A FEW THINGS I HAVE LEARNED THIS WEEK

1. Put the words Tour of..... or Mark Cavendish in your post and 7000 new visitors come to your blog...no one left any comments but my counter jumped over 7000 spots in 24 hours....may have to go to more road races and post more items about famous bicyclists.

2. School really messes with my running, and by default my blogging. Since school has started and I have gone back to being a principal, I do not have nearly the time I had this summer to run and post blogs...makes me a bit sad.

3. Parents can sometimes do their children a disservice by being SO INVOLVED in every moment of their lives. There are just some parents that think every single move that is made is there to harm/help their child and no one else's.....and sometimes these parents are so vocal that it really negatively effects their child's life. Other kids see this and tend to project their feelings onto the child...makes me sad as a parent/educator to see this happen.

4. Work is so much easier now that I have realized I do not have to take every single school incident personally and that as long as I know I am doing what I think is best for my students, my school, and my teachers....then things will work themselves out...and I won't end up wasting so many hours just worrying.

5. High school kids are fun, cool, funny, and in need of a little positive attention. When given this, they are just cool people to be around. I have some very cool kids to work with.

6. MY SON LOVES SOCCER AND HAS SOME MAD SOCCER SKILLS. (I may be a bit biased, but I know that enough to keep my mouth shut at the games).

7. It is so cool to finally have friends in this community that I can see at soccer games, shoot the crap with, laugh with, and just enjoy the day. I am getting closer and closer to NOT being the outsider in this community. Not there yet, but closer....after 14 years.

8. My running is starting to rub off on my students, my friends, and I hope this small community. I actually get to have conversations with students about running, and they get my passion. I am still the butt of the joke with my friends, but they seem to get it too.

9. TWITTER is so much better than FACEBOOK.

10. Life is getting better and I am so happy for that. I am grateful for what I have, to be sure.

POSTING AGAIN (thanks for the reminder BLUE DAWGS) - TOUR OF MISSOURI PART II

I am back from our leg of the Tour of Missouri. I must say what a cool experience that was.

I got asked to volunteer, on behalf of my school, at the finish line of stage 2. Along with me, 4 seniors and a teacher from my school also volunteered. I felt it was an opportunity neither I nor the students could pass up.

I have to share a couple things about the race and my job, in particular:

1. The description of my job (medical chaperon) was deceiving. First the name sounds like I might be helping riders in need of some kind of medical care.....NOPE. The actual job description, received post agreement, stated that I would be assisting USADA in the testing of the athletes (as a witness). Good thing I did not have to watch them urinate...but my job was so very uneventful...I found my guy, walked with him to the TESTING RV, checked him in and left...I got to stand around for 3 hours for 15 minutes of work....mind you, I loved all three hours....but...........

2. The atmosphere at an INTERNATIONAL event, such as this, was totally cool. I found myself with goosebumps a number of times....especially the first time the riders and the PELOTON came into sight....SO COOL.

3. The American athletes....we SO VERY COOL and extremely kind to the spectators...some even asked me for directions and advice...very nice guys.

4. The athletes...non-Americans.....are TINY fellows...now I know I am larger than the average guy...at 6'2", but these guys were TINY....maybe 5'5" and 115 pounds. Mark Cavendish, the stage winner, the BIG HORSE, and if you listened to the commentators on TV all summer ... THE BIGGEST, STRONGEST, FASTEST man on wheels.....Strong and Fast, most definitely, but BIG...not a chance.

5. Mark Cavendish....is a STUD. He is FAST. He is a ROCKET. He is a BULLET out of the barrel....he is the MAN. So very impressive to watch him fly by with another stage victory....2 stages in the TOUR OF MISSOURI and two stage winds.....ROCK ON MARK.