Really, what HASN't happened in the last 15 or so days…

First off… I like this.

And with regards to that, I just wanted to say:

I appreciate you, you internet people! (and the local runners who frequent this blog). I mean it. I gain so much inspiration, knowledge and perspective, as well as a high dose of LOL from you, that I just couldn’t stay away any longer. So I’m back. I am making no promises to keep up a daily blog, but I will blog when I feel like it. It may be every day for a stretch, and I may be off for a week at a time. If you come one here and read a bit, or read a lot, feel free to leave a comment or click follow. If you have a blog or an email attached to your comment I always make sure to go check out your stuff too! That’s all I have to say about that.

Ok, I froze my ass tonight. literally. I wore my Nathan belt out for a scheduled 13k run and the right bottle leaked out ever so slowly onto my butt cheek for the first 40 minutes until I stopped for a walk to GU and have a drink and I noticed that my coat and running pants were a popsicle on the right butt-tock. I came home after a fail attempt to continue and sat on a heating pad for a half hour. I am ok. That’s all I have to say about that.

I ran a crazy race a week ago. The Calgary Roadrunners host a series of cross country races throughout the winter. This was my first one and boy did I pick a doozy. Sooooo cold. Even for here. Do I look frightened?

Yeah. I am frightened. I couldn’t believe how much harder the distance was in the snow, cold and hills. Probably double the effort required. Tough stuff. I used this race as my entry into the FYTO5k that Adam held, but he didn’t want me in his race, and then he tried to make up for it by editing the blog results after I quizzed him about it on Twitter a couple days later… it’s ok, I remember this stuff. Revenge is a dish best served cold… So is Cake, so there is that. Here is the video I took at the race. That’s all I have to say about that.

I was finally tagged with the Stylish Blogger Award. No thanks to you North America. I am person too you know, I like to play these blogger info award deals and did any of you tag ME? Nope… so… my new favourite blogger is Staci from She Runs in Sandals. She is from South Africa, and if anyone knows a stylish blog, it’s the South Africans. You all Pretty much know the rules by now.

Thank the person who awarded you.

Thanks Staci! YOU ROCK!

Tell 7 things about you:

1. I am no longer reading North American blogs. You know who you are. UPDATE! Craig from Here we go Again saved Christmas… He tagged me on Jan 11th and I Missed it. Egg on my face. I now read North American Blogs again!
2. when I was 16, I was picked second last in dodgeball once. The guy in the wheelchair broke his hand earlier that week.
3. When I was 9 and 10, I had my Halloween Candy bag stolen 2 years in a row. By the same guy. On the same street. My friends didn’t share with me. twice.
4. When I was 12, I had a baseball coach tell me to go halfway from third to guard against the bunt from the guy who was hitting 1.000 on the season. I got hit by a line drive below my nose and above my teeth. I woke up 20 minutes later with a lip that stuck out past my nose.
5. I once played in a Hockey game where there were so many fights going on at once that the Zamboni driver was sent out to try and clear everyone off the ice. We needed a police escort out of town.
6. I have I big regret from High School. I was asked by a teacher to help out in a social experiment, where I was to act unruly to her and then finally FREAK out, curse, swear, slam stuff around and then STORM out of the classroom, slamming the door off the hinges. I chickened out at the last minute and basically ruined the experiment by acting out very meekly, whispering some stuff and walking out of the room. To this day I soooo wish I would have gone ALL OUT! It’s probably one of the reasons I never say no to a fun event in front of a crowd anymore. And I NEVER regret going all out, ever! I also once turned down a one in two chance at a Lazy Boy Recliner. I would’ve had to go out onto the ice at a Calgary Flames game in front of 17,000 people and play musical chairs with one other guy. The winner won the recliner. As soon as I said no, I kicked myself. I knew I betrayed myself, and since then, ask my wife, I never miss an opportunity to get in front of people. You know what? Someone is going to do it, and it might as well be me. It is all experiences. The next time you see someone up front, think about how you feel about that person while you sit in the audience. Does that make it seem easier? People are just people… everywhere.
7. I enjoyed the comments I got during my countdown blogs last week. They made me laugh.

Ok, Tag 7 people… Nah. I got picked last, so there is no one left. Is there? Email me a nzeller at shaw dot ca if I should tag you. That’s all I have to say about that. Update! I Tag LAURA At My Reason To RUN!

I have started my Marathon Training in Earnest. I love it. I have been to the gym a couple times to run barefoot on the treadmill. 14.75 k one day and 8k 2 days later. My feet felt quite abraded. The belt is moving, and I am following it. There is a point where the foot lands and no matter what kind of running style you have, there is a moment of scuffing when you catch up to the belt. that is why the belt is so shiny in the middle. I’ll run on there again, because the abrading causes me to really think about my form, as the quicker my cadence the less abrasion. So that’s all good. The only other problem I see with the mill is that it gets incredibly HOT after an hour or so. I am sure you have felt the warmth through your shoes. It’s HOT when barefoot. I am really looking forward to my BMO Vancouver Marathon on May 1st. That day is International barefoot day too! How cool!  That’s all I have to say about that.

I also started, on the advice of my coach at www.marathon-trainingschedule.com, to ditch all drinks in my life, in favor of water only. I have no problem with the plan except for giving up coffee. I was miserable for the first few days, and now I am just downright mad. It feels like quitting smoking, and quitting smoking was one of the reasons I gained so much weight starting 13 years ago. I am finding myself replacing coffee with ice cream and chocolate easter bunnies. I can’t lie to you, I broke down and had a coffee this afternoon. It was either that or a bowl of ice cream. That’s all I have to say about that. 

I had a redonkulous fun time at Pete Estabrooks TKO Conditioning Clinic he demo’d at the Calgary Fitness Expo on Saturday. Here are the video results of that day. I had a very high level of DOMS on Sunday, and am not looking forward to Today. Boxing conditioning is hard. The video has a funny ending.

  

Ok, so, that is the ‘Pink Chick’ punching me out at the event… gawd I’m a wuss. That’s all I have to say about that.

I have 3 contests running right now.

This one

This one

And this one on my Barefoot Neil Z fan page on facebook. As of 00:13 on Monday morning, I need 3 more ‘likes’.

That’s all I have to say about that.