2008 in Review

Recently, it seems as though I have used this blog to vent, and I really don't want to do that any more. I have a lot to be thankful for in 2008. Below is the year in review:

January: My brother Brian celebrated his 30th birthday. Stephanie and I celebrated one year together.
February: My JV boys basketball team won the district title going undefeated in district play and finished with a 24-4 record. I won my 2nd consecutive Cowtown Marathon.
March: Stephanie and I were married on March 15th. We were fortunate enough to have dad perform the ceremony, mom made the cake, and Rocky performed the reception entertainment. Steph and I spent our honeymoon (and spring break) in Hawaii.
April: I turned 28 and started to feel old.
May: One of my runners, Coleby Borchardt, qualified for and competed in the State track meet in Austin (400 and 800 meters). We got to spend the weekend with Monica, Rocky and the kids (Rocky had a runner at the meet too).
June: Steph and I finish another school year. We vacationed with mom, dad, Monica and Brian's families in San Antonio.
July: Steph and I vacationed in San Francisco and enjoyed the cool northern California weather.
August: We bought a dog, Mercy, from the Denton County animal shelter. She is a border collie mix and was tons of fun from the very beginning. Steph began her 3rd year teaching while I entered my 6th year.
September: The Krum boys had their first CC meet with me as their head coach (we won 1st place in our division). We started a Young Marrieds Bible study through Denton Bible. It has been a true blessing to our marriage
October: Steph moved into her new school, the Early Education Center. I finished 2nd in the Steamtown Marathon in Scranton, PA. Steph turned 26--I threw her a surprise birthday party. The Krum boys CC team won the 10-2A District title.
November: My CC team finished a disappointing 4th at the regional CC meet, and became the first team in 8 years not to qualify for the state meet. Basketball season began, and I found myself coaching both freshmen and JV teams. We spent Thanksgiving Day at John and Barbara's house. Stephanie's mom is an excellent cook and I ate way too much.
December: I finished 9th in the White Rock Half Marathon. We celebrated Christmas at both of our parents' houses. Steph and I have been married for 9 months. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful friends and family, and we are excited about what is ahead in 2009.

WHY?!?

I haven't posted in quite some time. Mostly because of time constraints but also because I have had so much to think about in the last month that it has been hard enough just to process my thoughts. I know everything happens for a reason, and I am convinced God has a plan for me. I read a really good piece by Max Lucado yesterday. It was called "Trusting the Master". Lucado wrote about how his dog freaks out when he drives through the car wash, and how he always tries to calm the dog. "It's okay buddy" and "I do this all the time" and "Everything is going to be alright". Of course the dog doesn't understand any of that. The dog just hears the loud beating of water and soap against the car. I can relate to that dog right now. It seems as though I am caught up in a major whirlwind, I have no idea what's going on, and I'm starting to freak out a little bit.

To recap, as a first year head CC coach, I inherited a bedraggled team where 3 of last years top 5 either quit the team or transferred to other schools. When it was all said and done, my team became the first in 8 years not to qualify for the state meet. I don't want anybody else to tell me it's not my fault . . . . I know that. But that doesn't seem to make me feel any better. Since the end of the CC season just two weeks ago, one of my best friends has lost his job, I have practically been told I'm not a very good basketball coach, and yet I have been asked to coach both of the school's subvarsity teams. I might add that the two subvarsity teams are a combined 0-9 to start the season. Am I whining? Yes I am. Because just like that dog, I don't understand WHY any of this is happening to me.

I am far from being a perfect person, but I think I am a pretty good guy. I am a hard worker, I am loyal, kind and compassionate, I put others before myself, I do my job to the best of my ability and I always strive to do what is best for the kids. So, WHY?!?! I feel so crushed, humiliated, walked on, and overlooked. I am pouting, and I know it. This is not the time to be selfish, and I know it.

Car washes only last a few minutes, and I realize this time in my life will pass. I need to trust my master and have faith that he knows what he is doing. I need patience and prayers.

