Catching Up And Running Off

What a week it's been! My last substantial post was quite a while ago, but for good reason. Wednesday through Friday of last week were largely spent preparing for the Storyhill concert at University Lutheran Center, which I'm happy to report was by and large a success. We had a smaller crowd than we anticipated, but very enthusiastic and also new to our place, so our hopes of using the concert as a profile-raising event were somewhat fulfilled. The music was wonderful, as I expected, but the far greater gift was getting to know Chris Cunningham and John Hermanson and learning that as good as their music may be, their character and graciousness exceeds their musical gifts. I'll admit that I was terrified that at our first slip they'd get all pissy and artistically temperamental, but when we did have some unfortunate surprises they rolled with the punches and put on an absolutely amazing show. Best of all, when Kris and I gave them a few tokens of our appreciation, John returned the favor with copies of a yet-to-be-released compilation of psalms he's been working on. I damn near melted into a puddle of goo when that happened, but managed to hold it together until we got home Friday night, at which point I stayed up reading until very late that night because I couldn't get my heart to slow down or my spirits to recede enough that sleep would be possible. Nice to have a problem like that sometimes.

Saturday we rose early and flew to Eugene, Oregon with my sister-in-law and her family. My father-in-law retired Sunday after 21 years at his current church and 34 years in ministry altogether. We had a wonderful celebration all day Sunday. My in-laws are kooky, crazy and sometimes batty to the point of befrazzlement, but being a part of their lives is a great honor and privilege - never more than Sunday when we honored both my father- and mother-in-law for their years of faithful service to the church, their children and each other.

In the days since then, we've been working to pack up the parsonage and spending time with my wife's friends and family. After 21 years in a gigantic parsonage, my in-laws, who suffer from a bit of packrat-itis and compulsive collecting, have a LOT of stuff to move, so we've been busy. Corralling the grandkids, who range from six months to four years, is no easy task either. So, with all that's happened I haven't had much time to blog.

I LOVE visiting Eugene. I have the great good fortune of loving my in-laws and their group of friends and family, so it's always nice to be here. But an additional blessing is the city itself. Eugene is just a cool place to be, especially along the Willamette River, especially for runners like me. I've had two runs along the Willamette this week and plan to enjoy two more before we leave on Friday for the voyage home. This will hopefully help me build more endurance toward the Dam to Dam 20K I'm running in late May and the 10K I'm running with my brother and some college buddies in Lincoln the following week.

So, that's the news from Eugene for today. I may or may not post again before coming home. The computer at the in-laws' house is in a regularly traveled hallway, and I find more and more that I need privacy to write well. Tomorrow afternoon's visit to a coffee house will be to finish the sermon for Sunday, and I may not have any more time to spare since we've got lots of boxes yet unpacked in the parsonage and my beloved is patient but not to be put to the test. Blessings, friends, and if you're along the river in Eugene tomorrow morning, wave at the fat bald guy running along with a big smile on his face.

Grace & peace,
Scott

2008 Running Goal

In the sidebar on the right you'll notice I've got a running report - this comes from the nifty training log at Runner's World magazine's website. It's a neat tool - I've got most of my running routes mapped so that all I have to do to keep track of my times & distances is enter what I've done that day. As of today, October 31, I've got 480 miles on the year with two months to go. That means if I get 60 miles in both November and December, I will have run 600 miles in 2008. Since I have yet to meet my goal of breaking 4 hours in a marathon, this one will have to do for the year. I do hope to continue shuffling along and eventually break that 4 hour barrier. But I might have to give up some beer and ice cream to do it, and I'm not sure it's worth the suffering. :-)

It's pretty cool how the miles add up after a while. And how much I'd missed being a regular runner while we were adjusting to Alanna being in the house. The last two months have seen steady improvement in both regularity and distance, so hopefully I can keep that up over the winter and really push on when spring rolls around.

Monday Meme: 7 Random Things

I've already given up on the 365 Project with Alanna. This is NOT due to Second Child Syndrome (at least, I keep telling myself it isn't); I just don't have enough mental space for a daily reminder to take a picture and post it. But I'll get some pics up pretty regularly anyway, especially as Kristin continues to regain her strength post-C-section and can take up more of the kid-wrangling duties. Right now MIL and I have it covered, but it takes a lot of our time.



HotCup and Cheesehead did a Random Seven meme in the last week, and I thought it looked fun. So, here goes:



Thing the 1st: I sweat. A LOT. I've been trying to ride my bike to work more often as a conservation thing, but when it's in the 90s with that thick, thick humidity as it is now, it's just awful because I'm a sweaty mess by the time I arrive. At the gym, I'm the guy who's through his shirt in the first five minutes on the treadmill and needs to just soak the thing in disinfectant spray after a good long run. Being summer, I'm even worse than normal at the moment. That guy way down on the end of the treadmill line? Yeah, that's me. Don't get too close - you might get splashed. Sorry about that.


Thing the 2nd: I'm totally addicted to the Star Wars: Legacy of the Force series. It's awesome - righteously fireplacing awesome storytelling. Forget the bloviating, ponderous crap George Lucas foisted on the Star Wars universe with the prequels (it's sad how good those movies could have been if someone else had written the dialogue): this series, written by Aaron Allston, Karen Traviss and Troy Denning is where the best Star Wars work is happening. In addition to their excellent work here, I'd add anything written by Timothy Zahn; these are the best writers out there currently in the Star Wars universe, IMHO.


Thing the 3rd: I think my beloved Huskers will win nine games this year and push for the Big 12 North division title. I know last year's record doesn't indicate this type of reversal is in the cards, but I think most of the predictions I've seen thus far this summer are woefully wrong due to a) an underestimation of the talent Bill Callahan's staff recruited to Nebraska and b) the potential that the new staff under Coach Pelini can tap from said underestimated team. Frankly, though, I don't care if they win any games so long as they show up and play hard, physical, balls-to-the-wall football. I think Nebraska is in for a return to glory, and I haven't been this excited for a season to get started since 1997.

