It's been a long time . . . . .

I forgot about this blog until I received an alert from GoDaddy saying that it needed re-newed. I looked at the stats just to see if anybody actually has looked at this thing since the last time I put something on here 8 months ago...all I can say is: "Hello Germany. Hello Russia. Hello France. Hello Hungary." CRAZY.

I have been running....about 80 - 90 miles per month.
I am still running in the dark mornings.

Since my surgery last December....the furthest that I have ran is 10 miles. That only happened 2 weeks ago where I thought it would be cool to say that I ran ten miles before work.

Highlights of 2013
5 mile midnight trail run in August.

I am currently training for a half marathon in Chicago on January 25th......yes, outside..yes, along the lake...yes, I am crazy. Since marathon training is so brutal on my wounded knees...I want to do things that are just cool....running 13.1 miles straight into a 20 mph headwind in winter Chicago ...sounds cool.

I'll start writing on this again.

This is what I am listening to:

45 mins ..

Saturday 5:45AM

In 45 minutes I am going to run with my buddy from Ethiopia.

Cold dark March.

I am starting to shred weight . . .

My wife and I went "out" last night . . .we got home at 10:30 which for us is 2:00AM.

Before I got up this morning I prayed that God would give me a whisper of wisdom during my run. Running makes me a better man.

________________________________
8:10AM
3.5 miles
35 degrees
We clip clopped up hills--for never running with anybody - this is OK.

Today . . . .

Today I did intervals on the bike at the Y until my left leg cramped and I sprung off the bike and did a dance . . . .

I drove 240 miles

I shot 2 TV commercials

I did 2 live radio commercials

I recorded 6 radio commercials

I talked to a guy about what the bible says about getting to heaven.

I rode my bike for about 5 miles around the park.

Right now . . .I am taking my kids to the library.

My

Day.

Today

Workout this morning

Drove 240 miles

Worked 10 hours

Ran 2.5 miles this evening in snowflakes so large that I literally choked on them when I inhaled!!

Tonight I am going to take a buddy out for a beer. . .

I am going to run intervals tomorrow morning . . . .

Tuesday 5:03AM

Sunday I rode my bike with my brother to the "little house."
17 miles
3.5 long sweeping hills
50 degrees
rain - - -not drizzle really - --rain
29 miles per hour down a hill
went never behind me - -in my face for final 6 miles
Miserable - -this ride was why I like running!

Monday
Y
lift weights, hard run for 2 miles
My son is growing up too fast - - - my heart is not doing very well with that.

This morning
Going to the Y
Working out
Hopefully will sneak in a run tonight when I get home
 Miles to go before I sleep . . . .

Here . . .

I'm still here.
My time this past week has been spent being a dad, being a husband, battling snow and balancing my career with the rest of my life.

I have run almost every day . .including Saturday with my buddy who has run in 12 marathons.

Tomorrow morning I am going to run outside at 5:45AM. It will be cold and dark.
This morning I ran intervals for 20 mins at the Y. 1 minute jog - -1 minute sprint. The jog part was ok . . .

I am not in very good shape. I am going on a 17 mile bike ride on Sunday to our farmhouse (the "little" house we call it). This will be the longest ride to date . . .I am looking forward to it.

My knee seems to be coming along . . .

So does my gut . . . .

Snow . . .

Tuesday.
Home.
Inches upon inches of snow.
I work at home in my office . . not as hard as if I were at work . . . .but working.

I am going to go to the park late this afternoon.
I am going to take my kids. They need to know what it is to be the first person to walk where nobody has walked.

I am into this right now:
the 2013 Iditarod Trail race . . .350 miles by foot or bike across Alaska. It is going on now .. .

Mt. Marathon ....google it . . . .I am working on my wife to let me at least see if I could get lucky enough to get my name drawn. It is in Alaska . . .if I get in . . I'll figure it out!!!

I need to lose weight!!! I am close to 190 lbs!!! I am going to start doing intervals today at the Y.

I have been working out. I haven't really been eating like crap . .But . . . . .I am scared to run much more than 3 miles and that is not burning enough calories to cut it.

