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

Dec 31st Episode 30, Auguri! Happy 2016, big year ahead! Merry New Year!

I have a pretty bad cold. But I hit all my goals for 2015. I’m not setting any goals for 2016, because it turns out I have a very big change coming up next week. I’m moving to Italy. In the morning I find out if it’s Napoli or Barletta actually. So we have to figure this out. I’ve included some screenshots of all my accomplishments this year. Not all my races are shown on the Athlinks Screenshot, but the most important one is there on the bottom! What a year! Here’s the vlog!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

Dec 30th What a day, tomorrow finishes the year

I ran this morning. Then, I got an email from a school, they need a teacher post-haste and it turns out I am what they are looking for. I would have to be there by the 11th, I have to decide by Friday. This all came together really fast. There’s a little anxiety, but not too much, it’s a pretty good job. Decent pay, good hours, it is 6 days a week though. but that’s alright. It’s also at the base of Mt Vesuvius. Who knows, maybe I’ll run into Comicus (that’s a Mel Brooks joke), I love a mountain comic.
Other than that, I’m still sick, this cold is kicking my ass. I will definitely run the Chilly Chili on Friday though, as it looks like it’ll be my last race in the US for a while, and my last race with my local club. So much to do over the next week and  half, but I will not neglect you guys! Although, during the move I may miss a few days. I’m so excited and my mind is in a million places at once.
In the meantime, subculture music lost another great one yesterday, John Bradbury drummer for The Specials died. Two in two days and it’s kinda creepy. So today I’ll leave you with a live Specials performance.

Have fun, keep running and remember; If Gil can run then so can you!

Dec 29th A sickly Tuesday

I managed a little over a mile today. I am very sick, very sore, very tired. The last few days of the Holiday Streaking challenge are going to be difficult. Not much else to talk about, unless you really want to hear about mucous. I don’t think you do.
Lemmy died, and I was never a great Motorhead fan. But I understand what they meant to music, and in particular the great support Lemmy showed to the Hardcore and Punk Rock scenes. Taking bands like the Cro-Mags on tour with them. So in that manner, I feel a loss, it is a loss to music everywhere, like them or not their influence on rock music is undeniable. So I’ll leave you with some Motorhead tonight.

Have fun, keep running and remember; If Gil can run then so can you!

Dec 28th Mondays, am I right?

I got a run in. Tomorrow we’re expecting some sort of ice storm, or rain storm, or whatever, so I did 5 miles today, because I figure I won’t get it tomorrow. then I waited word, just in case, of my latest job interview. I’m going to guess I didn’t get the job. That is fairly heartbreaking. So was United’s 0-0 draw with Chelsea.
Except for the run, not much going on that was good. It happens sometimes, gotta brush yourself off and try again. So I emailed the guy that the school and asked him what I could do better next time, if he knew of any other openings at other schools and to keep me in mind for next time. You never know. Nothing I can do about United, so we’ll just forget that for now. I did find a big list of schools to apply to though and I started in on that, although it may be a little late now. We shall see what happens, I really don’t want to end up in another dead-end job here though. I really do feel like I should be teaching and I don’t think it should be here. So we’ll see what happens and where all this leads. In the meantime just gotta keep the PMA, attitude is everything.
So for today, I think I’ll share a lovely lentil soup recipe. Originally I was going to go with a homemade manicotti recipe, but perhaps that’s a bit involved for today, so lentil soup it is, and a it’s one of my favorites on a cold day.

Red Lentil Soup

6 cups vegetable stock
1 pound red lentils
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup chopped parsley
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Bring vegetable stock and lentils to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic and onion, and cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 3 minutes.

3. Stir onions into the lentils and season with cumin and cayenne. Continue simmering until the lentils are tender, about 10 minutes.

4. Carefully puree the soup in a standing blender, or with a stick blender until smooth. Stir in parsley and lemon juice before serving. Garnish with crispy fried onions.

Now that’s what I’m talking about; simple, tasty, and good for you!  Have fun, keep running and remember; If Gil can run then so can you!

Dec 27th Last Sunday of 2015

Crazy right? This is it, seems like the year just started, but look how far we’ve come. Got my run in today, just 5 more to go to finish the streak and then I’ll take a little time off. I went short for a Sunday today, I am tired, been overeating, getting overweight again. The Holidays are no joke. I have, I’ve put on 5 pounds the last couple days.
So here we are on December 27th and I’m running in shorts and t-shirt. It’s so bizarre, not only was I in shorts and t-shirt but I was soaked with sweat when I got back to the house. I just keep thinking that this time last year I was in Trani, running in the snow. they had snow for the first time in 15 years and it snowed every day I was there. Now this year, when we’re usually getting snow and it’s cold, we have practically tropical conditions.
As I’ve said, the good news is the world will survive, humanity and most of the species might be doomed if we continue to do nothing, but the world itself will survive, and life will eventually come back around. As  much as I’d like us to work on it and reverse what we’re doing, create a system that makes our way of life sustainable and sensible, part of me thinks, if humans are so hell bent on killing ourselves, may as well.
Other than that, just been relaxing and watching Dr. Who all day, well almost all day. Grandma’s Boy was on, and there was a One Piece marathon last night, all things very hard not to watch. I do enjoy my scifi and my anime, and yes stoner movies. So it’s been an enjoyable day.
I think I have tomorrow’s recipe sorted, so stay tuned for that. Oh and it seems the Carolina Panthers lost today. I don’t watch the handball, throwball, look it’s not played with their feet. But the fact is that they almost went the whole season without losing, but they did not match the 1972 Miami Dolphins, so maybe another year. Records are made to be broken, so it will be interesting to see if anyone can ever beat that one. I’m going to go grab some dinner. You all have fun, keep running and remember; If Gil can run, then so can you!

