Life

Route 66 Challenge (Jan edition)

Published January 31, 2019

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power ~ Abraham Lincoln

Wednesday run group

January 2019 update: Kicked off the year with TWO ultras on TWO different continents – neither being North America. 2019: YEAR of the ULTRA marathon. Life-to-date tally EIGHT – gonna DOUBLE that figure by year-end. OORAH!

Training miles way down past 2 months – December injury-riddled, January xtreme travel. Find myself 200 miles short with only four quick months ‘til Memorial Day (Challenge Finale). Yikes! Seems improbable – but January, today, we celebrate.

SIX continents, 45 states x2, 6 Canadian provinces. Whatta journey!

Race ReCap: secondplace finishes in TWO Southern HEMISPHERE locations – Punta Arenas CHILE & King George Island ANTARCTICA ❄️ Dare to DREAM!

Marathoning Streak: 62 months; EVERY month, FIVE+ years.

Mileage ReCap: ended January at 1326 miles (201 miles behind GOAL)

[Race Organizer] Steve Hibbs: Never been in a movie trailer before. Until now. My race, The White Continent 50k, Marathon & Half-Marathon (2017) was featured in a new documentary on Antarctica called The Unknown Life of Antarctica. The film has its world premiere on February 18, 2019 in New York City.

Here is a link to the trailer: http://visionairways.eu/videos/antarctica_vision_airways.mp4

: ended January at 1326 miles

: colder than Antarctica ❄️

: Mile 1326: Santa Rosa, NM

: DisneyWorld pilgrimage

Marathon Calendar:

02/10/2019 Fort Smith Marathon (Fort Smith, Arkansas)
02/17/2019 Lost Dutchman Marathon (Apache Junction, Arizona)
03/16/2019 Pistol Ultra (Alcoa, Tennessee)
03/30/2019 Carmel Marathon (Carmel, Indiana)
04/07/2019 Milano Marathon (Milan, ITALY)
04/27/2019 Frisco Railroad 50k (Willard, Missouri)

Posted in Family, Run Challenges | Leave a comment

Razorback CLARITY

Published December 30, 2018

FAMILY ❤️

Day & a half with FAMILY – just what the doctor ordered. Peace.

Lotta details this past Fall. 11 marathons including a new Canadian PR. 6-month stomach woes diagnosed – intestinal parasites (never mind heat & humidity/don’t drink water from random paper cups during a Brazilian marathon).

Lunch at Calico County (fried green tomatoes – YUM!) Both Saturday/Sunday nites, living-room movies with FAMILY. “I Can Only Imagine” – awesome flic ‘bout Forgiveness. ‘Abusive dad’ themes generally I avoid. Good film.

Church morn Sunday with Mom brought clarity.

Dog who attacked Ro was someone’s pet. It wasn’t a rogue animal. Aside from filing a Police report to keep the Public (my Louisville neighbors) safe, that’s that. All vet bills were picked up by Pup’s kennel. Excellent care – wrong righted.

Unexpected things happen in life. If your child is injured at school, you don’t kill the other kid in retaliation (though I tell ya, that was my gut first 2 days). Life forward.

Mom, Bro – love ya to the moon & back.

Mark your calendars. Registered for the Fort Smith Marathon in February. Team 4-Layer Delight & Sis RETURNS (celebrating Williamsburg Kitchen’s 40th anniversary)! Bro – you & your ugly bent finger are running the third [relay] leg. Surprise 🙂

: love ya Mom ❤️

: Sunday morning refresh

: Home Cookin’ Good 🙂

: fried green tomatoes – YUM!

: Tough Mudder injury

: proof Sis wears PLAID!

: Team 4-Layer Delight (2015)

: Colorado HOME ❄️

UPDATE: Back home, all tech’d up for 2019. Thanks everyone!

Posted in Family, South | Tagged holidays, kyrkan | Leave a comment

Lickin’ Wounds

Published December 29, 2018

Springfield/Saturday, Houston/New Year’s Day. New Year’s marathoning schedule preplanned, jam-packed. Out-with-the-old, 2019: in-with-the-new. Airport awaiting.

Call from Ro’s kennel. Pup’s been attacked. Seems to be just fine but taking him to an emergency vet to look at one of the wounds. Phoned Ash should they need follow-up, boarded my plane to Tulsa. Post-midnite hotel, checked my cell. No message.

Pup had multiple bite wounds – neck, flank, bum, leg, 2 large openings on his side, whole lotta bruising. Stitches required for one gash, drain in the other large puncture. 20 minutes before my marathon Start. Those were the words. Ash’s a straight shooter.

Ok, guess I’m gonna run now? 21 degrees, cold & windy. Head cluttered, spirit overwhelmed. Replayed the conversation over-n-over. Checked my Garmin, 3.3 miles. Another lap of subdivision shorts – empty open asphalt or oncoming traffic. 2 laps, just over 10k. Did the math. 8 loops. Seriously? How did I not know this? Ear buds in place, tunes loud, focus required. Throwaway gloves not doing the job, fingers numb/throbbing.

4 laps, 2:02 Half. 4 to go, then a 3 hour drive to Arkansas. Visiting Mom & my Bro before flying to Houston.

Why am I running laps? Why is it so cold in Missouri? Why am I HERE? Antibiotics, anxiety meds, pain pills every 8 hours. Why did the kennel gloss over Ro’s injuries? What would happen if Ash wasn’t local? Holiday weekend – hotels, cars, flights all pre-booked. Don’t care, gotta get home.

Lap 5. Groin pull return. Kentucky river plunge couple weeks past. Running all December, injury never fully healed. Conversation still rolling. Southwest…so much 2018 flying, A-status gotta get me somewhere. Cell phone car-abandoned, battery goes fast in the cold (never buy the upgrade).

Lap 6. Water, short walk. Turned the corner, turned around. What the heck am I doing? I’ll figure out the 50 State puzzle later – gotta get home. RD at the timing mat. Bib 73. It’s cold, I’m done.

On paper, ended the year with a DNF. Change-of-plans.

2 flights cancelled. No Houston Start, Colorado HOME New Year’s Eve. Return ticket secured.

I’ve finished 138 of these, nothing to prove. 33 marathons in 2018 alone. Lick our wounds, run another day. Parental digs in Ft Smith, my Flatirons spot afternoon next.

It’s a New YEAR. Folks, I’m going HOME.