The Gear Cart Exchange

I had to say goodbye to my wonderful Gear Cart this last week.

I exchanged my gear cart for a wife.  Yup, I got married.

My wife will be my support vehicle for the remainder of the Awake My Sole journey.    

In regards of the exchange, my grandmother stated, "A most excellent exchange."

My amazing brother John bought this gear cart on Craig's list and rigged it up for me to run across Iowa with.  He rigged it with rechargeable lights, a platform with clipboard, and a phone charger. 

I covered over 1000 miles with this gear cart.  Had a lot of good memories with this cart.

Some of you may have known of it by other names, like "Baby Jogging Stroller."

My favorite story with the gear cart back in February...

It finally happened. Was stopped by a Police officer today while running with Awake My Sole to Storm Lake Iowa.  

The officer said, "Just got a call, and the caller said 'A lady was running with a baby along the highway.' "  

I responded, "I'm definitely not a lady and I have no baby in this baby jogging stroller."  

Got a good chuckle out of the officer.

Here are some pics of the gear cart

photo shoot with the gear cart

fort dodge iowa

testing out the gear cart

Outrunning a storm

stop at the post office

blizzard

It's funny, cause last week I saw a guy running down the road with a kid in his baby jogging stroller.

I wanted to yell out my window, "Why is there a baby in your gear cart?"

Maybe I will bust it out in the future for giggles.  or if I have kiddos.  

10 best long distance running songs

Thankfulness --- Essential and Meaningful

thank·ful

   [thangk-fuhl]  Show IPA

adjective

feeling or expressing gratitude; appreciative.

Two Monday ago, en route to Spencer Iowa by foot, I was overwhelmed with an attitude of Thankfulness.  Don't know what came over me.  Maybe running 5 marathons in 4 weeks was getting to my head.

Leaving Sanborn to Spencer.  Everything was frosted white.  So very thankful for the beauty of Iowa.  

This attitude of thankfulness was unusual, freeing and joyous.

Running with friends.  Leaving Orange City to Sanborn.  Thankful for the support of  friends.

I was thankful, and I began naming all the things I was thankful for.  The big things in life.  The small things.  Everything I could think of, I found myself saying I am Thankful for that.

Here are a very few of the things I am thankful for  

(I could do this all day)

I am thankful for friends, family, and loved ones.  

I am thankful for people I don't know, strangers and others.  Poor, wealthy, middle class people.  All people I am thankful for.  

I am thankful for music, for the way it guides my steps when I run, and for the people who create it.  

I am thankful to the Creator who allows humans to create, uniquely fashions each person, not one the same.  

I am thankful for technology and the way it allows me to connect with people.  

I am thankful for the ground beneath my feet as I run, for it's sturdiness.  

I am thankful for the trees that produce oxygen for me to breathe.  I am thankful for breath.  

I am thankful for the sun shining, for the way God works through people.  

I am thankful for the good days, and yes, even the bad days, or the days that may seem useless and aimless.  

I am thankful when I have much and when I have little.  

I am thankful for ingenuity.  

I am thankful for the clothes I am wearing, and the host homes I am staying in.  

I am thankful for the love of Jesus and how that directs my life, every part of it.  

I am thankful for those who believe differently than me, or think differently than me.  

I am thankful for my toes and my fingers.  I am thankful for running and speaking and abilities I have yet to discover.  

I am thankful for food and the way it helps sustain my body.

I am thankful for each town I've visited, each with unique differences and similarities.  

I am thankful for the state of Iowa.

I am thankful for my socks for keeping my feet warm and dry, and for the person who gave me the socks.  

I am thankful for snow, for bitter Iowa winters.  I am thankful for no snow, for warm Iowa winters.   

Like I said, after a while, I was filled with joy and wonder at all the little and big things I was thankful for.  It made each step during my run seem lighter and more freeing.  We have a lot to be thankful for.  A lot.  Just being alive and breathing is something to be thankful for.  For those reading this blog, being able to read, and use a computer, how awesome is that?

WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR?

My challenge to you: 

Take 10 minutes (or more).  Grab a pen and paper.  Write down everything you are thankful for.  Everything you can imagine or think.  You will be surprised, overwhelmed and gain a new perspective.  

Running to Spencer, one of the Sanborn families put up this sign.  I was super thankful for it.  It made my day.  

A friend brought me warm tea.  Was running from Kingsley to Orange City and it was cold, 20 mph head winds and my water froze.  Very thankful in this moment.  

My lunch during a long running day.  PowerAde, Cliff Bar and Water.  Thankful for it.  All of it.

A drawing from Noah.  So very thankful for it.  Used it as motivation while running from Orange City to Sanborn.  

"Always be joyful.  Never stop praying.  Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."  

1 Thessalonians 5

Running Recap from two Mondays ago - Sanborn to Spencer

Last week's Blog Post ::: "Aimlessly Against Time"

A blog post from back in the day ::: "5 Things I'm going to miss"

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T SHIRTS