Growing Older But Not Up...

Kitchen Remodel

2012-01-25T20:15:00.001-05:00

is killing my diet. Can't access the stove, microwave or cupboards tonight. Out to eat again. Ordered a reuben and brought half of it home. Regardless, I am stuffed. I did have a nice 4 mile run this morning. I will eat better when I can cook. I will.

If I said I cared, I'd be lying

2011-05-28T21:57:00.003-04:00

In a really bad spot right now. Same stuff leading up to it, the events have just changed. I need to be by myself right now. It's coming.

Flying Pig

2011-05-01T20:30:00.004-04:00

2:20. Not the goal race that I had anticipated. I've recapped the 3 ear infections, skin cancer surgery, and the positional vertigo. In addition to an icy winter, the series of health maladies put the kibosh to any continuous training. I seldom averaged over 25 miles a week and even those 20 miles weeks were only strung together in groups of 2.

Well, the ear infections seem to be in the past and we won't be seeing any freezing temps for months. I am going to raise the bar on my training. I don't want to back away from the full at Crater Lake. It's gonna take some work.

Thump.

2011-04-29T07:47:00.001-04:00

I really fell off the wagon with my diet since I haven't been feeling well because of the vertigo. I can tell a difference. I felt much better when I was eating well. So, let's get back at it.

A New Day

2011-04-27T08:08:00.001-04:00

Taking advice from "One-eyed" Jud, if you act sick, you are sick. I got up and walked for 2 miles this morning. A little queasy, but felt good overall. Tomorrow, I will try an easy run. Enough is enough.

Venting

2011-04-26T19:22:00.002-04:00

I had high hopes for training this winter & spring. I started out the year with a 28 day workout streak. It has been downhill ever since.

A series of ear and viral infections plagued me off and on from Jan thru March. When I wasn't sick, we were inundated with ice. Again, high hopes after the weather broke. No more ice, the "viral syndrome" seemed to end.

Until Saturday. I woke up to go to the bathroom. Thought I felt a bit dizzy. Laid down and then room started spinning faster than a Huey helicopter on auto-rotate. I had to hang onto the bed. I fell asleep for a few hours, but it was no better when I woke up. I actually asked Bubba to take me to the ED. I could not stand it. Driving to the ED was a trip. I could not walk or ride with my eyes open. I was not able to focus on anything.

Luckily, a new hospital opened about 4 miles from my house. It is still very underutilized and there was no wait. I went right in and they gave me a series of neurological tests. Then, they started an IV and pumped me full of drugs. I guess I zonked so hard it was hard to hear above the snoring. When I woke up, I was dizzy, but I could keep my eyes open.

They are telling me that it's BPV - benign positional vertigo. It's gotten better over the past few days. Driving still bugs me a bit and the grocery store was rough. Otherwise, pretty bearable. I'm supposed to be taking it easy for a few days. I'm signed up to run the Flying Pig Half Marathon. Right now, I don't feel like I could do it. I guess I still have time. But, do I really want to do it and end up sucking at it? I'm not sure what to do. This was supposed to be a goal race for me. Now, it's looking like I either skip or see Cincinnati in tourist mode. Decisions.

I guess I just want to get better and get back on track. Frustrated beyond belief.

Blue

2011-03-20T23:30:00.002-04:00

and I don't know why. I find myself fretting over how the prices of houses around here are in the crapper. I have no intention of moving, my job seems secure, but I worry. Why?? Why am I finding myself unable to live in the moment and enjoy life?

I need to stop this destructive behavior now. My life is going fine. I'm hoping my attitude is stemming from almost 2 months of really not feeling well. I don't think that I realized just how badly I've been feeling until I started feeling better. As the week went on, my head cleared, and my energy returned, I started to notice what a mess this house has become. Filthy, cluttered, a mess.

I didn't have a ton of time this weekend, but I did make a dent in the clutter. Clearing out magazines and putting stuff away. I feel like I cannot really make a dent without getting the basement squared away. Alex's cave is a mess. There is a crack in the wall and a subsequent leak. Carpet is tore up and all the furniture is stacked at one end of the room. This needs to be taken care of this week. If the contractor is not going to get to it, a new contractor will be hired. I must make progress.

Time to spring clean my life!

OMG

2011-03-15T09:46:00.001-04:00

I feel better already!
My head is clear, no chills, and I have energy.
My ears are still plugged.

I just want to cry..

2011-03-14T20:41:00.003-04:00

I am sick of being sick. To the point, I think I'm depressed.
I have been sick off and on since December. I was primed to train and run an awesome race at the Flying Pig Half. Right now, I could care less if I ever get off the couch.

I've been told that I have fluid in my ears. The doc has tried to rid me of it with decongestants, nasal spray, and antibiotics. All to no avail.

Are the ears making me sick? I'm not so sure. They probably don't help. Right now, I cannot stop coughing. To the point, my nipples feel like they will explode. Excruciating pain. I've never experienced anything like that. Never. I hold my boobs until they stop hurting. Pain all over. Craziness.

I got a Z pack today, and steroids for the breathing. I took the day 1 dose and I already feel better than I have in a week. Chills are gone and my head is clear. If I could just stop coughing.

I'm going to bed.

Sick of being sick...

2011-03-13T20:34:00.002-04:00

3 months of the crud. It goes away. It comes back. Enough!

In the Direction of 50

2011-03-12T11:09:00.004-05:00

I'm feeling the need to challenge myself in order to celebrate my upcoming 50th birthday. My original goal was to run a marathon in Switzerland, the country of my ancestors. Well, work is not cooperating with that at all. A major go-live event is scheduled for mid-Oct, smack dab in the middle of prime marathon season. There are a few events in Switzerland in the months ahead of Oct, but not sure that I would be able to be out of the office for an extended period. And, hey, if I'm going to Switzerland, it is not going to be for a long weekend.

So, what to do? How about the Crater Lake Rim Run? A marathon at 8,000 feet around a water filled crater? The photos are gorgeous, the course is challenging. Who can I enlist to join me on this?? Oh yeah, my crazy friend Craig, who happens to be turning 60. He needs a challenge, too.

Craig and I are both signed up for the marathon. Bubba & Kathy are signed up for the 8 mile walks. Hotel reservations are made. Should be interesting, our rooms cost $50 a night. It has to be better than a campground!

This is my first trip to Oregon. There are reports of many good wineries out there. I will be deserving of many good wines once I complete this run. Bring it on.

Winter Morning

2011-01-30T11:35:00.004-05:00

Ok, just because I wasn't hacking up a lung after sleeping with the vaporizer, doesn't mean my lungs are clear. This morning's run was less than stellar. 5.5 miles in 60 mins. I have slowed down and I'm struggling. It will come back. If nothing else, it was a pretty morning to be out.

A Good Kind of Tired

2011-01-30T08:43:00.002-05:00

My streak lasted exactly 28 days. Then I was struck down with some death inducing virus from hell. I seriously had a good run last Saturday in -3 temps. Felt good most of the day and then approx at 10pm, someone stuck a knife in my ear. It was so sudden, that someone seriously had to be stabbing me. By Sunday, I could not lift my dead rear-end off of the couch. I was down for the count. For 3 days, I barely moved. I did manage to get back to work on Weds, but it was probably a day too early. All I can say is that I survived the week. By the end of the day Friday, I wanted to get home and sleep. That's what I did.

Woke up Saturday morning after a full 12 hrs of sleep. Some chest congestion remained, but overall, I felt like I had a bit of energy. I decided to run. OMG, the minute I pulled my running tights and shirt on, I felt like me. I rounded up Beanie and we headed to Glacier Ridge. I figured I would go for 3 miles and I'd take my time. It wasn't bad. A bit slow, overall a 10:30 pace. Ok, slow, but I did it. Felt good at the end. I felt that good kind of tired. For the first time in a week, it wasn't that sick kind of tired.

Chest congestion was bugging me yesterday, although it didn't bother me during the run. I googled what I could do about it and learned that a vaporizer would help. Hmm, I think I bought one years ago. I managed to find it, poured some water in it and fired it up. Lo and behold, my lungs feel relatively clear this morning. I'm going to head out for another run. I think I'll test out my yak-trax,because we seem to have gotten about an inch of snow last night.

It's so good to feel like me again!

Halted

2011-01-25T18:50:00.002-05:00

The streak stopped at 28 days. 28 days of running, lifting, and hot yoga ended with a mutha of a cold. It started off with someone sticking a knife in my ear. The knife caused my sinuses to plug up and ache. I was beat about the body with a baseball bat and decided that life would be better if I spent the next 3 days in bed.

I am gradually poking my head out. I haven't left the house in 3 days, but I did finally shower today. Tomorrow, I may even go to work. This really sucks.

I was inspired by another blogger,Running into the Sun, to put together a sensible training plan. One that I can stick to, even with the crap weather that is going on. So, I dug out the Higdon Intermediate Half Marathon schedule and put it on paper. Technically, it won't start for another week. That gives me some time to get back on my feet. But, after Feb 1st, I'm saying, "Bring it on!"

A Baker's Dozen & Old Habits

2011-01-07T19:49:00.002-05:00

Day 13 of the streak. Still going strong. Lifted weights today because I could not bring myself to go out into the cold and wind to run.

On the other hand, I am firmly disgusted about my weight. Everything is tight and I've not done a good job with watching what I eat this week. The Buckeye game = beer & pizza, washed down with sugar free cupcakes! Spent 3 hrs in the emergency room with Milt last night following his accident. We were famished by the time we were released, so we ran straight over to Matt the Miller's and scarfed down a couple of flatbreads.

What I'm finding is that I keep making bad decisions despite knowing what decision I should make. For instance, I was not very hungry at lunch time. Someone was making a run to pick up Chinese for lunch. A bowl of won ton soup sounded great. Did I order it? Nope. I was worried that I may get too hungry later on. I could have supplemented the soup with a salad, but instead I ordered Kung Pao Chicken. Not a damn vegetable in it. I didn't enjoy it, but I ate it all (skipped the rice). Stupid. Why didn't I stick with the soup?

