Marking the miles with Mike Mudd

Pretty much the only thing I can think about any more is training for the Chicago Marathon. It's less than three months away, and I wish it were tomorrow. I'm ready. Not physically ready, of course, but mentally and emotionally keyed up beyond belief.

I start a new job Monday, and I'm terrified of that. Yet I find that my focus is more on tomorrow's 8-mile run, which is the Plan B after this morning's scheduled run was postponed by thunderstorms.

In honor of my 26.2-mile race, my plan -- at this moment, anyway -- is to make lists of 26 things. The categories will depend on my whim and general level of laziness. Honestly, only a truly fanatical do-nothing'er could come up with such a transparent device to fill out blog entries without actually having to do any real crafting of prose.

My current inspiration is my husband. He's a goofy, funny little dude, beloved by everyone (as far as I know), yet easy to overlook. He's personable, easy-going and a good antidote to my unceasingly high-strung nature. That's why he can be overlooked -- particularly by me. He doesn't cry out for attention, nor require a great deal of maintenance (unlike his wife). So, three and a half years into this union, here are 26 reasons my I'm lucky to be married to Mike Mudd:


(They're in no particular order, mind you. Again with the lazy.)


1. He commutes to Louisville so we can live in Northern Kentucky, near my family.

2. After driving home tonight and getting in around 3 or so, he's going to get up at 7 to go run with me.

3. He'll try virtually anything I cook up -- and even liked my curry-free kohlrabi curry dish. 

4. He loves animals in a completely irrational way, just as I do.

5. He encourages me all the time, whether it's running, looking for a new job or doing something random I don't think I can do.

6. He loves my mom, my GP and my Californians.

7. He'll put the gas in my car for me because he knows I hate doing it.

8. He doesn't balk when I order a $68 lobster tail.

9. He got married in a giant cathedral and went to pre-Cana, even though he's not Catholic.

10. He tries really hard to hear all of Duff's bass lines any time a Guns N' Roses song comes on the radio.

11. He makes fun of his own inexplicable love of '70s soft rock.

12. He doesn't balk when I say, "My mom and I are going to take cooking classes. In Morocco."

13. He's awesome at spinning the Teacups at Disneyland.

14. He's fascinated by airline equipment, much to my mom's amusement.

15. He shares my passion for lima beans.

16. He shares my hatred for onions.

17. He never balked when the first two years of our marriage were dominated by my GPs' health crises. He just kept showing up, smiling and caring.

18. He's open to all new experiences, from flying to Germany to trying weird vegetables.

19. He keeps "The English Patient" on for me when we stumble into it on TV, even though I'm pretty sure he doesn't care about it at all.

20. He recently told someone that the WEBN fireworks are better than Thunder over Louisville. So, so right.

21. He doesn't make fun of me when I cry over UK basketball. And he understands the importance of hating all things Duke-related.

22. He loves to do gags.

23. He listens to the L.A. traffic report on satellite radio sometimes, which warms my heart.

24. He actually really likes watching "Iron Chef," "Dancing With the Stars" and various forms of Kardashian programming.

25. He eats berries with two hands, kind of the way a squirrel would.

26. And, well, he bought me a really fat engagement ring!

He's a good egg, that Mike Mudd. Better than I deserve.