I'm not on the farm.  Not near it.  I'm in Las Vegas for the Financial Forensics Accounting Academy (or something like that).  It's quite interesting.  Last time I was here was in 2003, stayed at the Venetian, got a $60 taxi ride to the hotel and barely saw outside but for the early AM runs along the strip, trying not to trip over all of the bare naked lady cards left on the ground (I wonder how one feels to see their image tossed aside as garbage ....).

This year there was no way I could stay inside for a whole week, so I rented a car, Ford Focus - very nice.  It's been great actually.  I've gotten to bed each night about 9:00 and up each day by 4:30.  Going down through the casino and Lobby at 5:30 am headed out for a run makes me feel so superior to all of the people still up and drinking at the bar (bars - they are every where in this hotel - The Cosmopolitan).  It's like I was back in Madison, 1985, going for my winter night runs past the bars with people inside, not running.  Is it bad to measure oneself against one's environment?

The light and noise and crowds of people here is beyond me.  It's the opposite of who I am.  I like people, but in small, well known doses.  Luckily, Las Vegas actually has phenomenal running trails within a 40 minute drive (10 of which is just managing the awful traffic lights on the Strip) of the Hotels.  I agree with my friend Mr. Lammers that Bootleg Canyon is the best.  The attached picture is of me, having made it up what started as a bike trail but became more of a climbing route before joining back up with a bike trail (and a slight divergence here - these bike trails are WAY beyond my comprehension - they were hard to walk or run - I simply can not imagine maneuvering mountain bikes down them).  This was at Bootleg canyon.  Just amazing to run at.  

I check out tomorrow.  I was going to muster up the courage to walk down on the strip tonight and drink a beer at a bar, by myself.  I just couldn't do it. (I was lucky enough to have been taken under the wings of a married couple in my class (Thank you Cami and Dusty !) - so tonight we went out to a Diners Drive-ins and Dives featured Restaurant, Forte Tapas Bar)  Instead, here I am, thinking about the farm, thinking about my family, thinking about the quiet, and likely going to bed.  I saw a great trail to run up this morning.  I was able to google the area and can see where I need to go to park.  Looks like I'll be up at 4:30 and feeling superior one more time tomorrow as I walk through the lobby to go on one last quiet adventure here.

I think I'l come back here next year for training in the least likely city for Ron to ever be seen in ....

I might be too old now

Glacial 50K.  Yep.  50K not 50 mile.  and I am glad.

Old Ron Bero signed up for the Glacial 50K this year.  Having not trained much this summer (of course it's all relative right - ran some 20's and such throughout the summer).  Decided that I better get my act in gear so I signed up for the Lapham Peak Marathon and the Northface 50K once it was clear that after re-spraining my ankle at least 3 times that Superior was out of the picture for this year (and Kathy said - there is no way you are doing that Ron (which provided the perfect excuse really)).  trained up for the two races Sept 8 and 15th.  Ran Lapham in 4:02 - basically 4 Blacks at about 59:30 each which for me is really pretty good.  I won my age group (I also lost my age group).  The NF50k wasn't all that bad either - 4:39 came in second in my age group (Joel's 50 now - I'll never win my age group again as long as he's in it - I have started my Nordic Ski training already though).

So - with Lapham and NF under my belt (and perhaps a few Hamm's Light's in my belly), Joel and I decided that we could do the Glacial 50 mile this year.  It would be a nice balance - I was at three 50Ms and four 50Ks so this would round things out for me.  So - we switched.  But then the weather report started telling us that it was going to rain all weekend.  I whined but to no avail.  The Reverend was stubborn.  He was not going back on his plan.

