Pineapple Pictures!

Pineapple Results:

Me: 34:26.25 - 1335/3135 (overall) - 658/1171 (male)
Jeff: 34:33.70 - 1350/3135 (overall) - 665/1171 (male)
Julie: 34:41.85 - 1380/3135 (overall) - 707/1964 (female)
Brenda: 34:41.95 - 1383/3135 (overall) - 709/1964 (female)

The team results are still being tabulated.

I find it interesting that there were almost 800 more female runners than males.

More Than Just Running - Group Shot


Me, Julie, Jeff, Brenda


Damn - I think I actually look pretty good in this picture. ;)

Today was my Pineapple Run - or more specifically, the Winter Pineapple Classic 2008!

A 5k at Magnuson Park in Seattle through an obstacle course. My friend from work, Phil, and I ran this during its inaugural running back in 2006 and had a really good time. While I didn't run with Phil this year, he was there and we were able to say hi and good luck before his team was off and running. My team featured Julie from my department, her husband and his sister. It was supposed to be Julie's sister running with us, but due to some personal reasons, she wasn't able to be there.

The organization was significantly better than the first year. We didn't encounter any backlogs when it came to the obstacles, so we were able to maintain our pace pretty evenly. The obstacles were similar to the first year, but there were quite a few new ones. I tried to get dirty in all the low to the ground ones and seemed to have pulled that off quite well. The toughest obstacle I think was the monkey bars. It's been probably 20 years since I even attempted monkey bars, plus the ones at the race were covered in duct tape, so they were especially slippery.

Spent some time in the beer garden with Gina and Scott - never did find any other people I knew. They all disappeared it seemed.

All in all, it was a fun day.

After wards, I stopped off at Bamboo Garden to get myself some lunch/dinner. Ate some and then took a shower. Thinking a nap is probably in order since I am really tired.

Also have to scan my running bib to update this icon.

Dirty.

Pineapple run.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=47.681748,-122.260237&ll=47.681748,-122.260237

Pineapple run tomorrow. Tiny tiny chance W might actually be there. Not planning on it since she wasn't absolutely sure (she might be staying in Seattle tonight) but there's still that chance.

Took some NyQuil hoping that that will knock me out and make me feel better in the morning.

I love NyQuil. Man, I love it! I love it. I love it. I love it. It's the best thing shit ever invented. Isn't it, huh? I love the name alone. NyQuil - Capitol N, small Y, big fucking Q! I love that fucking Q, don't you!? What a great advertising idea! Put a huge fucking Q on the box. They'll get high and stare at it. "The Q is talking to me! The Q is talking to me!"

I love NyQuil, man. Because NyQuil has never changed, man. It's never changed. All the other medicines are doing that inner-child thing. "we know that there's a small child inside of you, so now we have grape and cherry and orange flavor." Not NyQuil! They still have the original green death fucking flavor! You know why!? Because it doesn't matter what it tastes like! It's so strong you go, "*wheeze* Hey this stuff really tastes like.." Bang! Yer in the coma already! "What happened?" "He said tastes like and he went right into the coma, it was unbelievable!" We have reached the point where the over the counter drugs are actually stronger than anything you can buy on the street. It says on the back of the NyQuil box, on the back of the box it says, "May cause drowsiness." It should say, "Don't make any fucking plans! Kiss your family and friends goodbye. Say hello to Klaus!" NyQuil, NyQuil, NyQuil, we love you! You giant fucking Q! ~ Denis Leary

Diving was excellent tonight. No pictures as I left the camera at home since we dove Lobster Shop - a site neither of us had dove in a very long time. Our dive was going to bring us below 100 feet, so I didn't want to have to worry about my camera while being deeper than I have in a long while. Too bad too since there were tons of ratfish out. Even some young ones. Saw quite a few gunnels and even a stubby squid. Visibility was excellent, comfort level was even better. Did learn that 60 feet is about as deep as I can go before I have to worry about pressurizing my dry suit. I even some marks on my shoulders evidencing this fact.

The run was Olive went off well too. Waiting until later afternoon and lucked out by having the rain let up a bit. It was still rainy, but it wasn't raining very hard (not nearly as hard as it was this morning!) We did 5.25 miles - I didn't look at our pace time so I don't know how fast we were going. I imagine that it wasn't very fast since I felt better than I should have after going that distance. Or maybe I'm just improving. Running two more days this week, long run on Saturday (12.5ish miles) and then the Pineapple Run on Sunday.

Busy busy.

Not sure what else is on tap - W and I, well, mainly I, discussed maybe heading down south with dinner and some random movies on Friday so that's an option.

Time for bed.

I have the next two days off from work - tomorrow is a holiday, and then I took Wednesday off as well.

Right now, I'm trying to see if W wants to do something tomorrow since she is off as well. I suggested the zoo (since that is one of the things I was thinking about doing) but the weather is a concern. Also suggested maybe going to Seattle to the aquarium. Have to see.

There's also maybe seeing a movie two as well during my days off. Must also wash all of my bedding, and still get my runs in this week two (Olive is going to get spoiled because she'll be able to run with me two additional days this week.)

