#867 - I FINISHED!

I didn’t run the half-marathon super well. I didn’t do it at the 10:30 min/mile pace I was hoping to do it in. The last three miles were brutal. I’m sore as hell, but…

I FINISHED.

I completed what I set out to do. I kept my word. I trained (not as much as I should have). I ran. And, I finished.

The last half-marathon that I ran before this one was in August of 2018. In September of 2018, I got a bacterial infection in my eye that would radically impact the next several years of my life. In March of 2021, I had a cornea replacement surgery.

To run a half-marathon nearly a year after my surgery is a testimony of God’s goodness and faithfulness in my life. I am so thankful.

I wasn’t fast. I still have a long way to go to get into the type of shape that I need to be in. But, I finished.

Only God.

(Next race…another half-marathon on Saturday, April 2!)

#860 - WEEKLY RUNNING REPORT #3

After a terrible training run a couple of days ago, I finished the week strong with my longest training run yet (10 miles) at my fastest pace (10:30/mile)!

Didn’t quite reach my goal of 4 runs 23 miles in under 11 minutes. This week’s goal (a taper down week): 3 runs 10 miles. Then…the half-marathon on Sunday!

#859 - A TALE OF A TRAGIC TRAINING RUN

I was supposed to run 5 miles at an 11 minute/mile pace. Instead, I “ran” 3 miles at a 13 mile pace.

I felt super lethargic. Legs felt heavy. Breathing was rough. I had to walk more in this run than in any previous run.

Training had been going so good. Why did this run go so bad? Unfortunately, the answer is super clear.

• I ate fast food the night before.

• I did not get enough sleep.

• I ate pizza for lunch.

• I did not drink enough water during the day.

• I haven’t been stretching.

• I overdressed. The temperature was too high at the time of my run for sweats and a long-sleeved shirt.

The above is a recipe for disaster. As I walked the rest of the way home, after completing the 3 miles, I was reminded of a very sobering principle, I hope stays at the forefront of my mind for the foreseeable future…

PROPER PREPARATION PREVENTS POOR PERFORMANCE.

#853 - WEEKLY RUNNING REPORT #2

Week 2 of my training. Ran more miles. Ran faster miles. Only God!

Two more weeks of training remain before the half-marathon two Sundays from today. This week’s goal: 4 runs. 23 miles. Prayerfully, with an average mile of under 11 minutes.

#846 - WEEKLY RUNNING REPORT #1

In an effort to hold myself publicly accountable to the training for my half-marathon that I said I’d take more seriously, every Sunday night, I will post my runs from the previous week.

4 Runs. 13 Miles.

By no means am I running fast. But, since declaring last week that I was going to take my training more seriously, I have done just that. Mission accomplished.

This week’s goal: 4 runs. 22 miles.

#841 - MOTIVATION FOR MY NEXT HALF-MARATHON

On February 27, I am registered to run the Rock N’ Roll Half-Marathon in Las Vegas.

I have not trained well up until this point. I am not prepared. This is not good.

With my dire situation in mind, here are 25 compelling, motivating reasons why, over the next 25 days, I need to focus and train like I know I am capable of training…

1. It will be a waste of money if I can’t finish the race.

2. It will be a waste of time if I can’t finish the race.

3. I need to work out.

4. Training for and finishing this race will motivate me to run another one.

5. I need to be a man of my word. If I say I'm going to do something, I need to do it.

6. I can’t let another month go by without taking my physical health more seriously.

7. The goal of finishing this half-marathon will require me to also achieve a more important goal - re-instilling the habit of consistently exercising.

8. The feeling I’ll get when I cross the finish line and receive the medal will be so fulfilling.

9. Finishing races makes my wife proud.

10. Finishing races makes my dad proud.

11. An unhealthy leader/pastor is not a leader/pastor worth following.

12. The less I train the more painful running the race will be.

13. If I can’t muster up the resolve to train for this half-marathon, it would mean I am more lazy and un-disciplined than I think I am.

14. The joy I experience when I run will return as I start to run again.

15. It is poor stewardship to not run in the expensive Nike running shoes that I purchased for running!

16. I’d rather experience the pain of training than the embarrassment of telling people I didn’t end up running the race because I didn’t have the discipline to train.

17. New sermon illustrations await me.

18. There may be people who end up motivated to run a future half-marathon with me because they see/hear about me finishing this race.

19. The character development I will undergo in the process of training is priceless.

20. Training will give me more to write about than not training.

21. While I train, I can simultaneously be thinking about content creation.

22. If I don’t train to run this half-marathon, comfort will have superseded my convictions. This is not the type of man I want to be.

23. Physical health and spiritual health are inextricably linked. To think otherwise is naive.

24. The more I train, the less guilty I feel about eating what I love to eat!

25. I want to share a picture of the accomplishment in my February PAZUPDATE!

3 mile training run. Tomorrow. No excuses.

