RunAcrossTheUSA.com

[Brandon]

It has been a while since we have posted anything and I apologize for that. I know that many of you are going through withdrawal right now and I've been scolded for it both by my mom and by other fans (i.e. the Ryes, who only trail me by one post.) I'll have to work harder. I haven't talked to Matt since, but I'm sure he's pretty busy with preparations for school. I believe classes start for him on Tuesday.

As for me, I've been pretty busy. I traded my running shoes for barn boots and started work on Thursday. It's funny, but the days don't seem as long as they used to when I first started working. I think (and hope) the perspective I gained this summer will carry over into the rest of my life and make everything seem easier and comparison.

I haven't really taken time off of running either. Yesterday was the annual "Cedar River Classic" 5k run, and I decided that I felt like running it. I didn't really plan to "run" it, but once I started the race I felt pretty good and went from a leisurely jog gradually into a run and ended up finishing in under 20 minutes. Parts of it felt like a sprint, and I could tell my legs weren't used to it, but on the whole it was nothing compared to the 35 mile days I was doing all summer.

As far as PR things go, my next big gig is being the object of "show-and-tell" at my old elementary school. Kajsa Rye asked me and I don't usually refuse opportunities for exposure and was happy to oblige. I don't know the date yet, but I'll be sure to give an update of how it went and what other opportunities it will lead to. (Once I get my foot in the door this could lead to some Junior High or high school bookings).

Overall it's just been good to be home and able to sleep in the same place for more than a couple days in a row. I'm almost done with Peter Jenkins' book, and it's given me a lot of insight into how I'll go about writing.

In case you were wondering, I haven't heard from Jay Leno or Oprah yet, but I'm still holding onto a glimmer of hope.

Brandon