At Matt the Miller's, I was hungry. So, why did I order a cosmo? No freaking clue other than it was martini night, thus a deal. I really didn't feel like I wanted a drink. Had I gotten a glass of wine or a beer, that would have at least enhanced the flavor of the food. A cosmo is fine for sitting on the deck, not accompanying dinner.

I need to focus on preparing foods ahead, packing my lunch and making wise choices.
Quit being stupid, Stupid!

Eight.

2011-01-02T10:17:00.003-05:00

Shit. The temp is 30* colder than it was yesterday morning. 20*, sunny, though. I grabbed Beanie and headed out. Knew that it was going to be an easy run and short. Well, it was slow, but it wasn't easy. I kept it short, 2.4 miles. It is cold and very dry, which did not help my cold/asthma/lungs not one bit. My chest is actually burning right now.

Beanie did enjoy her run. She ran across an old yellow lab that she scared the pee out of with her high pitched beagle bark. She completely missed 3 large deer catching some rays on the #13 tee box. This was despite the fact that she stopped to take a poop and was squatting right in their direction. The deer looked regal, the dog looked dumb. Beagles.

Happy New Years!

2011-01-01T18:16:00.006-05:00

Celebrated New Year's on Whitecraigs Ct. Awesome appetizers at the Vradenburg's, a scrumptious meal and games at the Loebigs, and dessert at our place. The food and company was great.

Rang in the new year with an easy 4.5 miler down at the store. Unfortunately, I pretty well ran on my own, since all the speedy folks showed up. It was warm and drizzly, about 52*. Can't complain about that in January. The streak continues at 7.
Now, if the celebrations and food extravaganza's cease, I may drop a pound or two.

Btw, signed up for the Flying Pig Half Marathon today.

Hola 2011!

2010-12-31T17:59:00.003-05:00

Happy New Years! Wishing all I know a happy and healthy new year.

As I close up 2010, I can reflect on a pretty good year. Gained a puppy, Beanie Wells, aka Sox, in April. Lost my old pup, Corona, in Sept - one of the hardest things that I have ever gone thru. I guess that's saying that I've been pretty blessed in my life.

Exercise-wise, it has been an excellent year. Started off the year by following a resolution to find a running group. I started running at the Dublin Running Co last Jan. Met my newfound running buddy, Robin, the first day and we have been running together ever since. We've both progressed at the same rate and we keep pushing each other. It has been the single best thing I've ever done for my running.

Thru the running store, I have gotten free coaching in speedwork. Participated in that every Tues for 4 months. Set a 5k pr after 18 yrs of running. Started running with a Tues/Thurs group at 6 am. This group has gotten me out in 8* weather. They are fun and awesome. I look forward to waking up at 5. Well, that part may be an exaggeration.

Tomorrow starts a new year and I'll be heading to the running store at 10 am. Planning on 4 miles and I'm taking fixin's to make mimosas. After that, it'll be the couch and football.

Goals for 2011:
- continue having a blast running
- finish my 100 day streak
- train for a half marathon & break the dreaded 2 hr mark.
- have fun in everything I do
- appreciate my friends and family

Day 6 of the streak - 10 miles w/Robin. Wore shorts! 10:08 mpm pace. Was off because of this dag-gone cold.

Adios 2010, vaya con Dios!
Oh, and how better to end 2010 with a text that a friend just had his first grandson.

Moving Ahead..

2010-12-30T13:36:00.002-05:00

Day 4 - No rest for the weary. Despite a bit of a cold, I went to the gym and lifted for 30 mins. Followed this up with 30 mins, 7.25 miles on the stationary bike.

Headed to Mad River Mountain's Tubing Park for the remainder of the day. This consisted of dragging an innertube around while standing on a moving carpet to the top of the hill. Flying down the hill tethered to 3 other innertubes. Jon, Milt, and Alex went along with me. Alex was a trooper. She stood at the top saying this was too scary, but as soon as we finished the ride down, she was ready to go again. We never took a break during the 3 hour time slot we had. I'll definitely go again.

Day 5 - 4 miles with the Morning Running Peeps. We were supposed to awaken to a wintry mix, but, alas, too warm. Just a bit of rain. Running was nice. This cold is in my chest and I'm having trouble breathing. A call to the asthma doc is in order.

Day 3

2010-12-28T16:51:00.003-05:00

Didn't sleep worth a darn last night. I don't need to hear, menopause! Hormones! It was a bunch of chocolate candy at 10 pm. My bedtime, and I'm snarfing chocolate. So, when 5am came around, the alarm got turned off.

I did wake up at 8 am and dragged my butt down to the rec center to do the 5 mi loop. Brrrrr, how do you run a loop and have wind hitting you for 3 out of the 4 directions? Not to mention, it was icy in some spots. For the last 1.5 miles, I was out of the wind and in the sun. It felt like running in 70* temps. Overall, 5 miles, 10:05 pace.

I guess I wasn't the only one of the Morning Crew that didn't make the run. Did you know that you can be forced into drinking Jaeger bombs? That's just wrong!

The Streak

2010-12-27T16:32:00.004-05:00

For the past few years, the Dead Runner's Society, has a 100 day running streak challenge that starts at the first of the year. I'm going to have a go at the streak this year and see just how long I can last.

The DRS is pretty lose with the rules, so here are my rules for my streak:

- 100 days in a row of working out
- what constitutes a workout?
- 20 mins of cardio - walking, running, cycling, rowing, anything
- 20 mins of weights, ab work
- 20 mins of yoga

12/26 started the streak:

12/26 - 7.25 miles with Robin at a 10 min pace. Windy and about 27*, streets clear.
12/27 - 30 mins of abs and arms at the gym, followed by 5 mins of walking, 2 miles @ 10 min pace on the 'mill, and a 5 min walk cooldown. Damn, I hate treadmills.

Corona

2010-03-29T19:58:00.002-04:00

As I ran past our backyard on yesterday's run, Corona was heading into the house. The poor girl never looked up to give me a look as I ran by on the path. I think she's given up. It breaks my heart.

Shamrock Half Marathon

2010-03-22T21:56:00.002-04:00

Official time: 2:12:06. I was happy with the race. A very solid effort. For once, I did almost everything right. The only thing that I can beat myself up over is my lack of training. I blame that on weather and school. Both of those items got in the way of getting solid training in. No speedwork, midweek miles were low, but I did manage to get the long runs in.

My goal going into the race was to do nothing stupid. I keep screwing up my races and I didn't want to do that again. I didn't want to wig out, eat crap, etc. Saturday was a relaxing day. A very easy 2 mile run to loosen up, a good breakfast, hanging out and site-seeing all day. For dinner, I met up with my cousin Katie and her family. Katie had been threatening to do a half marathon for a couple of years and hadn't pulled the trigger. Last Fall, I offered to run the Shamrock Half if she signed up as well. We both followed through.

Dinner was fun. My cousin, Paula and her husband, Jim, brought Katie and the kids to packet pickup and dinner. I've not seen Paula much through the years, but she's actually my cousin. Her daughter, Katie, is about 20 yrs younger than me. I've met Katie a few times when she was younger, but I saw her again at her grandfather/my uncle's funeral a few yrs ago. She really didn't talk much, but started emailing afterwards. She was starting to run and wanted someone to talk with about running. We've been emailing/facebooking ever since.

Lots of talking over dinner, but Katie was nervous. She had mentioned earlier in the week that her training really wasn't there. I asked at dinner just how much she had run. She said she was running 3-4 days per week. Any long runs? No. Anything longer than 6? No. Sick kids, husband in Afghanistan, blah, blah. But, she wanted to toe the line and finish the half no matter what.

Race day weather was good. A bit cool in the morning. I got up, had a good breakfast and then we walked the 1 mile to the starting line. I got to the start right as the gun went off. I never did see Katie at the start - this is a big race!

I took off at a comfortable pace. I cannot say that this is a scenic or exciting race. Not many were out cheering and there scenery was pretty average. The race is well supported. Large, frequent water stops. I was clipping off 10 min miles for the first 5 or 6 miles. Right around that time, the demons started to creep into my mind. I started wondering when the wheels were going to come off and when I'd start slowing down.

Suddenly, I started closing in on the 2:15 pace group. I knew that I started in a corral behind them, so I knew that I was ahead of a 2:15 pace. I thought that maybe I could hang with the pace group. Wrong. The pace leader loved to hear himself talk and he thought that he was hilarious. I did not share his thoughts, so I took off. I kept working on the negative thoughts in my head and told myself that I could hold the pace. I hit 10 miles in 1:40. Heather's step-dad just ran his first 5k in 33 mins and was very proud of the fact that he did not walk. I decided that I was going to let Preston inspire me and that I would do the final 3.1 miles in 33 mins without walking.

I can't deny that I started to really hurt in the last 3 miles, but I gutted it out. I ended up finishing the race in 2:12:06, feeling very good about my race. I collected my finisher's tshirt, hat, and Yuengling lager and wandered back to the finish to watch for Katie.

Katie finished in 2:50 and change. Happy about finishing, feeling bad about being slow, and sore. Overall, I think that she was pretty happy with herself.

After a successful race, I'm already thinking about my next goal. I believe that I will sign up for the Cap City Half Marathon. That gives me 6 wks to add some speed-work and perhaps even drop a couple of pounds. I would like to be under 2:08, and also run a strong, smart race. Bring it on!

Race splits:
9.55
9.59
10.12
9.57
9.56
10.05
9.58
9.45
10.04
10.02
9.52
10.15
10.08
1.38

55* + rain = perfect

2010-03-11T21:15:00.002-05:00

I took my advice and decided to back off the runs. Today, I went out into 55* temps and a light rain. Planned on 6 miles @ recovery pace. Mile 1, 2, and 3 passed with me running easy and the HRM going beep, beep, beep. Sorry, it felt too darn good to rein it in today. At mile 3, I kicked it in and let it rip. Felt soooo darn good. Best run in months.

