Gil Can Run!A blog on Running and all the crap that runs through my head while doing it

Sep 29th Short and fast, I didn’t have much energy

Sleeping was not my friend last night. So I woke up, got a few things done, then headed out for a run before going to babysit my nieces and nephew for a little bit. But before I went there, I had a little run. Just a 5k to get through the day. I’ve hit my monthly mileage goal, so what else do I need to worry about?
So on my personal page I’ve been sharing a lot of vegan and vegetarian recipes, because they all look bomb and I want to share, and hopefully, as always encourage people to try new things. On top of looking at things differently, of course. But at the same time, I never want to have anyone think I’m trying to tell people what to do or how to live. But anyway, some folks commented that they’ve been enjoying trying the recipes I post. So I’m helping! Little things like that totally can make your day.
Tomorrow, I am going to try to make my grandma’s chili with TVP (textured vegetable protein). If it works out and tastes good and has the right texture, I will share the extra awesome and secret recipe! I have not had a chance to try out the meatballs, that will be coming soon. That will also get shared if it works. Maybe a cookbook is a thing I could write if this works out? Taking grandma’s traditional Italian and modified American recipes, and adapting them to vegetarian diets. Although many Southern Italian dishes are very vegetarian friendly to begin with. So it’s not that much of a stretch.
It’s raining really hard here, definitely need it bad! I will run tomorrow, rain or not. Have fun, keep running, and remember, if Gil can run, then so can you!

Sep 28th There is definitely water on Mars!

I didn’t do much of anything today. Took grandma to get her hair cut, made mac and cheese for dinner, yep, straight up mac and cheese from scratch, none of that boxed nonsense. And I watched the NASA press conference about Mars. If you haven’t, read about it here. So it turns out there is actually liquid water on Mars, and they know this because they found it in salts and the only way it could be there is either from atmospheric humidity, or from a flow of water from below the surface. The implication here is, where there is water, and particularly briny water, there is a good chance for life as we know it. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, we are going to find extra-terrestrial life soon, very soon.
Beyond that, it’s been an off-day so no running, but plenty of people reposting that stupid privacy notice on the bookfaces. Look people, bookfaces, tweeters, all of social and antisocial media is public domain. Just like if you were out on the street performing a play in public (or just acting like a fool), people have a right to do with it as they please. They can video tape it, share it, do whatever they want. Whether they’re a company or a private citizen, you have no expectation of privacy in public, that’s why the space is called public. So please, to those posts I say:

It’s always the right time for An Officer and a Gentleman references.
Have fun, keep running, and remember, if Gil can run, then so can you!

Sep 27th Easy Sunday afternoon

After a lot of miles last week, I thought starting off today would be hellish, but I had another easy few miles. It wasn’t a killer pace, but not slow either. I’m really starting to think my slow times in marathons is all mental, that I just don’t stay focused, because I’m not trying THAT hard. That I’m going for lots of marathons and so don’t want to risk injury.
But I’m almost at the end of my road for this year and it’s time to start going for speed. Also, got an email from the London Marathon, they are making selections next week. I hope I get it, no idea how I’ll afford it, but I will find a way if I get it. If not I will find a way to do Rome. I need to get out and I need to travel, too much time around here drives me really crazy.
But yeah, if training keeps going this well, I think things are going to start looking up. Next year my first goal is a sub 20 minute 5k. And we will see how marathons work out, I don’t plan on doing too many, Rome or London, Savin Rock if I can, Puglia if everything works out properly. We will see. There are many options in front of me, and I like being able to just figure things out as I go. Definitely taking next year a lot easier. So you guys have fun, keep running and remember, if Gil can run, then so can you!

Sep 26th A nice Saturday

I ran and hit my weekly goal. actually exceeded it by a mile. So, I’m happy with that. 40 miles (64.3km) plus down! Honestly, these were the easiest mile this week. Tomorrow I will run more, but between Sunday and Saturday, I wanted to get at least 40 miles. My pace was excellent for me and I was in a great mood.
I’ve been struggling mentally, thinking about old exes, and some other shit. today I just let go though, and everything flowed and went well, and after so many miles in a week, to keep that pace (8:21) is fantastic for me.
We should always find things about ourselves that make us happy. It’s important to enjoy the person you are, and to be the best person you can be. Today, I really did great, I even managed a sub 8 minute mile at the end of my run. I’ve been feel good, I hope I feel so good tomorrow. I hope I will be fast on the 10th, but who knows what will happen, Hartford Marathon will be a new course for me, so there’s no way of knowing what will happen. Either way, with how I’ve bee performing this month, even with a slow half marathon, I am excited for the possibilities.
Beyond that, my morning started watching Tottenham Hotspur beat Manc City, and then United beat Sunderland to go top of the table, and that makes things even better, Glory Glory Man United! Have fun, keep running, because if Gil can run, then so can you!

Sep 25th Episode 16 is live!

Wow do I rant, alright I’ll leave it at that. Oh and I ran today, a nice little 8 mile effort, feel much better today!

