Hills Make You Stronger!

Good Morning!  Hope that you are doing well and enjoying life.  I've had the good fortune to run in a couple different places over the past two weeks (Washington DC and Couer d'Alene, Idaho) and the theme that has emerged has been hills--both the hills I run and the hills of life.  Hope that you enjoy.

Hills.  For runners, they pop up at the most inopportune times--usually when we are extraordinarily fatigued--and they try to break us.  In life, hills pop up both expectedly and unexpectedly and they try to block our path and crush our resolve.  Whether you are running or going through your daily life, it is how you respond to the hills that will ultimately define you.  

Tubbs Hill in Couer d'Alene, ID

I've had the opportunity to run quite a few hills over the past two weeks.  In Washington, DC the area I was staying was filled with them. Probably, my favorite set of hills in DC were located in the zoo that was nearby my hotel.  I was able to run up and down the hills and see (and talk) to the animals.  Yes, of course, you know I was saying hello to the elephants, giraffes, and whatever other animals were out and about. This week I have had the opportunity to run (and jump off the cliffs into the water) Tubbs Hills in Coeur d'Alene (see photo). It's a very quick 2500 foot ascent to the top and the views of the lake and foothills are spectacular.  In both cities being willing to climb the hills have brought rewards (Animals and Views) that would not have been there had I not been willing to run them.  Probably, though, the most meaningful hill I have climbed running over the past two weeks is the one small hill on the route in Broadripple that I run with Liya (not many hills in Indianapolis).  As we run that hill I ask Liya, "what do hills make us?"  She is too young to reply and I say to her, "hills make us stronger and we always attack them."  On the down side of the hill I say, "we climb the hills because on the other side is reward."  The message is clear.  Our family attacks the hills.

Life throws a ton of hills our way and often times they seem unconquerable.  The mistake that many make is that they believe they have to conquer the hill all at once.  However, that simply is not true. When you run the way to attack a hill is in short, measured steps while at the same time monitoring your breathing and cutting the pace when your breath leaves you.  You cannot attack a hill with your regular pace or stride.  It simply won't work and you have to make the adjustments.  You attack a hill one step at a time, one section at a time, and before you know it you've won.  However, if you just look at the top and wonder if you can get there, you may not even try.  I've found the same is true in life. When I am presented with a hill, I sometimes get overwhelmed and go down the path of "I can't." However, once I start looking at the problem and develop a step by step approach, then before I know it the problem is solved.  The hill is climbed.

There are a ton of lessons I will need to teach Liya throughout her life and conquering the hills ranks right up there in terms of importance.  Of course, I've started talking to her about attacking hills on our runs, but we've (Sarah and I) already have put that into practice in her daily life.  I recall the first time Liya had an "accident report" at her school and the teacher called me to come over (my office is across the street).  Liya was maybe 6 months old and was trying to crawl (climbing hills already) and she fell on her face and banged up her lip.  Of course, I was a bit nervous on my walk over and was feeling a range of emotion.  No one wants their kid to be hurt.  I walk into the room and say hello to the teachers (who are wonderful by the way).  I went over to Liya and saw her lip was a bit swollen. Internally, my heart was hurting for her and I wanted to swoop her up and save the day.  Instead,  I smiled at her, patted her on the back and said something along the lines of "good job kid."  And I meant it.  I was proud of her.  She tried to crawl and fell down and I'm sure it hurt, but she got back up.  Again, the message was clear.  We attack those hills. 

Have a great day and thank you for taking time to read my thoughts.  Hope that you go find a couple hills to run this weekend.

Slow Down & Enjoy The Present

Hi Daddy!

Hope that you are having a wonderful Saturday. This week has been a great one filled with a few nice runs, some wonderful time with Liya and Sarah, and the celebration of 5 years working in the Office of Housing & Residence Life at IUPUI.  I've enjoyed "my present" this week and that is a good thing.

