sgt.barney

Same Sarge time. Same Sarge channel. Same-same here. Not at all a "different person". Easy Peasy

So the Asparagus Patch is about played out for the season. Time to let 'em grow for next year's harvest ... but look what showed up today. Expecting about 50 to 60 pounds worth in the next 2 weeks Eas Peasy

9-miler, outside with The Mrs. Sarge @ 1:18:17 (8:41/mile pace). Very hilly. Got to run on the nice new trail segment. Sooner or later they'll finish that trail and it'll be nice to be able to get some longer runs in. Hard to find nice shady trail for 20-milers (although The Sarge has set a cap of 16 miles this year - no full marathons, but Mrs. Sarge still needs the 20+ mile runs for her full marathon training schedule) . Mrs. Sarge is running slower these days. Hasn't kept up on the training over the off season. Nice leisurely, slow run for The Sarge. For Mrs. this was a fast run. She wasn't really ready for this one today. It's nice, for once, to be the one ahead. Last year she stomped The Sarge. This year? Not so much. That's what happens - the difference between getting out and running when it's 3 degrees, and sitting on the couch complaining about the bitter cold. Treadmill was broke most of winter (damned slow warantee work getting it fixed) so the only option was run in the snow. No worries. She'll catch up before August and the Fall Race Season. 10k race next Saturday. Going for 44 minutes (7:05/mlle). Mrs. Sarge's goal is to just finish. Easy Peasy

The Sarge uses the Rule Of Five that Grandpappy Sarge taught him waaaaay back in 1974 and it is this: Plant at least FIVE TIMES what you think you want/need and divide it up in the following: (1) One share gets trashed by weather (hail, flood/washout, drought, etc.) (2) One share gets eaten by the bugs and pests. (3) One share gets devoured by the critters (birds, squirrels, rabbits, deer, etc.) (4) One share gets blighted by disease, mildew, rot, mold, etc. (5) Whatever remains, is yours to do with as you wish. This you will have to share with friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers. Easy Peasy

The Sarge was outside a Kroger (Grocer) yesterday, checkin' out the RedBox kiosk (movies) when he watched a man get out - about his age (maybe 45 to 50) - it took the poor guy (between slurpy, wet, death-rattle caughing fits) more than 10 minutes to get out of his van, get his pull-behind green oxygen-tank trolly all situated, and get on one of the hover-round like shopping carts ... whereupon said Dude went into another coughing fit and headed off to the main entrance (likely a couple of cartons of smokes were on the shopping list today). Any guesses as to what this man did about 3 feet from the main entrance? You guessed it: Stopped and lit up a cigarette and tried to puff between wet, sappy, phlegm-filled coughing spurts. Nice ... "Man I am happy I do not have to waste my money LIFE on cigarettes ..." The Sarge thought to himself. Easy Peasy P.S. - when you get to Yellowstone you have to take a side trip or three through The Tetons

9-miler with Mrs. Sarge this evening (after it cools off a bit (WOOT! Off the Treadmill for about 3 weeks ... and then it'll be too hot outside)) - She's training for the same race ... not going for her PR[1], though, she's waiting 'til Fall ( Sarge believes we have the Dayton Marathon (half-marathon scheduled) or definitely the Columbus Half. She wasn't running all winter/spring with The Sarge and is just now getting into shape again. Fall will be her Personal Record attempt. Just another Sunday Run for this one next month. Sarge is going to nail a PR next month. Easy Peasy FOOTNOTE: [1] It;s nice when neither of us are going for a record time - then we both can run together and make it a family event. If either of us is in Personal Record Breaking Mode, we each run our own race and meet at the Finish Line. Not gonna happen this race. Sarge needs to take off and run a fast pace. She can't keep up right now ... but watch out for this fall. She'll be leaving Sarge in the dust. When she's in shape and well-trained, she's a better runner than even The Sarge.

The Sarge's view this morning as he's sipping coffee on the back porch of The Homestead. He used to hang here and smoke cigarettes, but now it's just coffee ... and the occasional bottle of his favorite Irish Whiskey. (Yeah - fixing that broken fence rail is on his "honey do" list for this weekend ...) Easy Peasy

1) Quitting is waaaaay easier than you think. Easy Peasy EDIT: words are hard ...