#683 - I FINISHED, BUT I FAILED

Today I ran the Oaktown Half-Marathon. I had a goal to set a new personal record. My fastest half-marathon is 1:59:48, and I had ambitions of beating that today. 

Unfortunately, I failed.

I ran the half-marathon in 2:05:35. Nearly 6 minutes slower than my fastest time.

Though I'm super bummed out, I am encouraged that this "failure" taught me a few important lessons that I hope can serve both you and I well in the future.

1. UNDER-TRAIN, UNDER-PERFORM. 

I did 17 training runs to prepare for this race. When I ran the half-marathon in under 2 hours (in 2014), I did 42 training runs. To run faster than I've ever ran, I had to train harder than I've ever trained. Yet, I didn't. 

In what areas of your life (this applies to so much more than running) are you "under-training" yet expecting to experience superior results?! Don't play yourself like I played myself! Your level of "training" will promote you or expose you!

2. YOUR BODY TALKS, LISTEN. 

Though I wanted to stick as close to the 2-hour "pacer" I was running with for as long as possible, by about mile 4 I found myself needing to stop at the water stations and walk for a bit to catch my breath. Though everything in me wanted to run past the water stations so I could stay on pace, my body was telling me I needed to hydrate. My body was telling me I needed to slow my heart rate down a bit. My body was telling me, "No." 

How is your body talking to you? Are you listening? Sleep more? Eat better? Drink water? Exercise? Don't ignore it. Finishing your "race" is more important than setting a "record." (Once again, this applies to so much more than running!)

3. FAILURE ISN'T FINAL.

I fell short. I didn't achieve what I set out to. But, this failure doesn't define me. This failure isn't the end of my story. I can get out there and try again. And I will! 

What "failure" have you not bounced back from? What "failure" still debilitates you? Get up. Your story isn't finished until you are out of days to write it!    

#672 - THE POWER OF 15 TIMES

Maybe you haven't been working out like you committed to. You haven't been spending time with your kids or your spouse like you promised to. You haven't been eating healthy like you should. You haven't been keeping up with your spiritual disciplines like you feel convicted to. You haven't been using your creativity like you desire to. You haven't been managing your finances like you set out to. 

WE'VE ALL BEEN THERE.

I was there just two months ago. It's embarrassing to say, but it was the end of May, and I hadn't exercised at all in 2018. Not even once! But, with the Oakland Half-Marathon less than 75 days away, I knew I had to start running again.

I WENT ON MY FIRST RUN, AND IT WAS EMBARRASSING.

3 miles took me 34 minutes and 5 seconds. That is a pace of 11 minutes and 21 seconds per mile. I don't remember the last time it took me that long to run 3 miles. And it wasn't just the time. It was how I felt too. I was breathing heavy. I was aching. It was bad. 

On that day, I briefly wrote about it here, and decided that things needed to change. 

Over the next two months, I ran exactly 15 times. An average of once every 4 days. Not a super consistent amount of times, but consistent nonetheless. 

And after just running 15 times, I am proud to share that last Saturday (my 15th run), I ran 10 miles in 1 hour and 28 minutes. That is a pace of 8 minutes and 52 seconds per mile.

I HAVE NEVER RUN 10 MILES THAT FAST IN ALL OF MY LIFE!

Though I'm older than I've ever been. Though I'm heavier than I've ever been. After just 15 times, I am faster than I've ever been!

The moral of the story is this:

WHAT IF 15 TIMES IS ALL YOU NEED TO GET BACK ON TRACK?  

With your health. With your relationships. With your disciplines. With your creativity. With your dreams.

Not 100. Not 50. Not 1. Not 7. But 15.

I think many times, we get overwhelmed by what is required of us to get "back on track." So we never do. We either overestimate how long it's going to take (and don't get started) or underestimate how long it's going to take (and quit too early).

15 TIMES.

Pick a discipline, pick a habit, and over the next month or so, commit to executing that habit 15 times. More may come of it than you might think!  

If you feel so inclined to, hold yourself accountable to what you're going to do 15 times by dropping a comment below! I would love to support you in your endeavor!

#668 - RUNNING AGAIN

Today, I did a timed run for the first time since I ran my last marathon in December of 2017 in under 5 hours.

3 miles in 34 minutes.

I am not a fast runner by any means, but this was particularly slow for me. (This is what happens when you don't work out for a while! "If you don't use it, you lose it!"

But, with 74 days to go (Sunday, August 12) before the 5th Annual Oakland Half-Marathon, this was a good reality check for me. My goal is to run my fastest half-marathon yet, and to do so, I've got a lot of work to do! 

I'm inspired.

LET'S. GO!

#467 - THE POWER OF A PACER

Nearly two weeks after running a marathon, with only one 3-mile run in between, today I ran my second fastest half-marathon ever (2:00.34).  

