Weekend Preview: Home Game!

It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for a weekend preview. I’m going with a different format than I typically do, because I’m not having a contest and I have a few random things I want to talk about. I hope you guys are OK with the way I wrote this.

Normally on Thursdays, I talk about my weekend race and I have a fundraising contest. I didn’t have the contest last week and I’m not having it again this week. The reason is I want to re-focus the way I do a couple of things. I have a new concept I want to promote, but I’m still refining it so I’m just going to hang loose for a week or two.

For now, the best way I can ask you to help is to spread the word. I’ve been focused on fundraising for a little while, but I really want to get working on spreading the word. I know that a lot of you read this, but I want to bring in some new folks. Think about people you know who are impacted by autism. You all know somebody. Just tell one new person about Operation Jack this weekend and get them to the site. I’m running my 37th marathon of the year on Saturday to do my part. All I need you to do is tell one new person!

If you’re here for the first time and you’re impacted by autism somehow, please send me an e-mail because I want to tell you how Train 4 Autism can help you make a difference! Also, click here to see why I’m running 61 full marathons this year.

Anyways, moving on to this weekend’s race, it’s No. 2 in the three-race Train 4 Autism series I’m putting on with local race promoter Charlie Alewine. I’m really excited about this race. Not only will there be a fair amount of people there that I know in a fun, low-key race, but I DON’T HAVE TO TRAVEL! I’ll be home and on my weekend by noon on Saturday. I love it!

The race itself is a flat, loop course in Long Beach, Calif. I didn’t realize until yesterday that last week’s race started above 3,800 feet and climbed past 4,250 on those gravel roads. This week’s flat course at sea level should be a big breath of fresh air. Actually, it’ll be a big breath of oxygen, which will be nice. I’ll go out and run my best and I won’t worry about the race afterwards, no matter how I do.

Forget about the racee, though. The best parts of my weekend will be Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

On Saturday night, me and Tiff are going down to San Diego to watch Trace Adkins and Toby Keith. We’ve already seen Toby Keith, and even if we hadn’t, I’d be more excited about Trace Adkins. Tiff is more excited about Toby Keith and I’ll enjoy watching him, too.

On Sunday afternoon, the whole family is getting together to celebrate my grandpa’s 87th birthday. The awesome thing is that it’s going to be right around the corner from my house, because my grandparents moved into their new assisted-living facility on Tuesday. They used to live 45 minutes away, but now they’re just five minutes from my work and 15 from my house.

It took until yesterday at 11:59 a.m. for them to call me for a favor and I happily obliged. This is like a really cool treat in the middle of a hot summer. Speaking of really cool treats, I stopped by yesterday for lunch and in their dining center, they have a menu my grandparents can order off of. My grandma had a tuna sandwich on wheat bread. My grandpa? All he wanted was ice cream.

I guess that’s where I get it from.

So anyways, before we can get to this weekend, we have to get through today. Jack is going to the dentist and he has to be sedated. We’re extremely nervous about this, although I know he’ll be fine. Ahhh, the joys of children who can’t communicate. Another downside of autism. I hate what Jack goes through and that’s why I’m doing what I’m doing this year. I want to make it better for other kids. He’s getting robbed of his childhood.

Well, I don’t have much else to talk about today. I probably do, but I wrote this last night and I was too tired to think so I had to call it quits. Have a great weekend, everybody. I’ll post a race report on Saturday. Let me know what you think of me rambling on like this. Is it OK?