For This Saturday (1/25), in a Half Marathon

[PeteSinCA]

Not momentous, but I will be walking/running in a half marathon in a couple of days. It will be my first trail walk/run, so I'm hoping it doesn't kick my tail, but can do well.

[Furstentum Liechtenstein]

Are you alright?! What spirit possessed you to practice this form of self-torture?

FL

[RickD]

I will pray for you Pete. I will pray that you come to your senses before you inflict that kind of pain on yourself! At your age you should be in shuffleboard competitions. Or bingo at the local Elks Lodge. Does insanity run in your family?

[Danieltwotwenty]

Het Pete

I run every weekend for about 10km, running helps me clear my mind through meditation and prayer. I always feel closer to God after spending that time with him.

This year I am doing the Puffing Billy fun run, I can't wait to run.

You have my prayers buddy.

[Silvertusk]

Hope it goes well.

[PeteSinCA]

Thanks, guys - including the chain-jerkers! I went into it some here. The big picture into which that fits is that I've been overweight or very overweight at least since I was what now would be called a preschooler. Self-control in eating is not something of which I could ever have been accused until recently (and I'm still working on it!). And exercise, other than what was incidental to whatever I was doing, was something I had hardly ever done since high school. 2002 brought a big shock that started me toward changing. In December I was helped in my son's Eagle Project (Scouting). I was definitely less than happy with what I was able to contribute in work - not sloughing, just not happy with myself. Then came Christmas Day, and that evening I had to go to the ER, where I learned that I had had a mild (for that context) heart attack. My weight, when I was in the ER bed, was ~345 lbs.! A week and angioplasty later, I was down ~15 lbs.. Come 8 years later, I was down another 20, but not by serious effort. Finally I started watching what and how much I ate and started exercising. Now I'm down 80-90 lbs., and want to lose more (I'm not nuts, I'm still 30-40 lbs. overweight by the height-weight chart for men). Walking - on the treadmill at the gym, walking around our neighborhood, 10Ks and half-marathons - are part of my ongoing effort to lose more. From October, 2012 through October, 2013, I did 3 half marathons. This year I'm hoping to do 5-7, step things up a bit.

Now to get my tail out the door for a bit of a walk (nothing challenging, just a sort of warm-up for tomorrow).

[RickD]

If you've lost that much weight from all that walking, I'm happy for you. I was only joking about the torture. I go running myself. It's not just exercise for me, it allows me time alone, and helps me focus and think more clearly.

Anyways, let us know how it goes. And post your time too.

[PeteSinCA]

Well, my tail didn't get kicked, but I sure heard the tail-kicking machine coming up behind me a few times on hills. Anyway, my time was ~3 hours, 23 minutes (unofficial, but I checked my watch at the start and finish). That's my second best time for a half marathon, and this was my first trail run/walk. Thanks for the prayers! I am spent ...

[Danieltwotwenty]

Well, my tail didn't get kicked, but I sure heard the tail-kicking machine coming up behind me a few times on hills. Anyway, my time was ~3 hours, 23 minutes (unofficial, but I checked my watch at the start and finish). That's my second best time for a half marathon, and this was my first trail run/walk. Thanks for the prayers! I am spent ...

Congratulations mate and well done.

Onwards and upwards.

[1over137]

I should start running too.

[RickD]

Pete,

It seems you're not the only crazy person I know, who does half marathons. I went to the running specialty store yesterday to get myself some new running shoes. I was speaking with one of the owners of the store, and she's run 3 marathons, and many half marathons. Now she's crazy!

Run Forrest, run!!!!!

[PeteSinCA]

Well, my tail didn't get kicked, but I sure heard the tail-kicking machine coming up behind me a few times on hills. Anyway, my time was ~3 hours, 23 minutes (unofficial, but I checked my watch at the start and finish). That's my second best time for a half marathon, and this was my first trail run/walk. Thanks for the prayers! I am spent ...

Official time: 3:22:34 ... I was the second to the last in finishing (no surprise to me, as I'm a walker, they had a separate start for walkers and hikers, and I think trail runner-walkers are a bit more gung-ho than I've been).

[Furstentum Liechtenstein]

Official time: 3:22:34 ... I was the second to the last in finishing (no surprise to me, as I'm a walker, they had a separate start for walkers and hikers, and I think trail runner-walkers are a bit more gung-ho than I've been).

At least you finished ahead of that Loser!

FL

[RickD]

FL wrote:
At least you finished ahead of that Loser!

I haven't laughed that hard in a while! Thanks FL!

Pete wrote:
Official time: 3:22:34 ... I was the second to the last in finishing (no surprise to me, as I'm a walker, they had a separate start for walkers and hikers, and I think trail runner-walkers are a bit more gung-ho than I've been).

Pete,

It's a good thing you had your 102 year old grandmother walking with you, or you would've taken last place for sure!

[Furstentum Liechtenstein]

Pete,It's a good thing you had your 102 year old grandmother walking with you, or you would've taken last place for sure!

I'm not sure Pete appreciates our humor. He is , after all, a moderator on a humorless Republican forum.

FL