Ed's Tavern

50 States + DC Update

2011-12-02T17:52:00.000-05:00

Tentative
March 4^th, 2012 – Little Rock, AR
April 29^th, 2012 – Eugene, OR
September 22nd, 2012 - Denver, CO

Completed
November 6^th, 2011 - (3:40:02) - New York, NY
September 18th, 2011 – (3:42:50) - Erie, PA
April 18th, 2011 – (3:42:17) - Boston, MA
December 5th, 2010 – (3:36:04) – Las Vegas, NV
October 9th, 2010 - (3:10:01) - Hartford, CT
April 11th, 2010 - (3:24:18) - St. Louis, MO
February 28th, 2010 -(3:19:28) - New Orleans, LA
January 10th, 2010 - (3:30:21) - Northfield, MN
November 14th, 2009 - (3:21:39) - Fort Oglethorpe, GA
October 10th, 2009 (3:40:27) - Baltimore, MD
June 20th, 2009 - (3:26:30) Anchorage, AK
June 6th, 2009 - (3:26:14) South Bend, IN
March 29th, 2009 - (3:24:23) Knoxville, TN
February 15th, 2009 (3:29:16) - Birmingham, AL
September 20th, 2008 (3:39:05) - Park City, UT
June 14th, 2008 (3:50:22) - Williamson, WV
February 17th, 2008 (3:54:54) - Jacksonville, FL
November 3rd, 2007 (3:55:40) - Richmond, VA

50 States + DC Update

2010-10-20T19:03:00.000-04:00

Scheduled
April 18th, 2011 - Boston, MA

Tentative
September 2011 - Erie, PA
October 16th, 2011 - Denver, CO
November 2011 - New York, NY

Completed
October 9th, 2010 - (3:10:01) - Hartford, CT
April 11th, 2010 - (3:24:18) - St. Louis, MO
February 28th, 2010 -(3:19:28) - New Orleans, LA
January 10th, 2010 - (3:30:21) - Northfield, MN
November 14th, 2009 - (3:21:39) - Fort Oglethorpe, GA
October 10th, 2009 (3:40:27) - Baltimore, MD
June 20th, 2009 - (3:26:30) Anchorage, AK
June 6th, 2009 - (3:26:14) South Bend, IN
March 29th, 2009 - (3:24:23) Knoxville, TN
February 15th, 2009 (3:29:16) - Birmingham, AL
September 20th, 2008 (3:39:05) - Park City, UT
June 14th, 2008 (3:50:22) - Williamson, WV
February 17th, 2008 (3:54:54) - Jacksonville, FL
November 3rd, 2007 (3:55:40) - Richmond, VA

2010-04-16T08:57:00.002-04:00

You Can Find Me In Da Club

2009-12-18T16:26:00.002-05:00

That's right it's your birthday. I can officially join the 50 States Marathon Club. By completing 10 marathons I can officially enter and start reaping the benefits. Just have to find out what they are.

So I was looking back to try and find my last marathon post about Baltimore but magically it's gone. Oh well the less I remember about that disappointing day the better. Onward to the race #10 update:
Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon - Ft. Oglethorpe, GA

This race was about getting back on course. After crashing and burning in Baltimore I decided I needed a good performance to regain some confidence. This race is ran nearly all in a Civil War Battlefield Memorial Park. I remember reading somewhere that it has the most military memorials in one place then anywhere else. Well not sure how true it is but let me tell you there were a lot of statues and other things all over the place.

We got into town reasonably early on Friday and headed straight to the expo. After waiting in the longest line I have ever had to wait in for a marathon we got the goodie bag and everything I would need the next morning. We decided to buy a couple of tickets to the pasta dinner since it was being catered by a Gayle's favorite, Carrabbas. It was tasty and hit the spot as we listened to some live bluegrass music.

The next morning was a bit chilly but promised to be great weather for running. About 5 minutes before the gun I got into position a few yards behind the 3:10 pace group thankful there was no 3:20 pace group. No expectations here as I just wanted to run by my gut and not get caught up in maintaining a pace group.

I would have to say it was a very interesting race. They started the half and the full at the same time (thank you) but we split and rejoined at various points. So there were times where you could pass the same guy a few times but yet you were on about the same pace. This race also had another favorite of mine. The loop. There is something to be said about knowing exactly what to expect the 2nd time around. It builds a lot of confidence when you know you tackled everything the race course had to offer and you can tell yourself that you can do this cause you already did it once. Although on the 2nd loop I swear they built a hill or two since the last time I was there.

This run was run almost all in the woods which was quite unique from the urban marathons I have ran prior in 2009. A couple of times the trees would give way to a huge clearing where Civil War cannons would be stationed to recreate a famous battle. It was pretty cool to see all that in the early morning hours as the morning fog rolled away. One of the times I wished I ran with a camera but I guess you'll have to take my word for it.

Well the last few miles as usual were a challenge but that's the fun of the marathon. Anyone can run the first 20 but the last 6.2 is really where the gut check is at. Though I was happy to leave enough in the tank where I could pick off about 20 or so runners in the last 3 miles. My finishing time was a PR 3:21:39.

Here's a look at what's coming up and an updated map:

Scheduled
January 10th, 2010 - Northfield, MN
February 28th, 2010 - New Orleans, LA

Tentative
Las Vegas 2010
New York 2010

Completed
November 14th, 2009 - (3:21:39) - Fort Oglethorpe, GA
October 10th, 2009 (3:40:27) - Baltimore, MD
June 20th, 2009 - (3:26:30) Anchorage, AK
June 6th, 2009 - (3:26:14) South Bend, IN
March 29th, 2009 - (3:24:23) Knoxville, TN
February 15th, 2009 (3:29:16) - Birmingham, AL
September 20th, 2008 (3:39:05) - Park City, UT
June 14th, 2008 (3:50:22) - Williamson, WV
February 17th, 2008 (3:54:54) - Jacksonville, FL
November 3rd, 2007 (3:55:40) - Richmond, VA

Soon...

