Del Shannon, Gaemi, 15k and Monday Morning Weigh In

Ran in the rain today. Wow. What a great experience. For the first time in Bangkok I felt cold while running. I am sure it was still in 70's. I ran 15k today; the first 3 laps with with my friend Iain and the last 3 with my friend Gaemi, but she was suffering from depression.;). (Thailand joke?) Anyways, nothing too deep or profound to share here but I did have a very unique song stuck in my head for the last hour of running. Like I said before, I don't listen to music while I run, but when I do it is usually the voices in my head. 




Monday Morning Weigh In: 
Starting Weight June 11th: 119kg (261lbs) 
Last Monday: 107.5kg (237lbs) 
Today: 107.2kg (236.3lbs)

Skytrain Inspiration

A little daily inspiration I get from a new commercial on the Skytrain. This is not an endorsement of the product or yogurt. Enjoy.

Journeymen, Advocates, Fat Evangelists & The "Just Don't Know-ers"

If you have ever been overweight you have ran into the same things I have. People play important roles in our lives and journey towards fitness. Most of them are positive and life giving.  When it comes to being overweight I have 4 types of people in my life.

1. Fellow Journeymen - These folks are fighting the good fight as well. They are working hard and weight has been an issue for some time in their life. We understand each others struggles. We get why it is hard at times. We are there to support each other, encourage each other and kick each other in the pants if need be.

2. Advocates - I like these folks. They may have never struggled with weight but they have found a way to encourage you and empower you in your journey to loose weight. They don't judge you but we have given them permission to speak into our lives. This could be a good friend, spouse, trainer or whoever you allow to have this place in your life. This is usually earned, not necesssarily by how smart they are, but how they communicate that info and how they treat you as a person. They long to see you succeed.

3. Fat Evangelists - This person usually offers unsolicited advice on nutrtion and exercise. They see you are "fat" and their "fat-dar" goes off and they think it is their mission to help. When I lived in Denver I was looking to get in shape so I was gym shopping. After looking around and being self-conscious enough as a big guy walking into a gym I came out and BOOM. Fat Evangelist. Attached to my car window was someone's card. It read something like "Want to lose weight?" blah blah blah. I looked around and no other car had one. I was special. The fat guy. I have a few stories like that but I will save those for another day. These folks, as much as I know they are probably wonderful people, are irrelevant to me. They have nothing I want to hear although they feel they have much to tell me. You ever encounter these guys?

4. The "Just Don't Know-ers" - I don't want to use the word ignorant because that has such a negative conotation. It is the people who don't realize they say mean or hurtful things. I really give these folks a lot of grace. They may have never suffered with obesity and some of the insecurities it brings. I chalk it up to not knowing me or my situation that well. In the country I live in now I have never felt so mocked as an adult but I don't take it as people being bullies or mean. Some folks point at my gut and rub theirs with their hands as they laugh. Others will come up and grab my gut and rub it and laugh. They just have no clue and I think there are cultural cues I don't get. I would be a liar if I said there weren't moments my pacifism wasn't tested though ;)  If the opportunity arises I look for the moment to educate and offer my thoughts. I have started telling people it is impolite.

I have encountered all these folks in my life and you know what? I need them. The Journeymen and Advocates push me and encourage me and hold me accountable. The "Just Don't Know-ers" are wonderfully good people that I get the opportunity to educate and encourage. The Fat Evangelists remind me to be a better person. To treat others how I would want to be treated and they teach me patience and graciousness although I don't always win that one.

I share this because I am reflecting on how people have spoken life into me. Growth comes not just from sunshine but through the rain as well. People sharpen us. The Book of Proverbs says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." 

So don't let the tough people get you down. So in the same way our advocates and journeymen sharpen us, be sure to let those who might play a more antagonist role in your life make you into a better person as well.

Monday Morning Weigh In is Back

My last post was about fear.Well I got a confession: I purposely stayed off the scale while I was hurt because I was afraid to see the results. Well I sucked it up this morning and stood on the scale. Let's recap shall we?

Starting Weight: 

June 11th 2012 - 119 kg (262.4 lbs)

Last Weigh In:

August 20th, 2012 - 107.2kg (236.3 lbs)

Today:

October 1st, 2012 - 107.5kg (237 lbs)

I'll take it! I'm so glad I am still on course. I was so worried I was gaining some K's but obviously not! Maybe I am learning something about proper nutrition. I know it shows a weight gain but I have ran about 4 times in the last 4 weeks. What a relief. I think I will celebrate with some stir fried  veggies and a diet coke!

We need to learn to celebrate things that don't seem worth celebrating. Not to patronize ourselves but to remember it is the little things that can make the biggest difference. I feel a lot of love and support from my friends and family and that helps more than I even realize. Now...let's see if I can still be on course for the BKK Marathon.

