s1600/10671400_10100653826767995_2314141360227798273_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Less running, more football on the couch with the loves of my life. That's a damn good way to spend a down week.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I was glad I have an elevator when I got home from that run.
When I got to our 8th floor apartment, Pepper, who had not gone for a
run, wanted to play. I took off my shoes and obliged. It started as me
throwing her stuffed monkey down our long hallway, but after she brought
it back the third time I was too lazy and sore to bend over anymore.
So, I resorted to kicking it down the hall. As my foot connected with
the monkey me heel left the ground and I suddenly found myself in the
air. I braced for what was coming but the impact was still hard
and painful. I landed directly on my tailbone just above the area that
was already horribly sore. Pepper thought this was an extension of the
game and came over to wrestle as I winced in pain and cursed to hold
back the tears. I was down for awhile wondering if I had broken
anything. I was able to get back up without any searing pain so I
figured I was just going to be dealing with a nasty bruise.<br />
<br />
That
tailbone pain made up for any hamstring pain that had dissipated on
Saturday and I gritted out a slow 45 minutes. At this point, I probably
should have cut my losses and bagged plans to run the Poland Spring
Marathon Kickoff 5 Miler the next morning. But I didn't. I had another
opportunity to pull the plug when I woke up Sunday feeling like someone
had hit the back of my legs with a crowbar. I should have crawled back into bed. But I didn't. I won't recap
how the race went, but the synopsis is: Not well. When you can't walk
comfortably, running 5:20s is not an option. I suffered through the
first two miles then cut my losses and survived the final three.<br />
<br />
And
I haven't run since. I may not be able to take a hint, but I can take
three hints. This week has been a great week for a break. Ironically,
the week leading up to the New York City Marathon is not at all
conducive to any quality running for me. Rather than run a bunch of junk
miles on no sleep, I'm running no miles and trying to be as well rested
as I can during a fairly intense stretch of time. Today is the first
day I've really felt ready to run again. I'm usually itching to get out
the door after one day so that's a pretty affirming sign that the
mini-break was needed. Sunday, I'll get in some light jogging while
watching the biggest marathon in the world run through my city. Monday,
the training starts for Cross Country Nationals. jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-34515832646414326862014-09-23T15:21:00.001-07:002014-09-23T15:43:38.994-07:00The Philly Half Was Kind of Crappy <div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes in a race, especially a longer race, you know in
the first few steps that it’s not your day. I knew before I had even run a half
mile of the Rock and Roll Philly Half on Sunday that I was already walking a
fine line between feeling bad and being downright miserable. From that point
on, the goal was to stay on the “bad” side of the line for as long as possible.
That would end up being about seven miles. But more on that in a second.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
First, let’s talk about the week leading up to the race. I spent the weekend in Charlotte where on
Saturday, I ran in a new pair of shoes (rookie mistake) that left me sore and
blistered after a 9 mile loop. Sunday, I did a 5 mile progression (6:00-5:20)
where I struggled to stay upright on sections of very slick boardwalk. I was
probably being overly and unnecessarily cautious <a href="http://thejauntingjournalist.blogspot.com/2014/05/greatest-hits.html">as
I have a history of falling down</a>. I didn’t think anything of the combo of
minor issues until Tuesday when I did my final workout for the race (1.5 miles
@ 7:50, 4x800 @ 2:30) and had to stretch my calf between every interval. By the
cool down it was obvious I had a calf strain – minor, but needing TLC. I spent
the next three days not running a step or doing anything for that matter
besides icing, eating handfuls of arnica and massaging the sore muscle. I tried
to convince myself that I wasn’t losing any fitness (I wasn’t), but mentally it’s
very unsettling to take three days off leading up to a goal race. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As this all unfolded, the forecast for Sunday got worse by
the day. By Saturday morning, it was clear that race time would be soupy to say
the least. This concerned me because in the past, <a href="http://thejauntingjournalist.blogspot.com/2012/04/man-vs-nature-boston-marathon-edition.html">I’ve
survived heat</a> but <a href="http://thejauntingjournalist.blogspot.com/2011_09_01_archive.html">crumbled
in the humidity</a>. Terry and I talked on the phone before I got on the train
to Philadelphia. We decided I would not race if the calf was still an issue on
the afternoon shakeout run, but the weather alone would not be enough reason to
pull the plug. After all, not every race can be ideal conditions. Terry thought
based on recent workouts (including a very tough/satisfying 2x5 mile @ 5:26
pace) I was capable of running 1:12 or a little faster on a good day. Seeing as
how this was not going to be a good day the thought was 1:13-1:14. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Saturday in Philadelphia was warm, but pleasant. My first
run in three days felt fine if a little rusty, but my calf was probably 85%
which for me was good enough to race. I did my best to not think about the
unexpected time off and instead just think of it as a very good taper and do
everything I would normally do the night before a big race. There was an ice
bath, a giant bottle of water mixed with Nuun, stretching, obligatory race kit
photo for Instagram, sushi dinner and a beer. Race morning started with coffee,
quinoa waffles and peanut butter then a jog from the hotel to the starting
line. I decided to leave my Garmin in the hotel and run on feel. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The air was indisputably thick as we waited in the corral. During
a shoot with Kara Goucher a few weeks prior to the race we talked about running
the first half of the race together (to be completely honest, I am not entirely
sure how serious of a plan this was). Either way, I bagged the idea at the line
knowing that my humidity history was poor and she is an Olympian capable of
adapting much better than I am. When the horn sounded we went out in a nice
pack, rolling through the first mile in 5:20. It was a bit fast, but to be
expected on this course. From there I settled into 5:30 pace (1:12 on the nose)
but it didn’t feel easy. I knew that I couldn’t hold on for 13 miles unless I
clicked into a rhythm and when that didn’t happen by the 4<sup>th</sup> mile it
was obvious it was only a matter of time before a blow-up. I figured in the best case scenario I hold on
for 10 and see what happens. In my mind the only option was to go for it. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zLKgrejFmno/VCHybBezGDI/AAAAAAAAA1k/B8AUiYpYisI/s1600/phillyhalf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zLKgrejFmno/VCHybBezGDI/AAAAAAAAA1k/B8AUiYpYisI/s1600/phillyhalf.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
That brings us to mile 7. Having gone through the 10k at 34:20
which is still right around 1:12, I was starting to struggle. I was running
with Greg Cass from CPTC and decided to just stick with him as long as I could.
Without a Garmin, I had no clue what pace we were going. It still felt like
5:30, so I was shocked to see 5:40-something at the next mile. The miles got
increasingly slower and dangerously close to 6:00 but never any easier.
Dropping out crossed my mind, but I resisted the temptation. Besides, I wasn’t
really sure where I would go if I did quit. It seemed like the best way to get
to the finish line was to just keep running there although what I was doing was
starting to look less like running and more like self-torture. I stayed with
Greg for five more miles during which we would occasionally share a brief
exchange about how miserable we were. At mile 12, I had nothing left. I slowed
dramatically and felt like it was going to take everything I had just to
finish. Greg and two women pulled away and I knew barring some burst of
non-existent energy, I was going to run much slower than the very bottom of the
range I had expected to run. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1:15:29 is that time. I don’t like it, but I like it better
than DNF. I’m not sure what I learned during the experience other than more
proof that I can’t handle humidity. But I am happy and surprised not to be too
upset about it in the grand scheme of things. Sure, I’m bummed to have spent an
entire summer targeting a race that ended up being a dud. However, I don’t
think the race is any indication of lack of fitness, preparation, aging, etc.
