Three Things Thursday Including Best Job in the World

Random three thoughts for this (God Bless America, there's football on Thursday) Thursday.

FIRST

As I mentioned a few weeks back, I am reading Runner's Worlds "Run Less, Run Faster" book based on the FIRST training program.  Sounds like of a bit of an oxymoron...like airplane food.  I'm starting to buy into the program.  Fundamentally, it eliminates the garbage mile days and replaces it with alternate work-outs (swimming, biking, rowing, and the like.)  Three days of the training are not for the timid as they push you.  I'm in what I'm calling my pre-training marathon training, or building back some speed into my diet.  The cross training days allows me to fit in some biking, but more often some swimming.  As you've read here, the extent of my swimming experience was Marco Polo or re-enacting the opening scene of Jaws.  I continue to swim at least two days a week and I'm up to the point of swimming a mile.  It's easy to bike or run a mile, but try swimming one--not so much, but it's getting easier.  Core strength is building, and speed is coming easier.  Encouraging signs.

Off-Season?
I had a humorous exchange on twitter yesterday with good running buddies, Ally and MarathonBrian.  Brian said that he was now in his (using Joey from Friends hand-gestured quotation marks) "off-season."  What the hell kinda oxymoron is that...airline food?  After this last weekend's NYC Marathon (I WILL get there some day,) I saw many runners posting their runs this week on DailyMile talking about how great they felt a few days after the race--so much for a layoff.  Let's face it, we're all (running) addicts and there is no such thing as an "off season."  Brian retorted that his season started last January and two weekends ago was his 16th race...so that would be an off-season of the rest of November and December.  (Insert crowd laughter.)  After overdoing it myself last year, my idea of an off-season was taking time off from Marathoning and took up Triathlons.  So much for an "off-season."

Best Job in the World

From the completely unrelated department, last night was the CMA's which is not normally a "circle the calendar" event for me as I'm not much of a country guy, but my brother was attending the event.  Having gone to California when he was 18 to become a rock star, he enjoyed a good life of recording and touring with some notable acts and even has appeared on the "Tonight Show." (Does anyone watch that anymore?)  He eventually had to "settle down" after getting married and having kids.  His job?  Artist Relations for Taylor Guitar which is a vital function to get artists to use their gear.  He essentially hangs with the top musicians in the world and shows them their new stuff...I'm sure it's work and has it's stress like most jobs do, but come on...he gets to fly around and play guitar with famous people.  Last night, while backstage at the CMA's he watched as Taylor Swift stole the evening using what else, but a Taylor guitar.  Both were visions of beauty.  Tim has always been my hero, but he may have moved up another notch last night.  Best dude in the world with the best job in the world.
Email Post

Comments

  1. DanNovember 10, 2011 at 7:11 PM

    Looking forward to hearing about your progress with the FIRST program. I'm planning on using it for my spring marathon.

    ReplyDelete
  2. runnergirl trainingNovember 10, 2011 at 9:16 PM

    Good thoughts & post. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Melissa CNovember 11, 2011 at 5:47 AM

    I have not personally tried the Run less Run faster, but I have heard very good results from it. I as a runner who trys tris, I have applied the theory of "no junk miles" to my own training schedule, and been OK. I've been a bit bummed with my lack of speed at the end of tri season (as opposed to this past spring where it was mostly running season), but we had a move and some other stuff that derailed all training, so I can't complain too much.

    That job does sound very cool, but I agree I am sure there are parts of it that probably aren't as cool as it sounds. I bet it works out that it is more fun than not, though.

    ReplyDelete
  4. MelhedgesNovember 18, 2011 at 12:44 PM

    I have been adhering to the FIRST program after a major injury in 2009 which took me out of running Boston that year, I was running about to 75 miles/week at that time. Now, I run three quality runs a week (with a couple extra), and have qualified and ran Boston on every subsequent marathon since adopting the program. Plus, I have never had a major injury since. *knock on wood*. Yeah, it's pretty rad.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts