Treadmills

Argh! I've just spent WAAAAY too long sitting in front of this computer trying to figure out how to publish more photos. I work in technology, yet I can't seem to figure out how to post one simple picture of me. Blah. I'll figure it out, hopefully in time to get some before and after photos of my fundraising head shaving. The good news is that money is already rolling in (thanks friends!) which means the bad news is that I definitely have to tell my mother about shaving my head. Eeek. Feel free to keep sending donations (checks made out to the American Cancer Society, of course). Y'all are awesome.

I love that all of you runners, bloggers, and quirky people are visiting my little site. Welcome. I love it too that all kinds of people are coming forward with their own OCD "quirks" which makes me feel a little more normal. OK, not really more NORMAL, but a little less alienated. So speaking of quirks, a suggestion was raised that I try treadmill running with people indoors. Oh man, I can't do it. To explain, I present you another list.

Mateo's list of why I don't like running on a treadmill.

1. I'm very outdoorsy. I would much rather be running on trails or even on the streets. When running, I prefer getting fresh air and seeing the beauty of nature over watching the Weather Channel. (Nothing against the good people at the Weather Channel, I just prefer to experience the weather, not simply watch it.)

2. I'm a spitter. I know it sounds gross, but I salivate a lot... especially when I run. So I have to spit a lot. A lot, a lot. One time, I forgot that I was indoors and almost spit on this poor girl running on the treadmill next to me. Yuck. I salivate so much that my dentist once suggested that I be in a saliva study. Weird.

3. I'm a toucher. If you've read this blog from the beginning, you know that I'm very tactile. I love to touch things. When I run, I actually NEED to touch things, especially when transitioning from walking to running. It comes from when I was fat and first started running. I used to run sprints "from this tree to that sign" and touch them both. Now, I need to touch things when I run. I even have my friends touching things. Tee hee hee.

4. I don't particularly like to know my exact speed and distance. Part of the fun of running is just that. RUNNING. Just getting out and doing it. Some days you're fast, some days you're slow. Some days you want to run 3 miles, some days you want to run 13.

5. My dog can't come to the gym with me. If I had to choose between running 5 miles on a treadmill with Katie Couric or running 5 miles outdoors with my pooch... well... sorry, Katie.

6. The cardio room in my gym is WAY too hot. It's as though they decided to combine the cardio room with the sauna. Although I lost a ton of weight, I'm still a fat man. Let me tell you, fat men sweat a LOT in the heat. Yuck.

7. I don't like to run around other gym people. I always think they're looking at me funny. Truth be told, they usually are looking at me funny because I'm always jamming out to my MP3 player. I can't help it, sometimes a man has to shake his groove thang.

8. There's no ice cream at the gym. Yes, I run a lot, and I eat a lot of ice cream. My eight mile loop actually includes a stop at the local Dairy Queen on the way home. Cherry dilly bars have become such a part of my running routine that I actually have a tab at the DQ. Yes, I do. Quit laughing. Seriously.

Well, that's enough reasons for now. There are more, of course. I have so many little running quirks. I'll tell you more later. I know you all have your running quirks, so let me know what they are. We can have a good laugh at ourselves together.

By the way, I have one of my favorite races tomorrow. It's only 9 miles, and it's a time prediction race, so the person who finishes closest to their predicted time wins. So even the slowest runners (like me) can win. Yippee! Plus, they always have the best post-race snacks and door prizes. I'm totally stoked. Maybe this time, I'll finally win that ham!

Run on, people.

Friday night

I can't believe it's Friday night (rapidly approaching 9pm) and I'm sitting at home. LAME. I'm rarely at home on a Friday night. Argh. It's only because of this little thing called work, which keeps getting in the way. Granted, I love working from home, but when it hinders my social life, well, that's where I draw the line. So I cracked open a bottle of wine, and I'm taking a little break.

