6 Things to make me happy

As I am sitting here getting caught up on reading the blogs I just noticed that I have been blogged to make a list of 6 things that make me happy.

1. Jesus Christ. Who has given me the ability to run and help others. Without him listening to me while I run, no-one else could get me through this. There have been many days that we carry on conversations on some dark and lonely country roads.


2. No pain. As I have increased my mileage, I finished a 50K yesterday, I have been very lucky not to be injured. Right now I am sore but I think it will pass with a few days of R/R with Advil.


3. Running. I have found that running helps me to release my anger and issues through pounding the pavement. I am a paramedic and some days I feel like going to a bar and drinking my fears and tears away but then I remind myself they will still be there. Running helps me not to be on medicine.


4. Family. If it was not for my family to keep me involved emotionally in running, I would not know what to do. My wife is so supportive of my running decisions after I tell her what and where I am going to run next. I always know that she will be there with me.


5. Friends. Need I say anymore. When you get friends to run in the soppy, wet and cold rainy mud puddles for 33 miles, who else could you count on.


6. My job as a paramedic. This is where I am thankful for the knowledge that I have in case someone gets hurt and I hopefully can help them in their time of need. Also it helps in case my running partners hurt themselves.

I am now known as an ultra-marathoner

Yes, I did it. First of all I would like to say a special thank you to my wonderful wife, Amanda, for going with my yesterday and having to wait on me to finish the race. For almost 8 hours she would have to find stuff to do but later she informed me that she helped out runners, preparing food and drinks and keeping a little puppy warm for most of the day.

We arrived a the BLACK and FOGGY Bartram Forrest to race for my first ever 50K. It was raining and did I mention it was dark and foggy. I thought about starting early but I could not see very well even when my flashlight. Steve Purdue pulled up and convinced me to wait until the sun rose and what a beautiful site it was coming up through the trees. We were walking to the start line when out of the blue we heard, BOOM, BOOM. Deer hunters were out in full force. I looked at Steve and said "That was the unofficial starting gun". And we were off and running.

Rain, mud and slippery conditions made this day and exciting run because you constantly had to look were you were stepping. As we started out we were told that 2 other men started about 4:30 and was taking their time for the marathon. Later on I found out that one of the men was the founder of the 50 states marathon group that had about 3 months ago attempted a marathon in Antarctica and slipped on a glacier and broken his hip but was still out there today attempting a marathon. Steve guided me around the first lap showing me how to follow the rad and green flags that Kevin went out there and marked for us. Steve and I have run before together down on the river walk so it gave us a chance to get caught up on some old times. BTW Steve, go Yellow Jackets!!!!!

Lap 2 and I told Steve to go ahead and run his pace because I was slowing him down and he joined in with Jerome and went ahead showing me the way. I was trying to figure out what kind of pace I wanted to follow for the day with my 5:1 ratio. I got a chance to see Donna and Stephanie when I was going up the long and lonely hill on the way to the aid tent in the figure 8 section.

Lap 3 and I picked up some more runners with me. Amy, Leora and Steve joined me on my wet and tired run. It was funny to listen to the three and figure out how was going to say something about their shoes first. I myself was now on my second pair of shoes. Steve originally said he was just coming out for a cheerleader but I did not want to see him in a cheerleaders outfit so he ran with us on just a few hours of sleep. We ran and trekked our way through the course and by now it was getting for soupy out there.

Lap 4 Before starting out for the next lap, I found the salty potatoes that everyone raved about last year. MAN were they good. They were about 1 more shake of salt away from high blood pressure. And the rice crispies, well what more can I say. I felt so good on this lap. It really felt like I had not been running at all. I don't know if it was the salt or if I was starting to fall into a grove and get comfortable.

Lap 5 BOOM not a good lap. Amy was sitting this lap out due to some knee issues and Leora kept running through the aid station cause she told me she could not stop because she would not keep going if she did. My body at this point was starting to talk to me. Leora, Troy and Steve was now trying to keep me motivated to finish my journey. I was attempting to put the pain in my body somewhere in the back of my mind and think about all the good things going on today. Steve just finished his first 10K, his first ever run into double digits and his first ever HM with a total mileage somewhere around 15 0r 16 miles today. GREAT job Steve. You have really come along way fast but just don't over due yourself and get hurt.

