Back From the Back of the Pack.

Hello Woggers! So we are home safe and sound and now it is time to process everything.

First let me say thanks to everyone. You all made this a fun journey and helped to inspire me and Christina. She has now been bitten by the bug and is talking about what we will do differently next year. So Yay! We think we are now ready to become exercising people.

Second, let me say that we as Wogger's World Nation need to send prayers to the Jorge Fernandez family. Jorge completed the 1/2 Marathon Sunday, collapsed at the finish line and died shortly thereafter. Apparently he was a dedicated runner who had served two tours in Iraq. Here is more info: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Half-marathoner-s-death-remains-a-mystery-2268289.php

On to lighter fare, let's talk about how the day went down. We got up at 5, ate a little something, got ready and headed down the start line. Well actually we went pretty far from the start line. The start line was literally right outside our hotel. We had to walk many blocks to get to our corral (#27). See, they have Wogger bigotry at these things and make us go to the back of the line.

We checked in our gear, grabbed some food and waited on our friend Tricia. At 7:30 sharp the gun fired air horn blasted. We stood stock still for another 20 minutes. Slowly we started to make our way to the finish line. At around 8:15 the starter's gun air horn sounded for our corral (seriously, at this point the man who won the 1/2 marathon was almost finished) and we were off. Like a bullet shot out of a gun. Well maybe not quite. You don't want to start too fast. It is a marathon after all and not a sprint. Ha! How often do you get to use that in context?

The first mile was tough. It was in the 60s and there was a large hill to climb. Also, the last time I had stretched was back in the hotel at 6:30, almost two hours before. So my wife and I were a little tight at the beginning. At this point Tricia runs her way out of my story because truth be told, she is a better athlete than we are and finished ahead of us. And while she may run here way out, it is important to remember that she is indeed the beginning because she got me into this. You rock Tricia.

Miles 2 and 3 were much better. It started to warm up, the course was flat and our muscles got warmed up too. In fact, the first 5 miles we were on a good pace and feeling fine. Then we slowed up a bit. By this point things had settled out and we were mostly with walkers Woggers. Which is nice because there can be some jostling at the start.

Miles 6-10 were still good but Christina started feeling some pain in her feet and we slowed some. Miles 10-13.1 were tough. By this point it was in the 80s (which is very hot for a long distance race) and my muscles were hurting and my feet hurt. Christina really had to reach deep at this point. I don't think she had ever walked that far in her life and it became challenging. But she overcame and walked her way to the end. I am so proud of her.

The end is pretty awesome. We joined back up with the marathoners and with the marathoners come more crowds. You also get more energy seeing the marathoners because you really appreciate wheat they have done. As you near the Alamodome you can start to taste the finish. Unfortunately this year we also saw some reality about how hard this can be. We saw a racer get put into an ambulance. We saw a woman who was doing the full start to weave and then throwing up. I and another runner checked with her and I went to get the medics. The worst part was that she was less than a mile from the finish. I hope she was able to do it.

After Wogging up one last hill(who the hell put s hill at the end of a marathon?) you turn to the right and you're like 200 yards from the finish line. My wife and I held hands and walked the final distance. It was awesome. About a mile before Christina had said she thought she might cry when we crossed the line but she was, I think, just happy to be done and too tired to cry.

All in all it was an awesome experience. The Expo was fun, the crowds were fun. The participants at the back where the slow people are - well we just have more fun than the front of the pack in general. The Pig Roast we went to with our friends that afternoon was fun. It was a wonderful day. I think we both feel like we really accomplished something. Now we want to accomplish better times. And I think we will.

My favorite signs I saw from spectators:

"Run a better race than Perry"

"Hurry up and finish, my arms hurt from holding this sign"

"Run like a Kenyan stole your shoes"

"This is the strangest parade I have sever seen"

Outfits:

There weren't too many people strangely dressed. Lots of women wear tutus, which I just don't understand. There was one guy in a gladiator outfit. One woman was in a bustier, stockings and a tutu; okay, whatever makes you happy.

The best outfit were the two soldiers in full gear and packs running with American flags. It really gave you chills.

Spectators:

There is something about strangers cheering you on that is hard to describe. There were cheerleading squads, bands, volunteers, people dj'ing in their front yards, fire stations hosing Woggers down, people holding signs and cheering, families and neighbors having BBQs and parties all for the sake of the event. I love the excitement and energy. I do want to especially thank all the volunteers at the drink stations and at the medical stations. You all are awesome. Especially the Airforce personnel at the Mile 11 water station. It is an honor to have you all come out and volunteer to serve us.

Negative Observations:

Ok, I could be really snarky here about a few things but you know what, I won't. It was such a positive experience I will focus only the positives. And I will say I am positively happy I threw water at the guy protesting Susan G. Komen. You suck.

Finish Line

Well this has been a long post and I know you all have better things to do. I just want to say thanks for following me on this journey. It has been a privilege to write for you and I hope everyone got a little inspired and laughed a whole lot. I have had fun but all things must come to an end. I will let you all know if I start writing again but for right now I am going to take a break. This is my 42nd post which is hard to believe.

I hope you all have a wonderful Holiday Season and I hope we all take on a challenge for the New Year. Mine will be to build upon what I have done and to continue to try and be a better person in all facets of my life. Keep on Wogging boys and girls and remember: It's a Wogger's World out there!

UPDATE!

Obviously I did not get the wrap up written last night. We are about to check out and go have a tasty breakfast and head back to Houston. I will write a wrap-up sometime today. See you son Woggers.

FINISHED!

We did it! Christina and I finished the 1/2 Marathon hand-in-hand! We are now back in the hotel and about to take a nap. If I don't get a post done the evening expect one tomorrow. Here are a few picks!

1 hour til Go Time

What the hell was I thinking?

We are now at Defcon 1

So we just got back from the expo and dinner with our friend and Wogging inspiration, the infamous Tricia.

The Expo was fun. There was only one problem. Either I asked for the wrong size shirt or they put the wrong size on my ticket. Regardless I have a shirt one size too small and the t-shirt Nazi would not let me get a larger shirt. I realize that having control of your little t-shirt empire is a big deal to you but really, just give me a shirt that fits. This has been the only disappointing thing so far.

So here we are at the Expo:

That's me, my wife Christina in the middle and Tricia. I don't know who that person in the back is. Oh wait, it's a fake person.

