Mem'l Day Shenanigans...

On Saturday, I replaced what would have been my 5th annual MCVET 5k race with the Color Run in Baltimore, MD. It was a fun event – race participants ranged from the little ones to senior citizens… some running, some walking & some just flat-out in the way, lol.

The cluttered field indeed turned what should have been a race into more of an obstacle course, but I wasn’t out there to break any personal records, I simply needed to complete my annual Memorial Day weekend race tradition & that, I accomplished!

After running through the many color stations, I definitely finished the race in vibrant style. Even got myself a medal :-) I didn’t stay for any of the post-race activities (& there were plenty of them), but the duration of my holiday weekend was fun as well.

On Sunday, I hit the beach in Ocean City, MD, along with my girlfriend & others. We enjoyed the day on the beach. A tad windy & cool for our collective liking, but the drive to & from the beach was traffic-free, scenic & relaxing. Perhaps next time I’ll stay a night on the beach, versus driving back the same day, as I always do.

Dry Run...

I'm no longer spending every free moment bike riding, so I've finally been able to work a jogging routine back into my workout schedule. 

 

Had no choice really though, the 1st race of the year is less than a month away, so I've gotta start training now if I want to be at peak performance by the final weekend in May.

I've run at this particular event (the MCVET 5&10k Run) for the past few years, this time I decided to challenge myself more by stepping it up from the 5k race to the 10k event. 

 

I can run 3 miles in my sleep, so a 6-mile run is far more appropriate at this point. I should be ok, but I've got a ways to go before I'm fully back in-shape.

Earlier this evening, I jogged for just the second time this year - the 1st time in almost 3 months. I could really tell it had been that long too, I struggle to keep a steady pace for the duration of my run. 

 

I have; however, noticed that I now share mixed used trails much better than I did before becoming a regular cyclist. Back then, I'd be all over the trail whenever I ran, but now I recognize the importance of staying to the right side of the trail. 

 

This is especially important for trail runners like myself, who wear ear buds & are therefore unlikely to respond to any audible warnings given by bike riders who need to pass. In short, when it comes to running - I've vastly improved my trail etiquette, lol. Here's to a great running season!

Snow Patrick's Day...

I very much wanted to go cycling again today for 2 reasons, the 1st being that I'm still quite intrigued by this new, fun hobby of mine... the 2nd being that I wanted to test my new road tires! They're supposed to be faster & lighter than the hybrid tires that came installed on my bike... plus they just look a lot cooler, lol.

But there would be no luck of the Irish on this St. Paddy's Day, not in regard to snow anyway - Mother Nature intervened & we were hit with yet another round of snowfall here in the DC area, just days before the start of spring. The temperature isn't expected to rise above 50 degrees for another few days, so I'll just have to temper my enthusiasm for now. I did; however, find some more trails & it seems I pick-up on more about the cycling culture each week. I'm hopeful that I'll be able to get out there later this week, it's supposed to reach the mid to high 60s this coming Saturday, so I'll definitely make it a point to hit the streets then, even if I don't get the chance to ride during the work week. A few more of the parts I've ordered should have arrived by then anyway :-D

Happy Trails...

As a birthday present to myself a few weeks back, I bought a new bicycle, so that I might incorporate cycling into my fitness routine. 

After various customizations to the entry-level bike I purchased, I took it out for my 4th trail ride earlier this afternoon. I've spent the past 3 weeks removing & replacing factory installed parts & mechanisms with lighter, more appropriate versions of each.

The bike was already designed to operate as a hybrid bicycle, still I couldn't help but to make several of my own modifications to the bike. So far, I've added an illuminated reflector system, mobile air pump, as well as upgrade the handlebars, quill stem, front wheel & tire among other things. Future upgrades include reducing the number of speeds (from 18 to 14) - for a more simplified shifting sequence during rides & a pair of bright red pedals, to match the front wheel.

I've enjoyed trail riding - oh, I'm calling my bike "Pam" by the way, lol. I was quite satisfied with today's 12-mile ride along the Anacostia River, replacing many of my jogging activities with bike rides, should go along way towards relieving the wear & tear on my knees & ankles from pavement running. Maybe I'll completely switch-over to cycling, I haven't yet ruled-out the possibility of competing in a triathalon either... guess it's time to step-up my swim game.