2009-12-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

Have an update on running coming soon...until then enjoy this picture

Run Across USA Update

2009-11-12T19:39:00.000-05:00

Haven't done this for awhile but decided to update my Virtual Run Across the USA. After my last update I was just entering Ohio but since my long hiatus I have logged over a 1000 miles. My total currently is 2180 and that brought me just West of Oklahoma City (hi Reaper!). Check me out...(if you are looking at this from Facebook viewer you probably won't see the map...gotta go to the website.

&amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/me/fort-kent/346579815542"&amp;gt;Jairadballerina&amp;amp;#039;s Coast2Coast&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/find-run/united-states/me/fort-kent"&amp;gt;Find more Runs in Fort Kent, Maine&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;

Say Cheese!

2009-09-09T10:42:00.002-04:00

Long Time No Blog; Running Update; More To Come?

2009-08-12T20:00:00.001-04:00

Time for an overdue update. I've been putting it off and putting it off and finally I have some good news to write about. So I decided that this will be an excellent opportunity to update my racing calendar. Beware long post alert.

First off, here's an update on the past few months. After my knee injury, I was hesitant on predicting my performance in the South Bend and Alaskan marathons. Since this would have been the closest I ran back to back marathons, I decided to stay conservative. My goal was to run both under 3:30 and come away feeling better. Let's take a look.

South Bend

The Sunburst Marathon, aka Hall of Fame to Notre Dame, proved to be a success. With a history of extremely hot temperatures mixed with good ole Midwest humidity, this event has earned a reputation of draining even the most prepared runner. Well Knute Rockne must have been looking down on us that day because the weather worked in our favor.

The 6 AM start at the College Football Hall of Fame was cool as a cucumber. The first 10 miles just rolled by as we worked our way through some of South Bend's neighborhoods. After crossing over the 5K runners (which caused some near collisions) the 2nd half of the course was an out and back along the river.

This provided me with a unique experience of seeing the race leaders as they headed back towards the finish. Along mile 16 my race was saved by a helpful volunteer holding popsicle sticks slathered with vaseline. By this time the heat was coming out and the sweat pouring on and some well placed vaseline on the chest was called for to prevent further chaffing.

After what seemed like endless switchbacks, I finally hit the turn around point feeling good. Again I was treated with another unique view of the marathon as I passed oncoming racers that were behind me. The agony on some of their faces was astounding and many had 10 plus miles to go with it only getting hotter.

Having maintained a comfortable, yet fast pace, in the beginning, I was able to start picking off racers in front of me. Many of whom I saw at the start flying past me making the worst rookie mistake out there. One that I have made a few more times than I care to admit. That's the best feeling in the world during a race when you can feel good passing people that late in the race.

Hitting the last few miles, we mixed back in with the half-marathoners who started about an hour and half after the marathon. One of my biggest complaints when this happens is when you have to weave in and out of slower runners. Especially after running 24+ miles. The race in Birmingham did it well by seperating the two and allowing the marathoners plenty of space and their own water stops. At this point in the race I identified another runner wearing a Ft. Jennings t-shirt. I shouted a "Go Grove Bulldogs!" at him and he yelled something back. Probably "Tomorray" since some of you swear that is an actual word used in Ft. Jennings. Whatever.

Taking the final turn, I am greeted with a spectacular visual. The moment we all were waiting for. This is what why we ran 26.2 miles (or 13.1 for some). To run down the tunnel of Notre Dame stadium as they played the fight song. What a feeling. You could have attacked me with baseball bats and chains (but please don't) and I wouldn't have felt it. I crossed the finish line with a respectable 3 hours and 26 minutes. Of course the first person I see is my brother Matt. He had just finished the half about a minute before me and turned around and asked, "What took you so long?". Oh he was lucky I just used all my energy doing my best Heisman pose earlier.

Indiana...done. On to The Land of the Midnight Sun.

Alaska

Just two weeks later I was lining up to compete in the Mayor's Marathon held in Anchorage, Alaska. After spending the previous week on a cruise ship eating way too much delicious food and factoring in the possibility that I might come face to face with a grizzly bear, I decided just finishing would be a worthy goal. Minutes before the start, I caught a glimpse of fellow Columbus runner (Dublin actually), Chuck Engle warming up. I met Chuck last year at the Hatfield-McCoy Marathon in West Virginia where he has won it the past 3 years. Oddly enough this was the exact weekend of the race this year so obviously he decided to pass on the hills on Appalachia for the frozen tundra. (Side note: Chuck has had quite an impressive 2009 marathon schedule. To see what I mean check this quick link out)

The race got off to uneventful start. I was surrounded by purple clad runners as this was a keystone event for Team In Training. My strategy for the early miles is to find someone around my pace (a hair under 8 minute miles) and stick with them. I picked out a fellow runner and followed him through the early miles along the bike path. The race thinned out fairly quickly but it was still a pain at points to pass people on the path. This did not help me trying to maintain a conservative pace but fortunately the road opened up a bit after a few miles.

