Day 3: Three Workouts

2 posts today to make up for no posts yesterday, not that I feel obligated, but I want to give the readers what they deserve.

Today will be the first day I will be able to do 3 workouts.  That's been one of my goals ever since we planned on moving to Idaho.  I don't know how long I will be able to sustain it, but I am happy to know I have the ability both with my time and my body to be able to do it.

Monday we flew all day so I ran in the evening about 4 miles.  Tuesday I slept in because that's what my body needed so I only had time to do 2 workouts.  Today I was able to run in the morning, late morning and I will do run #3 in like 15 minutes.  I am tired and that's why I hope to be able to go to bed shortly after dinner.  Oh, it's wonderful.  I am enjoying my workouts and getting used to Idaho Falls and the country roads.

Day 2: Detachment

Okay, so yesterday was awesome.  I slept in which hasn't really happened in a couple years I think, okay maybe like since February of last year.  Anyways, I went to a job interview at a running store in Idaho Falls and left the interview feeling pretty good and really wanting the job.

I went on run #1 when I came back and then went out for some more job searching.  My dad has offered me some work at my uncle's clinic doing data entry, but he can't offer me a consistent 20 hours a week, $10 an hour like I need to pay the other bills.  So I went out and realized after I had gone to a few places that if the running store job didn't work out, that would be fine because there were other things I could do and I would be happy dooing them.

That night I was listening to some Deepak Chopra where he talks about the 7 Spiritual Laws of Success and he talks about law #6, The Law of Detachment.  He advocates that in order to get what we want, we must relinquish the attachment to that thing.  You still have the intention to do it and achieve it, but you have relinquished the attachment to that thing or the outcome.  He says, "I'm headed from point A to point B and whatever happens in between doesn't matter...I'm stepping into the field of all possibilities...I'm accepting things as they are...I am grounded in the wisdom of uncertainty."

I know that might sound a little weird, well it kind of is, but what I know is that once I accepted the fact that I would be happy at another job if I didn't get the job at the running store I felt better. I wasn't as stressed.  I could be calm and happy.  I think that's a good thing.

Day 1: Mindfulness

Today has been a long, long day.  We left Ft. Lauderdale at 6 this morning and arrived in Salt Lake at 12 noon, then drove to Idaho Falls.  I ran and now we will be eating dinner shortly.  Amy is in Utah for a wedding of a very good friend later this week, so I'm here with my parents and the remaining siblings and I have a job interview tomorrow.

I'm going to go to bed early.  I can tell my body needs sleep so I'm going to give it what it needs.  I decided that I am going to be more mindful of my running.  As I run, instead of thinking about other things, I'm going to practice mindfulness.  Today I learned that what my body needs is really good sleep.  I plan on doing this daily and then tweeting what I learn from running, as I run and am mindful if that makes sense.  I want to pay more attention to my running.  I want to pay more attention to my body, my mind, my feelings etc.  Follow me on Twitter to get my daily running mindfulness wisdom.  I don't promise anything great or incredible--heck, I don't even know how long this will last, but it seems like a good idea so stay tuned because it may turn into something incredible.

Gotta Tell You My Secrets

I just thought it would be good to tell you my secrets.  Now prepare yourself--I'm not going to tell you this to seem self-righteous or to pretend like I'm special, but it is one of my secrets that now will not be a secret because I'm telling you:

Scripture Study.  That's what it is.  Christmas 2008 I got a new set of scriptures.  I decided I was going to read the scriptures start to finish.  I started in Genesis and slowly made my way through the Old Testament.  Man there were some boring parts, and yes I admit to speed-reading through some of those genealogy sections and some, mind you some chapters in Isaiah, but overall it was awesome.  I found some incredible stories I had never heard of, inspiring scriptures I had never read before and gained a further testimony that the Bible, specifically the Old Testament, is the word of God.

Now I'm in Luke, New Testament.  I think I'm enjoying reading about Jesus more than any other time in my life.  Something specific I learned about Jesus is that Jesus never gave up.  He had a clear vision of His purpose and moved forward with perfect faith.  He encountered many obstacles, but He never gave in, and NO ONE could stop Him.  Even though they thought they were stopping Him, they were following the plan exactly.  Jesus is the Savior and Redeemer of the world.