Was also rewarded with seeing 4 deer on the run. 2 big bucks, at least 8 pointers. Was surprised to see them have antlers at this time of yr. Most surprising, I was running on the Olentangy Trail. Smack dab in the middle of Columbus. Makes you wonder how the deer get there.

Bluck

2010-03-09T19:33:00.002-05:00

I seemed to have lost my stamina since returning from vacation. Running is a struggle, each and every time I go out the door. I showed up for my training session last week and requested yoga. I barely had the energy to stretch. I'm not sure what is up, but it does not bode well for the Shamrock Half Marathon next weekend. If I am walking by mile 3, I will be po'd.

Diet.

2010-03-08T19:26:00.001-05:00

It's a dirty word. I am currently reading Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guide Book. Thus far, there have been no revelations, no A HA! moments. However, I'm doggone tired of being approx 7 pounds over the weight where I feel comfortable. I'm not going to say that I'm fat, nor am I going to say that I need to lose a bunch of weight. Could I stand to lose more than 7 lbs? Heck, I could probably lose 20 and not be considered underweight. I just think that 7 would be a good starting point. I'm very comfortable with how I look and feel at that weight, and I could probably maintain it. I'm hoping that by reading this book, I am better able to make some conscientious decisions regarding my food choices.

Maybe by the time I get to my May half marathon I can achieve that 7 lb weight loss!! Let's hope. No, let's shoot for that!!!

Schizophrenic

2010-03-01T20:55:00.002-05:00

Trying to keep a normal blog and a fitness blog is not working. I often can't figure out where to post something, so I end up not posting at all. So, I'm going back to the basics and will go back to posting to the original blog. Not sure why I felt the need to separate the two to begin with.

So, I embarked on a half marathon training program several months ago in preparation for the Shamrock Half Marathon. Planning on meeting up with my cousin, Katie, for the race. This will be her first half.

I started the training in earnest. Silly me, I picked the snowiest winter in Ohio history - for shizzle - to do this. I have been lucky to run, let alone do intervals, speed work, etc. So, a change in game plan. I'm running Shamrock, went thru too much trouble to back out - the race was closed and I had to call in a favor from a friend that works for a race management company. She knew someone, who knew someone. Yada. yada.

I'm looking for another half in May. Right now, it's looking like the Capital City Half Marathon. It's not a race that I care for, way too crowded for my taste. But, it's all I'm finding that is close by. I don't think I want to travel to anything. I've adjusted my training schedule and I'm ready to roll. School and winter is ending, I have no excuses. Well, except I'm lazy. But, I can buckle down for a few weeks. Put it on rock & roll.

2009-06-15T20:06:00.004-04:00

Smoke Rise Ranch..

Most of you will remember that one of last year's Christmas gifts was a trip to a cowboy camp. The camp was called Smoke Rise Ranch in Glouster, Oh. We were to spend 2 nights in their ranch house, with meals provided, 6 hours of riding, and cattle working lessons.

We arrived on Friday afternoon. They knew that we were coming, but other than spending 2 nights there, that's all that they seemed to know. This was despite me calling in the reservation several months ago and reading all the info on the gift certificate and calling back the monday before our arrival to confirm. First off, they tell us that there will be no dinner provided on Friday night, but they'll make up for it on Sat. Then they tell us that we should just go down to the house and make ourselves comfortable in the hot tub. Well, I'm not a big hot tub person - especially a public hot tub person - but we took a look. Gah! The area around the tub was filthy and there was an inch of scum on the top of the water. The picture posted below was taken after we complained and they sent someone down to clean and shock the tub.

The cabin itself was not what I would call rustic, but rather run down. It wasn't the cleanest, but I've stayed in worse places as well. I checked out the tiny tv set and it was hooked to an antenna. Lucky us, we arrived on the day that the country switched to digital tv. The tv didn't work. A complaint to the office got the response of "oh, no one installed a converter box yet?" They never did install a converter box. We ended up watching the Stanley Cup Finals (Go Pens!) at The Mine, a nice little bar in Nelsonville.

Despite the less than luxurious accomodations, we tried keeping an open mind since we were here for the riding. However, the staff didn't seem to know which end was up and couldn't put a schedule together. Finally, it was decided that we would do a trail ride on Sat morning. We would go out with a wrangler, who would give us a lesson after assessing our skill level. Well, we went on a trail ride. It was nice. It wasn't your typical nose to tail trail ride, just me, Milt & the wrangler. We were able to trot the horses, mine made a couple of unexpected jumps (yee-ha!) and it's really pretty in the hills. There was no assessment of skills, lessons, or even tips other than how to hold my reins.

We got back and the staff were trying to figure out when I was to have my "cattle working" lesson. They were running a clinic there all weekend and everyone was tied up. Finally, I was told to return at 4pm, which I did. I rode down to the arena and the person that was to give me my lesson said that he didn't have time for me now. I was with Gene, the wrangler from the morning and he asked when we should come back. The other guy, Lynn - who was the owner of this place, said later. Gene asks when later? Awhile. How long is awhile? Lynn says - can't say.

Milt and I went back to the "ranch house" and sat on landscaping timbers, since the lawn furniture was too dirty to sit on. We drank a couple of beers and decided to drive back to Columbus. Oh, the dinner that was supposed to be provided on Sat didn't materialize either.

When riding with Gene earlier in the day, we rode thru an area that had been logged out a few yrs ago. Gene tells us that the ranch had accepted reservations from a bunch of deer bow hunters and then had it logged out. Bow hunters sit in tree stands for the most part. He said the bow hunters were p/o'd when they got there and demanded their money back, but they didn't get it. Lynn (the owner) told them they had paid in advance and you got what you got. I think that pretty much summed up our experience.

I did some research on the web about this place and the reviews are actually pretty favorable. There is a complaint lodged against them with the Better Business Bureau, but I don't know what the complaint is, other than that a refund was requested. Milt has been trying to contact the ranch to lodge a complaint (complaining to the office staff was useless), but he has not received a response. The favorable reviews are all from people that camped at the ranch and had their own horses. As you can see by the following pictures, it is really quite pretty down there. With 3,000 acres of trails to ride, if you were just looking for a place to ride your horse, this place would fit the bill. It is not a dude ranch, as advertised, and in no way was able to accommodate our minimal needs.

I feel really badly for Milt who really attempted to give me a unique gift. I appreciate the thought and I thoroughly enjoyed the trail ride. I just thought the cost of the ride was a bit steep, considering. Oh, they charged Milt an extra $50 to ride because you could not spread the 6 hours among 2 people - even thought they did not have the horse or wrangler to give me for 6 hours.

2009-05-31T07:58:00.002-04:00

No More Dogs..
Seems to be the refrain coming from my dad these days. My parent's beloved dog, Ike, was just diagnosed with diabetes and will be joining Tank, Cinders, Abby, Duff and a host of others on Tues. I can't imagine how hard this is for my parents. I have an indication of how difficult it is just from the tears that I've been shedding the past few days. In fact, they are freely flowing right now.

Dad told me yesterday that there will be no more dogs, this is just too hard. I, of course, had to respond with a smart ass answer and told him that at his age, he won't have to worry about it. In fact, Joe, Justine and I will probably have to draw straws to see who ends up with the dog. At least that got a laugh.

Why is this so hard? It's so hard because these little guys are such a very important part of our lives. Who else runs to greet you every time you walk into the house? Who will lay in bed with you all day - not saying a word - when you aren't feeling good. They just lay against your leg, letting you know they're thinking about you. Who else is going to brighten your day with their stupid tricks, quirks, etc? Who else sits there watching you while you're typing away, wondering why the heck you aren't taking them for a walk instead?

Sometimes dogs can be a pain in the butt. There's the whole poop/pee in the house thing. Why do they only vomit after the carpet has just been cleaned? Why do they always want to play when you are exhausted? But, for all the little pains, they truly only have one fault and that is that they don't live as long as we do. For this reason truer words were never spoken than by James Herriot who said, "all dogs will eventually break your heart."

Rest in peace, Ike. I love you.

2009-05-25T22:30:00.000-04:00

The letter from LCpl Wesley Davids..

2009-05-25T22:01:00.003-04:00

Thank you for my freedom!

This Memorial Day, I had the opportunity to escort Mr. O'Rourke to the Dublin Memorial Day Parade. Mr. O'Rourke was a member of the 101st Airborne Division. A paratrooper that jumped into Normandy on D-Day. He was invited to participate in the Dublin parade along with several other WWII vets including my buddy, George Fink, who I had met at the last veterans event I attended.

I met up with Mr. O'Rourke prior to the parade. His family was all there to give him last minute instructions. "Grandpa, practice waving like the queen!" He seemed tickled to ride in my Miata and kept telling me what a neat car I had. As we pulled onto the parade route, you could hear the crowd saying, "here come the WWII vets." The applause got louder and louder. People were yelling, "thank you, sir", "thank you for your service" and finally, "thank you for my freedom!" Mr. O'Rourke started with small little waves - smaller than the Queen's. As the crowd got louder, the waves got bigger. He was getting such a kick out of it. I tried in vain to hold back the tears as I drove. I was so happy for these guys, that were getting the recognition that they truly deserved.

We made a stop on the bridge into town, where a ceremony was performed for all those lost in the service of the Navy. It was then onto the cemetery where another ceremony was held and then onto the Grounds of Remembrance, a new veterans park in Dublin. A dedication ceremony was held there. The ceremony involved the usual politician speeches and was finished up by a local woman, Jody Davids, reading a letter that she had received in her son's belongings - 2 weeks after his death from an IED in Iraq. The happy tears shed during the parade were replaced by tears of pain. How this woman held her composure, I have no idea. She read of her son's pride in his service to the Marines, as her other son, also a Marine, stood at her side. It was truly an inspirational close to the day's ceremonies.

I ran into George's daughter at the picnic following the dedication. She introduced her son to me and they both thanked me and Milt for getting her dad involved in the day's ceremonies. She started to break down as she explained her dad's failing memory and how much he was enjoying what is probably his last Memorial Day. Milt walked over to talk to George, who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying his lunch and was tickled with all the attention.