Around mile 6 something peculiar happened. The runner I was pacing with started to pull away quickly. Puzzled I decided to hang back and run my race. Approaching mile 7 we hit the first relay point and I saw him tag another runner...great I was pacing with someone running a quarter of the race. Let's hope that doesn't bite me on mile 23.

Also on mile 7 we entered Richardson Army Base. We followed a gravel path that they use to drive tanks to and from various firing ranges. Dotted along the path were signs that said, "Beware, Unexploded Ammunition May Be Present". Great...so I have bears and bombs to worry about now. These miles were the start of the scenic portion of the marathon and also the most challenging. The gravel made it difficult at points because it was pretty thick and you had to find the "lanes" where the tanks drove and thinned out the stones. Also we hit some pretty unforgiving hills here as well. Point number 2 that I was hoping wouldn't bite me at mile 23.

Upon leaving the base we hit a single lane wooded path that weaved in and around streams and hills. This was probably my favorite part as there were numerous times when you were all alone in the wilderness with no runners around. One could easily get snatched up by a bear and no one would ever notice. I didn't know at the time but there were bear spotted on the course and the race directors had people on the course earlier to scare them away.

After a few miles we finally hit what resembled civilization and some much needed downhills. I picked up the pace and hammered out the next 8 miles or so. By this time the sun was coming out and all the stereotypes of Alaska were being destroyed as the temperatures climbed. I was on pace for a PR but around mile 24 I hit the wall. I desperately tried to tap into that peanut butter ice cream reserves I was storing while on the cruise ship but no dice. There was no Notre Dame stadium to carry me these last few miles and the bears were miles behind me. I had to do these last 2.2 miles on true grit.

I forgot the PR and decided my initial goal, a respectable sub 3:30 finish, would make me happy. I grinded out the last miles only to hit the biggest obstacle yet, the final hill. What a cruel joke the race directors played when they included this monster at the end. So bad that even the race winner (who set a new record) decided to walk it. This was also the entry point where we merged with the half-marathoners so I had company on my walk up this hill. Getting my 2nd (more like 10th) wind at the top I finished with a 2nd consecutive 3:26.

Not eaten by bears? Check.
Under 3:30? Check.
Knee? Check.

Taking a look at the standings I was surprised to see 3 Ohioans in the top 10. Van Wert stars Brendon Moody and Kyle Minnich finished 3rd and 10th respectively. Brendon also finished 3rd in the Notre Dame marathon and would take first place in our local St. Anthony's 5k (while finishing a beer at Neil Steck's a mile from the finish). Chuck Engle edged out the 5th place runner by a few seconds to take 4th. Buckeye represent!

The only thing left for me was 18 hour plane trip back home. Alaska...done.

Upcoming Races

With marathons number 3 and 4 done for 2009, I have only 2 more to go to complete my goal of 6 for the year. Soon after I returned from Alaska I found out that I was not selected in the lottery for the NYC Marathon. That stinks but I went back to MarathonGuide.com to check out how I can fill my remaining race calendar. After pouring over the logistics, I decided on the Under Armour Baltimore Marathon on October 10th and the Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon in Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgia on November 14th.

Some good news though I just found out that I was selected to run the 2010 Zoom! Yah! Yah! indoor marathon on January 10th. I'll have more to say about this particular marathon later this year but until then I want to focus on the two coming up.

Looking back on my goals for 2009:

* Complete 6 marathons

As noted above I am on target to complete all 6.
* Run 1750 miles

My knee injury sidelined me from any practical mileage in April so my goal of 1750 is not looking good. I backed it down to 1500 and I am even a little bit behind that. I found that with so many marathons in a short time really prevented me any opportunity for some heavy mileage. I was either tapering or recovering for much of May/June/July. My mileage goal for 2010 will definitely take some thought along with the number of marathons I attempt.

* 15,000 push-ups & 20,000 sit-ups

Push-ups I am right on pace. I am hitting those regularly and doing a good job of keeping up. The sit-up goal was good but after some research I found out that I have to incorporate other core exercises other than sit-ups to get any real benefit. So the sit-up goal was abandoned for a more fluid goal of at least 3 days of core training per week. So far I have been successful keeping at this.

* 1:30 Half Marathon

I was really hoping to get a Half in this year. My best chance was in May but my knee injury prevented any hope of that happenening. Columbus has 2 more halfs coming up in August and October but unfortunately neither work out with my schedule. I'll look around after November but more than likely this will get pushed to 2010.

* 18:30 5K

Here's another one that is in jeopardy. After not being able to compete in the St. Anthony's 5K I missed a golden opportunity to break this record. However 5Ks are easier to comeby and with a few good opportunities coming up I think I have a real chance at this one.

* 3:30 Marathon

Smashed. This one fell with the first race of 2009. My goal for my next marathon is 3:20. People ask me if I will try to qualify for Boston. I have some thoughts on that and there is a post coming up soon that I address those concerns. This post is already too long to fit anymore running talk.

Final Running Thoughts

My latest training has gone very well. My long runs have been at a fast average pace and my speed work has held up. I have changed my track workouts from an actual track to the treadmill. I began noticing that my hip and IT band (and eventually my knee) were sore after a track run and I read that it can be attributed to the constant left turns. The recommendation was to run the other direction or hit the treadmill. I chose the treadmill and increased my speed on there to compensate for the advantage treadmill running gives you versus track running. My hip has responded well and my training has benefited.

It's August and with my 2009 marathon calendar full and 2010 started it will be time soon to see what is possible for next year's goals. I'm giving them some serious thought and will have some more information in the next few months. Until then here is an updated graph at the bottom of this post.

