Dragonlance – Dragons of Autumn Twilight Movie

Dragons of Autumn Twilight will be released in September 2007 in an animated movie 23 years after the Margaret Weis/Tracy Hickman novel was released.  The movie has been discussed for some time now, but it has finally become a reality.  The movie will be animated and will be 90 – 100 minutes in length.  The full trilogy is scheduled to be released into movie format.

There will be some well known voice talents for some of the characters; including: Kiefer Sutherland as Raistlen, Lucy Lawless  as Goldmoon, and Michael Rosenbaum as Tanis to name a few.

The film will be built on a great story.  If you like Science Fiction you should check out books from the Dragonlance series.

Check out the production stills from the dragonlancemovie website: http://www.dragonlance-movie.com/movie/gallery/ 

2007 Bike to work day

Wednesday June 27th was the annual bike to work day here in Colorado.  This was my first year participating, since I didn’t have a bike during last years event.  My trek was from Ft Collins, CO to Greeley, CO.  My daily drive is 33 miles to work.  My to work stretch was 28.5 miles, my trip home was a little longer due to following the trail past the turn off and was 39.5 miles.  58 miles on a bike in one day is a new record for daily mileage for me. 

The weather was great, mid 60’s all day with overcast and a slight breeze.  The only thing that I would really change was to get rid of the backpack with my work clothes in it.

The trip into work was mostly on County roads & back streets.  There was a detour due to road construction, but I followed the detour signs.  There was light traffic, but in spots there was little or no shoulder to ride on, but no close calls with any vehicles.   When arriving at work, there was breakfast, shirts, and raffles for riders.

The trip home was mostly on the Poudre river trail from Greeley through Windsor.  The trail is well maintained and cement the whole way.  There were even bathroom stops during the trail and benches for people to rest.  One sign I passed said Danger Poision ivy don’t touch, the vines were hanging around the trail.  The afternoon ride was quite different from the morning ride.  The trail was serene, a few other runners and cyclists shared the trail, but all was mostly quiet with the sounds of birds and crickets.

After the poudre trail, I got back onto county roads and ended up on the spring creek trail for the final few miles.  I feel pretty good the day after, I was expecting to be a little sore, but all is good.  I was wearing my garmin, so I will upload the maps.

Morning commute: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/invitation/email/accept.mb?senderPk.pkValue=-2&unitSystemPkValue=2&episodePk.pkValue=3161790

 Evening Commute: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/invitation/email/accept.mb?senderPk.pkValue=-2&unitSystemPkValue=2&episodePk.pkValue=3161791

Nike+ Super User Summit

Nike has invited 13 of its members from the Nike+ running community to visit Nike Headquarters in Beaverton, OR.  This will be the inagural event and will lead to more Super User Summits in the future.  I was lucky enough to be invited in the lucky group of 13 to visit with Nike.  The Summit is scheduled for July 20th and will be guaranteed as an event to remember.

 I am really excited to be given this chance to meet the masterminds behind Nike+, to tour Nike Headquarters, to see the behind the scenes at Nike, and to meet other Nike+ runners.  No details about the trip are known at the moment other than all expenses are paid, there will be a tour of the headquarters, we will meet the Nike+ marketing team and Nike+ team, we will get a sneak peak at new Nike+ products and website creation, VIP luncheon, and run with the other Summit attendees.  It will be nice to be able to run with my virtual training partners.

I can’t give enough Kudos to Nike for setting this up.  To have the oppurtunity to talk directly with the Nike+ team and see Nike is just simply amazing.  I am sure that there will be many updates to this blog in regard to the Nike+ Super Users Summit.  Keep an eye out for updates, pictures, and info!

The Joy of Running

The joys of running can’t be summed up in a phrase, and is certainly not a single feeling. For me it is different depending on the feeling, the day, the time, etc.

The return to nature run is finding a hidden lake in the middle of the city. Wildlife abounds and replaces human contact with nature. A deer, a rabbit, a bird, a squirrel all go about their business as I enter and exit their world.

The speed run brings an adrenaline rush as the wind whips past me. Blood rushes, breath quickens, my legs don’t ever want to stop. I whir past people with one goal in mind, to pass all others, even myself.

The finish line run is seeing a loving face cheering at the end of a long race. A smile brings the warmth and joy of recognition after a long journey. It is like returning home after a long absence, making the trip seems less of an obstacle and more of a voyage.

The winter morning run is running in the early morning hours and the crisp morning air. The solitude and quietness of the day is only shattered by the footfalls echoing. The frost on my gloves and the warmth of a shower afterwards is only improved with the morning meal.

The city run allows you to discover just how well oiled the machine we call civilization is. Everyone hustles and everyone bustles, I enjoy taking my time. For better or for worse, everything flows as the runner is like a leaf floating down a stream, silently with purpose along its course.

The exhausting run is arriving at the destination knowing that you will do it again, maybe not tomorrow, but maybe the next day.

The vacation run is finding the hidden parts of a city that are rarely seen. Exploring the unknown and discovering a hidden bounty of beauty and wonder.

The race to the finish run, leaves you breathless in the end, but with the smile. Left with a new PR or a virtual trinket, but mainly the knowledge of “Yes I Can!”

The run with a dog run is being pushed by a friend that can’t tell you when he is tired, but can tell when you are. His speed and endurance is like a shot of adrenaline, if only I had four legs.

The hill run can be painful either way; it is always up or down. I dread the climb more than the descent, but the bitter sweet view from the top is grandiose.

The return home run, I can finally see my destination down the street. The victory of the run is behind me, the cold splash of liquid in my throat ahead of me. My pace quickens; the joy of relaxation after a hard run.

The low altitude run fills me with endurance, running forever, legs and lungs pumping in unison. The rare feeling of a well oiled machine overcomes me. I am already at my destination?

No matter the run, no matter the time, I feel blessed to be able to get out and move. Whether my pace is fast or snail slow I revel in the feeling of the run. I soak up the atmosphere of the city and relax in the calmness of nature. The beauty of motion and the art of the atmosphere make each run a different and unique experience. In the end, the only thing better than this run is the next.

Nike+ Widgets

Nike+ has released their widgets for websites!  Now you can share your runs, profile, challenges and goals.  I had to reopen my blogspot blog since wordpress doesn’t allow scripting on its pages and widgets.  The widgets are a great addition to the Nike+ community.  People have wanted them for a while and there are alot of home grown applications out there. 

 Here is a link to my other blog with some of the widgets: http://1miletogo.blogspot.com/

Here is the link to the Nike+ forum with the widget info: http://forums.nike.com/thread.jspa?threadID=5737&tstart=0

 Happy Publishing!