The Clouds are Farting

My son is so afraid of thunderstorms. He always has been. Even this morning he saw the grey clouds in the sky and was so worried it was going to rain on his way to school. When he was younger he would crawl out of bed and sleep on the couch while we were awake if it happened to be storming out. Thunder is very frightening to him. I tried to convince him lightning and thunder were nothing to fear. I would tell him how I enjoyed watching a good thunderstorm. He was not interested at all. I would use the oldie but goodie. "Thunder is God or angels bowling." Yeah, not convinced. Then the other night I busted out, "Thunder is just the clouds farting." I watched as his little 6 year old brain processed away and then he just giggled and grin and ran off. Then 2 nights ago he was in bed and a loud, room shaking burst of thunder filled our apartment. He jumped out of bed and came running out. I thought he was going to want to lay on the couch with us and do a little whimpering. Instead he gives me a goofy grin, looks at me and says, "The clouds are farting!" Oh man...so that's what sticks? But he doesn't fear thunder as much now because he has an understanding...some what. But this taught me an interesting lesson about fear.

 Much of what we fear is because we don't know. We don't know what it is like to run a marathon. We don't try new experiences, foods or adventures simply because the fear of the unknown outweighs our willingness to step out. We feel we need to understand something before we can no longer fear it. We do the same with people. We are sometimes afraid to get to know people of other backgrounds, nationalities or even social circles because we are worried about being accepted or we have made our own assumptions about who they are. Or we think there isn't anything we can have in common with people "so different". Fear is a good thing. It is natural. It is what keeps us from doing something stupid or reckless. But many times fear is a liar and can become overwhelming and unrealistic. We fear it/them because we don't know. We need to push past our fears and embrace the unknown. Try something new. Talk to someone that seems different than you. See what is on the other side of the unknown. You know what happens if you don't, right? Nothing.

Fear can be crippling and keep us from embracing life and others fully. See the opposite of fear is not courage. No, courage is something done in spite of fear. I can still be afraid of soi dogs and walk down my street at 2 am if I have to. The opposite of fear is love. If we learn to embrace and love life, love others and love what is around us our fear will be replaced. It's not an easy task but it is a necessary one. As a young man I usually retreated from hard things, new people and experiences because I was afraid but the older I get the more I long to love Jesus, love others, love my life. I am doing things I never would have done before because I was afraid. I would have missed out on amazing friendships over the years and incredible life experiences (good & bad). Don't let fear keep you from loving life and loving others.


PS - I wasn't that far off on my definition of thunder. Thunder: a loud, explosive, resounding noise produced by the explosive expansion of air heated by a lightning discharge. - Dictionary.com

Having a Little Fun at My Barefoot Friends Expense

It's Wednesday. Lets have a little fun. If you live within the running world at all you might get a little kick out of this. Enjoy.

The Day the Music Was Reborn

Don't get me wrong Don McLean. I think we definitely suffered from the loss of Holly, Valens and The Big Bopper but music has suffered death once again. Now into my 4th decade of music and listening to music from my dad's generation I got to say we have suffered through a dark season recently. Suddenly everything is auto-tuned and digitalized. The Billboard charts lost their soul and sold out to commercialism and formulas. All we get is LadyMileyBeiberSpears shoved down our throats and told it is good for us. Soulless music deprived of anything artful, meaningful and just plain good. Country music just became rock with a fiddle. Rap just became about girls, making money and being awesome. Rock all but disappeared and I desperately await its return.

Don't get me wrong. There is still a jewel or two floating around out there. Reminders of what music once was. But good music had been dead and buried. Ladies and gentlemen let me tell you music has been resurrected. It has been resurrected in the form of modern folk music...yes...modern folk music.

My iTunes account is full of names like The Cave Singers, The Civil Wars, Mumford & Sons, First Aid Kit, Josh Garrels, The Mountain Goats, The Decemberists...and on it goes. That is barely scratching the surface. Music is rising again. Real music. Music that has passion, purity, heart and is really good to listen to. What a breath of fresh air. As I write this I am listening to Mumford's new album Babel. So good.

I do truly believe that these other genre's of music will find life again. One day. But I'm not waiting on them. I will go where there is life. I love old country, and the soul of rap music...and pretty much no pop music. Not since the 80's anyways.

OK I take music way too seriously. Maybe. Maybe not. I think music should tell us a story. It should tell us about the artist or the authors perception of the world. Just like painting, sculpting, composing or writing it should compel us and move us...not just ask us "what we gonna do with all that junk?" Good grief. lol.

Anyways. Check out Mumford & Sons if you never have before. Start with "Sigh No More" and move on to  "Babel". I haven't met anyone who has been disappointed. Peace.

