I normally do 10 random things on Tuesdays, but this week, I’m doing it today, because I wanted to go with the Chase Community Giving Contest as my focus yesterday. I normally write something catchy at the top to get you to read the rest of the blog, but today I’m not feeling very clever. So can I just beg you to keep reading?
Just in case you’ve never been here, I’m a father of three and a marathon runner. My middle child, 6 1/2-year-old Jack is severely autistic and I’m taking my first shot at trying to make a difference in the world. I’m attempting to run 60 marathons this year to raise money and awareness for a charity called Train 4 Autism. So far, so good. I’m through 29 of the 60 and I’m reaching a lot of people!
10 Random Things!
1. OK, so I’m going to start with that Chase Community Giving Contest. They’re giving out $5 million combined to 200 different charities. I’m all in favor of us being one of them. If you haven’t already voted, please take 30 seconds to vote and help us out! If you have voted, please click this link to post this page on your Facebook wall!
2. Video of the day: Jack dancing! I took this on Monday night.
3. A friend of mine in San Francisco, Heather Hawkins is having an Operation Jack fundraiser at a bar this weekend. If you’re looking for something to do, here are the details!
4. What’s E.T. short for? I’ll have the answer a little bit later.
5. Downhills kill your quads. I was so excited to have a “week off” last week by pacing 3:40 at Utah Valley. But the course was downhill. Even though I ran slow, I pounded my quads. I’m writing this blog about 85 hours after I finished the race and it hurts 10 times as bad to walk as it normally does. That’s just because of my quads, though. Everything else feels pretty good.
6. My wife thinks I’m not very funny. At one point, I decided to start counting every time I mad her laugh. Eventually (I think it took a year or two) I got past 100 and I stopped counting. I am funny. I am, I am, I am.
7. My ice cream streak is up to 136 days now. It’s also 239 out of the past 240 days. I had peanut butter fudge swirl with s’mores flavored Magic Shell last night. That flavor of Magic Shell is amazing.
8. I picked up a pacing gig for Missoula (July 11) that has me a little bit nervous. I’m pacing the 3:10 group. I’m not pacing the entire race, though. Just the first half. I’m going to run consistent 7:14s, get the group to the half at 1:35, and then somebody else will jump in and pace the second half. I’ll be free to run my own race at that point. I’m very confident in my ability to get this done, but I don’t have a huge margin for error.
9. I watched the Lakers-Celtics game a little bit last night. I think I have less confidence in the integrity of the NBA than I do in the integrity of boxing. I think the NBA is totally fixed. I’m not the least bit shocked this series is going seven games. I played Chutes and Ladders last night with Benjamin and Ava โ that game was more exciting than the one being played at Staples Center.
10. Oatmeal is healthy, right? And raisins? Because I had a lot of oatmeal and raisins yesterday, so I feel healthy. Well, except the oatmeal and raisins were mixed with a lot of butter and sugar … I think the word is “cookies”?
Answer to the question about E.T.: Because he has little legs!
OK, that’s all I have for today. I am funny, I am funny, I am funny. And I’ll see you tomorrow!