[ Tuesday, October 27, 2015 ]
Off Topic: This made me cry, @NaomiMartin.
I run. I'm not a nut, but I run a lot, or at least I think most people would think it's a lot. I ran the Dallas Marathon last year, this summer I ran a half marathon on the Isle of Skye with my daughter, another half marathon in the spring, and I'll run the Dallas marathon half this year.
But I hate running. I'm not just saying that, I really hate running. It's boring, and most of the year here in Dallas it's ridiculously hot. But I like not being a fat blob (I'm just a little chunky instead), and running helps with that. But it also helps when I'm depressed, which happens a lot more than I'd like to admit. I've got a good life, but depression just happens sometime. When I'm down, I'll sometimes note it on my running app after a run, and I can go back later and look at how running gets me out of depression.
When I'm not training for something (in other words, when it's just my daily run), I like to knock out a 5K every morning. 3.1 miles. And I've got a great route: out my front door, west out of my neighborhood to the running trail (about .75 miles), south down the White Rock Trail running/biking trail for about 1.25 miles, then about 1.1 miles northeast to get back home. Takes me about 30 minutes to make the run, another 10 or so to cool down, depending on how hot it is. I can schedule around it. In fact, here's a picture of my regular 5K run:
Maybe you can see where the trail goes under Walnut Hill.
I would've run that run on Monday, October 12. I would've left my house a little before 8 am, passed under Walnut Hill between 8:10 and 8:15, been back home about 8:30. But it was hot (73 degrees, 73 % humidity), and I knew I'd need at least 10 minutes to cool off. I didn't have to get to the office until 10, and that timing would have been perfect: I'd have just enough time to get ready and would roll into the office right in time for my 10:00 am call. But on October 12, Columbus Day, my youngest daughter Mary had the day off school, and wanted to go to the State Fair with friends. The State Fair opens at 10 am, but I couldn't drop her off then since I needed to be at the office then. So I told her I could take her, but would have to drop off her and her friend at Fair Park 9:45. That did not leave me enough time for the whole 5K. I only had 20 minutes, realistically, or about 2 miles. So, this is what I ran:
At about 8:10 or 8:15 am on October 12, 2015, former Texas A&M wide receiver Thomas Johnson attacked David Stevens on the White Rock Trail, below the Walnut Hill bridge, with a machete, hacking him to death. David Stevens, like me, was 53 years old that day. On Sunday, Stevens' wife, Patti, unable to cope with the grief of losing the most important thing in her life, committed suicide.
Was Thomas' machete meant for me? Was I supposed to be the 53-year-old victim? Was I supposed to be on the scene not to be a victim, but to save Stevens? Was it Mary's unreasonable demand to go to the State Fair, was it Big Tex that saved me? Was it Ursuline Academy scheduling a day off for Columbus Day, was it Christopher Columbus himself that saved me?
I don't know, but hearing the heartbreak in Patti Stevens' voice in the SoundCloud clip at the bottom of the Naomi Martin piece . . . . . . makes me cry.
I run. I'm not a nut, but I run a lot, or at least I think most people would think it's a lot. I ran the Dallas Marathon last year, this summer I ran a half marathon on the Isle of Skye with my daughter, another half marathon in the spring, and I'll run the Dallas marathon half this year.
But I hate running. I'm not just saying that, I really hate running. It's boring, and most of the year here in Dallas it's ridiculously hot. But I like not being a fat blob (I'm just a little chunky instead), and running helps with that. But it also helps when I'm depressed, which happens a lot more than I'd like to admit. I've got a good life, but depression just happens sometime. When I'm down, I'll sometimes note it on my running app after a run, and I can go back later and look at how running gets me out of depression.
When I'm not training for something (in other words, when it's just my daily run), I like to knock out a 5K every morning. 3.1 miles. And I've got a great route: out my front door, west out of my neighborhood to the running trail (about .75 miles), south down the White Rock Trail running/biking trail for about 1.25 miles, then about 1.1 miles northeast to get back home. Takes me about 30 minutes to make the run, another 10 or so to cool down, depending on how hot it is. I can schedule around it. In fact, here's a picture of my regular 5K run:
Maybe you can see where the trail goes under Walnut Hill.
I would've run that run on Monday, October 12. I would've left my house a little before 8 am, passed under Walnut Hill between 8:10 and 8:15, been back home about 8:30. But it was hot (73 degrees, 73 % humidity), and I knew I'd need at least 10 minutes to cool off. I didn't have to get to the office until 10, and that timing would have been perfect: I'd have just enough time to get ready and would roll into the office right in time for my 10:00 am call. But on October 12, Columbus Day, my youngest daughter Mary had the day off school, and wanted to go to the State Fair with friends. The State Fair opens at 10 am, but I couldn't drop her off then since I needed to be at the office then. So I told her I could take her, but would have to drop off her and her friend at Fair Park 9:45. That did not leave me enough time for the whole 5K. I only had 20 minutes, realistically, or about 2 miles. So, this is what I ran:
At about 8:10 or 8:15 am on October 12, 2015, former Texas A&M wide receiver Thomas Johnson attacked David Stevens on the White Rock Trail, below the Walnut Hill bridge, with a machete, hacking him to death. David Stevens, like me, was 53 years old that day. On Sunday, Stevens' wife, Patti, unable to cope with the grief of losing the most important thing in her life, committed suicide.
Was Thomas' machete meant for me? Was I supposed to be the 53-year-old victim? Was I supposed to be on the scene not to be a victim, but to save Stevens? Was it Mary's unreasonable demand to go to the State Fair, was it Big Tex that saved me? Was it Ursuline Academy scheduling a day off for Columbus Day, was it Christopher Columbus himself that saved me?
I don't know, but hearing the heartbreak in Patti Stevens' voice in the SoundCloud clip at the bottom of the Naomi Martin piece . . . . . . makes me cry.
Jeff [11:44 PM]
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It wasn't in Gods plan! I ve lost about 30 pounds preparing for back surgery I do work out at the Y ,20 min on horizontal bike and 30 min strength training3-4 times a week but I cant lose wt .unti My Fittness pal on the internet . Im a 2x loser on wt watchers but I always say and believe its calories that count. Of course, I do include 2 glasses of wine in my diet each day! My 20 min on bike only burns 100 calories, so I must reduce my calorie intake Im 81 so my BMR requirement is 2100k aday I try to intake !500 cal a day so I lose1# a week Twenty-six more weeks ???? I should achieve my goal! Good luck, stay healthy and be aware and safe Uncle Chuck
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