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Monday, February 25, 2013

The Running Daddy's Running Thoughts on The Oscars

  1. Seth McFarlane was OK. Not great, but not terrible. Better than Billy Crystal last year... but that's a pretty low bar. 
  2. I did think the monologue was kind of clever... but the rest of the show was just... meh.
  3. I don't mind lip-syncing if it is done well... therefore, I really REALLY hated Catherine Zeta Jones in the "All That Jazz" number from Chicago. She mad Ashlee Simpson look like Beyonce.
  4. Jennifer Hudson... WOW.
  5. Cossette (both the character and Amanda Seyfried) suck.  There, I said it.  
  6. Do you think Kristen Stewart is just fucking with us now? The first thing she did when she presented was flip her hair over... and the first thing out of her mouth was "Ugh" (like a bored teenager). She was just trying to make the internet explode, right?
  7. OK, I just have to say it... Adele's last name is Adkins? How has Jay Leno not already made this joke?
  8. Somehow, Jennifer Lawrence out-adorabled Quvenzhané Wallis. (OK, not really, but her acceptance speech was pretty adorable)
  9. When they were playing the clip from the Oscar-nominated song that Scarlett Johansen sang... my wife mentioned that Scarlett had auditioned for Fantine in Les Mis, but had larengitis that day and (obviously didn't get the part). So, weirdly, Scarlett's Johansen's sore throat cost Sally Fields an Oscar.
  10. I guess I have to see Argo now (I already wanted to see it... but now I guess I HAVE to).

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Goofy Challenge Part II - 2013 Walt Disney World Marathon Race Recap

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So here we are... the "Challenge" part of the "Goofy Challenge."  The Full Marathon.  So gather round people, wherever you may be, and admit that this Challenge is totally crazy, and accept it that soon I was miserable.  If your time to you is worth savin', then you better read fast, or this will take all day, for the recap it is a comin'.1

(Read the Recap after the jump)

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Goofy Challenge Part I - 2013 Walt Disney World Half Marathon Race Recap


A lot has happened since I ran the Walt Disney World Half Marathon last year (at least in my running life).  Since then, I've run another Half Marathon and beat my PR by quite a bit and run my first Full Marathon.

Well my friend Phil (not his real name) and I decided that just running a half or a full marathon wasn't enough... we thought we'd do both... yep, we're F^%&ing Goofy!

(Read the rest of the recap after the jump)

Monday, February 11, 2013

2012 Twin Cities Marathon Race Recap

Whoops... it's been 4 months since I ran the Twin Cities Marathon.  I guess it's about time I work on a Recap.  This recap won't be as detailed as some of my previous Race Recaps (like my Lincoln Half Recap, and especially not like my Disney Half Race Recap) because I just don't remember all the details.  But I'll do my best.

Pre-Race
I had everything laid out for this race the night before.  Unfortunately, I got sucked in to the Nebraska vs. Ohio State football game the night before (a humiliating defeat by the Huskers) and got to be a tad later than I had planned (although not much).  I woke up somewhere around 5:30, got dressed, had a pre-race meal (probably something light like a small bowl of cereal).  I then drove to St. Paul and parked near the finish line.  As you can see from this course map, the race actually starts at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, weaves its way through Minneapolis, and then makes its way to the State Capitol in St. Paul.

The race organizers had shuttle buses from a spot near the finish to the start.  Thankfully, I got to the shuttle pick up point by about 6:30 because there was a HUGE line of people and the buses seemed to take forever to fill up.  There is also a 10 mile race at the same time as the Marathon (which also starts at the Metrodome and Finishes at the Capitol), and that race is much more popular than the Marathon.  The 10 mile race also started at 7, so there were a lot of nervous 10-mile racers in that line.

I eventually got on the bus and it made it's way along I-94 between downtown St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis.  I think we pulled into the Metrodome area at about 6:55 (or maybe even right at 7:00), so all my new 10-mile friends had to basically sprint to the 10-mile start line (a few blocks away).  Me, I casually walked over to the Metrodome where you could go inside the stadium to stay warm (the temperature at the start of the race was around 38 degrees).  I waited in line for a restroom for about 15 minutes until I decided to go outside and use the Port-O-Potties.

After my pit stop, I was texting my friend Phil (not his real name)... the same Phil that I ran the Disney Half Marathon with back in January, and we eventually met up near the stadium.  We checked our bags and headed to the corrals.

Start Line
There definitely isn't as much fanfare for the Twin Cities Marathon as there is for Disney.  No pre-race announcers.  No interviews with celebrities (or running celebrities) running the race.  No fireworks.  Just a bunch of nervous runners pack into a small space waiting to start the race.  The only thing I really remember about the starting area was Phil kind of freaking out (his training was more sporadic than mine) and me saying "You'll be fine" (for those of you not familiar with the better storytelling techniques... this is called "foreshadowing").

Anyway, then it was time to start (more after the jump)

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

What's Going On?

Wow... I haven't posted in over three months!  Sorry about that (if there is anyone out there who actually reads this).  I wanted to update you on what I've been up to and what my future plans are for this blog, so here goes:

What's Happened Since October
  1. As in indicated in my last post, I finished my first marathon (Twin Cities) in October 2012.  I plan on writing a race recap at some point (although the details will be pretty sketchy, since I've probably forgotten most of what went on).
  2. Between late October 2012 and Early January 2013, I was very, very, very busy with work (one of the reasons I haven't posted at all).  I was also very busy training for the Walt Disney World Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge (the "Goofy Challenge"), so between work, my kids, my wife, and training, I really had no free time.
  3. On January 12 and 13, 2013, I ran the Goofy Challenge and was able to complete both races.  It was incredibly difficult, and I WILL write a recap of each race... just know that there was pretty much the cliched "Perfect Storm" of bad conditions for me, so while I am ecstatic that I finished the Challenged, I'm pretty disappointed with my times.
  4. Right after Goofy, my family spent some additional time in Florida at Walt Disney World... which I may write about a bit.
  5. After getting back from Florida, I'm just trying to get back into the swing of work (which has taken at least a full week so far).
Future Plans for This Blog

I've been a pretty terrible blogger, and I've struggled with what I want my "voice" to be.  Up until now, my blog has been way too conventional as simply a running blog.  While that's fine and good, there are SOOOOO many great blogs that discuss in much more detail the ins and outs of running that I can't really expect to provide the same level of analysis and insight... and I don't think I should.  I have enough things to worry about in my life, and I don't want to make this blog a continuous research project.

So, what I hope to do is refocus on what makes me somewhat unique as a blogger about running... and that is to focus on how I juggle being a professional (a boring old patent attorney), a father of two small children, and someone who tries to improve as a runner.  Because of that, posts about "hard core" running will be much more limited.  Similarly, posts with product reviews will also be much more limited.  I do want to share my feelings about products, but I just don't have the time to give it the level of detail that would add any value over the hundreds of other blogs and websites that are devoted to reviewing running equipment.

"Well then, what will you write about?"  Well, that's an excellent question, fake reader I made up to force the illusion of a conversation on my readers.  For the immediate future, my blog will be much more mercurial and subject to my daily whims.  I hope to write a bit more about my everyday life, including stories of my family and work life.  I also hope to write some creative stuff (think weird short stories, sketches, and the like).  Not because I think anyone will actually enjoy reading it, but because it's just something I want to try.  There will still be posts about running, and I do hope to write race reports and let you know what things I will be running in.... but my goal is to make this a much more personal blog from now on.  Maybe that means I won't attract very many readers... but I don't really care.

Anyway... there is my rambling attempt at describing what's up with me.  I hope you stick around to see what happens.

Mike
"The Running Daddy"