Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Tuesday Thoughts

So, yeah.  Starting with Dec. 11, 2017, it's been 834 consecutive days with a run of at least a mile.

2 years, 3 months, 13 days 

Seems like yesterday that there was no CoronaVirus.

Seems like yesterday that former US gymnastics physician Larry Nasser was sentenced to 60 years on child pornography charges. Seems like yesterday that "The Last Jedi" premiered.  Seems like yesterday that US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand called for the resignation of Trump, given 16 women had accused him of sexual harassment. Seems like yesterday that Salma Heyk accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment and threatened to kill her.

Also, during this span the Washington Capitals and St. Louis Blues won Stanley Cups.

The Houston Astros were accused of stealing signs. The #MeToo movement picked up steam, Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul and didn't make it out alive, warning of climate change continued to rage (Greta Thuberg visited Alberta!!!), U.S. invoked trade wars with just about every country, Trump was impeached, Theresa May resigned over Brexit, several wealthy parents (including Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin) were charged in connection with an investigation into a large-scale criminal conspiracy to influence college admissions at elite universities, a fire decimated the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris and Harry and Meghan moved to Vancouver.

Oh, that reminds me.  After he was convicted of sex crimes, Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in jail and John Cleese shared a tweet.


Alex and Dione wed. We welcomed Elliot Allan into our circle of trust. Seth and Amanda wed. Stewart got engaged to Samara.

Ab ran a marathon.  Soni Sioux went to Africa.

We lost Toni. This sucks and and am gonna miss her dearly.

Hope you're doing well.  Love you guys and hope we can go for a run together again soon.

Until next time.




Tuesday, December 11, 2018

What I've Learned


O.K., I was off the blogging grid for a while.

A quick check of previous posts on the site shows that the last time I wrote something regarding the streak was back in March.  I don't think it was something that I needed to get away from necessarily as the streak has continued on.  I'm not really voluminous when it comes to writing, so I think perhaps it was a matter of running out of things to say.  Or maybe it was just a focus thing.

And if indeed it was a focus-related break, that would make sense.  You'd think running 365 consecutive days would be consuming (it wasn't). Or monotonous (I don't think so).  What it became, though, was kind of routine.  It's something that just becomes part of what you do every day.  Like brushing your teeth or eating.

I have learned a few things though.

       In order to get a least a mile in every day for the past year, there was some planning involved.  Like, what time of day should I run tomorrow?  Pre-work. Lunch. Post-work.

       Do I need to do a load of work-out gear laundry?

       I'm hungry most of the time.

       What am I going to eat tomorrow?  I can usually eat most anything I want, but in order to keep my weight up, I found needed to consume at least 2800 calories a day. Basically ensuring I eat three meals a day.  I can tell you that this has not typically what I've done over the years, so now I have to make an effort to eat more for breakfast everyday.  Bring lunch or go home for lunch and then eat something healthy at night.  And snacks in the morning and afternoon.  Protein shake after full workouts.  Protein drink after just a run.  Every time.

       Don't eat a half of a bag of Cheetos and a turkey sandwich a half hour before you go out to run.

       My monthly mileage has gone down over the months.  During the summer, I was getting in 15-20 miles a week in.  But as work started to really ramp up in late August and into September, there have been a lot of times where I have been only getting in a mile a day.  So, there have been times were I've only ran 10-12 miles in a week. I think also since I haven't been training for a road race, there hasn't been the urgency to do more in order to ensure I'm really in shape for a longer event. Also, a lot of my runs take place indoors on a treadmill (something I'm not really fond of).  So, like anything else, a few changes (run outside and sign up for a race, for example) and Bob's your uncle.

   As you know, it's a great way to see the country.  In the last year I've ran along the coastal trail in Alaska. I've ran in Saskatchewan, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Michigan, Ohio, Idaho and Wisconsin. I've ran when it's hot and humid and when it's cold and windy.

   Map My Run has my mileage for the year at 756.2.  During the summer, the heaviest months during the streak, mileage for May was 78.19, June was 72.63, July was 74.25 and August was 74.43.