It was just a bad race. I know this wouldn’t be my attitude three years ago. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
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The big picture is that I really enjoyed training this summer, ran some workouts I was proud of and got into the best shape I
have been in since 2012. After a year of trying and failing, I have finally figured out how to maximize training quality with an odd work and sleep schedule. This race was not my chance to capitalize on that, but
the window hasn't closed. I’m 3 days shy of 31 and that’s still plenty young to
pull down some PRs.<o:p></o:p></div>
jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-30469388282846018922014-09-09T18:46:00.001-07:002014-09-09T18:46:33.609-07:00The Rules of Running in New York City <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IJGWcwXMLo4/VA-svUydSXI/AAAAAAAAA1E/rM0uNrxfN8A/s1600/hUDSONRIVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IJGWcwXMLo4/VA-svUydSXI/AAAAAAAAA1E/rM0uNrxfN8A/s1600/hUDSONRIVER.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I took this picture during a run. In general, don't take pictures when you're running</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I have lived in New York for more than three years now and
by my off-the-top-of-my-head estimation, I have run somewhere in the ballpark
of 10 million miles in Manhattan’s two places to run: Central Park and the West
Side Highway. During that time, I have
evolved from a quiet, polite guy who says “excuse me” and stops so tourists can
take pictures of street performers, foliage, hobos, etc. to screaming obscenities
at tourists, running into them if they don’t move and under no circumstances stopping,
changing course or delaying my spitting/snot-rocketing for their stupid
pictures. Honestly, I’m not sure how I’m
not still standing on the Bridle Path waiting for the 300th picture of everyone
gathered around the reservoir (“Take it again!
I blinked!”). But, I was naïve then.
I didn’t know that if you want to run in New York, you have to run with balls, you
have to run selfishly and you have to run with hyper-awareness of your
surroundings. This past weekend, as I raced – and beat -- a bus with “Pippin”
painted on the side of it across a driveway on the West Side Highway, I
realized I had made the complete transition. And you know me. I'm a stickler for rules (that I make up. Not anyone else's). So, now I am ready to pass on to you, the rules (Version 1) of running
in New York City.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>You can’t run on city
streets</b> – People always ask, “Where do you run?” “Is it cool to see all the buildings?” “How do you deal with the crowds?” As I said above, there are two places to run
in Manhattan: Central Park and the West Side Highway. You can try to run on city streets, but you
will find yourself stopping approximately every four feet for large crowds of
people, stoplights or food vendors. You
also run the very high risk of falling into the concrete basement of a bar. If
you try to run in the bike lane you will be hit by a bike, car or street
sweeper depending on the time of day.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>You can run over the
Brooklyn Bridge</b> – As long as you do it before 8am. If you try to run over the Brooklyn Bridge
after this time you will get sucked into a large crowd of tourists and it will
take you no less than three hours to get to the other side. Also note, there is a running lane and a
biking lane on the bridge. Do not run in the biking lane. You will get run
over. The cyclist may not even ring the bell. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>You can run on the
bike path on the West Side Highway </b> -- Unlike the Brooklyn Bridge, you can run in
the designated bike lane on the West Side Highway. Ignore the giant sign that
tells you to run on the sidewalk portion adjacent to the river. Will some
cyclists yell at you? Sure, but it’s better than tripping over a bench and/or
someone walking their dog. The bike path is wide enough for everyone. Just be polite and run to the side. Also, look out for golf carts.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Your life is worth
less than a cab fare – </b>Cab drivers won’t stop for you. If you run out in front of a cab thinking the
driver is going to stop, your next step is going to be through pearly or fiery
gates. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>You can drink out of
the water fountains in Central Park </b>– Do raccoons, squirrels and possibly
people pee in them? Probably. But, I nor anyone I know has ever gotten dysentery
from drinking out of them and it beats strapping on a fuel belt. Don’t strap on a fuel belt. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bathrooms are not
easy to find</b> – You can’t just run into the gas station when disaster
strikes. Sometimes the nearest bathroom is mile away. Sometimes it’s two. Sometimes
making it to that bathroom is not an option. I’ve done some things I’m not
proud of in Central Park and I’m sorry. That said, I know where every single
bathroom is in those 843 acres and I know the quickest way to get there. They
are not always open. Rushing to a bathroom to be greeted by a locked door is
one hundred times worse than going through the subway turnstile as the train
doors close. At least in that case there
will be another train. A locked bathroom
means a trip to the woods. Now, if an emergency strikes on the West Side
Highway and you aren’t close to a bathroom, I don’t know what to tell you.
Fortunately, it has never happened to me. If I had to take a guess at your best
bet, I’d say it would be hanging over the railing into the Hudson River.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>You can’t smoke in
NYC Parks </b>– It’s illegal. I will not hesitate to inform those I see/smell engaging
in the habit. I implore you to do the same.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
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<b>Never leave without a
metro card and a $5 – </b>A lot of stuff can happen and you might need to get
home. You might not be able to run there. Maybe you run into some friends and
they want to grab a beer when you’re done. Maybe you break your ankle. No matter where you are, a subway is always
within walking (or hobbling) distance. Be prepared. What’s the $5 for? It’s for the coffee or the beer. Wait, it’s
New York. Better make it $10.<o:p></o:p></div>
jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-46341804011988868662014-09-08T11:45:00.000-07:002014-09-08T13:42:53.884-07:00Philadelphia Half Marathon Training: Week 8This week was a lesson in adjusting. If you have never tried to run with a half-head, half-chest cold in the dog days of summer, I hope it's an experience you never have to endure. This might not have been the worst cold I have ever had, but it was certainly the most stubborn and persistent. By my count it lasted for 10 days. During those 10 days breathing, sleeping and therefore running were all exponentially more difficult than they would have been had I been healthy. Still, I have a tough time accepting these factors are the reasons runs go poorly and wind up getting discouraged after a bad workout blaming my fitness as opposed to poor health and a dew point of 72 degrees (See Tuesday). The summary for those who don't want to keep reading (and I can't blame you) is that this week picked up where last week left off (terrible) but finished on a high and reassuring note.<br />
<br />
<b>Monday: </b>30 minutes of core. With friends still in town for a bachelor party and the cold still depleting my energy, I thought it would be better to take the rest day earlier in the week instead of later.<br />
<br />