The Bubble

So much has happened in the last two weeks that I have not had a chance to post in several days. First, I must write about the Steamtown Marathon. I finished 2nd in 2:23:07 (a personal best by almost 2 minutes). I was pleased with my time, but I was actually disappointed in the overall performance. At the 19 mile mark, I took the lead and tried to pull away from the eventual winner. That decision turned out to be a critical mistake as I really bombed in the last 2 miles. Had I been more patient and waited to make my move, I think I would have had a better shot at winning and I believe my time would have been about 30 seconds faster. That "stupid" decision also cost me $1000. BUT, you live and learn. I think I am still learning a lot about the marathon, and I believe I am only going to get better.

Today, I ran a 5K in Fort Worth (The DO Dash). Although I think the course was a little short, I ran a personal best for 5K in 14:31. It was amazing--after doing all of my marathon training, racing a 5K seemed really short and easy. I came through the first 2 miles in 9:53 and felt awesome, so I really hammered in the last mile and ran a comfortable 4:37. With the way I have felt in the last few months of training and considering my recent races, I think I am really close to a major breakthrough. I feel as though I am right on the bubble of being in that arena of the truly elite.

Brian and Krista ran the 5K with me today, and after the race we cooked out hot dogs and watched the TTU/Kansas game. It was really fun getting to spend time with them. Although they do not live that far away from us, I feel like we rarely get to see them.

One last thing--My sweetheart, Stephanie turned 26 this week! I think she had a pretty good birthday. I love you Stephanie.

26 Things I love about the Marathon

1. The Challenge--training for 26.2 and racing it takes a lot of perserverance and determination. Few things in life are more challenging.

2. Seeing the U.S.--I have run marathons in 4 different states. Signing up for a race is a good excuse to travel.

3. Cheers from random spectators--At races like Steamtown and Boston, the local newspapers print your name and bib number so fans call you by name when you pass by.

4. Post-race pig out--I love eating lots of junk food after a race. When you run 26.2 miles, you can pretty much eat anything you want.

5. Early race rhythm--The early miles always feel so easy. I usually feel like I could run forever.

6. My wife's marathon shirt--Stephanie has a shirt she wore at Grandma' Marathon that says, "Keith Pierce Rocks".

7. Seeing my wife (and other family) at the finish--It is great to see loved ones at the finish line. In the last couple of miles that is the only thing I think about and I start looking for them on the sides of the road as I come down the final stretch.

8. Pre-race bathroom adventures--One of the funniest things you see at the start of a marathon is all the runners headed for the trees to get rid of all their excess fluids before the gun goes off.

9. Aide stations--Whether it's the boy scouts, cheerleaders, or the Red Cross, it is always nice to snag a cup of water from a friendly face.

10. Race course entertainment--It's amazing how many people come out to their lawns and play music. I've seen people with bagpipes, trumpets, guitars or just their radios turned up real loud. Some good music always makes you go a little faster.

11. Pre-race pasta--Nothing like eating a bowl full of carbs the night before the race.

12. Post-race pain--Nothing like the soreness you experience after racing 26.2. But every painful step reminds you of your accomplishment.

13. The halfway point--Even though you still have 13.1 miles to go when you get there, it is always reassuring to know that you have made it "HALFWAY".

14. Mid-race energy gels--These little packets of gu give me an added boost and help me get to the finish line.

15. Riding a bus to the start line--Marathons that are point-to-point (Steamtown and Boston) provide free transportation to the starting line. It is always fun to listen to all the die hard runners on the bus ride.

16. Short shorts--The marathon is one of the few places in the world where I can where my shortest (yet most comfortable) running shorts with no fear of sticking out like a sore thumb.

17. The marathon expo--Most big marathons have an expo the day before the race where they sell running gear and other health/sports related stuff.

18. The wall--You know you are going to hit it at some point. It is humbling and scary, but once you get through it, you feel as though you have conquered the world.

19. Marathon photos--Even though I rarely purchase these, I love looking at how my expressions change throughout the course of a marathon.

20. Prize money--Although I have never really won much money racing, I am glad money is being offered for the sport. It is a small reward for lots of hard work.

21. Prestige--Only a small percentage of Americans can say they have run a marathon. It is a great honor to be one of the few.

