Funny Note From a Reader

I love to share notes like this....

Hi Steve~

I'm a stranger to you. I stumbled upon your blog a few months ago after I had googled "10 mile training plan". You must have had something posted, which I read....and kept reading, and kept reading, and kept reading. I found that your blog makes me laugh on nearly a daily basis and I'll admit, I'm totally hooked. I had a funny coincidental story that I had to share with you (because, while you don't have a clue who I am, I feel like we're old friends---that's the creepiness of the internet).

This past Saturday, I participated in the Strides Against Breast Cancer 3 mile walk with one of my bffs, Melissa, who is a survivor (YAY!). Afterwards, our large group went to Sak's in White Bear Lake to hang out and have drinks and lunch. Five hours later, we were getting ready to leave and another friend, Stacie, saw one of her husband's coworkers up by the bar. She brought him back, made introductions and asked why he was there. He said he was with a group of triathletes having a post volleyball lunch. Of course, my ears heard the word "triathlete" and I immediately asked, "Is Steve in a Speedo with you?" The guy looked at me like I was crazy...so I rephrased my question: "Steve Stenzel...is he with you?" I SO wish you could have seen his face. He got a wistful expression on his face and kind of whispered (with reverence haha), "Steve Stenzel...he came from behind to beat me to second place in a duathlon in May....and he was wearing pink plaid shorts" I started screaming that those were your "Pinky and the Brain Shorts" and that you have the BEST blog ever and how funny you are...etc (remember, this is after 5 hours at the bar). Anyway....he excused himself to go sit with his group (after I made several more stalker-like comments) and when I got home, I looked up your race report and lo and behold, there was my new acquaintance, Pete Ellis, the "guy in black", #222 from your Cinco Du Mayo Duathlon.

I just had to email you to let you know how much I enjoy your blog....I read it nearly every day. It both motivates and entertains me. I love that you're an active dad. My husband and I have 3 sons (11, 13 and 16) and seeing all the things you and your wife do with Henry brings me back to when our boys were little.

I'm not sure if I ended up using your 10 mile training plan, but whatever I did worked...I improved my best time (too embarrassingly slow to divulge the actual number) by 3 1/2 minutes! I'm happy with that!

Thanks for taking the time to write your blog!
Julie C. Anderson
ps...LOVE the rootbeer blog. I'm a foodie in the biggest way!

Pete (AKA "the guy in black") was the guy I passed to take second in the Cinco DU Mayo Duathlon. (Here's my race report.) Here's a photo of me passing Pete in the 2nd run with under a mile left from this post full of race photos:

That's TOO funny that Julie was talking with him, and he was lamenting about being passed by "the shorts." Ha!

I wrote back to Julie:

Julie, THANKS for the note! I love letters like this!

1. The internet makes us ALL creepy. People have told me they haven't said "hi" to me in person because they're creeped out that they know so much about me but we don't "know" each other. We're just all a bunch of creeps.

2. Apparently Pete is EVERYWHERE! :) Seems like a really nice guy!

(Pete is "everywhere" because I noted chatting with him after the Thanksgiving Day 10K I did with Henry.)

3. I'm glad my little guy can make you recall your boys when they were younger. I hope your boys are doing well - a house with 3 boys of those ages has GOT to get hectic now and then! Ha!

4. Do you mind if I post parts of this letter sometime next week? I won't use your name. (Unless you really want me to.)

(She actually REALLY wanted me to...)

5. I'm glad someone's reading my root beer blog! True story: I'm sipping on a FrostTop Root Beer right now. It's kinda not good. :(

Have a GREAT weekend! Thanks again for writing!!

Steve Stenzel
AKA Steve in a Speedo

Thanks for the note Julie! Have fun with those boys of yours! :)

Update: Because someone asked, here's my Root Beer Blog.