Groundhog Run 2014

I participated in my first run of the year last weekend.  I would normally say I ran a race but this was far from racing. The race was the Groundhog run in Kansas City.  It takes place in the caves at Hunt Midwest Subtropolis.  I have taken part in the 5K they have a couple times before.  The trip started with Lisa and I driving to Garry Gribble's in the Ward Parkway Mall to pick up our packets.  I was surprised when we got our shirts in that they were nicer than the shirts they handed out in the years past.  The comic groundhog was gone.  We then took a tour through Traders Joe's.  We had not been in before and I picked out some cheese and crackers, Laura bars and bananas for the next day.  Then it was off to the Power and Light District for a late lunch/early dinner.  We ate at a restaurant called BRGR.  I had a really good wedge salad and a not so tasty burger.  The burger was called the Juicy Lucy.  The waiter said I should get it medium and I usually get mine cooked well done.  I listened to him where I should have listened to experience.

 The next stop was the Harrah's North Casino and Hotel for the evening. I  have never stayed here and wanted to give it a try since it was close to the race.  It was OK but very expensive for this civil servant.  I do not gamble but we decided to try some video poker.  Twenty minutes later we were twenty dollars poorer.  It was a refresher course why I don't gamble.    The next morning we were off to the race by 7:30.  It was only a four mile drive and we parked and met the in-laws.  Lisa's dad and his wife Shirley came over for support.

 Lisa ran the 5K and did well at 8:00 and then I ran the 10K at 10:00.  I knew I was not ready to run that far but I decided to anyway.  It was a two lap course in the Subtroplis caves.  It makes the course seen longer than a race outside.  I went through the first 5K in 27 minutes, but I slowed down after that.  It was a a very difficult day for me.  I finished in an hour and 11 seconds.  I know now I have to get with the program and put in more miles before I run my half in April.

Till next time, Remember, Live Life at Full Speed!!

Kendall

Jelly Beans

  I received an email today and I just have to share the news.  I have been using Jelly Belly, jelly beans for years, as a reward, in some of the classes that I teach.  Kids love to get the sugary treat every so often.  The flavor that is the least picked by the kids is the black licorice ones. They tend to stay in the can the longest.  Well today my iphone buzzed and announced that I had a new e-mail from Jelly Belly.  I took a look and it said they have a new flavor.  I don't think it is one that I will be getting for consumption in my classes though.  Here is is the new flavor!

Draft Beer

I would love to give it a try, but I think my beer of choice will still be one that I drink.

Till next time, Remember, Live Life at Full Speed!!

Kendall



Week In Review: Week #2, 2014

1/6/14 Monday:  I got on the scale today and had a little good news, I dropped four pounds last week.  I need to drop about 30 more, but I understand it did not get there in a day and it will not disappear in a day.  I rode my bike in the basement for an hour in the afternoon.  I went 22.5 miles.  I did not have school today because of the Polar Vortex.  It was just too cold.

1/7/14 Tuesday:  I was back in school today which was good.  I start to get cabin fever when we get too long of a break from school.  I went into GreatLife after work and ran on the treadmill.  I went 3 miles in 26:36.  I came home and worked out again in the evening.  I rode the Schwinn for 30 minutes and logged 10.8 miles.  

1/8/14  Wednesday:  I went to work today and found out I had detention duty.  I had one student in there for two hours.  I get paid a little for the job but at my age I would much rather just have the time off.  I was going to the gym after work, but that plan was scrapped and I just headed home.

1/9/14 Thursday:  I took today off because I had to stay home to get the Internet upgraded.  We have had at&t DSL for years and I felt it was not enough for all the devices we now have in the house, so I opted to change to at&t U-verse.  They give you an eight hour window for installation.  It only took about an hour to put in, but I still had to take the day off.  It is much faster now.  When we had DSL we only had 1.2 mps and with the new system we have 12 mps.  Much better!!  I should have worked out today but my old habits kicked in.

1/10/14 Friday:  Work and no workout!!!

1/11/14 Saturday:  Chris and I worked on the basement again today.  It is coming along nicely.  I am really enjoying the process.  

New workout area

1/12/14 Sunday:  We were back framing again today.  We ran out of lumber, so did not finish like I thought we would.  I will pick some up at Menard's this week and we can finish framing next weekend.

I did go for my first outside run of the year today.  Very slow, but I slogged through 4.1 miles.  I ran through downtown Lindsborg and had to dodge some ice and snow spots, but it was good to be out.

Weekly miles rode:  33.3

Weekly miles ran:  7.11

Till next time, Remember, Live Life at Full Speed!!

Kendall

Week In Review: Week #1, 2014

This week was a short one. I only want to keep track of things in 2014, so this week was only five days instead of a normal seven.  I hope to send out an update every week to chronicle the year.

1/1/14 Wednesday: I start off the year on a sour note.  I got on the scale and it read 222.8.  That is the biggest number I have seen for me in maybe ten years.  Not good!!  I had to work a few hours at school today so I drove in and worked on grades and planned for the new semester.  I then ran for four miles around the indoor track at school.  I did not time it, but it was slow, I guess around ten minutes a mile. I then rode my exercise bike for 30 minutes in the basement.  I went 11.3 miles.

1/2/14 Thursday:  I got up for work this morning and I turned my phone on to find a voice mail that announced that school was called off for the day.  I decided I needed to get out so I drove into Salina and did a treadmill run at the gym.  I went four miles at 9:23 a mile.

1/3/14 Friday: First day of school for the new year.  I decided to keep up the running today so after school I zipped back to the gym for another treadmill run.  Four miles again at 9:23.  I did notice some soreness in the achilles in my right leg. I decided a couple days off running was in order, better to baby it now and try to make up the mileage later.

1/4/14 Saturday:  I got a call from my good friend Chris this morning.  He wanted to know if it was time to start finishing my basement. We had discussed doing this since last Summer.  Last July while Lisa and I were on vacation in Colorado, a flood went through Lindsborg and I was one of the lucky ones that ended up with water in the basement.  It was about nine feet deep in there.  It was quite a deal cleaning and replacing things and it is still not done yet. Chris convinced me I could finish it myself with his help.  We bought lumber at Menard's and started in.  It went pretty well and I actually enjoyed it.  I am not the handyman type!!!!

This is a pic of the cause of all the damage. The Flood of 2013! My neighbors are floating out in a boat through my front yard.

Here is the basement with the weekends worth of work showing.  I did a little workout on Saturday. I rode the exercise bike for 30 minutes again.  I went 10.7 miles.  I do have to say my wife is not helping me on a mission to lose weight this week.  She fixed some really great meals. Her beef stew was amazing.  She also fixed this little number to start off the day.

1/5/14 Sunday: Chris came over again and we worked on the basement for a few more hours.  No workout today! I did sign up for a subscription on Netflix this week and I watched Skyfall and The Hunger Games.  It was an up and down week, but overall a good one.

Weekly miles rode: 22

Weekly miles ran: 12

Till next time, Remember, Live Life at Full Speed!!

Kendall