22. Marathon medals--Everybody gets one but it sure is fun to collect them.

23. Marathon bib numbers--My garage wall is covered with numbers from races throughout my career. I love adding a new one to the collection.

24. Post-race orange juice--Nothing tastes better to me after 26.2 than a bottle of OJ.

25. Race posters--All the good marathons print a commerative race poster. I hang these up in my classroom at school.

26. The finish line--There are a lot of things in this life that feel really good. One of the best feelings is crossing that line. . . . . AND WALKING.

GRE

I registered for the GRE Thursday. I will take the test on Sat. November 1st at 8:00 a.m. I have already started studying for it. I need to do a lot of math review, seeing as I haven't had a math course since I was a Junior in high school. I'm not sure what graduate degree I am going to pursue yet, but I have some ideas. More to come on that later.

I run Steamtown one week from today. Hopefully, I am in as good a shape as I think I am.

My dog is faster than your dog

I am two weeks out from the Steamtown Marathon, and after running 19 yesterday I took today off. So, I thought it would be fun to take Mercy (my dog) for a short little run. Just for grins, I started my watch to see how fast she could do it. We ran about a mile out away from the house, then turned around and came back. She bit at the leash a little at the beginning and I let her sit for about 10 seconds at the mile marker, but other than that she ran the whole way. Total time was 14:53. That is under 7:30 per mile pace! I thought that was really good for a 5 month old puppy. Hopefully, before long she will be able to run 3-4 miles with me. Once she gets going she is really good company. She also gets really excited when you say things like "Come on, girl" and "Good Girl Mercy". She always picks up her speed when I say stuff like that.

I am really getting excited about the marathon. I feel like I am better prepared for this race than any other I have run. Hopefully, I will be able to crack into the top 5 and earn some prize money. Winning it would be the ultimate goal as there is $2,000 prize for 1st. I need to stay rested, healthy and hydrated over the next two weeks so that I can compete at my best.

Rankings

Rankings really don't mean anything--I know that! I tell my CC kids that all the time. BUT, I have to admit, I always look to see if our name is in the top ten when The Cross Country Association of Texas (CCCAT) puts out its bi-weekly ranking. We started out as #7 and in the past two weeks have moved up to #5. The only thing that tells me is that someone thinks we are getting better. Someone has been keeping track of our progress throughout the season. For a young first-time head coach that is reassuring. Even though we started out a little short-handed and we are lacking in depth, I am excited about the potential of this team. I know we still have a lot of work to do to get to where we need to be and we are still early in the season, but it gives the kids and me some confidence to know that people consider us to be right in the thick of things. We run in Denton this Saturday against some very good competition--we really need to have a good race.

You can see the rankings here!

Second Chances

We have been studying the book of Jonah at church on Sundays. God asked Jonah to travel to Nineveh (a dark and sinful city) and deliver a message. Jonah was scared and did not want to go, so he ran away. The Bible tells us that he wanted to flee to Tarshish. Tarshish was in the opposite direction of Nineveh and was essentially at the ends of the known world (at least the trading world). Jonah thought he could run from God; that he could hide; that God would not know his heart. So, God had a giant fish swallow up good old Jonah, and made him spend a few days in its belly. It was in the darkness of the fish's stomach where Jonah came to terms with what he had done. He prayed, "From the depths of the grave, I called for help, and you listened to my cry." (Jonah 2:2) Jonah renewed his spirit and made a new vow to the Lord saying, "What I have vowed I will make good." (Jonah 2:9) And what did God do? Jonah 3:1-2 says, "Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time (empasis mine), 'Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim the message I give you.'" God gave Jonah a second chance and Jonah did what the Lord commanded.

I am thankful for second chances. God has granted me many of them.

Dusk 'til Dawn Relay

I tried something new with our team this last weekend. Each year we do a fundraiser for the boys cross country team. This year, we did an all night campout and relay at our track. Each boy got 5 names of people who would be willing to donate $.05 for each lap we ran as a team. Every member of our team ran for 40 minutes each. We started at 8:00 p.m. and the last kid finished at 7:20 p.m. As a team we completed 371 laps.

