Below are the 10 most recent journal entries recorded in mobilesmith's LiveJournal:

Saturday, April 22nd, 2006
5:09 am	The End of the Marathon At the beginning of each "long" training "run". Everything seems easy. Then at the end, I'm tired. Is this how the beginning of the marathon is going to be? I think not. The four-mile training today will be like the LAST four miles of the marathon. At the end of the marathon, I'll be tired, just like after the four miles today. Just a simple thought. We are training for the end of the marathon, not the beginning. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Friday, April 21st, 2006
6:17 pm	Cotton, what have you done? Cotton! You are dead to me. Do you HEAR ME? Dead. To. Me. Your lowly ground-originating fibrousness cannot compare to the Nano Channel yarns of new. Your earth-deadening growth more suited to the medicine bottle top than the Hydrophobic Polyester now next to my sensitive and previously-chafed skin. Your 2-panel moisture-retention is no match for Denier Gradient construction. And your sloppily-sewn seams bow beneath the Slim Tapered Fit of grandeur. I am assured a lifetime of function from the Lightning Dry Extreme fabric with 360 degree fit. Unlike your mere 60 dryer-cycles of fading and cracked decals. I will miss you, colored natural-fabric side pockets of deep girth. You now must stay home while Amphipod carries your artifacts with configurable function and less bouncing. We've had some good runs together, dear sweet cotton. Now I must say adieu. See you after the finish line! (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, March 12th, 2006
9:34 pm	Running form I appreciate the talk we had on Saturday regarding running safety and running form. I practiced a new running form on Saturday based on the new information. Here is my video. http://www.world.honda.com/HDTV/ASIMO/New-ASIMO-run-6kmh/index.html (5 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, February 28th, 2006
2:48 pm	On lip service and a small irking "It's a milestone for most people to be able to run a marathon," Flanagan said. "Our philosophy is that the last place finisher is just as important as first place. In our estimation everyone who crosses the finish line is a winner." http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/01/16/news/coastal/11506190228.txt "Marathon man: Kenya's Musuva wins in Carlsbad" http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/01/17/sports/amateur/1_16_0519_17_16.txt Halfway through the article, they're still talking about first through third place. Finally we get to "Other North County runners finishing in the top 10 included David Easa of Vista (eighth in 2:40:02) and Martin Ellison of Escondido (10th, 2:47:47)." Ok. Now we've covered first through tenth (getting 7-10 all in one sentence). And at the end of the article we get to see a list of first through twenty-fifth place. At least there's four lists of the top 25 in each "male full", "female full", "male half", "female half". So now let's presume this is the top 100 people. What happened to the other 9,900 people that are "just as important"? All right. So that might be the "PRESS' FAULT" for only celebrating what "SELLS PAPERS". Dang press! Let's see what the Marathon Organizers are doing with the last place folks. Oh wait! There's PRIZE MONEY! Let's see: Marathon Male and Female Prize Money*: TBD Half Marathon Male and Female Prize Money*: First place $1,000 Second place $500 Third place $250 Fourth place $125 Fifth place $75 Bupkis for last place. Maybe there's hope for that "TBD" to include "Last Place: One Million Dollars!" That would be awesome! Don't tell me the "the last place finisher is just as important as first place" and then hand the cash to the top five people. Put your money where your mouth is! This