Much like jogging, riding along trails, unimpeded by vehicle traffic is quite therapeutic. I love being near the water, so the fact that many trails run parallel to streams & rivers is a bonus for a water sign such as myself. Many other trails run along old railroad right-of-ways, they too provide for great aesthetics! Some of the scenery witnessed along the limited number of trails I've conquered so far have been breath-taking.

Bridges, tunnels, fabulous sunsets. I've been pleasantly surprised by the number of trails dedicated to joggers, runners & equestrians right here in Prince George's County, MD. I'm guesstimating that I should be able to ride my bike (at least) 4 times as far as I'd normally run, so accordingly, I plan to cycle 450 to 500 miles by the fall. I've done quite a bit of research on the local paved trails, as well as some that aren't so local.

Like the Washington & Old Dominion trail, it's 45-miles long (each way), starts in Shirlington, VA, finishing up in Purceville. Obviously, I'd need to work-up to such a long trail, but that's the goal. There are even longer trails, but I'm only interested in those I can complete in one day's ride (at this point anyway). I've also found local off-road trails of interest. So who knows? Maybe next year I'll expand my fleet to include a mountain bike & take-on some of the area's most rugged trails!

New Gear...

I bought myself some new run gear today -- any Spidy fans out there? Anyway, I'm so very excited about run season I can hardly contain myself. 

I've been seeing various updates from my friends on how they've been running or going to the gym & it's beginning to drive me crazy because we keep getting all of this snow! 

A lot more of my friends seem to be into running this year. I, myself, have been thinking of taking up cycling as well. 

Perhaps as we get closer to midsummer, I'll be able to get my hands on a bike. I notice many cyclists on the road during the weekends nowadays, I think I'm game.

I guess I should also start thinkin' of the various races that I'd like to participate in this year. I ran in 2 races last year, so at minimum, I'd like to do the same this year. 

I do think I'll raise the bar & increase my race distances to at least 10k this year, I've been pretty much running 5 miles each time I venture out.

I really wouldn't mind becoming involved with a team sport again this year either, but that's a more difficult task to accomplish. 

Getting 8-10 people on the same page, especially over the weekends can be next to impossible, with everyone's crazy schedules.

I'll just have to settle for cycling if I do incorporate any new activities into my fitness routine. I've already been researching the necessary gear required, it's just a matter of me taking the time to buy the sh!t.

Running, A Solitary Endeavor...

Today is President's Day, a federal holiday & better still... another day-off from work, giving me a 3-day weekend. 

I decided to do something a bit more productive than just lie dormant beneath the sheets this morning, so I got my ass up & headed out for a run (armed with a new gospel run playlist). 

It was the 1st run of the season - following my standard 3-month layoff during the winter. I typically prefer to run routes no shorter than 6.2 miles, but this morning, my body & mind were both very much content with a 5k run instead. It was only 27° out there, my lungs were just about depleted of oxygen & seemingly unable to produce more, so I called it quits for the day. Hell, I still ran 3.1 miles longer than most people will today, lol. 

Since it had been my offseason before this morning's run, I hadn't taken any of my vitamins or dietary supplements, plus I was just plain out of shape, considering that, I won't be so critical when it comes to my run stats for the day. Truth be told, I was so glad to get this 1st run over with, the 1st is always the toughest I find. 

Upon returning home, I showered, enjoyed a large breakfast & climbed directly back into bed for more sleep... welp, at least the early part of the day was productive for the kid, lol...

Closed For The Season...

A friend reminded me that I haven't run in quite some time now. The last time I jogged was in late September. I slightly injured my heel in August so I didn't run for a while. 

But I hit the pavement again Thanksgiving morning, it had been 65 days since my last run. 

Conventional wisdom told me to just run 5k or so, but I pushed it & managed a 5-mile run in sub-freezing weather - I think it was 26 degrees when I headed out. When I returned an hour later it had only warmed up to a balmy 28 degrees. 

My injured heel didn't bother me during my run, unfortunately that probably means the occasional discomfort I get in that area (when I'm not running) is more a result of just being old, lol. 

But not a bad run to close-out my running season, I won't be back out there until March so it was cool, going out with a bang. I've got one hell of an appetite right about now though, I'm going to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner SO much this evening. Bring-on the gravy!

Thunder Thighs, Lol...

Want to hear something funny? All of the running over the past 5-6 months has significantly developed the muscle mass in my thigh & hamstring areas - now all of my slacks for work seem a lil' snug in that region. 

