This week in running Aug 2 - Aug 8

Day	Mileage / Workout	Comments
Sunday	8	Easy with strides. Was trashed from the previous day's hike
Monday	16	9:16 average per mile. Felt Awesome
Tuesday	8	Started easy but picked up the pace. Strides
Wednesday	15	9:13 average pace until my Garmin died
Thursday	9	Easy
Friday	4	100% easy
Saturday	20	About 9:40 pace (I guess).  Felt solid throughout. No death march at the end
Total miles for the week: 80 - YTD: 1517

Week's Summary

Wow.  I set out a goal of hitting about 80 miles for the week and I nailed it  -- with no two-adays.  I suspect I would've done a bit more had I not had dead legs on Sunday.

One of my pre-marathon goals is to try and hit 80+ miles per week.  Any time I crack that barrier I usually have a good marathon.  With the Jackson Hole Wyoming marathon in about a month, this week's training puts me in a good position.  I feel really strong and despite a lack of speed work, I feel like I have a lot of "oomph" left at the end of my longer runs.

Garmin Death

As regular readers know, I bought a replacement Garmin Forerunner 305 this winter to replace my old one.  The old one couldn't hold a charge long enough for my long runs and it just made sense to buy a new one.  I love my 305 so I found one refurbished online at an outlet store and picked it up for about $100. 

Sadly, on my run on Wednesday, my Garmin mysteriously shut off.  I figured I hadn't charged it in a while so when I got home I plugged it in.  Sadly, the screen constantly said "Charge in Progress" despite it being plugged in overnight (usually it takes just a few hours).  When I attempt to turn it on, the boot up screen shows up and then it shuts itself off.  I've looked at the Garmin forums and it looks like I need to send it in for repairs.  Ugh...

So this week I dragged out my other one and used that (and just in time because I was about ready to give it away to some beginning runners).  I think my Garmin is still under warranty so I'll try and get it fixed, but I doubt it will get fixed in time for Jackson... which leads me to wonder if I should fix it and just buy another one.  Decisions....

Marathon Maniac

One of my goals this year was to qualify for the Marathon Maniac.  The minimum bar for entry was two marathons in like 16 days.  This year I've been mustering the courage up to do that until I read there was another entry -- 3 marathons in 90 days.  I accomplished that this spring by doing the Sand Hollow (April), Ogden (May) and Helena (June) marathons.  By my calculations, I did it in 64 days.  I was pretty jazzed about it and I'll probably pony up the fee for the bragging rights and the cool tank top.  I am also a half-maniac (I think I am about 5 moons into it) but I need to register there as well.

This Coming Week

I really need a recovery week and usually in August I take some down time.  For me that is a lower mileage week (if any running at all).  Last year, I didn't run at all while visiting the British Isles.  I wanted to, but running laps around a concrete track on a cruise boat didn't hold my interest for very long.

Since I am heading west for nearly a week, I'll likely be getting in a few miles (as I like to explore towns on foot) but don't expect any 15+ mile runs until I get back

Bike Trail People

I do all my running on the bike trail and since I ran 80 miles on it (well I hit about 100 miles over the past 9 days). Generally the bike trail is a very safe place and a wonderful place to walk or run (other than the occasional dope smokers in the woods I've rarely run into problems)  But this week, I did see some strange / interesting people:

• It was mid eighties temperature-wise (and hot) and I ran into a vampire goth girl dressed in all black, including stockings. She didn't look happy. Perhaps because she was really really warm.
• A homeless guy hunched over his belongings while pushing a grocery cart.
• Creepy looking guys constantly hanging out at some bridge in the middle of nowhere.  Come on guys, I know what is going on and it isn't good...
• A girl decked out in black leather with what looked to be all of her belongings in a Radio Flyer red wagon waiting near the park bathroom for presumably a ride.  She did not look homeless and she didn't look happy.
• A gazillion cute dogs - I so want one.
• I also ran into a bunch of my friends and made some new ones this week.  Always nice to semi coach / lend advice to fledgling runners.  If you haven't had that opportunity and you are an experienced runner, you are missing out on paying it forward and sharing the joy of the sport.

Upcoming Races

Sadly no races this week for me.  I felt sort of bummed and I was constantly checking www.utahrunning.com to see if I had missed something.  There really weren't any races other than charity 5Ks in the area (which I ran through one on my 20 mile run).