NOTE: I have not been updating my Virtual Run Across the United States lately but I have been tracking my miles. MapMyRun has an issue of mapping runs over 1000 miles so it is a pain to track it. When I update it I will post it here.

Scheduled
October 10th, 2009 - Baltimore, MD
November 14th, 2009 - Fort Oglethorpe, GA
January 10th, 2010 - Northfield, MN

Tentative
Green Bay 2010
New York 2010

Completed
June 20th, 2009 - (3:26:30) Anchorage, AK
June 6th, 2009 - (3:26:14) South Bend, IN
March 29th, 2009 - (3:24:23) Knoxville, TN
February 15th, 2009 (3:29:16) - Birmingham, AL
September 20th, 2008 (3:39:05) - Park City, UT
June 14th, 2008 (3:50:22) - Williamson, WV
February 17th, 2008 (3:54:54) - Jacksonville, FL
November 3rd, 2007 (3:55:40) - Richmond, VA

Imperial Walker

2009-08-11T15:18:00.001-04:00

Dog Bites Laser

2009-08-03T15:34:00.002-04:00

XKCD - Understocked

2009-07-31T08:06:00.001-04:00

Hat Fail

2009-07-24T10:14:00.004-04:00

Tricky

2009-07-23T14:17:00.002-04:00

Keep Being Awesome!

2009-07-02T10:46:00.003-04:00

Ouch

2009-07-02T10:34:00.003-04:00

Okay This Was Too Funny Not To Share

2009-07-01T15:32:00.001-04:00

Almost Ready

2009-07-01T13:53:00.002-04:00

Been very busy since getting home from Alaska...hopefully I'll be able to pass along the news here soon. Until then enjoy the soup of the day

If Off To Alaska!

2009-06-10T10:58:00.001-04:00

I'll have a full update on both Notre Dame and Mayor's Marathon when I return. Until then...enjoy this perfectly timed melon toss!

Whoops!

2009-06-09T08:41:00.001-04:00

Hall of Fame to Notre Dame Marathon

2009-06-02T15:55:00.003-04:00

Well just a few days now from the Hall of Fame to Notre Dame Marathon in South Bend, Indiana. It's really tough to gauge my expectations going into this race. On one hand, I'm feeling good just having run my last 10 miler in 7 minute mile pace (almost a PR) but on another hand I'm weary about my knee. I haven't had too much problems during a run but I've been very careful to ice and stretch properly after each run. However I still feel an ache or two occasionally but most of the time it's from sitting improperly at work (it's a habit I'm trying to break).

On a 3rd hand, I know I have another marathon coming up in 2 weeks after that in Alaska. I've already achieved my time goal for the year and would really like to complete my 6 marathons I set out for. After I set a new PR last race, I seriously considered qualifying for Boston. However after the injury that was shelved until I could get healthy again. So my goal now is to just finish these two marathons without injury and look to my Fall races for a faster time.

So the plan is to go into this race starting out at 8 minute or so a mile pace. After the halfway point I would evaluate if I can continue that pace. Only after 20 miles would I consider going faster if I could. Best case scenario for me would be to finish in 3:30 and having the knee feel good but if I have to back off a bit to save some for Alaska I won't feel it's a failure.

See you at the finish line.

Great Moments In Cleveland Sports History

2009-05-22T07:08:00.001-04:00

I knew it! Always listen to Mark Price....Always!

I Love This Pic

2009-05-11T11:07:00.002-04:00

Haha!

2009-05-08T10:27:00.001-04:00

Hendrix On Expert Trying "Through The Fire & Flames"

2009-05-01T15:43:00.002-04:00

Rock-Paper-Scissors-Lightning-Wolf-Gun-Dragon-Tree-Fire-Water-Snake-Devil-Air-Sponge-Human

2009-04-29T15:08:00.001-04:00

Top 10 Geek Defenses For Swine Flu

2009-04-28T10:34:00.000-04:00

10.	Stock up on ammo for the coming swine flu zombie apocalypse
9.	Switch from Ham radio to FM
8.	Increase caffeine intake so blood becomes poisonous to virus
7.	Start wearing condom when humping pigs
6.	Don't leave basement
5.	Add cleric to party
4.	Transfer consciousness to android body immune to human disease
3.	Update virus profiles
2.	Reencode DNA for immunity
1.	Dose self with gamma radiation in hopes of developing mutant healing abilities

Swine Flu On Twitter

2009-04-27T10:17:00.000-04:00

Learn The Difference Between $100 and $100,000 Speakers

2009-04-17T09:07:00.001-04:00

A speaker system can cost as little as $35. Or as much as $350,000. As a normal person, you probably have just one question about speakers that cost as much a Ferrari: What. The. Hell.

Read More

Why Would You Want To Do That?

2009-04-16T13:26:00.000-04:00

Your Move BMW

2009-04-15T09:31:00.002-04:00

A Plan for the Improvement of English Spelling

2009-04-14T09:48:00.000-04:00

A Plan for the Improvement of English Spelling
by Mark Twain

For example, in Year 1 that useless letter "c" would be dropped to be replased either by "k" or "s", and likewise "x" would no longer be part of the alphabet. The only kase in which "c" would be retained would be the "ch" formation, which will be dealt with later. Year 2 might reform "w" spelling, so that "which" and "one" would take the same konsonant, wile Year 3 might well abolish "y" replasing it with "i" and Iear 4 might fiks the "g/j" anomali wonse and for all. Jenerally, then, the improvement would kontinue iear bai iear with Iear 5 doing awai with useless double konsonants, and Iears 6-12 or so modifaiing vowlz and the rimeining voist and unvoist konsonants. Bai Iear 15 or sou, it wud fainali bi posibl tu meik ius ov thi ridandant letez "c", "y" and "x" -- bai now jast a memori in the maindz ov ould doderez -- tu riplais "ch", "sh", and "th" rispektivli. Fainali, xen, aafte sam 20 iers ov orxogrefkl riform, wi wud hev a lojikl, kohirnt speling in ius xrewawt xe Ingliy-spiking werld.

