AMart Blog: Kids in School – Time to Get in Shape

It’s my birthday and I’ll Blog if I Want To
8-25-2011

Well, it was actually yesterday. I turned the big 39 yesterday, and it was a good day. I spent a portion of the day at the pool with the family trying to beat this Alabama heat. Tonight I did an audio blogcast with Steve and the gang at the Bass ‘n More Talk show. Now I am blogging then off to get some rest.

I need the rest because I am training. I have been running a handful of times in the past few weeks in preparation for a Ragnar relay. Lesley runs like a Jack Rabbit. She left me way behind today and I fell. I think I sprained my wrist, but it could have been a lot worse.

So far I have gotten up to four miles, just a couple weeks ago I started at three miles. I want to get my times down for the big race in January. It’ll also be good preparation for next season.

Something people don’t know about me is, I eat relatively healthy. I think eating healthy is as important as getting quality sleep, especially during tournament weeks. I rarely drink a soda, I prefer all natural fruit smoothies or just plain water. Again, during tournament weeks anglers have a propensity to eat unhealthy foods on the water and off. Fueling your body is as important as fueling your truck or boat. It just takes a little preparation and planning.

Last week was a big week at the Martens’ household. The kids started school for the first time away from home. They were accepted into the Briarwood school here in Alabama. Briarwood is one of the best schools in Alabama and probably the entire country. Lesley and I are very proud of the kids and we know they will do great.

With the kids starting school, it also reminds me that I will be heading on tour solo next year. It has been great travelling the country as a family. I think the kids really got to see and do some stuff most kids don’t get to. How many kids can say they’ve been everywhere from the Grand Canyon to New York City, all by highway. I haven’t counted the number of states they’ve been to. It’ll probably be easier to count the one’s they haven’t been to. Lesley has done a fantastic job educating them so far, but we just thought it was time they started school. I’ll miss them while I am on the road next season, but I know its what’s best for them.

In the off-season, I plan to work with several of my sponsors to get some new products on the market. The first is my new Shaky Head with Davis Baits. This is a bait that I have been making in my workshop for many years. I fish with it often and it works great. My favorite part about it is the way it hooks the fish. It’s the only Shaky Head I fish and it’s time to share it with the world. Keep an eye out for that from Davis Bait company.

I am also hoping to get a square bill crankbait done with Megabass. Megabass products are hands down the best hard plastic baits on the market. However, they don’t have a few products that we use a lot on tour, the square bill is on of them. If I am able to get Megabass to make one, you can believe it is going to be heads and shoulders above any other square bill on the market. Megabass always makes top-quality stuff and they will not settle for any less.

At ICast, I worked with Gamakatsu on some hook ideas. They make the best hooks on the market, but again they are missing some things that I do to all my hooks. We’ve been working on them for a while. Hopefully during the off season we’ll be able to get those designs finished and ready for the Bassmaster Classic.

I’ll keep you posted on my mile times as I continue to work towards the Ragnar relay. If you don’t know what the Ragnar relay is, it is a series of running events across the country. This year we are running the one held in the Florida Keys. Many of the Angler’s wives formed a team last year and ran the one held in Central Florida. They did great and had a blast. So now the men are putting a team together. It’s a relay race where each person on the team runs a few 4 to 8 mile legs during the race. Team members run all day and all night, so that makes things interesting.