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

May 4th May the Fourth be with you!

I finally ran in May. I’m still sore, I think I will postpone the long run one more week. Got everything I wanted to do today done, except for making chili for Cinco de Mayo! That’s my last task for the evening, get the chili done.
I made an awesome margarita mix, never did that before, surprisingly simple. But from now on I’m buying lime juice, instead of fresh squeezing. that was a pain in the ass. Got my push-ups done early, got work done well, now it’s a matter of relaxing and enjoying my dinner and my evening. Nice, simple day. I’m not going to worry about Drumpf being the presumptive GOP nominee, he’s a complete dick. I’m not going to gloat about the Bern killing it in Indiana. It is what it will be and I have to deal with the outcomes, I have done my part voting in my state primary.
Keeping it short tonight, I have lots to do and I have to wake up early and go running with my friends. Excited for tomorrow too, bringing a little of America commercialism to Italy! I mean Continental pride. I do actually appreciate the Mexican win at the Battle of Puebla over the French forces. It’s good stuff. Alright, here’s some goodness for today:

Well at least it has Mexican Spanish in it! Ha!
Have fun, keep running, and remember; if Gil can run then so can you! May the Fourth be with you!

May 3rd Skipping, playing hooky

You heard me, I’m not running today, I didn’t run yesterday, I’m trying to heal up a bit. I actually skipped my long run this weekend too. I may pick it up on Saturday, depending how I feel, or I’ll wait one more week. I’m feeling better most of the time, but I still have some pain in my hamstring. Hopefully, it doesn’t need full rest, and just a light schedule will let it heal properly.
So what did I do? I took most of the luscious fruits I had and cut them up and made a fruit salad. Slept in with the crappy weather around here. Took it easy. It’s ok to take it easy sometimes and just relax. I’m past the halfway point with the #22Kill push-up challenge. Today I actually cruised through the 22 push-ups. I felt like I was doing something wrong. A couple of the reps were sloppy when I look at the video, but I really just did it. I think most of the time, I hold myself back mentally. I think I’m much better physically than I think I am, stronger, tougher, but my mind says “no, wait there Sonny Jim, slow your roll.” And I just sabotage myself. I think many people are stuck in their own way. I see it in my students more often than I’d like to.
Meanwhile, given Labor Day, the whole Haymarket Affair, and everything this week, that’s where my mind is. Fair treatment for workers, if it’s something you want, then research the companies you use, and if they don’t treat workers right, find new companies that do! If you keep giving companies you don’t agree with your money, they will keep doing the things you don’t like. Simple as that. Verizon is on strike right now. You use Verizon? Tell them to give their workers a fair deal or you’ll take your business elsewhere, but be ready to take your business elsewhere. Because they may not listen to words, you may need to act.
That’s how it all works in this system, the little guys all have to stand together, or else we don’t stand a chance against the big fish.

It really is like that! Stop thinking it’s you against the world, that’s what they want you to do!
With that said, I’m leaving you with some old school Pete Seeger today, because he’s the man:

I used this in class yesterday to illustrate the difference between present simple and present continuous! Genius!
Have fun, keep running, and remember; if Gil can run then so can you!

May 1st Just a recap

Alright, I ran yesterday, but really didn’t feel like posting still. Still don’t really, but it’s International Labor Day. So let’s just run down the stats:

It was 120+ miles for the month of April. I’m at 588.49 mi (947.08 km) for the year so far. That’s a pace to hit over 1700 mi (2735 km) for the year, but that won’t happen. I am slowing down starting in May. I said I wanted to get faster this year and putting in tons of miles (relative to what I’m used to) is not the way to do it! So far I’m averaging 147 mi (236.6 km) per month, which is over 20 miles more than usual, which seems insignificant, but not so much when you realize I’m not driving that, I’m running it. There are people out there who run a lot more than I do, but they’re mostly professionals, faster than I will ever hope to be and make lots of money off endorsements and stuff. I’ve only made money off of one race and that was due to fortunate coincidences of free entry, plus a medical study. Most of the time this stuff costs me lots of money! But I appreciate every step I can take, even the really painful ones. So we’ll see where we end up for the year, remember there are no mileage goals this year, just going to try for a sub 20 5k, even if it’s just a training run. But I’m not going to hurt myself doing that either.

Ok, it’s Labor Day (for the rest of the world, the US doesn’t support this “Commie” holiday) so I’m taking off to enjoy the rest of my day. I have some push ups to do too. Here’s a union guy, and an awesome band from PA, check out Wisdom in Chains, they’re on tour now around the East Coast.

