Monday, July 31, 2006

Low Profile

I've been keeping a low posting profile since LifeTime. No particular reason -- just not a lot of excitement happening in my life, unless, of course, you count the HEAT that has been happening over much of the US.

We've been training through it -- hill work; lactate threshold runs, etc. Bleah. The marathon is a mere 8 weeks away. We are running a practice 1/2 marathon race this Saturday (the Urban Wildland) and then those dang long runs really spike up for about five weeks until taper starts. I just have to hang in there and get them done.

I will confess that I cheated this last weekend. I was in Chicago for a business meeting last Thursday and Friday. Since I had lived in that FANSTATIC city for a few years, I decided to stay over the weekend and spend some time visiting my good friends Bev and her husband Ron. I had all good intentions to get up at 6:00 am to do a run on Saturday, but the heat and humidity were really off the charts.

I did get a small, but lovely, run in on a treadmill at Bev's health club. No substitute for a full-blown long slow distance, but what do you do?

The heat is supposed to pull back a bit by Wednesday. That will be a very welcome relief.

On other more important news, it is no secret that gas prices are out of this world. Hubby and I are some what lucky in that we live fairly close to downtown and can bus to work some days. I've even been able to ride my bike from time to time.

This whole global warming and oil-thing are very frightening and disconcertng. I read a GREAT article in The Chicago Tribune called "A Tank of Gas, a World of Trouble". The article is very long, but well worth the read as it follows the path of oil production from places in Iraq, Nigeria, and Venezuela all the way to a service station in Elgin, Illinois.

Thomas Friedman, the superb columnist for the New York Times, has written a number of articles about "Petropolitics", which are very interesting. The basic premise is that as the price of oil goes up, the less democratic oil producing states are.

Hubby and I are looking at all sorts of ways to reduce our oil consumption, starting with some "car-free" days every week. We'll bus or bike or walk to where ever we have to go. It is a small start, but some thing within our control to help try to stem the tide.

What are others doing?

5 comments:

Tuco said...

Hi amy, the "peak oil" issue is a fascinating and interesting one. Find a documentary called "The End of Suburbia" for some fun viewing on this issue. the most recent Harper's magazine has a cover story on peak oil as well.
As for what "others are doing" - try my blog at http://tucorides.blogspot.com
I'm riding my bike 2hrs one way to get to work. : )
Cheers! Chris.

Mmem said...

I, too, am concerned about our country's oil consumption:-( You and your dh are to be commended for DOING something about it.

Exciting that your marathon is in 8 weeks. Continued GL with your training, hope the heat lets up soon!

Anonymous said...

Hang in there with the marathon training, Amy! Just think how strong we'll be by Oct 1st - if we're still alive by then!

You're a stronger woman than I to run 6 miles in that 101 degree heat last night!

Mrs. Snark said...

Wow, that marathon is getting close -- very exciting!

I agree about the oil consumption, it is frightening. I've started doing little things like walking or biking to the library and store instead of driving, but it doesn't seem like it is enough.

Dori said...

Eww, the dreadmill. Well, it is better than running in high heat and humidity, but not much. Glad you had a nice time in Chicago.

My contribution to the gas problem is to not drive an oversized SUV, when I'm the only one in the car and use it to drive to the market.

Seriously, I've developed habits over the years, from past gas shortages, to be efficient with my driving habits. For instance, when I go out, I make multiple stops, rather than multiple trips from home. And sometimes I ride my bike, if I don't have to carry anything, like drycleaning or groceries. And I drive a fuel efficient car.