So after getting my number:

And fighting with the T-shirt Nazi we moved into the vendor area. It was pretty cool. Lots of free samples. We weren't so high on the chocolate Tiger Milk but we grazed at the Snicker's Powerbar Booth. Tricia bought a few supplies but Christina and I did not get separated from our money. That took place later at the hotel when I realized we hadn't brought any water or Gatorade. We did bring some oatmeal to warm up in the microwave in the morning. But guess what? No fridge and no microwave. I mean, we're at the Marriott on the Riverwalk. With water going for $3.50 a bottle you figure they could spring for a fridge and microwave. The irony here is we cook oatmeal back in Houston this morning but forget water. Oh well. I do have one more issue with the Marriott. I hope you all are enjoying the live update. The Internet here is $12 a day. Boo Marriott.

So the Expo was crazy crowded.

And it had real high energy and was lots of fun. The people were interesting. I saw a pregnant woman who had a runner's number. I also saw a woman in a walking boot who had a runner's number. That's very impressive. It will also be embarrassing if the booted lady beats me. Lastly there was the Geico Gecko.

It's strange. He look smaller on TV.

After, we went to a restaurant called The Cove. It is funky, organic and tasty. It is also a combo restaurant, laundromat and car wash with live music.

Alright Woggers. I need to go put my number on my shirt and get some sleep. I will get tomorrow's entry up sometime in the afternoon or early evening. It depends on how long we collapse nap after the race. Farewell Woggers. Goodnight.

UPDATES

We are here in Hotel Room which is right on start line! About to head over to the Alamodome for packet pickup and the Expo. Pics to come!

My Bags are Packed (almost), I'm Ready to Go

Hello Woggers!

So it's my last Thursday blog. I can't believe the time is here. I have already packed my gym bag with all my gear. I've got my ipod nano charged up and my 1/2 Marathon Playlist ready to go. If only I could have lost about 80 lbs more. Oh well.

I have lost some weight and feel like I am on the right path to living a healthier life and that, at the end of the day, is what this is all about.

So here is the plan for the rest of the week:

Saturday my lovely wife and I are going to head out for San Antonio around 10. Our hotel is close to the start line so we're excited about that. We will check in hopefully around 1 and call my good friend Tricia, the instigator inspiration behind this whole Wogging thing. Together we'll all head over to the Expo to pick up our numbers, goodie-bag and act like we are professional athletes. Which we basically are except we don't get paid. We're not in great shape and their won't be lots of drinking and gambling and firearms. Other than all that, we're just like professional athletes.

After the Expo we'll probably hang out with Tricia and play Angry Birds or something real exciting. An early dinner will be followed by an early night because we have to be up early on Sunday. But guess what? I will post a bonus blog on Saturday night about the Expo! In fact you better stay tuned, you never know when I might upload a pic from the roadie.

Sunday we are going to be up around 5 - 5:30. Boo! The gun fires at 7:30. Yay! However, I am going to predict that we will be in a corral so far from the start-line that we won't officially start until 7:45-8:00. And hopefully we will be done by 12. A small note on the start. They kind of put you in order of fast to slow so we'll be towards the back. Like a long ways from the start. Also, after you finish the race you have a long way to walk to get back to your family or wherever you are headed. In short you end up walking a few extra miles and that kind of sucks. Maybe I should get a Segway for the non-racecourse mileage.

After a nap and a pig roast at a friend of a friends I will try to post something about how it went.Additionally I will try to post a wrap up Monday Night.

Thanks for all the fun fellow Woggers. I hope you all have enjoyed this journey as  much as I have. And while the blog may winding down, the beginning of my new life as a Wogger (and may I dare say a runner some day) is just beginning.

See you Saturday Woggers!

It's The Final Countdown

I hope that after reading the headline everyone has that horrible song stuck in their head.

So it is Sunday evening at about a quarter until 5. One week from right now I hopefully will be writing about how cool my finisher's medal is. Probably I'll be writing about how much my legs hurt. And how upset my wife is that I talked her into doing this.

Actually I think she is going to have a great time and feel very rewarded when she is done. She has never been in a race before. What an exciting experience this will be for her.

So Friday night we made our final gear purchases. She got a long-sleeve technical shirt just in case it is cold (last year it was freezing) and I did end up getting a hand-held water bottle. We also got our GU (4 tri-berries and 2 mandarin oranges).

Today we took a Wog after church in full dress rehearsal. We wore the clothes we will Wog in on Race Day (well my lovely bride wore the new long-sleeve just to make sure it would be okay but she'll probably wear a short sleeve she had already worn), I carried the new water bottle and even though it was cloudy today here in Houston we wore our hats. (Well technically my wife wore a visor)

You may laugh a little bit but the last thing you want to do is be in the middle of a 13.1 mile Wog and realize that this shirt chafes or this water bottle is really a pain in the ass and not worth the weight it adds to only one side of your body. In fact this is what has kept me from buying a water bottle to carry. Now some of you may ask why not get one of those Amphipod belts with the water flasks that attach? Good question. For those that have no idea what I am talking about here is a pic:

Here is my reason for not getting this: I think I'm too fat and the bottle would gouge into me. The truth is, most of the stuff made for runners is not necessarily made for Woggers, if you know what I mean. Let's be honest, most running stores don't have a big and tall section. Maybe this will be the motivation I finally need. Maybe this is what will push me over the edge. The wish to not look silly wearing a water belt and hoping to fit in with the skinny people. Not for myself. Not for my family. not to get off the CPAP or avoid on-set of adult diabetes. No, I'll be motivated by the urge to buy gear.

It's hard to believe we are only six days away. On Thursday's blog I will fill you all in on the schedule for the weekend. The plan for the rest of this week is a nice brisk walk every night and contain our excitement for the Big Day.

Almost there - Stay on Target

So the Wife and I are 10 days away from D-Day. And in this case the D means DOOM. No, not really, but it does feel looming. We are both so busy right now it seems like we have to focus on everything but Wogging. Yet the calendar moves whether we like it or not.

As we make our final preparations we are going to head out to the running store one last time for some supplies. We need to get some GU Energy Gels. I think real runners use these because they are light weight, can be strapped to their body, can be eaten in stride and full of quick energy. I will eat them because I want to be cool like the elite runners. Let's be honest, I could eat a chili dog and not really break my stride too much. But that could create other problems which no one here wants me to write about.

