Rock 'n' Roll Runner

Generic Running Update

2012-02-15T18:19:00.001-05:00

My training has been going okay since my Feb. 4 race. Nothing too eventful other than some easy mileage. My legs have been a little tired lately, so I've started to incorporate some strides into some of my runs to get a little snap back. I had thought about racing another 5K on Feb. 18, but I think a busy month of work has caught up with me and the fact that everyone in my office seems to be sick (take those sick days people!). Today I did a 3 mile tempo test on my standard Lakewood Park course. Conditions were so so. A bit too windy for my liking and there were three or four stretches on the mile loop that were packed snow/ice, which got old by the second and third laps. Complaining aside, I ran 18:34 (6:11 pace) staying in the 85-90% zone for my heart rate reserve. Effortwise probably pretty similar to the 18:16 I ran last month in ideal conditions. I plan on doing another test effort or two before kicking into my Spring race season in mid-March.

In honor of the 'generic' blog title, I give you something by Public Image Limited from their 1986 release entitled "Album".

Lucid Dream album art

2012-02-11T16:10:00.000-05:00

This image will be the cover of the forthcoming Lucid Dream "Object of Reality" compilation on my temporarily resurrected Elephant Stone record label. It's taken from a painting by my wife, Arabella Proffer, who recently had a successful solo show in San Francisco and also sold out a collection of her art at a show last month in Baton Rouge. The CD will be a limited edition of 200 so fans of original art, as well as fans of psychedelic/post-punk bands like Echo and The Bunnymen and Teardrop Explodes will want to grab this up fast!

My Arsenal

2012-02-11T11:53:00.001-05:00

This is my current lineup of training and racing shoes. On the left is the Pearl Izumi Kissaki, a lightweight trainer. Dead center is the Pearl Izumi Streak 2, which I use for races and fast workouts like tempo runs and intervals. On the right is the New Balance 890, another lightweight trainer, which I alternate with the Kissaki on my easy 'normal' runs. I also have a pair of cross country spikes that I wear in about 2-3 races a year. All are highly recommended shoes if you have a neutral footstrike. My Streak 2's are starting to get a bit beat up so I'll probably get another pair of those in the Spring. I like the new black color scheme better than the current lime green one.

As my post title is a play on Morrissey, here is something by the man:

Heavy Stereo

2012-02-10T20:51:00.002-05:00

Heavy Stereo might be a footnote in Britpop history, but they deserved better. Signed to Creation after Oasis, Heavy Stereo were probably too "rock 'n' roll" for some of the indie kids (see the Flying V on the cover of their debut single "Sleep Freak"). Too bad. In addition to "Sleep Freak," which is a nice glammy update to Lennon's "Instant Karma," the group released three more singles and an excellent album Deja Voodoo. As most Britpop fans know, when Heavy Stereo broke up, frontman Gem Archer joined the Mark 2 Oasis lineup that also featured Andy Bell from Ride. Archer and Bell are currently in Beady Eye with Liam Gallagher. I'll leave you with another 'gem', the trippy B-Side "Wonderfools" from the second Heavy Stereo single "Smiler".

More Chase Your Shadow 5K photos

2012-02-08T10:55:00.000-05:00

These were on the Friends of Portage Lake Facebook page. Not sure who took them!

Taking a pre-race Groundhog photo!

The start. Looks nice, eh?

Finishing 'kick'

Meeting the mayor

Marion rise from the ashes

2012-02-08T10:11:00.001-05:00

My friend Coulter pointed me to an amazing recent interview with Marion vocalist Jaime Harding on NME.com conducted by Luke Lewis. I had always wondered what happened to the Northern English glam meets post punk outfit who hit it big in the UK in the mid-Nineties with their stellar 1996 debut album This World and Body. Lewis' interview provides some amazing insight into the highs and lows of rock 'n' roll stardom. I had heard that Harding had numerous drug problems, but nothing to this extent. Fortunately, the article has a happy ending. Harding is clean and the band's original lineup has reformed to play a series of UK dates in April. If you can find a copy of This World and Body, grab it up. Anyone who loves The Smiths/Morrissey and Suede will dig it.

Chase Your Shadow 5K

2012-02-04T16:39:00.003-05:00

I was joking that the Groundhog was wrong after he called for six more weeks of winter, but he got his revenge on us this morning. At least on those of us who ventured south of Cleveland to Portage Lakes for the Chase Your Shadow 5K. It was 40 and nice when I left my house, but looked like this when we arrived:

The roads were in pretty bad shape too. Very slushy and packed snow/ice in some spots when I did my warm up. While I wasn't expecting a PR in February, I knew from workouts that I was pretty fit so I decided that my pre-race plan would be to pace it like a cross country race and just deal with the elements as they came. This was the scene as we got ready to go over to the starting line:

The race wasn't as bad as I thought it would be though. The first mile had a decent gradual elevation and I was able to work my way into third by then and I could tell that I was gaining on the guy in second but it would take some work to get there. Just after the mile we looped around and came back and I was able to take advantage of the net downhill mile two to catch the guy in second with about 3/4 of a mile to go. I battled it out as best as I could over the last bit with the youngster I caught but he was able to break me with about 600 to go and though I finished strong I didn't quite have it to go with him. In any case I was third overall in 18:07, which translates to 5:50 pace on the nose. My pacing was pretty even. I was around 11:35 at 2 miles and didn't slow down too much in the hilly section of the final mile, so all and all a solid showing for my first race of 2012. As you can see I'm pretty happy post-race after a warm meal!

A good start to the year. For the next month or two, I'll continue to run mostly easy mileage at my 60-70% heart rate zone with a few tempos thrown in before getting into some more race pace specific stuff.

January Summary

2012-01-31T13:09:00.000-05:00

Good month for running. The weather has been unseasonably warm so far this winter. It's 57F as I write this! I can't think of more than two or three rough weather runs I've had since the club nationals race, which is very unusual for NE Ohio. This has been a good month of mainly easy/steady mileage at my aerobic heart rate zone, plus two tempo workouts. On Saturday, I'll actually be jumping in the Chase Your Shadow 5K race in Akron as the temps should be upper 30s and dry. The course is supposed to be hilly in the first mile, downhill in the second, and flat with one small hill in the final mile.

Strong tempo

2012-01-26T18:46:00.002-05:00

Had a strong workout at Lakewood Park today. After a three mile warm up, I ran a 3 mile tempo in 18:16 (6:05 pace), staying comfortably at 85-90% of my maximum heart rate reserve for the last 2.5 miles (it took about a half mile to build up to 85% which is pretty standard for this type of session). A week and a half ago I ran 18:36 for this same workout, so this was a significant improvement, especially since my average HR for both workouts was identical. My splits were actually slightly positive today, hitting 6:03, 6:05, and 6:08. That said, the effort in the last half almost felt too easy, but the point of this workout is to stay in the heart rate zone and not go over 90% even if this means slowing down a tad, unlike in a race where you redline, especially in the second half. I could have easily run the last mile ten seconds faster, but that isn't the point. Very happy with where I'm at now as January winds down and getting antsy to race again.

Healthcare PSA

2012-01-25T10:46:00.000-05:00

Everything went really well with my colonsocopy yesterday -- no inflammation whatsoever. I never look forward to these (I get them every 4-5 years due to past history with ulcerative colitis), but it's way better than the alternative (if caught early enough, colon cancer can be stopped easily). I'm especially relieved because of the issues I was having last fall. Switching to a near non-gluten diet (I cheat with microbrews now and then) seems to have made a huge difference. Anyway, I'm usually not big with PSA's on this blog, but if you're 40 or over and haven't had a colonoscopy before, get one. I believe it's recommended that you get one every ten years if you have no issues (more often than that if you have family history etc.) I'll give a plug to the Cleveland Clinic as well. They were lifesavers (literally) when my wife was diagnosed with cancer nearly two years ago and the team that worked with me was equally stellar, way better than Fairview Hospital where I had my last colonoscopy in 2008.

Winter miles

2012-01-22T16:17:00.000-05:00

Nothing too eventful since getting back from San Francisco, just putting in some solid 8-9 milers 4-5 days a week at 60-70% of my maximum heart rate reserve. I've come to really love the HRM as a training tool. Sometimes it tells me I can go quicker, other times it forces me to slow down when I feel like dropping the hammer. The latter is good because as we get older you only have so many good efforts per year and it's much better to save that for races. I will continue to do my 3 mile threshold runs every few weeks this winter to get in some turnover before racing season commences. Next weekend is looking like a possibility as warmer than usual weather today and tomorrow with no snow planned for the week should make for some nice clear paths at Lakewood Park. Tuesday I'm getting a colonoscopy so tomorrow I have to fast, which means two days off of running. I used to really freak out about days off but now I see how much difference it's making for me. Younger runners (and some lucky older guys) can get away with pounding the miles day after day, but not me. I'm starting to look forward to racing again because much as I do like running, training does not come close to the adrenaline rush of race day, especially when the stars all align and you run a great race.

Working the threshold

2012-01-16T19:31:00.000-05:00

Today I tested my heart rate monitor for the first time on a tempo run. The goal was to get up to 85% of my maximum heart rate reserve (160) as fast as possible and not let myself get over 90% (167) for the remainder of the workout. The weather conditions were decent for January -- about 40F when I started but the winds were pretty strong, pushing 20mph give or take in some spots. Of course that allowed me to get some nice tailwinds in other sections, but made it difficult to get my pace down. The paths were mostly clear but there were still some slick spots with packed snow and ice. That said, I ended up nailing the workout quite well. I started out a little more aggressively than I normally do in these types of workouts and it took about a mile to get my HR to 85%, splitting 6:12. I maintained pace in the second mile, staying comfortably at 165/167, and splitting 12:24 (another 6:12). I stayed in the same HR in the third mile and the effort actually felt easier -- I had to keep slowing down a notch to stay at 167 or under (the old me would have gunned the last mile). I ended up finishing at 18:36 for 3 miles. Really happy with that. During the warm up I was expecting more like 19:00 based on the conditions. What this tells me is that pre-heart rate training I was probably going over threshold in the final mile of tempos, while also, starting the workouts too slowly. Today the first mile felt quick, the second just about right, and the third slow, yet the splits were exactly the same: 6:12 x 3. I'm guessing I could have run 6:00 pace in better weather at the same HR, but for Jan. 16, I'll definitely take this. My overall average HR was 160 (factoring in the time it took to build up to there), but I'd say for the last 2 miles, I was easily 165, so pretty much exactly what I was hoping for.

Rolling along

2012-01-12T20:06:00.000-05:00

I've had two good runs since getting back from SF. 9 miles on Wednesday and 8 more today. Weather has been shockingly warm for January in the Rust Belt -- low 40s both days -- certainly not complaining. Not sure how much longer this can possibly last, but I'll take it. Before I know it, it will be March and I'll be racing again. Right now I'm just trying to knock out a bunch of 8-10 milers in my target 60-70% HR zone with the occasional tempo run. If weather permits I'll try one next week, maybe even on the track just to get a really good gauge of where I'm at right now.

San Francisco

2012-01-11T11:00:00.001-05:00

Had a great visit to San Francisco for my wife Bella's art opening. Our hosts Kathleen and George were awesome and the weather couldn't have been better for trips to wine country, Half Moon Bay, and general exploring in the city. The running here is incredible. My favorite spot was Crystal Springs near San Mateo (see photo above as I head out for a run). The park has 6 miles of paved trails going over rolling hills with some amazing scenery. Every half-mile is clearly marked too, which is perfect for intervals/tempo workouts. I also did some running in Golden Gate Park, which was a 5 minute jog from the motel we stayed at while in the city for the opening. It's San Francisco's equivalent of Central Park, but 20% bigger. I could definitely get used to living in the Bay Area. Fitness wise, I'm feeling good. The two 9 milers I did at Crystal Springs were in the 7:10-7:20 range while keeping my heart rate easily in the 60-70% of heart rate reserve target range. I'm hoping I can catch a break here with the weather and get in a good 3 mile tempo to see where I'm at for a 90% HR test.

New Year's V02 Max Blast

2012-01-01T14:16:00.001-05:00

Ran a really tough 5K course yesterday at the Stow Great New Year's Race. The course was a very hilly out and back on country roads with 4 or 5 legit climbs. The last hill at 2.5 miles give or take was brutal. Pretty happy with the way I ran considering I haven't done anything fast since Seattle. With this in mind I decided to be conservative in the early stages. After a controlled 5:49 opening mile I maintained my effort and hit 11:37 for 2 miles. Even though I was running the same pace, I felt like I was picking it up because so many people who went out too hard. The third mile was pretty tough with the aforementioned hill but I managed to hit 17:30 at that marker so not too much slow down. The finish, however, was further away than it should have been if the 3 mile mark was accurate as I hit the line in 18:19. Normally I do the last .1 a good 16-17 seconds faster than I did yesterday. In any case, a good effort. I was 20th overall and 1st in 45-49 by default as the winner of my age group was the overall masters winner clocking an impressive 17:39.

I wore my heart rate monitor in the race and actually got up to 178 so 5 bpm higher than I did on those hill repeats. This leads me to believe my max might be low 180s. The 208- .5 x age formula has me at 182, which might be pretty close. My overall average for the race was 166 but that takes into account the fact that I built up from the start. I didn't hit 160 until about 5 minutes into the race but once I got a bit past the mile mark, I got into the red zone pretty fast staying above 170 for the whole second half of the race.

10 albums I liked in 2011 (part 2)

2011-12-30T18:24:00.001-05:00

White Noise Sound "Blood" from White Noise Sound (Alive/Total Energy). Welsh noise merchants with a love for all things Stooges and Spacemen 3.

The Lost Rivers "See Me Alive" from My Beatific Vision (Northern Star). German noise merchants with a similar vision to the above.

Kids On A Crime Spree "Sweet Tooth" from Love You So Bad (Slumberland). 60s Who meets Psychocandy. Perfect pop.

Singapore Sling "Never Forever" from Never Forever (Outlier). Icelandic golden gods.

Ringo Deathstarr "Two Girls" from Colour Trip (Sonic Unyon). Probably my favorite album of the year. Youngsters who totally get it. The kids are alright.

2012 Running Goals

2011-12-28T19:57:00.000-05:00

I have three main goals for 2012: get under 17:00 in the 5K, 36:00 in the 10K, and have a really strong race at Club Nationals Cross Country (I've never cracked the top 100 there so that would be nice). I think those are manageable as long as I continue to train smart and stay injury-free. I feel like I turned a corner this fall and have come to peace with what I can and can't handle as a masters runner now closer to 50 than 40. The heart rate monitor I recently purchased is really helping keep me in check too.

I've started to map out a few races that I'd like to do. Some of them I've done in the past like the Meteor 10K in Michigan (fast certified course) and I'll no doubt run the Bay Days 5 miler on July 4. This year I would like to do the USATF masters 8K in Williamsburg, Virigina in May and Bella and I are planning to visit New Orleans in late February/early March so maybe I'll take advantage of the weather and jump in a race there. Trainingwise I'm approaching this winter a bit differently. I'm not following a strict schedule until March. Right now I want to run 5 days a week with at least 3 of them in the 8-12 range and do an occasional tempo when the weather is decent.

10 albums I liked in 2011 (part 1)

2011-12-28T16:45:00.002-05:00

I'm too old and tired to bother with detailed best-of lists anymore but below are videos from ten records/downloads I enjoyed this year. Not ranked, just posted off the top of my head. Enjoy. I'll post 5 videos today and 5 more tomorrow.

The Spectrals "Get A Grip" from Bad Penny (Slumberland Records). Nice indie pop reminiscent of Prefab Sprout in their heyday.

Wooden Shjips "Lazy Bones" from West (Thrill Jockey). Killer stoner rock grooves from SF psych rock veterans.

Moon Duo "Seer" from Mazes (Sacred Bones). Speaking of Wooden Shjiips, I like this side project record even more than West. VERY Spacemen 3, Stooges etc.

Beady Eye "The Roller" from Different Gear, Still Speeding (Dangerbird). Liam's post-Oasis venture. The best songs on here are epics like the below, which hold their own with his old band's classics.

Comet Gain "Clang of the Concrete Swans" from Howl of the Lonely Crowd ( What's Your Rupture?). That said, the best band from Britain bar none these days is Comet Gain.

