Purchasing an Accomplishment & It's the Terrorists Fault

No weigh-in, yet. Hoping there's still some bathroom activity to come. You're welcome for the mental image.

So, Beck and I took the kids out to run a few errands yesterday, and we ended up at the local Dick's Sporting Goods. I have a serious Under Armor fascination, so I always make sure to go look at what I hope to someday be able to fit into.

I came across a shirt very similar to the one pictured above, and it was an XXL. I picked it up and looked at it, and I could tell it was still too body-hugging for a fella of my size. Still, I decided to try it on standing there on the sales floor. I kept my undershirt on while I had the UA shirt on, so it felt a little lumpy, but damn if the thing didn't fit! Not only did it fit, but the look on Beck's face told me that it looked pretty good. So, I made my way to the closest mirror and took a look.

Now, don't get me wrong. I don't claim to look like Vernon Davis under that shirt, but what I saw DID surprise me. I looked good. I don't think I look good in ANYTHING that tight. But yesterday? I loved what I saw in that mirror. It hugged my chest and shoulders so well that it made me look like I HAD a chest. And while it was a little snug around my midsection, that shirt showed me that my midsection ain't what it used to be.

See, when I started this last year, one of my unspoken goals was to be able to wear some UnderArmor clothing, and have it look like I deserved to wear it. So, in a way, I accomplished a goal yesterday. I can't tell you how good I felt.

I didn't buy the shirt, as I could not justify spending $35 on a shirt I couldn't really wear anyplace besides a workout, but I REALLY wanted to. I don't think I've ever spent that much on a shirt before. It's possible I never will. But that was as close as I'd ever come before. Like the title of the blog says, it would have been like purchasing an accomplishment.

In other news...

I've decided that running stairs is going to be huge for me. It'll be somewhat low-impact on my surgery foot, great cardio work, and it will improve my fast-twitch fibers in my lower body. Plus, it'll give me a nice booty. Well, nice-ER. So, I got up yesterday, got dressed, and headed to our local high school football stadium. I was visualizing myself running the stairs, working up a sweat, stopping between runs to do some push ups - I was getting pumped.

So, I pull in and find the stadium parking lot gated shut. So I parked and walked over to the stadium - which was also freaking locked.

Not to be so easily defeated, I got in the Durango and headed to the other local high school, about 10 miles down the road.

Guess what?

Locked up.

When I was 19, I lived in Ann Arbor - about 10 minutes from Michigan Stadium. Back then, I used to go up there twice a week to run the steps. Michigan Stadium. And now I can't get into Thornton High?

It's very possible that the Big House is no longer open to runners, I suppose. But there used to be 15-20 of us in there running at the same time. Players would be on the field working out, media members were sitting in the stands eating lunch...Michigan Stadium.

But I can't find any stairs to run because everything is locked up.

I blame terrorists.