   My dog, Daisy, is getting older.  Me, too.  That means we're getting slower.  When she was younger, we wouldn't stop.  At least she didn't have to.  When I was training for a marathon a couple of years ago, I took her back to the house in the middle of a training run after 11 miles (I was doing a 19-mile run that day) and took off.  She was looking out of our house, wondering where I was going.  Now, she stops and sniffs flowers quite often. 

   If you're planning on running after work once you get home, do it then.  Don't eat and don't sit down to watch TV. 

   I can run a mile on a treadmill in under eight minutes.  I can get under nine minutes on pavement, but I'm not sure I can do under eight minutes on pavement.

   A couple of weekends ago I was with our men's hockey team in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.  There's a lot of snow and it's really cold there so, my workouts were in the fitness room at the hotel. Basically one treadmill, an eliptical machine, a medicine ball and a TV in a small room.  Our last day there, a Saturday, I got up and had an excellent continental breakfast. Then back to my room to check out the national cross country championships where we had a young gal (Lily Paul) competing. I followed along online, then did a release on her results. Then turned my attention to our home football game, which started at noon.  The bus for the rink was leaving at 4:45 p.m., so I should have had enough time to watch the game online, pack, workout, shower and get dressed for the game.  I started doing some social media as the football game went along. Some screen grabs I took off of the video stream and some graphics.  The game went long and before you knew it, it was about 3:45 p.m.  I put on my gear and hoped there wasn't anyone on the lone treadmill in the workout room. There wasn't and I got my mile in.  Hustled back upstairs.  Packed, showered, got dressed and made it downstairs and on to the bus with a couple of minutes to spare.

I don't recall being sick during the past year.  I've had a couple of minor colds, but that's been it and haven't missed any work.

It's kinda been fun and although I don't know for how long, I'm going to continue to run daily.  I need to sign up for a race. There's been a half marathon in Mankato in the spring the past two years, but I don't see it listed anywhere now.  Maybe the Rochester Half March 2nd, instead. St. Peter Freedom Run (8K on July 4) has become a tradition.   For sure Ragnar in August (the week after Seth & Amanda get hitched) and I think our men's hockey team is home the weekend that the Mankato Marathon and Half Marathon takes place (Oct. 18-19).

Veni, vidi, vici.






Monday, March 12, 2018

The Signifigance of '92

 92.

What's the big deal?  Well, a lot happened that year.

Some great movies - Last of the Mohicans, Basic Instinct, Unforgiven, Wayne's World, A League of Their Own, A Few Good Men, My Cousin Vinny and The Mighty Ducks.

Also, in the year that was....
  • Bill Clinton became president of the United States. 
  •  The Summer Olympics took place in Barcelona.  The Winter Olympics took place in Albertville.
  • Rioting broke out in Los Angeles following the acquittal of four white police officers accused of beating Rodney King (Rodney later said "can't we all just get along"). 
  • Seth Campbell Allan was born on July 10.
  • It was in 1992 that the Mall of American opened. 
  • Ralph Klein succeeded Don Getty as Premier of Alberta
We could go on, but let's be honest. This information is somewhat trite.  This is a blog about a run streak and today is Day 92 of said streak. That's what matters.  Only eight days to go!  Seems like the time has flown by, right?

While I haven't added it all up, I think I'm around the 200-mile mark and most of my runs have a common theme in that they've been relatively short and have taken place indoors on a treadmill. The indoor thing has limited things relative to the mileage and if we had started this crazy streak in, say, May rather then December, unquestionably the mileage would have been greater.

Not getting ahead of ourselves, here, but there is the mystery of what happens next once March 20 comes and goes.  I read a book a couple of years ago by former Flames head coach Dave King (or as Jack Neumann calls him "Kinger"). One of the things King described in the book was the fact he ran every day for a year while coaching a team in Russia.  Is that something we should consider?  Oh, and by the way, I'm curious as to where "The King of Russia" book ended up.  The last I heard, big brother Pete had given it to Alex (it was nice knowing you ... "King of Russia").