Double Tens

2011-12-25T16:06:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile since I've posted a training update but nothing too eventful is going on. Just getting in some base mileage and enjoying the new heart rate monitor. Had a really good weekend of running, doing the same hilly out and back ten miler yesterday and today. Both runs were comfortably in the lower end of my 60-70 aerobic zone, averaging around 7:20 pace for each effort. Good sign that I can run a good steady Lydiard-like 'best aerobic' effort for longer runs keeping my average comfortably under 130bpm. I've noticed that I recover very fast on a diet of steady mileage -- haven't done anything fast since club nationals other than those hill repeats to figure out my heart rate max. My plan this winter is to keep up the longish runs with the occasional tempo or winter race as my 'speed work'. Speaking of, I signed up for a New Year's race in Stow, Ohio (not quite eve as it begins at 4pm), which will be a nice ending for 2011/beginning for 2012. Looking forward to a better 2012 as far as racing goes.

Crocodiles & Dum Dum Girls - Merry Christmas Baby Please Don't Die

2011-12-20T12:56:00.001-05:00

As far as Christmas songs go, this rules!

Working The Heart

2011-12-19T21:21:00.001-05:00

So this weekend I bought my first heart rate monitor, the Timex Zone Trainer. Amazing how cheap these are now! The model I got is pretty basic, just like I wanted. I don't have the desire to download extensive charts onto my computer, I just want to know that I'm training in the right zone for the right day. With this model, all you need to do is plug in your maximum heart rate and the watch will set up 5 training zones for you, based on percentage of maximum heart rate. The ones that I am most concerned about are Zone 2 which is 60-70% of max (this is where you should do the bulk of your mileage) and Zone 4 (80-90% for tempo runs -- closer to 90% for the standard 20:00 tempo). The watch also comes with a stopwatch that can get up to 27 splits, more than enough for the workouts I do.

Today I did a session of hill repeats in order to pinpoint my max HR. There are a couple of standard formulas (220 - your age and 208 - .7 x age). According to those my maximum heart rate would either be 173 or 175. During my hill repeats today my max was 173, which is a little unusual to be so close to formulas. Some people can be off by as much as 10bpm. Obviously I'll adjust if in a future workout or race I top 173 but right now I have a very good idea of what to aim for in my workouts.

As this is my first update since my Seattle report, I had a godo week of training post race. Just over 40 easy miles in 5 workouts. This week I'm off to a good start with an easy 5 on Sunday to test the monitor and a tough hill workout to establish my current max.

Seattle Report

2011-12-14T22:37:00.000-05:00

Got back from Seattle on Monday night. I had a great trip, weather was perfect and I raced about as well as I could have, so mission accomplished. I arrived last Thursday and my host, Coulter, who I've known from music circles since the '90s picked me up. Like me, he's a rock 'n' roll runner (in his case a musician and DJ). You can check out his website @ coulterclub.com. He hadn't run yet and my legs were pretty stiff from two flights, so we drove out to the Arboretum near Washington University for an easy 5 mile trail run. Really nice and scenic there and definitely a lot more hills than a typical west side of Cleveland run. Here you have to drive out of your way to find them, while in Seattle they're everywhere.

After the run we went to a Mexican restaurant called Mama's Mexican Kitchen. It had an Elvis theme going on, which was very cool. The food was amazing too. I had a huge veggie burrito and a couple of Negra Modelos to wash it down. Next up was band practice with the Little Penguins, an outfit that Coulter plays guitar for when he's not doing his solo work. The band has a post-punk sound that brings to mind Joy Division bass lines combined with The Church-like atmospherics. Definitely up my alley. They rehearse in a somewhat legendary building where almost all of the famous Seattle musicians from the grunge-era and otherwise have hung out and practiced. Built to Spill actually had borrowed the Little Penguins spot for a few days when they were in town.

With rehearsal completed, Coulter and I set off to hit a few pubs and do some responsible carbo loading, nothing too much to mess up our races. We hit The Bus Stop, where Coulter does a bi-monthly Britpop DJ night called The Council. Very awesome low key joint with cool music. I remember hearing the Black Angels and 13th Floor Elevators while we were there. Post Bus Stop we hit a restaurant/bar that had a psychedelic night going on. The microbrews we got were good but the mood was a little subdued with lots of background type music and Lancelot Link visuals on the screen.

The next place we went to, whose name also escapes me, was livelier with a DJ playing a random, sometimes ironic set, and lots of youthful hipsters in the crowd. I had a bourbon and coke there served in a small mason jar! There were psychedelic visuals on the screen and 3D glasses were available. I took this picture of myself there and emailed it to my wife who was probably pretty bewildered. After having enough of the younger crowd, we walked back to Coulter's place and crashed. One of the biggest observations from my first night in Seattle was that it's so easy to walk around there. Reminds me of Cambridge/Boston in that aspect. I'm so used to driving everywhere now, this was a nice change of pace. When Bella and I leave Cleveland in the nearish future, I'd definitely like to live somewhere more walking friendly.

Friday was much more low key. We slept in and then went over to Jefferson Park for a light run on the Club Nationals course, including a few striders in spikes. The course was a 2K loop that was to be repeated 5 times. Pretty flat on low cut gold course grass with a few dirt segments here and there. The footing was pretty good on Friday but a bit worse on Saturday for our race (more on that later). As a side note, we stopped by an excellent local running store before our run called Fleet Feet Sports, which sponsors Coulter's team Club Northwest. After running we hooked up with my old friend Erik from high school who now lives with his family in Seattle. It was really awesome catching up at a nice coffee shop (no shortage of coffee houses and brew pubs in Seattle). Speaking of after having a big gluten-free pasta dinner at Coulter's house and watching Fire on The Track, we had two quick pints at a local brewery called Elysium. I opted for their stout, which was first rate.

Saturday morning was race day, which meant lots of coffee while watching the live webcasts of the girls and boys footlocker races (both featured exciting finishes) before heading over to Jefferson. The weather was overcast but not too cold -- only about 40F. The course was a little soggy and worn from two community races and the womens masters race before us, but not too bad at all. I figured that a 38:00 give or take on this course would be worth a high 36 on the roads, which is the shape I'm in based on my recent 5Ks. Like last year I would have preferred to be in sub 17/36 shape like I was in 2009, but running is a sport where you can only do as well as where you're at. Our race had a very packed start with 400 runners jostling for position on a long straightaway. Much less of a bottleneck than last year though and I was able to work my way into a good lane to pass people who started out too fast. The course had clocks at all the kilometer marks, which was helpful in letting you adjust pace if you went out too fast. I tried to keep my effort smooth and controlled for as long as possible because cross country races catch up to you way faster than road races due to the terrain. I hit the 1K mark in 3:45 (37:30) pace which was dead on perfect. In cross country you typically positive split but after this I knew I would run pretty even. The first 3K was pretty uneventful. Felt smooth and was continuing to pass people as I hit 3K in 11:20 and 5K in 19:00 on the nose. Very even running still but I did notice that even though my effort was good the legs were feeling it more than they would in a road 5K. The last few miles were agony. One guy running with me dropped out, another guy yelled an expletive at the 6K mark when an announcer said we had two more 2K laps to go! I was hurting like hell on the last two laps but I gutted my way to 8K in 30:28 and 38:10 at the finish, feeling as if I ran as hard as I could. As a cool side note, I pretty much raced the whole way with Portland University's XC coach Rob Conner, who is my age. In addition to being one of the best distance coaches in America, he also has one of the largest collection of Slayer and Metallica memorabilia in the world! I wish I could have caught up to him after the race. Oh well.

Post-race Coulter and I went to a nice pub and loaded up on a ridiculous amount of carbs and a few pints before heading over to the hotel for the post-race party. Well, actually we hit the hotel bar first for a few more. The Renaissance is a really nice hotel -- Morrissey stayed there when he played Seattle. The after party ended up being a little lame. Too many people wearing their club warm up jackets. Come on people this isn't high school where you need to wear a letter jacket to impress people. And really was anyone impressed with cross country and track letter jackets in high school? I doubt anyone was with mine. A highlight of the evening after leaving the party was hitting a bar that had a group of people all wearing wolf t-shirts as part of a theme party. They were a fun bunch so we stayed there until we staggered home.

Sunday was a nice recovery day in all aspects. After a ton of coffee we hit a few record stores -- Easy Street Records is amazing -- before digging into some amazing Chinese food. Post-food coma we did an easy 5 miler in the Arboretum, which went pretty well considering how sore I was from the race. In the evening it was microbrews, pizza and a selection of videos including a New York Dolls documentary and the Ian Curtis/Joy Division biopic Control. And that pretty sums up a very fun and unforgettable Seattle venture!

Seattle Bound

2011-12-07T21:26:00.001-05:00

Heading out to Seattle tomorrow morning for Club Nationals. Don't know if I'll update this blog while I'm out there but results from the races will be posted on Saturday. My race is at 11:00am PT.

I've realized that I haven't posted much music stuff lately so here's an ace tune from Seattle's Black Nite Crash!

Easy 8

2011-12-06T11:04:00.000-05:00

Ran a nice and relaxed 8 miles or so in the metro park yesterday on an out and back, starting at the small parking lot at Mastick (start area of the 5K XC race they have there) and going in the direction towards Berea. Normally I run the horse trails at Mastick but it was pretty muddy from recent rain and the last thing I wanted to do was twist and ankle or something this week. Overdressed a bit because of the light rain but I wasn't too uncomfortable. As I type this I feel pretty recovered from the weekend race and will probably run about an hour tomorrow and then when I get to Seattle do some light jogging, strides etc. on the course.

Reindeer Run 5K

2011-12-03T13:30:00.002-05:00

Had a really solid 5K race this morning in my last tune up before Club Nationals in Seattle, running 17:38 (5:41 pace). I was especially happy given the conditions -- 35F and windy. I was definitely feeling it in my lungs near the end! One weird thing about the race was my chip time was EXACTLY the same as my gun time even though I wasn't at the very front. A friend I started next too had a 1.5 second differential. Not sure if it was a chip malfunction or something but no worries (just curious about the technical aspects).

I've been doing the 4 days a week with 1 stress workout (or race) program for 6 or 7 weeks now and even on half the mileage I was doing at my peak masters training a few years ago (back then I was doing 2-3 stress workouts a week too), I am running close to my best if you factor in age grading. Right now I feel like I'm getting better and better, so I have high hopes for 2012. One thing I am noticing from the longer easy days is my improved strength. Combining twice a week long runs with a stress workout and one easy day seems to be the ticket. That said, I was a bit tired this week from running two 11-milers but I wanted to train through this week and then back down for Seattle. Next week I won't run anything longer than one hour. Excited for the trip. I'll be staying with my pal Coulter, who runs for Club Northwest. We knew each other from going to concerts (like Gene and Suede) back when we were in the Boston area. Weirdly, we didn't know that either of us was 'once' a runner and would later become reborn as masters runners!

Double Elevens

2011-11-30T22:31:00.000-05:00

This week has kind of flown by but just to update the training, I've had a couple of solid long runs in the metro park this week, 11 on Monday and another 11 today. Weather is definitely starting to get cold and windy, but it shouldn't be too bad for the 5K on Saturday. Probably around 40F at guntime. The race will be my last hard effort before club nationals so it feels a little weird to see a season wind down when I feel like it only just started with all my ups and downs this year. Right now I'm thinking I'll train for a few weeks post-nationals and race on New Year's before taking down time in January. My usual pattern had been to take a break in December post-XC and then get a bit too overzealous in January and February when the weather was at it's worst.

Elephant Stone Update

2011-11-28T11:15:00.001-05:00

It's been over five years since we've released something on Elephant Stone, but we have a reissue planned for early next year. The Lucid Dream -- not to be confused with the current UK band of the same name -- were a psych/rock band from Gloucester, England who garnered a buzz touring with Echo and The Bunnymen (their 12" "Dippy" EP was recorded by Bunnymen guitar legend Will Sergeant and keyboard player Jake Brockman and released on their Euphoric Records imprint). Sadly, like many buzzed about bands, fame wasn't in the cards for The Lucid Dream. As a new blog devoted to the band points out, "by 1992 it had all gone to pot after a series of set-backs and not long after the bands last gig in London at The Robey they decided to call it a day in June 1992. Luckily the band recorded a whole host of eight track demos (including some released on cassette only label Acid Tapes) and these along with the 'Dippy' EP make up the new release 'Object Of Reality'. The Lucid Dream were Dave Battersby (vocals), Ant Walker (Guitar), Craig 'Spadge' Sparey (Keyboards) Andrew 'Smurf' Mirfin (Drums) and Andrew Watkins (Bass). Later on in the bands career John Page played live on rhythm guitar."

Battersby and Walker would go on to play in the fantastic Reverb, whose entire studio out put was compiled on the Elephant Stone release Swirl and later the two would form the highly-acclaimed instrumental group The Land of Nod (Elephant Stone released a U.S. compilation entitled Reality Channel).

I'll keep you posted here, and on the recently tweaked Elephant Stone website. Fans of groups such as Echo and The Bunnymen, Teardrop Explodes and early Inspiral Carpets will not want to miss this! Object of Reality will be pressed in a limited edition of 200 CDs with an 8-page booklet featured many photos and extensive liner notes.

Mile cutdowns

2011-11-27T12:41:00.001-05:00

It's been a few days since I've updated but things are going well. Had a really strong workout on Saturday at Lakewood Park doing 5 x mile cutdowns. This is an old school workout that Oregon used to do a lot back in the days of Alberto Salazar (see image on left) and even recently by the likes of Oklahoma State. You start out at a really comfortable pace (slightly slower than tempo works for me) and you try to drop 10 seconds per mile give or take. For recoveries I jog a 1/4 mile (so just a tad more than 2:00). After an easy two mile warm up I ran my miles in 6:22, 6:15, 6:06, 5:56, and 5:45. Everything felt really controlled, which is a good sign coming into club nationals. This is a good workout to do if you are prone to going out too fast in races. It really teaches patience, which is what I'll need in a 10K cross country race in two weeks. Next up is a low key 5K on Saturday and then it's time to ease back for Seattle.

More miles in the park

2011-11-23T20:54:00.002-05:00

11 miles at the metro park before work. Good run. Enjoying this weather. Hope it stays decent at least until I fly to Seattle for Club Nationals on December 8. Looking forward to a good strength workout this weekend and then it's time to make sure I'm sharp and fit for nationals. This year my prep has been a little different as I usually do a Thanksgiving race as my last race before nationals. This year I feel like a good 5K a week before will suit me better as I'm doing less intervals now so it will be a nice V02 blast at the right time.

Good start to the week

2011-11-21T22:31:00.001-05:00

Ran 11 miles in the park before work and felt great. Maybe it was the extra coffee as I got up early for a doctor's appointment and didn't run until noon so I had time for a second cup post-doc. That's the one thing I love about working second shift, you can get so much done before going in to the office. The downside is adjusting your body clock to early morning weekend races when you're used to working out mid to late morning. Again, coffee seems to do the trick. Anyway, the weather was perfect for my workout and though the legs were still a bit beat from Saturday's tempo, the run felt pretty easy just like it was supposed to. 85-90 minute runs are feeling like second nature now and I feel like I have more in the tank in my hard workouts as a result of that.

XC Tempo

2011-11-19T19:20:00.000-05:00

Dusted off the XC spikes and ran a 20 minute tempo on the grass perimeter alongside the Lakewood Park paved mile loop. Workout went really well with me going 6:25, 6:19 (12:44), 6:12 (18:56) enroute to the full 20 minutes. The effort felt about the same as when I ran 6:10 pace a few weeks ago for my road tempo though the legs definitely got worked more due to the uneven grass surface. Some spots where a little mushy and others rock hard. Felt good though and I feel strong. Normally my differential from track/roads to grass is more like 15-20 seconds per mile so keeping it just under 10 seconds today has me feeling good about club nationals. I've been training 5 weeks on the one hard workout a week system now and it definitely seems to be clicking with me. The longer runs in the week are getting me stronger and the days off in between are allowing me to really recover. If you're in a rut, read the Rich Stiller article I linked a while back. Next week I think I'll do my 6-5-4-3-2-1 fartlek on grass in spikes again. That workout always works really well for me but I've never done it off road.