After I finish the New Testament I will then read the Book of Mormon, then the Doctrine and Covenants, then the Pearl of Great Price... and then I don't know what I'll do, but I'm confident that I'll find a great way to study my scriptures.

It's one of the things I do everyday.  It accompanies prayer.  It is one of my daily devotions to God.  It is a way I show God that I want his help, that I'm trying to do my part to deserve the blessings He has prepared for me and lastly it's one of the best ways I know to know the mind and will of God.  That's why I do it.

And I wanted to add this video:

The Definition of Success

Just watched a sweet movie called The Conspirator and it was awesome.  I love movies that challenge thinking and opinion.  Movies based on true stories or documentaries that help me start to question the world, become less ignorant and think outside of the box.  Anyways, good movie.

My dad shared with me a quote from John Wooden where he defines success: "Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."  Currently I am striving for that success.  I think that's what motivates me to do what I'm doing.

My First Ever Cement Track

You'll have to forgive me.  Life has been pretty crazy, relatively speaking.  Right now my wife and I (and my parents and brothers and sisters and brother-in-law) are in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  My sister and brother-in-law live here where they go to school nearby.  My brother-in-law is going to dental school and he'll graduate next Spring and my sister is graduating this week from the nursing program which is the reason why we're here.

I can't really remember the last time I took a true, true vacation where I wasn't very worried about things and could relax and just kick back.  Part/most of that is due to the fact that I'm in child mode because I'm with my parents and siblings like the good-old days when we were younger.  Anyways, I definitely have more responsibilities now, but it's really nice to have several people who haven't spent a lot of time with Kimball, my son, and are happy and willing to play with him.  It's nice that he's happy, they're happy, we're happy etc.

We've gone to the beach pretty regularly.  It's the first time in my life that I have gone to a beach and the ocean water has been warm.  It was kind of weird at first, but I love it.  Because of the lack of body fat I have I get cold pretty easy and I like going to the beach, but when it comes to cold water, I can only do so long before I start shivering and have to take a break.  Anyways, we saw some alligators which was pretty cool.  Yesterday we went to Disneyworld which was wonderful, especially with the little guy, but at the same time it was really fun to revisit places I had gone to at Disneyland as a kid like Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and especially Pirates of the Caribbean.  Today we went to the beach and almost all of us were stung by jellyfish--just minor stings, kind of like being pricked by little needles, but then it went away after a little.

Alright, now to the cement track part.  I wanted to go to a track because I thought I would run a fast 400 meter at sea-level. I found two.  Stranahan High School and St. Thomas Aquinas High School.  Aquinas had a big fence around it that I saw from Google Maps, and Stranahan looked a little lower key, but it looked fine from Google.  Anyways, so my dad and I went to the track Monday morning and when we saw it it looked okay, but then we stepped on it.  Definitely cement.  I know, I should have gotten some authentic footage with the Flip, but I didn't so you'll just have to believe me and besides would I lie about something like that?  Answer: For those if you who don't know me, I wouldn't because I'm pretty dang honest.

So back to the track.  Cement for reals.  And I'm trying to figure out what to do, so I decide to just go with it.  I wasn't about to use my spikes.  I think that would have done more harm than good, but I warmed up, which wasn't hard because it was super humid.  I went running Saturday morning to the beach and sweat more than I had ever sweat IN MY LIFE I'm pretty sure.  I don't know if ever before that I had ever managed to get my whole shirt soaking wet.  So I did the 400 and it was semi-respectable 58.  Nothing special.  I felt very tired.  Jet-lagged, but that's good training for the future!  I think the track was 50+ years old, in the ghetto.  Kids going to school for their first day, yelling as I ran by.  Not my ideal time-trial conditions, but hey, gotta get used to anything and everything.  That's all for now.  Peace.

Test #2 for the Branca Barefoot Running Sandals

As you know I am a wear-tester for a running sandal company and I decided to see if it was possible to do stairs in the Branca Barefoot Running Sandals. This is the video I made:

Farewell Provo

This video shows a lot of the places in Provo, Utah that have come to mean a lot to my wife and I over the past few years.  We officially leave Utah today.  Farewell Provo, you have treated us well.