Or maybe we turn our attention to distance and look to hit the 1,000-mile plateau over the course of a 12-month span.  At my current pace, again, that seems doable. Providing we amp things up a little once the weather gets nice.  The would be a good goal to shoot for.

So that's about if for tonight, y'all.  Hope you've had some good runs lately!

#skinnybadassallans #wereMetis



Monday, March 5, 2018

Stretch Drive


Today's Day 85 on the road to 100 consecutive days for our #AllanNation EARC Secret Run Streak.

Famous number 85's include Little Richard (he's 85 years old), Loretta Lynn (also 85), Meadow Lark Lemon (yup, 85) and Maury Wills (he's 85 and could still steal a base if he had to).

The roman numeral for 85 is LXXXV. And football players who wore this number: Nick Buoniconi, Art Monk and Jack Youngblood.

Mostly irrelevant information with absolutely nothing to do with our streak, but c'mon, interesting nonetheless.

Only 15 days to go.  Just over two weeks.

It's sleeting this afternoon in the Key City, which is typical for this time of year in Minnesota.  In fact, there's an adage around here that if it's the week of the boys high school hockey tournament (which in fact, it is), then you can count on getting some snow.  So, another workout on the treadmill (sigh).

Unless something weird happens (I get sick, my car hits a water buffalo or I win the lottery and immediately head off to Ireland to drink that country out of Guinness), then the probability is high that I'm going to reach this goal.

Again, to me, the most impressive thing during the past few months is the fact that Ab ran on the same day they he also had a colonoscopy.  This will go down in Allan lore.  Told time and time again at our tribal get togethers (or maybe we should call them rendezvous, like a bunch of trappers or voyageurs, given our Metis heritage). 

Have we talked about shoes? How many pairs do you have? I need to get a new pair, but don't want to change from my current model (Asics Guide 8s or 9s). What's your process for buying new running shoes?  Do you have shoes you use for trail running/hiking, running in snow/ice, on asphalt only?

That's it for now.  Next update coming in about a week.

Cheers!  #skinnybadassallans



Saturday, February 17, 2018

Day 69

O.K.  So we've been informed that today is #69 for us still standing in the the #AllanNation Secret Run Streak.

That's a great number for a couple of reasons.
1. A pair of former NHLers used to wear #69. Mel Angelstad (Washington in 2004) and Andrew Desjardins (San Jose in 2011 and 2012).

2. It's Norma's favourite number.

3. Only 31 more days to go!

Let's take our temperature (which by the way literally stands a balmy 34 degrees in Eagle Lake, Minnesota).  So far, so good, I think.  After battling through a cold (at least I think it was a cold.  Might have been the flu), which consisted mostly of an upper respiratory condition that lasted for about a month, not feeling too bad.  Hanging in there and I think my body is getting used to the routine.

It's been interesting though.

Having gone through training plans for several half marathons and a marathon, where at times I was putting in 30 miles on a weekly basis, I'm now pretty comfortable settling in on 10-20 miles a week.

I think because of the need to get in at least one mile a day, sometimes that's all the time I literally have time for.  A mile. But a mile, when you're feeling shitty and the weather is brutal outside is still a challenge. When it's all said and done we'll go back and see how many times we ran inside, but even when it's below zero, providing you dress appropriately, it's still way better than trudging along on a dreadmill.  That's part of the deal - even if I wanted to run more miles on a weekly basis.  It's gotten to the point where I don't think I can run more than three miles on that wheel of boredom.

Here's a story from Runner's World I read on running on a treadmill.  It was supposed to help me. It didn't.

In any event, about a month left.  So far I've been able to get the runs in. Working them in around my work schedule, which has included 12 days in Alaska and a trip to Alabama.

Hope you have been, too.

 #KeepGrindin #SkinnyBadassAllans



Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Taking the Temperature

So, yeah. 30 days. Almost a third of the way through and we're hanging in there.