Broken Cisterns

Disclaimer: This is not me preaching. This is me remembering. 

“My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken me,
    the spring of living water,
and have dug their own cisterns,
    broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”

Jeremiah 2:13

I need this reminder every once in a while. A cistern is a tank for storing water or an underground reservoir for water. You would see them all over Thailand where I live. It sustains life by giving water. So many times in my life I have tried to build cisterns to take care of myself and so many times they have failed me. 

One of the biggest ones is the way I cope with disappointment, anger, stress and pretty much any negative emotion. It has been my cistern for as long as I can remember. Eating. Growing up wasn't much fun for me I must admit. I was always the fat kid. There isn't one school picture that doesn't reflect this. Throughout elementary and middle school I was the butt of about every joke. At least it felt that way. Throw in a brief bout with body odor in 4th & 5th grade and a speech impediment that finally got dealt with in 6th grade, I was a mess. While I had some really good friends, there were days I just couldn't take it. What would I do? I would come home and thrash the cupboards and refrigerator until the pain and hurt was subdued by the euphoria of food. Of course this only perpetuated my obesity. But it was my coping mechanism. My cistern. And it was broken.

It stays with me into adulthood. While I have victory most days, this habit tends to creep back into my life and derail me. At one point in my life I ballooned up to 381.5lbs. That was my darkest moment; and my wake up call. 

Honeymoon 2004

Through the help of doctors, an amazing trainer, the encouragement of my friends, family and Jesus I have made it down to 240lbs. It is a long hard road. I struggle to get past this point because my broken cistern comes back to haunt me and tempt me and at times it wins out. Yet I don't want to trade in something broken for another busted cistern. See I have to remember that eating right and exercising, while important, will just end up being another broken cistern in my life. It will disappoint me and let me down. It has already. I suffered through injuries and disappointing performances that felt less life giving and more life sucking. I love it and it is a good habit to have but it isn't the whole of me.

I forget that God is my wellspring of life. He is the true life giver. He has restored so many broken pieces of my life and continues to do so. Wholeness is found in brokenness when I realize I can build cisterns, coping mechanisms in my life but they will let me down and disappoint at some point. I find I am at my best when I quit trying to handle everything on my own and allow God to be the sustainer of my life.  

Bonita Cafe 2012

I know not everyone who reads this blog follows Jesus like I do. Please don't take this post as preaching. I have been thinking about these words for a long time. I write this for myself to remember what Jesus said when He said, "“If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water...Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,  but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

So my journey of fitness and health and running is all part of my journey of following Jesus. It's cool. Life is all connected. Jesus reconnected my broken pieces. I feel whole not because I am more fit, but because God makes me so. 

Saturday is for Garrels, First Aid Kit and The Man in Black

I don't have voices in my head. But there is always a song. A few songs really get me thinking about the journey of my life. I wanted to share a few with you. I don't run with music, but when I have a song in my head while running, it is usually one of these:

7 Something / รัก 7 ปี ดี 7 หน

I am a sucker for a good movie. What about you? I love movies that capture the heart and soul of an idea or an ideal. I love movies that speak to the heart of the things I am passionate about. Don't get me wrong, I love watching Hot Rod as much as the next guy, but I love a movie rich in meaning. Living in Thailand they released a movie earlier this year called 7 Something or in Thai, "รัก 7 ปี ดี 7 หน". 

It is a movie made up of 3 short stories by 3 different producers. The last story is a love story written around a marathon. Whoever wrote the script really had insider knowledge of the excitement, worries and fears of marathon training and running. If you ever get a chance, check it out. The other story lines are great as well. Here is a trailer:

What running movies inspire you? Or what movies inspire you to run?

The Inevitability of Injury

So I have been out of commission for about 3 weeks now. I have been suffering through what the doctors tell me is a heel spur. It is painful and swollen where the Achilles attaches to the bone. It's aggravating because the rest of me feels fine, until this injury starts to take its mental toll.

There are 3 categories of runners. Those who have been injured before, those currently injured and those who will be injured. It is the nature of the sport. We can blame it on the shoe companies for manipulating our running form with the style of shoes they offer. We can blame it on over training. We can blame it on not listening to our bodies. We can blame it on running from the street dog that looks like it wants to take a piece of your thigh. The truth is, injuries fall into all these categories plus many more. It is probably the worst part about running.

Not being able to run for the last 3 weeks has taken a toll on my spirit and emotions as well. It isn't that I am obsessed or addicted to running, but when something means a lot to you and is suddenly ripped away, it leaves a hole. Do you know what I mean? I have some really great days and other days I fake it. Some days I don't have the strength to fake it. But I have learned a few things about myself in this process.