Where Easter Eggs Come From

2009-04-09T15:45:00.002-04:00

That's right, I'll Ajax the crap out of your site...

2009-03-26T10:06:00.000-04:00

That's right, I'll Ajax the crap out of your site. Nothing, and I mean nothing will be static. I'll pull your data asynchronously from every orifice of your server. Your clients will be SOOOOO impressed.

Banana Flasher

2009-03-24T06:52:00.000-04:00

Hilarity will ensue in 3-2-1...

2009-03-23T06:48:00.003-04:00

Full-length episodes of old Nickelodeon shows. This is awesome.

2009-03-21T11:11:00.000-04:00

Follow the awesomeness here.

Porkgasm

2009-03-20T11:09:00.000-04:00

http://www.porktopia.com/2009/03/porkgasm.html

"My guests were all total gluttons. I even had two vegetarians and one person with a failing gall bladder try it out (they had half slices). I was disappointed that no observant Jews or Muslims showed up, because I think they would have had to eat some too. Most of us ended up with nightmares and stomachaches. They were well-earned. "

Calvin Comic

2009-03-17T09:35:00.002-04:00

DUI Arrest Causes Man to Claim He is a Country

2009-03-13T04:02:00.000-04:00

If you have been arrested for DUI, you need a good defense strategy. Claiming to be a country probably isn't one.

Scott Allan Witmer, 44, was arrested for DUI in Easton, Pennsylvania this week. From jail, he decided to declare sovereignty [more]

What Are You Waving For? RUN!!!!!

2009-03-12T13:32:00.000-04:00

Pluto Is Now A Planet (Again) (Well Only In Illinois)

2009-03-11T12:20:00.000-04:00

Clicky

Skateboarder

2009-03-10T15:09:00.002-04:00

Life Imitating Art - The SNL Taco Town Taco

2009-03-10T13:45:00.000-04:00

Taco Town Taco

Saturday Night Live-inspired: crunchy beef taco with nacho cheese, lettuce, tomato and southwestern sauce wrapped in a soft flour tortilla with a layer of refried beans in between, then wrapped in a corn tortilla with a layer of Monterey Jack cheese in a deep-fried gordita shell with guacamole sauce baked in a corn husk topped with pico de gallo, wrapped in a crepe, filled with egg, griere cheese, sausage and portobello mushrooms, all wrapped in a chicago-style deep dish pizza wrapped in a blueberry pancake and finally deep-fried with spicy vegetarian chili dipping sauce.

What Does 1 Trillion Dollars Look Like?

2009-03-09T13:29:00.000-04:00

Click here and find out!

Experimenting With Google Suggestions

2009-03-08T10:50:00.000-04:00

Click to enlarge (duh):

New Simplified Irish Tax System

2009-03-07T11:16:00.000-05:00

Watchmen Is Released Today

2009-03-06T06:15:00.000-05:00

Go out and watch it. Ebert says it's good.

Ever See a Blue Whale Life-Sized on Your Computer? Now You Can.

2009-03-05T10:23:00.000-05:00

http://www.wdcs.co.uk/media/flash/whalebanner/content_pub_en.html

The Future (w/ Calvin & Hobbes)

2009-03-04T12:27:00.001-05:00

Happy Square Root Day!

2009-03-03T15:26:00.000-05:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_root_day

Next one isn't until 4/4/16!

1909 Ad

2009-03-02T14:35:00.002-05:00

The most 'wtf' DIY model aircraft I have ever seen

2009-02-28T09:58:00.000-05:00

Click to enlarge.

No Offense Future Man

2009-02-27T13:34:00.000-05:00

My XMAS List Has A New Item

2009-02-26T12:21:00.000-05:00

BeardHeads

Slow News Day

2009-02-25T12:19:00.000-05:00

NC Man: Coke Can Survives 300 Mile Trip On Bumper

Explanations of common Java exceptions

2009-02-24T06:57:00.000-05:00

http://rymden.nu/exceptions.html

Wow

2009-02-23T09:04:00.001-05:00

There are no words...

http://www.ohio501st.com/

Pac-Man

2009-02-19T11:05:00.002-05:00

50 States Update - Mercedes Benz Marathon

2009-02-18T09:35:00.004-05:00

10% Complete! Marathon number 5 is in the books and once again I set a new PR. Birmingham was the first double loop course so I got to see the "finer" parts of town twice. My only comment about the town is to say that I am glad to live in Columbus. Regarding the race I believe that it was my most complete one yet. I set out with a goal of 8 minute miles and finished about as close to that as possible. It was difficult considering they didn't provide pacers for any times under 4 hours and you constantly were running with relay and half marathoners who obviously were at a faster pace than you. It is very hard to constantly try to keep yourself slow in the first half especially when nearly everyone around you is faster. Though it paid off as I was able to finish strong and looking at my results I passed more a lot more people in the final 6 miles than at any part in the race. I also was able to recover quickly after the race and was able to enjoy the post race activities for once.

Also I took 3rd in my age group and since I didn't stick around for the awards I contacted the race director to see if I can get my award mailed to me. Hopefully that will be no problem.

