Eat lightly before you hop onto an airplane headed East today, It’ll be a two-bagger this afternoon with all the turbulence. The two storms that where over the MW and E over the past few days are currently merging their energy over the NE and Great Lakes region, dragging rain and wind along for the ride. Currently the rain is heavy over VA and PA, with pockets around the rest of OH, NY, NJ, and New England. The wind will increase out of the West for the area this afternoon with gusts to 35 mph in Chicago. A high wind watch is up for Western NY for tonight and Tomorrow. I’ll have the maps for you.

Dry air is settling back to the rest of the country, and that means another warm day out West. I’m thinking 100 will do it for Phoenix today, and upper 80s in LA. This is the last day of the real hot Oct. air for a while, but even San Francisco will hit 80. Those are the major weather headlines, a big E storm and heat out West!

As for half marathon training, I need to run seven quarter-mile sprints with 2 minutes rest in between them. This is supposed to build up my speed for the December 4th race, but what it will really do is build up anger deep inside me. I really don’t care for running, but for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, I’ll do it!

Have a good weekend everybody.

Posted by: Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen
Filed under: Bob's Training blog • Crohn's and colitis • Heat • Rock and Roll Marathon • Weather

On-time flights are disappearing faster than buckets of chicken in the clubhouse at Fenway Park (allegedly) this morning. Two storms are pressing E from the Great Lakes and NE this morning sending low clouds and rain E of the MS River today. We’ve already seen delays in NYC, Philly, and Chicago b/c of the rain and clouds, and this trend will continue. I’ll show you the latest satellite picture and the local radars from around the country. It’s active in the Eastern half of the nation!

The West is different. High pressure and off-shore winds have bumped the temps up in CA, OR, AZ, and NV the last few days. Long beach hit 102 yesterday! It’ll be as warm today, but the weekend looks a bit cooler as the air mass moves East and the ridge of high pressure causing the heat flattens out. The Atlantic tropics are quiet again today.

I need to run 4 miles today for the half marathon training. That doesn’t seem too bad, right? I’ll tweet my results…

Posted by: Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen
Filed under: Bob's Training blog • Crohn's and colitis • Crohn's and colitis Foundation of America • Hot • Weather

Anybody in the NE tired of this rain yet? I don’t blame you, and I’m sorry to say more is going to fall over the next few days. I’m watching a slow-moving storm edging northward up the coast dragging low clouds and heavy downpours along with it. Air travel will be disrupted in the NE and Mid Atlantic today too.

Another shot of rain and storms is located over the MW and Plains. The energy that is rounding southward from the Rockies will spark off a few severe storms over the Mid/Low MS Valley this afternoon, damaging wind gusts and large hail will be the main threat. I’ll have the latest radar. The rain is even falling in north TX this morning.

Some energy is pulling into the Pac. NW, so showers are popping up in WA and ID this morning. It should last through the afternoon. That’s a quick look at the major weather makers for the country today, have a good one!

Oh yeah, training update: I had to run 7 miles yesterday to try to get up to speed for the Las Vegas half ‘thon in December. I ended running about 7.5 mi by accident b/c I wasn’t paying attention. I tell you there is no darker place than in my mind around mile 6 on the trail. Everything hurts this morning. Later.

*For more information on the Rock and Roll Marathon and Half Marathon in Las Vegas visit stripatnight.com or the Crohns and Colitis team challenge page at ccteamchallenge.org.

*Follow Morning Express with Robin Meade meteorologist Bob Van Dillen on Twitter: @BobVanDillen

Posted by: Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen
Filed under: Bob's Training blog • Crohn's and colitis • Crohn's and colitis Foundation of America • Rock and Roll Marathon • Weather

Oh boy. I just got tapped to emcee the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation’s festivities at the Las Vegas Rock ‘N Roll Half Marathon this December 4. I am honored to do it, and it’s a lot of fun. The problem is I’m way out of running shape since last year when I did it. I look like the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man minus the snappy sailor suit over here! Anyway, it’ll be great and I’ll blog more about it along with some training updates so you can share in my pain.

The weather has turned interesting for the lower 48. A big winter-type storm has plowed intot he West Coast, and the rain has been heavy from CA to NV/OR/WA/ID and now over to the Four Corners. The snow has been steadily piling up above 7K’elevation to 1 to 2 feet in the Sierra, Cascades, NV and UT Mountains. Winter storm watches have been issued for Western CO for the night and tomorrow too. I’ll have the latest forecast.

The heat is back across the Plains/Upper MW this afternoon, with temps near 90 as far north as Fargo! I’ll show you the highs in the region.

The East coast is finally drying up, but as the storm from yesterday moves away, high pressure builds in to produce a breezy afternoon in New England down to the Mid Atlantic states.

Philippe is still a tropical storm, but just fishing around and no threat to anybody. The closest lasn mass is Bermuda but they shouldn’t worry about it either at this point. Later!

Posted by: Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen
Filed under: Bob's Training blog • Crohn's and colitis Foundation of America • Philippe • Rock and Roll Marathon • Snow • tropical storm • Weather • Winter Storm Watch

Finally, a stop to the heavy rain in the East. After another day of severe storms and flooding, the storm is moving away from New England and taking the pounding surface weather with it. Three hour delays in LaGaurdia won’t be repeated today thank goodness, since the wind will be much lighter. There are still a bunch of flood warnings from the rain in PA and the area, but no more rain is forecasted for the next few days. Of course in December, that can only mean one thing in the storm’s wake: lake effect snow. 1-2’ of it for the Buffalo area. I’ll have that radar.

It’s a cold start in the East half of the nation, with freeze warnings down into central FL right now. Some light snow is being felt in the Midwest right now, but no big whoop. More energy is coming into the West coast now, so it’s rain in CA and snow in the northern Rockies. Advisories are posted for ID, OR, MT and parts of WA. I’ll have that too.

