edis running again

3.8 in 96F.

2010-06-13T19:46:00.000-07:00

Flipping channels this afternoon after watching Germany manhandle Australia 4-0, I settled on watching a recap of the Ironman World Championship in Clearwater, FL. It's a 70.3 mile race, a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run. Anyway, neat stuff to see how the pros handle it. Lucy and Ed joined me as we were watching and suddenly Lucy decided she wanted to go for a run (course that was after her telling me I needed to eat better if I wanted to be skinny like those guys on tv). I told her it was too hot for a run, but she wouldn't be denied. Next thing I knew, she'd changed into a cute little tank top and shorts and was tying up her Nikes. Big E wasn't up for a run but agreed to ride his bike with us. We set out and were going to run down to Richards and go around the track once or twice and come home, but then Lucy decided she wanted to go to Mayme and Papa's. Problem was, when we got there, they weren't home. It's only about 6/10s of a mile to there house, but with the heat today and with the complete lack of preparation for this run, poor Lucy was feeling it. We rested for a bit on their porch and then came back to the house, walking a little bit. All in all, in 96 degree heat, Lucy made the 1.2 mile loop in about 13 minutes flat. Not bad for the kid's first run of the year. Ed handled it easily on his bike and was back at the house well before we were. He was quick to make sure I saw how fast he went.

After dropping them off, I went ahead and got in another 2.6 miles. I just figured I was already dressed for it, I might as well get it in. Man, let me tell you what a stupid idea that was. I was fine for the 1st mile or so, but then I hit a stretch with no shade and I started to wilt. I finished, but only at a crawl. I hated it. But I got it in. Sometimes, the quality of the run is only in getting it completed.

I did feel some tenderness in my shin on today's run. It sort of came and went. I iced it for about 20 minutes after taking a cold shower to get my body temp back down. We'll have to keep an eye on that.

Thursday night 5 miler

2010-06-10T20:24:00.000-07:00

Well, big E won his game tonight 6-5 on a two out RBI single by Ed. His hit came in the top of the 5th and so we had to hold 'em off for two at bats which the Rams did with some great defense. Another game tomorrow night against Eastern Little League at 5:30. Man it was hot out there tonight and I know tomorrow will be just the same.

After the game, we grabbed a quick bite to eat at Logan's. I had a salad and a water. I should have drank about a gallon.

I met Tim and his neighbor Chris around 9:15 down at the riverwalk for a run. Amazingly, it was still over 90 degrees and near 80% humidity. We got in 5 miles in 46 minutes. A 9'12" average, which in that heat and humidity I am pretty proud of. It's funny, I've completed 2 sprint tri's covering about 16.5 miles each, but this 5 mile run felt like the toughest thing I've done this year. It's also the longest run I've gotten in since my shin injury. It feels pretty good to start seeing my distance increase.

Rest tomorrow...and then a long run Saturday or Sunday, or maybe another tri....hmm. we'll see.

The Memorial Day Rivuh Sprint Tri

2010-05-31T06:44:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm not sure if I'm starting something here but this morning, I completed my 2nd sprint distance triathlon. Same course as before. Same swim, same killer hills on the bike and run. I wish I could impress on you guys just how tough the hills are on Mtn. Drive, Lickskillet and Harrisville Rd. If you have time some day, just drive it and listen as your auto gears down going up the hills, increasing the flow of gas to the carburetor, looking for all the power it can find. Most of the hills aren't so long, but what they aren't in length, they make up for in slope. Here's the results...

1st leg: 650m swim - 14'45"
6:45 drop in the water on an overcast morning. Temp around 69F. Went out a little faster than last time. But, I felt like I paid for it. The homeward leg was a killer. But, as it was, I finished about a minute faster than last time. Not bad.

Transition 1: 6'13"

2nd leg: 21.5km bike - 51'28"
iPod on the arm this time, I hit the road after a good swim. My legs really felt more tired today. The hills were incredible again. Lots more fun to go down than to go up. The same two that almost got me last time were the most difficult this time as well, but I didn't have to drop into the lowest gear at all today. Felt really good finishing this 1'45" faster than last time.

Transition 1: 2'15" - this is 3'15" faster than my rest between bike and run last time...and 4' faster than the first one today.

3rd leg: 5k run - 28'11"
The improvements on the swim and bike and the quick transition after the bike were really great improvements. Every second counts in competition on this and the transition is a place to get easy seconds for me right now...but since I am not in training per se, and since these are basically all new events for me, those improvements have got to be paid for somewhere. Today, it was in the run.

After feeling pretty good getting going, my chest quickly tightened up and my thighs started burning like they were about to explode. The hills on the out leg just got me. Had to walk about 30 seconds at the top of the big hill just as I hit the straight heading out to the turnaround. I went out in about 14'30". I did feel things settle out a bit on the way back, but I just didn't have a lot left. I returned in 13'41" which was well faster, but still a slower overall time.

Total time with transitions - 1:42:45

All in all, a great improvement over my first attempt. 5'35" is fun to see. Hopefully next time, I can improve again, but this time on all events.

The Rivuh Sprint Tri - In the books!

2010-05-16T07:39:00.000-07:00

Well, the 1st annual running of the Rivuh Sprint Tri is history. After waking up at about 5:15, getting my stuff in order for the transitions, having a gatorade energy boost, eating a powerbar, drinking a little gatorade and trying to settle my nerves, I woke my Dad up to watch my swim and got in the water.

Leg 1: ~650m swim - 15'49"
Started out from the dock doing the crawl. I quickly realized that my breathing was going to be tough in that stroke. I'm not sure why other than I am extremely out of practice. I would breathe every right arm stroke and I just never felt like I was getting a full breath. Consequently, I started getting winded fast which just exacerbated the problem. I switched to the breast stroke and alternated between that and the back stroke most of the rest of the way. I did throw in some more crawl, but only in short bursts. All in all, the swim was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.

When I was finished, I hit the dock, dried off, changed shorts, drank some gatorade, put on a shirt and my bike helmet. I grabbed the bike and hit the road. Now all of that sounds like I was doing it quick, but in actuality, it took around 6'30". I was not in a big hurry needing to catch my breath a bit.

Transition 1 - 6'30"

Leg 2: 21.5km bike - 53'15"
Getting out of the water was a real win. Getting on the bike with tired arms and legs was an unknown. But truthfully, I did fairly well here. The route is a really fun one to ride with all of the down hills, but it is equally as hellish since you have to go up everyone you come down. The pace I was able to avg. was just under a 4' mile. I know that is not extremely fast for a bike, but remember, the 11 miles from Friday was the first bike ride I made all year.

The hills were incredibly difficult. I handled Mtn. Dr. fairly easily but Lickskillet and Harrisville had some long hills and some that really ended with a steep crest. I guess, the wave analogy really holds cause on some of these I really felt like I was heading straight up the face of one. The toughest hills were one coming on the return on Harrisville and then the first one I hit on Lickskillet on the return. After cresting the one on Lickskillet, I knew I was going to make it. I rode past the cabin and down the driveway, laid the bike down in front of the porch and came up on the porch, on mighty wobbly legs, for another spot of gatorade as well as an energy gel (gatorade again).

I put on my Auburn visor, added my iPod (kind of wish I'd remembered it on my bike ride), and headed back out for the run.

Transition 2: 5'30"

Leg 3: 5k run - 27'20"
It would be hard for me to stress how weak my legs were after the swim and bike. I literally thought I might fall down going down the steps walking out for my run. I'm pretty sure that Stac, Mom and Dad all thought I was crazy...and likely that I wouldn't make it out of the yard.

They were almost right. Starting out on the run, I had never felt as unsure of the next step as I was then. My stride was abbreviated and steps were as light as they could be. I really thought there was no way I was going to finish, but I pressed on. Hitting the first few hills on Mtn, I managed them well enough. My pace was slow, but I was still moving. It wasn't until the big hill before the straightaway that I thought I might die again. Getting to the top of it, I walked for about 20 seconds before picking up the jog again going down the back side of it. After making the turn at the end of the road (14' on the out leg), I started back and something strange happened...I was able to stretch out my stride again. Not that I really sped up that much, but I did kick it in a little. One or two of the hills on the way back slowed me down again, but I ended up finishing in 27'20"...So I returned 40" faster than I went out. That is pretty awesome!

So I finished my first unofficial sprint tri in 1:48:20 with about 12' spent in transition. It is hard to express how excited I am at the accomplishment, particularly since I did it on my own with nobody really spurring me on (that's mostly true). In fact, the fam was a bit skeptical that I'd even finish I think (course so was I to be fair).

The Rivuh Sprint Triathalon

2010-05-15T13:57:00.000-07:00

Well folks, after long respite, I am back...at least for today and maybe tomorrow. And I am back with a vengeance. How so you say? Well tomorrow, I attempt something never attempted by any man. The Rivuh Sprint Tri! That's right folks. Take a look at yonder link and you'll find 26.5 kilometers, or about 16.5 miles, of swim, bike and run. It breaks down like this...

First leg will be the swim. Leaving from the dock and swimming to the southernmost buoy in our slue, looping to the northernmost and then back to the first before coming back to the dock. It should be about a 650m swim.

Second leg is the bike. Leaving from the cabin and heading to the end of Mtn. Dr. turning North on Lickskillet to the old G&G site then back passing Mtn Dr. and heading down Harrisville Rd. to the intersection of Harrisville and Pinetree Rd. From there, it's back to the cabin. It should be about a 21.5 kilometer ride, 13.4 miles.

Last will be the run. A simple 5k from the cabin to the end of Mtn. Dr. and back.

All told, and taken separately, I know that I could finish all of them with relative ease. But taken as a whole and with some expedience between the changes in disciplines, I am thinking I will be lucky to finish.

So what worries me particularly? Well, I got in the water once since last summer. And that was to jump in and get a hinge pin for the dock that I had just kicked in last November. Needless to say, it wasn't for fitness. I swam to the first buoy and time or two last summer, but this will be a longer swim and my first swim in quite some time...So, I am a little anxious on this leg.

On the bike side of things, I just rode 11 miles yesterday morning so the distance is really nothing, but not knowing how my legs are going to feel coming out of the water has me nervous and then realizing the elevation changes that I will be dealing with has me shaking a little. Mtn. Dr. is a hilly street, yet when I look at the elevation breakdown of my route, Mtn Dr. looks like so many ripples in an ocean with a couple of tidal waves beyond it on Lickskillet. So will I be able to handle it? I am hoping so. But this is going to be a real test.

On the run, I've run Mtn. Dr. countless times. It's a great run. Challenging with the hills but perfect for the distance. But again, if I make it this far, this will be after the swim and the bike...will my legs work? I'm guessing my thighs are going to be pretty well cooked at this point which means that running the hills might be the most painful thing I've ever done. Hopefully, I'll be able to tell you all about it.

So that is it. Again, for the distance, it's nothing. But for me, it is a great test and hopefully one that can set me on a path of tris that will extend me and my abilities.

Pray for no bike wrecks...big hills ought to be fun, slow and hard on the way up, but fast as lightening on the way down! Hoping for safe drivers in any cars I encounter...and vigilance on my part for those that are not. I just don't want to have to bail off some embankment or something.

Also pray for no sprains, strains, pulls, breaks...that would suck.

I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow!

Running again...I hope.

2010-03-23T18:54:00.000-07:00

Just back from the AFS CastExpo in Orlando. Great time for the kids at Disney. Glad to be home.

As for the running, I laced em back up the other day. 3 miles in 27:00 on the treadmill. Felt pretty good.

Next day, I got on the bike for 30 minutes on a crosstraining program. It was tough, but I finished it.

Tonight, I ran home form the park after watching Ed's baseball game. 2.6 miles in 24:00. Felt some discomfort in my achilles running up the hills. When I finished, there was a little tenderness in my shin. I will have to watch this. Probably need to get on my bike and work toward getting my fitness back that way.

Quick update I know, but wanted to record that I was back on it.

Vive Mexico

2010-02-11T05:29:00.000-08:00

Ever have one of those days where you wake up in your own bed, start through a seemingly normal day and then find yourself somewhere you've never been before by the time you lay your head down to go to sleep...Well, this morning, I am sitting in a Hampton Inn (which with the exception of a lack of hot water could be any Hampton Inn I've ever been to), situated in the Municipio de General Escobedo in Nuevo Leon, Mexico. An issue at the Navistar plant down here is what prompted the visit. So George and I flew down yesterday afternoon, connected through Dallas and then arrived at the hotel around midnight last night (11:00 local time). We went out and had some local fare and were in bed by about 12:45. So this morning, we're waiting for our 9:00 meet time at the plant to go through about 550 castings looking for cracks.

Reading 2 Corinthians still this morning...Chpt 5&6. This morning, I'm focusing on being for God rather than trying to change God to be for me.

More later I think...Going down for some breakfast.

Broken bread and poured out wine...

2010-02-10T04:27:00.000-08:00

I realized this morning that while my quiet times have been moving in a good direction lately, i.e. that I am actually having them on a consistent basis and that I am already seeing the results of them, the intercessory aspect of my prayer life has not been as present. While I feel that I have been faithful in lifting up the top two or three on my list on a consistent basis, I have not been diligent about including requests that are not my own in my prayer life. We spend time on Sunday mornings bringing requests to the table, again on Monday night we do the same. These are on my mind for about 15 minutes after I hear them and then they are gone. Heck, I'm even writing the ones down from Monday nights...I'm just not circling back and including them in my prayer time. A prayer time that I am more and more seeing is very selfish.