This came as an absolute surprise because when I did my 3-mile run just two days ago, I felt very winded and out of shape! 

There is no doubt in my mind that I would have finished the half-marathon in a much slower time if it were not for Gary - "The Pacer" for the 2-Hour Half-Marathon. 

Here's a few quick lessons I learned about "pacers" by sticking behind Gary this morning:

1. Pacers push you to keep a pace you don't even know you are capable of.

2. Pacers force you to stay within your pace even though you think you are capable of more.

3. Pacers provide a reference point for where you need to be if/when you fall behind.

4. Pacers help you focus on your pace and not the pace of others.

5. Pacers inspire you by their commitment to finish their race. 

6. Pacers encourage you along the way. 

7. Pacers congratulate you in the end!

Because following Gary proved to be so effective in helping me run a race in a time I didn't think I had in me, I am convinced, more than ever before, that we need "pacers" in other areas of our lives as well. 

Who is your "marriage pacer?" Mine is my mom and dad. 

Who is your "vocational pacer?" Mine are pastors like Paul McGovern, Andy Wood, Ben Pilgreen, and Ryan Kwon. 

Who is your "health pacer?" Mine are guys like my dad and Rich Johnstone. 

Who is your "leadership pacer?" Mine are leaders like Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, Andy Stanley, and Craig Groeschel. 

Find some "pacers."  Be a "pacer."

Because at the end of the day that's what leadership is: pace-setting.

#447 - 9 REASONS WHY I'M RUNNING ANOTHER MARATHON

Though I could easily come up with many excuses why I couldn't and shouldn't run a marathon this upcoming July, I choose to focus on the reasons why I can and will:

1. Beating my previous marathon times of 7:17 and 5:54 is a must. I am determined to run this one in 4:45.

2. Training for a marathon gives me the opportunity to practice leading the most important person I will ever lead...myself. 

3. Completing a faster marathon at 33 than I did at 24 and 29 would be very encouraging to someone like myself who is starting to feel older and older.

4. Encouraging Spencer and AJ as they train and watching them cross the finish line, at their first marathon, is more fulfilling to me than completing my own.

5. Challenging myself to accomplish something that is intimidating to me gets me out of my comfort zone is good for my personal development.

6. Running long distances, like nothing else, strengthens my inner will and resolve. If I ever want to become a great leader, I am going to need major resolve.

7. Enjoying the beauty along the various trails, breathing in the fresh air, and feeling my heart pumping as I run invigorates me and makes me feel truly alive.

8. Learning lessons about life as I run has been very profitable for me. Running is a relentless teacher.

9. Adding another medal to my collection is always rewarding!

The beauty of well thought out, articulated reasons for pursuing a goal is this:

When strong reasons are juxtaposed to weak excuses, excuses don't stand a chance!

#396 - ONE HALF-MARATHON RAN. ONE MAJOR LIFE LESSON LEARNED.

Today I ran, what I believe to be my 7th half-marathon. Though I am very proud of the accomplishment, I am even more excited about the life lesson that was reinforced during my running of this race. The lesson is simply this:

Proper training precedes peak performance.

The importance of proper training prior to an event or endeavor was made more obvious to me than it has ever been before. Though I didn't train for this half-marathon near as much as I could have (I ran a total of 66 miles, over the course of 13 runs), I definitely was more prepared than I was for the half-marathon that I ran in August! For the half-marathon in August, I ran a total of 20 miles over the course of 4 runs! Simply put, I trained about 3 times harder for this race than I did my last race and the results definitely showed the difference!

My last race was ran in 2 hours and 40 minutes, and running it was miserable. This race was ran in 2 hours and 13 minutes, and I felt wonderful! Now these times are in no way impressive to the more serious runner, but the point is, proper training allowed me to not only shave more than two minutes/mile off of my pace, but it also made the running itself more enjoyable!

Proper training precedes peak performance. 

I understand more clearly than ever, that if I desire to perform well, I must train well. To think that I can perform well without putting in the time and effort to do so is delusion. But this doesn't only apply to running. 

If I desire to perform well as a writer, I must train. If I desire to perform well as a communicator, I must train. If I desire to perform well as a leader, I must train. 

In the same way that I had a plan for training for the half-marathon, I must have and execute a plan for training myself in these other areas that I desire to experience peak performance. 

How about you? 

Is there an area of your life where you are expecting results that you aren't training for? This is an important question to answer because...

Your level of frustration will always be directly related to how big the gap is between your expectations for performance and your commitment to training.

If you desire to perform well as an artist, you must train. If you desire to perform well as a parent, you must train. If you desire to perform well as a salesperson, you must train. If you desire to perform well as a student, you must train. Very rarely does one outperform their training. So with all that in mind, in what area of your life do you need to commit to a higher level of training?

Proper training precedes peak performance.

Choose an area of your life. Create a training plan. And execute. At 33 years old, I am living proof that these simple steps do make a difference!