Pella Wrap Up

Made it to Pella safely on Monday.  a quick 25.1 mile run.

Left at 7am & arrived at Noon.  Felt pretty good about the run.  Temps were amazing.  

Was blessed with speaking 12 spots in the Pella community.  

Here are some pics: 

Wearing sunscreen

Iowa's beauty

Blue

360 degree picture of one of the roads I run on.

Speaking to students at Central College in Pella.  Talked about "Stress and Human Spirituality."

Got to speak at the Pella Middle School Cross Country Team.  Also got to run with them. 

Spoke to the FCA group at Central. 

Spoke all day at the Elementary School.  Awesome kiddos!!!

Run a lot of miles, you can eat a lot of hot dogs :):):)

Ran with the Central College Cross Country Team.  They were in the middle of a 12-hour marathon run to raise $$$ for the Special Olympics.  Awesome guys!!! 

Spent Sunday afternoon with my awesome host family, and my pops, he drove up from Colorado.  

10 Best Long Distance Running Songs

"Be Set Free" by Josh Garrels

"Setting Forth" by Eddie Vedder

"Run" by Eric Clapton

"Long Distance Runaround" by Yes

"I Am Still Running" by Jon Foreman

"Long Distance Runner" by DeGarmo & Key

"Run In The Night" by Jars of Clay

"I Will Follow" by U2

"Lost!" by Coldplay

"We Used To Wait" by Arcade Fire

Jim's Top 5 Music Albums to Run to HERE

243 days ago - WEEK #1 journal posts

Sunday Jan 8th 2012
Tomorrow begins the Awake My Sole trek.  Overwhelmed with the support of others as I begin this trek across Iowa.  I couldn't imagine doing this trip without the support and encouraging words of others.  All my stuff moved out.  Feels a bit weird knowing I will begin tomorrow.  Stuff is all on a cart.  Have cut down my gear over and over.  Continually simplifying my stuff.  Last 5 months of planning are paying off.  I hope to continue blogging and updating people.  Going to miss living in Sioux City.  God, may I trust You with every step.

Monday Jan 9th 2012 - Day #1
Starting temperature was 30 degrees and sunny.  Was a most excellent day of running.  So good to be on the road.  The 17 miles felt good.  Feet hurt a bit, but knew they would feel like that.  1 run down 39 to go.  Super thankful for my host family.  

Wednesday Jan 11th 2012 - Day #3
Realizing people connect with my story, they see their story in my story.  I give what I love to do to you Lord, my my life glorify you.  Amen

Friday Jan 13th 2012 - Day #5
Ran this morning in negative one degree weather.  It was freezing, yet good to get out, especially with the layers of clothing.  Spoke to a group of high school students, and once again amazed how students connect to the Awake My Sole story.  They asked great questions.  It was a great night!

Stepping out of your comfort zone

On Friday I got to speak at Grinnell Mutual.

It happens to be the nation's largest reinsurance company.  To be honest, I didn't know what a reinsurance company was; in fact I didn't even know they existed.  Pretty much, they are insurance companies for insurance companies.  

  

It has over 700 employees and has been established as a business for over a century, founded in 1909.

Outside of the Grinnell Mutual building

Normally, I speak to students.  If you are wondering, my favorite age group happens to be middle school students.  Some people might find that crazy, but it's true.

Speaking to middle school students earlier in the week in Grinnell

 When I was asked to come speak at Grinnell Mutual, I welcomed the opportunity.  You see, I welcome all speaking opportunities. 

It was an opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and grow.  So I did. 

Walking around the pond at Grinnell Mutual.  They really take care of their workers.(pic by Dan McCue) 

And yes, it was very uncomfortable.  Especially the days leading up to speaking at Grinnell Mutual.  I would go by their building and think "Wow!  That's a big building, what could I possibly share to inspire challenge and equip their employees?"

I went and spoke.  It went really well.  The people laughed at my stories, asked good questions, and hopefully were challenged.  I gave it my all.  That's all I could do.

It challenged me to step outside of the normal routine, and as a result, I grew, and know I have the experience of speaking to business-minded adults.

Some SWAG from Grinnell Mutual.  Woot!!!

Some pointers about stepping out of your comfort zone

:Be yourself:
YOU are the best thing about you.  No one is like you, use that to your advantage.  I went into Grinnell Mutual being confident with myself.  I didn't try to be someone I wasn't.  I'm a runner and speaker who happens to be running and speaking across the state of Iowa.  I didn't try to pretend I knew things about business.  I was myself, and it worked out really well.