<b>Tuesday: </b>The plan called for 8X800 @ 2:32-2:36 with 300m (90 second) jog rest. My health and the oppressive conditions at 10am when I set out should have been a signal to adjust expectations significantly and be OK with it, but that is not my strong point. It was 88 degrees with a dew point of 72 which is downright soupy. The workout started out tough and steadily slid into misery. I was hitting the targets for the first set of four, but then the heat combined with cold medication started to mess with my stomach and the second set was disastrous. I forced myself to finish but by the final interval I was barely moving. Six-days removed from the workout, it's actually pretty impressive that I didn't drop out or run even slower given all the issues, but that's not what I was thinking last Tuesday. The combination of this week's effort combined with last week's failed attempted at two mile repeats left me questioning my preparedness and caused me to seriously re-evaluate the remainder of my week in order to expedite recovery from the cold. In particular, I was signed up for the Autism Speaks 4 Mile race in Central Park Saturday morning. Terry and I decided that unless weather conditions were perfect, it might not be worth jeopardizing the main objective (Philly Half). I figured I would decide by Thursday when the forecast would be more reliable.<br />
<br />
<b>Wednesday: </b>9 miles on the Central Park Bridle Path. This was the first adjustment to the week's schedule. It was supposed to be a 90-95 minute medium long run, but was scaled back to an abbreviated and very easy effort.<br />
<br />
<b>Thursday: </b>10 miles in Central Park. Today was the first day since we were in Idaho I felt like my body actually wanted to be running. Before heading out, I looked at Saturday's forecast and saw it was supposed to be worse than Tuesday. That was enough to finalize the decision to not race Saturday and add a couple of miles to today's run.<br />
<br />
<b>Friday: </b>7 miles in Central Park, 8x20 second strides. This was a rare Friday evening run in Central Park as the sun was setting. Beautiful.<br />
<br />
<b>Saturday: </b>12 mile death march on the West Side Highway. I woke up to a text from Thomas who said the 4 miler was one of the hardest races he'd ever run. Other recaps and posts by experienced runners expressed similar sentiments. It made me pretty satisfied with my decision to sit this one out. I stayed in bed a little later hoping storms would roll in and burn off the humidity. They did not. In fact, when I started running at 10:50 it was comically humid. I ran as easy as I could for 90 minutes and by the time I was done I looked like I had stood in a car wash for an hour and a half -- minus the soap. I think the shirt, shorts and shoes I was wearing are still wet. 30 minutes of core in the evening.<br />
<br />
<b>Sunday: </b>16 miles with a 7 mile wave tempo (5:20-5:25/5:50-5:55). Today was the polar opposite of yesterday. Anyone could have run fast in this weather. It was in the high 60s with 0% humidity when I set out on the West Side Highway just before 10am. There was a Race for the Cure in Central Park, so I knew the highway would be packed with the non-race runners/walkers. It was. On the four-mile warmup, I had to dodge bikes and large packs of runners, but fortunately when the workout started the obstacles were limited. The plan was to alternate between 5:30 and 6:00 for seven miles. I ended up going a little faster which I attribute to my body's relief after days of running in the humidity. On the second faster mile, a guy crossed the path with his head buried in his phone. I started yelling to let him know I was coming. His response was to stop directly in front of me almost causing me to crash into him. Of course, he blamed me for his failure to observe his surroundings. That's the kind of behavior that gets you mowed down by a taxi in this city. Miles for this workout: 5:21, 5:52, 5:21, 5:51, 5:22, 5:55, 5:23.<br />
<br />
<b>Total Weekly Mileage</b>: 66<br />
<br />
<b>Beer of the Week:</b><br />
<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BYkA8kabhoM/VA4UxI1CtVI/AAAAAAAAA00/Yoyo7D1PzFY/s1600/IMG_7426.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BYkA8kabhoM/VA4UxI1CtVI/AAAAAAAAA00/Yoyo7D1PzFY/s1600/IMG_7426.jpeg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
I really wanted to like the two Harlem beers I tried this week. Harlem Renaissance Wit had a funky aftertaste. Sugar Hill Golden Ale was just OK. As I have in the past, I turned to Oregon for help. I've had my eye on Full Sail's Session Lage for a long time. I think it's the cute bottles. I finally picked up a six pack this weekend. Session is a refreshing summer-time beer without being a summer ale. It's a true lager with almost a sweet taste, not at all heavy and at 11 ounces a bottle, great if you don't want too much to drink.<br />
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<br />jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-37384374044708531832014-09-01T14:17:00.001-07:002014-09-01T14:17:46.284-07:00Philadelphia Half Marathon Training: Week 7August has thrown me some curve balls. Two weeks ago I came down with what I can only describe as food poisoning. This week, I struggled to overcome a cold that gradually progressed from a three-day sore throat to an all-out summer sniffler. I have a high tolerance for pain, but no tolerance for discomfort. This was discomfort at its most uncomfortable. I spent the week as a whining, complaining, snotty mess. Without the kind of cold medications meth addicts use, I couldn't sleep but the drugs made my heart race and that kept me up too. At press time, the cold appears to be on its last legs after seven long days. All that is left is a wad of mucus that refuses to dislodge from my throat and a bit of lingering fatigue from a week of poor-quality sleep. With three weeks left until the race, I can't afford any more obstacles. <br />
<br />
<b>Monday -- </b>8.3 miles with Josh in Central Park. This was the first day I could tell I was on the brink of an illness. I met Josh on the West Side Drive to run together for the first time since the beginning of the summer. 30 minutes of core while watching Seinfeld on my DVR before work.<br />
<br />
<b>Tuesday -- </b>10.3 miles with Josh in Central Park. My throat felt like sandpaper when I woke up this morning, but other than that, I was OK. It was very humid out and I ended up taking the train home to the dismay of the straphangers who had to share a car with me. After getting home, I remembered I was supposed to do strides today. I need to start tying a string around my finger to remind me to actually do them.<br />
<br />
<b>Wednesday -- </b>Workout Fail. I had 4x2 miles on my calendar and failed to complete it for a number of factors; 50% of which were my fault. Here's what I did wrong: Moved the workout from the flat track or the West Side Highway to the lower loop of Central Park. I was under the false belief that the downhills would make up for the uphills and failed to adjust goal times to account for aforementioned hills and oppressive humidity. Terry later mentioned that I could have easily started the intervals 10 seconds slower (Five seconds for the hills and five for the humidity) and would have likely completed the workout as opposed to bailing on the first mile of the third repeat. The mounting effects of a cold on my breathing were also a slight factor. I was fortunate to have Jason and Josh's company for this effort. Sticking with Jason who is faster than me for the first repeat should have been an immediate indication that I was pushing too hard too soon. The end result ended up being 10:56 for the first set, 10:46 for the second, a 5:25 mile and then an afternoon of regret and self-doubt.<br />
<br />
<b>Thursday -- </b>13.5 miles on the West Side Highway. I took a sick day from work today to make sure I didn't have strep throat. I spent most of the day in bed alternating between reading and sleeping. I did numerous Google searches on running with a cold only to find the same information I find every other time I have had a cold. The general rule is "above the neck go ahead, below the neck stay in bed." Historically, running has sped up my recovery from colds. Late in the evening, I ended up getting in a fairly brisk medium long run along the Hudson and feeling much better after breathing in fresh air.<br />
<br />
<b>Friday -- </b>8.5 miles in Central Park. Somehow I woke up feeling worse this morning and slogged through a run on the Bridle Path through a haze of cold medication. I kept the pace and effort laughably easy as I couldn't afford to have another soul-crushing workout tomorrow. Oh, and I remembered to do strides!<br />
<br />