There is a school of thought that it takes 21 days of doing the same thing in order for that thing to become habit-forming. Other research suggests it's likely that it takes longer, maybe as long as 66 days, perhaps, depending on what that thing is.

Finding time to get a run in while things are fairly comfortable is no big deal right?  Providing things go as they typically do in our lives, there's comfort in routine.  And like anything, running and/or working out can become routine.  It can get tricky if the routine is upset. Travel, maybe. Or weather. Or maybe you catch a cold or something at work comes up.  Pre-planning can help in certain instances, but how do you account for wanting to put a few miles in when you're not really feeling up to it?

For me, I wonder what Soni's doing and envision her running those stairs just off of Memorial Drive. Or Ab gutting out that brutal half marathon last summer. But, I think it's gotten to the point now that I know I'll feel pretty good after I get those runs in. 

The one thing I will say is that I don't think I can really do more than four miles on a treadmill  The run I had two days ago along Cook Inlet here in Anchorage, was only four miles, but it was unbelievable.  Nine in the morning, still dark, icy, cold, but no wind. The sun came up as we were running.  Can. Not. Wait. To get outside on a regular basis.

30 days in the books.  Only 70 more to go. 70.

#Keep Grinding  #AllanNation.

Miss you guys.

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Boxing Day - The Raven

The Raven began his run streak in
in 1975
Today, Boxing Day 2017, is the 15th day of #AllanNation EARC Secret Run Streak.

We're currently going through a cold snap.  -10 in the Cowtown. -6 in Eagle Lake. -18 in Stoughton. It's 66 degrees in Phoenix and 15 degrees in Flagstaff. I haven't heard from Soni in a few days, but know that Ab has been running outside in Arizona.

So, it begs the question - how bad does the weather have to be so that you refuse to go outside to run?  For me, as I've aged and gotten softer, I think once it gets in the 20s or if its too windy, it's unlikely that I'll be venturing outside to run. I think maybe if I got some kicks that would allow me to run without the possibility of falling on my ass, then it would be more likely I'd get out there.

For some people, the truly committed, weather won't get in the way.  Witness, for example, the Raven, who has taken an eight-mile run on Miami Beach every day since Jan. 1, 1975.  Here's another story on him (there's several if you look for him on google).

You go, Raven.

For me - a mile on Christmas day on the treaddy at Rich & Mary Jo's it is. And a few miles here tonight in a bit at Planet Fitness.

Only 85 more days to go. 

#KeepGrinding #AllanNation





Saturday, December 23, 2017

Christmas Eve Eve - Ab Checks In

Challenges - in every walk of life, it seems, we are challenged.

For me this running challenge is great motivation. Recently the temps/climate have been interesting.  In the 40s/50s in Phoenix and it seems cold.  Meanwhile in Flagtown, it's been in the 20s. Clearly, I'm getting soft in my "old age."

Coupled with all of that whinery, I've developed a cold.  Something I haven't experienced in quite some time, but because of our challenge, I got out there and put in a couple of miles.

So, thank you Hogan, for coming up with this idea - we love challenges that put us in a positive place.

Merry Christmas 2017.

Sunday, December 17, 2017

One Week Down, 13 More Weeks to Go

#AllanNation in the Grand Tetons - 2017
Ran a mile today. 

Yup, the minimum needed to keep the streak alive.  Also, today signifies the end of the first week of our 100-day challenge. I'll say this. Hoping not to jinx things here, but this seems doable.

Unquestionably there will be challenges in the coming weeks.  Providing things go as planned, Day 100 is March 20.  DA has already indicated that he is invoking #AllanNation EARC Secret Run Streak "special dispensation claus 10.9a" in which said participant requests a pause in his or her streak due to "surgery, illness, natural weather disaster and /or marriage/divorce proceedings." Based on the information provided by said participant, he qualifies for the special dispensation.