Up at 3:00.  sat on my porch (I do this every morning - 365 days a year - yes I do tend to be habitual - think the TV Show Monk....)  Not bad out.  60 degrees and misty - actually my favorite running weather.  But - the weather app was telling me it was not going to get warmer that day in Greenbush - it was going to be getting colder and the wind was going to be building to 20mph our of the northeast.  A Nor-easter as it is.  Ugh.  I felt the DNF coming and there is no such thing as a DNF in a 50 mile (for me so far anyways).  Driving up - I remained positive but somewhat hoped that I might be late.  Then about 5:00 the rain started and it was getting colder.  I was raining so hard that even stopping in a corn field wasn't an option.  I made it in time.  It was pouring.  This was the kind of day that you'd just like to stay inside and clean your basement and watch movies (which is exactly what I did all day Saturday). I walked in and apologized to the Reverend and had Old Ron switched back down to the 50K (Thank you Robert !!).

That 50K decision was the best decision I've made in a while.  It was ok at the start.  I couldn't see in the woods (rain and clouds make it dark).  rolled my ankle a few times. and settled in to a rather heavy slog.  happily telling everyone I met - like Pink Man John, with whom I ran for a while, it is a GREAT day for a 50K !  And it was.  I ran out in about 2:33 or so (actually forgot to look at my watch but Matt said 2:30 and he was ahead of me at the turnaround) and back in about 2:34.  It was slipperier and softer on the way back and the wind had picked up, the rain had picked up and it had gotten colder.  And - my left quad started cramping.  I think it was from the cold.  The other slight issue was that all I had for GU was the Jet Black Raspberry 2x caffeine.  By the time I finished my heart was doing an offbeat spasm of a dance.  I had chilly then a beer to calm it down.

In essence - I may be too old to do a 50 mile in pouring rain in 50 degree weather now.  I just don't think I could have mustered up the mental energy to make it through 10+ hours of being in that S___t yesterday.  and I am glad that Old Ron realized this BEFORE he started.  What a great day for a 50K.

The Shotgun

Apparently I have not shot my shot gun up in the air for a while.

I've only shot it towards the ground.  Many of you (not that there are any of you reading this) know what I have shot ( I feel like I should be writing shotten - but I looked it up and it has something to do with baby herring - so I'll stick with - have shot ).  Suffice it to say that whilst all 6 of our baby chicks have been eaten (see - eaten, shotten - not shot, et - as in I aint et nothin all day), none of the adults except Zipp have been.  I will take care of the baby chick eater soon though ...

Anyways .... When I shot my shot gun in a generally upwards direction last night, my hand/back of thumb hit my nose so hard that it bled.  This can only mean two things.  One, I no longer know how to shoot my shot gun in a generally upwards direction, which is disturbing since this is the direction shot guns are generally shot (there we are again ... shotten) in. Or, two, my nose has grown rather larger.  I now actually realize that it must me option two since - my nose has grown (everyones does) and two - I shoot my shotgun at least a couple times per week all summer long (again - why will remain the provence of those who know me best - and lest this sound too mysterious and creepy - my daughter EmmaGrace was actually the one who, on Monday night, yelled "Dad!!, there's a _____, get your gun !!).

Right - the un answered question.  why did you shoot your gun in a generally upwards direction last night Ron?

We were having dinner on the porch last night.  Kathy had made cous cous (spelling?) with a spicy chicken broth (we have LOTS of chicken broth - since we have lost of chickens (had)) and kale sauce (really great - minced Kale broth - really).  Either Hannah or EmmaGrace noticed a Wasp nest in the tree outside the porch.  First thing I thought of was my shot gun.  All three girls agreed that to be the best solution.

I wonder if that's normal ?

I thought I saw a hawk running away with a chicken Friday

last Friday, my day didn't start out like anyone else's in my office.  I got in from California at 10:00 on Thursday night.  Then the hour plus home from the airport, on the way home I bought some Fritos and a sprite.  Once home, I had a beer and a hard boiled egg.

I'm up at 6:00.  As is my habit, I put on pajama pants, a t-shirt and a fleece, went down stairs, made coffee and started to empty the dishwasher.  Something was wrong.  The chickens were making too much noise.  So I looked out the window.  I knew something was really wrong when I saw Bill running down into the yard.  Bill is our favorite rooster.  We have about 5, 4 too many.  Bill never ins down into the yard, Only Tom does.

