"Know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and know when to run." Who knew that the great American philosopher Kenny Rogers was a runner? I do know if he gets one more face lift he's gonna be a Ballchinnian! (obscure reference to Men in BLack II and a dang funny visual!). I didn't run Big Sur, I went out there and I ran, but I did not do the marathon. I simply let my coaching responsibilities 'outweigh' my commitment to running the marathon. I was undertrained, period. I know better yet sometimes as a coach/trainer/motivator it's more "do as I say do, not as I do." I do know what it's like to give others advice (when it's bad news) when they don't want to hear it, and I really didn't like taking my own medicine. Micki will often say to me, "What would tell someelse to do? I hate that!! Um, becaseu she's right. There's another author/speaker I enjoy and in one of his books on positive mental attitude he clearly states, "It ain't the rain, the snow, the boss, the competition, the spouse, the money, the car, the job, or the kids - it's you! And it always has been." I had to 'cowboy' up, take my medicine and make the best out of what I didn't do. My non-participation was my own fault, period! That's cool, I can fix that. I can set aside specific days/times to get my training in. I can be a little more 'selfish' of me and my time to make it happen; but what to do in California? Our pre-race run (the 3 miler 'knock the rust off' taper run we do before every marathon) was one of my top 10 runs ever! It was wonderful! We ran by Monterey Bay past Fisherman's Wharf. We saw the harbor seals sunning and heard them as they lay there barking. We then ran on a 'trail' designed for bikes and runners through part of Old Monterey (hey! Could be a song...Kenny?) then at trails end rather than just turn around we went down 1 block and ran down the Monterey of Steinbeck's Cannery Row. It was an incredible trip through history! You can absolutely envision the characters and life style of a bygone era as you run down the street. Lee Chong, Doc, Mack...you can almost see them and the cannery workers milling around through the cool mist. In fact Ed Rickett's (the character model for Doc) lab is still standing on Cannery Row. A genuine treat of a run....after 2 nights in Monterey we re-located to Carmel, about a mile from the marathon finish. Since I as not going to run the full (yes there were other options, a 21 miler (huh?!? A 10.6 miler and a 9 mile edition) I actually decided to run out backwards and 'escort' the others in. in order I trotted out and met in order, Kile then Darnell, then Sara and Micki just to distract them or let 'em know where they were, how many more hills and how many musical acts to the finish. Oddly I never felt a tinge of regret once I got out on the course; one reason was cause I knew I would have died and fallen into the ocean somewhere near the Bixby Bridge. The real reason was because for a day, for an hour I got to witness a form of greatness. I ran with 4 athletes who had braved some serious uphills (and down!) and 40 mph winds at various points on the course. Still despite the elments and their weariness they were driven to finish! I was genuinely moved by these 4 and more importantly to me, I was inspired, deeply inspired. I was in awe of what they 'had'...there was no 'folding' or 'walking away'. I got to see the grit, desire and determination that is in all of us. I don't think we always 'feel' it when we're using our desire and dermination, but I now know that others can see it! It wasn't limited to the '4'; I saw hundreds drawing on the same inner power but it was the '4' that I got to see it up close and it was  amazing, powerful and awe-inspiring....all at once. As we move towards a summer of training for our Fall marathons and Half Marathons, know those hot days, early mornings, long runs don't just train your body. They train your mind, your spirit, and your will. And when you need your mind, your spirit and your will because your legs and body are 'shot', they'll be there - so the reverse of the above quote comes true. It is you and always has been! It's just a better, stronger version that you molded in your training to prepare for this moment; this moment when you needed YOU! And....you were there.

