Evan Sims, a fellow member of the Flying Irish Running Club, is part of a group starting a new race that will be held on Sept 28th at the Spokane Raceway Park. He asked early on if I could help spread the word. He agreed to pay $500 for a blog post devoted to the Speedy 10K.

As I was finalizing the post, Evan told me his $500 should entitle him to some additional race marketing advice, and he’d prefer to pay me in goods. I wasn’t too happy, but since I’d like to see the race do well, I agreed.

Evan’s pastimes – breaking course records and DJ-ing.

Evan is well-known in the Flying Irish Running Club and is one of the top runners in Washington. I suggested he parley his celebrity by singing ballads and love songs as part of the pre-race entertainment. He said no way. So I recommended he lead a warm-up dance routine set to music. He hasn’t committed, but I saw him walking out of a clothing store with leopard-print dance tights.

As for the Speedy 10K, Evan and team have worked hard to ensure participants have a good experience. The course is flat as can be, accurately measured and marked, and USATF certified. There’s a purse of $1,550, and prize money will be awarded to the top 5 women and men finishers. Cost is $30. Day of race registration is $40. T-shirts are an additional $12. The race benefits Active4Youth, a non-profit that supports after school sports programs in Spokane area elementary schools.

The website, Speedy10K.com, is user-friendly and there’s no extra charge to sign up on-line. So go to the site and sign up now.

One final thing; shown below is Evan’s payment in goods for my hard work which I just got in the mail. A pair of socks? Are they worth $500? I was so enraged that I ripped my curtains to shreds and smashed my antique bottle collection.

To be honest, I didn’t really charge Evan to write about his race, so with the socks, I came out ahead. I think I’ll wear them when I run the Speedy 10K.

I’ve been a runner since my sophomore year in high school. It’s been great, but after some recent genuflecting, I’ve decided that sticking with something for so long may not be a good thing. Change is inevitable, and if you don’t initiate it yourself, it’ll be forced on you.

After making a list of new activities that would be stimulating, exciting, and a good fit for my thrill-seeking personality, I’ve decided to ease out of running and move on to some new challenges.

I settled on two activities that I’m sure will get me out of bed at the crack of dawn and excited to get going.

The first is card-playing. I haven’t played cards very much as an adult, so this will be a very exciting challenge for me. I’d like to focus on cribbage, hearts, and if I’m talented enough, pinochle. I’ve already bought a few decks, and lately I’ve been spending lots of time practicing my card-shuffling techniques.

The second activity I want to get into is checkers. Sure, everyone played this as a kid, and so did I. But I never rose to a level I felt I was capable of. I really want to develop my checkers talent, and then hopefully, start entering tournaments.

Though I’ll be easing out of running, I won’t give it up entirely, at least for the time being. However, with the new activities, I plan on starting blogs for both of them, which means I can’t devote as much energy to this blog. I’ll continue it, but with fewer posts, and not on a set schedule as I’ve been doing.

So, my friends, I hope I can count on your support as I make this leap into my new passions. One day, after working my way up the cut-throat, dog-eat-dog world of championship card-playing and checkers, I ‘d like to be able to tell you that my opponents think I’m the most competitive, yet respected checkers and card player there is.

Yesterday I was reading a bulletin from the National Institute of Running Sciences that was hard to swallow. Research they’d done purports that running backwards can increase leg muscle strength 18% and lower PRs by 11%.

Whenever I’ve had a question about the latest in running research, I called Dr. Ayer O’Beck, a leading researcher at the Institute. When I called about running backward, he explained muscle confusion theory is the basis. By using novel techniques, the body reacts quite positively.

I’ve disputed the Institute’s research results in the past, but this was way too hokey. Running backwards is hard, and it wouldn’t take long for it to lose its novelty. I told Ayer this was the final straw, and they should either change their name to the National Institute of Running Jokes or dissolve the organization.