irks me a tiny bit. On a similar, and much less irksome note, I noticed that in the Jackson meeting, there was a contest for a T-Shirt prize where the winner of the T-Shirt was the person who could name the winner of the Chicago Marathon. I think there was a prize for the first to name the man, and the first to name the woman. What about can anyone name the person coming in Last Place (and still within the official timing, I think, of 8 hours)? They got nothin'! So I did a little googling, found the above references to the Carlsbad Marathon. Got irked. Started writing (some might say, spewing!, so let me pre-thank you for THAT kind comment). When someone asks you "what's your time" you (I hope!) can confidently say "I finished." And here's the finish line for me: "You just ran the Chicago Marathon. What are you going to get now?" Bupkis. And some sleep. And fluids. And cheesecake. And in honor of "Everyone in Marathon Makeover that finishes the Chicago Marathon is a winner", here are the results from the Mississippi Entrants of the 2005 Chicago Marathon, including rankings and Finish. May we all be in awe of the fortitude and charactor of these fine athletes! Let us celebrate these winners! Place Name City Finish ----- ---- ---- ------ First PHAEDRA HAILEY BRANDON Yes! First REBECCA TRIPP JACKSON Yes! First KENDRA TRIPP JACKSON Yes! First MARY NASH BRANDON Yes! First DONNA SMITH TERRY Yes! First BOBBIE SLAUGHTER JACKSON Yes! First JAN MORGAN RIDGELAND Yes! First TAWNY MINTON JACKSON Yes! First LEZLIE CHALK MENDENHALL Yes! First JENNY LIGGETT CLINTON Yes! First CORINNE SMITH IUKA Yes! First DORY LIGGETT CLINTON Yes! First MARK SIMPSON CLINTON Yes! First VICKI WILLOUGHBY RIDGELAND Yes! First LINDA THIGPEN JACKSON Yes! First ROBIN SIMPSON CLINTON Yes! First DON SENN JACKSON Yes! First CATHY CHAPMAN BRANDON Yes! First PATTI GILMORE VICKSBURG Yes! First MARY LEE CLINTON Yes! First SALLY COHEN LEXINGTON Yes! First HALLIE CLEMENT JACKSON Yes! First LISA DAVIS BRANDON Yes! First TKNESHA BELL JACKSON Yes! First SUSAN CHRISTENSEN BRANDON Yes! First WANDA MORGAN MAGEE Yes! First ALICE BARNETT CLINTON Yes! First LINDA GRAY NEW ALBANY Yes! First JENNIFER BERRYHILL RIDGELAND Yes! First REBEKAH PATRICK CLINTON Yes! First SUNDRENIA THIGPEN JACKSON Yes! First ALEX LIGGETT CLINTON Yes! First ELEANOR CORBAN BILOXI Yes! First MICHELLE ALEXANDER RIDGELAND Yes! First MELISSA THOMAS BRANDON Yes! First SHAWN LEWIS BRANDON Yes! First JULIA BRUCE MADISON Yes! First HELEN SUMMERFORD JACKSON Yes! First KIM MCMULLAN JACKSON Yes! First MARILYN UPTON CLINTON Yes! First JOHNATHAN DODGE TUPELO Yes! First CAROL KOSSMAN JACKSON Yes! First MONICA BRIDGES MADISON Yes! First CHRISTINE CARMICHAEL JACKSON Yes! First KRISTI HENDERSON RIDGELAND Yes! First KIRK ZARSKE GULFPORT Yes! First JAMES HALL JACKSON Yes! First JEFF ROGERS BELDEN Yes! First RICHARD BARKLEY TUPELO Yes! First STEVE CANTRELL JACKSON Yes! First CHERYL MARION MADISON Yes! First AMANDA SMITH JACKSON Yes! First LYNN PORTER CLINTON Yes! First KIM BOURN MADISON Yes! First RONALD MORTON CLINTON Yes! First MARY MONKS MADISON Yes! First TERESA O'CONNOR JACKSON Yes! First DAVID MORGAN RIDGELAND Yes! First DANNY CRUZ GULFPORT Yes! First MANDY GOLDMAN BRANDON Yes! First MARC BRYANT BRANDON Yes! First KYLE LIGGETT CLINTON Yes! First TREY BOURN MADISON Yes! First STEVEN MONKS MADISON Yes! First ED PORTER CLINTON Yes! First W. CRAIG FLOWERS JACKSON Yes! First FRANCES JUDKINS BRANDON Yes! First STEVEN THOMPSON MADISON Yes! First THOMAS BARNETT CLINTON Yes! First PAUL GILLIHAN MERIDIAN Yes! First DOROTHY DENTON NEW ALBANY Yes! First LYNNE ALEXANDER BRANDON Yes! First DAWN SMITH HATTIESBURG Yes! First ARYN JOHNSON BRANDON Yes! First STUART HARMON JACKSON Yes! First JOHN GENTRY MADISON Yes! First JILL MORA LONG BEACH Yes! First JOHNNA FREIMAN