Sneaky Greg's World

I made it...

2009-09-26T10:26:00.000-07:00

21.26 miles that is in 3:41:40, it took me 3 tries but I did it today.

I won't say it was easy, in fact I pushed through more pain than I ever thought I would. I also never would have made it without the support of my lovely Wife. She gets up early on her day off and drives out and meets me at the 13 mile mark and takes all my pods and refills them with water and Gatorade for me. I am only able to carry 46 ozs of fluid so if she didn't do this for me there is no way I could go that far. And then to top it off when I get home she is making me a nice breakfast and boy am I hungry. My HRM says that I burned over 4600 calories for that run... wow.

I was good through mile 18 at that point I told my body "Just a little more than a 5k to go." At 18.5 miles my body said "hey this is where you got to last week, we could stop and walk a little" My reply was "Yeah thats what you told me last week and you lied you wouldn't start running again.

At mile 19 my body said " hey look 19 miles done you could stop here thats farther than last week" my reply " Ummmmm yeah we are doing 21. 19.75 miles my body said "oh come on look you have done 19.75 miles thats a lot" My reply was "yeah and so a mile and a half is just a little drop in the bucket.

At mile 20 my body really protested "look you just made to the farthest point you could please, please stop here." at that point I took my headphones out and said "shut the heck up you are going the full distance and that is all there is to it"

Fortunately my body listened to me or I quit listening, when I came around that last corner and saw the end of the last block I sped up. I don't think it was a big speed burst but it was more speed. When I got to the end I hurt but you know what not anymore than on any of my other long runs and as I write this the soreness is slowly fading but the knowledge that I did it is still with me.

It was important for me to make this distance today not because it was my third try but because last year this very weekend. The last one in Sep Dennis and I had a goal to run to Sutter and back on the bike path 9.2 miles. When we set that goal we were only running 3.5 miles at a time so it was ambitious but we made it. I wanted today the anniversary of that date to be the day I did the 21.26 and it was.

So, So, Soooooooooooo Close

2009-09-19T11:15:00.000-07:00

Went out for my 21 mile run this morning. Felt really good, for the first hour I listened to a sermon by my old pastors son David Myatt. It was a really good message and kept my attention the whole time. After that it was music as usual. DW met me at about the 11 mile mark and refilled my water pods that were empty and then headed down to the 13 mile mark to wait there and refill my Gatorade pods.

At just before 17 miles I started to hurt bad, tried to push on and decided to allow myself a 5 minute walk. Did some stretches walked 5 minutes and off again but the pain just came back after about another mile. Did a couple more walk then runs and finally called it. Called DW and she came and picked me up. I am glad I did not continue to try to push. I was really sore but was able to stretch it out without too much pain.

Final total was 18.5 miles again my farthest run on my own and considering I have not been getting in as many miles during the week that I need that is not bad. Next week it will be farther even yet.

My HRM said I burned 4226 calories HOLY CRAP thats a lot. Spark People Said it was like 3100 I figure the real number is somewhere in between.

When I got home DW made me some awesome biscuits and gravy had a 1300 calorie breakfast that was needed.

Now out to the fruit stand for some yummy peaches

Yoga X

2009-09-18T17:59:00.001-07:00

Well week 4 is done, finished with Yoga X today. I really looked forward to it for the first time. I guess I am finally getting used to it. I still can't hold some of the options as long as they can but I push and push and I know I will get there sooner or later.

Sunday I officially start the Phase 2 of the Classic routines should be fun. I know P90X and fun in the same sentence what can I say I must be ill.

21 mile run scheduled for tomorrow and the way I feel this week I am making it!!!

Have a great weekend

Week 4 Day 2 And Some Rain

2009-09-14T18:41:00.000-07:00

OK so woke up this morning a 3:30 to go run, well when I let the dogs out I noticed it was just pouring rain. Run didn't happen except for the mad dash to my truck to roll up the windows...oops... let the dogs back in and went back to bed. I sure hope Denny didn't show up to run cause I was sleeping.

To bad the rain was here I was looking forward to running this morning, tomorrow is another day.

Core Synergistics today felt really good recovery week is great. Tomorrow is Kempo X Just bring it

Recovery Week

2009-09-13T17:22:00.001-07:00

Alright started recovery week today and officially switched to the classic program from the lean program. Today was Yoga X and I think that is just what my body needed. I just finished and showered and man do I feel good. I like the way my body feels after the yoga but I sure dread that workout and I don't know why... but it is what it is.

Talked to Denny at church today, he is the young man that ran with me last monday. He didn't run any other day last week cause he had to work 12 hour shifts and besides he said I worked him so hard monday it was thursday before he felt normal again. Nice to know I can do that to a 20 year old...lol. Anyway he is going to run with me in the morning and at least one more day this week, I think it is good he is taking it slow. Who knows next year at the San Francisco Marathon it could be 3 of us Me, Dennis and Denny.

Well I hope your weekend was a good one and that the coming week doesn't beat you down.

Remeber just "Bring It!"

Almost

2009-09-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

Set out to do 21 miles this morning and didn't make it. I fact 10 miles was as far as I got. I think a lot of things factored in, bonking this week being one and then me pushing the leg and back workout really hard. DW asked why I pushed so hard on my leg workout and my response was "cause I'm a guy" geesh she couldn't figure that out...lol...

I was very disapointed at first but then had a nice talk with myself and said "self just relax next week will be better no more bonking and you will make it just fine" I felt better after the self talk.

It was a good thing that DW was meeting me at about the 13 mile mark to refill my waters so that I didn't have to stash a cooler and could keep running while she refilled them for me. Since she hadn't passed me yet I just turned down the road I knew she was coming on and sure enough after about 5 minutes there was my ride home. At least I didn't have to walk like 4 miles.

Next week will be BETTER!!!!!

BONKED....

2009-09-12T08:57:00.000-07:00

Yup thats what happened Tuesday morning on my run...BONKED... bigtime. I felt like I was running through wet concrete it happened at about the 2.5 mile mark and never got better. I really thought I was going to have to stop and walk and that was only on a 4 mile run!

I hink what happened was the limiting carbs. I did P90X last year while running but I was not logging anywhere near the miles/week that I am now, I think I simply depleted all my stores. I also think I wasn't eating enough calories for the ammount of exercise I was doing. So long story short I am eating my carbs. I know that P90X's diet guide has a formula but it is set up for those just doing P90X, I am traing for a marathon on top of P90X I should have seen this coming. Oh well I missed my workouts Tue and Wed, didn't run after Tue. I did legs, back and ab ripper x yesterday and felt great. Did Kempo X today feel great, so I guess the carbs were the problem.

Will be doing 21 miles tomorrow... Holy Crap!!!!! I can't hardly believe I will only need 5.2 more miles for the marathon.

Good news on Dennis' knee, I was talking to a longtime runner today and he said it really sounded like I.T. Band syndrome. Well I looked it up on cool running and sure enough all the symptoms listed are exactly what he is experiencing. So I printed the article for him and he is going to take it to the Doctors appt with him Tues.

Basically I.T. Band syndrome is caused by over training without enough stretching. Point 1 I had told him he was pushing hills way to much and to hard. Point 2 I told him to stretch more. I guess it just comes with age... wisdom that is. Its not that I have been running that much longer but I have taken the time to read all I could get my hands on about what I was getting myself into and how to prevent injury while doing it. I am 21 years older than Dennis and have had enough injuries along the way that I don't really want to have anymore at this juncture of my life.

AHHHHHHHHHH youth we knew everything back then.

Have a great weekend

New Direction

2009-09-07T18:44:00.000-07:00

So Denny showed up at 5 this morning and we headed out for our run. I will have to say he did pretty good for his first run he made it almost 1.5 miles and then walked for a while and headed back and met me at the end, he did run about another mile after his walk. He is going to come over tomorrow morning but I bet he's real sore.

Dennis did try to run yesterday and still had that knee pain, so he is going to wait until he sees the doctor before he tries again. He did tell me he would ride his bike along with me on my long runs to keep me company, now that is pretty cool.

Did plyometrics today, it was suppose to be cardio x but that workout just wasn't enough for me, I am going to switch over to the classic from the lean program for phase 2 & 3. I did get my cardio up really good with plyo today and burned almost 1000 calories according to my HRM.

Hope your long weekend was good

Week 3 Already!?

2009-09-06T20:14:00.000-07:00

Wow week 3 day 1 of P90X done today Core Synergistics. Hard for me to believe that it going by this fast. I am going to do another round in Jan but I am going to try to do it with a group of people from church so I think I am going to modify the lean and classic together cause I don't want to repeat the lean but don't want them to fail the classic either.

I might have someone to run with in the mornings during the week on my short runs. There is a young man at church that is going to run with me tomorrow, he wants to be a police officer and says he can't enter the academy all flabby... I agree with him but starting out at 4 miles may be a little ambitious for him although he did say he would walk if he needed to and my 4 mile route is a loop so I could pick him up on the way back. We shall see if he sticks with it.

Dennis was going to try a short run today I will see him tomorrow, I hope it worked for him but I did tell him he still needs to have a doctor look at that knee just to make sure its not tweeked.

Week2, 15 Miles And A Movie

2009-09-05T10:49:00.000-07:00

Finished week 2 of P90X yesterday with Kempo X. I was kind of surprised it was the first time I had been able to do that workout with my heart rate monitor on. I pushed myself hard and kept up with them the whole time and could only get my HR to 143 at peak. Even when Tony said his was 164, I guess it has to do with my distance running. Good workout though and did burn a good ammount of calories.

I needed to carb load a little last night for my run today so I decided tha chinese sounded really good. Chow mein has a good ammount of carbs so off we go to a place I used to eat quite often... I don't know if they changed owners or what but the food was horrible. DW says it is probably cause we don't eat like that anymore... I just think that places food sucks now personally.

15.25 miles done this morning all by my lonesome. This was the longest run I have ever done on my own. It was kind of weird but not as bad as I had anticipated, like I have said before I know running is 90% mental and when you get over that mental hump you gots it beat. I am feeling it now and know I just have to get the miles in during the week to build the endurance back up. Next Saturday is going to be 21 miles that will be my longest run alone or otherwise, so it should be interesting to see how it goes.

OK so the title said something about a movie. I have wanted to see August Rush for quite sometime now and have just never gotten it. Shame on me, that movie was awesome, if you like music and haven't seen it you need to. It started a little slow but the wait was worth it. That movie will make you want to play or write a song. 5 stars. 2 thumbs up fantabulous and all those great accolades. I think I am going to buy it. I would like to have the soundtrack for my mp3 player while I am running, I could use it for inspiration while running.

Have a great and safe long weekend

Week 2 Day 5 and other things

2009-09-03T18:34:00.000-07:00

Legs, Back and AB Ripper X today. I will say that I am getting farther already with the AB Ripper workout only on week 2 and can do far more than week one. Nice to see it come back so fast.

