Joshie

The Crossfit WOD was Joshie 3 rds for time
scaled per Brandx for puppies:
15# KB Snatch 15X R arm
10 tuck sit pullups
15# KB Snatch 15X L arm
10 tuck sit pullups

My recorded time was 12:24 but I think I got off somewhere and may have forgot one side of the snatches on the last rd. All and all a great WOD to honor a fallen hero!!

umph!

The umph is missing. I know no other way to describe it. In almost every area except maybe in being a dad the umph- the energy, the excitement, the passion it is just gone. I have tried sooo hard to conjure it up lately-new workouts, new shoes, new thinking and reading but it is still just not quite there! I guess I only blog this to just get it out there- outside my head and maybe that will force me to begin to deal w/ it in some other way. Maybe some one out there will read this whether intinally or just by stumbling across it and have some idea of help!!??? Anyway at least I have admitted it and that seems to be the first step in recovery!

race report

While it is over a week late here is the race report. It was my fastest time yet for a half at 2:28! I was able to take 21 minutes off my previous time at Country Music. Granted Country Music had 80 degree heat and high humidity and the Nashville half had 50-65 degree low humidity but as Rachel has said I need to celebrate my victories more than I allow myself to do soooooo... Yeah ME!! A special thanks of course to God whose strength allows me to even stand on my feet, my wife for her support and allowing me time away to train and to my running group who inspire me and coach me to be a better runner! THe race was just all but perfect for me. I had slight physical and mental breakdown around mile 10.5 thru 12 as it became much more difficult to push the accelerated pace. I feel I did well at overcoming this barrier and continuing toward my goal!!! This is an area I will need to work on as marathon training time rolls around-physical and mental stamina at the end!! Finishing strong as Matty calls it. Amy and I discussed Sunday maybe the need to really hold myself back thru the first miles averaging maybe something like 15-30 seconds/mile slower pace than target and then accelerating in the second half so as not to wipe out too early!

THe week after the race I only managed to get in one WOD scaled from BrandX. However on Sunday I put in 11 miles. I had only planned on like 6-8 but since the whole group was doing 11-13 I felt I need to support them. Several are injuried and struggling w/ their full marathon plans and even some on the half plans are hurt. It was nice to feel like a coach or pacer out encouraging everyone instead of just pushing so hard on my own body. Although, w/o having ran that week I was quite tired and sore post run. I still feel a bit sluggish even today but feel I have been fighting something off for quite some time now!!
ANyways this is Thanksgiving week and I plan on being very thankful for what God has blessed me w/ a beautiful wife, sweet little princess,great family, excellent job and wonderful friends!! Not to mention the best health of my life!!! Bring on the FOOD!!

newness

With a refreshed newness I have begun to do some soul searching, hopefully to move me forward in this journey of life God has for me. For far too long I have compartmentalized my life and failed to see how "spiritual" it all is. As I have been reading a lot of Jewish material lately convinced that to fully understand a lot of my views in Christianity I need to understand the roots especially in mindset of where that faith comes from. Jewish scholars, rabbis and mystics don't compartmentalize spiritual and secular there is just LIFE all lived w/ a mindset that God is present in and through it all. This view is really helping me not to feel so ashamed for not being "in ministry" or "active" in a local church at the moment. Shame is a big problem I am realizing especially for me.

I realized that I have never actually blogged about my running and working out even though those are huge aspects of my life. Probably has something to do w/ shame again, not wanting to appear so unspiritual as to blog about anything other than God and family. What a crock. Running is one of the most spirtiual things I do. I am alone in creation w/ the Creator and enjoying it. Or I am fellowshiping w/ some of my closest friends or strolling my beautiful daughter around the neighborhood. How is that not just as important as all the other questionings and junk I blog about? Hopefully I am beginning at 32 alomost 33 to get a clue! SOOOOOOO....

Saturday is the BIG race at least the big one for me. I have been training and looking forward to this 1/2 marathon for some time now. I want to finish in under 2:30 but will see. That would be 19 minutes better than Country Music in April. We should have much better conditions Saturday! I am more nervous than I have ever been for a race. I want so badly to do well. I have been nursing various aches and pains phsically and mentally for over a month. SO in some ways this taper week is nice but I am just edgey about losing the "edge" and not being sharp, crisp come Saturday morning. I am also excited that when the race is over I am going to drive to W.TN for 3 days of deer hunting. Muzzleloader means I can kill either sex and put meat in the freezer for friends and myself. THat is why I hunt to put food on the table and the commarderie of being w/ my dad. Sometimes I feel he and I share so little in common that hunting keeps us close. It really did before Lily came along. Now everyone seems closer if not only b/c we all feel so blessed to have her and love her so very much! I am also looking forward to Sat. b/c I am planning on taking the rest of November and part of December off from training, at least running so long. I plan on more time in the gym w/ crossfit and gym jones type stuff and shorter more speed sessions or just easy runs couple times a week. Less schedule have to do this today kind of training. I've already started that to a degree including a modified "cindy" from crossfit brandX today 12 minutes: 3 pullups, 6 pushups, 9 squats. I completed 11 rounds plus 3 chins. Huffing, puffing and trashed at the end. Loved it!!! Wish me luck!!