I offer my detailed instructions for how to make the breakfast that I enjoyed this morning:

Southern Sausage and Eggs

2 tbsp. bacon grease or shortening
2 eggs
2 sausage patties or 4 slices of bacon or 2 slices of bologna or 1 slice of country ham

Take your skillet and put it on the stove and start warmin’ it up. Reach in your fridge and get your jar or cup or some other container of bacon grease saved from a previous breakfast and spoon out a healthy portion of that into the skillet. Once melted, add meat. Cook until black. Drain and cool on paper towels. Break eggs into the frying pan. I prefer country style, also known as wrecked. To make country eggs, don’t immediately scramble them, wait until they start to fry, then coarsely scramble. Put eggs and sausage on a plate and enjoy a tasty breakfast that is also full of protein.

Lunch was a meal replacement shake. I retract my previous statement about looking good at fifty-one because, in fact, there are many attractive people of all ages. I do want to lose weight for a number of reasons. Clothes fitting better, feeling better, and perhaps looking a little better as well.

I like the beginning section of the course, possibly because when I am on this section I am usually either excited and energized, because I’m just starting, or I’m looking forward to the end of the workout. Perhaps that is a comment on the difficulties of middle age. I really enjoy the sunset views I have seen daily on the dam because I am out at about that time every day.

The half-mile run may have been physically easier, but this is a mental thing. I try to motivate myself and control my mental focus during the run. If I can’t think motivational thoughts, I can try to distract myself with fantasy. What is a situation in your life when you are used to facing challenge that you routinely handle successfully, if not perfectly. If you can handle these, you can handle the physical stress of the run. You don’t give up on your children, your family. You don’t give up on your job so easily. By then you are three quarters of the way through, and you can’t quit then. Perhaps you would rather be distracted, especially if you run to get away from the stresses of life. Think of a beautiful place, a sacred place, something that takes you out of yourself.

Physically, I did not feel the exhaustion that I have been feeling the past few days. And since it is cold, it’s a good sign that I got through the run so well. It means I can survive the winter with my exercise program intact. Mentally, control is important. If I have no mental plan, destructive thoughts make their way in and try to convince me to give up.

I encounter an evil-looking dog with eyes that glow reflecting the light coming from my head lamp. It reminds me of evil dogs in movies and television. It is the unknown that causes fear. I might not know if the dog has blood dripping from its jaws, or if it’s a happy dog wanting to lick my face…or both!

Weight: 266
Workout time: 48 Minutes
Distance (total): 2.67 Miles
Run Portion: .5 Miles
Heart Rate (min/max all day): 72/86
Steps: 6870
Goal: To run 10.5 miles in one day by 11/18/18