I have run 4 miles yesterday and this morning and will run 4 in the morning again tomorrow. It feels good to get back in routine, I really need to get the miles logged if I am going to do this marathon. I plan on doing 15 miles on Sat it will be kinda weird cause that is the longest I have ever run by myself.

Next week I plan on 4 miles every morning and then 21 on Sat, I might be pushing a little but I was looking at my spreadsheet and it has been 6 weeks since we did our last 20 mile run and as fast as time is going December will be here before I know it.

I really hope I can keep myself pushed for the long run, I have a goal set and was thinking about it the other day, when I first started running I was the only one pushing me. I was pushing me towards a goal and I made it. Granted that goal was only 3 miles but I went from nothing to that. I think I just need to push back the I hope I can make it thoughts and focus on the I know I can make it, I don't have to have someone there with me, although that is nice I can and will do this.

That last part was for me :) have a great day

Now Things Are Interesting

2009-09-01T17:04:00.000-07:00

We tried to run after work today but after only about a 1/4 mile Dennis' knee started giving him pain again.... so we had to stop. He is going to have one of the physical therapists look at it at work tomorrow but I have a feeling he is gonna be on the shelf for a while. This leaves me to go the marathon training on my own. I think I am up for that and we shall see, it will be a little weird as we have trained as a team for a long time now but I really want to do this.

Having decided that I registered for the Cowtown Core Logic half marathon on Oct. 4th it is one we were planning to do and I figured if I registered today I would have to keep pushing through. Afterall there is a no refund policy.

I feel really bad for Dennis he has worked hard and this is eating at him but at the same time I don't want to see him hurt himself, he is only 26 and will bounce back from this and if he misses the marathon there is always the San Francisco marathon next July and we are doing that one. I want my picture of running across the Golden Gate Bridge.

As for P90X I got up at 4 am and did Arm and shoulders with AB Ripper X this morning. I am going to have to switch back to P90X in the afternoon and running in the morning. I always preffered running in the early morning only did the afternoons so I could run with Dennis.

Week 2 day 1&2

2009-08-31T16:14:00.001-07:00

Got up at 4 AM and did coresynergistics this morning and it felt good. Now I remember why I liked working out in the morning and I think I will cont to do my workouts at the butt crack of dawn.

Did Cardio X when I got home from work so I am caught up and right back on track. I really did not want to be off this early in the program.

Now about those carbs, I really didn't realise how much I liked them until I limit myself on them. My wife says I am almost as grouchy as when I quit smoking... BUT WHAT THE HECK DOES SHE KNOW :-P... I was saving them until my evening meal but today I had them at lunch and I will see how that goes.

Tomorrow Dennis is going to try to run again, I really hope his knee is better so that he can get back on track with our marathon traing we really need to get our miles in.

Well that about sums it up for the day hope you had a good one

P90 What????

2009-08-30T18:13:00.000-07:00

So Kempo X on Friday was delayed due to I needed to take care of some stuff after work and take my wife to Chico and since we were there dinner was a good thing to have. Well by the time I got home all full and stuff it just wasn't happening and I said tomorrow. Dennis came over Friday night and we played Halo until 2:30 AM... man we shredded some covenant and flood... this lead to me sleeping in on Sat and I decided to make whole wheat pancakes. After eating I was so tired all I could do was lay on the couch. I did finally decide I at least needed to run and went to check the weather 103!!!!!!!!! holy crap I ain't running in that.

Back to the couch.

Did get a nice 8.5 mile run in today it was a little warm but a lot less then yesterday and there was some breeze so that helped. I am going to do Coresynergistics in the morning before work and cardio X after work tomorrow and will be right back on track.

This low carb thing is still killing me but I am doing fairly well with it.

Have a great day

Week 1 Day 5

2009-08-27T20:01:00.000-07:00

Legs and Back, AB Ripper X the legs portion went really well for me with all my running I was able to push it real hard. I had forgotten how many lunges and squats you do in that workout, I know this is going to improve my times. Back and AB Ripper well they are just hard.

As for our run today Dennis tried but we only went about 1.5 miles and his knee started hurting again, he went home to ice it and we will see how far we can go on Saturday.

Tomorrow is Kempo X another workout that I like a lot.

The one serving of carbs a day thing is going pretty good. Like I said before I just have carbs one meal don't really measure them but it is still a lot less carbs than my norm.

Peace out

Week 1 Day 4

2009-08-26T18:58:00.000-07:00

Well got Yoga X done and it was just as hard as I remembered it but I will say I liked it better this time around and besides even if I don't like it I know that it is a good thing for me to do. I still can't believe that you can work up that much of a sweat and hardly move.

Tomorrow is legs and back and AB Ripper X again, kinda looking forward to that.

I have decided that Fridays will be my weight day and so this Friday when I weigh I will update my ticker. I know that I have gained since the last time that I did but I am also hoping that by Friday I will at least be really close to whats there already. For those of you reading on blogspot I am talking about my Spark People weight ticker.

I would like to thank all my Spark Friends for the support, it is nice to know that people actually read these blogs.

Oh yeah tomorrow is also supposed to be a 6 mile hill run after work I will have to see how Dennis feels but if he can't run I will run before the P90X workout.

Have a great day

Week 1 Day 3

2009-08-25T18:21:00.000-07:00

So today was one of my favotie workouts in all of P90X. Shoulders and Arms cause if your shoulders and arms don't look good well you just kinda look like a stick and then finished it off with AB Ripper X can you say owwwww.

The real reason this workout is my fave is because before I started my first round last year I had some real issues with my left shoulder to the point that I thought it might need surgery. Range of motion was off and if I pushed it to far back really sharp pains. I noticed by the end of the second month that the pain and Range of motion was better and now there is no pain and no range of motion limitations and it is all because of this program and its shoulder work. So there you go thats why its me favorite.

Now tomorrow is my least favorite Yoga. I know its good for me and all but I just don't like it I will do it cause its part of the program but I would never go outta my why to find a yoga group.

Week 1 Day 2

2009-08-24T19:28:00.000-07:00

Well after a very short run today... Dennis' knee was giving him trouble and no sense making small pains worse... I came home and got right into day 2 Cardio X.

The workout was not quite what I had expected it was a combo of yoga, kempo, plyo and some things off other videos but it was a good workout. It was kind of nice to already know the moves but I was kind of hoping for something new.

The hardest part of phase 1 for me last time around was the one serving of carbs a day and I think it is gonna be the hard part again. Had my carbs at lunch and boy did I want some more at dinner ah well it is only 4 weeks then my level goes up woo hoo

Week 1 day 1

2009-08-23T17:24:00.001-07:00

Ok so I told myself that I was going to do another round of P90X after vacation was over. Well got home last weekend and said ok get through this week and start. Decided that Sunday would be day 1 because if you have been following my progress you will know that Saturdays are reserved for long runs on mine and Dennis' quest for the marathon in Dec. Anyways to make a long story longer after I got home from church today ate a big lunch so couldn't start then cause was just to full, so after watching 3 hours of the 100 best songs of the 80's on VH1 classic I knew if I didn't get my butt off the couch it was gonna stay there.

I decided to do the lean program this time cause I really don't want to bulk up and I don't want to interfere with my running at all in fact I told Dennis if this started hurting my runs I would hold off until after the marathon. So today was core synergistics to start now I didn't do core synergistics the last time until week 3 cause I did the classic routine and by the time I did it I was getting pretty good at the P90X thing. So I get all my stuff together and start the DVD, warm up was no problem but 20 minutes in and I was beat, I truly forgot how hard P90X was I did finish... well all except the 5 minute bonus.. and am ready for a 6 mile run tomorrow after work and then week 1 day 2 cardio X. I am excited about the cardio cause I never had to do it the last time around we did the plyo workout instead.

I really think though after todays workout I am going to see a huge benefit from this program in my running and I think after a few weeks my min/mile will start to come down. Until tomorrow have a great day

The Great Race

2009-07-18T17:26:00.000-07:00

Participated in my first triathlon today. It was a 5.82 mile run, 12.5 mile bike ride and a 6.35 mile kayak. I did the run my Cousin Paul did the bike and his GF Tiffany did the kayak

Thats us before the race. I actually made the run in 53:18 which is right on the time I wanted. When I broke down the split I did about a 9:30 mile for the first 3 and an 8:30 mile for the last 2.82, the thing is I felt like I could have pushed a lot harder when I got done. When I crossed the 5 mile mark I really picked up the pace and was planning on a full out sprint for the last quarter mile but before I knew it I was at the transition point, oh well next year I know where that run ends. I really feel that the 2 mile run I did 1 hour prior to the race just to warm up real good and then stretched for like 15 minutes after the short run was the key. I never once felt any tightness or soreness at all once the race started soooooo I guess I will have to remember that little trick for short races. It should be noted that Tiffany wasn't even sure she wanted to do this but when she shredded the kayak portion in a great big heavy tandem kayak she is already fired up for next year and said she wants a smaller sleeker kayak so she can shave off some of that time. The girl kicked butt finishing in under and hour that means she was cruising down that river. Here is the link for their page the results should be up sometime next week we did the coed division and our team name was The Little Engines That Could.

The Little Man With A Big Heart

2009-07-12T15:02:00.000-07:00

The other morning I woke up thinking about my time with the carnival, Thats right for those of you who don't know I traveled with the carnival for 2 years back in the mid 80's.

Anyway I got to wondering what had happened to the people who I worked for. So I did what any sensible person would do I started googling.

You really should be careful when you are looking into the past cause the more I looked around and the more I found the more I wanted. Long story short I ran acroos the thing I didn't really want to see

Jerry Lee Bohlander, 65, of Gibsonton, Fla., and formerly of Milton, Ind., died on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008, at Tampa General Hospital. He was born on Oct. 4, 1942, in Batesville, Ind., to Harold and Jeannette Rodgers Bohlander.

Yup my favorite boss ever the little man with the big heart Big Hearted Jerry Bohlander. I was shocked and saddened when I read this and memories came flooding back.

I first met Jerry in 1985 as I was drifting around the country using only my charm and my thumb (hitch hiking) and I saw these carnival trucks at a truck stop. Me "you guys need help" Terry (Jerry's son) "yes we do" Me "OK I need a job" and that started a 2 year friendship.

It turned out that Jerry was rebuilding his route and was just moving all the rides to Washington DC and winging it from there, so we got the rides up there and then set up camp at a local campground with Terry's fithwheel and Jerry's motorhome. Here is where the Big heart comes in. Jerry didn't know me from Adam yet I stayed in his motorhome, we would get up in the morning watch Phil Donahue and drink coffee and just talk for a while before getting started on the day. Even though we wern't working at the time and no money was coming in Jerry made sure we were fed and when the work was dry for 2 weeks he took us to another carnival in the area and got us work in the games so we could make some cash.

When we were in Key West and would go out and enjoy the night life I could count on a knock on my trailer door the next morning and Jerry's smiling face standing there with a glass of ice water for me "come on time to work, those rides won't paint themselves" even though he had been out with us all night he would be the first one up.