Lap 6 It is now me and myself to finished my journey into the record books in my journal. I did not speed allot of time at the aid station because I did not want to talk myself out of finishing the last lap. Tommy Chambers asked how I was feeling and I don't really know what I said as he looked at me and said "Don't get cold out there" About a mile into the last leg and I was running through the section with trees on both sides of me and a big deer came running out he woods. I stop in my wet and cold tracks to look and marvel on why I was out there i the middle of the woods. I looked around the just bask in the presence of what our Father has given us. At this time it was time to hit the figure 8 one last time. As I was going up the hill approaching the aid station, I thought to myself that I could just wait a few minutes at the tent then turn to the cars and finish the race by cutting off some miles. Well not was wrong and I knew I could not live with myself knowing that everyone else finished the entire distance. So I continued the journey with catching up with another runner form Arkansas I believe and we talked and ran. We discussed his journey over his career of marathons and his stories of the good and bad. We then started to discuss politics and before I realized it we were about 1/2 mile from the finish line. I told him to go ahead and finish in front of me because he deserved it more that I did and he told me that we both get the same thing out of the race today, memories. I approached the finish line to see last few spectators still hanging around the greet me in. It was now over. I did it. WOW I am now totally spent. My cold and wet body was almost to tired to eat a delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich. My feet were soaked, my muscles ached but I was still able to hold up my ginger bread man and say " YO Amanda I did it"

A very special thank you to Kevin for putting on a terrific race from the goody bags, the entire wonderful feast of food, drinks and aids for keeping us going through the entire day and just a great and low keyed race that just made it wonderful.

I have to say thank you to Tommy for helping me take off my shoes, sorry I yelled at you, and helping me to apply Vaseline to my wet and injured toes. Hey FM I hope you got a good picture of that.LOL

Thank you to Amy, Troy, Leora, Steve Purdue and Steve Gatlin for running with me and helping to push forward when I was getting tired. BTW Leora, have your shoes gotten dry from jumping in all those mud puddles.

Once again congrats to Steve Gatlin for breaking so many mild stones on this running today and to all the others who braved the cold and wet conditions to run today. What a great time.

Happy Thanksgiving to all

A special Happy Thanksgiving to all whom read this site. You must have nothing else to do :)


Thanks to Steve for pushing me last night during our track workout. We were running ratio runs until the end of workout when we looked at Dave finishing up and said "Let's get em". We ran our last lap at a 6.00 mile pace. WOW. I could not believe that I was able to keep up with them. It was fun in a crazy kind of way.


Well no more running until Saturday. The Bartram 50K is my next run. This will be my first attempt at an ultra-marathon :) :) I still can't believe that I am going to do this. Amy said she is going to show up somewhere around my 3rd lap so that she can join in and help me finish. I will need all the help I can get from everyone. Hopefully I will be able to give a race update on Sunday and let everyone know what happens. Until then, Happy Thanksgiving and remember to pray a little prayer for everything you do have and have had in the past.

What a great day to be........ ME

What a great day I had today. I started off this morning by getting on the scales and it showed that today I weigh the same thing that I did my senior year in high school some many years ago. I have now officially lost 54 pounds with the help of diet and running.
Another great thing was I was able to get out and run 5 miles today with no effort and no problems. I actually went allot faster than normal. It felt great. I am trying to cut back to get ready for my 50K this Saturday. I got a chance to run with my running partner Amy and we had a great run and talk. She is going through some issues with her legs and feet but I think she is better now.
I had to ponder on a situation that I thought about today and asked myself "Why do we try and put ourselves in the same category as someone else?" I mean we are always trying to be a good as an Olympic tack star, professional sports player or someone in your local running community. Why cant we just be satisfied with our own abilities and stop pushing ourselves into something or someone we are not. I myself have come to the understanding that I have gotten a little smaller, faster on the course and allot wiser through the years and I am happy. I know that I will not be a fast as some of the people I would like too be but that is OK. I know that somewhere there is someone out there that would like to be as fast as me and you. I don't want you think that I am getting a big head but really someone out there is always trying to catch up with you. Don't ever forget that because that is what drives me to continue to run every time I get a chance. Until then, I will continue to give it my best and try and catch the next person before he or she catches me.