1. My whole life is connected together. When one piece is out of whack it makes me "walk with a limp" metaphorically and literally speaking. I knew this before, I think. This experience just confirmed it.
2. It gives me the ability to encourage others. Some days it is sending a friend an email or catching up for lunch. It is going out to visit the running club even if I can't run just to show support. To stay engaged. My friend K told me that runners are very compassionate and understanding with each other because we have all been injured. It is something we all understand together. Encouraging others keeps me from throwing a pity party as well.
3. Lastly, it reminds me that my life is more than running. No doubt it is an important piece but my faith and family come before it. It helps me appreciate those things even more.

I will try to run a little tomorrow. I am probably about 90% better. I need to go give it a try and see how it feels. I know I have gained some weight back but not much. It's OK. We never "arrive" with running. We are always on a journey. I am way behind in training for the Bangkok Marathon but I will do my best and there are many running adventures to look forward to down the road.

Trail Running in Pattaya

This is just a short note to mention the great time I had a couple Saturday's ago on a 15k trail run with friends in Pattaya. My running group is an amazing bunch with quite an international feel. It was refreshing to get out of the city for the day. I was getting a bit of a bad attitude because I fell on a couple runs and I injured my Achilles. I went out and ran anyways when I probably shouldn't have but it was the best thing for me. I appreciate their friendship and encouragement a lot.

It was my best day in Thailand I think. God was looking out for me that day and so were my friends.

Here are a few pictures of my friends and I out running and playing that day:

The Magic of Lumpini

So I am working on a book right now. I need to get back into blogging. My apologies. Consider this my re-entry. I have been thinking of Lumpini Park this morning among other things and thought I would share an exert from my brainstorming:

Right in the middle of what feels like sheer chaos. In a city that is an all day traffic jam, bumper to bumper cars and buses, motorcycle taxis and scooters weaving in and out of traffic, sidewalks full of people, little shops and stands and more motorcycles, sits an oasis. A place that offers tranquility and an escape. This 360 rai (142 sq acre) Graceland is called Lumpini Park. It is like entering another world.

There are no cars inside the park. There is no smoking or soi dogs. It is a beautiful park full of trees and open space, a man made river and lake. There is a wide track that goes around the outer edge of the park with a couple paths leading through the middle of it. It is a place you go to see things you might not get to see in your every day life in the city. I had heard a rumor that the park was home to giant monitor lizards. That was hard for me to believe. But as I ran the park and started paying attention I started noticing these strange, prehistoric like creatures emerging from the water. It was really a little hard to believe. Here in the middle of the city came these huge lizards. The more time I spent in the park the more I noticed them. You can get incredibly close too! That is, if you want to get close. They are relatively docile and fun to watch. My 6 year old son loves going there to watch them and even feed them. Add giant catfish to the equation and it is almost like a free trip to the zoo.

I run early in the morning. The park opens at 5am. Our running club usually meets about 6:30am Sunday mornings. At that time of day the park is alive. There are people everywhere. It is a sea of people engaging in a myriad of activities. The track is full of walkers and runners and casual strollers. It would seem almost impossible looking at it that anyone can run there, but like a stream or river, it all flows together nicely. There are people in the grass having separate classes. Some are doing Tai Chi (I think), others are doing these beautiful movements or dances using either oriental fans or even swords. By the main gate there is an aerobics class happening. At times I have seen well over 100 people doing aerobics. I always smile as I pass the aerobics class. There are always people in the crowd making up their own moves or keeping to the back and just dancing. Hey if they aren't knocking anyone over, more power to them. There are pavilions and tables full of people laughing, talking loudly and eating. You can tell they are old friends and family by the way they cut loose with each other.

Then there is the “Lumpini Parade”. My first day in the park and with the running group we were greeted by these older Thai gentlemen. If you can imagine, there is about 30-40 of them all wearing a matching blue singlet. The gentleman in the front sets the pace; a nice slow pace. He also rhythmically honks a loud bicycle horn to the rhythm of his footsteps. As I entered the park these were the first guys I met. They waved me into the group and asked me to join them. Too nervous and still looking for the running group I just joined, I turned them down. It doesn’t stop them from waving and asking us to join every Sunday morning. I feel like these men have tapped into something. They found running as a community. They have connected to each other and built strong bonds. This is something I see the running club I am a part of moving towards, even in its early stages. But more than that, by their simple presence in the park I feel welcomed there. As a foreigner and someone still new to the country these guys have made me feel a part of the park and the larger community there. This group of runners, these bridge builders, have helped me see that running isn’t just about my physical health and well being but it is about others and embracing people as they are.