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

Apr 29th We’re going to be a little serious today (more than normal)

Preface: If this offends you, if you don’t want to read anymore, that’s fine. Don’t want to hear an argument, if you don’t understand what I’m saying here, research it, don’t throw a bunch of hypothetical situations at me, and don’t try and justify things to me.

I’ve been in a bad mood for a while now. People say really insensitive things to me all the time. They don’t realize it, and they never want to hear a reason why it’s insensitive so I always try to let it slide. This last week, I’ve struggled with that massively. It’s my problem, and it’s my fault. I’ve known for so many years now how little people care about saying nasty things to me. Most of the time my own family isn’t even interested in hearing me out as to why something bothers me. So I keep that inside, and I don’t say anything. It seems like I talk a lot, but I’m never really saying anything. It’s how I protect myself. It seems paradoxical, but trust me it’s not.
When people accuse me of not caring, it really is just too much. My whole life has been spent with a very acute awareness of the pain we cause each other, our evolutionary cousin animals and plants, how much stress we put on our environment. I have always been very aware of my own mortality, and the mortality of those around me, those I care about. Every day countless atrocities are carried out across this world, every single person carrying out these atrocities is absolutely certain they are justified. There are people who think what they are doing is justified, and there are others that think they aren’t. There doesn’t have to be a “war” for these things to happen, we do them every day, without fail. To point to one event or another and claim yours was better or worse does nothing to change things. The fact that these things keep happening, mean nothing we have done has stopped it. Which means we have to find a new way, something that hasn’t been tried in full yet. It means we need a full shift in consciousness. We also have to stop justifying our actions that keep the cycle moving. Even I have to do that. But on a broad scale, just because someone killed your brother, doesn’t mean you should go kill them. Because there will always be someone aggrieved. It doesn’t mater who started it, it will just keep going.
But if you want to tell me I don’t know about x, y, z event, and it was just too terrible, beyond my comprehension, since I’m too stupid to know about this thing (which, chances are I do know about x, y, z event and it’s irrelevant to what I’m saying) I want you to think about this. The worst genocide on the face of the planet was carried out over the course of centuries, in my homeland, and no one raised an army to stop it, no one talks about it, no one says “remember x, y, z event so it never happens again”. Don’t believe me, here’s a more milquetoast accounting of the Native genocide on the American continent. Until you get that horrible shit happens every single day to humans, animals, plants, and the planet itself, and that the truly worst things human beings have ever done aren’t even talked about generally, don’t tell me about how much such and such event justifies murdering people, even the murder of other people. It won’t end until we  all see there is never a justification. If it’s wrong the first time, then it’s wrong the second time, and it keeps being wrong, and self-preservation is not an acceptable excuse.

Because I’m so upset about this, I’m going to keep going and then you get another song. So anyway, I put enough pressure on myself with these things. Every day getting that if something terrible were to happen to my friends or family, I know I can’t justify doing the acceptable thing and seeking revenge. That doing that makes my whole life a lie, and leaves me with a wasted life. This idea has been something I’ve understood for only a short time, but something I’ve felt my whole life.
If you’ve ever been called a friend by me, know that I have imagined your death. It’s strange but I’ve always done it, I’ve always understood that everyone I know will die, and my mind has always wandered to “How will I feel when so-and-so dies?” which inevitably leads me to different scenarios in which people die. It’s all terribly depressing, knowing your friends and family won’t be there one day. Why speed that up? But these things keep me up at night, they made me terribly depressed when I was younger. Even today it’s upsetting at times, because when it really does happen it sucks. It’s why I hate going to funerals and stuff, I’ve already been there, and they’re a reminder that I have to keep doing it. So when I can avoid funerals I do.
Now I don’t want to share anymore today, I will run tomorrow and I may not share then either, I might not share for a while. I’m very upset and I need to calm down, I need to get my shit together, put it in a shit backpack, take it to the shit store and sell it, I don’t care what I do with it, I just need to get my shit together.
Meanwhile, stop thinking any war is anything more than an attempt by those in power to grab more resources and control. The terrible things the true-believers do in the name of this power-grab are irrelevant. Even without a war we do terrible things in the name of resources. This laptop, your computer screen you’re reading this on right now, the cellphone you press to your ear, your television, all manner of modern conveniences, made with the products of slave-labor. Not even going to get into stupid shit like whale hunts and elephant and rhino poaching. the poverty this system causes is a world-wide epidemic, that’s sickening enough. But one more word. That hamburger you’re eating, amazing cruelty went into farming that meat, not to mention the destruction it caused to the environment, and the starvation it caused because the 9 lbs of plant protein that went to feed that cow for 1 lb of cow protein could have fed 9 times more people than you and the 3 others that are enjoying that quarter-fucking-pounder with cheese. Do the math, 4 people, 36 people. Don’t you even begin to tell me I don’t understand, that I don’t know, and that I’m just stupid. In conclusion, just because I don’t start crying about some war crime, when war crimes happen ever single day on this planet, don’t tell me I don’t care. Just because I won’t submit to your idea that a particular war crime is justification for committing your own murders, don’t call me stupid. In short, fuck you. Negativity over. Going to get my shit together now.