I don't have much to report - I'm still going to shave my head (the idea of a mohawk has been presented) if I can raise $2000 for the American Cancer Society. So far the news has been taken well, for the most part. Of course, I haven't told my mother yet... Looks like I'll probably tell her next week, when I return home for a visit. "Happy Mother's Day! I'm going to shave my head into a mohawk and dye it blue!" I'm guessing she won't exactly throw me a headshaving party. She might send a card, though. She's very proper that way. Oh well. Here I am, 33 years old, and still giving my poor mother heartburn. Good thing I have seven older brothers that prepped her for my craziness. By the time I came along, nothing ever seemed that bad. And if you really think about it, in the grand scheme of things, shaving your head for charity isn't that bad. So far, I've raised nearly $500 in a couple days. I think I should easily hit $2000.

Well, since I don't have tons to report, I will give you yet another "Three Things I've Learned Today" list. You know how I love my lists. It tweaks out my OCD. Here goes:

Three things I've Learned Today, The Triathlete Edition:

1. Even though triathlons are completed in the order of swim, bike, run; I just really hate to train in that order. Maybe it's because I don't like swimming, so I prefer to leave it to last, hoping that a tornado will destroy the gym during my biking and I won't actually have to swim. Maybe it's because I'm a Taylorist at heart, and swimming first means showering twice, which I find to be a complete waste of time.

2. Although I prefer to run alone, I almost always prefer to train with a friend. I've found it makes me work harder. Good thing my friend Matt is just as crazy as I am, and will meet me at the gym at any given time. (Although he's the purist who insists that we complete our training in the order of swim, bike, run).

3. IMPORTANT LESSON: If you're going to forget the code to your padlock, try to do it BEFORE showering at the gym. It's embarassing enough to ask the gym staff to cut the lock off your locker, but asking them while wearing only a towel... well, that just adds insult to injury.

Why me?

Another Shaving Project - ACS

Well, I know how much y'all loved my shaving experiment, so I'm back with another... well... shaving "project". This time, I've combined it with my love of running. To give you some background, I must admit that I've been in a bit of a running rut lately. Well, I guess you could say I've been in somewhat of a "life rut" lately. Life's been pretty rough on me - emotionally, physically, and financially - so I've just been doing what it takes to get by.

I even lost my passion for running, which scares the holy bejammers out of me. Sure, I was still running, but I lost my focus. Some people run for a cardiovascular workout, some people run to lose weight, some people run just to show off their new running outfits. True (crazy) runners run because we love it. We run because we have to. It's just that simple. If I'm having a good day, I run. If I'm having a bad day, I run. If I'm having a mediocre day, I run. It's such a programmed part of me that I no longer think about it.

Well, sometimes you're so busy running that you lose sight of WHY you're running. You start running away from something, which is the worst reason to run. Luckily, I had a runner stop by this blogsite the other day (thanks, AB - you rock). I linked to her site, which linked to other runners blogs, and after hours of reading about other runner's passions and accomplishments... it was back. The fire was back. Thanks, running bloggers! I want to run again. I had no idea there was a whole running and blogging society out there. (This whole blogging is very new to me). So if you're reading this and want me to link you, just let me know. I welcome you into my e-home.

So enough touchy feely for one day. Here's the "Shaving Project". In a nutshell, I agreed to run the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life on June 17th. I've run it in the past, and it's just an amazing event. There is NOTHING cooler than when they light the luminarias at dusk and you're running by candlelight. Yes, running by candlelight. Amazing. Well, now that the running fire is back and burning bright, I really want to make a difference this year. A challenge has been brought forth, and for those of you who know me, you know that I'm a complete sucker for challenges. (That's how I ran my first marathon. My brother double dog dared me to run it with him!)

So the challenge/project is this. If I raise $2,000+ by June 17, 2005 for the American Cancer Society, I will shave my head. Bald. Bald, bald. Don't worry. I have plenty of hats. If you would like to make a tax deductible donation (even those of you who only know me electronically) just e-mail me for details at runner_in_iowa@yahoo.com.