So if you have never had one of these imagine shooting several ounces of funky-tasting honey into your mouth that will instantly dehydrate you. Mmmmm-Mmmmm. I have had about 5-6 different flavors and I have to say that the Tri-Berry is my favorite. I find it interesting that they don't say what the berries are. I assume there is no actual berry in it but rather it was engineered in some lab somewhere. If someone has ever tried the cappuccino  let me know. I wonder what it tastes like but I am scared to try it. Coffee flavored gel just sounds gross.

We also need to pick up some Body Glide.

This stuff keeps you from chafing so it's importance can't be valued. Fortunately they do value it for under $5. This is important for anyone but when you are a fat runner like me you especially need it. You will notice I said fat. That's right. I am fat. I know it and have no problems with that word. Race Directors try and be clever and talk about Clydesdale Division Runners. To be honest I find this to be more demeaning. Are they saying we are like horses? That we got fat by drinking too much Budweiser? Either way I don't like it. When I was in high school on the track team they would sometimes do a "Heavy-man Relay" at a meet. This is when they would make the discus throwers and shot-putters sprint for the amusement of the spectators. In retrospect it was really kind of cruel.

On kind of a side note. I have to be honest, when I clicked for image search and typed in body glide I was very nervous about what would come up. Fortunately I got clean images.

The other thing I am contemplating buy is a water bottle that molds around your hand. Something like this:

 The nice would be to have the ability to have a drink whenever I want one. The down side (other than the price) would be having more weight in one hand rather than the other. Again, if anyone has any feedback, it's appreciated.

Wow Woggers. It's hard to believe we are almost here. I;m getting excited. To be part of 30,000 other participants and thousands of people cheering you is pretty awesome. Knowing you all will be there in spirit is even better. Alright, I will talk to you all on Monday. Have a wonderful weekend.

The Wogger's Graveyard

It was Halloween and I was Wogging in the graveyard in a part of town known as the Wogger's Graveyard. It got it's name because several years ago two teenagers went Wogging in the cemetery. They had decided to Wog there because they thought it would be peaceful and quiet. Never had an error in judgement been so deadly.

They were the kind of people who Wogged in the evening. As it was the fall the days were short and they were halfway through their Wog as twilight began. Suddenly they heard a strange sound. Like the sound of knives being drawn over the polished marble of a gravestone.

They checked their heart-rate monitors and and saw that the frightening sound had made their hearts beat faster. They were lulled into a false sense of security as they were both excited but yet distracted by the potential cardio-vascular improvement and concurring weight loss. Little did they know all that Cardio would just make their blood spurt out faster when they had their throats slashed.

They police never caught who did it. Some say he's still out there. Waiting. Waiting for more Woggers caught unaware on Halloween. Waiting for one more chance to ...ahhhhhhh!

Headed out of town. Check back on Monday.

It's all fun and games until some says 'Morbid Obesity"

So Woggers, I wanted to let you all know how much I have appreciate your support and comments and fun while I embark on this journey to Wog the San Antonio 1/2 Marathon in 3 weeks.

Three weeks!?! How did that happen?

But I digress.

I'm not sure that I am a better Wogger than I was before I started this blog but I think I am probably a better writer and that has to account for something. But what I have also noticed is that I think I am doing better as a person.

Since I have started writing Wogger's World I have started a new job that I find very fulfilling. My wife and I are more on top of our finances. I have been more careful about my diet and I have Wogger more. I also have started using a CPAP machine and am trying to be healthier in general.

The CPAP machine does kinda suck. I mean you try to sleep with this thing on.

But I think I am sleeping better. And my wife says I don't snore while wearing it. It is just taking some lifestyle adjustment.

And that's really what all this is about right? Lifestyle adjustment. But it dawned on me today that while I have been writing a lot about these adjustments I haven't been making the changes as drastically as I need to. Let's just say it is easier to write about them than to actually do them.

But I read something Thursday that I do need to make these changes more drastic than subtle. I mean, I have been losing weight and feel better (current allergy issues aside) but it has been a small change. I think I need to kick it up to radical change.

You see, while I was reading over my sleep study Thursday two words that got used several times lept out at me. "Morbid Obesity"

Look, I know I need to lose weight. But I have never thought of myself in those terms. Husky? Sure. Jolly? Definitely. Lots more to love? You bethcha. Obese? No. Morbidly obese? Definitely not.

I mean, I know we all see our selves differently than how others see us. In my mind I think I still look like I did in my high school graduation photo:

So I guess this journey isn't going to end on November 13th of this year. I guess this may indeed, just be the beginning. A New Era. A new Dawn. A New Dan.

See you Thursday Woggers. And bonus points if you can figure out who my "Graduation photo" is.

And this little 1/2 marathoner went wee ... in the porta-potty

Hello Woggers! I hope everyone is done well and enjoying their autumn.

As the crispness returns to the air (for those in the northern climes yes, we are just now getting crisp air down here on the Gulf Coast) our thoughts turn to college football, pumpkins, the turning of the leaves, and whether or not we should spend money on a personal porta-potty on race day.

What?

That's right. You heard me correctly. Of all the decisions I have had to make in preparing myself for the 1/2 marathon, this may be my most important yet.

One of the things that the San Antonio Rock & Roll Marathon and 1/2 Marathon offers is a First-Class porta-potty experience. Last year I thought this was the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard of. They wanted to charge $100 for you to use a port-potty? Are you kidding me?

That was my attitude, right up until I had the use the the same row of pedestrian outhouses the other 30,000 people were using. then it became like one of those MasterCard commercials: It would have been priceless.

This year, instead of just buying a pass you have to buy like $150 in merchandise. Here is how the race promoters describe it:

Brooks VIP Porta Potty for a Super-Deluxe Start

Brooks' VIP Porta Potty is our way of thanking you for choosing Brooks and Moving Comfort gear, and rewarding you for all your hard work training for your Rock 'n' Roll Marathon or 1/2 Marathon.
To get your race off to the best possible start, we’ll have comfortable, climate-controlled restroom trailers set up at the starting line. Running water, flushing toilets, and some Run Happy® surprises await.
To gain your VIP access, you'll need to head to a participating retailer and purchase either Brooks or Moving Comfort merchandise; or make sure you get to the Health & Fitness Expo before the race and purchase official Rock 'n' Roll Marathon merchandise, Brooks apparel or running shoes, or Moving Comfort apparel.
Either way, you’ll receive a sticker for your race bib. The sticker is your race-day pass to Brooks' VIP Porta Potty, to be expertly staffed by Brooks employees and volunteers from participating local retailers.
Please note: Brooks' VIP Porta Potty will only be available for use before the race. To maximize your enjoyment, total admittance is capped. We strongly recommend arriving early because—trust us, it's worth it!

