UrfBlog

Superfly does it again.

This post is dedicated to one of my running mates.  Dave “Superfly” Jackson has always been a good friend, but lately his running has become something I fear.  He has improved at a ridiculous pace.  Two weeks ago he took two minutes off his 5k time; last Friday he took another 90 seconds off his previous best.  I like the guy, but he is getting a little too close in his times.  I have been running a good bit here on beautiful Siesta Key.  I have taken another 18 miles off since the last post; I believe that takes me down to 953 more miles to go.  I have been keeping too busy with the usual vacation stuff to focus on the running.  Fishing, playing hoops, throwing boccee, going out with friends and family, playing putt putt with my nephew…all soon to end.  I’m off to Taipei on Tuesday!!  That is when I hope to really start knocking off the miles and the pounds.  A few pics to accompany this post.

Well my return to Sarasota has been a blast.  I had to take a vacation from this new bloggin’ thing.  Knocked off 20 miles since the last post.  Guess that leaves me with 971 more to go!  3.1 of those miles were knocked off in a race.  Dave “Superfly” Jackson and Scott Riggs joined me in the hardest 5k race I have ever run in.  The podium shot should have been a clean sweep; Dave barely missed it with his new PR.  Like to thank my cheerleading squad. Liana, Al, Errin, Anika, Strick, Mike, Brian, Ray, and the poor couple that were trying to celebrate their wedding at the park were a definite inspiration.  The beach has been gorgeous and the water mystifying.  I have been fishing almost everyday, and thanks to Captain Tom I have been catching loads of fish.  The dolphins have been everywhere, and I have had a couple manatee encounters.  This is the point where I would love to go on a BP oil spill rant…but I will leave that one alone for now.  Like to thank all my friends and family for dropping by.  Talk soon.

I join you from one of the weirdest places to attempt to pass six hours and maintain sanity: the airport.  I left the beauty of the Bahamas to find myself banished to a real world purgatory.  I did take four miles off my challenge yesterday.  I guess that leaves me with only….991 more to go!  This run followed an awesome day out at sea.  I joined a couple gringos, actually a gringa and a gringo, for a day armed with massive fishing poles.  We passed the original location for Gilligan’s Island and suddenly…We hooked into a beautiful 45 pound dolphin, not the Flipper type.  I had been selected second in order of landing fish, so the lovely young lady struggled with this gorgeous beast and landed it 25 minutes later.  AWESOME!!!  After the necessary high fives and bragging, we set off to catch my monster.  Four minutes pass and the scream of “Fish on!!” cracks the air.  I jump in the chair to fight my beast; adrenaline pulsing through my aging body.  I imagine the thrill of watching the beast run, dive for the safety of deeper blue, and the vision of its body dancing through the air.  To make a short story even shorter, I found myself landing my seven pound rascal without even breaking a sweat.  The 90 degree temps took care of that when I went for my midday run.  All in all a good start for my journey and challenge.  Now back to Sarasota for some time with friends and family.

Scott and Dave better be ready for the 5k challenge this Friday at 6 on Siesta Key.  Come watch us battle the mean sands and stick around for the post race festivities!!  Pics coming soon.

Wow!!  The Bahamas are hot, but I started the journey.  Checked into the hotel and hit the streets for 5 miles.  Actually ran about two on the white sands of this gorgeous gem.  The question is do I use the odometer or do I countdown?  Any ideas?  I have 995 more to go!  I will post a photo of these blue waters soon.  This brings me to the divide…I left the safety of the Sheraton and hit the streets.  These streets are quite like all other small islands; the speed limit might be 25 but most drive at least double that!  After a mile on the road I saw Goodmans Beach, you have to love the name, at that point I hit the beach for some soft sand challenge.  I found myself surrounded by locals playing soccer and making sand castles.  I was also the only whitey in sight; quite a contrast from poolside at the Sheraton.  Well I had a beautiful day!  Returned to the safety of my less than humble abode and jumped in the ocean.  Then I figured I would take a gander at the impressive pool system.  As I rounded the fake waterfalls of the second pool, I thought I had hit the “adult” pool or maybe I had stumbled upon the famed grotto of Heffner fame??  Well much to my disappointment it was just a photo shoot for the bikini girls of Coppertone!   Fear not the details will get no juicier.  I wasn’t asked to join and play the role of hunk.  Thanks for the love and I will see you soon.

Can I do 1000 miles this year?

During a long run through the streets of San Francisco, my place of birth, I found myself pondering the foolish thoughts a runner has as they stumble through the next miles of pain.  I love to travel.  I love to run.  Why not combine the two and keep in touch with the world?  I am notoriously bad at keeping in touch, so here is my attempt at keeping in touch.  I hope to also keep it interesting.  My blogging coach, Tom Ward, is helping me right my wrongs.  I will leave my present home and begin a journey on the fourth of June.  I invite you to join me as I attempt to run 1000 miles as I wander our planet.  I will hope to make this experience as enjoyable for you as it will be for me.  Please feel free to comment on my words of wisdom or the lack of wisdom.  The odometer starts on Friday!!!