Running to Walk...

RunLog 6/23-6/29
Mon. 4.5M @ MHS Track & CC Course - Heat, OK run
Tue. Felt not so hot - 0M
Wed. 4Miles into a 9M run I bonked hard. Had chosen a poor route, prepared poorly, slept poorly and should have ran off the soreness Tue...all in all, a good learning experience.
Thur. 9M @ AHS Track w/ 3Miles of 400m Crz. Intervals...good run
Fri. 4.5M @ AHS Track w/ 100m Crz. Intervals. Stiff wind, this was dumb because I didn't ran hard instead of smart and that hurt me Saturday.
Sat. Tyler S.P. - ABCD, BC - Approx. 17.5M with last 6 walking up some steep hills and running really slow on the rest. Legs were smoked from the get go on this one because of Fri's workout.
Sun. Boo & I did an easy 2.5M at AHS Track.
Total: 41 Miles

LifeLog
As a Fam, we're finishing off a super fun-surprising-hectic-busy-blessed June. This month we have had a week long vacation, GA Camp, Youth Camp, VBS, and a great big "I'm Pregnant" announcement! It's been awesome, but we're glad we're in July now. Flo, Grace & I are super excited to be expecting, as we've desired this for quiet a while, and for now we are just savoring some nice quiet evenings complete with swimming at Mimi's, DateNight in Tyler, and just chillin' after a fun trip to Wally World.

The fun I'm having running combined with the Words of God that are really jumping out at me right now, are teaching me alot about walking. I'm purposeful in running because I seek a prize. It stands to reason then that I should be infinitely more motivated and determined and diligent to seek the real prizes in my life such as winning souls to Christ, helping the hurting, and loving my family with reckless abandon. I often struggle with the disconnect my students have between their observable knowledge of and belief in the bible and their actions and attitudes...I should practice what I preach...I've got to get to the place where I'll bust everything to drive an hour, strap on a headlight, and run alone & scared for 2 hours in the dark wilderness to gain a little ground...but not in the running sense, because thats come pretty easy...but in the Man of God sense, in the Husband/Dad/Uncle/Son/Friend sense...you feel me?

You Got Me Slippin....

Well, Its been a little hectic (in a good way) to say the least here lately so I better catch everything up:
Running
6/9-6/15 - Flo was gone most of this week to GA camp so no one to watch Grace sleep while I run and my restless spirit when she's away keeping me up late at night added up to afternoon heat runs that were fun but taxing.
Mon - 4miles with Grace at Cain Park
Tue - 7.5miles with Grace at Cain Park
Wed - 0
Thur - 7.5miles at AHS on grass
Fri - Mowed 3 Yards
Sat - 15 miles 2:00 at TSP
TOTAL - 34 Miles

6/16-6/20 - Another off week as I was taking my students to Trinity, Tx for a week of Collision Camp '08...great camp, but another environment that didn't lend itself to plentiful sleep. It did, however lend itself to plentiful rec that included lots of hills, ropes course, rock wall, toting a pack for a while and some decent running.
Mon - 0
Tue - 2.5miles Trinty Pines
Wed - Ropes Course and Pack Toting
Thur - 7.5miles Trinity Pines Trails
Fri - 0
Sat - Eustace Pioneer Days 5k, Eustace Tx - 1st in 30-39 Division with 19:54(PR)
Sun - 2.5miles barefoot at CRISD Football Field
TOTAL - 15.5 Miles

It's been a great 2 weeks, but a little normalcy wouldn't hurt.

All good things...

Well, we're home and to my complete surprise the world hasn't stopped spinning without us. Its good to be home, but kinda miss the salty sea breeze smell already. Good times were had by all. Thursday was still a completely relaxing day, not one of those "last day of vacation" days vexed by pre-departure stressing and over preparing.

Thanks Beelers for being such awesome "in-laws" and for inviting us to tag along in life! Thanks Watercolor neighbors for not getting us thrown out when our little girls were showering on the front porch with nothing on but tearless shampoo, stumbling about the scattered swimsuits, beach towels and discarded pasta.

