TIGER 2ND PLACE ON PURPOSE??????

This past weekend the US Open took place in up state Pennsylvania. The US Open is one of the 4 "majors" in golf for those of you who didn't know. Now, unless you have been under a rock for the past 10 years you know Tiger Woods IS golf. He is far better than anyone else on tour bar none, end of arguement!! So to see him play the way he did on Sunday, leaving puts 3 feet short, missing greens, just barely missing birdie putt after birdie putt. Left me wondering what was up, things just seemed wrong. Then today I come to find out that his wife just had their first child, a baby girl named Sam, on Monday. As soon as I heard that everything fell into place. You see the US Open is the only tournament that, if there is a tie, the golfers tied play another 18 hole match the next day. You see where I am going with this? Unlike the sudden death one hole playoff that all other tourneys have, Tiger would have played another day, the day his daughter was born.

So what I think happened is he played just good enough to make it look like he was trying, when in reality we didn't want to take a chance and end up tied!

Something to ponder!

R.P.D.

P.S.

A few thoughts I forgot to mention...

It is nice to see someone famous name their child something normal like Sam Woods, instead of Apple or some of the other crazy names out there. See Angelina Jolie

What does it say about Golf when an over weight chain smoker wins? See Angel Cabrera.

and lastly...I can completely understand Tiger wanting to show off his body. He has obviously been working out big time and he looks great, but please tape down the nipples if you are planning on wearing the skin tight mock turtle necks!! That was almost as bad as watching Phil Mickelson and his man boobs!

Have a great day!!!

OH MY ACHIN BACK...

You know you're getting old when you throw your back out putting a bar-b-que grill together. The funny thing is I felt the same area tighten a few times during runs lately. I guess I need to listen to my body's cues a little better. As for now I am unable to much of anything without pain except for standing. Horses sleep standing up right?

Anyway, does anyone out there have any cures, remedies, or good drugs? It is muscular because the pain is not on my spine, but offset to the left. Any advise will be greatly appreciated!

R.P.D.

FREE...FREE...FREE!!!!!!

Well it has been a pretty slow week for me in the running department so I don't have much to say on that front. I do, however, want to say something about the word "free". No, not the free as in freedom, but free as in no cost. The other day, I think it was Wednesday, an insurance company decided as a promotion they would team up with a gas station and give away free gas. 10 gallons per customer until it was gone. Now with the price of gas today sounds great right? 6:30am is when this festival of generosity was to start and wouldn't you know it it is right on my way to work. After driving by the gas station that was surrounded by maybe 6 police cars (tax payer cost) I continued on my way to work, all be it very slowly because of the traffic back up. Which stretch for, this is what amazes me, 3 miles!! Plus another mile on two roads heading to the station from the other direction. I swear if i was to give away free bags of crap people would line up to get some. It is free after all!!!

I am the type of person who feels time is valuable, and sitting for 2 maybe 3 hours waiting for $30.00 worth of free gas is an unbelievable waste of that time. Even those people at the front of the line had to get there at 5am, if not sooner. I am not even going to get into all of the police that had to be involved directing traffic, even a mile away from the gas station. Or the people who were trying to pull out onto the street and couldn't because all of the people in line for gas had the intersections blocked and couldn't move. The thing that really amazed me was the people driving along with me who saw how long the line was and they still made a U turn and took their place at the end.

For those folks...just look for the sign "FREE BAGS O CRAP THIS WAY" I'll be the one selling lemonade for $1.00 a glass!!!

Have a great day!!

R.P.D.

JOGGER OR RUNNER.....

