"The road goes ever on and on"

True Trail Runners: Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Lord Of The Rings

Yesterday, someone asked me, "Do you like Lord of the Rings?"

I replied, "No, not really.  When I was in high school I watched the first movie of the trilogy six times in the theater, but that was about the extent of my fandom."

***I did write an earlier blog post called "What Would Bilbo Do?"
****I also collected Lord Of The Rings action figures during my fandom, I still have them somewhere

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I came across this Lord of the Rings quote when I was finishing up the Iowa Awake My Sole trek:

“The road goes ever on and on” 

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

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The last mile of the 1339 mile Iowa Awake My Sole journey.  Taken in December 2012.
Pic courtesy of Sioux City Journal 

After running and speaking across the state of Iowa for the year, I didn't get to the end of the yearlong journey, and say "I'm done with life."

I was done with this particular task, but I wasn't finished with living.  

I was merely at the beginning of something new, unknown, challenging and unexpected.

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I've seen people set a goal, work towards achieving it, and when achieved, they wrestle with "What's next?  How could I possibly set another goal, or achieve something like I just achieved?"

This road of life goes "on and on."

Where and when does it end?

Some believe it's at our last breath.  Others believe our last breath is the ushering into what's next.

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Author Donald Miller often writes about how he goes about seeking out the next adventure for his life.  He envisions the end of his life, standing before Creator God who says, "Well done my good and faithful servant."  From this envisioned encounter with Creator God, he tries to implement things that would evoke such words from Creator God.
 
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Some quotes from Donald Miller's book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life

“It wasn't necessary to win for the story to be great, it was only necessary to sacrifice everything.” 

“If you watched a movie about a guy who wanted a Volvo and worked for years to get it, you wouldn’t cry at the end when he drove off the lot, testing the windshield wipers. You wouldn’t tell your friends you saw a beautiful movie or go home and put a record on to think about the story you’d seen. The truth is, you wouldn't remember that movie a week later, except you’d feel robbed and want your money back. Nobody cries at the end of a movie about a guy who wants a Volvo.  But we spend years actually living those stories, and expect our lives to be meaningful. The truth is, if what we choose to do with our lives won't make a story meaningful, it won’t make a life meaningful either”

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music from the Awake My Sole journey

"This is Not the End" by Gungor

"Every Idea is wacky until it works."

Runners World

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Over 10 months have passed since the completion of the Iowa Awake My Sole journey.

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It was mid October, newly wed and in Webster City Iowa, as I prepared for the day, I wrestled with this question:

"What are the next steps for Awake My Sole?"

Ideas flooded my brain, but one popped in that has continued to root.

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In speaking across Iowa, a frequently asked question, "What state are you going to run and speak across next?"

Often I would respond, "Maybe my home state of Colorado or Rhode Island."  The second answer often produced some chuckles from people who knew their states.

All along I knew I wasn't going to be running across any additional states after completing Iowa, or at least not as highly invested.

You see, the Iowa journey was a yearlong "away from home" commitment.  It was risky and fun.  I met new people and host families.  The speaking and running schedule was exhausting.  It wasn't the most conducive for a newly wed who actually enjoys the ideology of "laying roots" and investing long term into a community.  I was only investing in communities for a week at a time.  It was very rewarding, especially when kids and elderly alike shared how much they enjoyed what I shared about.

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So, since I don't foresee any yearlong running adventures across others states, you might ask yourself, "Then what is in the works?  What idea popped into his brain while in Webster City?"

The answer, "Mentoring."

Making a committed investment into younger people.

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Awake My Sole is evolving... from an inspiring journey across Iowa to a program combining running and mentoring.

I don't have the nuts and bolts down, or the planning and preparation in place, but I do have a wacky and crazy idea.

I never thought I would spend a year running across Iowa, but I did, and so I'm excited to see what lies ahead.

"One step at a time."

the dream of a long distance runner living in north dakota.

the dream of a long distance runner living in north dakota.


840 miles.

*woke up early this morn.  drank some coffee.  brainstormed this outlandish idea.

dreamers gotta dream.  right?