Dr. O’Beck didn’t appreciate my comment. “You should either apologize or get your ear ready for the slamming of my phone.”

After a moment of silence, Dr. O’Beck added, “I shouldn’t waste my time on an idiot like you, but since I’m a professional, I’ll give you the short explanation; we found running backwards works great, and twice a week is all that’s necessary. If you do other styles occasionally, like running sideways or in a crouch position, it’s even better.”

“Seriously, Doctor, is this really true?”

“You bet it is, and there’s more: people report an improvement in their love life because running backwards keeps the wind from blowing in your face, leaving skin supple and youthful looking. The back of the head adapts, becoming pointy and aerodynamic, which people find very attractive. Backward runners also appreciate seeing where they’ve been and if anyone’s following them.”

I apologized to Dr. O’Beck and told him I’d like to test the technique by starting a group. Is there anyone who’d like to meet up and run backwards for a couple months?

How big a bug does it take to bring a runner down? Of course, it’s not so much size as the painfulness of a bug’s bite or sting. I’ve been stung by yellow jackets like the one below many times. While running down a residential street, I watched one leave a tree, fly straight to me and sting me on impact. It must have been flying stinger first. 

(source: Wikipedia)

I’ve never been sidelined by a bug mid-run, but a runner recently told me how she inhaled a wasp and got stung inside her mouth. It was too painful to continue running.

A long time ago I was running in the woods and brushed a bush that had a wasp nest. I was stung three times on my lower legs. I kept going, but it was so painful, and I swelled up so much that evening that I couldn’t run for a few days.

Here in Spokane, when the warm days and cool nights of early fall arrive, the air fills with millions of small, bluish gnat-like bugs. They’re not harmful, but there are so many that after running you look like the front bumper of a car that’s been on a long trip. Mid-run stops are necessary to wipe their little bodies out of your eyes.

How about you? Got a good story about bugs bothering you while running?

Duncan Gardens at Manito Park in Spokane, Washington. The scent of flowers fills the air.

I usually step up my training to do well in races, but the last race I did was in early June, and the next one I’m doing is Sept. 28th.

That means I’ve been able to ease up on my training. I like to stop in the middle of a run if I see something interesting. Other times I feel like resting and letting my mind ponder things. I did that today when I went on a long run through several parks.

I stopped at a picnic shelter to watch a squirrel race around with a hazelnut in his mouth.

I moved on to another park and took a break on the bleachers of a ball field at Franklin Park. I played baseball as a 9th grader and this is where we practiced and played games.

Taking a break for contemplation and reflection is enjoyable, but location is very important. I ran to another park where I know of a bench that overlooks a flower garden.

It was a pretty view, but my contemplating wasn’t high quality. There was a disharmonious visual effect that I just couldn’t put my finger on.

After giving up on the fancy, colorful spot, I thought why not just lay on the grass. That turned out okay.

However, I noticed a bunch of people coming my way and I knew I’d feel silly just laying there doing nothing, so I assumed a well-known meditative pose.

A Manito Runners Club member I know likes resting on this decorative column before we head out to run. I gave it a try, but it’s a bit uncomfortable.

I finally found the best spot ever. I’d never guess that a tennis court net would be the No. 1 spot for resting and contemplating.

It was so good that when a couple guys came and asked if they could use the court, I said no. I’m sure they were a little pissed as they went back to their car, but sometimes it’s all about me.

Whenever I bought a pair of running shoes, I took the box to the basement where it became part of a shoebox skyscraper.

As the stack of boxes grew, I knew I’d better do something before it collapsed. I came up with several uses.

Sometimes I’m a little short on cupboard space. I find that shoeboxes make great temporary cupboards.

Where to put the many running socks I have?. In a shoebox. A bonus is that when I have visitors, I can create temporary chairs by stacking them up.

Another excellent use is a cat timeout place. Whenever my cat Gloopy does something that makes me angry, to the shoe box she goes for ten minutes.

