12/31/10
12/30/10
Thoughts on a New Year
Dear Adam Tinkoff: you can have your warm Florida climate; but here in New England we are basking in the joy of COLD (can I live with you?). Today I talk about living in the present while looking forward to a new year. (15 degrees F Adam, that's right 15 FRIGGIN' DEGREES!!)
12/29/10
The Mojo Loco Near YOU
Daytona, Boston, Chicago, St. Louis, Sydney and the UK: somewhere there's a Mojo Loco being planned near YOU! Will you run with us?
12/28/10
Email from Greg
In an attempt to respond to all of my email by the end of this year, I read and respond to Greg’s message about the Holidays, running and other assorted stuff. Happy New Year Greg!
12/27/10
Snow Angels from HELL
We got exactly 75 FEET of snow (if you believe the local media reports) and Mathew is going to show us how to make snow angels. Somebody, please shoot me.
12/24/10
12/23/10
Poco Loco Boston Planning
Sorry for the scratchy voice (I'm getting over a cold) but today I'll talk about the ongoing plans for el Poco Loco Boston!
12/22/10
Join Me in the Stream!
This is an open invitation for you to join me on my UStream feed, Monday through Friday (most mornings) at 8AM and again at 5PM for about an hour. We'll talk about running, Phedippidations, el Mojo Loco events and anything else you'd like to talk about! Hope to see you there!
el Poco Loco Boston – a Little Crazy Run Through and Around Beantown
This is my proposal, subject to change based on your feedback and ideas.
The Poco Loco would begin to the west of Boston , in the city of Newton
We would come into the city, run around Fenway Park, and then head out past the Boston Commons, State House, Government Center, Faneuil Hall and into the North End (and beyond).
 |
| Proposed Legs 1 through 3 |
So far, I have 3 four mile legs roughly defined (subject to change).
Leg 1: Starts at the corner of Washington Street Commonwealth Avenue Newton Massachusetts Boston College
 |
| Proposed Leg 1 |
Leg 2: Starts at Boston College and follows the Boston Marathon course until we get to Friendly Fenway Park
Leg 3: Starts at Fenway Park Lansdown Street Kenmore Square Hereford Street Boylston Street
So, that’s the first tentative 12 miles of the course.
For this “Poco Loco” of 26.2 miles, we would split the run into 6.55 segments (round it to 6), giving a team of 12 runners 2 opportunities to run (minimum); one in the morning and the last one in the afternoon.
Anyone unable to attend the Poco Loco Boston would be welcome to join us at whatever pub or restaurant we end up at.
I have A LOT more work to do on this, as this is VERY preliminary…so I’m open for ideas. Send them to me: steve@steverunner.com or twitter.com/steverunner join me as I discuss this LIVE on my UStream Channel somewhere around 4:00 PM this evening (Wednesday December 22nd). I’ll also try to put together a Talkshoe conference call to get your ideas at a later day.
We need to keep this momentum going, there are ideas for Mojo Loco’s popping up all over the world, and it’s IMPORTANT that we help them to happen!
Viva el Mojo Loco!
- Steve
------------------------------ UPDATE ----------------------------------------
2:49 PM ET - Adam Tinkoff made a really good point in a tweet he sent over earlier:
"if you make it a POCO LOCO (26.2 miles) and segments of 10K you only need to find 4 transfer points. April is the right time."
------------------------------ UPDATE ----------------------------------------
2:49 PM ET - Adam Tinkoff made a really good point in a tweet he sent over earlier:
"if you make it a POCO LOCO (26.2 miles) and segments of 10K you only need to find 4 transfer points. April is the right time."
I agree. I'm going to revisit these maps to weave the course around some of Boston's most famous locations, and elongate the 3 legs I've depicted here by 2 miles each (for a total of 6 miles per segment, or more specifically 6.2 for a total of four 10K's.).
As for the date; my only concern with April is that there are alot of other races being run in that time frame; Easter is on the 24th and the Boston Marathon is being run on the 18th, leaving only the 2nd or 9th of April for potential dates.