It's also been brought to my attention that a counter attack has begun. It's the "Keep The Hair" campaign, started by some of my friends who claim they will be too embarrased to be seen in public with little ol' bald me. So I've agreed that every dollar towards the KTH campaign means I have to raise that much more for the SIO ("Shave It Off") campaign. I will keep you posted of each campaign's development. Together, we can knock the roof off this thing, and raise lots of cash for a great cause.

I just started both campaigns hours ago, and at the time of this posting, the results are:
Shave It Off: $300
Keep The Hair: $50

Oh, and Pope BXVI, if you're reading this blog, please bless my bald head. Thanks.

More OCD Revealed

Fine, I have OCD. The ever famous Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. You realize that when I was born 33 years ago (before the "disorder" was named) you would have just called me quirky. Let's stick with that. I'm quirky. I personally hate the term "disorder", as it implies a person's total helplessness in a situation. "Oh, poor me! I have this disorder that I can't control. Pity me!" Blah, blah, blah... You're just fine. You're just quirky. We're all quirky. Get over your bad self.

Nonetheless, the fact that I recognize that I have a "disorder" and don't let it own me is doing pretty well. Most of my OCD revolves around fire, and the fear of my house/body/dog catching on fire. On one hand, it keeps me out of harm's way, which is a good thing. For example, it's the very reason why I can't sleep naked. (Sorry for bringing up the thought of me naked... I don't like to think about it either. Eeek!) Anyway, I know people who do sleep naked, but I'm deathly afraid my house is going to catch on fire in the middle of the night, and I'll have to run out of the house, screaming like a pre-teen girl on her way to a Backstreet Boys reunion concert. Don't you think it would be traumatic enough to stand outside in the street watching your house and everything your own burn to the ground without having the added humiliation of being completely naked in front of 30 local firefighters? Think about it, people. Until they invent a fireproof house, I'm just fine sleeping in my Joe Boxers, thanks.

Well, sometimes my "disorder" doesn't make as much sense. And sometimes it gets me into rather embarrasing situations. Case in point, I have this habit of checking the coffee pot to ensure it's turned off - three or four times before leaving the house to go to work. Many times, I just cave to my fears and just unplug the darn thing. Well, yesterday I made breakfast for some friends (which is somewhat of a weekend tradition - you should stop by sometime) and this is an actual coversation which occurred between my friend Patrick and me.

Me: "Oh, you're having more coffee?"
Patrick: "Yeah, I made another pot."
Me: "What? How did you make another pot? I unplugged it!"
Patrick: "Uh, I plugged it back in. I do have a college degree. Wow."
Me: "Oh, nevermind..."

So I guess this would be one of those times when your disorders are better left NOT shared with friends (and here I am talking about it to countless people on the Internet. Great). Oh well. Long story short, I guess I'm just telling you to embrace your quirkiness, laugh about it, and for love of all things good, unplug your coffee maker.

Seven AM

Oh man, why am I awake so early? Oh right, my four-footed Alaskan Husky alarm clock woke me up with the crack of dawn. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him sleep in until 10:00. I suppose I could slip an Ambien in his puppy chow, but I fear it's effects on canines. What merely slows down our heart rate would probably stop his completely. Even though I love my experiments, that's an experiment I'll let someone else do. Granted, he's a total spaz, but I think I'll keep him around a while.

Just for the record, as I type right now, he's diligently ammassing an arsenal of dog toys in a growing pile behind me in the den. It's as though he heard there was a dog toy convention in town this week and he's trying to decide which one to bring to impress all the bitches. You can practically see the hamster spinning on his mental wheel. "Oh man, should I bring Mr. Sqeaky Pumpkin, my frizbee, or the rawhide bone? Oh, what am I thinking? Rawhide is SOOO 2004. Only Terriers would be caught dead with a rawhide bone..."

OK, the decision has been made. He's choosen his Giggle Stick. Hey you in the back of the room, I can hear you laughing. No double entendres here, people. It's too early. I didn't name it. His Giggle Stick is merely this rubber bone that bounces crazily all over when you play catch, and it's his favorite toy ever. Every time we play catch, he chases it around as though he's never seen it before.