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some inspiration for the morning.  enjoy!!!

News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

run with passion, purpose, beautiful feet and endurance.  run towards Jesus.  gotta run to awake the sole.

Journeyman

"Journeyman"

an album by Eric Clapton's spins on the record player behind me.

I am on a journey.  We all are.  

....

My endorphins are engaged.

Just got done doing some walking accompanied by seven minutes of light jogging.

I've been taking it easy.  My left lower leg has been causing me some pain over the last seven months.  

....

Humbling.  

The word used to explain how I'm feeling.

Last year, could run 16 hours straight; today, 7 minutes.

....

Inspired.

I read an incredible article about Scott Jurek who used his love for running to raise money for schools in Ethiopia, along with helping getting medical attention to Ethiopians. 

Seeing others create, inspires me.

....

I'm a journeyman.  

Yes, finishing is important, but what's even more important is enjoying the journey that gets you to the end. 

Watching others live their journey well inspires me to live my journey well. 

....

Is coffee BAD for runners?

Hungry Legs!!!

For all the distance runners out there.... 

Credit:  www.TheOatmeal.com

Some advice for helping your legs not be so GIGANTIC.... stop running!!!

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What do you think about when you run 40-miles?

QUESTION: Is Coffee BAD for long distance runners?

ANSWER:

"No"

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What i feel like if I don't have coffee before a run...

for some real sources of coffee and long distance running...

Runners World - 8 things you should know about coffee

Is coffee bad for long distance runner?

a runner's guide to coffee

the dangerous cycle

I haven't been able to run "well" since March.  Even going out for short quick runs has been causing strain on my left calf.

Super bummer!

Especially when 2012 was filled with running.  Running was my job, my gift, my passion.  It's what I spoke about at each speaking engagement.  

Being a long distance runner, I thought I knew what was going on with my leg, each time I would access and diagnose the situation, "Maybe it's my tendon, a hair line fracture or perhaps a muscle tear.  You know, all the running you did last year probably was the result of this."

And thus was the cycle I fell into.  I call it "The dangerous cycle of an injured long distance runner." (insert dramatic music here).

• Injury accrued.  
• Attempt to run.  
• Re-injure or strain whatever was previously injured or strained.
• Evaluate, asses and diagnose the pain as if you were a doctor.
• Attempt to run.
• Re-Re-injure or strain.
• Say you are going to "Rest." (Codeword for I'm going to bike, swim, walk, jumping jacks)
• Attempt to run.
• Re-Re-Re-injure or strain.
• ... and so on and so on  

I don't know if it is pride, ego, or unawareness; what I should have done in March was go to the doctor, but I didn't.  I thought I could fix it, and was completely naive, thinking I knew what was wrong with my body.  I mean seriously, if I could spend a year on the road, running up to 55 miles pushing a 150 gear cart, couldn't I figure out what was wrong with my lower leg?  I sustained very few injuries on the Awake My Sole journey, and now I can't even go for a 2 mile run without my leg feeling strained.

After moping and complaining about not being able to run, my incredible wife shared some words of wisdom with me, "Doctors go to school to figure out how to asses and diagnose injuries."

I gave in and finally went in to the doctor.  Six months later.

I entered the doctor's office.  At most, waited for about 5 minutes.  Filled out some forms.  The doctor asked me to walk around the office.  Observed my stride and patterns.  Put me on a bench and moved my leg, asked if it hurt when she moved it a certain way.  I told her when it hurt.  Brought me off the bench and said:

"You have a strained Peroneus Longus muscle.  You need to stop turning your left foot outwards when you run, turn it in straight ahead, and you need to walk from your heal of your foot to the toe of your foot, not to roll on the outside of your foot.  That should help."

That was it!  In less than 15 minutes, my injury was assessed, diagnosed and what the next steps for treatment were.

It's been a humbling process.

So, I've been walking 30 minutes every day with my left foot turned in.  Hope to be back and running soon, and thus blogging too.

this "thank you" goes out to Charity for assessing and diagnosing my leg.  

