You were supposed to die when you were 1 month old. We rescued you and cured you and you grew up an became a wonderful and amazing cat: a great pigeons hunter, super cute and full of personality.
You had a wonderful life and now you're back to be part of the carbon and nitrate cycle of the Nature.
Ok, first of all, let me start with a statement: yesterday this bag of bones was tired from the last run and I wasn't in the mood in general because of all those fuckheads in my everyday life.
...and with this very positive attitude, I dragged my self to see FnM.
I didn't know who was supposed to open for them. Somewhere I had read "Dinosaur Jr." and I thought they were the opening band. Again: I really didn't care, I was so close to gave up and stay home in my ball of hate.
Anyway, I paid for the ticket and I was there already, so I made an effort to stay. I gave a quick look at the merchandise point and I saw that they were selling Napalm Death t-shirt. My thought was "Why the fuck they are selling Napalm death stuff?" followed by "...oh, maybe because Bill Gould often wears Napalm' t-shirt and he played in Brujeria with some of them, and blah blah blah....", but still it didn't make too much sense.
...but as I said, I was not in the mood even for listen to my own crap.
So, I'm there, waiting for the show, and at 8:00 pm sharp four shady musician started their show.
After ten seconds of music (noise, for most of the people there, but I'll talk about that later) I realized "Fuck, those are the only and true and original and genuine Napalm Death!!" and I ran under the stage, and I enjoyed every single seconds of pure old fashion kick ass grind core. I made my ear bleed, and my heart happy and I sang (kind of) almost all the songs they played. For once, I was 16 years old again.
Total respect for these guys: they have invented a new way to play extreme music something like 25 years ago. Barney (the singer if you don't know them) he's still hard core in his soul, and he still believes in his music (again, noise, as he called it as well), and between the songs he gave us his own point of view about what's wrong in this society (I need to check if he wrote a book because it should be interesting). Poor guy, when he tried to criticize church in Texas: basically everyone gave him the classic cold-stare-you-don-'t-fuck-with-my-god (seriously texans, whats wrong with you? Wake up: god doesn't exist).
They played a nice mix of new and old song, including the "Scum" and the classic Dead Kennedys' cover "Nazi punk fuck off", and after 30 minutes of lovely violence, they left the stage.
I was looking around me right after they finished the show: most of the people was confused and they didn't believe in what they'd just saw. Someone was lost, someone disgusted. Only few were happy and I was one of them.
...and then it hit me! Why Patton and co. would take Napalm Death touring with them? Because they know how to piss of people, and they love it, and apparently they succeeded!!
Anyway, after 30 minutes, it's FnM time. There is not too much to say. I love them, and I'm probably too bias. The thing is: they are perfect. They are professional, they are in the business for a long time, they are incredible musicians, so everything went as it was supposed to go. They played songs from every album, and you can find on-line the set list so I don't even bother to write it down. I just want to mention the highest -for me- moment, when they played "Midlife crisis", completely changed in the central part...
I have only one complain: the show was too short! Only one tiny hour, and honestly, they could have played for another -at least- 30 minutes.
Anyhow, this one was probably the concert of the century.
...and now some general complaining because I'm old and old people complain a lot:
1. Why do people go to concert when they don't have absolutely any idea of who's playing?
2. I hate those fuckers spending the whole show with their phone in the air taking pictures and videos: you're there asshole, enjoy the moment!
3. A Napalm Death concert without mosh pit is like an ocean without waves: it shouldn't exist in nature. Just sayin'...
4. If you go to a metal concert with flip-flop it's all your fault if someone stomp on your feet.
5. Why there is always someone dressed in a completely un-appropriate way? Are they doing it in purpose? If yes, why?
A lot of words this time: I don't really have time to check for typos, so...
I had a hamster once, his name was Einstein, and his main activity was running all night on his wheel.
...and this is basically what I've done last Saturday night: run and run and run on a 4 km loop for 9 hours.
It was the first time for me running this kind of race: I've always run for the distance, never for the time (I'm pretty sure this is not the right way to write it, but who cares). And this is why I didn't have the idea of how to approach this new -for me- race. So I chose the less smart method: run like there is no tomorrow and faster as possible.
Well, apparently it worked because I finished 3rd overall (second of my age group).
My initial goal was to run around 65-70 km, but I ran "only" ~59.
The fact is that the loop wasn't too hard, with only two serious climbs, but when you run that easy thing for 9 hours straight, from 10 pm to 7 am, the scenario changes a lot: you get tired and bored and you run less.
Running in the dark changes everything, and I should be used by now, but I'm not: it amazes me all the time, and as always I really enjoyed the first light when the sun was rising. I had also a new headlamp, and once again I'm disappointed: I saw runners with headlamps so powerful to look like the batman-signal, while mine looks like a lighter...
So, to conclude: great race, and now its time to think to the Habanero 100 km. Done. I don't have too much time to write and also I'm not inspired. Here, since I'm going to see them tonight:
...I should be happy, but I'm not. I actually don't give a fuck.
At least I felt it easier. I'm not sure why. Maybe because it was cooler (not so hot or humid, nice breeze) than last year, or maybe because I'm more trained, or maybe because -I'm being extremely cocky here, but also extremely sincere- lately I found 50 km really easy to run.
