Sunday, October 25, 2009

Morning After

I feel much better about my race this morning because of how bad I feel. I never feel sore after my normal runs. Today, my muscles ache. I obviously pushed myself yesterday which is good.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Race Results: Running Scared 2009

I ran 26:42. I was hoping to be in the 25s, but it was not to be. This was my PR so I am pleased in that regard. The plan was to be at 8:30 at 1 mile, 16:00 at the second mile and run that last part of the race at a 9 mile pace.

I largely carried this out through mile two (around 16:15), but I just ran out of gas in the last part. I did not feel real fast in that first mile and expected I was expending more energy than I wanted to for the first mile. The weather was perfect, but it was odd course. It was back trails through this park. Turf was a mixture of concrete, gravel, dirt, and loose dirt. Also, the organizers had to work with the course available, but it was not quite 5K. My friend had his GPS watch with him, and he measured the course at 3.18 miles. Not that it would have got me into the 25s, but it was a bit long.

I do know I can put together a 5K race to run in the 25s (and faster in years to come), but I need to increase my training distance. I never run more than 3.5 miles in training. I plan on making a weekly long run where I steadily up my distance to around 10 miles. Also, I am ready to add some speed work and other aspects of training into my routine, not just run 3 miles 3-4 times a week.

All things to work on. That is a fun part of it. Looking forward to years of running. Results are here. I did get 3rd in my age division. Of course, there were only 4 men in my age division.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Empty Moving Trucks

There are two moving trucks outside our townhome, one each being rented by next door neighbors. These are the two neighbors we first met when we moved here. Each had a daughter nearly Jacob's age and were natural playmates. These children would knock on our door and ask Jacob to play. Sometimes they came into our home and played upstairs in the play room. We only briefly chatted with the parents, but they seemed quiet normal. Yet during the brief 5 months we have been here, both families had one spouse decide they just did not want to stay married, then moved out and filed divorce. The remaining spouse is packing up the remaining belongings and leaving in the moving trucks.

I don't think I have ever seen divorce this up close. I have had closer friends go through divorces, but it has not seemed as vivid as these two. I believe it is because of the children and their connection with Jacob. One girl became, in some ways, Jacob's first girlfriend. She was certainly his best friend here. She would knock on the door after school and ask if Jacob could come out. They played little imaginary games, have little silly fights where one would leave angry or crying but then come back to each other in ten minutes to play again as if the fight had never happened. Jacob would talk about how pretty she was and how much he liked her, but it was always very innocent and without the connotation of a true romance.  A five year old boy and a five year old girl who were best friends.

She told Jacob she was going to travel to Arkansas for a long visit, but she would come back. I am sure that is what her mother told her, but they were never coming back. I spoke to the father, and he said she was depressed at motherhood and its loneliness, her weight gain since having the daughter and just discontent her life. There was no real strife or enmity within the marriage. The wife just wanted a new start.

As the weeks went by, Jacob still talked about the girl and how she was coming back. Then one day when Shannon was driving him home from school, Jacob began talking about her and he must have finally realized the reality of the situation. He began crying, and through the tears he said "She lied to me. She told me she was coming back, but she isn't." What do you say to something like that?

The other girl was a bit older than Jacob, but she would still play with him. When we met her, she was so sweet. Shannon felt she would be a good influence on Jacob. One day I saw her mom and made some small chat. She shared her husband had left her, and she did not know why. You never get all the details on marital troubles, and we only heard her side, but apparently there was no infidelity or growing embitterment. He just got tried of the marriage and left. It was the second marriage for both of them, with each having kids from the first, and together they had a 7 year old daughter and a 10-month old son.

Since then, this sweet 7 year old would still play with Jacob but now in a manner that was less sweet, not nearly as generous. I noticed that every time I would encounter her she would try to hug me or jump on me or grab me or ask me to pick her up.  One time on the common lawn, I was walking back with Jacob, and she ran up behind me and jumped on me. I gently put her down and kept walking to the house, but she persisted in this bizarre assault. As I was literally holding her off of me at arms length, as she kept saying "Spin me around. Spin me around," I got concerned that neighbors would think it very odd of this young girl chasing this grown man.

