jack of au fait

Acting Class

2012-04-16T22:02:00.000-04:00

i think i may take an acting class. Not to learn the how of acting, I think I act everyday in my life, but to learn how to turn it on and off.

Setting Goals

2012-02-29T21:44:00.000-05:00

So I read somewhere that settings goals for yourself will motivate you and help you to focus on projects, or other aspects of life throughout the year. Then I got a fortune cookie that said almost the same thing only days later. So since the fortune cookie said so, I'm going to do it. I'm going to set goals for 2012 and achieve them.

I had a discussion already with friend about the goals I jotted down and what I thought I would want to achieve this year. I think I may want to rethink what I want to do. Here was my initial list:

1. Run a 50 mile race and finish
2. Cycle a 100 mile race and finish
3. Get a hunting license

I don't necessarily think those are bad goals, and I know I can achieve them, but I think I might be going in the wrong direction with my decisions. After taking more time to ponder what the list should be, I've come up with this outline for myself:

1. No more than 10 goals, I think 5 would be best
2. Some should be individual goals, others should be family goals, and at least one should involve friends
3. Be sure the goals have specific outcomes, not like "eat healthier", but more like "don't buy beer for the house on a weekday".
4.   Take into consideration work and personal life balance as not to add stress, take too much time away from family, but be fun and fruitful.

So, looking back at my first list. Running 50 miles takes a lot of training. I would have to dedicate many, many hours a week for the next 6-8 months to build up the endurance for this kind of event. This would be stressful on the body, on my personal time, and family time. But i don't have to remove running from the list, maybe a more likable goal that would be to run 3 three new trails. They don't even have to be official races, just running new trails and exploring is what I really love about trail running.

Next is the cycling goal. This I will probably keep. I have a couple friends that I regularly cycle with, and we do a charity ride every year that offers a 100 mile loop. So why don't I get them motivated to ride it with me? I think I will.

The third item was a hunting license. I think I would only modify this one to include a reward of some sort. Something like get license, then go on a hunt with a local guide.

Alright, time to put some goals together (before 2012 is over!) and stick to it:

1. Run 3 new trails
2. Cycle a 100 mile ride
3. Get my hunting license
4. Work on my writing projects
    a. Add quality posts to the blog regularly
    b. Finish editing my children's book
5. I'll just leave this one open for now

Feast and Famine, Vegan and Carnivore?

2012-02-22T13:26:00.001-05:00

I just read this article. Don Matesz was a "Paleo" follower for 15 or so years, but has gone against that to follow a more Eastern philosophy when it comes to mind, body, and nutrition. I read many "paleo" style blogs, and I really enjoy his blog to gather a different perspective. I have been following this blog here for a while now, this article is linked to another one of his blogs.

Article link: Study: Meat-free diet quickly improves mood of omnivores

My thoughts? I don't know that I fully agree with a vegetarian diet, but maybe a meat-all-the-time diet isn't right either. I used to be a "Paleo Diet" believer, but have slightly changed my view after personal experimentation, and reading through many other points of view. I have found that eating the best quality food I can provide for my family is the best for me. Currently I eat meat, or animal products, almost every meal (sans morning breakfast, which I rarely eat) and vegetables. No beans and almost no grains, except occasionally bread, noodles, and rice. But I do enjoy thinking of how my hunter-gatherer ancestors would have lived their day-to-day lives from a nutritional perspective.

I often think about hunting and fishing as means for food as opposed to my readily available 24/7 sources such as restaurants, grocery stores, and my deep freeze full of meat. How would it work in reality if I had to hunt/fish to support myself and family...I'd get skunked all the time!!! I'm likely to catch one legally eatable fish per self-guided trip about half the time, and I don't know how to hunt (yet!). But I can always walk through the woods and find a vegan meal on the ground and in the trees through weeds, fruit, and seeds.

So should I model my diet after a feast and famine approach to eating, while mixing days of pure vegan-ism with that of an insatiable carnivore? Maybe this is something to consider when planning my meals. We didn't always get 100% or our vitamins, minerals, protein, or carbohydrate intakes every single day, and sometimes we probably got way more than 100% of one of those categories...so why are we so worried about it now (I'm talking to you super supplement taker!)?

I think I'll try it. I'll eat like a grazing raw vegan one day, 18-24 hour fast the next day, and end it with a intense workout to simulate a hard hunt. Then destroy a couple double-thick cut chops, bowl of slow cooked greens, and a big ol' baked potato. The next couple days eat like normal, reducing the animal products and increasing the vegan choices, rinse and repeat!

Will I be happier on my vegan days, or clouded by hunger pangs? Will my hard workouts improve or feel better? Is this even a plan that is sustainable for any amount of time? Guess I'll have to try it and see.

anya runs barefoot!