In 1954 Roger Bannister did what man had dreamed about, thought about, but had never done. He broke the 4:00 minute mile barrier by running a sub 4:00 minute mile. It was an incredible feat at the time and ultimately led to Knighthood. What many don't remember is how the barrier was considered 'unbreakable'. Scientist posited that a man may just drop dead because the human body wasn't designed to go that fast. Until the 4:00 mile was broken by Bannister it was considered impossible. Amazingly within 24 months after Bannister's feat, the 4:00 barrier was broken by 6 different men. More trivia, we all remember Roger Bannister, who was the 2nd man to run a <4:00 mile? John Landy. Often times we feel we can't do something when there is no basis in fact for that feeling. We're entering into the beginning of Fall training season now. People find out tomorrow if they got into the NYC Marathon; Chicago and Marine Corp are already sold out and for half marathoners it is getting near decision time! Run University will start training for the Talledega Half Marathon the week of Memorial Day (it's a Monday, we'll start that Tuesday). It's best to have a 3 mile base, so if a Half Marathon is your goal then get 'crackin'! We're gonna offer R101 for first time Half Mararthoners (or first time in a while) and R102 for those that want to improve their times (we'll have a speed camp in June and part of July). It's gonna be a lot of fun, then for those who want we'll continue right on to the Ruben Studdard Half Marathon. Watch the website for more news and join us; it's so much more fun in a group! Bannister believed the 4:00 barrier could be broken and more importantly he believed he was the one who could and would do it. Just because someone says it can't be done, doesn't mean it can't be done! So why not reach for a goal this Fall? Think you can't run a 5K, 10K, Half or Marathon? Why? Why not!! What's holding you back...really. The best method is to follow the advice of Zoe Koplowitz. Koplowitz, who suffers from MS has walked over 20 marathons on crutches! She says it beautifully, "Have a dream, make a plan, go for it! You'll get there, I promise!" and she's absolutely correct. Follow that with Woody Allens, "90% of success is just showing up." It's a winning combo, killer combo actually...dream, plan, show up (i.e. run, AKA, execute the aforementioned plan). There's no feeling quite like reaching for that goal, then rounding the corner and seeing the finish line and knowing you achieved your goal. Whether it's your first Half Marathon (for example) or 20th, the feeling never gets old! Remember it's a distance goal...3.1 miles, 6.2, 13.1, 26.2...a distance goal; so speed is not a prerequisite. Since man first started running the mile it took until 1954 to run a sub 4:00, then within the next 24 years the feat was replicated by 6 different men...almost 'old' news! It would have happened, but how much longer would it have taken if Bannister didn't 'have a dream, make a plan and go for it'? The lesson is clear, you gotta go for it! Don't wait for 'something' to happen, make it happen! This could be the start of one of the the greatest years of your life...and there's only one way to find out.

Time for you to make a little history of your own! 

"And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years." ~  Abraham Lincoln

One of the Birmingham area's most fun, most challenging, and prettiest runs is called the Statue to Statue Run. It's a 15K (9.3 mile) run through some wonderfully scenic neighborhoods and over a couple of hellacious hills. It's called 'The South's Toughest 15K' for a reason; because it IS the South's toughest 15K! Some embrace the challenge, others avoid it yet on occasion I hear os some not running it because they fear they are too 'slow'. I hear that and I feel like Scooby Do (or, if you're old enough, Astro)..."ruuh?!? Maybe I need some help here; what is 'slow'? Is it 'not as fast as the winner'? Nah, can't be. Otherwise we'd all win, is it Top 10 Finisher, top 20, top 3 in age group, 7:00, 8:00 or 12:00 minute mile? Who knows? If you think you're slow, you're slow. If you think you're fast, you're fast! Because all you have to compare ability to is yourself. Really. If you run S2S in 1 hour or 2 hours, you've still conquered the course, you've still covered 9.3 miles and you've answered the question I ask ALL of my runners  - Are you better than you were 2 weeks ago? The answer is ABSOLUTELY! Your heart is stronger, your lungs as well; you're leaner and you have just thaat much more confidence. It sounds to me like you won! You can't expect to find life worth living, you have to make it that way! If you wait until you're 'fast', then you'll never run. If you never run then you'll never know if you could have conquered the course - there's the challenge. You vs the course. Henry Ford said, "Whether you think you're can or you can't; you're right!" So instead of worrying about another's time, forge your own path. Make your life that way! Make it happen!! Then next year see if you can't beat this year's time. Success comes in 'cans' not 'cant's'! Listen, somebody is always going to be taller than you, shorter than you, bigger than you, smaller than you, smarter than you, dumber than you, faster than you AND yes - slower than you. Even 'last place finish' trumps 'did not start'...So re-set that inner compass, who gives a rats (you know) what the others race times are? If you don't start, you can't MAKE it happen! It's you vs the course and when you finish, you win! You beat the course and you're better than you were 2 weeks ago. To me that sounds like you're an All-American and even if it's only in your own mind...where else could it be more important?

Strive for excellence, not perfection.