:Prepare Well and accept the possibility of failure:
Whatever you are talking on, or sharing about, prepare well.  Put forth your best effort.  This applies to every new, exciting, risky and unknown endeavor.  You may fail, but at least you put forth your best.

:Welcome New Opportunities:
Be ready for new and "not-normal" opportunities.  Welcome them.  They help you to not be so stagnant.  Shake things up a bit.  Do things you don't normally do.

After sharing about the Awake My Sole journey, some people from the group walked around the pond
 

What opportunity is beckoning you?  

Maybe it's speaking to middle school students.

Grinnell Recap

Had a wonderful week in Grinnell. 

Monday morning's run from Iowa City was brutal, but the rest of the week was great.

Speaking at the Christian School in Grinnell.  They were awesome.  This marked my 200th speaking engagement on the AMS journey.   

Played disc golf in Grinnell.  Anthony's method of getting a disc out of the water.

Grace Community Church's middle school youth group.  

Cup of coffee in my Cuba mug at Saint's Rest Coffeehouse

FCA at the Grinnell Middle School.  Lots of fun.  

Got to speak at Grinnell Mutual reinsurance company.  Really cool group of people.  

Some cool host family dogs.  Brinkley and Thor.  

Enjoying the sunset alongside of my wonderful Grinnell host family: Brent & Beth.  They are the best.  

Downtown Grinnell building.  This building made me really want to play Tetris.

Another beautiful Iowa sunset outside of Grinnell.

I had a great time in Grinnell, again.  The people are great.  Look forward to coming back through in the near future.

Favorite moment from the week:  a student came up to me and said, "I'm gonna run a marathon."

Oh, and I hit a milestone in Grinnell, got to share the Awake My Story 200 times.  One of the goals I set for the journey was to speak over 200 times.

Running with purpose in every step...

Jim

that sand dancer dude is weird

Earlier this week, my friend Brent showed me this video.

My first thought was, "This guy is crazy and weird," but quickly thought, "I wonder if people see the Awake My Sole journey this way?"

Check out this video of the "Sand Dancer"

I love how this guy loves to draw in the sand.  He absolutely loves it.  To others he comes off weird and crazy.  He doesn't do it for money, but seemingly for the joy and meaning he receives from using his gift of creating art.

For me, after sharing the Awake My Sole story, people often respond, "It's crazy what you are doing."

I respond, "To you it may seem crazy, but to me, it's my life, it's meaningful."  

I'll ask, "What do you love to do?"  

Some will say, "I love to play tennis" or "I love to paint" or "I love to sell insurance."

I respond, "To me, that's crazy and weird, just like running and speaking across the state of Iowa is weird, but we are both needed."  

What were your first thoughts after watching this video?

How do you deal with others thinking you are "crazy" or "weird?"  

Where do you find purpose, meaning and joy?

I quit.

Yes, those are freezy pops on my face.  It was hot!!!

I quit.

I threw in the towel at mile 42 during Monday's 64-mile run to Grinnell.


It's hard to say, "I quit."

I don't think anyone enjoys it.

Maybe it's a pride thing, or a moment when you realize you might not be able to complete a certain task.  It's very humbling, and dare I say, healthy?

Leaving Iowa City en route to Grinnell at 3am

I wanted to complete the Iowa City to Grinnell stretch of running.  I was determined.  I planned well, and I made sure to get a lot of rest.

I thought it would be fun to say, "I ran 64-miles, in nasty humidity, pushing a 150 pound gear cart up a ton of hills... boo ya!!!"

But I can't.

When I'm unable to finish a run, I always have reasons, explanations or excuses of why I quit:

Yesterday's run for instance:

• Maybe it was the 100% humidity
• The 3am start time
• The summer heat
• The numerous rolling hills of Iowa
• Gravel Roads
• etc. etc. etc.

Gravel Roads

I got to mile 42, I was exhausted, so I just sat on the side of the road, in the middle of nowhere.  I was sitting, thinking, praying, and asking myself if I was okay with not completing the run.

I was okay with it.

When you've run 42 miles, you're exhausted, and you know you have 22 miles to go, your brain definitely encourages you to stop.

So I stopped.

Marty and Anet picked me up and gave me a ride to my host home in Grinnell.

Getting a ride to my host home

I quit.