I probably would've done a half marathon this weekend but in a way I am glad I didn't.  I needed a massive mileage week and a good twenty mile run.  Mission accomplished.

8/15: Park City Half Marathon - maybe -- depends upon when I get back to town.
09/5: Jackson Hole Wyoming Marathon (very very probable - I booked the hotel)
10/18: Duke City Marathon (Probable. Non refundable Hotel is booked for Albuquerque)
11/15: Las Vegas Marathon (definite)

This week in running 7/12 - 7/18

Day	Mileage / Workout	Comments
Sunday	Off	Did some hiking. Recovery day
Monday	8	Easy throughout
Tuesday	9	Another easy run - was stressed at work
Wednesday	7	Pretty solid effort throughout. Felt really good to let loose a bit.
Thursday	Off	Did not feel like running
Friday	Off	Did not feel like running. Crappy day.
Saturday	4	Draper Days 5K
Total miles for the week: 28 - YTD: 1328

Week's Summary

Well to put it bluntly, this week sucked for me.  I have a lot of high pressure stuff coming due at work and it really blew up in my face as far as getting it done.  So I was on the go the minute I got into work, stayed late a few days, and it took me a long time to decompress afterwards.

I usually get a lot done throughout the week and it was really tough to accept defeat -- I couldn't do it all.  On Thursday and Friday I retreated into my house, turned off my phone and just metaphorically pulled the sheets over my head.

So as the week progressed I found myself more and more exhausted.  Hence, I "only" logged 28 miles this week.  Kind of crappy for about 5 weeks from a marathon.

But as with any training plan, it's got to be able to roll with the punches and adjust to life's demands.

Also this weekend's Draper Days 5K is sort of a wake up call to work on my speed a bit more.  I rarely do speed workouts anymore.  I can certainly cover miles and miles of ground, but going fast?  I've got to work on that...

I may race a half marathon this Friday morning.  I'll have to take a half day PTO.  For those not in the know, July 24th in the state of Utah is Pioneer Day.  It celebrates the day that the first settlers arrived in Utah.  The state buildings all shut down and many employers give their workers the day off.  For me, I have to work, but that doesn't mean there aren't races going on.  The Deseret News marathon happens and I've done the Handcart Half in the past.  So we'll see if I can get out for half a day on Friday and knock that one out.  It is a cheap, well run race too.

Upcoming Races

07/24: Handcart Half Marathon (yes a Friday morning run -- maybe)

07/31: Legacy Midnight Run - Half Marathon - Farmington Utah (definite)
09/5: Jackson Hole Wyoming Marathon (very very probable - I booked the hotel)
10.18: Denver Rock n Roll Marathon or Duke City Marathon (planning stages, Duke City is leading the way)
11/15: Las Vegas Marathon (definite)

This week in running March 8 - March 14

Day	Mileage / Workout	Comments
Sunday	14	First 10.5 fairly mild. Last 3.5 was a "race"
Monday	8	Easy
Tuesday	7	Medium with some speed thrown in
Wednesday	14	Was trashed. Shouldn't have run this long, but whatever
Thursday	Off	Walked a lot though.
Friday	5	Fairly easy
Saturday	8	St Patty's 10K Race
Total miles for the week: 56- YTD: 510

Week's Summary

My long run on Sunday wasn't a huge one, hence the reduced mileage this week.  However, what was sort of cool about was that I got passed in the last 3 miles by someone.  Normally I don't get too worked up if someone passes me on the bike trail, but I felt sort of spunky and figured why not make my long run a "fast finish".

Despite the 10 miles I had already put in and the race I had run yesterday I managed to pick it up a bit and wound up dogging this fellow runner, with the sole goal of hanging as close as I could (without being creepy).  I wasn't wearing my Garmin, so I am not sure what I was running but I knew I was working hard.

Thankfully and mercifully the person I was chasing slowed down a tiny bit and I started to make some ground, eventually coming even.  To make a long story short, I was suddenly pushing sub 8:30's and wound up chatting with this woman who was training for Boston for about 3 miles (she thinks she's recognized me from some races too).  Once we got back to Winchester Park I was able to let off the gas.  I felt like I had just run a race and other than the race I ran on Saturday, it was probably the best workout of the week.  I need to find a training partner who will push me harder -- especially one who can put my ego at risk.