<b>Saturday -- </b>18 mile run with a 10 mile Marathon Pace Run on the West Side Highway. Oh, how far gone are the days of being able to wake up with the sunrise and set out for a run before the city awakes. After working the night shift for more than a year, a 6:30am workout is synonymous with "all-nighter". But today I had no choice. The guys were coming into town in the mid-morning for a weekend-long bachelor party and I wanted to have the tough workout well out of the way by then. Also, <a href="http://sarahrunsthecity.wordpress.com/">Sarah </a>and I had similar workouts and were able to link up for the first time in who knows how long. When I rolled out of bed from six hours of staring at the ceiling and cursing my cold, I skipped the pre-run stretching and replaced it with pre-run netty pot, zicam and intense nose blowing. I shoveled a <a href="http://pickybars.com/">Picky Bar</a> down my throat and guzzled a cup of coffee as I waited for the elevator. This would end up being a bad idea. I felt surprisingly decent as I ran to meet Sarah in Riverside Park. As we settled into the prescribed pace, 5:50 came easy. Too easy actually. We were a little quick through the first mile before dialing it back. Around 3 miles into the tempo, I was reminded of my late breakfast. I hoped it would be a brief reminder; a nudge maybe, but it was not. A half-mile later, I had to make a pit stop in a conveniently-located bus terminal. With the precision of a NASCAR pit crew, I took care of what needed to be taken care of and then sped back down pit road settling right back into the pace. It was discouraging to have to stop mid-workout, but as Sarah said when we met back up, it's good practice for the unexpected. All things considered, the workout was a success with the splits being: <span style="background-color: white;">5:45, 5:52, 5:53, 5:47 (pit stop), 5:46, 5:50 (back w/ Sarah), 5:52, 5:47, 5:45, 5:42. I have been questioning my decision not to do an extra two miles for a total of 12. I think I could have handled it, but I ran out of real estate on the West Side Highway and I thought it might be a good idea to remain conservative while using so much energy to fight the cold. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><b>Sunday -- </b>6 miles with Jesse in Central Park. I'll be honest. Most of my "hydrating" yesterday was with beer. I know it was the wrong thing to do, but it was after all, a bachelor party. While the pace of the consumption was slow and steady, the day was long and despite never being overly intoxicated and chasing every drink with water, I woke up with a pretty wicked hangover. Oddly, this six mile run on the Bridle Path was the best I felt all day. That's probably because it was oppressively humid and I sweat out the worst of the toxins. I had the option to take today off, but I always enjoy getting in some miles with Jesse and logistically, it will probably be better to take tomorrow off. The hangover stuck around for the rest of the day and I did all I could to stay hydrated. My cold however, seems to be dissipating and perhaps tomorrow's day off will be its death knoll.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">Total Weekly Mileage: 78.4 (most since February)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">Beer of the Week:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Empire White Aphro</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sssbqzi74pY/VATgult2DEI/AAAAAAAAA0A/Bl2dEOMuujI/s1600/EmpireAphro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sssbqzi74pY/VATgult2DEI/AAAAAAAAA0A/Bl2dEOMuujI/s1600/EmpireAphro.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">I have fond memories of times spent at the Empire Brewing Company in Syracuse, NY. So, when I see its beers on taps, I jump at the chance to go back in time to my early-20s. White Aphro was on tap at the Headless Horseman near Union Square. It's a Wit Ale only available on tap in New York State. The lemon and ginger flavors are pretty pronounced and it drinks a little heavier than its color would lead you to believe, but still very good and a selection you should try if you find it at your local watering hole.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">Next Week: Hold-off on those PSLs! We're in for the hottest, most humid days of the summer! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<br />jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-39299634419880033762014-08-24T20:45:00.002-07:002014-08-24T20:46:31.230-07:00Philadelphia Half Marathon Training: Week 6The amount of running, hiking and biking I did this week may very well have been negated by the amount of delicious dinners, beers and ice cream I consumed. Over the past six days, I definitely took advantage of every aspect of being on vacation in one of the most beautiful, serene and rugged areas of the country. My mind is completely refreshed from shutting off my work phone, leaving the TV off (with the exception of watching "Secret Life of Walter Mitty" which is surprisingly VERY good) and limiting political conversations to one in which virtually all of us agreed with each other in principle. My body on the other hand has been through the ringer. By the end of today's long run, a much needed massage was the only thing separating the final mile and a horrible injury. So, here's the week.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Monday: </b>AM: 8 miles easy in the Targhee National Forest in Alta, Wyoming. Afternoon: Easy 6 mile hike to top of Grand Targhee Ski Resort. PM: 5 miles easy into Driggs and back with Lauren on the bike. 30 minutes of core. This was obviously a solid day of exercise. The two hour time difference is allowing me to keep the same hours as I do at home, but instead of waking up at 9am, it's 7am and my favorite time to run. It's also about 50 degrees in the morning. I'm not feeling the 6400 feet of elevation at all. <br />
<br />
<b>Tuesday: </b>AM: 8 miles easy from Driggs, ID to Alta, WY. Afternoon: 12 mile hike to Devils Staircase in Targhee National Forest. As everyone got ready for a long day of hiking, I ran to the trailhead to get some miles in for the day. That warmed me up well for a five hour hike to approximately 9800 feet and back down. My right foot was a little sore from the uneven terrain, but the pain had subsided by dinner. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iGsK3wdncMI/U_qu6iT0G3I/AAAAAAAAAy8/g64LeG91Kuc/s1600/7373_10100587434328975_8457417198229154755_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iGsK3wdncMI/U_qu6iT0G3I/AAAAAAAAAy8/g64LeG91Kuc/s1600/7373_10100587434328975_8457417198229154755_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just before setting out for 11 miles in Grand Teton National Park</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Wednesday: </b>AM: 5 mile easy hike around Taggart Lake in Grand Teton National Park. Afternoon: 11 miles with 10x30 seconds at 5k effort in Grand Teton National Park, Moose, Wyoming. This was a rave run. I started at Jenny Lake and ran the bike trail 5.5 miles out and back with pickups on the way back. The entire run is alongside Grand Teton and it's two bordering mountains which are nothing less than majestic.<br />
<br />
<b>Thursday: </b>AM: 14 miles up Ski Hill Road starting in Driggs, ID and ending in Alta, Wyoming. Afternoon: 20 mile easy bike ride from Driggs, ID to Victor, ID and back with Lauren. PM: 4 miles in Driggs, ID with Jamie. This was a big day. It was cold and raining when I set out. My intention was to run into town then head back up the mountain throwing in 25-40 minutes of steady state effort along the way. Unfortunately, my legs didn't agree with my plan and it was obvious after one mile of "steady state" that today was not my day. It's also possible that I grossly underestimated how tough of a climb I was facing. After about seven miles of gradual uphill, the road gets very steep and I was working hard to hit 8:15 pace. At mile 11, I turned around and started running downhill, being careful to hold back for the benefit of my quads and IT band. Looking back down at what I had just climbed made me wish I had a camera. Lauren and the car waiting to pick me up were a welcome site. Despite ditching the tempo, I was feeling like a badass about this run. That is until about 20 minutes later when I picked up the local paper at the coffee shop to see a front page article about two mountain runners who run up nine 12,000+ ft mountains in well under a day and a half. After a leisurely bike ride to check out the next town over during which a mulberry thorn popped Lauren's tire, I did an easy shakeout with Jamie which drained every last bit of energy I had left.<br />
<br />