Dec 26th Boxing Day horror

After another disastrous loss by United, 2-0 to Stoke, I went for a run. I yelled at the protesters outside of Planned Parenthood, they’re just idiots. I’m out of patience for this mess. But at least overall, maybe due to being so gutted from another United loss, I actually had a very good run. GPS tracking got a little weird through downtown, maybe it’s the strange weather, but it was still a fast effort.
Physically I felt good, I feel strong, rested, ready to run more in fact. Even my watch is telling me I require no recovery time, which seems crazy to me. There will be no more running today though, I have to put my mind onto happier things and drive down to my friend’s house to have a little after Christmas party with her and her family and friends from college. Maybe it will do me good to see everyone. As the last couple days have brought me down a little bit. I am still holding out hope for the job teaching, I will see what Monday brings me there.
But I do take some pride in the fact I met all my running goals for the year, and now I just get to wind down. It was nice that I had the drive to go out and put down a great training effort on a typical Saturday run for me, even though I have no external impetus to keep pushing, it means I still have the fire in me to keep improving for the sake of improving, as far as running goes. The VO2 max stats the watch spits out at me have even improved. There I am nearing a predicted 20 minute 5k, and it now states I should run a sub 3:20 marathon. Which I still don’t think I’m ready mentally to conquer either of those, but at least based on heart-rate and a chart, I should be right there.
So things are coming along, they are progressing, some things are not progressing how I’d like, but how I’d like doesn’t really factor into it, I must accept those things pleasant or not. So I will, and I will work to change that which is in my power to change, and work toward the best solution, not just for me. Hopefully, it will continue to work out as we move along. So have fun, keep running and remember; If Gil can run, then so can you!

Dec 26th Episode 29, Merry Christmas

What can I say I was inspired by John Lennon tonight. When watching this touching Christmas message, with lots of quantum mechanics in it, keep Happy Christmas in mind. I think that brings it all together maybe.
Also, I did keep my streak alive today, one mile.

And here is Happy Christmas, with a very difficult to watch, but I feel important to watch, video. War is over, if you want it.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

Dec 25th I missed Christmas Eve!

I did not have time to get a video done last night now. I did get a run in. Then it was all helping mom prep for the family Christmas Eve party and whatnot. I ran in shorts and a t-shirt today though, what is going on with this weather? Tomorrow, more insanity, as I have to drive to another state to do Christmas with my father.
When I have more time, I think I will discuss holiday craziness. Until then, I need sleep, so have fun, keep running and remember; If Gil can run, then so can you! Sorry about tonight, and ciao.

Dec 23rd So My Grandma’s 96

Yep, you heard me right, scary thing is her older sister has her beat by 5 years. Most of her family lived a really long time, out of 14 siblings, that’s fairly amazing, so who knows. Anyway, that’s what I spent my day doing, preparing and whatnot for her birthday party which just wrapped up. But I did get my run in, 7.7 miles at a very good pace, probably the strongest run I’ve had since Hartford.
Let’s break down that run, my fastest time up the hill next to my house, 0.33 miles (0.5km) where you climb about 90 feet over that distance. It is the fastest 10k on my Garmin, where I did one in 49:17 today it seems. I have never run a 10k race, so I have no race time to compare it to. I’ve noticed on longer runs my Garmin tends to not record the heart rate data, I need to look into that. It felt good overall, the smoothie I had for breakfast was like a brick in my gut by mile 5 though. I kept moving and stayed on pace though.
The best part about today’s run was that it put me just over 1500 miles (2414 km) for the year, so my final goal has been reached. That was a great feeling, as my family has started getting sick all around me. I was thinking I would end up coming down with something and be forced to only trudge through one mile per day barely hitting my goal by the end of the year. Now I can go as far, or as short as I want in my runs and I won’t worry or feel guilty. Although, over the next few days I want to run long thanks to all the over-eating I’ll surely do. Unfortunately the Holidays mean going to many people’s homes and they all have something you “have” to try, and it’s rude not to. Plus there’s all my mom’s homemade cookies, which I want to enjoy the best I can, as who knows how much longer I’ll get to enjoy them for. I did not hear anything today, I hope I hear something tomorrow, I’ve been anxiously awaiting some news, and as soon as I have it I will share it with all of you.
Right now, I’ll share some more punk rock Christmas music. One of my favorites in both punk rock and classic versions. I like Latin, what can I say? And Bad Religion makes it more badass.

Have fun, keep running and remember; If Gil can run then so can you!

Dec 22nd The rain was too much

I went out with the plan of running at least five, not even a mile in I was running with my eyes basically closed and decided to just do about two miles.
There isn’t much to tell tonight, rum and whiskey balls were made for Christmas, we celebrate Christmas in my house, but I am of the opinion to say Happy Holidays most of the time when I don’t know.
Have fun, keep running and remember; If Gil can run, then so can you!