My plan for this year has been to take each day, each week, each month as it comes. Consequently, I did not, in typical January fashion, fill in my 2010 race calender, sign up for all my races and then start fretting about how little running I was actually doing.
Instead, with the possibility that we would be adding kiddos to the family, I decided to wait. So, I decided to run and got into FANS 24 Hours about two weeks before the event. Zero training. And currently, the only race for which I'm signed up is Afton. I missed the Twin Cities deadline - my annual road marathon (just to get the tech t-shirt).
The point is, this is the year to play it by ear; to see what each month, each week allows.
But you know what went through my mind tonight as I dogged my way through 1 mile on the treadmill? "I should see if Leadville 100 in August still has openings?" Silly, isn't it?
Monday, June 21, 2010
Capitalist Sense of Personal Responsibilty
That was in my last post but it just isn't the right way to describe what I was getting at.
What I was describing doesn't have anything to do with capitalism or with a notion of creating wealth.
What I was attempting to say was that the way I deal with people heading down a wrong moral path is wrong. I think things like, "They need to change. I need to tell them they're wrong, and if they don't change, then leave them to their own devises." I think, "They need to take personal responsibility for their errors."
What I meant to say in the last post is that God's grace doesn't deal with us that way. God enters the path of error with me in order to draw me out of the path of error.
That's what I recently saw and experienced. That's what I'm not good at. That's what rescues people.
What I was describing doesn't have anything to do with capitalism or with a notion of creating wealth.
What I was attempting to say was that the way I deal with people heading down a wrong moral path is wrong. I think things like, "They need to change. I need to tell them they're wrong, and if they don't change, then leave them to their own devises." I think, "They need to take personal responsibility for their errors."
What I meant to say in the last post is that God's grace doesn't deal with us that way. God enters the path of error with me in order to draw me out of the path of error.
That's what I recently saw and experienced. That's what I'm not good at. That's what rescues people.
A Friend at All Times
I have a good friend who taught me much about marketing, recruiting, administrating, dealing with sin, relationships, smoking a cigar, and many other things.
A long time ago, he hired me to take his place. I "fired" him, and he willingly left, in order to save his marriage. His marriage was saved. I later hired him to replace me.
Two months ago, he gave advice that I detested. In general, the advice was to remain a friend to the one who is running toward danger, the one who is intentionally choosing, in spite of confrontation, to go down a wrong path.
I detested this advice because I didn't want to be a co-conspirator, a facilitator in the other's path.
• If I listen to this person's retelling of the story, reshaping history, am I not endorsing their behavior?
• If they are continuing down a wrong path, isn't it better that I cut off the relationship and let them know how mad I am at them?
I was wrong to detest my good friend's advice. The grace of God is much more complex than my limited sense of justice and capitalistic sense of personal responsibility.
I have just now amazingly seen how one friend, sitting with the other, entering the path with the other, drinking a beer with the other, staying with the other, and not leaving in disgust or judgment, can be used by God to save the other. A person wise and understanding enough to save another by not leaving.
My good friend, you are right. I am wrong. I will strive to go down that path with the other, because I am down that path myself far too often. I am rescued only by those who go down it with me in order to save me.
A long time ago, he hired me to take his place. I "fired" him, and he willingly left, in order to save his marriage. His marriage was saved. I later hired him to replace me.
Two months ago, he gave advice that I detested. In general, the advice was to remain a friend to the one who is running toward danger, the one who is intentionally choosing, in spite of confrontation, to go down a wrong path.
I detested this advice because I didn't want to be a co-conspirator, a facilitator in the other's path.
• If I listen to this person's retelling of the story, reshaping history, am I not endorsing their behavior?
• If they are continuing down a wrong path, isn't it better that I cut off the relationship and let them know how mad I am at them?
I was wrong to detest my good friend's advice. The grace of God is much more complex than my limited sense of justice and capitalistic sense of personal responsibility.
I have just now amazingly seen how one friend, sitting with the other, entering the path with the other, drinking a beer with the other, staying with the other, and not leaving in disgust or judgment, can be used by God to save the other. A person wise and understanding enough to save another by not leaving.
My good friend, you are right. I am wrong. I will strive to go down that path with the other, because I am down that path myself far too often. I am rescued only by those who go down it with me in order to save me.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
FANS 24 Hour
Finally, a few words about the FANS race.
