Matt's Daily Blog

I was supposed to be able to stay in my current apartment until Wednesday when the new tenants were to move in. Notice I said "supposed to". As it turns ut, they want to move in Saturday instead, so I got a call yesterday saying I had to be out by Friday night. Ummmm, no! So, here it is Friday at 1:36 p.m. and I have slept a total of 9 hours he past three days. Coffee is good ... REAL good! All I have left to move is my couch, chair, and bed. After the show today, I am going to borrow a friend's truck and make it happen. Consequently, because of my business with work and moving, I have not run the past two days and it has me a little concerned. I am going to be at the LSU lakes at 6 a.m. tomorrow to do a 9 mile run. Yes, despite not having slept, and with the potential of another long night tonight as I finish moving, I am still going to run in the morning. After I finish that run, I am absolutely going to crash! I am not sure what we have planned for the show next week. Tuesday if the 4th of July, so we may not be working. Ed and I have not even discussed it yet. It would be great if we took off so I could get settled in my new place, but I may just have to take it in stride and put things away as I can. I feel like I have missed life this week. It has just been crazy. Hopefully with the holiday next week, we can slow down a bit and catch up. Have a great, safe 4th of July weekend! Peace!

If you haven't gathered by now, the majority of the information contained in these posts will be about my training for the New York City Marathon. The way my training schedule works out is that I will strengthen my base with short 4-6 mile runs during the week and a long run on Saturday. This past Saturday was my first run longer than 6 miles since I ran the Cleveland Half-Marathon last month. I was the the LSU lakes at 6 a.m. Saturday planning on an 8 mile run. Keep in mind, my goal is to finish the marathon is 4:20:00--that's a straight 10 minute pace. While that is not a fast running pace, there are a lot of factors to keep in mind on race day ie. crowds, cramping, bathroom breaks etc that all slow your time. So, for my 8 mile run, I was looking to finish in 1:20:00--that's 1 hour, 20 minutes. As it turns out, I felt great! I ended up running 8.5 miles instead of 8 and finished in 1:20:29. That's 4:30 better than the pace I wanted to keep. This is so encouraging because I feel like I am so far ahead of where I was last year when I was training for the Marine Corps Marathon. At this point a year ago, I was trying to develop my core so I could simply make it through the long runs. Now, I am gaining time each week and becoming a stronger, faster runner. If I keep at this pace, I may need to reevaluate my goals for the race. Thanks for your continued support. Other than that, I had a fairly uneventful weekend. I am looking for a new place to stay for about a month, as I will have to be out of my apartment by the end of this week. So, I looked for a one bedroom apartment that will lease to me for one month and allows pets. I also went to an engagement party Saturday night and braved the rain in Livingston Parish. Please Note: If you are planning on having a party outside, please check the weather forecast and plan accordingly. Peace!

Because I have to be at work at 5 a.m., I typically do not go out on weeknight. Last night, however, was an exception. After I went for my 5 mile run (details later in the post) I received a call from a friend asking if I would like to be added to the guest list for the Saliva show at The Varsity in Baton Rouge. For those of you who don't know, Saliva is a very popular modern rock band. They hit the radio with their first single around 2001 and have been churning out hit after hit ever since. Needless to say, I went. They rocked the stage, even throwing in a little montage with crowd participation of "Shout! Shout! Let it all out!" It was kind of weird for a rock band, but they made it work. The show wrapped up around 12:30 a.m. and I headed home. My surprise of the night was seeing the old program director for the rock station I used to DJ on, Rock 93.7 in Baton Rouge. Paul Cannell is a truly great guy and gave me my first break in FM radio. He moved to Richmond, Va. to program a classic rock station (and live on the beach) about a year and a half ago. He was in town visiting some friends and I bumped into him at the show. It was great to see him and catch up. Earlier in the evening after the show, I ran 5 miles. I did a great job of pacing myself. For me to meet my goal of 4:20:00 in the New York City Marathon, I would have to keep a 10 min/mile pace. So, for a 5 mile run, I would have to run it in 50 mins. I ran it last night in 49:00! That is so encouraging because I will only get stronger as I train and I am already ahead of pace and schedule. This is going to be a tremendous even and I will do Baton Rouge, Louisiana proud. Keep coming back! Peace!