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

Apr 28th Completely missed yesterday!

I’ll chalk it up to “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything.” I was in a bad mood when I finished my run yesterday, all I could think of was all the things that piss me off around here. And that’s not a good thing. But I managed to get a decent mileage in and top 110 miles for the month. Today I got another few miles in.
So as Cinco De Mayo nears, I realize it’s very hard to find lime anything in this country. For an area with tons of citrus, they grow no limes, my students don’t even know what a lime is! I have to describe it in terms of a lemon, and it sucks because this is a vocabulary word for some of them. How does one make guacamole, or margaritas, or Thai food, or anything good without limes? So my idea is, when I finally have a place of my own and some room to grow things, I will have to grow limes. It’s a crime, such perfect citrus weather and they don’t have limes.
So yesterday, I finally remembered to bring the cans of tuna  and a thing of pancetta that my roommate had left behind into work. My apartment is now 100% meat free! Some times it’s the little things that are most exciting. I’ve managed to survive pretty well here, although sometimes I catch attitude about vegetarianism, but once I found where everything was, it’s been easy to stay the course. Even in a small town with not much to offer. While my running, social life, and other aspects have been compromised by the area, at least my diet hasn’t. The longer I stay away from meat though, the more militant about it I feel like I’m getting. Maybe it is the reactions I get here about it. As I finished my run yesterday Propagandhi’s “Nailing Descartes to the wall (liquid) Meat is still murder” came on my mp3 player, and I belted it out to the collective indifference of the locals on the street. It is a foreign language to them, and they’re generally indifferent about everything, until it’s time to drive and then they’re the most impatient SOBs ever!
Alright, here it is:

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

Apr 26th Back to it

So I decided, as much as I need to rest, I may as well hit 120 miles for the month. That means I hit the grind for another 5 miles today. Next month I really have to step back, I’m also going to postpone my long run by one week to give myself more rest.
We’re closing in on the end of April, the first third of 2016 is already almost completely behind us! Can you believe it? Today is primary day in several states, including Connecticut. I have already submitted my absentee ballot because I #FeeltheBern. Some people I know are not, they are hung up on the gun issue, which is a big issue for me. But the problem is it’s the one thing I disagree with Bernie on, whereas I have disagreed with the other candidates on almost every single issue. If they didn’t change their mind at some point along the way, I still do disagree. I also trust the Bernie is the one candidate who can be persuaded to change his mind on the gun issue, whereas I think no other candidates will change their mind on any issue, and will just be more of the same. I think Bernie can also move the balance of power in Congress, and get things done.
It doesn’t matter who you support though, go out there and make a fuss, be heard. It’s important. Not just at the ballot box, but at the cash register and everywhere else. Things won’t change until we make it change, and we all have to do our part, and there’s so much more to it than voting. Particularly considering how corrupt the system as become worldwide. It starts with getting educated, properly educated. It’s one thing to be able to read and write, it’s another thing to run off believing everything because it fits your worldview instead of being able to think critically about the information and if it is supported by the scientific method. If it’s not supported by science, there’s a good chance you’re looking at it wrong, or absolutely are looking at completely bad information.
But be active, don’t be passive, we need to act, and not just talk:

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

Apr 25th What a weird day, nothing!