Again this year, as the day approached, I wondered if I really could run around Lake Nokomis over and over again. And again this year, I wondered if I would be able to do so in rain and puddles.
I prepared an iPod with songs and sermons, hoping that as a last resort, I could at least drop into a U2 induced coma. By noon, I had listened to Matt Chandler, R.C. Sproul and 2 Piper messages.
For the first couple of hours, I ran steadily at a 6 mile an hour pace. By noon, I had unwisely fallen into a bad habit of running too fast when I would run. Fortunately, Kevin Martin jumped in and with great care, helped me back off to a more steady running pace that enabled me to run longer between each walk. This set a great tone for the whole race.
Christian Jakob Burmeister Hicks. I met Christian during an underground 50 miler several years ago and he's impressed me ever since. He balances life, family, sports and all so well. I'm pretty confident that he did a lap with me because the conversation I remember having with him seemed long.
Steve VerBeek. As the sun set, Steve from church came with his wife and two boys. He intended to do one lap and ended up doing many. His wife drove to get me espresso. By this time, it had stopped raining.
Steve Grabowski and Bill Pomerenke and Brent. Steve told me he'd join at 10pm and run until 3am. He brought along Bill and then stayed until 7am. Bill let me borrow his lighter headlamp, and Steve was able to get in a full marathon. I hadn't known that Brent was going to join.
Dean Malley. Dean is my great friend. We met at church about 2 years ago. Dean and his wife have spent many a night at our house after spending a Saturday afternoon watching parenting videos. Last year, Dean did a few laps with me. This year, Dean arrived around 3am and said he might be able to stay until 4:30. At 5:20, after no one at home was answering the phone, he decided that everything must still be okay and continued with me until 7:30. It was a great reunion with him and his wife as they met me (what was left) in the church bookstore later that morning. Mara-Liisa, thanks for letting me have your husband. His sharp, and ever poignant discussions actually kept me awake. He is a sharp thinker even in the wee hours. At 4, before the sun came up, I was slurring my speech. At 7:30, as he and Helen Lavin made the last lap with me, I was literally swaying between the two.
Helen Lavin. Helen was at the beginning and the end. Helen weighed me in in the morning. She stayed around for awhile. Then, she drove to the Kettle race in WI to pace someone. Then all of the sudden, I saw her again later in the race. She had come back due to the severe weather over there. Helen ran the last lap with me and Dean.
Nobody really wants to read the details about the miles, etc. Suffice it to say that there were so many there who accomplished more than they could have imagined. Like the runner who walked with one leg in a cast using crutches, the entire 24 hours. I could never have done that.
Again this year, as the day approached, I wondered if I really could run around Lake Nokomis over and over again. And again this year, I wondered if I would be able to do so in rain and puddles.
I prepared an iPod with songs and sermons, hoping that as a last resort, I could at least drop into a U2 induced coma. By noon, I had listened to Matt Chandler, R.C. Sproul and 2 Piper messages.
For the first couple of hours, I ran steadily at a 6 mile an hour pace. By noon, I had unwisely fallen into a bad habit of running too fast when I would run. Fortunately, Kevin Martin jumped in and with great care, helped me back off to a more steady running pace that enabled me to run longer between each walk. This set a great tone for the whole race.
Christian Jakob Burmeister Hicks. I met Christian during an underground 50 miler several years ago and he's impressed me ever since. He balances life, family, sports and all so well. I'm pretty confident that he did a lap with me because the conversation I remember having with him seemed long.
Steve VerBeek. As the sun set, Steve from church came with his wife and two boys. He intended to do one lap and ended up doing many. His wife drove to get me espresso. By this time, it had stopped raining.
Steve Grabowski and Bill Pomerenke and Brent. Steve told me he'd join at 10pm and run until 3am. He brought along Bill and then stayed until 7am. Bill let me borrow his lighter headlamp, and Steve was able to get in a full marathon. I hadn't known that Brent was going to join.
Dean Malley. Dean is my great friend. We met at church about 2 years ago. Dean and his wife have spent many a night at our house after spending a Saturday afternoon watching parenting videos. Last year, Dean did a few laps with me. This year, Dean arrived around 3am and said he might be able to stay until 4:30. At 5:20, after no one at home was answering the phone, he decided that everything must still be okay and continued with me until 7:30. It was a great reunion with him and his wife as they met me (what was left) in the church bookstore later that morning. Mara-Liisa, thanks for letting me have your husband. His sharp, and ever poignant discussions actually kept me awake. He is a sharp thinker even in the wee hours. At 4, before the sun came up, I was slurring my speech. At 7:30, as he and Helen Lavin made the last lap with me, I was literally swaying between the two.