Another 11

2011-11-17T17:03:00.002-05:00

Hit the metro park this morning and did my now-standard second 11-miler of the week. It was upper 30's when I started so I brought out a hat for the first time this fall and opted for track pants and a long sleeve. Still not cold enough for the windbreaker yet! Pretty windy so I kept it nice and easy and didn't push at all. I ended up about two minutes slower than Tuesday's run, but it felt right for the day. The current schedule I'm on is all about getting in the easy miles with a key stress workout or race on the weekend, so now easy run heroics! I'm tentatively planning on a 20 minute tempo in spikes on the grass perimeter loop at Lakewood Park Saturday. This will get me into an XC frame of mind without trashing me. I'm learning that I don't need to kill myself in workouts to stay fit. Right now I'm think of racing one more time before Club Nationals, most likely a 5K on the fast Lakewood Park neighborhood course on Dec. 4. It will be a good reference point for me too as I ran 17:32 there at the beginning of October.

A couple of good runs at the reservation

2011-11-15T18:06:00.001-05:00

Rocky River Reservation is my favorite place to run in Cleveland and it will be one place I really miss when Bella and I decide to leave the rust belt for warmer climes. I've had a couple of good runs there this week. An easy six miler on Monday, still feeling a bit beat up from my race and a really solid 11 miler today with 6 x 20 second striders thrown in for good measure in the last mile. I'll take tomorrow off and do 10 or 11 on Thursday and a tempo workout on Saturday. Friday I have an appointment for a much needed sports massage.

Twinsburg Turkey Trot Race Report

2011-11-12T13:11:00.001-05:00

Ran pretty well this morning on a very tough 5 mile road/trail course finishing 7th overall (2nd master) in 30:25 (6:05 pace). You can click on the image to your left to check out the course map and elevation profile. The first 2 miles are especially tough. Fortunately, I did not go out too hard and I reeled in a lot of people on the huge climb during mile two as well as a few more on the rolling miles 2-4. pretty happy with my continued progress this fall. The last 3 weeks I've started to feel like my old self and hopefully that will continue for the rest of the year. Not sure what will be my next race, but I'd like to do a shorter tune up before Seattle, preferably on a flat course! Today was a good cross country gut check. Next week I'll run short and easy on Monday, longer on Tuesday and Thursday and most likely do a tempo workout on Saturday. I have a sports massage lined up for Friday morning, so I should feel good for the tempo.

Manic Street Preachers - National Treasures: The Complete Singles

2011-11-10T12:31:00.003-05:00

I've never been a massive fan of Manic Street Preachers but I've loved a good number of their singles and their epic mid-Nineties albums Everything Must Go and This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours. While the Welsh group is probably most famous for the disappearance, presumed suicide of guitarist Richey Edwards who was last seen on February 1, 1995, this two-CD collection vividly shows that the band deserves props for their storied career more than anything else. The early material comes across as classic punk rock meets Gun 'n' Roses, especially on the debut full length Generation Terrorists, but the two follow ups before Edwards' disappearance showed a darker, more melancholic side. The aforementioned post-Edwards material found the band at full stride on beautiful orchestrated masterpieces, such as "A Design For Life." I had lost track of the band c. Y2K, but the newer stuff holds its own, including a riveting cover of The The's "This Is The Day."

Another 11

2011-11-09T16:56:00.001-05:00

Did my standard Wednesday 11 miler at Rocky River metro park and everything went smooth other than getting hit with more rain than I would have liked. I thought about running 47 laps on the track (11.75 miles) as a weird birthday stunt (one lap for each year!), but I wasn't planning on running as much as I did today. In retrospect, maybe I should have. There's always next year. Anyway, the park was nice and peaceful and my second shift schedule is ideal for long weekday runs, so I rolled with it. Now it's time to make sure I'm rested up for Saturday's race. I'm hoping to be able to make it to Oberlin post-race to catch the D3 College XC districts. An old high school buddy coaches Kalamazoo College's team.

I'll post a few music things soon. Listened to the new Noel Gallagher solo album before my workout and it's pretty good. Maybe a tad on the bombastic side production-wise but some of the tunes are really good. There's a new Manic Street Preachers compilation available on spotify.com too. I have been an on/off fan of the Welsh rockers over the years but their best stuff is excellent, especially a few of their mid-Nineties albums.

11 miles on the horse trails

2011-11-07T14:15:00.000-05:00

Drove out to Mastick Woods this morning and ran 90 minutes (45:00 out, 44:40 back) on the bridle paths. I'll call it 11 -- close enough. Felt surprisingly good for two days after a hard interval session. I think the dirt trails helped. Need to get in a few more of these trail runs before club nationals. Feeling really good and enjoying the fact that my running definitely seems to be on an upswing. Weather was really nice. Right around 60F. Won't be like this for long.

Mile repeats

2011-11-05T17:27:00.000-04:00

Mile repeats are a staple of competitive runners in races ranging from the 5K all the way up to the marathon. I've found that it's one workout where you can't fake your fitness. It's not that hard to run faster than race pace with ample recovery when you're doing 400s on the track, but when you crank the distance up to one mile with minimal recovery, you're in a whole new world. Today I drove to Lakewood Park to do 4 x mile on the marked bike path with 440 recovery jogs (I allowed myself 3:00 between reps) and I had my best workout of the fall. After an easy 3 mile warm up I ran the first one in 5:55 (trying to be pretty conservative) and it felt super easy. After that I got into a perfect groove and hit the next three in 5:46, 5:46, 5:45. The effort was @ 8K race pace give or take (I wasn't redlining like I would in a 5K race but it was definitely more aggressive than a threshold run). The last two weeks have really rejuvenated me. I wasn't 100% happy with my Youngstown race but I felt like I've turned a corner since then. My stomach issues have completely vanished -- I think it's a combination of finally finding the proper intensity/recovery ratio in my training and improved diet (gluten-free plus probiotics). Next up is the Twinsburg Turkey Trot 5 miler a week from today. Later this week I'll post the PDF of the course map, which includes an elevation chart. Basically a huge climb in the first two miles followed by some rollercoaster rolling hills the rest of the way!

The Lost Rivers - My Beatific Vision

2011-11-05T11:23:00.002-04:00

The Lost Rivers may hail from Germany but this is no cheesy Euro techno trip. Their debut seven-song EP My Beatific Vision (Northern Star Records), is a no-holds-barred noise rock masterpiece. The ten-minute opener "Death of Eve" (see above) is a statement in itself with its mesmerizing wall of sound that touches on bands such as The Stooges, Jesus and Mary Chain, The Telescopes, and A Place To Bury Strangers. The Lost Rivers are already at work on a full-length album. Can't wait to hear more.

The Lost Rivers – My Beatific Vision

5 miles easy in the park

2011-11-04T18:52:00.000-04:00

Nice easy run at Lakewood Park today just to get the kinks out before tomorrow's mile repeat session. Felt really good. First 4 miles were easy recovery pace before throwing 4 x 40 seconds with 1:20 off in the last mile for a little turnover. Felt really good and the weather was perfect. Could do with a little less wind, but I guess that's what you get for running in a park just off of Lake Erie.

Excellent masters training article

2011-11-03T13:10:00.001-04:00

Masters runner Rich Stiller recently published an excellent article on how he came back from the dead in his mid-forties and managed to run some very impressive races on half the mileage he had been previously training at. Entitled "How Jeff Galloway and a Heart Rate Monitor Saved a Runner," this piece pretty much sums up what I have been going through this year first with constant quad issues in the Winter/Spring and until recently, various stomach ailments. If your running is in a rut, I highly recommended this article!

11 miles nice 'n' easy

2011-11-02T16:01:00.001-04:00

Had a really nice run in the metro park this morning before work. Ran on my usual out and back segment along the river and through the woods and felt a lot better than I did on Monday. I feel fully recovered from Saturday's tempo as evidenced by the quicker pace (not too much quicker though -- just north of 7:50ish -- trying hard to keep the easy days easy). My next hard workout will be on Saturday, most likely 4 x mile with 400 meter jogs for recovery. I'll do this on the marked path in Lakewood Park. Depending on how I feel, I may spike up and run them on the grass perimeter.

The Kids Are Alright!

2011-10-31T22:08:00.002-04:00

Saw a great double bill at the Happy Dog in Cleveland last night. First up was The Modulated Tones, who I wrote about a few days ago. The Pennsylvania duo easily lived up to my expectations, knocking out a scintilating set of Spacemen 3 meets The Jesus and Mary Chain fuzz rock featuring some otherworldly effects pedal wizardry. Next up was The Vacant Lots from Burlington, Vermont (see link above). Also a duo, the group was a bit more psych rock than The Modulated Tones, at times very Spacemen 3 meets Brian Jonestown Massacre. I like it that young bands are still flying the psych rock flag. Makes me want to get out more than I have lately.

10 miles @ 70%

2011-10-31T14:28:00.001-04:00

Usually I only wear a watch to make sure I'm going fast enough on interval workouts or tempo runs, but I'm trying to keep my non-stress days at 70% of my current 5K fitness so I took out the watch today to make sure I wasn't going fast. 70% of 5:38 (the pace of my 5K race last month) equates to just a touch slower than 8:00 miles. Today I hit 8:05 pace give or take on my standard metro park out and back 10 miler. I was a little sore from Saturday's tempo but felt good and relaxed. Overdressed a bit by opting for tights in upper 40s temps but the compression felt good on my calves and quads so no complaints.

Tempo Time

2011-10-29T15:44:00.003-04:00

Had a really great workout this afternoon at Lakewood Park. This was probably the most perfect day for running all fall. 50 degrees, sunny, and not too much wind coming off the lake. After an easy 3 mile warm up with some light strides I ran a 20-minute tempo on the park's marked mile loop hitting some precision clockwork splits. My 3 mile time was 18:30 (splits: 6:14, 6:10, 6:06) and I continued at the same pace for the extra 90 seconds to hit the full 20 minutes. Famed coach Jack Daniels advocates doing 20 minute tempos at 90% of current 5K fitness and I pretty much nailed that on the spot. I raced at 5:38 pace in less than ideal conditions last month, which meant my target range was right in the 6:10-6:15 range.After a lazy 2 mile cool down I headed home for some much needed coffee, possibly the world's best recovery drink.

This has been my best week in about two months as far as health issues go. I've had zero stomach issues and haven't taken any meds. Hope this continues. My next race will be the Twinsburg Turkey Trot on November 12, which is a challenging 5 mile road/trail race. Two years ago I ran 29:34 when I was in 17:00/36:00 shape so it will be a good benchmark for me to see where I'm at.

The Modulated Tones

2011-10-28T12:16:00.002-04:00

If you're in Cleveland on Sunday night you might want to check out The Modulated Tones at Happy Dog. The young Pennsylvania duo, consisting of Kevin Berlin and Gina Kanter, take a page out of the Jesus and Mary Chain (see photo homage above!) and Spacemen 3 playbook and run with it. They're also savvy enough in their tastes to cover The Velvet Underground. Their minimalist fuzz-heavy psychedelic sound, complete with Bo Diddley style beats is a compelling enough reason to get this jaded scribe off his butt on a Sunday night, so you have no excuses! Check them out below:

11 miles in the rain

2011-10-27T13:10:00.001-04:00

Fall is definitely here in the Forest City. Today I ran 11 miles on a hilly out and back segment at the Rocky River metro park in 45-degree temps with drizzling rain throughout. Cold October rain? In any case, I felt pretty good. I averaged 7:48 pace going 7:55s out and 7:40ish back -- right where I usually am for easy/recovery efforts. My quads and calves are still a little stiff from the race, but I should be 100% by the weekend. Didn't see any other runners or cyclists out and about today, but I quite enjoyed the loneliness of the long distance runner feeling. Not really looking forward to another winter here, but I'll enjoy the last few months of fall before it kicks in.

Lazy 5 mile recovery run

2011-10-26T20:07:00.001-04:00

My calves finally felt okay enough to shuffle so I headed out to Lakewood Park for a very easy recovery run, my first workout since Sunday's race. It took a while to get going (my first mile was like 9:15!!), but by the end of the run I was at my usual 7:45/8:00 easy day pace and feeling good (calves were only mildly tender). Tomorrow I head to the metro park and should probably be good for 8-10 easy miles. Depending on how that goes, I'll do a tempo workout on Saturday. With my current work schedule my 4-day rotation works best going Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday. I think my health issues are on the mend -- knock on wood. I've been taking a pricey probiotic for the past few days and that seems to have helped immensely. I've also started taking Vitamin D every day, which is supposed to be good for inflamation.

Pale Saints - "Sight of You"

2011-10-26T10:43:00.002-04:00

As far as debuts go, The Pale Saints' "Sight of You" from their 1989 EP Barging Into The Presence of God is one of the best. This song has everything a shoegaze fan could want: a slow build up leading to a sea of crashing guitars, melodic vocals, and the band was just really cool. The group was sort of a cross between the Stone Roses and Ride, but a bit weirder as evidenced by some of the B-sides, which can be found on the excellent Japanese compilation Mrs. Dolphin. The band's best release is their 1990 full-length The Comforts Of Madness, which contains "Sight of You" and ten more stone classics. The follow up from 1992, In Ribbons, is also excellent, but soon after vocalist Ian Masters left the group and the band released the sub par Slow Buildings in 1994 before calling it quits.

Pale Saints – The Comforts Of Madness

Ouch!

2011-10-25T11:34:00.002-04:00

"Listen to your body" is an oft-heard phrase that is rarely heeded in running circles. We get so obsessed with our training logs and mileage targets that we're afraid to recover. So here I am two days after a hilly 10K and my calves are shot. I was limping around the office yesterday and still gimpy today so I'm just going to wait until I feel like I can run again. If you're too sore to walk much, why run? Lesson learned from ignoring my quad injury this Spring.

Pete Magill just published an excellent article about post-race recovery for masters runners in the new issue of Running Times. You can find it online here. As Pete puts it:

Most masters runners treat training as if it were a bank account.

We believe the more distance, tempo and interval work we can deposit into our training logs, the more we can withdraw come race day.

Only one problem: Our bodies aren't S&Ls. They're complex organisms. We don't "bank" workouts; instead, we use them to stimulate physiological adaptations that lead to better running performance. And these adaptations can occur only with proper recovery.

Read the article. I feel like I quote Pete all the time on this blog but he really knows his stuff!

This brings me to a final point, however. Simply put there do not seem to be that many good resources for competitive masters runners. I love the profiles of elite masters runners in Running Times, but those guys and gals are the rare exceptions, world class performers who typically age grade in the 90-95 (or higher!) range. On the other extreme magazines like Runners World are geared to fun runners who just want to be 'fit.' Nothing wrong with that, but it would be nice to see more articles geared to the more 'mortal' competitive masters runner.

Youngstown Peace Race 10K

2011-10-24T10:47:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I ran the Youngstown Peace Race for the first time since living in Ohio. I loved the course and really wish I was in better shape to take advantage of the perfect weather conditions. I really can't complain though. I ran 37:49 (6:05 pace) on the point-to-point course which ran through a beautiful metro park system before veering into downtown Youngstown for the last mile. Over the last few months I've had so many stomach issues that I was just happy to make it through the race feeling good (well, not good because 10Ks never feel good, but you know what I mean). I'm hoping I'm out of the woods now. I felt really good on race morning and as a precaution took an imodium an hour before the race and thankfully I had no issues. Age grade wise this performance is not as good as my recent 5K, which is not surprising since my training volume has been down from normal due to aforementioned health issues. Next up is the Twinsburg Turkey Trot 5 miler in three weeks. I did this two years ago and loved the course, which combines paved and woodchip trails. Very hilly early on but some nice quad busting downhills in the second half. A good cross country simulation. Workout wise I'll incorporate some longer long runs and some more tempo work into my program now that I'm feeling a bit better.

4 miles followed by 8 x 200

2011-10-21T17:42:00.003-04:00

Today was an easy maintenance workout at Rocky River HS before Sunday's race. Did an easy 4 mile warm up on the track -- boring I know but the new surface feels really good -- followed by 8 x 200 with 200 jogs. I did the reps cut down style, starting at 5K effort and gradually working my way down. Splits were 43, 42, 41, 40, 40, 39, 39, 38. Felt good and the reps felt easy. My body's feeling good on every other day training at the moment and I don't feel like I'm losing any fitness. Once my stomach is back to 100% I may make some adjustments but weirdly enough with less volume and more intensity in my training right now, I'm feeling more athletic. I've also been doing push ups 3 days a week on the hundredpushups.com program. I finished Week 3 today and managed to get in 88 in 5 sets with 2:00 rest breaks between sets. Not too bad for a scrawny distance runner!