Yes that's right, you get an attendant and everything. The only reason I am hesitant is because it is only at the start line. To be honest that's not where I needed the nice portable. It was at mile 10. Because it was there I had to take a restroom break (remember as a Wogger I'm at the back of the pack here) and when I got in there all I could think was "Wow, somebody is having a really difficult race today."

And on that thought I wish you all a good night!

One Month More

So the wife and I just came back from a nice Sunday Wog. The weather down here in Houston, boys and girls, is wonderful. It's been what I imagine San Diego is like. The difference is we only get weather like this a few weeks a year, hence the affordable housing here in H-town.

We are one month away from the Rock & Roll San Antonio Marathon and 1/2 Marathon. My wife is a little concerned. As you may have figured out by now, we have not prepared as well as we would have hoped. But as we were Wogging today we realized that we both feel a little better. Perhaps we're not as consistent as we would like, we are however exercising more than we were. I would say most importantly, we have been doing this together and are spending more time together. This may be the best gift we have gotten from me convincing my beautiful bride into doing this with me.

Hopefully this is something we can continue doing and make part of our life together. When we go Wogging together we can plan, talk,hold hands, and be away from life for a little bit. The health benefits are lagniappe as our Louisiana friends might say. Others might call it gravy. I like it when my life is full of gravy.

Sleeping with the Enemy

In terms of health, I did night two of the sleep study. I slept with "the machine" on. For those not in the know, "the machine" would be a C-PAP. Basically you wear a mask while you sleep and it forces pressurized air into your breathing passages and it cures sleep apnea. Once I get used to the mask I should sleep better. This is what the mask is like:

As you can imagine this is not the most comfortable thing I have ever done. Indeed, it reminds me of being in a science fiction movie.

But I actually slept ok. So I can only hope that this is part of then whole "living a better Life" journey I have been on.

Success Story

So I saw an old friend last night and he looked great. I asked him what he had been doing and he said he had been walking and cut his portion sizes in half. This has lead to him losing 37 pounds in 3 months. How encouraging is that.

So if you have been feeling like you can't do it, here's someone who did, and they did it with no bells and whistles. 12 lbs. a month is really a big deal.

Ok Woggers, we will see you on Thursday. I hope I just keep on feeling better and progressing. I'm trying not to focus on what I have not accomplished but on what I have. And most importantly, I've accomplished it with my wife. Yay me!

Water Falls from the Sky?

UPDATE: I have not forgotten about you Woggers. It's just been a very busy week. Tune in for Monday's Wogger's World and I will update you on the Weekend's Wogging and Sleep Study Part 2!

Hello fellow Woggers! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and that your work week is off to a great start.

I have noticed that there is a difference between Wogging on a treadmill or eleptical and actually going out and pounding the pavement. The actual Wogging is, I think, a bit harded than the simulated. The reason for me is, again I think, because of my weight. I have a lot of weight to shift around and I think that the treadmill helps me negatethat.

My point is this: My wife and I are trying to get out and Wog for distance during the weekends. This is a good plan and last week we had wonderful success and if you recall, I said we thought we had turned a corner in terms of our workouts. If we did we turned down the wrong street.

Saturday was just one of those days where we had so many obligations that the Wogging had to get cut (again with priority issues). No problem we thought, we'll go on Sunday. Well who knew we would get storms and heavy rain all day. We're in the midst of the worst drought ever down here in Texas. Why would I plan on heavy rain all day?

So anyway, we're down a bit on Woggin for the week, however, we both have noticed we are also down on some pounds! We think the better eating habits have helped that. I have to keep reminding myself, this is not just about a 1/2 marathon. This is about lifestyle change. Indeed, we had to go to a birthday party on Saturday and I chose a veggie burger. A VEGGIE BURGER! For those that know me, they can testify, this is a big deal for me.

Sleep with the Fishes

So for those that are keeping score, you may recall that Thursday night I spent the night in a sleep clinic. Well, just to update: I hated it. It was very surreal and I felt disoriented and tired in Friday. The good news is that I get to do it again tonight. Yay me!

You know, there's nothing more relaxing than having electrodes taped all over you and sleeping in an office building. I guess I should just be thankful they didn't need to keep track of my temprature, if you know what I mean. Plus knowing you are being recorded makes it all  the more peaceful. But hopefully they can figure out the problem, fix it and then I will have more energy which will allow me to Wog better  which will allow me to lose more weight. Which will allow me to sleep better. Which will give me more energy ...

Reminds me of the cocaine ad from the '80s.

Ok Woggers. I will see you Thursday and let you know how both the Wogging and the Sleep Study Went. Til then, keep on Wogging.

UPDATE:

Did you her about this woman who had a baby a few hours after finishing the Chicagp 1/2 Marathon? suddenly all my excuses not to exercise have lost all credibility. Even the ones that were credible.

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Woman-gives-birth-hours-after-completing-Chicago?urn=oly-wp756

To Sleep and Perchance to Dream

Good Morning Woggers! I am writing this bright and early for a change. I hope everyone has a wonderful day.

My wife and I were talking about how we feel like all the salads and Wogging are starting to pay off. We both feel better, clothes fit a bit better and I am starting to field the question everyone loves: Have you lost weight? (Unless you've been diagnosed with a terminal disease. Then you're not so down with that question)

So the next exciting news is that I indeed going to be this guy:

You remember this guy. It was a picture I ran of some poor dude who was going to do a sleep study. Well guess where I will be spending the night tonight? And Monday night too.

The exciting this is I might actually start feeling better and hopefully this will lead to better Wogging and lifestyle in general. It's just odd to me how life takes these twists and turns to alleys we never thought we would enter.

Well I will let you know how it goes. My wife and I plan on Wogging 6 miles this Saturday and 4 on Sunday. Wish us luck. I wish you all the best for the rest of this week. Houstonians, let's continue enjoying this awesome weather, we deserve it after the furnace blast that was this summer.

See you Monday Woggers!

You Can't Handle the Truth

Hello Wogger's!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend, or if you are reading this on Monday (or later in the week - and if you are why aren't you reading this on Monday?) I hope you had a wonderful weekend.