Tonight, I got a call a from Mr' O'Rourke's daughter. She thanked me for taking such good care of her dad all day and said that he couldn't have been happier. He's been talking about it all day. He told his kids that it was his first parade. As for me, I can't say enough about how proud I was to participate in the day and give something back to what truly is The Greatest Generation.

2009-05-01T21:21:00.002-04:00

A new friend...
A trip to the Red, White, & Blue Bash netted me a new buddy tonight. I was sitting at my table feeling mighty uncomfortable, didn't know a soul there other than Bubba. A woman walked up and asked if the chair next to me was empty. I told her to sit down and she sat down along with an older gentleman. I introduced myself to him and he introduces himself as George Fink and tells me that he was at Normandy. We immediately struck up a conversation that carried us through the next few hours. He was the communications officer on "the presidential ship." It turns out that his ship had carried FDR on a tour to Europe. He had an envelope sitting on the table and I asked him what he had. He pulled out an article that spotlighted him and told about his exploits in WWII. He also had a yearbook that gave the story about his ship and had pictures from FDR's trip. Not only did they carry FDR, but also Churchill & Eisenhower.

George wasn't all memory lane. He currently lives in Dublin at a retirement center. He's the bartender there and tells me that he has a host of women chasing him. He loves the place, since they are always doing something fun. He said that he actually got them to throw together a trip to Wheeling to hit the casino - where he won 1200 bucks on the penny slots.

I had a blast talking to George. He was funny and intelligent. A real pleasure. His daughter told Milt to thank me for listening to her dad, but why would I not? Milt got George's daughter's phone number and he asked if George would want to join the American Legion in the Memorial Day parade. Deborah, his daughter, about burst. She said her dad loves to go to the parade, and it's a special day since the parade ends at the cemetery and they stay to visit her mom's grave. Well, guess who gets to drive George around in the parade? Yep, he's going in the Miata with me.

George made my night. I hope that he enjoyed himself as well.

2009-01-14T21:58:00.003-05:00

Family Room FixUp....

We've been working on the family room for the past week or so. Stripped off the cedar beam, wallpaper and replacing the windows with ones that open. We're happy with the way it's coming out. Here's the progress so far:

2009-01-06T19:53:00.002-05:00

Back to School...

Today marked my first day of Grad School. I have not been in school for, hmmm, 14 yrs now. Is that possible?? Ok, some things have changed. As I made a mad dash to the supply cabinet at work in order to grab a notebook, I had the revelation that the last time I was in school, I didn't carry a laptop. I guess a notebook is not necessary. I may have had a cell phone back then, but it wasn't my primary communication device. So, guess who's cell phone was the only one to go off during class? Yep, and I couldn't find the doggone thing that was stuck in the pocket of my coat - which was rolled up in a ball on the chair next to me. So, I made my presence known right away. I also didn't carry a Blackberry. Couldn't have, since the only Blackberry that existed back then was a fruit.

The class - Issues in Healthcare - seems fun and interesting. There is no textbook and the grade is mostly participation. There are reading assignments in order to fuel the discussions. We have to pick a book off of a reading list. I already ordered mine, a grand total of $9. After reading the reviews, it looks pretty interesting. I'm looking forward to the next 9 weeks. This could be the start of a fun journey.

2008-12-28T18:16:00.002-05:00

Santa Baby....

It's been a good Christmas at the Link household. Hopefully, it has been for you, too. I was lucky enough to get tons of gifts that all will be put to use. Most will allow me to enjoy my hobbies/passions - photography, cooking, & horses - all the more. In fact, I've even already used most of the gifts.

If you're watching the slideshow, you are seeing my test photos taken with my new Nikor 70-300 mm lens. It is freaking awesome. I took the pictures of the basketball players from the Huntington Club seats at the Schott (2nd level). I cannot wait to try the lens out west somewhere. No longer shall I show off brown dots as grizzly bears!

I also received all kinds of kitchen/cooking accessories. My favorite being my enamel coated dutch oven. I put it to use tonight by making white chicken chili. This pot kicked ass. Literally, once it heated up, it stayed hot, yet nothing burned. I just hope the soup cools off before I go to bed, so I can put it in tupperware!

I paired the chili with a salad - in my new salad bowl and a Yuengling Black & Tan - in my new pilsner glasses. I've yet to use the Kitchenaid mixer, but it is looking mighty fancy sitting on the kitchen counter.

To top it all off, I get to go to horse camp for 3 days! Yep, at the age of 47, I'm going to learn to rope & ride! I'll even be herding cattle. My riding won't be limited to the 3 days of horse camp, cause I was given gift certificates to take Alex riding. Our first attempt will be on Jan 11th. She's pretty brave when it comes to petting and feeding the horses. We'll see how she does when she's perched on top of one. I do need to pick her up a cowboy hat before we go. She's already got the boots, but she needs a hat to be a real cowgirl. Photos to follow. :)

I only hope that everyone else is as thrilled with their gifts as I was with mine. Everyone went way overboard on me this year. I must have been really good this past year!!!

2008-12-13T18:46:00.003-05:00

Preparing for Christmas

Alex has been over to help with the decorating. Scary.

2008-12-05T09:23:00.000-05:00

TGIF, it's been a long week!

2008-11-30T09:33:00.001-05:00

Seen Outside my Family Room Window...

Saw it just this morning. I would have taken my own picture had I not been too busy standing there saying, "holy crap a coyote!!!"

2008-11-27T06:43:00.002-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving....

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you all have much to be thankful for in the past year and even more blessings in the next. A special shout-out to 2 special friends that have had an amazing year. I think the next year will be even more amazing!

2008-11-22T09:30:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday Gramps!!!

I still miss you.

2008-11-19T20:16:00.002-05:00

Go Browns!!!!!!!!!!!!

On November 2nd we were lucky enough to watch a Browns game in what was quite possibly the nicest November weather ever in the history of Cleveland. Unfortunately, we were not lucky enough to watch a good game. The Browns sucked beyond belief and blew a 13 point lead. On the bright side, this led to Derek Anderson getting his ass thrown on the sideline - giving Brady Quinn the starting quarterback job! Go Brady!

2008-11-17T07:17:00.000-05:00

Ahhh...

I complained about the cold all weekend, but is there anything more beautiful to wake up to?

2008-11-16T11:39:00.002-05:00

Conquer the Creek...

I crawled out of my snuggly bed early this morning to do a trail run at Alum Creek State Park. Yesterday was a cold, windy, rainy, miserable day and I was certainly hoping for a bit better today. My prayers were answered when today simply turned out to be cold and windy.

I picked up my buddy, Laura, and her friend Sean and headed out to the park. We got out there, picked up our running packets and had almost 30 mins to spare. This never happens to me, and why did it have to happen on such a cold day? We ended up sitting in the car until a quarter till nine. At that time, we got out and did some easy warm up laps thru the parking lots.

I'm bad at estimating, so I really can't say how many were there. I apparently took off to fast, since I was cruising along for about 12-15 minutes when people started passing me in droves. I was hurting at that point! Not a good sign. I was even passed by my running buddy, Teresa, who typically runs at least 1 min per mile faster. I saw her and thought, uh oh!

The trail had it's share of unevenness, branches, roots, etc. It really wasn't too muddy, especially considering the rain we had. I would call it rolling, but never really too steep. Overall, it was a great place for a run. I kept hanging on and stuck with the 6.5 mile option - even though I was seriously tempted to turn off at the 4 mile route. I persisted, although I was beginning to wonder if I was the DFL. Every once in awhile I caught site of someone behind me.

I ended up finishing the race in 1:05:45 - about 10 min pace. Not too bad actually for a trail run. I was pretty spent at the end. I also hit 30 miles this week, which may be my highest mileage week since last winter. Probably not a smart idea to throw a race onto the end of a high mileage week. But, it didn't kill me, so must be making me stronger.

I do plan to try to get out for any and all goofy, out of the ordinary races held over the winter. It's the perfect way to keep the running up when the weather turns to crap.

2008-11-11T12:05:00.004-05:00

Happy Veterans Day!

I woke up to a cold, crisp morning. Frost on the ground, temps in the 20's, and not a breeze in the air. I started the day by running to downtown Dublin to benefit from the free breakfast offered to veterans at Le Chatelaine. I have to say that I was humbled by the WWII vets that were down there, proudly wearing their hats and jackets, which spoke of their service to the US. Unfortunately, I simply had on a Boston Marathon jacket and a Life is Good hat, since there are no hats or jackets commemorating service to the defense of the states of Michigan and Ohio. :o) The breakfast was very good, and for today, I won't call those French a bunch of sniveling cowards that would be speaking German if not for the US. Oh, I wasn't going to say that.

I later joined Bubba and his American Legion post for a ceremony at the Dublin Cemetery. The crowds were a bit more sparse than the ones on Memorial Day and the 4th of July, but there were some brave souls out there paying their respects. A small ceremony was held at the main flagpole and then the color guard marched over to PVT Lazell's grave. He was a Dublin kid, killed in WWI - something like 6 days before the war ended. Unlucky kid. The color guard then marched over to the grave of Lance Corporal Wesley Davids, a Dublin killed that was a member of the USMC Lima Co and killed in Iraq. His grave is still decorated with all of the pictures, stuffed animals, a dozen or so flags, and all of the other paraphenalia that is used to decorate graves these day.

As part of the ceremony, the post commander read a letter that Davids had written to his parents, to be read upon his death. I can't think of anything more touching or humbling to read as you honor those who have given us our freedom.

I want you to know I don't fear death, and while I wish I could live out the rest of my life happily, I am proud to give my life in the name of Freedom I have never been more proud of myself than I am right now. I think I have finally found the key to happiness. Live your life the way that you can be proud of in everything you do. No regrets.
LCpl Wesley Davids

2008-11-01T08:35:00.002-04:00

Sex and the City...
For someone who never missed an episode of the tv show and went thru a depression when the show went off the air, I'm surprised that it took me almost 6 months to see the movie. I think I had a bit of hesitation because so often the movie or sequel does not live up to the hype. In this case, it was perfect!!! My friends, Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, and Samantha were back. I laughed, screamed and cried. The movie was excellent and everything that I would have expected. It was 2 hours of heaven for me!

