Sickness, rain, time, and Matt Grundy

I haven't updated this in awhile. Part is due to the fact that the end of the semester is drawing nearer and nearer and I have become busier than I ever thought possible. Part is due to the fact that I have not felt the need to express any huge running accomplishment. And the rest of the reason is that the date that I start my journey is getting closer and I'm starting to get a little nervous.

So, let's start at the beginning. My last test is in 2 hours and 45 minutes and I graduate Saturday. End of story.

Next on the agenda is lack of news. It has been rainy about 4 out of the 7 days every week for the past month. At first, it didn't bother me, I'd run in the cold and rain saying that I needed to train in every kind of weather because I won't be able to choose the weather for the 4 months I'm out there on the road. I'd come back after 2-4 hours of being soaked to the bone and semi trucks spraying me with hurricane forced winds and water to a hot shower and feel accomplished. It would be 35-50 degrees and pouring rain and I'd go out only to be completely drenched within the first 10 minutes of a 3 hour run and think that it was "toughening me up." The truth is, I'm paying the price now. Being sick can be attributed to the cold wetness and stress from the end of the semester and all I want to do is sleep. I went for a two hour run yesterday even though it was the worst I'd felt but I felt like I needed to get outside. And last night I thought I was dying. Though, I do find it kind of cool to think about the fact that no matter how big, strong, or tough you think you are, there are always going to be microscopic "bugs" that can bring you to your knees and cry uncle.

In other news the results came out for the Trail Runner Trophy Series. Initially they came out and I was in second, but not all my points were there...so I emailed Trail Runner, and we got it all hammered out, and I won! ...Then there was also a discretion in Glen Redpath's points and he actually did win, and I actually came in second. And so it is done. I came in second place in the Trail Runner Trophy Series for 2009, Glen Redpath came in first. Congratulations Glen and all the other racers! I'm stoked on the placing, and if I had to lose to someone, I'm glad it was someone like Glen Redpath. The dude is a maniac!

Another highlight of recent times was a group run on Sunday night. Myself, Dave, Grundy, and a guy named Elliot who I hadn't met before Sunday ran the trails and downtown of Richmond. Elliot is a member of the Seal Team exercise group in Richmond and ran in Vibram 5-fingers. We did the North Bank trail, the path that leads to the 8th street bridge, the 8th street bridge, flood wall, part of the Buttermilk, Riverside drive, and the Nickel bridge. It was the farthest Grundy had run so far and he held up like a champ. Not only that, he kept me entertained the entire time with his jokes. If you own a recording studio, please let him come in and let him record all his jokes, puns, and goofy things on a CD every week so I have something new to listen to on the four month long run. Thanks.

Among the best of his jokes and ideas for the night was the idea to come up with a marathon on Halloween that is run at night called the "Night-mare-athon." If anyone steals that and doesn't give Grundy credit, I will come looking for you.

I start the cross country jaunt exactly 23 days from today. That is not long. BUT things are coming together quite well. People are starting to offer beds to me, which I appreciate greatly, and the word is really spreading. As soon as I get home this weekend I will begin packing and figuring out what I still need.

Well, that was my study break. Enjoy.
Shout out to Grundy. He has a radio show on Friday nights 5-7 wvcw.org
Check it. Check it. Check it out.