Spirit of the 5k

A 5k is considerably shorter than a marathon. About 23.1 miles shorter. Which is right about perfect for me. Today I ran my 11th race. Much to my dismay my odd-even-odd-even race number pattern was shattered. Another even this time...204. Dang. Anyway...it was good and cold. I am not as fast as I want...NEED to be. But I'm working at it. Work on my speed...distance...eventually move up to a 10k. This is the plan. Thanks for going with me, Natals...the speedy. I think she was out of sight within the first 100 yards...good job kid!

In other news, my luggage made it safely home. I'm sure you've all been worried.

Spirit of the Marathon

I'm doing my best to distract myself from how much I'm hating Delta right now for losing 48 pounds of my personal belongings. I am trying to believe the man who I think told me my luggage would be traveling from San Francisco to LA (two places I did NOT travel to or ask that my bag travel to) to PHX at 1 am and delivered tomorrow morning. Not sure if that is what he was saying due to bad connection and the fact that English was not this man's first...or maybe even second...language. I was once told that I don't deal well with change...and pretty much hated the person who told me that in that moment. Unfortunately this evening with Delta has confirmed how true that statement sometimes can be.

Now. On to better news. I'm really interested in running these days. I recently saw a preview for a special engagement non-fiction documentary-type movie that follows 6 people who are training for and running the Chicago marathon. It's called Spirit of the Marathon and will be in theatres in North America this Thursday, Jan. 24th at 7:30. I'm inviting my friends here to come...if you're interested in seeing it...either w/ me in AZ or wherever it is that you live...check out the website: http://www.marathonmovie.com/film.html. If you're in AZ and want to come...give me and call and we'll make plans to meet. I'm inviting a bunch of friends I think might like it...should be fun.

It's Plane Simple...

Dear Readers...er, reader?

It's late and I need to be sleeping. But something has been on my mind for almost a week now. To sum it up....one must always exercise caution, restraint, and good judgement in considering what food one will consume on an airplane. Please remember that you are in a confined space. Anything you eat that has the propensity to smell, look and/or sound weird will be intensified by 3,593 when on an airplane.

My flight from SLC to PHX was set up to be rather pleasant, only a minor delay, the spontaneity of having a friend from my ward sitting right next to me on the plane, and plenty of time for sleeping (even if my chair was a non-recliner...).

All was merry and bright until Mr. Salami opened up his potent beef stick and had himself a little feast in the row 5.3 inches behind my head. Now, what the man eats on his own watch is his business, but for the LOVE...a BEEF STICK on a PLANE?!?! Come on! My already queasy stomach had a rough go of things as the beef stick-ing coincided perfectly with the ultra-turbulent turbulence. It could have been a recipe for disaster. Luckily both the beef stick and the turbulence did not last long. Phew.

So for the record...Doritos, corn nuts, anything remotely ranch, processed BEEF...leave it at home okay? The flight really is only about an hour. Can't you make do on the "Plane Crackers, Bi scoff, or Cheese and Crackers" so generously provided by Delta Airlines? They'll also provide milk, juice, coffee, soda or even some alcohol for the correct change. I prefer you NOT chose to drink V-8 of any variety if you are seated in my row, as the smell alone makes me gag, but I'd choose that over a stick of salami any day.

So...you know...just think about it? Save the beef please.

Happy New Year!

I decided I could not handle one more typical New Year's Eve party this year...at 29, I've seen many. Some have been fun (Honeyville w/ the Bingham's for intense games...home with family for pizza/movies/hot tub) others have been...well, not fun.

I set out to come up with something different. I found it. The 18th or 19th annual (the t-shirt and race tag have different #'s...not sure which it is) Midnight Madness 3 mile run. Began at 10:30 pm. Cold. I thought running in the dark might make it seem easier (you know...can't see how far you have to go). Not so. Even still, I loved doing something different and coming home feeling good and tired. Proud that I'd done something that I would really want to do, not just what everyone else does.

Nat was willing to come spend her New Year's Eve with me and she was (and always is) excellent company. We had a great time.

I came home happy to see that my race number continued the odd-even-odd-even pattern my race numbers have had now for ten races. Why that even matters...I don't know.

Happy New Year everyone!