My only negative comment would be for Sarah Jessica Parker. Girl, gain some weight!!! Damn, she looked bad. Much older than she is, cause she's too damn skinny. Someone I know had met her recently and commented on how frail she looks. If she looks that thin in a movie, I can only imagine what she looks like in real life.

I think I'm going to have to pull out all 6 seasons of the dvds and revisit this, and then I'm gonna watch the movie again. Oh, and I still heart Big!

2008-10-03T06:31:00.001-04:00

Separated at Birth??

You Betcha!

2008-09-14T10:49:00.002-04:00

A Few Thoughts...

I've had this thought after watching the Buckeyes play in the National Championship game for the past 2 years. Also, with watching the remainder of the Big Ten play their bowl games. Last night's game between the Buckeyes and USC Trojans confirms the thought. The Big Ten Conference is clearly inferior. The Buckeyes may be the best in the Big Ten, but that doesn't translate into a good football team. It simply means that we're better than 10 other teams in the midwest. It is completely embarrassing and disheartening.

Last night's game showed that the OSU coaching staff is unable to adjust their game plan. Our offensive line was non-existent, yet the left a quarterback in the game that cannot play outside of the pocket. The qb that is able to scramble, sat on the sidelines, despite playing well when he was in the game. If Boekman is a good quarterback, I believe his psyche was irrepairbly damaged last night. He was shaken to the core and spent the majority of the game flat on his back. It was a disgusting display of football.

On the bright side, Michigan lost yesterday. The day is always better when Michigan lost. I wonder how their liking their pompous coach - Rich Rodriguez - these days. Note to Rodriguez: in order to be pompous, you must have the performance to back it up. You suck.

Speaking of pompous, fat-assed Charlie Weis got his knee blown out during the ND/Michigan game yesterday. I'm sure that he cried like a girl, couldn't get around on his crutches and was just a mess. I guess he missed 80 year old Joe Paterno getting his knee blown out. Did he leave the game? Nope, the stubborn old dude stood on one leg until the trainers convinced him to leave and get a brace on. He also snapped right back. I doubt Weis will do that. For one thing, Paterno wasn't carrying around an extra 200 lbs.

Last but not least, I volunteered for a research study at OSU. The study is looking at the correlation between stress and pain. They have me keeping somewhat of a food diary. It's not terribly detailed, but you capture the gist of what you eat. I notice that my running, mood, energy level and all things positive decline when I am eating foods high in carbs and/or fats. The food diary actually breaks out the # of servings of french fries - I haven't had any and pizza - lot's o'pizza. The pizza does have a negative effet on me. We're leaving on vacation today, so I'm planning on watching what I eat, but won't go overboard. When I get home, it's going to be time to clean up the diet.

2008-08-31T22:24:00.003-04:00

Spirit of Columbus Half Marathon...

Ran the first Spirit of Columbus Half Marathon today. The race started 35 mins late, luckily allowing us to finish the race in sunny, warm temps. Everyone knows how much I like running in the heat.

Actually, I did pretty well overall. I ran the majority of the race at a 9:40 pace. Kind of fizzled out at the 10 mile mark. I think that had more to do with not doing many runs beyond 10 miles and less to do with the weather.

On a side note, I really need to work on developing some muscle definition in my legs. ugh.

2008-08-31T22:16:00.002-04:00

Zipppppp.....

Zip lining at the Hocking Hills Canopy Tours with Bubba & MaryD. Dang, what a blast. It took me 4 zips to get past the feeling that I wanted to puke prior to jumping off the launch decks. Once I settled into it, it was freaking awesome. The pictures don't do it justice.

2008-08-31T22:10:00.002-04:00

Go Bucks!!!

Another season starts. Jon & Heather decided that Alex was ready for her first Buckeye game. Heck, the little fart actually made it onto the field with Brutus. Hopefully, I can score some pictures of that.

What a great opening day. Not only did the Buckeyes win, but Michigan lost. Gotta love it!

2008-08-18T22:25:00.002-04:00

A Summer Supper...

Had my first tomato/cucumber/onion sandwich of the season. The perfect dinner following a 5 miler in 85* weather.

Yay summer!

2008-08-16T12:47:00.000-04:00

Too Busy to Post!

But let me just say that Team USA is awesome, the Olympics rock, and Michael Phelps is FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC! Track is starting, another week of no sleep.

An update on Alex, the little squirt had her tonsils out yesterday. She was pretty miserable when she got out of surgery. But, not to miserable to tell me that it was "HER POPSICLE" when I tried to take it. She actually seemed more upset about her IV than her sore throat.

Milt and I took a break from the hospital and grabbed some lunch. 2 or 3 hours later, we returned to find the little squirt playing in the playroom. Moving all over the place tethered to her IV. At that point, she looked so doggone tired it wasn't even funny, but she would not rest. When she saw me, she asked if we could go swimming!

Overall, she seems to have done really well. According to the kids, she crashed shortly after we left. I know that when my folks stopped in to see her, she never woke up. She pretty much slept thru til the morning. She's home now and probably much happier with the doggone IV out. I haven't seen her yet today.

2008-07-27T19:11:00.002-04:00

Dash for Donation 5k...

Today was the Dash for Donation 5k held in downtown Columbus. I had planned on
running the event to support my buddy, Neal, aka the kidney transplant guy. A
couple of days ago, I mentioned the race to my dad and said that he should do
it. At $13 for the entry fee, the race was a bargain! Always a bargain hunter,
Dad signed up.

This morning wasn't the best racing weather. Not terribly hot yet, but humid.
I was thinking that I was kind of glad that Dad came, I'd stick with him. The
race started off on a downhill, with LOTS of people moving slow in front of us.
Since this race recognized organ donors, their families, and transplant
patients, there were alot of people that really weren't there to race. We
settled into a decent pace and Dad seemed to be hanging with it. He was talking
a bit, so I figured it wasn't too bad for him. The course was a bit hilly, but
the time went my fast as I talked and Dad replied once in awhile. He never
backed off until the last tenth of a mile, which finished uphill! I HATE when races finish on an uphill!

I checked my watch at the 3 mile mark, just under 30 mins. I told him that he
was running a sub-10 pace. He hung with it and we finished in 30:54. It was
good enough for my dad to grab 2nd in the 65-69 age group. He even got a
plaque! He was pretty proud of that doggone plaque, so much so that we had to
get our picture taken.

Dad's only been running since the first of April. He started up after a 13 yr
hiatus. He's running 3 miles a day and is thinking of starting to throw in a
long run. Now, I need to convince him that the Bataan Memorial Death March is doable. In Dad's words, the only thing that would have made today's
race better was beer at the end.

Neal had a rough day. Didn't reach his goal, but that stuff happens. This race offered heat, hills, and humidity. All of which are known to doom a race. He will break that 47 mins, I know it. It's amazing what cool weather does for your pace.

2008-07-26T12:41:00.002-04:00

Benjamin gets a bath...

Bubba gave Benjamin a bath today. Doesn't he (Benjamin) look happy? A clean car is a happy car.

2008-07-23T09:14:00.000-04:00

Darn near a perfect day....

The heat and humidity of the past week or so broke last night. It felt almost cool outside this morning. Got out for 5 miles of running, a warm shower, a fruit smoothie, driving into work with the top down, and one good song after another on the radio. What could be better? Oh yeah, should have been on my way to the golf course instead of the office! Life is good.

2008-07-21T21:23:00.002-04:00

Getting Older....
I will repeat, the thing that I hate most about getting old is reading glasses!! Several years ago, I had lasiks done on one eye. Mono-vision was supposed to correct one eye for distance and leave the other eye for near vision. Over the past months, it seems to be failing me. I wear reading glasses most all of the time when working on the pc or reading, especially when at work with flourescent lights.

Today, I went to the eye doctor. My uncorrected eye has gotten worse as far as distant vision goes, 20/60. It was previously 20/30. I had suspected that my far vision was worse. I can get the right eye corrected to 20/20, but that would affect my near vision even more. I can get bifocal glasses to wear when I want to see far or near. I can get contacts that I just pop into my right eye when I want to see 120/20. Decisions!

So, I leave the office with daily wear contacts that correct my eyesight to 20/20. Seeing distance is freaking wonderful. Everything is crisp, extraordinary. I'm on the pc all afternoon, wearing over the counter reading glasses. I can see the pc just fine. Life is good. Hell, I'm gonna sign up for lasiks on my right eye tomorrow.

I go to Target. Holy smokes. I cannot read price tags on items. I'm picking up items and if I want to see it well or read something, I have to pull the reading glasses out of my purse. I get home, make dinner, can't see shit. Cut my finger, have to pull out the reading glasses, again. Leave the glasses on during dinner. Sit down to eat, I cannot see my food clearly! WTF?? This is BS. I yank the contact out and throw it away. Ahhh.

What to do? I think I will end up buying the bifocals. When my vision is perfect, I will have the built in reading lenses at the bottom. I'll be able to see well in movies, driving at night and watching tv. These are the times when the distance bothers me the most. When I'm not wearing the glasses, regular old reading glasses will do and I'll still have decent close vision.

All in all, this is a pain in they keyster. I don't ever remember my 98 y/o grandfather wearing reading glasses. He'd sit there reading all of the time, with naked eyes. Why can't I be that lucky?

BTW, I've clogged up the garbage disposal. Actually, it is fubar. Will be calling a plumber in the morning. Life is rocking!

2008-07-19T22:36:00.002-04:00

Random Thought...

You know that you've been in the dog days of summer too long when you find yourself looking longingly at the fleece jackets in the LL Bean catalog.

2008-07-10T13:37:00.002-04:00

Too Cute for Words...

