The ChipCast || by Chip Mahaney » Cincinnati

My penance for missing ECHO this morning

Chip Mahaney — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 19:27:45 +0000

I had to skip my regular meetup with the ECHO Running Club this morning because of daughter-sitting duties at home. But I was thrilled to see the sunshine and excited to get out and run when I was free to leave the house.

The plan this morning was to run 6 miles at 6am, and 6 more with the ECHO group at 7am, but that didn’t work out. So I concentrated my efforts on a 10-mile run and made up the missing 2 miles with the toughest hills on my side of Anderson.

Today’s run featured a climb of Birney Lane and Eversole Road (http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/oh/cincinnati-/-anderson-township/717126607239389008), both with significant hills. The MapMyRun link here shows an elevation chart that captures the Birney climb in miles 3 and 4 (200-300 feet?). But the chart misses the challenges of climbing Eversole Rd in mile 6. Eversole’s got a steeper hill and 2 easier hills after, but there all short climbs. The Birney climb is a series of 5 or 6 climbs over the space of a mile and a half — it’s like a 15-round boxing match for a sophomore runner like me.

Temp was about 25 degrees, with ample sunlight and NO wind. The gloves came off during the Birney climb, and my hoodie-tube came off in mile 7. It got pretty warm as the run went on.

As attested by the photos, today was a perfect winter day to run.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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To run or not to run … In the snow

Chip Mahaney — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 03:18:10 +0000

That was my choice this morning. A balmy 25 degrees made for a perfect morning. But there was still fresh snow on the ground, and even where the sidewalks had been cleared, it was only a small path.

I could have stayed in and run the treadmill. But that’s not the same as outside in the fresh air. So I ran, and ran outdoors.

3rd Street and the rest of downtown wasn’t so bad, but anywhere near the stadiums and over the river was a mess – unshoveled, unplowed.

The Purple People Bridge (photo) – 6 inches.

The levee in Newport – 3 inches.

Running 3 miles in 3-6 inches of snow is like running 5 miles on dry pavement, I’m convinced. Your legs work harder to get good traction, and your ankles and knees have to work harder to get balance on every step.

Glad I did it.

A gym workout tomorrow (4 degrees is the forecast low), followed by a 12-mile run Saturday morning with the ECHO group.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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Snow dazed

Chip Mahaney — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:50:07 +0000

Even though I’ve now got bona fide snow legs, I have no interest in running outdoors when the sidewalks and streets are icy and slushy, at best.

7 inches of snow on the ground meant an off-day yesterday (save for 3 moderate-level shoveling workouts) and a 3-1/2 mile treadmill run today.

Hoping at least the sidewalks are clear by tomorrow morning. I’m eager to get back on the streets, even if the temp is in the teens, as forecast.

Be safe out there, Cincinnati!

Posted via email from Chiposterous

4 inches of snow, uphill both ways!

Chip Mahaney — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:17:22 +0000

If last Saturday’s 15-mile run was like getting punched in the face with the 20-degree weather and a bitter wind chill, then today’s run in 30-degree weather and 4-inches-of-fresh-and-falling snow was merely like trying to run while dragging a 20-pound weight on a greasy surface. Easy, right?! Not so much.

Today’s 6-miler wasn’t as mentally-challenging as last week’s run against the wind, but it was step-for-step more work for the legs.

I’m very thankful for the ECHO Running Club, 3 of whose members are pictured in the photos here. Not pictured is ECHO leader and spiritual guru Brian Nash, who’s always an inspiration to me. He told me today’s run won’t do much extra for my legs, but it will do something for my mind and my will. He said runs like today’s might give me a bit of inspiration during my first marathon attempt. Hope so! 16 more weeks til the Flying Pig!

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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Beautiful morning to run

Chip Mahaney — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:50:55 +0000

As good as it gets in winter here in Cincinnati: upper 20’s with no wind. I took this picture at 7:10am outside my building at 3rd and Walnut. The building you see in the photo is the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and the small speck of light at the top right is the moon, peeking through a layer of thin clouds that are preceding a winter blast of rain, ice and snow that’s supposed to start here late tonight. Might make a mess of weekend running plans. Nice to get 4 miles in this morning and still be at work by 8:15am.