The Road ahead

The 1st Awake My Sole journey is complete!!!

The 1st Awake My Sole journey is complete!!!

1339 miles run.  317 speaking spots.

Start: Jan. 9th 2012 
End: Dec. 23rd 2012

20 Iowa towns on the journey:  CLICK YOUR TOWN
Ames
Bellevue
Clinton
Davenport
Des Moines
Dubuque
Fort Dodge
Grinnell
Iowa City
Kingsley
Manchester
Orange City
Pella
Sac City
Sanborn
Sioux City
Spencer
Storm Lake
Waterloo
Webster City

Jim's Top 5 Music Albums to RUN to

When it comes to Ultra Running, people often ask if I listen to playlists of music.  The answer is "Yes," however my playlists usually consist of full length albums.  When running 12+ hours, albums help sooth the time and help it go on, rather than individual songs.  Here are 5 of my favorite music albums to listen to while running.

Comment below::: What are your top 5 albums to run to?

"Joshua Tree" by U2

"I want to run - I want to hide 
I want to tear down the walls that hold me inside 
I want to reach out and touch the flame 
Where the streets have no name"

"Suburbs" by Arcade Fire

"Hey
Put the cellphone down for a while
In the night there is something wild
Can you hear it breathing?
And hey
Put the laptop down for a while
In the night there is something wild
I feel it, it's leaving me"

"Lonesome Dreams" by Lord Huron

"It's time to run, they'll string me up for all that I've done
I'm going soon, gonna leave tonight, gotta 
I did it all for you, well I hope you know the lengths I've gone to
What's a man to say? They'll be looking for me, should be on my way"

"Boxer" by The National

"We're half awake in a fake empire
We're half awake in a fake empire"

"Clarity" by Jimmy Eat World

"How long would it take me to walk across the United States all alone.
The West coast has been traumatized.
I think I'm the only one still alive."

for runners who enjoy listening to vinyl records...  OR just stick with the Ipod.   

10 Best Long Distance Running Songs HERE

Comment below::: What are your top 5 albums to run to?

We are the statues...

Allow us to begin with some thought provoking words by C. S. Lewis:

"This world is a great sculptor shop.  We are the statues, and there is a rumour going round the shop that some of us are some day are going to come to life."  Mere Christianity

Looking out over the cold North Dakota landscape, a whopping -10 wind degree temperature, drinking a large cup of hot tea, these words are stuck in my head

"Come to life" 

These words are found in the last paragraph of Lewis' first chapter of his fourth book in Mere Christianity.  They challenge and inspire me, while at the same time developing within me a deep tension as I wrestle with some tough questions:

What is the element, the spiritual force, the religion that brings humanity to life? 

Is the Christian religion a set of moral values instituted by Jesus Christ for people to uphold?  Can humanity uphold these moral views?

What does "come to life" mean?  How does one find the joy that overflows?  Can one even find that joy?  If so, how?  Or are we just waiting to be breathed into?  

Crazy, huh?  How reading one chapter of C.S.Lewis in the early morning can provoke inspiration and challenge. 

I'm often inspired and challenged by the created works of others; in this case C.S.Lewis' writings.  

I ultimately know other people's creations aren't the final work.  C.S.Lewis would be a fool if he wrote a book and claimed, "This is as good as it gets."

I could argue that C.S.Lewis is as good as it gets, but that for an other blog post, plus that would be foolish.   

Art.  

Each person is an Artist.

We've been created with an ability to Create.  How cool is that?

With each piece of art, we inspire people.  Hopefully our art inspires people in a positive way.  

Seeing someone do what they were created to do, inspiring.  

We are all artists, we are, truly.  Some people think of artists as left-brained people, not so.  Yes, left-brained people may be more inclined with drawing or making melodic noises with instruments, but everyone is an Artist.  Nature is God's canvas given to us in which we write and create our story.

Side note: I really dig this sticker:

Each person is an artist in their own respect.

What's your specialty?  

The art you are producing, is it making the earth a better place?

Do you "come to life" when you create it?