The pressure for me was a little bit higher this eyer.
I entered as 50 k top finalist because last year I ran it in 4 hour and 44 minutes and I was 9th overall. So my goal was to run it in less than 4:44:00. Also, my goal was to save the energy because this Saturday night I have the Fossil Valley 9 hours night run.
I was trying to convince myself to take it easy, but at the beginning it didn't work: when I'm doing something, I must do it in the right way and put 110% of my energy, so I ran focusing on the moment and not thinking about the next race.
...but I also ran in a smart way, with a solid constant pace for the first 40 km and when I saw that I was in a good position, I slowed down a little bit for the last 10 km. I finished it in 4:21:56 (3 minutes slower than my PR on road) and I finished 4th overall. I cannot complain and I'm happy about it.
The only problem I had was from my shoes. I changed shoes 2 months ago, and since then I've been just training on them and never had a race. I was feeling something was wrong with them but I wasn't sure. Now I know: they are too tight on my toes, and this is the result:
Godspeed nail.
...well, so long my dear toe nail, I will miss you. It looks bad, gross & disgusting, but it really doesn't hurt, so who cares...
Anyway, now it's time to focus on the next race this weekend, and after that the Habanero 100 km in August.
An unrelated note: I haven't written anything in the last 2 months because I am really busy. And also because this fucking place has the ability to dry me up and leave me completely empty. After a day of assholes, lazy people, unfair businesses and general motherfuckers and bullshits all over the place, I'm feeling so hollow that writing a post (even though I would like to) is the last thing I can do...
Saturday I ran the hardest race I have ever run (so far).
53.4 mile (86.02 km to be precise) up and down (mostly up) on the mountain of New Mexico.
Wonderful places and mountains, but so damn hard.
I guess I'm not used (anymore) to high altitude.
Anyway, this is the profile:
Intense...
My plan was to finish it in about 12 hours. Unfortunately, in the last 15 miles I had a problem on the back of my knee, and since I'm not completely stupid (and most importantly, I learn from my mistakes), I slowed down. I finished in 13 hours and 21 minutes, but at least my knee is safe and I can use it.
I've learned a lot of things. I've learned that mountain trail running is so much harder than the classic trail running (...wait! I was supposed to know that already...). I've learned that walking is important, especially if the up-hill is really steep and the oxygen is low (3,000 meters). And I've also learned that you will catch up with the time lost on the steep hills, running like a demon on the really steep down-hills. I've learned that sometimes the goal is "just finish it" and I've learned that flipping the bird to the next up-hill it doesn't change anything: you still have to running it. I've also learned that since I ran this really hard 86 km, running a 100 km (my next step) shouldn't be a problem. Finally, I've learned that soaking is the way for a faster recover...
Anyway, very wonderful experience, and I want to run more and more and more.
Here a picture of me just after the race:
Happily tired...
What else? As usual, a lot of nice and friendly people out there, and also my trip-companions (Dave and Tim) were amazing. A final consideration: it's amazing where this ultra-running is taking me, both my mind and my body. I think that's it.
Go for it Bruce! "Ruuuuun to the hiiiiiiillllllls..."
After 18 years, FnM are back. Their brand new album titled "Sol invictus" is now available and after two days of loop-listeninig, I've decided to give my totally-biased two cents. It's a great album, but honestly, I don't know words good enough to describe it accurately (in any language). The general sound of the album reminds me "King for a day...", but sometime it gets closer to "Angel dust". The mood instead is from "Album of the year". There is only one negative side: this album is too fucking short. Only 34 minutes. I want more!! Anyway, here are my impressions track by track. 1) Sol Invictus. That's the starting point. Sad and deep and dark, and this is the mood of the album. Mike Patton's voice vibrates in the air, and you suddenly realize that they are back. 2) Superhero. It reminds me "Caffeine" from "Angel dust". Groovy. It sticks in your head and you'll find your self singing it all day long. 3) Sunny side up. Funky and catchy. It perfectly fits with "King for a day...". Hudson left his signature with his the guitar works, with his classic style and touch. Another great song. 4) Separation anxiety. Very Tomahawk-oriented. One of the best songs of the album, with a nice change of style in the end. 5) Cone of shame. Sounds like a spaghetti-western movie soundtrack (not a new style for Patton, by the way) with a nice and heavy change of gear in the middle. 6) Rise to the fall: one of my favorite. The only way for me to describe it is: mariachi music meets Muse with a little bit of East-Europe flavor perfectly blended by FnM. 7) Black Friday. back in the Tomahawk' zone. Maybe the less "inspired" song of the album. 8) Motherfucker: one of my favorite. It's hard to explain... It's 100% FnM, but still, is different from whatever they've done before... Listen to it and try to NOT sing... 9) Matador. The perfect mix between "King for a day..." and "Album of the year". Again: one of my favorite. Heavy song in terms of feelings: dark and sad but with epic vibes all over the place. Sublime work of Patton with his voice. 10) From the dead. After nine songs soaked deep in the dark, this song it's like a sudden change of mood. Very "happy" song, with a nice surf-style that reminds me "California" form Mr. Bungle. For me, this last song sounds like FnM are saying "Hey, we were just joking... Take it easy and have fun."...