It's funny, I read 2 Cor 5&6 this morning...wrote out a prayer in my journal(more on this in a bit) where I was not particularly applicant of others issues...finished and starting thinking about that very thing. Intercession...then I read this morning My Utmost for His Highest and this is what ol' Oswalt had to say "We have to learn how to be broken bread and poured out wine on the line of
intercession more than on the line of personal contact." This is speaking directly to my heart this morning. I must learn to pour myself out before God for others... Bringing their needs, the things that they have brought to me or the Lord has brought to me before Him. I must really move away from me in my prayer life. That's a novel concept isn't it. I am hopeful that I can be more aware of this and a better steward of others requests going forward. It is important to be faithful and pray for others when asked or when you've agreed to. Maybe more important than anything as far as that relationship is concerned.

As for recording prayers...I really want to begin expanding my praying and my recording of the same. I have always admired those who could go back and review their thoughts, prayers, requests from different times in their lives. For encouragement, for an example of how God has delivered them or brought them along, it is a wonderful thing to be able to feel anew the blessing of the Lord from an earlier time in your life. I want that. Problem is, I am worried about how and where to keep such a record. I am worried that a written journal could too easily be picked up and read by someone who may not understand what is written there...and certainly this venue is on the internet, so while I am somewhat open here, it is nothing like I would like to be in a completely private setting. I have a couple of ideas on this, so I'll start experimenting and see where it leads.

Grace and Peace.

Running to stand still

2010-02-09T10:55:00.000-08:00

Well, after having a really good start to my marathon training during the fall of last year, I am as of today, still sidelined with my shin issue. The daily swelling has subsided for the most part and the feeling is not as pronounced on every step as it used to be. However, the feeling is still there and everytime I think of taking a jog step, I'm quickly reminded that it will be a while before I'm back on the road. So in retrospect, I guess my start last fall wasn't all that good at all. Sure, I started building up my mileage...several runs over 15 miles is not bad at all. But I ended up with an injury that has now cost me about 2.5 months of training...and the clock is still ticking.

Therefore, I am resolved to begin this training thing right when I am able to lace 'em up again. That means curtailing the urge to go out there and run til I can't anymore. It means no more than 10% increases in weekly mileage...It means being more responsible for my health than the feeding of my ego. Doh, that hurts to say.

My 2010 goal is a marathon. Not just to finish...but to feel like I have really laid myself out there. I want to feel like I have trained well and prepared and that when I put my mind to it, my body can be brought into submission. It can be stretched beyond what it thinks it can do. It can be poured out to reach the goal.

The reason that I look at it this way, is that it really parallels what I feel like God is asking of me in my spiritual life. Look at this passage from 1 Cor. 9:24-27...

24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

I have had lots on my mind as it relates to v.27 up there. "I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." Man, that is powerful. How easy is I find it to be an example before men only to find sin enter into my life through private things. These private things undermine me from the inside out. It becomes something that wages war on my desire to follow the Lord daily. Most of this for me is carried out in sexual thoughts or desires, unchecked displays of anger or contempt for others, man the list is long on this. But it is all about letting my flesh rule the moment. What I want to do is the very thing that I do not do...That is all too familiar to me. But by the grace of God, by the power of His spirit in me, I can succeed at this. I can have a victory over my own flesh. All of this is done by training my body to be subject to my mind which in turn is subject to the Spirit's working in my life. I am so excited at how this discipline can apply to many areas of my life...from diet to exercise, time with my family, time with God. The opportunities are so abundant here and the Spirit can guide and direct all of this.

So you see, training for a marathon is something that I can do as an outward and visible sign of all the things that God will be doing inside me. Hopefully, there are other changes that will be visible to those that know me as well. I am so excited about all of this.

That's all for now. Hopefully the running will be back soon...as for the rest, I'm already training my body through His Spirit to be less of an adversary in my own life...so that I won't disqualify myself after standing before others in His name.

Jars of Clay

2010-02-08T04:23:00.000-08:00

7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Reading through the letters to the Corinthians right now. Finished I Corinthians last week and now into Paul's 2nd book to the church in Corinth. Paul lays out what the differences should be in our interpretation of the old and new covenants in chpt 3, and then begins to talk about how we should handle this new covenant in chpt 4. v.7 above really strikes me along with the subsequent verses before the end of the chapter. Paul talks of the temporary nature of our earthly bodies. He speaks of the troubles we will incur, the dangers, that we are pressed on all sides by trouble...but all of that cannot stop the work that God is doing in our lives...It cannot hide the radiance of Christ reflected in us when we are living according to His calling. And the passing of our bodies only furthers the glory for Christ...v.16 "though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed everyday".

My life has been sent into a tailspin here recently. An incredible mixed blessing I think is a good way to put it. And I have been so bent on understanding this situation...where God is in it, why now, where do I go from here? But I am beginning to see that the important thing that has happened to me may not be the "mixed blessing" at all, but more so the tailspin that I currently have found myself in.

1 Peter 5:6-7 -"6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

Due time...It's one of those little tricks that God slips in on us. I mean, who knows exactly how long "due time" is...I certainly don't. And as much as I wish He would, it's my guess that God is not going to tell me. See, I get so hung up in the reason for the tailspin, that I miss the fact that God wants me to focus on Him, to humble myself and submit to Him. Instead, I'm arguing about what's and why's and how come's. I'm trying to get my finite mind around something that does not have an answer that I will understand...except to draw me closer to Him. I have been looking for a sign from the heavens...He's been patiently standing with me, waiting on me to notice. I think I'm finally starting to see Him.

I'm back...for me this time

2010-02-07T14:15:00.000-08:00

Well, after several days without the blog, I'm back, less publicly, and with a new attitude as well. Nothing really to say today, other than I intend to make this a more personal and introspective work this time.

It is what it is

2010-02-03T03:59:00.000-08:00

"edis running" is going retro. I'm going to start taking pen to paper again instead of doing it this way. Thanks to all those who've visited and especially those who've commented. As to the site, I'll be deleting it as soon as I get it all downloaded.

1 Corinthians 9:23-25
23I do all this for the sake of the gospel that I may share in its blessings. 24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

Hebrews 12:1-3
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Keep on running. And for those of you who are considering starting to run, what are you waiting for?

Grace and Peace...

Semper Fi

2010-02-02T08:49:00.000-08:00

Today is my day not to share.

But I rejoice in the Lord.

A man after God's own heart

2010-02-01T04:31:00.000-08:00

I Samuel 13:14 picks up in the middle of a conversation between Saul and Samuel. Saul's favor in the eyes of the Lord has faded and Samuel is carrying the message that Saul's kingdom will not be established because he could not keep God's commands. Samuel tells Saul "the Lord has sought out a man after His own heart". That man of course is David.

As we get to know David, we know that he is not without his own faults, and in fact commits adultery and murder later in the situation with Bathsheba and Uriah. But the story is not ended there. In what could be the greatest example of how God can rebuild someone, of how incredible the redemptive power of His spirit is, David is not known only as another in a long line of fallen men of God. Instead, David is known as a man after God's own heart. He is known as someone who had an intense devotion to the Lord, who spoke to Him continuously and listened for His instruction as well as any man. David's name is a great name, not so much for what he did, but more for what the Lord was able to do through him. If there is any question, just look at the book of Psalms. David's prayers are well documented there.

Petitioning God for the things that lay on my heart is a very constructive thing to do I believe. It certainly helps bring God into the situations in our lives where we need His guidance and support the most. But most of my time in these prayers is spent telling Him what I need. Very little of it is spent actually listening to what He might be trying to tell me.

While I am no David, I want to be known as he was...and not by the world, but by the Lord. I want to be a man after God's own heart. I want to hear His heart beating. But I'll never be that until I stop talking long enough to hear what the Lord is trying to say to me. It takes discipline I think...to be still and know that He is God...to listen and know His voice. But discipline like this brings holiness and a clarity of purpose in my walk with Christ. And for that, it is well worth the price.

Lord, you know the longings and concerns of my heart. You know the words on my lips before a sound is uttered. You know my waking and my lying down. Father, give me ears to hear Your voice. To feel You moving in the world around me. To hear Your heart beating. Thank You for the name of Jesus, Your provision through the Holy Spirit and Redemption of my sins offered through Your grace. Amen.

Trip down Memory Lane

2010-01-29T05:00:00.000-08:00

Last night, Stac was tired and I was not. For some reason, a wave of nostalgia hit me and so I called Mom to see if she was still up and went over to dig through a couple of boxes in the top of my old closet. These boxes hold most every note, letter and card that I have ever received. Why I still have all that, I couldn't tell you, but it is nice to journey back and read those notes from time to time. And last night, I was reminded why.

First it is always neat to look back and see just how many folks cared about me back then. I mean, I really didn't remember a lot of the love that was expressed in those notes through either folks sharing their concerns with me or being concerned about something I was going through. I wish I could be back in that place for a bit to see if I was aware of that at the time, or if I was so consumed with my own life, that maybe I missed it altogether.

The second reason, and maybe it should be first, is that it is awesome to see how God was moving through my relationships back then. I guess mostly college is where I am referring now, but from Freshman year on, God brought some pretty incredible folks into my life. I found pictures from beach trips, campouts, parties, nights at the bridge. Man, what a rich time of fellowship that was for me. What an incredible shelter we provided each other. It's funny, more than a handful of the pics are little polaroids from Cheeburger, Cheeburger...I'm fairly certain that those pics were taken just after a "Group Therapy" had been consumed (20oz. before cooking), and yet somehow I was always smiling. I couldn't imagine doing that today, but back then, I'd polish off a basket of fries along with it.

You know, as life crawls along, it is really easy to let memories like the ones I reread last night to get tucked away into the dark recesses of your mind. The memories are then covered over with grocery lists or pressing things at work, a death in the family, worrying about how your child is doing in school...wow, the list of things that try to rob our joy is so long. But those memories, no matter how deeply covered, no matter how old and tattered when you finally unearth them, contain something that is not found often today. They contain a reminder of God's provision in my life through the lives of others. Those who were, and are, very dear to me.

Over the last year, I've been learning again how important it is to invest in real relationships. Certainly spousal relationships, but I also am talking about the fellowship that comes from having that tight knit group of folks that know you like few others...and that you are getting to know that way as well. My guys from my small group are just that.

Remember what I was saying yesterday about it being God's nature to provide for us. I mean, He literally died to do it right. One of the major ways that He can provide for us is through real relationship with others on the same journey we are on. Isn't that what made college such a special time? We were all experiencing many of the same emotions as it related to being on our own and trying to prepare for the rest of our lives. The men in my small group are little different in that respect today. We are all trying to be gainfully employed husbands and/or fathers...and we are all trying to increase the influence of Christ on those that we encounter.

George and Mary Bailey know about as well as anybody...No man is a failure who has friends! In that case, I feel that I might be the most successful man you know.

Lord, I am so humbled as I realize how You have loved me. The people that You have brought into my life have blessed me in ways that I could never repay. It is hard to miss that the marks they leave on my life are more from your fingerprints than theirs. Thank you so much for all of them, then and now. I lift them all up to you and pray for their confidence in You, their remembering Your provision. Your love reaches to the heavens, and faithfulness to the skies. In the name of Jesus...Amen.

Playing today on my soundtrack of life:
Your Love Oh Lord - Third Day
Tattered Old Kite - David Wilcox

Mary, Mary quite contrary, How does your garden grow?

2010-01-28T04:29:00.000-08:00

Paul writes in I Cor. 3 of the work that he and Apollos (Peter) did with the early Christians in Corinth, that Paul planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but it was God that caused the seed to grow. The two of them were only servants. Well, if they were servants, then how much lower must I be? How much more of a servant should I be?

Psalm 1:1-3
1 Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

The vision of a tree firmly planted by streams of water is a beautiful one. In my imagination, I see a large oak, growing just away from a stream whose roots have reached out to tap into that source of life. All the tree had to do was reach out to the water...the water would supply the tree with all it needed. It's not as though it were a choice for either, for while the water did not need the tree, the tree would not survive without the water...The tree needed only to stay connected to it for its life giving supply and the water, by its very nature, provided the life.

In the same way, I believe is my relationship with God. In so many words, God does not need me I don't think. Now, don't misunderstand me, I believe He has a heart and a compassion for all He has created, but whether or not my faith is active or dead, has no bearing on the nature of God. He would be the same with or without me, the Alpha and the Omega, the Great I AM. And yet, I have but to reach out to Him and He provides living water. See, it is His nature to be our provision. We need only stay in touch with Him.

Back to Paul and Apollos (I love that name...Battlestar Galactica comes to mind, Apollo and Starbuck)...Tenders of the garden have a vital role to play. The planting and watering, caring for the environment where the seed is growing, there is much that must be done to foster the right conditions. But we should never lose sight that it is God who causes the seed to grow and it is God who gives us the tools to tend.

I'm reminded lately of the tending that needs to be done in my relationships. And I'm also reminded that for God's purpose to be effected, my role cannot be played out of pride or conceit. There can be no selfish ambition in it. As I plug into relationships, it must be as though all I am doing is helping clear a path for others to reach out to His everlasting supply of life. If Paul and Apollos are only tenders, then I am fit to carry neither shovel nor spade. However, tapping in to the source of Life, I will tend just the same.

Psalm 139:23-24
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

This is my prayer...today for sure, tomorrow i hope. I am so thankful to God for all the blessings he has allowed me to share. His provision for my life is surely nothing that I deserve, but a gift from Him...to remind me I'm His. I am His, and want to more faithfully work for Him, burdened only by His cause.

Lord, make me wholly Yours. My hope is You. Prepare me for the care of those you have put in my life. Let Your hope for them be my hope for them. And show me how to clear the path for them to more easily tap into You. Amen.

The soundtrack of my life today...
My Hope is You
All the Roots Grow Deeper When it's Dry

Days of inconsequence

2010-01-26T14:31:00.000-08:00

Today was a day. Nothing more, nothing less. Somewhat productive at work. Somewhat inconspicuous outside of that.