Thing the 4th: I've gained about five pounds since Alanna was born, but I don't care. What with mid-night feedings interrupting my sleep (studies show that a lack of sleep contributes to weight gain) and the corresponding lack of energy sapping my workouts, it's a wonder I can still get into any of my clothes, to be honest. I'm going to give myself about a month to just not worry about training too much; being a good daddy is much more important right now.

Thing the 5th: I LOVE our minivan, even though it gets about half the mileage our Passat gave us and it's a Ford. Yep, you read that right: I love our Ford minivan, crappy quality reputation and all. It's just nice to be able to get the girls in and out of the vehicle so quickly, and to have room for a double stroller, two child seats, a mother-in-law, and me & the wifey, plus our luggage, all of which we'll be taking to Nebraska later this week.

Thing the 6th: My aunt sent me some information about hypermiling that I thought was intriguing. Some of these practices I've been using for years: coasting onto exit ramps and up to stoplights in neutral (recommended only if you drive a manual transmission like I do), using cruise control as often as possible, etc. But some of it seems pretty crazy. No air conditioning? Drafting as often as possible? No-brake corners? There's some safety concerns there that I wouldn't care to risk.

Thing the 7th: I really miss our massage therapist from Minnesota (not to mention the extra cash it took to take advantage of her skills). Getting older really sucks sometimes. As I've been working out over the past few weeks, and working outside as well, I've had a lot of muscle soreness and pain, especially in the mornings. Man, I'm tired of getting up in the morning with everything aching like it does. I need a good, 90 minute, full-body massage, and financially it's not in the cards for a while yet. Ouch.

Well, that's the random stuff for the day. If you've read this far, consider yourself tagged.

Quick and Dirty Grandma's Marathon Post OR "I Ran, I Stopped, I Vomited."

Miles: 26.2
Official Race Time: 4:44:05
Chip Time: 4:39:34
Average Pace: 10:41/mile
Overall Place: 4198
Gender Place: 2930
30-39 Males Division Place: 1160
Sunburned Shoulder Differential: Left Shoulder +50%
Packages of Gu & Clif Shot Bloks Consumed: 2
Toenails Currently Turning Black: 3 (Left #2, Right Big Toe and #2)
Walk Breaks: 4
High-Fives from Al Franken: 2 (because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me enough that I shold run for U.S. Senate...)
Post-Race Vomiting Episodes: 1
Feeling of Elation for Having Faced Down 26.2 Again: Beyond Calculation.

Pics and the story to follow in a couple of days.

Last Long Run and iPod shuffle

Okay, well, 5 miles isn't exactly a long run when you're planning to run 26.2 in four days, but this was the last run of significance before the big day on Saturday. It's been GO - HO - HO - HORGEOUS in Ames over the last few days, and today was no exception. 80 and sunny with just a touch of breeze to keep the sweat off while I ran - you really can't ask for much better in a late afternoon run.

[EDIT FROM THIS MORNING] I nearly forgot what caused me to think about blogging this run. As I was about a mile into it, I think I might have met an NCAA All-American on his own afternoon run. Hillary Bor placed fourth in the Men's Steeplechase last Friday, and that's him pictured above, flying over the steeplechase hurdle. As I was running, I met a thin African-American runner who was gliding far too effortlessly up 13th Street to be anything but a collegiate runner. It was beautiful to watch him stream towards me, and I turned around & watched for just a second or two after we met. Long, graceful strides and not a grimace of pain on his face. To run like that would be a dream indeed. [end of the addition]

While I am a supporter of iPod bans on race courses, I do enjoy listening to my music while I train. Frankly, I'm of the opinion that runners who need iPods to survive a race should question why they're running in the first place. You might disagree - fine. But it's my blog. :-) Anyway, here's the random run shuffle for today:

1. "Beautiful Day" by U2 - okay, that wasn't random - I usually kick off a run with it, and I listen to it last thing before checking in my bag at the start. Is there a better song for lifting your spirits?
2. "Long Journey Home" by the Chieftains with Jackson Browne
3. "Travelin' Band" by Creedence Clearwater Revival - "737 comin' out of the sky, oh won't you take me down to Memphis on a midnight ride": that was nice
4. "Our Love Is Here To Stay" by Harry Connick, Jr.
5. "Heart of Gold" by Neil Young
6. "A Blessing And A Curse" by Harry Connick, Jr.
7. "The Planets, Op. 32: Mercury, the Winged Messenger" by Gustav Holst, performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra - interesting that I should get Mercury, fleet of foot, while I'm running. Does Apple know something I don't?
8. "Under the Weather" by KT Tunstall
9. "Once" by Pearl Jam - My buddy Aaron will like that I've got this album on the iPod.
10. "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say / Blarney Pilgrim" by Michael Card
11. "I'll Fly Away" by Alison Krauss and Gilian Welch
12. "Astronaut Dreams" by Peter Mayer
13. "Dare You To Move" by Switchfoot - another "is my iPod tuning into me?" song...
14. "Reconsider Baby" by Eric Clapton - from one of my favorite albums, "From the Cradle"
15. "I Can't Get Started" by Dizzy Gillespie
16. "Gloria: Allegro Vivace" by John Rutter - this to end my run? Are you kidding? AWESOME!

Time and Priorities

As I was trying to get the Durufle video from YouTube working yesterday, I noticed that the countdown widget for Grandma's Marathon to your right was down to less than 14 days. My first response was, "Oh, shit." Second response: "Well, it's not like you haven't run the full 26.2 before, right?" Third response: "Where did all the time go?"

