Dear cycling:

It has been a long time since we've last spoken to each other. I have missed you dearly. I know I just barged in on you. I didn't even knock today. Im sorry about that, it was awful rude of me. I really wanted to see you again.

We had a good time today didn't we? 30 miles together, 10 times as many hills. We didn'e have any close calls with cars! We will see how I feel about it tomorrow, but I know I will keep crawling back for more. You cause me pain and fatigue, but you're worth every second of it.

The burn for that last 10 miles was a reminder to me that I never want to leave you again. You are so loyal to me and I just deserted you. Please take me back and I promise to hold you close.


Ok enough of that. So as you can probably tell, I went for my first ride today. I love it. The burn deep in my legs that I'm still feeling hours later. The pain from grinding my ass bones into the seat will stop eventually, as I remember it. I hope its soon. So 30 today. I'm gonna have to swim tomorrow and maybe put a few miles on a stationary bike at the gym to work some transistions. Long story short, there is a possibility I could be ready for this half!

So I had a heart to heart with what caused the downward spiral. It felt good. It was exactly what I needed. I think I can stop drinking to hide the pain. Life still isnt what it used to be, but now I have hope that it can get back to that. Thank you, you know who you are.

Other than that, I kinda tore my car apart this afternoon, ran outta time with light, but got almost all the interior pieces out (that I needed to). My poor car is naked on the inside. Im doing this so I can finish installing my stereo. I got an HD reciever, and a satellite reciever for it (a few other bits too). I'm going to try and get this all installed through the week, and hopefully be able to finish this weekend. I'm pretty excited to make all the grey buttons on my radio red because I can use them!

Well, thats all for now

Here I am again!

Well, my loayal readers, I'm am back after more than probably a month of absence. I know I've inspired a lot of you into changing your lives for the better, mostly with my mile a day, but several of you in other ways as well. That makes me so happy, and proud to have been able to touch that many of you without even seeing you for several years in some cases.

I know i haven't been here for a while to keep you going, but hopefully you were able to. Recently I have been battling with some inner problems that I didn't think I was going to have to see again. With the way I have been living as of late, I didn't feel it would be fair to try and inspire you while I couldn't inspire myself. Now, I'm still dealing with things, but in a much more healthy way. I have been able to maintain my mile a day, as well as finishing my first marathon! I am really excited about the results of it, including the pitfalls and pains.

I continued to train once I went out to CA. Problem was, I was having some severe knee pains on my long run days, right around mile 10-12. Enough pain to make me have to walk. So, I backed off the long runs for about 3 weeks prior to the race, and didn't feel that pain. So I went with it. Race day- got to the race nice and early, was ready, felt real good. Miles one through 8 went real smooth, I remember them because for whatever reason, I could not STOP farting. It was making me laugh the whole time. Got to mile 9ish and dont remember a whole lot until mile 12. It was smooth, I was calm and felt good. Right? Otherwise I would think I would remember it... So mile 12 is where the half marathoners and full split off. I continued on miles started ticking off, to the point where I would run by 13, then 14, then 16... What? Where was 15? Anyways I was truckin'. Got to mile 18 and I did one final quick math in my head and as long as I didn't slow my pace by a minute or more a mile I was going to finish at 3:35! I was PUMPED! Got to mile 20 and my knee problem killed me. It hurt so bad I could hardly walk let alone jog. It took me 18 minutes to get through that one mile. I was able to hobble up to a 11 minute pace and limp my way to the end but it ruined my finish time. I ended finishing at 4:04. Which is about a 9:30 pace. Not too shabby considering... I'm happy with it, and I'm even more excited to do another! I think I will stick to one a year, just because I dont think I need to run more than that. And I'll be able to do them for longer, hopefully.

So now, I needed something to carry me through my rough patch. I found it. I think there is a half ironman triathlon nearby, in August. 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run. I'm definitely going to train for it. The way I see it, I already have the run down, all I have to do is maintain it, easy-ish. Short runs through the week, long run on the weekend, maybe some speed work mixed in. So I have just over 2 months to get my swim and my bike under control. I'm thinking I may be able to do it. I'll wait to sign up and see how the training is going at that point. If not I'm sure there will be another one in a month or so to give me a few more weeks to be ready.

