Today is Wednesday, 10-31-2012, Happy Halloween!!  Three days out from my biggest physical challenge of my life.  My thoughts are all over the place around this.  I am embarking on the Pinhoti 100 Miler in Talledega National Forest. The Pinhoti 100 is a point-to-point trail run starting in Heflin, Alabama on the unmolested Pinhoti single-track trail. I will make my way over the highest point in Alabama while navigating over rocks, through creeks and across beautiful ridge lines of the Talladega National Forest. The course will consist of 80.62 miles of single-track trail, 16.98 miles of jeep road and 4.52 miles of pavement and will finish on the rubberized track in the Sylacauga High School Football Stadium.  I will try and capture my thoughts in a follow up blog.  Needless to say, finish or not, I will make an attempt to push myself way beyond anything I've ever done before.  See you on the other side.

We all have pasts.  Some of it's good and some of it's not so good.  Now a days we're all warned about putting pictures and other stuff out on the web for everyone to see.  Some of us just really don't follow directions very well.  Here is a fine example of that.

Here is a link to a very old Travis Tritt video that I am in.  It's from the mid-90's.  It was a lot of fun to do: 

Zachary graduated from MCT, (Marine Combat Training), today.  It is really awesome to see pictures of him and think, "man, he looks really mature", but hey, that's my Marine. 

I don't think I could be MORE proud.

Look forward to seeing you SOON Z-man!!

I have been chosen as the Weekend Warrior for a local publication, Health and Fitness.  Here are the answers to the battery of questions they asked.  Friday I go and get my picture taken...

Name:  Andy Reynolds                     

Age:  51 on June 16, 2012

Occupation:  Sr. Supply Chain Specialist @ FedEx SupplyChain

Sport:  Running & Biking (29er MTB)

Family and/or Pets:  Wife Mary, sons Thomas (22), Zachary (18), Alec (18), Daughter Brooke (21), two shy of a Brady Bunch.  Three cats, Sugar and then her two adopted rescue children, Lillie and Finch. 

List/Describe 1-2 of the Events you have competed in recently:  St Jude Children’s Research Hospital Marathon in December 2011, 2001 and 1997.  I ran the Gasparilla Distance Classic 15K on March 3, 2012 and the ½ Marathon on March 4, 2012.

 What’s your favorite fitness accomplishment:  I have run in 26 different states. I once ran in California, on the beach in Half Moon Bay, on the Pacific Ocean in the morning, and then ran on the beach in Charleston, SC that night putting my foot in the Atlantic Ocean. Hey, I thought it was kind of cool. I have run in Canada, Mexico, France, Netherlands and Spain. I have run in 48 - 5K's, 32 - 10K's, 4 half Marathons, 2 - 15 K's, and 3 Marathons (all the St. Jude here in Memphis).

Likes or Dislikes about your sport:  I like the feeling of a long run.  No matter if it’s 5, 10 or 15+ miles, it’s like Chinese food to me.  About 30 minutes after I’m done, I’m hungry to get back out on the road.
Inspiration Or Motivation:  My dad never had a conversation with his grandson’s.  I want to see mine try to keep up, (with me).  …and then pass me.
Did you overcome any obstacles, hardships (i.e. breaks, sprains, illness, tragedy etc.)  I had a Cardio Ablation in November 2009 to fix a problem where a bad signal in my heart was causing approximately 23,000 Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVC’s) per day.
Are you training for an upcoming event?  The Pinhoti 100 – It’s a 100 – mile trail run in Heflin, AL this November 2012.
Any rituals pre-race?  Try not to fall asleep in the car and miss the start.  I get very relaxed the morning of a race.  I am not a lover of early mornings, even though in Memphis, that’s the only time you can comfortably run in the summer.
Do you have any training secrets or tips?  When my head is trying to make excuses why I don’t have time to work out, I go ahead and pretend like I’m listening, but continue to put on my shorts, heart-rate monitor, GPS watch, t-shirt, iPod, headphones, hat, socks and shoes, and before my head even realizes what’s going on, we’re out the door and headed down the street.
Favorite local restaurant…what do you order there?  Automatic Slims on 2^nd Ave.  I order just about everything on the menu.  It is absolutely Awesome!!
Favorite local Retail Store:  The clearance racks at Target!!
Gear (if you are runner list shoes, if you are a biker name bike(s))  I rotate through 9 different pairs of Saucony Kinvaras, (assorted colors).  I ride a Genesis 29er.
What does a WW drive?  2007 Nissan Versa, (with a bike rack on the back).
Do you workout to music, if so, what music?  A mix of playlists from the 60’s to current.  I have some Tom Petty to Aerosmith, Johnny Cash to Kenny Chesney and then of course, Taylor Swift, Brooke loves her so I have to love her too.
Bucket List: 
One thing people don’t know about you?  When I was much younger, while living in Nashville, TN, I was a part-time actor/model.  My two big claims to fame are; I was an underwear model for Fruit of the Loom and I was the principle character in a Travis Tritt video, “Sometimes She Forgets.”
Favorite Indulgence or Vice?  Chocolate!!
Your mantra or favorite Quote:  I have two:  Yeah, I have a diet…  It’s called RUNNING! & There will be a day when I can no longer run.  Today is not that day!

