What a difference attitude can make...,

I haven't posted lately because school is about to reconvene. For teachers, that means a ton of work from now until mid-May.

I'm totally cool with that.

Teaching is an amazing profession. I've done corporate America, made lots of money, and can honestly say I was bored 95% of the time. Hotels, airports, bitchy clients, and twitchy stockholders equals misery in my book. I'll never forget my sales manager saying in disbelief, "But, you're number one in the country. How can you quit to be a teacher? Do you know what they make?" I hung up and left my car at the airport with my AMEX in the glove box and computer under the front seat.

No thanks.

So now, I'm teaching at the high school from which I graduated. It's a bit surreal to walk the walks and hear the ghosts of memories past. I still remember what subjects I studied in the classrooms as I walk down the halls. Very strange.

And cool.

So, I'm hoping for a good year. I'm teaching American Literature to the Junior crowd this year. Juniors are a funny breed. They have finally figured out high school but just want to get out. It's also the year of all the high stakes testing so they're a bit more focused. That translates into being hammered by Mr. B. Good times.

As far as training goes, I've had a bit of an injury so I scaled back. My left knee was seriously inflamed so I gave it a rest and I think it will be okay. I'm been hitting the upper body really hard and hope to see some improvement soon. My strength is already improving and I see the hint of a third ab.

August 1st marks the beginning of the training regimen for the Pine Mountain 40 Miler which is really just a training run for the Mississippi 50 Mile Trail Run in March. My goal with both is to simply finish upright and coherent. I think my running days are rapidly drawing to a close so this may be my last hurrah. I don't think my body will let me do a 100 miler and not suffer some type of devastating injury. That doesn't mean I won't try one-it just means I may pay a huge price for my hubris.

Okay, enough. I'm going to the gym to see what little strength I have. It really is pitiful. A pasty guy with a M-dot tatto trying to get stronger.

Sad.