2011-08-29T14:00:00.000-04:00

been a while since i created a post, but i have a new found motivation. my daughter loves to run barefoot with me to the mailbox, she's the best!!

croom fools run

2011-04-13T10:19:00.001-04:00

man it was hot

i was originally going to pace a fellow bfr'er to finish his first 50 miler, but the heat took him down. after a 1.5 hour drive, this wasn't lookin to be my day to run...

but just then, a fellow mtn biker i've ridden with rolled through the start finish line, in vff's no less!! he was getting ready to start his final 15 mile lap, and i went along for the ride (ummm, run...)

the way to the first sag was a breeze, and had some beautiful scenery along the trail.

the next leg was brutal, it was the longest stretch between sags, and it was also the hottest point of the day, with lots of direct sun on the trail. between the two of us, i went through 22ozs of water, and my partner, almost 60ozs! (and we still had a couple miles to go!)

luckily the volunteers at the next sag were prepared with a cooler full of ice water for our heads and bodies, lots of snacks and drinks

the pb&j sandwich i got from the sag sat in my belly like a brick for the rest of the run, i wanted releif bad, almost to the point of sticking my finger down my throat to remove the vile thing, but i didn't want to start a chain reaction, so i suffered through it

with only a few miles to go, my running partner took off. i couldn't keep up, and i found out why as i walked/ran the rest of the course. after the last sag, there is a nice section of fairly flat terrain, then it turns into brutal hills. since he knew this, and he wanted to finish under 10 hours, he bolted through the flats so he could walk the hills if necessary. the strategy worked, he finished in the 9:50's, congrats derrick!

derrick lookin good early in the last lap

i couldn't keep up with him through the last part, just wasn't prepped for 10 min/miles after running almost 12 with him. i finished 15 miles of awesome trail out at croom, and had a great time doing it. next time i'll be rockin' my nathan hydro pack!

merrell barefoot trail glove review from r&r

2011-04-13T09:45:00.000-04:00

check it out, new review and give away from r&r:

http://www.runningandrambling.com/2011/04/merrell-barefoot-trail-glove-review-and.html

win a pair of minimus shoes!

2011-02-24T11:12:00.000-05:00

check out running and rambling's newest review and a chance to win some sweet looking trail shoes:

http://www.runningandrambling.com/2011/02/new-balance-minimus-trail-review-and.html

dances with dirt 1/2 marathon race report

2011-02-13T16:36:00.002-05:00

beautiful day, great run!

stats:
1/2 marathon
total time: 2:09:00.2
pace: 9:51
overall place: 17 (out of approx 80!)
age group: 3 (less than a minute from the guy ahead of me!)
getting better!

gear:
zem footwear (for 4 miles)
zensah calf compression sleeves
under armour compression base layer
nathan dual 10oz bottle race belt
spi belt
road id (for time tag)

so i hadn't run in about two weeks prior, and the runs were not that long, so race prep was poor. i also was sick the entire week prior to the race, almost thought i would have to drop out, i leterlly didn't feel up to it till the afternoon prior to the race. so overall, i'm proud of the race i ran, and i know i can improve.

the course was fast and mostly flat until the last mile, they stuck you right in the swamp with the cypress knees, and a short river crossing, tough and technical for a barefoot guy. almost beat 2 hours if it wasn't for that last mile. probably ran about nine mile barefoot.

the crew out there was awesome, they put on a good race, and i will definitely sign up for next years race! i will also look into other races put on by those crazy northerners running fit, road trip anyone?

notes for next time:

good planning bringing cooked mashed yams and lunch meat, ate some three hours pre, and had it to munch on after the race and the long drive home

the bcaa drink xtend, not sure how it worked overall for performance and recovery, but it did foam up in the race belt bottles, and i felt the foam in my belly...kinda burped it up. i can say that my muscles are not sore post race, could be my well planned meal strategy with yams and protien. also, if you stick with the xtend, try lemon-lime, watermelon was really sweet. maybe next time, try sipping it down pre race for an hour, then finish it off post race

good mix of fuel packing gu and accel gels, along with ziplocks of chia seeds. didn't need the food provided, and it was plenty light enough to carry. i guess i need something solid in my stomach, i felt better than i did during the disney marathon

caution on the zem water sock things. definitely had some rubbing that i didn't notice when i was running out of the gate. it was cold, and my feet were numb, by mile four, when the feet defrosted, i had to immediately take them off (which I wanted to be barefoot anyway) because of hot spots on the tips of my long toes, and on the inside of the balls of my feet just above my pads. maybe more running in them, or hopefully cleaner seams in there new running specific model they are coming out with sometime early 2011. they are perfect to carry for emergencies, nice and light, fit in my pocket

meet a fellow barefoot runner, warren. nice guy, taught me a great lesson: when running trail, don't look back when someone calls out to you. you will trip and jack your thumb joint on a root. just pause, or pull over so you can talk to the person

warren (left) and i after the finish

my cousin stacey taught me something also, find a short run that you are really comfortable with, and remember the distance. i use "to the light and back". going out my front door, i can run to an intersection and back to my house, it's three miles, i've run it countless times and can do it fast and with my eyes closed. why would you want this info, because at the end of a race, you can have that mantra in your head. as soon as my garmin goes off for lap ten in a half marathon, i only have to run "to the light and back", it speeds me up and helps me push, easy enough, right?

