Daily Read April 30, 2011

 ¹ Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
   but whoever hates correction is stupid.  (Proverbs 12:1, New International Version, ©2011)



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Daily Read April 29, 2011

 ⁹ Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
   but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.  (Proverbs 10:9, New International Version, ©2011)



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Daily Read April 28, 2011

 ¹⁰ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
   and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.  (Proverbs 9:10, New International Version, ©2011)



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#11512 in your program... #1 in your heart!

The Pig is looming closer... less than 4 days away...

Earlier this week, I discovered what my bib number is: 11512.  I have a buddy that tries to find meaning in all of his bib numbers.  I don't think so... but I'm always open to it. So I'm number 11512 on the course... but of course, #1 in your heart!

I thought I'd share that with you in case you wanted to follow along with me virtually on Sunday.  If you are interested, you can sign up for tracking updates HERE.  I have no idea how up-to-date these will be... the ones from Akron last fall were pretty quick as in I was getting texts from Illinois friends by the time I had my medal... but you're welcome to follow along virtually (realizing that the race starts at 6:30 am eastern... good luck California friends following at 4 am) if you want. 

All in all... I'm feeling ready. 

I'm going to Columbus tomorrow night and buy a Garmin 210 Forerunner watch.  That will be pretty exciting.  I'll give a little review after I've taken it for a spin.  That's in part a necessary purchase for the next step of my training.  But it's also a little treat for all the hard work that I've put in this spring so far.

I have one more run left... a 5 miler on Friday.  Tapering is really hard.  My body says, "Let's go for a run... we're ready!"  But I have to keep saying, "No!  Save it for Sunday!"  In part, I think it's that I've been averaging almost 2 1/2 miles a day and so far this week (it's Wednesday) I've only run 2 miles but I think that it's also excitement over the race.  Once I get to Cincy on Saturday, some of that excitement will have a release in the exhibit halls and around town with other runners. 

But I'm ready. 
I've done what I can do. 
Now I just want to go out and leave it on the streets of Cincinnati! 

Again... feel free to follow along virtually since many of you won't be on the streets of Cincy with me by going HERE and entering my name. 

Should be great! Bring on the Pig!

Jim


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Daily Read April 24, 2011

 ⁵⁵ “Where, O death, is your victory?
   Where, O death, is your sting?”
 ⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  (1 Corinthians 15:55-57, New International Version, ©2011)



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Daily Read April 23, 2011

 ¹⁴ “Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. ¹⁵ But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”  (Joshua 24:14-15, New International Version, ©2011)



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Sunday's Coming - Good Friday

Something for you to think about this Good Friday...

Jim

(check it out HERE)


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Daily Read April 22, 2011

⁵ Get wisdom, get understanding;
   do not forget my words or turn away from them.
⁶ Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
   love her, and she will watch over you.  (Proverbs 4:5-6, New International Version, ©2011)


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Staring down the Pig!

Just a little over a week until the Flying Pig Half Marathon in Cincy. 

It's going to be a great weekend.  I'm feeling great.  My hard training has totally been paying off.  For instance, tonight I knocked out a 3.2 mile run in 28:13.  The average pace was 8:37... which is the fastest pace that I put up for an outside run.  Additionally, the 3rd mile of the run was completed in 8:15!  Sweet! (Here is the RunKeeper data if you wanna check it out for yourself.) I really didn't even go out to try to run hard... it just felt good. 

I feel like I'm pushing my body just about as hard as I can.  I feel like I'm on that razor sharp edge of being "on it" without getting injured (but I did give my troublesome Achilles a bit of ice tonight... just as a preemptive measure).  I'm just hoping that it holds out.  I've got 4 more runs before the Pig (3 miles, 8 miles, 2 miles and 5 miles). 

I'm working on a bit of form work in my runs lately.  I've been trying to stretch out more in my gait to take advantage of my strength.  Overall, I think that it's been helping.  It's nice to kick it up a notch and grab a higher gear. 

I've got a couple of goals for the 1/2 marathon next weekend that I keep thinking about over and over.
 