I don't know what the weather is like in the rest of the country but we have had beautiful weather down here in Houston this weekend. And my wife and I took advantage of it.

Alright fellow Wogger's. It's time for a little truth. I was going to try and tell you that this is what I now look like after training for the 1/2 marathon:



While Mr. Craig and I may share the same first name, the truth is the similarities end there. The truth is I still look more like an Avocado.

The sad truth is I have not been as faithful to training as I would have like. There is some good news though. My wife and I still have six weeks until Judgement Day. And, we just had our best Wogging Weekend ever.

Originally were going to try and do an 8-mile Wog on Saturday but we just could not budget the time, but we did do a 4-mile Wog. But wait, the news gets better, we couldn't really budget tine on Sunday either, yet we did. We shuffled some things around and got all our stuff done and we did another 4-mile Wog. That's right, we did 4-miles on back to back days.

The even better news is that we both feel better about our situation and I think we are both a little excited. I know I am (after 15 years of marriage I have learned not to assume how my wife feels).

So while there is some truth that I have not wanted to face, namely that I have not trained enough, I feel that after today I am on the path to the lifestyle change that is so important in living a healthy lifestyle.

We also decided to switch up our plan a little bit. We both decided that morning Wogging does not work for us so we are just going to have to carve out some time in the evening. I think we have a good schedule. We are going to Wog Sunday afternoon in between church and our daughter's choir practice. We will exercise in the eve on Tuesdays and Thursdays and we will do our long Wogs on Saturdays. Next Saturday we are going to do six miles.

I wish we were further along but we are where we are. I would love to break  three hours when I do the 1/2 but I am just going to have to be content with breaking four. I can handle the truth and the truth for me is that I have a lot of work ahead of me and I am just going to have to take it one step at a time. And I'm okay with that. If I think about it in terms of where I was vs. where I am now (Wogging 4-miles a day, two days in a row) I need to be proud and not worry about what else I could have done.

So Wogger's before I let you go I do have a question for you. There is a Warrior Dash coming up. It's like a 5k obstacle course. Should I do it?

http://www.warriordash.com/register2011_central_texas.php

Let me know what you think.

Running Your Butt Off

Here at Wogger's World we try not to endorse any products. But that's mostly because people don't pay us to. Ha ha, I'm just kidding. Unless you want to pay me lots and lots of money and if you do, call me.

But I do want to let you all know about this book: Run Your Butt Off!

If you want to transition from the couch to the track I must say this is really a good book. It's from the people at Runner's World but it really takes that approach that you're not going to be a world-class athlete. It has a plan to increase you running Wogging from zero to 5k and beyond. It talks about diet and clothes and basically I feel like they've stolen my material. Except the darn thing predates my blog. Curses.

The other thing I like about it is that it is also a workbook. In the back it has page so you can track your diet and your exercise and pages for you to fill out so you can figure what your caloric intake should be. It also has profiles from people who did the plan and what their success was. And the nice thing is that it's not like they all lost 290 lbs. One person only lost a few pounds but lots of inches around the waste and more importantly, she just feels better.

So if you need a good guide to running Wogging that is both informative and motivational read this book. if you need to read something semi-informative, semi-motivational and fully entertaining keep on reading Wogger's World.

On a Different Track (track, get it)

One of our most faithful readers asked Tricia in the comment section if she ever ate fettuccine alfredo right before a run to carbo load. For those that don't get the reference it's from The Office when Michael Scott decides to have a 5k fun run to raise money to cure the rabid.

I don't think we need to see what happens in the next scene.

You may recall in my blog on what to wear I discussed nipple chafing. Let's see what happens to Andy during the same episode:

And on that note, Goodnight Everybody!

The idea of Wogger's World came about from a conversation with my friend Tricia. I was lamenting how the magazine Runner's World did not refelct where I was in my exercising. I had recently started calling myself a Wogger and told her she and I should start a magazine called Wogger's World. She convinced me to do a blog about it.

She is also the same person who convinced me to do a 1/2 marathon in the first place. So I thought I would share this awesome person with the rest of you as well as give you a profile of another Wogger. Although she is really a runner. In fact, she used the "runner" word several times during the interview. I will pretend she is really a Wogger at heart.

Here is a little Q&A with Tricia, who will be Wogging with my wife and I in the San Antonio Full and 1/2 Marathon in November.

Enjoy:

Q: How long have you been Wogging?

A: Seriously? About 10 years?

Q: What are your current goals?

A: To keep running (wogging) … I don’t know. Run (wog) into I’m in my 70s and 80s. To stay healthy and happy.

Q: How often do you Wog?

A: 3-4 times a week

Q: How many miles a week?

A: It varies. Right now it’s like 5. Typically between 13 and 21.

Q: What made you decided to do a ½ marathon?

A: I started doing 5k and then 10k and the natural progression was the ½ marathon. I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could do it without killing myself.

Q: Why the full this year?

A: I’ve already done 4 ½ marathons. I want to see if I can do it.

Q: What do you like best about Wogging?

A: The endorphins.

Q: Do you prefer to Wog alone or with someone?

A: Alone.

Q: Have you ever Wogged so hard you’ve thrown up?

A: Yes.

Q: Did you feel better afterwords?

A: Yes.

Q: What type of shoes do you have?

 A: Right now? Brooks Adrenaline.

Q: What is your favorite piece of equipment?

A: My shoes. I love putting them on. They just feel good.

Q: Did you know that you’re the major inspiration behind me Wogging and Wogger’s World?

A: A little bit. I just talked you into it.

Q: How does that make you feel?

A: It’s pretty cool because I want everyone to feel the same feeling of accomplishment that I do.

Q: How long before you think Wogging will make the dictionary?

A: I think you should write a dictionary and put it in there. I don’t really know how words get into the dictionary.

Q: Just how awesome is Dan?

A: I thought this was supposed to be about me? You’re pretty awesome.

Q: Some people say the “World’s Most Interesting Man Commercials” are based on Dan? Is this true?

A: Hahahahahahaaha. You’re so full of it.

Q: I understand you own your own coffee shop. How much better is it than the home of the over-priced Venti?

A: There is no comparison. We’re not even on the same plane. They wish they were independent like us.

Q: What’s your favorite curse word?

A: I’m not going to curse. This is a family blog.

