Long Run Solutions

A video for Osama bin Laden

Bill Keller, an evangelist from Florida, has made my day. The video message link attached is a must, must, must link to check out. I hope you enjoy this little message to Osama as much as I did. I just wish I would have thought of this first.

© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com

Bill Keller

WASHINGTON – An American television evangelist has turned the tables on al-Qaida terrorist leader Osama bin Laden – sending him a video message warning him to repent of his sins and convert to Christianity.

"Osama, since you seem to be a fan of video messages, I thought this would be the best way to communicate with you," says Bill Keller, host of the Florida-based "Live Prayer" TV program as well as LivePrayer.com in a message being posted to YouTube and 20 other major video sites in the U.S. as well as some 50 in the Middle East.

Dear Jeff Gallaway Again

Note: My "Dear Insert a name" here will be seen many times. As I come across people or ideas that I want to write a letter to or about, I will write it here. Sort of the "letters never sent" idea. Some will be silly, some ridiculous, and some down right serious. I hope you enjoy.

Dear Jeff Galloway,

I have now, over the past 3 weeks, used your "walk break" method for three long runs of 20, 22, and 20 miles, respectively. It has been an interesting experiment for sure.

My first run of 20 miles was in a very rural area where it was certain I would not know anyone. This was not by design, but I was happy about it. As I had mentioned in the past, the thought of someone I know seeing me while taking a "walk break" was almost to much for me to bear. I do tell people I am a runner you know.

The following Saturday was my longest scheduled training run of 22 miles. This time I was out of town and staying with relatives. Also, once again I was in a pretty rural area so I knew I was not going to see too many people. In fact, there was only one car load of people that I recognized, or more importantly that recognized me during my entire "run". This car contained my father-in-law, my youngest son, and my nephew. And Jeff, if you haven't already guessed, I was walking. When I returned after my "run", thankfully my father-in-law said nothing, mercifully my youngest son said nothing, and inquisitively my nephew asked in all earnestness, "Uncle Will, I thought you were going for a run?". I am still recovering from that question.

On the positive side, after now having finished all three of these long runs, I can see some things to  build on. One is the recovery time. I definitely feel like I am recovering quicker from long training runs.  Two is the psychology. There is something good about knowing that however bad I'm feeling, I will be slowing down to a walk at a predetermined time (did I just admit to that?). And third, I can easily understand and feel that the chances of a repetitive stress type of injury is much lower.

I am still not convinced that my marathon times will improve. And in reality, running a marathon is the only way I will know. So, I am committed to try your "walk break" method on April 28th at the Pine Line Marathon. If I do well, I promise to take all the credit. If I fall flat....well, you know.

A self respecting runner,

Will

Dear Jeff Galloway

Note: My "Dear Insert a name" here will be seen many times. As I come across people or ideas that I want to write a letter to or about, I will write it here. Sort of the "letters never sent" idea. Some will be silly, some ridiculous, and some down right serious. I hope you enjoy.

Dear Jeff Galloway,

I have to admit that I have always seen you as just a little bit less than a real man when it comes to running. I know you have completed many more marathons than I have (113 more than me at last count) and sure you have trained around 150,000 people to run marathons, but anyone who espouses something called a run/walk method just makes me a little skeptical of his manhood.

I didn't even know about this method of "running" until I met Jack at the Eisenhower Marathon last year. Jack is a self described Jeff Galloway disciple who has now qualified for the Boston Marathon in 12 of his last 17 marathon outings. Pretty impressive...and he is a bald guy and that obviously adds credibility. But, he is a lawyer which adds a grain of salt to anything he claims. Besides, a run/walk marathon? Wouldn't that sort of negate the idea of manning up and going after the 26.2 with everything you got?

Well Jeff, I gave in the other day. After being sick for three weeks and missing two long runs and suffering with a foot injury, maybe I have lost my mind. I actually ran 5 miles with walk breaks on Wednesday and averaged 7 minute, 35 second miles. Not bad for a hack like myself. And today, I walk breaked my way through a 20 mile long run. I feel pretty good about my time too, after running only 10 miles a week lately. But, do I feel good about myself? Does this mean my testosterone level has sunk so low that I have lost my self respect? And, what if my friends or family see me doing "walk breaks". Doesn't Murphy's Law pretty much guarantee that every time they see me I will be walking? Oh good Lord I can hear it now, "Will, are you heading out for a walk?" Or, how about, "Will, are you going for a run?" Wink, wink.

Jeff, here is what we are going to do. I'm going to bed tonight and keeping my mind open to trying this again sometime. But for right now, if anybody asks, I don't know anything about Jeff Galloway or his alternative training methods.

A self respecting runner,

Will