Ode to Fillmore Spencer

Today is my last day of work.  Yesterday I had attorneys and coworkers ask me how it felt.  I responded by saying it was unreal.  It hadn't hit me and still hasn't.

In April of 2010 I was no longer to work at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah.  They have a 3-year cap on all the teachers so my time was up.  I got a job there shortly after I returned home from my mission in December of 2006.  It was awesome every day as I was able to teach and train the missionaries in Spanish and learn from them as well.  I never had difficulty finding a job and when I was about to end at the MTC I thought this time would be no different, but I was wrong.

I was a new father, with little financial help from family and nearing the end of my college degree.  One week I applied to about 20 different jobs that I thought suited me well and I was rejected by ever one.

In July of 2010 I got a job doing PCI Compliance with Security Metrics.  It was a good job and a lifesaver for my current situation, but I was working the UK shift from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. and quickly developing a mold allergy because of our old basement apartment so needless to say, I was miserable in many aspects of my life, especially the ones I hoped to love.

Towards the end of August my wife's cousin Brooke told me about an opening as a receptionist at Fillmore Spencer, a law firm in Provo.  I don't know what Kathy, the office manager, was thinking, but she hired me and I am so grateful.  I started to enjoy going to work.  I was inspired by the attorney's.  I felt like a key player in the firm as I directed calls and helped people find the right attorney.  It made me want to go to law school.  And to this day I still consider it a likely option.  After a few months there was an open position as a legal assistant working for Randy.  Because of my availability and Spanish skills I was a good fit.  I don't know if I would have gotten that job if it wasn't for the receptionist position.  Anyways, 8+ months later working as a Legal Assistant I have learned so much about so many things I never thought I would ever learn.  I could go on, but all I want to say is thank you to them.  Thank you to them for showing me greatness and thank you to them for helping me rise to a new level in my life.

Part of the reason I did this post is because I know many of the attorney's and paralegals will be reading this for the first time.  Allow me to include some links to different posts that will help explain things better.

The Proposal talks about how my decision to leave and chase my dream started to materialize.

This is how things are going is an explanation of what I'm doing and how it all came to be.

When there's a burning in your heart talks about what's going on inside of my heart and mind.

And if you do a search on the right side of my blog and search "14 Miracles" you'll see several posts of small miracles that began to happen when Amy and I decided to move to Idaho Falls and pursue my dream.

Love you guys.  Run Fearless.

Peaceful Warrior

The reason I didn't do a post yesterday is because 1. I normally do my posts at night because that's when I have time to do them and 2. I was finishing a movie called Peaceful Warrior.  It's about this gymnast who ends up getting injured badly, but with diligence, perseverance and mindfulness he conquers his injury.

 Because it's late, suffice it to say that I want to watch the movie again and I want to read the book--I can't say the same about every movie I watch.

I Wept and I Raced

I'm going to make this short and sweet, because it is short and sweet.

When I found out that the Salem City Days 5K had a $50 cash prize I was in.  I small race, probably not very many fast people, I could make up my entry fee and boost my confidence.  I planned on winning.  I prayed that I would be able to run my fastest time yet and I figured that if I could do that I would win it.  Deep down inside I was praying to win.

This race was different than my last race which was my craziest pre-race experience yet.  I actually was able to go to the bathroom, get a good warm-up and I had time to think.  Well, about 15 minutes before the race I was praying again and while I was praying, for whatever reason I realized I was being selfish.  I thought about the innocent people in London who were suffering and who had died.  I began to weep.  I was not crying, this was powerful, this was weeping.  So I asked God to give them whatever blessing He was planning on giving me.  It was a very special experience and I share it with you.

The race was great, my time was fine.  Nothing special, but a great experience.  I think I was still feeling a little tired from my 400 meter time trial Thursday night.  But the result was a 4th place overall finish and a 17:38 PR.

Today I went running and felt very good.  I have no regrets and I will never look back.