I entered Grandma's just after we moved to Ames. In the time since then, I've broken and repaired our treadmill twice. After the second breakdown we joined a gym and will be selling said treadmill soon (we bought it back in the days when the nearest gym was 30 miles away and winter lasted six months). So even though we've had some of the nastiest weather I've ever experienced this winter and spring, it's not as if I haven't had the opportunity to do the training required for running a marathon. Well, running a marathon well, that is.

There are a number of reasons I haven't trained as well as I would have preferred. Numero Uno on that list is the move. Putting all your stuff where you think it oughta go is difficult, frustrating and time-consuming; some of our items have moved three or four times since the three of us came to Ames. Reason the second is the child(ren). I love running, but I love being a good daddy even more, so my priorities have changed. Frankly, it's been frustrating; being with my daughter is wonderful, and the right thing for me to do, but it's hard to make that sacrifice. Helping Kristin with her pregnancy as I'm able also takes up a lot of time, and believe me when I say that in two months I'll be lucky to get out for a run at all for a while. Add in a bit of sympathy weight (it's hard NOT to eat when your life partner is noshing every chance she gets) and the lousy weather and it's not surprising that I'm going into this marathon just hoping to beat my 4:35:00 from the last time out.

This morning I tried something new. Kristin is teaching a morning water aerobics class that falls squarely, for me, on the most inconvenient morning hour possible. I like to get up at 6:00, do some devotional reading and sip a cup of coffee or two, then head out for my run at 7:00, but for this summer, that 7:00 hour is taken up with childcare while Kris goes out to make some money (which I don't oppose - we like money here). So, today was day one of the "How Freaking Early Do You Want To Run?" experiment - a 5:00 a.m. wake-up call followed by a 5:30 am run. All told, it went well, but if you'd have told me fifteen years ago that I'd be doing this I'd have either laughed in your face or punched you for a liar. Ah, how life changes.

Time and priorities - it all comes down to that, doesn't it? Do I want to stay healthy, or do I want to polish off the bag of barbecue potato chips? (Stay healthy - rats). Do I want to play with Ainsley, or do I want to dump her on Kristin so I can get my run in? Blog or Facebook? Read a book or watch Mike Roe fall into something icky on Dirty Jobs? We often think about morality as if everything were a choice between good and evil, but I'm finding more often that the choices are really between two different kinds of good (e.g. BBQ potato chips taste good vs. running builds good health and makes me feel good about myself). A few years ago my new year's resolution was to spend more time making things instead of consuming them, but it's a hard road to walk when it's so much easier (and quicker) to buy what you need/want. Sometimes good priorities come with a price that can be difficult to pay.

I ran out of time for really doing this marathon well, but for the most part that time was better spent, in ways more suited to my genuine priorities, and the cost is not so much I can't bear it. Instead of pushing myself and possibly earning an injury, I'll enjoy a long run down the Lake Superior shoreline with two good friends, which is a priority I'm happy to indulge. If you're in Duluth a week from Saturday, look for me at the finish line in Canal Park at about noon or so, and if I'm smiling, that'll be the proof that it was all time well spent.

One Day of Running

I've often said that one of the primary reasons I've stayed a runner is the cool gadgetry. I love thinking about different types of shoes and how they work, looking for good deals on moisture-wicking shirts and shorts, waiting for my favorite double-layered socks to go on sale, etc. Right now I'm saving up to buy a combination stopwatch/heart rate monitor. I guess all of this indulges the boy in me who will forever be entranced by lightsabers, rings of power and the idea that a truck could become a robot commanding a huge robot army.

I mention this because one of the new gadgets I've discovered is the training log program that Runner's World runs through their website. It compiles your mileage, times, how many miles are on the shoes you wear, what the weather was like on your last run, and about as much detail as you'd like to add. They even have a mapping program so you can enter the routes you run where you live and know the exact mileage of each route, which is a marked improvement from my old method of driving the routes and using the trip odometer on my car (and guestimating the distance when I ran where I couldn't drive). AND they have a button you can add to your blog, so that others can keep track with you - you can see it to the right, just under the "About Me" section.

As I was entering tonight's tempo run (1.5 mile warmup, 4 miles at 8:23 / mile or faster, .75 mile cooldown), I noticed that my comprehensive running time for 2008 is 24:12:44. So far in 2008 I've run for just over one day, total. The thought of it just amazed me. I started running for fitness eight years ago, when I finally got fed up with wearing jeans with a 40 inch waistband and getting seriously winded walking up the hill from Burntvedt Court on the Luther Seminary campus. Back then, I couldn't run constantly for very long - I'd go 3 minutes running, 2 minutes walking, for 30 minutes or so. But slowly, I made progress. I got to where I could run without stopping for much longer than I thought I ever could. On my internship in Florida, running kept me sane when lots of stuff around me was driving me crazy (and, let's be honest, a fair amount of my own stuff was contributing to the craziness). I came back to seminary the next year so thin that my classmates didn't recognize me: one friend who'd been in a monthly marriage care group and several of my classes walked right past me in the weight room before doing a double-take and coming back to say hello. Two years ago, in response to a particularly rough stretch that included my first diagnosis of depression, I entered the Fargo Marathon to give me a goal to work toward. Today, I'm a little heavier than I was then, but I'm still running, and I still enjoy it nearly every time I go out.

Transformation is a pretty incredible thing to see in hindsight. One day you're running just to drop a couple of pounds, the next you're wondering how much weight you could drop and whether you actually could take a shot at qualifying for the Boston Marathon in a few years. I didn't get into this to do anything other than be healthier, but now it's become such a part of my life that I can't imagine myself NOT running. It'll be interesting to see where this takes me.