10 miles easy in the pouring rain

2011-10-20T19:14:00.001-04:00

Did 10 miles yesterday in the metro park in total crap weather. Pouring rain, cold and the paths were kind of flooded in spots. Pretty much what I might expect to encounter at Club Nationals in Seattle in December! The pacing was similar to the run I did on Monday -- 8:00 pace out, a bit faster coming back. My body is just not agreeing with the meds I was on so I'm stopping them. Asacol is something you can stop cold turkey unlike Prednisone which requires tapering. The only thing that seems to work for settling my stomach right now is an Imodium now and then. I'll see what the specialist says in November. Feeling really good right now after being off the meds for a day, so hopefully I'll have a solid workout tomorrow before resting up for Sunday's 10K.

The Field Mice

2011-10-19T10:10:00.001-04:00

Though a huge cult favorite in the UK and amongst US indie kids during their late Eighties/ early Nineties existence, The Field Mice were way underrated. Because they were on Sarah Records they were dismissed as another 'twee' band by the UK press despite singles like "Sensitive," which sizzled with shimmering feedback as well as the likes of the House of Love and some of the other shoegazer bands of the time. Tracks like the hypnotic "It Isn't Forever," explored more experimental terrain, not unlike New Order, while introspective material such as "End Of The Affair" cut straight through the heart. Pretty Much everything you'd ever want by The Field Mice can be found on their excellent 1998 retrospective Where'd You Learn To Kiss That Way? (Spotify link to the full album below)

The Field Mice – Where'd You Learn To Kiss That Way?

Suck - War Pigs (1970)

2011-10-18T13:05:00.001-04:00

The Sixties garage rock scene has been mined to death but it seems like there are a few Seventies sludge rock nuggets to be discovered in the rubble, like these cats from South Africa who were covering the likes of Black Sabbath, Donovan ("Season of the Witch") and King Crimson, amongst others. Their complete recordings can be found on a compilation called Time To Suck! Pretty mean looking bunch too - wonder if they were Hell's Angels on the side? If an extended wigout cover of Black Sabbath's iconic "War Pigs" is up your alley, investigate immediately. Some more Suck tunes can be found on YouTube.

20 x 400

2011-10-18T11:59:00.001-04:00

This is one of my favorite workouts. Tough but a great confidence builder. Yesterday I went to the Rocky River track and after an easy two mile warm up, I ran twenty 400s at 10K race effort with 100 meter jogs for recovery trying not to take more than 40 seconds in between each rep. I managed to hit 87/88 for almost all of the reps with one or two at 86 or 89 depending on how the wind was. One half of the track was extremely windy, more so than usual at Rocky River. Someone needs to build a dome over that track! Anyway what I like about this workout is that it mimics a race, feeling easy early on because 400s aren't that long, but after a while the short recoveries catch up to you. My old coach, Pete Magill, likens this workout to putting your hand on a stove and just as it gets hot, pulling it away. If you can hold pace all the way and not slow down on your recoveries, it's a good indicator that you can hold this pace in a 8K/10K race. The entire workout adds up to 10K on the nose (25 laps). Based on the fact that I averaged 5:50ish pace for the reps I'm thinking that I should be able to run somewhere between 36:00 and 37:00 for 10K at the Peace Race on Sunday depending on the weather.

Coast "Now That You Know Me"

2011-10-16T13:41:00.001-04:00

This mid-Nineties UK band had one great single and a lot of fluff as evidenced by their lackluster full-length Big Jet Rising. But, man, this single smokes! Someone needs to put out a Nineties Britpop version of Nuggets because like the Sixties garage rockers, so many of these English bands had a great single or two but not much else in their arsenal.

10 miles easy in the wind

2011-10-15T17:16:00.000-04:00

Normally, I just post my workouts on running2win.com (see link above), but I'm on a mission to blog more often, so here goes. Today was an easy maintenance run of sorts just to make sure I was recovered from a hard interval workout I did on Thursday. I wanted to run on the bridle paths in Mastick Woods but due to recent rains it would have been a total mudfest, so I opted for a hilly out and back stretch at Rocky River Reservation. The winds were pretty strong this morning (according to weather.com gusts of around 30mph) so that made things interesting in the first half of the run, which was mainly into the wind with some crosswinds. I tend to run my easy days at about 2:30 per mile slower than my 5K race pace and today was typical as I averaged 8:00 pace on the nose, doing the first half super slow (like 8:15s) and the second half @ 7:45. I've been on the Asacol meds for a few days now and they seem to be settling me though sometimes I kind of feel nauseous on them a bit. Peppermint tea seems to help. In terms of ulcerative colitis flare ups, all things considered this has been pretty minor compared to how sick I got when I was in college, so I'm trying to deal with this in a somewhat positive manner. I seem to be running well on every other day training and I'm thinking that my body was breaking down a bit from overtraining, so maybe this was a sign to ease back. On every other day training I recover much faster and can handle more volume on the stress days so that's not a bad thing. If I feel like I'm losing fitness I'm going to join a gym and hit the elyptical and/or stationary bike. Monday I'll be doing a stress workout, probably 16-20 x 400 @ 10K pace with 100 recoveries and then it will be just easy running before my 10K on 10/23.

Mansun

2011-10-15T09:34:00.001-04:00

Lumped in with the post-Oasis Britpop scene, Mansun's 1996 debut single "Take It Easy Chicken" is a snotty groove filled anthem that almost beats the Gallagher brothers at their own game. Originally known as Manson (after the infamous killer) the band quickly altered the spelling of their name to become a play on The Verve's stellar B-side "A Man Called Sun." I still have the self-released 7" as Manson - not sure if it's worth anything! The group would go on to release a killer debut album Attack Of The Grey Lantern and several solid followups before calling it quits. At their best, they held their own with Oasis, Verve etc. and kind of predate Kasabian, while some of the lesser material was a bit too retro in a Duran Duran kind of way for my liking.

Mansun: Attack of The Grey Lantern
http://open.spotify.com/album/2ME2rcyb8BaB7q7gxKl9Z2

Ringo Deathstarr

2011-10-14T14:32:00.002-04:00

These Austin, Texas youngsters have been around since 2005 or so, and though they have released a few EPs and singles, they only just got around to releasing their stunning debut album Colour Trip earlier this year on esteemed Canadian indie imprint Sonic Unyon Records. If you are a fan of mid-eighties UK noise pop, namely The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Primitives and early My Bloody Valentine (think "Strawberry Wine"), Colour Trip and the brand new early EPs and singles compilation Sparkler will be way up your alley. I've been playing these records nonstop. If you have Spotify, check out Colour Trip via the link below.

Ringo Deathstarr: Colour Trip
http://open.spotify.com/album/4etQkD7AQtkMO1t5nQa1rB

Changes to this blog

2011-10-14T13:36:00.000-04:00

I'm at the point where I either need to stop this blog or update it a lot more often. The once every week or two updates aren't cutting it, so I'm going to make a real attempt to write something every day or two. Skyscraper Magazine seems to be on a hiatus so I'm itching to do more music reviews so those will be forthcoming. Thanks to spotify.com I've been discovering and re-discovering lots of awesome bands. I've been completely blown away by Austin, Texas youngsters Ringo Deathstarr who released their debut album earlier this year and just recently came out with a compilation of their old EPs and 7" singles. Both discs are available via Sonic Unyon Records and of course spotify, iTunes etc.

As for running, workouts are going okay though I've been struggling with some health issues, which will hopefully be resolved soon. To make a long story short when I was an aspiring college runner I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Basically, it's a more extreme form of IBS. It's mostly been in remission though this year I've had some flareups. Nothing extreme like I had when I was younger (i.e. internal bleeding) but I've been getting upset stomachs too often in workouts. I'm going to see a specialist in late November (god knows how long it would take if I didn't have good insurance) but for the meantime my family doctor has me on a medication for mild colitis called Asacol. This was pretty much the only thing that really worked for me in the past and I can tell after just two days on it that I'm feeling better. The gluten-free diet has been helping me a lot too. I used to get uncomfortable bloating feelings and bad indigestion but those two symptoms disappeared overnight after cutting out the gluten. Endurance sports are not easy on the system -- to be honest if I didn't run I don't think I'd notice anything. For the time being I've been running 4 days a week with bigger workouts on the days I run and full recovery (other than sets of pushups) on the non running days. I don't seem to be losing any fitness off of this based on workout times and my most recent 5K, so I'll roll with it unconventional or not.

Nature's Bin 5K Race Report

2011-10-03T11:02:00.001-04:00

It's been a while since I've updated this blog but my running is finally heading in a good direction fast. This past weekend I ran a 17:32 at the Nature's Bin 5K, which was my best race in a long, long time. Really happy with that as I was at 18:08 just 3 weeks ago. Also, the weather wasn't all that great. Mid 40's (which I don't mind) but rainy and very windy. I think the strength workouts I've been doing like the 8 mile tempos and the longer intervals have been working well for me. I've also been not afraid to take days off when necessary. It's harder to get out of shape than it is to get in shape so I'm finally learning to chill out and wait until I'm feeling ready to hit a hard workout instead of trying to cram them into a weekly schedule. The best advice Pete Magill ever gave me was, "It's not the workouts you can do that count, but rather the workouts you can recover from." Next up is the Youngstown Peace Race on October 23. I've never done this before but from what I hear it's a fast point to point course that is mainly run through a scenic metro park before finishing the last mile in not so scenic downtown Youngstown. This week I'll do a harder workout on Thursday most likely and a long trail run on Saturday. The week after that I'm off work so I'll try to nail a couple of tough workouts before easing up a bit before the race. After Youngstown I'll start doing more interval workouts on grass in my spikes to get ready for cross country.

Other than that, Skyscraper Magazine has been on a bit of a hiatus so I haven't written any music reviews in a while but some will spring up soon I hope. Best band I've listened to in a while is Ringo Deathstarr. Check them out!

Oktoberfest Bier Run Race Report

2011-09-07T10:50:00.000-04:00

I'm getting there ever so slowly. On Labor Day I ran the Oktoberfest Bier Run in Berea, OH and had my highest age-graded performance of the year with an 18:08 (5:50 pace on the nose). My last better result was a 17:37 indoor 5K in January. I still have a lot of work to do but I need to be patient and it's certainly better to be moving forward than backwards. The ironic thing about running an Oktoberfest race was that I started a gluten-free diet on Sunday, August 28, so I haven't had a beer since that time!

I decided to go gluten-free because I was having way too many stomach issues lately from running. If I wasn't a runner, I probably wouldn't have noticed anything, but competitive running isn't easy on your body. When I was 19 I was actually diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, so these kind of ailments are something that have been with me for a long time, though I haven't had any major flareups since my early twenties, just minor issues like what I had been dealing with. Going gluten-free seems to be making a big difference already in just one week. I had stumbles across an article about the elite runner Amy Yoder Begley who has Celiac Disease and her symptoms were pretty much dead-on to what I had been experiencing, so I figured I'd give it a shot.

Moving ahead, I've decided that I want to run the Youngstown Peace Race 10K on October 23, so that's my next immediate focus. I'm doing a low key 5K as a tune up three weeks before that. I'm going to try to do a few slightly different things with my training leading up to that race and to Club Nationals in December. I'm going to do some Hansons type workouts like 2 x 3 miles and 3 x 2 miles as well as 8-10 mile marathon pace runs. While I don't plan on doing a marathon, I think running strength workouts like that will be good for me. In the past I've always approached cross country as a 5K runner moving up so training more like a half-marathoner may reap some benefits. I may even run the Fall Classic half marathon 3 weeks before Club Nationals!

CSU Viking cross country update

2011-09-01T09:41:00.001-04:00

Back on August 27, 2010 I wrote an account of the amazing Cleveland State cross country teams from the late 70s/early 80s. It can be found here:

http://rocknrollrunner.blogspot.com/2010/08/when-vikings-ran-wild-in-flats.html

Much of the information was found on a blog called Gone But Not Forgotten, which is published by a former CSU runner Mike Sajovie. He recently got back to me:

I think you posted "When Vikings Ran Wild in the Flats" a while ago, but I wanted to say thank you for the nice comments you wrote about my post "Gone But Not Forgotten" from Mike's Cleveland Blog. My name is Mike Sajovie and I graduated from CSU in 1990. I was on the cross country and track teams from 1986-87, before switching over to road racing and training full time for the marathon my last few years of college. I have fond memories of cross country at CSU and still can't believe that men's cross country hasn't existed since 1993 at the school. My blog is very inactive but I still check back from time to time, and that's when I noticed your blog. It is very nice. It's good to see people my age still out there competing. I no longer log the serious miles but I still read up on the local running scene as I still live in the Cleveland area with my wife and daughters. Keep up the good work on your blog, and keep running.

There is a nice photo of Marc Hunter running in the 1978 NCAA XC championship. Visit:
http://runningentertainment.com/runningshots26.html. It is the 11th photo on this page. He is running between Rudy Chapa of Oregon and Henry Rono of Washington State. I think it was from Sports Illustrated. Cool stuff!

Thanks so much. The image Mike mentioned is posted above. Marc is the guy in the green singlet and green and white candy stripe shorts. Only guy wearing a singlet! It was 18F that day!

Singapore Sling - Never Forever

2011-08-26T10:23:00.000-04:00

(Previously published by Skyscraper Magazine)

Iceland’s Singapore Sling have been around since the beginning of the decade, yet despite having released four full-length albums (six if you count two seven-song mini albums) the group has remained strangely under the radar. Culling their name from an infamous Greek B-movie (not the famous gin-and-juice cocktail), the group brings to mind the likes of The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Cramps, and 1960s garage rock (the band’s 2002 debut, The Curse of Singapore Sling, contains a fascinating reconstruction of The Standells’ classic “Dirty Water”). At the least, Singapore Sling should have reached the stature of similarly-inclined outfits such as The Raveonettes, The Warlocks, Brian Jonestown Massacre, and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Frontman and main songwriter Henrik Bjornsson is easily as talented as the leaders of the aforementioned.

This was not to be, however. Despite an appearance at South By Southwest in 2003 and the release of their first two albums on American imprint Stinky Records, the band failed to make an impact on the US market – and seemingly elsewhere, too. Subsequent efforts, such as Taste The Blood of Singapore Sling (Sheptone/12 Tonar, 2005), Perversity, Desperation and Death (8mm, 2009), as well as a best-of compilation, The Curse, The Life, The Blood (8mm, 2007), were released on obscure European imprints (my wife had to email the band to find some of these releases, as we couldn’t find them anywhere online). The brand new Never Forever appears courtesy of small UK indie Outlier Records.

This latest album is a bit more subdued and darker in places than much of the band’s previous work. Perhaps it is appropriate that the album was released on Friday the 13th! While one can hear some of the group’s usual trademark influences, the overall vibe is moody and desperate, enhanced by booming Bo Diddley-flavored beats and ghostly, hypnotic drones, not unlike classic Krautrock or pioneering NYC art rockers Suicide. Never Forever opens with “The Nothing Inside,” a fuzzy, skull splitting rocker that holds its own with the best of the Singapore Sling’s back catalog. It is quickly followed by slower and scuzzier numbers like “Freaks,” the eerie and hypnotic “Tunnel Vision,” and the masterful “Sleep,” the latter conjuring up a similar slow burning dirty blues vibe to a pair of The Stooges’ Raw Power classics “Gimme Danger” and “Penetration.” The effortless “Take” is a perfect pop single that breaks up the tension a bit, but the overriding theme on Never Forever, as exemplified so well on the stunning near instrumental title track, is one of glorious desperation.