BRANDON Yes! First MARY TUTTLE BRANDON Yes! First HELEN MONKS MADISON Yes! First KELLY ENGELMANN BRANDON Yes! First AMY NORSWORTHY BRANDON Yes! First MATT BROOME CLINTON Yes! First STACEY MORRISON JACKSON Yes! First JOSEPH LEWIS BRANDON Yes! First BOBBY STEPHENSON MADISON Yes! First HEATHER JENKINS MADISON Yes! First CLIFTON LEE RIDGELAND Yes! First CHRIS SMITH MADISON Yes! First STEPHANIE ROBERTSON MADISON Yes! First JAMES MCGLOTHIN FRENCH CAMP Yes! First JENNIFER BARHAM MADISON Yes! First ALISHA WINGERTER MADISON Yes! First LORI SMITH MADISON Yes! First JIM CASKEY MADISON Yes! First TIMOTHY LEE MADISON Yes! First THOMAS TOWNER TUPELO Yes! First ROBERT VAN UDEN JACKSON Yes! First ROBERT ROSS RIDGELAND Yes! First LEONARD VERGUNST OCEAN SPRINGS Yes! Second MARY MARGARET WAYCASTER NATCHEZ Second JULIE GIBENS BELDEN Second RHONDA COLLUM BRANDON Second VANCE COLLUM BRANDON Second TINA WEST CORINTH Second JESSICA HOPPE GULFPORT Second BETSY WALSH HATTIESBURG Second BRANDY WINDHAM HATTIESBURG Second CHARLOTTE YORK HATTIESBURG Second MICHELLE MABRY HATTIESBURG Second TRACIE HUDSON HATTIESBURG Second GEORGE ADAMS JACKSON Second JAMES JONES JACKSON Second JOHN SEWELL JACKSON Second WILLIAM BUSCHING JACKSON Second CATHERINE WATSON MADISON Second CHRISTI BROWNING MADISON Second SCOTT WOODS MADISON Second BILL HAMMACK MERIDIAN Second HARVEY MASON NEW ALBANY Second GEORGEANN PETERS PASS CHRISTIAN Second JOHN PIGOTT PICAYUNE Second E. BRIDGFORTH PICKEN Second MELISSA BRIDGFORTH PICKENS Second JOSEPH WILLIAMS PINEY WOODS Second CANDACE PETERS RIDGELAND Second JAMES EDWARDS RIDGELAND Second JOHN GRISSETT RIDGELAND Second VINCENT NOCE RIDGELAND Second DAWN RUSHING SANDHILL Second BRIAN WILSON TUPELO Second WALTER HALLBERG VICKSBURG Second MARGARET MOSLEY CLINTON Second SUZI WOOD NATCHEZ (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, February 27th, 2006
8:04 am	No Pain no Gain? (and some firsts!) Background: I went skiing two weeks ago for 4 days. On the day I didn't ski, I went to the Hotel Gym for the first time (evah!). It was a big day for that reason and also that I think I picked up a chest cold congestion thingy. I'm still recovering. I showed up for the group run/walk 10 days ago and I was tentatively ready for walking. Mark said I should skip it and rest. I took that suggestion rather seriously and rested until two days ago at the NEXT group run/walk. I ended up at the back of the group walking with Gwen (Gwin?) and her friend, maybe your name is Martha, Marcia, or something completely unrelated. I'M REALLY SORRY THAT I'M SO HORRIBLE AT NAMES! If you're reading this, oh landlord of the Jackson Suburban Area, please tell me your name again (and again, and again). Also, I must thank Gwen (Gwin?) for the fleece Swish hat. Fits perfectly under my bicycle helmet preventing, I think, the blood from collecting (or is it entering?) into my head area. I think next time I'll loosen the helmet straps. Layers for bicycle (inside to out): Top: Nipples, Cotton T-Shirt, super rad and super red and super expensive bicycle shirt, Cotten Turtleneck first purchased for Halloween costume and now handy as an extra exercise layer! Bottom: Bottom, Cotton Jockey, super rad bicycle shorts with "ultra-pokey" padding, top cheapo "exercise" pant-like thing worn for the first time (evah!). As you can see, I am a big fan of Cotton VERY LARGELY OPPOSITE to the Fleet-of-Foot evangalizer (hi Jeff!). In my experience, cotton is as an effective moisture retainer, helping to create an essential "barrier of moisture". When picking out exercise clothes for yourself (as opposed to your enemies), you should carefully weigh my "Total Exercise Experience" with others' before seeking my advice. Where "Total Exercise Experience" is measured as total number of weeks, during your current lifetime, of