Salt Lake City UT

While doing some minor repairs on our truck, I took some time to put in an easy mile around the Flying J truckstop.

Grand Island NE

 

The Bosselman's truckstop is only a mile away from a state recreation area. My legs were still a bit sore from yesterday's run, but I ran over to the park, to the end of the lake, and back to the truckstop. 2.4 miles, two chigger bites, one appreciative glance from a girl in a pickup with low standards, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Oak Grove KY

br>Subject: Oak Grove KY

The sun rose over a cool and fresh Nashville as I hooked a trailerload of tires.
"A perfect morning for a run," I thought as we rolled north out of town toward Chicago.

By the time I parked the truck at the Flying J in Oak Grove KY, the sun was well up with the temperature in the mid-sixties.
I ran about three miles into town and back again. Not quite at six miles when I reached the truck, I took a lap around the truckstop to finish at 6.2 miles.

The farmers have been harvesting corn in this area. Cindy and I enjoy this time of year, watching the harvest crews work their way across the country.

Beto Junction KS

This morning we had a load that needed to go 2600 miles in about 49 hours. Not much extra time for running.

I did, however, run a fast mile after fueling at the T/A Truckstop in Beto Junction KS. On my first lap I got the usual response from the drivers starting their day. They stared in horrid fastination at the chubby, half-naked runner in their midst. On the second pass, though, the same drivers greeted me brightly.

Cindy thinks they just needed a little time to get used to the idea.

Mill City NV

Our truck needed an oil change today, so I did some desert running. OK, it was actually down the frontage road of I-80, but it was in the desert.

The plan was to run 5 miles, but a large, unchained monster of a dog whoofed me before I reached 2.5 miles. By the time I got back to the truck I was at four miles and called it a day.

Lincoln NE

The company we drive for has a yard in Lincoln NE. I planned to stop for a run on their treadmill. Cindy said I should include a picture on the room, because most people have not seen the inside of a trucker exercise room, including most truckers.

Sacramento CA

How about a cross-training day? Whenever Cindy is in the mood to ride our tandem bike, I plan to adjust my schedule to suit her fancy. We rode out of the Sacramento 49er Truckstop to the Sacramento Riverway. The ride took us to Old Town, then up one of the channels of the river.

Another sunny day, we say lots of boats out on the river, including a "Duck". These tourist vehicles drive down the road on wheels, then into the water to get a different view.

Check out pictures of the duck on our trucking blog: http://adventuretrucking.blogspot.com


We rode fifteen miles on the bike. It seems like I should count some of the miles toward my total. Until I do further research I think three miles on the bike might equal one mile of running. I guess. So a total of five miles toward weekly total.

On the Road to Chicago

Today I used the weights in the truck while we were driving. Now that is multitasking.

Portland OR

Today we had to wait most of the day for a load about 110 miles away in Springfield OR. I was sore from yesterday's run, in my quads and knees, but hated to waste a day off. Cindy and I walked downtown for a couple of miles, near the convention center. Afterward we walked five miles up and down Collins Beach on Sauvie Island. Portland was having a beautiful, clear, late-summer day.

I suppose I could credit my total for about seven miles.

Salt Lake City UT

We had to wait about five hours for a load in Salt Lake City UT today. What a great time to start building milage so I can start a formal training program. Most programs start with the assumption that you are running about 25 miles per week before you begin training for your marathon.

I have been running more like ten miles a week.

I started at the Pilot Truckstop off I-80, exit 118. Dodging the wary glances from 300 pound truck drivers, I donned my running gear and took off down N Temple. I had seen that there was a river toward downtown and hoped I could find a path next to the water.

The Utah state fairgrounds are also on the river, and the fair is just getting underway. I found the path, the Jordan River Parkway, and headed north. I was paying attention to my stride. I know I am turning my right foot outward as it comes forward, and I have been hitting heel-first. Both are no-nos. I continued on the path until 700n, and went west to Redwood, then south. My pedometer stopped working for about eight minutes, and I would have been back at the truckstop showing 4.2 miles on the display. I decided I wanted to actually see the five on the display for the first time since I broke my ankle, so I ran down N Temle to the airport and back. The pedometer read 5.44 miles, so I am counting 6 miles for today.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=&daddr=&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mr&dirflg=w&ie=UTF8&ll=40.779112,-111.933646&spn=0.031002,0.076904&z=14

paste in browser to see the area

Longer Runs

As a teenager, I made a list of things I wanted to accomplish in my life. One of the items was to run a marathon, pretty ambitious for someone who did not like to run.



In 2005 I decided to "treat" myself for my 40th birthday. I would train for, and run, my marathon. I could finally get that sucker off my list. I trained for about four months, with the help of a friend who was about to run his 10th marathon.



I chose the PF Chang's Rock N Roll Marathon in Phoenix AZ in early 2006. A choice that most truck drivers would consider inadvisable (aka "crazy". (aka "what the heck were you thinking you nutcase?")) The last quarter of any year is when the money is made in trucking. The stores need to be filled with food and consumer goods for Thanksgiving and for Christmas, not to mention that companies are trying to reach end-of-the-year sales goals. Time to take care of deliveries is tight, and time off is rare.



In any event, I set my goal to finish the 26.2 miles (42.1km) before the street sweeper overran me. The course has a seven-hour limit. I made it in 4:48!

One unfortunate thing happened, though. Along the way, while trying to learn about running and marathons, I read an article that said most 1st-time marathoners do not run a second marathon. Something like 95% or so make one attempt and never try again. I thought to myself, "Self, we can do better than that." Self should have rose up and smote me about the head and shoulders for such a thought. Self was in a quite mood that day, I guess. Self is in for it now, though. The original plan was to stay in "marathon shape" for a while and take care of number two. A broken foot and ankle, then a round of cluster headaches put the cabash on that idea. (What is a cabash? Why do you put it places?)

Minimally displaced fracture of the distal tibia involving the medial malleous, avulsial fracture of the talus, and osteochondral fracture of the talus. I paid to learn these cool words and I plan to use them! It really means a broken ankle and foot.

The trigeminal nerve. The nasty looking critter is responsible, or at least involved in, cluster headaches. More information is available at http://clusterheadaches.com/ if you are bored or enjoy hearing about pain. I advise you to go on with your life instead.

Now, I (and self) are not in marathon shape. Now comes the crunch time: train and complete the second marathon. Also: do not read any articles about running that imply you are a wimp if you do not run at least three marathons.

Welcome to my journey,

Danny