I Could Get Used to This

My internal struggle of to play (because I committed myself to a team) or not to play (because I suck) church league basketball every Sunday night finally came to a head:

I'm done playing.

Shockingly, my basketball skillz have not improved throughout the season.  I've gotten more than a few eye rolls from some teammates and, while I brush that off because it's a church basketball league, it's still disconcerting that my role is to sub for guys that need a break.  I've got bigger and better things to do with my life.*

I opted to skip yesterday's game and go to the gym for my extra huge long run of 5 miles.  My timing was impeccable and I managed to hop on the Rubber Band of Doom for the start of the 2nd half of the NFC Championship.  I had to suffer through Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, but I did it.  Let me tell ya, watching the game made the time just fly by.  I was never a TV on the Treadmill Guy.  I generally consider them a nuisance and they block my view of the outdoors - where I should be running, but cold temps have prevented me from doing so.  

Some other observations from the weekend:

• I signed up for my first race of 2011.  It's a Leprechaun Chase and there's beer involved, so I'm good to go.  Safe to say Harp's and Guinness won't be served.
• Awhile back, I went outside my comfort zone and bought a pair of Nike Vomeros.  All of the reviews were good, they felt really good in the store, but when I run in them, my calves and knees just kill me hours after the run.  I don't know if it's me....cuz I'm getting old....or if it's the shoes.  Maybe they're too soft.  Regardless, a lot of money not well spent.  Pisses me off, but I'm not sure who to direct my anger because, obviously, this is not my fault.
• I went to a Saturday morning spinning class this past weekend.  I got the last bike and I know for a fact that I snaked it from a couple others.  Different vibe in this class.  They were all chatty and whatnot whereas the weeknight class that I went to was a little more low-key.  That, and the chick that was in front of me looked as though she was touring the countryside.  Taking slow sips from her designer water bottle and chatting with her friend, who was trying to get a workout.  If I'm one of those who didn't get into the class, I'm pissed off. 

*I don't, but that doesn't work for this story.

A Cultural SSTIFY

My gym plays some gawd-awful music.  I mean, some seriously hideous stuff.  Granted, about 90% of us use our iPods or whatever the hell else plays MP3s.  Helloooo, Zune?  Anyone?  Regardless, I'm subject to this music when I arrive and when I leave.  Most of the time I just roll my eyes, crank up my Nano to 11 and that's that.  Then, when I was walking into the locker room sans earbuds, I heard Culture Club's Karma Chameleon.  Culture Club should never...under any circumstances...be played at a gym.  Ever.

I made the mistake of making that statement on Facebook.  Fortunately, one of my "friends" simply commented "I'll Tumble 4 Ya".  Consequently, the song is now in my head and I now want to hunt him down and stab his eyes out with one of Boy George's heroin needles.  Either that, or reply back with a strongly worded retort.

Regardless, this week's SSTIFY:

Spin Me Round Round

"I just got my ass kicked by a one-wheeled bicycle" - Me

Yes, that's the type of witty commentary you get when you're my Facebook friend.  "But what could that mean?" you ask.  "How does he ride a one-wheeled bicycle much less get his ass kicked?" you ponder. "I want to be Razz's friend!" you pine*.  But, I digress.

To supplement my running, I've tried spinning (a.k.a. - riding a stationary bike).  I don't know when this craze came zooming down the mountain (get it?), but it's so popular, my gym has a room entirely devoted to it.  My first experience was in a friend's class.  He's a spinning instructor and invited me to his gym to give it a spin (get it?).  How tough can it be?  It's pedaling a bike for 45 minutes.  I did that all the time when I was a kid.  Back in MY day we didn't have the Facebook and them fancy video games.  We went OUTSIDE to play, dadgumit!

I get my bike all set up, hop on and the first thing my friend tells the class is, "We're doing hills today, guys." The collective groan from the class told me that I was in for a ride (get it?).  It was an ass-kicker, but it was a great workout.

I recovered well and decided to try it again a week later, this time at my gym.  The instructor was cool, the music was questionable (Jonas Brothers, really?) and the view was spectacular.  Of the instructor.  No one blocked my view.  I could see the INSTRUCTOR (from the back row).  It was kind of like running a road race, but they never got away from me.  Oh, like I'm the only guy that thinks this.

Other observations of my new favorite type of cross-training:

• Why are the lights dimmed?  In both places, the lights are set way down low.  Maybe that's for the creepers in the back of the room.
• I'm pretty sure everyone wiped down their bike.  Pretty sure.
• I really, REALLY hope they mop the floor after the class.  Puddles of sweat under every bike by the end of the 45 minute session.
• I need to get a bigger water bottle.  We're talking Big Gulp/Dock My Jet-Ski In It size.

Back on the road tomorrow for another 3 miles.  If I'm feeling frisky, I may do 4 on Saturday.   Talk about pushing the envelope!