Run yesterday, no run today. In the morning I’ll run again. Today was kind of a wash. The weather was terrible, but it’s a national holiday in Italy. The day picked to celebrate the overthrow of Mussolini and the expulsion of the Nazis. So I did mostly nothing. I liberated myself from worrying about as much as possible. Until my stove ran out of gas, and of course the gas place was closed. I managed to bodge together a decent dinner though with some frozen veggie patties I purchased which I was able to cook in the oven.
Beyond that, I did my push-ups, watched some TV and movies. I watched The Producers (the original with Gene Wilder), I thought it terribly apropos today, you know Springtime for Hitler and all. Every time I watch that movie, that number just cracks me up. Sometimes a good laugh is just what you need. Then I watched An Inconvenient Truth, because sometimes you need to remind yourself about the stakes. Throw in some Rick and Morty and some Ikki Tousen and you have yourself an interesting day.
Luckily, tomorrow I don’t work until later. I need to hustle back to the store and grab a couple things and I need to sort out the gas situation, and finish a few other little odds and ends. Short week at least and we’re getting to the point where I have to make a decision about next school year.
thanks to An Inconvenient Truth, I give you some snapcase:

with lyrics for the hardcore challenged:
You’re poisoning the sole essence
Poisoning your whole existence for the substitution of cognition
Walking around like the living dead
Killing yourself
Killing yourself
Why do we kill ourselves to live
Wafer-thin
New role models
Suffer yourself caught in a fashion spin
Full subscription
False admission
Walking around with an empty head
A standard wage
Routine daily
Overindulge and live inside a cage
Repetition of blurred vision
Minimum gain from the blood we shed

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

Apr 24th Feelin’ the Bern

Yeah, I ran today. I got my Tiger Balm in the post too, and I voted! Absentee, in the Democratic primary in my home state of Connecticut. I proudly ticked off my Bernie Sanders box and sent that straight back in the mail! So, hopefully in November I’ll be ticking a box next to Bernie’s name again.
All in all, not a bad day. Got lots done with work in between. Was a rainy morning, supposed to stay rainy all week. We’ll see what happens, I hope it doesn’t I really could use some easy, dry runs. I’m going to cut it short tonight, time for dinner and whatnot. I’ll sit down and put in some effort tomorrow.
Have fun, keep running and remember; if Gil can run then so can you!

And apparently this didn’t post last night…

Apr 22nd Earth Day and Passover, it’s a two-fer!

No run today, it’s Friday. I did some stuff though. I was challenged complete to the #22Kill pushup challenge. The idea is to post a video of yourself doing 22 pushups every day for 22 days to raise awareness of Veteran suicide in the US. An average of 22 veterans kill themselves every single day in the Unites States. Veteran suicide is something, and I talk about it a little in my video, that has affected my family. If we’re going to have wars, we need to take care of the people that go to fight them. If we’re not going to do that, which we don’t, then we need to stop having wars. In fact, we need to just stop having wars and this particular problem goes away.
So, that is something I will be participating in. If you’d like to be nominated to do the challenge, send me a message and I will put your name up.
It’s also Earth Day, every day should be Earth Day. Let’s face it, we only have one planet to live on and we have to start taking care about it, and thinking about taking care of it on more than just one day. It’s funny because someone posted about the philosophy of Gaia, that the Earth is a living organism and everything is interconnected, and I was like, well you can prove that. You can. Look at how the Earth is reacting to the damage we do, it is trying desperately to correct the mess we’re making. You take certain things out of biomes and you can destroy species, you can destroy the entire biome. This stuff is proven, the Earth is all one, and we’re not separate from it, we are part of it. We need to start acting that way, we need a sustainable life. Currently, our entire system is not based on sustainability and we’re searching for sustainability in an inherent unsustainable system, it’s a fool’s errand. The system must change if we are to survive. The good news is though, the Earth will survive, because if we get it too far out of balance, the Earth will evict us.
Also, it’s the first night of Passover, so I wish all my friends who are reading this and celebrating the Holiday, Chag Sameach. In honor of the day, I’m giving you some NoFX! Ha! This song is too funny.

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

Apr 20th Not a bad run

It wasn’t great, but it wasn’t bad. I’m trying to hit my usual 120 miles for a month and I shouldn’t. I should be resting and recovering. No biggie though, I’ll sort it out one way or the other. Really I just need a distraction. With my roommate gone I have too much time with myself which is not a good thing. But at least I get to play music whenever I want now, which is often. I’m a musical person.
Other than that, I made an outstanding dinner tonight arancini and a salad. I have just about perfected the arancini. By far these were the best I’ve done so far. Salad is salad, nothing to talk about there.
I’m not into thinking tonight, sorry, honestly. Here’s some deep Alan Watts stuff. Also 750cl of a 12% vol. wine is 90cl of alcohol. Just sayin’

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