Lumpini is hard to describe fully though. It is more than the sum of its parts. My friend K-san calls it the "Magic of Lumpini". It is where I have seen on many days that running truly is a spiritual discipline. To be part of something so alive and vibrant engages the soul. It engages all our senses. It reminds us of God’s good creation and our place within it. It reminds us that our lives are connected together simply because we all bear the image of God and each person deserves dignity, honor, respect and love.

Like I have said before, God is waiting for us out there. He is waiting along the path. We are being called out and to something. Running can be just running or it can be more.

Do you have a place you run that carries that kind of significance to you?

Thinking About Writing and Monday Morning Weigh In

So I am thinking about writing. I was asked years ago to consider writing a book and maybe this is the time. I have many thoughts stirring around in my head about faith, life, family, running, health, relationships. Time to maybe put some "pen to paper". I don't think I have something "special" to offer. Many things I have to say have been said already. But for me, learning from others experiences and insights have contributed to my life in great ways. Maybe this could be a way of giving back. More on this in the near future. I have a few themes running through my head. I will see how this plays out.

Monday Morning Weigh In

Starting Weight: 119kg (261lbs)

Last Week: 108.8kg (239.4lbs)

Today: 107.2kg (235.8lbs)

WOOHOO! That's a loss of 1.6kg (3.9lbs)

Now that's a good week! It paid off to focus on nutrition.

Sunday is for Band of Horses and STP

Just listening to some music this afternoon. Enjoy.

Mother's Day Run & Monday Morning Weigh In

Not much to report. Ran a 10k yesterday for Mother's Day. Jog & Joy puts together a wonderful race and we got to run the streets of Bangkok. In the last kilometer or so I saw a guy (or girl) running in a full panda suit. If I didn't beat them I didn't know what I would do. Lol. Needless to say I ended up beating the "sweat panda" by about 2 minutes or so. I can say I knocked some serious time of my 10k time. I ran the Adidas King of the Road in 1:14:20 (7:10 pace). I ran the Mother's Day mini-marathon in 1:05:39 (6:57 pace). Thailand puts together some great racing events. If you are a runner you should come make a "running vacation" here. Well worth it. Anyhow...

Monday Morning Weigh In:

Starting weight: 119kg (261.8lbs)

Last Week: 109kg (239.8lbs)

This Week: 108.8kg (239.4lbs)

It's all about nutrition. I am getting it back on track. Here's to big losses next week.

Looking Back - Not Always a Bad Thing

So I have been running a lot lately. It has been an amazing shift in my mind and heart. When I first moved to Thailand I thought for sure my running days were over with all the heat. But finally I made the decision to just try. Best decision I ever made.

I decided to start walk/run to break in slow. Then sometime in June I decided to start running. I decided to look back at my past runs on my Garmin Forerunner 101. Here are a few samples:

• June 12th - 8:38km pace for 5.2km
• June 14th - 8:16km pace for 4.78km
• June 20th - 7:51km pace for 3.24km
• June 26th - 7:39km pace for 4.92km
• July 07th - 7:33km pace for 5.11km
• July 19th - 7:18km pace for 5.50km
• July 29th - 7:11km pace for 10.35km
• Aug 02nd - 6:55km pace for 6.44km
• Aug 09th - 6:35km pace for 6.44km

Sometimes when I feel discouraged or wonder what progress I am making it is good to look back. It isn't always bad. It's important for us to track our progress. It reminds us of where we were and what we are becoming. If you haven't started keeping track, start. It's encouraging to do so. In 2 months I knocked off 2 minutes off my pace. I wouldn't have known that if I didn't follow up.

I know we are told to not look back and only look forward, but sometimes to glance back reminds of where we were, where we are and gives us hope for the future. Press on.

FOMO & Monday Morning Weigh In

FOMO

Fear. Of. Missing. Out.

We have hit race season it seems in Thailand. Every weekend there seems to be a 1/2 marathon or mini marathon (10k). A week ago I ran the King of the Road 10k in Bangkok. This weekend I am going to be running the Mother's Day 10k Run in honor of her Majesty the Queen and Mom's everywhere.

There is an Ocean to Ocean Run that the running group and I are really excited about. We are going to run in a team of 8 from one coast to the other. It is about 136.6km done from sun up to sundown. See in all these races my friends are running and many from the running community turn out for these as well. I have a Fear Of Missing Out. But I know I have to start saying no. Why? Because I have goals and a plan. At some point my training has to win out over these races.

See I am in training for the Bangkok Marathon in November. That requires specific training and focus. And I also chose a follow up race in February. It is The North Face 100. I will be running a 50km race. It is about 5 miles farther than a marathon. It is an entry level race to ultra running.

