2012 is going to be GREAT

I am not necessarily the most positive thinker in the world at all times, but I am trying. I am doing my best to improve myself each day. We all have things that we want to work on: the way we treat people, our weight, being diligent of our finances. Well, all those are goals of mine as well, but in 2012 I want to be better then even I think I can be. Let me list some New Year's Resolutions and my plans to keep them (and how if you have this resolution, tips on how I think we can all keep them)

1. Improve My Family Life
We can ALL work on this. I want to be a better husband. Way too often, I have put myself above my wife. Every day, I regret this. Why didn't I do a little extra for her? Why didn't I fix dinner every once in a while? Why didn't I take her to a movie? Why didn't I spend a little extra time with the kids when she was really tired? We can't go back and change the past, but we can improve the future and make our spouse realize that they are the reason we want to better ourselves. Should you want to better you for you? Absolutely. But, if you have that special person in your life, that might push you just a little more. That might make you work a little harder, when you think you have worked as hard as you can. Same thing goes for kids. Go the extra mile. Tired? Your kids will only be this age once. Even if they don't want to spend time with you, I encourage engaging in a family activity. Play a game, read a book, do whatever it takes. Do I think my kids will love me at all times? No. I think most kids have at one point or another, told their parents "I hate you" when they don't get their way, but it is my goal to be a better parent tomorrow then I was today.

2. Become a Happier Person
This one I think is particularly important. I feel a happy person can be a productive person. I just want to be happy at all times. I am not counting on being happy 100 % of the time, but let's shoot for it (or at least 99.9). Plus, I feel that when we are unhappy, we are not productive and are letting ourselves down. I just want to be happy and see that glass half full at all times.

3. Save Money Out of Each Paycheck
I think for people of my age, this is hard. Really, with the economy the way it is right now, this is tough for any working class individual. But, even if we could just save 25 dollars out of each paycheck, I would consider that a start, because we all want to get out of a living pay check to pay check, and in today's economy, that ain't easy.

4. Run/Workout Each Day
I have become a running fool. A lot of people would already say I had 1/2 of the equation before I started running. I don't feel like I am the world's greatest runner, but I feel like I am steadily getting better. I am going to tackle a 10k in Richmond on March 31st. My goal is to cross the finish line under 1 hour and 15 minutes. Can I do it? I don't know. Am I going to bust my butt training for it? Yep. Also, when I say run/workout every day. It doesn't mean that bench pressing or running are going to be in the cards every day. Most days, I will probably be doing some real working out (running, weights, or whatever) but the point for all of us, is let's cut down on lazy days. Don't just around watching TV and eating potato chips all day. Get up. Do some cleaning. Find some activities that will make you keep moving. Going up and down stairs. Find something, let's cut down on days where we are inactive.

5. Become More Dependable and Reliable
If we aren't as good as our word, then we are nothing. Everybody breaks an engagement/promise every once in a while. However, I think our goal should be "Hey, when I call Bob, I know he's gonna be there for me." or "I don't have to check my watch because I know Bob is going to be there". Things like that I think are just some of the qualities that make one dependable and reliable. That is another thing I strive to be better at in 2012.

6. Continue to Lose Weight
Running has been a major asset in my weight loss, no doubt. However, to really make a significant change in one's weight, you have to watch the diet. That has been the hardest part. In 2012, I am really going to try hard to discipline myself to eat what I should be eating, and not always what I want to be eating. This is going to be the toughest thing for me to do. Hopefully, it will work out for me, but number 6 could be my most challenging resolution to keep.

7. Do Some Work on "The Sports Buffet Podcast" Each Day
I want to do a little something on my hobby each day. Whether it is updating my general sports blog or high school sports blog, updating the facebook site or doing some podcasting. I love interviewing coaches, going to games, just one thing each day to help my little hobby.

There you have it. Do I have some minor goals too? Yes, but those are the seven resolutions that I am going to do my best to keep.

The Four Miler Part 2

After my initial success of running the Virginia 4 Miler in 2010, I said to myself "I can't wait 'til the 4 Miler in 2011." After having times where I have stopped running, starting me back, really makes that training hard. But, I was determined to do it and I had set some goals for myself.

