It's time to pay the price ...

Since hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit our wonderful state of Louisiana, I've been in somewhat of a torpor. Not having a solid patch of ground beneath one's feet can have a profound impact upon your ability to function as one would normally. Case in point, prior to leaving the Crescent City, I moaned on this blog about being injured and not being able to run. Well, that was true enough, but since the storms, my injury has improved but my running has not resumed in any regular and meaningful way. And everyone knows what happens when all things save exercise remain unchanged - you get fat. (Everyone likes to hear about somebody they know getting fat. It's even better when you actually see them somewhere and you can gawk at their portly mid-section or flabby under-arms. Failure is like prime time TV; success stories only get a small sliver next to the obituaries in the Sunday paper. Am I wrong?)

And that I did. In just over one month, with little to no regular exercise (but a steady intake of empty calories from hot-pockets and alcohol.) I regained about twenty of the sixty-five to seventy pounds I had lost several years ago (and had been keeping off until recently). It's weird how it happens, too. It's almost like the weight just creeps up on you from behind (no pun intended).

I am glad to report however, for those who care to know, that I am finally back on track and am training once again for the Mardi Gras Half-Marathon to be held this upcoming February in New Orleans (yeah - I'm amazed they're still putting it on too). I must admit, it is a welcome challenge to once again hit the road and build back to race-shape. I do not know whether a Personal Record is within my grasp for this race (I would have to beat my preious 1:38:00 time), but just beginning and finishing the race will be a victory for me this time around.

Additionally, my Dad will be running the race with me this year for the first time. He recently ran the Ole Man River Half-Marathon (moved from the Army Corp or Engineers Facility in New Orleans to the Mississippi River levee in Destrehan). It was his first Half-Marathon and he finished it with a good time and plenty of strength left over. I want to take this chance to congratulate him and share my pride in his progress. He's been nothing but dedicated to running since we both decided to start participating in races together several years ago. This race was a big step up for him and I'm glad that he is still up for another Half-Mary. For what it's worth, I think he's in better shape than I am at present, hehe.

Since I have once again decided to throw off the cloak of sluggishness and ass-mashing, and since I am now back in Baton Rouge, I have also re-enrolled in my studies at the White Crane Kung Fu Studio. When I was in college at LSU I trained in Kung Fu for nearly a year until I moved to New Orleans and was forced to discontinue my studies. The knowledge and experience I gained there was invaluable to me when I made the choice to lace up my first pair of running shoes and hit the trail. Hopefully, that same positive impact will once again come filtering back into my training as well as other aspects of my life.

Now if only I could re-enroll in my studies at the Caledonian Society of Baton Rouge, my circle would be complete! Yep, I also studied bagpiping all those tender years ago. There's nothing quite like hearing a dozen men and women standing outside in a circle as their bags begin to fill with air and that familiar drone billows out into the evening before spilling out into Scotland the Brave or Amazing Grace.

And of course, there's always the great release one finds after crushing a ball off the pitch at the weekly softball games spear-headed by longtime friend, cohort-in-crime and Chairman of the Board at Heisman Run - Big D. My batting career started slowly with a few walks and foul-outs, but thanks to undaunting pragmatism and rigorous self-flagellation, I have now increased my record to something larger than .000. (Another big congrats to D on his recent nuptials as well. The wedding was great and I'm glad I was in attendance!)

Well, it's that time again. Having exhausted the list of law firms, lawyers, title companies, realtors, and McDonalds in the phonebook to call and apply to (and having spent considerably too much time writing this post), I will resume whittling on the shingle that will soon be hanging from my front door; read:

Jared S. LeBoeuf

Attorney & Counsellor at Law

Had a fall? Give me a call!
If you still got the bruise, we can't lose!

First consultation free!





And by free, I mean like free speech, not like free beer.