So at some point I have to say no to the good and say yes to what I know I need to do. It is true in life. There are many good things to say yes to but in the end it can lead to being distracted from your goals. So we need to be able to recognize when the "good things" are keeping us from what we are "called to". Because I tell you what FOMO could lead to DNF (Did Not Finish). I want to finish. And hey, my running mates have similar goals as well so I know I will have comrades along the way. Cheers.

Monday Morning Weigh In

Starting Weight: 119kg (261.8lbs)

Last week: 109.2kg (240.2 lbs)

This Week: 109.0kg (239.8lbs) - Hey, it's progress!

Why I Don't Use an IPod While Running

I never run with music. I just don't. I couldn't quite put words to why but this morning during a group run my friend Matt and I discussed it.

Have you ever loved something so much that you just had to take it all in? Standing at the ocean or hiking through the woods or waking up to a cool spring morning. Think about one of those places. What does it smell like? What does it look like? What do you feel with your hands and feet? Can you taste anything? Salt in the air or morning coffee? Also, what do you hear?

When you think of these special places and moments, in many cases all 5 senses are engaged. That is how I feel about running. Oh, don't get me wrong, not every run is some "religious experience" or euphoric. Sometimes it's a terrible run. But it is a meaningful experience to me. I want to be present in that moment.

A lot of times we use music to take our minds off of the task; in this case it is running. It is a chore and burdensome and music is an escape from it. It makes time go faster. It entertains us because we feel bored. We use it so it feels a little less painful. I understand that, but that isn't how I view running.

Running is my opportunity to turn it all off. I don't have to think about what I need to be doing because I am doing it. My schedule for the day. My worries and cares. I can check it all at the door. I originally didn't listen to music because I didn't want to get hit by a car or not hear the dog chasing me down. Now I love the feel of the road on my feet. The taste of sweat on my lips. The view of a beautiful Bangkok morning. The smell of the park and/or the tobacco factory (lol). And the sounds of the morning. I am present in that moment. I have been asked if I pray while I run. Nope. Just turn it all off. But it is a spiritual experience. It is a way for me to commune with God and His creation and be still...so to speak.

You probably think I take running to seriously. Maybe. But you should hear how seriously I take my music too. That's for another day. If you run with music, tell me why. What kind of music motivates you? Why is it important to you?

Unsolicited Advice & Monday Morning Weigh In

I had to run to Cambodia on Saturday with the family. It is a long boring trip filled with bad snacks and worse movies, but hey, we made it and it's done. Along the way I was sitting in front of a guy who felt he was very smart...and loud. We stopped at a 7-11 and I was buying a Coke Zero when out of no where he says to me, "You know that's not really healthy right?"... Ok.

I think you all know where I am going with this. Nobody wants unsolicited advice. Whether it is health, life, faith, finance, whatever. If you didn't ask, you probably don't need or want my input. Look I know I probably shouldn't be drinking Coke Zero. I will probably go blind or glow in the dark or something. I know it. You don't have to tell me...YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME. You know what it made me want to do? Go buy a 2 liter of it and drink the whole thing in his presence. But you know what, that is my character flaw. That isn't at all how I should react. All I did was shrug my shoulders and say, "I'm thirsty." And then walk away.

I think there are 2 important lessons here.

1. Nobody wants advice not asked for or at least advice from someone they haven't given permission to give it. I take advice from good friends and spiritual mentors. I am part of a running club and love getting advice from them. We have camaraderie and are all trying to improve. It's all good, but if some dude I don't know stops me going around the park and offers me his "best running tip" or I run into a "fat" evangelist (skinny person giving fat person they don't know unsolicited advice)...yeah I ain't listening. So I know people give unsolicited advice for a variety of reasons but my best advice is just...don't.
2. Be gracious. I could've been more gracious to the guy offering the advice instead of just sort of blowing him off. Usually, people mean well. Be gracious because you know we are all guilty of this at some point in our lives. They are loved by God and are flawed like I am. Cut them some slack. Smile, say thank you and go on.

Monday Morning Weigh In:

Starting Weight: 119kg (261.8 lbs)

Last Week: 110.5kg (243.1 lbs) I gained 1.5lbs last week.

This Week: 109.2kg (240.2 lbs) -2.9 lbs Thank you very much! Pleased? Yes. Excited!

Spirit of the Marathon

I am less than a week away from starting marathon training. I feel ready. I feel good. I have had a lot of support from my family and my running group here in Bangkok. I am very pumped to start training. It reminded me of an awesome documentary. It is about I think 5 people. 4 average joe's and 1 elite athlete. It takes you through their ups and downs, successes and heart breaks. They are all training for the Chicago Marathon. Be inspired by their stories. It is a powerful film. Bring on Monday. I look forward to Day 1.

Sorry to throw a whole movie at you but I think you will like it. Moving.