Most people workout to go-down in clothing size, but (in typical me fashion) I've managed to somehow accomplish the opposite & buck the trend. So it looks like I've gotta shell-out some cash for new suits & sh!t. 

Wouldn't be such a big deal if I didn't rock a retro/skinny look when it comes to my work attire. Alas, my slacks & suits are are primarily slim fit - this certainly poses an immediate problem for the kid.

I can either scale-back what has become a rigorous workout routine in recent months, or suck it up & make the investment in some new clothing. Did I mention that I HATE shopping??? I mean, a shirt here & there is one thing, but shopping for multiple outfits, all at once, is not something I look forward to.

Wish I was experiencing the same problem with my shirts, but uhhh... increasing muscle mass in the pectoral sector hasn't been as critical a situation - but I'm cut, lmao! I've increased my weight training activity over the past 3 months. Its produced a more chiseled look, but not too much of a visual transformation from what I can see.

Soooooo.... that's about it, guess I just wanted to share my wardrobe situation with you guys, lol. Be well.

In Over My Head

Yesterday I signed up for a Nike run challenge & I think I may have bitten-off more than I can chew. The challenge is to run 100 miles in one month, so by August 31st, I’ve got quite a bit of work to do. Yesterday was the 1st of the month, so I made sure I got some miles in (5.6mi to be precise), but by my calculations, I need to complete a 5mi activity 19 additional times to reach that goal. 

I definitely wish I'd done the math before agreeing to this challenge, lol. Its not that I haven't been running this summer, in June I actually achieved a similar personal goal of mine to run 90mi in 45 days, so I know it's physically possible... just not sure it is logistically. Creating time to run on 19 separate occasions this August will prove difficult, but I'm gonna give it the ol' college try :-D

Since I began my running season this year, I've logged just over 165mi, so if I'm somehow able to complete this challenge I will have run 60% of my combined yearly mileage in just one month - that would be pretty amazing. But until I make a dent in this current challenge, I'll keep the news of this commitment between you readers & I (yunno, just in case I flake at some point, lol).

***Update - 9/31/13: I managed to complete my 100-mile challenge & with ZERO days to spare! I finished up mile 101 on the final day of August :-D It was quite the accomplishment, even if I do say so myself! I put a lot into adjusting & then sticking to various run schedules & even had to fight-off injury for the final 20 miles or so of the challenge. But I committed to it, so I'm pleased not top have fallen short of my goal.

Hit the Ground Running...

Last month I officially got back into my jogging routine & after the 1st few tough runs, I finally felt like I was back into the swing of things? This month I even started tracking my runs again, using the RunKeeper app I discovered for my phone last year. Not sure why I'd stopped tracking each run in the 1st place (perhaps I was a bit ashamed of myself for getting out of my normal routine, idk-lol).

I broke in some new footwear in April, very pleased with 'em. More-or-less a New Balance/Vibrams hybrid running shoe, they feel really light & seem to conform to the shape of my feet (I believe they're called 'NB Minimus,' or something to that effect). I try to run 3-4 times a week & it feels sooooo good each week I'm able to accomplish that task - I've got my 2nd 5k race coming up later this month, another race in mid-July & just today, a good friend hipped me to a 5k zombie obstacle course run in late-October. That should be fun, terrifying & exhausting - I'm really looking forward to that one!

Im general, I'm an independent worker by nature & I'm very comfortable with that, so it puzzles me why it took such a long time for me to get into running. I absolutely hated the idea of participating in track & field while involved with other sports as a youth, but I'm so glad I've come across what has become such a therapeutic release for me over the past 2 years.

Whenever I run, it seems I'm able to tune-out the noisy world, including the people in it & whatever it is I think they currently owe me, lol. So my recent return to the roadway actually comes at a great time for me. This is the time of year when I typically remove myself from the social scene & go underground for a bit to re-focus/analyze myself. This year's round of self-analysis has been productive so far... I've tightened up some really loose ends, now I'm on my way!

Though I ran far less this past winter, I didn't stop flagging good music to listen to while jogging. Thusly, I've managed to create several themed playlists to run to - as a general practice, I take the various music playlists I create VERY seriously, so I'm glad I made note of certain songs & artists for such purposes. I think I'll go with my 'hype mix' when I run this evening (today's Vitamin B dosage has me sittin at my desk jittery & really amped to run, lol).