2008-06-30T17:29:00.001-04:00

What is tackier than having a motorcycle for a tombstone?

Sitting on a complete stranger's tombstone and pretending to ride it?

2008-06-25T20:05:00.003-04:00

Fore!!!!!!

It's been awhile, over a year, since I last golfed. Doug suggested that we go out for 9 holes one afternoon. I asked Dad to go, and he brought along Jake. It's amazing how enjoyable golf can be when the course isn't crowded as hell. I didn't do too awful bad considering my lack of golfing. Although, Jake beat me. Here he is adding his score for the 3rd time in order to make sure he won. Hah, I just let him win so he had bragging rights!

2008-06-25T19:52:00.002-04:00

Dublin Frog Jump...

I met up with Heather and Alex at the Frog Jump. Fun times! The Dublin Kiwanas catch a bunch of frogs. You can then rent the frogs for a buck and race them. Somehow, I picture a bunch of guys roaming the ponds of Dublin at night catching the critters. I doubt there is any beer involved. :p

Alex was impressed with the frog that she picked...

After a few races, her interest waned...

Time for a swing break!!

and posing for pictures with Froggy..

2008-06-07T09:11:00.003-04:00

So F*cking Frustrating!
To put it any other way would not be doing my feelings justice. I am now more than 8 weeks post-op and I still cannot manage to churn out a decent run. Why is every darn run a struggle? I'm just not getting it. When I think I'm making progress, crash, I have a run like Thurs where I'm dizzy, feeling crappy and walking the majority. I'm stumped.

I will admit that it's pretty warm this morning and very, very humid. But my issue seems to be all cardio. I just can't cut it. I finally just said the hell with it and no matter how bad I felt, I was not going to stop running on that last mile+ and ended up with a 10:22 mile.

I'm planning on running 5 again tomorrow, giving me a 20 mile week. Usually, I need 30 mile weeks for the running to really kick in. I've got to get there soon.

2008-06-04T13:46:00.001-04:00

Skunk Update....

There were not 2 skunks caught this morning, but 3. A mother and 2 babies. The critter guy tells me that they can have up to 8 babies in a litter. Freaking great. At $79 a skunk, this is getting expensive.

2008-06-04T09:17:00.002-04:00

Skunk Drama.....

A pretty eventful night at our place. Major storms moved thru the area, waking us up several times thru the night. Not sure if they upset the dogs or not, but at one point Corona got sick. I heard her and hopped out of bed, chasing her downstairs. I tried to get her to go out the front door, but she was having none of that. I hustled her thru the kitchen, where I caught my little toe on one of the barstools - damn, that mother hurts. I somehow thought to flip the lights on before opening the back door and sending her out. I took a glance, coast is clear. Second glance, no, shit! There's a skunk in the trap. Ok, grab a gagging Corona and drag her out the front door. We made it out the door in time and we had not spraying skunks.

This morning we found 2 skunks, one in each trap. Just how many of these things are under our deck? The dogs had to go out front to pee. They wouldn't. Just stood in the garage and looked at me. Oh well, they will be holding it. Right now, they are being held prisoner in our bedroom, while we await Critter Control to come get the skunks out of the yard.

2008-05-31T16:15:00.002-04:00

They're Back!!!!!

We've been spotting skunks all spring, but had no clue where they were living. Seems they've been right under our nose, er, deck. Yep, after having 50 people walking around on the deck Thursday night, the critter decided to make itself known this morning. Lovely. We're back to having Christmas candles burning and covering the floor with baking soda. At least neither dog has gotten sprayed, yet.

2008-05-28T19:24:00.003-04:00

Caliente!
Spent the day out at the Memorial Tournament practice rounds. Got up close and personal to Sergio. This was snapped right after he yelled, "Cher, I love the new hoots!" He signed them of course.

This was originally Joe & Julia's 2008 Christmas card...

but was trumped when Jools ran into last year's champ, KJ Choi. We're trying to get the crowds to yell "dukbooki" when KJ's playing..

and, of course, the CHAMP. Tiger's good, but Jack was The Man when I was growing up. Kinda neat to be living in his housing development.

2008-05-26T13:55:00.002-04:00

Memorial Day...

Ran the Armed Forces Memorial Run with Dad, Ryan, Neal, Joe & Julia, and Jonboy. This was Dad's first 5k in over 10 yrs. He did awesome, running just a tad over a 10 min pace. He's been working at it. Neal did his first 5k ever, and is still building up following his transplant surgery. He did awesome, and finished under his projected time. Everyone else did well and we all enjoyed the race. The run was really nice and there were tons of military t-shirts on display. There were also groups that walked and/or ran that were running for folks that are currently in Iraq. A really inspiring run.

Following the run, we watched Milt march in the Dublin Memorial Day parade. We attended the memorial service at the Dublin Cemetery. Very emotional and inspirational. Go Milt!

2008-05-26T13:52:00.002-04:00

RIP...

Rest in peace, little buddy. I'll be running out to find a replacement this afternoon. After all, I am addicted to my peanut butter smoothies.

2008-05-26T13:48:00.002-04:00

Go Tribe..

Joe & Julia joined us at the Indians/Rangers game, crossing off another stadium on their list. A good day for baseball was not a good game for the Indians. The bums lost in extra innings.

2008-05-21T06:19:00.002-04:00

Exciting Times...

First of all, vomit? Do we have vomit! Although, it wasn't who I thought it would be. No dead rabbits or chipmunks yacked up on the carpet. No, it was Corona, about midnight last night. It was the puke to end all pukes. Let me tell you, I sure wasn't the one to clean it up. My head would still be hanging over the shitter. But, to make matters worse, I threw Corona outside and when I brought her in, a skunk had sprayed in the yard. I had no clue if Corona had been hit and she goes running thru the house. I finally coralled her and threw her in the laundry room. M was busy hauling the pukie buckets out to the trash and he determined that the skunked had sprayed out front. Ok, we are stuck in a retched, stinking house unable to open the windows because the only smell worse than what was in the house is outside.

No wonder, when M came flying upstairs to get me out of bed this morning, I figured there was another pile of vomit. But, no. There has been a deer hanging out by our house this morning. Here it is, and the sucker has been here the entire time that I've been writing this. It appears to be looking for something. Who knows, it may think Corona is it's mom. Apparently, it stood in the yard watching Corona pee. When Corona finally saw it and barked, it got closer and snorted!

You want wildlife, move close to a golf course. This place is Yellowstone without the bears.

2008-05-18T20:36:00.002-04:00

Scoonie...
Most days I can't say enough good things about Scoonie. As dogs go, she's about the most entertaining dog around. Today is not such a day. Somehow she managed to run into the house with a critter, which I believe to be a chipmunk, in her mouth. I screamed at Milt for help in getting it away. It was apparent from it's lifeless legs that were dangling from her month, that the little critter was dead, dead, dead. As Milt stood there motionless, Scoonie managed to swallow the dead varmit - whole. I could vomit.

2008-05-18T20:21:00.002-04:00

The Great American Ballpark...

Made a roadtrip to Cincinnati as part of my dad's birthday gift. We were joined by my folks, brother, two nephews, Heather, Alex, and Heather's dad. We were greated by sunny skies and Skyline chili dogs. A really nice, sunny day for baseball.

Unfortunately, my Indians were SWEPT by the sucky Reds. How did that happen?

But we all managed to have a good time. Let's hope the Tribe is looking a bit better when we make the trip to Cleveland next weekend.

2008-05-17T15:51:00.004-04:00

The Most Exciting 2 Minutes in Sports...

Or so they say. What they don't tell you is that, if you plan on watching the Derby in person, you are going to sit on your butt surrounded by drunken hillbillies swilling Mint Juleps for 8 hours. In 8 hours of sitting around, I learned that only drunken southern men are more obnoxious than drunken southern women. I also learned that no matter how nicely you dress, if you have a big tattoo on your back, you still look like white trash. I didn't need 8 hours of being surrounded by drunks to tell me that I don't do crowds.

Lots of celebrities attend the Kentucky Derby. Most of them are a bunch of D-listers that are just trying to get their name out there. Not so for Bobby Flay, chef extroidenairre. Bobby had a horse racing in the 2nd race. Of course, being the lover of Bobby Flay that I am, I bet on the horse to win. It came in next to last. Look closely, the guy in the dapper blue suit is Bobby.

There is alot of history in the Kentucky Derby and no matter what my thoughts on the crowd and horseracing itself, it's a pretty impressive place. Thouroughbreds are beautiful horses, but their breeding leaves something to be desired. Their legs look like toothpicks and, unfortunately, are about as sturdy as a toothpick. Despite all of the jabber that says horseracing is safe and very few deaths occur, I've only been to Churchill Downs 3 times and I've seen 2 horses killed. That's a bit too much for me. I really don't have the stomach for horseracing. I can appreciate the beauty of the animals, but I'd rather appreciate that beauty by seeing them grazing in a pasture. For me, the day was a total bummer with the death of Eight Belles. As I've said, just no stomach for that.

Of course, no drive thru Cincinnati is complete without a look at Big Butter Jesus.

2008-05-16T09:35:00.002-04:00

Smaller is Better...
That holds true for marathons, hoots, waistlines, and now.....concerts. Went to see Bryan Adams perform an acoustic concert at the Southern Theatre. The theatre only seats 933 people. We were in the 18th row, and Bryan looked so close, it was like having him perform in your living room.

An awesome concert. I loved the acoustic take on his songs and he was a great performer. Telling stories and interacting with the audience all night. With such a small crowd, there were a few that got a bit loud, but no obnoxious drunks. Just a fun, relaxing evening. I'm now a much bigger fan of Bryan Adams.

2008-05-14T20:52:00.002-04:00

5 Weeks..
Post-op, that is. Time seems to be flying lately. A busy spring, as always. I am doing well. Somewhere between weeks 3 and 4, I seemed to get over the hurdles. My strength and stamina started to return. I've been able to work, stay active, and even get a bit of exercise in.