Looking ahead to the rest of 2009. I have Knoxville coming up in a little over a month and Alaska in June. Those are the only 2 scheduled officially but I have the rest of my calender pretty much nailed down however there are a few factors that will influence what I will be able to accomplish. I have added a new category on my racing map called "Tentative". These are races that I have done everything besides actually registering. Here's a look at these dates and what must occur for me to get in on those races:

Green Bay
This one is in May and odds are about 75% that I'll do this one. I'm just trying to lock down travel arrangements and hotel stay to limit my expenses. Birmingham has taught me that not every town is a great place to hang out for the weekend and as much as I love the Green Bay Packers I hesitate to spend anymore extra time there in the event that it sucks.

Chicago
I am about 50% here. The reasons to run it is simple, it's famous and big. However at 125 bucks a head it's expensive. Plus with Gayle thinking about Law school at the moment she may be too busy to come with and one thing I learned so far is that the support you get before, during and after the marathon is priceless. Though with registration filling up fast this one I'll probably have to decide on very soon.

New York
This one is a crap shoot. It's a lottery meaning when you sign up you are not guaranteed to run. So if you don't get picked you have to wait until next year. I am definitely putting my name in as there is a condition if you don't get picked in so many consecutive years (I think 3) you automatically are entered in the following year.

I have a few races I've looked at for backup in case I do not get in on these so things look pretty good for me completing 6 this year. Who knows I might sneak one in September as well but no promises there. Also have Minnesota in 2010 that I am going to sign up for as well. This one is a lottery as well and later I'll detail out exactly why that is and why I am excited to run a marathon in January in Minnesota.

As always, my map and results:

Scheduled
March 29th, 2009 - Knoxville, TN
June 20th, 2009 - Anchorage, AK

Tentative
May 17th, 2009 - Green Bay, WI
October 11th, 2009 - Chicago, IL
November 1st, 2009 - New York, NY

Completed
February 15th, 2009 (3:29:16) - Birmingham, AL
September 20th, 2008 (3:39:05) - Park City, UT
June 14th, 2008 (3:50:22) - Williamson, WV
February 17th, 2008 (3:54:54) - Jacksonville, FL
November 3rd, 2007 (3:55:40) - Richmond, VA

Another Reason To Upgrade To First Class

2009-02-16T12:58:00.000-05:00

And I'm Off

2009-02-15T08:03:00.000-05:00

When this post publishes at 7:03 CST (that's 8:03 Eastern) I'll be just starting the 2009 Mercedes Benz Marathon. Unfortunately there seems to be no way to get updates on runners via text message like other marathons do but my goal is to keep an 8 minute/mile pace. So if everything starts and ends on time I'll be crossing the finish line around 10:33 (11:33 Eastern Time). Wish me luck or probably by the time most of you read this I'll be done and probably enjoying a beer.

End Of The Rainbow

2009-02-14T09:40:00.000-05:00

I found it!

Objexts

2009-02-12T14:12:00.000-05:00

25 Random Things About Me Help

2009-02-11T11:15:00.000-05:00

You may be familiar with the Facebook / e-mail going around that asks for you to list 25 random things about yourself that people might not know. This item is very popular, but many people have not completed the list because they can only think of 22 or 23 things about themselves. If you find yourself in this predicament, feel free to use one of the following to top off your list.

- Ate 34 White Castles at one sitting and subsequently did not date for three years.
- Loved the Marathon Bar (with the ruler on the back) and still have a ½ eaten one under my bed
- Killed a man in a fight, but we made up afterwards
- I’ve eaten bear, rabbit, turtle and something that might have been tofu.
- I have never failed a lie detector test.
- I was kicked out of the Secret Service for having sex with a chicken.
- Three time Mid-Ohio AA Checkers Champion (freestyle)
- Like oatmeal, hate porridge, no comment on grits
- Lost my virginity for the thirteenth time at the new B-Hamptons on the stamped metal dance floor
- Made my bed once back in 1994 and haven’t looked back.
- Brew my own Schlitz Malt Liquor
- I can beat you at 80’dance and 90’s glam
- Favorite board game - Sorry; favorite thing to say after sex – Sorry
- Need the Gandalf, Lord of the Rings, Burger King Glass Goblet to complete the set
- Own two reversible bras
- I’m afraid of drive-thrus
- I count my printer paper to ensure all 500 sheets are there. Once I found an extra sheet and sent it back to the company.
- Can’t figure out how to load music on my iPod, so I walk around pretending like I listen to music
- Recently learned that the cardboard tube is NOT the last sheet of toilet paper.
- I drive like I own a standard, but only have an automatic. The guys at car repair shop know my credit card number by heart.
- I have had an erection for the past 18 years.
- I have never met a man I could best in nude, hands tied behind your back wrestling.
- I have an irrational fear of fractions
- I think white out is racist
- My glass is half full. Then shits starts to evaporate and I get pessimistic.
- I can’t forget.

Colorblind Rubix Cube

2009-02-10T11:11:00.000-05:00

XKCD Base System

2009-02-09T11:06:00.000-05:00

Irish long-distance runner makes history as the world's first athlete to run seven consecutive marathons on seven continents in less than seven days

2009-02-08T11:00:00.000-05:00

GALWAY ultra runner Richard Donovan made history yesterday as the world's first athlete to run seven consecutive marathons on seven continents in less than seven days.

The 42-year-old father of one successfully completed a gruelling endurance race that would test the physical and mental prowess of the world's strongest men.

Aside from running more than the traditional marathon distance of 26.2 miles a day, simply flying around the world in less than a week -- logging up 26,719 air miles -- is a feat that few sane people would dare to consider.