So it is with a sad heart and a tear in my eye as I say Good bye Boss I know you are missed, even though I only knew you for a short while you had a greater impact on my life than you will ever know.

What Happened...

2009-05-04T21:48:00.000-07:00

To the sun that is. I decided to go on a short 4 mile run when I got home today just to try to loosen up a bit after saturdays half. Although the clouds had been black and the wind was blowing the rain had not started so I was safe right?

Well I was as far from home as I could be on my route when it started raining, yup 2 miles out no stopping now. I guess that was just natures way of making sure I got my whole run in.

It really wasn't that bad the wind was worse than the rain cause my legs are tired today and running into a head wind well you might as well be running uphill. I guess its good for me but dang it what happened to all that sunshine we just had. I know in about 2 months I'll be complaining its to hot but could we just have some nice 75-80 degree weather for about a month solid, that would be really nice.

Second Time Around

2009-05-02T15:31:00.001-07:00

So out the door at 5:30 A.M.... yes you heard that or maybe it should be read that right. Picked Dennis up by 6 and head to Sac for the parkway half marathon http://www.parkwayhalf.com/ . So it was a little rainy and were in the heck was all that sun we had lately?.

When we got close to the park it was obvious we were going to have to park on a side street and walk a little. I could not belive how many people were there. The mood was light and festive, I felt a lot looser than I did at the Bidwell Classic and thought "this is gonna be fun"

The run was scheduled to start at 8:15 and was only about 5 minutes late starting. It took a couple miles for things to start spreading out, it amazes me at how many people will start towards the front of the pack, even when they have signs saying 6 min/mile 7 min/mile and so on. I guess some people just think they are going to be faster at a race. It is kind of satisfying to pass those guys as they are walking next to the path sucking air cause they didn't pace themselves.

The course was really nice with some gentle rolling hills (did I mention I train in flat farmland) good thing Dennis and I are working on some hill training just not enough to make a difference yet. I was bound and determined to keep a steady even pace and not try to push the uphill portions and it worked. I am not going to say it was easy but I pushed, pushed and then pushed some more and when I passed that 13 mile marker and knew I had 1/10th of a mile to go I spent every last bit of energy I had and even passed a few more people before the finish line. I think one of the coolest things they did was call out your name as you finished it really added a nice touch to hear that over the speakers

So I just looked up the results this morning and I finished 835 out of 1837 overall so that means more finished behind me than in front of me which was a goal I had for this race and finished 54 out of 84 in my division ( men 45-49) so a little work needed there my official time was 2:09:30:7

Longest Yet...

2009-03-21T12:56:00.001-07:00

Run that is. We did 14.14 miles this morning, that is a full mile longer than our longest run. Time wasn't bad at all 2:17:40, half of the run was into a stiff wind but most of that was the first half so not really that bad, in fact we talked about it and that is probably some really good training conditions cause when the wind isn't there our time should be better. Overall it was a great run and both of us felt like we could have made the 15 miles, which is the next step in 2 weeks. So full marathon watch out we are coming for you.

Done

2009-03-07T16:46:00.000-08:00

So we headed out this morning abot 7:15 got up to Chico and the atmosphere was just really cool everyone was excited and talking about the day. We got checked in and just kinda walked around and soaked up the great vibes. We watched the start of the 5K and also saw the first guy finish in 15:51 now thats a smokin time. He was 2 minutes ahead of 2nd place.

We were in the second starting wave of the HM so we watched the first wave take off and my excitement kept building. Now our estimated finish time was supposed to put us at the front of the second wave, but neither Dennis or I wanted to be the pace setters so we went all the way to the back of the pack. When that starts horn went off we started moving, my excitement built and when we got to the start line and could take off in true Greg fashion I went just a little to fast. I did manage to reign myself in after about a 1/4 mile and we took about a 9:15 pace. Got to the first aid station and the guy had a nice cup of water in his hand and I kind of threw it at my mouth figuring I would catch some and cool off with some...guess what it was lemon flavored energy drink DOH!! Just a little stickier I kept on going and learned a valuable lesson when approaching the aid station ask "who has water?" problem solved.

This half marathon was setup as 2 6.5 mile loops and then the 0.1 finish trail. The first loop went really good and we started the second loop. At about mile 8 Dennis was starting to put some distance between himself and me (I had told him earlier to run his race) and I was starting to slow. By mile 10 I could no longer see Dennins and my pace had slowed quite a bit. Between mile 11 and 12 was bad I actually stopped and walked 3 times for 30 seconds each. This is not normal for me I have never stopped to walk and when I stopped the third time I gave myself a good talking to and said "You are not going to stop again, you will be running at the end of this race . Now get your butt in gear and go boy!" so I did cause myself sounded kinda ticked off and I didn't want that guy mad at me. I also took off my headphones when I restarted running just to focus a little more.

When I came to the point that I knew I had about 1/2 mile left I started pushing a little harder and when I turned the corner and had that last tenth of a mile I put it all out on the line. Dennis had already finished and was waiting about 100 feet from the finish clapping and hollering encouragement and then it was done. When I crossed the line and went to the little stations they had set up to cut off your timing chip, well when I went to put my foot on the stool I almost fell over. Just a little dizzy, kinda cool actually. My gun time was 2 hour 14 minutes my time on my heart rate monitor was 2:08:48 I don't have my chip time yet. Dennis and I talked and he finished about 6 minutes ahead of me. I couldn't for the life of me figure out what had slowed me so much, well the course had some incline, not hills just long steady inclines and that is not something I am used to. So hill training is in my future cause that will not happen again. As for Dennis finishing so far ahead...he is 21 years younger than me we will just chalk it up to youthful exuberance.

All in all it was great day and I am so happy. I did say no more running in those shoes and we went to Big 5 I rewarded myself with 2 new pair of running shoes and a new compression shirt. I think the next big run is May 3rd Avenue of the Giants. Its on the NorCal coast through the Giant Redwoods.

Beautiful Morning

2009-02-24T09:56:00.001-08:00

I woke up this morning and just like it said on weather.com it was sunny and nice. Got in a really good 10 mile run 1:37:38 not a bad time. Signed up for the half marathon last saturday so it is official I will be running it on March 7th. Dennis won't be running with me he has been sick and hasn't run in over 2 weeks now so he begged off, which I can totally understand. So it will just be me and several hundred others, I still have my music and after his mornings run I know without a doubt I can keep myself motivated throughout the run.

Have a great week

12 Days Later

2009-02-19T10:47:00.001-08:00

After 12 days I finally got to run again. I didn't run the first part of last week because we had a trip planned to pismo beach and riding a 400 pound quad on the sand dunes is a really good workout and I was taking the week off and going to do a 5 mile run last sat in pismo. But the weather didn't cooperate and not only did we only get one day on the dunes but we had to come home early and in the process I got sick. Yesterday I finally felt better and almost went out to run then but decided to wait one more day. It felt so good to get out there and feel the pavement under my feet the sweat flowing and the heart rate climbing. I did 4 miles in 38:10:09 not bad considering the circumstances average HR was 171 which is kinda high I usually stay about 155-157 peak was 190 WOW still recovered fast though. My body really feels better after the run I was really sore in my hips and back from lying around for days and after about 1 mile things started to loosen up. I guess lying around really is bad for you... lol.
Have a great week.

Pismo Got Rained Out

2009-02-16T08:08:00.000-08:00

Went to sunny Pismo Beach on Thursday. Was going to ride the dunes for 3 days. When we got there we set up camp and headed for the beach it was a little windy but otherwise sunny and nice. 4 hours of ripping up the dunes and just having fun then back to camp. Dennis and I had a great dinner and just hung out slept really well after all that riding. Got up the next morning and made breakfast and while we were eating the rain started and man did it come down. The next thing we know we have a lake forming around our table...hmm thats not good. So we start making a trench cause we are smarter than this water we can beat it after all we are men. Well we lost that battle, then we looked in the tent...oh crap its leaking!!! I guess we shouldn't have been laughung at those other people with the same tent who tarped theirs earlier. So now we are out there tarping the tent, have I mentioned it is still pouring rain? Get the tent tarped and look at lake will-be-gone (thats what we named it) and it has gotten bigger, look inside the tent and water is coming up through the bottom...oops. So now we have the bright idea to move the tent and we do. Long story short we finally gave up as the weather report said rain all week and packed up and headed home. Did I mention that its a 6 1/2 hour drive? Now on the way home I am not feeling to good and by the time we got home unloaded Dennis' stuff and I got home and unloaded mine it was quite obvious that I had caught the crud my wife had, yay. That was the cherry on top of the weekend. Here it is monday and I am finally feeling better. The upside is at least we got one good day of riding in.

Pic Of The Day 7

2009-02-08T14:27:00.001-08:00

YAY HE THREW MY BABY!!!!!!!!!

Thats right I finally threw the baby

This has been afun challenge I might even throw up a pic or two from time to time.

Pic Of The Day 6

2009-02-07T13:21:00.001-08:00

Happiness Is...

"HEY THROW MY BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Pic Of The Day 5

2009-02-06T14:55:00.001-08:00

TGIF AND I GET TO RIDE TODAY
OK Then throw my rope

Pic Of The Day 4

2009-02-05T05:41:00.001-08:00

Plese, oh please throw my baby
What do you think, should I throw the baby????

Pic of The Day 3

2009-02-04T08:44:00.001-08:00

HAPPY HUMP DAY halfway through the week
Please throw my baby

Pic Of The Day 2

2009-02-03T09:03:00.001-08:00

You want me to do what????????

Daily Pic

2009-02-02T09:27:00.001-08:00

Do I really have to go to work??

And Cole's pic of the day. "Are you going to throw my baby for me???"

13 Mile Run

2009-01-31T12:04:00.001-08:00

Did another 13 mile run today and we finished in 2:02:51 thats a full 5:30 faster than we did back in November. Thats an average of 9:22 per mile not bad for a couple of guys who have been running for less than a year now. I know without a doubt that if we keep this up we will finish the Bidwell classic half marathon in less the 2 hours. We run that on March 7 so plenty of time to knock off the last couple of minutes. All this just one week after my 47th birthday and have I mentioned that the guy I run with is only 26. It is good for me cause when I am starting to fade he is young and like the energizer bunny and seems to pull me along, but I did manage to kick it in high gear for our final push and make h8im whine just a little today. My heart rate monitor says I burned 2887 calories with just the run and Spark Peoples cardio tracker says it was just over 2000, I think I trust the heart rate monitor as it is actually keeping track all the time. My average HR today was 165 I was in my zone 1:59 peak HR was 181 I have my zone set 150-185 and that seems to work really well for me. We are going to push it next Sat also but the following will only be 5 miles cause we are going to be in Pismo Beach riding the dunes on our quads for 3 days, that should be enough cardio for anyone.