Q: What advice to do you have beginner Woggers?

A: Don’t get discouraged. Just keep Wogging! Basically Wog your own race. Don’t compare yourself against others. That’s when the negative chatter starts.

Play that Funky Music White Boy

Ok, so you've decided to Wog a long distance race. You got fit for your shoes, you've decided on what to drink your hydration method, you've got your outfit planned and you've started training. There is one important thing you've not done yet. In some ways it may be the most important step in the whole process. You need to select the songs for your ipod.

The first thing you have to decide is how long is it going to take you to Wog your way to the finish line and then know that that's how much music you need to put in your playlist. And yes, I do recommend a playlist. That way it's easy to swap out songs and just seeing the name can inspire you.

I call my playlist for the 1/2 marathon the very clever and witty "1/2 marathon music."

It's not just picking songs to fill up time. It's to create a soundtrack for your Wogging journey. However, speaking of soundtracks, it is in no way acceptable to have any music from "Chariots of Fire" on your playlist. Now that's not to say I'm not in favor of ironic choices because I am. Indeed the last song on my playlist is "The Closing Bell" from the Rocky soundtrack.

See, that's funny because it's only me listening to it and as long as I don't throw my arms up in the air no one has to know. It's just my own little inside joke.

Now a race has it's own flow and you should try to match the music to the mood. At the beginning of the race I like to have some peppy music. Some rock. I start with "Wake Up"by Arcade Fire. An awesome driving song to get the adrenaline going. As reality sets in that I have taken on something more than I probably should, I decide for some depressing music. I try to mix in some folk music and a little Blue October.

After that I try to get a mix of upbeat and irony so I have a little Gloria Gaynor via "I will Survive."

I kind of go back and forth like this between upbeat and depressing as that's how my emotions go. At around mile 7 I get really depressed. You see, I'm really tired and realizing that I'm only half way there. Also, I realize that I would only be 1/4 done with a full marathon. I've listened to some Gregorian Chant at this point and the song from Platoon when Willem Defoe gets shot. It's called Adagio for Strings for my classic music friends out there.

All this is interspersed with 80's rock. I don't know what it is about music from the 1980s but it really lends itself to exercise and athleticism. If in doubt go to any sports arena and count how many times you hear "The Final Countdown." Maybe it had something to do with all the spandex, headbands and muscle shirts people wore in the '80s. Sadly this applies to both men and women.

So get on your on your computers and go make those lists. And click here for a little ending credits music.

We're Gonna Wog Down to Electric Avenue and Then We'll Take it Higher!

So this morning I awoke to the sounds of pouring rain. And as all Houston-area Woggers know, this was a big deal. I got so excited that I put on some wick-away clothing and filled the spreader with fertilizer and quickly fertilized the lawn. The rain felt so good after I finished I just stood in the rain for a few moments feeling the strange sensation on my skin. I even got to watch stuff float down the street.

I thought about how nice it was to stand in the rain and how it would even be better to Wog in the rain. The problem was, as I looked at my watch, that I had about 15 minutes before I needed to be in the shower so as to be in church on time. What to do? What to do?

I came up with a brilliant idea. Better to Wog for 15 minutes in the rain than no Wog at all. As I thought this out more I came up with an idea so awesome I scared myself with its power, just a little bit.

I decided to see if I could run as fast as I could all the way around my block. Many of you will be able to see my fatal flaw right off the bat: In no way does "Wog" ever sound anything like "run as fast as I can."

Regardless, I took off with the idea still in my head that is the best idea I have ever had!

So off I go. And I flew like the wind. And by that I mean the wind on a very calm day. I was a beautiful sight to behold. Like a gazelle I flew for about 8 houses. And then my thoughts began to wander.

My first thought was "What the hell was I thinking? How could this ever have been seen as a good idea? A chimpanzee could have seen this coming."

My thoughts continued in this vein until I reached the end of my street and turned right. Technically at this point I was still going as fast as I could but words like gazelle would no long cross any one's mind. Indeed if anyone saw me their only thought would be to preemptively call 911. It was at this point I started to wonder why someone was using a pile drive at 7:45 on a Sunday morning in a suburban neighborhood. As I turned around to find the heavy machinery clearly not zoned for this area I realized that it was my heart making all this noise, and I considered the fact that this is what it sounds like when a heart explodes (either that or when doves cry - I've heard like three Prince songs this weekend).

I was now almost to the street behind me and I came to the realization that maybe I should reduce all engines to Wogging Power. This presents a few problems:

1. I'm embarrassed I can't sprint more than 100 yds.
2. I am really not near my house and my 15 minutes are quickly evaporating.
3. It has stopped raining and now is kind of like a sauna.
4. I wonder if I could catch a ride home on the unicorn running along beside me?

Ok, I made that last one up. But I was light headed enough to maybe hallucinate.I  think hallucinating would make long distance running better anyway. Sometimes it can get a little boring out there. Imagine if you did have a unicorn running beside you the whole time. I think everyone would enjoy that.

As I walked along the street behind my house I decided to slow down and smell the roses. Well, at least I slowed down, with the drought I doubt anyone has roses blooming right now. But I did notice how some houses looked and who had done some upgrades, who had given up on the lawn. I also noticed that this street seemed to last forever. How is this even possible. I mean there are the same amount of houses on this street as their are on mine. Yet I felt like I had been Wogging forever. The only answer I could come up with was someone had used the trick from Harry Potter to hide buildings that we Muggles can't see. Yes! This must be it. How cool is that, I live one block from the American Safe House for the Order of The Phoenix. Harry, Ron and Hermione could be anywhere. Maybe I could get Harry and Ron to teleport me back to my house and Hermione could nurse me back to health.

As I Wogged down the street that would never end my thoughts left the unicorn and were with my new love, Hermione. She and I continued our romantic Wog in the sauna discussing the finer points of why Barty Crouch's son had to come up with an elaborate plan to turn the Tri-Wizard cup into a Portkey instead of just saying "Hey Harry, could you pick up that book" one day after class.

I finally came to the end of magic street and reality came crashing back. I looked at my watch.Crap! I should have been in the shower 10 minutes ago and I still was four houses away from home so I finished how I began: Running as fast as I could.

So what's the lesson here boys and girls? First, I need to remember who I am. I'm a Wogger dammit. Second, I have way too much time on my hands. Next, I have a total nerd crush on a fictional character and I'm ok with that. And our final lesson for today is: I have a long way to go to get in good shape.