After her last time out, I realized it was the 4th time that day I’d sent her there. I needed better negative reinforcement. I decided that threatening to squish her with my bike would do the trick.

Surprisingly, even though she knows it’s coming, Gloopy compliantly waits on the sidewalk to be run over. Just as I reach her, I “accidentally” miss, sparing her a squishing, but it’s frightening enough that her behavior has changed for the better.

A few months ago I wrote about a diet regimen called SNARP (Strategic Nourishment and Replenishment Program), I devised that has been adopted by top runners around the world. Nowadays, I think most people don’t believe my post. I admit it was a total fabrication. I’m sure this will cause readers of I Must Run Everywhere to slap their foreheads in shock.

To make up for this transgression, I’ll reveal my real diet secrets. The secret is that I don’t eat anything special. In my entire career I’ve rarely eaten with a running benefit in mind.

However, I eat as healthy a diet possible because I believe what you eat has a big impact on health. I don’t necessarily want to live to a very old age, but while I’m alive, I prefer to be healthy and active.

The below photos show part of my vegetable garden which takes up most of my backyard. Starting in mid-April, I’m able to harvest over-wintered spinach, early lettuce and dandelion greens for salads. Additional greens ripen during summer and fall. I’m usually able to harvest lettuce into December.

On the left is a type of Romaine lettuce. Middle is Asian tatsoi. On the right – onions.

Far left are eggplants. In the middle is Swiss chard. On the right, carrots.

It’d probably be boring and monotonous for most people, but most days my dinner is a big salad with many ingredients from April to December. I’ve been doing it for years, yet I still look forward to my big green meal in the evening. I freeze other fruits and vegetables that I grow and use them to make various dishes during winter.

However, I have a weakness for sweets and usually don’t keep them around because I’d devour them in no time. But I got around this rigid policy a few evenings ago.

I was hankering for something sweet, and I wanted it now, so a drive to the store or baking something was out of the question.

I found a neglected box of cake mix that had been given to me a few months earlier. I poured some into a bowl and added milk. Voila! – dessert for a king. If you’re hoping for instructions on how to prepare this dessert, you’re in luck.

Pour cake mix into a bowl. Warning – do not sneeze while doing this.

Add milk. If any is spilled, ignore platitudes and release frustrations by crying.

Stir well. Do not allow anticipation to cause saliva to drip into the bowl. It’s your own spit, but it’s still gross.

Yummy. Reminder: for at-home-alone use only. Do not serve at dinner parties.

Do you have a story of going to extreme lengths to get some sweets into your mouth?

It’s been a warm and sunny summer. A lot of runners don’t bother to put on sunscreen for a run, but I do.

I came across a fantastic sunscreen bargain at the dollar store recently. They were selling sunscreen in gallon containers. I’ve never seen that before. And get this— it was buy one, get one free. With a coupon I had, I got two 1-gallon containers for $1.50.

When I walked out of the store, I was happily calculating how many years until I’d have to buy sunscreen again. However, I ran into a problem that all Spokane area runners should be aware of.

As I rubbed the sunscreen in, it didn’t feel right. I rubbed and rubbed and after ten minutes little had soaked in. I rubbed more and a half hour later I gave up and took the below photo.

I believe this product is paint. Someone has committed an outrageous mislabeling injustice.

I marched back to the store and got my $1.50 back. You should absolutely avoid this brand. The gallon can has a very cheap-looking purple label. 

My face is still covered in white paint which has led to several grievances I want addressed now. I want everyone to stop accusing me of trying to be a ghost. I am not trying to be a ghost. They are creepy and scary. Why would I want to be a ghost?

I’d also want people to stop calling me Casper. That is not my name. And quit pretending that you’re scared when I walk into the room. I’m a friendly person who’s not one bit scary! And stop telling me how surprised you are that I know more words than “boo”. I’m a person, not a ghost!