It’s been a tough week, because I was sick earlier this week.  I did not get much running in until today.  
Today I ran 10 miles, which again is a new record.   Here’s the map and stats;

Start: Gardner Field, Denville
Distance: 10 Miles
Time: 1:45
Average Pace: 10:33





Three Weeks to Go Before Washington D.C. !

I’ve been watching President Obama’s last few speeches – and what I noted was that he loves to use logical fallacies .  One is the straw man argument.  This is where you create a opponent of your own design and then demolish it.    Take for instance when Obama said that the old policies are over, and “the days of doing nothing are over”.     Personally I don’t know anyone which believes in doing nothing! Therefore this is a textbook example of a straw man argument and as such, it’s easy to pull apart.  The truth is the conservatives what to stimulate the markets and believe the effects will eventually trickle down to everyone, and the liberals want income redistribution.  But instead of dealing with his opposition in a honorable manner he distorts the truth.  

Secondly, the other night when he gave his speech on the economy – he indicated again that he inherited the debt, implying that it wasn’t his fault. He washed his hands and declared that he’s merely cleaning up someone else’s mess. Perhaps I’m a little slow – but wasn’t President Obama a member of the Senate and voted for more and more debt.   Shouldn’t he take responsibility for his votes instead of scapegoating?  

Today’s run I did in Whippany, New Jersey and was 9 miles long.  Like last week, this is now my longest running distance.  I did the run in 1 hour and 32 minutes, which works out to be a 10:13 pace per mile, which is better pace then my 8 mile run, last week. 



I began again at #1 Bee Meadow Park (didn’t see any bees).  I went down Reynolds, made a right onto Bee Meadow Pkwy, right onto Troy Hills Road, right onto Highland Ave (ran by Memorial Middle School #2), left onto Reynolds (ran by the Whippany Post Office #3), right onto Whippany Road (ran past Whippany Park High School #4), Left onto Park Ave, right onto Jefferson (ran pass the Hanover Police Station #5, then Birchwood Manor #6, and a tiny ranch #7), right onto Parsippany Road (ran past A&A Auto Wreakers #8), left onto Kearney, right onto Joseph Road, left onto Reynolds Ave.  Basically it was a tour of the entire town of Whippany.

Only saw four people.  A small lady walking her big black Labrador Retriever across from the Hanover Police Station.  A young guy on Parsippany Road which was giving another car a jump and lastly an cute old couple taking a walk near the Bee Meadow Pond.   Quite an uneventful run, but I was pleased with the results.

I forgot to wear my heart monitor, thus the blank data below.

 Four Weeks to Go Before Washington D.C. !

It has been reported that Iran have enough low-enriched uranium for a single nuclear weapon.  For me I see this as a critical issue that needs to be dealt with immediately.   From what I see, President Obama continues to speak in friendly terms with Iran.    I hope that he doesn’t think the power of his smile, personality and his Islamic name will persuade the Iranians to cease and desist on their nuclear ambitions.  Let’s face facts the europeans have done nothing but talk, talk, talk to Ahmadinejad for years and nothing has come of it.   

The whole world is watching – the question is will President Obama abandon Israel and allow a Nuclear Iran or does he have it in him to get tough?    

As I mentioned in my last post – my daughters are preparing for an upcoming race.  The fact is -   my whole family has registered for the St. Pat’s 5K race in Morristown, NJ.  Lord willing, my oldest daughter and I will be running in the 5K race and my wife and our two youngest daughters will be running in the 1 mile race.  If anyone lives in the area and are interested in the race here’s the links:

Flyer:  http://www.compuscore.com/cs2009/march/stpat5k.pdf
Online Regitration: http://therunningcompany.net/stpattysday5k.html

Also…there’s a St. Patrick’s parade after the race – which me and the girls will be marching with our bagpipe band as color guards.    It should be alot of fun with the family.  

I mapped out my run this morning starting from Bee Meadow Park.   I placed the run on the USATF website, entitling it “Hanley Run 4.5“.  To those that know the area, it goes down Bee Meadow Pkwy, to Troy Hills road, to Highland Ave, to Reynolds, to Parsippany Road and then back down Bee Meadow Pkwy again.   I brought the girls with me and they hung around the park taking pictures, talking to the roosters and running a bit (their preparing for their own races next month).  

My run was uneventful – I only saw a couple people out of their house at the end of my run (they were politely disputing the ownership of a newspaper which was delivered in front of their houses).  

I did the run in 41 minutes, 56 second (pace=9:19) which I am pretty happy with.  It’s even better then my last two 4.5 runs (which were done on the treadmill).  

Here’s some of the pictures that Elizabeth took at the park.


This is the last remaining part of an old brick factory                              Only the Shadow Knows!


                            The main pond                                                        The rooster farm

Just got back from running 8 miles in Mountain Lakes & Denville.  You’ll note the map looks similar to last Saturday’s map. I wasn’t the fastest run - to be certain, but I’m glad that I’ve been keeping close to my training schedule.  I liked the course which I created on the USATF website.  It had ponds, winding rivers, parks, golf courses and light traffic.  

I unintentionally surprised once women which I was trying to run past.  As she tried to get out of the way, she stepped right into my path.   At around 7 miles I passed an older gentlemen which was walking the opposite direction, that gave me a smile and a big thumbs up as I was passing him.   That lifted my spirits.   

Here’s the map & stats:

                                              Washington D.C.  -  5 Weeks to Go!

Did someone say pork?

I watched the President’s first news conference.  His clearest statement was; ”Not a single pet project,……Not a single earmark”.   With these words  I just buried my head in my hands. He didn’t just say that!  All I could think was LIE, LIE, and LIE. (it bothers me so to think so little of my president).  But, if it looks like pork, and sounds like pork – guess what it’s pork.  

$10 million for urban canals, $2 billion for manufacturing advanced batteries for hybrid cars, and $255 million for a polar icebreaker and on and on.   This is not a package to stimulate the economy – but to stimulate the Democratic Party!   I’m just so sick to my stomach.   

_____________________
edit:
Thanks to the RINOs (Republicans in name only) voting for the stimulus include both Maine senators, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, and Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.) – it has passed the Senate.  We will remember!

It’s amazing that my oldest daughter is close to getting her drivers license.    Today for the first time I let Monique drive around a parking lot.   Elizabeth was sitting in the back of the car and wanted to get out (aren’t sisters great?).   Monique was very nervous – but in the end did great and was surprised driving was so easy. 

Because of the extreme cold it’s been a few weeks since I ran outside. Most of my running has been on the treadmill using a 2% incline.  This morning I ran a route around Tourne Park in Mountain Lakes, NJ.   The run was 7 miles long which is my longest distance I’ve ever ran.  For the week I did a total of 17 miles.

Map of route:


Stats:


So far I’m about half way through my training for the half-marathon in Washington D.C.      Each week it gets tougher.  But on the brighter side, each week I am get closer to my final goal.  

                                             Washington D.C.  -  6 Weeks to Go!