Still, I'm finding it hard to sit still or to keep a thought in my head. It's as if I'm anticipating something but I don't really know what it is...

Lord, settle my spirit...And as I write that, I am given this...

Psalm 139
1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.
5 You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.
19 If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!
20 They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD, and abhor those who rise up against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

And I don't think I'll say anymore on that today.

Ed, do you trust Me?

2010-01-25T12:02:00.000-08:00

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

Every now and again in my walk with the Lord, He stops, turns and faces me. And He asks me a simple question. "Ed, do you trust me?" Sometimes it is in a gut check moment and other times, it is just a question to keep me on track. For the most part, the gut check moments are the times I find it hardest to answer in the affirmative. Especially when I feel that His way out of the situation is not the way I would choose to go. I'm a bit hardheaded remember...you can ask my Dad if you doubt me on this. I'm sure he could tell you a ton of times that I knew better on something than he did...only to regret I didn't take his initial advice later.

When I find myself in that type of situation, a question that comes to mind if this...Is it possible to trust Him without agreeing with Him? I mean, I recognize who He is of course...that He can't be wrong in anything He chooses for me...I read Jeremiah and know that His way is good in the end...and so I follow Him. But sometimes it is not without second guessing or even continuing to discuss it with Him as we move along. As I sit here and reflect on this, I can't recall a time that I ever changed His course nor did I feel more relieved for trying to sway Him, but I'm not so sure the exercise is not beneficial still. See part of trusting and following is putting away all encumbrances...anything that hinders or inhibits our vision of Christ, our hearing of His word, our ability to step out in faith. Maybe keeping the conversation going on something that the Lord is making clear to me is actually giving me a chance to say "yes" to His question without doubting or regretting down the road.

It's important to point out that I do not intend to test God with these discussions...I think more so, it is about taking away the possibilities that may still exist in my mind.

Any thoughts you might have on this are welcomed...I may be interpreting this all wrong. But I hope that God abides my guarded answers from time to time. Of course, more so, I hope He continues to reveal Himself to me in such a way that I won't even have to be asked that question anymore...

Grace and peace.

Am I taking responsibility for my life? Really?!

2010-01-24T17:01:00.000-08:00

I was encouraged by a friend to check out Andy Stanley from North Point Church in Atlanta. He's currently preaching a series whose title is the same as this post...and frankly, I wish I'd never heard of it. Stanley is a phenomenal preacher and he has a real knack for putting the gospel in your face in a way that is not threatening at all, but certainly asks for a response.

Tonight's message was about realizing that taking responsibility is more than about just praying for change. In fact, in some cases, God may not want our prayers at all but action instead. Am I hiding behind a prayer for change, when that change is completely within my control right now. A great quote was, "If you're behavior has led to a bad situation, then prayer is not going to help until you stop that behavior" (or something like that). In other words, if you are in financial difficulty, with growing credit card debt, God is probably not going to relieve your balances if you continue to charge up the debt...No matter how hard we pray about it. In the same way, if an irresponsible behavior has put you in a bad situation in your relationships, the first thing God requires is that we stop the behavior. Prayer can be part of the healing, but the healing will not begin until the behavior stops. He also covered the need to address other people's irresponsibility since it inevitably affects all of us.

This really does get back to what the guys and I have been talking about in Man Time...Faith without works...Sometimes, the action we need to take is prayer, but other times, God requires us to get off of our knees and face the difficulties of this life, difficulties that are often brought on by our own hand anyway. And proclaiming faith and praying through the situation may just ignore the responsibility we have to change our behavior.

You know, some of what I have been going through over the last 10 days or so is an example of this. I've been on my knees more lately than I have at any other time in my life. But maybe it is not prayer that God is looking for. Maybe it is a behavioral change...taking responsibility for things in all areas of my life. Work, home, everywhere. Taking responsibility for letting God into the closed off areas of my life...and for allowing Him to facilitate the change that is needed.

What a wonderful time this has been to experience God this way...even as difficult as it may be to take the responsibility that He may require of me. After all, He's perfect in His request for change...And even more so in His provision to see me through it.

Uh, hold on, let me see that first....

2010-01-23T13:44:00.000-08:00

Spent the morning today at the foundry cleaning out an old inventory supply area that had turned into a catch all for anything that folks wanted out of their office, but didn't necessarily want to throw away. Files, old computers, furniture, and miscellaneous bolts, nuts, bearings, castings, supplies...My goodness, when I say that the place was a bit cluttered, I mean it was impossible to even walk through. So with roll-away container nicely situated outside two windows, we commenced to going through and throwing away a century's worth of accumulation.

About mid-way through, my Dad came out and started questioning some of the items that were being tossed. Old bearing assemblies (30 plus years old), bolts, random office items...see to him, some of these things still had value. And given just the right circumstances, he was probably right. The problem is, the right circumstances would take nothing short of a miracle to align so really, the only value that almost any of it had was sentimental. It's funny, I actually had to walk him out of the area so that the guys could continue with the cleaning. Within about 3 or 4 hours, we had completely emptied the place.

As I was sitting back at my desk for a few minutes before running to watch Ed play a basketball game, I started to reflect on Dad's concern for things and his attachment that was so evident. The things that I consider with such low esteem, he looked at completely differently, and would have stopped us all together had he not understood the vision for what that area could be...and of course the eyesore that it was to all of us before.

Immediately, God zoned in on that thought of my Dad and basically said, "Who are you to talk? You have been fairly attached to things laying around in the rooms of your heart as well, you know."

Whoa. Part of me hates it when He starts using examples out of my own life...Generally, it means He is about to expect some change from me.

"From the time that you have asked me into your heart, you have been willing for Me to come into some areas of your life, but you have jealously guarded other areas. You placed a value on things in those areas that really does not belong there, because you see, I would have to orchestrate the perfect set of circumstances for that value to be realized. And what you are not willing to see is that those circumstances are not in my plan right now. But in fact, the things I do have planned for you will bring a value that you cannot measure in to your life now. However, as long as you have those areas closed off to me, I don't have room to lay my plans out before you."

Man, I'm telling you, the picture could not have been clearer to me. After all, it was just me who was using this logic with my Dad to encourage him to let go of things from the past so that we could move into, first the present, and then the future without all this baggage. So immediately, I prayed...

Lord, help me to open the entirety of my heart to you. Reveal to me the areas that I have not given you authority over and strengthen my resolve to give them over to you and leave them there. In the name of Jesus, I lay me down in order that You may fill me up. Amen.

It's a message that I am being handed quite a bit these days. The Lord wanting more of me, while I try to figure things on my own. Slowly but surely, I think, He is wearing me down. Slowly but surely, I know, He is making me more like Him.

Jacob...how'd you do it?

2010-01-22T08:05:00.000-08:00

Wow, lots going on...but I'm not sure I want to sit down and process it all yet.

Jacob wrestled with God one night and by morning, his hip was dislocated and he'd been given the name Israel. I wrestled with Him a bit last night and while I didn't fair as well as Jacob did, I was definitely aware of His presence...and one of His angels as well. Course, it was late, and I could have been delirious. All in all, there is no doubt that God continues to hammer me out, from shapeless piece of steel, to something more of His making. I am humbled and thankful for all He has allowed me to experience. And I am looking to Him for what things might be coming next.

Quickly on the running front, it looks like I'm out another 6-8 weeks. Achilles tendonitis and post tibial bone stress response...not really sure what all that means, but it sounded like the stress fracture has healed...problem is the issues above now. So, therapy and comfortable shoes sound like the prescription for now....

Grace and peace...

A.M.

2010-01-21T07:00:00.000-08:00

Today, it's raining. And that sounds about right to me.

A little competition is good for the soul....and hopefully for the scales.

2010-01-20T04:24:00.000-08:00

Going for an MRI today on my leg. I can't imagine what the issue might be, so I'm sure it's just precautionary. X-rays last week came up negative, but it had been about 7-8 weeks so I guess its possible the fracture had healed. Still have a lot of pain when I take a hard step and experiencing swelling as the day goes on. Probably this is just the healing process and it's taking longer than I want it to, which is somewhat inconvenient by the way...

The Boyd men and their wives are doing something kind of crazy this year. After a very difficult last year where stress was rampant and consolation was scarce, it's probably fair to say that many of us found our solace in a well cooked meal...or maybe in the second helpings of a well cooked meal. At any rate, we were sitting around on New Year's Eve, having just pounded back another delicious bounty, all of us a bit tired and certainly a bit uncomfortable...belts undone, top buttons unfastened, trying to relieve the pressure. We all agreed that it was time to focus on trying to reduce the burden our feet were having to bear every time we took a step. So we set up a little competition to make it worth our while.

I introduce then, the Boyd Family Biggest Loser - Couples Edition! We all weighed in on New Year's night...thought it best to catch us all in our most stuffed state...and we will weigh in again on March 31. The couple who has the highest % combined weight loss will win a kidless weekend getaway to some place warm. Oh yeah. I said kidless.

So you see why my injury has me with a slight handicap here. However, if I know my brothers...they won't be able to push back from those last few bites of some tasty morsel and there is no way that either of them will find it in themselves to exercise. As for mom and dad...well, they are the wildcard in this. If they put their mind to it, none of the rest of us have a chance.

For the record...even hobbled as I am, I'm already down 15 pounds. Booyeah! So brothers, put that in your pipe and smoke i....I mean, spread that on a buttered biscuit and eat it!

A note for those wondering....the wives are part of this obviously...their weight is not for publication, nor will it even be shared outside of the couples, hence total combined % weight loss.

Touching the Void

2010-01-19T04:33:00.000-08:00

I was flipping channels in early December and came across a movie on one of the independent film channels that I found hard to pass up. It was full of sweeping vistas of beautiful snow and ice covered mountains...completely awe inspiring stuff. I hit the info button and found that it was a movie called "Touching the Void" about two guys, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, 1985 attempt to summit the previously unclimbed west face of Suila Grande, a mountain in the Peruvian Andes. Two men, by themselves, attempting a route that had never been climbed before was pretty good stuff so I settled in for the duration.

I will not give away the story, but what unfolded was an incredible drama about the will of one man, overcoming insurmountable odds to survive. The strength of the human spirit on display in this movie is nothing short of miraculous, and in fact, were it not for Joe's self described atheism, I would have had to believe that no man could accomplish so much without the hand of God upon him. Truthfully though, what does his lack of belief do, but further the point that I felt was revealed to me. That being...

If the strength of the human spirit is so great, if our capacity to endure such depths is there, then how much more is possible through the Spirit of the Risen Lord. If we marvel at men and their accomplishments, how can we not be awed to the point of submission to the One who created that possibility in us. I remember a line from the movie Gettysburg, a favorite of mine, where Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (played by Jeff Daniels) quotes from Shakespeare's Hamlet..."What a piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express and admirable, in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god." If we can find such grandeur in man, such capacity for praise for something created, where is our sense of marvel at the Creator Himself?

There is a life that each of us has in front of us today. For some, the next steps will be easy, for others, we have more difficulty. But for all of us, no step should be taken without being filled by the indefatigable Spirit of God who is more than conquering, more than victorious. If I am capable...Then how much more so through Christ? And if that, then why would I rely on me at all? Therefore, He must increase and I must decrease. Through this, we become the fulfillment of His desire for our lives. Through this, there is nothing the world can lay before us that can break our stride.

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set out before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-2

I don't know about you, but I can't wait until I can run again!

Bluesin' a bit

2010-01-17T18:49:00.000-08:00

Thinking of those loved and lost.

But using a familiar voice to help sort it out.

Today I went to the mountain top.

2010-01-15T18:39:00.000-08:00

Well, like I said in yesterdays post, the difficulty with clarity is it's temporary nature. It's a here and gone kind of thing. But then again, even when that moment passes, the impression it has made in me stays. So that really no matter what comes next...well, almost no matter anyway, I still have the ability to apply the perspective of that moment.

Today was a day where that moment was tested. It was a day where doubt was creeping around waiting for an opportunity to strike a blow against my confidence in Christ. When it was all said and done, the only way not to give in to it was to align myself again with that moment from yesterday. And for me today that meant I had to Cry out to Jesus. I guess sometimes it's not enough to just know God loves us, sometimes we've got to really ask Him to shower us with it...not in a testing sort of way, but in a Lord, I need You now but I can't draw on Your strength without You enabling me...without Your Spirit guiding my heart and mind.

And so today, I rode up to Pine Mountain to get as close to Him as I could and I laid it all at His feet. I knew today that the feeling of clarity from yesterday still required me to trust Him with those things that are most dear to me. Things that He had given me in order that I might give it back to Him, but that I tried to keep. And once place at His feet, then came the need to leave them there. Not snatch anything back. But here is where I really had no clue. After all, I was sure that I needed those things.

And so I asked Him and He responded with Ps. 73:25-26... "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire beside you. My heart and my flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" In other words, "Ed, you think you need those things, but I am your portion. I am your strength. There is nothing there that will satisfy you but Me"

Well Lord, I know that you are those things, intellectually? But practically, how can I make you my strength and portion forever? John 15:4 - "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me." "Ed, spend time with Me, call on Me, read about Me...Give Me the chance to show you that I will supply everything you need."

Lord, I can't do it without You. "Ed, My love for you knows no bounds, you have My Spirit there with you even now." And then it hit me. The Holy Spirit is our helper the one who reminds us of the promises of the Lord. John 14:26 - "The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you"

And the questions I had been asking. The verses that were my answers. The Lord was responding through the Holy Spirit. John 16:13 says it this way - "When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come." He will not speak on His own, but will repeat what He hears...wow.

There were other questions and other answers that I choose not to share here. But God was incredibly faithful today. And because of that, I can face this moment without feeling the pain of earlier today. And so it is up to me now to leave those things at His feet. To abide in Him and make Him the strength of my heart and my portion forever. It is up to me to cry out to Jesus with every ounce of my being and know that He is listening and that His hand has scooped me up to hold me...because I cannot without Him.