The past 24-hours has truly been productive. As I continue my preparation for the New York City Marathon, Wednesday was a cross-training day. I went to the gym about 8 am after I left my morning job (yes, I left my morning job at 7am) and rode the stationary bike. The idea is to work the lactic acid out of my muscles that has built up from overworking them. After the bike ride, I did about 30 minutes of weight training, mostly upper-body work.

After the workout, I spent about 15 minutes in the whirlpool. I know it sounds typical and sort of mundane, but it is absolutely necessary to continuously use different methods of therapy to keep my body healthy. It is completely unnatural to put your body through the type of physical punishment required to run 26.2 miles, so allowing for and speeding up recovery time is essential.

Since I began training 2 and 1/2 weeks ago, I have lost 9 pounds. I was pretty psyched about my progress, so I decided to treat myself to a dinner with my friends at the Mellow Mushroom. I ate a "Mighty Meaty" and it was fantastic.

This morning when I left work I went to my parents house to visit my grandma who is in town for the week. She is absolutely an angel. I brought her a Bacon/Egg/Cheese McGriddle from McDonald's -- her favorite breakfast treat in the world! We drank coffee and ate breakfast and just talked for two hours. It was great to just relax and spend time together.

Tonight after the show, I am running 5-6 miles at the LSU lakes. If you are a runner, see you out there! Gotta get ready for my 8 mile run Saturday. I'll keep you posted.

Peace!

To an avid sports fan, this NBA Finals appeared to have everything. On Miami's side, you have a group of veteran players like Alonzo Mourning, Gary Payton and Antoine Walker chasing their first title. Shaq is trying to make good on a promise and bring a championship to Miami after winning three with the Lakers. Pat Riley is trying to become the only coach to win a title with two teams. Not to mention, the most electrifying player in the game today, Dwyane Wade is making his bid to be this generation's Jordan. For the Dallas Mavericks, you have the rookie coach in Avery Johnson looking to upset the veteran Riley. You have Mark Cuban yelling at the commissioner, andDirk Nowitzki hitting clutch shots and kicking exercise bikes. And all of this came after blowing a 2-0 series lead. So, Tuesday we have Game 6. Miami going for its first title and Dallas trying to stay alive. Awesome, right? WRONG! Instead of excited, I was annoyed. Instead of nervous, I was frustrated. I am not an avid NBA watcher -- I haven't been since the Bulls' run of titles ended after the '98 season. At least then you had the Jordan factor. After watching last night, I can truly say it is obvious why NBA ratings are at desperate lows. Gone are the days of the Celtics where Bird would pass to McHale, pick-and-roll and dish to Parish who slams it home over Kareem. What the NBA has become is a "One Man Show". Players are so athletic now that this is basically what the typical possession looks like: Point guard dribbles down court, passes to SUPERSTAR at top of key -- HELPLESS OPPONENTS double (and sometimes triple) team SUPERSTAR. Instead of looking for open man, SUPERSTAR drives to the basket as fast and hard as he can and throws up a circus shot. WHISTLE! Foul! Two shots. In the 2nd half of last night's game, I was so fed up with all of the fouls that were called. It literally seemd like not a single minute went by without the whistle blowing. I decided to test my theory -- and I was right! During the 4th quarter (I watched this) there was never a point where there was 60 seconds of fluid play without a foul being called. HONESTLY! It is the most frustrating thing. Either SUPERSTAR draws contact on his shot, or HELPLESS OPPONENTS hack Shaq or Dirk or anyone else they can't stop and make them win it at the free throw line. Think I'm kidding? Dwyane Wade shot as many free throws (25) in Game 5 as the ENTIRE DALLAS TEAM!!!! That is just not fun. By the time the game was over, I seriously was hoping Miami would win just so I wouldn't have to sit through another evening of this crap. If something doesn't change in the NBA -- and SOON -- the league is destined to fall apart. Where has the concept of team play gone? I am actually glad I watched last night, though, because it reinforced my feelings that I absolutely HATE THE NBA!

