The RunRunLive 4.0 Podcast Episode 4-316 – Matt Crehan – Graphic Running
(Audio: link)
[audio:http://www.RunRunLive.com/PodcastEpisodes/epi4316.mp3]
Link epi4316.mp3
Support my Hood-to-Coast Relay for Cancer Research – https://finishcancer2015.everydayhero.com/us/chris-russell-hood-to-coast-for-cancer-research
Intro Bumper:
Hello, good morning, good afternoon, good evening, depending on where you find yourself physically located on the space-time continuum relative to the orbit, tilt and spin of this muddy rock. This is Chris your host and this is episode 4-316 of the RunRunLive podcast.
Why 4-316? Well, my current numbering scheme topology reflects the different incarnations of the RunRunLive Podcast over the last 7 years. Some of these incarnations were due to new or failed technology, some because I just felt an inflection point creep up on me like stern, but stealthy, thief in the night. So…this is version 4 of the podcast and the 316th official episode.
Anyhoo…the current version comes out every 2 weeks. I try to get them out on Fridays because I know most runners have their long runs on the weekends. I try to keep it under an hour in length so it fits into your workout. I cover topics related to endurance sports that interest me. I interview people related to this, and I salt in some life motivation and balance topics to assist you on your journeys.
In today’s show we chat with Matt Chrehan who has produced a graphic novel around the Prefontain story. I was interested in this because, at least for me, endurance sports is a highly emotional and impactful endeavor – but this epic-ness tends to translate poorly into communication mediums, such as film.
In the first section we’ll go into more detail on water bottles than you ever imagined could exist. In section two I’m going to give you the race report on my first Olympic Distance triathlon – that I haven’t done yet. It’s actually this weekend, but through the power of visualization I’m going to tell you how I win my age group.
I’ve had as great couple weeks of training since we last talked. I feel strong. I ran a nice 2-hour trail run in the big rain storm a couple weekends back and managed not to run into anything, hit my head OR fall down.
This past weekend was our 4th of July holiday. I went down to my house on Cape Cod and got some excellent volume in. Thursday I biked down to Chatham light, ran a 1.5 hour out and back on the beach and biked home.
I got a bit turned around on the ride home and the whole session ended up being close to a 2.5 hour brick. I always get lost on the Cape because it all looks the same. It’s like those old Flintstones cartoons where they just repeat the background scenery to save money. The Cape has no landmarks it’s the same scrub oak and pine and cottages repeated on an infinite loop.
Saturday I did a 1 hour ocean open water swim across Pleasant Bay in Harwich. It was low tide and I had some challenges trying to stay out of the boat moorings but not scraping my nose against the horseshoe crabs on the bottom. Then I hopped on Fuji-San and spun out a 2 hour ride on the rail trail.
The rail trail was nuts. Jammed with holiday traffic. I was just trying to go for an easy spin and catch up on podcasts. Whenever I passed a real cyclist they felt compelled to catch me and ride with me. I guess when some old dude on a rusty old Fuji passes you on the rail trail you have to justify your roadie-credentials.
Then on Sunday I went out for a 2.5 hour long run in the heat of the day. It was a bit rough, but good preparation for this weekend’s tri. So, yeah, around 8 hours of endurance training over the weekend plus yardwork and I got to spend some quality time with my wife.
I patched up the small tears that have been appearing in my wetsuit as I use it more. I have a can of that “Seal Cement” which is this viscous black goop like roofing tar. It’s like that stuff they use up here in the North East to fix the cracks in the roads. It works great on wet suits. I made a bit of a mess with it, my application is not going to earn any artistic awards but functionally it does the trick.
…
That sure sounds like a lot of activity as I read through it.
I get the sense that sometimes people think I’m a workaholic. I don’t think so. I think that moniker applies to people who are out of balance in the way they pursue their work. They subsume all aspects of their life to the mindless pursuit of work. Mindless because they work for the sake of work and not because that work aligns with some purpose.
Workaholics try to lose themselves in work because they are afraid. They are afraid to confront themselves, to look in the mirror and have to see themselves. They use work and struggle as a mask or a drug to justify not engaging in life, because it scares them.
It’s an addiction, and like any addiction it allows the addict to abdicate their free will to some other power.
I’m active. I’m kinetic. I don’t like idle time. I believe there is something worthy in spending yourself fully in a noble cause. But I’m not addicted to work. I drive my own boat and I’m accountable for the direction of that boat. I’m ok with the chaos of the ocean and the random winds of change that buffet upon it.
That’s what I would like you to think about. Why do you do what you do? How does it align with your purpose? How could you rebalance your life to find more positive stress?
I’ll tell you a secret. The times when I am most at peace, when I sleep soundly, are those times when I’ve executed well and fully some work that makes a difference.
And for that I am grateful.
On with the show!
Section one – Running Tips
Water Bottle Deep Dive – https://runrunlive.com/water-bottle-deep-dive
Voices of reason – the interviews
Matthew J.J. Crehan – www.mattcrehancomics.com
On 30th May 2015, Matt Crehan Comics will release The Art of Running: The Steve Prefontaine Story, which tells the story of the legendary American distance runner Steve Prefontaine.
The Art of Running details Prefontaine’s extraordinary life in graphic novel form for the very first time, from growing up in Coos Bay and attending the University of Oregon, to his visit to Munich for the 1972 Olympic Games, and his unfortunate and tragic death at the young age of 24.