A Kindred Spirit and a Twin

First I introduce my kindred spirit (disclaimer: although my wife is my true kindred spirit, this is the runner version, just roll with it): Ashley Higginson and you can find the article I read about her here.  She is a Princeton grad who was accepted to the University of Colorado Law School, but is putting it on hold to pursue the Olympics.  Sound like anyone you know?  If it doesn't you need to read my post This is how things are going. Okay, so I never applied to law school, but I was planning on going and I was studying for the LSAT.  Anyways, she says that the reason she's postponed everything is because “I was not ready to let go...I couldn't take the chance of asking myself later, ‘What if?’ That’s something I would regret.”  Interesting!


Now, my twin:  Elizabeth Yetzer and you can find that article here. The reason I say she's my twin is because this is what she's doing: "Right now I'm living with my parents, and a lot of people don't think that looks like an attractive lifestyle, but there's an aspect of faith to take that leap. It's a risk that requires patience."  Yep, there they are.  Cool.

The Beginning of Level 3: 400 Meters

It's currently 7:46 p.m. and I am getting ready to leave for my evening workout.  Today I decided to experiment and do my hard workout time trial in the evening.  I slept in a little this morning and went for an easy 30 minute run.  At 8:00 I will leave and go to the Maple Mountain High School track where I will do my first time trial for 400 meters.  I'm a little nervous; as if I was running a race, but I'll be the only one running.

Oh my goodness!  I am a happy man.  I ran fast and I am pleased with my time.  I ran 400 meters in 56.08. I arrived at the track around 8:20 p.m. and there were a lot of cars in the parking lot which was a little worrisome, but I wasn't to be deterred from my goal.  As I got closer to the track I saw a lot of young junior high/high school age guys.  I'm not going to lie, I started to panic.  How would I ever do an effective time trial when there were kids playing on the track?  I debated heading back to the house, getting in the car and driving to Springville High School, but I needed to get some water and use the bathroom so I decided to do that and see if it would clear up a little.  Well it did.  People were leaving.  A game had ended and by the time I had finished my light plyometrics there were only about 10 adults and kids left.  I'm glad I stayed.

My strategy was to go out fast for the first 100, cruise the backstretch and then bust it the last 200.  I pretty much did that, but felt myself tighten up and get tired the last 100 so I know where I'm weakest and I'm excited for a week from now

That's all I have to say

All I have to say today is that I feel aligned with my true self.  I'm kind of going crazy right now thinking about the near future and next year, but for the first time in a long time I feel like I'm finally doing with my life what I've been wanting to and what was meant to be done.  I have no idea how this all is going to work out.  Maybe I'll end up moving to Idaho Falls and I'll meet someone who has similar interests and we start something and I'm doing what I love every day and it was nothing what I even thought I would ever be doing, but I'm loving it.  ANYWAYS, all I have to say is that right now, even though I'm tired and anxious, I feel aligned with what I should be doing.

Branca Barefoot: I am a running sandal tester

Many of you know I am an advocate of barefoot running.  It changed my running life and was a godsend back in 2008.  It continues to be a central part of my running.  Branca Barefoot contacted me knowing that I was game for just about anything moral and legal.  They sent me a pair of the bad-boys you'll see in this video.  This is from start to finish.  I think it took my about 20-25 minutes from start to finish including an 8 minute run.

I really enjoyed these.  I'm excited to see how they hold up over the next weeks/months.  My right heel slipped a little to the outside of the sandal, but not off the sandal.  I was actually and honestly pleasantly surprised at how well these did.  Check it out:

The Written Version of My Craziest Pre-Race Experience Yet

So I did a video about this and you can watch it by going to My Craziest Pre-Race Experience Yet.  Here's the written version that I'll be posting on the Sojourners' blog as well (which is a part of Runner's Corner in Orem, Utah), which is the running club I currently belong to and the club that has sponsored me with some racing and training shoes:

Background info:  The race was the Deseret News 10K, held in conjunction with the Deseret News Marathon.  Packet Pick-up with race number, timing chip etc. was set for Friday and Saturday up in Salt Lake.  Amy and I decided we didn't want to go up to Salt Lake, pick up a race packet, come back to Provo and then go back up again on Monday for the race.  I found out I would be able to pick up my packet the morning of the race so I planned to wake up early as the race started at 6:00 a.m. I printed off Mapquest directions, but failed to look at the estimated travel time.