Thanks God for putting your power on display through growing love between me & mine, and growing an ocean with beauty almost as limitless as your great passion for the peeps that peer at it. Thanks Grace Ryan for making this one of the best vacations daddy's ever been on by your fearless - boogie boarding- "we-can-do-it" attitude!

Thanks Flo for being mine in all weathers, even picturesquely perfect ones like we had this week.
Oh yeah, ended week with 14mile cruise on bike to running store for running hat souvenir that didn't exist & back.

Date Night...

5.5Miles with Cody & Neil Trailing on Cruizers...good run until we went through a shadeless patch and it totally zapped me. Had to take a couple of minutes off and then after some cool shade rehab, finished the thing off without my escorts...good final long run for the week.

Good thing it was the final long run because wed. was mine and Flo's "date night" and we chose to ride the bikes over to the Bait House ("where shrimps are served head on") here on the resort and of course I had to get their version of "everything under the sun fried on a plate" which doesn't mix well with running the morning after.

It was refreshing to eat out with my sweetheart and of course the food, atmosphere & conversation was spectacular...so we capped it all off with a boardwalk stroll to the beach and moonlit bike ride back to la casa...probably sounds more boring in print, but it was memorable night.

What it's all about...

These Arms of Miiiiinnne...(favorite song reference) they are, well, blessed, lucky, fortunate and all of the above. I get to hold those two girls on a daily basis! We don't fight, kick, scream, bite and we don't really get tired of seeing one another, especially on trips like this. We enjoy doing alot of the same things in pretty much the same pace, although, sometime in various methods which is cool'n the gang too, because the last thing I (or the world for that matter) needs is a carbon copy of me. Besides the great cruizin' we did this morning, checking out the Seaside & Grayton Beach hideouts and crannys (ok we were really looking for a gas station:) and juice stands, and besides the father/daughter trail ride we had and despite the bombastic fireworks show we got to watch from our upstairs screened in porch right before bedtime...besides all that, The Munchkin can flat-out boogie board!

...and that poses all kinds of feelings and emotions, premature nostalgia, etc. Here she is the little bitty ol' thing, barely able to stay upright in waves crashing around my knees and you turn her loose out in the big bad ocean, with waves and sharks and jellyfish and the chance to drown and all kinds of unimaginables, but you turn her out, not because you "have" to or because you necessarily want her gone...its just time. You've showed her how to do it by prescription and example, you've equipped her, you've held her close and helped form her decision-making to know when the right time to jump in is, and sure enough, here comes a big scary wave and she piles on in, guns a'blazin....and of course, she nails it. (but that doesn't keep you from watching her pretty close when she's not looking, just in case she might need her daddy).

Finally; Tentin' aint easy but its necessary...well maybe more like a luxury, a luxury we don't even use that much, but I will say this. A rain fly for a Eureka Outfitter Series 4-man tent carries the burden of providing shade on a windy beach for a family of 8 without breaking a sweat, especially when you throw in the REI "sandbags" that you can use to anchor the sides.

Anyway - todays training was late and fun. Evening Run of about 6 miles on the super duper trails they have here...good run. Good Day.

Monday, Monday...

6Miles on Beautiful, gravelly trails at Watercolor Resort in Florida. The trails here are plentiful and great...however, the biting flies are plentiful and love my burred head, so the run went great after heading back to the casa for my hat and some Off!

Precious CargoPretty much how every good adventure begins here this week. These passengers are good tippers...that is they have plenty of advice. This trailer Schwinn has made is pretty handy I must say. We've been over the bay and through the woods, down and up trails, next to waterfalls, yukkas, rabbits, boardwalks and beach. I must concur with my good wife; Bicycles = Good Times.

Speaking of Which...

Sea was up a bit today...which is why I look like I'm auditioning for Electric Boogaloo with my totally rad back spinning action, however its actually just rockalicous waves here on the Emerald Coast. Even got my little beach bunny to try boogie boarding which, naturally, she excelled at.

Sanctity of Life...