Today is my last day for a while, since I’m headed to Las Vegas for the Rock ‘N Roll Half Marathon. I did it last year and it was awesome. Flying Elvi, show girls, bands along the strip, Tigers, it was nuts. It’s for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, and I’m honored again to emcee their events this weekend. Only one more day of training today, and that’s only a 3 mile run this afternoon. My sneakers are about ready to fall apart like a knock-off Rolex, I’ve been running so long. Anyway, I need to set up my iPod today for the race and then I’m out of here, ready to get full-body scanned at the airport!

If you would like to help my cause, CLICK HERE. And thanks to everybody who has donated!

Posted by: Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen
Filed under: Bob's Training blog • Crohn's and colitis Foundation of America • Freeze • Rain • Rock and Roll Marathon • Snow • Weather • Winter Weather Advisory

Hey everybody, looking forward to seeing you guys on Friday evening in Atlanta (if you can make it!)

This past week was a major set back for training. I was supposed to run a 15 K on Sunday, but I got bronchitis on Friday so I sat it out. I ran 3 miles yesterday (still feeling lousy), but I think I can get back on track this week. Here is what I am planning on running:

Tuesday: 5 mile run, slow

Wednesday: 45 minute tempo run. That’s where you gradually build in speed, sprint for 2 minutes, and then round out the rest of the 45 minutes a little slower.

Thursday: 3 mile run

Friday: Rest. Actually party with you guys that evening.

Saturday: 5 miles at an 8:10 pace

Sunday: I’ll do the 15 K and run slowly after that to reach 11 miles. Then I’ll watch my Giants get smoked by the Eagles.

Filed under: Bob Van Dillen • Bob's Training blog • Crohn's and colitis • Crohn's and colitis Foundation of America • Rock and Roll Marathon

Bob after a 10-miler. Cold, but feeling good.

Hey everybody, this is the week of training I have been fearing.
The only thing that is getting me through this week is knowing it’s all for a great cause, raising funds for the Crohn’s and Colitis foundation of America. You can help me by clicking on this link.
Anyway, the race is the first Sunday in December in Las Vegas. I get to emcee the dinner the night before the race at the Mandalay Bay, which is always fun. I need to get some jokes going, ala Don Rickles.

This week shapes up like this:

Tuesday: 5 miles fast

Wednesday: Nine 400 yard sprints (2 minute jog in between them)

Thursday: 3 mile run

Friday: 3 mile run

Saturday: Rest. Oh, except entertain the company we have coming over this weekend.

Sunday: 15 K. That is the killer. That’s 9.3 miles as fast as I can run it.

Anyway, still looking forward to seeing everybody who makes it to my fundraising happy-hour at Ri Ra’s Irish pub in Atlanta. It’s Nov. 19th, 5:30 pm to 11 pm. Free Apps, raffles, good times.
Later!

Filed under: Bob Van Dillen • Bob's Training blog • Crohn's and colitis • Rock and Roll Marathon

Hey everybody. Now that Halloween is here I can see the finish line for the Las Vegas Rock ‘n Roll Half Marathon in December. It’s all for a good cause, the Crohn’s and colitis Foundation of America. Check out my link.

Here is the running schedule for the week, and it is ramping up. Keep in mind I hate running. I’m a hockey player. Sprint, stop. Sprint, stop. I would rather be Brett Farve’s P.R. person than do the long, drawn-out torture that is distance running. But I digress.

Here is the training schedule for the next week:
Saturday: 4 mile run at an 8:10 pace (then I take my kids to Chuck E. Cheese's for a b-day party. You wish you were me, right!?!)
Sunday: 9 mile slow run
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 4.5 mile run
Wednesday: 40 minute tempo run
Thursday: 3 mile run
Friday: rest
Saturday: 5 mile run at 8:10 pace
Sunday: 10 mile run

Don’t forget about my fund raising happy hour at Ri Ra Irish Pub in Atlanta on Nov. 19th.

Also if you are in town, another great chance to party for a cause:
Bottoms Up on November 12th at the Foundry at Puritan Mill. The ticket price is $65 and will include:
Food
Open Bar
Live music (from the Commitaphobics).
Silent Auction
50/50 raffle
To purchase tickets, go to bottomsupforccfa.org

Posted by: Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen
Filed under: Bob Van Dillen • Bob's Training blog • Crohn's and colitis Foundation of America • Extras • Halloween • Morning Express crew • Rock and Roll Marathon

Hey everybody, Bob here. It’s week 6 of training for the Las Vegas Rock ‘N Roll Half Marathon on the first Sunday of December. I’m doing it to raise funds for the Crohn’s and colitis foundation of America.

This week started off easy, a rest day on Monday. Those are my favorite, obviously. I’m a hockey player inherently so this whole running for a long time business is hard work for me. I just found out that I am in the Clydesdale category too…over 200 pounds. That’s a polite way for professional runners to say "dude – you’re not really shaped/built right to run that far." Yeah, thanks for that!

Anyway, here is the rest of the week’s training schedule:

- Tuesday (today): 4 mile run

- Wednesday: 40 minute tempo run (that’s where you gradually build to a sprint for 2 minutes at about the 28 minute mark, then cruise slowly to end out the 40 minutes)

- Thursday: 3 mile run

- Friday: 2 mile run

- Saturday: rest

- Sunday: 10 K Race. I’m going to do this on the treadmill, aiming for an 8:10 mile pace. We’ll see.

Anyway, thanks for supporting me.

BVD

Posted by: Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen
Filed under: Bob Van Dillen • Bob's Training blog • Crohn's and colitis Foundation of America • Extras • Rock and Roll Marathon