I do have mixed emotions about Monday's performance:

• Could I have gone further?  
• Was it a mental thing?  
• Could I have worked through the fatigue and exhaustion?
• Am I a failure for not completing what I set out to do? 

I do know, I can't change yesterday's run or performance.  I do know, that one day I would like to finish this stretch.  It's tough, but I know I can do it.  As for now, I'm honestly okay with not finishing.  I'm okay with it, I know I gave what I was able to give.  I thank God for every moment on this journey I'm on, for allowing me to run, for allowing me to speak and inspire people.  I'm so very thankful, and I'm thankful for the people who daily encourage me as I run, even when "I quit."

When was a time when you were okay with saying, "I quit?"

Iowa City Wrap Up & Grinnell Running Recap

Iowa City Wrap Up

I had a really grand week in Iowa City.  Was blessed with a safe 55-mile run from Davenport and my body recovered quickly (lots of rest and lots of icing my tendon).

I got to share the Awake My Sole journey 16 times.  A lot of speaking, but really enjoyed every minute of it.  

On Wednesday spoke 11 times at the new Borlaug Elementary in Coralville.  

Yes, stopped by the Iowa Hawkeyes stadium.  I'm still undetermined which Iowa school I should attach myself too :)

Of course, ate at Chipotle a couple times during my stay in Iowa City.  Is the last town on the journey that has Chipotle, I will miss it greatly: Chicken burritos are the best

On Thursday evening, got to speak at the Uptown Bill's Coffee Shop.  A community neighborhood coffee shop revolving around the story of Bill Sackter.  A really cool place with really cool people.  THANKS to TOM for being so kind to me on my journey.

On Friday, I spent the day at the Iowa Mennonite School, near Kolona Iowa.  I got to speak at chapel to the all the students, then to Lee's biblical studies class and finally to the Cross Country Team.  Awesome students and faculty.  I really enjoyed my day at this school.

After speaking  all day Friday, went to a beautiful frisbee golf course.  If I lived in Iowa City, I would visit this place frequently.  Thank you Paul for bringing me here.  

Saturday, went to The Java House Coffee Shop in downtown Iowa City.  I couldn't help but take a picture of the Cuban Macchiato I ordered.  Spent the afternoon catching up on reading and just enjoying the afternoon.   

Saturday evening, in heading to HyVee to get some Cliff Bars, I had a wild hair to make my own Cliff Bars.  Thanks to google there is a recipe, So I made some blueberry Cliff bars.  Took about an hour from start to finish.  HERE is the RECIPE.   

The finished product.  FYI, they taste like CLIFF BARS, not only that but I got the satisfaction of making them myself.

Sunday morning, attended Grace Community Church.  Thought their banner was very pertinent to the Awake My Sole journey.  Got to meet the teaching pastor, Brooks and the community life director, Dan, super friendly people.

I really enjoyed my time in Iowa City.  Every week when Sunday roles around, I get this feeling of "I don't want to leave," which I think is healthy, but the Awake My Sole journey calls me to the next town.

Grinnell Running Recap

• Start Time: 3:00a 
• Finish Time: 5:30p (14.5 hours of running)
• Total Mileage: 42+ miles (stopped 22 miles short, due to mental and physical exhaustion)
• Weather: %100 humidity till about 8am, and very humid the rest of the day.  From about 11am onward there were scattered clouds.  Very hot the whole time.  
• Lots of hills, hard to push gear cart up them.  Just walking up them, would be drenched in sweat.
• After Willamsburg, it was all gravel.
• Hot, hot, hot!!!  

Leaving Iowa City at 3am in the morning.  There were no cars on the street.

Awesome pic before the sun came up.  Lots of FOG made parts of Iowa look like it had islands in the clouds.

Welcoming the sun rise. 

Anet, Andrea, Michael & Marty joining me after Williamsburg.  They ran 5-miles with me.  Each one of them got to push the gear cart.  Also, Anet ran barefoot 5-miles in the gravel.  

Thought I would try running on a LEVEL B road again.  Last time it didn't turn out so well, but this time, it was great.  

Marty and Anet found me later in the day, thanks to the GPS unit.  They brought me some freezer pops.  I used them on my face.  It felt so good.  About an hour after this pic, I decided to call it a day.

Getting a ride to my host home.  It was a long, tough day of running.  I had every desire to finish this run, but looking back I"m glad I stopped, cause I would have been seriously ill.  

Day after, Charley is resting well.