Good Foot

We'll miss you James. Hope everyone else gets off on a good foot, this Christmas.

Marathon Runner Tracking System

Cool idea! The Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Half Marathon has setup a way to track runners, so that you can keep up with their progress. If you know someone running either race, you can find out where they will be to cheer them on. You can register to receive updates via email or text message here and here for each race, respectively.

Apparently, they will also be taking video footage of the runners as they cross the finish line.

21-miles and the Taper (Journey to Marathon: Sixth in A Series)

John Phillips, a board member for BCRR set up a long training run of 21 miles for members, which I ran today. It was great. I'm not sure my time, because my watch messed up, but it was around 3 hours. I am asking for one of these for Christmas to, hopefully, avoid watch trouble in the future. After the run, John let us use his hot tub, which greatly minimized leg soreness for everyone. The after-run party included beers, an awesome breakfast and talk plus a hug from this girl from BCRR that I like. The hug was especially cool.

So, now, I run fewer miles, as part of the taper, which is a gradual decrease in mileage to rest leading up to the marathon. 16, 12 and 10 will be mine. I'm really looking forward to running fewer miles...and getting more hugs from that girl.

I'm also excited about being on vacation until the 2nd of January 2007.

Season's Greetings

In light of this day marking the beginning of my holiday vacation, review at your convenience the following politically correct seasons greetings. Thanks.

Please accept, with no obligation, express or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country, nor the only America in theWestern Hemisphere. And without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishes. By accepting these greetings you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself or himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.

Jerome Murat

jerome murat

Sugarland Methodist Hospital 30K (Journey to Marathon: Fifth in a Series)

Final Time: 2:51:32. I'd heard some grumbling from some fellow runners about this race, but it was fun!

Next week, a 21-mile training run with BCRR and then the Taper. OH! I can't wait for the taper. But, more on that later.

Friday

...the obvious bookend to Monday.

I'm finally back from the dead, more or less. Well, I'm at work anyway. I'm a little worried about being able to run the race I have scheduled for this weekend, but at this point I'm thinking I'm going to try it.

In other news, my Mother got a hair up her butt to buy me a new mattress which I slept on last night for the first time. WHOA! Mattresses have changed a lot since they made the one I've been sleeping on for the last 10 years or so. If you have an old mattress, the cash, and are thinking about a new one, you will be pleasantly surprised. Thanks, Mom!

Ok. Back to your regularly scheduled blog, already in progress. And have a good weekend!

Monday

Monday was a strange day for me. During one of the stranger parts--while I was beginning to become physically ill--I was thinking that it would make a pretty good "You" series entry. But, once well, I realized I didn't want to fictionalize any of it. It was plenty tumultuous on its own.

It was to be the day I quit my job so that I could go back to school. But, it started with an email from this girl I've been dating, who I've actually never mentioned here before. Anyway, she sent me this email that made it pretty clear to me that it wasn't meant to be. So I told that, as politely as possible. Frankly, I liked her, but I don't really want to put effort into a serious relationship right now, and it seems that even if she doesn't want a serious relationship--as she claims--my aspiration in our endeavor is still anemic. I don't blame her for being upset. I just don't want to change. Anyway, she has apparently agreed to a friendship.

Of course, during the whole exchange with her, I'm getting increasingly nervous about telling my employer, "I'm leaving." I just wasn't sure how they would react. I wanted it to be an amicable exit, but I was mostly looking forward to starting school. They were not at all excited to hear I wanted to leave. They joked that they wished I was going to another firm because, "then they could negotiate." But, I want to go school, so they knew there was little room to talk, however, they finally convinced me to attempt a trial part-time job with them. I'd basically set my own hours! I was really flattered by their generosity, so I decided it couldn't hurt too much. We'll see.

After that I read through a response from the girl. And started to respond, and at the same time work on a project I'd been given. During that, I began to have trouble concentrating, and started feeling nauseous. I ended up going home a little early after an "episode" in the bathroom. What I find strange about all this is I haven't broken up with anyone, left a job or gotten sick in about 3 years...and they all hit the same day.