I mean really...what can a man be thinking to drive off from this, to leave a family, to destroy a life, to just walk away...what can I be thinking when I lose my temper, am over-bearing, or just work a little while longer? I think its official; she's got me (and her Mama) wrapped. This evening we were privileged to hear Okanaphokanie Joe (or something like that) teach us about "taking only what you need" from the earth that God created while displaying 3 of the 4 deadly snakes of North America...good clean wholesome family fun!

A Beachin' We Will Go...

Training Summary: 5/26-5/31,
After knocking it out of the park last week, this week should be great right? "We'll see", said the zen-master.

Mon: 3.75 mi @ AHS, No Good ---Quit Early, because i's suckin wind early.

Tue: Resting Because Aforementioned Bonk

Wed: 6mi (48min), Road - Good, Strength Trng @ CC

Thur: 3mi @ AHS, 400m Intervals

Fri: Running Crazy to Get Gone to Florida

Sat: Driving To Destin, FL

Sun: 3mi @ Destin, FL -- Hot & Humid. By the time I outran the "captain's platter" the humidity caught up with me.

It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses....or something not quite like that, but either way, 660miles after pulling out from Athens, Tx we landed in Destin, FL no worse for the wear. Off a reccommendation from the staff @ Hampton Inn, we walked the 100yds to the Back Porch for some beach-side belly-stretching artery-clogging din-din. I'm planning on 3 long runs while here, so last chance to hurt myself on some fried food. There's something about this whole blue water / white sand / nice breeze thing that works...wish we could bottle it. Flo & Grace (who are always the most beautiful girls in any room i'm in) really take my breath away on evenings like this.

Sunday was spiffy as we slept late, ate late, and then picked Cody, Ang & the Beeler Girls up at the airport and headed for our ultimate destination: Watercolor Resort, FL. This place rocks and we got straight to the beach via bikes and bike trailers and just chilled for the rest of the day. Looking forward to a week of this and running on their seemingly limitless supply of trails. Lucky for me most everybody in our house likes to sleep in, so I'll get to run, get my study on, drink some coffee, and wake up everyone with a hearty breakfast.

One thing that I'm pondering...what is the point of a vacation? What should a person be more like on the other side of one? Can't say for sure right now what I'll be more like, but know that I hope the extra R&R strengthens the roots of who I am, that is to say: More God, More Fam, More Runnin, More Peace, More Love...More Fresh Air.

Fair-Weather Blogger Am I...

I guess I am what I am: Mr. Only Blog When I Have Ample Free Time (Which is Never) Guy. Sorry. Lately its been crazy, but now the dust has cleared and I'm gonna share what I can.

Running & Running Reports were briefly interrupted when I had the honor of hosting Phil Robertson, AKA "The Duck Commander" at our church recently for an event. Planning and pulling that one off was a doozy, but still managed to steal a quick pic, see God move in awesome ways, hang with the Fam and run a little.

Running May 13 - 19: 2.5 Miles on Road (20min)...yep thats it.

May 19 - 25 Summary:

• Mon. 4Miles - AHS, w/ 2mi buildup
• Tue. AM - 2.5Miles on Road, Strength Training (ST) @ Cain Center PM - 8Miles, Tyler State Park (BCD)
• Wed. - 0
• Thur. - 0
• Fri. - 2Miles with Boo (Running Puppy in Training)
• Sat. - 10 Miles Tyler State Park Loops w/ Daymon & Jason
• Sun. - 2.5 Miles with Boo
• Total For Week: 29 Miles

Also, after running Tyler Saturday, I realized that I needed to publish "Boog's Short List of Good Aggieland Eats" so here it is:

• Dixie Chicken: Go during the day (not GameDay) and get the best burger in the world with "tijuana fries" which are french fries with a couple of cheeses melted over them served with ranch.
• Free Birds: Monster Burrito...nuf said
• Cafe Excel: The Go-To Date Place
• Juneks BBQ (Wellborn, Tx): Grab your pork bbq sandwich to go and grab some chips and a drink at the gas station, then go to the community center about a block back that consists of a tin roof over a slab with picnic tables sitting next to a small cemetary...picturesquely texan.
• Mi Cocina (original on Hwy 21 close to Producers COOP in Bryan): if you really unlucky you'll have to sit under my big picture on the wall next to my favorite table. order the Beef Fajita Enchiladas...muy bueno.
• Los Nortenos: Especially if you go by Mi Cocina and they're siesta-ing. Nortenos is different and is on Main St. in Bryan...different but big portions and very good - old school.
• Laynes Chicken...awesome sauce with a bite and "tub o' butter texas toast" - Simple and Good.
• Wings & More: Lots and Lots of Great Fried and BBQ'd food. (try mixing your honey mustard and gravey together for your strips...yummy)

Let me know how it goes if you go...

Cain Center & Back

Ran to CC & made up my strength training I missed this morning by staying out too late last night, then ran back (2miles)...I also remembered why I don't workout after 6am in the morning...

It never fails if I go to workout during "prime time" that I run into somebody that knows me from the "outside world" and then we visit..which is usually very nice and its usually someone I haven't visited with in a while so I really should talk...the only problem is I'm not there to talk...Yes, I'm that guy: iPod on unnecessarily loud, phones tight, hat low, eyes diverted, no smirk, but no smile neither unless I get some seldom glimpse of what it must have felt like to be me like 15 years ago when i bend over to grab a weight and my back doesn't creak...yes I'm Him. Now these outside folks don't know this Boog, they usually know the Boog that would talk the bark off a redwood, I mean, If anybody would want to visit its Boog right? Not Workout Boog, thats the wrong guy and my 5am crowd knows this and there in lies the problem...I'm spoiled. I'm spoiled to the crowd of people that only know Workout Boog and really just don't expect a whole lot else out of me...that is me (at 5am at least) and thats ok, because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggonnit, my Manic Drive is crankin just loud enough where I don't really care if people like me...Only at 5am though, cuz Outside World Boog loves the love.

Can't Sleep, Might as well...

3.75mi-AHS-2mi tempo (6'23'')

Sometimes, very seldomly, I just can't sleep. Usually this only happens when my girls are gone and I'm home alone...i'm not great at the home alone thing...random mountain with average deepest snow in N.America alone, fine...but not so hot at home alone. Anyway, tonight wasn't one of those, tonight everyone is resting peacefully in their little beds. I'm just restless, and since "restless" means I probably will not be waking up early enough to get my run on, might as well nip that in the bud right now, or I guess about 30 min. ago. Now i feel pretty ready to check my eyelids for pinholes as my dad has said...

BC Loops at Tyler SP w/ Daymon, Ryan, Ethan & Devin - Good Run

Today's been a good day...celebrated Mother's Day with all our clan out at my folks place, which always seems like a mini-vacation. Ran alot, ate alot, played alot, washed alot of subarus, jumped alot, laughed alot, hugged alot...started it all at 5am with Philippians 2 & honey bunches of oats...

Also found out that a recovery "menu" i read about in an article works pretty good.

Body Wt. in lbs x carb grams (185lbs = 185g of carbs)
25% of that in protein.
All w/in first 2 hours after run (half of it in first 30 min) add in a good hot shower, ton's of water and gatorade and a good stretchin session...I was recovered enough to play "put-out" with the soccer-ball with my nephew Tate like I was a fifth grader again...I'd say it worked pretty good.

4.5Mi w/3Mi Tempo (6:44 pace)

Hephzibah....I know sounds funny, but in Isaiah 63 it refers to God's elect "bride" Jerusalem/Zion and it means 'My Delight Is In Her'. Well, I don't know if anybody else lives with a bunch of women, but....I can relate to that statement. I got to hang with my munchkin today and we were able to drop off some stuff to her Mom and kind of make her day as well. Grace and I spent the day tending the yard/etc. getting a bur haircut (that was me, not Grace) and jumping on the trampoline and jumping and jumping and jumping.

Hitting Tyler S.P. Tomorrow with a bunch of guys I've been trying to get to go for a long time...I have alot of running to do as I'm setting my sights on the Bandera Trail Run again, only this time I'm aiming for the 50K (31miles).

