Saharan Dust

28 Sunday Jun 2020

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Covid-19, Running

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I’m not usually a pessimist, but until you’re dead, things can always get worse. And things did get worse this weekend. You might think I’m referencing the Covid-19 spike here in Texas, but no, that was true last week. This weekend, the Saharan sands blew in from North Africa.

You can actually see the massive plume of sand extending westward from North Africa toward the Gulf of Mexico in this photo below, as it sails in the Sahara air layer at an altitude of twenty thousand feet.

SaharaDust

Incidentally, mask wearing was much more prevalent this weekend on my running trail. Few runners, but many walkers and bikers. I can’t say if it was due to the Covid-19 spike, or the dirty air. Guessing the latter.

The dirty air wasn’t good for running. I struggled Friday and Saturday. I had one of my best runs in a long time today though, despite the dust. A storm front was blowing in and the strong breeze and heavy clouds helped keep my body temperature down. It felt really good running the fast pace.

I could have run farther today, which would have also been nice, but I limited my exposure to the dust by keeping my run under six miles. If it’s not the heat, it’s the air quality. These masks and bandanas are proving handy.

The Hot Runner

07 Sunday Jun 2020

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Covid-19, Running

≈ 7 Comments

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BCRT

Texas has been in the nineties all week. The forecast calls for 104° tomorrow. These are hot days. Given everything else, I don’t expect the weather to do anyone any favors this summer. It’s been forcing short runs for me during the week – three to four miles. I try for eight-mile runs on the weekends, but five miles was all I could endure this weekend.

I start off fully dressed with best intentions. Halfway, I’m stripped down, baring my bloated, butt-white belly to feel the breeze on more skin. Completing a run in this heat is like playing a game of strip poker. My hair isn’t much better than my stomach. I’ve been cutting it myself all year. With Texas open for business now though, I’ve scheduled a tapered drop fade for Wednesday night. Maybe I can at least look good above the neck.

Lily Mountain Trail

23 Saturday May 2020

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Britt&Eric, Colorado Trail, Covid-19, covid-noir

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After my Keurig run, Karen told me to enjoy the Keurig one more time, then pack up. The Covid’s comin’. Gear up to hit the trail. We got as far as Estes Park where we thought we could get some grub. We were greeted with signs like this, reminding us of just the other week when it was that way at home too. We were happy with the takeout from Bird & Jim. And they had a better sign.

The girls took our flight in stride. One more road trip for old times, I heard one of them say. Ellie Rose will go off to the Colorado School of Mines this fall, leaving Karen and me to discover our new normal as empty nesters. Ellie Rose should be safe in the mines.

Estes Park did have good food, but we found ourselves surrounded by the Colorado Mountain elk herd that’s been ranging these slopes for eons, or at least since 1913 when the then extinct herd was reintroduced from Wyoming.

We waited for the elk to fall asleep and made our escape under the cover of darkness. With the next morning’s sunlight, we found ourselves on the Lily Mountain Trail.

Karen told us this trail would lead to a new world. A place free from the horrors of 2020. She told us we would be happy in this new place.

When we got there, we saw this. We knew this hike was the right choice for the Memorial Day weekend. Karen was right.

New generations will blaze new trails up here in Karen’s woods. Summer is coming, calling all of us outdoors, hopefully not like sirens to the rocks. Wear a buff on the trail.

Runner’s Pandemic Etiquette

17 Sunday May 2020

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Covid-19, Running

≈ 4 Comments

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Boulder Marathon

Knock on wood, I’m starting to gain traction with my running routine. I’m back home for a few days and was worried the altitude would discourage me, but I’ve discovered that if you run slow enough, altitude doesn’t matter. Damned race director won’t cancel this October’s Boulder Marathon, so I’ve got some training to do.

I’ve been gleaning post-shutdown trail running etiquette that I don’t mind sharing with you. Seems like most people get why runners would run without a mask, but many are in fact wearing them. I would tell you this is because runners and bikers are all about the gear. A bandana is just one more thing they get to wear.

Regardless, the manner on the trail is this. Runners wear their bandana around their neck, and then raise it to cover their mouth and nose as they pass another runner on the trail. I’ve experienced this on both the LoBo Trail and East Boulder Trail. Anecdotal, I know, but that’s what you get from a runner’s blog.

I wasn’t wearing a mask or bandana myself, but will be for future trail runs. I’ve been conscientious about wearing one when I go out, it just didn’t seem needed or practical for running. But a light-weight scarf hanging around my neck, that I only raise over my nose as needed, doesn’t bother me at all. In fact, it might be helpful to protect my skin from UV rays. After looking for a Shoes & Brews bandana, I ordered a purpuse-built, all-white, runners neck gaiter. The new normal will include stylish neck-wear.

Keurig Runner

10 Sunday May 2020

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Covid-19, covid-noir, Storytelling

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blade runner, covid-noir

The uber that picked me up was like out of some Ridley Scott movie. In the age of Covid, a transparent plastic curtain held up by gray duct tape was all that separated me from the driver. Viral transmission was too viable for my comfort level, so I squeezed the metal strip on my mask tighter over my nose.

There were less drivers on I-35 than on Mars. Still, traffic slowed down through downtown where the highway splits into the lower and upper ramps. It always does.

The line at security was empty, but I stood behind two guys in TSA-Pre, because I was TSA-Pre. There was no line at the airport lounge, but unless you were a well-connected woman, you had to order your cerveza take-away.

SNWM6074

I’m on a coffee run for Karen. She has this thing for Taste of San Antonio. You can’t buy it where I’m from. I’ll be back for more soon.

Guitar Hero

18 Saturday Apr 2020

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Covid-19

≈ 6 Comments

Ibenez AEG18L

There are three Guitar Center shops in the Austin metro, one right here in Round Rock. All are closed, of course, so I ordered this left-handed acoustic-electric online. Their Dallas shipping site is closed too, so it has to ship from California. That’s okay, I’ll wait. I’m just glad it’s in-stock. Left-handed guitars are less available.

I’m mostly ambidextrous. I write and eat left-handed, but can do both with my right hand. I play sports right-handed. I can’t throw left-handed but can switch hit. I can play guitar right-handed, but it doesn’t feel comfortable. Finding a quality left-handed guitar at an affordable price made me happy.

I need something new to keep my sanity in check. I’ve been staying with my mom in Texas since late January and even without the apocalyptic social distancing conditions, I can’t get out much. I can no longer go for long runs on the weekends. I work ten-hour days, when I’m not working twelve, in a small office on the phone and computer, and I really need some sort of release afterward. I like a beer at the end of the day, but drinking doesn’t do that much for me. If I have to watch any more news, my head will explode.

I never played an instrument growing up, but took guitar lessons before I turned fifty. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed it. I swear, it released more endorphins than distance runs. I didn’t keep it up. After a small health scare at fifty-one, I turned my focus to massive running, and later to writing. A man can only have so many hobbies.

I feel it’s time to turn back to music. I’m still able to go for some short runs a few days each week, but I’m losing interest in writing and reading. And at my current weight, running is hard. I feel like music is what I need to get through these trying days and nights.

Isolated a thousand miles away from my wife and family, music is the cure. Don’t ask me to tell you the name of songs or bands, but I can sit in a dark room and listen to music for hours. Playing music will be orders of magnitude more satisfying.

How are you coping?