First, I want to set a personal record.  My PR for the Akron half was 2:06:40.  I want to beat that.  That's why I've been training so hard.  I've really been hitting the hills and I think it's paying off. 

Second, I want to break the 2 hour mark.  I have to shave a few seconds off of each mile (30 to be exact) and go out an run a 9 minute 9 second pace over the course of the race.  I'm hoping to cross the finish line and see a '1'.  Also, why I've been hitting the hills.  I know that the Pig is a hilly course and I want to be ready.  I watched the Boston Marathon on Monday.  That's one of my long term goals.  But... in order to register for that, I have to get a lot faster.  I see the Pig as my next step in that direction.

So... we'll see what happens. 

I'm planning to add a little fresh hardware this weekend... that'll be fun.  I've decided to pick up a Garmin Forerunner 210 GPS watch (pictured). I'm going to grab it on Monday so that I have a bit of time and a couple of runs to get used to it before Sunday's race.


Overall, I'm feeling good.  I'm feeling confident.  I'm feeling ready. 
Bring on the Pig...


Jim

BTW: After the Pig... I'm jumping straight into full marathon training!  My next step towards Boston (someday).

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Daily Read April 21, 2011

³⁴ He mocks proud mockers
   but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.  (Proverbs 3:34, New International Version, ©2011)


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Daily Read April 20, 2011

 ⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart
   and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
   and he will make your paths straight.  (Proverbs 3:5-6, New International Version, ©2011)



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Daily Read April 19, 2011

 ⁷ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
   but fools despise wisdom and instruction.  (Proverbs 1:7, New International Version, ©2011)



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Daily Read April 17, 2011

 ¹ Praise the LORD.

   Praise God in his sanctuary;
   praise him in his mighty heavens.
² Praise him for his acts of power;
   praise him for his surpassing greatness.
³ Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
   praise him with the harp and lyre,
⁴ praise him with timbrel and dancing,
   praise him with the strings and pipe,
⁵ praise him with the clash of cymbals,
   praise him with resounding cymbals.
 ⁶ Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
   Praise the LORD.  (Psalm 150:1-6, New International Version, ©2011)



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Daily Read April 16, 2011

 ¹⁷ The LORD is righteous in all his ways
   and faithful in all he does.
¹⁸ The LORD is near to all who call on him,
   to all who call on him in truth.
¹⁹ He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
   he hears their cry and saves them.  (Psalm 145:17-19, New International Version, ©2011)



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TobyMac - Tonight

A little fun TobyMac action to get your Friday started off!!!

Check out video HERE


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Daily Read April 15, 2011

 ³ LORD, what are human beings that you care for them,
   mere mortals that you think of them?
⁴ They are like a breath;
   their days are like a fleeting shadow.  (Psalm 144:3-4, New International Version, ©2011)



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Daily Read April 14, 2011

 ¹³ For you created my inmost being;
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
   your works are wonderful,
   I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
   when I was made in the secret place,
   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
   all the days ordained for me were written in your book
   before one of them came to be.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
   How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,
   they would outnumber the grains of sand—
   when I awake, I am still with you.  (Psalm 139:13-18, New International Version, ©2011)



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Daily Read April 13, 2011

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

 ¹ You have searched me, LORD,
   and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
   you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
   you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
   you, LORD, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
   and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
   too lofty for me to attain.  (Psalm 139:1-6, New International Version, ©2011)



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Follow - Igniter Easter Video

Another sweet Igniter Media video for Easter!
Check it out HERE.
To buy it and use it for your services, head over HERE.



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Daily Read April 12, 2011

 ⁷ “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. ⁸ Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”  (Joshua 1:7-9, New International Version, ©2011)



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Daily Read April 11, 2011

A song of ascents.