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Sep 24th Babysitting instead of running

So my sister is going for another graduate degree, and she’s taking night classes, so I had to go with grandma to babysit for a little while before my brother-in-law got home. So I figured, seeing how I was so sore and out of it last night, take today off and come back at it tomorrow morning, nice and early, get a run in and then I’ll be ready for my niece’s birthday party tomorrow night (my sister’s oldest will be 15! the other two are 3 years and 8 months respectively). So not a bad night, Little Alberto did spit up on himself, and I got to clean that. I’m telling you, it’s weird to clean vomit off someone no matter how old or young they are! That’s a fact.
At this point I’m just going to have some dessert, and get ready for bed. My adventure in babysitting is over for the evening, and kids are tiring. Have fun, keep running and remember, if Gil can run, then so can you!

Sep 23rd Oggi era difficile

Yeah, I titled it in Italian, wanna fight about it? So I ran, but man was it tough! My legs are sore and tired and I don’t think I’ve been eating enough.
But I tried an awesome new food today, wheat berry waldorf salad. It was so tasty! Paired that with some pickled beets, and Quorn Francese. So a good meal, a large meal, and more to come. I also finished off with a pineapple cream cheese pie, it’s so good, and some more do-si-dos, I have a whole case! Also a nice glass of milk. I have found, if I didn’t mention this, all the weight I lost, also cured my lactose intolerance. I like being able to try new things and not worry about getting sick after.
Anywhoooo, today did not feel right, and it was definitely a struggle. I got through, I’m still on target, I may take tomorrow off and run Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I think that may be what’s in the cards. We will see, maybe I’ll wake up in the morning and feel better. But you have fun, and keep running and remember if Gil can run, then so can you!

Sep 22nd A tidy effort, and I’m sore

Yes, so I ran a few miles today. My legs were sore, but I kept pushing because I need to get better at running uncomfortable. I kept a good pace, I had a couple people not look to the right while taking right hand turns and almost hit me. People driving cars need to assume people can’t see into their car! I couldn’t see either time. It gets very frustrating. I get it, I live in a city, people are in a rush, but remember you are driving a ton and a half of metal and plastic. I am 170 lbs of a meat bag with bones.
Beyond that I did nothing today. Nothing of substance, well that’s not entirely true. A friend was having some trouble and I listened and helped a little, I like to think I helped. But beyond that it was Minecraft and eating, that was it.
I’ve decided I need to find a way to make meatballs like my grandma’s without meat. I’m thinking seitan may be the answer, would that make them wheatballs? I will get it figured out. The problem with vegetarian “meatlballs” is the texture is all wrong, and the taste is normally horrible, and lacking any moisture. This will be a challenge, but I will make it happen! I need this to happen, because grandma’s meatballs are fantastic and something to be missed. When I figure it out, it’ll probably be something I will be able to legitimately sell. We’ll have to see…A new dream? I new plan?
In the meantime, have fun and keep running. Remember, if Gil can run, then so can you!

Sep 21st Back to training

As I was out there today, I realized I hadn’t done a training run since 3 September. That’s 18 days with no running outside of races. So I ran tonight, I ran so far away…I want to put in 40 miles this week I’m a little behind. Not on my yearly goal, in fact I only need 17 miles more this month to be right on target, but I want to bank some miles because the NWS (National Weather Service) says the Northeast is going to have another rough one this Winter. I do love the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They do much needed work that just has no profit in it. For profit weather and meteorology tends to sensationalize and causes us to buy all the milk in the supermarket for no reason! It is one of my Winter pet peeves.
Meanwhile, my legs are very tired today. Seems races are much harder on my body than just training runs. Kept my pace well though and finished well. Quinnipiac University called me about their study before and after the upcoming Hartford Marathon, so I guess I will be participating in that. They’re going to take a little blood before, a little blood after and see what’s what. Interesting, I like science, so I’ll help science. Speaking of blood, this Friday I’ll go give a pint. It’s definitely important, I know I’ve discussed that before, if you can give blood, go do it, there’s no reason not to. No excuses!
Other than that, I realized I can’t spend the first 3 months of the year in Europe, I have a very important thing to do here in March that I can’t talk about because it’s a present for someone very important whom I can’t mention, because it would give it all away. All I can say is, it’s a for a relative. So I have to wait and make my plans and then plan to go back to Europe I suppose, for either London or Rome. As I said, we’ll find out next month.
Alright, you folks have fun, keep running, because if Gil can run, then so can you!

Sep 20th A day off

I really did nothing today. I watched Manchester United win and move into 2nd place on the BPL table. I watched the New York Red Bulls beat Portland and secure a (blech) playoff spot. I’m sorry American sports leagues, we don’t need to have playoffs for everything. I also looked at the news feeds and saw that New Zealand beat Argentina in the Rugby World Cup in the first match of Group Stage play. So I’m having a good day, sports-wise. Oh and I won’t pay $38 to watch one rugby match, we need to get that on basic cable in this country.
I think tomorrow I will run some, a Monday run. I just wasn’t feeling it after yesterday’s race. Just clearing my head today, thinking about possibilities for the future. I may need to be in Denmark in January, and I may need to be in England or Italy in April. The upside of this, is that I am allowed to stay in Europe as long as I wish. I can work while I’m there and do whatever I wish that is legal to do. So skipping Puglia Marathon this year and just focusing on London, or Rome, may be the answer. One way tickets are also cheap. This may turn into quite the interesting adventure. I need to think about this more and see if some plans can’t be made, see if some friends don’t need help where I can make some money while I travel around.
Very interesting possibilities indeed. Stay tuned, much will hinge on what happens with the London Marathon lottery! In the meantime, have fun, keep running and remember if Gil can run then so can you!