This Is How You Celebrate Memorial Day!

I want to send out a thanks to my Wellness Guru and great friend Chris for organizing an amazing Trail Run to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project on Sunday morning. I got to spend an Hour and 45 Minutes running through the woods to help offset the excesses of Holiday Weekend eating and drinking and raise money for a great cause. Check out the link below:

http://btwg.blogspot.com/2009/05/memorial-day.html

I also got a little knowledge that I wanted to share. Due to the great advances in Health care and field readiness for injuries there is been a decrease in the number of military fatalities which is wonderful! The challenge is that many of these HEROS come home wounded and then have to learn how to live again under much tougher circumstances. We owe all of them so much, the least we can do is try to help them back to the most fulfilling life they can achieve. Thanks to all of the Military men and women who fight for me and my family everyday, thank you to all of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in honor of this Nation. In honor of the Wounded Warrior Project, a special thank you to those who have lost so much, but have come back home. May they feel welcome and supported by all of us!

Long Over Due - Tough Week.....Fun Run!

Well, like many weeks with a busy family and two working parents and one of them traveling (me), getting in the necessary workouts can be a challenge.  This week was especially hard, but I did have some good things happen.  There is also a Trail Run that I am planning on participating in on Sunday which is normally a rest day for me, so it will help make up for some lost time.  

The fun stuff this week happened in Missouri.  A lot of salesmen on the road look for the driving range to practice their swing, or figure out which restaurant and nightclub they want to go to that night, or they sit in their Hotel Room and eat too much food and watch TV or Work.  Although I do wonder which restaurant I am going to go to so that I can eat healthy and I spend a lot of my evening in the Hotel Room working, my new hobby is finding the city's local walking and running trails.  There are some GREAT ones out there and this week in Columbia, Missouri was one of the best.  It is called the MKT Nature and Fitness Trail.  Like many areas, they have taken an old rail road base and made it in to a trail.  This one starts near the University of Missouri and runs 8.9 Miles to Connect with the Katy Trail.  A Trail that runs all the way across the State of Missouri.  Here is a link to their website:

http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/ParksandRec/Parks/MKT_Trail/index.php

It runs through the woods along a creek that crosses back in forth under the trail and the trial turns to long wooden bridges.

Another really cool part is where they cut the rail road in through the hills.  There are these 20 or 30 feet deep canyons of rock, dirt and trees that shoot up on either side of the trail.

I even had a deer cross the trail just a few yards away from me.  The only down note is that I almost stepped on a Black SNAKE!  I can honestly say that was the fastest my heart has beaten during a run since I lost all my weight last year.  

I also got an opportunity to try out a Kayak while I was in Missouri.  One of my customers has a cabin in Missouri and he let me try out a Kayak.  It was only for a short time, but it was fun and I can see it as a possible exercise opportunity in the future.  

Here is hoping I do not have another week where I miss a run and both Strength workouts EVER again, but I hope I continue to find great places to run when I am on the road!