The Finaaaal Countdown

It's seven days til go time to my second 26.2 mile race, the Marine Corps Marathon. Am I ready? That's the question I've been pondering these last few weeks. My new job, now in it's eight week, so one can argue if it's still considered 'new', has totally been cramping my style, my marathon training, as well as other fun deviations like writing this blog, day dreaming, and playing video games. Bitch, bitch, bitch...

At this point, the train has left the station. I'm running this friggin thing if it kills me. Not the best attitude or mindset going into my final week, but quite frankly, I'm all out of excuses. The race deferment deadline has passed. Physically, though I'm not in the prime fighting shape that I was in 2001 when I ran my first marathon in 3:30, but I'm pretty confident I can run the course without dying. However, the fact that I've almost gone through all of the Milky Way and mini Reese's Cups Halloween candy in my apartment isn't helping me shed some extra poundage to give my feet the extra bounce I'll need come race day. Mentally, I don't think I'm prepared to realistically beat my personal best, my only best, is disheartening, but is something I'll have to simply accept and move on.

The good news is that the course is relatively flat, and I've heard it's a good, fun course, filled with inspiring monuments and ooo-raah marines motivating you along the way. Hopefully that will help clear the mental bats in my head.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and that light is Halloween!

UFC 64- Spider Eats Ace

This past weekend, middleweight UFC Champ Rich Franklin, after a seven month hiatus, came back to defend his title, and lost it in three minutes to Pride Fighting veteran Anderson "The Spider" Silva. There's been an ongoing debate among the online MMA community whether UFC or Pride Fighting have more talented fighters. After this display of pure ass kicking, Pride fans definately have an arguement. I've occasionally watched a few Pride fights on Fox Sports Net, and UFC definately has more polish, but polish isn't required when it comes to knees and fists to the head.

I Can't Feel Me Legs

Yesterday in New York City was the first annual Men's Health Urbanathlon. In preparation for the upcoming Marine Corps Marathon in a few weeks, this was a good opportunity test my racing legs as it spanned roughly ten miles from Central Park at 102nd St., down the West Side Highway, through Chelsea Piers and the Financial District, and back up to the Meatpacking District, with various obstacle course goodies scattered throughout. What goodies? Here's a few:

The Hurdle:









This was the first major obstacle that was on board the Intrepid (besides the pissing rain). Easy enough, pull yourself over the first plank, go underneath the next, then over, then under, over. I saw some guy wipe out on the first plank, slipping on the air craft carriers deck, and almost cracking his head open. Luckily he was okay.

The Ranger Weave:










This was the second obstacle on the Intrepid. It wasn't as difficult as I thought, partially due to the adrenaline rush of living out my thirty second dream of participating in "The Best Ranger Challenge." A most impressive sight I witnessed was a paraplegic runner with one of those fiberglass prosthetic spring legs right up my ass on this obstacle. I was amazed that this guy was going up and under these logs with only one real leg. And I'd be damned if I was going to be the one to slow him down.

The Pegboard Traverse:










This was probably one of the most demanding challenges on your upper body, particularly if the last time you did a push up for pull up was over 6 months. Fortunately this was an optional obstacle, so I gladly gave the bird to this one.

The Rock Wall Traverse:










This was the other choice if you didn't do the peg wall. I was initially concerned after getting a sneak peek at this that this would be as difficult to do was the peg wall, but luckily we were able to step on the small ledge for leverage, which make this a piece of cake.

The Wall:










This was the last obstacle before the finish line. The rain certainly didn't help get any foot traction against the wall. On the third try, and smashing my right knee, I finally made it over.

...and climbing fifty two flights of this friggin' building (World Trade Center 7)














This was the most daunting obstacle in the entire race. Mental motivational games like feeling like a firefighter on 9/11 only lasted about the 28th floor, then the claustrophobia started to set in, and I'm not even claustrophobic. The oddly enough specks of blood began appearing on the steps at around floor 33- I was curious to see when I'd run into a bloody corpse. Fortunately there was none. At the top, there was a lovely 360 view of the city, unfortunately the fog covered any visible skyline, and my light headed delirium certainly didn't help fully take in as much of the sight as I could have if I'd taken the elevator, or had a oxygen tank on hand.

Overall, a great race, even with the rain. Though official times are still not posted, I think I managed roughly a 1:55 including the obstacles. Hopefully this is a sign of how I'll perform in a few weeks in DC. At least that course from what I understand is pretty flat.