Go, you chicken fat, go away!

Well, it's a brand new year.  Time to start all over.  I have a lot of holiday weight to lose.

My second day of running in these bad boys.

I like them.

It was 40° out today.  Stinkin' cold.  Glad I wore a long sleeve shirt. 

My back seems to be doing all right.  I was worried because I took the youth on a snow outing over the weekend.  They were all sledding down this hill.  I figured I needed to do it at least once.  That was dumb.  Do you know what bumping down a hill on a piece of un-cushioned plastic does to your spine?  I do.

I was feeling a little sick this morning, runny nose, low grade fever, but I went anyway.  I have every intention of running a few more miles this evening.  And maybe watch the Hobbit.  With my wife.  Who is a hotty.

I didn't go out again last night like I wanted to because Emily is getting sick.  Poor thing. This morning's run was on average almost 30 seconds per mile faster than all my other runs this year.  That's a good sign.  I was four for four on people saying good morning back to me.  Then right before my house around the corner this old man was walking his dog and letting it  bark at another dog behind a gate.  He looked crazy.  I took a gamble and said good morning.  I'm not sure what he said back, but it wasn't good morning.

Couldn't get my lazy can up this morning.  That's what happens when you stay up 'til 1am.  And you're lazy.  But I ran after work.  While I was running I had an idea for a smartphone app.  One that will fry an egg.  Should be pretty easy to do.  Patent pending.

Some day I'll run more than 3 miles.  Not today. 

Right before I got to mile 1 I saw a vehicle in the median that needed to be pushed off to the side of the road.  There was one guy going to push and one guy inside steering.  I ran across two lanes of traffic to help out.  We waited for a break in the traffic and powered the vehicle across the street and on to a small side street.  I'm pretty sure I did most of the powering.  Now I was on the other side of Val Vista.  I've never run over there before.  It was uncharted territory for me.  It was all together both scary and somewhat exciting.  But it was over before I knew once I crossed the street at Southern.

When I was running down Southern I heard a skateboard on the other side of the road.  I remembered my rule #2:  If you're skateboarding on the other side of the street than me, then yes, we're racing.  Then I remembered my rule #1:  If you're fat and out of shape, then no, you're not racing ANYONE! 

Our construction field inspector at work had to have hernia surgery.  That means I have to do his work while he's away.  I put 57 hours in at work last week.  Everyday I'd say to myself, "I need to go running when I get home.  It's a beautiful day, and I feel great!"  Then a couple of hours later I'd say, "Ow.  My legs hurt.  I've been walking all day.  And these 10 hour days are killing me!"  So, I didn't run for a few days.  

Today there were no excuses.  I had to get out.  It was 39° out.  That shoulda been an excuse, but then I remembered everybody else in the world.  So I ran, and I felt great.

It was 42° out, so I decided it would be okay to go with shorts and a short sleeved T.  I haven't run over 5 miles in forever.  In fact, it's been since Vegas Ragnar.  But I survived.  When I got home dinner was ready.  I decided to eat before I showered.  But I didn't have much of an appetite.  After nibbling on my chicken sandwich for a bit I got up to take a shower.  Then I started shaking uncontrollably.  I was soooo cold.

I'm going to be sore in the morning.  I know that because I'm sore right now.  I ran home from work.  I plan on riding my bike back to work in the morning.  There's a 90% chance of rain.  I hope it's not until the afternoon.  

9.25 miles on the bicycle to work.  I packed a nice work tan 2-buttoned collared shirt (is there a name for those?) to put on after my ride.  When I put it on I noticed it had slob stains all over the front.  So I put back on the flourescent neon yellow-green technical T (is there a name for that?)  Now I'll look like a clown at work all day.

I wanted to kill myself on my run this evening.  Mostly because I couldn't get that song "It's Friday, Friday" out of my head.

I heard this poem today and I liked it - 

have you ever shattered a snow shovel?
have you ever dropped your car keys in two feet of fresh snow?
have you ever had to get our of your driveway using an axe and a rake?
has your "tire pressure low" light ever been on for three weeks straight?
has your engine oil ever turned to the consistency of mayonnaise?
have you ever lost part of your nose due to the elements?
have you ever had a nose bleed strictly because the wind was so cold and dry?
do you have to wear special winter balm on your lips to keep them from splitting open?
have you ever had to wash your eyes out with a boric acid solution because they were so dry and blood shot from the cold wind?
have your knuckles ever started bleeding because your hands were too dry?
have you ever had an ice beard, even though you are a woman?  

I had every intention of running home again from work.  But I tried to do a million things this morning.  I cut my hair.  I missed a nice patch in the back.  I packed my duffel bag.  I checked the fluids in my vehicle.  I scraped the ice off my windshield.  I had to get gas.  I needed to email out the plans I finished last night, and my internet was acting up.  I needed to pack my lunch, but we didn't have anything.  I was running all over the place and ultimately forgot to grab my duffel bag.  I was mad and honked my horn in a school zone.  I got to work on that road rage thing.

Anyway, I suited up when I got home and went out for 7.  I'm running real slow these days, but at least I'm running.  I joined a Del Sol Ragnar team last night.  It should be interesting.  The name leaves something to be desired.  I'm too embarrassed to say what it is.  I shouldn't have committed until I knew what the name was.  Let that be a lesson to you kids.  Funny because two weeks ago I was invited to be on another team.  The problem was I know that this team snuck alcohol in their coffee mugs so they could drink out on the course.  I emailed the team captain and said that as an ambassador for Ragar, I can't knowingly be on a team that's going to break the rules.  I never heard back from them so I joined this other team.