Abuse of Power is a Waste of Resources

Another glorious run in shorts today!

Went for a 6.29 miles today - my regular workout distance at a decent pace.

Listened to two podcasts about Governor Cuomo:

The Daily: The Ruthless Rise and Lonely Decline of Andrew Cuomo

The Ezra Klein Show: Andrew Cuomo and the Performance of Power

A big take-away was the waste of time spent, among other things, on currying favor in offices or between powerful people, or creating workplace cultures of any sort that focus most of their energies on things that are not the work-task.

How much better could society get if we were to focus on qualifications for doing the job and then on getting the work done?

Mind-boggling.

Meanwhile, here are the geekier running details:

I use iSmoothRun for tracking on an iPhone and linked to an Apple Watch. iSmoothrun allows me to customize a workout better than most apps I have used.

Fuller stats found at Smashrun here.

Also here I am at Strava here.

I follow and connect via both platforms, but more on Strava.

Some details for the run:

Running Time: 56:46
Total Distance: 6.29 miles
Avg. page: 9:02/mile

Anything that happens to anyone could happen to me

Happy Spring everyone! It certainly feels that way here in Buffalo. Ran in shorts and a short sleeve shirt and everything. Still in a mask and still avoiding crowds.

Went for a 3.44 mile run today - shorter slower miles following a good long mile day yesterday.

Still listening to my latest obsessive sci-fi reading - Persepolis Rising, which is Book 7 of the Expanse series.

Here’s a thought-worthy quote from what I listened to today:

“…I am a human being. Anything that happens to human beings could happen to me. One time and another in the years since, she’d taken comfort from that. Or warning. People fall in love, so maybe I will too. People get jobs, so maybe I will too. And people get sick. People have accidents…And so that could happen to me too.” [Page 431]

We are all in this together, we are all connected. There really is no us and them. What happens to any of us could happen to all of us. Sometimes a comfort, sometimes a reminder of just how much is riding on all of us.

Meanwhile, here are some geekier running details.

I use iSmoothRun for tracking on an iPhone and linked to an Apple Watch. iSmoothrun allows me to customize a workout better than most apps I have used.

Fuller stats found at Smashrun here.

Also here I am at Strava here.

I follow and connect via both platforms, but more on Strava.

Some details for the run:

Running Time: 33:26
Total Distance: 3.44 miles
Avg. page: 9:43/mile

The Joy of a Longer Run

Went for a 7.21 mile run today - longer miles and remembered just how great it can be to do a good long run.

Whatever incentive systems I have managed through the years to make it possible for me to run far - tracking apps, race prep, you name it - nothing beats the feeling I got today, over four miles into a run when I had been going slow enough to just keep going and not worry about it.

I feel some real joy when I have managed to balance that sense of pace and distance and just keep going without pushing.

Still listening to my latest obsessive sci-fi reading - Persepolis Rising, which is Book 7 of the Expanse series. A truly wonderful standout in the field of sci-fi.

Meanwhile, here are the geekier running details.

BTW, I have been running with Galloway style breaks - today about 30-40 seconds every 1.2 miles - for years now. I think it helps endurance and healthy running.

Also, I am a huge fan of smaller pace length and mid-foot strike - been running on Altra shoes for years now and got into it after reading Born to Run a while back.

I use iSmoothRun for tracking on an iPhone and linked to an Apple Watch. iSmoothrun allows me to customize a workout better than most apps I have used.

Fuller stats found at Smashrun here.

Also here I am at Strava here.

I follow and connect via both platforms, but more on Strava.

Some details for the run:

Running Time: 1:11:19

Total Distance: 7.21 miles

Avg. page: 9:54/mile

Push or coast?

Went for a 3.33 mile run today - slow, short miles after a longer day yesterday..

Still listening to my latest obsessive sci-fi reading - Persepolis Rising, which is Book 7 of the Expanse series. A truly wonderful standout in the field of sci-fi.

Some roles don’t feel right, and some feel more comfortable. Should we be pushing ourselves always or might we do better with something that is less challenging?

I don’t have the answers on that one, but was thinking about that, and how I need to stretch my calves more to avoid shin splints as I ramp up the mileage again.

Meanwhile, here are the geekier running details.