Have a great day and be happy with yourself because you have to be happy about yourself before you can be happy to someone else. Wooo, that was heavy. It almost sounded like something off of the Jerry Springer Show. LOL

Slideshow

Taking the weekend off

Sometimes we just need a break. I have been thinking so much about my upcoming races that I have signed up for: Bartram 50K, Disney marathon and Aviation WRAFB marathon. Well this weekend it finally hit me that I need a mental break. I have neglected my family in the sense that I have made running my priority and that is just not right. So that is why I am taking this weekend off to sit back and look at things that I have not seen in a while.

I just got through reading Amy's blog ( my running partner ) and she is very upset right now. She went out running with some friends that are not running the same speed that she is used to, alot slower than she runs. She said that she is feeling so legs pains right now and not wanting to run any more marathons ever again. I am sorry to hear this.

I felt the same kind of pains when I used to run with some other runners that did not run the same pace I did at the time. I don't know how I got over this but I was able to overcome the pain. I feel now that no matter what pace I am out there running, sprinting or just shuffling along that I always remember that I am getting exercise and I don't think "Am I running too fast or too slow right now" and that is when I tell myself "You just need to tell the person beside you Thank You for helping me to get out there today and just run". For some reason this just works for me and I am able to overcome any twinges or pains that might pop up.

My wife had a death in her family this week and we are dealing with the whole funeral thing this weekend so that is another reason why I am not out there pounding the pavement. I will start back tomorrow with a good 5 or 6 miler any some pace but at least I will be out there. As far as Bartram goes, I will go to run the 50K at my pace hoping for a 5:1 run?walk ratio but no matter what it is, I plan on finishing the run with a smile knowing I can look at someone that day and say "Thank you for helping me out today".

Then I will be off to my next run with the intentions of possible helping someone else. Have a bless week my friends.

Macon College trail run

Last night I met up with one of my running partners, Steve Gatlin, and we got in about 4 miles before freezing to death. The wind was very cold. We had to take detours through the college due to construction on the trail course. Steve is working his way back into running and is always telling me that he is slowing me down cause it looks like I am trying to run his speed. Bull!!!! When I go for a run, I go at whatever speed it takes me to stay motivated to just keep running. I have some nights I just go for speed but that is normally done at the track workouts. When I am out with friends, speed does not matter.

I am working my distance up further so that I can get ready for the Bartram Trail 50K next weekend. This will be my first 50K ever!!!!!! I have made up my mind that I am going to run whatever pace and when I finish, well, I will be through. It does not matter to me what the time will be because it will be a time to remember for me. Oh, that almost sounded heavy. :)

I will be taking off Saturday from running due to helping out with an autistic children's function this weekend but I hope to get in at least 15 miles on Sunday. Until then, keep up the good work.

I met up with the MTRC this morning to go out for a normal Sunday morning run. I needed to get about 15 or 16 miles in today to kind of stay on track with my marathon schedule. Boy was it cold today. 38 degrees with the wind blowing everything around keeping any unwrapped skin frozen. I went out with Leora and she said she would run anything with me even if I had to take walk breaks.
So off we went thinking man it is cold. We got to about 1 1/2 miles and noticed the front of the pack was no where in site. I guess the thought if they ran faster they could get warm faster to go ahead and get finished. We started our run in Macon Ga and went up into Bolingbroke Ga up to I-475 and turning back to turn onto Estes round. We made it to the first water stop at about 5 1/2 miles into the run. I was thinking the whole time I would to love to be back in my bed this morning.
We then pushed forward to continue on our frigid jaunt through the country side seeing a family of 4 deer in an open pasture. We even found one dead on the side of the road with an empty .45 auto shell on the road. When we finished with our second water stop and got to about mile 10, Troy pulled up and asked if we wanted a ride. Well dummy me said no and continued on the journey forward. We made it till about the 12 1/2 mile marker and finally walked the last 1/2 mile into the parking area. Kevin decided not to run home this morning opting to ride home with Leora. FM kept him company and warm while sitting his car until we finished. I was sorry to keep him waiting this morning because Leora told me he was going to run home after the loop cause it was just another 3 miles home.
Well on my way home, I could not figure out why my run was so terible today. I had no energy, my legs were hurting and I forced myself to continue. Before I got out this morning to go into Wal-Mart like I normally do after my Sunday runs, I looked down at my shoes to notice I had on the WRONG shoes. I was wearing my old shoes with about a million miles on them. Now I know why I did not feel so good.
The moral of this story is to try and put out your clothes the noght before so this wont happen to you.

New site

I am in the process of changing over my blogs to my new site. Check back later for more results.