9 easily forgettable moments on the AMS journey

the coolest street name in Webster City 

a delicious school lunch at the local middle school.  

Jim thinking he was LOST

the day Jim invented "cockroaches on a log" (prunes instead of raisins)

the time Jim got a sunburn

Yup.  Jim doesn't even remember taking this pic.  

when Jim broke his favorite mug

Jim cooling his face with delicious cold treats during a hot and humid run  

the time Jim ate a whole jar of pickles

The whirlwind of the unexpected obstacles

Just like in running, life throws us some unexpected obstacles. 

This last week, we had to cancel all the Awake My Sole running and speaking events in Fort Dodge. 

Never expected this.

Why?

Our best friend was admitted into the hospital with pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in the lungs), and  without hesitation we made our way up to Bismarck North Dakota. 

An unexpected obstacle.

Life is full of these.
Some happy and joyful.
Some sad and disheartening.

...and just like in running, we must continue on.

Our week has been filled with a lot waiting in the hospital. 
Doctors and nurses. 
Prayer and food.
Tears shed, both in receiving positive and negative updates.

These unexpected obstacles make us question our present status, possibly realigning us to what really matters.

What does really matter?  People?  Career?  Money?  God?   
What is meaningful?  What makes life meaningful?  Am I living a meaningful life? 
Is there a God?  If so, why are negative unexpected obstacles allowed to happen?  

These are tough questions, and we must wrestle with them. 

After this week of going through this unexpected obstacle, we have once again been strengthened and realigned to what really matters:  the greatest commandment "to love God, and to love people."

I hope this makes you laugh

Webster City Wrap Up

Webster City Rocks!  

Really enjoyed my time in this glorious city.  Had a lot of fun speaking and running.

On Monday we covered the 37.1 miles to Webster City.  It was a beautiful windy day.  The wind was definitely in our favor, meaning it was at our backs.  We left Ames at 7am and arrived shortly after 4pm.  

Throughout the week got to speak thirteen times at the elementary school, middle school, Asbury youth group, after school program and briefly at a church service.

Got to run a 5k with my host family on Saturday, and did some geocaching afterwards.

This next week is a REST WEEK.  Will be taking some time to recover from running and speaking.  Hope to get some good stretching and reading in.  Also, we will be dreaming and spending some time discerning what the next steps for the Awake My Sole journey are.  So keep us in your prayers & thoughts.  

Here are some pics from the week.  Thank you so much for following the journey. 

Monday's windy day.  Whoever prayed the Irish blessing prayer, Thank you... "may the wind be at your back."  Here is the VIDEO of my run to Ames, when the wind wasn't at my back.  

Autumn colors of Iowa

Iowa barn.  Water tower pics HERE  

Entering into the Webster City limits

bikes in trees.  Ragbrai made their way through Webster City this summer.  Other bizarre pics from the AMS journey

Jim craves pickles after he runs.  He consumed this whole jar of pickles.  What do you crave?  Chime In HERE

Spout at Briggs Woods to a group of student council eighth grade students

the students loves to Draw and wants to draw for a career

Spoke all day Wednesday at the Webster City Middle School.  THUMBS UP

Got to speak at the Asbury Methodist Middle School Youth Group.  

Thursday, got to speak at one of the Webster City Elementary Schools.  Was fun to see faces I met last year.

Thursday evening sunset in Webster City.  More beautiful Iowa sun pics HERE

A nice note from Alexia at the Elementary School.  So very happy when I receive notes like this.  One of the reasons WHY I run and speak across Iowa, to INSPIRE people.  

This was from an article in Runner's World magazine.  Chantalle was reading and said, "This sounds like you."  

The Awake My Sole crew at the Clean Water Movement 5k, helping to raise $$$ to get a water well built in Uganda. 

I really wanted to eat this beef jerky.  It reminded me of the time I got to run with herd of 20 buffalo.  Scary!!!

Did some Geocaching, Webster City style.  First Gecache

Second Geocache

My spoils from Geocaching :)

Autumn.  Love it.  The season's are a changing.  

I really enjoy this picture.  Took it at Briggs Park, south of Webster City.  

Most recent Awake My Sole update (stats, pics, and a way to make homemade Clif bars)

Scheduling REST into our busy lives

Charley resting after a long day of running from Iowa City to Grinnell.

