The next challenge...

Good morning!  If you know me, then you know I don't do the status quo very well.  I'm not content on just staying in the same place or just being.  Good or bad, I don't know, but I am a handful to deal with when I'm not going after something or trying to improve--especially when it relates to running. I'm always thankful for the ability I've been given to run, but I'm also motivated by setting running goals that challenge me.  So...as I sit here on this rainy morning in November, I'm looking for the next thing to challenge me.

This morning I could not help but look at 50K (31 mile) and 50 mile trail ultra marathon races.  The distance is crazy (at least for me) and most people would think I was nuts to try it (which is even more motivating to me).  You see, the great thing about an ultra marathon is that it's a crazy long distance, and generally you have to run a bit slower to finish it.  And...if my major injuries have come from trying to run the marathon too quickly, then being forced to slow down in order to succeed at the ultra marathon distance just might be perfect for me.  It's also something I've never done before, which would be inherently motivating to me.  The winter is approaching quickly and it's tough to train in the winter, but maybe it's not such a bad idea.  I will have the most control over the first half of the year in terms of being able to train for a race so maybe I'll try for a March or April 50K or 50 miler.  We shall see.  I've also been flirting with the idea of an April Half-Marathon in Kentucky or on the north side of Indianapolis.  For me, I'll need to put some thought into it.

As I approach the end of the year I cannot help but be reflective on 2011.  It's been a year in which I'll say that I'm thankful for the four points of balance I have in my life (family, running, sports, work).  I've really needed balance in order to feel good about the year.  I want to talk a little bit here about difficult situations.  At some point in our lives we all face difficult situations--sometimes that put us in a no win position.  If there is one thing I've learned over the years--and this year especially--it's that a positive approach to life and to work pays out ten times more than a negative approach.  Adopting a positive attitude and a strong work ethic for life is the best strategy we have.  Good things and bad things will occur, but it's how you respond to both that will ultimately define your life.  One has to "stick to the fight when they are hardest hit" in order to gain what they would like to achieve.  This is something that running teaches me daily.  So...if you are having a great go of it currently then keep positive and working hard, and if you are struggling do the same.  Hard work, transparency, and ethical behavior always win in the long run.  You may lose out on the short run, but those three things always win out long term.  Always.

Have a wonderful week and I appreciate you reading my thoughts.  If you'd like to give your opinion on my next running endeavor, then please do.  Happy running to you... 

Adjusting the sails...

Good morning and happy weekend to you. I've had a great week. I attended the Great Lakes Association of College and University Housing Officers Conference Sun-Wed and then had two nice days back at work. Once again I'm reminded that I'm blessed to be doing the work I do.

When I last wrote I was pretty bummed about my leg and not being able to run the marathon after all that training. As you may have gathered from the lack of posting I did not run it. It was tough not to run it, but I knew in my heart it would injure my leg and keep me out for many months. This morning I very much enjoyed my five mile run and my leg is really starting to feel better. It's sore just a bit, but there is no reason to believe it won't heal fully. I'm happy because I'm healing and I'm quite sure I'd have been frustrated if I ran the marathon and could not run. Sometimes you have to concede a battle to win the ultimate prize--for me that's the ability to run. Now...I have a new goal. I'm only 63 miles away from reaching 10,000 miles run since 1/1/2006, the date of my comeback. That is a meaningful accomplishment and that's my goal to finish out 2011. These 10,000 miles have been amazing and helped me return to running, lose 20 pounds, process a ton of stress, run a lot of races, and share my running with others. I'm blessed to be a runner.

Currently, I'm reading a great book titled The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon. University of Georgia Coach Mark Richt read the book last year and has been using it with his team. It's really helped him effectively deal with attitude issues he had on his team. Now, I'm fortunate to have a great team, but even great teams can develop bad habits and bad habits lead to bad attiutude issues. A concept I read today was about the "Energy Vampires" who drain the positive energy from your team. Gordon says you really have to get rid of the "Energy Vampires" or get them to change or your team will be limited in what to can achieve. I think that is spot on. I'm almost finished reading the book and I plan to use the concepts with my team this spring. Each person on the team will receive a bus ticket in December with the rules of the "IUPUI HRL Bus." To get on the bus, you have to have your ticket and agree to live up to the rules of the bus. I'll tell you one thing about me and my leadership style: I can deal with most mistakes but I cannot handle bad attitudes and negativity. I'll take a coachable person who learns from mistakes over an "Energy Vampire" that makes fewer mistakes any day of the week! Again, I'm fortunate not to have a ton of "Energy Vampires," but to sustain that I I must work to keep our attitudes positive. Just a small leadership thought for a Saturday.

Have a great day. Go Georgia Football beat UK! Go Hoosier Basketball and Football!

The truth of the matter...

Good morning!  Hope that your week is going well.  It's been a good long while since my last blog post.  I could tell you that I've been super busy and swamped and that would be true, but not any more true than at any other time of the year.  The truth of the matter is that I've just been trying to wrap my mind around the possibility that I just won't be able to compete in the Monumental Marathon on Saturday.  As those of you who read know, I've been training for this marathon since March.  On 10/14 I was chased by three dogs on a long run and while I did out sprint them I ended up tweaking my left calf/foot.  What I thought was a tweak turned out to be a bit more than that and I've been resting it.  Yesterday, I ran for the first time in two weeks.  I ran four miles again this morning.  It's clear that my leg is better, but not close to 100%.

Running is such a gift.  I love it.  It helps me process my life, it helps me make better decisions, and it helps me become less stressed.  When I'm able to run, there is much more balance in my life.  Because I know this, I'm extremely concerned about running a marathon on a left leg that is better but does not seem completely healed.  In 2008 I entered the Eugene Marathon with a nagging knee and hip issue.  I ran my best time ever, a 2:48.  However, I spent the remainder of 2008 and the first three months of 2009 rehabbing my leg.  I was miserable and at the time I remember wondering if it was all worth it.  I was not sure if I would ever be able to run pain free again.  It was awful, I was in a state of disarray, and I was not easy to be around. I told my friend Kevin to knock me on the side of the head if I ever decided to run another marathon.

In our lives we all go down roads that are not good from time to time and we often look back and regret not stopping when we had a chance.  Personally, I've had those moments when I know that I'm in a tough spot and I so desperately want to go back to the point when I had a choice to make a different decision.  Unfortunately, in this life we don't have a rewind button and most of the time what's done is done and you have to live with it and adjust.  Right now at this very moment, I feel like I'm at the point where I still have a choice and don't have to go in a direction that is extremely risky.  Yet, I so desperately want to go down the risky road.  It's really either risk a long term injury to run in a marathon or keep running lightly and let my calf and left leg heal fully.  To the non-runner I'm sure that this seems like a no brainer.  For this runner, though, it's a tough choice.  A really tough choice. 

Fortunately, I have two more days to decide what to do and I have the best medical team in house.  Yes, Sarah is back in Indianapolis.  Myles and I went to Atlanta last weekend to get her.  As you can imagine we had a great time in Atlanta visiting her and family and now we are ecstatic that she's back in Indianapolis!  And...she gives great advice and I typically end up in a great place when I follow it.  Happy running to you...