Goin To The Masters!!

Well, I will be out of touch this week. My father-in-law got four tickets to the Master's golf tournement this week in Augusta, Georgia. I am sooooooooooo psyched!! Golf is my passion and last year my wife said I thought more about golf than her! (Actually, it was just a little bit more!!). I feel like a little kid waiting for Christmas.
Ok, if you want to know the real truth, Tiger Woods called me and told me he was having trouble with his swing again, so I have to go give some more lessons. He asked me to be his guest caddie during the practice rounds. But I have a problem. Phil Mckelson and Sergio Garcia found out I was coming and they have offered to pay me to be their guest caddie. Whom should I choose? Whom should I choose..........? (in my dreams, huh?) If I'm lucky, I might get an autograph or a picture.
I am going to try and train while I am out there, so I hope the hotel has a treadmill. I will not be there this Saturday. (My first miss, boo-hoo!) So I hope you all have a Blessed Easter and remember that our Lord and Savior is Risen!!

Pardon me, do you have any Grey Poupon?

Not too much to blog about so far. Work has been so busy and son has so much homework and tests, I didn't get to run last night. I'm starting to feel guilty when I miss. I used to crack a sly grin and say, "ah shucks, I missed a day....." but now, I get upset that I can't find the time to go. Today looks like another day like Monday, but I'll run in the rain if I have to because I don't want to miss two in a row. I'll tie a picture of that bread in front of me as motivation like a horse with a carrot in front of him. Giddy up, Wilbur!.......

Everybody is doing great! What a nice time on Saturday. I tell you one thing I have noticed. I sure am sleeping better at night and have more energy in the day. My wife sure appreciates it when I finish the 'honey-do' list especially on Saturday afternoons after a run. Well, time to eat lunch now, even though it is 3:30. Busy, busy, busy........

Let's all sing Kum-by-ya!!

Isn't it amazing how we are coming together as a group? Each week we are meeting new people and making new friends. It seems every week I read someone else's blog and they are out there spilling their feelings about how tough it is, etc. and you guys are such encouragers!! I have never in my life been surrounded by such positive, motivated people as this group. Reading what you guys have to say each day makes me not want to miss any Saturdays with you. It's like our own little fraternity of people from all walks of life.
Sorry to be so drippy with my blog today. Can you feel the love??

Which came first? The chicken or the egg?

Ok, so I'm not the only one have a bad day yesterday (Monday). I thought I was taking a step backwards. Work was horrible, and then when I got out on the road to run, the first step I took felt horrible! It was if I was in slow motion and the rest of my body went, "oh no, not again....!" I suppose it can be chalked up as a character building day. I couldn't run, I couldn't breathe, and my shins started to hurt. So I only got in 25 minutes instead of 40-50.
I'm thinking that I must be pretty sorry until I read other blogs stating they had the same problems. I guess the planets must have aligned or something. But today is a new day and so I must have a new attitude, right?

So I'm at Abner's last night for dinner because we were rushed for a meeting and didn't have time to prepare anything. The Abner's on Pear Orchard behind the mall gives a 10% discount to police, fire, and healthcare people on Monday's. I'm sitting there eating when a guy comes in that looks like a runner. I guess I'm noticing this more because I looked at his shoes, and then at his special socks, and his shorts, and shirt....you get the picture. I wouldn't have cared this time four months ago. It's sort of like when I became a nurse and I would look at someone in the checkout line at Kroger and started thinking, "man! that guy has got great veins!" I guess you start thinking and acting more closely to what you're involved with at the time.

Well, it's time to get ready to run. I can only hope if that guy saw me, he would think I'm a runner. My luck, he would be thinking, "oh look! it's comedy hour at the track tonight!" (ha)

Who are you, and what have you done with my wife?

Yesterday instead of wogging for 30 minutes, my wife wanted to take the dog for a walk since we've let the little booger get too fat. Well, as we were walking she says to me, "I can't believe I'm going to tell you this, but I was thinking about selling the black chair/ottoman in your office and putting a treadmill in its place." At that moment in time I almost tripped because I was so stunned at her comment. She is such a frugal little bookkeeper that she hates buying things that she thinks won't get used. (You've heard the saying that a treadmill makes a good shirt hanger....) I guess she has finally bought into the fact that I am really doing this and it's kind of inspired her to walk more.
In all actuality, I should have seized upon her moment of weakness and told her I needed some new golf clubs as well..........Anyway, that will come in handy when the weather may be too hot or wet outside so I'm off to look in the classifieds........

Power to the People!

I'm going to give myself a pat on the back. Last night, I wogged (run one minute, walk one minute) for 45 minutes and did 3 and 1/4 miles! Now I know many of you are thinking "is that all?" but for me, that is the most I have ever traveled. And the best part is, I will be breaking that record as the training goes by! I am really excited about the prospect of all of this. I went to the track at Madison Central last night and there were two or three young 'springy-type' guys that were just blowing by me. I kept thinking to myself, "yeah, come talk to me when you've let yourself go for twenty years!" I'm sure it looked like the tortoise and the hare, but I'm still proud of my accomplishments. And you know what? I was the last guy at the track after all the speedy gonzaleses of the world had come and gone.
As I was running alone in the setting sun, I kept visualizing the crowds of people along the route yelling at you and clapping for you. I felt my tempo increase as I looked at the empty stands thinking they were skyscrapers. And when I had finished my last sprint and I sat all alone in that stadium stretching....hearing nothing but my heartbeat and my breathing.....I thought to myself, "life is good......"