1. Finish
2. Don't walk. Jog/run the whole thing
3. Don't finish last (overall or in my age group)
4. Have a time 56:00 or under

I thought these goals were realistic. I had trained and ran the Blackwater Creek Trail with Todd Colinger, Lauren Compton and my running coach for this race, Marissa Wilterink (she was never compensated for having that title, but she was just given that title, because I'd always go to Marissa with my questions and she would never brush me off and always give me advice and answers. I would also run in my neighborhood which had some moderate hills, which I felt would also give me good preparation for the course.

The week of the race, Marissa, Lauren and I ran the course. Todd Densmore joined us, even though he wasn't running in the race, which was a motivating factor to me. This is somebody who hadn't even signed up for the race, who was willing to run, and did a great job on the course and is going to set the world on fire at the 2012 Virginia 4 Miler. The night we ran the course, I somewhat struggled. I don't know if it was the fact that I was confined to the sidewalk (on Saturday, I could have a decent portion of the road to do my running) or what, but I struggled. Marissa, Lauren and Todd outdistanced me quite a bit (which was fine, even when running a race, I treat it like golf. I know I am not the fastest person out there, but I am running against myself and the course) to which Marissa turned around and came back for me on the 3rd mile. I always had them in sight, but her turning around meant a lot to me, because she didn't just become running companion, she became running motivator. So, we made the turn on Rivermont and she said, "We're almost there. The finish is right up here." We were almost there about four times, because each time I knew we had a little bit more to go, but I knew she was pushing me, so I was giving it my all. I forget what my time was that night but I knew I had done pretty good. Also, I learned something when running my first 5K back in August. I ran the course along with Lauren and Todd Colinger a few nights before and I did awful. I probably did worse then awful, and I felt like I was going to run terrible on the race, but I actually ran really well clocking in at 40:01 (for me that was really good). So, I have come to the conclusion, that it is always good for me to try and run the course before the race.

I had planned on eating a good sized pasta meal on Thursday before the race. However, that day I wasn't feeling well, I had fallen asleep at 5:00 and didn't even eat dinner, so I did my pasta dinner with Todd on Friday at Vinny's on Wards Road with a helping of Baked Spaghetti. Todd and I went and road the course, just so he could get familiarized with it again. Friday night, I relaxed at home, while doing the updating of high school football scores for ABC 13's Football Friday facebook page. I got in bed about 11:30 and I would wake up around 6:30, Todd would pick me up at 7:15 and we'd head to the start line at E.C. Glass. Before the race, I chowed down on my breakfast of a granola bar and banana, so I was ready to go. Also, when I went to bed on Friday, I was a little nervous. Last year, there was no nervousness, but I think I was nervous because I really wanted to do better this year then I did last. Todd and I were going to start with Lauren Compton, and we knew we'd see her at the finish line because she was going to have a much better time then us. Well, Lauren and Carly Stephenson (a new friend, who is not only a very good runner, but a very nice person) started with us, but they got separated from us real quick, with the sea of humanity that was at the start line.

As we started, Todd commented how fast I was going, and I really wanted to slow my pace a little bit, because I wanted to stay consistent, because I didn't want to come out of the gate so quick that I wasn't going to be able to have a strong finish. We went down Langhorne and I think we both felt pretty good. Down at the bottom of Langhorne, right past the Farm Basket was the first opportunity for water, but I elected to pass on this, as I felt that it would kind of slow me down and I had practiced running without water, so I didn't need it now. I tried to keep running with Todd to encourage him and have him get a good finish. We were on the same pace for a lot of the time, but there were times where he said, he didn't know if he was going to make it and stuff like that, but my goal was to be like JJ Johnson was to me last year and be there to encourage him just as JJ had done for me the year prior. Anyways, we finally get up the hill and make the turn on Rivermont and I turn around (not stopping running) but just yelling, telling Todd that he's got it, no problems. Then, we are running down Rivermont and all of a sudden, he was next to me. My personal belief system for me is to run that last .1 or .2 miles like I have stolen something, so at that point I kind of took off, trying to pass people along the way. When I crossed the finish line, I didn't know my time because I had forgotten to wear my watch but I figured I got in a little under 56 minutes. When the results were posted on the website later that night, I found my time was 52:25. At this point, I wanted to look up my time from 2010 to see how much I had improved. My 2010 time was 58:37. I was pretty stoked to find my time had improved by 6:12.