Doing it Old School

2011-08-20T20:06:00.000-04:00

The man on the left is Steve Moneghetti from Australia who was a 2:08 marathoner back in the day and still a 30:00 10K runner in his mid-forties. He is also the originator of what I think is the most genius bang for the buck stress workout a distance runner can do. The so called Moneghetti fartlek consists of surges of 2 x :90, 4 x :60, 4 x :30 and 4 x :15 with equal time recoveries. The key to the workout is how hard you push the 'easy' segments. I hadn't done this workout in a while, but today I laced up the racing flats and after a 3 mile easy warm up lit it up for 20 minutes. On paper it doesn't sound so hard, but if you hit the surges at 5K effort and push the recoveries, it feels almost like a race effort. Today, I covered 3.25 miles in 20 minutes on a marked mile path, hitting splits of 6:08, 6:10, 6:10. This means I was probably doing my 5K surges at 5:40-5:50 and the 'easy' portions at 6:30 give or take, so really not so easy. As a point of reference, when I was breaking 17 for 5K a few years ago I could hit the 3-mile mark in this workout in high 17's/low 18s, so I'm getting there. A few weeks ago I did a similar stress workout of 10 x :60 on / :60 off and was 28 seconds slower at 3 miles than I was today. I recommend this workout if you want to bring on the pain.

For the week I hit 55 miles, mainly easy distance outside of today's workout and a session of 5 x mile w/ 2:00 recoveries on Tuesday where I started about 1:00 slower per mile than current 5K pace and dropped 15 seconds per rep. Next up for me race wise is a 5K on Labor Day and I'm guessing I should hit about 17:20 - 17:30 nice weather permitting.

Beady Eye - Different Gear, Still Speeding

2011-08-17T13:33:00.000-04:00

(Previously published by Skyscraper Magazine)

Beady Eye is, of course, four-fifths of the final Oasis lineup – never mind that the missing fifth happens to be principal songwriter Noel Gallagher! While it is true that after the first few Oasis albums Noel allowed (probably somewhat reluctantly) for token songwriting contributions from his lead vocalist brother Liam, as well as guitarist Gem Archer (formerly of Heavy Stereo) and bass player Andy Bell (ex-Ride), Oasis was clearly always Noel’s gig. That said, Liam really stepped up in the songwriting department on Oasis’ final album, 2008′s Dig Out Your Soul (Big Brother/Reprise), writing two of the best songs on that record: the lush, Lennon-esque ballad “I’m Outta Time” and the explosive “Ain’t Got Nothin’,” which bordered on balls out punk rock. Perhaps Liam’s emergence as a songwriter was the final nail in the Oasis coffin?

As an album, Different Gear, Still Speeding isn’t anywhere close to being in the same league as the legendary first two Oasis albums, 1994′s Definitely Maybe (Creation/Epic) and 1995′s (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? (Creation/Epic). Nevertheless, the best material here holds its own with the rest of that group’s back catalog. The opener “Four Letter Word” is a defiant diatribe (probably directed at Noel, as the brothers Gallagher are no longer on speaking terms), highlighted by a brief yet-enticing opening interlude that sounds straight outta’ “Live And Let Die.” The song is a high octane guitar attack, similar in feel to punkier Oasis numbers like “Bring It On Down,” “Fade Away,” and “(It’s Good) To Be Free), and it sports primetime Liam vocals, in which he virtually spits out the lyric “nothing lasts forever” in disgust. “The Roller” is an amazing epic, part The Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love” and part John Lennon’s “Instant Karma,” with Liam’s vocals soaring over the band’s stunning orchestrated sound – definitely one of Liam Gallagher’s career highlights. “Three Ring Circus” is nearly as great, recalling Lennon’s angrier solo records. If The Beatles references laced throughout the songs weren’t enough, one of the better tracks on Different Gear is actually called “Beatles and Stones,” though it blatantly steals the riff from The Who’s “My Generation”! As on “Four Letter Word,” Liam is full of bravado here, proclaiming he’s “going to stand the test of time like Beatles and Stones.”

While Beady Eye falls short on a few tracks, especially the bordering on-painful “Hey Jude” pastiche “Wigwam” and the corny Little Richard/Chuck Berry-like 1950s-style rocker “Bring the Light,” Different Gear, Still Speeding is, for the most part, a winner and something that any Oasis or John Lennon fan will want in their collection.

Getting there

2011-08-14T22:46:00.000-04:00

Had my second 50 mile week in a row and the workouts are starting to kick in. Feeling good every day and starting to finally feel race fit. Had my best race of the summer on Wednesday in the Classic at Mastick cross country race in Mastick Woods. Racing mainly against high school runners (plus some college kids), I finished 35th in a field of 250 and was the second master after my teammate Damon Blackford. Time was slow but that's cross country -- it was a pretty challenging course mostly on rocky trails. The effort was really good and I felt strong and in control the whole time and was always passing people throughout the race. I have about 4 months to get in great shape for Seattle (Club Nationals Cross Country) and I need to now that the ticket has been bought. :-) Next race is going to be the Octoberfest 5K in Berea on Labor Day. I usually do the Northcoast Challenge 5 miler that weekend, but Bella and I have a wedding to go to, so it's a no go this year. The beer race sounds fun though and it will be nice to see where I'm at for 5K on the roads compared to the last time I raced the distance in June.

Gold-Bears - Are you Falling In Love?

2011-08-07T13:49:00.000-04:00

(Previously published by Skyscraper Magazine)

When I heard an MP3 of Gold-Bears’ infectious “Record Store” for the first time, I assumed that the group had to be from Ireland or the north of England. With their menacing buzzsaw guitars and a vocalist who sounded like a cross between The Undertones’ Feargal Sharkey, Buzzcocks’ Pete Shelley, and David Gedge of The Wedding Present, these guys just couldn’t have hailed from anywhere else. But what do you know? Gold-Bears are Anglophiles from Atlanta, Georgia, who, according to their All Music Guide bio, bonded over a mutual love for The Smiths, My Bloody Valentine, and The Wedding Present.

While I can hear some of those influences on Gold-Bears’ stellar Slumberland Records debut album, Are You Falling In Love? (vocalist/guitarist Jeremy Underwood’s lyrics have a bitter yet humorous quality to them, quite reminiscent to those of Morrissey or the aforementioned Gedge), sonically the band sounds more like a cross between high octane late 1970s UK punk-pop and some elements from the classic C86 sound, namely jangly guitar and plenty of feedback. A more jaded and mischievous Pains of Being Pure At Heart, if you’re looking for a contemporary measuring stick.

Are You Falling In Love? opens with “Record Store,” which provides a joyous rush reminiscent to The Undertones’ classic “Teenage Kicks,” including classic bordering on over dramatic Morrissey-like word play to boot: “You saved my life from the backdoor of a crowded record store.” The even faster paced “All Those Years” and “So Natural” follow, and by then the listener should be in a sugar rush state, jumping around the room. The introspective title track provides some breathing room and, in addition to being a fantastic song, it’s another Underwood lyrical gem, opening with the following gem: “‘Fuck my life’ you sent in a text last night”!

From this point on, Are You Falling Love? does an excellent job of combining faster paced punky numbers with more reserved material. “Totally Called It” holds its own with “Record Store” for the album’s best single (so to speak), heightened with a Smiths meets shoegaze guitar frenzy near the end. Meanwhile, poignant numbers like “Xmas Song,” “Besides You,” and “Yeah, Tonight” provide ample evidence that Underwood may have a future as a novelist if he ever tires of music. Underwood cannot be praised enough for his sharp, observant songwriting, which combines elements of nostalgia, regret, and hope without ever being even remotely clichéd. It’s been a long time since I’ve been so impressed with an album’s lyric sheet.

Weekly Training Update

2011-07-24T18:09:00.000-04:00

I managed to survive the scorching heat this week and had a pretty good post-race training week with 41 miles in 6 workouts (one day off for a much needed sports massage). After a few short and easy days to allow myself to recover from the Shot in the Dark race I had a really good 9 mile fartlek run on Wednesday a hilly segment of the Rocky River Reservation metro park. After warming up 20 minutes, I did a session of 6-5-4-3-2-1 where you run 6 minutes hard, 3 easy; 5 minutes hard, 2:30 easy etc. working your way down till you barely have any recovery time at the end. In addition to decreased recovery, the aim for this workout is to also run each surge faster than the one before, so if you do it right it's a real ball buster. Typically I start the 6:00 surge at about the same effort I might race a 10-miler and by the end of the workout, I'm running the 2:00 and 1:00 surges a tad faster than 5K effort. On Saturday I ran 95 minutes (12 miles give or take) on the trails in Mastick Woods, which were quite muddy from recent storms. Pretty fun to get off road and navigate on the trails. My next race will be a 5K cross country event at Mastick on August 10, so for the next two weeks I'll be doing a hilly fartlek session mid-week and a trail run on the weekend.

Shot In The Dark Race Report

2011-07-22T07:57:00.000-04:00

I managed to survive some pretty ridiculous temps last Saturday and ran a solid race at the Shot in the Dark 4 miler. The course was pretty hilly (two big bridges) and the combination of no shade and a 5pm start time made for some pretty sweaty conditions. I ended up with a 24:06 for 16th overall and first in my age group. The age grade score was about the same as what I had on July 4 but I feel like this was a better performance since the weather was worse and the course was much tougher. Next up is a cross country race on August 10. It's been in the 90s all week but I've manged to get in some decent runs and look forward to getting in a good block of training before the next race. After that I probably won't race again until mid-September as I really want to get my strength back for a solid fall campaign.

Kids On A Crime Spree - We Love You So Bad EP

2011-07-22T07:48:00.001-04:00

(Previously published by Skyscraper Magazine)

The story goes something like this: About 10 years ago, Kids On A Crime Spree founder Mario Hernandez was in Stockholm and had his mind blown when a friend put on Phil Spector’s Back To Mono box set (ABKCO, 1991). Hernandez, a long time veteran of acclaimed indie-pop outfits, including From Bubblegum To Sky and Ciao Bella, decided that he would like to emulate the troubled genius and create his own blend of epic pop.

The stunning We Love You So Bad EP is the first result of that endeavor, culled from some 100 tracks Hernandez has recorded since his revelation. With that kind of output, one hopes more releases are planned! Consisting of Hernandez on vocals and bass, along with ex-From Bubblegum To Sky cohorts Becky Barrons (drums) and Bill Evans (guitar), the Kids have a simple yet infectious sound that brings to mind the best of Spector’s “Wall of Sound” creations, in addition to modern acts like The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart (Hernandez’s sweet melodies are similar to those of Pain’s frontman Kip Berman).

The much-too-short We Love You So Bad (eight songs in 20 minutes) opens with the scintillating “I Don’t Want To Call You Baby, Baby,” which blends a spooky New Order bass line (Peter Hook would be proud) with some classic Jesus and Mary Chain reverb and fuzz. This is followed by “Trumpets of Death,” a classic surf pop meets 1960s girl group number where Barrons takes over lead vocals. “Sweet Tooth” is a hard edged mod anthem crossing The Raveonettes at their best with The Who’s “Substitute,” even nicking the latter’s guitar riff and “We Look Pretty Good Together” lyric! The explosive “To Mess With Dynamite” combines a breathtaking Hernandez melody with plenty of JAMC overdrive circa “Never Understand” or “You Trip Me Up.” The sweet sounding “Dead Ripe” captures the teenage symphony vision of Brian Wilson circa Pet Sounds (this would work well on a mix tape next to something like “God Only Knows”). “It’s In My Blood” is as dark as the name implies, the vocals and arrangement containing the same desperate longing of epic girl group productions like The Ronettes’ “Walking In The Rain” or The Shangri-La’s “Remember (Walkin’ In The Sand).” The final two tracks are “Impasto,” which flows like an excellent update of Tommy James and The Shondells “Crimson and Clover,” and “Jean-Paul Sartre 2,” a timeless pop song that brings to mind the likes of Teenage Fanclub and Big Star.

Primal Scream - Screamadelica Live DVD

2011-07-08T22:21:00.001-04:00

(Previously published by Skyscraper Magazine)

As a disclaimer, I’m normally not a fan of concert films or live albums, having suffered through the likes of Led Zeppelin’s The Song Remains the Same (Warner Bros., 1976) as a kid when they were my favorite band, or more recently, The Stone Roses’ Blackpool Live (Windsong, 1991). The former was chock full of all the rock’n'roll clichés exposed so well in Spinal Tap, while the latter exposed what all of us kind of knew, namely, that Ian Brown just cannot sing! I am, however, intrigued by the recent spate of bands performing classic albums in a live setting (All Tomorrow’s Parties’ Don’t Look Back series, et al), so after waxing poetic over the 20th Anniversary edition of Screamadelica (one of my all-time favorite albums) recently for Skyscraper, I jumped at the chance to review Screamadelica Live.

Filmed on November 26, 2010, at London’s Olympia Theatre, Screamadelica Live finds Bobby Gillespie and company in stellar form. Complete with a super tight horn section, a phenomenal gospel choir, a spectacular light show, and looking sharp in black suits, white shirts, and black ties, this was obviously a fantastic night out for the packed audience. Directed by George Scott, the cinematography is great; lots of really good close-ups of the band and not too many clichéd audience shots, apart from the occasional guy/girl breaking the cardinal rule of not wearing the concert t-shirt at the concert!

Although billed as a performance of Screamadelica in its entirety, the set list deviates slightly from the original album. But the sequencing makes sense here, with two blocks of upbeat material sandwiching the ballads. The concert opens with the same trio of tunes that kickstarts Screamadelica. “Movin’ On Up” sounds great with Martin Duffy’s honky tonk piano, the twin Rolling Stones-fueled guitars of Andrew Innes and Barry Cadogan, and the pristine horn section and choir stealing the show. Gillespie’s vocals here and elsewhere aren’t always up to par with his band’s performance, but the lead singer’s voice is greatly aided by the choir who tend to hit most of the high notes. That said, Gillespie does stand out on some of the ballads in the middle of the set, especially the bluesy “Damaged.” “Slip Inside This House” follows, and it is highlighted by some amazing psychedelic lighting effects. “Don’t Fight It, Feel It” keeps the party going with Mary Pierce taking on the lead vocals (Denise Johnson performed on the album). After that the band takes it down a notch, as the aforementioned “Damaged,” the spacey “I’m Coming Down,” “Shine Light Stars,” and the trippy instrumental “Inner Flight” provide some breathing room before the spectacular finale.

The concluding three tracks of the set are worth the price of the DVD alone. Because Screamadelica contains two versions of “Higher Than the Sun” (the single version and The Orb’s dub rendition), it was unclea how Primal Scream would approach it on stage. They manage to combine the two and then some, as the band delivers a stellar rendition of the standard version before bassist Gary “Mani” Mounfield sets off on a captivating dub journey, spiced with some electrifying guitar work. The trio builds to a crushing finale that rivals the power of Mani’s old band, The Stone Roses, on “I Am The Resurrection” and “Fool’s Gold.” “Loaded” is even better, as a “Sympathy For The Devil”-like groove and the famous Peter Fonda samples drive the crowd into a frenzy. The concluding “Come Together” is fittingly the highlight of the set. As with “Higher Than the Sun” the group opts to combine the best elements of the Andrew Weatherall-produced sample-heavy version that is on the initial UK (and 20th Anniversary) edition with the more conventional Terry Farley mix from the US version of the album, which features extensive Gillespie vocals. Personally, I actually prefer the latter version for its uplifting lyrical message, as well as the fact that it features one of Gillespie’s finest recorded vocal moments, which he nails pretty well here too.

As a bonus, Screamadelica Live also contains a 40-minute “rock and roll” set which the band played earlier that evening. The eight songs here are all pretty amazing, especially the hard psych meets techno fury of Vanishing Point and Xtrmntr standouts “Accelerator,” “Burning Wheel,” “Swastika Eyes,” and “Shoot Speed/Kill Light.”

Bay Days 5 Mile

2011-07-04T22:33:00.001-04:00

Another small step in the right direction. Two and a half weeks ago I ran 6:03 pace for a 5K in my first race since April 2. Today I ran 30:28 for nearly twice the distance at the Bay Days 5 mile Race (6:05 pace) on a very hot and humid day running pretty consistent splits. I felt much stronger than my last race though I don't have my usual final mile finishing gear that I have when I'm at the top of my game. Though I was a minute and a half slower than last year, I'm happy that I'm slowly getting my fitness back, and hopefully I'll end up salvaging this year with some better performances in the fall. I've decided that I'm not fit enough to be running the masters track nationals at the end of July so I've been building up my strength for cross country and longer road races. The past two weeks I've run 41 and 45 miles on 6 days a week with some solid tempo and fartlek workouts. I'm going to follow the Antonio Cabral cross country program for the rest of the summer, running a longer tempo each week and alternating hill and fartlek workouts like 1:00 on/1:00 off as my second key workout while trying to slowly build my weekly mileage. Next up for me is the Shot in the Dark 4 mile race, which is an early evening race in downtown Cleveland on July 16. Hopefully I'll make another leap like I did today from my June 15 race.