Anyway, since I don't currently have a book on the iPod (problems with audible.com), I did a random shuffle for the run today. (the iPod is, by the way, another great gadget) Here's the list:
1. "Satisfied Land" by Storyhill (a great start if you ask me)
2. "Light As The Breeze" by Billy Joel
3. "Come Back To Bed" by John Mayer
4. "Like a Child (Live)" by Jars of Clay
5. "Grace Is Gone" by the Dave Matthews Band
6. "Nightingale" by Norah Jones
7. "Begin" by the Wailin' Jennys
8. "Jill" by Harry Connick, Jr.
9. "Peaches & Diesel" by Eric Clapton
10. "New York Prophesie" by Blues Traveler
11. "Good To Have A Friend" by Peter Mayer
12. "Bela's Reels" by the Chieftains
13. "I Got Stripes" by Johnny Cash ("on a Monday, I was arrested...uh huh...")
14. "Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes" by Paul Simon
15. "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down (And Write Myself A Letter)" by Nat King Cole
16. "Peace Of Mind" by Boston (possibly the best intro to a song ever written. ba da da dum, da da dum da dum da diddly-a dum...)
17. "Rhythm Of Life" by Soul Support
18. "Let's Live It Up" by Brian Setzer
19. "Black & Tans" by the Wild Clover Band
20. "Jerry Was A Racecar Driver" by the Cornhusker Marching Band Drumline

Now, here's the funny thing about the last two - tomorrow the fam and I are off to Omaha to visit my brother and his family, to enjoy a birthday party for my nephew, AND to see the Wild Clover Band at the Brazen Head Pub. My college friend Aaron Svoboda plays bodhran and sings in the WCB, and I can't wait to see him and his wife. It's going to be a great weekend, made even better by the run I'm going to enjoy in Plattsmouth, NE on Saturday morning. So, in the best Irish I've got, let me wish you all:
Slainte!

Hi, I'm Scott - this is my blog...

It's been more sporadic blogging lately. I don't know why, precisely - I'm just not feeling as inspired to write and reflect at the present. That doesn't bother me so much, but I've not been reading blogs as much, either, and that makes me uncomfortable. So many people have great things to say, and I'm not giving them an audience they deserve. Anyway, I'm going to stop playing Scrabulous for a bit and tell you what's up here in Ames.

Speaking of Facebook, it's been kinda fun suggesting friends and having them suggested to me. I've connected with a few old friends and lots of new ones, and I've kept in touch with some folks from our previous calls as well. Scrabulous, though, is definitely the best thing about Facebook.

Ainsley continues to be a wonderful blessing to Kris and me. Having learned some basic children's signs, she can now ask for food, help with various things around the house, and lots of other stuff. I took her to the pediatrician on Monday, and all of a sudden she started signing "Baby." Then she pointed to the picture of a mother and baby on the cupboard above my head. Talk about a proud moment! Then she asked for milk and food to eat and we proceeded to enjoy a snack together in the examination room. I've remarked more than once to Kristin that she may not be talking yet, but she is communicating, and it's a lot of fun.

I've picked up my training for Grandma's Marathon, which is two short months from yesterday. *gulp* We've joined a gym in Ames and have been putting our membership to good use - in the 23 days of April I've gotten in 13 workouts, and that includes my trip to Nashville when I was so tired from the long travel days that I just slept in. In the past week alone I've lost two pounds - hopefully I'll keep losing weight and approach my goal weight of 190 lbs. for the marathon. If I'm going to make it under 4 hours I'll need to cut the weight. On Monday night I enjoyed my last bit of ice cream until my birthday, and I've eliminated the late night TV snacks as well. We'll see how it all goes, but I'm pretty happy thus far.

Is it me, or does it seem like God just flipped a switch and spring came ON? We went from cold and rainy and even snowy to green and warm in less than twenty-four hours, it seems, and I'm loving every minute of it. So is Ainsley, who now asks to go outside several times a day (when she's not already out there, that is). We were definitely feeling cabin fever the last few weeks of March, and apparently we weren't the only ones: either Ames is home to the highest per-capita percentage of runners in the world, or everyone's out feeling their oats this spring.

Watched a neat little program last night on NOVA: Tom & Ray Magliozzi, aka Click & Clack the Tappett brothers, hosted The Car of the Future. It wasn't as funny as I'd hoped it would be, but damn, as soon as Tesla comes out with an affordable plug-in I'll be first in line. That sports coupe they are building right now is HOT. Here's a video promo for the show that also shows the Tesla AND Ray's beloved '52 MG:



Good stuff there - brought to you by Dewey, Cheathem & Howe, naturally.

In book news, I've finished the Irish Century series by Morgan Llywelyn. 1999: A Novel of Ireland and the Search for Peace was the last and, unfortunately, very disappointing. After the Halloran family was so deeply involved in the republican cause for most of the century, watching them watch the rest of the century happen was very much underwhelming. You just never got the sense of the historic figures in 1999 like you did with Padraig Pearse, Michael Collins and even Eamon de Valera in the earlier volumes. That having been said, it's a worthy series with much to recommend it, even the final volume. Now I'm looking for good books on ancient Irish history, Brian Boru and the like, and not necessarily historical fiction, so if you've got suggestions, please send them my way!

Campus ministry continues to feel like a good fit for me, and I'm very thankful for the opportunity to work with and for these young people in our community. It's just incredible to watch them live and study and work and grow and become who they're becoming. Jan E at A Church for Starving Artists had a post about her church and their struggle to be a better community for each other - her frustration hits why I feel called here squarely on the head. I did NOT become a pastor to churn out confirmands and pray at every church supper - I'm here to help people ask the questions for themselves and learn what it means to be a disciple of Jesus every day for the rest of their lives, to never stop growing in faith, and in campus ministry I feel like I can really put that passion to good use. As I said a while back, it's good to feel useful again.