School has been pretty my mute in my life. I had a wonderful month in CA and really enjoyed the program, and would not mind being a part of that for 3 years once I'm done with school. May has been and June will be the same rotation here in Ohio at a wound care center. Its all very interesting, but it is pretty much the same thing over and over again. I like it, but don't really think I could base my practice on it. I won't say I'm against it, because what if that is whats needed where I end up? I just don't plan for that to be my path.

So, to try and change some of the bad in my life to good, I've quit the sauce. Booze, you might say? Nah, I love that stuff. No, I quit drinkin coke. Coke is what I call all soda-pop type beverages. I felt I had to because I would crave not the sugar, nor the caffeine, but the carbonation. I couldn't go a day without it. So I quit. Today is day 4 or so and I have a bit of a craving, but they are fewer and farther between. I'm far enough out of the hard part that I am not drinking (heavily) daily, but now it has trimmed back to a much more reasonable 2 or 3 nights a week. I would love to vent to you all as to the cause of this downfall of me, but it just isnt the time. I'm not quite ready to share it with everyone, nor do I feel a blog is the right venue to do that. Haha. But with that all in mind, I am doing well again, I am happy again, and I am talking to you again! All very good things.

I think this is about the end of today. There is so much I haven't told you, but you got all the important stuff. Now I think I'm going to give people on XBOX live the business end of my boomstick on COD.

Captain Technology

So we all know I do like the new gadgets and gizmos, but we all also know I'm usually fairly late on getting them.  I was the first, however, to get a black RAZR in Bloomington.  Thats all.  Ive had a black razr ever since.  Ive never had any need to move up.

Now I do.  With the costs of cell phone bills rising and texting being pretty much the only way you can reliably get ahold of someone... You have to have it.  I have had it, but only 200 a month, and we all know how quickly you can burn through that.  SO.  I went out and got myself a blackberry.  They have that BB messaging system.  BALLER!  Its like free texting!  Im still astonished by this.  I think I like it so much because I feel like I'm stickin it to the man by not paying to use his text technology.  So I spent much up my afternoon off setting it up and learning how to use it.  I think I can at least use the thing.  I definitely need to learn to type quicker on the thing.  And more accurately as well.

So Sat I went for a run.  I wanted to make it in the area of...14-16 miles.  Made it 11, maybe 11.5, and died.  Know why I died?  I think sun may have a part in it but I think it was mostly the fact I ran the last 5 miles in sand.  My sis says I was in the "hard" sand.  Hard sand or not, it was at least 50% harder running in it.  I think the looser deeper stuff up the beach would have KILLED me.  Yesterday, I ran around 3, really fast.  I like running fast.  It makes me feel like I'm in shape.  Today was a shorter day and I ran 2, and worked in 3 short really steep hills that I sprinted up.  Just to make myself suffer some.

So I really wish I had picked some other month to make it out here.  Well, had been selected to be out here.  There are several reasons for this.  1) So I could be a little more prepared for the questions and not be so green behind the ears for this one, 2) So the ocean would be a touch warmer so I could go SURFING without a wetsuit (we went on sunday, I loved it, as usual, and we had a TON of fun doing it), but mostly 3) So Kim could have some free time that I could get her out here for some time.  I'd love for her to come out here for like a week or so.  Maybe sometime in the near future we can take a vacation out here for...oh, lets call it "personal health and growth".  Sound important?  I thought that would make it a more legit reason to do it.

Well, I have several articles that I have to know by tomorrow, time to get started.  Ill catch ya later!

One week...

So I have been here for almost one full week.  I have 4 days in at the rotation.

I am exhausted.

I don't know how I'm ever going to make it through residency.  3 years of this is going to probably kill me!

Unfortunately, this week has been abnormally slow at the program, as far as clinic/surgery goes.  I've watched a few surgeries, and worked in one attending's clinic in the afternoon.  Believe me, that does not mean I have been able to just float around and flub off.  The two residents have been beating me over the head!  Everything I have learned over the last 3 years has been coming back to haunt me.  Antibiotics (MOAs, coverage), surgery classifications, compartment syndrome, anesthetics, surgical procedures, ALL of it.  And they just keep going with it too.  For whatever reason, they've decided to "make me a pimp" at the rest of my externships (as they say).  I tell them I'm just along for the ride, and I'll try and learn everything they can teach me.