Should I Do It?

Yea, I think I kinda have to... fuckit, why not? Besides, familiarity breeds complacency & I've got things to do, so there's certainly no time in my schedule for any of that!

Months ago, I watched an infomercial for the Insanity, a 60-day total-body conditioning program & thought to myself, 'I could do that.'

Well this weekend while visiting a good friend of mine, I noticed she had the Insanity workout kit. So she was kind enough to lend the kit to me so that I could burn the 10 workout discs.

Based upon what I already know about Insanity, I expect the workouts to be completely brutal over the course of 2 months time, but I'm ready for a new challenge so bring it on! I plan to start the 60 days of intense conditioning on August 1st, following my return from Miami in late July. If I stay on schedule, I should complete the workout plan by October 2nd, or so.

As challenging as Insanity appears, I still plan to continue my 5k runs, 3 days a week, but I'll need to scale-back my weight training activities if I wanna give myself a decent chance at sticking with Insanity for 2 months full months. I guess, I'll develop some sort of reduced lift plan to coincide with some of the Insanity workouts.

There's no getting around the fact that 45-minute conditioning intervals, 6 days a week for 2 straight months (not including the miles run), will test my level of commitment but hey, you only live once - so, come August, I'm making it happen...

Raising the Bar...

Alright, what's going on here? I was never a health nut at any point during the 1st 30 years of my life, but in addition to my new love for running, I've been using the days previously reserved for rest, to tone-up as well lately. I still loathe the gym, so instead I've been working out at home on my core, chest, arms, legs, shoulders & back with 15 & 30-pound dumbbells in addition to an exercise ball.

Last night, I found some fitness videos to stream to my tv (via Netflix) & actually ended up developing my 1st workout plan afterward. It took me the better part of yesterday evening to test each dumbbell weight, activity & rep count. Then I still needed to breakdown 21 activities into separate exercise groups to complete over 3 days time.

The plan is to perform 3 sets of each of those 21 activities I've came up with. I figure I'll be tweaking the rep count & weight sizes over the next couple of weeks until I get a better idea my current strength level in each area. But I'm telling you - some woman is gonna end up with 1 fine, chiseled piece of man-meat by the time I' done here, lol.

To maintain at least 1 day of rest, I had to remove a day from my previous cardio routine. I'm not so happy about that since I've come to enjoy running so much, but 3 days of weight training coupled with another 3 days of 3-mile runs sound like more than enough to do during a given week.

What I like most about my proposed workout plan is that it gives me the freedom to do it from just about anywhere. Whether I'm home, at work, out of town, or yes, even the unthinkable -visiting the dreaded gym, I can manage a decent workout with very few adjustments (if any) to the routine.

I'm a huge NFL football fan & with that in mind, I thought it'd be wise to reserve Sunday as the new rest day since I'm down to just 1 now. My previous off-days had been Monday, Wednesday & Friday, now I've got 7 activities scheduled for each of those days & I plan to continue running each Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday.

It's clear to me now how working out can be so addictive. With any luck this WON'T just be a phase, but a far healthier lifestyle, rather. What feels the best about this healthier living over the past few months is that nobody pushed me, the encouragement from watching those close to me provided more than enough spark to get me out there on my own.

Off to get today's miles in, until next time kiddies...

Pounding the Pavement...

Today I submitted an application & registration fee for what will be my 1st 5k race! 5k events are about 3.1 miles long, but since I’ve been running beyond that distance recently, & 4 times a week too, I think I’m ready for the challenge. Initially, I’d hoped to run this event with 2 friends, but 1 is out of town & the other flaked on me… I guess, I really haven’t been privy to any info in that regard.

Nonetheless, the kid will indeed be at the starting line on Lexington Street in Baltimore at 7:30 this Sunday morn & I’m beginning to get pretty excited about it too. The course starts downtown & portions of the race run along-side of the inner-harbor, both before & beyond the turn-around point, so it should be a pretty nice run, aesthetically speaking.

I didn’t have the free time for flag football this spring/summer, so I’m hoping the 5k helps quench the competitive thirst that’s been building in recent months. I’m reserving final judgment ‘til after the race, but I honestly don’t see myself doing many 5/10k races in the future. I do enjoy the camaraderie of being among other runners, but I love the loner aspect of my personal workouts. If nothing else, it’s 1 less item on the bucket list.