Sennen - Age of Denial

2011-07-02T12:02:00.000-04:00

(Previously published by Skyscraper Magazine)

Released in the UK last fall on Hungry Audio, Age of Denial recently saw the light of day in the US on limited edition vinyl, courtesy of Minty Fresh, to commemorate Record Store Day. This was the Norwich, UK, outfit’s first American release, and will hopefully spark more interest in the group. While I’d never listened to Sennen before, other than hearing their stellar cover of New Order’s “Bizarre Love Triangle,” I had seen their name tossed around favorably on shoegaze forums and always meant to check them out. While researching this piece, I was quite surprised to learn how much of a back catalog they’ve accumulated since their debut EP Widows (Hungry Audio, 2005), including several full-lengths and a large number of singles and compilation cuts. Looks like I have a lot of catching up to do.

Though presumably named after the Ride track on the Today Forever EP (Creation, 1991), Sennen have a pretty multi-dimensional sound, going far beyond reviving the classic Creation Records sound. Consisting of Laurence Holmes (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Richard Kelleway (vocals, guitar), Tim Kelleway (bass), and James Brown (drums), the group conjures up darker sound-scapes than is typical in this nu-gaze genre, bringing to mind the likes of post-punk icons, such as early U2, Echo and The Bunnymen, The Chameleons, or even the twisted glam of Placebo.

The in-your-face title track kicks things off with pounding beats and fuzzy guitar, as it builds to an epic chorus before fading into a sweeping, U2-like atmosphere near the end, bringing to mind the moodier material on The Unforgettable Fire (Island, 1984). This pattern of mixing softer and louder dynamics continues throughout Age of Denial to great affect, as on “With You,” which merges Joy Division-like precision beats within a summery pop song, and “Falling Down,” which starts slow and builds to a crashing finale like the best of Ride and Slowdive. Another huge highlight is “S.O.S.,” which has a similar drive to Depeche Mode classics “Behind the Wheel” and “Never Let Me Down Again.” “Red Horizon” is a fantastic slow burner, a powerful melody carrying the song as its instrumentation builds and builds but never quite explodes. The tension sets things up for the following track, the crushing “I Can See the Light,” a stunning piece recalling Catherine Wheel on Ferment (Fontana, 1992), especially when the guitars kick into stun-gun mode.

Primal Scream - Screamadelica: 20th Anniversary Edition

2011-06-30T11:06:00.001-04:00

(Previously published by Skyscraper Magazine)

At the time it was released, I thought 1991’s Screamadelica was the album The Stone Roses should have made as a follow-up to their hugely influential self-titled 1989 debut. While the Roses got bogged down in label hassles for years and didn’t release the disappointing and very trad-rock sounding Second Coming until late 1994, Primal Scream took the ball and ran with it, issuing one of the definitive British rock albums of the decade. In hindsight, The Stone Roses couldn’t have pulled off Screamadelica. The Manchester lads were loved by the then-exploding UK acid house scene because they made rock music that appealed to dance kids, however their records were still quite conventional next to Bobby Gillespie and company’s Screamadelica. Quite simply, Screamadelica is a joyous celebration of music, merging elements of classic rock’n'roll, psychedelia, house, dub, and even jazz into a landmark work of art which still sounds relevant and timeless two decades later.

Primal Scream did not always sound this way, though. Their early singles and first two albums, Sonic Flower Groove (Warner UK, 1987) and Primal Scream (Creation, 1989), owe more than a little to the likes of The Byrds, Love, and 1960s-era Rolling Stones, with a touch of the MC5 on the latter release. Their press photos were equally retro, the band decked out in flowery shirts, pointed boots, and shaggy hair. At the time it seemed almost laughable that they would someday create a landmark fusion album. Perhaps because of this, there is an almost Year Zero mythology attached to the group, implying it all began with Screamadelica (for example, their 2007 best-of compilation, Dirty Hits, contains nothing from the band’s late-1980s “indie” era). Early on, Primal Scream vocalist Bobby Gillespie was actually more famous for being the first drummer in the Jesus and Mary Chain. He played a minimalist drum kit, Mo Tucker style, and like the rest of the band looked badass in black leather and shades.

It’s important that this early history gets mentioned because, if it weren’t for a soulful mid-tempo ballad on Primal Scream entitled “I’m Losing More Than I’ll Ever Have,” Screamadelica may have never happened. Around 1988, the band had become enamored of rave culture and befriended DJ Andrew Weatherall. David Cavanagh notes in his excellent 2001 book The Creation Records Story (Virgin), it was Scream guitarist Andrew Innes who asked Weatherall to remix “I’m Losing” and “make it suitable for dancing to.” Of course, this would evolve into the February 1990 single “Loaded,” as Weatherall would keep the song’s basic instrumentation but pump it up with some “Sympathy For The Devil”-like beats and famously sample Peter Fonda from the 1966 biker flick The Wild Angels: “We wanna be free, to do what we want to do, and we want to get loaded, and we want to have a good time …”

This 20th anniversary edition of Screamadelica is available in several formats (all are UK imports). This review is highlighting the two-CD “20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition” set, which includes the post-album Dixie Narco EP on the bonus disc. However, the reissue is also available on vinyl, as well as in a “Limited Collector’s Edition” box set that features four CDs, a DVD, a gatefold double-LP, a 50-page book, a t-shirt, and other swag. Nevertheless, in all formats, the original 1991 album, remastered here by Kevin Shields, opens with “Movin’ On Up,” which can only be described as the best Rolling Stones song since say the mid-1970s. It was even produced by the legendary Jimmy Miller, who worked with the Stones from Beggars Banquet (1968) through Goat’s Head Soup (1973), and features all of that band’s signature weapons from the era; piano, scuzzy guitars, and amazing gospel backing vocals straight outta’ “Gimme Shelter.” The party continues on with a mesmerizing cover of The 13th Floor Elevators’ psychedelic wig out “Slip Inside This House,” which had previously been included on the 1990 Roky Erickson tribute album Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye. The Scream version, which includes a James Brown sample, is quite different to the freak folk vibe of the original, as the heavy beats turn the song into a dance floor anthem, even out stepping the likes of The Happy Mondays’ “Step On.” “Don’t Fight It, Feel It” is full-on dance music with sometime Primal Scream contributor Denise Johnson taking over the lead vocals. I remember a review back in the day describing “Don’t Fight It” as a collision between the MC5 and Italian disco, the analogy still seeming apt today. “Higher Than the Sun” is a much-needed chill out break after the rousing opening tracks. When first released, Creation label boss Alan McGee described the song as the most important British single since The Sex Pistols’ “Anarchy In the UK.” And while McGee was always prone to hyperbole, “Higher” is one of the definitive tracks of the era, featuring a space rock atmosphere while Gillespie seems to describe an Ecstasy trip: “I drift in inner space, free of time / I find a higher state of grace in my mind / I’m beautiful, I wasn’t born to follow / I live just for today, don’t care about tomorrow.” “Inner Flight” is just that, a mellow instrumental break that sets the scene for the album’s centerpiece, “Come Together.”

“Come Together” is, simply put, a 10-minute-plus juggernaut and one of Weatherall’s greatest arrangements, featuring extensive samples from a 1972 speech by the Rev. Jesse Jackson, including this powerful snippet, which nails down the message of Screamadelica: “Today on this program you will hear gospel. And rhythm. And blues. And jazz … we know that music is music.” Johnson’s amazing vocals keep time as she repeats “Come together as one,” while the Scream stay in tune with a fantastic instrumental arrangement reminiscent of Stax Records’ best sound. The aforementioned “Loaded” follows and, by this time, listeners should be thoroughly floored.

If the first half of Screamadelica is the party, then the latter half is the come down. Once again Jimmy Miller is employed to work his magic on “Damaged,” a bluesy piano-based ballad which could easily be an outtake from Exile On Main Street, as Gillespie steals the show with one of his best performances ever. Breathtaking. Next up is the even more mellow “I’m Coming Down,” aping a minimalist jazz arrangement that all but carries Gillespie away into space. This morphs into The Orb’s total dub deconstruction of “Higher Than the Sun,” with “Shine Like Stars” closing things out. Similar to “I’m Coming Down,” the song is almost a lullaby to put the listener to sleep after a heavy night of hedonism.

The Dixie Narco EP is a clue to what would be next for Primal Scream, as the band takes on a Rolling Stones meets southern rock and soul vibe that eventually gained full strength on 1994’s Screamadelica follow-up Give Out But Don’t Give Up (Creation/Sire). Recorded at the famed Ardent Studios in Memphis, this four-song collection opens with “Movin’ On Up” and also includes a first-rate country blues number “Stone My Soul,” a heartfelt cover of Dennis Wilson’s “Carry Me Home,” and the 1970s-flavored “Screamadelica,” which again employs the talented Denise Johnson on lead vocals.

Mentor Flag Day 5K

2011-06-18T18:17:00.000-04:00

I've never done this mid-week 5K before, but if I'm here next summer, I'll definitely do it again. This is a tough, tough course with lots of hills and lots of really nice, shaded paved trails. Sort of urban (well, suburban) cross country if you will. I was pretty happy with my race, considering the difficulty of the course and that my training has only really been going well the last few weeks. I ended up 15th overall and 3rd in my age group with an 18:45 (6:02 pace). It was good to bust some rust and remember how to handle race pain again. My pacing was surprisingly good. After a flat and very downhill first mile in 5:45 (probably would have been sub 5:20 if I had been fit!), I hit back to back 6:10's on the hilly second and third miles. So really, I ran the race about as smart as I could have given the layout. Next up is one of my favorite races, the Bay Days 5 miler on July 4. I'm hoping by then I can string 5 sub 6:00 miles together. We'll see. Right now I feel like my speed is better than my strength, so I'm going to tweak my training and do the Cabral 10K/XC workouts as opposed to 5K-specific workouts. Not much different really other than 5 mile tempos instead of 20 minute tempos, and longer intervals. If I can run sub 30 on the 4th I'll sign up for the USATF masters track championships and run the 10,000 meters (25 laps on the track!) at the end of July. I know I won't be in PR shape but if I can get to the point where sub 37 is possible, I'm cool with that. I've never understood people who never race unless they're in 'perfect' shape. As long as you're not injured, go out there and have some fun.

Back From The Dead

2011-06-05T14:54:00.002-04:00

It's been about two months since I've published anything on here and who knows, it might be another two before I do again. Hopefully not. Since this blog is pretty much about rock 'n' roll and running, I can at least say that both of those things are going well. I'm keeping busy writing for Skyscraper and I'm slowly feeling like a runner again. Had a great time in Ireland on vacation (my wife's blog has some great photos and recaps). You can find her blog on my blog roll on the right (Arty Farty Blog). Now pretty much back to my old routine of running, writing and working for the man. I have a few races lined up in the near future so it will be fun to test my fitness. First up is the Flag Day 5K in Mentor on June 15. It's a 7pm evening race, so that will be fun. I've started following a summer program posted on LetsRun by esteemed Portuguese coach Antonio Cabral last week and while he doesn't reinvent the wheel, he has a pretty interesting approach to interval training that I like. The length of the reps are much shorter but the recoveries are very short. On the 5K-specific program you alternate 10 x 300 w/100 jogs at 3K race pace one week with 10 x 400 w/100 jogs at 5K the next week. The other key workout each week is a 20 minute tempo run. Other days are just as much aerobic running as you can fit in without compromising the key workouts. If interested, just search for Summer of Antonio on LR. I'm going to follow this through the masters track championships until the end of July and if the program works for me, I'll jump into Antonio's 10K/cross country program for fall (similar workouts but paces adjusted for longer races).

Outside of that, I think my wife and I have hit the wall as far as living in Cleveland goes. Both of us are pretty restless and have always moved around a lot. We've been here longer than we thought we would to be honest. She can do art anywhere and I just need to reinvent myself and do something different. So far I've done everything from working in the music industry (journalist and record labels) to academic publishing to working in financial media to bartending, so I'll try to find something else to add to that list.

General Update

2011-04-08T10:55:00.000-04:00

Not much really going on but I've been pretty lazy with the blog so here goes. As far as running goes, I'm still dealing with that leg injury. I did race on it last weekend and ran a decent enough 10K in Michigan (37:41). Pretty happy with the time considering how little I've been training lately. I was too sore to run for the 2 days before the race but somehow managed to run just a shade over 6:00 pace for 6+ miles. Probably shouldn't have done that but it was a combination of stupidity and wanting to test my toughness. I passed on both accounts. I've been taking it easy since then and taking more action to get better. Had a really hardcore sports massage on Wednesday from someone who works with the Cleveland Browns and have another one lined up for next week. The results after one session were pretty amazing and I've been doing some good exercises she gave me as well. Next Friday I have some minor surgery (not running related) so that's going to force me to take a week off of running so hopefully by the end of the month I will be fully rested and 100%. My current race goal has shifted to the national masters track and field championships at the end of July, which will be at Baldwin Wallace. I will definitely do the 5,000 meters and may also do the 10,000 or 1500 as both of those events are later in the weekend. My main goal is the 5,000 - anything else would be icing on the cake. I'm better at 10K than 1500 but part of me wants to do the latter anyway just to work on my speed. I have a tentative 10-week training block set to start in mid-May after Bella and I get back from our 10th anniversary vacation to Ireland.

As far as writing goes, I've been doing reviews for Skyscraper Magazine (see link on the menu bar) and in another project I've been brewing some beer with some friends. We have a Chocolate/Coffee flavored oatmeal stout fermenting as I speak. Bottling will commence on April 17!

Staying in Shape to Get in Shape

2011-03-22T13:09:00.000-04:00

I'm not going to lie, this year hasn't been the best for my running. After getting off to a nice start in January, I've been dealing with a nagging hip flexor/quad issue, which while gradually getting better, seems to get a bit worse again for a day or two after any kind of stress workout. Very frustrating. Since Bella and I will be on vacation for 2 weeks in mid- to late-May (Boston and Ireland), I think my best approach now is to stay in decent enough shape this Spring and then ramp it up with no distractions when I get back home. It will be my Summer of Ben so to speak. I really, really want to run a great cross country race at club nationals in December and I also want to run really good 5K, 8K and 10Ks before that. I'm definitely doing the Meteor 10K in Michigan on April 2, but after that I'm guessing that I won't race again until June. As always, subject to change.

Change of Plans

2011-03-11T12:37:00.001-05:00

The combination of a huge snow storm and feeling less than 100% has convinced me to scrap the Beer Bottle Open race in Columbus Grove tomorrow. I had always wanted to do this race as it's part of the Ohio Grand Prix Series and because there are so few 4 mile races around these days, but Columbus Grove is a 2.5 hour drive and with this weather and not being totally fit, better to play it safe. My right hip and quad is pretty much pain free this week. I tested it out by doing my first hard workout in a while on Tuesday and that went ok. I've been doing a lot of stretches and leg lifts, which seem to be strengthening the hip. I used to totally ignore supplemental work like that, but not any more. Current plan is to run the Meteor 10K in Michigan on April 2 (3 weeks away) and hopefully I'll be able to get in a few quality interval workouts and some longer runs before then.

Aches and Pains

2011-03-02T10:26:00.000-05:00

February has been a rather non eventful running month. I've done some decent workouts, but a nagging hip/quad issue has forced me to take some days off too. I've had this before at the same time of the year so I think it has something to do with straining muscles from running on snow and ice. I feel mostly out of the woods - I felt very good on a tempo workout yesterday - but yesterday at work I was pretty sore post-workout. This morning I feel perfectly fine but I'm going to take a day or two off again as I really want this to be 100% when I race on March 12. The plan now is to rest and run easy and then try a very light stress workout 3 days before the race. Gotta take the ups with the downs in this sport.