As an aside, one of the outpatient surgery centers we go to is owned by a plastic surgeon.  There are boxes and boxes of fake boobies everywhere.  Posters of sizes and shapes... I didn't know there were so many options with those things!  The volume, dimensions, shape, material, natural hang factor.  WOW.  There are probably 150 of those things on shelves all over the place.  Anyway.

So I think I'll have a cool surgery tomorrow.  Tib-fib fracture ex-fix.  Im excited to see that.  I've never seen an ex-fix put on before, nor have I ever seen an open reduction before.  Then I have the afternoon for more studying.  Great, time to get beat over the head some more.

I have been going to sleep at 10-1030 since I got here.  Mostly because that's when my sis and her hubby do.  I am SO glad I have been.  There would be no way I'd survive if I hadn't.  Speaking of, it is my bedtime.  I'll chat with ya again this weekend.

Here I am...In CA!!!

So I made it.  I'm in California.  I guess I didn't realize it was going to take me 15 hours to get here though.  I got here, and my parents are here.  We went to the BEST burger bar in PB.  Man was that delicious.  Then we headed up to Oceanside where my sis and her hubby live.  This is my first time seeing in their new place.  Really nice.  Then we were all pretty tired so we turned in for the night.

Sunday, I woke up and hung out for a little while.  Decided I would head out for my first run here in CA.  I knew I was going to run far, I had made that decision a while ago.  Started running down the beach boardwalk.  Got a little carried away watching the wonderful scenery, then I ended up starting to recognize some of the scenery.  I figured out...I was in the next town south of Oceanside, Carlsbad.  One of my favorite towns I've ever been to.  It's tiny, the beaches are beautiful, the downtown.  I love that place.  If you are ever in the San Diego area, do go there.  You won't be let down.  So, here I am in Carlsbad, turn around and decided to head home a different way.  Went up to the main road and saw a ton of people running/walking on that road.  Went up to one of them and asked what was going on, it was the Carlsbad 5000 (is what she called is).  So I started running in it.  I went probably 2 miles with them until their path diverged from mine.  There was a cop sitting there, and I had to ask to make sure I was on my way home, which way was Oceanside.  He looked at me a little confused and pointed me the right direction.  I figure I ran about...9-9.5 miles.  Not a bad one either.

Today I went in to the surgery center at 6:30.  Observed the only surgery scheduled today (slow day, which is very rare) and then headed off the the hospital for a quick tour given to me by the first year resident.  As we were walking around, we go to the subject of working out, and diet.  I told him about my mile a day.  Explained how you can tell yourself all you have to do is 1 mile.  Not too much time, not too much sweating, all that good sales pitch stuff I've been feeding you for the passed 4 months.  He started talking about trying to run 3 days a week, then lifting 2.  Then the subject kind of passed.  Probably 4 hours later, as we were preparing to leave, studying some things, and he was helping me with reviewing/learning for tomorrows cases, he said, "You know, I think I am going to hit you up on the mile idea.  You can easily will yourself to do, and finish a mile."

I ROPED IN ANOTHER!

Either I'm a great salesman, or it just makes sense as a way to get back into working out.  I think its the later.  No...I know it's the later of the two.  Regardless, he's going to try starting it today when he got home.

Speaking of getting home, as soon as I got home I studied for the surgeries tomorrow...Then I ran!  I figure I went about 4 miles today, mostly along the beach.  In shorts, and sunglasses.   This made me so happy.  Then I talked to my lovely Kim.  I come to find out she got caught in the SLEET halfway through her run!  WOW!  I still find it amazing how different weather can be.

I am tired, I have another early morning tomorrow, and I need to do a little more reviewing.  This means I will be cutting it off a little early tonight, and talking to you later.

By the way...128 days and counting!

Hmmmmmmmm...

Ok, so heres the deal... I have tons of packing to do, I should have called my sis about a few things, I could have folded my clothes after laundry, I should have done all my patient logs from March, I could have finished cleaning my house... Want me to keep going? Want to know what I did manage to get done? I ran (good) I cleaned the inside of my car which is now spotless (whatever) I ate a TON of bbq chicken pizza (GREAT!) and I drank a bottle of wine (even better!). Notice the trend here? I didnt get anything that I HAVE to do done, I just got stuff that I wanted to do done. Whatever. I do have all day tomorrow, and tomorrow night. Hopefully I don't sleep in forever tomorrow, because that sure would throw everything off. We'll make it work, right?