You don't need to be counselor to see how her father's abandonment of the marriage was changing her view of herself and her need for love and affirmation. She is very pretty little girl who would flourish in loving and stable home. Now I worry about her future. Will she be promiscuous as a teenager and young adult? How will she view and trust men? Maybe she will turn out great. Maybe.

The best sermon I ever heard on divorce was from my friend Greg Methvin. It was soundly Biblical in holding up the standard of marriage but wisely pastoral in dealing with broken people and the hurt experienced through divorce. He spoke of the connection that two married people always have, that divorce can never truly take away. You become one, then are torn apart, but part of that person always remains with the other. The tearing also rips apart others, especially the children, but really all the people who were part of that one life you shared, including the 5 year old neighbor boy who adored your daughter.

Both trucks are nearly full with their belongings and ready to head out to their new locations. A new start they might say. But they might as well be empty. The stuff that really matters can't be loaded into a moving truck and carted off. It will always be left behind.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Updated Look

I have selected a new theme. Has the style I like, and I think I will keep it for a while. But I may change up my themes every now and then just to try something new. It is not like I have a brand image to uphold.

Also, I added a widget on the right showing pictures from our picture site. It displays random photos so everytime you come here you should get something different.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

New Poll: My 5K Time

I made a new poll regarding this weekend's 5K race. My goal is in the 25s, but we will see.

I have reverted back to the default Wordpress theme (the look/design template) because my old theme got hacked and had some links inserted to build up the Google Page ranking of a fradulent site. I will find a new theme soon and update. Hopefully I won't get hacked again.

Friday, October 16, 2009

October in Orange Beach

I wish I had my camera yesterday at the beach. It was a really beautiful day. Got there about 5:30 and stayed for nearly an hour until dark. Kids had a blast playing. Jacob likes to "jump" over the waves as they come in. Me and him had a good time out in the ocean. His swimming has significantly improved this year. I want to encourage him to take up swimming as a sport, just because it seems like such a good sport in terms of fitness and life long benefits.

My little daughter is probably the toughest 30 inch tall person you will meet. She wears a life jacket at the beach which has a strap which in effect makes it a small leash to hold on to her which is very useful. If you don't, she will take off and run into the water and the waves. She loves being in the waves and trying to swim. Super duper cute. Yesterday, Shannon was not holding to her leash but standing right by her as she stood just in the water letting the small waves hit. However, a big wave suddenly came in and knocked her down face first into the sand. Shannon went over to pick her up, but Ava just got up, smiled and when "ahh."

Water was still warm which is not too surprising as we have been consistently in the 80s-90s so far. Hardly anyone was there which is the big plus of living down here in the off season. I do miss a traditional Fall as it is probably my favorite season, but I also enjoy the long Summer. I am been grateful for the experience. One of our reasons for coming here was to experience a tropical life even for just a year, and it has not disappointed. When we moved down here, we specially looked forward to October and November here. So far, so good.

Fall may actually be coming this weekend. Saturday is projected to be sunny with high of 65 and low of 48, first time getting to the 40s. All next is projected to still have highs in the upper 70s.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Preparing for 5K

I am running in the Running Scared 5K here in Orange Beach next Saturday week. I have been running now for 4 years now, but I have only entered 2 official races. I am at a point now of confidence in my running base and of desire to improve, not just finish. I expect I will be a more frequent race participant going forward.

Today at my running club's weekly run, I wanted to run near-race intensity to get a feel for my speed. I did the 5K+ (it is a little more than 5K) course in just over 27 minutes. My goal for next week is to be somewhere in the 25s.

I have along way to catch my cousin Derek who is tearing it up at Murray State. He is really doing well.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Life in the OB

Not to make anyone jealous or anything, but today Shannon and I both complained about how hot and muggy it has been. She had to go to the pool today to cool off.