There was a time when my goals in running revolved around trying to improve my PR's and win road races.  Those who new me during my super competitive era can probably recall the insane dedication to running that bordered, if not crossed the line, on obsessive.  There were countless times when I failed to slow down and enjoy a moment with a friend or a family member because I was so obsessed with getting to my next workout.  I love to compete and I'd be lying if I said that I didn't enjoy being able to run and compete the way that I used to.  I loved it.  However, it came with a price and often times that price was a missed brunch with Sarah or not going out for an adult beverage after work with friends or just having an edgy attitude because I was consumed with competing. While running fast can be part of being a runner, it's not the main the part.  Actually, running is about becoming your best self and when running becomes about something different it can become unhealthy.  Often times over the years when I've become attached to running in an unhealthy way I end up injured.  It's like running karma is saying, "if you are not going to respect running, be considerate of others, and enjoy the present, then you are not going to run."  Without question, every period of my life that I have been dedicated to running in an unbalanced way, I have ended up in an injury timeout and been reminded that running is about enjoying the present and enjoying life's blessings.  Nothing reminds you of that more quickly than not being able to run.

This week has been a busy one and one night I found myself wanting to get to the next task, kind of like when I used to want to get to the next workout.  Liya was grabbing at my leg and trying to get my attention.  When I looked down and saw her beautiful face it was if her eyes were saying, "come on, Dad, pay attention to me."  In a second, my heart dropped and the guilt set in and I felt like a bad Dad. It was in that very brief moment of task mode that I recalled the lesson that running has taught me over and again--the lesson of stopping to enjoy the moment.  So, rather than continuing to plow away at the dishes that could be cleaned after Liya's bedtime, I looked at her, put down what I was doing, and said "let's go play."  Then...Sarah, Liya and I played ring around the roses and I was treated to Liya's laughter and smiling face in the half hour leading up to her bed time.  A few years ago, I may have just kept trying to complete the next task, but not now.  No way.  The present with Liya will only be here for a short time and I'm not missing it so that I can put away another dish, or weed another flower bed, or wipe down the counter top, or even go for a run.  Liya is here now, and her favorite thing is to spend time with her parents and her Myles.  It won't always be that way.  Friends and eventually significant others (maybe when she's 30) will become more enticing than playing ring around the roses with her Mom and Dad.  But right now, Sarah, Myles and I are her favorite people and it's a gift. It's hard for me to slow because I naturally move at a fast pace at work, around the house, and out on the road running. Yet, slowing down and enjoying the present is what brings me the greatest joy.  Ironic that the hardest thing for me to do is also the most important key to enjoying life.  Of all the lessons that running has taught me perhaps the "slow down and enjoy the present lesson" is the most significant.

That is enough for this week.  Until next time, have a great day and make sure to slow down and enjoy your present.

My New Coach

Lesson on Hydration

My running journey has taken many twists and turns since March 1, 1994, when I officially became a runner.  It was on that day that I went out for track and my Coach told me to go run with the distance guys.  Seven miles later Coach Rowe looked at me and said, "you're a distance runner."  Of course, he already knew that, but he needed me to know that.  After three years of trying to get me to join the track and cross country team, I finally started running and I've been a runner ever since.

I am sure many others can relate to this statement:  As we progress in our careers, start families, and take on extra responsibilities our time for running decreases.  There are points when it just nearly becomes impossible.  Or...at the very least seems impossible.  Over the past two years the stretches of not running have far exceeded the stretches of being able to run.  There are a lot of reasons--great ones--for that, but at my core I am a runner and running helps make me...well...me.

On Memorial Day this year Liya was pointing to the french doors located off
of our front porch saying "outside, outside."  As she approached the doors, she pointed to the stroller and kept saying "outside."  It was in this moment that I realized that I had found my new Coach.  She was quite literally encouraging me to go outside and get her moving in that stroller.  So...for the first time in months I laced up my running shoes, put Liya in the stroller, and we ran.  All of a sudden, the doubts about being able to still run and the guilt of not actually even trying to run faded away.   It was joyous and freeing and invigorating.  

