Maybe this is becoming a regular thing. Maybe pull-ups are addictive. Maybe there's hope.
Another crack at the Sand Run Parcours Trail yesterday resulted in a new personal best for the course this year. This was the third time in two months and the second consecutive week that I've run the exercise trail.
After last week's doughnut trial, my time this go around was 38 seconds faster, which looks even more impressive when you compare the paces of 22:21 vs. 19:10 per mile.
The par course is a few hairs under two miles and features 20 exercise stations, two of which I skip because they're dumb. (Stretching? Pfft! And I don't even know what "Leg and Arm Hop" means.) The course is on the side of a steep hill, so running involves some decent climbs, mostly the second mile. The pull-up station comes early in the second mile, and it's here where I eat up a lot of time standing still.
Pull-ups and chin-ups are one of those great, all-around body exercises, and they're really danged difficult to do. I can do two in a row, but then I need to take breaks between repetitions. So far, I'm up to eight chin-ups and seven pull-ups, and I think I'm hooked.
Awhile ago, I mentioned the possibility of buying a pull-up bar for the house, but I haven't pulled the trigger yet. The Sand Run Parcours Trail is close and free. Aside from running the complete course, I've also stopped by just to hit up the bar.
It takes me about five minutes to finish my reps, so there's a lot of time I could save by improving my prowess. Overall, the par course is just a kick ass workout. By the time I get to the final exercise station, a three-tiered balance beam, my limbs are wobbly from the effort that I feel like I'm walking the line for a DUI test. Today my legs, arms and chest are pleasantly sore. I gotta get back and do it again.
Back Talk
Wherein we talk about waffles
Miss Zippy, Al and Carolina John want to know: So what did I decide after all the waffling about running the Akron Marathon this year?
Answer: Despite saying I'd wait to make a decision, it looks like the Leave No Trace trail half marathon is in my future. As much as I would like to run the Akron Marathon this year, I don't think I'm ready to climb back onto the marathon horse this year and the concern over my pregnant wife makes this the more responsible choice.
Happy Hour is nearly upon us, teammates! Have a finely brewed weekend. Run well and drink well. Cheers!
Showing posts with label I'm the Decider. Show all posts
Showing posts with label I'm the Decider. Show all posts
Friday, May 10, 2013
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Booming Cost of Marathons
The Akron Marathon is cheap by comparison. If you wait until the expo to sign up for the event, you would pay $115, which is just a couple dollars more than the national average for marathon entry fees ($112). You can still get change for paying with a portrait of Ben Franklin until the end of this month.
With a high of 15,000 participants last year, the Akron Marathon is also pretty small. At the other end of the spectrum, there's the New York City Marathon, which will probably cost more than $250 to enter and include close to 50,000 people. So, it could be worse.
But still, $115 can pay for a lot in my world and the childish world to come. I mean, have you looked at the cost of childcare these days? Not to mention the fact that my wife needs maternity clothes; I've been wanting new strings for my fiddle; and I need some work done on my car that I keep putting off. If I had a $100 to spare right now, I wouldn't sign up for the Akron Marathon.
That seems pretty telling.
As does my reaction to reading the comments on yesterday's post along with this Esquire article, which have me thinking against the marathon this year. I love the Akron Marathon and how it ties together the city's neighborhoods. I love the community support. I love the course. But it may be time to let it go for a while.
Your comments elicited some unexpected responses. There's no way in hell I would drop $100 to sign up now and decide whether to run later. My money is always where my mouth is, and I'm a pretty quiet guy. While I could drop down to the half, there's another half marathon a month earlier that I'm considering, which wouldn't cut so close to the baby's due date.
Of course, I could just wing it. Run like I'm training and pay a premium for signing up late. In the end, this isn't life or death. It's just running. The decision can wait.
With a high of 15,000 participants last year, the Akron Marathon is also pretty small. At the other end of the spectrum, there's the New York City Marathon, which will probably cost more than $250 to enter and include close to 50,000 people. So, it could be worse.
But still, $115 can pay for a lot in my world and the childish world to come. I mean, have you looked at the cost of childcare these days? Not to mention the fact that my wife needs maternity clothes; I've been wanting new strings for my fiddle; and I need some work done on my car that I keep putting off. If I had a $100 to spare right now, I wouldn't sign up for the Akron Marathon.
That seems pretty telling.
As does my reaction to reading the comments on yesterday's post along with this Esquire article, which have me thinking against the marathon this year. I love the Akron Marathon and how it ties together the city's neighborhoods. I love the community support. I love the course. But it may be time to let it go for a while.
Your comments elicited some unexpected responses. There's no way in hell I would drop $100 to sign up now and decide whether to run later. My money is always where my mouth is, and I'm a pretty quiet guy. While I could drop down to the half, there's another half marathon a month earlier that I'm considering, which wouldn't cut so close to the baby's due date.
Of course, I could just wing it. Run like I'm training and pay a premium for signing up late. In the end, this isn't life or death. It's just running. The decision can wait.
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