All quiet

Its been all quiet on the blog front. I know. I know. Its been a busy holiday season. Both E1 and E2 had a wonderful Christmas season. After close to an 11 year break, I've restarted work on the basement remodel. Although as quick and as motivated as I started. Other reasons have put that on hold. Hopefully only temporary. There are some storm clouds brewing overhead on the work front. In the next week or two we'll see how things pan out. But its not looking good at all.

I fall back to the last post from December 18th. The chorus on Brandon Heath's song sums up my approach lately. I just ask for my eyes to really see (and my ears to hear) what I need to see and hear. And put my faith were it belongs, above.

More to come..
Peace
Ted

What do I want for Christmas?

Ok sure, its cliche, but to us believers, the Lord is all knowing, and he knows what we want and what we need, pretty much always before we even do. This morning on the way to work I was the recipient of one of those "that is just what I needed" type of happenings.

So what happened? I flipped over to K-Love (Positive & Encouraging Radio 94.3), and a song I never really heard just started. I didn't know the artist, but as the song progressed, I just kept thinking. Yes. YES!. What a perfect gift that would be. One I've actually been to.. ah.. seeking, even praying for. What's the song?

Inspirational Song of the Day:

Brandon Heath - Give Me Your Eyes
From the album What If We

Look down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city lights
My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight

Touch down on the cold black top
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breath in the familiar shock
Of confusion and chaos
All those people going somewhere
Why have I never cared

Chorus
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me you heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see

Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah

Step out on a busy street
See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide what's underneath
There's a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie
Too ashamed to tell his wife
He's out of work, He's buying time

Chorus

I've been here a million times
A couple of million eyes
Just move and pass me by
I swear I never thought that I was wrong
I need a second glance
Give me a second chance
To see the way you've seen the people all along

Chorus

So what do you want for Christmas?

p.s. "Give Me Your Eyes" recently won a Grammy for Best Gospel Song of 2008, and the Album "What if we" won a 2008 Grammy for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album.

4,171 and counting

I've tweaked the blog a bit. I've added a visible sitemeter that reflects the number of times the blog has been viewed. I started the meter today, so sitemeter will only reflect 1 or so hits. But the hidden google analytics has been running since the blog was started.

And would you believe it?

We've been visited 4,171 at the time this was posted. By people in 56 countries no less. Very Cool. I've got a wealth of other cool stats, but I'd probably just bore you all. I just wanted to share that news. Maybe its enough to get J posting again (hint hint). I know that her post we much more exciting than mine and brought the people in.

Also added at the very bottom of the page is a spot for those of you with blogs that want to "follow" this blog can also click there. I wonder who'll be the first. The widget looks kinda lonely there without any followers.

Hope you Advent is going well.
Peace

A day in a life..

Wake up.. run 7 miles. lunge 25 times, squat 50 times, do 75 pushups, situp 100 times, and close out with 125 jumping jacks. Now that is a way to start off a day. Much to my surprise, it was not as difficult as I was anticipating. Wednesday my legs were so sore that I thought today might not happen.

All told, as a part of this fitness challenge, I completed 16 runs in 16 days for a total of 140.5 miles. What now? I think I'll take a couple of days off to give the legs some time to recover.

How is your Advent season coming along?

I'm done... or am I?

Ok the 150k is done. I finished the last 10k today. The 30 mph gusty winds, the cold, driving rain, forced me indoors today. So 14 of 15 10ks were outside, today being the exception. Boy!! running on the treadmill is just as bad as I remembered.

But just when you thought it was all said and done...

Along comes the final "bonus activity". The bonus activities are what help as tie breakers.
So what is the activity? ....uuuughh.... Its grueling.

Part 1: 7 miles
Part 2: 25 lunges, 50 squats, 75 push ups, 100 sit ups, and 125 jumping jacks.

both parts are be done right after each other. There is no time limit, which is good. I'm setup for this tomorrow. There is a very real possibility I wont be able to finish. The calves and shin splints are making any mileage quite difficult. We'll see how far I get tomorrow.

If you are a praying type.. pray for some healing and strength, as currently I feel like amputating my legs...

Peace

1 day left.. I may be walking but I'll finish..

10k more to go. today's 10k was quite difficult. my calves and shins are really sore at this point. It could be over use, or it could be from to much running on uneven snow/ice. Only 10k more to go. I might need to walk part of tomorrow, but I'll finish. Today, I think I'll stink up the house with some bengay and start some advil.

Only 10k more to go.. and I hear we've got more snow coming today.. that means tomorrow should be even more fun.

Peace

150k in 15 days

The Chicago Marathon was on October 12th, 2008. In years past, I usually took a "break" after a bigger race, such as the marathon. My "break" extended into a "rest", into a "hiatus", into a "vacation", practically into total couch potato-ism.