I don't personally see a huge problem with the 2nd or 9th of April...but May seems like it's past all the scheduling issues.
Anyway, we'll talk about this more in the weeks to come. I do think it's important that we set a date soon however, since we'll need to fix our schedules.
Thoughts on a Boston Mojo Loco
I need some feedback on my ideas for a Boston
12/21/10
12/19/10
My Marathon Training Plan: Free from Hingeries
I’ve started training for my Spring Marathon this week (Boston
12/17/10
O Sapientia
Today’s episode is a simulcast post that I produced for the Catholic New Media Advent Calander. It’s my third year reflecting upon the O Antiphons; prayerful songs that are chanted during the Roman Catholic Vespers in the Octave before Christmas, starting on December 17th.
The origin of the O Antiphons aren’t exactly known, there’s a reference made to them by Anicius Manlius Severinus Boëthius (Ann-ee-chee-oos Manlee-oos Sever-eenoos Boe-thee-us), a Christian philosopher of the early 6th century.
In the 8th century these prayerful chants became a part of the liturgical celebrations in Rome
The O Antiphons are each used to highlight a title for the messiah: Christ of Wisdom, Lord, Root of Jesse, Key of David, Rising Son, King of Nations and of course, Emmanuel: God is with us.
Each chant makes reference to a prophecy of the 8th century BC prophet Isaiah.
For example, from Isaiah 7:14
"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Today is the day of the first O Antiphon".
From Isaiah 11:2-3
“The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.”
You know the O Atiphons from the John Mason Neale song written in the mid-19th century: titled “Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel”
Veni, O Sapientia,
Quae hic disponis omnia,
Veni, viam prudentiae
Ut doceas et gloriae.
Quae hic disponis omnia,
Veni, viam prudentiae
Ut doceas et gloriae.
Gaude, gaude, Emmanuel
Nascetur pro te, Israel
O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel
12/16/10
Mojo Loco Goodness
This is a variety of snippets recorded on video during el Mojo Loco on December 11th. Watch this and consider being a part of the next Mojo Loco!
12/15/10
Viva el Mojo Loco: The Starting Line
We're at the Saint Augustine Lighthouse; the starting line of the Mojo Loco with a very special official (Steve Chopper) who cross an ocean to make our day!
12/14/10
Mojo Loco at the Lighthouse
Raw video from the lighthouse in St Augustine just before we started our run.
Mojo Slow
This is just a random sampling of the many conversations which happened at el Mojo Loco; including a talk about the goodness of running slow. (I didn't really listen to this, it's unedited).
12/13/10
Meeting Team Mojo Loco
This is the first in a series of videos I'll share from our amazing Team Mojo Loco run in Florida on December 11th. You can find all kinds of videos, podcasts, photos and blog posts on the Tubes of the InterWebs, just look for the tag #mojoloco or follow me on Facebook and Twitter. Go to www.TeamMojoLoco.Blogspot.com for all the good stuff!
Zen Runner and Eddie Marathon Talk Mojo Loco
Just as the title says, Eddie and Adam talk with me about the Mojo Loco in a recording made before the event.
12/12/10
12/10/10
On the Way to Mojo Loco
Eddie and Adam taste some honey (the food stuff, not....oh, never mind) on our way to el Mojo Loco!
12/9/10
Preflight Check for el Mojo Loco
I’m packed and ready to fly to Florida ; heading out from Logan at 4:30 PM for 8:08 PM landing in Fort Meyers
12/8/10
Loco for el Mojo Loco
It’s only a few days away from a magical, crazy event that will be taking place on the Atlantic side of sunny Florida
12/6/10
12/3/10
Categorizing Phedippidations
I’m re-evaluating what category my podcast, Phedippidations, best fits under.
The tag line “Inspirations, motivations, contemplations and conversations for and about runners” and my purpose for the show doesn’t really align with any of the standard iTune podcast categories.
I’m considering sticking it in the “Society & Culture” section under “Personal Journals”, with additional categories under “Sports and Recreation” (Outdoor and Amateur) and “Health” (Fitness & Nutrition); but even these are a bit mis-leading.