 The Boston Marathon is one of the truly great amateur sporting events ever. For many of us runners it is our 'Olympics'. We had to qualify to get in (I have no opinions on charity spots nor am I addressing them...so there!) by running another marathon below pre-determined time goal or better just like the Olympics, and like the Olympics it is a specatcle like no other. The Boston Marathon was begun in 1897 inspired by the success of the 1896 Olympics, so until 1904 the Boston Marathon was only 25 miles (God Save the Queen!). Other traditions followed, some lasting way past their time, for ex.  the reason for the late start was originally because they had to allow for the competitors to ride the train TO Hopkinton therefore the race couldn't start until noon. After a couple of really brutally hot Boston's the BAA reluctantly moved the times back. Micki & I did the 2nd hottest Boston on record in 2004 and it was not pretty! To their credit (unlike Chicago a few years back) they prepared for it. I myslef used up at least a 10# bag of ice in the medical tent. BAck to the history here; Katherine Switzer (entered as K.V. Switzer) was the first female to complete the race but not officially recognized as such, that was Roberta Gibbs. Rosie Ruiz became synonymous with the term doo - doo head (also known as cheater) for her infamous skirting of most of the course. The worst part of that was she was recognized as the female Winner and her cheating wasn't caught until many hours later thus robbing (literally) the legitimate winner Jacqueline Gareau of her spot on the podium & day in the sun. The citizens turn out in droves, it is after all a state holiday (Patriots Day) and the spectator parties begin early! One inconsistent thing about Boston is the weather; one year can be drizzly and bone chilling and the next year (like 2012) can be unseasonably warm. As most marathoners are aware, warm weather is the 'devil'. Having spent a good deal of my 2004 Boston in the medical tent at mile 24 I re-assessed the way I approach a marathon. I set 3 goals each time - 1) a specific time or to 'quality' (not always synonymous) 2) a secondary time goal just in case it's not my 'day' and 3) just get the damn medal! Now that one can come into play for a variety of reasons - going out too fast, or weather to name 2. If it's weather, then I know in advance (duh!); I'm actually trying to remember what we did before the internet and weather channel. Pretty sure I just packed one of everything...anyway having crashed in Boston in 04, experienced the heat in the Honolulu Marathon and pretty much being the Chief Mortal in Charge of Bad Marathon Weather (so dubbed by Al DiMicco and my 'bride') I've learned the hard way NOT to challenge the 'gods of weather'. So speaking for myself (but hoping others listen) if the weather forecast holds I would make this uber-hot Boston a 'celebration' run. I would dial it back, high five the crowds, climb the Hills of Newton (notice that's plural...actually quadruple) at a liesurely pace and enjoy the day and my accomplishment. Not sure I'd kiss the girls of Wellesly...umm, if you ain't first then the cute ones have been kissed...a LOT. Also, those northern girls got nuthin on the Southern girls...so I'd just wave...or kiss a Southern girl (make me run faster!). A crappy race is a crappy race whether you blow up at mile 18 or 24. If you know it's gonna be hot then the opportunity for a crappy race goes up exponentially...dial it back and make it a fun race voluntarily rather than an involuntary crappy race or worse an involuntary trip to the meidal tent or hospital. There'll be other marathons...pretty sure they have Boston every year, and the clock doesn't stop when you're in the medical tent. Let's also not forget that heat can be deadly and I know that even though most of us think we're bullet proof, we're not. Just some thoughts - do you want to enjoy Boston or just go hell bent for leather hoping for a 'good' time even if the odds are against it? You'll still get the medal and you'll still have run a marathon, nothing will change either of those facts, ever. I know some would argue these thoughts with me and I'm okay with that, that's why they make chocolate and vanilla. However you decide to take your Boston cream, here's wishing everyone a safe and fun trip and congratulations on qualifying....that was an achievement in itself...Now go enjoy some history wrapped in tradition....and oh yeah, no Boston Baked Beans pre-race.