I think I finally wore my doctor down the other day. I asked if I could start swimming and he gave me the ok to do anything I felt like doing under the condition that I would stop if I had any discomfort. That meant that I tried to run last Sunday. It felt SO GOOD! I ran 3.5 miles non-stop. A bit slow, but it was running. Since then, I have run every other day and walked on the alternate days. Everything is ok. The swelling is down and things look pretty good.

I've also been given the ok to wear a regular bra. I tried that, but it's not the most comfortable. I guess I can wear a regular bra if I have something to wear that won't work with a jog bra. Otherwise, the jog bra is just fine.

Oh, and gas is over $4 a gallon in Columbus. Effing George Bush.

2008-04-24T20:56:00.002-04:00

2 Weeks Post-Op...

and, I'm still walking. Argh, I want to get out there and run. I'm taking it easy, though. Took Corona for a 3 mile walk, or in tonight's case, a 3 mile pull. She dragged me all the way down to the pond. She must have sensed that she was going to go for a swim. She got to spend quite a bit of time in the water tonight. That dog is part fish.

Other than missing running. I'm just feeling like a slug not getting any exercise. Today was my first day back at work. :-( I took in timbits and cookies. That gave everyone an excuse to come over to my desk and check out the hoots! It's kind of funny watching people trying not to look. Buncha dorks I work with, I tell ya.

2008-04-21T08:37:00.002-04:00

It is with great sadness...
That I must report that I've gotten a bill for my 52" plasma tv. :( After 6 months of telling the best story, ever - how I got a free tv - the story is over. What ticks me off, the tv is now $300 cheaper!

A surgery update - as soon as the cold passed, my energy returned. I've been feeling fine and actually having to stop myself from doing too much. I still have swelling, more than I think I should, but it's not bothering me. I'm going to resume walking today. And, I am starting to really, really miss running and working out.

2008-04-19T08:37:00.002-04:00

Day 10...
I'm starting to wonder if I made the right decision. I am so tired of being laid up. The weather is nice, I'd like to be out enjoying a run, a walk, or just working in the yard. I'm bored out of my head. Everyday is a new adventure. Today, when I push on my breasts, I can hear water squishing around. Isn't that nice?

I think that I'm a bit surprised at how much this has taken out of me. I did find a video on YouTube that illustrates how invasive the surgery is. I'm not sure that I would have gone thru with this if I had seen the video first. I guess I expected pain, none of that. I didn't expect the lack of energy and the swelling. The swelling is so much that it just is not comfortable to move around.

I have read some of the online breast reduction journals. People post pictures. I won't be doing that, but I am happy to say that with bruising and swelling, I think I'm looking better right now than most of those people are after a month or two. Who knows, maybe it will look worse! Ack.

Anyway, I definitely need to do something today to brighten my mood!

2008-04-17T13:27:00.002-04:00

Hooter-ectomy Update...

I continue to recover well from the hooterectomy, however, I have acquired M's nasty cold. I was tired before, I am now basically immobile. It is an effort to lift my arms. I am so tired and I am not sleeping worth a crap. I just returned from the grocery with a full bottle of Nyquil. I am getting a good night's sleep tonight if I have to drink the entire bottle. Guess what? It now comes in cherry!

I have also discovered that Target and Bed, Bath, & Beyond is where all of the women that are currently on maternity leave, those ready to pop and go onto maternity leave, and stay at home moms entertain themselves all day. I even run into the same people as I move from store to store. I really did not know that there were so many 9 months preggo women trying to walk that baby out of there wandering the streets of Columbus.

2008-04-14T21:46:00.003-04:00

People Who Wear Hats...

I particularly enjoy the blog, People Who Wear Hats. I find it whimsical. The author, Paul, finds joy in everday life. Since I'm a bit in the crapper today, I decided to pay homage to People Who Wear Hats. Here is my contribution.

I was babysitting Alex a few nights ago. After her bath, she saw my hat hanging on the stair railing. When she saw the hat, she hollered, "My hat!" and wore it for the remainder of the night. She's so damn cute.

2008-04-12T23:01:00.003-04:00

Dinner by Chuck...

Tonight's meal was provided by my friend, Chuck. Smoked chicken with risotto. I threw in the asparagus. Yum. Chuck, the offer still stands - Will you marry me?

Tonight's flick? Mean Girls. Two thumbs up.

2008-04-12T16:15:00.005-04:00

ZONK...

Day 3 post surgery and I've still been feeling pretty good. Sorry to the dudes out there, but if you want to know how painful this is, I got cramps last night and the pain from them far outweighed the pain from the surgery. But, guess what? Vicodin works wonders on cramps, or at least you fall asleep and forget about them.

This morning, I decided that I would try walking the golf course loop. 4.75 hilly miles around the championship course. The walk was fine, no problems at all. I felt good walking my cookies and lobster and all of the other crap off. It may have been a bit much, since an hour and a half walk required a 3 hour nap to recover.

A couple of other side effects of my recovery. I am catching up on movies that I've never seen. Last night was Misery, wow, what a great movie. I loved it! It completely lived up the the hype that I've heard about it over the past, oh, 15 yrs or so. I am also developing a major crush on Bobby Flay. I can blame Julia for that one.

Still, on the way to recovery!

2008-04-11T20:36:00.001-04:00

Lobstah!!!

Joe & Julia - We appreciate the lobster dinner. Lucky Connie had stopped over to see what she could make us for dinner. Well, guess who ended up joining in the lobster feast?

2008-04-10T08:10:00.002-04:00

The Girls Have Left the Building!

After thinking about it for over 20 years, I have gone and done it. Yep, had bilateral breast reduction surgery yesterday. Even with the swelling, I can tell that I am of a normal size. Feeling pretty good 24 hours post surgery and the day of wasn't all that bad. Just cannot wait to go shopping.

2008-04-07T20:21:00.002-04:00

When I said push, she listened!

Less than 12 hours after the below photo of Becky was taken, Becky and Joe welcomed Elizabeth Ann into the world. More photos of the cute little bundle can be found by following this link.

2008-04-07T06:14:00.001-04:00

1, 2, 3, Push......

Becky is in the home stretch, let's hope that it happens soon!

2008-04-06T09:47:00.003-04:00

Guadalupe Peak, Texas

Along with running races all over the country, I'm trying to visit the highpoints in each state. I know that I'll never do all of them, since I don't envision myself climbing Denali, but you never know. If I get close to a highpoint, I'll hit it. To date, I've done: Pennsylvania, North Carolins, and Tennessee. Texas was the only highpoint that required 5 hours of hiking and actual climbing - other than stairs on a firewatch tower! It was a pretty hike, taking in the beauty that is found in the desert. Not everyone appreciates it, but it is pretty. And, you can just imagine Butch and Sundance riding thru these mountains!

To check out the rest of the pics, visit my smugmug page.

2008-04-05T11:01:00.005-04:00

Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon

Once a year the White Sands Missile Range hosts the Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon. 4000 runners, walkers, and marchers gather to honor the men that took part in the Bataan Death March. Many troops from the New Mexico National Guard were a part of that original march, and so it is fitting that New Mexico honors their own.

We had to arrive on post by 0430. Do you know how hard that is? Apparently, White Sands is a pretty secure post and getting everyone on post early to get thru security was cruicial. It was also another example of how the Army views everything as "hurry up and wait." At least this time, even the civilians got to take part in the waiting!

The starting ceremonies lasted nearly 45 mins. It was very inspiring and this is one marathon that is not recommended for anyone that doesn't have pride in this country. It is truly a Red, White and Blue experience. Fully 75% of the participants in the march were in uniform. There were soldiers from the US, Canada, France, Germany (all looking for beer on the volksmarch), and several other countries. Some were training in this area, but others traveled specifically to participate in the event.

Back to the starting ceremonies. A roll call was performed for the Bataan survivors that were present. Following that roll call, a roll call was held for the Bataan survivors that had passed away in the last year. First 3 survivor names were called, and they answered the call. Then the remaining names were called and met with silence. Taps was played, which was extra eerie listening to this in the desert dawn. The Star Spangled Banner was played, with actual rockets being fired to punctuate the morning. An F117 performed a flyover and then the survivors were escorted to the starting line.

Once the survivors took their seats at the start, the race began. The first group thru were the "wounded warriors." They were wounded veterans from Viet Nam, Desert Storm, and the current conflict. All I can say is that IED's are very, very good for the prosthetic leg companies. Never have I seen so many men missing one or two legs. It was very humbling to watch and I couldn't help but think that Bush, Cheney and every member of congress and the senate should be seeing this. Bozos.

The civilian light runners, of which I was a part of, took off after the wounded warriors. But, I didn't start without shaking the hand and thanking each survivor of the Death March for their service. Funny thing was, these old guys were thanking us for coming out and remembering them. I had tears running down my cheeks.

The run starts on the streets of the base. Little did I know how much I would appreciate the blacktop. After 2 miles of it, we were off into the sand. The remainder of the day would be spent looking for "hardpack." Any, sand that is compressed, making the running or walking easier. We were also at altitude, and I noticed that any time that I ran.

I can't say that I've ever seen such a unique cast of characters participating in a run. There were military, old hippies, serious runners, friends and families of troops that were killed in Iraq, and more. It was evident from the start that this was an event to savor and not to rush thru. Like I could have rushed thru it, I don't like running in sand!!!!

The loneliest portion of the course had to be the loop out to the mountain. This was a 1600 foot climb over 3 miles. Not really too bad of an incline if you were on blacktop at sealevel. Throw in the sand and altitude, and I was walking most of it. During this part of the run is where the military heavy division folks really struggled. There was alot of up and down and these troops were in full uniform carrying 35 lb packs. They looked wiped out and they had plenty of miles to go. I guess I should also mention that the temp was up to around 80 with a stiff wind. I didn't see anyone fall out, just folks pushing on with great tenacity. In fact, I can't say that I heard anyone complain - and there were plenty of people out there nursing blisters, sunburnt, struggling in the sand, etc. How could you complain when you knew the survivors were there cheering for you and they didn't have the option of quiting, unless they wanted to lose their life?