Clarity

2010-01-14T18:58:00.000-08:00

Clarity is a fleeting occurance in my life. Normally my thoughts are fairly muddled with the things that I want to accomplish, the things that I failed to accomplish and trying to sort out how to respond to both. With things at work being so difficult last year, my attempt to become a "runner", and God really stirring things up in my life through my guys on Monday nights, life has been far from clear. It's been celebration followed by near liquidation, acceleration followed by stress fracturization, and affirmation followed by consternation. In other words, I have found that the paved road of life definitely has its potholes.

But clarity hit me today. And it is with me now, so I thought I better get it down somewhere for posterity sake. Knowing it is likely to be gone soon. So, without further adieu...

There is no where to hide from God's love.

That's it. I've said it many times over the last year....countless times in my lifetime...but today I felt it. Today, I realized that it is so.

Life takes us from here to there, then back again. It lifts us up and tosses us aside. It makes you feel good about some of the bad decisions you have made and it can throw it back in your face on some of your good decisions.

But the irrepressible, unstoppable, unfathomable love of God will not halt or falter. It will not fade. It is always our greatest asset.

See, no matter the time that might have passed, the circumstances you find yourself in now, the uncertainty of tomorrow's challenges, God will remain.

So whether you talk with Him regularly...or whether you talk with Him at all. His love is permanent. Unchanging. Perfect. He loves you just as much today as he did yesterday, or 13 years ago, or a lifetime from now. There is amazing freedom in that knowledge, freedom to live free of doubt.

Today. I realize that I am nothing without the love of God. Today I also realize that His love can span time and make the emptiness disappear. And the knowledge of His love...manifested in many ways...is my clarity today.

May the Lord bless you and keep you
May the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you
May the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you

And give you His love!

Stress Fractures aren't much fun.

2010-01-07T03:47:00.000-08:00

Well, I've been relegated to a sedentary, limping lifestyle with little hope for getting back on my running feet for a while it seems. The doctor visit confirmed my suspicions of something being cracked. So with instructions of no running and taking it easy (tough to do when you work in a 150,00sq ft facility), i'm now due back to see him on 1/12. But here's the thing, it's 1/7 today and I still feel it every step I take. By the end of the day each day, my right ankle is twice the size of my left. I have a cankle. In other words, it doesn't feel much like it is getting better yet. I guess we'll see next week.

Happy New Year by the way.

What do you think?

2009-12-14T19:31:00.000-08:00

I'm going to see the Dr. in the a.m. Swelling has really started to increase in the last several days. I'm not running at all and yet, it appears to be getting worse. I'm thinking something has to be cracked or torn. I guess we'll see.

not exactly what i was thinking.

2009-12-13T16:38:00.000-08:00

well, it's been 9 days since my last post. 9 days since i last laced them up and tried hit the trail, only to be sidelined. unfortunately, it hasn't been 9 days of healing. it seems that even without running, my shin and knee pain have continued (mostly my shin) with the last couple of days resulting in swelling on my lower shin. it basically throbs all day and even hurts when i don't have any pressure on it. the few times i've taken a quick step or landed harder than usual, it has shot a pretty sharp pain up my leg. so, i guess it's time to get to the doctor. i guess i'll try to get in and see somebody in the next few days. i don't really know what to figure that it is so i won't speculate. hopefully, the diagnosis will be another week off and then a slow mileage build back. wishful thinking maybe...we'll see.

as far as the rest of things go, i guess life is pretty ok. the bankruptcy continues to move toward a 12/31 finish which hopefully means that the uncertainty of employment can go away. you know, it's funny, in spite of the situation we are in, i really have yet to contemplate whether or not this will work out or not. i think i have just been working off the assumption that it would as the alternative would be a bit life changing. as i think about this now, i guess i should have probably been working on a backup plan all this time. but then again, it has been bathed in prayer and so maybe it is not all that uncertain after all.

there is still no doubt that God is doing some really neat things around me. many of the circles that i move in and around have been a real blessing in my life lately. through church, sunday school, my Man Time group, God has been taking us in a direction of being much more aware of His desire for our lives and certainly the accountability that he wants for us. as a family, we are moving into some interesting times where the kids are growing up and being faced with their first run ins with peer pressure and learning that it is ok to be different, to go against the grain. i'm scared out of my wits as my girls get older (12 & 10 now) and ed, jr (8) begins to reveal more of himself and the character that he has developed so far. it seems that we are already running out time when it comes to that parental fingerprint that we would like to leave with them. mostly, i wonder with the time that we have left, what is needed to ensure that they understand how important it is to know Jesus? to know right from wrong? to be confident enough not to be persuaded by to do something stupid by the logic the world will throw at them? man, it's overwhelming! but God is good and He is the strength of my heart and my portion forever! Lord help me translate that into a vibrant relationship for my children with you.

My Shin is Splinted!

2009-12-04T16:55:00.000-08:00

Starts and stops. Work related, life related, injury related. This attempt of mine to become a runner, not just a hobby jogger, but a runner...marathon competitor...weekly distance goal achiever...limit pusher....i guess you get the idea, has been filled with fits of starts and stops. And this latest may be the toughest of all. My old friend, Mr. Shinsplint, appears to have come back with a vengeance.

Since I have not posted in a while, you wouldn't know that I have been getting my mileage back up, tackling decent length runs and pushing things a bit trying to get back from my earlier layoff in October and early November. So much have I been working at it that in the last couple of weeks of November, I got in 60 miles (I know what you're saying, "That's your problem, Ed"...I know). But everything was hunky dory until my three day running streak that saw 12.25 on 11/28, 12.01 on 11/29 and then a nice recovery 5 miler (turned 4 miler with .85 mile walk) on 11/30. After running my 12's on Sat. and Sun. Timm and I decided to get in a recovery style run on Monday night. I felt great as we started out...Then fairly suddenly, about 3.5 miles in, my right shin and knee started to throb on every footfall. After trying to run through it for the next half mile, it got to the point where I was worried that on my next step, my leg might buckle and send me tumbling...So I stopped. First time in my running life that I didn't finish a run running. Got home, iced everything that hurt, took ibuprofen, slept, almost fell on my first step out of bed the next morning (and the next 2 mornings after that), finally felt a bit recovered by Friday (still some tenderness in my shin, but the knee was good), talked with Timm and decided to get a run in on Friday night before the cold weather hit. Well, we met out at the marina at Lake Oliver to get a river walk run in, bundled, leggings, 45F and falling, but ready to go. I run a 1/4 mile and my shin is killing me (knee is fine)...stop stretch some more...run another 1/4 and I can't bear the pain and have to stop again. Timm goes on (he got a new Forerunner so he was pumped to use it), I again walk back to the truck (more dejected than i have ever been about running and about anything else for that matter).

So now, here I sit, later on that same Friday evening...fire in the fireplace, leg elevated, iced (or at least frozen pead), wondering when I'll get to run again. My January marathon hopes are gone. I plan to take at least the next week off...debating going to see if I have a stress fracture, but not really wanting to find out either...and then I guess we'll see.

What I know is this, starts and stops are part of life...but they are a lot easier to recover from when they are of your own doing...Shin splints in the past may have been a welcome reason to stop running and start being normal again, but this time, it just sucks! Injury is one of those things that comes without warning and disrupts until it is resolved...I guess I'll take my bike down and get it tuned up...looks like I'll need some non-impact exercise here for a while.

Summary: God is good, Injury sucks, I love my family. (It all makes sense in the end).

17 Miles!

2009-11-23T05:06:00.000-08:00

Well, after having quite a layoff after the 15 miler of last month and finally getting back on the road a bit this last week, Timm talked me into long run Saturday that set a new distance record for me! We met down by the riverwalk at 6am and set off on a 2:41 journey that was one of the best runs I have ever had. It was a cool morning, mid 40's, but after the first few miles, i warmed up nicely. The only thing I wish I had were some gloves to keep my hands warm. We ran down to the Infantry Museum and doubled back on our track back up to the Synovus building. With a little over three miles to go, I was feeling pretty good and decided to stretch it out a bit. Ended up finishing the last 3.1-3.2 miles in around 26 minutes. After almost 14 miles, to still have that in me, I was pumped!

After the run, we went to Ruth Annes for breakfast where we ran into a bunch of folks from the SOA watch. As it turned out, that may have been a good thing cause Timm and I were a bit sweaty and stinky, but we blended right in with all of the unshowered, unshaved, hemp smelling, punk lighting, picket signing, free loving, peace singing demonstrators from places like San Francisco, CA and Topeka, KS. And the payoff for the run was a breakfast fit for a king...a really hungry one.

Injury and Recovery

2009-11-10T09:40:00.000-08:00

Well, after my 15 miler last month, the effects of the distance finally started to lay hold of me. The shin splint in my right leg came back with a vengeance. I ran three or four more times after that, but none of the runs were great, and all of them hurt like hell. So with my training needing to pick up and mileage needing to increase, I ended up having to rest a bit. For the last several days of Oct. and the first week of November, I didn't even lace up the shoes. The pain started to ease (it was hurting to even walk on it for a while) and as of Saturday, it felt great!
Saturday was the Twilight 10k up at Callaway. So after not running at all for almost 2 weeks, and putting 10 hours Saturday into rebuilding our dock at the river, I drove over to Callaway and posted a 52:46 10k time, a PR for me!

Timm and I got in 3.7 last night after bible study. Hopefully I can get back on track this week.

Recovery and Accountability

2009-10-20T04:52:00.000-07:00

Tonight after Man Time, Timm and I headed to the Riverwalk and got in about 5 miles in just over 51'. Great recovery run after my long one on Saturday (I thought I was good with my almost 15, but Timm had gone 20 on Saturday). Good run, good conversation. Cool and clear down by the river. Rest today, 7 on Wed., 4 on Thur., then 10 on Sat.

The guys in my group are getting closer and closer to committing to something special, accountability. It has come up in every book we have done so far and it is also starting to show up in Sunday School lessons as well. There is a real feeling that God is moving us in that direction which is very exciting! but somewhat terrifying at the same time. Accountability means vulnerability. It means pulling off the scabs of old wounds that never healed. It means laying myself open before God and others for the express purpose of transforming my mind and heart after the Lord.

We need to pray for the opportunity and the intent and the method. We need to pray for God to provide healing. We need to pray for each other. Am I excited? Like I've been only at earlier times when I was about to embark on some great adventure that leaves it's mark upon my heart forever, you bet I am excited! And then there is part of me, the condemned man on his way to the gallows, that is scared to death of the changes that God may ask me to make.

2 Corinthians 5:16-18

¹⁶So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. ¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! ¹⁸All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

Romans 12:1-2

¹Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. ²Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Psalm 139:23-24

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.

²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

Milestones!

2009-10-17T11:48:00.000-07:00

14.89!

Splits

Mile 1.8 - 17:59 (missed the lap button on 1st leg .8 mile)
Mile 2.8 - 9:59
Mile 3.8 - 9:50
Miles 3.8-7.44 - 35:03 (3.64 miles)
Total OUT - 1:12:53
Miles 7.44- 11.08 - 34:30
Mile 12.08 - 9:46
Mile 13.08 - 9:00
Mile 14.08 - 10:07 (killer head wind started here)
Mile 14.88 - 7:28 (.8 in last leg)
Total IN - 1:10:54
TOTAL - 2:23:47 (9:40 pace)

45F this morning as I got started on the riverwalk out in front of the performing arts building for CSU. Longsleeve shirt, shorts, water belt (2 waters and 1 chocolate milk). This was a really awesome run! I felt great the whole way on the out leg. Really no problems and for the most part, save 2 stops for a pic, I ran the whole way! At the turn around, I stopped to drink a little, maybe 30 seconds then ran the way in with 2 stops on both bridges on the way in walking for about 2 minutes. Even with those stops on the way in, I still finished the In leg faster than the Out leg.

So what encouragements do I take away from this run? First, that I was on my feet for 2:23:47 with none of the difficulty that I had on my 12 mile run. Second, I almost ran negative splits the whole way! And that is with a North wind that blew the whole way back up the river. Third, only needing a 13 miler today, it was great to be able to trust my body telling me that I could push on a little farther.

As for preparation, Stac, Ed and I ate at Country's last night, picked Susan up at the church around 9:30, came home and I was in bed around 10:00. Woke up around 6:45 and headed downtown. So a good meal, a good night's sleep...all of that really paid off this time (quite different from my 12 miler).

26 miles still seems like a long way to go, but today's run was the most encouraging one yet!

Righting the Ship

2009-10-15T19:01:00.000-07:00

8.1 miles tonight in the rain...Thunder and lightening served as interesting company, not providing comfort but definitely a little bit of inspiration. I am a day late on this run, but I got it in. Tomorrow, I'll follow with a 3 miler around lunchtime and then be ready for my first long run in some time on Saturday. A 13 miler. 13. That's practically a half marathon. It's also a distance milestone for me. I expect it to be every bit of a 2 and 1/2 hour morning...maybe more! We'll see.

On the faith front, it never fails that as soon as I am confident that the Lord is moving in my life, I am bombarded with things to distract me. This plays out at work, at home, basically all aspects of life. I've struggled maintaining my focus this time...more so it seems, but maybe not. I am certainly more aware of my inconsistency now and it bothers me more. I think that is good.

Thanks to Theresa and G-money for the comments on earlier posts. It's very encouraging to have folks interested, but more so to hear their thoughts.

Week 10...I mean 8.

