TGP explains himself

[TGP]

so a heretofore unkown stranger, uncooth and slightly moldy, with an unpleaseant sneer and a creepy unlikeable appearance has been bothering all the tables.
He notices the rapt gazes and stern stares.
it is Time, he says in a raspy voice to unveil himself, he says this to nobody and yet to everybody- and instantly the whole inn is attentively listening...

"hell, lets get this out of the way; I'm not british, I have a really Lousey command of ancient dialect,   and I'm not sure anybody cares"....
 he pauses for the crowds reaction, and some people DO seem releived. maybe this will NOT all be in olde english.
"I am a nerd, though".... visible relief from some of the audience:  a few other people are clearly about ready to leave.   "I don't know half of you half as well as I should like and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve".  This was unexpected and rather difficult. 
"Wait a minute ! " says one guy from the back- " Fellowship of the Ring. Page 30!"
"Well done" says the stranger.  "my favorite story!  more insight in that classic tale than most people stumble into in their whole boring lives"

speaking of Boring, lets answer a few questions about me- questions you Might have.
for those addled with impatience (not that they are still reading)...
me-> Hiking (preferably in the open woods), Orienteering, Canoeing (hopefully), Volleyball, Weight training, Jogging;  and Chess, Piano, astronomy (with the rest of my long boring middle aged life)
"I WAS sedentary".  but I was shaken out of it by a couple events.  I Want to repeat them and IMprove them- and to that end; I am 6 months in to at least a 18month quest for fitness.
*  WHAT does Tgp stand for?  "the Great Patzer".... I was and still am pretty interested in chess and remain active (though not nearly as much as I was) on Internet chess playing.

 

THE EVENTS

 

* the 'Alleghany' 100.   The Local and famous feat of incredble hiking fitness
the 'North country' Trail winds around the Alleghany National forest where I live; it is beautiful and rugged path offering a challenging, workout through the hills.   Our local length of it goes 100 miles from NY to Interstate 80.
someone hardcore got the idea of challenging people to walk half of it in 1 day or the whole route in 2 days.
I have walked 50 miles in 1 day Before- but it Killed me!  I mean I was BEAT up.  really, really poor shape.  So.... we must do it again!  I am much better health and I have lots of time to train- the event will be happening in early June 2018.  time to strengthen all my joints; build cardio stamina and work strenously at leg stamina

*the Kinzua Tango.  the foremost 'adventure' race of the area
the Kinzua tango is for most of us; a very much relay race between several teams from the major employers.  I work in an Oil refinery; and a company sponsor at that.  the "lab" has a few fitness nuts that basically form a relay triatholon; bike,swim and run.
but this is an 'Adventure' Race and that means something more than a triathlon.  Specifically 'Canoeing' and 'Orienteering'.  well know wandering around the woods like ARagorn  was a thing for me since I was a kid. or maybe I'm like Samwise who knew all his shire within 20 miles (FOTR; page 72).
anyways, I toiled in all the briars and learnt all the ways, so I could walk as swiftly in my orienteering race.  I came at a decent 1hour 50 minutes, but it was still far from the leaders.
I recognize that the ONly REal way to improve THAT time is not to orient better (I'm pretty good at that), or to learn the brush (I picked good strait ways from point to point)- But TOO run.  THAT. I can improve on...
so I have REAL time to work on this.  KTango 2018 happens in August 2018.  I need to go hardcore and graduate to TrailRunning!

*Lastly Volleyball.
I think I already wearied you all with Volleyball.  hmmm. well lets be honest.  we suck- we are the Losing team.  Nobody on the team can spike and most of us can barely bump or serve.  As a team its unimportant.  but personally- I like to excell the stuff I do.
since I am in the midst of the season. I'm hoping that practicing in the racquetball room; hoping in a bodyweight class, and strengthening up with weights will help.

Its very Quiet.  the fire has burnt long and the stranger has the air of a person who has said his peice.  but the room is Now deserted.
.... Well, the weary innkeeper said, you were right in ONE way.
" you ARE boring"....

[Elastigirl]

Cool goals.  That hiking trail sounds amazing and tough.

[TGP]

2018 is MY year.

who knows? maybe I will go further than 50miles.  I'm in good fit shape right now.  I just need a good spring to get the slow twitch muscles use to longer walks...

[robo]

That's a great goal, "the Allegheny 100".  I've camped at Minister Creek along that trail. I've never done a long hike before, I might just have to add that one to my bucket list. The Kinzua Tango looks tough, but fun.  I like that it's a super triathlon with canoeing.  I've never heard of a race like that. 

[Holda]

Nice to meet you! Can't wait to hear updates on your trailrunning! Oh the Places you'll go (LoTR, P......oh wait..that's Suess!)

[Sloth the Enduring]

That race sounds awesome.

[Thom Sparrow]

Both of those events sound great!