Cold...yea...its been years!

Okay God and I had a little talk this afternoon while I was out there running in the 20 something temperatures. What gives? God takes me out of California...wonderful LA 70 something and puts me in Maryland just in time for the cold...and now I'm dealing with 20 degree weather.

A few of my friends know me too well. When I shared how much snow we had here just before Christmas with them on Facebook, they came back with that wouldn't stop me from getting out there and running. And yea...they were right. The cold weather is not going to stop me...but it doesn't mean I'm ready for it. All my winter running gear is old and worn out. Moths have had a field day eating hole in my wool mitts.

Actually my favorite runs are those I take during snow storms. Running in the cold really comes down to dressing for the weather. The key...layer on the cloths. Typically that means about three to four layers plus a good hat and gloves. If you dress for the cold you can actually have pretty nice runs. But don't worry even us die heart runners have a hard time heading out of the nice warm house for those cold chilly winds. So I'm restocking my weather running clothing and then head back out for a few more cold weather runs.

New Year and New Goals

Last year was a blurrer. My daughter (#2) got married last Christmas and then...it was Christmas again....and now a new year. Where did 2009 go? Sorry this blog has not been kept up to date but with the changes in my life, moving from California to Maryland, and then having this computer crash on me twice in two months...I've not done a good job. But this is a new year.

Actually, this is a new moment and a new chance to start again. Yea...the turning of the calendar from one year to the next seems to help us put a period at the end of the sentence, but we can do that anytime. So this year...what do I want to accomplish. Number 1 Goal...spend more time with my family...I missed 190 days this past year while deployed with the Army. Number 2 Goal...run a few more marathons...last year I only ran one...the Marine Corp...which by the way is no longer one of my favorites. (This is the second time I've run the race in the past three years...and the organzation of the event was horriable...my advice...find another one for your first marathon. Yea...I'll still give the course a A+...but the organization...nothing better then a D- right up there with the Surf City Marathon...another one to avoid if at all possible...and giving how many good marathons there are in the LA area...that should be possible.) Goal number 3...do a better job at keeping this blog up. Well...I'm out of here to work on that Number 1 goal...got to spend more time with my wonderful wife and kids.

Up and Running Again

Well, I am almost done moving into my new home. Still have a few more boxes to get unpacked and then finish setting up the house...but I'm taking a break for the moving this weekend to run the Marine Corp Marathon. This will be my seventh time running in the event...and it is one of my favorites. If you have never run a marathon before...this is the one you want. The support throughout the course is the best and the crowds along the road are wonderful. You can't go wrong making this your first marathon. Well back to the boxes. More later.

Easy Day

Today is going to be an easy day as I finish preparing for the Marine Corp Marathon. I love easy days. Here in the Washington-Baltimore area the leaves are now changing colors and that adds to the beauty of the runs. I'm not a fan of treadmill running...as you may have guessed from my previous postings. There is something about getting out there in the cold and rain that makes you feel alive. So I'm headed out for a nice easy run of a few miles and I'm going to enjoy the fresh fall air and if I get a few rain drops on my head...so much the better.

New Location

I arrived at Fort George G. Meade yesterday evening, and today started the task of trying to settle my family into a new home and community. With this move coming at the end of my 6 month deployment to Kuwait my stress level has been through the roof. During the hours of driving cross country, I heard several individuals on talk radio describe the ideal life as one that is stress free. I also saw a sign outside a church proclaiming that wonderful idea that "I'm too blessed to be stressed." In our culture, we see stress as something to be avoided at all cost. And I have a hard time getting my head around that concept.

Stress is without doubt a killer if we have too much in our life. Only a couple of years ago, only a week before moving to Florida, I ended up in the hospital with ulcers. In retrospect stress had a lot to do with my condition. I was busy working on my Doctorate degree and in the middle of a massive project, and moving to another side of the country. But also in retrospect I have to admit that I was not taking care of myself. I was up to two and three in the morning and getting about 3 to 5 hours of sleep a night. My running...was...what...totally missing...and I ate poorly and on an irregularly pattern. But the key was that I was not managing and controlling my stress. Stress will do that to us, and we need to learn to manage that stress.

I once heard someone say that stress is that which helps us grow. Without stress we can’t grow. If you want to do something…or accomplish something, you will have to deal with your stress. Stress is the byproduct of living life.

Running is a stressor. You put on your running shoes and head outside, and you stress your body. Your heart rate rises, you spend calories. You cause wear and tear on your body…that is stress. But and I can’t figure this out…it also is a stress reducer. Running allows you to focus stress of things you can’t control into something to you can control. After a good mile or two run, you feel more in control and your stress level is reduced.

These individuals proclaiming a perfect life with no stress are kidding themselves and everyone listening to them. What we need to do is work on managing the stress. I’m not going to miss lead you…but if you are being blessed by God…you are going to be stressed…or you’re going to be dead and in heaven, and in that case stress isn't a player. So I’ve been managing my moving stress, with running and it has worked perfectly. So if you feel stressed out…then get out and run…it will actually help you cope better with the stress you can’t control.

Sunset

I remember as a child my mom always saying, "Red sky at night sailors delight, red sky at morning sailors take warning." As I ran along the clifts over looking the Pacific at sunset...and of course it was a red sky. I can only guess it was the relief of having the packers out of the house and getting to the last part of the move...tomorrow we load the truck...but I had a real sense of relief. Or was it because the sunset was just beautiful. Anyway my mental stress was gone. As I ran along the cliff, I remembered my mom's old saying...and yea..."Red sky at night..." Good things are coming. We just need to keep putting one step in front of the next.

Moving Day

I feel I'm repeating myself, but I have found it difficult to keep this blog updated. I'm currently preparing to move from the West Coast to the East Coast in the next few weeks. In fact the packers are here right now packing boxes around me, as I grab a quick lunch.

Yesterday, I got out for a great run at sunset. The temperature was cool and the breeze off the Pacific was almost cold... I have found that in the midst of all the stress in my life, a run like that along a wooded path, or along the coast restores my spirit. In the next few days...I'll be tied up with the packers and then moving the whole of my life holdings onto a truck for the 2000+ mile move to Maryland. My own trek across country includes a stop in Yellowstone National Park and Mt Rushmore. So hopefully I can add a few interesting pictures to the blog next week. Well, take care and I'll write more after the packers are done.