Outside of running I have three CD reviews forthcoming on the Skyscraper website and a few things that I'll be submitting to the next issue of the Big Takeover. I especially recommend the debut CD by San Francisco's Weekend and the new Radio Dept. singles compilation.

White Noise Sound

2011-02-10T11:06:00.002-05:00

Note: This review was previously published last month by Skyscraper Magazine, who I contribute to on a regular basis.

To date, most of the reviews written of the very appropriately named White Noise Sound reference Spacemen 3 a lot, which makes this reviewer wonder how many of those critics listened to anything beyond the opening track. Part of this might be because Sonic Boom helped record this young Welsh group, along with Cian Ciaran of Super Furry Animals fame, and critics are looking for an obvious reference point. In reality, however, White Noise Sound is a quite diverse and exceptional debut album, encompassing everything from straightforward, raw rock’n'roll power to accomplished, experimental space rock epics.

Yes, the opening track, “Sunset,” which begins with fiery bursts of stun-gun guitar, is very reminiscent of Spacemen 3’s “Revolution,” at least initially. However, when the song fully kicks in, it sounds much more like contemporary fellow travelers, such as The Warlocks or Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, replete with a heady mix of post-Jesus and Mary Chain pyrotechnics and Stooges-meets-Velvet Underground rock’n'roll cool. It’s easy to picture black as the most prominent color in the White Noise Sound wardrobe, too!

The Stooges/VU reference point makes a lot of sense on “It Is There For You,” a slow hypnotic mood piece with almost spoken word vocals and occasional, furious blasts of power – very John Cale-inspired (think “We Will Fall,” which he wrote for the Stooges’ self-titled debut). “Fires In the Still Sea” is quite ambient and mellow, while “There Is No Tomorrow” picks things up with a Brian Jonestown Massacre-like psychedelic groove and an enticing arrangement that includes flute, piccolo, and sax.

This leads to the album’s centerpiece, “Blood” and “Blood (Reprise),” one of the best psych-rock songs you will hear all year. The former begins with an impressive array of feedback that Loop would have been proud of before kicking into a crushing rocker not unlike The Warlock’s “Hurricane Heart Attack” with its insanely catchy melody and skull crushing, primal “caveman rock” style. “Blood (Reprise)” tones down things a lot with a seductive arrangement of synths, drones, and subdued, distorted, hushed vocals. The vibe then builds to an almost horror film-like score climax consisting of sinister guitar feedback, which reappears near the end.

Other highlights include “Don’t Wait For Me,” which brings to mind the vastly underrated early 1990s Rugby, England, group The Darkside, while the album finale, “(In Both) Dreams and Ecstasies,” lives up to its name with an almost orchestral-like combination of soft and loud sounds. A fantastic end to a fantastic record.

Making Some Racing Plans

2011-02-09T10:53:00.000-05:00

Training in the winter months here can get boring fast, so it's good to have something to look forward to. I've decided to make the return to Michigan and do the Meteor 10K on April 2. It's a fast certified course and I'm due for a good 10K. To prep for it I've decided to use the Beer Bottle Open 4 miler in Columbus Grove on March 12 as a tune up. That race is also USATF certified and is supposed to be fast. Sounds like a good simulation for the 10K. I've never done this race before, but it's part of the Ohio Grand Prix circuit and it'll be a change of pace from the St. Malachi 5 mile race I usually run on that same weekend. I thought about jumping into another 5K (either road race or indoor) on February 19 but I'm thinking no as of today. Looking at my workout sequence there are a few key sessions in this block that I want to run before the aforementioned races. I made the mistake of training too hard too soon after my recent 5K and I've been nursing a sore right thigh and hip flexor as a result. Took one day off last week and I've had one day off this week as well. I still managed to get in 60 miles last week though and this week should be about 55ish I hope.

Round the Roo 5K

2011-01-31T10:13:00.004-05:00

Pretty happy with how this played out. I've had a really good 5-week block of base training this winter, averaging 61.5 miles a week thus far, but wasn't feeling race fast as my only hard workouts have been things like a weekly session of 4-5 x 4:00-5:00 @ 10K effort in cold, windy and snowy conditions. Was really nervous how that would translate to a 5K race, which is a total VO2 max blast. As I drove down to Akron to race this indoor track 5K on Akron University's state of the art 300 meter track, part of me was scared that I would struggle to run 6:00 pace. I felt sluggish during my warm up, but once I got in some strides and a brief 3-minute tempo I started to wake up. The race went pretty well. I settled into what felt like the 'right' effort and hit my first mile in 5:37 and continued on to the 2-mile mark in 11:15 (5:38). Good sign! I started to feel kind of rough with about 1200 to go, but just tried to focus on each lap and hold my effort. With about 600 to go I noticed a few runners coming back to me, which helped a lot and I managed to finish my last 300 fairly strong for a final time of 17:37 (5:40 pace).

Photo by johnnydajogger

The race was put on my teammate Jim Chaney who heads up Chaney Events, the best race organization company I've come across thus far. Jim's an excellent runner and he knows how to put on events that appeal to serious runners (i.e. results posted immediately online, not 3 days later like some NE Ohio race organizations!). Round the Roo was limited to 90 runners (3 heats of 30 runners) and each race went perfectly without any hiccups.

As for this week, it's back to the basics again as I get rolling on the second half of this 10-week block. This week calls for 3 key workouts, consisting of a tempo session of 2 x 15 minutes, hill repeats, and a 2-hour long run on Saturday. The weather is supposed to get rough again, so I'll take it day to day. Hopefully I can hit 65-70 this week. I'm really happy with how I've been handling the higher mileage this winter. I seem to be recovering faster than I used to on this amount of volume, which I hope translates to some great races this spring.

Round the Roo was a nice start to 2011. Hope that Jim puts this on again next year!

Couple of good weeks in the bank

2011-01-22T11:55:00.000-05:00

As I type this entry, I'm getting ready to head out the door for a 14-miler, which will give me 67.5 miles for the week. Last week I was at 66.5. The first month of my winter training block has gone really well thus far. Nothing fancy, mostly easy miles with a longer run on the weekend and weekly aerobic strength/tempo and hill workouts (short sprints or long reps). This past week my key workouts were 4 x 5:00 on Monday and 6 x Rockcliff hill repeats on Thursday. Rockcliff is definitely tougher than Detroit Ave. (my usual choice) but I think I prefer this one more. Forces you to focus on form as it is impossible to sprint so to speak. Next weekend I'll be jumping in an indoor 5K race at Akron University. While I feel really strong from the past month of training it'll be interesting to see what kind of wheels I have. Should be a good rustbuster and it'll be great to wear shorts and a singlet again!

Racing Weight

2011-01-19T10:41:00.000-05:00

If you aren't running as fast as you think you should be, chances are that you are not running enough and that you could also shed a few pounds. Matt Fitzgerald's recent book Racing Weight has garnered a lot of attention for good reasons. It's an excellent, easy-to-read guide geared towards endurance athletes. Fitzgerald makes specific recommendations for the following sports: running, cross country skiing, rowing, cycling and triathlons.

Before reading Racing Weight, however, I would definitely check out Pete Magill's article in the most recent issue of Running Times, entitled "Why Masters Runners Should Stay Lean." As Magill notes, "The average American male gains a pound a year from age 35 to age 60. Proportionally, women gain even more. We'd like to believe that this weight gain represents increased muscular strength. Or at least excuse it as a byproduct of decreased metabolism. But there's no denying its impact on our running performances."

So how light should you be? Magill provides examples of elite masters runners who still race at their college or even high school weights and also quotes esteemed coach and exercise scientist Tom "Tinman" Schwartz, who states that "A 45-year-old male who adds 10 pounds to his 142-pound frame will lose about 1 minute on a 17:30 5K time." That quote hit home with me as this past fall I was about ten pounds heavier than my high school racing weight (same height more or less) and was racing about 1 minute slower than the Age Grading tables indicated I should have been based on my best AG performances at age 17. Back then my best times fell into the 87-88 range, while now I tend to be in the low 80s.

So what do we do? Fitzgerald recognizes that "In no other sport is a low body weight more beneficial than it is in running. Without a doubt, getting as lean and light as possible without undernourishing their bodies is the greatest weight challenge runners face." Fitzgerald recommends that consistent high volume training is the way to go because it "sends a message to the body that all excess fat stores and even muscle tissue must be thrown overboard for the sake of maximizing running economy." Elsewhere in the book, Fitzgerald provides charts for ideal weight ranges depending on your sport. In general, you should be in the top 80 percentile for body fat proportion.

The chapters on diet are excellent and eye-opening. Fitzgerald provides charts that rank food quality, which makes me never want to crack open a soda or eat a french frie again! Over the past month since reading the book, I have been eating way more whole grains, fruit and veggies, no fried food whatsoever, almost no sugar other than dark chocolate (which seems to be the desert of choice in many of the sample diets of elite athletes that are provided in the book) and I've been feeling much more energetic. I've also been taking peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to work as snacks so I won't succumb to the endless amounts of baked goods that people bring in.

Right now I'm about five pounds lighter than I was a month ago and over the last month I've upped my mileage from 40-50 a week to 60-70. One thing I am doing, which Fitzgerald also recommends, is taking a down week now and then. My current pattern is two up weeks of 60 plus miles followed by a down week of 50. This is the best way to build mileage while also letting your body repair.

Winter Miles

2011-01-07T09:53:00.001-05:00

It's a new year and time for me to get off my butt and update this blog a bit. I have been getting off my butt to run, but haven't done much of anything else so I need to make a resolution to update here once a week or more and try to add reviews to the community blogs I'm involved with, Nostalgia Equals Distortion and Finally Checking It Out. As for the running, after taking off the week following my Charlotte race, I'm on week 3 of my winter base training. First week back I hit 53 miles, last week I hit 62.5 with a few key workouts (5 x 3 minutes on Monday, hill sprints on Thursday and a 12 mile long run on Saturday). Similar workouts this week though I'm doing a little less on the filler days and will end up with about 55 miles. After that I plan to hit two weeks in the 65 range and bring it down again the week of my indoor 5K race.

I've read a few great books over the last week that I'll review in more detail soon. Racing Weight by Matt Fitzgerald is excellent. Really tells you what you need to know about staying lean, eating right and training right. Even if you don't need to lose weight so much, almost all of us can eat better. I fall in the latter category and have made a real effort to stop eating crap. I've been bring PBJ sandwiches and cliff bars for snacks at work in order to avoid eating the baked goods people at work are always bringing!

The other book I highly recommend is Healthy Intelligent Training by Keith Livingstone, which is a modern interpretation of Arthur Lydiard's training philosophies.

Another Photo from Charlotte

2010-12-25T22:46:00.001-05:00

Second Sole Rocky River, 4th place, 2010 USATF National Cross Country Championship Team. Scott Snow is mysteriously absent from this photo, but the rest of us are here sporting the brand new Second Sole Racing Team singlets.

Back in the Saddle Again

2010-12-25T11:50:00.000-05:00

This was my first week back after taking a week off, so I've been a little sore everyday as I get back into the routine again. Once I finish this entry I'm going to head to the park to do an easy 10 miler, which will give me 53 miles for the week. My plan this winter is to get comfortable with the 60-70 miles per week range, but also be smart about it. I want to take a down week after every two up weeks. For example, next week I'll hit somewhere between 55-60 but then I'll drop down to 45-50 the week after that to refuel a little bit. I read a good article in the new issue of Running Times by Zap Fitness coach Pete Rea that discussed taking down weeks while building mileage. This is something I've always thought about but rarely did. Starting on Monday I'm going to follow the 10-week pattern that Pete Magill gave me that I used last winter, which emphasizes 3 key workouts each week. On down weeks I'll still do the key workouts but do a bit less on the filler days. I've signed up for an indoor 5K on January 29 which should be a lot of fun and it gives me something to look forward to because winter running in Ohio can get dull in a hurry. Not much more to report. Time for a little more coffee before I head out the door. Merry Christmas!

End of a Long Season

2010-12-21T10:31:00.000-05:00

Pictured above is the Second Sole Rocky River Masters team who finished in fourth place in the USATF National Cross Country Championships in Charlotte, North Carolina on December 11. Left to Right is: John Hopple, Ben Szporluk, Scott Snow, Rob Porter, Steven Fenster, Jim Chaney, and Damon Blackford. Last year we were 12th, so this was a huge improvement.

I was pretty happy with how my race went. While not in as good shape as I was last year at this time I ran a very focused and even paced race and just need to use it as motivation to get faster next year. After taking 6 days off post-race and enjoying some downtime in North Carolina with Bella and her brother Andrew, I'm logging in the miles again and looking forward to a very drama free 2011.

Final Preparation

2010-12-03T10:56:00.000-05:00

This week has been my last somewhat hard week of training before I ease back next week to get ready for the USATF Club Nationals Cross Country race in Charlotte. Hopefully, I'll be feeling as good as Kenya's Josephat Menjo (above), who ran the fastest 10K in the world in 2010. After my wind tunnel 5K on Saturday, I took Sunday off to recover and then ran a very solid 2 x 20 minutes tempo workout w/ 5:00 recovery between the segments, averaging 6:15 pace (first rep was 6:20 pace, second rep 6:10 pace). I felt really strong and smooth in that workout, which has convinced me that a day off each week is not such a bad idea. Need to let go of that streak mentality. If I were just running easy every day it would be no problem but stress workouts and races do require recovery. On Thursday, I did my second key workout of the week, 16 x 200 w/ 200 jogs. Nothing fancy here, but I did this workout cutdown style where I did the first four in 42 seconds (about 5K effort), the second four in 40 seconds each (more like 3K effort), the third set in 38 seconds each, and finished with 37s. I like doing workouts like this to work on form and efficiency and if you hold back in the first half, it's a pretty enjoyable workout, though I could have done without the sub 30 temps. Weather looks like it will be in the 50s in Charlotte though this time of year there's a good chance it could rain, which seems par for the course for Club Nationals.

Saturday I plan on doing a very easy 10 or 11 mile medium long run and then I'll do something like 2 x 10 minutes @ tempo on Monday. After that it will be easy running and making sure I'm caught up on sleep. I always take a week off after Nationals, but this year I feel more inspired to get rolling for next year. After my rest break I plan to start prepping for 2011 a few days after Christmas. Not sure what my goal races are but I definitely want to do a fast 5K and maybe do some road miles in the summer (I know there's a good one in Columbus in July). The masters national track and field championships are at Baldwin Wallace at the end of July and I know I'd definitely like to do the 5000 but if I can get my legs moving fast, I might try the 1500 too for kicks.

Tired, Tired, Tired

2010-11-27T12:20:00.002-05:00

I think the last six months have started to really catch up with me because my last few races have been pretty off. The last few weeks have been especially rough as I have been taking Bella to very early morning radiation treatments at the Cleveland Clinic, trying to sneak in a workout when I get back, and then working a very busy financial media job from 2pm till 10/11pm. Not trying to make excuses because everyone goes through crap in life, but watching your wife get cancer and go through a hell of a lot to finally kick it is pretty draining to say the least. Not near as bad as what she was going through, but it's very hard to watch and not be able to make things better. Thankfully, the Cleveland Clinic has. I can't imagine any other medical team doing a better job than those guys have done. Anyway, I ran a pretty uninspiring 18:16 5K this morning though in all fairness the winds were really awful in downtown Cleveland and it certainly wasn't a PR day, but since running that 17:06 in early October, I haven't really been that on. I feel great early on in races and then seem to tank a bit in the second half. Club Nationals is in 2 weeks so hopefully I can rebound and run a solid race and then I need to re-evaluate my training. Do I do more? Less? Structure my workout sequence in a different manner? Who knows? I'll figure it out. The fun part about this sport is that what works for you and what doesn't work for you constantly changes.

On a side note, part of me wants to run another 5K race next Saturday as my final effort before Club Nationals XC. I'll decide in the next day or two. Feel free to offer any advice!