To prepare for that good-bull ol'army fun, I'm planning on running the Long Beach Intl. City Marathon with my buddy Jared "New Daddy" Ledbetter.

And also going to finish preparing by running the White Rock Marathon in Dallas with my fellow insane in the membrane youth type guy Jason Hoffman.

All prayer is appreciated...this may sound selfish or extreme or something...both of which, I guess it could be...but if you know me...you know I'm me when I'm running...when I run, I study, when I run, I pray, when I run, I get up early and give it all to Him and as a result I think I'm alot easier to be around...as the great theologian Popeye the Sailor once said, "I yam what I yam"

Another Summary

Tue. 4.5Mi w/ 3-800m intervals
Wed. 3.5Mi - AHS

I've been looking at Romans 6 a lot lately and something struck me. We always talk about accepting Jesus into our hearts...that's just kind of weird to me...It seems more to me like He's accepting us and in fact in Rom.6 it talks less like we're getting Jesus hooked up with our lives and more like "our life" is over and now we're absorbed into His life...like in John 12:25-26 where He says that if we are His we will follow Him...anyway, just some thoughts...too tired to share much else.

Just an update of sorts...

Fri: 2.5M EZ/Speed Mix

Sat: ABC Loop @ Tyler S.P. - Great!

Flo & I Have Been Married for 6 Years Now (For really good writing about that, check out her blog at floferrell.blogspot.com) & Grace, our wonderful daughter is now 4...can you believe it, cuz I can't!

Lately I've been thinking about the notion of a "christian life" -vs- a "non-christian life". Isn't that silly...a "non-christian life" We need to start worrying so much about being a so-called 'good christian' and just start living as if there's no other way to truly live than completely and insanely surrendered to a life following Christ! (everything else just leads to death). It's like in the movie "Shawshank Redemption" - 'Get busy living, or get busy dying'

3M-AHS Track, 20 Min. CoreStrength @ Cain Center

In Joshua 13:14&33, God' divvying the Holy Land up to His children and the author mentions that the Levites (Temple Servants/Priests) would inherit the offerings they present to the Lord and actually trust in the Lord as their inheritance...boy did they get took or what, I mean, God really saw them coming...All these other folks get big fat chunks of land and towns and rivers and farms and all these faithful servants get promised is "The Lord as their Inheritance"...well, I guess it's the thought that counts...

Seriously, why do i feel that i need so much "more" or should i say "in addition to" The Lord and what He gives me to glorify Him with...when I'm "without" everything but Him, even in the deepest darkest valleys, why do i feel like i'm ...settling?

God is Good all the time, and one way I'm really blessed is that I get to eat breakfast (my favorite meal) with my wonderful daughter (my favorite little girl...sorry nieces, but you're all really really close seconds, only to grace of course)...here's how we normally go about this (see overkill picture).

3.25M - AHS Track...nice & cool

When my friend Jared left for Iraq, he left a pregnant wife, a future daughter, a very concerned and thankful buddy, and a verse for me to look up...

Psalm 144:1 - Blessed be the Lord my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle-

Jared, I'm glad you're home & safe & with your girls...A day shouldn't pass that we don't entreat the Lord in thanks for these brave families that risk so much so we can enjoy such a life. God bless you Ledbetters and like kind & Thank God for Aggies and all those folks that wear the uniform.

(SAT) Run To The Corn 5k

BibleGateway.com - Passage Lookup: Psalm 139

Does God really love me? Did He really fashion me before time began? Does he really care about, or even know what I'm thinking, saying doing? Is He really with me wherever, whenever? Did He start this big thing spinning and just step back to see where all the pieces would fly, or is He intimately involved with every mundane and grand event of my life? Is He just some puppet-master from a far off galaxy or is He right here, right now...closer than my own breath? Further still...do I want Him that close?

Psalm 139 always, always gets me to stop in my tracks and stare at the throne...and honestly, wonder why in the wide wide world of sports would He love me so much...