This was a really fun experience. Despite the fact that I got absolutely no sleep, I think the kids really had a blast and it was a great team bonding event. The funniest thing that happened was when the sprinkler system kicked on about an hour after we set our tents up. Some of the boys had (unknowingly) set their tents up on top of sprinkler heads. Needless to say, we started the night off a little wet.

By the way, I ran about 90 of those 371 laps.

Picture of the Week

I thought this picture was really funny. I found it in The Denton Record Chronicle this morning. These are two Guinness Book World Record Holders. The woman has the longest legs in the world (52", over 4 ft. long) and beneath her is the world's shortest man (2ft. 5in.).

6 MONTHS!

Well, it's hard to believe, but Stephanie and I have now been married for 6 months; half a year! It doesn't seem like that long ago that we were standing before my dad exchanging rings. In the time that we have been married, I have learned several things. Here are 6 of them:

1. Successful marriages require hard work on a daily basis from both husband and wife.

2. Serving your wife, while sometimes challenging, can be one of the most rewarding things a man can do.

3. Positive encouragement can make a world of difference in any relationship!

4. Nights are best spent lying next to the person you love most.

5. You cannot keep score in a marriage. Wouldn't it really stink if Jesus kept score?

6. Even the worst days as a married man are better than the best as a single.

Love you, Stephanie!

Positive Words

I am hooked on the cheesy reality show "America's Got Talent". One of the three judges on the show is David Hasselhoff. The other two judges are often critical of the show's performances, but The Hoff always has something positive to say. As much of a guber as this guy is, I think he has one thing right--people respond to positivity. The crowd always boos Piers, the harshly critical British judge, but they love The Hoff.

I have made a concentrated effort this school year to be a more positive person. While there have been things that upset me or gotten me down, I have been able to keep a positive outlook. I can't believe I'm saying this, but hopefully I continue to follow in The Hoff's footsteps.

The Forgotten Team

They arrive each morning with shoes laced tight;
No glove, no bat, no racquet, no ball.
They head out the door for the first run of the day.
Their gear is two legs, two feet, and heart. . . . that's all.

They are the best reflection of what their school has to offer,
A proud tradition of titles and wins.
They are confident and proud, yet kind and reserved.
In August they are boys, by November they are men!

All week they run with little praise or reward;
A trip to the state meet, that is their dream.
On Saturday they win and make me proud;
At school on Monday they are The Forgotten Team.

They keep working and hoping and giving their best;
Their legs and lungs are strong, their bodies are lean.
When it is all said and done on that Saturday in November,
They will stand tall on the medal stand. . . . The Forgotten Team!

A Day OFF

Well, after four weeks of high mileage and 97 miles last week, I am taking a much-needed day off today. I was very sore yesterday--it was weird my butt was even sore.

Our cross country team ran over at North Lakes in Denton. We competed pretty well finishing 1st in the 2A and Under division. It was nice to get that first "W", but I realize we have a lot of work to do to be a favorite for the state meet.

Results are posted here.

Three Things

1. We had our first CC meet last Friday, and we finished 3rd. I was very pleased with our results. You can read more about the Krum boys CC team here.

2. My training for the Steamtown Marathon has been going very well. Monday (Labor Day) I ran my longest run in training--26 miles. It took me 3 hours and 56 seconds to run it. The first couple of miles and the last couple were a little slow, but I ran about 6 min. pace in the middle miles. You can visit the Steamtown Marathon site here.

3. Our dog Mercy had a rough day today. She had her surgery to get spayed. She was not able to eat after 8 p.m. last night, so she woke up really hungry. Despite her whining this morning, we could not feed her. On the way to the vet, I guess she got a little car sick and threw up in the truck. However, she had nothing in her stomach so it just looked like big wads of saliva. Then, when she got to the vet, she was nervous so she peed all over the vet assistant. Steph picked her up this afternoon, and Mercy puked in her car on the way home. She has just been laying around all evening--you can tell she is still a little out of it and in pain. We are becoming pretty attached to Mercy. I hope she will be back to her old playful self soon.