I’d appreciate any thoughts you might have on this. Send me an email/twitter message or join me at 4:30 PM ET today for my LIVE UStream “Car-Cast” as I make my way home to my home in Oxford , MA
12/2/10
Ch Ch Ch Changes!
I’m making a minor change (improvement) to my podcast Phedippidations, that I want to tell you about. This “show” of mine has undergone many changes in the past five years; but alas I’ve drifted from the original intention of the show. Having overcome my “self” talk over the past year; I’d now like to expand thing a bit both with topic and “audience”. Phedippidations will always be a Running Conversation for and about runners, but there are so many cool things OUTSIDE of the running topic that I want to talk to you about!
Phedippidations: Changes I’ll be Making
Change is a good thing, and the ideas I have for my OTHER podcast (Phedippidations) are all part of my master plan TO RULE THE WORLD!! (Well, not really). In this episode of Intervals, I’d like to let you into my thought process for plans that I’ve had for a loooong time now about the future direction of Phedippidations. I’d appreciate your feedback: steve(at)steverunner.com
12/1/10
Love of Dogs and Gods Love
Listen in as I tie together two completely different topics and try to make some kind of point or two. Both Dogs and God have unconditional love for us…yeah, that was my point…sure.
New Shoes Unboxing (and some Black Lab Goodness)
My New-NewBalance 801's are here! Today I show you what a pair of NB800's look like after 700 miles, and might I also recommend for you a certain new musical album from a certain AMAZING band called Black Lab? Check it out!
11/30/10
2010 Beaujolais Nouveau
Every third Thursday in November I buy a bottle of the latest release of Beaujolais Nouveau. Today I’m tasting the 2010 George Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau and giving you my first impressions.
11/29/10
Happily Deluded: My Final Thoughts on Professor Dawkins GREAT Book
Here are my final thoughts on a great book by Richard Dawkins, who didn’t change my mind about God, but did give me some things to think about AND taught me a great deal about the human condition (and importance of science).
Running Thought of the Day Number One
It’s like grabbing a new roll of duct-tape and wrapping up all the freakin’ nasty holes in the tubes of the Inter-webs that are pouring down upon you from your past.
I have major issues with Facebook security and their data-mining of my personal information BUT, at least they offer us a virtual roll of duct-tape with which we can banish those whom we don’t want to “hear from” to the Block List. Sometimes “BLOCKAGE” can be a very good thing!"
- Steve Runner
A Tour of Mat-Village
Join me on a tour of the "Magical" village of Mat: a Christmas Village with a plan.
11/27/10
Ten New Commandments and the American Taliban
In reading Richard Dawkins book “The God Delusion” I find myself agree with him more than I expected to, as in the section of the book titled “The Moral Zeitgeist” where he lists an alternative to the traditional 10 Commandments, also I bring to your attention some of the most hateful quotations from some of the most ignorant people who have ever lived: The American Taliban.
11/26/10
Bringing You The Mojo Loco LIVE!
On December 11th, we'll be bringing you LIVE coverage of Team Mojo Loco's 50 mile run from St. Augustine to Daytona Beach Florida! In this video, I talk about WHY and HOW we'll do it!
11/24/10
Wine Week: Making Wine
In very BASIC terms, I talk today about the making of wine. This is really just an introduction to a HUGE topic that I'll expand upon in the future; but I wanted to at least cover some of the key elements in the steps towards creating wine.
11/23/10
Why Mojo Loco?
On December 11th fellow runners will assemble in Florida to take part in a 50 mile relay adventure to celebrate community and friendship in a way that takes social networking and new media to the NEXT level. This magical, crazy event is something we call The Mojo Loco!
Wine Week: Tainted Wine
Sometimes bad things happen to good wine. Today I’ll talk about some of those things and what causes them, how to detect them and the take home tidbit for the day that will impress your friends: TCA.
This is a GREAT documentary about wine:
11/22/10
Tasting Wine and Learning the Language.