Read More

Don't You Love It When A Plan Comes Together

2009-02-07T10:59:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Baby Bockrath!

2009-02-06T10:36:00.002-05:00

A baby girl 6 lbs 4 oz. 19 ¾ inches long. And the name is Morgan Jean. I present to you this gift.

Stop Motion Skateboarder

2009-02-05T13:45:00.002-05:00

Kids have a lot of time on their hands.

Peggy's Wedding Cake

2009-02-04T13:38:00.001-05:00

I am submitting this cake idea to Peggy free of charge.

2 Funny Pictures For You

2009-01-30T09:07:00.003-05:00

Run Across USA Update - 1000 Miles!

2009-01-26T10:34:00.001-05:00

I made it to Ohio finally with just a tick above 1000 miles! Behold!

Jairadballerina's Coast2Coast
Find more Runs in Fort Kent, Maine

More Geeky XKCD

2009-01-23T07:45:00.001-05:00

Lance & Stine Have Some Work To Do

2009-01-22T11:36:00.003-05:00

The Beer Can House, a Houston Landmark

“Some people say this is sculpture but I didn't go to no expensive school to get these crazy notions.”

–John Milkovisch

Read About It Here

Get to work boys!

Frenchie French French Toast

2009-01-16T10:33:00.001-05:00

Due to the recent world events, the French government announced yesterdaythat it has raised its terror alert level from 'Run' to 'Hide'.

The only two higher levels in France are 'Surrender' and 'Collaborate'.

The rise was precipitated by a recent fire which destroyed France's white flag factory, effectively paralyzing their military.

"Columbus continues to be the largest city in the country without a rail system."

2009-01-15T14:40:00.001-05:00

The Other Paper: The day the streetcars died

Funny Pictures

2009-01-12T13:02:00.004-05:00

Windows 7

2009-01-09T09:30:00.001-05:00

Browns & Bengals Futility

2009-01-09T08:00:00.001-05:00

Reaper passed this article on and I thought I'd share. I think it speaks for itself.

Infinite Mario

2009-01-08T13:22:00.003-05:00

Click here for a completely random every time version of Mario 3. 100% all in your browser for your convenience. You can do all that work later...for now you have infinite Mario to play.

Who Let The Dogs Out?

2009-01-05T13:19:00.003-05:00

I Know You're Listening

2009-01-02T10:34:00.002-05:00

Post 2008 / Pre 2009 Thoughts

2008-12-30T10:27:00.002-05:00

Well just about rapping up 2008 and getting a head start into 2009. This year I completed 3 marathons and ran an estimated 1500 miles (I didn’t start tracking until June and ran just a hair under 890). I set PRs at every distance except the Half, (I didn’t run one officially) though I probably did during the Top Of Utah Marathon. I am 1 race away from reaching 10% of my goal of completing a marathon in every state. Also I am about in Ohio in my journey across the USA (see map below).

2009 is looking to be the most aggressive year yet as I am getting a lot better at tracking my mileage and other stats. Slowly over 2008 I have developed a massive spreadsheet that tracks and calculates just about everything you can think of regarding running and such.

My plan is to complete 6 marathons (six!) and run 1750 miles. That’s just about 5 miles a day. Next year I will also track my situps and pushups just for something else to do. My goal is 15,000 pushups and 20,000 situps. I have a few time goals this year as I want to lower my PR for the Half since it’s been about 2 years from my last official Half. I know I can give 1:30 a serious go. Dave has thrown out the challenge to break his 5K record in high school of 18:30. I believe that could be done if I have a good day. I am also going to try to break 3:30 in a full marathon. That will be ambitious as my first two marathons will be quite hilly (Tennessee and Alabama). I also have Alaska scheduled in June. My final 3 are still in the air but I have some early favorites. Going to throw my name in for New York but since it’s a lottery I am not guaranteed an entry. Based on the results of the draw will determine my 2^nd half of 2009 racing calendar. I’ll have to remember to get my name in for the 2010 Zoom Yah! Yah! Indoor marathon as it is limited to 40 runners but they said it’s a neat experience.

Other than the marathons and the yet to be determined half marathon I plan on running the Slippery Elm Run, Beer Bottle Open, St. Anthony’s 5K, and the usual World’s Fastest Ellerbrock. This is list is expected to grow of course.

Here’s the recap of my marathons and what’s to come as well as my up to date (until this evening) trek across the USA.

Scheduled

February 15th, 2009 – Birmingham, Alabama
March 29th, 2009 – Knoxville, Tennessee
June 20th, 2009 - Anchorage, Alaska

Completed
September 20th, 2008 (3:39:05) - Park City, Utah
June 14th, 2008 (3:50:22) - Williamson, West Virginia
February 17th, 2008 (3:54:54) - Jacksonville, Florida
November 3rd, 2007 (3:55:40) - Richmond, Virginia

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyfitness.com/run/united-states/me/fort-kent/346579815542"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Jairadballerina&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#039;s Coast2Coast&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br/&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyfitness.com/find-run/united-states/me/fort-kent"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Find more Runs in Fort Kent, Maine&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Late Christmas XKCD

2008-12-29T09:23:00.007-05:00

*This is an unusually large XKCD comic so it's a bit distorted. If you have trouble reading it just click the pic for the enlarged version.

Alt Text "How could you possibly think typing 'import skynet' was a good idea?"

If you get the Alt Text...you're a nerd.

To Cheer You Up On Crappy Weather Day

2008-12-17T09:26:00.001-05:00

Here's an excellent read.

