I’ve never run a trail race…naked.  Although I am always for trying new things.  I truly believe that success is most accurately measured by how many great cocktails stories you have…and how many visitors you have on your running website.  Thanks for hanging out.  You’re the key to my success.  I’m just Running Down a Dream and going wherever it leads.

The Inaugural Ruff Buff 7K Trail Run will be held on May 30th at the Sunny Rest Resort which encompasses part of the Pocono Mountains in Palmerton, Pennsylvania.  It is the 3rd race in the 2009 B.A.R.E. Butt Chasers East Coast Race Series and will be as awesome as all of the other races in the series.  Go check it out and run for a day of fun, bare or clothed, it’s up to you.  It’s always good to have options when it comes to clothing.  Bring a friend for a small fee of $15.00 to relax at the resort with you.  Entry into the resort will start at 7:00 AM for race-day entries and packet pick-up.  If you want to stay after the race there are great deals at Sunny Rest Resort.  Make a weekend of this destination event!  There is a restaurant, pool & hot tub, tennis courts, showers, and restrooms available on site.

Early entry fee is $25.00 by check or money order by May 22, 2009.  Late entry fee of $30.00 after May 22nd and will be accepted online only until midnight, May 28th.  After that you can bring cash, check, or money order on race day.  You can register online at www.sportsoften.com for a small fee.  Do the responsible thing, write a check and put it in the mail right now.

Who knew running naked down a trail would make you more successful?!  Frank the Tank and I did.  But now you do too!

…to work at a small firm.  I learned a lot about the whole real estate development process and feel that  I am more knowledgeable than many of my peers.  The risk was that a slow down in the market affects the smaller firm more than a larger, diversified firm.  Honestly though, in this market and economy, I don’t know if it really matters where you work.  I may have taken another offer at a larger firm and had been laid off recently since I was the newest hire.  Who knows?  I enjoy real estate development and continue to be somewhat involved in it, but it doesn’t excite me as much as running and working on this website does.  I can see myself doing this for the rest of my life and enjoying it.  I am excited to learn, build, facilitate, and create.  And continue to do something that I love…running.

But honestly, even though this post is about me, it’s not about me.  It’s about creating something that may inspire people to become more mentally and physically healthy.  To motivate people to push themselves to their limits in accomplishing anything in life.  Running is what brought clarity to my post-Army life.  While I had to come back and resume my life with so many changes in it, running slowed things down and put the world in perspective for me.  It simplified it.  Made it clear.  It has lead me to overcome, grow, mature, and understand myself and my surroundings better than ever before.

So I’ve been writing this blog for about a month and a half now and I can tell you what I tend to write about.  I usually analyze the psychology of running.  Sometimes I equate running to some sort of social issue.  Sometimes I write a review on a shoe.  Maybe I’ll tell you about something we’ve added to the website.  A lot of the times I’ll talk about the medical side of running, like nutrition, injury prevention, how to make a turni-kit out of sticks, whatever.  I talk about my military experiences and how they relate to running.  I don’t write anything political.  I try to motivate.  I make suggestions.  I tell you about cool new running gadgets that I try.  I add humor whenever possible.  I find I make a lot of references to movie or TV show quotes.  I think that is because humor in the written form is different than in person, the readers have to understand your intent to humor.  I discuss the economy and how running relates to it.  I run races and tell you about them.  I run trail runs and tell you about them as well.  I won’t give you updates on my training schedule or PRs.  I don’t find doing this is very useful and quite frankly, boring.  Unless you ask me to do it.  Then I’ll talk about it.  This blog is whatever you want, I’m here for you.  One thing you can count on is  I will always talk about one thing:…running…seriously….I’m serious.

So that’s it.  That’s me.  I’m an open book and open to any suggestions about what you want to hear about or how much my grammar sucks.  Whateves.  I’m just Running Down a Dream.  Workin’ on a mystery; goin wherever it leads.  Thanks TP.

I’d also like to thank my brother Jeff who actually created the concept for this website and began building it using an awesome software program he developed:   review app. Check out his other websites too:  singletracks.com and tripleblaze.com.  Very smart guy; not as good of a runner.  And he’s not as good looking, but you would already know that if you read the blog yesterday.

Alright that’s enough about me.  Now you know who I am.  I’m actually tired of talking about myself and look forward to getting back to my normal blogging.  I recently read in Chris Brogran’s blog that the smartest, most successful people in the world are those who always want to know more about you rather than tell you about themselves.  I think that is true.  I’m going to try to do that from now on.  And yes, I was reading someone else’s blog.  I guess I’m a blogger now, but it’s not official because I haven’t added it to my “interests” on Facebook yet.

Word,

Chris Barber