I think John Bingham is one of the more insightful writers about runners around. He's especially good at describing the thoughts and feelings of those who are just happy to be out there; that feel the 'finish line is the goal' and pace be damned. In fact he has a shirt that has written on the back, "I'm slow, I know. Get over it." Quick caveat - we all have to run our own race. If you want to get faster...have at it. Work toward your goal, whatever it may be: happy just to be out there? Run 2 or 3 10K's a year? Half marathons, or even fulls at your pace and the goal is to get the medal? Try to PR every race, run <7:00 miles? Enjoy! In the first place what you run is no one's business but your own. Don't sit in judgement of other runners, just go run. Why do you care if someone run/walks, or has a 15:00 pace per mile or always wins their age group? It has no effect on you. On the other hand, I've seen people start running; have the time of their life then *sigh*, do too much (you know the 'Terrible Too's: Too much, Too often, Too soon, Too fast) and burn out so they quit 'for a while' or...forever. Others, well 'life' got in the way and running went waaay down on the priority list, right next to emptying the kitty litter, even if they didn't have a cat. For some it's hard to screw up the courage to start and for many even harder to start again. Bingham is famous for his quote, "The miracle isn't that I finished; the miracle is that I had the courage to start." This week I got a call from Ruben and the gist of the conversation was, "I want to run again. I want to do it right, finish strong and have fun. If I'm an example, even better, but I want to do this for me and I'm ready to go!" What a thrill for me to hear those words...I mean, the weekend is named after him anyway. He could show up, cheer, applaud at the finish, sign autographs, pose for pictures even boogaloo down Broadway...if we had a Broadway. He'll probably do all the above anyway cause that's just the way he is, but he got a taste of 'why' all the rest of us were out there and he's still hungry for it. He did the 5K, he covered the distance but not like he hoped. Deep inside I think maybe it sparked his competitive nature, he wants to taste that experience again and this time he wants to do it better. Now he wants to train for a PR. He started, finished, stopped running for a while and maybe deep inside he feels that though he did finish, he isn't finished. He's willing to go back to square 1....that's resolve, that's courage. You could argue that it's not 'save a life' courage but I think you'd be wrong. It's not 'run into a burning building' courage or police/military courage, but save a life? Yeah it is...his. Sometimes we forget just how good this is for us, physically and mentally. Our heart is a muscle just like your biceps and when we work it, even casually, it gets stronger. If you've started then stopped or you have friends that you miss or you think are ready to 'go again', encourage yourself or them. I've said before that often times the hardest part of a run is getting out the door, perhaps the hardest part to starting again, is that 1st run. Remind 'em (or remind yourself), to set your early expectations low. Remember the fun then focus on the journey back, not where you once were. If the fun is in the journey, then make the 2nd time around just as much fun if not more so. Enjoy being out there again, making new friends while seeing old ones. If they are still running but ahead of you, use that for inspiration, not a reason to pout. You've sailed this ship once, let's board it again and make sure the second voyage is as much fun as the first. It doesn't matter where you start (1 mile, 2 miles, haven't run in 6 months); it matters that you start. There's no way being on the sidelines is as much fun as being in the game...and guess what? You get a do over, a mulligan. Ruben's taking his, take yours. Grab your courage, leave your ego, let's tee it up again and go have so fun.