Dealing w/ Disappointment & Monday Morning Weigh In

Have you ever been disappointed but when you thought about it you say to you yourself, "yeah, i guess that makes sense". That was my day today. I went out and did my Monday morning run. Afterwards I was bummed because my favorite Joke (Thai rice porridge) guy was out already. Then, as tradition has it, I go stand on the scale in the condo complex laundry room... and there it was. Let's do my weigh in now.

Starting weight: 119kg (261.8 lbs)

Last Week: 109.8 (241.6lbs)

This Week: 110.5 (243.1 lbs)

Seriously?! I gained 1.5 pounds? That sucks. But thinking about it, I had it coming. lol. I ate terrible this week. I got waaaay too comfortable with the weight I was losing. This weekend I was at a retreat center and we ate western food and meat and dessert after every meal...every meal. I had a choice to eat it or not. It is my fault, but I just thought, eh, what could it hurt? Now I know.

I'm not bumming huge, which is a victory in and of itself. Normally I would have thrown in the towel and said forget it. It has refocused me and put me back on task. I think that is what our shortcomings should do. Help us to focus, see where we made mistakes, make corrections and keep going.

So what are your shortcomings or disappointments? Do they cause you to focus, correct and move on or throw in the towel? I am now more focused than ever. Sure, I won't lie, it sucks. But it was a lesson I needed to learn. Learn with me. There is a lot to say about this but I am just giving you/me something to think about.

Disappointments will come our way and we will let ourselves down at times, but that is life. I am excited about the future. This isn't about looking good in skinny jeans, although I am sure I do. lol. This is about saving my life, not just from heart disease and obesity, but saving myself from a passionless life. For myself, my passion to follow and be like Jesus calls me to health and living a full life. I won't let a little disappointment keep me from that.

Before & Still Journeying Photos

Before I started working out about 7 weeks ago:

As of now:

I don't know why I wasn't smiling. lol. Concentrating too hard on taking the stupid picture

I'm starting to see the difference. Almost fit in an XL shirt today. Could've worn it but it would have felt awkward.

Isaiah 40

Isaiah 40:28-31

⁸

²⁸ Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
³¹ but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Counting Victories and Monday Morning Weigh In

Sorry it has been a while since I wrote anything. I have been frustrated with some computer problems and I am hoping they are resolved now. So anyhow...

I ran 12.5 miles yesterday. Hey now, that is something. It is fun to see progress. You don't always get to see that. There are plenty of times it all feels flat and there is no progress being made at all. Ever feel like that? For example, I ram 12 miles yesterday and I ran my fastest 5k I ever ran since moving here this morning. Now I would say that's progress.

But just a few hours ago I was climbing the stairs of the BTS (Skytrain) and I thought I was going to pass out. lol. My heart was beating out of my chest and I was exhausted. It kinda ticked me off. I felt like I put all this work in and have seen so much progress but walking the stairs still kills me. But how am I going to spend my time reflecting? Not on the stupid stairs for sure.

I am going to look at the progress I have made and celebrate. I am going to count my victories. If I spent my life looking at everything I haven't done or haven't accomplished yet then I miss all the good stuff and victories I have had along the way. What a sad way to live.

Don't spend your time wallowing in what isn't happening throwing yourself a pity party (like I do at times). Look at your victories, no matter how small they seem to you, because they all add up. One victory at a time. One stair at a time. Peace.

Monday Morning Weigh In

Starting Weight: 119 kg (261.8 lbs)

Last Week: 111.7kg (245.7lbs)

Today: 109.8kg (241.6lbs)

20 lbs!!

Saturday is for Jon Foreman

Connecting Neighbors & Health

I am not guaranteeing an awesome post every day. 5 days a week. You probably already figured out my posts aren't awesome already. lol. So I had a morning off and what did I do? I walked 12 miles. That's not to brag. It's just an opportunity I took to get to know my neighborhood and a few others a little better. I decided to walk all the streets around me I hadn't walked before.

It was a good time. I got to meet some interesting people and I got in some good exercise. You know in the States I kind of knew one of my neighbors. He was a nice elderly gentleman I shared a fence with. But you know it was months before I even realized he died. We were pretty disconnected from them. Here I know more neighbors than I ever have before. It is great. And I communicate less because my Thai isn't that hot.

Make that a workout one day. Take a few hours and walk streets in your town you never walked before. Stop and talk to neighbors. Take 4 hours and let it rip. What a great way to energize your body and your soul. Connecting your life together in one workout. The family can walk with you as long as they are able. Who knows, you might even enjoy it. Have a great day.

Monday Morning Weigh In - Nothing to Fear

I just have a little bit to say today. I mainly want to say that I'm no longer afraid of the scale. Not because I have arrived or am the peak of physical fitness, but because I know I am doing everything I know I can do.

