A walk in the Arbo

The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois (USA) is a great place for walking, running and photography.  Sunday we received our first snowfall of the season so we went for a walk in the the Arbo's woods.  The snow increased during the day and we have been left with three inches of the stuff.

I took the camera along and the following are a few pics from our walk.

To Springfield, Illinois by train

Two days after The Election, we took AMTRAK from Chicago to Springfield, Illinois to visit the Lincoln Museum and Library. Our Irish friend accompanied us and I think it was a fitting way to celebrate the election of Barack Obama, an Illinois favorite son as is Lincoln.

If you are interested in United States history, the Civil War, Lincoln, politics, or Illinois - a visit to this museum it a must. Of course, there are plenty of other sites relating to Lincoln in and around Springfield, but start with the museum.

A grey day in central Illinois from the train heading south. This is some of the richest ground in the world. Farms generally produce corn and soybeans.

Grain elevators, parts of the rural and national economy.

The Illinois state capitol in Springfield, Illinois. Springfield is not the first or second capitol of Illinois. I believe that Vandalia was the first state capitol. And the domed capitol building here is the second capitol building in Springfield. The the first capitol building in Springfield, "Old Capitol Building" in Springfield is a museum and has been restored/reconstructed. Lincoln served as a state rep there and he also argued cases before the Illinois Supreme Court in the "Old" building.

It's not often you see reference to a "Motor Inn" anymore.

Apple Cider Century 2008

Yours truly and friends at the 2008 Apple Cider Century in Three Oaks, Michigan

The Chicago Tribune new-look a vast wasteland

So, the first full week of the “new-look” Chicago Tribune newspaper is complete.

I was pretty ambivalent to the “new” Trib design and the 50/50 split of editorial and advertising during the run up to the change as well as during the first week of publication. I guess I figured that the Trib and its heritage were bigger than any change that could be wrought on the paper. Well, I think I was wrong.

The lead-in to the design change was peppered with silly ads in the paper itself as well as interviews with Tribune-ites as well as outside critics.

The paper’s new publisher, I believe, commented how the new Chicago Tribune would be true to the hallowed brand. It seems to me that the “new” Trib is to the Chica Trib brand and Chicago journalism what “new” Coke was to colas.

A Boss Comparison
Last Sunday after running a race I stopped by one of the local Starbucks for a beverage and a scone. I also picked up a copy of the Sunday New York Times to read while enjoying my petit dejune. I started reading a front-page story about the current financial crisis. It was in depth and explained the situation with Fannie Mae in a way that anyone could understand. It was an interesting story, informative and well written.

Long story short – I finished the NYT front section at home then moved to the “new” Trib.

The difference between the two newspapers was amazing. The “new” Trib had some large color photo above the fold. I’m sorry I can’t remember what the subject of the photo was. There were a couple of stories below the fold and I can’t remember those either but I do know that there was nothing like the NYT story about Fannie Mae.

Inside, the “new” Trib wasn’t much better… large photos, graphs, maps above the fold and ads generally below. With each page turn it seemed that there was no relief. The editorial jumble was competing with the advertising… except where they had positioned two full page ads on facings pages, whew! Editorial was sliced and diced into a tossed salad of type, graphics and photos without depth or seeming continuity.

Oh, and the content left much to be desired. Much of the content was picked up from other sources and seemed to be included because it fit a certain amount of space available on the page. I guess that since they’ve laid off so many reporters at the paper that original journalism is not important to the “new” Trib which really grates me since my college degree is in Journalism.

Also, as the owner of an advertising agency, circus-like page layouts grate me as well. All those little boxes, graphics and stuff are all competing with the ads! The next time we’re buying space in the Trib for a client, we’ll certainly be looking at that issue. Why would they want to compete with their bread and butter – the advertisers?

The “new” Trib is a far cry from the previous model. In that, the new management has been successful. But there’s a difference between “successful good” and “successful bad.”

To me, the “new” Chicago Tribune presents itself as a small-town daily, certainly not the icon of American journalism that it was. I understand that institutions must move forward but too often people equate appealing to the lowest common denominator as moving forward. I reality I think the “new” Trib is providing less content to fewer and fewer people. It’s all very sad.

Hay’s in the barn… thoughts while walking with Maggie

While walking The Path this morning with Maggie the golden retriever, I was thinking of crisp and bright fall mornings past, particularly Saturday and Sunday mornings. When I wasn’t attending XC meets or soccer games I was running races and most of my best races were on those fall mornings with weather just like today.