Well, that's the news from Ames - blessings to you all!

Peace,
Scott

Aggravated in Ames

It's snowing. Again.

Beloved got up awkwardly this morning and pulled a muscle in her abdomen. I mean, a serious tear - she's in a lot of pain and on orders to take it easy.

The combination of these two factors leads to this: I'm staying home today. I stayed home in the morning to make sure Beloved was okay; I actually took her to the doctor to make sure the baby was fine (it was). Then my secretary called Beloved while I was showering and said "No one's called. No one's come in. I'm done with the bulletin. It's snowing. I'm going home. Scott doesn't even have to come in if he doesn't want to." I don't: so I won't. Personal day, here we come! (one of the benefits of being in ministry and only working one day a week, I guess.)

This has been one of the hardest winters I've ever experienced. The combination of cold and snow in Minnesota with tons of ice and snow since we've moved to Ames has led to us feeling lethargic and more than a little cabin-feverish. Not to mention heavy - I've gained weight because, well, it's just hard to run outside when there's ice on the ground, our treadmill is broken, and we don't have money to join a gym just yet. So, we're frustrated and injured and fat and lazy. Not to mention aggravated (always acknowledge all alliteration, affirmative?).

I know there are lots of folks who have things a lot worse than we do - we're warm, we're dry, the utilities are paid up and our cars work, the babies are healthy and happy. But, nonetheless, this is where we are right now.

In happier news, I'd like to extend a warm welcome to the newest member of the LutheranHusker clan - Matt's Sweetie delivered a healthy baby this morning. I wonder if they'll let me call her Thumpy McNosetackle? Anyway, mazel tov!

Friday Five: Heavenly

What is your idea of a heavenly (i.e. wonderful and perfect):

1. Family get-together
This one is actually a memory more than a hope: I remember a Johnson family reunion when I was young, probably six or seven years old. We met in the park in my hometown of Wakefield, Nebraska, and in my memory there's like a hundred people there. We lived a mile away from the farm where my Grandpa Johnson was raised, and his brother and sister both stayed close when they got married themselves. So we knew our cousins really well when we were growing up. Anyway, this family reunion was wonderful: everyone was there, we had tons of food to eat (including a big pile of fried chicken) and we ran and played games all afternoon. Everyone laughed and enjoyed each others' company - I'm hoping someday we can do it again.

2. Song or musical piece
Hmmmm - what to choose. Here's a few:
a. Symphony #1: Lord of the Rings by Johan de Meij
b. Heaven Is Waiting by Rich Mullins & Mitch McVicker
c. Hold Me, Jesus by Rich Mullins
d. Day By Day - a hymn by Lena Sandell
e. Jesus of Suburbia by Green Day
f. Symphony #5: From the New World by Antonin Dvorak
g. Symphony #4 by David Maslanka
h. Tom Sawyer by Rush
i. Peace of Mind by Boston
j. One Voice by the Wailin' Jennys
k. Steady On by Storyhill
These are all songs/musical works that have just made my heart jump upon hearing them, even to the hundredth time. I know the array of choices is wide, especially when you throw in Green Day and Rush, but hey, it's my heavenly music, right?

3. Gift
A new set of Callaway golf clubs would be heavenly, for sure - the FT-i neutral driver, Fusion Woods and, oh, why not the X-18 irons & wedges. Because, you know, it's all about the clubs, not the guy holding them. :-)

4. You choose whatever you like-food, pair of shoes, vacation, house, or something else. Just tell us what it is and what a heavenly version of it would be.
Let's do a heavenly Grandma's Marathon, shall we? First, I'll sleep well in my friend J's parents' house, something I never do in a strange bed. Then we'll rise early and I'll have a nice cuppa joe or two, a bagel with organic peanut butter and orange marmalade, and a banana that's at the perfect ripeness. Top it off with one more cup of coffee on our way out to Two Harbors, MN for the start of the race. The mist is breaking off of Lake Superior and the temperature is in the low 50s, where it will stay for the majority of the day because of the light northern breeze at our backs. We cross the starting line after most of the elite runners are gone, and wonder of wonders, everyone has managed to line up in their pace groups so we aren't a) dodging walkers in the first two miles and b) getting run down by the fat guy with all the tech gear who started at the back so he could pass everyone & feel awesome at others' expense. We hit all our pace goals with good effort, and even though my calves are really starting to scream by mile 20, the wall is nowhere in sight as we roll into Duluth. Then it's down to the harbor and across the finish line in 3:50:00 or better, breaking my goal of 4 hours and setting me on a course to try for Boston in a year or two. We top off the day with great food, great beer and a lot of fun with all our friends who have traveled with us to Duluth, then we spend a couple of days hiking on the North Shore before heading back home. Yeah, that'll do.

5. And for a serious moment, or what would you like your entrance into the next life to be like? What, from your vantage point now, would make Heaven "heavenly?"

Realizing that the promise of Christ was true - heaven has been waiting all along, and the journey home was about serving others, not earning the place that was given at Baptism. Seeing my Grandma & Grandpa Johnson and my Grandpa Janke, along with other family and friends who've gone before. Beyond that, it's too wonderful for words - I'll just trust that the Creator knows what He's doing and I'll love it when I get there.

Communing with Pre

I opened the year in a great way yesterday - I went for a run on Pre's Trail in Eugene, Oregon. Beloved's family has lived in Eugene for nearly 20 years, so we come here every other year for a Christmas visit. Pre's Trail runs along the Willamette River, starting at Alton Baker Park and winding in three loops, past Autzen Stadium before turning around near I-5 and winding back to the park. It's a bark trail, so it's much easier on the knees than the pavement trail I'll be running today.