New Phone

Well my HTC Droid Incredible 2 finally bit the dust this week.  I got my first droid in 2010 before it died about 18 months ago.  I bought the same one and it died for the same reason (the USB port wasn't letting it charge and it was doing a lot of weird things, like locking up after receiving a call in a busy setting).  I opted to get a Motorola Droid Mini.  It fits in my hand nicely, takes decent pictures and I was buying it used outright (I am on an unlimited data plan that I like and that Verizon would like to see me off of).  So you'll like see some better quality pictures here.

Ogden Marathon and other Insane Thoughts

I run into a ton of people on the bike trail and some I've gotten to know on a first name basis.  You see the same people day in and day out and finally you introduce yourself.  One runner I know who is injured signed up for the Ogden Marathon when it first opened.  She isn't going to be able to do it at this stage and I offered to buy her bib from her, which appears to be allowed.  So I may be doing that race, especially if I can get in for under $70.  Faithful readers will recall I ran it in the "rainy" year in 2013.  It is really a stunning course and worth traveling to town for.

I also booked my hotel for the Sand Hollow Marathon.  I'll be in St George for 2 nights and see Zion's National Park.  I'll also take a moment to check out St George, basically Utah's largest southern city.  What marathon trip wouldn't be complete without a trip to a casino? Of course, we'll hit up Mesquite for a night as well.  While we are about an hour from Las Vegas, I just don't see that happening.  

Either way, by the end of the month I'll register for the race (the hotels are refundable, but as you likely know race entries aren't).  If I feel really really good, I may go for my Maniac status and jump into the SLC Marathon the weekend after.  Again, it is just crazy thoughts right now so stay tuned.

  

Upcoming Races

3/21: Riverton City Half Marathon - Riverton Utah  (definite)
3/28: Winter Striders Half Marathon  - Huntsville Utah (probable)
4/10: Sand Hollow Marathon - Hurricane Utah (very Probable) -- Booked the Hotel!!
4/25: Winter Striders 30K - Huntsville Utah (18.6 miles) (probable)
5/16 Ogden Marathon - Ogden Utah (coming into view).
7/11: Dam 15 Miler in Jordanelle / Park City Utah (definite)
9/5: Jackson Hole Wyoming Marathon (very very probable - I booked the hotel already)
11/15: Las Vegas Marathon (definite)

This week in running Feb 22 - Feb 28

Day	Mileage / Workout	Comments
Sunday	16.5	Long run but at 9:20 min / mile pace. Rockin!
Monday	4	Easy
Tuesday	off	Resting my sore foot - walked quite a bit today
Wednesday	off	Resting my sore foot - walked quite a bit today
Thursday	7	Medium Pace - Metatarsal problems
Friday	5	Medium Pace - Metatarsal problems
Saturday	9.5	Salt Lake Track Club 15K Race in Magna Utah
Total miles for the week: 42 - YTD: 389.75

Week's Summary

I was really hoping to put in a high mileage week this week.  Unfortunately my right foot had other ideas.

Regular readers know that I have been battling either Morton's Neuroma or some sort of painful metatarsal pain.  Basically right behind the toes and in the ball of the foot, it hurts -- a lot.  I went for a walk at lunch time early in the week and it hurt from the get go.  So running was pretty much out of the question.

I wound up icing it down regularly and hitting the NSAID routine.  That helped a lot.  Also, on Friday I went to Wasatch Running Center and bought a metatarsal pad.  The jury is still out on whether it is helping (or not) but for $6 I figured it was worth the money.  From all that I've read, it seems rest, ice, and anti-inflamatories are the best course of treatment.  Serious cases, however, could require cortisone-like shots or even surgery.

This week's mileage, again if my toes cooperate, will hopefully see a boost in mileage.

Money Woes

Well that trip to the emergency room continues to haunt me.  A few weeks ago I got a bill from the hospital for about $1600 -- the amount that my insurance didn't cover.  To add insult to injury, I got a bill the other day for about $350 from the fire department.  So right now, some of my spring destination races are in jeopardy.

Luckily the hospital has set up a monthly payment plan, but still, this is a pretty good chunk of change.

Update on my Cat Friend

Readers of last week's write-up may recall that I met a cat on my run, who I thought was homeless.  Each day I was bringing it cat food and it would gobble it up like it was starving.  I hadn't seen the cat for a few days and was worried about it.  I happened to ask a guy walking a dog if he had seen it.  Turns out it was HIS cat and he hadn't seen it.  I've seen the guy before and I know he lives close to the trail.  Apparently, Snowball, is let out and likes to sit on the trail and greet passerby's.

