2012 Las Vegas Half Marathon

Back in December I made my way back to Las Vegas to compete in the Rock and Roll Las Vegas half marathon. This would be my 5Th half marathon in three years. My first after having knee surgery. Unfortunately Trisha was not able to come out for the race. The good news was she got a new job. (Thank You God.)
The race was at night for the second year in a row. And this year the course when by the famous sign. Which made me very happy. The weather was much warmer then last year. It was a great night for the race. I was afraid that I would be much slower because of my knee, and it showed. My time was 4:16:32. One of my slower times for a half.
As far as the rest of the trip it was fun. I didn't have much luck at the poker tables, but I got to try some restaurants that I never been before. One was In-n-Out burger. it was one of the best burgers I have ever had. You can go to my podcast to hear a review of that visited. www.redneckwinesnob.com I also got to go to Tony Roams Rib's in downtown Vegas. It was the first time I been there in 20 years. Was it ever good. I will do a review of it one of these days. That a recap of my trip to Las Vegas. Till next time. Good day and God Bless.

Redneckwinesnob.com

I would like invite everyone to  to my podcast, www.redneckwinesnob.com . There you will find my reviews of wine, food and the theater. Take a look and listen, and leave comments. Thank you.

May 17Th.

As the pages of the calendar turns. We find it's  May 17Th. For most of us it just another day. But for me this is the day. You see on this day in 2005 I had a stroke. And everything I had work for the last 46 years was gone. After many weeks of rehab and hard work. I was able to learn how to talk and walk again. For that I give thanks to God. Now these day I live with issues and pain. That some one who never had stroke will ever understand. And I will live with  these forever.

With all the heart break I have had. They has been some blessing along the way. They are what I try to focus on. I will not bore you with all of them.

There is one that I will tell you about. That is my best friend. Her friendship has been such a blessing.

It hard for me to believe that it took me 47 year to meet this lady. With her help I have reach so many goals. I have now finish Five half marathon. With out her help that never would happen. It so good to have some one that believes in you so much.

So as I look back. Sometimes I just wait to cry. But I will try to smile. And try to keep moving forward.

Winner 2012

As 2012 began I starting making plans to play in the WSOP senior's event. With that I knew that I need it to brush on my skills. I had not played in months but I was lucky for fact that one of the best games was back on. After the floods of 2010 we lost our Monday night game. Then in November 2011 Dave and Busters reopen. So I starting playing again.

It take me long to get back into the groove. And it didn't take long for the other player to start hating me. Many of the player don't like my style of play. They try to bully the table, and I just out play them. They don't understand odd and out that make up the game. During one game a player called me out when I called his all in after the flop. He pared his weak Ace and I had a straight flush draw. When I hit the flush on THE TURN of course I'm sucked out on him. I will stop bitching now for give me.

As I said I played very well. I had 2 wins in two weeks. In one of themwhem we when heads up he had  a 4 to 1 chip lead on me. So what I did was when he limp in I when All In on him and he folded every time. So when we got even in chips I play my normal game and took it down.

I also had many finale tables. Where I would come in 2Th or 3Th place. One game I when to the finale table of 10 with only 2 big blinds. And I came in third place that night. With all that time off I had not forgot how to play poker. As I always said I Have Had A Great Coach.

2011

Hello and welcome back. Yes I'm still alive. I know that I have not made a post in forever. For that I'm sorry but 2011 wasn't the best year for me. As you may know I lost my mother last year. I also found myself going through some troubling times in my personal life. Of these troubles I never told anybody. This post I hope to get you up to dated with some of the highlight of the year 2011.

In April I would compete in my 2Th half marathon. The race was the Rock and Roll Country Music Marathon here in Nashville. This is know as one the toughs races in this country. After having cramps at mile 7 my pace slow down. But I would not give up and I'm happy to say that I finish with a time of 4:13:07.