So there you go...  Pretty cool huh?  I'll add the picture once I get a copy.

Cardio Check Up

Had my 6 month check up this morning at Stern Cardiovascular. 

I always go in thinking there's going to be something wrong. 

I checked in an took a seat in the waiting room, thinking it'd be a while before I got called back.  Barely got through the first song, Alan Jackson's "Good Times", and I got called back for my ultrasound. 

Quick instructions from the technician, remove your shirt, your undershirt and lay on the table.  Oh wow, another opportunity for something to come up and be waiting for an intermidable amount of time for someone to come back.  I layed down on my back in the sterile ultrasound room, hmmm, one of the florecents is out, the light above me is blinking; one on, two on, three on, all off; one on, two on, three on, all off; one on, two on, three on, all off; one on, two on, three on, all off; knock knock.  My technician comes back. 

She hooks me up to the heart rate monitor thing.  Squeezes out some of that really COLD gel onto the ultrasound wand, and we're off.  Look hear, measure this, "breathe in," "hold it," "blow out," "you're done."  I'm actually pleased.  Very little anxiety too.  No rechecks or "let look at this again," so that went pretty smooth.  I put my shirt back on, and she takes me upstairs to see Dr. Otten. 

Now.  Here comes the NEWS.  Good or bad.  Everytime I come here I get just a little nervous I'm going to be told something is wrong.  The anxiety creeps in just a bit.  I sit in the second waiting room.  I start to pick out a song to listen to.  But before I can even make a selection...  "Mr. Reynolds!"  Wow!  No wait here either. 

I go through the whole vitals, blood pressure, weight check thing.  Medications?  NO.  Heart pacer?  NO.  Are you still taking the same viatmin regimine?  Yes.  Ok, now we're off to the examination room for an EKG and Dr. Otten.  I mean, within 5 minutes I'm done with the EKG and Dr. Otten comes walking in.  I have had no time to be anxious or anything. 

We go through the normal pleasantries and then...  O.K... Here it comes.  ...well Andy, everything looks really great.  The improvements are still coming.  I think your heart is getting really strong.  You're good for another 6 months!! 

Whew...  I really get anxious during this little adventure.  I just thought I would share just how it goes in my head.  thanks for reading...

My daddy would have been 75 years old today had cancer not taken his life almost 20 years ago.  Actually it will be twenty years coming up the end of this summer.  I remember a tough man.  A man that taught me how to fish, ride a bike, play golf, smile, laugh, and maybe just a few more things, that's who Joe Alan Reynolds was.  He wasn't shy about much either.  If he was mad, you knew it.  If he was mad at you, you felt it.  But I am the man I am today 'cause of my Daddy.  I'm not going to get all drawn out and sentimental in this day's blog, I just wanted to pause from a busy day and post a birthday wish.  Not because he would read it, but because with Father's Day and my 51st birthday coming up this weekend, and having  4 kids who consider me to be their father or father figure, if they happen to read this, I want them to know...  I am the man I am today because of a lot of different people and stuff in my past, but first and foremost, because of my Daddy, Joe Alan Reynolds.  I love you Dad! 

Here I come... Watch out!!

I am going to make a concerted effort to post my progress while training for the Pinhoti 100 - Miler, in November.  http://www.pinhoti100.com/  Yes I am just a little crazy, but that's what happens when you start your way down the other side of the hill.  I want to prove to myself that I can do anything, through God who strengthens me.  I mean, He is the one who has blessed me with the ability to run...  and run...  and run!  I have also signed up for the St. Jude Marathon, my fourth, in December too.  I was going to run the Ancient Oaks 100 Miler in December, which would have meant I would miss the St. Jude, but when I found the Pinhoti, I made the change.  I am going to be logging some big mileage, cross-fit workouts, P90X workouts, road rides, and trail rides in preparation, so keep an eye out for me.

This me at the Gasparilla Distance Classic in March 2012.