Weekend Run

Starting to get back in the game with a 7-mile run today after being "off:" for the last week.  I lost track of my route and was on the back-side of the run when I realized I was on my 7-mile loop, not the 5 or 6 mile loop I had planned.  My time was slow at 9 mpm but that was just about right, stopped 3x due to coughing fits, but at the end of the run a few hits on the inhaler and a hot shower cleared the coughing a bit.  Felt great to be back on the road but I could tell the lungs were not 100%.  Sunday is supposed to be almost 70-degrees so I'm hoping to get another run in and will push a bit harder and/or further to get a benchmark on my ability to go 13.1 next Saturday.

After my run tomorrow I'll get my mileage tracks updated to see how I'm doin - with the run today I salvaged a "nil" report for last week - I'll take what I can get.  Looking forward to church in the morning - enter into His presence with thanksgiving and praise!

Sick-n-tired

I'm on the recovery side of almost two weeks of fighting bronchitis - major bummer.  In the past when I've had a cold or something I've successfully run through it and believe that doing so actually accelerates the recovery with the enorphin release - call me Dr. Doug!  Well that didn't seem to work so well with bronchitis.  Was out of the office for 4-days last week and tried to run a couple of times, did ok and the run actually felt ok but when I got home, man did the coughing start and 2-hours later I was laid out flat.  So after getting 6.5 miles in last Saturday I've skipped my runs - feeling better from an illness stand-point but chomping at the bit to get back on the road.  To compound the issue, I have a Half Marathon scheduled with my son for May 7th and although my conditioning was pretty good before getting sick, not sure how this will go.  I'm planning on getting a couple of runs in over this weekend to see how those go and then will decide how to approach the race.  So, my mileage this week is zero but I am getting healthy and that is the important part.

Easter was great and being "down" the week prior gave me the opportunity to ponder the whole "passion week" set of events.  In doing so it gave me a renewed appreciation and understanding of what Jesus Christ did for me (and you).  I hope as we go forward through the rest of this year I can recall the passion He showed, and still shows today for each of us.  I was reading in Exodus (34:5-9) last night and specifically where God showed Moses his glory.  The passage states that as God passed by He was proclaiming "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love, and forgiving wickedness and sin."  Abounding in Love - what an awesome statement.  Yes, God is righteouse and just and requires justice to be served - and the verse continues on with that side BUT first He is compassionate, Gracious, Abounding in Love, and Forgiving - all shown and demonstrated at the cross of Christ.  Praise the Lord for his mercy and love -

Great Run

Had a great run today and the "outlet" of running was much needed.  I left all the files at the office and headed for the ferry just after 5:00 in hopes of getting a nice run in along the waterfront.  It had rained most of the day but the clouds were clearing off and the sun was out.  Felt good, but still a bit tight from sitting in meetings most of the day, so a 3.5 - 4.0 mile run was sounding really good.  Got a bit over 4.0 miles in and then check my watch for pace and wow - I had a 7:48 avg mpm, pretty good for this desk jockey!

So a good finish to a pretty stressful day - as I've been running the last few days I'm praying for my kids, especially my two boys.  Specifically that I will learn to lead them in a Godly manner and love them like God loves me.  They are 20 and 18 so I am seeing a new facet of God - specifically His love for me through patience and waiting.  Just like me with my sons, I wait for opportunity to give them encouragement, insights, guidance and direction but if they aren't seeking that from me, they usually won't accept it when offered.  That is such a "real-life" picture of God's action in our life isn't it.  The bible says God stands at the door and knocks, if we open the door He will come in and reside with us.   In the book of Matthew Jesus paints this picture in saying to fathers "who among you would give your son a stone when he asks for bread...then how much more does our heavenly Father want to give us good gifts than our earhtly fathers."  Just like I am eager, willing and standing-by to interact with my sons, so is God waiting for us to ask of Him, and just as I delight in being with my sons and talking with them, so does God with each of us- wow, wow, wow!!  A great insight into my heavenly father through the gift of marriage and parenthood - really, I don't think I could have truly grasped this if God hadn't allowed me to be a father of my own children.  Doesn't this just scream of God's perfect plan for us - He creates opportunity and situations in each of our lives, that if we will stop long enough to really consider it, will further reveal His character.