<b>Friday: </b>AM: 4 miles easy in Driggs, ID. Afternoon: 7 mile hike to Wind Cave in Darby Canyon. PM: 5 miles easy in Driggs, ID, 30 minutes of core. Neither run today was notable. I felt sluggish and sore during both and I may have had a pint before the second one which made things interesting. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z8xih7HM4F0/U_qu7SpBUGI/AAAAAAAAAzE/Os9VPNUaW7k/s1600/10403674_10154498560900398_3285422491212354642_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z8xih7HM4F0/U_qu7SpBUGI/AAAAAAAAAzE/Os9VPNUaW7k/s1600/10403674_10154498560900398_3285422491212354642_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In dowtown Jackson, WY. There is elk and bison jerky in the bag</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Saturday: </b>Goose Egg. I intended to get up and run, but it was pouring rain and 45 degrees when I woke up and my sore legs told me it was better to stay in bed and get some extra rest before a long trip back to NYC.<br />
<br />
<b>Sunday: </b>16 miles easy in Prospect Park. This started off as a nice run over the Manhattan Bridge, into Brooklyn and up to Prospect Park. By halfway through, I was counting down the miles. My left leg was sore the entire run and I could not get enough water. Fortunately, the run ended at my <a href="http://lesliemassage.com/master.html">miracle-worker massage therapist's</a> house and an hour of digging seems to have gotten out some of the kinks. <br />
<br />
<br />
Total Weekly Mileage: 75.9 (24 miles of hiking, 20 miles of biking)<br />
Next week: A tough one. <br />
<br />
<b>Beer of the Week:</b><br />
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kkl8m865Ga0/U_qu4uCvkSI/AAAAAAAAAys/-1vn9ZyTn-4/s1600/10502380_10100589346352265_1892485608522821280_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kkl8m865Ga0/U_qu4uCvkSI/AAAAAAAAAys/-1vn9ZyTn-4/s1600/10502380_10100589346352265_1892485608522821280_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beer Flight at Grand Teton Brewing</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To make sure I chose the very best beer available in the wild west, I tried a lot of beers this week. Most of the beers I tried were from Idaho and Wyoming. Grand Teton Brewing Company, which we visited, has an excellent lineup. Favorites included Sheep Eater, a Scotch Ale and Ale 208, a session ale, but I only tried them in a flight (750ml bottles are being shipped to the house as we speak) so I can't name either the beer of the week. Plus, Grand Teton's Amber got the nod last week. I tried a lager from Snake River Brewing which gets good ratings on the internet, but I thought it tasted cheap. Two beers from Victor, ID based Wildlife, a Double Red and an IPA were very refreshing and Harvest Moon's Pigs Ass Porter was really smooth, if not just a bit too bubbly. But it was Pig War, a White IPA from further west -- Portland's Hopworks Urban Brewing that I liked the best. I had never had a white IPA before and if they all taste like this, it's a new favorite style for me. It combines the crispness of an IPA, but replaces the bitter aftertaste with that of a citrus wheat beer. If I weren't driving home from dinner, I would have had several. Unfortunately, none of the beers I just listed are distributed anywhere east of the Rocky Mountains, so it will likely be a while before I get to taste them again.<br />
<span id="goog_1595913366"></span><span id="goog_1595913367"></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DfuMqL1f2hw/U_qv6LaiRxI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/lp6ey0GB78c/s1600/photo(10).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DfuMqL1f2hw/U_qv6LaiRxI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/lp6ey0GB78c/s1600/photo(10).JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Until we meet again, Pig War (Portland friends, feel free to ship this to me)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-2621080370400254442014-08-18T21:53:00.000-07:002014-08-18T21:57:07.493-07:00Philadelphia Half Marathon Training: Week 5This week's update comes to you from Driggs, Idaho where we are vacationing with some of our best friends from Charlotte in the shadow of the Grand Tetons.<br />
<br />
Week 5 started off on the wrong foot but ended on a high note. Sunday night as we walked to Lauren's birthday dinner, I was hit with a sudden wave of nausea. Over the next 48 hours whatever illness I had left me completely dehydrated and drained of energy. Fortunately, it went away as quickly as it came and with adjustments to my training plan, lots of sleep and constant water and electrolytes, I was able to pick up exactly where I left off.<br />
<br />
<b>Monday: </b>6 easy miles in Central Park. Easy is really not appropriate for this run. I was feeling quite sick and just wanted this to be over. I did 30 minutes of core when I got home then collapsed in bed until work.<br />
<br />
<b>Tuesday: </b>Run fail. As soon as I started this run I knew I shouldn't have. I stopped and restarted three times in eight minutes before finally listening to my body and walking home to sleep for three more hours until work.<br />
<br />
<b>Wednesday: </b>14 miles with eight miles at 5:55 pace on the West Side Highway. This was originally supposed to be the day I did my primary workout for the week, but given the past two days, Terry and I agreed that it might be too aggressive coming off an illness. I did my secondary workout instead which was a medium long run with the eight middle miles at somewhere in the neighborhood of 6:00 pace. As soon as I started running I was surprised by how much energy I had. Apparently two days of rest not only helped beat the illness, they also rejuvenated tired legs. 5:55 pace came easy and on the cool down I still had plenty left in the tank.<br />
<br />
<b>Thursday: </b>9 miles along the Hudson River north. I've been experiencing a bit of Central Park fatigue. Today, I decided to head North along the Hudson for the first time in a long time. It's a beautiful run with views of the George Washington Bridge, the Little Red Lighthouse and the New Jersey Palisades. 30 minutes of core.<br />
<br />
<b>Friday: </b>9.5 miles in Central Park. The best way to beat Central Park fatigue is to go off the beaten path. Allie was searching for some places to do intervals so we went to some of my favorite spots. Before I knew it, the run was over and it was time for six 20 second strides.<br />
<br />
<b>Saturday: </b>3x3 miles at 17:01, 17:00 and 16:19 with a half-mile at 6:30 pace in between each set. This was the workout that gave me butterflies from the first time I saw it on my calendar. I did not want it to be hanging over my head all week, but because I had to delay until Saturday it was. Fortunately, my Urban Athletics teammate Tom was willing to join me as this is not an easy workout to do solo. We did the first two intervals in exactly 5:40 pace as planned. The entire time I was worried about being able to go significantly quicker on the last set. Yet, somehow both Thomas and I found the extra gear to put a solid finish on a successful workout. The total mileage for the day was 19, my highest since the winter. After the run, I ate a donut and sat in a tub full of ice.<br />
<br />
<b>Sunday: </b>5 mile death march in Driggs, Idaho. The combination of no sleep, eight hours of traveling across the country, yesterday's workout and 6,400 feet of elevation made this a pretty terrible run. But, it's beautiful out here and I'm excited to get in some solid runs in the mountains and on the trails.<br />
<br />
<b>Total mileage: </b>63.7 with the unplanned day off.<br />
<br />
<b>Beer of the Week: Grand Teton Brewing</b><i><u style="font-weight: bold;"> </u>Amber</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
When in Rome. This brewery is less than 10 miles from where we are staying, but their beers are distributed throughout the region. The Amber is probably the most basic of the beers they make. I've tried an American Pale Ale, a Brown Ale and a Weiss that are pretty awesome. But after a long day of travel and a tough run, this was the most refreshing drink in the fridge. And since I am typing this on my ipad, here is a ginormous picture of the bottle.<br />
<img src="webkit-fake-url://46719076-83FE-4983-9B08-57A7D4E67162/imagejpeg" /><br />
