The Shamrock Shuffle is Only Two Weeks Away.

The Shamrock Shuffle is two weeks from Saturday, and I can’t start trying to run again until the middle of next week.  I’ve done the 5 mile distance before several times, so I’m not worried about that.  I’m just starting to realize that it is just about here and hoping and praying that I will feel good and not be embarrassed by my time.    My friend Charlie is in town this week for a conference and over dinner the other night we realized that we would both be running in the Shamrock Shuffle.  He made me feel better in the sense that he said there were 30,000 people who did it --- many who would walk it --- so not to worry about the time.  From his mouth to God’s ears. 

After next week college athletics are, for the most part, over until August.  That makes me really sad.  But not in the way you might think (even though, for the record, I am upset about my Badgers).  College athletics gave me a schedule on the weekends. It is a schedule that makes my running better.  I would wake up, go to the gym, get the run in, and then meet all of my buddies to watch the games.  I need to find something else to keep me more disciplined now.  Because this week, without cardio, it hasn’t been easy.  Sure, I have stretched and done abs and weights, but it hasn’t been the same.

Just a few more days and I can continue trying to be a runner.  My foot does feel much better.  The bruising is gone (for the most part).  I’m continuing with the ice and ibuprofen.  No more pain medication, as it made me loopy and say bizarre things about the college basketball brackets.    Have a great weekend everyone.

A deal is a deal.

Let me say this right off the bat ---- I am a die hard University of Wisconsin fan.  When I hear "Varsity" or "On Wisconsin," I might get a little bit teary (is that really so bad?).  I get tense during Badger games, to the point of stomach pains.  My best friend from college (also a die hard Badger fan) and I text during games to get out frustrations.  I have Badger socks, t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, shorts.  I even have Badger signs in my office.  My computer screen saver is Bucky Badger.  Yet, since January 2, 2011, I have been wearing Michigan clothing and hats.  Why? Because a deal is a deal. 

I hate the University of Michigan.  It's an amazing school and many of my closest friends went there, but there isn't another team I like to beat more. My friends knew that nothing would be more emotionally painful than having to train in Michigan clothing and wear a Michigan hat and t-shirt during my first half marathon because it would be a constant reminder of hating Michigan.  I'll admit, when I got back to New Orleans after the Rose Bowl I didn't really envision this whole deal.  But, waiting for me was an array of Michigan t-shirts and a Michigan hat.  When I "complained" that the hat wasn't of the quality I anticipated --- more arrived.









So the deal is that I have to train in them.  I have to run in them.  Basically, anything athletic that I do until crossing that finish line on May 29, 2011, I have to wear them.  I've been really good about it.  As I am "required to do," I have been posting the proof on Facebook.  Here are just a few examples.





So, how does this play into running?  I've caught a lot of crap from my fellow Badgers about this.  They can't believe that I'm making good on this.  They don't understand why, as a lawyer, I don't find a little bit of wiggle room.  The truth is, this whole situation is motivating me.  The harder I train and the more diligent I am, the quicker than May 29, 2011 will be here.  The harder I train and the more diligent I am the faster I will be able to cross the finish line and promptly put on a Wisconsin hat and t-shirt.  The harder I train and the more diligent I am the more I HATE Michigan and want Wisconsin to beat them at every possible opportunity.

The good news, though, is that I did find a little bit of wiggle room.  On Saturday my beloved Badgers beat former #1 Ohio State in basketball.  Michigan hates Ohio State more than just about anything, so I loved seeing the following on Facebook with the status update along the lines of, "all of my Michigan friends can thank me later."

I figured that my Michigan friends would be so happy that Ohio State went down, that they would let me have that wiggle room I needed.  After all, according to the deal I have to wear a Michigan hat and a Michigan shirt --- but what a Michigan hat and shirt are have never been defined.  I figured as long as it said Michigan and was Michigan's colors (blue and maize) that I was kosher --- so I went with it yesterday.  That little bit of wiggle room has given me that extra motivation I needed --- especially as I am coming up upon the time when training needs to kick into high gear.  It might not seem like a lot, but it has made all of the difference.



It says Michigan and it's blue and maize.

So, for the next few months I will continue to suffer and wear that ugly shade of maize.  But, it isn't the maize that will make the difference on race day --- it is going to be the wiggle room.