It's been five weeks since I announced the Beer Moratorium and I'm happy to announce that it's over. And by "over" I mean that it ended about three weeks ago when I went to "Thursday Night Thunder" at the Beechridge Speedway.

For those of you who have never been there...let's just say having a beer in your hand really completes the experience.

But I've been good about consuming moderately and - let's be honest - the Monster drinks have really taken over my life anyway (but NOT just before a run...that's very, very bad).

If I've learned anything at all over the last few months it's this...

[WARNING! SERIOUS MUSINGS AHEAD. SARCASM LEVELS FRIGHTENINGLY LOW]

You don't need to completely alter your life if you're looking to make a positive change. Want to run? Go run. You like beer? Then drink beer. Discovered a new addiction to buffalo chicken wings? Then by all means, chow down.

There's no sense in torturing yourself - that's what causes inevitable break-downs and psychosis.

So I'll keep running. But I'll also keep drinking. I'm drinking to prevent psychosis.

It's true. I'm tired of this half-hearted attempt to "Reach the Beacon." I haven't been serious about it. I do the group runs, but I'm still eating junk and drinking more than my share. The contradictions in my training are funny, to be sure, but wasn't I doing this for something other than entertainment value?

I recently checked in with my skinny jeans pile - you remember those pants I haven't worn in over a year, those pants that stare at me in such a patronizing way whenever I open my closet.

See the difference between all my jeans (left) and the three pairs still in regular rotation (right):

Really, I think the skinny pants are sad - never being unfolded, never seeing the light of day, never being worn but instead being cursed at and thrown around the room.

The good news is - after over eight weeks of training, I can now fit into...Oh, wait, NONE OF THEM!

How could that be? It doesn't make sense. Or maybe, all along, the beer has been quietly sabotaging my efforts.

Geary's isn't on the Beer100 calorie list, but I think we all get the idea. Beer = evil.

Course, it's not just the beer. It's the chicken finger, fries, nachos, etc. that beer just goes so well with.

So I'm committing to steer clear of beer (oooh, rhyming) until the Beach to Beacon on August 4th.

Geez - that's eight weeks smack dab in the middle of summer (prime beer garden season).

30 days sounds like a more reasonable goal.

Oh - that would include the Fourth of July.

How about: I commit to not drink beer until I deem it appropriate to drink beer again.

Another foolproof plan, Shannon.

Thanks Shannon, I try.