I took Sunday off and went back to the Blackwater Creek trail and I decided to run 4 miles again and got in at 48:42. So, now my goal is just keep improving my time and my endurance, and I think as I sit here on September 27th, 2011, my goal for next year's 4 miler is 48 minutes or under.

Now, onto the Thank Yous. My biggest thank you goes to Marissa Wilterink. She was always there to answer my questions, some of them she probably even answered twice! She always was encouraging was always motivating, and never made me feel slow or an inadequate runner. She was my JJ in 2011. Also, big thank yous go out to all those people who ran with me on a consistent basis leading up to the race, Lauren Compton and Todd Colinger. Also, Heather Miller belongs in that class. We ran together one night on the trail as well, and Heather, Lauren, Todd and Marissa all deserve thanks as well for motivating me with their words and conversations as much as they did for their running companionship. Big thanks to my wife Suzanne for coming to the finish line with my 2 daughters, Anna and Katie. I couldn't wait to get across that finish line to see my precious girls (all 3 of them). Also, thanks go out to other people I ran with and people who encouraged me including Todd Densmore, my mother and father, Kyle Hoehne, JJ Johnson, Carly Stephenson and others. Also, big thank you to all those people who I knew or knew of that yelled encouraging things, or gave me a thumbs up while during the race. They include Nate Day and his sister, Elisa, Dr. Scott Garrett, and runners on the course, Jennifer Captain, Danner Morrison, Marissa Wilterink (and I think her sister) and I am sure other people who are just not coming to my mind right now. Also, thank you to Sarah Bloom. I always remember her around race time, because if it weren't for her, Marissa Wilterink and JJ Johnson, I would continue being a lazy, non running, weight gaining slob. But, because of them, I am an active, running, weight losing, stud! Also, thank you to all those all those who liked any status or commented on any status I had to do with running during my whole endeavor on Facebook.

Finally, I don't mean to brag about all my running, which it may seem like I am doing sometime on social media websites, but I do that to encourage. Because, if I can do this, anyone can run a race and I hope more people who don't think they can, will try and run a race. It's an amazing feeling you have about yourself afterwards.

Setting some policies for myself

It has been a long time, since there has been a new post in "The Blog of Bob Alvis", the last time was September 30, 2010. I have thought it's time for a few policies to be put in place.

1) I am a pretty open person, I probably share more then I should. However, if someone says to me, "Is anything wrong", or "Are you doing okay", or "How do you feel today", then accept my answer. If I say, "Nothing is wrong," or "I am fine", then accept that answer face value and don't press the issue. If I wanted you to know how I feel or if anything is wrong, then I'll volunteer that information.

2) My dad (and others) have always said "There is no such thing as a stupid question", I sometimes agree and sometimes don't. However, I have now taken an approach of how I am going to treat what I perceive to be a stupid question. I will answer it with the sounds of silence. I am subscribing to another theory, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all".

Now onto the happier stuff (if anyone interpreted the prior as gruff or grumpy)

3) Always try. Try to be nice. Try to keep your word. Try to finish something you start. None of us are perfect, and we can all strive for perfection (even though we will never reach it) but we should at least always try. Maybe if you quit things on a regular basis, your goal should be trying not to quit.

4) Set goals. If we don't have goals, what are we working towards? Right now, I have many goals in my life, and if we don't have goals, what are we working towards? Status quo? Mediocrity? For instance, if (like me) you are starting to run, set running a race as a long term goal. Last year, when I ran the Virginia 10 Miler (I ran the 4 mile portion), it was one of the greatest feelings in the world when I completed that race in under a hour, because I set a goal (finish the race in under a hour).

5) Be nice. I have two types of nice. Genuine nice and fake nice. Are we going to like everyone we run across in life? Certainly not. But again, try and be nice. No matter how you feel about them, I think being civil creates a more peaceful world.

That's all I got on my mind now. Maybe I won't make it so long before blogging again.