The Decline Of Civilization

2008-12-17T09:12:00.002-05:00

Wheel Of Fortune

2008-12-09T15:09:00.000-05:00

Alternative Currency

2008-12-03T15:41:00.002-05:00

ChaCha Fail

2008-11-26T19:10:00.002-05:00

Take A Picture, Win A Beer

2008-11-19T14:06:00.002-05:00

Sounds easy right? It is. Here are the rules to this simple contest.

1. Take a picture of yourself drinking a beer with George.
2. You both must be visibly enjoying a beer of your choosing.
3. Post it to Facebook in the "Party With George" event.
4. One beer per person per picture. You can only win once.

Everyone who does this will win themselves a beer. Easy speasy.

Massive To The Cup

2008-11-14T10:55:00.004-05:00

The Crew took it to the Fire last night 2-1 and advance to their first ever appearance to the MLS Cup on Sunday November 23. The game was a true nail biter and the best that I have ever witnessed. It was fitting that former Crew legend Brian McBride scored for the Fire first but as they have done many times this year, the Crew pulled back even and eventually going up for good with strikes from Chad Marshall and Eddie Gaven. Orchestrating this attack was Argentine legend Guillermo Barros Schelotto as he assisted on both and reinforced his claim for MLS MVP.

The stadium was literally rocking the entire game, led by the Northeast Corner (called the Nordecke). If you had a chance to be there last night and didn't....well you missed it. This is the best Crew team to ever play and with the possibility of some of the key components not coming back next year (including the coach) this may be your last time seeing such a entertaining team.

Set your clocks and DVRs for November 23rd because the Crew will be playing for the highest honor and finally bring Columbus something no other Major League team has...a championship.

Even If You Hate Everything...

2008-11-13T09:57:00.000-05:00

East vs West

2008-11-12T08:24:00.002-05:00

Did You Know?

2008-11-07T08:09:00.000-05:00

Columbus Grove is home to the two largest Bald Cypress Trees in the state of Ohio. They are located in front of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall on East Sycamore St.. The discovery of these two trees, moved the previously known record holder into a distant third place.

EULA - So True

2008-11-07T08:00:00.001-05:00

X-Game Flunkie

2008-11-07T07:05:00.002-05:00

Graph Part 7

2008-11-05T15:18:00.002-05:00

Stupidity Awards

2008-10-29T09:47:00.002-04:00

I get these emails a lot but this one had a few good ones. Enjoy!

1. When his 38-caliber revolver failed to fire at his intended victim
during a hold-up in Long Beach , California, would-be robber James Eliot
did something that can only inspire wonder. He peered down the barrel
and tried the trigger again. This time it worked.....

And now, the honorable mentions:

2. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a
finger in a meat-cutting machine and, after a little shopping around,
submitted a claim to his insurance company. The company expecting
negligence sent out one of its men to have a look for himself. He tried
the machine and he also lost a finger. The chef's claim was approved.

3. A man who shoveled snow for an hour to clear a space for his car
during a blizzard in Chicago
returned with his vehicle to find a woman had taken the space.
Understandably, he shot her.

4. After stopping for drinks at an illegal bar, a Zimbabwean bus driver
found that the 20 mental
patients he was supposed to be transporting from
Harare to Bulawayo had escaped. Not wanting to admit his incompetence,
the driver went to a nearby bus stop and offered everyone waiting there
a free ride.
He then delivered the passengers to the mental ospital, telling the
staff that the patients were very excitable and prone to bizarre
fantasies. The deception wasn't discovered for 3 days.

5. An American teenager was in the hospital
recovering from serious head wounds received from an oncoming train.
When asked how he received the injuries, the lad told police that he was
simply trying to see how close he could get his head to a moving train
before he was hit.

6. A man walked into a Louisiana Circle-K, put a
$20 bill on the counter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the
cash drawer, he man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the
register, which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from
the clerk and fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total
amount of cash he got from the drawer...$15. (If someone points a gun at
you and gives you money, is a crime committed?)

7. Seems an Arkansas guy wanted some beer pretty
badly. He decided that he'd just throw a cinderblock through a liquor
store window, grab some booze, and run. So he lifted the cinderblock and
heaved it over his head at the window. The cinderblock bounced back and
hit the would-be thief on the head, knocking him unconscious. The liquor
store window
was made of Plexiglas. The whole event was aught on videotape.

8. As a female shopper exited a New York
convenience store, a man grabbed her purse and ran. The clerk called 911
immediately, and the woman was able to give them a detailed description
of the snatcher.
Within minutes, the police apprehended the snatcher.
They put him in the car and drove back to the store.
The thief was then taken out of the car and told to stand there for a
positive ID. To which he replied, "Yes, officer, that's her. That's the
lady I stole the purse from."

9. The Ann Arbor News crime column reported that a man walked into a
Burger King in Ypsilanti , Michigan, at 5 A.M., flashed a gun, and
demanded cash. The clerk turned him down because
he said he couldn't open the cash register without a food order. When
the man ordered onion rings, the clerk said they weren't available for
breakfast. The man, frustrated, walked away.

***A 5-STAR STUPIDITY AWARD WINNER***

10. When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on
a Seattle street, he got much more than he bargained for. Police arrived
at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near
spilled sewage. A police spokesman said that the man admitted to trying
to steal gasoline and plugged his siphon hose into the motor home's
sewage tank by mistake. The owner of the vehicle declined to press
charges, saying that it was the best laugh he'd ever had.

Chinese Democracy Is Streaming

2008-10-28T06:57:00.001-04:00

On the official website - http://www.gunsnroses.com/