The Road Warrior ... Talking Road Trips, Marathons & Food-Fests

By Ross Forman

When I worked for World Championship Wrestling (WCW), we had this tradition called the Monday Night Food-Fest, though it often extended into the wee hours of Tuesday. And it almost always included Twizzlers, Reese’s, Pop-Tarts and, well, plenty of other junk-food delicacies. Calories were never an obstacle.

Kevin Nash was driving the rented Cadillac the vast majority of the time as we drove to the next city, or quite often back to Atlanta, following WCW Monday Nitro. We spent countless hours on the road, telling stories, telling tales of what we’d do if we won that week’s multi-million dollar lottery, listening to rap music, quizzing each other about some of the most obscure sports trivia … and eating junk food.

OK, Kevin usually just wanted cashews and an ice-cold Coors Light, but I ate just about anything and everything.

I think Monday, Oct. 12 will be my next official Monday Night

Food-Fest. Or maybe I’ll wait until Sunday, Oct. 18, if Kevin and Mandy from Tristar Productions – since the three of us will be together in Southern California – are willing to indulge in some high-calorie desserts like the old days.

The annual Bank of America Chicago is Sunday, Oct. 11, and I’m super excited for my sixth-ever marathon. Yep, this is my first time running the Chicago Marathon, but my sixth time lacing up my Brooks Beast shoes for the 26.2-mile journey – and my fourth marathon as part of the National AIDS Marathon Training Program. My first marathon was in Florence, Italy, on the Sunday after

Thanksgiving, 2007. And for those scoring at home, here’s the break-down since that first marathon on Nov. 25, 2007, right up through

Oct. 11, 2009.

- 687 days.

- 1 year, 10 months, 17 days.
- 59,356,800 seconds.
- 989,280 minutes.
- 16,488 hours.
- 98 weeks (rounded down)

I have a time goal for the Chicago Marathon, but really am not too concerned if I hit it. I think I can, though. I really feel strong and have had good runs over the past couple months. I ran 6 miles on Saturday, Oct. 3, along my normal part-residential, part-industrial route through

Buffalo Grove. I finished strong, which has been my standard practice over the past few months, at least as much as possible.

I’ll probably start the Chicago Marathon with Chuck, David, Ernie and Rob. Who knows when we’ll all finish. But we will finish. That’s second-most important on the marathon slate, behind our health.

The five of us have run hundreds of miles in training, as have the other 45,000 marathoners.

Yep, I’ll be running the streets of Chicago with some 45,000 of my closest friends, while thousands of others will stand along the course cheering. They also will be dispensing water and Gatorade. Or in bands. Or in cheer groups.

The Chicago Marathon is a spectacle; that’s why I’m really looking forward to it.

I’ve done the training, and with five marathons under my belt already, the nerves are somewhat gone. This time, I really want to have fun, enjoy and experience everything that is the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. I got a text today asking if I was going to run with a camera. I’m sure the sender was joking, at least I think she was. I’m not going to have one with me, though kind of wish I did.

I’m not sure what my first big post-marathon meal is going to be. After the San Diego Marathon in late-May, I had a steak and mashed potatoes, certainly nothing Jenny Craig would yell at me for.

Next Sunday night, believe it or not, I’m flying from Chicago O’Hare to John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Calif., in preparation for “Bound For Glory” from Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling on Sunday, Oct. 18. I really hope I can get a first-class aisle seat on my United Airlines flight, and hopefully my main post-marathon meal is not catered by United. (Sorry, United.)

That’s why I’m thinking about indulging in a Monday Food-Fest on Oct. 12, or maybe I’ll wait till Nash comes to California … for old-time sakes.

The Chicago Marathon is my major fund-raiser for 2009 to support the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. Please consider donating to support this worthwhile cause as I push my body on yet another 26.2-mile grind – my 6th marathon in less than two years. Click here to donate and all tax-deductible contributions are sincerely appreciated.

Thanks,
Ross.


















Chuckie is going to sit this marathon out. Maybe next time.... But it's good to see that he's already enjoying pumpkin season!