Why blog?

This is my first blog. I felt that it was time to begin blogging. I should have begun doing this last year, on July 6, 2008. That is the day that I became a runner again. I have always been a runner, but it was on that date that I became active again after an 11 year layoff. Since then I have accomplished many things as a runner. I got into shape, lost 30 pounds, ran some races, collected some hardware and finished my first marathon, The Sarasota Grouper Marathon on February 15, 2009.

I need to clarify a few things in this first blog. First is the name of the site, Crazy but not Insane. As a runner, I am certain that many things I chose to do will be seen by the nonrunner as insane. Only another runner will recognize some of my goals as attainable and completely legit. However, Crazy is not to be confused with insane. Insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results. A runner does not run day in and day ever expecting the same results. Please do not confuse the two.

Second is the history of the name Boo Radley. This name that I took in during the winter of 8th grades plays an important role in the development of the runner that I am today. I was running with the Varsity Track team in 8th grade, which consisted of practices that involved tackle football in knee deep snow. Being the quiet 8th grader among high schoolers, I surprised the upperclassmen by making an aggressive tackle. This prompted three upperclassmen, Greg Kocyba, Matt Kocyba and Geoff Roes, to begin calling me Boo Radley, referencing the character from Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird. I respected these three runners because they were all top runners in the state. The name stuck, even though I have never eaten a squirrel.

Lastly, I would like to point out the fact that all references to my running career, unless otherwise noted, will refer to my current career beginning July 6, 2008. I did run a 5:22 mile and a 17:50 5K in high school and would like to get back to those numbers one day, but that was a different lifetime. A new blog will be up about today's 17 mile run shortly.