Everyone needs rest, including Charley.  Life comes at us fast, and if we don't schedule "restful moments" into our schedules, we'll get burned out (or get sick).

Definition of Rest: "To refresh oneself, as by sleeping, lying down, or relaxing" and "Refreshing ease or inactivity after exertion of labor."  

Before setting off on the AMS journey, this is how Jim chose where he would be running-to & speaking-in.  Rocks and a Iowa Map.   

In preparing for the yearlong Awake My Sole journey across the state of Iowa, wisdom suggested incorporating "restful moments" into the journey.  We wanted to make sure to get good rest, especially with pursuing such a labor intense occupation over a long period of time.

Jim was hosted in Bellevue Iowa this summer.  He got to REST in a old Volkswagon bus for a week.  This was his most unique resting quarters.  "No journey across the state of Iowa is complete without staying in a VW bus."       

Restful moments offer us a time to reset our inner compass, to reflect, to dream, to pray, to enjoy some quiet time, to enjoy the simple things of life.

Jim grabbing a cup of coffee at Toad's Coffee Shop in Spencer Iowa during his scheduled rest week.  

Scheduled restful moments in the Awake My Sole journey include:  

• Every Tuesday morning, after a long running day, Jim rests by sleeping in.
• Every Fifth week, after running and speaking for four weeks, Jim takes a week of rest.  He sleeps in, disconnects from social media, and tries to participate in activities he enjoys, like going for walks or reading books.

When was the last time you were able to rest?

Are you getting enough "restful moments" in your life?

A Friendly Suggestion: Grab your calendar and block out a morning, day, weekend OR week for a "restful moment. 

During this upcoming "REST WEEK" for Awake My Sole, we hope to spend some quality time discerning the NEXT STEPS of AMS...

The Seasons Are a Changin'

Bob Dylan sings, "The times they are a changing."  

This is a post of the possible changes and "What's next?" for the AMS journey.

Winter

Running in a Iowa winter blizzard (Kingsley to Orange City)

Protecting my face from the elements

 Spring

Running from Webster City to Ames in Spring.  Flowers on the side of the road.

Yes, those are IronMan sunglasses.  

Summer

Running to Waterloo Iowa.  Super hot summer in Iowa.  Had to stay in Independence a night due to extreme heat.  

This particular summer running day, I consumed eight 24-ounce waters, six 32-ounce Gatorades, a camel back, and additional fluids.  The summer was very hot & humid.  The toughest run was Iowa City to Grinnell.

Which brings us to Fall AKA Autumn... the changing of the seasons.

• Trees shed their leaflets.  
• Days get shorter. 
• It gets colder.
• Sweaters come out of the closets (unless you live in Florida).
• Pumpkins are carved & turned into delicious pies.  
• Coffee shops put out their seasonal nutmeg spiced latte.  

Life is like the seasons.  Change happens and we transition, good for us.  Often times difficult and tough, but ultimately good.  Each person or group of people need challenge, risk, meaning and purpose.  If we aren't finding that in what we are currently pursuing, we feel stagnant or bored, not alive, and we long for the next season, the next change, where we are challenged and hopefully come alive.  

I write this blog post, cause the Awake My Sole journey has experienced the four seasons of Iowa: Winter, Spring, Summer & Fall.  

The AMS dream began in 2007 amidst conversation in a office entry way.  It's now three months till the running portion of the AMS journey ENDS. Many have asked, "What's the next season of the AMS journey?"  

We're not sure yet.  We're in a waiting period, seeking discernment inspired by the Creator and wisdom from others.  

Some of ideas include:

• Get someone else to RUN/Speak the AMS route.
• Write something about the AMS journey.
• Have a summer relay run across the state of Iowa to help raise $$$ to build water wells.
• Continue the journey, maybe across another state.  
• Continue to speak.    
• End the AMS journey.  Wrap it up, let it be what is was.
• Start a mentoring program for younger boys, combing running/mentoring together
• Have an Awake My Sole speaking tour with multiple runners.
• Your idea: ___________________________.    

Keep AMS in your thoughts and prayers as we discern what's next.  

Here are some Autumn pics... Enjoy!!!