A few years ago Micki and I went to Israel and spent a month in the Holy Land. Durning this time we camped under the stars in the Sinai Desert (that was a 'treat', those who know me know my idea of roughing it is no cable), ran in Jerusalem, Capernaum, along the Red Sea and the Sea of Galilee. The most memorable run, perhaps of my life was the 2nd morning there...we were staying at an Episcopal College (St George's) and one of our instructors told me of a route that circumnavigated the old city. There is the Jerusalem of today and the Jerusalem of Jesus and one exist within the other. The 'old city' is surrounded by walls and our route took us just outside the walls as we scampered around. As luck would have it just as we reached the far side we slowed down to look at where we were. We were standing at the main entrance to the old city, the very steps Jesus himself walked up many times whe he entered the city. It is known as St. Stephen's Gate to most so named by Christians of the Middle Ages who believed it to be the location of the martyr Stephen's execution. It's also known as Sheep's Gate and (in Hebrew) Lion's Gate. The famous Jewish hero Oscar Schindler is also buried very near here. As we stopped outside the gate our eyes turned east, we were looking across the Kidron Valley to the Mount of Olives. At that very moment the sun started crawling over the top of the Mount of Olives and Micki and I stood held prisoners in awe of the moment. We completed this run many times during our stay leaving St. George's at the same each day to catch the sunrise. Then one day we ventured down into the valley into the Garden of Gethsemane. I had always had visions of the Garden of Gethsemane being like Bellingrath Gardens or Calloway Gardens, but it's not, not even close. It's a scruffy little place. It's basically a grove of olive trees, hundreds of years old. Olive trees look almost as if they came out of a Tim Burton film except they are pretty short especially to those of us used to mighty oaks.  Yet in my heart and mind it has always been my favorite place in the Bible and now I was standing there as Jesus had centuries before. What struck me then as now is the fact that in this holy place, to me, magnificent in it's beauty might to many others be almost stark in it's simplicity. Yet it was here in this place that Jesus came to pray often with and without his disciples. Here he was betrayed, here Peter fought for him, and here was the beginning of the end of his 'natural' life. And here I thought more deeply and prayed more fervently than anywhere else on our journey and that included Calvery. Why? I honestly don't know. What I do know is that what is beautiful and meaningful to one is not necessaily to another and that's okay. I don't care for beets, Micki loves 'em. I don't care if someone is running a 7:00 pace or a 12:00 minute pace because I'm happy they are 'moving' and having fun. More importantly I don't care if I am running 7's or 12's as long as I'm moving (of course I have a preference!). If you're running and happy then you are in your own garden. Find what's happy and meaningful to you, and spend some time in your garden and forget what others may think. Enjoy your garden, it may be scruffy to others but then really why should you care? That's why there's chocolate and vanilla, daisy's and roses. I personally loathe betrayal, loathe it, and those who practice it, yet I didn't (and still don't) focus on the betrayal in Gethsemane. I hear Jesus saying, "Neverthe less, not my will but thine be done"...I see Peter a friend defending a friend against the odds and most of all I see a place of stark beauty where someone can still sit and be completely at peace with himself, 2000 years later. Most importantly I see it leading to the promise of Easter, the greatest love of all. I hope you all find your 'garden' and spend some time in it. If it's running then rejoice in what you can do and try to find the beauty in each run. My friend Noel journals each run and enters the best thing about that run, every time!! That's better than having her garden, that's planting seeds that promise to grow more. Find your garden, grow your garden and spend lots of time there. May the Peace of the Lord be with you...Happy Easter.

and not even aware of it. My Sunday run reminded me of several scene's in Failure to Launch. Quick aside - we all have movies (and songs) that others may not, *ahem* appreciate. Sort of our 'guilty pleasure's if you will. Scarily I have an enormous list and yes, Failure to Launch is on it...cracks me up (I also like some Barry Manilow and Tom Jones along with my Doobie Brothers, so there!). Anyway ...Tripp (Mathew McConaughey) has already been bitten by a dolphin; then on a rock climbing outing gets bitten by a chuckwalla causing him to fall. Demo (Bradley Cooper) [to Tripp] You were bitten by a chuckwalla. That shouldn't have happened. It's a reptile of peace. I have a theory. This isn't the first time that nature's lashed out at you like this. I believe it's because your life is fundamentally at odds with the natural world. Sunday during my long run with couple of others I was (to keep it short) almost attacked by a goose (he did run at me with wings spread, by the way, thanks Jennifer for the warning) a few miles later a squirrel was crossing the road near me as a cyclist rounded the corner, scarred the critter so the squirrel jumped (flew?) right at me. I wet my pants, he missed and I ran a 3:00 mile. As Ferris Bueller said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Pretty sure that wasn't what he was talking about. But you know, it's alright to just run for fun, to look around, to not train, enjoy the day, the exercise, your friends. I know several people who have actually used the 'B' word...burn out, lately. Yeah I know it;s 2 words, what's your point? In more than one case it's from the terrible too's" too much, too soon, too fast. As my dad says (and Kid Rock...they don't know each other), "Moderation in all things, including moderation." Sometimes it's okay to take a day off, even a week off or to take a break in training, to just run and "look around once in a while". I love running, I've trained hard, got some good times, qualified for Boston, run it and got the T-shirt. I understand the 'hard work'...I've also run slow (a relative term) and had some 'good times'. Never has one of my favorite, more enjoyable runs been a 'ball buster'.  I enjoy training, I enjoy training hard; those runs give me a sense of accomplishment. It's not always the same thing as 'fun'. Running with certain people is fun. Running while exploring a city, or a park, or just running is fun. It's 2 different kinds of running, and in my humble opinion (which I respect very highly) to be a long time runner one needs to blend both. Avoid the 'terrible too's' (and flying squirrels) and run every so often for you. Run with a friend (at their pace...hint - make it some one whose butt you can normally kick), take a day off, run a route backwards, make an 'active recovery' run (say 1:30 -  2:00 per mile slower) part of your training, run without a watch (yes, that includes a garmin), or run somewhere new. I've seen both sides and for me blending the two is a great way to enjoy running's 'natural world' for a long, long time.