Tired Legs

My legs are writhing with pain tonight. I am coming to the conclusion of what has been 3 very good weeks of marathon training. I have run an 88 mile week, a 100 mile week, and tonight I sit at 61 with two days of training left. This last week of running has been in the midst of my return to school as a teacher/coach. It's amazing how much more energy you lose just standing up and teaching all day. At night, my legs seem to ache the most. Fatigue sets in about 8 p.m., and around 9:30 I am the equivalent of a zombie. In college, I would soak my aching legs after a hard running session in the school's ice bath. The water was always prepared and waiting for me at a comfy 50 degrees. Oh, what luxuries I had in college.

Tomorrow night is my CC team's first meet of the season. The majority of the boys have been working extremely hard, and I am anxious to see their progress. We lost several from last year's state qualifying team, but I am confident with persistent hard work and dedication we can return to the state meet in November. I am a little nervous about tomorrow night as it is my debut as the "head" coach.

Why I do it

In the past few days, I have rediscovered why I chose to become an educator. I have noticed that my words of encouragement (however minor I think they might be) produce smiles on the faces of the kids I coach. One kid grinned like a possum when I said he was the "runner of the week" for last week. Another (a kid that has been struggling with injuries) lifted his head, puffed out his chest and gave me a crooked smile when I expressed my joy over how well he ran tonight. One kid's mom shared with me how her son went home bragging about how I had told him that I was really counting on him this year.

Tonight, I re-learned that I have the ability to motivate and inspire kids. Our school has been to the state cross country meet 17 times since the late 8os. As we were preparing for our run tonight, I told four different boys to go into the gym and count the state banners hanging from the rafters. One for boys basketball, one for girls basketball, one for girls cross country and one for boys cross country. The first came back (boys bb) and said 16, the second came back with a count of 1 (girls bb), the third came back with 6 (girls cc) and the fourth kid came back and said "16 or 17". This made us all laugh because it almost ruined my point, and I think the kids knew it. The correct count was 17. I looked at all of them and said, "Sometimes you have to remind yourself why you are doing this. You are a part of a great tradition at Krum High School. You are doing this for #18."

Afterward we did a 5 mile run. It was quite possibly our best run of the past week and a half.

Thank you Stephanie for convincing me that there is power in positive thinking! Thank you Monica for sharing your stories about how the little things coaches say can have a great impact on you. Thank you mom and dad for allowing me the freedom to pursue my passions and instilling in me the deeply rooted values that make me an effective coach.

100 Mile Week

Finally, I made it to the end of the week with 100 miles in the training log. This is my first 100 mile effort since the summer of '06. Surprisingly, my legs felt really good today. I went to the track and did a track session this evening. 3 X 2MILE with 2 minutes joggin rest at 10:35, 10:32, 10:13. I was really pleased with this session considering the volume I put in last week and the ease in which I was able to run at 5:20/mile pace. I am feeling really good about my training at the moment and hope I can keep it up.

A Dog's Master

It's true what they say that a dog cannot serve two masters. Since adopting our border collie about a month ago I have learned this truth. Steph and I started talking about getting a dog several months ago. I was really excited about getting a dog, and I only had one request--a male dog. I thought that would help balance things out since we have a female cat named Grace (and the cat is definately Stephanie's). In my head I envisioned my dog gracefully running beside me. I could see us playing fetch for hours in the park. And, at the end of the day I just knew my dog would lazily crash at my feet as I relaxed in my recliner.

When we went to the Denton animal shelter we found the perfect little male border collie. We knew this was the dog for us, yet, we (no I) was shocked when the Vet called to inform us that our little pup was in actuality a little girl. This is where the problems began! Since bringing our dog Mercy home I have learned that this little pup had already given her full allegiance to Stephanie.