exercise; in my case: 0.2, including the walks from door to car, rounding up. There are several "firsts" this week. First walk back after a 7-day break. First cinammon bread from Great Harvest (thanks Mark and Robin!). First super-cold-outside-toasty-warm-inside bicycle ride. First walk without pain before or after. WHAT? Really. So it makes me Wonder: if I don't have any pain, am I pushing enough to progress? (pronounce that prohGRESS, not PRAHGress). Body Status: aches and pains suspiciously missing. Anxiety Status: Low, throbbing suspicion. Clothing Status: 100% Cotton. (5 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, February 11th, 2006
5:39 pm	Walker, Mississippi Ranger Two days ago was the first walk I've had where I did not have either (or both!) soreness in front or in back of my legs. My little moo-calves and front-foot-connectors were pain free. w00t! And becaue I walked the MORNING *before* the day off, it felt like a two-day rest. Double w00t! Today's lecture was about stretching. Even after a half-hour late I learned a whole bunch of stuff that I last reviewed, in textbook form only, during College Anatomy. It's a much more personal subject when you're laying on your back feeling the pain in parts you only assumed were skin and bones and a 7-layer Dip of Fat (mexican style, hold the gwoc, natch). I also learned that in a group of maybe 50 adults, the giggles pop up and spread viral-like around the room at the slighest mention of "gloots". ("Does that mean 'Butt'? tee! hee!"). Brings back memories of Junior High Science Class (Anatomy again!). Next week is nutrition class, where I assume we'll learn about chlorophyll, and other similarly foriegn bio-chemical reactions. Really, just tell me how to avoid bonking* I had a great walk today with Kendra (thanks, Kendra! You might read this if you sign up and actually read the blogs!). I started waaaay up front with the lead group of walkers. I discovered there was no one else in the crowd, aside from myself, with ambition greater than their skills. I know this because I passed exactly "0" people and was passed by approximately 83 people. This was, of course, right after I joked with my then-fellow walkers "Anyone else dream of running?" and something like "my hope of running slowly fades the further you guys ahead of me". HA HA! Who's got the last laugh now? (Answer: me, because I'm blogging this!) I'm glad my foot connectors (aka tendons, whatever) started hurting. Then I wouldn't have had a great chat with Kendra, the experienced marathoner. We talked about how this program is perfectly engineered to not scare anyone away with too much distance. Anyone else know why we only see two weeks worth of schedule? Yep. I thought so. It's the mind game. And Mark, thanks for the one-on-one confidence booster on the stretching. You exude your passion. It's awesome. Anxiety Status: Mid to low (although it peaked with Kendra casually talking about 10 miles this and 8 miles that. pshaw!) Body Status: Foot connector pain is back due to my dreaming with the walkers who walk faster than my skillz. *I believe this use of "bonking" may be my first proper and intentional use of any physical exercise term since "jump rope" circa 1979. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Sunday, February 5th, 2006
5:26 pm	The T in XT is for Tea, Raspberry Iced Yesterday was Group Run Day. 1 mile. Shins were hurting a tad because I went faster than normal to keep up with the lead group of walkers. Once I lost them (ahead of me), I slowed down closer to "normal". Today was Cross Training day, known to us insiders as XT (that's what our weekly schedule says, natch). Pain Reduction Tip: At 4 o'clock PM and maybe 50-55 degrees, do NOT start off by drinking flavored ICED tea from a thermo bike bottle. Now with the (first time ever!) knee joint pain, I got a brain-freeze headache. Both wore off by the end of the 44 minute ride. Chilly today, but bearable by the end. Body Status: shins good, knees not so. Anxiety Status: moderate to low. I've also noticed that I waited again 'til almost the last minute to get going. Not sure if this is a cycle (heh, pun not intended) or a trend. We'll see this week! (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, February 3rd, 2006