2.5m RacePrep w/ 11-100m Intervals

Isn't God Good? Is that why we completely forget how righteous He is? Do we see with rose colored glasses and forget the wrath of God? Have we forgotten that the fear of Him is the beginning of knowledge? Just a thought running through my mind.

"And of whom have you been afraid, or feared, that you have lied and not remembered Me, nor taken it to your heart? Is it not because I have held My peace from of old that you do not fear Me?" - Isaiah 57:11 (NKJV)

4Mile Recovery Run...Too Muddy To Get To Track

Yesterday was just one of those days…I don’t mean in a bad way…I mean it in a “ God says, ‘ OK boog I’m gonna go ahead scrap everything you had planned today and replace it with my plan, and quit whining b/c it’s gonna work…b/c I’m God, that’s why” kinda way. The Lord is truly Mighty to Save and Deliver…my Hero & Captain.

Even though I don’t deserve this at all, being me and all, God has called and chosen me and given me a relationship better than a son or daughter, and it just shows His mercy and grace and it should derive something from me…namely, Love for His Name, Service, Holiness, and a Tenacious Grip on His Covenant & Life. I don’t know what you think of when you see those things, but for me, I feel like I should Love His Name more than mine, His reputation and glory, more than mine, Him more than Me. I should lay my life down for others to serve man and so praise Him. I should not muddy up His Day, His Worship, His Word, His Life with sin, or selfishness and I should have a death-grip on every righteous day and way, because remember, I don’t deserve it, but I have it…so what will I do with it?

Check out the scripture that caused all this ponderous thought: BibleGateway.com - Passage Lookup: Isaiah 56

3.25 Miles – 4 - 400’s < 85” Athens H.S. Track

I know you can't believe I have a new post, but here it is...a pic of the day, and my thoughts on some passages I was looking at today...enjoy or something.

Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of '26

BibleGateway.com - Passage Lookup: Joshua 7
This really jumps out and gets me because of two things. First, God says, essentially, “Quit Whining, Quit Sinning & Quit Losing!” I mean, God had made the covenant and said that He'd bless His people, all they had to do was obey Him, their provider and protector, and here Joshua is thinking, possibly, that God just up and runoft from them...God's response makes it clear that there is a time to talk, and that there is a time to act. Secondly, this story show how the people of God become God’s instrument of operation, so-to-speak, and are the manifestation of His Judgment, Emotion, Will, Etc. If God uses His people as that tool for judgment, then it stands to reason that we should also act as His instrument of Total Compassion, Love, and Care as well.

BibleGateway.com - Passage Lookup: Psalm 133;
Wow! I guess I've just never noticed this passage before...so many times we're focused on church unity as the alternative to a negative thing and here God the psalmist paints such a vivid picture of the goal and reward of loving each other...complete sanctity and holiness and a real life!

BibleGateway.com - Passage Lookup: Psalm 135:15-18;
Vanity!! Our idols are nothing, in that they have no truth to speak, no way to hear or help, no breath of life in them…they are dead, they are actually just…not. Where as our God is…He Be!

BibleGateway.com - Passage Lookup: Isaiah 55:1-7;
If you are in need, broken, hurt, thirsty…Come to the source, often imitated, never duplicated; come to God and be satisfied…Come to him while He is near and easy to find…Just leave everything behind, He will receive you and have mercy unlike any other.
v.8-9; God is so not like us in so many ways…I guess it makes sense then that we’d go to Him to get something different than what we’re getting in the world…
v.11; God’s Word…He doesn't waste it, there's nothing like it, there's nothing today that does what it does..

BibleGateway.com - Passage Lookup: John 11:11-14;
Sometimes, honestly…we’re just kind of dumb. Gives me a little confidence every time I read because it shows God really can use anyone to accomplish His will...12 sometimes numbskulls and a dead guy...I mean, c'mon.

BibleGateway.com - Passage Lookup: Ephesians 4:25-32;
I love Grace R….I mean no matter what, she’s mine…period, forever…but do I take pleasure in the moment when she’s lied or done something quite different from her formed character? What do you think?