As I continue training for the New York City Marathon, I am trying to increase my pace. Obviously, the quicker your pace, the better your overall time will be. And, when you are talking about multiplying the time over 26.2 miles, even slight time increases make a big difference. I have been trying to train at a 9:30/mile pace. That is a solid pace, but I think I can move it closer to 9:00 as I get stronger again. Well, Monday I went to the LSU lakes after the show to get my 4-5 miles run in. It was raining and nasty and I had to give myself a great big pep talk just to go out there and do it. I mean, when the weather is overcast, dark and rainy, all you really want to do is get a burger and a beer, watch the game and fall asleep on the couch. Unfortunately, when training for an event like this, you do not have that luxury.

So, I get to the beach, stretch and just as I am about to take off, a girl darts on the path in front of me and is running a good pace. I figure I will keep pace with her until she fades and I will just finish on my own (besides, the scenery was nice if you know what I mean ;) ) When we got to the first mile, I looked at my watch and noticed 8:45 -- I was :45 faster than my pace. Surely she couldn't keep this pace! I was right...Kind of. Just as we passed the 1 mile mark, I noticed she began slowing. This was it. She was done. I began to gain on her and just as I got even, she noticed me, and sped up. I thought to myself "Oh! She wants to play!". I never broke stride, keeping the pace like a Kenyon marathoner.

When we approached mile 2, she began slowing again. It was deja vu. Just as I got on her heel, she noticed me again and sped up! I decided that I was going to pass her before we finished, whether she wanted me to or not. You see, there is sort of this pride thing that goes on with all runners where we never want to be passed. Anyway, as we moved to less than a mile to go, I saw her slow again and decided this was my time. I hopped on the grass and sped past her. It was really anti-climatic. She would up cutting off the last half-mile and went straight on to the finish while I kept going. Oh well! At least she knows I had her!

My finish time was 35:41 for a 4 mile run. That's under a 9:00 pace! Runs like that give you a lot of confidence as you move forward and definitely fuels the motivation fire to keep getting better.

Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers as I keep training toward my goal.

Peace!

***PLEASE NOTE*** This post contains material some may find offensive

I have played organized sports since I was about 5 years old. I have been a member of one gym or another since the 7th grade. I played high school football. I preface my story by telling you this so you know that I have spent a lot of time in locker rooms. That being said, I had the absolute most uncomfortable, disturbing experience today and it came at the hands of a man named Ming.

I am currentyl in training for the 2006 ING New York City Marathon. As part of my training, I hit the whirlpool and steam room three days a week as a sort of therapy to keep my body loose and healthy. I was at my gym this morning (I won't mention the name, but let's say it's the namesake of a popular '70s song by a group who would certainly relate to this story) in the steam room with one other fellow. He was a small Asian guy who was sitting across the room from me. As a courtesy I gave him his space -- as it turns out, personal space is not something this guy understands.

I was content to just close my eyes and relax for 10-15 minutes, but little did I know that would not happen. In broken English, the Chinese man asked me my name and age. I told him my name and that I was 24. He introduced himself as Ming. It quickly became apparent to me that he was asking me the only questions he knew how to ask in English. He asked if I was married and I told him "no." His response to this is what turned our conversation to a "GET OUT NOW" situation. He said, "No marriage, no f***". I was perplexed.

Did he really just say that to me?

I asked him to repeat and kept pretending like I didn't understand. I figured he would just get frustrated and stop. He did, so I closed my eyes thinking he would get the picture that I didn't want to talk anymore.

Nope.

