She's the one

"It's all part of a grander plan, that is coming true" -Rascal Flatts, "Broken Road"

They used to tell me things like, "When you know, you know" or "She's out there, somewhere". My favorite line I heard was, "When you stop looking, you'll find her" because sure, that makes sense.

While the friendly encouragement was appreciated, it means absolutely nothing to a single person. None of the encouragement even makes sense.

A little over a year ago, I got to know a beautiful little blonde and she immediately stole my heart. It wasn't easy (it never is), but we managed to find our way through the broken roads of past relationships and tough emotions to get to the place I had been looking for. The one that all those people told me about. The place of "knowing". I have never experienced such a comfortable yet exhilirating place.

Suddenly all of the encouragement made sense. When I knew, I knew. I found her and the rest is now, as they say, history.

On June 12th, 2011 at Thousand Steps Beach in Laguna Beach, CA, Lindsey Joy Linker agreed to be my bride.

I could not possible be more excited to start the rest of my life with her by my side.

Preparing to prepare to train for my next race

Baseball players play games almost every day, Basketball players a few times a week and football players every Sunday. Runners train for months to prepare for ONE DAY. It's a strange idea when you think about it.

For serious marathon runners, training can take anywhere between 3-6 months and is often accompanied by a strict diet, supplements and special recovery techniques. Most will invest hundreds of dollars into gear, registration fees and other expenses for that one day.

With so much invested, the pressure to perform is incredibly high. Runners don't have the luxury of 'turning the page' and playing again the next day. It's do or die, all or nothing.

As I work towards my next race, the Malibu Marathon on November 13th, I can't help but think about the months that lie ahead. Here's hoping it all works out...