Good to the last drop........

So yesterday, I'm running errands after church and I decide to go back to Marshall's to return my Navman (GPS running gizmo) and get my $40 back. I'm thinking this was such a steal at $40 when the tag said 'compare to $169.99'. So today it's slow and I'm on ebay and I type in Navman. Lo and behold, there are three for sale. How much? $20 plus $20 S&H for a total of $40! I'm so glad I took it back because it didn't work anyway.

While I was up in Memphis Saturday afternoon, I stopped at a sporting goods store and bought the April 2007 copy of Runner's World. The people that were talking about this issue were right. There was a ton of good information in this issue. Since I'm trying to give up soda pops, one of the suggestions was to take club soda and juice (with splenda). You know, it wasn't half bad! Still gave me the carbonation I was wanting. I just have a splitting headache from my caffiene withdrawal.
Picture an addict on the street begging for more stuff......."c'mon man! I just need a little hit, that's all!" "I promise this is the last time, really!" In all reality, I feel like some Frankenstein monster with his arms out yelling....."MUST HAVE CAFFIENE!!" Now I know what your thinking and yes all my teas, and coffees in my house are DE-caffienated. The only jolts I ever got were from my pops! I'm thinking about sneaking over to another department and finding their coffee. Then when no one's looking, take a pinch between my cheek and gums like I used to do when I dipped snuff in high school. Can you dip coffee?

Look! Up in the Sky! It's a Bird! It's a Plane....

Did you know you can't sneeze with your eyes open? Not that it really matters, but since I can't think of anything to say today, I thought that would be appropriate. I've tried to sneeze with my eyes open and I just can't do it.
In case you need some encouragement today, check out owhit.blogspot.com entry today. I think he spoke for many of us about wondering if we can make it. We can by the Grace of God!
I signed up online for the marathon, so there is no turning back now! (well.....there might have been if we could get a refund, but since we can't and I'm a cheapskate, I want to see a return on my investment......ha!)
I'm looking forward to seeing new friends on Saturday and meeting more friends. So far, this seems like a great little community with the same goals in mind. If I can ever be of service to you (you know like, let you practice your back massage techniques, or you need someone to take out to Shapley's) please don't hesitate to ask! No, seriously, I was just kidding about the back rub. Now a good steak is another thing.....

And The Truth Shall Set You Free...

OK, So I have a confession to make. In yesterday's blog, I sounded all mightier than thou when I mentioned that I put back all of those running clothes. What I didn't tell you was that I passed by the clearance rack at Marshall's and saw this neat little gadget. As I began to look at it, I noticed it was for running. It's called the Navman and it's a GPS system that does everything from tell you how many calories you've burned to lap time and distance speed. Heck, it might even tell you the winning powerball numbers for all I know!
The original price was $159.99 and it was on clearance for $40. I thought, "this is too good to pass up!!" The problem is, I have yet to figure out how to turn it on! Even with all of the instructions, I can't get that little booger to cooperate! I have tried contacting Navman, but the phone number is in England and I've never called over to Europe. My emails from customer support keep telling me I'm filling out the wrong request. I really want to use this thing, but I might take it back and get a refund on my $40. Does anyone out there know anything about these GPS running gizmos? Your expertise would be much appreciated.

A friend of my sent me a few quotes, so I can't take credit for them. Here they are:
1. When I asked my friend how he was doing, he said, "Every day is a holiday and every meal is a feast!" I thought that was a nice outlook on life.
2. Then this morning, he sends me an email that ends with, "A friend will come bail you out of jail. A true friend will be sitting right besides you saying, 'Dang, that sure was fun!'. "
Now how can you argue with that?............

HOLY UNDERWEAR, BATMAN!!

So I was at Marshall's off of county line road on Sunday afternoon. I walked in and went straight to the exercise clothes and came across a bunch of XXL running stuff. I was like, "oooooh, there's a shirt in my size......aaaaaaah, there's another one!.......oh look, here are some shorts too!....." Now for those of you who don't know what I look like, it's pretty darn hard finding clothes that fit all of the time. I just can't pull things off of the rack like the average person can. You know how most men have buns of steel and a six pack? Well I have loaves and a 2-liter....
Anyway, so I'm standing in line and I'm thinking, "I don't need all of this! I can actually wash and re-wear what I already have, can't I?" My wife the frugal bookkeeper that she is, was really very happy at my financial decision to put everything back. I guess I'll treat myself another time.
I hope all of you are having a great week and staying well. I am treating so many stomach viruses and sinus infections here at the clinic. WASH YOUR HANDS!!! I cringe at the thought of hugging the porcelin (sp?) god in the bathroom. Not my best reccomendation for a weight loss program.......

Oooooh, I wish I were an Oscar-Meyer Weeeeiner!!

Well TGIF everyone! Hope everyone made it through the storms ok. It's been a long week at work and I've been helping my 14 year old study for his nine week tests all week. I'm so tired that I bet if I closed my eyes right now, I could fall asleep while typinzzzzzzzz. Oh sorry, must of dozed off there for a second.
Can you believe it's March already? I hope we have good weather for our training tomorrow. Mark and Robin are really conducting a secret experiment. Remember in science class when you studied about Pavlov and his dogs? Every time Pavlov would feed the dogs meat, he would ring a bell. Then he would ring a bell without any meat and the dogs would still salivate? See, just thinking about training tomorrow has already got me thinking about that bread!! Excuse me while I go to the bathroom to clean the drool off my shirt.........