My how the turn tables

I finished up my first week with a 6.67 mile run down the Burke-Gilman trail, bringing my weekly total to 21.31 miles, and surprisingly, only about five miles off of my goal pace. Considering I only ran five days this week and half-assed most of the runs that I did do, I'm feeling reasonably confident that I'll be able to make it to that prestigious 1,380 mile make for 2012 as long as I don't get bored and decide to refocus my efforts on pizza and beer consumption instead of logging miles. It was a little disheartening when I looked back at my running log from 2006 and saw that I put in 121 miles the first week in January with a 12 and 7 double on Saturday. But whatever, I own a house now -- in your face 2006 Woody.

But enough about running. I know what's really on everyone's mind is whether Tim Tebow will be able to upset the Steelers and continue the improbable journey that has captivated us all (okay, maybe just me). Outside of the "this whole thing is feeling like the first season of Friday Night Lights mixed with Air Bud: The Golden Receiver" argument that the Broncos will win because this is exactly what happens in TV and movies, I objectively (subjectively) feel like they have a legitimate chance to win. Roethlisberger is hurt, he's not going to be as mobile and will be much more vulnerable to Dumervil and Miller. Ryan Clark isn't playing because last time he played in the thin air at mile high he lost a couple internal organs -- literally. Mendenhall is out, Pouncey is questionable and won't be at 100% even if he does play. That's a lot of key players for the Steelers who will be limping into Denver practically asking to be upset. Don't get me wrong, Tebow has to play better than he's been playing the last couple weeks, and the Denver defense has to be on the top of their game, but it wouldn't take a miracle for them to win.

I've heard some analysts compare this Bronco team to the 2006 WSU Men's Cross-Country team. Just like the Broncos, that team had an undeniable lack of talent, a rough start to the season, and went into the "play-offs" knowing they'd need to perform their best and get a little lucky in order to win a trip to Indiana for the National Championship. Really, the only difference between the two stories is that the '06 Cougs won a trip to beautiful Terre-Haute while the Broncos are trying to get to some random town called Indianapolis. And I bet if you put any of us from the '06 team on the football field, we'd throw just as poorly as Tebow, so don't even try to play that card.

The rest of my picks for wild card weekend:
Texans over Bengals
Saints over Lions
Giants over Falcons

My miles for the week:
Sunday: 0
Monday: 4.12
Tuesday: 3.12
Wednesday: 4.24
Thursday: 3.16
Friday: 0
Saturday: 6.67
Total: 21.31