Plus, I’ve always been an independent worker. Just tell me what needs to be done, by when & you will get what you seek. No need to concern yourself about how I get it done – that part is up to me. So, likewise, increasing or slowing my current pace to match fellow runners or workout partners would probably prove to be more work than it’s worth to me anyway.

When I 1st started running, my sole intention was to stay in-shape until returning to action in 1 of my flag football or softball leagues. Since that point, in early March, I’ve become far more invested, & I mean that both literally & figuratively. Considering the time & money spent on this newfound hobby – there’s absolutely no way I’d stop right now.

I needed better running shoes (my New Balances were far too heavy), sole inserts (had to correct my arch), patella bands (the pavement was abusing my knee cartilage those 1st few weeks), glucosamine pills (to prevent further joint-cartilage degeneration), running apparel (just because I need to look good, lol) & an iPod sleeve (for obvious reasons). Still, the biggest investment to date has been my heart.

When I ran track in high school, I only ran the shorter races – I was a sprinter with quick bursts of speed. Hell, my specialty was FOOTBALL anyway, so I was only out there because my football coach demanded it. There was no way I’d even consider any events over 200 meters – I was terrified of distance running & remained that way until now.

I say that to help demonstrate how often, we as humans, miss-out on the things we’d really enjoy in life because we’re either too afraid, stubborn/lazy or smart to get involved & give something new a try. I’m glad I took the initiative to try something I wasn’t completely comfortable with. It certainly taught me a few things about myself, including the discipline I possess when properly motivated...

***Update -- May 30, 2011

Well I successfully completed the race yesterday & I think I did ok for my 1st crack at it. Overall, I placed 130th (out of 312 total runners) & 14th (out of 30 total runners) in the 30-39 year-old division. I clocked my 2nd best mile-split avg. time since I've been running longer distances (9 min./56 sec.) & my overall 5k time was 30 min./51 sec.

Coming into the race, my only goal was to finish race in the top half of the categories above & the official race results indicate my performance was right on target. So in general, I'm fairly satisfied with my performance...

Whatever Doesn't Kill Me...

So.......... if a jogger falls running along a trail in the middle of the forest & there's nobody around to hear him, does he make a sound? Damn, right I did & it was something along the lines of "@&%#."

Earlier in the evening while treading the portion of my jog that takes me through the woods, I took a pretty good spill & even managed to break some skin as I hit the dirt, lol. You know how when tripping in public you look around to see who witnessed your mishap? Yup, I did it - even alone in the middle of the forest, lol.

Before taking-off again, I DID take a few moments to collect (& laugh at) myself. Honestly, I don't know what the fuck happened - I was coasting along gracefully 1 moment & the next, I was tumbling forward (& cussing all the way to the ground, lol). Guess I clipped a fallen branch or unearthed tree root.

I finished today's run exhausted, slightly traumatized & most definitely distracted. Hell, it had to happen at some point, I'm just glad it took place out of plain view & upon a soft (though apparently not soft enough) surface. I'm tellin' ya - I'd pay good money to somehow get video footage of the blunder.

Even though tomorrow is 1 of my normal rest days, I'm really tempted to get back out there & redeem myself. At any rate, I guess I'll cross that bridge tomorrow - assuming I can manage to figuratively stay on my feet, of course...

Frontrunner...

I get alot of thinking done when I run & believe me when I tell you, it's quite therapeutic in so many ways. If only I could somehow figure a way to write as I run. Sometimes I take specific notice of the various obstacles I encounter along my route.

While completing today's route I battled potholes, stoplights, a few distractions, fatigue & exhaustion before experiencing the ultimate exhilaration of crossing the finish line. But today I thought of how my jog route somewhat parallels life & people in general.

Potholes...

When taking to the streets for a run, I've gotta watch out for uneven portions of the pavement, sidewalks & so-fourth. They're not difficult to avoid, but if I'm not aware, they can cause damage & inflict serious pain.

Certain people are potholes - you know the nuisances who re-surface in your life from time to time & just as quickly as they show, they disappear again? Ummm, yea... try & avoid those altogether nowadays.

Stop-Lights...

Sometimes right when I get into a good groove, a stop-light interrupts my flow & on-the-spot adjustments must be made to avoid the danger of negligent/aggressive drivers. For purposes of this post, I'll associate stop-lights with my haters.

