Run Tom, Run

Ever had a day when you just wanted to take off? I mean get away from everything and just go somewhere, do something, whatever - just escape for a bit. That's what I'm feeling today. Not really sure why, but I could use it. What I'd like to be able to is get in my car and find somewhere new to go run. Once I find that place I'd like to hop out and start running and go for a good 2, maybe 3 hour run. I haven't done a run that long in a quite a while. The longest I got up to recently was about 1:45 when I was training for a half-marathon that I ran in Feb. Unfortunately about an hour (maybe an hour and a half) is the most I could do right now. I've been focusing too much on my short distance speed to do a long-distance run like that right now. There is an old New Balance ad that I have up in my cube that speaks volumes on my thoughts of these runs. It shows a man running on along a curvy road at sunrise/sunset. Across the picture is the following: the shortest distance between two points isn't the point. I know for most of you it sounds absolutely crazy, but I love the feeling of running for that long, and today I could use the time to myself. When I run for that long I enter a zone where my mind and body come into this perfect unison. I run effortlessly and it begins to feel like I am just gliding across the roads. I no longer really feel my legs or have to think about my next step, my breathing, or anything - its like something has taken control and I'm just running without having to tell my body what to do. When I reach that point its just me, the road, God, our conversations, and my thoughts. That is a beautiful time for me, and what I feel like I need right now. Some of my closest times with God in the past few years have been on runs. I don't know how to explain it, but there is something in the physical activity of running that helps me clear my mind, bring myself in tune, and hear and feel God in my life. God reassures me of His presence in these moments, I connect, recharge, and feel strengthened to continue on. Here's to finding your escape and being able to when you need it most. Cheers

Those who know me well (and those who only somewhat know me) know that I despise tomatoes!! Can't stand them - HORRIBLE, DISGUSTING, REVOLTING, GAG REFLEX!!! Basically any form of raw tomato = Tom becoming ill. I really can't tolerate any form of raw tomato to come near my mouth. Today I ordered a sandwich from McAlisters for lunch, the orange cranberry club. I highly recommend it. I was very clear on my no tomato request however when I received it I could tell someone had screwed it up! Now, luckily the tomatoes were not there, however I could tell that they had been present at one time. That slimy juice with seeds was smeared across some of the lettuce, thus tainting the enjoyment of my sandwich. Tragic. Tomatoes are a fruit... I'm a fruit fan and I would like to move to have tomatoes removed from the fruit family. I view tomatoes as the ugly, red-headed step-child of the fruit family. Nobody wants to claim them, and let's be honest - no one should! My worst tomato experience: at a wedding reception, fruit tray, sitting next to some melon balls, the evil and deceptive cherry-tomato. I popped one in my mouth and bit in, expecting watermelon. OH BUT NO!!! Just wrong, so very very wrong.