Have a great week

Fooling Ourselves

2009-01-12T16:37:00.000-08:00

I got this nifty new scale this weekend. It will tell me my BMI, Body fat % store my goal weight and tell me how far away from it I am (as if I couldn't do the math) and yes I did put in a goal. So I decided to try something I weighed this morning before work and when I got home I weighed just before going out to run. Interestingly enough with all the water I had drank and breakfast and lunch I was only 0.2# heavier when I got home. Went on a 4 mile run and weighed my self just before getting in the shower and was 3.6# lighter WOOHOO I should record it!

"EH HUM did you just sweat all that weight off running?"

who said that?
*head swivels eyes looking around*

stupid conscience, yeah I know I just sweated it off and as soon as I drink some more water it will be back. But couldn't you just let me fool myself for a little while.

In other news I didn't quite make the 25 miles last week but did do 22. I was so sore by Saturday that I decided a couple days off running were in order. It paid off todays run was really good and this weeks goal is 26 miles.

They Fit!?!?!?!

2009-01-05T17:31:00.001-08:00

I bought a new pair of pants on Saturday and when I took them off the rack I grabbed a pair of 34's. I really didn't think they would fit comfortably but decided to at least try them on anyway. Not only did they fit comfortably but they felt good and they look good too (at least DW says so) To think that when I started this weight loss journey I was wearing 38's and they were getting so tight I was looking at going to 40's. I haven't been really happy with the way I've been going the last couple of months but this has definitely given me a really good boost that I think I needed.

Did a 10 mile run on Sat with Dennis and man was it cold outside and the wind was really blowing to top things off. The last couple of miles was into the wind and that made things kind of interesting, good thing we both bought running jackets cause we would never have made it without them.

Lutefisk yuck. What's that well picture clear jello with a really strong nasty fish smell with a taste to match and you have a close idea. My wife's family is Norwegian and lutefisk is something they eat (now I know why the vikings were so mean. They were hungry) anyway Saturday was the annual lutefisk dinner with her familt. Now I love her family I just can not for the life of me figure out why perfectly intelligent people would eat icky fish is beyond me

Hope everyone has a great week

Inspirations

2009-01-01T18:06:00.000-08:00

You just never know where inspiration is going to come from. I had it all set in my mind to run after work today. When we got off work we needed to go to the store, I can't believe how many people were in walmart today uGHHHHH. By the time we got checked out (we have the habit of finding the slowest frickin checkers in the world) and got home all I wanted to do was sit on my butt. So thats what I was going to do until I logged onto spark people and read this in a posting.

I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest asset or heaviest burden.
I will push you up to success or down to disappointment.
I am at your command.
Half the things you do might just as well be turned over to me,
For I can do them quickly, correctly, and profitably.
I am easily managed, just be firm with me.
Those who are great, I have made great.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.
I am not a machine, though I work with the precision
of a machine and the intelligence of a person.
You can run me for profit, or you can run me for ruin.
Show me how you want it done. Educate me.
Train me. Lead me. Reward me.
And I will then...do it automatically.
I am your servant.
Who am I?
I am a habit.

Now how could I read that and not do something about it? I closed my browser got off my kiester and changed into my running clothes, got my trusty mp3 player and decided to run around the street in front of the high school were I began this running journey 11 months ago. And since I was running there I decided to time a 5k so I put on the 30 minute run podcast for the c35k program and off I went. Pushed my self pretty hard and ended up finishing in 25:55 I have only run 1 5k faster and that was in 25:45 with Dennis there to help push me (we always run faster times together)

You just never know when or what is going to inspire you so keep your eyes open cause it might pass you by if you don't.

What A Year

2008-12-31T16:58:00.000-08:00

WOW when I look back at the year it has really flown by. I am alot different now then I was this time last year and I am not just talking about my weight loss. I have different habits. I can run farther than I ever thought I would be able to. My relationship with Christ is stronger than ever before, life is good.

Thats not to say that there haven't been challenges along the way and pain (like when I tried to remove a bunch of skin when I wrecked my quad...ouch) or like the pain I had when I started running oh and I finished a round of P90X. I think the thing for me is that I have stuck it out, pushed through the hard times and not dwelled on them. I also have the bestest wife in the world who helps me to walk through lifes good and bad times. I know when things are tough she will be there and that reallly means alot to me.

I have also developed a great friendship with my running riding and gaming partner Dennis. God knew that I was going to need a friend when Bill and Charity moved and he provided one for me. So that scripture that says he will give us the desires of our hearts, it doesn't refer to what we think we want but what we truly need in our lives.

My work on the other hand provided the desire I didn't really need. I got a nice bonus check just before Christmas and I have wanted a PS3 for along time now, aaaaaaaaa yup I got one and a couple games too.

I DON'T WANT TO GROW UP I'M A TOY-R-US KID

2008 was a fun year and I am looking forward to the adventures of 2009, gonna go snowboarding for the first time, run an official 1/2 marathon, gonna do a relay triathlon with my cousin, at least one more round of P90X and who knows might even get a marathon in all I know is 2009 is a year I am going to challenge myself.

Sore, Sore, Sore

2008-12-13T11:06:00.001-08:00

So did I mention that I am frickin sore??? 25 miles in the books this week that is more miles than I have logged any week since I started running and it is only going to increase from here. I really hope that after a couple of weeks the soreness subsides and I am sure that it will, but it is a deep down body sore so I know all the work I am putting in is making a difference. I am going to do the P90X stretching routine on my off day because I think that will really help with the soreness and also help prevent any injuries.
Dennis and I went on our long run today and let me tell you after 6 miles I really wanted to quit but I didn't. Then we hit 7 miles and boy did I want to quit but I didn't. Then we hit 8 miles and my legs said "enough!" and my reply was "SILENCE<,OR I WILL KILL YOU!!!!" (ever seen Jeff Dunham?) and I didn't quit. At 9 miles I should have been done but our stupid little bike path is a round trip of 9.2 miles, so we sped up and started a hard push to the end so hard in fact that I lost my MP3 player about 50 feet from the end, fortunately it wasn't hurt. Overall the time wasn't our best but the effort I had to exert to make it was I feel my hardest yet. Like I said earlier more miles in the books this week than ever before. Oh and did I mention that I am sore? I was sore before I started my run this morning. Breakfast at the bear was my reward Yummmmmmmmmmmm hickory smoked ham and eggs. The fitness tracker says I burned more than 4,000 calories this week woohoo.

So It Begins

2008-12-11T18:19:00.000-08:00

Well I finished my first round of P90x and thought "Now What?"
Time to officially train for 1/2 marathon. I know I already ran that distance so why train. Glad you asked I am doing a 12 week program that will get me done in under an 1:45 thats pretty fast considering my first 1/2 was done in 2:08. I know it won't be the easiest thing this program has me running over 30 miles a week and peaks at 40 miles a week, oh and did I mention it is a 6 day a week program. I think I am becoming a masochist. Fortunately the web has a wealth of training info and resources to help keep me on track.

Went to a wound care seminar, whoa were did that come from, should have warned you of the subject change. Anyway went to a wound care seminar yesterday and I had forgotten just how much I really like wound care. I really think if I didn't want to have to drive all over I could be a really good wound nurse. I just don't want to drive all those miles each week. So it was a really good seminar and I learned a whole lot in just a short time and now I want to try it all out. The only thing is our nursing home has very few wounds, and that is a good thing so I guess I will just have to be patient.

What a week

2008-12-04T18:24:00.000-08:00

Monday started out like any old Monday does but boy did that change at about 9:30 in the morning the Surveyors from DHS (Department of Health Services) walked into our building for our annual survey. Now it wasn't a surprise that we were in survey cause we have been expecting it for the last month or so, hence the annual part but it was a surprise that they came in on a Monday. They usually show up on Tuesday and leave on Friday.

When we are in survey those of us in management are on high alert and also not allowed to go home until the survey team leaves for the day. They usually leave about 5pm not to bad right? Yeah well I get to work at 6am so 5pm is a long day. The good news is survey went really well, they found a few little things wrong but then again that is their job and none of us is perfect. The really good news is its over for another year just in time for our annual employee Christmas party tomorrow. A party that I cook for so there is another long and busy day.

With all this extra this week I have not done any P90X didn't run till I got home from work today and said well "Just Do It" as I laced up my Nikes... oops wait I gots Reebok's right now hmmmm I guess thats "Just Go" anyway had a really good run and will do 9 miles with Dennis on Sat.

B&C are moving this weekend to Stockton I still don't like it but I know tha really great things are in store for them and I am really excited to see what God has instore for their lives down there. I guess it is just the old change is hard thing but when you know the Lord's hand is in it it sure makes it easier to understand.

Ah well I am tired now and really need to rest.

First 5K

2008-11-27T13:27:00.001-08:00

So Dennis and I did our first offical organized 5K this morning our gun time was 29:30 I don't know what our chip time was I will find out later. I was a little disapointed as all the walkers thought they should be up front the first half mile was spent weaving in and out of walkers even though the announcer had said for the walkers to be in the back. It's all good though cause I know I pushed it really hard and gave it my best and that is all that really matters. I just know at the next 5k I enter I will start at the front I just really want to know where I actually stand and not have to dodge strollers and walkers. The run was for a really good cause it benefitted the Jesus center www.jesuscenter.org and they do really good work. Now I get to eat some turkey and mashed potatoes and stuffing and, and ,and yummmmmmmmmmmmmmm have a great Thanksgiving.

And Life Goes On...

2008-11-25T17:35:00.000-08:00

So life has been really busy and crazy lately. I mean really I started a new old job at my work on Nov 1 and boy has it been crazy getting back into the swing of it. Work has just been plain old busy and stressful (But that is kinda normal in Nursing)
Life well life is changing for our family again my Daughter and her family are moving out of the area. They have a wonderful opportunity for ministry and would be foolish not to go but that means no Daughter, Son in law or Grandkids right here in town anymore, oh and did I mention that Bill )SIL) is also my bestest friend, so yeah I thought I was ok with it but apperantley I was wrong had a little meltdown on Sunday but I think ultimately that was a good thing got it out now on with the show.
The cool thing is God has made sure I have a good friend here who likes the same things I do in Dennis, so even though I won't see Bill as often as I would like to I won't just be looking for someone to hang with (Yup its a guy thing I guess)
Took a week off P90X with all that has been going on I just felt burn't. Was the best thing I have done Back on track with day 3 of week 11 and boy do I feel it. Also started so that Saturday is my rest/stretch day and that will be good after our long runs.
I am getting really excited about Thanksgiving, no not for the food but I will be running my first 5K race that day. My Mom is going to be at the finish line taking pictures so I will post them when I gets them. Well thats about all for now.
Have a great week and a wonderful Thanksgiving

Thats Right...