So sadly, there are Missing Cat signs near where I used to see him.  Hopefully he is in good hands.

Upcoming Races

If the weather (and my foot holds) I am looking at doing the Striders Winter Race Circuit - 10 Mile race up in Ogden.  It will likely be a rinse-and-repeat race of the 10K I did last week. I am so looking forward to the hot springs as well.

This week in Running Feb 15 - Feb 21

Day	Mileage / Workout	Comments
Sunday	8 AM 9 PM	8 in the morning on the shore of the Great Salt Lake Had a kick-ass run in the evening
Monday	7	Easy
Tuesday	7	6 x .5M repeats (with about 60 - 90 sec break: 3:43,3:37,3:42,3:34,3:58 (hills), 3:39. yeah for speedwork
Wednesday	11	Easy at the start, picked up the pace at the end
Thursday	7	Easy mostly with a mile of strides
Friday	4	Easy with strides to wrap things up.
Saturday	7.25	Winter Striders 10K Race in Ogden Utah.
Total miles for the week: 60.25 - YTD: 347.75

Week's Summary

Another high mileage week in the books for me.  I think sitting in the hot springs after the 5K on Saturday did me a world of good, as I was obviously itching to run on Sunday.  It has been a while since I've done a daily double and I felt even better during my evening run than my morning run.  Sometimes the running gods just smile upon me for strange reasons.

I also managed to get in a solid speed work and some strides, plus another 10K race.  Overall I am really pleased with what I am doing.

Upcoming Races

Right now, I am looking at doing a 15K race up where I ran at the Great Salt Lake next weekend.  It is flat and seems to be the only thing going on in town.  If the weather holds and I am feeling up to it, I'll jump in.  I don't think I've ever raced a 15K before, so this will be an instant PR.

I also officially signed up for the Riverton Half Marathon ($40), which is in mid to late March.  I ran that one last year and it was challenging course, but certainly worth doing.

I haven't inked any marathon races into my calendar yet, but I am keeping an eye out for one.

Weird Injury?

I am still suffering from some right toe numbness.  In fact, early this week it was pretty painful.  I still think there is a bit of a neuroma going on.  For a while, it was in the left toe, but that has completely gone.  Now it is simply in the right and while it doesn't seem to be getting worse, it isn't getting better.  It makes it hard to push off and I sort of sense myself coming down with a slightly different landing to compensate.  I felt it a little during today's 10K race.  I am dabbling with a few anti-inflamatories, but I am simply hoping it goes away.  It is aggravating though.

New Friend?

One of the joys of running on the bike trail is meeting new people.  During many of my runs it isn't uncommon for me to see a familiar face and get either a nod of hello or on easy days a quick chat.

However, I noticed "Casper" about a week ago.  He appears to be a stray white cat that lives on the bike trail.  He always came running out to greet me and say hello.  

Once in a while, I bring a little bag of cat food and drop it for the strays if I see them, but Casper is always in the same spot.  He now recognizes me and I give him a big hello.  He'll follow me too if I am not careful, but I've been bringing him some food and he devours it each time.  He also isn't afraid to be pet and will rub himself against my legs.  Either way it does give me something to look forward to on my runs and I suspect eventually I'll have to take him to an animal shelter.  I don't really want / need another cat right now but now I've got an even bigger reason to run every day:

This week in running Feb 8 - Feb 14

Day	Mileage / Workout	Comments
Sunday	9	Trail run at Mueller Park, Bountiful Utah. Walked another 7 later.
Monday	5	Easy
Tuesday	Off	Needed a rest day. Walked about 4 miles.
Wednesday	9	Decent run, but had heartburn. Ugh.
Thursday	11	Solid paced run. Loving the weather.
Friday	3	Easy with strides to wrap things up. Getting some snap in my legs.
Saturday	4	South Davis Recreation Center 5K in 23:46
Total miles for the week: 41 - YTD: 287.5

Week's Summary

I am still in recovery mode.  I can still feel a bit of lingering tiredness, especially in my quads on my longer runs.  These are just residual effects of the marathon, just about two weeks ago.  I know, you basically aren't supposed to run after putting in a full marathon for nearly a month, but with this weather and despite my soreness, I have been putting in some decent training.  It was also half the reason why I went to the hot springs today.

I am a little bummed I didn't get in a quality speed workout session, but I was sort of saving that for my 5K race.

If I included all the miles I walked, I would've easily eclipsed 60 miles for the week.