2009-10-13T12:38:00.000-07:00

Well, the time thing from last week turned into a desire thing this weekend and is creeping into this week. After a late return from the Carolinas Friday night (after midnight), I decided to relax Saturday and push the "long" run into Sunday. Sunday came and no urge even snuck up on me to run, so I bagged it as well. Monday night, my after bible study run was replaced with a foundry meeting in B'ham which led to a late bedtime and another missed run this morning. So......other than fighting the feeling to get really put out with my commitment, it is starting to hit home that this is not going to be an easy endeavor. Running 26.2 miles is likely going to take more discipline than anything I've ever done in my life. I am faced today with challenge of how I am going to react to that realization. After lots of success with early training, the last two weeks have blown up on me...The training plan is thrown, which is not a really big deal since I have not picked a race yet...but it was just not expected.

So. I have moved everything back by two weeks. This puts the training plan getting me ready for a marathon by Christmas week. My goal will be to maintain the training from then until a I pick a race. Looks like Grube and I are trying to find one to do together at this point. We'll see.

The sun's comin' up. Ridin with lady luck.

2009-10-08T06:30:00.000-07:00

Morning time. So far in my training, because of crazy schedules at the foundry and maybe an excitement about my running commitment, morning was an easy time for me to get up and meet the day with a run. Most times bouncing out of bed before the alarm went off and getting on the road. But after the break in things last week and taking the weekend off, I have found this week has been tough to get back going. My attentiveness to the alarm has diminished and I have found it quite easy to sleep through my run, which is exactly what I did yesterday....and then the tyranny of the day kept me from getting a run in later, so yesterday was a skip. This morning, the alarm went off at 4, but it was 4:40 before I was able to throw the sheets off. Pitiful! I did get in 5.25m this morning, but I needed to get 7. with the late start, I just didn't have time.

For today, a further disruption has come up. It looks like I'll be driving to NC this afternoon to go see a customer. So that means late night and early morning...little sleep...and then late day tomorrow driving back home for the weekend. I'm frustrated.

Let Prayer Be Our Passion

2009-10-07T04:48:00.000-07:00

"Knowing that intercessory prayer is our mightiest weapon and the supreme call for all Christians today, I pleadingly urge our people everywhere to pray. Believing that prayer is the greatest contribution that our people can make in this critical hour. I humbly urge that we take time to pray-to really pray. Let there be prayer at sunup, at noonday, at sundown, at midnight-all through the day. Let us pray for our children, our youth, our aged, our pastors, our homes. Let us pray for our churches. Let us pray for ourselves, that we may not lose the word 'concern' out of our Christian vocabulary. Let us pray for our nation. Let us pray for those who have never known Jesus Christ and redeeming love, for moral forces everywhere, for our national leaders. Let prayer be our passion. Let prayer be our practice." ~Robert E. Lee - 1864

"We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have Forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us! It behooves us, then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins and pray for clemency and Forgiveness." ~ Abraham Lincoln - 1863

Curveballs

2009-10-05T19:59:00.000-07:00

After the last post, it would be safe to say that outside of some difficulty at work, things were rolling along pretty well....so, queue the unrest, the schedule change, the distraction. Instead of finishing the month with a bang and cresting the century mark in mileage, the 7 miler from last week was the last of the runs for the month. A bankruptcy filing and a trip to see a friend ended up closing out the month for me. Heck, I wasn't even able to give the wife the birthday she deserved on Friday. So where there was momentum and excitement, it has now been replaced by the need to build again. Good thing is, I still feel ready for it, and more, God is still working. And I need it now more than ever!

For the running side, I got in 4.25m this evening with Timm...Seems like a run after bible study on Monday nights might be a good fit going forward. It was a good run. That's all for now.

By the way, with the missing of the 2 runs at the end of last week (16 miles total), I finished with 86 miles for the month of September. Not too bad, but still disappointing with how close I was.

Week 8 - Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee

2009-09-30T06:28:00.000-07:00

I'm halfway through week 8 with two runs under my belt and two to go. Monday night after man time, McGonnegle and I did a double 8 at the park for about 3.7 miles...we kept the pace easy as it was my first post 12 miler run. Believe or not, it felt great! We ran it in about 35 minutes, but at no point during the route did I even feel fatigued. I was excited about that.

This morning, I woke up at 4:25 and was on the road by about 4:45. I got in 7.28 miles this morning. It was a great run! I ran from the house, past the park into downtown. Hit Broadway at the TSYS building and then down to 12th where I turned back up to 6th. Then back home by the park and up Country Club for the last mile. No stops! The whole run felt great. No pain anywhere. Feet, shoulders, shin...all felt fine! Finished in 1:08. Again, not a fast pace, but a 9:21 mile pace for that far is probably the fastest run I've had yet. And the best thing about it...it was about 51F this morning! Perfect weather for a run!

Tomorrow is a 3 miler and then Saturday will be a new long for me at 13 miles. Not sure what the route will be yet, but I'll probably try to work a little more hills into it. We'll see!

By the way, this week isn't only going well because of the running...God is moving! In my guys study, He's moving; in Sunday School, He's moving; and at home, He's moving. It is awesome to be drawn to Him.

Pax Christi!

12.1 Miles...and I'm starting to question my sanity here.

2009-09-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

The alarm went off this morning at 3:45 and all I could think was "Why am I doing this again?" But putting that thought away, I laced the shoes up and put some vaseline in a few areas to keep from chaffing, grabbed my water bottles (2 filled with chocolate milk) and drove down to the foundry. In mapping my route last night, I was intentional to try to find as flat a path as possible. For that, there was no better place than heading downtown. So, starting at the foundry, I spent the next 2 hours jogging around crossing the Chattahoochee 4 times, running Broadway from end to end and weaving in and around until I tallied 12.1 miles back at the end of 11th street.

Now, for how things went. Starting out, I was trying to run about a 9'45" pace. The first 40 minutes or so went without problem. I stopped for about 2 minutes during that time to hydrate and I also snapped a picture of the river. But as the run went on, I had to walk more and more. My legs fatigued, my chest started to tighten up and I started feeling pain in my shoulders. It was a really difficult last 6 miles or so. I probably ended up walking for at least 20 minutes...maybe more. By the time I got into the last 2 or 3 miles, my feet were hurting (my shoes/socks were soaked with sweat and I started feeling like I was sliding around in my right shoe) and I couldn't put together more than a 1/4 mile or so at a time of jogging without walking for a minute or so.

Now, where does this leave me? Well, I know that I have to continue building my base mileage. I've got to continue the mid-week runs and start working on some of the pacing and speed runs. And I also have to work on prepping better for these long runs. I'm sure putting in 3.2 last night and then only getting about 4.5 hours of sleep didn't help much. These are things that I will learn more as I go. In fact, next weekend will be a good time to give it another chance as I have a 13 miler planned. Maybe the Riverwalk will be back open for that run.

That's all for now. I am looking forward to watching football and enjoying a few cold beverages today as reward for the distance. Oh by the way, last night, I weighed 216. This morning after my run, my weight was 210. So no doubt, I need the liquids..lol.

Big Run Tomorrow

2009-09-25T19:01:00.000-07:00

Got in a 3.1 miler this evening...all grass out at Woodruff Farm. Took it easy because tomorrow morning...I'm going to attempt this. Maybe I'm crazy...but then again, maybe I'm ready for the challenge!

I'll post more tomorrow after the run. Assuming I'm still able to.

Week 7 and 4 runs per week

2009-09-22T04:17:00.000-07:00

Alright...I'm in Week 7. Looking back, it's actually hard to believe that I am this far into it. I've run distances that I never imagined and am actually still enjoying it. This morning, I got in 3.6 in Cordele and it is a Tuesday!!! That means that if all goes as it should, I will get in 4 runs this week! It has been about 4 weeks since I did that. And not only will I get in 4 runs, but I will finish with a 12 miler on Saturday! Yo! I guess we'll see.

My 3.6 put me at 53.4 miles for the month of Sept. That eclipses the 50.6 miles from last month and I've still got a week and a half of running this month. In fact, if I get all the scheduled miles in, I will finish with....GULP...100 miles for the month! Holy Shiite Muslim!!!! I just did the math on that. That is crazy!!! I've got 46 miles scheduled over the next 11 days. Oh Lord help me!

Week 6 - Fini

2009-09-20T18:43:00.000-07:00

Well, my long run days the last two weeks have moved to Sunday. Might keep it there...might not. This week, I again missed a 3 mile run. Was planning to get it in on Friday afternoon, but ended up doing yardwork and laying the pet fence before Susan's b'day party. It was worth missing it I think...got the yard in shape and now have at least one of the dogs respecting the fence. Coco has already proven that she will bear the few seconds of pain to experience the freedom of a long run. In fact, she jumped the back fence (while being shocked) Friday afternoon and didn't show back up until about 11:00 Saturday morning. We knew she'd gotten back when we heard her cry as she crossed the "shock line" coming back into the yard.

Anyway, to the running, Saturday proved a good rest day filled with football and relaxing. That was until about 6:00 when John and I decided to head over to the Auburn-West Virginia game. Got there just in time to have the bottom fall out on us, then cram like sardines into the stadium trying to get to our seats. It was unbelievable! More crowded than Mardi Gras, but without the alcohol and the beads. It ended up being worth it though. Auburn prevailed in a real scrappy game.

Sunday morning, started with Sunday school and then skipping church for Speakeasy...It was there that I got a phone call about furnace problems in Cordele. Seems that life in Cordele is always going to involve periodic turmoil with our melt equipment. More gray hair and 4 letter words have sprung forth from me on account of those furnaces than anything else in my life...combined.

So here I sit, on Sunday evening...in Cordele. I arrived down here around 7:15 and by 7:45 or so, I was running. I got in a 6.34 mile loop that took me past the plant, Smoakies, over Exit 102 and back around Pecan St. Lot of fun running tonight. Finished in 58'57". Not great, but for the distance, it wasn't all bad either. 9'18" pace.

For week 7, the plan is 3-6-3-12. This will be the biggest week yet. I'll try to get started on Tuesday...we'll see.

Week 6

2009-09-17T05:22:00.000-07:00

Scheduling and fatigue are starting to mess with my running. Actually, they have been messing with it, but now I have to officially recognize it. The last three weeks, I have shorted my total miles by about three miles each week simply because of travel killing a run day or me being too tired to answer the alarm. I need to be more disciplined with it...miles are important right now!

As for this week, the plan is 3-5-3-7. I got my first 3 in last night. Actually it was a treadmill run, but I did 3.1M (5K) in 24:37. Best time ever in a 5k for me....and a sub 8-minute pace. I was really pumped. Today will be an easy 5 miles probably later this evening.

Week 5 is over

2009-09-13T18:02:00.000-07:00

10 Miles!!!!!!!

First 10 miler.
Mile 1 - 9'15"
Mile 2 - 9'44"
Mile 3 - 9'35"
Mile 4 - 9'40"
Mile 5 - 9'47"
Mile 6 - 11'03" walked 2 minutes
Mile 7 - 10'12" walked 1 minute
Mile 8 - 9'57"
Mile 9 - 11'24" walked 2 minutes
Mile 10 - 10'25"

Went to the riverwalk this morning bout 6:30...Felt pretty good after taking it easy yesterday and then staying away from the adult beverages last night at the Auburn game (War Eagle by the way). I went out pretty conservatively, I thought anyway, but as it turned out, I just didn't have the stamina for this distance. I had to take 3 seperate walk breaks...each one I had to really talk myself into running again. But I finished it! and finished it jogging. This gives me a lot of confidence toward getting more mileage under my belt...Remember last month was 50 miles...This month, I'm already at the 30 mile mark and not even at the halfway point yet.

Used the water belt today with 1 water bottle and 1 filled with chocolate milk. Actually felt like the chocolate milk gave me a boost and I always chased it with a drink of water so that my stomach wouldn't curd up and make my sick.

This week, I taper back a bit with my schedule being a 3-5-3 week and then 7 for a long run Saturday.

For now, I'm feeling pretty good...Iced the joints when I finished. Shin felt pretty good all day today. Maybe I'm ready to turn this up a notch. We'll see.

Week 4-sum up and Week 5

2009-09-11T17:38:00.000-07:00

Finished week 4 with 2 runs of over 5 miles and then ran a 5k with Susan at Callaway. Best time I've ever had running! Getting to see her get out there and start her first race...First try at a 5k distance as well. She did a great job and hopefully set a mark to beat for her next try. Week 4 was a great running week!

As good as that was, week 5 has been just as bad. I got stomach cramps like crazy over the weekend and ended up with a fever and feeling terrible. So no running this week until Thursday night when I ran about 3.5 on the treadmill at the CCC. It was actually a pretty good run. This morning, I met Andy at 5am for a 5-6 miler, but could only hang with him for 2 miles. 8' pace for those two and then I bonked hard. ended up run walking the rest of the way home. I guess it was a mix of pace and being sick this week. I have a long run planned for this weekend...10 miles. Right now, I'm not sure if I can even do it, but we'll see.

Week 4 - 1st run.

2009-09-01T08:49:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe I'm already in week 4 here.

Got to get my miles up. Finished with 50.6 miles for August. That is the best month I have ever had I believe. Need to go back and see if it is the best 31-day period ever...But that doesn't really matter because it won't last long. September should be a doozy.

This morning, I got up and was on the road around 4:30. Humid and 72F. Not bad conditions actually. Light breeze coming from the North that felt great, but certainly provided a little resistance to a couple of legs of my run. Went 4.26 in 40'11". Still a bit slow, but I stopped and stretched for about 1'30" at the 25' mark.

Tomorrow is a 5 miler.

New Shoes and the Midnight Express

2009-08-30T09:38:00.000-07:00

Got new shoes on Friday...will post a pic later.