The Sarge trained for, and finished his first marathon as a smoker. Not 4 minutes after crossing the finish line, he was digging in his pack for a lighter ... Easy Peasy

Be careful, folks: You have been warned. Easy Peasy

Run as short and as slow as you like. Easy Peasy

Here's the thing, Beth - nobody "earns" a right to post in any particular way. They ALREADY HAVE THAT RIGHT. The Sarge posts how he likes. Bakon posts .. well ... Bakon, y'know? and you, Beth, you get to post how you like. Nobody grants an "earned" (imagined) permission. Deal with it. Well she sure as shit ain't responding to anything else, now is she? Easy Peasy

8.5-miler. Treadmill, 0.5% grade @ 1:04:08 (7:32/mile) At this rate, Sarge might shoot for 7:30's pace on the upcoming half-marathon. That would blow the old PR out of the water - taking 6-ish minutes off the overall time. Easy Peasy

Woo-Woo. Here's your clue: There ain't no "secret". You can do damned near anything you set your mind to without shoveling money at some "philosophers and scientists". You don't need a "secret". You just need to get busy. Easy Peasy

Word of warning: Blueberry doesn't usually do well unless you've prepared the soil (in most places (most but not all)) Read up online about high acidity and blueberries. The Sarge killed dozens of bushes before he figured it out ... but figure it out he did. Easy Peasy

EDITED TO ADD: You are not special. You are "suffering" the same pain we all did: an addict missing his/her fix. Get over it and quit, or don't and die a smoker. It's a simple choice really. The only one it really matters to is you. The rest of us have already done our "suffering" and y'know what? It wasn't all that. It wasn't all that. Easy Peasy

Thinning fruit out in The Orchard today ... Easy Peasy

You relapse because you are an addict. Nothing more. Nothing less. Quit trying to make it something it's not. It's just quitting. Just quitting. Easy Peasy

What th ... I ... I don't ... I don't even ... Cheezy Squeezy

Welcome back on board The Quit Train. Hands and arms inside the car at all times. Secure loose items. Prepare your ticket - the Conductor will be by soon. Next stop: Quittsville. Enjoy the ride. Easy Peasy

... because leaving your problems behind always solves them, right? Easy Peasy

At our age (Sarge is 45 in about 8 weeks), Petra, there's always gonna be pain somewhere. We do start to wear out and Impending Decrepitude eventually catches all of us. The Sarge has just learned to Embrace The Suck when running. Sore muscles. Sore joints. Tired. Weak-feeling. Side-stitches. Cramps. All of it - the whole she-bang: Easy Peasy

10-miler due today at 7:40 or better pace. Still sore from Saturday's 8-miler at that pace (actually 7:38, but 7:40 was the goal). Writing it down (typing here) so The Sarge doesn't make excuses and wimp out later this evening. This one will tell The Sarge if the Personal Record is attainable next month. If he makes this, then there's 5 weeks of fairly easy training coming up before the race. If he doesn't make it, then there's some hard, difficult speed workouts coming up right soon now [1]... Easy Peasy FOOTNOTES: [1] And The Sarge f_cking hates Speed Workout Days.

8.2-miler. Treadmill @ 1:02:38 (7:38/mile) Better than goal half-marathon pace [1]... for almost 2/3 of the distance. Just might make that PR in 5 weeks. Will definitely hit a personal record [2], but going to try and stomp a full 3+ minutes off. That's gonna be the goal. And a tough one for old Sarge, too. He's not in shape this year. BTW - For those who don't know it already: The Sarge has retired from full marathons. 26.2 is not longer in the cards. Too. Damned. Punishing. Half-marathons with 13.1-milers from here on out ... [3][4] Easy Peasy FOOTNOTES: [1] Goal of 1:41 (7:42 pace) for 13.1 miles. [2] Current Personal Record is 1:44:10 (7:57/mile). [3] Until impending decrepitude reduces that to 10k (6.2 milers) some time around age 60 or so ... [4] Mrs. Sarge continues to train for the full 26.2 (F_ck me to hell, how does she do that smoking Marlboros ?!?!?)

Woot!