Next week: Mountain miles, hikes and lots of beer!!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-58915770703348291262014-08-12T08:50:00.000-07:002014-08-12T08:50:21.263-07:00Philadelphia Half Marathon Training: Week 4I'm a little late on this recap mostly because Sunday night while walking to Lauren's birthday dinner, I was suddenly hit with a wave of nausea. I was able to fight through yesterday by sleeping nine hours, running, then laying back in bed until work. Today, the run just wasn't happening. I made it seven minutes before completely running out of gas. Instead, I'm back in bed with a juice blend full of so many juices one of them has to cure me and writing this update.<br />
<br />
<b>Monday</b> -- 30 minutes core. After a race weekend and with a high intensity week ahead, this rest day was much needed. <br />
<br />
<b>Tuesday</b> -- 8.2 easy miles in Central Park. I had good company from Allie and my original NYC running partner Heidi on this warm, but casual run around the park. <br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Wednesday </b>-- 4x3200 with 400 jog rest at Riverbanks Track. I had originally planned on turning this into a straight 4x2miles on the West Side Highway, but Jerry convinced me to take it to the track where he would keep me company. My goals were 11:30, 11:00, 11:00 and sub-11:00. Jerry said he was going to run his around his marathon pace, so as we set off on the first interval, I tried to make sure he had 10-15 meters on me. We finished the first 3200 in 10:53 and I knew I was going to have to go big if I wanted to salvage the original intent of this workout and not go backwards. It was a lot of work, but the subsequent 3200s were 10:49, 10:43 and 10:44. I don't think I could have pushed myself that hard without Jerry. This workout was a big step forward in restoring confidence. I ended up running 14 miles total for the day with warmup and cool down to and from the track.<br />
<br />
<b>Thursday -- </b>7 easy miles in Central Park. Missed connection with Allie today. She was running late and I was on a pretty tight schedule, so I ended up running solo. 30 minutes of core.<br />
<br />
<b>Friday -- </b>9.2 miles solo in Central Park, mostly on the Bridle Path. 12.4 miles on the ElliptiGO.<br />
<br />
<b>Saturday -- </b>14 miles with 10x1 minute at 5K effort. I have lived in New York for more than three years, but had never ventured to Summer Streets. Summer Streets happens the first three Saturdays in August. The city shuts down Park Avenue to traffic from 72nd Street to the bottom of the island and opens it to bikers, runners, walkers, rollerbladers, etc. I think my hesitation was that it wouldn't be conducive to quality running, but as Jerry, John and I ran down a wide-open four-lane street, I was proven mostly wrong. We were able to click off a solid 6:30 pace without anyone getting in our way or us getting in theirs. However, we did have one confrontation with a tourist on a bike who loudly complained about runners then called us a derogatory name for the male anatomy. Three years ago, I would have ignored something like that, but after dealing with rude people since 2011, I fight back. I stopped to see if she would mind repeating herself, which she did. Words were exchanged and then her gentleman companion rode up to Jerry and started picking a fight with him. It ended with Jerry shoving the man's bike away. He didn't fall, but he didn't come back. Runners are scrappy.<br />
<br />
<b>Sunday --</b> 15 miles in Central Park. We had a huge group for this run. That almost made up for the stifling heat and humidity.<br />
<b><br />Total Weekly Mileage:</b> 67.4<br />
<br />
<b>Beer of the Week: </b><br />
Brooklyn Wild Streak<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jbWKKWX9sVc/U-o29alaZTI/AAAAAAAAAx0/HrQOjHF00po/s1600/photo(9).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jbWKKWX9sVc/U-o29alaZTI/AAAAAAAAAx0/HrQOjHF00po/s1600/photo(9).JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
I really like the Brooklyn Brewery. I know it's the cool thing to do, but I like everything I try there and I've tried almost everything. In fact, over the past few years, Brooklyn Summer Ale has become my default, easy-to-find summer beer (it had been Sam Adams for years). I had never heard of and knew nothing about Wild Streak when I came across it hidden in a cooler at Broadway Dive Saturday afternoon. Wild Streak was a "ghost" beer, only poured at tastings and special Brooklyn Brewery events. It's recently graduated to a season release. It's aged in bourbon barrels and with a 10% ABV, it's not for the faint of heart. It only comes in 25.9 ounce bottles, so I split mine with a friend. Yet, for the high alcohol content of a Strong Belgian Ale, it's incredibly drinkable. Try it if you can find it.<br />
<br />
Oh, and download this:<br />
Foxygen: <i>How Can You Really?</i><br />
Spoon: <i>They Want My Soul </i>(the whole album. Just awesome. But, start with "New York Kiss" and "Rent I Pay" if you want to test some tracks first.) <br />
<br />
Next week: Illness adjustments and preparing for a vacation. At this point the thought of beer or any kind of liquid that is not water or juice makes me feel ill. That will go away. <br />
<br />jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-33905204394944141362014-08-06T18:40:00.003-07:002014-08-06T18:52:35.357-07:00Lessons Learned as a 30-Year-Old Runner<div class="MsoNormal">
30 is not old. Not
even close. But 30 is also not 20. It’s not 25 either. Just like different things being socially
acceptable at 25, but not so much at 30 (black out drunk at 25? Young and fun! Black out drunk at 30? Get your shit together), there are things you
can do as a runner at 25 that you can’t do at 30. It doesn’t happen in an instant. I didn’t wake up on September 26, 2013 and
realize I had aged overnight. But in the course of my 30<sup>th</sup> year, I
have noticed a few hitches in my giddy up.
And there’s some good things too.
So as I approach my final month of being 30, I thought I’d pass along
some wisdom to those of you who aren’t quite there yet.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>You can’t just roll
out of bed and run 6:30s</b> – Ya know what guys, I’m just going to start this
run at a nice 8:00 pace. You go on ahead. I’ll catch up.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>In fact, you can’t
just roll out of bed and run anything</b> – I used to roll out of my bed and
into my running shoes. Sometimes I was
still asleep a good three miles into the run.
Now a 9am run means an 8am wakeup at the latest. I can’t run until I
have eaten at least an energy bar and drank a small cup of coffee and both have
been successfully digested. Then, I have
to do at least 15 minutes of foam rolling, sticking, pacing and stretching
which leads me to…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Stretching is not
optional</b> – Like every other distance runner on the planet, I hate to
stretch. I don’t need to recite the
lecture you've already heard from your chiropractor, physical therapist and/or
massage therapist. I’ll just say, turns
out stretching serves a purpose. You might
be able to get by without stretching for most of your youth, but I promise you
it will catch up to you.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<b>The candle only has
one end</b> – Just keeping a regular exercise routine while working full-time
is a challenge. Training for a marathon
with a demanding job is a whole other level and I don’t even have kids. For most non-super-humans, there is a
shelf-life on 12-hour work days and 100 mile weeks. I’ve surpassed my expiration date. I know runners well into their 30s who have
not. The key is knowing when it’s time
to back off. Backing off doesn’t involve
waving any white flags, or training any less-hard (I googled the crap out of a
better way to say “less-hard”). It just
means training different. Maybe it’s
fewer miles. Maybe it’s easier easy days.
Maybe it’s more prehab. Maybe it’s
an extra day off. You’ll find what works
for you after you find what doesn’t.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Your age group gets
way easier</b> – Here’s a good thing.
Nine out of ten times, the 30-34 age group is way easier than the 25-29
age group. Speaking from New York City
running experience, all the Kenyans and Ethiopians are in the 25-29 age group
here. Not that I get too many jollies
out of placing in my age group, but it
can be demoralizing to not even crack the top 10 with a time that would have
easily placed in the adjacent categories.
