Run Vegan Run Podcast Review

I hadn't listened to this podcast much till this week. Just a few random episodes. So I took the time this week and listened to multiple episodes. This podcast is put a on by Megan, a vegan runner in California. While at first glance I thought I wouldn't like this. The odds of me going vegan is very small. Remote. Non existant. But since she has a great name, Megan which is my daughters name. Also I found out that she has a son Riley, I have a granddaughter Riley. I also decided since I listen to podcasts about triathlons with no intention of ever doing one, why not give a vegan a chance.



Megan talks, discusses while on the run. Some times while running with Eric. She also runs with her dog Scout. On more then one occasion while listening to her I forget she's also running with the dog and think she's talking to Eric for stopping on the run to go to bathroom. To me its quite funny, but unintentional.

Most of the time I enjoy listening to her on the run conversations whether with Eric, Scout or the podcast listening. Some times and this shouldnt be unexpected she gets a little too much on the high horse when talking about food. Now I know I eat horibly and too much. I get it Vegans eat great the rest of us dont. But on the optimistic side it is nice to hear many different view points. I like to listen to this in general, but will take more then a podcast to change my eating habits. I might get certain things in this podcast better if I was twitterer more often. She makes many references to her tweets with others.

Overall its usually easy to listen to like having some one to run with. I think alot of time its just nice to have someone to run with, and Megan sounds nice. Just dont tell her I eat chickens.... and beef... and sausage... and eggs...............

run, cough, run

Sunday morning I met with the usual suspects for a run, Bob and Rick and Greg, up from Columbus, showed up with his sister Suzy. So we had a fun group for a run. We passed the Youngstown Road Runners club out running early in our run. A few more and we would of had has many runners.

Bob and Suzy cut off and did around 6 plus but Rick, Greg and Me went onward making it into a 11.8 miler. I would of enjoyed the run alot more if I hadn't been coughing so much. Probably not the best idea to run that far with a cough but glad I got it in. Plus noticed I was pushing it more then usual, according to heart rate monitor. I averaged 171 bpm on the run, lot of my runs lately been in 150's or low 160's when running alone. I guess I slack off too much when running alone, or the cold made it tougher running then normal.

Either way do always look forward to my runs with Rick and Bob and Suzy. Greg dont make it up here too often, a few times a year but usually makes for a fun run with some new stories.

Running in the Center of the Universe Podcast review

I been looking for topics to blog about so I decided to add a weekly podcast review. I do have a long list of podcasts I listen to, some more regular then others. Since its based solely on my opinions and tastes feel free to ignore my reviews or make up your own mind. Anyways the reviews will be mostly mindless ramblings of what I

The first of the weekly review is Running in the Center of the Universe by Ashland Dave. Why is it first? Is it my favorite? Is it the best podcast? Ok actually its the one I listened to today. I had decided to start doing these a couple of days ago and this was one I had planned to listen to on my run today.

I find Dave easy to listen to and friendly. He's around same age has me. Sounds like the type of guy I would like to run with if I ever got the chance. And judging by the paces he mentions the right pace for me to run with. Also makes you feel alright if you take walk breaks on your runs. after all it is your run. I also find a 4:30 marathon a major challenge.

He does do Ultra events and other races which all gets mentioned in podcasts. In one of his latest podcasts he talks about his opinion on race bandits, something I would never do. After all its not an official race if I didn't register. But had some interesting thoughts on that and on his long run. His podcast often consists of him running and giving his thoughts while on the run.

I been listening to him about since I got a MP-3 player so I have to say his is a regular podcast. I also think he started about the same time, he just put out episode 85, which I still need to listen to. I often go weeks without listen to his podcast then do 3 or 4 at a time, its like catching up with an old friend, who I actually had never met. Of course Ashland, Virginia is that far away. I might be wrong but I may of listened to almost all of his podcasts.

Hopefully he keeps it up for years to come. Im sure every few weeks I will catch up with him on the run.

Dark Park

Saturday evening I went to the Dark Park Pursuit adventure run 15K. Its a fun, low key event held after dark at Mosquito lake park. Its got a comination of roads and trails and headlamps or flashlights are required to run it. Last year it was in a blizzard but this year just cold. It also had a sparse crowd. Maybe a dozen or so runners. The race director was late in getting it finalized and getting the applications out. Hopefully he still holds it next year.