I hope you all start the week well. Talk to you in a few days Woggers

Wogging and the Art of Money Management

Hello Woggers.

Thanks for being patient. It was a long week at work and I was late at the office for a few nights and it was hard to get a minute to sit down and blog. Coffey, our faithful reader, touched my heart by letting me know she missed yesterday's installment. I hope she and all of you enjoyed the triathlon script from Scrubs.

So as many of you may know, I work for a non-profit organization that provides mostly education and counseling. I am a financial coach there and help people to learn how to manage their money. Now when we think of Money Management many of us think about high finance. While I used to have a Series 7 broker's license at one time, for the most part this is not the type of management I am talking about. I am talking to people and coaching them on how to manage their income to make ends meet. It is very rewarding work and I have been struck more and more about how similar it is to me trying to get in shape.

First they both require discipline. You have to make the decision to live on a budget, or as we like to call it "a spending plan" (much more positive). Like wise, I had to decide to try and lose weight and get in shape by changing my diet. Usually both these things require lifestyle changes. For me, they both cross on another. One of my great vices is soft drinks and eating out. Not only do these things put on the pounds, they also drain the bank account. But if you are in the habit, like my wife and I were, of eating out a lot, it requires a lifestyle change to save money and lose weight by eating in.

And we can talk all we want about going to the gym and sticking to what the exercise plan is, just like I can show someone a monthly spending plan that allows them to meet all their needs, but without discipline they are both worthless. It requires action and change to implement the plan.

Second, and this is really part of lifestyle change so maybe I should call it step 1.2, is to readjust priorities. Often I make my clients write down their priorities and then I help them think through them. Everyone wants to pay for house then car. Shouldn't food come before car? Well yes, but we don't think of food as a bill so people usually leave that for the end. What about saving? "Well I'll just save what I have left at the end of the month people say." If you do that you won't save. Make your priority list. It's the same as when I am deciding how to spend me time and decided where exercise makes the list.

Second (remember I changed the last step to 1.2), I often meet with people who's expenses are larger than their income. I tell them there are only three things they can do.

1. Reduce expenses
2. Increase income
3. Do both

And really, at the end of the day, that's it. That all they can do. And I can help them look for ways to do both things but there is no silver bullet to solve your financial problems. There is just one of those choices. Likewise, if I want to lose weight I can do one of three things.

1. Reduce caloric intake
2. Increase caloric output
3. Do both

Again, there is no silver bullet. Trust me, I have looked for one. Sometimes I will see ads on TV that tell me I can lose weight without doing anything but really, they are just trying to separate me from my hard earned money. Which we already know, is not in the budget.

Lastly, I realize that they both require not just a plan, but goals. I make my clients write down what their long-term goals are. I hear things like buy a house, get debt free, save for my children to go to school, buy a car, stop living paycheck to paycheck. These are all great long-term goals. We get there by having short-term goals. If your goal is to get completely out of debt your first goal is to create a budget that allows you to make ends meet without credit. Your next goal is to pay off one debt. Likewise, if I want to Wog this 1/2 marathon, I needed to make sure I could Wog a mile first, then a 5k.

As I get better at my job and better at managing my own finances, I hope to apply these principles more and more to not only my Wogging, but other aspects of life. You see, I have realized over the last few years that I lack self discipline. So I'm working on it. One step at a time. Just like how I am going to complete the 1/2 marathon, one step at a time. Because really, before I can take the step that crosses the finish line, I first have to take the step that crosses the starting line.

I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend and that nothing bad happens to any of you.

One Day More!

Alright Woggers. Due to a few late client meetings we are going to have to hold off until Friday after work for the new post. Sorry. Here is a little something to keep you entertained:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkuVVCLuHpM

Basically I fear I will be JD. (Warning the clip is over 7 minutes)

To all our German and Latvian readers I say Guten Tag and Labdien. To all our American readers I welcome you back to Wogger's World!

Ok fellow Woggers, I did not have a good week last week. At least not in terms of Wogging or diet. I did have some good times in terms of food and television though. The season finale of True Blood was last night and it was pretty good. So was the Moolineum Crunch from Bluebell. I was looking for some Schweddy Balls from Ben and Jerry's but couldn't find any. If any of you have tried the Schweddy Balls let me know how it was. If this makes no sense to you Ben and Jerry's made an Ice Cream based off this old SNL skit: http://www.hulu.com/watch/4156/saturday-night-live-nprs-delicious-dish-schweddy-balls

So as you may recall my plan is to become a morning Wogger and that plan has been a little hit and miss. And by hit and miss and mean mostly miss. I have gotten up a few times but I have found out two things:

1. The Snooze button is my nemesis.
2. I need to go to bed earlier.

I can recall the days of being able to function well on little sleep. To paraphrase Senior Drill Instructor Hartman from Full Metal Jacket, "Those days are over!"

Those of you that are huge fans of the film will recognise this as the scene where the Drill Sargent finds the Jelly Donut in Pyle's locker. I guess I can take comfort in the fact that I don't hide food ... yet.

But getting back to the sleeping issue. I have never been a go-to-bed-early kind of guy. But after my dad died I really started having problems and just between us, I have been taking Ambien pretty regularly. So part of the deal for that good night's sleep is I really need to get 8 hours sleep. So when you do the math, to get up at 4:45 I need to go to bed at 8:45 in the evening. That is difficult. You will recall that the reason why I decided to Wog in the mornings was because we have so much going on as a family in the evenings. I've been thinking for some time that I really need to talk to my doctor about doing a sleep study. Perhaps this is the time. But really I have to wonder how effective it will be because I have enough trouble going to sleep with some melatonin, my sound machine and in my bed. I can't imagine trying to sleep wired up like this dude:

Oh yeah, looks like he's in for a good night's sleep. Any way, we're down to around 60 days and lots of life changing to still do. I just need to remember that changing your life is a marathon, not a sprint. Ha. Get it.

Top Gear: The perils of looking cool and chaffing.

As we near the Event! (and by event I mean the 1/2 Marathon on Nov. 13 for those who are new or just missing the whole point here) it's time to start thinking not just about getting in shape but looking good on race day.

Once upon a time runners (and basketball players too, that's right, I'm talking about you Larry Bird) were forced to wear horrible outfits. Why were they horrible? They were too short. I mean, did you look at the photo? You didn't really need me to answer that did you?