He asked me how big I was. Seriously? Seriously! This is obviously all he knows how to say in English. I am annoyed, so I don't answer, but he guesses anyway. 200 pounds? I nod. And then it got weird ... really weird! He comes over to me and starts grabbing my stomach and chest to feel my muscles. I snapped at him. "HEY! NO!", I said. I got up and left assuming he got the picture that I was not happy and what he did was inappropriate. You just don't go grabbing half-naked men in steam rooms.

After I showered, I was drying my swimsuit when guess who comes walking up again. Ming the Terrible! Maybe I should call him Ming the Inappropriate. Now, NO LIE, he is intrigued by my chest hair. MY CHEST HAIR!

***This is where it gets offensive to some***

He tells me he has no chest hair, but shows me where he does have hair. He drops his towel! After the initial shock worse off I snapped my head away as quickly as possible. This guy was really showing me his pubic hair! Because I had a hairy chest, he wanted to see wanted to see mine.

Trust me when I tell you, there is no better way to piss off a hotheaded Italian that to try to pull some gay crap in the gym. He went for my towel and I raised my fist at him. He thought there must have been some misunderstanding. He said, "Me lookie," and went for my towel again. I screamed at him, "AMERICA! NO!" As if to say, "that crap don't fly here, MING!" I got out of there, but he still persisted!!

I was at my locker about to get dressed when I noticed him walking by. I stopped for a second and galred at him. I glared a glare that must have felt like fire burning through his soul. He kept walking, but I waited a second. Sure enough, he peeked his head around the corner again to see. He scrammed, I got dressed and hauled ass outta there.

Needless to say I will not be going back at that time ever again. Some cultures just do not understand the American concept of personal space. Absolutely the most disturbing, scarring event in my life. I was groped by a 140-pound Chinese man who doesn't speak English.

It is most definitely not fun to stay at the YMCA.

For all of my loyal blog readers, I must apologize for my failure to post recently. Last week I bsolutely could not log onto the site to update it and I was out f town this weekend. So...we have a lot of catching up to do, so here goes: If you have been listening to the show (or have spoken to me since Wednesday) you now know that I am officially in training for the 2006 ING New York City Marathon! Yes, it's true. The man who said at mile 23 of the Marine Corps Marathon that if I ever considered running another one to beat me in the head with the metal end of a rubber hose is in training again. (No hoses, please...the training will be painful enough). Through a lottery process that included more than 90,000 entrants, I was selected to join 37,500 other elite runners in the Big Apple Nov. 5 to run the Super Bowl of Marathons! Lance Armstrong will be there. Worl Record holder Paul Tergat will be there. And, I WILL BE THERE! Training has already begun and I am shooting for unfer 4:20:00 ... that's 4 hours and 20 minutes. Pray for me. Thanks for all the support! As for this weekend, I left with my parents Friday for Hot Springs, Arkansas, for my cousin's wedding. I guess I am a bit of a sellout (or just plain smart) as I bypassed much of the 7 hour drive by sleeping in the back of the Suburban. Can you blame me? Rural Arkansas and Louisiana at midnight aren't exactly the most scenic places in the known world. Saturday was great. I got to spend time with family I had not seen in more than a year and got to see my little cousin get married. Dana is the one who just graduated from Duke. You may remember I went to visit her in February and was there for the Duke-Miami basketball game. The wedding was fantastic, but there were a few details that perplexed me: 1) Why on God's green earth would you have an outside wedding in the south in JUNE?!?!?!?! It was 97 degrees and HOT!! 2) For the first time EVER I was at a wedding reception with NO alcohol. Now, alcohol obviously does not make or break the party, but it was unusual for me. When we did the toast for the bride and groom, we used champagne glasses, but they were filled with water! Why bother? Oh well! I love my cousin, she married a great man and it was awesome seeing the family. Now it appears we have our first named storm of the Hurricane Season ... let the mass hysteria begin!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok, that's all for me. I am so opposed to overhyping storms. If it gets close and warrants mentioning, you will hear from me. I believe the reason people are so numb to storms is because we are psyched out by the media every time there is a named storm, yet we may see wind from one a season. We all need to relax and keep our senses about us. If a big one is coming, get out! If not, relax. That's all. Peace!