2008-11-15T12:06:00.001-08:00

Yep you heard it here first the Wii Fit might call me a couch potato (more on that later) but I know whats true and I know I did it. Thats right I did it!!!!!! It what is it? Only a half Marathon length run, yup you heard it here first Dennis and I finished what we started a few weeks ago we did the big 1/2 today. The time? Oh glad you asked I just happen to know it 2 hours 8 minutes and 21 seconds thats only 3 minutes more than our 12.5 mile run so we deffinately kept a better pace. The carb gel I bought at GNC really worked good but I do need some kind of belt that will hold water bottles because man did I need water when I was done and the gel was really thick and sticky and it says to take it with water DOH. This was the first distance we had to give 2 tries before we got it but it is also the biggest fitness goal I have ever met. Problem is now I've done it and the next step is a full marathon. We did decide we are going to do the 1/2 3 or 4 more times at least before we think about increasing our milage I would like to see it done in under 2 hours before we move on.
In other news I am running my first 5k race on Thanksgiving day, I have really wanted to do a 5k and when I saw this one and the proceeds go to the Jesus center in Chico I knew it was for me. My last 5k length run was done in 25:28 so I am hoping to come in at under 25 minutes. Dennis said he is going to do it with me I hope so cause it is gonna be a rush. Afetr that I want to get 1 or 2 more 5k's in before I do a 1/2 marathon race.
OK the Wii Fit. I got one for my wife and decided to try it out. First the stupid thing called me obese and then later on a pushup section it called me a couch potato, I had just finished a 4 mile run. Stupid piece of electronic equipment. I did straighten out its attitude though, I had a long talk with it on how I have a really nice set of screwdrivers and wire cutters and I am more than willing to do surgery on electronics just to see what makes them tick. Yeah now it refers to me as "Oh fit master of the fitness Wii kingdom. How may I serve you" You just have to know how to reason with these things,
Really tghough when I look in the mirror now compared to 10 months ago if this is obese, then I am happy to be obese. And when I am sweating to P90X or runnin 13.1 miles if that is a couch potato well then slather me with butter (HMMM I might have to try that) anyway... umm yeah.
Have a great week

That Was Harder Than I Thought...

2008-10-25T11:29:00.000-07:00

1/2 Marathon that is Dennis and I set out this morning on our first attempt at a 1/2 marathon length run. It was nice and cool to start or should I say just plain old cold, I actually could see my breath at times. We kept a nice pace about 9:10 a mile to start I was feeling really good until about 10 miles and then my feet calf thighs butt I guess just all of my lower body was saying please stop and we kept going. Somewhere around 11 miles I got the most incredable head rush ever, that was kinda cool and we kept going at 12 miles Dennis asked me how I was doing and I said "we are going to make it, how you doing" well he was hurting in the stomache we pushed for another 1/2 mile and stopped to walk. That was a really weird feeling we walked for 1 minute and then tried to go again but after 100 yards or so knew it was walk out the rest. So we ran 12.5 miles in 2:05:10 but we finished all of the 1/2 marathon just walking and let me tell you the walk frickin hurt. I have never felt that stiff and sore after any of my runs but we walked it off and stretched really good had some breakfast and a hot shower and now I feel great. we both decided we need some kind of carb load before a long run like that. I think I will go to GNC and see what they have cause I don't want to fill my belly and try to run "BURP" ewwww but I know the carbs will see me through, I also know my body needs them because the breakfast I ate after the run did not make me feel all bloated and stuff and usually I can't even finish it.
P90X is going well I am on week 8 thats the second recovery week so new pictures soon. I am supposed to do Kempo today but I think I will stretch tooday and Kempo tomorrow, my legs will love me for it.
Didn't blog last week but we went to Lassen for fishing and brought home 17 nice rainbow tout. I caught the biggest trout I have ever caught almost as long as my arm. We also got some quad riding in and I think both of us needed to do that it was fun didn't get home till well after dark so it was a full day. Oh and the trou BBQed with cajun seasoning was really yummy.
Have a great week

Memory Walk

2008-10-12T07:29:00.000-07:00

Dennis and I went to the Chico Alzheimer's Memory Walk yesterday, along with some of our coworkers. Our plan was to run 10 miles, they had a 1 mile loop and a 3 mile loop. We were going to run the 1 mile first cause our boss was giving us sponsorship and we got more if we lapped her (we lapped her twice). we didn't get in 10 miles but we did do 6. There were so many people there that when we started the road was packed side to side we had to zig zag back and forth dodging walkers, strollers, wheelchairs, at times we were running on the logs lining the road or jumping over them to the grass and running, made the first mile really hard but kind of fun. Even though we didn't get our whole 10 miles in I felt like I had a good run and we both agreed we are going to go to Chico once in a while on Saturdays to run cause Bidwell Park is really a nice place to run. As far as the memory walk went I was really happy to see how many people attended I got some really good ideas for next year, this was the first year I attended but I will be back. Some of you may know and others don't but I manage a 50 bed Alzheimer's unit so this is something that I see as an important cause.
P90X is going really well, I have made some really good progress on the ab workout and am now able to do quite a few of the situps that I was only able to laugh at in the beginning. It is really nice to see all this work paying off.
Next week we are hoping to go fishing and riding up at Lassen. Oh I hope it doesn't rain.

Fishing Got Rained Out

2008-10-04T10:31:00.001-07:00

So we decided to do another long run 10.25 miles to be exact finished in 137:59 not the time we were hoping for but as we finished the first 5 mile leg and I looked at my watch we wer about 3 minutes ahead of what I thought we should be. That was a nice surprise until we actually turned to head back and lo and behold a nice stiff head wind. Oh crap no wonder we were ahead of our time. The whole way back was into the wind. At nine miles my hips and legs asked me "what do you think you are doing?!" I had to tell them to shutup and keep running. Fortunately they are well trained and obeyed. It probably didn't help that during my Plyometrics yesterday I really pushed myself to try to keep up with the video, but I also know if I don't push there are no gains. After the run went to the Black Bear and stocked up on some well deserved carbs, my favorite kind multigrain almond pancakes, they make them so big that I can't even finish 2 but man are they good. I figure I can do the calories cause this run today with the walking before and after burned almost 1800 cals woohooooooo.
I will do P90x I think its legs and biceps later today, man my legs are gonna cry :-) as for the rest of the day its kinda rainy and gray maybe its a good time to play some of those video games I got.

That Was Then...

2008-10-02T04:52:00.000-07:00

Some pictures the first one is the day I started the P90X program the second one was taken yesterday after I finish phase one of P90X.
I was surprised at how much change there was after 4 weeks it will be exciting to see the pics after 8 weeks. I guess all this hard work is paying off WOOHOO

9 Down 4 To Go

2008-09-27T12:12:00.001-07:00

actually it was 9.2 miles today in 1 hour 26 minutes and 52 seconds. My legs felt like rubber by the time we got done but we did manage to push pretty hard for the last 1/4 mile. The bike path we ran on was nice 4.6 miles out and the same back through orchards and farm land, the only problem with it is its an old railroad route so it is straight as an arrow. That means you can see your halfway and finish points from about a mile out and that can be a long mile let me tell you. Next week will only be a 30 minute run cause we are going fishing and quad riding and no not the cardio fishing. We are going up to Lassen cause there is some great riding up there too and then the weekend after that is the Alzheimer's walk but we are going to run it. It is a 1 mile track so I think I will convince Dennis we need to go around 9 times. After that we are going to start adding a mile a week until we have our half marathon in. Then probably slow down a bit and keep it at the half for a couple of months before we increase. We have talked about it and see no reason to stop at half might as well go for the full marathon. So it looks like when I am 47 I will run my first marathon length run WOOHOO.

P90X is going really well I started week 4 on Thursday and am still making increases in my reps. Phase 2 starts on next Thursday so there will be some different workouts like the one I did last night called Core Synergistics, man it just keeps intensifying, but I like it. My weight hasn't dropped yet but my pants are looser so I am losing inches and thats what its about right now, tone it up.

Good Saturday Run

2008-09-20T11:31:00.000-07:00

Did 7 miles today and this time Dennis decided to join me. We came in at 1 hour 5 minutes and 32 seconds that is almost 2 minutes faster than my previous time so not bad. Next Sat we are doing a run we have planned for a while it is on a bike/jog path by his house goes out to Sutter and back, when I checked it it was like 9.2 miles or somewhere right near that. This will be our longest run yet should be a really good challenge for the both of us.

P90X is going really well, I have seen a steady improvement in my reps every week. I had to go buy some heavier weights today and because I prefer the cap barbells man are they expensive it averages about a dollar per pound. That really doesn't sound bad until you put 2 35 pounders in the cart. I really need to move my Bowflex into the exercise room I think or I am gonna go broke buying weights.

Did really good with the one serving of carbs a day until thursday then it went bad first it was pizza for lunch. Really high carbs but man was it good, then on Friday it was a coworkers BD and someone made a really good cake with homemade chocolate icing, I was in a coma after just a small piece of that but again man was it good. Other than that I have managed to stick pretty close to one serving a day.

Fishing for Cardio??

2008-09-14T17:27:00.000-07:00

Hop skip and a jump to get there

Rock climbing anyone
Small spaces

After our half hour run yesterday Dennis and I headed off to Feather River Canyon for some trout fishing, sounds easy enough. Well first we had a half hour walk down a PG&E road to the river which is about 2500 feet below the highway and really steep oh yeah and dirt and rocky. Now the hard part is done right? NUH UH if you want to fish in the good holes you have to climb hop skip and jump over rocks and boulders and I do mean boulders some like 8 foot tall and all this done with a 20 pound pack on our backs. I did bring home 2 nice brown trout caught a whole buch of small ones that I sent back to grow up and one the was legal but on the small side that I sent back. Poor Dennis had a really big one out of the water and it wiggled free but at least I saw it so I guess he sort of caught it. After we were done fishing guess what, well remember that steep road we walked in on yep had to walk out man was it hard but at least the packs were lighter as I had drank most of my water all in all from the time we left the truck to the time we got back to it we were out for 8 hours and if that wasn't enough when I got home I did the P90X arms, shoulders and ab ripper x oh yeah.

Decided to back my running off to 3 days a week again as I am doing P90X and running 5 days a week along with that was just to much to keep up with and I think I was pushing to much so for at least the first month I will just keep it at 3 days.
Week 2 of P90X and I already see a difference in the reps I can do, that is really encouraging and so far I have stuck with it to the letter. The diet part is hard but I have stayed with only one portion of carbs a day man that is hard but its only for one month.

I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-09-09T19:23:00.000-07:00

Thats right jumped on the scale today and almost passed out 199.8!!!! My goal was 200 lbs by June 15th well it took me an extra 3 months but I stuck with it and I made it. Now I am thinking that lower is possible but right now I feel really good cause I set my mind to it stuck with it. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

It is really surreal But I weighed on the same scale every week so it must be and now with P90X it should keep going.

Thank You Jesus for the strength to keep going.

Hmmmm that worked

2008-09-08T16:49:00.001-07:00

Well it seems that even though the Yoga workout.. is that what you call it? anyway it seems that it works pretty good cause when I woke up this morning I was not near as sore as yesterday, in fact I could flex my arms without my triceps screaming like I was shredding them. Did legs and back today and was able to keep up with most of the leg exercises but not all of them and the ab ripper is still hard but I feel like I did better on it.