I use iSmoothRun for tracking on an iPhone and linked to an Apple Watch. iSmoothrun allows me to customize a workout better than most apps I have used.

Fuller stats found at Smashrun here.

Also here I am at Strava here.

I follow and connect via both platforms, but more on Strava.

Some details for the run:

Running Time: 32:41
Total Distance: 3.33 miles
Avg. page: 9:49/mile

Living in between - run thoughts

Went for a 6.34 mile run today - good to be back at my normal workout distance.

See below for geeky running details.

Listened to my latest obsessive sci-fi reading - Persepolis Rising, which is Book 7 of the Expanse series. A truly wonderful standout in the field of sci-fi.

Got me thinking about moving between states - as individuals, communities, peoples, and the world. Every moment is between two others - we are always in motion. The idea that there is a static moment where everything “just is” is an illusion. Embracing that kind of constant change is difficult and I am working through it personally right now.

Meanwhile, here are the geekier running details.

I use iSmoothRun for tracking on an iPhone and linked to an Apple Watch. iSmoothrun allows me to customize a workout better than most apps I have used.

Fuller stats of today’s run at Smashrun here.

Also here’s the run Strava here.

I follow and connect via both platforms, but more on Strava.

Some details for the run:

Running Time: 1:00:05

Total Distance: 6.34 miles

Avg. page: 9:29/mile

Short run - Ezra Klein and how we work

Went for an easy 3.45 mile run today. Short miles after longer day yesterday.

See below for geeky running details.

Listened to this podcast while running:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/05/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-cal-newport.html

Ezra Klein talks to Cal Newport about how the way we work isn’t working for anyone.

One big takeaway from the interview was that when companies started to “save on staffing,” when executives starting doing their own document creation and email, it turned out that there was a loss in productivity, leading to the need to hire more higher paid people.

Net result was a 15% increase in staffing costs. So much for efficiency.

How do the ways we work not work for us, both as people and employees, for employers, and for society? Seems like a really good thread to pick at.

Meanwhile, here are the geekier running details.

I use iSmoothRun for tracking on an iPhone and linked to an Apple Watch. iSmoothrun allows me to customize a workout better than most apps I have used.

Fuller stats of the run at Smashrun here.

Also here’s the run Strava here.

I follow and connect via both platforms, but more on Strava.

Some run details:

Running Time: 33:02

Total Distance: 3.47 miles

Avg. page: 9:32/mile




Ran 16 miles yesterday - you can help by doing much less!

Here are my mental health maintenance activities on the weekend of Shabbat Tshuvah, the Sabbath of Repentance:
- 16 mile run.
- Two walks around the local lake with Sadie.
- Going with Jude and Sadie to Monkey Joe's.
- Officiating at a wedding and attending the beautiful Memorial Service at the Hebrew Cemetery of Charlott.

What have you done for your mental health this weekend?

Join me in advocating for mental health for everyone - you don't even need to run any miles, although you are welcome to join me in that too (you can run/walk a 5K, or run a half marathon instead of the full as well). Make sure to join the Run for Wellness team!

And of course, you can support the cause financially here:
Contribute to Run for Wellness


Run for Wellness - Less than 9 weeks to go!

Today I did my Tempo Run of the week - including an attempt to do 3 tempo miles at an 8 minute per mile pace or better (I did that on one).

Couldn't get out and exercise or join the Run for Wellness team? How about a donation for the sake of American mental health - check out the campaign here:

Run for Wellness

Join me in de-stigmatizing mental health and making it an American priority.

 

Today's training run for peace - tempo!

Help support peace and co-existence among Israelis and Palestinians by giving to the Peres Center for Peace - click here to donate and support my Rabbi Run for Peace.

Today's tempo run goal was 3 miles at a 7:25 pace, two easy miles to warm up and one easy mile to cool down.

On the three fast miles I managed: 7:22, 7:42, and 7:47 splits.

Not as fast as I'd like, although not too shabby. Still walking 30 seconds after every mile, and the walking is included in the times, hence the slower second and third splits.

Thanks to Run Less Run Faster and Jeff Galloway for all the tips on training. Marathon in 9 days!

Marathon for Peace - Stories for Peace

by Rabbi Jonathan Freirich

This week at Temple Beth El University we begin a three week series about the current situation in Israel and what we can do about it.

Here are all the details: link to full TBEU description.