As for the Midnight Express, there were over 2000 runners which was a record for the race. It was really quite a scene. The whole Cross Country area was just packed. The pack at the start extended from the SunTrust parking lot all the way down to Country's and the street was slam full. The race route starts on a road that is wide enough to be a 4 lane almost and it narrows to a true 2 lane as it moves up Auburn. So when you have all these people funnelling into such a narrow chute, it really slows things down. I was about mid-pack at the start and it took me 30 sec. to reach the starting line. As a result, it took me the better part of the run down the 1st leg of Sue Mack to find a lane to run in without having to worry about people stopping in front of me or slower runners. I may have lost a little time because of this...but it's hard to say in the grand scheme of things. I handled the hill on Edgewood well but really ended up tired up on Clubview. Around College, I started to pick it back up again and ran well down the hill in front of HHS. But then the E. Lindsey leg started and it was quite a long feel to it. I did not push it here or on the way up Edgewood back to Sue Mack. In fact, it was here that I really felt like stopping. But I didn't...Instead I moved up Sue Mack and really started being concious of picking up the pace around the turn onto Auburn. Hitting the hill at Cross Country, I really picked it up and sprinted to the finish. It was the best and hardest finish that I have had yet in my few races.

What did I learn? If I go to the race as early as I did again, I really want to have folks to hang out with. Either that, or just stay home for a while longer. I ended up having too much time with not enough to do.

I need to work on my speed. I was really hoping to be able to push a little harder, but because I had not trained to do so, I was afraid that if I did, I would crash early. It is definitely time to start working on my times.

Start closer to the front next time. Too many people running and then stopping before the 1st turn made life a bit difficult at the start. Maybe I could have hit 25:00 if I was up there.

I finished in 26:16. Not bad since it is 2 minutes faster than my training runs this week on the same course. Great time all in all. Country's race results have me at 26:43 which means they started timing at the race start....not when you actually cross the starting line. There is almost 30 seconds right there.

Week 3

2009-08-28T04:03:00.000-07:00

Not posting as consistently as I want to, but the running is staying pretty strong. So far, I'm sticking to the plan fairly well. I did miss one day this week and last, but ran extra distance in the other days to almost cover it.

This weekend is the Midnight Run at Country's. I've run the route twice already...timed it once (28:11) but that was with running to Country's from the house first and then knowing I was going to run back home after I finished. I think 26' is in reach, but I'm not sure about much more than that this time. We'll see.

Legs are feeling pretty ok. I am starting to feel the pain of the shin again...I'm getting new shoes tonight. Hopefully that will help. My Asics are now almost 2 years old and I have a min. of 160 miles on them. I know that isn't much for some runners, but for me, that's pretty awesome. Not sure if I'll go back with those or not. I'll do some investigation today on that.

Well, guess that is all for now. Peace out!

Week 2

2009-08-18T04:05:00.000-07:00

Finished up week one with 6.1 or so miles at the river. ran to corner of lickskillet and harrisville rd. too many hills! walked for one minute at the turn around point. did the run in 1:04.

This morning, I was a little slower getting out of bed, but got on the road about 4:30 or so...ran a lap around edgewood and back with the dogs...used it as a warm up mile...then ran to the park and back going down and then back up country club...hills suck. but i'm doing a lot of them. did the final 3.28 in 29:57. that's over 9 minutes for pace...but it's not all bad.

i think i need to make sure to get my rest days in....my legs were pretty dead this a.m.

Week 1 underway

2009-08-13T02:21:00.000-07:00

Well, I just finished my third run in as many days. 10.29 miles this week so far with a 6 miler planned for Saturday. My fitness is not great, but I hope it is coming. I struggled through yesterday's run...but this morning was no problem (though my pace was only 8:45). All runs have been early morning runs...which I like, but not sure how long I'll keep that up. Certainly when it cools off some, I'll probably wait til after the sun comes up.

Back in the saddle again

2009-08-06T04:26:00.000-07:00

Ran 3.36 in 31:37 this a.m. for a 9:25 pace. I'll get faster. need to get some weight off and get my legs limbered back up again.

I'm shooting for a 5k at the end of the month...the Callaway Twilight 10k again in November...a half by mid November or early December and a full marathon by late Jan-Feb of 2010. We'll see.

Kids at the beach

2009-08-04T19:10:00.000-07:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

2009-08-04T18:49:00.000-07:00

Texting to the blog.

Push-ups and Sit-ups

2009-06-17T15:58:00.000-07:00

Pushups - 14-16-12-12-20 - 74 total

Situps - 21-24-18-18-30 - 111 total

In at 3am out by 1pm
Slept from 2-5:30.
Off to Cordele around 8pm.

100 - 200

2009-06-15T15:08:00.000-07:00

Started today.

100 pushups and 200 situps

Figured why not...Starting both with week 2 column 3. Just finished Day 1.

Not running at all right now. Working crazy hours. Third shift for now. Still not looking good for the future. Could be as early as next week now.

Wonder what it will be like to sell insurance...or to be unemployed...this sort of sucks.

False Starts

2009-05-12T16:46:00.000-07:00

How many of these am I going to have? Too many so far.

At any rate, I'm starting the grease the wheels again. 3.2m in 29'17". It's over a 9 minute pace, but hey, I had a jalepeno/mushroom ladened bacon cheeseburger today for lunch...one that i almost had come back up as i was coming back up the east end of country club.

The 100 pushups will start tomorrow...follow the link in the previous post to view the details. I'll post that tomorrow.

By the way, things at the foundry look imminently terminal. That will work itself out in the coming weeks.

pax vobiscum.

Saturday 4 miler

2009-03-14T17:14:00.000-07:00

4 miles this afternoon before Ed's game. Two fig.8's around the park in 34'11". Actually ended up with about an 8'33" pace. That's about 1 minute faster than my runs earlier this week. Of course the park is a flat track, so that helps, but I did run it so that I caught the uphill on the SW side of the track.

I'm starting to look into when some races are so that I can get some on the calendar. Hopefully I'll have a couple picked out next week.

By the way, I'm starting the hundred pushup challenge tomorrow.

3 runs this week...one to go.

2009-03-13T07:33:00.000-07:00

Alright, I'm not saying that there is anything certain here, but I'm laying the groundwork for a comeback.

2.25 on Tuesday and 3 on Thursday. I'll get in another 3 or better Saturday.

It feels good feeling good about exercising again.

Also looking at another opportunity. 100 pushups. I did 37 yesterday as the initial test. I think I'll start on week 3 like they recommend and see how things go. 100 pushups, here we come. A couple of years ago, I was doing 50 without stopping with no problem. We'll see how long it takes me to get back. I'm guessing 2 weeks or so.

starting again, again.

2009-03-09T08:18:00.000-07:00

ran 1.5 yesterday and walked another 1 down at the park. Ed had baseball practice on the track fields so it was convenient and I could find a reasonable excuse. weighed 219 this morning. time to get back on track i guess.

Twilight 10K

2008-11-01T19:00:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful afternoon up at Callaway for the race. Temp was right around 70F and with the run starting at 5pm, the setting sun against the changing trees around the lake was just perfect. As for the run, I'm still struggling with the chest congestion, but I managed to avoid problems with it until the end of the 5th mile. Then I started having trouble getting clear breaths and started coughing a bit.

The race seemed just a bit longer than 6.2 miles, but being my first official 10k, I don't know for sure. All I know was that there was a 6.2 mile marker about .2 mile short of the finish. I kept my splits on my watch. See below.

Splits:
Mile 1 - 8:54
Mile 2 - 9:35 (I intentionally slowed here wanting to stay above a 9:00 mile pace)
Mile 3 - 9:30
Mile 4 - 9:37
Mile 5 - 9:21
Mile 6 - 9:32
6.2 mark - 1:56
To Finish - 2:04

Total Time - 1:00:30

This was much slower than I wanted to go, but with the chest issue, I was intentional in not pushing it. If nothing else, it gives me a good benchmark to improve on.

Chilly Monday

2008-10-27T16:20:00.000-07:00

A cold front has come through and left us with delightful temps (mid 50s dropping into the 30s at night) but also a pretty steady breeze. It's nice to feel fall weather for a change though. I hope it sticks around for a while.

Schedule has been a bit crazy lately again. After last weeks riverwalk 10k, I was not able to run again as Stacey went out of town and didn't get back until last night. I was up early and on the road to Cordele this a.m., but fate brought me back to Columbus this afternoon so I finally got out for a run this evening. 3.1m in 27'50". Just over 9 minute pace. I've been struggling with a bit of a chest cold for the last week and I actually started wheezing during this run. I went through a bout of walking pneumonia last year. I hope this isn't another round. We'll see.

The Callaway Twilight 10k is this weekend. I'll get in another couple of runs this week and then rest for the race. This run also marks the beginning of my half marathon training. The 3 miles today officially kicks it off.

Riverwalk 10K

2008-10-22T16:21:00.000-07:00

Left work a little early this evening, got home and changed and headed out to the Riverwalk. Had a little work release that needed to be executed so I decided to stretch today's run into a 6.2 miler. There were times during the out portion where I really wanted to turn around but I kept at it. I wasn't killing the pace by any means, but it was still a nice run. 6.2m in 58'21". Out in 28'46" and back in 29'35". Weather was perfect, sunset was beautiful and except for one area where they had done some construction on a sewer where the smell of sewage was in the air and another area where there were some gas mains that were leaking smelling of raw eggs, the route was perfect.

I've started listening to a guy named Dave Ramsey on my ipod. This guy is phenomenal. He is a christian financial caregiver. I say caregiver because that's exactly the way he approaches questions and callers. He is a faith first believer in a debt free way of life. Not because debt is a sin, but because life is better when you are not slave to the lender. Anyway, google him if you are interested. He is a heck of a guy.

Blackshear Sunset

2008-10-20T16:14:00.000-07:00

Well, it feels like fall has finally set in. I'm sitting on the back porch down in Cordele looking over Blackshear and a truly Auburn sky. It almost looks on fire. Praise the Lord!

I got in 4.5m in 41:40 this evening after work. Easy running at a 9+ minute pace. The temp was around 70, but it was a cooling down 70. You know, the kind where there is almost a little chill in the air. This is great running weather!

I'm still not hydrating like I should be. I must address this over the next couple of weeks. I've got the Twilight 10k up at Callaway in two weeks and then I'm running a 12 miler with Josh and Nate at the beach in about 4 weeks. I'm a bit nervous, but at the same time excited about the distance. I've got to get my weekly run totals up. MUST FIND TIME TO RUN! NOT PUT OFF! GET BUTT OUT OF BED!

In addition to the running becoming more a part of my life, I think that I am also starting to feel the Lord's steady pressure. Not to quit my job and do anything crazy, but instead, just to be who I Am intended me to be. I think I might be interested in that! Irrespective of the life change that it might bring. I want to be a Godly father. I want my wife to know that I love her and will lay aside my life for her. I want to participate in change for Christ...

Damn the schedule

2008-10-16T19:24:00.000-07:00

After feeling great about the run on Monday, I've had a couple of days of no way. I worked Tuesday from 5 til 5:30 or so and then hopped in the car leaving Cordele for the Atlanta airport and a 10pm flight to Raleigh/Durham, NC. After a quick nap of a sleep and a full day of meeting at Deere, I caught a 7:45 flight out on Wednesday and drove back to Cordele arriving around 12:30am. Then in this morning around 6 in Cordele and home this afternoon by 4 or so and back at work in Columbus. After a 5:45 coach pitch game for big E, I finally decided that I had the time to fit in a run (remember all the times I failed to do that last week and prior). Sooo, 3.7m in 35:07. It's funny, when I finished, I took my watch off before I read my finish time. When I looked at it, my watch was upside down. 35:07 upside down reads kind of like this... LO:SE. So either my watch was telling me I'm a loser or that I am losing something. Maybe weight because I did tip the scales at 208 after my run. I still look like a slob, but I have lost 17 pounds now since July. The run felt bad again...running with dead legs and having a hard time swallowing my saliva out there made for a slow pace and somewhat pained running.

So with all that said, I hope to get another run in tomorrow.

starting is the hardest part

2008-10-13T17:31:00.000-07:00

The worst thing about layoffs is getting your lazy ass out there and breaking it! I've been missing running now for over 2 weeks but I still have to beg myself to get out there and run when I have the opportunity. I know that at least 4 times over the last 10 days, I've had time to get runs in, but didn't have the will for it! What a loser!

This evening's run was a real lazy jaunt. Feet felt like they were running in mud. There was no hop in my step at all. Still though, I got in 3.6 or so. Not all bad considering I guess. And I did break the seal...

I'm traveling again this week (came to Cordele late last night), so I hope I can get something in over the next couple of days. Going to NC late tomorrow evening and then I hope back home late Wednesday night. BTW, in at 5:30 this a.m., out at 6p.m. and still got in the run!

Sometimes there are some times!

2008-10-09T15:14:00.000-07:00

Well, after the high of the 5k and all the plans for Currahee, it would figure that life would get in the way. I haven't run for over 10 days now as things at work went from bad last week to catastrophic over the weekend and into this week. I'm out just about 8 sawbucks after putting in about 60 hours through Thursday and then having to make a last minute trip to Cat on Friday corrupting my summit attempt at Currahee and thereby foregoing my entry fee and hotel room for that night. After finishing that up, we were notified of some real troubles with parts we are sending to Navistar and thus had to go Canada on Monday returning around midnight on Tuesday night. Upon my return from Canada, something evil took hold of my stomach and is only today beginning to loose it's clutches. So today, weakened and weighing in at 208 for the first time in probably 10 years, I am trying to get a plan together on how to get back pounding the pavement. My next race is the Callaway Twilight 10k on November 1st. I'm not worried about being ready for it, I just want to break this drought!

I'm in Cordele today and tomorrow with no running gear, but I will be back on it over the weekend.

Sorry for the lack of posts and miles...I'm not giving up!