 ¹ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
   where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the LORD,
   the Maker of heaven and earth.
 ³ He will not let your foot slip—
   he who watches over you will not slumber;
⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.
 ⁵ The LORD watches over you—
   the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
⁶ the sun will not harm you by day,
   nor the moon by night.
 ⁷ The LORD will keep you from all harm—
   he will watch over your life;
⁸ the LORD will watch over your coming and going
   both now and forevermore.  (Psalm 121, New International Version, ©2011)



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Daily Read April 10, 2011

   ב Beth
 ⁹ How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
   By living according to your word.
¹⁰ I seek you with all my heart;
   do not let me stray from your commands.
¹¹ I have hidden your word in my heart
   that I might not sin against you.  (Psalm 119:9-11, New International Version, ©2011)



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Daily Read April 9, 2011

    א Aleph

 ¹ Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
   who walk according to the law of the LORD.
² Blessed are those who keep his statutes
   and seek him with all their heart—
³ they do no wrong
   but follow his ways.  (Psalm 119:1-3, New International Version, ©2011)



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Daily Read April 8, 2011

 ²² The stone the builders rejected
   has become the cornerstone;
²³ the LORD has done this,
   and it is marvelous in our eyes.
²⁴ The LORD has done it this very day;
   let us rejoice today and be glad.  (Psalm 118:22-24, New International Version, ©2011)



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Daily Read April 7, 2011

 ¹⁰ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
   all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
   To him belongs eternal praise.  (Psalm 111:10, New International Version, ©2011)



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Daily Read April 6, 2011

 ¹ Praise the LORD.

   Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
   his love endures forever.  (Psalm 106:1, New International Version, ©2011)



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Daily Read April 5, 2011

 ¹² And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, ¹³ and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?  (Deuteronomy 10:12-13, New International Version, ©2011)


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Daily Read April 4, 2011

³ He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.  (Deuteronomy 8:3, New International Version, ©2011)


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Daily Read April 3, 2011

 ⁴ Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. ⁵ Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.  (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, New International Version, ©2011)



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Daily Read April 2, 2011

 ⁷ “You shall have no other gods before me.
 ⁸ “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁹ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ¹⁰ but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.  (Deuteronomy 5:7-10, New International Version, ©2011)



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First Quarter Running Review

I felt like garbage on my run last night. 

Over all, my time and distance weren't bad.  What was bad was how I felt inside.  After a couple of days of fast food (sadly... three back to back to back meals (dinner... lunch... dinner)) left me feeling lethargic.  Top that off with a couple of days of birthday celebrating with cake, cupcakes and more cake... I was not feeling at the peak of healthy eating. 

And I felt it on my run.  I was cramping.  I was feeling sluggish.  I felt like I was dragging bags of sand behind me. 

However...

The first quarter of 2011 has been good to my running.  I received a little notification last night from Runkeeper that encouraged me.  March was my highest running output for the year! With last night's sluggish 4.4 mile run, it bumped my output up to 18.4% over February!  That was encouraging.  I don't have my numbers in front of me, but working from memory I'm averaging about 2.2 miles a day... even on days when I don't run. That's pretty sweet!

Additionally, I don't really do a "Season of Lent Fast" simply for Lent's sake.  I did however begin one for the Flying Pig just after Lent began.  I gave up drinking soda through my race.  It's only H2O, coffee, tea, milk, Gatorade and fruit drinks for me.  I'm feeling pretty good about this.  I think that it's helping my overall hydration levels.  I don't feel that I "run out of gas" so early in my run... because I'm better hydrated.  On that same note, I'm powering through a couple of 32oz water bottles every day. 

With merely a month to go in my Flying Pig training (this week is my last recovery week before I push through the last cycle and into tapering), my training is going well.  Last night's run... although discouraging in how I felt... provided me some much needed encouragement in terms of the numbers.  Thankfully in a week or two I will have forgotten about that terrible run... but I will still have the accomplishment of setting March's numbers high. 

Keep running friends!
Jim


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Daily Read April 1, 2011

⁸ The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
   slow to anger, abounding in love.
⁹ He will not always accuse,
   nor will he harbor his anger forever;
¹⁰ he does not treat us as our sins deserve
   or repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
   so great is his love for those who fear him;
¹² as far as the east is from the west,
   so far has he removed our transgressions from us.  (Psalm 103:8-12, New International Version, ©2011)


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