P.S. - Vote for Adam's blog so he can win something.  Or feel good about himself.  Or something.  He deserves the award cuz he's pretty rad and almost as funny as I am.

*+2 points**
**If Nitmos won't bring it back, I will.

Coffee's On

I suppose I could write about how cold it is right now in my neck of the woods.  Here's that post in three sentences:

Fuck it's cold.  I'm going to run inside. The treadmill sucks.

I'm going to write about my coffee pot instead.  For the most part, I'm a morning runner.  Unless it's single digit temps, icy, windy, or if I just don't damn well feel like getting up that early.  Do I want to be a morning runner?  Not really, but the logistics of the my life make it easier for me to work out at ass-crack-o'-dawn.  Not surprisingly, it has become a little...ahem...challenging for me to wake up and run or go to the gym.

Unless, of course, I make some coffee.

Like many people, I need my morning coffee.  Need. It.  I'm a little OCD about my coffee, though.  I can't reheat my coffee.  Even if the coffee maker JUST turned off, I won't have any.  Strange?  Obviously you're new to ROATM.  I'm strange, but I'm also a genius.  Because I KNOW I can't turn down coffee and I hate to waste it, I set the time for 15 minutes before I am supposed to wake up to go to the gym. My alarm goes off, I curse at the alarm clock, think about hitting snooze, and then I realize.......

I don't want to waste this pot of coffee.

So I trudge downstairs, pour myself a thermos-full of the hot, brown nectar of the gods and I go to the gym.

And who says addiction is a bad thing?

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Speaking of treadmills...I want one of these.  Or at least I'd be more than happy to give a review.

Tragedy Hits Omaha

*Editor's note.  This has nothing to do with running.  Please forgive me if this post seems self-serving.  Writing, along with running, is a coping mechanism for me.  

If you didn't read it, there was a shooting at an Omaha high school yesterday.  The principal and vice-principal were shot by a student that walked in with his dad's Glock (his dad is an Omaha police detective).  He mortally wounded the vice-principal before turning the gun on himself later on in a parking lot a few miles away.  As of this post, the principal is in serious condition.

First and foremost, my thoughts and prayers go out to the everyone involved in this tragedy, including the parents of the gunman.  I have a few colleagues there and I am grateful that they, nor any other student, was harmed during all of this.

Preliminary reports say that the suspect came back hours later after he was suspended by the vice-principal.

Essentially, the vice-principal died because she was doing her job.

When I left TV news and went into teaching, I could list all the positives with the career change:  no more working nights, no being on-call, summer's off, etc.  What they don't tell you before you start teaching is that you're going to have to know how to execute an intruder drill or that you have to watch for signs that a student might do something violent or that you have to keep a "presence" in the hallways so you can be aware of anything unusual.  Believe me, everything at a high school is unusual.  These days, we not only have to teach, but we have to become counselors, detectives, and - in this instance - human shields.  Our priority is to protect the students.  I get that.  And I'd like to think that, God forbid this ever happened at my school, I wouldn't panic and I'd get my students to safety.

Is this what it has come to?  Is this what teachers have to deal with now?  Sadly, bomb threats, "hit lists", etc. are not very uncommon.  I'm not feeling sorry for myself.  I know I have a good gig and I do love teaching.  The odds of this type of violence happening are pretty high, but they seem to dwindle every year.

Mission: Back

I suppose the title of this post (which, admittedly, was suggested to me by this chick) is two-fold:  I'm back to running and I'm back to blogging.

About that running thing.  I may not be as "back" as I had thought.  I thought that 3 miles would be a good start. I was wrong, though.  The IT band thing just won't go away.  I jogged around my gym's track for 1 mile yesterday and I just couldn't shake it.  I looked at my watch at the end of the mile and it read "10:15".  Shit, that can't be right.

I was lost.  I was despondent.  Maybe I should just resign myself to the fact that this whole running thing is going to be have to put on hold for a few more weeks...maybe even months.  I wandered around the gym feeling sorry for myself and then I just said "fuck it" and went back on the track.  I picked up my pace considerably and, oddly enough, the pain subsided.  I was in a good mood so I ignored the 2 dipshits that insisted on taking up the entire track as they strolled and gabbed with one another.  I even managed to make a cool little move to dodge aforementioned dipshits and the woman who was doing lunges on the outside lane of the track.  Yes, I was Reggie Bush without the kickbacks.

Back indeed.  Maybe.  I hope.
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Some odd and random observations on my winter break:

• Apparently, 9am at the gym is "housewife/trainer" time.  Comical.
• My parenting style when I'm alone with the kids?  Bribery.
• How do I kick off my new year with new, healthy resolutions?  By making bacon and cheese stuffed pasta shells.  
• Avery Czar Imperial Stout.  I have to thank Jamoosh over at Last Mile Lounge for that one.  
• I can now recite every line from Toy Story 3.