I rode my bike 12 miles on Sunday. I averaged 11.9 mph. My top speed was 29 mph going down Lake Storey hill (toward Henderson Street).

Sunny Sunday . . .

Yesterday I rode my bike 8.5 miles.
I went 21.5 mph down a hill.

This morning at 7AM I met a buddy at the Y for a 3 mile run. He is Ethiopian and has run 12 marathons...including Boston. He has been talking about running with me for over a year. Today was our first day. He has not run in over 3 years and needed motivation to "get out of the door." He kept thanking me for going with him. He said that atleast today he won't feel guilty. Interesting that even with 12 marathons under his belt . . .it is easy to slide backwards in our fitness and lifestyle.

It is going to be over 30 degrees here today . . I am going for a ten mile bike ride.
I CAN'T WAIT TO GET OUTSIDE AGAIN TODAY!!!

Day off today . . .

I don't do very good at taking days off from my work.
Today is one of those days.
I am taking my wife to the doctor in Peoria. I woke up this morning to a 3" snow. I scooped at 5:30AM. I am old school that way.

I went to the hospital yesterday and ate lunch with a friend whose dad is dying. I am sorry for the end of life in deep, deep ways.

I ran a 5k yesterday morning at the Y.
I drove county roads to work yesterday. I am going to ride my bike 50 miles to the Mississippi river in July. I am preparing the way now . . .
I rode my bike late yesterday afternoon because I knew that the snow was coming.

I have ran everyday since Monday . . .I really need to take a day off but . . . . . . I can't.

If your joy is in your family . . .what happens to your joy when your family is gone? If your joy is in your work? What happens when your work is over? Or your health? If you put your joy in the Lord the bible says that "I will never leave you or forsake you." I want this to be really "real" to me and not just something that I say.

I am on the verge of another pair of running shoes. As I have mentioned before Mizuno quit making the kind (Nirvana) I have bought my last 4 pairs. I am looking at Asics Gel Kayanos (had them before) or Brooks Glycerin.

Samantha Crain - Santa Fe. THIS song is trying to make its way onto my funeral CD.

10 miles on the feet . . .5 miles on the road

Only a combined 15 miles this week.
I worked out every day but one.
I just got back from a run . . .20 degrees....sunny...windy. My repaired knee groaned the whole time. I was stiff and hot. I have a tendency of overdressing.

I will be in Chicago tomorrow so I won't be able to do any sort of workout. Sunday is usually the only day that I have time to "get out" and not have to watch my clock. My son and I are going to go and sit in cars that aren't ours at the Chicago Auto Show.

I have heavy things on my mind.

2 hours later . . . .

I keep my bike in my office inside my house. It makes me sick to see it sitting in there . . . .not doing what it was created to do  . . .to be outside. It makes me sick to see myself inside . . . .not doing what I was created to do . . . .to be outside. So I took her for a quick ten minute spin. When I put it in 1-1 (the lowest gear - or highest(?) ) I feel like I could climb straight up a mountain. There are not very many hills where I live . . . .but the ones that I have came across . . .I shred them with this bike.
I praise GOD every day that I am able to run, and ride and be active again. I have been listening to these guys lately: Wake Owl

3 modes of transportation today

5:30AM . . . .Walked in the dark morning

Noon . . . . .Ran 2.5 miles on the treadmill

5:30PM . . . . .Rode 4 miles on my bike

I've got deep things that are worrying me right now. I have given them to God but in my  "human-ness" I still carry them.

This morning I listened to my feet hit the sidewalk.
At noon I listened to my "running" songs.
Tonight I listened to The Avett Brothers when I was riding my bike.

I am going to take the complete day off tomorrow - - -no walking, no running, no biking. I have learned that non-exercise is usually the best exercise I do all week.

16 miles on my bike kind of . .

Saturday.
51 minutes
15.6  miles on my bike . .kind of.

I am not in very good cycling shape. Hills hurt. Wind in my face sucks. I spent most of my ride pissed because I wasn't running!!