Let me give a few examples. 1.) Stephanie can say, "Mercy, Go potty." And the dog responds by trotting off to find the right spot to take a poo. I say, "Mercy, Go potty," and she responds with that puzzled stare when dogs tilt their heads to one side and they are trying to figure you out. 2.) Since day 1 with Mercy, Steph and I have both tried to get her to play fetch with us. We have tossed the ball only to see her sit and stare. Well, yesterday at lunch we had a breakthrough. Stephanie successfully got her to fetch a toy and return it several times. I was so excited to see this, I had to give it a try. I grabbed the toy, knelt down next to Mercy, threw the toy, and said "Mercy go get it." She tried to bite my leg instead. 3.) Last night, I thought I would redeem myself by taking Mercy for a little run down the street, so I put her leash on and headed out the door. We got to the edge of the drive way and Mercy screeched to a halt. I stood out in the street making noises, shouting for her, telling her to come, doing everything possible to get her to follow me. She wouldn't budge. Tonight as I was watching the Olympics, Stephanie walked out the door with a little black ball of fur leading the way. She came back to let me know that the two of them had made a successful trot down to the end of the street.

As I finish this post tonight, Mercy is lying on the kitchen floor asleep. I'm quite sure she is dreaming about frollicking through green pastures, jumping through the air to catch frisbees, and relaxing on the back porch--all of course at her master's side.

Feeling the Burn

In the last week and a half, I have put in some serious miles. Last week, I ran 88 miles. Then I ran my longest single run in over 2 years of 23 miles on Sunday. Today, I am definately feeling the burn in my legs. I ran 6 this afternoon but felt very sluggish. I am hoping I can regain some pep in my step tomorrow. As of today, I stand at 64 miles for the week and should easily get over 100 by Saturday. This is the most mileage I have put in since my college years. I am hoping this will prepare me well for an opportunity to win the Steamtown Marathon in October.

With all of the miles I have doing; however, I was humbled on Saturday while watching the Women's Olympic Marathon. According to an NBC report, China's #1 runner put in 750 miles a month to train for the Olympics. 750!! . . . . . . . . Let that soak in. ... . . . . . . . . . . . .That's about 190 miles a week! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 miles a day!. . . . . . . Crazy!

I have the poem below taped to my desk at school. As I begin a new school year, my goal is to be true to myself and not cheat "the man in the glass."

The Guy in the Glass

When you get what you want in your struggle for self,

And the world makes you King for a day,

Then go to the mirror and look at yourself,

And see what that guy has to say.

For it isn't your Father, or Mother, or Wife,

Whose judgment upon you must pass.

The feller whose verdict counts most in your life

Is the guy staring back from the glass.

He's the feller to please, never mind all the rest,

For he's with you clear up to the end,

And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test

If the guy in the glass is your friend.

You may be like Jack Horner and "chisel" a plum,

And think you're a wonderful guy,

But the man in the glass says you're only a bum

If you can't look him straight in the eye.

You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years,

And get pats on the back as you pass,

But your final reward will be heartaches and tears

If you've cheated the guy in the glass.

by Dale Wimbrow, 1895-1954

Running VS. Coaching Running

The hardest lesson I have learned as a young coach is that some kids will never have the same passion or work ethic for the sport that I love. No matter how hard I try, I cannot seem to convince kids of the joy and benefits of running. While I find passion and excitement in my own running, I am starting to become frustrated as a distance coach. We had only 8 kids show up to our first cross country practice this evening. This is the worst turnout in the six years I've been at Krum. What's worse is that this is my first year at the helm. I am disheartened, but I know I have to do my best for the few kids that have made the committment to run. It will take great patience and wisdom to remain positive over the course of the season.

My Wife

Since getting married in March, many people have recently asked me, "So how is married life?" Well, I have to say that marriage is great!! Mostly because I am married to the most wonderful woman in the world. I got up early this morning to do a long run from Krum to a random gas station in Denton (some 20+ miles away). When I asked Stephanie if she would pick me and my running partner, Coach Willison, up when were finished she didn't even hesitate to say "sure". Steph has been awesome in supporting me in my running career. I cannot thank her enough for standing by me as I pursue my goals and encouraging me along the way.

I thought a little bit about what these first few months of my marriage have meant. It sounds funny, but the the past 5 months of marriage remind me of several things--my Grandpa's old recliner, my morning cup of coffee, a run on a cool crisp morning, and my mom's buffalo chip cookies.