Publication of the graphic novel was funded by a Kickstarter campaign in 2013 which raised £5,261 and helped to pay for the artwork and printing costs.
As Prefontaine always saw running as a work of art, his love of the sport is beautifully told through the graphic novel medium where the movement of running can be explored and detailed perfectly. The book will feature a foreword by British distance runner and 1974 European 5000m Champion, Brendan Foster CBE, and will be launched to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Prefontaine’s death.
When asked about The Art of Running project, Matthew said: “I wanted to show the sport of track and field as a real art form, as Prefontaine always thought of it, and give athletes a book that was something different but also inspiring.”
The Art of Running is Crehan’s first published graphic novel, his previous work included the re-launch of classic British comic character Alf Tupper: The Tough of the Track in the pages of Athletics Weekly, as well as having several short comics published by GrayHaven Comics and Ninth Art Press.
Matthew J.J. Crehan
Writer / Letterer / Marketing Executive
Section Two – Life Lessons
Massachusetts Triathlon Olympic Distance Tri Race Report
– https://runrunlive.com/massachusetts-triathlon-olympic-distance-tri-race-report
Outro
Ok my friends – that’s it. Nothing left to do now except gracefully slink towards the exit an hope nobody notices that we split our pants laughing out loud at the antics from episode 4-316 of the RunRunLive Podcast.
I’ve got that triathlon this weekend. I’m not worried about it. Assuming I can avoid all the B-movie obstacles it should be fun. Forecasts are calling for a hot day but even at my leisurely pace I should be back in the barn by 10:00 AM.
I have Fuji-San all cleaned up and ready to go. I bought as new helmet and have so far avoided bashing my head on anything.
After this race I was going to ride the Hampshire 100 but my MTB buddies aren’t doing it so I may pass. After that is the epic road trip to Hood to Coast in Portland at the end of August. I’m still offering a size large, brand new, Team Hoyt, Addidas Jacket with a $65 price tag still on it. The rules of the game are if you contribute $50 or more to my cause you get a chance to win the jacket! So far your odds are very good!
Check the show notes for a picture – it’s a super nice jacket.
https://finishcancer2015.everydayhero.com/us/chris-russell-hood-to-coast-for-cancer-research
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On the domestic front my garden is having up and down. Looks like I’m going to get hundreds of pounds of potatoes form my potato box. I’ve got lots of beans. I’ve got a great crop of berries. I’m going to get some apples because I managed to prune and spray this year.
My tomatoes and squash aren’t doing very well, which is a disappointment. And I’ve got a rodent problem. Not the Chipmunks. Not the rabbits. I’ve got a population explosion of woodchucks. They’ve eaten all my parsley and lettuce and even snacked on some of my cilantro.
They are quite brazen. I’ve seen a momma and several babies hanging around the yard. I moved my remaining parsley pot up onto my back deck and they climbed the stairs to get to it!
I decided to bring the fight to them. Frist my wife and I had some fun throwing smoke bombs down the holes in the front lawn, which although I’m sure is quite useless, creates quite a show and makes you feel like you’re doing something.
I brought out the big trap and baited it with apples. I’ve caught two of the young ones so far. You may ask, “What do you do with them when you trap them?” Well, I know it’s bad karma but I was going to drown them in a water barrel. I mean, I’m a tough guy. I’ve watched several Al Pacino movies.
But when I tried that the trap was about 4 inches too long so instead I just gave it a nice refreshing bath as it clung to the top of the cage looking at me.
Now, as we all know, it’s illegal to transport and release wild animals. But if said wild animal just happened to be taking a relaxing ride in the back of my truck, for, you know, purely enjoyment purposes…and the cage just happened to be open when I parked at the trail head for my mountain bike ride…and that hypothetical wild animal chose to exit the cage and the truck at that point in time…well that’s more a case of free will in action than the unlawful redistribution of gophers.
You’d think that old border collie that lives in my house might scare them off.
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Well it’s getting late and I’ve spent too much time on this today. I’ve got to go grocery shopping and pick up my mountain bike from the repair shop.
Don’t forget to say yes to adventure and sign up for the Wapack Trail race on September 6th at the Windblown ski area in Ipswich New Hamshire and join me for some mountain running smack down fun.
http://wapack.freeservers.com/
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You remember Bruce Van Horn from a couple episodes ago? I was listening to him recently and he did this bit about how he loves everyone. He tells people every time they meet someone new to think in their heads “I Love You” and it will force you to have empathy in the interaction.
Well, being from the North East, we are not a very touchy-feely culture. And the thought of telling random people “I Love You” cracked me up.
I tried this with some of my interactions during the day, and you know what? It works for me. It totally changes the interaction. Not because I love anyone but the process of thinking it is just so culturally absurd it makes me laugh internally, which breaks me out of my frame, which pulls me into the interaction in a new light.
It’s the equivalent of imagining everyone you meet with bunny ears. It breaks your frame and allows you to approach the interaction unbiased.
Give it a try. But don’t try to hug me. And I’ll see you out there.
Closing comments
Support my Hood-to-Coast Relay for Cancer Research – https://finishcancer2015.everydayhero.com/us/chris-russell-hood-to-coast-for-cancer-research