Philippians 4:13

Nice run. Way to get back into the training or should I say recovery.

Weather is going to be nasty this weekend. I have to be in Idaho Falls by 9am for my daughter's Junior High Soccer Tournament at the complex by Old Butte Road. I'm not looking forward to that with the way their predicting the weather this weekend.

Jeff, since you ran the P.F. Chang Rock 'n' Roll Marathon what would you do better in training to prepare for this course?

Winter training is hard to get really good quality runs in. But, I think your training approach this year is fine. This is a flat course so you don't get the benefit of running hills (always using the same muscles the same way). It is a fair course, I just didn't have it in me last year do to inadequate fueling before the race and being sick and doing no running 2 weeks before the race.

I grew up in Little League. Used to volunteer my time to umpire/ref. Finally decided it wasn't a productive use of my free time (the parents are far worse than the kids). You know it's an unhealthy use of time when you find a little voice in your head urging you to punch somebody. Some folks have that gift of patience...I'm still working on it. Sounds like you handled yourself well.

So you have a cold, too, huh?

Ah, youth sports. It is amazing to me how worked up some parents get. Sad. It even embarrasses the kids, a lot of the time, and sets a horrible example. Very sad reflection on our society and priorities.

Jeff - I feel for you in that story. You handled it in a professional manner. You're well respected for what you were trying to teach the player. I guess we know where the player gets his attitude from

You did the right thing. Player's need to learn to respect the game and play with discipline and not chaos. I've seen bad calls happen to my daughter this year, but I've never said anything this year. I've changed my attitude and don't want my daughter seeing me act like a complete jerk, and embarrass her.

The referee's we have to remember as parent's can only see so much, and sometimes has to make judgement calls to the best of their knowledge and ability. Great job Jeff.

I'll be up in IF this weekend at 9am at a soccer tournament and I hope our parents don't get out of hand like they did in one of our earlier games this year.

I hope you get over that nasty cold, and can start training again. I'm not sure what marathon I want to do next. Right now I'm disappointed in SGM and just need to figure out whats a good plan. The weather really made a mess for both of us.

You handled the situation just like I would. If parents are going to teach respect for authority, then I do. Sounds like that dad could use a good 20 mile run!!

Name-calling is pretty childish from an adult...but there's plenty of adults out there guilty of it sorry to say.

Other than that part of it, I wonder whether the parent got mad about what he *saw* or about what his kid *told* him. Too many parents take what there kids tell them at face value without bothering to get the other side of the story. I'm surprised a parent with that little self-control waited until after the game to throw their fit....usually they can't restrain themselves more than about 2 seconds. Makes me think in this case perhaps the kid told his dad what happened from his perspective, obviously skewed, and the parent didn't bother to engage their brain to think if things *really* happened that way or was there perhaps another side to the story (yours). Too many people automatically take what their children tell them and don't look at it from the other perspective. Kids can have selective memories and omit key facts (Dad, the ref penalized me for kicking a goal! No, I didn't hurt the goalie, I had plenty of room!).

Too many parent's leap to their kids defense without evaluating the situation first.

Of course, the parent could just be a jerk too...Either way, you made a good call (if it *really* happened that way :)...jk!).