It wasn't until November 25th, just over 6 weeks since the marathon, that I go off my rear end and hit the pavement. What started it? Its a Holiday Fitness challenge at our company fitness center. Its a Run/Walk 5k challenge. Its intend it is get people to incorporate more cardio into their daily and weekly lives. It Started on November 12th, and ends on December 11th.

But for me it was just the excuse I needed to break out of the running funk I've been in. Having started almost a full two weeks after everyone else, in order to reach the top goal of 150k I would need to run 10k every day for 15 days.

Now 6.2 miles is a long enough distance for just about anyone. But to start up cold turkey, and run 10k for 15 days straight is nuts even for a very accomplished runner (and I'm not that accomplished).

So here we are, December 7th. I've run 130k so far, and I've got two more 10ks to go. Since I hate running indoors, and if anyone has been watching the weather in the Chicagoland area, its been pretty nasty. I've been wicked cold, windy, snowy, icy, slipper. Some of the worst running conditions one could ask for. I don't really ever set out to impress myself, but I wasn't actually sure I could run 10k a day for 15 days straight. My legs are sore, heck everything is sore, and chaffed. Two more days...

Why submit a post like this? Well... to reasons I guess.. Once the blog is called "Tri for Hope, Sacrifice with purpose..." and I tell you what, this has been a large sacrifice, not just for me.. but the family as well. Two, its Advent, and while its the Lenten/Easter season that is popular for "giving something up". I'm using this challenge to prepare myself for Christmas. This is especially true since its during my run that I do my best thinking, praying, and generally feel closest to the Lord. So what better way that to go way overboard.. and run every day.. something I've not done in my entire life. Lastly.. maybe this post will inspire others to do something... anything.. I dunno.. maybe someone will give up using salt at meals. Its doesn't have to be 150k in 15 days. Just something you are going to sacrifice.. for a greater purpose..

Good Luck.. and Peace

From the mouths of... er um.. Cucumbers?

Thanksgiving is just around the corner for those folks in the United States. A day traditionally filled with family and with Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, pumpkin pie, cranberries, and probably some type of green bean casserole. Of course most would tie this holiday to some type of harvest season feast with the Pilgrims and the Indians in early settlement times.

Rather than talking about that, I'd rather share a verse of two from a Kids CD we have that my sons and I were listening and singing along with today. Its from the Big Idea studio's, the famous purveyors of our kids favorite.. Veggie Tales. This song is brought to you by Junior Asparagus its called "I am a Promise"

I Am a Promise (by Bill & Gloria Gaither)

I am a Promise
I am a possibility
I am a Promise with a capitol "p"
I am a great big bundle of potentiality
And I am learning to hear God's voice
And I am trying to make the right choices
I'm a promise to be anything He wants me to be...

This Thanksgiving, like many of you I'll be giving thanks for family, and health. But I will also be giving thanks for the day, and hoping for many many more days in hopes to fulfill the "Promise" God wants for me, and want me to be. Perhaps if all of us (myself included) lived up to our promise just a little bit more, we could bring about our own "bailout package". A bailout package to bring real change to the American people.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours
Peace

Back in the saddle again

Its now been about 1 month since the 2008 Marathon. Unlike last years marathon in which I was back out on the streets running within 1 week, I have yet to go out even for a single jog this year. Starting to feel a bit lazy, I grabbed the bike pump, filled the tired, and jumped back into the saddle. Being almost winter here though, I'm not that nutty to go riding outside. So I'm on the trainer in the basement. I must admit that I was unusually sore after the first few days. I have after all taken off from riding and swimming for most of 2008. Getting back onto the bike has got my triathlon vibe back. I haven't registered for anything (running or triathlon) for 2009. But its nice to be back on the bike.

Whats the point here? I guess, that even for people that seem to run all the time, and enjoy it, get burned out. Its ok to take a break. Perhaps switching things up is just what would be good for you as well. If not running, maybe biking, or swimming, or yoga, or oh.. I dunno.. Bellydancing fitness classes at the local park district. Whatever gets you active.. its like Milk. "It does a body good!!"

Peace

Message of the Day...

As I take a break from work, to refocus, to recenter, to renew, I look up at some of the inspirational quotes, sayings, and prayers around my desk. Whilst this might have been more appropriate on a general population level yesterday (voting day in the U.S.), I find it to be just the message I needed at this moment. Whatever the challenge, whatever the celebration, whatever the sorrow or joy, without having the proper perspective, we are just missing something. The Prayer of the Day is..

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi (before the San Damiano Cross)

"All-highest, glorious God, cast your light into the darkness of my heart. Give me right faith, firm hope, perfect charity and profound humility, with wisdom and perception, O Lord, so that I may do what is truly your holy will. Amen." ... Saint Francis of Assisi

Peace