I fumbled with my shotgun and tried to find shells.  I have a great ability to forget where I keep my guns.  Something one would think one would not easily misplace.  I managed 2 Upland Game loads.  Pretty light, 2 3/4 inch shells.  I walked up to the chicken coop, realizing I really couldn't see yet.  My eyes are sort of fuzzy in the morning.  If you are over 50, you probably understand.

The chickens were in an uproar.  A chicken fit if you will.  I didn't see any obvious predator.  no cats.  Then I saw the horses jump about.  so I climbed the fence (yes, in my pajamas) into the paddock.  I found a baby chick.  wondered if it was EmmaGrace's favorite one, she named it Ally.

Out in the pasture I saw what looked like a hawk waddle running through the field.  I rubbed my eyes and blinked several times, then realized it was a fox carrying a chicken so I "aimed" the shotgun and shot.  Not surprisingly,  given that I had just woken up and just hours before had been in California ... I'm guessing I missed since just then, the chicken that looked like a waddling hawk but was really the potential meal of a fox, came running back towards me.  He was actually my least favorite rooster ....

I then climbed the fence into the pasture (yes in my pajamas) and wandered about a bit.  I scared up a fox, another fox, the same fox, I don't really know.  I shot my last round.  I didn't find anything.  Given the length of the pasture grass and my level of awareness, it isn't surprising that I missed.

I told EmmaGrace (our daughter) about the events of the morning.  By the time I got home Friday night, Kathy was wondering why I killed a fox.  13 year old girls can get things rather mixed up and exaggerated ......

My 3" heavy loads are now next to my gun and I think I'll be mowing the pasture this weekend.  I wonder what I'll find tomorrow ?  I'm getting up early.

Never mind and oh how things have changed...

First of all never mind what I said on Sunday.  (we'll get back to that).

Second.  I flew to San Francisco today.  I am in a $99 hotel room.  the picture is out my window, it is a wall and the employee entrance to the "magical" San Leandro Hotel.  While I am on San Francisco bay, this is my view.  The employees, leaving via the employee entrance, tried not to notice me, shirtless after a run, sitting at my desk.  If this were the reality show with curb your enthusiasm music playing, I would be happily, ignorantly (I live in Dodge county on a farm, remember) sitting at my computer, in front of my giant mirror (you can't miss my image as you leave the door) typing away.  Unfortunately, my reality is more real than reality TV, so I smile as each employee leaves, sees me, then tries not to.

Apparently, even though I make substantially more per hout than I did in the 1990's, my lodging accommodations have declined rather a lot .....  guess i'll take the trade off - it's what we do in wisconsin right?

So, what I said on Sunday ........ It is true that I didn't want to run 100 miles that day.  In fact, it is good that I didn't - given that I was stuck on a plane for 4.5 hours today - and I actually had time to kill, so I went for a 7ish ( probably 8ish in Ron miles) mile run today (which is kind of amazing, relatively speaking ...... I only ran 62 miles three days ago - so I might as well go for a run that would be kind of far for lots of people....)- i.e., the whole I like to run thing worked out.  However - I STILL WANT TO RUN ANOTHER 100 MILES !!!!!!   CRAP, CRAP, CRAP - Kathy - are you reading this ????  How do I reconcile not wanting to run 100 miles whilst running 100 miles and wanting to run 100 miles after not running 100 miles !! ???  Do I hear the Hallucination 100  calling?  Is there any 'noobee" out there that needs a "seasoned" (hardly) 100 miler to run Sawtooth with them ?  OH DEAR....... the saga...... the addiction ..... the desire ..... endures !!!crap, crap, crap.

If only my greatest desire was to watch as much baseball (or football, or basketball or NASCAR) as possible......

Guess I'll sleep on it.  but will have to put put in my ear plugs since along with the room with the employee entrance, is some sort of giant compressor machine that kicks in every few minutes.... do these Californians think they have it better than us ?...... !!!!!! Kathy complained last night that Tom was gobbling just too loud ... really !?  really !!!! ??

