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?

Chariots of Fire --- with all my "sole"

Most people want to discover their meaning and purpose in life.  Not often do you hear someone say, "I don't want to find meaning and purpose in my life."

Some people may unintentionally live in a way that is perceived not meaningful and purposeful, or perhaps it's meaningful and purposeful in a way that is foreign to others.

For someone who dislikes running, they wouldn't find running for a year a meaningful and purposeful endeavor, probably more of a tedious and grueling task.

The tasks we perform, hobbies we pursue and talents we discover, what if they were deemed meaningful and purposeful because it keeps us from being aimless?  Almost as if we were created to work.  Hopefully we are working towards something good, right?  Towards something that makes this world a better place.


I'm sitting in my room, after a year of running and speaking, listening to an appropriate movie soundtrack:

I'm also reflecting on a writing found in the Book of Matthew, chapter 12:

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all they mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  On these two commandments hand all the law and the prophets."

If I was to paraphrase this passage, the runner in me translates "soul" to "sole."

Where do you find meaning and purpose?

Is your journey worth your life?

I feel like Skydiving is a cheap thrill, especially if it involves skydiving with cars.

A temporary experience of fulfillment.  Excitement and danger converge and well up within us a sense of being "fully alive."

Similar to many commercials on TV.  

A couple weeks ago I was sitting and watching TV.  There was a commercial about a girl who got a new pair of jeans, and instantly she was happy.  She started dancing like a fully alive person.  She danced on chairs and you could tell she was happy.

"If only I get those jeans, an overwhelming sense of joy and excitement will well up out of me and I'll burst apart, right?"

We are seeking things that don't fulfill and amidst this realization we still intensely seek after them.

A band named "The Lighthouse and the Whaler" have a song called "Burst Apart."

A lyrics from this song:

"The journey is worth your life..."

Since first hearing this song, this lyric has mulled around in my head.  I can't stop thinking about how essential finding a "journey worth your life" is.  Especially to finding fulfillment, meaning and purpose.

It would be disappointing if becoming "fully alive" was as easy as purchasing jeans or skydiving in some remote village.

Our journeys must be better than that.  We must be willing to give our lives to them.

What journey is worth our life?

Our life is one of our most precious gifts.

What if our ultimate purpose and meaning can be found amidst an orchestrated story with a Creator?  Where we realize, our story, our life is but a small piece of a grand scheme.

What if our life, our meaning, our story is more than ourselves, but rather about something bigger?    

The Awake My Sole journey was based out of striving after Jesus.  It's crazy to think the running & speaking portion of the yearlong journey is finished, however the journey overall journey has only begun.

Whether you are an "extreme-thrill-seeking-sports-athlete" jumping out of planes or a business woman with a routine job, you can fully be alive amidst striving after something bigger.

Ultimately I know my life is not my own, but God's, and I attempt daily to be aware of the journey I am on.

Is the journey you are on worth your life?

An Unexpected Journey --- What would BILBO do? GO or STAY ???

The Hobbit, the newest installment from Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings franchise has this tag line:

"An Unexpected Journey."

It is a fictional story filled with mythical creatures.  The main protagonist is Bilbo, the Hobbit.  Hobbits are comfortable creatures, who enjoy the simple pleasures and comforts of life: smoking a pipe, reading books and eating good food.

Hobbits are not ones for exploring or discovery.

But in this story, Bilbo finds himself on an unexpected journey with a bunch of dwarfs.  At first he is against going on the journey Gandalf wishes for him to be on, but there is a turning point where the excitement of risk and unknown wells up in this Hobbit and he joins the crew.

“Then something Tookish woke up inside him, and he wished to go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine-trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves, and wear a sword instead of a walking-stick.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

Our lives are unexpected journeys.  Even amidst the so-called mundane and routines of life.

Sometimes we are called on an adventure, perhaps to follow and pursue a dream, like starting a bakery or writing a book... little unexpected journeys.

The crazy thing is, we have a choice while at the same time we don't have a choice.  We never know what the other choice would have been.  We can always say things like, "I wonder what would have happened?"

With anything in life, we are confronted with this option, do we GO or do we STAY?

If we GO, it may not be easy, perhaps scary or risky, full of fearful moments.  We may miss the comforts of our life.  Freeing and liberating with nothing holding us back.

If we STAY, it may be simple and routine, and we can come home each night.  To some it may seem oppressive because of the stability.

Our life is full of unexpected moments.  In fact, every moment can be an unexpected moment of "Going" or "Staying."

It's not whether we GO or STAY, more or less, but rather why we are "going" or "staying?"

Why do we GO on journeys of adventure, or STAY put in the comforts of every day life?

Do people who GO on journeys lead more "fulfilling" and "meaningful" lives in comparison to those who STAY?

I'm in the middle of a book called "Brother Lawrence, practicing the presence of God," and he is a monk who cooked meals and did routine tasks filled with great love.  His whole practice of life was to be continually aware of the presence of the Creator, in every task.  In the tasks of "Going" and of "Staying."

"I wish you could convince yourself that GOD is often (in some sense) nearer to us, and more effectually present with us, in sickness than in health."  Brother Lawrence

What if we really believed that God is near us on this unexpected journey of life?  We GO when we feel called to go; we STAY when we feel called to stay.  

What if the Creator of the Universe, the One who knows the deepest truths, who loves us so deeply and intimately, is truly alongside of us, giving us direction and hope?  Not walking the steps for us, but whispering in the silence little hints for us to follow, all while longing for our love and affections, only things we can offer when we are aware.  

Any unexpected journey we go on, if we are truly trying to follow God, our hearts will be aligned, so really no matter what we do, whether it is run across the state of Iowa, work in a cubicle, go on an unexpected journey, or stay put and wash dishes, we can find the meaning, purpose and joy out of a love for the Creator.