Post Run Coaching Session

Over the past four weeks Coach Liya and I have run each Saturday and Sunday morning.  We run all over Broadripple and see new things and take "selfies" and she teaches me about all sorts of things--like woofing at dogs when we pass them or waving and smiling at other runners and walkers. Mostly, though, she has reminded me that I am a runner and that she wants me to share that part of me with her.

I cannot promise that I will blog as regularly as I used to, but I will commit to writing about our running adventures when I have a free moment.  Running together provides a special time for the two of us and it's definitely a turn in my running life that I am loving.  Have a great weekend!  

August Rush

Good Morning!  Just finished up a nice 4.85 mile run on a beautiful morning in Indy.  I've been able to run two days in a row after missing a couple weeks due to the craziness of August, the August Rush if you will.  Now...opening for the residential communities has been completed and our summer projects are nearly complete and I can refocus on adding running back to my life.

This time of year is always tough on housing professionals and I'm sure all professions have a time or two a year where work dominates and it's difficult to run.  For me, the key is not necessarily trying to force running into those times, but to remain committed to picking up running as soon as the craziness has subsided.  Even though I was a bit disappointed that I could not lace up the shoes I didn't allow myself to forget that I'm a runner and I'd pick right back up in August & September.

As I was running today I couldn't help but think I'm at a crossroads.  I am contemplating running a half-marathon in November.  I'm also contemplating just running to run again.  The hardest part for me is finding a time to put running back into my weekly schedule.  I suppose once I figure that out, then it will be easier to determine if I want to try a half again.

Have a great week.  Happy running to you...

21 Months...

Liya & Daddy:  Future Running Partners?

Good Morning!  Enjoyed a nice 5.2 mile run this morning in Indianapolis on the Broadripple tow path.   It is an unseasonably cool day for July and I took full advantage of it.  Nice to be back out there running again. 

21 months.  Let me just be honest about that number.  It's been 21 months since I have had any consistency with running.  I hurt my calf training for a marathon two years ago in October and just have not gotten back into it in a consistent way.  And...I am not at all disappointed or upset because the last 21 months have been some of the best of my life.  I'm a new Dad to a wonderful daughter (Liya), we bought a house, and work has been outstanding.  Now, though, I am mentally ready and physically aching to get back after it again.  The break was nice and needed, but I need running in my life.  It grounds me.  It centers me.  It brings out the best in me. 

I hope to write in this blog a couple times a week to share my journey back to running shape again.  I still have a lot more left in the tank.  More than that, though, should Liya turn out to be a runner like her Daddy, then I want to be able to run with her and to run all over the course at cross country races cheering her on.  A couple years ago on Sunday mornings I would see a Dad and his daughter running together and I could not help but hope that would be me and my daughter some day.  Well..I know have a daughter and she may never enjoy running, but if she does I will be ready.  I look forward to the day when we can go out and run a few miles together and just enjoy the gift that running provides. 

Have a great week!  And...THANK YOU for those who told me they missed this blog.  I hope to be able to get the blog going again too!  Happy running to you...

Baby Ski

Good morning!  Hope that you are having a wonderful Saturday morning.  This week has been a tremendous week for running.  I ran 6.5 miles this morning and now have run 30+ miles for each of the past three weeks.  Back on track.

I always try to write with authenticity in my blog and it's been tough to keep the news I'm about to share private because it's such good news.  But...the news I have to share is not something shared on a whim.  If you are friends with Sarah on Facebook, then you know that she is pregnant and we are going to be parents in December.  I'm so happy to announce that I'm going to be a DAD.  Baby Ski, as we affectionately call the little one, is due on Sarah's birthday, which is fitting.  Both of us knew that at some point we wanted to have a baby and we waited until we could be in the best position possible to become parents.  Both of us are driven in our careers and we needed to be able to reach a certain point before diving into parenthood.  We are very fortunate and I am elated.