Since turning 30? Top 10 every
time. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_z1qJq4qQ78/U-LYziVs_bI/AAAAAAAAAxc/Az36w4MgB2s/s1600/10kWin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_z1qJq4qQ78/U-LYziVs_bI/AAAAAAAAAxc/Az36w4MgB2s/s1600/10kWin.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><b>Just because you can
afford every specialist now, doesn’t mean you should go to every specialist</b>
– Here’s a rule I wish I had known when I had no money to spend. If it feels like a stress fracture, it’s a
stress fracture. I just saved you $500
on an MRI. Ok, so you have a stress
fracture. Stop running. When it stops hurting, start running again. Gradually.
I just saved you $100 on a doctor’s office visit. I still see a lot of specialists, but you’ll
spend a lot less if you see them to avoid getting injured as opposed to after
getting injured. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>You don’t have to
keep all your gear</b> – Yeah that race in 2005 was awesome, but I’m pretty
sure the stink from nine years of running in the tech shirt is not going to
come out with a sandblaster. So maybe it’s time to toss it?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I said, every runner is different. At NYRR Team Championships last weekend I got out-kicked by a man who was much older than me. I looked him up in the results and saw he is
48. If the race had been decided by age
grade, he would have been first overall.
One thing I think is applicable across the board is that no matter what
the date is on your drivers license, running keeps you young. May you all run many more miles for many more
years. We’ll chat again in 10 years when
I’m telling you 40 is not 30.<o:p></o:p></div>
jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-32940235268194150222014-08-04T15:36:00.001-07:002014-08-04T17:47:10.887-07:00Philadelphia Half Marathon Training: Week 3 <div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">At
dinner last night I told <a href="http://laurenlaughs.com/">Lauren</a> how nice it felt to be “in a good place” for
the first time in a long time. I am not
sure what exactly triggered the change; the move, weather that is neither
oppressively hot or dangerously cold, finally finding a routine...who
knows? And who cares? I’ll stop beating this drum, but hope it
reverberates. With three solid weeks of
training for Philly in the books, the doubts I had about being able to run a
respectable time are starting to fade, and I am even targeting a four-mile PR
in early September. More on that
later. For now, week 3.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>Monday</b>
– 6 miles easy in Central Park before a 12 mile ElliptiGO ride. The legs were definitely feeling the
high-mileage of the weekend and yesterday’s massage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>Tuesday
</b>– 90 minute run with 6400 meters of alternating 200s (37/47). I had never done anything like this before
and while the times looked simple on paper, the thought of four miles alone and continuous on the
track was a bit daunting. I had trouble
dialing in the paces for the first mile and ran the “off” 200s too quickly, but
once I was able to find the right speed this workout flew by. Unfortunately, every child in Harlem was
playing in the infield of the track this morning so a couple of the laps
included unexpected obstacles in the form of soccer balls and small clusters of
kids wandering out into lane one (adult supervisors paying no attention). The entire 90 minutes ended up being 13.2
miles with the 6400 meters in 22:08 (5:32/mile).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>Wednesday</b>
– 8 miles easy on the Central Park Bridle Path.
This was a slow recovery run. I
tried to avoid turning left as much as I could since I hit my left turn quota
yesterday. 30 minutes of core.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>Thursday</b>
– 7 miles easy in Central Park. <a href="http://alliekieffer.com/2014/08/01/finding-balance/">Allie</a>
and I kept our weekly Thursday run at a very easy 8:00 pace as she had a cold
and I had the two-day workout hangover. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>Friday</b>
– 7 miles easy on the Central Park Bridle Path.
In the middle of the run, I did 7x20 second pre-race strides.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nVnnyZqAx3E/U-AILp1sy3I/AAAAAAAAAxM/leBfcZGPWdk/s1600/teamchamps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nVnnyZqAx3E/U-AILp1sy3I/AAAAAAAAAxM/leBfcZGPWdk/s1600/teamchamps.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>Saturday</b>
<i>– </i>NYRR Team Championship 5 Mile Race
in Central Park. For the first time in more than a year, I was actually pretty
excited about lining up for a race. I
was feeling relatively fit and rested, but mostly was curious to see what I was
capable of running. My goal going into
the race was 26:30 which is not my PR, but is faster than I had run since late
2012. In fact, I hadn’t cracked 27:00
since this same race last year. Yeah,
things have been rough. I never get much
sleep the night before a Saturday race.
I woke up at 7:45 and had two chia waffles with peanut butter and
grabbed a small cup of coffee before hopping in a cab to the east side of the
park. There was a light rain when the
women’s race went off, but by the time we started warming up it was just plain
soupy. I felt terrible during the two
mile warm-up, which is a good thing (I’m always suspect of feeling loose and
springy during a warm-up jog. It usually
means the race will be the opposite).
When the horn sounded, I tucked into a pretty big group of guys that I
knew to be around my goal speed and let them set the early pace. I realized early on that I had forgotten to
turn on the GPS function on my watch which after a brief moment of panic, wound
up being a blessing in disguise. <span style="background: white;">The first mile
of the course consists of all three of the West Side Hills. There is really no
better place for them because it gets my least favorite stretch of the park out
of the way early. I was feeling very good the first two miles and split much
faster on the hills than I have in the past.