I'm not sure what it was

It wasn't the schedule.  I was ahead of schedule.  The schedule allowed for some pretty slow sections.  Even at the end that wasn't the end except it was, I was ahead of schedule.

It wasn't the weather.  It was cool and breezy.  perfect-ish day to run (I did sun-burn the back of my head however since I got my hair cut "special" for the race since it's always hot that day - except it wasn't.  And, the hair-cut was extra special since my barber, wo weighs at least 300 lbs and has had open heart surgery, hurt his back over memorial day weekend (imagine that) and his daughter was there and she's not all that good with the clippers).

It wasn't my conditioning.  I've put in plenty of miles.  I was actually passing people on the second 50K.  One guy that was waiting for his runner (he would be pacing someone for the evening) kept saying I look great.  And actually, relatively speaking I did.

It wasn't my stomach, really, relatively speaking.  I ran some with Logan.  At the 100k point - he looked awful.  White and awful.  I was having trouble eating.  The Gu wasn't cutting it.  but I was able to get watermelon down - best watermelon I have ever had.  And oranges.  Some sandwich squares.  But I was bloating.  Drinking lots but feeling dehydrated.  Nothing an hour of walking couldn't have cured though.  I would have been fine.

I was tired though.  I started noticing the benches along the trail and envisioned me sitting in them being at peace with not moving.  That's actually been happening all spring.  I've noticed large rocks here and there on some of my runs.  There are days when the sun is out and I just want to sit down.  But I didn't and I don't because I was training for the Kettle 100.  Is that when it started?

I didn't sleep well the night before last.  I had night sweats and had to get up 5 times even though I only had 2.5 beers between 5:00 and 9:00.  I think it was just stress.  A very major internal conflict.  I can imagine a cancer patient, trying to sleep the night before they are to go receive their first chemo treatment.  One side of their brain saying you have to do this and here is why.  The other half, the half that holds their soul, the half that holds the self that is still a child and needs to be taken care of saying - but I don't want to, I'm too scared.  Now, running a hundred is not like having cancer - do not even begin to think that I would equate anything in my life to that (and it you've no idea why I'm adding this qualifier - go talk to a cancer patient) - but the conflict I was having over running 100 miles was the same as described above.

The conflict.  In 2007, I decided I wanted to run 100 miles.  And I did - I was 45.  I had magical moments with my brother and sister and sister-in-law.  I felt alive.  Kathy was still in cancer treatement-ish but was there to support me.  I was surrounded by family and love and accomplished what I set out to do.  In 2008, we had storms and I quit at the 100K and that bugged me.  So, I took a weekend from my family and went to Superior.  I had kathy's cancer hat and when I wanted to quit, I kept thinking - no - this is way easier than chemo and there is no way I can take a whole weekend from my sick wife and family and not do what I set out to do.  so I did.  In 2009 I did Kettle again.  Kathy and the girls were there and I honestly have no memory of being at the 100K point and going out again.  I remember it was cold and I remember kathy was there at all the stops and I remember that I was pretty happy.  In effect, perhaps, I ran the perfect 100.  I quit at Vermont because Kathy was there with the RV and I didn't want to run anymore.  I was sick or was hurt until fall 2011 when I went to Superior again.  At mile 6 I decided I had no interest in running 100 miles.  I quit at mile 43.

My friend Kevin signed up for Kettle.  So I did too (kids - peer pressure never goes away).  2 weeks ago, running in the hot hot sun.  I got the idon'twannas.  I considered asking to be taken off the list.  but I didn't.