25:20

2008-09-28T05:32:00.000-07:00

Well, the Historic District Preservation Society 5K is in the books. I ran well, but maybe not as all out as I could have. That said, the kick that I gave at the end didn't leave me with much by the time I hit the line. The mileage was not marked on the course so I was not able to time my splits. But at the two mile mark, there was a man there giving everybody times. Mine was 16:39. That means that I ran the 1st two miles in an 8:20 average and the final 1.1 in 8:40. That's a 7:53 mile pace!!!!! I just did the math on that and I am really excited about this!

After the race, I ate a banana and drank a little water. After about 10 minutes or so, I headed down to the river walk and ran another 3.6 miles in 38:00. That was a 10' 30" pace or something like that. It felt great though and I got in almost 7 miles for the day. I'm resting today and will run Monday and Wednesday this week to get ready for Currahee.

Motivation

2008-09-24T12:35:00.000-07:00

Alright, the schedule is set.

9/27 - Historic Preservation Society 5K in downtown Columbus
10/4 - Currahee Challenge 3 miles up & 3 miles down in Toccoa, GA
11/1 - Callaway Gardens Twilight 10K at Callaway Gardens
1/17/09 - Auburn Classic Half Marathon in Auburn, AL (not registered yet)

The next week and a half should be fun!

The 5k should be a good one. It's down in the historic district downtown so it will be very flat. I'm hoping for a finish time there of better than 26'. I doubt there is any way I could hit an 8' pace, but 8'30" might be attainable. We'll see.

For Currahee, I'm a little nervous. 3 miles up at a 5.4% grade...yikes. and then somehow my toothpick thighs have got to carry me back down those same 3 miles. I run hills everytime I run in Columbus, but only as I encounter them on my routes. I'm not doing any hill specific training. However, I'm in a lot better shape than I was last year for the MWTC 10k, and I finished that...albeit with stops. I'm psyched about this race though because of the historic rammifications. I'll touch on those more later.

I've run twice this week (Mon and Tues). Yesterday was a Cordele run. 3.96 in 35'53".

Today's run was a 2 mile out and 2 mile back after work. Temp was about 85F, but there was a nice breeze blowing. So, 4 miles 37'34". Pace was only 9'24", but this was the 1st time I've run 3 days in a row. I think I'll probably rest the next two days leading up to the 5k on Saturday.

Man, I have been lazy!

2008-09-22T04:39:00.000-07:00

For no real reason other than the sloth got me, I only got in 1 run last week. So this week, I am hoping to get in at least 5 runs and put up 20 miles. I've got a lot of work to do at this point...

When the alarm went off this morning at 4:30, I argued with myself a bit about getting up. I guess the layoff last week (where I didn't answer the alarm on any day but Monday) made it more difficult to get up. But as I was having this heated discussion in my head about running or not running, being a lazy ass or just being an ass, my feet hit the floor. It was like without even realizing it, I was up and getting on my shoes. Crazy, man, crazy.

In spite of the weak week of last, I am still leaning toward Currahee. I've got until Friday to decide.

Currahee!

2008-09-15T10:42:00.000-07:00

This morning was 3.85 on a hilly course. Did 3 climbs this morning that were 115ft+ elevation changes. Edgewood from just shy of Cathryn to Tip Top. Did the Tip Top leg twice coming back down to Hatcher after the 1st ascent. Only a 10' mile pace, but this was a good start.

Three weeks to Currahee. I figure I've got about 10 days before I have to decide.

3 miles up, 3 miles down.

To race or not to race.......

2008-09-11T20:01:00.000-07:00

Callaway, Currahee, Callaway again?

More later.

Labor Day to remember

2008-09-01T18:38:00.000-07:00

This weekend, I put in two runs over 4 miles each. I intended for todays run to be over 5 miles and maybe closer to 6, but the dang hills just killed me. Both of the runs were at the river and both were pretty good runs from a finish standpoint.

One thing that made today's run something to remember was that Hurricane Gustav was coming ashore in New Orleans and some of the outflow was over our area. Pretty neat with the breezy conditions and cloud cover.

Below are my two river runs from this weekend. Pace needs work I know. I'll get there.

9/1/2008	Run	Mtn. Lickskillet 4.8M	Hill	4.83 Mi	46:23	9:37
8/30/2008	Run	Mtn. Drive left and right	Hill	4.52 Mi	42:34	9:26

Stress Handler

2008-08-25T18:03:00.000-07:00

A pretty good day today down here in Cordele. The work day started at 5:30am and finished about 6pm. I followed that with a 3.2 miler in 31'31" from the hotel around the foundry. The pace was a bit slow, but it was also about 85F with near 100% humidity. In fact, this morning, TWC had the humidity at 100%. I thought that was crazy, but I guess that is the effect of Fay still hanging around. I walked for about 1' at the 21' mark, but that was it. It was a difficult run. The weather didn't help, but neither did the fact that I had about 6 cups of coffee today and didn't drink any water until after the run. I have got to take that more seriously than I have. Hydration has got to become a priority. Certainly it is something I can get away with at my current distances and times, but if I plan on doing anything more than this, I've got to get things ordered a little differently.

Early Mornings

2008-08-18T07:38:00.000-07:00

I bookended my weekend with a couple of 4:30 wake up runs. Both Fri and Mon I ran around 3.1-3.2M in around 30 minutes. The run Friday felt pretty good, this morning's was a little more difficult. I think I may be feeling shin pain again. Same leg, same place. Sure is strange that I am may be dealing with this again.

The Midnight Run is this weekend. Right now, I'm thinking of giving it a go. I'll get a couple more runs in this week and then decide.

Still eating different. Although I am allowing more cholesterol foods in small doses. I am still watching portion size though. As a result, I'm still right around 217, down from the 223-225 when I started this last month.

Mooresville, NC

2008-08-03T05:25:00.000-07:00

Well. Another place that is not home.

This week started in Columbus. Then to Windsor, ON. Then to Cordele. And now Mooresville, NC. No business this weekend though. This is family reunion weekend. It's been nice, but it was a long way to go.

This morning, I went down and had a treadmill run. For some reason, I just didn't have anything this morning. Time and Distance is below. Had to walk about half of the time. Probably drank and ate too much yesterday. Probably had 4-5 beers over the course of the day (that is from noon til about 10pm). And although I didn't eat too, too much, I did fall off my portion control, low cholesterol diet. Heck, they had scrambled dogs...A man can only resist so much.

Temperature in the fitness room was probably 80F or more. And it was adjacent to the indoor pool, so I think the humidity in there was over 70%. That said, I sweated like I was in a steam room. Heart rate was in the high 170s during my running portions. When I was walking, it settled around 135.

T: 30'
D: 2.7M

Tomorrow, I'm back in Cordele. Then I've got to go to Fuque Varina, NC for a meeting with JD. Next week, I'm in Augusta for another JD meeting and then I'm in Chicago for 2 nights for an AFS deal.

I'm ready to be home for a while...

Windsor 5k

2008-07-30T17:08:00.000-07:00

Quickly from Canada.

Windsor 5k

31'08". 88F 7:15pm 7/30/08

More now...

This was a neat run scenery wise. The Detroit River is believe it or not, really pretty. Running on the Windsor, Canada side, you have a great view of downtown Detroit. I ran from the hotel to Ambassador Bridge and back. Just under 3.2 miles. The weather was quite hot and actually very dry. Ran the out leg into a steady head wind. Probably went out too quick and didn't have much left on the return leg, even with the wind help.

I'm disappointed that I have only run a few times this month. Not having a regular schedule makes it difficult...or at least makes me feel better about my excuses.

2008-07-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

Well, the summer is past the halfway point, and I am finally getting in gear somewhat...

July 5 - 3 miles in 30'20
July 12 - 3.2 in 30'47

both of the above runs were at the river. Ran from the cabin down Mtn. Dr. to Lickskillet and back. Very hilly track. Runs were both on Sat. mornings before 9:00.

Today, I'm in Cordele and after having a South Beach Salad for dinner (menu item at the Grill at the marina), I came back to hotel, rested a bit and then ran to the foundry and back. So that will be below...

July 20 - 3.39m in 34'13" - 90F (I think that took a lot out of me. I walked about 4 minutes of it.)

On Sunday, July 13, I started something that I never figured I'd do. I gave up red meat and bacon for 30 days. I live on that stuff, so this hasn't exactly been easy. But last week, I ate at least one salad as a meal everyday and then a chicken/fish meal as the other. Breakfast was a replacement shake. By Friday morning, I'd lost 6 pounds. That's really something I think. Because of that, on Friday after going to Alamisco to pick up the girls, we stopped at Niffers and I rewarded myself with a chili cheeseburger...I know, I didn't even go 7 days. But it was a reward that I gave myself and I was right back on the diet Friday night. We'll see...

I'm trying to start the running thing again. Schedule has been crazy so it has again been hard to get into a training regime. No races on the calendar yet other than the Country's Midnight Run. I think that is sometime in September/October.

2008-05-29T11:53:00.000-07:00

Right at 3m twice this week...nothing to get too excited about, but it is the first expended energy in quite some time. Having to ease into it a bit. I'll get there though.

Up to 226 after this weekends smoke fest. Ribs, Chicken and Bottom Round. I love to BBQ!

2008-02-07T14:06:00.000-08:00

The buzz is beginning stir inside me again. Do something! That is what I keep hearing. Just do something!

Well, I'm almost there.

easy does it...

2007-04-26T19:04:00.000-07:00

dateline: cordele, ga

3.3 miles this morning on a 10 minute mile pace. got a real dilema though...i think the shin splint is coming back. i think what this means is that from now on, i'll need to do all my preparation in a non impact way.

Sick as a dog

2007-04-24T16:14:00.000-07:00

This weekend was a total loss. My plan of 8.5 miles by Monday didn't happen, but I did just get in a 4 miler this evening. Time was 35'39", so with lots of hills and a little walking mixed in, I got in at just under a 9' mile. Nothing twinging in the calf, although there is a bit of tightness in that spot. I'm trying to go easy...but I've got lots of catching up to do.

I wonder how everyone else is doing...................................................................

Has anybody seen the towel?

2007-04-19T16:24:00.000-07:00

For the first time today, I started thinking that I may be in bad shape as far as preparation for this race is concerned. After putting in over 50 miles by Valentines Day, I think I've probably tallied about 20-25 miles since then. After this calf thing started and work started getting crazy with Cordele coming close to cranking up, I just haven't had the will power to run. However, guilt is a pretty powerful incentive. I'm still trying to put'em in the bank. But I've got some serious saving to do.

Today was 2.5 miles in 21' flat. 8'20" pace. Now I've just got to try to spread that over a few more miles.

Here's my goal for the next seven days...
Friday - 3.5 miles
Saturday - Cordele - then hopefully golf
Sunday - 5 miles...I think I can, I think I can
Monday - Cordele - Rest
Tuesday - Cordele - 4 miles
Wednesday - 4 miles.

That's basically 16-17 miles over the next 7 days. Wish me luck.

2 feet high and holding

2007-04-11T16:03:00.000-07:00

Wednesday again, and I have only put in about 5 miles since the last post. Monday I did a circuit workout (2 times around the horn) then put in 2.5 miles on the treadmill. Today, when I got home from work, I ran down to the club and did one circuit and then ran home. I felt pretty rough on the way home. Big hill climb with some downhill and my legs felt a little weak under me. I'm just out of the shower now though and the feeling of needing to throw up is beginning to subside....So now, it's off to dinner.

Today was a bit of a hell day at work...OSHA showed up at the door. I'll fill in the details later.

edis, out.

1 foot high and risin

2007-04-04T04:42:00.000-07:00

How high's the water mama?

Back at square one. My training has officially started "again". After starting the year feeling pretty damn good about my training and even better about becoming a runner, I really hit the skids when I developed the shin splint. I never thought it would take as much out of me as it did, but I have been fighting with myself for the last month about getting my ass back out on the trail. This morning, 5:15 at the Veterans Memorial State Park in Cordele, GA, I finally beat myself back into submission.

2.75m in 25'48". A paltry pace at best, but when I finished, I felt like a runner again. I can sense traces of the confidence that I lost with the injury. I can feel it coming back again...and I love it.

A longer layoff

2007-03-27T04:40:00.000-07:00

Well, after an even longer time of layoff (never hit the bike or the pool), I am now ready to begin my training again in earnest. The pain in my calf has finally completely subsided and so I am ready to begin to prepare safely for this race.

I am in Cordele again today. Lately, I have been spending a good deal of time down here, and I see that only continuing. The plant is edging ever closer to starting up and there is still much to do. The Italians are here and we have already had many enjoyable times together. They are a delightful group. Three of them know very little English while one of them is fluent in five languages. Now that they are here, the work is progressing very quickly and I believe that we will meet our start-up date of the first week of May. It will come down to the rest of the plant being ready, as the new molding machine will most certainly be in good form. Our team has been working 12 hours/day for the last 3 1/2 months taking every other Sunday off. It is the toughest of work schedules, but the men are faring beautifully and are excited with the arrival of the group from Italy.

More later, I suppose. I will probably only try to get in a run of 30 minutes or so tonight. Slow pace. We'll see.

A long layoff

2007-03-03T08:38:00.000-08:00

I know that all of you have been wondering where I am. Why the long silence? Where could he be? Well, I've been wondering the same thing lately. The shin splint thing ended up turning into a 2 week layoff where I basically did nothing at all, and that is exactly how I have been feeling...like nothing at all. Work has been pretty hectic. I've just returned from a road trip to North and South Carolina for a foundry visit and an AFS conference. The foundry I visited is running a piece of equipment like one that we will be installing in Cordele (which is where I am this a.m.) and the AFS meeting was spent meeting with suppliers trying to line up all of the things that we will be needing for startup. The real fun started on the way back yesterday from the conference. The short version is this...500 miles of driving in 12 hours while spending $493.37 on a new alternator and battery for the expedition...and that's all I'd like to say about that.

