Daytona 500... or not.

So I am in Daytona Beach visiting Francesca and Bradley Robinson. Read Francesca's food blog here. I'm here to tell you, she doesn't just write about good food, she really knows how to make it. Try the Mexican Barbecue as Bradley calls it. Bradley's blog is here. Then they have a blog together about seminary.

Unlike me, they write with some frequency.

Now I'm going to let Francesca tell you, gentle readers, in her own words about this Couch to 5K thing she's doing. Over to you, Fran!

Thanks Ken. Well, that's really about it. I'm doing a Couch to 5k. Even though my sweet friend Kendra is in town I still have to train (3 days a week, no more no less...well maybe less). So Bradley, Kendra and I hit the track near the South Daytona trailer parks for week 4 day 3 of Couch to 5k (there's an app for that..no really, I'm not just being clever). Kendra wore her sweet running shorts and even cooler shoes. She really looks the part. I looked her up and down and thought I could take her regardless of her pretty dope running attire. We ran side by side, step for step, pausing only to trash talk the other (Bradley stopped to watch the turtles). On the last running section she took off like a bat out of hell (not in a cursing way). Turns out that style does create speed. Back to you Spirited Sprinter!

Thank you, Frantastic! Yes, folks, she did say dope. I know, you haven't heard that word since the early 90's.

As for style creating speed, it's all in the shorts. The ventilation in those puppies is ridiculous. Never underestimate tread and the shocks, either. If you take breaks, do it fast and smart (not too much water... or you'll puke). Races are won and lost in the pits.

It was the last lap, neck-and-neck. I saw the checkered flag, poised high in the air, ready to drop (seriously, I did see a checkered flag, they are all over Daytona.) We were coming down the backstretch, I went high on the inside, and went into high gear. I somehow came out across the finish line first, but it's really just about who is the fastest machine that day. Another day, I might have ended up spinning out in the infield instead of victory lane.

KendraLynism for the day: Alan Kulwicki, who won NASCAR's Winston Cup in 1992, said, "First, you learn to drive fast. Next, you learn to drive fast in traffic. Then, you do it for 500 miles." I say, "Well, two out of three ain't bad. But I'm a much better driver than runner. I would be better at driving in the Daytona 500 than running in Fran's 5k next week."