I went to the race with Bob, Rick and Tom. We planned to run it together and stuck to the plan. Even in the parts where we got lost at least we got lost together. Trying to watch for signs or paint on road while running in the dark can get tough at times. Our group would of been the last one's in but some guy showed up way late for the start and ran it anyways.

We ended up finishing slightly faster then we did last year in a blizzard and not sure which year we got more lost but did manage to find the finish line eventually. The 4 of us and Todd went for a beer and food after the race where we managed to basically get ignored by the waitresses for most of the time we were there. Could it be the way we smelled?

Updating

Trying to change things a bit on this blog. Lately, I keep trying to update it more regularly without much success. Hoping to change that in the near future, after the first training will get more serious has I start preparing for the Cleveland Marathon. Of course I do have a race or 2 left this year to do. Saturday is the Dark Park adventure run 15K. Then might end year off with the Jingle Bell 5K which would give me a 150 life time races. My running life time started May of 2004.

Be sure to notice the poll on the right side!!!!!

Garmin 305

I picked up a garmin 305 yesterday. Then yesterday evening went on my first run with it last night. Wasnt even sure how to work it completely except to turn it on and run. I met up with my buddy Oboba and the Emp, also known has Bob and Rick. We had planned to do a run around Mcdonald where Rick now lives and Bob is a mailman. We started at Rick's then went to where the 5K started and ran the course. Slower then I did at the race Saturday but fast enough for a fun group run.

Then we started to "free lance" on the run, which made it the perfect run for the garmin. It was a really good run overall, has usual a fun one with Rick and Bob. I want to go test it out on some of my regular runs that I had measure with the car or mapmyrun.com. Or some that I never measured and just took the word of other runners for. Today, a planned rest day almost turned into a run day just to use the garmin. Might test it out on the trails of Mill Creek park tomorrow.

Now to go figure out all I need to know about the garmin 305. Any hints?

It seemed like a great idea at the time. 7 days, 3 races. Half marathon on Sunday, 5 miler on Thanksgiving Thursday and finish it off with a 5K on Saturday. Brillant!

But it didn't start off so great. After over an hour drive to the half we ended up with parking problem and portajohn problems. One was too far away the other there wasn't enough of. I then had stomach issues half way thru the half and ended up finishing way behind my goal time. But these thing happen. I finished in 2:10 and change. Disappointed in my time on a flat course but they had a nice shirt and a medal.

I considered changing my plans, but come Thursday morning I got up and off the Turkey trot I went. I had low expectations for this race but who knows. They had a record number of runners in the 2 races, mostly the 2 miler, with over 2200 runners in the 2 and 5 milers. I lined up for the 5 miler and was still feeling a little sore for some reason. I took off the first mile was slow, but with the crowd that was expected. The second mile was a bit quicker till I noticed my shoe was untied. I tucked behind the clock at mile 2 marker and tied it so wouldn't get run over by the crowds. Never got back to the same pace ended up finishing in 45 minutes. A couple minutes slower then I would of liked but felt I made a good effort.

I was up in the air about the last race, the Mcdonald Feed the Need 5K. I hadnt preregistered so I could always just not show. My buddy that did the half and 5 miler said he wasn't up for it. The race was actually a few blocks from his house. It's a first year event so I decided to go out and see if they get much of a crowd. Many events like this are lucky to be close to a 100 runners. But Mcdonald is a big running communtity, I got there and registered found out they were out of shirts, but they lowered the price to $10 which was fine with me. I can survive without another tshirt. THey had over 220 runners in it. The race course was tougher then I expected but had no high expectations for this race after the first 2. But made a good effort on it, with the hills it sure wasn't a PR course. I finished in 27:00. For a first time race a lot of good things about it, well marked course, plenty of volunteers, lots of door prizes. Definitely put on by people knowing how to put on a race. They even had a tv news crew there filming the awards ceremony. Ok not to film my race but cause they had raised $10,000 from sponsors for the food bank. I will be back next year for this race. Might not do the trilogy of races next year.