"Communing with Pre" might be a bit of a stretch. Steve Prefontaine was one of the greatest distance runners in history, a small, fast, outrageously confident runner who only had one gear: full speed ahead. Me? I'm a relapsed nose tackle who is neither small nor fast. The last time I finished in the top five of a race was in fourth grade. But there is a definite spirit here in Eugene when it comes to running and being outdoors. The University of Oregon's Cross Country team won the men's national title this year, and Hayward Field, where Pre set many records and destroyed many would-be opponents, has been selected as the host site for the 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials. To run here is to run with the greats, and it's been a lot of fun this week.

Between the running and a trip to Portland on Saturday to have lunch with my cousin who loves in Seattle, I've also run out of podcasts on my iPod. So it's been random shuffling for the past few days. Here's a sample of what I've been hearing:

"Look Out For My Love" - Neil Young, Unplugged
"Music for the Royal Fireworks - 2. Bourree" - Frederick Fennell and the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, Holst, Handel & Bach
"Pregame Fanfares / There Is No Place Like Nebraska" - Cornhusker Marching Band (from the days when I was at bowl games, not watching them on TV)
"Speak To Me" - Rebecca St. James, God
"Rachamid A Bhean Bheag" - The Chieftains, An Irish Evening
"Bloomdido" - Dizzy Gillespie & Charlie Parker, Ken Burns' Jazz Collection
"Flowers on the Wall" - The Statler Brothers
"She's Got A Way" [Live] - Billy Joel, Greatest Hits, Volume 2
"Alone" [Live] - Blues Traveler, Live from the Fall
"Easy Street" [Live] - Peter Mayer, elements
"Mr. Soul" - Neil Young, Unplugged (apparently this was the "live" portion of my runs this week)
"Lincolnshire Posy - 3. Rufford Park Poachers" - Percy Grainger, performed by the Eastman Wind Ensemble
"Our Two Hearts" - David Lee Brown, Old New Borrowed Blue
"The De'il Among the Tailors" - The Wild Clover Band, One Token Irish Man
"El Condor Pasa (If I Could) - Simon & Garfunkel
"You Are On My Mind" - Chicago, performed by (you guessed it!) the 1992 Cornhusker Marching Band
"Does Anybody Really Know What Time it Is?" - Chicago, The Very Best of Chicago
"Bridge Over Troubled Water" - Simon & Garfunkel (this was the 1970s pop stars portion of my runs)
"Ellas Mari" - Navan, Lowena (possibly the most haunting song in my iPod right now - it's in Cornish, with a groundtone that just stretches through the song and makes you think you're walking through Rivendell or Lothlorien while listening to the song.)
"With Only Love" - Sara Hart, Into These Rooms

Fat Man Running!

Yesterday was the Siouxland Half-Marathon in Sioux City, IA. I ran at the invitation of our friends Jessi and Jared, who live in nearby Elk Point, SD; they invited a bunch of their friends to run with them, and we thought it sounded like a good chance to get home for a couple of days with my folks as well. All in all, it was a GREAT weekend - we got to see some of my family and friends, I got to watch my high school football team extend their winning streak to 20 games (defending Nebraska Class C-2 State Champs!) and I hit both of my goals for the run, even with precious little training. So, here's the weekend report.

We begin our coverage with a cute baby picture:


I'm happy to report she is not falling down the stairs...often.

Anyway, on Friday, we ate lunch with my mom at the hospital where she works, then drove over to see my Grandma Janke at her senior living community. We had a very nice visit: even Ainsley enjoyed the chance to see her great-grandma.


Friday night was the big Wakefield - Laurel football game. Wakefield was undefeated and ranked #1 in the state in most polls, while Laurel was also undefeated and ranked #6 in at least one poll. The game was every bit as good as it was supposed to be. My dad and I watched most of it from the north end zone, with my youngest brother and his girlfriend for the second half, and we saw most of the scoring for the evening up close. Wakefield prevailed 14-6, preserving a win streak that dates back to the start of the 2006 football season. Go Trojans! I will say this: it's a tough year to be a Husker fan, but getting this close to a high school football game reminded me what competition, heart and guts looks like. Boy, was I impressed with the kids on both teams for the way they sold out time and time again in pursuit of victory. You wonder sometimes how the game can look so different at the next level, and also what the difference is like at field level - would I see the game the same way if I could be that close in Lincoln? Hard to say. Anyway, if you need a boost of excitement, get thee to a good high school football game - it'll cure what ails ya.

I would be remiss if I didn't note that the only reason I got to watch said football game was because a certain someone who is short and has only two teeth was being a bit of a pill on Friday (no, Cletus, I don't mean Great-aunt Gladys). Our beautiful little one woke up five times Thursday night-Friday morning, wouldn't go down for her morning nap and basically scared us into cancelling a much-anticipated dinner date with LutheranHusker and his family. I'll admit that I was happy to be going to the football game as an alternative, but it would have been doubly nice to see friends instead. *sigh* Maybe over Thanksgiving, guys?

Saturday morning was the big race. I got up early, had some breakfast and left for Sioux City. The marathoners were divided into sub-4 and 4-hour+ groups. I pulled into the parking lot just as the 4-hour+ marathon group was toeing the starting line. This was one part of the race that I thought was just not well-planned. I realize that it's tough to run a marathon, but putting us slowbies at the starting line before the sun comes up? Come on, folks, give the runners the respect they deserve for trying to do this and start everyone at the same time.

Beloved and my dad headed for Sioux City later, and caught up with me at about mile five or so. Here's some pictures they took while waiting for us to get to them.


That's my girl, waiting for poppa!



Beloved, Ainsley and my dad at their post, waiting for us to get to them.