next time, bring the family and camp out so you don't miss the after party!

won a chair

biscuits

2011-02-01T12:37:00.000-05:00

can't wait to run home and try this recipe out:

http://www.foodrenegade.com/grain-free-biscuits-served-with-bacon-egg-and-cheese/

love ya food renegade!

quick and dirty disney marathon race report

2011-01-21T10:54:00.000-05:00

just so i don't forget some key points from my first marathon (disney marathon 1/9/11):

time: 5:54:38
overall place: 10455/13530
gender place: 6126/7261
division place: 867/1012

gear: inov8 f-lites, spibelt, zensah calf compression sleeves, under armour compression base layer, maui jim's sugar beach shades

the overall time would have been reduced if we didn't stop to take pictures with all the various characters on the course. but not by much more than a 45 minutes or so.

first off, make sure to pack some food items, cause disney barely supplied anything. it was a good 10 miles before i saw a banana, and nothing solid after that, only gels and more banans. if it wasn't for some awesome spectators passing out pretzels, i don't know if i would have made it.

a note about gels, make sure to get some without caffeine. if you have to resort to getting your cals from gels, you don't want to be sucking down several cups of coffee during a race.

bring a handheld water bottle to avoid having to guzzle two cups at every stop. again, the pretzels saved me from the swooshing in the belly.

hey disney, turn down the speakers! every little event area they had on the course had a half dozen speakers blaring loud enough to blow out eardrums as you passed by.

spibelts are awesome.

almond butter sandwiches sounded very good during the run, might want to break paleo to pack a couple of those guys. actually bread alone would have been fine, just needed something solid and absorbent to help with the water digestion. again, thanks pretzel people!

a bathrobe is an awesome idea as throw away gear for the cold morning starts. thanks for the idea mystery runner!

next year: lenny wants to do the goofy challenge, 1/2 on saturday, full on sunday...we'll see about that. train to run full marry barefoot. remember handheld water bottle. remember garmin watch!! get robe from goodwill for cold start. pack solid food. gels w/o caffeine for emergency. try and go full paleo.

next race: dances with dirt 1/2 marry on 2/16/11. barefoot trail running, back to what i love!

good times

2011-01-05T18:49:00.000-05:00

nothing like staying late at work to install good enterprises to gain access to work email on my brand new, corporate bought, evo and ipad. sweet!

lower case

2010-12-22T23:08:00.001-05:00

i just changed everything on my blog to lower case...what's weird is there is no record now of what i've changed...does that matter? probably not

painting anyone?

2010-12-22T22:53:00.001-05:00

maybe i should try my hand at painting, i think i need more artwork around the house

grain-free brownies look very good

2010-12-21T12:17:00.000-05:00

check this out my fellow grain-free folk:

http://www.foodrenegade.com/grain-freecheesecake-swirl-brownies/

even though i try and cut out refined sugars, you still need something sweet every once in a while!

maybe something will change for the better

2010-12-20T15:09:00.000-05:00

i've been reading and researching paleo diets for a while now. i like the philosophy behind it, and it just seems to make perfect sense to me. i try to follow the principles that have been laid out books by michael pollan, mark sisson, and loren cordain, and when i do, i definitely notice a difference. I have less stomach issues, higher energy levels and less run ins with illness.

so it was good to see this article come out on latimes.com. maybe some others will find a path to better eating, and if we're lucky, we can get the government to stop pushing corn down everyone's throats, including the cows!

http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-carbs-20101220,3,7413326.story?page=1

new balance mt 101 giveaway!

2010-12-17T23:49:00.005-05:00

here's a new one for ya...get a chance to win some free running shoes from Running and Rambling:

http://www.runningandrambling.com/2010/12/new-balance-mt101-giveaway.html

one of my newest favorite blogs to read. don't worry, i'm not plugging him for fun, i get an extra chance to win a pair of shoes by posting this! But really, he is awesome, read him if you like running and gear, which I do very much. i'm a geek, i like stuff, and my hobbies involve lots of stuff.

intro to au fait

2010-12-17T23:44:00.005-05:00

ok, so i started this blog because I like hobbies. i guess i haven't found my true passion yet, something i really dedicate myself to, but i've searched high and low for it so far.

i run, and bike. i travel, and am a parent. i cook, ferment, and pickle. i fix computers, phones, and email. i read, train, and educate others on my research. and i change my passions every couple of months!

what will i get into next? no idea! but right now, i run, often, and cook, almost every day, and comma, every, where,

so here we go, maybe i blog also

oh boy, another hobby

2010-12-17T23:42:00.003-05:00

here we go with another hobby. at least my wife can't complain, this hobby, so far, hasn't cost any money for equipment or classes...maybe that's coming...