Sac City Wrap Up

It was a great week in Sac City Iowa, home of the "World's Largest Popcorn Ball" (definitely something to check out).

The week was filled with a lot of speaking (12 times), running (54 miles) and getting back into the normal swing of things.

Here are some pics from the week:

Due to no support vehicle on Monday's journey to Sac City, Jim Drove to Sac City and then RAN 3-mile loops all day.  He covered 24-miles on Monday.  

Early Monday morning, saying "good morning" to the sun

Tuesday afternoon 10-mile run

Wednesday's 10-mile run.  busting out the 5th pair of shoes on the Awake My Sole journey

Speaking at the youth group in Newell Iowa on Wednesday evening

Jim with Darleen after speaking at the retirement community in Sac City

Audrey and Jim after speaking on Thursday.

Spoke all day Friday at the Sac City Middle School.  The students were wonderful.  Helped them set some "Big Hairy Audacious Goals."  

Friday evening 10-mile run.

Saturday morning.  Middle schoolers chilling at the retirement home.  

Having some fun with the awesome peeps at the retirement community. 

Saturday afternoon, did some geocaching in Sac City.  Found some sweet Ninja guys in a tree.  Lots of fun.  

Overall, really enjoyed my time in Sac City, gonna miss my amazing host family, a big THANKS to them.  I will be headed to Storm Lake tomorrow, (Monday 11/4).  Tentatively will be speaking at the Elementary School, Buena Vista's Chapel, BVU bible study and The Bridge's "Sons of Honor."  

Running with purpose in every step...

Jim

"I'm proud of you" - How to Inspire Retired Peeps

I got to spend the day speaking at a retirement community is Sac City Iowa.

I was a bit nervous before heading in.

What would I say to inspire people who are older than me?

Would they listen?  Would they care?  

Would what I say apply to them and their lives?

How do I challenge them to set goals in the later years of their life?

These were some of the questions rolling around in my head. 

I quickly discovered I needed to share my story, to be myself and not pretend I had all the answers.  That's what I did, and it went over really well, plus I gained a lot of wisdom from the wonderful residents I met.  

Darleen and I

I met a guy named Howard who is an expert woodworker.  Here is a picture of him and some of the things he made out of wood.  It is absolutely astounding some of the things he was able to create with wood.  I pointed out his buffalo and told him "I ran with a buffalo once."  He thought that was pretty neat.

Howard and some of his wood art 

Howard carved this boot out of wood.  Pretty neat, huh???

I also met a wonderful lady named Audrey.  Right after I was done speaking, she came up and said, "Thanks for sharing that.  Everything you talk about is how I try to live my life.  Setting goals is so very important to me, it gives me some meaning and purpose.  In fact, one of my current goals is to walk a mile every single day."

Audrey and I

I really enjoyed spending my time in the retirement community.  Yes, the people are retired and are a bit older than me, however they haven't stopped living.  You have people writing, playing piano, walking, carving wood and doing random acts of kindness.

In fact, one lady came up after I spoke and told me, "I'm proud of you."  Her comment made my day.

This Saturday, I hope to be making my way back to the retirement community with some middle school students, so they too can experience how cool the people in the retirement community are.


Some of the stories I shared:  
Chilling with Lou and her stuffed cat
When your water freezes, you know it's cold
Dean taught me how to make a wooden coffee cup

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)