Risky Running

Greetings!  Our hotel in a Chicago suburb was precariously located on an Interstate access road. Our first morning there I opted to use the treadmill in the fitness center. However, to my dismay the machine had an issue with maintaining the set speed.  As it turns out, the experience with faulty fitness equipment didn't turn out so dismal. I lit out and ran early enough to avoid speeding cars. In short order, I reached a quiet neighborhood with sidewalks. I happily and safely traversed around downtown Hillside, IL. 

I enjoyed jogging through the still morning. I was particularly fascinated to see the city hall located in a former church, a large ornate one at that. I learned there was once a Catholic seminary in town. At present, there still is a Catholic school and convent. Perhaps city hall has taken up residence in the church and seminary of old. Behind the religious buildings is a very nice trail system called Prairie Path.

Opposite the Interstate, which made my initial run so unsettling, sits a shopping plaza.  Some years ago, Hillside served as a vibrant shopping center outside of Chicago. Social, economic and demographic factors led to an economic downturn for the area and many of the business closed or relocated. Hillside, has once again defined themselves as a place for retail. I enjoyed exploring some of the old and the new. 

Once I returned, Shannan and I set out for a day filled with an architectural cruise on the Chicago River and visits to some of the Windy City’s world class museums.

Minimize the Risks and Run.

Tom

In a Bind? Use Bands.

Greetings!  This has been noted before, and I believe it warrants mentioning again. You can complete a very efficient workout anytime and anywhere using a resistance band. I've used one with a circuit style training routine in very small hotel rooms, in bad weather and at 3:00 am in a city park. When Shannan and I traveled to Cusco, Peru I did a three set resistance workout using a band as my body adjusted the high altitude. That proved wise. I was able to get acclimated enough to the over 11,000 ft. elevation to enjoy both tourist activities and jogging the following day. 

Last week Shannan and I exercised in our third floor hotel room. This is another benefit of the bands, they don’t create noise to bother other guests (Also, they take up little room in a travel bag). The funny thing is we stayed in a hotel close to the airport in a community where we lived for 10 years. I really miss running in that neighborhood. Shannan didn’t share my nostalgia or enthusiasm for jogging at that early hour.

Our workout went smoothly. Immediately following, we took off for a tremendous extended weekend in Chicago. 

When you can’t run. Use Bands.

Tom

Forbes Big Tree Forest Preserv

Greetings! Over the course of four years I attended monthly meeting in Sandy Springs. Each time I traveled Roswell Road to the meeting, which took place from 3:00-5:00 Wednesday afternoons. Many times I passed a sign for a Forbes Big Tree Forest Preserve. With regularity I wondered if the Preserve would be a good place for a run before or after the monthly meeting. For one reason or another I never took the time to stop and investigate. Last Friday, I was in the area, and ahead of schedule. I decided to finally take a look around.

What a gem! It's a very nice wooded trail along a small tributary of the Chattahoochee River. The park has three small trails. In all there’s a 1.5 mile loop. To get in at least three miles could prove tiresome. I’m not a big fan of going out and back and then repeating, but this place is hilly and pretty, so it may make it worth the effort. Also, there is real bathroom, as opposed to the port-a-lets often found at park trails. I could have easily cleaned up before or after those Wednesday meetings. Of course, I no longer attend those meetings. Nonetheless, it's good to know though, in case I find myself that way again needing to exercise for the day. Also, I am sure Shannan will love the trail. We can enjoy a walk and really take time to appreciate the fabulous surroundings. 

Explore Trails Sooner or Later and then Run.

Tom

Make Time for Change

Greetings! When I was a youngster I had such ridged rules about running. Once I started my stopwatch I wouldn’t stop moving until the run was finished. In heavy traffic, I’d pace back in forth until an opening came or the light changed. If I encountered a friend or someone with a question on the path, I’d run in place while talking. I still do the exact same thing for both of those. 

One thing has changed. In the past, if I saw coins on the ground, I’d leave them be. I know that is very difficult for some of you to believe, but it’s true. Many times I’d go back later to retrieve the money (if it was still there). These days, I’ll interrupt my stride and stop to pick up a single penny. Of course, running in a formal race is an exception.

Sunday morning I took a short run on the main road close to my house.  In the outing I found a twenty dollar bill and eleven cents in change. What a banner day!

Run. Stop for Money. Start Running Again.

Tom

Keeping Pace with Change

Some 26 years ago I started running as a means of exercise. I fell off a bit while in graduate school. I got back on track and now The Streak is in its 18th year. That’s been a long time of consecutive days of exercise. Sure, a number of times I didn’t feel like running. As I have noted many times on this site, I am not a fan of running in the rain or the cold, and particularly the combination of the two. Nonetheless, I can’t recall a single occasion when I didn’t enjoy the run once I started. For me, that is what it’s all about, moving, thinking, seeing the places around me (even those time when I run on a treadmill), and then the euphoria to follow.

So the thing is, I just like running. I call myself a “purest” as I really have no interests whatsoever in running apparel (my Scottish friend, Kirsty, calls running costumes) or exercise gear. Where we used to live a neighbor regularly ridiculed me for running in dark socks. I’d hit the road as soon as I arrived home from work, and didn’t care to switch to white socks. Some say fads and trends change gradually. As I look back at the over the last 25 years a great number of things have changed in the running world.

As to socks, dark socks are acceptable to wear with shorts these days. I wonder if my neighbor would cling to her socially constructed reality and continue to mock me nonetheless. Along with dark socks bright colors have a place in the running costume. The stripped sock has made a comeback in some circles. Then there is the issue of length, ankle socks, crew socks pushed down or pulled all the way up over the calf. Calf warmers fit in here somewhere.

Shorts used to be fairly short. Now those are expensive specialty items, as the mainstream shorts tend to reach the knee, if not beyond. Women now have the option of the running skort (skirt/shots hybrid). The bright color thing includes shorts, shirts and shoes.  Marketers tout the colors as a benefit for running outside of daylight hours. Without question, safety is paramount. I have two reflective vests that have served nearly two decades and I anticipate many more years. 

Clearly in the last quarter decade running grew in popularity. Shoe types run a wide gamut where fashion seems nearly as important as function. The barefoot movement may have peaked (I subscribe to this one). Even with a saturated industry, Nike maintains a foothold on the industry.

Nearly all runners will agree a simple stop watch is essential. Perhaps one with a greater number of splits serves best if you are training. Active wear is our new term, not for clothes, but for wearable tech trinkets. This includes, music players, heart rate monitors, GPS access wristbands, Fitbits and smart watches. 

The constant in running is people do it. For a bevy of reasons, we run. It can be done with little more than shorts and shoes (both are optional, I guess).

Roll with the changes. Run.

Tom