May 2012

Greenbelt 2012

It never rains it pours, with the occasional thunder and lightning storm thrown in. Every year since 2009 in may I run the 25K Greenbelt trail run and it has raining every year since. I've been doing it for three years now and it always has rained. Knowing this I am actually looking forward to it. It's a mud fest and I always seem to come out bleeding for one reason or another. The year I hit the tree being the worst. Wait, no the worst was when I sprained my ankle. Then there was the time when they ran out of beer at the post race party... Yeah that one is probably the worst. There have been a lot of worsts to say the least. So why if I always get hurt am I doing it again and looking forward to it? Simple, because I can and always love a challenge.

Greenbelt trail stats
5/1/2009 - wet & drizzly - 25K = 2:45.35
5/8/2010 - wet & drizzly (injury) - 25K = 3:06.37
5/7/2011 - 25K = 3:03.29
5/12/2012 - 25K = 2:58.10

I would love to beat my time but I really just love running, especially in the woods surrounded by nature. Peace, contentment, mixed with exhilaration all rolled into one is the best way to describe it for me.
Besides the peace,contentment and exhilaration there is also a sense of adventure and purpose (purpose being to survive) every year. Every year runners get lost in the networks of trails dispute having the trail blazes mark the way. The rainy, muddy conditions don't help in staying on the rocky and gnarled path. Trying to watch where your stepping and where you have to go for over three hours can be a challenge. A challenge that I look forward to every year. I call it, "taming the owl." The owl being a metaphor for a seemingly elusive challenge that you did not think you could do at first, but just train and do it anyway. One step at a time is how we live life and also during a foot race. I've written about this before but I'm sure it's good to repeat things for emphasis. I still remember how new and exciting my first time running. And training for this race was. I still get the same feeling every year. To follow is my post race report and result.
And finished! The day started out with cadence my cat jumping on me to wake my butt up. I Went through the usual routine of eating, 7-11 coffee, all the pre race stuff. I was not in the mood to race today. It seems every time I take ibuprofen pm's before bed I always wake up feeling like crap. It's so easy to just not go but i know that once i get going I will get into the groove. I went to the back of the starting line as usual and got caught in the traditional bottle necking that occurs. Gotta remember to start in the front of the pack next time. The most interesting thing about today was the fact that the sun was shining, not even a drop of rain. This was the first time since I started this back in 2009 that it hasn't rained. Another thing that happened that was new was the fact that I didn't hurt myself. So no rain and no injury this was by far the worst green belt race to date, just kidding.

Some interesting things and observations I made include;

(1) peanut butter, jelly, and potato chips on white bread is the perfect food

(2) the older you are the better you do in this race

(3) Runners are still the most friendliest of people

(4) post race naps are the best things that were ever created

(5) watch out for runners with yellow shoes (especially if they are older)

The time on my watch was 2 hrs, 58 min, 07 secs. But it really is just being around nature that I truly enjoy not necessarily the competition. I still got beat by some of the older runners but the aid station food was amazing, it was a beautiful day, and the race turned out to be a complete success. Can't wait till next year.

april 2012

Maybe its the sound of the water drowning out all the other stresses your body and mind accumulate throughout the day. Or it could be the lack of oxygen after a really hard set, which leaves you gasping for air at the edge of the pool. It could also be the focus on when to breath so as to not be inhaling water which is not very fun. It seems that swimmingreally brings out the positive spirit inside myself and when you force yourself to go fast, for even the shortest distance, you are forced into having fun. The tired sense of accomplishment forces you to focus on the positive things. Theres so many negative things that can weigh us down and their always going to be there. Swimming forces yourself to focus on the positive, simple things such as breathing. Cause what is there to be negative about when your body is in motion in 'clean', revitilizing water. Sometimes it can be hard just to get to the pool. I've learned to tell myself that I'm a shark to get pumped up. Sounds silly but it works. A shark being a top predator oozes with confidence. Just by the way it swims it is easy to visualize the almost prideful motion of the sharks swimming. When you think your a shark, you are a shark, its a simple self-fulfilling prophecy that works.
When those negative thoughts come into your head, cause they will, you need to trick yourself sometimes to keep going. One great way is to break up the yardage into smaller parts. I like to give more effort at the 500 yard, and after every 500 yard I will start back at 100 yard in my head. So every 5th 100 I count back as if it is my first 100 yard. You still with me? Changing your speed helps you to want to keep going. Sounds weird but going faster will actually help you sometimes.Visualizing that the water is my enemy is a great motivator as well. It may not always be the smoothest or fastest way through the hydrogen and oxygen bonds but it sure fells good. except when the 60 and 70 year olds that have been doing it for years pass you cause you have no form, but thats another story.




-Washing away the stresses- Barton
Pic is from Ireland = Americano and lemon coconut muffin. Another way to reduce stress. :)

Love to write write to love

Write about what you love and love what you write. Most people have the ability to write and I feel it is very important not to let this ability go to waste. Like a olympic athlete in training for an event, if we dont keep up with our writing we could lose the skill that we have developed. By loving what we write we will be rewarded with expressing our thoughts on paper which if you never experienced the flow of writing, it is well worth the effort. I enjoy writing with ink rather then with the aid of a keyboard and computer. Or rather I should say the hinderance of it. Call me old school but its more personal and gratifing to write in that manner. The world has enough complications so ink and paper is a way to simplify things for the moment.
When I first started writing I was afraid that my grammer wasn't right and that everything I wrote would never amount to anything. I've learned to not take myself so seriously and just write for myself. I plan to improve and find ways to write things that are interesting and fun to read about. Maybe one day I'll write a book. If I ever get all my random thoughts in order.)