Things could get a little tricky when our men's hockey team travels to Alaska for four games in January and we'll be up there for ten days, so will have to figure out how the travel days in which we fly will work.  There's also a trip to Alabama Huntsville in early Frebuary, but we should be o.k.

In any event, all systems go and hoping to mix in some longer runs along the way.  I registered for the Scheels Spring Half, which is here in Mankato on April 8. So the running we're doing now dovetails nicely with that trek.

Lastly, this piece entitled What a 100-Day Run Streak Has Done for Me.  Gonna start concentrating on breathing through my nose. “Your mouth is for eating, your nose is for breathing.”

Ha ha. #KeepGrinding #AllanNation #We'reMetis


Friday, December 15, 2017

How 'bout today?

So far, so good.

Streak Day #5

Up and early this morning to get couple of miles in.  Still too cold for my liking to go outside, but at some point it'd be good to get off of the dreadmill. We're supposed to have a few days in the 40s next week, so maybe then.

Are you good to go when it's cold or windy?  How 'bout running in the snow and ice? How about your shoes?  I know Ab has a few. What about you, Soni?  I don't normally use more than one pair at a time. I find something I like and stick with it. I'm on my second pair of Saucony Guide 9s and have started to look for another pair.

I saw this list on run streaks the other day.

The benefits of a running streak?
  • Getting in to a routine
  • Pushing through mental barriers
  • Crushing invalid excuses about time, energy, life
  • It can increase motivation
  • It leads to other good habits
  • More chances to improve
  • No new special equipment needed
  • You’ll learn to adapt to different situations
  •  
 It all sounds pretty good to me. Here's a quote from  Amy Lawrenson, Beauty and Fitness Editor at Women's Health, who finished a 500-day run streak in 2014.

"Usually I would do a few one-milers per week and a couple of longer runs. In the end jogging that mile around my block became so easy that it was like a rest day. It just became a habitual part of my day, like brushing my teeth."

Yup, just like brushing your teeth. Easy peasy.   Remind me about this one I reach 50 days in a row.

Have a great weekend #AllanNation.  #KeepGrinding

Thursday, December 14, 2017

We're Streaking | Day #3 and #4

Daisy on a walk this
afternoon (post workout).
Photo's blurry 'cause
she was hustling.
My Canadian math tells me that if you ran today, congratulations are in order 'cause you've completed 4% of our goal!

So what's the deal with streaks?  Why are people drawn to them? What's the significance? In our case, given that it's just us, I guess it's just a fun thing we can share.  We have this common interest - running and it's something we can do together.  Like if we went golfing together, if we were avid golfers. Or made it a goal to ski the Bugaboos together. If we were avid skiers.  Maybe if we were avid hikers we hike the Bright Angel Trail of the Grand Canyon (almost). But then two members of the group would barely make it out. Sorry.

So #AllanNation EARC Secret Run Streak it is.

But I don't know that what we're attempting to do is all that unual. It is for us, for sure. I don't think I've ever ran more than six or seven days in a row. Others do it though. I think many runners participate in the Runners World Run Streak, which lasts 40 days and goes from Thanksgiving 'til New Year's Day.  Here's the LINK. Maybe we should have started with that.  Oh well. There's always next year!!!!!!

We have a home men's hockey game tomorrow night, so going to have to get creative on timing for the run.  Maybe at lunch.  Or if I can get up that early, do the 4:00 a.m. treaddy with Lori at Planet Fitness.  And, by the way, at some point I've gotta get back outside. A bit of a dilemma, of course, due to the fact that I don't like running in the cold. Maybe it would have been a better idea to have started this streak in the spring.  Damn you spur of the moment decisions!

And I've gotta get some new headphones. In the past six months I've sweated through a couple of pairs of Iphone ear buds and a cheap blue tooth head set I bought at TJ Maxx.

How's it going???

#KeepGrinding #AllanNation

Tuesday Thoughts

So, yeah.  Starting with Dec. 11, 2017, it's been 834 consecutive days with a run of at least a mile. 2 years, 3 months, 13 days  ...