Watch me run the New York City Marathon LIVE

Ok kind of watch me run it live, on the web only negative is you have to pay $4.99. If your a Lance Armstrong fan or into running you might find this to be worth it. They are going to have many camera's setup to watch Lance, the pro's and everyone else at many locations and of course it will be on NBC 9:30 EST or 8:30 CST.

My BIB Number is ????? to be determined

10 mile run in 1 hour and 43 minutes this Sunday in Forest Park

10 mile run in forest park

The Phoenix

My two and half year Journey has ended. I am a man again, I am whole, I am one.

I feel this period in my life can be equated to the Greek Mythological creature the Phoenix. This is a poem about the Legend of the Phoenix I found online.

Beautiful, glorious and sacrificing self for renewal,
you build a pyre and set yourself ablaze. For the
sake of self. Red bird of fire you come forth through
your ashes a new bird shedding the old self which no
longer is needful. You embrace your new strength and
fly to the heights of the sky to the city of the sun and
give the ashes unto the alter of the sun god for your
immortality. Embrace yourself for you are a child of
the sun and will live eternal through birth, death, and
renewal! The spirit never dies!

I see the past two and half years as me building a pyre and setting myself ablaze. Not till now have I come forth through the ashes as a new man. I've done some amazing things over the past year I'm very happy about this past year I've accomplished so many things for myself and others I can be very proud of. One of my most recent accomplishments is buying a new house for myself. I have a contract on a house now and I close on Dec 15th as long as everything goes as planned. I will be moving in on December 16th. This is the reason I feel like I am a man again or reborn I am a home owner again. Obviously you don't have to be a home owner to be a man but, you have to have your own place. I was the happiest and felt the most complete when I owned my own home.

Over the past two and half years I've looked at houses in Central West End, Downtown, Soulard, South St. Louis, Webster Groves, and Shrewsbury. I've looked at well over 50 properties in person through open house tours (downtown, cwe, south county, soulard) and through my awesome and VERY patient Real Estate Agent Jan Parker ReMax 314-951-1946. Most recently I set my focus on South County and its probably been a year since I looked at property in person. South County is close to my family in Columbia, its close to some of my friends, its where my friends and I would hang out during Highschool since there is nothing in Columbia. So its like my old stomping grounds. Everything I need is there even a Sushi restaurant. It is also fairly close to work by just getting on 55 and heading downtown. I've been living in Columbia IL. for the past year and half. Mooching off my parents, who have been the greatest most understanding and welcoming people in the world. Was considering staying in Columbia till March when I get my bonus and raise. Its funny I started looking at houses Sunday just doing Open houses on my own no real intentions to buy. I had planned on dealing with all this after the New York Marathon. I was just wanting to see what was on the Market and here by Thursday I was done! I'm a new home owner!

I found one house Sunday during the open houses that looked like a good deal. I had lined up 8 Open Houses in a row to look at Sunday all in the South County area. The real estate bug bit me so I wanted to buy a house, it consumed my thoughts. The one house I was interested in I went back to look at Monday night with an intention to put a very low asking price offer on it like $135,000 or $140,000 when they were asking $154,900 since it had been on the market for over 2 months. I meet my friend Adam, his son Hugo and Jan my agent we looked over the property. I saw promise it had 2 bedrooms upstairs, a garage, 2 bath rooms and a finished basement. I loved the real wood burning fireplace which I've always wanted. The bedrooms had hardwood floors which I also really like. I wanted to look at one other property to make sure I've done my homework. I went to look at that property it was much more welcoming but not exactly what I wanted, which my agent expressed as well and I came to the realization that the other property was really quirky and was not what I wanted. So Jan and I decided we would keep looking.

The next morning Jan was in her Remax meeting and they were doing round table another agent in the office had a house in the same exact neighborhood we were looking in yesterday for same exact price $154,900. She was very excited and told me about it immediately. It got listed Tuesday afternoon and I saw it Tuesday after work. I knew right away as Adam put it this is a "JohnHouse" there were so many updates and it was put together so well. I put a Contract on it Wednesday by Noon, for $154,900 pay my closing costs up to 3% of value of house, include all appliances, include big screen TV 60" and entertainment system downstairs, and I get 1 year home warranty. So really I was asking well under $150,000 because I was asking for more than $5000 worth of stuff. The closing costs could get up to $4600. We gave her till 8:00 that night to respond. I was very anxious because my agent found out it they were going to show the house at 2:00 and they knew the buyer was motivated and was going to put a competing contract on and 3 other people lined up to view it Thursday. My agent called me at 7:30pm the seller countered with just raising it to 156,900 and keeping all the other stipulations so I accepted verbally Wednesday night, and signed the papers Thursday morning. The best part about this is that all i'm paying to buy this house is $500 earnest check i wrote Wednesday. As long as closing costs don't go over $4600 that is all I will pay immediately out of pocket. I will not have a house payment till Feb 1st since we are closing on Dec 15th. My cousin Heather Hempen with Liberty First Mortgage is working the best loan she can for me. As long as the house appraises and the loan is complete by Nov 17th everything should be good to go.

I am doing the house inspection this morning at 9:30.

Happy Birthday to me!

Cheering Jake on for his TRI

I got up at 6:30 went to St. Peters for Rec Plex Sprint Triathlon. I did not participate but i cheered on my brother in law with the family.