Later that fall it was time for me to put my pink shoes and compete again. In October Trisha and I would drive up to Mo. for the Inaugural Rock and Roll St. Louis half marathon. As a driver I have done this trip a million times. With a good co-pilot and good conversation we found our self at our downtown St. Louis motel. The morning of the race Trisha and I walk to the starting line. Yes we where that close. (Only a mile) The weather was perfect about 50 degrees and partly sunny. And the course was one of the best I have scene. I really enjoyed that walk around St. Louis. I turn in a time of 3:51:35. That is about 15 minutes off my best time. The big news coming from that race was that Trisha set a Personal Best Time cutting over a minute off her time.

Then in December it was time for the Rock and Roll Las Vegas half marathon. This would make my 4Th race in 12 months. Plus the race would be ran at night. It was the first time for this race to take place at night. The weather that night was cool and windy. As the race when on we had a lite rain. And again I had cramps so my time was not I had hope for. I turn in a 4:06:40 not bad for 45 degrees and rain.

Well that the good things that happen in the year 2011.In my next post I will try to get you up dated for this year. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.

May 17Th.

Once again it May 17Th. For most of us it just another day. But for me this the day. You see on this day in 2005 I had a stroke. And everything I had work for the last 46 years was gone. After many weeks of rehab and hard work. I was able to learn how to talk and walk again. For that I give thanks to God. Now these day I live with issues and pain. That some one who never had stroke will ever understand. And I will live these for ever.

With all the heart break I have had. They has been some blessing along the way. I was able to do some wonderful mission work with my church. I started playing poker was part of my rehab. Now I have over 50 wins in the league's around Nashville. Believe it or not. I was the champion of season 2 of the Twitter Poker Tour. Which was a on line poker tour. I met a lot of great people from the poker game. We have had some really good times. Then there Las Vegas. Oh Vegas what can I say. That trip I have made 4 times. To think all those years I when to Fla. Not knowing what was waiting for me in Las Vegas.

Last but not least. There my best friend and her doggies. It hard for me to believe that it took me 47 year to meet this lady. With her help I have reach so many goals. I have now finish 4 half marathon. With out her help that never would happen. It so good to have some one that believes in you so much.

So as I look back. Sometimes I just wait to cry. But I will try to smile.

An Amazing Athlete. An Amazing Feat

If you been a reading my blog for any length of time. You know
that I have had the blessing of knowing a beautiful lady by the name
of Trisha Pena. Trisha is the most amazing best friend a person
could ever have. She would be a blessing to anybody’s life.
By just being a part of your life. And she is an amazing poker
player. But what most people don’t know is that Trisha is an
amazing athlete in her own right. And that is the Trisha Pena that I
want to introduce to the rest of the world.

Back in 2004 Trisha decide it that she wanted to compete in a half
marathon. So with little or no training Trisha enter the “The
Tom King Classis”. On that faithful Saturday morning she set out on
her journey. And finish her first half. I will have to tell you
I done 2 half marathons myself. And I spend months training for a
race. To think that she did this race with no training is an amazing
feat. But she would not stop there. About a month later she
enter the Country Music Half Marathon. Once again she did a
great job. To me that was a short turn around to do a 2Th race.
Over the next few years Trisha would compete in one to two races
per year. Improving her time in each race. To the point where she
turn in a time of 3:25:52. In the 2008 Country Music Half Marathon.
Cutting over 30 minutes off her best time. To celebrate this
great accomplishment Trisha signs up for the 2008 Las Vegas Marathon.
That is a 26.2 mile race. On that day I was playing poker. Trisha had
signed me up to receive text messages. So I could keep up with her
progress. I have to tell you ever time my phone when off. I was
so excited. But when I got the text to tell me she has finished.
I was yelling at the top of my lungs. You will never know what an
accomplishment that is. Trisha I know that I have said this
before. I hope you know how proud of you I am of you. And you
should be to.

As 2009 came to an end Trisha finished her 10Th half
marathon when she completed in the Las Vegas Half Marathon. And
in September she completed in the Woman’s Half Marathon here in
Nashville. That was her 12Th half marathon in seven
years. That is an amazing accomplishment. By an amazing lady.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post.

Trisha I'm so proud of your accomplishments.

But I'm just as proud to call you my friend.