When I went out to run this morning my legs didn't want to cooperate, I think my overall times for my runs are going to be slower for awhile but will be lower in the longrun ( oh yeah pun intended)

Work was interesting today in the fact that I have been saying for over a year now that the unit supervisors should not be pulled off the desk and into meetings for 1-2 hours at a time and today they agreed with me. I think hell froze over so if you see a frozen demon now is the time to hit him with your spiritual sword cause he will shatter. It seems funny when you feel like you are talking to walls then all the sudden someone goes "hey thats a good idea" well duh I coulda told you that a longtime ago... oh wait I DID!!!!!!!!!

Still seems strange without Cassie here in the house but I do like having my exercise room and Aslan liked playing games in there yesterday while the big boys watched UFC. OH OH OH speaking of UFC Chuck Liddel got knocked the heck out I mean it was actually a thing of beauty. Overhand right crack on the jaw ragdoll fall to the mat and just layed there. If you missed it I am sure it is on you tube by now and worth seeing.

Ok so bye for now but don't stay away I might post again soon :-P

Who would of thought

2008-09-07T18:12:00.000-07:00

That Yoga would be so stikin hard. When I looked at what I had to do today in the P90X program it was YogaX and I thought cool stretching and stuff. Well my first clue should have been the big ole X after yoga. Man some of those exercises are hard, I mean like I was sweating hard, but I got through it.

I did like the balance part and the stretching part of the workout. At the end you were supposed to do complete relaxation and clear your mind. Nuh Uh no way not me I meditated on God and all he has done in my life and at the very end when he had us breathing deep uh yeah in the lotus position and you were supposed to exhale slowly and go ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I exhaled slowly with YOU ARE WORTHY. So I guess you could say I put my own spin on yoga x.

Went out for a short run today 5k to be exact and boy was I stiff, couldn't have anything to do with all the new exercise and the long run yesterday could it??? So I just took it slow and easy, still had sore legs in church.

Speaking of church or should I say speaking in church my SIL brought a great word today about What God is concerned about. Long story short God is concerned about souls, you don't believe that just turn your Bible to Luke 15 and you tell me what those parables mean. Anyways he brought a very powerful word that todays church needs to hear and act upon.

Thats about all I got for today, maybe tomorrow something really ineresting will happen and I can blog about that but until then... yeah thats all I got

Check It...

2008-09-06T08:26:00.000-07:00

DONE 7 miles this morning and I did it by my self Dennis called and wasn't feeling well so I was on my own 1 hour 7 minutes and 9 seconds not bad considering how frickin sore I am from the p90x workouts. I started them on Thursday and when I got up yesterday I expected to be really sore but was surprised that I wasn't. Well as the day went on I got sore and then did the Plyometrics workout yesterday. Needless to say I am really sore today especially my upper body. I guess I would be disappointed if I wasn't though after all I paid for an extreme workout and I think that is what I am getting. Arms and shoulders today, OH YEAH that should feel good.

Why oh why do I do this to myself, cause I want to be in shape. I want to run with my Grandchildren and not faint from exhaustion, I want to live my life to the length the Lord will use me for, not the length that my bad habits will allow and also for me cause yes I do have some vanity and would like just once to look good but thats just me.

After the first 2 days of the P90X I know I will make it through the whole thing if for nothing else I want to be able to keep up with those guys on the AB workout.

2008-09-05T05:13:00.000-07:00

So I started the P90X last night when I got home. Did the chest and back work out without to much pain and was like "yes!!! I did it" So I put in the second part of day 1 which is a 16 minute workout called AB ripper X, OK I've done the Pilates AB workouts this should be alright. UH HUH remember the X and ripper in the name. Well lets just say I got my work cut out for me on the AB workout. There were a couple of times all I could do was laugh cause they made it look so easy and I couldn't even do on rep of the exercise they were doing. I did stick through the whole workout and did what I could but WOW do I got some work to do on that one. Tonight is Plyometrics and it looks pretty hard.

Good news ITS FRIDAY WOOHOO!!! Gonna run 7 miles on Sat with my friend looking forward to that because it is our longest yet. Then I don't know what for the rest of the weekend but at least it won't be work

P90X

2008-09-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

So I got the P90X program I ordered yesterday. "Whats P90X?" Glad you asked you can check this site http://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/best_sellers/p90x.do basically it is a 90 day intense workout for people who I think are classified as masochists. Yeah I read all the read me first and watched the lets get started video and then decided to watch the first days workout so I would know what was coming, HOLY CRAP. This is gonna be hard but I know when I get through with this thing I will be so much closer to my goals that the end result will be worth it. I start tonight so we shall see how I feel tomorrow. Oh yeah took the before photos, don't know if I am gonna post them though don't want to scare you.

Sort of got the exercise room together lastnight, put a table in there for the tv and dvd player. I think I am going to move the bowflex in there I have to measure some things and if it is going to leave enough room in the middle I will put it in there.

Well thats about all for now stay tuned for more interesting and exciting news from the world of Sneaky Greg

OK, So that was hard...

2008-09-03T05:17:00.000-07:00

Helped Cassie move her bed and dresser last night. Not quite sure how I feel about that, I mean I am proud of her accomplishments and work ethic and all. But she is the last Daughter to move. It really hit me this morning as I was finishing my cool down walk as I came to the front of the house. "hey that spot is empty" yup Cassie's car wasn't there, I even looked in her room. Yup you guessed it empty also.

Come on you think I would be happy, now I have a big ole exercise room. Yeah whatever all I know is mine and Laura's lives have entered a new phase, stage or whatever you want to call it and well it just feels weird. I know we will see her all the time but it is still change and there is a part of me that doesn't like change. Besides all that she can't be old enough to move out, wasn't she just 5 like a week ago???????

Next thing you know she will be getting married... HOLY CRAP!!!! best not to think to far ahead I guess.

You ever wonder...?

2008-08-31T19:06:00.000-07:00

Why in the heck do we blog anyway? Some say its theraputic others its a good way to keep a lot of family informed on whats going on without creating a bazillion emails. Personally I just like the medium for expressing myself, I just wish i could be more dedicated to doing it more often.

Went to the store to get some bottled water and got a cat hmmmm

Expressing myself AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Went on a short run today just 5k but it was still pretty warm out and I had eaten about 3 hours earlier, boy it is really nasty when you are in the middle of a run and burp up some BBQ pork, yuck.

I really don't have a blasted thing to say today just some ramblings and bramblings and well just plain ole wierdness. Stay tuned for future strangness and mumblings of a weird mind.

Wow its dusty in here

2008-08-30T12:04:00.000-07:00

Ok so now I got all the dust bunnies cleaned up in my blog I can type :) I really need to post more often but I am just busy and sometimes hard to keep up with this one and my blog at Spark People also.

Today my friend and I did a 10k run I timed both the 5k, 6mile and 10k times. 5k best yet at 25:46 woohoo. 6 miles again best ever at 54:20 and last but not least 10k at 56:26 again our best time yet. Now I have to pick it up during the week and we are stretching it to 7 miles on next Sat. Our goal is a half marathon in under 1 1/2 hours by next summer. Hard for me to believe sometimes that I have only been running for 7 1/2 months.

My weight is now down to 204.1 pounds thats 42.6 pounds lost since Jan. I just recently ordered the P90X program from Beach Body I hear nothing but good things about it and am really excited to get started on it. Maybe by this time next month I will be under the 200 pound mark.

I am really excited about the things I feel are going to start really taking off at my Church. We have a dream for a Lords Gym and it will happen. This will be such an excellent outreach center and I know God is ready to do great things.

How do you know this? Well with all the opposition we are getting we have to be on the right track, otherwise things would be really smooth and going along just fine. Our Pastor is out working building Garages to make ends meet, my SIL took a security job at a local hospital. Yep we are on the right track for sure.

We started a Joyce Meyers series call the Battlefield of The mind. Seems to be a really good series and one thing I liked she said if you are depressed STOP IT, yeah that is what we need to do sometimes, just stop it.

I hope everyone is doing well and things are all rainbows and butterflies :)

Vacation Oregon

2008-07-05T08:12:00.000-07:00

Thats me Hangin out at the course in Frisco Colorado. That course is my favorite that I have played in Co. and I have played a bunch there, it is probably in my top 5 if I had to make a list of all the courses I've played.

We went to Miltonfreewater Oregon to start our Vacation nice 10 hour drive after 8 hours worked got there about 4 in the morning or something. Only slept for a few hours we are on vacation after all. Man it was busy up there we had 11 children total wow, and a bunch of adult children :-) the guys played Discgolf and went down the river on these little skiffs Owen made called one sheet skiffs you can see them here http://www3.sympatico.ca/herbert.mcleod/skiff.htm pretty cool little boats I think I am gonna make some myself. The ladies went garage saling, yup thats our girls :)

Sunday after Church we had Howards 80th birthday it was really fun and everyone had a great time.

OHOHOH almost forgot while up there got to try some horse meat, not bad tasted kinda like well ..... horse I guess.

We left there the following tuesday and drove back down a different way cause Owen and John said it took the same ammount of time *note to self, don't listen to Owen and John again* 13 hours after we left we finally got home, yeah that was fater guys, got to bed about 1 am and had to get up at 5 to head to the airport to fly to Denver, yippy.

stay tuned for action from Denver, same time, same place same Bat channel. Also will post some Oregon pics as soon as I can find them.

Again with the Go Green!!!

2008-05-23T07:55:00.000-07:00

Ok so don't eat your game console. According to Greenpeace the 3 major game consoles, X-Box 360, PS3 & the Wii have high levels of dangerous materials in their plastics and electronics and are not child safe toys?!?! Hello McFly they aren't toys they are freeeeeeeeekin game consoles. I have yet to see someone chewing on their x-box mmmmmmm mmmmmm that tastes good.

And to think they spent good money on all that testing for something that is absolutely useless, just to make the statement that there are greener ways to manufacture the consoles greener. Don't believe me check out their website http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/game-consoles-no-consolation and read it for yourself.

I really think the money they spent on this research could have been used for better things, oh I don't know like maybe feeding people, low cost housing etc. You get the idea.

Remember don't chew on your console and you should be fine.

ohohoh what about my computer, I wonder if I can eat that? Maybe those hippies could tell me.

Chappi Mountian

2008-05-18T07:16:00.000-07:00

Clowning around on trail 15

Shasta Dam from trail 15

I only walked about 25' down the trail for this pic. Trail 15 was steep steep steep and we were going down it. YEEE HAW

Found this waterfall on trail 1

The veiw of Lake Shasta from trail 1

Chappi was a fun place to ride we spent a little over 4 hours riding and covered a lot of ground. Some of the trails were very easy and some like trail 15 were challenging. There wer a couple of place on trail 15 that were like UHOH this is gonna be interesting like this spot

I know it doesn't look that steep but be sitting on a 400 pound quad facing down it and its steep couldn't get a pic of the steepest part cause quite frankly we couldn't stop on the hill it was so stinkin steep that all you could do was hang on and try to stay out of the rut. I think my back brake earned its keep on that trail.

anybody seen my skin?????