In order to describe the taste of wine you have to be able to relate it to the food and beverages you’ve tasted in your past, along with everything you’ve ever felt, smelt, seen and experienced. Remember what the air tasted like in that old barn you visited when you were a kid? THAT is part of the language you need to call upon to describe the wine you taste.
Wine Week: Talking Taste
It's wine week on Intervals, and this week we're going to get a little scientific, starting off with "what taste is".
11/20/10
Dawkins: Proof of God's Existence
I'm moving through Professor Dawkins book "The God Delusion" and I think he's making some excellent points: but he misses a few points.
Show and WINE!
oday I'm kicking off another WINE WEEK with a show and tell (errr...Show and WINE) of some of the bottles in my collection.
11/19/10
Non-Overlapping Magisteria
Today I’m continuing with my comments as I read Richard Dawkins book “The God Delusion”. I’m up to chapter three, as you hear this…but I’d like to go back and cover something I read in chapter two: “The God Hypothesis” and a section titled “NOMA”.
Grapevine Post Mortem
Today I dig out one of the grape vine clippings that I planted last Spring to see if I can determine why the 2010 vintage of Steve Runner Vineyards failed to produce any grapes!
11/18/10
10 Years and 5 Miles
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| Click image to enlarge |
I have alot of work to do.
- Steve
You Can’t Teach Well By Calling Your Students Stupid
I’m into the second chapter of Professor Richard Dawkins book “The God Delusion”, and it’s becoming clear to me that I am a complete idiot. I’m stupid. I’m a moron. I’m misguided and not worthy of respect or the right to vote. As I’m trying to keep an open mind, and really REALLY listen to what Professor Dawkins is trying to say: I have to wade through the muck of his relentless ridicule. This is going to take awhile.
11/17/10
Channel Runner Review - Send Us Your Review!
We'd like to invite you to be a part of our project: If you'd like to add your voice to our growing collection of running podcast reviews or want to download a review to include in your own podcast - please visit us at http://channelrunnerview.com
What I'm Reading
I'm reading a book that I've meant to consume for some time, and in the next few weeks I'll be talking about what I'm learning from it: as I seek to determine if I'm delusional!
11/16/10
If they put an i next to some Poop, the iPoop would sell out!
Help me answer the question: Do I need/want:
(1) an iPad
(2) a Samsung Galaxy Tab or
(3) neither (wait for something better to come out)
Delusional Runner
I’ve started reading Richard Dawkins book “The God Delusion” and as I go through the book over the next few weeks I’ll be posting my notes/comments on http://www.twitter.com/steverunner and http://www.facebook.com/phedippidations I’m trying to go into this book with an open mind, but thus far it seems to me that Professor Dawkins is falling for some local fallacies that I’m surprised he would make.
11/15/10
Running While Sick
I've been told, quite often, that I'm "sick in the head", but that doesn't stop me from going out for a run!
11/13/10
Ideas for Future Episodes
Today I'm going to talk about some of the ideas I have for future podcast episodes of both Intervals and Phedippidations...just to give you some insight to my creative "genius" (or lack thereof).
11/12/10
Do NOT Watch This Video!
You have been warned! (actually, I really didn't have much to say here except "have a great weekend")
A Podcast About Nothing
I really didn't have much to say in this episode; my advice would be to move along and skip it...listening to my blathering can't be good for you :)
11/11/10
11/10/10
Nominate New: PodcastAwards.com
Nominations are open for the 2010 PodCast Awards ( http://podcastawards.com ) and this year I'd like to suggest that you nominate a podcast OTHER than Phedippidations.
11/9/10
The Corked Wine Simulcast
Presented to you in video and audio (the audio version is longer because You Tube has a restriction on video length) today I taste a wine that should have been outstanding: but seems to be "corked".
11/8/10
Describe your PERFECT day!
Here’s a thought experiment for you: how would you describe your most PERFECT day? In this episode of Intervals, I tell you one of my ideas for a perfect day and invite you to consider your own.
11/7/10
Mojo More than a Tweet
The concept behind the Mojo Loco is MUCH more than just your standard "Tweet-Up"!