I cannot tell you how excited I am about being a Dad.  It's a new role and I've already started mentally preparing for how my life is going to change.  I often talk about balance and not taking on more than one can handle.  I tell my Res Life staff that I only spend time on four things:  Family, IUPUI Res Life, Running, Following IU.  You see, when I do something I'm all in and go 100%.  When you do that and take on too much, then everything else suffers.  Therefore, I know that somewhere in between running and following sports that I'm going to have to spend a little less time doing both of those things.  And...I'm perfectly fine with that.  I'm going to approach being a father like I would becoming a great runner or great sports fan or great Res Lifer.  I have to go all in.  In the movie Radio the coach resigned and told the fans that he had to "get his priorities straight."  A few years ago I learned a lesson on priorities because I took on too much and did not put my priorities in the right order.  From that point forward I have tried to prioritize my life in terms of Family, Work, Running, Following Sports.  Ultimately, I'd rather be a wonderful husband to Sarah and father to Baby Ski, than a fast runner or crazy fan.  I'd rather be known as Josh the great father and great husband, than Josh the fast runner (although, I'll still be out there running).

When I've shared this news people have said, "oh Myles is in for an adjustment."  Now...I've considered myself a Dad to my dog Myles, and so I see it as expanding my fatherhood a bit.  I think Myles will need to learn to share the spotlight just a bit but he will always be my little boy.  And...I have a feeling my 5:30a morning runs might become 5:30a walks with my man, Mr. Myles. 

Have a wonderful Saturday.  Happy running to you...

Training Camp for This Runner

Good morning!  Hope that you have had a wonderful first half of July.  I ran seven miles this morning, 33 miles this week, and now Myles is comfortably resting next to me as a type my blog post for the week. 

On June 10th I wrote about "Living a Runners Life" and how it had been so easy to become derailed from that life.  It was tough to admit and I recall writing that I just needed to "string a few days together" in order to get my running back on track.  I'm pleased to say that five weeks later I'm back on track.  It started slow with me running about 16 miles total that first week.  Now, I've put weeks together of 21, 28, 32, and 33 miles run.  I am feeling better and I've already run more miles in July than I ran in all of June.  I'm very, very pleased and hope to keep stringing days together because days become weeks and weeks become months.

I'm reading a great book by Jon Gordon titled "Training Camp."  Gordon is the same author that wrote "The Energy Bus" and that book is one that I used last spring to make a few key leadership points with our staff team in Housing & Residence Life at IUPUI.  I have to say that Training Camp is quite good and I'm looking forward to using it with our Res Life staff when they return from summer fun later this month.  So far my favorite part of the book is a point the author makes about continuous improvement.  The setting for the book is in a NFL training camp and there is an undrafted player trying to make the team.  His coach makes the point to him that the difference between average/good players and great players is that the great players NEVER stop trying to improve.  The idea of "continuous improvement" is one that resonates strongly with me.  One, in  running I'm always trying to get better and better is something that is limitless.  I still believe that my fastest running days are in front of me and that if I continue to try and improve that I'll get there.  Two, at work I really believe in trying to improve and expand my knowledge and talents so that I do not become obsolete.  It's easy for Res Life Staff with multiple years of experience to just sort of rest on what they know and put less effort into building training sessions, attending training sessions, and doing the job.  I find that the best staff are the ones that never stop looking for that edge, never stop trying to implement the next best thing, and always put a unique spin on what they are doing.  Continuous improvement leads to different.  Different is interesting. Interesting keeps people engaged.  Engaged people do good work.  So...get out there and do what you can to continually improve.

I hope that you have a great week.  Enjoy my latest Myles photo.  He's a treasure and he makes my day...everyday.  Happy running to you.


I continually try to improve my parenting skills so I can be the BEST Dad for Myles