Somewhere around the 20 mile mark, I thought that I saw my friends, Ron and Sharon up ahead. I turned on the afterburners and ran pretty hard to catch up with them. I think with the rotation of running and walking, and the awesomest orange slices ever, I never pooped out. I was able to run a good pace and eventually catch up. The three of us hung out for the next 6 miles. Thru the dreaded sand pit, .75 miles of loose sand, think sandbox sand. The sun was really beating down at this point, yet everyone was still upbeat. We took it easy during these 6 miles, stopping at each of the aid stations, taking the trail mix made by the little kids, eating more oranges, and enjoying the crowds.

We made the final turn onto blacktop again, and I finished my run 6:25 later than when I started. This is my personal worst time in a marathon by, oh, about an hour and a half, but it was a great experience. I felt good at the end and even wandered down to the picnic for my cheeseburger and coke. Ahhhhh. A great way to cap off an awesome experience.

Would I do it again? Sure thing, especially if I were to do it with my dad (hint) or someone else that would appreciate the patriotic atmosphere. There's a 14.2 mile option, so you don't have to go the full 26.2, although you do miss the mountain during the shorter version. If anyone wants company going out, just let me know. Oh, and pack plenty of sunscreen!

Check out my SmugMug page for more pictures.

2008-03-10T14:10:00.002-04:00

National Kidney Foundation Walk & 5K

I have joined Team McKoth (Kothe's and McHenry's) for the National Kidney Foundation 5k on March 15th, 2008. After seeing what my friends, Neal and Michelle, went through for each other this past year, this was the least I could do to show my support.

If you'd like to donate to the cause or would like more details on the event, check out: http://www.firstgiving.com/mckoth

The donations are safe and secure online.

2008-03-09T17:01:00.000-04:00

Golf Course Loop...
My final long run prior to Bataan was sidelined by a huge snowstorm that hit central Ohio the weekend of March 7, 8 & 9. Not one to skip the long run, I decided to take a walk around the Muirfield Championship Course. This is a 5 mile loop that took 2.5 hours to walk in the mostly untouched 16-20" of snow. Good training! :)

and click here for the rest of the photos.

2008-03-04T15:52:00.002-05:00

Book Report: Marathon Woman

I devoured this book within a few days. Her writing is great, her story compelling and inspiring. She weaves together the story of her own personal running history, the history of womens long distance running, her quest to have the marathon included as a womens event in the Olympics (a monumental feat), including her own interpersonal struggles with the men in her life and development of her career along the way.

Even better, the book inspired me to get my pansy butt out onto the roads of central Ohio this winter. Her tales of running and training thru Syracuse winters were truly inspiring, and my winter runs led me to some of the most enjoyable running in months.

2008-02-23T13:19:00.003-05:00

When Will I Ever Learn...
That if I'm having a hard time getting out for a run. Sitting inside dreading the weather, the ice, the snow, whatever, I am usually going to be rewarded with an awesome run? Today was no different. I looked out the windows off and on for 2 hours, whining about the ice covered street in front of the house. Damn, the paths are covered with snow and the streets are covered with ice. The weather has taken a bid turn for the worse ever since I signed up for the Bataan Memorial Death March. Last week, I didn't even get a long run in, not with COLD temps and WIND.

Damn it, I was going to get out for a run today. The temps are in the mid 20's and the sun is shining. I got all of my gear on and headed out. What looked like ice covered streets were rapidly turning to slush covered streets. The footing wasn't bad. The snow covered path also had a crust of ice on it, making running in the snow not quite as difficult as it could be. I headed thru Muirfield, running the paths. The running felt good, although it was very difficult. My first mile was 11.5 mins. Then I got a little break with running on the road for a bit, back on the path. Once I got out of Muirfield and to the Dublin pool, the path was plowed! Just a dusting of snow to run on, which actually was really nice running. The next 3miles were all the same.

Everything did look really pretty today. The sun was shining bright off of the snow and it was really quite warm, with no wind to speak of. For some reason, not all of the paths in town were plowed. At least when I ran out of plowed paths, I was in huge subdivisions with plenty of road to run on. Unfortunately, this is the land of loops and culdesacs and boy did I get lost. I literally ran in circles for quite a bit. I knew the general direction of my house and just kept heading that way.

By mile 10, my legs were spent. Damn tired!! From that point on, I really tried to stay on the road. That didn't quite work, since the last mile and a half were on the paths in Muirfield - where the snow was the deepest. Argh. Walk. Walk. Walk. I don't care. It's good training, I kept telling myself. Amazingly, when I got to the house, the Garmin beeped at 14 miles. Perfect. Took 2:34 to run it, an 11 min pace. Right now, I am numb from the waist down. I guess that's better than being sore.

Sure am glad that I made my way outside.

2008-02-14T21:32:00.002-05:00

Scoonie Update...
Ever since Uno won the Best of Show at Westminster, Scoonie seems to have gotten the proverbial "case of the ass." We had a lovely pizza and wine dinner for Valentines Day. The pups sat staring, patiently waiting for their pizza crust. All got their fair share. After dinner, Scoonie started growling, barking, and biting the other dogs. WTF? We had no idea what was going on, but she was not leaving the ottoman. Finally, I moved the ottoman a few inches and there it was, a piece of pizza crust. He little diva moment ended then and there.

2008-02-14T20:59:00.002-05:00

Happy Valentines Day!!!!
What a day! Started off this morning by going to the gym for a run. About busted my @ss while walking out on the driveway, so running indoors was a good decision. Only planned on 3 miles, since I would be swimming in the evening. Mile 1 - Ipod malfunction, needed to stop and adjust. I believe it was approx. an 11 min mile. Mile 2- 9:35, but needed a bathroom break. Ahhh, feeling better. Mile 3 - first few laps felt fast, let's see how long we can maintain this pace. Damn, maintained for the entire mile, 9:10 pace. Hoo-rah.

First night of swimming lessons. This is a private lesson at the OSU RPAC (don't know what the eff that stands for, but it's the student recreation/gym facility). Ok, this is the best deal in town. 4 private lessons for $60. My instructor, William, is cute. Probably 20 yrs old at the most. Doesn't matter, he seemed to know his stuff. Wanted to know why I decided to learn to swim. Told him that I knew how to swim, just wanted to learn to swim for fitness and eventually do a tri. Awesome!! William is a triathlete, as it turns out. Wants to know what distance I want to go for. Planning on starting out with a sprint, his favorite distance. Has me swim a lap, so he can evaluate. Turns out that I've got pretty good form. I need to learn to breath from both sides. First attempt sucked, couldn't do it. Lets introduce some drills. Swim across the pool with one arm. Oh, that's how I breathe on my left side. It all became very clear. A couple of other drills, but have no clue what they actually are called. Anyway, why is it so easy to swim a lap while doing a drill? I'm going back and forth. Not too much problem. William thought I had enough to remember for this week. I'm supposed to find an intermediate sprint tri training schedule for next week and he will tweak the swimming schedule for me. If I don't learn another thing in the next 3 weeks, I have got my money's worth.

That's not all. I got home and found that Vic, the Russian dude, has finished with the kitchen floor. 2 days. Day 1, tear out ceramic tile. Day 2, install new floor. OMG! I cannot believe how freaking awesome it looks. Pictures will be coming.

This has been one top notch day.

2008-02-13T02:37:00.002-05:00

Beagles Rule!!!!

For the first time ever, a beagle won the Best of Show in the Westminster Dog Show. Awwwwww-rooooooooo!

2008-02-12T20:56:00.000-05:00

Truckin'
Took the workout indoors tonight. The day started off with snow, turned to freezing rain, and then rain. Really a crappy day outside. In other words, a good gym day. Lifted weights and then hit the track - again, not a treadmill to be had. Ran into Lizard up on the track. She stopped to talk a bit and told me that she needed to run 1 more mile. I told her that I'd join her for the last mile. Mind you, Lizard is 18, tall, and thin. I started running and talking and no Liz. Hmmm. Where did she go. She wasn't hanging with this 46 y/o!!! I slowed down for that mile, and enjoyed the run with Liz. Reminds me how quick and easy a run feels when you have someone to talk to. After Lizard finished her workout, I finished up with another 2 miles - both between 9.5 and 10 min miles. The pace is gradually coming down. If I could ever get on a treadmill, I swear that I'll do some intervals.

2008-02-12T08:36:00.001-05:00

Rewards...
It seems that everytime I brave the winter elements and head outside for a run, I am rewarded. Last night was no different. About 3 mins into my run, I ran across 3 deer chilling underneath a big pine tree. They were just laying there, watching me run past on the path. Blink. Blink. Blink.

2008-02-03T11:19:00.001-05:00

Routines...
Can be good. One routine that I like is getting up early on the weekend and starting my run by 8am. This is a routine that I've gotten out of this winter. I've lounged in bed and headed out for a run anywhere from 9am or even later. That means that my run, shower, breakfast, etc takes up half the damn day!

Today, I was up at 6:45. Out the door by 7:45 and to the park and running at 8. 10.5 miles in 41 mins. It felt good. Coach had me throw in 2 repeats of 5 min hard/5 min easy. Those miles were 9:15 and 9:11. Overall pace, 9:40. It seems when I go back to running easy, I never completely go back. I feel like I ran well today.

Just finished my breakfast, time to go make the pups their Sunday eggs.

2008-01-29T08:58:00.001-05:00

For the record...

I'd rather run outside than ride the bike trainer & the folks on Grey's Anatomy have much more interesting lives than I do.

2008-01-28T19:37:00.000-05:00

Rethinking my wardrobe...
At least I'm thinking that I need to. Checking out at Kohls, the clerk holds up a pair of boys' pajama pants with Cleveland Browns football helmets all over. She says, "awwww, do you have a little Browns fan at home?" Me: "Nope, they're for me." Ack! I didn't tell her that the little kids' Ohio State shirt was mine as well. Hey! Do you know how much $$$ you can save by buying this stuff in the kids dept?