just count all the things you have that money can't buy. Ahh, back in the Magic City. If you guys think we skipped winter here, try Houston. It's already about 10 degrees hotter out there on average. Lots of flowers blooming (like here) but the bugs, Jumpin' Jehosophat! We were bored Sunday so we went out riding mosquito's, yeah they are that big. Heck everything's bigger in Texas. I was actually about 20 miles outside of Houston where it's so dang flat that if you put a ball on the ground it won't roll. Speaking of a 'roll', I could get on a 'roll' with some other 'flat' jokes, but I'll leave well enough alone. I ran several times out there and twice with my son which was an absolute treat. Like running with most other friends the conversation just flowed and we pretty much solved all the world's problems. And that's great, sometimes it's not father/son, he really is a very good friend to me. Okay, we couldn't wrap up Jefferson County's problems but then we decided like Ron White says, "You can't fix stupid." Flying back I was reflecting on my runs with Todd and how though it was nothing earth shattering, it was just fun. Time spent with one of my sons (can't teally call him a 'kid') doing something I love that he also likes. Maybe because it was nothing special, it became something special.One of those memories that just kind of make you smile a little on the outside and big on the inside. Then I set up my run for today and it was just 'friends' running and yet again when I got through I remember the thought kinda popping in my head, "that was really fun." Also nothing out of the 'ordinary'; we just talked about 'stuff'...kids, trips, upcoming races, work, heck even yardwork, briefly (gurk!). For no single reason and for a lot of little reasons it was just a great run. Kinda simple, it seems. We can have a purpose to our runs, speed, hills, endurance or whatever and when we finish we feel good about accomplishing something. I really, really enjoy those runs. I do, injury taught me or rather reminded me that I really do enjoy 'training' runs. Even now that I'm slower, and older - hey, the come back ain't over until I say it's over! "Was it over when the Germans bomber Pearl Harbor?" (Animal House). Yet the runs that make me smile are runs like Texas and today. Simple, fun, good...no, make that great people just running. No reason or rhyme to why Texas and today made me feel good, I really can't figure it out and I don't want to. Maybe that feeling is why I run; well that and so I don't look like Jabba the Hut. It's been said that if you smile when so one else is around then you really mean it. NOt only am I smiling, I feel really rich today and I realized that the 'little' things, the 'little' moments? They aren't little.

I always choose the one I haven't tried yet." Pretty sure there'll never be another pair like Mae West and W. C. Fields, "It was a woman who drove me to drink and I never got the chance to thank her." The alarm went off at the crack of early Tuesday morning and I did something I almost never do. I rolled over and turned that bad boy off. I was so tired...well, see for yourself.

However, sometimes good comes from having 2nd thoughts. I slept a bit longer and went to the track. Made mysef a promise that for 6 weeks, once a week I would revive my track workouts. Bout time too. I'm one of the gifted slow people...So we'll see. Some people are naturally fast and work really hard to get faster, but even the most pedestrian of us can increase our turnover with some form of 'speed' work. To that end (and now that it's warm) Run University's Danny and Micki are bringing back Runner's Boot Camp. Boot Camp is a kind of catchy phrase that's come to denote 'hard workout' and yes, this will be no different. We've re-designed it to increase the intensity a bit and added a new wrinkle or 4 (easy access to a puke bucket, for one...joke! (sorta). We will focus on turnover, technique, core shredding and butt blasting. A stronger butt will help your running immensely and can help prevent injury of the hamstring and hip variety. We've also included a variety of check points so you can actually see your improvement. We're so confident of your success that if you complete all 8 sessions and you're not satisfied, we'll refund your money. And at $175 bucks, that's $20 bucks a workout! We'll also offer a Session II in May that'll be a step up, but only if you complete Session I. If nothing else you'll look awesome on the beach this year. Yes, it'll be that good (and yes, Anna Banana will be back!). For more info e-mail Danny or Micki....Start date Wednesday 3/28 5:30 a.m. Mt. Brook Elementary Soccer Field. We'll also meet Sunday afternoons (except Easter) at 4:30 at the High School track