So lets start at the beginning. Yesterday, I went for a bike ride on the path thats near my school. The pace was not blistering, as I am not training for any sort of biking, so I chose to keep my cadence way up, probably around 110 or so. 10 miles later, it was a deep burn. BUT I did have to do my 1 mile. So I took off down the same path I just rode and ran 1.75 (I know that because there's a house that far down the path that's labeled) and back. 3.5 miles. That deep burn from the ride turned into all out torture. But I was able to keep the legs churning and pumped out around 8:30 miles. That was until I went for my run today. I was thinking another 3-4 today would be good for me. Boy, was I wrong. I went a half a mile and Almost died. Had to walk for about a minute or so to get my head together. Cut it down and told myself, I can walk for one more minute if I run a total of 2 miles, the rest of which I cannot walk. I felt like I jad just started running again after a 2 year hiatus. MAN, I sure showed me whose boss (err...huh?). So, remember lesson 1 from long ago (maybe it was lesson 2) dont think you can go for a long run the day after a long ride in the car (6+ hours)? And then remember that went out the window once I grew up and wasn't such a wimp anymore? So I'm replacing that rule with this rule: If you're not used to it, don't think a bike ride the day or 2 before a race will be a nice day off/change of pace and you'll feel good.

Wine is good.

So today after my run I was sitting around and wanted food. I couldn't buy any because I leave for the whole month on saturday, which means unless it were canned, its gonna spoil. So I was trying to decide on my own, then with Kim's help, then while waiting for her response Wil's help (about 30 minutes later) if I wanted Taco Bell or pizza. Check this out, both Kim and Wil answered within 10 seconds of each other and both agreed PIZZA. Which I, of course, agreed with. So I order a big BBQ chicken pizza. Probably too big. But with as much as I got, its going to last me dinner tonight, and lunch and dinner tomorrow. If you know my lack of will-power with pizza, that's definitaly saying something (if you didn't aready know, I cannot STOP when it comes to pizza, if there is any left, I'll gladly keep eating, to the point of sickness. That and donuts. Those are my two "I can't control myself things"). Then I look on good ole' stalkerbook...I mean Facebook...and my brother tells me "bbq chicken pizza, you cant go wrong". Sad. I've lived 26 years without this guy. He marry's my sister and I find out we probably couldn't agree more... On more than just pizza by the way. That's not the ONLY reason he's kickass.

Wine is awesome.

OH! Another really cool thing happened today. I have been in email contact with Hanes underpants because I'm not too happy with the 2 4-packs I bought a while back. They fit really really weird. I used to really like the fit of the "boxer briefs" but I just bought 8 of them and its way off now. Luckily I bought 4 "trunks" which fit awesome, so I had a point of comparison. Anyway, I've been talking to Mr. Hanes about it and I was thinking I'd mail the 8 crappy pair back. Let me clarify. I got mediums because thats about the size of my waist, I didnt want them too tight, so I went medium. The length between the bottom of the crotch to the top of the waistband has go to be...18 inches? Its really bizzarre. Which is exactly what I told Hanes. When I pull them up they go at least 4 inches if not 6 inches above my belly button. I feel like a grandpa. Unacceptable for running, maybe ok for lifting or something else. But this is what I told them, and they said they'd be sending me a complementary pack! WOO! I don't have to mail the others back! Meaning, I can tolerate these weird ones for short run days, or lifting days, and theyre basically free!!! WOOOOOOO!!! Horray for a company that is based on customer service and satisfaction, that seems to be getting harder and harder to find these days. I will probably buy only Hanes for this reason! They now have a devoted consumer. Was that too indepth? maybe? Sorry.

Wine make me jabbery, but is GREAT!

"City girl in country boots" I'm not gonna lie to you, there is no way I'm getting any of my patient logs done tonight. Either I: a) drank too much wine to even care, b)you are way awesomer than I and can do this, or c) are in the same state of mind and plug through without really paying any attention to whats going on with them. I'm hoping its c more than anything. WAIT! Nope, sorry, I just had a fleeting moment of thinking I may want to start these things. That fizzled out real quickly. Oh well, I'll do them sometime.

