After running the Carlsbad Marathon on Sunday, I’m five marathons into Operation Jack and I feel pretty comfortable that I’m settling into my Operation Jack routine. I’m just ignoring the fact that I have 55 to go. That kind of sounds like a lot.
But I’m starting to get the hang of taking care of my body on a weekly cycle and recovery isn’t too bad. And I’m finally starting to run a little bit better.
If you haven’t seen my race report from Carlsbad, take a look. You can see why I’m not tremendously thrilled when I run in the high 3:13s. I’m not going to declare myself 100 percent back, but I will say that I’m a lot more comfortable with how I’m running now.
Where’s The Money Going?
I have Operation Jack down to a science in my head, but that doesn’t do much good for those of you who aren’t mind readers. A lot of you have asked where the money is going, so I did a little bit of a write-up on that on the How It Works page. If you ever have any questions about anything, please e-mail me!
Also, PLEASE drop me a line if you have any suggestions. I’m learning daily as I go along, and really, I have no clue what I’m doing. I’m just trying to run my body into the ground in an attempt to help grow Train 4 Autism. So, if you have any ideas, please don’t keep them to yourself!
Surf City Pasta Dinner Reminder!
If you’re planning on running Surf City, or if you’re in the Orange County area, I’d love for you to come to our pre-race pasta dinner! It’s going to be from 5-7 p.m. on February 6, the night before the race. Cost is $20 per person, which includes two types of all-you-can eat pasta, salad, garlic bread and non-alcoholic beverages.
For more details, click here!
Would I Take Something From A Grandmother? Absolutely!
Especially if its my grandmother. I called her about two minutes after the Minnesota-New Orleans game ended Sunday night to set up our annual Super Bowl bet. Actually, I set up our 22nd annual Super Bowl bet. This dates back to my freshman year of high school, when the Niners beat the Bengals on a Montana-to-Taylor touchdown pass in the final minute of Super Bowl XXIII. I took the Niners in that one.
Our wagers have varied over the years. One year I had the Bills when they got smoked by the Cowboys and the bet was for the loser to bake one dozen cookies for every point the winner won by. It was a 35-point win by Dallas, so she called me up as time expired and told me I could stop at 10 dozen. One year, when I was in college out in Kansas (she lives in California), I won and she shipped me roughly 10 dozen homemade cookies to pay up.
In 1999, I was working for The Associated Press, primarily covering sports at the time, and she won. So, per our bet that year, I had a custom-made shirt that said “I proved I know more about football than my grandson, and he’s a professional sportswriter.” She wore that to my Super Bowl party the next few years.
Last year, I had the Cardinals and the points and covered. We decided in advance that me, my wife & kids and my grandparents would go to Souplantation (my kids’ favorite restaurant, it’s also known as Sweet Tomatoes depending on where you live) and the loser would pay. Even though it’s my grandma’s bet, there was no dipping into her slush fund. My grandpa took care of the bill, but still proclaimed himself the winner since we all got together for a visit.
I have no idea what the stakes are this year. I took New Orleans and we’re going to circle back later this week.
Thank You, Jake Rome
In some blogs, like race reports and write-ups where I tackle something that’s weighing heavily on my mind, I’m not going to discuss a multitude of subjects. But when I do one of these that covers various subjects, I’m going to take the time to thank somebody who’s helping Operation Jack.
So today, it’s Jake Rome. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it until the end of the year: I get really awkward and shy about getting help from y’all. But I appreciate it. Jake is somebody I’ve “known” online through running message boards, and he’s the photographer behind my Facebook avatar, but I’d never really met him before Sunday. Nonetheless, he really digs what I’m doing and has gone all-out try to fundraise for Operation Jack. Now, don’t get me wrong โ it’s not all about how much money somebody raises that makes me appreciate them. And I’ll thank somebody next time who hasn’t raised any money for me.
But Jake’s enthusiasm for Operation Jack has been a big boost for me. For those of you who have followed along for a while, you know I go on my emotional roller coasters with Operation Jack because I’m so passionate about it. Well, when I come across people like Jake, I know I’m not going at it alone, and it helps give me the confidence I need to continue down this path.
So thank you, Jake!
That’s All For Taco Tuesday
Have a good day, everybody! See you tomorrow (or Thursday, or whenever I write again)!
Ben Fesagaiga says
Great job Sam. Keep up the great work.
Katie Abdolhosseini says
I <3 your grandma! That is just precious!
Great job as always, you are an amazing man!
Ally Phillips says
I love that your grandma made and wore that shirt–that’s all kinds of awesome.
Yay for Jake –and everyone else on board with Operation Jack! I can’t wait to meet other OJ supporters at various races throughout the year.
Erin Fortin says
Your grandma sounds so cute. What a great tradition! But I’m with your grandma on this one… Go Colts!
Jake Rome says
Thanks for the shout-out Sam! I’ll let you know when I post my Carlsbad RR.
And I still have a few bucks to go to reach my goal. Might have to run a few more ‘thons.
Kim Bouldin says
Keep up the great job! ๐
We love Taco Tuesday here! ๐