Gotta get My Race On.

Ok boys and girls.  Over my last few runs, I could feel my need to run a race building up.  I fear that if I don't run a race soon that I might flame out in Miami.  Lucky me!  There is a race in downtown Raleigh this weekend which runs my morining running route. 

Wendesday's Words from the Wise

"Great, kid. Don't get cocky."  Han Solo

Christmas Truce with Old Man Winter is Over!

I'll take rain.  I am down with snow.  The blazing heat of summer in Raleigh is something that I can deal with for the most part.  But, I always forget just how damn windy it is around here in the winter.  This mornings temp was 28 degrees, which I am normally fine with.  After growing up in WV and attending college in the mountains of Western NC, 28 degrees is nothing more than hoodie weather.  However, when you couple it with 30 MPH wind gusts, it will make you rethink any proclamations you may have made about winter around here are "nothing to worry about".  I still have yet to thaw from my predawn 3 miler this morning, which was made damn near intolerable by the fact that I seem to have lost my gloves this weekend. 

Summer's in Raleigh are by far the worst.  God knows that I hate them with every fiber of my being.  But, I always seem to forget just what a sneaky bastard old man winter can be when here rears his ugly head around these parts.  Honestly, Raleigh's weather has been rather kind since mid August, so I shouldn't complain . . . But, I will!  I know that other people have it worse than I do when it comes to winter, but hey . . . one of the few redeeming qualities of living in the birth place of NASCAR is that the winter's are suppose to next to none existent.  I mean seriously . . . if I have to spend the entire week explaining to people why I did not eat black-eyed peas and collard greens (Yuck!) on New Years Day, I should at least be entitled to a few more days of our winter weather Christmas Truce! 

Oh well . . . I am 5 weeks away from the Miami Half Marathon where the weather is sure to AWESOME, so bring it on Jack Frost!

2012: The Year of Hard Work

Hard Work!

That's it.  My goal for 2012 is to make this the year of hard work.  I am tired to death of hearing how 2012 is going to be another tough economic year.  Sick of all the talk about the Mayan Calender.  I can't stand Bruno Mars' Lazy Day Song.  And, all of those Right Size Smoothies scams commercials make me want to hurl! 

Personally, I am dedicating myself to making tough choices and avoiding the easy path.  Why?  Because it's the only thing that makes any sense to me at this point.  The Mass Market blitz that we Americans face everyday telling us that we can have it all, easily, in 5 simple payments, effortlessly, and in no time is just complete bull shit!  And, I am sick of hearing about it.  Seriously, anyone who thinks that, shakes, smoothies, or meals in the mail, are some how better than good old fashion hard work and healthy living, is delusional.

All of the crazy gimmicks that we come up with to convince ourselves that we are really doing what's best for them is just mind-numbing to me.  Seriously, nothing gets done without effort and work.  That is not to say that people, who struggle with weight loss and weight issues are lazy and just need to hit the gym.  There are a lot of people out there busting their ass and still struggling with weight problems, while other people do nothing and stay skinny.  Life's not fair.

My focus on Hard Work is meant to be a personal initiative and not a blanket indictment of American Society, so if there happen to be any 24 hour news network pundit wannabees that stumble across my blog, before you hammer me for saying that Americans are lazy and afraid of hard work . . . back off because that is not what I am saying . . . American's are lazy and afraid of hard work, but that is not what I am saying here in  this post.  No . . . this is personal.  I have been lazy.  I have been afraid of hard work.  Yes, I go to the gym, and I run a lot, but more often than not I have been too lazy to really put in my consistent best effort, and I have been unwilling to put in the hard work of maintaining a healthy diet.

So this year, my goals are not outcome oriented.  I don't give a shit about how many pounds I lose, the speed or distance I run, or what size my pants are by years end.  My goal is to put in my best effort, work hard, and take on the difficult.  So, may 2012 hence forth be known as the year of hard work!

Wednesday's Words From the Wise

"You can't get much done in life if you only work on the days when you feel good." - Jerry West

Merry Christmas 8 Miler in Pictures.

Merry Christmas Baby.  I gotta go go run 8 miles.  That is how I started my Christmas morning.   Luckily, Hiroko knows me and expected something like this.  She also agreed to join me on my run, which was more than I could have hoped for on this festive day!  We decided to hit the surface roads of downtown Raleigh since there was sure to be very little traffic.