If you haven't registered already, come by on Wednesday evenings, November 5, 12, and 19, and you can still attend.

Our purpose in bringing this conversation about Israel to TBE is to shift our focus on the debate between competing ideas of nations, and instead move towards a dialogue between peoples. In speaking with Israelis and Palestinians, most of whom seem to have opinions in the middle of the spectrum, there seems to be an overwhelming desire for real co-existence.

I believe that peaceful co-existence may be achievable, perhaps even necessary, before a formalized peace is finalized. People may need to see the fruits of working together - in terms of concrete improvements to the lives of Israelis and Palestinians - before the leaders of either people may feel forced to make the necessary compromises for peace between nations.

So, in addition to having conversations about this idea in November, I am also running our local Charlotte Marathon, Thunder Road, on November 15, in support of the Peres Center for Peace, which promotes projects of collaboration and cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians.

Please take a moment to spread the word about this effort to complete my 6th marathon, and also raise resources and awareness for peace between Palestinians and Israelis: click here to support the Rabbi Run for Peace.

Here is a fun and inspiring video from the Peres Center.


Two weeks of runs - getting faster

I reached a great milestone this week, ran 7 miles averaging less than 8 minutes per mile. Still walking 30 seconds per mile on distance and tempo runs, and those walks are in the times. Here are all the runs and their logs...​

April 20 - 7 miles at an 8:08/mile average - had a good run and beat the goal, averaging 8:03/mile according to Nike+'s record here.​

April 22 - intervals - four 3/4 miles at 5:13 each, with 1/4 miles resting between them. On intervals, I run 2 miles to warm up, and around 1 mile as a cool down. I managed to keep the pace close to the goal on the first two intervals and dropped 20 and 30 seconds on the uphill segments. Full details here.​

April 25 - Tempo run - 3 miles at 7:38/mile average - plus 1 mile warm up and 1 mile cool down. Almost did this - the splits on the three miles were: 7:18, 7:40, 8:03. So I did come pretty close! See the whole run here.​

April 28 - 7 miles at an 8:08/mile average - and here was where I went under 8 minutes per mile on average, actually averaging 7:57/mile! See it all here.​

May 1 - Intervals - 5 kilometer intervals aiming for 4:18/kilometer with quarter mile rests between them.​ I struggled with these, came close on 3, and dropped 20+ seconds on two. Not much to look at here, since the walks slow down the overall pace a lot!

Mourning Boston & Texas - Moving towards goals

​Keep on running Boston - comfort and strength to Massachusetts and Texas during this terrible week.

Over a week of runs, so four to report on, now that I am getting into the schedule towards my next race, the Zombie Run in Charlotte, on Sunday, May 19 - please join me and register with our Temple Beth El team - Run for your life, save the world here!

Here are the "rundowns" (pun intended :-D):​

Wednesday, April ​10 - Goal: 4 miles averaging 7:53/mile.
On this Tempo run I gained 20 seconds on the first two miles after the warm-up mile, giving me some room to slow a bit on the second two uphill miles, where I lost 32 seconds. So on the miles that counted I averaged 7:56/mile, which is pretty close. Run details here.

​Saturday, April 13 - Goal: 8 miles averaging 8:08/mile.
On my first really hot and humid run of the season, in the middle of a crazy day, I managed a good pace for the first 5 miles and then dropped like a stone for the last three - really glad I got out though! Run details here.

Monday, April 15 - Goal: 6 half miles at 3:25 each, with 90 second rest intervals.
I came pretty close to the 3:25 time, within 2-3 seconds, on 4 out of 6 of these - the uphill ones were brutal. On interval runs I do between 1.5 to 2 miles of warm-up and at least 1 mile cool down. Run details here.

Today, Thursday, April 18 - Goal: 2 miles at 7:43/mile, 1 mile easy, 2 miles at 7:43/mile.
I took it easy on the warm up mile and was able to push through, without any of my mid-mile walks on both 2 mile segments today. On the first 2 mile segment I averaged 7:40/mile, and on the second 7:45/mile with the uphill parts too, so I feel pretty good. Run details here.