For some reason I have this erroneous fact embedded in my brain that it takes precisely 30 minutes to drive from Provo to Salt Lake.  That might be true if there wasn't construction, stoplights going out of Provo and into Salt Lake, and traffic in general.  I think maybe I made it there close to 30 minutes one time because my buddies (Joe and Aaron) and I were late for a wedding, so we sped.  Anyways... back to the story.

So Sunday night (7/24/11) I got everything ready to go.  My parents had let us borrow their mini-van and my plan was to leave at 4:30 a.m., get there at 5:00 and be able to take a little power nap before I warmed up and got all ready for the race.

The night was rough.  I have an 18-month-old stud muffin who refuses to sleep through the night and he was having a rough night for whatever reason.  I usually stay in bed/the room no matter what, but I talked to Amy briefly and we decided it would be best if I went out to the living room.

Originally I laid down on the floor which I like because it feels better for my back.  I sleep on my stomach with my head turned to the side.  The family below me had to have been watching a movie, an action one at that, because I could hear guns and sirens etc. and good for them, that's their right and I'm glad they were watching a movie in the living room and not the bedroom.  So I moved to the couch.

I woke up at like 2:30 a.m. and went to the bathroom.  Then I transferred back down to the floor and slept until my alarm went off.  Everything went smoothly except I ended up leaving 5 or 10 minutes later than I had wanted, but that was fine because I had planned in a lot of extra time to arrive.  I had my green smoothie with chia seeds, spinach, strawberries, blueberries, juice concentrate + water that I had prepared the night before and then blended in the Magic Bullet in the closet so I wouldn't wake up Amy and Kimball.  I was set and I drove off in the dark.

By 5:50 I had made it to about American Fork-ish so that's when I started to worry a little, but I thought that if I had to forego my nap plan that would be fine, just as long as I could find a bathroom and go before the race.  I arrived in Salt Lake around 6:30.  That's when I realized I was an idiot and after all these years living in Utah and driving from Provo to Salt Lake I still had not learned that it takes 45 minutes+ to get there.  So I'm driving along, following the directions and I feel myself start to go further than I thought I should be going. Turns out up by the University of Utah they have names for the streets, but down close to the center it changes into numbers.  I realized I was lost, the race was going to start in 30 minutes with or without me AND I really needed to go the bathroom (and it was #2 to make matters worse.)

By about 6:45 I said a little prayer, told Heavenly Father this race was important to me and I needed His help because I was lost.  I turned down a street and had an impression to look at the course map instead of the Mapquest directions.  The Course map had some of the major roads mapped out on the grid and after studying it for about 2 minutes I realized I was going parallel to the race.  I turned and just gunned it East in the direction I now knew I needed to go.

I finally found the road I was looking for, but surprise, surprise, it was blocked off by the police for the race.  I was stopped at a light behind two cars.  I put the van in park, got out of the car, walked towards a police officer and yelled, "How do I get to the race?"  He said, "You gotta turn around and turn left at Sunnyside."  I got back in the van, turned on my left blinker because I was in the lane going straight and I needed  to make a u-turn.  I finally was able to make a u-turn and headed towards Sunnyside.

By this point I think it was about 5:52.  I knew that it was going to come down to the wire.  I forgot to mention that I had warm-ups on and was planning on changing into my race clothes after I got my packet.  Well I needed to buy time where I could so I started changing as I drove.  I took off one shoe, chucked it in the back.  Took off that foot's sock, chucked it.  The other shoe, the other sock.  At Sunnyside the light was red, so I adjusted my seatbelt and took my shirt off.  Then I took my Sojourners jersey and put it on as the light turned green and I turned left up the hill.

I saw a bunch of runners all headed in the general direction so I followed and eventually found a parking spot.  I turned the car off and hopped into the back of the van as I took off my pants and put my shorts on.  I think it goes without saying a naked from the waist down for a few seconds and after I had put my shorts on I looked to the left and saw that there were people in the car to my right.  I was a little shocked for half a second, but the adrenaline was pumping and I forced my socks on, then my flats without tying them and bolted out of the van (locking it of course, but in a bolt-like fashion.)

