Phedippidations

I propose to you that running can bring you great happiness, and since I know that I’m preaching to the choir here, I’ll ask you to consider how running can bring happiness to those in your family, friends and acquaintances whom you’ll meet in your life…and that no matter how sad or broken they and we may sometimes feel: we have an obligation and a certain unalienable right to engage in the pursuit of happiness.

In this episode we tackle the philosophical question “Is it morally right to quit a road race?”. For help in understanding the question en route to an answer, we call about the great minds of Professor Richard Dawkins, Immanuel Kant, Socrates, and Aristotle.

The 6th Anniversay of Phedippidations.

This episode of Phedippidations is intended to recreate for you the experience of running with fellow runners and friends. On April 30th Team Poco Loco gathered in Boston Massachusetts to run a half marathon distance around the mighty Charles River.

This is the story of a fellow runner by the name of Katie who fought a good fight in that all too familiar way where all options are gone and the only thing left to do was to make a terrible agonizing choice: “When you have nothing left to burn, you have to set yourself on fire”

A tour of the Poco Loco Course

“From where he tottered before the couch, on muscles immune to elongation and contraction, Duncan contemplated his next move. Opposite the lavatory, on the northern end of this dwelling, was his bedroom: unkempt and festooned with the discarded wrappings of many cakes, candies and snack treats; necessary supplements to his ongoing carbohydrate loading.” This is the story of Duncan, a man without ambition or purpose who stumbles upon an idea that challenges his very existence and forces him to consider living a different life. In this original story, I try to convey the importance of inspiration and how powerful positive examples can have to those who seek to live a better quality of life. LINKS: Trail Slammer's 100 Mile Ultrarunning podcast: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/100mileultrarunning/id369305436 Book recommendations: Core Performance Endurance by Mark Vertegen Athletic Body in Balance by Grey Cook http://26for25.blogspot.com/ Manzanita Beach Walk/Run: http://ncrdnehalem.org The song “Go” was a new track by the band Stray Palace, a side project of Black Lab’s Paul Durham. Go to http://straypalace.com to learn more and you can download this song at http://blacklabworld.com The song “Make a Wish” was an instrumental composition by Dan and Adam Skinner

The term varietal describes an elementary form of something. With wine, it’s the fermented product of a single grape. With running, the word varietal describes the specific practice of a training element. With running as with wine it’s important to understand the differences between the fundamental elements that go into the final product, so that when the harvest is released: be it after bottling or on race day: the end result can be savored over time; with rich expressive notes and a fine lasting finish. The concept of varietal is as useful to wine as it is to running. It helps to define the unique elements that make up a good training plan, or great a Bordeaux, Meritage or Blended wine. It’s important to understand each varietal and how they bring out the best in the end product of that which you seek to consume: be it the finish line of a 26.2 mile road race or the lasting finish of a remarkable bottle of wine. Get to know the varietals that comprise your goals, and you’ll savor the glass or medal as you live your life to the top. LINKS: http://theextramilepodcast.blogspot.com/ http://slowrunclub.blogspot.com/ http://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/run4chch/ The song “Rocky Road to Dublin” was by the Blaggards stout Irish Rock from Houston, Texas. Check out all their great music over at http://blaggards.com

We all know how running can improve our lives, our health and our disposition with the universe around us. We know that running is part of a healthy lifestyle and that it can improve the condition of our cardiovascular systems, and that we have evolved as homo sapien sapiens from Australopithecus Africanus to run across the savanna in search of the meat from fallen animals. The benefits of running are clear, and new evidence is being found that further supports this idea that we should be runners: because as we’ll learn with the workings of the inner brain: running is the smart thing to do! LINKS: http://www.cookiesforkidscancer.org. http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/GIRS The song “An Ordinary Guy” was written, performed, and produced by one of the most talented musical artists currently residing in this quadrant of the galactic spirally arm: Matthew Ebel; who creates incredible music right here in the Boston area. Go to his website at http://matthewebel.com join his email list, see where he’ll be playing live, and buy one or five of his great albums at http://matthewebel.com/store/

You and I are out on a run together. As we’re getting our miles in we start to talk to each other to pass the time. This is where we get to know each other, where we start to open up a little and reveal ourselves as the persons we really are. You and I are different, with different backgrounds, different beliefs and different understandings of the universe around us. I want to know what you’re all about, and you might want to know what’s going on in my teenie tiny little head. So today, let’s acknowledge that we really are out on a run together, and I’m going to reveal to you a little bit more about who I am. These are what I call: Intervals and I’ve even gone ahead and created a couple of podcasts where I express my thoughts in a rambling diatribe format, one is recorded in audio, the other in video, both are available on iTunes. In running, of course, an interval workout is one where you run hard for a specific duration or distance, such as once around a track, and then you run at a relaxed rate, or maybe even walk…during an interval between the running portions. So while Phedippidations is a podcast where we have a conversation about running and running related topics; today’s episode will be an interval break from that. Today I’m going to open up an audio family picture book of sorts, and tell you a few stories from my life. There’s nothing earth shattering of deeply profound here…just a few snippets from a life I’ve lived that will better help you to understand this goofy middle aged, middle of the pack slightly asthmatic fellow runner who you run with each week. LINKS: http://runningthegoldenyears.blogspot.com/2011/02/running-golden-years-episode-15.html http://marcirunsthemarathon.blogspot.com/2011/01/no-words.html The song “I am a Man of Constant Sorrow” was performed by, in order of appearance: The Soggy Bottom Boys and Dan Tyminski; Norman Blake, and John Hartford: http://www.losthighwayrecords.com/artist/releases/release.aspx?pid=1379&aid=72