Thanks

After a very difficult week last week (passing of my father) I received a phone call of condolence from Jeff. I mentioned that I needed to get out of the house and change the conversation and scenery. So I asked him for a run at Barn Island Saturday morning. Jeff said, I’ll take care of it meet at 6:30.

I was surprised when I arrived. Largest group run ever – 10. Fun catching up with everyone as this was much needed healing. THANK YOU again

Photo by Mike C

8 seconds

Who would have thought – I received this email earlier today  

Thank you for submitting your application for entry into the 2016 Boston Marathon. Regrettably, we are unable to accept your application due to field size limitations and the large number of applications we received from those runners who met the qualifying standards. The B.A.A. recognizes the achievement of everyone who has met the qualifying standards that we have established for the race. Those who meet -- and aspire to meet -- these standards have helped distinguish the Boston Marathon from any other marathon in the world, and we realize the effort, training and commitment involved with achieving the qualifying times for the various age groups in both genders.

Name of Applicant Gender Age on 4-18-2016 Submitted Qualifying Time Michael Boumenot M 47 3:22:40

Entries from applicants in your age group were accepted through and including the time 3:22:32

8 seconds

My age group qualifying time is 3:25:00

That People Who Run Are Constantly Thinking About How Much Running Sucks

Study Shows That People Who Run Are Constantly Thinking About How Much Running Sucks

Trent

| August 10, 3:05 pm |21 Comments

  

(NEWSER) – Non-runners may look at a runner off in the distance and feel a twinge of envy, because surely that person is in some kind of Zen-like zone, ruminating about life’s mysteries. A first-of-its kind study that had runners record their thoughts on the go clears that up: Some samples of the deep thoughts, as cited in a writeup at the British Psychology Society: “My hips are a little tight. I’m stiff, my feet, my ankles, just killing me this morning.” And: “Hill, you’re a bitch … it’s long and hot—God damn it … mother eff-er.” And: “That sucked but it’s going to be an awesome run on the way back.” It turns out that the 10 amateur long-distance runners in the study spent 32% of their time thinking about the “pain and discomfort” they were in, say researchers. (The runs were at least 7 miles.) In fairness, they spent 40% of their time thinking about pace and distance (“downhill, don’t kill yourself, just cruise”) and the rest of the time thinking about their running environment (“it’s so beautiful, the ocean, the mountains” and “hope I don’t see any snakes”). A post at New York finds the study interesting but notes that the runners’ very act of recording their thoughts may have kept them from “drifting off into daydream land.” Still, the researchers think this study and future similar ones will be interesting to sports psychologists. For one thing, runners tended to complain about discomfort near the start of the run, but those complaints tapered off as the miles went by. (Another study finds that running too much can be as bad as sitting around.)

Duh?  Stupidest study in the world.  They could’ve put that research money towards literally anything else and it would’ve been more worthwhile.  This was the most obvious answer in the world: Running sucks.  I don’t care who you are.  It doesn’t matter if you’re a fat guy who hasn’t stepped on a treadmill in 10+ years or if you’re one of those Kenyan dudes who runs a marathon like it’s a sprint, they all hate running.  All of them.  Even the people who run on a regular basis are constantly thinking, “This. Fucking. Sucks.  Why do I do this? Why?  This is the worst.  I’m miserable.”  That’s just the truth.  The second a person laces up their shoes they already wish they weren’t doing what they’re about to do.  And don’t give me that shit like, “Running helps me clear my head” or “I like the runner’s high.”  Shut the fuck up.  No you don’t.   Those are bullshit excuses people made up to make themselves feel better about running and you just parrot it back to others because you can’t think of a reason why you run.  People want to be healthy.  That’s cool.  That’s why people run. It’s not for enjoyment. It’s so they don’t have a massive coronary at 45.  Again, cool. But I’ll be damned if you’re gonna stand there and tell me you like running around.  You don’t. Don’t spread those lies. Science is on my side.

the link: cut and paste - from Bar Stool Sports

http://www.barstoolsports.com/iowa/study-shows-that-people-who-run-are-constantly-thinking-about-how-much-running-sucks/?utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

Update

Winter still SUCKS

March 20^th First day of spring or for you geeky types The Vernal Equinox

Ahhh, spring – increasing daylight, WARM temperatures, and the rebirth of flora and fauna.

OMG - I used the word fauna in a sentence – this winter definitely SUCKS

Year in review

1,854 miles (PR)
            Longest run was 26.4 (Hartford Marathon)
16 races totaling $568
            Most expensive was Hartford Marathon ($95)
2 Triathlons totaling around $150
            Crabman and Block Island (in the rain)

Highlights:

·         Running my first marathon (Hartford). Although the weather wasn’t the best that day (rain and cold) this was a fun race. I like running the marathon but hated (like winter) training for it. I was also enjoyable because I had company for most of the way, running with Shara.
·         I can’t remember when but I think it was in February when we had a small group run on a VERY cold WINDY day in Charlestown. We ended the run by going to that small bakery in which we took over the place in conversation when we meet this older couple. Time stood still as we shared stories of marathons, triathlons, racing and training……….
·         The group breakfast run at Chris house May 31^st (my birthday)
·         Running with Tom and Jeff on Jeff epic 50K on his 50^th birthday
Although Tom and I only ran 17 miles on this vision quest with Jeff, it was enjoyable run finishing with Jeff on this epic challenge.

545 miles on the bike

Longest ride 57 miles

New rider added to the group this year – Chris (Armstrong) Garvin  
Side note, Chris works at Amgen and they are the manufacture of EPO (I like a good conspiracy theory)
  
Summary – if you haven’t notice, I have a theme. The best part of all these activities is the many group runs, group rides and group swims this year. Always fun suffering with friends instead of alone.

2015

Registering for Boston 2016
More group runs, rides and swims
Try to stay injury free
I like to do a century ride with all who bike – you know who you are (Tom, Jeff, Shara, Beth, Chris)
I’ve plateau in my quest of PR’ing in a 5K (18:19 in 2012) as I’m not ageing like Jeff (backwards) aka Mr. Benjamin Button.  So I’ll concentrate on the longer distance PR’s