I just started running fast in the direction all the people were heading.  Then I saw the long line of porta-potties.  I was saved.  It was 5:56 and I thought if I could get in one right away I would only need 1 minute and 20 seconds.  Then I saw the long lines of people.   There were like 30-40 porta-potties and about 10 separate lines of people each at least 12 people long.  I decided the race was more important than going to the bathroom and I figured if it was urgent enough I could find one along the course because I STILL NEEDED TO GET MY RACE NUMBER AND CHIP!!!  So I asked this lady and she pointed in a direction and I ran away mid-sentence, but when I got there there was one lady stretching.  Definitely not it, so I asked her and she said to go to the start line.  So I went there.  The time is now 5:57 and I found the son of the race director who I had met a while back during Cross Country season.  I don't think he recognized me, but I talked to him like I knew him.  I asked him how I could get my number, and I think he was a little shocked, probably thinking, "Are you joking?!"  Nope, not joking brother, long story I'll tell you later.  But that exchange of words never happened and he told me to go to a certain streetlight.

As I was running a guy started singing the national anthem.  I put my hand over my heart and continued to run.  There were three guys under the streetlight.  Nothing there were wearing identified them as race-helper people, but I saw envelopes and knew that's where I needed to be.  Then they announced they would be starting the wheelchair division, and the running 10K one minutes after.  The time was approximately 5:58.  I think they were like 1 or 2 minutes behind and thank goodness!

I got my packet, ripped out my chip and race number.  The tiniest zip-ties ever created were included so I could attach my chip to my shoe.  It felt like I was threading a needle as I poked this tiny zip-tie through this tiny hole then through my shoe laces, and then I realized I had done it from the wrong side, had to take it out, flip it around and re-do it.  I finally got it, pinned my race number on frantically and ran towards the front.  I sandwiched myself in the mosh-pit start and 10 seconds later the gun went off, except it wasn't a gun, it was a guy saying "Ready, set, go!"  I really like the gun, but I wasn't about to argue.

As I started I said another prayer and asked God to help me not have to go to the bathroom until after the race.  My strategy this race was to start out a little slower.  I have a tendency to think I'm in better shape than I actually am and I wasn't about to make that mistake again and kill myself.  I just let the hills take me.  I made it a game in the first 2-3 miles to consistently catch people AND keep track of them.  I caught 30 in the first mile, about 25 during the second and then I think I lost count during mile 3 and started racing.

I was actually pretty consistent in my miles and the race was awesome.  I tried to tell as many people as possible during the race that I thought they were doing great.  I love it when people say "You too."  It's inspiring to me. I want to lift people up and I want to be lifted up back.

As I was running the last 100 meters I heard someone yell out my name.  I turned briefly and caught a glimpse as to who it was, but I wasn't sure.

My previous PR was 36:30 for 10 kilometers.  Today I ran 35:13.  Not bad.  A 1:17 PR without a proper warm-up and without using the bathroom.  Maybe that's the secret.

I went back to where I had heard my name and it was a mission companion of mine from when I served a mission for my church in Argentina.  He was the companion that I ran the most with while we lived in Argentina.  Then I used the bathroom.  Then I did a cool-down barefoot at Liberty Park which is an awesome park.  And that's the end.  Crazy pre-race, awesome race, great post-race.  I was and am happy.

Faster Than I've Ever Been

I hope to be able to say that for a very long time.  Currently I can say that and it's awesome.  I just keep thinking about last night when I was running in the evening after having done a hard workout in the morning I was running fast.  My leg turnover was so efficient.  I felt very fast.  I am proud to say that currently I am faster than I've ever been, at least I think so.  That's how it will continue to be for a long time; mark my words.  I am amazed and grateful.

Tonight I decided not to run.  I felt a little tightness in my right foot and I'm tired.  I like the saying "better safe than sorry"...sometimes.  I like that saying right now, so I'm going to play it safer than sorrier and try to go to bed early.

Running tip for the day:  It's never to late to start.  Just step outside wearing whatever you want.  I really enjoy seeing people running in their pajamas.  At our last apartment I used to see this mom outside in these hot pink pajama pants running.  It was awesome.  I wish I could go back and yell something like, "Nice jamies!" Now that would be funny, but only if I said it in a non-mocking tone.  That was random, but I thought it would be fun to share.

