Running Thoughts

Since I’ve been down here in LA, I’ve had the good fortune (or torture) of having a physical fitness freak of nature as an older sibling. As such, I can honestly say I have run more miles in this span of 3 weeks than I have in my entire life. Now, I must admit, the totality of what I have run certainly does not measure up to fleet footed exploits of many of my more masochistic friends. However, the miles I have accumulated in this brief temporal span has left me wondering how many different ways can I feel pain in my lower extremities. With that being said, I am sufficiently ticked with my physical ineptitude, and so I find the only recourse for me is to press on with subjecting my legs to more abuse.

Every so often in your life, you meet challenges that punch you in the face and run off in a random direction, but not before taking possession of your family jewels in the process. This such challenge was presented to me in the form of the Nike 10K Human Race. Now, many of you may be thinking that running a 10K is a relative cakewalk. After all, how difficult could 6.2 miles of LA pavement be? For a more polished physical specimen, this 10K would undoubtedly be that proverbial cakewalk. Unfortunately for me, I am far from being a polished physical specimen. Although I lack the literary prowess to accurately convey various painful experiences that my legs felt that fateful night, I believe the picture below says it all.

who is this frail creature you ask? unfortunately it is i, the all too skinny, hopelessly out of shape version of me.

I seriously look like I’m about to collapse on the spot. Now, why put up this embarrassing shot of a man (more like a boy really) who looks like he’s about to make a face plant within the next 30 seconds? Call it a source of motivation. Because quite honestly, that picture sickens me. So if the cost of reaching my physical goals is to stare at that depressing image over and over again, I guess I’m just going to have to take it.

Anyhow, on another note, with the upcoming election on the forefront of the minds of many Americans, I guess I’ll put in my two cents. With the slew of Republican attack ads on Obama demonstrating that they are obviously still holding onto the brand of negative and manipulative politics of the past 8 years, I wonder how the polls still show that McCain and Obama are still neck at neck. It bothers me that Americans so easily fail to see the issues and are continually duped by the hate mongering and lies of the Republican party. How was Sarah Palin’s speech during the Republican National Convention considered to be such a hit by so many Americans? It’s a shame because the speech told me nothing about her except that she’s a hockey mom, whatever the hell that is supposed to mean. The entire speech was just a hate filled attack on Obama, full of distorted facts and manipulative lies. How is someone who has only been the mayor of small city and the governor of Alaska for less than two years even remotely qualified for job of Vice President? Anyhow, here are some links that I found to be informative about the race in general.

http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/what-is-mccain-thinking-one-alaskans-perspective/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/09/mccain-ad-cites-articles_n_125218.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/11/sarah-palins-charlie-gibs_n_125772.html

Oh, and in terms of the Olympics (I know, a little late), but the gold medal match between the US and Spain was AWESOME. Why Pau Gasol can’t play like that in the NBA is beyond me. Favorite moments for me: Kobe saving the day, and Rudy Fernandez with a NASTY dunk over Dwight Howard. You can count me a Rudy Fernandez fan already.