12-K completed today

My son and I completed the 12-K today and had a blast.  The weather cooperated and although the morning started with a light drizzle and some cooler temps, we caught the 7:05am ferry and made it over to Renton with no problems.  We got registered and we're ready to go when the horn sounded at 9:00 sharp.  The event was well organized and the course was fun, it was "out-and-back" and the turn-around point was the Seahawks training facility on Lake Washington.  It was a great group of people that participated (1,300 of them) so it was very fesitive and just a good time.  As I expected, my son beat me handily - even with the 3-minutes "age handicap" he spotted me.  He finished at 56:00 and I was 1:00 so even though he ran a 7:30mpm and I was at 8:01mpm we both walked away from the race pleased with our time and results.

After the race we enjoyed a lunch at Red Robin which allowed us both sufficient time to stiffen up and then we caught the 1:10 ferry home.  I washed a car and he went off to play a "pick-up" game of soccer; oh yeah - run 7.5miles and then go play soccer for 2-hours, Ohh to be 18 again!!!!

It was a fun day and I love doing this with my sons - we are no dialing up our training in prep for the Half Marathon we have scheduled on May 7th.

Fun Run + 12K

A quick post to stay somewhat current.  Tonight I did the RoadRunner Sport monthly fun run around Green Lake - a great evening to get 5.5miles in.  The day cleared up around 4:00 and the temp was a perfect 50 degrees.  That to Paul and Kristin for letting me "shadow" them so I could find the businesses and at least have a shot at some raffle items - no big wins but picked up a couple of "toss-outs".  A fun event and I recommend to anyone in the area.

This Sunday my son and I are doing the Seahawks 12-K in Renton.  Decently prepared and looking forward to a fun time with my son.  This is a benchmark race for me to see how close I am to "ready" for my Half Marathon in early May; not too far off but I do need to get some more miles in and hope to get a full 13-14 mile long run in next weekend to test myself.  Looking forward to the race(s) and the good weather that is more enjoyable to train in.  Hope to have a couple of pictures to update the blog too.

Mileage challenged

A good run tonight and only got back to the car with seconds to spare before the cars were loaded. Did 4-miles and the first two miles were paced around 8:20mpm, the return leg was driven by seeing the ferry WAY AHEAD of me that resulted in 7:53 and 7:48 minute miles, I think they call that a "negative split" which is a good thing I hear. I'm healthy, for which I'm grateful, but my miles are under goal due to limited time and schedules. I'm not getting the longer runs (7-8 miles) in mid-week and need to double up on the longer runs during the weekend in prep for the Snoqualmie Half in May – time to focus!

I continue to be so grateful for the blessings God brings into my life. God has proven himself to be so real and faithful to me and I see it afresh every day. I’ve been praying for increased patience and learning to surrender daily to God’s will – in that I see His patience and Grace. A real-time example was driving into the office, I was praying and surrendering the day to God, asking Him to give me the patience and boldness to meet whatever God allows me to participate in. As I’m praying I come over the Spokane St overpass and there was Seattle’s finest with a radar gun… no ticket, just a finger pointing down and the mouthed words “slow it down” – God’s grace (maybe God meant it bigger than just my car speed...?). I am learning that resting and waiting in God’s timing is a good place to be. My role is to keep moving, do all that I do to the best of my ability to honor God, and then be open to participate in God’s moving when He allows me to participate. Plenty of challenges at the office and in life overall but I know to whom I belong – the Living God!

SPRING, sprang, sprung!!

Spring is really here!  Regardless of what the calender says, it really is here - at least for today.  Ok, yes I admit I have spring fever.  What a beautiful day it was in Seattle and I capped it off with a great 4.75 mile run along the waterfront in low 50-degree, sunny conditions.  To cap it off, my pace reflected my spirit - quickened.  Did the run in 38 minutes which worked out to an average pace of 7:57mpm.  Glad to see I've still got the pace in me after the last few weeks where my average pace was in the 8:30 to 8:45 mpm range so as my son and I prepare for our 12-K in 3 weeks this run today was encouraging.

I have so much to be thankful for and on days like this it is like a magnifying glass - look up and see the beauty and goodness of God in all areas of your life.  I love the chapters in Genesis about Abraham - if you read them through you see where good things happend for him when "he lifted up his eyes".  Hebrews 12:2 encourages us to "fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith" and when we do, God has good things for us to see and experience.  I am grateful to God for His faithfulness, forgiveness and grace.