Random Update

2010-11-12T10:26:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've updated this blog. No excuses other than having a lot going on at work and Bella's follow up surgery, which went well. The procedure allows her to bend her knee much more than she had been able to after the first surgery, and to reinforce this she is spending 6 hours a day on an Optiflex machine, which slowly bends the leg back and forth. Good thing she has a laptop to keep her company along with two hyper kittens. Next week she begins the first of her last 8 radiation treatments, which will hopefully be the end of everything. I've learned just to take life one day at a time lately, but both of us are excited to get out of here and go to North Carolina in December. I'm running in the club nationals cross country race in Charlotte on December 11 and we'll be hanging out in NC for a week after that with Bella's brother in Greensboro. The running is going pretty well. I'm amazed that I've managed to stay in similar shape to last year with all the crap that's been going on this year. Trying to keep really focused for that final month. Tomorrow I'll be doing a cross country race in Canton, which should be a lot of fun and on Thanksgiving Weekend I'm going to do a race that I've never run before, The Pigskin Classic. When you sign up for that race, you either get a Michigan or Ohio State t-shirt, depending on your affiliation. Having seen photos of past races, it's basically a sea of red even though Cleveland is more or less halfway between Ann Arbor and Columbus. That said, this year there will be at least one dude up front wearing the Maize and Blue. Take that Buckeyes!

Skeleton Run Race Report & What's Next

2010-10-25T10:19:00.000-04:00

Had a solid race at the Amherst Skeleton Run yesterday finishing in 17:41 for 1st in my age group and 6th overall. A much tougher course than the one I ran on 3 weeks ago so I'll take it. I definitely didn't feel quite as sharp, but I've been training really hard for Charlotte in December, so I think that was part of it. A few days before the race I ran a pretty difficult ladder workout consisting of mile-1200-mile-800-mile-400. The miles were all at tempo/10Kish effort and the shorter surges were progressively faster. Anyway, back to the race. First mile is flat and partially downhill and I did my best to hold back hitting it in 5:32. The second mile is really rough with a pretty tough gradual climb of maybe 600 meters or so leading to the 2 mile mark. I hit the 2 mile in 11:17 passing about 5 people on the hill. After that my legs were pretty rubbery but I gutted out a decent final mile.

I decided not to do another 5K on Halloween weekend and get 3 more weeks of training in for my next race, The Twinsburg Turkey Trot. This is a great combo trail/road race and the closest thing to cross country that I'll be racing before Charlotte. A course map with elevation charts can be found here. The race is managed by my teammate Jim Chaney's company, Chaney Events, and I definitely recommend it if you live in NE Ohio. I had a lot of fun there last year (unlike many races Jim will have the results up for you in minutes, not days!).

With 7 weeks to go before Charlotte, I've mapped out my final weeks of the season. Yesterday's race made me realize that I could use a few more hill workouts so I'll be doing a few hill repeat sessions in the coming weeks as well as my usual strength interval stuff. I'm going to drive out to Mastick Woods for a few trail runs as well.

Training Update: Rolling Along

2010-10-11T10:36:00.001-04:00

I had a really good week of running post last weekend's 5K race. Hit around 50 miles with two quality workouts. On Tuesday I did 5 x mile on the grass path at Lakewood Park in my cross country spikes. The times weren't all that fast but the conditions were pretty sloppy since it was raining and the footing wasn't the best. A good workout for getting used to the elements. Not all cross country races are in ideal conditions (at the end of the fall they usually never are), so best to prepare for the worst. My other key session was an 8 mile progression run on Friday, which I really nailed, running 46 seconds faster than I had done the previous two times I did this workout. The last 3 miles were 6:14, 6:07, 5:46, which was exactly what I was looking for. This week I had been hoping to run in an 8K cross country race at Oberlin on October 16, but it looks like they will not be letting unattached runners compete. Too bad. I was really looking forward to that. My plan B was to do the Rocky River Spirit Run on October 17 (hilly course so a decent XC simulation), but that just got canceled. So now I've decided to race again on October 24 at the Skeleton Run in Amherst. I've done this race before. It's very competitive and there are a couple of good hills in there, plus you veer off onto a scenic bike path, which is pretty fun. Not a PR course but I really want to get in a race on something other than a pancake flat course. Speaking of that, if all goes well in the Amherst race, I may do the Pumpkin Run 5K in Lakewood on October 31. That course is FAST, same one where I did my recent 17:06. On the workout agenda this week is 20 x 400 on the XC course with super short breaks tomorrow and a hilly fartlek workout on Friday to get into the groove for the Amherst race.

As for the shoe on the left, that's the newest color scheme of the Brooks Launch, which I just got. Great shoe (see my review from earlier this year) and I hate not having a visual when I post something on this blog.

Crocodiles - Sleep Forever

2010-10-10T16:47:00.000-04:00

Crocodiles are a duo from San Diego consisting of Charles Rowell and Brandon Welchez. Though they may hail from temperate climes, their acclaimed 2009 debut Summer Of Hate was definitely no Beach Boys theramin-heavy sunshine trip, owing much owe much more to the dark, druggy sounds of icons such as Suicide, Spacemen 3, and the Jesus and Mary Chain. Songs like the title track, “I Wanna Kill,” and “Refuse Angels” contain elements like spooky tremolo, brutal beats, and nasty feedback, and most importantly, they are catchy as hell. Sleep Forever isn’t a huge departure from the debut. Like Summer of Hate, Sleep contains only eight songs and clocks in at under 35-minutes, the band again not wasting time on any excesses whatsoever; in other words, another noise pop masterpiece.

Recorded in a desert studio in Joshua Tree with James Ford, who has worked with the likes of Arctic Monkeys and Klaxons, Sleep blends together all of the influences that were prominent on the debut with a tad more experimentation. Tracks like “Stoned To Death” and “Hollow Hollow Eyes” feature prominent Krautrock beats that pound like a Mack truck speeding trough the Autobahn. On the other side of the spectrum, the lovely “Girl In Black” and, especially, the masterful closer “All My Hate And My Hexes Are For You” sooth like the dreamier side of Spacemen 3/Sopiritualized with hypnotic drones and lush instrumentation (the latter is about the prettiest ‘fuck you’ song you’ll ever hear!).

The more ‘typical’ sounding Crocodiles tracks on Sleep Forever are stone classics that belong on jukeboxes worldwide. The absolutely fantastic title track (released as a pre-album 7” with a bewitching fuzzed-up cover of Deee-Lite’s “Groove Is In The Heart” as the B-side), is a ridiculously catchy, bordering on bubblegum, shoegaze nugget that sounds like a cross between The Telescopes, Jesus and Mary Chain and ‘60s sunshine pop. The staggering “Mirrors” begins with dreamy drones before soaring to epic heights like the best of The Church or Echo and The Bunnymen (probably not a coincidence that Crocodiles share the same name as the first Echo record), while best of all is the infectious “Hearts Of Love,” which combines a sickly catchy melody with a crushing wall of sound that would put a huge smile on Phil Spector’s face, especially the juvenile delinquent-themed video for the song, which is like something out of a vintage James Dean or Marlon Brando movie.

Fires Of Comparison is a digital only EP that can be downloaded for free on the Fat Possum label website. All four of these instrumental tracks are as engaging as Crocodiles’ two proper albums. The none-too-subtly titled “Kill Joe Arpaio” attacks the controversial Arizona anti-immigration sheriff with a heady brew of experimental beats and talk show samples, while “A House With Skin Like Yours” explores similar psychedelic ground to The Black Angels. The brief title track is a little bit of an overly experimental throwaway, but the EP concludes on a high note with the exquisite “Hearts Reprise.”

Band: myspace.com/crocodilescrocodilescrocodiles

Label: fatpossum.com/artists/crocodiles

EP download: fatpossum.com/news/83

Nature's Bin 5K: Does strength = speed?

2010-10-02T21:08:00.004-04:00

Amazing what a difference a month came make. On September 4 I ran an o.k., but nothing special 5 mile, feeling like I should have been about 10 seconds faster per mile than I was. I felt like I was in pretty good shape, but all the pieces weren't there. After that race, I made the decision to focus on strength in order to get ready for the Club Nationals Cross Country race in Charlotte in December. Since that Labor Day Weekend race, I've done three sessions of long intervals (mainly mile repeats) on grass paths, three progressive 8 mile tempo runs, several long runs, and a really good mixed pace fartlek session this past Wednesday. All good quality workouts, but certainly nothing 5K-specific. I felt like I had been lacking aerobic power, and today I proved myself right, running my best 5K of the year by 18 seconds, hitting 17:06 (5:30 pace on the nose) at the Nature's Bin race in Lakewood. The winner, Curt Bachus (also a masters runner) ran 17:02. The conditions were pretty ideal. 53F and some light rain. Curt took it out hard and after I passed the usual crew of misfits who sprint at the beginning of races, I found myself in second place trying to chase him down. I hit the mile at 5:35 and was probably about 6 seconds behind at this point. I was feeling really good, and didn't ease up at all during mile two but couldn't close the gap. Curt was definitely running hard as well. He told me after the race that he could hear my footsteps splashing in the rain the whole time, which forced him to keep redlining it. I hit 11:10 at 2 miles and still felt like I could maintain pace. The last 1.5 miles of this course is very fast as it is a straight shot down Lake Avenue with no turns and you almost always catch a bit of a tailwind here. I REALLY tried to close the gap at this point and I think I may have got as close as 3 seconds or so with 800 to go but couldn't quite seal the deal. In any case, I'm really happy with the race and feel like I have my groove back.

Now for the second part of the entry. Over the years I've noticed a pattern where I seem to race my best 5Ks when I'm not really training for the 5K. When I do 5K specific workouts like 400s and 800s at those V02 max zones, I seem to lose power and general fitness. It doesn't really make sense, but I seem to gain speed when I don't really focus on speed. I think there's something pretty magical about the 10K/tempo pace zones, especially for older runners. We don't recover as fast as the youngsters, so I think that may be the best way to stay consistent over the long haul. Anyway, my big goal for the fall is cross country, so I'll be at Lakewood Park again this Wednesday lacing up the spikes for some mile repeats.At this point, I'm waiting to find out if I'll be able to get into a college XC race at Oberlin on Oct. 16. That would rock!

Here are some strength workouts that work for me:

1) 4-5 mile repeats at 10K effort with 400 jogs (or 2-3 minutes) for recovery.
2) 8 mile progression run, starting at normal conversation pace and trying to drop 10-20 seconds per mile. If you do this workout right, you should be running somewhere between 5K and 10K pace during your last mile. I usually start at 8:00 and do something like 7:40, 7:20, 7:00, 6:45, 6:30, 6:10, 5:40-5:50.
3) 6-5-4-3-2-1-30 fartlek w/ half-time recoveries: This is one that I read about in Running Times magazine that the Zap Fitness team does. After a decent warm up, run 6 minutes at about half-marathon race effort, jog 3 minutes and then run 5 minutes slightly faster, jog 2:30 etc. Basically, after each surge you get half-time recovery, so while the reps become shorter, you have to run them faster, and you get less time to recover. This is a great race simulation, especially as you get down to the one-minute and 30 second segments at the end.

Outrageous Cherry - Seemingly Solid Reality

2010-09-23T21:36:00.002-04:00

Detroit’s Outrageous Cherry have been making records for close to twenty years now, ranging from experimental psychedelic excursions such as 2001’s The Book of Spectral Projections to pure AM radio inspired and reverb-laced pop. The brainchild of vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Matthew Smith, the group has had a revolving door membership over the years with one constant, Smith’s partner in crime, guitarist extraordinaire Larry Ray. When I listen to Outrageous Cherry I am constantly reminded about something Smith told me in an interview I conducted five years ago on behalf of their then new record on Rainbow Quartz Records, Our Love Will Change The World. Smith noted that from the band’s initial baby steps, “Outrageous Cherry was supposed to be a bubblegum band. I envisioned the Archies, if Leonard Cohen had written their songs to pay the rent.”

As simple as that statement sounds, there’s a ring of truth to it on almost every Outrageous Cherry recording. Smith has a genius knack for infusing subversive messages and arrangements into seriously catchy pop songs that will stay in your head for days. Like all bands that have been around for more than an album or two, Outrageous Cherry have had their highs and lows in terms of popularity. The group seemed to be riding a nice wave five years ago when Rainbow Quartz released the aforementioned Our Love, as well as the following year’s Stay Happy. Both of those records emphasized the band’s more pop-oriented side with a hit parade’s worth of peppy radio-friendly nuggets. With the backing of an influential and successful indie label known for its focus on ‘60s and ‘70s influenced artists, it seemed like Outrageous Cherry might finally achieve some long-deserved mainstream success. This coincided with the championing of the band by influential DJ Little Steven Van Zandt, who released an excellent compilation of Outrageous Cherry’s work entitled Wide Awake in the Spirit World on his Wicked Cool imprint in 2008. Sadly, Outrageous Cherry still remains too much of a best-kept secret in the mainstream, though fellow artists, such as Wilco and New Pornographers love them, the latter even releasing an Outrageous Cherry covers EP! In any case, after a brief recording hiatus post-Stay Happy, Outrageous Cherry came back with a bang on 2009’s phenomenal Universal Malcontents on Alive Records. While Alive is much more known for their garage and punk acts, the label seems to be a nice fit for Outrageous Cherry. For one thing, I can’t think of any label that has done more for Detroit artists than Alive (check out their latest signing The Sights!), and, especially its sister label Bomp! Records, formed by the late Greg Shaw, who put out numerous MC5 and Stooges archival releases during a time when no one seemed to care about either artist.

Like Universal Malcontents, Seemingly Solid Reality is a perfect marriage of all of the genres that inspire Smith, namely ‘60’s bubblegum and ‘70’s AM radio pop with a dash of psychedelic sound to keep things off kilter. To quote Smith, “I grew up on that early ‘70s pop radio when all those different things were mixed up. Things weren’t divided into different formats. Back then it was Anne Murray next to Deep Purple next to Kool and the Gang next to T. Rex. Nobody complained. If you tried to do that nowadays, people would think you were expecting too much of them. Today, it would be an act of political insurrection to play the Beatles next to Gordon Lightfoot and Kool and the Gang all in the same hour.” Seemingly opens with a bang on the alluring title track instrumental, which brings to mind the vibe of David Bowie’s “Heroes” with a hard-hitting glam guitar sound, a perfect mood setter for the excellence that follows. Much of the album outlines the contrasts that have been prominent throughout Smith’s writing career, namely, upbeat arrangements with deep, thought provoking messages such as on “Unbalanced in the City,” an account of urban alienation set to a punchy T. Rex beat. Other highlights include the Modern Lovers-like stomp of “Self-Made Monster” and “Forces of Evil,” which is laced with a sinister psychedelic guitar sound courtesy of Smith and Ray. My favorite song is the finale, “The Unimportant Things,” reminiscent of solo John Lennon, featuring one of Smith’s strongest vocal performances to date.

Links:
Label: alive-totalenergy.com
Artist: alive-totalenergy.com/x/?page_id=228
MySpace: myspace.com/outrageouscherry

Cross Country Time!

2010-09-14T12:41:00.002-04:00

The photo on the left says it all. Cross Country is a brutal sport. You need to have the strength of a marathon or half-marathon specialist and you need to have the wheels of a 5K guy to handle all the surges and burst of power needed to run a good cross country race. Last week I brought out the cross country spikes and did 5 x mile repeats on a grass loop with 440 jog recoveries. The session went pretty well but I averaged about 25 seconds per mile slower than I would have done on the roads or a track. Cross country running is an entirely different animal and the only way to get better at it, is to do a lot of off road workouts. The best XC runners seem to be able to run nearly as fast on grass and dirt as they do in road races. I'm planning on doing an XC specific workout every week this fall leading up to club nationals, with the exception of weeks when I'm racing (I'll hit the track for lighter tuneup workouts those weeks). In past years I haven't done enough cross country work, so this time there will be no exceptions. Tomorrow I have a good one planned on the grass loop at Lakewood Park, a ladder consisting of mile, 1320, mile, 880, mile, 440 with 440 recoveries between each surge. The miles will be run at 10K effort and the shorter reps will be run at increasingly faster paces with the aim of finishing the last 440 at about the effort I would sustain in a mile race.

As far as racing goes, I won't be toeing the line until I run a low key 5K on October 3, followed by a much higher profile 5K on a hilly course on October 24. I had initially planned on doing the Cleveland Heroes Run 5 miler this coming Sunday, but Bella is having surgery on Friday to get her tumor removed and will be in the hospital over the weekend. Racing is definitely not on my mind this week.