A note about fundraising

Running news: I did nine miles this morning. It was hard.

But I really want to talk about fundraising and the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBSAZ) organization. So far, I've raised just shy of $600 - that means I'm approaching 50% of my total goal of $1300. Pretty good! I've got a couple months left to raise the rest and I don't expect that I'll have much difficulty. We'll soon be tailgating some home ASU games to trade beads for donations, among other things.

I mention all of this because it's easy to lose sight of why I'm running in the first place. I got involved with BBSAZ on a whim - I'd always wanted to volunteer and figured it would be a good fit. In the past six months, I've gotten to know the coolest kid. He's just an all-around good dude. I hope that, as our relationship grows, I can have a positive impact on him. That's what I signed up for.

I'm running so that BBBSAZ can help another rad kid find a mentor. Nine miles is tough, but it doesn't match the day in, day out of an entire organization working toward that goal.

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The best thing about our long runs

It's simple. Here's what I like most about our weekend runs: after a certain point, every step becomes the longest I've ever run. It's a huge motivator. We did eight miles today. It wasn't easy, but I enjoyed every minute of it. Weird, right?

I'm pretty sure I need to start livening this blog up with some pictures. I thought about bringing my phone along, but it just seems like such an annoying thing to haul around. Is there a Nano-sized camera out there? Bueller?

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Miscellaneous

Not too much to update. Kind of a low-key week - four miles Tuesday, three tonight. We'll be running eight miles Saturday morning which, after seven last weekend, doesn't seem too daunting. I still think it's a little weird to be running this much.

Fundraising is moving along slowly. I'll be with a small group selling maroon and gold beads for donations at ASU home games. With any luck, that'll help revive my efforts and get me that much closer to my goal.

The weather is much nicer, now. Mostly in the 70s when I run, which feels a whole lot different (and better) than the low 100s. From now until April, I love Phoenix. Love.

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The secret fuel of elite runners

Bratwurst Sliders.

Let's back up. I missed my group run this morning - stayed out way too late last night watching a friend's band and woke with a mild (but annoying all the same) hangover. I spent the day completing errands and had a bratwurst and chicken wing dinner. So much for fueling my body with the right foods.

I thought it might be a bad idea to go for a run tonight, but one missed run surely begets another. Before you know it, I'd be huffing and puffing through a mile and a half, trying to get back on track. So I ran seven miles. And it wasn't all that bad. Much better than last week's long run, actually.

So, there you have it. If you want to meet your training goals, fill up on processed meat and sauerkraut.

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On stopwatches and tiny dogs

Great run.

I felt good the whole way through and finally broke the 10:00/mile barrier, finishing my 3.17 miles in 31:38. I'm not going to win any races, but it's a definite improvement over my efforts in weeks past.

Of course, no run would be complete without a dog chasing me. Or, in this case, two dogs. They weren't pit bulls (thank god), but two extra-small Min Pins. Am I doing something wrong here? I half expect to run into a coyote before this is over.

Anyway, seven miles tomorrow. Seven! It's all uphill from here.

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