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Another week’s adventures in running

Chip Mahaney — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:48:30 +0000

The Flying Pig Marathon is now just 90 days away, and the good news is, I’m still on target for getting to the start line with a reasonable chance of finishing all 26 miles. But the training is turning into a journey of its own. Here are 3 updates from the past 7 days, modified from my diary posts via MapMyRun.com.

Saturday January 30 – my first 15-miler

Yeah, I realize these long runs aren’t designed to be easy. I didn’t think running 15 miles would be this hard on the body and the mind. I knew I’d join the ECHO group at 7am for what would be my final 6 miles, I needed to get 9 miles in before. That meant getting up at 5am, eating a quick sandwich (PB on Toast), and getting to the ECHO meeting place at 5:30am. I ran a 4.5 mile route through Mt Washington, twice – once by myself and once with a new running buddy Jason.

When the ECHO group convened at 7, I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep up with their normal running pace (about 8:30 to 9:00 per minute), so I comfortably lagged behind, and I even reverted to a walk on a couple of occasions. That helps me a lot more than slowing down my pace. I don’t slow down very well.

Oh, I forgot about the weather, the other main obstacle besides the distance. 20 degrees with a 10-15 mph wind. It was very very cold.

Lessons learned: Don’t eat Skyline Chili the night before a long run. Don’t leave your water bottle on the kitchen table. Thanks Jason for letting me borrow your spare.

I only wish I had a picture of the Saturday run to commemorate my first time at this distance.

Monday February 1 – an easy and slow 3+ miler

Nothing eventful here. Just a nice run past Paul Brown Stadium (photo), across the river into Kentucky, then back into Ohio near the Reds Stadium. Pleasant morning on both sides of the river.

Tuesday February 2 – all the way up Mt Adams

Climbing hills is actually fun, when you learn how to do it. Today was my first climb up to the top of Mt Adams, which for non-Cincinnatians is a sizable hill just east of downtown. It’s actually about 300-400 feet taller than the Ohio River nearby, and you get great views of downtown and the river and beyond into Kentucky.

Check out the views from Mt Adams.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

I felt really good on both the downtown runs this week. Another run tomorrow morning downtown, and then I’ve got to figure out my long-run distance for Saturday. Depends on a weather system that may drop a lot of snow on us Friday night.

The river is rising!

Chip Mahaney — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 03:29:56 +0000

Took these photos this morning as I was on a 4-mile run on a chilly morning. The Ohio River is rising close to flood stage. So far here in downtown there’s no threat for any shore flooding, but there is a worry down near Coney Island and on Kellogg Road. Pretty to watch – the river runs fast when it’s this full.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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Running along the river – quite a sight

Chip Mahaney — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 03:05:02 +0000

Today’s 4.5-mile run took me along the Ohio River – at least a couple miles of it. The river is nearing flood stage this week because of heavy precipitation and snow melt upriver in places like Pennsylvania.

Oh by the way, it was bitter cold this morning. Air temps were in the low 30s (not bad at all), but there was a 15-20 mph wind that did a number with the wind chills.

Running alongside the Ohio River - the river is way up thanks to early-season water runoff from way upriver.

I took these photos from the park right next to USBank Arena. Normally you can see a stage below the steps, but it's underwater now.

95 days til the Flying Pig Marathon

Chip Mahaney — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 02:57:23 +0000

Yup, I’m still running and training for the May 2nd Flying Pig Marathon here in Cincinnati. The training for my first marathon is on target, despite the bitter cold and snow we’ve had this month. I’ve discovered I love to run in the cold. I don’t mind running in the snow, so long as it’s apparent that I’m running in the snow and not ice.

My longest run so far was a 12-miler last Saturday. I’ll run 15 miles this Saturday with the ECHO group. The photo here – this morning – taken outside the WCPO Channel 9 studios, toward the end of a beautiful 4-miler from downtown to Mt Adams (a 300-foot climb) and Eden Park.

I’m a conflicted grocery shopper

Chip Mahaney — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 04:40:56 +0000

… no matter how often I think I could run their store better than they run it.