If all goes according to plan, I'll be diving on Wednesday night too.

Hit 2100 miles today on my run - really proud of today's run because of my pace times:

Mile 1: 9:46.67
Mile 2: 9:43.95
Mile 3: 9:30.93
Mile 4: 9:18.80
Mile 5: 8:59.57

That's exactly how my work runs should go.

Found out my starting time for Sunday's Winter Pineapple Classic. My team, More Than Just Running, will start at 10:30, so I'll need to be up in Seattle by 9:00 to make sure I get a parking spot and have time to get my stuff and meet up with my team. Also means that I'll need to leave home no later than 8:00 which isn't too bad.

Went diving this morning over on the West Wall of Fox Island. Hadn't ever dove there before, so it was something new to do. Visibility was AMAZING - but Jerome and I did kick up tons of silt though.

Haven't yet looked at my pictures - I do know that there wasn't anything spectacular to see - tons of perch and sea stars. We're thinking of maybe doing a night dive out that direction since it was quite obvious that there are quite a few octopus hiding out in the rocks.

Oh - and I found a sand dollar!

Came home showered and then ran some errands - got some air, returned a CD to Target and took all my dive gear back to the other house. I was starving and couldn't decide on what I wanted to eat, and then remembered that there was a Frugals over in that area, so I had that. It tasted good.


2008 Winter Pineapple Classic is in seven days . . .

2008 Seattle Half Marathon is in twenty-one days . . .

It's almost noon and I still haven't done anything yet. Well, I did have two cups of coffee and some Chex, but that's not really anything to speak of.

I need to get off my butt and do my run - no more excuses. Suppose it doesn't matter much when I go running - I have all day to do it since there is nothing else planned for the day. I might do a different route though since Point Defiance opens up to traffic at 1 this afternoon, and I'd rather not have to deal with cars.

IM'd W a little while ago since she popped on. Asked her if she was interested in going to either one of my upcoming races. She said that she would think about it. Maybe it's shallow or needy, I don't know, but I like the idea that a friend would be at one of my races. It was great that C was there at the start of my marathon, but the last few races that I have ran, I started them alone and ended them alone. Running is pretty solitary as it is, but that sort of thing just makes it feel even more solitary.

Trying my damnedest to not get into a rut or a funk.

Didn't go to work today - that's even worse than on Thursday where I couldn't decide if I wanted to go to work or not. Today I just decided that I wasn't going to go. I feel fine, little tired is all.

There's a holiday coming up next week, and I even took the following day off. While talking to Julie at work, we both decided that that would be a good thing to do. The weather is too hard to predict that far in advance; I was thinking of maybe hiking one of those days. I kind of want to do something with Olive. We haven't gone hiking in quite some time - at least we have been running together every Saturday. My concern with any sort of hiking activity is injury - I have a 5k in less than two weeks, and then my half marathon is four weeks away now. The worst thing for me to do is hurt myself. Really easy to twist an ankle when you're scrambling up and down rocky trails.

Another option would be to spend some time at the zoo - either in Tacoma or up in Seattle. Or maybe even go to the aquarium in Seattle. Haven't been there in awhile - and I am interested in what the remodeling that was a few years ago turned out (and by few I think I mean one or two years ago.)

Checking on coffee . . .

And now I have a cup of coffee. I also have a cat on my lap.

My e-mail is telling me "Thank You for Creating a Pineapple Team". It just looks funny.

And yes, by the subject line of the above mentioned e-mail, I registered my/our team for the 2008 Winter Pineapple Classic that will be held on the 16th of November. A 5k race with obstacles. Go us!

The getting situated with the move is still happening. I dropped off a bunch of stuff back to the garage at the old place so I can get some more room in my room. Have to head to Target to get some more plastic bins for storage.

While at the house I said hi to the mop-dog - he's currently living in the garage while April is visiting her aunt. He seems to be doing well in the garage which is good - he has this great kennel set up there and doesn't seem to be unhappy. I'll check on him again Sunday when I head back over to get my dive gear (diving Sunday!!)

I thought I had more to say.

I hinted about this the other day, and after a day of thinking about it, I decided to register.

So yes, on November 30th, I'll be running my second half marathon - the 2008 Seattle Half Marathon.

It's in two months - my long run base right now is about six and a half, and I've done this distance, and longer, quite a few times this year, so I don't think I'll have any issue with the distance.

Additionally - two weeks before the half marathon, I'll be running in my second Winter Pineapple Classic - the 5k race with obstacles!

I ran this two years ago so it will be interesting to see how it has changed, and if they figured out all the kinks out.

The main difference this year is that I will not be running it with Phil - but Phil will be there. Our employer is sponsoring us which is cool, but due to some timing logistics, he has his own team, so I had to form my own. Julie from my department and two of her family members (husband and sister) will round out my team of four. Should be lots of fun.

November 30th -

I don't know - I'm actually thinking of maybe running a half marathon on this day. I have about two months before hand, I should be able to get myself back to that fitness level. Shouldn't I?

Hmm . . .

I am going to do a 5k obstacle course that month too.