This time tomorrow… I wonder how I will be feeling. Right now, I’m feeling grateful:

As I stand at the start line tomorrow, I’ll be with thousands of other fellow runners. We’ll share the same road, the same weather and the same clock. But I must say I feel privileged to have shared something unique with 9 other friends, the Road Warriors. Together, we’ve run the “puke pace.” We’ve burned our legs and lungs hauling up hills. We’ve raised money for good causes (God Bless Degage and all the other non-profits!). And we’ve shared life. We’ve come a long way since that first meeting in the YMCA, haven’t we, guys.

Thank you for sharing this with me. I’m humbled and grateful to have gotten to know you and travel this route together.

And Thank You! to the Riverbank Run organizers. You don’t just put on a good race. You actually make a difference in our community in more ways than most people realize. And you’ve made a difference in my life, without a doubt.

I’m not just forty pounds lighter or closer than I ever thought I’d be to running the 25k and meeting my speed goal. I’ve become something I NEVER thought I’d be: A Runner.

And that feels great.

6 people like this post.

Like 

This is the first moment I’ve had to sit down and write since the Striders 10 mile race on Saturday (April 17), the Striders Saturday Classic. It was a busy weekend! I returned from a conference late Friday pm/early Saturday am (around 2am) after a twelve hour drive. When I finally crawled into bed, I was wondering, “Should I really run this race?” I kept my alarm on and decided to decide when the sun peaked over the horizon.

When 6:30 rolled around–way too early!–I decided to keep my date with the race. Glad I did! If you’re someone who makes the Riverbank Run a regular part of your year, I highly suggest making the Striders 10 Mile your annual pre-Riverbank race.

One lesson learned: In a longer race, learn to stay focused and forget peripheral issues. Before the race, I stuffed a Gu pack into my pocket (something I’d definitely suggest doing if you’re running for more than forty minutes). Somehow, between doing that and hitting mile six, the packet disappeared. When I reached in for my extra burst, the Gu was gone. I have to admit, it took at least half a mile to get over the disappointment.

And that’s where focus came into play. I had to decide, “Am I going to let this game play out in my head for the rest of the race, or will I shut up and run?!?” While I definitely believe in getting that energy burst can improve your run, I also learned something else: The race starts and finishes in the mind!

3 people like this post.

Like 

It’s a great convergence, a beautiful collision. Here are the ingredients: running, fundraising, rock and roll, good times. All of them are going to be meeting in one place at the end of April/beginning of May when I and a few good buddies get together and play a benefit concert for Degage, a non-profit ministry that reaches out to homeless people here in Grand Rapids. One of the coolest things I get to do as a representative of the River Bank Run is to help raise awareness and funds for this worthy mission.

It’s going to be a great night with some original music, familiar cover songs, good friends, and the joy of knowing you’re lending a hand to those who need it most. After all, the best way to start changing the world is to start changing the world you live in.

I encourage you to take a moment and get to know more about Degage. Once you see what they’re doing, I’m sure you’ll want to know how you can help support their labor of love. Take the first step at our Road Warrior Benefit Concert!

This is going to happen in the last week of April or first of May. We’re still nailing down the venue, but YOU’RE ALL INVITED!

If you’re interested in the music, here’s some video from our last gig (about four years ago). The band, called “Men, Not Rabbits” is myself, my brother Luke (an accomplished drummer who toured America in his younger years), and a rotating group of friends who occasionally meet to record and perform concept albums when I can’t the songs out of my head any other way. (That sounds a lot brainer than it really is!)

P.S. We’re connecting with local clubs right now to nail down our venue. If your establishment is interested in hosting this BENEFIT CONCERT, contact us through the River Bank website or post your website info in the comment section.

3 people like this post.

Like 

After several weeks of pool workouts, it was good to run the Irish Jig! I went in knowing I would need to take it slow and be sure to stop if there was pain, but 24:06 minutes later, I crossed the finish line and felt great. A few lessons from my experience:

1. If you can, have a qualified therapist give you a once-over before training for a longer distance run. Many people who learn about my injury have assumed it was due to over-training. But it really wasn’t. It was an underlying issue related to my poorly adjusted pelvis. If I had known this on the front end, I could have been adjusted and good-to-go. But the problem only presented itself when I got into the high mileage runs (12 miles did it).

2. Cross-training is more than a necessary evil. I know, you experienced runners are shaking your heads. I should have known this from the get-go. But I honestly viewed cross training as an unwelcome break in the “real workout.” Having to cross-train exclusively in the last few weeks has given me a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the role this plays.

3. It takes discipline to maintain a positive mental attitude, and a positive mental attitude is essential for healing. In the days immediately following my injury, I finished every pool run or elliptical workout thinking, “This stinks! I”m losing all my hard work and not getting any better.” I realized early on, mental discipline is just as important as physical discipline. Instead of letting myself obsess about how I’d rather be on the road or worrying that things weren’t progressing, I made a conscious effort to be positive. This helped.

4. Prayer works. There are definitely different perspectives on this one. I’m not seeking to be controversial here, but I can say without a doubt that I believe prayer played (and is playing) a significant factor in my continued recovery. Not only my personal prayers for healing, but my wife and many friends have been praying for a full recovery. I believe God has heard those prayers! Keep ‘em coming!

Gotta run!

4 people like this post.

Like 

Hey Bro,

good to hear from you. thanks for checking in. I decided to do zero on the track this week and just push hard on the CT. I’m doing a lot in the pool and the machine that isn’t the elliptical but is sort of like the elliptical (don’t know what it’s called). I’m focusing on getting into a high heart rate and keeping it there. In water running, I’m doing 7 min repeats (like our mile repeats). I’m stretching my IT band every night like crazy and icing too. I’m focusing on getting well and starting up again next week.

But I totally want any advice you can give. Last year, I’m positive I worked through the exact same issue. But I had no idea then what was going on or that it was caused by the misaligned left hip. I just bought knee braces and kept training. Do you think that when I start up again I should wear a brace? Anyway…I’m sick of this but trying to keep it going.

adios,
adam

When I was a kid, someone hired me to help make runs between a cement truck and a skilled laborer plying his trade to fix some broken down steps. It was my job to keep the stuff moving as fast as possible. But the wheelbarrow had a VERY squishy wheel. So, imagine really heavy, unsteady cement sloshing around as you try to keep the job moving along. Very thin margin for error.

I’m not sure if it comes through in the message I sent my encouraging inquirer, but I’m constantly teetering on the edge of frustration right now. After every workout, I consciously have to fight against the thought, “You’re not doing enough. All your hill work is leaking out in the lap pool.”

But I’m finding peace as I try to practice persistent gratitude. When frustration starts threatening, I do everything I can to begin thanking God for the amazing joy I’ve experienced so far in my training. It helps…Even more, it’s aligns my attitude with reality all over again. Fact is, it’s a blessing to be where I am, a place I could not have imagined in November, 2009.

And that’s keeping me centered.

p.s. i actually ended up dumping a wheelbarrow load of cement in the homeowner’s garage…right next to his Cadillac.

1 people like this post.

Like