Upcoming Races

Next weekend I am hoping to do a 10K up in Ogden.  I am also going to sign up for the Riverton Half Marathon.  I got a flyer from them stating that they are capping the size of their race.  That race isn't until next month and I ran it last year.

I am also finding it hard to believe that in about 2 months, I might be doing another full marathon.  I've got the Sand Hollow Marathon down in Southern Utah on the radar as well as Reno.  The Sand Hollow one is probably the biggest probable at this point.  Looks like I am going to have to start to ramp up the miles a bit.

Weird Injury?

I've had some pretty rough plantar fasciitis in the morning.  Not good.  I've dug out my orthotics and I am hoping they will help.  They aren't the most comfortable things, hence why I don't wear them very often.  But more often then not, they do stop plantar fasciitis.

Also around mid week I found that on the ball of my foot, just below my toe, on each foot, my toe area would just ache.  It wasn't a sharp pain, but it just felt numb and achy.  I am wondering if running on the trail in Bountiful last weekend had something to do with it.  It is mildly better today but still it is something to put on the radar.

Keep running!

The rest of the southwest trip

Notice the family resemblance?

Introduction

I did a lot more than run my marathon on my trip to Arizona and vacation in Las Vegas.  I was able to stay at my brother's apartment in Tempe for the weekend and while I didn't get to visit the hotspots or do the Super Bowl in Glendale, I did get to do a few cool things:

Saturday Night

After my marathon I pretty much huddled in bed and whimpered.  Well, not really whimper, but if you've run a marathon, you know what I mean.  I pretty much spent the afternoon wanting to do something (over caffeinated) and wanted to sleep (but I couldn't because I was over caffeinated).

Shari and I did have to go to her best friend's house in Goodyear Arizona.  All of her high school girlfriends were going to be there for a reunion of sorts.  I've always gotten along with everyone there (as their husbands would also be there) so it was an evening of conversation and food.  Shari was worried I'd be a sour puss (I tend to get crabby after long runs) but I will say I was chipper enough.

Sunday Morning

Cactus outside Casino Arizona

We had another busy day planned with Shari's friends.  But first off we needed food and I was ravenous.  We opted to go Casino Arizona and hit up their breakfast buffet.  My brother, Tom, lives right around the corner and I anticipated it being a zoo with a long wait.  Luckily the wait wasn't bad at all. 

For $16.95 a piece, the buffet was a bit spendy.  However, you did get champagne (which we didn't touch) and they had crack-your-own crab legs.  I was expecting tiny shoe-string size crab legs, but these were huge and they really didn't require much effort to snag the prize.  The food was pretty decent and I easily cleaned up there.  

I wasn't that impressed with the casino.  I didn't find very many machines I was itching to play and I wound up circling the joint watching others play.  My mother in law dropped a good hundred there in short time and Shari played a little of her winnings from the Mirage but wasn't getting anything.  I wound up getting a nice bonus round (including a re-trigger) on Bally's Lucky Money Tree that netted me a profit of $40.  I stuffed that in my pocket and quickly took off.

Sunday Afternoon + Evening

We came back to Tom's apartment before cleaning up and heading to another one of Shari's girlfriend's condos for a pre Super Bowl party.  I hung around there for about an hour and a half.  Shari and her friends were going to a sports bar, while I would drive back and spend some quality time with my brother.

We wound up watching the Super Bowl together and I worked on my blog a bit, putting up my marathon recap.  The game was fun to watch, but to be honest, I couldn't make up my mind which team I disliked more so I had no emotional investment in it.

Monday Morning + Afternoon

We wound up taking off just shy of noon to Vegas.  The weather was sunny and warm, which netted an opportunity to take some great desert photos.  

I will say that Utah still the best in terms of speed limits.  We don't mess around.  Arizona must be limp wristed.  I am driving in the middle of the desert and the speed limit was 65mph.  Come on! And there were tons of cops sitting in ditches with radar guns waiting to tag people.  I was a good driver and kept it reasonable, even though I was dying to be back in Utah.

A few miles south is the area of my marathon

Cactus

Desolated areas

Rodeo outside Wickenburg, AZ

Joshua Tree Forest

Joshua Tree Forest

Joshua Tree Forest

Joshua Tree Forest

Joshua Tree Forest

Joshua Tree Forest

Joshua Tree Forest

Joshua Tree Forest

Crazy Rock Formations

Crazy Rock Formations

Crazy Rock Formations

Cactus while getting gas in Wikieup

Approaching Lake Mead Area

Approaching Lake Mead Area

Approaching Lake Mead Area

All in all, the trip took about 4 hours or so.