2008-04-29T16:57:00.001-07:00

Ok so that is what happens when you come screaming around a corner on an old logging road on you quad and find yourself staring at a ford excursion in the middle of the stinking road. Long story short went to Stonyford to ride with a friend of mine and had not one but 2 wrecks that day. The pics are the result of the second one, had to put the quad in the ditch and in the process slid along the nice shale mountainside. After I get out of the ditch the genius in the excursion says "maybe I should be over to the right" UHHHHHHHHHH you think so junior but the good news is the quad is ok :-)

I am going out again on the 17th we are going to chappi mountain up by Lake Shasta, from the pics I've seen it should be really pretty up there this time of year. Here are some more pics from stonyford we went from down in the valley 80 degree temp to top of the mountain and snow.

as you can see it was quite a contrast, had a blast and only got hurt just a little.

ummmmmm..

2008-04-05T07:38:00.001-07:00

Didn't know what title today so ummmmm is it :-) Been a really busy week at work but I think I am finally getting my unit cleaned up. The construction on my nurses station is done and man does granite counters look good on me. lol I feel like I am working in a bank now but I can't get anyone to give me thier money, I wonder how the banks do it.

Went DiscGolfing the otherday and birdied the first hole and the 3rd hole missed 7 other birdies I can't belive how good my drive is I really need to get out and practice putting cause if I get my putt back watch out. Oh the 7 I missed I only hit the basket low so accuaracy is there just need the height.

Went over my calory intake on thursday and started to get stressed about it but then realized I have been doing this for almost 3 months now and that is the first time I went over, so I just drank more water and got on with life. I am down 25.5lbs now in comparison that is the weight of an average 2 year old.

rant
I was thinking the otherday about all this going green crap, I am really sick and tired of everybody jumping on the band wagon just because they think it will make them look good, sell thier product, get them elected or whatever. I think Al Gore should be flogged he is an idiot, besides I think its way to cold outside and we need global warming I like to wear my shorts, we need to drill offshore and more up in alaska, either that or the people who are opposed to these things need to take thier cues and go live like the Omish so there is more for the rest of us who like our luxeries.
/rant

oops my unpc side came out

have a great day

Halfway there

2008-03-27T15:25:00.000-07:00

I weighed in on Monday and I am down to 222.7lbs exactly 24lbs lost since I joined Spark People on Jan 11th. I have started using my bowflex again and can deffinately feel the difference.

I noticed the other day when I was walking down the hall at work that I was carrying myself more upright, I think that is a direct result of my weight loss, I am not trying to hide my big ole belly anymore.

Made it over some big humps lately, mainly easter and the day after candy sales. I would usually go to walmart and buy about 10 bags of jellybeans after easter, this year none. I still have 3 boxes of peanut butter GS cookies, I bought 4, these would have been gone the first week before, it took me 3 weeks to eat the first box. Victories is the name of the game and I think I am winning.

On the other hand man do I need a vacation, there are days at work that I just want to get away. Kinda like a southwest commercial, but then I remember that there are people there who need me. We are taking a 4 day weekend over memorial day and going up to camp at lassen so do have something to look forward to.

Just a random thought: If you are driving your car at the seed of light and turn on the headlights what happens?

Easter, it's not just for bunnies

2008-03-23T06:47:00.000-07:00

How did Easter become a Bunny who hides eggs???? I could see the Easter chicken hiding the eggs she laid, but a Bunny. Ah well that's not the point of this post anyway.

Do you know what Easter is? Do you know who rose?
On Good Friday Jesus was beaten, Whipped so that the flesh fell off of his back, Had a crown of thorns (and I'm not talking like blackberry thorns, the thorns they made the crown out of were and inch long) shoved down on his head so that the thorns dug in and tore the flesh on his head, he was spat upon, slapped, mocked and when he was almost dead was made to carry a cross to the place of his death. This was not a cross made from nicely milled 4x4's it was rough cut wood and the splinters dug in deep to already torn and battered flesh.

Once they reached the top of the hill he was thrown down on the cross and nails were pounded into his feet and his wrists (go to your local hardware store and find the biggest nail you can. Looks painful huh, guess what its not big enough) his cross was slammed down into a hole jarring his whole body with shooting agonizing pain. He was mocked while on the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothing below him. During Crucifixion your body weight pulls you down until your shoulders dislocate, compressing your lungs making it hard to breath, the only way to get a full breath is to push up on feet the have a huge spike through them so that you can take a deep breath of air that is filled with the stench of blood that you realise is you own.

After all of this he looked to the heavens and said "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do" and then he died on that cross.

But then came Sunday and the tomb was empty, Jesus had risen. His purpose had been accomplished. Atonement for sin had been made. Because of his death and Resurrection we have the free gift of eternal Life.

and that my friends is the true prize inside the golden egg

Wow it's dusty here

2008-03-22T08:08:00.000-07:00

Had to dust all the surfaces when I came into this blog today. I really should write more. A lot has happened since I last wrote, I got a WII for my birthday it is pretty cool but now I have so many new games and stuff its almost like I don't know what to play so haven't played much at all, yeah I know that doesn't make much sense to me either. Going to have practice for our Easter program at the church today, I am going to do the Joeseph of Arimethia monologue again should be fun.

The last time I wrote I talked about working on losing weight well I am halfway to my goal I have lost 23lbs since Jan 11 so I should make the 200lbs weight goal by June 15. Been using my Bowflex 3 times a week like it says and following the program they developed, not ready for the my bowflex body commercial yet but I deffinately feel a difference.

I went through some pretty stressful times at work over the last couple of months but finally came to the conclusion that I had to quit worrying about the facility and worry about the patients instead. Now I really have minimal stress and feel that my patient care is better, hope the patients feel that way :-)

I will really try to write at least 2 times a week here from now on. Oh yeah went DiscGolfing recently and I couldn't believe how well I did. I was actually throwing farther than before I think the strength training and weight loss have really made a huge difference in my game, now if I could just get myself back into practicing my putting I would be good.

Adventures in Weight loss

2008-02-09T06:49:00.000-08:00

I looked in the mirror oneday and went WHOA!! what happened ? size 38 246.7# oh man I don't want to go buy new clothes, I never weighed this much before, what the heck am I gonna do. I quit smoking about a year and a half ago and had gained about 45#. I don't like diets they don't work, I know diet pills are not the answer, I know if I start smoking again I will lose the weight yuck. OK so whats the solution? I watch a show on E about diet fads and their perils, the last segment of the show they have 2 ladies on talking about this web site http://www.sparkpeople.com
So ok I go check it out

Long story short one month later now and 10.4# lighter well on my way to my goal of being down to 200# by June. I read my Daughters blog today and see she is gonna run a 5k in June, that is gonna be a really good month for this family.

The thing I really like about spark people is its not just diet its lifestyle changes, there is alot of help there alot of support and you can customize it to fit you, oh and the best thing is its all free, not a free trial but free, free, free.

so lots of exciting things happening, now if i could just quit working so many hours it would be really good.

Links Away

2008-02-09T06:42:00.000-08:00

Copy the links below (in it's entirety) and put it on your blog replacing one link with either YOURS or your favorite link that you visit. Then ask your readers to do the same. Then take the challange. Pick at least 5 links that you have never visited before and check them out! You may just find something great!

A. An Island Life - http://islandlife808.com/B. BzzLaraBzz - http://bzzlarabzz.blogspot.comC. Christian Fiction Review - http://cfrblog.blogspot.com/D. A Day in this Crazy Wonderful Life - http://adayinthiscrazywonderfullife.blogspot.com/ E. Eisley, H.N. - http://hneisley.blogspot.com/F. Fefyfomanna - http://lillyput.blogspot.comG. Girl Scouts - http://www.girlscouts.org/H. Highlands Homeschool - The Colorado Adventure - http://highlandshomeschool.homeschooljournal.net/I. Isle of Iona - http://ionaluvshorses.blogspot.comJ. Just the best Singer in the World - Margaret Becker - http://www.maggieb.comK. Relient K - http://relientk.com/L. Live as we Know It... - http://www.liveasweknowit.blogspot.com/M. Monkey Pal Hand Dyed Yarns - http://monkeypal.etsy.comN. Nap Lover - http://naplover.blogspot.comO. OPEN for Something!P. Pray for her! Life in Chiang Rai - http://lifeinchiangrai.blogspot.com/Q. Queen Bee - http://beccasmomma.blogspot.comR. http://gbstorunner.blogspot.com/S. Sneaky Greg's World - http://www.sneakygregsworld.blogspot.comT. Tales of a Minivan Mama - http://lovemyminivan.blogspot.com/U. Crosswalk.com - http://www.crosswalk.com Where you can make a U-TurnV. Very Cute - If you give a Kid a Camera - http://ifyougiveakidacamera.blogspot.com/W. World Vision - Adopt a child - http://www.worldvision.orgX. X-citing Webkinz - http://www.webkinz.comY. YWAM - http://www.ywam.orgZ. The Intersection - http://tonyrossi.blogspot.com/ (Ok so it doesn't start with a Z but it's a good blog.

PS2 Or XBOX???

2007-12-21T21:39:00.000-08:00

I have had a PS2 since they came out and have been nothing but happy with it. Have a big load of games have played the crap outta them. Stayed up all night with friends playing Tony Hawk. Never had a queation as to which concole I liked... that is until now.

I got a bonus check at work and was wondering what I could get myself for Christmas and not spend the whole thing on myself. I went into Gamestop and they had used XBOXes for $60. So I says to myself, self you should try on of them there XBOX thingys, there are some platform games you wanted to play, and I replies, self you are right. $98 later I leave with an XBOX and 5 games, wow thats not bad.

So what's the problem you ask? I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE BEEN THIS DECIEVED BY THE EVIL SONY EMPIRE!!!!!!!!!!! XBOX stinkin rocks.

The load times are so fast. Here I am playing the game and wow the graphics are good... hmmmm no memorycard needed cause it has a hard drive, wow built in ethernet too, I had to buy a modem for my playstation oh I feel so violated.

Now the games, I bought Return to Castle Wolfenstien, Halflife 2, PGR 2, Ureal Tournament and Forza Motorsports Challenge. Played halflife and castle for awhile and then started up forza... holy smokes this games rox. I have played all of the Gran Turismo games and loved everyone of them, Forza is better. Better Graphics, Better gameplay, you can paint your car! put decals on it, and the XBOX controller with its trigger for the gas is way better than using the x button as the gas.

I will still keep my playstation cause I gots lots of games for it, mostly cause of guitar hero :) but when it comes time to buy a new console I will do a really close comparision before I buy one. But for now I think it will take me a longtime to go through the xbox games and man are they cheap now.

oh oh oh I almost forgot, since the xbox has a hard drive I can rip music into folders and have my own soundtracks for the games that have that feature, which forza does. How cool is that, I usually don't like the soundtracks to the games and have always thought it would be really cool to be able to play my own music and still have the games sound effects. Well guess what now I can

* random things

2007-12-20T15:11:00.000-08:00

So my Daughter says I have to post 8 randoms habits or unusual things about myself, hmmmmmm.

