Hooray…I Can Finally Quit!
Friday, May 23, 2008
2 Days Until Bolder Boulder

Today was absolutely gorgeous outside. It was a chilly 40°F outside and I loved it. The only evidence of yesterday’s storm was the damp grass and weeds which wet our shoes as we ran. It was an even slower run than usual, solely due to me. My energy levels were dropping like a rock and I had no idea why.

I joked about my “biorhythms” being low. It turned out my physical biorhythm, for those who believe in biorhythms, had bottomed out the night before. That alone was a good explanation It also didn’t bode well for the Race. It meant, if the biorhythm analysis was accurate at all, my physical level (“strength, health, and raw physical vitality” according to one biorhythm Website) would be almost at its nadir.

I didn’t believe in biorhythms, which were charted based on a person’s birth-date, anyway. I figured if a person built up his or her physical base high enough, then even when he or she was at a biorhythmic low point, physical feats still could be performed at a level much higher than most other people.

So, for example, if a person ran a 10K in 75 minutes and trained to get to 50 minutes, even on a “bad biorhythm day,” he or she still should be able to run the 10K in 60 minutes. That 60-minute time might be higher than the runner’s normal peak performance but it still was much better than the old 75-minute level. And it was silly to think about. I was confident I could overcome any biorhythmic curse.

As we ran, Angela told me she had thought a lot about yesterday’s conversation regarding equivocation. She said she realized she did equivocate a lot and wanted to change. I backtracked a little and reminded her we all used equivocation at times to avoid hurting other people’s feelings. She was resolute, however, and felt she had missed certain opportunities to communicate more clearly because she did equivocate. I told her to “Go for it” and see how being more direct might make her more successful, especially at work.

I was noticeably tired the entire run but was glad to do it. I knew I had two days of rest coming so it wasn’t a big deal. We finished the full 5½ mile run in 75 minutes and discussed the logistics of meeting on Monday so we would have enough time to get to our parking lot on the University of Colorado campus and then walk to the Start Line.

My post-run weight was slightly over 199 but I was optimistic I could get it to 195 before the Race even though I would not be exercising. I was dreaming.

I took care of all my regular responsibilities with Holly, the dogs, and the house, and then attended to some farm issues. For breakfast, I finished all the Chinese food from yesterday’s stop at the Fortune Cookie Café. I worked preparing for my meetings in Denver and then took a call from Al Nelson of the Petroleum Pioneers. They wanted me to make my presentation entitled, “Why Everyone Hates Energy Companies”). Al called to remind me of a promise I had made months ago to give my presentation in less than two weeks. I was terribly busy but I had to keep my promise so I assured Al I would be there.

I corresponded with General Petraeus about his nomination by the President to be the head of Central Command. I was wondering if he would be based in Washington but he said he would be at Central Command’s headquarters in Tampa. He also told me he would be in Iraq another four months before heading to CentCom. I was thinking of possibly trying to see him in Tampa, Iraq and/or Afghanistan. Hmmmm. Let’s see… which location would be easiest and safest? I had great respect for the General and his commitment to do the best he could with the orders he had been given and the limited resources with which he had to work. He cared deeply about his troops and they both respected and adored him. I had learned that firsthand when I visited with troops in Iraq earlier in the year.

My meetings in Denver started with one of my teammates. We reviewed the work she wanted to do and started to put together a schedule. Then I met with the new Marketing Director of the TV Station, Marcia Simmons. She seemed very sharp and I had high hopes for her success at KBDI-TV.

Next I had a meeting with a prospective sponsor of the television show. While in his office, I downed two small bags of pretzels and two bottles of ruby red grapefruit juice. The snacks were good but I made no progress in the meeting. Getting support was simply a numbers game. We were doing great work but it often took a while for people to see that.

After picking up my daughter from school, I made a large dinner which included a green salad, a rice dish, salmon burgers, chicken breast meat cut into bite-sized chunks, and macaroni and cheese. We drank milk and then I had two pieces of cake and an ice cream bar. I had dangerously veered off my diet course and knew, especially with no exercise planned between now and the Race, I knew this unrestrained caloric consumption was not a good decision. I sensed I would pay dearly for my overindulgence.

I worked while Holly read and stayed up much later than I should have – getting to sleep at 11:00 pm or so.