I am batman

This weekend was tough, the toughest one yet. The hardest part hasn't been the training, mental or physical, but the secrecy. I've kept it under wraps for the time being that I'm headed back out to the trail. My best friends and even my roommate don't know what I' about to do. I have to admit, now I know exactly how Bruce Wayne feels, living a double life.

This weekend Atlanta had the great Oyster Fest eating contest. More like Dude Fest 2011. While every one went out and drank with a bunch of dudes, I prepared for the storm ahead. While they were out wasting their lives, I stepped up my game. I've started by getting ready physically. I did pushups, but I'm not sure how many. To be honest I lost count after an hour or two. I must have done dozens by then. Covered in sweat and feeling tired, I knew that in the past the old Brent would have given up. I just keep telling myself, this time it's personal. I wanted more than ever to give up, go to bed, grab a dew, but I had work to do.

I plugged in Echo the Dolphin - yes, the hardest video game in history. It was a hell of a run. I hadn't even used a continue until level 5. But then my focus was challenged by the ice level with all the sharks. I was so tempted to give in, to use the cheat code to get to the final level like I had done in the past. Not this time. After what may go down as the greatest 5 straight hours of Echo the Dolphin in history, I got a phone call. It was my roommate, begging me to pick him up from Dude Fest 2011. My concentration broken, I decided to go and pick the poor drunk up.

After I dumped off my roommate, I had work to do. That night I sneaked into Stone Mountain Park after it was closed. I was able to get through the initial line of security, up to the edge of the mountain. I wanted to take the cable car, but it wasn’t running. I would have to hike. No problem there.

I got about halfway up the mountain and then realized the security forces located my position. They tried to track me down with all sorts of colored lasers, but I managed to escape. That was close. I saw some close calls on the trail in March of 2009, and this brought the danger of it back into my consciousness.

This experience has confirmed what I already knew – I have gotten to a point where I know I will conquer the trail. I don’t care if you guys think I will make it or not. I will buy lobster for anyone who subscribes to my blog when I reach Maine.