I did finally run again. Wednesday and Thursday of this week, I finally started back on the training trail. I eased in to it on Wed. with a 2.25 mile treadmiller in 20 minutes testing to see how my calf was going to treat me. After I finished that, I did 20 more minutes of hill work on the exercise bike. Thursday, I went for a run on the beach. It was a 40 minute run, not sure how far I went. After my run each day, my leg was still hurting a little, though not as badly as it was a couple of weeks ago. So, I believe that what I need to do for the next couple of weeks, is omit the running for a little while and instead pick up the bike and swim thing. For the swimming, that means joining the Y or something like that, but I think that is something that I can do.

This shin splint thing has really got me down...

Wednesday

2007-02-21T19:57:00.000-08:00

Well, the trip to Nashville went off without a hitch. We had a very nice visit with the Stac's grandparents and cousins. Had a little snow even. We swang (you know, I'm not sure swang is a word but I sure like the way it sounds) through Chattanooga on the way home and had lunch at a place near and dear to my heart. I went for the Delirious burger (15 oz before cooking) and was instantly reminded that Cheeburger Cheeburger without question has the best burgers on the planet.

I rested my calf. Problem is, the damn thing didn't really feel any better. Matter of fact, this week, it's still hurting. More in the muscle now than anywhere else. I haven't run since last Thursday, but I have been on my feet a bunch. If it doesn't start feeling better in the next couple of days, I'm going to see the Doc.

These last 5/6 days, I have felt worthless. I'm going to be getting back on the bike to keep the cardio up and may take the advice that some of you gave me and get into the pool as well.

By the way, one extremely bright spot on the weekend trip was coming home through Atlanta and stopping by to see Hunter Lawrence Martin. Pictures as promised...

Friday

2007-02-16T04:40:00.000-08:00

I thought it was really funny yesterday that after I described the pain I was having in yesterdays post, I typed in "pain in the lower calf and inner tibia" and all of these results for different types of posterior shin splints popped up. I know it is probably dangerous to self diagnose, but it is hard to argue with the description of my pain and PSS matching so completely. But I am not sure that I agree with the causes so much. See the problem that I have is that it lists "Flat Feet" as the most likely cause. I don't have flat feet. And I don't feel like I have inadequate arch support in the Asics that I am running in. I guess it could all get back to stretching (which I possibly have been neglecting to a painful end). So that is the first thing that I will do to try to alleviate this. I iced my leg for a little while last night and took some ibuprofen.

With all that said, I'm pretty sure that I'll use this trip to Nashville as an excuse to rest for a few extra days. I was going to try to get in 6-7 miles tomorrow on the tread mill, but I will likely hold off on that for now.

Thursday

2007-02-15T15:55:00.000-08:00

Started to get up this morning at 4:45 but took one look at the temp (27F) and got back under the covers. So instead, I just got an after work run in. 3.6 in 32'15". As I sit here having just finished, my calf is throbbing pretty good. I spent 10 minutes or so stretching before my run and stretched a little bit when I finished up, but it is still smarting. It's almost like I have a tenderness down the inside of my lower tibia that radiates through my lower calf muscle. That's not a shin splint is it? I'm going to have do to some investigation. I'll let you know what I come up with.

Tomorrow, it's off to Nashville. No run until probably Saturday at the earliest.

Well, here's an early diagnosis: (From www.coolrunning.com)

Posterior Shin Splints

Description:
Pain on the inner side of your leg, right where the calf muscle meets the big shin bone. If the pain is severe, you may have strained this area enough to cause a stress fracture in the tibia. If this is the case you should see a doctor immediately.

Likely causes:
You've strained a muscle that gives some support to the arch of your foot (the muscle runs from the shin bone around the ankle and attaches behind the ball of the foot). You probably have flat feet.

Hump Day

2007-02-14T03:57:00.000-08:00

This morning's route. In 47:30. I'll post more later.

Nothing but your basic 5 miler this morning. Pace ended up being around 9'27". That is a little better than my 6 miler from last week. I have some pace work to do though. I'll be thinking about that in a bit.

In my training log for this MWTC 10K, I've planned to try to increase my mileage by about 10% every week. This week I should be running about 4.4 miles each time out. Obviously, I have had a mixed result with my recent runs. Monday, I couldn't make that distance, but today, I think I could have gone another couple of miles easy. I guess my runs later this week will be the better indicator. I think I am going to run tomorrow and then rest Friday (we'll be driving to Nashville late in the afternoon and I don't want to be tired). That way I can get a distance run in up in Nashville on Saturday. It will probably be a treadmiller, but we'll see.

As far as pace goes, I know that is something I would like to improve. My goal come race time is to be able to finish a true 10K in somewhere around 50 minutes. That puts me right at an 8' mile pace. Since I haven't really come close to that over any distance, I have got my work cut out for me. I believe that I will begin trying to get some pace work in during my runs in the coming weeks. I want to build a solid distance base (above 5 miles) before I start pushing it too much. I am worried lately with my calf being sore about an injury totally knocking me off schedule. I'm not positive that I can afford to take another couple of weeks off.

As for my calf, I have started stretching pretty good after my run and it seems to help the soreness subside. I read an interesting article on RunnersWorld.com about stretching and running that surprised me a bit. It turns out that stretching does not really cut down on injuries for runners. I know that this is something that goes completely against our traditional thinking, but read the article and see for yourself. I am not currently stretching with purpose before a run, but I do notice that when I get started at 5 in the morning, that first mile is sometimes one of my slowest. It takes me a while to get my legs warmed up. I almost feel like the tinman who needs a few drops of oil at all the joints to get limbered up. I think I will put in some pre-run stretching over the next couple of weeks to see how I feel and if I can get rolling a little quicker.

Monday Blues

2007-02-12T15:24:00.000-08:00

Well, I suck on Mondays. After putting in my 6 miler on Friday, I felt so good about myself that I took the weekend off and did some stuff around the house with Stac. We are trying to move the kids area into the basement so there was some weak mind/strong back work that she had me do. I woke up this a.m. at 4:45 and spent about 10-15 minutes trying to keep my eyes open. I finally rolled out of bed got my wind pants and sweatshirt on and hit the road. Immediately, I noticed that this was going to be a tough run for me this morning. I put in 2.8 miles in 26'23" (9'21" pace) and finished feeling like I was going to die. This was a hill run for me, so I knew it would be hard, but this was ridiculous. When I finished, I noticed that my right calf was starting to get sore (I felt this a little be this weekend, but shrugged it off). It started to feel better throughout the day so I think it is just soreness.

Anyway, when I got home from work, after being so discouraged about this morning, I decided to go get another run in. So I just got back from another 2.8 miler but this time, I ran it in 23'14" (8'18" pace). As soon as I finished, my right calf started to flare up again, so I'll probably rest for sure tomorrow. But, my latest 2.8 helped me shake the blues from this morning. I suppose it helped that for my evening run, it was 65F instead of 34F like it was this morning. There is a big difference in running in cold conditions vs. warm ones. That much I am discovering for sure.

Well, enough blabbering. Here's the totals:

Totals:
Running
D: 5.6m
W: 5.6m
M: 21.8m
Y: 46m
Biking
D: 0
W: 0
M: 0m
Y: 8m

By the way, I'll keep you posted on the calf...

Friday

2007-02-09T04:46:00.000-08:00

6.15 miles 1:00:14!

I think I have it in me! I think I can be someone who loves to run! This morning, I ran basically the same route as Wednesday, but I did a figure-8 around the park and then did a full loop before heading back to the house. Another uphill finish that I was pretty sure was going to kill me a time or two, but once I got through the hills, I felt pretty good. I actually sprinted (as much sprint as was possible at the 6-mile mark) for about the last 200 yards. Without that sprint, I might have been able to go on some more! I am pretty freakin' psyched about where I am right now. Now my goal will be to at least double this distance between now and the MWTC. Probably, I'd like to be around the 12-13 mile mark sometime in late March or early April. That sounds like big talk when I sit back and read it, but I actually think that it is possible.

Maybe I'm a runner after all!

Totals:
Running
D: 6.15m
W: 13.1m
M: 16.2m
Y: 40.4m
Biking
D: 0
W: 0
M: 0m
Y: 8m

Thursday

2007-02-08T18:55:00.000-08:00

No running today. Busy day at work and just didn't have time once I got home. I'm thinking of pushing it a little bit in the morning. I've added a little to my course from Wednesday. Here's the new loop right here. I'm hoping that I'll be able to get it all in. I'll be getting started around 5 in the a.m. so wish me luck!

Wednesday

2007-02-07T04:48:00.000-08:00

4.2 miles...42'05". I was hoping to be right around a 10' mile for this run and I ended up averaging 10'01". That's right on where I wanted to be. Not only was this my 1st long run, it also was all uphill to the finish. The last mile was basically a steep up hill for the 1st 1/4 mile then gradual hills with some slight down hills the rest of the way.

Totals:
Running
D: 4.2m
W: 6.9m
M: 10m
Y: 34m
Biking
D: 0
W: 0
M: 0m
Y: 8m

Tuesday

2007-02-06T19:04:00.000-08:00

No run today. After yesterday evening's run, I decided to layoff this a.m. and then ended up not having time to run this morning. I will be running in the morning though. I have a course mapped out that puts me right over 4 miles for tomorrow. That will be the longest run I've attempted so far. Matter of fact, it'll be the longest run I've ever attempted. I'm excited about it. I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow. I just want to finish this in 40' or so.

I spent some time tonight looking at training aides. There are a couple that are sold by Garmin that I am intersted in. The Forerunner 305 is the one that I am most interested in. It is a combination device that does everything to pace setting, distance tracking, heart rate monitoring...It sounds like the perfect tool to help me train more specifically and track my progress. I am thinking that I will likely get this, but I will probably wait until I hit some type of milestone before I splurge for it. I'm thinking the 10 mile mark might be a good number. My first 10 miler will certainly be worth celebrating, and that might be the perfect reward. Based on my training log, I should be hitting the 10 mile mark on regular runs in April. I'll likely try to get one in before then however with a weekend distance run. I'll let you know as I get closer.

I'll update the totals in the morning.

Monday

2007-02-05T15:32:00.000-08:00

After taking a rest day on Sunday, still basking in my post race glory (I wore my t-shirt from the race all day yesterday...I almost wore it to church , but Susan said that it would be tacky), I slept through my morning run. I stayed up for the ball game and the wife and I didn't get to bed until almost midnight. I'm hanging with the kids tonight cause Stac has a league meeting (as in Jr., not bowling). However, I did squeeze in a quick run before she left. This was one of those kind of runs that I didn't realize I was going to have time for until the last second, so mentally I was a little behind. But I did turn in what I thought was a pretty good run. 2.72 miles in 24'15" and it was mostly hills. I frankly thought I had put in closer to 3 miles, but when I got home and mapped the route on google, I had fallen a little short. The pace was only slightly faster than my 5k pace, which I thought I was going well better than. I guess the hills took more out of me than I thought.

Anyway, here are some new totals now that I am logging some miles again. With the cool weather and being sick, I have not been riding the bike any lately. I hope to get back on that in the next week or so. Little bro is getting a bike so I hope that we may do some to and from work rides.

Totals:
Running
D: 2.7m
W: 2.7m
M: 5.9m
Y: 30m
Biking
D: 0
W: 0
M: 0m
Y: 8m

Race Day! Superbowl 5K!

2007-02-03T10:17:00.000-08:00

I finished! Here's the course map...superbowl 5k. Believe it or not, I forgot to hit my watch at the 3 mile mark and at the finish, and also forgot to look at the big running timer right at the finish line. So the time I'm going to give you should be close but it won't be exact. The race folks will be posting exact times later today.

I think that last night, I was guessing around 28' or in that range. Well, I think my time was right around 27'45". So after not running for the last 12 days and still suffering the effects of a mild cold, I'd say that time is worth being proud of for me.

The race experience was pretty cool. I got there about an hour before the race and picked up my number 846. I also got a little computer chip to tie on my shoe so that my finish time would be recorded. I didn't know anyone down there (a little surprising I think) so I spent the hour just walking back and forth from the race area to the car trying to decide what to wear or not wear. It was about 28 degrees this morning so I had on plenty of clothes. I ended up wearing a pair of jogging pants with shorts over them (those pants are a little too clingy for me and it being cold, I didn't want to give folks anything to talk about). On top, I wore a long sleeve wicking shirt with Chad's "Against Odds/Hope" shirt over that. I thought that shirt appropriate for the job that lay ahead. Topped it off with some gloves and a toboggan with the mp3 player piping cool tunes the whole way around.

I guess there were probably somewhere around 40-50 folks who were running along with me. At the start, I was purposely at the back of the pack so that I wouldn't get run over by those more ready than I for the race. I started out with my normal pace and in fact passed the 1 mile mark in exactly 9'00". I was feeling pretty good actually with the exception of the fact that I had to blow my nose about every 1/4 mile. I tried to do it when I wasn't close to anybody. At 2 miles, my time was 17'50 so an 8'50" mile. As mile 3 got underway, I was starting to feel the effects of the 12 day layoff set in. I became a little more labored in my breathing, but hung in there pretty well. I guess I did the last 1.1 miles in about 9'55" or so. I thought about trying to kick hard to the finish as I came around the last couple of corners, but there were women and children present and I was sure I would have scared some of them. So I kept the pace and crossed the line. No fanfare, no applause, but it felt pretty damn good to me. After a couple of minutes gasping for air, I got my breathing under control...a banana and water bottle later and I was five by five!

It was a great experience and before I left, picked up some material on a 10k in April that I think I'll be registering for. I've got a lot of work to do to get there, but I think I can do it.

Well, I just checked to CTC website and while the winners from each age group are posted, the overall results aren't up yet. Hopefully they'll get that up in the next day or so.