So my dog isn't the brightest animal on the planet. Good thing he's so cute. He's like that blonde girl in high school who just barely passed math class by tossing her volumous hair around and giggling to all the nerdy boys to get them to cheat for her. Come on, like a beautiful girl like that would actually date any one of us... Uh, I mean, any one of them. (Michelle Williams, since we're all adults now, the nerds of the world forgive you.)

Yes, I know. There's no need to keep telling me. I'm still a nerd, and my dog is cute. Strangers tell me how beautiful he is all the time. Admittedly, it's a bit rough on my ego. He's the cute one, I'm simply the one holding the leash. Well, if it wasn't for me, he'd have been put to sleep. And come to think of it, if it wasn't for him, I'd still be sleeping.

Well, regardless, I'm awake. Since I have some time to kill, I suppose I should get running. Literally. This morning is perfect for a nice, long run. Sadly, it will be my last run as a 32 year old. Consider it my "XXXII Farewell Tour". You can buy commerative t-shirts at the concession stand.

Oh, and we'll see you at the dog toy convention. Whatever you do, don't bring a rawhide bone.

Photolog

The Great White Squirrel Hunter attacking the cameraphone...

Check it out people! I finally figured out how to post a photo on this weblog. Granted, I'm sure you would rather see a better photo than a closeup of my dog's nose, but this is what you're getting. Life isn't fair, deal with it. For some reason, Loki is obsessed with my phone. Whenever I'm on the phone, he just goes crazy. Not Swiffer crazy, but crazy, nonetheless.

Not much for news here, sorry. I'm just trying to get my life in order after going on vacation. And by "getting my life in order", I mean spending way too much money on my dog buying him treats and toys to kill the guilt I have over leaving him with the dogsitter for a week. He was in excellent hands, but he still hardly ate the whole week I was gone. He's such a daddy's boy that it's rediculous.

Oh yeah, and to add insult to injury, I had to Swiffer the floors this weekend. The poor guy totally freaked out...

Aloha!

Yes, I know. Long time, no blog. I've missed you too. By the way, I like what you've done with your hair. It looks nice.

So I'm back from the island of Maui (or as I prefer to call it - the island of Moolah, since it's so stinking expensive). To boot, we were staying in the city of Wailea, which is the most expensive area on Maui. They charged $5 for a bottle of Evian at the hotel. At one point, I think they were going to charge us fifty cents a minute for the air we were breathing, but luckily we were able to barter our way out of it. Who knew you could get all the fresh air you want in exchange for a goat? Anyway... the island was beautiful, the weather was beautiful, the wedding was beautiful, and the running was beautiful.

Well, of course the running was beautiful. Maui is great for running. I ran 6+ miles nearly every morning along the beach, and one day even competed in the Aluminum Man biathlon (1/2 mile swim and 4 mile run). The Aluminum Man is Hawaii's lesser known younger brother to Kona's Iron Man Triathlon. I was out for my morning run, and right after I passed the resort where Arnold Schwarzenegger was staying, I happened upon a man setting up the start/finish line for a race. By now, you're fairly familiar with my love of running and racing, so I don't need to tell you that I quickly asked the man how I could sign up. It turns out they were starting in about an hour and there wasn't even an entry fee.

A free race? In Hawaii? At this point, the thought of ANYTHING being free in Hawaii was heavenly, so I ran back to the hotel to get my friend Patrick. He's also a crazy runner like me who I thought would get a kick out of running it. Well, by the time I had run back to get Patrick and we got back to the race, I had racked up 9 miles of running, so the two of us opted out of the swim (I didn't have my Speedos with me anyway) and we just completed the four mile run. Regardless, we had a great time, met some really cool people, and walked away with some awesome door prizes. Who knew?

So I had a great time on vacation. I ran a lot, swam a lot, laughed a lot, and relaxed a lot. Oh yeah, I went to my first nude beach. It was surprisingly normal until one guy got out a hula hoop. No one should ever have to see that. Ever.

So enough about me. How have you been?