The half marathoners started at about mile 13 on the marathon course and ran to the same finish line. After a fairly flat first mile, we turned into Big Stone State Park for miles 2-4. By the time we got through the park I thought we had actually CLIMBED the "big stone:" those hills were KILLER and we were only getting started! I can't imagine what the marathoners did when they hit those half-mile, 6-10 degree hills at mile 17-19. Talk about hitting the wall. Anyway, Beloved and Dad had to wait for us on the other side of the park since they shut down the roads, so we got to them on our way downhill.


I was running with our friends Nora (l) and Jessi (r) when we got there. Beloved couldn't quite get the digital camera to shoot motion shots, so I got cut out of this one. But you can see in the picture below that we jogged right on by and kept movin' right along (I'm the widebody on the right).


Beloved did get a couple of nice shots as they zoomed past in our car on the way to the finish line. At this point we were still doing great and having fun with our 9:00/mile pace.



Somewhere around mile 9 we went into this bizarre grass alley that took us from an asphalt highway onto a concrete sidewalk, a loop around a park and back toward downtown Sioux City on a concrete road. Then we moved onto a concrete running path for a good portion of the last few miles. All that concrete really wears on your feet and joints, and I found myself really laboring to keep the pace going. But here's a first for me: I ran through two stitches by focusing and managing my breathing. Before yesterday, I never would have tried to keep up my pace, but I wanted to stay with my friends and I managed to do it. That was pretty awesome.

Of course, it was also pretty hard. To make matters worse, most of the last two miles traveled down a rather ugly stretch of 2nd Street that just seemed to last forever. It was the worst closing stretch of any race I've done so far - really miserable, as you can tell from the picture below, taken when Beloved shouted, "You're almost there!" about 400 yards from the finish:


We did finish strong, though, and wonder of wonders, the idiot boy calling out finishers actually got all three of our names right (who the bloody hell hires a high school kid to announce finishers for a marathon?). Here we are, coming down the chute and crossing the finish line.



AND even though I hadn't trained particularly well, I managed to break two hours:


Congrats from the Jessi the Ironlady, who could have run much faster but chose to stay with her friends (cause she's awesome):


Jessi's husband Jared finishing - Mr. Incredible crosses the finish line!


Daddy getting Ainsley all sweaty and not caring a bit!


Nora, Jessi, Daddy & Ainsley celebrating another fun run:



And, the whole gang: Ross, Dawn, Jessie, Jared, Jessi, yours truly, and Nora, all finishers. We rock!


And now, public pronouncement of the next goal: Grandma's Marathon, Duluth, MN, 21 June 2008, sub-4 hours or bust!

Grey Day Runnin'

So, even though yesterday was so very, very grey, I did manage to get out for a five mile run. With 20 mph winds I revised my normal five mile route so that I wouldn't hit the wind head-on more than a quarter mile or so. But even a side wind of that magnitude affects your pace. Even so, I finished in a decent 49:00 - not flying, certainly, but not shuffling, either. And surprisingly, very little huffing and puffing; I probably could have stepped it up more had the weather been more cooperative.

So, next Saturday's half-marathon may not be a complete disaster. I haven't trained nearly as well as I'd hoped; only one run of more than seven miles, and now it's far too late to throw one in. But if I can break two hours I'll feel okay about things. Frankly, it's becoming more of a pleasure race than anything else; I was invited in by our good friend Jessi and a few of their friends are in the race, too. Maybe we'll just pack up and smile and jog 13 miles together? Should be fun however it works out.

Today we went to the gym in Alexandria for our normal Wednesday morning workout, and I felt really good - stepped up some weight sets and got a mile in on the treadmill before and after the weight session. Kinda fun working out with Beloved again - we haven't done that since we were dating back at Luther Seminary. Tomorrow I'll run again, then maybe a bike ride Friday morning before a seven-miler Saturday, if I can fit it in before or after our Synod council meeting.

And that's the running update from Barrett.

Baby Ainsley 365: Buggy

First, the pictures:


Daddy and Ainsley went out for a run together on Monday - because Daddy's getting fat! Seriously, a colleague looked at me at our annual Pastors' retreat last week and said, "You've gained some weight this year, haven't you?" Sad - just sad. But true.

And this is a picture of what we see every morning when our little princess wakes up each morning.


We've been standing by ourselves since Friday - next thing you know she'll be driving...

So Ainsley caught a bug somewhere last week and it got really bad yesterday and today. She's snotty and miserable and maybe teething and just a bit of a pain right now. AND now Daddy has the bug as well. Last night I cancelled a Bible study because I just felt terrible - achy and feverish and miserable, in bed by 9:00. This morning I had a great workout at the gym and the day's been downhill from there. Came back home for a service project with our confirmation kids, during which Baby A refused to let me put her down for more than thirty seconds - my arms, already sore from weights, were just aching by the time we got done. Then, while I was training our first year students for acolyte duty, she started coughing and gagging a little bit. I picked her up and patted her back, and she proceeded to throw up.

All.

Over.

My.

Shoulder.

This wasn't cute little baby spit-up, either - my shoulder looked like I had a vomit epaulette. Lovely. Still, it didn't even come close to what AJ's cousin Q did to Beloved when we were in Oregon for Brother-in-law's wedding: that stuff was chunky.

Thankfully, the baby's day ended by falling asleep in my arms while I gave her a final bottle after her bath. No matter how awful my day is, there's nothing that beats that moment. Nothing.

Still, I hope I don't have to do it again at 3:00 tomorrow morning - there is such a thing as too much of a good thing...