1. I manage a 50 bed Alzheimer's unit, how did I learn to manage people? I am so glad you asked, in my younger days I was ride supervisor for a carnival. Yep thats right I am one of those guys your MAMA warned you about. Seriously though, by managing the setup teardown hiring and firing and such I learned to be a manager.

2. I became a Grandparent at 27. I don't know you figure it out. Now almost 46 and have 8

3. I like to be a little scared, I guess that is why I ride my quad like a mad man. I love to catch air but at the sametime its kinda scary, makes you all warm and fuzzy inside.

4. I own more vidoe games than my younger son in laws, prolly play them more too, I also owm 3 consoles and 1 handheld. PS1, PS2, PSP and just recently aquired an X-Box (more about that in another post)

5.I have hitch hiked across country 8 times. Would not reccomend it nowdays but it was an adventure. Hopped a train once, would never ever and I mean ever do that again ewwww

6. I cry, yup thats right I am a man and I admit I CRY. I was labeled once as a hopeless romantic cause man if its sad or happy I can cry. I cried at my girls' weddings, I cried when I read the Neff's christmas letter. Wow now that I look at all that maybe I'm a girl.... hold on, nope after checking deffinately a boy whew that was close

7. I love Professional wrestling, and yes I know its fake...wel mostly :P I watch raw every monday and I watch TNA every thursday. I won't buy the PPV's. I also watch UFC and yes I know that real :)

8. Last but not least. The best thing that ever happened in my life was my family. I wish that we could all be together all the time but I know they have to live their lives and make their own way. I am so proud of everyone of my Daughters and son in laws. Everyone of them make my life complete and all the Grandkids well thats just icing on the cake (oh man remember #6)

I am supposed to have 8 other people blog 8 things but I don't know 8 bloggers so... I gues thats it

Thanks For

2007-11-20T10:39:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving, a time of the year to reflect on the things that really matter. What am I thankful for? What did the last year bring me? What can I do to make the next year better?

We have a tradition we started a couple of years ago. We cover our Thanksgiving table with a plain white sheet. After dinner everyone takes a turn with the marker and writes down what they are thankful for. It really is kinda cool to go around and read what people wrote and then drag it out the next year and compare.

I am so thankful for the 3 years I have had in this house (we are losing it) it served our needs at the time and now I guess its time for something new.

I am thankful for a good job, even if I do think it bites at times :)

I am thankful for every member of my family that God has put into my life. My Daughter made me a card on Fathers day that said all the things I had brought into their lives, truth is I have gained way more from them than I have given, at least I think so.

I am thankful for an awesome Church family.

Most of all I am thankful for a Saviour that loved me enough to look down at all my uglyness and go to the cross anyway.

Whatever you are thankful for I hope you have a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving.

PS EAT WAY TO MUCH TURKEY

Time Shifts

2007-11-10T10:25:00.000-08:00

Another week of follow the bouncing shifts. Boy I will be glad when this month is over so I can get back to straight day shift. My body doesn't know if its supposed to be awake or sleep. I didn't wake up till almost 10 this morning thats like half the stinkin day wasted.

I gotta start moving some more stuff into storage but yuck, have I mentioned before I hate moving? I HATE MOVING! just in case you didn't hear it before.

Nothing really to exciting this week, to many hours of work and then playing guitar hero 3. I need to go ride my quad somewhere and relax.

I don't know I will figure out something to do though. The one constant I have to look forward to every week is Sunday morning. I go down open the Church make coffee and greet Pastor when he gets there. We have a great Sunday school class I attend and the WORSHIP. I love our worship time, clears my head and the week just seems to peel off of me. I think that you get out of worship what you put into it, and I try to go full force even when I don't feel like it. Then after worship of course is the message, which our Pastor has been bring strong for the last year or so. Yeah church is deffinately good.

Hmmmm today though is either quad riding or shopping, hey maybe both :) Have a great day readers, bloggers and just plain bored.

Name Change

2007-11-02T08:19:00.000-07:00

Decided to change the name of this blog today. Never really liked the other one, who knows may change it again we shall see.

Work has been crazy I am working almost straight PM shift this month (ack) I hate PM shift but they needed the help. I did tell them that I would not do this next month. I have worked to hard to move backwards.

Gonna hopefully go see the new house today so we can figure out what we are going to put in storage and what goes to the house. I HATE MOVING!!!!!! There I feel better now.

Hey I got Guitar Hero 3 man that game is fun, the only thing is I was looking forward to the online play but it seems only the xbox 360 has online bahhhhh thats just not right. I think all of adult game players should have the right to go online and get the snot kicked out of us by a twelve year old no matter what game system we own :). The game is really fun much better than playing air guitar. The controller also works on my PC with an adapter so I can play frets on fire, which is cool cause you can make your own songs on frets, so a buddy of mine and myself are working on some good christian songs to play. Old school Tourniquet, Vengeance, Deliverance and such. Should be fun.

Christmas is coming!!!!! Holy crap, CHRISTMAS IS COMING!!!!!!!!!! Did you know that?? Not only is it coming but I think time has sped up. Remember when we were young (well at least I was) and it seemed like time slowed down. What happened? Ah well we are gonna try the day after thanksgiving sales this year. I have never gone, heard it can be an experience, we shall see.

I should post more

2007-10-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

Wow I really let this place go. I guess I am just not a faithful blogger I will have to get better at that. I have learned over the last month or so how people fall into depression and don't even know it. We are going through some trying times, mainly losing our house because of an adjustable rate. I thought I was ok but realized 2 weeks ago after church that all I had done for the last 5 weeks or so was lay around and do nothing. I would go to work but that was about it. Our Pastor spoke on Love 2 weeks ago and it was like a fog lifted off my brain, I kinda shook my head and just went wow where did that come from.

So now last week a big storage unit became available, and they are hard to come by here. That happened on Mon and then last friday the house we had applied for to rent, well we got it. Praise God he is so faithful. My wife said she knew I was depressed but didn't know how to tell me, I guess God did :) anyways now I gotta move all our stuff ughhhhh I hate moving . At least now with the big unit and the house will be available on 11-15 I can move stuff slowly and not have to pack the storage tight and will be able to find things. We are moving from 2500sf to 1600sf so we are gonna have to keep a storage unit but after we get all moved and settled we can get a smaller unit.

I also found out some interesting things about losing your house. If you leave before they completely forclose they will say you abandoned the house, also when they do sell the house you have to pay federal and state taxes on whatever money they lose??????? huh??? I don't get it but thems the rules. I did try to contact our loan company way back in Aug before we where behind and get something worked out and the guy looked up our account and said "you're not behind on your payments" when I explained to him that our rate had adjusted and we were not going to be able to make the new payment this guy actually said "well we won't work with you until you are in default" okey dokey I can arrange that, I just don't answer 800 numbers now.

But through all of this I have seen God work and work and work. I also now can have some empathy for people who fall into depression, I always wondered why don't they just get some help, talk to someone something, can't they see they are depressed? nope they can't.

I will try to post more often now, actually looked at this blog multiple times during all this and said "man I should post something" instead just didn't fell like it and went back to laying on the couch.

Friday!!!!!!!!

2007-08-24T18:03:00.000-07:00

Ah yes Friday is finally here, but oh wait... dang it I am on call this weekend. Oh well hope no one calls in. Finally got to order the tires and rims for my quad so I should be up and flying soon. Slid a corner on a mountain road while at family camp in July hit a washout and slapped a boulder with my rear tire killing the rim and puttin a slit in the sidewall, as if thats not bad enough we were about 12 miles up the mountain. Out came the trusty plug kit and three plugs later and a buch of glue... hey it holds air. So do I go back to camp? No on to the top we go another three miles. The plugs held all the way to the top and just as I pulled back into camp the tire went flat, ride was fun though. Anyways now I get to go riding again, my family wants me to take it easy but thats no fun, ah well we will see.

Been reading Isaiah every morning before work this week, man what the Lord promises is so awesome. Some days I can hardly wait for the Lord to come but I also know there are so many people who need salvation before that day. So it is with mixed feelings that I also hope the Lord tarries. Hmmmm does that make me schizo??? Anyway the word has encouraged me so much at work. I was going through some really tough times and getting caught up in the gossip and politics there and have the last two weeks just prayed hard every morning that I could be an example at work and work as if I was working for the Lord and not man. Wow what a difference, the Lord is so faithful in answering prayer my days have been so much easier and my attitude so much better now I am praying for my coworkers (like I should have all along) instead of worrying about what they are not doing. The Life lessons that the Lord can teach us through his word are so cool if we wil just take a moment each day to listen.

Well anyway thats about enough for one evening. OH OH OH OH wait I thought of something to look for ward to UFC this weekend, yup thats right fight fans 3 hours of fun filled MMA pay per view action right in your home. Looks to be a good card, and if you don't like MMA I think basket weaving is on DIY lol. Church on Sunday!!!!!

HMMMM... another random thought... Can a one legged man enter a but kickin contest????

Welcome

2007-08-20T17:57:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the mind of Sneaky Greg or just plain ole Greg will do :) . I don't know where this blog will lead but I am sure the trip will be fun. Man 2 Man is a place that I hope will grow into a spot where Christian men can come and fellowship and share in a safe enviroment, while all along watching me rant and rave about what the Lord is doing in my and my families lives. Now I know I live in California and the name of the blog will attract some other characters and you are welcome also, as the Gosple of Jesus is freely given and shared.

I was reading my daughters blog the otherday and something there caught my eye. She made the statement that she said something on her blog that should maybe not be said in a public blog... hmmmm, how do you talk on this thing?

I don't know maybe I'm just getting old but typing err...blogging that is, everyday well... did we raise an OCD child???? Then again I remember spending hours chatting on IRC with people everywhere, for hours, day after day, had our own room (anyone on the undernet remember #Bighouse?) ah yes good times.

Lets see about me Married, 45 years old, weight over, bald yes I shave some of it but I truely belive God makes us bald men with perfectly shaped heads and they are meant to shine.. so there. I have 4 daughters and 8 grandchildren. I am a nurse and manage a 50 bed Alzheimer's unit in a Longterm Care Facility. I am a Born again Spirit filled Christian and attend Christian Life Assembly in Gridley, Ca. I love Disc Golf, Paintball, riding my quad, spending time with my family but most of all I enjoy fellowship with other Christians and the Lord.

There enough about me for now, if you want to know more ask me and if I want to I will tell you :) I will prolly not post new each day as my job keeps me busy but several times a week I will let you into my mind and the you maybe out of my mind or maybe I'm out of my mind, oh well who knows but it should be fun anyways. If you see something you like let me know and if you see something you don't like tell someone else lol no you can tell me I can take it *sniff* no really its ok just be gentle ok :P~

Random thoughts: If a man blogs his thoughts and a women reads them is he still wrong?