Now a serious runner might still wear so-called running shorts. But we Woggers know a few things and we know that we do not need silly-looking shorts to shave a little time off our run. We also know that we do not have tiny little runner's legs and if we wear shorts like that we will chafe ourselves into a state of pain beyond all comprehension.

That's why I wear 6" shorts. And really, it's not just for me. It's for the sake of everyone. Again, look at the picture of Larry up there. Does anyone, even his wife, need to see that? No.

Now, there is also a debate as what to wear under your shorts. At least there is for men. I have to claim ignorance here in terms of what ladies wear under (get it ... wear under ... underwear). Many runner's shorts come with a built in lining. Some guys use this as excuse to go free. But let me let you in on the perils of this. We had a guy on the cross country team in high school would went au naturale and this made certain stretches uncomfortable for us all. Perhaps as this paragraph is now. So I advocate underwear. But if you do I might advise a synthetic wick away again to avoid chaffing. If you thought chaffing your thighs was bad imagine chafing your ... let's just move on.

Now I think Woggers could get away with a cotton top. The idea behind a technical shirt (read technical shirt as dry-fit or wick away) is so the shirt doesn't soak up all the sweat and weigh 20 lbs. at the end of the race. But Woggers may not work up that kind of sweat. However, our goal here is more than just practicality. We want to look cool. Because the goal of any endeavor is to have an excuse to get cool gear. So go with the wick-away shirt.

So do you think you should coordinate your separates here? Does it matter if it's after Labor Day? I think Woggers should maybe not have matching uppers and lowers. We want to look like people having fun and exercising, not soccer moms at the the club (sorry soccer moms).

Now some of you may have heard about chaffing nipples. A horrifying prospect to be sure. Some professional runners put tape or band aids over their nippolas to keep this from happening. I have had so many people ask me if I need to do this. That is a real simple answer: No! What part of Wogger sounds like professional runner? Anyway, if you did you run the risk of looking like Any Bernard from The Office when he ran his 5k to cure the rabid.

As far as accessories go I do wear a few. I wear a hat on sunny days because ... well ... ok, I'm getting thin on top. And once you've burned your head two or three times you realize you need a hat. I like synthetic thurlo socks with extra cushioning because I'm extra cushiony around the waist. I wear a little pouch-belt to keep things in because I don't like things in my hands (and by keep things in I mean stuff. I just realized that could sound like the belt helps keep my stomach and other "things" in). A lot of people on the course wear those amphipods but I don't need that much gear or that much damage to my checkbook.

And I think that's about it. I am looking at my possible outfits now and will probably post something of a preview the night before the run. I know you all will wait with baited breath.

Whatever you do decide to wear when you Wog, all I ask is that your represent Wogger's well. For some reason people at Marathon's decide to wear stupid things. There's never a need to be these guys:

The Countdown has begun!

Happy Labor Day Everybody!

I hope you all have had a nice day. I know not everyone gets today off so I won't assume everyone has barbecued and swam and whatnot. We did have a nice weekend. We went to Stephen F. Austin State Park today and did some hiking. In fact the wife, my daughter and good friend of ours hiked just under 3 miles (my best estimate) and it was very nice. If you've never been there, it's just north of I-10 near Sealy. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/stephen_f_austin_and_san_felipe/

So, we're 10 weeks away! This is now crunch time. I have created a Patented Wogger Specific 10-Week Plan To Prepare For A 1/2 Marathon (and by created I mean stole from Runner's World).  The main trick is going to be following it. With your all's help and good thoughts and comments my wife and I will finish the training plan and not embarrass ourselves at the 1/2 in San Antonio.

Here is the plan for week 1 (taken from the Runner's World Website):

Day #1
Week 1
REST/XT
Welcome to week one of Runner's World's Half-Marathon Plan for beginners. Each Monday, you'll get a note describing your training for the week ahead. And every day, you'll receive an e-mail reminding you about your workout, plus tips on training, nutrition, and injury prevention. In most weeks throughout the program, you'll have three short runs, three days for rest or cross-training, and one long, slow distance (LSD) run to help you develop the endurance you'll need to cover 13.1 miles. You'll also have the option of cross-training (XT), which will help you build endurance and stave off burnout. You'll log some miles faster than your normal pace--at what's designated as half-marathon pace (HMP)--to build your stamina and keep you strong in the later stages of the race. Your training kicks off with a rest day. Mondays are always reserved for rest so you can recover from the previous week. If you want to run more miles than the program prescribes, do it on an easy day. Don't extend any run by more than one or two miles, and don't add miles on Saturday (the day before your long run).

Day #2
2 MILES
Run at a comfortable pace, easy enough that you can hold a conversation. If you're huffing and puffing, you're going too fast. Don't worry about your speed. Just focus on covering the distance.

Day #3
REST/XT
Ideally, you won't exercise at all on these days. But it's okay to do a no-impact activity like yoga, stretching, or swimming. Whatever you do, just take it easy.

Day #4
4 MILES
Be sure to sandwich each run with a warmup and cooldown of five to 10 minutes of walking and easy jogging, even on days that call for short, easy runs. Doing so will help you feel more comfortable on the run and will help prevent injuries such as muscle pulls.

Day #5
REST/XT
On easy days, you can cross-train with an activity such as cycling or using an elliptical trainer. Put in a sustained aerobic effort for the same amount of time you'd spend on the day's mileage.

Day #6
2 MILES
A well-kept training log can help keep you injury free. Taking notes on how you feel after each run can help you learn the difference between the inevitable soreness from hard workouts and an emerging injury that needs medical attention.

Day #7
5 MILES LSD
Today is your first long, slow distance (LSD) run. Since you'll be running farther, you can go out slower than you usually do. On these days your goal is just to cover the distance.

If you want,you can go to the Runner's World website http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244-258-13719-0,00.html and  purchase the plan. I think you get access to an on-line trainer. Or, you can follow along here and I will let you know what the next step is. So if you want to train with me know that this is what I plan to do for this week. So far we have done well!

Saturday my wife and I Wogged 4.4 miles. She also got fitted for some shoes at Luke's Locker and is going to have them broken in for the 1/2 marathon. Today we hiked just under 3 miles. So game on. Or rather Marathon on. Or 1/2 Marathon.

I hope you all have a wonderful week and I will let you know on Thursday how it is going. Plus I think I am going to take another look at the gear I will need.