8:54 am	Warmer with spikes of dread I traded yesterday's walk with today's day off. One thing I've noticed, after careful scientific evaluation, is that 38F is chilly-er then 56F. Though I know my wife means well, I am starting not to believe her. So far, my pattern is to put on shorts, shoes, and T-shirt. I'm ready at the door (or my wife is) and waiting for the significant other to begin the walk. "Is it cold outside?" "Not really," she says, donning (or, rather, already donned) a long sweat pants, knit or wool hat, and sweatshirt. Hmmm... Maybe I should get my gloves and a longer-sleeve shirt? I've concluded my shoulders hurt because I was tense the first day, and they got a workout on the second day as they shivered in the 38 degree (F) temperature. Luckily, they warmed up as I walked through the door at the end of the 36 minute walk. Today, though, was a little more balanced. Long-sleeve workout thingie (bought long ago with high, unfulfilled hopes) and knit stretchie gloves (my favorite kind for over 20 years). This time I got warmer at about 20-30 minutes. A full 3 minutes before walking in the door! Body Status: Warmer with spikes of dread. Tendons (aka foot-connectors) are less sore, and I can walk down the 3 steps to my office without much fear of falling due to "lazy muscle feet". Anxiety Status: Guarded, yet slightly fearful of tomorrow's first group "walk" or "run". Not sure of the speed we're going to go. I've been going walking speed so far. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, February 1st, 2006
5:53 pm	Bike or walk? Cross training day. This morning (only 13 hours or so ago) I thought I was going to bike. I could NOT get motivated to put on gear, get bike out, get on bike, and start the pedalling. Hmmmm. Maybe this IS psychological. Just got back from my "last chance before dark" walk. Same circle, in the opposite direction this time. 36 minutes of pure excitement ;-) . Got to see a huge flock of birds fly overhead for about 20 seconds. Really neat to hear their little wings flap-a-flapping. I think that may be my favorite part of winter. Body Status: Foot-connectors still hurting. Shoulders recovering from their soreness (why the heck are THEY hurting?) Anxiety Status: Still wondering how I'm gonna get more than 36 minutes out of my body. Fun with Funny Numbers: We were promised 10% increase per week. This Saturday we are doing 1 mile. Next Saturday is 1.5 miles. By my calculation, that's a 50% increase! WHAT?!?!?! We were lied to! Overall though, if we actually increased by only 10% per week and started at 1 mile, we could do about 40 miles after 39 weeks. And we only have to do less than 27 miles. We're gonna have it easy ;-) (2 Comments |Comment on this)
5:23 am	Marathon Status I'm on day 3 of marathon training. We've biked for an hour on Sunday, walked for 40 minutes each on Monday and Tuesday. Body: Shins are hurting less than yesterday. That little muscle/tendon/rope thing on the front of my ankle is a slow steady soreness. Anxiety Level for today: moderate and decreasing with occasional flashes of "what the hell am I doing?" Today's training: bicycle! I hope to not fall down this time (at least on Sunday it was only a slow-mo fall into the grass...no worries). Not too bad for mostly sedentary lifestyle (up until 4 days ago, that is). (1 Comment |Comment on this)