Instamatic

Despite the fact I have to wake up about four hours earlier than I am used to, racing is fun. So after exclusively racing in the morning the past few years I finally got to compete in a race that doesn’t take place at a time when I’m normally asleep. The CaroMont Candlelight 8k was also the first 8k I’ve done since college.

The late start time wasn’t perfect because I had to adjust my pre race routine. I had to eat my Subway Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki for lunch rather than dinner the night before. Also, I since I worked that night I needed to scramble and get a few pictures from the race for the next day’s paper. This just meant post race scrambling for me, rather than my usual short and relaxed cool down.

Despite the fact that this was the first year of the race, the field was really strong for a Gaston County race. I almost wish I had watched it since the winning time of 23:31 for the 5 mile course was quite fast.

A few running clubs from Charlotte participated and they brought a handful of fans scattered throughout the course. Unfortunately as I ran the course with most of the top groups their fans would cheer their people on but I wouldn’t get any love. I would hear the same names getting cheered over and over during the race and hear things like you “can beat this guy (me),” or “don’t let him (me) pass you” a few times.

I went in hoping to run under 30 minutes, I missed this and ran a 31:02.  I was dissapointed in this but enjoyed racing.

Reason 1 why running is better than driving. I can run more than 10 miles in Gastonia without having to stop, but somehow I can’t even drive a mile without hitting a red light.

One of the coolest things about running is seeing little details in the community. Yesterday I saw Gastonia’s 7 ½ Avenue, nestled between East Garrison and 8th Avenue, the road doesn’t even appear on a map. Thinking that I had gone into some sort of twilight zone or oxygen depravation I made sure I did a double take and made sure to double check the next time I passed by.

I just got my Garmin 405CX gps watch, and the second I opened it I needed to go for a quick run just to see what it can do. I’ve gone on four runs so far and it posts everything online automatically, check me out http://connect.garmin.com/explore?owner=cameraman117  .

Using it for fun, and using it to get better are two different things, and I’m working on writing a column on my experiences with it.

I’ve been feeling great about my training the past month, running an 18:21 5k on Labor Day, which is a yearly best and a Gastonia best, or the best I’ve run since living in Gastonia. I’ve limited my speed work to an occasional tempo run and hills. Focusing on consistent daily training I’d guess my weekly mileage is about 50 miles.

So to celebrate I just purchased a Garmin GPS watch. Not wanting to get something that was calculator size I spent $400 on their top of the line 405CX. I plan to write a full blown column on it in a couple of weeks but since it hasn’t arrived yet it will have to wait.

Just got back from vacation, and somehow managed to squeeze in runs on every day at Disney. Even though I added Florida to the list of states that I’ve run in several years ago, I made sure to go for a run the first night I was there.  I’ve run in 14 states and hope to keep on adding states to the list.

Not wanting to do anything hard, I just worked on getting a good 5 to 7 miles in each day and hoped to return in at least as good of shape as I was in when I left.

Roughly 25 police officers quickly converged on the scene of a triple shooting, the only problem was there were approximately 50 people who had just witnessed a shooting involving their friends and family. After hearing a lot of chatter over the scanner our reporter and I arrived within 30 minutes of the shooting.

Anytime Lowell, Gastonia, Gaston County, Gaston County Sheriffs and a few other agencies all send officers you know the situation will be big. After expanding their taped off boundary it forced all the people that were watching to one of two areas. With all these people in the same area a fight broke out. Being on the other side of the fight and seeing several officers race to the opposite side I joined them, luckily one of the cut the police tape making it easier for me to get to the other side.

After arriving there was one man laying on the ground being helped by bystanders and police officers. The scene was risky for everyone involved, since there was only a limited space not blocked off by police tape. I tried my best to stand near police photographing the chaos.

All antiperspirant commercials are the same, people participate in an activity such as tennis in the heat and hours later still haven’t perspired. Unfortunately sweating is the primary way that our bodies cool themselves and blocking this mechanism from functioning limits the ability to maintain a healthy temperature.

Therefore when I run I never wear antiperspirant, I usually wipe off antiperspirant if I happen to be wearing it but usually run before I’ve applied for the day.

I’m gonna go ahead and make this the first entry in a blog series on sweat.

If you want an accurate measure of how much sweat and fluids you lose when running in the summer simply weigh yourself naked before and again after drying yourself after your runs. For every pound of body weight lost you need to consume at least an additional 16 ounces of fluids.  Depending on personal preference try to replenish at least this amount over the next few hours with sports drinks or water.

Needing a feature photo for Saturday’s paper I headed over to Martha River’s Park in Gastonia.  Martha River’s is one Gaston County’s goldmines for feel good pictures that don’t have stories. 

I ran into the Phillips family riding scooters around the park.  The four were taking turns racing down a hill with the three boys Ethan, 10, Isaac, 8, and Caden, 5 agressively sprinting ahead of the one girl Riley, 7.  Riley realized that I wasn’t just taking pictures when the quartet she rode down the hill but also on their return trip.

After finishing with the shoot I walked the 200 meters back to my car.  I could hear the kids excitedly talk about getting their picture in the paper.  The one that seemed the most excited was Riley who’s happy high pitched screams I heard the longest.  She seemed to know that I’d already decided to run a shot of her out front.

Motorists give me lots of funny looks and honks when I’m running on the side of the road. However you can multiply the number of honks by 100 if I’m running with a camera chasing down a guy carrying a cross by one of Gastonia’s busiest intersections.

I knew that I’d have to use some of my running experience to keep up with Al Heafner, even though he was carrying a large wooden cross he still was a fast walker. When I first introduced myself explaining what I wanted to do he asks me if I think I can keep up with his brisk pace, I responded that I could absolutely keep up.