I have dropped to using only Brooks Pure Cadence shoes - the NB Minimus seem to hurt my right calf.​

NYC City Hall Flies Boston Flag.jpg

Runs across the land

In the last week, after a Passover break from running, I managed to run my best mile ever during intervals on Monday, April 1, struggle with the uphill half of a run in Palm Desert on Wednesday, and have a great meet my goal 6 miler today upon returning home. Here are the runs, and their goals...​

Monday - Intervals with 1/4 mile breathers in between: 1 mile at 7:06, did it in 6:39!; 3/4 mile at 5:13, came pretty close; 1/2 mile in 3:25, I petered out here on the hill; and 1/4 mile in 1:40, which I also managed pretty well. Run map and splits here.​

Wednesday - Tempo Run in Palm Desert - Warm up mile, 1 mile at 7:38, easy mile, 1 mile at 7:38, easy mile, 1 mile at 7:38, cool down mile. 7:23 and 7:30 on those first miles which were downhill and relatively flat, respectively. I died on the last mile, going back uphill, ending up at 8:53. Run map and splits here.

​Today, Sunday - "long" run - 6 miles averaging 8:08/mile. Felt mostly good, and carried a good average all the way through, including on the hills. Ended with an 8:05/mile average, and I am happy with that! Run map and splits here. This run includes the Galloway recommended 30 seconds walking per mile as well, with the exception of the last break after mile 6 which I just ran through.

New Name Same Mission

Shabbat Shalom everyone!​

After a small hiatus in posting I am back, with a renamed blog to better suit what I am doing now, so welcome to "Run Rabbi Run"!​

Almost a week ago I finished the Tobacco Road Half Marathon in 1:46 - here are the official results: Tobacco Road Half for me :-)​

​My next goal is the Zombie Run, a 5k, on Sunday, May 19, 2013, at 12:30pm in Freedom Park here in Charlotte. It's only 5k (3.1 miles) and you're chased by zombies - register now and help TBE's Mitzvah Day Projects - team registration link. Run for your life save the world!

​This week I began the training program for a 5k from Run Less Run Faster. Going a little slower than recommended since I don't have the full 12 weeks between the half marathon and the 5k in May - here are those runs:
Tempo run on Wednesday - aiming for 4 miles at 7:53/mile between a mile for warming up and a mile to cool down. I came pretty close to the target time.
Long-ish run today - aiming for 6 miles at an 8:08/mile average, and ended up closer to 8:16.

More to come - follow me on Twitter or friend me in Facebook to keep up!​

Long run and intervals

Since I last posted I swam a little, did Torah yoga, ran 14 miles in the snow, and managed to do intervals this morning at a pretty fast clip.

Intervals today - 2 mile warm-up, then 3 mile intervals, with 400m slow between them, then a little more than a mile cool down. My mile splits were, around: 7:04, 7:40, 7:50. The first was good, the last two less so :-) Here are all the details.

14 mile run on Saturday, aiming for 8:20 average minute/mile pace, and come close for a while. Started out cold, and then got snowy, which was fun. Ended up with two runs on the Nike app since in the wet I encountered some of my own human error - all told a good run considering the conditions. Here are the links to the incomplete records:
First 9+ miles
Last 4+ miles

More to come this week - a little calf soreness after today's run - I hope it will improve by Wednesday's scheduled tempo run.

A tempo run at up tempo

Got out in the damp today and ran pretty fast. A tempo run:
- 1 mile easy
- 5 miles fast - I managed to get my average for these under 8 minutes per mile
- 1 mile easy
Still walking 30 seconds after every mile and that is factored into the pace.
Here are details and splits.
Now two days off - hopefully with a massage, a swim, and some yoga, and then 14 miles on Saturday.

Last two runs - a good tempo and 10 miles faster

Today's run - pretty much my best speed yet. 10 miles averaging 8:05 minutes per mile, here are the details.
Great weather for it, felt good, and managed a pretty fast final mile (7:32).

Thursday's run, decent tempo run too - and more details on that.

On all runs:
- Training for the Tobacco Road Half Marathon on March 17 using the Run Less Run Faster plan.
- Still using New Balance Minimus & Brooks Pure Cadence on alternate runs.
- Unless running other intervals, still using a Galloway method of walking :30 after finishing every mile - all paces include those walks.
- Moved from MapMyFitness to Nike Plus since the former doesn't seem to work well in our region here in Charlotte.

A good week over all - 4 runs, a total of nearly 40 miles.