Hard work pays off. My nutrition is at about 85% of where I want it to be. That's pretty good. Trying to get to about 95% this week and see how that feels. My biggest hang up is pop (soda). I am trying to make it until after my long run on Sunday. The twitches are starting to kick in already. Anyways...

The scale is not our enemy. I am not losing weight for the sake of losing weight. I need to eat better and exercise for a longer, better quality of life for my family and myself. If it was just about losing weight to look good in skinny jeans then forget it. The scale is just one indicator that I am moving towards a healthier life. We are partners. It holds me accountable. I got a marathon to run in November and I have an Ironman 70.3 in December of 2013 if all goes well. The scale is just one sign post along the path. I love it. With that said, here is Monday morning weigh in:

Starting Weight on June 18th - 119kg (261.8lbs)
Last week 114kg (250.8kg)
Today 111.7kg (245.7lbs)

Total Loss: 7.3kg (16.1lbs)

Weekend is for Beastie Boys. Don't Hate.

Falling Off the Wagon

Just a short post here. I fell off the wagon yesterday at lunch time. I devoured and incredibly meat based lunch. I even figured I should just forget and ate a McD's ice cream cone after as well. But there is some good news in all of that.

Every other time this has happened in my life I would just throw in the towel and forget it. But I didn't this time! I went right back to eating vegetarian and eating right. Sure I was upset with myself but in a sense it the loss was a victory. Let me explain.

I was able to analyze what happened and why. Two major factors. First no no, I didn't eat breakfast. They say to live healthy you have to eat breakfast. I skipped it. The 2nd no no (kind of) is that my morning routine was thrown off. Normally I go to Bangkok University and study in the coffee shop and eat lunch in their cantina. But yesterday I had to run an errand and in this town running one errand can take all morning. So that is a victory as well. Next time my schedule is thrown off I just need to lock it in and focus and remember to do the right things. I also need to remember to eat breakfast.

So don't give up when you stumble. Figure out what happened and make the correction. Don't beat yourself up. There is strength in our weakness. Push on.

Pulling Punches and Crossing Over to Crazy

So I am convinced. I am convinced more than ever that there comes a time when you just have to make a decision. We treat our lives as normal. We think, "Well I'm here. That's nice". We were meant for so much more than eeking out an existence. But for so many of us (including me) we just do enough to get by and have lost our hearts. Our passion. Ourselves.

Life is amazing! Isn't it? I mean here I am. I exist and it is awesome. What an amazing privilege. Don't get me wrong. Crap happens and tragedy strikes us all at some point, but that is something to hold on to as well. We are alive and experience it all. What a gift to get to experience life, love, hope, tragedy, but for so many of us we are paralyzed or numbed by it all and we pull up short in grabbing life and living it fully. I know I do.

I know I up and moved my whole family to Thailand. Some would say that is grabbing life and living but to be honest I still pull punches at times. I don't say what's really on my mind. I don't choose the adventure or the unknown. Even our move to Thailand was well researched and planned out as much as possible. I sit back at times and look at life and say, "I can never do that." Or I say, "Good for them, they took a risk and it worked (or it didn't)." But I don't make those choices. I play it as safe as possible. I push my limits to a point and say "that's far enough." But I have stifled the fire in my belly. We have been conditioned to stifle it. What about you? Not to be reckless...well maybe reckless. We worship "safety" and "predictability" and in the process we lose a piece of our soul.

I want my soul back.

I want to embrace this life I was given and live it. I have met amazing people in my life. They chose to live their lives by their rules and live it passionately. They don't seem to follow the dictates of their culture. I want to love people unconditionally. I want to believe I can do more than I ever thought I can do. I want to be the person God made me to be and not shy away from it. I have been pushed by those around to share my thoughts more. I tend to pull punches and say just enough. I tend to make different choices, but I don't cross the line to where people will think I'm crazy. But then isn't it more crazy to live life full of "what if's"? Surely there are worse things than failing. Like never trying.

I love my life. I love my family. I love everything about it. But I still think I am not living my life the way I was made to live it. I suffer for it. My family suffers for it. Because it steals my joy, my hope and love. So I have decided to embrace 3 things unashamedly.

1. Jesus. I want to be more like him. Honestly, who wouldn't?
2. Unconditional love for all people with no "but's" or (insert cliche' line here that makes us feel better).
3. That I have been given the "want to" to do some crazy things. Things I don't think I am physically able to or mentally tough enough to. And maybe I'm not, but I sure want to find out.

Ok. Enough talking about it. Good day.

And here I thought I was going to talk about the virtual partner option on my Garmin... maybe tomorrow.