“It’s great to be alive,” says Jim.

When “the hay is in the barn” (thanks again Jim) our Thursday eve workouts are for maintaining sharpness, everyone should be pumped for racing.

Over the years with JSRC, I learned a lot. Stuff that Jim and Ron Piro and Elizabeth already knew slowly dawned on me and with it a nifty sense of confidence and wellbeing.

Trust your coach. Trust your workouts. Trust yourself. There’s no reason for doubt.

Spring is for doubts. We’re sooo slow after slogging through the winter – enduring the dark, the cold, the wet, and the frozen. Will we ever get faster or is it lost forever? We race but there are doubts on the line and at every split. This is STUPID. I feel horrible.

Summer is for growth. All of a sudden we’re complaining about the heat. We’re getting faster… we’re feeling better. But we’re still not SURE. It takes a long time for winter to wear off!

Then it’s Fall. Time for those classic races on crisp mornings with blue sky, bright and low sun, and long shadows. Confidence is building after the initial shock of new found pace. “Be gone doubts!” you say to yourself in mile two of your first fall 5K.

Then a funny thing happens. You say to yourself (some even say it out loud), “I ran the in-and-out mile!” and “I really hung in there on the mile repeats.” Or, “Those 200s across the grass were really good.” And then it dawns on you, “I’m really ready.”

Then, your warm up becomes serious, a time for focusing not a time for socializing. You start moving up closer to the start line with each race. You can predict your finishing time within seconds. There are no more doubts. You know you will do your best and you know that you will be quietly ecstatic in each finish chute. You may be puking but you’ll be ecstatic. You will feel that little smile creeping onto your face because you did your best on the day. And you realize that is what it’s all about, doing your best on the day.

So, as the days get shorter and the sun is lower on the horizon, and you’re racing more and more, remember to trust yourself because there’s no reason for doubt…after all, “the hay is in the barn.”

Running, Racing and Satisfaction

An open letter after a particular workout of the running club to which I belong. While you may not "get" some of the references, I hope you will recognize the feelings of satisfaction.

Jim:
Last night was a real classic, thanks.

I was thinking about what you were saying about people “burning” the last ¼ of the mile and reminiscing about past in-and-out-mile workouts.

Some thoughts:
It seems that the past “August versions” of this workout were held on evenings that were hellishly hot… no clouds, burning sun

There was always a “high anticipation level” by the group for this workout – we were serious and ready to run

While we were not supposed to, the workout became a “build”… everything just kept getting faster and faster from the 150s to the final 200. And the mile… went from F+ to G to G to G+, maybe even H. And I think you were always on the verge of hoarseness from shouting splits and encouragement while running back and forth across the field.

There were never instructions for moderation or slowing down

No matter how hot or what the times were, when it was done everyone had little grins on there faces!

I don’t think any of us were ever disappointed with our performances… there was an overall feeling of satisfaction. At the end of the workout, everyone felt FAST! Everyone believed and felt like they had run at Joe Jenkins’ pace!

This workout was the culmination of our Winter, Spring and Summer training… now we really knew we were ready to go!

We were ready to race.

And race we did. And in all the third miles of those 5Ks we could and would be lifted by this workout… because we (individually) had completed the in-and-out workout we could attack that third mile… we could and would banish doubt from our minds… we could and would tell that little voice in our heads that was telling us, “You’re gonna die! You’re gonna crumble!” to “Shut Up!” because we had completed that workout successfully.

For me it was a ticket for admission to that racing world that you inhabited and that Elizabeth inhabited with her teammates.

We all have a multitude of other things on our minds but I think last night’s workout is a real touchstone, a booster. And you know, If a person runs this workout with understanding and commitment then no gum is needed… being able to say “Shut Up! I completed the in-and-out workout and I’m ready to go!” is more than enough.

An Experiment

It is a hot and humid day here in the Midwest. The kind of weather you didn't really mind as a kid. But as an adult, it is the the kind of weather that causes you bless everyone who ever had anything to do with the invention and manufacture of air conditioners!

The perfect day (weatherwise) to start a blog.

So begins an experiment. There is no plan (other than to start this.) There is no direction. There is no theme. Something may come of this effort or not.

I'll see what happens. Maybe people will join in. Maybe "I" will become "We." Maybe someone or many ones will gain knowledge or understanding about something they didn't know about or understand before... especially including me. Maybe this will be short-lived.

At this point, it is like putting a message in a bottle and throwing the bottle in the ocean!

If you have found this on your beach and read it, thank you and I hope your day goes well.

rf