The Kyrgyz Republic

Today I accepted an invitation to serve the Kyrgyz Republic through the Peace Corps.

This is very exciting. I don't know what sort of internet access I'll have, but I'm looking forward to living a bit more simply and helping people out.

My assignment is to teach English at a university. I'll try to regularly log on to this blog to update you friends and family on how I'm doing.

Right now I need to get everything in order for sending off my forms for a new passport and a visa from the Kyrgyz Republic.

I have a new blog that I'm using to try to sell books and furniture. I'll also try to update that blog semi-regularly before I leave and then whenever I have internet access.

It is abiglove.blogspot.com

Race for a Roof, and the Ultimate Workout

I skipped the 5K I was planning to run last weekend in favor of this morning's "Race for a Roof" 5K sponsored by the Ohio State chapter of Habitat for Humanity. I participated in it, though I wouldn't say I "raced" by any means. After playing 6 hours of Ultimate Frisbee in the May Fiasco Tournament yesterday, I was far too stiff, sore, and physically exhausted to run the 3.1 miles at any kind of reasonable pace. Which was OK, because I had some friends who were just planning to walk the Race course anyway. So I staggered along with them on a nice leisurely stroll through the Ohio State campus.

I'll just shoot for a PR on my next 5K.

Long-distance running has been my one consistent physical activity for the last 7 years or so, and even though I'm in pretty good shape as a result, apparently there are plenty of muscles that I don't use when I simply run for several hours at a consistent pace. However, these other muscles do get used--extensively--in the endless succession of short sprints that are required for Ultimate. On top of that, there is also the throwing, diving, and stretching which worked my upper body. All of this means that I haven't been this sore and tired since at least my last marathon several years back. Even my throat is sore from shouting during the matches, and from cheering on my teammates when I was on the sidelines.

I should definitely do this again sometime...

5k

I ran a 5K this morning! It was a bit of an accident. But for a variety of reasons, I woke up at 5 and I didn't want to go back to sleep. I wanted to go running. (I feel a nap coming on.) But seriously, I was thinking about the times when I used to wake up before the breakfast restaurant in my building was open. I'd wave at the cook who was prepping food for the day. And I'd go running 6 miles before anyone started eating - or at least before anyone paid for food.

It seems like the restaurant may have been less busy then.

Anyhow, I only meant to run a couple of miles but I got a bit carried away. I ran past the start of the Kitchen Fun Run that begins in a little over an hour. Then I ran part of the course for the Chris Sifford 5K.

I may register for the Chris Sifford 5K. It's June 28 and it's my standing 5K PR. 23:20.

That's a goal worthy of aiming at.