I was tired yesterday. To quote former NFL All-Pro receiver Michael Irvin on ESPN's NFL countdown last year, "I am T-I-RED!" Despite chugging through morning newscasts and a four hour afternoon drive talk show, I had more to do. Tonight is a friend's wedding an I will be playing their first dance song on guitar while another guy sings. We pretty much have it down, but felt we could practice one more time. So, I waited last night ... and waited ... and waited ... and waited for him to call so we could meet up and get it done. While I was waiting I was watching my beloved New York Yankess play the Detroit Tigers on ESPN. It was looking great! The Yanks were going for a four-game sweep of the best team in baseball and they were leading 6-0 in the 4th! My, how things change. Before I could blink it was 6-5 in the bottom of the 9th. Scott Proctor had stopped the bleeding for the Yanks and stifled the Detroit bats. As long as I live, I will never understand why a coach or manager pulls a pitcher who is befuddling hitters just to bring in a closer. With Mariano Rivera out with an injury, Joe Torre pulls Proctor and brings in Kyle Farnsworth. I hated him with the Cubs and I hate him now that he's with the Yanks. I don't care if you chunk it 97 mph, if you suck, you suck. Farnsworth sucks! A walk and two hits later and the Yanks lose 7-6. I cursed so loudly, the neighbors came running over to make sure I was ok. Seriously. I get wayyy into sports. At least I can admit it, but I'll never change. So, my night got even worse as I kept waiting. Finally, Devin rolls up to practice around 10 p.m. Keep in mind I have been awake since 4 a.m. and only slept for about three hours the night before. We practice, all is well, and I go to sleep. Today has been a much better day. I ran four miles this morning, got a haircut (I have given up trying to hide my receding hairline ... the next step is just to shave it bald), and am ready for the wedding tonight. Also, my brother is coming in town from Los Angeles for the weekend. Should be good times. Peace

I love to watch movies. I am a fan of all genres, but I especially love "Stupid Comedy" movies with actors such as Jim Carey, Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, Will Ferrell etc ... If you have seen the Farley classic Tommy Boy you will recall the scene where Tommy (played by Chris Farley) is trying to sleep at a motel when co-star Richard (David Spade) keeps knocking on the door. Tommy, thinking it is the maid, says, "Me need sleepy!" That's how I feel today. I am not really looking for any sympathy, but my job(s) require me to work odd hours and find sleep when I can. That being said, staying out until 2 a.m. for a friend's birthday celebration last night, then waking up at 4:30 a.m. to anchor morning radio newscasts at 6 could lead to a looooong day. I did manage to snag about an hour of naptime before I came into Ed's show today, but I am still searching for my second wind. If today's show is anything like yesterday's, though, I shouldn't have any problem at all staying interested. From the ongoing saga with Rep. William Jefferson to quizzing Ed with words from the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Wednesday's show was definitely one to remember. We are still working to put today's lineup together ... ok, Ed is mostly working to put it together as I write this blog and sip on my Coke ICEE (nothing like the coldest drink in ton when it's 95 degrees outside). I know we are going to be talking about whether or not LSU should fire its baseball coach Smoke Laval. If you are unaware, for the first time in 18 years, LSU failed to make it to an NCAA regional. We had hosted one every year since 1990. Basically, LSU baseball with its 5 national titles in 10 years is akin to UCLA is basketball in the 70s, Nebraska football, the New York Yankees ... you get the picture. FANS EXPECT TO WIN ... A LOT! I used to be Laval's biggest supporter, but with attendance dropping and a "don't care" attitude from the players all season, I say it's time for him to go. Our once dominant program has been relegate to "also ran" status. Players are a direct reflection of their coach's leadership, and that is not a flattering statement for Smoke Laval. Get him out! I realize he is not Skip Bertman -- no one ever will be. But, as a program with 5 national titles, we can do better. Peace