11/6/10
Musical Passion - Black Labs new album: Two Strangers
Before you read further, you HAVE to understand that this blog entry is NEITHER a review, or an advertisement of any kind. It is simply a recommendation from one fellow runner to another.
I am not being compensated in any way for this blog post (well, aside from having some AMAZING music to listen to). No one has asked me to write this and this isn’t some kind of a clever ad campaign that I’ve woven into this blog.
Remember who you’re dealing with here: I am a doofus. Enough said.
The ONLY reason I’m writing this is because I want to share my passion for the music of Paul Durham and his band Black Lab. I want to tell you about their latest (and in my opinion GREATEST) album: Two Strangers.
If you’ve listened to Phedippidations (my podcast) you know that I am an uber-fan of Black Lab. This is true for many reasons, which I’ll attempt to now explain.
I have always been a fan of music that has an underlying passion and intelligence about it. This, we call “poetry”.
My life, as a runner, is all about the passion. I carry within me a passion for family and friends, running, wine, history, astronomy, science, God, and the natural beauty of the universe.
The philosopher Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche once wrote that: “In music the passions enjoy themselves.”
If you are without passion in your life, then you are truly not living; and this band: Black Lab is more alive than so many of the other musical artists you will hear through your life. It’s all about the passion: you can hear it in their music.
Myself, I have a passion for music. I spent four years behind the microphone of 91.5 FM Real Underground Radio (WJUL, Lowell Massachusetts
It was at WJUL that I learned about Jazz and Jazz Fusion, Rhythm and Blues, Punk, New Wave…even classical. This radio station allowed the “Dee Jays” to explore music, to test the boundaries of musical styles and themes. We had to play from the “heavy rotation” bin, but were encouraged to dust off some of the older albums (large, black plastic disks called “records”) to play early Pink Floyd, Spyro Gyra, Frank Zappa (and the Mothers of Invention), and Muddy Waters…all within the same show!
So, while I don’t consider myself an expert in the area of music; I do appreciate the art.
Which brings me back to Black Lab and their new album: Two Strangers. This is art. The album fills your head with themes and ideas that remind you of the passion you once felt, and the passion you will continue to experience.
From the first track “This Ship Goes Down Deep” (“I can’t believe that you’d suffer in silence. Is it all just a lie that we all still believe in? if you tell me your lie then I’ll know your name. Cause I have no shame I have no sadness I feel no blame”) to the song “Say Goodbye” (“how am I supposed to feel? you strike at my achilles heel with everything that’s wrong I can’t make right”) these songs strike a nerve buried deep within your heart. They force us to raise our heads above the ennui of our lives and remember the passion of love, loneliness, joy, sadness and anger which we all have experienced.
In the song “Dying Just to Hold You” the lyrics bring back that urgency of our first true love: “I want your love your scent, your touch it’s not enough to dream this baby I want your love you smile, you go but I could show you what I’m made of you’re watching me from above but baby I want your love the wall comes down the dawn shines out I’m dying just to hold you”. I’m reminded of scenes from my youth where I was in love and broken hearted…the music and lyrics force me to face those moments that I’d otherwise prefer to flush from my memory.
But those memories are important, they helped to create the person I’ve become (for better or worse) and it’s important to reflect on those feelings as inspired by passionate music.
Black Lab’s “Two Strangers” offers a poetic injection of passion that reminds us of the fevers that once burned, and continue to smolder within our hearts and minds.
Run long and Taper
Steve Runner
The album “Two Strangers” by Black Lab is available on iTunes and Amazon. You can purchase a CD for $12 US or download it directly from http://blacklabworld.com/music/two-strangers for only $9 US
11/5/10
Bring on the Weekend!
As the sun sets in Oxford, Massachusetts I'm talking about the 251st episode of Phedippidations, my running plans for the weekend and a little bit more! Run long!
11/4/10
Team Mojo Loco: All About Susan
Today I’d like to introduce you to one of our Mojo Loco Team members: Susan from Olive Branch,
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