Helen Lavin. Helen was at the beginning and the end. Helen weighed me in in the morning. She stayed around for awhile. Then, she drove to the Kettle race in WI to pace someone. Then all of the sudden, I saw her again later in the race. She had come back due to the severe weather over there. Helen ran the last lap with me and Dean.
Nobody really wants to read the details about the miles, etc. Suffice it to say that there were so many there who accomplished more than they could have imagined. Like the runner who walked with one leg in a cast using crutches, the entire 24 hours. I could never have done that.
Friday, June 18, 2010
A Run with Zach
Zach is a recent friend and fellow Christian. We have some incredible connections from about 20 years ago. Zach is an impressive guy.
He told me last week, after I asked about his shoes (Salomons I believe, or maybe Adidas), that he would join me for a trail run. I assured him that it would be slow and enjoyable.
Zach and I ran the outer loop at O'Brien this morning. Zach ran like he'd been running trails for years. Zach is accustomed to running every step of a run, even if it results in problems. This morning, with a combination of running and walking, I think he had a great time. And great conversation to boot. And how can any run be bad when running in the woods and through morning fog?
He told me last week, after I asked about his shoes (Salomons I believe, or maybe Adidas), that he would join me for a trail run. I assured him that it would be slow and enjoyable.
Zach and I ran the outer loop at O'Brien this morning. Zach ran like he'd been running trails for years. Zach is accustomed to running every step of a run, even if it results in problems. This morning, with a combination of running and walking, I think he had a great time. And great conversation to boot. And how can any run be bad when running in the woods and through morning fog?
A Year in Review
I'm preparing to get my blogging juices flowing once again. Here's the primer. A quick, down and dirty, non-comprehensive look at the past 6-8 months.
Truly one of my favorite places to run: on the frozen St. Croix River. As the river thawed this spring, I was saddened to see my running highway, by which I could run from downtown Stillwater to just north of our house, disappear. Next winter: a 20-25 mile run from Stillwater to Taylor's Falls!
The kids joined me on the river for an afternoon of river running and checking out the ice falls across from the Boom Site.
Runners in the first annual Full Moon River Run in January. In the entry way before taking off.
The day after Valentine's Day, Ryan Carter and I ran 55 miles through the Cities. For me, it was a great way to drive out the jitters before Marty traveled to Ethiopia.
One of our infamous Uno tournaments.
At the airport waiting for Marty and Lisa to board the place for Ethiopia. Still had five children at this time :)
And then there were.....SEVEN!
Friends from church greeting Marty and the girls at the airport on Feb 27
And thus began our families increased use of Kleenexes.
And clever ways to stay productive.
Finally, the Two Rivers Shuffle underground run hosted by Shawn Tracy (partially pictured) in May. 23 miles with Pete Grimes and Shawn running some of the most treacherous and single-tracked trails right in the heart of the Cities.
Truly one of my favorite places to run: on the frozen St. Croix River. As the river thawed this spring, I was saddened to see my running highway, by which I could run from downtown Stillwater to just north of our house, disappear. Next winter: a 20-25 mile run from Stillwater to Taylor's Falls!
The kids joined me on the river for an afternoon of river running and checking out the ice falls across from the Boom Site.
Runners in the first annual Full Moon River Run in January. In the entry way before taking off.
The day after Valentine's Day, Ryan Carter and I ran 55 miles through the Cities. For me, it was a great way to drive out the jitters before Marty traveled to Ethiopia.
One of our infamous Uno tournaments.
At the airport waiting for Marty and Lisa to board the place for Ethiopia. Still had five children at this time :)And then there were.....SEVEN!
Friends from church greeting Marty and the girls at the airport on Feb 27
And thus began our families increased use of Kleenexes.
And clever ways to stay productive.
Finally, the Two Rivers Shuffle underground run hosted by Shawn Tracy (partially pictured) in May. 23 miles with Pete Grimes and Shawn running some of the most treacherous and single-tracked trails right in the heart of the Cities.Tuesday, June 15, 2010
What We Won't be Seeing
photos from last summer when I took the kids to Chicago to see U2
We had tickets for the upcoming concert here in Minneapolis.We hope to not lose them, because we've been told they will be good in 2011 when they try to tour again.
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