So,  after being a nervous wreck for 2 weeks and not getting any sleep the night before, I show up at 6:00 AM to run the kettle 100 and I am a nervous wreck.  We start and we start too fast.  But I am fine.  By mile 40, I'm tired etc (see above) and I realize, I just don't want to do this anymore.  I finally don't and really don't care (I actually knew this last september at Superior, but apparently forgot).  I can see my friend Joel, piloting his pontoon boat saying in a slightly slurred and at the same time over enunciated way "I just don't have the desire"  and at the same time, my other friend Dave saying - "I am no 100 mile runner."  As I noted, I have the conditioning, and as the guy above noted, I look fine so I pretty much decide to just finish out the 100K.  It is quitting, but It kind of isn't.  But is is.  And that's OK.  I'm 50.  I like running marathons and 50k's and 50 miles and even Voyageur 50 which takes 11 hours.  I just do not need to run another 100.  If I want to stay up late and feel magic and alive and loved by my family - I'll take them up to the boundary waters and we'll stay up late, siting on a rock outcropping in the middle of a lake, looking up at the stars, wondering what we're doing here but knowing we're here with whom we're here and we're all in it together and each of us is taking care of each other.

So what was it?  Another chapter of my life closed yesterday.  I'm looking forward to what the next one will be.  

Tom

We had Dinner outside last Sunday.  Tom came down to say Hi.

I don't really think it's peculiar that we have a Turkey named Tom that likes to visit the deck.  I am however the only person I know that does have 1: a turkey, 2: a turkey named Tom (though hardly unique I imagine amongst people who do have turkeys) 3: a turkey that sees us as part of his flock.

Kathy and EmmaGrace told me the story of the lost chick the other day.  apparently every time either one got down low whilst trying to retrive the lost baby chick from under the chicken coop, Tom attempted to jump on their backs.  My guess is that, that would have made an excellent episode of the oft talked about reality tv show - life on the farm with Ron.  Ron at work discussing important accounting things, the music similar to the theme from curb your enthusiasm comes on and the scene cuts to the lost chick chaos, Tom strutting about, gobbling and trying to jump atop the women.  clueless, Ron arrives home, happy and relaxed and wonders why there is tension in the house.  I think it could work.  

Tom may have a new girlfriend.  A hen has recently been getting trapped in our yard (when Turkeys encounter a fence, about 95% of the time, they forget that they can fly).  yesterday morning, the hen was in the yard and Tom, who has been calling for hens for two years now, choose to do so that morning from the safety of the chicken coop.  For someone that sleeps on the coop instead of in it, I found it rather surprising.  Apparently he is shy with the real ladies.

I saw a cat this morning.  So far I think it is just after the bunnies.  I imagine there will be a post (that will need to be carefully worded) about this cat rather sooner than later.

So.  I ran the Ice Age 50 mile last weekend.  It was as it always was.... except slower.  Now that Im 50, should I really expect anything else?  All my friends say .... oh - it was slower than last year, but all my friends are 50 too.  It really wasn't all that hot... It was humid, but rankly, Id rather have humid than dry.  I remember backin 1987 or so - I had training in Scotsdale Arizona (in August).  Apparently, the partners of Touche Ross (now Deloitte) thought is was a good idea to invest in a conference center in the desert.  I got off the plane and it was 110 degrees.  but it was dry heat.  WTF, dry heat?  it was like being in a Sauna !  Ive always preferred steam rooms apparently.

Anyways - I ran a 3:50 first half and the second half I got tired.  It was a 4:40.  not what I planned on, but apparently not what anyone else planned on since almost no one passed me.

I didn't shoot anything this week but the dogs did kill about 3 baby raccoons and some bunny's and I did mow over a lemming.  The turkey vultures were quite intrigued today.

I still am not sure of what is happening with this blog.   is what I am writing getting written anywhere? or is what I am tying just .... typing

April 2012

The other day I was pulled across the road by a man's ears.

The raccoon I shot last month (it was attacking my 13 year old daughter.  At least I understand it was attacking her by her rendition of the event and the fact that whilst describing the event, she was fluttering her arms) was discovered by the dogs last night.  It had been decomposed and cleaned up by maggots and chickens.  It did maintain that pungent sort of sweet long dead (but not too long dead) animal scent.  Skippyjon Jones and Jack decided it was well worth a roll, apparently.

I wondered what the awful smell was last night.  I went to bed.  figured it out this morning.  Kathy asked me if I had shut the gate.  no.  Apparently Skippyjon Jones is back for more this morning.  guess I'll be giving dog baths tonight in the rain.