Work sucks, I know

Can you use sarcasm font for a title?  I just want to make that clear - work doesn't suck and I love what I do, but I definitely need to get back to it.

While the past couple of weeks were spent just waiting for spring break to get here, I'm a little glad its nearly done now and I can get back to the grind, as it gives me direction and focus.  The hiking was great, but besides that, I didn't accomplish much.  My most meaningful face to face conversation lasted about three minutes and it was with a restaurant manager.  I haven't done a single push-up or pull-up and this morning's four mile run was the first run since the previous Thursday.  If I hadn't already paid for everything, marathon training would be in serious jeopardy as I've missed so many runs.  I've got essentially the next five Sundays to turn this from half-marathon training into marathon training.  That's something that should be done over six weeks in a worst case scenario and I'm trying to do it in four.  I will officially just be trying to finish when I run it that May morning.

I did get a good story out of this morning's run though.  I cut a six miler short to four miles because I was having lung issues and probably shouldn't have been drinking during last night's Iowa game, but whatever.  I'm walking those last two miles back when I see a Dodge Magnum pull up near me and the window rolls down.  I see its a black woman in probably her mid-to-upper 30s.  The way it came about, I assume she's going to ask for directions or something.  Instead, she tells me,
"You look like a marine or something."
I'm still expecting a question but don't get so it takes me a second to respond with,
"Nope, just out for a morning run."
"Where's your wife?"
"Don't have one."
"Do you need one?"
(Laughs) "No, I'm good. I've got a girlfriend."
(She laughs) "Darn. Well, never know if you don't ask. Have a good day."
"Have a good day."
And then I walk away with my morning made and that big stupid grin that I get when I can't help but to be happy.  Further, if you're going to hit on me, that marine line is a pretty good one.

I wanna be your dangerous side effect

This is my first post in March because for the first two weeks, my singular focus was to get through all job-related stresses and just make it to spring break.  Since then, I've actually been on spring break.  Now I'm laying in a hotel room in Lynchburg and all that's left is a stop at Chick-Fil-A for breakfast and an eight hour drive home.  When I get back, there'll be a lovely girlfriend waiting for me, as well as a whole lot of grading and prep work and the Iowa game is tomorrow too.  I am very happy I made it out here though.  The hike at Conkles Hollow was quite nice, as were yesterday's hikes of Humpback Rocks, Crabtree Falls, and Spy Rock, despite the wind and 30 degree temps.  Tuesday's hike of Old Rag was everything I could have asked for, made even better that I went on a Tuesday morning in March and basically had the place to myself.  Somehow, someway, that hike was even better than Angel's Landing.  It didn't have the spots of instant death that Angel's Landing did, but I think it required more actual hiking/rock scrambling skill.  That's a hike that I will always be willing to come back and do until I physically can't.  I am looking forward to the day that I get to do more of these hikes with people, especially if its like my forays into National Parks with Luke, where you still the quiet and serene and solitude because you're enjoying the surroundings, but still get to share the moment with someone else.  Also, you don't have to go eat by yourself, which would be better.