The Rage Diaries

Where to go in 2008 ...?

I am thinking ahead to 108 in 2008 ... what to put on it, whether I even want to do it, or whether there's another effective way to map out and execute a new project.

The Reduce-Reuse-Recycle challenge worked out really well for a lot of reasons this year: the incremental nature made it easy to incorporate new actions into everyone's lives; the tripartite nature of the challenge let us mix up the activities each month; it was a collaboration where we all shared information; we have somewhat quantifiable net results. I don't think I want to do another reduce-reuse-recycle challenge, but I would like to do another month-by-month venture that picks up the best traits from Reduce-Reuse-Recycle.

What areas do you think we can take this into in 2008? Fiscal fitness? Consumer activism? Conscious commerce? Think about one area you'd like to tackle in 2008 and make your suggestions below.

Okay, I promised: How I did in 2004

Okay, y'all. Revel in reviewing how I did and didn't meet my 104 Things in 2004.

I'll probably close out the year with a 70% completion rate. It's passing, but I'm not thrilled about the areas I fell short in. And my unstated goal of reviewing the books I read was a total no-go. On the bright side, I now know what areas to concentrate on for "105 Things in 2005." And I'm still taking suggestions for that list.

(Strike-throughs mean I did 'em.)

What a year for a new year

I'll be posting the year-end wrap-up detailing how I did on my 104 Things in 2004 shortly. I'm also beginning to compile the 2005 list.

USNWR's Dec 27, 04 feature "50 Ways to Change Your Life" -- which can be broken down in "Simplify," "Stimulate," "Organize," "Get Well," and "Take Stock" -- is a useful starting point for trying to pound protean urges to change into concrete goals. But I'm sure there's something out there beyond making sure the house stays organized and 5 servings of vegetables pop up on the daily diet.

So what are your suggestions for 105 in 2005? And what are some of the things you'd like to do in the new year?

A running joke, indeed

So I got an e-mail from Jenn asking if I was up for next year's marathon.

And, lo, the answer to a question I asked myself from miles 12-20 became clear. The question: "What kind of idiot would want to do this again? I'm not even enjoying it now"

The answer: The kind of idiot that is me.

I'm already looking at intermediate races to keep me fit between now and then; my feeling is, now that I've got a decent cardio fitness base, my next challenge is to improve upon it. And so I'm eying the Huntington Beach half marathon in February, the Whidbey Island half marathon in April, San Francisco half marathon in July or America's Finest City half marathon (San Diego) in August of next year.

If I were even so inclined, I could do the Silver Strand half marathon.

So it's official: I'm back in training for next year's USMC Marathon.

Other people's marathons

Just in case you're not tired of reading about the marathon (nearly one week after the fact ...), here are a few other entertaining links.

Phil wrote an Idiots Write About Sports entry from his perspective. For you, the added bonus is seeing how hideously my fingers swelled up during the race (normally, my wedding band is loose on my finger). For me, the added bonus is that this is one of the sweetest things he's ever written about me. Aww!

DCist has a few entries on the race here and here. Information Leafblower had a very nice photo entry, and a much faster runner than I, Catherine at Unrequited Narcissism, has her own account.

My marathon (3 of 3)

The adventure didn't end with the race ... it's another lengthy slog, and I beg your indulgence for any gross errors in spelling, punctuation, etc.

My marathon (2 of 3)

In this part: miles 1-26. It's a marathon slog unto itself, and I apologize in advance for any and all typos and punctuation errors.

My marathon (1 of 3)

Note: because this is a fairly lengthy story, I'm breaking it up into three parts. In this one: we lead up to the first mile of the marathon.

Marathon: completed

With a combined four bum knees, three tricky hips, two blisters spanning one's insteps and one post-race trip to the hospital for heat exhaustion and dehydration ... we beat the bridge, finished the race, and did a marathon.

Big thanks go to: my long-distance training partner and the woman who kept me on a 13-14-minute mile pace, Jenn Sweigart; my enthusiastic pit crew who cheered us on at FIVE separate stops, Anna "4.0" Schmeiser, Joe Fisher and Philip "So Glad I Married Him" Michaels; ALL of the folks who selflessly stood on the course sidelines and cheered on total strangers; you folks with your comments and well-wishes. Also, the Marines ran an excellent operation as usual.

I may have been the one getting said blisters, but I couldn't have completed my goal without the support of a lot of people.

And now, time to go pass out. I've been up for 18 hours. Like I said, we ended up going to the hospital afterward*, and I'm only now showered and re-hydrated. It's been a long day. I'm happy, but I'm beat.

* This was surprisingly painless, but I can say that because it's Jenn who had to ride in the back of the ambulance as the patient. I only had to sit up from and ask the driver why he didn't turn on the pretty lights and the siren. But we got to the hospital, and in every examining room I passed in the E.R., there was a pissed-off marathoner sitting on a gurney. It was apparently a record day for dehydration and heat exhaustion. More on that later.

Again -- I'm running how far?

Several factors convinced organizers to increase [marathon] security preparations, which had already been significantly bolstered after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, race director Rick Nealis said.

He said these included the timing of the race, which falls two days before the presidential election; the Marine Corps' continued prominence in Iraq; the assault on the lead runner during this summer's Olympic marathon in Athens; and the fact that the race falls on Halloween for the first time in its 29-year history.

-- "Area Race Directors Confront a New Era of Security," WaPo, Oct 28, 04

Part of me is curious to see what the experience will be like. But more of me is a little sad, because I will inevitably be comparing it to the 99 race.

And today's "People in the Pack" feature: "Marine Wives Rally In a Soldier's Memory."