Ran, Fatty, Ran

So…gasp…I…huff, puff…actually managed…wheeze…cough…to complete the 5 km Rat Race I shamelessly begged for donations for a while back.

This was the first real “race” I’ve been in (I can’t call it a real “real” race since it was for charity and whatnot, but it was as real as I’ve done), and I was pleasantly surprised with the results.

I set myself 4 goals for this race: 1) Don’t die, 2) Finish the race, 3) Finish in under 30 minutes, and 4) Finish in under 25 minutes. I’m pleased to say that I totally nailed the first 3. I managed to finish the run with a time of 27:53 and came in 416 place. That’s better than 799 other people there (in your face, Lale Kustu). Anyway, for the full results go here, or see below

So, did I learn anything? I found out that you tend to run a lot faster in a race than when you’re running on your own. I learned that my knees still hurt. I learned that having the woman who finished after you vomit near you isn’t all that fun at the end of the race. And I learned that I kind of enjoyed it and might do it again, motivation permitting.

Thanks to everyone who pledged me…you’ll be happy to know the money went directly the to the Southwestern Ontario Association of Bartenders and Beer makers. Couldn’t have done it without you!

Run, Fatty, Run

One of the best parts of my time in Edmonton was the fact that my friend organized a bootcamp over the summer and convinced my lazy butt to go at least twice a week after work. We would do a little running in the river valley, along with some strength training. It was nice for a number of reasons: the river valley in Edmonton is gorgeous in the summer, I got less doughy, my friend got to verbally abuse more often, and, most of all, I found out that I could run a little.

All of this is going somewhere, trust me. See, the problem is, I’m getting doughy again, and the summer is coming. The ladies are always less impressed with my banana hammock if my gut hangs over the top. So, time to get exercising again.

The Jena 6

As if you’d check here before some other news source, but thought I’d put it out there - The Jena Six:

The cause of Thursday’s demonstrations dates to August 2006, when a black Jena High School student asked the principal whether blacks could sit under a shade tree that was a frequent gathering place for whites. He was told yes. But nooses appeared in the tree the next day. Three white students were suspended but not criminally prosecuted. LaSalle Parish District Attorney Reed Walters said this week he could find no state law covering the act.

Apparently in Louisiana hanging nooses from a tree that has been historically known as a “whites only” tree doesn’t qualify as a hate crime.  I can only imagine what would qualify in Reed’s mind.