Level 2 Completed: I Feel Content and I'm Ready to Move On

First of all I think I'm growing up.  I may have finally hit puberty.  I actually have hair on my chest AND my armpits stink after I run.  That's an achievement.  Two things that previously weren't happening with my body.

Today has been an awesome day.  Probably because it started awesome.  I did a 200 meter time trial today and I did not run as fast as I wanted, but after I was done I did not feel frustrated or angry but rather at peace.  That's when I knew I was ready to move on.  The following is my progression of 200 meter time trials:

Date          Time
7/14/11     26.95
7/21/11     26.94
8/4/11       26.65  

I realized that the fastest 100 meter time trial I had ever done from a standing-start was 13.03 (see my 100 meter time trial progression) so then you double that: 26.06 and that's pretty close to my fastest time today of 26.65.  I feel really good about my decision to move on to Level 3: 400 meter time trials.

Now, I went for run #2 at 8:40.  I went North towards Springville, then turned around and came back up a gradual hill.  I felt my body start speeding up, automatically! It was sweet.  Then I got a little sick from dinner, not that the dinner made me sick but I finished eating around 7:30 and ran at 8:40.  Not enough time, but I'll take what I can get.  Then at the end of the run I felt my body start speeding up.  My form felt good.  I was flying and I was sincerely feeling a TON of gratitude to[wards] God for blessing me and allowing me to run.

How I Became Invincible...Kind of...

I didn't really know what to name this post.  I thought about "Repentance" or "My Personal NOS" or "And Everything Started Working Out" or something like that.  But I felt like "How I Became Invincible...Kind of..." would be better.  This will be short but sweet.

A couple months ago my wife and I faced some challenges.  Part of that challenge had to do with some unresolved issues/sins that were plaguing me in my life.  I say "plaguing" me, but it was all me.  It was all my choice and I was faced with a decision I have faced often in my life and that was a need to repent and change.  This time I was serious and I made some intense steps towards becoming clean and on track with God's will for me in my life.

It has been one of the single best decisions in my life.  Ever since I made that decision my dreams have begun to be realized.  Miracles have happened.   I have experienced the tender mercies of God.  I have tasted of His love and felt His power in my life.  Yes, my dream is motivating, but it has been, is and ever will be God that allows me to succeed when I am doing what He has asked me to do.  I hope that I can be faithful.  I have a testimony that when we follow His commandments, He will bless us and help us realize our dreams. 

I found a park

I went running tonight and thought I would go to a nearby housing development.  I thought the roads would be nice and headed in the that direction.  Before I even really got into the neighborhood I came across this park.  It's about a third of mile around and the grass was very nice so I sipped off my shoes and socks and ran a couple miles barefoot.  It was glorious.  Mapleton, Utah: Where have you been my whole life?

That's all for now, gotta go to bed.

At the In-laws and Maple Mountain

Okay, I'm not going to lie and I am going to be honest.  I had a little breakdown Sunday morning before church.  It was probably a combination of things: lack of sleep, added stress--you know, the usual stressors.  By Saturday night we had moved 95% of our stuff to Idaho and come back all on the same day, went for a run, and then I didn't go to bed as early as I should have.  Anyways, Sunday morning I started to have a breakdown.  Negativity started to creep in.  We were at my in-laws' place in Mapleton and I started to think of all the bad things that could happen and how it was going to ruin my life and my running dreams and on and on. 

I was a wreck and grumpy.  So I took some time right before church to write down the things that were really stressing me out.  Then I went to church.  Funny how answers to some of my most difficult dilemmas come at church.  I think I'll keep going.  Anyways, I figured out how I could run the same amount and a little more, cut out some unnecessary things to make up for the time I was going to lose in a longer transit to work and by Sunday night I was feeling a lot better. 

This morning I had an incredible run.  It was very peaceful and focused.  The weather was great.  Rolling black clouds in the distance and sun breaking over the mountains.  I ran to Maple Mountain High School where they not only have a beautiful new track, but to the side of that they have several soccer fields and football fields where I ditched my shoes and soaked up the goodness of planet earth while doing some plyometrics.  I think everything will work out great.  I'm tired right now, but I feel great about life.