200 Miles

Today I ran 6 miles and hit the 200 mile mark for the year. I feel stronger and faster but I really feel like I need a structured program of speedwork to reach my goals. I have dreams of running in the 18's for a 5k. Of course the reason I haven't achieved that yet is becuse I don't want it bad enough. I know I'll never be an Olympian but I can't help but try to win a local road race or two. Once I actually break the 20 minute mark for my 5k I think it'll be a huge relief. I know by a lot of standards that's slow but for me it's fast.
My gf Stephanie is running her first 5k ever with me on May 6th. The OSU Cabin Fever 5K looks like fun. Check out the course map here. It finishes in front of the horseshoe.

Chase Shamrock Shuffle 5K

The race was windy and cold. Lots of fun and I was happy with my time of 20:04. I placed 7th overall and set a new PR for my 5K. I didn't realize I was so close to breaking 20 minutes otherwise I would have run harder. Got a mug and a shirt. I'm feeling much stronger and fast -- hopefully next 5K will be sub-20 minutes.

Order of the Musket

I attended the Order of the Musket dinner at the Ohio Statehouse last night where the enlisted members of the Ohio National Guard presented the prestigious Order of the Musket award to the Honorable Senator Dobson. The occasion was very formal and elegant and offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to brush elbows with generals and political leaders. I was honored to attend the event with my date Stephanie. We ate dinner in the spot where President Lincoln presented an address in 1859. An orchestra played while we ate and the service and food were incredible. It was a surreal experience which I will remember for the rest of my life. Senator Dobson was gracious and funny in his acceptance speech and I was afforded the opportunity to meet him and his wife after the event. He gave me a personal coin that featured the Ohio State University logo trimmed in gold. Thank you Senator Dobson for your commitment and service to our troops in the Ohio National Guard.

Frozen Niagra Falls

We visited Niagra Falls, Ontario after a night of the casino and bars. We lucked out at the Ramada and ended up scoring the penthouse for the price of a regular room after a last minute cancellation. The penthouse was amazing!! The actress Judith Light stayed there during the filming of a B-grade made for TV movie.
Niagra Falls in the winter has it's own unique beauty unlike any other location on earth. The water plumets down into a cavernous nothing clouded by mists of micronized air cystals that float around you like a fine powder. The air is dense with frozen moisture and if you stand too close the outside of your wool hat will become crusty and cold from exposure.
The falls also create a misty ice plume that rises high into the sky like smoke from a fire. You can see this from miles away and serves as a landmark much more impressive than the glittering high-rise casinos and hotels that hug the river.
What struck me the most was the bleak starkness of the falls. Ice covered everything-- railings, trashcans, and people all covered in God's ice-armor. I felt like I was on a different planet -- one of extreme conditions where life was sparse and precious.

Glade Skiing at Holiday Valley

I'd pretty much given up on the idea of good skiing east of the Missisippi. When I lived in Seatlle there was no shortage of great ski areas with super long runs and untouched powder. Holiday Valley is great. The snow quality was superb and they have a black diamond glade that is incredible. Steph and I must have skiied that thing 30 times.
If you've never tried glade skiing I highly recoomend it. I was impressed to see a few snowboarders navigate their way through the trees and the hidden moguls. I would proably kill myself on a board. Instead I opted for some Salomon Tornadoes -- a very high end ski (I rented) that I fell in love with.
We were instanlty addicted to the beauty of the glade. A fine powder fell from the sky and continually covered our tracks. Each run was unique and challenging. My legs were jello toward the end of the second day. I can't talk much more about it otherwise I'll want to hop in the truck!