Okay, let me explain. Pappy (my grandpa) gave me his old recliner when I graduated college because they no longer needed it. That recliner has been my favorite place to relax for over five years now; it is well worn and occasionally I can still smell remnants of my grandfather's scent. The living room would not be as comfortable without that chair.

One of my favorite things to do is sip a cup of coffee and read the newspaper at the breakfast table. I know that makes me seem really old, but I find it very relaxing. After finishing my morning coffee, I feel like I can conquer the world. Without it, I really struggle through the day.

Running is best when done on an early morning when the wind is calm, the air is crisp and the temp. is cool. It seems that some of my best runs have come in the early Fall and Spring months when the weather is nice. It's on these days that I feel like one of running's Elites. Without these days to look forward to, it would be difficult to maintain motivation in the grueling summer and winter months.

Oh boy, my mom's buffalo chip cookies!! She used to send me boxes of them in college. I'm not sure what all she puts in them but they are great. In college I waited for her to send them to me like I was awaiting a paycheck. The cookies were usually gone in a matter of days. Those cookies helped me get through the "homesick" period of my early college years.

All of these things help make my life a little sweeter, a bit more relaxing, and keep me smiling. Steph has sweetened my life more than any of the above. It is hard to remember what my life was like before we met, but I know I thank God every day that we found each other.

So, how is married life?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Well, it's SWEET!

In My Mind. . . . . I am an Olympian

I had one of those moments on my run last night where everything just seemed to click. My intentions were to run an easy 6 miles (my second run of the day), but about 20 minutes into it I felt like I was gliding. I ran past the 3 mile turn-around point and just kept running. Some people describe this feeling as a "runner's high". I have never really liked that description because I don't think it does justice to the feeling that comes over you. It's a moment of clarity; a point where peace, beauty, art and spirituality intersect. These moments are often short-lived, but not this one. I ran like I was floating; there was no pain or stress; no worries.

I'm not sure what triggered it. Perhaps it was the welcomed cool in the air, the breeze holding my sweat at bay, or the Rolling Stones communicating to me You Can't Always Get What You Want through my IPOD. Maybe it was just that my legs felt fresh and my body was at equilibrium. Most likely, it was a combination of all of the above. I ran effortlessly. I was no longer excersizing or even running; I was simply existing. I felt as if I were a part of nature, like a leaf blowing in the breeze. I ended my run at 8.5 miles.

Still feeling great I went inside and turned on the t.v. to catch Michael Phelps swim the Olympic 200 meter free. I watched in amazement as he gracefully slithered through the water to capture gold for the U.S. You could see it on his face after he finished. He had felt it, he had one of those moments. It's passion for a sport that allows you to arrive at this state of athletic bliss. It's a combination of this passion, God-given talent, intelligence, and maybe a splash of good fortune that gives an athlete access into the world of elite sports. My run didn't take place in Beijing, it was on the country roads of Krum, TX. But on this night, I wasn't much different than Michael Phelps. For 8.5 miles, on a lonley road in a country town. . . . in my mind. . . . I was an Olympian.

The Wedding Banquet

In my study today, I read the Parable of the Wedding Banquet. Matthew 22:1-14. To paraphrase, the parable is about a a king who invites many people in his kingdom to his son's wedding. Many people refused his invitation, so the king sent his servants to the street corners to invite anyone that would come. It was at the street corners where the king found his wedding guests. Of those that came to the wedding banquet, there was a man that appeared without proper wedding attire, so the king had the man thrown out of the wedding. Verse 14 reads, "For many are invited, but few are chosen."

The footnote in my Bible helped me understand the meaning of this parable. It reads, "God invites 'many' to be part of his kingdom, but only a 'few' are chosen by him. This does not mean that God chooses arbitrarily. The invitation must be accepted, followed by appropriate conduct. Proper behavior is evidence of being chosen."