- I bet your more at peace since viewing the picture of Cadence sleeping. Not a bad idea.
-Barton going to bed-

I remember playing tug of war as a young boy and having the greatest fun. There usually was a give and take with both sides coming to a stand still since us youngsters were all previously matched. I have discovered that I will play this game mentally whenever I think about things too much. Solution... My goal is to stop thinking. I recently had this internal battle on the way to the pool. I kept coming up with excuses to just go home and sleep. Ideas like 'My neck is killing me, Im so tired, and it's too cold out' kept popping up in my brain. The last one didn't even make sense cause the pool is indoors. The thing I have learned to do is to not let these evil thoughts enter my head. When they do I immediately think about something else. It has been a while since I went swimming and I only did a little just to get my feet wet. I now remember the love I had for the sport and it has been to long. Water is always reguvinating and relaxing to me. Except when you haven't been in it for a while and your form is gone. I feel like I was hit in the back with a hammer... I'm gonna feel this tomorrow. But for now it feels good.
-still punching the water-
-Barton-

The Start of something good.

Being focused on doing one particular thing will bring about the greatest end goal. A great quote I've heard is, "When washing dishes, just wash dishes." Meaning that by focusing on washing the dishes and not anything else you will become absorbed in doing the dishes and wash them to your very best ability. By doing your very best in that seemingly monotomous, boring task of washing dishes you will be happy and satisfied. Whatever the task might be if you get absorbed and involved in that task the task will begin to matter. That being said its also important to switch your mind to the next task and not still have a dish washing mindset after all the dishes have been washed. Don't live in the past.

That being said, january tends to be a good month to start planning your goals for the year. Ill write my physical one on this blog to try and help keep me accountable and not back out of them. Some races that I have signed up for already include;

* Wilderness 101 MTB Race--July 28

* NYC Marathon-- November 4 ( Thats right. Finally got in it.)

Some personal goals include

* Swim 120 miles (which just happens to be approximately the length of Lake Champlain)

I encourage you all to write down some goals and tell others about them. It doesn't matter what type of goal it is. I also have a goal of finishing the painting I started along with a bunch of other goals. Don't worry if you cant accomplish them. Failure is a way to learn.
Dont keep dwelling on a matter. Think, Decide and forget. Think about the best course of action. Decide to follow through with the action, even if there may be a better way to do it, you will learn from your mistakes. Then Forget about it, just do it as the phrase goes. Don’t overthink it.

-Be the positive in a world of negativity and your world will be positive-

December 2011

Ah the cold, dark, season of winter. Change has arrived and another snowboard season is upon all of us up here in the northern hemisphere. You know when a girl likes a guy and gets all those giddy feelings… that’s how I feel. It’s going to be a good winter.
Change is unavoidable as we all know. Sometimes its for the good and sometimes its for the, "not so good". But it is important to remember to look on the bright side of things. Everything no matter how, “not so good” they are has something you can take away from it to make you better. Let’s take a physical injury for example. Right now as I am typing this I have a painful right ankle and a messed up left quadricep. I am unable to run and also unable to bike, talk about depression. But looking on the bright side it allows me to focus on things I normally miss out on. Reading, movies, and especially just relaxing is a new change.
The season of winter can be depressing for some cause of the days seemingly getting shorter and there being less light. Its important to look on the bright side. The winter can be a beautiful season depending on the way we view it. Sled riding, snowman making, baking cookies and the frequent snowball fights bring us back to our youth and remind us of being a kid. All experiences in life take time, never rush the moment. There is a particular moment when you are snowboarding that you feel free, reborn in a sense. The moment everything is effortless and you feel like you are flying. Embracing the change of seasons and making the best of the situation is the best way to view things. We cant control the weather or the seasons but what we can control is the way we view it. Are perspective.
-Viewing the positive-
-Barton-


P.S. I’m sorry to inform the few people who actually read these things that my goal for 12 essays in 2011 has be accomplished.

Cadence (November 2011)

So this is a special month for me. Not going to give the reason why but just wanted to share. That being said I try to go for a long bike ride each November. It has usually been on the fixed gear bike Kevin gave me who I named Cadence. I usually get everything ready the night before especially my brain for a long ride out to the east end of Long Island. No real time to beat its just for the enjoyment and repetitious nonstop movement of the pedals.
Speaking of Cadence, I recently saved a new kitten that I deemed the name Cadence. Yes, the man cave is almost complete and the two men that inhabit it are well… the men. Besides the cold sore I got from all the initial stress of taking him to the vet and realizing that I now have responsibility, so far so good. It feels like I adopted a little child. Guy cats are much easier… from what I hear to raise. It’s a fact that guys are more easy going in all species. :)
I’ve never really had a real pet so I finally decided to stop thinking about it and just do it. I always wanted a Tabby cat since I was little. I figured it would be a good test of my patience and teach me to think more about love and responsibility. So far he is the man and no regrets, hopefully none to come. Also he is a babe magnet. I never realized the cuteness power of a kitten. I brought him to the vet and it was apparently hot single girl day. Everyone had the same expression… awe. If only I would have gotten a cat a long time ago.
Animals have always been a big part of my life as far back as I can remember. I still have mental images of discovery channel programs burned into my brain from long ago. I remember taping (Yes VHS) and watching shows on spiders, cats, and sharks over and over again. Movies like Milo and Otis, Homeward Bound, and Lady and the Tramp were among my top favorite movies. I can see why some people love there pets more than other humans. Animals have and always will play a big part in my life and surely in everyone that is reading this can concur. Well time to go find my Cadence.
-Never Stop Pedaling-
-Barton-