The second mile of the race was my fastest. By mile three our group had dwindled to two
or three familiar faces and I decided to take the lead. I held on until the
base of Cat Hill where a guy from NYAC passed me and opened a pretty big
gap. I never caught back up to him. Cat Hill was my slowest mile, but I recovered
decently and pulled away from two of the others guys in my group, beating them
to the finish line and finishing in 26:21 (5:17/mile). Splits: 5:11 (West Side Hills), 5:07, 5:15,
5:29 (Cat Hill -- Yikes!), 5:18. With seven
combined miles before and after the race and a 2.5 mile shakeout in the
evening, total mileage for the day was 14.5<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>Sunday</b> – 16 miles in
Central Park with a big group. Despite
two or three too many glasses of sangria last night, I felt fine until mile 14
of this run. The last two miles were a death march. I would have cut it short but I had to get
home. 20 minutes of core in the evening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>Total Weekly Mileage:</b>
72.7<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px;">Next Week:</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px;"> A rest day, long intervals and a classic go-to workout.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">Beer of the Week:</b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">Dogfish Head Namaste<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">The internet is full
of odes to Dogfish Head and rightfully so.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">
</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">Still, when Lauren brought this beer home, I wanted to like it not love
it so I could chose a more unknown brewery.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">
</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">I loved it.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">This year, Namaste
made the leap from seasonal champagne-size bottles to year-round six packs. I
had a bottle with Lauren's homemade banana, peanut butter ice cream before bed Friday night (pre-race
carbs).</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">It’s a really refreshing,
easy-to-drink beer without sacrificing too much flavor.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">I actually had trouble not downing it in one
swig.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;">It’s made with orange slices and
coriander (I’m not actually sure what coriander is, but I like it in beer.)</span></div>
jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-80521929024928726062014-07-27T15:27:00.002-07:002014-07-27T15:32:20.220-07:00Philadelphia Half Marathon Training : Week 2 & Introducing The Beer of the WeekI had forgotten what it felt like to feel good about running. Despite the inescapable humidity of New York City in July, I'm enjoying running more than I have in nearly two years. Granted, it's only the second week of training for the Philly Half. But, I'm experiencing an renewed sense of confidence. Instead of being so nervous I can't sleep the night before a tough workout what keeps me up now is excitement. It's a good problem to have.<br />
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<b>Monday</b> - Rest Day (30 minutes of core). I've been taking one day off every two weeks for several months now. That will continue during this cycle. I crave the restoration, but always end the day wishing I had run. I think that's a good balance. This worked well because it was also a travel day back from visiting family in Virginia. <br />
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<b>Tuesday</b> - 8 miles easy in Central Park. I thought yesterday's rest would mean I wouldn't feel Sunday's hills today, but I was wrong. It took me at least 30 minutes to loosen up.<br />
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<b>Wednesday</b> - 5x1600m (60 second/200m jog rest) repeats at Harlem Riverbanks Track. The goal was to do these at half-marathon pace (5:30) and add one second for every degree the dew point was over 64. The dew point was 67 when I left the house. Based on that, I should have been running 5:33s. When I ran the first one in 5:13, I knew I was in trouble. The workout spiraled out of control after that and I ended up doing the perfect ascension. Looking back, I could have taken a longer rest after the first one to completely recover and start from scratch, but I decided to keep trucking on with diminishing results. I also may have been more successful had I not been doing this on my own. I almost quit 200 meters into the last one, but knew I would regret that for the rest of the week if I had. The repeats were: 5:13, 5:18, 5:20, 5:23, 5:28. <br />
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<b>Thursday</b> - 6.5 miles easy in Central Park. This was the first time in 10 days I ran with someone. I met Allie at the top of the park for a lap. We were both coming off very similar workouts (her's more successful than mine) so we started slow and eased into it. 30 minutes of core.<br />
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<b>Friday</b> - 8 miles easy in Central Park. This was the typical two-day workout hangover. I did 7x20 second strides mid-run.<br />
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<b>Saturday</b> - Prescribed was a long run with 7m @ 630,20,10,00,550, 40, 30. It ended up going perfectly. I met a group at UA at 9:40 and together we did 4 miles easy starting at 8:00 minute pace and working down to 7:00 minute pace. As we rolled into the progression, my goal was to stick to the prescribed paces no matter how easy they felt with hopes of still feeling strong when the pace got quick at the end. We decided to only cut out the Harlem Hills and only do this on the 5 mile loop. As we neared the final two miles, Jason and I stuck to the park's lower loop to avoid having to do the final mile climbing up Cat Hill. The progression went as follows:<br />
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6:26, 6:07, 6:07 (west side hills), 5:49, 5:40, 5:30, 5:22 <br />
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There
was an option for an eighth mile but I was pretty satisfied with the
workout at seven. The last mile certainly wasn't easy, but holding back in the initial miles was key to making it even possible.<br />
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<b>Sunday - </b>12.5 miles easy in Central Park. Today was one of those days where it was so humid that I was sweating before the run started. There wasn't much residual soreness from yesterday's workout, just some tightness. I was glad to have Tom, Jason and Allie for company on this run as the conditions were very uncomfortable. I ended the week with an hour-long, incredibly over-due massage and 30 minutes of core.<br />
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<b>Total Weekly Mileage: </b>63.5<br />
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<b>Next Week:</b> Seven days of running, a workout I've never done before and a race!<br />
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One of my training secrets is a healthy dose of carbs in the form of beer. Each week, I'll highlight a beer I tried to "recover" from a workout or "prepare" for a long run. <br />
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This week's Beer of the Week:<br />
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40 Mile IPA, Three Notch'd Brewing Company, Charlottesville, VA:<br />
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This was a six-pack left as a gift from a house guest who was staying at our apartment while we were actually in the Charlottesville area. 40 Mile is the flagship beer of the Three Notch'd Brewery. 40 miles is how long a fellow by the name of Jack Jouett rode to warn Thomas Jefferson and his family that their capture had been ordered. Jefferson of course, lived in Charlottesville. The beer named for this chapter in Jefferson's history is a crisp and clean IPA. It's hoppy obviously, but also has a nice citrus taste to it that offsets some of the bitterness.<br />
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<br />jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346504836176136231.post-58455961029508355882014-07-22T15:26:00.000-07:002014-07-22T15:26:14.043-07:00Philadelphia Half Marathon Training: Week 1 Since finishing the 2013 Boston Marathon mildly over-trained and on the verge of a spate of illnesses, my running has been sporadic at best. I've documented all the issues that lead up to the 2014 Boston Marathon, but it's worth noting that I stopped really enjoying taking part in the sport about two years ago. Sure, there had been flashes of competitiveness and drive, but mostly weeks of grinding out joyless miles and workouts without any continuity or flow. During that time, I ran a couple of sub-par races and often wondered if maybe it was time to run for a different reason and let go of PR dreams. However, over the past month or so, the bug has returned. My health is back and with pre-hab and a couple of tweaks to the mileage and intensity of my early 20s, I seem to be staving off injury. After completing (and enjoying) my most recent sub-par race, I decided the fix to my stressed relationship with running may instead be re-establishing some structure and actually putting a goal race on the calendar. <br />
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Last week, I started a 10 week training plan for the <a href="http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/philadelphia">Rock n' Roll Philly Half Marathon</a> on September 21st. Realistically, I don't think a PR is possible at this point, but a respectable performance is not out of the question. The random workouts I was doing in the spring were mostly focused on speed and as a result, my aerobic capacity is greatly diminished. So, the goal of this abbreviated training cycle will be to get my body used to running at goal half marathon pace (5:30?). Weekly mileage will stay between 60-75 with one day off every two weeks. And while the paces on the workouts look easy, the number of intervals are where the challenge lies. I'll also be getting used to working out in the late morning during the heat of the summer. With my work schedule, this is my only option and I will have to adjust paces and expectations accordingly. Another major change in this cycle is the limited use of the Garmin. I could write an entire blog on how I've gone from loving the GPS to hating the GPS, but let's just say it will only be used on tempo runs. <br />
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Week 1<br />
<b>Monday: </b>6 miles easy in Central Park, 30 minutes of core.<br />
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<b>Tuesday:</b> <span style="background-color: white;">12 miles total; 8 x 1K @ 3:17-3:20 with 200m jog (60s) at Riverbanks Track</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b>Wednesday:</b> 8 miles easy in Central Park, 30 minutes of core.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b>Thursday: </b>8 miles easy in Central Park (meant to do 7 but was daydreaming and ran too far)7x20 sec. strides</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b>Friday:</b> 13.64 miles (wore Garmin) 90 minute medium long run with middle 5 miles at </span><span style="background-color: white;">5:54, 5:59(Harlem Hill), 5:58(WS Hills), 5:57, 5:48, 5:57.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b>Saturday: </b>9.5 miles in the rain in Staunton, VA. I got lost.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b>Sunday: </b>15.6 mile very hilly long run in Staunton, VA. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Total Weekly Mileage: 72.7 </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Notes: *On days following workouts, it took about 3 miles to really loosen up. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"> *Running too far on Thursday is a good thing. It has been a long time since I got so lost in thought on an easy run that I totally lost track of time and place. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"> *This was my highest total mileage since mid-February when I was training for Boston.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"> *I ran every single mile solo this week. Such is the life. </span>jayholder8khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129911500693525577noreply@blogger.com1