I happen to be a big Neil Simon fan, funny funny writer. He wrote quite a few plays and movies of which the most well known would be The Odd Couple. He also wrote a movie entitled Murder By Death which was a take off of the old 'private detective genre' of the 40's and 50's. Nick and Nora Charles (The Thin Man series), Charlie Chan (with a little Mr. Moto thrown in), Agatha Christie, Hercule Poirot and of course Philip Marlowe. In this movie he had Peter Sellers playing 'Sidney Wang' or the Charlie Chan send up. This was also before it became 'politically incorrect' to use non-Asians to play Asians, non-native Americans to play Indians AKA native Americans blah, blah, blah. Okay, I admit John Wayne as Genghis Khan was not great casting genius (oh yes, he really did portray Genghis). Back to the movie, Sidney Wang had listened to a theory proposed by one of his fellow detectives. His reply was (remember, bad 'Asian' accent), "Very interesting theory, Mr Charleston. However, leave out one important fact." Dick Charleston, "What's that?" Wang, "Is stupid! Is stupidest theory I've ever heard."  I was reminded of that line when reading a Men's Health Magazine (can they really tell what women want?) article on The Runner's Guide to Staying Motivated. They had 4 thoughts and 3 of them weren't very good. 1) Problem:  "I've been training a lot and I'm really tired." Their Solution: "Lie down, close your eyes and slowly count to 60. “If you make it to 60 seconds without dozing off, then go for the run,” says Budd Coates, a 2:13 marathoner who’s qualified for the Olympic trials four times. “But if you fall asleep, that’s okay. You probably need the rest."  I think most of us don't get up until we absolutely have to anyway. If it's the middle of the day run most people are at work. Not sure about y'all but when I had an office my boss frowned on me napping (okay, yeah I tried it...a couple of times). They did make a valid point about monitoring your resting heart rate; but how many really check that more than once a physical? Practical Solution: Pay attention to your own body. If you're tired, and you've been training hard (which, I'm gonna guess that you're aware of a ramp up in mileage or intensity) then take a day off. Another thought would be to reduce the mileage AND intensity of that day's run. But if you're THAT tired, take the day off. #2) I hate running. I hate running. I hate running. Their Solution: 'Distract yourself' (and more nonsense about thinking you're in Arizona when you're up to your butt in a snowbank. I've tried to distract myself when I'm getting a flu shot, it doesn't work!!!  Real Solution: Nothing. With that kind of attitude nothing can be said that will help you. If it's not 'attitudinal', then think about 'why' you 'hate' it; can't breathe, knee's ache, you get lost....whatever. Solve that problem, then you might begin enjoy your runs. Also, work on your attitude. You can't motivate a bad attitude, but you can create a positive attitude and a positive attitude can move 'mental' mountains! Find what you love in it, the camaraderie, thesweat, the calorie burn, that girl's legs. FInd the 'joy' in it; and that pretty much goes for everything. Find they joy in 'it' and you'll always love it. Problem 3: I have a lot of work today—I should stop early. Their Solution: Remind yourself that you’ll be more productive later. Then statistics abaout worker efficiency, alertness, blah, blah, blah. Real Solution: No Excuses! Suck it up and go. We all have the same 24 hours in a day. You don't find time to run, you make time to run. Now if it's your wife's b'day or a kids recital...prioritize. But bottom line, go...there's no great honor to being the richest man in the hospital. There's an old saying about he whod doesn't make time to exercise will soon have to make time to be sick. Most of us have a lot of work every day! Prioritize, make time for YOU and get that run in. No other reason but that it's your time! I train and run with a lady who owns her own business, has 2 kids, a husband and is building a house. She gets up at 4:30 to run at 5:30 and flat tells her family and employees, "This is my time!" It's the same 24 hours, you don't get 25 - make the most of your time so you can be the best you!

The link to the article is below if you want to check it our and agree or disagree; and if you can find out in the magazine what women really want, please let me know!

Read more at Men's Health: http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/running-motivation?cm_mmc=Twitter-_-MensHealth-_-Content-Fitness-_-UrbanathlonRunMotivation#ixzz1pD4iVY7S