No runner enjoys the idea of compensating for the loss of time during a run, it's unproductive. The secret seems to be keeping my head on a swivel & perfectly timing my approaches towards intersections, then I can gracefully glide thru the bull-shit... I try & employ similar methodology when dealing with those aforementioned haters - Oh I see y'all lookin' witcha lookin-asses, lol.

Distractions...

Sometimes various things along the route capture my attention & I momentarily lose focus, I HATE that. Things like dogs (or really, it's their absent-minded owners), music playlist errors, 'cougars' & wardrobe malfunctions all are examples of things that take my mind off the pace I've set for myself & at times, I've gotta mentally slap myself just to regain the focus, lol.

I've got 1 or 2 people that come to mind who would fit the description above. Somehow I allow 'em to remain wirelessly connected to my life, when all the while I know any time spent with such company is, in reality, a waste of my time. More importantly, it prevents what might otherwise be a meaningful encounter with someone else. I'm still working on this one, maybe I require a few 'actual' slaps in such cases, lol...

Fatigue/Exhaustion...

-Fatigue comes into play about halfway thru, so I dial it back a bit to ensure I complete the 2.8 mile route without walking. Adrenaline carries me thru much of my run, but somewhere near the 2 mile mark, I can feel my body losing form. The whole 'mind telling your body that its not tired' bit has always fascinated me, so its here I like to use a few tricks I've picked up to help battle exhaustion long enough to get to the finish.

-Perhaps I'd be better served to employ a similar approach when my social relationships begin to fatigue. When dealing with women in general, the initial excitement of someone new gets me thru the 1st few months or so, but when things aren't progressing as smoothly as I'd like, again, I feel myself losing form. In life, I haven't always finished the run though & I realize that. But now, I've gotten my cardio levels where they need to be & I'm ready for whatever.

Finally, the Finish Line...

Typically upon approaching the final 0.3 miles of my route, a sense of relief & excitement overcomes me. It's at this point, the RunKeeper app installed on my cell phone fades the headphone music level & spits out 1 last update of my current pace & distance traveled stats. I'm never satisfied with this info, so I give it a final push in an attempt to salvage a better mile-split average before finishing the route.

In the great race of life, there doesn't really seem to be a finish line, per se. People change their minds, circumstances/situations evolve & yes, people DO fall out of love. In essence, I guess most are never satisfied with their current stats. But that's a good thing in my mind as complacency often signifies the lack of drive & determination. The lack of a visible finish line can't stop me from littering the route with plenty of conquests & achievements along the way... & it won't.

IFFL Championship Game!!!

The championship game for the men’s flag football team I’ve been a part of for the past three years is now upon us. Last fall we came up short in the title game & ended up with a sour, 2nd place taste left in our mouths – while silver is indeed one of my three favorite colors, it would be really nice to take home the gold this season!!!

There were quite a few bitter feelings shared among many of our players at the conclusion of

last year’s championship game & those feelings even spilled into the spring season, which we ended up not taking part in as a result. So this fall we established a new team name, new uniforms & a renewed sense of camaraderie.

We’ll be facing a team that we lost to during the regular season. They’re clearly the most athletic team in the league – but I’ve got a feeling we’ve found a few holes in their scheme to exploit this Sunday, hopefully what we’ve learned about their team thus far will help us out in that regard.


We lost 27-7 during that regular season match-up & though there are no excuses in sports, we were missing some major components from ourtypical game-plan (due to several missing players & hell – even I showed up late for the game now that I think about it). I’m wondering if the other squad will come into the championship game feeling a bit over-confident. If so, it’ll be bad news for them!

I'm actually considering hanging up the cleats for good after the big game. But I'm hardly sure whether this is or isn’t my farewell tour. If I did stop playing, I’d need to pick up another activity to make up for that portion of exercise I'd be losing. At this point, I haven't a clue what said activity would be.

I’ve typically had similar feelings following the conclusion of the past couple seasons. I guess I'll make that decision next spring, when I'm actually forced to. One thing I DO know is that it’s been a great ride with these guys & I’d hate to not ever see many of them again, so I’ll give it much thought over the next 3-4 months.

It’s been a great run, getting to know & play with these guys who come from so many different places & walks of life. If indeed I do decide to retire from the team/league at the conclusion of this postseason, I’ll walk away with no regrets – knowing full well that is was an absolute honor to complete & sweat with such a great group of men.