The last wedding I went to was my own. I remember how important it was to me that I looked my best. I had to have the closest possible shave, I put on a splash of cologne, my nose hairs were trimmed, my tux was clean and wrinkle free, my shoes had a glossy shine, and each of the hairs on my head were held in place by healthy dose of hair gel. Our wedding was beautiful and no one threatened to throw me out. I had the proper dress; I fit the part.

The Kingdom of Heaven is near, the wedding day is approaching, so today I am reminded that I need to do some grooming. My life, my behavior should indicate that I am an invited wedding guest, that I have been chosen to attend the greatest Heavenly banquet of all.

Running Vegas

This past week I was in Las Vegas for an annual golf/gambling retreat I take with some of my buddies. I'm not sure why I go because my golf game is very sub-par and analyzing the contents of my wallet would indicate that I'm even worse at gambling. The six days in the Nevada desert also took its toll on my running. We woke up very early each day and played golf in the morning, which left the afternoon hours available to attempt a run. Let's just say that running in temps of 105+ in the baking sun is not ideal training. I managed only 3 runs while away, a total of 28 miles in 6 days. I will say that my golf game improved quite a bit over the course of the trip, and we played some very nice but difficult golf courses.

With the 3 hour flight to Las Vegas and then back to Dallas, I managed to read a fantastic book, Blue Like Jazz. It is about one man's (Donald Miller's) understanding of Christian spirituality and his journey to find God. I identified with his struggles of selfishness, and admired his desire to love others more. I highly recommend the read, and I am considering reading some of the other works by this talented author. You can check his website out at http://www.donaldmillerwords.com/.

Finally, before leaving for Las Vegas, Steph and I rescued a 2 month old Border Collie mix from the Denton Shelter. She is a cutie that loves to play; we named her Mercy. Stephanie was stuck housetraining and taking care of Mercy, our cat Grace, and her parents' cat Oscar while I was gone to Vegas. I know it was probably hard on her--Have I mentioned how awesome my wife is?

Needless to say, I was happy to return to Krum and my beautiful wife last night. I ran an easy five this morning in a comfortable 85 degrees.

Windmill 10K

This past weekend, Steph and I travelled to San Francisco on vacation. While there, I ran a 10K hosted by the DSE Runners Club. The race started at the old Dutch Windmill in Golden Gate Park. It was an out-and-back hilly course along one of the park's primary roads, Kennedy Drive. The race was organized by DSE Club member Kennet de Silva, who was raising funds for the Sri Lankan Runners Fund (http://www.srilankanrunnersfund.com/). Their purpose is to raise funds for struggling runners in Sri Lanka.

With no watch, it was difficult to check my progress along the course, but I still managed to win the race in 32:16. Check the results here.

Running without a watch

There is a spot on my left wrist about 2 inches wide that is smooth to the touch and around 3 shades whiter than any other part of my body (which is pretty WHITE if you have seen me with no shirt). My wrist now feels naked without the Nike running watch that was it's companion for over a year. The watch, a gift from my beautiful wife Stephanie, finally gave out. A runner becomes incredibly dependent upon his/her watch, frequently looking at it on the run for a steady stream of feedback (whether postitive or negative). I have run without my watch now for over a week. Out of habit, I still reach for the stop button every time I pause to cross a busy street, tie a shoe, or fend off a dog attack. My watch was my way of measuring how far I had run; I knew if I ran for an hour that I had completed at least 9 miles.

Without the running time strapped around my wrist, I have been simply running on feel. I run until my legs begin to feel tired, then I stop. Surprisingly, the fatigue usually sets in about an hour later. However, what I have noticed is that the runs seem shorter. An hour run seems more like 30 or 40 minutes; time seems to pass by at a much faster rate. Perhaps the running watch provides too much feedback. I know with a watch, I would constantly look down at my time to check my progress only to discover that I still had 50 minutes of running left to do. I have also been able to run at a much more relaxed pace, paying attention to how my legs feel instead of trying to push and run a route faster than the time before.

Still, it seems strange to start a run without pushing a START button. I intend to send my watch off for repair, and I look forward to getting it back soon. But, I think it would be a good idea to incorporate some "watch-less" days of running into my training, especially on easier recovery days where pace is irrelevant.