I got back and looked at the computer on my bike and it said 15.6 - - 51 minutes.

Later that day I did the math and thought, "that's pretty fast considering it was my first REAL ride."
The math kept not really working . . . .

Turns out . . . . .the 15.6  was in frickin' kilometers . . .so I rode a little over 10 miles not 15.6.
I thought I was going 18.3 miles per hour
I really was going 11.1 miles per hour

Went to a bike shop in Peoria and got a bag that sits under my seat so that I can take my phone and stuff with me on longer rides.

I am going for a run right now with my son . . .it is about 40 and rainy here  . .. I look forward to get out into the world.

I am looking forward to become a better cyclist. It is WAY different than running however I think alot of the mental challenges will be the same.

This is my new bike:

Friday Night . . .

Since Monday . . . .

15 miles on the bike

8 miles running

and

1100 miles driving.

ugh . . . . .

I hope to ride my bike for 45 minutes tomorrow.
I am going to skip a run tomorrow but plan on running on Sunday.

I am starting to lose weight now that I am putting my body in motion. I weighed 179 the other morning at the Y. 175 and under would be better for my brittle knees.

I realize that time down here is short . . .I hope that you do too.

My mind is worn.
I discovered this new artist on my way home tonight listening to Sirius Radio . . . . .this is what I am going to listen to on my bike ride.

My bike . . .

I rode my bike this morning at 5:40AM

It was 25 degrees

Cold for most people . . unless you are an idiot like me.

I went 7.5 miles in about 35 minutes.

I think that I am going to like this . . . .just not full time.

I saw my buddies running . . .I felt like I was cheating on them.

I got a "buzz" being out in the dark morning but not a real "physical activity" buzz . .so.....

I went to the Y at noon and ran 2 miles on the treadmill . . .that was the kind of buzz I was looking for.

I like myself about a zillion times better now that my body is moving.

It was nice to lean on God this morning when I walked out in the cold, dark morning with my bike . . .not really sure if I was going to hit an ice patch, an angry early morning dog or a sleepy driver.

Y early tomorrow morning . . I am going to run 2 miles again and stretch.

Maybe I am starting to become a teenage girl but I dig this song by Imagine Dragons:

Today . . .

I ran Saturday and Sunday.
My bike came in yesterday.
I am going to pick it up tomorrow.
It is suppossed to be five below zero.
A car spun out in front of me this dark morning.
I had to be 3 feet from hitting him.
In the 2 seconds of pandemonium
I didn't cuss.
I prayed.
I have not been the same . . .

I bought a bike . . .

I bought a bike yesterday. It is a hybrid. Real cyclists think hybrids are for weenies. I have 2 kids and a wife that want me to go on bike rides with them. I can't really do that on a road bike. It's a Trek 7.3FX fitness bike. I already have 2 goals for this year. One is to ride 100 miles in a single day. The other is to do some sort of duathalon at the end of the summer - -run - bike- run.

It is cold here today. I am going to run about 2 miles outside.

My daughter just hit me with a comment that I am still reeling from . . .she said that she is glad that black and white people can sit together now . . .if not, she couldn't sit with Maddie and Sydney at the lunch table. I could never have known (and still don't pretend to) the depth of color and the stereotypes that go with it if it were not for her.

I DON'T CARE IF 10 MILLION TEENAGE GIRLS LIKE THIS SONG .. I DO TO . . .IT IS GETTING DOWNLOADED TO MY IPOD AS WE SPEAK. 8 MINUTES IS A LONG TIME .. BUT GIVE IT A CHANCE:  THE BAND IS TWENTY ONE PILOTS (HOLDING ON TO YOU)

The last 2 days . .

Yesterday I ran and walked a mile. I felt good.

Today I went to the Y and ran a half mile on the treadmill and then walked a quarter mile with the setting on 15 (the elevation) . .it was like walking straight up a hill. I think I am going to go back tomorrow morning and run a half, walk a quarter, run a half, walk a quarter. I am taking baby steps back into this thing.