Yummy wine.

Ok my dear readers, I haven't been 100% honest with you. I mentioned a "bottle of wine". I may have mislead you with that statement. It's one of the BIG bottles, like the "it holds as much as 2 bottles, but only counts as 1 bottle" size. I am really starting to get good and liquered up! I think my right ring finger has a permanent spot on the delete button for all the typos. Fatty, I cannot follow your rules, this would be completly unreadable without using the delete button.

OOP! Here comes another refill!

I kinda wanna keep rattling because I think this may get very interesting very soon. Hmmm... Maybe I'll step away for a few minutes to let some more wines sink in, and we'll see where this goes? Sounds like a plan...

...ok, im back. about 1 hour later and i finished the bottle...well 2 bottles in one, but whose counting?

Man this wine stuff is super cool. And I think I'm even super cooler for drinkin it.

Anyways. Why is it when Im at my most in-oppertune moments I have to try and help someone thats hurt? Boy. The perils of getting drunk when in learning about this kinda stuff. I can't wait to sleep in tomorrow.

I LOVE wine!

I dont even have anything to write about any more. I've put down 2 bottles, haven't done anything I've intended on doing, and am ready for bed.

So do we think I'll get everything done tomorrow I need to? Obviously I'll pack. Is the apt. gonna be clean, is the secret Kim present gonna be finished, is the car gonna be washed, are the logs gonna be done? Who knows. I bet the bags get packed, and the Kim present gets done. The rest is just noise in the background. HAHA.

Welp, im gonna slug that last few sips down, probably watch a half a movie and hit the hay. I'll talk to you all later... Probably once I hit the Whales Vagina... San Diego for those who don't speak German.

Im here!

So, as always, I let myself get too wrapped up in doing a million other things than keeping you all posted. I'm sorry again. It's been over a week. :(

Had a very packed passed weekend! I drove over to the Ft. Wayner to meet up with Chris and Jackie. Hung out there for Thursday night, and we left on Friday to hit B-town to pick up Kim on the way to Louisville. We went down there to see Matt Kearney and Matt Nathanson in concert. They were great! Kearney put on an amazing setlist (minus the super annoying 13 year old girls that were there)! Then Nathanson came on, that guy is hilarious! If you ever get a chance to see him, GO! Great music, explaining where the songs came from, too funny, and the random chatter he was yackin about almost had me in tears! Very enjoyable.

Speaking of Louisville... JD, I believe the statement you made was something like, "The closest Casey is going to get to the buckle is if he steals my pants." I've gotta ask ya buddy, whats the weather like that far down in the standings? BOOOYA!

Enough of that. This nect month is going to be bittersweet for me. I am going to San Diego for the month. I'll be living with my sister and her hubby, and it's going to be great. But I also am in the position where I'm not going to be able to see Kim for over a month, including watching the team shes coaching woop some booty at Lil' 500. I'm really upset about it. I really want to be there for the race. Im also very nervous about the rotation, as it is my first, all I know is the basics they taught me in class, and the small amount I've read outside of class. Hopefully it'll be enough to get me started, and I'll learn a ton there. And I'm already nervous about the presentation I have to give while I'm out there, a 10 minute powerpoint about something, of my choosing.

Ive been runnin myself ragged trying to get everything tied up here before I leave for a month. Trying to clean my place, clean my car, and get my secret project for Kim done, all in by the end of this week. This could take me a month. A month I don't have. Ive got 25% 100% done, and the other 75% is 50% done. If that makes any sense. Scientifically proven, 60% of the time it works 100% of the time.

Now onto my running. Been keeping it going, but it's been rough. Short runs is all I've gotten in pretty much. I've been doing so many other things I'm running out of hours in the day to do my long runs. I've been able to average about 3 or 4 miles a day for the passed 2 weeks now. Not enough to be able to achieve my goal in the marathon. So I'm gonna keep the miles around 5 or so this week, then start really putting in the long runs in CA. I hope I have the time! I'll make it work though.

Well, I kinda caught you up to speed with me. I have a lot of stuff to get done over the next 4 days, then I leave. I'll be back before I leave, then once I get out there, I'm more than certain I'll have tons to talk about with you all. Catch ya later!