Grandpa Gerald, The Duro-Last Seminar and 279.3

Well it's been a wild ride the last couple of weeks. I spent a lot of time with grandpa. Then a week and a half ago he passed. I was very close to my grandpa. He was the reason I went to Benilde St.Margarets. I credit grandpa with many of my successes in life, while on the phone with my dad he told me to never forget all that grandpa had done for me. I an never forget all the lessons he taught me. 

    Grandpa was a guy who would start up a conversation with anyone. He didn't judge people. He was one of the fist people to work towards racial equality as early as the  50's. Grandpa believed that the spice of life was people. He loved nothing more than to meet someone new and to learn all about them and maybe share a up of coffee.

    So yeah it has been a hard time. I kept myself from grief eating and I did grief working out instead. Last week I did weigh in at 280 which has been my goal for the Duro-Last convention since last year. I got some great workouts in while in Clearwater Beach. On one run I did 8 miles of sand running. The last 2 miles of the run I walked because I was worn out. I was a little bummed and looked down at the sand and seashells as I walked. Two poodles walked up to me and I said hi to them. I looked up and who was the owner? No other than Hulk Hogan , he winked at me and kept walking with his dogs. I had been watching Rocky 3 the week before , how exciting.

    I realized on my trip that I needed to really watch what I ate. The food at hotels and seminars is often really bad and fattening. I ate a salad every day and brought my vitamins and Emergenc. I also made sure I carried my Nalgen bottle with me so I was well hydrated all the time. This is a particularly good idea at conventions when one may be more prone to having a drink or two at night than one would be while at home =]

   Overall I am doing Ok. My weight is doing well. My workouts are going well and I am working on keeping my spirits up. Grandpa keeps me going. I will always remember one of the doctors in the ICU saying that grandpa working out everyday for 17 years was why he was able to keep fighting so long. 

I know one thing is for sure, when I get to that age I want my body to be strong enough so I can keep fighting for my wife and kids.