I was thinking today that when I get my bike I could ride to the track and run and then ride home. Soft surfaces like tracks and treadmills don't jar my knees quite as bad. I will certainly be trading "scenery" for "safety" but maybe its time for that.

It is 15 degrees here and I have a fire going and friends coming over tonight. Church hit me in the heart once again today . . .

Listen to this new discovery: The band is Dry the River

Why have I not been writing . . . .?

One of my east coast followers recently let me know that this website (blog...whatever) appears as though the author (me) is only "as deep" as my running. Thumbing through the pages . . this could appear to be so. It seems as though that when I am running . . .I want to write and talk about it. When I am not running (due to injury)  . .I don't write. Hmmmm!! For the record . . .I am deeper than running.

I have been busy with my work. I write and communicate for a living. I started this website as a way to track my progress as an online journal for training for my first marathon. I have always just wanted to use these pages for that. When I run .. I have stuff to put on here. When I don't run - I don't. I am don't want this ever to appear as though this is a teenage girl's  online diary. Dear diary: . . . . . . .

I have been walking in the dark mornings. I have been going to the Y. I am going to buy a bike in the next several weeks. I am going to get a Trek 7.3 hybrid. In my mind . . I am never going to be able to run more than 3 miles again.

In about 20 minutes . .I am going to try to run one half mile. This will be the first I have ran in 2 weeks. For my dear reader in Boston  er....the east coast - -I'll tell you how it went.

This is what I have been listening to: Alt-J

Where I'm At . . . .

I tried to run last Saturday and didn't make it very far. That was the last time. This week I rode the stationary bike twice, lifted twice and rested today. I have lost 2 pounds and am down to 181. I have been very good with my eating.

Last year at this time I was planning my races for the year. This year I am wondering if I am going to be able to run 3 miles without hurting!!

It is in the 50's here . . . .I am going to try to run to the end of the block tomorrow (1.1 miles).

Even though I can't really run . .. I have been taking walks in the early morning before the sun rises and am still getting that "buzz" that comes with being the only one on the street when you see lights inside houses go on for the first time.

I am not complaining that I am not fully recovered! I get frustrated because I just want one good drenching 10 mile sweat . . .but that will come with time. I am glad that I can walk without pain . . .I have been spending quite a bit of time trying to build not just the strength in my knees but more importantly all of the muscles that surround my knees.

High School basketball tonight . . . . .one of my loves.

This week . . .

I did 20 mins on the elliptical at the Y on Monday
Ran 4 miles on NEW YEARS DAY
Rode bike at the Y on Wednesday
Ran 3 miles today

Too much exercise for my recovering knee.
It has hurt when I have ran this week. This morning (15 degrees!) I am going to take tomorrow off.

Looking for a cool song to workout to? Alt-J

Where I'm At . . .

As of yesterday, I weigh 183.5 pounds. That is about 10 pounds more than when I ran the marathon. It is about 5 pounds more than when I was in Mexico at the end of September.

That has got to change!!!!And it will . . .

My knee is coming along pretty well after the surgery (3 weeks ago yesterday). It was only just about 3 days ago that I could really feel improvement. Swelling down . .. . scar tissue doing it's thing.

I was in Chicago on Saturday and Sunday and ran about 2 miles down Michigan Avenue on Sunday morning at 7:30AM. It is why I run.

I am looking forward to getting back into shape. I think that my usual running 6 days a week is going to have to come to a sad close. With 2 knee surgeries now, ever present gray temples and thus far an extra 5 pounds - -'I am going to opt for 3 to 4 days a week.

I have been talking to God about what the "new normal" looks like for me.

For those of you who have followed my ups and downs over the last several years on this thing . . .you know that I need to be apart of something bigger than myself. I am just not sure what that thing is now. In the meantime (or today)  . .I am going to get outside and let the cold January air burn my legs, sweat a little, and start the process of fitness again. And believe me . . .it is just as hard for me, as it is for the 20 million other people out there who have resolved the same thing.

This is what I have been listening to: JULIA STONE (covering Olivia Newton John's song)