So I was scanning through the July 07 issue of runner's world this morning and I came across an interesting advertisement for the Pearl Izumi running shoe. http://www.wearenotjoggers.com/home
In a nutshell it says that we as humans have running hardwired into our DNA because of the fact that our ancestors needed to run down prey and run to escape predators. It got me to thinking and I am definitely a jogger and I want to become a runner. I am not stressing, but increasing my speed has been in the forefront of my thoughts lately.
I took Nate to Hanson's on Saturday and got him some good running shoes, Asics 2110's. The guy that helped us was talking to another customer about the upcoming World Championships in Japan and how he hoped to place around 15th. I think that really inspired Nate, at least I hope it did. We had barely gotten back home when he said he wanted to go running, so since I hadn't gone out yet I said sure. I figured he could do the first 3 of my 6 mile run. As we headed out I noticed he was staying behind me like when he rode his bike, so I told him that he didn't need to stay back there and to run with me. Next thing I know I am struggling to keep up with him at about 1.5 miles. Before he got too far out in front I asked how the shoes felt and told him to slow it down a little. I used the line about not wanting him to get injured by finishing to fast. Truth be told I wanted to slow down because I had 3 more miles to do after we finished!!!
A couple of observations, ok maybe just one... a 12 year old with no training is in much better shape than this 42 yr old!!! He wasn't even tired after 3 miles. So I dragged my self out to finish my 6 miles feeling much older than I am, but at the same time feeling a sort of inspiration. Thinking to myself that I really need to get faster so I can at least try to keep up with him.
So runner or jogger??? I really think I am changing from jogger to runner. I used to be happy just finishing, but now when I am out putting my miles in I picture myself passing the other "grey" hairs out there and realistic or not I want to take 50 minutes off of my first marathon time come December in Hawaii. Official training doesn't start for a couple of months so I am going use the time beforehand to increase the speed, safely and hopefully injury free. With a 12 year old in front of me and father time behind me I think I have all the encouragement I need!!!


R.P.D.

If you're not sure weather you are running or jogging, go faster!

FOLLOW UP...

Just a quick little note as a follow up to the previous post.....

As I mentioned yesterday Nathan my 12 year old step son decided he wanted to go running with me. Well I got home from work yesterday and he tells me that at school in gym class they had to do a 12 minute run. His teacher said that everyone should try to do 4 laps or a mile in that time frame. Nathan did 6 laps or a mile and a half and finished in first place. He was so excited and was talking about signing up for cross country running!!! The funny thing is he ran in basketball shoes! It might be time for a trip to Hanson's!!

Have a great day,
R.P.D.

P.S.
ran 4 miles yesterday and added another picture to the collection. No noticeable difference yet.

The difference between a jogger and a runner is an entry blank...Dr. George Sheehan

MOTIVATION AT IT'S FINEST

First things first, I have been taking the head shots and I will post them when I can find the time.
I have actually been running on a somewhat regular basis, but just this part Monday my 12 year decided he wanted to run with me. I was so excited!!! Now my kids have gone with me before, but this was the first time 'running', usually they ride their bikes. Beccah, my 10 year old daughter decided to come along as well, rollerblading. We started out very slow and maintained about a 10 minute per pace. Beccah's constant banter in the background along with Nate's stomping feet, does anyone know of a good drill to stop that?? I call it the heavy feet syndrome. After about 1.5 miles everyone seemed to be doing ok, so I picked up the pace slightly without out any complaints we pushed on.
Now as most everyone knows running with someone is so much easier than running alone, but this was really special. When I was a kid, right around the same age as Nate my dad would occasionally run. He was one of those people who, if he gained weight could exercise for a month or so and lose it. So those were special times. Just over one year later he would pass away due to complications from open heart surgery. If only I would have known how little time we actually had, but at 12 who thinks of such things? So Monday was one of those circle of life moments that did two things. First it reminded me of my dad and the good, all be it short, times we had and second it reminded me of my mortality. I started doing the addition in my head, when Nate is 20 I will be 50. When Chloe, my youngest graduates from high school I will be 58. That coincidentally is the age my dad died.
So anyway, back to the run. We took my usual 5k route and were coming up on the last 200 yards or so and all of a sudden Nate decides he wants to sprint to the finish. Now as the "runner" in the family I wasn't going to let him beat the old man! So there we are racing, without saying a word to each other, to the finish. About 20 yds to go for some crazy reason I figured, you know what let the kid win, but make it close!
I must be getting soft in my old age.


Thanks for stopping by,
R.P.D.

The rules for parents are but three... love, limit, and let them be. - Elaine M. Ward