Running 2007: Can't Win for Tryin'

So running this year has been a huge bust. My New Year's Resolution was running the Lincoln Marathon in 4 hours on May 6, 2007. Well, that didn't happen because I got tendinitis in my right foot. I wanted to re-dedicate myself to regular training in June, so I promptly went and threw my back out of alignment and spent the better part of a month trying to figure out why things weren't healing right. After three trips to the chiropractor, I was finally pain-free and ready to make August the start of my training for the Siouxland Half-Marathon I'll be running on October 20th. But since I've done so little running this year, I've gained a lot of weight and lost a lot of training ability. So I wanted to start from scratch - I figured this would be the healthy thing to do, a rebuild from the ground up, if you will.

Thursday night I sneezed and felt a twinge in my upper back. "Huh, that's odd," thinks I, "wonder what that was all about?" Friday I ran my five miles and felt great. By Friday evening my back was hurting a little bit, but not overwhelmingly so. Yesterday the pain got worse as the day progressed. Today I can barely turn my head and I'm having pain when I swallow, yawn and sneeze. Tomorrow it's off to the chiropractor again, I think, though I'll admit I'm afraid that I've sprung a rib or something - this breathing and swallowing thing has got me a bit worried.

I'm 33 years old and so far this year I've been sidelined by picking up the Child and sneezing. Anyone care to hazard a guess as to what's next?

But, to close on a positive note, Baby Ainsley is now sitting up, and so I'll leave you with a cute baby pic:

Running: On the Road Again

I just put together my training schedule for the Siouxland Half-Marathon, to be run 20 October 2007. This is a big deal for me right now. I've taken all of this week off in regard to exercise due to a recurring back problem that just doesn't seem to be getting better - but it's not getting worse, either, and I'm feeling heavy, listless and slow.

When I put together my training schedule for Lincoln way back in January, I overestimated my abilities and flat-out lied to the computer about what I was running. I think that had a lot to do with my tendinitis and the subsequent crash that is still affecting me today. So as I put together the schedule for Siouxland, I made sure I was honest about my current mileage and my ability to ramp up my training (slowly this time - gotta take it easy!).

My short term goal is 1:50 or faster for Siouxland. With proper diet and attention to the details of the training schedule, I think that's a definite possibility. My mid-term goal is 4:00 or better at Grandma's Marathon in Duluth next June. Again, attention to detail will be a key, but after what happened in Lincoln I think it is, again, possible.

My long term goal? Boston. No prediction as to when; it might not be attainable at all. I've made a lot of good changes in my life and gotten healthier, but I'm still a tackle running in a wide receiver's arena. But I need a motivator - why not shoot the moon?

Keep me in your prayers: I'll keep you posted on my training.

Lincoln Half-Marathon on gobigrev.blogspot.com

I posted my results from the Lincoln Half-Marathon here.

My New Running Blog

Yeah. Because I haven't been wasting enough time lately...

Anyway, I've wanted to start a running blog for quite some time. Now I have done so. If you'd like, check it out here.

I'll keep my running stuff there for now, though I'll post here about major stuff from time to time (like when I run the Lincoln Half-Marathon next weekend. Yes, I said "Half." Find out why at the running blog).

Baby Ainsley 365: Catching Up

Who wouldn't want to wake up to a face like this? It seems our little girl is a morning person.

We really like to stand up and take a good look around after we eat.

Something tells me she's going to be just this determined in 15 years, and then we'll really be in trouble.

Kaysha was a senior in high school and an active member of our youth group during my first year in Barrett. Home from college after spring break, she wanted to come over and see Ainsley again. We remembered to take a picture this time.

Apparently daycare Easter egg hunts are a little lacking in quality control.

In other news, my foot is completely pain-free today, and was for most of yesterday, too. Holy cow, do those drugs work fast. I'm still restricted running-wise, but I'm hoping to get a bike ride in tomorrow if the weather cooperates. If not, well, maybe a week off will be just what the doctor ordered. Wait - that is what the doctor ordered. Go figure. :-)

Pre-Resurrection Resurrection

Well, the computer is finally back online at home after a couple days at the shop. Just a dead battery, but in the meantime we had a six-inch snowstorm on Tuesday and we just didn't feel like journeying out in the nasty wind & snow for a computer. But it's back and working again; resurrected from the dead, if you will, at least for now.

In the meantime, here's what's happened. That great run on Saturday may have really cost me - I have some sort of tendonitis in my left foot and have been ordered to shut down for a week to let it heal. Our Nurse Practicioner gave me Naproxen and a steroid to help it heal faster, and even after 12 hours I can feel it working, so hopefully that will be the end of that. If I can get a 20 miler in before the marathon I'll feel okay about my chances, but if the weather doesn't improve I won't be able to bike to keep my fitness up where it needs to be. Right now there's still a few inches of snow & muck on the ground and that is bad news for outdoor workouts around here. Hopefully I'll at least be able to get a long ride in Saturday morning.

Sunday night was AJ's first nuclear meltdown. I had her at home for the afternoon while Beloved led some workshops at her church in Alexandria. We arrived home with groceries around 4:00, and I had just enough time to put the refrigerated stuff away before the storm ensued. She managed to get down half a bottle between crying fits and then proceeded to wail at the top of her lungs. For three hours.

Three.

Hours.

Screaming.

Baby.

Screaming.

Daddy. (into a pillow, of course)

Finally I bundled her into the car again and took off. I figured if she didn't stop by the time I got to Lutheran Social Services I'd just drop her off for adoption and tell Beloved it was for the best. ;-) Thankfully she finally quieted down after about 10 minutes in the car and I brought her home, asleep, after an hour or so. I needed the time for myself, too. Wow, that was some night.

Thankfully, Monday night was as much the opposite as one might hope. Dad & Ainsley had a lovely night at home while Beloved was back at work in Alex. Since I'm woefully behind on the Baby Ainsley 365 project I'll need a day or two to figure out how many pictures I need to post. Here's one of us finally getting the Baby Bjorn to work on Monday night. The key ingredient? You guessed it: the pacifier. Who knew?