Monday Night

To break up the trip, we opted to spend the night at Sunset Station in Henderson, about 15 minutes drive away from the strip.  The room was pretty cheap $34, but they nailed us with the stupid resort fee bringing the total over $50.

I was starving as I hadn't had much to eat the whole trip, so we jumped into the buffet.  We managed to get the lunch prices just as it was turning into dinner... score!  Shari and I were already club card members, so we ate for about $8.99 each.  

This buffet didn't have much premium stuff like shrimp or crab legs but it certainly had enough to keep me filled.  I wound up inhaling a TON of food.  The buffet decor reminded me of the Red Rock Resort.  For the price, I felt like it was worth it, but I didn't feel it was a steal.  Food was good, but not the best buffet I've ever had.  I loved the over sized plates and utensils though.  They mean business there!

Never can have enough dessert

After eating we gambled a bit.  Shari's mom continued losing.  I played for several hours but really didn't get anything.  I was really getting frustrated and maybe I'd win a bit, but more often than not, I was getting very little back for my money and my wallet was getting considerably thinner.

The casino was filled with a TON of older machines.  I've never seen more video poker and old school WMS machines.  I am not a big fan of those types, but I do enjoy dabbling with video poker.  Also I discovered the video black jack didn't allow splits or double downs -- total rip off.  For a huge place I was kind of disappointed with the offerings and again spent more time circling the casino than actually playing something I really like (hint: get some Fu Dao Le machines).  They had a bowling alley and a cinema, but no poker room.  I wasn't really impressed with the comps I received either.  I've gotten a lot more in Wendover or the Boyd Casinos. 

Shari was the only one who had a little bit of luck and we wound up calling it a night close to 10pm.

I slept pretty well and for the price, the room was very nice.  Not as big as Wendover's Montego Bay, but spacious enough.  I'd stay here again for sure:

Tuesday

I was up and rearing to go back to Utah.  I was really tired of gambling and running around.  I simply wanted to kick back in my own house / bed.  

I got Shari and her mom coffee and jumped into the buffet line.  I wound up using my comps so I had breakfast for a whopping $4.37.  Like the lunch, there wasn't much premium stuff on the menu.  I did have a nice omelette and polished off at least half a dozen oranges.  Once again, I was like a bottomless pit.

While Shari and her mom ate after they had gotten dressed (it takes them a minimum of 60 minutes), I wound up dabbing with the machines.  I am happy to report I probably made a very small profit.  I'd put in $5, win a few bucks and move on.  I was just happy to come up on a positive note for once.

Shari and her mom did some gambling. Shari won a $100 on a Rumble Rumble machine but dumped another $50 trying to do a repeat.  Shari's mom continued to hemorrhage money and by noon we hit the road.  It was largely smooth sailing but we stopped in Scipio and Cedar City (we had a very brief lunch at the Dairy Queen there) for gas and bathroom breaks.  It wasn't until close to 8pm that I finally arrived home.

Conclusion

Gambling-wise this trip was a bummer.  I hate gambling on the Strip because I know it is a sucker's bet. However, they were the only ones with Fu Dao Le machines.  I am sort of disappointed how the premium stuff on the Strip has disappeared.  I don't think I had a piece of shrimp the entire trip and the buffets and offerings seem parred down.  I hate to say it, but I kept saying, "I remember the good old days".  I must be getting old.

Shari and I had hoped to see a bit more of Arizona.  It is on our radar of "some day" moving there.  Part of the trip down there was to ascertain whether we would like it.  For me, I wasn't sold on it.  I can't imagine running in 115 degree weather and getting up at 5AM to get my miles in doesn't appeal to me at all.  Having the casinos close by is both good and bad.  I like to gamble but I hate when it becomes the "only" or even a "primary" outlet for entertainment.  I'd rather hike or experience something new than sit in front of a slot machine.  Shari was already picking out lots near her friend's house.  I sense a conflict coming up....

I was able to knock off Arizona off my state's list for marathoning.  I think I've done 7 or so.  I've got a long way to go in doing all 50 and whether I complete it or not remains to be seen.  I don't really have the vacation time or the funds to visit, say New Hampshire or Vermont.  Oh well, it is a goal and we'll see what happens.